episode_0004

I had a nightmare that someone stuck a skewer under my eye and stirred my brain. Perhaps because of the nightmare, my head throbbed and ached.

Anyway, it seems I woke up a bit early. I don’t have a clock, but since the lights are off, it feels too early to get up.

Soon, the ceiling light flickered, then fully illuminated. A small room, enclosed by tiled floors and white walls, greeted me.

It was a humble place with only a bed, a mirror, a toilet, a sink, and a mirror. Above my head, a surveillance camera next to the vent silently watched, its lens glinting.

Ah, a few days ago, a desk appeared, so the furniture increased. Perhaps my growing familiarity with my unique ability satisfied these people, as my treatment improved ever so slightly.

Before, they would immediately activate the necklace to give me an electric shock, or hit my shoulder with a club; now, they’ve become much milder, only getting annoyed or cursing.

Well, in summary, the subjects’ sleeping quarters were like cramped, privacy-less rooms.

After roughly a few months since my consciousness awakened, I grew accustomed to the daily routine here. I also somewhat accepted my own existence.

Though I still hadn’t gotten used to taking care of business or the particularly curved features of my body…

A short, sharp siren blared, replacing the wake-up call. Morning had begun.

When the speaker announced, “Wake up, wake up!” I had to stand and wait by the door.

Footsteps sounded, and guards peeked into the room through the transparent bulletproof glass door before moving on.

Suddenly, a thud! The floor rumbled. A huge, bulky guard passed by my room.

‘Isn’t that an Ogre?’

It was a figurative expression. There was one particularly large guard among them. I called him the Ogre. He was an Awakened. His presence and aura were extraordinary compared to others.

I couldn’t say for sure, but I suspected his specs were at least on par with a field boss you’d encounter in a beginner’s village.

The test subjects here were Awakened individuals who had survived inhumane experiments and gained power, easily able to snap a person’s waist.

That’s why regular guards were typically equipped with automatic rifles or shotguns. Occasionally, Awakened guards would appear and instill discipline with ether-infused maces.

After a brief roll call, mealtime began. The guard who had been here earlier reappeared with a bag and, as if annoyed, tossed the meal onto the serving hatch with a clatter.

A bottle containing white powder slid into the room.

“Baby formula again?”

Some deceptive individuals, like the ponytail researcher, explained it as ‘specially formulated nutritional food provided for all experimental participants,’ but I knew its true identity.

The powder in the bottle was human feed: a mixture of baby formula, protein supplements, and nutritional powders!

The evening before last, on my way back after a physical examination, I saw a researcher open a plastic container labeled “Protein” and a baby formula container with a baby’s picture on it, then pour their contents into a large bowl and stir it vigorously.

On top of that, they even shook out various pills, crushed them, mixed them in, and then scooped the mixture into bottles displayed on the desk. That was the only food the test subjects ate, three times a day.

Although at least they provided food, I was always hungry because it didn’t keep me full for long.

I opened the bottle cap, poured water up to the marked line from the sink, and shook it. Gulping it down in one go, the meal was over. I didn’t know what kind of supplements or baby formula they used, but this feed had no taste, so there was no reason to savor it.

Perhaps because I’d been living on just this for months, I craved something sweet so badly. I’m hungry…

After the meal, I waited, and soon the researchers came to escort me.

After that, the daily routine varied depending on the situation. Before, in the mornings, they would draw blood and make me manipulate magic as instructed, and in the afternoons, they would have me wear a helmet with electrodes and perform parlor tricks with my clones, which I followed without complaint.

Recently, they started making us do some kind of training outside of health check-up times.

For example, fighting monsters. At first, they made me swing a club or stab with a knife against dolls.

And recently, they started making me fight living creatures. It was unsettling at first, but after a few tries, I got used to it. It seemed their purpose was to collect combat data, just like in comics.

“Violet! Good morning. Let’s train hard today. Fighting!”

