In response to Kian's question about why they'd come here, Caleb smiled:
"No reason, we were just passing through," he replied.
"Ah, right." Skeptical, Kian returned the smile as he turned his face away.
"Well, it's not exactly a lie, you know?" Cassian laughed at Kian's expression. "It didn't cost us anything to watch, and maybe kill a random beast."
"Though the outcome was quite different from what we expected," Caleb remarked, staring at the dead Xerid, "and also, it's what we like to call 'creating connections.'"
"Creating connections?" Kian frowned, picking up his dagger from the floor and sliding it into its sheath.
"Not everyone kills a chitin wolf alone at level 1, and on their very first hunt," Cyrus answered with an amused smile.
"And how do you know this is my first hunt?" Kian asked, raising a brow at the shooter.
For all they knew, this could very well have been his second or third time out.
"Oh, kid," Cassian laughed, looking at Kian with pity. "The way you fight screams inexperience. Besides, coming here alone is idiocy."
Feeling his ears burn, Kian shot him a glare. Not that Cassian was wrong, but Kian had still done his best in that fight.
"Unless, of course, you've got a really strong class," Caleb said, stepping forward with a glance at his colleague, "but we didn't see any skill that proves it, so I doubt it."
Damn it, these guys…
As much as he disliked it, Kian now had to agree that coming alone might not have been his best idea.
He had obviously underestimated how strong the Xerid were, coming out here with no extra prep beyond his low-grade weapon and some shallow info from the internet about the main monsters in this Zone.
It was basically a suicide attempt. It was a miracle he'd not only survived the fight but also come out on top.
But maybe they're not wrong about me having a strong class.
Glancing sidelong at his Mind stat, which had gone up by 0.22 points, he could now see some potential in his class.
If he could keep hunting and stacking more points, he could definitely stand out among the Awakened.
But the effect is still miserably low. I hope it increases when I hit the Class Milestones.
"Anyway," Caleb clapped his hands, calling out, "we came in peace. Whether we saved you and you pay us back later, or you just get stronger someday—"
"If you don't off yourself first," Cyrus cut in.
"—we only hope you remember us as the good Samaritans who once crossed your path."
Ah, I see now.
"So I'm in your debt?" Suddenly Kian felt he shouldn't have accepted the ointment.
"No, nothing like that, kid," Cassian said, shaking his head. "Just remember us. Create connections, okay? Whether you forget us or not is another story."
"Though if you want to make it up to us, we'll be very happy, you know?" Cyrus laughed, forming a circle with his fingers. "Even buying a drink is fine. By the way, did you know weapon maintenance is kind of pricey these days?"
Stunned, Kian just stared at the smiling Cyrus, unable to tell whether they were altruists or not.
What strange people.
Even so, he couldn't deny they'd helped him today. Kian would certainly remember them in the future.
"Well, we're heading out. I'm guessing you're going to keep going alone, right?" Caleb asked.
In response, Kian simply nodded, which made Caleb sigh as Cyrus rolled his eyes.
"If that's the case, try aiming for the throat or the belly when you find another chitin wolf," Cassian suggested, pointing to his eyes. "The eyes too, as you already figured out—"
"And talk about it. The poor wolf had its eyes violated."
"—but those other spots have no plates protecting them. The rest you know—just sidestep. They're simple beasts." He shot an annoyed look at the shooter.
"Right. I'll keep it in mind." Kian thanked them, watching Cyrus and Cassian trade threatening hand signs at each other as they left.
"Here, rookie, catch," Caleb said, tossing something to Kian.
By reflex, Kian grabbed it, finding a familiar tube in his hands. With a confused look, he turned to a smiling Caleb.
"You look like you're going to make that your best friend," he chuckled, waving before heading out. "See you around, rookie. Try not to get yourself killed before then."
Without the chance to thank him, Kian squeezed the ointment in his hands, watching the trio disappear out of the store.
Honestly, these guys are really strange.
Unsure whether he wanted to smack their heads or be grateful, Kian stared at the gel, disappointed again that nothing popped up from the System.
