"Hunting is as much of a job as any. You clock in with a very unstable schedule, sleep when you can and do your best not to die on the job."

- Hunter Anne 'Ironmaiden' Smith. (2037)

Lifting and throwing the dead scorn off the window and the rusty ladder platform took me a bit of an effort, but if I was to use the apartment as my base of operations for the time being, I didn't want to be smelling its rotting flesh all the time. Well, it's not like Roach's filthy room smelled much better anyways.

The stigma remained in silence for the time being, so the space started to feel a little empty. To occupy my mind with something, I decided to go through the ability that I gained after killing that scouting unit while making a mental note of asking the stigma to explain to me the differences between these dog-things and the bigger, flashy, and absolutely brutal things I peered at when the gates were about to burst last time.

[ (Short-Blades Combat) allows you to understand, learn and perform combat skills with short-bladed weapons and utensils. It rectifies small mistakes or perceptions at low levels, but grows alongside the Hunter who acquires it. All knifes fall under this category of combat ability. ]

"Useful." I thought, before the stigma seemed to return from her little break inside my brain.

'Indispensable, rather. You do not have the strength to handle bigger weapons, for now at least, so you should put that ability to good use soon. Your supplies and what I identified in the nearby rooms should handle your supply issues though, so you don't have to worry about those.'

"What should I do next then? Barricade the stairs or something?" Moving furniture to block the passage would prove quite a feat for a one-armed noodle like me, so I hoped the stigma had another plan.

'Precisely. It will take time, but you do need the exercise. Also, stop calling me a stigma, a Hunter's companion is an honourable addition to their arsenal and they should be respected.' The voice spoke with a bit more life than before...Weird.

"Then I have to give you a name, unless you already have one?" I asked.

'Well, since you are a Raven...What about Crow? We would make for quite a pair, wouldn't you say?' The voice seemed pretty excited about the prospect of receiving a name for herself. Kind of cute.

"Don't Crows and Ravens have a bad relationship with each other though?"

'Then we shall be an exception to the rule. You already are one, you would do well to remember that.'

I sat down on the somewhat bloodied bed and stared down at the stump on my side. Crow seemed to catch that, and seemed to almost speak to me with a whisper, as if she was comforting me from within.

'Unluckily, I cannot bring back what was lost, but I can help you regain what you wish for. Let's get those stairs blocked and the floor cleared, the sooner we finish, the sooner you can take a nap or maybe eat actual food, yes?'

A small window appeared before me.

[ Stigma Integration: 25% ]

Maybe it was the headache. Maybe it was the trauma starting to fuck with my head as soon as the meds started to wear off. Or maybe it was that comforting voice, but I truly felt at ease to that idea. Even if I could see before my eyes that something shady was happening, I postponed it and stood up again. Putting the backpack aside and carrying the pocket knife now truly in my pocket, while the combat one remained in my tight grip.

"Let's do it then. Could you tell me how many scorn are currently inside the building?" I asked Crow, maybe I should find out if there was any way to give her an appearance or something. That would be easier than talking to a voice inside my head.

'Three more in this floor, two on the one below, and then another four on the ground-level. In your current condition it will prove a fitting challenge of your skills. I assume you'd like me to guide you with their specific locations or would you rather see what you can do?'

It almost felt like it was a game. And in some sort of fucked up, macabre way, it was. With a little smile on my face, I could tell I must've certainly been crazy already, since I started to feel like I was having fun seeking the thrill of this all. Either that or maybe the meds were starting to show after-effects.

"Let's see what I can do first, just tell me if they come up behind me or they hear me. That good with you?" I asked, a bit less serious and more calm, that little whisper still managed to ring at the back of my mind.

'Roger that. Off you go, Raven.'

Heading to the room's door, I lowered myself to the ground and held the knife tightly on my hand as I gently turned the pommel and slowly opened the metallic door before stepping outside.

[ (Stealth Lv 1) Has been activated. ]

The familiar window appeared once more and closed with a flick of my eyes. Now that I was outside the apartment, I took a long look at the hallway. To the left there was the rest of the proper rooms, doors busted open and lights flickering from inside. I took a careful listen and could barely hear the sound of tapping metal, so I took a note that at least one of those three scorn should be in another of the rooms.

To the right laid a maintenance room. It may prove an important asset should I need any technical equipment, but when I approached it a little more I noticed that the lock was on, and it was not one of those old and outdated locks, no. It was an electronic one, so I would have no chance at opening it, at least not without learning how to hack into them, and that would take too much time for me to learn on my own.

Or would it?

Leaving that thought aside, I held my knife tightly as I slowly inched closer to the other rooms. The closest one still had trails of blood at the entrance that lead directly inside, so the hope of finding someone alive was pretty much out the window already. Supporting myself against the wall, I leaned in to see a bit more clearly, noticing the scorn laying on the ground, motionless.

