A Trash Novel's Only Reader-Chapter 22: Tired

"Phew, I am so tired," Shu said, sitting down on his bed. "Nari is fully asleep now, meaning I should get some rest too, but..."

His attention shifted to the eggs and core on the table.

"Haaa, I need to decide what to do with these first." He rubbed his neck, really just wanting to fall back on his bed and pass out, but he didn’t like leaving things unresolved.

"I guess I should start with the core?" He asked himself, rubbing his chin as he stared at the core, "the system wants me to absorb it but man, shit sounds disgusting."

He picked it up and turned it over in his hand, ’this thing nearly killed me in that dungeon,’ he thought, remembering the queen’s evolution mid-fight, ’if i can get that power, it would really be helpful.’

The system screen popped up.

[Core Analysis Available]

[Would you like to scan the item?]

He tapped [Yes].

[Scanning...]

[Artificial Mutation Core]

[Origin: Demon-crafted]

[Energy Grade: High]

[Estimated Power Output: 4,500-6,000 units]

[Recommended Absorption Level: D-Rank or higher]

[Current User Level: F-Rank (High)]

[Warning: Energy exceeds safe consumption threshold]

’Four thousand five hundred units,’ he thought, his eye twitching. ’My Core stat is fourteen, eating this whole thing is suicide.’

The screen flickered.

[Partial Consumption Available]

[Core can be consumed in segments over multiple sessions.]

[Energy will integrate gradually as the user’s capacity grows.]

[Warning: Each session will still cause significant strain.]

[Note: Full integration may require 5-7 sessions depending on growth rate.]

’Piece by piece then,’ he thought, nodding slowly. ’That works.’

He didn’t need to think about it anymore. The world outside was getting more dangerous by the day, and he was still sitting at F-Rank.

’If I don’t get stronger fast, I am not going to live long here,’ he thought, his jaw tightening. ’At least this way I have a chance.’

He pulled up the system menu and selected [Yes] on the consume prompt.

[Partial Consumption Initiated]

[Segment Size: 15% of total core energy]

[Estimated Integration Time: 30-45 minutes]

[Warning: Pain levels will be extreme.]

[Warning: Core energy exceeds user capacity.]

[Emergency Protocol: If integration becomes unstable, consumption will be forcibly paused.]

[Proceed?]

’Stop being a bitch,’ he told himself, tightening his grip. ’You already survived one integration.’

He pressed [Proceed] and lifted the core toward his mouth.

The surface cracked the moment his teeth bit down, and a wave of dark energy flooded his tongue. It tasted bitter and electric but it this wrong taste to it, like chewing on something that didn’t belong in this world.

’Ugh, fuck,’ he thought, forcing himself to swallow. ’This is so much worse than the pig core.’

The energy hit his stomach like a bomb.

His whole body seized up, and he barely managed to stay upright on the bed as the core energy tore through him in waves. It was hotter, denser, and more violent than anything he had experienced before.

"Ghk-!"

He doubled over, one hand slamming onto the mattress while the other clutched his chest. His vision blurred, and for a second he thought he was going to pass out right there.

[Warning: Energy surge detected]

[Core capacity exceeded]

[Forced stabilization in progress]

The system screen flashed red in front of his eyes, but he could barely read it through the pain. Every pulse of energy felt like it was trying to tear him apart from the inside.

’Don’t pass out,’ he thought, gritting his teeth so hard his jaw ached. ’If I pass out now, I am done.’

Another wave hit him, and this time he felt something crack inside his chest, like a wall inside him that was trying to hold the energy back had just given way.

[Warning: Internal barrier breach]

[Energy integration accelerating]

[Pain levels: Critical]

’Shit,’ he thought, blood dripping from his nose onto the bed. ’This is way too fast.’

He tried to breathe, but his lungs felt like they were being crushed. The energy kept pouring into him, filling spaces that didn’t exist a minute ago, stretching his capacity in ways that felt fundamentally wrong.

[Emergency Protocol: Pausing consumption]

[Current integration: 8% of 15%]

[Remaining energy will be stored for next session]

The pain started to ease, slowly at first, then faster as the system forcibly cut the connection. It felt like someone had pulled a plug, and the energy surge that was trying to kill him just stopped mid-flow.

He collapsed onto the bed, chest heaving, with blood still dripping from his nose and mouth. His whole body was shaking, and every breath felt like a struggle to stay alive.

’Eight percent,’ he thought, staring at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes. ’I only got through eight percent and it nearly killed me.’

The system screen opened in front of him, showing the results.

[Partial Integration Complete]

[Energy Absorbed: 8% of Artificial Mutation Core]

[Core Energy Attribute: Mutation]

[Frame: +4]

[Core: +6]

[Circuit: +3]

[Acquired Skill Fragment]

[Mutation Resistance Lv.1 (Fragment)]

[Effect: Partial resistance to mutation-type energy and corruption.]

[Note: Skill will complete after full core integration.]

Despite feeling like he was about to die, a weak laugh escaped him.

’Six Core points from eight percent,’ he thought, letting his head fall to the side. ’My Core stat just jumped from fourteen to twenty in one session.’

The system had one more thing to show him.

[Remaining Core Energy Stored]

[Next Session Available: 24 hours minimum]

[Recommended: Level up 2-3 times before next session]

[Current Stored Energy: 7%]

He pulled up his status and checked the numbers.

[Status:]

[Name: Shu]

[Rank: F-Rank (High)]

[Level: 11]

[EXP: 2,100/4,800]

[Credits: 22,900]

[Free Stat Points: 6]

[Frame: 34]

[Core: 20] 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

[Circuit: 17]

[Authority: 2 (Domain-linked)]

[Skill Set:]

[ - Domain Lv.2 (Unique)]

[ - Slaughterer Lv.2 (Active)]

[ - Unwavering Spirit Lv.1 (Passive)]

[ - Iron Stomach Lv.1 (Passive)]

[ - Arms Bond Lv.1 (Passive)]

[ - Mutation Resistance Lv.1 (Fragment)]

’F-Rank High,’ he thought, a tired grin pulling at his mouth. ’If I can get a few more levels and finish absorbing that core, I might actually hit E-rank within the week.’

He dismissed the screen and looked at the table where the core still sat, noticeably dimmer than before but still pulsing with dark energy.

His eyes drifted to the two eggs sitting beside the core, ’guess next on the agenda are the eggs.’

The system screen popped up again the moment he focused on them.

[Eggs Detected]

[Venom Serpent Queen Offspring x2]

[Would you like to begin imprinting?]

[Imprinting will mix the offspring with the user’s biological signature and establish primary loyalty.]

[Yes / No]