Chapter 5

The vibrations and rumbling of the train began. It picked up speed and the rumbling became more violent, but no one batted an eye. Instead, they read their newspaper, or looked on at the scene in the middle of the car.

Beads of sweat ran down Kazu’s cheeks as the man with bright violet hair leered down on him. His hollow eyes penetrated through Kazu’s skin causing a shiver in Kazu’s spine. He wondered if this was the situation Akira was in, the one who was ousted from society because of his appearance. His heart dropped at the sign of understanding of what Akira felt. It was an unpleasant feeling, but now, how can he get himself out of this situation, he asked himself.

The man unsheathed his sword half way then says, “Boy, don’t make me say this again.”

“Boss, it’s better to just do it by force. Look at this kid, he looks so weak. He even has a sword on his back!” The lackey from the right grabs Kazu’s sleeve. He felt the threads of his uniform be pulled apart and it left a ripping sound.

Kazu shook his arm off the lackey; his sleeve ripped off and his lips twist to a frown. It was the letter first, the first memory that this world took from him. Now, it was his uniform—the last memory he held of that place, that school.

“I said just leave me alone!!” Kazu shouted.

The noise from the crowd rose, yet it wasn’t enough to fill the train’s noise. The violet haired man sheathed his sword back, then placed a hand on Kazu’s head. His hand turned into a fist, lifting Kazu up by his hair. Kazu’s face turn into a twist as the man punches him in his guts.

Damage 25

70/95 hp.

Suddenly, the crowd parted like the red sea. An officer with wings on her back came through the crowd. Her uniform failed to hide her slender body causing some of the men in the crowd to course their eyes from her feet to her face. Her golden hair, tied up into a ponytail, shone in the dim tunnels that the train went through. The slender V shape of her jawline gave her a soft beauty unmatched by the other women in the cart.

She tilts her head as she looked on to the man holding Kazu. Her frowned lips twisted to a smile, but her eyes were cold as ice.

“There will be no fighting in the train folks.” Her voice carried an irritation.

“Huuuh?” The violet haired man let go of Kazu, causing him to fall on his seat in a coughing fit. “What’re you going to do about it?”

“Boss, look at her back.” The lackey from his right chuckled.

“Ohh?” His arrogant smirk came back. “What’s this? A clipper!”

The wings on her back shivered. Her eyes twitched, then the smile on the officer’s face broke and her cold eyes turned into a cold rage.

“Hey Fid, tell me what’s a clipper going to do?” He mocks.

“Hahaha, clippers can’t do nothing.” His right lackey points at the officer.

“So you’re saying, they can’t do anything about this?!” The man shouted.

In the brief moment, Kazu sensed the same chill permeating down his spine. Suddenly, the violet haired man lifted his fist, striking at Kazu.

Kazu had his eyes closed, but he felt no impact. He peeked through his eyelids to see what happened and saw the officer gripping the man’s wrist. The man’s hollow eyes widened and his lips twisted into a knot.

He shook his hands off the officer’s grip.

“Damn…” The man stumbled back. His eyes stared intently at the officer’s eyes with no sign of moving.

“Sir, we at Worm Express don’t allow violence in our trains.” Her eyes melted into a look of apathy and her smile formed back. “If you feel the need to file a complaint because of our service, do so at the North gate in the customer service desk.”

“Why don’t I rape you right now as compensation for the bad service?” The man hissed.

“Sir, that won’t be possible because you are weak.” Her professional smile mocked the man as the tables have turned; now she was the one looking down at him.

“Boss, I think we should just leave it for now.” The lackey on his right muttered while the others nodded in agreement.

“Shut up!” The man shoved them away, drawing his sword.

Suddenly, the end of the cart’s doors opened from both ends of the cart. Officers in blue uniform surrounded the center of the scene.

“Sir, we thank you for your patronage in using our services. But please sheath your sword” Her smile turned to a smirk. The surrounding crowd’s noise rose again as they whispered to each other why the man was causing such a scene.

