Bloody odyssey

Dax braced for impact, ready to embrace the ogre's blade. 

*Master, dodge! You don't possess the same strength you had in the past,* Inerous reminded him, but it was too late. 

Dax blocked with his blade, but it wasn't enough. The beast possessed overwhelming strength. The force of the attack sent Dax flying, his body slamming into the wall with a sickening crunch. He coughed, a mouthful of blood splattering onto the ground. 

*Master, you're better than this.* 

"Inerous, you've really changed," Dax muttered, his voice tinged with both surprise and curiosity. 

*Master, please focus on the fight.* 

This was strange. Inerous *had* changed—a lot. But before Dax could dwell on it further, the ogre charged again, its massive blade swinging in a deadly arc. 

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. The air grew cold, heavy, as if the arena itself had frozen in anticipation. A predator was in their presence. 

Dax raised his head, his eyes locking onto the ogre. The creature hesitated, sensing the change in energy, and instantly jumped back, taking a defensive stance. 

The crowd erupted in stunned silence. An ogre—retreating? From a human? The uproar that followed was deafening, but no one was more shocked than Dalia. She knew this ogre was no ordinary beast. She knew its origin. Her eyes widened in disbelief. 

"This human's aura… it's like that of a beast watching its prey," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the chaos. A slow, intrigued smile spread across her face as she licked her lips, her gaze never leaving Dax.

Unknowingly to Dax, the skill was always active. In a blur of motion, he vanished from his spot, reappearing behind the ogre. With a swift, calculated swing of his blade, he aimed to split the beast in two. Sensing the danger, the ogre dodged with all the speed it could muster, but it was futile. The blade struck true, slicing through flesh and bone in a single, brutal motion. The ogre's arm fell to the ground with a heavy thud. 

*Screech!* The beast roared in agony, clutching the stump where its arm had been. Its cries echoed through the arena, a raw, primal sound that sent shivers through the crowd. 

"You're willing to cause me pain but won't embrace it in return? How cowardly," Dax taunted, his voice cold and mocking. He stepped toward the severed arm lying on the ground, his movements deliberate and unhurried. Picking it up, he took a large bite, savoring the taste as if it were a delicacy. The crowd watched in stunned silence, their disbelief palpable. 

Dax's eyes never left the ogre as he consumed its flesh. He noticed the creature's healing capabilities—the wound was already beginning to close, the flesh knitting itself back together. 

"You taste rich, but I imagine you'd be better with salt."

The arena fell into a dead silence. It wasn't just the cannibalism that shocked them—it was the calm, almost casual way Dax carried himself, as if this were an everyday occurrence. 

*Blood affinity acquired.* 

*Lesser regeneration gained.* 

*+10 Mana.* 

*+15 Strength.* 

*+5 Ogre blood.*

 The ogre, enraged by what it saw, aimed its injured arm at Dax. The blood leaking from its wound began to take the form of bullets, and in an instant, they blasted toward Dax. 

To Dax's surprise, **Origin Eyes** activated, registering this new flow of energy. He was stunned. *I see a new strand of energy flowing from the ogre's core—this orb is directly below its heart. So this is mana? I remember getting a notification about gaining mana. Wonderful!* 

*Master, you don't possess a mana core. You possess something better—an **Origin Core**. This core is capable of storing any form of energy. You are simply an anomaly. While in the state of gene collapse, you—* 

"Inerous! Spill it. I'm fucking curious now." 

*Master, you lack the authority. Get stronger to gain authority.* 

"I'm your creator. What do you mean by authority? I should possess enough of that just by being your creator." Dax was infuriated by the response and angry at himself for his weakness. 

*Master, this is for your own good. Please focus on your fight.* 

At that moment, Dax wanted to end the fight as quickly as possible. Returning his gaze to the beast, he noticed something different. Focusing on the ogre's chest, he saw the green flame being devoured by the purple flame. The green and purple strings began to intertwine, and the ogre's body began to shrink rapidly, taking on a smaller, more refined form. Its tattoos shifted to its face, forcing the growth of another, smaller horn. 

During this transition, Dax wasn't idle. Ever since gaining the **Blood Affinity**, he had noticed his core producing red strings. 

**Touch:** This skill can interact with anything that can be seen—whether it's physical, ethereal, or unreal. 

Dax stretched out his hand, grabbing the red strings. He wrapped as many as he could around his blade, then slammed his hand against it, activating **Synthesis**. 

