《Genkai Level 1 kara no Nariagari: Saijaku Level no Ore ga Isekai Saikyou ni Naru made》


 1-1. Summon

    There are many unreasonable things in the world.


    We may be accused of a crime we didn''t commit, or have the credit taken away from us.


    If you live, you will experience unreasonable things over and over again.


    In a sense, that is natural.


    But is there anyone else who has been so unreasonable to me?


    Why did I have to go through this?¡¡What has he done?


    No matter how many questions you ask in your head, there is naturally no one to answer.


    However, I, who was in a desperate situation at the bottom of this dimly lit, otherworldly valley, couldn''t help but ask.


    .........Time goes back to a few days ago.


    ¡ð


    It was late September, a weekday, and the time was evening.


    I was on my way home from work, physically and mentally exhausted.


    I am what we call a bottom-feeder, working in a factory for low wages.


    The only reason why I became a bottom-feeder is because I had too much fun in high school.


    I played too much, and I don''t mean with my friends and girlfriends.


    It was the internet games. I was so addicted to the internet that my schoolwork was neglected.


    My grades kept getting worse and worse, I couldn''t get into the university I wanted to go to, I failed to find a job, and I ended up being a bottom-feeder.


    I have no friends, I''m a virgin, and by the way, my face is not particularly good. I was the very man who drew the picture of the bottom of the barrel.


    In the end, the reason I was like this was because I didn''t take life seriously.


    I was living my life in a way that I could handle it. It wasn''t going to happen, though.


    If I could meet the 16-year-old me, I''d tell him.


    "Don''t suck up to the world. That it''s hard to live.


    I''d tell him to quit playing games and study hard.


    It''s impossible to do, though.


    I wonder if I can''t reincarnate in another world, or if I can''t transfer to another world or something... I was living my life while having a meaningless fantasy about it.


    While I was thinking about this, I arrived at a park near my neighborhood.


    I would be home soon.


    There are a few miscreants in this park area.


    I''d better not run into them.


    As I walked around with that in mind, I quickly ran into them.


    There are four of them, each of them a delinquent, and they are wearing uniforms from a nearby bottom-rung high school hanging out in front of me.


    There are four of them, and each one of them has an appearance that makes a statement about being a delinquent.


    I try to hide my presence so as not to be entangled, and then leave.


    But something is wrong with me.


    "Hey, come on, it''s okay, it''s just a little bit...


    It''s a pain in the ass. Can I take you with me now?


    They were having a disturbing conversation.


    When I looked at them carefully, it looked like they were tangling with someone.


    The one girl who is being entangled with the delinquents is a girl.


    She''s quite a pretty looking girl. She doesn''t seem to be the type of person who can deal with the delinquents very well, and she has shrunk back in fright.


    If left unattended, they are likely to be violent.


    You want me to call the police?¡¡No. Are we going to make it?¡¡Are there people around?¡¡No one but me. I''m not popular to begin with.


    Bottom line, the only way to get them out of here is for me to do something about it.


    Normally, I''d be running for my life.


    I''m not a strong fighter, and there are four of them.


    It''s because it''s impossible for me to help them.


    But for some reason, that''s the only time.


    Maybe it was because I''d been thinking about my life earlier, I don''t know.


    Hey, hey, come on, you guys.


    I made the choice to go save the girl from the delinquents.


    As soon as I said it, I regretted that I should have made a setting and voiced my sister or something like that.


    Since I said it out loud, it''s hard to change the course now. I decided to push through with it.


    ''Huh?''


    The blonde punk gives me a glare.


    He looks dumb, but he''s tall.


    ''What are you old man?''


    The shaved-headed punk said.


    I''m 25, so I''m not an old man yet. I wanted to say it, but I couldn''t say it.


    ''Well, that boy looks like he''s in trouble, so you should let him go... no, let him go!


    I tremble a little, but I make my intentions known.


    The bad guys look at me and


    ''Hahaha!¡¡This old man thinks he''s a righteous hero!


    ''You look like a nerd!¡¡Hahahaha!


    I''m shaking, old man!


    He laughed loudly.


    ''Well, but you''re in my way, so get the hell out of here. We''re not in trouble yet, you know.


    The long-haired punk threatened me with a scary look on his face.


    I want to go home too.


    It would be too disgraceful to leave here after I just called out to him once.


    I took a deep breath.


    I stopped shaking.


    "Boys, you''ll be sorry.


    Huh?


    I can assure you. You''re going to be at the bottom of the barrel like I am, and you''re going to regret it big time. If you don''t want to regret it, you don''t do this kind of thing.


    I threw a few things at the delinquents that I had wanted to say to my past self.


    ''....What?


    The blonde delinquent gives him an angry look, as if he''s mad.


    ''Who''s going to be the bottom of the barrel?¡¡Huh?¡¡What is your kind of garbage talking about?¡¡I''m really pissed off, though!


    Guffaw!


    He punched me in the stomach as hard as he could.


    I stopped breathing for a moment.


    An intense pain shot through my abdomen and I fell forward.


    ''Ora!'' Die!¡¡The garbage! f*ck this shit!


    Kick after kick comes flying in one after the other as I fall.


    I instinctively curl up and try to protect my insides.


    I can''t resist, and I''m being kicked all over my body.


    The pain is so intense that it hits me one after another.


    It hurts!¡¡Ouch!¡¡Ouch!


    You weren''t supposed to do what you couldn''t...


    My whole body hurts. There isn''t a place in your body that hasn''t been kicked.


    You cut your mouth and the taste of blood floods your mouth.


    The kicking lasts for a long time, and I gradually feel less and less pain.


    Could it be that I''m going to die like this?


    I glanced up.


    For some reason, the girl was still there. The delinquents are so busy kicking me that they could have run away if they wanted to.


    The girl is looking at me with a very worried look.


    I don''t know if she''s too sorry to go home, or if she''s too hobbled to move, but she just stands there looking at me, and I don''t know why.


    I''d like her to get away as soon as possible, though.


    That way my sacrifice wouldn''t be in vain.


    I was being kicked for a few seconds.


    But suddenly, the kicking stops.


    Just when I thought I''d had enough of kicking, my vision suddenly turns completely dark.


    What, what?


    Maybe you''ve been kicked so much that you''ve lost your mind?


    Immediately after that, my vision, which had been pitch black, changes.


    The scenery around me switches from the mountains, to the snow, to the desert, to the forest, to the city, and on and on and on.


    ''''.........!


    I''m so surprised by this that I can''t even speak.


    The scenery keeps changing, and eventually the change stops at one view.


    The floor is made of marble and there''s one woman in a robe in front of me.


    In addition, there were many people in the vicinity, some equipped with armor and others dressed in luxurious-looking clothes, who were looking at us.


    All of them were white.


    At the back, there is a throne. There was no one sitting on it.


    I was too confused to think about anything else, because the scenery was so incomprehensible.


    Looking around, the delinquents from earlier and the girl who was entangled with the delinquents also seem to be here.


    All of them have a puzzled look on their faces.


    Towards us who are in such confusion.


    Welcome to the world, my brave friends. You have been summoned to this world by the Great Secret Art of Summoning Heroes.


    A woman wearing a robe told her with a calm look on her face.

 2-2. Limit level 1

    Welcome to the world of the brave. You have been summoned to this world by the Great Secret Art, the Summoning of the Brave.


    I ponder the meaning of that word for a moment.


    Summoning the hero.


    It''s a common development in anime, light novels and manga.


    It''s the so-called "otherworldly summoning".


    It is true that I have fantasized about going to another world, but when it happens in reality, there is nothing but confusion.


    I mean, is this situation real?¡¡I thought you were dreaming.


    If it''s real, though, it''s hard to explain it unless you consider that you were summoned to another world.


    The woman wearing the robe continues to speak further.


    ''''My name is Meme, a sorceress serving the Kingdom of Arbus. This country is currently in a crisis, and if we don''t do something about it, it will fall into ruin. Therefore, I received a royal order and summoned you all by summoning heroes.......strange.


    The meme then begins to explain in detail.


    It is said that there are many races such as elves, dwarves, and orcs living in this world, and that these races compete for the limited land and fight wars all year round.


    It seems that the human race is losing so many battles that their territory is decreasing so much that it''s only a matter of time before they are destroyed.


    So, in order to get out of this predicament, Meme asked us to fight for them.


    I''ve been asked to fight, but there''s no way I can do it, and how come we''re communicating in the first place?¡¡And anyway, I had a lot to say, but I couldn''t say anything.


    I couldn''t say anything, but the blonde punk, glaring at the meme.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me!¡¡Let me go now!


    I said threateningly.


    Even with that threat, the meme didn''t change her expression.


    ''I''m sorry. It''s not possible at this time to return to the world.


    That''s what I said.


    After that, the meme tells the reason why it can''t be returned, it can''t be done.


    According to the story, it seems that a return target is set for the heroes, if they achieve it, they are automatically returned to the original world, but if they don''t achieve it, they can never return.


    By the way, the goal of return is the revival of the human territory.


    It seems that the original human territory was dozens of times larger than the current one, and if you can get them all back, you can return to the original world.


    I wasn''t convinced, but I couldn''t complain.


    The delinquents said, "Don''t be silly! I''ll kill you! He complained for a while, but was patiently persuaded to quiet down once he was persuaded.


    ''''Then I''ll let you all find out what your limit levels are.


    Meme said.


    ''Marginal levels?'' What''s that?


    The delinquents ask back.


    The level is a number that can be raised by fighting and training. Level is a number that can be raised through training and combat. If you raise your level, your status will increase and you will gain skills and become stronger. You cannot raise your level infinitely. There is a limit to what you can raise at birth. That is your limit level.


    It''s something like a game about levels and stats.


    ''Those who are summoned as heroes will have a much higher limit level than ordinary ones. Therefore, they are able to use their powerful power. By the way, those summoned as heroes have their first level at half of their limit level.


    Hmm. So they called us in.


    Well, let''s check. With the level search spell, it''s really easy to check your level.


    The meme is called a "level search" and tries to find out the marginal level of blonde defects. Then.


    ''Oh!¡¡You succeeded in summoning him!


    A loud man''s voice rang out.


    A middle-aged man, dressed in some gorgeous clothes and wearing a crown, entered the room.


    ''''Your Majesty the King!''''


    Everyone present should be knocked on their heads.


    That old man looks like the king of the land.


    Good, good. More importantly, these young men are the ones who will save our country, aren''t they?


    ''I''m not sure why, but six people were summoned. We''re just about to check their limit levels now.


    Good, the more the merrier!¡¡I''m getting excited.


    The King sits on his throne.


    ''Now, let''s get back on track and check the limit levels.


    The meme began to examine the limit level.


    ''Oh!¡¡Your limit level is 99!


    The meme screams in surprise.


    Even those watching around him cheered.


    ''''That''s a great number. By the way, the average human''s limit level is 25, and no matter how high it is, 60 is the breaking point... 99 is an outrageous number.''''


    Meme said happily, and began to examine the other delinquents'' limit levels.


    It''s 95 or 98, all of which are high.


    By the way, the one who got that number is a long-haired delinquent, probably the leader of the pack, and the other delinquents are looking at him with glittering eyes, saying "Yama-chan is amazing".


    Next, I examine the girl''s limit level.


    ''''Hmm?¡¡48? That''s strange. It''s high, but it''s too low for a brave figure.


    What do you mean?


    When the king asked him, the meme thought for a moment.


    Apparently, these four were the only brave ones and the other two were just caught up in the summons.


    I concluded.


    Huh?¡¡What do you mean by that?


    I''m not strong enough?¡¡I mean, does that mean we can go home?


    Yah, well, I was the bottom of the barrel in my former world, so it''s possible that I''ll have a new life, but I feel sorry for this girl, don''t you?


    Well, that''s a shame.


    ''I''ve never seen an example like this before. I''ve done a bad thing, I can''t let you leave and...


    No, no, no, I''m sorry I did that, not you!


    Well, 48 is a high enough level, so why don''t you ask her to fight along with you? If you can''t bring him home, you don''t have a choice.


    Yes.


    Seriously? You can''t go back, but you''re going to fight?¡¡For a country in an alternate universe that I don''t understand?


    Well, this girl, like me, won''t be the assertive type, so she might have to fight with the flow.


    ''''Then, I know you''re not a brave person either, but I''ll check your limit level.


    The meme takes one last look at my limit level.


    ''''This ... is ...''''


    The meme looks surprised.


    What is it?¡¡Did you get that great a number?¡¡And then you think.


    ...level one, sir.

 3-3. Expulsion

    Level 1 limit?


    No way one?


    There''s no such thing as a negative, and 1 is the lowest, right?


    So I''m the weakest person in the world?


    The buzzing and the people around you start to make a lot of noise.


    It''s a different kind of buzzing than the one I just heard.


    ''Don''t be silly!¡¡Level 1 of the limit!


    The king''s angry voice echoes.


    It was so loud that I cringe.


    ''You are defective!¡¡The presence of such a thing in my palace is highly objectionable!¡¡I want immediate execution!


    Huh?¡¡Huh?


    Huh?¡¡What the hell is that guy talking about?


    Execution, huh?¡¡Does that mean you''re going to kill him?


    Huh?¡¡It''s crazy!¡¡I didn''t get summoned to this event because I didn''t want to!¡¡You guys summoned it on your own!


    I am immensely disappointed at the inexcusable nature of this development.


    But the king''s men, instead of questioning the order, approach me with their swords at the ready to carry it out quickly.


    I can''t even move because of what''s happening.


    ''Wait, wait, wait!¡¡You''re going to stain this place with the blood of a defective product!¡¡Such things are close by, we can drop them in the valley of death.


    Ha!


    The retainer drops his hand from his sword and this time he approaches me and picks me up, unable to resist.


    I''m easily carried up.


    As it is, he''s trying to take me somewhere.


    Dropping you into the valley of death, huh?¡¡Are you serious?


    That''s a sure-fire way to die!¡¡I come to another world and I get killed out of the blue!


    I try to resist.


    But it was locked in place with great arm strength, and no matter how much I resisted, it was useless.


    "Ta, help...!


    I look at the delinquents, almost in tears, and they look at me with mocking eyes.


    That''s right. There''s no way those scum-like people would help me.


    ''''Well, please wait as is!


    Just as I was thinking that, the girl yelled out so loudly that I stopped her.


    She was shaking with tears in her eyes.


    This is ridiculous. You''re not trying to kill me and you''re going to let her go!


    I screamed.


    Well, good. I had an ally.


    Yeah. Yeah!¡¡It''s crazy!¡¡Why do I have to be killed?!


    I shout desperately, too.


    ''You have no concept of levels in your world, haven''t you? In this world, an existence that doesn''t rise in level has no value. If you don''t level up, your stats are weak, and you won''t gain ''skill points'', so you can''t gain skills either. There are also things called initial skills, but no human being is born with strong initial skills. Those with a low limit level are defective. So, in this country, anything with a single-digit level will be discarded.


    Meme explained with a blank expression.


    ''''Well, I can''t believe it''s that defective...''''


    ''Don''t you need to convince me? You''re not a brave man, so there''s no need to convince me. However, if there are four of you who are brave and want to save that defective product, then you can specially prolong its life. King, is it alright?


    It''s not a good idea to displease the brave men. If you don''t want to kill them, you can let them live.


    That''s right. And?¡¡What do you think?¡¡Are there any of you brave souls who are unwilling to execute him?


    Something went wrong with that.


    No, no, no, no, no, they were raised in Japan!


    You''d have to be a stranger to have people killed, even if you''re a stranger!


    So I have faint hopes.


    A long-haired, leaderless punk.


    Did you hear me!¡¡It didn''t take me long to realize that.


    "Haha, what do you say, blah blah blah!¡¡Kill that bastard, he''s a pain in the ass!


    Level 1!¡¡Haha, I guess garbage is garbage when it comes to other worlds!¡¡You''d better die soon, for real!¡¡An old man''s life isn''t worth living, you know!


    The other punks wanted me dead, too.


    Why are they laughing at me? Why are they laughing all the time?


    I''m going to die, all right?


    Do you get it?¡¡How little do you think of human life?


    There were many things I wanted to say, but I was too frustrated to say anything.


    ''''I see. Then go ahead and drop me in the Valley of Death as planned.


    Yes, sir.


    The retainer walks off again.


    ''Wait!¡¡It''s crazy, this is crazy!


    The girl tries to stop him, but then he puts his sword to her neck.


    If you try to stop it, you''ll die too, won''t you?


    Threatened. The girl says, "Hi! I screamed, and then I couldn''t move.


    After that, no help came, and I was carried out of the palace to the valley.


    ¡ð


    A royal palace in another world.


    With tears raggedly streaming down her face, Satomi Riko (Satomi Riko) watched as the man was taken away.


    There are two reasons for her tears.


    The fear of having a sword held to her neck.


    And then the remorse of not being able to move.


    It was not Riko''s fault. There are not many people who can move with a sword at their neck.


    Still, Riko blamed herself for not being able to move to help that man who was trying to save her.


    ''So what do you do?¡¡As for us, we want you to stay here and fight with us, but we can''t force you to do that, not being a brave man. You must decide what to do.


    Riko wasn''t bothered at all.


    I will not fight with you.


    I replied.


    ''In that case, would you prefer to live on your own?¡¡I can''t guarantee your life, can I?


    I''m fine.


    Riko said that with a little glare.


    ----I don''t want to be with the people of the other world and those delinquents.


    That''s what Riko thought, but under normal circumstances, she might have chosen to stay here.


    The reason why she made a different choice is because she saw the man who saved her even though she was trembling, and she thought she should have the courage to do the same.


    Riko followed her decision and left the royal palace.

 4-4. Dropped in the valley

    I get close to the valley and am forced to stand on the ground.


    My face is turned toward the valley. My arms are grabbed and I can''t move.


    This valley is so deep that I can''t see the bottom of it. If I fall, I will die for sure.


    ''''Well ... wait, are you really going to drop me?''''


    ''Defective people don''t deserve to live. You should die.


    No, no, I don''t want to die.


    You have no right to live in this world.


    It''s unreasonable, too unreasonable.


    No right to life?¡¡Then don''t summon it.


    Don''t be silly, why do I have to go through this?


    It''s true that I was a bottom-feeder, but I don''t remember acting in a way that would cause trouble for people.


    You''ve got to be kidding me. What the hell is this?


    What''s so bad about being low on the marginal level?


    I can''t die for such an unreasonable reason.


    I''m going to try to escape, but my hands are gripped tightly and I can''t escape.


    I don''t want to waste my time on you, I''m going to drop you.


    After being told this with a blank expression, the retainer pushes me back without any hesitation.


    The push is so strong that I am thrown into the air, unable to resist.


    I reach up and try to grab something, but there''s nothing.


    I fell to the bottom of the valley.


    Time slows down. And memories of the past come flooding back. It''s called a running start.


    Looking back, I wonder how many moments of happiness there were in the past 25 years.


    It was fun when I was a kid. But as time went by, it became harder and harder to live.


    Without having much fun, I was summoned to another world, and then I was killed in cold blood like this.


    Was there any meaning to my life?


    Was getting killed like a piece of garbage the life of me, Takahashi Tetsuya?


    No, no, no, no, no.


    I don''t wanna die.


    I don''t wanna die.


    I don''t wanna die just from living this meaningless life.


    I don''t want to die.


    I don''t wanna die.


    I don''t want to die, I repeat in my head over and over again.


    But the speed of my fall doesn''t slow down, and I keep falling inexorably.


    Finally, the time has come for me to fall to the ground.


    My meaningless life has come to an end with it.


    There was none.


    I fell onto something strangely soft.


    It seemed to be bouncy, and the resilience made my body bounce a lot, and then I fell off of it, and then bounced again, and then repeated a few times.


    Eventually, I fall down on my back.


    I try to figure out what I fell out of and it appears to be an oversized mushroom.


    I seemed to have fallen under a fairly bouncy mushroom umbrella.


    Was I saved?


    The very miracle happened. I had nine lives.


    I was about to be killed by such an unreasonable eye, and maybe God had saved me.


    I''m basically a non-religious person, but this was the one time I almost believed in the existence of God.


    No it''s true that I didn''t fall down and die, but........


    You can''t get up there.


    So we''ll have to find a place to go up, somehow.


    The valley is quite wide.


    You can''t even see what''s on the other side.


    I don''t think it will be easy to find a place to climb up, though.


    To be honest, I''m not at all optimistic about the situation.


    If we don''t get out, will we have to live here for the rest of our lives?¡¡What about food?¡¡Would you like to try these mushrooms?¡¡If it''s poisoned, it will kill you.


    No, don''t think about it negatively.


    Well, we''re alive. We''ve got our lives back. We''re going to make it out of the valley alive.


    I climbed down out of the mushroom and started looking for a place to hide.

 5-5. Desperate situation

    We walked around a lot but didn''t find anything of note.


    Oh yeah, there''s something I wanted to try out, so let''s give it a try.


    This world is like a game, so I thought maybe I could see the status or something.


    I don''t know what to do, let''s just call it "status open".


    ''Status open''.


    At the moment I say that, a single, slightly thick board appears.


    That board is floating in front of me.


    On the surface of the board.


    Name: Tetsuya Takahashi


    Age 25


    Level 1/1


    HP 20/30


    MP 3/3


    Attack Power 3


    Defensive Power 3


    Speed 3


    Skill Points 0


    Skill: [Body Absorption]


    No resistance


    It says this.


    You can see it in the status open.


    Maybe it''s weak, this number is probably weak.


    Does the level 1/1 indicate that the limit level is 1?


    There''s a skill called corpse absorption, is this the first skill you get?


    Is it strong?¡¡No, that guy who summoned me, this meme, said that the initial skill was weak.


    If that''s true, then this skill is probably useless skill.


    If it absorbs dead bodies and nothing more happens, then it''s certainly just a useless skill.


    Let''s not hold our breath.


    But your HP is going down. Maybe it''s because you got beaten up by a bunch of bad guys.


    So how do I get rid of this?¡¡I got out in the open so....


    Status Closed.


    The moment I said that, the board with the status on it disappeared.


    Open and out, close and out, right? I''ve learned.


    Anyway, I''m the weakest person in the world now.


    Still, I''m not going to die for sure.


    Let''s pay as much attention as we can to find the way out.


    That''s what I thought, and I started walking.


    I walked for a few minutes, and the smell of something rotten began to waft through the air.


    It was a nauseating smell.


    The smell seemed to be coming from ahead.


    It gave me the creeps, so I avoided the direction of the smell and walked in the other direction.


    After walking for a while...


    Kats, Kats, Kats, Kats, Kats.


    I can hear the footsteps of something.


    It''s the sound of footsteps of a creature that''s walking on two legs.


    A human being?¡¡Or.....


    I look around to make sure I''m okay.


    I can''t find anyone making the footsteps.


    The footsteps grow louder and louder.


    I looked for a place to hide, but there was no place to hide.


    Then I have no choice but to flee.


    I walk quickly in the opposite direction of where the footsteps are coming from.


    Then the tempo of the footsteps increases.


    They start to run!


    I match it and run away.


    But the footsteps are getting louder and louder.


    They''re faster than me!


    I look back.


    A little farther away, I see someone chasing me.


    A green humanoid creature of small stature, with horns sprouting from its forehead.


    It''s small, but it has a vicious face and is scary.


    Maybe it''s a goblin, but I think it''s a goblin.


    It has the image of being the weakest monster in the world, but it has a club, and it''s probably impossible for a level 1 me to defeat it.


    All I can do is run... but...


    Goblins are faster than me!¡¡Several times faster.


    I mean, I''m slow, right?


    Something is obviously slowing me down several times more than it was when I was younger.


    Sure, I''m not getting enough exercise, but is it going to slow me down this much?


    Maybe because I''ve reached level 1, my physical abilities are lower than in my former world.


    No matter what, if I don''t do something like this, it will definitely catch up with me!


    Do you have a place to hide?


    I''ll look for it as I run.


    Hmm?¡¡This smell.


    The rotten smell I smelled earlier is drifting back in.


    Come to think of it, the direction I''m running from is the one I was avoiding earlier because of the smell drifting through the air.


    If the smell gets tighter, those guys might run away too.


    This time, I decided to put up with the smell and keep running.


    I decided to do that and keep running.


    But the goblins are chasing me without regard to the smell.


    What are they doing? Why are they running after me?¡¡You''re gonna eat me!¡¡There''s nothing good in the food.


    As I was complaining in my head, the goblins were running and throwing something at me.


    A rock.


    They throw dozens of them.


    ''Eww!''


    One of them hit my right leg and I fell, screaming.


    I was running and I roll with great force.


    It hits my whole body. Pain runs through my body.


    Then I stop in a position to lie on the ground.


    The taste of earth and blood mixes in my mouth.


    I manage to get up, but my right leg doesn''t move.


    The stone throwing I did earlier injured me.


    I glance behind me and see the goblin that was running earlier is now coming towards me on foot.


    He had a smirk on his face, probably because he was convinced that he had finished me off.


    d*mn it, move!¡¡Move your feet!


    I try to move my legs, but they don''t move.


    I try to crawl away, even if I have no choice.


    Shit!¡¡You''ve got to be kidding me!¡¡I don''t know why I''m in this mess!


    The thought of unreasonableness surged in my heart.


    When the mushroom saved my life, I almost believed in the existence of God, but it seems that such a thing does not exist in this world.


    The goblins are closing in on me. I don''t know what they''re going to do to me, but I don''t know what they''re going to do to me. But if they catch me, I won''t be safe.


    The chances of escaping in this state are slim to none.


    Nevertheless, I follow my instinct to live, crawling on the ground and moving forward.


    Hmm?¡¡This is....


    There was a hole in the ground.


    I could smell a terrible rotten smell coming from inside the hole, and I frowned involuntarily.


    It seemed that the source of the putrid smell in the area was this hole.


    The bottom of the hole was too dark to see clearly.


    It was so deep that there was a possibility of death if you fell in.


    Before that, there is a tremendous resistance to jumping into the place that generates such a smell.


    But if I don''t, I''ll die for sure.


    ---- I have no choice but to go!


    I jumped into the hole at will.

 6-6. Activate corpse absorption

    I jumped into the hole.


    "Idah!


    It wasn''t a very deep hole, but I fell off my injured leg and it hurt so badly that I writhed in pain for a while.


    The smell is awful. Nausea sets in. I manage to endure it.


    It''s dark and I can''t see anything. After a little while, your eyes adjust and you can see, albeit faintly.


    It wasn''t a very large space under the hole.


    And since it wasn''t deep, could it be that those goblins are coming after you?


    I''m going to look around for a place to start.


    Then.


    Wow!


    I yelped in surprise when I found something.


    The thing was a dead body.


    It was a dead and decomposing, huge snake head.


    Probably not only the face, but the body as well, but all I could see was the head.


    Did the carcass of this giant snake give off a stench of decay?


    It''s huge, so I try not to get too close to it.


    There was nothing but a dead snake.


    I just hope the goblins don''t get in here.


    But if I look overhead, I can see the goblins peering into the hole.


    They may be wondering whether to come down or not, but if they come down, I''m done for the day.


    I''m not coming down! I pray in my mind.


    But my prayers aren''t answered, and the goblin drapes some kind of string down the hole and tries to come down through it.


    Shit, what to do!


    ... yes!


    I remembered the status I saw earlier here.


    Body Absorption. I''m pretty sure I had such a skill.


    If I used that skill to absorb this snake''s corpse, something good might happen.


    Even if nothing happens, the disappearance of the snake''s corpse could give me an escape route.


    It could be that I could absorb a little bit of it.


    Besides, it''s awkward to absorb such a decomposing corpse, and there''s a risk of dying if it''s done poorly, but in this situation, we have no choice but to do it.


    I mean, how are we going to absorb it?


    I wonder if I should just remind him to touch it and absorb it.


    I touch the corpse with my right hand.


    As soon as I touch it, I don''t remember, but I feel a strange sensation in my brain.


    Do you want to absorb the body?


    I heard a mechanical voice say.


    You don''t have to remind me.


    I replied in my head, "I''ll absorb it.


    Then something like a whirlpool arose from my palm.


    The corpse of the snake is swallowed by that vortex.


    After a few seconds, it was all swallowed up.


    Right after it was swallowed.


    You have successfully absorbed the Earth Dragon.


    HP 100 up, MP 50 up, Attack 50 up, Defense 100 up, Speed 30 up. You''ll gain 10 skill points.


    Acquire skill [Appraisal Lv1]. Skill¡¾Meteorite (Meteorite) Lv3¡¿acquired.


    A mechanical sound echoed in my head.

 7-7. Strengthen

    I''m startled by the voice that echoes in my head.


    Something went up so much!


    They told me I''d gained a skill too...


    And he''s an earth dragon. So that guy was a dragon.


    This ¡¾Absorb corpse¡¿ skill is an amazingly useful normal skill.


    That makes me wonder what that meme girl said about me.


    Am I special? Or is it different for those caught up in the summons?


    She said she never saw anything like this before, so I''m thinking the latter.


    Huh?¡¡Come to think of it, my legs don''t hurt.


    I had pain in various parts of my body a while ago, but I don''t feel pain anywhere.


    Is it also effective in restoring HP?


    While I was thinking about it, one of the goblins came down through the rope.


    It''s just me and the goblin in a small space.


    I''m very impatient. My heart is beating fast.


    D-Don''t, it''s all right.


    I''m pretty much beefed up.


    They''re probably goblins, and they''re probably weak, so it''s okay.


    That''s what my mind tells me, but I''m still shaking.


    I''m basically a chipper guy.


    The fact that I stood up to the delinquent at that time was quite an irregularity.


    The goblin swings the club that he was holding and swings down on me, who is trembling.


    Yah, yah!


    I shield my head with my hand, trying to protect it.


    And then the club hits my hand... but...


    Huh?¡¡It doesn''t hurt at all.


    The cudgel is smashed to pieces.


    Is that it?¡¡There was something about the defense that made it so much better.


    The goblin looks at me with a stunned expression as his cudgel is reduced to a piece of wood.


    If the attack doesn''t work, I''m not afraid.


    How do I attack?


    Earlier, I acquired a skill called ¡¾Meteorite¡¿, but it doesn''t look like it''s something I''d use in such a small space, so I''ll just hit it normally here and attack.


    I punch the goblin in the face.


    Then, Gusha!¡¡And then there is a funny sound.


    When I look, I see that the goblin''s head has been crushed like a tomato, and bright red blood stains the area around it.


    ''''Ugh........''''


    I can''t help but frown at the extremely gruesome scene.


    I''m not very good at gory things, and even though he''s the one who came after me, it doesn''t feel so good to kill him.


    But this is getting pretty strong...


    I can''t say for sure because I don''t know what the status criteria are, but I didn''t know that just by hitting him, he would smash his head.


    It looks like that snake-like thing was a dragon, and it must be pretty strong.


    I absorbed that pretty strong one, and I must have been strengthened a lot.


    Anyway, let''s absorb these goblins we''ve killed, too.


    I put my hand on the corpse of the goblin and use ¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿.


    I get sucked into the air. It seems that the scattered pieces of flesh and blood are absorbed along with them.


    The return blood I was exposed to is also absorbed, and I become clean.


    HP up 5, MP up 1, Attack power up 1, Defense up 1, Speed up 1, Skill points up 1.


    Compared to the dragon before, it''s not as good as the one before.


    Is it possible that absorbing a strong dragon will change its ability?


    I can''t even get any skills.


    In the meantime, let''s climb to the top.


    What should we do about the other goblins?


    I''m still not comfortable with killing, but I need to kill to make use of this skill.


    We''re going to have to do it...


    I look above me.


    I have a vague sense that I can jump up to this level of height.


    No, it''s shallow, but it''s not high enough for a normal person to jump up, but with my current strengthened body, I think I can do it.


    I jumped as hard as I could vertically.


    I jumped something or other. I''ve jumped quite a bit extra.


    I didn''t have a status of jumping power, but maybe my physical abilities are increasing as my status goes up.


    I landed on the ground.


    The goblins that were waiting above were surprised to see me appear.


    There are a total of three of them.


    I didn''t use it earlier this time, but I''ll try to use the skill.


    Speaking of which, I acquired the ¡¾Appraisal¡¿ skill, so I''ll use it once.


    How do I use it?


    At first I said "appraisal" as I looked at the one goblin.


    Then I saw that the goblin I was looking at was above my head.


    "Goblin¡á Lv.7/19


    So the letters appear.


    All they show is your level, gender and name.


    I can''t see the status of it.


    I''m sure this guy is a goblin.


    You can check your level with the appraisal, but I was able to use magic to check my level.


    There''s a reason why you should have used the appraisal to check your level?


    Oh well.


    The goblins attacked me while I was appraising them, but they were completely unharmed.


    Even so, the goblins didn''t give up and attacked me.


    Alright, let''s try the ¡¾Meteorite¡¿ next.


    That looks like an incredibly destructive skill.


    If it''s done poorly, I could be caught in the middle too.


    I take a little distance from the goblins.


    Since my speed had increased, I could easily get away from them.


    Then I said "meteorite" as a reminder to drop down to the area where the goblins are.


    Then a rock falls from above the goblins'' heads.


    It wasn''t as big a rock as I''d imagined. This isn''t a meteorite then, it''s just a falling rock. Will it turn into a proper meteorite if I raise my skill level?


    Well, it''s still a big rock in its own right.


    The rock falls properly on the goblins and squishy! and crushed all the goblins.


    The rocks remain in place without disappearing.


    Blood and pieces of flesh splattered on the ground. It''s a pretty nasty sight.


    I move the rocks and absorb the goblins.


    15 HP up, 3 MP up, 3 attack power up, 3 defense power up, 3 speed up, and 3 skill points gained.


    They were all the same as the goblins from earlier. No skills.


    After that, I check my status.


    Name: Tetsuya Takahashi.


    Age 25


    Level 1/1


    HP 140/140


    MP 47/57


    Attack power 57


    Defensive Strength 107


    Speed 37


    Skill Points 14


    Skills¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿¡¾Appraisal Lv 1¡¿¡¾Meteorite (Meteorite) Lv 3¡¿.


    No resistance


    He''s still at level 1, but he''s much stronger.


    It consumes 10 MP, but that''s probably because of the use of meteorite (meteo).


    Absorbing corpses it''s pretty useful.


    One drawback is that you have to kill the creature to become absolutely strong.


    I still feel resistance to killing it.


    However, I still seem to be able to kill things that attack me, like the goblins this time, without hesitation.


    In this different world where no one can be trusted, strength is the key to survival.


    From now on, in order to become strong, you''ll need to kill and kill and kill and kill all sorts of creatures.


    Let''s do it!


    I will be strong, and I will survive this world, and I will turn my back on those bastards who destroyed me.


    I promised myself that I would be strong, I would survive this world, and I would turn my back on them.

 8-8. Further absorption

    Before I resumed my search for a way out of this valley, I remembered that I had earned something called Skill Points.


    Skill points are supposed to be used to acquire skills and increase skill lv, but how can I use them?


    It doesn''t say how to use it in the status.


    For now, let''s just enhance the appraisal.


    I''m like, "Strengthen your appraisal! I reminded myself in my head.


    Then.


    ''You need 10 skill points to raise your appraisal to level 2. Would you like to raise it?''''


    I was asked if I could do it. I guess I can.


    My current skill points are, um...14, I believe.


    I''m a little confused, but it seems like a useful skill, so I decided to raise it.


    This raises my appraisal to lvl 2.


    The remaining skill points are 4.


    With this, I tried to raise Meteorite (Meteorite) as well, but it was impossible.


    Apparently I need 20.


    Now, let''s start looking for the exit of this valley.


    I''ve gotten a lot stronger, but that doesn''t mean there aren''t more monsters out there that are even stronger than I am now.


    I''ll proceed with caution.


    I slowly began to walk, paying attention to my surroundings.


    ¡ð


    As I was walking, I quickly came across a demon.


    It was a lizard-like creature.


    It was a ridiculously large lizard about the size of a crocodile and purple in color.


    It was really just a large purple lizard with no other characteristics.


    I''m going to evaluate the lizard.


    Poison Lizard Box 11 years old Lv.14/29


    The ''Venomous Lizard''


    The description is now written below. The status is not written.


    Honestly, there''s not a lot of information, but I guess that''s about it for Lv2.


    Age is also written, but frankly, it doesn''t matter.


    It''s a little scary that it has a deadly poison.


    But he seems to move slowly.


    You can use a meteorite to defeat it from a distance.


    Thinking this, I try to keep my distance.


    Then the Poison Lizard opens its mouth and sends a purple liquid toward me.


    As I avoid it in time, the liquid hits the rock behind me.


    The rock made a sizzling sound and melted away.


    Seeing that scene, I shuddered.


    What would have happened if I had failed to avoid it?¡¡Could it be prevented?¡¡Does a higher defense prevent it?


    No, it''s probably not possible without a tolerance for poison.


    There''s no such thing as a poison tolerance for me, so if I get hit by that, it''ll be like a rock behind me...


    All right, let''s run for it.


    With the wind of cowardice blowing against me, I choose to flee.


    They were spitting venom at me from behind, but I managed to dodge and avoid it all the way.


    Since I''m faster than them, I manage to avoid them.


    After that, I hide behind a rock and watch the Poison Lizard.


    He''s scurrying around, looking for me.


    After a while, he gives up and tries to leave.


    Well, you know what to do.


    I''m going to have to kill it. If we absorb him, we might build up a resistance to the poison.


    A coward like me thinks that we should learn our resistance as quickly as possible.


    I''ll give it a shot.


    It would be good if I could kill it with a single meteorite shot.


    Let''s just aim for the head and drop it.


    I aimed at the Poison Lizard''s head and dropped a meteorite.


    The meteorite struck the Poison Lizard''s head, completely catching it off guard.


    Crunch! A sound rang out, and the Poison Lizard''s head shattered.


    The blood and the poison I just flew at splattered on the ground.


    I cautiously approach the Poison Lizard, avoiding the poison on the ground.


    I get close enough to touch it and realize that I''m close enough to touch it.


    Is he allowed to touch this one?


    Doesn''t your hand melt the moment you touch it?


    The meteorite (Meteor) doesn''t seem to have melted but I''m worried about it.


    I pull out a hair and drop it into the Poison Lizard.


    It doesn''t dissolve. Maybe it''s okay?


    I''m afraid to touch it.


    It was okay.


    It was fine this time, but you can''t absorb the ones you don''t touch.


    That''s going to be a drawback of this skill.


    I absorb the Poison Lizard.


    8 HP up, 2 MP up, 2 attack power up, 1 defense power up, 1 speed up, 1 skill point gained.


    Gain the skill [Strong Acid Shot Lv 2].


    Gain [Poison Resistance Lv. 1].


    Alright, I got my poison resistance.


    And I got a skill as well.


    That''s the skill the guy from before was using.


    My status didn''t increase by much, but getting both the skill and resistance was a big deal.


    Okay, let''s keep going like this, looking for a way out, while defeating monsters and absorbing them.

 9-9. Get hungry

    Next we found a wild boar-like demon.


    It''s pretty big.


    But it''s not exceptionally large either.


    There is something more noticeable than its size.


    It''s a long horn growing out of its forehead.


    It''s the horn that is twisted in a spiral, and is covered with chattering electricity.


    Is this thing a lightning attribute?


    I''ll take a look at its appraisal.


    "Thunderbore Fathead, age 5, Lv.25/38.


    The ''Lightning Boar Demon''


    I knew it had a lightning attribute.


    If you absorb this one, it might increase your resistance to the lightning attribute.


    But the level is a bit high.


    Can we beat it?


    That would be a huge increase in status when you absorb it.


    By the way, I''m watching Thunderbore from a distance.


    While watching it from afar, I''m a little torn on whether to fight it or not.


    For now, let''s just drop the Meteorite.


    I don''t think the meteorite can reach us from here.


    It''s hard to explain, but we can somehow tell from our senses if it can or can''t reach us.


    I''ll have to get a little closer to hit the Thunderbore.


    I''m about to walk up to it, but the moment I got a little closer, Thunderbore noticed me.


    How did they know? Do they have a nose for that?


    The moment he spots me, he rushes forward.


    I mean, I''m fast!¡¡This guy is way faster than me!


    Moreover, they would fire lightning strikes from the corners.


    It was too fast to avoid a lightning strike, of course. You''d normally be bitten by it. Ouch!


    The voltage isn''t too high, or maybe it''s not that damaging, but it''s numb and stops moving for a while.


    In the meantime, Thunderbore goes full speed ahead of me and stabs me in the stomach with its horns.


    Yay!¡¡I''m dead!


    I thought........but.


    The horn did indeed hit me in the abdomen.


    But it didn''t pierce it. On the contrary, the horn of Thunderbore only broke off.


    Apparently, this thing was fast, but its attack power was low.


    Or rather, was my defense too high?


    And Thunderbore, who has lost his horns, seems to have no idea what to do and is kind of hovering around me.


    I feel sorry for him.


    But if I kill this thing and absorb it, I''ll be stronger. No mercy.


    But how do I kill it? It''s too close to use meteorites, and we can''t even use meteorites.


    I think we should use that acid shot we just acquired.


    I knew I couldn''t take out all of them, so I aimed at the head area and fired.


    It hit the target perfectly.


    With a sizzling sound, only the head melts.


    I feel like I''m seeing only egregious sights here, I think to myself as I put my hand on the corpse of Thunderbore and absorb it.


    HP increased by 10, MP increased by 5, attack power increased by 2, defense increased by 5, speed increased by 15, and skill points gained by 2.


    Skill ¡¾Thunderbolt (Thunder Shock) Lv2¡¿ acquired.


    Lightning Resistance [Lightning Resistance Lv. 1] acquired.


    Alright, resistance and skills gained!


    And he''s a lot faster.


    And he was fast.


    I''ve accumulated a bunch of skill points.


    No, I''ll keep it, just in case. I might be able to get some really capable skills in the future.


    Right now, we have a status.


    Name: Tetsuya Takahashi


    Age 25


    Level 1/1


    HP 158/158


    MP 39/64


    Attack Power 61


    Defensive value 113


    Speed 53


    Skill Points 7


    Skills¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿¡¾Appraisal Lv 2¡¿¡¾Meteorite (Meteorite) Lv 3¡¿¡¾Strong Acid Shot Lv 2¡¿¡¾Thunderbolt (Thunder Shock) Lv 2¡¿.


    Resistance [Poison resistance Lv1] [Lightning resistance Lv1]


    Like this.


    I started to walk further down the valley.


    ¡ð


    We''ve walked a lot, so it''s been some time.


    I''m getting hungry.


    It seems that even if you absorb the corpse, your stomach is not full.


    I''m sure the demons want to absorb corpses, too.


    If possible, I would like to eat some plants or something.


    Basically, there''s nothing in this place.


    There''s nothing growing here but mushrooms.


    Oh, but I''ve gained resistance to poison, so is it okay to eat mushrooms?


    We have an appraisal and we''ll check it out.


    There are small brown mushrooms growing on it.


    It looks like a normal mushroom, and I think it''s edible.


    I''ll appraise it.


    ''Death Daze.


    Poisonous mushrooms. If you eat it, most creatures will die instantly.''


    Yeah. Let''s not do this.


    No, the name is too disturbing!¡¡A dead joke!


    They look like these ordinary mushrooms.


    I mean, there are mushrooms just like this one growing all over the place.


    Is that why this place is called the valley of death?


    The only other mushrooms are the big ones that saved me.


    Let''s see what you think.


    "Bouncing


    Huge, resilient mushrooms. Non-lethal poison''


    Is this guy poisonous too?


    It doesn''t look non-lethal.


    I''m starving. As long as it doesn''t kill you, you should be fine.


    If it''s some kind of poison that makes you crazy, though, I''d rather not die.


    After much agonizing over what to do, I decided to try putting it in my mouth anyway.


    As expected, just putting it in my mouth should not kill me.


    If it looks bad, let''s spit it out.


    I tore off a small amount of the white part underneath the mushroom and put it in my mouth.


    Ugh, this is so disgusting. Geez.


    It''s disgusting, but doesn''t that mean it''s inedible?


    It seemed to work somehow.


    I swallowed it anyway.


    Yeah, it''s nothing.


    Let''s just eat as much as we can for now.


    To be honest, I''m desperate for fire. I want to roast it and eat it.


    But I don''t have the skills to make fire.


    I''ll just have to give up and eat it raw.


    I ate the mushrooms until I was full.


    Then.


    Poison resistance increased from level 1 to 2.


    And a mechanical sound echoed in my head.


    You''ll go up if you eat the poison.


    I don''t really want to eat it because it''s honestly bad.


    After I finished my meal, I started walking again.

 10-10. Cave

    After a long walk, I was now thirsty.


    I''ve never seen any water in this valley.


    It''s not good to be without water, as expected.


    I''m sure the mushrooms have some water, but I don''t think they can survive on that alone.


    We''ll just have to wait for the rain to come.


    In the meantime, I decide to put up with my current thirst.


    And after walking for a while, we found a cave in the wall of the valley.


    The cave is dimly lit, but I can see the light in the pots and pans.


    Are there people in there?¡¡I thought for a moment that it was a mushroom, but then I realized that it was a mushroom.


    The glowing mushrooms seem to be growing on the ground.


    I''m a little disappointed, because I thought there were people in there, but the light is there, so I can''t go further into the cave.


    If it''s a long cave, maybe we can get out of the valley.


    However, there''s a good chance I''ll end up in a futile effort, and my strength drops a bit since I might not be able to use the meteorite (meteo) in the cave.


    As I''m struggling, I notice that I can hear some sounds coming from inside the cave.


    Is this the sound of running water?


    It''s faint, but I can hear it.


    If we continue down this cave, we might find some underground water.


    Okay, I''ve decided. Let''s get going.


    Just, well, if anyone looks dangerous, we''ll turn back.


    So I decided to go into the cave.


    Circle.


    We walked through the cave for a while.


    We didn''t find anything along the way, but the sound of water was getting louder and louder.


    I knew there was most likely water somewhere in this cave.


    I went on and on.


    Then.


    Hmm?


    I let out an audible cry.


    Something is down.


    It''s a cat.


    A black cat has fallen limp.


    Is it dead?


    No, he seems to be breathing, at least for a while.


    From the looks of it, he''s not injured but.......is there something wrong with him?


    What to do.


    As a cat person, I have a strong desire to help. But I don''t know if I can even take care of myself, and I don''t know if I can save her, but........


    As I''m distressed, the cat opens its eyes and stands up, dizzy.


    Can you stand up? No, but I feel like I''m barely standing.


    Then that cat squeezes out, "Nya...!¡¡Meow........! And then he started purring to my right, diagonally behind me.


    It''s a pretty frantic purr, so what? I wondered and checked behind me on the right.


    I don''t see anything, I thought at first, but when I looked closer I saw something on the ground.


    It''s a spider.


    It''s a blue spider. It''s bigger than a normal spider. It''s bigger than a normal spider, but it''s big enough to be classified as a spider.


    The cat is crying desperately at this thing.


    Is it some kind of dangerous spider?


    Appraisal.


    "Absorbed Spider Male, 1 year old, 30/35


    The spider demon that produces a special thread.


    What''s a special thread? I don''t understand anything then.


    The spider takes advantage of the moment when I''m thinking, "This is so useless," and sends the thread flying towards me.


    I can''t avoid it and it hits me.


    Oh no, I''ve been hit by this special thread. What''s going to happen?


    Nothing happened at first, but it was like I felt like I was slowly losing strength.


    Could it be a technique that sucks up the enemy''s HP?


    Then this is a disaster!¡¡If we don''t get that stuff off him, we''re gonna have to pull it off.


    I try to take the thread, but I can''t get it off.


    I can''t cut it off. What''s the thread made of?


    d*mn it, I have no choice but to crush the body.


    I try to crush the spider, but it runs away very quickly.


    Oh man, he''s even faster than me.


    This spider is a demon that attaches its threads to its enemy and keeps running away at this speed until it dies.


    He''s a very bad guy.


    This is where I''ll use the [Thunder Shock] that I just acquired.


    No matter how fast you are, there''s no way to avoid the blasts.


    "Thundershock!


    An electric shock gushes out of my hand and hits the Absorbing Spider.


    It stops moving slightly.


    I run as fast as I can.


    We have to take it down before it starts moving!


    I was able to move much faster, probably because my speed was much higher after taking out Thunderbore earlier.


    The Absorb Spider was numb and trying to move, but it was slightly faster than me reaching where he was.


    I stomped down on the Absorb Spider as hard as I could.


    It seemed to have a weak status other than speed, and I was able to kill it easily.


    Phew. I was in a bit of a hurry, but I''m glad I was able to defeat it.


    Okay, let''s absorb it.


    There''s some resistance to touching the corpse of the trampled spider, but I persevere and touch it.


    HP 1 up, MP 5 up, attack power 1 up, defense power 1 up, speed 20 up, and skill points 3 gained.


    Skill ¡¾Sucking Thread (Absorbing Thread ) Lv 1¡¿ is acquired.


    I can acquire that skill? It looks pretty useful.


    Also, my speed has skyrocketed again.


    At first it was a defensive type, but it''s gradually becoming a speed type.


    I mean, that''s right. The cat.


    I looked at the one the cat was in, and it had fallen limp again.


    It seems to be still breathing.


    Was the cat killed by the spider?


    Judging by the limpness, it probably is.


    This cat let me know so I could spot that spider faster, and I can''t just abandon it here.


    I''ll save it.


    I decided to do so and went to find water with the cat in my arms.

 11-11. Cat Sea

    After a while, we found water deep inside.


    A fair amount of water was flowing noisily.


    I wonder if I can get out if I go into this water?¡¡Hmmm, I guess I''m drowning indeed.


    It''s pretty clean water. I sip it with my hand. It is cold and delicious.


    I mean, there''s nothing to put in it, like a water bottle, if you think about it.


    I didn''t think about it.


    Making something out of what''s around us is not so easy, is it?


    It''s a good thing there''s a water source, I guess.


    Oh, and that cat we picked up earlier.


    I was going to save it, but I don''t know if I can.


    I''ve been groggy the whole time.


    If I''ve been attacked by that spider, I think I''ll recover if I rest, but I don''t.


    Let''s just drink some water for now.


    I scoop up a handful of water and bring it to the cat''s mouth.


    The cat is weak, but it starts licking the water, pero, pero.


    It''s thirsty, but it keeps drinking quite a bit and drinks it all.


    When I brought him water again, he drank it down too.


    If we gave him water and food, he might come back.


    But I don''t have any food.


    The mushrooms, those, you have to be poison resistant to eat them.


    Let''s give it a rest and see how it goes.


    The ground is hard, and I put the cat in my lap to rest.


    I can feel the warmth of the cat in my lap.


    ........As a cat lover, I can''t help but pet the cat as I do this.


    I gently stroke the head and body of the cat.


    And then it purred pleasantly, "Nya~".


    Huh? Is he looking better?


    Do my hands have the hand power to heal living things?


    ........well, it''s probably because I made it drink water.


    I continue stroking it like that for a while.


    My knees suddenly feel heavy.


    Furthermore, the feeling of stroking changes.


    It''s like touching a person''s hair.


    I felt uncomfortable and looked down.


    What?


    I sound like I''m in love with it.


    It wasn''t a cat I was petting.


    It was a girl.


    I was petting a black-haired girl with cat ears when I realized I was petting her.


    The girl is making a pleasant sound, "Unya~" while being petted by me.


    Unlike the cat''s voice from earlier, it''s a voice that sounds completely like a human girl.


    As a cat lover, I often have this kind of delusion.


    The cat I rescued turned out to be a beautiful girl, and I was able to make out with her, or something stupid like that.


    I guess I''m hallucinating about it. I''m getting tired of it.


    Because it''s impossible for a cat to become a human being all of a sudden....


    No, it can''t be! This is a different world!


    I wouldn''t be surprised if some of them went from cat to human!


    Come to think of it, I hadn''t put an appraisal on it.


    No, it was just a normal cat by all accounts, so the idea of appraising it never occurred to me.


    Let''s appraise it.


    ''Ketsey. Individual name: Raina, 15 years old, Lv.25/55.


    Ketsey the Cat Beast. ''When you''re weak, you''re just a cat''


    Ketsey.


    Is she a cat beastman?


    You mean she drank water, rested a bit, regained her strength, and returned to her human body?


    Is her name Lenya?


    I hug her on both shoulders and help her up.


    Her face is young but beautifully formed.


    Also, she seems to be wearing clothes.


    Normally she would be completely naked, but apparently not.


    ''Hey, you - hey!''


    He says that while squinting his eyes.


    Are you feeling a little sleepy? For now I''m going to rock it.


    I snapped my eyes open.


    They''re big, beautiful, amber cat eyes.


    ''Huh? Yeah! I''m back to normal!


    A Ketsey girl named Lenya looks at her limbs and confirms that she''s back to her original form.


    ''Yay I''m back! I owe my brother a debt of gratitude! Thank you, nyah!


    He grabbed both my hands and said.


    ''Oh, no, no, you''re welcome, I mean, you''re welcome, it''s just what you deserve,''


    I''m a virgin. A girl holds my hand and I get really upset.


    She''s 15 years old, 10 years younger than me, but she''s got a beautiful face and a nice figure.


    I''m really nervous about her. I''m a bit miserable.


    My name is Lenya! What''s your brother''s name?


    Tetsuya.... Your name is Tetsuya and your last name is Takahashi.


    It''s called Tetsuya! That spider you just defeated was so fast! Tetsuya is a strong one!


    I don''t feel bad about being praised, so I''m a little embarrassed.


    ''''Unya~ I''d like to thank you, but I don''t have anything to thank you for...''''


