Dark waters churned with chaos. The massacre had no victor, only the relentless clash of fangs, claws, and gnashing maws. Eo, small and seemingly insignificant, was trapped in the middle of a battlefield where survival dictated all.

  Instinct ruled these creatures—mindless, driven by hunger and desperation. They fought, killed, devoured, only to be torn apart in turn. And now, for some reason, they turned their attention to him.

  Eo barely had time to think. The moment he moved, something lunged at him—a jagged mouth filled with needle-like teeth. He twisted, dodging just in time, but another predator came from the side. No room to escape. Survival. Must move.

  A violent current surged as he forcefully propelled himself backward. The two creatures clashed, biting into each other instead of him. Yet there was no relief—another one was already coming.

  Why are they attacking me?

  His mind worked fast. He was not the strongest, not the biggest. So why? What had changed?

  Then it clicked.

  The mist.

  He contained something within his flesh now—something they desired. The very thing he absorbed unknowingly, the floating essence that had changed him, was now painting a target on his back. These creatures craved it. They wanted to consume him.

  But he wouldn't let them.

  A sudden rush of movement forced him back into the fight. A long, eel-like creature snapped at him, its body coiling in an attempt to trap him. Too slow. Eo spun, evading its grasp, but then something else latched onto him from behind.

  Pain flared.

  A set of small jaws clamped onto his form, trying to tear into him. Eo thrashed wildly, but the grip held firm. Tearing. Ripping. Survival. He twisted sharply, using the momentum to drag his attacker into another beast's path. The jaws loosened just enough for him to break free.

  But that pain—it lingered. A deep, burning sensation spread through his small body. Wounds. I am wounded.

  He could not afford to slow down.

  More creatures swarmed. Some hunted, others fought amongst themselves, yet in the middle of it all, Eo was forced to fight back. His attacks were crude at first, mere desperate strikes to keep them away. But he adapted.

  A lunge. A twist. A counter.

  Little by little, his movements became sharper. He learned which enemies to avoid, which to bait into fighting each other. He saw patterns, recognized openings, and exploited hesitation. The battlefield was cruel, but it was also a teacher.

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  Another creature charged. Eo didn't retreat. This time, he reacted.

  He coiled his body, let the predator overcommit to its attack, and at the last moment—moved.

  The attack missed. He struck back. A well-placed impact to a vulnerable spot. The creature flinched, stunned just long enough for another predator to devour it whole.

  Efficiency.

  Survival.

  The battle raged on, but Eo no longer merely avoided death—he was learning to control his own place in this cycle. The more he fought, the more his actions became instinctual.

  And then—something changed.

  A sudden surge coursed through him, unlike anything before. It was raw. Fierce. Unnatural.

  His body moved faster. His reactions sharpened. His strikes became precise, merciless.

  A thrill ran through him. He felt powerful. The hesitation he once had? Gone.

  He attacked. Tore through enemies with efficiency, precision, and something else—something primal.

  A predator lunged. Eo countered effortlessly. Another tried to flee. He didn't even think—he pursued.

  Chase. Hunt. Destroy.

  He should have stopped. He knew he should have stopped. But he didn't.

  Something in him demanded more. More movement. More attack. More fighting.

  Until suddenly—

  He lost focus.

  A powerful blow struck him from the side, sending him tumbling. The moment of control shattered. His thoughts, once clear, became muddled. His breathing was ragged.

  What was that?

  That sensation—what was that?

  For the first time since the battle began, Eo hesitated. His mind had clouded.

  A mistake.

  Another predator saw the opening. It struck. Eo barely evaded. He had been too caught up in the fight. He had been reckless.

  That overwhelming power—it had clouded his thinking.

  A realization crept in. That feeling—it was dangerous.

  And yet…

  As he drifted in the chaotic waters, watching creatures continue their struggle, he couldn't forget it.

  That overwhelming rush. That intoxicating power.

  Bloodlust.

  Though he did not yet understand the name, Eo had tasted it.

  And now, it would never leave him.

  As Eo drifted away from the battlefield, exhaustion seeped into his body, but his mind remained restless. The remnants of that unfamiliar power still lingered within him—a silent hum beneath his flesh, urging him to act, to hunt, to kill.

  Even though the battle had passed, his body still tensed at every slight movement in the water. His senses remained sharp, heightened, as if expecting another fight. Was this also part of that sensation? The lingering effects of whatever had taken over him?

  Nearby, smaller creatures cautiously approached, scavengers drawn to the aftermath of the massacre. Yet, none of them dared to come too close.

  Eo noticed it then.

  The moment he stirred, their movements faltered. Some twitched, others froze, hesitating as if sensing something unseen.

  Strange. Before, they had only acted on hunger and instinct. Why hesitate now?

  He focused on them, curious. The flickering sense of power within him pulsed slightly, and the creatures immediately recoiled, fleeing into the distance.

  Eo remained still.

  His mind pieced it together.

  They fear me. But why?

  Something had changed. Something he had yet to understand.

  And he would uncover it.