The Beginning of Those Who Rise Up Next
I kicked open the shutter door and proceeded through the corridor.
It's so fragile. Can something like this really contain those test subject? Feels like it's gonna get easily pried open like in all those monster panic movies.
Ah, right, I should have checked those people's Status.
I wanted to see what they're like in this world.
<<An attempt was made to confirm Status of 'Gift Soldier'. However, it was a failure.>>
Eh, you made the initiative on your own Menu? You're so reliable~.
But I guess it failed cause the world here has a different rule set huh? I mean my and mother's Status showed all zero with no skill too.
<<Negative. Successfully verified the Status of all 'Test Subjects'. Displaying a sample.>>
Creature: Test Subject No. 234
Rank 1
State: Normal
【Specs】
H (Health): 80/80
M (Magica): 27/27
SP (Stamina): 37/37
PHY (Physical): 140
SPE (Special): 125
FIT (Aptitude): 1%
【Gift】
Physical Boost Lv1
That's some neat and tidy Status compared to our jam-packed ones.
I guess Menu can show Status in other worlds just fine then. Menu-san's too awesome.
...Huh? Then how come earthlings' Status look so pitiful. How'd that work.
And also, why didn't the Status of those futuristic suppression force-like folk get shown?
<<It is due to an equipment known as 'Analysis Filter' which nullifies Appraisal and Analysis abilities. This extends to Menu Function as well. Map Screen is unable to display them as well.>>
Uwah, that's some annoying equipment they got.
Antagonizing the people of this world might prove troublesome. They're generally weak though so I won't lose.
.......Wait.
Wait, wait wait wait. If my Menu can't work on it, can't Demon King's Menu too?
<<As it is an identical Menu Function. The probability is extremely high.>>
I see
I see...!
Change of plan! I'm gonna grab that Analysis something and take it home no matter what!
Fuhahaha! Just you wait, Demon King, I'm gonna collect all the pieces needed to wreck you up! Shake in your sleep!
~~~~~~~???? POV~~~~~~~~~
"The monster's going wild! Don't get close to him unless you're elite soldiers!"
"Wha, No.4 got done in! And he merely flicked his finger!? The hell's going on!"
...It's so noisy outside.
Wish they let me be in peace in my last moment.
How many days since the last time I ate, I wonder.
My S has run out, even my H only has a sliver left.
It's only a matter of time till I starve to death. A mere few hours.
My existence has no value. My life has no meaning.
I don't know when I was born, I don't know since when had I been getting by rummaging trash.
Just when I hit my limit and passed out, I got picked up by the people of this suspicious research facility, for better or worse.
This facility is researching ways to grant the abilities of the creatures living 'outside' this community to humans.
Apparently, monsters prowl outside, such as apes with superhuman strength, or giant lizards wrapped in flames.
I'm told we don't have enough resource to produce ordinary weapons and defeat those monsters, hence the need to invent a new countermeasure.
They turned their sight on those outside monsters' abilities. Humans would be a force to be reckoned with if we could wield such power.
At first, they made an attempt to tame and use those monsters as biological weapons but they proved too ferocious for that.
And then they tried to grant those monsters' abilities to animals, hoping to better control such animals, but not only did those animals become more vicious, the granted abilities were also vastly degraded.
As every failure cornered the higher ups to provide results, they turned their sight on 'humans' at last.
Humans are weak. Their strength and size can't compare to those monsters.
But our 'Intelligence' is far above them. The same reason we could live on while sheltering away from monsters all this time.
They were hoping to combine human intelligence and the power of monster, even in a regressed form, to get a big return.
In fact, that line of thinking did bring in results.
They insert monster cells into human body which gradually conform to those cells. The process eventually allows humans to wield their powers.
One's 'Aptitude Rate' governs whether they can conform to monster power or not.
The higher your Aptitude Rate, the more effective and stable you can wield the ability.
Low Aptitude Rate not only signifies one's inability to wield monster power but it also makes you prone to getting ravaged by the monster cells, going insane, or worst, ultimately dying.
Ordinary humans only have 1-3% Aptitude.
Elites known as Gift Soldiers have extremely high Aptitude at nearly 20%. They are a lump of potentials, chosen by gods.
My Aptitude is merely [0.1%].
It's abnormally low, but since they're bound ethically on what kind of people are allowed to be test subjects, they went ahead and injected me with monster cells.
I didn't go insane or die, but neither did I get any ability. They kept me around to monitor any change to no avail.
I was deemed as 'Worthless'.
A trash whose only good is to be used as fertilizer after my death.
Why was I born anyway.
...I'm tired. Living is tiring, I just want to die and get some rest--
Plop, something fell ahead of me.
What, is this
Someone's, arm...?
"H-he did it! No.1 cut off that monster's arm with Spatial Warp!"
"Now's our chance! Attack altogether!!"
A left arm cut from the root down lay in front of me, still spilling blood.
This looks like your average human arm... But considering the voices outside the room, this is supposedly a monster's arm.
...Ah, I'm so hungry.
My throat is parched too. It's so unbearable even the red liquid pooling in front of me looks tasty.
This is fine right, I'm gonna die anyway.
The hunger is making me forget my humanity.
"Hi, hiiie!? H, his arm, his arm grew baaaaack!!"
"H-he can even regenerate himself!? He just knocked No.1 flying with that regrown arm!"
"R-run! We're done foooor!!"
...My reason almost stopped me from going ahead, but my hunger prevailed in the end as I picked the arm in front of me to----
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
~~~~~~~~~~Arm owner's POV~~~~~~~~~~
That was real close!
Who could've foreseen they have someone who could bypass my HP buffer and directly damage my body!
Got careless cuz they were all weak.
Turned out they got someone who can warp the space itself.
He went and warped the space around my arm and cut it off. I healed it back up with Life Force Control, but I'd have been out had he aimed for my head.
"Who, the, hell, are you...! Why, what's your goal...!"
The young man called No.1 spoke while holding the stomach I punched in pain.
Oh, he must be the strongest person here judging from his name. Guy's tough as nails. Not only he stayed awake, he could even afford to talk.
Works for me. Let's have a little chat, shall we.
"Answer me."
"! You can speak...!?"
"Well duh, just answer me... Where can I get an 'Analysis Filter' thingy?"
"...Wha?"
"Were you listening? Analysis Filter, don't you know that?"
"W-why would you, something like that? Aren't you here for test records and results..."
"Who gives a hoot about those. I'm only interested in that thing you guys wear and the way to use it. Gimme that, and I'll stop going wild and head back home... I will stop at nothing till I get one though."
No.1 listened to me with a perplexed look.
From his POV, it's like going to a snack store and demand 'Hand over those wrappings! The candy? Don't need!' ...Uh that's a weird analogy.
Menu-san, do I have anything that can be of use to these people?
<<Information retrieval complete. This community is short on food, fuel as well as all kinds of daily necessities. There are only around 5000 people living here. However, it is estimated that their supply will run out in a few years.>>
<<This community will make use of any goods. Recommending objects that are useful for a long period of time.>>
Hm, like say?
<<For food, hardy plants such as potatoes and sweet potatoes. For energy conversion, magic stones. This community will see a drastic improvement with such objects.>>
Fumu, let's have them trade an Analysis Filter for those things then.
But man, I guess I can't expect the food in this world considering their situation...
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