    Shobone is depressed.


    ''No, no, I don''t need to thank you,''


    I follow up.


    ''But nyah! Oh, yes! Follow me!


    Leisha walks off, wondering what she has in mind.


    ''Where are you going?''


    At my house! I''m leaving the cave once!


    You have a home.


    Raina started walking out of the cave, and I followed her.

 12-12. Go home

    Speaking of which, what''s Tetuya doing here?


    I was walking through the cave when Raina asked me.


    ''There''s a lot going on. I got kicked out and was here, I guess.


    I don''t remember much, but I was in this valley when I found out. I was in this valley when I came to.


    You don''t remember. I''m sure there''s a story behind this.


    I can''t wait to get out of the valley, but I can''t seem to get out of there.


    ''What?¡¡Why?


    Oh, I''m out!


    The exit of the cave was in sight.


    Lenya runs and gets out.


    I didn''t ask her why she couldn''t get out, okay, I''ll ask her later.


    When she left the cave, the area was a bit dim.


    It must be getting dark soon.


    ''Ah!¡¡Holy shit!¡¡We have to get home soon!


    When Raina sees that it''s nighttime, she starts to get very impatient and suddenly runs to move.


    I run and follow her.


    ''Is it so bad that it''s nighttime?''


    I asked Raina.


    ''This is not good. My master says that this valley becomes a place where horrible things called deadly spirits walk around at night.


    Deadites?


    Who is a master, but what is a dead spirit?


    I''ve never seen them, so I don''t know what they are, but I hear they are scary. Never go out at night.


    Scary people.


    But do you definitely get those deadly spirits at night?


    I might be able to beat it now, but if I can''t, it''s going to be a lot harder to get out of this valley.


    ''Oh, we''re here.


    He pointed to the wall of the valley and said that Raina had arrived.


    It''s not like there''s a hole in the ground, what does that mean?


    As I was thinking that, I found a handle as I approached.


    It looks like there''s a sliding door-like thing.


    If I open it, I can get into the house.


    Do you think they are trying to keep those dead people from finding out?


    Lenya tries to open that door.


    It''s like a medium-heavy door, "Unya~! And I''m trying to open it with all my strength.


    But it doesn''t open for a while. I am struggling to open it.


    What is that?¡¡Normally, I could move them away!


    Isn''t that because you haven''t regained your full strength yet?


    Nya. That''s right.


    It''s behind that, isn''t it, the house? Let me help you.


    Oh, come on!


    I work with Lenya to open the door.


    It was definitely a heavy door, but I was able to open it.


    ''''Yay! It opened!''''


    It''s so heavy. Why is it so heavy?


    Master told me to weigh it down for my training.


    Meow!¡¡I''m always in this house. Master knows a lot of things, so he knows a lot of things. I''m sure he can teach you how to return the favor. Oh, and I need you to help me close the door, too.


    We close the door together.


    ''Then let''s go inside.


    Raina walks into the house and I follow her.


    If I think about it, I''m being invited to a girl''s house, right?


    Well, it''s a house like a secret base, and I''m not that nervous.


    But I''m starting to get a little nervous about having someone who is my mentor.


    I''m not very good at talking to people.


    Raina was younger and somewhat easy to talk to, and although I was nervous at first because she was cute, I wouldn''t say I was that nervous now.


    But when the master is an older person, and that''s a woman, I feel like I don''t know what to say.


    You said you know a lot, so I''d like to hear all about it if I could.


    There are so many things I don''t know about this world.


    I walk into the house as I''m invited.


    It''s small and dimly lit inside.


    After a short walk down the aisle, I come to a large room.


    There is no one in the room who is my master.


    Is he in another room?¡¡Do you have any other rooms in here?


    Or so I thought.


    Master, I''m home.


    And Lenya greeted the room, which was supposed to be empty.


    Huh?¡¡So I take a closer look inside.


    There is a white bear doll in the room. It''s a bit large, and looks to be about the size of a two-year-old.


    Lenya seemed to be saying hello to the doll.


    I guessed.


    Oh well, she lives alone in this spicy place.


    She''s so lonely being alone that she''s under the illusion that the doll has a personality.


    It was a little scary, but this is the kind of place I was afraid of. Raina is only 15 years old.


    It''s not surprising.


    When I was convinced of that.


    ''Too late!¡¡You''re wondering what time it is!¡¡I told you it''s not safe for you to come out at night!


    A woman''s voice emanated from that stuffed bear.

 13-13. How to leave the valley

    Did that stuffed animal talk?


    I yell out in surprise.


    ''Nuh?¡¡What the hell is wrong with that guy? He''s a human being. I don''t like humans. Get him out.


    The plush toy looks at me and says.


    ''Master, Tetsuya saved me, you saved me.


    What?¡¡A human rescued you?


    The bear is on the move, and it''s coming for me.


    Hey, calm down, calm down. This is a different world.


    Cats can turn into human form, or stuffed animals can talk and start moving.


    In times like this, you need an appraisal. Appraise the situation, and you''ll find out what it is.


    I''m not going to be able to tell you what it is. Individual Name: Meku Summerfirth, 81 years old, Lv.77/85.


    A species that lives in the forest. Long life span''


    An elf...?


    I muttered to myself.


    There were many other things that bothered me, like the fact that it was so high level and 81 years old was a great age, but the one that bothered me the most was that it was an elf.


    An elf is a stuffed animal, in this world?


    How did you know I was an elf?


    He asked, lowering his voice a little.


    ''What?¡¡I used an appraisal....


    Appraisal?¡¡You have some unusual skills.


    Is appraisal a rare skill?


    ''Master. The man is Tetsuya, the one who rescued me from the cave today. It''s true. You shouldn''t try to bully him too much.


    Lenya, tell us what you''re talking about.


    A stuffed bear called the Master?¡¡Elves?¡¡Raina told him about the incident in the cave.


    ''Ho, they were attacked by an ab-sword spider, and this guy took them down.


    Yes, that''s right~. After he let out a burst of energy, he moved really fast and knocked it down. It was amazing. After that, I had him stroke me. It felt so good. I wanted to thank you, but I didn''t know what to do, so I brought you here.


    Lenya said, narrowing her eyes.


    ''Hey, Tetuya and all,''


    What?


    I''m honestly not used to being spoken to by some stuffed animal.


    My name is Meku Somafarth," he said. "My name is Mek Summerfirth," he said, "and if you''re using an appraisal, you''ll know what I''m talking about. First of all, I''d like to thank you for saving Lenya''s life. And I apologize for my initial slight rudeness. I''m sorry.


    After introducing himself, he bowed.


    As you said before, I am an elf. A long time ago, I was cursed with a curse, and although I''m dressed in a strange outfit now, I was originally known as a beautiful elven princess.


    What makes it a plush toy...?


    But I do know that regular elves aren''t stuffed animals.


    Well, I don''t know if they''re the same as the elves I''m imagining or not.


    And as far as I''m concerned, when I say thank you I don''t have anything to show you.


    What?¡¡That''s not good enough for me!


    ''No, I don''t need to be thanked for it, or rather I don''t need to be thanked for it...''


    I think about it for a minute.


    I thought it would be a good idea to get some information here as a thank you.


    Mek is an elf, and apparently he''s also 81 years old. He seems to know quite a lot about a lot of things.


    ''I was forced out into this valley and I want to get out right away, but in return I want you to tell me how long I have to walk to get out and if there are any other dangerous demons.


    You want to get out of this valley but it''s not easy to get out of this valley.


    As Lenya said earlier, is it still difficult?


    Did you know that the deadly ghosts travel by night?


    Last time I heard from Lenya they were very scary people.


    That''s right. At night, when they''re out there, they''re out there in droves. They are dangerous creatures that will kill any creature they can find. It''ll take you thirty days to get to the exit of the valley by foot. Until then, it will be very difficult to keep fending them off.


    Can''t you beat it?


    Defeat them, that''s an interesting question. They are not of this world. They''re not of this world. They can''t be attacked by us, but they can be attacked by dead spirits. If you have a special skill, you can attack them. Do you have it in you?


    No.


    Could it be possible to absorb a corpse, perhaps with absorption?


    No, corpse absorption can only be activated if you touch the corpse.


    If you can''t hit them with an attack, that means you can''t touch them either, and that''s probably impossible.


    I mean, if there were such dangerous people out there, I''d be dead if I wasn''t here, right?


    So we''re stuck in this valley, then?


    I heard. That would be very distressing.


    "Well, there''s a way out. There''s a cave that leads outside, not far from here...


    Is there a way out? Can we just go through it?


    The exit is blocked by a powerful demon, a giant golem. You will not be able to leave the valley until it is defeated.


    Giant Golem........


    The golem is a monster-like thing made of rocks, right?


    Giant means that a huge golem is blocking the way out of the valley.


    We want to get rid of this valley as soon as possible. I can''t fight, but I can teach you how to fight, so I was in the process of training Raina to be able to defeat the golem. It''s a good thing that Lenya''s limit level is 55, because if you raise her to 55, she''ll be quite strong.


    Is that so?


    You said the door was heavy because of the training, to defeat the giant golem, and you were training, right?


    Huh?¡¡But Mek said earlier that he couldn''t fight, but his level was so high.


    He was 77.


    What do you mean by that?


    ''Can''t you fight, Meku?¡¡It looked like a strong level, though.


    "Have you seen my level and my limit level? It would be easy to defeat me in my original form, but in this form, my status is considerably weakened, and I can''t use my skills or magic. It''s impossible for me to fight.


    I see.


    This stuffed animal curse must be very troublesome.


    I''d like to get out of this place as soon as possible and go find a way to break the curse, but I just slipped up that time.


    You''re in this valley, you slipped and fell.


    You''re a doodler.


    Nee-nee-yah, do you want to get out of this valley, too?¡¡If that''s the case, I''m sure if you fight the Giant Golem with me, we can defeat it and get out of here!


    Lenya told me so.

 14-14. Joint battle

    We''ll take him down together.


    Frankly, I don''t think that''s a bad idea.


    It''s okay?


    I replied.


    Hmmm, I see. I think it''s a good idea, but I don''t know how strong Tetsuya is," he said.


    I told you I''m strong.


    He says he has no idea how strong he is. Well, why don''t you show me your status?


    Is it possible to show people that status?


    Well, it comes up on the board. If you want to see it, you can show it.


    I said "status open" and showed it to them. By the way, my status now is.


    Name: Tetsuya Takahashi


    Age 25


    Level 1/1


    HP 159/159


    MP 40/69


    Attack Power 62


    Defensive Strength 114


    Speed 73


    10 skill points


    Skills¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿¡¾Appraisal Lv2¡¿¡¾Meteorite (Meteor) Lv3¡¿¡¾Strong Acid Bullet (Acid Shot) Lv2¡¿¡¾Thunderbolt (Thunder Shock) Lv2¡¿¡¾Sucking Thread (Absorb Thread ) Lv1¡¿.


    Resistance [Poison resistance Lv. 2] [Lightning resistance Lv. 1]


    Here''s what happened.


    Mek looked at my status.


    ...What''s this status...?


    I am astonished.


    It''s a level 1, but all of its stats are of a high standard. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. As for the skill of ''corpse absorption'', I''ve never even heard of it.


    Oh, my God!¡¡All of them have more than twice the status of my own~.......but how can they be level 1?


    Meku muttered in confusion, and Lenya was impressed, then wondered about the fact that it was level 1.


    After all, in the common sense of this world, it seems to be quite strange to have this status at level 1.


    And ¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿ seems to be a rare skill.


    ''''Lord, who are you?''''


    No I mean... It''s a skill called [Corpse Absorption], right? I''ve had this from the start, and it''s a skill that''s quite useful...


    I explained the [Corpse Absorption].


    "Absorbing a corpse''s ability........ It''s an ability I''ve never heard of.


    So?¡¡Can you beat it?


    Their defense is remarkably high, so they should be able to defend against the enemy''s attacks. He''s not too fast, either. It''s a bit of a problem for me. The enemies are hard. Well, there are all kinds of monsters in the loopholes. It''s just a matter of beating them and using your skills to absorb them. If you fight with Lenya, you''ll be able to defeat them.


    You might not be able to defeat it in its current state, but if you strengthen it, can you be able to defeat it?


    Then you can defeat it?¡¡You did it!¡¡I''m finally getting out of here!


    Raina jumps up and down happily.


    She''s so happy that she''s going to be able to get out.


    Well, I don''t want to be in this valley all the time, to be honest.


    I don''t know how long I''ve been here, but by the look of this room, it doesn''t look like a week or so.


    I haven''t decided whether I''ll be able to leave yet. I''m more worried that you''ll be killed in the process. Maybe you should wait until you''re a little stronger before you go.


    Mek said to Raina.


    ''Ew!¡¡We''re going to get out of here, right now!¡¡I''m getting a little stronger myself!¡¡The reason I got beaten up today was because I let my guard down a bit!


    Raina rebels.


    As for me, I''d get out as soon as I could.


    I''d like to get out of here as soon as possible. Well, I want to get out of here as soon as possible. Well, I want to get out of here as soon as possible, so we''ll have to get going tomorrow, shall we?


    I''ll be fine.


    Let''s go!


    It was decided that we would go to the valley loophole tomorrow.


    After that, we were treated to a meal.


    It seemed that they had saved the demon''s meat, and since Raina could use simple fire magic, we grilled the meat and ate it.


    Meku in his plush state didn''t seem to need to eat, so he didn''t eat anything.


    By the way, it seems that magic is a slightly different thing than skill.


    Skills can only be used by using skill points and learning them, but magic can be used by anyone who casts a spell.


    However, it seems that the MP required to use it is more than that of a skill.


    It''s a good thing that I''m not the only one who can use weak magic without consuming much MP, like the magic [Small Fire (Small Fire)] that Lenya used this time.


    I''ve learned some useful magic as well.


    The two spells I was taught were ¡¾Small Fire¡¿ and ¡¾Small Light¡¿, which can light up the area.


    And the spell is very simple, [Small Fire (Small Fire)] is "Fire" and [Small Light (Small Light)] is "Light". As expected, I can learn this one right away.


    After we ate our food, we went to bed.


    Nya.........tetsya.......I want you to pet me....


    Raina asked.


    She has a sleepy look on her face.


    Then she slid in close to me and offered me her head, saying, "Unya".


    I''m slightly annoyed.


    The first time I stroked her, I was stroking her with the intention of petting a cat, so I was able to stroke her without any resistance at all, but after all, stroking a girl''s head is a bit nerve-wracking, or....


    But Lenya.


    Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.


    He asks me for help.


    I''m troubled and I''m looking at Meku for some reason.


    Meku doesn''t say anything, but geez, he looks at me.


    What about this?¡¡Do you want me to pet him?¡¡Are you asking me not to pet him?


    Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.


    Raina presses her head against me in a frustrated manner.


    I can''t help but stroke her head.


    I stroked Lenya''s head as hard as I could.


    I stroke her head as gently and thoughtfully as possible.


    When I was stroking her, Lenya let out a pleasant cry and after a while she began to breathe in her sleep.


    I think she misses you a lot.


    At this point, Meku called out to me.


    But don''t do anything just because you miss them. But don''t do anything just because you miss them.


    Hey, how''s that for a weird thing to do?


    Yes, you''re right. Raina won''t take kindly to a bad guy. You don''t look like the kind of guy who would do that, but just in case.


    I''m thrilled by the strange suspicion.


    In fact, I don''t want to do this or that to a girl this young. I don''t have the guts to do that, even if they were close in age.


    I haven''t been a virgin for 25 years.


    We''ll be in this valley for two years, but will we be able to leave tomorrow at last?


    You''ve been here for two years!¡¡I''m surprised.


    I''ve been here for two years when I''ve been here for a day and I''m getting pretty sick of it.


    Tomorrow, I have to win and get out of this valley.


    Something like a sense of duty came over me.


    Then sleepiness set in and I went to bed too.

 15-15 To the valley loophole

    Early the next morning, we leave the house and head for the loophole.


    Meku was trotting along at the front.


    On the way, we found a demon coming out of a hole.


    It seems that demons are also attacked by dead spirits, so they instinctively hide in their dens and other places to avoid being attacked at night.


    By the way, the demons that came out were goblins.


    Three of them appeared, so I defeated them and absorbed the corpse.


    HP increased by 15, MP increased by 3, attack power increased by 3, defense power increased by 3, speed increased by 3, and skill points gained by 3.


    That''s how much the three bodies combined increased.


    ''So that''s the corpse absorption.


    I got sucked in.


    Meku and Lenya are surprised to see my skills for the first time.


    ''''How much does that raise your status?


    Um,


    I tell them the number is up.


    "One goblin for one? There are plenty of goblins just outside of this valley, so if you take them down and absorb them all, you''ll be invincible, master.


    Really?


    Normally, levels don''t rise even if you only defeat the weak ones. It''s possible that this ability may not be able to raise its status at all, even if it absorbs the weaker ones in the future.


    I guess it''s possible that we could have such restrictions.


    But I don''t like the idea of only killing goblins to get stronger.


    I''m not a goblins***er.


    Well, if it''s the most efficient way to get stronger, I might do it.


    "How long till we''re there?


    We''re almost there. Some of them will be stronger than the demons you''ll find around here. So brace yourselves.


    That being said, I brace myself a bit.


    ''''Nya-nya. What do you want to do when you go outside, Tetsuya?


    He told me to brace myself, but in an easy-going tone that said it was none of my business, Lenya asked me.


    What do you want to do when you get outside...?


    I didn''t think of that specifically.


    I was just thinking about surviving. That''s all I had in mind.


    You mean, be an adventurer, earn a living?


    I''m going to eat a lot of good food!¡¡I don''t remember, but I heard from my master that there is a lot of good food out there.


    Raina says with a look of deep pleasure.


    Good food, huh? I''m sure that''s what I''d like to see. Those huge mushrooms were so bad.


    ''What?¡¡I ate the Tetsuya mushroom!¡¡Master told me to eat them.¡¡Are you all right?!


    You''ll be fine. I think it''s more important to brace yourself. Are we there yet?


    Meku says in a slightly angry tone.


    ''Doesn''t Master have anything he wants to go out and do?


    Of course you must break this curse. I don''t know how many years I''ve spent in this body but I''ve got to find a way to break the curse.


    Decades is a terrible word for....


    It''s been that long since Mek had a body like that.


    Oh, I''m here. This is our way in.


    Mek shows us the entrance to a large cave.


    ''If we go through this cave, can we get out?


    Yeah, it''s pretty long. It might take two days.


    It''s going to take two days.


    ''Nya!¡¡Let''s go!


    Lenya cheerfully entered the cave, and me and Meku followed suit.


    ¡ð


    After entering the cave, we encountered a demon after a while.


    By the way, this cave doesn''t have any glowing mushrooms like the previous cave, so I used a [small light] to illuminate the area as I went along.


    The monster that appeared was a weasel-like fellow that was burning with fire.


    Its back part is burning fiercely. One of them came out.


    I use my appraisal to find out what kind of monster it is.


    "Flame Weasel, age 10, 29/36.


    The Weasel Demon in the Flames.


    The level is reasonably high.


    It''s just as you see it, a flame-clad weasel.


    "Unya........I don''t like hot things.......


    Lenya is frightened.


    ''Flame Weasel, you''re a bit of a nasty one. I''m good with blows, but if I were to be burned, it would be the end of the world for me...


    It''s a stuffed animal and it''s going to burn well...


    I first used the ¡¾Sucking Thread (Absorbing Thread ) ¡¿.


    The thread is attached to the enemy.


    But the moment it was attached, it burned.


    ........Is this thread zero fire resistance?


    The enemy attacks me with flames.


    Three balls of flame were shot, and me, Rainya, and Meku each flew away.


    I had a small window of opportunity and hurriedly avoided them. I was startled.


    Lenya is instinctively afraid of fire, "Nya! He shouted and avoided it.


    Meku said it was bad that the fire was hitting him, but he was avoiding it most calmly.


    He moves fast, too. He said his status was weakened, but his movements look pretty good.


    I pulled myself together and started attacking.


    The ceiling of this cave is high, so it looks like I can use ¡¾Meteorite (Meteorite)¡¿.


    I drop the ¡¾Meteorite Meteor¡¿ onto the flame-weasel.


    Thud!¡¡And then it hit with a thud.


    It looked like I''d done a lot of damage, but I was still wriggling around.


    I went in close and kicked him in the head for good measure.


    The kicked Flame Weasel jerked a bit, but then stopped moving.


    Maybe it''s dead?


    I move closer and touch it to make sure it''s okay.


    And since it seems to be able to absorb it, I absorb it.


    30 HP up, 3 MP up, 5 attack power up, 2 defense power up, 2 speed up, 2 skill points gained.


    Skill [Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv.2] gained.


    You have acquired ¡¾Flame Resistance Lv.1¡¿.


    I''ve increased my attack power quite a bit.


    Hm, he is a highly offensive demon. The enemy''s status determines the amount of points he can earn.


    That''s what I thought, too.


    ''''Unya. I couldn''t do anything~.......next time I''ll fight properly!


    Lenya declared, with a frustrated look on her face.


    We went further into the cave.

 16-16. No identification

    ''Meow!¡¡Uh-oh!


    Raina is fighting a demon by herself.


    The demon she''s fighting is a cave wolf, a wolf demon. By the way, her level is 22/29.


    The reason why Lenya is fighting alone is because she wasn''t useful earlier, so this time she''ll definitely defeat it herself!¡¡Because I was so enthusiastic about it.


    Then Cave Wolf came out and said, "I can handle this much by myself!¡¡Tetsuya''s behind me! And then he started fighting on his own.


    Are you okay?¡¡I asked Meku, "There''s only one of them and there''s plenty of room," he said, and I watched him fight alone from behind.


    I was a little worried, but it seemed to be a futile worry.


    Raina moved quickly, dodging all of the enemy''s attacks and then attacking with her claws.


    Without giving the enemy a chance to take advantage of her, she attacked with her claws again and again, and eventually the attack hit her in the neck area, spurting out a lot of blood and killing the Cave Wolf.


    ''Yay, I defeated it!


    The moment I knocked him down, Lenya came running towards me.


    ''''Do you understand that I''m not going to slow you down?


    Yeah, Lenya was strong.


    Meow-ha-ha!


    And smilingly, Lenya is laughing.


    ''Praise me for beating you~. Pet me nyan~


    He held out his head to me.


    I hesitated a bit, but stroked it.


    Raina seems to really like being stroked.


    I don''t mind being stroked either.


    Lenya''s hair is pleasant to the touch, her ears are fluffy, and I never get tired of touching her.


    Why is it that after stroking it for quite a while


    "This is not the time to go around, you idiots!¡¡I didn''t come here for a visit, you know!


    Mek yelled at me.


    ''Sorry, sorry,'' I apologized lightly and stopped petting him.


    Lenya seemed to want to pet me some more, but Meku was right, we had to move on quickly.


    I defeated Lenya, absorbing the Cave Wolf.


    10 HP up, 2 MP up, 4 attack power up, 2 defense power up, 3 speed up, 2 skill points gained.


    It was pretty much an increase in attack power.


    But we didn''t get any skills or resistance.


    And we move on.


    In the meantime, we came across quite a few demons, which we defeated and absorbed.


    HP increased by 60, MP increased by 10, Attack power increased by 15, Defense power increased by 8, Speed increased by 10, and Skill points gained by 10.


    Skill ¡¾Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv 2¡¿ increased to ¡¾Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv 4¡¿.


    Resistance [Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv 1] has been increased to [Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv 3].


    There was no demon that could give me a new skill.


    Now my status is.


    Name: Tetsuya Takahashi


    Age 25


    Level 1/1


    HP 199/199


    MP 74/84


    Attack power 82


    Defensive Strength 124


    Speed 85


    Skill Points 2


    Skills¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿¡¾Appraisal Lv2¡¿¡¾Meteorite (Meteor) Lv4¡¿¡¾Strong Acid Shot (Acid Shot) Lv2¡¿¡¾Thunderbolt (Thunder Shock) Lv2¡¿¡¾Sucking Thread (Absorb Thread ) Lv1¡¿¡¾Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv4¡¿.


    Resistance [Poison resistance Lv2] [Lightning resistance Lv1] [Flame resistance Lv3]


    By the way, I slept once and recovered all of my MP.


    After that, I used Meteorite (Meteorite) three times to reduce it by 30, and it seems that you can absorb MP if you use [Absorbing Thread (Absorbing Thread) Lv 1], and since there was a demon for which [Absorbing Thread (Absorbing Thread) Lv 1] worked, I used it on that one and recovered 20 times.


    Also, I spent 20 skill points to raise ¡¾Meteorite (Meteorite)¡¿.


    Since ¡¾Meteorite (Meteorite)¡¿ is my maximum firepower, I decided it would be better to raise it, so I raised it.


    ''''With this, that''s enough for me. I''m sure the giant golem will be able to get through the attack as well.


    Mek said.


    ''That''s good to hear. Then let''s get to the exit.


    Yeah.


    Nya~!


    We were just about to walk out the door when...


    It just showed up.


    Gasshasa ... gasshasa ... gasshasa ...


    Ahead of me, a little farther away, I can hear what sounds like a man equipped with armor walking.


    ''What is it?¡¡Stop for a moment.


    Mek instructed.


    Following the instructions, me and Raina stop walking.


    I look ahead.


    My heart skipped a beat when I caught a glimpse of what was coming from ahead.


    It''s a knight in pitch black armor.


    But that''s not all.


    You''ll be able to find a black aura of evil that clings to the knight.


    I don''t know what it is, but it evokes an instinctive fear and a sense of disgust.


    This is not someone I should be involved with.


    My instincts were telling me with all their might.


    ''Hey, what the hell is that guy...''


    Nya, nya~....


    It''s not just me, Meku and Lenya seem to have the same impression, and they''re quite frightened.


    He''s walking towards us.


    The first one to start moving is Lenya.


    Lenya started walking slowly so as not to make a sound and hid behind a nearby rock.


    Meku and I followed her and hid behind the rocks.


    We heard a rumbling sound approaching.


    I stick my eyes out from behind the rock.


    "What the hell are you doing...!


    Meku notes my behavior in a whisper.


    I am.


    I''ll give you an opinion.


    I whispered back.


    It was horrible, but I wanted to know who he was, just in case.


    Then I came to a place where I could see the black knight, so I appraised him.


    ''Unappraised.''


    So the voice echoed.


    ''Appraisal ... not possible?''


    The moment I appraised it, I hid myself behind a rock again, and I whispered that in a whisper.


    ''''Wha, what...?


    Meku is surprised.


    ''I''ve heard that anything that deviates greatly from common sense abilities becomes unappraisable. I heard that was an extraordinary being...''''


    Hey, what''s your common sense?


    No matter how good they are, each of them is limited to 9999. That means you have the ability to exceed this limit.


    "...9999!¡¡Why is such a monster here?


    Don''t know. Don''t ask me.


    Nya.........nya~


    I''m as spooked as I can be. Lenya is also scared and clings to me.


    Why such a monster when we''re almost out?


    The sound of his walk is slowly but surely approaching.


    I guess we''ll just have to pray to heaven that they don''t find it.


    Gasha ... gasha ... gasha ... gasha ... gasha ... gasha ...


    My heartbeat speeds up with each sound.


    Sweat drips down my cheeks.


    Please don''t come here!


    Well, I guess my wish has been answered.


    The sound of him walking slowly began to fade away.


    I waited for a little while, then I peeked out from behind a rock to check.


    He was gone.


    "Well, thank God...


    I''m so glad I didn''t find him.


    Nya-nya-nya~


    Now that I think about it, even if they find us, it doesn''t mean we''re going to be killed, but I don''t think so after seeing his hideous body language.


    Anyway, we were relieved and headed for the exit of the cave as fast as we could.

 17-17. Giant Golem Battle

    We made our way towards the exit of the cave.


    My fear of the black knight from earlier hadn''t woken up and I was walking with few words.


    ''''That''s right. Maybe that black knight from earlier, the giant golem, was defeated?


    I suddenly thought that, so I muttered.


    ''''.........Indeed, it is. I''m sure that the giant golem is sitting near the exit, so I have to defeat it to get in and I can only assume that it was defeated.


    So you don''t want to fight?


    It would be lucky if they had been defeated.


    Surprisingly, it was probably lucky that that black knight was here.


    With that thought in mind, I walked towards the exit.


    You''re here...


    We found a giant golem near the exit.


    We don''t know how, but that black knight apparently got into this cave without defeating the golem.


    We found a big, stupid, human-shaped rock.


    At first glance, I knew that thing was a giant golem.


    It''s about the height of a three-story house.


    Oh, that''s a giant golem, isn''t it...?


    Yes.


    That thing you can take down...


    It''s not as strong as the impression it gives from its size.


    Is that so?


    I''m going to appraise it.


    "Giant Golem, age 33, Lv.42/46.


    ''Giant Monsters Made of Rock''


    Aside from the explanation that he still knows it when he sees it, his level is the highest of any demon I''ve ever seen.


    ''''Raina. [Beastification (Beast Mode)].


    "Unya~........do you need to use that thing after all? I don''t like it because it''s tiring, but...


    What''s [Beast Mode]?


    It''s a unique skill that can be used by beastmen. It transforms you into a beast and boosts your status for a certain amount of time. But when the effect wears off, the reaction will slow down the movement for a while and you won''t be able to fight properly. You must defeat it while Lenya turns into a beastman.


    How long is it?


    Ten minutes or so. It should be okay.


    Can you do that?¡¡Ten minutes.


    Let''s trust Meku with this one.


    All right, let''s go!¡¡Meow!


    Lenya yells out that loudly.


    Then, black fur sprouts from her entire body and she looks more like a slightly larger, pitch black tiger than a cat.


    ''''Nyaaaaaaaaaa!''''


    Raina charges at the giant golem. His voice is the same as before.


    Noticing Raina, the giant golem slowly stands up.


    ''Tetsuya. Can you see that red sphere around his chest?


    As Meku says this, I look at the giant golem''s chest.


    There is indeed a red sphere.


    I''m going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. I''m going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do anything about it.


    All right, I guess I should just aim for that red sphere.


    No, that''s not so. That red sphere is protected by an invisible ward that prevents the attacker from being able to get through so easily. So we''ll attack his head first. The head of the golem has a function of controlling the movements of its entire body, and if you hit its head hard enough, it will go mad and release its warding. Therefore, the first thing we must do is to drop your meteorite on his head!


    Okay.


    I try to drop a meteorite (meteo) on his head, wondering how he knows so much about this, but I can''t.


    But I can''t do it.


    It''s because he''s too big, and even though this cave has a wide ceiling, there isn''t enough space to drop it.


    I''m sorry, but he''s too big for me to drop it.


    Nanny?


    What do I do?


    Well yes. Then if I attack his leg and make him kneel, will I be able to drop him?


    I nodded, because I knew it would work then.


    ''Lenya!¡¡Attack his legs and bring him to his knees!


    Okay.


    Raina responds.


    Spinning back around, Raina tried to attack the giant golem''s legs.


    The giant golem stretched its arms out to the side, spun around in one motion, and swatted away the attacking Raina.


    ''''Unya!''''


    Lenya!


    Seeing Raina being blown away by the attack, I yell out to myself.


    ''Lenya in that state can''t be hit that way.


    As Mek said, Lenya stood up cheerfully.


    ''But you don''t create gaps easily.


    I''ll draw them away for a while.


    Saying that, I stepped in front of the golem.


    Then I shoot the ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿ and attack the golem.


    The giant golem''s gaze turns towards me.


    Raina, perhaps sensing my intentions, steps back a little.


    I shoot ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿ many times.


    It doesn''t seem to do any damage, but she seems to be a little irritated.


    The enemy raises its legs and tries to stomp me out.


    And at that time, Raina charges in from behind the golem.


    I ran at full speed towards the leg that wasn''t raised, and rushed forward with all my might.


    Gotu!¡¡I hear a noise.


    The golem loses its balance and starts to fall over, but will Raina be okay?


    He seemed to be quite fine. I avoided the fallen giant golem by running normally.


    Then I dropped the ¡¾Meteorite (Meteor)¡¿ magic on the fallen giant golem''s head.


    Gashiaaaaan!¡¡A roaring sound of "I''m going to be able to use it.


    With the skill level raised by 1, the power has increased significantly.


    The giant golem that was hit on the head stops moving for a while.


    ''''Now!¡¡Attack the sphere of the chest!


    I hit the ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿ to the Giant Golem, and then Lenya attacked the sphere with her sharp claws.


    Then the sphere cracks.


    At that moment, the giant golem rattled out and crumbled into just a big stoner.

 18-18. Go through the loophole

    Yay, I beat you!


    After defeating the Giant Golem, Raina screams with joy.


    Immediately after, Lenya''s ¡¾Beast Mode¡¿ is released.


    ''''Ah, fuyah.''''


    Raina, who had returned to her original form, seemed to lose her strength and sat down.


    a€?Thata€?s good, thata€?s good. It''s only a short distance away and we''re already outside.


    Well, thank goodness.


    At any rate, I feel a little relieved that I''m going to be able to get out of the valley.


    Come to think of it, can that golem be absorbed?


    I don''t think I can, because I''m under the impression that golems aren''t creatures.


    I''m going to touch the stone. Oh, it looks like I can do it.


    It''s one of the categories of living things, isn''t it?


    I absorbed a giant golem.


    HP increased by 50, MP increased by 8, Attack power increased by 10, Defense power increased by 20, Speed increased by 5, Skill points gained by 4.


    Skill [Weakness Warding (Core Guard) Lv 1] acquired.


    ¡¾Weakness Warding (Core Guard) Lv 1¡¿?


    A warding skill that he used to use to protect his golem core, huh?


    If I used it, would it create a ward that would protect my heart or my head?


    You''ll have to try it, but it could be a pretty good skill.


    ''Okay, let''s get out then!''


    Nya~, Tetsuya~, I need a shoulder to lean on, I can''t walk alone.


    It seems that under the influence of the [Beast Mode] being released, it has become difficult to walk on its own.


    I was about to help Raina with her shoulder, when...


    Gasha.....


    I heard the sound of the black knight walking, which I heard just a moment ago.


    The moment I heard that sound, I shuddered and froze. The sound is getting closer and closer to us.


    I regain my composure. I look around quickly and find a place to hide. There''s a large rock nearby. I take Rainier and try to hide behind that rock but....


    "...and...?


    I take a breath.


    This is because the black knight, who should have been at a position so far away that you couldn''t see him until a moment ago, was right in front of us.


    Can this thing do instantaneous movement?¡¡Oh, this is just too much.


    Nyan~..........


    I can''t see what''s going on because I''m behind her, but Lenya is making a sound like she''s about to cry.


    The Black Knight is staring at us in silence. I''m too scared and nervous to move.


    Then, the eyes of the black knight''s full facemet glows red for a moment.


    The moment I see that light, my whole body goes numb.


    My entire body goes numb and I can''t move without fear or tension.


    After that, for some reason, my right hand begins to move on its own, regardless of my intentions.


    The hand is held out in front of the black knight. The black knight holds my hand.


    And this time, the black knight''s eyes glowed blue. At that moment.


    An intense pain ran through my right hand.


    ''Ahhhhhh!''


    It hurts so much, I scream out.


    It hurts!¡¡Ouch!¡¡Ouch!¡¡Ouch!


    It hurt like being stabbed in the back of my hand with several needles at the same time.


    Ouch, ouch, ouch! What are you doing?¡¡What the hell?


    Tetsuya!


    I could hear Lenya''s worried cries.


    The pain continued for as long as the Black Knight held my right hand.


    It was actually about thirty seconds, but for me the pain continued for a near eternity.


    Then the black knight removes his hand from my right hand. He instantly holds my right hand and I cower in place.


    Before I knew it, the numbness had dissipated, but I didn''t have time to notice it because of the pain in my right hand.


    And then the Black Knight.


    Resist.


    That''s what he whispered to me.


    I didn''t know what it meant, but as I was confused, the black knight was enveloped in darkness and then suddenly disappeared.


    ''Ki, he''s gone?''


    You''re not going to make it?


    I mean, she''s gone?


    I check to make sure he''s gone, shaking with a buzz.


    What was that guy?¡¡Was it just a matter of inflicting severe pain on a person''s right hand?¡¡What a pain in the ass.


    So I looked at my right hand, which was still in pain.


    Hmm?


    There''s something black on the back of my hand. I''ll wipe it off. It does not come off.


    It seems to be engraved like a tattoo.


    Did the black knight from earlier wear it?


    It is a strange pattern that a small eye is drawn in the center of a black circle.


    When I look at these eyes, I feel as if my soul is being sucked into them. I look away.


    Underneath the pattern is a mysterious character. I can''t read it because I''ve never seen these letters before.


    ''What''s that?''


    Mek asked.


    ''I don''t know. Maybe the Black Knight from earlier followed me.


    There''s some kind of engraving... I''ve never seen it before.


    There''s some writing at the bottom. Can you read it?


    I can''t read it. I''ve never seen those letters before.


    Hmmm, what is this? It''s creepy.


    I stare at the engraving and try to appraise it.


    This time, it doesn''t even say that it''s unappraisable. It doesn''t even try to appraise it.


    I look at the status, but there''s nothing written on it.


    ''What is this...? What do you mean?


    I don''t know. Maybe the curse will kick in later and you''ll wake up in the morning looking like me?


    Don''t say something horrible.


    I shiver slightly.


    ''Nya~, will Tetsuya be like his master?¡¡It''s cute, but I don''t want you to stop petting me.


    Lenya says this in a carefree manner.


    I don''t know what it is, but it''s a relief. I''m not sure what that is, but it''s a safe bet he saved my life. Now get out of this cave.


    Yeah.


    Nya~ I''m finally getting out of that valley~. It''s been a long time~


    At any rate, there''s no real damage so far, so it might not be a good idea to worry too much about it.


    We walked around a bit.


    The exit is just around the corner and we left the cave.


    Outside the cave was a grassy field.


    As far as the eye could see, the grass was all over the place. I was slightly impressed by the magnificent view.


    Hah, that was good. We were able to get out....


    I''m starting to feel a little relieved. Because the first time I was dropped into that valley, I was seriously in despair.


    ''Nya~ I made it out!


    Lenya is running around in the meadow, happy to be there.


    Lenya has been in that valley for longer than I have, and she''s probably happier than I am to have gotten out.


    "We''re out at last....


    Mek said, sounding very emotional.


    Lenya runs around for a while and then comes back to us.


    We''ll see what happens now. I intend to resume my journey back to my body. What do you plan to do?


    Mek asked me that.


    Okay, so once we''re out of the valley, there''s no reason to stay together, so we''re going to split up here?


    I hadn''t figured out what I was going to do since I left.


    Well, I could give a reason for looking into the meaning of the mysterious engraving that was engraved earlier, though. Since I didn''t find anything when I appraised it, it could be nothing, but I still feel bad as expected to leave it alone like this.


    Nya~........is this our farewell?


    Lenya said with a forlorn look on her face.


    ''No, no~ I want to be with my master, and I want to spend more time with Tetsuya and have him pet me a lot.


    Lenya says, with tears in her eyes, "Well, wait, Lenya, I''m not leaving you here.


    But wait, Lenya, I''m not going to leave you here. I don''t want to leave you alone. It''s not like I''m going to find a way to get back on my feet all by myself.


    Yeah?¡¡What about Tetsuya?


    I am, yes. I was just wondering if I could find out what this imprint means or not. There''s no reason why I shouldn''t be on my own and I''ll come with you.


    ''Yes!¡¡I''m coming with you!


    Raina''s teary eyes lit up.


    Then I guess we''ll go together. There is a loophole that leads to the south of Lukasto Grassland. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people in the area. Let''s go there first.


    ''Yes. If there''s a town, let''s go there.


    I''m going.


    Thus, we were to travel together and head to our first destination, Mestos.

 19-19. Heroes

    ''Hahahahahaha! I didn''t know what was going to happen at first, but it''s so otherworldly!


    The royal palace of the Arbus Kingdom.


    The laughing voice of Yamashita Kaito, the long haired hero and leader of the delinquents, echoed.


    ''''Right! All the good stuff you can eat, all the women you can cuddle!


    The large blond-haired hero, Reiji Sakai, said that in a good mood.


    ''''At first I wondered what was going to happen when they sent me to the dungeon, but I was too much of an enemy minnow, too much leeway, and that''s all it took for me to have this luxury. I never thought it would be such a nice place!''''


    I don''t even want to go home.


    The shaved-headed hero, Hiroshi Oshima (Oshima Hiroshi), and the petite hero, Shun Takei (Takei Shun), also seem to be in a good mood.


    Summoned to this world as heroes, the four delinquents are treated with the utmost care and attention.


    They had to go to the dungeon for a few hours a day to train in combat, but as long as they did that, the rest of the time, they would give them what they wanted as a reward, whether it was holding a woman or eating something good.


    Combat training in the dungeons is, in a word, a piece of cake.


    There aren''t even any demons that can do proper damage.


    They wondered if this would be a good way to train, but the heroes are much easier to level up than normal ones, and even those who aren''t much of a challenge will level up. They were able to learn how to use skills and basic fighting techniques even if their opponents were weak.


    Incidentally, their current levels were 99/125 for Kaito, 78/99 for Reiji, 75/95 for Hiroshi, and 72/93 for Shun.


    In addition to the levels given by the dungeon attack, a potion was made for the heroes that would raise their levels if they drank it, and drinking it would raise their levels even more.


    ''''But I''m a little unhappy with women.


    Kaito said.


    ''Why. They''re all pretty, aren''t they?''


    Yeah, but... You are all gaijin, gaijin. I wanna f*ck a Japanese guy.


    ''Oh, there is that,''


    You know, that girl we saw with us was pretty cute. Can we get her to come back and find us?


    ''Eeeeee, that was a nice woman. I think she''s a virgin. I''ll be the first one to f*ck her.


    With a lowly expression, the brave men were talking to each other.


    All thoughts of Tetsuya had completely disappeared in their minds.


    They couldn''t have any other impressions other than they didn''t care if the unimportant old man died or not.


    ''''May I have your permission, brave souls?''''


    A meme came over before I knew it and called out to the brave men.


    ''What?''


    The king would like to speak with you. Please follow me.


    The brave men looked at each other with a dubious expression.


    I decided to follow them here accordingly.


    They were led to the place where they were first summoned.


    The king is sitting on a throne, and the king''s retainers are around him.


    ''Oh! Welcome, brave men and women!


    What''s the story?


    Kaito said bluntly.


    The retainers around him looked slightly irritated at his rude attitude, but he didn''t say anything.


    There was no one who could give the brave man an opinion.


    ''''They say that all of you are already over seventy in level, and speaking of seventy, that''s enough to take down a dragon by yourself! When it comes to kites, they have 90. I''ve never heard of anything with a level 90 before! I can''t even imagine how strong they are!


    What do you mean by that, huh?


    The brave men seemed irritated by the slightly long story.


    The king cleared his throat once with a cough and


    ''''Then let''s get down to business. I''ve decided that the brave men have reached a high enough level to be put into actual battle, and from now on, I''m going to have you guys fight on the battlefield!


    What?


    Seriously, we''re gonna have to fight a war at last.


    The brave men are a little anxious, wondering if they will finally have to fight on the battlefield.


    ''Don''t worry! Enemies as strong as the demons in the dungeon! And when I have regained the territory, I will give it and the castle to you!


    Domains and castles...


    Do I get a castle?


    He doesn''t seem to be too happy with the idea of getting the territory, but he does react a bit to the idea of getting a castle.


    It''s a pretty bad idea to get a castle, isn''t it? We''re going to be super great, aren''t we?


    Yeah, they say the enemy is weak, so yeah! Let''s do it!


    The brave men seemed to be much more motivated.


    ''''We are very happy to hear that you have been motivated. Now, let''s go over the details now.


    After the brave men are briefed in detail, they head to the battlefield.


    From now on, they will become a feared presence on the battlefield.

 20-20. Underground arena

    I arrived in the town of Maestos.


    It''s a town with a strange atmosphere.


    What I imagined, the town is a little different from the other world.


    There are some western-style houses, but there are also strange-looking buildings that I''ve never seen before.


    The people walking around the town are just as diverse as the elves with pointy ears, beastmen like Lenya, humans, and some who look like demons with horns.


    Perhaps that''s why everyone seems to be going through the motions, even Meku, the stuffed animal that''s moving around, and they don''t seem to think it''s particularly unusual.


    Anyway, we''ve arrived in town. It''s good that we''ve arrived, though.


    "Well, we''re in town...but we don''t have enough money for whatever we''re doing.


    I mean, I''m broke.


    Yes, we didn''t have any money in our possession.


    Of course, without money, we wouldn''t be able to eat or have a place to live.


    I would need money to know about the unidentified engraving on my right hand.


    Can''t we eat without money?


    Of course.


    Unnecessary.


    Raina looks at me with sad eyes.


    ''Hmmm, I have to make money somehow.


    ''What''s the easiest way to make money?¡¡Like being an adventurer?


    "An adventurer...not bad, but it will take some time to get the money now. I''ve got to go to the dungeon and kill the monsters. You want to earn money for lodging and food for today, don''t you?¡¡Well, I don''t want to eat anything.


    I agree. I''m looking for an easier way to make money.


    What do I have to do?¡¡I looked around a bit.


    Then.


    It''s....


    I spotted a sign on a nearby building.


    Underground arena, free to jump in and out, 1000 gold for the winner.


    That''s what the sign said.


    ''Mek, there''s an underground arena.


    Huh?¡¡Yeah, we could make some money right now but isn''t there an entry fee?¡¡I don''t know much about that sort of thing, so I don''t know.


    Well let''s go in and ask him one time.


    I walked into the building.


    Inside, a skinheaded, cocky guy was working as a receptionist.


    ''I haven''t seen you around. You want to jump in?


    Yes,


    It''s 200 g''s to enter.


    I knew I needed the money.


    I was a little disappointed, but the guy at the reception desk must have sensed that I didn''t have any money because of my attitude.


    If you don''t have the money, you can bet your body on it.


    Did he say that?


    What body?¡¡Sounds like a bad idea....


    You mean, to be enslaved?


    Well, I hope you win but I hope you lose.....


    If you''re having a little trouble.


    With your status, you''re a hard man to beat. You should accept it.


    Mek told me that.


    ''Are you sure?''


    Yeah, I''m sure.


    If Mek says it, I guess I''m not wrong.


    ''I''m going to fight you, too!


    And Lenya takes a fighting pose to motivate him.


    ''Wait, wait, wait, wait, your case could be defeated by any chance. Don''t do it this time.


    Meow.


    Meku said and stopped participating.


    Even for me, I''m worried about it, so I want Raina to watch this time.


    ''''Speaking of which, how much is 1000 gold worth?''''


    How can you not know this much? How can you be so ignorant of the world?¡¡A thousand gold would be enough to keep one person alive for twenty days.


    So, the three of you will live for seven days?


    Wait, wait, wait, wait. I don''t have to eat, so I don''t have to pay any more money than you guys. You''ll have to pay for your lodging, though.


    Oh, okay.


    For now, that''s all you need to know.


    I''m a receptionist''s dad.


    I''m in.


    I said.


    ''The rest?''


    Oh, I''m not participating.


    Just my brother....


    Will we be able to watch the game?


    Mek asked.


    ''Hmm?¡¡There''s no charge to watch it, participants and spectators have different entrances.


    I understand.


    Me, Mek, and Lenya took another staircase down to the basement.

 21-21. The beginning of the battle

    After deciding to participate, they asked me what my name was, etc., and I answered normally, "Tetsuya Takahashi.


    Then they explained the rules.


    The rules for fighting in the underground arena were that four people would fight in a brawl, and the last one standing would win.


    The winner gets 1000 gold in prize money.


    It doesn''t matter if you kill them. Anyway, you can put your opponent in a position where it''s impossible to continue fighting.


    Also, if you say "I''m overwhelmed", it will be determined that you don''t want to continue fighting, and you''ll lose the battle at that point.


    I was advised to say "I''m overwhelmed" to save my life if there was no chance of winning.


    It seems that about 90% of the time, they don''t attack the ones who say they''ve given up.


    On the contrary, I wondered if 10% of them would attack me.


    Then I was led to the waiting room.


    They said I can leave without changing clothes and so on.


    They tell me to wait until the time is up and I''ll give them a signal when the time is up.


    So a few minutes passed.


    ''Hey, come on out!''


    He signaled me to go out and I took the exit and went out into the arena.


    It''s a big space there.


    It was surrounded by iron bars, and the crowd was watching from there.


    I spotted Lenya and Meku. Lenya waved to me, and I waved back.


    The three opponents are out.


    All men.


    Pretty hairy beastmen with wolf ears.


    One or two bigger than a normal human, maybe a giant or this guy?


    And there''s a human guy, but this guy doesn''t look very strong.


    The giants look strong to be honest, but they''re not as big as the giant golem.


    For now, let''s just appraise them all.


    I''ll start with the wolf beastmen, and then I''ll appraise them all.


    Lycanthrope Individual Name:Vargas 28 years old Lv.27/27


    A wolf beastman. When weakened, he becomes just a wolf.''


    Next, the Giant Man.


    Giant Individual Name:Gouva Savelvin, 44 years old, Lv.23/24.


    A huge race. Power is off the charts.''''


    Finally, a human male.


    (Human) Individual name: Sarmel Eslin, 24 years old, Lv.30/30.


    A smart and magical race


    Are human men the highest level?


    Well, but is there anyone who has a very high level?


    The levels are just a guide, so it''s not clear how strong they actually are.


    The difference between the limit level and the level is less than that of the wild demons.


    The wild demons don''t have wisdom, so they can''t raise their levels efficiently.


    ''''You don''t look like you''ve seen me.


    The lycanthrope man said to me.


    ''Humanka. You look weak.


    This time, the giant man said with a smirk on his face.


    They don''t seem to be too nice guys.


    Well, it''s better that way because I can fight without being weirdly reserved.


    With that in mind.


    ... wait... this guy is level 1 at the limit!


    The human cousin looked at me and said that.


    What is it? Did they see you on the level without you knowing it?


    At the man''s voice, the other two opponents and the crowd began to buzz with surprise.


    At first, the crowd was loud, like, "There''s no way he''d be daredevil enough to go into battle at the limit level 1,


    I swear that guy is a real level one.


    And a few people from the audience who have seen my limit level start to come out of the crowd.


    I don''t know what they''re using, but I don''t know how easy it is to see my limit level, and for that, I didn''t get to find out when I was in reception.


    I''m starting to believe that my limit level is 1, and the crowd and my opponent are starting to look at me with a slightly withdrawn look on their faces, like, seriously, this guy....


    And then the expressions started to change.


    ''Hahahahahahaha! You''re kidding me! Limit level 1!


    "You''re a piece of shit! Seriously, it''s out!


    Ha-ha-ha, you better get the hell out of here!


    The crowd and my opponents were mocking me, one after another.


    I guess being a marginal level 1 is much more of an object of ridicule.


    Maybe people in this world don''t see other people''s statuses so easily, so they judge all of their opponents'' strength by the level they can easily see.


    So I guess that''s why they''re ridiculed like this, because things that are too low level and strong are not common.


    Well, the laughter is slightly unpleasant, but the enemy seems to be extremely careless, so I guess that''s good.


    ''Oi, you''d better surrender now, huh? I''m a hard man to take care of.


    The giant man grinned at me and warned me that he was looking down on me as much as he could.


    ''Yeah, yeah. I can go easy on him, but he can''t! You''re going to die.


    The lycanthrope man also joins me in giving me some advice.


    Well, he certainly doesn''t seem to be able to take care of the details.


    I couldn''t think of a witty reply, so I ignored him.


    Then the giant man said.


    I don''t know what''s going on.


    He said.


    ''''Well, it doesn''t really matter what happens to marginal level 1 trash, does it?''''


    As if he had lost interest, the lycanthrope man said that.


    I knew they''d look down on me like that, a marginal level 1.


    By the way, the betting began, predicting who would win before the match started.


    My odds are incredibly high.


    But there seems to be one person who is betting on me, at least.


    Lenya and Meku don''t have any money, so maybe there''s no one else to bet on? I thought, but it looks like some guy was going for a very big hole.


    Then the bell rang to signal the start of the fight, and the fight began.

 22-22. Overwhelming victory

    Sate I''m gonna have to crush the first one in your way.


    The giant guy, Guba or something like that, I think.


    That''s what he said when he saw me.


    He''s attacking me with his giant hands.


    You''re too late.


    I dodge his fist.


    "What?


    Gouva is astonished.


    No, he''s not that surprised after just avoiding a random punch like that.


    I thought for a moment before fighting back.


    The use of skills is not actually forbidden.


    Whether it''s magic or skill, it seems that anything is possible.


    However, I don''t want to kill them, so I can''t use ¡¾Meteorite (Meteor)¡¿ or ¡¾Strong Acid Bullet (Acid Shot)¡¿. It would take a waste of time to defeat them with [Absorbing Thread].


    Can you beat it by hitting it normally?¡¡And as I was wondering how I attacked, Vargas, the lycanthrope, was trying to kick me from behind.


    I couldn''t avoid it and ate it... but it didn''t hurt at all.


    It really doesn''t hurt at all. It didn''t even tingle.


    On the contrary, Vargas, who kicked me, said, "Ouch! And he''s even in pain while holding his leg.


    There''s something about this one that seems to be more of a power differential than I imagined.


    The audience was surprised by the unexpected development of the battle.


    What the f*ck are you doing? "Shut it down, now! I don''t know what a marginal level one piece of garbage is!


    And the crowd came up.


    ''You ... what kind of trick did you use?


