Chapter 5: Reject
Somewhere in the Border Prison
A few days later, Theo found himself marching again. He walked alongside the Scavenger Tribe, pulling a cart behind him.
“Miss Erika,” one of the men muttered, glancing back, “what are you planning to do with this loot?”
“I don’t know,” Erika replied casually. “Let’s just tell the elder the truth. This one’s worthless. Even the Agros didn’t want him even after he was discounted.”
They didn’t bother lowering their voices and didn’t bother pretending. Theo could hear every word as he dragged the cart forward. The cart itself was filled with food, grain sacks, dried meat, supplies. Payment from the Agricultural Tribe in exchange for prisoners.
Everyone got traded. Everyone except Theo.
Theo didn’t react outwardly, but his mind was far from quiet. It had been months since he first arrived in this world. Months since he felt any sense of wonder, and months since magic felt exciting.
Even the frustration and depression from realizing how useless his status was… those had already passed. What remained now was something simpler. Anger and resentment. His thoughts moved constantly. Running scenarios and simulations of what he would do to this world when he had power. And none of those scenarios ended well.
Well… not for this world.
For him? They all ended beautifully.
Back on Earth, he had felt the same way. The same quiet irritation toward everything. And he had dealt with it the only way he knew how. By cheating the system, outplaying people who thought they were smarter than him.
So why not here? What was stopping him from doing the same thing again?
Nothing.
…except one small issue.
He needed a place to operate from. It was hard to control anyone when you were exhausted, starving, and dragging a cart like livestock.
---
Stone Ruins, Somewhere
By nightfall, the group stopped. They settled in the remains of an old stone ruin, half-swallowed by trees and overgrown bushes.
This was the only time Theo could rest. He sat down, letting the tension leave his legs. And as he did, he noticed something. He wasn’t as tired as he used to be.
Back in the early days of marching, his body would have been screaming by now.
Now? It was manageable. His breathing was steady and his muscles, stronger. There was progress. Honestly… he was a little satisfied. Getting stronger without paying for a gym membership? Not bad.
But something still bothered him. Because no matter how much stronger he felt, his status never reflected it.
“Status Window,” he whispered quiet and carefully.
Being a Summoned Hero—even a failed one—was information Theo intended to keep to himself. He had already given up on hiding how weak he was. But his system? That was different. People found ways to profit from anything, and he wasn’t about to become someone else’s investment.
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[ GENERAL INFORMATION ]
Name : Theo Poliznev
Title : Reject
Class : Necromancer
Level : 1
EXP : 36 / 1000
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[ CORE STATS ]
HP : 72 / 100
MP : 70 / 70
Stamina : 32 / 60
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[ ATTRIBUTES ]
Strength : 1
Agility : 2
Intelligence: 5
Charisma : 4
Luck : 2
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[ SKILL AND SPELLS ]
(See detailed page)
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[ UNIQUE SKILL ]
N/A
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[ PASSIVE TRAITS ]
→ Fragmented Taxation
Effect :
- EXP gained from kills reduced to 25%
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[ CONTRACTS STATUS ]
Souls : 0 / 13
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Theo stared at the screen, then at the title. His eyebrow twitched.
Reject.
A newly acquired title. Earned the moment not a single person in the Agricultural Tribe wanted to buy him, even at a discounted price. His own system wasn’t just useless. It had a sense of humor.
Theo dismissed the window with a flick of irritation.
“HAHAHAHAHA!”
Laughter broke through the night. Theo glanced toward the fire. Its the same scene as always.
A group of young men from the Scavenger Tribe crowded around Erika, trying their best to impress her. Jokes, exaggerated stories, subtle bragging. None of it particularly subtle, actually.
Just the usual things men did when a beautiful woman was present. Some were loud, some were confident. Others stayed quiet.
But even the quieter ones couldn’t help themselves. Theo noticed the glances. The lingering looks, the hopeful ones, like the one walking toward him right now.