“Tch.” With a metallic sound, the man sheathed his sword. “Remember this. Watch your back when you’re off your shift, clipper.” He spat. The man walked on to the door connecting the carts and opened it. His lackeys followed him to move to a different cart.

Kazu sat there, still bewildered at such an experience. He never would’ve thought he would be subjected to such violence so early on. It was, after all, a different world. There he thought violence was an everyday occurrence, and it was bound to happen soon enough.

“Kid.” The officer flicked her finger at Kazu’s forehead. “Are you alright?”

Her head tilted and near Kazu’s face made him blush a bright red. Her big eyes glowed a dim gold and the wings on her back flapped like a dog wagging its tail. The apathy from her eyes were gone, a curious gaze replaced it. She was like a child finding something weird along the mountain paths and then taking it home, examining it to see what it was.

“Y-y-yes.” Kazu hiding his face. “Thank you officer.”

“No problem.” She patted his head. “Just doing my job, young one.” She bowed to Kazu before walking away.

Why is it when she bows, no one looks at her weirdly?

The rumbling of the train slowed down and the vibrations lost their excitement. Upon entering the station, light shined through the window.

“East gate folks! The train will be stopped here for 5 minutes.” The officer yelled with her sweet voice.

Kazu got up before the train went into a complete stop. The doors of the train open and the crowd pushes him in. He weaved through the crowds with precision like he was used to it. He saw the officer, outside the train, observing the crowd with a stern stare.

“Ms.Officer!” Kazu called out. “Thank you again.” This time, he bowed to thank her.

“Don’t mention it hahaha!” She put her hand on Kazu’s head, caressing it enough to mess up his hair. “But why are you bowing?”

“I am thanking you.” Kazu said.

“Oh? Is that what your bow means?” Her curiosity piqued. “Bowing is usually only for service workers like me when we say goodbye to customers.”

“Eh?” Kazu muttered in surprise. It was similar to Japan but its more of a sign of respect.

“You probably come from a different place.” She slapped him in the back. “It’s fine. It’s fine~”

“Alright then.” He looked up at her and smiled. “I’ll take my leave.”

“Good bye Sir customer! May we meet again.” She bowed, then saluted.

***

Upon exiting the station, lush trees filled his view. Children of different heights, hair colour, gender played together. However, everyone either had a shade of purple, red or blonde as their hair and eye colour. No one had black hair. It answered the question lingering on Kazu’s mind about why he was discriminated on and why Brett asked him about the weird hair colour—black.

He walked along the path leading to the wall that reached for the skies. The wall was taller than the south side, almost twice as tall. Kazu reached the gates and a few guards came up to him.

“Halt.” The guard held his palm at Kazu. “What’s your reason for leaving through the south gate?”

Kazu’s lips parted, but no sound came out as if choking on his words. Thinking of an idea, he showed the note he took from the adventurer’s guild. “I came to do a slime subjugation quest. Let me through please.”

The guard looked at the note to see. He held it, rubbing his finger to feel the thickness and examined the insignia on the bottom of the sheet of paper. The guard then hands the paper back to Kazu.

The guard then steps sideways and moves back. “Alright, you may go. Good luck kid.”

Kazu crossed through the gate into the meadows. From a far, he could see the ocean of trees surrounding the meadows. Just on the border of those trees, jelly looking things crawled around.

Alright. Let’s see... Kazu stared at the nearest slime. “Identify.”

Lv. 1 Slime

Update, Observe level up!

Update: Scan learned, a sub skill of observe.

If I remember correctly, scan in FF games identify the details of a monster. Kazu scratched his head. I hope this does the same thing.

“Scan!”

>

StatusNamePink Slime Lv. 1TypeWaterHP40MP20Attack Rating0-1AttackWater ThrowDescription: These pests eat the vegetation nonstop. They drops hardened slime on death.

