First Cycle…
"My head hurt…"
My sight's been dazzled as I opened my eyes. Gathering my thoughts over what happened not long ago.
"Yeah… I remember about the dark space, those tortured animals, and that person…"
(I feel like all of those was just a dream. But it felt so real…)
My mind was thinking all that was real, but at the same time, it was not.
What a weird philosophy to put it…
(…)
Then, it didn't take long for me to notice the black book in my embrace. For some reason, my hand was held tightly to it.
Why?
Before I defeated Pet Shop, nothing much had been written inside this book.
(...)
Without much thought, I opened the book.
(!)
A new note has appeared, a note I've never seen before.
…
Name: Pet Shop
Rank: Predator
(A Pack comes from oneself, The Dog. From within, one can assume they lived their life, learning, procreating, and consuming each other, for the sake of strengthening their pack.)
"As we're meant to be the. predator, we won't stop. at nothing."
Those words definitely weren't there before. I guess the more stuff appeared, the more things I killed.
Ending 1/100
"... Even so, it's just one step ahead, huh…"
(And then, I've gotta prepare for more when I meet the Pet Shop. Although I've found the solution to hide away from the Pet Shop…)
The Silver Hunter's liquid, I may find it useful many times in the future. Turns out the stealth function it gives is way better than I thought, that's the reason The Dog wasn't able to sense me by smell.
With the positive thought, I stand on my two feet.
"Then, let's keep struggling… From now on, one day isn't enough. I ought to survive for longer. And I'll find every way to do it."
…
+Drinked Sunworm's drools
+Sunworm Torch
+Chair leg (Sharpened)
+Old cloth
+Rotten Flesh
+Eaten roasted flesh
+Rusty Knife
+Rope
+Super Glue
+Mazard Shield
+Greenhopper's poison needle
+Cicicirikada's vocal cords
+Beetlepup's smelly glans
…
Spending my time at the library, I took my time walking down the hill. Spending my cycle of life like usual.
…
"Come again?"
Sometimes, I took things for granted. If it is what it is, then it is what it is. But something changed, there's no doubt about it. Something is missing here…
(Why now suddenly?...)
I look to my left, I look to my right. There's only a road, a building, and more buildings. Instinctively, I put the shield up, having a high alert.
(Has he been hiding? Then, where is it?)
I took my route as usual, I thought, today was no different. But the situation is unfavorable, since he's not here. And what I meant by that is, The Silver Hunter, isn't here…
"WHERE ARE YOU, COME OUT!!!" Shouting, I tried to provoke the Silver Hunter, thinking he would fall for it.
But, the answer I've got is nothing but silence.
"..."
"There's no fucking way, right?"
…
+Harpoon Launcher
Luckily, I managed to gain the harpoon launcher. And also, somehow killed Grey Octopus, again.
"!"
But wait, come to think of it, I was smeared with the Silver's liquid on the last cycle, how come he managed to sense me then?
"..."
I can think of a few reasons, but I'd rather leave it till the next day.
…
I'm ready, I'm fucking ready, this time no sleep. Or else I'll get fuck, screw, whatever, like usual. Waving the Sunworm Torch as if I were waving a flag, showing a sign of me declaring a war.
"COME HERE I AIN'T SCARED OF YOU!!!"
1 hour later…
"The hell is taking them so long? They'd usually come not long after the dusk…"
2 hours later…
"My mind is about to kick the bucket *Yawn*"
3 hours later…
"Zzz…"
…
Once again, I've been given the peaceful sleep. After walking almost endlessly through the day, the least my body need is some sleep.
…
Opening my eyes, I find myself almost unharmed. Moreover, there's no sign of that predator roaming around, even after checking every angle from the high rooftop. I usually could see or hear the Harmsters roaming around, the Cats making a ruckus, The Dog tracking via my smell.
But there was… Nothing.
"I-It's weird…" I stand up, holding my thought at the moment.
"W-What's the rules written from this damned book again?"
Rules:
First, to get an Ending, you must have to start with the Prologue, the Prologue is the key for you to start your 'Route'.
The moment you've entered the Route, you must pass all the challenges that could lead you toward the hardest wall in the end.
The moment you've gone through everything, is the moment you had a right to reach an Ending.
You must get 100 Endings to escape from this world.
Wait a minute, something's missing. I tried to think about it, but a long time has passed, I barely remember the word scribbled on this book.
(Perhaps I was wrong? This book describes that I have gained an Ending from defeating the Pet Shop. My thought is that the reason for their disappearance would be found in this book-)
I blinked…
One blink was all it took…
Next, I noticed the new word scribbled on the book…
Any factor that is linked with an ending would be disappeared of the existence.
Wait, does that mean… The Pet Shop were to be gone permanently?
The moment I noticed it, I clenched my fist as I was about to jump out of joy.
But the other part of me would be reminded of their suffering that I was forced to witness.
"...., If I'm not mistaken, it was at the bottom of the pet shop, was it? Maybe, I should look into it…"
Why should I go there to begin with?
…
Maybe, it would not hurt to visit the birthplace of my nemesis.
"Even so, what do I do now? I've been just tunnelling on gathering the same thing every day. I barely explore any farther because of some shithead that are probably on the same or more dangerous than Pet Shop.
Pet Shop was merely my downfall that chased me in the end of the time.
But I've witnessed there are stronger beings, too. Blocking the path, guarding their area, or maybe hunting for food.
I'm basically trapped in all directions. The further I could've gone is towards the library, where it's near the border between Wanth and Turth.
…
I'm a stubborn person…
"No matter, I'll eventually squeeze my way out and kill all of these shithead! And when I do, I'll find an area where actual food and water exist! And then and then…"
I tried to be optimistic…
"I'll take it slow as I research of these Ending stuff. I still don't understand the whole meaning of this."
I was lucky… For a moment…
"I have gained 1 out of 100. So 99 more, I can find more if I put my thought more into it-"
And at the same time, I was unlucky…
When I realized it, I couldn't feel my feet touching the ground. Then I immediately found myself being grabbed by some kind of 'bird'. Its foot holds onto my shoulder tight as it takes me higher, and the claw at the end of each of its finger dug themself deeper into my flesh and bone.
As the time passes, I can feel myself further from the ground. I dropped most of the stuff when I was grabbed, but the harpoon launcher which was in my grasp the whole time.
"D-Damn you…" I tried to wiggle my way outta this situation, and suddenly…
*KAAAWWW!!!*
"AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!! IT HURT LIKE HELL!!!" One leg has been cut off my body.
(SHIT! THERE WERE MORE OF THEM?!!)
I then found myself surrounded by the group of them in the air. Some tried to peck into my torso while the other tried to cut a part of myself of their claw.
I found myself with almost no way out, if there's even one.
*STAB!*
The sharp claw went through my stomach. Decreasing my survival chance to zero. I coughed up blood as part of me accepted my fate.
But the other part of me chose to struggle…
"D-Damn you all…" I grit my pain, and aimed the harpoon launcher at the bird that gripped me.
*KAAAAAAWWWW!!!*
It was a clean shot, no less. The bird lost their grip on me as I dove into the ground. The other bird tried to catch up, but they moved sluggishly; was it perhaps because of their big body?
"KAAARRRGGHHH!!!" I'm hoping I would hit my head first, but if it's fate, would be so kind to give me one. And in the end, I met myself falling on top of the wooden pole, which opened the hole in my stomach wider. I was left hanging on the pole until the bird came and pecked some flesh and bone of me.
Each peck left me with the sense of vulnerability, as they lastly forcefully took my arm, leg, and head off the torso.
…
....
...…..