A black, viscous river stretched as far as the eye could see, its surface reflecting the red moon hanging ominously in the sky. Faint whispers rose from its depths, the painful screams of the damned.
The air hung heavy with the scent of life and decay.
Along the riverbank, countless Devil eggs of various shapes and sizes were stacked atop one another.
This place was the River of Oblivion—the birthplace of all devils, where life and death intertwined.
Among these countless eggs, one stood out. It pulsed to a strange, irregular rhythm, as if it possessed its own heartbeat.
"Who am I?", a thought echoed within the egg, and fragments of memories burst into the unborn Devil's mind.
These memories belonged to a human on a distant planet called Earth, following their birth, childhood, adulthood, and finally, death.
"Am I that human?", the unborn Devil wondered, then instinctively shook its head.
"No! That was my previous life."
"Then... who am I?"
As this thought surfaced, faint red lines crept across the egg's surface, twisting eerily like living veins.
And then, the unborn Devil understood.
"I see... I'm a Devil!"
Upon having this realization, a surge of raw power coursed through its body.
Instinctively, it waved its tiny hands, striking the thin membrane surrounding it.
Crack!
A sharp sound echoed, followed by more snapping and cracking noises. Fractures spread across the egg, glowing faintly with crimson light.
Bang!
The shell shattered completely, revealing the Devil inside.
It was a small humanoid creature less than a meter tall, with red skin and sharp claws. Its facial features were impossible to define, as if they were a mix of countless faces.
The moment the Devil opened its eyes, it raised its head toward the red moon and shouted:
"My name is Liora Veythalis Dranthera Vexira..."
Countless unintelligible syllables poured from her mouth, revealing her True Devil Name.
The Devil, now Liora, knew this meant that she had received the approval of the Demon World.
But this didn't mean that she was safe just yet.
Her crimson eyes scanned the surrounding eggs, each containing a Little Devil yet to be born.
The River of Oblivion was the birthplace of all Devils, but also the first trial given to them by the Demon World.
Countless Devils were born from the River of Oblivion every moment, yet only a few managed to leave this place alive.
This was because Devils grew stronger by feasting on the souls of other beings—including their own kind.
Feeling the instinct engraved on her blood, urging her to slaughter the Devils around her, Liora didn't resist.
Though she retained memories of her human life, her Devil nature was stronger. Hunger flared, and she approached the nearest egg.
Her sharp claws pierced the membrane, reaching into the egg, but failed to kill the Devil inside.
The attack awakened the Devil, whose body moved as if ready to be born.
Liora didn't hesitate.
Seeing that her first attack had failed to kill her prey, she attacked again.
A second strike, sharper and more precise, smashed through the shell, crushing the Devil within.
A faint white mist—the Devil's soul— rose from its body and drifted toward her.
Liora seized the soul and moved it to her mouth, devouring it slowly before swallowing it down. The soul melted on her mouth, like a supreme delicacy.
Its taste was superb—far surpassing anything she had eaten in her previous life.
She expected her strength to increase after devouring the soul, but something unexpected happened.
A translucent panel appeared before her eyes.
--
[True Name: Liora Veythalis Dranthera Vexira...]
[Rank: Little Devil]
[Strength: 1], [Agility: 1], [Vitality: 1], [Mana: 1]
[Race: Undetermined]
[Abilities: Combat Instinct, Soul Devouring, Low-Level Regeneration]
[Evolution Points: 1]
[Current Absorption Efficiency: 10x (Normal Devil = 1x)]
--
The moment her eyes landed on the panel, Liora understood immediately.
Unlike other Devils, who evolved purely through instinct, she could control her evolution through the Evolution System.
Every soul devoured granted her Evolution Points, which could be allocated to enhance stats, improve abilities, or even create new ones.
Moreover, the system's efficiency in devouring souls far surpassed her own [Soul Devouring] ability.
"First reincarnation, and now a System...", Liora whispered.
Then, without hesitation, she clicked on the (+) sign next to [Strength].
Immediately, a warm current surged through her, improving her strength. As a result, her shape also began to change.
Her body grew from one meter to 1.2, becoming more slender, almost human in form. Her facial features sharpened slightly, though still blurred.
Feeling her newfound power, Liora's eyes gleamed. She turned to the remaining Devil eggs, her mouth watering.
She leaned down and shattered another egg, before killing the Devil within and devouring its soul.
Then, she continued on to the one next to it.
Then the next one. And the next.
With each soul devoured, her strikes became sharper, faster, and more precise.
Soon, the River of Oblivion witnessed the first feast of a newborn Devil.