Today, that ponytail woman is managing me again.

“Fighting…”

I responded with a rough sentiment that implied her mother was an annelid.

I hated that woman. At first, she treated me kindly, so I cautiously asked her for various small personal items or treats, thinking she might be a decent person. But she put up a wall and only said what she wanted to say.

‘Oh really? But Unnie thinks Violet is a good child, so she can endure things like that even more~’

‘Oh dear! Is that so. But I believe if Violet participates in the experiments more diligently, it will work out~’

And ‘Unnie’? Why is someone who could almost be my mother, compared to my body, acting like this?

The most annoying thing is her gaze. She’s still scanning my body, just like the male researchers… Never mind.

Good thoughts… good thoughts…

Taking the fingerprint-activated elevator down, there were multiple rooms separated by steel partitions.

This laboratory seems much larger than I thought.

*Crash! Bang!*

– *Roar!*

As soon as the door opened, violent noises greeted me.

“Hup! Ugh! Hup! Ugh!”

“Aargh! Die! Dieee!!”

“Aaaargh! My leg!! Help me! Get me out!!!”

“Growl!”

Inside, Awakened subjects like me were fighting various large and different magical beasts.

Meanwhile, researchers were filming the combat scenes with cameras or operating various devices. More guards than usual were supervising.

From the nearest room, there was a loud thudding sound, a person’s shouts, which eventually quieted.

A moment later, guards entered and carried a person out on a stretcher. They were covered in blood, but judging by their trembling body, they seemed to still be alive.

Oh, how pitiful.

“Violet! Don’t be scared, Unnie is watching. Cheer up~”

She patted my butt again.

“Thank you…”

‘I’ll remember this…’

I stood in front of the examination room door from which that person had just been carried out.

“Go in!”

When the guard roughly shoved me, I was pushed into the room. A metal grating bisected the center of the room.

The floor was drenched in bright red blood, seemingly from the person who had just left, and covered in the remains of strange creatures.

A moment later, with a clank of machinery, a box descended from the ceiling.

“Test Subject 10-6-8, open the box and retrieve the equipment inside.”

When I opened the box, a single dagger appeared.

“10-6-8, now take that weapon and prepare. The grating will open in 30 seconds. 30, 29…”

Mechanical noises repeated from the opposite side of the grating, then the door opened.

Soon, a magical beast resembling a wolf appeared, growling. Its head, covered in a white, skull-like exoskeleton, was striking.

That creature was a Skullkit, an interdimensional scout beast. It was characterized by its jaw strength, capable of biting through rebar, and its sturdy head.

It was as cunning as a hyena and loved the flesh of cowards and young girls.

The Skullkit saw me through the grating, then roared fiercely and scraped at the bars roughly. I generated a clone in front of me and prepared for battle.

‘This is my first time facing a magical beast…!’

Before this, it had only been fighting dolls, or large, ether-infested rats. I had experienced killing something, but this was my first time fighting a true interdimensional magical beast.

Could I really win?

-15, 14, 13…

But I had the strongest secret technique of a transmigration subject: the Status Window. Status Window, show me the way…!

I aimed the knife in its direction.

——————————————————-

Mass-Produced Dagger ☆

A metal dagger made in a blacksmith’s shop on the outskirts.

It has no superior qualities other than its cheap price.

However, for those at the very bottom of the world,

it will become a comrade closer than anyone else.

——————————————————

‘Huh? Wait! Not this kind of thing!’

Ah, right. My Status Window isn’t some kind of cheat. It’s just a crappy thing that only shows stats. And the dagger I’m holding is a 1-star item.

I’m actually pathetic.

With a weapon like this, there’s really nothing I can do.

I can’t do anything but scream and cry…!

“Growl!”

As the grating lifted, the hungry Skullkit charged, growling.

But I had a plan. I quickly sent my clone charging forward. The clone girl scurried towards the beast.

