CHAPTER 24: BLOODLUST OF GREED

"Okay, go on," Raito said, his tone softer.

"I just want you to know that if you’re ever feeling down about anything, it’s okay to talk to me. You can always ask your big sis," Aiko told him.

"That’s... okay," Raito replied quietly.

Silence settled between them for a while. Then Raito noticed the sound of slow, steady breathing—a faint little snore.

So, she’s already asleep. Guess I’m finally feeling sleepy too, he thought.

And with that, the two of them drifted into slumber.

The following morning, as Raito woke up, the warm smell of rice drifted into his nose. He sat up, stretched, and walked into the kitchen.

There, he saw Aiko moving about with practiced ease. She turned toward him with a smile.

"Good morning. You’re already awake?"

"Yeah," Raito replied, rubbing his eyes. "Wow, you’re actually cooking. It’s been a while since I’ve tasted your food."

"Well, yeah. I thought it would be nice to make breakfast," Aiko said. "I believe you’re staying home today?"

"Yes, I will," Raito answered.

"Hmm. I figured as much. I have a meetup with my classmates today, and not just today—we’ll all be gathering throughout the week. That’s why I’ll be staying here until it ends, like I told you yesterday."

"Not a problem," Raito said casually.

He headed back into his room and then to the toilet. Slipping off his shoes, he washed up, brushed his teeth, and quickly took a bath. As the warm water washed over him, a sigh of relief escaped his lips.

"Ah... I feel really relaxed now. Honestly, I was planning to go to the dungeon today, but I’ve changed my mind. Maybe it’s because I just want to take it easy. I’ll just relax for the day," Raito muttered to himself.

Raito was lying on his bed, wearing a simple t-shirt and trousers. A headset rested over his ears as he listened to music, his eyes half-closed in relaxation.

After a few minutes, Aiko came out of the kitchen, carrying their meal. She set the food down on the small table near the bed. Since Raito hadn’t noticed her, she tapped his leg lightly.

He blinked, pulled off his headset, and looked up.

"Your rice is ready," Aiko said.

"Oh, thank you," Raito replied, sitting up and swinging his legs off the bed. He picked up his plate of rice and began to eat.

Aiko returned with her own serving and sat down beside him, quietly starting her meal as well.

"Wow... this rice tastes so good," Raito thought as he kept eating.

That was when he suddenly heard it.

Feed Greed. Feed Greed. Feed Greed. Feed Greed. Feed Greed. Feed Greed. Feed Greed.

His spoon froze mid-air. What? What’s making that sound? Why is the system saying that in my head? What’s going on? Raito muttered in a low voice.

Aiko glanced at him, frowning. "What did you say? Is the rice not good?"

"No, no, no, it’s not that," Raito quickly said, forcing a small smile. "The rice you made is really tasty."

But the voice didn’t stop. It kept pounding inside his skull.

Feed Greed. Feed Greed. Feed Greed.

Then a notification flashed in front of his eyes:

Warning: User will go berserk if enough monsters are not eliminated.

His eyes widened. "What... what is this? What’s going on?" he whispered.

Another notification appeared immediately after:

Condition: At least 20 monsters must be eliminated.

Raito stared at the glowing box in disbelief. His thoughts raced. When Greed awakened, I thought it only gave me the ability to absorb resources from defeated enemies. Not just resources—materials too. I could forge weapons with them.

His hands trembled slightly.

So what is this? What does it mean? That I’ll go berserk if I don’t hunt?

He swallowed hard. "I wasn’t planning to go to the dungeon today... but if this isn’t a joke..."

The system voice pulsed again, louder than before.

Feed Greed.

why are you behaving strange? Why are you not eating anymore?" Aiko asked.

"No, it’s nothing. I just want to feel good," Raito said.

That was when the one-minute time of him experiencing the symptoms of Feed Greed happened. He started getting dizzy. Aiko was talking to him, but he couldn’t hear what she was saying. His vision blurred, and his head felt heavy.

"Are you okay?" Aiko asked. "Let me go get water for you."

She went to the fridge. That was when two daggers appeared in Raito’s hands, his body moving on its own as if preparing to launch at her. But the moment Aiko turned back, Raito snapped into himself again and quickly stored the daggers back into his inventory before she noticed.

"Are you okay?" Aiko said again, handing him the glass of water.

Raito collected it and drank slowly.

What just happened now? For some reason, unknowingly, I was about to attack her. What’s going on? Raito thought.

He stood up from the bed. "I’m going to be back soon," he said quietly before stepping outside his apartment.

His eyes glowed red—the sign of the symptoms intensifying. Voices filled his mind: kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill...

As he walked down the street, he saw people. A woman walking her dog. A group of girls chatting. His hand tightened around a dagger that materialized in his palm. He nearly launched at the woman, but he forced himself to stop.

A lady nearby noticed the dagger and his red eyes. She screamed. "Who is this creep?!" She ran off in fear.

Raito staggered back, breathing heavily. What the hell just happened? I almost killed someone.

But the voice didn’t stop: kill, kill, kill, kill...

Unable to bear it, he started running, faster and faster, his legs refusing to stop. For 30 minutes straight, he ran without rest. Then suddenly, a dungeon portal appeared in the middle of the road.

Two A-rank hunters stood guard at the entrance, reinforced with a police seal that read Do Not Pass.