LOTM: Seekers

46. Human-like Creature

Three days had passed since then.

There was bad news and good news.

The bad news? I might've lost a few kilos by now, it's difficult to preserve my stamina with those aggressive creatures around me

The good news? I finally found a shelter—not too far from that stone statue—a tangled cluster of coral perched high above the ground like a natural fortress.

I didn't mind the hole large enough for griffin-like or shark-like creatures to slip through. What mattered was that the coral didn't just jut out horizontally into the air—it rose sharply, like a slender needle. That gave me the perfect opportunity to set traps midair using my threads.

And with that, my nest was built.

Then, I checked the system again:

Evaluation: 11 (Very Low)

Countdown: 25 days, 14 hours, 38 minutes remaining.

The evaluation kept rising on its own. At first, I thought it was because I was killing those creatures or making progress in the right direction. That's why yesterday, after finding this nest, I spent the entire day not killing or moving at all—just focusing on reinforcing my shelter. I did kill a few of them who came up to my next but it's mostly negligible compared to when I ventured out looking for a new prey, a food I can eat.

Yet, the evaluation continued climbing steadily, just like before.

If this keeps up, it'll probably reach 90 or higher by the time the month is over.

So now, my hypothesis is simple: I just need to survive in this place.

Meanwhile, I also learned how to butcher the crab-like and shark-like creatures. It was disgusting, and honestly, I didn't have much use for it—just insurance. If I ever have to eat them to survive, it might as well be something I know how to prepare properly, right? So, learning the process wasn't a waste of time. Besides, it's not like I had anything better to do.

As for the griffin-like creatures, I haven't had much trouble with them—other than that first night when I flew and became a beacon of light. So, I haven't bothered trying to hunt those yet. 

The most dangerous part right now is fishing for those shark-like creatures, not because of the Shark-like creatures itself. Apparently, they're a favorite snack of the tentacled monster I've nicknamed the Kraken.

It's happened several times already—just as I hook a shark, the Kraken shows up hot on its tail. Every time, I cut the line immediately before It could get too close to me. Night vision to the rescue—Banzai!

Another two days passed.

Evaluation: 19 (Low)

Countdown: 24 days, 0 hours, 34 minutes remaining.

I'm hungry…

This is the limit. Push any further, and my sanity and strength will start to crumble.

Lately, I don't even see these creatures as living beings anymore. To me, they've become nothing more than walking meat.

Since I've ventured to the eight direction from my nest yet I haven't noticed any real changes—same creatures, same meat.

If there's one silver lining, it's that I've finally learned to control my thread limbs better. I can move them up and down, flexing their fingers to some extent.

But the movement still feels stiff and mechanical, like a robot's. There's no real strength behind it yet.

Still, having those two extra "hands" again? It's something.

Since that incident, I've been forcing myself to limit using Detection—usually no more than once an hour—and only when the sun is shining. When the Dark Sea starts to appear, I avoid using it altogether. It's almost like PTSD.

I used Detection one last time today. It was nearly sunset when the familiar headache hit me. Tonight, I plan to fish for another fresh shark and save the meat to eat tomorrow. I know nothing will change, but I have to wait—at least until I truly have no other choice. Who knows? Maybe a miracle will happen tonight.

?? I was confused after processing the information.

Sometimes, when I detect new creatures entering my detection range, I might be able to distinguish the identity of nearby creatures but the farther it's from myself, at most I could know there's a presence of a living being there. I tried to look for the new creature but it's just the same Crab-like Creatures, only sometimes bigger than usual.

But this time, something new appeared much closer

Just an hour ago, when I used Detection, I only sensed creatures that I used to sense but only moved to a different place…

Could it have moved that fast in only an hour?

I grew wary of this unexpected intrusion into my routine. The only explanation I could come up with was that it must have flown down from the sky.

My Detection covers the airspace above, however there's a limit too, last time it didn't pick up anything either.

Still, moving this quickly through a labyrinth of tangled forest, flying is the only plausible explanation.

That means… it might be a griffin-like creature.

."Kehekehhehe," I couldn't help but unleash a wild, beastly grin. "Time for revenge. Time to hunt!"

Yeah, I admit—I wasn't exactly in my right mind.

The sun still hung low on the horizon, casting a golden glow, and the only creatures nearby were these crab-like monsters. For a moment, I felt like the undisputed king of the jungle. Swinging through the trees like Spider-Man, I darted from branch to branch. Whenever my timing faltered—still not quite used to the rhythm—I would ignite a burst of flame to propel myself forward, bypassing the gap with fiery momentum.

Those mindless creatures that tried to hinder my way were left lifeless. whether by burn or cut. 

It didn't take long for me to arrive—just beyond the clearing after this coral cluster.

Kehehehe, my staff, crafted from the woven accumulation of threads I usually use, had grown over two meters long. The stigma embedded within it burned fiercely, glowing with intense heat in the shape of an asymmetrical crescent moon.

Leaping over the final obstacle, I braced myself to deliver judgment upon the heretic.

"Hyaha!" I swung the scythe, flames spraying wildly in all directions, aiming to burn everything to ashes without a second thought.

But in the next instant, the white flames flickered and dimmed—the unmistakable sign that Uriel disapproved of their use.

"What the—" I started to protest, but then my eyes finally locked onto my prey.

Long, pale blonde hair fluttered in the wind like silk. She wore a simple tunic paired with leather sandals, and a cloak the color of rolling sea waves draped gracefully over her shoulders. Her attire was impeccably clean—almost as if it didn't belong in this wild, untamed place. It reminded me of my own first arrival here.

Her delicate, porcelain-like skin and blue eyes, reminiscent of a fragile doll. She possessed a beauty that could rival even Audrey Hall's. Yet, unlike Audrey's vibrant, bubbly energy, she radiated an air of vulnerability—so fragile it felt as though a single touch might shatter her.

She was the first human—or human-like being—I had encountered in this place.