Chapter 1

This is my first post.

If you read a bit and feel, "Ah, this isn't good," please don't force yourself and stop reading.

Your time is precious, even just a few minutes. Make your decision quickly (I'll lower the bar gradually).

When I woke up, the first thing I saw was the moon floating in the starry sky.

Ah, how long has it been since I last leisurely looked at the night sky?

Lately, I've been coming home from work completely exhausted, so I haven't had the time for such things.

Hmm, the starry sky?

"...Huh? Was I sleeping outside?"

I couldn't help but sit up abruptly.

No, wait, no matter how tired I was, I wouldn't sleep outside, would I?

Did I collapse from overwork? No, I don't think I was that tired... I don't think so. Yeah.

Besides, I'm surrounded by trees. A forest, maybe?

...Where am I?

Calm down, first, let's assess the situation and remember what I was doing before I fell asleep.

I remember, today, or was it yesterday? Doesn't matter. As usual, after working overtime, I stopped by the supermarket on my way home, and on the way back, I got so sleepy that I stopped the car in a parking lot and took a nap... I think. Yeah, I remember.

Then, when I woke up, I was in the forest.

What the heck.

What happened while I was sleeping? I don't have sleepwalking or anything, I don't think.

Did someone bring me here? Who would have the time for that? Buried in the forest by the Yakuza or something? I haven't done anything to deserve that.

Anyway, let's go back to the apartment. It's chilly, and I'm covered in mud from lying on the ground.

First, I'll take a shower. I need to wash my clothes too. Ugh, what a hassle.

Besides, there's no one around, and all I can hear is the buzzing of insects. I can't hear any human voices or car sounds at all.

...

Which way is the apartment?

Actually, I don't even know where I am.

Right, my phone! It was in my bag.

Where's my bag? Ah, it was under my head.

My phone is out of service. Location unknown.

Lost? Am I lost? At my age?

If this is a dream, wake me up. Please.

Following the usual method, I pinch my cheek really hard. Yeah, it hurts a lot. And I'm not waking up.

This is reality... This is reality...

I want to cry.

Besides, being lost in a forest is more like being stranded! This is bad!

"Excuse me! Is anyone there? If you are, please respond!"

Silence.

I shout loudly, but there's no response.

"Hey! Anyone! Please respond!"

No response.

I wish someone would come soon. It's already hard enough to talk, let alone shout loudly.

"Excuse me! Anyone!!!"

I scream as loudly as I can. I didn't know I could make such a loud noise.

My emergency power is amazing.

Cough, my throat hurts from shouting too much. I'm so weak.

Huh?

"...Oo..."

Oh?

Did I hear a voice from a distance? Is someone there?

"Hey! Is anyone there? I'm stranded! Please help!"

"...Ooo..."

It seems to be getting closer.

Great, if I can meet someone, I'll be a bit relieved.

I was worried about being attacked by wild animals in the forest...

Wild animals?

Wait, is the voice I've been hearing really a human voice?

"...Ooo... Grrr..."

No, it's not. It's probably a wolf or something.

If it were a human voice, that would be scary in a different way.

And it's getting closer to me.

Oh no!

Should I run? Against wild animals, in the forest? No way.

If I can't run...

"Ugh! Ooh! Grrr!"

Emergency escape by climbing a tree!

I haven't climbed a tree since elementary school, but I can probably manage by grabbing branches.

Emergency power is amazing.

My hands hurt from grabbing the tree, but I'm so weak.

In this position, I look like a cicada.

While panting, I managed to climb about 4-5 meters high and looked down.

Something came out from between the trees with a rustling sound.

Now, is it a wolf or a suspicious person? Which one?

"Haruru... Grrr..."

Crunch, crunch

It has a wolf-like face, or rather a dog-like face, and looks like a caveman with a lot of body hair,

wearing something like a fur loincloth.

What is that?

A costume? No, the eyes are moving around, and the tongue and saliva are coming out of the mouth.

It's so realistic, hahaha.

"...Uuuu..."

Crunch, crunch

No, this isn't a costume.

