After his hunger had faded. His senses have become more clear. Not consumed by it.
He needs to align his thoughts more. And can't just wonder here like some lost soul. He needs to learn and adapt. And he had no intention of stopping.
His fingers brushed against the jagged rock as he walked forward. The path was very uneven; it stretched deep into the chasm. He walked carefully and slowly.
He could hear the sound of them now..the creatures that lurked beyond his sight.
The scuttling of many legs against the ground. The distant sound of scraping against the walls. The abyss has never been silent.
"Identify the potential threats," he asked.
The voice of the Abyss quickly responded.
[Multiple lifeforms detected. Class: Lesser Predators. Species: Maw Crawlers.]
He thought for a second. The name alone was enough for him to imagine. Maw Crawlers. What he imagined was a small, agile creature with gaping mouths filled with serrated teeth, waiting in the dark for something to stumble into their grasp. And enjoy it.
Good. He is looking forward to it. He needs to test something. His body had changed. His abilities have improved. But he needs to test just how much they have improved.
Suddenly a rustling sound from his left, fast, skittering movements against the stone. He pivoted sharply, eyes locking onto the source of sound.
From the darkness, a Maw Lunged forward. It is a sickly, pale creature no larger than a dog, its body covered in jagged, chitinous plates. Its elongated mouth stretched unnaturally wide, a maw of spiraling teeth snapping towards him.
His body moved on its own before his mind could even process the movement.
He sidestepped, faster than he expected, his enhanced reflexes sending him gliding across the uneven terrain.
But because of his enhanced speed he couldn't control it and collided with the wall.
He gets up, and using his enhanced reflexes he quickly lunges at the Maw crawler. Because of his strong grip. The creature's exoskeleton cracked with impact. A wet crunch echoed through the cavern.
He throws the creature to the wall. Making it scream in pain. He didn't stop. He goes towards it. Catches it with one hand, and with his other hand, towards its underbelly.
His claws pierced through the underbelly. He twisted it and ripped it apart with an effortless motion.
Blood and blood splattered across the ground and his body. The Maw Crawler's body convulsed before going still.
He exhaled slowly. There it was again..that rush. That primal satisfaction. But this time it wasn't hunger,it was strength. The control.
For the first time since awakening in this damned cursed place, he wasn't just reacting. He was dominating. And that realization of dominating a creature sent a thrill through his veins.
He looked at the deep chasm, where more creatures were lurking. A slow smile creeps onto his lips. This is going to be fun.
The Maw Crawler's corps twitched a little at his feet, its lifeless eyes still reflecting the last, frantic moments of its struggle.
He looked at it for a second. His claws dripped from its blackened blood. He didn't hesitate at all in his moments. He tore through it as if it was nothing.
He made sure it didn't twitch again. Who knows what kind of creature they are? And if they can act dead, it would be his fault for not killing it properly.
This isn't enough for the test. He looked deep into the chasm. Where the sound of unseen creatures walking, he could hear it before, but now he could sense it. It was a strange, instinctive awareness. He could feel the faint vibrations in the ground. His sense had stretched to limits.
He flexed his fingers, his claws glinting with blood in the dim fungal light. After waiting for a few seconds making sure no other creatures were within range he returned his focus to the dead Maw Crawler.
He crouched beside it. His fingers sink into its still-warm flesh. His throat burned with a familiar ache, a deep craving for flesh, once subdued, came back again, clouding his mind.
He had consumed the ravager's flesh before, their essence flooding his body, reshaping him into a stronger being. Well, this creature does the same?
The voice of the Abyss sounded in his mind, steady and cold.
[Gluttony activation recommended. The host will assimilate genetic traits.]
His lips curled into a faint, almost involuntary grin. This is what he needs to conform.
He plunged his claws into the Maw Crawler's chest, tearing it. Open with a sickening rip.
The scent of fresh blood soon filled the air, thick and intoxicating.
He didn't hesitate any longer. He sank his teeth into the exposed flesh, his body shuddering as the essence of the Maw Crawler, the primal energy flooded his veins.
The sensation was immediate.
Pain.
Burning, searing pain erupted throughout his body. Even with all this pain, he continued to smile as if he was enjoying the pain.
Started from his core to his limbs, and expanded in violent waves. His muscles tensed, locking in place as his bones cracked and shifted beneath his skin.
His breathing changed, his vision blurring as an unfamiliar pressure built inside him.
But beneath all this pain, there was something else.
Growth.
His senses expanded slightly, stretching outwards in ways he couldn't comprehend.
His ears twitched, listening to sounds that he couldn't hear a few moments ago. The distant dripping water. Slow, measured breathing of unseen hiding creatures within the darkness. He could even hear their heartbeats.
His body has truly changed in many ways.
Then the Voice of the Abyss spoke again.
[Assimilation completed. The host has acquired a new ability: predation.]