An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

Divine crystals are the result of magical energy flowing through the earth for millennia, occasionally converging and crystallizing. Approximately 30 to 40 centimeters in diameter, they crystallize over hundreds of years. Once the magical energy within them reaches saturation, it transforms into liquid and flows out.

That liquid was called "Holy Water," and it was said that drinking it would heal any injury or illness. While it couldn't regenerate missing parts, continued drinking promised eternal life, earning it the nickname "the elixir of immortality." Stories from the Age of Gods tell of the god Esid using the holy water to heal people.

Perhaps finally realizing he'd escaped death, Hajime leaned against the wall, his entire body limp as he sat down. Hugging his body, trembling with fear, he bent to his knees, lowering his head and burying his face between them. Hajime's heart was broken, and he no longer had the energy to escape.

If it was hostility or malice, he might still be able to resist, but the joy of being saved might enable him to stand up again.

But he couldn't face the look in the bear's eyes. Those were the eyes of a predator who saw Hajime as nothing more than food. A human, at the pinnacle of the law of the jungle, couldn't possibly have seen such a look. That look, combined with the fact that his hand had been eaten, shattered Hajime's heart.

(Someone come...save me...)

This is the bottom of hell, and no one can hear what Hajime says...

I don't know how much time passed like this.

Hajime lay on his side, his arms and legs tucked tightly together, curled up like a fetus.

Four days have passed since the day of the collapse.

During this time, Hajime barely moved, relying solely on the dripping sacred water to survive. However, while the sacred water allowed the user to survive for the duration of its use, barring any unforeseen events, it couldn't eliminate hunger; it merely prevented death. Therefore, Hajime was now tormented by intense hunger and phantom pain.

(Why did this happen to me?)

This question has been spinning in my mind these past few days.

Because of the pain and hunger, Hajime had barely slept. Although drinking the sacred water would restore him, the sharpness of his mind made the pain more vivid. He had countless times drifted off to sleep, only to be awakened by hunger and pain. Trying to escape the pain, he drank the sacred water again, only to sink back into the mire of suffering.

How many times has that light sleep and wakefulness been repeated?

He didn't know when it started, but he stopped drinking the holy water because he unconsciously chose the simplest and fastest way to end his pain.

(Rather than continue suffering like this...it's better...)

He muttered to himself as his consciousness fell into the abyss of darkness.

Three more days passed.

Perhaps it was past its peak, but the hunger that had subsided before then, like the calm before the storm, came back with even greater intensity. The phantom pains continued unabated, tormenting Hajime's spirit. The pain was like a file, chipping away at him bit by bit, unbearable.

(Still… not dead yet… Ahhh, hurry up, hurry up… I don’t want to die…)

Praying for death while unconsciously yearning for survival, conflicting thoughts raced through his mind. Hajime was no longer able to think straight, and began to utter fragmented mumblings.

Three more days passed.

The holy water has lost its effect. If he continues like this, he may die in less than two days, because he has not even taken in water, let alone food.

However, not long ago, around the eighth day, Hajime's mind began to show signs of abnormality. He had been praying for life and death, waiting for the hellish pain to pass, but then a dark and turbid emotion began to surge in Hajime's heart.

It was like mud, clinging to the cracks in the soul cracked by fear and pain, and eroding into the depths of Hajime's soul bit by bit.

(Why do I have to suffer like this…what have I done…)

(Why did this happen to me...what's the reason...)

(God arbitrarily and unreasonably abducted me here...)

(My classmates betrayed me...)

(The rabbit looks down on me...)

(That guy ate me...)

Hajime's thoughts gradually turned black, like black ink dripping onto a blank canvas, slowly contaminating the originally beautiful part of Hajime's heart.

Whose fault was it? Who had imposed such tyranny upon him? Who had hurt him?... Hajime unconsciously sought his enemy. The intense pain and hunger, along with the dark, confined space, eroded Hajime's spirit, accelerating his dark emotions.

(Why didn’t anyone save me…)

(What if no one rescues me?)

(How can I eliminate this pain?)

By the ninth day, Hajime's mind had unconsciously begun to ponder ways to break through the current situation.

The soul, longing to be freed from the intense pain, begins to let go of unnecessary emotions such as anger and hatred that surge up.

Now was not the time for anger and hatred. No matter how dark the heart was, the pain would not be alleviated in the slightest. To break this overly unreasonable situation, to survive, Hajime had to shed unnecessary emotions.

(What do I want?)

(I want to "live.")

(Who is preventing me from living?)

(What stands in my way is the enemy.)

(What is the enemy?)

(Anything that hinders me and imposes unreasonable things on me.)

(So ​​what should I do?)

(I should…I should…)

tenth day.

There was no anger or hatred in Hajime's heart anymore. The unreasonableness imposed by God, the betrayal of his classmates, the hostility of the monsters... even the smile of the person who said he would protect him... all became insignificant.

To survive, to earn the right to exist, those were all trivial matters. Hajime's will was concentrated and focused, like a sword that had been tempered, becoming stronger and sharper, as if to split everything in its tracks.

