Night in Hell brought neither moon nor rest.
The blood-purple sky simply darkened to a shade of rotten blueberry, almost black, while the gas streetlamps scattered throughout the Dust District lit up one by one, spitting a flickering, greenish light onto the worn asphalt. The air grew considerably colder, a biting chill that seemed to cut through the thin fabric of Diana's school uniform, clinging to her skin.
She felt her stomach growl, a sharp and uncomfortable pain that reminded her of her miserable level-one physiology.
Food. Equipment. Information.
I need all three. But twelve bronze coins can't even buy the respect of a mangy dog in this place.
Diana clutched the leather pouch in her skirt pocket. The twelve Cor coins clinked against one another with a muffled, metallic jingle. She needed to multiply that. And to multiply it, she needed tools.
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"Old Grak's Bargains - Buy, Sell, and Pawn"
The rotted wooden sign swayed at the entrance of a shop half-sunken into the ground, three steps below street level. The stench of rusted metal, burnt oil, and old leather leaked through the half-open door.
Diana went down the steps and pushed the door. The bell attached to the ceiling rang with a harsh screech.
Behind a high wooden counter reinforced with iron strips, a squat demon with yellowish, wrinkled skin like a withered passionfruit looked up from a gear he was cleaning with a filthy rag. He had four yellowish eyes arranged in horizontal pairs and two long, pointed ears.
"Another piece of fresh human trash…" The old man, Grak, spat on the floor behind the counter. His voice sounded like two stones grinding together. "If you came begging for alms, get out before I use my crossbow to put a hole in that dry chest of yours."
—Hmm, what a warm welcome. I like him already.
The System's voice mocked in the corner of Diana's mind.
—Pro tip: this old geezer's kill intent is very real. He has Strength 12. If he sneezes near you, your cardboard bones will turn to dust.
Diana ignored the System's comment. She didn't back down a single millimeter. Instead, she marched up to the counter with the firmest, most arrogant steps she could muster, slamming the leather pouch onto the worn wood. The sound of coins echoed through the quiet shop.
"I didn't come begging for alms, you pile of wrinkles." Diana spoke, her tone cold and sharp as a blade. "I came to buy a weapon. And don't try selling me junk, or I guarantee I'll burn this shitty shop of yours to ashes."
Old Grak raised a sparse eyebrow. His four eyes narrowed, focusing on the coin pouch and then on the girl before him. He let out a dry, raspy laugh that sounded like a coughing fit.
"A level-one brat with nerve… Hmph." Grak picked up the leather pouch, dumping the twelve coins onto the palm of his large, calloused hand. He counted them quickly with his thumb. "Twelve bronze coins. That doesn't even buy the sheath of a real sword, girl."
"Give me whatever twelve coins can buy." She demanded, refusing to back down. "And make every cent count."
Grak turned around, grumbling profanities in an ancient tongue while rummaging through a wooden box under the counter. He threw three items onto the table with a heavy thud:
1. A dull iron dagger covered in rust spots along the blade.
2. A pair of dented, peeling brass knuckles.
3. A pointed piece of a wooden pole that looked like a makeshift spear.
—Wow, what a legendary arsenal.
The System chimed in, the golden screen floating with sarcastic text.
—The dagger gives you +1 Attack, but has an 80% chance of snapping on the first bone it hits. The brass knuckles require you to get up close, which is great if your goal is suicide. And the stick… well, it's a stick.
Diana used [Basic Analysis Vision] on the three items, confirming the System's words. Total garbage. Disgusting. She felt a surge of icy rage rising in her chest. That miserable demon was trying to extort the little she had.
"Is this a joke?" Diana rested both hands on the counter, leaning forward, ignoring the difference in size and strength between them. Her eyes burned with a predatory intensity. "Twelve coins for this junk you found in the district trash? Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"It's this or nothing, human brat!" Grak slammed his hand on the counter, making the wood creak. "You're in the First Circle! Iron is expensive, fuel is expensive! If you don't want it, take your coins and go fight the ash hounds with your bare hands!"
Diana didn't blink. She stared at the old demon for three full seconds in deadly silence. She knew he had the physical advantage, but she also noticed the look in the old man's eyes: he didn't want to lose the sale. Twelve bronze coins weren't much, but for a moldy shop like this, it was incoming money.
She scanned around the counter, her clinical eyes sweeping the shelves behind him, searching for any flaw, any detail. And then she saw it: in the corner of the bottom shelf, tossed under a pile of rags, was a short dagger of dark steel, its hilt wrapped in worn leather tape. The blade's edge had a small notch, but the metal looked dense, worked with some inferior ore of Hell.
[Worn Black Steel Dagger]
Attack: +3
Durability: 15/30
Note: A basic infantry weapon discarded by a lesser soldier.
"That piece of steel right there." Diana pointed with her index finger. "The black dagger on the bottom shelf."
Grak looked back and scowled. "That one costs twenty bronze coins, girl. Don't even think about it."