    Vargas glared at me.


    Trick or not, I was just standing there like a normal person.


    If there''s such a difference in ability, there''s no need for skills, and there''s no need to really hit him.


    I''ll just lightly punch him in the jaw area.


    I''ll close the distance between me and Vargas.


    When Vargas recognizes me, I''m already in his pocket.


    I lightly punch him in the jaw.


    Then.


    Haha!


    And Vargas blasted upwards, falling to the ground, screaming.


    He seemed to be completely white eyed and unconscious.


    Something blew up more than I thought it would. Maybe I overdid it.


    The crowd begins to rustle.


    I guess it''s totally unexpected.


    Now, will the giant Guba or the human Thurmel be next?


    They both look pretty upset after seeing Vargas get hit in an instant.


    For now, they were nearby, let''s take them out first, Gouva.


    I first move closer to Gouva''s feet. My opponent can''t react at all and is losing me.


    Then I lightly kick him in the shin area. "Idah! And Gouva screams in pain and falls forward. The giant also seems to have a weakness in his shins.


    I step on the fallen Gouva''s neck and lightly punch him in the back of the head. Lighter than when I hit Vargas earlier.


    Then he jerked for a moment and didn''t move. He faints.


    I get out of the Gouva and shift my target to my last enemy, Thamel.


    Thurmer seems to have recovered from his shaking.


    Flaming bullets!¡¡Burn it all down!


    He chanted a spell and sent a large flame bullet towards me.


    A little bit, I''m a little late in avoiding it and it hits me.......but it also takes absolutely no damage.


    I''ve got flame resistance Lv 3. It seems that this level of flame attribute magic doesn''t seem to be able to pass any damage to me at all.


    Thamel looked at me with eyes that seemed to see something unbelievable.


    Oh, my most powerful magic...!


    I muttered to myself as I shuddered.


    After that, he''d shoot the same magic at me over and over again.


    There''s no need to avoid it. I catch the flaming bullets with my body; they hit me about three times, but of course I''m unharmed.


    I silently approach Thamel and pretend to hit him.


    Well, I''ll be d*mned!


    And I surrendered.


    The moment my victory was decided, the underground arena was silent.


    All the spectators looked at me as if they were seeing something unbelievable.


    "The winner is Tetsuya Takahashi...


    The only thing that could be heard was my voice announcing my victory.

 23-23. After victory

    After winning the underground arena, we got our winnings and quickly decided to have a meal at a nearby restaurant.


    It''s good! Yum!


    Raina is gobbling up a delicious meal.


    The dish I asked for was bread and a soup made of meat and various vegetables stewed together.


    It''s a little lightly seasoned, but it''s definitely better than those bitter mushrooms, so I ate it to my satisfaction.


    But I''m glad it''s all over.


    Meku, who had been watching us eat from the side, said.


    ''''Hm? You said there was no way you could lose, Meku.


    I''m not worried about you, my Lord. I was only worried about Lenya. When I was watching the fight in the arena, there was a lot of verbal abuse directed at you. I didn''t want her to stop the fight, so I tried to calm her down.


    You can''t be...


    Because they made fun of Tetsuya, and I was so angry!


    Lenya stopped eating for a bit and gave me a grim look.


    Sure, I might have gotten in trouble for being out of control, but I was a little glad that she was that angry at me for being ridiculous.


    And then I finished my food.


    Raina was saying that with a happy expression on her face.


    That''s an exaggeration.


    Well, since she''s been in that valley for much longer than me, it''s probably not surprising that she has that kind of impression.


    ''''There are so many better things in the world, it would be a shame to die from this alone.


    Meku said in a slightly dumbfounded tone.


    ''Really? Then I can''t die!


    Lenya was a little surprised.


    ''I''m sure you eat a lot more than you remember.


    I don''t remember any of it.


    Come to think of it, Lenya didn''t remember before she came to the valley.


    It''s hard to believe that she would come to the valley without any reason, so there may be a reason.


    But I can''t wait to get back to normal and have something to eat. I can''t even remember what my last meal tasted like anymore.


    I''ve wondered before how long it''s been since Meku was made into a plush toy?


    Come to think of it, I don''t know that much about the two of them yet, do I?


    Well, Lenya has amnesia, so it''s impossible for me to know, but I''ll ask her something about Meku.


    We''re going to be working together for a while now.


    ''How long has Meku been under that curse?


    So I asked the question.


    ''I don''t remember what exactly,'' I said. But not in this outfit for 60 years.''


    ''What? That much?!


    It''s longer than I thought it would be, and I yell out loud in surprise.


    Sixty years is more than half of a human''s life, if it''s a human, does that mean it''s a stuffed animal? Elves'' lifespans seem to be long, so it''s probably not half that long, but sixty years is just too long.


    "This body isn''t always an inconvenience. I don''t eat, I don''t sleep, I don''t feel pain. I don''t feel pain and I don''t die so easily.


    ''What? Doesn''t your body feel any pain? And it won''t kill you?


    "You won''t feel any pain. Whether you die or not, at least you won''t die from a stab in the chest or a separation of body and head.


    How do you know that? Have you ever done this before?


    Yes. If you live long enough, you will experience things.


    But you look pretty good for what you''re going through, though.


    If you take damage, it will naturally heal itself over time, eventually returning to normal. As long as he doesn''t have his skills blocked or his status lowered, I''m more than willing to let him stay that way.


    You''re not that uncomfortable with the plush figure itself, are you?


    When I think about it.


    Well, after all, a proud elf shouldn''t keep looking like this idiot.


    Meku muttered.


    ''Well, I think your outfit is very cute!


    Well, do you want to be the one to do it?


    No, I don''t want to.


    Lenya denies it in a moment.


    ''That''s a perfectly appropriate thing to say. We must find a way to return to our original form as soon as possible.


    Sixty years of this figure is still painful, isn''t it?


    If it weren''t for the knowledge that Mek has, there''s a good chance he would have been lying dead at the bottom of that valley by now.


    I decided to do what I could to help.


    Well, now we have to decide what to do. Maybe this town won''t know how I''m going to get back to my old self, or what the Mark of Tetsuya is, so I''d like to go to a different town. But since I need money to get there, I think it would be better to become an adventurer for a while to earn some money.


    It''s all part of the original plan.


    Nya, I don''t know, but I''m going with that.


    "To be an adventurer, you must first join the Adventurers'' Guild.


    Well, let''s get on with it.


    We headed to the Adventurer''s Guild.

 24-24. Adventurer registration

    We went to the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Apparently, by registering as an adventurer, you get a request, and if you complete it, you get money.


    If all we had to do was take the request, all we had to do was register it, but since registered adventurers have the advantage of staying at an inn on the second floor of the adventurers'' guild at a discount, me and Lenya decided to register as adventurers.


    The reason why Meku doesn''t register is because his status will be checked when he registers, and there is a high possibility that he will be rejected at that time.


    However, it seems that if we treat Meku like a pet instead of a human, we can stay there for a reasonable rate, so there''s no problem.


    So we went into the Adventurer''s Guild and told the man at the reception desk that we wanted to register as adventurers.


    "If you want to register, you''ll have to show me your status first.


    I was told. Do I have to show it to you all of a sudden?


    Well, I''ll show it to you first.


    and show the status from Raina.


    Name: Raina.


    Age 15


    Level 30/55


    HP 103


    MP 30


    Attack Power 46


    Defensive Strength 34


    Speed 58


    12 skill points


    Skill [Beastification (Beast Mode)]


    Resistance [Poison resistance Lv1]


    The man at the reception desk saw the status and


    Heh. You''re a pretty strong girl. You''ll pass.


    Yeah!


    Well, it looks like I''m in.


    Then me. I gave my status to the guy at the desk.


    "Hey, what''s the status on this thing?


    The receptionist is surprised to see my status. By the way, my current status is.


    Name: Tetsuya Takahashi


    Age 25


    Level 1/1


    HP 249/249


    MP 92/92


    Attack power 92.


    Defensive Strength 144


    Speed 90


    Skill Points 6


    Skills¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿¡¾Appraisal Lv2¡¿¡¾Meteorite (Meteorite) Lv4¡¿¡¾Strong Acid Shot (Acid Shot) Lv2¡¿¡¾Thunderbolt (Thundershock) Lv2¡¿¡¾Sucking Thread (Absorb Thread ) Lv1¡¿¡¾Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv4¡¿¡¾Weak Warding (Core Guard) Lv1¡¿.


    Resistance [Poison resistance Lv2] [Lightning resistance Lv1] [Flame resistance Lv3]


    This is the case.


    It''s as strong as a level 60-ish one. And he has a lot of rare skills that are impossible to acquire so easily........


    He looks at my status, his face turning blue.


    ''What do you think?¡¡Do I pass?


    "...are you sure you''re level one?¡¡You haven''t used any method to disguise your level or status in any way, have you?


    He looks at me suspiciously.


    ''I didn''t. I mean, is there any way you can fake it?


    Well no, not that I''ve heard of, but I think there''s something that only you can use.


    There''s no such thing.


    Are you sure?


    After that, they suspected a lot of things and wasted quite a bit of time, but


    Okay I''ll sign you up.


    The man at the reception desk broke off and said he was going to register me as an adventurer.


    He said, "Here''s a medal to prove you are an adventurer. You can''t prove that you are an adventurer without it. You must keep it with you.


    Then he handed me and Raina a bronze medal with a pattern engraved on it.


    ''''You guys just registered are bronze rank. If you do the request, you will rise to a higher rank as soon as you complete the request. You guys will rise quickly.''''


    Me and Raina will get our medals.


    Do you want to get right to work on your commission?


    ''''No, I''d like to stay the night and start work tomorrow, but can I borrow this guild''s inn?''''


    Room''s all yours. I''ll show you.


    I''ve become an adventurer and today I''m staying at the guild''s upstairs inn.


    I''ll have to start working in earnest tomorrow.

 25-25. First request

    We spent the night at the inn and the next day.


    We finished breakfast and immediately decided to be adventurers and receive a request.


    In the adventurer''s guild, there is a poster with a request written on it, and we look at it.


    ''''I think a simple request would be good to start with.


    I don''t mind if it''s difficult, but I think it''s best to start with something easy.


    Raina didn''t seem to have any objections, so she decided to take the easy mission.


    It seems that there are ranks for requests, with E being the easiest and S being the most difficult.


    This time we received an E rank request.


    There''s a goblin nest in the forest of Marea, near this town, and the goblins there are in trouble because they come out to attack people on the streets, so they want you to crush their nest.


    If you''re dealing with goblins, you won''t fall behind.


    The reward is only 25 gold, but let''s start with this request, which can be done with certainty.


    Come to think of it, how do we prove that we''ve crushed the nest?


    I asked the man at the reception desk.


    It seems that the guild has a special spell, and it seems that the record of battles that took place within a certain radius of the town can be viewed afterwards, so you can see if you fought and defeated the goblins properly.


    Incidentally, the requests you can receive in this town are limited to the area of effect of that magic tool.


    We leave the Adventurer''s Guild and head for the forest of Marea.


    ''''Tetsya, are you sure you don''t want to buy your weapon?''''


    A weapon. I''ve never used a sword in my life. There''s no need to use a sword against a goblin.


    "Well, you can use your bare hands against goblins, but from now on, you''d better have a weapon with you when you''re fighting a strong opponent. You''ll become proficient at using them, so you''d better buy some while you still can.


    That too, I suppose.


    Do I need a weapon?


    Lenya would be better off with her knuckles.


    ''Nyakuru? What does that mean?


    It''s a weapon that fits in your fist. Your speed is your specialty, so you shouldn''t carry a large weapon.


    I don''t know, but I''ll do as Master says.


    We went to a weapons store and bought weapons.


    We didn''t buy a very good quality weapon.


    I bought a light, easy to handle beginner''s sword.


    The sword for me was 20 gold and the knuckles for Lenya were 20 gold. It was higher than the reward for this request.


    But I''ve never used a sword before, so how should I handle it?


    I''ll just swing it appropriately for now.


    After buying the weapons, I immediately headed to Marea''s forest.


    ¡ð


    We walked to the forest and after about 30 minutes of experience, we arrived.


    We enter the forest.


    We received a simple map when we received the request, so we used it to find the goblin''s nest.


    ''There aren''t too many demons in this forest, are there?''


    We walked through the forest for a few minutes and didn''t come across any demons.


    I''ve heard that the forest of Marea is a relatively peaceful place. It''s probably only goblins that come out. But don''t let your guard down.


    If it''s only goblins, though, it doesn''t seem like we''ll get hit if we''re not careful.


    After walking in the forest for a while, there was a rustling sound and three goblins appeared.


    ''''Nya!''''


    Raina, who reacted first, hit the goblins with her knuckles and defeated the three of them in an instant with ease.


    Goblins are weak, after all.


    Was the request a little too easy?


    Well, what you''ve received is inevitable. Let''s just get this over with.


    Don''t forget to absorb the goblin''s corpse.


    10 more HP, 2 more MP, 2 more Attack Power, 2 more Defense Power, 2 more Speed, and 2 more Skill Points.


    Huh? I''ve only absorbed one of them, but it''s more, isn''t it? Hasn''t it doubled in size?


    I don''t think the guy from earlier wasn''t a particularly strong individual.


    When I absorbed the other two, the status increase was still the same.


    What? What do you mean? Did the skill level of [Corpse Absorption] increase? No, it doesn''t say [corpse absorption] next to [corpse absorption], so it''s probably a skill that won''t be enhanced or anything.


    What does that mean?


    What''s up? What''s going on?


    Mek asked me.


    I''ll explain the situation.


    I''m not sure if it''s because of the unleveled skill, so it''s hard to believe that it''s been enhanced. Maybe it''s the engraving that''s affecting it.


    ''What? The Mark? Isn''t this a bad thing?


    I said maybe. It''s possible that this is a completely misguided idea.


    Ummm, well...


    If it''s because of this imprint, did he enhance me...? No, why would I do that?


    Well, it''s no use worrying about it, isn''t it? There''s no point in trying to figure it out here. I think we need to find out more information about its ability to absorb corpses from now on as well.


    Well, yes. If it was an effect of the imprint, it''s slightly creepy.


    Normally, I should be happy that I was strengthened, but when I remembered that black knight''s evil atmosphere, I couldn''t be honestly happy about it.


    After that, I found a nest of goblins and easily crushed them, there were ten goblins, all of which I killed and absorbed.


    Together with the first goblins he absorbed, he absorbed 13 goblins.


    130 HP up, 26 MP up, 26 attack power up, 26 defense power up, 26 speed up, 26 skill points gained.


    I could kill them that easily, but it was an amazing increase.


    It''s like my absorption power has completely doubled from before.


    I''m glad that I''m getting stronger and faster, but with a slight creepy feeling, I returned to the city with Meku and Lenya.

 26-26. Rumors of a brave man

    About 20 days have passed since I accomplished my first request.


    Then he accomplished the requests one after another. Although he didn''t do as easy a request as the first one, the requests that a bronze-ranked adventurer could receive were too much, and he didn''t get that difficult a request. The demons he defeated were all weak demons as well.


    Therefore, I didn''t accumulate that much gold, but I accumulated about 1900 gold for now.


    Also, Mekku said that if I completed the request once, I could go to the free city of Vafol, which is in the south, a perfect place to gather information.


    Also, during the course of completing the request, I defeated a number of demons, so my status has improved considerably.


    However, I''m not sure if there''s a limit to how much a weak demon can raise its status, but once it reaches a certain number, no matter how much it absorbs, its status will not increase.


    Well, the only stats that can no longer be raised are defense and HP, and there is still room for others to rise.


    Weak demons didn''t seem to have any skills, so they couldn''t acquire skills.


    I just used my skill points to make some skills stronger.


    By the way, my current status is.


    Name: Tetsuya Takahashi


    Age 25


    Level 1/1


    HP 350/350


    MP 219/219


    Attack power 233


    Defensive Strength 250


    Speed 232.


    Skill Points 13


    Skills [Corpse Absorption], [Appraisal Lv 4], [Meteorite (Meteorite) Lv 5], [Strong Acid Bullet (Acid Shot) Lv 3], [Thunderbolt (Thunder Shock) Lv 2], [Absorbing Thread (Absorb Thread) Lv 2], [Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv 6], [Weak Warding (Core Guard) Lv 2]


    Resistance [Poison resistance Lv2] [Lightning resistance Lv1] [Flame resistance Lv3]


    His HP is 350 and his defense is canting at 250.


    I said earlier that it doesn''t go up because it absorbs weak demons, but that''s just an expectation. Or rather, it could be called wishful thinking.


    It''s possible that this corpse-absorbing skill may have a limit to the number that can be raised.


    If that''s the case, it would be quite disappointing. Well, it''s still pretty strong in its current state, so maybe I shouldn''t complain too much.


    And about skills, I raised my appraisal to level 4.


    By upgrading the appraisal, the HP and MP of the item you appraise is now displayed and explained in more detail.


    Each of the other skills have also been enhanced and become stronger.


    But can''t I learn new skills on my own?¡¡Isn''t there any way to do it?¡¡I''ll ask Meku about it next time.


    ¡ð


    Early in the morning we left the room we were staying in and went downstairs to the Adventurer''s Guild.


    ''So this is the last request you''ll get in this town?


    Nah, we''re going to a town called Vafol next, aren''t we?¡¡What kind of town is that?


    ''Yes. Vafol is a very crowded city, several times the size of this one, and it has the largest library in the world with books from all over the world. In addition, it has the world''s largest library with books from all over the world. You might be able to get some useful information there.


    In a big city, you could eat better than this.


    As usual, Lenya seems to be occupied with eating.


    First, she eats breakfast before taking the request.


    It''s bread with marmalade and corn soup. I used to be a bread person in the morning, so I used to eat this kind of breakfast in my former world as well.


    As I was eating, I overheard the conversation of other adventurers.


    Did you hear the rumor?¡¡Rumors of the Brave


    Uh, human.


    Yes, the humans have summoned a hero to reclaim their lands. They''re rampaging now and have already taken down six castles.


    I heard. They say he''s extremely strong and can beat up an army of a thousand men by himself, right?¡¡Here comes the bad stuff.


    They say he''s not just strong, he''s violent. They don''t hesitate to kill you, and if they find a beautiful woman, they''ll rape her and take her home. They''re a f*cking joke.


    Brave man.


    That''s them.


    From what I hear, they''re doing whatever they want.


    Hearing them talk brought back some of the black, heart-wrenching emotions that I had recently forgotten.


    ''Brave men. Did the humans summon such people.......nuh?¡¡What''s up, Tetsuya?


    What''s with the scary look on her face?


    Apparently, my emotions were on my face. I hurriedly smiled and


    It''s nothing.


    I fumbled.


    ''What''s going on with the brave men?''


    ....


    I guess I wasn''t fooled.


    What do we do now? You wanna talk about it?


    Talking about it won''t help, but Mek and Raina are my friends.


    I might as well tell them some of my situation, too.


    Actually.....


    I decided to talk, and I told them all about how I''d been involved in summoning heroes and how I''d been dropped to the bottom of the valley because I was level 1 of the limit.


    ''''Something like that...''''


    Oh, my God!¡¡I''m going to get rid of Tetsuya!


    Humans are notoriously bad at dealing with people with low levels of limits.


    Apparently, humans discriminated against those with a special low limit level. It seems that the punishment I received was unreasonable even by the standards of this world.


    You have a grudge against the heroes and the humans?¡¡Are you looking for revenge?


    ''What do you think?'' asked Mek.


    ''I don''t know. It''s disgusting, sure, but not so much that I want revenge. Right now I have Mek and Lenya, and I enjoy every day in my own way.


    I meant it. Sure, the name made me feel black emotions, but I could suppress them if I wanted to.


    I didn''t even want to get revenge.


    ''''I see. If you want to take revenge, I''ll help you after you return to your original form, but if you don''t have to, that''s fine. But if you don''t have to do it, it''s fine. Well, revenge will get you nowhere. If you don''t have to do it, it''s probably better. Personally, I don''t tolerate people who do such unreasonable things, so I want to beat them to death.


    Mek also seemed to be angry at the humans and the brave men who had dropped me into the valley.


    I was kind of happy that Mek and Lenya were angry at me.


    ''More importantly. Is Tetsuya a Yushokan?¡¡You said you were caught up in this thing, but where were you before you were summoned?


    That''s what I thought. I''m curious too.


    Well, it''s Japan, but...


    "Japan?


    It''s a place I''ve never heard of.


    It''s a long story, I''ll tell you later. I''ve finished my breakfast, so let''s get on with it.


    Nya~. I''m curious about you~


    We''ll talk about Japan later.


    We sit up and look at the posters, looking for a request.


    ''This sounds like something.''


    Which one?¡¡Collect 20 Samakiki Mushrooms from the Samaki Cave. The reward is 250 g. It''s quite a reward.


    What is this place called Samaki''s Cave?


    I don''t know much about the cave, but I don''t think it''s full of enemies. And this is a good deal of money, that''s a very good request.


    Well, let''s go there.


    We headed to Samaki Cave to accomplish our last request in this city.

 27-27. The hero of the fall

    d*mn it...


    In a room in the royal palace, one of the brave men, Takei Shun, was roaring in frustration.


    ''''Next time, it''ll work!


    It was Lucas, acting as a sort of resident butler, who encouraged Shun.


    He''s a middle-aged man with white hair and beard.


    ''''d*mn it, why am I the only one who fails...''''


    Currently, Shun was experiencing a setback for the first time since he came to the other world.


    At first, the brave men were all conducting a battle to regain the territory, but then the strongest Kaito took most of the credit for doing so.


    The other brave men thought that was not funny and decided to attack it separately instead of sticking together.


    They are so strong that it''s okay to attack them separately. This is because the brave men are not only high level, their status, which increases with one level up, is also larger than the normal ones. It was about twice as large.


    The acquisition of skill points was also doubled, and they could also use powerful skills.


    To put it bluntly, it was strong enough to be called a cheat.


    That''s what it was, one person was powerful enough to kick out thousands of armies.


    As such, each one of the heroes attacked a different place and acquired a territory, but only Shun was far behind the other heroes.


    Compared to the other heroes, his level was lower, and he was not very good at fighting by nature.


    He was the only one who failed to capture the territory.


    The other heroes have their own castles and territories and are doing whatever they want, but only he is not able to do anything.


    The attitude of the people in the castle became worse.


    Sun was intensely jealous of the other brave men.


    ''''d*mn it ... after all, whether in another world or anywhere else, this is the kind of role I''m supposed to play?''''


    Even when he was in Japan, Hayao, who was the smallest and weakest fighter in the world, always lived with a sense of inferiority.


    He thought that since he came to another world, maybe something would change, but he was still the same, he was the most inferior.


    ''Huh, Lucas. What''s the one place where even I can attack them, and where there are a lot of good women?


    Shun asked Lucas, letting out a sigh. It''s no use comparing him to the other three. Anyway, I should drop the places that I think I can drop, and I should do whatever I want too, Shun thought.


    "Idiots! I can''t be bothered with that! Even me now. Isn''t there a place that you can definitely capture it!


    ''Well................................no.


    Lucas seemed to come up with something, but dismissed the idea himself.


    ''Oh? What is it? Where is it? Why not?


    ''It''s an elven country, though. The elves have a lot of beautiful women, and it''s not a country that''s that difficult to capture. It is a strong race, but their numbers are small. And because of all the things that have happened, the whole country is weakening.


    It''s good. Why not?


    ''The elves have not taken the human domain, you see. Since you brave men and women have been summoned to reclaim the territories that were taken from you.


    What? You can''t attack a place unless it''s been taken? Is that what you''re saying?


    No, I don''t think it''s been decided, but I''m not sure if it''s a good idea to invade anything other than former human territories, although that''s a bit different from the policy of this country.


    ''But more territory is better, right? If it hasn''t been decided, let''s go on the offensive. I don''t care if you''re an ex-human territory or what.


    ''No, but...''


    I''m a brave man! When I say I''m going, you go!


    At Shun''s shout, Lucas shrugged and muttered softly, "I understand.


    ''Come to think of it, elves are a race with pointy ears, right? I''ve heard of it.


    Yes, sir.


    There are a lot of girls, and they don''t age much, so I''m sure they''re all pretty and beautiful. I''m getting excited.


    One of the brave men, Hayao Takei, began to prepare to attack the land of the elves.

 28-28. Fortune-telling

    On our way to Samaki Cave, we stopped at a town nearby.


    The name of the town is Samaki. Samaki Cave is located near the town, so apparently it was named after it.


    Had lunch in the town.


    There is a little expensive food, Lenya begged to eat it, but now we decided to eat cheap food, because we do not want to waste money.


    ''''Unya. I wanted to eat a high-class beef steak.........


    Raina groans, sweltering.


    ''Next time I save up some money I''ll be able to eat and besides, didn''t the chicken for lunch today taste good?''


    Yuck. It was delicious, but you''ll have to make me eat it later.


    At first she was satisfied with just eating a simple soup, but Raina seemed to have become a slight gourmet.


    ''''Well, we''ve eaten, so let''s go...''''


    I''m ready whenever you are. I can help you gather mushrooms, if you want.


    Let''s go!


    The three of us were about to head to Samaki Cave.


    Wait for the man over there!


    And suddenly, from the side, the old woman heard a loud voice from the side.


    ''Hey, what?''


    I stopped walking, startled, and turned my gaze toward the voice I heard.


    An old woman wearing a black robe was sitting on the street. In front of her, a clear crystal ball is placed in front of her.


    She looks like a fortune teller. Who did you tell to wait?


    Not the guy over there, the guy over there!¡¡Come here!


    The old woman shouts at me, beckoning me towards her.


    Who''s behind you?¡¡I turn around to check, but he''s not there.


    ''I thought you were asking the Lord to come?''


    Me?¡¡Is that old lady a fortune teller?


    That''s probably true.


    I guess I''m a fortune teller.


    It''s true that there''s no one else but me, but....


    I''m the kind of person who doesn''t believe in fortune telling or anything like that.


    ''Hurry up!¡¡What are you doing?!


    The old woman shouted with an angry look on her face.


    Hey, scary.


    Let''s go....


    It''s otherworldly. It might be pretty accurate.


    I''m going to go out for a while...


    I said no to Raina and Mek, and then I approached the old woman


    I''m sorry, what is it...


    I called out to him.


    ''I sensed some unusual aura from you. I''m going to give you a special free reading.


    What?


    What''s that special aura...?


    Because you don''t belong in this world?


    Look into my eyes.


    The old lady who is a fortune teller opens her eyes wide with a snap and comes to stare at me.


    I look into the old woman''s eyes as she told me to.


    The old woman, the fortune teller, is looking back into my eyes, holding her hand over the crystal and muttering some incomprehensible words.


    I continue to look into the old woman''s eyes for about 30 seconds, and then suddenly the old woman closes her eyes.


    Is it enough?¡¡I blink too, I think.


    The old fortune teller, this time looking into her crystal ball.


    Hmmm ... well ... I''ve read your fortune.


    ''Huh. How did it go?


    Right. You''re not feeling so lucky today. You''d better stay home and keep your head down.


    Huh? I was going to go and make a request now.


    On the contrary, there''s something quite fortunate about tomorrow. If you''re going to do anything, you''d better do it tomorrow.


    Oh, really, it''s a lucky break.


    By the way, my predictions are almost always correct. You''d better do as I say.


    Well....


    Hmmm, what should I do? I don''t believe in fortune telling, but it''s an otherworldly kind of fortune telling.


    Well, it''s not like I have to accomplish the request today, so I''ll leave it for tomorrow just in case.


    Also, I have to go ask you something in case you don''t want to.


    ''Um, speaking of which, you said you have an aura, what do you mean?''


    I saw a vague but incredibly sinister aura from you. I thought it would be a pity and told you that you would die within a few years, so I told you to read it.


    ''What? What''s that?!


    I''ll be dead in a few years.


    He''s probably obsessed with something.


    Obsessed...?


    That being said, what came to mind was the engraving engraved by the Black Knight.


    The ominous aura might not be because I''m an otherworldly person, but because the Black Knight engraved the engraving on me, so I can see it.


    That''s right, let''s show this old lady the engraving.


    ''''Um, I have an idea of what that ominous aura is, but.......look at this.


    I showed the old woman the engraving on my right hand.


    ''''This..........................this!


    What do you know about it?


    I''ve never seen this engraving before. What is it?


    You don''t know! Don''t make me sound like a dick!


    But I can tell you one thing, though, it''s definitely not a good thing. You must be careful.


    That''s what I was advised.


    For now, there are no problems that have arisen due to this engraving.


    On the contrary, there are only benefits, such as increased corpse absorption effects, but after all, as my intuition tells me, will there be any problems caused by this engraving in the future?


    ........well, I guess the old lady can''t trust the story too much either.


    I just met her a while ago, so I don''t even know if I can trust her.


    But I''ll keep that in mind for now.


    Thank you.


    Be careful, my son.


    I left the fortune teller and went back to Lenya and Mek.


    ''What did they tell you?''


    ''I''m not feeling so lucky today, and I hear tomorrow''s going to be better.


    "Hmm.


    Neeee, I''ll be there tomorrow, then?


    Some fortune tellers are trustworthy and some are not. And even if they have a little bad luck, I think they can accomplish the task. Well, you can decide for yourself.


    The decision was left to me.


    Sure, I could accomplish the request even if I was unlucky.


    But I was more concerned about the fact that I would be lucky tomorrow than the fact that I was unlucky today.


    Maybe we''ll find some treasure?


    Let''s not consider the credibility of that old lady fortune teller at this time. Even if it''s off, there''s no particular harm in it.


    ''Let''s stay the night today and go and request it tomorrow.


    I decided.

 29-29. Samaki Cave

    The next day we headed to Samaki Cave.


    The cave was just a few minutes'' walk from Samaki town.


    We went inside. It was dimly lit, so we used our magic to turn on the light.


    The objective is to harvest Samakiki mushrooms.


    Samakikinoko are in high demand as they can be used to make low-grade magic potions.


    Strangely enough, they only grow in dangerous places where there are a lot of demons, so the adventurer''s guild seems to often ask for them.


    ''''Where are the mushrooms?''''


    Lenya asked as she scurried about, looking around the cave.


    ''They say it''s in the back, so it''s not around here.


    Oh, yeah.


    Lenya stops looking for it.


    And there, a demon appears.


    Kobold, a demon in the form of a dog. Its strength is almost equal to that of a goblin. In other words, they are small fry.


    Three of them came out. As they pounced on me, I drew my sword and easily cut them down.


    The rank of this request is D.


    It''s not a very difficult request.


    Well, Kobold is probably the weakest enemy in this cave, but even the strongest of them won''t be able to come up with anything that strong.


    Absorbing Kobold''s body.


    Three of them.


    MP increased by 6, attack power increased by 6, speed increased by 6, and skill points gained by 6.


    HP and defense still doesn''t go up.


    Now I''d like to go to a place with a difficulty level there, regardless of the request, and try to defeat a strong demon once and see if it will go up if it''s a strong demon.


    We proceed to the back. There are fewer monsters than we expected, and after the first three, we only defeated two slimes.


    We''ve come a long way. There might be mushrooms soon.


    Mek came over and said so.


    ''Yes. ''Well, we''ll have to keep looking for it from now on.''


    We walk around, gazing around.


    Then I spot something buried in the ground.


    Mushrooms? No, no, it''s not... it''s like a box...


    I dug it up.


    Is that a treasure chest?


    A box that looked like it contained treasure was dug up.


    ''Nuh? It certainly looks like a treasure chest, but it could also be a mimic. Open it carefully.


    Okay.


    I don''t know what''s in this thing.


    I''m going to open the box.


    It''s locked.


    "If it''s locked, it must be the real thing. Do you think you can get it open with all your might?


    I''m going to try.


    I put all my strength into trying to open the treasure chest.


    I put all my strength into opening it, and wham! And then there was a broken sound and a treasure chest opened.


    Inside was what looked like a red colored gemstone.


    ''What is this? Is it expensive?


    A skill stone. You can''t tell what they are by looking at them.


    What are skill stones?


    If you have enough skill points to acquire a skill, you''ll be able to get it. The skills you can get are different depending on the stone. You can get them by excavating them from treasure chests or defeating monsters in this way, which is very rare. But you can''t get it from the weakest monsters. Skill stones that allow you to learn useful skills are sold for a high price. However, I think you should learn those skills yourself.


    Essentially, it seems that skill acquisition is done with this stone.


    I''ve been meaning to ask you this for a while now.


    It''s a good idea to learn it without selling it. I''m a corpse-absorbing person, so learning the skill is rather easy for me, and Meku or Lenya should learn it.


    "I can''t learn skills in my body. Rainier will learn it. You don''t have much skill, do you?


    Are you sure?


    Yeah, it''s reassuring for me to know that Lenya''s going to be strong.


    Okay, thank you.


    I hand the skill stone to Lenya.


    Raina takes the skill stone and meditates for a while.


    And then the stone goes poof! And when I thought it glowed brightly, the stone was gone before I knew it.


    Will it disappear once it learns the skill?


    Did you get it right?


    Meow! Fejikaruappu? And that was a skill.


    Physical enhancement, huh? That''s a pretty good skill. It goes well with your fighting style. It was fortunate that I found the treasure chest.


    I''m glad you listened to that fortune teller.


    That fortune teller might have been a pretty credible fortune teller.


    Well, that would raise my anxiety about the mark on my right hand, but....


    Well, let''s resume the search for the mushrooms.


    We resumed our search for the mushrooms.


    Here it is.


    Raina found some samaki mushrooms, harvested them and brought them to me.


    That was pretty easy to find.


    Apparently there is a poisonous mushroom that is very similar to Samakikinoko, so I''ll evaluate it.


    The results confirmed that it was indeed a Samakikinoko.


    Then we continued harvesting.


    There were the occasional poisonous mushrooms mixed in, but since there was a lot of them growing, it was pretty easy to gather them.


    The amount we asked for was 30, and we gathered that number quickly, but we gathered them sooner than we expected, so we decided to harvest more.


    In all, we harvested 50 bottles.


    I''ll give 30 of them to you by request and sell the rest as normal.


    ''We''ve finished collecting them, let''s go home.


    Meow.


    No.


    We walked towards the exit of the cave and came to the exit area.


    Then.


    !


    There''s something near the exit.


    I''ve never seen it ... probably a demon.


    It walks on two legs and is humanoid.


    Its color is reddish-black all over.


    It has a face that looks like a potential fear monger, hands with sharp claws, and large wings on its back.


    A demon with a demonic appearance was standing at the entrance of the cave, blocking the entrance.

 30-30. Greater Daemon

    What the hell is this?


    He wasn''t there when I got in, was he?¡¡Did you come from outside?


    It looks pretty strong, doesn''t it?


    I''ll use the appraisal.


    "Greater Demon. Individual name: Leathers... lv.88/88, 11112 years old, male.


    HP 642/642


    MP 499/499


    High ranking demon. Very powerful with a high average limit level. In addition, it has a wide variety of skills.


    It excels in dark attacks, and light attacks are its weakest point.''''


    ........Level 88!


    His HP and MP are also much higher than mine.


    I don''t know what other stats and skills he has, but he''s probably a stronger enemy than me...


    ''Oh, is that a Greater Demon...?¡¡Why are you here in this place....


    Mek seems astonished. You know that guy?


    Normally, someone this strong wouldn''t be able to get out of this cave.


    What do we do now?¡¡I have a vague idea of what it is, but it''s so strong!


    Raina is also frightened.


    He doesn''t look as absolute as the Black Knight, but he''s definitely quite strong.


    Fortunately, he doesn''t seem to be aware of our presence........


    I hope you''ll walk away


    My luck seems to be good today, so he should be able to walk away honestly.


    ''Well, I see you''re here. I''ve got some work to do.


    The Greater Demon suddenly turned his gaze towards me and said that.


    Hey!¡¡They found it, or rather, they found it all along! I didn''t even show any signs of noticing.


    The Greater Demon walks slowly towards where I am.


    I brace myself.


    ''It''s nice to meet you. My name is Leathers of the Greater Demon.


    He introduced himself, bowing deeply.


    What is this guy? For such an evil-looking person, is he surprisingly polite?


    Could it be that they''re not attacking you?


    I''ve come to see you all.


    What do you want...?


    "There is a request from the person who summoned me, and I would like to receive a gift from you.


    What is this?


    I asked with a chuckle. The demon chuckled a little.


    The soul.


    That''s what he said. Shortly after that, he pounced on me.


    I quickly stepped back to avoid it.


    d*mn it!¡¡I knew he was going to attack me!


    Who wants us dead?¡¡What did I do to make people hate me?


    I remember being done, but I don''t remember doing it!


    There''s no point in complaining about it.


    It feels like a no-questions-asked question, and the conversation would be useless.


    There''s no way out.


    There''s no choice but to fight.


    "Lenya!¡¡Use [Beast Mode] and [Physical Enhancement]!¡¡If we work together, we''re not an unwinnable enemy!


    All right, Master!


    He seems to have come to the conclusion that Mek is also going to fight. I immediately give instructions to Lenya.


    Since he suddenly made her use ¡¾Beast Mode¡¿, is he going to decide on it in the short term anyway?


    Raina [Beast Mode].


    With that, I pulled out my sword and slashed at the Greater Demon Leathers.


    It was easily caught by my claws. Still, I swing my sword repeatedly to attack.


    In case you''re wondering, I''ve been practicing with the sword, though I''ve taught myself, so I''m getting reasonably good at handling it.


    My opponent doesn''t seem to have a chance to counterattack with my continuous attacks.


    And then Rainier tries to slash Leathers'' belly from the side with a sharp claw.


    Leathers took a big step backwards to avoid Rainier''s attack.


    ''''Hmm. That one, despite being a limit level 1, you make good moves. I''m curious about your status, but I can only confirm your level and a brief description with my ¡¾Appraisal¡¿.


    This guy''s got an appraisal.


    It was written that he has a wide variety of skills.


    I''m not going to be able to get a good deal more than I expected.


    I''m not sure if it''s possible to attack by exploiting the weaknesses.


    I''m not very good at close quarters combat, so from now on, I''ll be using my skills to fight you.


    Leathers said.


    I''ll use the skill too. The moment I was about to use the [Flame Ball] skill.


    My vision suddenly turned black.


    What happened?¡¡I move my head around, but I don''t see anything. What''s going on?


    ''Tetsuya!¡¡In front!


    The moment I think I hear Meku''s voice from behind me, I feel a huge shock in my chest.


    It was as if something had hit me. I was blown backwards with a loud blow.


    What happened...?


    It didn''t seem to be a fatal wound, but I felt a strong pain in my chest area.


    Looking back, I hadn''t taken much damage, so I hadn''t felt this much pain in a long time.


    When I woke up, my vision had returned.


    What was that skill...?


    ''Is he alive? You''re pretty strong. Normally your upper body would be blown off right now.


    I''m saying something crazy.


    What have they done to me?


    I asked Meku.


    "My guess is that they used the Dark Eye to temporarily blind you, and then attacked you with the Dark Blast. It''s the usual method of the devil.


    That thing taking away your vision that''s pretty nasty.


    The only way to avoid Dark Eye is to get out of its range of effect, which is a very tricky skill, but it has the disadvantage that it cannot be used continuously. It would probably take him three or four minutes to use it again. He should have wanted to finish it off with a single blow with his earlier attack.


    I see, so it''s possible that the fact that he was able to prevent that from happening was unexpected for him.


    Leathers gestures as he briefly considers his method of attack.


    "If you''re going to take him down, just get close enough to him and fire a series of blows without giving him a chance to use his skills. If you let him use any of his skills, it could cause you a lot of trouble.


    I listened to Mek''s plan and nodded.


    Then I looked at Lenya and gave each other a look and signaled to each other.


    And at the same time, I pounced on Leasers.

 31-31. Predicament

    Me and Raina start running at full speed at the same time, approaching Leathers.


    Leasers reacts and steps back.


    It seems that she doesn''t want close combat, after all.


    I shoot [Thunder Shock] at Leathers.


    Leathers'' movement stops slightly after receiving an electric strike.


    In order for the opponent to not be able to escape, I get behind Leathers and pin him down.


    Leathers quickly turns toward me and deals with my attack as quickly as possible. I guess he sees my attack as more of a threat. My sword shot is blocked. However, it seems that the attack by Raina''s claws was received. The attack hits, and I let out a grunt, "Ugh!


    I look at Leathers'' HP in appraisal; 590/642, with 52 fewer HP. The attack went through properly. It doesn''t seem to have that high of a defense. But to be able to deal damage normally even though there''s quite a level difference between them, Raina''s two skills of ¡¾Beastification (Beast Mode)¡¿ and ¡¾Physical Enhancement (Physical Enhancement)¡¿ might be quite powerful.


    Anyway, I have to attack all over the place so that the enemy can''t counterattack.


    I close the distance and slash in succession over and over again. Raina attacks pretty much the same way.


    The Leasers are defensive. I can deal with it to a certain extent, but I can''t deal with all of them, and my HP is slowly diminishing. Occasionally when my attacks hit them, they decrease quite a bit. The demon has high HP and MP, but other stats may not be as high.


    ''''Ugh ... you underestimated me a bit.


    Leathers grunts in pain.


    He has about two hundred HP left, this will do. We can take him down.


    ''''It can''t be helped, it seems we have no choice but to use that thing here.


    What are those things? But if you care about it, you''ll lose. We''ll keep attacking.


    Then.


    "[Release]


    Leathers said. At that moment, Leathers'' body grew a size.


    I quickly appraised it. Then I saw that his HP and MP had doubled. What does this mean?


    Anyway, don''t let up on your attacks. I aimed at Leathers'' feet and slashed at him. For some reason, Leathers didn''t avoid it, but instead received my sword strike. The attack was a direct hit to his leg, but it''s strange, he doesn''t show any signs of pain. Isn''t it working? When I appraised it, I found that it had only lost about 3 HP.


    ''Demons, you see. When they go to earth, they can put various restrictions on their power. ¡¾Release¡¿ is a skill that can release those restrictions for a certain amount of time, right? Well, my status is roughly double the normal status.


    Other stats have been doubled.......!


    You can''t get any decent damage through my sword fire.


    Raina attacks from behind.


    Not good, if you attack this one now!


    Leasers attacked Raina with a light hand swiping motion.


    ''''Nya!''''


    After receiving the attack, Lenya was blown away with great force. She seemed to have taken quite a bit of damage, and her ¡¾Beastification (Beast Mode)¡¿ was released, and she entered the state of a cat.


    When I did an appraisal and took a look at it, I found that her HP had been reduced to one-tenth. He doesn''t seem to be dead, but he''s in big trouble.


    ''''Shit!''''


    I attack Leathers, impatiently. I can''t let Raina be attacked again.


    I swing my sword with more force than before.


    However, Leathers, whose speed has also been enhanced, lightly dodges it.


    Don''t worry. I''ll kill you first.


    And then he kicks me in the stomach. I blow backwards and fall onto my back.


    I feel a sharp pain in my stomach. I hold my stomach and stand up, moaning, "Ugh...". Then a blob of darkness flew out and hit me in the face, exploding.


    A searing pain shot through my upper body.


    The pain makes me feel a little more distant from consciousness.


    ''''Enhanced, even after being hit by Watashi''s [Dark Blast], do you still have breath? That''s really robust.


    You can''t win.


    You can''t win against this guy.


    I''m already a worm when it comes to breathing. I can''t even get up.


    Shit, I knew this place was unreasonable. Why is this guy even trying to come after me?


    Godd*mn it.


    Well, but it looks like you can''t get up anymore. I''ll make it easier for you now.


    Leathers says and slowly approaches.


    You''re going to die........here.....


    What happens if I die.


    I don''t know if Mek is going to die, but Lenya will be killed for sure.


    When I thought about it, I felt more resistance than the fact that I was going to die.


    I couldn''t give up.


    I try desperately to stand up with all the strength I can muster.


    But my body won''t listen to me.


    Move your feet, hands! I can''t die here!


    Right after I screamed that in my mind.


    My vision suddenly turned black.


    For some reason, I, who should have fallen down, was standing in a space where my surroundings were dyed black.


    What is this place? What''s going on?


    When I got confused.


    You''re pathetic.


    Suddenly, I hear a man''s voice behind me.


    I turn around to check it out.


    An eye.


    An eerie eye was floating in the pitch black space.


    These eyes are familiar.


    They''re the same as the engraved eyes on my right hand.


    I don''t have a mouth, but I wonder if this guy is making a sound?


    "Would you like me to give you some help, crappy boy?

 32-32. Abyss

    I''m going to give you strength.


    The eyeball floating in the darkness said.


    I tried to use the appraisal against the unidentified eyeball, but the appraisal itself did not activate.


    I''ll have to ask him directly.


    "What''s going on? Where am I? What are you? What happened to Lenya and Meku? What happened to me?


    I ask one question after another.


    "Don''t ask all the questions in one go. This is the Abyss. This is the Abyss, a place isolated from reality. No matter how much time you spend in here, not a second will pass in real life. Well, you can only be in here for 5 minutes, and if you stay longer than that, your consciousness will be pulled back to reality. By the way, the only thing that''s here is your soul, and your body is lying haphazardly in reality.


    The eyeball said. Abyss?¡¡The only thing that''s here is my soul, and no matter how much time I spend here, not a second goes by...


    Well, I noticed that the tremendous pain I had felt earlier has disappeared. Is it because I now have no physical body, only a soul?


    Anyway, not even a second has passed, does that mean my consciousness is still on the verge of being sent here?


    That''s all well and good, but what the hell is this thing?


    What are you?¡¡Was that the Black Knight back then?


    I ask him so.


    ''You could say that, or you could say that you''re not. Well, you''ll find out about who I am later, even if you don''t like it.''


    ...I don''t think you''re going to give me a serious answer here.


    ''What do you mean you''re going to give me the power?''


    You have a skill, but it hasn''t yet reached its full potential. That''s why you''re still weak.


    Out of your element?


    That''s right. It''s a skill that allows you to add the status of the creature you absorbed to your own. You''re a tenth of what you are now, and a twentieth of what you were before you got the Mark. There''s one other drawback. Your current corpse absorption has a limit to your status increase, but there is essentially no such thing.''''


    Was the increase in the amount of status increase in dead body absorption still due to the influence of the imprint?


    ''''Wait, giving me power means that you''re going to increase my status increase and eliminate the limit of my status increase?¡¡Then there''s no point in going up now, right?


    ''Don''t be so quick to jump to conclusions. The souls of all the creatures you''ve absorbed so far are collected deep within you. By drawing power from these souls, your status is added to them. But if you draw all the power from your soul, your own soul will be eaten. That''s why I''m unconsciously limiting the amount of power I draw from your soul. That''s why the rate of increase in status is low and there''s a limit to how much your status can increase.


    There''s a soul inside of me. Something sickening, but....


    I mean, maybe he''s trying to say...


    ''''If I tweak the settings a bit, I can raise the limit of the amount of increase and raise your current status. I''m sure you''ll be able to do the same with your current status, but if you do the math, your current status will be increased by 2.5 times. Well, you can beat a demon of that level, right?''''


    ''''Wait, wait, wait a minute, you said earlier that you were unconsciously holding it back because it would eat your own soul. So wouldn''t it be a bad idea to give you the power to draw it out?


    ''Don''t worry. By increasing the power of the Mark, we can stop it from eating you.


    I feel like everything he says is too good to be true.


    I think it''s too dangerous to believe what this guy says, to be honest.


    "To be fair, I don''t think you have much of a choice. If you don''t get my help, you''ll die and your best friend will be killed.


    Well no matter how unreliable this guy is, I have no choice but to ask for his help.


    If only my own life is at stake, then the lives of my friends are at stake as well.


    One last question, what do you want?¡¡Why do you want to help me?


    Would you trust me if I said "kindness"?


    ....


    If you think about it, that black knight, this guy, and that mark have not brought me any disadvantage.


    The reason I think it''s not a good thing is only because the instincts within me are sounding the alarm bells.


    But I can''t get rid of that instinctive sense of disgust and fear.


    I just couldn''t deny the idea that these guys were bad guys.


    ''''Kukku, that''s fine. Your instincts aren''t wrong.''''


    My eyeballs read my mind and said so.


    ''So?¡¡What do we do?¡¡You want my power?¡¡You''re not supposed to give it to me unless you say you want it, so you''ll have to decide whether you want it or not and get back to me. Well, since you''re here, I''m sure you''ve already decided on a response.''


    Meaningful things, the eyeball said. Could it be that if you were in a situation where you desperately wanted power, you were going to come here?


    ''''I wish. I wish to have your help........


    "All right.


    Suddenly, right underneath his eyeballs, a mouth appeared.


    And then, with a smile on its face, that mouth


    I''m going to help you.


    I said.


    The moment I heard his voice, I was brought back to reality.

 33-33. Victory

    My consciousness is brought back to reality.


    First of all, the pain is considerably eased. It''s probably due to the fact that my maximum HP has risen and my HP has recovered.


    The Leathers are very close to me and raise their hands to finish me off.


    "Tetsuya!


    I can hear Mek screaming.


    I think I''m letting him worry. I''ll have to reassure him soon.


    I stand up and catch Leathers'' attack with my sword.


    ''What?''


    When the attack was received, Leathers let out a bewildered voice.


    If the man who was the breath of a bug just now suddenly revived, it would be bewildering as well.


    Taking advantage of the bewilderment, he slashes at Leathers'' leg with his sword.


    The sword''s poor quality makes it impossible to slash, but it is a blunt instrument.


    After being struck on the leg, Leathers is thrown off his stance.


    ''''Gu........!


    He is in a lot of pain. When I looked at it in the appraisal, it has about 100 damage. It seems that the attack power has increased tremendously.


    While Leathers is in pain, this time I swing my sword down with all my strength to the area around his shoulder.


    ''''Guhaha!''''


    Leathers took a direct hit and fell to the ground with a grunt.


    I thought my sword had become lighter, but it had broken.


    It seems the sword''s durability didn''t hold up to my attack power.


    His HP is 946/1284.


    He still has some HP left, but it''s gone down a lot.


    Probably this guy''s HP alone is higher, but he''s probably the type with high HP and MP to begin with, and no other abilities are that great.


    The fact that I''ve taken a lot of damage suggests that I have a higher status than him in other areas.


    Since my sword was broken, let''s focus on attacking the skills.


    Meku told me that the attack power of a skill is determined by the skill level plus my attack power.


    So it should be much stronger. This is a cave with a narrow ceiling, so you can''t use ¡¾Meteorite (Meteor)¡¿.


    Let''s fight around ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿.


    When I decided to use the ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿, my vision turns black.


    Immediately after that, I receive three strong blows to my chest in succession, and I recoil a little.


    My vision returns. It seems that he''s used the same tactics that were used before again.


    ''''I don''t know why she suddenly became stronger, but you were caught off guard. If you take three [Dark Blast] shots, you won''t be able to stay safe.''''


    If this was the case, it felt much more painful to be kicked by a delinquent. The originally high defense must have been strengthened considerably.


    Leathers belatedly confirmed that I was standing unperturbed and muttered, "Stupid......." while being stunned.


    I shoot ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿. Leasers dodged it. Can I avoid it if I don''t shoot close enough? I close the distance. Leathers fires a ¡¾Dark Blast¡¿. I easily avoided it, got close enough to hit Leathers with a ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿ at close range.


    The moment it hits, an explosion occurs. Leathers groaned in pain and fell to the ground, his HP was shaved off about 150 with one hit. I shot ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿ many times.


    ''''Guaaaah! This wacky wacky wacky here!


    With a painful scream, the Leasers are burned.


    He no longer has a few HP left.


    I shoot one of my tome shots and it hits.


    Leathers let out a scream of despair and fell to the ground.


    He succeeded in defeating the Greater Demon Leathers.

 34-34. After victory

    I beat the Leasers.


    I should have found out who told me to kill me before I put the tome on him. I''d forgotten. It''s too late to regret it, though.


    ''Te, Tetsuya........did you beat him.......?


    Mek muttered dumbly.


    ''I''m sorry to worry you,''


    ''''No, no, just when I thought the enemy got stronger, you suddenly got stronger too... what''s the matter with you... that right arm of yours...''''


    Mek looks at his right arm and sees what he''s found. I check my right arm too. An intricate black pattern was engraved across my right arm. It must be like this because the effect of the engraving was enhanced.


    It looks like a stylish young man getting it, like a tattoo, and I don''t feel very good about it.


    ''''Did the power of the engraving make it stronger...? Lord, are you all right?


    I''m okay for now. I''ll tell you what happened later. In the meantime, how''s Raina?


    The damage is done and he looks faint, but he''ll be okay. Let''s get you home and get you fixed up.


    Yeah.


    Before leaving, I absorbed the corpse of Leathers.


    HP increased by 155, MP increased by 123, Attack power increased by 43, Defense power increased by 33, Speed increased by 32, Skill points gained by 22.


    Skill ¡¾Release (Release) Lv 1¡¿ acquired.


    Skill ¡¾Dark Blast (Dark Blast) Lv 3¡¿ acquired.


    Two skills were acquired. I didn''t get the blindness skill. I guess I can''t get them all?


    If possible, I wanted the blindness guy more than [Release (Release) Lv 1]. To be honest, I don''t really understand the use for it.


    Also, the status increase is pretty awesome.


    But even with this one, it''s not as high as the first dragon I met.


    How strong was that guy?


    After absorbing the corpse, he returned to town.


    ¡ð¡ð


    First, I had Raina recovered by the healer in town.


    Apparently recovery can only be done with skills, not magic. Heal skill stones are also quite rare. So the healers are quite popular, and it took some time and a lot of money.


