Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Convenience Store
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Convenience Store
“What, can you really create golems?”
“I told you I can! Damn it... why isn't it working...?”
It was just like the rare metal ingot. A bit smaller, with the only slight difference being the blue magic stone embedded in the center.
“Well, it looks like the skill is working. So you weren't lying?”
"O-Of course not...!”
As I was talking with Han Do-hee, a notification popped up in my status window.
“Gasp! The number of synthesizable objects changed to three!”
“What does that... Ah, you mean you can combine the things you made?”
“That's right! I'll try combining them now, okay?”
“Yeah, go ahead. And tell that phone golem of yours to get a proper shot.”
“Ah, got it!”
After slightly turning Doggo's head, I used the skill again. This time, I was synthesizing the sword and the rare metal ingot.
“Golem Synthesis...!”
As I chanted "synthesis," the two pieces began to tangle together, just like when I combined Minium and the cockroach. They met in mid-air, melted, and twisted around each other, becoming one.
“Oh, ooh...!”
“A-A temporary form?!”
“What? What's happening?”
Engulfed in a blue radiance, the rare metal and the sword began to transform into a more complex shape than before. Along with the notification that it had gained a power source, what descended to the floor was....
“Is this... a bird?”
“An eagle? Or a hawk?”
Its body was made of a bright, clean white metal, and a blue magic stone embedded in its chest pulsed with a shimmering light.
With blue eyes set in its face... it was an eagle with a sharp beak. A hawk...? I wasn't sure, but it was definitely a bird of prey.
“W-Wow...!! It's a success—!!”
The eagle elegantly preened one of its wings with its beak. It had a completely different feel from the dopey-looking Doggo and the featureless Minium.
The glossy, bright white feathers, and the blue eyes that seemed to be modeled after the magic stone.
It had a somewhat intimidating face and looked exactly like a real animal. The fact that it was made of metal was incredible.
And it even moved! On top of that, it was made of rare metal? Seeing something this cool, it must be an amazing fighter!
“This...! Look at this! It's an eagle!”
“You're right, it really does look like an animal.”
Overjoyed, I hugged the rare metal eagle and nuzzled my cheek against it, only for the eagle to peck the top of my head with the tip of its sharp beak.
“Ouch?!”
After pecking my head, the eagle waddled a short distance away, then spread one wing wide and bowed its head to me in a greeting.
“Uh... hello?”
“It even has good manners.”
“I know, right....”
Do I remember ever seeing an eagle bow its head to greet someone? Well, it's not a real eagle to begin with. Then... that must mean it's that much smarter, right?
“I think I can finally work as a Hunter now!”
Our eagle... more accurately, the bird of prey golem that looked exactly like a bald eagle, spread its wings again and stomped around the house on its sharp-taloned feet, taking a look around.
—Kiiit....
“Huh? What's wrong? Is something the matter?”
The raptor golem turned its head to look at me when I called. I'm not sure if animals have expressions, but for some reason, I felt like I knew what the bald eagle golem wanted to say to me.
‘How pathetic.’
“Hmph....”
“I'm depressed.... And I'm hungry....”
The golem made from 6kg of rare metal ingots and a magic stone-embedded sword, nicknamed ‘Suri,’ watched me lying on the mattress and shook its head.
It was probably thinking something along the lines of, ‘To think something like that is my master, my life is ruined.’
In this house with nothing to eat but tap water, the depression and hunger reached their peak, and I collapsed, having lost all will to live.
“Ah... I'm so hungry....”
At this rate, I could definitely die. The tap water was clean, so there wasn't a problem with drinking water, but the issue was that I couldn't get any food unless I went outside in broad daylight.
What if I go out in this body and get kidnapped by some weirdo? My original body had no value, so there was no need to kidnap it, but honestly, my current body is so pretty and cute that it wouldn't be strange at all if I got kidnapped.
Yeah, I hate to admit it.
“Ugh... I'm cute, after all....”
I mustered the energy to sit at my desk and write a post on the Awakening Gallery, but the response this time was lukewarm.
[Life Is Ruined] Baby Awakening Bro is hungry
Anyone wanna give me just one burger, for real?
This bastard's at it again.
Go get a job, you retard lol.
If you post a face pic, I'll buy you a burger.
“No way in hell.”
Posting my face now would be the same as selling my life for a single burger. My looks are practically one-of-a-kind in South Korea.
“Sigh, I guess I have no choice.”
If I tie up my white hair so it's not visible and tuck it neatly inside my hood, it should be fine, right?
After throwing on some clothes, I rolled up my hair, stuffed it down my collar, and pulled up my hood. Except for my bangs, my white hair was hidden.
The hood is a little big, so if I pull it down a bit more, my face won't be visible. I also put on shorts this time. The only pair of ROKA shorts in my house that still had a drawstring...
“Phew... let's go.”
Thankfully, I had my wallet. Inside was a debit card that originally had only 80,000 won and 1,800 won in coins.
Thanks to Doggo, I can pay this month's rent, and I have enough to buy some food for now.