Black goo erupted from his hand, enveloping the blade. Blood seeped from Dax's palm, fusing with the weapon. The crowd didn't notice the change, their attention fixed on the ogre. Some faces were filled with disgust, while others were thrilled—the beast before them was one of their kind. 

The goo dried instantly, revealing a chaotic, bloodthirsty edge. The blade was no longer the same; it constantly leaked blood from its edge, radiating a menacing aura. 

**[Synthesis Complete.]** 

**Bloody Edge:** A blade always thirsty for blood. Grants the user a 5% increase to all stats. 

**Skill: Drink:** This weapon drinks blood to nourish itself, improving in rank and upgrading its skills. This effect is always active. 

**Skill: Blood Clot:** Gradually blocks blood flow. If untreated, it can block the heart's arteries. There is a 40% chance of this skill activating. 

**Skill: Bleed:** Prevents healing, worsening injuries over time. 

"What is that blade?" Dalia muttered, her gaze never leaving Dax. She had noticed the change in the blade under his touch. *I was right about this human. He is not normal.* 

"A beauty indeed," Dax said, his voice filled with ecstasy as he observed the blade. One moment, he was admiring it; the next, he appeared in front of the ogre, swinging the **Bloody Edge** in a deadly arc. But the attack passed through the ogre as if cutting through water. 

The ogre had used a skill called **Blood Escape**, a life-saving technique every beginner blood magic user must learn. This skill turns the user into a puddle of blood, transporting them far from the attacker's range. 

Dax focused his gaze, searching for the ogre. The beast's movements were calculated, as if it were a completely different being. It was searching for Dax's blind spot, but nothing could escape **Origin Eyes**. In a moment, Dax spotted strings dangling from the ground. Noticing Dax's gaze, the ogre distanced itself. 

An evil grin spread across Dax's face. He had a plan. "Like I said, I would have loved to use you for research, but death is inevitable." Dax was confident in himself and his intellect. 

Seeing how cocky the human was, the ogre formed ten blood bullets and blasted them toward Dax. Thanks to the 5% stat boost from his blade, Dax dodged with all the speed he could muster. But it wasn't enough—one of the bullets was about to hit him. In a swift motion, he blocked it with the **Bloody Edge**. 

Dax noticed the blade's excitement as it drank the blood. Out of anger, he leaped at the ogre, swiping his blade in a furious arc. He wanted to end the fight—he had shown enough of his skill. 

The ogre sank into the ground, transforming into a blood puddle. Dax smiled. This was the moment he had been waiting for. Before the puddle could move, Dax stabbed his blade into it. 

**Drink!** 

The blade shone with a looming red light as it began to devour the blood. The ogre tried to return to its normal form, but it was trapped. 

"My baby, drink to your heart's content!" Dax couldn't contain his excitement. The crowd watched in shocked silence, stunned by the human's brutality. 

*Ding.* A notification appeared. 

**Level 32 Demonic Ogre killed.** 

**Level up!** 

**Level up!** 

**Level up!** 

**Level up!** 

**Level up!** 

**Level up!** 

---

**Name:** Dax Godfall 

**Race:** Origin Eater 

**Bloodline:** Demon 1%, Ogre 5% 

**Level:** 15 

**Power Level:** 100 

**Affinity:** Blood 

**Title:** Dark Researcher, Walking Encyclopedia, Cannibal 

**Health:** 200 

**Magic:** 20 

**Dexterity:** 5 

**Agility:** 10 

**Strength:** 25 

**Intelligence:** 52 

**Charm:** 5 

**Psychic Energy:** 18 

**Origin:** 50 

**Traits:** Origin Eater, Synthesis, Predator 

**Skills:** Origin Eyes, Swallowing Heart, Touch, Peep, Lesser Regeneration 

**Origin Eyes:** Nothing can escape these eyes. They see the strings and flames of origin. Everything in creation possesses origin. 

**Swallowing Heart:** This skill refines every source of influence that affects the mind and body. 

---

Receiving the notification, Dax confirmed the ogre's death. As he removed his sword, a blood-red crystal fell to the ground. 

"How pitiful. This is all that remains of you," Dax muttered. In a swift motion, he stored the crystal in his hidden space. 

From the silence, a deafening uproar erupted in the crowd. But Dax didn't care. With no regard for the world around him, he left the battleground. 

Dalia sat in her chair, lost in thought. She was utterly astonished. In that moment, she spoke to her shadow. "Summon that human. I want to have a word."