Thief of blood and souls

The process of awakening talent took half an hour—the most hellish half-hour the million new players had ever experienced in their lives.

The pain during this time was so intense that even people like Kyle, who were more accustomed to suffering, barely managed to stay conscious.

In fact, unbeknownst to everyone, several thousand people could not withstand the pain that accompanied the process. Their nervous systems collapsed, and they suffered an agonizing death. However, perhaps it was a merciful end for them—people with such weak wills would not have survived in the Infinite Continent and would have eventually faced a miserable fate.

When Kyle finally stopped feeling pain, the system informed him that he was now linked to the game and could view his own information.

Name: Kyle Steel

Talent: Thief of Blood and Souls

Physical Rank: F-

Mana Core Rank: F-

Soul Rank: F-

Skills:

[Lesser Stealth lv 24]

[Lesser Hunger Resistance lv 56]

[Lesser Cold Resistance lv 12]

[Lesser Fear Resistance lv 48]

[Lesser Sword Technique lv 11]

Kyle examined his status calmly. Although he didn't know much about the game, having spent most of his life in the landfill, he at least understood the basics.

Every person awakens an innate talent upon starting. This talent is not randomly assigned by the game; rather, it is inherent to the person, and the game merely helps awaken each player's latent potential.

Talents vary greatly in function and effectiveness, but they are almost always useful. However, that didn't mean players had an advantage over the natives of the Infinite Continent. Those who awaken in the Infinite Continent also gain their own talent, and since they almost always awaken at a young age, there was no inherent advantage here.

Then there were the ranks. He knew that physical rank referred to physical aptitude, mana core rank to energy, and soul rank… well, it represented the soul.

Skills learned in the real world could also be carried into the game, which should have been good news. And it was—undoubtedly so. But when Kyle looked at his skills, he felt as if he were staring at a reflection of the life he had lived, and he didn't like it at all.

Finally, there was his talent. He had no expectations. Being selected as a player was already a miracle; he would have been content even if his talent turned out to be completely useless. The only thing that could bother him in this case was if his talent came with a terrible and uncontrollable side effect while offering him no benefit whatsoever.

[Thief of Blood and Souls]

[This talent allows you to steal an enemy's cultivation to enhance your own. You can choose one of three options:

Blood Theft: Allows you to extract the enemy's vitality, improving your physical rank in the process. There is a very small chance of absorbing a physical trait or skill from the enemy.

Energy Theft: Allows you to steal the enemy's energy to increase your own cultivation. There is a very small chance of absorbing an energy-related trait from the enemy.

Soul Extraction: Allows you to extract and absorb the enemy's soul. This only works on recently deceased enemies. There is a very small chance of obtaining a skill from the enemy and an even smaller chance of acquiring their innate talent.

After death, vitality and energy deplete rapidly, so keep that in mind.]

"…This…" Kyle raised an eyebrow. His usual lack of emotion vanished for a moment as he chuckled. "This is much better than I expected."

"This talent lets me extract cultivation from others for my own benefit, whether I kill them or not. Like a leech, a thief, or a scavenger. Honestly, that suits me just fine."

"What better talent could there be for a landfill rat than one that lets me take others' leftovers and use them for myself?"

Nothing. At least, that's what he thought.

A scavenger talent for a scavenger rat—it was perfect.

[The innate talent awakening process has been completed]

[Players will now be transported to the Infinite Continent]

[Seven days will pass before you can return to Earth, so keep that in mind]

Goodbye and good luck, players. Stay alive.

Kyle opened his eyes. A fresh breeze passed through his nose as soft, soothing rays of sunlight settled on his body. The vegetation around him felt alive—green and vibrant.

This environment was full of life.

He crouched down and picked up a blade of dream grass. It felt rough to the touch. Slowly, he put it in his mouth and swallowed it. The bitter, acidic taste wasn't exactly pleasant, but he judged it to be better than the trash-salvaged food he usually ate.

[Congratulations on reaching the Infinite Continent]

[A mission has been activated]

[Tutorial Mission: Novice Village]

[Travel 1 km to the Novice Village as indicated by the arrow and register]

[Reward: 5 copper coins]

Kyle looked in the direction the glowing arrow pointed. In the distance, he could vaguely see what appeared to be a stone wall. Without much thought, he started walking toward it.

The vegetation and air around him felt unfamiliar. Having grown up in the ruins and the stench of decay from the landfill, the fresh scent of nature was difficult to process.

The distance to the Novice Village seemed short—and it was, but only if you didn't take into account the density of the forest surrounding the area or the fact that the environment could be confusing for anyone unfamiliar with the region.

But the greatest obstacle—the one that would claim the lives of most first-time players—was something entirely different.

Kyle's eyes met a pair of blood-red eyes, similar to those of a rabbit.

Standing before him was a green-skinned creature about half his height, holding the corpse of a rabbit in one hand and a small axe in the other.

"Hello," Kyle greeted, gripping his machete.

"GAAAHHHHH!"