[Initiating Occupant Test No. 7. Survive against prototype unit CLAWR-0. Time remaining: 09:59]
[Let wisdom guide you, or perish.]
Eris's voice echoed throughout the ancient ruins, a declaration like sending a fighter into an arena. To him, it felt more like a death knell.
In the dark tunnel, a crazed, evil aura clearly emanated, making his hand twitch and force him to grip his axe tighter.
A long, pointed skull emerged from the shadows. Red eyes, like hot coals from hellfire, flickered in the darkness, staring as if piercing his soul. The Clawler crawled out, its joints moving slowly like jammed gears, dragging its long claws across the stone floor. It moved like a crocodile armored with pale, thorny keratin bones.
"Is that... even considered a living thing?" Thanwa muttered to himself, instinctively stepping back. It was as if he had opened Pandora's box, reeking of rust and pungent ammonia.
...It slowly raised its head to look at him, letting out a deep, hollow growl that vibrated in its throat before slowly fading away, chilling him to the bone. His heart cried out at the danger before him. He gripped his axe so tightly that veins bulged, and his heart pounded like an engine over-revving.
Thanwa pressed his dry lips together, staring unblinkingly, trying to broaden his shoulders to appear larger and intimidate the beast. Its tail whipped through the air with a swishing sound like a threatening whip before it lunged, mouth wide open, fangs bared, and claws raised, ready to kill.
"Hey, wait!"
Thanwa swiftly dodged, leaving his exclamation behind. His body escaped the collision. The Clawler's tail followed. He pushed off to get out of range, then used the brief moment to make a probing strike. The axe blade hit with a clack, like stones striking each other, leaving only a small chip, but his wrist felt a deep pain.
In a flash, it coiled and whipped its head, snapping so close to his head that a sharp pain shot through his brain, and clumps of hair came loose. This was followed by claws tearing through the air, ready to strike.
For a moment, the world seemed to become a vacuum. Thoughts buzzed in his ears. Block or dodge? If he blocked, what then? If he dodged, would he survive those razor-sharp claws?
"I'm dead for sure. There's no surviving this." He thought to himself, swallowing hard. He chose to trust his own instincts, as he always had, twisting his body and swinging his axe to meet the claws.
A loud crack! A sharp pain shot from his wrist up to his shoulder, making him grit his teeth. He crouched low, ducking under the claws, but he was still too slow. The tip of a claw grazed his spine, making him cry out. But even then, Thanwa could only bite down and swing his axe with full force under its belly.
The Clawler let out a wail. Thanwa retreated out of range of its tail, watching its body twitch. Thick black liquid splattered from its abdomen, solidifying instantly upon contact with the ground, accompanied by thin smoke and a foul odor.
"...Tsk, wake up."
He forced himself to attack again. Thanwa prepared to strike once more, but he was a fraction of a second too late.
The Clawler shrieked, its jaw opening unnaturally wide, and bit his right upper arm.
"Aargh... Let go!"
He thrust the axe handle with full force, but was thrown against the wall, his lungs collapsing, bones cracking. His body slumped to the floor.
"...So stupid. Why did I attack?"
His vision began to blur from the impact. His hand still fumbled for the axe, or for a way out that was becoming increasingly dim. Only his breath remained... and the beast. He glanced at the floor. Eris was still down there. If he had to abandon her, he'd rather die here with her.
"...Heh, if I can't escape, then I just have to fight until I die, right?"
Thanwa mumbled, chuckling softly to himself, spitting his ill fate onto the floor. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, propped himself against the wall, and clutched the axe close to him.
He understood that this might be a part of life, an obstacle and a test. In the end, only the strong would survive.
Prey could only be hunted, and that was nature's way.
For a moment, Thanwa saw a faint shadow of Blackbox flicker before him for a split second. She blinked with a familiar soft light.
[Let wisdom guide you...] The voice echoed as if a hand was stroking his head, comforting him.
He regained his composure. It wasn't attacking. It was just moving around. It seemed to be analyzing his movements!?
