《This Hero is Too Curious!》


 1 Prologue

    It''s not as if I didn''t want to try at life.


    I work hard at the things I deem necessary in life. I study when I need to. I practice things I need to. I do everything I feel I need to as best I can.


    Unfortunately, in the world I live in, a lot of things are only somewhat necessary.


    My name is Kenji Fujima. I''m 17 years old. Blood type O-. 181 Centimeters tall. 119 Kilograms of weight. High school 2nd year.


    I am overweight. I am well aware of this. I could probably lose weight if I really wanted to, but I just don''t see a need.


    So long as my blood pressure stays at a reasonable level and I keep my cholesterol low I shouldn''t have any issues. I follow the philosophy of "leave tomorrow''s problems to tomorrow''s me."


    It''s not as if being fit would accomplish anything anyway. Being fit is really just an extra bonus for working hard. Why would I care to be fit if my life didn''t deem it necessary? I don''t need to run ever nor do I need to lift anything heavy. I occasionally do a pushup or two in order to keep myself from deteriorating, but it''s not as if I do a lot of them.


    The way I see it, it''s like being a car enthusiast. Sure you can drive really fast, but unless you''re under very specific circumstances you can''t break the speed limit or you will get a ticket. It''s the same thing for being really fit. Sure a fit guy can run on a treadmill for longer than I can, but other than a treadmill what else would that person run on? It''s the same logic.


    No I am not saying this because I don''t have a girlfriend.


    Anyway, I''ve explained my reasoning. You want to know what I am doing right now? I''m shopping at my local convenience store. The newest volume of a manga I''ve been reading just got released and I want to get it. Reading manga is one of my favorite hobbies after all. The only thing that trumps reading manga for me is completing raids with my online friends in MMO''s.


    "Hmm¡­ is it here?"


    "What are you looking for sir?"


    "The newest volume of Naremo Squadron. I heard you guys had it."


    "My apologies sir, we recently sold the last copy."


    Sheesh. So this is why people have been switching to digital formats.


    The store clerk seems to be grimacing. I bet the clerk feels bad about not having the manga and is afraid that I will take out my anger on him. It''s probably best to ease the tension.


    "Ah well. I can''t blame you, it''s not your fault." I sighed out while giving a light smile.


    "A-ah. Thank you sir."


    The clerk seems to be a bit more relaxed. I made the right call.


    Well it''s not like I''d take my frustration out on the guy working here. The clerk probably doesn''t decide the stock of every item.


    I decided to grab a bag of chips and a bottle of water instead. I had a raid later so these would be my rations for the night.


    "Get out of my way fatty."


    Someone just grabbed my shoulder and attempted to shove me out of the way. This is very confusing. What''s going on?


    "Hey, what? What''s happening?" I asked while turning around.


    Instinctively, I resisted and shoved the arm off.


    Apparently, this was a bad call.


    "You piece of shit! Take this!"


    That was the last sentence I heard. The next thing I saw was something pointing at my head and then everything going black.


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


    Huh. Where am I? What the hell just happened? Where are my chips?


    As I was searching the strange room, I noticed that I''ve never been here before. It appears to resemble a more traditional style Japanese home complete with tatami mats and a small table with a teapot on top. I''m very confused.


    I¡­ probably won''t find my chips anywhere.


    As I was searching the small room for anything resembling a bag of chips, The paper door in front of me opened with a Thump noise followed by the soft creaking of footsteps as an old man in a grey robe walked into the room and closed the door behind himself.


    The old man rounded his shoulders as if they were very stiff, sat down, and began to speak. "Well, I wasn''t expecting anyone right now. Welcome."


    The old man motioned for me to sit with him as well on the opposite side of the table. Despite my confusion, I can at least get some answers. I have a lot of questions after all.


    "Um... Oji-san, where am I and who are you?" I asked in a timid manner. Old people tend to have the shortest fuses from my experience.


    "Woah, slow down son, one at a time." the old man insisted while holding his hand out in front of me as if to stop me.


    They were just 2 questions, and two basic ones at that! Sheesh, what is this old man''s problem?


    Sigh. I guess I''ll have to play by the old man''s rules though.


    "Okay¡­ Where am I?"


    "Well, to begin with, you have just died. This is the ''Judgment Room'' where I¡­ uh¡­ judge people. Hence the name ''Judgement room''."


    Wait, what did this old man just say? I''ve begun to hyperventilate. Oh no I hope I don''t have a panic attack. I bet this old man is just pranking me!


    I need to get to the bottom of this. I need to be direct.


    "Hold on Oji-san. I''m not dead, I''m sitting in this room and talking to you right now! If I were dead then how would this be possible?"


    The old man brought a small handbook out of the inside of his shirt, opened it up, and said "According to what my handbook says, a robber shot you in the head from 7 centimeters away with a handgun. You''re absolutely 100% dead. I''m sorry."


    As the old man finished his sentence, he closed the book with one hand and a loud Thump noise could be heard reverberating throughout the room. The old man proceeded to return his book into his shirt.


    I blinked a few times in bewilderment. This can''t be real. I''m on one of those weird prank shows! I got shot in the head? I''m dead? I''m in a judgment room? This guy knows exactly what happened? There''s no way. I refuse to believe that any of this happened.


    Except...


    "Wait so¡­ That wasn''t a dream?" I could hear myself whispering. I didn''t realize I had started talking until after I had already finished.


    "Nope. Totally real. Sorry about that." the old man yawned while shrugging.


    Well, I may as well go for broke.


    "I don''t suppose I got to keep my chips with me¡­?"


    "¡­" The old man just sat there while staring at me.


    The atmosphere in the room is a bit awkward. I''ve never really been that great at talking to people I have nothing in common with. If I just knew something about this guy then I could talk with him easier¡­ Hey, wait a minute, who even is this guy?


    "Hey, Oji-san, who are you?"


    "I''m God... At least, I''m one of ''em. It''s a long story so please don''t worry about it." he waved his hand as if to brush off the topic.


    Wait, I''m sitting in front of God himself? This is insane.


    "So¡­ Are you the Christian God? Judaism? Hindu? What are you?"


    I may as well find out while I''m here after all.


    "All of them at once I suppose. They''re all the same thing really. I should sort that whole mess out at some point¡­" the old man trailed off while looking away and scratching his short white beard.


    The old man seemed to be in deep thought until he cupped one hand and hit it with his fist. "Ah! We''re getting away from the main conversation. You, Kenji Fujima, have died. It is my duty to decide what happens from this point."


    This man calling himself God pointed straight at me while making an incredible declaration.


    "Woah, so... you decide if I''m going to heaven or hell?"


    "Or get reincarnated! That''s the job."


    Oh, right. As God, he would also handle all that too.


    God pulled out his book once again and opened it up while closely inspecting a page.


    "Hmm... It appears as if you haven''t really done much in life. It''s probably because you''re only 17 years old. I can''t blame you for that. Hmm¡­ Well, unfortunately for you, I can''t exactly send you to heaven based on your results from life."


    Shit.


    "Well, you can get reincarnated or you can go to hell."


    "WHAT KIND OF OPTIONS ARE THOSE? I CAN EITHER BURN FOREVER OR BE REBORN?" I stood up and slammed the table. This is outrageous.


    "Well, yes. That''s how this works." God said in a matter of fact tone.


    We both silently stared at one another for a little while.


    Suddenly, God looked as if he remembered something and held his finger up. "Ah! Oh yes, of course! I almost forgot the other option! You like anime, manga, and games, right?"


    "Huh? Oh, yes I like that stuff. Hey wait, don''t forget important things right now!" I shouted as I wept internally.


    "There is another option exclusive to young people such as you! You can be reborn in another world like one of those anime or manga you like so much!"


    Wait, did God just say what I think he said? Is this actually happening?


    "Essentially what''s happening is that this world I would send you to is under attack by some evil being. Call him the demon king or whatever you want, that''s what the locals call him anyways."


    This is just like the plot of so many novels and manga I''ve read! I can''t believe this is real!


    "And my job is to defeat this demon king guy?" I asked, already knowing the answer.


    "Yes, you are correct. I need you to kill this being. You''re basically a hitman for God. Doesn''t that sound appealing?"


    Woah woah woah! Is this really real? I get to be an isekai protagonist? That''s crazy! I get to learn magic and fight with swords and build a harem with a big boobed onee-san, a tsundere loli, and maybe even a monster girl! All my dreams are coming true! Dying is the best thing that''s ever happened to me! Thank you Mr. Hoodie!


    "Um¡­ Hello, are you listening?" asked God as I felt my fantasies crashing back down.


    I just realized I had been sitting in my mind for the better part of a minute.


    "Oh, yeah, haha sorry I was lost in thought!" I rubbed my head. I''m blushing. How embarrassing.


    "Oh, well I was saying that I wouldn''t recommend you take this option."


    "..."


    What the hell? Why would God tell me about this and then proceed to tell me not to take it? Is God teasing me? This is a bit ridiculous.


    "Huh? Why not? Did I do something wrong?"


    "Well, you''re fat." God replied tersely.


    "¡­" x2


    Both of us sat still in the room and stared at one another for a while.


    The silence in the room is quite disturbing. After some time, I finally decided to break the silence.


    "Is that¡­ the only reason?" I timidly asked.


    "Well, it''s certainly the biggest reason, no pun intended! Haha!" God announced while slapping his stomach.


    "¡­"


    "Look, the hero has to be a gallant handsome guy that works hard and tries his best no matter what! You''re a fat guy that likes manga and video games!"


    You know what? I hate God.


    "Look, don''t take it personally."


    "I''m finding it hard not to."


    "Well then take it personally."


    "¡­"


    I''m getting increasingly frustrated.


    "Can I go to the isekai world anyway? Even despite your warning?"


    "Huh? Oh yes of course. It''s just a warning after all! Haha!"


    Well, not all hope was lost. Still, if I''m going to go to an isekai world I need to know a few things.


    "Okay. I have a few questions first if you don''t mind answering them."


    "Oh, of course. I am happy to answer any questions you may have so long as they''re in my capacity to do so."


    This is good. I have God answering my questions. Infinite knowledge is at my fingertips.


    "Okay. Well¡­ First and most important question: Will I be able to understand the language of this world?" Best to start with the basics after all.


    "Yes. All individuals transported to another world are imbued with the knowledge of the common language of that world. You''ll be able to read, write, and speak the language fluently as if you''ve done it your whole life!"


    Great! So I won''t have to depend on some form of translation!


    "Will doing this make me forget how to understand Japanese?"


    "No."


    "Will I get sick from the diseases of this world?"


    "I will alter your immune system to work as if you have lived on this planet your entire life."


    So I won''t get sick from the diseases of this world easily. That''s a relief.


    "Are there other people in this world from Japan, or really, Earth?"


    "Yes. There are about 30 people from Earth on this world."


    That''s shockingly low. I guess most people just don''t want to live out the isekai dream. I pity them.


    "Why are you pulling people from Earth to this world?"


    "People from Earth understand the concept of being brought to another world thanks to things like games or books. The process runs smoothly when dealing with people from Earth when you compare it to people on Pluto."


    "People live on Pluto?"


    "We''re getting ahead of ourselves."


    God just dodged an important topic.


    "Why are only young people like me given this option?"


    "Young people are able to get into their physical prime and be strong enough to battle monsters and the like. I can''t grab someone in their fifties and expect them to go around becoming the next hero of the world, can I? That just doesn''t make sense. Of course, you''re not exactly in your physical prime either."


    Well, God has a point there, even if he was being a jerk about it.


    "What''s the human population of this world?"


    "About 73,621,996 humans in total."


    Wow, that''s really low compared to Earth. This world I''m going to must be a medieval society or something along those lines.


    "Are there typical fantasy powers? Do I get magic? Do I get superhuman abilities?"


    "Yes but you need to work for them."


    Yes! Magic! Sword skills! Super strength! I get to have them! This is my dream come true!


    "Do I get a cheat item or ability like in K*****ba?"


    "I don''t know what K*****ba is, but you get to understand the language."


    Huh? Maybe God just didn''t understand my question.


    "No, I mean like a sword that kills everything in one hit or super strength."


    "What? Why would I give you that? You get the language and some clothing appropriate for the world you''ll appear in and that''s it. If I was able to send people down there with items like that then I wouldn''t really have a problem with a demon king, would I?"


    He has a point, but this might be bad for me.


    "Will I¡­ become fit when I get transported there?"


    "No. You''ll still be fat."


    "So I''m just expected to fend for myself out there?"


    "Yes of course. I did tell you I didn''t recommend doing this."


    "¡­"


    What the hell? You''re just dumped onto another planet, not a coin to your name and no powers either and you''re expected to defeat a great demon king? Why would anyone want to do this?


    "Any other questions?"


    I may as well make a 100% educated decision before I get reincarnated.


    "How do I gain power? Is it a linear thing or do I level up? How does it work?"


    "You level up like in a video game. Killing monsters gets you experience points towards your next level. You can also train to gain experience points but it''s far slower."


    So I get to level up by killing monsters. Sounds like a lot of grinding in order to get stronger.


    "Oh, what types of monsters are there?"


    "Your standard fantasy fare. Slimes, dragons, goblins, other things too."


    Wait¡­ if there are standard fantasy monsters, then that must mean...


    "Are there¡­ Cat girls?" I looked at God with expectant eyes full of hope.


    After a long pause, God finally replied in a disapproving tone. "¡­Yes there are cat girls."


    I need to go to this fantasy world right now. There is not a second to waste.


    "You sure do ask a lot of questions..." Mumbled God.


    I feel like God''s respect for me has gone down a notable amount, but I don''t really mind.


    "Where do I show up in this fantasy world?"


    "I''ll send you to a town that''s really far away from the so-called ''demon king''. The town is called ''Ruks'' and you''ll find a lot of lower level people there."


    "Do I get any starting gear? Any money?"


    "You get the clothes I give you and the ability to speak, read, and write the language of this world."


    So no, I do not. Not even a little dagger or a rusted blade hilt like from D**k S***ls.


    "This is really harsh, don''t you think?"


    "Well I did warn you."


    "¡­" x2 We sat silently once again for a little while.


    With how harsh this all is, it makes sense that there are only about 30 people from Earth on this other world.


    After a little bit of thinking, God seemed to become impatient and asked me rather forcefully. "Hey¡­ can you choose? I have to process a lot of other people and you''re holding up the line."


    Oh yeah. I forgot I was dead.


    "I choose to go to this other world. What is it called?"


    "The world of Kardia."


    "Alright! I want to go to Kardia!"


    I made my declaration! I am going to an Isekai world! Alright!


    "Okay. Pick out a set of clothes from the wardrobe over there and head through the door. Good luck, don''t die again. I don''t expect anything from you."


    Despite the fact that God was apparently a jerk, I picked out my clothes and opened the door.


    "Oh yeah! If you somehow manage to defeat the so-called ''demon king'' I''ll grant you a wish of your choice!"


    "A wish? What kind of-"


    God shoved me through the doorway.

 2 This Hero Needs to Survive!

    Part 1


    The incredibly loud cracking noise from a whip on a wooden carriage knocked me out of my daze as I noticed the world that was around me.


    European style housing? Horse drawn carriages? Cobblestone roads?


    It''s true! I''m in a fantasy world! This isn''t an illusion! I can''t stop myself from laughing!


    Some people seem to be staring at me because of my sudden bout of laughter.


    "Mommy, why''s that man laughing?" asked a little girl as she pointed at me.


    "It''s rude to stare, honey." Said the mother while grabbing her daughter''s hand.


    I''m really in the world of my dreams! My harem fantasy is waiting for me!


    Alright! First thing''s first: I need to figure out my current situation. Let''s do some checkpoints.


    The first thing I need to do is find a way to stay alive. Staying alive will involve me fulfilling my three basic needs of food, water, and shelter. The only way I am going to be capable of securing those things is by getting money¡­ which I have none of.


    I need money.


    I can''t just become an adventurer immediately. I have no equipment other than my bare hands and I seriously doubt I''m going to be killing slimes or goblins without a sword or magic.


    I''m beginning to think I didn''t think this through enough.


    This is bad. I don''t know anyone I can ask to lend me money nor do I know any way to get income here in the first place. Judging by the position of the sun, I think it''s around nine in the morning, but considering this is another world I could be entirely wrong.


    The words of my mother echoed in my head. "You need to get a job!"


    Even in a fantasy world I am being mentally scolded by my parents.


    Considering my current situation,I need to gather a mental map of my surroundings and understand my current location as well as my current options. Considering the chill in the air right now, it stands to reason that it''s currently the middle of fall if not the early parts of winter.


    I mentally gathered myself. It''s time to work. I can''t sleep outside tonight or I will probably freeze to death. I have a time limit that is counting down fast.


    As I began to walk, I observed the signs of buildings near me as well as the people I was surrounded by.


    The building''s signs didn''t seem to have words usually. Most of the time, buildings had a symbol like a lizard or a bird instead of letters.


    Although I wanted to know why there weren''t any letters on signs, I couldn''t just ask any random person on the street. Asking people questions that would be obvious to a local would paint a target on my back for unsavory people and I can''t afford to risk that right now.


    I came across many different styles of buildings. Some made of pure stone, some made of wood, I even came across a building with stained glass.


    I tried to walk down a certain road and was stopped by someone that seemed to be guarding it. I didn''t want any trouble so I turned around and went a different way.


    After walking for longer than I ever had to before, I had gathered a few important pieces of information. I learned that the city is surrounded on 3 sides by walls and the fourth side has no wall, but instead is open to a port to a large lake with rivers that connect to the ocean.


    One of the other important things I learned was that there are things other than humans living in this city. I saw a man that resembled a lizard.


    "What do you want? Sss¡­" The lizard¡­ person (?) asked me.


    I felt like I was in danger so I just walked away without saying anything.


    I also saw a shorter than normal man as I walked around, but I''m fairly certain it would be offensive if I pointed that out.


    After a long period of what seemed to be forever, I eventually came across a building with a sign in the window. The sign read "Hiring full time worker" which was exactly what I needed.


    I only realized after I had read the sign that the language was absolutely not Japanese, but instead resembled some strange symbols. To better explain the language, it was as if one were to mix arabic with chinese. I could naturally read the sign despite the fact that the language seemed very foreign to me. Now that I think about it, I haven''t talked at all yet either. Can I speak? I should probably practice a bit before I try a job interview.


    After a minute or two of thinking, I walked up to a market stall and tried to talk to the owner.


    The owner looks to be in his thirties. Burly with a dark brown beard and short hair. His eyes are rather large and his nose is also big. The owner is wearing what appears to be a red vest with no undershirt and some baggy pants as well as some sandals to tie it all together.


    "Oh, hello sir! Do you want to buy some igripps? I sell bundles of 3 for only 10 juns!"


    "..."


    I''m just standing here.


    "Um, are you alright?" The man was staring at me uncomfortably.


    "...hello¡­" I was able to let out meekly.


    I only just now realized that the language I have been thinking in this whole time was not Japanese but instead this other world''s language. I have to hand it to God, this transition was seamless.


    "Uh¡­ son, are you going to buy anything?" The stall owner kept pestering me. It seemed like the owner was getting increasingly frustrated.


    I''ve decided to bite the bullet and just start talking. What''s the worst that could happen?


    "Yes I was wondering what that shop over there with the sign is. Do you know?"


    I did it. I can talk in the language of this world normally.


    "Huh? Buddy you''ve been standing outside my stall for a minute without saying a word and that''s what you finally decide to say?"


    It seems that I''ve made the wrong decision.


    "I''m sorry I was just¡­"


    I''m not very good at making up things on the spot. What do I do? What do I do? Uh oh this guy looks muscular I don''t want to get my face punched.


    Quick just say something!


    "ADMIRING YOUR PRODUCE!" I shouted out.


    Good one Kenji.


    The stall keeper seemed to panic when I suddenly shouted out. Multiple people began to stare at us.


    "Hey hey, what the hell do you think you''re doing? Are you trying to make a crowd or something? You starting trouble? From how big you are and the fancy looking clothes I thought you were a noble or something, but now I can tell you''re just an idiot."


    Don''t react or he''ll beat us up. Don''t react or he''ll beat us up. Don''t react or he''ll beat us up. Don''t react or he''ll beat us up.


    "Hey, I''m talking to you!" The stall owner shouted out. It seemed like he was at his limit.


    "I''M SORRY I WAS JUST ASKING A QUESTION!" I suddenly shouted out. I''m not very good with people yelling at me suddenly.


    An "Urgh!" noise came from the stall owner after I shouted once again. People seemed to be watching. I''m about to get beat up. Uh oh I''m gonna get beat up.


    "T-That''s the general store that belongs to old man Biars! Now go away!" Jutted out the shop keeper as he made a shoo-ing motion.


    "Oh, thank you Stall Man-san!" I said as I walked away and waved at the stall.


    "For crying out loud, why did I get the crazy guy?" I heard the shopkeeper mutter as I walked away.


    I entered the general store. A quiet ringing noise came from a bell that was attached to the door.


    The shelves were stocked with various things, many of which I have never seen before.


    "Welcome, I''ll be there in just a moment!" I heard a gruff voice shout out from somewhere I couldn''t see.


    Jarred goods, wooden walls and floors, a side door to a place unknown, and signs with words I could understand yet didn''t know the meaning of. This place was the definition of foreign for me.


    "Hmph!" I heard a strange grunting noise as I saw an older man standing up.


    The man appeared to be in his late fifties with short gray hair and faded muscles. I can tell this man used to be rather burly, but time has withered him as evidenced by his sunken eyes and tired face. The man''s shirt was fairly thin and covered the majority of his body except for his arms. His dark pants were faded from age and his shoes appeared to be simple leather.


    "Welcome sir, how may I help you today?" The older man asked me while walking over to the counter.


    How do I do this?


    I''ve never applied for a job before and I don''t know this person. Do I just request the job and see how it goes? Is he going to ask me for a form of identification? Oh God what if I need something like a social security number? What if he demands that I fight him to prove my worth? We''re in a medieval society after all! Can I take this guy in a fight? Probably not but he is an old man. What if he-


    "Um, are you alright son? Can I help you with something?" The older man asked me out of concern.


    Maybe I''m overthinking this.


    "UM, hi! Haha! I saw the sign on your window and was wondering if I could maybe possibly perhaps potentially be hired by you?"


    Nailed it. Mental high five.


    The old man stared at me for a moment.


    "You can read?" The old man asked me.


    What kind of question is that? Do I really look that stupid? I''ve never had a great sense of style but I don''t think the clothes I''m wearing are that bad.


    Oh, it seems like the man is waiting for my response.


    "Yes, I can. Is that a problem?"


    "No, of course not! You want a job here and you can read? That''s perfect!" The old man announced while clapping his hands together.


    "Honey!" He shouted to the side room. "Someone wants to work here, and they can read!"


    I heard the sound of quickened steps coming from the side room and then saw an older woman come out of the side room door. The woman appeared to also be in her late fifties. Wearing a thin work shirt, the woman seemed to have an air of aged dignity about her. She had long gray hair and a skinny, short body. Age also seems to have withered her. I can tell that in the past she may have been quite attractive.


    The woman is staring at me. I''m rather uncomfortable right now.


    "Well, nobody is here right now, how about we close for a moment and interview him?" The woman asked the older man.


    "Sounds like a plan!" Announced the older man as he walked to the front door and locked it.


    "Please, come with us to the side room. We''ll interview you there. Would you like some tea?"


    "Yes, please, if it isn''t a bother." I replied quietly.


    The older woman simply smiled in response as she led me into a small room with 2 sofas and a table between them.


    The older man followed closely behind and took a seat on the sofa closest to us.


    "Please, sit!" He said as he motioned towards the other sofa.


    Now that I think about it, I''ve been standing and walking for what felt like hours. My feet hurt.


    "Thank you." I said as I sat on the sofa opposite of the older man.


    We both sat in silence for a while until the older woman came into the room with a small tray. On the tray were 3 tea cups.


    "Here you go." The woman said as she placed the tray on the small table.


    I looked at the teacups as the older man and woman each took a one for themselves. Out of politeness and thirst I took the last remaining teacup in my hand and took a sip.


    ...Well, I''ve had worse tea before. There''s next to no sweetness in this tea. Did the woman add any sugar? Honey? Sweetener of any kind?


    Oh, I forgot I got this for free. I better act like I like it.


    "Mmm! Very nice!" I said with a forced smile on my face.


    "Thank you dear." Replied the woman. It seemed she was proud of herself for making the tea.


    "Alright. Well let''s start the interview!" The old man declared while slapping his hands on his legs.


    I forgot what I came here for. Thankfully I was reminded.


    "Well, first thing''s first: introductions. I am Biar and this is my wife Reese. We''ve lived in this city for our entire lives and we have a son who is in the army in the capital fighting the demon king." The man named Biar declared.


    Already something difficult. My name is definitely not normal here and I doubt most people here have a family name like I do. Should I tell them my family name too? What about where I''m from? "Japan" probably isn''t an option because if they ask further I will sound like a crazy person. Worst case scenario there is a city named "Japan" that is run by the Demon King and I will get arrested and executed on the spot.


    What do I say¡­?


    "My name is Kenji. I am 17 years old. I am from a city that is very far away. I have lost contact with my family."


    I decided to tell them the truth, or at least, a specific version of the truth.


    The couple was watching me intensely.


    "Kenji, huh? I''ve never heard a name like that before. Where exactly are you from?" Asked Biar.


    Oh no. They''re asking more questions about me. Should I just say "Japan" and be done with it or should I tell a lie?


    As I was thinking, Reese whispered something to Biar.


    "It''s best not to ask too much, my guess is his home was overrun by the demon king''s army, the poor thing."


    I''ve just been given a light in this dark tunnel.


    I pretended that I didn''t overhear them and looked to the side acting as if what I was just asked was painful.


    "The truth is¡­ I was recently driven out of my home¡­" I quietly proclaimed. I made sure to look like I was sad.


    "Oh you poor thing." Muttered Reese as she covered her mouth with her hand.


    Biar crossed his arms and gave a small nod with closed eyes while frowning. It seems like refugees from villages attacked by the demon king''s army were common. What a perfect excuse to not talk about where I''m from.


    "Well¡­ we won''t ask you any more about that. Hmm... why do you want to work here?"


    "I need money. I don''t have any and I need to be able to take care of myself."


    I decided to tell them the truth. I feel a bit bad about lying to this couple already and decided to try to stay as honest as possible.


    "Hmph, Naturally. Anyone in your situation would say the same. Sorry for asking such a question."


    Score number 2! This is going really well so far.


    "Do you have any experience working at a store like this one?" Biar asked me.


    Do I say no? Do I say yes? What if they test me on my knowledge? What if they deny me the job if I have no experience?


    "I¡­ don''t personally have any experience, but I sometimes helped my friend manage his father''s store some times." I declared. This wasn''t entirely untrue. My friend Shinji''s father ran a convenience store when we were in middle school. Sometimes I would come hang out with Shinji at the store, though that was mostly because I would get to play video games in the back room.


    ...It''s probably best not to tell Biar and Reese about that last part.


    "Hmm... Alright, I suppose that works." Biar said. Reese also nodded her head energetically in agreement.


    Score 3! This is going great! I''m such a genius!


    "Why did you come here specifically?" Briar asked.


    Ah, this question may actually be fairly difficult to answer.


    This was just the first place I saw that was hiring¡­ would be my honest response, though that would probably not be good enough. Do I say that I wanted to work here specifically? Maybe I was guided by fate. What do I say¡­


    Wait¡­ What if I¡­


    "I wanted to find a place that required me to read. I don''t want to get rusty while I''m in this city." I declared. This is my gamble and I''m going all in.


    "Oh!" exclaimed Reese as she clapped her hands together. It seems like I made the right choice.


    "Wonderful!" Proclaimed Biar. The old man was smiling. It seems like I have just said exactly what they wanted to hear.


    "When could you start?" Asked Biar.


    This is the question I was waiting for.


    "As soon as possible." I replied.


    "Could you start today?" Reese asked.


    YES! I did it!


    "Yes, I could. Do you need me to?" I happily replied.


    "That would be wonderful! Do you have any questions for us?"


    Time to open the floodgates.


    "Yes, I wanted to ask a few questions if that''s alright with you. I hope that none of this sounds rude to you as I am just trying to obtain some information." I led into my actions as lightly as possible.


    "Well of course, whatever you need to know I''ll do my best to answer it." said Reese. She''s probably going to be frustrated in a minute so I had best enjoy her smile now.


    "Alright. First, how much will I be paid and how often?"


    "Starting out we''ll be giving you 400 juns per week of work. You do not make commission."


    It seems that juns are the currency of this world. I have no idea how valuable one jun is compared to a yen, but judging by the fact that 3 of whatever that fruit at the stall earlier was only 10 juns, 400 is potentially a sizable sum.


    Of course, I could be entirely wrong. I have no idea how much money is worth here.


    "What will my hours be?"


    "You will begin work at 7 A.M. stocking shelves and end at 7 P.M. by closing and doing inventory. You will work every day of the week. Sundays your hours will be shortened to 7 A.M. to 3 P.M."


    12 hour days 6 days a week and one 8 hour day a week with no days off. I think it''s safe to say that unions don''t exist in this world.


    "What will my job consist of, exactly?"


    "You will help stock the shelves, run the counter, do inventory, prevent shoplifting, and also help clean the store on occasion."


    This sounds pretty standard. I doubt I need to worry about these things. The only part that worries me is preventing shoplifting. Will I need to get into a fight while I work here? What if it''s an adventurer? I doubt I can take on a muscular person on my own.


    "Is this place stolen from often?"


    "No, but it''s nice to have some extra security anyway."


    I can''t argue with that logic.


    "Why were you looking to hire anyone in the first place? Surely with two of you the place has plenty of employees."


    "We''re getting older and Biar''s back isn''t as good as it used to be. Standing all day and bending over often is hard for him so we needed the extra help.


    That makes perfect sense. Maybe I can push this a bit more?


    "You mentioned you had a son, why is he in the army and not helping you run the store?"


    "That¡­ He¡­ Had dreams of glamor as a soldier fighting back the demon king. I swear he has to grow up one day but I don''t know when he''ll do it. Honestly, that boy¡­"


    I feel like I''ve touched on a sensitive topic. It''s probably best to not dig into this much more.


    "Why did you want me to know how to read?"


    "Because we need someone capable of maintaining the ledger and being able to read the labels."


    I can''t argue with any of the logic this woman is giving me. I should go for broke here, literally.


    "Um, this is a bit embarrassing, but do you know anywhere I could sleep tonight? I don''t really have a place to go."


    "Oh dear! You don''t have a place to go tonight? Oh you poor thing!" Reese exclaimed. I could feel my cheeks getting hotter by the moment.


    "You just work today and I''ll see what I can do."


    SCORE! Sympathy points get you places!


    "Well." Reese clapped her hands together. "Time to get to work!" She made her declaration and showed me back into the store room.

 3 This Hero Starts to Work!

    "So you see, it''s important that the Agrippas go on this shelf instead of on the upper shelf." Biar said.


    Biar has been giving me the general information I will need when stocking the shelves here at this store. It seemed this place was popular with adventurers that needed field rations as well as with mothers that needed ingredients to cook.


    So far, Biar has taught me about how shelving certain items on certain rows leads to people buying more of that item. The items that are less important go in the middle rows while the items that are more important go on the higher or lower levels. As it turns out, shelving the items in a certain manner causes people to subconsciously want to purchase the closer items that wouldn''t be sold otherwise. As expected of a shopkeeper of his age, Biar knew the secrets of the trade.


    "Do you have any questions so far?" Biar asked me. I had to be careful about how much I asked or else they might get annoyed with me and throw me out. I hate to admit it, but I''m at this couple''s mercy right now.


    "None! You''re great at explaining things Biar-san!" I lied. I have so many questions I can barely contain it, but I need to keep it in.


    So far, I''ve learned that the average price of a grocery item here is between 5 to 8 juns. I have also learned that juns are named after the first emperor Invarnis Herim Dages Von Jun. I also learned that this country is an empire. I have also learned that there is a small amount of overlap between the fruits and vegetables of this world and those of Earth. There are potatoes, tomatoes, and apples here.


    It would take roughly 30 minutes for Biar to fully stock the store after a day''s worth of shopping. Biar said it would take me around double that time at first, but I would get faster the more I did it.


    It was my duty to man the counter while Biar watched over me to ensure that everything was going well. I was given a sheet that listed the prices of each item.


    I am actually fairly nervous about doing this job, aside from the fact that if I screw this up I would be out on the street back at square one, I also just have a generally nervous feeling. Maybe this was because this was my first job ever?


    I didn''t have time to explore my feelings as I heard the ringing noise of the store door opening.


    "Ah, good morning Ania-san!" Declared Biar. "We have a new hire here, his name is Kenji!"


    "Ah, Korgi-san, it''s nice to meet you, dear." Said this Ania woman.


    Ania appears to be a rather old woman. I''d say she is around 80 years old at the earliest. I suppose the life expectancy of people in this world is actually rather good, at least in the cities.


    As Ania began to walk around the store. Biar whispered to me "Walk near her. She''s old and there''s nobody else here. She might need your help getting items that are lower or higher than others."


    I can''t argue with that logic and it''s not really a problem so I may as well do it.


    I stepped away from the counter and kept a short distance away from Ania.


    "¡­"


    This woman is really slow. I understand that she''s an old woman, but does she have to lose in races against snails?


    "Ah, Korgi-san, could you please tell me what this label says?" Ania would ask me occasionally.


    It seems like this woman''s eyes were either bad from age or she couldn''t read. Either way, I would read the label on the items for her.


    "This is Juctrod, Ania-san." I said to her.


    "Ah. I need that. Thank you Korgi-san." She said as I handed the jar to her.


    This woman keeps getting my name wrong. I wonder if she''s doing it intentionally. I could probably beat up an old woman if I needed to.


    After what felt like an hour, Ania finally finished her shopping. No one else entered the store while Ania was shopping.


    "Your total will be¡­ 114 juns, Ania-san." I declared after calculating the prices of all her items together.


    "Hmm¡­ oh yes. Alright let me just get out my coin purse¡­" Ania said as she reached to her side.


    After a long pause Ania finally pulled out a small leather sack from her side. Ania reached into the sack and pulled out 6 coins.


    I took the coins and something odd happened. I could instantly tell the exact worth of each coin by the feel of them in my hands. I could tell that the amount I was given was exactly 114 juns.


    "Thank you, Ania-san. Have a good day!" Announced Biar as he escorted her out of the store.


    I put the juns into the register. Biar returned back into the store and congratulated me.


    "Good work Kenji-san! Keep working like that and you''ll be perfect here." Biar told me.


    Work continued like this for a while until Biar clapped his hands and said "Well, it seems to be about time to close. Kenji, come help me close up shop!"

 4 This Hero Finds a Home!

    The dark sky told me that the night had arrived. I could see the frosting on the glass as I began to follow Biar''s instructions.


    "We need to ensure that each item matches up with our inventory. You take the shelves in front and I will take the shelves to the side."


    Biar and I began to do inventory for the day. My job is to count each individual item and ensure that their numbers lined up with our written numbers. This system was intended to make sure no items had been stolen from us during the day as well to know what items we needed to order before they ran out.


    This process is tedious. I need to make sure each jar of every item is there and then I need to write it down in a ledger. I understand why they needed me to be able to read now.


    "12 jars of barcrus. 16 cloves of naxrut¡­" I said aloud as I counted and wrote down the number of each item. Why does every vegetable and fruit in this world have such a weird name? Now that I think about it though, isn''t "potato" a weird word as well? I guess it''s just my perception of the world shifting a bit.


    After checking the inventory of the items, Biar asked "Are we missing anything?"


    "It doesn''t seem like we are. Every item that is missing was sold today." I declared while double checking the ledger just to be sure.


    "That''s good! What''s the total sales for today?" Biar asked me with an inquisitive face.


    "It seems like we made a profit of one thousand seventy eight juns in total." I read out.


    "Hm, an average day then. That''s good to hear."


    The side door opened as Reese stepped out. Reese looked a little bit sweaty from whatever she had been doing in the side room. I fought back the urge to ask her what she had been doing back there, telling myself that I''d find out eventually.


    "So, how did his first day go?" Reese asked Biar.


    "He did just fine! I think we can take him on as a full time employee!" Biar announced.


    I felt a sense of pride rise in my stomach as well as a sense of relief.


    "How wonderful! I could tell he''d do just fine here!"


    Please stop, I''m not used to being praised. I think my face is burning off.


    "Now I need to change the subject. Kenji, you spoke about not having a place to stay, is that correct?" Reese asked me in as gentle a tone as she could.


    Now that I remember it, she was right. It''s cold outside and I don''t want to have to sleep in an alley.


    This is¡­ a predicament. I still don''t have any money and I''ve only done one days worth of work so I doubt I can get paid already. What do I do?


    "I spoke to someone I''ve known for a while, her name is Ania-san. She said she had a spare room that you could live in for the time being, at least until you''re back on your feet."


    SCORE!!! I have a place to stay! This is the best possible scenario!


    "The woman that came to the store earlier today?"


    "Yes, she''s a very nice woman. She lives on her own so it''s probably a big help to her that you''re here as well!" Biar told me.


    Living with an old woman. This is not exactly a glamorous life, but it is free housing¡­


    I''m weighing my options.


    "Here, let me show you to the place!"


    "Hey, wait-!"


    Reese grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the store.


    I felt a strong chill as I stepped outside. The cold air of fall struck my face as my teeth began to chatter. My clothes may be new, but they aren''t very thick. I''ll need to invest in thicker clothing in the future when I have the chance.


    Reese pulled me along the torch lit street until she stopped in front of a small wooden doorway between two larger shops.


    "This is the place. It''s not too far from our shop and it''s pretty close to the rest of the shopping district. Quite a lucky break for you, isn''t it?" Reese looked at me with a proud smile.


    Honestly, this is great for me.


    A place that I can return to that''s stable. Someone else living with me that can explain things to me, and a job nearby so I can make some money. I can''t really ask for much more.


    The door opened.


    "Ah, it''s Korgi-san. How are you?"


    Ania was standing in the doorway wearing much¡­ thinner clothes than she was earlier today. I was revolted, but a house is a house.


    "I made some soup and you can have some too. Come in, please!" Ania said to me with a weak wave towards herself.


    "Well, I''ll see you tomorrow then! Remember you need to be at the shop by 7 A.M. sharp!" Reese said as she walked away while waving goodbye.


    "Come in, come in!" Ania insisted while waving more energetically to me.


    Having no reason to not enter the house, I complied with Ania''s request.


    I climbed the wooden stairs up to the second floor that was Ania''s home. Ania lived above the two stores that her door is between.


    "Ah¡­ let me just unlock the door here¡­"


    Ania was checking her side again. Judging by how long it took Ania before, it''s possible that she would take another ten minutes just to find her key. If this is going to be a daily occurrence then I should probably get my own key.


    "Ah, there it is!" Ania proclaimed after only a few seconds.


    "Eh?"


    Wait, she found her key that quickly? Why did it take her so long to find her coin purse earlier if she is able to find something smaller at such speeds?


    "I have a bowl of soup ready for you but let me show you around first." Ania told me as she opened the door.


    Immediately my nose was assaulted by the smell of old woman. I could see that on every wall there were either pictures of people, paintings of landscapes, or documents of sorts. There were even bookcases.


    Wait, if she has books does that mean she can read?


    The room itself was not too large but there were many doorways to other rooms. Inside of the room there was a faded carpet, a small sofa that could barely fit two people, and a small coffee table with a large doily on it.


    "It isn''t very fancy, but it''s certainly better than out on the streets, eh Korgi-chan?"


    Honestly speaking this place was fairly ghastly. I doubt this building has been dusted in years and I am scared of what types of things may be hidden from my view.


    "Your home is very nice, Ania-san. Also my name is Kenji, not Korgi." I said with a forced smile.


    "You will use the term ''sama'' from now on when referring to me, boy."


    Huh?


    "I took you off the streets out of my own good will. As a result of my good will you will follow my rules. Do you understand?"


    What''s with this old woman? Am I about to be subjected to something dangerous?


    "A-alright¡­" I said meekly. I don''t like where this is going.


    "Wrong! From now on whenever you respond to me you will add ''Ania-sama or Ma''am'' to it! Am I understood?"


    Did I actually just get sent to hell instead of going to a fantasy world? Is that what happened?


    "Y-yes ma''am¡­" I responded forcefully.


    "Good!"


    "Rule 1: You will respect all my desires as absolute! If I tell you to get something for me then you will. If I ask you to rub my feet then you will. Is this understood?"


    Oh no.


    "Yes ma''am."


    "Good! Rule 2: You will be happy with what you are given. I am not running a charity. If I so choose I will send you back out on the streets. Is this understood?"


    "Yes ma''am."


    "Good! Rule 3: Before you go to bed you must give me a kiss on the cheek and say goodnight!"


    Should I try my luck with an alley tonight? I think I saw a nice spot while I was walking here¡­


    "Rule 4: You owe me 40 juns each time you get paid. Living here isn''t free. Is that clear?"


    I have to pay to live here it seems, but considering that that''s only a tenth of my earnings, it isn''t that bad.


    "I SAID IS THAT CLEAR?" Ania yelled at me.


    "Y-YES MA''AM!" I shouted out of reflex.


    "Good! Now that that''s been cleared come sit down for some food. You must be starving."


    I have never been so terrified in my entire life. I went along with whatever this woman told me to out of fear for my life.


    I was led into a room that appeared to be a dining room. There is a rectangular table with four chairs around it and a bowl of soup on either side.


    "Sit."


    "Yes ma''am."


    I sat in the chair I was told to and waited for Ania to sit down as well.


    "In this house, we thank the gods for every meal. Pray with me, boy."


    I quickly put my hands together in prayer.


    "We thank each of our creators for the bounty we experience today. I thank the creators for allowing me to help this poor sorry child. I thank the creators for giving me the patience to deal with the people I meet every single day. Amen."


    Having met God, I could somewhat understand why he was so aloof after hearing prayers like that.


    I took the soup with the spoon. It looked appealing and I could see steam coming off of it. I can''t remember the last time I ate a home cooked meal ever since Mom started working.


    I took a spoonful of the soup into my mouth. The taste was different compared to what I was used to, but it is not bad, in fact it is actually rather good.


    I only now just realized how hungry I was. I took spoonful after spoonful greedily. I couldn''t stop myself.


    It only took me a short time before the food was all gone.


    "Whew. Thank you for the food."


    "You gulped that down rather quickly. It must be nice to be young. Well, now that you''ve finished your food, you should go to bed. I''ll show you to your room."


    Ania stood up and led me to a door.

 5 This Hero Finds Resolve!

    "This will be your room. It belonged to my son but he doesn''t need it anymore. Don''t break anything or I''ll throw you out."


    "Thank you ma''am."


    "Hmm. Good. I''ll wake you up at 5 tomorrow so you can cook me breakfast."


    I have to cook her breakfast? I have to wake up at 5 A.M.? People wake up that early?


    Obviously I can''t ask Ania these questions or else she''ll get angry. I just have to hold it in.


    The room is actually rather large when compared to the last few rooms I''ve seen. A bed complete with a pillow and sheets sat in the corner of the room. There was a bookcase that held a few books that appeared to have been heavily used in the past. A small desk and chair sat in another corner of the room. There is also a faded picture of a young man and a woman sitting with him. This is probably Ania and her son from a long time ago.


    "This was Demit''s room. I am keeping it safe in case he ever wants to come home, so don''t you dare cause any problems."


    "Yes ma''am."


    "Then I''ll leave you to it. The toilet is at the second room down the hall and to the left from here. Don''t make unnecessary noise."


    "Understood ma''am."


    "Good. I''ll leave you to it then."


    Ania left the room and closed the door behind her.


    This was it. I am alone for the first time since I was reincarnated.


    This isn''t exactly how I expected my first day in an isekai world to go. I thought I would be out slaying monsters and meeting cute girls, not helping run a store and sleeping in an old woman''s house.


    I sat down on the bed. I could feel the exhaustion of a day''s work being slowly released from my body¡­ along with another feeling.


    A rising tingle came from my stomach. I''ve never felt something like this before.


    "Oh god¡­" I heard myself say.


    I haven''t had time to collect my thoughts since I was reincarnated, but now that I''ve finally had a moments reprieve I realized just how nervous I''ve been.


    I''m hyperventilating.


    "What have I done...? Oh God what have I done? All I have to do is mess up once and I could wind up on the streets... or dead! I¡­ what am I going to do? I''m supposed to defeat the demon king? I''m living with an old woman and I''m scared of her for crying out loud!"


    I could feel the fear and anxiety I had built up over the day being suddenly brought to the surface now that I had a moment to relax.


    I wanted to run away. Run back home and appreciate everything I had there and try harder at life, but that isn''t an option.


    I am alone in this world.


    I''ve gotten incredibly lucky today, but I am still alone. All it takes is me making too much noise or someone unsavory bumping into me on the road and I could lose everything. I''m sitting on the edge of a knife. My margin for error is razor thin.


    "What am I going to do¡­?"


    After a few minutes, I uncovered myself and took a deep breath.


    I know what I have to do.


    I can''t just sit around and wait. The demon king won''t just die on their own. I need to prepare.


    How do I prepare?


    It takes me 5 minutes of walking to get to the house from the store from what I could tell. If I take 15 minutes to eat dinner and dedicate another 30 to 40 minutes to helping Ania with whatever she may need then I will head to this room, my sanctuary, by 8 P.M. at the latest.


    I have to be awake by 5 A.M. every morning to make breakfast for Ania and myself. This leaves me 9 hours of time, except for one thing.


    I am fat.


    I can''t hope to become an adventurer and fight monsters, much less the demon king, with a body like this. Those muscular people that were probably adventurers proved that to me. I need to fix myself.


    I need to exercise for at least one hour every night before I sleep. This leaves me with 8 hours to sleep.


    On Sundays I will dedicate my extra time to learning more about this world and studying anything I can get my hands on. I may get a sword and practice swinging it a few times just so I can get a feel for it before I go into live practice.


    I stood up off the bed and got onto the ground.


    "I think this is called a plank?" I said to myself as I assumed a position I remembered seeing on a television once.


    I sat in this position for a full minute. Each second was agony. I''ve never done anything like this before, but I understood that to climb a mountain you need to start walking.


    "Huff¡­ Huff¡­"


    I am already out of breath after just a minute. I quietly cursed myself for all the time I spent sitting.


    After I caught my breath, I stood up.


    "Now¡­ squats."


    I did a total of 15. My legs are burning.


    I got back onto the floor.


    "Now¡­ huff¡­ push ups."


    I did a total of 10 before I couldn''t do anymore. I never realized just how out of shape I truly was.


    After a few more exercises I got back onto the bed.


    "I''m huff... exhausted huff..." I said to the room.


    I can hear a part of my mind telling me not to do that ever again, but I suppressed it. This is the only way to succeed.


    I will survive. Surviving is the only thing that matters. I don''t care if I have to work at a store. I don''t care if I have to live with a crazy old woman. I don''t care if I have to work harder than I ever have before. I will survive. I will beat the demon king.


    "Let''s see¡­ secure food, water, and shelter¡­ check." I said to the empty room.


    It''s time to get to work.

 6 This Heros Second Morning In Another World!

    The morning came too quickly.


    I heard a loud knocking on my door as Ania woke me up.


    "Wake up. It''s time for you to make breakfast. I want something soft. Make it for me."


    I don''t think I''ve ever woken up this early in the morning before. I''ve done all nighters that ended this late, but I''ve never actually slept and woke up at a time like this.


    As I started to rise, I felt a dull pain in my abdomen.


    "Urgh!"


    My muscles are killing me. I guess this is what the soreness that people talk about after working out is.


    After a moment of pain, I rose out of bed. The cold air hit me as I stepped out from the covers. The shiver of a fall morning hit me in a way I never expected.


    I need to use the toilet. What did Ania say? The door on the left?


    I stepped into the hall and walked to the left. There are two doors¡­ Which one do I pick?


    After a moment''s deliberation, I opened the first door.


    This is not the toilet.


    This is probably Ania''s bedroom.


    Is that her underwear lying on the bed there?


    This is dangerous.


    I closed the door as quickly and quietly as possible. I''ll act like this never happened.


    As I closed the door¡­


    "What are you doing?"


    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-


    "NOTHING! I-I was¡­ doing nothing, Ania-sama! Haha! Yes I was just looking for the toilet!"


    I am going to die.


    "Hmph. Well... it''s the door right next to this one. That door right there is my room. Don''t enter it." Ania said as she pushed me aside and entered her room.


    God, I know we didn''t really get along, but I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart.


    I opened the door next to Ania''s room and saw a small toilet. The toilet resembles a modern one from Earth which surprised me. There is no bathtub or shower, so I won''t be bathing here.


    After relieving myself and washing my hands, I heard a noise.


    "Slurp¡­ Slurp¡­"


    Oh god that is the worst noise to hear in a restroom.


    Where is that noise coming from? It''s not the sink¡­


    "Slurp¡­ Slurp¡­" The noise continued.


    I investigated the room and searched my surroundings to find where the noise is coming from. After checking a few places, I realized that it''s coming from the toilet. Something is in the toilet and making that noise. Something is inside the toilet making a disgusting noise after I just finished using it.


    I left the room as soon as possible and found Ania.


    "Ania-sama, I heard a weird noise coming from the toilet. Do you know what''s going on?"


    "Hm? Oh, that''s just my sewer slime. They''re harmless and keep the place sanitary."


    "Sewer¡­ slime?" I feel like an idiot for not knowing something that Ania seems to think is basic, but this isn''t exactly something I''m comfortable with leaving alone.


    I hate this world so much. This is so disgusting yet practical. Whoever thought of doing this is probably messed up in the head.


    "Hey, you need to make me breakfast. The clock is ticking!"


    Oh that''s right, I need to make her breakfast. Her breakfast needs to be soft as well.


    I went over to her pantry and saw what felt like a treasure hoard of ingredients. Jars of all different kinds are on each and every shelf. Some foods that wouldn''t spoil for a while were sitting on other shelves. I saw some meat hung up on racks. This woman is probably far wealthier than I thought she was originally. I wonder what her story is?


    I was getting ready to gather the ingredients before I realized something important.


    I don''t know how the foods of this world taste.


    The soup I had yesterday had already been made prior to my arrival so I don''t know what went into making it. What should I do?


    "Ania-sama, what is it that you would like for breakfast?"


    "Something sweet."


    Well at least that narrows it down a little bit. I wonder what sweet things she has?


    As I investigated the pantry, I saw something familiar.


    "Apples? Wow. I can''t believe they have these here too."


    "What was that? Are you asking me something else?"


    "No ma''am! I''m just talking to myself!"


    "Well you should talk less and cook more!"


    Despite being frustrated with this old woman, I grabbed a few apples and oats. I decided to make apple oatmeal today.


    I''ve never been much of a cook in the first place. I mostly would get food from stores or make it in a microwave. Despite my inexperience, I have to try.


    I grabbed a pan and put it on the stovetop. I filled the pan with oats and water and got ready to light it.


    "Hm? How does this work?"


    There doesn''t seem to be a switch to turn on the heat or anything like that.


    "You have to touch the little symbol on the side. It uses your mana to light a fire. Don''t worry, it doesn''t take much."


    Woah woah woah, mana powered stove tops? That''s awesome! Can I use it? Do I have magic? There''s only one way to find out.


    I put my thumb on the small symbol on the side of the stovetop and immediately felt something drain out of my hand. As I felt this draining sensation, I saw a fire light underneath the stove top. Not only did I find out that I really do have mana in some capacity, but I also learned what it feels like to use it as well as one of the practical applications of magic in this world. If I can use magic, then that stands to reason that everyone in the world has magic. Do animals have magic? Where does magic come from? Every new thing I learn results in more questions.


    Putting my questions aside for later, I began to chop the apples up into small bits while the oats were being boiled into oatmeal. I waited until the oats were almost done and then added the apple bits and stirred them in together. After another minute of cooking I took the pan off the stovetop. The fire seemed to turn itself off naturally once I did this and I had to prevent myself from saying "Woah that''s awesome!" when I saw it.


    I divided up the portions into two bowls and set one in front of Ania.


    "Here you go, Ania-sama. Apple oatmeal."


    "Mmm. At least you can do basic things. Let''s see what it tastes like. Come, sit and pray."


    I sat down and put my hands together.


    "We thank the creators for the bounty we received today. I thank the creators for giving me the patience to work with people. I thank the creators for giving this boy at least some semblance of intelligence to know how to cook something basic. Amen."


    "Amen" I followed. I''ll just ignore her comments about me.


    As I took the oatmeal into my mouth, I had to compliment my own cooking. The taste is basic, but it''s also palatable. If I had to rate it, I''d give it a B-. I wonder what Ania thinks-


    "Boy, you really need to learn how to cook. You will need to use a cookbook. The next time you get paid you must buy a cookbook."


    Alright so she didn''t like it. Good to know.


    We ate quietly after that. After a while, we finished our food. I took Ania''s plate as well as my own to the sink and washed them. Once I had finished with this, I left for my second day of work.

 7 This Hero Gets Supplies!

    I arrived at the general store as Biar was unlocking the front door.


    "Oh, you''re here on time. That''s good! I was a bit worried you would sleep in or something! Haha!"


    Despite the fact that Biar apparently thought very little of my ability to be a functioning member of society, I simply responded with a small smile and a "Good morning" to him.


    Biar fumbled around with his keys for a while and then opened the door. Once the door had been opened, Biar and I entered the store.


    "Time to stock the shelves, Kenji-kun. I''ll show you how to do it." Biar motioned to the side room.


    I followed Biar as he led me into the side room. From the side room, I was shown another room.


    "This is where we get shipments of new supplies. Anything that drops below a stock of ten gets ordered and usually arrives within three to four days. Today we''re getting¡­" Biar trailed off as he pulled out a piece of paper. "Plumric, apples, and tumun. Did you get all that Kenji? Only grab those boxes. They''ll be labeled so you shouldn''t worry too much."


    "Just grab the specific boxes and don''t take what we don''t need?"


    "Yes, exactly."


    This should be simple enough. Picking out boxes with labels is pretty basic after all.


    We walked out of a back room. Outside of the back room was an alleyway that was between the two different building blocks. The ground is covered in a dusty stone flooring. In the alleyway waiting behind the shop there is a small covered wagon. I can hear the hard breathing of a horse that had just finished pulling something heavy and I saw the driver wave to Biar.


    "Ah, Biar-san, who is this?"


    "This is my new hire, Kenji-kun. I''m showing him how to handle restocking."


    "Well alright then. Listen Kenji-san, don''t take anything that isn''t for you, alright? I don''t want you to have to deal with those consequences."


    Why is everyone trying to ensure that I don''t touch anything other than the intended items? Do I really appear that untrustworthy?


    Whatever. I doubt it''s really going to be as much of a problem as they are insisting it will be.


    "Alright. Biar-san, the items you requested are apples, tumun, and plumric. They''re in the wagon¡­ somewhere."


    "Alright. Kenji-kun, come with me."


    Wait, this guy doesn''t know where the stock is located?


    Despite my concerns, I followed Biar once again and stepped into the back of the small covered wagon.


    "What the hell¡­" I let escape from my lips.


    "Heh, yeah it does boggle the mind how it works, doesn''t it? Magic is a crazy thing!"


    The inside of this carriage is enormous! This space has to be as large as a warehouse! How the hell does a single horse pull this thing? There are boxes everywhere! The total amount of objects in this wagon is incomprehensible!


    "Follow me Kenji-kun. I''ll show you how this works."


    As it turns out, the objects in this area are apportioned to different sections based on the first letter and type of object they are. There are items here other than produce. I can see suits of armor, books, and other such things.


    Wait, is that a lizard? Well, it''s not my problem, but it''s watching me. I''m getting goosebumps from how much it''s watching me.


    After a moment of wandering around, Biar stopped in front of a crate and slapped the top.


    "Ah, these are the apples! Kenji-kun, I need you to take these out of the carriage and take them into the back room. We''ll stock the shelves once we have all our items."


    "Alright. Leave it to me."


    At least, that''s how reliable I want to appear. This crate is massive! How am I supposed to lift it on my own? Is there something to lift it with, like a pallet jack?


    I looked around for a moment before Biar stopped me.


    "Just try lifting it, Kenji-kun. You must have lived in the boonies if you''ve never seen this."


    What is he saying? Does he really think I can lift this? Just because I''m fat doesn''t mean I''m strong, you know?


    "..." We were just staring at one another.


    Whatever, I''ll just try it. What''s the worst that can happen anyway?


    I grabbed the crate with both arms and began to lift.


    "W-Whoa!"


    This crate is so light! I could lift it with one hand if I really wanted to! Who would have known that working out last night would result in such quick results! At this rate I''m going to be able to defeat the demon king in no time! Alright!


    "Haha! Yeah that shocked me my first time too! The feather magic they use on these crates really does make you feel like a superhuman."


    Wait, what?


    Feather magic?


    I''m not actually this strong, but it''s just magic? Come to think of it, the crate falls slowly too.


    The magic is cool¡­ I guess. I''m just disappointed that I''m not actually this strong. Oh, no, please don''t look at me with that pained expression Biar-san, I don''t want you forming a lower opinion of me than what you already seem to have. Please stop.


    "Alright. You take those to the back room. I need to get one of the other items while I''m here. Be sure not to touch anything other than that crate you''re holding right now, alright?"


    "Yes sir, Biar-san."


    We parted ways and I attempted to follow the path Biar took in reverse.


    Hm? Where is the exit? There are no signs anywhere. This place is certainly not up to fire safety code.


    "Where is the exit?" I yelled out.


    "..."


    Silence. Oh no.


    "What do you do when you''re lost? Stay put? I don''t think I have the luxury of staying put though. What do I do?"


    As I was thinking out loud, a lizard walked past me. The lizard got a short distance ahead of me and looked back at me.


    What''s the deal with this lizard? Is it mocking me? I ought to skewer it.


    Wait, why is it just standing there? It''s staring at me. Wait a moment...


    "Do you¡­ want me to follow you?"


    The lizard blinked. I''m talking to a lizard. What has my life become?


    You know what? I might as well follow this lizard. What else do I have to lose anyway?


    I began following the lizard. Once I started getting close to the lizard it would start moving again. The lizard kept taking turns at different corners. At times, the lizard would occasionally stop and look behind itself as if to ensure that I''m still behind it before it would begin walking again. Don''t worry Lizard-san, I won''t fall behind.


    After a little while I could hear the sound of birds chirping. I see the exit!


    The lizard turned around and looked at me one last time before running off back into the deeper parts of the wagon.


    "Thank you, Lizard-san. I will never forget you!"


    "What are you doing, Kenji-kun?"


    Reese was standing behind me while holding a crate of her own.


    "Just¡­ um¡­"


    "You got lost and a lizard helped you out, am I right?"


    "Yes ma''am." I could feel my face burning as I stared at the ground.


    A pained smile emerged on Reese''s face. Honestly I want to know just how low of an opinion I can reach with this couple.


    "Well, everyone gets lost on their first time! It''s a big place after all!"


    Reese you are an angel. Thank you for trying to salvage my shattered pride.


    "Come, we need to stock the store."


    Reese stepped out of the carriage and I followed.


    As I was leaving, a question emerged in my mind.


    "Oh Reese-san, what is the deal with the lizards, anyway?"


    "Oh, they''re the security for the carriage. They guide lost people and they eat robbers. It''s some magic contract made with a wizard that the company that makes the carriages provides or something."


    I am very glad I didn''t try to touch anything.

 8 This Hero Gets Robbed!

    After restocking each shelf, we prepared to open for business. The time now is around eight in the morning. I can see a few people walking and beginning their daily routines outside.


    "Alright. Kenji-kun, man the counter. I''m going to go take a seat for a little while. I''m trusting you with this, alright?"


    "Yes sir, Biar-san."


    Wow, I''m being trusted with the counter on the second day! Biar must trust me more than I thought he did. I''m fairly proud of myself for this. I hope I don''t develop a bloated ego.


    I walked over to the front door and flipped a small sign that had an X and an O symbol on it. This was the version of an open or closed sign for this world since the majority of the inhabitants couldn''t read. After I turned the sign, I returned to the counter, ready for another day of work.


    I stood around for around half an hour until someone finally entered. This person is a man that appears to be in his mid twenties. His clothes are somewhat ragged and faded. I can''t really judge this person though considering my own current situation.


    Since they''re the only person in the shop, I decided to stand near them like Biar had instructed me to do yesterday.


    After a little while, the man grabbed a single plumric and came up to the counter.


    "A plumric? That will be 6 juns."


    "Ah¡­ alright."


    The man reached into his left pocket and I heard the peculiar noise of metal on metal. Just how much money does this guy have?


    "Ah, here you go" The man said as he handed me 2 coins.


    I took the coins from the man''s hand and could tell the precise amount is 6 juns.


    "Thank you very much."


    "Ah¡­ yeah¡­"


    With that, the man left the store.


    After the first customer, time seemed to move by quickly. We had the occasional customer, but we never had more than one at a time. It seems like Biar plans on just staying in the side room all day. What a lazy man.


    After some time, the sun was setting. It was probably somewhere around six P.M. at this point. Only one more hour until my second day would be over with.


    I heard the bell of the door as another customer entered the store. It seemed to be an older man so I decided to stay near him as I had the other customers.


    After some time, the man is still here.


    "Ah, what''s this thing?"


    "It''s still Rudvisk sir."


    "Oh I see¡­"


    This guy has been checking the same three items for the past 5 minutes and getting me to read out each of them over and over again. I would dropkick this guy if he wasn''t a customer.


    Suddenly I heard a noise come from the front door, but I didn''t see anyone enter. I was perplexed so I left the customer and investigated.


    The register is open and has been emptied! Outside of the store I saw a glimpse of a skinny person in a cloak running away.


    We just got robbed!


    "Huh, what? Wait, what did you say?"


    It sounded like he had just been woken up, that bastard. It doesn''t matter right now though, I''ll give him an earful later.


    I ran out of the store to chase the thief. That''s my pay god damn it! You''re not going to take it!


    Left, right, through a crowd, jumping over objects. This thief is fast. I, however, am not.


    "Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Get¡­ back here! Huff¡­"


    Wow I am out of shape.


    After a few minutes of chasing this thief, I managed to corner them in an alleyway. No escaping for this thief!


    "Now¡­ Huff¡­ give me¡­ Huff¡­ back my pay! ...Oh God. Cough!"


    "Hehe! You caught me! Good job!"


    What''s with this thief? Why are they happy about this? I have a bad feeling about this¡­


    "I don''t suppose you''ll let me go, will you?"


    "Hell no! That''s the store''s money! I worked hard to get it!"


    "Yeah well I worked hard to steal it, you see. I had to pay that first guy to find out how many people were working and then I had to pay that second guy to occupy you while you were working and then I had to run away from you this whole time! Can''t you see how difficult this has been for me? Do you have any idea how hard it is for a lady such as myself to survive in this world? Have a little heart Onii-san!"


    Wait, what? This is a girl? Wait, why do I care about that? It''s not that I''m in an alleyway alone with a girl or anything! No I''m not that pathetic of a man to get worked up about this, no way!


    "W-well¡­"


    "Haha, you''re so flustered! Hahaha!"


    This bitch¡­!


    "Take off your cloak. If you''re going to say such things you may as well have the confidence to show me who you are."


    "Hmm¡­ Okay!"


    She threw her cloak off of her skinny body revealing herself. She is, in fact, a girl. Her youthful face told me that she is probably in her teens and her build told me that she is optimized for speed. Her skin is lightly tanned and she has shoulder length dirty blonde hair. Her eyes are as green as a grassy field and she is wearing black shorts with a very thin shirt.


    Hey, I''m not in some special situation, am I? Don''t tell me I was actually sent to heaven? Am I in one of those special situations you read about in those types of books?


    Just as I was trying to calm my thoughts, the girl spoke.


    "I hope you got a good look, Onii-san, you pervert!"


    "Huh?"


    The girl took a very deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs.


    "PERVERT! THIS GUY IS TRYING TO MOLEST ME!!!"


    "Eh?"


    Hey wait a minute!


    I can hear people approaching the alley. Oh no this is not good!


    "JUST LOOK AT HIM, LOOK AT HOW SWEATY AND RED IN THE FACE HE IS! KYAAAA~ HE WANTS TO DO PERVERTED STUFF WITH ME! HEEEEELP!"


    This bitch! She''s flipping the table on me and calling me the criminal!


    As I was about to walk up to the girl and punch her, a hand grabbed me by the shoulder.


    "Keep your hands where I can see them. I''m a member of the city guard. You''re going to be coming with me."


    An armored man put my hands in cuffs. The girl stuck her tongue out at me as I was pulled away.

 9 This Hero Goes to Jail!

    I''ve done quite a few things since I came to this world. I started a job at a store, I''ve begun living with an old lady that I am concerned will cut my throat in my sleep, I''ve started exercising, and most recently I have gone to jail!


    Mom, Dad, are you proud of your son? He''s finally experiencing life in all of its joy!


    "You''ll be staying in here. Don''t cause trouble."


    The guard that apprehended me pushed me into a small cell, locked the door behind me, and left. The walls are all stone, there is no window, and there is no place to sleep or sit other than the hard stone floor. The cell is cold and the bars are colder. I hope I don''t freeze to death.


    "Well, this is it. My life is over."


    I''ve had a good run. I survived in an isekai world for over 30 hours before I went to jail! I bet I did better than some people have, at least I can be proud of that.


    "NO I CAN''T!"


    My shout reverberated throughout the jail.


    "Shut up!" I heard from another cell.


    Oh right, I''m not the only one here. I bet there''s murderers and violent people with tattoos and stuff like yakuza here that will kill me if I cause trouble. I should probably stay quiet.


    "What do I do¡­"


    I began to contemplate my situation and how I could get out of it. By all accounts, I haven''t committed a crime. What should my defense be? "Sorry officers, but I chased that girl because she stole a store''s money! What? Why does her having taken off her cloak matter? No I wasn''t forcing her to undress!"


    Ah, I''m screwed. I have no idea how the legal system of this world works. Do I have to do a trial by combat? What if they do something like a witch trial where I have to jump off a cliff? Oh god what if they make me show my memories and it shows what I was thinking at that time?


    Calm down Kenji, it''s going to be alright. Don''t panic. If you panic you die and you don''t want to die do you?


    As I was thinking to myself, I heard the clanking of metal boots on the stone flooring near my cell.


    "Prisoner, stand up. You''re going to be questioned."


    Ah he''s talking to me.


    I stood up and put my hands against the wall of my cell. I didn''t want to look like I was causing trouble.


    "You''re coming with us."


    I had handcuffs placed on me and then I was dragged into another room. Inside this room there is a wooden table with a chair on either side. This is most definitely an interrogation room.


    "Sit."


    I followed the guards instructions and took a seat at the closest chair.


    "Wait."


    Alright, I''ll wait.


    The guard stood at the door while I sat in the chair. I felt incredibly awkward and nervous. Please Guard-san, I haven''t done anything wrong! Can''t you tell by how innocent I look?


    "Stop staring at me like that. You''re freaking me out."


    "Oh, sorry¡­"


    After a few minutes of waiting, a knock came from the door.


    "It''s Marix. I''m here to question the prisoner."


    The guard opened the door and a tall slender man emerged and sat at the table opposite to me. The man is wearing a cloak with no hood, a maroon undershirt, and is wearing thick glasses. The word "serious" is the most appropriate term to describe this man.


    "My name is Marix. I apologize for making you wait so long. I was not expecting to have to come in to work right now."


    Oh so he''s lazy.


    Marix pulled out a piece of paper and a pen.


    "Well, time to start the questioning. First question: What is your name, occupation, and place of origin?"


    "My name is Kenji. I-"


    "Full name, please."


    "K-Kenji Fujima. I just started working at a store owned by a man named Biar. I''m from a far away land."


    "What is this land called?"


    "You wouldn''t know it.


    "Tell me what it''s called. Now."


    "Japan."


    He began furiously writing on his sheet of paper. I was astounded by his lightning speed.


    "I''ve heard people from Japan are rare and they''re almost always troublemakers, it seems like this is true."


    Despite wanting to punch this guy, I heard something amazing. Other people from Japan have been here before and they have a reputation. Do people that get reincarnated here start stealing things because they are left with no other option? I pity them. Hey wait I''m in jail too¡­


    "Second question: What were you doing prior to being apprehended?"


    "I was chasing someone."


    More lightning speed writing. Honestly this is fairly entertaining to watch.


    "Third question: Why were you chasing this person?"


    "They stole from the shop I was working at so I needed to get the money back. I am a model citizen after all!"


    "Answer honestly."


    "That bitch stole the money that would be used to pay me. I wanted to catch her and beat her up."


    "A-alright."


    More fast writing but now it seemed a little slowed down. I hope Marix hasn''t also formed a bad opinion of me.


    "Fourth question: Why did you tell the girl to begin stripping?"


    "I DID NOT!"


    "Be honest. Were you trying to do adult things to her?"


    I hate this man I hate this man I hate this man I hate this man.


    "I only told her to take off her cloak because I wanted to see what she looked like! I had no ulterior motives whatsoever! I promise!"


    With a pained expression, Marix looked back down at his paper and began writing some more.


    "Fifth question: Did you plan on sexually assaulting the girl?"


    "NO!"


    "Be honest."


    Marix''s icy cold glare told me that I am on my last rope. I don''t know how, but it seems like this man can tell when someone isn''t being entirely truthful.


    "I-I didn''t plan on sexually assaulting her! We were a guy and a girl alone in a back alley and she was saying all these things to a guy like me. Come on we don''t really get too many opportunities to be alone in a back alley with a girl! Especially if the girl is acknowledging our presence! Come on Marix you understand where I''m coming from right? If something happened then something happened! That''s all!"


    Oh I just started running my mouth. Marix please stop staring at me like that, I don''t think my heart can take it.


    "A-alright. I... um¡­ alright."


    Marix began writing on his paper once more.


    We sat in silence for a little while after that.


    "S-sixth question: Is there anyone that can vouch for you?"


    Oh thank goodness.


    "Yes! The shopkeeper of the store I talked about, Biar-san. He was at the store when it was robbed too! He can vouch for me!"


    "Hmm, very well. I will go contact this ''Biar-san.'' In the meantime you will return to your cell. Don''t cause trouble."


    Marix left the room and I was escorted back to my cell by the guard. I stepped back into my cage and heard the door lock behind me. I will be here for the foreseeable future.


    "Well¡­ I might as well do my exercises while I''m here."


    I began doing my routine. Planks, situps, crunches, push ups, etc.


    It was probably around eight P.M. when I heard the stepping of metal boots once more.


    "Alright, come on. You''ve caused enough problems today Tunne."


    "Hehe, alright alright. I''ll be released tomorrow so I''ll just have to sleep inside tonight! Teehee~."


    A gross looking man with one eye sticking out and a hunched back was led to my cell.


    Hey wait, why are you taking him to my cell? Please don''t make me share a cell with this guy, he looks so gross. Oh no he smells so bad. He smells like sulfur and ash! Go away!


    "You''re going to be sharing a cell so don''t cause any problems, alright?"


    "Hehe, alright alright. I promise to be good. Hehe"


    Oh please no.


    The cell door was opened and the disgusting man that was apparently named Tunne was escorted into my cell. His handcuffs were removed and the guard exited the cell and locked it behind himself.


    Well this is awkward. My second night in an isekai world and I''m spending it with a freaky guy.


    We sat in silence for a little while before the man finally spoke.


    "Hi there, my name is Tunne. Most people just call me Tun-chan. I only let cuties call me that though! I don''t mind letting you call me that!"


    "Please leave me alone."


    "How cold! Come on young man!"


    The man named Tunne started getting closer to me.


    "Someone help me!"


    "Nobody is coming for you now! Give me a smooch!"


    "Nooooo-!


    "Oi, Tunne, knock that out. The prisoner is being released."


    "Fooey."


    I wrestled myself away from the disgusting man and got to the door. The guard opened it and I saw two familiar figures.


    "Are you alright Kenji-kun? We heard about what happened."


    "Oh goodness Kenji-kun. I hope you''re alright!"


    I got on my knees and clung to my saviors. It seems that I''ve started crying.


    "Biar-sama, Reese-sama! Thank you so much! Thank goodness!"


    "A-aah, it''s good to see that you''re alright!"


    Biar gave me a pained smile as he reluctantly patted my shoulder. Truly I have met angels.


    I was escorted out of the jail by the guard that arrested me.


    "I apologize for acting so hastily. It''s my fault that the true criminal got away."


    "YOU''RE DAMN RIGHT IT IS! YOU SHOULD RESIGN!"


    I was pulled back by Biar and Reese.


    "Ah, thank you for your hard work, officer! Keep up the good work!"


    Biar and Reese led me back to Ania''s home.


    "We''re glad you''re alright Kenji-kun. Chasing that thief was very¡­ brave of you. They took the accomplices into custody so the thief should be found soon. Good work today. See you tomorrow!"


    With that, Biar and Reese went home. I entered Ania''s home and knocked on the door to be let inside. After a moment, the door opened and I saw Ania with an angry expression.


    "Let me guess... You got arrested?"


    "It wasn''t my fault, Ania-sama."


    Ania looked to be considering the situation and then let out a big sigh.


    "Whatever, just come eat dinner and go to bed."


    "Yes ma''am."


    I entered the house and heard the door close behind me.

 10 Intermission

    Kenji has been living in my home for a while now. It seems he''s getting used to living here. Despite how he appears, he''s a fairly honest person. Kenji has worked hard at his job every day and he''s improved his cooking quite a bit!


    Winter came and went while he has resided here. I feel as if he''s becoming more responsible the longer he resides with me.


    The only problem that I know of is that whenever he gets here he just eats and immediately returns to his room. He doesn''t seem to go and socialize with anyone and I haven''t seen him talking to any women. A boy his age should be making friends, not cooped up in his room. I hear strange noises from his room at night so I doubt he''s having any issues when it comes to that area.


    I''ve recently noticed that I don''t need to wake him up early anymore as he just wakes up on his own. Waking up early in the morning is a good skill to develop, so I''m happy I drilled that behavior into him.


    Speaking of, he should be bringing me my breakfast soon¡­


    "Here you go Ania-sama, A bacon omelette and a light soup with a plumric base. I hope you enjoy."


    "Pray with me boy."


    I prayed again to the gods that have affected my life in so many ways. I thanked the gods for letting this boy in front of me learn how to cook. I concluded with an amen, as I usually do.


    As we ate, I saw that something seemed to be bothering the boy, so I asked out of the kindness of my heart.


    "Something bothering you, boy?"


    "Oh, it''s nothing Ania-sama. I was just thinking that it''s been four months since I moved in with you."


    He is right. The boy has been here for a while now and has diligently worked for this entire time. I am rather impressed by this kid.


    "Hm, well, time flies when you''re experiencing it, doesn''t it?"


    "Haha, yeah¡­" Kenji looked off to the side. Something is bothering him. Whatever is bothering him I hope he can fix soon.


    "Well, I''m off to work. Have a good day Ania-sama."


    "I plan to. Don''t get arrested again." This was a line I said to him every time he left for work ever since a certain day.


    Kenji walked out of the door and left me to myself. I had nothing in particular to do today so I went back into my room. Once I got to my room I brought out a small box and unlocked it with a key I keep in my pillow. Inside the box I counted the coins that glistened within.


    "Seven hundred and twenty in total so far¡­ He really hasn''t missed a single payment even after I stopped asking about it. Honestly, this boy¡­"


    I held a gentle smile, locked the box, and returned it to its safe place. I decided I would take a walk around town and go window shopping.


    After dressing myself in my day gown and locking the door behind me, I stepped outside into the newly spring sun. The temperature was not cold nor was it hot, instead it was a sublime comfortable. What a wonderful day.


    After a few minutes of walking, I entered a certain shop.


    The wave of heat from a hot furnace and the deafening sound of hammer on metal filled the room. This shop is a smithy, and it isn''t just any smithy, either.


    The metal items like swords, shields, and tools littered shelf after shelf. Each item on its own spoke to the skill of the smith at the forge. After I walked a few steps, I saw the person I was looking for.


    A sweaty dark skinned man was working on what appeared to be a sword at the forge. The man was wearing goggles, a thick apron and gloves, and a thick work shirt that was covered by overalls. Despite the gray hair on his head that indicated his age, the muscles of this man were obviously well developed from years of repetitive actions.


    This man is named Gudo. Despite what adventurers have been led to believe, he is the best blacksmith in town, and he is someone I come to see on occasion. I''ve known him for longer than almost anyone else.


    "Ah, Ania-san! It''s good to see you! When was the last time you were here?"


    "About¡­ four months ago." I said after acting like I was thinking. I knew exactly how long it had been, especially because I was reminded of it this morning.


    "Well, What can I help you with today?"


    "Let''s see¡­"


    I knew the general idea of what I wanted to get. I''ve been here a few times over the years and I''ve always ordered something similar.


    Armor is too much. I can''t hope to use armor for this because the skill for it is nonexistent. I don''t want tools either because any two bit smith can craft tools that work just fine.


    I need something specific.


    "If I were to request an item for you to create, when would you be able to have it done?"


    "Hmm¡­ That''s a tough question. I suppose it depends on the item. A suit of armor will probably take over a month, but something like a sword could be finished within two weeks. What were you thinking?"


    "What about a dagger?"


    "Hmm¡­ a dagger, eh? Depending on the metal you want to use, it could take between one week to one month. Of course, the longer it takes the more expensive it will be as well."


    "What''s the one month option dagger made of?"


    "Big spender, eh Ania-san? You''ve always had an interest in unique items though, so it''s not surprising. This one would be made out of the best metal I can get my hands on, but it''s not cheap."


    "What metal is it, Gudo?"


    "Adamantite. One of the strongest natural metals we can get at the moment. The metal is the perfect mix of toughness and weight. Adamantite can cut through steel yet weighs only half what a dagger made of iron would weigh! Honestly just working with a metal of such high quality gets my blood pumping."


    "How much would this adamantite dagger cost?"


    "Hmm¡­ Normally it would cost quite a lot¡­ but for you, Ania-san, I would charge a thousand juns. This may sound like a lot, but I guarantee that any other smith would charge you double that price, if not more."


    One thousand juns for a single dagger¡­ That''s quite the investment for something so small...


    I don''t even have a thousand juns to spend on a dagger such as this yet, so even if I was ready to splurge I wouldn''t be able to.


    "Will you keep this offer for me in the future?"


    "For you, Ania-san? I will. You''re a good customer and you''ve always been good on your payments so I know you''d be good for it. How long would you have me wait to start?"


    I did the math in my head. After a moment, I answered Gudo''s question.


    "About seven more weeks. Would the offer still be available then?"


    "Hmm¡­ I can''t guarantee it, Ania-san. I''ve heard a rumor that the dwarves over in the Frozen Mist Hills are under siege by the demon king''s army. If that''s true then I don''t know how the adamantite supplies will be affected¡­"


    No matter how hard we try to forget the world we''re in, the reality of our situation is always present. If nobody stops them, I truly believe that the demon king''s armies will come to this city and destroy it in only a few more years.


    "Gudo, please wait seven more weeks. Please, I know I''m asking a lot of you, but this is important to me."


    A pained expression shot across Gudo''s face as he looked to the ground.


    "I would hate to disappoint you, Ania-san. I''ll do my best, but even my best is not a guarantee."


    Of the people in this city, I knew that when Gudo said that he would do his best, he truly would be doing his best. I both trusted and appreciated his honesty.


    "Thank you Gudo. I''ve always appreciated the work you do for me."


    Gudo said nothing and instead just gave me a small smile.


    The back door opened and another dark skinned man walked into the room. His muscles were also evident and his clothing was the same as Gudo''s. Unlike Gudo, this man''s hair is not grey, but instead a dark black and very short. This is Gudo''s son, Gard.


    "Ah, ''morning Ania-san. It''s rare to see you here."


    "Ania-san here was just asking me about making a special item for her."


    "Oh? What is it? Tell me it''s a set of armor, I''ve always wanted to make a good set of that."


    "It''s not armor. Ania-san wants us to make her an adamantite dagger."


    "An adamantite¡­ dagger? Not a sword or a shield? I could understand a sword or a shield, but a dagger? Adamantite never dulls and it''s lighter than steel yet is twice as strong as even mithril! You want to waste such a rare metal on a dagger?"


    "Gard, you''re still inexperienced so I''ll let this outburst slide. You need to learn the value of each item."


    "But father, nobody has ever heard of a hero wielding a legendary dagger! It''s always a legendary sword! If not a sword, a shield that can block any attack or armor that protects from all harm! A hero that wields a dagger is the same as a blacksmith that wields a set of kitchen tongs!"


    I feel like they''re about to get into a long discussion, so I will interject myself for a moment.


    "If I may, Gard-chan, it is not the weapon that makes the legend, but the hero that uses it. For all we know the greatest hero that will defeat the demon king will defeat him with a spoon! The tools don''t make the hero, but the hero makes the tools."


    "Well said Ania-san. As a smith, you must understand that every item is made not to be its own item, but to be wielded by someone. If someone short came into this room and requested a greatsword, what would you tell them?"


    Gard put his large hand on his chin and pondered for a moment before he suddenly spoke.


    "I would tell them that they should consider a short sword instead because it fits them better."


    "Correct. Now what would you think if that short person went and slayed a dragon with that short sword you sold them? Would you think the sword is the reason, or the person?"


    "...The person, I guess."


    "Exactly right. Any tool is just an object in the hands of someone that doesn''t appreciate its value, but a true master can bring out the value of any object. This is why we smith, not to create weapons that kill things, but to create items that can be brought to their true potential in the hands of one that is worthy to wield them."


    Come to think of it I just came here to request a dagger and now I feel like I''m in the middle of a big family moment. I should leave.


    "Now that that''s settled, I''d be happy to help you Ania-"


    "Oh, father it looks like she left while you weren''t looking."


    "Oh I see¡­"

 11 This Hero Has Changed!

    I awoke naturally to a room that was barren of light and furniture. The darkness of the sky that I can see out of the small window told me that it is still very early in the morning, a time where any normal person would still be asleep. The chill of winter had come and gone and now the gentle cool air of late spring was here. I rubbed my eyes to wipe away the exhaustion that remained from my slumber.


    I stood up and got out of bed. I began to stretch my limbs in order to loosen my stiff joints in preparation for another day of work. I have done this action so many times that it has become automatic. I could probably do this ceremony of preparation in my sleep if I felt like it. Nevertheless I still got up and prepared for my big day that was still ahead of me.


    I had finished limbering my body up and removed any lingering sleep I still had remaining. I dressed myself in some thin clothes. A lightweight faded blue shirt, a pair of thin trousers, and my leather boots. I knew the day ahead would be hot, so I ensured that I would sweat as little as possible.


    After I finished getting dressed I went to the toilet to relieve myself. As gross as the sewer slime in the toilet was, I had grown accustomed to its noises and understood that the symbiotic relationship was beneficial for us people living in large urban centers¡­ though it''s still gross.


    Once I had finished my business, I went up to the sink. As I turned the faucet on, I took a long look at myself in the mirror.


    The Kenji Fujima from seven months ago was only a memory at this point. My skin is now slightly tanned due to my exposure to the sun more in my day to day life. My hair is slightly longer now since I can no longer get it cut by a professional. I have instead opted to cut it on my own. I''m not entirely certain, but I think that I''ve also grown two centimeters. The most important shift, however, is that I am no longer overweight. In the time that I have been here, I have transformed my previously overweight body into a muscular build. Hours of standing every day, daily muscle training that became more intense as time went on, and a lack of junk food had resulted in this drastic change. If I had to estimate how much I weighed now, I would say that I now weigh somewhere around 86 kg.


    To be entirely honest, I feel like I''m looking at a stranger. It''s not as if this change has been to my detriment, however. The changes that I have experienced thanks to this body shift have changed me drastically.


    I feel better than I ever have before. My breathing is strong, my limbs feel light and fast, and I feel energized when I would have been exhausted before. This change has been gradual so I haven''t entirely noticed the subtle shifts, but looking back now, the change is all too apparent.


    After a moment, I collected myself and finished washing my hands. I took one last look at the new me and then opened the door to leave the restroom.


    "Have a good day, Slime-san." I said into the restroom when I was leaving. I ensured this was quiet as I didn''t want to wake Ania-sama before I had prepared breakfast.


    I made my way to the pantry and assessed the contents of the interior.


    "Hmm, let''s see¡­"


    In front of me there are a wide variety of different foodstuffs. This single stockpile could feed a family of four for at least a week before a shopping trip would need to be made, so for just two people it was overkill.


    "Perhaps eggs with a plumric sauce¡­? No¡­ that would be too rich and would overwhelm the flavor."


    I have to ensure the food I am making is good. I have spent a long time perfecting my cooking craft and Ania-sama is very picky with the specific tastes and textures of the foods she eats. I cannot haughtily grab any random item and expect it to be good. My preparations must be meticulous and intelligent.


    "Perhaps some meat with a boiled tumun and some peppers to add spice to the mix¡­?"


    I deliberated the choice of breakfast for several minutes before finally coming to my conclusion. Once I had chosen, I grabbed several items from the pantry and went to the kitchen. I filled pans and pots with water and ingredients of many types as well as spices in preparation for the meal that would be made.


    Once all the items necessary for the cooking of breakfast had been prepared, I put my thumb on the symbol of the stovetop in order to ignite the flames and begin cooking. I have done this so many times that I no longer feel the drain of mana when I do this action. I cannot tell if I lack the feeling due to a rise in mana within myself or because I have simply grown blind to the sensation of the loss of such an amount. No matter what the reason may be, a multitude of small fires ignited beneath the assortment of pots and pans.


    "Alright and a little there¡­ and a little there¡­ and a stir¡­ and a bing and a boom!" I chanted this to myself as I cooked the various parts that would encompass the breakfast.


    After around fifteen minutes I assessed the state of the ingredients.


    "...Perfect."


