Chapter 2

A black sphere about ten centimeters in diameter lay on the ground.

Was it dropped by another adventurer tackling the fixed dungeon, or was it a new type of monster? Sora cautiously approached it.

Even when he got about a meter close, the sphere didn’t move at all. It didn’t seem to be a new type of monster.

Then, was it dropped by another adventurer?

The sphere was so black that the more you looked at it, the more you doubted its existence.

It didn’t reflect even the slightest bit of light. It was as if it was painted with the world’s blackest paint, newly developed.

It looked like a hole.

A hole that seemed to have opened in space.

Although it felt a bit eerie, Sora reached out his hand.

If it was something lost, there must be someone looking for it.

Just as Sora picked up the black sphere,

“Wha... Whoa!!”

The sphere instantly rose like smoke, covering his entire body.

Sora instinctively held his breath and took a defensive stance, stepping back.

But the smoke didn’t leave him.

(It doesn’t hurt. It’s not suffocating either?)

He had inhaled a little of the black smoke, but there was no smell or feeling of suffocation.

Also, he didn’t feel any pain as if from an attack spell.

Cold sweat ran down his back.

(What should I do!?)

This wasn’t good. He thought so, but he didn’t know what to do.

He held his breath for ten seconds, twenty seconds...

He started to feel a bit suffocated. But, thinking the black smoke might be poisonous, he couldn’t breathe easily.

Forty seconds, fifty seconds...

(—!?)

Just as he was approaching his limit, the black smoke silently disappeared with a whoosh.

After confirming there was no smoke around, Sora hurriedly resumed breathing.

“Haa... haa... What was that?”

He couldn’t recall ever seeing anything like it.

Adventurer items like smoke screens for escape or smoke-emitting monsters to ward off had a smell.

It was completely odorless and didn’t suddenly disappear.

“Come to think of it, it seemed to be sucked into my chest...?”

In the smoke, Sora had slightly opened his eyes.

Just before his vision cleared, it seemed as if the black smoke was being sucked into his chest.

He tried touching his chest.

There was no sensation of injury.

He peeked inside his shirt, but found no external wounds.

Was it just an optical illusion?

Just as Sora concluded that,

(Hateful) (Frustrating) (Wants to tear apart) (Wants to blast away) (Annoying) (Pathetic) (Wants to show them) (Wants to be looked up to) (Wants to be respected) (Wants to get revenge) (Wants to trample) (Regretful) (Resentful) (Envious)

...

...

...

If I had the power,

—I would kill them.

A thick, viscous substance suddenly began to rage in his chest.

“Guh...”

Sora clenched his molars, resisting the hatred.

Being swayed by emotions wouldn’t lead to anything good.

Even if he thought about getting revenge on that adventurer, he would likely end up being defeated.

(After all, the opponent is E-rank. I’m just F-rank...)

At that moment, Sora thought,

‘If I were stronger, I wouldn’t have been trampled on.’

‘But I’m weak, so there’s nothing I can do about it...’

When his mood hit rock bottom with resignation, Sora muttered softly,

“I want to become stronger.”

Strong enough so that no one can trample on me,

Strong enough so that no one can look down on me,

—I want to become stronger.

Just as Sora wished, a semi-transparent window floated up in front of him.

Name: Sora Tensui

Lv: 5 (MAX) Rank: F

SP: 0 (Auto-distributed) Job:初级搬运工 (Junior Porter)

STR: 5 VIT: 6

AGI: 11 MAG: 0 SEN: 7

Ability: [ ]+

Skills: [Complete Drop][Limit Break]

Equipment (Effect): ——

“...Huh?”

A semi-transparent window had floated up in front of him.