Chapter 1: My name is Kail.

“[Yawn]~~~~~hmm… urgh… headache~”

“Senpai, the document here need to be finish within ** this duration. Vice-chief wanted to see it within *** with full details for manga ****. Where should I put it?”

“! What?! More document? Urgh… just put it right there… I’ll check it out soon. Does manga **** doing okay with the references that I give week ago?”

“They say it is fine, but perhaps another sample will make it much better.”

“Tell them, ‘I have none other than that.’”

“Alright, senpai… you should really work a bit faster this time, or you are not going to finish them in time.”

“-Sigh-...”

As I thought, working at XXX Manga Company, in the Editing department seriously not good for me that work slowly on things. By the way, my name is Tanaka Daiki. My only sibling is an older sister a single mother, with only one son as my nephew, my sister is a year older than me and I am as a single bachelor at age 23. Parent? No, I don’t have any since I was in 3rd grade.

Experience love 2-3 times? But not really successful because I like to take it slows and easy at almost everything since I am a man who plans first. Seriously, can’t understand maiden heart nowadays. They like things fast, frequent and complicated. After 3rd time, failing in relationship, I didn’t get into relationship anymore even though my face can be count as good looking. My kouhai and friends says ‘You are idiot’ because they are jealous to see that my exes is pretty. Really… single is better for me, but for some guy out there, they might be cursing me a lot.

Put those things aside, I need to finish my work within this week or I got no holiday at all this weekend. I need to watch Magic Ranger Rider with my little nephew. Why? Because I especially loves kid and heroes, of course! Adding to that is the reason why I a graduate from Art and Design University working as chief-assistant in editing department at not so big manga company. There are many manga about Heroes~ and I love reading them [for free]. That is why I didn’t work else where than this small company.

Other than capable in art and design, I can be considers as a talented person with wide information, especially when one of the author or the manga artist rushing in needs of material for their work. I can show them the sample, info or anything that they need within my hand reach, just like most of the document next to me is requesting for sample for their project.

Somehow, I can draw well, the background, the character, make various story but can never seem to finish my work, so I gave up upon being a mangaka. I do write novel in my free times, rather than novel… it is more to a detailed plan of story, conclusion is I failed yet again…

My senpai once advice me, if only I work things faster, I can help the company getting bigger and being head-chief is possible. I don’t have any intention to be one though and my wages right now is enough for me to live as a single bachelor and sometimes when I get bonus, even I can bring my sister and her family to a vacation.

Living an honest ordinary life, nothing to be proud or sad at. My happy times are weekend with my nephew watching heroes’ series. Everything went well~

Or so, I thought.

……….

……

…

I didn’t notice when or what happen. But I seem to be sitting at unfamiliar place. Which seems similar to a dark corner of the street? Look like a Slum of the manga that a mangaka recently ask for the slum sample? The sky is mysteriously red and orange. Rather than that, next to me are two really dirty brats. One is a boy with blond hair with light blue eyes around age 10-11? Another is silver haired girl with red ruby eyes around age 5-6 lying on the boy’s lap.

Suddenly a sharp pain stung inside my brain and I let out huge growl.

“Urgh…grrr…”

“b-brother?…”

Picture… no, its memories… Stop it, stop it. It keeps flooding inside my brain. Who? What? Urgh, stop it!

“Brother Kail?l!!”

“!... Reno? Eline?”

I glance toward the two brats, the boy called out for a name which seems to be mine.

“Are you alright? Eline is sick, so don’t get sick on me too… I can’t hold anymore than this…”

“It’s alright, I just got small headache just now. Probably from the previous beating by the shopkeeper.”

“Ah~ Haha, that one is your fault for running so slow.”

“yeah~ yeah”

“Cough. Cough. Reno-nii… Kail-nii… w-water…”

“Eline?! Ah wait, I’ll get it from the well, Brother Kail, please take care of Eline for me.”

“Sure. Go ahead. I’ll guard her.”

Just like that, the little boy went to fill water into his small goat’s skin water pouch while Eline sleep on my lap. It was something that previous ‘Kail’ makes. I need to review the memories… Although I am calm, I still confused at what happen to me. Without knowing why or how it happened, I only know what is going on around.

I was incarnated into a human-being name Kail in a world total different than the ‘Earth’ that I know of.

My name is Kail, has no surname, age 18 at current, and was thrown to the slum at the age 4 or 5 by a man? Survive by stealing and hunting beast at the nearby forest for through out my life. I am the eldest out of the entire children in the slum. About that, I need to say few things.

