I lose myself to the adrenaline of battle. I cut up a few more slimes without much issues, using my left arm as bait. I try my best to take them on one by one.

I had to deal with a small group of them every once in a while but nothing I can’t deal with.

My arm slowly becomes numb to all the pain I willing throw it into. I wipe out a few, carry the cores back to the entrance and then rinse and repeat my newly acquired hunting habits.

There’s a few alcoves carved into the walls every so often which seem to be made perfectly for humans.

There’s a few scorch marks on the floors of these areas, probably used when people are culling the slimes, they need places to rest and eat after all.

I can use them to store cores and supplies. I’ll probably sleep in them too. I can’t risk sleeping out in the woods with goodness knows what. I haven’t seen a single slime past the point where Unit 08 had summoned that energy wall before, so I’ll assume that the areas behind it are relatively safe.

I take a break, sit in the alcove by the entrance and open the duffel bag. I take one of the loaves of bread. It’s not soft at all. It’s crusty like a crouton. I take a bite into it. CRUNCH.

Urgh. Ah. God. C’mon. Really? This sucks.

Unlike the bite-sized snacks made to satisfy and add texture to a salad, this is just pure crusty toughness. Like a baguette, you left out to the air for way too long. There’s some seeds mixed into the centre which also add some texture and is probably for nutrition but urgh. This is horrible food. I hope I can afford something better than… this.

I take a quick swig from the waterskin. Thankfully it’s surprisingly normal. No complaints anyway.

Finally, I have a little time to settle my thoughts. I’m being jerked around by something I don’t understand.

The job hasn’t really changed. Paperwork turned to the murder of these critters.

The boss goes from a shadowy figure I would see once in a blue moon to some sort of robot prankster. I’ve got to work myself to the bone for the hope that one day I’ll be the one on top.

If my death was purely my fault and this was a second chance, then I guess I’m grateful despite my benefactor being a jerk. However, if my demise was orchestrated by that hunk of scrap or whatever it answers to then I’m going to turn them to dust the next time we meet.

For that I’ll need the power to defy such mysterious beings.

Alternatively if they at least were willing to pay me with life for exchange for entertainment then… I’m going to give them one hell of a show. Even more reasons to do this.

The goal is far away but I can feel it. Down this road is the way to everything I need.

I chomp the rest of the bread with fury and excitement in my heart until not a crumb remains, ignoring the painful texture and less than subpar taste. I take another quick drink and get up.

Time to go back on the hunt. I get everything ready and then look at the rightmost wall just outside the alcove. I bend down and take a sharp rock, lift myself back up and scratch the wall with it in a single vertical motion.

My first day on the job. Gotta punch in my hours after all.

I exhaled a long sigh of relief. Sure the conditions are mostly the same but at least this is different. I’m free of one prison for another but at least this one had a nice new coat of paint.

So I focus and throw my mind into that toxic state again.

I charge into monotony and begin to slay the slimes with all the affection and care of the bare minimum amount of work anyone needs to just narrow receive a passing grade.

Unlike others though I throw myself deep into that. It’s a C+ at best but what if you have that in every field and had millions of those papers.

That loyalty of years might not mean anything to everyone but it still puts you above those who wander aimlessly.

It all becomes a blur but that’s alright. I can’t find much pleasure in it but… I try to test myself.

I try to slice them from different angles and with the bare minimum amount of force required to split the slimes. It doesn’t go that well at first but I eventually sort of get the hang of it.

Be efficient if you can’t excel. That’s something I hammered into my head every day.

I can have a little fun with all this. Perfectly powered attacks, mix-ups from every angle I can cut with this sword and an appreciation for how quickly I can deprive these amoebas of the gift of life to fuel my strength.

It’s already better than my boring old desk job. I feel a small shred of pride blossom in my heart. I lose track of time and gain another level in the process.

LEVEL UP!

Health Points has risen.

Strength has risen.

Dexterity has risen.

Speed has risen.

Defense has risen.

Resistance has risen.

Maki Hibiki Lv3

HP: ???

MP: ???

STR: ???

MAG: ???

DEX: ???

SPD: ???

DEF: ???

RES: ???

Skills:

1H Swords Lv2

1H Skill Lv2

Slash Lv2

There’s barely any progress. I also take note of what stats improved. An unsettling feeling sets in.

I really hope that my suspicions aren’t proven true but there’s only one way to know for sure.

I double my efforts in slaying slimes and go on a rampage until I obtain another level.

I have to know.

LEVEL UP!

Health Points has risen.

Strength has risen.

Dexterity has risen.

Speed has risen.

Defense has risen.

Resistance has risen.

Dammit. This is bad. Either this game uses a growth system where I’m predetermined or heavily inclined to a certain path or we’re working off the rules that the stats that increase are based on my actions. Like a certain second entry in a famous video game series.

If it’s the former, there's not much I can do about it. If it’s the latter though, it can both work in my favour or be a major detriment down the line.

Fuelled by curiosity and a nagging feeling in the back of my head I go deeper into the depths and cut apart more and more of the creatures leaping at my flesh.

I have to know. No matter how much danger and boredom try to consume me whole.