    Maybe I ran out of money to get to the Free City. Well, if that happens, I''ll just have to earn it again.


    Thanks to that, Lenya got better. Her body felt fine, but she was a little depressed, perhaps because she was disappointed that she was beaten.


    After recovering Lenya, I went to deliver the mushrooms to the Adventurer''s Guild.


    ''''That was an easy request for you guys.


    The receptionist said.


    No, it was a tough one, with a very strong enemy.


    ''Oh? What does that mean?


    The guy at the reception desk asked me. I have an uncomfortable feeling.


    He explained to me that the records of the battles are kept in the system.


    How could the guild not know that we had fought the Leathers?


    So I told them, and the guy at the front desk.


    Give me a minute. I''ll check it out.


    And then I go to the back. They make me wait a few minutes.


    That''s funny. There''s no record of that.


    What? Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Surely I fought a powerful demon.


    ''''Hmmm........If it''s a demon, it might be using skills to cheat the observation of magic tools, but if you come across an originally irregular and powerful enemy, you''re supposed to pay compensation, but there''s no proof. I''m sorry. I''m sorry, but you''ll just have to take the reward we''ve agreed upon before.


    I was told something unconvincing and was originally given only the reward for my mushroom collection.


    I tried to bite back, but in the end I gave up.


    What bad luck.


    Come to think of it, that fortune teller seemed like an untrustworthy guy. What''s my luck? It''s the worst, and today''s fortune is the worst. Let''s not believe in fortune telling even in another world.


    Then I sold the extra mushrooms I picked at the market. They sold for quite a bit of money. They came to almost the same price as the cost of Lenya''s treatment. That way we wouldn''t run out of money.


    Afterwards, we went to the inn to relax.


    That''s a bad day, though, isn''t it? I guess that fortune teller was not to be trusted.


    Yeah. I don''t believe in fortune telling anymore.


    Yes, there''s a few good ones.


    Mek says so, but I don''t think he''ll believe it.


    ''''Nya........I''ve caused trouble for Master and Tetsuya today.......''''


    Raina is still depressed.


    ''Don''t be depressed, Lenya. It was the wrong person this time.


    Meow....


    If you''re ashamed of what was done to you, you must be stronger. Being down in the dumps doesn''t make you strong.


    Raina exclaims as if she''s made up her mind about something.


    Trained! I''m going to go for a little run outside first!


    I said, and went to run out of the inn alone.


    I got worried.


    Hey, you okay?


    It''s okay to run outside. You worry too much.


    He said in a dumbfounded voice. ''I''m a little worried about leaving Lenya alone, but am I being too overprotective?


    ''So?'' Why did you become so strong then?


    It''s...


    I told Meku what happened.

 35-35. Liberation

    Hmmm........the Abyss.....


    I told Meku what happened.


    Meku thought about it for a minute.


    I''m sorry, I have no idea.


    Okay.


    Maybe he''s some kind of demon.


    The Devil? You mean like that Greater Demon guy?


    Yes, they do. The price they pay for their power is their soul or part of their body. You should know better than to think that they lend you their power for nothing.


    I had a feeling that I would have to pay a high price sooner or later.


    I have a feeling that I will have to pay a high price for this. It may lead to an irreversible change. It''s a good thing nothing has happened yet.


    Meku gave me some advice.


    Well, as long as this imprint is engraved on me, it means that I''m borrowing power from him.


    Should I not take it even if he says something like "I''ll increase the power of this imprint any further"?


    ...


    I''ll have to get a little stronger too, to never be in that situation.


    "So, if you don''t mind me asking, what skills did you get when you absorbed that Greater Demon?


    Hmm? [Dark Blast] and [Release], but so what?


    ''Oh, you''ve acquired a [release]! I don''t know much about this skill, but he said it''s a skill that frees you from the restrictions of your power. I thought that if I applied this skill to me, I might be released from the curse for a certain amount of time. Curses are also constraints.


    ''Well but can you call this on someone else?


    I don''t know. Try me anyway.


    What should I do even if I''m told to try it?


    In the meantime, should I just use [Release (Release)] while reminding myself to take on Meku?


    I tried it.


    Oh!


    Meku''s body suddenly started to glow. Startled, I scream.


    The light gets stronger still, and I can''t keep my eyes open. I close my eyes and block out the light with the palm of my hand.


    A few seconds pass, the light fades and I open my eyes.


    Then I see an unfamiliar beauty in front of me.


    She has golden hair and a face so beautiful it''s mesmerizing.


    She has an excellent style and is as tall as I am as a man.


    She is wearing a beautiful green dress.


    Her ears are tongued, so she is an elf.


    She appears in the room out of nowhere, which confuses me.


    After about five seconds.


    Are you Meku...?


    If I thought about it calmly, it could be none other than Meku. He just showed up out of the blue and I didn''t know what was going on.


    "....you''re back...?


    Returning to his original form, Mek checked his hands and body.


    ''Oh! I''m back! That''s a body I''ve missed!


    I was delighted.

 36-36. Go back a little

    It''s been decades since I''ve been in the flesh...! It''s the same old...!


    Meku looked at the mirror that was provided at the inn to check his appearance. He looked at his own figure as if he was devouring it.


    But to really return to his original form was quite surprising.


    But what surprised me even more was Meku''s appearance.


    To be honest, I''ve never seen a woman more beautiful than Meku in my life.


    Mek is so beautiful that I''m in a bit of a bind.


    Because Lenya is childish, and Meku in her stuffed animal form is a stuffed animal, and I''m not really aware of her as a woman, and I never felt nervous, especially when interacting with her. But the current Meku is a mature-looking beauty, honestly the type of woman I like, and when she''s this beautiful, I get nervous, whether I like it or not.


    My heart is gradually pounding and my heart is beating fast. Nah, it''s no good. I''m going to be able to say that I''m a friend of Meku''s, I should treat her like a normal person.


    "Tetsuya.


    Meku, who has finished looking in the mirror, walks up to me and calls out to me. That''s all it takes for me to get a kick out of it.


    ''I thank you, I know it will only be for a certain amount of time, but thanks to you, I haven''t seen myself in a long time.


    Mek grabbed both my hands as he thanked me.


    I''m confused and mourning my words as he suddenly grabs my hand.


    ''So this is the warmth of a man........warm........''


    When I saw Meku muttering that to Simiji, I regained some peace.


    Well, it''s been a long time since I''ve been a stuffed animal... it''s been a long time since I''ve been in contact with someone...


    As I was thinking that, Meku now hugged me.


    What?


    My head, having regained its equanimity, is confused again.


    I feel Meku''s soft touch all over my body and the good scent of the girl stimulates my nostrils.


    ''Wait ... wait! Mek! What are you doing...!


    What ... I wanted to feel someone''s warmth with my whole body, but you didn''t want that?


    No, no, I''m not saying I don''t want to. There it is!


    Yeah, right.


    Meku said and moved away from me.


    We were a man and a woman," he said, "but I was in that body for so long that I completely forgot about it. I''ve been in that body for so long that I''ve completely forgotten about it.


    So that''s what I thought. Oh, I thought my heart would stop beating. My face is so hot.


    "You''re blushing.


    Meku said after looking at me.


    Then he looked as if he had an idea.


    Tetsuya, you have my thanks for restoring me. "Tetsuya, you have my thanks for restoring me to my former self. You may like me for a while...


    He put his hand on his collar and said that while making a gesture to show his chest.


    ''What, what?!''


    What''s that about "do what you want"? I can do whatever I want? Even if it''s pornographic? No, no, no, no. You''re on the same side as Meku. You can''t look at me like that.


    But Meku''s breasts are, to put it bluntly, big breasts.


    I mean, honestly, as a man, you want to touch them. I want to give them a squeeze.


    I''m in a hurry and I''m thinking about it, and then Mekku starts to giggle and laugh.


    Just kidding. Tetsuya is a man who deserves to be teased.


    And then he came. Apparently he was completely teased.


    I''m not sure I''m that upset. Well, I''ve been called the most beautiful woman in the elves, so what can I do?


    He''s casually bragging about it. I''m starting to get frustrated.


    Well, I didn''t say anything back.


    I was looking a little peeved.


    You have a lot more important things to do than make fun of me, don''t you?


    I''ll eat and I''ll eat.


    ''Yes, that''s right! I need to try something to eat first! I''ll be there as soon as I can!


    Meku hurries to leave the room to go get something to eat.


    Then, with a flash, Meku''s body glows. It was so bright, I cover my eyes.


    The light fades, and when I open my eyes, Meku is gone. No, there was. At the bottom of my vision, I see Meku in a plush toy.


    ''He''s back!


    You''re only gonna be back to normal for about two minutes?


    ''Use it again!'' I was hoping to get something to eat!


    He clings to my leg and Mek begs me to use it.


    I try to use it again, but


    ''The skill [Release (Release)] is currently unusable; please try again in 71 hours and 57 minutes.''


    A voice echoed in my head.


    ''It seems impossible.''


    Why?


    It''s like it gets disabled for three days after one use.


    What? Three days!


    Mek was a little depressed.


    Hey, how''s that working out for you?


    What do you mean by that, that''s not a thing.


    ''''Come to think of it, there are levels to [release], so if you increase your skill points, you might be able to get back to it in one go for longer.


    Mmm, so there are levels. Let''s get it up!


    I have some skill points left over, and I''m trying to raise them.


    "You need 150 points to raise your [release].


    I was told. I don''t have that many.


    "I can''t do this, I need 150 points.


    150 points?¡¡What is your skill level?


    One.


    It''s going to take that long to raise it from one to two..... I''m sure you want to improve your other skills and become more powerful....I think it would be too selfish to ask you to do that.


    I don''t mind.


    No, it''s good. There''s a time limit, no matter how far you take it. If you take too long to get back to normal, there is a chance that you might lose interest in breaking the curse. That''s not good.


    Okay.


    But anyhow, it''s a very good thing you''re back, even if only for a certain amount of time. Thanks to you. I thank you again.


    Mek bowed his head and thanked me.


    ''I don''t have to thank you for being one of us.


    ''I see. But still, in this form, you''re back to your normal self.


    Ugh.


    Were you really nervous when you were with me in your original form?¡¡Kukku, Tetsuya was so cute with his blushing face.


    Mek teased.


    "I won''t use [release] anymore.


    ''Ugh!¡¡I''m sorry. I won''t make fun of you anymore.


    When we''re having that conversation.


    We''re home!¡¡I''m so tired.


    Lenya came back.


    ''Oh!¡¡Rainier, you''re back!¡¡Actually!


    Mek seemed happy to tell me that he was back to his old self.


    ''What!¡¡Master is back to normal!¡¡I wanted to see it!¡¡Why do it when I''m not here!


    And Raina started to get angry.


    ''Mm, that''s because I didn''t know if it would go back to normal...''


    Can''t go back to normal now?


    It won''t be possible until three days later.


    Ehh!


    Raina snorted in disappointment when she missed Mek''s original appearance at an inopportune time.

 37-37. I hear rumors

    The next day, we ate breakfast on the first floor of the guild, as usual. Today, the other adventurers were eating breakfast as well.


    "Goooooooooooo........I could have eaten it yesterday, too........


    Mek looked at us for breakfast with a resentful look in his eyes. He seemed quite regretful that he missed the chance to eat his food when we were back to normal for two minutes yesterday.


    ''Two more days and we''ll be back to normal again...''


    Noooo, two days feel like a long time. Since I''ve been like this for decades, two days should be nothing at all. But time feels long when there is something to wait for.


    I think it''s pretty surreal to see a stuffed animal talking like an old man with a lot of life experience.


    I can''t wait to see Master return to normal.


    Hmmm, don''t sit up and take a look at me. Tetsuya was in a panic, his face turning red.


    Didn''t I tell you that the next time you insult me, you''re going to have to use a release?


    I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. You''re too funny.


    That''s not why you''re apologizing, at all. I don''t know if it was that funny - my being upset.


    And then we finished our breakfast.


    ''You should be getting ready to go to the Free City of Vafol today.


    ''Yes, I know. It''s a long way to Vafol, and we must be prepared for the treacherous terrain we''ll have to cross, and we''ll need food, water, and the tools we''ll need to get there. You''ll need food and water, and you''ll need to camp out on the way, so you''ll need your gear.


    Let me ask you something, though. Can''t you get a carriage from the city to Verful?


    I''m afraid not.


    Okay. Well, I''m gonna go shopping.


    We were just about to go shopping when a group of adventurers sitting nearby, chatting over breakfast, came up to us.


    ''Come to think of it, I heard that a brave man invaded the elven nation of Faracion. The elves and the humans didn''t have such a bad relationship.


    Yeah, I heard. I heard that two of the castles have already fallen. It''s a very good idea to have a good time with them. It''s a disgusting story.


    They were having that conversation.


    When Mek overheard the conversation.


    What is...?


    He muttered in a low voice, then approached the men and


    Tell me more about it!


    I said loudly.


    ''Whoa, what the hell is this guy?''


    Some kind of magical creature?


    "Tell me the details! When did the brave men invade the country! How many men did you attack? What the hell did we just walk into? What''s the damage?


    Meku shouted to the adventurers as if he had lost his cool.


    ''''No, we only heard about it through rumors too, so we don''t know the details.


    ''You know at some point, I think it was about ten days ago? But to bring down multiple castles in just ten days, it looks like the stories about the brave men being terribly strong are true.


    ''But why are you so desperate to ask about the elves? Do you know anyone there? You can ask the town crier for details. Then we''ll be in a hurry.


    The adventurers left.


    Meku then shuddered, shaking his body.


    I have to go...


    I muttered.

 38-38. To the elf country

    Mek muttered and then ran to leave the Adventurer''s Guild alone.


    ''''Wait!'''' Mek!


    I''m going to go after Meku.


    ''You''re not coming! This is my problem! We can''t involve them in this!


    Mek yelled at me. Still, I don''t stop chasing. I''m faster than Mek, so I catch up to him and take his hand to force him to stop moving.


    ''What are you going to do by yourself! We''re going with you!


    Yeah! Trying to go alone is watery!


    This war is, in a word, a war against man. You cannot involve yourselves in this war. Even less so for Tetsuya, the human.


    There''s only so much you can do if you go by yourself, Mek!


    I would go even if I could do nothing. I was the queen of the elves.


    Queen?


    Yes. Well, now they think you''re dead.


    Still, as queen, I''m not going to overlook the danger to my country.


    Was Mek the queen? Well, at any rate, how could he not be inspired by the danger of his homeland? But, of course, you can''t let him go alone.


    "We''ll go too. I can''t let Meku go alone.


    So, Tatsuya, you are human. You will be fighting a human.


    A man of valor is my kindred spirit, too. I''m not going to sit back and watch him commit treasonous acts against the home of my people.


    Yeah! If it wasn''t for Master, I''d have died in a hurry! It''s time to repay that debt!


    You....


    Mek ponders for a moment, and then


    Please, I need you to help me.


    I''m on it.


    You''re in charge!


    Thus, our next destination was to leave the free city of Verful for the elven country of Faracion.


    ¡ð


    Before I headed out first, I bought some information from an informant.


    It cost me a good amount of money, but it gave me some meaningful information.


    It seems that there is no doubt that the brave men are attacking the elven country of Faracion.


    The strength of the war is about 100 people including the brave, but even so, the brave are too strong and the elves are apparently unable to counter them.


    I heard that several castles have already fallen and several villages have been burned to the ground.


    After hearing the story, I decided to head out in a hurry anyway.


    Faracion is in the northern part of the human country. From the city of Mestos, where we were, it was in the northeast direction.


    The way to get there is to go east to the Valley of Death. If you go north from there, you''ll find a bridge across the Valley of Death.


    Cross that bridge and walk in a northeasterly direction and you''ll reach the Faracion.


    It''s quite a long way to get there in a day, so we hurriedly finished our preparations and left the town.


    Then, after walking incessantly for three days, we arrived at a certain village of elves.


    ''''This is........''''


    Oh, my God.


    I was too shocked to say a word.


    The village had been burned to the ground. Houses had been burned down and charred. Furthermore, the bodies of the elves were lying on the ground.


    The first time I saw the corpses alive, I was very upset. What is this, is this real?


    Was this the work of a brave man? It''s definitely true.


    How can they do this when they are also from Japan, the same country as the earth? How far they are outcasts.


    I''m not sure how much anger is building up.


    I can''t allow that...


    Mek muttered, shaking with anger.


    After that, Meku checked for any survivors, but there was no one alive. Well, even if they hadn''t killed everyone, they would have escaped in this devastation, so no one would be there.


    I''d like to get there as soon as possible, but I don''t know where they are. We''ll go to King''s Landing and get information!


    Meku said, trembling and struggling to control his anger. I thought that Mek had great mental strength, as he didn''t forget himself in anger even after seeing such a scene.


    He then followed Mek to the royal capital.

 39-39. To the royal capital

    No, you were right to invade the land of the elves.


    The brave Shun Takei was sitting in a chair on the top floor of the castle, slumped in a chair.


    A large number of elven women were standing beside him, tied to their collars.


    It''s a good thing that you''re able to have such a large number of good-looking women in your arms, and the experience you get from killing those elven bastards is surprisingly good. This status has grown tremendously and my current status is seriously bad. I don''t feel like I''m going to lose no matter what comes my way now.


    We, too, are amazed at how strong you are, Master Shun.


    Several of his subordinates were kneeling in front of Shun, and one of them said this.


    He didn''t seem to take any offense to what he was doing.


    Shun rose from his chair.


    Well, I guess it''s time to get going. I''ve heard that the queen in the capital is the most beautiful woman in the world. We have to get there fast.


    Then he turned to leave the castle.


    ''Oh, and those women there, I''m tired of them. You can do what you want with yourselves.


    Shun said that and left the castle.


    ¡ð


    You''re in King''s Landing.


    We walked for a while and arrived at the royal capital of the elven nation of Faracion.


    The capital is heavily guarded with gates.


    I''m not sure if I can get in there.¡¡I''m a human being.


    If you think about it, I''m a human to begin with, I''m probably in a position to be hated by the elves right now.


    It''s unlikely that they''ll let me into King''s Landing, and there''s even a chance I''ll be captured and executed before then.


    I''m sure I''ll be able to return to my original form for a couple of minutes. If I explain to him that Tetsuya is harmless, he will let me in. After all, I was the queen of the land.


    It was a long time ago, though, wasn''t it?¡¡Are there still elves who know about Mek?


    The elves are a long-lived race. There are many who still know of me.


    That''s good.


    Then give me your release.


    Okay.


    I use ¡¾Release¡¿ to try to return Meku to his original form.


    ''''Oh, I can finally see my master''s original form!


    It looks like Lenya is excited to finally see Meku''s appearance.


    And I used ¡¾Release¡¿ and returned Meku to his original form.


    ''''Alright, you''re back.''''


    ''Oh!¡¡She''s so beautiful!


    It''s the second time I''ve seen her, but she''s still as beautiful as ever. I just can''t help but get nervous when I''m with Mekku in her original form.


    Then let''s get going.


    Mek walks towards the gate. We follow him.


    There are two armed gatekeepers standing at the gate.


    "Meku Samaforce is back!¡¡Open the gates, boys!


    Meku said as he stood in front of the gatekeepers.


    What the hell is this thing?¡¡You look at Meku as if to say, "Hey, what''s the idea behind speaking the name of our late former queen?


    ''Hey, what kind of a thought is it that you would speak the name of the former queen who passed away? Are you kidding me?


    What?¡¡I am the queen herself!¡¡You''ve never seen it?


    Meku said, and again the two gatekeepers gave him a look of "what the hell is this guy talking about?


    ''You know what? Don''t get me started on the bullshit. You think you''re trying to trick me because you look like the current queen in terms of appearance?


    If you say more, you''ll be arrested for impoliteness.


    Um, Meku. I know you said that you''re confident, but it doesn''t seem to be known at all...?


    Well, I mean, the guy behind you!¡¡One is Ketsey, but the other isn''t human!


    ''Why did you bring a human here?¡¡He''s so suspicious!¡¡Capture them all!


    No!¡¡We''re in the process of getting caught!¡¡Oh, my God!¡¡That''s pretty bad!


    Let''s wait!¡¡I am indeed Mek Samaforce!¡¡If you don''t know, bring the old Elf to me!


    ''I''m tired of this nonsense!¡¡You''ll have to come with us, along with the people behind you. I don''t know what they''re up to...


    What are we going to do, Mek!¡¡I give Meku a thoughtful look. Mekku seems to be wondering what''s going on. It''s almost two minutes away, and there''s nothing you can do about it.


    When you''re about to get caught.


    What''s the big deal?


    Someone has arrived. It''s a female elf wearing an exceptionally luxurious equipment. The moment Meku saw that female elf, he muttered, "That guy........


    ''''General Lema!¡¡Actually, they''re suspicious.


    Hmm?¡¡Weird people...?


    The moment the female elf called General Lema looked at Mek.


    ''''Mek, Mek-sama...?''''


    He muttered, looking as if he''d seen something incredible.

 40-40. Immigration

    Meku-sama...


    Oh?¡¡You are Lema. You have grown up. You''ve come a long way from the General, haven''t you?


    Apparently, that female elf general called Rema was an acquaintance of Mek''s.


    ''''Mek-sama!


    Shouting, General Lema tries to hug Meku.


    But just before the hug, Meku''s body turns into a plush toy.


    ''Huh?''


    Oh, no, it''s wearing off.


    General Lema looks down.


    ''Um, where''s Master Mek?''


    I''ll do it. I''m Meku.


    General Lema''s expression froze. For a moment, he remained silent.


    Mek-sama!


    I exclaimed.


    ¡ð


    Oh, the curse that made me look like that....


    General Lema looked at Meku and said that with tears in his eyes.


    For now, we were let into the elven country with General Lema''s guidance.


    Once Meku was seen in his original form, they seemed to believe that he was Meku, even though he was in his plush form.


    And as for me and Lenya, when Mek convinced me to let him in because he was trustworthy, he let me in.


    Well, it was just that when we walked around town, we got some pretty hostile looks from them, and it was uncomfortable.


    Currently we were sent to the royal castle of the elven royal capital. We were having a discussion with General Lema in a room in that castle.


    I''m glad to see that you''ve returned in whatever form you were in. I was afraid you were already dead.


    I''m sorry. I''m sorry, but there''s nothing I could do to return home with this kind of appearance, and I was going to go back after I had completely lifted the curse. But under the circumstances, I couldn''t overlook it and decided to come.


    ''''Well that''s why the curse has been temporarily lifted by the skills that your people have,''''


    Yes. That''s right. His name is Tetsuya Takahashi.


    Mr. Takahashi? My name is Rema Oledore. Thank you for breaking Meku''s curse, even if only temporarily. I believe Meku, who is a human, because he said that he is worthy of your trust. I would like to ask for your support.


    He asks me to shake his hand.


    Nice to meet you.


    I agreed to shake his hand.


    ''I understand that the beastman over there is also a friend of Mek-sama''s.


    "For my apprentice, not my friend!¡¡I''m Lenya. It''s nice to meet you.


    Your apprentice........is it? It''s nice to meet you.


    Raina also shook hands with General Lema.


    ''So Meku-sama but when and by whom was the curse placed?


    A woman called us, but I don''t suppose you have time to go into details now. We''re here to avenge our hero.


    Well if you are coming, Meku-sama, I have the strength of a hundred men.


    Where are the heroes now?


    We''re told that they''ve conquered Rakfena and are marching on Vraxel, southwest of King''s Landing.


    ''From Rakfena to Braxel, still a long way to go, but perhaps you''re planning to come to King''s Landing?


    I don''t know. It''s just that they''re so unpredictable, you know, and they miss in every place that you''d expect them to attack.


    "Hmm.


    Probably, from a soldier''s point of view, the actions of a brave man who is just an amateur don''t make sense. Maybe they''re attacking a castle that was randomly nearby or something like that.


    ''''How much longer until the brave men reach Braxel?''''


    It could take seven days.


    Then you''re not too late. Go to Vraxel''s rescue. We''ll avenge the hero.


    If you wish to avenge your heroes, I can lend you some of my best men.


    Huh?¡¡I look like this. Do you have anyone to follow me?


    That''s all right, sir. They are all loyal to their country, and if I explain the situation properly, they will be happy to comply with Meku''s instructions.


    Well, that''s good to know. How many people can you lend me?


    I''ll let you have 100 men.


    Hmm, you are very promising. Well, I guess we''ll leave tomorrow.


    ''Ha!¡¡I''m going to start making preparations in a hurry!


    General Lema said, and began to prepare.


    Tomorrow we were to pass through here and head to a place called Braxel.

 41-41. Queen

    After we decided to go to Braxel.


    We were to meet the Queen of the Elven Nation, the Queen of Faration.


    In fact, it seems that the current queen of Faracion is going to be Mek''s sister. She''s about seven years younger than him.


    When General Lema told the queen that Meku was coming, she said she would meet him right away.


    We were ushered into the Queen''s room.


    The queen was sitting on her throne.


    She has long golden hair. Her breasts are full and her skin is white and beautiful. She is dressed in luxurious clothes and wears a circlet with multiple jewels inlaid on her head.


    She looks very similar to the way Meku looked when she returned to her original form, giving the impression that they are sisters.


    Meku muttered as if he was moved. It''s the first time we''ve seen each other in decades, so that''s impressive.


    Is your name Saku? You look a little like Meku.


    ''''That voice........sister.......I know what you sound like no matter what you look like......''''


    Saku, too, is shaking with emotion.


    She stands up and rushes over to Meku.


    ''Sister!''


    Saku!


    The sisters share an emotional resumption of their embrace... and then...


    Where have you been?


    Hehe!


    Saku suddenly changed and kicked Meku as hard as he could.


    After kicking him away, he moved at full speed to the point where Meku would fall.


    He caught it beautifully.


    You don''t know what kind of trouble you''ve caused me!¡¡Being forced to do a queen you don''t want to do, being compared to the previous queen who was said to be a genius and the greatest of all time, and being stressed out every day. I had a pit in my stomach three times!¡¡What the hell are you going to do about it!


    He screams as he hits Meku with a bobble and bruise.


    Ehhh!¡¡What kind of person is this queen?¡¡He was so ladylike and mature, and then what?¡¡Isn''t this too violent!


    "Wait, wait, wait, Saku!¡¡It''s not like I wanted to be like this. Besides, you''ve been hitting me before, but it''s no use. It doesn''t hurt at all. You''ll only tire yourself out, so don''t do it.


    Shut up!¡¡If that''s the case, why do you look like this!


    Now you put it on the ground and start stomping on it.


    ''Stepping on it isn''t going to help!¡¡We''ve been attacked by a mysterious woman!¡¡It''s not my fault!


    You should have come back to us, even though you''re like this!¡¡You should have been a queen with that look on your face!


    "Don''t push me!¡¡Where in the world do you find a queen dressed so strangely as this!


    The Queen begins to breathe on her shoulder, tiredly.


    Then she turns to us.


    ''Oh, I have shown you how unseemly you are. I''m the Queen of Farazion. My name is Saku Samaforce. It''s a pleasure to meet you.


    With a big bow to Pecori, Saku greeted me and Raina.


    Wasn''t that thing we saw earlier a mistake?¡¡It''s such a classy greeting.


    I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.


    It''s a good thing that you''re still the same. You''re the same as always, Saku.


    Meku, who had rolled over, said that as he stood up.


    I knew that the one just now was the real deal.


    I''m sorry for ... bothering you.


    This time we exchanged an emotional reunion embrace.


    Afterwards, we received a pep talk from the Queen, as we were about to go to Braxel. We were to leave the Queen''s room after receiving the pep talk, but Meku was left behind. Apparently, we had something to talk about. Well, I guess they have something to talk about.


    Rainier and I went to the room where we were staying today.

 42-42. Treasure

    During the King''s Chamber, Tetsuya and Lenya left the room, leaving only Meku and Saku.


    So, Saku, what do you want to talk to me about? What do you want to talk to me about?


    Meku had stayed behind to be told by Saku that he had something to talk about.


    ''Maybe my sister will be angry with me if I tell her this, but...''


    Before we talk, can I have a quick word?


    What is it?


    Don''t talk like me. That would be too complicated. I have the same voice as you and I have the same voice, and when people hear us talking to each other, they will think we are talking to ourselves.


    What did you say?


    You can speak like a queen, so change your mind.


    I''m sorry! I don''t like the way he talks! Your sister can change that!


    I can''t speak any other way. You''ll have to change it.


    G.....


    Saku glared at Meku.


    Okay. So this is what you want me to do, like this.


    I can''t believe you''re talking like that.


    ''What am I going to do? What to do!


    Well, it''s a little different, but it''s better.


    For now, it was decided that Saku would talk like a queen.


    ''''Let me get back to the point. What I wanted to talk to your sister about is, frankly, the human Tetsuya-sama who was with you.


    Tetsuya? Did you get stuck on the part where he was human? Tetsuya is a good man, not a man who would do this country any harm...


    Not exactly, sir.


    Saku said, interrupting Meku''s words.


    ''There was something about that one that gave me an ominous aura. Lord Tetuya has been spotted by someone who is not good at something.''


    Saku you''ve always had a great sensitivity to detail.


    Does this mean anything to you?


    I''d be lying if I said no.


    Meku remembered the engraving on Tetsuya''s right hand.


    ''Please keep this with you.


    Saku handed me something.


    It was a gold necklace with a blue jewel on it.


    ''What''s this?''


    This is a treasure trove. Whenever you need it, please press the jeweled part of it against Tetsuya-sama.


    What do you know about it, Lord? Something ominous on Tetsuya.


    I''m afraid this is not the time to tell you. We''re not sure.


    I see.


    Mek put the necklace around his neck.


    ''''That''s all I have to say. Also, I''ll find a way to completely break your sister''s curse from me.


    ''No, I''m not going to bother you about that.


    ''Your sister''s condition is causing me trouble at the moment. I will find a way for me to get back to normal.


    Yeah, well, the queen wasn''t exactly a bother to me and when I came back, I didn''t want to let you in.


    I''m sorry! When you return, your sister will do it!


    All right, all right. I''ll see you later.


    Meku left the King''s Chamber to escape from an angry Saku.


    ¡ð


    I spent the night and it was the next day.


    I''m on my way to Braxel now.


    ''All right, then, let''s go!''


    Ha!


    A hundred of the elite elven soldiers joined us. Meku stood in front of the elves and shouted loudly, and the elven soldiers responded.


    Well, Meku''s figure is a stuffed animal, so it seems a little tight...


    Come to think of it, there is a necklace around Meku''s neck. Apparently it was a gift from the queen. It was quite a beautiful necklace.


    Then we left the royal capital and headed to Braxel.

 43-43. Braxel

    To Vraxel, we''re going.


    It took us four days to arrive.


    The castle in Vraxel is a bit small. We accompanied the elves to Braxel and asked to enter the castle. They said they had received a message from us, so we were able to get in easily.


    I meet the owner of the castle in Braxel. It was a female elf. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this as well.


    ''''Welcome. I am Ruffa Silerpian, Lord of Braxel Castle. According to the message, it is this gentleman, Meku. Thank you very much for bringing such an elite group of soldiers.


    He seemed to be a polite man, and said with a deep bow. We return the greeting.


    Well, that''s good. And how is the situation? Where is the brave man now?


    ''We''re getting reports that they''ll be here in Braxelles soon. They expect to arrive as early as tomorrow around noon.


    Tomorrow at noon or so we''ll have to decide what to do before then.


    The strategy meeting begins.


    ''''There are about 100 human soldiers, including the brave ones. The rest of the soldiers are elite, but not that strong. But the brave men are honestly too strong to do anything about it, according to soldiers who have fought on other battlefields.


    Is there a man in this castle who fought?


    ''Yes, there is a soldier who escaped with his life. According to what he said, the movements of the brave man were so unusual that he didn''t have any idea that he could defeat them. I heard that I checked his level, but it was 93.


    93... and...


    I''m pretty sure my limit level was about that, but it''s already up that high.


    Considering that Leathers was around the upper 80s, it shouldn''t be an unbeatable level for me.


    I''m sure the brave man is indeed quite strong. But Tetsuya here is also quite strong. It''s a good thing that they are as strong as the brave man.


    ''Is that so?¡¡That''s encouraging, though.


    Ruffa said, but then his subordinate elf approached Ruffa and gave Ruffa an earful of goggles.


    ''''Well, my subordinate checked that person''s limit level and it seems to be marked as 1, what does that mean?''''


    Ruffa asked with a slightly grim expression. Perhaps he used the magic that was used the day he came to this world to check his limit level. That magic seems to be easier to use than expected.


    ''''Ah. I have a special skill for Tetsuya. Thanks to that, she has a high status and a wealth of skills, do you want to take a look at her status?


    Please, if you can.


    I''m required to show you my status. I showed the status to Ruffa.


    Name: Tetsuya Takahashi.


    Age 25


    Level 1/1


    HP 988/988


    MP 689/689


    Attack power 621.


    Defensive value 778.


    Speed 622.


    Skill Points 13


    Skills¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿¡¾Appraisal Lv 4¡¿¡¾Meteorite (Meteorite) Lv 5¡¿¡¾Strong Acid Bullet (Acid Shot) Lv 3¡¿¡¾Thunderbolt (Thunder Shock) Lv 2¡¿¡¾Sucking Thread (Absorb Thread ) Lv 2¡¿¡¾Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv 6¡¿¡¾Weak Warding (Core Guard) Lv 2¡¿¡¾Dark Blast (Dark Blast) ) lv3] [Release (Release) lv1]


    Resistance [Poison resistance Lv2] [Lightning resistance Lv1] [Flame resistance Lv3]


    ''''Nah ... this status is ...''''


    Terrific....


    The elves were buzzing around.


    The others will take care of the brave men," said Tetsuya, "and I, who have returned to normal for a time, and Lenya. The other humans will take care of the others. The others will take care of the other human opponents.


    ''''I see.......indeed, if you''re this strong, you might be able to win even if you fight a brave man......I thought it would be hopeless, but now I''m feeling hopeful.


    Ruffa said with a slight shudder.


    ''''Then let''s figure out how exactly we can separate the brave from the other humans.


    We began to formulate tactics for the war on the brave.

 44-44. Start of brave battle

    So how exactly do we attract the heroes?


    There are reports that the brave men are not very smart. It seems that they get trapped quite a bit. Apparently it doesn''t mean much to them since they don''t freak out when they get caught in a trap, but it might be useful this time.


    Dumb. They certainly didn''t look smart.


    And on top of that, they must have had a temper. I''d give them a little dressing down, and they''d go ballistic.


    "How about a challenge or something?


    I suggested. Provoke a brave man into a diversion.


    It''s a fairly simple move, but it seemed to be effective.


    ''A provocation........will it work?


    They''ve had a pretty bad temper, so that might work.


    ''Is that so.......that?¡¡Come to think of it, does Lord Tetsuya know a brave man?


    Ruffa asked.


    ''Yes, I have a bit of a history. I was once almost killed by a brave man and then by the person who called the brave man.


    ''I see........so I''ll take the brave man.......''


    Roofa seemed to understand.


    But what can I say about provocation, you know, that it is easy to fall for.


    ''''Well ... hmmm ... What was the other brave man like?¡¡Can you tell me what the characteristics are?


    I''m sure you''ve heard reports of a small man.


    ''Petite, sir ... maybe if you make fun of my height, I could knock it off.


    I''m sure being short is a complex, but it''s possible you don''t care about it.


    ''There isn''t a short man out there who doesn''t care about being short.


    Is that so?


    Mek seems to have doubts about my words as I assure him.


    ''Well, if you don''t come on board, you can abuse all sorts of things. I''m sure he''ll lose his temper sooner or later.


    I wish it would work.


    He looks a little uneasy, but Mek doesn''t seem to be opposed to it.


    ''Well, if I abuse the brave men, and only the brave men come after me, I will lead them somewhere else. The other human troops are to be held back by the elven soldiers in the meantime. I''m not going to be the only one who can do that. Is that all right?


    All right. Where do you want me to put him?


    There''s a wilderness nearby.


    I''ll check out the place in advance, just in case.


    We then check out the location of the wilderness beforehand. It''s not that far from the castle; it''s only a ten-minute walk away.


    A few hours pass when we get back to the castle.


    ''The brave men are approaching the castle, sir!¡¡We expect to arrive in another hour or so!


    So the report came in.


    ''Well, then, Mek and Lenya, head out into the wilderness.


    Yeah.


    Okay.


    Mek and Lenya headed into the wilderness.


    I hoped they would succeed, and I waited for the brave men''s arrival with some nervousness.


    ¡ð


    An hour later, as expected, the brave men were coming up to Braxel''s doorstep.


    A small brave man with a group of knights in armor in tow.


    ''''Here they come, you guys. You can surrender! I''ve already mastered the level, so there''s no need to kill any more of them. Well, if you''re going to resist, I''ll certainly kill you for sure, but what are you going to do?


    The brave man said that out loud. It seems that he doesn''t think anything of killing the elves.


    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most out of this.


    ''Tetuya-dono.


    Yeah, it''s a challenge.


    I walked out of the castle.


    ''Oh?¡¡Huh?¡¡You''re human, man! What?¡¡You were held in this castle?¡¡Dumbass. By letting you out, does that mean you''re not going to resist?


    He seems to have forgotten all about me. They''re treating me like we''ve met completely for the first time.


    To these guys, what knocked me down into the trough was probably an insignificant event, not worth remembering.


    Anyway, let''s appraise them first. I''ll appraise the brave man.


    ''Human. Individual Name: Shun Takei. lv.93/93, 16 years old, male.


    HP 1422/1422


    MP 1232/1232


    High intelligence. It is characterized by a high increase in skill points due to leveling up''


    There''s something incredibly high in HP and MP. It''s higher than Leathers'' transformation form.


    The levels shouldn''t be that different, so why is there such a difference?¡¡Because I''m brave?


    If you''re alone, you might not be able to win. But we have friends on our side. We should be able to win.


    I''m not going to be intimidated by Takei''s status.


    I''m not on the human side. I''m your enemy.


    What do you mean by that?


    "I''m here to get rid of you. Hey, little man, I''ll kill you in three seconds.


    Oh?


    Takei''s complexion changes. She looks quite irritated. It looks like she has a height complex after all.


    "Hey, what did you just say?


    "Hey, little man, I told you I''m going to kill you in three seconds. Didn''t you hear me?


    I hear you want to die. You know what you want, I''m gonna kill you.


    Takei huffed out a breath, and the next thing I knew, he was jumping at me.


    Fast!


    It''s fast, but not unresponsive.


    I''m getting away from Takei. I''m heading into the wilderness.


    "Hold on, man!


    I can''t keep up with you, you slow learner!


    I spat out a line that I thought was cheesy, and headed into the wilderness.


    After that, the knights behind me tried to chase after Takei. The elven soldiers jumped out of the way at the right moment.


    He did, and started stalling the knights.


    Now all we have to do is get to the wilderness and beat this guy to a pulp!


    We arrived in the wilderness after a long run. I decided to stop running.


    "Quit running?¡¡How the hell did you get so worked up? I mean, where am I?¡¡Oh well. Now that you''ve made a fool of me, I''m going to make sure I kill you for sure.


    Mek, Raina.


    As I signaled that, Mek and Lenya came out to surround the brave man.


    "Now, release me. We''ll take them down quickly.


    Beast Mode!


    Meku does so, and Lenya becomes a beast (Beast Mode).


    The battle against the heroes begins.

 45-45. Hero Takei Battle 1

    I use ¡¾Release¡¿ on Meku. Meku has returned to his original form.


    Come to think of it, I haven''t seen Meku''s combat ability in this form yet.


    His level must have been over 70, so I don''t think he''s weak.


    ''''Ugh?¡¡The stuffed animal turned out to be a beautiful woman!¡¡It''s right up my alley.¡¡I''m gonna get you and rape you!


    Takei looks at Meku with a vile look.


    I knew it, but he''s not a decent person. He''s scum. And a scum of the highest order.


    I swore to myself that I would never lose to this guy.


    If we want to win for sure, we have to defeat Meku before he''s released.


    We have to decide on the winner as soon as possible.


    ¡¾Meteorite (Meteor)!


    I used a powerful skill right from the start. I hadn''t had a chance to use it because I had been fighting in places with low ceilings lately, but it''s somehow the most powerful magic.


    Takei saw the meteorite and sensed a bad feeling and avoided it. It would have been nice if he had taken it stupidly honestly.


    I''m not going to be able to say that I''m a good person.


    Meku said, and started to cast some kind of spell.


    He must be trying to use magic.


    Numerous vine like things popped up from the ground, binding Takei up.


    ''''What the hell!''''


    Now!


    I''m Meteorite! to attack Takei. It hits Takei directly in the brain.


    "I''m coming too!


    Lenya attacks as well, as if to convince the crowd. [Beastification (Beast Mode)], Raina''s rush hits Takei.


    Furthermore, Meku casts his magic again. Countless ice arrows are generated and all of them fly towards Takei.


    Takei was hit by all the ice arrows, but they did not pierce him.


    Again we tried to attack, but Takei forcefully untied the vines that were binding him, using force.


    ''Oh, ouch. They''re disgusting, you guys.''''


    He said that while holding his head. He seemed to be walking around rather unconcerned even though he was hit by a direct hit from Meteor.


    I checked the appraisal to see how much Takei''s HP had been reduced.


    1220/1422


    It''s not like it hasn''t worked at all.


    About 6 more times of that one.


    This guy isn''t stupid enough to eat the same move over and over again.


    I need to take a different approach this time.


    "I''ll go first. "I''m going to kill you, man, and capture the girl. "I''m going to kill the person who has been turned into a beast, and if he can''t come back, I''m going to kill him.


    With that, Takei started running towards me.


    Fast!¡¡is not unresponsive speed.


    Takei''s weapon is like a sword. He pulls it out and slashes at me. I pull out my sword and catch it too.


    I slash at it several times. All the while, Meku is chanting a long spell.


    Finding a small opening, I hit Takei with a ¡¾Dark Blast¡¿ into his stomach.


    ''''Guh!''''


    Takei suffers.


    Then Meku finishes casting the spell.


    A spear of light arises from Meku''s hand and it flies towards Takei''s head.


    Because of its considerable speed, Takei is unable to react.


    A direct hit to the head.


    I''m not going to be the only one who has a good defense, so it didn''t pierce me, but I hit my head hard and fell down.


    "Nuh-uh, he''s tough.


    HP 821/1422.


    The spear of light earlier seemed to be a pretty high-powered attack.


    Quite a bit of damage has been done.


    With a dull voice, Takei stands up.


    Then some kind of sparkling light arises from his entire body.


    ''''What is that!?''''


    Meku was surprised to see the light.


    ''''It''s the light from when the skill [Regeneration (Regeneration)] is activated.......a skill that gradually restores HP after taking a certain amount of damage.


    What?


    I''ll take a look at Takei in my appraisal.


    It''s true that his HP is slowly recovering. This guy''s got some nasty skills.


    It''s no use. It''s a bit sluggish, but I think I''ll take it seriously.

 46-46. ??Hero Takei Battle 2

    Do you want to get serious?¡¡Didn''t you ever mean it?


    That''s bullshit. You''re saying it to put us on edge and make us wary.


    But I''m not confused by such words. Rather, I don''t have time to be confused because if I was confused, the [Release (Release)] I put on Meku would be released, so I don''t have time to be confused.


    As per my first policy, I will defeat it as fast as possible. Even until I defeat it, if I let it weaken, Lenya and I can defeat it alone afterwards, so I''m going to attack it anyway.


    With that in mind, I start attacking again.


    [Legendary Mode]


    Takei told me that. What''s that, a skill?


    The moment he used that skill, Takei''s movements changed.


    It was fast to begin with, but it became even faster. Takei is slashing at me at super speed. I managed to react and catch it, but it''s incredibly powerful. Can you catch this all the way through?


    You''re not the only one. Each of them have their own secret skills. My ¡¾legendary Mode¡¿ only raises my physical ability considerably, so it''s not much compared to other heroes, but it''s enough to kill you.


    It''s a lot of power. The whole sword is about to be pushed off.


    So, Mekku uses magic. It''s a spear of light magic. Takei dodged the spell this time.


    While he was avoiding it, Lenya attacked him with a slash, but the attack was lightly received. After being received, Meku managed to avoid being attacked, as he was about to attack.


    d*mn. Enhanced?¡¡It''s not looking good. We''ve got about a minute left to take this one down. Or we should weaken them enough to drop their fighting ability significantly, right?¡¡Can you do it?¡¡Is it possible?


    I hate this 3 to 1 thing. We''ve got to cut someone down. I didn''t want to kill the girl, but she''s too much trouble. Let''s start with the tiger-like guy.


    Looks like they''ve changed their target to Rainier.


    Takei starts to move. I was moving to defend Lenya a moment ahead of him as he started to move.


    However.


    I''m gonna have to feint.


    Takei was heading towards Meku.


    Completely fooled, I was a little slow to react.


    That little bit was fatal. Takei unleashes a thrust aimed at Meku''s chest.


    Meku isn''t able to react with too much speed.


    ''Meku!''


    I screamed. But it was no use.


    A moment before Takei''s sword pierced Meku''s heart Meku''s form turned back into a plush toy.


    Takei''s sword stabbed into Meku in his plush state.


    I''m back to normal. Huh?¡¡What would have happened if you''d been stabbed in that condition?


    Aaaa..... I''m about to die.


    Mek seemed to be alive.


    ''Huh?¡¡What is this?¡¡I''m plush again, and I''m not dead. Mutt.


    Afterwards, Takei dropped the plush Meku with a plop.


    It''s good to know that the one I thought was dead was safe. But this situation is.......pretty bad.


    Meku couldn''t fight anymore.


    Can he beat Takei in this state?


    --We must win.


    Well, you can''t fight in your condition. Ha-ha-ha, you won. So let''s kill him now. So, now we''re going to kill that guy. I''m going to make him suffer a lot, and then I''m going to kill him.


    Takei seems to have changed his aim at me. And then he swings his sword at me.


    I catch it. Each blow is heavy. And they''re fast.


    Catching them is all I can do.


    And finally, I can''t catch it all and the sword breaks. Takei doesn''t stop slashing, and I''m slashed in the shoulder area. Fresh blood gushed out of my shoulder. The pain in my shoulder was so intense that I involuntarily held it down and winced.


    "Tetsuya!


    Rainier, who was watching the scene, came to the rescue.


    She attacks Takei from behind.


    Takei kicks Raina.


    ''''Nyah!''''


    A kick lands to the side of Raina''s head. It seems to have done quite a bit of damage, and Raina goes back to being a cat.


    I appraise it, but it didn''t seem to be dead, but it had only a small amount of HP left.


    ''''You''ve gone from a tiger to a cat, this guy.


    Takei is a bit distracted. I take that opportunity to attack Takei. First, I use ¡¾Dark Blaze¡¿. After hitting the target, I use ¡¾Meteorite¡¿, but Takei kicked me in the stomach before I could use it.


    ''''Gafu!''''


    I cower on the ground in pain.


    ''Tetsuya!''


    I can hear Mek screaming.


    Well, you''re gonna have to suffer through this now~. What should we do? That''s right.


    Takei said and approached the fallen Raina.


    Then he grabbed Lenya by the neck.


    I''m gonna kill him in front of you first. And I''m gonna kill him pretty d*mn brutally.


    What the...!


    Ha-ha-ha, that''s a good eye. You think I''m stupid, but you''ve got to suffer and suffer first. You can watch your friends die first, you know.


    f*ck you...


    I tried to get up, and she stomped on my head.


    You''re not supposed to move.


    G.....


    ''It''s bad enough that a piece of crap like you pissed me off here. Suffer and suffer and die.


    Takei says and presses my head to the ground with a grimace.


    The taste of earth and blood spreads in my mouth. And an intense sense of humiliation surged into my chest.


    Shit!¡¡Shit!


    I put a lot of effort into moving my foot, but it''s trampled down so hard I can''t move.


    "You can''t let him die while you''re stepping on it. ''Okay.''


    Takei placed Raina in front of me.


    ''Now I''m going to stomp this guy to death.


    Then, as he rose to his feet, he declared.


    ''No, no!''


    Stop!


    Me and Meku shout.


    ''I won''t stop. Then watch me die, up close and personal.


    This is not... this... this!


    But I can''t move. Same as before. Like when I almost got beat up against the Leasers.


    I''d be powerless to move, biting my fingernails off.


    But that time it was... yeah. At the time it''s....


    I saved you, didn''t I?


    I heard the voice I had heard before.

 47-47. The Abyss King

    The Abyss.


    I was there again.


    There was a big eyeball in front of me. Underneath the eyeball was still the mouth that had come out when we parted before.


    ''I can''t believe you''re here again. You''re so weak, you too.


    I''m gonna need your help...


    I said at the opening.


    ''I was hoping you''d say that.


    Can I borrow it?


    ''Yeah, but I can''t help you any further without telling you everything. You''re quite a pain in the ass, aren''t you? I am.


    What''s the story?


    About the mark, about myself, and about all the things I''m going to do. I can''t help you unless you let me hear it and shake your head.


    ....


    I''m not sure what you mean. But I decided not to ask any questions and just listen to what the eyeball said quietly.


    First of all, let me tell you what I am. I am the Abyss King, the ruler of this Abyss. But since there is basically no one else in here but me, there is nothing to control or anything else.


    This centerpiece is called the Abyssal King. It''s a name that is as it sounds.


    "I''m the one who can''t leave the Abyss. Every day I''m bored, until one day, a human enters the abyss. A human infiltrated the Abyss. By accident. I was the one who carved the mark on that thing. It''s the same as the one on you. The moment I made the mark, the human was mysteriously endangered more often than not. And every time he thought he was going to die, he would come to me, and I would help him. And guess what. My consciousness and his consciousness became one and the same, and eventually his consciousness became no different from mine.


    Hey, what are you talking about? Identification?¡¡And because of the imprint on it, is there more at stake?


    Does that mean that with this imprint, I''m more likely to encounter situations like this that make me want to ask for this guy''s help?


    He''s outside the Abyss now, but I can know what he sees and hears. I can control that person at will. Already that person can''t move his or her body at will.


    Well, wait. This is your conscious mind talking to me.


    My consciousness can be in many places at the same time. Well, that''s a hard feeling for a human to understand.


    ''So what''s your point?''


    ''If I help you any longer, I''ll have control over your body.


    ''''Is that why you were helping me?''''


    Yes. My goal is to rule the world outside the Abyss. Well, I can''t do that now, because if I try to do that, there are people who won''t shut up. I''m in way over my head. We want you as our new handmaiden.


    This guy wasn''t supposed to be good, and it seems he was right.


    He was evil.


    ''Why did you flatter me? Why didn''t you just shut up and lend me a hand?


    If you don''t explain it to them and convince them, it can go wrong. There are cases where the original person''s consciousness remains intact for a little while, and they behave in ways that were not expected. The Black Knight, for example, is a failure. He was a failure. I can make you carve a mark, but it''s too risky to do anything else.


    What are these brave men? Are they your pawns?


    ''No, no, no. ''It''s a little difficult for me to hunt you down with my pawns because of the circumstances. Well, with that imprint, you''re automatically hunted down. So there''s no need for me to do anything about it.


    I knew it. Is the mere presence of this imprint supposed to bring danger to me?


    ''''Well I''ll ask you one last question. Why me?


    ''''That''s because you have [corpse absorption]. There are people in this world who have unique and powerful skills that others will never have. I call those people the Irregulars. Only these irregulars can carve my mark. All skills possessed by heretics (irregulars) are skills that have passed the test of time, so just like [corpse absorption], there are some restrictions on them. By using my power to break this restriction, I''m giving power to the Divergent (Irregular). Also, a female heretic (irregular) occurred at the same time as you, right?¡¡Riko Satomi, was her name?¡¡I''m engraving on that one, too. I haven''t been as miserable as you are yet, but it''s probably only a matter of time before it''s too late. Well, it''s none of your business anymore. You didn''t have to make me listen to it.


    Perhaps it was because he was confident that he could make my body his own from now on, the Abyssal King (Abyss King) said.


    ''''So?¡¡What do we do?¡¡Do you need my help?


    ....


    What''s the answer?¡¡Because we''re here. The only people who can come here are those who want to help you, no matter what. The only people who can come here are those who have something they want to sacrifice themselves to achieve.


    Even if you take my body, that doesn''t mean you''ll kill a brave man for it.


    I''ll kill him. He''s too strong. I don''t see any reason not to kill him and absorb him.


    "What about Mek and Raina?


    "You give me your body, and I''ll save you. Well, believe it or not, that''s your choice.


    ....


    What do you want to do?


    I didn''t pause at all.


    I need your help.


    I asked.

 48-48. Settlement

    The moment I nodded, my consciousness returned to my body. And then my body was enveloped in pitch black darkness.


    ''''Ah?¡¡What is it?


    I can hear Takei''s confused voice.


    ''Success. Perfect.''


    The voice seemed to come from my mouth, but it wasn''t a voice of my own volition.


    My hands, my feet, my neck, my mouth, and every other part of my body couldn''t be moved by my will.


    My body, my entire freedom, seems to have been taken over by the Abyssal King (Abyss King).


    Still, I am conscious and can see what''s going on outside.


    ''''What the hell, you''ve suddenly turned black.


    Takei told me that. Am I all black now?


    Did the imprint go around the entire body and turn black?


    ''Well, let''s see if I can make good on my promise.


    That''s what the Abyssal King called out with my mouth.


    And the speed of my body that the Abyssal King (Abyss King) is moving my body is terribly fast.


