Cursed Devourer

Darkness.

It devoured everything— his senses, his body, his very existence. Malik floated in an endless abyss, neither falling nor rising, weightless in the nothingness. His mind thrashed, trying to grasp at something— anything— to anchor himself, but there was nothing.

Then the pain came.

It didn't start in a limb or organ, because he had neither anymore. It was him. A pure, agonizing force that shredded at his very being, ripping apart whatever made up his current state. He felt himself pulled apart, his consciousness unravelling like a fragile thread. He had fought through hell before, suffered wounds that should've killed him– but this? This was something deeper.

His soul was being reset.

A sharp noise echoed through the void, cutting through the emptiness and torment like a blade of light.

[SYSTEM REBOOT : MALIK THANA]

[Resetting host…]

[Dismantling Physical Form…]

[Purging Mortal Constraints…]

Each word felt like a hammer to his existence.

His bones, his muscles, his nerves—gone. There was nothing left but his mind, floating in this abyss, stripped bare of everything else.

It could have been seconds. It could have been eternity.

Then—

[CONGRATULATIONS!]

[Host has successfully completed the Third Quest: The Cost of Ascension.]

[Processing Rewards…]

[Host Achieved 9.83B/9.83B Souls : Maximum Rewards Acquired]

The pain lessened, but Malik barely noticed. His thoughts raced. He had finished the trial. The King's power had nearly broken him, yet he had survived. But at what cost? He had no body, no world beneath his feet.

Where the hell was he?

The system didn't care for his confusion. The next notification appeared before him, blinding golden letters forming in the abyss.

He forced himself to focus. He had survived. Whatever this was, it wasn't death.

The first reward appeared.

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[Reward 1 : CHOOSE YOUR REBIRTH]:

[Due to the maxed-out Devoured Souls bonus, Host may select from the following legendary races]:

Draconian – Inheritors of the Ancient Dragons, wielders of primal elemental power.

Titanborn – Beings of towering strength, capable of shaping the land itself.

Aetherborn – Children of celestial energy, able to manipulate the essence of magic.

Umbralkin – Masters of shadows and deception, existing between realities.

Primordial Shifter – A race unrestricted by form, able to adapt and evolve at will.

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Malik's gaze lingered on each option. Dragons were power, beings who embodied destruction and elemental mastery. Titans were unstoppable, their strength capable of breaking mountains. The Aetherborn called to his curiosity, wielders of energy itself. The Umbralkin intrigued him—shadows and deception, a race of assassins and spectres. And then there was the last option.

Primordial Shifter. Unrestricted by form. The words alone sent his mind spinning. Every other race had a path, a set of strengths and weaknesses. But a Shifter… it was limitless.

'Is that a good thing, though?'

For the first time, doubt crept in. Power was essential in this world, and he had learned first-hand that versatility wasn't always a strength. Sometimes, raw overwhelming force was the only thing that mattered. Could a Shifter truly stand against a dragon? A titan?

A new screen appeared before him.

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[BONUS : CHOOSE ONE ADDITIONAL TRAIT]:

[Due to maxed-out Devoured Souls, you may select one additional racial trait to enhance your rebirth.]:

Draconic Heart – Gain the resilience and magic of a dragon, regardless of chosen race.

Titan's Blood – Inherit immense physical strength and durability.

Eternal Mind – Your soul is fortified beyond measure, resistant to mental attacks and soul-damage.

Shadowborn – A natural affinity for darkness, allowing movement through shadows.

Elemental Affinity – Gain a deep connection to a single element, increasing its power exponentially.

Primordial Instinct – Your body and mind will instinctively know how to adapt to threats.

Soul Devourer – You absorb fragments of strength from every soul you slay, permanently enhancing your power.

Godforged – Your physical form will be nearly indestructible, even as a mortal.

Void Touched – Resistance to spatial manipulation and the ability to exist in the void.

Fateweaver – A subconscious awareness of future possibilities, allowing intuitive battle adjustments.

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Malik's thoughts slowed. This was a significant choice. A race determined his foundation, but this trait would define how he evolved.

Draconic Heart was tempting. It meant keeping the power of dragons without choosing their race. Titan's Blood was pure, raw dominance. Eternal Mind would protect him from soul-based attacks—a weakness he had never considered or experienced before.

His gaze flickered to Primordial Instinct. A trait that would let him adapt? Learn to survive without thinking? That was… dangerously appealing. His decision wasn't just about power. It was about who he was going to be in this new world.

Soul Devourer felt the most familiar by far, it was practically what his power had been fuelled by during his third quest.

But before he decided, he had more rewards to see.

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[REWARD 2 : SELECT YOUR SOULBOND]:

[A soulbond is a companion tied to your very being, growing with you through your journey. Choose wisely.]

Elder Wyrmling – A dragon hatchling of immense potential.

Dire Wolf Pup – A beast of unwavering loyalty and monstrous strength.

Void Serpent – A mysterious entity linked to the depths of space.

Obsidian Raven – A harbinger of fate, capable of glimpsing the unseen.

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"A companion?" Malik murmured. He hadn't expected this. Gaining something that would fight and live alongside him was definitely a worthy reward, especially so- considering the options he had to choose from.