    Over the course of these seven months I have tested and studied all types of recipes and combinations of food from different cookbooks as well as my own inventions. Not every recipe worked well and I specifically recall going to bed hungry on more than one occasion, but now I would say that my ability is considerably better than a normal person. I am still far away from a professional chef, but I know that I can now handle cooking breakfast for someone like myself and Ania-sama.


    I placed my creation onto two separate plates and placed them onto the dining room table. Once every step that I needed to take had been done, I went to Ania-sama''s room and knocked on her door.


    "Ania-sama, breakfast is ready."


    I could hear the grumbling noise of someone being roused from slumber as a tired reply came to me.


    "Alright... Give me a moment."


    I complied with Ania-sama''s request and took a seat in the dining room and thought about what I would be doing today. Today was an important day after all.


    After several minutes, Ania-sama entered the dining room and took a seat. I placed my hands in prayer and we began in unison.


    "We thank the creators for the bounty we will receive this day. We thank the creators for allowing us to overcome our faults. We thank the creators for giving us the patience to work with those that we are surrounded by on a daily basis. Amen." x2


    Once we had finished our prayer, we began to eat our food.


    "Good work today, boy."


    "Thank you, Ania-sama. I hoped to achieve a light texture with the mixture of plumric and ham, but I wasn''t sure if that would be enough so I mixed a small amount of apple juice into it to ensure that it would soften correctly as well as to enhance the flavor."


    "Mmm."


    With this, we continued eating in silence. After a short period we had both finished our food so I took the plates to the sink and began washing them.


    "What''s got you so excited, boy?"


    "As expected of you, Ania-sama. Your astute perception is as good as ever."


    "Enough with the flattery boy, just tell me."


    "I am quitting my job at Biar-san''s store today. Tomorrow I am going to become an adventurer."


    Ania-sama spit out her water.


    "*COUGH¡­* WHAT? You''re going *WHEEZE* to do what now boy? Are you serious?"


    After wiping off Ania-sama with a washcloth, I replied to her.


    "I''m sorry if this is a shock to you, Ania-sama, but I have been preparing for this for quite some time. I have a duty I need to fulfill and I don''t intend on sitting idly by as time passes me."


    "Boy have you gone insane? You''ve been working with those people for quite a while now! To just quit your job out of the blue like that¡­ You''re being downright ungrateful for everything those two have done for you! They depend on you working there to get things done! How are they going to manage without you?"


    "I am not quitting out of the blue, Ania-sama. I have ensured that the necessary steps have been taken as to where my absence would not cause issues in the store."


    Ania-sama looks like she is getting increasingly frustrated.


    "How can you be so certain...?"


    "I can be certain due to the intricate preparations I have made for this day. I have been planning this since I got here after all, Ania-sama."


    "For seven months? How can you expect me to believe that?"


    "Yes, Ania-sama. I have been planning for this ever since I moved in here with you. I apologize for the shock, but it is all true. Today is the culmination of a lot of planning."


    I can understand why Ania-sama would be so taken aback at this. To her, this must simply be the inconsiderate and hasty actions of a child, but that is not what these are. My actions stem from one absolute rule.


    I must defeat the demon king. This fact has been ingrained into me for these past seven months, ever since I was sent to this world. Though I didn''t get along with God, I still owe him my service for even offering me this opportunity in the first place. It''s not that I feel a specific sense of duty towards God, it''s just that I don''t like the idea of being sent to this world and not even attempting to do what I was assigned to do.


    Ania-sama looks very uncomfortable. It seems as if she is in deep thought about this predicament. Truthfully I am worried about what she is thinking about. It''s entirely possible that she had already planned for me to do this at some point and so now she is going to enact her secret plan.


    After a short period, Ania-sama took her hand off of her chin and spoke.


    "If you quit your job, I will throw you out."


    She has delivered an ultimatum. Unfortunately for her...


    "I expected you to. I have already made the necessary preparations to move. I have plenty of juns saved up over the time I''ve spent here thanks to you paying for the expenses such as food. I am grateful for all you have done for me, Ania-sama."


    I had already prepared for this ultimatum. Logically speaking, Reese-san had more than likely asked a favor of Ania-sama in the way of allowing me to stay with her, and even then it''s not as if Ania-sama was particularly happy about my presence here. I have diligently paid Ania-sama the forty juns that I owed every time I was paid, I even continued to do so when she stopped asking for them. Along with the weekly payments, I also cook breakfast, and more recently dinner, every day. Following a line of logic, Ania-sama has no reason to keep me living here if I am no longer working for Reese-san and Biar-san.


    Financially speaking, I have enough money to enable me to live on my own for a month without any issues at this point. Thanks to my frugality with my spending these past few months combined with interest rates on my account in the bank, I currently am sitting on a stockpile of 12220 juns with an additional 400 on the way once I am paid today. This amount, while not enough to survive off of indefinitely, is still more than enough to pay for my equipment and housing for at least a month. As an adventurer, I will be capable of making money quickly if I am lucky, so this cushion should protect me for the foreseeable future.


    "Is there really nothing I can do to stop you? No castigation or phrases that would make you reconsider?"


    "I''m sorry, Ania-sama, but there really isn''t. If you so choose, I will move out before the night ends."


    Ania-sama''s face held an expression of something I have never seen before. Ania-sama looked depressed. I feel bad making an old woman sad, but unfortunately this is a duty that I will not throw away. One could call this the pride of a man and they would be correct.


    After a few moments, Ania-sama took a deep breath and exhaled calmly.


    "I understand that I cannot stop you, and if I''m going to be entirely honest with you I expected this to happen at some point. I won''t throw you out on the street tonight. Come back here once you leave your work."


    I gave a smile for the first time in a while and made my declaration to Ania-sama.


    "Understood, Ania-sama. I will return once work is done!"


    "Hmph. Don''t get arrested."


    "I promise I won''t, Ania-sama!"


    With that, I stepped out of Ania-sama''s home and out onto the stone streets. The bite of cold wind struck me as I began to take a step towards the general store that I have been working at for these past 7 months.


    "Am I¡­ really ready?" I asked myself.


    Surely I am ready. I have honed my body to this point for such a purpose. I don''t see why I would not physically be ready.


    "Am I¡­ mentally ready?" I asked myself.


    Whenever I had the opportunity I would study books or ask people at the shop about things about this world. I have learned many things about the basics of this world, from well known diseases to general information on plants or herbs, even ones that can be applied medicinally or can be eaten. Mentally, I have honed my mind for my mission as well as I possibly can.


    "What about my finances?" I pondered.


    Every time I was paid the 400 juns, I would give 40 to Ania-sama. The remaining 360 juns would immediately be placed into my bank account where it would accumulate an interest rate of 0.05% on a monthly basis. Thanks to the fact that I never had to pay for housing or food, I could focus my spending on things like clothes and books. Clothes were never particularly expensive, nor were books, so I could get by every month by only spending between 100 to 200 juns a month. I did buy Ania-sama a gift for Christmas, but that was more of a formality than anything else so I didn''t spend a bunch of money on it. I don''t feel bad about this since she responded to the gift by saying "You living here is plenty a gift, boy."


    So¡­ why am I still nervous?


    Logically speaking, I have handled everything I need to worry about. I have learned enough about the steps I need to take and now I just need to follow through. Giving up now would be just like a pitcher going up to the mound and leaving because they weren''t feeling up to it. Is this just some childish reservation about leaving home that I am still holding on to, or is it something more? Maybe it''s because I am doing this alone and this is a similar feeling as to what I felt seven months ago. Unlike seven months ago, however, I have placed myself in a far better position. My hard work after all this time is about to pay off.


    So why am I freaking out now? Is it just fear? Every step towards the store is hard to make. I can feel a chill in my body that isn''t being caused by the wind, but instead is being caused by my own nerves.


    I''m about to wrap the corner to the store. I can''t stop now. I''ve already made up my mind. Come on Kenji Fujima, no giving up now! You''re stronger than this!


    With that mental preparation, I slapped my face a few times with both hands and rounded the corner. Standing outside of the front door of the shop just as he had every day since I first started this job was Biar-san in his loose shirt, baggy pants, and leather boots. As always, he is fumbling with his keys and searching for the one for the door in front of him.


    I took a deep breath, psyched myself up for my final day of work, and called out to him as I always have.


    "Good morning, Biar-san!"


    "Ah, Kenji-kun! Good morning! It''s Sunday so we don''t have much work today! Let''s get our jobs done as quickly as possible, shall we?"


    "Yes sir!"


    With that, Biar-san found his key and unlocked the door with a clack noise. My final day of work at this shop began in the same way it has since I started.

 12 This Hero Has Learned!

    "Good morning Biar-san, Kenji-san. Today is just rudvisk, right?"


    Meeting with the wagon driver has become an everyday occurrence at his point. Now the carriage driver doesn''t try to ensure that I''m alright every time I so much as get close to the wagon.


    "Yes it is, we should be in and out fast¡­ and by we I mean Kenji-kun here will be. I''m going to wait inside the store and make sure¡­ nobody robs us."


    And as always, Biar-san pushes the majority of the work onto me. As my senpai, Biar-san could do this with no repercussions so I just dealt with it.


    "Alright. A crate of rudvisk coming right up."


    "As expected of Kenji-kun, he''s raring to go!"


    "M-mmm. Have fun, Kenji-san."


    With that, I stepped inside of the wagon and into the metropolis that was the interior.


    "No matter how many times I see it, it still amazes me."


    I said this to myself inside of the wagon. The only things that could hear me in here were the lizards so I had nothing to worry about.


    I began walking towards my destination, following the alphabetical order and the item sorting system along with the tiles in order to find the exact location of the rudvisk crate. Though it took me a long time to figure out, I can now navigate the wagon''s interior without getting lost and in fact, I have learned how to identify my exact location within the wagon through the subtle physical landmarks.


    "Hmm¡­ They should be around here¡­ Ah! There you are you turnip wannabe!"


    I spotted the crate of rudvisk, walked up to it, and lifted it up with one arm. As I was doing this I saw a lizard staring at me.


    "Ah, hello Lizard-san, are you having a good day so far?"


    The lizard said nothing, obviously, but it did bow its head to me.


    "That''s good to hear. This is all I need, so I''ll be going now."


    The lizard said nothing once again and only blinked. After it decided that we had concluded our interaction it walked off.


    "Sayonara, Lizard-san. I hope we meet again someday."


    Honestly I never thought I would have a bittersweet parting with a man eating lizard, but I just did so I suppose that goes to show that we don''t really know what will happen in our lives.


    With my goodbye, I took the crate of rudvisk and began to leave the wagon. On my way out, I took intermittent stops and looked at the other items inside the wagon.


    Suits of armor made of materials between iron to mithril, clothing for people between the weight I used to be and babies, and also your run of the mill food items. It''s strange that I''ve gotten used to seeing something like this on a daily basis, but now that I think about it, I suppose I have just gotten used to the way this world works a bit more.


    With that final thought, I stepped out of the wagon, a crate of rudvisk in tow.


    "Have a good day, Kenji-san!"


    With our parting words, I heard the crack of a whip and a horse neighing loudly as the sound of wooden wheels on cobblestone reverberated throughout the alleyway.


    After I went back inside, I began to silently stock the shelves of their items as quickly as I could before the shop opened. Once some time had passed, I placed the last rudvisk on its shelf.


    "And¡­ done. That takes care of that, time to open up!"


    "Good job Kenji-kun. That was 30 minutes! You''ve finally reached my speed!"


    I gave a large grin out of pride as Biar-san flipped the shop''s sign from "closed" to "open."


    My final day of work at this shop begins now.

 13 This Hero and His Replacement!

    "All your items together total up to 87 juns, Rono-san."


    "Ah, here you go Kenji-san. Have a good day."


    I took the 87 juns from Rono-san, who is one of the shop''s regulars, and placed it within the register. It is almost time to start closing today, so Rono-san is my last customer.


    As if he could hear my thoughts, Biar-san came out of the side room, clapped his hands together, and announced to me.


    "Time to start closing! Kenji-kun, help me with inventory!"


    "Yes sir, Biar-san."


    Biar-san went to the front door and flipped the "open" sign to "closed" as I went over to commence the process of inventory for the shop. This action has been repeated ad nauseam, so I can complete it with the help of Biar-san at a fraction of the time it used to take me.


    "We''ll need another order of apples and plumric tomorrow, Biar-san."


    "Got it. I''ll write that down and Reese will send the order."


    Biar-san went behind the counter and pulled out a small sack that made the noise of metal clanking against metal as it moved around. This was my pay for the week, my final pay from this job. I slowly extended out my hand and took the pouch. It was only when I reached out did I realize that my hand is shaking. I am anxious about what I am about to do.


    "You alright, Kenji-kun? Do you need to sit down for a moment?"


    My mouth is dry, but I need to speak right now before it''s too late, so I forced out my words.


    "Biar-san¡­ where is Reese-san right now?"


    "Reese? She ought to be in the side room right now managing our bookings. Why, whaddya'' need?"


    "Can you and her sit down in the side room for a few minutes? I will be back shortly and I need to talk to you all about something important."


    "If it''s got you this worked up then sure. Don''t hurt yourself or anything."


    With that, Biar-san left for the side room and I stepped out of the front door and onto the lively streets of Ruks. I have a specific destination to get to so I cannot dawdle. I immediately went down the street to my right and followed the path I memorized. After 2 minutes, I arrived in front of a small house and its wooden door.


    I collected myself for a moment and knocked on the door.


    "Terry-san, are you here?"


    Shortly after I asked this, I heard the sounds of multiple locks being undone and then saw the door in front of me open.


    "Ah, Kenji-san! Is today the day?"


    In front of me is a man that is notably shorter than I am. His unkempt hair showed that he had spent the day sleeping or that he simply didn''t care to fix it. His clothes were well made, however, and aside from his hair he had a professional air around him. This is the man I have chosen to succeed myself to work at Biar-san''s shop.This man''s name is Terry. He is a bit younger than I am and can also read.


    "Yes, Terry-san. Are you able to come with me now?"


    "Yes. You lead the way!"


    Thankfully, Terry-san has enough energy for the both of us. Without him, I doubt I''d be able to do this and would instead get cold feet. I gave a faint smile and led Terry-san to Biar-san''s shop.

 14 This Hero Quits His Job!

    "Oh, welcome back Kenji-kun. Who is this?"


    I walked inside of the side room with my wobbly legs and sat down on the sofa in front of Reese-san and Biar-san. There is already a teacup waiting for me and I can see the steam rising from it, but I''ve decided to not take it.


    "Um¡­ Well you see¡­"


    "Spit it out, Kenji-kun. Is this your friend? Does he need help with something?"


    "If we can help you, we will Kenji-kun. Just don''t ask for money of course! Haha!"


    "No it''s not that, you see... um¡­"


    They were both staring at me with their happy eyes. Please stop staring at me like this, I don''t want to crush your kindness for me. Please stop it.


    "You see¡­ I need to¡­"


    "''Need to'' what lad? Speak up!"


    "Are you alright Kenji-kun? You''re looking a little pale."


    Why is this so hard to do? I don''t want to make them sad or anything! I know they like me a lot and they view me as a proxy son but I didn''t want to make this so difficult! I have to just come out and say it! Come on Kenji Fujima! You can do this! Here we go!!!


    "I am going to be quitting the job today! I am sorry if this is abrupt! This man here is named Terry and he is willing to fill my position if you are willing to hire him!"


    I DID IT! I said it! I feel like puking but I did it!


    "Hm? Oh is that so? Why are you quitting Kenji-kun?"


    Eh? No anger? Maybe it''s just shock.


    "I plan to become an adventurer and¡­ defeat¡­ the demon king¡­"


    "Is this some type of revenge thing for what happened to your home, Kenji-kun? I know it''s awful what happened but I''m certain that this isn''t what your parents would have wanted¡­"


    "N-no it''s not that it''s just¡­"


    "Come on now Reese, let him try being an adventurer. You can tell by the way he looks; he''s nervous but determined, like our son was all that while ago! Besides, he even went through the trouble of finding a replacement!"


    This is going far easier than I thought it would, in fact, this is going too easily.


    "Well I understand your hesitation, it''s hard to replace me after all!"


    "No we appreciate the replacement you have brought, we just want to know why you''re doing this in the first place."


    Seriously? What the hell. No grabbing to stop me? No anger? Just "Have fun"?


    "So why exactly do you want to become an adventurer? Wonderlust?"


    "Maybe he wants to find a girlfriend out on adventures or something!"


    "Yeah that''s probably what it is. He''s getting to be about that age after all!"


    Hey I''m right here. Please stop talking about me like I''m not here.


    "Ahem¡­ I need to kill the demon king, like I said."


    "Seriously?" x2


    I know they have a low opinion of me, but this is just absurd. Why don''t they think I can beat the demon king?


    "Um¡­ so am I hired or¡­?"


    "Oh yes your name is Terry, correct?"


    "Good. Terry-kun, you start tomorrow at 7 A.M. sharp. We close at 7 P.M. every day of the week except for Sundays where we close at 3 P.M. Your weekly salary is 400 juns. Any questions?"


    "No sir."


    "Good. Well then Kenji-kun, if adventuring doesn''t work out for you then just come back here. I might let you have your job back if you beg me in a dogeza."


    "..."


    Am I angry? No, more like my expectations have been subverted.


    I''ve worked diligently at this shop for 7 months now and I''m being replaced so easily! Wait, I''m the guy that found the replacement¡­ Did I just dig my own grave? Did I just do something stupid? No that''s not it. I don''t do stupid things! This was the right course of action!


    Right¡­?


    "Well then Kenji-kun, we appreciate all the work you''ve done for us, but we understand the call to adventure that you have. Stay safe!"


    Well at least Reese-san is being a little kind.


    "Alright Kenji-kun, when you give up just remember to dogeza and you''ll be fine."


    And Biar-san is not.


    I stood up from the sofa, gave a deep bow, and left the shop.


    I have just quit my job. I am now unemployed once more. I''m not panicking, instead I feel a sense of excitement. The next part of my new life begins now!

 15 This Hero Leaves His Home!

    I had planned on sleeping in for the first time in 7 months today, but I naturally woke up at 5 in the morning.


    "Damn it why do I have to be productive right now?"


    I had wanted to sleep in for 2 reasons. 1: I finally don''t have to wake up early for the first time in 7 months, and 2: It is my birthday. Today I turn 18 years old. Normally on a person''s 18th birthday they have a big celebration, but for me it''s being evicted from a house and fending on my own. After letting out a sigh, I stepped out of bed and onto the hardwood floor as the chill of a spring morning assaulted me.


    I partook in my ceremony of morning preparation and once I was done I stepped out into the hall.


    "Good morning."


    "G-Good morning, Ania-sama!"


    I nearly peed my pants. Ania-sama is standing right outside of my doorway.


    "Once you finish your business, come sit with me at the dining table. I have something for you."


    "O-okay, Ania-sama."


    With that, she turned around and went towards the dining room. I personally went to the restroom and took care of my morning business.


    "Goodbye, Slime-san. A part of me hopes we''ll never meet again!"


    With that heartfelt goodbye, I went towards the dining room.


    Inside of the dining room, Ania-sama is sitting in her usual seat and she has a package in front of her resting on the table. Her expression is melancholic.


    "Sit with me, please."


    This is the first time Ania-sama has ever used the word "please" when talking to me. This took me by such surprise that I immediately went to my chair and sat obediently.


    "Kenji, what is your full name?"


    This is also the first time that Ania-sama has addressed me by my actual name. Wait, did she just ask me what my full name is?


    "I''m afraid I don''t follow, Ania-sama."


    "What is your full name, including your family name?"


    She knows about family names. Come to think of it, I don''t know much about Ania-sama at all. I''ve always just seen her as the crazy old woman that I live with. Just who is this woman?


    "M-my name is Kenji Fujima, Ania-sama."


    "Hmm¡­ Fujima¡­ so you must have come from Japan then."


    I felt a lurch in my stomach. Japan? She knows about Japan? If she knows about Japan then what does that mean? Is her late husband from Japan or is that a city in this world that I don''t know of? Maybe it''s a resort she went to a while ago or maybe it''s a false name for a location that was invented to throw people off of trails? Am I now a criminal?


    "I also came from Japan, though I came around 60 years ago."


    "What...?"


    "The world you lived in must have been very different from the world I lived in. The people of my time were rapidly changing thanks to the recovery from the war. I still remember how it used to be¡­"


    "You''re¡­ from Japan¡­?"


    "But¡­ you''ve been here for 60 years..."


    "Yes, the adventuring life was never for me. I tried it but could never succeed. In time I met my late husband and began to live a normal life here. When he passed away I decided to use the money and home he left me to take care of people such as yourself."


    "B-but¡­ if you''ve been here for 60 years, then that means that¡­"


    "Many people such as yourself have come to this world and have tried to defeat the demon king but have failed. Most people gave up after seeing how difficult it was, some died."


    I have to recollect myself. This is too crazy. Ania...sama came from Japan? This demon king has existed for at least 60 years and hasn''t been stopped yet? What hope do I have? Oh god what am I supposed to do?


    "I understand what you''re thinking, Kenji. You think all hope is lost, do you not?"


    "I¡­ I don''t know what I''m thinking. If nobody before me has been able to beat him for 60 years then why should I fare any differently?"


    "I don''t know, Kenji. The fact of the matter is, you''re a person just like any other. I can''t say you will do better or worse than anyone."


    "..."


    The atmosphere in this room is morose. If I never had a chance to begin with, then why did Ania lead me on for this long? Did this woman just want to toy with me?


    "I know after all I''ve said it may seem hopeless, but I want you to understand something."


    "What is it?"


    "Everyone is different."


    "...What do you mean, exactly? Am I the chosen one or something? Do I get super powers?"


    "No no no, I mean that everyone has their own potential and they need to find their limits. Nobody is born the savior, nor is anyone born as the devastator. We are all capable of finding what we''re able to do."


    "So I just¡­ need to test myself?"


    "Exactly."


    "..."


    That''s all well and good and all, but really it''s just a pep talk.


    After 60 years, nobody has been able to so much as drastically harm the demon king? Just how overpowered is this guy? If he''s so strong then why doesn''t God give us powers? Is this just some cruel game or something? I should punch that geezer in the face the next time I see him.


    "The perfect example of what I mean is in this package. Take it, Kenji."


    Ania handed me a small rectangular package. The package is rather light and I can maneuver it easily in my hands.


    Ania motioned for me to open the package. I pulled open the top and saw a dagger in its sheath sitting within the package.


    "A¡­ Dagger?"


    "Draw it, please."


    Following Ania''s instructions, I drew the dagger from its sheath.


    It''s incredibly lightweight. The blade is a deep blue and the sharpness of the edges is unreal. I''m in no way an expert on forged items, but even my ameteur eyes can tell that this dagger is a mastercraft.


    "This is an Adamantite dagger, Kenji. Like you, it does not appear as anything special just yet, but it has the potential to cut through even steel! It all depends on you to see how far it can go."


    "...Thank you very much, Ania-sama."


    Instead of saying anything, Ania gave a gentle smile. This is the first time I have ever seen her give such an earnest expression.


    "Go gather your things. I''ll wait for you."


    "Alright."


    I went back to my room to grab my things. The truth is, I had very little in this world and now that I am seeing it all, I can tell that this truly is the next step of my life. It feels like I am heading to college.


    After a little bit of time, I finished gathering my things and went to the front door where Ania was waiting for me with a faint smile.


    "Smile with me, I''m going to take a picture."


    "Huh? Oh¡­ alright. I''ve never really been a big fan of pictures but-"


    "Shut up and smile boy!"


    "Yes ma''am!"


    And so, Ania pulled out a small wooden box and a flash emitted from it. A second later, a picture complete with a frame appeared on the wall in the living room.


    "I hate to get all sappy, but I do this with all of the people I bring in. In a way, I see all of you as my kids... Kenji, if it ever gets too hard for you, or you just need a place to stay for the night, it''s alright if you come back. Alright?"


    I feel like I''m leaving home.. Wait, this is my home¡­


    "Alright, Ania-sama. I promise I will. Thank you, for everything."


    "You''re damn right!"


    With that, I stepped out of the building I have been living in for 7 months and out into the world. My next step of life starts now.

 16 This Hero Becomes An Adventurer!

    "Hmm¡­ This should be the place."


    Once I left home, I passed the bathhouse that I frequented and went to the bank to withdraw 1600 juns as preparation for my expenses for the day. With my last payment of 400 juns from the shop I now have exactly 2000 juns on my person.


    After I withdrew my funds, I went towards the tall building I saw several months ago that I believe is the adventurers guild. It''s still very early in the morning so there are next to no people on the streets. The sun has only just started rising and the chill of a late spring morning still resides on the streets.


    I approached the tall building and saw a peculiar sight next to the door. There is a sign with words on the side that reads out "Adventurers guild." If the sign has words on it, then that means that the people using this place can most likely read. Does that mean that adventurers are expected to read, or that people that are expected to read, such as government officials, need to find this building often?


    I took a deep breath and entered the guild. I am prepared to meet the burly individuals that are waiting inside. Perhaps I will be hazed by the other adventurers? Whatever will happen, I am ready.


    Inside, there is a stone room that resembles a tavern. There are multiple wooden tables and chairs inside and there is a notice board sitting on one of the walls. There is a set of wooden stairs that leads up to the second floor and under the stairs there are booths where people most likely stand throughout the day. It seems like this first floor is used as a tavern during the day¡­ except for one thing.


    "...Is anyone here?"


    I don''t see anyone inside. This building is silent except for the sound of my footsteps. Oh no, did the job of adventurer stop existing while I was preparing? What if this building was abolished? Oh no oh no oh-


    "*Yawn* You''re early. What, are you here to turn in a quest or something? I don''t think the gate is open just yet though¡­"


    Someone is talking, thank goodness. It appears that the person that is talking is inside of one of the booths so I walked towards it and saw a woman standing inside.


    This woman looks like she''s in her early 20''s. Her hair is a light peach color and she is very skinny. She is wearing what appears to be a uniform and has a name tag on. The name tag says "Yimmie." The most important aspect of this woman, however, is that she has white feathery wings on her back. This woman appears to be some type of bird person race, like a harpy. She looks tired, but she is also very pretty.


    After gathering myself for a moment, I began to speak to this bird woman.


    "Hi, I would like to-"


    "I have a boyfriend."


    "O-oh that''s cool, I just want to-"


    "He''s really cool. I like him a lot."


    "A-alright. I don''t really care about that I just-"


    "That''s¡­ Good for you. I just wanted to-"


    "And I know what you''re thinking too. You''re thinking ''how do I make this beautiful girl mine?'' Well I''ll tell you: you''re out of luck."


    "I¡­ um¡­"


    "I can''t blame you though, I''m just that great, all the boys want me but the only one that gets me is my boyfriend."


    "Listen that''s nice and all, but I just want to-"


    "Good job for trying though, I-"


    "LADY!"


    My shout reverberated throughout the room. This woman blushed and retreated behind the screen. It seems that I finally got to her.


    "Listen God damn it! I just want to become an adventurer! What do I have to do?"


    "Oh¡­ you wanted to do that? Well okay. I''m Yimmie by the way. I also don''t actually have a boyfriend. That was a lie so-"


    "I DON''T CARE!" I slammed my hands on the counter.


    I didn''t expect to get this mad but this is ridiculous. Sure this girl is cute and all but I really don''t care about her relationship status this much, I just want to become an adventurer!


    "A-alright! You have to pay the fee and I will cast the realization spell on you! Please don''t hurt me!"


    Finally some progress!


    "Alright. How much is the fee?"


    "Eh? Oh right. The fee is a non-negotiable 300 juns payment. The reason that this is non-negotiable is that the spell consumes the juns as a material component for casting."


    300 juns just to sign up to be an adventurer... Though since this is something that will impact my life, I think 300 juns is acceptable.


    "What does this ''realization'' spell do?"


    "It enables you to gain experience through defeating monsters and other creatures. The spell also allows you to pull up your status menu."


    "Wait, if I don''t have this spell cast on me, I can''t gain levels in classes by slaying monsters?"


    "Well, you might be able to, but you wouldn''t be able to check your progress or distribute your levels."


    "I see¡­"


    Currently I don''t know about how actually gaining levels works in this world. God said that people gain experience to gain levels, but none of the books I read in the 7 months I''ve been here have said anything about the actual process of experience gaining despite the fact that I explicitly searched for those types of books.


    "...Hello? Are you there? Tsundere-san¡­? I know I''m pretty but you don''t need to stare at me like this, it''s creeping me out."


    "What? Oh, um, alright. Here you go. Are there any side effects to this spell? How long does it take to cast?"


    I handed Yimmie the 300 juns. This is almost an entire week''s worth of payment in a single purchase so actually handing over this much money is hard to do.


    "There are no side effects and it takes a full minute to cast the spell. Some people say they feel different after it''s cast but I think they''re just lying."


    "A-alright."


    I hope that the world of adventurers isn''t filled with people with chunibyo. Actually, now that I think of it, can you really have chunibyo if you actually have powers like magic?


    The bird girl stepped out of her booth


    "The payment is confirmed. Stand still while the spell is cast please. You can stare at me while I''m casting it. I don''t mind."


    Despite what this bird woman was saying, she held her hands in front of her and green magic circles began to appear around her as I saw the 300 juns burn away in green flames.


    "Woah¡­" I couldn''t stop myself from saying.


    The girl named Yimmie began chanting words one after another as the spinning magic circles locked in place. As the spell continued, I saw a green light begin to envelop me. So this is magic, REAL magic.


    The circles of magic gradually began to speed up as the spell went on. I now understand why she said it was alright to stare. This light show reminds me of the aurora borealis from my own world.


    After a moment, the magic circles stopped spinning and slowly dissipated as Yimmie wiped her brow.


    "Phew. Alright, I''m gonna go sit down now. I don''t really have a lot of mana so doing that spell is draining."


    "W-wait! What happens now?"


    "Oh I forgot."


    "You forgot what the spell does?"


    "No I forgot to tell you what to do after I cast it. Unfocus your eyes and say the word ''status.''"


    This damn birdbrain! ...Well fine. I have no reason to go against what she is telling me to do, so I unfocused my gaze and said the word "status" out loud.


    Suddenly, a green triangular prism that appeared like a hologram opened up in front of me. Inside of this prism there are many words and bars that depict different things. At the top I could see my name. "Kenji Fujima. Level 0."


    "I''m level 0?"


    "Yeah. That''s a good thing though since it means you''ve never killed anyone. Good job at being a normal person."


    I can''t help but think this birdbrain is being sarcastic, but I shrugged it off. I thought everyone started at level 1, but I guess I''m wrong.


    "What else is here?"


    "You can see your current stats. Your stats are divided among 6 different attributes which define who you are."


    Yimmie is right. I can see a few words that depict attributes on my screen as well. The properties are as follows:


    Strength: 20


    Dexterity: 16


    Constitution: 18


    Mana: 30


    Magic Power: 1


    Luck: 7


    Experience: 0


    "Wait, you said 6 attributes, but experience is listed here as well. Wouldn''t that be an attribute?"


    "No. Experience is just your total experience points you have gained through slaying foes."


    I thought about what I just heard for a moment before asking a question that had been bothering me.


    "What about bugs? I''ve killed mosquitoes before but I don''t have any experience from them. Do they just not give experience?"


    "Ah, my favorite fun fact! Bugs like mosquitoes do give experience, but the amount of experience they give is so small that you would have to kill upwards of a million of them to get even just one experience point. You better get a big bug swatter if you want to level up that way!"


    So grinding bugs on summer days isn''t an option.


    "What about my other attributes? Can you tell me about them?


    "Let me see¡­" Yimmie said as she sidled very close to me. This is the first time a girl has gotten so close to me on their own. Wait, has she been flirting with me? I know I''m lean and muscular now but I didn''t think I''d be so popular already. Wow, my life is becoming great!


    "Sorry, I just need to be able to see your attributes so don''t mind me."


    Oh right, I forgot what was happening.


    "Let''s see¡­ Your strength stat is on the upper end of the average for a level 0. Your other stats are all average except for your mana and your luck. Your luck stat is fairly low while you have a lot of mana for a level 0. Were you using your mana every day or something?"


    Now that I think about it, I have been using that mana stovetop at Ania''s home. Maybe I really was gaining mana the more I used it.


    "I have been using a mana powered stove top. Would that do anything?"


    "That explains it. You actually have more mana than I do. Check my attributes out. Status."


    Suddenly, another green triangular prism appeared in front of Yimmie as her attributes were put on display.


    Yimmie. Level 0.


    Strength: 14


    Dexterity: 22


    Constitution: 10


    Mana: 13


    Magic Power: 1


    Luck: 14


    Experience: 2


    After looking at her attributes, I came across a surprising number.


    "Wait¡­ you have 2 experience points?"


    "Don''t even get me started. We had rats break into the guild hall one day and it was awful. I had to mop up all the blood for the rest of the day!"


    "I-I see¡­"


    "Anyways, you can close your screen by just turning it off mentally. I don''t really know how to explain it but it''s like letting go of something you''re holding, but inside of your head."


    Though those instructions are vague, I followed them and found out that those truly are the most appropriate terms for turning this off. I felt some type of weight inside of my own mind and released it. Once I released this weight, the status screen disappeared. Magic truly is incredible.


    "Alright. Now that that''s done, I''m going to go sit down. Feel free to take a job on the bulletin board, but you might want to get geared up first. I doubt you''ll be able to take on a monster with just a little dagger."


    "When do people usually show up here?"


    "Hm? People usually start funneling in a few hours from now. You''re really early, you know that? You''re lucky we work 24 hours a day."


    "Is there a place where I can put my stuff?"


    "This guild also functions as a tavern, a meeting space, and an inn. Rooms are 20 juns a night. Food is not provided. Is that alright with you?"


    "Alright." I said as I handed her an additional 20 juns. So far I have spent 320 juns and I haven''t even gone to a different room. Being an adventurer is expensive.


    "Okay. You''ll be in room 4 on the third floor. Don''t make too much noise since a lot of people are sleeping."


    "Alright."


    With that, I took the small key that Yimmie was offering and began heading up the stairs. Once I was a few steps up, I heard Yimmie call out to me one more time.


    "Oh, and one more thing: Don''t get killed!"


    "I''ll try not to."

 17 This Hero Buys Equipment!

    The creaking of the wooden door I am opening is making this opening of a door even harder to stay silent than normal. Shut up you unoiled door!


    Once the door had finally finished opening, I saw the room I will be staying in for the foreseeable future.


    In front of me there was a single nightstand, a dresser, and a wooden bed. The room is made of wood and there is a very small window at the end. Albeit this room is fairly bleak, it is not much of a step down from my previous lodgings.


    I placed my clothes inside of the dresser and sat down on the bed. It isn''t even 7 A.M. yet, so people are still probably asleep. I wonder how Biar and Reese are doing? I hope Terry will adjust to his job smoothly.


    Putting aside my worries as I began to unfocus my eyes.


    "Status."


    I saw my status screen open in front of me. The faint green light from this prism illuminated the room around me. After I brought the prism up, I released it. I repeated this action around 30 times.


    "Magic is cool." I said out loud to the empty room.


    Albeit I''m acting like a child that is enamored with their new toy, I can''t help it. This is simply too intriguing. Summoning this prism is not draining, so I''m wondering where exactly the energy comes from. The prism isn''t something only I can see since Yimmie was able to see it as well and I was able to see hers. I wonder how bright this prism actually is. Can I use it while moving?


    I began to test my questions and discovered a few things. First: I cannot move once I have summoned the prism or else it will dissipate. I can move my arms and legs, but I cannot walk around. Second: The light from the prism is very faint. Even inside of the room while the curtains were drawn, it was hard to see the inside of the room, though the light was constant instead of wavering as a flame would.


    After trying this new ability out several times, I feel like I have a solid grasp on how this ability feels and I can naturally handle it. I probably need more practice, but currently this ability isn''t a big deal when it comes to my ability to adventure. I will push aside the practice for myself in the future.


    I stood up from the bed and grabbed my remaining 1680 juns.


    "Alright."


    I stepped back out of my room, locked the door behind me, and headed back outside. It''s time to shop for equipment.


    The current time is about 7 A.M. I don''t have a clock so I don''t know the exact time, but my biological clock is fairly accurate so I have no reason to doubt myself. I went to the market district and found a gear supply shop. I grasped my juns by my waist and stepped inside.


    "Welcome. What do you need?"


    Inside of the store on several racks there are various items including travel gear, backpacks, cooking supplies, and a large assortment of tools for camping. This shop is the exact place I need to stop by first.


    "I plan on doing a bit of adventuring so I need some supplies."


    "Ah! A new adventurer. You''re welcome to this shop! Take a look around, don''t be shy!"


    I took the shopkeeper''s request and began to look around. I need a few items, so I began listing each item out loud.


    "I need a rucksack, a sleeping bag, a flint stick, a couple torches, some dinnerware including something to cook on, and some rope. Do you have pitons too?"


    "A-aah I see you know what you''re talking about¡­ Yes I''ll help you get those items."


    The shopkeeper waddled out from behind the counter and led me through the shop.


    "This rucksack is made of solid material! It will last under tough conditions for at least a year without major wear and tear or your money back! This rucksack also has a strap to place your sleeping bag on it and has plenty of storage space. It even comes with a flint stick like you wanted! I guarantee your satisfaction!"


    "Alright! Let''s get this then."


    "Very good sir! I''ll bring it to the front."


    The shopkeeper took the rucksack down and brought it to the front.


    "Alright, and you said you needed a sleeping bag, some dinner wear, a few torches, and some rope and pitons? Do you want a hammer to go along with that?"


    "Yes please."


    "Alright. This sleeping bag is well insulated. It''s not the softest one we have but it will keep you warm in the cold and it will keep the bugs out. In my opinion this is the best quality for price."


    "I''ll take your advice then!"


    "Very good!"


    Once again, the shopkeeper took the items to the counter.


    "Now about that dinnerware¡­ Let''s see¡­"


    The shopkeeper paced between aisles of items. He stopped at a set of pans with a few bowls and some cutlery.


    "Ah. This is perfect. This set contains four plates, four bowls, four sets of utensils, and a steel pan to cook with. This should work perfectly on your travels!"


    "Add it to the pile!"


    "You got it lad!"


    The shopkeeper happily hummed as he brought the items to the counter.


    "And your final items¡­ Some torches, some rope, pitons, and a hammer¡­ How much rope do you need?"


    After taking a moment to do some rough math, I decided on a number.


    "At least 40 feet of rope. I also need 4 pitons as well. The hammer can be made of anything as long as it''s durable."


    "Wonderful. I''ll have that settled for you as soon as possible. Come up to the counter while I get your materials sorted out!"


    The shopkeeper went into the back room and I stepped up to the counter. I waited for a moment before the shopkeeper brought out the items I had requested.


    "Alright! Let me just total up all of your items¡­"


    The shopkeeper looked gleefully at the listing of items that I had requested and after a moment gave a big toothy smile.


    "I''ll throw the hammer in for free. Your total comes out to 400 juns even."


    400 juns. A whole week of work in a single purchase. Not even having a life altering spell cast on me cost that much.


    "All together this is 400 juns?"


    "Yes. Each item here is of guaranteed quality or your money back¡­ except for the hammer of course since you got that for free! Haha!"


    This is a lot of money to spend all at once. Though I know I can handle spending this much, I also know that spending so much so quickly will only result in my ruin. I can''t depend on this money forever so I need to stretch it out as much as possible.


    I''m weighing my options.


    "May I ask how often people come in to purchase things like this?"


    "Well, usually people don''t buy them all at once. Most new adventurers have barely even a single jun to their name. 400 juns is quite the sum for your average person so I can''t be surprised when they save up for a while to purchase the items¡­ No we do not do layaway either."


    Maybe I overdid it on the saving? I''m sitting on over ten thousand juns in my bank account at the moment and according to what this man said, I am sitting on the equivalent of a small fortune. Perhaps I don''t need to worry as much as I am.


    After a bit of hesitation, I pulled out 5 coins out of my hip pouch and handed them to the shopkeeper.


    "Here''s the 400 juns. Can I give you this extra 20 so that you have this delivered to room 4 on the third floor of the adventurers guild for me?"


    "Certainly, I''ll make the arrangements right now! Thank you for your purchase!" the shopkeeper said as he clapped his hands together and gave a big toothy smile.


    Although I had just spent over a week''s worth of earnings, I felt a sense of relief for having gotten the equipment I would immediately need for adventuring.


    I examined the remaining juns in my hip pouch by putting my hand inside and feeling the value.


    "1260 left. I have more in the bank, but it would be irresponsible to spend more than what I have right now without any income.


    The next order of business is to get some weapons. I have the adamantite dagger, but I can''t rely on only that. I need another weapon that I can use for more general combat.


    I began to search for a smithy.


    After roughly thirty minutes of walking, I finally found what appeared to be a smithy. Smoke was billowing out of the top of it and I could hear the sound of clanking from inside. My stomach began to growl from hunger so I can surmise that It''s now around 8 A.M. People have begun to wander the streets.


    I went inside of the alleged smithy.


    "Be with you in just a second! ?"


    That voice sounds familiar¡­


    Despite the sound of the voice, I went further into the smithy. Along the walls there were tools and equipment that had been made of various metals. Swords, helmets, shields, and other instruments of violence were placed along walls and on display stands. The sound of a hammer against metal echoed throughout the building.


    Suddenly, the echoing stopped and I heard someone walking. Out of the side room, a man with a hunched back, one large eye, and an unforgettable face emerged.


    "Hm? You look familiar but I can''t place you. You''re a cutie though! ?"


    Oh no.


    "How can I help you out, cutie? ?"


    This is the man that tried to do disgusting things to me while I was incarcerated 7 months ago. This man is named Tunne. I will never forget the nightmares he gave me.


    I did an about face and began to walk out of the smithy.


    "Oh no! Wait just a moment cutie! I guarantee my items are high quality and are well priced! No, don''t go~!"


    As I began to open the door to leave, a hand firmly grasped my wrist to stop me.


    "Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with whipped cream on top?"


    "Please leave me alone."


    "That voice¡­ That cold dismissal of my affection... I recognize it¡­"


    Oh no.


    "You''re the cutie from the prison cell all that time ago! ?"


    I have a dagger this time, I''m not afraid of you. Bring it on.


    "I''m so glad you found my shop! I''ll give you a special discount! I call it the ''cuties cut-off'' discount!"


    Though I should forgive people if they''re willing to change their ways. I think the Buddha said something like that once. Maybe it was Jesus. I''m not sure.


    "I need a weapon that I can use as my main item. I don''t plan on using anything heavy or bulky yet so a spear is out of the question. Do you have any recommendations?"


    "Hm¡­ A man like you¡­ I would say a steel broadsword would do the trick!"


    "A broadsword?"


    "Yes! They''re designed like a longsword but are intended to be used with only one hand. They''re ideal for someone that plans to avoid attacks as opposed to withstanding them through something like armor."


    What Tunne is saying makes sense to me. Ideally I will avoid attacks instead of getting hit by them. I don''t know how much armor costs, however, so I should learn that before I try anything else.


    "Do you sell armor?"


    "Yes we do. I have all types ranging from basic leather to plate armor."


    "How much is the plate armor?"


    "A set of steel plate armor will run you 5000 juns with my cutie cut off discount."


    "Nevermind."


    "Have it your way!"


    I can''t just head out to adventure in my regular clothes but I can''t drop that much money on a set of armor I don''t even know if I can wear just yet either. What should I do?"


    "How much is a leather cuirass?"


    "That would cost 100 juns. The broadsword will cost you 900 juns. In total you would be paying 1000 juns thanks to my cutie cut off discount! Is that okay with you?"


    A leather cuirass is superior to nothing. I also need something like a broadsword to fight with. I don''t plan on using a shield since I like to keep a hand free, so this is probably the best course of action.


    "Alright, I''ll take those then. 1000 juns, correct?"


    "Yes, 1000 juns. Not only are you a cutie, but you also have deep pockets! I''m falling for you more and more! ?"


    Despite being disgusted by this man, I put my hand into my hip pouch and grasped my hand tightly while thinking about 1000 juns. Another aspect to the currency of this world is that one can condense money into larger amounts by crushing coins of a set value together. After a moment, I pulled out a single 1000 jun coin and handed it to Tunne.


    "Oh my~" he said as he took the coin from my hand.


    "Now that I''ve been paid, it''s time to fit~ you~! ?"


    Oh no.


    Tunne pulled out a measuring tape and licked his lips as he got very close to me. I am going to keep my hand on my dagger just in case.


    After a measurement that took far longer than I felt was necessary, Tunne went into the side room and procured a leather cuirass and a steel broadsword for me. The cuirass fit like a glove while the broadsword came with a sheath and a strap to keep around my waist. Despite the person running the shop, I cannot deny the quality of the items here.


    "Come again cutie! ?"


    I held back the vomit in my mouth as I exited the store. I felt the remaining juns in my side pouch. From my starting 2000 I had, I have reduced it down to 260. I have spent the equivalent of a month''s work worth of money in less than 3 hours. I took a deep breath and rationalized it as a starting investment. I''ll be alright.


    It''s time to return to the guild. I bet there will be people there now.

 18 This Hero Forms a Party!

    I returned to my room in the guild hall and recollected myself.


    "Phew¡­ Alright. Do I accept a quest now? Do I take on quests by myself or do I form an adventuring party? What if people don''t take me as a party member because I''m level 0?"


    I''m vocalizing all of my doubts out loud to the room. Though it''s not helping me to wallow in my own self doubts, it''s a nice stress reliever.


    After a momentary freakout, I slapped my face with both my hands and psyched myself up.


    "God said this place is full of low level people. All I need to do is put myself out there! I''ll be fine! This is my next step to defeating the demon king!"


    With that, I stepped outside of my room and walked downstairs to the tavern.


    Many people are sitting in chairs now. I can see Yimmie taking drinks to and from tables like a reliable waitress. I think I heard her say that she had a boyfriend just now, but that might just be my imagination.


    After taking a moment to read the room, I had a sudden realization.


    I am terrible at socializing.


    I can talk to one or two people without a problem, but groups of people, especially those that I need to sell myself to, I cannot handle. I''m not agoraphobic or anything, but I just don''t really know how to handle this. Do I post an application to the bulletin board?


    Not knowing what to do, I decided to approach the booth where I spoke with Yimmie earlier today. There is now a man that appears to be in his late thirties manning the counter.


    "Oh, hello. Are you here to turn in a quest?"


    "Actually, I''m here for the exact opposite. I would like to join or make a party but I don''t know what to do. Can you help me?"


    "Alright, that''s no problem. Take this sheet and fill it out with whatever you feel you may need to bring up. Once you''re done, post it on the bulletin board over there and take a seat."


    "Wait, I''m pretty new to this. Can people here read? I was led to believe that most people can''t."


    "You''re right that most people can''t read, but adventurers usually need to be able to read. If you can''t read then you can''t really read your status can you?"


    I didn''t respond to this man with anger despite him treating me like an idiot. I instead decided to just fill out the form with any relevant information I could think of.


    "Hello, my name is Kenji. I am currently level 0 but I am serious about being an adventurer. It''s alright if you just need me for just one job, but I would like to find permanent party members if possible. I plan on being a frontliner and I currently have basic equipment. I will be waiting inside of the tavern and I have a leather cuirass on."


    This seemed right so I posted it on the bulletin board and took a seat. Since I am also hungry, I ordered some breakfast for 10 juns and began waiting patiently for people to approach me.


    I''ve been sitting here for an hour. Most people have already left the building at this point and nobody came up to recruit me despite multiple people looking at my listing. I guess most people don''t want to take a level 0. This is a problem.


    As the guild hall is nearly empty, I was about to give up hope before I heard something.


    "Alright! Today is the day!"


    Someone suddenly shouted from the entrance. A man that appeared to be very thin and is wearing the quintessential garments of a wizard entered the tavern. His rambunctious attitude and aloof demeanor clashed together as he quickly walked inside. His clothing is a deep purple robe and a pointed hat. His face lacks any hair aside from his eyebrows and sticking out from under his hat I can see strands of curly brown hair. His expressions are sharp despite his attitude. Something that is hard to spot but is unforgettable once it is seen is that this man has short pointy ears.


    "Tael, you''re too loud."


    "Yeah yeah I''m just excited! Today is the day!"


    "You said that yesterday too, and the day before that!"


    "And all of last week too." Another worker chimed in.


    "Y-yeah, but today is a good day! I can feel it!" The man gave a big toothy grin and a thumbs up at his declaration.


    Quickly, the man walked up to the bulletin board and loudly began to speak. It seems like this is a normal occurrence for the rest of the guild, however, as nobody is paying it any mind.


    Suddenly, the man grabbed my paper from the board and began shouting.


    "Oh my oh my oh my! What is this? A level 0 wishes to form a party? Perhaps I shall take pity on them! Who here is this mysterious ''Kenji'' that this paper speaks of?"


    I felt multiple eyes on me as I became the center of attention. Quietly and reluctantly, I slowly raised my hand only for it to be grasped and shaken by the man in front of me.


    "Ah-ha! Hello there Kenji-chan! My name is Tael! I will party up with you!"

 19 This Hero Meets Tael!

    The man named Tael sat down in the seat next to me in a grandiose way. Despite the fact that parties are supposed to be made up of people on equal footing, this guy is acting like they''re the most important person here.


    "Well then, Kenji-chan, I am Tael. It is your pleasure to make my acquaintance. You will call me Tael-sama!"


    "Why?"


    "Guh! B-because unlike you I have a level in a class! Behold my power! Status!"


    With that, a green triangular prism appeared in front of Tael as he revealed his stats to me.


    Tael. Level 1.


    Strength: 8


    Dexterity: 24


    Constitution: 10


    Mana: 50


    Magic Power: 15


    Luck: 9


    Experience: 0


    It''s true, this guy actually has a level. Wait a minute... something is off...


    "How do you have a level without any experience?"


    "Oh it''s probably because he''s a half elf. Half elves naturally have an affinity for magic and some of them start out with a magic casting class like wizard. Of course, full elves start with multiple levels."


    Yimmie had snuck up behind us. She was crouched while also staring at Tael''s status screen. Unlike myself, this seemed to be normal for her so she made a declaration in monotone.


    "Yimmie don''t spoil my surprises!" Tael shouted out. It looks like he''s blushing a bit.


    "Sorry but you''re giving him a hard time and I just wanted to give you one as well. Anyway I''m off work for now so I''ll see you later!" She said as she headed outside.


    "Ahem. Now that our interruption has left, show me your own status screen! Though you are a level 0, not all are created equal unfortunately. You can see by my superiority! Fufufu!"


    While it would make me very happy to join another party and forget about this guy, I don''t exactly have many options so I may as well go along with it.


    "Status." I reluctantly spoke aloud as my green prism appeared.


    Tael began to look up and down my screen while going "Hmm¡­" the entire time until he suddenly stopped at an attribute.


    "Hey¡­ you almost have as much mana as me¡­ what the hell, man?" Tael muttered.


    "Huh? Why does that matter?"


    "Eh? Did I say something? Don''t mind me. I was just thinking out loud."


    I put on as blank of a face as I could. This guy just wants to stroke his ego.


    "Next I want you to swipe your hand from right to left with the screen open!"


    "Why?"


    "Just do it already!"


    "O-okay."


    Taken aback by his sudden snap at me, I swiped my hand from right to left and my status screen began to display new information.


    "Ah-ha! Here we go. As a level 0 you may not have class levels like myself, but you do have some mundane classes in your collection!"


    "Mundane classes?" I repeated. I was never told about this. Yimmie never told me about these nor did God. What do these do?


    He''s right. I do have a few of these "mundane classes" on this screen. Each of these classes seem to pertain to certain things that I have done many times over my life.


    The mundane classes are as follows:


    Shopkeeper Tier 1


    +You are capable of stocking shelves faster.


    Merchant Tier 1


    +You find good deals easier.


    Bookworm Tier 1


    +You can read books slightly faster than a normal person can.


    Cook Tier 1


    +Your cooking tastes slightly better than a normal person''s cooking.


    These look mildly useful, but at the same time I don''t see how they''re going to really have an effect on my life. Wait, there''s one more class here¡­


    "What is a Hikikomori?" Tael asked me.


    Oh no. Please don''t reveal my past to the whole room.


    On my mundane class screen, there is one more class.


    Hikikomori Tier 3


    +You can function for longer without sleep than a normal person.


    +You can function normally on half as much sleep as a normal person.


    +You only need 2 meals a day instead of 3.


    "Woah dude, this class is actually pretty useful! What did you do to get this?"


    "Nothing! Nope I never did anything. Wow that''s crazy, it must be a glitch or something! Haha! Let''s just forget we saw that, shall we?" Despite how much I am blushing, I fervently denied ever having seen that class. I must brush this aside as much as possible as quickly as I can. I can''t afford to be found out by this guy.


    "What''s a ''glitch''?" He asked me perplexedly.


    "I meant a bug."


    "A bug? Where?"


    "No not that kind of bug! Just forget it! I''ll tell you some time later!" I decided to leave my problems to the future me as I usually do.


    "Well¡­ alright I guess. It''s no big deal. To get to tier 3 in a mundane class you probably spent a long time doing whatever it was. Let me show you my mundane classes." Tael said as he swiped his own hand from right to left.


    Tael''s screen shifted and I can now see his mundane classes. Albeit Tael only has one mundane class, he still has one and it seems that it''s on a tier higher than I have.


    Bookworm Tier 3


    +You can read books slightly faster than a normal person can.


    +You can memorize details from reading far faster than a normal person can.


    +You always flip to the page you want to while reading books.


    "While you may have me beat in the mundane classes category, that just tells me that you have spent your time doing things other than adventuring! Too bad for you!"


    "But you have 0 experience as well. You''ve never adventured either."


    "That''s besides the point."


    I kept a blank expression once again. Considering I have nothing better to do, I may as well just continue talking to this guy. The information he is giving me is fairly useful after all.


    "Alright. Now that we''ve seen your mundane classes, swipe from the left to the right twice for me."


    Since the last time he instructed me to do this was beneficial to me, I decided to just go along with him this time without asking.


    My screen shifted twice, from my default screen that showed my attributes and level to a new screen with a multitude of nodes on it. Each node had different words.


    "Hmm¡­ You don''t have many classes available here, but¡­ Oh! Look at this, you have wizard as an available class to level up in! Were you studying magic in your free time?"


    Now that he mentions it, I did buy a book about magic and its fundamentals. It cost me an entire month''s worth of allowance which was very painful to spend.


    "I read a book on magic fundamentals, but it was really complicated so I didn''t really understand it."


    "Hm hm. That makes sense since you can''t actually cast spells yet. Your grasp on magic is only in the most basic form currently. Behold my hold on magic!" Tael shouted as he swiped his own hand twice and revealed his classes.


    A single node was glowing brighter than the others. That node read the words "wizard level 1."


    "Are you not amazed?" Tael asked me while looking for praise.


    "That''s¡­ neat."


    We both just stared at one another for a second. The atmosphere in this room is awkward to say the least.


    Tael eventually broke the silence.


    "W-well, not everyone can understand the greatness of being a level 1 wizard! Truly I feel sorry for you. Perhaps one day you shall be able to comprehend my greatness."


    "..."


    "Alright. I accept you as a party member! Prepare yourself because we are going on a quest today!"


    Finally he said something I wanted to hear. I''m going on a quest today! Am I going to save a kidnapped person or hunt a legendary beast that resides nearby?


    "What are we going to do?"


    "Simple monster slaying. It''s not really a quest but we get experience and payment for it."


    "Oh I see¡­"


    W-well, I shouldn''t have expected us to do anything more. I''m still level 0 and despite the fact that this guy is level 1 I doubt it will make much of a difference.


    "So when are we going to head out?" I asked.


    "Considering it''s already almost noon, I think we should gather our things and set out as soon as possible."


    "Alright! Let''s do this!"

 20 This Hero Shops With Tael!

    "Hey, I''m sorry alright? We need supplies. You should be happy about this!" Tael begged me as I angrily walked towards a certain supply shop.


    As it turns out, Tael has just about no money at all. According to Tael, this quest will take at least an entire day and we will have to spend the night outside of the wall. Since we''re going to be spending a night outside, we need some supplies like food.


    Thanks to the fact that Tael has no money, I have to pay for our supplies. Tael assured me that I would make my money back and more if we do well on this quest.


    I paid an additional 40 juns to the guild to keep my room for another 2 days on top of my current investment since I need to keep my stuff somewhere. I went to my room and got my new rucksack and other supplies I purchased earlier today. Before I left, I put my hand inside of my money pouch and felt my remaining funds. I''m now sitting on a measly 210 juns. I have spent over a months worth of funds and I haven''t even gone on a quest yet. I need to be careful from now on.


    "Hey come on! You''re rich, right? Only a rich person would have that much money on them! Come on you can spare the money! Pleeeeaaassseee?"


    Eventually, I acceded to his constant begging and decided to pay for our supplies for the trip. Since it would only be 1 day, it shouldn''t cost too much and I will be getting my money back from him once we get the payment for the quest.


    "Oh, I walked here automatically."


    "Hm? What is this place?"


    I am standing outside of Reese and Biar''s shop. I suppose coming here every day has programmed the directions into my mind so that I will now come here without thinking. I walked up to the front door and opened it with Tael in tow. The familiar ringing noise of the bell on the front door chimed with my entrance.


    "Welcome! How may I¡­"


    Terry trailed off as I entered the store and Tael began looking around quickly like a child in a candy store.


    "Oh, how are you Kenji-san?"


    "I''m alright, I''m just-"


    Suddenly the side door opened and Biar came out.


    "Hey Reese! You owe me 50 juns! Kenji-kun''s back!" Biar shouted out the side room.


    I heard a muffled "Damn!" from the side room after Biar shouted out.


    "So, here to get your job back? Reese and I had a bet, you see."


    Despite what Biar was saying, I smiled and spoke through gritted teeth.


    "Hello Biar-san. No, I''m not here to get my job back. I''m here to shop for supplies. You see, Tael and I are going to be adventuring until tomorrow so I need some supplies for an overnight trip."


    "Oh is that so? Reese, scratch that, he''s here for supplies!"


    I could hear an "Alright!" come from the side room once again.


    "Well, take your time. I know I don''t need to show you around."


    "Kenji, what was that about? Do you know that guy?"


    "I used to work here."


    "Woah! That''s awesome! Someone like you held a job like this at your age!"


    "Hey, you and I are probably the same age. I''m 18 so I''m not a kid or anything."


    "Fufufu! Kenji it seems you don''t know something about half elves! We may resemble humans, but thanks to our mixed biology we actually age slower than them! I am older than you!"


    Wait, I think I remember something like this from my games. Elves live for thousands of years and half elves live for a comparable time. Could it be that Tael is actually over a hundred years old?


    "How old are you Tael?"


    "I''m 19! Oof!"


    After he made his declaration I punched him in the stomach. He led me on just to have such a shitty payoff. I shouldn''t be surprised by how much he''s already done this, but I can''t help it.


    "P-please don''t fight in the store, Kenji-san!"


    "Don''t worry, I just had to vent my frustration for a moment."


    "A-Alright¡­"


    It seems that Terry is scared of me now. I didn''t mean to get violent in front of him but I just snapped suddenly. I should apologize before I leave.


    As he was climbing back up from the floor, Tael saw something on the lower shelves.


    "Hey hey, Kenji, let''s get these! They''re called ''tumric'' and they look cool!"


    "Tumric takes a long time to cook, so no. Let''s get some rudvisk and a bit of meat to mix together. Oh also, Terry-san, I need 2 water skins filled with water. Can you go get those for me?"


    "Um¡­ Where are those, Kenji-san?" Terry asked me.


    "Oh, they''re in the side room."


    "Alright I''ll go get them! Thank you Kenji-san!"


    With that, Terry went to the side room and left Tael and myself in the shop alone.


    "While he''s getting the water skins, let''s gather the supplies. Only get what I say we get, alright? I''m the one paying for it after all."


    "Are we going to steal anything while he''s gone?"


    "Eh?"


    "Well I''ve read this in books before. You send the employee to the side room and steal something while they''re gone! Honestly Kenji I never expected this from you!"


    "I''m¡­ not¡­ stealing anything."


    "Oh¡­ alright. Yeah, now that I think about it, it''s probably a good idea that we don''t."


    Despite that awkward interaction, we gathered our supplies and went up to the register. Terry soon returned from the side room with 2 full water skins.


    "Thank you for telling me where they were, Kenji-san. Let me tally up your total."


    After a moment of checking the ledger, Terry told me the price.


    "Your total will be 56 juns."


    "I don''t get a former employee discount or anything?"


    "Hell no!" I heard shouted from the side room.


    Instead of causing problems, I pulled out the 56 juns that were requested and handed them to Terry.


    "Here you go."


    "Ah, thank you Kenji-san." Terry said as he sheepishly took the juns I was handing him.


    We left the shop and Tael hopped up and down excitedly.


    "Alright! Supplies acquired! I can''t believe I''m going on a real quest today! I knew that today is the day!"


    With that, we went towards the city''s drawbridge.

 21 This Hero Heads Out!

    The closer we came to the drawbridge, the fewer buildings we saw and the more soldiers appeared. Our traveling is being watched by a multitude of guards. They must think we''re up to no good. Fortunately, we''re not surrounded by only guards. There are some adventurers that I saw at the guild hall earlier that seem to be returning from their quests. Some were fine while some had cuts and scratches on them. I hope I return like the former and not the latter.


    Unfortunately for me, my traveling companion seemed to be incapable of reading the mood of the situation.


    "Kenji, Kenji! Isn''t this exciting? I''ve never been outside of the city before! We get to go and kill monsters and be heroes like in those story books! Have you ever been outside of the city before? What''s it like? Are there big scary monsters?"


    "I''ve never been outside of the city before either. Would you calm down? We have a long day ahead of us and we need to sustain our energy. I don''t know about you, but I''ve never been in a battle before with monsters."


    "Me either but that doesn''t mean I''m not excited about it!"


    I simply scowled at him and let bygones be bygones. We had finally reached the gate to the drawbridge after some time. As we approached the drawbridge we were stopped by what appeared to be a guard.


    "Woah there. Who are you two? I''ve never seen you around here before."


    "Can''t you tell by my magnificent robes and my regal features? I am mmph-!"


    I quickly covered Tael''s mouth before he could spout out more nonsense. I instead elected to speak for the both of us.


    "We''re adventurers. We''re going to be monster slaying."


    "Adventurers, eh? If you''re really adventurers then you ought to have that one spell cast on you. Show me and I''ll let you pass."


    Since it was requested, I took my hands off of Tael''s mouth so he could speak the command word.


    "MMMPH! H-hey don''t steal my thunder, man! Now my cool intro is ruined!"


    "Shut up and do what he said. Status."


    My screen appeared in front of me. After a moment, Tael reluctantly followed suit. The guard proceeded to take a look at the screens and nodded his head a few times.


    "Hmm¡­ I see. Well, everyone needs to level up at some point I suppose. Good on you two for taking the initiative."


    "I have a few questions if you don''t mind me asking."


    "I don''t have a problem."


    "I heard that this drawbridge closes, is this true?"


    "Yes. This drawbridge closes at 10 P.M. every night and opens at 5 A.M. the next morning. I don''t care if you''re the emperor, you''re not getting in until 5 A.M."


    "Alright. Why is the drawbridge closed at 10 P.M.?"


    "Some monsters become more active at night. They try to find a good place to huddle down in and a walled city is like a buffet to them."


    "What monsters should we expect?"


    "This might sound naive, but if people get trapped outside, do you send out rescue parties?"


    "No. You''re on your own the second you step outside these walls."


    "I see¡­"


    "Don''t tell me you''re getting cold feet now, are you?"


    "N-no I''m not!"


    "You know what? Maybe I should practice my spells some more¡­"


    I saw Tael slowly begin to sidle away as I grabbed his robe forcefully.


    "Haha! You kids are a riot. Alright, stay safe out there."


    "Yes sir. I plan to return tomorrow."


    "Always plan for the dawn! Stay safe on your travels."


    "Likewise."


    With that, I dragged a reluctant Tael with me outside of the gate and over the drawbridge. We have left the city of Ruks and begun our first adventure.

 22 This Hero Vs. The Slime!

    "Woooaaaaahhhh!" Kenji, Kenji! Check it out! This whole area is a field! There''s trees and some rolling hills over there! This is so cool! It''s like a painting!"


    Tael was running around and looking around the area. What Tael is describing is true. The immediate area around us is a grassy field and in the distance there appears to be a small forest with rolling hills. Honestly speaking, this is the first time I''ve ever seen so much space that hasn''t been claimed by civilization before. The sight is impressive.


    "Kenji can you hear me? It''s super cool, right?"


    "Y-yeah it''s cool. Calm down. We''ve got a lot of walking ahead of us and I don''t want you bowing out halfway."


    "Fine fine. You''re way too tense Kenji. We''re just going to be going to slay goblins and stuff after all."


    Instead of dignifying his dismissal with a response, I instead just let out a sigh. We continued to walk for a little while before I decided to say something. Despite my face feeling like it''s about to burn off, I took a deep breath and spoke.


    "Ahem¡­ I-I''m a virgin..."


    "Eh? What are you saying? Kenji I''m sorry man but I don''t swing that way."


    "I don''t mean it like that you dunce! I just¡­ We''re going to be trusting one another with our lives so I feel like it''s important if we share some personal information like that with one another."


    "O-oh¡­ I see."


    Tael looked towards the ground for a moment before bringing his blushing head up to face me.


    "I-I am also a virgin! I''ve never had a girlfriend, b-but I prefer women with a big ass over big boobs! If I had to give an exact account I would say that I prefer a girl with a 4:6 ratio of boobs to ass!"


    I nodded my head at his declaration.


    "I personally prefer a 7:3 ratio, but I respect your preferences." I said as I gave a thumbs up.


    "M-me too!" Tael said as he returned my thumbs up. I feel like we just formed a connection that is rarely shared between people.


    After we had made this connection, I felt the slight tension between us dissipate as it turned into us being new friends on a stroll together. The late spring breeze is pleasant and the scenery is easy on the eyes. This strolling went on for a little while as nothing happened.


    "Slurp¡­ Slurp¡­"


    I can hear a familiar noise.


    "Kenji, what''s that noise? It reminds me of something I heard in the guild hall once."


    "Slurp¡­ Slurp¡­"


    I took a look around and spotted the perpetrator. A small green blob is heading towards us along the ground.


    "I think it''s coming from that. It looks like a slime from Dr***n Q***t."


    "That thing''s a dragon?"


    "N-no I just said it was from it."


    "So that''s a slime, huh? I read about them in my books. They''re pretty basic but they''re acidic. Don''t let them touch you if you can prevent it."


    "Understood." I said as I began to draw my broadsword.


    "Eh?"


    Now that I''m looking at it closely, the path that the slime has been moving on is completely devoid of grass. Has it been consuming the area around itself? I''m worried about what it would do to my skin if it came into contact with it.


    "Step aside Kenji. This is where I come in!"


    For the first time since I met him, Tael looked like he was actually reliable. Tael drew out a white wand from his robe and pointed it towards the slime. The wind began to dramatically make his robe flutter. I had to brace myself from the sudden gust.


    "Hmph! Behold, the essence of magic! Weep at your weakness and bow before me, monster! Firebolt!"


    A small magic circle appeared in front of Tael''s wand and a small streak of fire spewed out towards the slime. Once the beam made contact with the slime, it split into several pieces.


    "Alright! I just cast a spell and killed a monster! Kenji, did you see that? Wasn''t that super cool?"


    Despite the fact that what had just happened was actually fairly cool, I couldn''t help but continue to watch the slime. Much to my dismay, something is wrong.


    The slime pieces that had been blown apart were slowly bringing themselves back together.


    "Hey¡­ that thing isn''t dead."


    "Eh? That''s not possible! I just hit it with my magic!"


    "Do slimes actually die when you break them apart?"


    "I don''t know! Why wouldn''t they?"


    If this thing refuses to die then that will be a problem. Instead of waiting for it to reform, I instead put away my broadsword and pulled out my dagger as I approached the slime. Steel might melt, but I doubt adamantite will.


    "Cover me, Tael. If this thing looks like it''s going to attack me I want you to firebolt it again."


    "O-okay! Woah I''m being relied on, I''m so cool!"


    Ignoring what I heard, I went towards the slime and examined it closely. The slime was reassembling itself around some darker object in its center. This object looks like a core of sorts.


    "It looks like they have a core. I''m going to stab it. Be ready to firebolt it, alright?"


    "Alright! Leave it to me!"


    I readied my dagger and brought it to the core of the slime. With a plunging motion I stabbed my dagger into the center of the slimes core. My action seems to have destroyed its core as it quickly lost all of its congealing properties and instead turned into a simple green liquid once I did this.


    "Woah! Kenji, we killed it!"


    I have just killed my first monster. A slime. This isn''t impressive enough to celebrate, but it is important enough to mark as a landmark in my road to defeating the demon king.


    "Status." I said out loud. Tael quickly followed suit.


    Kenji Fujima. Level 0


    Strength: 20


    Dexterity: 16


    Constitution: 18


    Mana: 30


    Magic Power: 1


    Luck: 7


    Experience: 4


    I actually gained experience. Seeing that number go up, while small, is exhilarating.


    "My experience went up!" I heard Tael also shout.


    "How did you gain experience if I got the kill? How much did you get?"


    "I got 6 experience points! Alright!"


    Wait, why did he get more experience points than I did? I''m the one that killed the thing!


    "At this rate I''ll level up by the end of the day! Level 2 here we come!"


    ...I decided to not interrupt his fun.

 23 This Hero Cant Find Monsters!

    "Level two, level two, I can''t wait to be you!"


    Tael had been singing to himself for the past hour ever since we killed the slime. We haven''t encountered any other monsters aside from the slime so we''ve just been wandering around the plains. I think I''m going to explode if I keep listening to his singing, so I decided to start a conversation.


    "Hey¡­ I noticed you used a wand. I don''t know much about magic, but why do you use a wand?"


    "Hm? Oh, my wand is my magic focus. It was carved out of the tree that resides in my family''s ancestral yard and was given to me when I developed a level in wizard."


    "You have an ancestral yard?"


    "Most people with elven lineage do. I may be a half elf but even I get some privileges!"


    That makes sense. Elves from my games usually were ancient people with a lot of ancestral lineage business. I suppose the elves of this world aren''t too different. Despite what I just learned however, Tael said something that gave me a strange feeling.


    "Are half elves looked down upon or something?"


    "...Not exactly. It''s not that I''m looked down upon but¡­"


    Tael is fidgeting a bit. I think I just inadvertently stumbled upon a touchy subject. I should swap topics.


    "Nevermind that. Do you need a wand to cast spells?"


    "T-Totally not! A lesser wizard than me might need one, however! My wand is just a magical focus and as such is just used to help me focus the magic in my body to a specific point."


    Despite getting the feeling that he''s blowing a lot of hot air, I decided to continue to listen as Tael took a deep breath and continued with his explanation.


    "Without a wand it becomes much harder to cast spells. An unskilled caster would even lose the efficacy of their spells, if they can even manage to cast at all."


    "Does a magic focus need to be a wand?"


    "No. A magic focus just needs to be something that the user is familiar and comfortable with. I could use a staff if I wanted to. Druids typically use tree branches or sticks while clerics often use amulets. Like I said though, they''re not required."


    "Hmm¡­ Could a magic focus be a sword?"


    "As long as the user is both familiar and comfortable with it, then yes. When I was younger, I turned my pillow into a magic focus because I thought there were monsters in my closet."


    "I-I see¡­"


    Ignoring that strange statement, we forged onwards towards the forested area since we couldn''t find any monsters in the open plains. On our way, we encountered a few adventurers that were walking back into the city. Some were carrying dead wolves, while others had nothing on them. We didn''t get into any conversations with the passing adventurers, instead we only exchanged brief glances to one another or sparingly said "greetings" back and forth. It seems that the majority of adventuring parties don''t like to intermingle with those that they don''t know.


    "Woah. Kenji, look! These trees are huge! You think there are monsters sitting at the top of the trees that are waiting to drop on us?"


    "D-Don''t set a flag like that! What is wrong with you?!?"


    "Oh, sorry. I just think it would be cool if we fought against all odds when we''re ambushed and brought our enemies down!"


    "Stop bringing up flags!"


    This guy is going to get us into trouble, I can feel it.

 24 This Hero Heads Into The Forest!

    "Kenji, what''s the hold up? Are we going into the forest or are we not?"


    I''ve been hesitating at the edge of this forest for a few moments trying to remember some information I''ve heard before. After some time, I remembered what I needed to and told Tael why I was being wary.


    "I''ve heard that people get lost in forests easily. Even if people only go a short distance they can easily get lost."


    "Oh¡­ You''re right. We don''t have a druid or anything so finding our way out is probably going to be fairly hard."


    We both stood at the edge of the forest, saying nothing. The awkward silence between us shows how unprepared we really are.


    I don''t want to just stand here and give up. I''ve only defeated a single slime today. That''s not enough to decide to give up, not after all I''ve prepared for.


    After some inner debating, I came up with an idea.


    "There are hills that stick out from the treetops, right?"


    "Yeah?"


    "When we need to leave, let''s climb the hills and find our way out by using those."


    "Good idea, Kenji! This is why I took you under my wing!"


    Though this is a flimsy plan, I''m still antsy to get things done today. I know this probably isn''t an optimal idea, but I want to get this done. I can''t stay level 0 forever.


    With our mutual agreement on my impulsive decision, we began to trudge into the forest. The sound of birds chirping and leaves waving created a constant cacophony of the forest. Though the canopy of leaves did block the sunlight, there was still enough to be able to see the floor without being impeded. The floor is covered in very thick grass. I''m glad I''m wearing boots or else I would probably be covered in ticks by now.


    "Hmm¡­ I don''t know if I can use my magic here¡­"


    "Eh? What did you just say?"


    "W-well, it should be fine! My firebolts may be mighty, but I doubt even they can burn down such a magnificent forest! Yeah I was worrying for nothing! Haha!"


    Tael just said something dangerous. Instead of assuring me that he had control of the situation, he instead elected to whistle to brush off the issue.


    "Hey¡­ can you cast any spells other than firebolt?"


    "Nope! I''m a level 1 wizard after all. My magic is the most basic of the basic."


    I slugged him in the stomach once again.

 25 This Hero Vs. Goblins!

    This forest is dense. We''ve been wandering around inside of it for a few hours now but aside from trees and birds, I''ve only seen the occasional deer. I have yet to see a monster. What''s the deal? Even Tael is getting antsy, much to my dismay.


    "Jeez! Are there any monsters in this place at all? Come on people! I need to level up!"


    "Shut up! Do you have any idea what could be in this forest?"


    "Yeah! That guard said there would be wolves, goblins, slimes, and maybe some undead! I doubt we''ll have much trouble with them so I want to get this over with!"


    "That doesn''t mean you should look for trouble! Unlike you, I don''t have magic. We also had trouble with a single slime earlier so I don''t understand where your cockiness is coming from."


    "We only had trouble with it because we didn''t know it had a core! Once we had that figured out it was a piece of cake! Honestly, Kenji you''re way too tense."


    Instead of responding to his banter, I simply grimaced and continued walking. Though he''s not going about it in the best way, he''s still correct. That firebolt contained a notable amount of power. With him by my side I doubt the things we were told about will give us real trouble.


    We continued walking in the forest until the sky had turned a rich amber color. Since the sun had gone down, it is now much harder to navigate the forest floor. Although I cannot see the sun, it is probably close to time to make camp.


    "Tael, let''s call it a day and make camp. I don''t want to wander around in the dark."


    "No! I don''t want to stop!"


    "Quit acting like a child! Not everything works out the way you expect it to!"


    "Nooo!"


    "Giri giri."


    "Wait, stop, shut up for a second. What was that noise?"


    "Eh? What''s going on?"


    I can hear the noise of some creature. From the sounds of it, it''s not alone and it is communicating with others.


    "Giri giri."


    "Tael, get close to me and watch my back. I don''t know where these sounds are coming from but I doubt it''s friendly."


    "Huh? O-okay! I''m right behind you!"


    We got back to back in a spartan style as I drew my broadsword. I watched Tael''s back while he watched mine. If something was going to sneak up on us it would have a hard time of doing so.


    After a few moments of hearing nothing but the nonstop noises of these creatures, three short humanoids that were roughly 80 centimeters tall emerged while brandishing weapons from the treeline. Each creature was wearing a loincloth and had light green skin, pointy ears, and beady eyes.


    "Goblins... " I heard Tael mutter as the creatures emerged.


    Two of the goblins had short swords of low quality and one had a spear.


    "Geeeee¡­"


    After a moment, the 3 goblins began to approach us. I am the frontliner, so I steadied my wobbly legs and approached the goblins. I need to do threat assessment.


    The two goblins with short swords are most likely less dangerous than the goblin with the spear. These goblins are short and stout so I have a range advantage. The spear equalizes the range advantage, however, so I need to handle that one first.


    I firmly held my broadsword in front of me and prepared to battle with these 3 goblins-


    "Firebolt!"


    Tael fired a firebolt at the goblin with the spear. The bolt struck the goblin in the head as it fell to the ground like a ragdoll.


    I firmly held my broadsword in front of me and prepared to battle with these 2 goblins. I don''t exactly know how to battle, but I know that footwork is important so I''ll try to position myself in a strong stance.


    "GRAAAH!" One of the goblins shouted out as it charged me with an overhead strike.


    I dodged the attack and came up behind the goblin that charged me. I readied my sword to strike the goblin as I felt a dull thud against my back.


    As it turns out, the second goblin had swung at my back with their short sword, but thanks to the low quality of the blade mixed with my leather cuirass, I am unharmed.


    I stabbed at the stumbling goblin with my broadsword and felt my blade pierce its flesh. I put my body weight into the attack and drove the sword deeper into the monster.


    "Gwagh!" The goblin bellowed out. Its crimson blood splashed onto the ground. I could feel the goblins strength quickly leaving itself as it slowly collapsed to the ground.


    The final goblin began to back away as it quickly realized its situation. As I began to turn around to fight the last goblin, it started to run away as quickly as it could.


    "I''m not letting you leave! Firebolt!"


    Tael''s firebolt missed the goblin by millimeters as it escaped into the treeline.


    "Damn!"


    "Is that the last of them?"


    We stood prepared to battle for a few minutes before we eventually agreed that the goblins were gone.

 26 This Hero Sets Camp!

    Unlike before with the slime, Tael and I agreed to leave the area immediately instead of sticking around and checking our status. After taking the shortsword from the goblin I killed, we set out and arrived at a clearing.


    "Alright. It''s starting to get dark so we should set up camp. Tael, grab some rocks and place them in a circle. I''m going to gather a few pieces of wood so we can have a fire."


    "Okay. Will do!"


    We split up. Tael began gathering nearby rocks and placing them in a circle while I started gathering sticks and tinder. I''ve never gone camping before so I''m a bit excited, but I can''t lose myself in my thoughts.


    After gathering a few sticks that had fallen from the nearby trees, I returned to our clearing to find Tael had gathered the stones and placed them in a circle.


    "How did I do, Kenji?"


    I assessed his work. Although I am only an ameteur at camping, I still feel like I can rate his work.


    "Good job. This will work."


    Tael gave me a proud smile as he sat down on a large rock. I placed the sticks and tinder into the circle of rocks and pulled out my flint stick.


    "Oh, let me handle it! Firebolt!"


    Tael unleashed another firebolt directly in front of my face. I lurched out of the way only a second too soon. The campfire had been lit.


    "Hey, you almost hit me!"


    "Sorry Kenji! I''m just happy that I''ve finally been able to cast my spells. It feels good to unleash my powers for once."


    Before I castigated Tael, I heard both of our stomachs rumble in tandem.


    "Whatever¡­ Let''s just eat something. I''m starving."


    "Alright! Camping dinner! Let''s do this!"


    I pulled out my cooking equipment and dinnerware as I began to prepare to cook dinner.


    "So what are you going to make?"


    "Considering our ingredients, probably just a soup. Rudvisk and meat usually works well together if you cook it with water. Hand me your water skin."


    "Why can''t you use yours?"


    "I can use mine but I want to use yours. Come on man I bought the ingredients. Be respectful."


    After squirming for a moment, Tael reluctantly handed over his water skin. I poured it into the cooking pan along with a chopped rudvisk and meat and placed the mixture over the fire.


    "The food should be ready in around 10 or so minutes." I said as I handed Tael his waterskin back.


    "Alright! I am so hungry!"


    As the scent of cooking food wafted into my nose, my stomach began to rumble once again.


    "I''m also starving now that I think about it. I haven''t had anything to eat since this morning."


    "I thought you had that one mundane class that prevented that."


    "Let''s not speak about that please."


    "Why are you so averse to talking about it? Do you have a dark past like the characters in my stories? Are you the son of a noble? That would explain all your money!"


    "Are you sure? I saw that you have a family name on your status screen. Only nobles have those. I''ve never heard of the ''Fujima'' family, but judging by how much you''re hiding it I suppose you have your reasons. Maybe someday you''ll tell me about them."


    We both sat in silence for a moment. The crackling of the fire was the only noise that could be heard. Eventually, I decided to respond to Tael.


    "Maybe someday I''ll tell you more about myself. I''m sorry for not telling you about myself right now but it''s just something I''m not really comfortable with."


    "Heh¡­ So we''ve both had our fair share of shitty experiences¡­"


    Tael appears to be disheartened for some reason. I don''t know much about him either, but from what he''s talked about so far I can''t expect much good. I don''t want to sit in silence either, so I''ve decided to bring up another topic.


    "Why did you become an adventurer?"


    "Me? It''s a long story, but to put it simply it''s something I can do and nobody can control me while I do it. What about you?"


    I should have expected him to ask me the same question. Now I have to think of a way to say this without sounding crazy.


    "I¡­ promised someone that I would defeat the demon king. I''ve been preparing to become an adventurer for the past 7 months."


    "Defeat¡­ the demon king? That''s impossible man! He''s been around for longer than my dad! People say he can destroy city walls with a single spell! You''re just a level 0 person. Don''t throw your life away, man!"


    "I''ve heard that before."


    "The person telling you that must have had some common sense then. The demon king is called the demon king because nobody can beat him! Let''s not even mention the Hell Guardians."


    "Hell Guardians?"


    "I just said not to mention them¡­ Whatever. They''re essentially the right hands of the demon king. I''ve heard each of them is the equivalent of a legendary hero in terms of power. According to a rumor I heard, one of them is sieging the Frozen Mist Hills, but rumors are rumors. For you not to have heard of the Hell Guardians though¡­ You must have been living under a rock or something!"


    "W-well I was just¡­ focusing on my preparations."


    "I suppose that makes sense. I heard that the nobility lives in their own little world and some people don''t even know that a war is going on¡­ Oh I get it! You must be the bastard son of some noble!"


    "That''s¡­" I stopped myself.


    Should I correct him or should I use this excuse he''s given me? Surely I can explain it in the future.


    "The food should be ready now. Let me split it for us."


    "Oh hell yeah! I''m starving!"


    I took the soup and portioned it out for two people by pouring it into two separate bowls. I handed Tael his bowl and utensils and took my own.


    Automatically, I closed my hands together in prayer.


    "You''re religious? I usually just dig in. I hope I''m not rude."


    "N-no it''s fine. Sorry it''s just a force of habit at this point."


    "Alright then!"


    Instinctively, I took my spoon and said "Itadakimasu" as I took a spoonful of soup.


    "Woah! You say that one line! I heard that''s a really rare phrase! You''re like a story book and a half!"


    "J-just eat your food already!"


    "Oh, right."


    We both began to eat in tandem. This certainly isn''t my best creation, but at this point I would eat just about anything.


    "Wow, this is pretty good. That cook class is really useful!"


    A simple "thanks" was all I could say as I ate spoonful after spoonful.

 27 This Hero Makes A Bad Decision!

    After some time we had both finished our meal.


    "Ahh. That was great. Meals you don''t have to pay for truly are superior!"


    "Did you forget that you''re going to be paying me back for the supplies when we return to the city?"


    "What? Did I say that? It doesn''t sound like me¡­"


    "Don''t whistle to get out of this!"


    "Come on man! Hasn''t my magic been payment enough?"


    "Unless you''ve forgotten, we''ve both killed an equal amount of monsters!"


    "Yeah but my magic made it easier!"


    As much as I hate to admit it, he''s right. His magic really has streamlined a lot of the combat we have experienced. I doubt I would have come out unscathed in that goblin encounter without him as backup. I have to swallow my pride and admit it.


    "All things aside¡­ Thanks for the backup today. I doubt I''d have been able to come out unscathed without your help."


    "H-hey wait, you''re supposed to act like I wasn''t a big help or anything! Don''t actually appreciate me!"


    ???What are you talking about? I''m not some tsundere from a manga."


    "What''s a manga?"


    "Forget it."


    "Well anyway¡­ I can say the same for you. I''ve wanted to go on an adventure like this for a while now, so you coming with me has helped a lot. So I guess I want to say¡­ Thank you."


    "Heh. Jeez man. We''re acting like two childhood friends confessing to each other! I thought you said you don''t swing that way!"


    "Haha!"


    We sat around the campfire for a little while until it became dark. The sound of birds chirping was replaced by the sound of owls who''ing and crickets chirping.


    "Alright. You take the first watch since I cooked dinner."


    "What? Why don''t we do rock paper scissors?"


    "Because your luck stat is higher than mine and I don''t want to take a chance at something I have a disadvantage in. Just do it."


    "Fine. You have that one mundane class anyway. I''ll wake you up in a few hours."


    With that, I pulled out my sleeping bag and got close to the fire. I like the heat and the outside is cold at night.


    I''ve been laying in the sleeping bag for a long time. For some reason, I can''t sleep. I''ve never slept outside before and I''ve never had to rely on someone else for safety so I guess I''m feeling tense. After a bit of fidgeting, I decided that I wouldn''t be able to sleep after all. I might as well let Tael sleep while I keep watch.


