As Khaelen’s figure gradually vanished into the thick of the Canopy, I too readied myself to continue moving. However, there was one last, major treasure that still remained here for me.

  With a single bound, I arrived at the Onisha’s corpse. The Leapfroggers, combined with a freshly grafted set of Deinopi legs, allowed me to traverse vast distances almost effortlessly. The mysterious elastic substance on its soles seemed to significantly reduce the impact of falling and allowed me to land without harm.

  I grimly stared at the fallen Onisha as I considered what I had to do.

  First, I had to confirm something. From the Shop, I purchased a [Void Dagger-250 AP] for a whopping 12,000 points. The sleek, jet-black blade appeared to absorb light itself as it sliced through the Onisha’s chest.

  Within moments, I peeled back a thick flap of fat and flesh and exposed the Onisha’s chest cavity. Nestled tightly within its rib cage, I saw a grey heart the size of a bowling ball flanked on each side by a massive pair of lungs. My own heart sank at the sight.

  Initially, I’d been planning on replacing my heart and lungs in hopes of solving one of my biggest weaknesses at the moment; my incredibly low stamina. I was like a high-octane engine powered by a potato battery. In my clash with the Onisha, it had nearly cost me my life.

  I wasn’t sure how much real estate I had in my own chest, but even with a quick glance it was readily apparent that there was no way it’d be able to fit the Onisha’s organs. Nor could I make use of any of its limbs; merely attempting to move its titanic arms or legs would likely cause my heart to explode.

  The tantalizing feeling of having a treasure chest packed to brim with riches, yet being unable to open it, was agonizing. What should I do? Just give up and store it away for the future?

  No....I refuse. There must be a way, there always was. Or, at least, that was what I had always convinced myself with.

  The easiest, most logical option was to just chop up the corpse and save everything in the hopes I’d eventually be able to use them somehow. Maybe I could find a set of internals that fit my body and were efficient enough to at least use the arms or legs. Some sort of piece of equipment perhaps, that’d magically allow them to fit. In the meantime, I could shore up my physique stat with some items from the Shop.

  But that wasn’t my style, not anymore; hoping that things would fall into my lap and things would go my way. If anything, every experience here had taught me that I had to be prepared for any situation to go south, especially with that Heretic God meddling in my affairs. The next Tier 4 or higher race I came across would most likely spell my doom.

  I had to seize every opportunity and create my own luck, enough to bear the destiny of my world.

  As I stood there, lost in thought, an absurd plan formed in my mind. Even considering everything that had happened, it was truly insane.

  But one couldn’t survive in this twisted world without being a little insane.

  But I wouldn’t be able to do it alone; I’d need a second pair of hands, a bit ironic considering how many I had in my Inventory.

  “Melchior, is there anything in the Shop that can move on its own? Maybe like some sort of pet or assistant?”

  “Master Adun may wish to consider inspecting the Auxiliary tab of the Shop. However, it requires the purchase of an upgrade.”

  Sigh, more points down the drain. Looks like I was about to become a pauper again.

  I selected the list of Shop upgrades and quickly found what I was looking for.

  Within the Auxiliary tab I saw quite a few items that looked to potentially be quite useful, including various elixirs, magic scrolls, and futuristic equipment. Seems like this Shop is just a mish-mash of things from all over the universe.

  I browsed through the Shop for quite a while, but couldn’t find anything that quite fit my needs. I saw that there were a variety of pets being sold, but I didn’t need some wisecracking, yapping mutt. What I required was something that could carry out my commands precisely, even in the absence of my presence.

  “Master Adun, if I may suggest something? Please purchase the Dorai Mark 4 bot,” Melchior suddenly chimed in.

  Hm? I inspected the Dorai bot, which cost 2000 points, and saw that it appeared to be a helper bot only capable of performing simple commands such as cleaning or cooking.

  There were more advanced autonomous robots available, equipped with a multitude of combat and support functions, but their prices were astronomical.

