Day three of life in another world.
Yesterday, in my head, I absolutely went to town on Juliet – massaging those incredible breasts, kneading her rock-hard n**ipss, and pounding her deep until she was completely broken. Thanks to that little “venting session,” I washed away all the stress from the day and slept like a log. I woke up feeling refreshed.
On a more productive note, I hit a new level yesterday and dumped my 40 Skill Points into Fire Magic, Water Magic, and Wind Magic. I wanted Fire Magic ASAP, mostly because the thought of taking cold baths in the dead of winter sounded like hell. Kenta-kun handles Water Magic, but for trekking and camping, it’s better to have two people who can conjure a drink.
As for Wind, Ines-san is a pro, so I figured I’d grab it and ask her for some pointers. Apparently, like a true Magic Swordsman, I’m supposed to weave Wind Magic directly into my bladework. Now that is a skill I’ve gotta have. I’m sitting on my last 10 points for now. There’s no “respec” option in this world – or at least I haven’t found one – so I need to be careful with my build.
This morning, we picked up a commission at the Guild and headed back to the same plains as yesterday. By the way, I sold the meat from those Horn Rabbits, marking my very first paycheck in this world. Once we split it five ways, it wasn’t even enough to cover a night at the inn. I need to grind levels and start making real bank, fast. We started with a warm-up, hunting more Horn Rabbits.
My movements are already sharper than they were on day one, and our team coordination is actually starting to click. Plus, my Swordsmanship hit Level 3. We took a break after bagging ten of them, using the time for some field-dressing practice. We’re rotating the gutting duties among the five of us.
”So, what actually are monsters?” I asked.
”Among the Elves, it’s believed that animals transform after absorbing mana,” Mercedes explained. “Either that, or they’re simply born spontaneously in areas where mana is highly concentrated.”
So they just pop into existence and multiply? Talk about a biological mystery.
”Some religions teach that monsters are trials sent by the gods to test humanity,” she added. I wondered if that was the standard church line in this country. Dealing with religious zealots is always a pain; probably best not to bring this up once we’re back in the city.
”They’re so common I’ve never really bothered to think about it,” one of the “Twin Winds” duo chimed in.
”Yeah, why worry?” the other added. “Doesn’t matter what they are – they’re enemies that hunt humans. That’s all there is to it.”
The veterans didn’t seem to care one way or the other. I guess that’s the common-sense view here. Once we finished our break, we headed into the nearby woods.
”Alright everyone! This afternoon, we’re taking down some Goblins!” Mercedes announced.
Back in my old world, Goblins were just “trash mobs,” though a certain subset of people really loved them. Here, though? They are universally loathed. And for good reason – they kidnap women and turn them into living incubators.
To prevent an outbreak, the authorities order a sweep the moment a single one is spotted, and the Knights usually move in to wipe out the nests. If the Knights are busy, the job goes to adventurers. If you see a stray, the unwritten rule is to kill it on sight. Orcs fall into that same “Hated” category, but they’re much stronger, so you have to be way more careful with them. Both types are humanoid, but they have zero intelligence. You can’t talk to them.
”Should we show you the ropes again?” Ines-san offered.
”No,” Mercedes interrupted, her voice suddenly dropping an octave. “I’ll handle the demonstration this time. Hey, you filthy goddamn Goblin! Come and get some! I’m gonna wipe you off the face of the earth!”
”Uh… wait…” said Makoto.
”Whoa…” Kenta-kun muttered.
We all stared, stunned by Mercedes’ sudden 180. Did a Goblin kill her family or something? Honestly, probably. Given what I knew about them, there were plenty of victims to go around. Ines-san and the others just nodded, looking like they understood completely.
”Phew… I feel much better now,” Mercedes said, brushing herself off.
She must have used some kind of “Ultimate” skill; the Goblin was literally erased. There was just a smoking crater where it used to be. Total overkill. Based on that terrifying vibe she was giving off, teasing her right now would be a death sentence. I kept my mouth shut and listened to her advice.
”The moment these things see a woman, their movements become predictable and their guard drops. They want to capture them alive, so they pull their punches. But since you guys are men, they’ll come at you with everything they’ve got. I’ll let you take them on one-on-one for now, but whatever you do, don’t get surrounded.”
”Got it,” we replied in unison.