When the Skullkit opened its mouth wide, the clone threw its left arm out. Clone Punch!

“Roaaar!”

Of course, nothing happened. The Skullkit’s sharp maw bit into the clone’s left arm.

“Kyaaaah! My arrmmm!”

A moment here: there’s one problem with my cloning ability. It’s that I share senses. Pain is no exception.

The sensation of my left arm being bitten was transmitted directly to my own arm, and I collapsed in pain. My fragile clone struggled but couldn’t shake off the beast.

But that was precisely the plan.

“Uwaaaaaah!!”

I pushed the clone’s left arm deeper into its mouth. It hurt terribly, but now the beast couldn’t easily pull my arm out!

Gasping and choking, I lunged at the magical beast. I had to tackle it before my arm was severed!

“Grrr?”

It only noticed me then, but it was too late. The clone gripped it tightly with its remaining limbs.

“Aaaargh!! Die!! Die! Uwaaah!”

“Kyaaaah!”

I was crying hard as I plunged the dagger into the Skullkit’s nape. This was a vital spot unprotected even by its exoskeleton. Even with my weak strength, I could deliver a fatal blow.

Once, twice, thrice! It looked like the Skullkit was on top of the clone, and I was on top of the Skullkit.

– *Thud! Thud! Thud!*

The magical beast thrashed, but I held its head and continued to stab its nape with the blade. Just die already!

At some point, the Skullkit’s movements ceased. Breathing heavily, I leaned to the side.

‘I did it… Ah…’

However, in return, the clone’s left arm was shredded, and its entire body was mangled.

Soon, the ruined clone dissipated into sparkling dust.

Goodbye, my beautiful clone…

At that moment, a Status Window notification popped up before my eyes.

——————————————–

* Level up!

* Congratulations. You have acquired the first 「Synchronous Adaptation」!

——————————————–

‘What…?’

Amidst the pain of my arm feeling severed, I checked the Status Window.

—————————————————————-

Name: Violet Dunhind Ruzilin

Alias: Test Subject 10-6-8

Status: Lab Subject

Lv: 2

HP: 850/1200

MP: 1000/1800

Unique Ability:

■■■■: ???

Lv1 Clone Technique: ???

Synchronous Adaptation:

* Backstab – Increases damage when attacking an enemy from behind.

—————————————————————-

My level increased.

More than anything, I gained the Synchronous Adaptation ability, which I hadn’t even expected.

‘Oh my god, I got this even though I’m not a playable character?’

「Synchronous Adaptation」 is a term referring to the unique passive skills possessed by characters within Crimson Scholar. It primarily serves to assist the use of unique abilities or other skills.

Examples include an additional attack when swinging a sword, or an increased success rate when concocting potions.

Since falling into this world, I’d been so busy struggling that I’d forgotten such things existed. I hadn’t seen this skill itself before, but it was surprisingly good.

‘…It’s perfect for targeting the back of the head, isn’t it?’

As a bonus, my HP and MP also slightly increased with the level-up.

‘I’m lucky…!’

My left arm hurt so much it felt like it would fall off. Because the clone’s pain was transmitted exactly as it was, I couldn’t even properly stand up and was drooling on the floor.

“Test Subject 10-6-8, the test will continue. Get up. We will repeat this two more times under the same conditions.”

‘It hurts… I don’t want to fight…’

‘But… I think something might happen…!’

“Hehehehe….”

I staggered and raised the dagger. My level had risen, and a new skill had appeared.

“10-6-8, you seem fine, so we will resume the test.”

It hurt like crazy, and I was exhausted to the point of death.

But my level had risen, and a new skill had appeared.

It felt like the first time I had gained something since becoming a girl.

Yes, I’ll get stronger from now on.

Alright, come on!

After facing the Skullkit two more times, I was enveloped in unimaginable pain, foamed at the mouth, collapsed, and was carried out of the testing area on a stretcher.

I acted reckless for nothing… It hurts…