I returned to the place where I was first transferred.
Right after the transfer, I only found a skull.
After finding it, the Minotaur attacked me.
I was in no condition to explore...
The belongings of the discarded heroes and warriors.
"If there's anything useful, that would be great..."
Of course, I do not let my guard down around me.
The thing I need to be most cautious of right now.
Sudden attacks or ambushes.
My reflexes are crucial at this moment.
If I am even slightly slow to use my status abnormality skill—
There is a chance one hit from a monster could kill me.
The monsters in these discard ruins are probably super-strong enemies that even seasoned fighters cannot defeat.
There might have even been A-class heroes among them.
Naturally, with my current stats, I cannot stand up to the monsters here.
My only means of resistance right now is my unique skill.
Literally, "first strike wins" is the key.
Above all, I must not take even a single hit from any monster.
That is what I need to focus on without fail for now.
As I organized my thoughts, I arrived at the destination.
I hold up the glowing leather pouch infused with mana.
Hiding in the darkness now feels more dangerous instead.
Having visibility makes it harder to be caught off guard.
Well, if the enemy has ranged attacks, that could be dangerous too...
"Even so—there does not seem to be anything decent here..."
There are several partially melted human bones from the acid.
Probably done in by the Minotaur.
Some weapons are scattered around too.
But almost all of them are half-destroyed by acid.
Even if I take them, they would be useless junk.
"This is about all that's usable."
A black cloak worn by a skeleton.
An old short dagger.
The cave is a little chilly.
I decide to wear this cloak.
Whoosh.
I wrap myself in the cloak.
It feels slightly warmer.
The short dagger is sheathed in leather.
At first I thought it was no good too.
But when I drew the blade to check, it still seemed usable.
I stuff the short dagger into the leather pouch.
My left hand needs to hold the pouch.
My right hand is for skill use.
I need to point it toward the target.
It seems I cannot lock on without doing that...
Skill activation takes priority over weapons.
I do not think this short dagger could even scratch the monsters here.
The hardness of the bird head's skin when I swung the axe at it was traumatizing.
I look at the transfer point.
A magic circle is carved into it.
"This magic circle... well, I probably cannot use it."
Only the shitty goddess should be able to use it.
Otherwise, there would be no point in sending people here.
"..."
I wonder how the guys from Class 2-C are doing right now.
No...
I should not think about them now.
The one currently in the most life-threatening danger is me.
First priority is to find a way out to the surface.
I resume exploring the cave.
I return to the place where I once fought a fierce battle.
Naturally, the mountain of monster corpses remains unchanged.
"Seeing it again, there really were a lot..."
I do not have much real sense that I did this myself.
I look in the direction the bird heads fled.
"Should I go check ahead?"
▽
Further ahead, I come out into an open area.
The leather pouch cannot illuminate it all.
I look up.
The ceiling is high.
Pointed rocks extend downward like in a limestone cave.
Gurururu~,
Guuu~
Ugh...
As expected.
I had faintly felt it for a while now.
Hunger.
Come to think of it, I have not eaten anything since before getting on the bus.
Actually, my throat is starting to feel parched too.
The full sprint to escape the monsters.
The massive sweating from the deathmatch with them.
I must have lost a considerable amount of moisture.
Along the way here, I checked for any water sources.
So far, I have not found any.
After the threat of monsters, the next problem emerges.
Water and food.
A simple but serious issue has suddenly risen after the monster crisis.
"...For now, let's push further ahead."
There might be a water source for the monsters or something they use as food.
I start walking again into the spreading darkness.
▽
I continue walking through similar scenery.
Along the way, I discover a place that seems to lead to an upper area.
When I go there, similar scenery continues again.
"..."
An agonizing amount of time has passed.
Or—has it really?
It feels like a long time has gone by.
But perhaps it has not been that long in reality.
In a cave, the sun does not rise.
There is only endless—darkness.
No clock.
My sense of time is breaking down.
Gururururu~,
Kyuuu~
"Haa, haa...—"
I see.
Even after leveling up.
Even with stat corrections.
My stomach still growls.
My throat still thirsts.
I am hungry.
No, more than that...
The thirst is especially bad.
