The “Cowardly” and ”Shameless” Carapace Scavenger

Arthur opened his eyes, but all he saw was darkness.

Despite being hungry due to the days he spent in the Nightmare Spell's Trail, he got up and tried to stretch, he wanted to see his flexibility granted to him by his aspect.

He moved his leg up and tried to get it over his head. It was very easy. Arthur's whole body had become extremely flexible.

After doing his stretches, he thought, 'It doesn't look like the day will come soon. Should I try to see what abilities I have above the Grey Fog?' He didn't want to attract the attention of some nightmare creature while testing them, after all, he was still without a single memory or echo!

Arthur found it easier to activate his aspect after it had evolved, he didn't need to close his eyes and focus that hard for it to activate, and due to the darkness that was so deep he couldn't see his own hand, even if he rubbed his face with it, he didn't see his body had suddenly become surrounded by Grey Fog out of nowhere as it disappeared along with him.

Arthur found himself in the Grey Fog again. He immediately tried to make a divination to see if he still retained that ability. 'The weakest living creature near me other than myself' then he had a vision of a Carapace Scavenger on top of a huge coral nearby. It looked like it had fought a few days ago and seemingly lost both claws, rendering it stuck there for days. it couldn't even eat the corpse of its defeated opponent. Another scavenger, Arthur, even felt bad for it when the Vision ended.

Arthur was relieved he still had his Divination ability and mused 'wait can't I just make a divination about my abilities? It's much easier than finding them out through sheer luck!'

And that's what Arthur did in his vision. He saw himself above the Grey Fog looking into a Crimson Star and extending his hand towards it,

But he didn't grab it from the looks of it; he seemingly gave a blessing to the person praying to him, it was The Knight he first saw in his vision when he transmigrated. Then the vision shifted to Arthur himself walking through the Dark City; he had armor—real armor! And a sword too! The Arthur in the vision had a premonition of danger and dodged out of the way of an unexpected attack made by a Stone Saint. The vision ended there.

Arthur thought, 'I know him! He's the knight from my first vision since I came here! It looks like we will really meet in the future. Heh, when I transmigrated, I thought he was the leader everyone followed, but by the looks of it, he's just an underling of mine.'

After Arthur finished stroking his ego, he then realized something: The Crimson Stars that used to be in the Grey Fog were gone!

'There were thousands of them in here; how did I not notice something that obvious?' Arthur thought as he sighed and,

Exited the Grey Fog and returning to The Headless Statue of a woman he had been on. He not having anything to do, decided to try and go to sleep. Despite just waking up from his first nightmare, he didn't manage to fall asleep, but after a few hours of lying down, the sun rose, and a new day began.

Arthur, who had been lying down, rose up to his feet, leaving the corals he gathered along with the teeth on the headless statue. He climbed down, only taking the skull and the sharp bone, as it was his only viable weapon. As Arthur climbed down, he thought, 'I want a real sword! A memory! I did so well in my first trial that a Supreme fled from me the moment she heard my name! I deserve at least a cool blade for that!'

Arthur got down the headless statue and started searching for water. He was walking silently, trying to avoid the attention of any Carapace scavenger; he knew he would die if he met one divine aspect or not.

He didn't attempt to fight the carapace scavenger he had seen in his Divination yet he was too dehydrated and hungry to feel confident in facing the scavenger stuck on the Coral. Arthur went to where the water puddle used to be last time, and luckily it was filled with water. He took some and, holding the human skull filled with water using his mouth, climbed up the headless statue.

Once he finished climbing up the headless statue, he started boiling water to drink; as he did, he fell into the thought, 'I wonder where I am in the timeline; am I hundreds of years before the story began? No, if I were, there wouldn't be other people here unless they are from a different realm. This could also be some alternative universe, for all I know.'

After Arthur boiled the water, he greedily drank it and climbed down again; this time he was going to hunt.

Arthur walked to the Coral the Armless Carapace Scavenger was on and started climbing, a little nervous and in thought, 'This will be the first time I will actually fight a nightmare creature, even though it's very injured.'

Arthur got on top of the tall coral quietly. The injured scavenger didn't notice him, it was lying on the ground, trying to bite the corpse of another carapace scavenger

but without the help of its claws, its mouth couldn't reach the meat due to the huge mandibles on its face getting in the way.

Arthur, seeing this, thought, 'Beasts really aren't all that intelligent.'

He then walked silently towards it when it suddenly screamed in rage, seemingly frustrated at its failure to eat the defeated carapace scavenger. Arthur was startled but luckily did not make a sound.

Arthur calmed down quickly, only to panic once again. His heart was now beating out of his chest because,

The Carapace Scavenger had turned its head and saw him! This is the first time he had to fight an opponent alone; the last time he killed a Carapace scavenger, it was completely focusing on its prey!

Arthur was lucky the carapace scavenger couldn't get up as it was missing both of its arms, but as he was lacking experience, skill, and the courage to kill the carapace scavenger,

He took a step back instead of attacking it while it was startled. The carapace scavenger used his momentary distraction to lay on its back facing Arthur, who couldn't help but think that it resembled a cockroach that was laid on its back, unable to get up.

The Scavenger wildly swung his legs and screeched, trying to intimate Arthur since he was hopeless against him,

But Arthur didn't run away even though he was scared because he also knew the Scavenger wouldn't pose a threat to him as it is now!

Arthur took a deep breath and exhaled, gripping the bone "sword" tighter. He took a swing at one of the legs of the Scavenger, but it barely scratched its leg.

Arthur cursed the Scavenger, "Bastard, don't you have any shame; stop spamming long-range stabs at me and have the decency to meet death already, you half corpse!"

It was surprising how easily Arthur could call the Carapace Scavenger shameless, considering how he was attacking it at its lowest point in its life and probably the very last while but naked.

But Arthur either did not see the irony or simply did not care as he continued Cursing the Awakened Beast as he swung his bone "sword" at it.

"You coward! Are you that scared of death!? Don't worry, I know death quite well. I will introduce you nicely." Arthur, seemingly self-projecting, continued to bully the scavenger until it finally died one hour later.

[You have slain an Awakened Beast Carapace Scavenger.]

[You have received a Memory: Bronze Spear]

Arthur sighed, 'Finally! It looks like that bastard at least had the decency to drop a memory.'