[Soul Essence successfully absorbed.]
An indescribable power radiated from him like invisible tendrils, reaching into the dissipating data-light left behind by the Mutated Dog and forcibly tearing away a fragment of its very soul.
Immediately afterward, a system notification unlike any ordinary prompt appeared before him.
Framed in dark gold and adorned with ferocious, ancient patterns, it announced itself with absolute dominance.
[Sovereign of Souls activated successfully!]
[Initial soul absorption triggered!]
[Soul Essence successfully absorbed from target (Mutated Dog): Agility +1!]
The instant the notification echoed through his mind, Aiden Cross felt a cool, refreshing current surge into his legs before rapidly spreading through every nerve in his body.
The sensation was incomparably clear. Incomparably real.
It was as though an invisible restraint shackling his body had quietly loosened. His coordination became smoother, his reactions sharper, and even the slightest sluggishness in his movements seemed to vanish.
’I can finally absorb the beasts’ stats from their souls, too. I wonder why none of the Earth Beasts whose souls I absorbed gave me any stats, even though they gave me traits... Well, I guess it’s for the best."
He subconsciously stamped his foot, feeling the clearer, more responsive feedback from the ground beneath him.
He swung an arm through the air. The motion was noticeably smoother.
He gained just 1 point of Agility. Yet for a digitized body in the early stages of the apocalypse, that single point represented an astonishing improvement.
His movements were faster. His dodges more agile. His attacks swifter.
In a life-and-death battle, such a seemingly insignificant advantage could easily become the difference between survival and death.
More importantly...
This proved that the [Sovereign of Souls], his SSS-rank unique Class, had truly begun to reveal its heaven-defying power.
No endless grinding. No tedious quests. Simply by killing, he could absorb the soul essence of his enemies and make its power his own. Simple, brutal and terrifyingly efficient.
This was Aiden Cross’s greatest reliance in this life, the power that would carry him to the very pinnacle and place the butcher’s knife firmly in his hand against every enemy standing in his path.
"Heh..." A low chuckle escaped his throat. It carried disbelief. Excitement. And boundless coldness.
The laughter gradually grew louder until it burst forth without restraint.
"Hahaha... Hahahaha!!"
He stood amidst a chaotic street littered with corpses.
Data-light particles from the slain Mutated Dog still drifted around his feet. Panicked crowds fled in every direction while monsters rampaged unchecked beneath a shattered sky that continued to rain streams of glowing data.
Yet he laughed with complete abandon.
As though he stood not in hell... But in paradise.
This was the first genuine smile he had shown since his rebirth.
A smile born not from hatred. Nor from cold calculation. But from power. Power he could firmly grasp.
Power that would allow him to trample every enemy beneath his feet and seize control of his own destiny.
"Soul Essence..." Aiden Cross slowly lowered his gaze to his hands. His eyes blazed like twin stars. "So this... is the feeling of absorbing Soul Essence."
A grin spread across his face. "Wonderful. It’s truly wonderful!"
He could clearly sense that the [Sovereign of Souls] Class within his soul had changed after completing its first successful soul absorption.
It had become... Hungrier.
It radiated an undisguised craving for the countless life auras drifting throughout the battlefield.
The more he killed... The more soul essence he absorbed... The stronger he would become.
No bottlenecks. No limits. At least during the early stages, this was nothing less than a direct path to the heavens.
His gaze swept across the chaotic battlefield with the precision of a radar.
The Rock Golem that had just finished gnawing on a corpse...
Slow, but blessed with overwhelming strength.
If he could absorb its Soul Essence and obtain its Strength... The Inferior Wraith floating through the air, unleashing shrill psychic screams...
If he could absorb its Soul Essence and obtain its Spirit... And beyond them, More Mutated Dogs prowled the streets. More Agility. More opportunities.
In Aiden Cross’s eyes, these creatures were no longer monsters spreading terror and death.
They were walking bundles of soul essence and attribute points...
Waiting to be harvested.
"Come..." Aiden Cross licked his dry lips.
The [Damaged Ring of Greed] resting on his finger seemed to sense its master’s fighting spirit, growing faintly warm.
Gripping the kitchen knife stained with green blood, he shifted his footing.
Like a phantom, he charged straight toward the nearest Mutated Dog.
His footsteps were lighter. His speed noticeably faster.
The single point of Agility he had absorbed had already begun to display its effects.
The slaughter began anew.
But this time... It was no longer for survival. It was for Soul Essence.
[Successfully killed Level 1 "Mutated Dog". Gained 22 experience points.]
[Triggered "Greed" effect. Additional reward obtained: [Spoiled Meat] ×1.]
[Soul Essence successfully absorbed! Gained Strength +1!]
A faint yet unmistakable surge of strength flowed into his arm.
[Successfully killed Level 1 "Rock Golem". Gained 35 experience points.]
[Triggered "Greed" effect. Additional reward obtained: [Rough Stone] ×1.]
[Soul Essence successfully absorbed! Gained Constitution +1!]
A warm current spread throughout his body, subtly strengthening his muscles, bones, and skin. His stamina increased, and even his defense felt noticeably more resilient.
Every kill was accompanied by another successful soul absorption.
Every soul absorption brought tangible growth.
And that rapid, visible increase in strength, something he could both witness and personally experience, produced a sense of exhilaration so intense it bordered on addiction.
Aiden Cross weaved through the chaotic battlefield, the kitchen knife in his hand becoming the Grim Reaper’s invitation, harvesting the lives of monsters with ruthless precision while simultaneously absorbing the very essence of their souls.
The smile on his face had long since disappeared, replaced by absolute focus and icy coldness.
Yet deep within those unfathomable eyes burned two unquenchable flames of ambition and revenge.
The Sovereign of Souls Class had officially awakened.
The era of soul harvesting belonging to the Reaper had begun.
And upon this blood-soaked apocalyptic wasteland, the curtain slowly rose on a grand and merciless prologue.