It’s over.

He stood over the Kraken’s lifeless body, watching as the last of its tentacles twitched before going still. Despite its size—slightly larger than him—the Kraken had been no match for his newfound power. It had barely put up a fight.

Arthur glanced down at the Kraken’s charred flesh, the molten heat from his claws still radiating off its body. He reached down, tearing off a chunk of the cooked flesh, and devoured it. The taste hit him immediately—rich, savory, with a hint of salt. The heat from his claws had roasted the Kraken’s flesh perfectly, turning it into a feast. He tore into it again, devouring the creature with a hunger that seemed insatiable.

But as he ate, something felt... off.

No system notification. No new traits or evolution options. Nothing. Arthur paused, swallowing the last bit of Kraken meat. The usual pulse of energy, the surge of power that came with absorbing a Soul Core, was absent.

What’s going on?

He frowned, glancing at the Kraken’s body. Was it because he was stronger now? Had the Kraken’s core simply been too weak to offer him anything new? Whatever the reason, Arthur felt no stronger than he had before the fight. The Kraken had been a challenge in the past, but now it was just a meal.

Before he could think on it further, the system’s [Map] flickered to life in his mind, pulsing with a low, steady beep. Arthur’s eyes narrowed as he focused on the map, his heart rate spiking. Several yellow blips had appeared around him, closing in from all sides.

He turned, scanning the dark water. In the distance, he saw them—shadows moving in unison, long tentacles and slick, clam-like shells gliding through the water. More Krakens. Fifteen, maybe more. All of them smaller, but they moved with purpose, their yellow eyes glowing faintly in the gloom.

Looks like I’ve attracted some attention.

The Krakens moved as a pack, spreading out to surround him. Arthur’s heart raced, not with fear, but excitement. His claws flexed, heat pulsing through them as he prepared for the fight. These creatures had no idea what they were walking—or rather, swimming—into.

A wicked smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Perfect. A solution served on a silver platter.

The first of the baby Krakens lunged, its tentacles whipping toward Arthur with reckless speed. Arthur sidestepped easily, his new agility allowing him to move effortlessly through the water. He retaliated with a quick slash of his claws, severing the Kraken’s head in one swift motion. The body fell limp, sinking into the depths below.

The first mini-Kraken lunged, its tentacles whipping toward him with reckless speed. Arthur sidestepped, his new agility allowing him to glide effortlessly through the water. He retaliated with a swift slash of his claws, severing the Kraken’s head in one motion. Its body twitched, then sank into the depths below, leaving a trail of blood in the water.

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Two more mini-Krakens surged toward him, one from above, the other from below. Arthur twisted, spinning through the water, and lashed out with his tail. The impact sent one Kraken crashing into a nearby rock, its shell cracking from the force. The second Kraken tried to wrap its tentacles around him, but Arthur’s molten claws sliced through the limbs with ease, leaving the creature writhing in agony before he finished it with a bite to its core.

As the fight continued, the water became a swirling battlefield of blood, ink, and flashing tentacles. Arthur moved with precision, his body now fully adapted to the underwater environment. His molten claws left sizzling trails as they tore through flesh, cooking the mini-Krakens alive with each strike. Tentacles flew through the water as he ripped them apart, and yet more of the creatures came, determined to swarm him.

Arthur’s claws blazed with molten heat, but as he severed another Kraken’s tentacle, the creature retaliated, spraying him with a blast of boiling ink-laced water. The scalding liquid struck his side, burning through his scales and sending a wave of pain coursing through his body.

He hissed, recoiling from the impact.The mini-Kraken wasn’t done. Another blast of boiling ink shot toward him, but Arthur was prepared this time, dodging it as he appeared behind the creature in an instant, chomping on it’s head with a clean bite, killing it as it turned albino white.

He devoured the head, feeling some sense of energy returning back to his body, as he glared at the other Mini-Krakens. . .before he flipped all of them off.

The fight then became a blur of motion, Arthur’s body moving with fluid grace as he tore through the pack of Krakens. His molten claws left trails of sizzling heat in the water, each strike cooking the creatures alive. Tentacles flew, blood clouded the water, and the Kraken horde fell one by one. Arthur didn’t slow down, didn’t stop. Each kill was cleaner, faster, more decisive than the last.

It wasn’t long before the last of the Krakens fell, its body twitching in the water as Arthur tore into its core. He devoured it without hesitation, feeling the familiar warmth spread through his body as he consumed the Kraken’s flesh.

But still—nothing. No system notification. No evolution.

Arthur’s excitement dulled into frustration. He had killed them all, fifteen in total, and still there was no reward. No surge of power, no new traits to unlock. He was stronger than these creatures, sure, but to gain nothing from the fight felt... wrong.

He swallowed the last bite of Kraken flesh, his stomach churning with the weight of the meal. And then, a new sensation crept over him—heaviness. His body felt sluggish, weighed down by the sheer volume of food he had consumed. His limbs grew heavy, his vision blurred slightly as exhaustion began to set in.

What’s happening...?

Arthur shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He had eaten before, killed before, but this was different. His body wasn’t trying to evolve—it was shutting down. He felt... tired. Bone-deep tired.

I need to rest.

His eyes scanned the ocean floor, searching for shelter. In the distance, tucked between two jagged rocks, he saw a small underwater cave. It was dark, the entrance partially obscured by thick seaweed and rock formations, but it would do. He needed to get out of the open, away from whatever else might be lurking nearby.

Arthur pushed himself forward, his limbs heavy with exhaustion. His muscles burned from the effort, his body demanding rest. He reached the cave, slipping inside with a sense of relief. The water inside was still, quiet, the thick rock walls blocking out the distant glow of the Scorching Badlands.

Arthur curled up against the cave’s wall, his body finally giving in to the weight of the meal. His eyelids grew heavy, and the world around him began to fade. He hadn’t evolved this time. Not yet. But he could feel it coming, lurking just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment.

For now, though, he would sleep.