"Do you intend to die here?" An androgynous voice asked me.

No.

"Then what do you intend to do?"

What do I intend to do? To live, I guess.

"Are you sure?"

I don't want to die. I guess I'll be living then.

"Are you sure? What then, after that?"

"I don't know. I just don't want to die."

"Really?" The voice questioned me. "Not long ago, you were begging for death to come. Now it has come, you reject its invitation."

That's..... not true.

"Really? Aren't you being a little bit too indecisive?"

I was in pain back then. It was different back then.

"Excuses. Excuses. Like always."

Like always? Am I really always like this?

"Don't remember? Well, I suppose you are always like this. No wonder you were cast aside."

Cast aside? You mean exiled? How did you know? Who are you?

"Me? Who do you think I am?"

...... Death?

"Obviously."

Really? Why now of all times? Why didn't you come sooner?

"Simple reason. You are now the closest to your end than ever before. This might be the closest you can get to my door before you can pass."

Ha? Really now?

"It has been a long and rough journey. And finally, you arrived at the very place you have wished for. The place that you longed for. If you turn back now, you will need to start over. So let me ask you this, are sure you want to refuse my invitation?"

....... You're right. It has been a shitty journey. It's suffering. It's always is..... I'm tired now anyways. Perhaps I can come in for a cup of tea."

"Is that your answer?"

Yes. May I come in?

"Well, come on in."

I reached out my hand to take its offer. But..... Our hands overlapped with each other's. We can't seem to touch each other's hand.

"Ah. I suppose it's not your time yet. It's only as expected, given your destiny. Maybe not now but eventually everything will meet its end. Until then, I suppose a good luck will do."

...... This is not funny.

"Never is. Well, till we meet again, Harbinger."

Harbinger?

I felt a prick on the back of my neck again as I regained my consciousness. Once again, I had a ceiling and a faint darkness to greet me when I wake.

Huh. Not only was it dark this time, it was also blurry.

Smoke?

Oh right, I deliberately caused an explosion before it sent me slamming into the wall.

I sat up and looked at where the explosion occurred from. There lies the burned carcass of the centaur-scorpion. Its whole outer shell was roasted and smoking. Beyond that, was the entrance. Was. The entrance is gone due to the collapse when I incurred the explosion. My bad.

From a glance or even an up close observation, the centaur-scorpion can be easily be presumed as dead. Even I had that line of thought when I looked at it. It was almost a perfect act. Almost.

With [Mana Perception], I can tell the thing is still alive.

Impressive.

With those kind of injuries, it is able to avoid a meeting with death.

The Mana flow circulation in its body was still glowing and flowing. The recently deceased, or for monsters at least, have fading purplish blue, the Mana doesn't glow and neither does it flow anymore.

Knowing that it's only playing dead, I approach it while having two [Abyssal Edge] drawn.

Hm?

Only now, I realize the scorpion body only has a body resembling a scorpion. It is tailless.

Why are the hands scythe-blades instead of pincers? Should I have not call them centaur-scorpion instead?

Hm?

Strange.

It seems I have recovered a considerable amount of Mana while I was unconscious and the pain that have been assaulting my body has stopped.

The burnt wound on my left arm left not even a slightest trace of scar. The same thing happened the last time too. I woke up with the wound gone from my shoulder. Not even a scar was left.

Do I have the power to regenerate while being unconscious?

I do not know if I should be happy or terrified about this. For the moment, I am glad it works out in my favor. So I guess I'm happy?

Anyways, I snap my attention back to the possum in front of me. Still faking dead, I see.

When I got close enough, the abomination springs back to life and swings its scythe-claw down at me. From [Mana Perception], I have already anticipated this action. Apparently Mana gathers at the point where it would be used to attack. For this case, its scythe-claw. It goes without saying that I severed its limb from it.

It gave me a blank stare before it retreated and screeched in pain.

God damn it. Why do the monsters here likes to scream like a girl when in pain?

I extend the reach of both of the blades.

While still in shock from the lost of its limb, I execute a cross-cut, dismembering the abomination.

Without legs, it falls to its proverbial knees.

It looked up to me. I looked down at it. Our gaze met. It had a stupefied and trembling gaze. While my gaze is also trembling, anger and the will to live also resides within.

It seems to have grasped the reality but it didn't give up. It reflected my gaze back to me. I see.

You also desire to live. However, if you live, I'll die. Vice versa.

