I hunched down by the bandit chief's sack. Picking it up felt kind of like unwrapping a gift - only this one was muddy, plus the owner wasn't around anymore.
"Jackpot," I whispered.
Inside, there was some loose change, an old piece of bread, then those boots I'd been looking for. I grabbed them one by one. Turned out they were called Iron-Toe Kickers
[ ITEM: IRON-TOE KICKERS ]
[ GRADE: COMMON ]
[ EFFECT: KICK DAMAGE +5 ]
I quickly kicked off my broken-in beginner shoes, then jammed my feet into the new boots. A bit snug, sure - but sturdy, which mattered more. I nudged the toe against a tire. Solid thump. Felt good.
I got to my feet, then faced Scarlett. She stared at me - part curious, part unsure what was going on.
"You finished?" she said. Quiet tone - though I noticed how tired she sounded.
"Yep," I said, munching on the stale bread. "I got boots. I got bread. Life is good."
She moved back from the old truck. Though she aimed to stay upright, her foot slipped. Then she grabbed the front part of the vehicle to steady herself.
"You are in bad shape," I said, chewing. "What's wrong with you? You have fancy armor, but you move like my grandpa."
She glared at me. "It is a curse. Level Suppression. I was exploring a high-level ruin and triggered a trap. My stats have been reduced by 90% until I can reach a purification shrine."
"90%?" I whistled. "So you're basically a level 1 noob again."
"I am not a noob," she snapped. "I am a top-ranked player. But... yes. Currently, I am vulnerable."
She stared at the heaps of rusted metal nearby. Meanwhile, the wind roared, bringing noises from far-off creatures.
"I need to get to the Iron Citadel," she said. "It is the nearest safe zone. But I cannot make it alone. The bandits were just the beginning."
She stared right at me. "I'd like to bring you on board."
I paused eating. "Employ me?"
"Be my bodyguard," she said. "Escort me to the Citadel. If you get me there safely, I will pay you 500 Gold Coins."
I almost gagged on the loaf. Half a grand in gold? Out here, you could swap gold for cash. That much would cover my apartment for twelve months. Enough to get actual meals - none of that fake goo.
"500?" I asked, trying to sound cool. "Make it 600 and you have a deal."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. 600. Just keep the monsters away from me."
"Deal," I said. "My name is Tom."
"I am Scarlett," she said. "Let's move. This place smells like death."
We began moving forward. The Rustlands felt like a puzzle. Huge piles of waste blocked sunlight - so shadows stretched far.
Scarlett moved at a snail's pace. Every few minutes, we'd pause - she needed breaks. Honestly, it wasn't a problem. That downtime let me search for stuff lying around.
"So," she said during one of our breaks. "What class are you? I have never seen a Rogue use a fighting style like that. You don't use skills. You just... hit things."
"I'm a distinct class," I lied. "It's called... the Scrapper. We use whatever we find."
"I see," she said, sounding unconvinced. "And your skin? Why does it look like polished stone?"
"Skin condition," I said. "Don't stare. It's rude."
She didn't say much from then on.
We kept walking - about an hour passed. Things shifted slowly around us. Instead of scattered junk, big metal machines showed up. Huge gears, like building-sized chunks, jutted from the dirt. The soggy ground got firm, more like crushed iron.
Suddenly, the earth jolted.
BOOM. BOOM.
Thump, thump, thump - steady beat in the air. One after another, big steps shook the floor.
I raised my hand. "Hold on."
Scarlett stopped dead. Yet she pulled out her ice-rapier, even with a shaky grip.
Out from under a giant, corroded machine, one figure stepped forward first - then another followed close behind - finally, a third appeared slowly.
They weren't regular pigs - nope. These were Lead-Skin ones, massive creatures, nearly as big as compact vehicles. Instead of pink flesh, their hides came in dull gray, super tough-looking. As they moved, each step punched through the metallic dirt, like weight meant something different here. Heavy? For sure. Solid as stone.
[ TARGET: LEAD-SKIN BOAR ]
[ LEVEL: 6 ]
[ ATTRIBUTE: HIGH DENSITY ]
"Three of them," Scarlett whispered. "I can't fight these. My sword won't pierce that armor."
Hold on a sec," I told him. Then I grabbed my green chitin blades. "Let me deal with the meat."
The boars spotted us. Then they shrieked - sharp, harsh, like twisted steel scraping - with their muzzles down. Kicking dirt, tense, preparing to rush forward.
"Hey, ugly!" I yelled. "Over here!"
The big boar rushed forward.
It wasn't quick, yet kept moving forward. Kinda looked like a wrecking ball that could walk.
I held on till just before it hit me. As the beast closed in - only a few steps out - I darted sideways, quick to the left.
The boar couldn't twist - way too bulky. It crashed backward, smacking a heap of metal tubes near me.
CRASH!
Pipes shot out in every direction. As the beast thrashed, it smashed into a metal girder.
"Okay," I muttered. "Don't get hit. If that thing hits me, I'm a pancake."
The second pair of boars rushed forward together.
I took off fast. Then dashed at an old crane lying on its side. Climbed quick along the cold steel beam.
The boars crashed into the crane - everything jolted hard. I nearly dropped down from it because of how wild the shake was.
Tom!" Scarlett shouted, waving her blade. Then - ice shot out. Boom.
One of the boars got struck. Still, no effect at all. That animal simply seemed irritated.
"Save your mana!" I shouted.
I glanced below. The pigs kept slamming into the machine, aiming to bring me off balance - yet their rear sides stayed open.
I sucked in some air. Now see how these boots work
I jumped.
I dropped ten feet - then slammed onto the rear of the largest wild pig.