    Takei is not able to react to that speed at all. Then, without slowing down, I ate an elbow strike as hard as I could in the area of Takei''s stomach.


    ''''Gahaha!''''


    The power of the elbow strike was tremendous, and the moment it hit, Takei''s body was blown backwards at a tremendous rate.


    It was blown away by more than 100 meters, making it the size of a pea grain in the eyes.


    The Abyssal King (Abyss King) closes that distance in an instant.


    He stomps on Takei''s stomach, who is surprised and confused.


    Takei''s belly is crushed by the strong stomp.


    Takei''s internal organs fly out of his mouth, along with a large amount of blood.


    ''''Gaha ... ya ... ya ... ke ... ke ...''''


    No longer does Takei seem to be able to even speak properly.


    Tears in her eyes, blood and guts spewing out of her mouth, her body trembling in small increments.


    I desperately try to escape from the Abyssal King (Abyss King) who is controlling my body, even crawling on the ground to escape.


    But the Abyssal King showed no mercy.


    This time, he stepped down on his head.


    ''''Gusha!¡¡And then there was a sound, and Takei''s head was trampled down. Blood spread out on the ground like a broken watermelon, and pieces of his brain and skull scattered to the four corners.


    The brave Takei died a quick death.


    ''''Then let''s absorb it.''''


    The Abyssal King (Abyss King) used my mouth to say that and absorbed Takei.


    HP up 1422, MP up 1232, Attack power up 781, Defense power up 701, Speed up 771, Skill points gained 93.


    Skill [Legendary (Legendary Mode)] is acquired.


    Skill ¡¾Regeneration (Regeneration)¡¿ acquired.


    I could hear the voice of the ability value increase and the skill increase as well. Something ridiculously raised.


    Lending me power must mean that all of my abilities add up.


    ''Well, I''ll do whatever I want with the rest. Well, I can''t ask you for an answer, though.


    Saying that, the Abyssal King (Abyss King) moves my body and tries to leave somewhere else.


    Do I have to keep watching this guy''s moving body?


    That''s hard. But for now, I kill Takei and the crisis is over.


    Mek and Lenya were saved.


    That''s all I need to know.


    "Tetsuya!


    I heard Mek''s voice.


    ''You''re ... ah, Mek. I''m sorry to hear that. Tetsuya is no longer in this world. I am the Abyssal King.


    I don''t care what you are. You must give me back my body to Tetsuya.


    That''s not going to happen.


    The moment Meku hears the Abyssal King''s (Abyss King) reply, he starts running towards the Abyssal King (Abyss King).


    What are you doing, Mek!


    This guy is so strong that no one can handle him anymore!¡¡This is not a person that a stuffed animal Mek should be peering at.


    "Oh, I said I wouldn''t kill you," he said. I don''t mind. I don''t think she''s going to fall victim to your attacks.


    The Abyssal King (Abyss King) turned away, completely ignoring Meku. ''''Good. This guy seems to be willing to keep his word.


    When I was about to walk away, Meku put something on my body that was controlled by the Abyssal King.


    It was like a jewel.


    "Huh?


    Go away!


    "...this!


    My body is bathed in light.


    "d*mn, you didn''t have to do anything. Where did you get this stuff?


    I don''t have to tell you.


    Okay. I''ll tell you one thing, I''m afraid. I''m not going to disappear like this. It will undo my assimilation, but the Mark will remain intact. The negative fate of this thing is intact. Sooner or later, it will suffer an unpleasant fate, and it will come to rely on me for help. I can never change the ending. It''s just a matter of procrastination.


    I don''t know what you are, but I won''t let Tetsuya rely on you again. I don''t know what you are, but I won''t let Tetsuya put you in a situation where you have to rely on me again. I''ll find a way to get rid of the Mark in time.


    "Hahahahahahahahahahahaha, I wish I could find a way to make it go away. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!


    The Abyssal King (Abyss King) laughs hysterically at my body. And after a while.


    "...Oh!¡¡I can move!


    I can move now.


    Tetsuya!


    Meku hugged me. It was a stuffed animal, so it would only feel fluffy, but I was still happy.


    ''What did you use?''


    My sister gave it to me. I guess you can''t use it again after you''ve used it once.


    There was nothing more on the place where the jewel was on earlier.


    ''Anyway, have you defeated the brave man? Ah, Lenya!


    I run over to Lenya.


    She''s in the form of a cat, and although she''s in quite a dangerous state, she seems to be breathing.


    ''''We need to hurry up and get home and get you fixed up.


    That''s right. How''s Tetsuya?


    Yeah. You look like you''re making a full recovery.


    Well, I''ve got a hole in my stomach. I only had a hole in my stomach. It has a strange habit of healing itself after a certain amount of time.


    Yeah. Let''s just hurry up and get home.


    A good sword, and a battle is going on in front of the castle to discourage the soldiers. Now that the body has been absorbed, it''s best to take the sword with you.


    Okay.


    I picked up the sword. It certainly looks like a nice sword, and I''ll be using this next time. It looks like someone stole it, but it doesn''t feel right.


    Afterwards, we rushed back to the castle.


    The battle was still going on in the castle, and it was evenly matched, not who had the upper hand.


    I walked up to them, raised my brave sword, and


    "The hero is vanquished!¡¡Look at this sword!


    I shouted.


    The other party was zany at first. As soon as he saw the sword, his face turned pale.


    The sword is the life of a warrior. The moment they saw me raise my sword, they ran away at once, perhaps thinking that the only time it would be taken away was when they died.


    A loud cheer goes up from the allies.


    ''''You did it!¡¡Lord Tetsuya!


    You can celebrate later!¡¡Fix Lenya!


    Oh my!¡¡It''s a sign that the beast race is quite weak to be like this. Please go get the healers!


    Lenya was later recovered by the healers and survived.


    Thus, the battle against the brave Takei ended.

 49-49. Determination

    After the battle was over, we went back to the capital once.


    The report that we defeated the brave men had already gone to the capital, and we were welcomed with open arms the moment we returned to town.


    It''s a good idea to have a party afterwards, but we couldn''t be happy about it.


    I read the air and went to the party at first, but later I said I wanted to be alone and slipped out and was resting in my room that they had prepared for me.


    I look at the back of my right hand.


    As always, there was an engraving on it.


    The Abyssal King (Abyss King) is still aiming at my body. He''s waiting for me to hit the bottom of my misery and come back to borrow his power.


    There''s no way I can be happy in this situation.


    I couldn''t help but feel uneasy.


    "You look troubled," he said.


    Mek walked into the room.


    ''....well, yeah.


    I told Meku everything that the Abyssal King (Abyss King) told me about the Mark after that.


    ''''Now that we''re going to have a serious talk, why don''t you change it back to what it was?''''


    Okay.


    I used my release to return Meku to his original form.


    A light arises and Meku appears in his elf form.


    ''''Is it any wonder your lord is troubled? That the mere sight of that imprint would bring in unlucky chi.


    I don''t want his help. But I''ll have to when the time comes.


    Don''t worry. I''ll never let that happen.


    Meku said as he looked into my eyes.


    My heartbeat jumped as I stared into Meku''s beautiful eyes.


    ''Well, I don''t think it''s very convincing to say that in my cursed body,''


    No, it''s not. It''s reassuring to have Mek here.


    I''d better do something about my curse and your Mark.


    ''Oh...''


    I am grateful to you, Tetsuya, for saving my country and restoring my body, even if only temporarily. I thank you, Tetsuya, for saving my country and allowing me to return to my body, even if only temporarily. I swear here and now that I will do whatever it takes to get you back to normal.


    Meku said that with a serious look in my eyes.


    ''Nya!¡¡I swear it too!


    I thought I heard Lenya''s voice from behind me and she hugged me from behind.


    It''s watery to talk about something with just the two of you. I''m one of them.


    I''m sorry. I''m sorry.


    I''m too weak to be of much help to you right now, but I promise that someday I''ll be strong enough to help you!


    Raina said that as she hugged me. My breasts hit my back, and as expected, I''m nervous. I''m sure you''ll find that Mekku is looking at it with a sly look.


    "Do you want to touch my breasts too?


    No, no, no.


    My depressed mood was nowhere to be found, and afterwards, I joined the party again with Rainyamek and the others for a noisy night.


    The other world is unreasonable. I want to complain about being dropped into a ravine all of a sudden, being engraved with an incomprehensible mark, almost dying many times, and why I invited them to this place.


    Still, I decided to fight for my friends and myself, my dearest friends, to the best of my ability.

 50-50. Verfol

    A castle.


    ''''The one with ........Shun?''''


    A brave man, Oshima Hiroshi (Oshima Hiroshi), had heard the news that Sun had died.


    ''''Yes, it seems he died after attacking the Elven Nation and being defeated.


    Hiro had received a report from his entourage, Aleverus.


    He was a man equipped with armor. His age was in the mid-twenties.


    ''''He is ... dead.''''


    Hearing those words, Hiro turned over.


    It wasn''t because he was sad that Shun was dead.


    He was terrified that he was dead.


    Could it be that I will eventually be too?¡¡He was so anxious.


    ''''You can rest assured that we will protect you, Hiro-sama.


    Perhaps sensing Hiroshi''s anxiety, Aleverus said that.


    But Hiroshi''s anxiety doesn''t go away, as these guys are weaker than me, so how can they be reassured?


    The brave men and women had a lot of optimistic thoughts, but only Hiroshi was the type who often had negative thoughts.


    (The guy from Shun was weaker than me, too. That''s why I was beaten. I''m not like him, I''m strong. I shouldn''t get beaten.)


    I tried to keep that in mind, but my anxiety didn''t completely disappear.


    ''Ah!¡¡Shit!¡¡We''re going to hit them somewhere!¡¡As long as we kill all the enemies and level up more, we shouldn''t lose the quicksilver!


    I concluded.


    ''Where would you like to attack...?''


    Aleverus asks.


    ''Right. ''Bring me a map.''


    Ha!


    Aleverus hurries over to grab a map.


    ''Well okay let''s make it here.


    He pointed to the map.


    ''This is a well-defended place, you know?


    I''m the one who''s attacking you. You''ll be fine.


    Well that''s true, I suppose. But I would like to make a few preparations.


    Make it quick.


    Ha!


    Hiroshi and his team''s next attack site was decided.


    ¡ð


    Leaving the elven nation of Faracion, we headed to Vafol.


    Vafol is far away, and it''s a long journey, but the people of the Falcyon royal palace have provided all the necessary tools for us.


    Along the way I absorbed a lot of demons.


    I defeated and absorbed every single demon I encountered.


    It would take a lot of time to remove the mark on my right arm.


    If what that guy said was true, then there would surely be a crisis in the meantime.


    In order to not create a situation where we have to rely on the power of the Abyss (Abyss), we need to become stronger.


    The demons that appeared along the way were not much of a guy, and I could defeat all of them now with a single blow.


    About thirty days after I left Falcyon, I arrived in Vafol.


    ''So this is Vafol?''


    It''s been a long time since I''ve been here, but it''s still a big town.


    There''s so many people!


    There was a large gate at the entrance, and as we entered, we saw people of various races walking through the streets.


    Mestos, where we were staying, also had many different species.


    It''s a town that looks like it''s been scaled up from that place.


    There are some species that I did not see in Vafol.


    I would have liked to take my time looking around, but I didn''t come here for sightseeing.


    But we are not here to see the sights.


    I''m sure you are tired from your long journey, so let''s find a place to stay and get some rest and then go to the library tomorrow to find out more about my curse and the Mark.


    Will do.


    We find a place to stay.


    We found a cheap inn and spent the night there.

 51-51. Library

    The next day.


    We had come to the library with Mekku after a long day at the inn.


    "This is the largest library in the world, the Vafol Library," he said.


    Deca...


    Bigger than a...


    The sheer size of the building pressurized me and Raina.


    It didn''t feel like a library.


    It might be better to call it a giant castle.


    If the building is this big, it should have a lot of books.


    But will they be able to search through it all?


    I feel like there is a limit to what three people can do.


    There''s a gatekeeper before that, but this isn''t something you can go in as you please, is it?


    Let''s ask Mekku.


    "Hey, Meku. What''s the easiest way to get in here?


    It costs a lot of money, but everyone is welcome to enter. But you can''t read all the books. If you want advanced information, you''ll have to go through a lot of trouble.


    What kind of trouble is trouble, exactly?


    You''ve got to earn the town''s affections. Well, Tetsuya is a strong man. I think that''s something we can manage.


    Powerful people are going to love it.


    I don''t want to do anything that will make them like me.


    If that''s the only way, it''s the only way.


    For today, you can look for what you can read. There are a lot of books that can be read from the beginning, so it''s not so easy to search through them. There are a lot of books out there that anyone can read.


    It''s unlikely that it contains information about your Mark or breaking the curse on me.


    Anyway, it would be good to start out looking as far as you can read, and then you''ll get the likes of this town''s movers and shakers and go find advanced information.


    Then we''ll go in.


    We walked into the library.


    The price was five gold, which wasn''t a lot of money.


    The gatekeeper will give us a heads up.


    Do not make a noise in the library.


    Don''t take the book without permission.


    Do not damage the books, etc.


    I heard that I will be banned or made to pay a large amount of money when I tore the book. There was a guard inside, and I was reminded that I should not do anything badly.


    There must be so much trouble.


    Since the literacy rate in this world is not so high, I think that only those who can read would be of reasonably high status, I don''t need to be reminded that much.


    I walk into the library.


    Mek told me to ask the librarian about the books.


    I asked the librarian where the books with information on curses and such were located.


    The librarian leads me to the place where the books are.


    ''There are quite a few books with curses written in them.''


    There are roughly two hundred books on that sort of thing.


    They seem to be about curses that you can inflict on your opponent with magic and skills.


    Mek''s is a curse, so it''s fine here, but I honestly don''t know if the imprint is a curse or not, so I don''t know if it''s fine here.


    I don''t know where else to go, so I''ll just look it up here too.


    ''''It looks like it''s going to be tough to read it all!


    It must be quite a chore to read it looking like this.


    We started reading.


    Meku is in his stuffed animal form, but he manages to read the book. It looks pretty hard to read, though.


    Raina can read at least once. Mek didn''t teach her, and she has amnesia, but she only knows the letters from the beginning for some reason.


    But his comprehension was a problem, so he asked Mek what it meant every single time he asked her what it meant.


    And after a few hours of research.


    No.


    I''m hungry.


    We''ll leave for now. Let''s get out of here for now and go to dinner.


    I bet the food in this town is delicious!


    But I don''t have a lot of money, and it looks like I need to do some adventuring in this town and in the adventurers.


    For today, I decided to leave the library and have some food.


    ¡ð


    Yummy!


    We were eating food at a nearby restaurant.


    It was a restaurant that served noodle dishes and served a ramen-like dish.


    It tasted a lot different than the ramen I knew, but it was pretty good.


    Speaking of which, I heard that Saint Riko will be coming home tomorrow.


    Well, I''d like to see you, wouldn''t you?


    Saint Rico?


    It''s a standard fantasy saint, but her name is Rico. She seems to be Japanese.


    Hmm?


    But I think I''ve heard the name Rico before.


    Oh, I just remembered.


    I was told by the Abyssal King (Abyss King).


    He said it was an irregularity that occurred at the same time.


    In short, the name of that high school girl who came to this world with me must be Rico.


    Coincidence........right?


    It hasn''t even been that long since she came to this world, and it''s not natural for her to be called a saint in this short period of time.


    No........she would have a special skill just like me.


    If you use it, wouldn''t you say it''s impossible?


    I''ll have to take a look at that Saint Riko person once.

 52-52. After a long time

    The next day.


    In the morning I went to the library and looked up the information but couldn''t find it.


    It was lunchtime and we were about to eat our food at a slightly more expensive restaurant.


    ''Finally the time has come...''


    Meku mutters with all his heart.


    Actually, Mek, I haven''t done anything about eating up to this point.


    He forgot to eat in the rumble in Faracion.


    When we left the country, I said, "If we''ve been waiting so long, I''d like to eat something delicious first," and decided to hold out until Vafol, where there are many delicious things to eat.


    I stopped eating yesterday''s noodle dish because it was unimaginable, but this time it was a meat dish. But this time it was a meat dish, and a very tasty beef. It''s a good first meal.


    That''s why it''s so expensive, though, the price. I''d like to keep my expenses to a minimum.


    What are you saying? I don''t usually eat, so I don''t have any money for food. I don''t think I''ll be able to eat every day from now on, and when I do, I won''t mind eating something expensive.


    ''That''s true, but...''


    It would be fine if it was just Meku who ate, but since we came together, naturally me and Lenya would eat as well.


    I asked for the cheapest dish possible, but Lenya didn''t hold back at all and asked for the most expensive dish.


    Well, we don''t have to worry about it, at least for today.


    The food is brought to us.


    Raina has a big steak, and I have a steak too, but smaller.


    Meku asked for the beef stew, which is full of stewed beef.


    I heard that stew was his favorite food.


    "Now, put me back together again.


    Okay.


    There are quite a few people in the restaurant, but this world is full of magic, skills, and strange things, so many people don''t care about every single thing that happens, even if it''s a little weird.


    I don''t care and use [Release (Release)].


    Since I had accumulated quite a few skill points, I raised my release by one level, so my duration should have increased.


    I haven''t used it once after I raised it, so I don''t know how much it''s increased.


    ''Okay, I''m back!


    Mek returns to his original form.


    No matter how many times I see him, his appearance is beautiful and I get nervous when I''m with him.


    But Meku starts eating his stew in a very messy way.


    He eats like a hungry, athletic junior high school boy with no class at all.


    ''Good, good, good!¡¡This is what I meant by eating!¡¡It''s been a long time!


    Can''t you eat a little more slowly...?


    "Fool, I''m not going to waste my time shapeshifting for a few minutes!


    No, but she''s a former queen, so class is important...


    When I was a queen, I was so busy I didn''t have time to eat alone.


    Meku speaks up with information that disrupts the illusion.


    Looking at Meku in his normal form, though, he no longer has any illusions.


    But when I saw Meku in his original form, I felt a sense of familiarity, or perhaps a slight release of tension.


    Somehow, I feel like I can treat him normally from now on.


    "You eat so much, Master!¡¡I can''t lose!


    And for some reason, Lenya also started to eat quickly against it.


    What are you playing at, this girl?


    I eat normally.


    After Meku finished eating it all, he was immediately released.


    It looks like it was worth it for me to eat fast for once.


    I was the last to finish eating.


    "Well, let''s do some research for lunch.


    ''There''s a guy called Saint Rico coming back today, but that''s supposed to be this afternoon. I''d like to take a look.


    Do you mind?


    ''Yeah, maybe it''s the girl who came into this world with me. It''s entirely possible it''s not at all, but I''d like to wake up and check it out just in case.


    It''s your hometown''s. That must be interesting to you.


    You know Tetsuya?¡¡I want to see it too!


    I don''t know him, though.


    I''ve done some light research on Saint Rico since then.


    It seems that she was called a saint because she appeared in this town a while ago and helped the poor people.


    She''s built an orphanage and is taking care of a lot of orphans there.


    She''s been so active for a short period of time that no one in the town seems to know about her.


    A powerful demon has appeared in a nearby village, and we were called to rescue it, so we defeated it and are returning today.


    From what I''ve heard, he''s a true saint.


    She also tried to save me, so I think she was a kind girl. I don''t know if he was so much of a saint.


    ''I heard they''re coming back through the gate north of town, so let''s go there.


    They nodded and we left the restaurant and headed for the north gate.

 53-53. Saint Rico

    When I reached the north gate, I saw a lot of people hanging out on the side of the street.


    Ropes had been put up to keep people out of the street. Other soldiers were watching the residents with steely eyes.


    ''It''s awfully popular,''


    This place is full of people!


    Are you sure you know Tetsuya for sure?


    Hmm, I don''t know. Maybe not.


    Me and the high school girl at that time, ''Riko Satomi'', were transferred to another world at the same time.


    I don''t remember exactly how many days have passed since we arrived in this world, but I think it''s probably about 50 days.


    Can you become so popular in such a short period of time?


    It might be possible if we did something really big, though.


    Well, you''ll know it when you see it anyway.


    We had very little time together, but I still remembered her face vividly.


    There were a lot of people, but they could see it, as they could successfully get to the front.


    ''Oh, they''re coming!''


    Oh, my God, you''re a saint!


    The area near the entrance of the gate becomes noisy.


    It seems that Saint Rico has arrived.


    It''s impossible to see her from this position, so I wait for her to pass by.


    As the saint passes in front of me, I can tell where she is passing by because the residents are cheering enthusiastically.


    The cheers are getting much closer, and she will be right in front of you soon.


    I stare at the street with my eyes wide open, determined not to miss it.


    Here they come!


    A woman surrounded by multiple guards, smiling and waving to people. That''s probably Saint Rico........


    There''s no doubt about it. It''s the high school girl from back then.


    Her face has changed a bit, and the clothes she''s wearing have changed from a uniform to a white robe, but she was definitely the girl who moved to another world with me back then.


    I was in the front, but with the amount of people here, they didn''t notice me.


    I briefly thought about appealing aloud, but I felt like that would be an airy-fairy action, so I decided against it.


    ''How''s it going?''


    I''m pretty sure it was my hometown boy.


    Really?


    After Rico passed by, the people around him gradually dwindled and became quiet.


    ''And how do you know it''s the real thing?


    I need to talk to you.


    By the looks of it, he probably hasn''t been taken in by the Abyssal King (Abyss King) yet. If that''s the case, I have to tell her all the information I got from him at that time as soon as possible.


    It is a matter of priority before finding out how to unlock the Mark.


    But will we see him? You''re very popular.


    Yes....na....


    There would be a great many people who would want to see her.


    There were soldiers on guard around her, and she was likely to be heavily guarded.


    It might be difficult to even get close to her.


    ''I''d better ask her if I can see her anyway.


    The soldier who is stringing up this road must be a saint''s man or something, so I''ll ask him, since he''ll know a lot about that.


    ''I''d like to ask you something.


    I asked the soldier, who was still on guard duty after I passed by, a question.


    ''What,''


    ''I''d like to meet Saint Rico in person, is that possible?''


    Impossible.


    Why?


    The idea of an impostor meeting a saint is so outrageous that he is not allowed to see anyone but those he trusts.


    I need to talk to you.


    ''Then you can tell me your story. I will tell your story to the one who guards the saint''s house around the house where she lives, and he will further tell your story to the one who takes care of the saint''s surroundings, and he will tell the saint your story.


    What is that message game?


    You have to tell them in person, right?


    If you don''t go through people, they''ll think it''s incomprehensible and they won''t take you seriously.


    So what do we do then?


    Maybe you could check the house and break in?¡¡And then I''m a criminal. If they didn''t remember my face, they could be caught.


    However, it is a matter that must be told.


    It''s not a good idea to think about it in the middle of the road, so why don''t you think about it when you get back to the inn?


    That too, I suppose.


    At Mek''s urging, we returned to the inn.


    I went home and thought about it, but in the end, no good ideas came to me that day.

 54-54. Reunion

    Eventually I couldn''t come up with a good idea from that and decided it was a waste of time to keep thinking about it when I didn''t have an answer, so I resumed my research at the library.


    ''Nyah!¡¡I found a great book!


    Oh.


    Really?


    Hearing Lenya''s words, we rushed over.


    We broke the rule that we had to be quiet in the library, which is an absolute rule whether it''s on another world or Earth, at that time.


    That''s when I was beginning to get so fed up with searching for books.


    ''Let me show you,''


    Here you go.


    Mek looks at the book that Raina found.


    There it is.............


    The World''s Delicious Fish Book!


    That''s what it said in the title.


    I''ve only eaten animal meat before, but fish sounds delicious too! I''m drooling just looking at it.


    Well, it sure looks good... but it wasn''t!


    Uh-oh!


    Meku''s flippant comedy explodes.


    ''What does it matter now that you''re talking about food, at all?


    Do you have anything else on your mind?


    Because it looks so good.


    No excuses!


    Tetsuya, help me!


    Well this time it''s Lenya''s fault.


    Yeah, yeah.


    I was also expecting a bit of a cold shoulder, but for once, I was a bit cold.


    This series of interactions ended up causing quite a bit of noise in the library.


    I''m sorry. You should be a little quieter in the library.


    I was warned by a girl who was reading a book nearby.


    The girl was a girl with thick-rimmed glasses. Her bangs were held in place by a hair clip.


    From the woman, Meku moved to a corner of the library after receiving the attention and began to lecture her, lowering her voice a bit.


    I was curious about the girl I was paying attention to.


    I felt like I''d seen her somewhere.


    Her voice also sounded something familiar....


    Is it my imagination?


    It''s rude to stare at him too much, and I can only glimpse at him, but I feel like I''ve seen him somewhere....


    ''''Um, what''s the matter?''''


    He seems to have caught me glancing at him and looks at me a little suspiciously.


    ''Oh, no, whatever,''


    Oh, I see................Huh?


    The girl with the glasses starts staring at my face.


    ''Ahhhh!''


    And then suddenly he shouted loudly.


    It was quite loud and the other users looked at me white.


    The bespectacled girl came to her senses and, after lowering her head to the people around her as if she thought she was in trouble, she


    Could you come up here for a minute?


    What? Where is it?


    Outside the library.


    Well, that''s okay.


    I was curious about her, too, and I decided to take her up on the offer.


    But what the hell is this? All of a sudden she screams and suddenly asks me to come outside.


    Anyway, I walk out of the library with her.


    Mek and Lenya noticed it too, and


    What''s that?


    Who are you?


    He chased after me, saying.


    ''Thank God you''re alive...''


    She said outside.


    ''What do you mean?''


    I didn''t quite understand what she meant, so I asked her, and she took off her glasses and removed her hair clip.


    ''''........eh!''''


    Looking at her face, I was astonished.


    She had the same face as the saintly girl I saw just yesterday, Rico, who had been transferred to another world just like me.


    ''''Do you remember?''''


    Oh, I remember, but...


    No, I didn''t notice.


    I was just wearing my glasses and changing my bangs.


    I can''t believe I didn''t notice it because of that.......


    ''''Um........you''re the guy who came to the other world with me at that time, right......?


    Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I''m sure.


    The moment I answered that, she began to burst into tears.


    I''m in a terrible hurry.


    ''''What''s going on?


    No, no, I''m sorry...


    Rico wipes the tears away, but he can''t wipe them away because they keep pouring in one after another without stopping.


    I''m so happy and relieved........I thought it was my fault that you died....... I couldn''t move then......... And I thought that if I had rejected those delinquents more strongly, maybe I wouldn''t have had to get involved.......I''m sorry.......


    No. There''s nothing wrong with you. Don''t apologize.


    She continued to cry and apologize to me for a while afterwards.


    I felt a little guilty for making her feel this way, too.


    ''Anyway, I''m totally alive and I''m enjoying this world quite a bit,''


    Yes.


    Finally, Rico stopped crying.


    ''''Um, I''m Riko Satomi, or in this world''s sense of the word, Riko Satomi. What''s your name?


    He asked me my name, and I told him my name was Tetsuya Takahashi.

 55-55. Invite to home

    I''m just reading the atmosphere, and I don''t think it''s such a great idea to make a girl cry.


    I can''t...


    Mek and Lenya came right up to us and said so.


    Apparently, they had seen our exchange.


    ''''Nuh-uh, the stuffed animal spoke!


    Rico is surprised to see Meku. His reaction was a bit fresh in a roundabout way.


    ''Yi, no, it''s another world and we shouldn''t be surprised by that much... eh, um, what about these people?''


    My buddies, the stuffed one is Mek, and the one with cat ears is Lenya.


    Oh, my name is Rico Satomi. It''s nice to meet you.


    Pecori and Rico bow their heads in greeting.


    ''Nice to meet you,''


    Nice to meet you.


    But the stuffed bear is cute! I like stuffed animals. Can I hold it?


    ''No!''¡¡I am the Elf Queen.¡¡I''m not going to be held in your arms!


    ''I''m sorry?¡¡...Elven Queen?


    Rico seemed to question the term "Mek Queen", but he didn''t come to pursue it in depth.


    It''s not something I''m here to teach, so I didn''t tell him either.


    ''You''re the saint who returned earlier, aren''t you?¡¡A fellow countryman of Tetsuya''s.


    Yes, I do.


    I''m in front of the library. Do you mind if I stay?¡¡If somebody finds out, there''s going to be a ruckus. With the amount of popularity. That''s why you were in disguise in the library, right?


    ''Oh....''


    Rico hurriedly put on his glasses and put a hair clip in his bangs.


    ''It was a close call.''


    But do you really think you''ll be able to pull off that kind of disguise?


    ''I''m surprisingly unconcerned. You didn''t notice it either, did you, Tetsuya-san?


    ''Oh, yeah. Shamefully, I had no idea.


    ''So that''s all right. Um, if you don''t mind, why don''t you come over to my house and we can discuss what we''ve done to come into this world with each other?


    ''Yes. I just had to tell you something, too.


    Just as Rico is wearing a glove on his right hand, so he can''t confirm if it''s engraved or not, but according to the Abyssal King (Abyss King), he''s already engraved it.


    ''''Oh, I see. Well, let''s go then.''''


    circle (e.g. of friends)


    We followed Rico''s lead and arrived in front of a large house.


    It was heavily fortified and there was a gatekeeper standing in front of the gate, wearing a large armor.


    ''A big house!''


    You must live in an amazing place.


    I''d rather live somewhere more modest but they say it''s for safety reasons.


    I don''t know who told you to live here, but Rico still seems to be an important figure in this town.


    I''m home.


    ''Oh!¡¡Master Rico!


    I called out to the gatekeeper, and he raised his voice in surprise.


    ''What have you been doing!¡¡They''re going to go out of their own accord again, and it''s going to be a big mess inside the mansion.


    I''m sorry.


    If we''re going to leave, I''m going to have to go with an escort... hmm?¡¡What is it with these people?


    The gatekeeper heard us.


    ''There''s something fishy about them!¡¡Lord Rico, please give me a break!


    The gatekeeper drew his sword from his waistband.


    ''''Ke, please don''t draw your sword!¡¡I invited you to be my guest!


    Nuh-uh, I see. Well, I beg to differ, sir.


    Saying that, he settles his sword.


    He''s a very fastidious gatekeeper, pulling out his sword out of nowhere.


    Then the gate opens and we go in.


    Shouldn''t you really have gone out there?


    Well, let''s see. I''m told to have an escort when I go out because it''s dangerous, but if I do that, it''s like saying there''s a saint in the room, and it draws attention. I wanted to be alone as much as possible.


    ''I see. Why were you in the library, come to think of it, and what was that about?


    ''I like to read. Sometimes there are books in this world that are like novels, so I read them in the library. What brings you to the library, Tetsuya-san?


    I just wanted to do some research.


    ''I see. What would you like to find out?


    I''ll explain more later.


    I understand.


    As we were talking, we arrived at the door of Rico''s house.


    We go inside.


    As soon as we entered, there was a huge commotion.


    Rico was told a lot of things by his subordinates, but the fact that there were guests in the house made it quiet.


    The interior is surprisingly simple, with no extravagant decorations.


    They showed us to the guest room and we sat down in chairs.


    We sat down in a chair. Well, let''s start with what you want to talk about, Tetsuya-san?


    ''Yes. Is there an engraving on the back of Rico''s right hand?


    ''What?¡¡There is, but how do you know that?


    I knew it was there.


    I show him the back of my hand.


    ''Ah!¡¡That''s the same as mine!¡¡Look!


    He takes off his gloves and shows me the back of his right hand.


    It''s definitely the same imprint as mine.


    "I need to talk to you about that.


    I told him all the information I knew about the imprint.

 56-56. Teach

    "The Abyssal King....


    Rico listens to the story and thinks about it.


    ''So this engraving had that kind of meaning. Because in my case, when I found out, it was engraved on my right hand.''


    Hmm?¡¡You haven''t met that Black Knight?


    Yeah, it was like I passed out and woke up and it was there.


    What happened to fainting?


    ''Oh, it''s no big deal. I''m alive and well now.


    That''s okay, though.


    I don''t know if there''s any crisis that will occur when this mark is engraved. Hmmm, I haven''t seen anything like that happen so far. It''s been peace itself for a while.


    Okay, but you have to be careful.


    ''Yes. Thank you for telling me.


    Rico smiled and thanked her.


    She''s a pretty girl with a medium smile.


    ''''Well, that''s all I''m going to tell you...''''


    ''Oh, I see. Well, it''s totally fine if you can''t do this, but I''d like to ask you how you spent your time in the other world, Tetsuya-san.


    Me?


    Yes, I''m interested.


    ''I don''t mind telling you, but...''


    ''Really?¡¡Please do!


    He seems quite happy to see me.


    Is she interested in me?


    Or is she interested in otherworldly tales of adventure?


    I''m sure it''s the latter. You said you like books, and I''m sure you''d like to hear about your adventures in other worlds.


    I exaggerated slightly and told her about my own adventures in the other world.


    Riko listened to me, her eyes shining.


    I guess she likes this kind of adventure story, after all.


    ''''It was tough, wasn''t it? Tetsuya-san, too.''''


    Does that mean that Rico had a lot going on too?


    That''s true. How she came to be called a saint is unclear, but it''s not every day you get to live without any hardship.


    ''''But Meku-san is an elven queen? I''d like to see that.''''


    I was back to normal this morning, so you won''t be for a while.


    ''Well, that''s too bad. Also, Lenya-san started out as a black kitten, didn''t she?


    I know. We were in a tight spot at the time, but thanks to Tetsuya, we were able to save the day.


    I''m a cat person, so will you let me pet you as a cat for once?


    Meow!¡¡It''s not that I can''t go back, but I don''t want to!¡¡I don''t like the way he looks, he''s so small and weak!


    Oh, yeah. She was cute that way too. I''d like to pet him again.


    If I''m going to have Tetsuya stroke me I can''t, I can''t, I can''t, I can''t be that person.


    She really doesn''t like the sight of the kitten, but she stubbornly refuses to do so. It''s a little disappointing because I really want to pet Lenya in her kitten form one more time.


    ''Yes, I do. Now that we''ve talked about me, why don''t you tell me about Rico?


    ''What?¡¡Wow, is that mine?


    Yeah, I''m just curious as to why they call her a saint.


    I have too. What was Tetsuya''s compatriot doing in this world?


    I''d love to hear it.


    ''Er, yeah. I like to listen, but I''m not very good at talking.... So it might be hard to understand, right?


    That''s not a problem.


    When I say that, Rico thinks for a moment.


    Okay. Let''s talk about it.

 57-57. The beginning of life in another world

    Let me tell you what I, Riko Satomi, have been doing when I came to this world.


    After Tetsuya was driven out of the castle, I left the castle.


    Is that why you left the castle?


    Because the human royalty and the four delinquent men were terrible people.


    If they had stayed there, their lives might have been a little easier, but I still couldn''t forgive them for trying to kill Tetsuya-san because of his low level.


    There was no way I would be able to stand to fight with them. It was an inevitable choice to leave the castle.


    But that''s not to say that I didn''t regret my choice, because I didn''t regret it at first.


    I didn''t know how to survive in this world at first, anyway.


    You need food to live, and to get food you need gold. When I leave the castle, of course I am penniless.


    I get out of the castle and look for a job in the town under the castle.


    But I can''t find a job. There is no place that would hire a person of unknown origin like me. I wasn''t very good at speaking, and I wasn''t very good at showing people that I could work properly.


    Maybe if I had known how to get my status out then, I might have been able to get by, but I have no idea how to do that.


    Anyway, with no money or food in my possession, I would starve.


    I was born into an unremarkable Japanese family and that was my first introduction to the concept of hunger. I had never been hungry before, but I had never suffered the pain of not being able to eat, even though I wanted to.


    I was starving and thought I might be able to get by in another town.


    People in the town would at least tell me how to get to the next town, so I walked to the next town.


    But it was a long way to the next town. I was not good at exercise and I didn''t have the stamina for it.


    I was hungry and tired at the same time.


    Gradually my body began to wobble and I began to lose my composure.


    This is the only time I wish I had stayed in the castle," I think to myself. That''s how badly I was pushed.


    I was about to close my eyes, thinking that I was going to die here, when a miracle happened.


    ''Are you okay?''¡¡Onee-chan.


    A little goddess of salvation appeared to me.


    The child''s name was Issa Sherm. She was a ten year old girl. She had short red hair and wore a white dress. She was a sunny girl who smiled a lot.


    I said in a hushed voice, "I''m hungry..." and answered the question.


    Issa said, "Oh my God!¡¡Eat this! and gave me a loaf of bread.


    It was bread with no flavor or anything on it, but it was still the best bread I''ve ever eaten alive.


    I had the knowledge that it was dangerous to eat it suddenly on an empty stomach, but when it happened, I ate it all at once. Fortunately, I didn''t die.


    ''Onee-chan, why did you fall down hungry?''


    Issa asked me.


    I told her what happened.


    ''Don''t you have somewhere to go?¡¡Then come to my house!


    She suggested with a smile.


    I would have originally thought I would have refused, as I am not one to bother others, but the desire to never experience hunger again prevailed and I followed Issa.


    ''I''m Issa Sherm. Where''s your lady?


    That''s when I first learned her name. I introduced myself back to her.


    Rico, you must be Rico Onionee!


    And this is also what she says with a cute smile on her face.


    The place Issa was headed to wasn''t a town. It''s a hut-like place near the forest.


    There was only one house standing alone, and it seemed to be living in the middle of nowhere.


    ''I''m home, grandma!''


    Issa said as we entered the hut. I follow Issa into the hut as well.


    ''Welcome home Issa.......hmm?¡¡Who is that kid?


    Inside, an old woman was sitting in a chair. She was Issa''s grandmother, Isabella Sherm.


    Issa had lost her parents early and was living alone with Miss Isabella.


    Issa explains the situation to Isabella.


    "Hmmm, you have no place to go?


    Isabella''s eyes are sharp and her tone is even harsher, and my first impression of her is that she is a scary person.


    I later learned that she was actually a kind person, but we had just had one at the time.


    Yes, sir.


    I was a little frightened as I replied.


    Isabella laughed, as if I was being funny, and


    Hahahaha, we''re not going to take anything for granted, so there''s no reason to be so intimidated. Well, if you don''t have anywhere else to go, you can stay at my place, but I can''t afford to be a foodie, so I''ll let you work.


    Okay, I understand.


    At any rate, I was one step away from dying and my life was saved and I was going to live with Issa and Isabella for a while.

 58-58. Rainbow-colored sacred water

    I am going to be a nuisance to Isabella and Issa''s house for a while.


    As Isabella said, I will be working. Work in this house means getting food, fetching firewood, fetching water, working in the fields behind the house, etc. They didn''t make any money and they lived a self-sufficient life.


    Sometimes they would go into town to sell things they didn''t need and use the money to buy bread and other good food.


    It was at this very moment that Issa helped me.


    ''''I''m going to ask Rico-onnae-chan to help me hunt, but can you use magic?''''


    Food is mainly gathered by going to the forest to collect wildflowers and reeds, and by hunting. When they hunt, they use magic, and Issa and Isabella were very good at using magic.


    Isabella was old enough now to work in the fields instead of hunting, and it seemed that Isa was in charge of the hunt.


    ''Magic?¡¡One, it''s not working.


    I knew then that there was magic, but I couldn''t use it. It''s a bit of a stretch now, but I can use it.


    ''''Err, then show me your status.


    Status... what is...?


    ''What?¡¡I don''t know!¡¡Thus, status open!¡¡Speaking of which, you saw the tablet in front of me.¡¡I can tell you the status by looking at this.


    This was the first time I had ever heard of statuses.


    I had played the game in the real world a few times, so I knew the word status itself, but the idea that it was possible to see it never occurred to me.


    Huh?¡¡Did you suddenly understand, Tetsuya?


    Recently, light novels that go to other worlds were popular, so I did it anyway, right?


    I didn''t know that, I like to read, but I don''t read light novels very often. I didn''t know that.


    So then I say "status open" and I see my status for the first time.


    There may be a slight margin of error, but this is what it looked like, as I recall.


    Name Riko Satomi.


    Age 16


    Level 1/48


    HP 20/20


    MP 4/4


    Attack Power 2


    Defensive Power 2


    Speed 3


    Skill Points 0


    Skill [Rainbow-colored divine water]


    No resistance


    My age, yes, I''m 16.


    So you''re 15 years old, Lenya? That''s a year difference.


    My status is naturally quite low since I''m still level 1.


    The problem is this ¡¾Rainbow-colored Divine Water¡¿ skill.


    Tetsuya-san has a skill called ¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿, right? I think this is also a very powerful skill, but my ¡¾Rainbow-colored Divine Water¡¿ was also a very powerful skill.


    But level 1 is strange. Even if you''re just living a normal life, you''re at least 10. What have you been doing all this time?


    "Well, uh...


    I''m having trouble answering that question. I''m level 1 even though I''m older because there was no system of levels in my previous world, but I don''t know how to explain it.


    Seeing me at a loss for an answer, Issa said


    I don''t mind if you can''t talk about it.


    She said. She''s a good-natured child.


    ''''But what is [Rainbow Divine Water]?¡¡What kind of skills?¡¡I hope you can''t tell me this either.


    ''Hmmm, this is the first time I''ve ever opened a status, so this is the first time I''ve ever heard of a skill.


    ''Really?¡¡Why don''t you try it?


    "........how does it work?


    ''''Just name the skill. [Rainbow-colored divine water]!¡¡It''s like.


    ''''Oh yeah ... er ... [rainbow colored divine water]!


    As I said this, seven balls of water about the size of a person''s head appeared and floated fluffily around me.


    Each one is a different color.


    The seven colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and purple. They are just like the colors of the rainbow.


    The first time I used it, I was confused. It''s just water floating around. I have no idea what to do with it.


    ''What do you use this for?''


    I don''t know.


    You should try it. Kuhn kuhn ... it smells pretty good!


    When I heard that, I half-smelled it and sure enough, it is. I smelled the red water and it smelled like strawberry juice.


    ''I''ll give it a lick,''


    So, are you okay?


    Issa puts the red water on her finger and licks it.


    ''Delicious!¡¡........What?!


    I suddenly shouted out.


    ''''What, what''s wrong?''''


    I ask, surprised, and Issa suddenly says, "Status open" and gives me a status.


    And then I look at it.


    I knew it.


    I mutter shakily.


    I was worried that something bad had happened, but it wasn''t.


    ''''Level 2 up....''''

 59-59. Skill effect

    When I hear those words, I am astonished.


    I looked at Issa''s status.


    I think the level was 19/34.


    I didn''t know what Issa''s original level was, so I wasn''t sure if it had gone up at the time.


    ''It really went up, so watch it!


    Once again, Issa licks the red water.


    Then, guess what?


    The level written on Issa''s status changed from 19/34 to 21/34.


    ''Hey, this water is amazing!¡¡If you drink them all, you''ll get to the maximum level!¡¡You should try it, Rico-neechan!


    Issa fetches a cup and hands it to me.


    I take the cup, scoop up the red water, and drink it.


    It tasted very good. It tasted like sweet strawberry juice.


    When I finished the glass, I felt something like a tremendous amount of power coming from deep within my body.


    And then.


    Level has been raised from one to 41.


    And a machine-like sound came out.


    This was the first time I heard the sound of a level increase.


    Oh, I hadn''t heard it before because Tetsuya-san doesn''t go above level 1. When you go up to level 1, you can hear voices like this.


    Well, you can only hear voices when you raise your ability with your skills. It''s strange, isn''t it? Whose voice is it? God?


    Sorry, I''m getting off track.


    I was already upset about that, because it took a cupful, about half of the whole amount to get her to this level.


    The other half, Issa drank and she leveled up to her limit level.


    ''What would happen if I drank all of this?''


    Can''t you give me another one?


    ''''Well... [rainbow colored divine water]!


    I said, but no red water came out. Or rather, all the water that was coming out is gone.


    Once again, all but the red water came out, except for the red water.


    ''Could it be that if you drink it once, you can''t drink it anymore...?''


    Yeah, that''s a big deal... hmm?


    I looked closer and saw that where there had been red water earlier, there was tiny little red water.


    It was really a little bit of water, but the water was expanding.


    I found out later that this was the case, but the water would increase even when I wasn''t putting it out. It takes about five days for it to return to its original size after you''ve drunk it all.


    Let''s see what else happens with the water!


    Yeah, I guess so.


    Issa''s suggestion and I took her up on it.


    I still remember how excited I was to find out that I had such a strange and powerful power.


    I tried other waters as well.


    Red.


    ¡¾Effectiveness¡¿ Level up.


    Taste: Strawberry flavor


    orange


    [Effect] For about two hours, you can get a lot of power.


    Taste: Mandarin flavor


    yellow


    [Effect] For about two hours, the speed goes up tremendously.


    Taste: Banana taste


    Green


    ¡¾Effect¡¿Every two hours or so, the defense power goes up dramatically.


    Taste] Kiwi taste


    blue


    ¡¾Effect¡¿The MP increases dramatically for about two hours.


    Tastes like a blueberry.


    indigo.


    ¡¾Effect¡¿Every two hours, your HP goes up dramatically.


    Tastes like a grape.


    Purple.


    [Effects] Eliminate hunger. You won''t have to eat as much because you''ll have taken in proper nutrition.


    No taste.


    It looked like this.


    Purple was the only thing I tried to drink at first when I wasn''t hungry, so I thought it was tasteless and useless water, but later I realized it was a waste of water.


    As I recall, we went hunting in the forest and I was hungry and was trying to get some food. First I noticed when Issa said she was thirsty and I gave her some purple water that I thought she couldn''t use.


    A little lick of it quenched her hunger and she didn''t have to eat anything.


    I don''t taste it, so I still want to eat something, but still, as long as I have this purple water, I don''t have to starve, which is a huge relief.


    If I had realized this earlier, I wouldn''t have starved so much in the first place.


    Then I would have continued to live for a while.


    My skills have made my life a lot easier.


    My ability to hunt is much easier because I can be strong, and even if I don''t get anything, as long as I have purple water, I can stave off hunger, so my ability has been very useful.


    Then one day while I was hunting, something suddenly hit me in the head. That''s when I passed out, and that''s when I noticed the engraving on the back of my right hand.


    Maybe the one who made me faint at that time was the black knight that Tetsuya-san mentioned. It was pretty creepy, since I hadn''t had any after-effects since I fainted and nothing in particular since then, but I decided not to worry too deeply about it.


    Then I definitely feel like the potency of the water has gone up.


    Come to think of it, it was only after that that the new potency of red water was discovered.


    This can''t be done by anyone other than me, but if you drink a lot of red water, your limit level goes up.


    Now I''m not at my limit level of 48, I''m at a higher level, I think it''s 73. The level is the same number. So it''s pretty strong.


    As I said earlier, strangely enough, they don''t raise the limit level of anyone but me. I guess it''s like a skill user''s privilege?


    I didn''t really care about the Black Knight, I lived my life without any particular concern for him.


    Maybe it wouldn''t be so bad to live like this for the rest of my life, I thought, when


    Rico, you''d better get out of this house.


    Isabella told me so.

 60-60. Departure

    My heart shrank the moment I heard Isabella''s words.


    What had I done?


    Was it a nuisance to be in this house in the first place?


    One unpleasant thought after another pops into my head.


    Isabella saw the look on my face.


    Yeah, it''s not that I don''t like having Rico in the house. I''m sorry for giving you the wrong idea.


    He apologized.


    ''Oh, I see,''


    I pat my chest in relief.


    ''Huh?¡¡Then why?


    You''ve got a lot of skills. It''s as if God gave you that skill. I just think it''s a shame that you have this skill and are sitting in a shack with no one around. You should be doing something. I can''t help but feel that, you know.


    When I hear Isabella''s words, I''m at a loss for a response.


    There is something to be done.


    I was moved by those words.


    With Issa and Isabella-san, it''s not bad to live together.


    However, ever since I came to the other world, I have always lived with the guilt that I had abandoned Tetsuya-san.


    When I thought about what I should do to live from now on, I would save as many people as possible. At that time, I realized that this was the only thing I could do to get rid of the sin of abandoning Tetsuya-san, even if only for a little while.


    Nevertheless, I have taken care of this house, and I have become very close to Issa and Isabella-san. The decision to say goodbye is a very sad one.


    I didn''t have an immediate response.


    I don''t care if you don''t want to leave, I don''t care if you stay. I''m not bothered by your presence, in fact, it''s just that all I''ve got to show for it is good things. But if you do decide to leave, please take Issa with you.


    What?


    The words were a little unexpected.


    He used to live in a town, though. "He used to live in a town, the Free City of Wafol, a big town a long way from here. A friend of his brought him here because his son and his wife died. When he was about three years old, I think. He''s been living here ever since. Don''t you feel sorry for him? It was just the two of us, no friends, and sometimes we had to eat. I''ve only known life here, so I couldn''t move into town. I think she should be somewhere else, where there are other people around.


    But Issa seems to be happy.


    That''s just what I think because it''s all I know about this place.


    ''What about you, Isabella? You''ll be alone.


    Ha-ha, from the time my husband died about thirty years ago to the time my son came to me, I was all alone for about twenty years. I''m used to it.


    Isabella laughed in a way that was really nothing.


    ''Besides, you can store water for your skills, can''t you?¡¡In fact, I''ve got a barrel full of it stored up now. With that, we''ll be able to live a good life for a long time.


    When [Rainbow-colored divine water] is transferred to a cup or bucket, it loses its buoyancy and accumulates. After that, even if you don''t drink that water, new water will come out of the cup or bucket.


    Once it grows to its limit, it won''t increase any more. That would be a waste of time not to increase, so I''ve always transferred it to a bucket when it reaches its limit and then transferred it to a barrel for storage.


    I''m sure there was a fair amount, at that point in time, but I don''t know how long the effect will last. I just had a hunch that it would last forever.


    ''Well, I have to ask Issa''s opinion... if she says she''s going to go, I don''t mind taking her with me. If I have to leave the house, that is.


    Then I''ll talk him down. I''m sure he''ll say he won''t go at first, but I''m sure he really wants to live in the city. I''m sure he''ll go in the end.


    Three days after I told them that story, I told them that I was leaving the house.


    ''Ehhh!¡¡Riko-eechan, you''re leaving!¡¡No!


    ''Issa!¡¡You are not to interfere with what Liko decides. I''m sure her power will be useful to many people. You shouldn''t be here.


    ...


    Issa didn''t like it at first, but after hearing Isabella''s words, she agreed.


    The question is now.


    ''Rico-onesan. Take care of yourself even after you leave this house. I will never forget you, Rico-onesan.


    What are you doing? Issa is going with Rico.


    "Huh?


    When Issa heard Isabella''s words, she looked dumbfounded.


    ''Nah, what are you talking about, Auntie?''


    Didn''t you hear me?¡¡I wanted you to leave this house with Rico and live in town.


    No, I can''t do that.


    Why?


    You know, because I''m bothering my sister.


    Rico said he wouldn''t mind if Issa went with him.


    When Issa heard those words, she looked at me. I just nodded without uttering a word.


    ''Oh, I can''t leave you alone, Auntie!


    ''Issa, you don''t plan on staying in this house forever, do you?¡¡There will come a time when you will have to go to town eventually.


    ''Yes, that may be true but that''s only when you''re grown up...''


    No, you must go now. If you don''t go while you''re young, you won''t know what to do with your life in town.


    But.....


    Yeah, well, don''t think about me. I''ve been alone for a long time before you came along. I''m not going to miss you now that you''re on your own. We have water for Liko, so I don''t think it''s too much trouble for her to survive.


    ....


    Issa listens in silence.


    Watching her from the side, I thought her mind was in turmoil.


    You lived in the town until you were about three years old, so you still have a vague memory of that time, don''t you?¡¡Don''t you want to go?


    ...town.


    Issa seemed to be remembering something.


    Issa was still very young, and she must have remembered a memory from when she was three years old.


    Then, after a long time of pondering, Issa decided to


    I want to go to town.


    Issa has come to the conclusion that Isabella had expected.


    A few days later, Issa and I left our home and set off on a journey to Vafol, the town where we now live, where Issa used to live.


    Take good care of Issa for me!


    As we parted, Isabella shook my hand and told me so.


    There was a thin layer of tears in her eyes. It was then that I realized that her words about not being lonely were a lie. But considering Isabella''s feelings for Issa, I decided it was best not to mention it specifically.


    Yes, sir.


    I responded by squeezing Isabella''s hand back.

 61-61. Aisa

    And that''s how I ended up in this town.


    I figured that Rico was having a hard time at first, too, in his own way.


    I''ve never been able to eat so much that I''ve been driven to starvation, after all.


    But that skill is also very powerful. I never thought that just by drinking it, your level would go through the roof.


    Meku blurts out his thoughts.


    ''I heard it tasted good, so I wanted to drink it.


    Is that all you''ve got to say for yourself?


    Meku was taken aback by Raina''s interest in the taste.


    ''''Speaking of which, this Issa girl is here in town, right?¡¡What are you doing now?¡¡Do you live in this house?


    ''Yes, Issa and I live together. Right now, it''s school. There''s a school in this town, so that''s where we go. Oh, but we may be coming back soon. It''s been quite some time.


    I looked out through the window and saw that the sun was beginning to set.


    ''Tadaimaa!''


    Then the voice of a cheerful child echoed through the house.


    ''Oh, if we gossip,''


    Perhaps Issa had returned.


    The sound of a child running is gradually getting closer.


    ''Rico-Onee-chan!¡¡........Huh?


    He comes up to this room and gives us a look of dismay when he sees us.