    "Hey Tael, I think it''s time to switch for now. Since you don''t have a sleeping bag I''ll let you use mine for the night."


    As I got out of the sleeping bag, I looked around to find that Tael was nowhere to be found.

 28 This Hero Cant Find Tael!

    This is bad.


    I''ve waited a few minutes just in case he was out watering the grass for a moment, but he hasn''t returned yet. I doubt he''s just messing with me.


    Judging by how dark it is and how long I was in that sleeping bag, I would say that it''s probably around 2 in the morning. My equipment is still sitting right by the fire where I left it. I doubt we were robbed. What do I do?


    Calm down! When something unexpected happens you need to think! I need to do an assessment and go point by point.


    First: Is Tael gone? I can''t call out for him because it might bring the attention of monsters. I doubt Tael would have just left without saying anything either. It''s been too long for him to have just left in order to relieve himself so I can pretty safely say that he''s not here.


    Second: Did Tael leave a sign that he was leaving for some reason? I''ll search around the campsite and investigate. It''s possible that he needed to leave and left a note somewhere. I should investigate the rock he was sitting on¡­


    As I was searching the rock, I saw a white rod-like object sitting on the grass nearby. This is Tael''s wand. From the way he described it, it''s not something he would just leave behind casually. Either he dropped this intentionally or he was taken from here. This leads into the third point.


    Third: If he was taken by something or someone, what do I do? It''s too late to head into town and form some type of rescue party. The drawbridge has definitely been raised at this point. That means that it''s up to me to find him and rescue him.


    Fourth: How do I find him? He left his wand behind but I can''t tell if it''s because he was struggling or because he just dropped it. I need to search the area where his wand was found.


    I gathered my supplies and drew my broadsword. In the worst case scenario I am still being watched by whatever took Tael. I need to be cautious.


    I need to switch my mindset. I am no longer trying to find Tael, but instead I am trying to hunt him. What do hunters do to track their prey? Track their prey¡­ Track...


    "I need to find tracks." I said to myself. Animals and people always leave tracks of sorts. From footprints to objects, everything leaves a trail.


    I began to investigate the area where I found the wand. Since it''s dark, I decided to light a torch. It''s better to be able to see my enemies than to get snuck up on, even if the light from the torch is a beacon of sorts.


    After a moment of searching, I saw that the grass near the wands initial location was flattened down. Whatever took Tael must have been dragging him.


    I began to follow the flattened grass. Thankfully, this grass is thick enough to where it''s hard to lose track of where it''s been flattened. With the help of the torchlight, I''ve been able to follow the path that''s been made for me without much issue.


    "This is¡­ from his robe, right?" I said to myself.


    Attached to the bark of a tree, there is a small patch of purple fabric. After spending an entire day next to someone wearing that color, it was easy to recognize. This confirms that I''m following Tael''s trail. This also confirms that someone or something is dragging Tael away, but it didn''t drag me away. This also confirms that whatever took him was not after our supplies since Tael''s wand and my equipment was still at the campfire.


    My only worries now are that something could still be following me and that Tael is either hurt or dead. Why did he not make any noise? Surely he wasn''t willingly taken. Once I get Tael back, we''ll head back to the drawbridge and wait there until it''s lowered. Camping in the forest was a bad idea. This is all my fault.


    I followed the trail for several more minutes before I encountered a cave entrance. Sitting outside of the cave was a single familiar creature.


    "Gruuu¡­" I heard it growl at me.


    The Goblin slowly walked towards me and shielded its eyes from the torchlight. Acting on my adrenaline and instinct, I immediately rushed the goblin and stabbed into it with my broadsword.


    "Gagh!" I heard it yelp. The noise of something metallic clattering on the ground came after as it dropped its weapon.


    I pulled my sword out of the goblins carcass as I approached the cave entrance. This is a worst case scenario. Tael has most likely been dragged inside of a goblin base and the only way to save him is to go inside and take him out. Can I do this?


    I firmly grasped my broadsword as I slowly began to walk inside.

 29 This Hero Enters The Goblin Den!

    Why am I doing this? I met this guy less than 24 hours ago! What is wrong with me?


    I kept denouncing myself in my own head for going inside of this cave. I could very easily die at any moment. All my nerves are on edge and my senses are being pushed to their limits.


    "C-c-calm down. You have to just¡­ keep¡­ calm. Fear is your enemy. You can do this." I whispered to myself. My legs feel like they''re made of jelly and my heart is pounding. I need to stay calm so I can handle this situation.


    Okay, let''s think. What have I learned so far?


    First: The perpetrators are goblins. They must have dragged Tael off while I was trying to sleep. Why didn''t they also drag me off? Also why did Tael not make any noise? Are there goblin assassins?


    Second: That group of goblins we fought earlier must have been a scouting party. If they were hunters then they would have had some type of ranged weapon. The goblins we fought earlier had swords and a spear. The spear and swords were definitely meant for combat with other creatures, not hunting.


    Third: Judging by the fact that there was only one goblin at the cave entrance, there are either very few goblins in this cave or there are many entrances. Either way, my chances of grabbing Tael and escaping are not 0.


    Most importantly, Fourth: Goblins are probably light sensitive. The goblins we fought earlier were only out when the sun was going down and the goblin I killed out front had to block the torchlight with its hand. This explains why Tael was taken and I wasn''t. I was directly next to the fire so they couldn''t see me. Ideally, I can use this to my advantage to be able to blind the goblins.


    With this information, I can feel a bit of confidence returning to me. I''ve always done things like this since I was young. My logic is that if I can rationalize relevant details then I can plot out an optimal course.


    As I was descending further into the cave, I came across a small opening and, much to my dismay, there are two armed goblins inside. Both are carrying shortswords like the goblins from earlier had.


    "Graggah!"


    "Geerad!"


    They both shouted as they began to charge at me. As a response to this, I lifted my torch highly and also prepared to defend myself with my sword.


    "Gugh!" x2


    They both ceased their charge as they blocked the torchlight with their hands. It seems my theory is correct. Not one to lose an opportunity, I quickly ran towards the goblins while they were stunned and attacked.


    My first sword swing hit the goblin to my right. The goblin fell to the ground limply, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The second goblin, however, managed to dodge my strike and attempted to counter attack. I jumped backwards as he swiped his sword at me, but I wasn''t able to entirely avoid it. His sword just barely grazed my right leg as I felt the heat of my blood begin to excrete out.


    Like a bull to a red flag, the goblin charged at me with its sword tip forward. Thanks to my preparations, I side stepped the goblin and stabbed it in the back before it was able to recover. After it went limp, I pulled my sword out of it. I then went over to the first goblin and proceeded to stab it where I determined its heart would be just to ensure that it was dead.


    "Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­" I am breathing heavily. The anxiety and nerves of that fight had brought me to my limit.


    I kneeled on the ground as I began to catch my breath. Every fiber of my being is telling me to leave this place. I need to calm down. My leg hurts. I hope I don''t get tetanus. What if I get an infection from this? Oh god.


    After a momentary panic, I took a deep breath and steeled myself once again. I''ve already gotten this far, turning back now just wouldn''t make sense.


    As I got back up, I heard the sound of a woman''s scream come from deeper inside of the cave.

 30 This Hero Meets Erana!

    Deep breaths, steady feet. Come on Kenji. Whoever just screamed needs your help!


    Who am I kidding? I''m gonna die! I can''t even fight 2 goblins without getting hit!


    As I slowly went towards the epicenter of the scream, I could not silence my constant doubts and worries as they bubbled in my mind. The only thing driving me forward was the knowledge that if I turned back now then I would live with this guilt for the rest of my life.


    I rounded corner after corner. This cave is immense. Judging by how far I''ve gone so far, I wouldn''t be surprised if this cave went at least 100 meters underground. As I went towards the scream, I encountered another goblin and swiftly defeated it by using the torch blinding strategy. I know that it''s only thanks to this light at my side that I am still relatively unharmed.


    "NO! DON''T TOUCH ME YOU MONSTERS!" I heard this scream from a nearby path.


    This is it. Whoever is screaming is just beyond this tunnel. Judging by the voice, it''s probably a woman. I need to move now.


    I rounded the corner and saw two unarmed goblins that were holding something down. As I entered the room, the woman looked at me and screamed at me.


    "H-HELP ME!" She screamed.


    "Gragh!" Shouted the goblins in response. They turned towards me and shielded their eyes from the torchlight.


    As a response to their reaction, I immediately continued my method of attacking when they were blinded. The closest goblin dropped to the floor once I had stabbed it in the chest, but the other goblin recovered in time and grabbed the woman. It seems like the goblin plans to use it as a hostage.


    Not knowing what to do, the goblin and I stared down one another for a moment before the woman acted.


    "Take this you bastard!" She shouted as she kicked the goblin in its nether regions.


    "Gwuo!" The goblin yelped in pain as it released the woman.


    "Now!" The woman shouted to me. I took my sword and ran the second goblin through as it was recovering from its attack.


    "Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff??" We both simply stood inside of the cave for a moment while catching our breath. After some time, the woman stood upright and spoke.


    "Thank you¡­ If you hadn''t come then they would have¡­ Well, it''s in the past now. My name is Erana. I''m a druid, level 2. I came into this cave to rescue my friend who got taken by the goblins in the night. Who are you?"


    This woman is very tan. Her hair is as black as the night and goes down to her elbows. Her soft facial features combine with her thin body to make her look youthful. Her clothes are slightly damaged, but she is wearing a brown travel cloak, a green undershirt, and a green skirt. She is also wearing dark brown boots that go up past her ankles and fingerless gloves.


    "My name is Kenji. I''m¡­ level 0. I also came into this cave for the same reason as you."


    I lifted up my torch and began to explain.


    "Goblins don''t seem to work well with bright lights so I''ve been using this to blind them. When they''re stunned I stab them. Even though I used this method, I still got hit earlier¡­" I looked down at my right leg where it was cut. Though the pain has somewhat subsided, I can still feel the slight sting where I was cut.


    "Oh! Here, let me help you. That doesn''t look like it''s a bad cut so I can probably fix this." Erana said as she grabbed a stick off the ground.


    "Cure Light Wounds!" Erana said as she began to chant some words and point her stick at my cut leg. Magic circles began to appear in front of the stick in a similar fashion to Tael''s firebolt. As this was happening, I could feel the pain in my leg subsiding. After a moment, the pain in my leg had completely disappeared, along with my wound.


    "Since I''m only level 2, I can''t do any combat spells. I had planned to sneak into here and grab my friend while the goblins weren''t looking. I can cast support magic though! Currently I can cast cure light wounds to heal minor injuries!"


    A healer! This is incredibly useful. Though I don''t plan on being any less cautious than I was before, I also can now recover from any injuries I might sustain! This is good. With Erana''s help, I can definitely make it to Tael.


    "How did you get down here without a torch of your own? Surely you would have found out that they''re sensitive to strong light as well?"


    "About that¡­ I was sneaking around by using faint light from my spell." As she said this, she began to spin her stick around in a circle as another magic circle appeared. "Fireflies!" she said.


    Suddenly from the magic circle, a dozen fireflies emerged and began to light up the room. Though the light is faint, it''s still enough to navigate.


    "See? I used this instead of a torch. They must not have much of a problem when it comes to this level of light though. I thought I could sneak past them if I kept it dark..."


    "That is useful, but right now we need bright light. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but the brighter the light the better."


    "Understood."


    "Alright. Now that that''s sorted out, what are your plans now?"


    "I''m¡­ not sure. I''ve only been here for a few minutes at most. I want to find my friend, but I have no combat capabilities."


    I thought for a moment about our situation. I considered the benefits and detriments of potentially working with Erana and decided that the positives outweigh the negatives.


    "Do you want to come with me? I may be level 0, but I have a sword and I''ve been able to use it pretty effectively so far. With us working together, we can save both my friend and yours."


    Immediately, Erana perked up and grabbed me by the shoulders.


    "Really? You''re willing to do that for me? Thank you so much! I''m saved!"


    Too close! I know I shouldn''t be worrying about this right now because of the danger we''re in, but I just can''t help it! Why am I so easy to tantalize? Is it because I''ve never had a girlfriend before, or is it because this girl specifically is acting cute right now? Maybe it''s because the only female contact I''ve had for the past 7 months has been with an old woman? This is so frustrating!


    "W-Well! We better move! I don''t know the situation of my friend or yours right now and the longer we wait the worse it can get!"


    "A-Ah! Right! Sorry, I got carried away there! Let''s go!"


    With that, I temporarily recruited Erana the druid into my party.

 31 This Hero and Erana Vs. Goblins!

    "Which way should we go, Kenji-san?"


    "I don''t know¡­ We can''t afford to waste time. This torch is about to burn out."


    We''ve been searching down different pathways for what felt like an hour, but this cave is like a maze. Each tunnel leads into more tunnels. I can''t tell if this is natural or if they were carved out by the goblins or some other creature.


    "Do you have a way to scout ahead? Can you use your fireflies for that?"


    "At a higher level I can, but right now I can only manipulate where they go."


    Instead of responding, I simply grimaced. I can''t afford to waste time. What should I do?


    I stood and thought for a moment before remembering a tip of advice I heard back on Earth.


    "Erana, can you lick your finger and hold it in the air for me?"


    "E-Eh? W-why do you want me to do that? I just met you!"


    "N-No! I don''t mean it in some weird way! There''s this technique that you can do where you can tell where air is flowing by how the air moves around your wet finger! My hands are full so I can''t do it, but you can. Can you please just do it?"


    "F-Fine! B-But if this is actually just some weird prank then I''ll scream and run!"


    "Whatever! Just do it already! The clock is ticking!"


    With that, Erana placed her pointer finger into her mouth and pulled it out. She then raised it into the air and her face lit up in surprise.


    "Woah! I can feel the air move around my finger! It''s true Kenji-san! This is really cool!"


    "Hey, focus! Where is the air coming from?"


    Erana took a moment to decipher the location before finally deciding.


    "It''s coming from the right tunnel."


    "Alright, then let''s go to the left tunnel. That will probably lead us deeper."


    "Roger that!"


    We then went down the left tunnel. I am in front while Erana brings up the rear. With someone behind me providing support, I now feel much more confident. We haven''t encountered any goblins since we grouped up, but I know it''s only a matter of time.


    "Kenji-san, you were right! We''re descending now! How did you know that your method would work?"


    "I don''t know the specifics, but it''s something about how air has to flow in and out of places. It''s the same reason why you need to have a chimney in a house or else the smoke will fill the room¡­ I think."


    "I see. That''s super cool."


    I can''t tell if she''s being serious or sarcastic. Either way, it''s nice to have someone to talk to so that I can relieve my nerves somewhat.


    After some time, we came across another opening in the cave. This one is large, with stalactites and stalagmites littering the area. Unfortunately, there are also 2 goblins in this room, and these ones have spears.


    "Greeeh¡­" One of the goblins let out. It seems to have spotted us.


    "K-K-Kenji-san, they''ve spotted us! What do we do? What do we do? What do we do?"


    "R-Roger! I-I''ll provide s-s-support!"


    Despite my confidence in her being next to none, I stepped forward while brandishing my sword and torch combo.


    These goblins seem to be a bit different from the rest of them. Unlike the goblins I''ve encountered up to this point, these ones are keeping their distance from me. Perhaps it''s because they''re wary of what Erana will do?


    "Erana, what is your effective cure light wounds range?"


    "M-Me? It''s a-about 10 meters!"


    That means that I need to keep this battle within close proximity of Erana. I don''t know how effective her healing magic actually is, but I can say with almost 100% certainty that I am not coming out of this fight unscathed.


    "If you''re not going to come to me, then I''ll come to you! Let''s do this!" I shouted as I began to move towards the goblins. Despite my tough words, I only slowly shifted myself towards the goblins. I wasn''t about to rush enemies with good range after all.


    "Hey, why are you moving so slow?"


    "S-Shut up! I''m doing this as best I can!"


    "Graah!" One of the goblins shouted as it charged at me. It seems that this goblin was trying to take advantage of our momentary loss of concentration.


    I only narrowly dodged its spear thrust. My cheek has been cut, but it''s definitely shallow. I retaliated at the goblin as it recovered from its thrust by charging at it with my broadsword. As it was about to thrust once more, I stabbed it.


    "Greh!" It yelped. I could feel it going limp just like the others. Though these goblins seem to be more intelligent than their counterparts, they''re certainly not very durable.


    "Yah!" Shouted the other goblin as it thrusted its spear towards my right arm. It seems to have identified my weapon arm and aimed to disable me. I had no time to pull my broadsword out, so I let go of it and backed away. Despite abandoning my sword, the goblin still cut my arm slightly. This cut is notably deeper than the last one.


    "Ehehehe!" The goblin laughed. It threw its spear to the side and pulled my broadsword out of its deceased ally. It seems that it has determined that I am too nimble for its untrained spear thrusts to hit, so instead it has elected to take my own sword and use it against me.


    "This isn''t good¡­" I said out loud.


    "Eh? Kenji isn''t that your sword? What do we do? You have no weapon!"


    "Nevermind that! I need you to heal my arm! I doubt I can fight like this right now."


    "Understood! Cure Light Wounds!" Erana shouted as I felt the pain in my arm subside.


    "I still have one option¡­" I said as I began to draw my dagger once my arm had been healed.


    "Geyah!" The goblin shouted as it began to charge me.


    I had just barely pulled my dagger out before I was forced to block the attack from the goblin. Apparently, the goblin had put all of its strength into that attack as it dropped the broadsword when I blocked it.


    "Gigigi!" It twitched. Though I can''t tell the exact emotions of the goblins, I feel like it''s afraid of me.


    I rushed the goblin before it could pick up the broadsword again and stabbed it in the head with my dagger. Unlike the broadsword, this is much more personal so I got some of the goblins'' blood on me.


    I pulled the dagger out of the dead goblin and saw it fall limply to the ground. Once I had determined that both goblins were dead, I sheathed my dagger and walked over to my broadsword to pick it back up.


    "Wow! You beat two goblins by yourself!"


    "Don''t get too ecstatic. I got hit twice. That was mostly luck. If I face more than 2 I will definitely lose."


    "Well that just means we need to face only 2!"


    "I wish I held your optimism."


    While we shared this dialogue, Erana came over to me and began to heal the wound on my cheek.


    "Sniff Sniff¡­ Hey¡­ Do you smell smoke?"


    "Eh?"

 32 This Hero Meets Kany!

    While Erana was healing my wounds, I inspected my broadsword and found a chip in it where I blocked the attack from the goblin. I decided that this amount of damage was to be expected, so I ignored it and looked upwards.


    Smoke is billowing out of a specific path and seems to be filling up the room we''re in. Whatever had lit the flame that was producing this smoke had done so very recently.


    "I get a nagging feeling that our friends are going to be down the path the smoke is coming from." I said.


    "Y-Yeah. Judging by how today has gone so far, I doubt my luck can get any worse."


    I swallowed my fear and edged closer to the tunnel entrance where smoke was billowing out of. Coming from the entrance of the tunnel, I think I can hear the faint noise of screaming.


    "D-Do you hear that?"


    "The sound of the screams or of you gulping too loudly?"


    "The first one!"


    "Oh, that makes sense."


    Is this girl as socially incapable as I am? I get the feeling she would have also been a hikikomori in Japan just as I was.


    "Stay close and stay low. You don''t want to inhale that smoke."


    "Understood. I''ll follow you."


    With that, we began to descend deeper into the tunnel. We have now crouched down to half of our height so our movement is now much slower.


    As we descended deeper in, we came across a fork in the path.


    "Which way now?"


    "I don''t know!"


    "Do you want me to do that finger thing again?"


    "I don''t think that will help this time! Also don''t say it like that, it makes it sound weird!"


    "Well what else do you call it?"


    "I don''t know! Just don''t call it the finger thing!"


    "You''re so particular! Jeez, this is why-"


    "HEY CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?"


    We both jumped when we heard a female voice shout out from one of the tunnels.


    "Kany?" Erana said before she ran past me and into the tunnel to the right.


    "H-Hey, wait for me!" I shouted out as I followed.


    Inside of the room we entered, items like robes, clothing, and other various objects were scattered about on the ground. In the back part of the room there is a wooden holding cage with a single occupant.


    "Hey wait a minute¡­" I muttered.


    I went towards one of the piles of clothing and found Tael''s purple wizard robe and hat. This means that he''s already been through here. More importantly, Tael has been stripped. This might be bad.


    I placed Tael''s robes into my rucksack and walked over to the cell.


    "Erana! You came to save me! I''m so proud of you!"


    "Kany, you''re okay! Thank goodness!"


    These two are having a heartfelt reunion as I am standing here awkwardly. I''m not sure what to do.


    "How did you get down here Erana? Did you sneak inside?"


    "I tried to but I got captured! This man right here saved me though! I have him to thank!"


    "Hey I''m right here."


    We all stood around awkwardly for a moment. I approached the wooden holding cell where the girl is locked inside of.


    Wait¡­ I know this girl. This is the thief that got me sent to jail!


    "Shoes on the other foot now, isn''t it?" I said smugly.


    "What do you mean, Onii-san? Do I know you from somewhere?"


    "Eh? Kenji-san, do you know Kany?"


    "I''ve never met this guy before."


    "Are you sure? Are my eyes not ''lustful'' enough for you now?"


    "Ghg!" She snapped back. It seems like she just realized who I am.


    "Ehehehe! Well you see¡­ I um¡­"


    "You know I went to jail for what you did?"


    "Eh? Kenji-san went to jail? Wait, what did Kany do?"


    "Shhh. Erana-san, stay out of this for a moment."


    "Eh? What''s going on?" Erana fluttered her head from me to Kany and back to me multiple times. It seems like she has no idea about who this Kany person really is.


    "W-Well Onii-san, I gotta say I''m impressed! Most people can''t track me down twice!" She proclaimed with her hands on her hips. Her proud stature pisses me off.


    "Apologize."


    "Eh?"


    "Do you have any idea what I went through because of you?"


    Kany is now sweating profusely. Erana looks incredibly uncomfortable.


    "I-I''m sorry I¡­ got you sent to jail¡­"


    "And why did you get me sent to jail?"


    "I-I''m sorry for robbing your store¡­"


    "*Gasp!* Kany, you wouldn''t!"


    "Ehehehe! Sorry! I needed money and I had no idea what to do!" she said while rubbing the back of her head and winking.


    "What else do you have to apologize for?"


    "I''m sorry I said you planned to molest me."


    "EH?" Erana seems to have hit her limit. "What''s going on? Why are you bullying her? What happened between you two? Wait¡­ *Gasp!* Don''t tell me you two used to date?"


    "No that''s wrong!" x2


    "Huh? Then what happened?"


    "Look, it''s a long story. I''ll tell you when we''re not in a cave surrounded by man eating monsters."


    "You''re one to talk!"


    "Shut up, I didn''t ask you!"


    "Pleh!" Kany stuck her tongue out at me.


    "Tell you what. I''ll get you out of here if you do two things for me. First: when I let you out you need to help me get my friend as well. It''s only fair."


    "...Fine. I''ll do that."


    "Second: You must apologize to me once again while in a dogeza."


    "Eh? No way Onii-san!"


    "Well I guess you''ll just have to accept your fate then!" I said as I turned around and began to walk away.


    "W-wait! Okay! I''ll¡­ I''ll apologize¡­"


    I immediately turned around and began to rub my hands together. This is going to be wonderful. Birthday wishes really do come true.


    Kany reluctantly got into a dogeza and began to apologize. "I apologize for stealing from your store, calling you a molester with lewd eyes, and getting you sent to jail. I won''t do it again."


    "Ahh¡­ Wonderful! Alright, I''ll let you out." I said as I pulled out my adamantite dagger and walked towards the padlock.


    "How do you plan on opening this?"


    "I''ll use the dagger as a lever. This thing is made of adamantite so it''s probably tougher than any lock these guys will have."


    I placed the dagger between the padlock and the door and began to use my bodyweight as a lever.


    "Hnnng!" I struggled. I can hear the noise of the metal from the lock buckling. Just a little more!


    "Need some help, Onii-san?"


    "Nah, nah. I''m fine, really! Hnnng!"


    "Do you¡­ need a minute?"


    This lock isn''t budging anymore. I''ve been trying to break this open for at least a minute now. How do I break this lock¡­? Wait, I know what to do!


    "K-Kany, I want you to rush the door with your body weight. This lock is broken enough to where a good lurch should break it! It''s physics!"


    "A-alright."


    Despite her obvious look of disappointment with me, Kany walked to the back of her cell and charged the door with her shoulder forward. When she made contact with the door, the lock busted and the door flew open. Kany is now free!


    "That actually worked! Wow! Good job Onii-san, to think I was doubting you!"


    "Wow, Kenji-san! Good job!"


    "Ehehehe! You''re too kind! I know I''m great and all but I didn''t think I''d need two pretty ladies to tell me I''m great!"


    Kany went over to a pile of assorted objects and picked out a dagger. She placed the dagger on her belt and ensured that it was secure.


    "Alright, let''s get out of here Erana."


    "Eh? Hey wait a minute! What about our deal?"


    "I broke myself out of there just now. Didn''t you see? Sorry Onii-san but our deal is null and void."


    "Kany¡­"


    "Come on Erana! Don''t get all soft now! You saw how this guy is!"


    "Y-Yeah I saw but¡­ he did save me and also volunteered to help save you too..."


    "Yeah come on! We had a deal!"


    Erana and I both looked at Kany with puppy dog eyes. After a moment of squirming, Kany finally buckled under our dual guilt trip.


    "Grrr¡­ Fine! But this is only because you saved Erana!"


    "Alright! Let''s go!"


    With this, I temporarily added Kany the rogue to the party.

 33 This Hero Finds Tael!

    "Alright¡­ Where to now, Onii-san?"


    Erana, Kany, and I were crouched down at the intersection that we had come from once more. The smoke was billowing from the path that we had not yet gone. I am in the lead followed by Kany and Erana.


    "I hate to say it, but probably deeper inside. I have a bad feeling that the source of the smoke is also where we''ll find my friend."


    "Jeez, Onii-san. You have the most rotten luck."


    "You''re one to talk, you caged thief."


    "Hey let''s try to get along, please? Kenji-san? Kany?"


    Kany and I both grumbled at one another. It seems that both of us don''t want to upset Erana any more than we need to, so we are trying to leave our differences aside for now.


    "Before we do anything, I need to know something. Kany, how effective are you in combat?"


    "Fufufu! I am a level 2 rogue! I can use my hide skill to sneak around and take down enemies before they notice me!"


    "Wow, that sounds really useful! So if we''re in a room with a lot of guys then you can take them out one at a time?"


    "No. I can only do that once for a group. After I''m spotted I can''t hide anymore until the enemy loses track of me again."


    "S-So¡­ How are you when it comes to combat?"


    "I dodge attacks. Any of the attacks that hit me usually get healed by Erana."


    "Mmhmm." Erana followed. It seems like their strategy is not too different from what Erana and my strategy was earlier.


    "Okay. Wherever we''re going there are probably going to be at least a few goblins. I''ll grab their attention while Kany takes down the farthest one, or the most dangerous one. Erana, you provide healing support to any of us that get hit. How does that sound?"


    "Understood, Kenji-san. I''ll do my best!"


    "Got it, Onii-san. Just so you know, a sufficiently strong enough enemy can see right through my hide skill."


    "Understood. If you think they''ve noticed you I want you to bow out and return to the front line to provide me with support."


    "Got it."


    With that, we went deeper into the cave. Judging by how far I''ve traveled since I entered, it''s probably safe to assume that this room that the smoke is billowing out of is the heart of the cave.


    As we descended further down, I could begin to make out what the screams were saying.


    "AAAAAAA! STOP! PLEASE! ELVES AREN''T TASTY I PROMISE! WE''RE ALL STRINGY MEAT! NO NUTRITION! I KNOW A HUMAN NEARBY THAT IS PROBABLY WAY TASTIER THAN I AM! I''LL LEAD YOU TO HIM SO PLEASE JUST STOP TRYING TO COOK ME! AAAAAA! HELP ME!"


    No doubt about it, that''s Tael. Wait, what did he say about a human?


    "Kenji-san, is that your friend that''s screaming like a little girl?"


    "Y-Yeah. From the sounds of it, the goblins are trying to cook him."


    "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go! Hide!"


    "Wow¡­" I said out loud.


    "Let''s go, Kenji-san." Erana whispered to me.


    "Got it! Let''s save Tael!"

 34 This Hero Saves Tael!

    Erana and I slowly descended to the bottom of the cave. We had to assume that Kany had gone ahead of us since we can no longer detect her. The interior of this room is a large circular stone room with a dome shaped roof. Smoke is piled on the top of the room and funneling into multiple different pathways. In the center of the room, there are three goblins standing around a fire. Hung above the fire, there is a stick that is slowly rotating. On the stick, Tael is tied up. Fortunately, he is not naked and is instead in a thin white shirt and boxers.


    As we quietly entered the room, it appears that Tael spotted us.


    "KENJI!!! MY VIRGIN BROTHER! YOU CAME TO SAVE ME! I KNEW YOU WOULDN''T LEAVE ME BEHIND! THANK YOU SO MUCH!" He shouted out as he was being spun.


    "Grahg?" One of the goblins said in surprise.


    Thanks to Tael''s shout, all the goblins turned to look at Erana and myself.


    "Virgin brother?" Erana repeated. I could feel her leering at me.


    "T-T-That''s not what you think it is!"


    "Gruuuu¡­" One of the goblins said as it went over to grab its weapon.


    Suddenly, Kany reappeared directly beside the goblin and stabbed it in the neck.


    "Gruh!" The goblin yelped. It fell limply to the ground moments later.


    Now that the goblins are outnumbered, the remaining two seem to be panicking. From what I can tell, goblins are cowardly. If they ever think they have a disadvantage they will attempt to flee instead of fight. We can use this to our advantage.


    "Let''s go! Kany, on me!"


    "Got it, Onii-san!"


    "SOMEONE GET ME DOWN FROM HERE! IT''S HOT!"


    Kany and I got within close proximity of one another and faced down the two remaining goblins. Erana brought up the rear to provide support.


    "Greee¡­" One of the goblins whimpered.


    Suddenly, the other goblin turned around and began to run away.


    "H-Hey, get back here!" Kany yelled out to the retreating goblin. She ran towards it only to be blocked by the goblin that stayed behind.


    "Gruh!" The goblin shouted. This goblin is brandishing a shortsword. Thanks to Kany''s preferred weapon length, she is at a disadvantage when it comes to range.


    "Kany, I''ll handle this one. Forget about that one. Help Tael get down."


    "Fine. You get this one, Onii-san. Erana, help me with this!"


    "Roger that!"


    I faced off against the goblin in front of me. Unlike before, this is a direct one on one battle. My range advantage should provide me with the win.


    "Graaaaah!" The goblin shouted as it charged at me.


    I began to sidestep the goblin before I had a bad feeling. Something about how this goblin is charging me is different from the others.


    Instead of acting how I had before, I instead swiped my sword from right to left.


    What do I do? What advantage do I have over this goblin other than reach?


    I recalled the words of a certain birdbrain I had met recently.


    "Your strength stat is on the upper end of average¡­"


    If I can physically overpower this goblin, then I can win. Let''s do this.


    I began to walk towards the wary goblin. It brandished its sword in a defensive manner. This is an all or nothing gamble.


    I raised my sword upwards and brought it down with my full strength.


    "Greh!" The goblin yelped in surprise. It seems like it didn''t expect me to resort to brute force.


    A loud sound of metal clashing against metal occurred.


    "G-Grah¡­" The goblin whimpered. Though it had blocked my attack, it wasn''t able to block it entirely. My sword was firmly lodged in its collarbone.


    Before it could retaliate, I kicked the goblin in the stomach. The goblin was sent flying away from me and my sword was freed.


    "Ahg¡­" The goblin whimpered on the ground.


    I rushed over to the goblin and delivered the finishing blow.

 35 This Hero Vs. The Hobgoblin!

    "Kenji...! Thank you for coming to save me! You''re my hero!"


    "A-Ah¡­ It''s alright. I''m sure you would have done the same for me¡­"


    Tael is on his knees and crying. Ever since we got him down from the cooking stick he has been clutching to me. I really don''t want to get my clothes covered in snot, so I''m trying to stay as far away from him as possible.


    "Hey, stand still! It''s hard to heal someone that keeps moving!"


    While Tael is alright, his skin is fairly red from being slowly cooked over a fire and needs healing. If we had gotten to him an hour later then this would be far worse. Despite our situation, I need something answered.


    "How did you get captured in the first place, Tael? I didn''t even hear you struggle."


    "Oh. I fell asleep. They must have dragged me off while I was asleep."


    "HUH?"


    I began to walk closer to Tael while rounding my shoulder. I went through all of this because this bastard fell asleep?


    "You did what now?" I said in as intimidating of a voice as I could muster. I feel like I''m about to burst in frustration.


    "I-I-I''m sorry, Kenji-sama! I was just so tired!"


    Tael has put himself into a dogeza. Watching him like this, it''s hard to stay angry.


    "This is why I told you to conserve your energy, you idiot!"


    "Yeah, well I couldn''t help it! I was just so tired! You have that ''Hikikomori'' class anyway! You should have taken the first watch! Also the food you cooked made me sleepy! This is your fault that it happened!"


    "D-Don''t bring up that class! Don''t blame me either!"


    "Um¡­ are we interrupting something, Kenji-san?"


    "Leave them to it, Erana. This is their problem."


    "I see¡­"


    "Hey Kenji, who are these people anyway?"


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Tael-san. My name is Erana. I am a druid. I was captured by goblins much like you were when Kenji-san came to my rescue. Him and I worked together to come save you."


    "I''m Kany. I''m a rogue. Same story as Erana."


    "Woah! Kenji, you went all heroic! That''s super cool! It''s like a story from one of my books!"


    I can''t help but blush at the sincere praise I am receiving. Honestly this entire endeavor has been a series of lucky¡­ and unlucky moments. The only reason I was even able to get this far is because of the help from Erana and Kany, not to mention the torch technique.


    "That''s all I can do for now, Tael-san. I am out of mana, so I can''t do more. I''m sorry."


    "Nah it''s fine! I''m pretty much back to 100% so I won''t complain."


    As a response, Erana gave a light smile and stood up proudly.


    "Alright. I''ve had enough of this place. Let''s get out of here."


    "You said it, Onii-san."


    THUMP.


    The cave lightly shook. Dust fell from the ceiling to the floor. Whatever just made that noise is definitely bigger than a goblin.


    THUMP¡­ THUMP¡­ THUMP¡­


    "I''m not sure what they are, but I doubt they''re anything good." I said while drawing my sword once more.


    As a response to my preparation, everyone else assumed their combat stances as well. The noise is coming from a single pathway and is getting louder by the second.


    "Gruuuu¡­"


    A deep, monstrous noise came from the pathway the sounds were coming from. From the darkness, a tall, muscular creature emerged.


    "Oh¡­ no¡­" Erana muttered.


    "W-What is that?" I quickly asked.


    This creature is wearing leather armor like I am and is taller than me. Though this creature doesn''t have weapons in its hands, that only makes me more nervous. The creature looks similar to the goblins I have faced, but it is taller and generally more developed than any of the goblins I have previously seen. Its skin is not green, but brown and it has fur on its arms and legs. Its mouth has visible tusks. Behind it, the goblin that escaped was standing with what appeared to be a smile on its face.


    "That''s a¡­ Hobgoblin..." Tael answered.


    "What''s a ''hobgoblin''? If it''s just a goblin then we should be able to take it out!"


    "No¡­ Hobgoblins spawn only when goblins have found a permanent home. Unlike regular goblins, Hobgoblins are strong and smart. Hobgoblins are known to lead tribes of goblins in battles over territory. This is¡­ This is really bad, Kenji."


    At those words, I could feel a cold sweat begin to come out of my body. If this thing is truly as strong as Tael is saying it is, then we have no chance against it.


    "Kenji-san, don''t worry. Kany used her hide skill before the hobgoblin emerged. She''ll get him!"


    "Hm?" The hobgoblin turned its head to its right. I felt a chill down my spine as I watched its next action.


    "Grah!" The hobgoblin shouted as it kicked.


    "Bweh!" Kany yelped. Kany had reappeared since she had been attacked. It doesn''t look like Kany had planned to be attacked as she rolled and tumbled on the ground from that kick. Kany finally stopped when she collided with the wall.


    "K-KANY!" Erana yelled. She tried to run towards her friend, but Tael and I stopped her.


    "Eheheh¡­" The hobgoblin chortled. It seems to enjoy causing suffering to others.


    The hobgoblin began to walk over to the now unconscious Kany. It seems as if the Hobgoblin plans to finish her off.


    I began to run towards the hobgoblin.


    Why did I begin to run? Is it some kindness that I have? A selfless nature to save others that need help? Perhaps it was because I couldn''t stand to watch what would happen next if I sat by and watched. Maybe it''s because I had instinctually judged this as my only option.


    "Raaah!" I shouted as I swung my sword down at the hobgoblin.


    I received a taste of my own medicine as the hobgoblin deftly sidestepped my swing. I could feel reality moving in slow motion as I descended towards my failed attack.


    Without saying a word, the hobgoblin raised its knee upwards to my chest quickly. I could feel the inversion of G-forces apply to my body as I raised off of the ground. The air in my lungs was forcibly pushed out from this attack. I didn''t have any time to sputter out in pain, however, as the hobgoblin dropped its knee as quickly as it had raised it and brought down its arms as I was slammed into the ground.


    Pain. Everything in my body hurts. The only reason I am not dead yet is probably thanks to the shock absorption of the leather cuirass. Despite this, breathing is still hard to do. I can barely feel my arms or legs. I think I''ve started to cough up blood. Does that mean I have internal organ damage? That''s not good¡­


    "KENJI!" "KENJI-SAN!" Tael and Erana yelled out. It''s good to know that I can still hear things.


    The hobgoblin paid neither Tael nor Erana any mind. Instead, the hobgoblin elected to crouch down and pick up my sword.


    "Ehehehe!" The hobgoblin laughed as it nimbly swung my sword around a few times. It''s obvious that this creature is far more skilled than I am with a weapon.


    The hobgoblin raised my sword and prepared to bring it down into my back. I am about to die.


    "FIREBOLT!" Tael yelled out.


    From his hands, a magic circle appeared and a streak of flame spewed out towards the hobgoblin. The streak of flame was too fast for the hobgoblin to dodge, so it made contact.


    "Grah!" The hobgoblin shouted out in pain. A small scorch mark appeared where it was hit by the firebolt. Though the bolt didn''t manage to penetrate the hobgoblin, the attack still definitely caused it pain.


    "I won''t let you hurt my first friend! Leave him alone!" The panting, crying Tael shouted.


    Enraged, the hobgoblin began to walk towards Tael instead. I can''t let it hurt him!


    Slowly, driven by only my adrenaline and willpower, I began to stand up. It hurts so much that I''m crying, but I can''t worry about that right now. I need to stop the hobgoblin.


    Once I had gotten to my feet, I drew my dagger and began stumbling to the hobgoblin. My feet are sloppy as I can hear the noise of my footsteps scuffing against the ground with each movement.


    I raised my dagger to attack the hobgoblin while its back was turned, but fell to my knee in weakness instead.


    "Ahh!" I shouted out in pain.


    The hobgoblin seemed to notice that I was about to attack it as it quickly turned and brought the broadsword down at me.


    Time is moving slowly. I think I''ve heard of this before, when your life flashes before your eyes. The movement of the hobgoblin appears to be incredibly slow before me. This sucks. I just made friends in this world and began to adventure. Not only that, but I only just turned 18! I don''t want to die just yet, I still have so much left to experience!


    I don''t want to die¡­


    I don''t want to die.


    I don''t want to die!


    I could feel both my hands grab the hilt of my dagger as I prepared to block the incoming attack. I can''t dodge and I can''t counter attack. This is all I can do. I braced myself for impact.


    "RAAAA!" The hobgoblin shouted as it swung down at me.


    The hobgoblins swing completed. I could see its arms go all the way towards the ground. I must have just died.


    The sound of metal colliding with the ground brought me back to my senses. I could not believe my eyes.


    The broadsword had broken when it collided with my dagger. The words of a certain old woman fluttered through my mind.


    "Like you, it does not appear as anything special just yet, but it has the potential to cut through even steel!"


    Instinct. That was what drove me to do what I did next. I didn''t suddenly get a powerup, or awaken my true potential, or do something a fantasy character would do. I simply responded instinctually to the opportunity I was given.


    I lurched my body up and drove the adamantite dagger as deeply into the hobgoblins skull as I could, directly through its right eye.


    "RAAAAAH!" I shouted. I twisted and spun the dagger around inside of the hobgoblin''s skull as much as I could.


    I could feel the hobgoblin spasming from the damage I just dealt it. This was lethal.


    The dead body of the hobgoblin fell to the floor as I stood above it. A moment of absolute silence followed as everyone was dumbfounded by what they just witnessed.


    "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I screamed to the sky. I don''t know why I did it. Maybe it was to release my anxiety, or as a declaration of victory.


    The goblin that had been watching from the way the hobgoblin came ran away in fear.

 36 Epilogue To This Adventure!

    "A-Ah, that part''s tender. Please don''t grab it so hard."


    "Sorry, Kenji-san. I''m not used to helping people walk."


    We had left the cave and were heading out of the forest. Kany had woken up to find the hobgoblin dead and left the cave with us. Tael is helping Kany walk while Erana is helping me walk. Thanks to Erana, navigating our way out of the forest is easy.


    By the time we emerged from the trees, the sun was out and the drawbridge had been lowered.


    "I think I can walk on my own now."


    "Alright, but don''t be afraid to ask for help."


    "Yeah man, it''s the least we can do! Haha!"


    "Don''t overdo it, Onii-san."


    Despite the pain that comes from laughing, I couldn''t help but let out a small chuckle.


    We approached the drawbridge and began to cross it.


    "So it seems our first adventure is over¡­" Tael muttered. It seems like he''s a bit disappointed.


    I stood still and thought for a moment about what Tael had just said.


    "Are you alright, Onii-san? Didn''t I tell you not to overdo it just now?"


    "Here, let me help you, Kenji-san."


    I held out my hand to stop Erana from assisting me.


    "We make a pretty good team¡­ Our party composition is fairly balanced. How about it, do you guys want to form a party together?"


    The look of elation on Tael''s face said it all for me.


    "Heh. Fine with me, Onii-san. As long as you take all the hits from now on I don''t mind!"


    "I''d be happy to continue to work with you two!"


    "Alright! This is awesome! We''re gonna be a party together!"


    Watching this scene, I couldn''t help but laugh.


    "What''s so funny, Kenji?"


    "Heh¡­ Well I just was thinking that this is the most unique birthday I''ve ever had!"


    ~A few days later~


    I sat down at our table in the guild hall. It has been 3 days since the goblin incident. We had received our compensation from the monster slaying and discovered that destroying the goblin nest had been a quest on the notice board. As a result, we had made a total of 2400 juns to be split between us. Since we''ve received our payment we''ve decided to all come together and celebrate.


    "So¡­ what do we do now, Kenji?"


    "Why are you asking me?"


    "Well Onii-san, judging by the looks of it, this guy can''t make a good decision to save his life."


    "Hey! I take offense to that!"


    "I trust your judgement, Kenji-san. What do you think we should do?"


    I stood up and walked towards the bulletin board. Several sheets of paper littered the board describing many different quests. Each notice had a difficulty rating on it so choosing was a bit easier.


    "Ah, excuse me Kenji-san. I need to post this to the board." Yimmie said while nudging me aside.


    "What''s that quest?"


    "Can I take that quest?"


    "Sure. It''s open so anyone can take it. Just don''t be surprised if other people take the job too."


    "What is this village called?"


    "Mulbik. I''ve been there before. I wish I could go on a date there¡­"


    I turned back towards the table and opened up my status screen.


    Next to my level 0 status, I could see a (4) in parentheses.


    "What does this mean?"


    "Oh, it means that you can level up 4 times Onii-san. That''s impressive! I only leveled up twice from that endeavor!"


    "You leveled up 4 times Kenji? I only leveled up twice!"


    "I only leveled up once¡­"


    Our group chuckled as I went over to the level screen. I pondered for a moment before I decided to start distributing classes.


    "3 levels in warrior and 1 level in wizard¡­"


    "Woah, Kenji! You''re multiclassing!"


    My screen had changed. My new status screen read out new information.


    Kenji Fujima. Level 4.


    Strength: 34


    Dexterity: 25


    Constitution: 30


    Mana: 50


    Magic Power: 10


    Luck: 10


    Experience: 400


    "That''s not all! We''re going to be heading to a town called Mulbik!"


    "Alright! Let''s do this!"

 37 Prologue: To Mulbik!

    It has been 4 days since the goblin cave incident. I formed a permanent party with the people I had worked with that day. We''ve all spent some time recovering from the goblin debacle so in the meantime, I''ve been taking care of preparing for the next adventure. How am I preparing? First I need to have my broadsword fixed. I broke it during my encounter with the hobgoblin and while my adamantite dagger is reliable it lacks the range I need for consistent combat.


    I had dropped off my broadsword at a certain smithy 4 days ago, so it should be finished by now. While I''m happy to receive my sword again, I''m not very happy about what I have to do to get it¡­


    The front door opened to the smithy and the familiar wave of heat and the cacophony of metal on metal greeted me. The familiar sight of instruments of violence filled my vision as every shelf on every row was filled with various items that were intended to either end your adversaries life or to prolong your own.


    "Be with you in just a second~! ?" A familiar voice called out to me.


    I held back my instinct to run. The source of the voice that I could not see was a ghastly figure that I had been unfortunately acquainted with during a certain unfortunate mix up at a jail.


    The sound of metal hitting metal ceased as I heard a large figure begin to walk out of the forge room. After a moment, a man with a hunched back, a large protruding eye, and an indescribable but unforgettable face emerged.


    "Oh my~! ? It''s the cutie! ? How can I help you today, cutie?"


    As always, he greeted me with his remarks which bordered on sexual harassment. I held back my instinctual desire to run as I met his gaze. This man is named Tunne and he is the operator of this smithy.


    "Sword." I said as tersely as possible. I don''t want to get into a conversation with this man right now. The only reason I am here in the first place is because this man gives me an undefined discount that he calls the "cutie cut-off discount."


    "How cold~! But that''s what I like~ about~ you~! ?"


    Instead of responding, I simply grumbled.


    "...Hmm... Fine! Your sword is ready. Honestly, I don''t know how you broke it in a single day!"


    Finally, something I wanted to hear. I perked up and could feel myself enter a better mood.


    "How much do I owe you, Tunne?"


    "Well¡­ Considering you brought back the majority of the pieces and the material that the sword is made of¡­ I would say 50 juns! This is including my cutie cut-off discount of course!"


    Without skipping a beat, I reached into my money pouch and pulled out 50 juns. Considering the 900 that the sword itself cost, 50 juns to reforge it is a steal.


    "Ah~! Mr. Moneybags!" Tunne said as he took the 50 juns from my hand.


    "Your sword is in the back. I''ll go get it for you. You stay right~ here~ cutie~! ?"


    After a short while, Tunne returned to the main room, my newly reforged sword in tow.


    "Here you go cutie~! I even oiled it up for you! ?"


    I reluctantly took the broadsword from Tunne. Despite the things he was alluding to, this sword''s quality is undeniable. It''s only thanks to this tool and the armor I am wearing that I''m still alive in the first place.


    Despite wanting to leave this store as quickly as possible, I couldn''t help but wonder what the item I had been looking at was.


    "Hey Tunne, what is this thing? It doesn''t look like anything I''ve ever seen before."


    "Ah! That''s a special order item that I made. A certain adventurer requested this. The strings are made of steel and thanks to its size it''s easy to hide."


    "Who would need something like this?"


    "I''m sorry cutie but that''s smith to buyer confidentiality that you''re treading on! I can''t tell you¡­ not unless you give me a kiss!"


    I immediately began to walk out of the smithy.


    "Ah, wait! Don''t go~!"


    Tunne grabbed me by the arm. Unlike before, however, his grip felt much weaker and I easily broke out of it.


    "Oh my~. You must have leveled up. How impressive! ?"


    Even I am surprised by this sudden increase in strength. Unlike my 7 month endeavor of exercising, the difference in my strength now compared to how I was just 4 days ago is obvious. Now I wonder how my other physical abilities have been affected. I''ll test them out later.


    "Since you leveled up that means you must have gone into some big combat! That explains the broken sword. How is the armor?"


    "The armor works like a charm. Honestly this is probably the only reason that I''m still alive."


    "Thank you for the compliment cutie~!"


    I held back my disgust. This man keeps finding new ways to disturb me.


    Despite how I feel, this man''s creations are definitely high quality. The armor he made for me cushioned me enough from the hobgoblins attack as to where I was able to stay conscious.


    "Hmm¡­ You have a cuirass, but wouldn''t you want some leg armor as well? With my cutie cut-off discount I can get you a nice set of leg armor for cheap!"


    Come to think of it, that one goblin was able to cut my leg because I had no defensive equipment on. Leg armor may actually not be a bad idea.


    "What is the armor made of?"


    "I knew you''d want it! You''re a smart, strong, cutie after all~! ?"


    "Leg armor. Tell me."


    "How cold~! Though that''s what I like about you¡­ The armor is a mix of steel plating and leather. It''ll defend you while not hampering your mobility at all."


    "How much is it?"


    "Hmm¡­ For you, cutie, I''d charge 200 juns."


    That''s more than the cuirass cost, but at the same time, leg armor would protect my lower half. Having metal parts to protect my legs would be a big help. With metal, they''d certainly prevent me from getting cut by swords. I need to weigh my options.


    "These come with foot guards?"


    "Hmm¡­ For you, cutie, I''ll throw them in for free! However, I''ll only do that if you give me a kiss on the cheek!"


    "So how much do the foot guards cost?"


    "Guh! ...Fine. 50 more juns."


    "Deal."


    "Alright! It''s time to measure~ you~! ?"


    Tunne came towards me with a tape measure while licking his lips. Something about this scene is oddly familiar...


    "And done! I''ll go get it for you, cutie~! ?"


    I simply grumbled after our incredibly long measuring session. Despite my discomfort, I know that this will be worth it once I get my armor.


    After hearing the sound of someone fervently rummaging through storage, I heard a loud "Ah-ha!" from the side room. After a moment, Tunne emerged while carrying a set of leg armor.


    "Here you go! Feel free to change here."


    "No thanks!" I said as I took the leg armor and left the shop.


    I''m fairly certain I heard Tunne say "Fooey" when I escaped his clutches.


    "Alright¡­ where to now?" I asked myself as I began walking the streets of Ruks.


    The time of day is currently 8 in the morning. People have begun to wander around the city and go about their daily tasks. Mothers are out shopping, children are window shopping, and adventurers are shopping for supplies just as I am.


    As I was investigating several shops, a familiar voice called out to me.


    "Ah! Kenji-san! Thank goodness!"


    "Erana! Good morning, what''s wrong?"


    "I um¡­ got lost¡­" Erana said while fidgeting and looking towards the ground.


    "Got lost? How? There are street signs all over the place!"


    "I-I''m still not very used to cities¡­ I usually depend on Kany to guide me around town but since she''s still asleep I thought I could try going out and shopping by myself for once¡­"


    Is this how Reese felt when she found me in the wagon all that time ago? I can''t help but give a disappointed smile at Erana.


    "W-Well¡­ I''ll help you out. What were you shopping for?"


    "Really? Thank you, Kenji-san! I wanted to get a dagger like you have. I learned a new spell since I leveled up so I might be able to use a weapon now¡­"


    "A dagger, huh? I¡­ know a place."


    "Really? Take me there! Let''s go!"


    "W-Wait¡­ I''m not sure¡­"


    "Huh? Why aren''t you sure? Is this place expensive? Is it exclusive?"


    "No it''s not that¡­ it''s just¡­"


    How do I put this? A part of me wants to keep Erana as far away from Tunne as possible. I doubt Tunne will do anything too inappropriate to her, but a part of me still wants to avoid that problem all together.


    "Is something wrong, Kenji-san?"


    "N-No, it''s nothing. Follow me."


    "Alright!"


    With that, I went back the way I came with Erana following closely behind me. After a few minutes of backtracking, I had made it back to Tunnes shop just as another customer had left.


    "Ah, cutie! You''re back! ?" Tunne announced to me from the counter. It seems like he is taking a bit of time off of the forge.


    "Cutie?"


    "I-It''s not what you think!"


    "Oh my, what''s this? You brought a friend?"


    This was a bad idea. I''ll apologize as soon as possible. I don''t mind getting in a dogeza if that''s what it takes."


    "Hello! My name is Erana. I would like to purchase a dagger!" Erana declared happily.


    "Daggers are over there." Tunne lazily pointed to his right.


    Erana simply smiled and walked over to the shelves on the left.


    "Wasn''t that a bit harsh, Tunne?"


    "Sorry cutie but she doesn''t interest me."


    Shocked by Tunne''s dismissal of Erana, I simply turned around and walked over to Erana.


    "Wow Kenji-san. There are so many different types of daggers!"


    "Yeah there are. There''s a lot of different metals so daggers can be made of all different types. My dagger is made of adamantite."


    "Smith-san, do you have any adamantite daggers?" Erana shouted to the front.


    "Nope." Tunne tersely replied.


    "You don''t need an adamantite dagger, Erana. You should aim for something like steel."


    "Steel? Alright, I''ll follow your recommendation. Smith-san! How much is a steel dagger?"


    "100 juns."


    "You can''t give her the discount on my behalf?"


    "100 juns."


    "Discount?"


    "Don''t worry about it."


    "A-Alright. 100 juns then!"


    "Thanks. See you later."


    Erana seems to not have been able to read the mood and happily stepped out of the store with her new steel dagger in tow.


    "Bye cutie! Come back again some time! ?"


    "Ugh." I replied as I left the shop. I''m glad I''m going to be leaving the city for a little while. The farther I get from Tunne the better.


    "Thank you Kenji-san. I''ll be able to help you all in combat now!"


    "Your healing already did just fine. Though I''m curious about what your new spell is."


    "It''s a secret! I''ll show you all the next time we''re in a battle."


    "But I want to know now."


    "I-It''s a secret! I won''t tell you!"


    I approached Erana and put my hand on her shoulder.


    "I. Want. To. Know."


    "K-Kenji-san, please stop!"


    I only just realized what I was doing. I released Erana immediately.


    "Sorry I just want to know. It could be useful for a plan so I don''t like how you''re keeping it a secret."


    "W-Well that''s fine. I can give you a hint though!"


    I immediately got close to Erana once again.


    "Um¡­ It''s a spell that prevents an enemy from moving."


    "I see¡­"


    A spell that prevents an enemy from moving? Judging by how she wanted a dagger then it''s probable that the spell prevents the enemy from attacking while it''s movement is impeded. Since she''s a druid, it''s possible that it could turn the ground beneath the enemy into quicksand¡­ No that''s not what it would be. The creature''s arms would still be free¡­ Perhaps it''s-


    "Kenji-san, are you alright?"


    I was brought back into reality. I must have gotten lost in my thoughts again. I can theorize later.


    "Sorry, Erana. I was just thinking to myself. Let''s head back to the guild hall."


    "Alright." Erana said. With that, we began to walk back to the guild hall to meet up with the rest of our party.


    "You sure do think a lot, Kenji-san. What do you think about?"


    That''s a loaded question.


    "...A lot of things."


    That''s probably the best answer.


    "Like what?"


    And that''s probably the response that I should have expected.


    "Things like how to apply my skills and equipment in combat, how the environment factors into my actions, how best to respond to people asking me questions. Things of that nature." I listed out.


    Erana stopped and stared at me. I''m not really sure how to respond to her ogling. After a moment, Erana spoke.


    "I never think of anything like that! All I think about is how to use my abilities in combat¡­" Erana looked towards the ground in a disheartened manner. I feel like this is my fault, so it''s my job to cheer her up.


    "W-Well, I''ve been told I''m too tense! Don''t worry about it."


    "Really? I suppose that makes sense. Kenji-san is a bit weird anyway so I suppose you''re right."


    Hey, that''s not a nice thing to say.


    After a few minutes of walking around town, we arrived at the 4 story tall landmark. The adventurers guild.


    "Thank goodness. Thank you for guiding me here, Kenji-san."


    "Don''t worry about it. I just led you here so it''s no big deal."


    We entered the guild hall and witnessed an argument between our other two party members.


    "That''s not how that works! You can''t dodge air!"


    "I bet I can! I''m a level 4 rogue while you''re just a level 3 wizard!"


    "But it''s AIR! How do you dodge air?"


    "With a lot of backflips."


    "Kany, Tael, what''s the argument?"


    "Kenji! Tell this idiot that you can''t dodge air!"


    "Onii-san! Tell this jun store magician that with a high enough dexterity stat you can dodge just about anything!"


    "Jun store magician? I''ll show you a jun store magician you loli kleptomaniac!"


    "L-Loli kleptomaniac? I''ll have you know that I''m 17 so I am absolutely not a loli!"


    Erana grabbed Kany by the shoulders as I grabbed Tael. This has become a daily occurrence.


    "Calm down you two."


    Instead of saying anything, Kany and Tael both grumbled in tandem.


    "Kany, since you''re so energetic I take it that you''ve finished healing?"


    "Yeah. That cleric finished their work today. I''m back to 100% so I can get back to work."


    Kany had sustained major damage in the battle with the hobgoblin. Like myself, Kany required the assistance of a cleric to heal her more major injuries since Erana isn''t skilled enough to heal major wounds yet.


    "That''s good. I''d hate to have to leave you caged up in here."


    As a reply to my subtle jab, Kany simply stuck her tongue out at me.


    We all sat down at our table at the guild hall. After a moment, a woman with white feathery wings and a tired yet energetic demeanor approached our table.


    "What do you want?"


    "I''ll have-" Tael began.


    "I have a boyfriend." Yimmie cut him off.


    "We''ll all have the breakfast portion please, Yimmie-san."


    "Got it."


    "H-Hey! What the hell man! Why did she cut me off but not you?"


    Since I genuinely didn''t know, I simply shrugged.


    "Whatever... What''s our plan for today, Kenji?"


    "Our plan is that we need to stock up on any remaining supplies we need before we head to Mulbik. A certain individual here doesn''t have any supplies for multiple days of travel so we need to stock up."


    "Guh!" Tael exclaimed. It seems like he understood why we''re being held up now.


    "F-Fine. I understand. Kenji, let''s go shopping after breakfast!"


    "Fine with me. It seems like I''m helping everyone shop though. Also I''m not paying for you this time."


    "I-I didn''t expect you to! Thanks to the payment from the goblin nest, I have 600 juns to spend!"


    "Good because I''m not paying for you."


    As a response to this, Tael broke out in a cold sweat and brought me in close.


    "N-Not even a little bit?"


    "Nope."


    Tael stared at me with puppy dog eyes, but I refused to budge. After he had determined that I wouldn''t relent, Tael acceded to my statement.


    "...Fine. How much can supplies cost anyways?"


    Erana and Kany both chuckled in response to this. After a few minutes, Yimmie returned to our table with 4 plates of assorted items including sausages, fried tumun, and oats.


    "Here you go."


    "Thanks Yimmie-san. Before you go, I have a question to ask."


    "Hm? What is it?"


    Yimmie is looking at me expectantly. From what she told me yesterday, she''s probably the best person to ask.


    "How long does it take to get to Mulbik?"


    Yimmie''s eyes immediately lost their lustre as her mood shifted from energetic to casual.


    "On foot it will take you a full day and one night. You can take a carriage which only takes around 8 hours."


    "How much does a carriage cost?"


    "30 juns per person."


    "Hey Kenji, I don''t mind walking. No, I''m not saying this because I don''t like spending money."


    I moved my disappointed eyes from Tael back to Yimmie.


    "Thank you, Yimmie-san. I appreciate it."


    "Alright. I''ll see you later Kenji-san!"


    With that, Yimmie turned around and went to another table to take their order.


    "I''m looking forward to camping with everyone, even if it''s only for a single night."


    "I''m looking forward to having someone that''s capable of keeping watch without falling asleep."


    "Hey I''m right here man."


    I simply looked away in response as Kany and Erana lightly chuckled.

 38 This Hero Goes Shopping With Tael!

    Tael and I have arrived at the equipment shop that I went to before to get my own items. Tael needs to get his own sleeping bag and, preferably, a rucksack as well. Unfortunately for me, he is making this difficult.


    "Come on. You need to buy equipment!"


    "But it''s gonna be expensive! We did just fine last time!"


    "I did just fine last time. You mooched off of me."


    "Well that worked out just fine too! Please stop staring at me angrily like that! Okay I apologize. I APOLOGIZE!"


    I turned back around after giving Tael a good shaking. Since there are people around, I''d rather not draw a crowd.


    We entered the shop and were greeted by the sound of the front door bell ringing. Inside we saw a multitude of items from rucksacks, cooking supplies, and various camping tools which resided on the walls and shelves.


    "Oh! Hello there! Hey¡­ You''re that guy that bought everything at once the other day! Don''t tell me something was damaged?"


    "No, the stuff you sold me worked great. I just need you to help this guy right here with getting his own supplies."


    Upon being introduced, Tael struck a minor pose and made a declaration.


    "Hello! I am the level 3 wizard, Tael! I require your cheapest equipment!"


    "..." x2


    Both the shopkeeper and I stared at this troublesome half elf.


    "W-Well? What say you? Come on! Show me your stuff!"


    "A-Ah, yes. Here, let me show you around."


    The shopkeeper waddled out from behind the counter and began to show Tael around.


    "This rucksack is the same type that your friend over there uses! I guarantee its quality!"


    "But can you guarantee its low price?"


    "Excuse me just a moment, Shopkeeper-san." I said as I dragged Tael into a chokehold off to the side.


    "Hey! You need good equipment! Why are you trying to get cheap stuff?"


    "B-Because I don''t want to spend a lot of money! Come on, Kenji! You don''t understand what it''s like to be poor!"


    "And YOU don''t seem to understand what it''s like to depend on low value equipment! Just get some decent gear. You don''t need a bunch of stuff, just a sleeping bag and a rucksack to carry your stuff. That''s all I ask. I already have the cooking supplies and dinnerware so we don''t need those. Just¡­ Please get some good equipment."


    After grumbling for a moment, Tael finally acquiesced to my request.


    "Fine. But only the rucksack and the sleeping bag."


    "Only those."


    "''OnLy ThOsE!'' He says."


    Despite my frustration with him, Tael walked towards the shopkeeper once more.


    "According to my hostage taker, I need to buy this rucksack and a good sleeping bag."


    "Hostage taker?"


    "Alright my boy! I''ll grab the same rucksack that your friend uses and the same sleeping bag! I guarantee you won''t regret it!"


    "Alright! Tallying your total it will be... 200 juns!"


    "Ugh."


    "Tael, pay him."


    "But that''s so much money, Kenji! That''s a third of the reward money from the quest!"


    "And it''s also necessary equipment."


    Tael merely grumbled as he slowly brought out the 200 juns.


    "H-H-Here you go¡­" Tael said as he handed over the money. It looked like this action was bringing him physical pain.


    "A-Ah¡­ Thank you for your purchase." The shopkeeper said with a pained expression.


    Tael took his new items and we left the shop. Tael looks somewhat depressed now.


    "Hey man, it might suck now but it''s an investment!" I decided to console Tael with the same logic that I used for myself.


    "Yeah¡­ I guess¡­ It''s just¡­"


    "Just what?"


    "Don''t worry about it. It''s not your problem."


    Though I want to know what''s going on, I get the feeling that this is something that I shouldn''t poke into too much.


    "...Whatever, let''s just head to the guild."


    "Alright."


    After some walking, we returned to the guild hall to find Erana and Kany deep in discussion.


    "So then we''ll use your spell and my new skill in tandem! It''ll make things way easier!"


    "I hope you''re right, Kany."


    "Hey you two. What are you discussing?"


    "Ah, Kenji-san, Tael-san! We were just discussing a combat strategy!"


    "Does it revolve around your new spell?"


    "Perhaps."


    I turned over to Kany and lightly grasped her hands.


    "Kany¡­ Would you be so kind as to tell me what her new spell is?"


    "U-Um¡­ Onii-san, Erana said it''s a secret that she''d only tell me for now¡­"


    I shot a death glare at Erana who responded by looking away.


    "Fine! Whatever! I''ll find out eventually! I doubt it''s gonna matter that much anyway!"


    "Haha! Kenji, if you''re this excited for her one measly spell, you''re going to lose your mind at my TWO new spells!"


    "Measly?"


    "You learned two new spells? What are they?"


    "I''ll show you outside of town, but one is for combat while one is utility!"


    "Utility? I thought you said that wizard is a combat class. Why would it give utility abilities?"


    "Utility stuff can be used in combat too! There''s a whole big world of stuff you don''t know about, Kenji. Don''t worry, I''ll take pity and educate you."


    "Fine. I need you to teach me how to cast spells anyway. I gained a level in wizard so I should be able to cast a spell now."


    "That''s right! I''ll show you when we leave the city."


    "Why don''t you just show me now?"


    "You can''t cast spells in the city, Kenji-san." Yimmie butted in.


    "Hm? Why not?"


    "It''s to prevent low level wizards from setting things on fire or destroying stuff."


    "Oh, I see..."


    That makes sense. Considering how Tael felt about the forest, I can''t imagine how bad it would get if we had a thousand wizards like him running amok with no limitations.


    "Oh, Yimmie-san while you''re here I need to extend my stay at the inn."


    "Really? I thought you were heading out to a quest."


    "I am but I need some place to keep my stuff."


    "The guild offers a storage service for people on quests. It''s free of charge for adventurers."


    "That exists?"


    "Y-Yeah. Why would I say it existed if it didn''t?"


    "I''ll take that option then."


    "Alright! let me just get the form for you."


    With that, Yimmie left.


    "Once I put my stuff away let''s head out. It''s almost noon so we need to move out."


    "Roger that, Onii-san."


    "Understood. I''m looking forward to camping with you all!"


    We parted ways for a moment while we all gathered our supplies for the road ahead. Meanwhile, I went up to the booth with a certain birdbrain in it.


    "Ah, Kenji-san. I''ll take your stuff from your room to the storage space. Just sign this form and hand over your key."


    "Thank you, Yimmie-san."


    "Stay safe on your travels."


    With that, I left the guild hall with the rest of my party and we began to depart for our next quest.

 39 This Hero and His Magic!

    We had just left the walls of the city of Ruks. The four of us were happily following the dirt carriage trail towards the village of Mulbik. The grassy fields and the sunny blue sky filled our vision. The scent of spring filled our noses as we continued on our path.


    "It''s nice to be out of the city. Those walls are so suffocating."


    "I think you''re the only one that thinks that Erana."


    "Tael-san, I don''t want to be rude to you, but as a druid large walls like that feel like a cage."


    "Why do you keep adding the ''-san''? We''re party members now so we can be a bit more informal now."


    "Oi, party trick magician, she''s got her reasons."


    "I actually am also curious as to why she keeps doing that."


    "Are you ever NOT curious, Onii-san?"


    "That''s besides the point."


    "Um¡­ Please stop talking about me like I''m not here¡­ I was just raised to do it this way. I''m sorry if it bothers you all."


    "Well why do you call her Kany without adding an honorific?"


    "Obviously it''s because we''re besties! Right, Erana?"


    "A-Ah, yes. That''s why." Erana gave a gentle smile in response.


    "Well Kenji and I are besties too! Aren''t we, Kenji?"


    I simply stared at Tael when he said this. I wanted to make him as uncomfortable as possible.


    "R-Right¡­?" Tael has begun to sweat a little bit. I think this is working.


    "Onii-san, stop bullying the jun store magician."


    Tael let out a defeated sigh and with that, I began to walk once more.


    After around an hour of walking, we heard a familiar noise.


    "Slurp¡­ Slurp¡­"


    "That sounds like a slime."


    We investigated the area and found that our suspicions were correct. A small green slime was sliding on the ground near us.


    "It''s kind of cute¡­"


    "Erana, it eats everything."


    "So do pigs! Have you seen a piglet? Aren''t they cute?"


    "Yeah, but pigs don''t eat literally everything."


    While Erana and Kany were arguing with each other, I went up to Tael. This is my opportunity.


    "Hey Tael, since it''s a slime you can teach me how to cast spells! Come on, show me."


    "Alright. What spells do you know?"


    "How would I know that?"


    "Hm? Oh that''s right, you were level 0 up until yesterday. You probably don''t know."


    "Just tell me already!"


    "O-Okay! Look, close your eyes for a moment."


    Following his instructions, I closed my eyes.


    "Alright, now I want you to look into yourself. I know this description is weird, but¡­ try to peer into your stomach."


    "Peer into my stomach? How does that work?"


    "Well it''s like how you know your body better than anyone else, I guess. You just have to feel your center."


    I stood still with my eyes closed for a moment while trying to follow Tael''s instructions.


    "...I think I''m doing it wrong."


    "They''re already closed but¡­ alright."


    Suddenly I felt a hand gently place itself to my stomach. I had to fight back the urge to open my eyes.


    "Alright, now I want you to trace the path that I draw out in reverse, alright?"


    I could feel a sensation of a hand traveling upwards from my stomach to my eyes.


    "Now follow it in reverse."


    I began to trace the path that was drawn for me with her hand. Slowly, I could see something that was shimmering and red within some type of sphere.


    "Do you see anything, Kenji-san?"


    "I¡­ I don''t know. It''s hard to describe."


    "Tell me what the first word that comes to mind is."


    I thought for a moment. A red, shimmering light inside of my stomach. Something that is a part of me¡­


    "Fire."


    That''s truly the only word to describe it. A shimmering red light that resides inside of me.


    "Oh so you''re fire natured, huh?"


    "Fire natured? What does that mean?"


    "Open your eyes. I''ll explain it for you."


    I opened my eyes to see everyone watching me.


    "I''m ice natured, personally. Fire is cool too, Kenji. Not as cool as ice though."


    Kany groaned at that obvious pun.


    "Mana natures belong to the 4 elements of the world. Each element has its own attributes and benefits to them. I personally am an earth nature."


    "What do natures do, exactly?"


    "Mana natures do a lot of things, but most importantly, they define what type of magic you get a specific bonus to use."


    "So I don''t get a detriment, but a positive?"


    "Yeah, you saw my firebolts, right? My fire spells are as strong as any normal wizards firebolt, but a fire natured person such as yourself will naturally cast fire based spells with less mana and at a higher power level."


    "Right! I also heard that mana natures are good personality tests!"


    "So¡­ what about my spells?"


    "Okay, now that we know your attribute, I want you to think of how you would express your mana."


    "Express¡­ my mana? What does that mean?"


    "Think about how you could mold it. It''s like your inner energy. Surely you''ve felt your mana when it was used before, right?"


    Now that I think about it, the mana stovetop at Ania''s house gave me a good feeling for how the movement of mana felt.


    "It''s like a flow of water, right?"


    "Exactly! That''s the textbook way to describe it."


    "Alright, what do I do now?"


    "Think about how that water would take shape. Once you do this once, you''ll automatically learn new spells without having to go through this process again. It''s as if you unlock a new door in your own mind."


    I closed my eyes once more and envisioned how I would form the flow of mana in my body. How would I best express an energy within me that flows like water? I thought of a squirt gun for a moment and realized that the water from a squirt gun resembled a spell I had witnessed before.


    "I¡­ I think it would be a firebolt, like Tael can cast."


    "Yeah, you''re probably right. Firebolt is almost always the spell that level 1 wizards get. I''ve heard of rare cases where people learn multiple spells at once, or learn a different spell, but about 90% of the time it''s firebolt."


    "Okay! How do I cast firebolt?"


    "Point at that slime there and try to release your mana towards it."


    I walked up to the slime and pointed my hand at the slime. I envisioned the flow of water from my stomach to my arm and tried to release it outwards.


    "Hrrrng!"


    "Um¡­ Are you alright Onii-san?"


    "K-Kenji-san, you don''t flex spells out."


    I''ve been trying to obliterate this slime for the past minute but I can''t make the spell come out! What''s the deal?


    "Yeah, you need a focus man."


    "A focus? You mean like your wand?"


    "Yeah. Remember how I said it helps people cast their spells? It''s not required, but it makes it way easier."


    "But I don''t want to go all the way back to town just to get a wand!"


    "You don''t need a wand as a focus, remember? I only said it just has to be something you''re comfortable with."


    "I''m pretty comfortable with my arm, Tael."


    "Heh, yeah I guess that''s my fault. It has to be something other than your own body, that way you can focus on pouring your mana within it. Your body will always have mana flowing through it so isolating it to a certain point is difficult to do."


    "Kenji-san, I recommend holding your dagger and trying again. This time, envision your mana flowing into the dagger."


    Taking Erana''s instructions, I pulled out my dagger and envisioned the flow of mana once again, this time, I envisioned the flow of mana from my stomach to my arm and into the dagger. I could feel something like a slight drain begin to occur within myself, as if the dagger was siphoning my energy slightly. I knew this was it.


    "Firebolt!" I shouted. A small red magic circle appeared in front of my dagger and a firebolt spewed out of it towards the slime.


    "Nice one, Onii-san. I''ll explain skills to you later."


    I just cast a spell! That was awesome! Now I know why Tael is so confident all the time!


    "Feels awesome, doesn''t it?"


    "This is the coolest thing ever! Why did nobody tell me about this earlier?"


    "I did, remember when we first met?"


    "I meant in a reasonable way."


    Kany held Tael back.


    "W-Whatever! Now that that slime''s reformed, let me show you MY new spell! Behold the chill of winter! Frost!"


    A magic circle emerged from Tael''s wand as a gust of blue wind flowed towards the slime. After a moment, the slime was frozen solid.


    "Dodge THAT you two bit pickpocket!"


    Kany merely grumbled in response. I walked towards the slime that had been frozen solid.


    "Is it dead?"


    "No, the core is still intact so it''s still alive."


    "How long does it stay like this?"


    "I don''t know. It''s frozen so I guess it will melt at some point?"


    "Let''s not let it melt then. Fore!" I shouted as I kicked the slime like an American football player would kick a field goal.


    The frozen slime flew through the sky for a moment before it eventually landed and shattered into multiple pieces. The core had most definitely been broken.


    "Yeah!" x2


    Tael and I shouted as we high fived.

 40 This Hero and His Skill!

    We had walked for hours. The landscape had subtly shifted from plains to lightly forested. The path was clear, but around us there were a few trees. The sun had finally begun to set over the horizon. Tael and Kany both seem to have started a silent competition to see who could complain the most.


    "Erana! My feet hurt!"


    "Kenji! How much farther?"


    Questions like this had plagued us for the past hour. I''m reaching my limit and it appears as if the typically collected Erana is also reaching hers.


    "I think it''s about time that we set up camp, Kenji-san. What do you think?"


    "Camp?" x2


    Like dogs at the dinner bell, Kany and Tael had changed their attitudes from unhappy to obedient.


    "Y-Yeah¡­ I think camp is a good idea now. Let me find a spot that works."


    "Heh, Onii-san it seems like you don''t know about Erana''s skills!"


    "Erana has skills? Is this from being a druid?"


    "No, Kenji-san. Let me show you. Status."


    Suddenly, a green triangular prism appeared in front of Erana. This was her status screen and inside her attributes and details were listed.


    Erana. Level 3.


    Strength: 16


    Dexterity: 26


    Constitution: 33


    Mana: 80


    Magic Power: 24


    Luck: 23


    Experience: 366


    "This is cool and all, but why should I trust you with building camp?"


    "Ah, sorry. Here." Erana swiped her hand from right to left and revealed her mundane classes.


    Camper Tier 3


    +You can sleep outside easily.


    +You can easily find good spots to camp.


    +You can tell if it will rain while you are camping.


    Forager Tier 3


    +You find edible items easier while foraging.


    +You can instantly identify if something that has been foraged is poisonous.


    +You can easily identify medicinal herbs.


    Hunter Tier 1


    +You can track animals easier.


    "Wow. That''s a lot of tier 3''s, unlike someone¡­"


    Tael instinctively looked away in response to my statement.


    "Right? Onii-san, just leave it to Erana! Jun store clown, you stick with Erana while Onii-san and I go gather firewood. We''ll meet up later."


    "Come with me, Tael-san. We''ll set up camp nearby! This will be fun!"


    As we began to split up, I put my hand on Tael''s shoulder and simply said "Don''t get kidnapped again please." Tael only replied with a nervous smile and a weak "Of course!"


    Kany and I had parted with Tael and Erana. The two of us had begun to gather firewood together.


    "So why did you pick me to help you get the firewood anyway?"


    "Because you have the highest strength stat and I didn''t want to have to carry the wood and the two bit magician at the same time."


    "I-I see¡­" I felt that I could leave the conversation at that, but something else was nagging at me.


    "Do you hate Tael or something?"


    "I-It''s not like that at all!"


    "Are you sure? I hope you''re not worried about your precious ''virgin brother'' that much."


    I can feel my face burning. Fortunately, the amber color of the sky is hiding the rose tint of my face.


    "Hahaha! You''re so easy to mess with! This is just like when I robbed you!"


    "Don''t remind me please."


    We continued gathering firewood for a few minutes before I heard a familiar noise.


    "Giri giri¡­"


    "Oh God damn it. Not again."


    "I know that noise¡­"


    "Giri giri¡­"


    Kany and I both drew our weapons and took defensive stances. As I held my sword and got into a stance, I could feel myself unconsciously adjusting myself. For some reason, I knew that this new way of standing was superior to my prior pose.


    "Be optimistic, Onii-san! I needed to teach you how to use skills anyways!"


    "Well you better start before they show up! I doubt they''re going to just watch as you explain it to me!"


    "Calm down¡­ Okay, I want to you to focus on your weapon. Consider it a muscle, or a bone."


    "I am the bone of my sword?"


    "Yeah, like that."


    "I was¡­ Yeah, alright whatever. I did that to myself."


    I focused myself onto my broadsword. If this is anything like casting a spell, then I should already have a feel for it.


    "Alright, what now?"


    "Now you want to envision the power behind your movement. Think of how you swing a sword and what comes into doing that."


    How I swing a sword? Well typically I take a step and move my arm. Sometimes I put my bodyweight behind it but I never think about it too much. How does this work, exactly?


    From the treeline, a lone goblin emerged. It was wielding a shoddy shortsword that had obviously fallen into disrepair.


    "Gee¡­"


    Something about this goblin looks familiar. I can''t really tell the difference between goblins, but I get the feeling that I''ve seen it before¡­


    "Since it''s alone this will be perfect practice! Listen up, Onii-san: You are not allowed to attack the goblin with anything other than a skill! Dodge its attacks! As a level 3 warrior it should be child''s play!"


    While I appreciate the confidence, I still don''t feel very different from how I was 4 days ago. Have I really changed that much?


    "Raaah!" The goblin charged us. Kany jumped away and I was left to deal with the goblin.


    As I was taken by surprise, I had planned to sidestep the goblin, but something about the goblins movements told me that sidestepping would not be the optimal strategy.


    I held my sword directly in front of where the goblin was charging towards. Thanks to my higher range, the goblin was forced to stop in its tracks or else it would skewer itself.


    "Greeh¡­" The goblin held its sword tightly as we began to walk around each other in a circle. I can''t put my finger on it, but I''ve seen this goblin before!


    "Remember: Your sword is like a muscle or a bone! It''s a part of you! You just gotta flex it!"


    "How do I ''flex'' a sword? That doesn''t make sense to-"


    The goblin charged me once again. This time, I jumped a clear meter away from it in a standing position. The goblin appears to be getting increasingly frustrated at me. I, meanwhile, am impressed by my sudden increase in my ability to evade.


    "Stop thinking about it! It comes naturally! This ain''t some sparkly magic show, it''s your skills! It''s all you! Just try it!"


    Just try it¡­ Easier said than done. How do I flex a sword? Is it like flexing a bicep?


    I took a horse stance and readied my sword. I took deep, long breaths as I steadied myself. I vowed that this third charge from the goblin would be its last.


    "Foooo¡­" I exhaled. I am this sword... and this sword is me. I am an extension of the sword, like a bone or a muscle, it is a part of me¡­


    "Graaaah!" The goblin charged.


    I could see the goblin coming towards me as everything slowed down. I could see the leaves falling from the trees, the movement of the wind, and the drool dripping out of the goblin''s mouth as it charged at me. I could see everything in front of me, but I needed to do more than see.


    What would a skill even be for a warrior? Surely it would be something that shouts out "warrior" right? The power to destroy? The power to defend?


    I remembered my previous battles with goblins. I recalled how I would depend on trickery, or exploiting a weakness to defeat them, but I know that won''t work. If tricks won''t work, what will?


    I thought for what felt like a moment and then I recalled a certain fight with another goblin. A fight which was only won because of my brute strength, and that''s when I got my answer.


    A powerful strike. A strike that can cut through anything. That is what a heroic warrior would wield.


    I grasped my broadsword with both hands as time began to move at its normal pace once again. The blade of my sword began to glow a dark red as I could feel myself pouring my energy into it.


    "Strike!" I yelled out.


    Near instantaneously, my sword was brought down. The power of this attack was absolute. I severed the goblin, and its shortsword, in half. The ground was painted red as I finally remembered where I saw this goblin before.


    "Hey! You''re that goblin that brought the hobgoblin to attack us!"

 41 This Hero and Dinner!

    "Good job, Onii-san! You just used a skill!"


    I was simply staring at the bisected goblin. My surprise at my sudden increase in power and new abilities has left me dumbfounded.


    "...You alright, Onii-san?"


    For some reason, I get this nagging feeling that I need to do something. Whatever it is, it keeps on messing with my head.


    "Hey, are you ignoring me?"


    Truly, the inner machinations of the human mind are an enigma¡­


    "HEY! I''M TALKING TO YOU!"


    Oh that''s right.


    "Sorry, I was just thinking."


    "If you do that every time you kill a goblin then you''re gonna have a hard time being an adventurer¡­ Whatever. You used your skill. That was good. As you level up your skill will become more powerful and you''ll unlock more of them. At a certain point you''ll be able to use multiple skills at once!"


    "Really? What skills will I develop? Will I develop a certain set of skills? Is your ''hide'' ability a skill? If I were to take levels in rogue like you could I use ''hide'' and ''strike'' in tandem? What if I-"


    "STOP WITH THE QUESTIONS!"


    "Sorry I was just trying to plan ahead."


    "Jeez¡­ If you have this much time to ask questions, then you probably have enough time to gather firewood too."


    "Yeah, yeah. I get it. I just wanted to know more about skills."


    "You can ask while we gather firewood."


    I simply grumbled as we resumed gathering sticks and tinder. Though I was doing my best, I was also distracted by my own thoughts.


    "Yo, Kenji! Can you hear me?"


    Hm, it appears as if I''ve gone insane. I can hear Tael in my own mind.


    "No man you''re not insane, this is my new spell, it''s called ''mind connection'' and it lets me communicate with you telepathically."


    Ah, so now I am justifying my own insanity, truly I have lost it.


    "What? No, it''s a spell¡­"


    I ought to apologize to Tael for making him the voice of my insanity when we get back¡­


    "H-Hey! Listen! We just thought you''ve been gone for a while! Are you two alright?"


    Wait¡­ Tael, can you hear my thoughts right now?


    "Yep, loud and clear!"


    ...How long have you been listening?


    "Oh, I just started the spell so not for long."


    Ah, I see. Good! Don''t ever read my thoughts without my permission again!


    "A-Alright man. Look, are you two alright? We''ve already set camp and now we just need firewood. I''ll send you a pulse with this spell so you can find us, alright?"


    How convenient!


    "Yeah¡­ Alright so I''m going to do that now. Tell me when you feel it."


    Suddenly, I felt something akin to a line being pulled in a certain direction, this must have been the pulse.


    "Did you feel that?"


    Yep. I did!


    "Good! We''re that way. Come back soon, the sun is going to be down in the next 5 minutes! Ending communication!"


    "Hey, Kany! Let''s head to camp! They''re waiting for us."


    "Got it. Let''s go, you lead the way!"


    We gathered the last remaining bits of sticks and dead grass before heading towards where I felt the sensation of a line being pulled came from.


    "Ah! You''re back! Is everything alright? You were taking a while so I asked Tael-san to cast his new spell for me¡­"


    "We''re fine, speaking of new spells, what''s yours?"


    "What Onii-san meant to say was ''We''re fine and we brought firewood.'' Right, Onii-san?"


    "...Fine."


    "Great because I am starving! Kenji, make me some dinner!"


    Kany and I pulled out the sticks and dead grass that we had gathered and placed them within the fire pit.


    Now that I look at it, this campsite is perfect. We have clear visibility while also being on solid ground and near enough to the trail to not get lost while far enough away to not invite bandits. I need to get the camper mundane class.


    "Ready for the fire?"


    "Yeah, let me just-"


    "Allow me! Firebolt!"


    The familiar spewing of a streak of fire came from Tael''s wand as the campfire lit up.


    "Kenji-san, I was told that you have the chef mundane class, is this true?"


    "Yeah, I cooked for an old lady for a while so I picked up the class."


    "I see. Then what are you going to make tonight?"


    "I''m going to peel some potatoes and place them in the cooking pot with some cheese and meat."


    Kany immediately got close to me as I began to explain.


    "Hey, Onii-san, will there be enough for seconds?"


    "Seconds? Yeah I think so, why?"


    "Ah¡­ Kenji-san, I don''t think you know about Kany''s mundane class¡­"


    What is she talking about? Why would a mundane class have anything to do with seconds?


    "Ahem¡­ Status."


    Kany''s status screen appeared in front of me as I could read her attribute scores.


    Kany. Level 4.


    Strength: 22


    Dexterity: 40


    Constitution: 20


    Mana: 15


    Magic Power: 1


    Luck: 32


    Experience: 427


    "Woah! Your luck stat is insane!"


    "Fufufu! You should see me gamble!"


    "Ah, but Kany, the last time you gambled you lost 500 juns!"


    Tael spat out his water when he heard this.


    "500 JUNS? WHAT ARE YOU, AN ADDICT?"


