A moment of complete stillness.
The creature's body lies in the same place it collided with the ground, unmoving and contorted. A thick, lumpy pool of black liquid gathers beneath it, sloshing sluggishly from side to side. The smell of metal in the air thickens.
No one can bring himself to speak. No one dares to move.
They only stare.
At the body.
At the blood.
And then—at him.
No one can withstand the silence.
It is suddenly interrupted by a faint chime. Clear, fake, wrong.
Saigid's gaze flicks away from the body, toward where Yushai stands.
Far off, a handful of tiny points of bright light begin to drift away from the corpse—dozens, maybe more—like drops of pure sunlight rising helplessly upward. They do not fall.
They hang.
Suspended.
Then—without warning—they snap forward, rushing toward Yushai at sudden speed, disappearing into him as if pulled by some invisible force.
A blank display panel materializes at the edge of his vision.
[One-hit Kill Reward]
[+55,500 EXP]
[+150,000 coins]
For a moment, no one reacts.
Then the stillness breaks.
"…huh?"
"Did you see that?!"
A man takes a cautious step forward, staring at the fading panel.
"EXP… coins…?"
"It's real…?"
"Did you see that?!"
The voices rise again, but they are no longer panicked. The fear has dulled, receded. The storm has passed—and in its place, something else takes hold of the crowd.
Interest.
Hunger.
Saigid furrows his brow.
Minor.
Okay.
Kill. Get more powerful, he thinks.
Now, why didn't I think of that?
The logic is simple.
Too simple.
Another panel flickers briefly in his peripheral vision.
[Saigid: Level F]
Nothing else appears.
No reward. No ranking.
Of course.
He hasn't done anything.
His focus returns to Yushai.
No change. No reaction. No satisfaction at the numbers—that much was expected.
"…say, aren't you usually the type to do this sort of thing?" Saigid mutters softly.
Yushai just keeps staring.
No response.
No need.
The silence says enough.
Around them, movement slowly begins again. Careful at first. Hesitant.
Someone leans closer to the corpse, staring at it as if expecting it to vanish.
"…is it dead for sure?"
Another person steps closer.
The hesitation begins to crack.
Something almost mocking replaces the fear.
"…is it dead?"
"EXP… coins…?"
"it really is dead…?"
The tension rises again—but not in the same way. Fear is still there, but it has changed form.
Something quieter.
Something more dangerous.
Thrill.
Hunger.
Saigid narrows his eyes slightly.
So that's how it works.
Kill, and get stronger.
The reasoning is effortless.
Too effortless.
Another panel flickers across his vision.
[Saigid: Level F]
Nothing else.
No reward. No change.
Of course.
He didn't engage.
His attention drifts back to Yushai.
No reaction. No interest. No attachment to the numbers, as if they mean nothing.
"…you've done this before," Saigid says quietly.
Yushai doesn't respond.
He doesn't have to.
The silence answers louder than words.
"…right, then," Saigid mutters.
Something sharp hums in his chest. A restless edge.
"We stay in the turret."
His voice steadies as he says it.
Certain.
No hesitation. No doubt.
"We'll find a place to hide."
Simple. Logical. Efficient.
Saigid watches him, then nods faintly.
"…sounds reasonable."
Another, heavier impact crashes from above.
The structure groans. Metal strains. Something tears through the roof again and again—limbs, weight, force—relentless.
The entire carriage shudders, cracks spreading across its surface.
Saigid looks up, fists tightening.
"…it isn't just one anymore."