4. A Lucky Day (4)

[Available Items for Purchase]

[1. Spell Book – Basic Shikigami Creation]

[Details: Contains methods for creating very basic paper shikigami.]

[Price: 150P]

[2. Book of Mana – Beginner]

[Details: Reading this will improve your understanding of mana and allow you to learn mana accumulation and mana release.]

[Price: 200P]

[3. Locked]

[Insufficient credit rating.]

[4. Locked]

[Not yet available.]

[Items reset in 6 days]

[Reset immediately – 100P]

“More books…”

And they’re a bit expensive. The Book of Mana costs a whopping 200 points, and the spell book consumes 150 points.

‘I can afford both right now…’

Since the reset cost 100 points, I currently have 455 points left. Even if I splurge, I’d still have 105 points remaining after buying both books.

‘For now, becoming stronger as quickly as possible is the top priority…’

I’ll buy them. I should splurge while I’m still alive-it’ll be useless if I wait until I’m about to die.

Vrrrm.

Thud.

Two more books appeared. Now I have a total of three specialized books to read: the basic and beginner Books of Mana, plus the spell book.

“Phew…”

Since reading them seems to automatically grant skills, I should finish them quickly and acquire the abilities.

“First, food…”

Of course, I should eat first and then read properly. I can’t hold back anymore-I’m so hungry I could die.

I hurried back to Unit 401. I should cook the ramen I scavenged from the dead man’s apartment. Ramen is the greatest invention-simple and delicious.

“Thank goodness the water’s still running…”

I should feel anxious knowing it could be cut off at any moment.

If the water stops, I’ll have to search for rivers or other water sources, but since I can’t use natural water as-is, I’ll have to purify and boil it-what a hassle.

Having to purify and boil water every time I need it… That sounds incredibly annoying.

“The smell is killing me.”

As soon as I finished cooking the ramen, I tightly closed the gas valve. From now on, using gas will become dangerous too. With no one maintaining it, who knows when it might explode or cause a fire?

Maybe it’d be better to escape to the countryside instead of staying in the city center.

‘Hmm… The upstairs and downstairs neighbors are dangerous, aren’t they…?’

The red-brick villa I’m currently living in has four floors.

I already took care of the 4th floor, but the attic and lower floors remain.

From what I remember, the attic is occupied by the landlord’s son, who’s always drunk, and Unit 301 directly below is home to a cat lady who feeds strays.

I don’t know much about the other units.

‘Later… I’ll have to clean them all out.’

I’m not sure how long I can squat in this villa, but for various reasons, I think I need to take over this building.

‘You never know what others might do. Too many variables would be troublesome.’

I’ll kill all the other survivors and live here alone.

Only now that the world has ended can the landlord’s dream be realized.

“Ugh… Ugh. I’m full.”

Maybe because my body is smaller now, a single pack of ramen filled me up. If it were my original self, I’d have eaten a bowl of rice with it, but my appetite seems much smaller now. Not bad-it means I’ll consume less food.

“Now, time to…”

It’s time to read the Book of Mana. I think I need to read this to properly use my magic stats.

“Let’s see. Mana is… Ugh. What the hell is this nonsense?”

I started reading the Book of Mana, which gave me a headache from the very beginning.

It’s been a long time since I read anything other than web novels.

******

“Ugh… Dizzy…”

The Book of Mana was filled with cryptic, puzzling text. Fortunately, it wasn’t too thick, so I managed to finish it in an hour with intense focus.

[You have acquired Magic Sensitivity.]

When I reached the last page, a message appeared stating I’d learned Magic Sensitivity.

I immediately checked my status window.

[Name: Elena]

[Race: Human]

[Level: 11]

[Strength: 14]

[Stamina: 6]

[Perception: 5]

[Willpower: 6]

[Magic: 0]

[Skills]

-Status Check

-Magic Sensitivity

[Traits]

-Guard Your Virtue

-Time Alone

-Lone Wanderer

-Reclusive Loner

My Strength stat was the only one in double digits, and the newly added Magic Sensitivity was displayed.

[Magic Sensitivity: You can sense mana through meditation.]

A simple effect. This must be the most basic skill.

“I’ll meditate later…”

I immediately opened the beginner book. My plan is to finish the spell book next.

******

[You have acquired Mana Accumulation.]