That is...

( kill! )

Not out of malice, not out of hostility, and not out of hatred.

They kill and annihilate only for the sake of survival. This is pure and extreme murderous intent.

Anyone who threatens your survival is an enemy, and the only way to deal with an enemy is—

(Kill! Kill ...

The only way to get rid of this hunger is to...

(Kill and eat!)

At this very moment, the kind and gentle Nanyun Hajime, who Kaori called strong, would rather smile bitterly and apologize than confront and cause trouble, has collapsed without a trace.

And then, a being who ruthlessly eliminated all obstacles in order to survive—a brand new Nagumo Hajime was born.

The broken heart was united again, but it was not a patched and repaired heart, but a brand new strong heart that was recast and tempered by the darkness, despair, pain and instinct at the bottom of the abyss.

Hajime desperately pushed his already weakened body to its limits, sipping the holy water that had accumulated in the depressions on the ground for days like a dog. While it couldn't eliminate the hunger and phantom pain, it did restore his body to vitality.

Hajime's eyes flashed with brilliance, and he roughly wiped the wet corners of his mouth. A ferocious smile appeared on his face, and his twisted mouth revealed sharp canine teeth. The word "dramatic change" is the most suitable word to describe this change.

Hajime stood up and began to refine while declaring:

"I'm going to kill you."

A pack of two-tailed wolves can be found somewhere in the maze. They have a habit of traveling in groups of four to six. As individuals, they are the weakest monsters on this floor, so they rely on group cooperation to make up for their weakness. This pack is no exception, consisting of four two-tailed wolves.

While keeping an eye on their surroundings, they hide behind rock walls and look for the best hunting grounds, because the basic hunting method of two-tailed wolves is ambush.

The two wolves wandered around for a while, perhaps finding a satisfactory hunting ground. They hid behind rocks in the four corners, waiting for prey to come. One of them hid between the rocks and the wall, quietly catching its breath. Just as it licked its tongue, hoping for prey to come, it suddenly felt a strange sensation.

Because the key to survival for two-tailed wolves is cooperation, they have their own unique communication method. Although they cannot clearly convey their intentions, they can understand the location of their companions and what actions they are preparing to take.

There was something wrong with that feeling. There were clearly four two-tailed wolves in their pack, but it only sensed the presence of three. The other one that was supposed to be on standby by the opposite wall suddenly disappeared.

"What's going on?" it wondered, and just as it was about to rise from its crouched position, it heard its companion's wail. The anxiety of its vanished companion and the other two-tailed wolf lurking by the same wall reached it. It seemed to be gripped by something, struggling to escape, but unable to break free.

The two two-tailed wolves on the opposite side stood up and wanted to rush to the rescue, but at this time the breath of the two-tailed wolf that was originally struggling also disappeared.

Panicked, they hurried to the opposite wall and checked their surroundings, but there was nothing there. Although confused, the remaining two two-tailed wolves still began to follow the scent with their noses in the place where the two missing two-tailed wolves were hiding.

At that moment, the ground suddenly collapsed, and at the same time, the wall bulged out as if to cover the two two-tailed wolves.

The two two-tailed wolves hurriedly tried to leap back, but the ground beneath them suddenly rebounded, pinning their four legs to the ground. If that had been the case, the two-tailed wolves could have easily crushed the ground and escaped. If they hadn't been so flustered by the unprecedented situation, they wouldn't have been caught.

However, for the attacker, their panic and momentary stiffness were all within their expectations. That gap was enough for them to catch the two two-tailed wolves.

“Guhou!?”

The two two-tailed wolves howled as they were swallowed by the wall... and nothing was left.

It was Hajime, of course, who had captured the four two-tailed wolves. From the day he resolved to strike back, he subdued hunger and phantom pain, survived by drinking sacred water, and, relying on his inexhaustible magical power, he relentlessly practiced his Refinement. His goal was to make his Refinement faster, more accurate, and more widespread. Because his current strength meant death even if he ventured outside, he used the room containing the Divine Crystal as his base, diligently training to refine his weapon to the utmost. His weapon, of course, was his Refinement.

Though he'd subdued it, he'd merely endured it. The pain continued to mount. Yet, the hunger and phantom pain seemed to spur Hajime on, energizing his focus to the limit. As a result, he could refine it several times faster than before, with greater precision within a range of nearly three meters. However, it lacked the direct impact of earth-attribute magic, and that remained unchanged.

Then, he placed the holy water in a small processed stone container and used it to advance in the maze in search of his target.

Thus, he discovered the four two-tailed wolves and followed them for a while. He was nearly discovered several times along the way, but each time, he managed to escape by using his Refined Power to escape into the wall, barely evading the wolves' pursuit. Then, seizing the moment when the four two-tailed wolves separated to ambush their prey, he used his Refined Power from inside the wall to pull them back in.

