Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 43: Feeling Like Shit

Lavayla glanced back and caught Ressha staring at her with an odd, contemplative look, her steps slowing as if something weighed on her mind. Lavayla stopped walking altogether, waiting until Ressha closed the distance between them, the dry leaves crunching softly beneath their feet. When Ressha reached her side, Lavayla resumed moving forward and spoke while casting her a sideways glance.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

Ressha hesitated, then brought her water pouch forward, holding it up slightly as if presenting evidence. "I thought I finished the water in here last night, when I boiled the potatoes."

Lavayla blinked, genuinely surprised, then shook her head with a small huff of disbelief. "Really? I don’t think you did. You know potatoes don’t need much water to boil, and there was quite a lot left in there because you hardly drank any yesterday, during all the chaos."

Ressha’s steps slowed again, her expression turning thoughtful as she turned the pouch over in her hands, fingers pressing lightly against the leather. After a moment, she sighed and shrugged, the tension easing from her shoulders. "I guess you’re right. It’s a good thing anyway. We might not be able to find water again for a while."

Lavayla’s brows furrowed, confusion tightening her features as she mulled over Ressha’s words. After a few steps, she finally voiced the question that had been bothering her since earlier. "Then why was there water along the path we were taking before, but once we started heading this way—the path the tribe’s salt teams use—there hasn’t been any sign of water at all?"

Ressha squinted slightly, lifting a hand to shield her eyes as sunlight filtered through the sparse canopy above them, illuminating the dry leaves carpeting the ground. "Because any water source around here, even the small ones, has already been claimed by dangerous beasts. And we haven’t actually reached the salt team route yet. We’re still moving toward it—we’ll reach it soon."

Lavayla stopped short, staring at her in disbelief. "So we haven’t even reached the route the salt trading teams take yet? We’re still on the way there?"

Ressha nodded calmly, as if that were the most ordinary thing in the world. Lavayla let out a quiet curse under her breath, rubbing her temple before muttering, "Then how dangerous must the official route be?"

Ressha chuckled softly, clearly realizing what Lavayla was imagining. "It’s actually quite safe," she explained, her tone easy and reassuring. "The beast warriors who make up the salt teams clear the path as they go. They’re mostly elites—some of the strongest warriors in the tribe—so dealing with beasts along the way isn’t difficult for them. You really don’t have to worry."

Lavayla turned to look at her, relief spreading across her face as a smile finally curved her lips. "Really? Then we should hurry." She let out a long sigh, exhaustion slipping through her voice. "You have no idea how tired I am of being on edge all the time."

Ressha sighed, casting a quick look over the rest of the group ahead. Vors was at the front as always, movements quiet and alert as he scouted the terrain, with Dark trailing close behind him. Miren and Eiran followed next, then the women, Kal, Garrick, and finally Tharn bringing up the rear.

She turned back to Lavayla and spoke in a steady, reassuring tone. "Don’t worry. Once we reach the path—in two more days—we’ll be close to the tribe."

Lavayla nodded, the motion heavy with exhaustion. Two more days sounded short when spoken aloud, but her body protested at the thought. Her legs ached constantly from the endless walking, her back was sore from sleeping on hard ground night after night, and her skin felt sticky with sweat from not bathing. To make things worse, the bandage she had forgotten to remove yesterday tugged uncomfortably against her skin, a constant reminder of how off-balance she felt.

It was laughable, really. She had a system, yet she couldn’t use it properly when it mattered most. She fucking hated this situation of being in constant danger compared to when it was only her and the baby. She looked down at him now, tucked securely against her, his small chest rising and falling peacefully. She hadn’t changed him last night, something that would have sent her into a panic, yet he didn’t seem uncomfortable at all, not fussy, not distressed.

Her gaze drifted around the group. None of them had broken away to relieve themselves, not yesterday, not today. And now that she thought about it, neither had she. The realization settled oddly in her chest, uncomfortable and strange.

Did it have something to do with this world’s energy? Or the plants? Or something else entirely?

She frowned slightly and decided to ask.

’Hey, Nessa? Are you there?’

A familiar sound rang out in her head, like a device powering on, and Lavayla immediately rolled her eyes.

’I know you’ve been in rest mode or whatever, but you didn’t have to remind me.’

’Hello, Host~! Nessa has missed you~! How have you been?’

’Fine. I have a question.’

’Of course~ What does the host want to know?’

Lavayla hesitated for half a second, then pushed past the awkwardness. ’Um... I’ve hardly pooped since I transmigrated here, and I’ve never seen the Beastmen defecate either. Is it because of the ambient energy of this world? Is it making us produce hardly any waste?’