Ha! It works. Kazu took a few steps closing in on one. He lifted the sword Brett gave him. It was a thin sword, like a straight katana—no, it was more like the Chinese jian sword. Kazu bent the sword sideways and sure enough, it bent, but it didn’t damage it.

Kazu swung the sword around and it was perfect. The weight of it was perfect for a beginner. He looked at the pink slime wobbling like it didn’t even notice Kazu. Its wobbling gave Kazu goosebumps because of the foreign sight. It was more disgusting than what the games on earth made them out to be.

If this is real, would I really die if I reach 0 hp? Kazu’s heart sank at the thought. No, no, no. If I don’t do this. I won’t survive.

Kazu swung downwards at the slime in front of him. The impact made a ‘blorp’ sound and his sword went straight in the slime. The slime continued on its happy wobbling like nothing happened.

“Aree?” Kazu’s became dumbstruck.

He lifted his sword up again, forcing its way out of the slime’s gelatin body. Kazu, once again, struck down at the slime. Yet again, the slime just swallowed the sword.

“What the hell?!” Kazu repeated the movements of striking numerous times to no effect.

Ding! Learned Sword Mastery (passive)

Ding! Learned Sword Proficiency (passive)

Sword Mastery (passive) Lv. 1 (0%)

Description: Increases damage by 1% when using a sword.

Sword Proficiency (passive) Lv. 1 (0%)

Description: Increases fluidity of movements when using a sword.

Ugh! Kazu scratched his head. This isn’t what I wanted!

For a whole half an hour, Kazu whacked the slime to no success. The slime would form again when his strike cut it in half. Sometimes, it wobbled harder as if to mock Kazu.

Alright, one last time. Kazu held his sword up against the slime. If this fails, I’m totally giving up.

He struck through the slime, but this time, he heard a clang when the sword took impact on the slime.

[[ 5 damage > Pink Slime ]]

The slime wriggled around and high pitched noises cried in pain. Kazu noticed the shiny marble inside the slime. He had just grazed it when he struck that last swing.

Damn, I’m really stupid. He facepalmed.

Kazu struck his sword at the marble inside the slime. It took a direct hit with Brett’s sword causing a cracking sound.

[[ 25 damage. Critical Hit! > Pink Slime ]]

The slime gave a higher pitch noise. A hexagram appears on its body, it was preparing to attack.

Suddenly, it shoots out a water ball. It was like a snowball except it was water.

[[ 0 damage > Kazu ]]

It’s really throwing water?! Kazu laughing, struck the marble with efficient force. This time, the marble fell apart. Soon, the high pitch noise coming from the slime disappeared.

[[ Gain 10 xp. ]]

[[ 70 xp till level up ]]

Kazu panted. The adrenaline rush of killing something flowed through his veins. His eyes dilated, flickering through the memories of the dying slime. He clenched his hands on the sword.

I’m alive!!!

His eyes shined, reflecting the intense light of the sun. Once again in his life, he was able to do something on his own, he thought. After being diagnosed with the cancer, it was the end of his physical activities.

He set his eyes on another slime. His eyes locked on a slime just a few meters away.

He ran to it, forgetting about his lung cancer at the peak of his adrenaline. Dragging along him, his sword laid low. He struck upwards right at the marble, the slime’s heart.

[[ 35 Damage, Critical hit!! > Pink Slime ]]

The hexagram appeared on the slime. Without waiting for it to activate, Kazu stabbed through the slime’s heart.

[[ 15 Damage, Overkill > Pink Slime ]]

[[ Gain 10 xp. ]]

[[ 60 xp till level up ]]

The slime melted. Kazu’s heart beated at an increase rate, but the adrenaline finally ended its course. His mind, calmed down and saw the hardened slime where the slime dissipated. It was in the shape of a shard. He picked it up. It was soft.

Item: Hardened Slime

Description: Used for alchemy. It has a disgusting taste.

He went back to the previous slime he killed and saw the hardened slime still there, glistening as the sun spread its light right down on it.

