“Mmm……Salty.”

There, on the same island Alex had crashed onto, Alex could be seen stuffing his face full of crab meat. His face warped in pain as the overbearing saltiness of the crab meat overtook his tastes!

This battle probably took even more energy than actual fighting!

Swallowing the last chunk of meat, he felt his nerves burn. His heart began beating quickly, and his energy levels rocketed into the skies!

This was the same thing that happened last time! He needed to move!

He dropped his bag onto the sand and began running like a mad man. He circled the island’s coast line in seconds!

But that wasn’t enough!

After struggling to keep his muscles from tearing apart from the insane energy burst, he got on his hands and did quick push ups. The veins in his hands started showing splendidly.

“AAAHHH!!”

But that wasn’t enough! He needed more!

After push ups, he did some random sit ups, and then did another marathon around the coast line. He grit his teeth roughly as blood slowly began to gush out of his mouth. Soon after, he began coughing out blood.

He continued coughing out more blood as a small puddle of red liquid formed under his feet. His hands clutched his chest tightly as a sharp pain stabbed his heart. “W-Wha..Guhe?!”

His sight began blurring as he began to suffer from anemia. His teeth were painted red from blood. His whole body began to lose energy quickly as his blood failed to catch enough Oxygen to suffice his needs.

Little did he realise; his eyes began bleeding out too. Actually, there was a lot of blood simply coming out of his body.

But within all that pain, a small feeling began to emerge. As his eyes were clouded with tinges of blood, the feeling grew even more intense. His heart pounded furiously in his chest. More blood gushed out of his mouth.

“W-What’s…hap..gua?!...penning…guhe?!...t-to…me?”

He somehow managed to squeeze out as he coughed out more blood.

And then, his body lost strength, and he fell down.

His body was soaked inside the pool of his own blood.

…………………………………….

The world around him was dark, as if he had just fallen into the abyss itself.

His eyes swam around the area, but it saw nothing.

‘Where am I?’

Just as that question passed through, the void was suddenly coloured in, and what looked to be a prosperous kingdom was seen down below.

Birds were chirping happily. Laughter filled the air.

But, as prophecies have told, no peace holds on forever. Out, descending from the sky, came a man cloaked in darkness.

His face was black, a void of any colour. His eyes shining a devilish bright red.

The clouds above broke open as he emerged. His hands were stretched out wide.

What is this?

Alex could hardly do anything, not even move. His none-existent body failed to respond to his calls.

The people below looked up to see the man, and they were all terrified. They fell onto their knees, and pleaded solemnly.

“Why, Why have you come!?” The people below cried out like children.

Without a word, the man’s right hand was lifted, and out from the sky, came a dragon.

The dragon’s scales were dark like the night. Its body stretched out, covering out the skies above. Slowly, it looked down to the people below, its blood red eyes showing no emotions.

The people below continued to cry. Their faces wrapped in despair.

Alex looked on from above, his mind struggled to comprehend what this is.

“Man, had become corrupt. Indulging in desires of the world…I have come to judge you.”

“The time has come. The end, has arrived. All, shall be reborn.”

The man’s hand slowly lowered, and stopped to point at the kingdom.

With an astounding force, the dragon followed his directions and crashed itself onto the face of the Earth. Shockwaves beyond any capabilities shook and tore the Earth.

Dust of destruction arose into the air. None were left.

His heart was deeply shaken. Just as the clouds of dust dispersed with the wind, the man’s eyes turned to him, and the world faded away into the dark abyss. But then, just as he was falling…

A bright light came shining in, breaking apart the void. His eyes slowly opened.

………………

“N..Nnghh…What…the hell?”

Alex slowly lifted himself up from the ground. His head hurt terribly, as if a 500 ton hammer had just been pounded onto his head several times. He slowly moved his hands and held his chest tightly.

His heart nearly stopped beating. The sight of a kingdom, full of life, just disappearing like that?

His mind couldn’t comprehend such a fact.

Looking down, he saw his pants drenched red. Looking around him, he finally noticed the huge puddle of blood surrounding him! His mind was thrown once again in turmoil!

“W-What the…?”

Slowly, he crawled himself out of the pool of blood. Beads of sweat rolled down his face like rain. His hands shivered with every step.