Too bad, then. I want to live.

So, please. Die for me.

It did not accept my one-sided decision and thrust itself forward with its mouth wide open.

Easy does it, my blades removed its head from its body. Like a lifeless doll, it collapsed to the ground.

The blades vanish from my hands and I too, collapse to the ground on my knees. I let out a breath that I have been keeping it ever since I started approaching the monster who was playing dead. I have only acted tough on the outside but I was shivering like a schoolgirl on the inside.

Now, the floodgates are opened.

Tears flow out as my fear had taken over me. My shivering have become visible.

As I'm having trouble with breathing, I cupped my face with my hands. I'm crying into my hands.

I have been crying a lot, lately. Whined a lot. But can I be blamed? Just when things began to look up, I kept getting slapped back to the harsh reality of nightmare. I have been so close at death's door for quite a number of times. Enough to last for a life time. I never thought about this before but finding yourself so far away from death's door when you're this close to it only moments ago, it is an uneasy feeling.

The uncertainty of why I was spared from death, the dread shrouding my mind, it was a heavy burden on my conscience, and that's only getting heavier.

Optimism? Sanguine? They are luxuries that aren't possible for me at the moment. Not after what I had been through.

Plus, my empty stomach and parch throat aren't helping the slightest.

God, I'm so hungry right now. Just give me something to eat. Anything would do. I can't take this any longer. Just give me anything.

....

....

....

I waited for an answer that I knew it would never come.

The little girl voice.

Where are you? Why aren't you helping me this time? Why aren't you giving me any directions this time?

Why?

Oh god, please. Just give me anything. Anything to eat.

Anything at all.

Anything.

As I was begging to god for food, my soulless gaze rested on the burned and decapitated carcass in front of me.

The roasted skin with a distinctive smell while smoke rise from it.

Those tender and warm juicy meat underneath.

Would these do?

No. What the fuck am I thinking? Of course not. That's a monster. I can't possibly eat a monster. Who knows what will happen to me if I ate such gross and defiled meat. I shouldn't eat stuffs like that--

-- should I?

Can I?

Hmm.... I did say anything will do.

Can I?

Is it even edible? Hmm....

Can I?

What would people think of me then?

Wait.

Why do I care about what people think?

They are not in this hell hole like I am.

They don't know what kind of situation I'm in.

Do they even have any right to judge me?

Do they?

Is it unsightly?

Does it matter?

No?

No....?

No.

It doesn't.

Nothing does.

This ain't earth.

This ain't even a human civilization.

Civility doesn't exist here. Neither do ethics or laws.

This is the jungle.

A death cage.

Survival of the fittest.

Nothing else matters.

So eat.

Eat

Eat them all.

Eat them all up.

Stand on top of them as the apex.

Eat them all.

I will eat them all.

I will eat them all!

"I WILL EAT THEM ALL!"

I shouted from deep within my mind and to the unbelievably large hell hole.

Without anymore hesitation, I tore a chunk of the monster's flesh from its carcass. Blood oozes out. Hmm... It's still raw on the inside. Never mind that. I can cook it.

Yes. I can. There's fire outside this cave. The Crimson Flowers. I can use those.

I stood right in front of the entrance which is now caved in from the explosion.

Ignoring the pain from the hunger and the thirst, I forced myself to conjure up a sphere of purplish black energy.

Not enough. At this rate, it wouldn't be able to clear the rocks away. I need more.

Pain assaulted me once again like having needles injection all over my body, an unrefined and brutal acupuncture. When I deem the sphere was large enough after giving it more Mana, I launched it at the entrance.

Rocks flew. The whole place shook.

The entrance is now cleared. I allow myself a wry grin at my apparent success.

Slowly limping with my exhausted body, I got to the field of Crimson Flowers. I picked a few and brought it back to the cave.

I might be hungry and thirsty but I ain't an idiot. I didn't just straight up burn the carcass. Instead, I align the Crimson Flowers perfectly around the carcass. Roasting it.

Soon.

I told myself.

I cut off the part where it is oozing out blood profusely. The joint part of the humanoid part and the scorpion part.

Hanging that lump of meat with blood continuously oozing out directly over my mouth, I steeled my nerves and closed my eyes as I drink the blood. Yes, I am drinking its blood. What can I do? I was thirsty and there was no other available source of water. Its blood is my only choice.