    "A-Ahaha! I-It''s a strategy! Make them think you''re an easy target so then you can make more the next time!"


    As Kany was nervously sweating from the interrogation, she swiped her hand from right to left and revealed her mundane classes.


    Gambler Tier 1


    +Your chances to win at random chance games is increased.


    Scavenger Tier 2


    +You can find useful items easier.


    +You are far less likely to hurt yourself while scavenging.


    Glutton Tier 3


    +You can eat 50% more food than a normal person.


    +You eat far faster than a normal person.


    +It takes 4 times as many calories as a normal person to make you fat. (Does not affect physical health.)


    I looked up and down her mundane classes list for a moment.


    "Glutton?"


    "Sorry, Onii-san! I just really like to eat! When I robbed your store I spent about 80% of the money on food!"


    "So you are a thief!"


    "Nobody asked you, Mr. Sparkles."


    Tael and Kany shot one another death glares as I was preparing dinner. My mind was still preoccupied with both my magic and skills. If I can use magic, could I use my magic to amplify my skills? Could I do the inverse? Tael made a big deal out of my multiclassing so it''s possible that this is a one or the other situation¡­


    15 minutes have passed and I have been pestered for every minute of it.


    "Is it ready yet?"


    "I don''t think so."


    "How much longer, Onii-san?"


    "Not too much longer."


    Ad infinitum.


    Eventually, I deemed that the food was ready.


    "Alright, it''s ready. Stop asking me if it''s ready."


    "Yay!" x3


    Everyone grabbed their dinnerware and took a portion of the food I had made. While everyone was eating, we were encompassed by a blissful silence. This silence, however, was very brief.


    "Ah, that was great! More please!"


    "More? It''s only been 20 seconds since I gave you your first serving!"


    "Yeah and now I want more."


    "K-Kany, save some for everyone¡­"


    "But I''m still hungry Erana!"


    It seems like I''ll have to cook for more from now on.

 42 This Hero and The Moonlit Sky!

    After we had finished our dinner, it was time to decide who would be on watch.


    "Alright, how are we doing this?"


    "I feel like a guy and a girl should stay up. We''ll swap out in 4 hours."


    "Why a guy and a girl?"


    "Sorry, Kenji-san. It''s not as if I don''t trust you, but we still don''t know each other very well."


    "A-Ah¡­ I understand¡­"


    "Come on! Hurry up so I can sleep! Kenji, let''s do rock paper scissors to decide who stays up first! Loser takes first watch!"


    "Heh¡­ Alright, but don''t cry when you lose!"


    Tael probably doesn''t realize that since my luck stat is at 10 now I have a higher chance to win at rock paper scissors.


    "Fufufu¡­ Are you ready, Tael?"


    "Let''s do this, Kenji!"


    "Rock-Paper-Scissors!" x2


    I had thrown paper while Tael had thrown scissors.


    Hm? Wait a moment, this isn''t right¡­


    "Haha! I win! That means I get to sleep first!"


    "W-Wait a second! How did you win? My luck stat is 10 now, I shouldn''t have lost!"


    "Hm? My luck stat is 19 now. Remember I leveled up twice?"


    Ah¡­ I made a fatal mistake.


    "Oh my oh my oh my could it be¡­ You''re mad that you lost, Kenji-kun?"


    "S-Shut up! Don''t call me ''Kenji-kun!''"


    Kany and Erana were both watching us as we were arguing.


    "U-Um¡­ That means that Kenji-san and I will take the first watch¡­"


    "Fine¡­ Whatever. At least I won''t have to RESCUE YOU FROM GOBLINS AGAIN!"


    Instead of replying to my banter, Tael merely did a small dance while smugly smiling at me before getting into his new sleeping bag.


    I found a soft mound of dirt and took a seat. Erana sat near me on a mossy stone. Her posture was aloof which contrasted with her elegant demeanor.


    "Well, Kenji-san, I hope that nothing happens while we''re keeping watch!"


    "D-Don''t set flags like that! What is wrong with you people?"


    "Flag? What does that mean?"


    "Oi, Onii-san, Erana, you''re too loud. I need to sleep."


    "Ah, sorry Kany!"


    Kany merely grumbled in response as she settled back into her sleeping bag. Erana and I sat quietly for a little while before the snores of both Tael and Kany assured us that they were asleep.


    The sounds of owls, the chirping of crickets, and the darkness of the sky told us that it was late at night. The soft crackle of the fire and the sound of snoring echoed from our camp.


    "I think we can talk now without waking them up, Kenji-san. Let''s just keep it quiet, just to be sure."


    "A-Alright¡­ What do you want to talk about?"


    Why am I nervous? Is it the ambience? Is it because a girl is talking to me alone while others are asleep? Did I level up the affection meter enough to get this scene?


    "Hm¡­ Tell me more about you, Kenji-san. I don''t know much about you after all."


    "...I''m 18¡­"


    "Ah, the same age as me! When is your birthday?"


    "May 4th¡­"


    "Haha. I''m 2 months older than you!"


    "Why does that matter? We''re the same age!"


    "Because I''ll be 19 while you''re still only 18!"


    "You know for someone older than me you sure are acting childish¡­"


    Erana only giggled in response.


    "Well, tell me more about you! What did you do before you became an adventurer?"


    Ah, the one question I never want to be asked.


    "I¡­ studied¡­ Yeah! That''s what I did!"


    "Why did you just reassure yourself of that?"


    "Don''t worry about it."


    "O-Okay¡­ What did you study?"


    "A lot of things. Sometimes I studied math, other times I studied the power of certain monsters."


    "Wow! So you know a lot about monsters? You didn''t know what a hobgoblin was though¡­"


    "I-I only read books with text! No pictures!"


    "Oh, I see¡­ That makes sense."


    "What about you? What did you do before you became an adventurer?"


    "I lived with my father. He''s the one that taught me how to camp and forage. He''s the reason why I chose to become a druid."


    "Hm¡­ He sounds like an interesting man. I''d like to meet him some time."


    "Ah¡­ I''m sorry Kenji-san, that''s not possible anymore¡­" Erana moved her gaze downwards. I could no longer see her eyes. I messed up.


    "Oh I see¡­" was the only thing I was capable of saying in response.


    Why did I not expect that to be the case? I really am an idiot.


    Erana raised her head and looked at me once more. "It''s alright, Kenji-san. You didn''t know. It''s not your fault."


    "What about your mother then?" I blurted out.


    Instead of saying anything, Erana simply looked away from me again. That must mean I just got to strike two.


    "Sorry. Let''s just change topics then, shall we?"


    "Yeah..."


    We sat awkwardly for a moment. Small talk has never been my forte. Being unsure of what to say, I decided to go with a topic that I had asked Tael before.


    "Hm¡­ Why did you become an adventurer?"


    "Before I lost my father, he gave me a certain task¡­ To put it simply, I found a reason to be strong. That is all." Erana looked straight towards me with determined eyes that were as sharp as a knife.


    The mood is so tense. I didn''t know that Erana''s past would be such a landmine.


    "Why did you become an adventurer, Kenji-san?"


    "Me? I told this to Tael before, and promise you won''t laugh, but I plan to defeat the demon king."


    "Defeat the demon king? Really?"


    "So you think it''s impossible too¡­"


    "No, I don''t think it''s impossible¡­ I don''t want to get into too many details, but let''s just say our goals are similar¡­"


    "Oh really? Well¡­ That''s a load off of my mind I guess¡­"


    Similar goals, huh? That''s interesting. I wonder why she wants to take on the demon king¡­


    We sat quietly for a little while. It didn''t seem like either of us were going to talk, but I couldn''t stand the silence so I decided to say the first thing that came to my mind.


    "I-If you had one wish, what would you wish for?"


    "Eh? A wish? What kind of wish?"


    "That''s exactly what I wanted to ask!"


    "Huh? What are you talking about?"


    I realized that I had just blurted out something unnecessary.


    "I-I-I mean¡­ That''s a smart thing to ask!"


    "Oh, alright. So what kind of wish do I get?"


    "A¡­ A wish you can use to do whatever you want¡­"


    "Whatever I want¡­" Erana placed a finger on her chin as she began to think.


    "I would want to have the forests that have been destroyed by the demon king to be healed. If not that, just my own home¡­ What about you, Kenji-san?"


    What would I wish for? Now that I think about it, God said he would give me a wish if I defeated the demon king. I haven''t really thought about it though¡­


    "Kenji-san?"


    "Oh, sorry. I was just¡­ thinking about some stuff."


    "I shouldn''t have expected anything else!"


    I took a deep breath and composed myself. I don''t want to come off as some wistful person. I''ve never been one for sappy scenes in manga or anime either.


    "I-If I got a wish, I would use it to tell my family that I''m doing okay."


    "Your family? You would use a wish just to do that?"


    "Yeah. I don''t know how they reacted when I was¡­ separated from them, though knowing my parents¡­ My dad acts stoic and tough. He said that a man needs to work hard for his family and needs to be strong, but I know that he''s really a softy on the inside. I remember once when it was raining he brought a cat home and said ''He was so cold! I couldn''t just leave him there!'' My mom and I grew apart when she started working at a job. She would always come home exhausted from work. I wasn''t able to spend much time with her and now that I can''t see her anymore, knowing her, I would bet that she feels guilty for not spending much time with me when she could. My younger sister and I stopped spending time together when I turned 14. It''s my fault that we drifted apart, so I hope she doesn''t resent me or anything¡­ I don''t think that their lives are going to stop just because I''m not around anymore. I just don''t want them to worry about me."


    Erana was simply staring at me and giving me a gentle smile. Her soft youthful face was dyed amber by the light of the fire. I don''t know if it''s the ambience or if it''s the mood that Erana is giving off specifically, but her stare is embarrassing me. I think I''ve said too much.


    "S-Sorry¡­ I went off on a tangent there¡­"


    "No, I understand. I hope you can reunite with your family some time soon, Kenji-san."


    "A-Ah¡­ Thank you, but I don''t think that''s going to happen."


    "Heh¡­ I thought you were this tough guy, but it''s nice to see a different side of you. You even have a sister! That''s a surprise!"


    I began to blush. Don''t look down on me, Erana!


    "I-I have emotions too!"


    Erana covered her face and began to giggle. I couldn''t help myself and began to laugh a bit too. Our laughter melded into the sounds of the night as the atmosphere had lost its tension and become as warm as the fire we were gathered around.


    We sat together for a few more hours before it was time to swap out with Kany and Tael.

 43 This Hero and The Morning After!

    "Oi, Onii-san, I''m hungry. Wake up."


    I grumbled as I slowly awakened. Kany was lightly kicking my stomach in an effort to wake me up faster. The sky was no longer dark, but instead I could see the faint glittering of dawn. The grass in front of me glistened with the morning dew.


    Slowly, I brought myself up from my sleeping position. I got out of my sleeping bag to stretch. The slight chill of morning greeted me and assisted in the process of removing the lingering slumber from my body.


    "Kenjiiii! I''m hungryyyyy!"


    "That sounds like a you problem, Tael."


    "It''s gonna be an ''our'' problem if you don''t start cooking, Onii-san."


    "What are you, gremlins?"


    As our group began its daily banter, I could hear the shuffling noises of Erana awakening.


    "*Yawn¡­* Ah¡­ Good morning¡­"


    Erana was wiping her eyes lazily in the morning light. I don''t know why, but I''m nervous when I look at her now. I can''t look her in the eye. Maybe it''s because the ambience from last night is gone?


    "Oi, what''s breakfast?"


    "Huh? Oh¡­ I think I planned oats and igripps today. It''s nothing special but it''s pretty good when you add a few spices to it."


    Kany sat obediently on the ground in response to my answer. Tael also appears to be acting more obediently. It seems as if food is a good way to calm them down. I should keep note of that for the future.


    Now that I think about it, these two were alone together all of the previous night. I hope they were fine with being alone together for that long...


    I reached into my rucksack and pulled out a jar that was filled to the brim with oats. Since I knew that this would be a multi-day trip, I had planned our meals ahead of time. I will restock on supplies when we get to Mulbik tonight.


    I scooted myself towards the still burning fire and placed my cooking pot on top of it. I then poured some water into the pot and the oats followed suit. Once I had finished preparing the oats, I pulled out a small orange fruit called an "igripp" which has a very citrusy taste that is reminiscent of an orange. I pulled out my adamantite knife and began to slowly peel the igripps one by one.


    "Woah¡­" Tael let out. It seems that my ability to cook simple breakfast items is impressive to him.


    "You should open a restaurant, Onii-san."


    "Really? It''s just oatmeal..."


    "Maybe, but if your dinner last night was an indication then you have some good skills!"


    I simply shrugged at Kany''s declaration. It seems as if the basic ability to cook oatmeal should not be taken for granted in this world. If I fail as an adventurer, at least I have a backup plan.


    "Thank you for cooking for us, Kenji-san."


    I suddenly felt a chill go up my spine as I heard Erana address me. My sluggish morning nerves have been woken back up by my anxiety at the anticipation of how Erana will act towards me now.


    Erana seemed to take this as my morning nerves, so she just went over to Kany and they began to help each other smooth out their hair. I, meanwhile, continued to prepare breakfast. As I was doing so, Tael shuffled himself very close to me and subtly cast a spell.


    (So¡­ Did anything juicy happen last night between you and Erana?) I heard Tael ask in my head.


    (N-No! We just talked!)


    (Oh? Then why are you acting so nervously? Honestly Kenji, pulling moves on our first night! You sly dog!)


    "S-Shut up!" I blurted out. It seems like I didn''t respond with my mind, but instead with my actual voice.


    "Hm? What''s wrong, Kenji-san?"


    "N-Nothing! Haha! I just had a bug fly near my ear and it was annoying!" I said as I turned towards Tael.


    (Hey man, you gotta be careful! I cast this spell quietly so they wouldn''t know what was going on!) I heard in my head.


    (Well it''s not like you''re making it easy for me! Why do you need to get in my business so much?)


    (So there IS business!)


    (N-No there''s not!)


    "I knew it, you two are having some psychic talk."


    Tael and I both turned around in shock as Kany was standing over us. Despite being the shortest member of the group, Kany appeared to be larger than life right now with her arms crossed and a strong frown on her face. This was dumb of me, I should have expected the rogue to sneak up like this.


    "So¡­ Wanna let me know what you two are talking about?"


    "Huh? Oh, Kenji and I were just talking about¡­ the weather! Yeah! The weather!"


    (Tael, why do you have to come up with such a bad excuse?)


    (Don''t get on me about this man! I''m bad under pressure!)


    "The weather, huh? Odd that you had to use magic to talk about that¡­" Kany was obviously letting us know that she was not going along with our excuse.


    Forced to go along with Tael, I decided to double down.


    "Yeah! The weather! Tael was just telling me about a bad time he had with a certain type of weather so he hopes that we don''t have it today! It''s really personal so that''s why he was using his magic for it!"


    "Oh? Tael-san, you had a bad experience with a certain type of weather? I can explain what certain types of weather mean for you if you want¡­"


    "N-no! That won''t be necessary, Erana! Thank you though! And Kenji is absolutely correct!"


    "Hmm¡­" Kany placed her hand on her chin. It looks like she''s deep in thought right now about whether or not she should believe us or not. After a moment, Kany seems to have made her decision as she let out a big sigh.


    "...Fine. Personal stuff is personal stuff. Just keep it together next time, alright?"


    Kany went back over to Erana and began to comb her hair once more. Tael and I quietly let out sighs of relief. By the time that our life or death experience ended, breakfast was ready.


    Instead of making a grand declaration, I decided to instead be direct.


    "Food."


    "Yay!" x3


    Everyone took a bowl of the oatmeal and gobbled it down like pigs to slop.


    "More please, Onii-san!"


    "I prepared ahead of time. Here you go."


    "Yay!"


    "Keni-san, What do you think will happen today?"


    "Today? Probably a lot of walking. According to the map at the guild and what Yimmie said, we should arrive sometime in the evening. Once we get there we need to find an inn and get rooms there. I don''t want us causing trouble on the first night, understood?"


    Both Tael and Kany nervously glanced at one another at my insinuation.


    "W-Well, Onii-san, I don''t plan on causing trouble! This jun store magician might cause trouble though!"


    "Oi! Why am I the problem? You''re the literal thief!"


    "I may be a thief but at least I don''t declare each of my actions like a child!"


    "I may declare my spells like a child but at least I don''t look like one!"


    "Umm¡­ Everyone please calm down¡­" Erana meekly let out.


    I could feel the electricity between these two. Honestly I''m surprised they didn''t wake us up last night.


    "Honestly, I thought Kany and Tael-san would become better friends if they kept watch together! Kenji-san and I did!"


    I could feel my own face flush red when Erana casually made this declaration. It appears as if I''m in the friend zone¡­ Wait I''ve only known this girl for less than a week! Why am I getting hung up on this?


    "We may argue, but we''re not going to be too loud at night. I respect people''s sleep! I''m used to being quiet at night anyway!"


    The three of us chuckled at Tael''s declaration. Tael, however, seemed to not understand what his statement implied.


    We finished eating our breakfast and broke down camp.


    "Alright¡­ Next stop: Mulbik!"


    "Alright! Adventure number 2! Let''s do this!"

 44 This Hero and The Road Ahead!

    We have left camp and have resumed our trip towards the village of Mulbik. According to what a certain birdbrain told us, we should arrive by the end of the day at the latest.


    The road ahead of us was still lightly forested. The path we were walking upon had been cleared of grass and appeared to be commonly traveled, so we shouldn''t have too many problems. I am at the front of the group while Kany takes up the rear. Tael and Erana are walking side by side.


    "...This is a bit boring." I let out. Our walk hasn''t had anything happen for the entire duration. We''ve just been silently walking for a while without any interruptions. It''s not as if I want us to encounter problems, but walking for hours without any distractions is fairly agonizing.


    "I don''t mind it. Being able to spend time with people in silence means that you''re comfortable with them. When my father and I would hunt, there were times when we wouldn''t talk to one another for an entire day!"


    "Not all of us are like you, Erana. I''m on Onii-san''s side on this one. Anyone got any ideas for something we can do to pass the time?"


    "Hmm¡­ I''ve always wanted to give a lecture on the basics of magic¡­"


    "Let''s do that!" I said energetically. I''ve wanted to know where magic comes from and how it works for a while now.


    "Let''s not." x2


    It seems that Kany and Erana don''t want to listen to Tael giving a lecture. Erana probably already knows about how magic works and Kany probably just doesn''t want to listen to a lecture from Tael.


    "Sorry, but it''s a majority vote! The one that proposes the idea doesn''t get a vote Mr. Sparkles!"


    "Huh? How is that fair?"


    "It isn''t." x2


    Tael grumbled in response.


    The group began to bicker about what they would like to do. I enclosed myself within my thoughts for a moment before coming to a conclusion.


    "Where I''m from, there''s this game called shiritori. We could try that."


    "Shiritori? What''s that, Kenji-san?"


    "It''s a word play game. I have to change it a bit to work in this language, but the rules are pretty simple. Someone says a word and someone else has to follow up with a word that starts with the letter that the previous word ended with. For example: ''Sword'' would be followed by ''Dragon.'' Does that make sense?"


    "It sounds interesting enough¡­ Wait, Kenji you speak a different language?"


    "Huh?"


    "Yeah, I heard him say it too¡­"


    "Oh my, Kenji-san where are you from originally?"


    Ah, I messed up. This is something I can''t reveal to them yet. They''ll call me crazy or something¡­


    "I''m from¡­ a distant land. That''s all I can tell you."


    "Really? I heard that there aren''t many people from other places. Why do you want to fight the demon king then?"


    "I told you I promised someone I would, Tael."


    "There goes my escape plan¡­"


    "What is the language you used to speak called, Kenji-san?"


    "Um¡­"


    "Yeah! Maybe I''ve read about it before!"


    "It''s called¡­"


    "Hm?" x3


    Why am I so nervous? Marix knew what Japan was so it''s not like I''ll be crucified or something for stating my place of origin¡­ Whatever, I''ll do it!


    "...Japanese."


    "Japanese? I''ve never heard of that language¡­"


    "Me either."


    "Myself as well¡­ Kenji-san, where is it from?"


    "It''s¡­ an island called... Japan..."


    "An island called Japan where everyone speaks a language called ''Japanese''?"


    "Yes! Please stop repeating what I say!"


    "You must have sailed a long way to have come from an island with its own language, Kenji. I''ve never heard of an island called Japan that has its own language. I thought the empire made languages other than Kardi illegal to practice¡­"


    "W-Well, I doubt anyone here speaks it! Anyways, Shiritori! Let''s do this!"


    "Ah, alright¡­ How do we start?"


    "Hm¡­ I think we should start with¡­ Huh?"


    "Huh? That''s not a word, Kenji!"


    "No, What was that over there?"


    I pointed towards something a bit ahead in the treeline. I can''t make out what exactly the thing that was drawing my attention was, but it appeared to be bipedal like a human.


    Our group assumed a combat formation in response to my apprehension. Slowly, we walked off of the trail and went towards where I saw the figure.


    "Who''s there? I saw you so it''s best to not try to hide!" I shouted out. Though I would like to have as much confidence as my statement suggests, knowing that classes like rogue exist makes me fear that there could be a bandit with similar abilities.


    "Hm? Nyow* who is this?" A voice answered.


    (*Similar to a cat meow.)


    "We asked first! You answer."


    "Hmm¡­ I suppose that is only fair¡­ I am Yasri. I intend no harm if you do nyot."


    "We do not¡­ Show yourself."


    "Ah¡­ No I will nyot. You tell me who you are nyow."


    Our group seemed uncomfortable, but I decided that answering wouldn''t do any harm.


    "We''re adventurers. We''re on a mission to go to the town of Mulbik."


    "Ah! Good, good! I know Mulbik! I will lead you there!"


    Suddenly, a humanoid shape gracefully dropped down from the tree above us. This person was obviously not human. They had a tail like a cat, ears like a cat, paws like a cat¡­ face like a cat¡­ They''re a cat person. This is literally a cat person. A 170cm tall cat person that seems to be capable of human speech. This cat person is wearing a pair of grey short shorts and a tank top. Her fur is also grey. It seems like footwear isn''t a thing for cat people.


    Wait¡­ God said that there were cat girls¡­


    "HE LIED TO ME!" I shouted out.


    "E-Eh? Kenji-san, who lied to you? What''s going on?"


    "N-Nothing! It''s nothing just¡­ regret. Anyway, let''s follow this Yasri person¡­"


    "...Okay."


    The cat woman named Yasri beckoned us to follow her. Though we were still a bit apprehensive about the situation, we decided in the end to follow where she was leading us.


    "Follow me. I knyow the way." She said.


    As we were following her, I nudged Tael on the shoulder and indicated for him to cast his mind connection spell.


    (What''s up, Kenji? Do you think something is wrong?)


    (No¡­ I just wanted to know what species that person is. I''ve never seen it before¡­)


    (Oh, her? She''s probably a linxy. They''re people that are the descendants of chimeras basically. Genetic merging with humans led to cats being the dominant type. I heard that they naturally have a level in rogue, like how I had a level in wizard.)


    (I see¡­ Do you think she''s dangerous?)


    (If she is, I bet we can handle her. She doesn''t look like a fighter of any type. Is this why you had me cast the spell, Kenji?)


    (No, it''s because of the cat ears. Cats can hear really well compared to humans.)


    (Ah, that makes sense.)


    "Come, come! We go to my village!"


    "Your village?"


    "Yes! I put out a request for adventurers! We have had problems lately!"


    "Oh, you requested us? Why did you do that, Yasri-san?"


    "It is because people have gone missing. We do nyot want this to continue."


    "That''s awful¡­"


    "Well it''s good that we''re here to fix it! Right everyone?" Kany shouted out.


    "Yeah. We''ll do our best to help you."


    "That is good to hear."


    We followed Yasri for around an hour through the treeline. Tael grew a bit impatient.


    "Why are we going through the forest? Surely the road is faster¡­"


    "The road is faster for the carriages. We take a direct route when we walk. This is faster."


    Tael couldn''t argue with Yasri''s explanation, so he just went quiet after that. Soon, the treeline opened up and revealed a small farming village. I could count only around 50 houses in total. This village is very rustic. Each house that I can see is made of wood. There appear to be no stone buildings here.


    "Welcome to my home. This is Mulbik." Yasri said.

 45 This Hero Arrives At Mulbik!

    We walked along a dirt path. Though this village has at least 50 homes, there are very few people outside. The atmosphere is fairly eerie. The silence is almost deafening. The only thing that reminds us that we are going anywhere at all is the sound of our feet colliding with the dirt with each step. It seems that even the often unaware Tael has taken notice.


    "Hey¡­ where is everyone?" He asked while fluttering his head from left to right nervously.


    "They are inside. People are afraid of being snyatched away, so they stay in their homes."


    "That''s awful¡­" Erana muttered while holding a hand to her face.


    "Hey¡­ we''re not going to be snatched away too, are we?"


    "We''re adventurers. We should be able to take care of ourselves."


    As we walked, we could see many different fields filled with different crops. It seems as if the harvest hasn''t gone poorly since the fields are abundantly filled. There were some farm animals, such as cows, that stared at us as we passed. Whatever has been taking people hasn''t been taking farm animals it seems. It also seems like whatever has been taking people is also uninterested in vegetation like the produce that is being grown. Whatever this thing is, it''s probably carnivorous.


    After some time, Yasri had finished escorting us to her home. The old wooden building was covered in moss and vines which clearly indicated its age. Despite the buildings age, it was fairly small. It was barely even a single story tall. The best word to use to describe this building is "quaint."


    "You are welcome to my home. Your journey has been long. Come inside for tea. I will explain more." She said as she walked up to her front door and opened it.


    We chose to accept her hospitality as we stepped inside of the small rustic home. As we entered, dust spewed out of the interior. This building must be old if this much dust accumulates that easily.


    The walls are littered with a multitude of different shelves that contain jars of various unlabeled things or hold picture frames with many different images on them. There is an old faded rug on the ground and a small sofa against a wall. Each of the windows is covered by a set of faded cloth blinds which look old enough to be family heirlooms on their own. In the middle of the room there is a small wooden table that is barely big enough to fit all four of us around it. On top of the table, there is a cat sitting on top of it.


    "Ah! Kitty!" Kany shouted as she ran towards the cat.


    "Meow" The cat replied. It quietly began to purr once Kany started to pet it.


    "That one is named Vasha. She is a good cat. Please, have a seat. I will return shortly."


    Yasri gestured towards the sofa and chairs nearby as she left for a side room. Not wanting to be rude, I went to the sofa and took a seat. Since I had gone first, nobody was hesitant to sit with me.


    "Hm? Why can''t she own a cat, Kenji-san?"


    "Well it''d be like if I owned a tiny human as a pet and I kept that human indoors and naked!"


    "Kenji, linxy are not cats. That''s really rude, man."


    "W-What? Why is it rude? Kany! I''m not crazy am I?"


    "Too busy petting cat. Don''t bother me."


    I''m not crazy, right? No, it''s everyone else that is wrong! That''s gotta be it!


    I continued to assure myself of my sanity until Yasri returned to the room with a tray of tea.


    "It seems that Vasha likes you." Yasri told Kany.


    "Hehe!" Kany smiled widely.


    I pat my legs hard. It''s time to discuss our situation.


    "Alright. First thing''s first: I am Kenji. He''s Tael, The girl near me is Erana and the girl that is petting your cat like a maniac is named Kany. It is nice to meet you Yasri-san. Please tell us what''s going on with the village."


    "Very well. Around a week ago a few farmers went missing. We sent some people to look for them, but they also disappeared¡­"


    "How many people have disappeared so far?"


    "11 people have disappeared so far. We do nyot know where they could have gone¡­"


    11 people¡­ That''s a lot to just disappear without any fanfare. Was this just a minor problem that piled up?


    "It''s springtime. Are you sure that it''s not just predatory animals or monsters that have woken up and began hunting again?"


    "Though we have checked for that possibility, we have been unable to find any remnants of the missing people. Someone that was attacked would drop something like clothing or blood, but we have nyot found any¡­"


    Our group made an uncomfortable noise at that. No physical evidence that people had been hurt or taken. This is going to make the people far harder to find.


    "Who has gone missing so far? Is there any link between the people that have gone missing?"


    "The people that have gone missing so far have been men. The men that were taken were farmers. The initial disappearances were all farmers, but we had to get strong men to search for them so we had to call upon more farmers so that may have skewed the amount a bit¡­"


    "Only men have disappeared?" Erana asked.


    "Yes."


    A creature that only hunts a specific gender? That''s odd.


    "Do any of the farmers that have gone missing have wives?"


    "Oi, Kenji! Ease up on the dogging!"


    "I-I''m not dogging! This could be useful information!"


    "There are two. It is a sad situation. They wait for their husbands to come home every nyight to no avail."


    "Okay. Let''s go meet them right now then!" Kany interjected. Since her entire body is coated in fur, it seems that she''s had enough of petting the cat.


    "W-Wait! We just got here! It''s already late in the day and there''s no knowing the whole story just yet. We need to milk every piece of information out of Yasri as possible first!"


    "M-Milk me?"


    "Not like that."


    "V-Very well. Ask any more questions you may have."


    I placed my hand upon my chin as I began to think about any other information we may need.


    "Has this ever been a problem here before?"


    "Nyever."


    So that discredits seasonal monsters or animals that have moved into the area.


    "Were any of the farmers acting strangely prior to disappearing?"


    "Nyot that I know of."


    "Are there any people that are new in town aside from us?"


    "No, but people have come and gone through here on occasion."


    So that eliminates the possibility that it was some random passerby.


    "Was there a specific area that was searched?"


    "No. We searched the surrounding area."


    "When was the search conducted?"


    "In the late afternyoon."


    So whatever is taking people isn''t nocturnal.


    "What day?"


    "Last week on Wednesday."


    "Was the search party armed?"


    "Nyot with weapons like you, but they had pitchforks and torches."


    "How many people were in the search party?"


    "4 men."


    Tael and Kany''s heads were spinning at my onslaught of questions at this point.


    "What are you in this village?"


    "If you mean my position, I am the village representative. I conduct the census and ensure taxes are filed properly."


    "Is it possible someone is doing this to get back at you? An ex lover perhaps?"


    "K-Kenji-san!"


    "N-No¡­ That is nyot possible."


    "Hmm¡­"


    I think I''ve asked all I need to. Now I just need to ensure that we are also taken care of.


    "Where will we be staying while we conduct this investigation?"


    "Ah, there is an inn that you can stay at."


    "What is this inn called?"


    "The inn has no nyame. It is the only inn in the village."


    "...I see. Are our accommodations paid for?"


    "No¡­"


    So we''re expected to pay to stay here¡­ Whatever. It shouldn''t be much of a problem.


    "Do you have ANY other information that may be useful to us?"


    "N-No I do nyot think I do. You are very¡­ thorough with your questions."


    "Very well. We will go to this inn then. If we still have time today before we go to sleep for the night then we will go and investigate. Otherwise, we will start in the morning tomorrow. Is that alright with you?"


    "Yes. That is fine. Allow me to escort you to the inn."


    Yasri stood up and began to head out of the door. Kany seems to have formed a bond with the cat and was sad to leave it.


    "*Sniffle¡­* Goodbye Vasha! I hope we meet again!"


    "Come on you small time robber. We''re going."


    "*Sniffle¡­* Okay¡­"


    With that, our group was escorted to the local inn by Yasri. The sun had already begun to go down, so it seems like we will probably need to begin investigating tomorrow.

 46 Intermission.

    I walked through the marble hallway that had been polished to perfection. My boots made an audible clack with each step I took. I took in my surroundings as I walked. This hallway was decorated with items of incredible value, as was befitting of an organization of such status. I could almost see each vase or painting frame sparkle from its pristine gleam. Truly, this place was the definition of sublime. Whenever I come here, I know that I will be proud of the fact that I work here.


    I approached the large double door. Of course, I would not open the door myself. Someone of my position would never stoop to doing something so menial. This is a job for those of a lower position.


    "Open it." I instructed the servant to my right. Without saying a word, the servant went over to the door and opened it gracefully. These actions had obviously been repeated so many times that this was the most perfected version of this move. I could only appreciate the skill behind these movements.


    I stepped through the now open doorway and stepped into a room with a large table and a single chair. This is my boss''s room. He has summoned all seven of us to meet with him. It has been some time since this has last occurred and this usually means that something has gone wrong. Whatever the issue is, I know that I personally am doing my job just fine so I should not have any specific issues.


    Shortly after I had entered the room, the door behind me opened once more. Stepping through the doorway, a thin feminine figure draped in black robes and wearing a pristine mask emerged. I am also wearing a very similar mask to the one she is wearing. Each of us are assigned a mask which dictates our position in the organization.


    "Ah. It appears as if I am not the first one here. What a shame."


    "Don''t trouble yourself. I was already in the area so I was able to arrive quickly."


    "Trying to be humble now? That''s new. You should keep it up, maybe more people will like you if you do this."


    I simply smiled at her jesting. This woman and I have known one another for a long time, so I like to put on a different act every time we meet. It is a little game that we play with one another.


    Our enjoyable reunion was cut short, however, as the door behind us opened once more and another high ranking member of our organization emerged. Stepping through the doorway, a man that was at least 9 feet tall emerged. His muscles bulged with a multitude of veins. This man obviously was a house for raw power. This man also bore an intricate and pristine mask.


    "It is good to see that you two have arrived ahead of time. Punctuality is a good thing."


    "To you as well."


    The enormous man simply stepped up towards the table and stood still. He is entirely business, so this was expected.


    "Only 4 to go¡­ Who is going to be last, I wonder?"


    "Really? I think it will be the shortest one. They have short legs, after all. It only makes sense that they would arrive-"


    The door opened once more and another figure emerged. This figure was only around a meter tall. Despite their stature, I could easily sense the power and intelligence coming from them. It seems like I was wrong.


    "It appears as if I am on time, that it does."


    "Yes, it is true. Good work."


    "I thank you, that I do." The short one said as it went to a spot near the huge one and stood in a similar manner.


    "Seems you were wrong."


    "That it does¡­"


    Before we were able to divulge in continued conversation, the door opened once more. This time, an incredibly thin man that was wearing an incomprehensibly expensive suit stepped through.


    "My apologies for arriving so late. I had to talk to one of my children about something."


    "Kids are hard to deal with, aren''t they?"


    "Hmm¡­ Yes." The man replied as he stepped to another spot in front of the table.


    "Only two left. Who wants to wager on who will be last?"


    "Hmph. Gambling is a fools game. Chance is the resort of those that cannot force absolutes." The large man said.


    "That may be true, but chance exists in everything, that it does." The short man replied.


    "I''ll take you up on the wager. I bet 2 million juns that it will be the grotesque man that is last." The man in the suit declared.


    2 million juns¡­ Can I afford to make that wager right now? I know that the man in the suit can easily match that and more. Should I take this bet?


    Before I could decide, the door opened once more and a youthful woman stepped through. Her skin was lightly tanned and despite her youthful appearance, I could tell that she had the wisdom that results from age.


    "Ah. I am not last! That''s good." She said.


    "Hmph. We were not able to agree on the bet amount, so I will not hold you to it." The suited man said. I quietly brushed off my foreheads beading sweat. I don''t want to imagine what would have happened to me if I owed him that amount of money.


    "It is ridiculous. He is always the last one to arrive. There are two things I hate in this world: Those that are not punctual, and those that do not respect those in positions above them. He does neither." The large man declared.


    While we may all hold our own opinions about several things, we all held our boss in high regards. All of us silently agreed with the large man''s statement.


    After another moment of waiting, the door opened the final time. A man that appeared to be twice the weight of an already obese man waddled through. Each step he took made the ground slightly shake under his weight. The sight of this man could only be described as "grotesque." Despite his appearance, he did not smell bad.


    "Ah¡­ Sorry¡­ For¡­ Being¡­ Late. I¡­ Took¡­ A¡­ Bath."


    From his size, thoroughly bathing probably takes a considerably long amount of time. Though we were frustrated that he was late, we also appreciated the effort he took to be in as pristine a state as he could be for his appearance in front of the boss, so we all silently agreed to let our anger go.


    "We have gathered. Now we wait." The woman in the dark suit declared. We all stood in our specific positions in front of the table and kneeled down. Why are we kneeling? Because we owe everything to our boss of course! He is the best boss any of us have ever had! We owe everything to him, so kneeling before him is only logical.


    We kneeled for over a minute in pure silence. None of us were so boorish as to speak before we had been given permission.


    After another minute, a door to the side of us opened and we could hear the very powerful steps of our boss. He walked to his chair and took a seat. Once he had confirmed that each of us were present, he gave an affirming noise.


    "You may raise your heads. Thank you all for arriving on time." He said.


    Each of us slowly raised our heads. Our vision was now filled with the visage of our boss. A man that belonged to the top of the top. Someone that I do not mind saying is superior to me in every way.


    "Good. Then we shall begin our meeting. I trust that all of you are well?"


    "Yes sir!" We all replied in unison. It would not be unreasonable to believe that we had practiced ahead of time to say this.


    "Very good. I would like to start with a minor report from each of you. Have any of you had any troubles?" Our boss turned to his right and looked at the thin man first.


    "I have had no troubles in the duty that you have assigned to me. Thank you for your concern, sir."


    Our boss simply turned his head slightly to the left to indicate to the next man to speak.


    "No issues. I have completed the task you have assigned for me and the results of it should bear fruit soon, sir." The large man declared.


    Once again, our boss moved slightly to the left.


    "There have been no problems on my end, there have not." The short man announced.


    "I had a few problems, but I have since resolved them." The tanned woman stated.


    "No¡­ Problems¡­ Sir." The grotesque man said.


    "I have been working tirelessly for you, sir!" Announced the woman to my left.


    Finally it was up to me. How do I say this¡­


    "We''ve¡­ hit a snag in our developments, sir. The opposing company is declining our offers as you would say. They don''t seem to wish to budge¡­"


    "Hm¡­" The boss let out. I had goosebumps. I don''t want to let the boss down. I could feel the uncomfortable atmosphere begin to rise in the room. I could not tell, however, if the tension was a result of the distaste or the empathy of my fellow employees.


    "Why are you having trouble?" The boss asked me.


    "Sir! It is hard to establish a working method for corporate takeover! The opposing party is too stubborn!" I declared. I know this is an excuse, but I have no other option. My anxiety and fear are at their limit.


    Slowly, our boss stood from his chair and placed his hands on the table in front of him.


    "What do you propose that we do?" He asked me.


    "I¡­ I don''t know, sir. Perhaps we could use brute force? I have not attempted that yet, but that is because doing that would potentially cause more problems for you in the future¡­"


    "I see¡­ You considered me when making these decisions. I am grateful for your thoughtfulness."


    "T-Thank you, sir¡­" I calmed down somewhat. The boss seems to be accepting of my screw up.


    "However, your consideration led to you being slow in your actions and as such has now created its own issue."


    I immediately reverted back to being afraid. This isn''t good. I have goosebumps.


    "Hm¡­ Does anyone here have any suggestions?" The boss asked.


    "Perhaps a buyout sir. An instant take over through the absolute. That is what I would recommend." The tall man said.


    "Hm¡­" The boss pondered the tall man''s idea for a moment.


    "Perhaps you should go with the long game and wait them out, that you should." The short man followed up.


    "A long game? That''s insulting." The woman to my left replied.


    "Maybe diplomacy shall work?" The suited man offered.


    "These are all well and good options¡­" The boss trailed off.


    "Perhaps¡­ you¡­ should-" The grotesque man began.


    "Quiet for a moment. I need to think." The boss cut him off.


    All of us went silent as soon as he said this. It was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.


    "Hm¡­ I have been bored here. I shall go and take care of this myself." The boss finally stated.


    "W-What? T-The boss¡­ going there?" I stammered. Though this was not unheard of, this is rare.


    "Yes. Is there an issue with that?" The boss asked me.


    "O-Of course there is! You could¡­ be in danger!" I managed to say.


    "Hmph. If I were truly in danger then none of you could solve it either." The boss replied to my reasoning.


    "B-Boss¡­ Are you¡­ sure about this?" The tan woman quietly asked.


    "I have been rather bored here. I may as well go around and see the world for a little bit, shall I?"


    We were all silent after he said this. None of us could muster a reason to reply.


    "No objections? Very well. Then I shall go. Of course, you shall accompany me." The boss pat me on the shoulder. Though his grip was gentle, I could feel the oppression that it held. I was a mere bug in front of the storm that he was.


    "Y-Yes sir¡­" I was able to mutter.


    "Very well. The rest of you are dismissed. Stay safe out there!"


    "Yes sir!" x6


    With that, everyone left the room and only myself and the boss remained.


    "They all do such fine work, don''t they?" The boss asked.


    "Y-Yes sir! The ones you''ve selected are the best of the best!"


    "Yes they are. Let''s head out. I haven''t left this place in some time so I''m excited to see the world! Are there any good restaurants that you know of that we could visit before we do the job?"


    "I-I know of a place that serves a good curry¡­"


    "Wonderful! Then we shall go and have this ''curry'' and then we shall conduct business! Let''s go!" The boss started to head out the door.


    "Y-Yes sir!" I managed to stammer out as we left the room.

 47 This Hero and Tael Hang Out!

    "This shall be your home for the time being." Yasri declared while pointing at a large wooden building. This structure was larger than any other building in this village and appeared to be two stories tall. Hanging out in front of the front door, I could see a sign that simply had a crescent moon scribed in. From my time in this world, I have learned that this indicated that the building is an inn.


    The walls of the inn were coated in a thin layer of green moss. This building must be one of the oldest landmarks in the entire village. Since the sun had almost gone down, we decided that we should go into the inn before we try anything else today.


    As we walked towards the entrance, a man that reeked of alcohol burst through the door. His face and clothing is covered in visible stains from a multitude of different substances, most likely vomit, and his face is a flushed red. This man is the quintessential visage of a drunk person.


    "Ah¡­ Sorry about that." He said as he stumbled away.


    "Is this¡­ common here?" I asked Yasri.


    "Since the disappearances started, some people have been depressed and have turned to drinking."


    "Ah, I see¡­"


    Instead of being deterred, I decided to gather myself and walked through the front door. I may have not left a big impression at the adventurer guild, but this time will be different! Now I have my party behind me! Let''s go!


    The sound of a creaking floorboard and the sight of old wooden furniture greeted me. There were multiple tables with chairs inside. Many people were sitting down and drinking or eating food. There is a bar counter in the far corner with a man that is polishing a glass standing behind it. To the left there is a stairway upwards towards what appears to be rooms. To the right of the bar, there appear to be a small stage. In contrast to the morose exterior, the interior of this building was very lively and jovial. People seemed to enjoy spending their time drinking here.


    Taking the initiative, I stepped confidently into the room and approached the bar.


    "Good evening! We need lodging."


    The man behind the bar just looked lazily towards me for a moment before he sighed and slowly approached me.


    "*Sigh¡­* Alright. How many rooms do you need?" He muttered.


    Hey, come on man. Give me some energy!


    I turned towards the rest of my party so that we could decide.


    "Erana and I will take a room together. Onii-san and the overgrown child can have their own room."


    "I agree with Kany."


    "Getting called an overgrown child by someone that is an appropriately grown child¡­"


    "Alright. Sounds like a plan then."


    I turned back towards the innkeeper once we had decided.


    "We need 2 rooms please. 2 beds per room. Can you do that?"


    The innkeeper merely let out a defeated sigh.


    "Rooms are 20 juns a night." He quickly said.


    "Tael, we''re sharing the room so you pay for half."


    "Huh? I already bought the sleeping bag! Why do I need to pay for a room now?"


    "Do you want to sleep outside?"


    "No¡­"


    "Then pay the man." I gave Tael a death glare.


    Responding to the pressure of my visage, Tael immediately pulled out 10 juns and handed them to the innkeeper.


    "Hm¡­ Fine." The innkeeper said while reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out a rusty metal key with the label of "2" on it.


    "Here''s your room key. Room 2." He said as he tossed me the key.


    "Alright. Tael and I are going to head up to our room!" I told the girls.


    "Got it, Onii-san."


    "See you soon, Kenji-san, Tael-san."


    Tael and I walked up the stairs and towards the door labeled "2." I placed the key into the keyhole of the door and heard an audible *CLACK* when I twisted. The door had definitely been unlocked.


    I opened the door and saw the room. The interior has 2 twin sized beds that are divided by a nightstand. On top of the nightstand is a single candle. Other than the beds and the nightstand, the room is barren. There is no window.


    "Aw man, no window¡­" Tael remarked.


    "No, this is better. This means that whatever is taking people isn''t able to sneak into our room while we''re asleep. We''re adventurers after all. We basically have a target painted on our backs."


    "O-Oh¡­ I didn''t think of that."


    I walked towards the bed that was closest to the door and sat down on it. I let out the fatigue of our journey inside of this room.


    "This is my bed. I call it."


    "W-What? What if I want that bed?"


    "I already sat on it."


    "Yeah but what if we rock-paper-scissors for it?"


    "How about an arm wrestle? I think that would be as fair as rock-paper-scissors!"


    "Gh! O-Okay¡­ I''ll take the far bed."


    Tael walked over to his designated bed and laid down on it with an audible *pomf* noise.


    "Ugh¡­ I missed having a bed." Tael muttered.


    "I feel the same way man." I quietly replied.


    Tael and I laid down quietly on our designated beds for a few minutes in silence. We just decided to release a bit of the exhaustion of a day''s worth of travel right now.


    "So¡­ Why do you and Kany argue so much?" I asked Tael.


    "Me and her? She doesn''t know when to give up so I keep arguing with her. It keeps me on my toes sometimes so I appreciate it. Did she say something when you two were gathering firewood or something?"


    "Nah. I asked her why she argues with you so much though. She said that it''s fun so she tries to do it a lot."


    "That makes sense¡­ So what about you and Erana?"


    "Huh? What about me and her?"


    "Well you seemed really nervous around her this morning! I asked you earlier, but you were super nervous! Now that we''re relaxed I bet you''re more willing to talk about what happened."


    "N-Nothing happened! Really!"


    "Hm, is that so? I don''t believe you, man."


    "W-We just¡­ talked! That''s all!"


    "Oh? About what?"


    "Nothing in particular¡­ We talked about our pasts a bit and I asked her what she would wish for if she had a wish."


    "Oh, I think I''ve read about moments like that! It''s the big moment where the couple realizes they like each other!"


    "W-We''ve known each other for 5 days man! Even if I liked her I doubt she''d feel the same way after just 5 days!"


    "Oh? What was that? So you do like her?"


    "N-No! Don''t twist my words!"


    "Fufufu! Kenji-kun¡­ Is this you being shy?"


    "Huh? No! I subscribe to the belief that if you think a girl likes you then you should take the initiative! I''m just saying that the chances that any development has happened like that are slim at best!"


    "Hm¡­ But if she WAS into you, what would you do?"


    If Erana liked me that way¡­? I''m not too sure now that I think about it...


    "I''m not really sure how that would work¡­ We''re in a party together and if things turn out poorly then¡­"


    "Man! You''re planning for failure! That''s no way to go about this kind of thing! This is exactly how I thought you''d act though. You worry too much man."


    "Y-Yeah but¡­ what if?"


    "If you let the ''if''s'' control your life then you will never experience reality!"


    For the first time since I met him, Tael gave me real advice. I was genuinely shocked.


    "Well then, what about you and Kany?"


    "H-Huh? What about us?"


    "Well, I heard that people bully the people they like¡­"


    "What? What she''s doing is NOT bullying. She''s just trying to get on my nerves."


    "I don''t really see a difference."


    "That''s just because we''re different people. Trust me, I''d know."


    "Alright but from the looks of it she''s being a tsundere to you."


    "W-What? No way man."


    "Well¡­ Back at it to you then. If she WAS into you, then what would you do?"


    "H-Huh? If Kany liked me?"


    "Yep. That''s what I said."


    "W-Well¡­ I would¡­ have to decline her¡­" Tael said as he shifted his gaze to the ground.


    "Huh? ''Have to''? What do you mean by that?"


    "Don''t worry about it. It''s a¡­ personal thing."


    Come to think of it, Tael said he''s had a share of shitty experiences in the past¡­ Maybe this has something to do with that?


    "Tell me some other time then, I guess." I decided to let Tael tell me when he was ready. Personal business is not something I want to force my way into.


    "Alright. Maybe I will¡­" Tael said. The room became quiet once more after that until we heard a loud knock on our door.


    "Hey! Onii-san, Magic Shop Employee! Let''s get wasted!"

 48 This Hero and The Party Drink Beer!

    Tael and I both shot up in surprise as a result of hearing Kany call out for us so suddenly.


    "D-Do you think she heard us?"


    "I don''t know!"


    "W-Well then you open the door first! You''re the most durable so you can survive an attack!"


    "What! How is that fair?"


    "It isn''t! Come on man, I don''t wanna die!"


    "Grrrr¡­ Fine!" I said as I got up and walked towards the door. I am ready to do battle with our little rogue.


    I flung open the door to find nobody was there. I stood in the open doorway for a moment before I let out my anxiety in the form of a deep exhale.


    "Fooooooo¡­"


    "Arrow dodged! Let''s go drink! I''ve never gotten drunk with friends before!" Tael happily declared as he jumped out of bed.


    I decided that I might as well go and drink with the rest of the party as well. We''re going to investigate tomorrow so there isn''t a problem with unwinding tonight.


    Tael and I left our room and went down the stairs. We looked around and found Kany and Erana were already seated at a table near the stage area so we went over to them.


    "Ah, Kenji-san, Tael-san! I''m glad you decided to join us!"


    "O-Of course! Why wouldn''t we join you?" Tael stammered nervously.


    "Hm? Are you okay Mr. Sparkles?"


    "I-I''m fine! Don''t call me that!" Tael sputtered out while blushing.


    Ignoring Tael''s nerves, I took a seat opposite of Erana and Kany and began to bathe in the atmosphere of the inn.


    The interior is lit by candles so the light flickers every now and then, but generally speaking, one can see everything well. There are several people in this place that are seated at tables and drinking. Fluttering between tables, there is a man that appears to be a younger version of the innkeeper. Logic stands to reason that this is the innkeeper''s son and he is also working at the family business. After handling a few other tables, the man came to ours.


    "Ah, sorry for the wait. We''ve been busy lately. What''ll ''ya have?"


    "BEER!" Kany immediately shouted out. The rest of us were taken by surprise at her sudden declaration so we couldn''t say anything.


    "A-Alright. That''s gonna be 4 beers for ''ya? Anythin'' else?" He looked around the table while waiting for any of us to speak.


    "Do you have any food?" Erana quietly asked.


    "Food? We''ve got stew. ''Ya want that?" The man said while pointing to the back with his thumb.


    "A-Alright! We''ll each have a stew too!" Erana declared.


    "Right. 4 beers and 4 stews coming right up!" The man clapped his hands and walked off to the back room.


    "Whew¡­" I heard Erana sigh out.


    "What''s up, Erana? Something bothering you?"


    "Ah, Kenji-san¡­ I''m not used to ordering food from restaurants so doing this is a bit nerve wracking¡­" Erana shyly said while twiddling her fingers together.


    "W-Well, everyone goes at their own pace! Haha!" I nervously shrugged off the problem.


    "So¡­ What do you all want to talk about?" Tael asked the group.


    ""Maybe Erana''s new spell?" I suggested.


    Kany held her arms in an X to indicate that as a no. Erana noticed Kany''s action and soon followed her. It seems I have been rejected.


    "Onii-san learned how to use his skill!" Kany blurted out.


    "Oh really? Tell me about it Kenji."


    "Huh? It''s just a really strong slice. I killed a goblin with it." I nonchalantly stated.


    "Hm hm. I see. That type of offensive power will be useful in the future then. It''s good to have. Of course, it''s not as powerful as my magic!"


    "From what it sounds like, it will be useful with my new spell!"


    "Yeah, about that¡­ What is it?"


    Kany reached over the table and knocked my head as if she was knocking on a door.


    "...I hope that we''re able to find everyone that''s gone missing¡­" Erana muttered.


    "I bet we''ll find them, Erana." I tried to reassure her. I don''t like seeing her depressed.


    "How can you be so sure, Onii-san?"


    "Yeah Kenji. To be honest, I think the people died or something¡­"


    "No matter what it is, everything happens for a reason. We only need to find that reason." I stated.


    I rested my head on my hand for a moment as I contemplated the situation.


    First, as we are aware, the cause for the peoples disappearances is not known, but we do know that it is not affecting livestock and it has not been seen by anyone, including the eyewitnesses like the wives of the farmers. Secondly, those that have been taken are only males. While the numbers may be skewed in a certain direction, 11 people disappearing and all of them being the same gender leaves very little room for it to be something different.


    "Okay. We know a few things that make me think that it could be one of a few options. First: It''s not affecting livestock. Second: It''s only affecting men. This could mean a few things."


    "What are those things?" Erana asked while staring at me.


    "It could either be a disease that only affects men-"


    "A disease? That could cause this?" Kany butted in.


    "Well we''re dealing with hypotheses right now. We need to apply the scientific method."


    "The scientific method¡­?" Tael asked as he tilted his head.


    "Oh, I forgot about where I was¡­ Basically think about a problem and think of possible solutions to that problem. We already know the problem: Men are disappearing at an alarming rate. Now we need to come up with reasonable theories as to why they''ve started to disappear¡­"


    "Hm¡­ So you think it could be a disease that is causing it, Kenji-san?"


    "I''m just saying it''s possible. Currently we don''t have enough information so we need to have every path that''s possible highlighted."


    "...Okay Onii-san. What other ideas do you have?"


    As I was about to begin, the innkeeper''s son arrived back at our table and placed down 4 flagons of beer and 4 bowls of stew.


    "Enjoy!" He remarked as he sped off to another table.


    "Alcohol!" Kany cheered as she grabbed her flagon. I''m not sure how to feel about someone like her drinking alcohol. Is this even legal?


    "Kenji-san, you were saying?"


    "Oh¡­ Well it''s possible that it''s a disease that is affecting only men. This disease could be causing men to sleepwalk or something which would explain why the wives of the farmers didn''t notice them leaving."


    "Hoh bat bakes dense." (Oh that makes sense) Tael said with his mouth full of stew.


    "Okay Onii-san. If it''s a disease what do we do?"


    I turned towards Erana.


    "I know you want to keep your spell a secret from me, but can it cure a disease?"


    "No it can''t¡­"


    "Can your healing magic cure diseases?"


    "At a higher level it can cure minor ones, but not currently¡­"


    I then directed my next question to the entire table.


    "Is there a class that can cure diseases?"


    "Briest cah!" (Priests can!) Tael declared with his mouth still full of stew.


    "So then if it''s a disease we call a priest that can cure disease into the town to cure it. Hopefully, we will be able to find the people that have gone missing while the priest is on their way."


    "I see, you said that we need to ''highlight every option'' though Kenji-san. What other options are available?"


    "It''s possible that this is a monster that targets men exclusively."


    When I said this, Tael swallowed so fast he began to choke on his stew. He quickly washed it down with his beer and regained his composure.


    "B-But if it targets only men, aren''t we in danger Kenji?"


    "Well yeah, but we came here expecting danger anyway. This would be par for the course as far as I''m concerned."


    "Ah, Onii-san, Yasri said that they haven''t found any signs that people were taken by monsters though!" Kany said between gulps of beer. It seems that she is already getting ready for her second flagon.


    "Ah, Kany! Slow down!" Erana said as she was patting Kany on the back.


    "While it''s true that they haven''t found any signs that monsters have taken people, that just means that they haven''t found signs that people were UNWILLINGLY taken. If people were willingly leaving then there would be no signs of struggle."


    "Ah!" x3


    "S-So¡­ People are just leaving willingly?" Tael asked me as he lightly shook me from side to side.


    "Well, it''s possible that people had been hypnotized, but yeah, willingly. It''s also entirely possible that 7 farmers decided to just get up and leave one day and nobody noticed, but the chances of that are slim to none."


    "Hypnotized¡­" Tael trailed off.


    "Yeah. Hope for the best, expect the worst."


    "Kenji-san, that''s awful!"


    "Oi, Onii-san! You haven''t touched your beer yet!"


    I suddenly was reminded that a flagon of beer was sitting on the table in front of me.


    "O-Oh¡­ I''ve never really drank alcohol before¡­ When I was 15 I had a sip of sake on new years with my dad but I don''t think that really counts¡­"


    "Come on Kenji! I wanna see how you handle your liquor!"


    "F-Fine! Just don''t ask me to do a kegstand!" I said as I grabbed the flagon.


    I began to chug the alcohol. I gulped it down so fast that the entire flagon was empty in less than 20 seconds.


    "Gah! It''s bitter¡­" I said.


    "Wow Kenji-san! I didn''t know you were such a pro drinker!"


    "D-Don''t say it like that! It makes me look like I have a problem!"


    "Ah, 2 more beers waiter-san!" Kany shouted out.


    "Got ''em!" I heard shouted back.


    As we were settling into the atmosphere of the tavern, the entrance door opened up and a girl loudly made a declaration.


    "Alright! I''m in the mood to sing tonight!"

 49 This Hero and The New Girl!

    While our party continued enjoying our evening together in the inn, this girl that entered the inn made a sudden, and loud, declaration.


    "Yeah! Rena-chan!" One of the patrons of the bar shouted out.


    "Woah¡­ Are we going to get a concert?" Tael asked our group.


    "Huh¡­ It''s been a long time since I heard music now that I think about it. Honestly it''s something I took for granted." I said as I watched the girl. She''s started to walk up to the small stage to the side of the bar.


    This girl is fairly petite. She can''t be over 150 centimeters tall. Her clothes are very flowy and lightly colored. She has a very cute face¡­ N-no I''m not staring at her. I''m just trying to get an accurate read on her. Anyway, she''s rather skinny but seems to have an energy around her that is reminiscent of bubbles.


    She''s stepped on to the stage and seems to be placing an item that is reminiscent of a microphone stand from Earth¡­ Wait, is that actually a microphone?


    The girl placed the stand on the stage and tapped it twice. Miraculously, the sound of her tapping was being heavily amplified to the point to where it was loud and clear.


    "Ahem¡­ Testing testing one two three¡­" She said into the microphone.


    "We can hear you loud and clear, Rena-chan!" The barkeeper shouted.


    "Is this normal or something?" I asked the party.


    "Dunno. May as well enjoy free music, right Erana?" Kany said while nudging Erana.


    "This will be my first time hearing someone perform music! This is exciting!"


    "Really? I''ve heard many people play music before." Tael absentmindedly declared.


    "Well, not all of us are you, Tael." I said as I nudged him in the side.


    "Oi, Onii-san! Let''s see who can finish the most flagons before she starts singing!" Kany proclaimed while pointing at me.


    "U-Um¡­ Is that a good idea? I don''t really want to get drunk¡­"


    "Nah you''ll be fine! Your constitution stat is high enough to where a few drinks won''t get you drunk!"


    Erana and Tael were looking at me expectantly. I''m not sure what to do.


    "Here you go bud. 4 flagons. 2 for each of you." The innkeeper''s son said as he placed the large flagons in front of both myself and Kany.


    "Guh¡­" I let out.


    "No escape now, Onii-san! On the count of three! One¡­ Two¡­ Three!" Kany announced as she raised her flagon to her face.


    "W-Wait! Fine! I''ll do it!" I shouted as I brought the flagon to my face and began to drink like an alcoholic.


    I wonder if my parents would be embarrassed of me right now¡­


    After a moment, I finished the first flagon, Kany had already started on her second flagon.


    "Ugh!" I let out as I grabbed the second flagon. I hate the taste of beer, but I also don''t want to lose. I think I have a problem.


    "CHUG CHUG CHUG!" Tael egged us on.


    The people in the inn were watching our drinking competition, much to the dismay of the girl on the stage.


    "Bwah!" x2


    It seems like Kany and I both finished our second flagon at the same time. It''s a tie.


    "Haha! Howzat Onii-san!" Kany asked as she poked me in the chest. It seems like she is visibly drunk.


    Wait, am I drunk? I can''t really tell. I can feel a heat in my stomach but it''s not like I''ve ever been drunk before.


    "U-Um¡­" I let out.


    "Hey!" The girl on the stage shouted into the microphone.


    The girl''s sudden shout seems to have grabbed the attention of the entire inn at the same time.


    "Since you two have had that competition, that must mean that you''re quite the performers! Am I right?" The girl asked us.


    "Bwaaaah¡­" Kany let out. It seems like she''s fallen asleep on the table.


    "U-Um¡­ Not really¡­" I let out. It doesn''t seem like my speech is slurred at all.


    "Don''t be shy! Come on up here! It''ll be fun!" She declared as she made a pulling motion with her hand.


    "Go on, Kenji-san! It should be fun!"


    "Come on Kenji! Show us those vocal chops!"


    I decided to succumb to peer pressure as I stood up from my seat. I walked up to the stage and stepped on to it.


    "What''s your name, mister?" The girl asked me. Now that I''m up close, she''s really cute¡­ Hey wait, get a hold of yourself Kenji! You should be better than this!


    "Um¡­ Mister?"


    "O-Oh, right. I''m Kenji!" I said to the girl.


    "No, don''t tell me, tell the microphone!" The girl said as she grabbed my face by the cheek and pulled me towards the microphone.


    "I-I''m Kenji¡­" I softly said into the microphone. Could I be getting stage fright now? This is ridiculous! I''ve killed goblins and a hobgoblin and have magic and stuff now! How can I be afraid of what people I''ve never met before think of me? This is ridiculous.


    "Well Kenji-san, I''m going to be singing my first song! My name is Rena and I''m Mulbik''s number 1 idol!" She declared while giving a peace sign.


    "Oooh!" The patrons of the inn shouted. It seems like this Rena girl is fairly popular. Wait, she said she''s an idol? Is this like how idols existed in Japan? Wait, why does a farming village have an idol?


    "Are you ready?" She shouted into the microphone.


    "YEAH!!!" The inns patrons shouted. The reverberations of the patrons shouts shook the inn. I found it hard to stay on my feet.


    "Alright! This one is called ''Stars are for love!''"


    What a frilly name¡­


    "YEAH!!!" The inns patrons shouted once more.


    "Let''s go!" She shouted while jumping.


    Suddenly, the sound of different instruments began to reverberate all around the inn. I don''t know where they''re coming from, but I can hear things like trumpets, guitars, drums, and other instruments playing in accompaniment to her singing. It''s as if a full band is playing inside of this inn right now. I can''t help but gawk in awe like a child.


    ~After a few minutes~


    "We shall cross the stars of love!" Rena finished singing. The music stopped and the crowd went wild.


    "Whew! How was that, Kenji-san?" The sweaty Rena asked me. Being an idol must be a lot of work, even in a small farming village.


    "U-Um¡­ You did great. How did you get the instruments and stuff to play like that?"


    "Oh, that''s a secret!" She said while holding a finger to her lips as if she was shushing me.


    Another secret. What is it with girls and keeping secrets from me?


    "Ah, Kenji-san! Would you like to sing?" She asked me while holding the mic up towards me.


    "W-What? Me?" I backed away a bit. I''m not at all confident in my ability to sing. I''ve never gone to sing karaoke with people nor did I ever try to sing. I''m not sure how to do this¡­


    "Come on! Kenji-san, please do it!" Rena begged me while holding my hand. Jeez.. She really is cute! This isn''t fair! Why am I such an easy man? What do I do?


    I looked towards my party.


    Erana is trying to wake Kany up from her alcoholic stupor and Tael is just watching me. I looked to Tael for reassurance (which I admit is a bad move) and he gave me a thumbs up.


    ...Screw it. I''m going to do it. What am I going to sing?


    "Do I get instruments like you got?" I asked Rena.


    "I''ll make sure you do, Kenji-san!" Rena assured me.


    I grasped the microphone and shouted into it.


    "Alright! I''m gonna drop a song that I heard a while ago! I hope you all like it!"


    "Alright!" The patrons shouted out. It seems like everyone is ready to have a good time. This should be easy.


    I''ve decided to sing a song from a certain video game I played a while ago. This song involves a certain dragon and a real estate agency.


    I took a deep breath and, as if magically, the guitar riff blared out.


    ~After a few minutes~


    "Oretachi no JUDGEMENT!" I shouted as I pointed to the sky like a rockstar.


    "..."


    Silence.


    Maybe everyone was stunned by my immaculate singing ability?


    "YOU SUCK!" Someone shouted out. Soon after, boo''s started to reverberate throughout the inn. I could feel the shame and embarrassment fill my being. I looked over to the table with my party for some form of reassurance.


    ...They''re all looking at the ground in embarrassment.


    "Hahaha! Sorry Kenji-san! It seems like you just don''t stack up to my singing skills!"


    My embarrassment quickly turned to anger at the taunting of this girl. I quickly turned over towards her.


    "Hey, hey! Don''t be mad! Here, open up that status page you have! I''ll show you something cool!"


    Huh? My status page?


    "Status." I said aloud. My status screen appeared in front of me. None of my stats had changed since the last time I had checked. My experience has gone up but that''s to be expected since I killed the goblin.


    "Check out your available classes now, Kenji-san!"


    Following her instructions, I swiped from left to right to see my available classes and to my surprise, something new was there.


    "Yeah! Look at that! You unlocked the bard class!" Rena announced to me.

 50 This Hero and The Result Of His Irresponsible Drinking!

    "The bard class?" I asked Rena.


    "Yep! The prerequisite to unlock it is to perform in front of people you don''t know. Check mine out! Status."


    Suddenly, a green triangular prism appeared in front of Rena as she revealed her attributes to me.


    Rena. Level 1.


    Strength: 15


    Dexterity: 19


    Constitution: 17


    Mana: 45


    Magic Power: 10


    Luck: 13


    Experience: 0


    Wow, she''s level 1. She must have a level in bard. Wait, she has 0 experience¡­


    "How are you level 1 but have no experience points?"


    "I developed this level in bard naturally. I wanted to be an idol really badly so I guess my desires just took form." She declared while holding up a double peace sign.


    "Get off the stage you loser!" One of the patrons shouted as he threw a flagon at me.


    I dodged the flagon as it splattered its remaining beer on the ground. I could see other people preparing to throw their things at me as well.


    The constant boo''s and the fact that the crowd had begun to throw things at me made me eventually leave the stage. I solemnly walked back to my seat at the table the rest of the party was waiting at. When I arrived, I could tell that nobody wanted to look at me. I just sat in my seat and silently drank my lukewarm beer for a little while.


    "U-Um¡­ That was very¡­ interesting, Kenji-san. Was that the language you were telling us about earlier today?" Erana looked up and asked me shyly.


    "Huh? O-Oh¡­ Um, yes. That was Japanese. It also had a few words in this other language that has been¡­ lost to time." I said as I stared into my flagon of beer. I can''t muster the courage to face Erana right now.


    "W-Woah, wait what? A lost language? That''s super cool! What''s it called, Kenji?" Tael suddenly shot up and grabbed my arm.


    I was shocked by Tael''s sudden enthusiasm.


    "English!" I shouted out. The shock from Tael grabbing me with my already shot nerves from performing in front of so many people made me nervously shout out. Fortunately, the rest of the bar was paying attention to Rena instead of me.


    "English? What island is that from? England?" Tael asked in a joking manner.


    "Y-Yes actually¡­" I was able to mutter. It''s only now that I think about it that my explanation of the origins of my world''s languages sounds like a lie.


    "Hoho. Kenji¡­ You wouldn''t just be trying to cover up the gibberish that you were stating because you were scared of the stage, are you?"


    "No! I promise! It''s from England!" I grabbed Tael''s arm and shook it. With my superior strength, I was able to shake Tael and his skinny body easily.


    "W-Woah! Okay man! I get it, okay!"


    I went back to my flagon of beer and discovered that it was empty. I''ve drank a total of 4 flagons of beer tonight. I must be absolutely plastered.


    "I agree with Kenji-san. I''m not a fan of alcohol and we have work to do soon. A good night''s rest results in a good start tomorrow!


    "Ugh, fine. Waiter! We need our bill!"


    "Got it. Wizard guy you owe 10 juns. Same with the tan girl. Little lady owes 20 juns. Big guy owes 25 juns."


    We forked over the cash (Erana paid for the unconscious Kany) and we began to head upstairs. I offered to carry Kany to her room, but Erana said that she could handle it herself so we split off from there.


    I hopped onto the bed and spread myself out as much as possible. I pulled my pillow and placed it in front of my face.


    "AAAAAAGGGHHHH!" I shouted into the pillow. Thankfully, my voice was heavily muffled so it was barely audible.


    "Yeah bud. You definitely screwed up tonight!"


    "Please don''t remind me, Tael¡­" I said while clutching my head.


    "Look man, you screwed up and it happened. That''s how it is. You can''t turn back time. What you CAN do is deal with what you''ve done and accept your reality."


    "Yeah but like, that was awful!"


    "Oh yeah it totally was. You gotta roll with the punches though!"


    "But how do I do that? I looked like a total idiot! Not only that, but that other girl totally played me!"


    "Yeah, but think of it like this: If you wanted to do ANYTHING in the future, then she''d need to know who you were anyways. Best to accept that you''re a goofy idiot on top of what she already thinks."


    "Ugh!" I shouted as I turned to face my pillow once more.


    "Well listen man, best case scenario is that you''re really drunk right now and you''ll forget about it by tomorrow morning. At that point, I bet Erana will just act like it never happened. Kany was asleep so she won''t remember it. I promise I won''t let anyone know about it. Tonight will just be a torn out page of the book of Kenji! How does that sound?"


    "Huff¡­" I let out as I turned away from my pillow once more. "Tael, you''re a good friend, you know that?"


    "W-What? Why are you saying that so suddenly? Don''t try to embarrass me too just so we''re on equal levels! It won''t work!" Tael shouted out as he was blushing. It seems he isn''t used to genuine praise so I couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Why are you laughing? Are you laughing at me? Huh? Bring it on Kenji! I won''t let you insult me so easily you know that?" Tael proclaimed as he rolled up his sleeve to show off his incredibly skinny arm. I think he''s trying to flex.


    "Sorry Tael. I''m just saying. Before I met you the only people I interacted with on a daily basis were an old woman that was almost a psychopath, an old man that would sleep all day, and an old woman that was kind but always disappeared all the time."


    "...Did you make that up?"


    "No! You met them! Remember the shop I took you to when we needed supplies?"


    "Oh right! Wow. You really cut yourself off from the world, huh?"


    "Yep. All I did for seven months was¡­" I cut myself off. Should I tell Tael about how I was fat before I met him? Kany saw me before so she knows I was fat. I don''t want Tael to have a new avenue to insult me though.


    "Was what? You stopped talking, Kenji. Did you blow a fuse?" Tael asked me.


    "N-Nothing. I was just getting ready to be an adventurer is all." I was able to let out. I decided to tell the partial truth, as per usual.


    "You told me that already."


    "Y-Yeah, sorry¡­ What were you doing before we met?" I decided to ask.


    "Oh, the week before we met I was trying to find a party member." Tael said matter of factly.


    "Why did nobody else take you? You were level one when we met so it''s not like you were a liability like I was."


    "Yeah that may be true, but people kept saying that I was ''too much'' and stuff. I don''t really get what they meant. It''s water under the bridge though." Tael said as he mimicked water flowing.


    "Heh. Yeah, you were pretty hard to deal with when we first met." I said. Tael''s sudden angry face told me that I shouldn''t have said that so I decided to add on. "But you became a really reliable guy! You saved me with that hobgoblin."


    "O-Oh¡­ Yeah! Haha!" Tael began to rub the back of his head. It seems like he''s really proud of himself for that.


    "Yeah, you even cast a spell without a focus and called me your ''first friend'' like some character from a book! Had that moment been out of context then I''d be super embarrassed! Haha!"


    "Y-Yeah¡­ Okay I get it." Tael is pulling his hat downwards to cover his face. It seems like he''s embarrassed about what he said. I might want to shift this conversation a little bit.


    "H-Hey, come to think of it, you cast a spell without a focus! You shouldn''t need that wand anymore now that you can cast without it!"


    "What? No man. That was a spur of the moment thing. I exhausted all of my mana by doing that. I still have almost no control without a focus as it is. I can''t cast without one and be reliable just yet." He said with a brushing motion to his face.


    "Oh, I see¡­ Well, that just means that you''re able to do it in a pinch! I feel more comfortable knowing that I can rely on you in a pinch!" I declared.


    "H-Haha! Yeah. Look, let''s just go to sleep, alright?"


    "Huh? Alright I guess. It''s late after all and we have a lot to do tomorrow. You''re probably right."


    "Just don''t snore too loudly, okay?"


    "What?"


    "You snore, Kenji."


    "How would you know?"


    "I heard it while I was on watch."


    "F-Fine! I''ll try to not snore!"


    "Alright! Goodnight Kenji!"


    "Goodnight Tael."

 51 This Hero Eats Breakfast!

    "Oi, Kenji! Wake up!" Tael shouted at me as he jostled me in my bed.


    "Ugh¡­" I let out. He''s so loud.


    "Yeah, yeah. I''m up!" I said to Tael. It seems that my affirmation has made him calm down since he''s no longer jostling me.


    "I thought you were the type to wake up early, man! I''ve been up for the past 30 minutes!" Tael said with a cheeky smile on his face.


    "What? That just means that you haven''t slept yet. It''s probably like, 3 A.M. or something."


    "Nope! It''s already 8 A.M.! Kany and Erana are already awake and waiting on you."


    "Huh?" I said as I bolted up from the bed. This was a bad call as I felt a sharp pain in my head.


    "Oof!" I let out as I grasped my temple. I have a headache.


    "Pfft! Wow, you must be super hungover! That''s hilarious!" Tael pointed at me and began to snicker. Is this really what being hungover is like? Why does anyone get drunk in the first place? This is awful!


    I very slowly got out of bed and stood up. I nearly stumbled and fell on my face, but fortunately I was able to grasp the wall to catch myself.


    "Woah¡­ Are you okay man? Are you still drunk or something?" The smile on Tael''s face was slowly shrinking as he saw the state I was in.


    "Y-Yeah¡­ I''m fine. I just¡­ I''m never drinking beer ever again." I decided to make a declaration. Water is the true man''s drink anyway.


    "Alright man. I''m gonna go and head down to our table. I''ll order you some breakfast. Just get dressed, alright?"


    "Yeah, alright I''ll do that. Thank you."


    Tael stepped out of the room and left me to myself.


    "Ugh¡­" I rubbed my temples again. This feels awful. I hope this doesn''t impede the investigation¡­


    I slowly put my clothes on. My body feels sluggish, as if I had just run a marathon. Putting my armor on and tying the belt to my sword has become far more difficult since my fingers aren''t as precise as they were before.


    After I finally managed to put on my armor, I stepped out of the bedroom and into the inn.


    The light is REALLY bright. I instinctually shielded my eyes. I now know what it was like for the goblins that I killed a few days ago.


    Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the blinding lights and I was able to walk down the stairs. I looked around and found the rest of my party waiting for me at the table we had sat at yesterday.


    "Um¡­ Onii-san, are you okay?"


    "Yeah. I''m fine. Is there any water I can drink?" I asked as I began to sit down.


    "Y-Yeah man. Here, have this." Tael said as he slid a glass of water over to me.


    I immediately grabbed the water and chugged it. I didn''t realize just how thirsty I was but I just can''t get enough water right now.


    "Y-You look a little pale, Kenji-san. Let me heal you. Cure Light Wounds." Erana said as she brought out her small tree branch.


    "Ah¡­ Thank you both. I feel much better now."


    Erana merely let out a gentle smile while Tael decided that it was time to taunt me.


    "Hah! That''s what you get for drinking that much beer that quickly! Shorty over here is also a wreck, but you''re definitely the one that got it worse."


    "Yeah yeah." I said as I began to eat the breakfast platter in front of me. Sausages, toast, and eggs were strewn about on a small wooden plate.


    "So, what''s our plan for today? Do we investigate the surrounding forest? Do we track the people that have gone missing?" Erana asked as she watched me eat my breakfast.


    I quickly swallowed my food and answered her.


    "First things first. We need to question the wives of the farmers that have gone missing. We need to know anything that may be pertinent to the investigation. Habits, people they spent their time with, possibly even blood type. Anything we can use to commit a more thorough investigation and get to the right answer is necessary. As a result, before we can go and investigate our surroundings, we need to learn about what is in our immediate area."


    I then grabbed another sausage with my fork and began to cut it.


    "Huh. Is that really necessary? We''re a party of adventurers. If it''s taking down a few farmers then we should be capable of handling it." Tael asked.


    "Tael-san, that''s too risky!" Erana reprimanded.


    "Huh? Why''s that?" Tael asked back.


    "Sheesh, leave it to Mr. Bathrobe to not get the bigger picture." Kany chimed in.


    I finished eating my second sausage and answered Tael''s inquisition.


    "We have no idea what we''re up against. Ideally it''s just a few wolves or something, but from the information we already have, that''s unlikely. Remember how I said it could be a disease?"


    "Huh? Y-Yeah¡­"


    "Well, I don''t know about you, but I''m not immune to diseases. If it really is a disease or something like that then we''re in a danger rating of 5."


    "D-Danger rating of 5?" x3


    "Oh, this is a system I''ve decided to use to explain the danger that we could face. I want you guys to adopt it too."


    "Oh, that''s interesting Kenji-san. Could you explain it?"


    "Okay. It goes on a scale of 0 to 5. 0 is basic. A slime like the one we fought two days ago is 0. We don''t face danger from it and it''s essentially free experience. 1 is slight danger. A lone goblin has a danger rating of 1. I think any of us could handle a goblin on our own fairly easily at this point, but it''s not as if the goblin would just let us do it."


    The party was staring at me as I was explaining. Honestly, their stares are slightly embarrassing me.


    "2 is something that imposes real danger. A pack of wolves would have a danger rating of 2."


    "Really? Why would wolves be more dangerous than goblins?" Kany asked me while tilting her head.


    "Wolves work as a pack or a unit. It''s not easy to focus down a single wolf because if you''re not careful then you''ll be blindsided by another wolf."


    "I see¡­" Erana muttered as she cupped her chin.


    "Danger rating 3 is where we get into notable problems. A danger rating of 3 is something that we need to work together to defeat."


    "So, like the hobgoblin?" Tael asked as he scrunched down and rested his chin on the table.


    "No. The hobgoblin was danger rating 4. The only reason that we defeated the hobgoblin in the first place was that I got lucky. Realistically speaking, 99 out of 100 times we would all have been killed by that hobgoblin. It just happened to use my sword and my sword just happened to have been previously damaged."


    "So then what''s the difference between 4 and 3 Onii-san?"


    "3 is brute force that we can handle as a group. 4 is something that we have to devise a strategy to effectively handle."


    "Oh I see. 3 is something that needs no to little preparation to defeat, but a 4 requires heavy preparation." Erana stated.


    "Exactly. 10 points for you!"


    "Alright, I get zero to four, but what about five?" Kany asked.


    "A danger rating of 5 is not possible for us to handle. That''s essentially the ''run away'' danger rating."


    "What? Run away? Why''s that? That''s way too cowardly!" Tael asked me as he shot up from his scrunched position.


    "It''s better to live and fight another day than to throw yourself at a wall and die. As an example, if this problem in this village is a disease then we need to get out as soon as possible and contact someone that can handle it. We literally are not equipped to handle something like that. What''s more, if Tael or I get infected then we''d be theoretically down for the count. We don''t even know if this would be curable."


    "*Gulp*" Tael let out. It seems that my explanation got to him.


    "Okay Onii-san. I get what you''re saying, but if this really is something that we can''t handle, then why are we here?"


    "Simple. We don''t know what danger rating this is yet. Theoretically it could be a 3 to a 5. We just don''t have enough information to know yet."


    "And that''s why we need to question the farmers wives!" Erana let out. It seems like she has arrived at the same conclusion I had.


    "Exactly! 10 more points for you!"


    Erana gave me a big smile at my proclamation. It seems like everyone else got onto the same track after Erana answered.


    "Okay, so first things first, we need to question the farmers wives, right?" Tael asked me while standing up.


    "Yep. If you guys are ready then let''s do this."


    "Alright! Let''s head out!" Kany shouted out.


    "Oi oi oi, hold up. You still need to pay for your food." The innkeeper''s son showed up out of nowhere.


    "A-Ah, right. Sorry about that." I said as I handed over 10 juns.


    "Okay, NOW let''s head out!" Kany shouted out.

 52 This Hero Begins The Investigation!

    We left the inn and began to walk towards Yasri''s home. The sun had already risen and was shining across the village brilliantly. The nearby fields were filled with a multitude of crops, livestock, and the occasional farmer that was tending to their field. Unlike yesterday, this village feels and sounds far more alive now, and I''m not the only one that''s taken notice.


    "Woah. What''s the deal with everyone? Why is it so alive all of the sudden?" Kany asked.


    "Hmph! Obviously it''s because they feel safe with us around!" Tael declared while crossing his arms.


    "You know, honestly I think Tael is right." I said. "The people of this town had been stuck in a rut for a while but now they have hope through us. Honestly it puts a bit of pressure on me¡­"


    "Don''t worry, Kenji-san. I''m sure we can fix this!"


    I nodded my head at Erana''s reassurance. We continued down the dirt road for a short while before arriving back at Yasri''s home. Since this village isn''t very large, getting around isn''t difficult.


    I stepped up to the front door and knocked.


    "Excuse me, Yasri-san! Are you there?"


    After waiting a moment, the door in front of me opened and a humanoid cat woman appeared in front of me.


    "Ah, good morning to you. What may I help you with?" Yasri asked.


    "Can you lead us to a wife of one of the farmers that have gone missing? We need to ask them a few questions."


    "''A few'' you say¡­ Are you sure?" Yasri looked at me like I was telling a lie.


    "Y-Yes! A few. It''s necessary for the investigation." I affirmed.


    Yasri looked to be contemplating my words for a moment before finally stepping outside and letting out a sigh.


    "Very well. I shall lead you to them. Come with me nyow." She said as she walked past us. I''ve only now realized this, but she seems to walk silently.


    We turned around and followed her for a little while. We paced around the small village until we were brought to a relatively new looking building. Behind the building there was a large fenced off area with many crops that were ready for harvest. This must be the place.


    "This is where you will meet one of the wives. Her name is Nyaomi."


    "Nyaomi?" Tael asked.


    "No, Nyaomi." Yasri asserted.


    "That''s what I said! Nyaomi!"


    "No you said ''Nyaomi'' but it''s Nyaomi."


    "But you just said-"


    "Okay! We get it! Let''s move, Wizard without common sense." Kany said as she grabbed Tael by the robe and dragged him away.


    "W-Wait! But it''s Nyaomi, right?" Tael asked.


    I merely rubbed my temples at Tael''s inability to pick up peoples speech quirks. I don''t know why, but I think I''m more irritable today than normal. Hopefully this subsides soon.


    "Innis?" A disheveled woman shouted out from the now open doorway.


    I was knocked flat on the ground by this woman''s action. Tael was trying to hold back his laughter as he began to help me up. I should slug him in the stomach again soon.


    "Wait¡­ Who are you people?" The woman asked us.


    This woman looks like she''s in her mid thirties. Her hair is a dark brown and goes down to her shoulders. Her clothes are a dark brown and go all the way down to her feet like a dress. She has dark bags under her eyes and she has a worrisome looking face. Her build is slightly muscular while her hands are rough and coarse. This must be one of the wives of the farmers.


    "A-Ah! Kenji-san, are you hurt?" Erana crouched down to ask me.


    "Y-Yeah I''m fine. Ugh." I said as I rubbed the spot where I was hit. Despite how she looks, this woman is pretty strong.


    "Is your name Naomi?" Kany asked the woman.


    "Yes!" The woman ran up to Kany and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Have you found Innis? Is he okay?"


    "W-Woah! Okay lady! We''re just here to ask questions!" Kany quickly let out.


    "O-Oh I see¡­" The woman said as she let go of Kany and looked to the side. It seems that all the energy this woman had previously had just left her.


    I finally got up from the ground and dusted myself off.


    "Ma''am, my name is Kenji. We''re adventurers that have been tasked with searching for and, hopefully, rescuing everyone that has gone missing." I said as I held my hand to my chest. The rest of the party nodded their heads at my declaration.


    "Adventurers? You''re going to find Innis?" She looked at each of us and asked.


    "That''s what we plan to do, but before we can do that we need to ask you a few questions. May we come in?" I asked her.


    "Questions? Y-Yes¡­ Yes you can ask whatever you need to¡­ Coming inside, however¡­" She trailed off.


    "Is something wrong?" Tael asked.


    "Oh, no it''s just¡­ I haven''t cleaned since Innis went missing you see¡­" She looked around and fidgeted in place as she said this.


    "It''s alright Naomi-san. We just need to ask you a few questions. We understand any issues you''ve had in the meantime." Erana gently told Naomi as she lightly held her shoulder. It seems like Naomi finally decided to calm down now that Erana is taking control of the situation.


    "A-Ah, yes¡­ Of course you can come inside¡­" She moved her hand towards the doorway and gestured us inside. We took her invitation and walked into the interior of her home one at a time.


    ...She really hasn''t cleaned since he left. There''s dirt on the floor and dishes that haven''t been washed that have started to pile up. Thankfully the windows are open, otherwise this place would definitely stink.


    "Here, have a seat." She said as she walked in front of us and led us into what appeared to be a living room. Naomi took a seat in a chair that was facing the doorway. I don''t know why, but I get the feeling that she''s been spending a lot of time in that chair recently¡­


    Once Naomi gestured for us to take a seat, we all reluctantly sat on the sofa that was provided.


    "O-Okay, Naomi-san. I have a few questions for you if you don''t mind me asking¡­" I began.

 53 This Hero and The Farmer’s Wife!

    "Please, I''ll answer any question even if it''s something like what my underwear looks like! As long as you can find Innis!" Naomi pleaded.


    I was taken aback by her sudden declaration. Tael shivered next to me. It seems like both of us are on the same page about this.