There were once around 7 of us the children of the slums. 3 dead as they got killed by the adult’s drunkard lingering at the slums, tremendous hunger and common sickness “cold”. One adopted by aristocrat family for his outstanding ability in magic. Left us three, previous ‘me’ muscle-brain Kail, Not so strong Reno and sick Eline.

Another important thing to be mention, there is magic around here!!! Whee~ banzai for parallel world. My self is an element of earth which pretty common around here. Reno is water but since his magic power or energy is too low, though it is possible to gather water from around using magic, he still unable to make his own water.

Eline here is still unknown element. But I’m sure her is something special. Our element is based on our eyes or sometimes hair. My eyes in another sense are weird. Actually my hair too, I got black hair and black eyes, so I thought perhaps my element is darkness but it wasn’t.

Here norm hair is brown, blond and surprisingly, black is not that rare~ frequently in the manga about the parallel world or something about reincarnation, black is bad omen or really unusual to see. But my own self is considered as special, because I have an element.

People of the black hair really have no ability to do magic for they have no element. They themselves is super strong at brute force making those careless at learning magic an easy target even if they are High Wizard, they can be killed by those Element less brat.

Magic here is surprisingly easy. Incantation is needed for far/wide-range but for something within your range-view needed only your imagination and of course, magic power. If, your magic power is low; your magic won’t reach your expectation. But there is one case if one were to force it; you will die as the magic vessel explodes inside your body.

There also something called as skill, nothing special. Divided into category offensive, defensive, blessing, passive and active, it is something that written inside magic book for the name of the type of magic you create. Magic book is something rich people can afford by spends little gold. It is useless in my point of views since imagination is basic for me a Manga Assistant! Banzai for the previous life knowledge!!

“…il… Brother KAIL!”

“Huh!? Ah… Reno?”

When I was thinking about important things, Reno shouts out my name and waves his hand front of my face.

“Hey, how could you space out? Eline here in needed of help you know?”

Then I look down to my lap and saw Eline keep coughing. (My bad…)

“Ah… sorry, sorry, I was thinking of something.”

“hm? What is it? Better be important or you will be the one on duty to take water for Eline starting tomorrow.”

Want to threat the great me? fufufu, you are still young Reno~

“Eh~~? Don’t want to~ your element suit better to do it. Leave it at that, I plan on a leave soon.”

“EH??? Br—Brother! Please, Ah no, I was joking when I say you will be the---”

Ah, I need to stop the teasing now is what I thought then I cut him before he even finish his word.

“Baka. I’m not planning on leaving you two alone here. I plan on taking you two with me but that going to take some time. I need to prepare few things before the journey.”

“E—eh? Where to?”

“About that I’ll think about it, for now prepare for sleep. It’s going to be night soon.”

“…Sure… (Onii-san sure is strange...)”

The little blond hair boy unwillingly does as I order. I thought I heard him muttering something but oh well.

He takes out several cardboard, the piece of paper for himself and ragged cloth for Eline. Reno gets the cardboard, Eline sleep by my lap while I am sleep-sitting. This is how we sleep for several years in the slum. Make me remember back in times when we (the old Kail) first met, Eline was so small in her brother’s arm, Reno at age 5-6 with cold eyes refusing anyone that get close to him. He even kick furiously at me when I hug him to protect him from the gangster that trying to hurt him and Eline that a baby that time.

From then on, he especially closes with me. He has good feature for his face as so as Eline. Only their face confirming that they are indeed siblings but their personalities is polar opposite.

Enough about that, the plan to leave the Slum need to be revised. First thing first, here is a town named as Greenwell ruled by a certain aristocrat. Greenwell is just a small town in the Grecirea Kingdom. Near to Greenwell forest divided by river is huge dark forest which only merchant with guard and adventurer dares to enter and Dark Forest which means full of beast and monster that not a normal person can lives there. The other kingdom that surround the dark forest is separated with few extreme climate region govern by a being called Demon King or Demon Emperor.

There also those that govern the sky and undersea. But that’s not somewhere that a human can call living. The other kingdom is no different with here, so living in a kingdom govern by human is not going to make my life any better. Adding to that, we can’t afford to survey any other town. So, Dark Forest is our only possible destination to live an honest life.