    Who is that person?¡¡Boyfriend?


    No, no!¡¡This guy is called Tetsuya, and he''s a friend or acquaintance of yours.......


    Hi, my name''s Aisa, nice to meet you.


    Issa greeted her with a dazzling smile on her face.


    She was a girl with a really cute smile, just as Rico had told her.


    Her eyes were big and full of life force. She must be a very active child.


    I returned the greeting with Tetuya Takahashi.


    ''''Ah!¡¡Hey, hey, this!


    And suddenly, Issa shouted out loud. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Meku.


    Issa lifted Meku up in her arms.


    Cute stuffed animal~ You bought me a Riko-o-nee-chan!


    Oh, no, Issa I don''t think so.


    Rico pays attention, but Issa doesn''t look like she''s listening.


    ''Cute~, let''s sleep together today!''


    He said, rubbing his cheek against Meku.


    ''Don''t!¡¡Hold on!¡¡I am not a stuffed animal!


    ''Wow!¡¡He speaks!¡¡And it moved!


    Looking at Meku, who resisted while jittering, Issa was surprised to see him roll his eyes.


    ''That''s an awesome plush toy! I''m liking it more and more.''


    Listen to me!¡¡I am not a stuffed animal, I tell you!


    Well, then what is it?


    "The former Elf Queen!¡¡You are not one to be picked up easily!


    ''Elves?¡¡Queen?


    Issa looked puzzled for a moment, then


    "How?


    He nodded his head and let loose a painful word.


    Meku was at a loss for words, as if he couldn''t explain what part of him was the Elf Queen now, as if he couldn''t explain the quicksilver.


    He is extremely frustrated.


    After that, Rico explained it properly, and he seemed to understand that Mek is not a stuffed animal.


    This is why I don''t like kids.


    Mek said, disgustedly.


    Speaking of which, there was an incident when Mek was in the town of Mestos and he went to the park alone to distract himself, and a child caught him and came back with graffiti on his face.


    Apparently the kid has been giving him a lot of bitterness for a long time.


    ''''Well, so I''d like to tell you what I''ve done since I''ve been in this town... it''s been a long time now, do you want to talk about it later?''''


    ''No, because I''m honestly curious as to why Rico is called a saint. I''d love for you to tell me.


    ''Seh, I honestly can''t be called a saint yet, but there''s something embarrassing about it. I haven''t done much, though...


    Rico-o-nee, are you talking about the old days?


    ''It wasn''t so long ago, though. Yeah, I was just going to tell you about what''s happened since you and Issa came to town.


    ''I knew it. You know what, Rico-Oneechan is awesome!


    It''s not great. And I''ll tell you anyway.


    Rico blushed shyly and resumed his story.

 62-62. Mission

    When I first came to Vafol, I was speechless when I saw the streets of the city.


    I had never seen any non-human species before.


    Issa and Isabella were both human, and the people in the town that was under the castle were all human, so I had never seen beastmen or any other species that were different from humans before.


    So when I saw people of different species walking the streets of Vafol, I was strongly surprised and impressed.


    When we arrived in town, we were almost penniless, but we killed monsters and other things on the way and took what we thought would be money before we went to town.


    I had hunted at Issa''s house, so my resistance to killing monsters was much lessened then, so I was able to kill them.


    I had never been involved in fighting or violence in Japan, but that has changed a lot since I came to this world.


    So when I sold what I took in the marketplace, I got a good amount of money, so at first I would use that money to look around the town.


    I was uncharacteristically frolicking in the sights.


    It was rather quiet in Issa, which is usually noisy. I think I was looking around the town as if I were reminiscing about the old days.


    I was especially excited when I discovered the library.


    I had given up on the idea that I wouldn''t be able to read books since I came to another world, but I remember feeling very happy that it was there.


    I didn''t go into the library that day, but continued my sightseeing.


    It wasn''t all fun and games with continued sightseeing.


    There was a huge gap between the rich and the poor in this town, and if you went a little further to the outskirts of town, you would find people living on the streets who had nowhere to live. Their clothes were dirty, their bodies were so emaciated that they probably couldn''t even eat properly.


    It was not only adults but also children who were forced into such conditions.


    It was not safe, and I experienced being surrounded by men.


    In the past, I would have been too scared to move when I was surrounded, but with Issa behind me, I managed to muster up the courage to do so.


    My level at that time was quite high and my status was excellent, so I could easily get rid of them if I fought them, as there were few people who were better than that.


    When I saw the current situation in this town, I knew that this was my role.


    Helping the poor and suffering people, I thought, was what I could do with these skills.


    I stayed at the inn that day and the next day I immediately started working.


    ''What are we going to do?''


    Issa asked.


    ''Those people seem to be starving and suffering anyway, so I''m here to give them the purple water of my skills.


    That''s what I did at first, I decided. First of all, I wouldn''t feel like doing anything if I was hungry.


    A little lick of purple water is all it takes to relieve my hunger.


    It''s not a trick, it''s really nourishing and you can even live and grow on purple water alone.


    Furthermore, purple water revives at a faster rate than other water that you use.


    It only takes 10 minutes to go from all used to full.


    I bought a small barrel, transferred the purple water, filled it up and took it to the poor.


    When I was in Japan I wasn''t strong at all, but now that I''m at a higher level, I''m stronger and able to walk around with the barrel with ease.


    They say that if you lick the water in the barrel after you arrive, you won''t be hungry. But what purple water is, at first glance, a poison. No one will lick it.


    I will lick it myself and prove that it is not poisonous.


    Still no one comes to lick it, but one child is urged by his father to come and lick the purple water. He wasn''t a very good one, using the child as a poison watcher, but this was a good place to have someone to lick.


    The kid would dip his fingers in the water and lick it off.


    ''Great!¡¡I''m really hungry!


    When the children said this, to their horror, the adults also approached the barrel and went to lick the water.


    Then, when they were really full, they came in droves for water, knowing that they were full.


    Some people would scoop up the water into bottles or something and try to take it home.


    There was a big commotion and I was puzzled as to what to do at that time.


    Anyway, we decided to get everyone away from the kegs at one point to get the ruckus under control.


    They resisted, but that''s where Issa and I would manage by force.


    The poor people are low level and cannot compete with me and Issa, who are leveled up to the limit.


    I was able to get them all away from the barrel.


    I then explained that this was something I put out with my skills and showed them how I used [Rainbow Divine Water] to put out purple water.


    Water comes out in large quantities every day, and even just a lick of it will stop my hunger, so I don''t need that much in large quantities. I told them that I would raise the water whenever they wanted it and that I wanted them to form a line and take the right amount in turn, without acting like they were going to riot. We also declared that we would never give water to anyone who couldn''t follow that rule.


    When the poor people listened to me, they prostrated themselves and called me a "saint" and began to receive water by following the rules properly.


    That was the first time I was called a saint.


    I never imagined that the name would stick with me after that.

 63-63. The work of the saint

    After that I continued to give alms.


    In the blink of an eye, word about me spread throughout the city.


    The less fortunate people in the city began to gather to me.


    By that time, my name will already be established by Saint Lady, and I will be known as Saint Lady.


    Still, I was able to eliminate people''s hunger with purple water at all.


    Well, I had a hard time making water all the time in those days.


    Now you don''t have to do it, right?


    Actually, the more I used the skill, the more I found out how to use it efficiently.


    If you use ¡¾Rainbow-colored Divine Water¡¿ normally, seven will come out at the same time, but it''s possible to take out only one.


    If you put out only one of them, the amount of water that comes out is ten times as much as when you put out seven, and the speed of the water increases. Somehow it''s more economical than putting out seven at the same time.


    Thanks to this, if you do it for a week or so, you''ll be able to produce enough water for three months.


    And it''s not like we have to do it all the time now, because the poor people are now able to live without relying on purple water compared to before.


    Well, so, as my visibility increases, of course, the story doesn''t flow to all the good people.


    The information gets passed on to the bad people, and I become a target.


    The purple water I put out is worth more than I can imagine.


    It is like treasure water that can generate huge profits for merchants. I can''t sell it to people who have no money at the moment and are starving, but even those who have money can''t say that there is no possibility that they will starve sooner or later, so it''s something we want. There is a demand for it among the nobility. It works no better as food for soldiers in times of war.


    Even so, if it was only purple water, they might not have been so eagerly targeted yet, but when the information was circulated that there was red water that could raise the level, I think they became a full-fledged target.


    I can''t even imagine at that point how much water that easily raises a level would be worth anymore. It''s because a glass of water will raise your level to the limit level. Considering that it''s inherently bloody hard work to raise your level to the limit level, it''s worth a lot to say that you won''t need that effort.


    I became a target anyway, and I almost got kidnapped once. I managed to escape at that time, but I knew it was not safe to do so, so I decided to find someone else to protect me.


    Fortunately, at that time, there were many people who loved me.


    When those people find out that I am about to be kidnapped, they are angry and offer to escort me back to them.


    There are few poor people who are at a high marginal level, and it is very dangerous to be an escort. However, some of them were high. There were people who had a high limit level but were suffering from a disease that made it difficult for them to raise their levels, and people whose levels had been eaten by a demon called the Level Eater, and their levels had dropped to single digits. It is said that it is difficult to raise your level when you are young, so if you are 40 years old, there is nothing you can do to lower your level.


    But even such people could raise their level with my red water.


    Anyway, there were about 100 people who had a high marginal level but were poor because of their circumstances. Those people started to take the lead in escorting me.


    That makes it harder to carelessly touch them. Not only were they at a higher level, but they all had water that strengthened their abilities, making them even stronger than they were.


    Then I would negotiate with the great people in town.


    I would negotiate to sell the water I made.


    The idea was to get a lot of money from it and enrich the poor people.


    The negotiations were easy to carry out.


    The price was more than what he bought from me, and it looked like he was making a lot of money selling water to other countries, so he could have made a little bit more, but he would get a lot of money from it anyway.


    I made that money to build an orphanage and bless them with food so that they could have a decent meal other than the tasteless purple water.


    Didn''t you have any luxuries of your own?


    Hmmm, it''s a luxury to have a house like this built for me.


    But I don''t spend that much money, because I read a book once in a while and that''s enough for me. Issa likes to eat, though, so I do spend some money.


    Also, I''ve started fighting off the demons that appear around the town. The number of guards gradually increased, and some people besides the poorest of the poor began to want to be my guards. I think it was like an army now. I can''t command, though, so I leave the commanding to those who can.


    There are a lot of high-level people here, so it''s easy to defeat the monsters.


    With the creation of the army, I''ve become alienated from the high and mighty people in town. Or is it correct to say that I was feared? In fact, I''m strong enough to be the ruler of this town if I wanted to.


    But I don''t want to be the ruler, so I won''t go that far.


    It''s just, well, it''s just a matter of flickering it around to make them drink the demands that are inconvenient for the great man. You can''t help the poor unless you do that much, so I can''t help it.


    Let''s see, this is my life in the other world.


    It was hard times, but there were also a lot of fun times.


    Sometimes I want to go back to Japan, but right now I''m trying my best to do what I can do in this world.

 64-64. March

    I''m sorry I rambled on.


    ''No, we were the ones who said we wanted to hear it, and thanks for telling us. It was nice to hear something interesting.


    Oh, well, that''s good to hear.


    Rico smiled as if he was embarrassed.


    However, from what I''ve heard, Rico seems to hold an incredible amount of power in this town.


    In short, isn''t it like you''re in control of this town? It''s only for the people, so I don''t have a problem with it, but it''s great in such a short period of time.


    When I first met her, she seemed like a weak girl. In fact, she was just scared and scared of dealing with delinquents. She has grown up a lot since she came to the other world.


    It''s already getting dark outside.


    It''s time to go home, I thought it would be a nuisance.


    Well, we''re going to go home now.


    He said as he got up from his chair.


    ''Oh, I see. Thank you for talking to me today.''


    No, I enjoyed listening to Rico''s story, too. Oh, but don''t forget to tell me about how the Mark attracts disaster. Rico seems to have a lot of allies, so you might not get hit, but just be careful just in case.


    I understand. I''ll keep that in mind.


    Rico''s firm reply.


    ''Come back to us - Uncle and Mr. Stuffed Animal and the cat lady.


    Issa said, smiling and waving her hand.


    Oh, Uncle?


    I''m sure I''m not that old, but........well, I''m an uncle to this girl.......


    I waved back to Issa, lightly shocked.


    We left Rico''s house and went back to the inn.


    ¡ð


    Meanwhile, a brave man, Oshima Hiroshi (Oshima Hiroshi), was marching towards his destination.


    Hiroshi wore a large, hard armor and held a shield in his left hand and a sword in his right.


    If anything, he was the type of man who was good at defending himself.


    His subordinate soldiers who followed him exceeded tens of thousands.


    Many of them were not only human, but also beast soldiers. Many of the castles that Hiroshi had attacked and defeated were places that were controlled by beastmen.


    Hiroshi had taken his family members hostage so that the soldiers could no longer disobey him. The expressions on the beast soldiers'' faces were grave. None of them pledged allegiance to Hiroshi personally. However, the brave man''s tremendous power and the fact that his family was being taken hostage had completely robbed them of the energy to disobey.


    Incidentally, the move to take his family hostage was not Hiro''s idea, but a strategy devised by his subordinate Aleverus. Hiroshi was perfectly strong, but he was not very smart, and there was no way he would ever have been able to fight a real war in Japan, so he didn''t know much about military matters. His subordinates were doing a good job of covering for him.


    ''What''s in the town we''re going to attack this time?


    Hiroshi asked Aleverus, who was beside him, a question.


    ''A large library would be the best thing about it. Knowledge would be a national treasure.''


    Library?¡¡I don''t care about that. Is there a woman, a good woman?


    A woman.........is it? Come to think of it, I heard that "saints" have been appearing recently.


    ''A saint?¡¡Is that a good woman?


    ''''I don''t know the details, but I''ve heard rumors that she has good looks. More importantly, they seem to have strong skills. Apparently there''s some kind of water that raises your level when you drink it.


    What is that, really?


    This was the best information for Hiroshi, who wanted to raise the level.


    ''''Alright, we''ll get that guy for sure. Even if it''s ugly. I''ll rub it in for me.


    He grins.


    ''How much longer?''


    I thought we''d be arriving soon.


    ''Alright, if there''s water to level up, we don''t need to defeat the enemy. The first time you hand over a saint, tell them you won''t attack them. With this kind of army, the enemy will shrink up and give it to you.


    Yes, sir.


    Hiroshi ordered, and continued his march to Vafol.

 65-65. Hero invasion

    Speaking of which, why don''t you ask that Rico to give you access to a book with advanced information that you wouldn''t normally have access to?


    As they were relaxing back at the inn, Meku suddenly mentioned something like that.


    It''s possible, of course. If you ask her, she''ll probably give you the go-ahead, and you''ve got a good ally now.


    ''Well, but let''s find a normal book to read for a while. And if we don''t find them, I''ll ask Rico to help us.


    The next day, I came to that conclusion.


    The next day, the town was suddenly in an uproar.


    ''What''s all this noise?''


    When I stepped out of the inn, the people were making a lot of noise.


    They were zany and anxious, talking.


    ''What has happened, I wonder?''


    Everyone looks worried...


    I have a bad feeling about this.


    ''Excuse me. What''s all this fuss?


    I asked a middle-aged woman who was passing by what was going on.


    ''Didn''t you hear me?¡¡And then the brave men attacked us, you know. It is said that they led an army of tens of thousands of men. And they want the holy woman.


    What?


    A brave man?


    ''''I''m telling you that we can''t ever hand over the saint, but there are too many enemies out there and we''re not sure what to do about it... The brave men are just a cruel bunch, and I don''t know what will happen if it comes to a fight...'''' ...Oh, it''s horrible.


    The woman shudders.


    The notoriety of the brave man seems to be roaring all the way to this town.


    ''''I didn''t expect a brave man to attack us...''''


    Didn''t we knock him down last time?


    ''There are four brave men. I defeated one of them, so now there are three, and one of them must have attacked this town.


    Well, yeah. Then we''ll take them down like last time!


    Hmmm, but...


    You said you were leading an army of tens of thousands of people.


    Can you win by being attacked by that many people in a stone?


    There''s no way I can do it alone. Even if I had the strength to defeat them, I would still need to kill at least a few thousand enemies to destroy the army. I don''t have the courage to do such a thing.


    If I succeed in defeating the heroes like I did last time, maybe I can defeat them all by myself.


    I think it''s not difficult to trap them in a trap, since they don''t seem to be very smart.


    ''''It''s no use thinking about this and that here, what should I do?


    Maybe we should go down to Rico first.


    That''s right. She holds a great deal of power in this town, and it is Rico''s custody that is being demanded in this case.


    She is probably the one who has the most information about this case.


    We headed to Rico''s house.


    When we arrived, there were three times as many guards standing around his house as there were yesterday.


    ''I''m sorry, can we see Rico?''


    I''m going to have to ask you to leave.


    He answered immediately. Well, that''s not surprising, given the circumstances.


    "I know a guy named Rico.


    Not now.


    He stubbornly refused anyway.


    Then.


    Oh, uh, Uncle Tetsuya?


    I was approached from behind.


    It was Issa, who was yesterday.


    ''What are you doing here?''


    I need to talk to Rico, but he won''t let me in.


    ''Oh, it''s a lot of work. Hey, hey, these guys can come in!


    Issa said, and the guards went and said they understood and let us through.


    ''Meh, it''s so hard to get into this mess! The town is noisy and it''s not fun because of this brave guy.


    She seems to have a very optimistic personality and doesn''t change her demeanor much, even in an emergency situation like this.


    ''Aren''t you worried about Rico?''


    Yeah, I''ll be fine. As always, you''ve got people there to protect you.


    She seemed to have a lot of faith in her men.


    When we walked in the house.


    ''I''ll go in here after all!¡¡We don''t know how many people will die if we fight!


    ''Not so fast!¡¡I won''t let Rico-sama go!


    I could see Rico arguing with his subordinates.

 66-66. Persuade

    When I arrived at Rico''s house, he was in the middle of an argument.


    It seems that the subordinates are desperately trying to keep Rico, who is about to go to the brave alone to help the people, from holding him back.


    It''s not good to get emotional and argue like this at a time like this.


    ''''Stop!''''


    I went in to stop the argument.


    ''Te, Tetsuya!''


    When Riko sees me, she rolls her eyes in surprise.


    ''You''re Riko-sama''s acquaintance, Tetsuya-sama, and then Aisa-sama too... yes. Please help me convince Rico-sama!¡¡Please!


    The man under him bowed his head and asked for help.


    He was a baby-faced man in a white robe.


    ''There is no use in persuading me. I have decided to go.''


    I feel a pretty firm will.


    It seems that he''s going to respond to the call of the brave men here by all means.


    However, even if my will is firm, I can''t let Rico go, I''ll never let him go. I''ll try to persuade him somehow.


    ''Rico, you must not go. You know what the brave men will do to you if you are caught by them you know what they are like back then.


    But I''ll have to go. If you look at the number of troops outside, you will know that there is no chance of victory. There really is a land-covering army of soldiers surrounding the town. If I don''t go there, the town will be thoroughly ransacked.


    I didn''t see the army that I said was out of town in person, but that many. They said it was an army of tens of thousands.


    ''''Rico-sama........Even if I went under their thumb, it wouldn''t change the fact that this town would be sacked.


    ''No, Mr. Richard, that is not true. It''s my skills that the enemy is after. If you''re going to sack this town, you can''t attack this town if you say you won''t use it.


    Rico answers his subordinate''s question. This guy''s name seems to be Richard.


    It is true that the other person''s purpose may be more likely to be in the skill, but that still doesn''t mean it''s okay to say you won''t use it.


    ''Rico, that''s a bit naive of you, isn''t it? "Rico, that''s a bit naive of you," he said, "but they may think it''s easier to subdue you if they capture you and torture you, don''t they?


    Rico''s expression changes at Mek''s comment about torture.


    He may not have thought that far ahead.


    ''Dude, no matter what they do to you, if you don''t use it, you''ll give up.


    Well, I''m afraid that if you torture me later, I might use it and sack the town instead of listening to a word you say.


    Hearing those words, Rico is silent.


    The first thing is, if you are going to be tortured, there is no way you would let Rico-sama go after all.


    ''Well then... what should I do... if I fight, a lot of people will end up dying, right? I think the best chance of saving everyone is to go and bet that the other side will do what I want.


    Rico muttered as if he was ready.


    ''What about assuming we''re going to lose?¡¡If we win, we won''t get looted.


    ''I can say that because Mr. Tetsuya hasn''t seen the army outside. I''ve climbed up the defensive wall to see it, but I don''t think we stand a chance.


    Battles aren''t just about numbers. Especially in this world, there are levels and statuses.


    That''s true but I''m sure a lot of people will die if we fight.


    Anyway, Rico seems to hate it when people other than himself get hurt. He''s a sweet kid, so it''s not surprising.


    His subordinate, Richard, heard those words.


    ''I''m sure everyone in this town would be willing to spare their lives for the sake of Master Rico if it meant protecting this town.


    I said.


    ''I''m sad to lose Rico-Oneechan too, so I''ll fight for her.


    I''ll fight. And I don''t want to leave a brave man on the loose for anything other than Liko''s sake.


    Mek and Lenya told me that if I would fight them, they would fight us too.


    ''Oh no...''


    When I say "to protect you, Lord Rico," I also mean for the sake of this town. Without him, the town will return to its previous poor state. I''m sure everyone in the town doesn''t want that to happen.


    ....


    Rico thought in silence for a while.


    He seemed to be feeling a strong conflict.


    After thinking silently for a few minutes, Rico finally opened his mouth.


    ''''....I understand. Let''s try to fight.''''

 67-67. Force analysis

    We stood on top of the defensive wall once to see the enemy''s strength, and looked at the brave army outside.


    ''''This ... this is ... more than I imagined.


    Yeah, that''s right.


    That''s a lot.


    A large number of troops were besieging Vafol.


    They said it was tens of thousands, but there was definitely going to be that many.


    I thought that the army was human, but in reality, it seems that there are many beastmen.


    There seemed to be many beastmen, especially the wolf beastmen.


    I wonder if they are using soldiers from the area they occupied.


    If so, maybe morale isn''t too high.


    If they find the brave men and defeat them, they are likely to flee immediately.


    But in this number, it seems very difficult to go to the brave and defeat them.


    Looking at the soldiers outside, I climbed down the barrier with a very uneasy feeling.


    ''''What do you think?''''


    I asked Meku, who seemed to know more about the military than I did.


    I''m sure there were far too many of them, but most of them were beastmen and probably not very loyal. But there''s a good chance that they have taken your family members as hostages, so they''ll be willing to fight to the death.


    Hostages...


    Even so, they will flee as soon as the brave man dies. Fear of the brave man is one of the reasons why the beastmen follow him so meekly.


    Can you take down a brave man?


    I don''t know if I can lure him out like I did last time, but the fact that he leads such a large army may indicate that the brave man who came this time is a cautious character. He may not be an easy man to fall for.


    ''It''s not so much a personality thing as it is that we killed one of your guys and that''s why you''re afraid of us?


    It''s possible. Well, he''s getting cautious anyway, isn''t he?


    How hard is it to lure him out?


    But my limit level is 1 and seemingly weak.


    That might reassure me and lure me out.


    Anyway, as long as I can defeat the heroes and win, I might be able to make it.


    When we get back to Rico''s house, something is wrong.


    Many soldiers were surrounding Rico''s house.


    There was a gatekeeper, but not that many soldiers.


    ''What''s that?''


    Are you one of Rico''s soldiers?


    You''re on the defensive?


    Anyway, let''s listen to the story.


    Hey, I''ve got something in there.


    I was told not to let anyone in.


    I know a guy named Rico.


    We are not the soldiers of Saint Rico.


    What?¡¡Then whose.


    It''s Master Almerfy.


    Who''s that?


    Don''t you know. You''re one of the Seven Wise Men.


    "Seven Wise Men?


    "...you''re kidding me, aren''t you?¡¡Or are you an outsider?


    A stranger.


    In a nutshell, the man in charge of this town''s politics is the Seven Wise Men.


    That sounds like a pretty great guy.


    This town is collegial, isn''t it, this town is collegial.


    ''Why are we besieging Rico''s house?


    I can''t tell you that. Anyway, I can''t let you in here, so go home.


    What to do. For the record, I don''t think I''m here to do anything good.


    What do you think they want?


    Well maybe, but I''m afraid you''re trying to get Rico to join the brave men.


    What?


    You''re not going to go that far wrong with the idea of talking. You don''t know if you''ll win a battle, so you''ll first demand that Liko go to the brave men in discussion. Considering Liko''s character, he should have known that she would drink. If he refuses, he''ll use force, whether it''s one or the other.


    I see.........


    Even for one of the Seven Wise Men, Rico''s presence should have many advantages, but when he weighed it against the destruction of the town, he decided that it was better to offer it up.


    In some cases it wasn''t, but if my prediction was correct, I had to go to Rico''s side as soon as possible.


    ''''Mek, Raina, we''re going to force our way through.


    They nodded at my words.

 68-68. Forcibly Breakthrough

    I grab the soldier''s arm.


    "Hey, what?


    And then I pulled back and threw them out of the way.


    I take it pretty easy on him so he doesn''t get hurt too badly.


    "Oh, you!


    What?


    The soldiers get upset and ask questions, but we don''t listen and start running towards Rico''s house.


    ''Stop!''


    No one stops when they''re told to stop. I keep running without a care in the world.


    The gate is closed and I can''t get in, but I break it down and get inside.


    I keep running.


    Lenya and Meku are following me.


    I enter Rico''s house.


    I hear them arguing about something, so I head over there.


    ''f*ck off!''¡¡Master Rico is a treasure in this town!


    ''It''s useless if the townspeople are destroyed for protecting the treasure. Rico-san, will you save the townspeople by yourself?¡¡Perhaps the brave men will want your abilities too, so they won''t kill you.


    I was convinced that my prediction was correct just from that exchange alone.


    I''m sure the Almurphy is here to present Rico to the heroes.


    We must stop them.


    The soldiers are blocking the way to the guest room.


    It''s a narrow street, it''s hard to move around.


    "What the hell are you doing?¡¡Stop!


    He''s found us. He pulls out his sword and takes a stance.


    What''s useful in a situation like this is [Thunder Shock].


    Let''s stun the enemy and move on.


    ¡¾Thundershock¡¿!


    A thunderbolt gushes out of my hand.


    The enemy soldiers say, "Geez! I shouted and then fainted.


    The soldiers attacked me, all at once, in unison.


    I unleash [Thunder Shock] many times and stun all the enemies.


    Stepping over the fallen soldiers, I head to the guest room.


    ''''What''s the commotion?''''


    Rico, don''t listen to that guy!¡¡It''s not right to offer you to a brave man!


    Mr. Tatsuya!


    We walked into the guest room.


    A small, middle-aged man, with two large lycanthropic men directly behind him, was facing Rico.


    That little man is an almerfif.


    ''What are you?''


    We can''t let them take Rico, can we?


    ''I don''t want to hear it. I''ve come to ask you for a favor. I asked Saint Rico to save the town.


    With a grin and a nasty smile, Almerfif said that.


    ''''Mr. Tetsuya, I''m still........''''


    Rico, we decided yesterday that we''d get rid of the brave. We decided yesterday to get rid of the brave men. I know we can do it if we work together.


    ...Yes.


    Rico seemed to be ready to go.


    ''I''m sorry, Almerfif-san, but I can''t go. The brave man will work with Tetsuya-san to get rid of him.''


    What do you mean by that? In fact, you''re going to cooperate with this man?¡¡I just used [Level Search] earlier, but isn''t he a marginal level 1 mook? What would be the point of having a man like that?¡¡Anyway, you''re going to have to pinch that guy out now.


    Almerfiff gives orders to the two lycanthropes behind him.


    I took a look at them with [Appraisal].


    ''''Lycanthrope. Individual name: Gregal Belfour. lv. 43/46, 25 years old, male.


    HP 234/234


    MP 34/34


    The Wolf Beastman. The beast of the wolf. ''When you are weak, you are just a wolf.''


    "Lycanthrope. Individual name: Areval Belfort, lv. 41/ 42, 24 years old, male.


    HP 222/222


    MP 30/30


    The Wolf Beastman. The beast of the wolf. ''When you are weak, you are just a wolf.''


    He''s strong in his own right. You''re probably my brother.


    Well, but they''re not my enemies.


    They both pounce on me at the same time.


    I dodge them and take a swing at them so they don''t kill me in the gut. I hit them both almost simultaneously.


    "Guhaha!


    Both fell forward, writhing in pain.


    Seeing this, Almerfif looked stunned.


    ''I won''t let you take Rico with you. The brave man will be defeated by me for sure. Do you understand?


    He said this to intimidate Almerfiff.


    He shook his head, cocooning and shaking.

 69-69. Strategy

    So, is Saint Rico surrendered?


    Brave Oshima''s army, the main camp.


    Hiroshi was lying down and asking his subordinate Aleverus a question.


    ''We have not yet received a response.


    ''Oh, it''s been a few days already. I''m tired of waiting, so let''s just force our way through.


    I think that''s a good idea too. The saint seems to be a key figure in this town, so I''m sure she''ll still refuse to hand it over. The more time we spend, the more time we will give our enemies time to think.


    I should have forced my way through from the beginning. Should I have forced my way through from the beginning? Well, it''s not too late.


    Hiroshi stood up and stretched lightly.


    ''''First I''ll smash that uselessly high defensive wall. Then I''ll get the beastmen into the castle at once and have them bring the saint to me.


    Aren''t you going to participate in the battle, Mr. Hiroshi?


    ''Honestly, it''s a hassle. And the level only needs a saint''s water. Since I brought all these people with me, they won''t lose even without me. There are some beast soldiers with a pretty high limit level. You guys alone, bring the saints with you.


    I''m sorry, sir.


    Aleverus hangs his head.


    ''Oh, yes. And don''t ever f*ck a saint. Bring her to me clean. If you see any other girls that I like, bring them to me clean. You know what I like, don''t you?¡¡Other than that, you can do whatever you want.


    Yes, sir.


    Again, Areberus hung his head.


    "Well, let''s do it. We''ll break the barriers.


    The brave man left the main camp and began to prepare to break down the defensive wall.


    ¡ð


    A few days passed after we decided to fight the brave men.


    Since then, I gathered the town''s seven wise men and military specialists for a strategy meeting.


    All of the Seven Wise Men were not fools like Almurphy, and some were smart enough to be called wise men.


    The result of the strategy meeting was the conclusion that it would be very difficult to win in terms of strength.


    Even though it can be strengthened with Liko''s water, the number of troops that can be delivered from Vafol is limited to three thousand. I''m not going to be able to get it right.


    Defeating a brave man might pull it off, but it doesn''t always pull it off. If there was a second-in-command other than the brave man with leadership skills, they might not retreat and continue the war.


    It was hard to say that it was a reliable strategy.


    However, there seemed to be no doubt that it was an effective tactic, because the unrest that would be caused to the enemy forces if the brave men were killed was immeasurable.


    In the end, it was difficult to win with existing troops, so they came to the conclusion that they should call for reinforcements.


    The brave army''s rapid advance seemed to frighten the cities of various countries, and if Vafol was occupied and Saint Rico, a powerful human resource, was in the hands of the brave, Vafol''s neighbors would no longer be forced to surrender if they were attacked.


    If the surrounding nations and cities had a sense of urgency that this was the only time they had a chance to stop the brave man''s advance, they would likely take sides.


    The brave men are not very good at governing the land they occupy.


    They impose heavy taxes on the people and kill all the royalty and powerful people in the country.


    Perhaps the leading men of the surrounding cities and countries understand that it would be suicidal to stand idly by in this situation.


    They say that they can have the letter to provide reinforcements delivered through a loophole. There was a secret passage known only to the Seven Wise Men, which would allow them to escape the siege and go to the surrounding cities and countries to ask for reinforcements.


    The ones tasked with calling for reinforcements have already passed through the loophole and are on their way to their respective countries and cities, and they expect the reinforcements to arrive in ten days at the earliest.


    Well, even if reinforcements do arrive, it''s going to be a difficult battle, because it''s so much more than the amount of troops outside that they won''t be able to match.


    For now, the policy is to buy time anyway.


    Fortunately, the enemy hasn''t attacked us yet.


    This town''s defenses are so strong that they should be able to hold out for a few days.


    My job is to defeat the brave men as soon as the reinforcements arrive.


    This is a strategy based on the expectation that if outside reinforcements arrive and the brave men are defeated, the enemy forces will be shaken up and will collapse.


    The question is whether I can defeat the brave men.


    It''s not just me, but several of the town''s strongest men, and Meku and Lenya, who have returned to their original form. And, with Rico''s water, they''ve got their abilities enhanced.


    Also, when I absorbed the hero Takei before, I gained skills such as ¡¾Legendary Mode¡¿ and ¡¾Regeneration¡¿, and my status has been greatly enhanced.


    With this, I should be able to win.


    I made up my mind to fight and waited for the heroes to attack me.


    And suddenly, a roar like something crashing echoed throughout the city.

 70-70. Breaking the barrier

    What the hell is that noise?


    I''ll get to the source of the sound.


    It sounded like it was coming from around the barrier.


    And then I hear that same sound again.


    I heard it a second time and I was sure. The barriers are under attack.


    He said, "It looks like they are attacking the defensive wall. But how could such a horrendous sound be heard? Maybe the brave men are trying to break it with their own strength.


    There''s a good chance of that.


    Well then, you better get going, or else the wall might come down!


    Rainier is right.


    If the brave men are trying to break down the defensive wall, if we don''t deal with it ourselves, the others won''t be able to handle it.


    If the wall is breached, that army will come crashing down on the town all at once.


    If that happens, we may not even last a day.


    Let''s go as soon as possible.


    We hurriedly headed for the northern defensive wall where we were being attacked.


    As we approached the defensive wall, we saw a huge iron ball embedded in the wall.


    It looks like it was almost penetrated because it was seen from the inside.


    Could it be that the brave man is throwing that? Or is it a skill?


    Or is it not a brave man who is throwing it, but rather possesses a siege weapon?


    Well, it would be possible to throw a giant iron ball like that if you have the status, so it might be safe to assume that it''s a brave man throwing it.


    We climb on top of the bulwark.


    We look outside the barrier, but we don''t see a brave man throwing. He seemed to be throwing from much further away.


    After observing for a while, an iron ball flew at a considerable speed.


    The iron ball did not hit the barrier and fell into the town.


    People''s screams rang out.


    I hope it fell in the middle of nowhere.


    I was angry at my enemy.


    ''How can we prevent it from happening?¡¡You''re pretty fast, so you won''t be able to defend yourself so easily.


    Do you have any good skills in my skill set to help protect the barrier against iron balls?


    ¡¾Meteorite (Meteor)¡¿ has outstanding attack power, but it can''t be dropped with that much precision.


    ¡¾Dark Blast (Dark Blast)¡¿ might be the best, but it just deflects its trajectory, and I think it''s going to hit the barrier itself.


    I guess I''ll take it with my body here.


    My current attack power is 1344 and my defense is 1523.


    It''s not so powerful that it can shred the defense wall to pieces in a single hit, and even if I presented myself to defend it, I probably wouldn''t be damaged.


    Even if some damage is incurred, it''s not a problem since I have the ¡¾Regeneration (Regeneration)¡¿ skill.


    Once I use my body to drop the iron ball, I''ll probably fall underneath the defensive wall, but there''s no problem since I can jump over it if I jump this high on the defensive wall.


    And then the iron ball flew down.


    This time it was going to hit the wall on its trajectory.


    I''m going to jump off the barrier, just in time. ''''Tetsuya!'''' Ignoring Meku''s voice to stop me, I jumped down from the barrier and hit the iron ball.


    The iron ball shatters.


    The arm I hit doesn''t hurt at all.


    I could do the same thing over and over again with this.


    As I fell to the ground, I jumped and climbed onto the barrier.


    ''''What can I say, you really are quitting being a human being...''''


    Terrific....


    Mek and Lenya were watching my actions with surprise.


    Anyway, this would protect the barrier.


    A few iron balls flew at me, but I shot them all down.


    Then they stopped flying at all for a while.


    Just as I thought I had given up, I heard the sound of destroying the defensive wall from another place.

 71-71. Defense

    An iron ball was thrown to another part of my place.


    I hurriedly head for the spot where the ball hit.


    There''s another one flying at me. I manage to guard it.


    However, this time the iron ball flew to the place where I was just before and hit the barrier.


    ........Isn''t it impossible to protect this one by yourself?


    If you don''t know where they are going to throw it beforehand, it is impossible to defend against it.


    However, I don''t know where the brave men who are coming to throw the iron ball are, so it seems impossible.


    For now, I''m going to return to the place I was defending in the beginning. The damage here is very severe, so if you don''t protect it, it will soon be broken.


    "Tetsuya, return me to my original form. "Tetsuya, restore me to my original form. I can also use my magic to guard you.


    ''''No, I want Mek to fight in a heroic battle, and that and a short time of transformation doesn''t mean much. When one more person becomes two, with the size of this defensive wall, it doesn''t seem to make much sense.


    That''s the way it is...


    But what to do.........


    An iron ball flew at me.


    It came to where I am, so I''ll block it.


    Come to think of it, just now, once you prevented it, it came to change the place to attack, so next time it will change the place to attack.


    The change should be in the same place as before. If you want to break the wall, you''ll have to attack the same place over and over again.


    It takes time to move, and if you wait a little while and it doesn''t come here, then the enemy is changing the attack location.


    But if they end up changing their patterns or firing iron balls at more places, it''s impossible to deal with them.


    Is there no choice but to expect the stupidity of the opponent?


    It''s not like they can throw an inexhaustible number of iron balls, either. If you manage to prevent it, you might run out of balls before they break the wall.


    However, if you''re creating an iron ball with a skill or something else, you''ll have a lot left over. Creating it with a skill means you are making it with MP consumption, so the amount you can make is also high since the MP of the heroes would be very high.


    Anyway, we have no choice but to continue preventing them now.


    I waited for a while, and since the iron ball didn''t fly to the place I''m at now, I changed places.


    The iron ball flew to where I expected it to fly, so I blocked it.


    Then I waited for a while to make sure that the attack didn''t happen, and I went back to where I was at first.


    Then the iron ball flew there, and I prevented it.


    So here''s the problem.


    If the enemy is the type that doesn''t think too much, they''ll come to the place where we were again next, but if they save time here and shoot at this place, or attack a new place where we never attacked, then the enemy is thinking more than once and attacking us.


    I debated what to do, but decided not to move from this location.


    Other places would still be fine if they got hit by the iron ball, but if they came back to this place, there was a risk that the wall would break down.


    I stayed in this spot.


    After a while, an iron ball flew over.


    Apparently, the enemy had chosen to save time and attack the same spot, pretending to have moved.


    I''ll prevent it this time, but next time I can''t predict it.


    It could come to the same place, or it could change locations.


    The chances of them changing locations are rather high, but the chances of them attacking this place are not low either.


    I thought about the risk and decided not to move.


    Then, the place seems to have changed, and an iron ball hits the defensive wall.


    This is getting a bit difficult to defend........


    As I was thinking that....


    Tetsuya-san!¡¡I''m here to cover you!


    Rico came up on top of the defensive wall with a group of people dressed like wizards wearing robes and looking like wizards.


    ''''These people are the ones in the town who have a particularly high level of competence in using magic. With the Blue Divine Water, they have increased their MP and are able to use high level magic many times, so they can also prevent iron balls!


    Really?


    This was good news, as I knew I wouldn''t be able to defend myself.


    Then the defense began, with Rico''s subordinate wizards positioned on the wall.

 72-72. Defensive success

    We desperately needed to defend the defensive wall.


    The wizards who came to reinforce us were numerous, able to cover most of the defensive wall, and, as Rico said, could use enough magic to properly shoot down the iron ball.


    However, it still wasn''t possible to shoot down a hundred percent of them, and there was a pretty good chance they would fail, so other than the area I was defending, the iron balls had hit me several times and were in tatters.


    By going to the most battered spot, I managed to prevent the barrier from being broken.


    After defending it for a long time, the iron ball stopped flying.


    Are you out of ammunition...?¡¡Did you keep this one alive...?


    I stood on top of the wall for about twenty hours, straining my nerves, but in the end it didn''t fly.


    After that, we began to take turns keeping watch, but still no iron ball flew.


    It''s still impossible to be completely careless, but I think I managed to protect the barrier from the iron ball.


    ¡ð ¡ð


    f*ck, you''re out of ammunition.


    The brave Hiroshi, who had been throwing iron balls from behind, had lost the balls he was throwing and was clucking his tongue with an abominable expression.


    His iron ball wasn''t made by himself, he had his subordinate wizards make it for him.


    Making a giant iron ball was quite difficult magic and not so easy to make, and the amount of MP consumed was also high, so the amount that could be made by one person was limited.


    I had gathered about fifty wizards who could make an iron ball and had them make it, but finally all of them ran out of MP and couldn''t throw it.


    ''''What shall we do? We didn''t break it, but it looks like it''s in a lot of pain, so what else should we do, let the soldiers push it harder?


    Well that''s a waste of time, isn''t it?¡¡It''s just too cool to be in a place like this all the time.


    Life on the battlefield was never, ever easy.


    The bed was hard, the food was not very good, and it was unbearable.


    Hiroshi wanted to go back to the castle as soon as possible, eat good food and sleep in his fluffy bed.


    ''''Ha........there''s no choice......if we can''t destroy it even if we aim at it from the outside, then we''ll have to destroy it from up close......''''


    ''''Hiroshi-sama, I think that''s a bit dangerous. The enemy is powerful enough to prevent Hiroshi-sama''s attacks.


    What am I going to do?


    Hiroshi glared at Aleverus.


    Aleverus deflated, bowed his head and apologized.


    ''''Hmm, well, you''re right, Sun''s guy got beaten up too. It''s Mazzy to be careless.


    Hiroshi thinks. He was the type among the brave men to think things over carefully.


    ''But I don''t want to waste my time... hmmm, what to do... well, it''s not a problem to get a little closer to the barriers, right?¡¡And after that, we can just leave right after that.


    It was only among the brave men, though, and they were more optimistic than normal humans.


    ''''Well then, I thought we could break down the wall without any danger.


    All right, let''s go with that.


    Hiroshi immediately began to prepare to go to the front of the line himself to break down the defensive wall.

 73-73. The Arrival of the Brave

    We were successful in defending the fortifications, but we kept an eye out for them.


    "It looks like the enemy soldiers aren''t making any moves. When are you expecting reinforcements?


    I''d say three days sooner than that, don''t you think?


    Rico, who was nearby, answered my question.


    ''''Three days later I don''t think the enemy is going to keep quiet at this point, and I hope we can prevent them from doing so.


    ''Well...''


    Rico muttered with an unflattering expression.


    Riko''s expression for the past few days has always been gloomy. Well, even though it hasn''t started in earnest yet, there''s no way he can be cheerful, since the fierce killing will start soon.


    As for me, I just have to do what I have to do to end the war as soon as possible.


    But the next time a brave man will come in person. "Perhaps the next time a brave man will come himself.


    Mek said.


    ''Is that preventable?''


    It will be difficult. It may be good if you come to the place where we are watching, but if you come anywhere else, it will be easily destroyed. A brave man''s power is beyond imagination.


    ''''Well if the defenses were to be breached then, we should already be at that point to go and take out the brave men.


    ''''It wasn''t the original plan, but I suppose it has to be. You''re ready to use [Release], right?


    Yeah, I''ll be fine.


    I''m finally going to be able to do something good.


    I''m going to be in Beast Mode and do my best!


    The two of us were quite fired up, probably because we couldn''t show our strength in defending the wall.


    Then we kept our eyes out for several hours.


    Suddenly, there was a roaring sound from a completely different place.


    I was startled and looked in the direction of the sound.


    On the other side of us, right over there, I think it''s where the gate was, or maybe it''s where the gate was, it''s covered in white dust and it''s completely obscured.


    Could it be........that it was broken down?


    ''Tetsuya!¡¡Maybe he''s a hero!¡¡He''s come a long way!¡¡Let''s hurry up!


    Oh!


    I''m going!


    We''re going to the place where the brave men show up.


    ''I''m coming too!''


    Rico said and turned to come. I stopped running, startled.


    ''Li, Rico. The enemy is out to get you, and fighting in front of them is not...


    It''s okay. I''m not weak either. It''s a good thing that I can use magic to a certain extent. I''m not going to be able to do anything but sit back and watch while everyone else in town is fighting for their lives.


    ....


    It looks like there''s no point in stopping this one. I think I''m ready for it.


    ''All right. But if you''re in danger, you''re going to have to run.


    I said as a reminder.


    Rico then had the wizards who had participated in the defense of the defensive wall also head to where the heroes had entered.


    A full-scale battle was about to begin.

 74-74. Aim of the brave

    When I arrived at the place where the brave man had entered, the soldiers were desperately trying to stop the enemy from entering.


    I just don''t like the look of it.


    If a brave man is attacking, it is impossible to stop him, no matter how desperate the soldiers are.


    I thought we would stop the brave men who have come into the town a lot, and then push them back.


    What does that mean?


    ''''Thank you for coming, Rico-sama!


    A man equipped with larger armor approached Rico.


    Could it be one of her subordinates? Probably one with a reasonably high standing.


    ''''What''s the situation?''''


    The brave men have come and destroyed the defences. Many enemies rushed in, but we were defending ourselves. After the brave man destroyed the wall, he left.


    There are no brave men, after all.


    What are they up to?


    You would think it would be easier to charge in on your own, though.


    Am I being cautious now that I''ve defeated one brave man?


    This is not good.


    Mek muttered.


    ''Have you figured out what the brave man wants?''


    Probably, the brave men intend to destroy other defenses as well. They are outnumbered, but it is difficult to take advantage of their superiority by attacking from one place.


    Well, that''s pretty bad. If we are attacked from multiple locations, we won''t be able to defend ourselves. This town will fall down in a heartbeat.


    Rico, the most knowledgeable of this town''s forces, is terrified.


    The question remains whether the brave man has such wisdom.


    Well, it''s not like the brave man is deciding on all of the other side''s strategies.


    It''s possible that he is taking Meku''s strategy on the advice of his subordinates.


    You must find and defeat the brave men. Before it becomes irretrievable. Where did the brave man go after he broke down the wall?


    I heard he moved backward, sir. Current location unknown.


    "Are you going to move back and try to attack somewhere else?¡¡We have to go looking for it as soon as possible. It''s not a good idea for us to get stuck in the back of the room, because if we do, we won''t be able to get to them.


    I''m coming with you!


    Rico also expressed his willingness to go and defeat the brave men.


    ''Wait, Rico must stay here. The defense of this place should be important too.


    Yes. The men will be more motivated when you appear. It''s your job to fight here.


    Me and Meku talked him into it.


    ''It''s my job to defend this place ... yes ... isn''t it? That''s right.


    He seemed convinced.


    ''Please. Please go and defeat the brave men somehow.


    Yeah, I promise. And I hope you can keep this place together.


    We made a firm promise.


    We would have to get past the bulwark to find the brave men.


    We started to run towards the barricade.

 75-75. Start of battle

    All right, let''s go.


    After breaking down the wall as originally planned, Hiroshi pulled back to safety.


    Along the way, he saw an ally attacking him.


    I feel like we''re not getting the most out of all these people... even if we attack them from that spot.


    The only ones actually fighting are the ones in front, and the ones stuck in the back are not able to do anything about it.


    ''Oh, right. We can destroy another place too. I''m so smart!


    Hiroshi said with a pretense of being on a roll.


    ''''Probably the strongest of the enemy will be gathered at the place we are attacking now, and if we break down the wall in another place, it will be completely unexpected and the enemy will be in a panic. Alright,''''


    Changing his plans, Hiroshi headed back to the wall.


    ¡ð


    I climb on top of the barrier and visually search for the brave man to see where he is.


    He''s nowhere to be found.


    He''s gone behind.


    If so, it would be very difficult to find him among the enemy soldiers.


    The appearance of the brave man is heard from witnesses, and it is said that he was a monk.


    There was indeed a monk guy.


    Of the four delinquents, the one with long hair and the one with blonde hair stood out, so I don''t have much of an impression of him, but I do remember seeing someone like that.


    I don''t remember his face, but I heard that he wore a large, expensive looking armor and a blue cloak, so I''ll recognize him if I see him. I must not have missed it.


    ''What do we do now?''


    Hmmm ... anyway, I guess we''ll just have to guess where the enemy is likely to destroy it and go there.


    Where do you think they''ll be?


    It should be as far away as possible from the spot we just destroyed. Let''s go around to the back.


    ''Well...''


    It could be out of the way, but we''ll just have to put it on.


    We''re heading to the other side of the wreckage.


    On our way.


    "It is!


    I spotted a monk, equipped with a large armor, coming towards the defensive wall. He''s wearing a blue cloak.


    Is that guy a brave man?


    I''m going to evaluate the man.


    Human. Individual name: Hiroshi Oshima, lv.88/95, 16 years old, male.


    HP 1587/1587


    MP 1156/1156


    High intelligence. It is characterized by a high increase in skill points due to leveling up''


    This Japanese style name, and the extraordinary and marginal level of excellence.


    There''s no doubt about it, this guy is a brave guy.


    His limit level is higher than the Takei we fought before, but his level is lower.


    I don''t remember the other numbers, so I don''t know, but I think his HP is probably higher than Takei''s.


    But it''s lower than my HP at the moment.


    This is a win-win situation.


    "Tetsuya, are you sure that''s him?


    Yeah, I''m sure.


    I use ¡¾Release¡¿ and restore Meku to his original form.


    Then we drink the water that Rico gave me beforehand that strengthens our abilities.


    ''''Alright, let''s go.''''


    Oh!


    Meow!


    And I jumped down, but apparently the two of us weren''t high enough to jump down. However, Meku used a spell to slow down the fall speed and Lenya and I came down together.


    ''''Hey, what the hell,''''


    Brave Oshima is surprised and upset when we suddenly come down.


    Takei must not be the type to look down on others as much as he does, because he was so condescending at first.


    ''I''m here to take you down,''


    ''Oh?¡¡What''s with you, you''re level one of the limit, you''re higher than the woman, but you''re not much lower than me, and I was stupid enough to get a little scared.


    This guy didn''t show any pretense of using a level search and said so. This guy can use [Appraisal]?


    However, there is no mention of my name, so maybe there is a skill that only looks at level search.


    I''ll kill you.


    Oshima drew the sword from his waist and jumped at us.


    The fight has begun.

 76-76. vs Hero Oshima â‘ 

    With his sword drawn, Oshima slashed at me first.


    To say the least, it''s slow. Judging from the enemy''s expression, they probably aren''t attacking me seriously. They seem to be quite careless with the fact that I''m the limit level 1.


    ''First one.


    This attack didn''t need to be avoided. He caught it with his right shoulder. Zero damage.


    ''''Ah?''''


    Oshima noticed that the response of the attack was strange, and he looked dumbfounded.


    I drew my sword and attacked, aiming for Oshima''s heart.


    ''''Whoa!''''


    My sword was blocked by Hiroshi''s armor. That''s an awfully hard armor. You can''t even get through my attack.


    What''s this guy''s level 1 habit?


    It looks like he''s in a lot of hurry because his expectations are off.


    Lenya uses ¡¾Beastification (Beast Mode)¡¿ and pounces on Oshima from behind.


    ''''Nyaaaaah!''''


    He tries to slice through the armor-less area with his gory claws.


    It''s a surprise attack, but Oshima avoids it in time.


    After evading, he tries to slash Raina, but Raina was not slashed as he was quickly out of range of Oshima''s sword when he thought the attack was avoided.


    ''Strengthen your swords!''


    Mek has used his magic.


    The sword I''m holding is enveloped in a red light.


    It''s the first magic I''ve seen, but I can roughly guess what kind of magic it is from the spell. Perhaps it is a spell that sharpens the sword''s slicing power. I think he used it when he saw that I couldn''t slash my armor.


    ''''Make your armor brittle!''''


    Furthermore, Mekku used magic. This time it''s a spell that reduces the durability of Oshima''s armor.


    But nothing happens without being enveloped in light like my sword.


    I''m still not sure it works.


    It seemed to have failed.


    Oshima''s armor seemed to have a special power that kept magic at bay.


    ''d*mn, what do you mean level 1 isn''t weak? I thought the ones with a lower limit level were always weak. Did they teach you a lie?¡¡Oh well. Let''s get a little more serious.


    Oshima said, and this time he attacked even faster.


    However, to be honest, I don''t think it''s fast. With this level of speed, it''s easy to avoid and catch it.


    I dodged the attack and then slashed at Oshima''s head.


    The attack hit. However, it wasn''t slashed. Gaang!¡¡A sound as if they had been hit by a piece of metal rang out.


    ''Ow!''


    Oshima retreats back, holding his forehead.


    What''s the stiffness now?


    I look at Oshima''s website.


    1521/1587


    It wasn''t much less.


    Even though it wasn''t showing that it wasn''t that terrific because I slashed with an emphasis on speed, I didn''t expect this level of damage.


    Is this guy a type that specializes in defense?


    Well, even if defense is great, other abilities don''t seem to be that outstanding.


    This is a good example of how to win if you''re fighting hard.


    Well, let''s just use that. Legendary Heroes'' Shield...


    The moment Oshima said that, a glowing shield appeared. Oshima took it in his hand.

 77-77. vs Hero Oshima â‘¡

    Is that the skill he has as a brave man?