“Doggo. What's my balance?”
“Oh, ooh....”
Hehehe... Doggo is truly the greatest golem I've ever made. This is what you call a national-level power.
“Let's go together. Just in case.”
Suri is too big and would attract too much attention, and there's no particular reason to bring Minium. But I might get a phone call, so Doggo should come.
“Phew, calm down. Stay calm.”
I pressed a hand to my pounding chest, then carefully opened the door and stepped outside. A short hallway led directly to a downward staircase. I was in room 404 of a small studio apartment building. Thank goodness my house wasn't an error.
“Minium, Suri. Don't cause any trouble while I'm gone, okay? Got it?”
—Creaak!
—Kiiit
After hearing the two golems' replies, I carefully descended the stairs. The steps felt higher than usual, a reminder of this thin, soft body with not a single muscle on it.
I realized it when I went to collect beer cans, but I can't fight in this body. I have a certain premonition of defeat. I'm confident that a single punch would send me blasting off like Team Rocket.
“But... where should I go...?”
Come to think of it, I hadn't decided where to buy food. This was a residential area filled with shabby one and two-room villas. To put it nicely, a moon village.
Or I could use other words with negative connotations: a slum, a shantytown, the ghetto, the hood, hell, the abyss, the underworld, limbo, the netherworld, Tartarus, Niflheim (winter only), and so on.
Fortunately, there was a convenience store nearby.
‘The place I used to work....’
That's right. The only nearby place was my former workplace. Well, it's my former workplace now. Actually, I don't know if it will stay that way or if I'll end up working there again.
‘Still, I don't think I should go there.’
Honestly, they probably wouldn't even recognize me if I went, but still. It just feels wrong, I don't want to go....
In the end, I walked the long distance to the main road, and when I reached the part of the neighborhood where the ground was flat, there were tons of people.
It was around 1 PM. That meant I hadn't eaten anything for about 14 hours.
Although, I did drink a bit of the electrified bathwater. Maybe that's why I'm not thirsty.
Doggo, tucked inside my hoodie pocket, peeked its head out and looked around. It seemed to be enjoying the view, as its tail was wagging furiously inside the pocket.
It's been a while since I've been out this way, so I'm not sure what's around.
I instinctively reached into my pocket to pull out my phone and open a map app, but all I felt was Doggo's USB tail.
“Haa.... Doggo, is there anywhere to eat around here? Like a convenience store? Can you pull up a map and show me....”
—Beep!
Doggo ducked its head back into my pocket and started checking various locations on the map app.
A moment later, Doggo peeked its head out again, then suddenly stretched out and jumped down to the street.
“D-Doggo?! Where are you going!?”
—Beep beep!!
“W-Wait up!”
Doggo was acting as my living navigation system. As people's eyes focused on it, I pulled my hood down low and chased after the scurrying golem.
“Pant... pant...! Ah, a convenience store...!! Haa....”
Thankfully, we arrived safely at a convenience store. It was really far from my house.
Shopping was much easier than I had thought. I probably just looked like a short kid, and as long as I didn't say a word and just held out my card, the payment would be over in a flash.
Inside the black plastic bag were five hot bars, three cup rice meals, and a pack of non-spicy instant noodles.
“This should last me a few days, right...?”
Just as I finished paying and was about to leave, Doggo started acting up again.
“Hey, where are you going?! We don't need to go to another convenience store—?!”
Doggo ignored my calls and moved farther away. It was literally a phone with legs running away from me.
After finishing my shopping, the tension in my anxious body had completely melted away, but now, running again, I was incredibly out of breath.
“P-Please...! Doggo, come back...!!”
Doggo grew more distant, and my vision started to blur.
—Aaaah!! Run!!
—A gate! A gate opened!!
My heart was pounding so loudly that my ears were ringing. The plastic bag I was holding was heavy, and my arms and legs ached.
As I bent over with my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath, someone's shoulder slammed hard into me as they ran past.
—Crash!!
“Ugh...!”
The heavy shoulder of an adult knocked my whole body backward. My head, which had been bowed, snapped up toward the sky, and only then did I see what was right in front of me.
“Huh, heh...?”
A gate. A gate had appeared, and monsters were pouring out of it.
“Gasp...!!”
I had run too much; I couldn't run anymore. I wanted to escape, but my body wouldn't listen.
—Grrrrr...!
A wolf-shaped monster, about the size of a grown man, radiating a deep violet aura.
The moment our eyes met, I knew instinctively.
‘I'm going to die...!’
Just as it turned toward me and kicked off the ground.
—SWOOOOSH!!!!
Thud—!!!
“Ugh....”
The impact was strong enough to shatter the stone bricks of the sidewalk. A loud crash, and a cloud of dust billowed up.
And from within it, a certain figure waddled out.
“S-Suri...?”
—Kiiit...!
A bald eagle golem made of rare metal, weighing about 8kg. The impact of its hard, sharp talons striking down from the sky at dozens of kilometers per hour could never be weak.
“Waaah... Suri...!!”
You're the best. You're really number one in my heart.