"Okay, are they still alive? My refining skills have almost no direct killing power. If I just stab the sharp stones, neither the power nor the speed is enough to kill the monsters here."

Hajime's eyes gleamed as he peered into the small hole beneath his feet. Inside, two two-tailed wolves lay trapped within the wall, their bodies completely crushed by the surrounding rocks. They couldn't move at all, and could only growl anxiously.

Hajime had previously used the sharp rocks protruding from his feet to attack monsters, but the power and speed weren't enough to pierce them, so it wasn't a practical method. That attack method, after all, still fell under the realm of earth magic. Refining was simply magic that processed minerals, so adding lethality to the process wasn't feasible. Therefore, the best he could do was restrain his prey like this.

"Just let them suffocate... but I can't wait any longer."

Hajime smiled wickedly, his eyes already showing that of a predator.

Hajime pressed his right hand against the wall and cast his alchemy spell. He cut the rock, concentrating his mind, processing it bit by bit according to the clear image in his mind. He then created a spiral object like a slender spear. He then installed the processed parts and attached a turntable-like object to the spear's handle.

"Alright, dig, dig!"

Hajime aimed the spear at the two wolves imprisoned underground, and then felt the touch of hard fur against his skin, and deflected the spear's tip.

"As expected, I can't penetrate it, but I expected that."

Why didn't Hajime choose a dagger or sword? It's because, generally speaking, stronger monsters are tougher. Of course, there are exceptions due to racial traits. But to compensate for his own incompetence, Hajime, who had previously focused on training, figured that monsters of this level wouldn't be vulnerable to ordinary swords.

So, Hajime turned the dial on the gun, and the spiral on the gun head began to rotate in sync. Yes, this was the drill Hajime had conceived to break through the monster's tough skin.

Hajime applied his weight from above, desperately turning the dial with his right hand, and the spear tip immediately began to sink into the two-tailed wolf's skin.

“Guaaaaaa!?”

The two-tailed wolf screamed.

"Does it hurt? I won't apologize, okay? I'm trying to survive, and you guys are going to eat me too, right? It's the same for us."

As Hajime said this, he put more weight on the drill and turned it. The two-tailed wolf struggled desperately, but the stone wall around it was completely solid, making it impossible to struggle.

Then, the drill finally pierced the wolf's skin, mercilessly destroying its body. The wolf screamed before dying, and after a while, it suddenly trembled violently as if in a convulsion and became motionless.

"Okay, at least we have food."

Shi smiled happily and stabbed the remaining three to death one by one. After killing all the two-tailed wolves, Shi used his refining skills to take out the bodies of the two-tailed wolves and removed their fur one by one with his inconvenient single hand.

Driven by hunger, he began to eat the meat of the two-tailed wolf.

In the darkness, the light of the green stone dimly illuminated the surroundings, casting a shadow on the wall of the abyss. It was the shadow of Hajime, facing a beast, devouring and chewing meat with an appearance more beast-like than a beast.

"Ah, wow~ Damn it! It tastes so bad!"

Despite cursing, he did not stop chewing and could be said to be eating with full concentration.

The tough, sinewy flesh dripped with blood. Hajime bit through it with all his might, swallowing it down desperately. He hadn't eaten in about two weeks, and the sudden arrival of the meat startled his stomach, sending a sharp, stabbing pain in protest. But Hajime ignored it, swallowing chunks of meat without stopping.

He looked like a complete savage, which would be quite scary in the eyes of modern people.

Although the strong stench and taste made Hajime want to cry, the feeling of his hunger gradually being cured still made him feel intoxicated. Hajime had never thought that being able to eat could be such a happy thing. He continued to gnaw on it completely obliviously.

He ate like this for who knows how long. If the people related to the Holy Church knew that Hajime was guzzling the holy water like a drink, they would probably faint. When Hajime began to feel full, his body began to change.

“Huh? —!? Ugh!!!”

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain all over my body. It was a terrifying feeling, as if something was eating away at my insides. The pain grew more intense as time went by.

“Guaaaaah! W-what is that—Guuuuuuu!”

The pain was unbearable, as if something was eating away at him. Hajime rolled on the ground in agony. The pain was far worse than even the phantom pain.

With trembling hands, Hajime removed the stone test tube, crushed the tip, and drank the liquid. The holy water took effect immediately, and the pain gradually subsided. But not long after, the intense pain returned.

“Eaaaaaaa!! Why… isn’t it okay, ahhhh!”

Hajime's body began to pulsate with pain, thump, thump, his whole body was shaking, and he could even hear the sound of tearing in various parts of his body.

But in the next moment, the holy water in the body took effect and repaired the abnormality of the body. After the repair was completed, severe pain came again, and then it was repaired again.

Due to the effects of the sacred water, Hajime couldn't even faint. His powerful healing ability actually became a disadvantage.

Hajime screamed, rolling on the ground, banging his head against the wall, continuing to experience the taste of hell with no end in sight. Hajime prayed for someone to give him a quick death, but such a wish was of course impossible to fulfill, so he could only endure it.