Chapter 2. Got Fuel.

"Whoa..." I flipped through the panels, marveling at the specs. The train had taken something precious from me, but damn if it wasn't worth it.

"...Phew, that's a relief." That had been one of my biggest worries, and reading it eased my mind a bit.

'Worth the sacrifice, at least.' It was bittersweet, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a mix of regret and strange satisfaction. Either way, no matter what monsters were dancing out there, this place was absolutely safe.

But it was too early to relax completely. Even the sturdiest fortress was just a pile of scrap without power to keep it running.

"Now for the fuel..." I tentatively tapped the energy management tab. My heart raced—what if it demanded another body part or my memories? But thankfully, no such nightmare appeared.

"Mana stones, huh..." I nodded. A cliché from fantasy novels with monsters—the stones that drop when you kill them. Apparently, those things prowling outside had them too. And thanks to the hefty initial investment, even junk like monster scraps or metal would keep it running for a good while.

"Next up..." I glanced at the empty minibar and kitchen. For some reason, electricity and water worked fine whenever I turned the taps, but the fridge was barren. Water was great, but food was another story.

"Food..."

Grrrowl. Right on cue, my stomach rumbled.

The train could protect me, but to get mana stones as fuel or fill my belly with rations, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'd have to step outside eventually.

I peered out the window. The train was still chugging through the night streets. Massive monsters occasionally loomed, making the outside feel like another world entirely. And there, in the distance, was the next station.

'Can I do this?' I took a deep breath, steeling myself. I didn't need to hunt monsters—just grab some food and metal. Sneak around the station quick and get back.

Screeech— The moment I thought to stop, a sharp friction sound rang out as the train halted. Outside was a quiet station on the city outskirts. Beyond the collapsed fence, a darkened convenience store sign dangled precariously, like it'd been through a typhoon.

"Haa..." I slumped into the control seat, rubbing my dry face. My growling stomach urged me on.

"A weapon would be nice, though..." With trembling hands, I manipulated the holographic panel.

[Internal Customization] - [Furniture/Props]

"Please, something useful... Huh?" My scrolling finger stopped. I selected the basic tool set and hit deploy. With a shimmer of light, a red metal toolbox thudded onto the floor from thin air.

I hurriedly opened it. Amid screwdrivers and pliers, I grabbed the heaviest-looking one.

"Fits perfectly..." It was a hammer with a grip just right for one hand. The red coating gave it a sleek vibe—different from any hardware store knockoff, probably because it was train-summoned.

"Alright... here goes." I psyched myself up and hit the door release.

Hisss—The door slid open, cool night air rushing in. I stepped out dramatically.

"Eek!" But the instant my foot hit the ground, I stumbled. My stride, which would've been fine before, was off—my legs were subtly shorter now, tangling my step. I flailed and barely caught my balance.

"Whoa, that scared me..." This new body wasn't adapting easily. My viewpoint was lower, legs shorter. Even my gait felt awkward, like wearing someone else's shoes. And yeah, the shoe size was off too.

'Can I even run properly like this?' If there was a clothing or shoe store nearby, I'd have to check it out. Pushing down my anxiety, I climbed the fence and headed for the convenience store.

Then.

Grrr... A chilling growl echoed from the shadows beside the store. My body froze stiff. A calf-sized wild dog with mangy fur exposing hideous red skin glared at me.

'It's big. Just one, but...' A desk-jockey like me had never faced a beast like that. My legs shook. Run—that was all I could think, but my feet were glued to the ground like with bondo.

It kicked off the pavement and lunged.

"Gah! Stay back!" As its jaws neared my face, I screamed, squeezed my eyes shut, and swung the hammer wildly.

Whoosh— My shortened arm and weakened strength made it glance off its shoulder instead of the head.

'Missed.' I'm dead, I thought.

SPLAT!—!

"Huh?" Not a dull thud, but a watermelon exploding. What I thought was a graze had pulverized its upper body beyond recognition, hurling it into the distance. A parked compact car's door crumpled like paper alongside the corpse.

"Did I... do that?" I blankly alternated between my pale hand and the hammer. No shock in my wrist. Not a scratch on the hammer, and the blood flaked off cleanly.

"How...?" I'd get sore muscles climbing stairs at the office. As a woman now, I should've been weaker—

I let out a hollow laugh at the floating message.

"Item perks, huh?" Terror flipped to relief in an instant. I approached the mangled corpse. It dissolved into black smoke, leaving a single purple mana stone.

"So this is a mana stone." I pocketed it and gripped the hammer reverently. What had felt like a basic safety tool now seemed utterly reliable.

My steps to the convenience store were much lighter. In the glass reflection, a bob-haired girl with the hammer grinned back.

"Jeez." Still couldn't get used to it. This is me? I stared blankly for a moment, then snapped out of it and entered.

The inside was a mess, but stocked better than expected. That wild dog must've guarded it—no other survivors had gotten in.

"Jackpot." I opened the storeroom door, piled with boxes of snacks and ramen. And in the corner, a blue plastic cart.

"Nice." With wheels, no hesitation. I swept the storeroom and shelves: canned goods, instant rice, jerky, chocolate, ramen. Long shelf life, high calories first.

"Skip the water." I grabbed a pack of bottled water but set it down. The train's kitchen sink poured purified water endlessly. No need to waste space on heavy bottles—more room for tuna and spam.

The cart overflowed with boxes and food. I grabbed essentials too, just in case.

"Heave-ho." I pushed the cart out easily. The wheels chirped cheerfully, like solo shopping at a big mart.

Thankfully, no monsters on the way back. I dumped the spoils inside. The empty living room corner now brimmed with food—satisfying just to look at.

"Time to fuel up." I pulled out the mana stone. Its purple glow shimmered ethereally. Puzzling where to put it at the control panel, a small chute popped open.

"Here...?" I tossed it in.

Vrrrum—! The engine hummed smoothly, a satisfying whir.

"A whole week?" My eyes widened. I'd figured maybe a day tops—efficiency was impressive.

But the surprises kept coming.

New panels lit up on the control screen. I tapped curiously.

"It does everything..." Fuel wasn't just for moving—it was like currency for upgrades too. With enough, I could fortify this train endlessly.

I stared at the screen blankly. A week's worth left. What to mod or create first? Munching snacks from the convenience store, I'd ponder it slowly.