[[ 2/10 Hardened slimes ]]

Kazu pounced at another slime just in the middle of hte meadow. Another slime fell—melted—at Kazu’s hands.

[[ Gain 10 xp. ]]

[[ 50 xp till level up ]]

Kazu noticed 2 slimes wobbling their way across to him. While they were wobbling, they emanated a high pitch noise—most likely their war chant.

They have a war chant? Kazu chuckled.

Their aura turned white and a hexagram appears. 2 water balls shot through the air aimed at Kazu’s head. They weren’t fast; it was like a water balloon flying at him. The water balls splashed on impact with his head. Some got on his eye, causing him to scratch his eyes.

[[ 1 damage > Kazu 94/95hp ]]

Kazu laughed. This is the first time I’ve had such fun in a long while. Kazu readies his sword, preparing to pounce at the 2 slimes who struck him. The 2 slimes already readied their hexagrams and shot out another 2 water balls.

Kazu dodged them, then whacked the sword twice at the heart of the nearer slime.

[[15 damage > Pink Slime]

[[ 25 damage, Critical Hit!! > Pink Slime ]]

[[ 3/10 Hardened slimes ]]

The first slime melted, leaving behind a shard. Next was the slime beside it. Kazu bursted into laughter when he saw what the slime was trying to do. It was running away; or in this case, it was wobbling away.

It wasn’t as fast as a walk, so Kazu caught up to it in no time. He whacked the slime twice, and it fell like the last one.

[[ 4/10 Hardened slimes ]]

[[ 40 xp till level up ]]

Suddenly, after his laughing fit ended, six slimes surrounded him. How convenient he thought. Except, there was a blue slime amongst the 5 pink slimes. Its heart was bigger than the pink ones, it could mean only one thing.

“Scan”

>

StatusNameBlue Slime Lv. 2TypeWaterHP55MP25Attack Rating1-2AttackWater ThrowDescription: These pests eat the vegetation nonstop. They drops hardened slime on death.

Kazu sighed in relief. The 1-2 attack rating still didn’t pose a threat to his 95 hp. The blue slime began to glow, and a hexagram appears inside of it. Once it released, it threw a water ball at a higher velocity than the pink slimes.

[[ 1 damage > Kazu 93/95hp ]]

Kazu decided to take out the one that does damage first. He swung, in this case whacked, his sword downwards at the blue slime. The slime was knocked back, from the unrefined force of Kazu’s strike. However, the heart didn’t crack.

[[ 10 damage > Blue Slime ]]

It let out a scream, a screech more like. All the pink slimes glowed and their hexagrams aimed at Kazu. The blue slime also glowed, stronger than the pink slimes. Kazu struck down again at the blue slime.

[[ 14 damage > Blue Slime ]]

The blue slime ignored the pain and released its hexagram in a screech. 6 water balls came flying at Kazu, all aimed at different parts of the body.

[[ 1 damage > Kazu 92/95hp]]

He was now completely soaked from feet to his head, yet he smiled and continued his onslaught on the slimes.

[[ 31 Damage, Critical Hit > Blue Slime ]]

The blue slime screeched, melting away. All the pink slimes trembled and their wobbling weakened. Kazu’s eyes closed half way, somewhat feeling sorry for the slimes needing to die. He sighed and killed the slimes one by one. At the 4th slime he killed, Kazu leveled up.

Level up! Check stats window for more information.

Kazu ignores the message for now, and heads for the 2 remaining slime.

[[ 40 damage, Critical hit!! > Pink Slime ]]

[[ 40 damage, Critical hit!! > Pink Slime ]]

Their hearts bursted as they were crushed with intense force of the sword. Kazu widens his eye, astonished at how much difference in power level 1 to level 2 was.

This skill… His breathing slowed. It’s real. My lungs, they’re also fine after so much swinging. On his blank face staring at the sword with the shards on the ground, tears formed around the corner of his eyes. He bent legs, landing his knees on the grassy ground to pick up the shards. As he picked up the last shard, he sobbed.