And then, as he finally got out of the pool of blood, he let out a long sigh of relief.

He was out!

He held his hands over his chest, feeling the heart beat deep inside. His heart continued to beat away quickly, his mind was still tense from fear.

He quickly regulated his breathing, slowing it down until it wasn’t too fast. Although he didn’t want to admit it, he knew that all that blood was his, and that he was not in the best of positions.

“I-I…need…t-to leave…”

His voice trembled as his eyes looked over the pool of fallen blood. His heart began beating quickly once more. A creeping feeling of fear and despair slowly seeped into his mind.

Making his way onto the blade of his large berserker sword, he let rest his back on the blade, and slowed his breathing.

But it never worked.

His mind knew something was wrong, and that he needed to run.

But he also knew, that if he ran, he would attract the monsters lurking in the sea.

What to do?!

Slowly, as the anemia began catching up, a severe feeling of exhaustion struck him. His shoulders drooped, and his eyes began feeling heavy. In seconds, his eyes fully closed, and he was back in the realm of the unconscious.

Little did he realise that the colour of blood had changed him permanently. His hair forever dyed red in blood.

……

“U-Uuah…?”

As his consciousness returned back into his physical body, he felt the cold touch of the large blade impaled into the sand. There next to it, was his backpack, and his simple gun model that was sticking out of the bag.

Seeing that his essentials hadn’t disappeared, his heart calmed down slightly. These weapons were the reason he had lived until now, he couldn’t be more grateful.

Turning back to his front, he noticed that the large pool of blood, had drifted away into the sea, dissipating into the endless sea. His mind calmed down greatly as he let out a deep sigh.

Slowly, he turned his head up, and his eyes watched the sun starting to set in the distance.

Has that much time passed?

He did not know.

Using his right hand, he traced a small walking stick with his index finger, and finished it off with the word ‘Wood’. Out from the bursting light, came the wooden walking stick he needed.

Holding the handle tightly, he forced himself to stand on his feet. Even without walking, he could feel himself struggling to stand up straight. His hand holding the walking stick was slightly shaking.

Walking over to the west side of the island, he stopped at the coast line and stared at the setting sun. His eyes silently watching as the skies above were slowly changing from the blue he knew, to the orange and yellow gradient of the setting sun.

The breeze washed over him, his new red hair blowing in the wind. Of course, he hadn’t noticed such a fact yet!

Without him knowing, a weak smile was painted over his face. His eyes stared calmly into the moving waters, small waves moving along the endless waters of the ocean.

But then, at the corner of his eyes, he noticed something reflecting off the water. Slowly turning his head down, his eyes stared right into the reflection, his blue eyes looking back at him.

But something was different about him. Looking slightly above his eyes, he noticed a slight change in his hair.

Wait, what do you mean slight?! His hair colour just changed!

“W-What the f*ck?!”

In shock, he slipped on the sand and fell onto his back. Quickly, he crawled back onto the island.

“Nope, nope, nope, nope! That is NOT me!”

He continued to shake his head in denial as he slowly made it back to the coast line.

In fear, he looked straight into the reflection, and once more, he saw himself reflected off the waters, but his hair was completely red!

In absolute fear, he slowly moved his hands to his hair, and plucked out a single strand. Shivering, he brought the strand down to his sight, and to his fear, it was completely red!

Ah! What the sh*t?!

His hair just turned red!

After sitting there, curled up into a ball with tears in his eyes, he picked up his walking stick and dusted off any sand that got onto his clothes. Turning around, he left the coast and went back to his impaled sword.

But then, just as he was getting close, he noticed something next to the sword!

No, it wasn’t his backpack, it was a crab!

“Tch. This appears when I’m like this?”

He complained slightly as he prepared himself for battle. But to his surprise, as the crab turned to see him, it didn’t flash out its claws, or tried to attack him at all! Instead, with its beady little eyes inside its shell, it stared at him in curiosity.

“…Eh?”

Noticing that Alex was shocked to see him, it instantly waved its claws around, as if to say hello to him. Still stuck in that state of shock, his hands moved without his attention and waved back.

“Pii!”

It began jumping up and down while clapping its claws, calling him to sit beside it. Alex’s eyes pretty much turned to dots at that moment. In disbelief, he continued to stare silently at the surprisingly friendly crab.