There are few reasons for why I want to leave this place. I’m truthfully tired of stealing. Eat something that you steal even if it was something you got from using your own effort, still leave bad aftertaste to your soul. But! That is just an excuse to Kail previous self even though the fact is true.

The real reason is I am a world traveler! To know about the exciting thing of the parallel world, is a pleasure to any world traveler. Then, Dark Forest as my destination has it own reason too. I like to fight. Though it not obvious in the previous world, I was quite delinquent back in school days but wasn’t known to other because of trick. I do kind of well but not excellent in academic and sport. Never had absent record, but after school, I fight lot and lot thugs over my age.

I lose count to the win and lost, ah… but worry not, I have no enemy. The entire thugs settle in as I say ‘I wish to have a one-on-one duel. If either I or you lose, this is an honest fight, I have no complains.’ Though they are muscle brain, they are not idiotic enough to gang up on me. Plus, they all know I fight not for fame or power, I fight for interest. I also never mention to other that I win over thug, because I respect their way of fighting. So, they kind of respect me too.

However, there is one time when I almost die, chased by Yakuza group. They even search for me at my house, because I end up beat their member. Although… They did not search me to beat me up; they search me to make me join them… I seriously don’t want to!

They gave up after 3 month chase after me; perhaps I wasn’t that of use after all… But the fact that I beat someone from their top strongest members is what caught their interest. Still, even with that, no one knows that I am strong. When going to school, I was late than usual, but I got off with saying I was staying at my cousin place because my sister is out to study at another country for a year. I was late because I use a hidden route [sewer] then wash my self at public toilet; wear school uniform then goes to school.

Any way, I am proven to be strong and I like to fight which is why I choose Dark Forest. The honest living is just an excuse! That’s it. End of ‘my’ story.

Destination is grasped, now the preparation. I need to buy few things but first, I need money. In the past, when I (old Kail) was a kid the uncle in the inn once explains to me the money [while punishing] and its value. So if I compared it to Japan yen value…

Money here to be compared with the previous world value is, a black coin is equal to 100 yen, a copper coin equal to 1000 yen, a quartos which is small silver coin is 2500 yen, normal size silver coin is 10,000 yen, a gold coin is 100,000 yen, there is one special coin called light coin which is white gold coin, 1 000,000 yen.

Those coins are commonly use in this world and there are some special type of money such as; Cleretic Gem, red colored glows crystal, value is 10,000,000. Rianteric Gem, rainbow colored glows crystal, value as 100,000,000. Those crystal used only by the king or those rule a kingdom want to trade for something worth it values like refusing the war.

Now, about how to obtain the money…

As a slum child, it is not possible to work normally as we were seen as trash of the publics, which doesn’t really affect me in anyways.

I have planned it out, first, I hunt few beasts at the small forest near to the Dark forest, which previous Kail frequently does in the morning when Eline doesn’t get cold or fever. Then I should disassemble the part like horn and skin to be sold to the trader. I am quite confident about this; considering it is because of Kail previous self is muscle-brain that this body is skilled at hunting and dismantling, but he was stupidly giving it for free to the trader nearby as ‘he’ see no need for it. But now I can sell it for money.

Then sure, I will keep doing this for few days could have bought few live necessity, Eline medicines, our weapon and armor. Sure enough, but at the same times I need to increase my knowledge which mean I need books. I’m sure there is a book about the Dark Forest environment, plant, beast and monster that I can learn about. I am confident at my magic [imagination] and my brute strength to protect the two brats, but I cannot do anything toward something I don’t know about. Such as poison, unusual monster or anything unknown to me.

If I recalled it nicely, common books here cost around 5 to 10++ copper coins. Expensive, right? But I’ll do enough with the hunt, low quality antelope horn can be sell around 2 to 3 quartos and the animal skin can be sell around 7 copper coin according to the size. If I hunt something like rabbit or furry animal, I can make accessory of their fur. Then at least I can sell them around 3-5 black coins each.

Previous ‘me’ always do it for Eline and another two girls that is now dead. So I kind of skilled at crafting. Hmm, surprisingly, I kind of those common main character in the manga that skilled at fighting, hunting, crafting, magic and blah blah blah but without cheat… Or can this be considered as cheat? … anything is fine, I just like to play heroes~ so this is good for me, plus the brats is kind of like my little nephew that always playing with me. I am truly grateful for this.

“..mmh… no… -sobs- no…”

Oh… Eline seems to have a bad dream…

“There~ there… it’s alright, I am here, Eline~ sweet dream now, and I will make you both happy soon.”

