Chapter 2

The green dog is not that large, and from the way it was moving when I saw it walking, it doesn’t seem particularly capable of fighting. However, without any weapons, I can’t fight, so I attempt to flee.

I dash in the opposite direction from the green dog, but the underbrush and tree roots get in the way, and I can’t run as fast as I’d like. The green dog seems to be following me. After running about 50 meters, I check behind me. It’s catching up!

When I started running, there was a distance of about 10 meters, but now it’s been reduced to about half that. Thinking that I’ll be caught if I keep going like this, I try to think of something while running.

I see a fairly thick branch about 2.5 meters high, 20 meters ahead and to the right. Judging that a dog, even with six legs, can’t climb a tree, I run toward it. From the feeling of my previous jump, I’m confident that I can reach the branch if I jump with all my might.

Having turned around and changed direction, I’ve lost a lot of speed. I’m close to the tree, but the distance to the green dog is probably less than 2 meters. I jump with all my might and stretch out my arms toward the branch. I manage to grab it.

The green dog tries to catch me as I jump, but it doesn’t reach. I’m saved.

Using the strength in my arms, I climb up onto the branch. The green dog is still watching me and growling. If I just wait here, will it eventually leave?

I wait for about 10 minutes, but the green dog shows no sign of leaving. It has stopped growling and is sitting, watching me. It seems prepared for a long wait.

If I keep waiting, it will be night. I’d rather not spend the night in a forest with a creature like this, and even though the branch is fairly thick, I don’t want to sleep on it.

Even if I escape from here, there’s no guarantee I’ll find anyone, but staying here will only make things worse. I need to find a way to escape.

I remember that my status was displayed earlier and search for other commands.

"Equipment!" "Items!"

There was no response to "Equipment," but when I said "Items," I felt something being pulled out of my body.

After about a second, something like a gray window with a white border appeared. It doesn’t look like the familiar MMO interface, but it feels like an item box.

In the upper right corner, "0/1012" is displayed. It might be the capacity.

I try to pick two leaves from the tree and put them in the box, but as soon as I think about putting them in the item box, they disappear from my hand.

In the item box, there’s an image of the leaves, and the number "2" is written in the lower right corner. When I focus on the leaves in the item window, a popup window appears.

Pole Leaf

Description: A leaf from the Pole tree.

It seems to function as an item box. When I try to take one out, a leaf appears in my hand, and the number in the lower right corner of the image becomes "1."

It seems that items can be stored together in one slot.

The item window shows "1/1012." When I put the leaf back, the display remains "1/1012," so 1012 must be the number of slots.

1012 is the same as my maximum MP. The capacity of the item box might depend on the maximum MP.

I tear one of the leaves in half and store both pieces. The number in the lower right corner of the image becomes "3." It seems that even torn items are counted as one. When I think about taking out the torn leaf, it appears as I imagined. If this weren’t the case, I’d have to take out many items to find the one I wanted. It’s a convenient feature, but it doesn’t seem to come with initial equipment. Or is my current outfit the initial equipment? It’s better than being barefoot in a tracksuit, but it doesn’t feel like battle gear.

I have an idea and take out a Pole leaf to appraise it.

Pole Leaf

Description: A leaf from the Pole tree. It contains oil, so it burns well when dry.

The oil content must be like that of a pine cone. In any case, it doesn’t seem useful in my current situation. The appraisal through the item box provides less information than the detailed analysis.

I appraise the green dog.

Green Wolf

RANK: F

HP: 35/35

MP: 0/0

STR: 32

INT: 1

AGI: 30

DEX: 2

Skills: None

It’s a brute. It doesn’t seem to have any skills.

What is the basis for the rank? The letter F doesn’t give the impression of being very strong.

The name is just as it looks, except for the legs.

However, its STR and AGI are higher than mine, and I’m only level 1. I don’t feel like fighting. If only I had a weapon. Is there anything I can use?

...I remember there was a skill called "Magic Potential." Maybe I can use magic.

When I try to view my status, it appears. No incantation was needed. Perhaps last time I chanted it while thinking about viewing my status, but this time I just thought about it.

Name: Suzumiya Kaede

Age/Race/Gender: 20/Human/Male

Level: 1

HP: 51/51

MP: 508/1012

STR: 16

INT: 42

AGI: 22

DEX: 34

Skills: Information Manipulation Analysis (Hidden), Complete Foreign Language Mastery (Hidden), Magic Potential (Hidden), Martial Arts Potential (Hidden), Otherworldly (Hidden), All Attribute Affinity (Hidden)

My MP has decreased. When I activated the item box, I felt something being pulled out of my body. Was that MP?

Considering the time it took, it seems I used about half of my MP.

It would be good if the MP is only consumed when the item box is created, but if it’s consumed every time I open it, that would be a problem.

I’m not sure if it’s safe if my MP is depleted, but I don’t have a good feeling about it, so I’ll avoid using the item box until I’m in a safe place.

When I appraised the skills I hadn’t appraised before, I found that Magic Potential and Martial Arts Potential significantly speed up the learning of magic and martial arts and improve their abilities.

All Attribute Affinity allows the use of all elemental magic, and Complete Foreign Language Mastery is just as it sounds.

Magic Potential (Hidden) Unique

Description: Significantly speeds up the learning of magic and improves the ability to use magic.

Not displayed in appraisals.

That’s the gist of it. The latter part is probably due to the hidden effect. It seems a bit unhelpful, but it might be because the effect is broad.

In a card game I used to play in Japan, it was said that "cards with short text are strong." Maybe that’s the case here. I hope so.

Even though Magic Potential significantly speeds up the learning of magic, I haven’t learned any yet and don’t know how to practice. But since I can’t think of anything else, I’ll try various things.

Since it seems to have high attack power, I’ll aim to learn fire magic. I close the status window and, while watching the green dog, I try some random incantations that come to mind.

"Fire," "Flame," "Fire Arrow," "Me○," "○lazoma"

"It doesn’t work..."

Of course, I haven’t learned magic, so I can’t use it.

I was hoping for a fireball to fly at the green dog and turn it into a fireball, but...

While feeling disappointed and looking at the green dog, a slightly smaller fireball appears.

"Whoa!"

I almost fell off the tree, surprised by the sudden appearance of the fireball in front of me. The fireball disappeared. It seems the image is important.

I climb back up the tree and appraise myself again. The Fire Magic skill has been added.

Maybe I can attack now.

"Growl"

The green dog seems to be on guard. It would be easier if it just ran away, but there’s no sign of that.

This time, I focus and imagine the fireball flying toward the green dog.

A red fireball about 30 cm in diameter appears in front of me and flies toward the green dog at a speed of about 40 km/h.

The green dog tries to dodge, but the fireball hits its left leg. Flames spread from the left leg, and the green dog turns into a fireball.

Now it’s a red dog.

While thinking about silly things, the struggling green dog stops moving.

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