[Ding]
[Connection Depth: ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 64/100]
THUD.
The Alpha Scavenger fell on the ground.
But Xander still did not let go.
As the oxygen to its brain slowed, so did its movements.
It’s hands trying to reach Xander became sluggish.
However, the Alpha Scavenger was not the only one in trouble.
Xander, having lost so much blood, and was tired from the battle felt his body weaken.
He had to bite down on his lower lip, drawing blood, begging himself to stay awake.
’I understand you don’t want to die. But neither do I.’
[Connection Depth: ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 80/100]
Xander could feel it. The muscles of the Scavenger contracting firmly around his fingers.
He could feel the plea.
Soon, tears began falling from Xander’s eyes.
As they did, he slowly let go.
The Alpha Scavenger was no longer moving.
Xander lay flat on his back.
The breath he took into his lungs did not feel like freedom or relieve.
It was hoarse, choking. But the grim reality of surviving by skin of his teeth.
At such a time, his mind flashed back to that boy that had gotten the Scavenger Profession during the ceremony.
No doubt, he would suffer the same fate and become like the one he just killed.
Xander suddenly turned to the Scavenger, "I’m so sorry," he whispered. "You did not deserve such a life."
He was tired, but he still managed to stretch and shut the creature’s bland eyes.
Xander did not hate the Alpha Scavenger. Maybe it was because he knew better than anyone what it felt like to be a victim of an unfair system.
Or maybe it was the empathy of being human.
Either ways, he felt Pity
[Ding]
[Connection Depth: ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 100/100]
[Host has established an understanding of Target]
[Target’s skill Gifted]
[Stubborn Cockroach:Rank F]
[Bonus Reward Granted: First Death In a New a world]
[+10 points]
[You Have Fallen A Level 3 Scavenger]
[Congratulations: Level 1]
Xander looked at the system alerts hovering in red before his eyes.
He had not expected to get any.
What he knew from Alex’s memories, was that the System granted rewards based on the fulfillment of missions.
Skills could be unlocked, true. But these were skills in regards to the profession given.
Leopold had given Alex an example: As a war General, he had the Charge Skill.
This skill ensured that When Leopold led a charge into enemy territory, the stats of his men were boasted along with their morale.
However, Xander had never seen a skill reward that was transferred from another person.
This was indeed strange.
At such a time, Xander’s attention was pulled to the other Scavengers slowly approaching him.
Steadily, and on all fours, they advanced.
Click click click ...
Xander tried to rise. But he was too weak. The battle with the Alpha Scavenger had taken much strength from his body.
It was already a miracle that he had not fallen unconscious.
"Who am I deceiving? Even if I have the strength, I can’t fight all of them."
Coming to this realization, Xander gave up on the thought of fighting.
"Enjoy the meal Lads." He closed his eyes, accepting his fate.
However something strange happened.
[Ding]
[Bleeding has Stopped]
[ Healing In Process]
Xander immediately turned. He could see the Scavengers licking his wounds.
As they did, slowly, it sealed, and he could feel his left arm again.
The claw injuries from the Alpha Scavenger had become mere scars.
It was so ironic that the most unhealthy mouth he had ever seen, had the greatest healing properties.
"Since you guys want to help. Then please do."
Xander forced himself to flip over, revealing his whipped back to them.
One of them helped to remove the rod at his side—similarly licking the wound.
As they continued licking, Xander lay there in the dirt and filth.
With the sudden calm, his mind was pulled back to the system.
He willed and it opened up.
[System Status]
NAME: Alex—Xander
CURRENT PROFESSION: Villainy (Concept Tier)
LEVEL: 1
TITLE: The Nobody (current)
BODY:
Strength: 4
Agility: 6
Endurance: 9
Intelligence: 11
Health: 2 /10(Recovering)
UNUSED POINTS +10
VILLAINY RATING: F
(Current public threat assessment: Negligible)
(Actual threat assessment: Unknown)
SKILLS:
*Profession Skill: {Passive} Connection Depth; Total Understanding of Target Allows For Stealing Skill.
*Dead Man’s Patience: {Passive}: Host has died and been discarded. Fear of death threshold: Negligible.
Bonus Effect: Psychological intimidation attempts against host reduced by 80%.
*Stubborn Cockroach (Rank F): Death is Difficult, not Impossible.
"Find value in what others discard."
ABSORPTION LOG:
Skills absorbed — 1
Skills available for absorption — 0
SYSTEM NOTE:
ABSORPTION GAUGE: Target — None]
[Connection Depth: ░░░░░░░░░0/100]
[Physical connection: None]
[Emotional connection: None]
[Psychological connection: None]
[Absorption availability: None]
Xander looked at the system layout.
He remembered that they was once a time when Alex wished he could have one just like his other older siblings.
In his previous life, there was no such system to govern society.
It was really amazing see.
But then he still felt sleepy. He took another look at his health gauge it was literally blinking.
Xander remembered the seamstress that got points after beating the farm girl.
She had said something about using the points for a certain skill.
He looked again at the points he had acquired from defeating the Scavenger.
+10 points.
He willed in his mind allocating two points to Health.
[Health 4/12]
Xander observed that his body suddenly felt much better, like a surge of energy rushing through his veins.
He no longer felt sleepy.
Also,
His over overall health points increased.
Xander thought of throwing more points into Health, but something stopped him.
He turned towards the wall—path to his freedom—then he took a long hard look at his other stats.
They were all terribly low.
Then again, Alex had been a wealthy good for nothing scorn.
Once he left this place, could these stats help him survive in the outside world?
Of course they couldn’t.
He was a Negative Profession. Meaning that people being mean to him rewarded them with points.
Going in weak was a bad idea.
However, how was he to properly destribute the points?