“mmgh… hmm… zzz…”

“haha, so cute…”

Haah… I really should help them out, I wonder if Reno would agree to it with this plan of mine. Let’s sleep for now and head out early tomorrow…

………

……

…

“Reno… Reno…”

“…? Kail-nii? What is it, I’m still tired… -yawn-~~”

“I’m going to the Clam Forest, so you should stay up guard for Eline. I’ll bring something good for you too.”

“… -glance- hmm, okay.”

As he glances toward Eline, he agrees to it. With that, I quickly carry my self made basket, rope; grip a small knife and addition with a water pouch at my rear.

This is my usual hunting set, wooden basket, rope, small knife and water pouch. So I head toward east where the gate separates the town from the Clam forest. There are few guards standing at the gate.

Like I thought they would, they look down on me like I am trash or shit. Still, I used to live in Japan where everybody lives nicely without look down at people for being born dirty [illegally] or something.

Moreover, Japanese or almost everyone in the earth even pity on those orphans. Here, there is an institution that support the orphans like church but they don’t take people from the slum. Since I do not care about being look down upon, they didn’t do anything else than gossiping and give sharp look. No physical pain, so it’s an okay for me.

And so, I arrive at the forest. The Clam forest is 1/10 of the size of Dark Forest. It isn’t big enough to get lost. But if kid or someone bad at direction, they might lose their way in this forest. The animal that can be hunt here is deer, antelope, rainbow rooster, rabbit, pigeon-like bird and fish. When there are herbivores, there also exist carnivores, which is wolf and wild big cat. Wild big cat is around the size of normal adult female lion back in my previous world. Wolf is just as big as normal wolf back in earth but they live in packs make it hard to fight them.

There are some uncommon sizes of those herbivores animal, as they are eating the grass or plant that growth with the forest spirit magical energy. Sometime their size is even on par with the elephant or giraffe back in my world, while their size does change, their power or meat does not have any magical energy and it is the same easy to hunt like normal size herbivores’.

That is enough of the details.

First thing to do around here is to set the traps. As usual, I use magic for this kind of traps. I imagine for the earth to have hole around 3 inch wide and 1m deep of course using magic [Earth Hole]. By setting this trap that usually for rabbit and rooster it doesn’t need me to waste my energy to chase them.

Next, I start cut up the tree branch and sharpen the tip with my knife. It looks like a lance at first glance. There are around 3 traps around the river and 2 at random place. With 11 wooden lances at my back, I am ready to hunt deer and antelope.

I hide in the bushes and waiting to ambush.

“fwwosh…”

“…”

After half an hour waiting, there is an adult male deer lingering in front of me while I was hiding behind the bushes. Wait… wait… its NOW! –stand up—

“--!!!--”

“Yes! My spear is burning hot baby~! I hit him right at the neck.”

Only 1 wooden lance needed woohoho…

“Snap”

Hmm? Did I just hear something snap? Oh the trap!

I ran toward the sound of the snap, it was a white rabbit fall by my trap. It is too cute and still alive that I wonder I really should kill it or give it to Eline. But as I thought, I need to kill it. Eline didn’t like rabbit or animal that much, I wonder why, but the point is, she doesn’t want it. I once give her creamy orange colored fluffy kitten, but she look at me as if wonder why I give it to her and she just let it go away.

Enough of Eline, the hunt for this morning is still not ending, until the afternoon come.

Waiting, chasing, waiting again, ‘Snap’, checking traps, hunting the birds, done. For today hunt goods, I got 1 male deer, 2 rabbit, 4 pigeon and 12 fish while waiting. I wash my self at the river because my cloth is full of blood as I butch the meat and at the same time I collect the needed thing to be sell; like fur, skin, horn, feather. With this I have finish my morning hunt for day 1st. I put the entire item for sold bundled in a dry ragged cloth [my old cloth] while the meat that has been washed is inside the basket.

By the way, I use only rope tied with two stone to catch the bird that is flying. Then I hit them with stone to make them lost conscious. I don’t have any elastic-like cloth to bind it at Y-like tree branch and use it as hunting weapon. Damn~ it has much of use. Oh, though it not important thing to mention, I look my self at the river reflection and saw my previous world self face, but bit youth and there are small beauty spot at lower side of my right eye.

As I finish washes myself, I should head to the market to check out the trader vendors. There are lots of thing needs to be sold. But first, I need to sell the meat to the inn near the market.

…