Call His Name (5)

Azihiro's legs felt like stone, every step pulling a groan from his weary bones. He had no idea how long he'd been walking. Minutes? Hours? Days?

There was no sun in this fractured desert sky, only a dim, dusty ball illuminating the permanent gray haze. Without a device to check the time or a compass to guide him, he relied only on instinct. And instinct told him he was running out of time.

His throat burned from dryness. The constant scraping wind carried fine particles of sand that seared his skin and clung to his torn clothing. There had been no water, no shade, no hint of anything living for miles, until now.

How massive is this planet?

Azihiro halted, frozen mid-step. Just ahead of him, lying scattered across the cracked terrain like discarded war relics, were the same creatures he'd seen earlier. Beasts, part flesh, part machine, now motionless. Lifeless.

Are they dead?

Their mangled bodies sprawled across the sand, blood pouring from gaping wounds in their chests. He counted them, four, maybe five, all torn open at the core. The desert drank the blood hungrily, dark rivers weaving between the grains.

He crouched low, every muscle taut with caution. Whatever had done this could still be nearby. There was no sound but the whispering wind and the occasional creak of shifting metal. His eyes swept the horizon, no movement.

Still, he remained hidden behind a sloped ridge, watching the bodies. He didn't want to know what had killed them. And yet the SOL system flickered in the corner of his vision, pulsing steadily.

[Directive: Touch the fallen biotech organisms.]

Are you serious? He frowned as if the system might change its mind. But the task remained. Reluctantly, he crawled closer, sliding over the sand like a wary predator.

When he reached the nearest carcass, he paused. Its body was deformed, exposed organs throbbing with corrupted veins, metal plating fused directly to the bone, and wires interlaced with tendons. The creature's face was frozen in a violent snarl, one remaining eye dull and lifeless.

The battle that had taken place here was no small scuffle. The sheer force required to destroy these hybrid monsters must have been immense. Chunks of land were torn, and claw marks were embedded into the stones in the area. 

It must have been a good fight, a terrible one. He stretched out a trembling hand, his fingers brushing the cold flesh of the beast. The body evaporated in an instant, disintegrating into fine particles that rose into the air and vanished.

In its place, a holographic screen blinked to life.

[Beast Identified: SHIKI]

[Level: 2]

[Type: Land Crawler]

[Abilities: Enhanced Physical Strength, Accelerated Movement, Pack Behavior]

[Diet: Living Organisms]

Azihiro's brow furrowed. Shiki, he thought to himself. Land crawlers... There are levels?

He turned toward the next corpse and pressed his hand against it. One by one, he absorbed the remnants of the fallen Shikis. With each touch, they vanished, and a new screen appeared with minor variations in stats, slightly different energy readings, some with damaged sensory systems, others with reinforced plating.

After absorbing the fifth and final beast, a notification chimed across his interface.

[Congratulations. You have gained 5 Physical Credit Points.]

He blinked, stunned. Credit points?

The screen shifted again, and a new set of information filled his vision. This time, it was about him.

[Core Health: 0]

[Brain Activity: 0]

[Breathing: 0]

[Energy Levels: 0]

[Movement Strength: 0]

Zeroes. Across the board. 

Am I dying in this state?

[You are currently functioning on residual command impulses. Physical breakdown is imminent. Credit points may be used to stabilize vitals.]

His hands trembled as he read it again. Five points. He could either stockpile them or use them now.

I want to distribute one point to each vital. It's better to utilize the points than wait for it to increase. 

[Processing...]

I don't know when I'll encounter dead biotech creatures. I might even die facing one of them. I must slowly train my body, this prince is weak and sickly.

A wave of sensation rippled through him like a shock to the system. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't comfortable either. His lungs pulled in air, a full breath. His vision sharpened, but the left eye remained blurred. The sluggish drag of his muscles lessened, and his fingers no longer felt numb.

[Updated Vitals:]

[Core Health: 1]

[Brain Activity: 1]

[Breathing: 1]

[Energy Levels: 1]

[Movement Strength: 1]

He sat back on the sand, stunned. 

I feel a little better.

He was still in rough shape but alive. Somehow, this strange desert and these monstrous creatures were linked to his survival. These credit points weren't just numbers. They were currency for his existence.

Every dead beast... if I touch them, I gain a point. And information about them?

[Affirmative.]

Azihiro closed his eyes. It was a grim opportunity. If he wanted to live, he would need to keep searching for these creatures, kill them if necessary, or find the remains of others and harvest what he could. He had become a scavenger, a predator of predators.

The wind howled louder, and the scent of scorched metal filled his nose. He rose slowly, his joints creaking. He glanced once more at the battlefield. Whoever had destroyed the Shikis was powerful, too powerful. And he didn't want to meet them until he was stronger.

"Call his name."

The voice was soft. Distant. Female. It echoed in his mind like a whisper carried on the wind.

Azihiro spun, scanning the area. Who's there?

There was no answer, only silence. But the voice had been real. Not the SOL system. Not a memory. Something else. Something watching?

"Call his name."

Whose name?

No response. He couldn't even make a sound with his voice gone.

SOL, will I ever regain my voice one day?

[Yes.]

A chill ran down his spine. He stared into the empty horizon and felt the eerie weight of destiny press against his shoulders. This world was far more complex than he'd thought. And whatever path he was on, it was not his to walk alone.

Azihiro clenched his fists and turned toward the northeast, where strange rock formations jutted from the earth like shattered bones. He didn't know what awaited him, but he now had five vitals ticking. He had time. A little strength. And a mission to accomplish.

Whoever it was that was calling him, he hoped they would answer soon.

Dear God, I might be walking alone in this journey, but I ask you to guide me and fill me with strength and courage.