Title: The Zero Hunter Limitless Devouring System
Technical Sheet & Structure Genre: Urban Fantasy / LitRPG / Progression System. Main Hook: The protagonist obtains the hidden [Prime Devourer] class, allowing him to absorb the attributes, memories, and unique abilities of any monster or Hunter he defeats. Publication Style: Short chapters (800 to 1,200 words), fast pacing, cliffhangers at the end of every episode, and a video game-style Status Panel.
Synopsis In a world where Dimensional Rifts have appeared and only ranked Hunters can fight the monsters, Leo is the worst Rank F Hunter of them all. Known as a "Pack Mule," he survives by cleaning up blood and carrying the spoils for elite teams. During a routine incursion into a Rank D Dungeon, his team abandons him as bait to escape an ancient beast. On the verge of being devoured, Leo awakens a forbidden interface panel and the universe's only hidden ability: the power to devour his enemies' essence and steal their powers.
Chapter 1: The Price of Bait The smell of sulfur and burned iron inside the Rank D Gate was suffocating.
With two tactical packs strapped to his back and his knees trembling under the weight of fifty kilos of equipment, Leo wiped the sweat from his brow. Ahead of him, the Alvorada Guild's elite team marched on without looking back.
"Move it, Rank F trash!" Vane, the incursion leader, shouted as he adjusted his gleaming armor. "If you hold up the carrying team, you won't even get half your daily pay."
"I'm coming..." I muttered, tightening my grip on the handle of my dull crude-iron knife.
I had no mana, no armor, and my status was the lowest ever recorded by the Hunters Association. But my mother was hospitalized at the municipal hospital, and the medicine to contain her magical contamination cost more than I could earn in a month.
Suddenly, the cavern floor shook.
A shrill roar echoed off the stone walls, making the magic torches flicker. From the shadows at the back of the chamber, a three-meter-tall creature emerged. Its skin was covered in black carapace, it had six red eyes, and claws of flowing iron: a Shadow Devourer (Rank B).
An aberration. The Gate had been misclassified.
"It's Rank B! Fall back!" Vane shouted, pale-faced.
The elite Hunter team immediately turned around. In the chaos, Vane glanced at me. With a cold, calculated move, he kicked my right leg, making me collapse beneath the weight of the packs.
CLANG!
"What are you doing?!" I shouted from the floor.
"We need time to get through the exit gate, kid," Vane said without hesitation as he locked the heavy containment door from the outside. "Thanks for your service."
The iron lock echoed. I was trapped in the boss room.
The Shadow Devourer slowly walked toward me. The hot vapor of its breath scorched my skin. It raised its massive claw, pointing it straight at my chest.
I tightened my grip on the dull knife. Rage burned hotter than fear. If I'm going to die here, it won't be while begging.
CRACK!
The beast's claw pierced my left shoulder, pinning me against the stone floor. Blood sprayed everywhere. The pain was unbearable, but when the creature opened its mouth to decapitate me, I used my last ounce of strength and drove the dull knife straight into the aberration's central eye.
The beast roared in pain and hurled me against the wall. My vision blurred. The bones in my ribs cracked.
With my body wrecked and my consciousness fading, a metallic sound rang inside my head, accompanied by a holographic blue screen floating in the air.
[Warning: Extreme death conditions detected.]
[Your willpower has surpassed the limits of the human body.]
[Hidden Ability Awakened: Devour (Rank EX)]
[Do you wish to absorb the Shadow Devourer's core?]
[Yes / No]
With blood-stained teeth, I gave a weak smile.
"Yes... devour this piece of trash."
Black mist burst from my chest, covering the agonizing monster's body. The beast screamed as its flesh, bones, and soul disintegrated and were pulled straight into me.
[Absorption Complete!]
[Strength +15, Agility +20, Vitality +10]
[Ability Acquired: Shadow Camouflage (Rank B)]
[All wounds have regenerated.]
I felt my bones knit back together in seconds. The pain vanished, replaced by a surreal flow of power surging through my veins.
I rose from the floor and looked at my own hands, which now radiated a dark aura.
I looked at the locked containment door where Vane and his group had left me to die.
"My turn."
Next Steps for Publication
Chapter 2: Leo destroys the containment door, catches up with Vane's group before they leave the Dungeon, and reveals his new power.