There was a brief pause, just long enough to make her nervous.

’Host, you’re so smart and so close to the answer!’ Nessa chimed brightly. ’If you thought about it just a little more, you’d know it yourself!’

Lavayla grimaced. ’Nessa. Don’t be cute. Just explain.’

’Alright~!’ Nessa replied cheerfully. ’The Beastworld has a naturally dense circulation of primal and elemental energy. Most food sources here—especially plants, roots, and beast meat—are infused with that energy. When consumed, the body absorbs far more nutrients and converts a large portion directly into usable energy, stamina, and vitality.’

Lavayla’s steps slowed slightly as she listened.

’Because of that,’ Nessa continued, ’there is significantly less waste produced. For Beastmen, whose bodies are already adapted to this environment, waste is minimal to nearly nonexistent. For you, Host, your body is currently adjusting. Your digestion efficiency has increased dramatically compared to your original world.’

Lavayla blinked. ’So... that’s why?’

’Exactly~!’ Nessa said, sounding far too pleased. ’Less waste, better absorption, higher efficiency. Congratulations, Host! Your body is becoming more compatible with the Beastworld~’

Lavayla let out a quiet breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. ’That’s... actually a relief.’

’Mm-hmm~!’ Nessa hummed. ’Though please note, Host, if you begin consuming lower-quality food or contaminated water, normal waste production may temporarily resume.’

’Great,’ Lavayla muttered. ’Love that for me.’

She lifted her head, eyes refocusing on the path ahead and the steady backs of the Beastmen guiding the way. Two more days. Just two more days, and she might finally reach a place where she could rest, clean herself properly, and stop feeling like shit.

For now, though, she adjusted the baby against her chest, squared her shoulders, and kept walking.

...

By early noon, when the sun climbed to its highest point and poured down with a harsh, unfiltered glare, Dark finally raised a hand and called for a halt. The group veered slightly off the path and settled beneath the broad canopy of a massive tree, its thick roots breaking through the soil and offering a welcome pocket of shade from the relentless heat. The Beastmen dispersed quietly, some leaning against the trunk, others sitting and crouching nearby.

Lavayla exhaled slowly and then spoke up, her voice calm. She said she wanted to relieve herself. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Dark glanced around once, then pointed to Ressha. "Go with her."

Ressha nodded immediately and fell into step beside Lavayla as they moved a short distance away from the group, far enough to grant privacy without breaking line of sight. When they stopped, Lavayla stepped forward, and Ressha turned her back without hesitation, posture relaxed yet alert.

Lavayla didn’t waste time. She quickly relieved herself, discreetly drawing water from her space vault afterward to clean up thoroughly. As she straightened, she reached for the bandages she had wrapped around her shoulder, peeling them away with careful fingers. She paused, momentarily startled by what she saw—her skin beneath was fully scabbed over, the wound sealed far more cleanly than she had expected. The sight left her quietly stunned for a breath before she shook her head, tossed the used bandages into the trash section of the space vault, and pulled out a bottle of table water. She drank half of it in long, steady gulps, then used the rest to rinse her face, washing away sweat and grime until she felt marginally human again.

Once she was done, she smoothed her clothes back into place and walked back toward Ressha.

"Are you done?" Ressha asked, turning as she heard her approach.

Lavayla smiled and nodded. "Yeah, let’s go."

They returned to the tree, and after resting for another thirty minutes—just enough for the worst of the heat to ease and for tired limbs to recover—the group set off again. The pace was steady but unhurried, conserving strength as the light slowly shifted from harsh white to warmer gold. By late noon edging into early evening, the terrain began to change beneath their feet. The dense forest thinned out, trees giving way to open ground, and before long they emerged fully from the greenery onto a stretch of rocky land where the earth was hard, uneven, and scattered with stone.

Lavayla took it all in with a wary glance, noting how exposed the area felt compared to the forest’s cover. Ressha noticed her reaction and leaned in slightly as they walked.

"We’re close now," she said quietly. "The route is ahead. Once we reach it, the path will be clearer."

Lavayla nodded, her grip tightening just a little around the baby as she looked toward the open land before them.

After walking for close to an hour across the exposed stretch of rocky land, sharp, echoing sounds that made Lavayla’s spine tense reached them. A shrill screech cut through the open space, followed almost immediately by a deep, thunderous roar that rolled across the ground. The group slowed instinctively, exchanging quick, alert glances as every Beastman’s posture shifted from travel-ready to combat-aware.