    It''s not that damaging even though it was attacked by me just now, and after all, Oshima is probably the type of brave man with a high level of defense.


    It''s not very cool to be a shield. To be honest, I prefer to use the sword to cut down on people.


    Maybe it''s an aggressive type of personality for the person in question.


    It''s a shield put out by a brave man, and I don''t think it''s just a shield. I have to attack it carefully.


    As I was thinking that, Raina pounces on Oshima.


    Oshima is pointing the shield at me, and since Rainya attacked from behind to avoid being noticed, Oshima has not been able to react to Rainya''s attack.


    I thought this was going to be an attack that would go through, and that''s where Oshima reacted like an ordinary person and guarded against Lenya''s attack.


    ''''Nya!''''


    Then Raina, who attacked the shield, is blown backwards.


    It looks like she''s taking damage. If you look at the appraisal, your HP has been reduced by about 20. Oshima did not show any pretense of attacking. Perhaps it has the power to reflect attacks.


    However, the super reaction that stopped Raina''s surprise attack.


    Could Oshima originally be able to move that fast, or was it thanks to his shield out that he was able to move that much?


    Meku begins to cast a spell. It''s pretty long.


    I don''t know what kind of magic it is, but I think it''s a high-powered spell.


    Oshima goes to attack Meku as he starts to chant the spell. I stop it. His speed seems to have increased from before he brought out his shield. The power of the sword has also increased. Perhaps it''s not my imagination, but my status has been enhanced. When I looked at Oshima''s HP, it was 1766/1776. Her limit value is increasing, and her HP seems to be recovering. Is there an effect similar to Takei''s [Regeneration (Regeneration)]?


    When I cut off several times, Oshima held up his shield. I stop it once when it was about to attack. It had the effect of reflecting.


    Oshima''s invitation to attack was ignored, and he clicked his tongue and stepped back.


    It''s true that his status has increased, but it''s still at a level where he can handle it at all. His movements are slower than mine, and his attack power isn''t that much of a threat.


    However, shields with a reflex function are troublesome. Even if the enemy''s attack power is not so high, if it is defended and reflected, we will be damaged. And since Oshima''s bare defense power is also high, he won''t be able to deal damage with a half-hearted attack, so we need to make a serious attack.


    After Meku finished casting the spell.


    ''Lenya, Tetsuya!¡¡Get away from me!


    He gave me a loud instruction.


    Following the instructions, me and Raina retreated and got some distance between us.


    Then a huge, burning rock fell from the sky.


    Meku''s instructions must have been heard by Oshima, but he didn''t move from the spot at all. He must have been confident that his shield could prevent it.


    Oshima held the shield in place, anticipating where the rock would fall.


    The meteorite thought it would hit the shield and bounce back, but it exploded just before it hit.


    I see, if it was a wide-ranging attack, even if you blocked it with your shield, it would still do some damage.


    The explosion raises a cloud of dust, which gradually clears to reveal the figure of Oshima.


    It was unharmed.


    Even if you look at the appraisal, no damage has been done.


    ''Hmm, I guess it wasn''t powerful enough.


    The explosion wasn''t powerful enough, and Mekku seemed to think it did zero damage.


    But if he''d been eaten, he''d have to take about 1 damage.


    Maybe that shield still has some effect on me.


    Anyway, I''ll have to use my speed to attack it so that it won''t be blocked by that shield.

 78-78. vs Hero Oshima â‘¢

    "Come on fast as the wind!


    Mek chanted a spell.


    My whole body was covered in green light.


    This is also the first time I''ve heard of this magic.


    It''s probably a spell that increases the movement speed of the thing affected.


    It''s a good idea to move fast and attack directly into his body instead of breaking his shield to capture Oshima. The fact that Meku has cast a spell on me means that I and Meku''s thoughts are in agreement with each other.


    The same magic was cast on Lenya by Meku.


    I move as fast as I can and try to get behind Oshima.


    I was able to move faster than ever before.


    Oshima wasn''t able to catch my movements at all.


    Confident that I can hit the attack with this, I slash at Oshima''s back.


    This is a surefire hit, right after I thought that.


    It''s a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.


    The attack with the sword is reflected and a slash is made in the shoulder area.


    ''''Guh!


    I''m also the type of person with a high level of defense, so I didn''t get slashed, but the damage was done. I feel pain in my shoulder.


    I have the [Regeneration (Regeneration)] that I got when I defeated Takei. The pain eased immediately.


    However, that super reaction.


    It''s strange, as expected.


    If it can produce that much speed, it should have been better to make use of it to attack more. However, if they don''t do it, then there must be a condition for it to reach that speed.


    Perhaps an attack.


    That shield may have a function that, when an attack comes, it goes against its own will to prevent the attack at super speed.


    In that case, it would be troublesome.


    If you can''t hit them even at that timing, it''s impossible for me to hit Oshima right now.


    I guess I''ll just have to use that........ ¡¾Legendification (Legendary Mode).


    I honestly have the feeling that I don''t want to use the ability I got from Takei as much as possible.


    It''s because I somehow feel bad about using that guy''s ability. Well, it''s Takei that''s bad, not the skill.


    ¡¾Regeneration (Regeneration)¡¿ can''t be stopped because it activates against my will, so I have to use it, but ¡¾Legendification (Legendary Mode)¡¿ doesn''t need to be used if I don''t want to use it, so I want to fight without using it as much as possible, but in this situation, I''ll just have to use it.


    It''s not about my personal mood, it''s about whether I can win this fight.


    If we lose, Mek and Lenya are in danger.


    I have to do this.


    I suppressed my feelings of not wanting to use it and used ¡¾Legendification (Legendary Mode)¡¿.

 79-79. vs Hero Oshima Battle â‘£

    I used ¡¾Legendification (Legendary Mode)¡¿.


    This skill doesn''t cause any visible changes from the surroundings when I use it.


    As the user, I felt the effects of this skill the moment I used it.


    Anyway, a tremendous amount of power came up.


    I don''t need to look at my status to know that I was far more enhanced.


    If it were me now, I might be able to move at a speed where I can''t react to his shield.


    Okay, let''s do it.


    I raise my sword and begin to move as fast as I can.


    I was able to move at a speed that was previously impossible.


    I start off facing Oshima from the front, and as soon as I get close enough, I change directions and get behind Oshima.


    I slashed at Oshima with my sword.


    The shield is super responsive, but as expected, it doesn''t seem to be able to keep up with my speed in this state.


    The sword hit Oshima''s shoulder.


    ''''Ugh!''''


    It was still a sturdy one, and for a guy who slashed with pretty much all his might, the attack didn''t seem to be that effective. It''s not like he''s bleeding from a cut. I appraised it and looked at its HP, but it still hasn''t decreased that much.


    Maybe attacking with skills instead of attacking with a sword would be more effective. I get in until the attack is in time to hit it, and release ¡¾Dark Blast¡¿.


    ''''Guaaaah!


    It hits the face, and it seems to be more effective than the sword shot I just used. Dark Blast] has spent a lot of skill points and raised its skill level to 7. The HP was reduced by about 150.


    Fortunately, Oshima doesn''t seem to have the ¡¾Regeneration (Regeneration)¡¿ that Takei had. The damage is not automatically recovered.


    Sun''s ability had a time limit, but... well, his has one. And if it wasn''t, he''d be using it all the time.


    Since this is the first time I''ve used this skill by myself, I didn''t know about the existence of a time limit.


    ''Hm, my shield doesn''t have a time limit. It''s just that shields look lame, so I don''t usually take them out, and it doesn''t matter if I keep them out all the time. If I can keep it out until your skills wear off, I win. You have no way of attacking me, you know.


    Indeed, if the [Legendary Mode] runs out, it''s difficult to hit an attack.


    However, my opponent is also at the level of being unable to attack me as a bare minimum, so I don''t think it''s a win. Well, as soon as the goal of defeating Oshima becomes unattainable, I''ve practically lost.


    It''s unclear how long the time limit is, but we have to defeat him before the effect of the skill wears off.


    ''Nya, I''m back!''


    Tetsuya, you take care of the rest.


    Raina and Mek are back to their original form. They are no longer in a state where they can''t fight. I have to take them down by myself.


    I then attacked them many times.


    The chances of the attacks passing were not 100%, and sometimes they were blocked by Oshima''s shields. Naturally, if that happened, I would have to take the ¡¾Dark Blast¡¿ with my own body. Even though his defense power has been increased by Legendary Mode, he still takes quite a bit of damage.


    However, there were more situations where the attack came into Oshima.


    ''''........Ku, shit.''''


    After ten or so attacks, his HP is only a little left.


    The ¡¾Legendification (Legendary Mode)¡¿ is still going on.


    I''ll decide on this one.


    I move at full speed and get behind Oshima.


    I''m faster than the enemy''s reaction.


    I slammed ¡¾Dark Blast¡¿ into Oshima''s face.


    ''''Gu........ha.......''''


    Oshima''s HP dropped to zero and he collapsed on the spot.

 80-80. Battle of Rico

    You''ve won...


    Oshima ran out of HP and fell forward.


    I checked to make sure he was dead.


    His heart stopped beating. He was completely dead.


    ''Looks like I''ve beaten it.


    Yay!


    That''s what I''m talking about.


    I''m relieved to have defeated him, but it doesn''t end here.


    Even if you defeat the brave man, the war will continue.


    "Tetsuya, we can''t absorb this guy yet. We must make sure the enemy knows we''ve defeated a brave man before we absorb him.


    I''ll be fine. I''m not going to absorb this guy in the first place.


    Even though he was a villain, this guy was a human too.


    Absorbing a human was a bit of a distraction.


    Takei was going to absorb it, but that was only because the Abyssal King (Abyss King) had taken over his body, and he didn''t really want to absorb it.


    Well, I understand that if you think about it rationally, you should absorb it. Because this guy''s shield skills are definitely powerful.


    Even so, I didn''t want to do the thing of absorbing a human.


    Meku sensed my feelings and didn''t pursue it any further.


    ''Okay, the fight isn''t over yet. Rico and the others are fighting. If they know that the brave men have been defeated, the enemy will be demoralized and will run away. Let''s hurry up and head out!


    We hurried back to town.


    ¡ð


    The time goes back and right after Tetsuya and the others have gone to defeat the heroes.


    Riko and her subordinates were fighting the invading enemy forces one after another.


    Before the battle occurred, Riko thought she was prepared to fight, but when it began, she realized that her resolve was not as strong as it should have been.


    Enemies and allies alike were falling down, one after another, bleeding.


    Riko had seen more blood since she had come to this world than she had in Japan. He had even witnessed the corpses of humans who had been killed by demons. Although he felt that he had more or less developed a tolerance for it, he was still shocked to see the scene of battle.


    Riko slapped herself hard on the cheek.


    The current Rico was not a high school girl without the strength to fight.


    She has a level of 40 or more, and is one of the strongest in Vafol.


    It shouldn''t be said that she can''t fight.


    Rico''s job is mainly to use magic.


    It''s not just a matter of time before you''ll be able to learn magic of a high degree of difficulty, you need to train for a long period of time. Riko, who has only been in the other world for a short period of time, is only able to use elementary attack magic.


    Even so, that doesn''t mean she''s useless; she has plenty of MP and is able to unleash beginner level magic quite a few times. Even though it is beginner level, it is highly effective when fired in succession. Especially against armies like this one, where there are many weak ones, the beginner''s magic was effective enough to deal heavy damage.


    Rico managed to rouse himself, gathered his courage, and joined the fight.


    He tried to use the beginner level attack magic, ¡¾Arrow of Fire ( Fire Lance)¡¿, towards the enemy soldiers.


    Just before he was about to use it, a thought crossed Rico''s mind, what would happen to the person who was hit by it?


    Rico shook his head. If you don''t shoot here and the city is invaded, you will lose your loved ones. I won''t be safe myself.


    (I have to ... do it ... I have to do it!


    Rico made up his mind and fired ¡¾Fire Lance¡¿ at the enemy soldiers.


    The flaming arrows flew in a straight line towards the enemy soldiers and burned them.


    People were suffering from the attacks I fired. They are dying.


    Rico faced that shocking reality and still kept his heart strong and fought on, with a single-minded determination to protect the city.

 81-81. Victory

    The battle grew more fierce with each passing hour.


    Enemies invaded uninterruptedly from the broken defensive walls.


    No matter how many of them they defeated, there was no end in sight.


    After fighting for so long, Rico''s mind and body were exhausted.


    Still, the enemies that came must be defeated.


    Liko continued to attack the enemy soldiers by releasing magic over and over again.


    Rico continued to shoot his magic so many times that he forgot how many shots he had already fired.


    But in vain for Rico''s efforts, his own soldiers gradually began to be pushed back.


    The numbers were far too different.


    All of the soldiers who had managed to hold back the invading troops in the vanguard were killed, and a large number of enemy soldiers poured into the city.


    One by one, the soldiers on their side were taken out.


    Rico was firing his magic wildly from the roof of a building in the rear, but the enemy was approaching in the vicinity of that building.


    ''''Rico-sama!¡¡If we don''t, the enemy will be here!¡¡Let''s run!


    The magical soldier who was fighting with me nearby shouted that.


    (Run away?¡¡(Here?)


    Rico imagines what would happen if he escaped.


    The inhabitants of this town would be overrun. And of course Aysa would be among them.


    What would happen if enemy soldiers found him?


    Would they be killed, or would they be captured and enslaved for the rest of their miserable lives? Whatever the case, there is no doubt that they will be unhappy.


    Although he wanted to run away now, Rico still couldn''t escape.


    Riko continued to use her magic with all her strength.


    ''''Rico-sama........''''


    The magic soldiers, who were watching them, also began to shoot their magic, not wanting to escape.


    The enemy soldiers find Rico and his friends attacking them with their magic.


    They see that they are on top of the building and enter the building and climb up to the top.


    The soldiers come up to the roof.


    ''Oh, hey, isn''t that a saint?''


    ''There''s the saint!¡¡A saint!¡¡Take him alive!


    If the soldiers were screaming loudly, they would be closing in on Rico.


    He pushed down his fear and used his magic to defeat the approaching soldiers.


    But


    "Oh, what?


    You can''t use your magic.


    The MP has finally run out.


    The other magicians, except for Liko, seem to have run out of MP and are unable to use their magic as well.


    The enemy soldiers are approaching.


    You''re finally giving up.


    f*ck a bunch of guys.


    Hey, don''t do that. They take saints alive.


    Aren''t you allowed to have a little taste? I like it a lot.


    You can''t.


    Rico listened to the enemy soldiers'' conversation with despair.


    There was no longer anything to be done.


    This town is now going to be overrun by enemy soldiers.


    I was unable to defend any of them.


    Riko felt more anger at that fact than fear of the misfortune that was about to befall her.


    If I had gone to the brave man first, this wouldn''t have happened. I should have gone even if they stopped me. Riko deeply regretted her actions.


    Suddenly he realized that his vision was getting darker and darker somehow.


    ''''Shall I help you?''''


    I heard such a voice. It was an inorganic, instinctual, disgusting voice.


    I thought it was an auditory hallucination.


    That it was just an auditory hallucination that he was hearing as he fell into this desperate situation.


    But Rico was so driven that he wanted to hang on to such an auditory hallucination.


    Rico opened his mouth to reply, "Please lend me".


    At that moment.


    "Oshima the Brave has been defeated!


    A loud voice echoed across the battlefield.


    00


    After we had defeated Oshima, we were turning back to Vafol with his body in our arms.


    The battle is going badly and many soldiers are pouring into the city.


    We go up to the city wall first. I climbed onto the bulwark with Meku and Lenya in my arms.


    Then we shouted loudly that we had defeated the brave Oshima.


    But they wouldn''t listen to me. I''m not the loudest person in the room, and the noise of the battlefield drowns me out.


    ''Nuh-uh. I wish I could use a spell to make my voice louder, but I''ve ended up like this.


    Isn''t that something I can use?


    Hm?¡¡You can use magic easily by casting a spell, and Masking''s magic is one of the least difficult to use. You can probably use it, do you have some MP left?


    Yeah.


    I learned the spell from Meku and used the spell.


    Meku told me to use the spell in layers, as the first time I used it, it wouldn''t be as effective, so I used it three times.


    Then I said out loud.


    "Oshima the Brave has been defeated!


    I shouted.


    It was too loud and my ears were in a bad way. The sound was too loud than I expected.


    It''s okay, though, because my ears immediately improved with [Self-Regeneration (Regeneration)].


    Lenya seemed to be fine because she had covered her ears beforehand.


    As expected, the soldiers reacted to this loud voice.


    They turned their gaze towards us.


    Then they see Oshima''s corpse and start buzzing.


    ''''Ah, is that the hero-sama?'''' What do you mean, he''s dead? "Stupid ... was he killed?¡¡Him? Wait a minute, that guy is level one, okay? ''But the brave master is real...''


    He looks upset.


    And then someone, who I assume is the commander.


    ''Don''t get upset!¡¡That''s an enemy trap!


    I try to rebuild the soldiers'' turmoil by shouting, "I''m sorry!


    Reflexively feeling that this is not good, I use ¡¾Meteorite (Meteor)¡¿. I drop it on the battlefield.


    I didn''t just drop one shot, I dropped many shots in a row.


    The level of the meteorite rises and becomes huge, and it rains down on the battlefield.


    Many soldiers were crushed to death by these meteorites.


    "Wow, that''s not a trap. This strength." "That guy really killed the heroes.


    They seemed to understand that I was strong enough to defeat the brave men.


    Some of the soldiers, delirious with fear, began to run away. They are in a state of panic.


    As this happens, the soldiers on the Vafol side who were originally fighting began to take out the enemy soldiers one after another, and the place becomes completely confused. It seems that it''s no longer possible for even the enemy generals to rebuild.


    ''''Retreat!¡¡Retreat!


    The enemy generals shouted and the enemy soldiers began to retreat at once.


    It looks like it was quite a dangerous situation, but you managed to get rid of them. I pat my chest in relief.


    I watch from above as the enemy escapes from the city.


    My eyes suddenly go to the roof of the building.


    Someone is fighting.


    No, that was........


    Rico!


    If you look closely, it''s not so much that they''re fighting, but that they''re about to be taken away in some way.


    I have to go help!


    I hastily jump from the firewall to the roof of the house below.


    I can hear Mek and Lenya''s surprised voices, but I don''t have time to explain.


    I jump over the top of the building and hurry to where Rico is.


    It didn''t take me that long to get to where Rico was, as my physical abilities were very enhanced.


    The enemy soldiers didn''t seem to be trying to kill Rico, they seemed to be trying to take him away.


    The other soldiers are starting to retreat, and they look quite impatient.


    I jumped over to the roof and hit the soldiers in a few seconds, knocking them out.


    ''''Te, Tetsuya-san,''''


    We''ll be fine. We''ve won.


    Rico sat down on the spot, probably because he was relieved.


    ''Thank you...............''


    There were tears in Rico''s eyes as he thanked her for that.


    Somehow we managed to prevent the invasion of the brave men.

 82-82. After victory

    A few days had passed since they drove away the enemy.


    Even though the brave man died, I thought he would attack again, but contrary to my expectations, he did not attack.


    The existence of a brave man must be much bigger than the enemy imagined.


    It''s not a bad idea to have a good time. I don''t know what would have happened if Tetsuya-san hadn''t been there.


    I was thanked again by Rico.


    ''No, I only fought for myself, so you don''t have to thank me.


    ''''Still, let me say. ........At that time, maybe, but I heard the voice of the Abyssal King (Abyss King) that Tetsuya-san was talking about.


    !


    If it hadn''t been for that, he might have been knocked unconscious.


    So.........that''s it.


    I didn''t realize you were in that much of a bind, but you''re lucky you made it in time.


    What''s Rico going to do now?


    I''d like to focus on the reconstruction of the town for a while. Well, the town hasn''t been destroyed to that extent, but the defensive wall is in shambles, and many of the soldiers have died... We need to do something for the bereaved families who are grieving.


    Hearing those words made me realize that Rico was really becoming something of a leader in Vafol. I also felt her strong sense of responsibility for not looking down, even though she must have had some bad experiences in the war.


    ''''What are you going to do now, Tetsuya-san?''''


    ''I guess so. I originally came here to look into the engraving, so I''ll stay and do some research for a while.


    Oh, I see.


    Rico reacted happily when I told him I was staying. I''m happy with that reaction a bit too.


    ''Yes. There are some books in the library that only special people can read, and we can make sure that Tetsuya and the others can read them too.''


    Are you sure?


    Yes, Tetsuya-san is the hero who saved this town. It''s only natural.


    Anyway, I''m glad I''m about to look up some more in-depth information.


    Well, I haven''t finished researching the books that anyone would normally read, so I''ll probably have to finish researching those before I can read any special books.


    I resumed my research in the library with Meku and Lenya.

 83-83. Resuming book search

    After fighting off the brave men, we began the process of searching the library for books with information on the engraving and the Meku''s curse.


    We were told that the cost of entering the library would be waived due to the merit of saving the city, but we decided to pay for the repairs since the brave men had torn the walls to shreds, so we would have to pay for that repair, so we decided to pay here.


    It''s not a big price, so there''s no problem.


    First of all, as before, I decided to read a book that anyone can read and look for clues.


    It was hard to find.


    I even asked Rico to help me along the way.


    It seems that Rico has a lot of things to do after the town was attacked by the brave men.


    She discusses future plans with the top people of Vafol, prays and donates money to heal the bereaved families of soldiers who died in battle, and although she is a girl, she has a high level of strength and muscle power, so she helps repair the defensive wall.


    This seems to have caused her to fall down at times, and her subordinates have forced her to take a day off.


    Rico, who likes to read books, offered to help me do some research to give me a break.


    I felt bad about it, but it didn''t seem to be stressful, so I asked her to help me. The period of time he helped me was three days.


    After that, I continued to search for a while, but I still couldn''t find it easily, and although I checked all the normal books that I could read without permission, I couldn''t find a single book that was about the Mark or Meku''s curse.


    ''Hmmm, I guess there wasn''t one after all...''


    After all, I''ll have to check this place for books I can''t read without permission.


    Mek came to that conclusion.


    When I told the librarian about the situation, she said, "I''ve already received permission from Rico-sama. You''re a quick worker.


    Please follow me.


    The librarian says so and walks away, so I follow him as I''m told.


    Unlocking a door marked "No Entry", the librarian walks in behind it.


    ''This is the room where the special books are stored. You must never take the books out of this room, so please take care of that.


    All right. What books are in here?


    ''It could be a book of forbidden magic it could be a story of history that would shock the average person if they read it, it could be a book of forbidden rituals and techniques... all sorts of things. .....


    I wonder if there are any not-so-good jutsu that are banned anyway that are written in the book.


    I''m guessing that the Mark and the Meku''s Curse aren''t straightforward methods either, so it''s not unnatural for them to be written in the books here.


    The amount of books isn''t small by any means, but compared to the amount of books in general books, it''s not much at all. I think I can finish researching this in a few days.


    ''''Well, let''s get right to it.


    We started reading.

 84-84. Witch of Life

    I started looking for the book and a few hours passed.


    Looking at the title of the book, I first decided whether it seemed to be about the engraving or not, and then I found a book called The Book of Forbidden Arts, which I tried to read.


    The text was understandable, but the sentences written were incoherent and I couldn''t understand the contents as if they were incoherent, so I gave up reading it.


    I thought that maybe Mekku would be able to understand it, so I showed him, and he struggled a lot, but he managed to understand it. However, it did not seem to contain any information about the Mark and the curse.


    After that, I continued to look for books that might have information on the curse and the Mark.


    Much time has passed.


    I''m getting hungry and tired, so I decided to call it a day.


    ''''There wasn''t any today.''''


    Well, it''s not going to be easy to find out from day one.


    The first day came up empty and we went back to the inn.


    The next day I continued to look for books.


    ''This, this book!


    Raina makes a startled sound.


    You found it!¡¡I don''t think so.


    Lenya is looking for books with engravings and curses, but when she finds a book that she personally cares about, she reads it!


    What book do you have on the subject...?


    Mek also knew Lenya, so he asked in a slightly dumbfounded tone.


    ''''The 100 most forbidden dishes!¡¡For a list of dishes that are so good that they''ll kill your spirit if you eat them!


    Sure enough, it was a cookbook.


    But if you eat it, you''ll die because it''s too good to be true. It''s just a book that''s in here.


    "You''re still the same you''re always looking for it, seriously!


    Meow....


    It''s the usual scene when Meku gets mad at you and makes a dent in your life.


    "I''m sorry, nya. I found another one, but do you want this one too...


    It''s gotta be something to do with food, right?


    That''s not true. It''s called "On the Witch of Life".


    See, it''s not........Ri.... The witch of life...?


    That one.


    Lenya showed us a white book.


    The cover was white except for the words about the witch of life in the title.


    ''The Witch of Life....''


    Wasn''t it the witch who put the curse on Meku?


    I can''t say for sure, because I only heard a voice, but I''m sure it was a woman''s voice.


    ''So it could be a witch, then. But a life witch doesn''t sound like something you''d put a curse on.


    I think so too. I think so, too. I''m glad you found me, Lenya.


    "Mya-ha!


    Feeling a little happy at Mek''s praise, Lenya handed Mek a book.


    Mek reads it.


    I''m curious as to what it says about curses, but I continue to search for the book here.


    A few minutes pass without finding a book that looks good.


    Then.


    This is...!


    Mek shouted loudly.


    ''What''s going on?''


    ''No ... um ... well ...''


    Do we have a clue?


    In response to Raina''s question.


    Maybe this life witch is the woman who put the curse on me.


    Mek replied.

 85-85. Destination decision

    What did it say?


    I asked Meku what was in the book.


    It''s about the Witch of Life," he said. It is said that this witch has created a number of unique spells that cannot be used by anyone else. She can heal other people''s wounds in an instant, heal mental wounds, create new life, and so on... that''s why she''s called the Witch of Life.


    He doesn''t sound like a bad guy from what I''ve heard.


    I read that she is basically a good being, but sometimes she can turn people into stuffed animals. This is exactly what the Witch of Life did to me, and there is no doubt about it.


    Meku said, and showed me the book to me where it was described.


    Indeed, it says that the Witch of Life sometimes turns other people into stuffed animals, for reasons that are not known.


    ''But how old is this book?¡¡I wonder if they''ve been around that long, the witches of life. Are they still alive today?


    This book must have been written decades ago. The Witch of Life has existed for hundreds of years before this book was written. It seems to have the ability to prolong life. Well, I don''t know if she''s still alive today, but basically, curses and magic can be broken when the user dies. I think there''s a good chance he''s still alive.


    Well, it seems that witches'' magic is special, and it could be different from normal magic.


    If the one you cast is dead, but Meku''s magic hasn''t been broken, then we''re in limbo. We''d better believe it''s alive.


    But it basically says they''re good, which kind of pisses me off. Then why do you have me as a stuffed animal?


    Did I do something wrong, Master?


    I didn''t do anything!¡¡....maybe.


    I don''t know why you seem a little unsure...


    Well, I was a bit of a miscreant in the past, but I don''t remember doing anything so bad that I had to be treated like this. I still don''t forgive the Witch of Life. I don''t care if she''s somewhat good or not, if I meet her and make her break the curse, I''ll punch her once. No, I''m not going to hit you, I''m going to visit you with an ice spear.


    Meku''s anger slowly rises as he finds out who he should be angry with.


    ''Where is this life witch?''


    When this book was written, they said they were building their home in a place called the Forest of Lucfana. It says that the forest is located in the kingdom of Clenfoss. It says that it is the kingdom of Clenfoss, ruled by beastmen. The country must have been quite far from here, as I recall. Well, according to information from a long time ago, it is possible that they have already changed their homes.


    ''But there might be some clues if you go, and I think you should go.


    Well, then, prepare to travel to the kingdom of Clenfoss...


    And after going this far, Mek looks at me and Raina''s face.


    ''This may be an event unrelated to your mark, so you may stay here and investigate...''


    ''What''s with all the watery stuff you''re saying now? It might not have anything to do with the imprint, but I don''t see how you can let him go with just Meku.


    Yes. I''ll go with you.


    Yeah, well...


    Mek says, sounding a little relieved.


    I understand. Even if I return to my original form on this trip, I will not return to my country until the Mark of Tetsuya is removed. I promise you that.


    ''I''m starting to feel bad for the people of Faracion when they promise me something like that...''


    It''s going to be okay with Saku, not Faracion.


    It seems like that Saku-san was the most troubled by Meku''s absence.


    Well, without Meku, I don''t think I''ll know what to do as soon as he''s gone. Sometimes it''s because of Mek''s advice that I''ve been able to get this far. I think I''m going to be a little, or rather quite nervous about adventuring with Meku, who has returned to his original form.


    Then let''s get ready to go to Krenfoss. Well then, let''s start preparing for our journey to Clenfoss, it''s far away, so we must prepare carefully.


    We left the library and began to prepare to make our way to Krenfoss.

 86-86. Departure

    Well, in that case, good luck to you all.


    As we finished our preparations and left Vafol, we said goodbye to Rico for a while.


    Liko still has a lot of work to do in rebuilding the city, so she can''t accompany us on our journey. I''m not going to be able to go with you on your journey because there are still things to do to rebuild the city.


    ''''I still have to go to the library to find out about my imprint as well, so I''ll be back here again.


    Yes, I''ll be waiting for you.


    At the end, Rico saw us off with a smile on his face.


    Apparently it''s a long way to get to the Kingdom of Krenfoss, where Lukfana Forest is located.


    We didn''t use carriages and other vehicles to get there, we walked.


    There''s one reason why carriages cost money, but there''s another reason why Lenya and I are quicker to go there in the flesh. Meku is slow, but since he''s on my back, it''s not much of a problem.


    There''s also the advantage of being able to defeat demons along the way and strengthen our status.


    But anyway, just because it''s so far away, it was really far away, so I spent 60 days before I reached the Kingdom of Clenfoss.


    If you keep moving for 60 days, you''re going to get tired.


    By the way, I''ve absorbed all the demons I defeated along the way, and this brings my status to...


    Name: Tetsuya Takahashi


    Age 25


    Level 1/1


    HP 2302/2302


    MP 1765/1765


    Attack power 1455.


    Defensive value 1533.


    Speed 1456.


    Skill Points 2


    Skills¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿¡¾Appraisal Lv 5¡¿¡¾Meteorite (Meteorite) Lv 8¡¿¡¾Strong Acid Shot (Acid Shot) Lv 3¡¿¡¾Thunderbolt (Thunder Shock) Lv 4¡¿¡¾Sucking Thread (Absorbed Thread) Lv 2¡¿¡¾Flame Ball (Flame Ball) Lv 7¡¿¡¾Weakness Warding (Core Guard) Lv 2¡¿¡¾Dark Blast (Dark Blast) Lv10], [Liberation (Release) Lv2], [Legendary (Legendary Mode)], [Regeneration (Regen)], [Poison Hand (Poison Hand) Lv2]


    Resistance [Poison resistance Lv 5], [Lightning resistance Lv 5], [Flame resistance Lv 5], [Ice resistance Lv 3]


    This is what happened.


    That''s an unbelievable breakthrough considering the early days.


    I actively raised the skill [Dark Blast (Dark Blast) Lv10].


    The most powerful one is Meteorite (Meteorite Meteo) Lv 8, but it''s a bit difficult to use, so I decided to raise Dark Blast Lv 10.


    At Lv.10, it''s a lot more powerful. With this, she can kill even the most powerful enemies in a single strike.


    Also, I''ve gained the Poison Hand, a skill that poisons anything it touches.


    This in itself isn''t that strong of a skill. It''s also the fact that I haven''t encountered any enemies that I had to use poison to defeat on purpose.


    And there was one problem, after I acquired this [Poison Hand], I almost got another skill, but then I was told that I couldn''t get any more skills.


    I asked Meku about it, and he told me that there''s a limit to how many skills you can gain, depending on the individual.


    If you want to learn a new skill even though you''ve reached the limit, you can use a potion that releases the limit, or a potion that makes you forget about the skills you''ve already learned, both of which are expensive.


    Both are said to be expensive.


    But the Forgetfulness Potion is not at a level where I can''t buy it, and there are some unnecessary skills that I''m not using at the moment, so I''m going to buy them with money next time.


    We continued walking around the Kingdom of Krenfoss, stopping once to check out the royal capital.


    ''So this is the royal capital of Clenfoss...''


    There''s a lot of guys like me.


    It was a town full of beastmen everywhere.


    There were many different species in Vafol, so naturally there were beastmen as well, but there weren''t this many of them.


    Is it unusual for humans to come here, I can see a lot of them.


    By the way, Meku is being carried on my back, so I''m currently only seeing a plush toy.


    Because it is a town full of something very otherworldly, I would have liked to see more of the city, but today is just a stopover, I intend to leave as soon as the night is over.


    It''s a nostalgic feeling. Why do I feel nostalgic?¡¡I''ve never been to this city before.


    Raina said as she looked at the city.


    Come to think of it, Lenya said she had no memory of what happened before she fell into the Valley of Death.


    Could it be that she is from this country or something?


    I''m not sure if you are from this country or not. You must get your memory back too.


    ''What?¡¡I don''t mind. Even if I don''t have any memories, I''m always happy when I''m with Tetsuya and my master.


    There didn''t seem to be any lies in those words of Raina. She seemed as if she was not interested in the memories of the past.


    ''''No, it can''t be that way, can it?


    Well if there''s a clue in this town, why don''t you look for it?


    ''You really don''t need to remember it~. This time, it''s a trip to undo my master, so I''ll remember it later.


    Well, I suppose you''re right. But we''ll come back to this place after this journey is over.


    I decided not to take a stroll through the town this time to try to regain Lenya''s memory and ask her where Lucfana''s Forest is.


    I heard that Lucfana Forest is located a little south of the capital, near a village called Toka.


    We stayed at an inn in King''s Landing and headed to Toka.

 87-87. Witchs residence

    Early in the morning, we left the royal capital and walked towards Toka.


    Since we walked on a reasonably well maintained road, we didn''t run into any demons along the way.


    I wanted to get there as soon as possible because I wanted to lift Meku''s curse as soon as possible, so I didn''t even bother to imitate looking for a demon to defeat.


    It didn''t take us too long to get to Toka, and we were there before the sun went down.


    When I arrived, my first impression was that it was an idyllic village.


    It is a beastly village, but there is not a single ketsey like Raina, and it seems to be inhabited almost entirely by a wolf beastly lycanthrope.


    I decided to find out more information about the forest from the villagers.


    ''Do you have a moment?''


    He calls out to a lycanthrope man walking through the village.


    ''What is it?''¡¡Are you human?¡¡It''s very unusual for a human to come to this village.


    Humans still didn''t seem to come much, but they didn''t seem to be that hostile.


    ''''Is the Forest of Lucfana near this village?''''


    Yeah. The forest to the north of here. But I don''t think you should go there, ''cause it''s a very dangerous place.


    Is it dangerous?


    ''Yeah, no one in this village is going to enter. The level of the demons is just too high. Unless you''re also very confident in your skills, you shouldn''t go in there.


    I can tell you that I''m very confident in my arm.


    There''s no harm in going in, even if it''s dangerous.


    ''I came here because I heard that there is a life witch in the forest of Lucfana, do you have any idea what you''re talking about?


    "...the witch of life?¡¡Come to think of it, it''s a rumor, but I don''t think I''ve heard of a witch''s house in the forest or something. But I don''t know much about it. Because I''ve never been in it, in the forest of Lucfana.


    Okay.


    I asked the others, but they had pretty much the same reaction.


    It would take time to talk to all of them, so I decided to ask them if they knew anyone who could help me next.


    Then.


    ''Maybe the village chief would know something about it. He''s an old man now, but he used to be strong and went to Lucfana Forest a few times. I think the village chief told me about the witches, too.


    We were able to ask for information about the village chief.


    After hearing where he lived, we made our way to the village chief''s house.


    "There you are.


    The village chief seemed to live in a large house.


    There was a woman cleaning the area near the house, so I spoke to her.


    ''I''ve heard that the village chief lives here...''


    ''Humans...?¡¡That''s unusual. What do you want with the village chief?


    ''I just wanted to talk to you about the witches that live in the forest of Lucfana...''


    ''The witch?¡¡Well, I think I heard something like that once. Oh, I''m Saman''s daughter Cansey, the village chief''s daughter. I''ll be back in a minute.


    Cansey goes into the house.


    She comes back a few moments later.


    ''They''ll talk to you. He was hoping that someone would listen to him about the witch. The people in the village weren''t very interested.


    That''s what he said.


    He''s going to talk to me.


    We''re going to go inside.


    "You are the one who wants to hear about the witch.


    The moment I entered, a shout came flying in.


    An old lycanthrope man with several wrinkles on his face came towards us.


    ''You''ll have to listen to me as soon as possible.


    He didn''t introduce himself or anything, but suddenly started talking.


    Apparently, he was quite eager to talk.


    It was several decades ago that I met the witch. I used to be very strong. The vicious demons in the forest of Lucfana could have been defeated by me. Not anymore. I was hunting in the forest that day, and when I had finished my catch, I found a house. How could there be a house in the forest?¡¡I thought so. Of course. There were few people in the forest except me. I checked it out, and found traces of human habitation. It wasn''t a house that had been inhabited in the past, but one that was still occupied. I was surprised to see a beautiful woman when I entered the house. She wasn''t a beastman, but a witch.


    "Witches?


    They are a powerful race with high magical powers. It is a powerful race with horns. He called himself the Witch of Life. He was a very friendly person and we became friends right away. The next time I went to the forest, I went to the place where the house was, and I found that it was there, but the witch had disappeared.


    Are you there?


    Well, I haven''t seen you since then. I wish I could see him again, but...


    Apparently, he doesn''t live there now.


    But you do have a house, don''t you?¡¡Maybe there''s a clue as to where you are now.


    A clue... although I didn''t really look inside, I didn''t want to be rude. What do you guys want to see the witch for?


    I told him about Mek''s situation.


    "I thought it was some kind of rare beastman, but it was cursed to take on that form. But I don''t think that the witch would do such a thing.......must be some kind of mistake?


    ''I did read in the book that they can be made into plush toys. Well, there''s no denying the possibility that it''s a mistake, but I can''t tell if it''s true or not until I see it and hear what it says. In any case, unless I find out what happened and hear what he had to say, I won''t be able to tell if it''s true or not.


    That''s true, but...


    So, what part of the forest would that life witch be located in?


    You''re going into the woods?¡¡Do you remember your arm?


    Yeah, I think I''m okay.


    You have a lot of confidence. Well, I''m not going to stop you. It would be quicker if I could show you the way, but I''m too old to do that. There is a huge tree in the middle of the forest. It''s so tall that it''s easy to see from the outside. If you go there and then westward from the tree, you will find a house.


    We were given the location.


    I thanked him and we headed off to Lucfana Forest.

 88-88. Enter the forest

    Just a few minutes'' walk from Toka Village was the forest of Lucfana.


    Indeed, as we were told, there is a huge tree in the center of the forest.


    I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who are interested in this.


    It''s a really big tree!


    I wonder how long it would have taken for them to get that big. Well, that would make a great landmark.


    If it''s that big, we can aim for it without getting lost.


    We walked into the forest and aimed for the tree.


    We walked into the forest, and a few minutes later.


    You come across a demon.


    It''s a big lizard that walks on two legs.


    It''s a lizardman, but it differs from an ordinary lizardman in a few ways.


    First of all, its body color is yellow. It is usually green.


    It also has horns, which are chattering and electrically charged.


    And it was one size larger than a normal Lizardman.


    I''ll use ¡¾Appraisal¡¿ to check it out.


    (Thunder Lizardman Lv.33/43)


    A thunder tinged lizardman. He is an extremely powerful electrician.


    If attacked by a weak point, his horns will be disabled for several minutes.


    HP 222/222.


    MP 32/32


    Skill [Thunder Shock, Lv 3]


    Resistance [Electric Resistance Lv. 10]


    I''ve also given [Appraisal] a trip, and now that I''m at level 5, I can even see their weaknesses and skills.


    He''s not a weak demon, but........well, he''s not my enemy.


    ''''This is where I''m going to go for Atashi!


    and hit the lizardman with the knuckles that Lenya was equipped with.


    Lenya''s level has also increased significantly during the fight with the heroes and during the journey, reaching 52.


    Because of the level difference, Lenya overwhelmed the Thunder Lizardman with her performance.


    He won easily.


    ''''I won!''''


    I remember Thunder Lizardman as a powerful enemy. Rainier has grown up.


    Heh.


    Then I absorb the Thunder Lizardman.


    HP up 55, MP up 8, attack power up 13, defense up 11, speed up 10, and gain 3 skill points.


    How many demons at this level are there in this forest?


    I''ll be pretty strong here too, if I can get out of here often enough.


    We walked through the forest with the giant tree as our target.


    When the giant tree was out of sight, for example, I jumped to check it out.


    With my current jumping ability, it is possible to fly above the height of a normal tree.


    The Thunder Lizardman didn''t appear a second time, but demons that were close to that strong appeared in their own right.


    They didn''t struggle at all, and they were killed and absorbed from one side to the other.


    We didn''t come across too many strong demons on the journey, so we weren''t able to grow that fast, but this time we were growing quite fast.


    From now on, he would be willing to go to places that were said to be dangerous.


    After a few hours of walking, we arrived at the base of the giant tree.


    It''s even bigger when you see it up close. It''s even bigger when you see it up close, and it''s so thick.


    The thickness of the tree was remarkable.


    It would take several minutes just to go around it.


    We should have gone west from here. Do you have a compass, Tetsuya?


    Yeah.


    I had bought a compass to check the direction, I had bought it before and carried it with me at all times, because I wanted to keep it with me for my travels.


    I take the compass out of my pocket and find out which way is west.


    ''This way. Let''s go.


    Once West figured out which way it was, we started walking in that direction.

 89-89. New clues

    Walk from the giant tree to the west side.


    We walked while defeating the demons. There were some demons that were of a reasonably high level, but not enough of them to make me struggle.


    After an hour or so of walking.


    Oh, isn''t that what I think it is?


    I saw a ramshackle hut in the corner of my eye.


    Maybe it is.


    It''s a ramshackle shack.


    I go up to him and check.


    "Hmm, I thought it was possible that he may have left for a time and come back here, but I don''t think that''s likely with the way things are going.


    The hut is in such disrepair that it has been abandoned for decades.


    It was hard to believe that anyone lived here.


    ''Let''s go in and check it out.


    Yeah.


    We go inside the hut.


    The door was broken, so we were able to get inside without opening it.


    The inside of the house was in shambles, but there was a magic circle on the floor, an old pot, and a tattered book on the floor, so the atmosphere of a witch living there was still there, though it was faint.


    I don''t know if this is the Witch of Life or not, but there is no doubt that a witch lived here. "I don''t know if there is a life witch or not, but there is no doubt that a witch lived there, so is there no clue where she went?


    We searched the shed.


    With some resistance, we searched every inch of the wardrobe and shelves.


    Meku had no sense of propriety towards the one who had put a curse on me, and he was rummaging through the room without any reservation at all.


    ''''This.........''''


    What''s going on?


    Mek seems to have found something and I go to look at it.


    He seems to have found a sheet of paper.


    It has a map of the world on it.


    Look at this. It''s marked with a circle.


    It''s true. It also says, "Next stop. Is he here?


    It only says destination, so I don''t know, but if you don''t have a clue what else to do, I suppose we''ll have to go here. But this is Mount Ten North....


    Ten North Mountain?


    The place marked with this is where the mountain is called Ten North Mountain. This mountain is quite famous. It is known as the second highest mountain in the world. The location must have been in the Harkard Empire. The Empire of the Dragon Men. It is also known as the largest country in the world. I remember that it was a neighboring country and that they didn''t get along with this country very well. The truce has now been suspended, but battles have occurred many times.


    The Dragon Men are a race of dragons with wings, tails and horns.


    They are fundamentally different from lizardmen, and apparently they can snap when they are treated like lizardmen. I''ve seen them a few times myself.


    Maybe it''s not that far away if they''re adjacent to each other, but it''s a hassle to have to go somewhere else again.


    I can''t help but feel like I''m going to get tossed around at this rate.


    ''Let''s go here anyway.


    It''s quite possible that they''re not there anymore, but we have no other clue.


    We decide on Ten North Mountain as our next destination.

 90-90. Dragon Town

    We quickly left the forest and headed to the Harkard Empire.


    It wasn''t that far away since it was a neighboring country. After walking for a few days, we arrived.


    We stopped at a small town near the border with the Clenfoss Kingdom.


    A town called Almake, apparently.


    Entering the town, it was full of dragons, like the country of the dragon people.


    However, the townspeople are not looking at us very well.


    Especially the beastman, Lenya, seems to be disliked, and was blatantly looked at in an unpleasant manner. It seemed that they weren''t currently fighting, though, so it didn''t seem to be a problem to go in for a while.


    Ten North Mountain is a famous mountain, but Meku didn''t even know the location of the mountain in detail.


    First of all, let''s ask where Mount Ten North is located here.


    However, it seems that not only the beastman Lenya, but also I, a human, am not very favorable to him, and he ignores me quite a bit.


    After about the fifth person, I finally met a dragon man who would listen to me.


    ''''Ah?¡¡Ten North Mountain?¡¡What''s the use of humans and beastmen in a place like that?


    Even though he''s willing to listen to me, it''s pretty nasty.


    It''s far better than ignoring him.


    ''I''m looking for someone...''


    ''Mount Ten North is the northernmost part of the Empire and it''s dangerous, to say the least. It''s home to dragons. Well, I don''t give a d*mn what happens to humans and beastmen.


    ''It''s hard to tell if it''s north, can you give me more details on where it is?


    It''s a hassle. You can see the mountains to the north, so just keep hitting them.


    Is that the proper way to get there?


    How far is it?


    It''ll take us 20 days to get there on foot.


    Twenty days.


    Well, we could get there a lot quicker than that but that would still take ten days, right?


    The road bank is getting a little tougher.


    The current amount of money won''t be enough to move for ten days.


    I have to earn the money.


    I don''t know if there''s an adventurer''s guild in this country, but with the way things are going, I''m going to sign up for it.


    would be impossible.


    Is the best way to defeat the demon and sell its materials?


    Up until now, I''ve avoided selling materials because I couldn''t use ¡¾Corpse Absorption¡¿, but at this point, I don''t have a choice.


    Anyway, let''s find an inn for today.


    The sun is starting to set, you know.


    Anyway, can we stay at the inn?


    Let''s check it out.


    The first inn said no beastmen are allowed. It seems impossible.


    We went to the next inn, but there was a sign saying no beastmen allowed here, too.


    I feel bad about it.


    It''s not for Lenya to apologize.


    It seems that this town really doesn''t like beastmen. Well, they''ve been at war for a long time, and it''s not unreasonable to say that Lenya is a Ketsey, but she''s not a citizen of Clenfoss, and that''s unreasonable.


    After looking at a few places, we finally found an inn that didn''t allow beastmen.


    When we entered the inn, we didn''t get a good look and were probably charged a bit of a premium for our stay, but we were able to stay.


    Anyway, the road silver is about to get a hold of me. And it was quite expensive. Let''s make some money in this town for once.''''


    Well, I wouldn''t want to stay too long, but it''s not a bad time to be here.


    I don''t get a good look from the residents too much, so I''d really like to get the hell out of here.


    We''re stronger now, and it probably won''t take much time to at least earn some road silver.


    Then night fell and we went to sleep.

 91-91. Dragon

    The next day, we asked the town''s dragon man where we could find strong demons in order to gather materials. Materials from strong demons are often sold at a high price.


    After investigating, we found out that there is a strong demon in the Andorra Cave, a cave in the north of town.


    We headed there as soon as possible.


    However.


    ''You''ve been tricked...''


    There was indeed a cave on the north side of the town, but there were no strong demons.


    They were all goblins, or slimes, or other small fry-grade demons.


    I don''t like humans and beastmen very much, so I wonder if they gave me the wrong places to go.


    Or did they look at my level and teach me a lie out of kindness that they wouldn''t let me go to a difficult place? No, that''s not right? Then you can point out the low level and tell them where this place is. There''s no need to tell them the location of the lie.


    Since we only defeated low-level demons, we didn''t earn much money.


    It took quite a long time to get to the cave, so it was nighttime by the time we got back.


    The first day would be more of an expense than they earned for lodging and food.


    There may be an Adventurers'' Guild in this town. You can''t trust the townspeople.


    On Mek''s advice, the next day we headed to the Adventurer''s Guild.


    ''A place with strong demons?¡¡........you''re on a low level, man. I can''t teach you.


    The man at the reception desk of the Adventurer''s Guild said that. It seems he measured my level in a level search.


    ''''If you look closely, there''s a beastman behind you and I can''t tell you. Go home.


    That''s what I was told and I was kicked out.


    It''s a bit of a hassle, but you might want to come back to the Kingdom of Clenfoss and earn some money first.


    So I turned back.


    A tremendous voice rang out.


    The voice came from the sky.


    I looked up in surprise.


    Na!


    I yelled out in surprise.


    Something big was flying in the sky.


    Like a lizard.


    That was probably.........


    ''Dragons!¡¡The dragons are here!


    That''s right.


    It''s a dragon, right?


    The dragon people in town are making a lot of noise.


    Apparently, they are quite frightened of the coming of the dragons.


    Apparently, they are quite afraid of dragons. They don''t seem to be one of them.


    That dragon is clearly coming to our town.


    I''ve been watching them for a while now.


    "Fire Dragon, Lv.55/67.


    A dragon that specializes in firebreaths that can melt even iron. Its defense is high, but it is relatively weak against magical attacks.


    HP 499/499.


    MP 212/212


    Skills [Firebreath Lv 7]


    Resistance [Flame Resistance Lv. 10]


    It''s pretty strong, but not to a level where you can''t beat it.


    When I first came to the other world. The earth dragon I met was an incredibly strong guy, considering the power of his status increase, but this guy doesn''t seem to be that strong. That was probably a special strong guy among dragons.


    If I beat him, I might get a favorable impression from the dragonman and become an adventurer, or rather, if I sell the materials I can get from the dragon, I might be able to get a lot of money.


    And if you leave them alone before that, you could do a lot of damage to the town. I''ve been treated with salt, but it''s not a good way to wake up and abandon them.


    I decided to slay the dragons that attacked me.

 92-92. Exterminate

    ''Tetsuya!¡¡Are you going to slay a dragon?


    Yeah, I think I can take it down.


    It''s true........you can even defeat a dragon? That''s terrifying.


    Mek said.


    Dragons seem to be the higher level demons in this world.


    I was going to attack the dragon, but it is currently flying quite high and I have no way to attack it.


    However, it seems that it is definitely trying to attack this town.


    If it wasn''t going to attack, it would normally fly away immediately, but this dragon is flying in circles over the town.


    Maybe it is assessing its prey.


    After watching the dragon''s departure for a while, it suddenly began to swoop down.


    Then it landed in town.


    I hurriedly headed to the place where the dragon had landed.


    It wasn''t that far away, so I soon reached it.


    ''''Help!!!''''


    A child dragonman was attacked by a dragon.


    Maybe it''s trying to eat him?


    Dragons are like bait for dragons.


    I hurriedly released ¡¾Dark Blast¡¿ and attacked the dragon''s face.


    ''''Ggaaaaah!


    The dragon was terrified with pain.


    I couldn''t kill it with a single blow, but I managed to cut its HP down by more than half.


    It''s going to be easier to defeat it than I thought.


    When I released another blow ¡¾Dark Blast¡¿, the dragon let out a scream of despair and fell down and died.


    As I easily defeat the dragon, the dragonmen who were watching around me start buzzing around me.


    ''''Do, you defeated the dragon...?'''' That''s ridiculous.....


    He can''t seem to believe that I, a marginal level 1, have defeated a dragon, even though he actually saw it with his own eyes.


    ''''Te, Tezuya, you''re early~.......you already defeated it?


    You beat him in a few dozen seconds, Lord...


    I hurried over to the dragon and I had left Lenya and Meku behind.


    He was surprised to see that I had already beaten them when I rushed over.


    ''Can you sell this guy''s materials?''


    Dragons can sell their scales, horns, claws, eyes, and flesh, all of which are very valuable. And it''s all very valuable.


    That''s right.


    I don''t want to dismantle it, or sell the whole body to the merchants in this town.


    But you can''t carry it all the way to the market if it''s this big, can you?


    Hmmm, what should we do?


    They''re killing the dragon!


    Someone shouted.


    When he checked to see who had heard the voice, he saw an old man dressed in luxurious clothes, with an armed dragon man in tow.


    He seemed to be extremely surprised.


    ''''Duh, who defeated him?''''


    That''s me.


    "Lie to me, you''re a marginal level one!


    ''No, it''s true. I''ve been around and I''ve seen some people watching and listen.


    The old man would check to see if it was true.


    He told me honestly that I defeated him.


    ''You want the liver?¡¡How much is that going to cost?


    300,000 gold...


    Three hundred thousand?


    It was an unbelievable price.


    For three hundred thousand, you could live with it for a few years playing with it.


    ''If you want it so badly, can''t you buy it?


    But I don''t have any, and I only have 150,000 gold right now.


    Half.


    No, it''s enough.


    I''ll give you the price. Oh, I don''t want the liver, I want the whole dragon.


    ''What?¡¡There are other parts of the dragon''s corpse that can be sold, so it''s going to cost you five hundred thousand gold!


    Seriously, it''s that expensive?


    Well, now that I''ve made the journey to regain Meku''s body as soon as possible, and if it''s that high, it''s going to take a long time to get a buyer, I''ll sell it to this old man.


