My Child

After the fight, Light sat in a dim corner of the sewer, gnawing reluctantly on one of the dead cats. His expression was grim, his teeth gritted as he forced himself to take a bite. The texture was rough, and the taste... not terrible. His eyes widened slightly in surprise. 

It wasn't gourmet cooking by any stretch, but to a starving man—or ratkin—it was tolerable. 

"Huh... not bad, I guess," he muttered. 

As he chewed, his gaze grew distant. There was so much to figure out—his survival, the system, and most pressing of all, how to grow the Ratkin population. He knew instinctively that his purpose was clear: to establish a new race in this world. 

But how? 

"Don't tell me I have to... with a rat?" Light's face twisted in disgust as the idea crossed his mind, sending a shiver down his spine. His hand swiped at the system screen, desperate for more information. 

Moments later, he froze, the half-eaten cat falling from his hand. It didn't even hit the ground before the swarm of smaller rats around him descended on it, tearing it apart in seconds. 

"F*ck..." he cursed under his breath. 

The system was clear: to birth more Ratkin, he had to mate with a female rat. But not just any rat—it had to be a mutant rat to ensure a successful and viable offspring. Regular rats would likely die, unable to withstand his overwhelming... essence. 

Even with the explanation, Light shook his head violently. "Nope. Not happening. No way!"

His body might have transformed into that of a Ratkin, but his mind was still human. Even entertaining the thought made his stomach turn, and he worried that crossing that line would cost him his sanity. 

Shaking off the troubling thought, Light stood up. The swarm of rats trailed him as he walked, but he paid them no mind. His hunger was sated after eating the two cats, and he was focused on more pressing matters—namely, survival. 

The sewer was eerily quiet as he moved forward. The faint sound of dripping water echoed in the distance, broken only by the occasional skittering of claws and the rhythmic gnashing of rat teeth. For some reason, the darkness felt oddly peaceful. 

Light hummed a soft tune to himself as he walked, trying to push the disturbing thoughts to the back of his mind. Survival came first; everything else could wait. 

But then he stopped abruptly. 

'What is that?' 

His glowing eyes narrowed, focusing on a faint pair of green lights in the distance. They flickered in the darkness, unblinking, and grew larger as they moved toward him with alarming speed. 

------

Mutant Rat 

Gender: Female 

Race: Evolved Rat 

Rank: Civilian Class 

Energy: 56

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With the sound of chattering teeth, the mutant rat emerged from the shadows. She was massive—three times the size of a regular rat—with a sleek white coat of fur, thorny spines running down her back, and glowing green eyes that pierced the darkness. Her sharp, gleaming teeth caught the dim light, sending an involuntary shiver down Light's spine.

The mutant rat approached cautiously, sniffing at his feet before climbing up his body with surprising agility. Light tensed but didn't sense any hostility. His **King's Aura** ensured that all rats—or anything within the _muroid_ family—submitted to him instinctively.

The creature crawled onto his shoulder, her curious snout sniffing at his ear before scuttling down to his arm. She paused, glancing at Light with an almost intelligent gleam in her eyes, as if asking for permission.

Light raised a brow, intrigued. "What are you up to?"

He extended his palm, half out of curiosity, half in wariness. The mutant rat sniffed his wrist for a moment, then without warning, bit into it.

"What the hell?!"

A sharp pain shot up his arm as blood welled up from the bite. The mutant rat greedily lapped at it, her glowing eyes narrowing in satisfaction. Light reacted on instinct, shaking his arm violently and tossing the creature off.

"What the heck? Don't tell me you're trying to eat me!"

The mutant rat landed softly, cushioned by the swarm of smaller rats that scurried to her aid. She didn't appear hurt, only gazing up at him with those glowing green eyes.

Light clicked his tongue in irritation and turned to walk away. "Damn rat. I should've known better than to trust—"

Before he could finish his thought, a notification flashed before his eyes:

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New Event Unlocked: Blood Bond Ritual

You have initiated a Blood Bond with a mutant rat. The creature has now become your first Ratkin Follower.

Blood Bond Effect

- The bonded rat undergoes partial evolution into a Ratkin.

- The bonded rat will birth a new Ratkin (Time remaining: 24:59).

- Increased intelligence and loyalty toward the bondholder.

- Can aid in the creation of future Ratkin.

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"Huh?" Light blinked, confusion flickering in his eyes. 'Blood Bond Ritual?' But what really caught his attention was the second effect.