"Haa... haa..."
The soles of my shoes are wearing down.
My nerves are wearing down too.
Even so, I must keep my skill ready to activate at any moment.
I do not know when a monster might jump out.
I cannot afford any gaps in my awareness.
I walk.
Is there anything?
I walk,
I walk.
Nothing.
I walk,
I walk,
I walk.
Really, nothing.
Rocks.
Rocks, rocks.
Rocks, rocks, rocks.
Rocks, rocks, rocks, rocks.
Rocks, rocks, rocks, rocks, rocks.
Gestalt collapse.
What even is a rock?
A mountain and stone make a rock?
Huh?
Mountain?
What is that?
This is underground...
Not a mountain.
"..."
My sanity feels like it is about to snap.
Extreme hunger.
Extreme thirst.
Is it really this painful?
I have not encountered any monsters for a while now.
If I do encounter one.
I will kill it.
Food.
Meat.
Anything is fine now.
Someone, give me food.
"Ah, right..."
An idea strikes me.
The monster corpses I killed in that lowest level.
"They might be edible."
Perhaps because of the thirst.
In a hoarse voice, I voice my realization.
I turn back there.
I had a bad feeling about the underground desert-like area spreading ahead.
It might just continue like that desert area...
On the other hand, a place with certain food.
Monster corpses.
If I know it is there, I should go.
Minotaur—beef.
Bird head—poultry.
It should work.
It has to work.
After some time, I return to that place.
To the spot with the massive pile of monster corpses.
I no longer seem to be sweating.
Moisture...
Blood?
Should I drink blood?
I take out the short dagger.
I grip it reverse.
My hand stops.
"By the way, these guys..."
They died from poison, right...?
Are they edible?
No.
The poison skill should have worn off already.
They are not purple anymore.
No bubbles rising.
They should be edible—if I can butcher them.
They have to be...
Please be edible...
I set the leather pouch down.
My left hand is for skill use.
I put strength into my right hand.
Minotaur meat...
I grip the handle with all my strength.
The skin is probably too hard for the blade to cut.
From touching it, the hardness has not changed even after death.
Then, I should attack from a part that was not trained even in life.
The head.
Grind.
I gouge out the eyeball.
Good.
That worked.
"..."
I peer into the eye socket.
Can I butcher it from the inside?
Will it work?
Butcher from the inside...
It is disgusting—but I cannot afford to be squeamish.
I will die.
I need to eat something.
I need to drink something.
Yes.
First, thrust the blade deep into the eye socket—
Sizzle!
"U, aa...!? A, gah!?"
I hurriedly pull my hand away.
Acid.
No good!
The inside is acid!
"————"
The bull's eyeball rolls on the ground.
Am I going to eat this?
This?
...
I will die.
If I do not eat.
I bite into it.
Chomp!
Sizzzz!
"Buh—!? Ptoo! A, aaaaah—!"
There is acid inside the eyeball too!
"Ptoo! Ptoo—gekoh! Gohoh!"
So their bodily fluids are like acid.
Harmless to themselves.
Harmful to other creatures.
I vigorously wipe my mouth with my uniform sleeve.
My mouth too...
The fabric melts a bit, but it cannot be helped.
"...Fuu."
Good thing I did not swallow.
Spitting it out immediately was the right call.
My tongue still stings...
But fortunately, the damage inside my mouth seems minimal.
Perhaps my [Defense] unexpectedly did some work here.
I look at the bird head.
"..."
Just to be sure, I try the bird head too.
Same result.
Not edible.
Now that I think about it, of course.
This place is designed to kill those sent here.
If the monsters at the transfer point could be used as food, it would instantly become easy mode.
There is no way the meat of the ruins' monsters is edible,
Or their blood drinkable.
If they were serious about killing,
They would not send people to a place with edible monsters.
They would not send them to a place with water sources.
Those sent here are naturally not transferred with water or food.
What is thrust upon them is the most basic survival problem as living beings.
"A discard ruin with... zero survival rate."
Even if the transferred heroes were stronger than the Minotaurs or bird heads—
"Damn it... this ruin is thoroughly designed to kill discarded heroes..."
They die.
From starvation.