    ''''No problem, just 150,000 gold.


    I''ll bring you 150,000 gold right now!


    The old man hurriedly left, and after a while he brought the 150,000 gold and handed me the money while thanking me for my help.


    Anyway, you''ve got a lot of money.


    This should be enough.


    ''''But what do you use the liver of a dragon for, Nya~. I wonder if it''s good for you~


    Lenya said curiously.


    I was certainly curious about that.


    It is used to heal the sick. Someone must be sick.


    It looks like he was desperate to get it, and I''m sure someone pretty important is sick.


    It felt like a good thing to do somehow.


    We''d made our money, and we walked out of town and towards Ten North Mountain.

 93-93. To Mt. Tennorth

    Before leaving the town, I had received a map of the Harkard Empire from the old man who bought me the dragon''s liver.


    It seems that there is a place called Shamud Village near Mount Ten North.


    First of all, let''s stop by there and collect information on Ten North Mountain.


    It is quite far.


    It will take at least fifteen days to arrive.


    Looking at the map, the Harkard Empire seems to be a rather large country.


    The territory itself is considerably larger than the Kingdom of Clenfoss.


    Even so, the forces seem to be evenly matched, is it because the beastmen are good at fighting?


    We continue walking towards the village of Shamud.


    Again, we wanted to get to Ten North Mountain as soon as possible, so we didn''t hunt demons along the way.


    On the way, we stopped at the imperial capital to buy supplies and other things, and after ten days of long travel, we arrived at Shamud after ten days.


    ''''It''s cold nyah~...''''


    Shamud was a very cold place.


    Snow was falling steadily.


    When I stopped by the imperial capital beforehand, I had heard that the village of Shamdouh was a cold place, so I wore heavy clothing.


    However, to be honest, I don''t feel the cold so much even though I''m wearing light clothes.


    When I was in Japan, I was a bit of a cold person, but.....


    Maybe it''s because she has [Ice Resistance], but I''m not sure how it actually is.


    Lenya, who doesn''t have ¡¾Ice Resistance¡¿, looks very cold, shivering and shivering despite wearing thick clothes.


    ''''But when you get to this point, the size of the mountain is overwhelming, as expected.


    Mek muttered.


    The Ten North Mountain was in the distance of his gaze.


    The Ten North Mountain from Shamud Village was that big.


    How many thousands of meters high was it?


    It might even be bigger than Mt.


    I''d like to gather information on the witch who lives in that mountain, but...


    There''s only a dragon here...


    Surprisingly, I saw races other than the Dragon Men in the Imperial City.


    There weren''t any beastmen, but the humans seemed to live there, at least the ones other than me.


    There seemed to be only dragonmen in this village.


    Will they be taken advantage of?


    You''re a rare visitor. Welcome to Shamud Village.


    A middle-aged woman with a mild expression on her face, a dragoness, approached us.


    Then the dragonites gathered and looked at us curiously.


    Apparently, there is a difference in culture between the dragon-humans living in this Shamud village and the dragon-humans living in the imperial capital and Almake.


    The dragon people around here look kindly on the beastman Rainya, let alone humans.


    Is it because the village is located far from the border that they do not have a bad impression of the different races?


    Or is it just a village full of people with large vessels?


    Well, I don''t care either way.


    At this rate, we''ll be able to hear the story.


    ''I''ve been wondering if there might be a witch on Mount Ten North, have you heard any rumors or anything?


    ''What?¡¡Witches in the Ten North Mountains?¡¡I''ve never heard of you. I mean, if you''re there, if you were, we''re going to Ten North Mountain, you guys.


    ''Yes, but...''


    No. No. That''s the place where the Dragon God resides. You can''t just walk in there and get killed.


    The Dragon God?


    That sure sounds like a bad guy.


    You might not be able to beat the gods.


    "Hey, come on, don''t scare me. Godd*mn dragons don''t have time for dragons and humans.


    The dragon man who had been listening to the conversation said so.


    I''m sure that even if you put that aside, there''s no doubt that Ten North Mountain is a dangerous place with a nest of Ancient Dragons. I suggest you don''t go there, and I don''t think there are any witches there to begin with.


    ''Ancient dragons are another name for a terrible being.


    Mek mutters in surprise.


    ''Are you strong?''


    It''s hard to know if they are strong or not because no one has ever faced an Ancient Dragon for real in this day and age. Well, according to the lore, they are capable of causing natural disasters.


    That also sounds ... strong.


    Hmm, I wonder if the Life Witch isn''t here after all?


    Are you looking for a witch?


    A woman approached me from behind.


    When I turned around to see the owner of the voice, I saw a petite dragon woman standing there.


    ''Yes, but...''


    A few years ago, I went up to the Ten North Mountains just out of curiosity. I was attacked by a wyvern, and as I was about to die, the witch saved me.


    Is that true?¡¡Did that witch call herself the Witch of Life?


    ''''The witch of life... if you say so, I guess it was... it was quite a long time ago and I was still a child, so I don''t have a clear memory of it. But I certainly remember being saved by the witch-sama.


    Do you know what part of the mountain they live in or something?


    Well I do remember hearing that you live near the summit.


    "The summit...


    I look at the mountains.


    It would be difficult for an ordinary person to live at the top of this mountain.


    The air is probably thin, and more importantly, it looks deathly cold.


    I wonder if the witch of life is using her magic to make it work?


    ''Oh, but come to think of it, the sight of you reminds me of that.


    The dragoness turned her gaze to Meku and said.


    ''What did you remember when you saw me?''


    ''The witch saved me and then carried me close to the village, but then when she left, she returned looking like you.


    What the hell?


    Did he look like Meku, or did he go home as a stuffed animal?


    I don''t know what that means.


    Does that mean you put a curse on yourself as well?


    Why do I have to do that?


    Meku is thinking about it, but he doesn''t seem to understand.


    I don''t understand, but I think it''s possible that the Witch of Life has put a curse on me. All right, let''s get up Mount Ten-North right away!


    We left the village and headed for Ten North Mountain.

 94-94. Climb the mountain

    We entered Ten North Mountain.


    The mountain trail was relatively well maintained.


    It will not be a stone''s throw to the top, but it''s nice and easy to walk on a well maintained path just in the beginning.


    I came across a demon immediately while walking.


    It is a snake demon.


    It is white in color.


    It is quite large compared to a normal snake.


    Let''s see what it is.


    Ice Giant Snake Lv.42/44


    A large snake demon with the attribute of ice. It uses ¡¾Ice Fang (Ice Fang)¡¿, which freezes anything it bites, and ¡¾Ice Breath¡¿, which blows ice breath.


    Its weak point is its flame-based attacks.


    HP 442/442


    MP 31/31


    Skills [Ice Fang (Ice Fang) Lv 4] [Ice Breath Lv 5]


    Resistance [Ice Resistance Lv. 10]


    It seems to be an ice attribute.


    The fact that it''s a difficult place to get to means there are some pretty strong enemies out there.


    If an ordinary person were to enter this one, they would be killed in a heartbeat.


    Since the flame attribute attack is the weak point, I attack with the flame ball.


    I was able to remove 70% of the enemy''s HP with a single blow.


    I fired another shot to finish it off.


    Ice Giant Snake''s corpse is absorbed.


    110 HP up, 8 MP up, 16 attack power up, 18 defense power up, 5 speed up, and 4 skill points gained.


    We continue climbing up the mountain.


    ''Oh, there''s something coming!


    Lenya shouted at the sky.


    Several large birds were descending rapidly towards us from the sky above.


    No, those were birds, I mean........


    A small dragon?


    It''s a wyvern. It''s a wyvern. It''s an ice wyvern. It''s white. He''s not bad, but he''s weaker than a dragon.


    Mek said.


    I was going to appraise him, but I decided not to since he was coming towards us quite fast.


    Well, the information from Meku is enough.


    Since it''s an Ice Wyvern, that guy must have a weakness for the flame attribute as well.


    Since this mountain is a cold place, there must be many enemies with the ice attribute.


    I shoot down the Ice Wyvern with ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿.


    Its flight speed was fast enough to avoid it.


    I keep shooting at them continuously, but they don''t hit easily.


    However, it didn''t avoid all of them, and it hit one of them.


    Its durability seemed to be quite low, and it crashed with a single hit. It was probably dead.


    Three of the remaining Ice Wyverns attacked us.


    Raina successfully avoided the attacks and put an attack into the Wyvern''s head.


    The wyvern doesn''t die, but its head is shaken hard and it falls to the ground, stopping the action.


    The wyvern was coming at me as well, but I didn''t avoid the attack, I took it.


    It bit me, but it did no damage.


    Perhaps this wyvern is also using the Ice Fang that Ice Giant Snake was using earlier, but it doesn''t have much effect on me, who has ice resistance. I only think it''s a little chilly.


    I attacked the head of the Ice Wyvern with my hand sword.


    The high attack power of my hand sword easily cut off the head of an ice wyvern.


    The other one is........


    Noooooooo!¡¡Help me!


    Mek was trapped by the legs of the Ice Wyvern and was about to be taken away.


    ''Mek!''


    Master!


    I hurriedly hit the ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿ and tried to shoot down the Ice Wyvern.


    As it was about to fly away, the ice wyvern that I wasn''t able to see was not in my line of sight, and I couldn''t avoid it, so it was a direct hit.


    Wyvern and Meku fall together.


    They rush to the fall site.


    "Are you okay, Mek!


    Oh, that was a close one.


    ''I thought they were going to take you away. I wonder if my master looked good.


    I didn''t want to eat.


    Meku was in danger of being taken away, but he managed it.


    Absorbing all of the Ice Wyvern corpses that were shot down.


    My status didn''t increase much, but my [Ice Resistance] went up by 2.


    After absorbing them, I continued climbing towards the top.

 95-95. Yeti

    We had climbed up pretty high.


    Raina looks terribly cold.


    I''ve absorbed the ice attribute demons along the way, so my tolerance has increased and I don''t feel the cold, so I''m not aware that the temperature is dropping.


    The higher we go up the mountain path, the steeper it gets.


    On a cooler note, I''m beginning to feel a little too lightly equipped.


    If I slip and fall, will my defense be enough to handle it?


    I won''t know for sure if I don''t try, but I can''t risk that kind of quicksand.


    I might be okay, but it would be a bad idea for Raina to slip off, so I''ll have to be careful as I climb.


    Then we continued climbing for a while, and Lenya seemed to be getting pretty tired.


    We have just found a cave, and we decide to go in there to rest.


    The cave is dark.


    We use the [Small Light] to illuminate the surroundings.


    After resting in the cave for a while, we heard a low roar.


    Multiple footsteps are approaching.


    They were not human footsteps.


    It was a thud, a thud, a sound that would only be made if something very heavy in weight was walking.


    I turn toward the sound I hear.


    At first it''s too dark to see anything, but slowly I begin to see the identity of the one who made the sound.


    It''s a bipedal demon covered in white fur.


    It seems to be over two meters tall.


    Its face is vicious.


    Ten of these demons were walking towards us.


    ''''These are........Yeti, aren''t they?


    Meku muttered as he looked at the demon.


    Is the Yeti a legendary creature that is said to be found in the snowy mountains?


    It seems to be the name of a demon in this world.


    I''ll take a look at it and evaluate it.


    "Yeti Lv.30/36.


    A humanoid demon with the attribute of ice. It uses the [Ice Punch] to freeze enemies. Its weak point is the attribute of fire.


    HP 312/312.


    MP 24/24


    Skills [Ice Fist (Ice Punch) Lv 4]


    Resistance [Ice Resistance Lv. 8]


    It seems to be weaker than Ice Giant Snake.


    Well, this is the result of one Yeti''s evaluation, so it''s possible that the others are stronger.


    I checked and they were all much the same.


    The limit level of 41 was the strongest in this group of Yeti.


    There are ten of them, but this one should be easy to defeat.


    The Yeti were drumming like gorillas, threatening us but not attacking us.


    Maybe they are insisting that this is our territory and that we should leave.


    If they don''t come from over there, I wouldn''t want to defeat them somehow, would I?


    In general, demons are supposed to attack from the other side, you know.


    However, we can''t leave this cave and take a break, though.


    Compared to the outside, it''s naturally warmer inside, and I don''t want to leave.


    I didn''t attack or run away, I just stood there and watched as the numbed-out Yetis attacked.


    This guy''s weak point is the flame attribute.


    I shoot the ¡¾Flame Ball¡¿ wildly to bury them one by one without fail.


    Lenya also battles and easily eliminates one Yeti.


    I''m going to annihilate the Yeti.


    I absorbed all the Yeti corpses.


    In total, the ten bodies gain 624 more HP, 48 more MP, 33 more attack power, 31 more defense power, 45 more speed, and 31 skill points.


    After absorbing ten stones, it''s gone up quite a bit.


    My HP in particular has been going up, at an incredible rate lately.


    The Yeti didn''t seem to be around anymore, so we rested in the cave for a while before resuming our climb.


    Then, as we continued to climb for a while, we heard a tremendous roar from above.


    Startled, I looked up and saw a ridiculously huge dragon flying in the sky.


    It was two times bigger than the dragon I had slain in town.


    It let out another roar and swooped down in front of us.


    "This is no place for lowlife," he said.


    In a very low voice, the dragon spoke.

 96-96. Ancient Dragon

    Didn''t this dragon just talk?


    Do dragons talk?


    But the dragon we killed in town wasn''t talking...


    I''ll appraise the dragon and take a look at it.


    Ancient Dragon Individual: Lebavon Lv.71/74, age 102


    A higher-ranking species of dragon with high abilities in all aspects.


    He is a master of language and magic. He is a very fast flyer.


    HP 1221/1221.


    MP 602/602


    Skills [Ice Breath Lv 6], [Fire Breath Lv 5], [Poison Breath Lv 5], [Regeneration (Regeneration)], [Speed Increase (Speed Up) Lv 5]


    Resistance [Ice Resistance Lv 9] [Flame Resistance Lv 9] [Poison Resistance Lv 9]


    The Ancient Dragon it''s.........


    He''s at a very high level and has a lot of HP. It''s lower than mine, though.


    But if you can speak the language, you might be able to get by with a conversation.


    "You''re going to leave quickly or I''m going to put you out to charcoal. Now, get off the mountain now.


    There''s someone out on this mountain looking for you.


    You''re the only people in the world. Now go away.


    Is there a witch of life?


    No, I still wouldn''t be sure unless I went near the top with my own eyes.


    It''s also possible that he''s living in hiding.


    I really want to see him, so can you at least let me look for him?


    Not. You must leave now.


    The Ancient Dragon, Lubavon, bared his fangs and threatened me.


    It was no use. It looks like we have no choice but to fight.


    ''Lenya, Mek, stand back a bit.


    Nya, nya~....


    You''re gonna fight me?¡¡This is probably an Ancient Dragon and you should pull out for once...


    I''ll be fine.


    They stepped back. They seemed to be a bit frightened by the intimidation of Lubavon.


    Although I can''t see their detailed status, but just from looking at their HP and level, they are not an enemy that can be defeated.


    Since they are clearly looking down on us, they will also be caught off guard.


    First, let''s treat him to a powerful attack.


    I used ¡¾Meteorite (Meteor)¡¿.


    A meteorite falls in a straight line toward Lubavon''s back.


    Compared to the time when my skill level was low, the meteorite (meteo) has become much larger. Although Lubavon is also a huge dragon, but if it was a direct hit, it would definitely take a lot of damage.


    The opponent was so careless that he didn''t notice the attack until it fell in an unavoidable position.


    He tried to avoid it in a hurry, but it was already too late, and the [Meteorite (Meteor)] hit Lubavon''s back.


    ''''Goooooooooooooooo!


    Lubavon screams out in pain.


    As far as I can tell from the appraisal, he''s not dead yet, but he''s lost about three hundred HP.


    I''ll have to hit him a few more times.


    I try to use it again, and Lebervon jumps up.


    I brace myself to see if he''s going to attack me.


    Hey, that''s enough for today!¡¡But if you don''t leave the mountain, you''ll get hurt eventually...!


    And then he took off.


    I think he had some tears in his eyes.


    I was taken aback and opened my mouth in a daze.


    After a while, I heard a voice from the sky saying, "I want to~! A shameful cry of "What''s that?


    Was that guy, he was acting with a lot of dignity with his mouth, but he was pretty bad at it?


    Since I let it go, I missed my chance to get stronger with [Corpse Absorption], but well, I was able to get rid of it, so let''s say it''s good.


    ''''Err, let''s move on then.


    Yeah, that''s right.


    I feel like I''m losing something.


    We started up the mountain again, looking for the Witch of Life.

 97-97. Misunderstanding

    While resting in caves and other places during the course, continued up the mountain.


    But will they really be in a place like this?


    As we continued to climb, we wondered many times, but we didn''t want to go back without confirming that we had come all the way up here, so we kept climbing.


    I''m not sure if we''re near the top or not, as the snow and fog around us makes it hard to see, but we climbed up for quite a while, but we couldn''t find it.


    ''Ummm, I don''t see him...''


    The rumor''s not true...


    Both of them are starting to feel a little resigned and murmur in disappointment.


    ''It''s too early to give up. If we can''t find them here, we''ll have completely lost all the clues to breaking Mek''s curse.''''


    Yes, you do.


    Yeah. I''ll do my best to find her.


    We pulled ourselves together and conducted a search.


    After walking for a while.


    Oh!


    Someone shouted.


    It wasn''t my voice, or Mek''s voice, or Lenya''s voice.


    It was the voice of a little girl who was completely unrecognizable.


    When I hurriedly checked the direction of the voice, I saw a figure, though I couldn''t see it clearly due to the fog.


    ''''Master!¡¡You''re back!


    The girl(?) ran over to us and picked up Meku.


    ''Noooo, what are you doing!''


    ''Master, we''ve had enough of waiting!¡¡I''ve been waiting a year for you!


    She said that very happily.


    As her voice said, she was a girl.


    Her age was about mid-teens, I think.


    Green hair with twin tails.


    A girl with big eyes.


    She was wearing a pointy hat, like a witch would wear, and she was dressed so roughly that I wanted to say if she wasn''t cold in this cold weather.


    ''Wait, wait a minute!¡¡My master was my master!¡¡What are you doing?¡¡Let go of my master!


    Lenya grabs Meku to take him away from her.


    ''Hey, what are you!¡¡Please take your hands off my master!


    Raina and the girl pull Mek together.


    ''Ya, tear!¡¡Let go... anyway!¡¡It won''t kill you if it rips, but it won''t make you feel better!


    Both of them are pulling each other as hard as they can, and Meku is about to be torn apart. It looks like he won''t die even if he gets cut off both ways with this body, but I don''t want to see him like that either.


    Both Lenya and the girl seem to have noticed Meku''s cries, and at the same time let go of his hand.


    ''Feng, thank God. What the hell is this?


    Master, you''ve been speaking somewhat strangely.


    I don''t remember taking you under my wing. Who are you?


    When Meku said that, the girl looked terribly shocked.


    ''''What, what...?¡¡You don''t remember this Luli...?¡¡ ...


    Finally, the girl started to cry.


    Her name is Luli, she said.


    Oh, calm down. I don''t know what you''re talking about, but are you sure your master was dressed like me?


    Of course.


    My name is Mek Samaforth. What was the name of your master?


    ''What?¡¡Mek?¡¡Samma Force?¡¡I thought you said your master''s name was Clarica.


    It''s someone else. My name is not Clarica.


    ''What?¡¡It''s a lie. Because except for my master, he''s dressed so weirdly....


    I''m sorry for being weird!


    ''Huh?¡¡But come to think of it, the color is different... I don''t think my master was white... oh, yes, he was!¡¡As I recall, Master was black!


    ''It''s the opposite of the color!¡¡How did I get it wrong!


    ''I was inattentive. We haven''t seen each other for so long that I had forgotten. You are not my master, are you?


    The misunderstanding seems to have been cleared up.


    But you''ve been calling me Master Master from earlier.....


    Probably dressed in a different color than Meku.


    According to what I heard in the village, the witch has transformed into a plush figure similar to Meku''s.


    Considering all that........


    Your Master Clarica, as you call it, was not called the Witch of Life?


    Mek said my thoughts instead.


    ''Yes, it is. ''Huh?¡¡Could it be that you all know Master?


    Luli replied simply.

 98-98. Information

    We do not know her, but we are here for the Witch of Life. Where are you, Witch of Life?


    What do you want?


    I have come to ask you to break this curse on me. You must know something about this, don''t you?


    A curse?¡¡There''s no such thing as a master putting a curse on you. He''s not that kind of person.


    You''ll know I''m cursed when you see me!


    ?


    Luli nods her head.


    ''Anyway, it''s not like we''re here to talk, and I''ll take you to a warm place. Please follow me.


    Luli said and walked off.


    ''Where do you think you''re going?''


    It''s home.


    Home?


    You''re building a house in the middle of these mountains?


    After following them for a while, they arrived in front of a rock wall with intricate writing written all over it.


    Luli took care of the rock wall.


    Then the wall began to move, creating an entrance.


    "This is home.


    Luli said and walked in, so we went inside too.


    The moment we all entered, the entrance was sealed off.


    Inside was a narrow path.


    It''s probably magic or something, but it''s not dark because there are lights on the ceiling.


    Once inside, it suddenly became warm.


    Raina let out a pleasant voice, "Nya in paradise~".


    After walking for a while, there was a door.


    Luli opened the door and moved on.


    We followed Luli.


    ''''This is........''''


    I was surprised to see the scene beyond the door.


    It''s a large circular room.


    There is a mysterious sphere floating in the middle of the room, some kind of cat-like creature with wings, a large number of bookshelves, and several devices with unknown uses, it is certainly a room that looks like a witch lives.


    The same is true of Meku, who can use magic, but she too seems to have most of the things in her room with no known purpose, and she also let out her thoughts on what this room is.


    ''''Well, come to think of it, I haven''t heard your name except for the one who is supposed to be a master.''''


    I am not a sham. I am Meku. Meku Samaforce.


    My name is Tetsuya Takahashi.


    "Rainier.


    We each introduced ourselves.


    ''''My name is Luri. I became my master''s apprentice about ten years ago. I was very young and five years old at the time. By the way, my race is human. Just like Takahashi-san.


    So, I have gone looking for your master. Is he not here?


    Yes, he''s not here now. He left a while ago and hasn''t been back since.


    But this time the information is from my apprentice, and it''s more accurate than the other two. Next time we''ll find her. And where is the Witch of Life now?


    He said he was going on a vacation to a place called Moen Island.


    Where is that?


    ''Well...''


    Luli brought out a map and pointed to an island to the south.


    ''Here it is,''


    This is it?


    ''If it takes a long time, is there any chance that the life witch will be back here and misplaced while you''re gone?


    Mmm....


    Luli hadn''t even been there for a year in the first place, he said.


    It was doubtful if she was still on Moen Island.


    ''''Why don''t you just wait here?¡¡I didn''t know anyone and I, I was a little bored. I think mooching Meku all the time will help to distract me from the loneliness of not having a master.


    You said you were going to wait a year. Did you tell him when you would return?


    I was told that he would come back sooner or later, but he hasn''t come back yet... I used to be away from home for three years. But I''m sure he will come back.


    Nuh-uh.


    If we wait here, I don''t know how much longer we''ll have to wait.


    We''re torn between the two of us.


    We don''t want to get mishandled, but there''s also the problem of having to wait for so long.


    I don''t think I should go. We don''t know when he''ll be back even if we wait here, or if he''s really on the island, but even if he''s gone, there''s a good chance that he''s still on the island, because he was there recently.


    I think I should be there.


    Well, I''m working with them.


    So I guess that means we''re going.


    ''Er, yeah. Won''t you let me fluff you up?


    Luli looks disappointed.


    ''Thanks for the information this time. I suppose I should be thanking you for something...


    I mean, I don''t need to stay up all day. Just let me goof off for one day.


    What?


    ''I think it would make me feel a little better about being lonely for one day. Please.


    ....


    Meku felt he should thank her, but he couldn''t refuse her request, and he was forced to mooch all day long in a quiet manner.

 99-99. Mofumofu

    It''s so fluffy....


    ....


    Meku was squirming in Luli''s arms.


    He seemed quite unwilling, but he didn''t resist and remained quiet.


    While Meku was wriggling, I decided to ask my apprentice, Luli, what kind of person the Life Witch was.


    ''What kind of person is your mentor?''


    He''s a nice guy.


    He smiled and replied with a smile.


    I could tell from his smile that he had a good feeling for the Life Witch.


    ''She helps people a lot, and she teaches me magic nicely... sometimes she goes out for a long time, like this time, but I think she actually helps people too, although she says it''s for a vacation or something. He''s a nice guy anyway.


    Hmm. Why did such a good man put a curse on me?


    So it''s not a curse.


    What is it if it isn''t a curse?


    ''I''m not sure why you think I''m cursed. Aren''t you cute looking like that?


    ''Not only is it comical!¡¡Besides, I can''t eat or fight with this figure. Frankly, I must say, it''s a bit of a hassle.


    ''What?¡¡Why don''t you just go back to normal?


    If I could go back, I would!¡¡Lately, thanks to Tetsuya, I''ve been able to get back for a certain amount of time, but other than that, I can''t!


    ''What?¡¡You can''t go back?¡¡Why?¡¡Master will be back to normal in that form.


    Does this mean that I can change my appearance at will from the plush toy to my original? Well, that''s great for the user, but I''ll always be this way.


    That might be a bit of a problem.


    That''s not even close!


    Mek yelled angrily, then clapped his hands as if he had an idea.


    ''''That''s right. If you think about it, if you''re your Lord''s disciple, wouldn''t you be able to break this curse?


    ''Well, it''s hard. I''m still an apprentice and they haven''t taught me the magic of becoming a stuffed animal. I''ve asked them to teach me, but...


    Well....


    Meku''s shoulders slumped in disappointment.


    We spent the night in the hiding place after that.


    The hideaway was reasonably large, and there was enough room for us to sleep.


    And the next day.


    Let me be the fattest!


    Luli cried out to him.


    ''No!¡¡That was over yesterday!


    Ugh, we''ll miss you.


    Luli bursts into tears.


    ''Well, why don''t you come with us, Luli?¡¡That way you might be able to meet Luli''s mentor sooner.


    Do I have to go with you?¡¡I hadn''t thought of that idea.


    Are Tetsuya and Master okay with this?


    I don''t have a problem with that.


    I don''t mind.


    ''Hmmm, it''s not really good to be away from home for so long... and I don''t like to go out much... but it would be nice to possibly see my mentor sooner.


    Luli is troubled.


    ''Oh, but it sounds good to be able to fluff Mek-san the most.


    ''Wait!¡¡Even if I were to go with you, that was only yesterday!


    Oh, no!


    Meku''s refusal to muffle makes Luri start to worry again.


    ''Master~ You should at least allow him to muffle himself.


    No. Wouldn''t it be better if such a master could assume the form of a cat and keep it plump?


    Oh, I don''t want to look like that, because I''m miserable!¡¡And it''s Master that Luli wants to fluff, not me.


    ''''Oh, um, I''m sad I can''t fluff you, but I still can''t wait to meet my master, and I''d like to join you all if I''m not interrupting you.''''


    Finally, Luli concluded that he was going.


    Luli, the witch''s apprentice, joined the group.

 100-100. Fish-Mans Country

    With our new companion, Luri, we headed south.


    We were going from the north to the southern kingdom of Rooster, which took quite a bit of time.


    We wanted to get to Rooster as soon as possible, so we didn''t do any leveling up along the way.


    ''''Hey, what kind of country is the Kingdom of Rooster?''''


    On the way, I asked Meku about the Kingdom of Leicester.


    The Kingdom of Rooster is inhabited by fishmen," he said. Fishermen are a race of people with characteristics of both fish and man. It''s also a country by the sea.


    The fisherman.


    Meku explained a little more about the fishmen.


    They are good swimmers and can live both on land and in the sea.


    It seems that some fishmen stay on land all their lives, while others continue to live in the sea. There are no restrictions on how long they can live on land or die if they don''t go into the water for a certain period of time, or how long they can live on land.


    If you look at the land area alone, the Rooster Kingdom is a small one. However, since this country faces the sea and there are fishermen living in the sea, its population is quite large. If you include the sea, it''s a huge nation.


    Heh.


    But the fishermen who live in the sea and the fishermen who live on land don''t get along with each other very well. I''ve heard that they sometimes cooperate with each other in case of emergency, but I''ve heard that they''ve been quarreling with each other. I don''t understand why they''re so quarrelsome. It''s a kingdom, and it''s ruled by royalty, but the fishermen who live in the sea don''t really listen to each other, so maybe there are people in the sea who simply don''t want to be ruled.


    Hey, Tetsuya, what''s a fish?


    Lenya asked from the side.


    ''Don''t you know?''


    I''ve never seen that before.


    You certainly haven''t seen the ocean, but there are lakes and rivers and you thought you knew them, but you don''t.


    They''re creatures that live in the water.


    ''What?¡¡I can''t breathe under water.


    That''s why the fish can breathe.


    How?


    It''s more like gill breathing...


    What?


    It''s on the fish''s cheek and, uh, I can breathe in the water anyway.


    Along the way, I forced myself to put it all together, because I was too lazy to explain it.


    A few months later, I finally reached the Kingdom of Rooster.


    I entered the Luster Kingdom and saw some fishermen, and they were a rather friendly race. They don''t seem to look down on humans as low life forms.


    We stopped at a town on the way and gathered information on where we could get to the island of Moen and heard that we should go to Fas, an oceanfront city in the southwest.


    We hurried to Fas in a big hurry.

 101-101. Board the ship

    We arrived in the port city of Fas.


    ''Wow, that''s awesome,''


    To be honest, when I entered the Kingdom of Rooster, I thought it was a less developed country with no large towns, but I changed my mind when I arrived in Fas.


    Anyway, there are a lot of fishermen there, and it''s crowded.


    Perhaps the inland areas are less developed because there aren''t many people, while the areas facing the sea are quite developed.


    Originally there was an image that the place facing the sea or the river, it is easier to develop, but it may be even more pronounced in the fishermen.


    I think that we go to Moen Island by boat, but a question arises here.


    Is there a boat or something in this country?


    Because fishermen can swim with gill breathing, so isn''t a boat unnecessary?


    What if it wasn''t there?


    I asked a fisherman who was passing by.


    A ship?¡¡Yeah, there are. There are some tourists who aren''t fishermen, and sometimes the fishermen get tired of swimming in the first place, so the ones who want to take it easy get on a boat.


    The shark-like looking fish man replied.


    That''s good to know.


    ''If we''re going on a boat, do you want to go to an island?


    Are there more than one island?


    ''There''s a lot of them. There are more than twenty of them. The most famous is probably Rufus Island.


    I want to go to Moen Island.


    ...the island of Moen, ah, the one with the volcano.


    There''s a volcano.


    That sounds like something hot.


    To begin with, it''s pretty hot in this fas.


    The wind blows well and it''s not that humid, so it''s still more than the gloomy, unpleasant heat of Japan.


    Raina doesn''t seem to suffer from the cold rather than the heat.


    On the contrary, Luli, who lived in a cold area, is not used to the heat and is quite hefty.


    ''''Where can we get a boat to Moen Island?''''


    I don''t know much about that. I love to swim and I don''t get on a boat. There''s a harbor. Why don''t you go down there and ask him?


    He was kind enough to tell me about it.


    To be honest, I was hesitant to talk to him because he looked like a shark and I was scared, but I''m glad he was nice.


    ''''It''s hot~ Can I use ice magic to freeze the surroundings?''''


    Luli suddenly made a boisterous statement.


    ''''No. Bear with me........''''


    I don''t know...


    If I did that, I''d be a wanted man, and I wouldn''t be able to go to the island.


    ''I mean, don''t you have some kind of magic to chill out on your own?


    ''What?¡¡... uh ... come to think of it, there was only one thing.


    With that, Luli uses her magic.


    A small ice ball spins around Luli. The area around the ice ball was cool.


    ''There is, isn''t there?''


    Oh, don''t ever touch that ice ball. If you touch it, it will explode and freeze all around you.


    Oh, it''s too dangerous!¡¡Turn it off now!


    I''ve got another one, because...


    What happens if you hit someone and it goes off?


    Uh.....


    Reluctantly, Luri deactivated the magic and made the ice ball disappear.


    What a dangerous thing for him to do.


    ''''I can''t fluff Meku-san in this heat.


    Hot or cold, no more fluffing!


    Meku refuses to do so, but in fact, he''s been muffled several times before he arrives in the Kingdom of Rooster. He tries to mooch off Mek whenever he has a chance, so it seems to be a carefree life for him.


    We arrived at the harbor.


    There are many boats in the harbor.


    There are a lot of fishermen on board, and some of them might be too much trouble to swim.


    If you think about it, it is not just because we humans can walk, but also because we all get in cars, ride bicycles, and in this world, ride carriages, so it is not so unnatural for fishermen to get on boats.


    I asked a nearby sailor fisherman which boat I could take to get to Moen Island, and he said, "Moen Island?


    Moen Island, huh? I''m going to Moen Island in just two hours.¡¡You''ll need to pay for the boat, of course, but do you have it ready?


    How much?


    Hundred gold a head to Moen Island.


    You can get in. Let''s get in.


    We easily found a ship to board.


    Two hours later, we paid the 400 gold and boarded the ship. I thought I could get on the boat for a hundred gold cheaper if I fooled Meku into thinking I had a stuffed animal, but I have the money, so I decided not to be stingy.


    The boat set sail for Moen Island.

 102-102. Moen Island

    We boarded the boat.


    Lenya and Luli are worried about getting seasick since it''s their first time on a boat.


    Then there was a signal to leave and the ship began to move.


    ''''Nya~!¡¡Shake me~!


    The way the ship rocked was tremendous, and Raina screamed.


    It was quite a tremendous rocking.


    I have been on the ship in Japan several times, but never this much shaking.


    It feels like an attraction in the amusement park now that it is shaken to this extent.


    But it is just rocking, but does not make you feel sick or nauseous.


    When I was in Japan, I was the type of person who got car sickness, so it''s no wonder that I got drunk with a tremendous rocking so far, but I didn''t get sick at all. Does this kind of thing have a benefit of status increase?


    Well, it''s good to not get drunk for whatever reason.


    We continued sailing for a few hours, and then we saw an island in the distance.


    There is a large mountain on the island, with white plumes of smoke coming from the top.


    It is definitely a volcano.


    Moen Island was said to be an island with a volcano, this is probably the right place.


    I found out that there seems to be quite a large island to get closer.


    However, that volcano, it seems to be active even now.


    I think it''s a bad idea to erupt or something.


    Will there be people living on Moen Island?


    The boat arrived at Moen Island.


    There seemed to be a harbor, and some fishermen were walking in the harbor.


    They seem to live normally.


    Even in the event of an eruption and the fishermen, I wonder if it is safe to run away to the sea immediately.


    Or maybe it is a volcano that does not erupt very strongly.


    Anyway, we''re here, so let''s get off.


    When I looked at Lenya and her friends with that in mind.


    I can''t...


    ''Today seems to be the anniversary of my death...''


    Lenya and Luli were completely down with sea sickness.


    It''s a shameful thing, you two. ''You''re pathetic, you two, you''re just a boat ride away.


    Meku says in dismay.


    ''''Shh, Master is in the form of a stuffed animal, so he can''t understand this suffering~!


    Raina makes a plausible objection.


    In the plush state, it''s convenient because you don''t feel anything at times like this.


    Tetuya is not afraid of you.


    Because Tetuya is Tetuya.


    I don''t know when I got separated from the others.


    What do you mean?


    Well, I''m not used to it. Let''s just get off the boat and sober up.


    Yeah, I''ll do that.


    Meku-san~. Let me fluff you up because I think it will sober you up.


    You can''t make me!¡¡I mean, there''s no way I''m going to get better!


    We get off the ship.


    We took a break to sober Raina and Luli up.


    It''s going to be all right.


    I''ll be fine, too.


    They said so.


    ''You''re looking much better, and I''m pretty sure we can assume you''ve recovered.


    ''Alright then, let''s start asking around to see if there''s a life witch out there somewhere.


    I began to inquire about the witches of life.

 103-103. Listen

    We were on Moen Island and we started asking around.


    The inhabitants were all fishermen.


    It was very unusual for humans and beastmen to come to the island, and the inhabitants were curious to see us.


    We''ve never left the island." "There''s not much else on this island but a volcano, why did you come?


    The questions are a bit confusing to us.


    We need to make sure we explain why we''re here.


    "We''re here to find people.


    Hmm?¡¡We don''t see humans on this island much, do we?¡¡You''re the first person I''ve ever seen a human being.


    They''re not human. I''m not human, I''m pretty sure I''m a demon. She''s a witch. Do you recognize her?


    I don''t know. If they were coming to this island by boat, someone here would have seen them.


    I asked the assembled fishermen questions about the life witch, but none of them seemed to know about it. Apparently, she didn''t come by boat.


    She''s a witch, and it''s possible that there''s a way to cross the ocean without using a ship.


    ''Speaking of which, I just remembered that the guy in the van said he''d seen a witch or something.


    One of the fishmen said so.


    ''Really?''


    Yeah. The bastard in the van is an idiot, and sometimes he goes to the dangerous part of the island to test his skills or something. It''s called Luperson''s Cave, and it''s a Popotardus'' nest. That''s where he saw it. None of us believed his story, because there''s no way anyone could be in there. They said he was attacked by Popotadas and almost died, so he must have been hallucinating, and then we forgot about it.


    I don''t know what it''s called. What is Popotadas? I can''t even imagine.


    Maybe it''s a demon''s name from the tone of voice.


    What is Popotadas?


    Have you ever heard of a hippo?


    I know, but...


    Well, that''s easy to understand. It''s a monster that looks like a hippopotamus on two legs. It''s huge. It''s three times as big as a fisherman. Not only are they huge, they''re also fast, so they''re really strong. Well, they''re basically grass-eating demons, so they''re quiet, but they get angry if you go near their nests carelessly. So unless you''re an idiot, they never go near the Luperson Cave around here.


    There''s something scary about a hippopotamus being a bipedal demon. And I''m told that hippos themselves are surprisingly scary animals.


    Thanks for the information. Where''s this Luperson''s Cave?


    Hmm?¡¡You''re gonna go check it out?¡¡I don''t have anything bad to say, but you''d better not.


    I really need to see the Witch of Life.


    ''How important is she to you?¡¡Oh, well. There''s a cave to the northeast of here. If you''re going to look for it, be careful what you find.


    After getting the information, we headed northeast to where Luperson''s Cave was located.

 104-104. Cave

    Is this the Luperson''s Cave?


    Continuing northeast, we found a huge hole in the cliff.


    Just in front of the cave, there is a demon that looks like a popotardus.


    Just as the fish man said, it is almost certainly a bipedal hippopotamus, as it has the appearance of a bipedal hippopotamus.


    It has a stone spear, clothes, and seems to have some intelligence.


    I''m going to evaluate whether this is really Popotadas or not.


    It''s a Popotadas. Individual Name: Doubabba. lv. 20/32, 17 years old, male.


    HP 321/321


    MP 2/2


    A demon with powerful powers. They are usually quiet and do not actively attack others, but they have no mercy on anyone who comes near their nest.


    It''s like Popotadas.


    From the level, his HP is awfully high, but his MP is really low.


    Is it a brain-type demon?


    But if these guys are really Popotadas, wouldn''t it be impossible for a life witch to be in the nest?¡¡As far as this description goes.


    Is there a dwelling place for the Witch of Life beyond the cave?


    Or because she''s a witch, does she have Popotardus in tow?


    Is that Popotadas impossible to talk to?¡¡You seem to be relatively civilized.


    You seem to have no mercy on anyone who comes near your nest.


    ''''I see. But then it would be strange to think that the Life Witch is in that cave...


    Mek seems to be stuck in the same place as me.


    Well, we''ll find out soon enough. You''ll see if you can beat them.


    Yeah. Whoever''s keeping watch could take down a hundred of them.


    Well, that''s encouraging.


    Let''s go.


    Okay.


    We head for the cave.


    We are soon spotted by Popotadas.


    Popotadas warns us, holding the weapon he is carrying.


    "Koleijow Kitarakolos.


    He seems to be able to speak the language, albeit in one language.


    It doesn''t seem to be a no-questions-asked question.


    Let''s try a dialogue.


    "We''re not here to fight. Can we go inside the cave?¡¡I''m looking for this witch of life.


    "Shaverna Kitharakolos.


    Hmm, they don''t seem to want to talk about it.


    I guess we''ll just have to go through it by force, won''t we?


    However, if it weren''t for the witches, I''d feel sorry for them.


    They''re just trying to protect their dwelling place, too.


    I have a skill called ¡¾Thundershock¡¿. This only numbs the enemy, it doesn''t kill them.


    I don''t want to kill them here, I''ll just use ¡¾Thunderbolt (Thunder Shock)¡¿ and do something about it.


    Thinking that, as I got even closer to the cave, Popotadas attacked me.


    Just before I was about to use ¡¾Thundershock¡¿, Popotadas stopped attacking me.


    I stop using it as well.


    What''s going on?


    You''re looking at something Mek...


    ''Majo!¡¡Sama!


    Popotardus looked at Mek and exclaimed.

 105-105. Inside the cave

    Popodatas looked at ''Majosama'' and Meku.


    ''You mean the Witch of Life?¡¡Are we looking at it the wrong way, like Luri?


    So does that mean there is a life witch here?


    I''ve been looking for you for a long time, and now we may finally meet.


    "Mate, this guy, majosamachigaw. Majosama, Iroquois.


    Some of them seem to be observant popotadas in their own right.


    ''Majosamanomanomanesul, nanotame?''


    Popotadas glared at Meku.


    He seems to be wary.


    From the way these guys talk, they seem to respect the witches a lot more. Are they using their magical powers to make the demons their allies?


    It looks like they live near here.


    Maybe there''s a witch''s house in the cave.


    It seems to be able to use magic to make the place comfortable, and it shouldn''t be a problem to make a home in such a spicy place.


    It would be better to get Mek to play one for me once and check out the inside of the cave.


    If you tell him that the color was a makeover, he''ll believe it easily.


    I''m sure Mekku would do it without telling you.


    ''I won''t be a copycat!¡¡I am Meku!¡¡It is very unpleasant to be mistaken for a witch or something else!


    I thought, and then I desperately denied it.


    S-, do you hate being thought of as a witch that much? Maybe it can''t be helped, though, since I''m the one who hates it.


    I whispered and asked him to pretend to be a real witch here.


    I''m sure it''s better to do so in this place.............................


    Mek changed his voice.


    I''m just kidding. I am indeed the Witch of Life. I just changed my mind about the different colors. Wouldn''t it be boring to wear the same color all the time?


    He said that with a stick.


    His tone is the same, and he doesn''t seem to be the type of person who can act very well, Meku.


    But Popotadas seemed to have been fooled.


    I''m not a good actor. Tashkani, itumoi shojo, tsumoranai.


    What is the matter with them?


    He asked about us. You can say we''re friends or something.


    "These people are my friends. "These people are my friends, and I''m not gonna hurt you.


    ''Tomodachi. Majosama no tomodachinara, kangay.


    They let me in.


    Well, it looks like they''re letting you in without a fight.


    As much as possible, I don''t want to kill anyone who can talk to me.


    There were a lot of Popotadas living in the cave.


    There are more than 50 of these pretty big guys, so it''s quite powerful.


    When the time came to fight, we walked with heightened vigilance so that we could fight back.


    We were eyed suspiciously by Popotadas, but when we explained that we were friends of the Witch of Life, he quickly let down his guard. They seem to be quite fond of us.


    Now where does she live?


    If I asked Popotadas, he would be suspicious of me. It is unlikely that he would be unable to locate his own home.


    However, it would be suspicious to wander around and look for it, but.......


    I guess we''ll just have to hang around and look for it for now.


    ''Hey, this!''


    As we were walking, Luli found something and called out.


    Something that looked like a broken crystal ball had fallen down.


    ''''This is a magic crystal made by Master!¡¡There''s no doubt about it!¡¡I think he used it a few times and broke it, so he threw it away!


    Are you sure?¡¡If there is such a thing here I wonder if the Witch of Life really lives here.


    Mek guessed that.


    Then.


    ''They''re dead!¡¡Fake no majosamaha!


    I heard Popotadas'' voice.


    Startled, I turned towards the direction of the voice and saw a stuffed animal that looked exactly like a black-colored Meku walking towards us, with Popotadas in tow.

 106-106. Witch of Life

    You''re the real deal, my dear. You''re not real. You''re a fake, koros.


    While talking about things, Popotadas holds up his weapon.


    That black stuffed animal that is leading Popotadas.


    Is that the Witch of Life?


    ''''Master!''''


    Luli exclaimed when she saw the stuffed animal that appeared. I knew that was the Life Witch?


    ''Huh?¡¡You''re Luli. And I really am an imposter. Hmm, what''s the situation here?


    The stuffed animal muttered.


    From the way he spoke, I''d say he''s the witch of life.


    "Koros. Koros.


    As he said this, Popotadas attacked us, but the Life Witch stopped him.


    ''Don''t do it. They are my guests. Do not attack them.


    With one word from the witch, Popotadas and his men stopped attacking.


    They seemed to be well tamed.


    ''Follow me. I''ll show you where I live.


    With that, the Life Witch began to walk away.


    We follow her.


    ''Master!¡¡I''ve missed you!


    Why are you here?


    ''I came to look for you! I was worried about you because you haven''t been back for so long!¡¡These tetsyas have been searching for me with me.


    ''Well I''m sorry. I''m sorry I missed you.


    The Life Witch said apologetically.


    They continued walking and arrived at the far end of the cave.


    The Life Witch held her hand over the wall of the cave. Then the wall cracked open. It seemed to be a hidden door.


    "Come on, come on in.


    As she said this, the Life Witch walked in, so we went inside too.


    The moment we all entered, the hidden door automatically closed.


    ''''It''s nice to finally meet you...''''


    At that moment, Meku suddenly ran and made a flying kick against the Life Witch. I thought he was so quiet until a moment ago, but I wonder if he was trying to get the timing right because Popotardus was there and it was going to be troublesome.


    Since he was in his plush form, the jumping kick had no power at all and didn''t damage the Life Witch.


    ''Come on, turn me back to my original form!¡¡Put it back now!


    You''re not making any sense.


    The Life Witch is baffled.


    ''It''s not a what!¡¡You made me look like this!


    ''Hmm. I''m sure no one else would use that magic but me, so maybe that''s true. Anyway, just calm down for a minute, okay? I was just about to introduce myself.


    Mek heard this and calmed down a bit and moved away from the life witch.


    After that, the Life Witch began to chant some kind of spell.


    Her body was gradually covered in a black haze, and after a while, she was no longer a stuffed animal, but a human form.


    Is this the true form of the Life Witch?


    She looks like a human, but she has horns growing out of her head.


    Come to think of it, I heard that he was not a human, but a witch.


    "I am Clarica Mensham. Some call me the Witch of Life. First, let me thank you for bringing Luli here.

 107-107. Spells

    He introduced himself, so we introduced ourselves back.


    Meku had a twinkle in his eye, but he introduced himself in passing.


    "You must be Tetsuya-kun, Meku-chan, and Lenya-chan. Hmmm........


    Clarica would stare at us.


    Looking at her with these eyes, it was as if she could see deep inside of me.


    ''You''re pretty strong, Tetsuya. I''m surprised. If I had fought you, Popotadas and the others would have been wiped out.


    I was surprised when they found out how strong I was. Until now, there have been many times when I was considered weak because of my low limit level, but this was the first time I was called strong. I guess you could call her a quintessential witch.


    ''Yes. It''s not a bad idea," he said.


    Lenya said proudly.


    ''How did you know?¡¡I''m at a low limit level, but...


    Hmm?¡¡Is that right?¡¡I don''t bother to look at my limit level because I can see other people''s powers firsthand... but my God, your limit level is 1!¡¡So with all this strength, what special skills do you have?


    Clarica seemed to have checked my limit level and was surprised.


    She was right about my skills.


    She seemed to have a high level of insight.


    I don''t care about Tetsuya''s strength right now. If you say you made me into this form, then I want you to return me to my original form now!


    After that, he added in a whisper so that Clarica wouldn''t hear, "And if you put it back, I''ll punch you once. Well, I''ve been forced to live in this form for decades, so I feel it''s counter-intuitive to forgive him for one punch.


    ''''I don''t know why you''re so mad at me but that magic ''puppet change'' is a spell I can cast when I''m feeling good, with the intention of blessing you.


    ''Blessing?¡¡It''s the wrong curse!


    ''What?¡¡How is that a curse?¡¡I won''t die while I''m in that shape, and I won''t age, and it''s great. And thanks to this magic, I can live for hundreds of years now and still look as young as I do. It''s good magic.


    It is true that Clarica looks about 20 years old. It doesn''t look like she''s lived for hundreds of years.


    ''''That''s if you can get back to your old self at will!¡¡I''ve been this way for a long time!


    ''What?¡¡Can''t we get it back?¡¡Why?¡¡I think I''ve taught you the spell to get back on track.


    You never told me!


    ''What?¡¡ Maybe I forgot about it.


    Heh, Clarica laughs. Meku, with his attitude, is furious.


    ''You''ve forgotten me!¡¡I wonder how many years I''ve been in this shape because of myself!


    Oh, come on. You''re a pretty boy.


    You are not!¡¡Not just dumb!


    I''m not so sure.


    Anyway, tell me that spell now!


    ''All right! Ah, but spells are different for different people. So the spell I use to change back to my original form is different than the spell you use to change back to your original form. The spells are long and I honestly don''t remember the ones I put on people.


    What do you mean?


    It seemed like hopeless information. Then couldn''t Clarica undo it?


    ''It''s okay, it''s okay. I don''t use this magic too much, and I always make sure to take notes on the spell, just in case I do. It''s probably on this shelf.


    Clarica starts to fish out the shelves in the room.


    I''m a little relieved. Meku was relieved as well and muttered, "Let me chill........


    However, my relief was short-lived as Clarica, who was fishing the shelves, said, "Huh?¡¡And I started to say something funny.........


    And then he stopped scavenging the shelves.


    I''m sorry. I''m sorry.


    He apologized.

 108-108. Soul Road

    Don''t you?


    Meku looked stunned and muttered, his voice trembling.


    ''Hmm. Why isn''t there one?¡¡Where did he go?


    Clarica tries to remember.


    ''Why would you lose it!¡¡Isn''t that what you keep on that shelf all the time!


    ''No, the spell I''m going to get back to is written in that note. If I forget the spell, it might be dangerous, so I take the note with me when I go away. I wonder if I dropped it then. Now that I remember, I certainly don''t remember putting the note back on the shelf.


    Clarica muttered, taking out a piece of paper and writing a note of some sort.


    ''That''s good. Good thing I didn''t lose the paper when I was trying to remember the spell.


    Apparently, he had written down the spell he was going to use to get himself back on track.


    Meku was indignant at his fast-paced behavior.


    ''Not good!¡¡What happens to me!


    I''m sorry.


    f*ck you!¡¡Remember where you lost it!¡¡Now!


    Meku shouted at Clarica, crowding her.


    ''''Hmmm, well speaking of where we went away before, it was the Soul Road. Oh, I''m pretty sure I got in danger, and when I ran away, I think I got my jacket caught and dropped it. I wonder if I dropped it that time?


    "Where''s the Soul Lord?


    It''s a place that even the erudite Mekku doesn''t know about.


    It''s such a low-profile place, isn''t it?


    ''What do you call the Soul Road, what is it like... an otherworldly place?¡¡It''s not an easy place to go but there are some bad guys there anyway and if a weak person goes there, they''ll be dead in a heartbeat. Even I can barely get away, you know. I honestly don''t want to go there again.


    "What brings you to such a place!


    I''m just curious. I wondered what I would find there. It was an interesting place, and I wouldn''t want to go back, but I don''t regret going there.


    He''s going to a bad place for such a light reason.


    He seems to be a very strange person, doesn''t he?


    If it''s the only place you can find it, go and get it!¡¡I don''t give a d*mn if you''re in danger!


    ''''Well well I certainly feel bad that you can''t come back, but in the end, if you die, you won''t be able to come back.''''


    ''If I go in my stuffed animal form, I''ll be able to go and come back without dying, won''t I?


    Hmmm, that''s the strange thing about it, you know. Even in that form, it seems to cause damage to the body. Not directly to the body, but directly to the soul. That''s why I don''t want to go there.


    Directly to the soul is something that sounds scary.


    What kind of place is the Soul Road?


    It''s a scary place but I might as well go there for this one.


    If only Clarica goes there and she dies and can''t come back, Meku will never be able to return to his original form again.


    Then I''d better go with you to increase the success rate.


    ''Wouldn''t it be a little easier if I went with you too?


    Did you...?¡¡Yes, you''re right. Surely you could help me with that.


    "Well, wait, Tetsuya. To be honest, I don''t know what the Soul Road is like, but that''s why even you could be in danger, even if you''re a quirky fellow. You''d better not...


    ''You may be in danger, but it''s a small price to pay if you can get Mek back on track. I''m going.


    Tetsuya....


    Mek didn''t object any more.


    ''I''ll be there!


    ''Oh, maybe you shouldn''t go. You''ll die.


    Yeah, but I''m still going!


    You are not going to go. You''re getting stronger, but you''ll be a burden to me if you go. It''s a shame, but we have no choice but to stay.


    Nya~....


    Raina seemed to want to go, but after Meku admonished her, she decided not to go after all.


    ''Then follow me to the Soul Road entrance.