"I'll give you the twelve bronze coins." Diana said, her voice dropping to a dangerously low tone. "And I won't come back here tomorrow to tell the district patrol that you're selling contraband military weapons without the Sector Lord's seal."
The old man froze. His four eyes widened slightly.
He didn't know how a newly arrived human knew about the sector's military seal, and the truth was that Diana DID NOT know. She had merely noticed the street guards' weapons earlier and spotted a skull-shaped symbol engraved on the metal, a symbol that the black dagger lacked. It was a risky guess, a pure and cruel bluff.
—Damn…
The System flickered, appearing surprised.
—You're a natural blackmailer. How disgusting. I like it.
Grak growled, the sound coming deep from his throat. He glared at Diana with pure hatred, but the fear of an inspection by the local militia, who loved shaking people down for extortionate bribes, weighed heavier.
With a violent motion, he grabbed the black steel dagger and slammed it into the counter's wood, inches from Diana's hand.
"Take this piece of junk and get the fuck out of my shop, you miserable human rat!" Grak snatched the twelve coins and shoved them away forcefully. "If I see your face in here again, I'll kill you!"
Diana wasn't bothered in the slightest by the threat. She yanked the dagger from the wood, feeling the cold, firm weight of the leather grip in her palm. A wave of dark satisfaction surged through her body as her fingers wrapped around the handle.
It wasn't much. It was a pathetic weapon with three attack points.
But it was HERS. She had ripped it away from a stronger demon using nothing but her cunning and greed.
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Dust District - Ash Disposal Zone (Outskirts)
The Disposal Zone was where the city's industrial trash was dumped. Mountains of gray ash and coal residue piled up under the dark sky, creating a desolate landscape of black hills and toxic smoke.
It was also the only place near the city where weak monsters spawned without the guard caring.
Diana walked among the ash hills, the dagger held firmly in her right hand. Her feet sank into the dark powder, making muffled sounds. The cold of the infernal night began to numb her fingertips, and hunger slashed through her stomach like a blade.
I need experience.
I need to level up. NOW.
I won't spend another hour being a helpless weakling.
—Calm your enthusiasm, weekend warrior.
The System warned, the golden window appearing beside her face.
—Remember: Strength 4, Vitality 4. If anything here hits you square on, you're going to watch your HP evaporate faster than your dignity. Oh, and look to your left.
Diana froze. She turned her head slowly, her eyes adjusting to the greenish dimness of the place.
Emerging from a pile of ash rubble, a grotesque creature materialized. It looked like a giant rat, the size of a medium dog, but its skin was hairless, covered in plates of hardened soot. Its eyes were glowing red orbs, and black, corrosive saliva drooled from its mouth.
Diana used [Analysis Vision]:
[Mutant Ash Rat]
Level: 2
HP: 50 / 50
Main Stat: Agility
Level two. Fifty HP.
The monster let out a high-pitched, irritating squeal, a metallic sound that set Diana's teeth on edge. The beast's claws clawed at the ash floor as it prepared to lunge.
Shit.
It's faster than me.
If it leaps, I won't be able to dodge in time.
—System Tip:
The screen flashed light red.
—Don't try to run. You're too slow. And if you try to face it head-on, it'll rip your throat out. What is the distinguished young lady going to do? Cry?
"Shut up!" Diana hissed.
The Ash Rat lunged.
The creature's speed was astonishing for Diana's frail body. It closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, leaping with claws outstretched toward the girl's face, its mouth gaping wide to reveal rows of sharp, yellow teeth.
Panic tried to claw its way up Diana's throat, but she crushed it with sheer rage.
It thinks it can devour me?!
This disgusting thing thinks it's above me?!
Instead of trying to dodge sideways, which her slow body couldn't manage, Diana intentionally threw herself backward, falling flat on her back onto the soft heap of ash.
The abrupt movement caused the rat to miss its primary leap. The beast sailed over her, but its rear claws still slashed open Diana's right thigh.
"AAAGH!"
A sharp, scalding pain exploded in her leg. The fabric of her uniform tore, and bright red blood splattered onto the black ash.
[Damage Taken: 14!]
[Current HP: 26 / 40]
More than a third of her health evaporated in a single scratch. Diana's vision shuddered, the corners of her field of view flashing red. The pain was absurd, real, cruel.
But the rage that exploded in her chest was ten times greater.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
Before the Ash Rat could turn around in the dust pile for a second attack, Diana twisted her body with savage ferocity. Ignoring the agonizing pain in her thigh, she threw herself over the beast, using her own body weight to pin it to the ground.
The rat squealed, thrashing frantically. Its claws tore into Diana's arms, cutting through skin and carving off more hit points.
— Damage: 5! Damage: 6! HP: 15 / 40!
—Warning! HP at critical level! You're gonna die, you crazy bitch!
"I'M NOT DYING TO A RAT!"
With her vision blurred by tears of pain and dripping blood, Diana raised the black steel dagger with both hands. She used no technique. She used no martial art. She simply used the full weight of her hatred and her unbridled greed for life.
CRUNCH!
She drove the blade straight into the beast's left eye.