    "M-Ma''am¡­ We''re not going to ask you anything like that¡­" Erana muttered. It seems even she is losing her cool here.


    "O-Oh¡­ yes of course¡­" She looked embarrassedly at the ground.


    "Alright. To start off¡­ When did your husband disappear?" I asked.


    "On Wednesday¡­ We went to bed and then when I woke up he was just¡­ gone."


    "Gone? Did he take anything with him?" Tael asked.


    "No¡­ It looked like he just walked out the front door. The front door was ajar when I woke up, so he didn''t even close it behind him¡­"


    "So¡­ He left your home in the middle of the night and left the door lying open. What''s more, he also seems to have not even gotten dressed to go outside¡­" I muttered while scratching my chin. This behavior is peculiar, but it''s possible that there was an emergency that could have caused him to leave his home¡­


    "What are you thinking, Onii-san?"


    I recalled something Tael told me last night.


    "Does your husband snore?" I asked.


    Tael, Erana, and Kany looked at me like I was asking something very odd, but I won''t back down about this.


    "N-No he doesn''t¡­ Why do you ask?"


    "Are you a heavy sleeper?" This is vital information despite how it seems.


    "N-No¡­ I wake up on occasion throughout the night at some noises so I think I''m a fairly light sleeper¡­" Naomi muttered.


    "So you''re a light sleeper, yet you didn''t hear your husband get out of bed and leave the house?"


    "W-Well... " she looked towards the ground.


    "I knew it. She''s not telling us something." I said out loud.


    "Huh? Wait, what?" Tael shouted out as his head fluttered between myself and Naomi. Kany and Erana were simply watching this questioning as it was happening. Kany seems to be ready to leap out of her chair at any moment.


    "N-No! It''s not like that¡­" Naomi began as she was shaking her hands in front of her face. She seems flustered, but I can tell that she''s not trying to do anything specifically negative, so I released a bit of the tension that I had built up.


    "Go on, please." Erana told Naomi. I don''t know why, but I felt an air of authority around Erana when she said this.


    "H-He¡­ He''s a heavy drinker!" Naomi shouted out.


    "Oh, so like Kenj- Guh!" Tael began before I elbowed him in the stomach.


    "Why does him being a heavy drinker matter?" Kany asked.


    "Recently he had started to spend every night at the inn. He would come home reeking of alcohol¡­" She trailed off.


    "H-How long had he been doing this¡­?" I nervously asked.


    "He started going to the tavern every night last month. Before then, he would come home after tilling the fields. At first I thought he just picked up a post work hobby, but it seemed that he was making it a problem."


    Tael and I let out a collective sigh of relief. If this was happening because of the inn, then it would have been found out much earlier. We''re more than likely safe.


    "Okay¡­ Did he mention anything unusual recently? Has he made any new friends?" I asked.


    "Unusual? Like what?"


    "Well things like if he needs to meet someone, or if he was keeping a secret from you. Anything that he could have not wanted you to know."


    "N-No I don''t think so¡­"


    "Please, Naomi-san. Remember that we''re here to get him back. Anything that you tell us could potentially help us." Erana chimed in.


    Naomi looked to the ground and grumbled for a little while. We didn''t want to force her to say anything, but she was taking her time to speak.


    "I¡­"


    "I¡­?" x4


    "I think¡­ he may have been having an affair¡­" Naomi let out.


    The mood of the room plummeted to rock bottom. I feel like this would be the talk of the town if this got out.


    "W-Why do you think that?" I asked.


    "Because whenever he would come home, he would say something about how ''she''s a great lady'' and things like that! I don''t know who he was talking about, but it kept bothering me and then one night he just disappeared! I think he left with whoever that woman was and left me here!" She shouted. It seems like she''s finally letting her worries out to us.


    "Did he¡­ ever mention a name?" I slowly asked.


    "No¡­ He would always use terms like ''lady'' or ''woman'' but he would never say her name. He was always drunk when he would say it so I couldn''t get him to answer my questions."


    This is odd. It''s POSSIBLE that Innis was having an affair and left on his own one night, but that wouldn''t explain why 6 other people would have disappeared at the same time, nor does it explain the people that disappeared afterwards either¡­ Something else is going on here.


    "Did Innis have any relation to the people that went missing?"


    "You mean the other 6 people that disappeared? They were his drinking friends, but that''s not too odd considering how many people are in the village¡­"


    That''s it.


    That''s the key.


    "I think I get it now¡­" I muttered.


    "H-Huh? What do you mean? Do you know where Innis is?" Naomi shot out of her chair energetically.


    "No, I haven''t figured that out yet, but that''s the key."


    "The key?" Naomi tilted her head and sat back down.


    "Yeah. This explains a lot and gives us a point of attack."


    "Wait, we''re attacking something Onii-san?"


    "Potentially, but right now it''s just a figure of speech."


    "O-Okay¡­ So what exactly did you figure out, Kenji?"


    "It''s pretty simple, really. You know how Naomi-san believes that her husband was having an affair?" I held up a single finger.


    "Yeah?"


    "Well, what was at the inn?"


    "Alcohol!" Kany shouted out.


    "N-No, not that, Kany. I think Kenji-san is referring to that girl from last night."


    I gave a large smile when Erana said this.


    "Exactly. I think Rena is the key to this. Whatever is happening is connected to her in some shape or form so we need to question her." I held up a second finger.


    "Huh? How would she be involved at all, though?" Tael questioned.


    "You guys didn''t see it last night but I got up close. Rena has a level in the bard class." I put down both of my fingers and made a fist.


    "Huh? A level in bard? How would that work, Kenji-san? Wait, Tael-san told me that you didn''t remember what you did last night because you were drunk!" Erana was taken aback but suddenly asserted herself once more.


    Uh-oh. Busted. Well, you need to break eggs to make an omelette¡­


    "Look, that''s not important right now. Do any of you know about what abilities a bard would get?" I brushed off the previous topic and brought up a more pertinent one.


    "Bard abilities? I think at level one they only get to summon music and stuff¡­ Wait! That''s where her music came from last night!" Tael shouted out.


    "Exactly, but after I performed on stage, I asked her to show me her status screen and she had 0 experience points. She told me that she just naturally developed the level in bard."


    "Woah¡­ So, she''s a prodigy?" Erana softly muttered.


    "A prodigy?" I asked.


    "Kenji, prodigies are humans that develop levels in classes through desire or light effort. You know how elves and half-elves, like myself, get levels in wizard, or how Yasri the linxy has a level in rogue?" Tael began.


    "Yeah?"


    "Well, the reason for that is because of a racial bias towards a certain ability set. It''s biological ability that determines something within us before we even really make a decision on what we want." Tael continued.


    "Okay. I don''t really understand where this is going, but please continue."


    "Well humans are the only race that can develop levels in ANY class without gaining experience. The only prerequisite is that the human has to want to become that thing. Those humans that can become something without gaining experience are called prodigies. A good example of a prodigy is the first emperor, Invarnis Herim Dages Von Jun. He was one of the first human prodigies in the world that was capable of uniting humans against the monsters."


    "Yeah, yeah. This is good and all, but I think we''ve gone on a tangent. What does being a prodigy have to do with people disappearing?" Kany suddenly asked.


    "Well, like I told Kenji the other day, some people naturally develop multiple abilities at level one. Prodigies ALWAYS develop multiple abilities." Tael began.


    "And her second ability must be that she has been mind controlling people!" I declared as I stood up.

 54 This Hero Rushes To Confront!

    We bolted out of Naomi''s home. She was rather flustered as we began our sudden action, but there was no time to waste. We needed to get to the inn as soon as possible.


    As we ran, we encountered Yasri as she was walking along the road. She motioned over to us, so we stopped our movement towards the inn to speak to her.


    "Ah, it is the adventurers! How goes your investigation?" She asked.


    "Yasri, what do you know about the girl named ''Rena'' that performs at the inn?" I asked her while getting very close.


    "R-Renya-san? She lives alone since her parents passed away a few years ago." Yasri began.


    "Okay. She said that she''s Mulbik''s number 1 idol. Do you know how long she has been claiming this?"


    Yasri looked at me with a confused expression. "Idol? I knyow nyothing about this¡­ Why would there be an idol in Mulbik?"


    I backed away from Yasri as I was taken aback by her lack of knowledge on this subject. How does she not know about this?


    "I thought you knew everyone in this town! Surely you would have heard about someone calling themselves an idol!" Tael suddenly shouted out.


    "W-Well¡­ I do nyot keep up with everything in the town¡­" Yasri muttered.


    "Isn''t that what you said your job is, Yasri-san?" Erana asked.


    "Guh¡­ W-Well, I keep up with¡­ most things!" Yasri excused herself as she held up a single finger.


    I let out a sigh as I walked a bit away from the group.


    "Hm? Onii-san, what''s up? Did you figure something out?" Kany turned over to me and asked.


    If Yasri didn''t know about this¡­


    "Oi! Don''t ignore me again!" Kany shouted out as she slapped me on the back.


    "H-Hey! I''m thinking!" I turned and responded.


    "Well don''t just keep it to yourself! We''re a party. Parties work as a unit."


    I looked over to Tael and Erana and they both were simply watching me. Yasri quietly sidled away from the two of them before they could notice. Instead of saying anything, I just let out another sigh. Kany is right, if I want this to succeed, I''ll need to ensure that everyone else is on the same page.


    I gathered us all together in a tightly knit group and began my explanation.


    "Look, it''s possible that mind control can include things like memory erasure, so we can''t depend on Yasri for this. What we need to do is go to the inn and question people that we KNOW would have some type of information, like the barkeeper or his son."


    "Huh? Why would those two know anything, Kenji?"


    "Well, remember how people shouted out for Rena last night before she performed?" I asked Tael.


    "Yeah?"


    "Well, I have a hard time believing that she''s capable of both implanting and removing memories, especially from people that she isn''t in close contact with." I explained.


    Suddenly, it was as if a lightbulb appeared above Tael''s head.


    "Exactly." x3


    Tael''s smile quickly turned into a dejected expression when he realized that the rest of us had already figured it out.


    "Okay Kenji-san, what do you want to find out from innkeeper-san and his son?"


    "Hm¡­ Honestly I don''t know yet. I usually just play it by ear when it comes to asking questions." I flatly stated as I scratched my chin.


    The other 3 members of my party all stared at me with their mouths agape.


    "Onii-san¡­ You don''t plan ahead for questioning?"


    "Not really. I just know how to ask the right questions is all." I shrugged.


    "The right questions¡­?" Erana stared at me curiously.


    "Basically, ask questions that can only give you important information. Anything that can be used as either a weapon or as fuel is what you need to get when questioning someone."


    "Kenji, I think you''re going to need to show us instead of telling us." Tael sighed.


    "Alright. Let''s head to the inn. I''ll demonstrate there."


    "Okay!" x3


    We all broke from our grouping and began to walk along the dirt path once more. It did not take us long before we came face to face with the inn once more. Since it was still in the middle of the morning, the inside of the inn was quiet.


    I took a deep breath and walked through the doorway.


    My vision was filled with the familiar visage of the interior of the inn. Tables were set with seats in front of them, the wooden interior mixed with the feeling of age gave the building a very old feeling.


    Instead of choosing to appreciate the scenery, I immediately went towards the bar. Unfortunately, the innkeeper was not here.


    "Excuse me!" I shouted.


    Despite the fact that my voice echoed, nobody came. Maybe the innkeeper is hard of hearing?


    "EXCUSE US!" Kany jumped up on the counter and shouted.


    "WHAT? WHADDYA WANT YOU DAMN KIDS?" The innkeeper shouted as he ran out of the side room while still in his pajamas.


    "Onii-san, he''s all yours." Kany pat me on the shoulder as she hopped down from the counter.


    "Huh? What''s all this about? Don''t tell me you broke something¡­" The disgruntled innkeeper muttered as he rubbed his eyes.


    I cracked my neck to ready myself. Old people tend to be the easiest to set off so I need to be careful.


    "We need to ask you about the girl named Rena that performed here last night." I asked.


    Suddenly, the innkeeper''s face changed from frustration to elation.


    "Ah! Rena-chan is such an angel, isn''t she?" The innkeeper asked with a large ear to ear grin on his face.


    "U-Um, about that¡­ When did she start doing performances here in the inn?" I asked.


    "Hm? If I remember correctly it was around 3 weeks ago¡­" The innkeeper said while scratching his head.


    Before I could follow up on this, the innkeeper''s son poked his head out from the side room to speak.


    "Dad, it was 4 weeks ago, not 3." He declared.


    "Oh, that''s right!" The innkeeper knocked his own head. The party looked at him with a slight amount of disgust. If this were a cute girl it would have been fine, but this is a man that looks like he''s in his 60''s so it''s mostly just weird.


    Before I could follow up on asking more questions, Erana gave a light tug to my shirt so I turned over to her only to find her face was centimeters away from me.


    "W-W-What is it!" I panicked.


    "Kenji-san, the disappearances started last week. If she started this 4 weeks ago then it wouldn''t make sense." Erana whispered to me.


    I calmed down somewhat and composed myself. "This just means that she could have been playing the long game. I have the next question ready for this." I said as I began turning back around.


    "Finished with your girlfriend, son?" The innkeeper asked with a smirk on his face.


    "Guh!" x2 Erana and I both let out a guttural noise in response to this statement.


    "Abababababa¡­" Erana was looking to the side and trembling slightly as she kept trying to say something.


    After a moment, I composed myself and spoke.


    "S-She''s not my girlfriend. We''re party members." I declared.


    "A-Ah¡­ I see." the innkeeper trailed off. After he said this, the room was filled with an uncomfortable silence.


    Despite the size of this room, the atmosphere was filled with an awkward flavor.


    I cleared my throat to continue my questioning.


    "Ahem¡­ Okay, was she a good singer when she started?"


    I could hear Tael give a quiet "Huh?" behind me, but I decided to ignore him.


    "Hah! Feeling dejected about how bad you were last night and you want some encouragement it seems! I understand where you''re coming from, but even when she began, Rena-chan was still definitely better than you at singing." The innkeeper declared.


    "N-No that''s not it! I just wanted to know if she was as good as she is now!" I slammed on the bar.


    "Oh. Well¡­ I think she got better? There was this one night where music came out of nowhere and it was really nifty. We all had a good time that night¡­" The innkeeper trailed off.


    This time, Kany tugged on my shirt to ask me to talk to her, so I pulled in towards her and kept a reasonable distance so as not to get anything mistaken.


    "Onii-san, if she started as a normal person then why would she suddenly start doing things like mind controlling people?" Kany whispered to me.


    "It''s possible that she''s the yandere type. She doesn''t want people to do anything other than listen to her singing so she kidnaps them through mind control." I whispered back.


    "Oh, I see." Kany responded.


    I turned back towards the innkeeper once more.


    "I have a few more questions if you don''t mind."

 55 This Hero and The Small Home!

    "Hm? You still have questions? What more could you want to ask?" The innkeeper asked.


    "You''re aware of the people that have been disappearing, correct?" I asked the innkeeper as I scratched my chin.


    "Ah, yeah that''s awful stuff¡­" He trailed off.


    "Were these people regulars here?"


    "Yeah they were¡­ Things have been really quiet ever since they up and disappeared. I hope you can find them soon."


    Perfect. I have a correlation.


    "Out of the people that disappeared, had the initial people that disappeared heard a performance from Rena before they disappeared?"


    "Well, she''s been performing at this bar every night for the past month now! It''d be strange for them to not have heard her perform. Why do you ask?"


    "Were these people acting strangely before they disappeared? Even a subtle shift in their behavior might matter."


    "Subtle?" The innkeeper asked as he began to look up and scratch the side of his face.


    "Ernest wasn''t drinking much beer!" The innkeeper''s son chimed in from the side room.


    "I see¡­" I trailed off. I turned away from the innkeeper as I began to think.


    Now that I''ve learned that Rena developed her level in bard after she had begun performing in this town, on top of what we already knew, I decided to pull the party together in a huddle.


    "Okay guys. I think I have an idea." I told the group.


    "Okay. What is it Kenji?" Tael asked me.


    I slowly looked over the party''s faces. They were all looking at me expectantly.


    "We need to raid Rena''s home. At this point there''s no room for doubt. She''s definitely the cause of people disappearing in some shape or form. Since I know what level she is, I doubt she''d be able to take all 4 of us on with her single level in bard if it was to result in a confrontation. Is this alright with all of you?"


    "R-Raid Rena-san''s home? That''s awfully violent, Kenji-san!"


    "Well it''s been a while since I broke into a house but¡­"


    "Kenji you dog! A panty raid!"


    I took a deep inhale to interrupt my parties complaints and worries.


    "Look! There is no ulterior motive or anything! We just need to get to the bottom of this! At this point there is a 99% chance that it''s Rena doing it." I asserted.


    "Huh? 99% chance? What could the other 1% chance be?" Erana looked at me inquisitiely as she asked this.


    "Well¡­ You always need to be ready for the unexpected." I brushed her off. It''s not that I don''t want to tell them, but it''s best that we focus on the investigation right now.


    "Okay! Well then I agree with Kenji-san." Erana turned to the rest of the group and declared.


    "Seconded." Tael raised his hand lazily.


    "Well, that''s the majority. I''ll bust out the lockpicks." Kany sighed.


    We broke out of the huddle and I went towards the bar once more.


    "What, are you her stalker now?" The innkeeper raised an eyebrow as he eyed me suspiciously.


    "N-No¡­ I just need to speak to her to continue the investigation."


    "Hmph. It''s the house at the edge of the village. It''s not big and it''s near the forest so you should be able to find it. If I hear you caused trouble then I''ll get the whole village to whoop your ass. You understand?" The innkeeper got uncomfortably close and maintained eye contact with me.


    "Alright. I won''t cause trouble." I lied as I turned back to leave the inn. I could feel the innkeeper leering at me the entire time I was heading out of the building. It seems he really does like Rena.


    "Okay. It''s the house at the edge of the village next to the forest. Let''s go."


    We began to move towards the edge of the village. Tael ran up to me and matched my pace as he began talking to me.


    "Okay. What''s the plan Kenji?"


    "Ideally, we can question her and she will confess to her crimes. If she does that then we''ll just apprehend her. If she tries to fight then we''ll be forced to go on the offensive." I said as I patted my sword.


    "Oi Onii-san, I don''t want to kill her." Kany elbowed me.


    "K-Kenji-san! We''re not killing her! How cruel!"


    "I''m not going to kill her!" I shouted. A farmer that was resting at a nearby fence looked at us with concern, but decided to ignore us after a moment.


    Our party walked silently for a little while before we approached a small wooden building at the edge of the village.


    "Is this¡­ the place?" Kany asked.


    Her apprehension is right. This building looks more like a shack than a house that people live in. The building can''t be any bigger than 5 meters across. Is this really a place that someone is living?


    "I think so¡­" Erana muttered.


    I approached the front door and knocked. Ideally, Rena would let us into her home and this doesn''t need to get ugly.


    I waited at the front door for a little while, but nobody came.


    "Rena-san! It''s Kenji, from last night! I need to ask you a few questions if that''s alright with you!" I yelled out. Due to the small size of her home, there''s no way that she wouldn''t have heard me.


    I waited for another moment but heard nothing. I turned over to Kany and motioned her towards the door.


    "Haah¡­ I don''t really like doing this. It makes me feel like a robber."


    "But you are a robber." Tael and I both said at the same time. We quietly fistbumped behind Kany''s back as a result of being perfectly in sync.


    "Yeah yeah¡­" Kany grumbled as she began to pick the lock on the door.


    "Huh?" Kany let out.


    "What is it Kany?" Erana asked.


    "This door isn''t locked. I don''t think this door even has a lock in the first place¡­" Kany explained.


    With this, all of us were put on edge. I walked up to the front door and pulled out my dagger. The size of this building would make using my broadsword difficult, so the dagger is the best option.


    I gently opened the door¡­


    My vision was filled with what seemed to be a run down home of a single person. There was an old and dirty bed to the right, a small desk next to the bed and a small dresser. On the floor there was a faded red rug. Above the desk, there is a window that has faded drapes. This is the only room in the house it seems. Rena is nowhere to be found.


    "Can bards turn invisible?" I asked Tael.


    "Huh? No, I don''t think so. Wizards can but not bards." Tael answered.


    I calmed down a bit at this answer.


    "Okay¡­ We need to search the room." I announced.


    "Eh? Kenji-san, I think the girls should do this." Erana declared.


    "W-Why?" I asked.


    "Well¡­ What if she left her underwear somewhere and you were to touch it or something¡­? I saw the way you were looking at Rena-san last night..." Erana fidgeted in place as she spoke.


    "T-That has nothing to do with anything right now! We need to investigate! I don''t care about her panties or anything!" I could feel myself blushing.


    "O-Okay, but I''ll hold you to that!" Erana asserted.


    I merely grumbled and walked deeper into the room. The lack of objects in this room reminds me of when I was living with Ania, so I don''t feel very on edge in here.


    "Kenji, what are we looking for?" Tael asked me.


    I cupped my chin and began to think aloud to ensure everyone was on the same page.


    "Hmm¡­ Notes maybe? I doubt she''d be dumb enough to leave an account of her actions or anything, but it''s best to go down the list after all. Other than that, maybe a weapon or something? Anything that could be used as evidence against her I guess." I said.


    "Okay. I''ll search her dresser." Kany raised her hand to volunteer.


    "I suppose I''ll take the desk then." Tael said as he walked past me.


    "That leaves me with the bed!" Erana happily declared.


    "Oh, Kenji what are you going to do?" Tael turned back and asked me.


    "I have an idea¡­" I said as I crouched down.


    Everyone began investigating the room. Kany thought she found something important, but it turned out to just be song lyrics.


    We searched the room for around 15 minutes.


    "Ugh¡­ I don''t think anything is here, Onii-san." Kany declared as she sat down.


    "I agree with Kany, Kenji-san. Perhaps you were wrong?" Erana sat down on the bed.


    Tael said nothing, but I could tell by the way he was looking at me that he felt the same way.


    "If you''re so sure about that, then explain this!" I shouted as I pulled up the rug.


    "Huh? Why should that matter?" Tael asked.


    I walked over to a spot next to the bed that had been covered by the rug and crouched back down.


    "This is why." I said as I lifted a loose floorboard from the ground.


    A small cavity was revealed and inside there was a small leatherbound book inside.


    "W-Woah! A girls diary!" Tael let out. Kany knocked him on the head for that comment.

 56 This Hero and The Secret!

    I held the small leatherbound book upwards as I inspected its cover. There were no markings or etches along it. The spine of the book had no indication of what this was. Despite my lack of knowledge on what the books contents were, I couldn''t help but feel a bit excited at the concept that this may actually be a girls diary like Tael said.


    "O-Okay¡­ I know this is a breach of privacy and honestly we could probably be arrested for everything we''ve done so far, but let''s just keep going and see how it turns out." I said. Everyone looked at me embarrassedly, but it seemed like we were all determined to read this book.


    I cracked it open and saw the first page.


    \u003cDear Diary, my name is Rena. I am 16 years old and I want to be the greatest idol in the world!\u003e I read aloud. I could feel myself blushing the longer I went on, but I had determination so I powered through my embarrassment.


    \u003cToday marks three months since my parents'' disappeared. I don''t know where they are, but they probably aren''t coming back. I hope they didn''t abandon me...\u003e I read out.


    "Oh, how awful¡­" Erana quietly muttered while covering her mouth.


    "Well¡­ we have a reason for her being a bit crazy I guess¡­" I stated matter of factly.


    "Keep reading Onii-san."


    I turned the page and read the next entry.


    \u003cDear Diary, I just performed at the inn! My heart was racing like never before! The people at the inn were accepting of me and the innkeeper said I did a good job and he would pay me for performing there every night. I will get better!\u003e


    "So she only started this diary last month?" Tael asked.


    "I guess. At this point she wouldn''t have a level in bard yet." Kany responded.


    "Should I continue?" I asked.


    "I don''t think we''ve learned anything important yet Kenji-san. So far it''s just been about idol things and nothing too personal. I don''t see a problem with us continuing¡­ Also it''s a bit like gossip so I like discussing it with all of you!" Erana held her hands together and smiled.


    I cleared my throat and read the next page.


    \u003cDear Diary, today I went into the forest to search for my parents. Now that I can support myself, I can dedicate my spare time into looking for my mom and dad.\u003e


    "Oh, that''s so sad!" Tael shouted. I looked at him with a confused expression.


    "What? I can get emotional too!" He shouted in response to my face.


    Surprised by this new side of my friend, I returned to the diary.


    \u003cAs I was searching the forest, I heard a woman singing! Her voice was beautiful, but I don''t know where she was. I looked around the forest for a long time but I couldn''t find her. I had to leave the forest because it was getting dark, but I will return to search tomorrow.\u003e


    "A woman singing¡­?" I muttered.


    "Maybe it was Yasri." Kany suggested.


    \u003cDear Diary, today I made a friend. I met her in the forest. Her name is Mully.\u003e


    "So¡­ not Yasri." Kany stated flatly.


    "Well¡­ is there someone in the village that sings in the forest and is named Mully?" I asked.


    "How should we know?" Tael asked me.


    I shrugged "I guess we''ll need to ask Yasri about it." I said. I continued to read the passage.


    \u003cMully gave me some pointers on how to sing. I think I''ll do what she taught me at the inn tonight. I hope everything works out well!\u003e


    We all looked at one another for a moment, but since we had no interruptions or things to say, I elected to continue.


    \u003cDear Diary, the inn loved my performance! I told Mully and she was happy for me! She said she''s going to give me more lessons in the future so I''m excited to learn.\u003e


    "I think this is the day she developed a level in bard. That would explain why everyone was so happy about her performance." Tael suggested.


    "I agree with Mr. Sparkles."


    I returned to the book and read the next page.


    \u003cDear Diary, today Mully gave me something to give to the people at the inn. She told me that it would be something like invitations to a concert so I should pick people I like to go.\u003e


    "Bingo." I said out loud.


    "So these ''invitations'' were used on the people that went missing and they disappeared as a result." Erana stated.


    "But this means that she wasn''t mind controlling people, but she was doing the bidding of this ''Mully'' person." Tael added.


    "Well¡­ this calls for a point by point assessment." I declared.


    "Point by point assessment?" Kany asked.


    "It''s pretty simple. We use the information that we already have and use that to extrapolate more information. It''s basically educated guesswork."


    "Uh¡­ that sounds pretty complicated, Kenji."


    "I used it to find you when you got kidnapped by the goblins. I''ve always done this when I needed to figure something out. I''ll walk you through so don''t worry about it."


    "Alright. I''m all ears, Kenji-san!"


    "Okay. First: What have we learned from this diary so far?"


    "We learned that there''s someone named ''Mully'' that Rena met and she taught her how to sing." Tael said.


    "Correct. What else?"


    "Um¡­ We learned that Rena''s parents went missing 4 months ago." Kany added.


    "Right!"


    I looked towards Erana now to see what she would add. When our gazes met, she became flustered at trying to think of something.


    "U-Um¡­ S-She gained the level in bard after she met Mully-san?"


    "Exactly! See? It''s not hard."


    Everyone smiled at my reassurance, so I continued.


    "Now, from these three pieces of information, what can we extrapolate?"


    "U-Um¡­ This Mully person is a bard too?" Tael weakly asked.


    "That''s certainly a possibility, but I doubt it. Rena made no mention of instruments alongside the singing and I feel like she would mention that. It''s more likely that this ''Mully'' person is just a good singer and was giving Rena pointers. Anyone else?"


    "Well¡­ Maybe it''s how she selected people?" Erana shyly asked.


    "Possibly, but we don''t really have any indication of why she picked people other than ''she liked them'' so that''s not really useful."


    "Okay Onii-san, what do you think it is?"


    I rubbed my right shoulder and looked up as I thought to myself for a moment.


    "Meeting this ''Mully'' person made Rena stop searching for her parents. After the entry that talks about meeting Mully there is no mention of searching for her parents anymore. I doubt Rena would not include any information pertaining to that."


    Everyone gasped at that.


    "Woah¡­ I wouldn''t ever have guessed that¡­" Tael muttered.


    "Well, I knew you wouldn''t!" Kany shouted.


    Kany and Tael shot one another death glares for a moment before Erana interrupted them.


    "Why would Rena-san stop looking for her parents? I understand that she wants to be an idol, but you would think that searching for her parents would take priority¡­"


    "Exactly! That leads me into point two: Why did Rena stop looking for her parents?"


    "Because she got distracted?" Kany asked.


    "Maybe temporarily, but this was a month long thing. It doesn''t seem like she was really concerned about her parents after she met Mully, otherwise she would have gotten back at it after she met this Mully person." I responded.


    "Well¡­ Maybe it''s because she couldn''t search for her parents. She was too busy being an idol to search for her parents so she procrastinated it." Tael suggested.


    "I agree with Tael-san. That seems like the most correct idea."


    "You''re all most likely right in some regard, but I think it''s something else. I think it''s because Rena herself was mind controlled in some capacity."


    The group collectively looked at me in shock at this statement.


    "How would the mind controller be mind controlled? This is like one of those twists in stories!" Tael proclaimed.


    "Well, you''re right. It''s a bit strange but it''s possible. Let''s consider that Mully is capable of mind controlling people and somehow mind controlled Rena. Rena now is doing her bidding and mind controlling other people by proxy for some reason. We don''t know their reasoning, but we don''t need to know it exactly just yet."


    "So then what is point three?" Erana tilted her head and asked me.


    "Three: What is Mully?"


    "How would we know that Onii-san?"


    "We don''t need to know exacts, but we need an idea."


    "Hm¡­ I think it''s a monster, Kenji-san."


    "I was thinking the same thing. A human would have been living in the village, but a monster would hang out in the forest." I replied.


    "So there''s a named monster living in the forest near the village?" Tael asked.


    "Most likely. This would also explain why this village hasn''t had many problems with things like other monsters despite the fact that this village has no walls around it. There''s a high likelihood that Rena meeting Mully opened the floodgates to people getting kidnapped."


    "So then, if we get Rena, we can find this monster¡­" Tael began.


    "And then we can find the people that went missing!" Kany finished.

 57 This Hero and The Search!

    We''ve figured out what''s been going on in the rustic village of Mulbik. A girl named Rena is mind controlling people somehow. However Rena has been mind controlling people, it''s been for a mysterious individual named "Mully" who is currently a wildcard.


    Now we just need to find out where Rena is. If we find Rena, we find Mully and potentially the people that were taken, assuming that they''re still alive of course.


    We''re currently still inside of Rena''s home. We don''t know where she is, so we''re formulating a plan.


    "Okay¡­ What do we do?" Tael asked.


    "Maybe we could just wait here? Rena-san will most likely return to her home tonight." Erana suggested.


    "No, I don''t think we can do that." I said.


    "Eh? Why''s that Onii-san?"


    "Well, don''t you think it''s a bit strange that Rena isn''t here? It''s a bit early in the day for her to be gone without a trace like this." I began.


    "So then she''s in the village?" Kany asked.


    "No, I would guess that she''s with Mully right now!" Tael announced.


    "That''s the most likely thing that''s happening, but I get the feeling that it''s something else¡­"


    "What do you mean, Kenji-san?"


    "Well¡­ For some reason I get this feeling that Rena isn''t missing by coincidence." I began.


    "You don''t mean that she''s avoiding us, do you?" Kany asked.


    "I do. I think it can''t be a coincidence that the day after a group of adventurers arrived that she suddenly isn''t in her home in the morning."


    The party grumbled in response to my assumption. If Rena is trying to avoid us this would make finding her far more difficult.


    "So then¡­ How do we find her?" Is there any method we have to trap her or something?" Kany asked.


    "Well¡­" I began. The party looked at me with inquisitive eyes.


    "I think she ran off to this Mully person." I stated.


    "I assume that would be for protection?" Erana looked at me expectantly.


    "Yeah. If Mully is a monster then I think that Rena would look to her for protection in some capacity."


    "But she can''t stay with Mully forever! She has to leave at some point!" Tael asserted.


    "That''s true, but I think that Rena believes that she can wait us out. I also think she knew that we would find the diary. The diary was basically telling us ''I have a friend and we''ll fight you.''"


    "Ugh! Why couldn''t it have just been goblins again?" Tael shouted to the sky.


    "What, did you like getting cooked Mr. Sparkles?"


    "That''s not what I was saying!"


    "Well Tael-san, Kany, we have to deal with what we have. Just because she''s hiding doesn''t mean we cannot find her. My father told me once that nobody can disappear, they can only hide. Anyone prepared to find the hidden can make them be found."


    I nodded my head at the words of wisdom Erana was preaching. We needed some hope so this was perfect for us right now.


    "Ah, that''s not true Kenji!" Tael declared as he went back towards the desk.


    Tael showed me over towards the desk and then showed me the window. He pointed me towards a mark on the bar of the window that one would need to grip to open it.


    "This is¡­"


    It was a fingerprint. A fingerprint that was definitely fresh. The dust around the grip was undisturbed, but this spot was cleared of any dust at all. I looked out the window to see what was behind it.


    "So then, she went to the forest from here¡­" I muttered.


    "Yep. So then that means that she most likely ran into the forest from her home. Since she''s on the outskirts of the village nobody would have seen her do it." Tael responded to my muttering. It seems that we were on the same page about this.


    I turned over to Erana.


    "Can your hunter class track humans, or is it limited to only animals?" I asked.


    "It can track a human, but if they''re using a skill or magic to hide their tracks then there''s nothing I can do."


    "That shouldn''t be a problem. We''ll be depending on you Erana." I announced as I began to head out of the shack.


    "Yes! I''ll do my best!" Erana shouted out.


    We stepped back out onto the dirt path that we had come from. The time of day was now around noon, so the sun was beating down from overhead. The heat from late spring was beginning to make itself known.


    We walked around the shack to the backside of it where the window was. I ensured that we wouldn''t disturb any footprints that had been left in the grass and ushered Erana towards the area. When she got to the spot, she crouched down and investigated the area thoroughly.


    "It seems like Tael-san was correct. Someone came through this specific part. There are footprints here." Erana confirmed.


    Our group gave out our worry about being able to find Rena in the form of a group exhale. As we were calming down, Erana stood up and faced towards the forest.


    "These tracks head into the treeline. Stick with me please." Erana declared as she began to walk towards the forest.


    We quickly followed Erana as she went into the treeline. Though this forest isn''t particularly massive, the trees are still numerous and the foliage above us blocks out sunlight enough to make many shadows. We went deeper and deeper into the forest for what felt like at least 100 meters. If it weren''t for Erana, we would have probably lost our way by this point.


    This constant walking with no information has made me incredibly tense, so I decided to get up to Erana and talk to her.


    "Hey, do you have any new information?" I asked as I nudged her shoulder.


    "Ah, Kenji-san, I can''t tell if what I''m following is a human anymore¡­" Erana trailed off.


    "What? What do you mean human anymore?"


    "Well, A little way back I saw a drop of blood on a blade of grass. It could have been anything, but from then on I only saw what appeared to be paw prints on the ground. I''ve been following these prints since I saw the blood."


    "You didn''t think it was important to tell us this?" I could feel myself getting frustrated, but I didn''t want to let it out at her. I had to keep myself under control.


    "I''m sorry. Whenever I track creatures I focus on that entirely. I''m not used to sharing my thoughts or reasoning¡­"


    Ah, similar to me. I can''t stay mad at her.


    "Fine. Look, do you have any idea how much longer we''re going to be following this trail? It''s already been an hour since we went into the forest and I''d rather not spend more time in the forest than we need to."


    "It shouldn''t be long now. Creatures tend to hunt not far from their homes. From the distance we''ve covered, the creature that I''ve been tracking should be nearby."


    I nodded my head to indicate that I understood and fell back to Tael and Kany. These two have been trying their best to stay quiet so as to not bother Erana, but it seems that they''re at their limits.


    "Oi Onii-san, what did Erana say?"


    "No, Kenji tell me!"


    "Why don''t I just tell both of you?"


    "You will, but you should tell me first!" x2


    I looked at these two problem children. Despite one of them being older than me, it seems that their mental development stopped a few years back. I sighed in exhaustion and put an arm on both of their heads.


    "U-Uh, Onii-san you know that girls don''t really like getting headpats, right?"


    "W-Wait what? They don''t? Wait I''m not a girl Kenji!"


    I ignored their comments and simply patted them a bit. I''ve heard that a gentle touch can help something grow, so I hope this helps develop their minds. I released these two when Erana shouted something out from a bit in front of us.


    "Get low! I think I''ve found something!" She announced.


    Following Erana''s instructions, we all got low to the ground as we sidled up close to her. As we all got next to Erana, we looked forward at what she was pointing at.


    In front of us was a small cave entrance.


    "Ah jeez. Not again¡­" Tael muttered.


    "No Tael-san. This is no goblin cave. I think this is a bear cave." Erana replied.


    "Bears? Are you sure Erana?" Kany asked.


    "Either bears or some monster race. I can''t tell exactly but judging by the depth of the prints as well as the shape of them they''re probably bears."


    "What do bears have to do with Rena?" Tael asked.


    "I think these bears attacked Rena and dragged her off." Erana quickly declared.


    We all went silent after this.

 58 This Hero and The Cave!

    We were crouched behind a bush inside of a slightly dense forest. The trees swayed slightly with the wind. The ground was covered in shadow. Before us was an entrance to a cave.


    "Okay¡­ What''s our game plan?" I asked the group.


    "Well obviously we need to enter the cave!" Kany declared rambunctiously.


    "I agree with the loli. We should go in there blazing and just grab Rena." Tael held his fist up as he looked forward determinedly.


    I looked over to Erana. I don''t know much about how druids work, but stereotypically they don''t like to disturb the balance of nature so slaughtering a bunch of bears would probably be against her wishes.


    To my surprise, Erana was nodding her head energetically at Tael and Kany''s proposition.


    "Kenji-san, is that alright with you? You are our frontliner so I don''t want to force you, but we''ve agreed on this course of action." Erana looked at me expectantly. Despite her phrasing, it seems like she''s trying to strongarm me into doing this.


    "W-Well, if all of you agree then I guess I can''t go against all of you. I just want to make sure: You believe that Rena is in this cave, correct?" I stared deeply into Erana''s eyes. I had to give pressure to ensure that she would tell me her certainty.


    "Yes. Whoever left Rena-san''s home was taken by the creatures that are inside of that cave. I cannot guarantee that the creatures are bears, but I can guarantee that the person was taken by them." Erana stated with confidence as she met my gaze with the same level of pressure.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Why am I incapable of handling peer pressure?


    "Okay. What''s our strategy?" I asked.


    "Well, if they''re bears then we shouldn''t have any issues. I''ll stab them with my hide skill and you''ll draw their attention. Mr. Sparkles over there will provide ranged support and Erana will keep you in top condition. Does that work?" Kany tilted her head and asked me as she began to stand up.


    "That works if it''s bears. What if they''re not though?" I asked.


    My question seemed to deflate the atmosphere around us. Everyone looked at one another uncomfortably.


    "That''s what I thought. I understand your desire to rush in there, but if whatever is in there is something like the hobgoblin then we need to be careful about this. This could potentially be a danger rating of 4." I said as I crossed my arms.


    "I agree, Kenji-san. If I may, I have an idea." Erana said as she raised her right arm upwards towards the sky, like a student that wished to ask a question.


    "Alright, what''s your idea?"


    "We draw out one of the creatures inside of that cave and we observe it from a safe distance. If it''s a bear then we go on ahead with the initial plan. If it''s a monster then we assess the situation and act with caution."


    "What if the creature doesn''t take the bait, or if it can find us after it''s lured out?"


    "It will take the bait. If it has a home, it stands to reason that it would be territorial to some degree. If it can find us then we''ll just need to fight it or run away!"


    "E-Erana, you make this seem simple¡­" Tael backed away from Erana slightly when he said this.


    "I did this before when I hunted. It''s a simple technique for handling caves." Erana succinctly stated.


    "I agree with Erana." Kany quickly stated.


    I mulled our plan over for a little while, but eventually decided that Erana was probably correct in this planning.


    "Alright. Kenji-san, Tael-san, I need both of you to stay hidden behind this bush with me. Kany, I need you to sneak up to the entrance of the cave and shout into the mouth of it. Once you do that, use your hide skill and get back here. Can you do that for me?"


    "Roger that!" Kany declared as she quickly and quietly began to move towards the cave entrance.


    We watched over the bush and saw Kany heading towards the mouth of the cave. Her silent footsteps lead her to the entrance and then she got up against a wall before cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify her shouts.


    "AAAAAAAAA!" Kany shouted into the cave. Rodents like bats and small birds flew out of the cave in response to Kany''s shout. She quickly crouched down once more after her bellowing. I couldn''t tell if she was using the hide skill or not, but as I looked at her, I could tell that she was a bit harder to notice than normal.


    Kany quickly rejoined us behind the bush and watched over the top of it like the rest of us. We all patiently awaited to see any signs of movement for what felt like a full minute.


    I was about to call it quits until I saw something move from the cave entrance. A large, lumbering creature that was standing on four legs. Each of its legs was twice or even three times the size of my arm. Its entire body was covered by a thick, brown coat of fur.


    I saw this type of creature in nature documentaries back in Japan. This is a brown bear.


    "A bear¡­" Erana whispered.


    The bear looked around the cave entrance for a moment to search for whatever had caused the disturbance to its home. After a short while the bear seemed to decide that whatever had caused the issue had left and returned into its sanctuary.


    Once the bear had gone, I stood up and drew my broadsword. The rest of us also stood up and prepared our tools as well.


    "Okay! Onii-san, stick with me. You distract and I take them down. Got it?"


    "Got it."


    Kany crouched down and began to quickly move forward. I motioned to Tael and Erana to follow me as I followed Kany into the cave.


    As I arrived at the caves entrance, I could feel the wind moving into the mouth of the cave. The cool breeze felt pleasant against my skin, but I couldn''t waste time to focus on that right now.


    I stepped into the mouth of the cave. I could hear the noise of what sounded like water dripping down onto the stone floor.


    "It''s gonna get dark in here¡­" I muttered.


    "Fireflies!" Erana said as 13 fireflies flew out of a small magic circle that appeared in front of her small tree branch.


    "Oh! I can summon one more now!" Erana happily whispered.


    The interior of the cave was lit with a dim lighting. Unlike the goblin cave, this one seemed to just be one large area. There would be no chance that we would get split up in here.


    As we walked deeper in, I could see a large bear that was lying down on the ground. I prepared my broadsword as I sidled up closer.


    Before I could stab at the bear, I saw Kany appear again to my left and drive her dagger into the bear''s neck.


    The bear quickly shook up in a panic. It quickly stood up and its size eclipsed my own height. I could feel the nervousness of facing down a physically frightening enemy begin to well up inside of me.


    I gathered myself together and charged the bear. The one that takes the initiative takes the victory. I held my sword and poured my energy into it, just like I had with the goblin before.


    "Strike!" I shouted out as my sword flew down at blinding speed. My attack hit true as my sword dug deeply into the bear''s flesh. Surprisingly, however, the attack did not cleave through the bear, but was instead stopped about 15 centimeters in. Though this attack had done a notable amount of damage, it was not lethal.


    The bear swung its claw down at me, but I jumped out of the way before it could hit me. I had to abandon my broadsword for now, so I drew my dagger.


    "Frost!" Tael shouted. The bear was enveloped by a blue wind and I could see its movements slow. The blood that was dripping off of the bear had turned to ice on the ground.


    The bear roared in response to our surprise attack. It was not dead, but it certainly was not doing well.


    I pointed my dagger at the bear and channeled my mana into it. Once I felt like it was ready, I released the mana that I had channeled into the dagger.


    "Firebolt!" I shouted. The streak of flames hit the bear squarely in the center of its head.


    Kany snuck up behind the bear and delivered the finishing blow by striking it where my firebolt had hit prior.


    The bear hit the ground with a sickening thud. The beast was slain.


    "Are there any more around?" I quickly asked as I ran over to pull my sword out of the bear.


    "None that I can see!" Tael responded.


    "Okay! Then we need to begin investigating the area. Let''s find Rena!" I declared.

 59 This Hero and The Surprise!

    The corpse of the slain grizzly bear lied still on the stone floor of the cave. The dim lighting of a baker''s dozen fireflies lit up the space with a soft orange glow. The silence that followed our violence was deafening.


    "Is anyone hurt?" Erana asked.


    "I''m good." Tael declared.


    "She means anyone that could have been hurt, dingus!" Kany shouted out from behind the bear.


    "I''m fine. We handled the bear before it could really do anything to us anyways. Speaking of, good job everyone." I looked over the party. Handling a creature like a grizzly bear with next to no issues is an impressive feat. I can tell that we''ll only improve as time goes on.


    "Okay, that''s good. Now we need to search the cave for Rena-san." Erana declared.


    "Can I shout out for her? Are there any more bears that we''ll need to worry about?" I asked Erana.


    "No. It seems like this was the only bear in the cave. I don''t know why it was alone, but we don''t need to worry about any more than that one."


    "Whew! I was super nervous when I was gonna stab it! I got flashbacks to the hobgoblin for a moment!"


    "Don''t remind me¡­" Tael muttered as he clutched his stomach.


    I observed the interior of this space that we were in. Though this seems to go around 15 meters deep, there is only the one space that we are currently occupying. I don''t see or hear Rena, but it''s entirely possible that she''s either hidden from us, or is hiding from us actively.


    I cleared my throat and took a deep breath.


    "RENA? ARE YOU HERE?" I shouted at the top of my lungs into the cave. The echo reverberated throughout the space for a few moments before finally losing its power. No matter where you were in this space, there was no way that you wouldn''t hear this.


    We stood still for a moment waiting for any signs of movement and listening for any sounds that may have come from something moving around, but they never came.


    "So¡­ she''s not here?" Tael asked.


    "Just because she didn''t respond doesn''t mean she''s gone, Tael-san. Remember that she could be trying to hide from us specifically."


    "A-Ahh¡­ Right¡­"


    I began to walk deeper into the space of the cave. I approached the back of the interior of this cave and began to check the floor.


    "Hm¡­" I let out.


    "What''s up, Kenji?"


    "I don''t see any signs that anyone other than that bear has been here! Erana, are you sure that Rena would have been here?"


    "I''m positive. Whoever left that house was brought here."


    I sighed in exhaustion at this. Now that I think about it, I''m actually rather tired. I understand that I just fought a bear and all, but the fatigue I''m feeling is actually rather surprising.


    "H-Hey, Kany¡­ Why am I so tired?" I asked her.


    "Are you putting on weight again or something Onii-san? I hope I don''t have to see how you looked before again, that would just be sad!"


    "I-I''m healthier than I''ve ever been!" I shouted out. My shout echoed throughout the cave once more.


    "Huh? What''s this about you being healthy, Kenji-san?"


    "N-Nothing! I just um¡­ I''m feeling a bit tired is all!" I could feel myself blushing. I absolutely cannot let Erana or Tael know about my prior condition. I don''t want Erana to pity me and I know I would never hear the end of it from Tael.


    "Oh, maybe it was because you cast firebolt." Tael declared.


    "Why would that do it?" I asked.


    "Well, spells have been found to link to physical ability somewhat. Casting spells can draw from your stamina at times so maybe it was just that. You''ve only cast firebolt once before anyways. You''re probably still just finding the correct feel for it or something." Tael explained.


    "Oh, that probably explains it. Yeah¡­ I just need practice." I brushed my forehead off.


    "Everyone, I think I found something!" Erana shouted out as she crouched in a corner of the cave.


    We all approached Erana''s position to investigate what she found. Her face showed a morose expression. I could tell that she felt awful about whatever she was seeing.


    "T-This fabric¡­ Does anyone recognize it?" Erana held up a small bit of cloth towards the rest of us. A small part of it was covered in blood, but the rest of it was a deep pink color.


    "Hey wait¡­ Isn''t that¡­" Tael began.


    "What? What is that?" Kany was nudging Tael and myself out of the way to get a good look.


    "That''s a piece from Rena''s dress. I remember seeing it last night when she performed." I looked downwards towards the ground as I said this. I can''t describe it, but I felt a serious sense of failure when I said this.


    "Wait so¡­ What does this mean?" Tael asked Erana and myself this question. His head fluttered between the two of us quickly.


    "Tael¡­ do you see Rena anywhere around here?" I quietly asked him.


    "No¡­"


    "Well, why do you think that is?"


    "Don''t tell me the bear¡­"


    "Oh jeez¡­" Kany whispered.


    "Yeah. It seems like the bear ate her. Look around the ground here. There''s a big blood stain. I think I know what happened now." I began to explain.


    "Essentially what happened is, last night Rena found out that we were adventurers. Since she knew that it was only a matter of time before her cover was blown, she ran away out of her house in the middle of the night after she performed at the inn. She was probably looking for her friend Mully, but was intercepted by the bear. Simply put, the bear won and dragged her into this cave to eat her. This is the result¡­" I finished saying.


    "Jeez Onii-san. That''s pretty awful."


    "Life isn''t always kind, Kany." Erana stood up and said.


    "Well, what''s our plan now then?" Tael asked.


    I pulled out my broadsword from its sheath and began to walk towards the bear''s corpse.


    "I''m curious about something." I declared as I raised my broadsword.


    "W-Woah wait Kenji-san! We needed to kill the bear to protect ourselves and search for Rena-san, but it''s dead now! We don''t need to disturb it anymore!" Erana ran towards me and got between myself and the bear.


    "I thought you didn''t care about that ''preserve nature'' stuff!" I shouted out in protest.


    "Taking down a single bear and mutilating its corpse are two separate things! Leave it alone, please?" Erana pleaded with me. I could tell that this is seriously bothering her, so I let out a sigh and sheathed my broadsword back into its hilt.


    "Whew¡­" Erana exhaled in relief as she lowered her arms.


    I closed my eyes and reflected on our current situation. We don''t know who Mully is, Rena was devoured by a bear, and we have no idea where the missing people are. This is pretty much a worst case scenario. What do we do now?


    As I was thinking to myself, I was interrupted by Kany.


    "Yo Onii-san, what were you going to do with the bear anyways?" She asked me as she tilted her head.


    "Oh¡­ Well I was going to cut open its stomach and investigate its contents." I stated matter of factly.


    Kany looked at me in horror. Tael also followed suit soon after.


    "W-Why would you do that? That''s so gross!"


    "Oh, well I was curious about something." I shrugged.


    "About WHAT?" Tael shouted.


    "Well¡­ I dunno. I just feel like this is a bit too¡­ clean. You know?" I asked.


    "Huh? What do you mean by that, Onii-san?"


    "Well, there was a clear trail out of Rena''s house and then from there we were able to follow a super clear path straight from there to this place. After we handled the bear in here, we were able to find some damning evidence of the person that we were tracking being Rena. I dunno, it just feels like it''s being set up or something¡­" I stated.


    "Man Kenji, you''re still super paranoid, huh?" Tael brushed off my concerns with that simple statement. I could feel frustration build incredibly quickly in response to this.


    "W-Well, let''s deal with what we know. Right now, we need to go and inform the village. Specifically we need to tell Yasri-san. From there, we will be able to find out what to do afterwards. Okay?" Erana looked at the whole group as she asked this.


    "Okay." We all said in tandem. We began to head outside of the cave, past the bear''s carcass, and went back towards the village of Mulbik.

 60 This Hero and The Sorrow!

    Our feet dragged across the grass floor of the forest as we moved back towards the village of Mulbik. We carried heavy news with us as we walked. Unlike our prior walks together, there was no cheer this time. Tael and Kany were not exchanging banter. Erana and I were not making any small talk. We simply put one foot in front of the other as we continued onwards towards our destination.


    After walking for an hour under the canopy of trees, the sky opened up to reveal the sunlight. We had finally emerged from the forest. The small shack that had belonged to Rena was there to greet us as we approached the outskirts of the village.


    "Well¡­ At least we made it back in one piece." Tael broke the silence around us. His statement seemed to open the floodgates.


    "Yeah. It''s best to appreciate what you have after all!" Kany gave a weak smile and nodded her head.


    We approached the small shack and stopped next to the window. Erana crouched down towards the ground and placed her hand upon where one of the indentations of a footstep were.


    "I''m sorry, Rena-san. We''ve avenged you. I hope you can find solace in that." I could hear her whisper. Erana then placed her hands together in a form of prayer for a moment before slowly rising back up off the ground. Her eyes were filled with a confident determination as she began to walk forward once more.


    "Come on. We need to tell Yasri-san what happened." She declared.


    "O-Okay!" I replied. Since when was Erana calling the shots?


    The rest of our party quickly followed as we walked away from the small shack that was once the aspiring idols home and stepped back onto the dirt path. We had a newfound energy in our steps as we walked forward towards our destination.


    It didn''t take long for us to arrive at the mossy wooden home that belonged to the Linxy named Yasri. Erana approached the front door and knocked hard.


    "Excuse me, Yasri-san? Are you home?" She loudly shouted towards the door.


    We waited for a few moments and the door quickly opened. The cat woman named Yasri was standing in front of the door, completely naked. I was the only one that was bothered by this it seems as everyone else seemed to take this in stride.


    "Ah, you have come. What has happened? Have you found the missing people?" She peered deeply into Erana''s eyes as she asked this question.


    "A-Ah¡­ Um¡­ you see¡­" Erana began. It seems like she''s flubbing this at the last moment. I stepped forward to save face.


    "I''m sorry, Yasri-san. Can we please come in and sit down again? We don''t need tea, but it would be best if we inform you of what''s happened." I said.


    Surprised by my sudden authoritative attitude, Erana backed down and Yasri stared directly at me. I could feel her feline gaze as she peered directly into my eyes. It was as if my very soul was being looked at.


    We took her up on her invitation and walked inside. Vasha the cat ran up to Kany immediately. The two seemed to like one another very much as Kany immediately picked her up to start petting her. The rest of us walked up to the sofa that we had previously sat upon and took our respective places.


    "So¡­ What have you discovered?" Yasri asked us.


    Erana, Tael, and I looked at each other as if to ask "who will tell her?" Kany on the other hand was too busy petting the cat once more to be of any use. We sat in uncomfortable silence for a moment as we waited for someone to say something. When it became evident that nobody was going to say something, I decided to take the initiative.


    "We''ve discovered quite a few things, so I''ll start from the beginning." I declared as I gripped my knees. I could hear the metal of my leg armor squeak a little bit under my strength.


    Yasri merely stared at me deeply. I could feel the tension of the room.


    "To begin with, we have reason to believe that Rena, the girl that performed at the inn every night, is at least partially responsible for the disappearances recently."


    "What? Renya-chan? Why do you say this?"


    "It''s a few things." Tael cut in. Yasri immediately looked at Tael with her piercing eyes and he seemed to crumble under the pressure. He immediately deferred the talking back to myself.


    "T-To explain what Tael was saying, we recently found out that Rena is what is known of as a ''prodigy.''"


    "A person that develops levels naturally?" Yasri interjected. I felt a slight twinge of frustration at the fact that a cat lady from the boonies knew about this while I did not.


    "Yes. She had developed at least a single level in the bard class. She showed me this last night at the inn."


    "Alright, but why does this matter?"


    "We believe that she was using her level in bard to mind control people." I declared.


    "Huh? How would that work?"


    "The people that disappeared all frequented the inn. Rena performed there every night for the past month." I began to explain the reasoning.


    "Well, most people frequent the inn. It''s basically the only place to spend time in this village." Yasri rebutted.


    "While that may be true, the correlation is there. Don''t worry, there''s more."


    Yasri leaned back into her seat as she stared into my eyes once more.


    "We had suspicions, so we went to Rena''s home. From there, we needed to ask her questions, but when we arrived she wasn''t home."


    "That is understandable though. Her parents went missing a while ago so she must have been searching for them!" Yasri shouted.


    "About that, we found her diary." Erana interjected.


    "You read the poor girl''s diary?" Yasri held a hand¡­ or paw over her mouth in shock.


    "I''m sorry, but we had to." I bowed my head to the floor.


    I could hear Yasri grumble in response, but it seemed like she eventually accepted our actions.


    I raised my head and continued on.


    "We learned that Rena met someone named ''Mully'' and this person was giving Rena ''invitations.''"


    "Hm¡­" I heard Yasri let out.


    "These invitations were given out to only the people at the inn apparently. We don''t know what these invitations were, but these are allegedly what led to people disappearing."


    "I see. So you need to find Rena-chan?"


    "About that¡­" I began. Yasri tilted her head in response.


    "We searched for Rena-san after we found this evidence against her, but we were led to a cave that held a grizzly bear inside. We killed the bear, but we found signs that Rena-san had been killed and eaten by the bear¡­" Erana butt in.


    Silence filled the room after this. Erana doesn''t seem to be good at subtlety.


    "A-Are you sure¡­?"


    "Yeah¡­ We are. I''m sorry." Tael finally spoke up.


    At this point, Kany approached the group again and set Vasha back down.


    "Yeah, we knew that it was Rena because her dress from last night was found in the cave." Kany stated matter of factly.


    I looked at both of our party members that seemed to be incapable of sugar coating words with a sense of frustration, but I eventually decided that it wasn''t worth the time.


    "I''m sorry, Yasri-san. This is what we found. None of us wanted this. If you want our evidence, you will find the diary under one of the floorboards in Rena''s home." I decided to say.


    "...What of the ones that are missing?" Yasri finally asked.


    "We don''t know where they are, but we''ll find them." I quickly replied. I couldn''t let all hope be lost after all.


    "I see¡­ I hope you will be able to find them. I don''t want them to experience the same fates as Rena-chan¡­"


    I could feel the sense of sorrow eek itself into the room. The dark energy filled the space that we were in. It seemed like even Vasha noticed this as she ran off suddenly.


    We sat in the silence for a bit of time before Yasri suddenly stood up.


    "I will need to inform Miris-san. The inn shall be silent tonyight it seems. Speaking of, you have done a lot of work today. I suppose you shall be turning in for the nyight. I hope that you are able to continyue with your efficiency tomorrow like you did today."


    We all bowed our heads in respect.


    "Well, I must go. We shall head to the inn from here then. Thank you, adventurers."


    We stood up off the sofa and walked towards the thin wooden door as we were escorted outside.


    "I''m¡­ sorry it didn''t turn out better¡­" Kany quietly whispered to Yasri.


    "...Me too." She quietly replied.

 61 This Hero and The Quiet Evening!

    We silently walked towards the inn. Our feet dragged on the dirt road because we were aware of what was going to happen when we arrived. It was as if we were trying to spend as much time as we could traveling to our destination. Even Yasri noticed this.


    "Move your feet. You cannyot be tired just yet!"


    "Ugh." Tael and Kany both replied in unison. At least they''re still lazy.


    It took us some time, but we eventually came across the two story wooden building that was covered in moss.


    All of us awkwardly fidgeted as we stood in front of the door. None of us wanted to be the one to deliver the grim news it seemed. Yasri looked at us as if we were pathetic and stepped through the doorway with a confident swagger. Seeing her do this appeared to give all of us courage as we began to follow her inside the inn.


    We stepped into the familiar wooden interior for the second time today. The innkeeper was cleaning the bar with a dirty washcloth. I wonder if he even does anything else other than stand at the bar.


    "Miris-san, I have nyews I must give you." Yasri shouted out. Her sudden action made everyone in the building jump in shock. The mood was completely ruined.


    "Y-Yeah? What do you want, Yasri-san? Don''t tell me the adventurers want my place shut down¡­" He gave all of us death glares as he said this. Tael and Kany immediately looked away under the pressure while Erana and I stood still. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up under the pressure, but I''m not worried about getting into a fight right now.


    "Kenji-san. Come here and explain." Yasri made a come motion with one of her fingers as she said this. I stepped forward. For some reason I feel like I failed a test and I have to tell my parents, but I still had to step forward and do this.


    I approached the bar. The innkeeper that was evidently named Miris eyed me up and down angrily.


    "Well? Spit it out boy." He motioned his head upwards as to indicate that I needed to speak.


    "Rena was mind controlling your customers during her performances. She''s the reason why people were disappearing." I immediately spoke the truth. I decided that saying it this way would take all the wind out of the innkeeper''s sails.


    "W-What? What do you mean? Ain''t that a bit sudden to drop on me like this? I''m an old man, you know!" He took a few steps backwards from the bar when he said this. It was as if he was trying to get away from what I was telling him.


    "Sorry, but it''s the truth." I stated. I stared directly into Miris''s eyes as I did this. It was my time to put the pressure on him.


    "If you want proof I can go get it. It''s in her house, you know, the one you told us where to find?" I gave a small smirk. I won''t lie, I am deriving a bit of joy from giving pushback to this guy now.


    Miris met my stare for a moment. Our eyes locked and I could feel an intensity of someone trying to pressure me down, but I refused to budge. After a moment, the innkeeper looked away. I had won this exchange.


    "...Fine. So then are you going to tell me you arrested her?" He seemed to slump a bit as he asked this.


    "Well, nyot exactly¡­" Yasri began.


    Miris looked at all of us perplexedly. He was missing the important information, so his confusion was reasonable.


    "Um¡­ Innkeeper-san¡­ Rena-san is¡­ dead." Erana came forward and announced.


    The room became incredibly quiet. You could hear the sounds of everyone breathing. This news must have sent a shock through Miris''s body.


    "H-How can you be so sure¡­?" Miris looked like he was clutching at straws. He must have really liked Rena.


    Erana and I looked at each other. Though we said nothing, we both knew we were silently asking each other "Will you say it or will I?" Eventually, I broke our gaze and decided to take the initiative.


    "We¡­ found bits and pieces of Rena''s dress from last night inside of a grizzly bear''s cave. There were signs that something had been¡­ eaten there. From all the evidence we had gathered, there was next to no chance that it had not been Rena. I''m sorry." I looked down as I said this. I fidgeted with my hands because of how difficult it was to tell him this.


    I could hear the innkeeper take a deep inhale and exhale a moment after I finished speaking.


    "Well, that''s a shame." He looked up and declared.


    "Huh?" Erana and I let out in confusion. We expected him to be more broken up about it.


    "Well, she was a good singer! She really made this place livelier every night. Not having her perform every night is gonna suck now!" He shrugged his shoulders to brush this off.


    "Are you¡­ a psychopath?" I heard myself asking.


    "Worse, I run a business!" He looked at me and gave a toothy grin.


    Kany and Tael walked up behind us. It seemed that even they had a problem with what this guy was saying.


    "Dude, you seemed to like her a lot from what we saw last night. You''re not even broken up about this?" Tael asked.


    "Well I feel bad, but I gotta worry about the inn first!"


    "This is the only inn in town! Why are you trying to drum up more business? Having music won''t make more people come!" Kany shouted.


    "That may be true but we might as well have it!" Miris shrugged his shoulders once more. He has gone back to wiping down the bar with his dirty washcloth.


    Our party looked at each other dumbfoundedly. This is a bit ridiculous. Yasri, however, didn''t seem to even think this was odd.


    "You have businyess tomorrow as well. Rest well and stay safe." She said as she walked out of the inn.


    "Well¡­ You may as well take a seat. People will start showing up for drinks any time now, so I''ll just run dinner service early."


    We were all taken aback by the sudden shift in tone, so we simply followed the instructions and sat down at the same table we sat at yesterday. After a few moments, the innkeeper''s son came into the room and approached us to take our orders.


    "So, back I see? Want more beer?" He asked.


    I groaned in response. After that hangover last night and everything that happened today, I think I would puke if I had any beer.


    "I want beer, yes sir!" Kany cheerfully held her hand up.


    "I''ll take a water myself." Erana quietly muttered.


    "Beer for me!" Tael declared. This left only myself for an order.


    "Water. Also give us each a dinner thing. Whatever it is, please." I rested my head on the tabletop. I was exhausted so I just wanted to get dinner over with at this point.


    "Okey doke. 2 waters and 2 beers. Dinner for 4. Got it." He said as he walked back to the back room.


    "Onii-san, why no beer? Hate losing to me last night?" Kany nudged my head with her finger.


    "Nah, I just REALLY don''t want beer right now. I think I''d puke." I groaned out.


    "I understand that feeling, Kenji-san. I think you''re wise to choose water right now."


    "Well I think you''re dumb, Kenji. More beer for us!" Tael and Kany both high fived at this.


    It didn''t take long for people to start filing into the building. Every face was familiar. These people had been here last night.


    The innkeeper''s son gave us our orders. I gulped down the water greedily as soon as it was placed in front of me. This seemed to surprise everyone. Despite their surprise, the son also placed down the dinner. It was stew again.


    We each began to eat our dinner. Though we exchanged light small talk, none of us really spoke about anything important.


    It didn''t take long for someone to interrupt our recovering mood.


    "Hey Miris, where''s Rena-chan?" A patron asked.


    "If you want to know, go ask the adventurer over there." He shouted as he pointed at me. I could feel everyone in the inn look at me at the same time in response to this. A few patrons approached me to bother me.


    "So¡­ Whatdya do to Rena-chan?" A large man asked me.


    I sipped on my water before I decided to speak.


    "We found out that she was responsible for the people disappearing." I quickly said.


    "Huh? What are you talking about? Rena-chan is an angel! Ain''t no way she''s the one responsible!" The man shouted.


    His shouting was giving me a headache. I was getting frustrated.


    "I said what I said. Either you accept it or you don''t. Now please leave me alone." I quietly muttered.


    "Hell no!" The large man shouted as he slammed his fist on the table. My water and stew were flipped and the contents fell out as a result of this.


    I stared at my now ruined dinner. I was in shock.


    I slowly stood up.


    "Huh? What''s that? You wanna go tough guy?" The large man pushed me when I stood up. I wasn''t afraid of him and I can tell that I''m stronger. I just decided to walk outside.

 62 This Hero and The Fight!

    I stepped out onto the moonlit landing and into the outside of the inn. Behind me, the large, possibly inebriated man followed me. Two of his friends followed him out, but they did not have the same air about them. His face was red and his expressions clearly indicated his desire to fight me. I don''t particularly want to fight some random guy, but they''re not exactly making this easy on me either.


    Once I had stepped onto the dirt path, I turned around to look at the man. Had this been me from seven months ago, I would be bowing in a dogeza at this point. Instead, I am now meeting his fierce gaze head on.


    A line from a popular comic book series flashed through my mind. "With great power comes great responsibility."


    I don''t entirely disagree with this quote. The only thing separating us from animals is the fact that we know how powerful we are and we judge our own usage of that power. I can''t just use the strength that I''ve acquired for stupid reasons. I need to be reserved. There are definitely people that are stronger than me in this world. I don''t want to do anything that puts me on their negative radar after all.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Once I had finished exhaling, I spoke to the man.


    "I don''t want to fight you. I led you out here so you could cool off. Don''t make me do this, please." I stared deeply into his eyes. I wanted to express my point as best as I could.


    "Yeah? I wouldn''t want to fight me, either!" The man said as he was rolling up his sleeves.


    A few of the man''s friends spoke up.


    "Hey Gin, I don''t think this is worth it. He''s an adventurer! Just leave him alone." They urged. The man tried to grab the man evidently named Gin by the shoulder, but was brushed off.


    "Last night he nearly drove me deaf and now he says that Rena-chan was responsible for people like Innis going missing? Nah. I ain''t buying it. This kid just wants to make an easy jun off of us! I''m going to teach him a lesson."


    Gin cracked his neck a bit along with his knuckles. He is fairly large and has some muscle definition. Most likely he has been working on the fields all of his life. To a normal person he would be fairly intimidating, but I''ve dealt with a hobgoblin, a grizzly bear, and an old woman that made me wake up at 5 A.M. every day. This guy is just a minor inconvenience at this point.


    I rolled my shoulder. I don''t plan on throwing any punches, but I don''t want to want to come in unprepared after all.


    Taking my actions as the sign to attack, the man named Gin rushed me and tried to punch me in the face with his right hand while putting all of his body weight behind it. He may as well have been moving in slow motion however, as I deftly slid myself left to dodge the attack. Gin lost his footing due to this attack and fell to the ground. Dirt and dust covered him.


    "AGH I''LL KILL YOU!" Gin shouted as he got on his feet and launched another attack at me. I nimbly dodged this one as well, following the same procedure as I did for the previous attack.


    Unlike the last time, however, Gin did not fall over. It seemed like he accommodated for the chance that I would dodge since he was able to stay on his feet. Gin''s friends had to move out of the way since it looked like he would run into them because of his momentum.


    "RAAAAH!" He screamed as he ran towards me. I prepared to dodge his futile punch once more, but instead Gin kicked at me with his left leg. I was unprepared for this, so I quickly raised my right leg to defend myself from his kick.


    His leg collided with mine. Under a normal circumstance, this wouldn''t make much of a difference, but I am wearing metal leg armor. Gin essentially just kicked a wall made of metal.


    "Agh!" He shouted as he kneeled down and clutched his throbbing leg. His friends winced as they watched him crouch down in pain. Even I winced a little bit as I watched him hold his leg.


    "I told you. I don''t want to fight you. Leave me alone." I spoke with as much authority as I could muster. I wanted this to be the end of this petty squabble.


    "You little¡­" He muttered as he slowly stood back up. The fury in his eyes and face was honestly a bit frightening. I have no idea why this guy is so angry.


    I saw Gin run up to me. Unlike before, it looked like he was going to try delivering a stomach punch. As usual, I will dodge this.


    Just before the attack would land, the door to the inn burst open and Erana stepped out of it.


    Gin''s fist collided with my abdominal area. Despite holding the majority of force this man could muster, it only felt like a rather light push. I realized that he just collided with my leather cuirass.


    "Agh!" Gin shouted out as he fell to his knees and clutched his now broken hand. Everyone was shocked by this. Even I never expected for him to get hurt this severely.


    "Kenji-san! What are you doing?" Erana shouted at me.


    I could feel guilt wash over me when she did this. What excuse could I give? I didn''t start it? That''s so childish. Perhaps I should just blame Gin? I doubt she''d buy that though¡­


    "He¡­ He broke my damn hand! Agh!" Gin shouted in pain. He was now rolling on the ground as he was clutching his broken hand.


    Erana looked at me for a moment and ran past the group of Gin''s friends while clutching her tree branch. She didn''t need to say anything for me to understand.


    She was disappointed in me.


    It''s not that there was anger. This wasn''t some life changing moment or some destruction of me. Erana simply gave me a quick gaze that asked without speaking a single word:


    "I thought you were a better person than this."


    Erana wasn''t looking at me anymore as she cast her healing spell on Gin. I could see his hand slowly piecing itself back together as her magic slowly enveloped him. I wanted to say something, but I felt like whatever I say would make it worse than not saying anything at all.


    I slowly backed away and walked past Gin''s friends. They parted ways to let me through. I could tell that they were genuinely afraid of me.


    I stepped back into the inn and approached the table where Tael and Kany were sitting.


    "Hey, what''s up man? You look like something''s wrong." Tael turned and asked me.


    "Onii-san, don''t tell me you killed that guy! Erana went to go see what was happening but since you two didn''t return together¡­"


    "Yeah, tell us what happened Kenji!"


    "He tried to fight me. It didn''t turn out well for him." I said.


    Tael and Kany both looked at me oddly. I can''t describe the types of faces they''re giving me, but it had some strange aura of unhappiness.


    I couldn''t take their gazes anymore. I turned around and went up the stairs. I walked into my room and face planted on the bed. I clenched my fists as hard as I could. I screwed up badly tonight.


    "Raah! God damn it! How is it my fault? He was the one attacking me! Ugh!" I shouted into the empty room in frustration. I hated when developments like this would happen in movies, where someone would walk in on something at the wrong time and then it would become a big problem because it couldn''t be explained well. I always thought they were stupid, but now I see why it''s so hard to set things right.


    I lied back down on the bed and rolled over to my side to face the wall.


    How do I fix this? Surely it''s possible that I can explain myself to Erana¡­ I can''t act like I was drunk this time. I was drinking water tonight so I couldn''t have become drunk after all.


    Maybe I can just brush it off? She''s a nice person. Surely she''ll forgive me?


    No that won''t work. Even if she does put it away in her mind, it will always be there. Forgetting about it isn''t an option.


    Ugh! Why is this so difficult?


    I tried to reach my hand up to scratch my head in frustration, but I couldn''t move my arm.


    I tried to move my leg but I couldn''t do that either.


    What''s going on? I can''t move.


    Is this sleep paralysis or something? I didn''t realize I fell asleep. I must have been more tired than I thought I was.


    Before I could begin to worry, I heard the door open behind me.


    "Fooo¡­ Kenji, Erana is totally pissed at you. You totally screwed up this time!" He announced as he closed the door behind himself.


    I said nothing because I couldn''t speak.


    "What? Silent treatment or something? You know I''m not the one that''s mad at you." Tael kept pestering.


    Again, I said nothing. I''m starting to panic, but I can''t do anything about it.


    "I know what will get you¡­ Kany told me you used to be fat! Is that true?" I could hear Tael quietly chuckle to himself as he asked this.


    ¡­


    "Hm¡­ I guess you are asleep. Well... fine. I''ll ask you tomorrow." I could hear Tael lie flat on his bed as well. It didn''t take long for him to fully fall asleep.


    When I determined that he had fully fallen asleep by the sound of his breathing, I could feel myself stand up out of bed. I am not in control of my own body. It''s like I''m being puppeted.


    I quietly opened the door and left the inn.

 63 This Hero and The Answers!

    I slowly trudged along the moonlit ground. I had walked out of Mulbik and had begun to head into the forest. I am not alone. Another person is accompanying me on my walk, but it seems like they''re also walking unwillingly. This person is Gin. The man that I had fought earlier. It seems like he is in the same situation as I am right now.


    I can''t talk. I can''t choose my own movements. If this was an anime or a manga, I would summon my willpower to overpower this control and break free, but I can''t do that. Something is physically controlling my body, like a puppet. The only things I can move willingly are my eyes and my eyelids to blink.


    I am panicking, and judging by how hard Gin is breathing, he is also panicking.


    I need to calm down. I need to think. Panicking and ignoring the information I currently have is essentially admitting defeat. I refuse to lose. Let''s do a point by point analysis.


    First: What happened?


    I must have fallen prey to Rena somehow. I don''t know exactly how it happened, nor do I know how Gin fell prey either. Rena should be dead! How would she have placed me under her mind control? Are there spells that work posthumously? It''s currently the middle of the night. Judging by the moon in the sky, it''s most likely around midnight. Are there spells that can be set to go off at certain times?


    When would I even have been hit by the spell? The logical conclusion is when I went up to sing on the stage. It''s possible that at that point, the spell had been placed on me with a delayed timer or a trigger. Even if that were the case, however, I still don''t know if the spell worked posthumously. This begs the next question.


    Second: Is Rena even dead?


    Well, yes. We found obvious evidence that she''s dead¡­ Wait. I''m an idiot.


    What if Rena isn''t dead? I didn''t ask this question before, but now that I think about it it''s entirely possible that she could have intentionally built that scene with the bear for us to find¡­


    How could I have been so blind? I wanted to cut open the bear to confirm that it was in fact Rena that had been consumed, but I wasn''t able to because Erana cut me off. That''s my own fault for backing off. So then¡­


    Third: What do I do now?


    Well¡­ Nothing really. I have no way to contact anyone nor do I know how to break out of this mind control. The best I can do is trace my steps from the inn to where I will stop, if I even will stop. Which leads into the final question.


    Fourth: What will happen to me?


    There are a few options. The first and most likely one is that Rena is taking me to where the others have been taken to. Perhaps she liked me and gave me an "invitation" too. That would explain why Gin is with me. He was one of the others that Rena liked enough to invite as well. Under this theoretical, we are walking directly to where Rena, and possibly Mully, are.


    The third option is the one I think is the least likely, but I shouldn''t ever rule out a possibility.


    Rena is going to lead me to herself and Mully and then kill me.


    It makes sense that this could happen. Maybe she''s actually a yandere that is obsessed with being an idol and is willing to kill me because I stole even a moment of her spotlight. This is why I hate yanderes. Like, I get being obsessive and all that. Hell, I want a girlfriend that is a bit obsessive too. I just don''t like the MURDER part, you know?


    We continued to walk for a long time. Despite walking for this long, I didn''t feel any form of exhaustion. Though my physical abilities are much higher than a normal person, I would still expect to feel at least some form of slight fatigue at this point. I don''t know how Gin is doing, but considering he hasn''t slowed down yet, it stands to reason that he is not exhausted either.


    We walked and walked. I could tell that we were deep in the heart of the forest. It must be around 1 A.M. at this point. I was worried about how far I would be taken, but I eventually saw something.


    There was a large clearing, and sitting inside of this clearing there was a large plant pod that must have been at least 30 meters in diameter. It was green across and looked like a pod for an opium flower. There were several slits across the pod that came from the top to the ground. As we approached, one of these slits slowly opened to allow us inside. I could see that the interior of the pod was lit with a blue bioluminescent light.


    Gin and I walked inside of the pod. The slit closed behind us slowly.


    Inside was the interior of a plant. In the center of the pod, there was some type of thick rod like structure that came from the bottom to the top. There were several emaciated people standing stock still in the pod around the rod. Their faces were covered in dark shadows by the blue lights that glowed on the floor. It looked like they were all in a strange trance.


    Gin took a place with the others and began to stand still as well. I, however, waited at the entrance.


    I stood still for a moment before I saw the rod in the center slowly descend. Standing at the top of the slowly descending rod were two girls. One of the girls had a familiar face while the other I had never seen before.


    Making an educated guess, these people are Rena and Mully.


    Once the rod finally reached the ground, Rena happily jumped up and down and ran towards me. She held the person that was most likely Mully by the arm and pulled her. I only just noticed that Mully does not have legs, but is instead attached to some strange tentacle-like structure that is anchored to the center of the pod. Though they are anchored, they still have plenty of room to go to me.


    "See Mully? I told you there was a boy around my age that showed up in town! See?" Rena was excitedly showing me off to Mully like I was some toy. I can''t move. I can only stare at the two of them.


    Mully looked me over. She investigated me and checked around my entire body.


    "Hmm¡­ I see why you like him." She finally spoke after finishing her investigation. Her voice was as sweet as honey. I found it hard to prevent it from digging itself deep into my mind.


    "Yep! Told~ you~!" Rena shouted as she danced in place. She was holding a smug smirk on her face as she did this.


    "Okay¡­ You win. This one seems to be confused it seems. What did you say his name was? Corgi?" Mully lazily spoke.


    "No! It''s Kenji!" Rena stood tall and loudly declared.


    "Ah, right¡­ Well then, it seems that Kenji is a bit confused. Would you like to alleviate his confusion or should I?"


    "Hmm¡­ Let''s take turns!"


    "Fine. You want to rock paper scissors to see who goes first?"


    "You bet I do!"


    The two suddenly began to play rock paper scissors. They tied 4 times in a row before finally Rena got scissors when Mully got rock.


    "Yay! I win!" Rena declared childishly. She was holding up a peace sign as well.


    "Fine, fine¡­" Mully waved her hand lazily.


    "Okay. First: Kenji you should sit!" Rena declared.


    Suddenly, I felt a force come over my body that made me go to the ground and sit down. Rena sat eerily close to me as well. If I wasn''t in this situation, I''d probably be blushing.


    "Rena, you probably shouldn''t get so close¡­ His heart rate is rising¡­ I think he''s getting excited¡­" Mully declared.


    I could feel the embarrassment and shock that enveloped my body as Mully declared this. I don''t know how she knows that my heart rate rose, nor do I want her to declare that.


    "Hehe! That''s a good thing though! It means he likes me too!"


    "Whatever you say¡­"


    "Hmm¡­" Rena suddenly put a serious face on as she looked straight into my eyes.


    "Well, you''re probably freaking out. I''ll start by saying that Mully took you here because I wanted her to." Rena stated.


    "Yes, that''s right. I gave Rena some of my seed pods that she could plant on people. She planted one in your ear when she grabbed your face yesterday. Do you remember?" Mully asked this as she held up an incredibly small seed. This object was about the same size as a sesame seed.


    So I was wrong all along...

 64 This Hero and The Mulaplix!

    I was unwillingly sitting inside of a giant plant pod. The interior was lit by blue bioluminescent lights. I could see faint particles floating around the area as they danced in the dim lighting. Standing still inside of the pod were a multitude of people. Each person looked emaciated and had a blank expression on their faces. They had been mind controlled by this group of girls that seemed to have an uncomfortable interest in me.


    Sitting next to me is Rena, the top idol of the village of Mulbik. Next to Rena is a green plant girl named Mully. They had begun to talk to me and explain what happened to me, despite my unwillingness.


    "See? I just pop one of those seeds somewhere on a person and then it grows in them! All these people are my fans so they let me touch them. It all works out!" Rena happily smiled at me as she shouted this. I cannot move my body at all, but I can look around with my eyes.


    "Hm¡­ Rena, do you have any other things to say?" Mully asked. She was taking advantage of her body''s design as she twisted around in the air. Being attached to a tentacle allowed her to maneuver herself as if she were flying.


    "Hmm¡­" Rena placed a finger on her chin. She stared upwards in an exaggerated motion to express her thinking.


    "Well¡­ Maybe he wants to know why I chose him despite only meeting him yesterday?" She finally suggested.


    "Ah, I see¡­ Well Kenji, Rena and I took a liking to you. I made a deal with Rena a while ago, you see. Rena would bring me a mate so that I can have children and in exchange when I am done with him I would let her have him." She nonchalantly stated.


    Oh God. I do not want to be the mate of some plant monster. This is not how I want to lose my virginity! Oh no someone help me! I do not consent!


    "Hehe! Mully told me that friends share what they have! That goes from talents like singing to food to boyfriends! Isn''t she a great friend?" Rena kept inching closer and closer to my face as she spoke. Any closer and our faces would be touching.


    "I don''t want to date either of you!" Is what I would shout out. Unfortunately, I cannot move. Instead I simply have to stare like a statue straight forward. I always wanted to be popular with girls, but this is not at all what I wanted. Is this really going to be my fate? What do I do? Do I just-


    \u003cYo, Kenji! Where the hell did you go? Gin''s friends are at the inn banging on our doors. They said that Gin is missing and that they saw you and him heading off into the forest! What in the world are you-\u003e


    \u003cTAEL OH GOD THANK YOU SO MUCH! I''VE BEEN KIDNAPPED BY A MONSTER! SHE WANTS TO MATE WITH ME! RENA''S NOT DEAD EITHER! PLEASE HELP ME I DON''T WANT TO MATE WITH SOME PLANT MONSTER! PLEASE TAEL PLE-\u003e


    \u003cO-Okay! Okay I get it! I''ll find you with our mind connection tether. We''re coming to get you Kenji! Just hold tight okay?\u003e


    "Hm¡­ Kenji''s heart rate just went up¡­" Mully lazily declared.


    "Well of course it did! He gets to be with two beautiful ladies! Any boy would want this harem fantasy! Aren''t I right, Kenji?" Rena leaned in close as she caressed my cheek. Please stop touching me. I want to go home.


    We sat around for a few minutes. Rena seemed to be enjoying herself as she basqued in my presence. Normally I would be flattered and even possibly happy, but this is freaky.


    After some time, Mully took a deep breath and spoke.


    "Well¡­ I should start the ceremony then. Rena, would you do the honors of starting the music? It''s time for the concert that you invited everyone for!" Mully smirked as she slithered towards the middle of the seed pod. She made a pulling motion to me and I suddenly stood up.


    "Alright! Kenji, I hope you''re ready!" Rena jumped up from where she was sitting. She stuck out a double peace sign and walked to the center of the pod. I slowly accompanied her and stood in the middle of the pod.


    Mully wrapped her lower body tentacle around me and grabbed my shoulders tightly. I was surprised by how much strength she had in her body, despite her dainty appearance.


    Mully slowly got very close to me and whispered in my ear.


    "Ah¡­ Your biology is so different from any other human I''ve ever seen¡­ Dark hair and eyes, levels in both a martial class and a spellcasting class, and a good brain¡­ I have to admit I felt bad about manipulating Rena like this, but spreading my seed pods in you will be worth it." She quietly spoke into my ear with words that sounded as sweet as honey but as awful as milk that had sat out in the sun for 2 weeks.


    This is bad this is awful oh god someone help me I don''t want to have a plant monster spread seed pods inside of me oh jeez-


    Wait¡­ What did she say? "Manipulating Rena?" What does that mean?


    Rena began to sing some type of song. Instruments such as flutes, electric guitars, violins, and pianos began to play a medley of music. Mully used her tentacle to raise me upwards towards the roof as she stared straight into my horrified eyes. She inched her face closer and closer. She opened her mouth as if to kiss me. I looked into her mouth out of a morbid curiosity and saw what looked like a small tentacle of some sort. It was pulsing at a constant rate. I wanted to squirm, but I can''t.


    Before Mully could steal my first kiss and potentially plant her seed pods in my insides, I heard a loud rumble come from the exterior of the plant pod. Mully winced in what appeared to be pain and quickly went to the ground, bringing me with her..


    "Huh? What happened?" Rena tilted her head and asked. The music ceased when she stopped singing.


    "Someone''s here and they''re attacking my pod¡­" Mully answered.


    I heard another rumble as the pod shook once more. The slit that I entered from lit up with an orange and red light suddenly. I think I can hear someone shouting¡­ I strained my ears to listen.


    "WE''RE COMING FOR YOU, KENJI! I WON''T LET YOU HOLD THE GOBLIN CAVE OVER ME FOREVER!" Tael shouted. I''m saved! I wanted to cry.


    "It''s that elf from yesterday!" Rena shouted out in shock. "How did he find us?"


    "I don''t know¡­" Mully began, but she suddenly looked at me in shock. Did she know?


    "Hmph¡­ I''ll handle them! Open the slit, Mully!" Rena boisterously declared. It seemed like she was trying to seem bigger than she was.


    "But Rena, you''re only level 1! Kenji here is level 4. There''s no way you can win!" Mully expressed genuine concern towards her apparent friend.


    "Heh¡­ I must not have told you. I leveled up! I''m a prodigy after all! I''m level 2 now." Rena gave a thumbs up.


    This is bad. What other abilities did she gain?