The amount of burden the epiphany lifted up from his shoulder gave him too much relief, so he cried. He put the shards in his pocket and left the field.

***

Kazu climbed back up the hill towards the East Gates. The guard on the gate narrowed his eyes at black haired child entering the city.

“Is there a problem?” Kazu asked.

“No…” The guard muttered in a low voice. “You may pass.”

Not even looking at the guard, he continued his stroll. On the way to the train station, he saw a billboard just by the plaza. It was made sturdy and made of stone but the inner part of the board was wood. The top of the build board presented a chiseled “Adventurer’s Guild Quest Posting.”

“Identify.”

Listing: Quests.

Slime subjugation

Rabbit capture

Deer hunt

Fisherman’s Bodyguard.

Goblin Subjugation

.

.

.

For higher rank quest. Go to main hub at South Gate.

Kazu took the Goblin subjugation, crumpling it up into his pocket left pocket making sure it wasn’t with the hardened slimes.

Goblin Subjugation:

Task: Kill 15 Goblins, 0/15 Goblin ears

Location: Woods, East Gate.

Difficulty: D

Present to a clerk in the Adventurer’s Guild with receipt and items after completion of quest.

At the corner of Kazu’s eyes, he spotted the violent violet man with his lackeys searching for something in the plaza. Sneaking along the crowds of the plaza, Kazu weaved through to get out. Once again, the giant East Gate filled his view and the same guard stared at him, not leaving his eyes off him as he walked by.

Kazu paid him no attention, content on just finishing the task. He walked along the meadows, seeing the many slimes around the fields. Just to his north through the trunks of the trees, he spots a pond.

If there is water, there is life. Kazu sighed. Goblins must be nearby that pond.

Trekking across the trees with large roots protruding out of the ground, Kazu saw a small cave. He hid in a bush near a giant tree when he heard a rustling of leaves. 8 green looking animals strolled in just in front of the cave.

“Scan.” Kazu whispered.

StatusNameGoblin Lv. 2TypeHumanoidHP60MP10Attack Rating15-21AttackWeapon Dependant, Bite, Kick, PunchDescription: Green humanoids that look like gremlins. They are considered as a pest because they ransack livestock and farms near where they live.

Kazu drops a sweat when he read the attack rating. 4-5 hits from any goblin could be his last. Kazu crouches down, activating his sneak skill. His body becomes translucent and now, any creatures with low intelligence wouldn’t be able to see him.

With patience, he waits for a goblin to get separated. Soon enough, the 8 goblins shouted at each other, bashing each other with their hammers made of rocks. The fight settled down, and most of the goblins left leaving only 2 behind. The 2 goblins started dozing off, one even started sleeping.

I guess this is the best I’m getting. Kazu threads his steps lightly, placing each step to not make a sound. A ding sounds sounds from his left ear, but the popup dialogue didn’t pop up in stealth mode.

He got close enough to the goblin to be able to smell its foul breath. In an instant, he put his left hand on its mouth while the sword crept through its throat.

[[ Instant kill > Goblin ]]

Skill learned: Assassinate Lv. 1 (Active)

Description: Can only be used in Stealth mode.

Kazu slowly put the body of the dead goblin on the ground to not make any sound while the goblin beside slept. After putting the body down, he took a step to the side and now, he was in front of the other goblin.

[[ Gained 36 xp ]]

He hovered his sword right on the center of the goblin’s sleeping forehead. Letting only the weight of the sword and his hand itself slide through its forehead. Its eyelids parted, revealing the distorted green pupils. However, it didn’t scream. Instead, the life of its eyes lost its shimmer as the blade ran its course through its head.

[[ Gained 36 xp ]]

Kazu’s eyes wide open, ran towards the pond. Bile vomit coursed through his throat out into the pond. This is something I have to get used to he thought while tightening the grip on his sword.

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Gaaah! RRL was down earlier... I couldn't get this out.

Consistent 4k+ words after this chapter yay. I don't like short chapters.