In the comfort of his abode, everything he knew transformed into something alien.
Utilizing a pair of stones he stumbled upon during his journey, the rhythmic clatter reverberated in the abrupt stillness as he coaxed a spark into existence. The resulting fire was feeble, casting dancing shadows upon the makeshift roasting pit.
The scavenged vulture, now stripped of all its feathers, was positioned directly over the flames. As the heat caressed its flesh, a repugnant stench permeated the air. Kai found himself retching, the recollection of more delectable meals taunting him mercilessly. However, hunger was an unyielding master. He recalled previous instances of desperate sustenance, ones even more revolting than this, and fortified himself. Survival, once a distant concept, now consumed his every thought. With a wince, he tore off a portion of the cooked vulture and forced it down his throat. The taste was repulsive, a bitter tapestry of gamey flesh and singed remorse. But it provided nourishment, and that was all that mattered. His stomach churned, yet a sliver of solemn pride flickered within him. He had confronted starvation head-on, another victory in this ruthless battle for existence.
After reluctantly consuming the vulture meat, Kai felt a lingering ache settle in his stomach, a feeble substitute for contentment. Letting out a weary sigh, he pushed the remaining carcass aside, the dim fire casting an orange glow upon the unwanted remnants. He meticulously inspected the perimeter of his dwelling, a necessary routine in this desolate world.
Every window was secured, every entrance a silent challenge. Only then did he allow himself to collapse onto his dilapidated bed, the weariness of the day finally overtaking him. Sleep, when it finally arrived, was plagued by fragmented visions of vultures circling a dying planet, a harsh reflection of his bleak reality.
°°°°°
The following day Kai took in a deep breath of the sun-filled air, then looked around at the ruined city bathed in the morning glow.
The slum seemed dazzling in a way he'd never imagined it could be.
As the sunlight shot past the crimson clouds on the horizon, it seemed like countless golden whales swimming through the sky. It swept away the sickly fog in the city, revealing the damage that had previously been concealed.
Collapsed houses were everywhere, interspersed with black corpses and ghastly pools of blood. Those were the sights that roused Kai from his stupor and reminded him of the catastrophe that had befallen this place.
Mixed emotions appeared in his eyes. He had lived for more than 9 years in the slums.
Everything radius of ten kilometers was silent.
'One last act of humanity.' Kai thought.
After a while, he sighed softly, then walked over to one of the black corpses. He looked down at it, stooped, and pulled the corpse onto his back. Then he started walking.
Eventually, he reached a public square, where he put the corpse down. Turning, he went and found a second corpse. Then a third, and a fourth, a fifth, then a sixth, a seventh, and so on.
Some corpses just lay on the street, others were buried in the rubble. Some corpses were intact. Others were mangled.
He hardened his face as he saw many faces he knew, the old man next door, the butcher always giving a discount, that sexy aunt who use to flirt with him always calling him handsome, a young man who dreamed of adventure.
One by one, he took as many as he could find and carried them on his back to the square, where he piled them up into a small mountain.
Eventually, he stood in front of the mountain of corpses with a torch in his hand. He tossed the fire onto the mountain. Perhaps because of the crimson light, the flame burned hot, and the smoke rose thick into the air above him.
He stared at the smoke for a while, then walked to the city's second district. Before long, smoke rose from that district as well, thicker… and thicker.
As the brilliant sun shone down on the city, the place became full of the smoke of burning corpses.
The smoke obscured the sun, causing everything to turn red. It was like the sun was heaving a deep sigh, and the streams of smoke were its tears. The shadows cast by the smoke were tearstains on the earth.
Kai's platinum dreadlocks danced in the wind. Eventually, he clasped his hands and bowed deeply.
"May your souls rest in peace."
This was his last act of humanity, from now on he would live selfishly only thinking of himself.
The flames burned even hotter, sending sparks up like dandelion wisps to float away in the breeze. However, the smoke that drifted up contained unending regret and defiance that could never be dispelled. It rose high, like scars in the sky.
Insignificant and pointless.
[In recognition of your selflessness, you have been granted a Beginner Weapon!]
As Kai prepared to embark on his journey through the city, he was halted in his tracks by a notification from the system. From above, a solitary weapon materialized and descended, piercing the ground with its arrival.
Ting!
Kai paused for a moment, anticipation building, before cautiously approaching the weapon.
Without a moment's hesitation, Kai reached down and picked up the black sword. To his surprise, it was incredibly light, weighing no more than a few hundred grams. As he grasped the sword's handle, a tooltip materialized before his eyes, confirming its lightweight design.
[Black Sword] - One-Handed Sword
[Very lightweight.]
Curiously, there was no additional information provided. The typical attack power usually displayed in weapon tooltips in games and novels was conspicuously absent. All Kai could gather was the undeniable fact that the sword was exceptionally light.
As Kai swung the black sword to familiarize himself with it, he contemplated his newfound means of defense. While he lacked any knowledge or experience in swordsmanship, he reasoned that he could potentially fashion makeshift daggers for throwing. His confidence in his throwing abilities gave him hope that he could adapt to using the sword effectively.
Living in the slums didn't provide him with any expertise in handling bladed weapons, aside from the occasional knife that thugs relied on. However, Kai believed that through trial and error, he could learn the art of swordsmanship and perhaps even develop his unique style. Furthermore, he speculated that there might be opportunities to acquire various skills and abilities in this new fantasy world that emerged after the apocalypse.