“So tell me, collector-girl. How long have you been working?” She was oddly menacing. "HOW DOES IT FEEL TO STRIP PEOPLE'S LIVES AWAY?"
I decided not to reply, she simply clicked her tongue and placed her hand on her waist. “Once I am done with you, he comes next! I don’t care anymore! Do you know how much I’ve struggled?! How much I’ve lost? No—YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA, you are just an ignorant brat that thinks the world will continue on! That’s why you are standing here, right? You said so, you want to experience things, RIGHT? Let it be known that experiences are not always good.”
I gulped once again. She was serious. “Well, not like you would understand… So... I will make you understand!” She lunged herself at me, she was slow. Seeing it coming I graciously moved aside and yet… My sixth sense was screaming at me! It was unsafe!
[Error.]
I tripped down the floor after the question mark on my vision palpitated, I guess that was my title doing work. As I glanced up, I saw a metallic glint swing just where my neck was. I would’ve definitely been dead there…
“Tch, why you!” She impulsed the dagger aiming for my neck, I rolled on the ground getting out of her way, the dagger dug into the wooden floor. My title had saved me once, my senses had saved me twice… Was I really this dependent on things to survive? It was sad, to be honest— and yet I still wanted to survive.
“I ought to admit, you are very impressive…” She was panting. “But, it’s not enough!” The dagger was finally removed from the ground. “You call me miserable and yet you aren’t any better yourself! You are just a hypocrite!”
Her roar echoed in the room.
“Mom…”
“Mom that’s enough!”
In spite of her children telling her to stop she still approached me with her knife-dagger, she was visibly tired. I knew— I didn’t have the strength to keep her still, I was going to die if this kept up. The collector was nowhere near to be found, and knowing him he would probably let the fight go on for as long as possible.
“If it’s like that then…”
“Less thinking!”
She took the opportunity to swing at me, I managed to evade her but I got a minor cut on my arm. My black blood started to spill out, the kids were speechless and the woman had become stiff.
Now! I threw myself at her, making her tumble into the ground and coughing. If it had to be like last time then…
“Now what, girl? You don’t have a weapon.” She said as she prepared herself to stab my back, I could tell. "Your little party tricks won't work on me twice." And yet, I was willing to do anything for the sake of surviving.
CHOMP! I bit her arm, the one that was holding the knife. She squealed and yelled in suffering as I saw two icons pulsate within my vision, a needle and a broken bone. I might be weak, I might depend on my titles, but I will come out on top! I don't want to go through the same suffering again!
Like an animal I proceeded to keep biting her, she was powerless. Every time I bit it crunched and she screamed and twisted trying to free herself from me. It was ineffective, and yet, I kept biting. I had to make sure, I was practically a wild animal, was it my nature? Perhaps, but I wasn't going to let what happened last time happen one more time! Some more bites and she became unresponsive.
“Ha…” I let out my breath seeing she no longer was struggling. I looked at her and…
Ding!
[System alert: You overcame a life or death situation. +3 to all stats!]
[Your foe has fainted.]
Ding!
[Unique title acquired: Feral Instinct — Perhaps you understand your true nature more than anyone else. +100% Agiltiy -30% Endurance — Unique
“Maybe I wasn’t the strongest, maybe not the most resilient… But I am still standing here, before you.” Raark to Sansan — the last emperor of the Death empire.]
“Ha… shut up stupid system…” I muttered in annoyance, my whole body was tense. I was feeling heavy and tired. “At least it’s ov— Cough!” I spewed blood out of my mouth, I guess I wasn’t in such a great condition either. But why was this happening?
I heard footsteps come into the room, but nothing else. I closed my eyes to get rid of the horrible feeling I was having inside my stomach, it felt as if something was completely wrong. I kept coughing and coughing, the heavy footsteps came closer.
“Tch…” I felt as if my gravity was gone for a second, no— I was being carried. “I guess it’s my fault, I should’ve told you — You are in deplorable condition, your body cannot handle rash decisions, or fighting for that matter.”
“Sorry cough!” Aah… there I go, making mistakes once again. The collector pushed a vial into my mouth, and of course. I desperately drank it, I guess he also carried some around… I genuinely felt thankful.
As soon as I drank it, I didn’t feel as pained, and could actually see things around me, the kids had no reaction, or rather, they simply were speechless with wide-open eyes.
“Well, it’s time to call it a day.” He said as he stood up, I was still on his shoulders. He started to walk away as he carried a bag in his hand. I guess he was collecting that.
“I hope she dies!” The younger one of the two cried out towards me.
“No, what are you saying Matt!” The collector stopped in his tracks and looked at them fixedly. Those soulless eyes of his were truly inhumane, they weren’t akin to a predator they were just an abyss. I had difficulty looking at him, for a kid, I had no idea how they would handle it.