  “Melchior, are you sure? I don’t think this bot is smart enough to do what I need it to.”

  “Master Adun need not worry. As an advanced artificial intelligence myself, I should be able to interface with the Dorai Mark 4 bot and control it.”

  Not bad, looks like I might have to upgrade you from just being Melchior-dex.

  I purchased the Dorai bot, along with 5 Greater Potions. I didn’t want to take any extra chances with what I was about to do.

  As I retrieved the Dorai bot from the Mail, what appeared in front of me was a rather cute, blue cat robot that was strangely missing its ears. It hovered in the air using a tiny propeller attached to the top of its head.

  “Beginning interface. Standby.”

  Soon, the Dorai bot’s eyes shifted to a pure white color and it began move on its own, experimentally flexing its limbs.

  “Everything alright Melchior? How is it?”

  “This body’s capabilities are extremely limited. I will not be of any aid to Master Adun in a combat scenario. However, I am able to perform most basic functions.”

  Excellent. That was more than enough. Now to complete my preparations.

  I walked over the massive club that still lay next to the Onisha and, pulling out the Void Dagger, began to saw away at one of the spikes lodged inside of it. After several minutes of grunting and sweating, I was finally able to break a spike free.

  The golden spike still hummed with energy, slightly vibrating as tendrils of electricity flickered within. This would be the final piece to the puzzle.

  I took a deep breath, slowly exhaling. I thought myself to be quite desensitized at this point, but what I was about to do was unprecedented.

  I handed the spike to the Dorai bot as I said, “Alright Melchior, here’s the plan.......”

  Once I’d finished explaining exactly what I needed it to do, I lay down in the warm earth as I gazed up at the impossibly high expanse of the Canopy. These might be my last moments here.

  But it was still better to have died on my own terms than to be taken out because of a moment of hesitation. This was just the first of many impossible odds I’d have to beat.

  With a slight tremble, I raised the Void Dagger tightly clutched in my Lycoph arm high above my head.

  And with a single, fluid motion.

  I swung it down upon my neck.

  Splurt!

  A crimson spout of blood erupted, my head now completely severed. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, as I watched the leaves sway in the gentle breeze.

  My vision began to blur and the once lively cacophony of the forest became muffled.

  Ah, it’d be so easy to just fall asleep right now. Fall asleep, and just forget everything. No more pain, no more suffering. Just blissful oblivion.

  No, I can’t. Job’s not finished.

  Vaguely, I felt something carrying me through the air, and after what felt like centuries, place me down somewhere. My sight, once able to pierce the veil of the Canopy, had become twilight, like the last embers of a dying flame.

  In the corner of the encroaching darkness, suddenly I saw something appear.

  Ding!

  And then everything went dark.

  -------------------------------------------------------

  When Melchior learned that it had been assigned to be the guide for a Tier 6 world, it had believed its assignment to be a brief one. Soon, it would be able to return to the comforting embrace of the Core.

  Yet somehow, it still remained here on Bellona for a timespan that had far exceeded its calculations. The last remaining human had thwarted death time and time again in a manner that bewildered even it.

  As it carried the human’s head to the Onisha’s corpse, it began to consider whether there had been an identification error in the candidate selection for the Tier 6 world. Perhaps this human had not been merely the most stubborn in the world, but the most insane as well. What sort of living creature would willingly decapitate themselves, after all?

  Perhaps to achieve such levels of obstinacy, one had to be a lunatic as well.

  As it lay down the human’s head, now staring vacantly into space, it uncorked a Greater Potion and began pouring it over the neck. Slowly, but surely, the head began to fuse to the Onisha’s torso as new flesh and tissue sprouted.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  The Dorae bot hovered in the air above the Onisha’s still exposed chest cavity with the lightning spike clutched in its small blue paw.

  And then, it plunged the spike deep into the Onisha’s heart.