Granted, it didn't taste good. It has a mild stench and it tastes quite salty and awful. The taste of iron, if I have to guess. No matter, it was enough to quench my thirst. My parch throat was no longer parch. The after taste is horrible but that is to be expected.

It was horrible enough to make me want to throw up everything I have eaten but I have eaten nothing. Repulsive as it may be, I didn't mind it. Rather, I didn't have the luxury to mind such trifle thing.

Feeling satisfied, I move on to the main course. It might be well-cooked by now, it might not be but I was too hungry to care about the either.

It's cooked, to some degree.

Reluctantly and forcibly, I took a bite from the carcass.

FUCK!

Awful. Taste so awful.

This is disgusting. The taste is beyond horrible. I can't eat this. It's too foul to be eaten.

Although those crossed my mind, I didn't allow myself to spit it out. I can't spit it out. Not while these are all I have for food.

Suppressing the reflex to throw up, I force the meat down my throat. I chew it around six to eight times and swallow it.

I'm gonna be sick after this. I definitely will be. Just you wait, future me. And sorry.

The more I ate, the more I am use to the taste. Even my tongue was slowly beginning to numb against such taste.

No matter how hard I tried, I did threw up some eventually but I did not stop there.

After awhile, I have finally filled my stomach.

Thank god, that ordeal is over. I am not looking forward to my next meal but this is all I have to look forward to.

Just when I decided to take a rest from the exhausting meal, I heard rustling sounds from outside the cave.

When I went to investigate, I found three more centaur-scorpions. They were gathering around the field of Crimson Flowers. Come to think of it, it does feel quite chilly but I wondered how come I never realized it until now. Was my mind too focus on other things that I ended up ignoring the temperature? That might be a possibility but not that it really matters. It is cold but I'm not freezing. So, that's that.

I was thinking on how to fight against three centaur-scorpions but I realized that they weren't looking for me. They are just resting around the fire.

I suppose I can leave them like that.

As long as they don't start wandering around and accidentally stumbles into here. I should just stay put here. Keep quiet until they move away from this area. Yeah, that might be the best option. After that terrible meal, I am in no mood or condition to fight.

I got back into the depths of the cave and sat down there. I rest my back against the wall. Maybe I can do some reading. Right, the books.

The books?

Hmm? Where are they?

I fumbled around.

Oh right. I lost my backpack when I was sent flying by the stupid monkey.

Fuck you, ape. I hope by now your guts are ripped and eaten by the pale monsters.

Great. Now what do I do? I could practice magic but I could end up attracting the attentions of the three by accident. Yeah, so not a good idea.

Well, the only thing I can read is my status card.

Name: Hyx Atlas

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Race: Unknown (Human)

Status: None (Alive)

Standing: Commoner (Exiled)

Job: Scholar (Faith of the Nines)

Class: Scout

Title: None

Arcane Arts

Spatial Magic - Lv.2

Abyss Magic - Lv.2

Soul Harvest (Unique) - Lv.-

Mana Overseer (Unique) - Lv. 2

Void Exalted (Unique) - Lv.-

HP : 150/150

MP: 200/320

Overall Power Ranking : E

Hmm.... Nice. My power ranking is E now. Getting somewhere at least.

So far, I managed to unlock [Mana Overseer] and even level it up to two. I wonder what's the condition for the other two. Okay, then. Show me the conditions.

......

......

Nothing happened. No texts appear. I guess this status card isn't almighty after all.

Well, that's that. Now what?

How long are those monsters going to be there for? Is it permanent or is it only temporarily? If it's permanent, I will need to figure out a way to kill them. If it's temporarily, how long will they be staying? If they stay too long, I will need to resort to the same method as the first one. So, how long should I wait before I start taking action?

Hmm....?

What's this feeling, I wonder? Is my stomach grumbling?

Feels like a stomachache incoming. I have stomachaches before. Everybody has. It's that kind of bad feeling when you feel it coming.

Okay, it's really coming.

Okay, it's here.

Oh, this hurts. Real hurts.

Dear god, this really hurts.

It hurts.

Fuck, it hurts.

"FU...." I cupped my mouth before I actually shouted. What the fuck? This really hurts.

I groan as I suffer the sudden immense pain.

Shit, what is this? Could it be the monster meat I have ate just now? That might be it.

I curled up on the ground as the pain worsens.

Fuck! Why don't things go the way I want it to for once? Shit. Shit!

