Level ten came quietly.
No thunder.
No golden light.
No heavens trembling.
I was crouched in the outer forest, my hand resting against the flank of a low-level spirit deer. Warmth flowed into me in thin, controlled streams. The creature shuddered, then stumbled away, alive—barely aware of what it had lost.
I exhaled.
The hunger settled.
Then—
[LEVEL UP]
My body tightened.
Level: 10
All base stats increased by +1
Before I could even process it, the system chimed again—this time, slower. Heavier.
Milestone reached.
A new window appeared, darker than the others.
Evolution Opportunity Detected.
"…Evolution?" I whispered.
The forest felt suddenly too quiet.
You have met the minimum requirements to undergo an early-stage evolution.
This process is optional.
Optional didn't mean safe.
"What happens if I don't?" I asked.
You will continue progressing inefficiently.
Risk of hunger instability increases.
That decided it.
"…And if I do?"
The system paused.
Just a fraction longer than usual.
Your existence will change.
A single prompt appeared.
Do you wish to evolve?
[YES] / [NO]
My heart pounded.
I thought of the hunger.
The blood.
How right it felt when I fed.
"I don't want to lose myself," I said quietly.
Then this is the optimal path.
I swallowed.
"…Yes."
The moment I chose—
Pain swallowed the world.
My veins ignited, burning from the inside as my heartbeat slowed, deepened. My vision darkened, then sharpened violently. I could hear insects crawling beneath the leaves. Smell sap, soil, distant breath.
I dropped to one knee, clutching my chest.
Something inside me split—then fused again.
Evolution Complete.
The pain vanished instantly.
Cold clarity replaced it.
A new status panel unfolded.
Race: Halfing
Classification: Unstable (Evolving)
Compatibility: High
Blood Affinity: Dormant
Restrictions: Active
"…Halfing?" I echoed.
Correct.
You now exist between states.
"Between what states?"
That information is restricted.
Of course it was.
I checked myself. My reflection stared back from a pool of water—still human. Mostly. But my eyes glowed faintly crimson in the dark.
"…What changed?" I asked.
You may now metabolize blood, essence, and qi simultaneously.
Side effects: Increased hunger, enhanced recovery, night adaptation.
"…That sounds dangerous."
It is efficient.
Before I could respond—
[SYSTEM SHOP UNLOCKED]
The screen exploded open, flooding my vision with rows of items and categories.
Welcome, Host.
As a Halfing, you qualify for specialized inventory.
"…Specialized how?"
The first category blinked.
[HALFING-ONLY ITEMS]
My stomach dropped.
Crimson Circulation (Passive) – Improves blood and essence absorption
Bloodthread Gloves – Non-lethal extraction tool
Obscuring Talisman (Aura Masking)
*Synthetic Blood Substitute (Emergency Use)
"…You planned this," I muttered.
Preparation is kindness.
I purchased Crimson Circulation.
Agony tore through my veins for half a second—then order snapped into place. The hunger didn't fade.
It focused.
That night, I didn't go into the forest.
I stopped near the academy sparring grounds.
Disciples trained under torchlight, unaware.
Their life force pulsed softly in my vision—no longer overwhelming. Measured. Quantifiable.
Notice:
Halfing physiology allows partial extraction from humanoid targets.
Lethality risk: Minimal if regulated.
My breath hitched.
"…You're saying I don't have to kill them."
Correct.
You may feed… socially.
I stared at my hands.
"…That's messed up."
Discomfort noted.
Growth continues regardless.
In the distance, laughter echoed.
Warm. Alive.
The hunger stirred again.
Controlled.
Patient.
And for the first time—
I realized the system wasn't corrupting me.
It was teaching me how to survive.