[You have acquired Mana Release.]

[You have acquired Paper Shikigami Creation.]

It took a full three hours to finish. Oddly, the beginner book was harder and thicker than the basic one, taking two hours alone. At least I didn’t have to understand it-just reading was enough, thank goodness… but I think it’ll take longer as I progress.

I’ll need to either acquire a speed-reading skill or find a way to read faster.

Anyway, I didn’t understand the meaning of the text at all, but I roughly grasped how to use the skills.

“Hmm…”

First, about mana.

Magic Sensitivity lets you feel mana, Mana Accumulation allows you to absorb mana into your body through meditation, and Mana Release lets you expel the absorbed mana. That’s the gist of the basic and beginner books.

In short, the more you meditate, the more mana you can accumulate in your body. So, to use more magic, you need to meditate frequently and extensively.

But thanks to my “Time Alone” trait, the time required for mana accumulation can be drastically reduced. Faster recovery, faster accumulation. Meditation is the answer.

‘And shikigami…’

This is a skill I can use as long as I have paper and a pen.

First, cut the paper into a human shape, write mysterious characters where the heart would be, then infuse a small amount of mana to create a shikigami.

“Is this for drawing attention…?”

The shikigami is supposed to understand simple commands, but… honestly, I’m not sure what a piece of paper can do. This is probably just a prerequisite skill for the next level, like Magic Sensitivity.

Either way, I’ll have to try it to find out.

“Before it gets dark…”

Should I go out again? Or just sit here and meditate?

‘I need to kill goblins and collect ears…’

I’m not sure what to do. One wrong decision, and it’s game over.

‘First, I should dispose of the dead neighbor’s corpse…’

I can’t just leave it rotting in the stairwell. Bugs will start swarming soon, so I should quickly dump the body and return.

-Kyaaa!!!

Just then, someone screamed.

It came from outside the front door-must be one of the villa’s residents.

‘You fucking bitch…!!’

If she keeps screaming like that, nearby monsters will come here. Is she out of her mind?

Why do women always scream like crazy at the slightest scare? It’s fucking infuriating.

I can’t stand it.

I was so careful sneaking back into the villa to avoid being followed, and now this nuisance has ruined everything.

I should rip that bitch’s mouth apart and kill her.

-Aaaah!!! There’s a dead person here!!! Someone help…!!!

“She’s still screaming… That psycho…”

The deranged screams showed no sign of stopping.

I grabbed a kitchen knife and rushed outside to shut up the lunatic attracting monsters.

“Kyaaa!!! M-Miss…! Do something about this!!”

“…”

The screaming woman was the cat lady from downstairs. She was shrieking at the dead man’s body in the stairwell.

I quickly approached her. She stomped her feet, demanding I do something about the corpse.

If she hates the body so much, she can clean it up herself.

“Eeek…!!!”

I immediately stabbed the hidden kitchen knife into her chest. I originally planned to slit her throat, but I needed one piece of information from her.

“Auntie. What’s your apartment passcode? Scream, and you die for real.”

“Guhhk…!!”

After stabbing her chest, I clamped my hand over her mouth to muffle her screams. She thrashed wildly, trying to break free.

But with my 14… no, doubled to 28 Strength stat, she had no chance. My strength is insane.

“Guhhk… Gah…”

“You need to get to a hospital. You’ll live if you go. Will you tell me the passcode?”

Tears welled in her eyes as she nodded fearfully. I loosened my grip slightly, and she sobbed out the numbers.

“T-Two… seven-seven-nine-six.”

“Okay.”

Now it’s time to kill this siren of a bitch.

-Squelch!!!!

“Guhhhaaa…!!!!”

The downstairs aunt’s eyes widened in shock as blood gushed from her mouth. She couldn’t understand why this was happening after giving her passcode.

What’s happening? It’s called consequences, bitch. I never planned to spare her. And hospitals? As if. With cops and soldiers dropping dead, do you think hospitals are safe?

“Shouldn’t have screamed like a maniac.”

“Gaaah… Gah…”

I grabbed her as she flailed, trying to push me away.

Then, like a child ripping apart a toy, I slashed the knife wildly.

Squelch–!!

Half her throat was torn open, and she collapsed dead on the spot. Blood splattered on my face. I don’t feel great.