I heard a strange sound, and it's holding something red, meat, in its right hand, and its mouth is covered in blood while eating.

It's eating the fur and all, but it's probably a rabbit or something in its hand?

It's hard to see clearly because it's half-eaten and it's dark.

But I don't really want to see it clearly.

Moreover, I thought it was wearing a loincloth, but it's actually naked.

How do I know?

I can see something dangling! I didn't want to see that!

And most importantly,

Monster: Kobold

Level 1

Status: Hungry

[Stats]

HP (Health) : 25/25

MP (Magic) : 5/5

SP (Stamina) : 8/52

STR (Strength) : 65

ATK (Attack) : 65

DEF (Defense) : 60

AGI (Agility) : 77

INT (Intelligence) : 18

DEX (Dexterity) : 13

PER (Perception) : 121

RES (Resistance) : 8

LUK (Luck) : 25

[Skills]

Monster Level 1

For some reason, I can see a blue window display above the dog-like suspicious person's head.

What? A game? Is this a game?

It looks exactly like the status screen you often see in RPGs.

Is it a F**kin' game? Is the age rating okay?

Has VR gaming become this realistic? That's amazing.

How realistic is it? My hands are getting tired and sore from holding onto the tree, and it feels so real that I can't tell if it's a game or not!

Anyway, please go away! I'm almost at my limit! My arms and legs are trembling from holding my body up!

Ah, you're eating all the meat, good job. Please spare me.

"Rrrr! Grrr! Gaaa!!"

Whoa! After finishing its meal, it's staring at me with bared teeth and barking fiercely!

Don't look at me!

My escape to the top has been noticed! How did it notice me?

Ah, the smell? It's dog-like, so maybe it has a keen sense of smell?

It's drooling and clearly wants to eat me!

I'm so scared. If this is a prank, it's time to reveal the joke. I can still laugh and forgive it at this point.

"Gaaaaaa!!"

While I was half-crying and watching, that dog is trying to climb up here.

Don't come here!

No, seriously, don't come, please! And it's climbing so fast!

I won't taste good even if you eat me!

"Hey! Bastard! Don't come! Fall off!"

Crunch, crunch

"Yip!? Grrr!"

When its head got close to my feet, I panicked and started stomping on the dog-man's head.

Smash, thud

"G, Grrr!"

It's not clear if it's effective, but it seems to be cowering, so it must be having some effect.

Anyway, fall off! You're so persistent!

Slip

"Ah"

My body lost balance from the awkward position of stomping, and my hands slipped.

Then, my body started falling towards the ground—

"Not a chance!"

Grab!

"Yip!?!"

At the last moment, I grabbed the dog-man's neck.

Phew! I would have hit the ground head-first if I fell like that!

Emergency power is amazing!

I'm hanging from the neck of the dog-man who is clinging to the tree,

What is this situation? How did it come to this?

I didn't die from falling, but the situation has gotten worse?

Ugh, it's more difficult without a foothold. I'm hanging on by grip strength alone, but it won't last long.

"Gah...! Gah... Geb..."

This guy also seems to be struggling because his neck is being grabbed.

Ah, his limbs are trembling. I understand, it's tough to maintain that position with me hanging on.

I'm struggling too.

Anyway, I can't hold on any longer! My hands are losing strength!

Just as I was about to let go of the dog-man's neck,

I suddenly felt a floating sensation in my body.

"Geb..."

"Eh, what?"

I'm falling. Both me and the dog-man.

This guy must have lost strength and let go of the tree first.

It seems he reached his limit before I did.

With a nasty thud, we fell to the ground almost simultaneously.

"Ouch!"

I, I landed on my butt. It's better than hitting my head or spraining my ankle, but it still hurts.

The height wasn't that great because I was hanging from the dog-man, but pain is pain! Ugh...

But I can't be lying here! There's still the dog-man next to me!

Huh?

The dog-man isn't moving at all.

It seems to have hit its head, and its head is facing an odd direction, with its tongue out and foaming at the mouth.

Also, the status display has changed from blue to red.

