CHAPTER TEN
The Weight of Survival
The man offered his hand for a handshake, just as any normal human might. I paused, wondering if his disguise was truly that convincing or if he had studied our district’s customs so thoroughly that he knew exactly how to mimic them. Another possibility flickered through my mind: perhaps it was not an illusion at all, but rather he had overtaken a real human body, as a genuine demon might.
I shook his hand, deciding it was wiser not to provoke this being who could likely destroy the entire district without effort.
“Nice to meet you, Omen,” he said. “You may call me Markus. It is a human name that should suffice for now.” Then he took hold of my notes, skimming each page with a calm, unreadable expression.
“Anhydrobiosis,” he murmured at one point, summarizing what I had written. “A biological condition discovered by your biologists, genetically modified, and implanted into an unborn child. Then, while you were still very young, you were corrupted beyond belief. But that same condition adapted you to it for an unknown span, perhaps thousands of years—until you emerged from that stasis with a stable, corrupted body. I suppose I understand now.”
His words struck me like a hammer, forcing me to face a jarring truth.
I am nothing more than a test subject, created to facilitate the possibility of human core formation. Yet, even if my condition could be reproduced, it would not help the people of District 98. It did nothing to halt corruption; it merely allowed me to adapt to it.
I might not even be nine years old. Perhaps I had only been conscious for nine years, but in reality, I could be far older. I recalled Markus’s casual reference to “thousands of years” of corruption.
If humans had truly discovered a reliable way to form cores, none of this would have been necessary.
I supposed whoever led that project could not be blamed entirely. I recognized the desperate need that must have driven them.
“That said,” Markus continued, “you never formed a core, and I have no detailed knowledge of this Anhydrobiosis state. I may have to investigate it further. Regardless, you upheld your side of our agreement, so I will leave District 98 unharmed. Instead, I will simply take the Obelisk from another nearby district.”
Just like that, I had saved my own district by sacrificing another.
“On that note,” he added, “I am curious how your body and its adaptation would respond if you attempted to form a core. Why not continue this project yourself? You might have a decent chance.”
“I would not even know where to start,” I admitted, feeling a pang of helplessness.
[AI Assistance Kara]
[Information regarding core initial formation security has been overruled by Rule 241 of Project ‘Human Core Formation.’ In the event of the death of all personnel involved in Project ‘Human Core Formation’ (excluding test subjects), said test subjects gain permission to access directives and next steps, as well as a guided process for initial formation and further advancements, if successful.]
I glanced at my notes, absorbing the AI’s prompt. “It looks like this AI could tell me how,” I said. “But why should I continue a project when everyone who created it is already dead?”
“Why would you not?” Markus asked, tone perfectly level. “You threatened to fight me for your district’s sake, and you only succeeded because you had a bargaining chip more valuable than that Obelisk. Are you certain you will be that lucky next time? Perhaps learning to defend yourself, or even your district, should rank high on your list of priorities.”
His logic stung because I knew it was true. Even if I brought back a food-producing artifact, it would do nothing against a monster like Markus. If I genuinely wanted to protect District 98, maybe I had to gain real power.
“I understand,” I said quietly. “I will see what I can do.”
“Good,” he responded, a ghost of a smile on his face. “Next time we meet, I might bring you a small present, in exchange for letting me observe any changes in your condition.”
“Wait!” I interjected. “If you are planning to destroy an entire district to seize their Obelisk, can you at least let me warn them so they can flee? You already said they have no way to fight someone like you.”
Markus cocked his head, thinking. “That’s interesting. Indeed, it means nothing to me if they flee. But you must give them a believable reason, a motive, and most importantly, you’ll need my name. ‘Markus’ is not my real name, of course, but I’ve used it often in this world.” He paused briefly, then added, “It can be done, as long as you do not speak of my presence directly. That is for your own people’s safety, if you do reveal me, I will know. Come up with some story to convince them, but do not mention me.”
“That is acceptable,” I replied, though anxiety churned in my gut. “Which district do you intend to destroy?”
Seemingly from nowhere, a large sheet of paper appeared in his hands. “Based on this map and my observations,” he said, “the local districts are 100, 99, 98, 97, 96, and 95, correct?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “They’re the ones still maintaining functional wards. You have a map? May I copy it?”
“Hmm, no,” he answered, letting a faint grin twist his lips. “Show me progress with the core, and perhaps we will discuss it. As for which district to target... I might pick the one furthest from the rest, District 95. I will act in a month, thirty days from now. Good luck.”