    "...Very well." Mully murmured. The slit slowly opened as Tael, Erana, and Kany were exposed. They all held determined faces and were fully geared up. I could see that they were panting slightly and had some sweat on them. They must have sprinted here. I have such good friends!


    "Woah! It''s Rena! I thought she was dead." Kany declared.


    "Hmph. She''ll wish she was dead by the time I''m through with her!" Tael announced as he struck a pose. The wind blew dramatically as he did this.


    Rena slowly approached my party. While she held a determined look on her face, she was still outnumbered. Unfortunately, I was not the only one that noticed this.


    "Hmm¡­ one versus three isn''t exactly fair, is it?" Mully turned towards me and asked. My head suddenly shook to indicate a "no."


    "Very well then. Kenji¡­ Go kill your friends. They deserve to be punished for interrupting our fun." Mully waved a hand forward. I was forced to draw my broadsword. I began to walk towards my party. Eventually, I joined up with Rena.


    "Hah! Cool couples fight with each other against big bad villains! That''s what all of you are! Watch as Kenji and I show you the power of our love!" Rena declared. She grabbed my hand and raised it high in some strange pose.


    "Hmph. Looks like I need to settle a score with Onii-san. Fine with me. Bring it on!" Kany prepared herself for combat.


    "This is for all the times you punched me in the gut, Kenji!" Tael happily declared.


    Erana simply stared at me silently. She had a frown on her face.


    I hope I don''t hurt anyone¡­ I also hope I''m not hurt too badly.

 65 This Hero Versus His Party?

    My limbs felt like they were being controlled, as if I was a marionette that was performing in front of an audience. My right hand was clenched around my broadsword even though I didn''t want to do so. Rena was smiling gleefully to my left. She had a crazed look of determination in her eyes as she stared at my party. She cackled lightly as she stood proudly. It seems like she feels invincible.


    My party was facing me. They were each brandishing their combat tools towards us. Tael was pointing his wand directly at my center of mass while Kany was crouched low, ready to pounce whenever combat would start. Erana was standing in the back line, ready to assist whoever needed it.


    Honestly? I''m impressed by their coordination. I picked some really good party members.


    Wait, I''m about to fight them¡­


    "Come on Kenji! Let''s show them what the power of love can do!" Rena shouted out. My face may have been blank, but I was screaming internally.


    Ah Erana, please don''t look at me like that. You too Kany. Tael, stop chuckling. I don''t love this girl. Please stop thinking so poorly of me.


    Rena took a deep breath. Since she''s a bard, it stands to reason that her voice is her weapon. Erana seemed to think this as well as she suddenly covered her ears.


    "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Rena shouted. Her voice echoed around the area many, many times. The volume was enough to make me dizzy. Tael and Kany also seemed to be discombobulated by this attack as they spun their heads around.


    "Cure light wounds!" Erana shouted. Her healing light covered both Kany and Tael. They quickly recovered from their stupor. I, however, was not healed. I understand that I''m the enemy right now but it still hurts a bit¡­


    "Hmm¡­ Now that I think about it, I don''t know any of their abilities¡­ Kenji! What are their abilities?" Rena suddenly turned to me to ask.


    Not letting this opportunity slip her by, Kany dashed forward with a surprising amount of agility as she attempted to drive her dagger into Rena. My body automatically moved as I deflected Kany''s dagger towards the ground with my broadsword. She looked at me in shock for a moment before I delivered a hard kick to her left shoulder that sent her flying.


    "Agh¡­ Well, at least I withstood that one." Kany muttered as she clutched her shoulder.


    "Their names are Kany, Tael, and Erana." I could hear myself begin to speak. That''s right, I''m being controlled. It''s entirely possible that my mind is also being read in some capacity.


    "I see. So then I should take down the Kany girl first then Tael then Erana. Handle the problems first from most dangerous to least dangerous!" Rena happily declared. She was like a schoolgirl that just got a good grade on a test. Though I didn''t agree with her observation, I still nodded my head unwillingly.


    Rena prepared for battle, but I internally smirked. From years of experience playing RPG''s and MMO''s, I have learned that the most important target is actually the healer in the back, not the frontliners. As long as the healer is up, the frontline is going to be functioning at 110% capacity at all times. If Rena was knowledgeable in combat then she would do this.


    "Hmph! You think it''s going to be that easy to just take us down? Good luck with that!" Kany childishly declared. It seemed like she was trying to goad us to attack. If I were calling the shots then I would not fall into such an obvious ploy, but I''m not in control here so¡­


    "Grrr¡­ Okay then! Let''s do this!" Rena shouted as she took another deep inhale. I immediately rushed forward in response to Rena''s shout. Mully must have decided that I needed to prevent Kany from interrupting Rena.


    "Frost!" Tael shouted. I suddenly felt an incredibly strong chill enrapture my entire body. It was as if I stepped out onto the north pole with nothing but my underwear on. My body slowed in response to this sudden cold that encompassed me. This slow was enough for Kany to easily sidestep my attack and instead launch herself at Rena once more.


    Rena was forced to interrupt her attack. She exhaled quickly and jumped out of the way of Kany''s swipes.


    I slowly got back into an attack position. Instead of focusing my body towards Kany once more, I instead positioned my body towards Tael. Unlike before, the distance between us was much lower. There was barely even a meter between us. We stared at each other for a moment before Tael suddenly opened his mouth to speak.


    "Hmph. Kenji-chan, you really think that distance is the deciding factor, don''t you?" Tael asked me. Of course, I couldn''t speak so I just gazed at him.


    "Well, leave it to the former fat guy to not know the first thing about combat!" Tael mockingly shouted.


    Even if I was in control of my movements right now, I think I would still attack Tael.


    I raised my sword skyward and quickly brought it down towards Tael''s head. Fortunately, he dexterously slid out of the way and nimbly dodged my attack.


    "Hah! You seem to forget that my dexterity stat is rather high! Your untrained attacks won''t do anything to me. Try using your strike skill! Maybe that will make a difference!" He smiled smugly towards me.


    "T-Tael-san! Don''t goad him on! I don''t want to waste my mana!" Erana shouted out.


    "Hah! It''s never a waste when it''s used on-"


    I interrupted Tael''s barking as I swung my sword horizontally towards him. He dodged this attack as well.


    "I was right! He totally can''t use his skills right now! If he was capable, then he would have done it by now!" Tael smiled widely as he declared this.


    "E-Eh? What are you talking about, Tael-san?" Erana held a confused look on her face. It seems like she''s getting increasingly flustered.


    "Sorry! I had to test it!" Tael loudly shouted out.


    This idiot really used himself as live bait? How could he do that? Is he insane? No¡­ Something about the way that he''s acting is telling me otherwise.


    "Frost!" Tael shouted out once more. I could feel the sudden arctic chill roll over my entire body as I was hit by his attack once more. Like before, my movements were slowed. Frost must carry some type of speed debuff or something. Maybe this is because Tael is frost natured?


    "Nothing personal, Kenji!" Kany suddenly shouted out as she appeared behind me and swung her dagger down. My movement was slowed so I couldn''t dodge the attack, but I was able to block it with my sword. Sparks flew as our blades clashed together. Is she trying to kill me?


    Kany jumped backwards slightly in response to my movements.


    "Hah¡­ Jeez Onii-san. To think you could react to assassin strike. That''s impressive." Kany rounded her wrists as she said this.


    "Oh, your new skill, right?" Tael lazily asked.


    "Yep!" Kany declared. "I leveled up when we killed the bear so I got this skill as a result! Pretty cool, huh?"


    "Good job Kany! With this we''ll-"


    My body didn''t wait for everyone to praise each other. I could see that Rena was standing quietly as she was watching this one versus three. A part of me was happy that she decided to bow out, another part was frustrated that I had to cover her slack.


    I sprinted towards Kany. It didn''t seem like she was prepared for my sudden attack as she was late in raising her dagger. This momentary hesitation cost her as I grabbed her neck with my left hand and ripped her dagger out of her own hands. My unnatural strength allowed me to lift her off the ground as I began to choke her with one hand.


    "Kah! C-Come on, Onii-san¡­ Fight it¡­ You loser¡­!" Kany was staring down at me as she said this.


    "Yeah! That''s right Kenji!" Rena shouted from the sidelines.


    I began to squeeze harder¡­


    "Entangle!" Erana shouted. Vines suddenly sprouted from the ground as they wrapped themselves around all of my limbs. I dropped Kany as my limbs were forced downwards.


    "Fooo¡­ Thanks Erana! You really saved me! ...Erana?" Kany held a smile that slowly turned to confusion as she watched Erana.


    Erana quickly stomped her feet towards me. She met my gaze. I could feel the fury in her eyes. What do I-


    *SLAP*


    Erana just slapped me across the face as hard as she could. I felt the sting of dull pain as it ran through my cheek.


    "Kenji-san! You have been out of control! First the singing at the inn, then the fight with Gin-san, now you''re trying to hurt Kany? What''s gotten into you? Is this really what a big brother should be acting like?" She stared me down as she yelled at me.


    "Sorry." I instinctually said.


    Wait¡­ I spoke.


    Everyone held a surprised look on their faces as I spoke.


    It was only now that I noticed that I felt the strange sensation of something that was dangling from my ear.

 66 This Hero Versus The Mulaplix! Part 1

    I was restrained by the multiple vines and roots that entangled themselves around each of my limbs. My arms and legs were held firmly in place as the power of Erana''s new spell continued to impress me.


    As this was happening, I could feel a strange sensation of something dangling from my ear along with the dull sting on my cheek as a result of Erana''s surprisingly powerful slap. Everyone was staring at whatever it was that had come out of my ear. Kany looked grossed out. Tael seemed to think it was cool. Erana merely held a determined look on her face. Meanwhile, I was shocked by the fact that I could say the word "sorry" as I had been previously incapable of taking any actions.


    "So, the seed finally rears its ugly head, huh?" Tael smugly declared.


    "W-What? Seed? Eww!" Kany shouted.


    "I''ve seen this creature before, Tael-san, but I''ve never seen the seed. What do we do?" Erana turned to Tael and asked.


    As they were looking at each other, I could feel whatever was dangling from my ear slowly begin to climb back in. This is one of the most disgusting sensations I''ve ever felt before. It''s like a large blob of snot coming from your nose, but instead from your ear.


    "First you gotta grab it!" Tael ran forward and grabbed whatever was climbing back into me. I could feel a sudden jolt of what may have been electricity course through my body as he did this.


    "Ow¡­" I was able to let out.


    "Sorry man! This is gonna get worse before it gets better!" Tael shouted as he began to pull.


    "N-No! I won''t let you do this!" Rena shouted as she ran forward. Fortunately, Kany was ready to intercept her.


    "Hah. Sorry lady, but Onii-san isn''t yours. I''m not gonna just let you take him." Kany struck a combat pose as she pointed her dagger towards Rena. It seems like Rena understood her position as she slowly backed away.


    I guess her love wasn''t actually all that strong. Wait, why am I disappointed?


    I turned my attention back to Erana and Tael.


    "Okay, so basically this thing is a seed that controls people. It digs its roots deep in the victim''s body and starts working as a remote control for the mulaplix." Tael explained. "The seeds bury themselves deeper and deeper the longer they''re in the victim. They retract when they''re really cold so I used my frost spell to bait this sucker out."


    "I see. So basically we need to yank this seed and its roots out?" Erana looked at Tael with serious eyes.


    "Yep, but it''s gonna squirm so you gotta pull like you mean it!"


    "Alright¡­ So then how will we do this?"


    "I''ll grab this and you grab that, okay? On the count of three we pull. Ready? One¡­ Two¡­"


    "One¡­ Two¡­" Tael started once more.


    I whimpered.


    "Three!" Tael shouted. I felt a sudden jolt as they began to yank at the seed that had come out of my ear. An incredibly uncomfortable sensation spread throughout my entire body as I felt something being pulled out of me.


    "Gah! It''s¡­ really in there!" Tael muttered. He was fully exerting himself.


    "Hyaa!" Erana shouted. She raised her left leg and put her foot on the side of my head to have a better grip.


    Ow ow ow ow ow.


    Slowly but surely the seed was being taken out of my body. I could feel each of its roots leaving me as Erana and Tael continued to pull.


    "Almost¡­ there!" Erana shouted out. Even she was exhausted.


    "Hyaa!" They both shouted in unison as I felt the last bits of the seed leave my body. I feel¡­ different. Yeah, that''s the word I''ll use.


    The vines and roots that were holding me in place released me when the seed left me. I could control myself again! This is fantastic!


    I turned over to look at the seed.


    Some strange amalgamation of roots laid on the ground as it squirmed around. It was at least a meter long. The roots looked like they were each as thin as blood vessels.


    "Kenji-san, are you okay?"


    "..."


    "Yo, Kenji! Are you alright man?"


    "..."


    "Um¡­ Kenji-san?"


    "That thing was in me." I finally spoke.


    "Y-Yeah, but we got it out!" Erana smiled slightly.


    "No no no. You don''t understand. That THING was in me. It was there squirming around. Look at how huge that thing is! What the hell!" I wanted to keep a bit of distance from the seed so I ducked behind Tael.


    "W-Well man, it''s out now so it should be fine!" Tael asserted.


    "Firebolt!" I shouted out as I unleashed my flames at the seed pod. It writhed around for a moment as it was consumed by the heat.


    "Firebolt!" I struck it again.


    "U-Um, Kenji-san?"


    "Firebolt!" I shot another bolt out.


    "Hey, it''s dead." Tael looked concerned.


    "Firebolt!" Another one.


    "Okay okay I get it!" It''s dead!" Tael grabbed my hand and shouted.


    "Ah, right. Okay." I looked from the seed pod that had been reduced to ash and back towards Tael and Erana.


    "Well, it''s good to have you back, Kenji-san." Erana slightly smiled as she said this.


    Ah. That makes me happy. I''m glad that she doesn''t want to pull the "I refuse to talk to you" trope.


    "Yeah. Sorry about all this¡­" I began.


    "Nah, don''t worry about it! We found the people that were missing because you screwed up!" Tael tried to reassure me, but somehow I feel like he made it worse.


    Kany returned to us. Rena was lying down on the ground. It seems she was knocked out.


    "So, is Onii-san back to 100%?" She asked.


    "Yeah I am. Thank you guys." I expressed my genuine gratitude.


    "Good. I don''t like being choked." Kany gave me shifty eyes as she said this. I think I heard Tael quietly say "noted" but I might be imagining things.


    "Well, now that Kenji-san is back, we need to take down the mulaplix!" Erana declared. She turned to face the open pod.


    Mully slowly descended to the ground in response to Erana''s goading.


    "If you think it''s going to be easy to take me down, you''re sorely mistaken." Mully yelled out.


    Suddenly, all of the villagers that had been standing idly turned to look at us. This was essentially a scene straight out of a horror film. I think I even heard Kany go "eep" when they did this.


    Slowly, each of the villagers brought their arms out, as if to replicate a T and then quickly brought their hands together to loudly clap.


    Normally, this wouldn''t do much. People clap loudly all the time. Concerts, movies, performances, people clap in large groups for all of them, but this was different.


    Something was supernaturally amplifying the sound of the clapping. The sound echoed so loudly that the sound wave it created shook the nearby trees. It took all we had to just stand up.


    We backed away. Taking this as us surrendering, Mully ceased the clapping.


    "Hmph. If I can''t have Kenji, then I will have another. It''s only a matter of time of course. People will stumble upon me, just like Rena or that couple from before did!" Mully declared.


    Wait, "that couple from before?"


    "Those people¡­ did they look like Rena at all?" I suddenly asked.


    "Hmm¡­ I''ve never given it much thought, but now that I think about it, they did! How interesting!" Mully lazily held a hand to her face.


    "Mully killed Rena''s parents." I quietly stated.


    "Oh jeez." Tael held his head in shock. Kany said nothing but looked at Rena on the ground. Erana looked at Mully with an odd ferocity.


    "Well¡­ What do we do now?" Kany looked at me and asked.


    I held my head in thought. What exactly can we do about the sound barrier?


    A lightbulb appeared above my head as I looked at the self proclaimed idol that was lying face down in the dirt.


    "Rena, can you get up?" I walked over to her and shook her.


    "W-What are you doing, Kenji? She''s our enemy!" Tael shouted out.


    "Maybe, but it''s our only option. Trust me on this, okay?" I looked at the party for reassurance. One by one, they all nodded their heads in compliance. Tael was the last to reluctantly accept this.


    "Rena, I need you right now. Can you hear me?" I gently shook her as I tried to wake her up.


    "Mrrgh¡­" She let out.


    "Rena, I need you to help me. Girlfriends help their boyfriends when they need it, right?" I nudged her more.


    "H-Huh?" Rena suddenly shot up. Tael, Kany, and Erana all looked at me as if I was crazy for saying this.

 67 This Hero Versus The Mulaplix! Part 2

    Rena had suddenly shot up. Her face was completely red from blushing. She was staring directly at me. The rest of my party looked at me in confusion due to what I had just said.


    "K-K-Kenji? What did you call me?" Rena stammered out. She''s as red as a tomato at this point.


    "I said that girlfriends help their boyfriends when they need it." I declared.


    "H-Huh?" Tael let out. Erana quickly covered Tael''s mouth in response. At least she''s on the same page as me.


    This is going to be difficult. I''ve never had a girlfriend before so I don''t know what words to say. I hope she doesn''t ask me to kiss her or anything¡­


    "I need your help. Mully is trying to kill all of us." I told her.


    "What? Mully? Why would Mully try to kill you? You''re her boyfriend too!"


    "You see¡­" I began. I never thought I''d be such a gambler, but I decided to go all in.


    "I only love you!" I shouted out.


    Everyone''s eyes appeared as if they were about to bulge out of their sockets. Rena stared at me in shock. I think I could hear my words echoing in her head.


    After a moment, it seemed like Rena recovered.


    "W-Well, that can''t be helped! I''m Mulbik''s number 1 idol after all!" She stood up and haughtily declared. I hit the bullseye.


    "Still, why is she trying to kill us? Mully and I are friends!"


    "She''s been manipulating you, lady!" Kany shouted out. Erana put her empty hand over her mouth.


    "What? Manipulating me?" Rena turned to Kany and asked.


    I placed my hand on Rena''s shoulder and looked her in the eye. I''m trying to put on my charm level to max.


    "She''s the one that made your parents disappear. She used you to get to me. I''m sorry." I stated. I can''t sugarcoat this. I have to be direct.


    Rena backed away from me. She shook her head constantly. It looks like she''s begun to cry.


    "No¡­ You''re lying! You just¡­ You just want to make me look dumb! You want to make me look like an idiot, just like the bar owner! I''ll prove you wrong! I proved him wrong so I can do the same to you!" Rena shouted.


    I ran forward and grabbed Rena''s hand. I held it up to my face and stared directly into her eyes.


    "Rena¡­ Why would I lie to you?" I was never a fan of shoujo manga, but I must admit I was always a fan of scenes like this. I''m trying my hardest to emulate the male protagonists of these series when they confess to the girl. Come on, don''t fail me now!


    "But¡­ But Mully is my friend¡­" Rena looked downwards towards the ground. I could tell she had a serious internal conflict within her that was raging on. I can''t let this conflict resolve itself. I need to defeat it right now!


    "Rena, I know it''s hard to accept, but it''s the truth." I urged her.


    "Why should I trust you?" She looked directly into my eyes.


    It''s time for the finishing blow.


    My words seemed to shock her to her very core. She broke free from my hand and did a dramatic spin backwards. Taking this as the cue, Erana took her hand off of Tael and Kany''s mouths. I could hear Tael snickering behind me, but I ignored it. This moment is critical.


    Rena stopped spinning and stood in place. She stared straight at me.


    "Okay. I understand." She declared.


    Jackpot.


    "So wait, she''s gonna help us?" Tael asked me.


    "That seems to be the plan. Kenji-san is trying to use her in some form to get us through the sound barrier." Erana whispered to Tael. He nodded his head in understanding when he heard this.


    "Before I ask you to attack your friend, we should see what we can do on our own." I said.


    "Huh? Onii-san, why are you saying this?" Kany tilted her head in confusion.


    "Simple. We can''t risk Rena getting hurt. She''s pivotal here." I declared. Rena swooned for a moment at my statement, but she caught herself quickly.


    "Okay. What''s our plan of attack?" Erana asked.


    "Well¡­ From what I can tell the outer pod is more like a shield than a part of her body, so we don''t need to focus on that. What we need to worry about is what is probably her main body¡­ The human-like thing that''s connected to the tentacle."


    "Okay, but how do we get close, Onii-san?"


    "Ideally we won''t need to." I said while turning to Tael.


    "What''s up?" He asked me.


    "How far can you cast frost?" I asked.


    "The normal range for it is only around 5 meters, but as an ice natured person, I can cast it up to 20 meters!" He proudly stated.


    "Okay. Erana, what is your Entangle spells range?"


    "I can use it about 30 meters away!" She quickly announced.


    "Okay. Here''s the plan¡­" I crouched down. I pulled out my dagger and drew out a small scale representation of the plant pod.


    "Mully will be here in the center. We need to push about 10 meters into the pod. From there, Tael will cast frost. When Mully is slowed down Erana will cast Entangle and hold her in place. When this happens, I will shoot a firebolt at Mully. Kany will do the final blow if it''s required since she has no ranged options."


    Kany grumbled at this. It seems like she''s a bit antsy to participate.


    "Alright. I understand what you''re saying, Kenji-san, but what if this doesn''t work?"


    "Well then we back out and regroup. If she were capable of killing us easily then she would have already done so."


    "Okay¡­ Then what do we do if this plan fails? What''s our second option?" Tael asked.


    "Well, that''s where Rena will come in. I''ll explain it if I need to. Planning for failure only results in it." I brushed off the topic. Though the group seemed a bit uncomfortable, they still agreed to try it.


    We stood up and went towards the open slit. Mully was watching us.


    "Back for more? You never learn!" She shouted.


    We didn''t wait. We immediately began to sprint towards the center. Unfortunately, we weren''t fast enough. The claps occurred once more. They stopped us from going farther than a few feet in. Any further and I''d be risking internal organ damage. I decided it was best for us to turn around.


    "Any other bright ideas, Onii-san?" Kany leered at me as she asked this.


    "Foo¡­ Okay. Have any of you ever heard of noise dampening?"


    "What''s that?" Erana looked at me as if I was speaking gibberish.


    I went over to Rena and pulled her over to the group. She was flustered as I was doing this, but quickly accepted it.


    "Rena, you know how earlier you used that scream attack?" I asked her.


    "Oh! That''s called psychic scream! I picked it up earlier when I leveled up! It''s cool, isn''t it?" She smiled as she held my arm.


    "Yeah. It''s really cool. Anyway, when you used it it made Tael and Kany dizzy but it didn''t do the same for me. Why was that?"


    "I can designate who is targeted by the ability." She stated.


    "Is there a limit to who you can exempt?" I asked.


    "No. As long as I can see the target I can make them exempt." She stated.


    "Perfect." I announced.


    The party still seemed a bit confused, so I decided to explain what my plan was.


    "Essentially, we''ll use the fact that we''re immune to Rena''s ability to nullify the power of Mully''s ability. It''s not perfect, but it should be enough for us to get close." I stated.


    "How does that work? Wouldn''t the sound still hurt us?" Kany asked.


    "Noise dampening. Basically, a louder sound can blot out another noise."


    "So¡­ I just need to scream like before?" Rena asked.


    "Exactly. If you''re okay with it then let''s go." I began to walk towards The pod center once more. The rest of the party followed suit.


    "Okay. Rena, are you ready? Your signal is when the people start to clap!" I shouted.


    "A-Alright!" She responded.


    "Back for more?" Mully shouted. She reached the limit of her patience. The claps began.


    "WAAAAAAAAAA!" Rena shouted. Just as planned, the noises cancelled each other out and we were able to move. It wasn''t silent, but we were able to push forward.


    "Frost!" Tael shouted. Mully was encompassed by a blue wind.


    "Entangle!" Erana shouted. Vines wrapped around Mully''s body.


    "Firebolt!" I shouted.


    Nothing happened.


    Uh-oh.


    Did I use too much mana earlier?


    That''s not good.


    Um¡­ Plan change! I ran towards Mully and swung my sword at her.


    "Strike!" I shouted. My sword slid straight into her torso, but was stopped.


    Mully grabbed my sword and slowly pulled it out. She quickly regenerated from the damage.


    What do we do?


    "What do we do?" Tael panicked.


    "I¡­ I don''t know!" I replied.


    Kany rushed forward and stabbed into Mully''s chest. She spun her dagger around as much as she could, but was slapped away after a moment.


    In the hole that was left, I saw a round pulsing object. That must have been her heart.


    That''s it. That''s the weak point. Just like the eye of the hobgoblin, the heart is where we strike.


    "ERANA, KANY, TO ME!" I shouted.


    They came up to me. I drew my dagger and in response they drew their own.


    "TAEL, ON MY SIGNAL, SHOOT A FIREBOLT!" I shouted.


    "ALRIGHT!" He replied.


    We ran forward. We rushed to Mully and stabbed at her. I pulled back and created a hole with Kany and Erana assisting me. We created a clear spot for Tael to fire his attack at. Mully''s exposed heart was beating rapidly.


    "SHOOT IT NOW!" I shouted.


    "Fufufu! The main character gets his moment! I''m Tael, the number 1 wizard from Ruks! Behold my-"


    "JUST SHOOT THE DAMN FIREBOLT ALREADY!" We all shouted in tandem.


    "F-Fine! Firebolt!" Tael shouted. A streak of flame shot out of Tael''s wand and hit Mully''s heart dead on.


    "A-Agh¡­" Mully sputtered out as she crumbled.


    Mully had been defeated.

 68 This Hero and The Return!

    Mully''s body began to shrivel and turn a dark brown. Her body contorted in many different shapes before finally falling to the ground. The clapping stopped and all had turned quiet.


    "Did¡­ Did we get her?" I asked the party. We were all out of breath.


    I slowly went towards the shriveled body of Mully. Her brown corpse was contorted in a way that would be impossible for something with bones.


    When I finally got close enough, I nudged the body with my foot. I was ready to attack at a moment''s notice, but this was unnecessary as she did not move. Mully is dead. I let out a sigh of relief as I gave a thumbs up to the party.


    Tael gave a fistpump while Erana and Kany high-fived. Rena looked to the side dejectedly. I turned to watch the innocent people that had been kidnapped to see what would happen. Now that Mully is dead, it stands to reason that the people that had been controlled by her would be cured.


    As if perfectly timed, I saw a seed like the one that fell out of me fall out of Gin''s ear. He began to move of his own free will. The look of elation on his face said it all.


    "I-I''m free! I''m free! I can''t believe it!" He began to dance a jig. I looked over to the others that had been controlled as well. Like Gin, the seeds were falling out of their heads. I was happy to see everyone being freed, but there was a problem¡­


    They weren''t moving.


    The various people that had been taken stood stock still. I waited for a moment before I decided that the people might need a push.


    I walked up to a thin man and poked his shoulder. His body slowly moved in response to my action, but he didn''t seem to take any control.


    "Kenji, this is just how it''s going to be. You and Gin over there got lucky. Everyone else, well¡­" Tael placed his hand on my right shoulder.


    "What? What are you talking about?"


    "Well, if a mulaplix seed stays in you for too long, you basically lose all control of yourself."


    "Is it¡­ permanent?"


    "It can be. Some people recover. We don''t know exact numbers but for some people, they stay like this for the rest of their lives." Tael looked solemnly towards the emaciated civilians.


    "That''s¡­ Awful."


    "Well, we''ll find out if they can heal in around a week''s time. Until then, we can at least move them back to the village. Before we do that though¡­ I think Rena wants to talk to you, stud." Tael pat me on the back as he pushed me towards her.


    "A-Ah¡­ Um¡­ Hi!" Rena blushed and looked up to me. I grumbled in response. Damn it Tael! Couldn''t you tell that I was manipulating her?


    "Mully''s dead." I declared. I don''t want to go through any melodramatic moment so I just said whatever I could to break the mood.


    "O-Oh¡­" Rena looked crestfallen as she shifted her gaze towards the brown corpse of Mully.


    "Oh, really? I um¡­ never had friends that were my age so I wouldn''t know¡­" Rena fidgeted in place.


    "Yeah¡­" I scratched the back of my head. This is awkward and I really just want to leave.


    "Well, I need to take care of stuff." I walked off. It felt as if Rena wanted to say something, but I don''t really care to hear it.


    I approached Erana and Kany. They had pulled Tael and Gin together to debrief each other.


    "Okay. Well I guess we need to move everyone to the village¡­"


    "How are we going to do that?" Kany slumped over as she asked this.


    Erana cupped her chin in her hand as she looked upwards. I followed her example and began to ponder a method we could use to take everyone to the village.


    "Well we could pick up people and move them one by one. It would take some time but it''s a certain method." I proposed.


    "But what about animals or monsters in the forest?" Tael asked.


    "Well¡­ We could protect people I guess. We would act as bodyguards."


    "Well but what about the people that are here? They were protected by that Mully girl earlier, but now they''re exposed to any creepy crawlies that want a snack." Kany rebutted.


    "Hm¡­ What if we got villagers to help?" Tael proposed.


    "That could work, Tael-san! There are certainly more people in the village that can help us!"


    I looked around us to see if we had any objections, but it appears as if we all agreed.


    "Alright¡­ Who''s going to town?" I asked. All three of them looked directly at me as if they were saying "you."


    "S-should we play rock-paper-scissors¡­?"


    No dice. They''re electing me.


    "F-Fine, Fine! I''ll go!" I stamped the ground with my foot,


    "Foo¡­ Okay. I''ll be there and back as fast as I can!" I shouted. I began to sprint into the forest towards Mulbik.


    It took me around 10 minutes of sprinting to get to the village. I finally arrived at the inn that I was so familiar with. I burst through the door and stumbled up to the counter.


    "H-Hey! We found them! We found the people!" I shouted. Nobody was here, but knowing the innkeeper, he would definitely be nearby.


    The side door opened immediately after I yelled. The innkeeper''s son burst through and looked at me with wide eyes.


    "Where are they?" He immediately asked. He was in his pyjamas and clutching a lantern in his right hand.


    "They''re in the forest. We need to gather the town. Rena''s there too!" I ran towards the door.


    "Got it!" He shouted. I ran out and went towards Yasri''s place. When I finally arrived I slammed on her front door. It didn''t take long for her to answer.


    "K-Kenji-san? What you you want at this time of nyight?" She was shaking in what seemed to be fear, but I couldn''t worry about that right now.


    "Yasri-san, we found them! We found everyone that was missing. They''re in the forest. I need you to gather everyone you can. We need to bring them back to the village. Meet me at the inn." I told her as I began to run off back towards the inn. Yasri didn''t even have time to respond.


    I waited impatiently at the inn for a few minutes. After some time, many farmers had arrived. They ranged from disgruntled to excited, but all of them looked nervous.


    "Look, please trust me. We found everyone! They''re in the forest in a clearing nearby. It took me ten minutes to sprint there, but it will probably take around 20 minutes to walk. Is everyone able to go right now?" I looked over the crowd. People were nodding their heads slowly in response.


    "Okay, then let''s go!" I shouted out as I began to head towards the forest.


    The civilians followed after me as we slowly went into the forest. I did my best to keep everyone close together as we went towards the clearing. My estimate was right as it took us roughly around 20 minutes to arrive at the clearing.


    "Holy hell¡­ it''s Jim!" A farmer declared when we arrived. The people began to run towards their friends that had gone missing.


    "Good god!" Another farmer exclaimed.


    "A-Ah, everyone, we can''t spend too much time reuniting here! We need everyone to take someone and head back to the village!" Erana shouted.


    In unison, people began to hoist others up on their backs. It didn''t take long before the entire group had begun to move.


    "Alright people. Let''s head home!" I announced.


    The farmers began to march back into the forest towards Mulbik once more. Erana slowly approached me and poked my shoulder to indicate that she needed to whisper something to me.


    "Kenji-san, while you were gone we did a head count¡­ Someone''s missing."


    "Damn it¡­ I thought this would be the case since we saw that the bear ate something, but I was holding out hope, you know?"


    "It''s truly awful¡­"


    "Well, no matter what happens, we need to get these people home. I need you to come


    with me. Don''t look all dejected right now. We need to put on happy faces, okay?"


    "Okay¡­"


    I didn''t like it at all, but right now we can''t look troubled. We''re the heroes, and heroes always smile when they get out of a tough spot.


    Still¡­ Someone isn''t going to be going home tonight. I can''t help but feel a bit defeated when I think about it.

 69 Epilogue: Let’s Go Home!

    After around 30 minutes of walking, the group of villagers had finally taken all of the kidnapped people back into Mulbik. The sun had begun to rise, painting the sky a rich amber. Our endeavor was finally over.


    I stepped up to the front of the inn and leaned against the wall. The exhaustion of working for almost 24 hours straight had finally begun to wear on me. I can''t imagine how it is for people without my mundane class that shall not be named. Despite the fact that I wanted to just walk back to my room and collapse on the bed, I still had business to take care of. I took a moment to collect myself before I reunited with the rest of my party.


    "Okay¡­ So I guess the first order of business is reuniting people with their loved ones?" I asked the group as a woman bolted in front of me and grabbed my hands.


    "Y-You saved him! You found Innis! I-I¡­" The woman that was crying before me is Naomi, the woman we questioned earlier. Joining her was another woman that was weeping tears of joy. It seems that they were both reunited with their husbands.


    As if someone detected that the atmosphere was too pleasant, Yasri shouted out to the gathering.


    "Someone is missing! We cannyot find Eule!"


    My party exchanged nervous glances to each other as we fidgeted in place. Erana began to step forward, but I interrupted her. I may as well step forward and take the responsibility. I stood next to Yasri and began to speak up.


    "I''m sorry to announce that Eule was killed by a bear. We found his remains earlier."


    The mood immediately shifted from positive to negative. It was like a lightswitch had suddenly been flipped.


    "Ah¡­ Poor bastard. Guy was always way too skinny. Why would a bear target him of all people?" A farmer murmured.


    Everyone was looking down. Some had removed their hats as a sign or respect.


    Yasri decided to step up and break the atmosphere once more.


    "While we may have lost Eule, we still have recovered everyone else! We may grieve, but we also can be happy that it was only Eule." Her eyes glowed with determination as she looked over the crowd.


    Slowly, the farmers raised their heads upwards to match Yasri''s gaze. I suppose this is the pride of a small town.


    Yasri placed a hand, or paw, I''m not entirely sure, on my shoulder and pulled me aside.


    "You have done good work. To recover 10 out of 11 people is no small feat. I will report this to your guild. You will receive good compensation. In the meantime, I recommend you and your friends go to rest at the inn. I will have a carriage waiting to take you back to your home in the mornying. Alright?"


    I was taken aback by her sudden kindness. While logically I agree that 10 out of 11 is a fantastic number, I can''t help but still feel defeated in some way.


    "What is going to happen to Rena?"


    "Well¡­" I began. A part of me really wants Rena to face the music for what she did, but another part of me still feels sympathy for her. She was manipulated by a monster into doing what she did. She even helped fix her mistake somewhat at the end¡­


    "Yasri-san, I know this is selfish of me, but can you keep the information about Rena between just you and us?"


    Yasri was surprised by my request. She backed up a few steps in response to my question.


    "W-Why? Do nyot tell me that she has manyipulated you again!"


    "No, it''s nothing like that! I just¡­ I dunno. I feel like her spending the rest of her life in a jail cell or getting executed¡­ It just feels like it would be a waste, you know?"


    Yasri looked at me for a moment. It felt as if she was trying to peer into my very being to confirm that I was not under some form of mind control. After she finally decided that I was genuinely saying this, she gave a long exasperated sigh.


    "You want her to get away with this? After all she did to you?"


    "Maybe not get away with it, exactly¡­ Perhaps a slight punishment. I''m just saying that her rotting in a jail cell will do nobody any good."


    "But she killed Eule!"


    "No, she didn''t. That was the monster."


    "How can you be so certain?"


    "Simple. I was controlled by that monster too. When she was controlling me, she told me what she did to cover up for Rena." I lied. Though Mully had never mentioned if she had gotten someone killed or not, I don''t see a reason for Rena to have killed anyone. From what I can tell, Rena was just naive. She trusted Mully fully because Mully said she was her first friend.


    "Was Rena aware of this?"


    "No. If she was aware of it she would have objected. I genuinely believe Rena didn''t realize she was doing a bad thing."


    Yasri looked to the side for a moment. It appeared as if she was deep in thought. I stayed silent as I awaited her answer to my request.


    "...Fine. I understand. What do you propose as an alternyative?"


    "Make her perform at the inn some more. She likes doing it and the villagers like it too. A return to form may be a good thing for this place to get back to normal, don''t you think?"


    Yasri sighed. "Very well. I''ll talk to Miris-san. We''ll work something out. You should go get some rest."


    I let the tension out of my shoulders. It''s not as if I want to save Rena. I just felt like it would be wasteful to get rid of a prodigy like her. My reasoning is entirely logic based.


    I returned to my party. The crowd of farmers had dispersed at this point. The dawn had arrived, so some people went to work on their fields immediately.


    "Man¡­ I could never work that hard." Tael muttered.


    "That''s because you can''t work hard in the first place." Kany replied.


    "Kenji-san, what did Yasri-san tell you?"


    "She said that we should get some rest. She''s going to arrange a carriage to take us back to Ruks."


    "What about Rena?" Tael interjected.


    "She''s going to be punished, but she''s not going to jail or anything. I worked something out with Yasri."


    "Oh? Did you fight for the girl you love, Onii-san?" Kany held her hand to her mouth as she asked me this. She was fighting back laughter.


    I could feel my face turn beet red.


    "N-No! No it''s not that! I just felt like KILLING her would have been too much, you know?"


    "Hahaha! Look at him, getting all flustered. I swear Onii-san, have you ever even had a girlfriend in the first place?"


    I slowly approached Kany as I cracked my knuckles. It was time to resume the choking I did to her earlier.


    "A-Ah¡­ Kenji-san, Kany, we shouldn''t fight! Let''s just¡­ go to our rooms, okay?" Erana threw herself between us.


    "Fine!" x2


    We went into the inn where Yasri had Rena and the innkeeper together. She was explaining the situation to him. I ignored it and walked up to my room. I did my absolute best to not even look at Rena.


    I stepped into my bedroom with Tael as I collapsed onto my bed. Today had been unnecessarily exhausting.


    "Well, another adventure completed! I can''t believe you got out of this with a girlfriend though, Kenji!"


    "SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" I shouted. It felt like the room shook in response to my shout.


    Tael was holding his stomach as he laughed. "Whatever you say man! I know a confession scene when I see one!"


    I just held my pillow to cover my head in response. I don''t think I will ever live this one down.


    After some time, I fell asleep.


    I awoke at some time in the early afternoon. Tael was still asleep, but I could hear a quiet rapping on the door. I got up to answer it.


    Standing on the other side was Yasri.


    "Your carriage has arrived. There was one that was already heading here, so they got here early."


    I smiled. Though I don''t hate this town, I don''t exactly like it either. I am happy that I''m going to be returning to civilization soon.


    "Alright. Thank you Yasri-san. We''ll be out soon."


    She nodded her head and left quietly. As I watched her walk away, I suddenly remembered the question I had asked God.


    "I didn''t mean this kind." I muttered under my breath.


    I went over to Tael and violently shook him awake. This was my form of payback for his teasing earlier.


    "A-Ah! What the hell? What is it? Are we under attack or something?"


    "Nope. We''re leaving. Grab your stuff."


    We gathered our supplies as we left the room. I walked over to Erana and Kany''s room and informed them of the situation. It didn''t take long for all of us to finish packing and head out of the inn.


    As we stepped out, we were greeted by a horse drawn carriage that was driven by a man I had seen many times before. I went up to greet him.


    "Hello Mulok-san! I didn''t expect to see you here!"


    "Ah! Kenji-san, what are you doing out here? I thought you worked at Biar-san''s shop!"


    "Nah I quit about a week ago. I''m an adventurer now!"


    "I see! Well, hop inside and we''ll be off to Ruks."


    I walked up to the carriage door. While I was talking to Mulok, the rest of my party had already entered the carriage and taken their places. I was the only one left.


    As I approached the door, a girl I really wanted to avoid grabbed my shoulder. I reluctantly turned around to face her.


    "S-So¡­ You''re leaving?" Rena fidgeted in place as she asked this.


    "Yep. See ya." I began to turn back around.


    "Ah¡­ So this is when the wanderer returns on his road. How the star crossed lovers could never be together because the adventurer loves adventuring above all else¡­ How romantic." She smiled as she declared this. I could hear snickering come from the interior of the carriage, so I decided to set things straight.


    "Let me make this clear. I hate you."


    "Huh?"


    "Yeah. You nearly got myself and a bunch of other people killed. I had to use you like a tool just so you could fix your mess. I''m vouched for you because I felt like you getting arrested or whatever would suck. It was pretty much me just saying that I can''t stand seeing a prodigy like yourself get cut down in their prime and all that."


    "B-But¡­ You said you loved me¡­"


    "Well, I lied. Sorry about that but I had to do what I had to do. I''m not saying I did a good thing. I''ve never been concerned about being a great guy or anything after all. I just needed to save everyone and using you was the best option."


    "W-Why do you hate me¡­?" I could see tears forming in Rena''s eyes.


    "Because you''re stupid."


    This seemed to not be the response Rena was expecting, so she merely stared at me like a confused animal.


    "We''re humans. We''re the only species that exists that can fight equally with everything else because we''re smart. We don''t normally get power-ups like natural levels. You''re an exception, not the rule. We, as humans, do not have the right to be stupid. Being stupid gets us killed. No do-overs."


    Rena fell to her knees. My words seemed to be causing her pain.


    "Let me make this clear. I''m stupid too."


    "H-Huh?"


    "I believe that everyone is born with that one thing that they''re capable of. For some, it''s lifting heavy weights. For others, it''s a certain skill like math. For you, it was being a prodigy. For me it was knowing that I don''t know enough. Reflect on yourself and maybe I''ll forgive you for what you did to me. Until you do that, I don''t want to see you again." I turned around and hopped into the carriage. I indicated to Mulok to begin driving. With a crack of a whip, we were off.


    "Jeez Onii-san, talk about a bad breakup¡­"


    "We weren''t dating."


    "If I were you Kenji, I would have just said ''See you'' all mysteriously! Why burn a bridge like that?"


    "She''s a fanatic person. She''s definitely not going to be deterred by just that. Ideally, she''ll improve herself and in the future she''ll join our party. If I didn''t push her then she''d stagnate."


    "I think what you did was the right call, Kenji-san. She was definitely not the type to just take a soft rejection. You needed to be harsh."


    We all gave awkward smiles to each other as the carriage moved on before I suddenly remembered something.


    "Ah! Erana, I''m sorry for causing so many problems. Kany, I''m sorry for choking you earlier!"


    "Hey, where''s my apology for trying to slice me in half?"


    "No worries Onii-san. You were being controlled by a monster anyway."


    "You didn''t cause many problems, Kenji-san."


    "Are you just gonna ignore me?"


    "What do you mean I didn''t cause many problems? I sang at the bar and made a fool of myself and then I got into that fight with that Gin guy, then I fought all of you while you were under mind control!"


    "O-Oh! Well, I was just frustrated with you when it came to the fight."


    "What do you mean frustrated?"


    "Well, that guy was being a jerk. It would have been best if you just swiftly knocked him out, but instead you dodged his attacks time and time again! You made me have to heal him!"


    I blinked in surprise. This was¡­ not what I was expecting.


    "W-Well, then I''m sorry about singing so badly. I''ve never sang like that before."


    "Oh, Onii-san, she doesn''t care that you sang badly."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Kany, don''t!" Erana was covering her blushing face.


    "You see, Erana here really wanted to sing too, but she wasn''t called up so it made her a bit sad."


    I merely looked at Erana.


    "D-Don''t look at me like that! I just¡­ I''ve never been able to sing in front of a crowd like that is all!"


    I couldn''t hold it back. I began to laugh. Soon, the entire carriage was filled with the sound of our laughing. When we had finally stopped, I decided to check something.


    "Status."


    My status screen appeared in front of me. Some things had changed since the last time I had checked it.


    Kenji Fujima. Level 4. (8)


    Strength: 34


    Dexterity: 25


    Constitution: 30


    Mana: 50


    Magic Power: 10


    Luck: 10


    Experience: 1276


    "E-Eight levels?" I let out in astonishment.


    Quickly, everyone else checked their own status screens.


    "Woah, I have 9, Kenji!"


    "I have the same here, Tael-san!"


    "Boo. I only got 7."


    Well, it seems like a mulaplix is worth a lot of experience points.

 70 Prologue: A Request From A Friend.

    The previous weeks'' events fluttered through my vision. A hobgoblin loomed over me, a plant monster came in close for a kiss, and my body refused to move. I tossed and turned as I drenched myself in a cold sweat before I finally awoke.


    "Ugh¡­"


    The interior of my room was barely lit. The light coming from the window is faint at best. Today is one of my few days off, so waking up early as I usually do frustrated me greatly.


    I slowly got out of bed and went towards the dresser. I''ve never been able to fall back asleep once I''m shocked awake, so I may as well start my day.


    "So Kenji, are you thinking white sleeved shirt or grey sleeved shirt?"


    I held both up towards the light of the window as I went through the day ahead mentally.


    Thanks to the recent quest we completed, each of us received a thousand juns each. On top of the money, we also obtained a copious amount of experience. Each of us had risen to level 12. Kany put 5 levels in rogue and 2 into archer. She chose archer because she "didn''t want to be left out of plans from now on."


    Erana pumped all 9 levels that she got into druid. As a result, her magic is now far more potent.


    Tael also pumped all 9 of his levels into his wizard class. He hasn''t stopped bragging about how he is "one step closer to unlocking the secrets of mana."


    That leaves only me. Unlike the rest of them, I haven''t invested my levels yet since I''ve been debating on what exactly to do. It''s not so easy to just have a single thing you want to be in a world full of superpowers and magic, you know?


    I finished getting dressed for the day. I ensured that my sword belt was tightened to a satisfying level and stepped outside of my room. I walked down the stairs into the main hall of the adventurers guild. Since it was still very early, the only person here is the bird girl Yimmie. She is currently wiping down the tables in preparation for the day. She noticed I was walking downstairs and interrupted her work to talk to me.


    "Morning Kenji-san. Up early as usual?"


    "Unfortunately."


    "Well, you may as well do something since you''re up."


    "About that¡­ I have something to ask you if you''re up to it."


    "Huh? W-What could you possibly be referring to?" Yimmie looked to the side and awkwardly approached me.


    "Status." I declared as my status screen appeared in front of me. "You see, I have 8 levels that I can distribute, but I''m having a hard time finding out what to put them into. Can you help me?"


    "Oh¡­ Yeah, I can do that." Yimmie visibly deflated as she said this. She sidled up next to me and looked over my status screen. She kept nodding her head and going "hm" over and over again.


    "Show me your available classes."


    I swiped my hand from left to right as I revealed my classes screen.


    My current levels are \u003cWarrior Level 3\u003e and \u003cWizard Level 1\u003e.


    "I unlocked the bard class back in Mulbik. It''s a long story. As for the monk class¡­ I don''t know. I''ve never seen that before."


    "Well, you get that class if you do a lot of introspection and get into a fistfight with someone."


    "Wait, I don''t need to meditate or anything? I just needed to think about myself and fight a guy?"


    "Yep."


    Considering that I unlocked the wizard class from just reading a book, I guess this isn''t too odd.


    "What does the monk class do?"


    "Well, as with all classes, it varies from person to person, but at level one people usually gain some martial arts skills. Things like footwork come far more naturally. At level 2 they tend to unlock the attribute boost skill which lets them temporarily upgrade their stats."


    "Woah, that sounds really useful."


    "It sounds useful, but it''s only strong if you have the attributes to back it up. It''s not like your punches suddenly become lethal. A level 0 with a sword is more dangerous than a level 1 monk." Yimmi sat in a nearby chair and stared at the ceiling.


    "Well, what about my stats?"


    "For you? You''d probably be fine. A punch from a guy with 34 strength is pretty dangerous as it stands. Add monk abilities on top of it? You''d be a lethal weapon with or without an actual weapon."


    I immediately allocated 2 of my 8 levels into the monk class. I could feel my body slightly shift as a result of my attributes changing.


    "Okay! What else?"


    "W-Well¡­ Um¡­ What else do you want?"


    I cupped my chin as I began to think. This is the problem that has been plaguing me since I learned that I had 8 levels to invest. Now with only 6, I feel even more limited.


    "I guess generally speaking, I want to be an all rounder. I want to be capable of doing anything."


    "Well then you''re on the right track. I recommend investing another two levels into warrior to get a new skill and then put 3 into wizard. The last class level is up to you."


    Another skill. Add that to the magic that I would obtain through the wizard class and I''d be capable of a lot. This just leaves the last level to invest. Should I take a level in rogue? ...Probably not. Kany would get upset with me. I don''t have the druid class unlocked so I can''t pick that. I don''t need a bow since I have the firebolt spell, so I guess I''ll go with this one.


    I allocated 3 levels into wizard, 2 into warrior, and 1 into bard. Why bard? I like music, that''s why. There''s no reason to be an adventurer if you can''t have fun sometimes.


    I could feel my physical attributes suddenly begin to shift as I invested my experience points. Feeling this sensation once more made me question something.


    "Hey Yimmie-san, how does experience work anyway?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, where does it come from?"


    "The souls of creatures you kill, obviously." Yimmie just looked at her nails as she answered me.


    "Wait, so I eat the souls of my enemies? That''s kinda¡­"


    "Oh no, you don''t eat their souls. You just absorb residual energy from them. That energy becomes experience and the realization spell allows you to capture and distribute it into your body."


    "Oh¡­ That''s far more reasonable. Why do people that don''t kill the creature get experience too though?"


    "It divides the experience amount by those that did the work. If you do 80% of the work then you get 80% of the experience."


    That explains why Tael got 6 experience when I only got 4 after we killed the slime.


    I looked over my now improved attributes.


    Kenji Fujima. Level 12.


    Strength: 59


    Dexterity: 40


    Constitution: 40


    Mana: 100


    Magic Power: 23


    Luck: 15


    Experience: 1276


    I finally broke the triple digits in one of my stats. With only 4 levels in wizard, I shudder to imagine what Tael''s mana level is.


    Before I was able to investigate the abilities I obtained, a familiar person stepped through the front door of the guild.


    "Ah, Kenji. It''s good to see you."


    "Ania-sama? W-What are you doing here?"


    "Oh hush with the ''sama'' business. For what I''m doing here, I need you to take a job for me."


    "Kenji-san, is this your grandma?"


    "W-What? No!"


    "Young lady I''m not speaking to you so kindly stay quiet."


    Yimmie let out a little "eep" noise when Ania said this. I can sympathize with her here.


    "Anyhow, I have a friend in the Frozen Mist Hills. I need you to deliver something to him."


    "Why don''t you just use a postage service?"


    "The Frozen Mist Hills are under attack by the demon king''s army currently. The price of postage is incredibly high. You, however, are free." Ania thrust a small box towards me as she said this.


    "So I''m just a delivery boy?"


    "Yep."


    "Wait but¡­ if the misty hills place is under attack by the demon king''s army then isn''t it super dangerous?"


    "U-Um¡­ May I interject¡­?" Yimmie was meekly raising her hand as she hid behind me.


    "Very well. Speak." Ania jutted her head upwards to indicate to Yimmie.


    "W-Well¡­ The Frozen Mist Hills are under attack, that is true, but there is a city within the hills that is guarded by strong walls that were made by the dwarves. The guild offers a teleportation service every wednesday to this city. This service costs only 10 juns for a party of up to 8."


    "And tomorrow is¡­"


    "Wednesday." Ania and Yimmie both answered.


    I looked up and took a deep breath. Only one day off? Maybe I can just hire some other adventurer to do this for me¡­


    "Ah¡­ I wish I could go to the Frozen Mist Hills. I heard they have a hot spring with mixed bathing¡­" I heard Yimmie mutter to herself.


    "Ania-sama, I shall take this job. Leave it to me. I am going to the Frozen Mist Hills."


    "O-Okay. Good." She slowly backed away from me. It seems my sudden enthusiasm was frightening her. "Take care. Deliver it to the place that''s written on the box!" She exclaimed as she left the guild hall.


    I held the small package in my hands as I measured the weight. It''s incredibly light. This may just be because of my new physical attributes though. Oh no that''s actually concerning. What if I''m so strong I''ll break things because of my freakish strength?


    "Yimmie, I know that magic isn''t allowed inside of the city, but what about physical tests like weightlifting competitions?"


    "Weightlifting? Well, we have the summer''s end festival coming up soon, so we''ll probably have one then. Other than that, I don''t know about any random competitions."


    "So is there a place in the city to test my abilities?"


    "Nope." Yimmie declared as she held her hands to form an X. "You gotta leave the wall if you want to test out your abilities."


    How tedious¡­


    "Fine. When does the teleport thing happen tomorrow?"


    "We start them at 11 A.M."


    "When I get sent there I can get sent back, yeah?"


    "Of course. We have a subsidiary hall that is equipped with another teleport system that can get you back here. They also only work on wednesdays though."


    "So¡­ I''ll have to spend a week in the Frozen Mist Hills when I go?"


    "Yep."


    A week of mixed bathing hot springs¡­ Wait, get control of yourself Kenji.


    "T-Thanks, Yimmi-san."


    "Yeah. You know, I''ve always wanted to go to the Frozen Mist Hills and relax in the hot springs there, but I''ve been so busy working at the guildhall and have never had a reason to ask for days off¡­"


    "Jeez. That sucks. I hope that you can find a reason some time soon!" I said as I began walking back up the stairs.


    I didn''t pay attention to how Yimmie reacted, but I''m fairly certain that I heard someone go "Bwuh!"

 71 This Hero Assembles His Party!

    I stumbled up the stairs of the adventurers guild and returned to my room. I took the small box that Ania had given me and laid it down on my bed.


    "I guess I don''t mind a week-long hot spring vacation¡­" I mumbled to myself as I turned around and left my room once more. It''s still early in the morning, but I need to talk to the rest of my party and inform them of what we''re going to be doing tomorrow. The first stop: Erana''s room. Kany''s room is next to hers and Tael does not live in the guild hall. Erana is also more likely to actually wake up at this hour, so I may as well start with her.


    I went onto the floor above my own. I took a deep breath as I approached a door.


    "Room 2 of the fourth floor. This is it."


    I gathered myself as I knocked on the hardwood door in front of me. I''m not getting worked up because I''m knocking on the door to Erana''s room. Nope. Never.


    "Whoizzit¡­?" I heard a sound that could easily be misconstrued as a snore coming from the door.


    "U-Um¡­ Erana, it''s me, Kenji. I need to talk to you if that''s okay."


    I heard the sound of someone stumble over something as footsteps quickly approached the door.


    "A-Ah! Kenji-san! Um¡­ If it''s alright can you just tell me through the door?"


    "What? Why?"


    "Well um¡­ Can you just do it?"


    "Fine I guess. I just wanted to tell you that I need to deliver a package to the Frozen Mist Hills. I''m leaving tomorrow and I''m asking the rest of you to come because it''s a week-long trip. If you can, would you please tell Kany this as well? I''m going to go tell Tael."


    "T-The Frozen Mist Hills? Isn''t that place under attack by the demon king''s army?"


    "Yep. Don''t worry, we''d only be spending a week there. It''s really awkward to talk through a door like this, can you just open the door and come out?"


    "NO! I mean¡­ No you can''t!"


    Now I want to know why she''s refusing to open the door. Wait maybe...


    I got up very close to the door and whispered to it. "Erana, is someone in the room with you? Someone I can''t know about?"


    "NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! I''M NOT THAT KIND OF GIRL!"


    "Shut the hell up!" Someone shouted from a nearby room.


    I let out a sigh. "Look, your reasons are your reasons. Just¡­ tell Kany for me, okay? I''m gonna go over to see Tael. Talk to you later."


    "O-Okay. Goodbye, Kenji-san."


    With that, I turned around and went to leave the adventurers guild. I waved goodbye to Yimmie as I stepped outside of the front door and out onto the streets of Ruks.


    Okay¡­ Tael lives nearby according to what he told me. It''s a house on Jerich street. I really wish I had a map of the city right now, but that''s an unnecessary expense and I want to make more money before I can just spend frivolously.


    "Excuse me, officer. I have a question."


    "What is it citiz- Bwuh!" The guard turned around as they spoke and quickly took a step back when they saw me.


    "W-What? Is there something on my face? What?"


    "You don''t recognize me?"


    "No¡­?"


    "Actually, it''s probably better this way. Don''t worry about it. What''s your question?"


    "Well wait, now I want to know why I''d recognize you."


    "I just said don''t worry about it!"


    "Too bad. Why should I recognize you?" I inspected the guard as well as I could. Unfortunately, all the guards of this city wear uniforms including helmets. Identifying an individual guard would be incredibly difficult if you weren''t already intimately familiar with that person.


    "Well I¡­ I arrested you a while ago¡­" The guard looked to the side as he said this. Suddenly, the memories of one of the worst nights of my life came back to me.


    "Oh so that was you, huh? Well, make it up to me and answer my question."


    "Yes I understand you''re angry but, wait what? You''re not mad?"


    "Dude, chop chop. I have places to be. Where is Jerich street? How do I get there from here?"


    "Oh, y-you just take a right at the end of this street and then take a left at the intersection."


    "Cool. Thanks." I began to walk away as the guard held out a hand to stop me.


    "Hey, what happened to you? You''re¡­ different."


    I shrugged my shoulders. "I worked out and grew up a bit I guess. Now I need to go. Later."


    I walked away from the guard that was responsible for one of the worst nights of my life as I turned right at the end of the street.


    It''s not like I''m gonna hold a grudge for something like that. Don''t get me wrong, I wouldn''t mind giving that guy a good slap across the face, but he was just doing his job. Nope. Totally not gonna be childish and hold a grudge for something like that.


    Oh, it seems that I arrived at Jerich street. I must have run on autopilot.


    "Okay¡­ The green house¡­" I mumbled to myself as I looked over each of the street''s buildings. It only took me a second to pinpoint the green house as the rest of the buildings on this street were a variation of grey. Tael''s house stuck out like a sore thumb.


    Come to think of it, this building is also notably larger than the ones around it. Is Tael secretly rich?


    I knocked on the front door of this green building. It didn''t take long for someone to open the door.


    The man that stood before me appeared to be in his late fifties. He wore an elegant tuxedo and had an air of aged dignity around him. His face was full of sharp features except for his rather large nose.


    "Sebastian¡­" I accidentally let out.


    "Sebastian? Nobody like that lives at this residence. Please leave." The butler announced as he closed the door in my face.


    "W-Wait!" I shouted as I slammed on the door again.


    The butler opened the door once more. Unlike before, he now looked very annoyed at me.


    "What is it that you want? This home will not be giving away any money. Out with it!"


    "I just want to talk to Tael! Jeez man!"


    "Oh. Master Tael is in his room. What is your name?"


    "I''m Kenji."


    "Ah! That explains it. You are Kenji. Master Tael has spoken about you before. Please, come inside." The butler stepped to the side as he motioned me in.


    The interior is well furnished. The walls are built out of a high quality wood material while the furnishings all appear to be fairly new. In front of me there is a set of stairs. To my left there is what appears to be a lounge with a large fireplace. To my right there is an access to a dining room.


    "Please, wait in here while I call Master Tael. He should be with you shortly." The butler motioned me to the sitting room. When I sat down the butler went upstairs.


    Wow. This place is rather fancy. It''s not like I care about the wealth of Tael, but I''m surprised by the quality of life he seems to have.


    I looked up at the fireplace. Above the mantle there is a painting that I am sure is worth more money than I''ve ever had. The painting depicted an elven man that was wearing an exquisite suit. On the frame the words "Derimus Imun" were written out. Is this Tael''s dad or something? Maybe it''s an ancestor. Now that I think about it, how do elves honor their ancestors? Tael said something about an ancestral orchard or something a while ago, but I don''t remember the specifics.


    As I was getting lost in my own thoughts, the butler came and tapped me on the shoulder.


    "Pardon me, Master Kenji, I am simply here to inform you that Master Tael has awoken and is getting dressed. In the meantime, would you like any refreshments?"


    It''s been so long since I had the chance to get something for free, so I may as well take advantage of it.


    "May I have some tea?"


    "Certainly. Wait here and I shall brew some right away."


    "Ah wait! What is your name?"


    "My name is Lon."


    With that, Lon left the room and went towards the kitchen. I sat back down and twiddled my thumbs in anticipation. I bet they''ll use sugar in this!

 72 This Hero and The Plan!

    It didn''t take long for Lon the butler to return with tea. He stepped up to me and placed a tray containing a teapot, a small cup, and a plate that was filled with cubes of sugar on the coffee table.


    "Enjoy." He motioned as he backed away to a corner of the room.


    I gleefully poured myself a cup of tea and began to put sugar into it. Normally I would place around 4 sugar cubes in, but today I decided to do just one. I need to watch my figure after all.


    I stirred the sugar into the tea and took a long gulp. I had forgotten how nice it was to drink something with sugar in it. What a nostalgic feeling.


    Now that I finished my tea, I may as well break the silence.


    "So¡­ You''re the butler of this home?"


    "Yes. I was assigned to take care of this household."


    "Is it just you here? Is there anyone else?"


    "No. It is just me."


    "How is that even possible? You need rest and a vacation every now and then! I can''t imagine being a butler with no help."


    "It is an honor to serve this family. My family has served the Imun family for generations. I am merely another part of a long line of workers."


    "Wait, you''ve served this family for generations? So does that mean that your master, uh¡­ Derimy-"


    "Derimus Imun."


    "Yeah, Derimus Imun has been around for that long?"


    "Yes. Lord Derimus is one of the oldest elves in the world. His family is well known, they even have a personal manor beside the emperor''s manor for holidays."


    "So, that means that Tael-"


    "What''s that about me?" A sleepy Tael walked into the room. Despite being dressed in his usual apparel, he wiped his eyes and yawned. It was obvious that he had just woken up.


    "Master Tael, it is good to see you have awoken. Master Kenji has come to retrieve you."


    "Oh, awesome. Thank you Lon." Tael weakly waved at Lon and approached me.


    "Tael, let''s head to the guild." I stood up and declared.


    "This early? We only just got today off! Is there a quest we need to take or something?"


    "Well¡­"


    "Ugh¡­ FINE, but you''re paying for my breakfast." Tael began to walk towards the front door.


    "W-Wait!" I shouted as he stepped outside.


    "Take care." Lon waved to us as we ran out of the building.


    "T-Tael! Why do I need to pay for your breakfast? Also, why did I need to pay for you ever in the first place? You have a freaking butler! There''s no way you''re poor!"


    "Oh, that¡­ I''M not rich, my father is." Tael looked towards the ground as he fiddled with his robes a bit.


    "How is there a difference? Surely your father gives you money."


    "Look it''s complicated, okay? Just¡­ believe me. It''s not so simple as to where I can just ask my father for a hundred jun loan or something."


    "So why did you grab me at 6 in the morning, Kenji?" Tael finally broke the silence.


    "Oh, well I got a job from¡­ a certain person. Basically, we''d be going to the Frozen Mist Hills for a week."


    "THE FROZEN MIST HILLS FOR A WEEK? ARE YOU INSANE?"


    "L-Look! I can''t turn this person down, okay?"


    "Well fine! You go, but I''m not going! That place is under attack by the demon king''s army and it''s full of dwarves! Half-elves and dwarves get along about as well as dogs and cats."


    "Come on man! It''s a whole week! I need you with me on this! Erana and Kany are going!"


    "Why should that matter? A week with no adventures or near death experiences sounds pleasant to me! Count me out."


    Tael seems adamant about this. Time to pull out the trump card.


    "...They have a hot spring bathing spot there."


    "H-Huh? Why does that matter?" Tael tried to keep his cool, but he leaned in as he asked this. I got him hooked already.


    "Well, when it comes to hot springs one typically thinks that there is a mixed bathing section, right?"


    "S-So when are we going then? I''ll pack my bags I guess."


    And I''ve reeled him in. Mental high-five.


    "Tomorrow at 11 A.M. We''ll meet up about 30 minutes prior to that and then we''ll get teleported. I''ll go over the details with everyone at the guild."


    "Awesome!"


    Tael and I walked quietly until we arrived at the guildhall once more. When we entered we could see Erana and Kany had already taken a seat at our usual table. Since it''s incredibly early, nobody else is here yet.


    Erana is fully dressed and appears ready for the day. Meanwhile, Kany''s hair is a mess and she is still in her pyjamas. She''s resting her head on the table in a futile attempt to gain a few extra seconds of sleep.


    "Good morning, everyone." I said as I sat down.


    "Good morning, Tael-san, Kenji-san."


    "Ugh¡­"


    "So we''re going to the Frozen Mist Hills?"


    "That''s the plan. I need to-"


    "What do you all want to eat?" Yimmie quickly interjected.


    "Food." Kany murmured.


    "Yeah, what type of food?"


    "The type I can eat."


    "We''ll have breakfast platters Yimmie-san. Thank you."


    "Got it."


    "As I was saying, I need to deliver a package to someone there. It''s a request from someone I can''t exactly deny."


    "Woah, Kenji are you involved in the drug trade or something?"


    "No!"


    "Tael-san, if he were involved in the drug trade then he wouldn''t have been at such a low level when we met him."


    "He also wouldn''t have been fat!" Kany raised her head and declared.


    I leaned forward in my table to try to grab Kany, but her superior dodging abilities let her easily evade my grabs.


    "L-Look! Simply put, we''re going to be going to the Frozen Mist Hills for a week! According to what I''ve been told, despite the fact that it''s under attack by the demon king''s army we should be safe inside the city. We''ll treat this like a vacation. It''s a whole other huge city! I bet there''s plenty of tourist attractions there that we can see!"


    "Like the hot springs?" Tael quietly asked.


    "Hot springs?" Kany jolted up. It seems like this is something that she cares deeply about.


    "Oh, I''ve always loved hot springs. They have one there?"


    "Yep. Since we''ll be spending a week there, we''ll have plenty of time to relax and soak. It should give us plenty of time to unwind after our previous endeavors!"


    Though this is mostly just an excuse on my end, it''s also true that taking time to relax with something like a hot spring is vital. Physical damage can be healed with magic, but mental stress needs time to ease itself. I can tell that I''m suffering by the fact that I''m being horrified by nightmares more often now.


    "So then, what is our plan Kenji-san?"


    "Well, the first and most important thing is to understand we''ll be gone for a week. We have all day today and tomorrow morning up to 10 A.M. to get our affairs in order. Up to that point, I want all of you to ensure you have everything you need from clothes to dental products. On top of this, I want all of you to take 500 juns with you."


    "Huh? 500 Juns? Onii-san, that''s a crazy amount!"


    "Oh hush. 500 juns is just a general number. I''m not asking you to spend that much on the trip, but you DO need to have enough money for souvenirs and extra things. I personally will be bringing 1000 juns. I''ll pay for the housing since I''m the one that proposed this, so you guys should be grateful that I''m only asking you to bring half of that."


    I''m basing my decision off of what my father told me when we went to Hawaii once. He said that you should always make sure you have a bit more money than you need just in case.


    "Wait, you''re paying? Fufufu¡­ Okay then Kenji! If that''s what you want to do!"


    "I''m not paying for everything! Just the basic stuff like housing. I think it''d be pretty mean if I just dropped this on you and expected you all to pay for it. I''m not that type of person. In exchange, I ask that you don''t take advantage of my kindness." I emphasized the last words of that sentence as I looked at both Kany and Tael. They both shrunk slightly in front of my gaze.


    "Well I think it''s a great thing to do. I would like for all of us to spend time together doing something that isn''t an adventure! It will definitely bring us closer." Erana clapped her hands together when she said this.


    "Well then it''s settled. We''ll meet up tomorrow at 10:30 A.M. here. I want all of you to have your bags and equipment packed. Though we don''t plan on battling, I still want you all to take your adventurer gear just in case, alright?"


    "Okay." They all said in unison.


    Yimmie brought our breakfast to the table. We began to eat when Tael turned to me to ask a question.


    "So Kenji, what are you gonna do with the time you have before tomorrow?"


    "Me? I recently distributed my levels, so I want to test out my new abilities. I''m going to head outside the walls and practice for a bit. Any of you want to tag along?"


    "Me." Kany raised her hand limply.


    "I would also like to test my abilities."


    "I learned new spells. I want to test them out too."


    "So¡­ All of us are going outside the wall it seems."


    "I guess so."


    With that, we ate breakfast and prepared for the day ahead.

 73 This Hero Tests His Powers!

    After Kany had dressed and prepared herself for the day, we left the guildhall and began heading outside of the city. As usual, we had to cross the checkpoint that was manned by a multitude of guards. Their stares were always somewhat creepy, despite the fact that each of us had experienced them multiple times at this point.


    "So I''ve been wondering¡­ Why does everyone stare at us so much when we begin heading out of the town? I know that some people are gonna take quick glances, but it feels like everyone and their mom is watching us. What gives?" Tael quickly asked.


    "Sheesh, you don''t know? They''re assessing us."


    "Assessing? What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "I would assume it means that they''re trying to decide if we''re gonna die out there or not." I quickly answered.


    "Yep. The guards here have this thing where they take bets on who is gonna die when they head out. It''s their method of gambling. I participated a few times. The top bets sometimes go up to a few thousand juns."


    "That''s awful."


    Kany shrugged in response.


    If they''re really trying to just assess us, then surely they would have stopped staring by now. Maybe it''s because all of us are still relatively new? Now that I think about it, I wonder what the bet on Tael and I was when we left the first time. I bet whoever gambled that I would live had a nice day afterwards. Still, that doesn''t remove my first issue. Maybe¡­


    "Does this city have a crime problem?" I directed this question at Kany.


    "...I don''t know. It''s not like I''ve been to other cities before. I can''t tell you if the crime rate here is higher or normal compared to other cities."


    "Kenji-san, are you asking Kany this because you think she''s a criminal?"


    "Well, she is. At least, that''s how I met her."


    Tael burst out laughing when I said this.


    "Bwahaha! Leave it to Kenji to point out that our resident loli is a kleptomaniac!"


    "What''s this about kleptomaniacs?" The gruff guard that we had met before approached us. It seems that we had all become so invested in our conversation that we didn''t even realize that we had arrived at the drawbridge.


    "Nothing! Don''t worry about it!" I quickly declared.


    The guard looked at me like I had said something funny for a moment before he eventually decided it wasn''t important.


    "Well¡­ You certainly look different compared to the last time I saw you. You also have more people now! What are you going to do today?"


    "I recently acquired a few levels in some classes. I need a good place to test out my abilities so I''m heading out of the city for a while."


    "Well alright then. Be careful out there. Ever since some moron killed a hobgoblin, all the goblins in the area that the guy didn''t finish off have been forming small pocket camps. Honestly, it makes my job a lot harder."


    "Ah. I see. Thank you for the information." I grit my teeth and smiled. Punching a guard in the face would probably get me put in jail for a while, so I''d rather avoid it.


    "Well then, safe travels!"


    "Wait¡­ What''s the closest goblin camp? We''ll clear them out for you."


    "Oh really? Well then¡­ They''re around half a mile south from here. You can''t miss them."


    "Got it. Thanks."


    With that, we left the confines of the city. We stepped out onto the grassy fields and took a moment to relax a bit.


    "Fwaah¡­ Being in the city is so suffocating¡­" Erana held her tree branch in both hands and looked upwards.


    "Erana, why''d you leave the forest if you hate the city so much?" Tael turned over and asked.


    "The cities are the only safe place to be now. I''d love to live in a forest in a log cabin, but that''s no longer viable thanks to the demon king''s forces¡­"


    Leave it to Tael to step on a landmine without thinking.


    "Well, you best get used to it. The Frozen Mist Hills are basically one gigantic city. We won''t be seeing the sun for a week after tomorrow!"


    "Urgh¡­"


    I walked a little bit away from the group. I closed my eyes and began to look inward. The first thing I want to try is my new monk ability "Ability Boost."


    How exactly does it work? Can I choose any ability, or is it limited to a limited number? How significant is the boost? Can I affect multiple powers at once? Can it affect things other than abilities?


    Okay look, let''s just start with the basics.


    "Ability Boost!" I shouted.


    ...Nothing''s happening.


    Did I do something wrong?


    Oh wait, it''s probably this.


    "Ability Boost: Strength!" I shouted.


    Suddenly, I could feel a sudden surge in my physical strength. It feels like I could lift a boulder with my bare hands.


    "Tael, come here real quick."


    "Huh? Okay¡­"


    Once he stepped close enough, I picked him up with one arm as if he were a doll.


    "W-Woah! Stop!"


    "Sorry, I just got this new ability and needed to try it on someone." I set Tael back down.


    How long does this ability last? It''s not like I feel a timer¡­


    Wait, do I need to turn it off? I looked around inside of my mind and realized I was experiencing the same feeling that I do when I have the status menu up. This is definitely something I am maintaining. I released the feeling and I could feel my muscles slightly lessen.


    "Awesome. Next up, an abstract ability."


    "What? What''s that mean?"


    "Ahem¡­ Ability Boost: Brain Power!" I shouted out.


    Everything began to move in slow motion. I could see every individual blade of grass begin to move. I could feel every particle of air touch my skin. Uh-oh.


    I released the ability.


    "So¡­ did that work?"


    "Yep. A bit too well."


    What about multiple abilities? Best to go all in.


    "Ability Boost: All!"


    Every part of me began to feel just a bit better. It''s not like I was just a better version of myself, but it felt as if I was having a really good day.


    I released the final test.


    "Alright! This ability is actually crazy useful! I''m really glad I took those monk levels! Thank you, Yimmie!"


    "Listen, since you tested your power on me, now I''m gonna test my power on you. It''s only fair."


    "Guh." He''s right. It''s only fair. I don''t want to get exploded though¡­


    "Magic Skin!" Tael shouted. I could see what seemed to be a very thin membrane covering his entire body including his clothes. It was like an aura.


    "Okay. Hit me."


    "A-Are you sure? You don''t want me to just toss a rock?"


    "Hit. Me."


    "Well you said so." I said as I rounded my shoulder. I stepped forward and delivered a straight to him. I could feel that my punch was done in a far more efficient way than it was before. This must be those martial arts I was told about!


    A loud TWING sound blared out as my fist was bounced off of Tael.


    "Fufufu! It works! I got this ability at level 4, but I haven''t been able to test it yet! Sorry Kenji, it seems like you''ll just have to basque in my greatness!"


    "I have 4 levels in wizard now too."


    "Oh¡­ I see."


    Slurp¡­ Slurp¡­ Slurp¡­


    "Oh, a slime!"


    We quickly spotted the small green creature that was making its way towards us. Honestly why is it that we encounter these things in this field so quickly?


    "Allow me! Lightning!" Tael pointed his wand towards the slime as a bolt of electricity flowed out of it. The slime spasmed for a bit before it shriveled. The electric shock had destroyed its core.


    "Nice! I got that at level 6!"


    2 levels behind¡­ Alright!


    "Are you boys having fun?" I heard someone ask. I can''t see them.


    "Yo Erana check it out! They really can''t see me!"


    "I can''t even see you!"


    Kany appeared behind Tael and took his hat.


    "H-Hey! That''s my hat! Give it back!"


    "Nope!" Kany shouted as she began to run away.


    "Fine! Shifting Sands!" Tael pointed his wand downwards. The ground suddenly changed from grassy to filled with sand. Kany immediately began to sink.


    "W-Wait! Fine! If we''re gonna play dirty¡­ Freedom of Movement!" Kany shouted as her body began to glow red. She disappeared from the sinking sand and appeared on a spot with grass still on it.


    I walked up to Erana as we watched the two have their battle over a hat.


    "Well¡­ Everyone''s certainly improved a bit."


    "That they have."


    "I guess our next stop is a goblin camp. Are you up for it?"


    "I don''t like goblins, but I can''t exactly say I dislike exterminating them. I suppose I''m ready whenever you are, Kenji-san."


    "Alright. PACK IT UP KIDS, WE''RE HEADING OUT TO KILL SOME GOBLINS!"


    "Okay!" Kany shouted back.


    "Ugh! I''m not a kid! I''m the oldest one here!" Tael shouted out from under Kany. It seems that Kany had pinned Tael down while I wasn''t watching.

 74 This Hero Obliterates A Goblin Camp!

    After we got Kany to finally return Tael''s hat, we began to head south towards the goblin camp. It only took us a few minutes of walking before we arrived at a point where we could see smoke rising from the goblin encampment. It was surrounded by trees which created enough shade for the goblins to walk around unimpeded. When I saw this, I signalled for the group to get behind a small mound and get down low.


    "Okay. We don''t know how many of them there are, but we can assume that it''s not too many. It would be best if we could do some recon though. Kany would you-"


    "Kenji-san, I can use my fireflies for this now! Please let me do it!" Erana stared directly into my eyes with fierce determination. It seems that the rest of us demonstrating our abilities has driven her antsy as well.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I can see through my fireflies now. I just need to stay within a certain range and I can look through their eyes. It''s much safer for me to do it than Kany."


    "I see! Well then, let''s get within range for you to do that then! How close do we need to be?"


    "Within around 100 meters."


    "Well how close are we now?" Tael asked.


    "Uh¡­ I dunno. Probably 150 meters?" I poked my head over the mound to check.


    "So then let''s get 50 meters closer!" Kany stood up and declared.


    "Hey hey hey wait, we don''t need to send her fireflies into the camp, just close enough so that she can count a general number."


    "Wait¡­ so how close then?"


    I looked at our nearby area. There were several small mounds that we could hide behind if we stayed low.


    "I''d say around 40 meters. Erana will send her fireflies to their maximum range and from there it shouldn''t be hard to count the goblins from the air. What do you all think?"


    "I don''t like getting my robes dirty."


    "I''m fine with it, Kenji-san."


    "Whatever makes you feel safe Onii-san."


    "Sounds like a plan then. Let''s move."


    We began to slowly move between mounds. It took us around 2 minutes to get up to the 40 meter mark.


    "Whew¡­ Okay. Fireflies!" Erana held her tree branch upwards as 20 fireflies emerged from the magic circle that appeared.


    "Woo! New record!"


    The swarm flew towards the camp while Erana kept one eye closed. I could see her tick her finger as she counted goblins one by one.


    "Okay. That makes 14. I bet there are more inside the tents, but I can''t see inside."


    "I doubt there would be that many more. Did they have any equipment that stood out?"


    "None that I could see. They seemed to be carrying standard gear."


    "Okay. That means-"


    "Let''s go!" Kany interrupted as she bolted up and disappeared.


    "Yeah. That." I stood up and drew my broadsword as I began to walk towards the goblin camp. Erana and Tael followed closely behind me.


    "Ability Boost: Speed!" I shouted. Suddenly my steps carried me much further. It felt as if I was flying on the ground. I arrived at the outskirts of the camp in next to no time. Erana and Tael were far behind me by the time I arrived. I released the ability boost and returned to normal.


    Okay. Now that I''m here, let''s try it out.


    "Magic Skin!" I shouted. A thin membrane of mana formed itself around me. I didn''t need a magic focus to cast this spell fortunately, so I was able to pull it off without any issue.


    The goblins seemed to have been alerted to my presence as they immediately began drawing their weapons and approaching me. Unlike how I was a week ago, I''m no longer afraid of these creatures. I''m simply ready to destroy them.


    "Hmm¡­ What would be a good song for this?" I asked myself out loud. Thanks to my bard skill I can play music now¡­ Wait, I know the perfect song!


    I took a combat stance as I squared myself towards the closest goblin. Waltz Number 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich began to play as I looked towards my enemy. I first heard this song when my parents took me to a concert as a child. Ever since then I''ve always been a fan of classical music. My unwavering confidence and the music must have shaken its resolve as it slowly began to back away from me.


    "If you''re not coming to me then I''ll come to you!" I shouted this cliche line as I charged forward. The goblins all tried to form a wall to stop me in futility as I swung my sword sideways. A goblin head went flying as a result of my attack.


    "G-Gaaah!" Another goblin shouted as it began to run away. Before it could get very far, a dagger was shoved into its back as Kany re-appeared.


    It didn''t take long for the goblins to begin frantically panicking.


    Tael walked towards a group of 3 goblins slowly. They looked at him as they frantically raised their weapons in a futile resistance.


    "Lighting: Chain!" Tael pointed his wand towards the group as a bolt of electricity pierced each of them. They all fell to the ground as the sickening sound of burning emerged.


    A few goblins made a break for it towards the mounds that we had come from, but Erana was there to stop them.


    "No you don''t! Wall of Thorns!" She yelled out as a meter thick wall of thorn covered vines grew out of the ground in front of them. Their escape route was effectively cut off by this.


    "Nice going Erana!" Kany ran towards the would-be escapees and cut each of them down with 3 swift strikes. Their bodies hit the ground with a sickening thud.


    "Okay¡­ How many does that leave?" I thought out loud. The ground was littered with goblin bodies as we began to move through the camp.


    "I think that makes 6 left that Erana counted." Tael responded as we got back to back.


    "Okay. I''ll take 3 and you take 3. Sound good?"


    "Hah! I''ll take 4!"


    "Nope I already took down another!" Kany ran up and shouted.


    "So¡­ That leaves 5 then. Tell you guys what, you leave one for me and you take the rest. I need to test something."


    "Really? Are you sure Onii-san?"


    "Positive. Maybe leave one for Erana too while you''re at it."


    "I¡­ don''t think there''s a need for that." Tael pointed towards Erana as he said this.


    "Solar Beam!" Erana shouted out as a laser blasted out of her wand and set a goblin that had run away on fire. I won''t deny that I was somewhat terrified.


    "Okay. Let''s roll!" Kany shouted out as she sprinted forward. Tael closely followed her lead. I sheathed my broadsword as I approached a nearby goblin. It readied itself to face me.


    Honestly, I have to hand it to this guy. By now I would have probably peed my pants and ran. I can''t say I dislike this confidence.


    Come to think of it, where do these creatures even come from? Are they natural? I haven''t seen any babies around, nor have I seen any female goblins. Is this even a guy to begin with?


    The goblin charged me as I pondered this conundrum. I easily dodged its attack as it stumbled past me. Truly I take pity on this creature. If it would just surrender then I wouldn''t kill it. Why does it insist on fighting? Surely it knows it can''t win.


    I stepped forwards towards the goblin. It tried to swing its sword at me, but I grabbed its arm and poked its eye with a spear hand. I used this opening I created as it recoiled in pain to disarm it. I need to ensure that I can do this in case a situation arises where I will need to disarm a more difficult opponent. Practice makes perfect after all. If this goblin surrenders then I''ll stop, but until then I''m going to be using it as a practice dummy.


    We continued this faux battle where the goblin would attack me and then I would strike a vital point to make it drop its weapon in pain. It didn''t take long for me to figure out exactly how it would move about.


    "Yo Kenji, you having trouble?"


    "Nah it''s fine. I''m just practicing disarming techniques." I kicked the sword out of the goblins hands for the umpteenth time. It began to scramble towards the sword, but I intercepted it as I grabbed its head and looked directly into its eyes.


    "You know, all you need to do is surrender." I spoke to the goblin as if it were a child. In response, the goblin simply began to swipe its hands at me.


    "Nah man, they won''t ever listen to reason. They''re monsters after all. No matter how hard you try they''ll just stay the same."


    "What do you mean?" I asked as I held the goblin by the head. It kept trying to run towards me but it couldn''t get past my grip strength.


    "Well, some monsters are natural, but these guys are spawned by the demon king. They''re just essence of evil pretty much. You could do nothing but kindness yet it would still turn out evil."


    "Oh, I see. Well then, I guess I don''t feel bad about this." I said as I drew my dagger.


    "Firebolt." I shot the streak of flame into the goblins head as it fell to the floor limply.


    "That takes care of that!"

 75 This Hero Returns To Ruks!

    We stood in the destroyed goblin camp. The bodies of the little green monsters littered the ground, their blood dyed the grass a deep crimson. I examined the nearby area for anything of importance before I moved on to the tents. They were made out of wolf or rabbit pelts. It seems like the goblins had hunted any creature that they could skin in order to make these makeshift accommodations.


    "Hello? Anybody home?" I asked as I stepped inside while I brandished my dagger. Of course, silence was the only response. I looked deeper inside for anything of importance or value before I left. The only items that could be considered a good value were the pelts that made up the bedding, but even these were in poor condition.


    I decided to leave after I finished a quick investigation. The smell inside the tents was difficult to describe, but it was reminiscent of manure. Do goblins bathe? Actually, do monsters in general bathe? Are there monsters with human level intelligence? Mully the Mulaplix was able to communicate and think like a human, but she didn''t develop things like tools or weapons. Goblins seem to be capable of hunting and skinning as well as use basic tools like weapons. Since goblins are low on the ladder of monsters it''s entirely possible that there are creatures with an intellect that far surpasses humans.


    "Find anything?" Tael asked me.


    "Nada."


    "Well, I didn''t expect us to. Goblins don''t use money and they don''t trade so finding anything of value would be incredibly rare."


    "Hey wait, if they don''t trade or use money, where do they keep getting all their weapons? Surely they don''t steal all of them?"


    "Well, stealing is certainly the main thing that they do, but most of the time their weapons just¡­ appear."


    "Appear? What do you mean?"


    "What he means is goblins just show up one day with a weapon in hand. There''s no rhyme or reason for it." Kany emerged from a nearby tent and said.


    "Huh? No, there totally is a reason for it! Goblins and other minor monsters are assigned roles when they''re created! The roles can range from guard to hunter to leader!"


    "Um, no. They fight for those roles. It''s a tribal society."


    "They do not fight for those roles! It''s only when their tribe crumbles that they fight for dominance! Even then, if a leader exists then they follow them!"


    "You''re wrong! You have no idea what you''re talking about!"


    "Oh yeah Mr. Sparkles? What makes you an expert on goblins?"


