Kaito was never given a choice.

An orphan with no family, no warmth, and no future — the cold hands of an assassination organization shaped his life. Stripped of emotions and molded into a weapon, he lived only to kill, following the twisted orders of the one he called "Mom." She was never his mother — just a manipulative figure who saw him as nothing more than a tool.

He became their most feared assassin — sharp, precise, and merciless. Yet in the end, his greatest strength became his curse. Out of fear of his talent, "Mom" betrayed him. Alone and bleeding out, Kaito’s world faded to black.

But death wasn’t the end.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a new world — a body too small, too frail — and yet, he remembered everything. Memories of bloodshed and betrayal haunted him. Before he could make sense of it, he saw her — his mother.

She wasn’t a commanding voice or a cruel manipulator — she was warm yet fragile, gentle yet strong. An elf mother, trembling as goblin cubs swarmed her, powerless to stop them.

Something inside Kaito snapped.

He didn’t think. He didn’t hesitate. He slaughtered the creatures without mercy — blood splattering the earth beneath his tiny feet. When it was over, he turned to her — battered, bruised, yet still trying to smile for her child.

“Are you my mother?” he asked, his voice almost breaking.

In her exhausted, teary gaze, he saw something he'd never known before — unconditional love.

For the first time in two lives, Kaito knew what it meant to have someone worth protecting — not out of duty, not because of orders — but because she was his mother. And no one would ever hurt her again.

No one.

The one-eyed goblin's rage twisted into cruel amusement. He sneered, then barked a laugh.


"Ha! You've disobeyed orders and killed your own kind," he jeered. "Do you think you can run? Do you think you can survive?"


"Get him!" the one-eyed goblin roared. The mob surged forward, weapons clattering.


In the one-eyed goblin's mind, Kaito was already dead. After all, no lone boy could possibly defeat so many of them.


But his confidence shattered in seconds.


Kaito vanished into the shadows. One moment he stood before them — the next, gone.


"Where is he?!" one goblin cried, eyes wide with panic.


The nest's dim light flickered, and a silver flash cut through the gloom.


A goblin's head tumbled through the air. Then another. And another.


Each time Kaito appeared, a goblin fell. Their blood slicked the stone floor.


The surviving goblins — once fearless in their cruelty — faltered. Fear overtook them. Some tried to run, but death was faster. Whenever one turned away, Kaito was already there.


More bodies crumpled. The god of death had come for them.


[Congratulations on killing the goblin. Based on the effect of your skill "Predation," you have gained 1 point of strength.]


[Your strength has reached the upper limit of this stage.]


Kaito pressed on, cutting through the terrified goblins. Each kill left him stronger. Each death filled him with power.


When the final goblin fell, Kaito stood amid a pile of twisted corpses. Blood soaked his boots. He closed his eyes and let the power surge through him.


[Congratulations on killing the goblin. Based on the effect of your skill "Predation," you have gained 1 point of speed.]


[Your speed has reached the upper limit of this stage.]


[Congratulations on killing the goblin. Based on the effect of your skill "Predation," you have gained 1 point of physique.]


[Your physique has reached the upper limit of this stage.]


[Congratulations on reaching the upper limit of strength, physique, and speed in the early growth stage at an unprecedented rate.]


[The celestial web is recording your achievement.]


[The sin of killing your own kind is also recorded in the celestial web.]


[Congratulations on obtaining a special talent: Limit Breakthrough.]


At that moment, Kaito's status appeared before him:


Constitution: 30 (Maximum for this stage)


Talents: Breath Concealment, Language Proficiency, Self-Healing (D), Strength Enhancement (D), Speed Enhancement (D)


Special Talents: King Seed, Limit Breakthrough]


Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: The Predator's Ascent