I bit down on my lips to endure the pain until it drew blood.

And then, the pain shifted and concentrated on to my hands. I spread out my hands. The veins on my hands are moving.

The fuck? They're moving? No wriggling. They're wriggling.

They remind me of worms, the parasites that lurks in the body of a person. If it weren't for the red color, I would have assume it to be parasitic worms.

My mouth were open. I scream but I suppressed it. So the screams became gags.

Still curled up on the floor, I endured the agonizing change to my hands. I say change but it's nothing major. Is just pain and the veins wriggling about. There might not be any visible change but I feel something is changing.

As I thought about that, the veins on my fingers blackened.

There is change, after all. Huh.

Like that time when I saw purplish black veins crawling from my heart to my neck. Except this time the veins are pure black, no purple hues. This veins crawl up.

After reaching the fingers, changes happen to my nails. They are growing but that's not all. It not only grew longer but it also grew sharper. It's becoming sharp in a weird shape.

Ah.... My nails.... They are curving....

The shape reminds me the weapon of the death reaper. A scythe, I remembered its call. Or is it a sickle?

A scythe? A sickle?

Chills went down my spine. My fur stood straight up. I turn towards the centaur-scorpion that I have eaten. I didn't ate all of its limbs so some are still there. Plainly for me to see, those sickle-like limbs, scythe-blade claw. Whatever I called them, they're just like my nails.

What the fuck!

I stood straight up as I keep comparing my nails with the claws. My eyes went back and forth between the nails and the claws.

No way. This can't be happening. Can it? Maybe this is to be expected. After all, I did consumed its flesh. Am I getting its features solely because I ate its flesh?

Also at that moment, pain struck against the back of my neck once again but it was only for a few seconds but enough for me to flinch from it.

After a long moment of me trying to endure the pain of my transformation in silent, the process finally stopped. I look at my hands. It's the same as always save for the fingers and nails. The fingers have obvious black veins on the surface and my nails are long and sharp in an odd way.

Am I becoming a monster?

Name: Hyx Atlas

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Race: Unknown (Human)

Status: Anguished (Alive)

I'm not, am I?

How odd. My race says unknown but also human. So what does that make me?

Anguished, eh? So fitting.

I was in my own world of miseries and mysteries when my previous terrible thought came through. One of the three centaur-scorpions stumbled into the cave. It must have heard my screams despite my best effort to shut myself up.

I suppose I failed. Shit.

We stare at each other, awkwardly.

Now that I'm sitting down and taking a good look at it, its body which is almost entirely featureless is quite terrifying. Pale brown skin with dark brown outer shells. Its mouth which doesn't have lip so its rows of fangs are always visible. And its eyes. Damn, they're creepy. A dark brown sclera and a black pupil. I felt like I'm staring into the void itself.

So do you want me to move first or do you want to move first?

It approached me in a sudden sprint and swing its claw.

I guess is your move first then.

I rolled under and over the scythe which resembled the death reaper's for a second there. Almost as if it's too natural, I conjured up [Abyssal Edge] which is a bit longer now. I cut off one of its eight limbs. It screeched to its missing limb and immediately counterattacked.

Damn, it's fast.

I dodge an attack but its speed is definitely faster than the pale monster's. It even managed to draw a shallow cut on my cheek. Just then, I can hear the other two coming closer.

Okay, this is just great.

While I was distracted by the incoming two in the distance, the one right in front me attacked.

Wait. I can do that. I can, right?

The blade-like claw came straight at me. I put up my right hand and cast [Plane Displacement]. It hit directly on the space barrier, its claw is dug into it a little. I moved the barrier to the side, dragging its claw with it.

It worked.

For a split second, it left itself vulnerable due to my newfound technique. With an [Abyssal Edge] in my other hand, I plunged the blade into where its heart is. At least I think that's where its heart is.

It groaned in pain and then it stare straight at me, its eyes are filled with vexation. It didn't seem to be in pain. It looks annoyed. It growled.

Okay. Apparently its heart is not there.

I quickly retract my blade and barely evaded a slash that almost cut my head into two. It did cut across my face however, shallow though. Still, it stings. Ouch, I guess.

Plan B.

I block another attack with the barrier of space magic. This barrier is tougher than the usual as I poured more Mana when I cast it. As the centaur-scorpion assaults the barrier continuously, I am preparing a purplish black sphere in my palm while slowly taking subtle steps back.

