One hour earlier…
The storeroom stank of blood and iron. The crawler's corpse twitched faintly, its black fur matted with gore where my rusty pole had pierced its skull.
I wiped sweat from my forehead, chest heaving. My body still shook—not from exertion, but from the disgusting sensation of stabbing something alive.
The blue panel floated in front of me, glowing faintly in the dark.
> [Beginner's Gift: Acquired.]
"Open," I muttered.
Light shimmered before me, and two long daggers appeared in my hands. Their blades gleamed faintly, balanced perfectly for speed.
I exhaled slowly. "Daggers, huh? Probably because of my agility. Guess the system knows more about me than I do."
---
My gaze drifted back to the crawler's corpse.
I froze. My stomach churned at the thought of what I had to do next.
In Trails of Kronos, after every boss fight, you had to mutilate their body. Buried deep inside would be fragments—items that boosted your stats.
It was disgusting. It was cruel. But without them, survival was impossible.
I clenched my fists. "Come on, Julian. Adapt… or die."
---
The daggers sank into flesh with a wet schlk. I gagged instantly, bile rising in my throat.
"Urgh—dammit…" My vision swam as I carved through bone and muscle. The stench was unbearable, coating my nose and throat with rot.
Minutes dragged like hours as I forced my trembling hands to keep cutting. Again and again, until finally—
A faint glow emerged from within the mess of organs.
A shard. The Fragment.
---
I held it in my blood-soaked hand, breathing raggedly. It pulsed faintly, almost alive.
"Do it…" I whispered to myself, teeth gritted. I pressed the fragment against my chest. It dissolved instantly into my skin, warmth surging through me.
> [Crawler Fragment absorbed.]
[Strength: F → F+]
[Agility: E- → E]
[Endurance: F → F+]
My eyes widened. Power tingled in my muscles, subtle but undeniable. My hands steadied, my breathing calmed.
For the first time since this nightmare began… I felt stronger.
I stared at my bloodied daggers, then at the crawler's mangled body. My stomach still churned, but a new thought pierced through the disgust.
"If this is how the game works… then I already know what I have to do."
My lips curled into a grim smile.
"And I'll survive. No matter how many times I have to cut."