Ines-san and the others thinned out the pack until only one was left. Makoto took the lead as our Vanguard, with Kenta-kun right behind him. Takuya began circling for a flank, while Kazuya started a summoning chant. I stayed in the Middle Guard, keeping my eyes locked on the Goblin.
”SKREE!”
”Guh…!”
Makoto let out a strained grunt as he caught a brute-force swing from the Goblin’s club. Truth is, we’re actually a bit under-leveled for Goblins. Only a Blacksmith with high STR and VIT like Makoto could even dream of tanking that hit. I definitely couldn’t, so I prayed he’d hold the line.
Then, Kazuya’s Level 3 Summoning Skill triggered. The “beast” he called forth was… a woman who looked like a professional dancer. An acquaintance from his old life? I’d assumed he could only summon monsters, but I guess not. Just what exactly is he pulling from the other side?
I shook the thought away and focused. While Makoto held the Goblin’s attention, Kenta-kun and I lunged in with our blades. Takuya and Kazuya’s summon closed the trap from behind, delivering the finishing blow.
”That last hit was excellent,” Mercedes praised. “Hitting a monster in a vital spot – like the neck or eyes – multiplies your damage. Of course, the same applies to you, so keep your guard up.”
In game terms, we’d landed a Critical Hit. It felt a little weird killing something that looked so human, but the thing’s eyes were pure, mindless malice. Given how this world treats them, they aren’t exactly candidates for mercy.
”So your Unique Skill can actually summon people, Kazuya?” I asked.
”Eh, not exactly-ssu,” he replied. “I can only summon ‘partners’ that I can clearly visualize in my head.”
”That’s a pretty vague criteria,” Takuya remarked.
”You think so-ssu? Feels pretty intuitive to me. Anyway, I already know who I want to summon at the end of this skill tree, so I need to level up fast-ssu.”
”Oh yeah? Who is it?” I asked.
”Hehe. That’s a surprise for later-ssu,” said Kazuya.
He wasn’t talking, but I didn’t feel like pushing it.
”The magic stone in humanoid monsters like Goblins is located in the abdomen, right around where a human’s navel would be,” Mercedes instructed.
”By the way, if you shatter the stone, the monster dies instantly,” Ines added.
”Though aiming for a tiny target on a moving Goblin is basically impossible,” her partner joked.
”And with giant monsters, you can’t even reach the stone,” Mercedes concluded. “Plus, if you break it, the stone loses its value. Just keep it in mind as a ‘last resort’ trick.”
Even if it’s a monster, it’s still humanoid. The idea of carving open a belly made my stomach turn… but the magic stone is the only part of a Goblin that actually sells. If I don’t strip the corpse, I’m essentially working for nothing. I wondered if I’d ever get used to this… I hoped I would. Actually, as the day went on and the bodies piled up, I realized it didn’t really bother me anymore. Maybe my adaptability shot up because I’m young again?
We kept at it until sundown. Our final haul: 10 Horn Rabbits and 20 Goblins. A Goblin’s magic stone is only about the size of a pinky fingernail, but apparently, they’re the primary power source for magic tools in this world.
Summary:
The protagonist levels up and learns elemental magic to improve his quality of life and combat versatility. The party transitions from hunting weak Horn Rabbits to Goblins, revealing the dark nature of Goblins in this world and Mercedes’s personal vendetta against them. The chapter ends with combat training and the introduction of Kazuya’s unique summoning abilities.
Trivia:
- Goblins are hated because they kidnap women for breeding, a common dark fantasy trope.
- Magic stones are located in the navel area for humanoid monsters.
- Shattering a magic stone kills a monster instantly but ruins its sell value.
- Kazuya’s summons are based on his clear visualization/memory.
- The protagonist is intentionally holding back skill points because there is no known way to reset them
Character Insight:
The narrator is showing rapid psychological desensitization to killing humanoid creatures, attributing it to his physical rejuvenation. Mercedes shows a rare, explosive rage, hinting at a traumatic past.
Behind the Scenes:
The author notes the chapter was revised to include extra detail on 11/23/25.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Fire Magic: One of the basic elemental affinities the protagonist acquires for utility (warmth) and combat.
2 ↩ Horn Rabbit: The entry-level monster in this world, primarily hunted for meat and basic materials.
3 ↩ Goblins: Despised humanoid monsters known as “The Hated Ones” due to their parasitic reproductive behavior.
4 ↩ Unique Skill: A special ability inherent to a specific individual, in this case, Kazuya’s visualization-based summoning.