Surviving and change

Ten days had passed since both Kazuto and Hajime had fallen in the dungeon. Luckily enough Kazuto had falled near where God crystal was and it's water was healing him slowly. After falling down, Kazuto only had few broken ribs which now got nearly cured due to the water of God crystal.

****

In the darkness, the green light stone dimly illuminated the surroundings. Hajime was currently returning into his base with meat stored into stone-made containers. He was returning here to make some weapons and practice his combat skills which he learned by devouring monster meats.

But when he returned, he noticed a detail he had missed earlier because of his pain and hunger. In the far right direction of his base, a waterfall was flowing. Near it, a natural crater of 2m was formed and some of the God crystal's water was going there. Hajime decided to use this crater to store some water so he went closer to it. But what he didn't expect was to see his classmate there.

"Makise-san"

Hajime muttered with a confused voice, but he still decided to wake him up and help him. Not for some goodwill or whatever but only because more people means more chance of survival and he had tried to save his life earlier when the behemoth attacked him.

****

[Mc-POV]

I heard someone's voice near me after which I felt a sharp pain in my face so I opened my eyes groggily. In front of me was a dungeon wall and someone was near me. He looked like someone I knew but also at the same time someone different.

With confusion all over my eyes I got up while handling the pain I felt in my ribs.

"Who are you? Where am i?"

I asked with a weary tone in my voice but I still didn't show much emotions on my face as I didn't want him to guess my thoughts.

"I am Hajime Nagumo and you are in the lower level of the dungeon. If you want to live then just follow me quietly and if you even think of betraying me, I will kill you."

He or hajime replied me in a cold voice and leaked some killing intent at the last part but it didn't matter to me. What matters the most was,

"What happend to you? How did you change this much and your hand." I asked him in a surprised voice as I was wondering what happened to him, and I choose to believe him because there is not much reason for him to lie to me either and he also looks like a little like Hajime. But I still had my guard against him in case something happens.

"You were out cold for ten days and I found you here just now while trying to store the water. During those times I changed but most importantly, aren't you hungry?"

Hajime said to me in the same cold tone but, why do I feel like he is anticipating something nice.

"Now that you mention it, I am hungry but my mind is not really affected so I didn't notice it. I also don't have much injury in me even though I fell from such a height. Did you do this?"

"No, it is because of that crystal's water but eat first, and after that I will tell you everything. Here is some roasted Wolf's and rabbit's meat. It may not taste good but it is the only thing that is eatable here."

Hajime said to me while handing over some meat which looked like it was roasted by electricity. Although, I was disgusted and it's smell was also bad. I ate it without thinking as I was too hungry and I also drank some water hajime gave me so I could digest it.

"Eww~, Blegh this is damn bad."

I said while eating some more but when I ate it, I felt some pain in my stomach which I promptly ignored as I had been feeling it for a while even before eating.

After eating for a while my stomach began to swell and I felt some abnormal pain. My entire body was suddenly struck with severe pain, it was an extremely unpleasant feeling as if my body was being eroded from the inside. The pain only intensified as time passed.

"Guaaaaaa! What, What's this…. Guuuuuu!"

Unbearable pain eating away at my body. I thrashed around on the ground, it was a pain so severe that i couldn't even control my emotions properly.

"Here, drink this and it will help."

Hajime said and gave the water which I had been drinking with the food. I caught the container and drank the water quickly and a little pain subsided but it was still painful.

The water began to show it's effect and cured me with it's regenerative abilities but my body once again started begin destroyed. An cycle of healing and destroying started which caused me to experience hell, but I still held on while gritting my teeth as I couldn't even faint because of the water.

Changes began to appear in my body as only the front part of my hair turned white. Next, my muscle structure grew a little thicker and several thin reddish black lines started appearing in my body.

There is a phenomenon called supercompensation. It is a phenomenon in which torn muscles due to training or other activities, when recovered, will experience slight hypertrophy. Similarly for broken bones, their strength is increased after recovering. Currently, what is happening to my body is exactly that strange phenomenon.

The meat of magic beasts is a deadly poison for humans. They possess a special organ within their bodies called the magic stone, which produces magic power that directly circulates their bodies, allowing magic beasts to exhibit astounding physical abilities. The flesh and bones of the magic beasts, soaked in the magic power circulating their body, turned strong and sturdy.

Such an 'alteration magic' does not require chants or magic circles, and is considered an inherent-born magic with unclear details. In any case, this alteration magic is lethal to humans as it corrodes the human body from the inside, destroying the cells from within. In the past, anybody and everybody who had eaten magic beast's meat, without exception, have had their bodies crumbled and died. As a matter of fact, Kazuto also knew of this, but he was so preoccupied with his hunger and also the name of meat was wolf and rabbit, so he had overlooked it thinking of it as normal roasted meat.

If all Kazuto had eaten was magic beast's meat, his body would probably have collapse and died already, but he had drank a secret medicine that prevented this. Sacred water. Destroyed parts were instantly restored, as a result, his body strengthened at an amazing rate.

Destroy, recover, destroy, recover. His body pulsated as it changed, as though undergoing reincarnation. It was a metamorphosis in which he discarded his fragile human body and was reborn. Completing the ritual, Kazuto gave out a tired sigh.

The pulsations finally ceased as Kazuto collapsed onto the floor, completely exhausted. His front part of hair was dyed completely white, and now, under his clothes, several reddish black lines could be seen running across his body.

After a while I woke up and sat down on the ground examining my body. I felt like my body was full of power and extremely light. I also felt a sense of discomfort within like both hot and cold. I could also see some reddish black lines in my arm which looked disgusting to be honest.

"Did you really give me magic beasts meat and did you also eat it while I was out cold?"

I asked out loud to hajime who was looking at me like a scientist watching his test subject.

"Yeah, but look at your stats first and I will explain."

Hajime said and I looked at my new stats which left me shocked.

"Huh, my stats increased so much and I also gained some new skills, and what is magic manipulation?" I asked Hajime and he also started explaining everything he knew.