Then, suddenly, his face felt numb, as if slapped by an ice pack.
"The answer to this quest might not be to defeat the beast, not with strength, not with fighting, but with... wisdom."
He glanced at the time.
[00:59]
The axe in his hand felt heavy like shackles. He whispered to himself—"Put down the axe..." His heart pounded as if it would explode, but his brain screamed back, "Put it down = death." His hand trembled... trembling from the flowing blood, perhaps from fear of death to the point of madness.
But this was his last chance. If what he thought was wrong, then he wouldn't survive.
He moved his fingers slightly as the clock ticked through the final moments.
And then his fingers relaxed... letting it drop through the air. It was as if what he let go of was not fear. A slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. There was a beast here, that was true, but it wasn't the Clawler, it was himself.
Thud—!"""The sound of the axe hitting the ground echoed, and the world seemed to stand still. Thanwa straightened up, his legs trembling, blood dripping from his back onto the floor.
He saw the claws of death expanding before him. There was no fight, no defense, and no escape. He just breathed slowly, facing it directly.
Clawler froze, his arm suspended in mid-air, his head tilted slightly, as if 'analyzing'. His crimson eyes lacked any weariness... His muscles twitched slightly as he sat down like a dog waiting for food.
The hall began to shake, and multi-colored spectrum light covered everything, changing from gold to red, blue, yellow, green, and stopping when it became a glowing blue, as if embraced by the night sky.
A faint smile of victory appeared clearly on his lips. He reached out to touch the falling dust particles, like fireflies.
[Condition Met: Defeat the beast with wisdom]
[Quest Complete: Unknown Memory 1/7 — Survive 10:00 minutes]
[Unlock control over prototype unit — Add high-level command keys]
He saw commands floating above Clawler's head, only basic commands appeared.
Stop – Follow – Defend – and Attack
He walked towards it with a calm expression, bent down, and picked up the axe. The right to control gave him power over it. That alone was enough to make it tremble with the responsibility for what it had done, and now he had the right to choose.
He looked up slightly, feigning a murderous glare until it averted its gaze, bowing its head to look at the man's feet. Thanwa reached out his still trembling hand as Clawler closed its eyelids completely. A dragging sensation occurred at his fingertips as he gently stroked its head.
He survived... not by killing, but by understanding. Looking at the body full of many wounds, it wasn't a beast at all. It was just like us, it just wanted to live.
Thanwa knelt down, his forehead touching its head. "I'm sorry," he didn't say it out loud, just hugged its stiff neck tightly. The light in the hall flickered. Data surged into the air like spirits, forming a faint image of the "shadow" that had led him to this place.
***
Inside the Black Box
A square black box appeared. Ancient characters that no living creature could understand revolved around it, as if they were orbiting a dark square sun.
"Long time no see... Eris."
The system message blinked in response.
{Likewise}
[Seventh in line... Thanwa... Is that right?]
From the shadows, a tall figure appeared. Its eyes were a faint red, like embers that had not yet died out.
"He... is smarter than I thought. Only those who can lay down their sword, yet still receive loyalty...
Are those whom the sword was made to serve." A deep, cold voice spoke — with a hint of sadness deep within.
{I believe he will lead us to our goal as planned.}
[Whether he triumphs or fails... the path of the universe will not be the same.]
The shadow smiled emotionlessly.
[You should keep a close eye on him. Don't let our technology fall into their hands.]
Then the light brightened as if responding.
[True power is not having to use it.]
She spoke with a firm voice through her hopeful green eyes, which were displayed through the data that had just been uploaded into the black box. The floor above opened, and the black box slowly moved upwards. Erin came back online, looking at Thanwa standing in a blood-soaked state, her eyes full of mixed emotions through the square box in the black box.
"Welcome back... Eris."
He reached out to touch the box, a faint smile in his eyes.
{Eris is back.}
A shimmering light floated out of the box, attaching itself to his chest — no longer just a system, but something "long lost."
Thanwa closed his eyes, feeling a gentle tremor from his chest... not mechanical.
But a "heart."