I heard something about the scorn when I was still able to attend school, and the random facts Roach liked to divulge out of pure curiosity. It is a well known behaviour for one of them to lay down and "digest" the organic matter they consume after their flesh tanks are full. If this one was laying down then it meant it had already killed and eaten someone else.

I clenched my teeth and my grip on the combat knife, inching closer. And closer. And closer. I took great care in not allowing my steps to cause any noise if possible. I took my time, Crow had yet to tell me if there was another one behind me so I took no worry on that possibility. Instead I inched forever closer to the scorn, until it was within range.

I took the last step and lifted the blade, aiming for the nape of the monster, and bringing it down in one swift movement. The scorn barely made any noise or even moved from its place as it died, which would make this a whole lot easier. Retrieving the knife from the flesh, I wiped off the blood on the side of the nearby curtains, their appearance didn't matter anymore, and I'd rather not have my knife losing its edge because of the blood on it.

[ EXP Gained, new total: 4/10 ]

[ (Stealth Lv 1) has evolved to (Stealth Lv 2) ]

That upgrade was certainly welcome. Laying close to the ground again, I skulked my way through the hallway once more. The upgrade to level two was noticeable. My steps were easier to hide and I could move a bit faster, with more confidence in my movements, I could almost feel how I should move to probably evade detection.

Still, I took my time. Two rooms were left and two scorn as well, so it would be great if I could just take them out separately to avoid trouble. But, as luck would have it, that would not be what lady luck would allow to happen. Instead I leaned into the second room and saw the two scorn inside. One pacing around the kitchen and the other in the main room, close to the entrance.

I almost clicked my tongue, but that would've given my position away and that was a certain death sentence, even if I could take one of them out in a fight with (Accelerated Processing), the other one would have the advantage of dealing with a slightly confused me, and that was not ideal.

Instead of doing that, I waited patiently. I waited. And I waited.

It felt like I waited for hours until one of them stopped moving and making noise. Leaning inside again, I saw the one closer to me getting ready to lay down, so I took the opportunity. I slid inside, my footsteps made a faint tap as I entered the room, but the first one didn't have a chance at defending itself when I stabbed it in the back of the head.

The other one, however, noticed something wasn't right when the knife sprayed a little blood on the ground when I took it off the flesh-ridden parts of its partner.

[ (Accelerated Processing Lv 1) Has been activated. 3 seconds remaining. ]

My ability activated and this time, instead of trying to avoid an attack or reaching for another object, I straight up charged the scorn. It felt like I was moving slowly, but in truth only my mind was being accelerated. This meant my body still moved at its usual speed, but it gave me a massive advantage in a moment like this.

I could see the scorn preparing to lunge and so I pre-emptively crouched under it.

[ 2 seconds remaining. ]

[ 1 second remaining. ]

As the world started to move at its regular speed, the scorn missed me and instead landed straight against the wall that was right behind me, hitting its ugly maw against the concrete. I wanted to laugh at it, but instead I moved in for the kill. Driving my knife beneath its jaw, taking it out and penetrating the side of the head, using my body weight to push against the handle and crack something inside.

The monster stopped living right there and then, and I could already feel a little safer.

"So, how did I do?" I asked Crow.

[ EXP Gained, new total: 8/10 ]

'Pretty well for a rookie. Are you sure you haven't killed anything before? You didn't even hesitate.'

"Why should I? As far as I know these things killed and ate the people in here right? If anything I wish I could make them suffer some more." Even though it wasn't a healthy mindset...It sure made the prospect of killing easy to deal with.

'Hummm...We will see about that. For now you should clean that gash on your face before it gets infected, then you should continue with the lower floors. Once the floor directly beneath us is done with, you should have enough EXP to Level Up.'

"Sounds good. Oh, right. Would you tell me about what you know of the scorn while I clean up? Should save some time for later." I suggested, plus cleaning and disinfecting a wound would hurt a little and I'd rather take my mind off it while I can. "Also, how did you took care of my arm before if you don't have a body?"

'First answer: Sure thing, I was actually hoping for a good time to inform you about it since you seem to don't know a lot. And second: I assure you, you would rather not know how, it's quite creepy.'

"Roger. Well, let's hope one of the bathroom's still clean. I bet Roach hasn't cleaned his since last month." Cringing at the idea of using Roach's bath, I looked for the cleanest one in the remaining rooms. Ignoring the bloodstains that covered the walls, floor and furniture completely.

That's when I realized the gash was really going to be a bitch, it was pretty close to my eyes and my left hand isn't my dominant one.

I sighed. This was going to be another long day.