"Wait... I can make them give birth to Ratkin just by giving them my blood? What the heck, system! Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" 

Frustration surged through him. He had been stressing over this problem, only to find the solution was so absurdly simple. Yet the system had kept him in the dark, offering no information about this possibility.

"I shouldn't rely on the system too much… tsk." He scowled, resolving to be more cautious. 

Letting out a sigh of relief, Light felt a weight lift from his shoulders. At least he no longer had to worry about the horrifying idea of mating with rats—a thought that had been haunting him. Now, knowing his blood alone could create Ratkin, he couldn't help but feel a flicker of joy.

A wide grin stretched across his rat-like face, revealing sharp, white teeth. He was oblivious to how unsettling that smile looked. 

Carefully, Light picked up the Mutant Rat, treating her with the gentleness of a prized treasure despite having thrown her around earlier. He caressed her fur absentmindedly and continued deeper into the sewer.

As he moved forward, Light suddenly stopped, his brow furrowing. A faint light glimmered in the distance. As he approached, the faint glow revealed itself to be torches mounted along the damp, moss-covered walls. Shadows flickered and danced behind him as he walked.

Moments later... 

"Someone lives here?" 

He squinted at a small wooden hut cobbled together from planks and cardboard. Outside, a large metal can rested beside a clothesline draped with worn garments and undergarments. It wasn't entirely surprising—sewers often provided shelter for the desperate. But to live down here required a level of grit most couldn't muster. 

Raising his hand, Light pointed toward the hut. A chorus of squeaks answered him as a swarm of rats scurried forward to investigate. 

When the rats returned moments later, they squeaked their findings: the hut was empty. 

Cautiously, Light approached, instructing some of the rats to patrol the surrounding area in case of hidden threats. Placing the Mutant Rat gently on the ground, he peered inside the humble structure.

The interior was sparse: a small lamp, a rickety wooden desk, and a decayed foam mattress stained with dark spots—likely years old. A lone chair sat in front of the desk, atop which rested a book and an ink-stained fountain pen. 

"Judging by the style, this has to be human-made." Light sat down at the chair as he gaze at the book and opened it.

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October 23, Year 872 A.R.

I didn't think it would come here. Why would it? Our town was nothing—just a forgotten speck on the map. But it came. The monster. The thing. It tore through the streets like a tempest of teeth and shadows. I saw it—its writhing, unnatural form, twisting in ways that made my stomach churn. It devoured my family.

Father screamed until his voice cracked like glass. Mother didn't even have time to run; it was on her too fast. My little sister… I don't want to write this. I don't want to remember. 

I want revenge. I tell myself that. But I can't even pick up a blade without my hands shaking. I'm pathetic. A coward. My legs ran before my brain even told them to. I left them behind. 

And now, they're hunting me. Not the monster. Not the thing that feeds on the light of the living. No, they're after me. The men in black coats with brass goggles and masks that gleam like polished bone. They say nothing, but their footsteps echo behind me, faster than my heart can beat. 

What do they want from me? I didn't do anything! I'm not the monster—I'm not! Shouldn't they be fighting it, saving the others? Why me? Why won't they stop?

I can hear their boots outside the inn. They've found me. I shouldn't be writing this. I should be running. I should-.

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The rest of the entry trailed off, the ink smeared as though the pen had been torn from the writer's hand. A chill ran down Light's spine, but his curiosity pushed him to flip through the remaining pages. To his surprise, every page after the first was blank. 

Even stranger was the language itself. He had never seen these characters before, yet he could read them effortlessly. 

A sudden thought struck him. 'Could I write in it?' 

Grabbing the pen, Light scribbled his name—Light—in the journal. The letters flowed as though the language had always been second nature to him. He chuckled, the sound echoing softly. 

"I really can write in this language... Is this some perk of being the Ratkin ancestor?" 

Closing the book, Light surveyed the room again. Though small and crude, it could serve as a temporary home. He gently placed the Mutant Rat on the mattress, brushing away some of the grime.

"It just needs a bit of work," he said, nodding to himself. "If the owner doesn't mind sharing with a Ratkin, they'll have a monster ally in return." 

Glancing at the Mutant Rat, still sleeping soundly, Light opened his system interface. He navigated to the building section. Most options were grayed out, locked behind level requirements, and the need for more Energy. 

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Great Hall

Cost: Free 

Description: The central building of the Ratkin race. Serves as a hub for utilities, strategy, and labor. Trains Ratkin Worker Units responsible for resource gathering, cleaning, construction, and storage. 

Units: Ratkin Workers 

Special Units: Stormvermin 

Note: This building does not require Ratkin Workers for initial construction.