Doesn’t everything want his blood here?

Ah…Is there really a monster that’s kind?

What a relief…

Wait, it might also be a trap…Damnit.

In suspicion, he slowly put away his walking stick and sat next to the crab. It seems quite delighted to see him sitting there, although the reason was still unclear. Hey, he can’t speak crab language, alright?

Suddenly, it jumped up to his crossed legs and tapped its claw on his belly. “Huh?” Alex only stared at the little thing, which continued to tap onto his belly.

“Are you hungry?”

“Pii!”

In approval, the crab repeatedly shook its head up and down. It doesn’t seem like this little crab was out for his blood.

“What do you even eat?”

“Pii?”

As if it understood what he said, the crab walked off his legs and pointed into the ocean. “What? That’s the sea.”

“Pii!”

Using its claws, it looked to the sea and began holding its right claw in front of its left one, imitating the action a fisherman would normally do when fishing.

“Fish?”

“Pi!”

One more, it nodded happily in approval. “Seems like this crab eats fish.” He thought silently as his eyes stared into the moving waters. After debating over it for a while, he decided ‘Hey, why not?’

With his magic, he drew a wooden rod and a thin line of string. Using the small hook he placed at the end of the wooden rod, he tied the string tightly around the hook. And then, conjuring a metal hook, he tied it to the end of the line.

“Here we go.”

Raising his rod above his head, he aimed carefully into the waters, and with a swing, he launched the hook into the ocean!

*Bloop*

Making a small splash, the hook floated on the surface of the waters. Seeing that he was successful, he stuck the end of the rod into the sand to hold it in.

And so, begins the waiting game!

……

Thirty minutes later,

“…Nothing.”

Alex said softly as he reeled back the untouched hook. He looked at the hook sadly, before setting it down on the sand. Seems like the fishing was a failure…

“Pi!”

“Hmm?”

Without him noticing, the crab had made it all the way to the hook. With its left claw, it tapped softly onto the metal hook. “Hah…It doesn’t work. Just give it up.”

“Pi!”

“I said…Wait.”

Just as he was about to say something, a light bulb suddenly lit up in his mind. Quickly, he brought the hook closer to him. Using his free hand, he traced a small circle using his magic and finished it with the word ‘Fish meat’.

With a flash, out came a small ball of fresh fish meat. Looking closer, the meat seems to be slightly spoiled, but that didn’t really matter right now. Sticking the fish ball onto the hook, he raised the rod above his head, and threw the hook into the waters once more!

*Bloop*

“Right…I guess ti-“

*Triiik!*

“What?!”

Not even a minute has passed, and his line was being pulled!

Quickly gripping his hands around the rod, he began pulling the fish closer to land. The fish too put up a fight, doing its best to swim away.

And then, the world around him turned dull, and all senses were focused to their limits. His eyes pulsed red in the colour of blood!

His [Blood Hound] has activated! He's putting his A game on!

“…”

Silently, he pulled strongly on the rod, the fish having a much harder time to cope with the increased strength he has. After a minute of constant struggle, the fish gave up, and was pulled out of the water with a splash!

*Buuf!*

Landing on the sandy shores, the fish could be seen! The catch was a success!

Quickly, crawling onto the shore line, he conjured himself a set of plastic gloves and took hold of the fish. Slowly, he brought the fish back to the crab.

“Here.”

“Pi!”

As it saw Alex coming closer, the crab’s eyes lit in happiness and closed in quickly. Even from afar, it could easily smell the scent of its favourite meal!

Alex set down the fish on the sand. “Pi!” Coming closer, the crab saw that he had only caught one fish. Its mood seemed to decline slightly.

“What’s wrong?”

*Pish!*

“Pi!”

Shockingly, without answering him, the crab used its sharp claws and cut the alive fish into two! Blue blood came gushing out of the huge wound, and the fish died in an instant.

Gripping one half with one claw, the crab presented one half of the fish to him. “Eh?” He said randomly as the crab insisted to have him eat this half, while it ate the other half.

What a kind little fellow!

“…Gee, thanks.”

With a happy mood, the relationship between Alex and this little crab begun under the setting sun!