The Voice Devourer
[Henrique's Perspective]
The city was quieter than ever.
Not the natural silence of dawn.
An unnatural silence.
Henrique could feel it in his bones — as if something was sucking the sound out of the air. The wind made no noise. No footsteps. No birds. No screams.
— Something's not right… — he said, but even his own voice sounded muffled.
Kiala looked up at the sky, where the clouds spun in circles. A low hum, barely perceptible, vibrated through Henrique's chest like a piercing needle.
— He has arrived — she said, her voice heavy.
— Who?
She didn't answer immediately. But her golden eyes shimmered.
— The first guardian of the golden crystal.
Henrique froze.
He had heard Kiala mention golden crystals only once, in her sleep: unique treasures with legendary powers. But every golden crystal is protected by a Devourer.
— And this one is…?
— The Voice Devourer.
Henrique looked around. The children were still. Miro was asleep, but Leandro and Sónia stared at him, terror in their eyes.
"We can't even scream."
Henrique stood up. The air began to ripple like desert heat. Kiala pointed to the rooftop of the neighboring building.
There, the creature waited.
It wasn't big.
But it was… wrong.
It had a humanoid shape, but no mouth. Its skin was white and cracked. Dark smoke leaked from its eyes. Its fingers ended in long, needle-like tips.
And behind it, floating like an inverted halo, was the Golden Crystal.
[Entity Identified: Voice Devourer – Level 14]
[Class: Chaotic – Rare Treasure Guardian]
[Drop: Golden Crystal – Unknown Ability]
[Chance of Death: 98%]
[Recommendation: RUN]
Henrique clenched his fists.
— No. Not this time.
The creature moved like a shadow flash. In one second, it was behind Leandro.
Henrique spun around, activating his skill:
[Muscle Slash – Level 2]
Physical Damage increased by 135%
The blade formed from his arm cut through the air… but only sliced the creature's echo.
It appeared silently in front of him and touched his neck.
Henrique felt sound vanish.
Not just his voice — but hearing. His heartbeat. Even the noise of his own thoughts.
And then… nothing.
Leandro screamed silently. Sónia cried in silence. Little Miro stirred, restless, as if sensing the pain in the air.
Kiala raised her arm.
— That's enough.
She snapped her fingers — and a black rune appeared in the sky.
The Devourer hesitated.
For a moment… it seemed to recoil.
Henrique seized the moment. He jumped high, activating his Slash, aiming at the creature's chest.
But it vanished.
Reappeared behind him… and pierced its fingers into Henrique's shoulder.
[Critical Damage Received: -57% Vitality]
[Negative Status: Total Silence – 2 minutes]
[Negative Status: Mental Confusion – 30 seconds]
[Warning: Your core is being drained.]
Henrique screamed — but no one heard him.
The pain was unbearable. His vision blurred. His thoughts scrambled.
"I'm going to die. I can't win. I… can't…"
But then… a voice echoed in the darkness:
"You are my chosen. If you are to fall… you'll fall with my blade in your hands."
A black flame lit within his chest.
[Chaos Skill Fragment Activated: First Blade of Chaos – Awakening 3%]
[New Skill Unlocked: "Mute Slash"]
A silent slash that ignores both magical and physical defense. Can only be used under Silence effect.
Henrique rose. His eyes burned in black and blue.
And without thinking… he charged.
The Devourer tried to vanish. But Henrique was inside the silence now.
Inside the creature's dimension.
The slash was precise. From bottom to top.
It split the Devourer in half.
[You have killed: Voice Devourer – Level 14]
[EXP: +980]
[Level Up: 4]
[Drop: Golden Crystal – "Absolute Word"]
[Bonus Drop: Core of Silence – Rare Material]
[Alert: You absorbed a high-level chaotic entity. Attention from Superior Entities will be drawn.]
Henrique collapsed to his knees. His breath returned. The sound too. And with it, his children's screams.
— DAD!!! — Leandro ran to him.
— It's okay… I'm here… I did it.
Kiala approached, staring at him with stern but respectful eyes.
— You weren't supposed to be able to do that.
— But I did.
— Yes...
— And now the world has seen you.
[Lívia's Perspective]
She felt the impact even from a distance.
The world trembled, and a golden light lit the skies above Luanda. The holographic map before her highlighted the area in red.
"Golden Crystal absorbed."
"Executor: Henrique."
She clenched her fists.
— So it really is you…
One of the Crimson Legion soldiers approached.
— Ma'am… we have new intel. Two groups are approaching the territory: one is a caravan of survivors. The other… is hunting.
— Hunting what?
— A man who killed a Devourer alone.
Lívia turned slowly.
— Alert everyone.
— I want him alive.
— Or burn the world trying to bring him to me.
[Henrique's Perspective]
That night, Henrique held the Golden Crystal. The energy inside pulsed with the weight of a universe.
[Golden Crystal – Absolute Word]
Active Skill: Speak a word. Reality obeys. Cost: Vital Essence + Total Energy. Cooldown: 24h.
— This… this is too much power for me…
— No — said Kiala, beside him. — This is only the beginning.
Henrique looked at his children, asleep and exhausted.
At Kiala. At the sky, where stars were falling like bombs.
And he whispered:
— I will rise…
— And when I get to the top… I'll crush everyone who ever humiliated me.