[15 points acquired.]

“Fuck…”

A corpse can’t stand on its own. That means it’ll fall backward or forward.

Even in death, this aunt was determined to be a nuisance, collapsing toward me. Not that her weight bothered me anymore.

I shoved her onto the dead neighbor’s body.

“Ugh. Fuck.”

My face and clothes were soaked in the dead aunt’s blood. Will this wash off?

“Feels fucking gross.”

I frowned at the unpleasant sensation on my hands and looked outside.

The motion-sensor lights in the stairwell were on, making me visible from outside. That’s dangerous. I should turn them off quickly.

There must be a master switch on the first floor.

‘Right… If the lights turn on at night, I’ll be spotted immediately… Huh? What’s that…?’

As I headed downstairs to turn off the lights, I heard growling outside.

-Keeeee!!!

-Crash!!!!

“Guhh!!! You fuckers…!!”

A spear flew through the shattered window.

Shards of glass nicked my arm, and I fell backward, landing hard on my butt.

‘Goblins..!!’

The spear-throwers were goblins. They must’ve heard the aunt’s screams and come near the villa, spotting me.

‘How many…’

At a glance, there were about eight of them.

This crazy bitch had to go outside instead of staying put, and now I’m about to die because of her.

-Bang! Bang! Crash!!!!

The villa’s glass entrance door shattered. They were coming inside.

I quickly stashed the kitchen knife in my inventory and picked up a spear lying in the stairwell.

“Keeeee!!!”

The goblins rushed up from the first floor.

They carried wooden clubs, spears, and rusty blades.

“You fuckers…!!”

I lifted the dead aunt’s body and hurled it at the charging goblins.

-Thud!!!

“Keeeee!!!”

“Kyaaa!!”

[10 points acquired]

[10 points acquired]

Points came in. Two goblins were crushed under the falling corpse and tumbled down the stairs, dying instantly. Six left.

But these bastards only give 10 points? Must be because they’re trash mobs in fantasy settings-cheaper than humans.

“Kya!!”

“Huff..!!”

I stabbed a sword-wielding goblin in the chest with the spear. Another with a club charged past it.

I can’t afford to take a single hit. It’ll hurt like hell, and if I lose momentum, they’ll gang up and beat me to death.

And they won’t just kill me. Judging by their swollen groins, they’ll either torture me while eating me or use me as a breeding vessel-either way, it’ll be worse than death.

A life as a plaything for these stinking bastards? No fucking way. I’d rather die. So I’ll kill them all.

I pulled out the kitchen knife from my inventory and threw it with all my might. My only thought was to kill.

Is this the mindset of a goblin slayer?

-Thunk!!!

The knife, thrown with my insane 28 Strength, had terrifying destructive power. The goblin hit by it died instantly.

No surprise-the dull kitchen knife plunged deep into the goblin’s chest, bursting through its back. These goblins… their durability is disgustingly low. They die in one hit… No wonder they’re only worth 10 points.

Now four remain. The ones scouting below retreated awkwardly.

They must’ve realized I’m not some weak woman. No, wait-my mind is male to begin with.

“Haa…”

I rolled my shoulders. Then I pulled out two more kitchen knives from my inventory.

Both were from the dead neighbor’s apartment. I kept them as backup weapons… and now they’ll be put to good use.

******

“Haa… haa… Fuck… These damn bastards… Their ears won’t tear off… Fuck…”

I ripped ears from the dead goblins. This completes the “Collect 20 Goblin Ears” quest.

[Quest Complete]

[Rewards will be given.]

The collected goblin ears disappeared. But I still have four left-I’d cut eight ears this morning.

“Phew…”

I looked down at the goblin corpses. I can probably sell them by parts. How much will they give? Hopefully, it’s a decent amount.

“My current points are…”

About 260 points. Points are surprisingly easy to earn. Killing monsters gives points, selling materials gives more, and completing quests adds to it. Not bad.

“Plus…”

The quest reward included a healing ointment for wounds.

I should use it on my glass-cut arm. Applying it and meditating should heal it quickly.

“For now…”

Since my clothes are already dirty, I might as well dispose of the remaining goblin corpses.

‘Come to think of it… Can I sell human corpses too…?’

Harvesting organs feels morally questionable… but I should check.

I feel like an organ trafficker now.