    Erana slowly walked towards me to join my argument watching. This is the closest thing I get to television now, so I may as well just enjoy it.


    ""So¡­ Are we done with the camp?" Erana whispered into my ear.


    "Yeah, probably. I don''t think there''s anything of value here."


    "Okay. Are you going to tell them or should I?"


    "Rock-paper-scissors?"


    "Okay kids, we''re gonna head back into town now. I don''t want to get stuck out here tonight."


    "Quit calling us kids!"


    "Yeah yeah whatever. Let''s go!" I said as I began to walk back towards the town.


    Kany and Tael grumbled as they quickly followed behind me. Erana stuck to my left as we began to head to the road. Kany and Tael quickly resumed to argue as they walked.


    "Ask yourself then: where do the weapons goblins drop go when you kill them?" Tael smugly asked.


    "Wait, do they disappear or something?" I turned around and began to walk backwards to engage with the conversation.


    "Yeah, what do you think happened?"


    "Well what happens to them?"


    "They vanish into thin air. Remember that shortsword you took a while ago? Where is it now?"


    "Wait¡­ what?" I stopped moving and removed my rucksack. I can''t believe I never noticed this before, but he''s right. Where the hell did that shortsword go?


    "Yeah see? Thin air."


    "No! It''s not thin air! They turn into essence that spawns more goblins!"


    "How are you so certain?"


    "I read it in a book!"


    "Are you sure you did? Last I checked you were illiterate!"


    "I''m not illiterate! Just because the rest of us don''t spend every second of the day reading doesn''t mean we can''t read if we choose to!"


    "Well maybe if you spent more time reading and less time stealing then you''d know that goblin equipment disappears into thin air!"


    "Grrah! Fine! When we get back we''re going to the library! I need to prove you wrong!"


    "Fine by me! I''ll even use my bookworm class to find the exact page that proves you wrong!"


    They each stared daggers at each other. I could almost see the electricity flowing between the two of them.


    "Tael-san, Kany, please don''t fight."


    "We''re not fighting Erana. I just need to prove her wrong."


    "You mean prove me right!"


    I began to knock on my own head in frustration with their arguing. I can''t imagine having this much energy after clearing out an entire camp of goblins. From the looks of it, Erana is done with their issues too. Thankfully, the drawbridge is in sight. I won''t deny that I began to quicken my steps the closer we got.


    "Oh, you''re back! The boys and I just finished our bets. I''m 2 for 2 on you buddy!" The guard walked up and patted me on the shoulder. A part of me felt pride when he said this, but another part felt a bit frustrated with the fact that people apparently doubted me.


    "Well, I''m glad that we could make you some spare pocket change then." I grit my teeth as I said this. Getting angry at a guard only ends up causing problems.


    "Hah! Spare pocket change isn''t even the half of it! I bet a fat thousand juns on you and you quadrupled it the first time! This time I''m only gonna make 200 juns but that''s still a nice amount."


    Five thousand juns? I gotta get in on this¡­


    I think Erana could detect my mind going to nefarious places because she lightly pushed me when I started thinking about the gambling.


    "Thank you officer. My companions and I appreciate all the hard work you do." Erana bowed to the guard as she said this. He seemed embarrassed by this seemingly genuine gesture since he lightly backed away in response.


    We began to walk back into town. Unlike the way out, it felt as if nobody was watching us now. I can''t deny that this is relieving. It''s not that I''m self conscious or anything, but the feeling of being watched is just disturbing no matter what context.


    "Okay. So Kany and I are gonna split off from you two and go to the library." Tael came up to me and stated.


    "Alright. Remember: 10:30 A.M. at the guildhall. Make sure you have all your stuff and all your affairs in order before then."


    "Got it."


    "Also don''t skimp out on the 500 juns." I placed my hand on his shoulder as I smiled. "I know you won''t forget, right?"


    "R-Right! Haha! I totally won''t forget! Don''t worry about it Kenji! I promise to do my share!"


    "You too Kany."


    "Yeah yeah Onii-san. I got it. Let''s go Mr. Sparkles. I can''t wait to prove you wrong."


    Tael began to head off with Kany. I could hear the last bits of their conversation before they turned a corner.


    "Whoever''s right owes the other one dinner."


    "I can''t wait for you to pay for me! I have the glutton class after all so don''t expect to get away with it!"


    And then¡­ silence.


    It''s roughly around 1 P.M. now. People are wandering the streets and the town is very alive. Erana looked towards the ground for a moment before she raised her head and spoke up.


    "So¡­ It seems like it''s just us, right Kenji-san? Or do you have a prior obligation that you need to take care of?"


    "Huh, me? Nah. What about you?"


    "On days I have off I like to spend them looking around the city. It''s so big that every time I go exploring I find something new."


    "Huh. Well, I''m not doing anything so do you want to go ''exploring'' together?"


    "Wait¡­ a boy and a girl by themselves going places together¡­ I''m pretty sure this would be a date, Kenji-san!"


    "Oh uh¡­" Ability Boost: Brain Power! I used my power inside of my own head. Fortunately, it seems like this worked as everything slowed down like it did before.


    Okay¡­ What do I do? Do I just own it and go "yeah it''s a date!" Would that work? N-Nah! She''s probably just trying to see if I plan on taking advantage of her or something! I''m not a bad guy Erana! ...I''ve got it!


    I dropped my ability as time resumed normal speed once more. While it felt like several seconds had passed, in reality barely even a second had passed.


    "It can just be a date between friends. It doesn''t have to be anything weird if that''s what you''re asking."


    "Hm¡­ Okay then! Let''s go on a ''friend date'' then!"

 76 This Hero Goes On A Date!

    "So¡­ What do you want to do first?"


    Erana and I were walking along the cobblestone streets of Ruks. The wooden buildings on either side made this road feel slightly cramped, but since it was just the two of us we could easily fit.


    Though I was trying my hardest, I couldn''t brush off the slightly awkward feeling of the two of us being alone like this. It''s not like I''m trying to be weird, but she did call it something like a date so I can''t help but be a bit self conscious about what I''m doing.


    "Maybe we should go get something to eat? After the goblin camp endeavor I''m a bit hungry. What about you?"


    "Sounds good to me! Do you have any ideas?"


    Erana placed a finger on her chin for a moment as she looked to the sky. I feel awkward staring at her, but I don''t know what else to do.


    "To be entirely honest, I don''t really know any place around here. What about you?"


    Ah. Of course. Why did I expect anything different? Of course Erana has no idea what''s around this city. She often gets lost when she''s just walking around! There''s no way that she would know any food places other than the guildhall.


    "Well¡­ To be entirely honest I also have no idea. I don''t really know the places in this town other than a select few."


    "But Kany said that she met you 7 months ago! How do you have no idea what''s around here?"


    "I''m very frugal."


    Erana stared at me for a moment with a blank expression before she finally just smiled.


    "Well, that means we''ll be looking for somewhere then! Let''s go." She began walking ahead which took me by surprise. I had to quicken my steps in order to catch up with her.


    It didn''t take us long to arrive at a small commercial district. The hustle and bustle of people going from place to place ensured that the atmosphere was lively. We walked from shop to shop checking what they were selling.


    "Kenji-san, Kenji-san! Look at these!" Erana excitedly pointed at a display that contained numerous strange acorn sized objects. Her wide eyes and smile reminded me of a child when they would get a new toy.


    "Yah!" She threw a nut at my foot which promptly made a loud popping noise. I jumped up in surprise at this.


    "Haha! I haven''t seen pockle nuts since I was a child! Come on, try one out! They make a loud noise like the one you heard earlier when they hit the ground with some force." Erana went over to me and placed a pockle nut into my hand. I threw this one on the ground and it made another loud popping noise.


    "Oi you kids! Those are 1 jun each!" An old woman ran at us with a broom. She had a long crooked nose with a wart on it and one of her eyes was noticeably bigger than the other.


    I stepped forward and held out 10 juns.


    "Sorry ma''am. We just wanted to see if the batch was good. I''ll take 8."


    The woman snached the juns out of my hand and tilted her head upwards.


    "Ah wait! Granny, where can we find a place to eat?"


    "Food? Down the street there''s the Ito place."


    My ears perked up in response to this. That''s a Japanese last name! If this "Ito" guy really came from Japan like Ania and I did then they might cut me a deal!


    "Sounds good! Erana, let''s go!" I lightly tugged Erana''s arm before I started to head towards where the old woman indicated.


    "H-Huh? Oh, okay Kenji-san!"


    We quickly walked down the street until we came across a shop that had a different sign than any I had ever seen in this world. I could smell a familiar and nostalgic scent wafting out of the front door.


    "Woah¡­ What''s that symbol mean?" Erana stopped and looked at the sign.


    "It says ''Ito.''"


    "Huh? How do you know that?"


    "That''s Japanese. Remember what I told all of you before? Well, that''s an example of the language." I puffed up my chest a little bit. That''s right. This is my special language!


    "Woah¡­ It''s so squiggly!" Erana took the wind out of my sails as she giggled to herself.


    "L-Look, let''s just go inside." I walked forward through the doorway.


    "Welcome!" A bearded man wearing white chef''s clothes waved to us as we entered. He couldn''t be older than 30. He had distinctly asian features including black hair like me. He wasn''t very tall, only around 168 centimeters. Despite his looks, I could feel the aura of an experienced cook coming off of him.


    The interior of this shop is small and rustic. Pretty much everything is made of wood. To my right there''s a bar with several stools. The man is standing behind the bar. To my left there are 2 tables with 2 chairs each. Behind the man, there are several cooking tools that I could tell were used for making ramen.


    I walked up to one of the stools and sat in it. Stepping inside of this shop was like taking a step back home. I can''t help but feel a bit odd while sitting in here.


    "Kenji-san, his place looks cool!" Erana looked around from place to place quickly.


    "Have you two ever had ramen before?"


    "I haven''t!" Erana happily declared as she sat down.


    "I have, but that was a while ago."


    "Oh really? Where''d you have it?"


    "Back in Japan." I smugly looked into the chefs eyes as I said this.


    "Japan huh? I''ve never been there. What''s their ramen like?"


    Eh? He runs a ramen shop, has the name Ito, and has a sign out front in Japanese yet he''s never been there?


    "Um¡­ Where''d you learn to cook ramen?"


    "From my dad. He said it''s a food his dad taught him to cook for his family restaurant and he passed it down to me. Why do you ask? Do you want to learn how to make it or something? Looking for a job?"


    "N-No just¡­ Look, it''s nothing. Don''t worry about it."


    "Whatever you say. Let me get you the menu."


    "No need for me. Can I get a bowl of chashu ramen with egg? Also can I get some gyoza?"


    "Got it. What about you?"


    "O-Oh um¡­" Erana leaned over to me and whispered into my ear. "Kenji-san, what do you recommend?"


    "She''ll also have a chashu ramen. We''ll split the gyoza."


    "Got it!" The chef turned around and immediately got to work.


    "So¡­ What exactly is ramen?"


    "It''s a noodle soup, basically. It''s great. Back home people would eat it close to every day!"


    "Every day? I find that hard to believe."


    "Just trust me, okay?"


    By the time we had finished our conversation, the bowls had already been finished and were placed in front of us. On top of the bowls there was a set of chopsticks. I took them and placed my hands in prayer.


    "Itadakimasu." I instinctively spoke. At this the chef stopped everything they were doing.


    "You¡­ You say that?"


    "Yep. We say it before every meal in Japan."


    "My dad would say that before every meal too! What does it mean?"


    "It means ''thank you for the food.''"


    "Um¡­ Kenji-san, how do I use these things?" Erana was holding the chopsticks in a strange way.


    "Here, let me show you." I took her chopsticks and aligned her hand to hold them properly.


    "See? Simple. Now you just grab the noodles out of the broth and eat them."


    "How unique. And you did this every day?"


    I reflected on my hikikomori lifestyle for a moment before finally answering "yeah."


    We dug into our food. The nostalgic taste made me feel an odd sense of comfort. I was honestly a little sad when I finished my food.


    "This is great! Kenji-san, I understand why people ate it every day now! This ''gyoza'' stuff is great too!" Erana slurped up noodle after noodle greedily. I hope I haven''t created a monster.


    "...Glad you like it." I sheepishly smiled.


    We finished our food, paid, and stepped outside. Erana had a new spring in her step since her stomach was full. She ran over to a nearby stall that appeared to be a game of some sort.


    "Solve my riddles! Solve all 3 and get a toy for thee!" A white bearded man moved his hands in exaggerated motions as he said this.


    "Oh! Riddles! I wanna try!" Erana ran up and handed the man 5 juns.


    "Alright! First question: I have many keys but cannot unlock a single door. What am I?"


    I had to stop myself from blurting out the answer immediately.


    "Um¡­ a keychain?"


    "Nope! Strike one young lady! Question two: Two sons and two fathers are in a carriage but there are only three people. How is this possible?"


    "There''s only one son and the other is the sun! The other two people are fathers!"


    "Nope! Strike two! Question three: What is the end of everything?"


    Erana looked to the ground with a shockingly somber expression in response to this question.


    "Death."


    "N-No. Sorry young lady! That''s three strikes!"


    Erana walked over to me with a harsh frown on her face.


    "I suck at riddles. I''m way better at visual puzzles." She pout. "Still, it sucks. I really wanted that toy!" She stamped the ground with her foot.


    I sighed and walked towards the stall. I handed the bearded man my five juns to begin.


    "Question one: I have many keys but-"


    "A piano."


    "Y-Yeah. I MEAN Yes! Correct! Question two: Two sons and-"


    "A grandfather, a father, and a son."


    "Let me finish! I-I MEAN YEAH! Yes! Correct! Question three: What is the end of everything?"


    "The letter g. Toy please." I held out my hand as I smirked at the man.


    The man ground his teeth in frustration as he handed a small brown teddy bear to me. Sorry man, your fault for making an easy quiz.


    I walked up to Erana and handed the bear to her.


    "For me?"


    I only now realized what I was doing. I began to blush.


    "Y-Yeah! I-I just, you know? I saw you wanted it and I¡­ um."


    Erana took it and hugged it tightly. She smiled with a radiance that could outshine the sun.


    "Thank you, Kenji-san! I love it!"


    We proceeded to have an enjoyable evening by shopping around at different stores.

 77 Tael and Kany Argue!

    This pipsqueak is determined to get on my nerves! I swear, why does she think that she''s gonna prove me wrong? It''s just not gonna happen. I''ve read too many books and studied too many things to be wrong about this. I swear, as soon as we get to the library she is going down!


    I came to an abrupt stop at an intersection before I arrived at the library I''ve been to a thousand times.


    "The library is just down this street. Don''t steal anything. My bringing you here is a statement about my character. Don''t screw it up for me."


    "Huh? Why would I wanna steal some dumb books? All we''re gonna do is prove you wrong and then buy my dinner. If that''s so hard for you to comprehend then you might want to just give me the juns to begin with." Kany placed her hands on her hips and leaned forward towards me. Her smirk slightly irritated me but I know it''s just unwarranted confidence.


    "Tch! Fine! I like my steaks medium by the way! Make sure you remember it." I began stomping towards the library. The large wooden doors filled my view more and more with each step. I gathered myself before I opened the door, but the runt just decided to burst in.


    "Howdy! We need books on monsters and what happens when they die! Can anyone help us?" She tread her dirty shoes on the pristine marble flooring. Each step left more and more dirt. I couldn''t help but cringe in response to her poor sensibilities.


    I ran forward towards the front counter. I can''t let her just run her mouth like this and ruin my reputation.


    "H-Hey! Sorry about that, haha! I apologize but would you please guide us to books pertaining to monsters, their origins and their life cycles please?" I placed a small badge onto the desk as I said this.


    The receptionist looked up at me and then to the badge. I could see his contempt through his glasses. He took out a slip of paper and wrote a single sentence with his signature on it.


    "Take this and go to section 2f. Row 13."


    "Thank you." I bowed my head. I could hear the loli giggling behind me, but I ignored it. I''ll make her pay later. Literally.


    I took the sheet of paper and my badge.


    "Let''s go pipsqueak. Try to keep up."


    "Fine. Fine." She placed her hands over her head and began to follow me. I had to tell her to stop whistling three separate times.


    This library is one of my favorite places other than the guild hall. There are 2 floors and the building is one of the largest in all of Ruks. I''ve frequented this place since I was a child. Anything to get me out of the house.


    We walked up the stairs towards section 2f. The signs made it easy to navigate the rows. Before long, we arrived at section 2f. A man greeted me as I approached so I handed the paper that the receptionist gave me to him.


    "What um¡­ What row do we need to go to again?" I could feel my face heating up in embarrassment as I asked this.


    "Pfft."


    "Row 13 Magic Man. Come on." She walked ahead of me towards the thirteenth row. I can''t let her beat me so I took long strides to catch up.


    "Okay ''M''¡­ Magnificent¡­ Miniature¡­ Monogamous¡­ Ah! Monsters and their origins! This will probably work!" I declared as I pulled the book from its shelf.


    "Well? Let''s crack it open. Use that one class of yours." Kany sat down in front of a small wooden desk that had been polished to a pristine shine. I took a seat next to her and placed the book down.


    "Okay¡­ Monsters and their origins. Let''s look at the life cycle first. Agreed?"


    "Got it."


    I cracked open the book to page 224. The page read out "Monster life cycle. The cycle of the goblin."


    "Voila. Read away." I tapped the book and smirked.


    "Monsters originally emerged from the primordial energy of creation, fire and brimstone, yadda yadda yadda. 200 years ago the demon king began to use his energy to create monsters at an alarming rate. Monsters¡­" She trailed off.


    "Hmm? What''s that? Am I right?" I got up really close as I said this. I can''t wait to hear her say "You were right."


    "It says ''Monsters appear and their exact origins are unknown.''"


    "Yeah but the book says that monsters are created by the demon king''s energy! What else could it say?"


    "No no no. It says that that''s a THEORY! Not a fact. You don''t win."


    "What? That''s not true¡­" I grabbed the book and read it over.


    No way¡­ That''s not possible¡­


    "What the hell? I could have sworn a book just like this said that they spawned through the demon king essence juice and all that! It even explained how monsters gain their assigned roles!"


    "Well¡­" The pipsqueak stepped out of her chair and walked towards the stacks. "I guess we need to look up more then."


    I stood up to follow her. It''s time to research! I won''t let Kenji beat me every time!


    It took us an hour and a half to exhaust every relevant book to the topic we were discussing. By the end of it, we both held our heads up in exhaustion.


    "I can''t believe all of these books are conjecture! How is that even possible?"


    "I dunno. Nobody ever said writing a book makes you smart. Maybe it''s just a lot of dumb people stealing each others work."


    "Hm¡­" I cupped my chin. "Kenji always says that during times like this you need to do one of those ''point by point analysis'' things."


    "That''s only to find out stuff that matters to us. It''s small scale information. Nothing like entire mechanisms of the world!"


    "Well why wouldn''t it work for that too? If it can work small why can''t it work big?"


    "...Fine. What''s the first point?"


    "Point one: Um¡­ Where do monsters come from?"


    "The answer is nobody knows." She placed her head on the table.


    "Come on! Humor me for a minute!"


    "Fine. Uh¡­ That one book said the primordial energy so I guess that."


    "Exactly! So primordial energy stuff! That means that monsters come from energy!"


    "Okay. So what''s next?"


    "Point two: How often do monsters show up?"


    "What? How the hell would we figure that out? We need research data from an army or something, not just a book written a hundred years ago."


    "Yeah¡­ so we can''t find that out."


    "You know, Onii-san is way better at this than you are."


    "H-Hey! It''s not my fault!"


    She laughed at my stammering.


    "Look, let''s just go get food, okay?"


    "I-" My stomach rumbled. "...Okay." I stood up. I can''t research on an empty stomach after all!


    We stood up and left the library. I held my head down in defeat. The pipsqueak held her head upwards in victory.


    "So where am I gonna spend your money? What''s the most expensive place around here?"


    "H-Hey! Just because I didn''t prove you wrong doesn''t mean you proved me wrong either! It just means that we had a draw! I don''t owe you anything!"


    She stopped in her tracks.


    "Well¡­ I need food. I can''t exactly forgo eating! I''ll die!"


    "Well then, I guess we need to find a cheap place for your cheap pallet."


    "My pallet isn''t cheap. Look, is there anywhere you know about that''s nice around here?"


    "...There''s a place nearby. It serves this one weird food."


    "Really? What''s it called?"


    "It''s called ''Soo-shee.'' It''s raw fish and rice. I can''t explain it but it''s actually really good."


    "Raw fish? Is that healthy?"


    "I dunno but it''s good."


    "...Fine. Let''s go!" She ran up behind me and held my robe. I can''t help but feel like a father guiding his child. I hope I don''t get arrested for being a creep or something.


    We walked down the street and found the building with a strange sign. I''ve never understood what these symbols mean, but I know that they indicate soo-shee so I go along with it.


    "Welcome!" The man inside shouted.


    "Woah. Rustic."


    I sat inside of the small shop and ordered. The adult child sat next to me and, after a moment, ordered her own items.


    "Wow. This is actually pretty good."


    "I know, right?"


    Our bills were placed in front of us after we finished. Before I pulled out some money, I realized something.


    "Wait¡­ We never decided who is paying for who."


    "Well¡­ I''ll pay for you and you pay for me. Does that sound alright?"


    "Okay!"


    Well, at least I got a good meal.

 78 This Hero Teleports!

    It''s too hot in this room.


    I woke up drenched in sweat as I thrust my covers off of me. I looked out the window to tell what time of day it was. As usual, it''s only around 5 in the morning. I rubbed my temples to ease my mind to prepare for the day.


    Despite the heat in this room and the fact that I was jerked awake once again, I''m not in a bad mood. This is thanks to a recent event that has improved my mood by at least a multiple of ten. That event was the pseudo date with Erana. Though it wasn''t officially a date, I still got to spend some one on one time with a girl and I had ramen for the first time in almost a year. I can''t complain at all.


    I got out of bed and grabbed the set of clothing that I had laid out the night before. All of my other clothes were already either packed or sitting in storage so I don''t have the liberty of choosing a different outfit.


    It only took me 5 minutes to complete my morning ritual of stretches and getting dressed. After that, I walked out of my room to withdraw 1000 juns from the bank. I waved to Yimmie before I stepped outside. She seemed to be distracted by something so she didn''t start a conversation like she usually would have.


    As I walked the cobblestone streets of Ruks I could hear the sound of birds chirping. The slightly muggy weather made me uncomfortable, but since the sun had only just begun to rise the temperature was still a manageable level. I could feel sweat beading on my forehead as I continued to walk.


    After a little bit of time I arrived at my bank. The metal doors that would normally be imposing were already open because someone else had opened them before me.


    I stepped inside and stepped up to a counter. The interior was fairly bare. To my left there is a seating area with a few chairs and a table in the middle. In front of me there are several counters. Usually the counters would be manned, but thanks to the time of day it seems that there are only 2 people working right now.


    The only people inside were myself, a priest looking man with chainmail armor and blonde hair, and the two bank tellers. This bank seems to exclusively employ lizard people. Both the lizard people were wearing suits and had green scales. Their beady eyes felt as if they were piercing through me.


    "Welcome¡­ Sss¡­ How may I help you?"


    "Yes I would like to extract 1000 juns from my account."


    "Verification please¡­ Sss¡­"


    I held my hand forward. The lizard man stuck out his tongue and licked my palm lightly. Apparently, lizard people have an incredibly strong sense of taste, so this is the equivalent of an identification card. I won''t deny that this is uncomfortable though.


    After a thorough licking, the lizard man nodded his head slightly.


    "Please take a seat. Due to the large amount of this withdrawal we will need a minute to gather this sum." He said as he motioned to a nearby chair.


    Well this is awkward. Should I talk to him? Maybe I should do some small talk. Should I ask what he''s doing here? No that would come off as imposing so-


    "Excuse me, but what are you doing at this place today?" The man interrupted my thoughts.


    "Huh? Oh I just needed to take out some money. I''m going somewhere today with my party so I wanted to make sure I have enough money for the trip."


    "Oh really? Where are you going? My party is also going somewhere today so I''m doing the same thing!"


    "The Frozen Mist Hills. I need to deliver a package to someone."


    "Wow really? My party is doing the same thing, except for the package part. We''re going there to fight the demon king''s army. They''re a pretty good way to gain some experience so we''re going to spend a week power leveling there."


    "Huh really? I just want to go to the hot springs."


    "First time heading to the Frozen Mist Hills then?"


    "Yeah! How could you tell?"


    "Oh, well-"


    "Pardon us gentlemen, but your funds are ready."


    We both stood up and walked over to the counter. The lizard people handed each of us a small sack containing our money.


    "This may sound rude to ask, but how much did you take out?"


    "A week long trip should probably take 500, but knowing my party I''ll have to cover for them so I''m taking out 1000."


    "Exactly! I take it you''re the party leader then?"


    "Me? No no no! It''s Jaq that''s my party leader. He''s really abrasive but he''s got good intentions. What about yourself?"


    "I''m my party''s leader. I didn''t get elected or anything, but it just kinda ended up that way. My name is Kenji by the way." I held out my hand and he reciprocated. We conducted a business handshake.


    "Heh. My group was basically the same. I''m Ron. I hope we get to work together in the future Kenji-san."


    "I''m heading to the guild hall from here, what about yourself?"


    "Oh me? I''m going to my party''s base. Do you live at the guild hall?"


    "Yeah¡­?"


    "Oof. You should invest in a party base like a house sooner rather than later. Living at the guild hall is a drain of your resources, not to mention the guild food is chock full of cholesterol."


    "...Noted."


    We parted ways from there. I went back towards the guild hall, my coin purse far heavier than it previously was.


    "A party base, huh? Maybe we can make some money at the hills somehow. I dunno. We''ll be there for a week so it''s entirely possible we can take some odd jobs."


    I continued back towards the guild hall as I thought to myself. It didn''t take me long to arrive back at the familiar four story building. I stepped inside and took a seat at our usual table. The only people inside were Yimmie and myself.


    "Hey Yimmie-san, should my party get a base? Something like a house."


    "Huh? I dunno. Would you stop coming around here if you did that? If so then no. Otherwise do whatever you want."


    That''s not exactly very helpful, but I shouldn''t have expected much from her.


    I rested my head on the table for a moment before the guildhall door opened. Tael stepped inside. He had an expectant look on his face as he sat down in the seat to my right.


    "You''re up early. What''s the deal?"


    "I didn''t sleep. I spent all night reading."


    "W-What? What''d you read about?"


    "Monster origins."


    "Why the hell did you stay up all night reading about that?"


    "Because I don''t want the pipsqueak to beat me."


    Tael grumbled to himself as he rest his head on the table beside me.


    "Well¡­ did you find anything interesting out?"


    "Not a damn thing. Every book just says something about how monsters were created by primordial ooze and all that and the demon king''s energy summons them."


    "Okay. Is that not enough?"


    "No!" Tael bolt his head upwards and stared straight at me with bloodshot eyes. "I need to know what that energy does! Where does it come from? Why does it do what it does?"


    "Sounds like a point by point analysis."


    "I tried that earlier and it didn''t work."


    "Point by point never fails unless you ask the wrong questions."


    "Ugh, fine. Point one: Where do monsters come from?"


    "We already know that. What you should ask instead is ''What did life come from?''"


    "What? Why should I ask that?"


    "Well it''s because I highly doubt only monsters came from ''primordial energy'' so it''s entirely possible humans and stuff came from it too."


    Tael slammed his head on the table.


    "Ugh¡­ Why are you better than me at this?" He muttered into the table. I reached out to pat him on the shoulder as I said "Lots of practice."


    We waited for an hour at our table. Kany came and sat with us.


    "You''re up early too. Is everyone excited or something?"


    "No. Erana just wanted me to help her pack. She''s having trouble finding out where to put an ''extra item'' though, so she''s spending time sorting that out."


    "What''s the item?"


    "I dunno. She wouldn''t let me see it."


    "5 juns says it''s porn." Tael slightly raised his hand and declared.


    We idly waited for another hour before I saw Ron enter with his group. He waved to me as he entered. I waved back.


    Ron''s group sat down at a table near ours. It seems the day has begun.


    It took another hour before Erana finally came downstairs and sat with us. We ate breakfast quietly since Tael wasn''t instigating any arguments.


    Eventually, the time came for us to teleport. Yimmie gathered us all together and placed us inside of a room.


    "Okay everyone! We''re going to be teleporting groups of 8 at a time! The fee per group teleport is 10 juns! The first groups to teleport are the Party with Kenji, Erana, Tael, and Kany as well as the party with Jaq, Ron, Yuna, and Kilin. Are there any objections?"


    The group gave a resounding no.


    "Okay. I will take payment now."


    I stepped forward. A very large man that I''m sure was made out of 99% muscle stepped forward as well. He held 5 juns in his hand and I held another 5. We both handed our money to Yimmie.


    "The payment is confirmed. Please stand still!"


    I stood with my party as the floor began to light up. The ground became blinding as we were swallowed up by the light.

 79 Intermission.

    The final batch of teleports had just concluded. The lingering mist that happens when teleports occur filled the room. Although I''m not the one that teleports people specifically, I still need to activate the circles which take mana. As a result, I''m fairly tired. My shifts start at 3 in the morning and end at noon so I just need to give my daily report and then I''m off work for the rest of the day.


    I rested my back against the stone wall and stretched out my wings. It''s been too long since I took a nice flight. Maybe I''ll go and do that after work?


    After giving an exhausted sigh, I walked out of the room and back into the main guildhall. Before I was able to get behind the counter, a patron flagged me down.


    "Hey Yimmie! Get me a beer! Also when are you off work?"


    As always, the half-drunks would try to flirt with me. This has always been a problem, so I started just saying that I had a boyfriend. It''s made everything far simpler than having to constantly deny their advances.


    "I have a boyfriend." I turned around and went behind the counter. I could hear the man''s friends laugh at him as I left.


    "Whew¡­" I closed my eyes and gathered myself for a moment. After some time I went to the back room to talk to the manager so I could be relieved for the day.


    "I''m coming in!" I said as I pushed open the door.


    The interior is fairly small. This room can''t be bigger than 2 meters long by 3 meters wide. From what I heard, it used to be a broom closet, but since the manager likes confined spaces he turned this into his office. Other than the size, the only things here are the desk which is covered in documents and the chair that the manager is sitting in. He didn''t seem to care that I stepped inside, so I gave him a minute to finish his work.


    "Ah¡­ Yimmie! I didn''t realize you were here." He looked up from his work and gave me a warm smile¡­ Well, at least I think it''s a smile.


    The manager is a froglin. They''re cold blooded humanoids that resemble tree frogs. They average around only a meter tall, but on occasion they can be as large as a meter and a half. Despite being a froglin, the manager was wearing the standard work uniform and thin half moon spectacles which made him look rather formal.


    "Sir, I''m here to give my report and then go home for the day. May I do so?"


    "Oh yes of course." He returned his gaze to his papers as he motioned to me with his hand.


    "Well as usual, the time between 3 to 5 in the morning was fairly quiet. I wiped down the tables in preparation for the people that would arrive for breakfast services. At around 6 in the morning people began to step inside and eat breakfast."


    "Did you initialize anyone today?" The manager placed his sheet down and pulled up a new sheet. His gaze never faltered.


    "No I did not."


    "Speaking of, actually, who was that fellow that was last initialized? You mentioned his name but I forgot."


    "Oh, that would be Kenji-san."


    "Kenji, huh? Well¡­ Is he good? How''s his adventuring been going?"


    "He''s been gaining levels with his party at an alarming rate. I''m honestly worried about how fast he''s improving.


    "What do you mean by that?" The manager leaned forward and gazed straight at me.


    "I-I mean¡­ Last week he was a level 0! Not only that, but he left with Tael! Tael was just a level 1 half-elf, but they somehow managed to clear out an entire cave of goblins, kill a hobgoblin, and then return with 2 more people than they left with!"


    "Hoh¡­ That is substantial, but people get lucky every day. An event like that isn''t exactly something to lose your mind over."


    "It''s not just that! He just got back from that job over in Mulbik! Apparently there was a mulaplix there!"


    "A mulaplix? Did they run or something?"


    "No! Apparently they killed it!"


    "Wait, you mean to tell me that some guy with 3 other people that just recently started adventuring managed to take down a mulaplix without any casualties? I''m sorry Yimmie, but I don''t believe you."


    "You can choose to not believe me all you want. I didn''t believe it myself when I heard it, but when I saw Kenji-san''s new stats I was certain that he did it. Honestly, at this rate he''s gonna leave me and go to the capital like all those other great adventurers!" I held my face with both hands as my wings slightly flapped nervously.


    "Well, where is he now? I''d like to meet this man and his party."


    "Oh, um¡­ I sort of teleported them to the Frozen Mist Hills¡­"


    The manager closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This is something he always does whenever he gets frustrated, so I braced myself accordingly.


    "Yimmie, you sent a promising adventurer and his party to the Frozen Mist Hills when they were only level 12? Why would you give them authorization to do that?"


    "Well he said it was just for vacation! He wanted to visit the hot springs!"


    The manager placed his hand on his forehead and looked down in frustration.


    "Yimmie, he was obviously just saying that so he wouldn''t have to be approved for it! He wants to power level like every other upstart adventurer! Tell me, did he go with another adventuring group?"


    "He did¡­"


    "Ugh." The manager spun his chair around and faced the wall. I stood at the doorway silently for a few moments. I don''t want to catch his wrath.


    "If he ends up dead, you''re fired."


    "W-What? Why would I get fired?"


    The manager spun back around in his chair and looked me dead on.


    "Because it would be your fault that he went in the first place. Promising adventurers like that Kenji and his party don''t grow on trees¡­ But wait, does he have a brother? Biologically his siblings should be capable of gaining power in the same way."


    "Well, Tael has a lot of half siblings, Erana is an only child, Kany has a younger sister but she''s far too young to begin adventuring, and I have no idea what Kenji''s familial situation is."


    "What do you mean ''have no idea?'' Surely he''s told you SOMETHING. From the gossip I''ve heard around here, you''re on him all the time."


    "W-What? I am NOT on him all the time! Who told you that?"


    "Oh please. He''s the only guy you don''t do that ''I have a boyfriend'' thing with. That heavily implies that you two are close, at least close enough to know where he''s from."


    "Well that''s the thing! He won''t say! It''s so odd, but he refuses to talk about where he''s from or anything like that. Yesterday I met an old woman that seemed to know him pretty well, but he claimed that they weren''t related. I can''t really get a read on him. Any time I try to ask him questions he just responds with his own anyways." I crossed my arms and pouted in frustration. I am not on him all the time. That''s an exaggeration.


    "Fine. I understand. When I met my wife I had a hard time talking to her too. Trust me, I get it."


    "WE ARE NOT MARRIED!" I stamped my foot as hard as I could to emphasize this. My point seemed to have the opposite effect unfortunately as the manager only chuckled in response.


    "Alright alright! I get it! Look, let''s just hope he comes back okay. The Frozen Mist Hills may be under attack by the armies of the demon king, but that doesn''t mean that he''s in danger. The walls have held for about a year now so I don''t see why they would fall anytime soon. Let''s just hope that he doesn''t go and do anything stupid like attack a hell guardian or something."


    "Kenji-san wouldn''t do something like that. He''s pretty careful about doing things that are dangerous so I think he''ll be fine."


    "Well, for your sake and mine, let''s hope you''re right. In the meantime, is there anything else of importance that you need to tell me?"


    "Nope. Can I go home now?"


    "If that''s it then absolutely. Stay safe Yimmie. Times are uncertain now. I''ve heard there''s even been an uptick in crime here in Ruks recently. Make sure you stay on well lit streets or travel with a group, okay?"


    I gave a salute. "Yes sir!" And with that I left the guild hall, ready to enjoy the rest of my day in peace.

 80 This Hero Arrives At The Frozen Mist Hills!

    The blinding light slowly faded as a room filled with mist slowly came into view. The walls were made of jagged stone and there was a stout man with a thick beard watching us. I blinked a few times to adjust my eyes before the short man bellowed out.


    "Alright, get a move on. We got a few more people coming through so we can''t have you waiting in here." They gestured towards a stone door behind them as they said this.


    Immediately, I was shoved out of the way by the large man named Jaq as he stepped forward with his party. Ron waved goodbye to me as they stepped outside of the room. I brushed my shoulder before I pulled myself together.


    "Okay. Let''s move." I said as I began to walk towards the stone door. As I gripped the handle, I turned to the stout person and asked them a question.


    "Excuse me, but-"


    "Don''t talk to me. Save it for outside." They pushed me slightly. I could feel the frustration rising.


    "Let''s go Onii-san. I don''t want to get turned into goo by getting caught in a bad teleport."


    "Wait, you can get turned into goo?" I asked, but my question remained unanswered as the rest of my party went on ahead of me.


    We stepped out into a larger circular room that appeared to have been carved out of stone. Even the furniture was made out of rock! Everything is lit by some strange rocks in the walls that give off light that is similar to that of the suns. Inside of this room there are several people, but other than Ron''s group and my group, everyone else is stout and has a beard.


    It''s only just occurred to me that we actually just teleported upwards of thousands of kilometers in a second. It barely even cost the same amount as a meal. Truly, magic is incredible.


    "Oi you krags, what''s gonna chunker up your rippa?" A stout person approached us and asked.


    "What?" I could hear Tael blurt out.


    "Right. Yer offa the crungsta yeah? Gonna dipper you puds?"


    I turned over to the party and huddled together.


    "Okay¡­ Does anyone have any idea what the hell this guy is saying?"


    "Nope."


    Okay. Well that''s not good. Is there a language barrier here? I thought everyone spoke the same language!


    "Oi!" The man shouted as he yanked at my sleeve. "Accent waggy?"


    "O-Oh! Yeah, I can''t understand your accent! I''m sorry!"


    The man nodded his head and pulled out a piece of paper. On it he wrote out: \u003cDo you need directions?\u003e


    "Yeah! Where are the hot springs?" Tael jumped forward and asked with eyes that resembled a dogs.


    I shoved Tael aside and bowed in apology.


    "I apologize. May you direct us to an inn of some sort? Lower price is preferable, but I can handle a little bit of cost."


    "Yes. I''m sorry if this is a bit forward, but what are you?"


    \u003cI''m a dwarf.\u003e


    "I thought so. Thank you sir!" I began to take my party out of the room as I heard the sound of someone stomp.


    "Whaddya mean we can''t go to the frontlines right now? That''s specifically what we came here to do!"


    "Sorreh. We got word of lots of troops mobilizin! We need to work with espionage forces first before we can send ya to the front lines."


    "You gotta be kidding me! ...Fine. Let''s go. I need a soak."


    Jaq and his party shoved me to the side once more as they stepped out into the city. I rubbed my shoulder as I followed behind them.


    When I stepped out of the large circular room, I could see the interior of the Frozen Mist Hills.


    We''re within the mountain, no doubt about it. The ceiling is made up of several stalactites as well as many more of those glowing rocks that lit up the room we were in before. The air is actually rather hot despite the fact that we''re inside. It must be at least 28 degrees celsius in here right now. Is this how it always is, or is it because of the time of year?


    In front of me there are several buildings that appear to have been carved out of stone. The area is so full of things that it''s almost suffocating. If I wasn''t taller than the people walking around, I would certainly have no idea where I was going.


    Almost every person walking around this area is a dwarf like the ones we saw before. They all have beards, each appearing longer than the last. Actually, do female dwarves have beards? It only makes sense if there''s this many dwarves with beards here in the first place!


    "Are you okay Kenji-san?"


    "Y-Yeah! We just need to get to the inn and get some rooms first! Don''t worry, I wasn''t thinking anything weird or anything!"


    "Well¡­ Alright."


    "Okay so¡­ ''The Dwarven Spigot'' to the left¡­ Let''s go."


    We began to walk down the street as Tael made a mind connection with me.


    \u003cHey man, what the hell? I thought we were going to a hot spring!\u003e


    \u003cYeah yeah. We''ll go pretty soon. We just need to find accommodations first and then I need to deliver this package. After all that we can go to the hot springs and soak up as much as we''d like. Just keep it in your pants until then, okay?\u003e


    \u003cFine, but I''m holding you to that.\u003e


    With that, I could feel our connection sever as if someone cut a string with a pair of scissors.


    Despite the fact that the majority of people I was surrounded by were half my size, getting through them was no easy task. Their bodies may be small, but their strength is rather surprising. It took most of my strength just to ensure that I wouldn''t be swept up by the tidal wave of dwarves that endlessly poured out of every orifice of this city. It''s so bad that Kany has resorted to riding on my shoulders while Tael and Erana have had to stay as close behind me as possible. I seem to be the only member of the party with enough raw physical strength to make it through the flow of dwarves without falling over unassisted.


    After an excruciating 20 minutes, we finally arrived at a large stone building that had the words The Dwarven Spigot carved into the front. By this point I was drenched in sweat. I stepped to the door and noticed the doorway was a bit too small for me to fit in without crouching. Kany hopped down and waltzed right in. I followed shortly after her, as did Tael and Erana.


    I stumbled towards the counter and rang the receptionist.


    "How can I help you?"


    "Hi. Can we get 2 rooms please? 2 beds per room. We''d need to reserve them for 7 nights."


    "2 rooms with 2 beds for 7 nights¡­ It''s 10 juns per night so that would equal¡­"


    "140 juns. Here you go." I quickly pulled out the money and handed it to the dwarven man that was staring at the sky.


    "Ah, right. Thank you." He said as he deposited it in a register.


    "Okay. Here are your keys. You''re in rooms 3 and 4." He said as he handed me two different ball shaped objects.


    "How do these work?"


    "They unbind the magical lock on the doors. We don''t want to waste metal on locks so we use magic instead. Most tourists are impressed by it, but it''s pretty bog standard at this point so I wouldn''t be too impressed."


    "Okay. Kany, Erana, same procedure as Mulbik. Tael, you''re with me. Let''s move it." I sad as I grabbed my bag and tossed one of the keys to Kany who deftly caught it with grace.


    "W-Wait! Wait for me Kenji!"


    I approached the stone door labeled "3" and held the ball up to it. The entire door glowed blue for a moment before it burst into dust. The passage into the room was open to us. Tael walked straight in but I looked at the dust on the ground.


    "What''s up man? Did you drop something?"


    "What? No! Our door just turned into dust! How are we supposed to sleep here?"


    "It''s gonna fix itself. It''s temporal magic. They probably just accelerated the rock by around 10,000 years so it would burst into dust. When you get far enough away from the door it''s gonna reassemble. Also I call the farthest bed this time."


    "Temporal magic¡­ Can you do that?"


    "Me? In the future. Temporal magic is pretty advanced stuff to just cast casually. The dwarves get to cheat because they use runes like the one on those balls you were handed."


    Surprised by Tael, I inspected the ball and was surprised to see a symbol carved into the surface of the ball.


    "Yep. I can''t read runes but I bet 10 juns that it says something like ''time'' or whatever."


    ...Dwarves are weird.

 81 This Hero Relaxes For A Moment!

    I slowly entered the stone room. The design was rectangular. The walls and floor had been smoothed to perfection. The room was slightly lit by a single blue crystal which hung above the center of the room. The crystal itself gave off a dull hum as it emitted the blue light.


    I slowly walked towards the bed farthest from the door and took a seat on the cushioning. Before I could lay down, I had to get my bearings of this new space.


    Though my bed isn''t springy, it''s still incredibly soft. It''s similar to the fur of a cat in feeling, but it isn''t hairy. I felt around for a moment and found a feather protruding from the cushion. This feather was larger than a chicken feather, yet smaller than a peacock feather. It was white and soft to the touch. This must be some indigenous creature that the dwarves cultivate. Satisfied with my assessment, I let some stress out of my shoulders. As I relaxed for a moment, I reflected on the events that transpired earlier.


    Pushing through a swarm of dwarves was not something I ever thought I would do, nor did I think I would have a little girl ride on my shoulders as I did it. Is it always this crowded here? Perhaps it''s just because of the current attack from the demon king army so there are more people forced in here than normal. Whatever it may be, huge groups like that could be a serious detriment if they are a constant.


    After I took this time to think to myself, I slowly got back onto my feet. Despite being exhausted, I can''t just waste time. I came here on a mission. I''ve never been able to just procrastinate. If I don''t have my business done then I can feel it looming over my head at all times.


    I opened up my bag, pulled out the package, and set the rest of my equipment aside save for my dagger. As I turned around, I gave the room a thorough look over.


    The interior held two beds that appeared to stand on stone, similar to the design of an altar with futons on top. Tael and I have the same type of bedspreads. The blankets, which are dark brown and smelled rather pleasant as if they had just been washed, were made of what appears to be wolf pelts that have been sewn together. Between each of the beds stood a single nightstand that was also made of stone. It looked as if it had just been left as a bump in the wall. On top of the stand stood what appeared to be a lamp with a small gem where a lightbulb would sit. To the left of the stand sat a peculiar rectangular rock with multiple runes carved on its surface. I counted 4 runes in total, but not knowing how to read them I could be wrong.


    At the end of the room opposite of the beds was a small device that appeared to be embedded in the wall. I can''t tell what exactly this device is for, but it has some cuts in it which appear to vent it.


    A softy violin began to quietly play. Surprised, I immediately walked towards the device to investigate. As I got closer and closer to the device I could hear the music begin to get louder and louder. I could feel Tael''s questioning gaze pierce my back as I sidled up closer.


    "Uh¡­ You alright? Is there something on the wall?"


    "No just¡­ What is this thing? Is it playing music?"


    "Oh that? It''s a remorid. According to what I''ve read, one of the first things dwarves learn to use runes for is recording things. They use this to record music and then play the music again at some point at their leisure. It''s mostly for relaxation and stuff like how we''re using it, but sometimes people use it to deliver messages. Nifty, huh?"


    "So it''s a radio." I nodded my head quickly in understanding.


    "A what?"


    I quickly turned to Tael in order to explain myself. Of course he wouldn''t know what a radio is. I decided to come up with a half truth. "...Something from where I''m from. Don''t worry about it." I turned back to face the remorid as the music continued to play.


    "Well that''s odd. The only people that have anything like this are the dwarves. They have a big monopoly on these things. I don''t even have one at my house."


    "You act as if that''s surprising."


    "IT IS!" Tael shouted as he bolted up from the bed.


    I closed my eyes and sighed. Getting a point across is going to take more energy than I want to expend.


    "Whatever. Let''s just go. I have a package to deliver." I said as I held up and shook the parcel.


    "Wait, what? We just got here! Can''t we relax for a little bit?" Tael crossed his arms and furrowed his brow towards me in protest.


    "The sooner we deliver the package, the sooner we go to the hot springs. I don''t want to goof off while I have a job to do."


    "Wait so¡­ Deliver package then hot springs is what you''re saying?"


    "That is what I''m saying."


    We looked at each other in silence for a moment before we both understood that we had come to an agreement.


    Tael turned off the music and hopped out of bed excitedly.


    "Hot springs here we come!" He pointed towards the door as he began to step forwards.


    Despite being exhausted, I followed. I can relax once my job is done. Before we left the room, I ensured that I had my things. My juns, my dagger, the parcel, an understanding that I shouldn''t get my hopes up, the basics.


    Yep. All there.


    We stepped through the doorway of the hotel as we approached room 4. This "door" which was really just another piece of rock that was outlined by more rock, appeared identical to our own. I approached the rock door and slowly knocked. It took only a moment for a bright blue light to encompass the object before me as it disintegrated into dust. Kany and Erana stepped through. While Kany appeared relaxed, Erana held a tense look on her face.


    "Is something wrong?" I asked.


    My question seemed to knock Erana out of her stupor for a moment as she bolted her head upwards to look at me. ??Huh? Oh well¡­ This city is¡­ suffocating. I''m trapped by rocks everywhere. I don''t like it." Erana twiddled with her hair as she shifted her gaze downwards once more.


    Though I feel somewhat bad about bringing her here, it was also her own choice to come here. I never forced her, so I can''t say that I feel too guilty. I should try to be optimistic.


    "It''s only for a week. Besides, I thought druids liked all of nature anyways. Aren''t caves and mountains part of nature?"


    "Don''t generalize us please, Kenji-san. There are druids of the forest, of the plains, and of the mountains."


    I gave a weak smile as I dropped the subject. I probably just made things worse. In an attempt to dispel the awkward atmosphere, I pulled out the package and read the address that was written on it.


    "1354."


    "1354... what? Is there anything else written on it?" Kany grabbed at the package and read over the address that was written on it as well.


    "Just¡­ 1354."


    "Did the person you got the package from tell you who you were delivering it to?" Tael grabbed the package and investigated it himself. He twisted and turned it in a futile effort to gain more information from the address.


    "No¡­ They just sort of¡­ unloaded the package to me."


    "Maybe the dwarf at the front desk will know where this is?" Erana suggested.


    I shrugged my shoulders. It''s worth a shot I suppose.


    I turned and went down the hallway towards the reception. The rest of the party followed after me as I approached the front desk.


    "Ah! Hello again! Do you need something? Is anything wrong?" The receptionist asked. He wore a synthetic smile on his face which had obviously been practiced many times before.


    I held the package towards the dwarf. "I''m sorry, but I don''t have any idea where this place is. Can you give me directions?"


    "1354 eh? That''d be in the old district. A 1000 number, huh? High profile package you''re delivering, it seems. Those are only for ancient families! Here, let me draw you a quick map." He said as he brought out a parchment and a charcoal piece. After a moment, a rudimentary map had been made with directions from here to the address we needed to go to.


    "Okay. With this I think we can get there. Thank you!"


    "Of course! Any dwarf would be happy to serve a customer!" The receptionist gave a deep bow which brought his already short body that much lower to the ground.


    "Okay. Brace yourselves for more dwarves! We''re heading out!" I shouted to the party as we approached the doorway to the outside.

 82 This Hero Delivers The Package!

    I stepped through the doorway while flexing every muscle I could. I was prepared for the torrent of dwarves that would attempt to sweep me off my feet. Tael and Erana were holding on to me to ensure they wouldn''t get swept away while Kany was latched once more on to my shoulders. As my feet hit the solid stone flooring of the exterior of the inn, I could feel the hard ground as I shifted my weight onto it.


    ¡­


    Nothing''s happening.


    Where are the dwarves? Nobody''s here!


    I turned to look to my left and my right. The street was entirely clear of anyone. It was as if this place had been abandoned suddenly. From the noises the rest of my party was making, I could tell that they were also uncertain.


    "W-What''s going on? Did they all disappear or something?" Kany whispered to me.


    "I don''t know¡­" I turned towards the interior of the inn and saw the dwarf at the counter fiddling with his fingernails. He hadn''t disappeared and it doesn''t seem like he''s concerned at all.


    "Maybe they all left?" Erana suggested.


    "Well¡­ but why? Surely they wouldn''t just go poof, right? Like¡­ They had to go somewhere?" Tael quickly brought up.


    I mulled it over for a moment before I turned and walked back to the dwarf at the counter. As a local he probably knows what''s going on better than any of us.


    "Ah, is there something you need?" He put his synthetic smile on once more as he asked this.


    "Where did everyone go?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "EVERYONE''S GONE! There was a river of dwarves earlier and now there isn''t!" Tael suddenly shouted out.


    "Oh¡­ It''s just time for work for most dwarves. What you saw earlier was the work rush." The dwarf resumed picking at his fingernails as he said this.


    "Work rush, huh?" I could hear myself saying aloud. I suppose this is similar to riding the trains in Japan. I hated getting stuffed into those cabins which were already at maximum capacity.


    Well, no matter what it was, the removal of the dwarves in our path will make the delivery far easier.


    I turned back towards the door after Kany had shuffled off of me and headed outside.


    "Okay¡­" I said out loud while looking over the hastily drawn map. "So according to this, we just need to head straight down the street for a bit until we come across a gate. Past the gate we''ll find where we''re going in no time."


    "Is it really gonna be that simple?" Tael quietly murmured.


    Ignoring Tael, I began to head down the street as the rest of the party followed closely behind.


    As I walked, I saw that the architecture of this city was very closely tied to the mountains interior itself, as if the buildings hadn''t been built, but instead carved out of the rock that had once been here.


    "Yo Onii-san, we''re here."


    "Huh?"


    As it turns out, I had spaced out completely on the walk. We have already arrived at a large iron gate. From the design of it, I can tell that it''s incredibly old, but despite its age, there isn''t even a single spec of rust on it.


    The portcullis appears to be one of the few things that was actually built instead of being carved out of the rock as it was set up with stone brick. At the top, I could see dwarven guards that were watching us with weary gazes. Before we could proceed further, a dwarf in full plate armor that shined exquisitely as if it had been polished mere moments ago approached us with a hand raised.


    "Stop. What business do ya have in the ancient district?" He asked. His voice, while gruff, gave me an odd feeling, as if he himself wasn''t sure of what he was doing.


    "Just¡­" I presented the package. "Delivering this. It says to deliver it to 1354?"


    "I see. If that''s the case, head straight through and take your first left. Pass 3 blocks and you''ll be there." He stepped aside and guided us through the portcullis.


    As we stepped through, I could immediately tell that this area deserves the name "ancient" as every building here was obviously built a long time ago. Unlike the previous buildings, these are all made of stone brick. There are no windows in any of the buildings, but some of the doors are made of wood.


    "Remember, straight through and first left." The dwarf in full plate declared as he began to walk away.


    "Ah, wait! What''s your name?" I asked. Someone wearing armor like that may know where I could get some good equipment too. It''s best to get associated with people as soon as possible.


    The dwarf stopped in place for a moment before he finally spoke.


    "Hjurg." He quietly declared before he began to walk away once more.


    With that, we began to move through the ancient district. The more we walked through the more I could understand the distinction between the dwarven areas. Unlike the prior section, each of these buildings look like they''re unique instead of the cookie cutter design of the prior area.


    Following the instructions of Hjurg, we took the first left we could and began to head down the blocks. It was here that I realized that this district seems to work on a grid system. Each house may be unique, but their plot sizes are all identical. It didn''t take long for us to find a building that was simply labeled with a 1354.


    The numbers appeared faded, as if they had been painted a long time ago. The rocks all appeared to be smoothed on the sides. The front door was made of wood and I could feel heat pouring out of the entrance. A strange noise kept emanating from the interior which sounded similar to a beast, but more synthetic.


    We all silently played rock paper scissors to see who would knock on the door, and since my luck has always been terrible, I lost.


    I walked up to the wooden door and knocked. Kany, Erana, and Tael all stood a small distance away in order to stay away from anything that might burst out.


    The noise stopped. I heard a loud clatter as if something was carelessly dropped, and then the door in front of me opened.


    A wave of fiery heat poured out, as if I had just opened an oven door. A short dwarf, even shorter than average, poked his head out. His face was covered by a welders mask and his beard poked out of the bottom.


    We looked at each other for a moment in pure silence. It was hard to breath in this heat, let alone speak.


    "What?" He finally asked.


    "O-Oh¡­ Um¡­" I quietly stammered as I fiddled with the package.


    "Oh? Z''at for me?" He asked as he quickly grabbed the parcel out of my hands with a speed that was unbecoming of his stature.


    "Oh! The core!" He loudly declared to himself as he turned around and ran back into the building.


    I stood in silence, dumbfounded by what had just happened.


    "So¡­ are we gonna get money or¡­?" I could hear Kany ask.


    "WHAZZAT? YOU GOTTA BE LOUDER, I''M WORKING ON SOMETHING!" The dwarf shouted out. I could hear the sound of metal hitting metal begin. The noise repeated at such a high speed that I wasn''t sure if he was hammering something or if he had 100 other people working in the back.


    "S-SHE ASKED IF WE''RE GETTING PAID!" I shouted out.


    With that, the noise ceased once more as the short dwarf emerged from the interior and approached me.


    "This is something I already paid for. I don''t owe you nothing." He looked me over as he said this.


    "O-Okay well um¡­"


    "Wait." The dwarf grabbed my leg with surprising strength.


    "Y-Yes?"


    "Dagger. Lemme see it." He held out his hand and made a beckoning motion.


    "You''re not gonna break it, are you?"


    "Feh. Break a dagger of adamantite? Whodya think I am, the demon king? I just wanna see it boy, give it here!" He began to shake me.


    "O-Okay! Here!" I pulled out my adamantite dagger and presented it towards the scary short dwarf. As I held it out, I could hear many ooh''s and aah''s come from him.


    "Yep. Tell me, where did you get this?"


    "From a woman named Ania. Why?"


    "Did she tell you who made this?"


    "No¡­ I assume it was just crafted by a regular smith."


    At that, the dwarf raised the visor of his welding mask and spat in my face.


    "IT''S NOT JUST ANYONE THAT MADE THAT DAGGER YOU DRUMP FUNDER LUMPTY! THAT WAS MADE BY MY APPRENTICE, GUDO!"


    "Huh?"

 83 This Hero and the Smith!

    After a few more moments of attempting to wrest myself from his grasp, I decided that I needed strategy instead of power, so in a desperate attempt to get free I turned to the rest of my party. Surely they will help me get out of this, right? This is basically kidnapping!


    Unfortunately for me, it seemed as if they were trying to appear as uninvolved as possible. I think Tael is trying to whistle to look unassuming.


    Maybe if I use my ability boost power I can break free? It''s worth a shot I suppose. I mean, there''s no way this smith can have a higher strength stat than me, right?


    Ability Boost: Strength! My muscles bulged with power. I could feel a slight heat surge through me as I could feel the energy course through me.


    ¡­


    Well... That didn''t work. How is he this strong? I can''t break free! Ah, please stop! Don''t drag me in further to your smithee! Please it''s starting to hurt my wrist!


    "L-Look, Um¡­ Sir! Let me go! It''s hot in here!" I finally gave up and started to beg for my freedom. While I hate looking pathetic, I couldn''t think of any other method to get out of this and in my experience people take pity on me when I try.


    "Hot? It''s not hot! This is barely even warm!" He gave a light chuckle as he pulled me in further.


    I could feel my skin begin to glisten as sweat began to pour out of me. It''s like I''m standing inside of a fire! The waves of heat made visible ripples in the air as I moved around. My breath became uncomfortable. It''s as if I am standing in the center of a sauna.


    I continued to be dragged by the dwarf. Each turn brought me deeper and deeper into this strange building which is unnaturally large for its exterior size. Every turn I could see different worktables as well as items that appeared in the process of being forged. There were swords, shields, armor, and even a strange object that resembled a sickle. Above all else, the items that were here were all tools of war. I could see crates that appear to be in the process of being loaded. All of them were labeled, such as "Bows. Iron. 100." or "Swords. Steel. 50." I suppose this is truly what a blacksmith should be doing during wartime.


    "We''re almost... there, lad! Just... stop... resisting me! You''ll be there in only a moment!" The smith shouted out past his visor. He had begun jerking me forward as I gained more and more footing.


    "Hot as Hell? Nah this ain''t nearly that hot, though I do appreciate the compliment!"


    Finally, the dwarven smith pushed open a metal door in front of him, revealing a furnace that could only be described as made of lava. Being face to face with this is too much. I can''t take it anymore.


    "Magic Skin!" I shouted. Quickly, a thin veil of my mana encompassed me as I could feel myself begin to cool. Unfortunately, it seems that the smith didn''t appreciate me doing that, as he pulled up his visor to spit at me once more. This time, however, the majority of the spit evaporated before it even reached me, and the rest of it was blocked by my spell.


    "You tall freaks and your heat intolerance. ''Oooh waaah! It''s hot! I can''t stand 150 degrees celsius! Come on Bugder, I haven''t had water for 13 hours and I think I''m about to die of dehydration! Waaah!'' That''s what you all sound like to me. Just a bunch''a wimps!" He quickly flung his visor back down.


    We stood in silence for a moment as I tried to process his statement.


    "Well? Got any quips?"


    "No I¡­ I don''t think I do. You have to admit that 50 degrees above boiling is a bit much for a regular person, though."


    "Not for a smith! With the mundane class we get immunity to heat from a forge! A REAL smith would get used to it quickly!"


    "But I''m not a smith. I just came to deliver a package. Now can you please let go of my wrist before you break my arm? I think my hand is turning purple."


    "...Fine. I needed to open the package anyway." He said as he released his vice-like grip. I could immediately feel blood flow resume in my hand as I clutched it softly.


    The smith that is apparently named Bugder began tearing into the package like a gorilla. He ripped it apart like it was made of tissue paper despite it having been made of something akin to cardboard. It only took him about a second to get to the contents of the package, which seem to be a letter and a package of¡­ cookies?


    "Heh. He knew I love these things. No I''m not sharing them before you ask." He said as he shifted away from me to protect his confections, somewhat similar to a toddler. This image was not helped by the fact that he is the size of a toddler as well. "Well, let''s read the letter then, shall we? That''s just a saying of course. It''s my letter. You''re not reading it, tall-boy."


    Despite feeling slightly insulted, I decided to leave well enough alone and instead look around the room. Only now did I realize that there are swords that are forging themselves in the furnace. This must be the work of some strange magic. On top of the forge, there is a rune marking that is glowing red. This must be the key to its heat. Other than that, the room is nearly empty, except for the metal desk that holds all the incomplete items, such as sword hilts, blades, and armor pieces.


    "Huh. Well that confirms it. That dagger of yours was forged by Gudo alright." Bugder turned to me as he placed the letter into one of his many pockets.


    "Uh, I suppose. It''s not like I met him or anything."


    "Well, when you get back you ought to change that, now shouldn''t you? What smith have you been visiting to get your other supplies?"


    "Well this sword and armor I got from¡­" I stopped talking as I began to shudder. I hate even imagining the visage of that man with his bulging eye and lust-filled actions. "Some¡­ random smith. Don''t worry about it."


    "Well¡­ I can tell your sword is pretty shoddily made. It looks like it will break easily when put under severe stress. Other than that, your armor is just fine." He said as he gave me a quick up and down glance.


    "So¡­ I should go to Gudo from now on is what you''re saying?"


    "Obviously. Now hand me your dagger."


    "What are you gonna do to it?"


    "Well, since you brought this package all this way and you did it without EXPECTING MONEY, I feel like I owe you a little favor. Give me that dagger and I''ll improve it before you head back to Ruks next week. Okay? Don''t worry, I won''t steal it.???


    "You''ll improve my dagger for free? What''s in it for you?"


    "I get to work on adamantite. That''s plenty a reason. Of course, I''d rather work on a theoretical ore instead, but adamantite is good enough too."


    "Theoretical ores?"


    "Just give me the damn dagger before I slap ya."


    I quickly handed my blue dagger to the smith. He slowly inspected it once more with a sharp eye that could only come from a true master of their craft.


    "Yeah¡­ that''s some fine work alright. I''ll have this finished up in around 4 to 5 days time. I promise you that. In the meantime, you should leave so I can get to work. I have orders to fulfill and you being here is taking away from my time." He said as he began to shove me out of the sweltering building back outside.


    After only a few moments, I had been shoved out of the stone carved smithee. Bugder clapped his hands together and shouted out an "Alright!" I could hear the door behind me lock as I stood up.


    "So¡­ How''d that go?" Tael awkwardly approached me to ask.


    "About as well as your whistling. Come on. We''re going to the hot springs now."


    "Oh, uh¡­ I''ll pass on that." Kany quickly interjected.


    "What? Kany I thought you said you were looking forward to them!" Erana made no effort to hide her surprise.


    "Heh¡­ well I just um¡­" She shuffled around awkwardly as she seemed to shrink slightly.


    "I kinda don''t have any money to go to the hot springs." She muttered.

 84 This Hero and the Problem!

    "Y-You know that Kenji told us to bring money for a reason, right?" Tael finally broke the silence to state the obvious. He was clenching his fists with obvious frustration, but the way he spoke betrayed his intention to hide his concern as well.


    "It''s not like I didn''t want to bring the money, okay? I just couldn''t! It''s fine! I''ll just¡­ uh¡­"


    "I''m not gonna let you steal anything while we''re here Kany." I interrupted her drawl to drop this on her. I don''t want some dwarf to have to go through what I once did in the past.


    "Guh!" She let out. Afterwards, she looked towards the ground once more.


    It was only now that I noticed that Erana had a very stern look of disappointment on her face. Her brown eyes were obscured slightly by the shadow upon her face since her head was tilted slightly downwards to look upon Kany. For some reason, I got a chill up my spine and from what I could tell by Tael''s reaction, I''m not the only one that felt this.


    "Kany¡­" Erana slowly began. Kany bolted upwards like a scared cat that had just been cornered, while her face showed an expression that could only be described as "utter terror."


    "We talked about this¡­ Why did you not take care of such a basic task? Did you seriously spend all your money on gambling again? I can''t believe you would-"


    "That''s not it Erana!" Kany bolted slightly towards her. A new wave of confidence that seemed to be fueled by frustration had come over her.


    "Then what is it?" Erana quickly asked. Her voice like daggers as she quickly stepped forward to match the fierce gaze of her friend. Tael and I slowly backed away a few steps as to not get caught in the crossfire. I am pretty sure I am more afraid of what is about to happen than I was of the hobgoblin.


    "I-It''s¡­" Kany began to stammer. Her gaze wavered slightly as she seemed to lose focus on what had driven her before. Fortunately for Kany, it seemed as if she regained her confidence quickly after. "It''s personal business! That''s all! I can''t tell you what it is, you just need to understand that it made it impossible for me to take 500 juns here!" She quickly finished.


    "So then what was your plan? Take Kenji-san''s money? He already made it clear that you can''t just depend on him!"


    "No! I didn''t want to take Onii-san''s money or anything! I didn''t want to take it from tall and lanky over there either." Kany slightly motioned her head towards Tael as she said this. I looked over at Tael to see if he would retort, but it seems that he is too enamored in this conversation to interject.


    "Wait, we just finished a big adventure though." I quickly interjected. Things weren''t adding up. Each of us should have received at least 1250 juns each from that job. Even if we needed to purchase new gear or pay for lodging, there''s no way that Kany wouldn''t have even 500 juns left. Not to mention, Kany hasn''t obtained new gear since I met her, so she definitely hasn''t purchased anything of major value.


    Tael quickly grabbed my shoulder and placed a finger over his lips as he made a loud shushing noise. "Don''t add fuel to the fire! This is only gonna end badly!" He whispered sharply into my ear.


    "No man! This is actually important." I turned over to the girls and wrested Tael''s hand off my shoulder as I walked towards Kany and Erana. "Why didn''t you bring money? Did you forget or something? It''s not logically possible for you to have brought NO money. Even 100 juns would be different than none."


    "It''s¡­ personal is all I can say. Look, I''m sorry. Can we please drop it? Asking about it won''t fix anything anyways." Her solemn expression showed me her guilt towards this. For the first time in a very long time, I could feel my curiosity begin to wane when I looked at her. I felt like I was encroaching on something that I shouldn''t. I need to choose my next words very carefully.


    "Well look¡­ we-" I began to say, but the door behind me burst open as the dwarven smith Bugder came out.


    "SHUT YER YAPS, OKAY? IF YA NEED MONEY, I CAN JUST PUT IN A WORD WITH A GENERAL FRIEND OF MINE. YA CAN GO KILL SOME DEMON KING DUNKS AND GET PAID FOR IT!" He shouted out. It was only now that I remembered where we actually were.


    "W-Wait¡­ he''s not saying what I think he''s saying, is he Kenji?" Tael slowly shifted his gaze between me and Bugder as he asked this.


    "I AM YA PODGE. NOW GO TO YER HOTEL OR WHATEVER AND WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO COME. NOW LEAVE MY DAMN FORGE OR I''LL BASH IN YER SKULLS MYSELF!" He shouted whilst brandishing a rather large hammer.


    Erana gave a quiet sigh and began to head away from the smithy. The rest of us naturally began to follow her without thinking about it.


    We stepped on in silence for a brief period before Kany began to speak up.


    "Look¡­ I can take this job myself, whatever it is. I''m capable. It''s gonna be fine!" She spoke as if trying to reassure herself.


    Erana quickly spun around and slapped Kany with the same amount of force that she slapped me with once before.


    "Idiot. As IF we''d ever let you do something so dangerous on your own! We''re a party. We''ll do this together." Erana quickly declared. She shifted her gaze upwards towards Tael and myself after she spoke as if in an attempt to find reassurance.


    "Y-Yeah¡­ We''re gonna help you." I quickly spoke, as if instinctually in response to Erana''s icy gaze. I looked towards Tael to see what he would say.


    "I just wanna go to the hot springs¡­" He quickly began to sidle away from us, but I managed to grab his robe before he shrunk away. "Aaah! Fine! Whatever! I''ve nearly died twice with you people. I guess I can do it again. Seriously though, why did this have to happen on my vacation?" He slumped over as he pursed his lips in a slight pout, somewhat similar to what a toddler would do after they don''t get a toy they wanted.


    Kany looked towards the ground as she quickly stole gazes at all of us. Though I couldn''t see her face, I could tell that she held tears in her eyes. Her hands quietly shook as she raised them to wipe her face before she looked up once more at us.


    "Okay. I get it. I''m sorry I did this. I''ll make it up to all of you. I promise!" Kany quickly declared.


    We went back to the inn and entered our rooms, only this time instead of going in to relax, we were gathering our adventuring equipment.


    "God damn it¡­ the ONE time I get away from it all¡­" I could hear Tael muttering to himself as he gathered his things.


    "Look, complaining won''t fix anything. Let''s sleep or something before the general guy shows up and gives us the job. You stayed up all night, right? It''d be bad if you passed out on the mission, whatever it is." I chimed in.


    "Yeah¡­ Fine. You''re right." Tael shifted himself and layed down on the bed. I also began to rest my head on the cushion that was my pillow, but then Tael quietly asked me a question.


    "Do you think Kany is okay? Nobody''s¡­ hurting her or something, right?" His voice sounded less like that of someone seeking answers and more of that of someone seeking safety.


    "Well¡­ if someone is extorting her, they need to be pretty freaking strong. Kany is level 12 after all. Let''s also not forget that it''s know that she parties up with all of us now, so they know that messing with her means messing with us. I''m sure it''s something that can be fixed¡­ but I won''t deny I am also curious." I trailed off.


    Tael simply listened to me in silence as he drifted away to sleep. It seems that he passed out quickly. This isn''t surprising since he''s been awake for the better part of 30 hours now.


    After around 5 hours, I heard a loud knock on the stone door to our room and a booming voice of a man as he began to speak.


    "I am General Uthguth! I was told there were 4 adventurers here that I was going to take in for a job or two?"

 85 This Hero and the Assignment!

    "...Um." Tael began, but the dwarven man interrupted him quickly with a booming voice.


    "I did not ask you to speak! You will speak when asked! Am I clear?" He stared daggers towards Tael, who shirked in response. My own ears were ringing in response to the volume that this man had just shouted at. It was like a bomb had just gone off in the room.


    "Y-Yes sir!" He quickly replied as he gave a salute. His voice wavering in what felt like fear.


    "Well, before I do anything, open up your status screens! I need to know what I''m actually working with!" He gestured at us with his chin when he had finished speaking, indicating us to begin.


    "Status." We both said in unison. The familiar green prisms appeared before us as they had time and time before.


    My stats hadn''t changed since I last leveled up, but my experience points were higher. It''s no surprise since we all cleared out a goblin camp, but I don''t have a level up ready. Perhaps killing creatures of a level so far below you merits diminishing returns? This would mean that I can''t just grind out levels and reach level 1000 or something by going into a forest and killing boars.


    "Hmm." The dwarven soldier hummed out while slowly caressing his beard with his right hand. "Well, you''re not useless, that''s for sure. I checked with your lady friends before I came to you two. They were the same level, so I suppose I can make this work. This is especially good since your one friend is a rogue. That''s going to be useful for this work I have for you."


    I slowly raised my hand like a student so that I could ask a question. Unlike Tael, I don''t want to be yelled at so I took the necessary precautions first.


    "What do you want?" He swiftly looked towards me as he took a step forward.


    "What will be our assignment? Is this just a general monster killing quest? We''re only level 12 so I doubt we can go and clear out swathes of the Demon King''s army on our own. Will we have backup? Where are we going? Will we be supplied-"


    "Okay okay! Shut up! I''ll get to that in a moment! Cripes, you''re like a dam that just burst open!" The dwarf shouted in response as he quickly backed away from me. He took a moment to compose himself before he decided to speak once more.


    Tael raised his own hand once he deemed it safe. I''m proud of him. The dwarf, however, seemed very reluctant to allow him to ask his own question, but after a few moments he finally succumbed to Tael''s persistence and called upon him.


    "You mentioned our friend is a rogue and that''s useful. Does that have to pertain to the mission?"


    "As I said before, you''ll be briefed on the job later. We can''t discuss it here because there could be spies anywhere. Though the walls can keep an army out, spies have a habit of slipping through. Do you have any more questions?" He scowled at me as I began to raise my hand once more. "I was asking the elf, not you." I slowly lowered my hand in disappointment.


    Tael, unfortunately, did not ask any questions.


    "Okay!" He shouted out as he clapped his hands together. His interlocking metal plates clanked together loudly as he did this. "Gather whatever supplies and equipment you may need! You shouldn''t be gone for longer than 8 hours, so you shouldn''t need any food. Bring some water and your weapons of course." The dwarven soldier quickly turned away from us and began to head towards the doorway of our room.


    "W-Wait, we''re heading out NOW?" I couldn''t stop myself from asking. In response, the soldier stopped dead in his tracks, did an about-face, and looked me directly in the eye.


    "Now." He said bluntly. Though he only said one word, the subtext of the way he said it was "if you ask another question I will break your face."


    We ensured we had our equipment and went outside of our room. Kany and Erana were already standing outside. They both had their adventuring gear on as well. Erana seems to be fairly happy about this situation while Kany seems to still be down in the dumps, at least mildly so.


    "Off we go." The dwarven soldier exclaimed before he chucked a rock in the air. Before I could get a good look at it, a symbol on it lit up and my vision flashed white while my surroundings changed.


    As I wafted the white smoke away from my face, I could see the outlines of dwarves, a candle, a table, and a few memorable shapes. It was only after a few moments that I realized we were inside of a stone room that had no entrances. This place is a solid cube. The room can''t be bigger than 5 meters long by 2 meters tall, but it still held over 12 people inside, though many of them were rather small.


    "Oh, well if it isn''t Kenji-san!" The familiar voice of Ron called out to me. He walked over as the smoke dissipated to say hello.


    Behind Ron, I could see the rest of his party. There was the unmistakable shape of the man made of muscle, this must be Jaq. Ron told me that Jaq is the leader of his group and judging by his stature and presence I believe him. Other than Jaq and Ron, there is a woman that is wearing what seems to be a martial arts gi and a man who is strapped from top to bottom in what seem to be belts. I can barely even see his face.


    "Ah-Ahem!" The dwarven soldier loudly cleared his throat to make his presence known. He quickly walked up to the table in the middle of the room and unfurled a map on top of it. The map itself appeared to be a visualization of the mountain that we are in, followed by a diagram of the movements of the armies, including encampments.


    "Okay. Now that all of you can be trusted, this is your assignment: We have reason to believe that the army has a camp up here towards the apex of the mountain. At this camp, we have obtained information stating that there are two important things at this location: A general monster and an important message that was recently delivered to this camp. Your job is simple: Eliminate the monster and obtain that message by any means necessary. Are there any questions?" He looked up from the map immediately towards me. I felt slightly embarrassed before I began.


    "Well, for starters, how are we getting there? Also for that matter, how did we get here?"


    "This is a special space that us dwarves carved out through magical means. We marked it as a teleportation spot that can only be accessed by those that carry these here rune stones." He said as he brandished a small rock with a rune marking on it before returning it to his pocket. "As for how you''re getting there, we''ll teleport you all through a similar method, but unlike this most recent time, you may need to travel a bit. Teleporting outside of the mountain, especially around that many monsters, may cause interference. The maximum distance you will be from the target would be around 200 meters from the point we''re aiming for."


    "Is there a chance we''ll be teleported into the enemy camp by accident?"


    In response to this question, I heard Jaq give a loud scoffing sound.


    "No. The enemies will be giving off too strong of an aura. It''s not possible for teleportation magic of this level to penetrate that level of aura."


    Before I could ask another question, Jaq held a massive hand out in front of me and began to speak.


    "Yeah, I gotta question. Can we use styles out here?"


    "Go wild." The dwarf smiled widely. His teeth were visible. They were reminiscent of an animal baring its fangs before it pounced on its prey.


    "U-Um well-" I began to say, but Jaq cut me off once more.


    "Also, why do I need to work with these four? What level are they? I don''t remember seeing them around Ruks. I doubt they''re even level 4!" He shouted as he tried to tower over me. Fortunately, this roof prevented him from being able to comfortably stand in the first place, so I wasn''t deterred.


    Before I was able to speak up, Kany stepped forward to get between us.


    "Trust me buddy. It''s best if you just relax." She angrily looked towards him as he said this.


    "Oh yeah, I''m so scared of the kid." He raised his hands upwards slightly in a joking manner.


    "You''ll be happy to know that they are level 12. They''re not at your level yet, but they''re fairly close." The dwarven soldier chimed in.


    "W-What? Level 12? That''s bullshit! It took me four months to reach that and I worked hard!" He backed away. A baffled look shot across his face.


    "It''s true." Erana chimed in. A slightly mischievous smile traced across her face. "We owe it to our leader over here." Erana placed a hand upon my shoulder as she stared towards Jaq. "It''s only through his questioning that we were able to do things like kill a mulaplix!"


    The room fell silent.

 86 This Hero and the Other Party!

    ¡­I hate awkward silences. Maybe I should say something to-


    "Bullshit!" Jaq shouted out. A vein on his meaty forehead was bulging out. His dark hair was only able to slightly obscure the changes his face had made. "Everyone knows that a mulaplix needs a party of at least 6 level 8''s to effectively kill. This is ignoring the fact that there hasn''t been a mulaplix near Ruks in over 3 years." He crossed his arms and scoffed at us.


    Oh. He doesn''t believe that we actually did what we claimed. What should I-


    "Well buddy, that''s exactly what we did." Kany stepped forward. A smug smile stretched far across her youthful face. An obvious air of superiority permeated the area around her as she tried to make herself seem as tall as possible.


    "W-Well look¡­ Even if they didn''t it doesn''t-" The dwarven soldier began before being quickly interrupted by the woman in the martial arts gi.


    "Perhaps it was a mulaplix in its adolescence? Seed pods fly around this time of year. It''s entirely possible that they found a pod that was taking root." She held onto Jaq''s jacket as she said this. I cannot tell if she is doing this to get his attention or hold him back.


    "If that were the case why would she boast about that?" Ron interjected. He stepped between Jaq and Kany in order to put some space between them.


    "Listen this isn''t important what''s important is the Demon king''s-" The dwarven soldier began again, but he was, obviously, stopped once more.


    "PEOPLE LIE ALL THE TIME!" Jaq roared. I couldn''t tell if this room had wind blow through it or if that was simply the displacement of air pressure from Jaq''s shout. "WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE SOME UPSTARTS?"


    "SHUT YER YAPS!" The soldier finally raised his voice. It was only now that we all turned to notice him. He was standing on top of the table to meet us at eye level. "I DON''T CARE IF THEY KILLED THE EMPEROR FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. ALL THAT MATTERS IS THEY''RE LEVEL 12 AND CAN HELP. NOW CAN YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH OR DO I GOTTA SEND YOU BACK HOME?"


    Jaq scowled, but slowly shrunk back down, acceding to the dwarf. Kany and Erana slowly stepped away from me as well. Ron and the woman also stepped behind Jaq to take their places.


    "Okay! Now¡­ Do you have any questions-" He began, but then sped up his speech and looked us all over. "THAT PERTAINS TO THE MISSION ITSELF, OR CAN I SEND YOU OFF?" He rested his gaze towards me, as if by instinct.


    "There''s a location that you will need to get to. Once you''re there you will see a marking on a nearby stone. As soon as you''re ready you just need to place your hand upon the marking and you''ll be teleported back. It''s imperative that you all are close to the marking before you teleport, otherwise you will be left out there." He slowly hopped down from the table. I could feel the collective blood pressure of everyone in the room lower as the tension dropped.


    "Do you have any intel on the monster we need to take down or the information we need to get?"


    "The monster¡­ You''ll know it when you see it. As for the information, it''s a letter. It will still be sealed and will probably be in the leader''s tent, so I recommend just checking there. The letter is more important than the monster, so if you literally cannot kill it then just get the letter at any cost. Other than that, you don''t need to do anything. You can kill other monsters if you so wish, but that''s at your discretion."


    "So stealth is optional for this mission¡­" I quietly whispered to myself. In my experience, this means we will try to hide for a little bit, but will quickly devolve into killing everything in sight due to being spotted by a single enemy. Of course, since this is real life, things may be different.


    "Anything else?"


    "Yes." The man covered in belts finally spoke up. Despite wearing the oddest outfit out of anyone in the room, he was barely noticeable. Looking at him made me feel like I was staring at a reflection in water. "You mentioned earlier that we are allowed to use styles. What about styles that cause massive area damage? Are those allowed, or are we to limit them to small scale abilities first?"


    "When it comes to styles, you can use anything that will keep yourself or someone else alive. Obviously we ask that you don''t immediately start to cause havoc, but you can certainly do what you wish regarding fighting for your life. At your discretion is the best way to put it." The soldier finished. He began to walk towards a wall where two of the other dwarves that were in the room began to draw a doorway out of chalk.


    I couldn''t take it anymore. I spoke up loudly so that I would assuredly be heard.


    "What is a style?"


    Kany, Erana, and Tael seemed to share my confusion, but everyone else looked us for a moment before they all burst out laughing.


    "Ahahaha! He says he killed a mulaplix but doesn''t know what a style is? Oh jeez. Oh. Look, just open up the gateway. We''re heading out!" Jaq was holding his side. He motioned his party towards the doorway as it began to glow white. Tael, Kany, and Erana began to step towards the gateway as well, but I simply stood in bewilderment. It seems Jaq took notice of this.


    "What''s that, scared now? Come on hero boy, you can''t expect us to actually believe you? You''re level 12 now. We don''t play games about this anymore. Let''s go." He motioned to his party as they began to jump through the doorway.


    "H-Hey! Wait, I''m genuinely wondering what they are! We have no idea!" I shouted out as I ran up to Jaq. Kany, Erana, and Tael were waiting at the doorway for me to proceed. All of Jaq''s party had already left by this point.


    "Listen kid, I was nice earlier, but you need to stop it. Acting foolish around here is gonna get you killed one day like THAT!" he shouted as he flung his hand to his side. It seems that he didn''t notice that Tael was there as he knocked Tael into Kany and Erana as well. This sent them through the portal.


    "H-Hey! Guys!" I shouted out as I slipped past Jaq. He quickly reached out his hand and grabbed at my clothes to stop me.


    "Don''t ignore me, kid." He pushed his face very close to mine. I don''t have time for this.


    "Quit calling me kid." I said as I activated my power. Ability Boost: Strength!


    I pulled both Jaq and myself through the portal. We can work out our differences later. Right now I don''t want to leave my friends out there without me. It just doesn''t feel right.


    I could feel a strange floating sensation for a moment as everything around me went white. After a moment, I could see the cloudy skies. I could feel the chill in the air. There was snow on the ground. The crumble of rocks under our feet made it evident that we had just moved places.


    "Oh great. You brought us through. I underestimated you!" Jaq shoved me off and gave a slight smile as he looked around. I decided to leave our quarrel for another time as I looked around to investigate our surroundings.


    "Uh-oh¡­" We both let out in unison.


    "Um¡­ You wouldn''t happen to know where exactly we are, do you?" Jaq turned to me and asked.


    "Well, I''d wager somewhere on the hill. There''s only one question that really matters right now though¡­"


    "Yeah¡­ Where are our comrades?"


    Only the sound of the wind around us answered our question. The chill in the air made my breath clearly visible. Unfortunately, I don''t have time to collect my thoughts since I can hear the sound of what seems to be enemies nearby.


    "Heh¡­ Well, I came here to kill monsters, so this works out either way!" Jaq cracked his knuckles as he began to step forward.


    I can only see this going badly. I hope that Kany, Erana, and Tael are nearby, or else this is going to go very poorly.

 87 This Hero and The Fight!

    "Huh? What''s your problem now? In case you haven''t noticed, our quarrel is done. If you want to fight later you can do it after we get paid. Until then I don''t want you messing with me." He tried to wrestle my arm away, but I stayed firm in my resolve and held tight to his clothing.


    "Listen, we have no idea what''s there and if you haven''t noticed we''re alone. There could be 100 who-knows-what out there and you''re just gonna jump in? Are you insane?" I could barely contain my annoyance at this point. Surely this guy only became high level off of dumb luck.


    "Well, if they prove to be a challenge then I''ll just run! Always works out. I jog 20 kilometers every day for this express purpose!" He smiled as if he was showing off a fish he had just caught. His large toothy grin only exacerbated my anger towards him.


    Suddenly, I felt a familiar sensation touch my mind as I heard the words of someone with brain cells begin to speak to me.


    \u003cYo, Kenji, are you there? Have you stepped through the portal yet? Don''t tell me you''re getting beat up by that Rag guy. He''s a dick so I don''t want you to lose to him even if he is a slightly higher level than us.\u003e


    \u003cTael, you will not believe what happened. We were teleported somewhere else. I think that we''re around the camp area since I can hear monsters walking around. Jaq is here with me. Let''s check where we are relative to each other. Are the others with you by the way?\u003e


    I felt a slight tug in my mind that went towards my right. I could sense that Tael was well over 300 meters away from me. This is an absolutely non-ideal scenario in every stretch of the imagination.


    \u003cEveryone is here with me. They''re wondering if you guys have stepped through the portal yet. I''ll tell them your situation. Uh¡­ As for your current location¡­ um¡­\u003e


    \u003cWhat is it?\u003e


    ¡­


    \u003cTael.\u003e


    \u003cLook, you''re kinda really really close to the enemy camp, so I recommend just not making any problems, okay? We''ll head over to you. In the mean time, I recommend you try to find a way to get closer to us. Don''t get hurt, okay? I don''t want to have to save your life again. Ending the connection.\u003e


    \u003cH-HEY WAIT! I-\u003e I began, but I felt our connection clip away, as if a string had just been cut which connected us.