Kobold

Level 1

Status: Dead

HP 0/25

...If I believe the display, it seems to be dead.

I, I'm saved. I thought I was going to die.

Is this considered murder? No, it doesn't seem to be human.

The sense of guilt for killing a living being is less than the relief of surviving the crisis.

Being alive is wonderful.

However, the situation hasn't improved.

There might be other such monsters around, and I have no idea where I am.

Actually, could this be it?

The popular other-world transfer in web novels and light novels?

A strange dog-man appeared, and there's a status menu display, so it seems likely.

It's so cliché. Also, being sent to another world without any reason is too sloppy.

Is there no god-like being to give me cheat abilities? No, there isn't. That's too bad.

If this turns out to be a prank at this point, I'll lose it.

Anyway, there's no point in wishing for something that doesn't exist. I need to find a way to improve the current situation.

Should I shout again to call for help?

...No, the risk is too high. Another strange creature might come.

I'm already at my limit after dealing with one. I can't handle any more.

While being cautious of monsters, I'll walk around and look for buildings or people. Sigh, it's tiring.

Oh, right. If I could see the dog-man's status, maybe I can see my own?

The dog-man's status had [Skills], so maybe I have some amazing skills as a special bonus for being transferred to another world!

Can I see my own status?

Ah, it appeared. Various items are displayed after my name.

What?

Kajikawa Kouryu

Level 1

Age: 25

Race: Human

Job: ERROR (Undetermined)

Status: Normal

[Stats]

HP (Health) : 0/0

MP (Magic) : 0/0

SP (Stamina) : 0/0

STR (Strength) : 0

ATK (Attack) : 0 (+2)

DEF (Defense) : 0 (+5)

AGI (Agility) : 0

INT (Intelligence) : 0

DEX (Dexterity) : 0

PER (Perception) : 0

RES (Resistance) : 0

LUK (Luck) : 0

[Skills]

None

EXP (Total Experience) : 7

NEXT (Experience needed for next level) : 10

Whoa... My stats are way too low...

No, they're not just low, they're all zero! All of them are zero!

And what's with the job being an error? I'm just a factory worker!

I don't have any amazing skills, not even one. At least give me one...

Ah, I have experience points. Maybe from defeating the dog-man? Yay.

It doesn't provide any comfort at all! Damn it!

Anyway, what's with having zero HP and being "normal"? That means I'm dead, right?

A zombie? Am I a zombie? I'm not rotting anywhere, right? No, right?

Oh, what's this? There are bonuses to attack and defense?

Maybe these (+2) and (+5) are bonuses from defeating the dog-man?

Can I check the details? Oh, I can.

Equipment

Safety Boots

ATK +2 DEF +5

No, that's not it. It's not related.

Without a reference, I can't tell if +2 and +5 are high or low.

Sigh... What's with these terrible stats?

It would have been nice to have at least one good point, but everything is zero.

I'm aware that I don't have any particular strengths, even without seeing this.

Maybe I could develop some strengths if I work hard towards a goal, but what goal?

What do I want to be in the future? Nothing in particular. If I have to say, I'd like to be rich and spend my days lounging around.

What do I want to do? As long as I can use the internet, play games, and read manga, I don't need anything else.

What job do I want? None. I only work to earn money; there's no job I like.

...I really am a loser.

I've been living like this for years, and before I knew it, I became a "me" with no strengths.

I don't skip work, but I don't have any particular strengths either.

I don't have any important roles, and I'm a nobody who doesn't make much of a difference whether I'm there or not. That's me.

Yeah, I guess my stats are all zeros because I'm such a loser.

I can't help feeling very sad.

The situation is already bad enough, and negative thinking will only make me want to die.

Feeling depressed won't solve anything, so I'll look for people.

It's dark and inconvenient, and I'm scared of monsters, but I hope it gets light soon.

Still, it's quite bright for a night, even though the moon is visible. I can even distinguish colors.

Ah, I didn't notice earlier, but there's another moon far from the first one. No wonder it's so bright.

This is definitely another world.

Thank you for reading.