Broken Hearts

I used my claws to tear open the chest cavities of the two corpses in front of me.

The dwarf and the human had been stripped down and dragged into the most hidden cave I could find after 5 minutes of searching. Blood still dripped from the bodies, pooling on the floor. 

"And to think I used to make fun of forensic surgeons," I muttered to myself, my voice echoing softly off the cave walls. My claws sliced through flesh and bone, then through the pleura and the pericardium with practiced ease. The aorta and pulmonary arteries were next, and finally, I pulled free the dwarf's heart—a dark, twisted mass of muscle that seemed far too small even for his body.

It was still warm in my hands, its surface slick with blood. I turned it over, examining the tissue. It was heavy and solid, like a chunk of raw meat that had been left too long in the sun. For a moment, I wondered if this was what my heart would look like if my time came someday.

"I've had worse," I thought as I brought the organ to my mouth and took a bite. The taste was metallic and foul, the texture dense and chewy. 

As I ate, I churned my soul—if that's what you could call it—trying to trigger my skill. I wasn't entirely sure if it would work, but I had to try. I could devour the bodies whole if it came to that. I was willing to sacrifice much more for strength, after all, but I wasn't above taking the easier path when it presented itself.

'Don't you always say that hardship strengthens resolve?' I taunted myself inwardly. The thought brought back memories.

I remembered an old Buddhist text on Earth called the Sunflower Path. It promised eternal peace for those who could walk its steps. The first instruction, printed plainly on the very first page, read simply: Castrate Yourself.

I couldn't help but smile at the memory. So many people claimed to search for peace, yet how many would sacrifice so much to achieve their goal? And even if they did, how many would continue, knowing that the reward might never be worth the cost?

I slipped into a meditative state, focusing inward, trying to sense my own soul—or whatever was left of it. The world around me faded, and all that remained was the rhythmic tearing of flesh, the sound of my own chewing, and the faint, distant thumping of my heartbeat. It was like plunging into a dark, still pool, the water cold and silent.

Suddenly, I felt a familiar buzzing from deep within—a hunger, an urge to consume. As I tore another chunk of muscle from the heart, the dwarf's corpse began to dissolve, turning into motes of light that floated up like fireflies. They hovered for a moment before being drawn toward me, absorbed. I felt a rush of warmth spread through my body as the light entered me, feeding that insatiable hunger that gnawed at my core.

And then, the choice appeared in my mind, clear as day, a single option hanging in the void:

Dwarven Strength - They can carve mountains, and they can carve a man's skull just as well. Power and Endurance growth speed is increased by 50%.

There were no other choices, no explanations, but this was more than I could have hoped for—a hidden, racial trait. A bloody grin spread across my face. I willed the process to begin, feeling the power coursing through me.

When it was over, I felt no different than before, but I knew that the effects would come in time, with battle and bloodshed.

There were still so many unknowns. Did the dwarf have other skills I couldn't take? Unlikely, but he was old enough that he might have had a developmental ability...they could appear through practice, no? I needed more test subjects. If I could steal the unique skills of anyone I devoured…

I felt a dark laugh bubble up from my throat at the thought.

"Thank god I didn't become a fat midget," I thought with a chuckle, turning my attention to the human's heart.

It was a smaller, softer thing compared to the dwarf's. I tore into it all the same, barely tasting the flesh as I swallowed it down. Again, I felt the familiar buzzing, the sensation of power settling into my bones.

Human Blood - Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. All stats' growth speed increased by 10%.

"Oh? So I ain't considered human, huh? Interesting…" I mused, feeling the changes settle in. I didn't dwell on it. I had more pressing matters.

Namely, dressing myself for the first time in what felt like months but I knew had only been days.

Liliruca had taken all of the human's gear and left the dwarf untouched, but his armor was too cumbersome for me to wear. I grabbed his thick leather trousers. They fit more like shorts on me, leaving my chest bare. The scars I seemed to be collecting would serve well enough to intimidate. Using my claws, I also trimmed my hair as short as I could for convenience's sake. 

Then, I yawned, grabbing two angry kobolds who were lying in ambush by the scruff of their necks—one in each hand—and dragged them to the desecrated corpses. I threw them down, watching as they tore into the remains, their teeth gnashing, tearing at flesh and bone. The sight was almost soothing.

"What a lovely day," I muttered, wiping the blood from my mouth as I walked away from the carnage.