Then, as if he were no more than an apparition, the fog coiled around him and devoured his form. I blinked, and he was gone.
He had vanished like a hallucination.
Yet I was certain he had picked up the syringe, and I recalled the stone I had flung at him—so there must have been more to him than simple illusion.
I exhaled, exhaustion hitting me like a wave. I should return to the district to show them I am alive.
At the same time, the realization that I had effectively chosen which district would die next made my stomach churn with guilt. Markus had probably calculated it all. District 95 might be less critical to the city’s interconnections, or so he believed. But who knows what they produce?
I cursed my ignorance. I barely knew what District 98 produced, let alone the others. Who was I to assume District 95 was not vital?
Still, I reminded myself there was no changing it now.
At least I could attempt to warn them that some monstrous entity was coming. A wild scheme formed in my mind, perhaps the stupidest plan I had ever considered. People were gullible sometimes, desperate to believe anything that might save them. If I fed into the legend of the “Bad Omen,” maybe they would take heed.
They already called me a Bad Omen anyway. The day I walked out of the fog, several districts fell. If I repeated that pattern, they might trust me enough to flee.
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Gathering my belongings, I noticed my clothes were in tatters, stiff with dried blood—my own. I was about to hurry back to the ward when Kara interrupted.
[AI Assistance Kara]
[System has a vital suggestion. Do you accept it?]
[Yes / No]
“Yes,” I answered in my thoughts. “Also, Kara, if that’s your name, can you drop the ‘AI Assistance’ label and just go by Kara? It’s less disturbing.”
[Kara
Yes, that would be acceptable. Now, regarding the suggestion: The lesser hounds lying dead nearby represent a valuable source of nutrients such as protein. Since the user is severely malnourished, harvesting their meat would greatly aid muscle development and many vital bodily functions. Creatures enhanced by mana typically provide richer nutrients than district livestock, and based on user memory, you rarely consume the latter as well.]
[Kara]
[Additionally, if the user wishes to attempt Project Human Core Formation, it is strongly advised to extract the cores from these lesser hounds.]
I shuddered but saw the logic. Those beasts had intended to devour me, so perhaps it was fair to reverse that role. And indeed, the cores could be sold at a high price, or possibly help me in some other way. The only issue was I had nothing to cut them open with.
[Kara]
[Based on user memory, there is a piece of suitably shaped metal located approximately eighty meters from the user’s current position.]
At that moment I started to understand how this assistant could help me. If she could continually provide information like this, she would be an invaluable artifact. Such a shame it was wasted on me.
I took a steadying breath. “Please guide me to it,” I said in my thoughts.
Once I came back with the piece of metal, which was surprisingly sharp and shaped somewhat like a crude knife, I started removing the skin from one of the beasts, following the instructions Kara had shown and told me, as well as the guiding lines she had displayed in my vision.
She had emphasized where to cut and how to avoid damaging the parts we could salvage.
Based on her directions, I began cutting near the neck to create an opening in the hide. The hide itself proved extremely thick, requiring a great deal of force and precision, neither of which I possessed in abundance. Still, I tried my best not to puncture any organs, although I ended up making a bit of a mess with the hide during the process.
It took quite a while. By focusing on the thighs, shoulders, and back, I started extracting chunks of meat along the natural seams of muscle. Pretty soon, a decent pile formed. That was when I realized the task was taking far longer than expected, so I decided to drag not only the beast I was currently working on, but the other two as well, into the same abandoned shop nearest the district ward.
The shop’s stone floor would be easier to clean, I figured, compared to the ground outside. Even so, I laid down some rags I had found along the way, hoping they would catch most of the gore.
[Kara]
[Consider removing the core and the claws. The claws are very sharp and, even though they can be used as they are, they might be a good resource for making crude blades if worked upon. Also, teeth could have their uses, so I recommend removing and storing them. The bones of these creatures, from my initial analysis, seem very resilient and should also be extracted. However, without proper tools, that might be challenging.]
And so, I continued disassembling the beast. I never realized a single creature could provide so many valuable resources. There were the organs too, since this was a magical beast, Kara explained that components like the heart could be used as magical ingredients, so I needed to extract and store them with care.
Unfortunately, the hide was completely ruined. It was so thick, and I lacked a precise blade and the skill to maneuver one to separate it cleanly from the muscle. A few bones snapped while I tried to remove them. Exhaustion weighed on me the entire time; I was only able to manage it because I had just awakened from a long sleep. Otherwise, I would never have had the stamina.