The rat let out a piercing screech, a violent convulsion that almost threw Diana off. But she didn't let go of the weapon's hilt. She twisted the blade inside the monster's socket and began stabbing relentlessly.
Once. Twice. Three times. Four times.
CRUNCH! CRUNCH! STAB!
The creature's hot, black blood splattered all over Diana's face, staining her cheeks, her mouth, her eyes. She kept hacking away even after the Ash Rat stopped moving, sinking the steel into the beast's skull until her right hand went completely numb and the monster's chest turned into a shapeless pulp of pulverized flesh and bone.
[Enemy Defeated: Mutant Ash Rat (Level 2)]
[Calculating Experience…]
[Experience Gained: 120 EXP!]
[You Leveled Up!]
[Current Level: 1 -> 2]
Diana collapsed onto her side, panting heavily, her chest heaving in violent spasms. The monster's black blood mixed with her own red blood on the cold ash. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, her knuckles white from gripping the dagger hilt so tightly.
A wave of warm, invigorating yellowish light suddenly washed over Diana's body.
The pain in her thigh and arms diminished drastically. The open wounds began to close, leaving behind only shallow, pink scars.
[Level Up Recovery Complete!]
[HP Restored: 50 / 50]
[MP Restored: 25 / 25]
[Free Attribute Points Gained: 5]
Diana lay there for a few seconds, staring up at the dark purple sky of Hell, the sound of her own heart hammering against her chest.
The pain was gone. She was alive. She had killed the beast.
—Damn…
The System's voice resonated in her head. For the first time, its sarcastic and disdainful tone vanished, replaced by an astonished silence before returning with a strange tone shift.
—That was… terrifyingly brutal. You almost died like an idiot, but you fought like a rabid bitch. I have to admit, I didn't expect you to survive that combat.
Diana slowly sat up, wiping black blood off her face with the back of her dirty hand. A slow, insane, victorious smile crept onto her lips.
"I told you…" She spoke, her voice raspy, yet loaded with a terrifying determination. "I told you I wasn't going to die to this piece of shit."
She opened her status window to allocate her points.
[STATUS PANEL]
Name: Diana
Level: 2 (20 / 250 EXP)
Strength: 4 (+2) -> 6
Agility: 5 (+2) -> 7
Vitality: 4 (+1) -> 5
Intelligence: 8
Luck: 1
Free Points: 0
As she confirmed the point distribution, feeling a gentle surge of energy empower her muscles and lighten her steps, something strange occurred on the screen.
The corpse of the Ash Rat, which was supposed to just lie there until decomposing, began dissolving into particles of black light. This luminous dust didn't disperse into the air, instead, it was drawn straight into Diana's right hand, sinking into her skin as if being absorbed.
The System screen flashed violently in a dark-golden, almost black hue, emitting a distinct crackle in the air.
[ANOMALY ALERT!]
[Unforeseen Extraction Detected…]
[Target soul was 'Devoured' beyond standard System limits!]
[You obtained an extra bonus item via absolute loot!]
[Item Obtained: Ash Rat Claw (Crafting Material - Rare Quality)]
[Hidden Passive Effect Activated: EXP Reward Increased by +20%!]
Diana stared at the additional messages. Extra bonus? Unforeseen extraction?
"What is this?" Diana asked the screen. "What does 'devoured beyond standard limits' mean?"
—…
The System remained silent for three long seconds. When the response finally came in text, the words seemed hesitant, as if the guide itself were reevaluating what it had just witnessed.
—That is… a bug. It's definitely a reading error in your soul record code. The System must have granted a temporary luck bonus because you nearly kicked the bucket. Yeah, that's gotta be it. Nothing to worry about, brat.
Despite the voice's casual words, the line of text flickered twice before vanishing rapidly, as if trying to hide the information.
Diana looked down at her right hand. She was no fool. She knew when someone or something was hiding something from her. But right then, the sensation of receiving MORE than normal, of having extracted something from the monster's corpse that shouldn't belong to an ordinary level-two player, sent a profound wave of ecstasy down her spine.
More.
I got more than I was supposed to.
I ripped everything away from that thing.
Diana's smile widened, turning dark under the green glow of the district's distant lamps. She stood up, brushing ash off her skirt and holding the black steel dagger with far more firmness than before.
She didn't know what that 'bug' was. She didn't know that her own soul, hungry and insatiable, had forced the System to rip every last drop of value from that wretched monster.
She only knew one thing: that feeling was incredible.
"Hey, System." Diana called out, walking toward the next heap of ash in the disposal zone, where the sound of more squeals could be heard in the dark.
—What now, bloodsucker?
"Are there more monsters in this area?"
—Several. An entire colony, actually. Why? Don't tell me you want…
"I want all of them." Diana said, her eyes shining in the dark with a terrifying hunger. "I'm going to kill every single one of these bastards until this zone is completely empty."
She stepped forward into the shadows of the infernal night, blade raised, ready to devour everything in her path.
Final Notes:
First hunt successfully completed! (Along with some blood and despair, but that's what we're here for-)