Well, looks like I'll keep not knowing what it's made of. Damn it, now I can say I really am in their debt.
Sighing, he slipped the medicine into his pocket with a split heart, then turned to the dead Xerid.
"Now, for the spoils, right?" He smiled as he drew his dagger, approaching slowly.
Now, where does that thing sit again?
The Xerid's entire body was valuable and useful, but one part stood out far more.
"I've heard it's usually at the nape or in the head," Kian murmured, grimacing as he cut. "Though I've heard of cases where it's in the spine too."
Turning his face away to stave off nausea, he took a deep breath and clenched his teeth, disgust rising as he dissected the corpse.
The most valuable part was the core. Just like his System, a Xerid's core was the species' greatest strength.
Its price was generally very high, varying with the Xerid it came from. The reason was nothing less than being the greatest source of skills an Awakened could get.
"Ah man, I think I'm going to puke," Kian gulped air, turning his eyes away from the bloody mess in front of him, his hands slightly trembling.
A core could be used either to forge equipment or processed into a potion. In both cases you could obtain some of the Xerid's skills.
Well, besides leveling up and hitting Class Milestones, it was also possible to gain skills by killing a Xerid, but that last case was rarer.
Proof of that was that Kian hadn't gained any after his victory.
"Argh, damn it, got it," he said, pulling out the core and scrambling back as fast as he could, panting.
In his hands lay a small, irregularly shaped crystal. Much like his System, it had a dark hue filled with white points linked together.
I'd guess this is worth at least 50 credits.
A smile spread across his face as he gazed at the little gem, satisfaction welling in his chest.
I really became an Awakened, huh?
Playing with the core, he looked around. The ruined supermarket, the blood-streaked dagger in his hand, the Xerid on the floor.
It was all something he'd only fantasized about. A sense of unreality washed over him, making him wonder if it was all just a dream.
Taking a deep breath, he clenched his fist around the Xerid core as he stood.
The pain all over his body, his parched mouth, the gem's texture—everything told him his dream was real.
Smiling as he pocketed the core, he cast one last look at the corpse before turning away.
I'll be back for you soon.
After all, the entire corpse had value; nothing could be wasted. But first he needed to finish his sweep.
Walking toward the exit, he stepped out of the store. The overcast sky greeted him alongside the ruined skyscrapers; no sign of life seemed to exist in the city.
But seriously, this stuff is really useful.
Sighing, Kian looked at his arm. The dried gray gel had formed a thin crust along his forearm, staunching the bleeding.
Opening his status, his current condition appeared on the interface.
───────────────────────────
HP: [204,5] / [260]
Stamina: [102] / [180]
───────────────────────────
After a few minutes of rest with the miraculous gel, Kian had recovered a good deal, almost back to ideal.
Looks like I can still scavenge a bit.
The thirst lingered and his body felt heavy, but he wanted to search for something useful.
If I run into more than one Xerid, I'm leaving.
He was certainly being reckless, but he was confident he could at least run.
And if it was just one Xerid, he could try to ambush it and land a critical strike.
I just need to be more careful.
With that in mind, Kian turned to the only part of the supermarket he hadn't explored yet:
The parking lot.
Beside the store, a ramp led down to a dark, silent underground parking garage.
Like all the stories he'd read online, he hoped to find anything valuable from before the Invasion.
Xerid cores were worth a lot, sure, but there was nothing wrong with wanting to find some relic of the past.
"Collectors go crazy when they see one," Kian murmured as he slowly descended the ramp.
In particular, the people who prized these relics most were those who'd lived before the Invasion.
With light, quiet steps, Kian sharpened his attention as he went down, straining to catch the faintest sound.
Cautious and pressed to the wall, he eased his head out for a quick peek into the parking garage.
In the vast underground space, big enough to hold dozens of cars, something stood out—a glint in the dark.
"Oh, crap. Maybe it's better to come back later." At once, Kian turned on his heel and sprinted out.
Maybe another day he would come back to deal with it.