    "Uh¡­ Can you let go of me now, or do I actually gotta hit you?" Jaq was looking at me as if I had gone crazy. It was only now that I remembered where we were and what I was doing.


    "Oh, neat." He nodded his head quickly as he looked around.


    "S-So basically, this means we need to sneak out a little distance towards our comrades. From there, we can assess our situation and work out a strategy. Okay?"


    "Sure. Sounds good to me."


    "Why are you so complacent?" I couldn''t help it anymore. A sudden shift like this could be caused by shock or fear. I can''t just let this cause me a detriment in the future.


    "Oh, well it''s because we have a plan. All we need to do is get as far from this area as possible and go towards our group. It''s all gonna work out." He shrugged his shoulders as he said this.


    "R-Right¡­ I didn''t expect you to work with me so easily."


    "Well I''m hard on people in front of others, but I try to relax when it''s just myself and one other person." He said as he stood up from his kneeling position.


    Okay. Well at least I don''t need to worry about Jaq anymore. As for where we can go, I need to learn where the enemy camp actually is. From there I can determine where to go.


    Before I could poke my head out, Jaq jumped as high as he could. A clear 10 meter hop into the air as he looked around before he landed with the grace of a cat.


    "W-What the hell was that? How was that stealthy at all?"


    "Oh, well I just assumed it would be better to be fast is all. Anyways the camp is over there." He declared as he pointed north.


    "Were you spotted?"


    "I dunno. It''s not like I got a super clear look. We should probably move for now." Jaq began as he started to walk south and climb a few rocks.


    I began to follow Jaq before he stopped and held a hand out to me.


    "Well, it seems I was spotted¡­ Yep. They''re heading this way. Huh." He had the most unimpressed look upon his face as he drew his sword. "Okay Kevin, I''ll take the 3 hobgoblins on the left, you take the 3 on the right."


    "W-WAIT, HOBGOBLINS?" I could feel myself begin to hyperventilate.


    "Woah woah. It''s okay, just relax. It''s only 3 of them. If you use Style: Attacker then you should wipe them out in no time!" He nervously smiled as he assumed a battle stance.


    "I DON''T KNOW WHAT A STYLE IS! HOW DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THIS?" I shouted out. I can''t control myself anymore.


    "...Oh. You weren''t joking then¡­ Strange. Everyone learns how to use them by level 10. Well¡­ How do I describe it¡­" He began, but the hobgoblins stepped into our small enclosure. Only 2 had stepped through right now. "Well look, I''ll explain it as we fight. Right now we gotta kill these two, so I need you to focus, okay bud?"


    The first hobgoblin ran up towards Jaq and swung at him. I assume they targeted him because he''s the only one with a weapon drawn right now. I need to get myself together. Come on!


    "Fine!" I gathered myself. The hobgoblin that had singled me out began to walk towards me with its sword drawn. Unlike the one in the cave, this hobgoblin seems to be better equipped. Its body type is exactly the same, but now it has real armor and a weapon.


    The foul beast lurched towards me, its blade pointed straight at me looking to skewer me. I instinctually hopped away to avoid the blow, but I was limited in my movement thanks to our small position. I had to jump off of a rock and hop over the monster. I landed close behind it, but I had enough time to draw my sword before it was able to turn around.


    Now we''re on even footing. Jaq seems to have already begun clashing swords with his own enemy, but I don''t have time to worry about him. This one seems to be angry that it couldn''t extinguish my life in a single stroke.


    "Yeah¡­ I know that face. I''ve seen it in my nightmares for a while now." I muttered. I could feel my sword hand trembling, but there''s nothing I can do but fight now.


    The beast let out a roar as it ran towards me, sword upwards. It definitely meant to strike down at me. Before I blocked the blow however I remembered the words of Bugder.


    "Your sword will break under severe stress."


    I can''t block with this thing. It''s already broken once under a similar situation. I can''t gamble on it again.


    I quickly lurched towards the hobgoblin, sword raised towards its head. This caused it to dodge out of my way. Is it just me or is this guy much slower than the previous one I faced?


    We paced around one another for a moment. The hobgoblin twirled its blade in its hands, taunting me. What should I do?


    I could try to out-speed it. Perhaps I could use a strike on it and possibly cut through it in one attack, though its armor and weapon could stop my attack and not make my blow lethal, leaving me open to an attack¡­


    That settles it. I need to get its weapon out of its hands first.


    I stepped forward. Taking this as a sign of aggression, the monster prepared itself and held its blade outwards, ready to swipe at me as soon as I came close.


    I need to do this fast. Ability Boost: Speed! My body felt light. It was as if there was no resistance to any of my movements. I cut through the air and went towards its weapon. Before I was able to cut its hand off, it grabbed at my sword hand with its empty palm. In response, I quickly did the same thing and grabbed its arm. We held at each other for a moment before I began to feel it trying to crush my wrist. For some reason, it''s not that powerful. Wait¡­ Is it possible that I have grown far beyond hobgoblins?


    I began to pull at its sword arm as hard as I could. It could not resist my strength entirely, but it still gave up a bit of resistance.


    Okay, I''m not entirely overpowered to them, but they''re not invincible anymore. Let''s do this then.


    I dropped my current ability boost and used a different one, strength.


    The sickening crackle of bones crushing under my power began to come from the hobgoblins wrist. It began to whimper before quickly trying to wrestle itself away from me. I won''t let it though. I''m gonna take out some PTSD on you, so I hope you''re ready.


    "Hyagh!" I swung my head at it, headbutting it to the ground as I released its hand and it released mine. Before it could get its bearings I stomped as hard as I could on its sword arm, crushing it with a sickening crack. I could hear it begin to shout, so in order to stop it from alerting its comrades, I gave it a finishing blow.

 88 This Hero and Styles!

    "Well that was¡­ unique. I can tell that you won''t be able to take on 2 at once without any problems though. You need to learn how to use styles before these guy''s buddies show up." He began, though I began to shrink slightly. Implying that we are going to die if I don''t figure out something is fairly horrifying. Double this with the fact that Jaq has been freaking me out a bit by taking things at his own pace, I''m not exactly very comfortable¡­ It seems Jaq has taken notice of this.


    "Relax. It''s not that hard. If you''re really level 12, and from what I saw you definitely are, then you should be able to do it."


    "W-Well¡­ Fine! How do I do it? What even is a style anyway? You didn''t explain when we were fighting like you said you would!"


    "Yeah yeah. I get caught up in fights, it''s my bad habit. Sorry about that. Anywho¡­ A style is basically just a maximization of your ability that you are using. The two most basic styles are Style: Attacker and Style: Defender. I''m certain you can tell what they do, but they''re really good beginner styles. After you activate them you''ll become much more powerful in the regard of whatever ability you''re trying to maximize."


    "So¡­ They''re just optimizations? They just set your ability to the max when you use it?" I could feel the tension in my shoulders relax slightly. This isn''t too complicated. I could probably do this actually.


    "Somewhat, but that''s really only the basic styles. When you get to the more in depth styles they become way more complicated. Some of the strongest styles we know of can make people stronger than entire armies." He finished talking by clenching his fist as hard as he could. The sound of his muscles tightening could be heard all the way where I was.


    "Wait so is this like a form? Is there a super saiyan style?"


    "I guess you could call it a combat form. As for ''super saiyan'' I don''t know what that is, but styles can be invented and changed at the user''s discretion, so it''s entirely possible."


    I stood silently for a moment. I know we don''t have a lot of time to work this out, but I need to think. If styles are what he says they are, then theoretically I can make a style for anything. Kany, Erana, and Tael can also make and use styles. Does the Demon King have styles? Do strong monsters use styles? Is this an adventurer secret or is it written about somewhere?


    "Now listen up, to activate a style, there are a few prerequisites and conditions that you need to fulfill. For Style: Attacker, you only need to be at least level 10, activate 3 offensive based skills, and have at least 1 level in a class that is based around using weapons such as swords." Jaq took a fighting pose and lowered his sword towards the ground as he exhaled sharply, readying himself. "Warriors Might, Strike, Maximum Charge." He said as his body began to glow with a faint red outline. A faint steam began to emanate from his body as his muscles bulged slightly. I couldn''t describe the feeling of being near him, but he gave off the aura of a hunter that was ready to pounce on his prey.


    Jaq quickly exhaled as the steam ceased and the red aura dissipated. His muscles shrank slightly as a result of him dropping the power.


    "See? Easy!" He turned towards me and smiled. "Now it''s your-" He began, but a black sphere that was giving off a sizzling noise was tossed into the center of our hiding spot. Jaq and I didn''t need to say a single word. We both jumped out of the pit as fast as we could. Unfortunately, this brought us face to face with the other 4 hobgoblins that had been waiting. Before I was able to take a fighting stance, I heard a loud boom where we had just been standing as a wave of heat came over me and blew my hair around.


    "Okay kid! Trial by fire! You don''t have a choice now! I can handle 2 and you can handle 2! I can''t save you right now because my hands will be full! Style: Attacker!" He shouted out as he rushed his opponents, taking them by surprise.


    The two hobgoblins that stood before me eyed me. My sword was pointed towards them, but theirs were pointed towards me as well. They were being cautious. They definitely knew that since their buddies hadn''t emerged that we had killed them.


    I can''t let them take the initiative. I need to act now. Come on Kenji. You can do this¡­


    3 offensive based skills¡­ I shifted myself lower to the ground. The opponents in front of me shifted themselves as well, readying themselves for my charge.


    "Ability Boost: Attack, Strike¡­" And my final ability, my new level 5 warrior skill¡­ "Warriors Might." I could feel my muscles begin to bulge with power. My body was giving off steam just like Jaq had been doing prior. I could feel it in my mind, like there were pieces of a puzzle floating around, they were ready to be assembled. There''s only one thing left to do now¡­


    "Style: Attacker!" I shouted out. A red aura began to envelop me as I could feel my body begin to change.


    The hobgoblins took my shout as their opportunity and made a beeline for me. I could see their movements as if they were moving in slow motion compared to me. My thoughts when it came to taking them down were clear.


    First¡­ You, on the left. I''ll handle you.


    I sidestepped their tandem slashes as their swords struck the dirt that I once stood upon. I raised my sword ever so slightly, finding the exact right angle.


    It''s strange, it''s like everything in the world has stopped existing. The only things that are here anymore are myself, my enemies, and my weapon in my hand. I could feel my weapon being pulled towards a specific spot towards the enemy, like a string was being pulled.


    My sword flew towards the monster with a speed that would make a bullet ashamed of itself. The Hobgoblin could barely place its sword between my attack and itself to block, but that proved fruitless. My blade cleaved its weapon in two as my cut went straight through its abdomen and left through the other side, cutting the foul beast in half. After a moment I could hear the sound of its sword falling to the ground while its body soon followed.


    I couldn''t appreciate my newfound abilities just yet. I need to handle the second one.


    This gorilla of an opponent showed true horror on its face. It turned around and began to run, but it was too late.


    I held my sword like a javelin and threw it as hard as I could at the pathetic opponent in front of me. After only a moment, the blade went straight through its head and out the other side. The hobgoblin fell limply to the ground with a sickening crunch.


    I ran towards my sword to take it out of the beast. I can spare to not be focused entirely on combat now, so I decided to look towards Jaq and see how he''s doing.


    Both of his opponents are lying dead on the ground. By the looks of things, he just finished his business too.


    I pulled my sword that had been dyed red from blood out of the skull of the dead hobgoblin. Once I had ensured that no other enemies were nearby, I exhaled sharply as I loosened the tension inside of me and released the style.


    A wave of exhaustion swept over me, but it was not enough to make me collapse or even be incapable of acting. It was more along the lines of a chunk of my stamina had just been used. This must be the drawback of using a style, but I''ll need to ask about them more before I can draw my own conclusions.


    Jaq ran up to me, patted me on the shoulder, and pointed towards a few bushes indicating that we needed to hide. I followed his lead.

 89 This Hero Finds His Party!

    A few seconds after we had nestled within the bushes, we saw a squad of hobgoblins run towards our previous location. It seems they were drawn by the sound of the explosion earlier. Their shocked expressions when they saw the corpses of their fallen comrades made me experience a morbid thought.


    Are these creatures capable of developing complex relationships? Are these monsters like cows in which they can develop best friends? Do they form loving relationships, perhaps even mate? Man, I have got to study whatever Tael was looking into last night.


    Jaq prodded me on my shoulder as he motioned back, indicating that we needed to quietly sneak away. I turned as slowly as possible as to not make any noise and began to softly step away from where we were down to a lower area of the hill.


    After ensuring that the coast was clear, Jaq and I slowly stepped out of our shrubbery as we walked as fast as our crouching bodies could towards the next camouflaged spot we could access. We repeated this process 4 times before we judged that we were finally far enough to relax a bit.


    "Phew¡­" Jaq let out. He released the tension from his shoulders as he did this. His breath became a clear fog due to the cold around us.


    It was only now that I had the time to realize just how cold it was on top of this mountain. It''s freezing, actually. I''m wearing my armor and tunic, but it''s still rather chilly. The fact that Jaq is wearing less than me, including the fact that his jacket doesn''t even have sleeves on it, makes me surprised that he''s fine. Actually, I have a lot of questions for him, but before I could ask him my questions he turned to me to ask his.


    "Okay Kevin, I need you to-"


    "It''s Kenji." I stared straight into his eyes and gave my deadpan response.


    "K-Kenji. I need you to tell me where your wizard friend is. That''s the only way we''ll be able to accurately link up. This place doesn''t have any distinguishing landmarks other than the camp itself so we need to find somewhere to link up. I don''t have any method of signal making that wouldn''t have us get found instantly, so I''m expecting you to have a trick up your sleeve."


    "Hmmph." I smiled deviously. While I appreciate how he taught me how to use styles, I still don''t appreciate how he was acting in front of everyone else, so a chance to one up him is a good feeling. "It just so happens I can cast Mind Connection, so I can contact my wizard friend whenever I want!"


    "Mind Connection." I muttered. Unlike normal spells, my status screen appeared in front of me, but it wasn''t exactly my status screen. It was still a triangular prism, but instead of my stats and levels it read out names. I could see the names of people I had interacted with in depth on this list. Biar and Ania were listed, as well as my party members. Even Jaq was on here.


    I looked over the screen until I found who I was looking for. I pushed down on Tael''s name and the screen disappeared. In my mind I could feel an instant connection between myself and Tael, I can even hear his thoughts now.


    \u003c...So then I''ll be like "Oh hey Kenji, I was just guiding this whole group!" and he''ll be like "Wow Tael, you really are a leader, in fact you''re way better than me! Here''s a thousand juns." and I''ll be like-\u003e


    \u003cHaving fun?\u003e


    \u003cAh. How much of that did you hear? I didn''t even notice you connect because of how uh¡­ much I was thinking. Anyways, what do you need?\u003e


    \u003cWell, as for what I heard, it was enough. As for what I need, I need to know where you guys are. Is everything alright on your end?\u003e


    \u003cOh yeah, we''re doing just fine. This Kilin guy brought snacks so we''re eating them.\u003e


    \u003cSo¡­ are you on your way to me or¡­?\u003e


    \u003cOh. Nah we''re just sorta sitting here waiting. Erana and Kany are worried for you, but everyone else is relaxed.\u003e


    \u003cThen where are you? Actually I''ll just send a pulse¡­ however I do that.\u003e


    I looked within my mind and felt for that strange sensation that magic seems to be linked to. It didn''t take me more than a moment to find that strange string that connected Tael to myself. I pulled it and could tell where Tael was from me. Judging by the sensation, he''s around 200 meters from where I currently am.


    \u003cSo did you just¡­ decide to wait for us or was it a group vote?\u003e


    \u003cWell! Everyone else was worried when you didn''t show up, so then I cast my first mind connection and we found where you two were. From there we decided to just wait for you to get here.\u003e


    \u003cI fought 3 hobgoblins by myself in an effort to get to you you know.\u003e


    \u003cW-Well, we can hash out the details later. As for right now, we''re waiting for you. Yuna is listening for enemies and so is the loli so we''ll be fine here for right now. I''m gonna end the transmission now!\u003e


    I could feel a sensation that could best be described as a snip of a string occur within my mind as my link to Tael ceased.


    "They''re over there." I pointed to where Tael had been. Judging by the sun, it''s probably north, but I can''t tell precisely because of this mist.


    "Uh¡­ any reason for the lack of enthusiasm? The style didn''t drain you that much did it?"


    "Oh, actually, I have a lot of questions about styles!" I stepped towards Jaq as he quickly backed away from me.


    "W-What what what? What is it man? Calm down!" His eyes were darting from place to place, looking for an escape route.


    "Well, tell me more about styles! It felt like a new state of being when I used it. How do I know how to do a style? Are they written about in some places? You mentioned some styles make people strong enough to take on armies, is that supposed to be a metaphor or is that real? Can regular monsters know styles? Why are they called styles anyways? What about-"


    "OKAY OKAY! Calm down! Good lord!" He had shoved a hand in my face to stop me. His massive paw covered my entire face from top to bottom, covering my vision and ability to speak.


    "Look, let''s walk and talk, okay? I get that you want to know more." He said as he stood up and began to walk in the direction I had pointed prior. I turned to follow him and began to ask my questions once more.


    "Well, as for your first question, you just sort of figure out how to do them. It''s a leap of faith. Think of it like mixing potions together to get a new, stronger potion. It''s the same principle." He looked to the sky as he said this. It''s obvious that he''s never had to explain it before, so he''s going off the cuff.


    "Uh huh, what about the thing where it makes people super strong?" I looked at him with glistening eyes This is like a whole new world of information that has just been opened up to me, so I want to learn every possible thing I can about it before I start trying it out further.


    "Oh, well there was the emperor''s bodyguard about 50 years ago. He had this one style that was insane. I heard he only used it once though and it killed him, but when he was using it he was able to stop the entire army of the demon king from taking the capital."


    Immediately I deflated. Though that power is insane, the cost of your life for it is far too much.


    "Well¡­ did they resurrect him or something?"


    "Resurrect? What, you mean like a fairy tale? No. This actually happened. I''m not telling you some tall tale about a super style or something."


    "So¡­ resurrection magic doesn''t exist here¡­?"


    "If it did then a lot of problems would be solved. Honestly, how do you not know that? You must be greener around the gills than I first thought." Jaq gave me a quick glance that indicated that I was obviously asking a weird question.


    "Sorry. I just uh¡­ heard a story like that before."


    "Whatever. Um¡­ Monsters typically do not know styles, but some of the highest ranking ones, the ones that have their own sentience can sometimes have them. I''ve heard that the hell guardians have them and they''re all beyond insane, but other than that I have no idea. It''s not like I''m super knowledgeable myself. I''m only level 16 after all."


    "Well, what about how the style killed that guy and how my style made me feel a bit tired after I used it?"


    "Every style has its detriments along with its positives. Only the top tier of styles, otherwise known as heroic styles, have no detriments to them, but those are the realm of myth really. I don''t know anyone that can actually do one."


    "Well¡­ how do you activate a style? Is there any way you can actually know that they''re available to you?"


    "They''re a leap of faith. You just need to fulfill the prerequisites and take action to make them reality."


    "What if you only fulfill some of the prerequisites?"


    "Sometimes they''ll still work, but they''ll be incomplete styles which are way more dangerous. You can take a part of the power of that style, but it can cripple you or hurt you in a way you can''t even imagine. Obviously they could outright kill you, too."


    "How many prerequisites do I need to fulfill before I can activate a style, even if it''s incomplete?"


    "Uh, usually about 50%. Of course, if you fulfill the most important condition then you may be able to do it with less. While I''m on the topic, some conditions are really specific. Some say things like ''be born at night'' or ''currently be drunk.'' It''s pretty crazy how in depth these things get."


    "HEY! THERE THEY ARE!" The familiar voice of a short, blonde girl shouted out as I saw my party sitting down and relaxing while munching on some tart like treat.

 90 This Hero Makes a Plan!

    "So¡­ Styles, huh? Well, I''ll need to test it out more when I have the chance." I gave a slight smile. Perhaps this will be my gateway to punching above my weight class. I can''t imagine what this type of method would have done when I was fighting Mully, or what it could do for me in the future.


    Kany and Erana ran up to me while Tael dusted off his robe¡­ or was he knocking crumbs off of it? Actually, just how many of those tart things did he eat, anyway?


    "Kenji-san, are you alright? We heard about how you fought with hobgoblins! You''re not hurt anywhere are you?" Erana was examining my body incredibly quickly, like a parent that just saw their child fall.


    "N-No I''m fine. Listen I-"


    "Jeez Onii-san. Why is it always you that gets sent off random places? Can''t you just stick with us for once?"


    "It''s not like I meant to-"


    "Mphh! Mphh mphh mphh!" Tael interjected.


    "Swallow your food then talk."


    Tael took a cartoonishly large swallow as he metaphorically inhaled the tart treat. After he smacked his stomach to ensure it was in there, he wiped his face and gave a smug smile.


    "It''s good to see you could survive without me for once! Honestly, I was so worried for our poor little Kenji that I could do nothing but eat to reduce my stress!"


    "Weren''t you the one that suggested that we share a snack to build our camaraderie, Tael-san?"


    "Yep. That''s exactly what he did."


    "Did it not work? Now I know everybody''s names!"


    "Well so do I and I only ate one. You ate 4."


    "The number does not matter! What matters is Kenji is safe and sound! Now we can get on with the plan!"


    "Ah! Before that¡­" Erana reached into a small pocket and pulled out one of the tarts that everyone else had been eating. "I saved you one!" She smiled brightly.


    Ah... mom, dad, a pretty girl just gave me food without me paying for it and she smiled while she did it¡­ I hope you''re proud of me.


    I took the tart happily and bit into it with gusto. My mouth exploded with flavor. I could taste strawberry jelly and could feel the soft crumble as it shifted around in my mouth. I can entirely understand why Tael ate 4 of these now.


    "Why didn''t you eat more of these, Kany?"


    "Huh? You expect me to just cling to the charity of others like that?"


    "Aren''t we here because of you pipsqueak?" Tael put his hands on his hips and leaned down


    Kany went silent. In an effort to avoid the awkwardness that had just been delivered I looked towards Jaq and his group. They seemed to be discussing something just like we were.


    A woman shifted to look towards me when I said this. Her gaze pierced me like an arrow as I felt a chill up my spine. Before I could shake this eerie feeling, the woman had already approached me and placed a hand upon my shoulder.


    "I apologize for our leaders actions. It was his fault that any of this happened in the first place. I hope you will forgive him." She gave a deep bow when she said this. Her short brown hair fluttered in the wind as she moved her head.


    "N-Nah it''s fine. He actually taught me something useful¡­ I''m Kenji by the way."


    "Kenji-san, I am Yuna. I hope we can work together from now on." She gave a light, business-like smile. Her face, while mature, contained an air of childishness that I can''t ignore.


    "Come on Kenji-san, let''s talk to the others and find out a plan. I''m sure we''ll need you here." Erana began to walk towards the pseudo camp as everyone else followed. I followed closely afterwards as everyone got into a circle to discuss. Jaq''s party and mine stood in their own clique''s, but we were all focused on the ground in front of us.


    "Okay¡­ so first of all, the camp is a circle." Jaq began. He pulled out his sword and traced an oval on the ground. "I saw it when I jumped. It''s not enormous, but I''d wager a solid 1000 soldiers are stationed there."


    "1000? What type?" Ron seemed relaxed as he asked this. Numbers like these must be typical fare for someone of his experience.


    "No idea. Kenji and I fought a few hobgoblins earlier so we can assume the main force is made up of them, but I have no idea if that''s true or not."


    "Any idea where the monster we need to take down is?" Yuna was drawing little tents inside of the oval Jaq had made with her finger.


    "Though I didn''t see ''em, I would bet that they''re in the largest tent in the center. I''d also wager that the letter we need to grab is over there as well."


    "What about the rock we need so we can get out of here?" Kany interjected. Leave it to the rogue to think of an escape plan first.


    "Oh, I didn''t see it but I''m sure Ron can find it. He has locate object so we''ll be fine."


    As if on cue, Ron held his necklace as his body was encapsulated by a golden light for a moment. After the glistening had stopped, he looked at the drawing on the floor and marked an X right next to the center.


    "Huh¡­" Jaq let out.


    "Okay. What''s the plan?" I quickly asked. I''ll leave it to my senpai''s to show me how it''s done when it comes to raiding an enemy camp.


    "Well¡­ We''re probably screwed if I''ll be entirely honest." Jaq sat down on the dirt floor and cupped his head with his hand.


    "Huh?"


    "Well just, honestly Kenji-san, Jaq already said that there are at least a thousand enemies in that camp. How would we be able to raid the camp? Sure if it were 100 enemies we could do something, but it''s a thousand! That''s basically an entire army by itself! Ron sat down next to Jaq. The look on his face also told me that he had given up.


    "So¡­ We''re just gonna sit here and die?"


    "Oh, absolutely not. We''ll sneak in and teleport by touching the stone when we can." Jaq looked up at me as he said this.


    I looked at my own party. Each of them looked as uncomfortable as I was.


    "I assume that if we fail the mission we won''t get paid¡­?" Kany muttered.


    "Yep. Oh well." Jaq began looking at his nails once more.


    "O-Onii-san! Do you have any ideas?"


    I sighed. Looks like I''ll need to use my brain again.


    "Alright gang, it''s time for a point by point analysis." I said as I crouched down towards the drawing. Now that I look at it, I can see that Yuna has drawn little hobgoblins outside of the tents as well.


    "Oh, can I ask the first question this time?" Erana raised her hand and smiled widely.


    "Sure."


    "Okay¡­ What do we know so far?"


    "Oh, me me me!" Kany raised her hand giddily. Jaq and his crew were eyeing us like we were doing something odd. "We know that there are a lot of bad guys, that the biggest bad guy and our objective is at the center of the camp, and that our escape route is in the middle of the camp."


    "Don''t forget, our enemies can see in the dark and that they are at minimum all hobgoblins." I added in.


    "Right. So that means we can''t go in at night expecting to slip away." Kany finished.


    "Who wants to do question 2?" I looked around. Jaq seemed like he could no longer contain himself as he shouted to me.


    "What the hell are you doing?"


    "It''s a point by point analysis. It''s how we figure out what to do with the information we have."


    "It''s how we were able to find out about who was behind the disappearances in Mulbik. It''s also how I was able to prove that this pipsqueak was wrong about monster origins." Tael shook his head towards Kany as he declared this. Kany only responded by sticking her tongue out.


    "Okay¡­ and what''s your point?"


    "Well, we haven''t given up yet." I shrugged my shoulders and looked back down at the drawing.


    "Okay then. I''ll ask the second question: How do we get inside of the camp without being discovered by the enemy?"


    With this question, Tael stood up and cleared his throat, ready to begin.


    "We cause a distraction¡­ on the other side of the enemy camp!" He proudly declared.


    "While that''s somewhat true, what about rear guards? Enemies that don''t move just in case something like that happens?" I deflated Tael immediately. His idea is good, but dangerous if we can''t get it done correctly.


    "Perhaps we can cause the distraction during the assignment shift. There''s no way that the enemies are standing there the entire time like statues. If we hit them when they''re shifting out, we''ll be able to sneak in while they''re confused!" Erana hopped up to say this. She seemed positively giddy about being able to contribute this time.


    "Awesome." I let out. Our plan is coming together.


    "Okay. Question 3. This is the rough one so any of you can ask this. I think we all know what this question is¡­"


    At this point, all of Jaq''s party were watching us. They seem to be as enamored in our conversation as we were.


    "What if the enemy we need to take down is too powerful, or they get reinforcements before we can act?"


    "Exactly." I smiled. I''m proud of these guys. They''re now able to figure these things out without me in case I get separated from them again.


    "I don''t know¡­" Tael let out. The air around us deflated, but I didn''t give up hope. I instead looked towards Jaq''s party.


    "Hey, is there a range of area for where something can be teleported?"


    "Huh? Why does that matter?" Yuna scoffed at me, but I can tell she doesn''t understand.


    "Well, I remember when we teleported back in Ruks we were told to stand in the circle and not leave it. What would have happened if we left it?"


    "Worst case scenario you''d be split¡­ in¡­ half¡­" Jaq slowed his speech as he arrived at the same conclusion I had.


    "So then, if the enemy is too strong, we grab it and teleport with it only halfway inside the teleport area. If all goes well then we''ll slice it in half through the teleport!"

 91 This Hero Begins the Operation!

    "H-Hey hold on just a minute!" Jaq quickly fell forward from his seated position and crawled towards me, ruining the dirt map that we had used for our plan beforehand. "You seriously still plan on following through with this? How do you know it will work?" He clutched at me and stared directly into my eyes.


    "I don''t know if it will work. That''s why we need to gather more information." I pushed Jaq off of me and stood up, brushing off the dirt that had accumulated on me as I did so. "Right now, our plan is the only working method anyways. Your plan involves us giving up¡­ I just don''t like giving up until I am certain I can''t win, that''s all." I began to turn and walk towards Kany who had already began to step out of our pseudo camp before I had an idea.


    "Hey, Yuna you should come too. You''re a monk, right? You can use the ability boost skill like I can?"


    In response to my questioning, Yuna hopped up from her previously laying down position. Her face could be best described as similar to that of a fox that was ready to have some fun.


    "Perhaps I am! Why do you need my help?" She cheekily sidled up closer to Kany and myself. "Could it be that you could tell how cool I am? I swear, very few people really understand how great I am. It''s truly a sad existence." She gave an exaggerated slumping over motion, her smile not wavering in the slightest.


    "Yeah! I know exactly how you feel!" Tael rushed over to say this. His expression was that of someone that was finally understood after searching for recognition for the longest time.


    "Y-Yeah¡­ Look, I just need you to help me scout out the area. If you can use the ability boost skill then you can boost your vision to see better. I''d bet you could see better than any of us if someone of your level used that skill." I slowly backed away from the now affirmed duo. Something tells me that if they get too close to each other then there will be trouble.


    "Hmph. Fine. I''ll go along, but it''s not because I''m bored or anything but because you''d fail if you didn''t have me, got it?" Her personality took a sudden shift. For some reason, I feel like her hair used to be twintails.


    "Don''t mind her. She''s just like that." A voice that was as raspy as nails on a chalkboard said behind me. I immediately leapt in response and prepared to attack, but instead of an enemy, I was greeted by the sight of the man that was wrapped in what appeared to be belts. It was only now that I realized that he hasn''t talked this entire time.


    "U-um¡­ Hi. I''m Kenji." I let out meekly. What the hell was that? I was taken aback so much that I couldn''t even muster a proper greeting.


    "Hello Kenji-san. I am Kilin. You can just call me¡­ Kilin." He looked downwards as he said this. A lack of confidence is an understatement.


    "Well¡­ Kilin, are you going to come with us to help? Actually, come to think of it, what class are you? Also what level are all of you? I know Jaq is level 16, but what about the rest of you?"


    "Cleric. Level 15." Ron raised his hand upwards.


    "Monk! Level 15!" Yuna did some stretches as she said this, as if she were preparing to show off her skills to affirm to me that she is what she says.


    "Warrior and you already know." Jaq listlessly lied back down.


    "You probably have no idea about my class, but I am a Jacksnips, level 16." Kilin said.


    "What''s a Jacksnips?" I instinctually let out before I could even realize what I said.


    "We specialize in summoning weapons and we mix it with stealth. Our power resides in managing the residual mana in the air and manipulating it around our opponents." Kilin said in as clinical manner as he possibly could.


    "Neat. How do I get it?" My collector side had already begun taking control.


    "It''s unique to his people, kid. As much as I''d like to be able to dip into it as well, you just can''t." Jaq said with his eyes closed. It seems that he''s explained this many times before, unlike styles.


    "Dang." I couldn''t stop myself from expressing my disappointment.


    "It is alright. I am used to it." Kilin stepped towards Kany, Yuna, and myself.


    "Okay¡­ Looks like this is our information gathering group, assuming that Erana can come with us. Kany, I want you to go with the other group and lead the stealth for them... Speaking of... for the rest of you, I need you all to go around the camp as best you can and find the best place to start a distraction. I''ll leave the distraction up to you all, you just need to make sure it''s big." I clapped my hands together, indicating for us to split. "Oh, and Tael¡­"


    "What''s up?" He turned to look at me, a simple smile lashed across his face.


    "Don''t start the distraction until we''re ready." I gave a synthetic smile to help ensure that my meaning was made clear.


    "G-Got it¡­"


    "Since when do you call the shots?" Jaq stood up quickly as he said this. Ah jeez, I hope we don''t fight here.


    "Do you have any better ideas?" Erana chimed in.


    "N-No, but-"


    "Then I say we go with Kenji-san''s plan first. If his plan can''t work then we will go with your plan, Jaq-san."


    Everyone immediately agreed with Erana. The embarrassment Jaq felt could be clearly seen in his flushed red cheeks.


    "F-Fine¡­" He slumped his shoulders and began heading west with Tael, Kany, and Ron. I, meanwhile, went with Erana, Yuna, and Kilin to the east. Before we left the camp area, I turned around and shouted out.


    "Let''s plan to meet back here in 2 hours at the latest! Tael, if you need to make sure you use Mind Connection, okay?"


    Tael gave a thumbs up as a reply. While I wish he would repeat the plan back to me, I was still thankful that he answered me in any way. Knowing him, I don''t doubt that he''ll do something to mess it up, but I just have to put faith in him for now.


    "Don''t worry Kenji-san. Kany has been rather serious lately, so I doubt she''d let Tael-san mess this up." Erana patted me on the shoulder to reassure me. It seems our party healer is also good at repairing mental damage. I had better appreciate this more.


    "Thanks¡­ Anyways, I hope you guys don''t mind sitting still for a while. We''re gonna watch for when the guards change places. If we can figure out their shift then we''ll be golden. Otherwise¡­ Well¡­ I hope you guys know ways to pass the time."


    "Maybe we can play that shiritori game you brought up before?" Erana suggested.


    "Heh, maybe." I chuckled a little bit. Despite the experience with the mulaplix having been less than a week ago, it feels as if it''s been months since then. I really do need to relax. Hopefully after this is all over I can ease my troubles by soaking in the hot springs¡­


    After around 10 minutes of walking, we came to a spot that I deemed optimal for observing. The camp was within our vision and I could see what appeared to be guards that were keeping watch. Even if I couldn''t see them, I could probably tell they were there by the smell alone. I guess this is the part they don''t tell you about in the books. Camps smell like shit because people need to crap somewhere. Actually, do monsters defecate? If they eat then they need to relieve themselves somehow.


    Ah, I''m getting ahead of myself. The mission needs to come first. I sidled my way up on top of a rock that we were hiding behind and activated my skill.


    "Ability Boost: Vision!" I uttered. My vision became so clear that it almost hurt. I could see the wind move individual particles of mist. I could see the individual blades of grass that fluttered in the wind, and I could see the hobgoblins that were standing watch as if they were right in front of me.


    Following me, Yuna activated her own skill and began watching as well.


    "Okay, remember, we just need to watch for when they shift. We''ll keep track of it and from there we''ll be able to know when to act. Let''s not burn all of our energy. I''ll take the first watch."


    "Hmph. Got it." Yuna slipped down and quickly sat on the ground, arms crossed.


    Now it''s time to watch.

 92 This Hero Prepares the Assault!

    "Foo¡­" I let out. I don''t like this. It''s tedious and makes me nervous. I haven''t seen any movement this entire time, but there''s still an entire enemy camp in front of me. All it would take is me making too loud of a noise for all of us to have to run for our lives. I hate that¡­ Honestly, when will they-


    "Is everything alright, Kenji-san?" Erana tilted her head upwards to look at me. Her long dark hair rested its ends on the ground, displacing some of the frosted grass as she did so.


    "Wha-... Yeah. I''m fine. Just nervous I guess." I couldn''t move my gaze, but I could still talk. While this power is draining, it''s not like my other abilities that are only for combat.


    "Well, I was just worried. You two have been shifting back and forth for a while now and it''s even making ME restless. I understand that it''s an important duty, but I don''t want you to hurt yourself by trying to get this done." Erana subtly shifted into a stretch. Sitting still and doing nothing can be exhausting too if you''re worried about something after all.


    "I appreciate that. Really, I do. I just need to make it clear that even if I''m not doing great that it doesn''t matter right now. We''re in a dire situation and we need to find a way out. This is our only method right now." I clenched my hands around the rock that I was looking over. While I was trying my hardest to restrain myself, there were still very subtle cracks that were developing on its surface.


    "I understand. How about this¡­ Let''s talk about something so we''re not sitting in our heads. How about you tell me more about where you''re from?"


    I gripped the rock so hard my fingers crushed holes into it. This was one of the only questions I was not ready to be asked. I honestly would have preferred to have been asked about my previous sexual experience in comparison.


    "W-Why are you asking? I uh¡­ don''t like talking about it too much!" I stammered. My focus is waning from the operation.


    "Woah¡­ did she just say you''re from Japan?" Yuna opened her eyes and looked over at me immediately. Her eyes were filled with a childish innocence.


    "N-No! She uh¡­ Um¡­ Um!"


    "I''ve always wanted to meet an adventurer from Japan! They''re the rarest of the rare! Kilin over there is from a rare race of humans, but Japanese people are even more rare! Tell me, is it true your home is ''Ee art'' or is that just a lie I was told?"


    "It''s Earth. I MEAN, UH-"


    Busted. No getting out of this now.


    "Haah¡­ Fine. Yeah, I''m from Japan. What do you want to know?" I decided to accede to their requests. The best way to hide my true nature is to act like I''m already telling the truth. People will always be more accepting of a kernel of truth than a full plate of lies after all.


    "Yes! Okay¡­ Uh, first! Is it true that everyone has black hair like you there? That and slanted eyes." She pulled at her eyes to emulate my own when she asked this.


    "Pretty much. Some people have brown or blonde hair, but just about everyone there had hair as black as mine. As for the eyes, everyone had eyes like my own."


    "Woah¡­ Why are your eyes like that? The hair I understand, it helps you sneak up to people at night when it''s dark, but slanted eyes? How do those help?"


    "I don''t know. It probably has something to do with the food we grew MOVEMENT!" I interrupted my own explanation. I could see the hobgoblins swap out with others. The swap took only ten seconds. This is going to be a tight window if they maintain it like this.


    "Quick, what time is it?" I looked around our group desperately looking for answers.


    "6 P.M." Kilin quickly declared. His voice was as sharp as it was before.


    "Okay¡­ I''m going to contact the other group."


    "So are we heading back now?" Yuna began to stand up, but I held a hand out indicating her to stop.


    "We need to watch for when the next swap is. We saw this swap, but already missed out on this opportunity. If everything goes well though, they''ll swap out in another half an hour and that''s when we''ll strike. Judging by how much the hobgoblins were shivering by the end of their shifts, I''m probably right in assuming that''s the case."


    "So we need to sit around for another 30 minutes? Seriously?" Yuna flattened herself on the ground again, throwing her arms out into an X.


    "Patience is a virtue." Erana quickly announced. "My father taught me that. It was always what he told me whenever we would hunt or whenever I would want berries to grow.


    "Speaking of patience, the wait won''t be nearly as bad as it originally was. We only need to check in about 30 minutes to ensure that we''re right." I began casting the mind connection spell. The screen appeared before me like it had earlier. I quickly navigated the menu and tapped on Tael like I had before.


    \u003cHello? This is Tael thinking! Is it time to blow it up?\u003e


    \u003cWhat? N-No. This is Kenji. I just wanted to let you know that we''re probably going to start the operation in 30 minutes. Have you found a good idea for what to distract with?\u003e


    \u003cFufufu¡­ We found something even better than "good." We stole a few barrels of gunpowder from their base thanks to pipsqueak. You give the signal and you''ll hear the boom.\u003e


    \u003cAwesome. I''m looking forward to it. Here''s the plan: All of you except for one need to make their way to my group. The one that should stay behind is Kany since she can use her stealth ability to hide from the enemies while they go to investigate. Kany will meet up with us at the center tent during the confusion. The rest of you will rush in with us, okay?\u003e


    \u003cGot it. I''ll tell the others. Also tell Kirin to prepare more of those treats because I am starving.\u003e


    \u003cBut you ate 4 already.\u003e


    \u003cDid I stutter? I''m pretty sure I didn''t because I''m talking in my own mind and stuttering in your own mind makes no sense. Anyways, ending the call.\u003e


    And just like that, the snipping sensation occurred once more. I slumped down and looked towards everyone that had been watching me take the call.


    "Kilin, you wouldn''t happen to have any more of those treats you had earlier, right?"


    Kilin checked what seemed like an uncountable amount of pockets before he finally gave up. "I''m sorry, but I''m fresh out of farishes. Your friend ate most of them. If you would like more I can make you some when we''re done with this job."


    "Nah it''s fine don''t worry about it. I was just asking. Anyways, they''re gonna make an explosion. Get ready for everyone except for Kany to arrive in a bit so they can all run in with us. As for Kany, she''ll meet us in the camp."


    "Is that safe?" Erana looked at me worriedly, but I couldn''t fix anything for her here.


    "This whole plan isn''t safe. She''ll be fine, she''s a metaphorically big girl." I said as I pat Erana on the shoulder.


    "...Okay." She eased her tension after a moment, relaxing back on the ground.


    We all sat around the smokeless flame for a little bit before an idea came to my mind.


    "Status." I spoke out. The familiar green prism appeared before me once more.


    Kenji Fujima. Level 12. (1)


    Strength: 59


    Dexterity: 40


    Constitution: 40


    Mana: 100


    Magic Power: 23


    Luck: 15


    Experience: 1366


    Awesome!


    Unlike before, I could see an arrow pointing towards the right that seemed to be flashing. Unable to quell my curiosity, I swiped. I saw my usual mundane classes visual before I saw the arrow continue insisting my swiping continue, so I did.


    Before me was a new screen.


    Styles.


    Style: Attacker


    Style: Defender


    ?O?]?-?9?x?;?


    The final unnamed style was glitching out, whatever it was, it was glowing a golden color that contrasted with the uniform green layout.


    Kilin immediately stepped towards me and began gawking at my screen.


    "G-Goodness¡­ You¡­ You fulfill a major prerequisite for a heroic style¡­"

 93 This Hero Begins the Assault!

    "So¡­ Does this mean I can use a heroic style?" I quickly shifted my gaze between all of the people that had surrounded me. I was smiling in excitement, but as I saw the sight of Kilin shaking his head, I quickly lowered my expectations.


    "Understand this, Kenji-san, while you have the prerequisite fulfilled, this does not mean you can use the power. I am sure that Jaq has already explained how styles work, but to ensure that you are aware of this¡­ The stronger the style, the higher its detriments. Until you have full mastery of whatever this style would require of you, I recommend never even attempting to use it. If you do¡­" Kilin looked to the side, his eyes contorted in disgust before he quickly looked back to me, his expression returning to a neutral form. "You could die."


    Though I knew this from what Jaq had told me before, Kilin''s more serious expression of this sent a chill down my spine. Perhaps it''s just the frost in the air, but the concept of dying in the pursuit of power is chilling.


    "I-I wouldn''t be that stupid!" I quickly stood up and flipped my screen from the styles menu to the level distribution section. I have a level that I can put into something after all, I may as well use it before we go to fight.


    "Hm?" I let out. Something is odd this time, unlike the normal level tree with the individual sections to push and distribute levels, now there is a web-like link between the warrior class and monk class that is risen between them and connects to a purple colored class name. Its name was something that I knew all too much about.


    "What''s a samurai?" Erana spoke up quickly before I could think about it too much. She had been watching over my shoulder, so this freaked me out, causing me to jump up in shock.


    "Ooo! A rare class! It must be REALLY rare though since I''ve never heard of a ''samurai'' class. Quick, check its prerequisites!" Yuna stood up and dust herself off quickly before shifting herself closely again.


    Mom, dad, I''m not sure what to do. Cute girls are latching onto me. I hope that nothing weird happens. Wait, did she ask me to check the prerequisites? Oh, I should probably do that before anything uh¡­ weird transpires.


    I placed my finger upon the screen and slid it downwards. This pulled out a large amount of extra information pertaining to the class itself. It read out this:


    Samurai. Prerequisites: 5 levels in the warrior class. 1 level in the monk class. Be Japanese in race.


    "You should totally take it and see what it does! Rare classes give some pretty good stat upgrades, so it''s worth it even if the level doesn''t give you any abilities." Yuna pat me on the back as hard as she could when she said this. Despite her lean figure, her pats hurt even through my leather tunic. I shudder to imagine how much it may hurt if I don''t have anything on.


    Well¡­ I am curious as to what this class does, so I may as well take it.


    I placed my finger upon the icon for the class. My stats increased and I could feel my body shift somewhat. My status screen had changed, and so had my mind.


    Kenji Fujima. Level 13.


    Strength: 70


    Dexterity: 49


    Constitution: 47


    Mana: 100


    Magic Power: 23


    Luck: 20


    Experience: 1366


    While it''s not as if I gained a new perspective on life or anything, it feels as if I understand the weight of my actions a bit more. I can feel my connection to the sword at my hip far more than I had prior. Ways to use it fluttered across my mind. A new ability had just been unlocked for me, and I think I''ll unveil it if necessary. For now¡­ I''d like to keep it a secret.


    "Impressive. A stat boost like that from a single level¡­ I am quite envious of you." Kilin held his ashy hands on my shoulder as he looked over it to say this. His voice still grated at me, but I decided to ignore the issues it may have caused me for now.


    "Yeah, you know¡­ I didn''t expect my race to matter much. Do you think it''s-"


    I interrupted myself. I could hear a shuffling in the grass nearby. I drew my sword quickly. My speed towards drawing my sword had increased dramatically. Perhaps this is that iaijutsu thing I heard about in history books.


    "Who''s there?" Yuna held her fists towards the noise. Erana scuffled behind me while Kilin was quietly muttering to himself.


    "What''s up? It''s me, the guy!" Tael quickly stepped into our encampment without a care in the world. All the tension I had built up had just released as I saw his face. I sheathed my blade as I exhaled.


    "Tael-san¡­ I believe, is everything alright? You''re here rather early." Yuna also seemed to relieve her stress as she engaged Tael in conversation.


    "Oh for sure. I just really wanted those whatever you call them foods." He looked expectantly towards Kilin as he said this. I think he''s drooling.


    "I am out of them for now. I am sorry." Kilin bowed his head slightly when he gave his solemn declaration.


    "Wha¡­ No¡­ NO! N-" Tael had begun raising his voice, but it was quickly stifled by Jaq placing his gorilla sized paws over Tael''s mouth.


    "Would you shut the hell up? Are you trying to get us killed or something?" He quickly asked in a fit of rage. Tael let out a muffled "No" in response before Jaq slowly lowered his hand and wiped it against his jacket.


    "Well¡­ that''s one way for us to make an entrance." Ron stepped forwards as well. His sly smile was illuminated by the orange light of the fireplace. The shadows that flickered across his face made him appear even more mischievous than he would normally.


    "Is Kany alright?" Erana quickly interjected herself. Though she didn''t appear entirely worried, I could tell that she was putting on a strong persona to ensure that she wouldn''t crumble into a nervous wreck.


    Tael took notice of Erana''s attitude and shifted his usually aloof attitude into that of someone that may actually be serious for once.


    "She''s fine Erana. She''s in position ready to enact the plan when we''re ready." Tael gave a thumbs up as he said this. His confidence seemed to make Erana relax.


    "Well¡­ in the meantime¡­ who wants to play shiritori? I''ll teach you all how to play since we have about 10 minutes before the plan starts." I chimed in. I knew that a game was probably not the best idea, but it may be the best option to keep everyone from becoming restless while we waited for battle.


    Time passed as the sun went down even further. The sky glowed a rich amber in the last throes of the day¡­


    I raised my head over the rock and activated my skill as I had before. My vision pinpointed on the shivering hobgoblins that were standing watch. This was almost an exact redo of the previous events from thirty minutes ago.


    "Tael, contact Kany and tell her to start on my signal, alright?"


    "Got it." The subtle noise of Tael casting the mind connection spell began.


    Okay¡­


    A new set of hobgoblins appeared, they seemed to be ready to replace the previous ones.


    "Now!" I nudged Tael.


    For a moment there was silence. I could hear the wind blow across the frosted field before me.


    Then¡­


    Boom.


    An explosion, so large that the shockwave made my insides rumble, occurred on the other side of the camp. I could see the flames that it had caused to rise up into the air, crackling with their raw power.


    "Kany''s fine! She''ll meet us on the inside of the camp!" Tael declared.


    I drew my sword and deactivated my skill. It''s time to get to work. This is our only chance to complete this assignment and I''m not about to let it slip through our grasp today.

 94 This Hero Starts to Fight!

    As we charged forward the hobgoblins that we had been watching, four in total, which had been switching out their positions, turned to look towards us. Surprise fluttered across their faces, though I couldn''t tell the exact expressions of this species, this emotion was obvious.


    "KID, THE CLOSE ONE ON THE LEFT, I HAVE THE RIGHT! WIZARD, YOU TAKE FAR LEFT AND KILIN TAKES FAR RIGHT!" Jaq shouted out as he charged towards the hobgoblins that were frantically reaching for their weapons. Jaq began to emit a red glow as he ran forwards.


    "Style: Attacker!" I activated my newfound power. My body optimized itself like it had before as I ran towards my opponent. I could hear Tael channeling his mana to attack his opponent while I heard nothing come from Kilin. I have no time to worry about them though. The only thing that exists is this obstacle in my path and I intend to clear it.


    We arrived at the camp''s edge. It has been 4 seconds since the explosion occurred.


    The beast before me fumbled with its weapon, slipping its hand across its grip in a futile attempt to retaliate. Before it could move itself it was already too late. My blade, as if pulled by an invisible string, flew through the neck of my opponent as I continued to run forwards. I could see in the corner of my vision the other two hobgoblins also falling. Jaq had killed his just like I had killed mine while an ethereal blade disappeared from the head of the monster farthest away. In front of me, a rather sharp piece of ice had hit its mark in the forehead of the enemy in front of me. I gave a quick glance backwards only to see Tael with an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face pointing his white wand towards where my opponent had been previously.


    I dropped the style and continued to run forwards. The camp center should be within 30 meters of here, so we don''t have much time to spare. It has been 6 seconds since the explosion occurred and we have entered the camp.


    To our left and right we saw hobgoblins with their attention focused towards the explosion. They were too busy gawking at the smoke that was billowing to pay attention to us. As a result of their incompetence, we were able to slip further in.


    As we neared the center of the camp, we saw two new creatures. They both resembled the lizard men that worked at the bank back at Ruks, but their muscles were far more toned and their skin was notably darker. They wore thick parka''s which covered the majority of their bodies. Even so, they were capable of moving freely.


    I activated my style once more. Time is of the essence and we can''t afford to waste time fighting grunts. From what I could see, Jaq did the same as he continued running forward with me.


    I grit my teeth as I prepared myself for the clash that would come. I can''t explain why I feel this, but I get the sensation that these creatures are far more adept at combat than hobgoblins. I need to be prepared for their attacks. It has been 9 seconds since the explosion occurred.


    As I charged forward to strike, the creature I had chosen bared its claws as it swiped at me. It was only due to the fact that the creature was trying to dodge my own attack that I was able to dodge its strike. It quickly leapt backwards with a dexterity that surpassed my own.


    Jaq seemed to have the same amount of trouble with his beast as I was with mine. His lizard creature also dodged backwards to avoid his swipe, deftly landing on its feet as if gravity barely had an effect on it.


    Okay¡­ I can''t afford to waste time here, and we need to conserve our resources for the fight with the boss monster so¡­


    I charged forwards, sword high in the air. The lizard creature saw what I was about to do and prepared itself to block my blow.


    My blade clashed with its claws, causing sparks to fly. While the creature stared at me with its cold calculating eyes, I smirked. This went precisely as planned.


    "Firebolt!" I quickly declared as a thin red streak of flame spewed out of my sword towards the head of the monster. It only narrowly dodged, but it was in this time that I was able to counter by kicking down at its right leg, breaking the bone with a sickening snap.


    The creature crumbled slightly. In this moment of hesitation I raised my blade and stabbed into its skull, killing it. Jaq took the fact that I had ended my fight to mean that it was his turn as he charged his opponent. Not wanting to leave Jaq hanging, I rushed towards his enemy as well and assisted him in his battle. Our mixture of blows was too much for the monster as it crumbled before our combined might. Blood slowly seeped into the frost tipped grass beneath us.


    I dropped my style and gave a quick glance to Jaq who nodded to me in response. We didn''t need to share words. We simply ran towards our objective once more. It has been 12 seconds since the explosion occurred.


    We ran past grey tents, weapon racks, torches that were planted firmly in the ground, enemies that were still gawking at the explosion that had transpired seconds earlier. We met no more resistance as we sprinted towards the center.


    Once 15 seconds had transpired since the explosion had occurred, we had arrived at a large tent. Unlike the other tents nearby, this one was green. The entrance was guarded by two hobgoblins that were wearing exquisite armor compared to their grunt counterparts. Their weapons were not swords made of iron, but spears made of steel. If I had to name them, I would call them elites.


    They spotted us and readied their weapons, pointing the tips towards the most immediate threats, Jaq and myself.


    I crouched down low, ready to pounce at them. From what I remember reading about, spears are incredibly good for keeping distance, but if you can get close then the user won''t be able to use them efficiently. Thanks to that armor, I need to ensure that my first strike is decisive.


    As I prepared to pounce, I saw a blur of blonde flash behind the hobgoblins in front of us as they crumbled to the ground. After a moment, a petite blonde girl with childlike features gave us a smirk that seemed to say "I win!"


    It has been 18 seconds since the explosion occurred. We have regrouped with Kany.


    "Did you see what''s inside the tent?" I quickly shifted towards the entrance, sword at the ready. We don''t have time to dawdle with pleasantries.


    "No. I didn''t see any enemies guarding the place other than these two either." Kany crouched near me while she said this. She could tell the situation by the energy we were giving off.


    "That''s good though, right? It means we won''t have to worry about any opposition!" Ron chimed in, his optimism shining through.


    "Not exactly. Less guards could mean whatever''s inside doesn''t NEED guards, so we need to be ready." I explained as I placed my hand upon the entrance of the tent. Everyone got into position as I began to count down.


    "3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ GO!" I declared as I pulled open the entrance and ran inside along with everyone else.


    The interior was exquisite. The floor was not covered in grass but what appeared to be expensively woven rugs. In the center of the tent surrounded by wooden pillars that propped up the roof was a table with a map and an open letter sitting on top of it, a candle burning brightly beside it. The interior is large, big enough to fit over 30 people comfortably.


    Standing on the opposite side of the table from us was a creature that was covered in plate armor except for the faceplate. Where one would expect a face, instead there was only a skull with remnants of rotting flesh upon it. Though it had no eyes, the sockets glowed with small red flames.


    "A death knight¡­" Jaq exclaimed. His frustration was palpable as he glowed again with red energy and prepared himself. "Prepare yourselves, this is going to be one tough customer." He declared.


    "We can beat it, right?" Tael quickly took a step backwards as he pointed his wand towards the abomination.


    Jaq took a second to assess the situation, examining his environment and his opponent with the gaze of a seasoned adventurer before he exhaled and grinned.


    "Hell yeah we can."

 95 This Hero Versus The Death Knight!

    "With all of us¡­" Jaq began, holding his blade at the ready for the monster to strike at any time. "We can take it down."


    "Just how strong is this thing?" I began, clutching at my blade as I ensured that I was a comfortable distance from the death knight. I could feel its gaze loom over me and then pass to the next member of our group. "Does it have a weakness? Do we have a strategy?"


    "Yeah¡­ I think I have one." Jaq readied himself, crouching low to the ground. "These suckers are weak to holy magic which Ron the cleric over there is chock-full of. If we can manage to pin it down, Ron will be able to blast the sucker with something fierce and it''ll be killed if not heavily weakened."


    I turned my head towards Tael and Erana quickly.


    "Erana, I need you to do whatever you can to restrict its movement, the same goes for you Tael. Understand?" I quickly conferred to them. They nodded their heads in understanding so I turned to Kany. "I need you to help limit its ability to dodge. While it''s busy with us, you''re going to be the distraction, understand? Also, while you''re at it, grab the letter on the table. We can''t afford to let it get destroyed in the crossfire."


    "Got it." Kany began to shimmer away as she clutched her blade, shifting away from my vision as she did so.


    The death knight seems to have taken this as a sign to begin. It placed one hand under the table and flipped it at us sending the papers and the candle that was on top of it tumbling towards us.


    Jaq rushed towards the death knight while I followed. The table was sliced in half by the shimmering blade that the monster unsheathed. Jaq only narrowly dodged it and I was too far away from it to hit me, so its blade sliced through the rug floor instead.


    Our group dispersed quickly, spreading throughout the tent as quickly as we could. Jaq and I stood close to each other in order to ensure that we could take on the abomination together. Our bodies glowed in tandem as we both had the same style active. The monster stared us down. Though it was an undead beast, I could tell that it was thinking.


    Jaq and I exchanged a quick glance before we charged forwards. In retaliation, the death knight took a step forward and began to swing down.


    Though the monster was not disabled by this attack, it was still limited for a moment. In this mere moment that we were afforded, we began to strike.


    "Shifting Sands!" Tael shouted out. The ground beneath the monster began to change from rug to a whirlwind of sand that spun in a draining like fashion towards the center. The death knight began to sink into the sands as it struggled to catch some footing.


    Kany appeared beside me, clutching the letter in her hand whilst smirking. After I gave her a quick smile, she placed it inside of her shirt for safe keeping.


    "Entangle!" I heard Erana cast. Roots began to wrap themselves around the joints of the death knight, limiting its movement even more. It struggled with the roots that clung onto it, ripping some apart through sheer strength before a few swords that were made of ethereal light flew into the joints of the undead''s body as its resistance waned even more. I could see Kilin striking a strange pose while this happened.


    Yuna charged up towards the knight. "Ability Boost: Strength!" I heard her shout as she leapt like a lion towards the now restrained enemy. She kicked the helm of our opponent so hard that it spun around and covered its face, effectively blinding it.


    To place the finishing touches, Jaq and I also leapt towards the monster as we both stabbed our swords into the neck of the creature, limiting its ability to writhe around.


    "RON!" Jaq shouted out.


    "In the name of the one¡­" He began to glow with a soft golden light. Particles began glistening as they flowed around him like spores off of a mushroom. "I beseech you to channel your presence through me. Destroy Undead!"


    The death knight began to glow with a holy light. It writhed and screamed with all of its might. My ears began to ring from how powerful its desperate howl was. The tent began to shake as the pillars fell. The roof began to fall as they were no longer supported. Jaq and I took this as our opportunity to run, so we pulled our blades out and jumped towards the exit. Everyone else had already begun running outside which caused us to join up with them.


    The roof of the tent had fallen. Enemies were running towards where the explosion had occurred. They weren''t looking at us at all.


    "Okay, now that that''s taken care of, we need to get to the stone and get the hell out of here!" Jaq declared to our group. We gave a resounding "Okay!" As we began to run towards where we believed the stone to be. Jaq led us in the pursuit of our escape as I followed.


    As we crossed over what had been the roof of the tent, after only a moment, a shape that was 4 meters tall stabbed through the fabric, piercing its monstrous sword through Jaq''s sword arm. Jaq screamed in pain as his sword fell to the floor. His style released as the red aura dissipated into nothingness.


    "Ah¡­ AAAAAAHHHH!" Jaq screamed. The blood from his arm began to drop onto the floor. The once-thought-to-be-dead death knight reached its free hand to its helmet and spun it around as it ripped its way out of the fabric of the tent that covered it.


    What was revealed made me want to vomit. Melted flesh and steam poured out of the helm of the monster. It quickly pulled its blade out of Jaq''s arm as it turned its attention to me.


    Though this creature has no facial expressions due to the lack of face other than bone, I could tell that it was smiling due to the elation of it causing suffering upon others.


    "K-Kid! It''s weakened! Take it down!" Jaq shouted to me as he picked up his sword with his other hand. "I''m useless now, so I need you to take it down while I get to the stone! Kilin, with me!" He stood as he continued his run towards our escape. Kilin quickly joined him, ready to protect his party member.


    I don''t know why, but I feel a certain confidence towards facing this creature now. A certain serenity that I couldn''t explain. Perhaps I knocked a screw loose or something.


    Our combined party stood before this absolute abomination. It roared as it raised its blade, but just as Jaq had said, it was definitely weakened. It moved slowly compared to before as I was able to dodge its attack.


    As its blade landed on the ground, I jumped up on its arm and ran my sword into its head. Despite taking an attack that would have been lethal to any normal creature, this strike merely seemed to damage it as it stumbled a bit. I pulled my sword out and jumped to the ground as it backed away.


    "RON!" I began. Why is it always me at the end of the day? "I NEED YOU TO HIT IT AGAIN!"


    "GOT IT!" He shouted back as he began his prayer once more. Seeing the light come from Ron, the monster began to sprint towards him in an attempt to stop his casting.


    Yuna joined up with me. I dropped my style so that I could use my skill for a different power.


    "Ability Boost: Strength!" We both shouted. Our muscles bulged with power as we charged towards the raging monster. We were able to almost stop its run as we pushed towards it. The undead didn''t seem to pay us any mind as we did this. It was only focused on stopping the holy caster from using their power against it.


    "Entangle!" Erana shouted again. Roots began to surround the death knights body once more as it struggled to move.


    Kany stood at the ready, prepared to strike at any parts that needed to be hit in order to prevent it from moving. Tael was holding his wand and had it readied at the center of mass of the beast.


    "Destroy Undead!" Ron shouted out. The death knight was once more covered with golden holy light as it disintegrated, armor and all, into dust.


    "We don''t have time to celebrate, quickly, to the stone!" I shouted as I began to sprint towards where Jaq and Kilin were before I heard a shout I wasn''t prepared to hear.


    "Son of a bitch! Those assholes didn''t tell us that it needed to be charged!" He yelled out while clutching a marked stone.


    "Charged? What does that mean?" I reunited back with him. Enemies had begun to look at us as the battle had finished.


    "It means we need to pour mana into it!" Ron chimed in. A morose expression plastered itself across his usually happy face.


    "H-How long will it take to charge?" Kany quickly shuffled forwards. She was shaking a small amount. No doubt the fear of the situation had finally reached her.


    "About 15 seconds if we have enough mana¡­" Jaq looked towards the stone as he said this. Anger made his head red like a tomato.


    "Erana, Tael, you two need to-" I began, but a flash of white light that crackled like lightning and sounded like thunder struck the ground behind us. In the remnants, a single figure, cloaked in black and wearing a pristine mask looked towards us.

 96 This Hero Battles A Hell Guardian!

    We stood in silence. The being that had appeared radiated a presence that made one''s mouth dry. It was an aura of pure despair that permeated the air around us, like a cloud of poisonous gas. This feeling, which made all the hairs on my body stand on end, appeared to be shared among our enemies as well as all of them had stopped in place. They stared in awe at this being that had just appeared upon a white flash of light.


    This creature, humanoid in shape and appearance, draped in a black cloak and wearing a pristinely carved mask that was colored purple simply stood up, cracked their neck, and looked around for a moment as the wind slowly blew. None dared interrupt them.


    After a few moments, the creature began to speak. Their voice, muffled and shifted by their mask, sounded genderless and without an accent.


    "Hmm¡­ Odd. I recall a tent being here." They muttered. Though normally someone speaking this quietly would be drowned out, the silence made their voice travel far. They turned their head and began to speak loudly, as if announcing themselves to the area.


    "I heard¡­" They began, looking around the area lazily, taking comically large steps as they did so, as if to enforce their authority. "There was an explosion... From what I could tell¡­" They walked towards one of the hobgoblins. The beast trembled as the humanoid figure that was cloaked in black moved towards it while continuing its leisurely pace. "Someone misplaced some gunpowder." It cupped the head of the hobgoblin gently with their thumb and index finger, holding its chin as if it was grasping onto a lover. "Would any of you know anything about that?" The figure asked, looking around the area before releasing the hobgoblin. Eventually one creatures, a lizard being like the ones we had fought before, pointed one of its clawed hands towards us.


    The being that was draped in black looked towards us and shrugged their shoulders after looking at us for a moment. "That would explain it." They casually uttered.


    "So tell me¡­" The being crouched low to the ground, looking at the roof of what had once been the tent. "Where is the death knight I had assigned here? A creature that large would certainly be hard to lose track of¡­" They slowly felt at the fabric under their feet, caressing it softly. "Perhaps¡­" The being looked up towards us. Though I could not see its eyes, I felt its leer as my heart began to beat harder. "You killed it? Well, the cleric there probably did." They stood up, walking towards us slowly, one step at a time.


    A light gust of wind blew the dust that was once the death knight across the ground. The being in black looked upon the fragments that had once been the monster with a carefree glance.


    "Do you have any idea how difficult it will be to replace a death knight? Do you have any idea how much this will cost me? I am already on thin ice as it is! Not just the death knight mind you, but the gunpowder as well! How¡­ HOW DARE YOU?" Their voice echoed. The ground shook at the anger that was displayed as those near me trembled in fear. I believe that the only reason I haven''t started to shake is because I have faced death on more than one occasion already.


    Though I could already tell who, or more precisely WHAT, this being is, I still had to ask just to be sure.


    "What¡­ is this thing?" I whispered. I could hear Jaq''s teeth chatter as he slowly answered me.


    "That''s¡­ A Hell Guardian¡­ One of the Demon Kings chosen¡­ O-Oh G-G-God¡­" I stole a glance towards him. His face has gone pale, a stark contrast to the red that it was earlier.


    "Do I have¡­ even a semblance of a chance against them?" I looked back towards the being. It was walking towards us very slowly, as if declaring how in control of the situation they were.


    "No." Kilin answered. I could tell that he knew what my plan was, but did not have the power to tell me to stop.


    I took a deep breath and prepared myself.


    "Erana, Tael, Ron, 15 seconds. Get it done. Everyone else... keep them safe." I quietly declared as I stepped forward. The black cloaked figure stopped its approach as I did so.


    "Ability Boost: Defense! Warrior''s Might!" I began, my body amplified itself, ready to receive any blow. It was time to unveil my new ability from the samurai class."Chudan-no-kamae! Style: Defender!" My body began to glow with a blue luster. I could feel the movements of the air around me as they shifted even the smallest hair on my body. Every part of me was optimized for defense. I gripped my broadsword as hard as I could. This is my only lifeline.


    Slowly, I began to walk to the right, away from the party. In response, the black cloaked figure tilted their head slightly and began to walk right as well which caused us to start walking in a circle around each other. We stood at least 20 meters away from each other, but their presence was so overpowering that it felt as if they were breathing down my neck.


    We stood still, looking at one another as we both examined our foe. The only way I can succeed here and get everyone out is if everything goes according to plan.


    Before I could think, before I could blink, before I even realized it, the figure appeared before me. They clashed a black saber that appeared as if it had been cut out of the night itself, against my broadsword. Their strength and speed was otherworldly. I was pushed back 5 meters from the clash, my muscles strained against the unbelievable force that had just hit me. I quickly realized that my opponent wasn''t even using both of their hands when they did this.


    The figure leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear.


    "Fighting an opponent as weak as you¡­" They shrugged their shoulders, scraping their blade against mine causing sparks to fly outwards. "Has no meaning." They finished, scoffing as they did so.


    Before I could respond or react to anything, my feet were kicked out from under me and the figure slashed their sword downward towards me. I could only just barely block the strike, but the force that was delivered launched me backwards a clear 30 meters.


    I struggled to breath. It was only panic that caused me to rise to my feet as quickly as I could. It was here that I was met face to face with a hobgoblin. Their blade had already begun swinging downwards towards me.


    In the next moment, the cloaked figure appeared as the hobgoblin collapsed. The head of my attacker fell softly to the floor as its body dissipated into smoke.


    "Lousy beast interrupting me¡­" They dusted their hand off on their cloak as they spoke. "I''m sorry for that. I did not intend for us to be interrupted."


    I slowly backed away as I took as many gulps of air as I could. I positioned myself as best as possible in my situation, stepping to the left a bit.


    "What, are you not going to thank me¡­? That''s quite rude. Here I went through the trouble of saving you from a death like that. From how you''re acting it''s quite obvious you intend to die heroically to save your friends. It wouldn''t be exactly heroic if you were to die to some beast after all this, don''t you agree?" The figure toyed with their blade, inspecting it as they spoke.


    It''s because of this.


    I consider myself a pretty good judge of character. Perhaps it''s because I''m an introverted person, but I always pay attention to the minor details that people do. It''s in these minor details that who a person really is becomes revealed. It was in my time working at Biar''s shop that I was able to sharpen these skills. I spent seven long months paying close attention to the behavior of those around me.


    It''s because of this preparation that I can tell¡­


    You don''t care. To you, this is a game. You don''t value the weight of your decisions, or care about how dangerous something can be. You''re simply angry and are taking it out on the closest thing you can, like a sociopath with an animal. It''s through this behavior that I can exploit you. You won''t kill me until you''ve had your fun. People like you have always existed. It''s people like me that have learned how to use your own incompetence against you.


    I raised my sword and prepared myself. I ensured I was in the perfect position before I grit my teeth and began to run towards the cloaked figure. I started to swing my sword downwards when it happened.


    I felt a searing hot pain permeate my abdomen. My sword was blocked casually by the hand of my opponent, as if all of my strength didn''t even matter. I looked down as I saw their black saber piercing through my body.


    I coughed as I looked up. I can barely breath as I could feel my entire body shake. In a desperate attempt, I placed my left hand against the hand which was holding the blade that was piercing into my body. I could feel my style stop as I tried my hardest to muster my strength.


    "Shh¡­" The masked figure began. "It''s alright. It''s alright! I forgive you." They released my hand that held my sword as I lowered it onto their shoulder. They gently caressed my head as they whispered to me.


    I felt a rising sensation of acidity in my throat as I could not contain myself. I vomited blood onto the black cloak of this creature. The taste of iron filling my mouth as I did so.


    "A-Augh! H-How¡­ How dare you! Do you have any idea how much it''s going to cost to get this cleaned?" In a rage, they quickly pulled their blade out of me as they kicked me backwards with the force of a cannonball, launching me away.


    I collided into the party. Jaq''s massive muscular body caught me as I arrived. This went exactly as planned.


    "Oh shit¡­" The masked being said as they looked towards me, realizing what I had been doing.


    "NOW!" I managed to shout. As if time had slowed down, I saw the masked creature moving towards us as fast as it could before it was blocked by a white light that encompassed the party and transported us away.

 97 This Hero Recovers!

    "W-We''re back!" Yuna jumped up and shouted. "We''re alive! I can''t believe it!" She began giggling. She was positively giddy.


    "Haha! Amazing job kid! I can''t believe you¡­" Jaq trailed off. The life had returned to his face as he spoke, but when he looked at me his face shifted back to the pale visage that it once was.


    I was lying on the ground, clutching at my abdomen. The Hell Guardian''s blade had pierced straight through me and left through the other end. With every beat of my heart I felt an unbearable wave of pain surge throughout my body as my blood slowly seeped out. I can''t even think straight anymore.


    "A-Augh¡­" I let out. I tried to say something, anything, but I''m too weak. It''s as if I used all of my strength to shout only a moment ago and now I am simply a mass of flesh. I can no longer stop myself from coughing. I tried to look down at my wound, but even doing so much as tilting my shoulders proved astoundingly painful.


    Jaq looked around the room quickly, searching for anything that would help me. Eventually, Jaq''s eyes landed on Ron. "A-Ah, okay! Ron, get on it!" He shouted. Ron scrambled in response and gave a quick "Okay!" As he began to raise his holy symbol and chant a prayer.


    The familiar golden light began to encompass Ron, just as it had before. I could feel the sensation of something soft and warm being wrapped around me before it suddenly shattered into pieces as Ron''s spell ended. My pain continued.


    Yuna ran towards Ron, panic was visible in her eyes. "Ron, what the hell? Help him!" She shouted, shaking Ron heavily as she did so.


    "I-I-I cast the spell! He should be fine!" He quickly retorted. The atmosphere of the room grew tense as I continued to bleed onto the stone floor.


    "Cast it again!" Tael shouted out. His eyes darted between myself and Ron.


    Ron began to shake once more as he stared at his holy symbol with confusion. "I can''t! I used the last of my mana on that spell! We poured everything we had into the teleport! The spell should have worked the first time!" He shouted.


    Erana ran up to me, clutched her tree branch, and pointed it towards me.


    "Cure Wounds!" She shouted. I was bathed in a dark green light as her spell encompassed me. Just as I had felt before, there was a soft and warm sensation as my body was covered by the magic before it shattered like glass. The pain, and my bleeding, still remained.


    As she finished giving orders, everyone in the room except for Jaq, Kilin, Erana, and myself left.


    I coughed out more blood. Tears began to leak out of my eyes as I struggled to breathe. I sputtered in pain and anguish as every time I coughed I moved and every time I moved I felt another wave of unbearable pain. "A-Ah¡­" I was able to let out. I must look pathetic right now.


    I could feel myself growing colder as I felt a warm pool begin to form beneath me. My breathing is getting shallow and my vision is getting hazy. It was quiet now, but I heard a shout from nearby. "D-Damn! Why isn''t it stopping?" The voice yelled out. I¡­ can''t tell who that is anymore¡­


    My body is so cold. Everything aches. I''m so tired. The last time I died it was instant. Is this what it''s truly like? I can feel the beat of my heart as it''s gradually slowing down.


    In the corner of my hazy vision, I saw her. Her light brown skin and dark hair. Her dark eyes that were gentle yet mature. She quickly stepped towards me and stopped as she got close to my head. She got onto her knees in a pool of my blood and held my blood soaked hand with both of hers as she spoke to me. "Kenji¡­ Look at me. Look at me, please. Don''t look at them, look at me." She quietly begged, like a mother reading a bedtime story to their child. "It''s going to be okay¡­" She tightened her grip onto me. I could feel her warmth as it transferred to my hand. "You''re okay. You''re okay. You''re okay." She repeated. Her voice was barely a whisper.


    She continued to repeat this line, as if praying to a god that isn''t listening, begging them to help me or to change reality to make her words true. I could barely hear her speak now as I continued to cough out more blood. The taste of iron permeated my mouth.


    She held onto me so tightly, as if trying her hardest to ensure that I wouldn''t be able to go anywhere. It''s becoming hard to focus my vision at all and I can barely hear her anymore, but I know that I''m looking into her eyes. I can feel myself fading away.


    I took as deep of a breath as I could and tried to speak. "E-Erana I¡­" I began, before I could continue, Erana shut her eyes and looked downwards.


    "Don''t talk!" Her sudden scream reverberated throughout the room, even causing Kilin and Jaq to tremble slightly. Though her bedside manner has been kind and motherly, it was in this scream that her true feelings were laid bare.


    She''s terrified.


    I was too exhausted to notice before, but her hands are trembling as she clutches onto mine. "...Please¡­" She whimpered. It was only now that I could tell just how scared she truly is. "Please¡­ Kenji¡­" She opened her tear filled eyes and looked at me.


    I don''t understand this feeling. It''s as if I know what is going to happen, but I want it to stop. I can''t prevent what is happening from actually happening. All I can do now is look into her eyes as I fade away.


    It''s a good thing I was already crying.


    In the last vestiges of my hearing, I could hear shouts and a muted "Not me, HIM!" from someone off in a far away place.


    "Greater Break Curse!" A scruffy voice yelled out. Something surrounding my body flew out of me and shattered like glass. "Heal!" Another voice yelled. The pain in my abdomen faded away as I felt a gentle caress across my body. This sensation, along with Erana''s hands gripping onto mine, were the last things I felt before my vision faded to black.


    ¡­


    I feet awful. It is almost as bad as the day I woke up in Mulbik. I have a splitting headache and my gut hurts. I feel lethargic. Underneath me I can feel what seems to be a soft padding of sorts. I think I''m on a bed. Actually, I think a blanket is covering me...


    I opened my eyes slowly as my vision was filled with white light and the interior of what appears to be a medical room. To my right and left there were white curtains that were drawn. In front of me I could only see what appeared to be an empty bed that sat on stone.


    "A... Hospital?" I muttered to myself. I leaned up in my bed before I felt a shocking pain in my abdomen once more. "A-Agh¡­ Right¡­"


    A scuffling in the room began as I heard the pitter patter of small feet rush towards me. I made for my weapon, but it was nowhere to be found. Before I could begin to use any of my combat abilities, a figure pushed aside the white curtain to my right and stepped towards me.


    It''s a dwarf. Though their eyes are completely covered by thick glasses and what I assume is their beard is covered in a clear material, their size and stoutness gave away what they truly are.


    "Ah! Kenji-san, you''re awake!" They looked up towards me. Their voice was squeaky, like a dog toy. Their face was absolutely beaming with positivity. "Quite a nasty situation you were in! It''s good to see you''re alright! I''m Bita by the way." He nodded his head up and down quickly as he spoke.


    "W-Where am I? Where is everyone? Are they okay? How long was I-"


    "Okay okay okay." He held out his hands to stop me, pouting as he did so. He checked a clipboard he brought out from behind himself, adjusting his glasses as he did so. "I was warned about this by your wizard friend¡­" He put the clipboard away as he looked towards me once more. "Here''s the long and short of it. Basically, you''re in a private medical wing. Your friends are safe and sound. They''re actually all asleep outside. They passed out while waiting on a bench for you. As for the other party, the muscle guy was healed up and they said they were heading to their place."


    "What time is it? How long was I out?" I began to sit up in my bed, clutching where I had been stabbed earlier.


    The dwarf pulled out a small rock. It began to glow as he inspected it before he put it back away into his pocket. "It''s currently 8 in the morning. You were out all night."


    "What happened?" I held my head softly. Moving too quickly causes my head to spin, so I had to be careful.


    "Well, it seems you were stabbed by a cursed blade. From what I was told, people were screaming bloody murder down the halls looking for someone capable of fixing you! You''re really lucky that General Maduso was here or else you would be toast!"


    "Uh¡­ you''re probably not the right guy for this, but what about our payment?" I slowly looked around the room, checking to see if there were some sack containing money somewhere.


    "It has been delivered to your rooms!" He was positively beaming as he said this. "You even got a little bit extra because¡­" He pulled his clipboard out once more and began to read off of it. "You went above and beyond the call of duty in fighting a Hell Guardian¡­ Wait, what?" He dropped the clipboard onto the ground, making an audible banging noise as he did so. "YOU fought a Hell Guardian? Seriously?"


    "Fought is a¡­ strong word. It was more like stalled." I shrugged my shoulders as I began to laugh.

 98 This Hero Is Safe!

    "Bita-san." I slowly placed my feet on the floor, feeling the cold stone underneath me. "I''m not trying to leave the place just yet. I can tell that I''m a wreck right now." Slowly, I placed my body weight upon my legs. I could feel my muscles wobbling, but thanks to my superhuman strength, I''m still strong enough to lift myself. "I just need to tell my friends I''m alright. Knowing them, they''ll probably stay there until I''m fully recovered if I don''t say something to them. Hell, Kany is liable to break in just to make sure I''m actually here."


    Bita backed away and looked around quickly, as if he was searching for a way to stop me. "W-W-Well Kenji-san you''re still in barely a position to move around, much less walk!" He ran behind a curtain to my right which blocked my vision. I could tell that he was still scurrying around as I could hear the pitter patter of his feet continue.


    After more effort than I would have expected, I finally managed to stand up. I examined my clothing which seems to have been changed while I was sleeping.


    "A¡­ Hospital gown? Seriously? Does this mean that they know about germs and the like here?" I softly laughed. I suppose after as traumatic an experience as the one I just went through something so benign would be funny to me after all.


    I took a step. I nearly fell over simply doing that much. It really is true that I''m in no condition to be going anywhere.


    "Hey, where are my normal clothes? Also where''s my sword?" I took more wobbly steps, eventually arriving at the white curtain. I grabbed onto it and pulled it aside, revealing more empty beds and Bita standing at a desk as he held a glowing stone up to his face.


    Bita put the stone away quickly when his gaze matched mine. "Bed!" He pointed behind me insistently.


    "Well¡­" I smirked. My legs wobbled beneath me as I tried my hardest to be smug. "I''m a sleep walker so you need to relax a bit."


    Bita became positively irate at this. He ran towards me and stood as close as he could to my feet while placing his hands on his hips.


    "I won''t let you leave." He shook his head violently, his hair swinging around while he did so. "Bed." He pointed. "Now."


    "Come on! I''m fine! Ability Boost: Regeneration!" I began to feel my body shift slightly before it immediately stopped. "Uh¡­"


    "Out of juice?" Bita was tapping at his hip while he questioned me. "Now, go to BED!"


    The dwarf that stood behind me looked towards me for a moment, looked at Bita behind me as he raised an eyebrow, and walked towards us. "If you can bicker with him then he''s nowhere near as incapable as you acted like he was." He declared in a gruff tone.


    I stood upright as the dwarf approached me. He is rather tall for a dwarf now that I think about it. Most of them have been around a meter tall, but this one is well over a meter and a half in height. Actually, is this a dwarf or a human?


    "So... you''re Kenji-dono." He looked me up and down as he spoke, assessing me. "I''ve been told quite a bit about you, but I''m a man that wants to hear it from the horse''s mouth." He stopped speaking here, leaving the room in an awkward silence as I looked at him.


    "I-I''m sorry but, what are you talking about?" I let out. I''m so confused.


    "Well, as I was told by your muscular friend¡­" He turned his head to the side and whispered to himself. "Jon? Jack? No, no it was Jaq." He turned his head back to me. "Jaq-dono, you''re a ''hero'' that fought with a hell guardian. Is this true?" He stared directly into my eyes as he asked me this, as if he was daring me to lie.


    "Well I don''t know about HERO¡­" I scratched the back of my head. Being called a hero, heh, that''s awesome. "...But yeah. I fought someone that Jaq claimed was a Hell Guardian." I returned to my normal composure. "I didn''t ask them what they were since... you know... fight to the death and all, but they were pretty damn strong."


    "Hm¡­" The dwarf stroked his beard as he stared at the ground. "I see. Then that explains the contents of the letter¡­" He murmured.


    "Oh! What was in the letter?" I stumbled as I stepped forward. I completely forgot how tired I was when I heard him bring up the letter.


    "Hmph. That''s confidential." He scoffed at me.


    I thought for a moment before I had an idea.


    "Well then I''ll just ask my friend that stole it! She read it so she can tell me!" I looked away. I can''t let them see my face because they''ll know that I''m obviously lying.


    The dwarf took a sharp breath. I can tell that I got him. He took a moment before he bared his teeth in a rage.


    "Fine!" He shouted. "Bita, you can''t be in here when I tell him. Get out!" He roared as he pointed towards the doorway.


    "Y-Yes sir!" Bita squeaked. He ran out of the room with a speed that was unbecoming of his small stature.


    "This stays between you, me, and your friend that doesn''t know how to keep their eyes to themselves. Got it?" He stepped up to me, as if trying to intimidate me with his presence. Unfortunately for him, he''s nowhere near as horrifying as the Hell Guardian was.


    "Yep." I said casually. The dwarf eyed me with disdain for a moment before he sighed and eased himself.


    "The letter just said ''Tuesday at 8 P.M. we attack. He is here.'' That''s all." He recited. His face had a mean scowl upon it as he spoke.


    I raised my eyebrows. "Uh-oh."


    "Yes. If what you said is true and a Hell Guardian is here then this must mean that they plan to attack with their help¡­" He walked away and paced around the room, stroking his magnificent beard as he did so. It seemed he was at a loss for what to say.


    "Well¡­ Are we screwed?" I couldn''t help it anymore. I''m tired of beating around the bush.


    "No. The walls of this city have stood since before the age of men. They''re layered with theoretical ores and adamantite. Even if it''s a hell guardian, there''s no way they''ll be able to break through." He stopped pacing around and looked directly at me. His eyes were fierce with determination.


    "I should tell my friends¡­" I began. I started to take wobbly step after wobbly step towards the exit of the room. "What''s your name by the way?" I stopped myself to ask.


    "Hey, what did I say about it being confidential?" He walked towards me. He caught me as I arrived at the doorway of the room.


    "Relax. It was a joke. Maybe it''s the blood loss but I feel pretty aloof right now, so just let me say I''m alive to my friends then I''ll go back to bed like a good boy, okay no name?" I shook my arm around in an attempt to prevent him from grabbing me.


    The dwarf scowled once more before he sighed. "Fine, but ONLY that. I''m Biru Meduso by the way." He made a shooing motion at me as he finished.


    I stepped through the doorway. My vision shifted from the pristine white hospital to that of a flattened stone hallway.


    I looked to my right and left. In the distance I saw Tael and Kany as they gently snored on a stone bench. I could see that they were leaning on each other for support.


    Before I could approach them, a girl with light brown skin, long black hair, and casual clothes that I had never seen before stepped out of a side room as she was inspecting her hands. Once she finished examining her herself, she looked right and then left where her gaze stopped upon me. Her dark eyes, which seemed darkened and bloodshot by a lack of sleep, widened in surprise before she quickly walked towards me.


    "H-Hey Era- OOF!" I began, but I was interrupted as she hugged me tightly, pressing her face into my chest as she did so. I looked at her as she took quick, deep breaths before finally taking a long exhale while she closed her eyes. She held me close for a moment like this. It felt as if she just released all of her stress at once when she did this. She then grabbed my shoulders and pushed me away as she kept me at arms length, looking me in the eyes. I''m not exactly sure what to do in this situation.


    "Never, and I mean... NEVER. Do something that stupid ever again. Okay dummy? Promise it to me." Her piercing gaze made me shake a bit.


    "I-I promise." I meekly muttered. She released me and grinned from ear to ear. Her face gave the impression that she was finally able to be happy again.


    "Good!"