Casimir slowly opened his eyes. His entire body screamed in pain, and he could feel the damp, cold earth beneath him. Every breath was a struggle, and a sharp agony pierced through his ribs. Pushing himself up slightly, he realized he had survived the fall… but at what cost?
His stomach growled, a gnawing hunger clawing at him. "I need to find something to eat… or I'll die here," he muttered weakly.
Leaning against a nearby rock, he staggered to his feet and began searching. But the walls of the abyss were barren—no vegetation, no animals. Just oppressive shadows and silence, until a distant noise shattered the stillness.
A deafening crash echoed through the depths, followed by ferocious roars. Intrigued, Casimir cautiously approached the source of the noise, hiding behind a boulder. What he saw left him speechless:
A Cyclops Guardian and a Manticore, both Rank S monsters, were locked in a titanic battle. The ground shook under their attacks, and each strike seemed capable of leveling mountains.
The Cyclops, a towering giant, summoned jagged spikes from the earth with its Earth Manipulation ability, trying to trap the Manticore. But the beast dodged with deadly grace, leaping nimbly out of reach. Spotting an opening in the Cyclops's defenses, the Manticore sank its venomous fangs into its throat, killing it in seconds.
Casimir, frozen in fear and awe, watched as the Manticore slowly retreated, its massive form disappearing into the darkness.
When silence fell once more, his stomach growled again. Desperate, his gaze fell on the Cyclops's corpse. "No… I can't… It looks too much like a human," he murmured. But his hunger won out.
Shaking with disgust, Casimir tore a piece of flesh from the Cyclops and ate it.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind, cold and commanding:"Condition fulfilled to unlock the skill Eclipse Vorace. By consuming the Cyclops's flesh, you have obtained:
- Geokinesis (Rank A)
- Giant's Strike (Rank A+)."
Casimir's eyes widened. He opened his interface and looked at his skill, Eclipse Vorace, where a description finally appeared:"This skill allows you to absorb the abilities of monsters you consume."
Then he noticed something else. The rank of the skill was displayed: SSS.
A malicious grin spread across his face. "Finally… I can take my revenge on you. Alice. Liam. Get ready."