V1C6

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

The three of us sit at a table set above the dirt floor, candles light up the formerly dim interior, and I—pleased as punch to have sold my beans for such a good price—listen to the two of them talk.

“It’s good to meet you. My name is Tsuchiya Kazuhito. As of this year, I am sixty-five years old, which marks fifty years since I was transported to this world at the age of fifteen. While I may not have much to offer, I hope what I do have will be useful to you.”

Following Old Man Japan’s introduction, Osshan returns with his own.

“I’m Ryūsei Ocean. I’m fourteen years old and in my second year of middle school. I don’t know how I got here. When I came to, I had nothing but my comfy sweats – not even my smartphone! I didn’t meet with a god, and no ruler came out to meet me. What’s up with this stupid world? It doesn’t seem to do anything the way I expect!”

Why would a god or ruler meet with you, Osshan? Where do you even come up with these ideas? More importantly, Old Man Japan is being very kind to you. Couldn’t you do the bare minimum politeness and say it’s nice to meet him too, rather than complaining?

His behavior doesn’t seem to bother Old Man Japan in the slightest, however.

“It seems that things don’t really change, do they? I too had been influenced by light novels and games when I first came here, and I thought the same things you’re thinking now. But, if you’ll give me a moment, I will explain how this world actually works.” He looks at Osshan, a serious expression now on his face. “Before I do so, let me give you one important warning. You must abandon any preconceived notions you have about this world—things are not like they are in your games and stories. You are not the chosen one. You are simply a victim of circumstance, shipwrecked in this world. You mustn’t think of yourself as a hero, lest you want to end up like me.”

He grabs at his right sleeve with his left hand, as if to drive the point home.

“Yeah, so what’s even up with your missing arm, gramps? Did you get fucked up by a monster or something?”

“I would rather I had been. Well, at least I’ve resigned myself to it now—in the end, I have only my own weakness to blame. This arm and this eye were taken from me by an adventurer on the first day I came to this world, for the sole crime of asking him about levels. And so, to keep the same fate from befalling others, I ask the children to bring any Japanese person they meet to me.”

“Levels again? What’s the deal with levels? Why are they so taboo? According to this brat”–he motions at me, if you can believe it–“I can’t talk about levels with anyone. But, like, if I can’t learn how they work, how am I supposed to raise mine? This really is a piece-of-shit game.”

“Now you see, that’s exactly what I warned you against. It will only be to your detriment to try to understand this world through the lens of a game.

“Allow me a moment to clarify what I mean. Since you seem to be somewhat impatient, I will cut straight to the chase—in this world, you can kill other people to steal their levels. However, because there are some requirements that must be met to do so, it has become taboo to even discuss levels. This taboo serves as a bulwark against an endemic of violence.”

He goes on to explain things that even I’ve never heard about levels. Like, how you need to kill monsters of level five or higher to raise your level; no matter how many level four or lower monsters you kill, you won’t gain any experience.

He also explains how long ago someone wondered whether it even needed to be a monster that you killed. What if, for example, you killed a person?

I guess someone turned wondering into testing, because they found that you could in fact level up by killing people, as long as they were level five or higher. And so everybody started killing each other, and the world became a hellish place.

There’s some logic to it—it would be more efficient to kill people rather than monsters. Monsters can’t talk, so the only way to know whether they’re at least level five is to go through the trouble of killing them; if you press a person the right way, you can get them to just tell you. And once they do, you know that killing them will definitely give you experience.

Since that time, in order to protect themselves, people began not to discuss their levels. What’s more, if someone was going around asking people about their levels, that person was treated as a threat and you were allowed to punish them. Eventually, that transformed into the word ‘level’ itself becoming taboo.

His explanation finished, Old Man Japan presses the point. “The word ‘level’ is verboten for your and everyone’s safety—to put an end to what was once endless and futile bloodshed.

“However, should you find yourself in a large city, you may still see adventurers killing one another. Foolish as it is, there are still those who boast and make a show of their strength. Though they avoid using the word ‘level’, it does them little good. Such fools become the marks of other adventurers. A fool who boasts one night in a tavern will be found dead on the side of the road within ten. In this world, you cannot go around bragging about how strong you are.”

Osshan seems disappointed, as always. “Are you serious? This world’s messed up, people going around killing each other and stealing their levels. I mean, come on, this is supposed to be an isekai. Showing off was like the first thing I wanted to do. I can’t believe that’s not allowed. That’s lame as hell.”

Here we go again. Old Man Japan’s laid out a lot of useful information, and Osshan just starts complaining—on top of looking bored during the entire explanation. He really is rude. Does he not realize that Old Man Japan’s doing this to save him from making the same mistakes?

“Ah, forgive me,” Old Man Japan begins, “quite a depressing discussion to foist on you. I think the takeaway, though, is that this world is quite safe for people at level zero, so there’s nothing for you to worry about. You should put leveling up out of your mind and enjoy this new world.”

“Hey, gramps, if talking about levels is so taboo, why do you know so much about them?”

“Hm? What’s taboo is saying the word ‘level’ aloud to another person. You won’t find one here, but in the royal capital and other large cities there are libraries where you can find innumerable works on levels. How else would later generations know why the word ‘level’ became verboten?

“They’ve purposefully left behind records. And, luckily, the one plot contrivance you and I have been provided is facility with this world’s language. Being able to understand both the written and spoken word has truly been a blessing.”

And so Old Man Japan explained how he met with senseless violence shortly after coming here and lost both an arm and an eye; how, after suffering such pain, he wanted to find out what his misstep had been; and how he used much of the life he had barely held onto to uncover the secrets of levels.