That Unique Monster Who Just Got the 'Consciousness' Passive Skill

He spoke great lengths of words. Very soon, my food was ready, and he let me dig in. "About the money, well, we're all having our ups and downs, son! You'll be so kind as to pay me later! Gwueh heh heh! Day you find your treasure out, you'll think of me, drop by again, and we'll have our own restaurant by the beach! Hwueh heh heh!" Both the old man's laugh and personality were lovable.

I barely, in fact, understood a word of all the things he spoke of. When he talked of 'ups and downs' he said I had no coins with me, but that it was fine; I didn't understand it. I'd only learn later that—of course, obviously, am I stupid—you needed money to eat food. And when he talked about things related to the Guild, adventuring, Golems and Goblins, I didn't understand either, only deciding to nod at his every word. Healers, Guild, quests, outside the walls… Though I didn't understand his speech (to an extent), the owner's fantasies managed to at least plant a seed of interest within me. Adventurers, huh, I thought. Soon, this seed would bloom, and I'd get to be involved in a lot of stuff. Stuff that is far beyond me.

And that would be where, after I joined the Game, I would create my character. Only then would I truly participate in it, and only then would the System truly open itself to me.

The stout old man stayed with me, cooking and chatting. I nearly finished the first bowl of Yum Yum Spicy Magical Starry Noodles he'd served me (after consulting my honorable opinion on the name he could give his new recipe, I acknowledged and recognized the beauty of the current noodles' name saying it was great, so he officially would put them in tomorrow's menu under the same name), he served me some more noodles. When I thanked him for his kindness—because yes, it quite shocked me at the time, but when I understood it I was super glad, that human was being kind to me—I said I was good and I'd stop troubling him now, the sun had already gone down and all… but he insisted I did not.

So I'd stay with him, and taste some more of his new recipes. After the YYSMS Noodles, I tasted three other bowls, "I'm full now, old man. Can't take anything more in my stomach," with even funkier names one after the other. "Say, old man, if I come by tomorrow again, will you serve me more food?"

"I don't know what I am! But I know what I ain't, son. You and I both. We ain't strangers with each other, now are we, son?!" he asked, his voice always louder than before. "You drop by whenever you want! And if you ain't got a coin, I ain't got a grudge! Y'know how the saying goes!"

After thanking the old man profusely, I said I was sleepy, so I'd need to head off now.

"Till we meet again, son!"

I waved bye-bye.

After the friendly old man and I parted, as I didn't think of any other place where to sleep, I decided to head back to the deserted back alley to spend the night. This was where I'd been robbed during the time I was passed out. Now that the sun was gone, and that only a few sunrays remained, struggling to light up a corner of the horizon with their darkish blue light, the back alley was as if totally plunged into darkness. Thankfully, I had Mana Perception. So I saw everything, and aside from the newcomers (rats) who were now occupying part of the place, nothing had changed.

The atmosphere was still moist and reeking of piss. The trash that had been there, at places stuffed in barrels, and at places just flattened on the ground, was still there too. Not a very nice place to spend my very first night, but as I had no better experience to compare to, I didn't mind much. I spoke a lot with the friendly owner, and as a result, I was totally drained of my energy. I was spent, through and through. Well, in fact, however, my tired situation was more due to the negative effect of Poisoning I still dragged with me everywhere, oblivious of its presence, but as I didn't know, I just thought I'd sleep my tiredness off, and the night would renew my vigor.

Although, in fact, tomorrow would do me no such favors. Heavily dragging my feet up to a zone where the stinking odor was lesser, huffing heavily, I thought of gently resting my back on the wall, to then calmly slide down to a sitting, then lying position—I just collapsed on the spot, abundantly sweating and heaving in pain. I was unconscious.

The poison would be acting up the most now. So by the night, when the pain was too strong, I was left on the cold ground of night moaning feverishly. At some other times, the pain lessened with my symptoms. During those times, I managed to get some rest. But then my misery would come again, and though unconscious, I still barely could endure it, agonizing in the dark.

…Ring!

❮ The new Passive Skill [Resistance to Poison +1] has been acquired. ❯

I was still in pain, though. My experience of suffering dragged on for a long time, across almost the whole night. As time went by, I kept going in circles within the cycle of poisoning. I could rest for half an hour, then the aching made me restless again, and so on, for the whole night. The passive skill Resistance to Poison I had obtained in the process, was apparently upgraded to [Resistance to Poison +3].

❮ The Player has reached level 40! ❯

❮ You have reached level 40, therefore, processing an Evolution is deemed possible. Evolution Procedure has been issued by the System. Pending… ❯

[Resistance to Poison +3], yes. Was my Receptacle still deemed defective by the System? I didn't know. I didn't even know it was deemed defective in the first place anyway. Even if I did, however, it wouldn't matter. For the thieves who were about to assault me would stir in yet another direction.

❮ Analyzing the Player's Status: in process… ❯

❮ The Player has met the requirements to undergo 'Evolution'. 'Level 40' Condition has been met. 'State of Sleep' Condition has been met. '95% or more of mana supplies' Condition has been met. ❯

Both the sky and my mind were still dark. But they both neared their respective dawn. To the sky, dawn was brought by the sun. It was time for the sky to wake up. To myself, dawn was brought by— "Hey you, old homeless freak!" And it was time to wake up, too, just like the sky.

❮ Starting Evolution: You receive Positive Effect 'Evolving'—

It was so sudden. A powerful kick landed on my ribs.

❮ Failure to proceed: The following Condition(s) has not been met — 'State of Sleep'. ❯

With one last notification, the System asserted another try would be issued when all the requirements would be met.

But I didn't mind any of that. I was still in pain. A lot. I was suffering from a freaking lot of pain still. When that kick landed on my chest—

"You homeless fiend! Told you to wake up!"

"Ugh. Pretty sure you didn't, Big Bro."

"Yeah-yeah… You, uh, you didn't, uh, Big Bro!"

"Don't matter! He's gotta wake up all the same! You homeless asshole! Nutjob! Shithead! You… wake up! Get it?!"

You heard them. All I thought was: What the hell? What's going down? Am I attacked? Enemies? Where? My body aches! Crap! And they would kick me again. "Ugh!"