OOF.
The impact knocked the wind out of me, but I held on. I grabbed its metal ears. The boar went crazy. It bucked and thrashed, trying to throw me off. It felt like riding an earthquake.
Wait there!" I shouted.
I lifted the dagger. Still, that thing's back was covered in tough lead - no way I could slice it. So I went looking for a weak patch instead.
I shoved the blade into its neck's underside, just where the metal pieces came together.
CLINK.
It just wasn't deep enough. Because the skin's thickness got in the way.
The boar rammed into the crane sideways. Its weight smashed my leg up against the metal beam.
[ Health: 75 out of 100 ]
"Ugh!" I clenched my jaw. But the ache hit like lightning.
I couldn't get through it - needed extra power.
I yanked the knife free. Then switched how I was holding it. Tapped into that old instinct from scrapping with raiders - throwing my full strength behind each move.
"Open up!"
I stabbed once more - this time pouring every bit of power into the thrust. My skin's toughness flowed up, merging with my arm through sheer force. The hit carried weight, driven by grit instead of speed.
SHUNK.
The sharp green edge sliced through first. Then the Rend ability triggered right after.
Thick, black liquid trickled slowly.
The boar screamed, then dropped down slow. Still I kept going. One more stab after another, hacking through the tough muscle on its neck.
The boar collapsed.
[ TARGET ELIMINATED ]
One done. Next two coming up.
I tumbled away from the fallen boar when the next one charged at me. But its thick hoof barely missed my skull - only a finger's width apart. The force of its slam brushed past my ear.
I hit the floor - worst spot possible.
The second boar jumped back on its hind legs.
A bright burst lit up right when the boar looked. Scarlett tossed something - a glowing mix that flared on impact.
Hurry up, Tom!" she shouted.
I tumbled back, then jumped up fast. Meanwhile, the boar just stood there, flicking its eyes - seemed lost.
I spotted a thick metal rod resting on the dirt - junk left by the wrecked crane. I picked it up. Felt like a ton, possibly around fifty pounds.
I whipped it around like I was up at bat.
CLANG!
I smashed the pig right across the nose. My arms jolted from the shock - palms burning. It staggered backward, dazed.
I let go of the bar, then stabbed fast - aiming right at the eyes.
Stab. Stab.
The next wild pig dropped suddenly.
The third boar paused. As it stared at the fallen ones, its breath came slow. Then it turned toward me - splattered in dark gore and dirt, gripping blades that hummed with pale green light.
It figured food could wait. Off it dashed, thick hooves pounding as it vanished down the trail.
I leaned into the crane, catching my breath. My ribs moved fast from running so hard. The pain shot through my leg - still sore from getting pinned earlier.
"You still breathing?" Scarlett said, hurrying close. Her face showed fear.
"Mostly," I wheezed. "Those things... are really heavy."
She knelt to check my leg. "No broken bones. You are surprisingly durable."
"I drink a lot of milk," I joked.
I'll stand guard," she said while stepping away to leave me room. Yet make sure you wrap that wound
Great - she wasn't watching.
I looked at the fallen boar with leathery hide. Now's my shot. They're hard to take down since they pack so much mass. Get some of that weight into me, my strikes'd land stronger. Add heft to my frame.
I put my hand against the boar's chilly, gray side.
[ EXTRACTION AVAILABLE ]
[ TARGET: LEAD-SKIN BOAR ]
"Give me the weight," I whispered.
I clicked [ YES ].
[ TIER 1 - PHYSICAL EXTRACTION SELECTED ]
[ ATTRIBUTE: DENSITY ]
The gray glow moved out of the beast, slipped into my palm.
This time, it wasn't a burst of power - more like weight pulling down. My hand got sluggish. As if my arm turned into stone.
A tingling rushed up my limbs. Yet suddenly, everything tightened hard. Though strange, it didn't hurt - just pressure. As if each limb grew dense and unbreakable.
It didn't hurt, yet it weighed on me. I kept thinking I was slipping deeper into thick sludge.
[ EXTRACTION COMPLETE ]
[ ATTRIBUTE GAINED: DENSITY (MINOR) ]
[ EFFECT: BODY WEIGHT INCREASED +20% ]
[ EFFECT: MUSCLE DENSITY INCREASED ]
[ MENTAL INTEGRITY: -5% ]
I jerked my hand away. Then, the body disappeared.
I attempted to get on my feet.
"Whoa," I said.
I rushed ahead, hoping to fit into my old jeans. Yet the scale showed more than last time. Each step sank further into the dry ground - my soles pressing down way deeper than they used to.
I felt strong - like a rock. Not going anywhere.
I balled up my hand. As if it turned into something heavy, solid.
Scarlett spun back. "All set to head out?"
"Yep," I replied. One foot moved forward. BAM.
She scowled, her eyes dropping to where my shoes pressed deep into the soil.
"Why are you walking so loudly?" she asked.
"Uh," I panicked. "I picked up some heavy loot. From the boars. Lots of... boar meat."
Boar meat? Her brow lifted a bit.
"It's very dense meat," I said. "High protein."
She shook her head. "You are a strange man, Tom."
"Just head straight to the Citadel," I muttered, shifting my stance to match how heavy I felt now.
We kept moving forward. In front, a huge fortress stood out under the violet heavens - known as the Iron Citadel.
I felt tougher each time I moved forward - my skin turned tough, while my muscles grew tight; the blades? Razor-ready.
I stared at Scarlett's back. Though she seemed frail just then, she had brains plus serious money. The partnership felt risky - still, it could get me away from this poor neighborhood.
I only wished I'd hide the truth a bit longer - just till I grabbed that paycheck.