A halfling with freckles and curly hair, carrying two plates. One for Theo, the other for the dog sitting beside him.
“Woof!”
The dog perked up immediately and started eating without hesitation.
“Thanks, Dunley,” Theo said, taking his portion.
“How are you today, Theo?” Dunley asked as he handed the plate over.
“Not bad,” Theo replied, already eating. “When are we arriving at your settlement again?”
“In two or three days,” Dunley said, sitting down nearby.
“And… what will happen to me when we get there?” Theo asked carefully.
“You’ll probably be trained to become a scavenger like me,” Dunley replied kindly. “Don’t think about it too much. Just eat your dinner.”
As he said that, his gaze drifted back toward Erika, a small smile forming on his face. Theo noticed it immediately. This halfling is hopeless.
As Theo finished his meal, he casually gave part of it to the dog beside him. It happily accepted the extra food, tail wagging as he munched.
“It seems Roper already likes you now,” Dunley said.
“Kind of,” Theo replied. “He lets me move about one meter now.”
Dunley chuckled and took the plates from both Theo and Roper.
“Well, good night then, Theo. See you tomorrow.”
Theo watched him leave. Dunley was the weakest member of the group—well, if Theo didn’t count himself—and more or less the tribe’s errand boy. More than once, Theo wondered if this would be his future as well.
Another Dunley.
“Sigh…”
That was a problem for later. First, he needed to reach their base. Only then could he decide what to do next. For now, it was late. Time to sleep, and maybe think about Earth for a bit before drifting off.
---
Later That Night
“WOOF! WOOF!”
Theo jolted awake to Roper’s barking. He opened his eyes and immediately saw the camp in chaos. Men were grabbing weapons, voices overlapping in confusion.
“Where’s the patrols?! Why is there no signal?!”
“Stay close!”
“It’s too dark—I can’t see!”
It took him a second, but then he understood. They were under attack.
Theo pushed himself up and looked toward the darkness beyond the camp. That was when he saw it.
Pairs of red eyes. Dozens of them, glowing faintly in the night.
Roper had already moved in front of Erika, growling and barking toward the unseen threat. Erika stood close to her men, sword raised, her posture steady.
Then the shapes began to emerge.
Wolves. Real wolves. Larger than Roper. Larger than any normal wolf he had ever seen. Their fur was pitch black, their eyes glowing red, and their fangs long and curved like sabers.
One of them stepped forward with a human body hung from its jaws. A scavenger body, limp and dead.
“T-that’s our patrol?!” one man muttered.
“Oh fuck! It’s the demon hounds!” another screamed.
“How the hell did they get here?! We’re not even in their territory!” someone else shouted.
“Doesn’t matter now! Get ready to fight!”
“Miss Erika! Get behind me!” one man said gallantly.
He didn’t need to.
Erika had already moved. She positioned herself well behind everyone else, retreating toward the ruined wall, closer to where Theo was chained.
For a brief moment, both sides simply stared at each other.
On one side—men of various races, gripping swords, axes, whatever weapons they had.
On the other—demon hounds. Creatures with jaws large enough to snap a blade in half, and fang like a sabertooth.
A low growl rolled across the ground. The demon hounds shifted, spreading out, adjusting their formation.
“CHARGE!!”
The scavengers surged forward. Roper lunged with them.
And the clash began.
The impact was immediate. Some men were knocked down the moment contact was made. Others managed to hold their ground, weapons locking against massive jaws as fangs scraped against steel. The sounds of metal, growls, and screams blended into one.
Behind the fight, Theo struggled with his chain. He pulled hard against the iron binding his leg to the stone wall. It didn’t move.
“Shit!”
He turned toward Erika, who stood nearby, clearly shaken despite holding her sword.
“Hey, miss! Take off my chain!” Theo called out.
Erika glanced back at him, irritation flashing across her face.