Removing the core itself was comparatively easy, a round, ebony-colored sphere. According to Kara, it was classified as a Tier 1 core, typical of mindless beasts that cannot manifest magic but use mana for enhanced physical strength, speed, and resistance. She also pointed out that the hide was so hard to cut because of its mana infusion, which lent it incredible toughness.
If not for the system’s ability to display guiding lines and adapt them whenever I messed up, I would have wasted countless materials. I believe that if a creature has been killed, its death should be used to the fullest. Let nothing go to waste.
By Kara’s estimates, I managed to extract around eighty kilograms of usable meat. The heart came out nearly intact, along with the liver, although Kara emphasized that the liver of this beast is toxic and should never be eaten. Besides those two, I also removed the eyes and lungs, despite Kara saying they had little use. She insisted it was still good practice to get comfortable with such extractions for potential future beasts.
I understood her point, because removing large chunks of meat was nothing compared to the disturbing act of scooping out eyes. Yet, oddly enough, that step proved much simpler than dealing with the hide. Bones, on the other hand, were tricky. The only ones I managed to extract without breaking were the leg bones and pelvis. Kara told me to take the rest anyway, even if they were broken, because they too contained mana and might prove useful later on.
Strangely enough, the teeth showed the greatest potential for conversion into blades, especially the canines, which, according to the system’s estimate, were about fifteen centimeters long. The other teeth, molars and incisors, might be shaped into smaller blades or used for traps, thanks to their resilience and sharpness.
As for the claws, extracting them was more difficult, but I ended up with sixteen good ones. Each measured around eighteen centimeters. By that time, night had fallen, and I was exhausted beyond belief. The piece of metal I had been using as a knife had grown completely dull, so I discarded it. Then I stepped back to evaluate my work.
I did not build a fire, for fear it might attract other beasts. Instead, I left the door of the abandoned shop open, allowing a bit of light from the district to shine in. The ward was not too far away, and the streetlamps there provided some minimal glow near the entrance.
Of course, there was a risk that the smell of blood and offal would draw predators, but Kara had advised me to gather certain foliage and weeds from nearby to offset it. She instructed me to place some around and occasionally burn them to alter the scent. One weed in particular was identified as mugwort. It gave off a sweetish smoke, surprisingly pleasant and spread quickly through the fog, masking my presence.
Still, as the night deepened, it seemed like the fog consumed much of the lamp light, creating a strange, unsettling effect. Regardless, I could not keep working. I had processed only one of the beasts so far; the leftover remains were burned along with more mugwort.
But I had no real place to store everything I had gathered. So, I stacked it all on the second floor of the shop, covering the chunks of meat and the organs with the rags I found. The bones were then washed at the water well along with the claws and teeth, and brought to the second floor too.
Kara said I should look for containers later on, but for now, with these weeds masking the smell, I felt reasonably safe. Even if exposed to the air, meat in Araksiun can last nearly a year before spoiling, thanks to the city’s magical properties, as Elina once taught me. Kara confirmed this too.
Eventually, I would need to dry the meat, but that was a problem for another day.
I was just about to collapse onto the old mattress when Kara sent me another notification.
[Kara]
[System has a vital suggestion. Do you accept it?]
[Yes/No]
“You helped me throughout the day, so of course I accept,” I muttered, even though I knew simply thinking it would have been enough.
[Kara]
[User has not eaten all day and has resources at hand. The user is currently feeling the effects of hunger, and after a strenuous day, it is important to consume adequate nutrients to replenish energy and support proper growth. This will help the user develop mass as well.]
“I just got out of a long sleep. I am not hungry yet. It has only been one day. I’ll be fine.”
[Kara]
[User’s assessment is incorrect. The user is hungry. Current recommended intake is 1,500–2,000 kcal per day. The user has 80 kg of meat stored, which, at a consumption rate of 600 g per day, should last around 133 days. That figure does not even include meat from the other two beasts. There is no need to ration intake. The user must overcome malnourishment.]
“What in the world is a kcal?” I asked, frowning. “Well… I guess I have plenty of meat anyway.” Just the thought of all that food made me feel more relieved than I could have imagined.
Meat is a rare commodity in the district, something only the wealthy can afford because of low food production. Not only that, but this is meat from a magical beast, which should be even more valuable. And I have enough to last months. I can actually avoid going hungry for who knows how long.
That realization felt… good.