When it's ready, I drop the barrier. Since it's expecting to hit another solid invisible wall, the empty feeling throw its balance off and its attack didn't reach me as I have subtly backed away. I seized that opening and blasted its head into smithereens.

Oops, I underestimated my power.

The blast went through the monster and hit the ceiling.

Just as the two reinforcement finally arrived at the entrance, some rocks fell on their head. It didn't really gives them any significant damage but it did raise their ire.

As the headless centaur-scorpion collapse to the ground, the other two rushed at me. They are enraged by the assumption that I drop rocks on their head. Technically, it is my fault. So their enrage which directed at me is understandable. I don't suppose an apology can patch things up.

I dodged all of their attacks while suffering only a graze but if this keeps up. It would not look good for me. The attacks that I absolutely can't dodge, I block it with [Plane Displacement].

After a few more blocks and dodges, that message suddenly popped into my head.

[Spatial Magic: Lv. 2 increased to Lv. 3]

[Spatial Magic: Spatial Leap - acquired]

Oh. What do we have here? Alright, use it.

The two's attacks intersect but the claws found nothing but air. The two look puzzled. They stare at each other, trying to comprehend what just happened.

I whistle for their attention.

I'm currently standing at the middle of the entrance to the cave. Despite my snobbish demeanor, I'm having a hard time to just stand still. The leap took a lot out of me. Not just my Mana but it also seems to strain my mentality.

Is this a side effect? If it is, [Spatial Leap] would be very unconventional given the response speed of the monsters.

My whistle caught their attention. They both turn to me. They both tilt their head. It would have been cute if they weren't so terrifying to look at.

I don't know why but they are enraged more than before. The two charged at me at the same time. The results is hilarious. The got themselves stuck on the entrance as it only fits a single individual of their size. Not what I planned but this will do.

Among all the bleak situations, sometimes I get conveniently stupid situations like this. Fate must be having a great laugh at me right now.

I blasted one of the two's head off with [Energy Sphere]. When one lost its life, the struggle loosened, allowing the surviving one to escape from its hilarious slip up. It's missing an arm. It got blown off when I aimed for the other one's head. Not exactly two birds with one stone but I'll take it.

I dodged two swipes of its claw by drawing steps back. Evaded a strike and then dove over a swing. I'm getting pretty good at this.

Oops. Too early to celebrate. Shit can hit the fan anytime. I learned my lesson.

Ha.

Maybe I'm shouldn't have dove over that attack. It left me in a vulnerable state. Its attack grazed my right arm. I slip to its side as it slashes downwards at where I was. I thrust [Abyssal Edge] into its ribs. It screeched louder than before. Touche.

Though I'm not through with you yet.

With the blade still stuck inside its ribs, I gouge its inside out instead of just simply pulling out the blade. It then gives out a cry that echoed through the whole area. This one is even louder than the last. It does look really painful. It is now just flailing around with its guts hanging out.

"That hurts, doesn't it?" I spoke to it. "It's okay. I understand. I suffered a lot too. Stinks too, doesn't it? How helpless you feel." I grin at its misery.

Of course, it was not listening. I don't think it would understand even if it is listening.

Its guards are down. It just kept flailing and crying. Pathetic really. Maybe I can be of assistance to your misery.

"Allow me to end your suffering." I snobbishly offered the centaur-scorpion.

I extend the length of [Abyssal Edge] until it reaches about four feet. From a safe distance, I decapitate it. Its body fell to the ground and its head somehow rolled to my feet. Feeling a sense of revulsion, I sliced the head into two and kicked the two pieces away.

On a whim and curiosity, I use [Mana Perception] on it. Mana which had been glowing a radiant purplish blue is fading, the light from the glow is dying. The flow slowly cease.

Come to think of it, I can absorb Mana from crystals. What about the monsters or living beings in general? Can I do that too? I can try. I have a fresh lab rat in front of me after all. Maybe your death wouldn't be so useless and in vain after all. Be glad that you died for my research.

Good god, I sounded like some over-egoistic asshole. I don't think I can retain my sanity. I suppose I'll have to cope with the probability that I would be insane by the time I found a way out of this hell hole.

"If" I found a way out.

Anyways, let's begin. If I'm correct, I should be using [Mana Transmission].

With that ability activated, I place my hand at the point where most of the Mana gathered.

In an instant, I felt a surge of energy.

It works?