After a moment of thought, he chose. He felt drawn to this, far more than the others. And unlike the previous rewards he knew that he wouldn't regret this choice.

"I'll take the Elder Wyrmling." A pulse shuddered through the void, a connection forming within his soul. He couldn't see it yet, but it was there, bound to him.

Then came the last reward.

[FINAL REWARD : SPEAK WITH NAMELESS]

Nothing happened. Malik thought he might be mistaken, maybe something had gone wrong with the system.

Then-

A presence stirred in the void.

A figure emerged, draped in shifting shadows that stood out from the endless abyss that encapsulated this reality. Malik tensed, he wasn't afraid, nor did he feel any danger, but something about the figure made him feel uncomfortable. He felt like his existence was stripped naked, that this strange entity could see everything that made Malik who he was.

"Malik," Nameless greeted, his voice inhuman, but also soothing. "You've done well. I'm quite proud, you surpassed my expectations."

Malik exhaled, then his gaze narrowed. "Nameless I assume," he said, trying to see beyond the darkness that shrouded him.

"I have hundreds of questions, but I feel like you won't answer any of them."

Nameless chuckled. "Very perceptive of you. This is more of a formal meeting, but I will give you some advice..." He moved closer, watching Malik with intent.

Malik shifted uncomfortably, or at least he wanted to, but his body didn't currently exist. "What advice?"

"Your race. Choose draconian."

Malik contemplated Nameless' words for a moment. "Why?"

"It's strong, feared. It would make your path easier." Nameless answered immediately.

Malik stared at the options again. Then, slowly, he shook his head.

"No," he said confidently. "I choose Primordial Shifter."

For the first time, Malik saw something within the dark shroud.

Nameless was smiling. Large, white, serrated teeth that gave off a terrifying feeling- curved into a smile of genuine joy.

"Good," he said, his voice shaking the abyss.

Malik felt a slight shock. "You wanted me to pick it? Are you not angry that I ignored your advice?"

"I wanted you to choose for yourself," Nameless corrected. "And you made the best choice of them all."

The moment Nameless spoke those words, the void shuddered. A wave of energy surged through him, burning into his very essence. This was no simple race selection—this was evolution at its purest.

Then—something changed.

More text appeared.

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[WARNING: PRIMORDIAL SHIFTER DOES NOT FUNCTION LIKE TRADITIONAL SHIFTERS.][PROCESSING ADDITIONAL TRAITS…]

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A new list appeared.

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[UNIQUE TRAITS OF THE PRIMORDIAL SHIFTER]:

Biological Reconstruction – You can alter your body at will, down to the cellular level.

Hybrid Form Mastery – You are not limited to full transformations. You can mix and match traits from any form you take.

Adaptive Evolution – Your body learns from injuries, adapting to survive greater threats.

Genetic Absorption – By consuming or deeply analysing a creature, you can integrate its traits into your own.

Form Stability – No matter how much you alter yourself, your body will never lose cohesion.

Instinctive Metamorphosis – When in danger, your body will automatically shift into the most optimal form for survival.

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Malik's thoughts froze.

He had assumed "Shifter" meant changing from one form to another. But this? This was something entirely different.

He could mix his body with anything. He could give himself the claws of a dragon, the wings of a raven, the tail of a scorpion, the armour of a titan—anything he had ever defeated or analysed enough to understand.

A slow grin spread across his face. This wasn't just shapeshifting. This was evolution without limits.

Nameless' voice interrupted his thoughts. "You almost picked dragon," he mused. "That would have been a fine choice."

Malik crossed his arms. Or at least, he thought he did. Did he even have arms yet?

"But?" Malik prompted.

Nameless grinned. "But this is the better choice. If you can master it."

Malik exhaled, still reeling from what he had just learned. "Why didn't the system explain all that at the start?"

"Because it wanted to see if you would choose it on your own. As did I." Nameless said simply. "It was a test."

Malik narrowed his eyes. "And if I had picked something else?"

"You would have been strong," Nameless admitted. "But not free."

That struck something deep inside Malik.

Free.

No restrictions. No set form. No limits.

This was more than just a powerful race—it was the ability to be anything he wanted to be.

"What about the trait?" Nameless asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Malik pondered for a short moment. 'They're all extremely appealing, but now that I know the abilities of the Primordial Shifter, can't I just learn most of them in the future? Well all except for...'

"I will choose Soul Devourer." He said with certainty.

Nameless' grin grew even wider. "Good. Very good."

Malik didn't bother asking this time, he already had a hunch that this was something directly related to Nameless, and the fact that he'd already tasted this power before- he knew intimately of the benefits it provided.

"Alright," Malik said, rolling his shoulders—and actually feeling them this time.

His body was forming again, but it was foreign to him. "What now?"

Nameless stepped back. "Now? You wake up."

Malik hesitated. He had so many more questions. But something inside told him he wouldn't get to ask them—not now.

"Will I ever see you again?"

Nameless smirked. "Not until you reach level 100."

Malik exhaled, a small smile on his lips. "Then I'll see you at level 100."

The void collapsed as the darkness was sucked away.

And Malik descended into his new world.