“Oh shut up and don’t bother me! Can’t you see I’m busy trying not to get eaten?!” she snapped.
“Well duh! I also don’t want to become dog food here!” Theo shot back.
Neither of them noticed it at first. But a demon hound slipping in from the side.
Silently closing in.
“Grrrr…”
The low growl came close, surprising them.
“Eek!” Erika yelped.
She stepped back instinctively. Then another step. And another.
Until—
she ended up directly behind Theo.
Theo glanced back. Unimpressed.
“What the hell are you doing, bitch?!” he snapped. “Stop hiding behind me!”
“Why not?! Every man is always dying to protect me!” Erika shot back.
“Don’t lump me in with those idiotic horny men around you!” Theo fired back.
“You’re usually so quiet! Why are you suddenly talking so much now?!” Erika snapped again.
“RROOOAAARR!!” The demon hound joined the argument.
“Kyaaa!” Both of them yelped.
The demon hound loomed over them up close. Even Theo, who had already experienced death once, felt the fear.
Anyone would, when a massive, rabid beast with jaws lined by saber-like fangs, staring straight at you. The demon hound lowered its body, muscles tensing.
Then it leapt straight at Theo and Erika. Both of them shut their eyes.
“MISS ERIKAAA!!” A voice cut through the air.
It's Dunley. He appeared out of nowhere with sword in hand, sprinting forward before launching himself toward the airborne beast.
STAB
The blade drove into the demon hound’s side. Not deep, but enough. The creature shrieked, twisting mid-motion as it landed, Dunley’s sword still lodged in its chest.
Dunley landed as well, quickly placing himself between the beast and Erika.
“Miss Erika! Don’t worry, I’ll protect you!” he declared, glancing back at her.
“Oh Rizgard, my hero!” Erika replied, already slipping into her usual damsel act.
“His name is Dunley, you idiot…” Theo muttered.
But Dunley's heroic moment didn’t last. The sword hadn’t gone in deep enough as the demon hound was still standing. And Dunley was still looking back.
By the time he turned around, it was already too late. One massive paw was raised high.
SMACK
Dunley was sent flying.
THUMP
His body crashed straight into Theo, who then slammed into Erika behind him. They collapsed into a tangled pile.
“Gaaah!” Theo groaned, pinned in the middle.
“Kyaaa! It’s so heavy! Move!” Erika shouted from the bottom.
“I want to!” Theo snapped, trying to push Dunley off. “But this halfling is heavier than he looks! Hey Dunley, move!”
No response.
Theo paused, then he looked at Dunley’s face. His eyes open, but unmoving and empty.
“Nooo! Randy, why are you dead now?! I’m not even saved yet!!” Erika cried.
“The hell is wrong with your naming?!” Theo snapped instinctively.
Before either of them could do anything, a shadow loomed over them. The demon hound. It stepped closer, observing the pile of bodies. Looking at its helpless preys.
Slowly, it lifted one of its front legs and pressed it down on top of them. Pinning all three in place. They couldn’t move. Not even an inch. Then the beast leaned in with its jaws opened wide. Closer, and closer.
Theo’s mind raced. There had to be something. Anything. Then he saw it.
The sword. Its still embedded in the demon hound’s chest.
His upper body couldn’t move. But his leg was free. As the beast’s breath washed over his face—
Theo moved.
STOMP
His foot slammed into the sword’s hilt. Driving it deeper.
Deep, until it hit something vital.
“SHRIEEEEK—!”
The demon hound let out a sharp, broken cry. Its blood sprayed to Dunley’s body, Theo and Erika below. Its body then convulsed then collapsed to the side.
Dead.
Theo lay there for a second, breathing hard. Erika exhaled shakily beneath him. Relief washed over both of them.
Then—
a sound.
Clear, sharp, familiar.
TING
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[ CONDITION MET ]
Unique Skill Unlocked:
POST–MORTEM REDISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
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