The kids started to uncontrollably shake and one of them ended up peeing on the ground. The collector once again clicked his tongue and continued walking as he held me with a single hand, I felt as if I owed him my life. At this point, I did owe it to him… And yet… all he asks for is work, how long will it last? Was I just placing myself in an endless loop?
The kids said a few more things and looked at me with a predatory look, I was feeling guilty…
“Did I do the right thing?” I asked out of concern and in seek of reassurance.
“It’s simply part of the job, casualties happen.” I guess… “Although there is no right or wrong, you need to learn that.” I already knew that…
He sighed. “But, you did well on not dying. Good job on keeping her away from me while I collected. You did a fine job as an assistant today.” Ha…
“... Thanks…” He was turning kind of friendly, which I appreciated. But there was still that weird vibe of awkwardness to him.
I ended up falling asleep on his shoulder. For some reason, after exerting myself a lot I always ended up fainting/incredibly tired borderline passing out. I did know that that wasn’t normal, made me wonder what was the reason, but I would find out soon enough.
Before I realized it I ended up in my bed.
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Security. Votes: 35 13.0%
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A part of our personality. Votes: 33 12.3%
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Knowing you can still order dessert. Votes: 201 74.7%
If you can still order dessert then you are most certainly confident, why you ask? Well its simple really, desserts can be seen as a form of wealth, power and dreams, once you lose grasp of it you will come to realize you are dessertless and from then on you will develop a feeling of loss, desire unquenched and economic collapse(wallet).
"With ordering dessert come great power"
- - Julius Caesar - -
Vote for me as dictator of the world and I can garantee everyone to be able to order desserts.
#ShnitzulnatziForWorldDictator
I’d like to see her just really kick butt and not get hurt
Ah well, it will happen eventually. She is super weak at the moment.
This has Improved. She Acting Now instead of Reacting. That was perhaps my Greatest Complaint. She did not engage because I always knew what she do. (run around like a nut with her hair on fire and do the most stupid thing possible) And then scream a lot and wine. I did not enjoy it. it was like watching the Blond cheerleader in a Jason Flick that says she going to search the basement by herself. And you supposed to feel bad for when she finds Mr Hockey Mask...(like what did she think going to happen? ) Now I am engaged more as the MC thinking. Instead of its a egg all my instincts say lick it so I throw it away. (scene that annoyed me most. Yes she become a rock maybe but she been building a dungeon then at least. ) Speaking of.... When ARE WE GETTING THE PROMICED DUNGEON AND DUNGEON CORE?! (YOU KNOW THAT THING IN THE TAGS DUNGEON CORE) a MAGIC BALL /crystal builds traps and this maze like thing killing heroes eating there bodies after they die?
This is Like reading Vampire MC in the title and never getting a vampire or Neck Biting.
was the last two questions serious or was it just food.
Thanks for the chapter!
Dessert is the most important meal of the day
Gamer
I feel like the MC is genuinely dumb somehow. Not knowing something is not wrong but not asking about it if its important is just stupid.
You clearly don't have social anxiety
@schuldraigh I guess I dont, atleast not to such a degree. But I would think that matters concerning ones life and survival would outweigh the anxiety.
She had no real problem talking with guard 39&40 and also the guard captain and she feels somehow comfortable at her new place so I dont see the reason why her anxiety would kick in if it concerns crucial information.
@Thor Yeah, she talked no problem to them, then they kicked her out for existing. Wanting nothing to do with them she goes back to the cave and ends up being abducted and beaten up.
She finally has a "safe place" with the collector, but she knows she doesn't want to get him mad or bad things might happen, even though sometimes she does go a bit overboard by accident.
I don't think I am the only person that has ever thought that asking too many questions was annoying. Leah here, suffers the same.
Best short reasoning I can give you, humans are complicated.
@Thor Some people with socal anxiety feel fairly calm around some people. Sometimes being thrown into a new thing can make anxiety explode (sometimes way too often). Takes time to get used to new crap and thus anxiety will be high until the person gets used to it.
Her fight or flight is slightly off, to be fair. But there are some people out there that are slower to make decisions (even passive ones); Leah might be one of those.
@Azrie
She finally has a "safe place" with the collector, but she knows she doesn't want to get him mad or bad things might happen, even though sometimes she does go a bit overboard by accident.
Okay, I can get behind that. Being too scared of annoying the collector and thus not asking question in fear of repercussions is a valid reason I guess. Guess she is also way too instable to make any good decisions, lashing out to the mother a good example for poor decision making.
@Thor Well, can't say I've never lashed out into someone for stepping on glass - saying something they shouldn't have - while I might be doing a poor job at portraying stress here (since it would do more harm than good in the story), this scene does tell us that she cares. For lack of a better word.
But well, poor decision making is something that teaches us what to do and what not to do. But well, she did have another life, after all, wouldn't she learn there? What choices are there to make when you are permanently bedridden? While I won't say the story is perfectly planned, at least I can justify her actions in a humane way. Well, my tone might come off as a bit aggressive - just making an attempt to explain things from a more, "show don't tell" standpoint.