Chapter 5

### Yūto's Adventure - Day 3

Yesterday was a memorable day.

First monster slaying!!

It all boils down to that one phrase.

Although I couldn't reach the river, another Horned Rabbit appeared on the way, so I used the same jacket to surround and defeat it.

Can you make a Horned Rabbit stick its horn into an already empty hole again?

It felt like a reverse pin-the-tail game, and I managed to slay it.

Another thing I noticed during the second slaying was that when I wrapped the Horned Rabbit in the jacket and pointed its head toward the ground, it would frantically try to stab the ground with its horn.

It must have thought there was an enemy there because its eyes were covered.

As it buries its horn and becomes immobilized, it seems like this will significantly reduce the effort needed to defeat it in the future.

By the way, I was carrying one of them on my shoulder, thinking it might be edible...

But since I didn't have a knife or any cutting tool, I decided to abandon it halfway through.

If it wasn't edible, it would just be extra baggage.

The main reason I decided to abandon it was that I found several green fruits growing in clusters of about five in one spot.

I tried one, and it tasted similar to a kiwi, with a perfect balance of sourness and sweetness.

The tree was relatively short, and it also provided hydration, so I eagerly plucked and devoured the branches.

If this fruit had poison, I would have given up.

Not having water for a whole day was too tough.

When I approached, several birds that were eating the fruit flew away, and since my stomach hasn't been upset this morning, I think it's probably safe.

Another discovery was that the presence of fleeing birds indicated that there were likely other animals around.

And then, the morning of the third day arrived.

While munching on the fruits I had gathered from the tree, I thought about today's actions and the results of yesterday.

I was so exhausted that I fell asleep soon after choosing a place to sleep, which was inevitable.

Sleeping in a tree. It's scary how adaptable humans are. I might accidentally fall one of these days.

First, about the passage of time.

Yesterday, the surroundings became dark around 6 PM, and today, the sun came up around 5 AM.

So, a day is about 24 hours, and it doesn't seem to differ from Earth, which is a pleasant result.

My watch runs on solar power and doesn't need batteries, so it should last a long time as long as it doesn't break.

If this world is far behind in technology, it might not be repairable if it breaks, but since it's a domestic product and doesn't need batteries, it should be quite valuable, so I'll take good care of it.

In that sense, the calculator, which I haven't used at all so far, can also be used as long as there is light.

On the other hand, my mobile phone.

You're no good.

Even if there is electricity in this world, the charging cables are only in my house and car.

Despite being a high-spec device that could be useful, it's already a goner.

And the changes in the environment.

Yesterday was exhausting with all the movement and battles, but I found two Horned Rabbits and the long-desired fruit.

Is this because I got closer to the river, or a water source?

Animals need water, so it makes sense that monsters do too.

This means that the frequency of encountering monsters might increase as I get closer to the river.

Since I have established a stable method to defeat Horned Rabbits, I plan to actively hunt them and gain experience points.

By the way, when I checked my status screen this morning, the "Gathering" skill had increased to 3%.

I had been picking flowers along the way, hoping to suck their nectar, so this confirms that.

In addition to skill points, performing actions related to a skill also increases skill experience.

Since I was holding down the Horned Rabbit, the "Martial Arts" skill also increased by 1%.

If I keep performing related actions, I should be able to acquire some skills.

The experience bar for leveling up is at 40%, so one Horned Rabbit gives 20% experience.

This is valuable information at this stage.

I'll make sure to note it in my notebook.

Shall we go then...

Today, I must reach the river at all costs.

First, I need to secure a stable water source.

I'll aim for that.

---

This world, Dongo said, is a fantasy.

I thought and was prepared that I would eventually see something like this.

And finally, I discovered it.

A green-skinned, dirty creature—

"That's a goblin, huh..."

It's so famous and a staple like a slime.

It's about 120-130 cm tall, I think.

From the back, it looks like it's crouching and eating something.

And... it's almost certainly naked.

A small creature with a body structure similar to a human.

The thought of killing it, or rather, slaying it, makes my heart rate rise slightly.

It's definitely a monster.

In games, I've killed at least a thousand of them, and I've never seen an RPG where goblins are not enemies.

So, it shouldn't be a sin to kill a sub-human.

(But... I don't think so... but I can't be sure...)

I feel ashamed of myself for being scared.

If I let my guard down and get killed, I'll just be a fool.

To avoid being a fool, I can't show mercy to an enemy.

It's the same in business, sales, and interpersonal relationships.

I've seen plenty of fools, and I've even been one myself.

Why am I being so soft just because I can't see clear hostility?

I take a deep breath.

The opponent is unarmed and doesn't seem to be built solidly.

So, in the previous world, it would be like fighting a grade schooler.

Thinking about it that way, I don't think I'll lose.

Just in case, I take out a Phillips and a flathead screwdriver from my bag.

They're about 20 cm long, so they can be used as weapons, and I should be able to hit with the grip.

Ideally, I should strike first.

If the opponent hasn't noticed me, it's a chance, and only the strong can afford to choose to act second.

I'm just a level 1 civilian with no skills or martial arts knowledge.

I shouldn't show mercy.

But, just once... for safety... my timid heart makes me underestimate my situation.

I've forgotten that I'm now about 140 cm tall, not much different from a goblin.

To anyone watching, what a ridiculous and comical sight.

The fool who sees a goblin as a human.

The weakling who entertains soft thoughts despite the high possibility of it being an enemy.

But...

To confirm the presence of hostility, I turn my fists, still holding the two screwdrivers, behind my back and slowly approach the goblin to make myself visible.

About 20 meters away.

The goblin notices and turns to face me.

It's holding what looks like a human arm, presumably from its meal.

---

The goblin throws the arm and runs.

During that time, Yūto, unable to process the sight of the goblin eating a human, stands there with wide eyes, stunned.

But the goblin doesn't care.

Seeing it as an opportunity, it runs while raising its fist and strikes Yūto's face.

And blood splatters.

Naturally, Yūto is the one hit.

But the blood that splattered is a dark red, not just Yūto's.

It's the blood from the goblin's mouth, where the flathead screwdriver Yūto was holding is still embedded.

The intended strike was to the temple, but the goblin's attack hit first, causing Yūto's hand to waver and the screwdriver to pierce the cheek instead.

Fortunately, Yūto was also raising his arm, so the goblin's attack didn't penetrate deeply before Yūto's counterattack hit.

Facing the crouching goblin, Yūto, without showing pain, fear, or anger, switches the Phillips screwdriver from his left hand to his right and coldly strikes the goblin's face.

The goblin, in a desperate attempt, raises its hands to block the incoming right hand, but its resistance is futile.

In its final struggle, it only manages to dig its claws into Yūto's right arm.

Sitting in front of the dying goblin, Yūto reflects.

Of course, it's understandable.

Despite the high possibility of it being an enemy, I took a soft approach, considering a small chance.

I misjudged my strength and the goblin's, and I couldn't keep up with the goblin's speed.

The goblin's stats are slightly higher than mine.

As a result, I was hit first.

My mouth still tastes of iron, and my cheek throbs with a dull pain.

To make matters worse, when I delivered the final blow, my speed was insufficient, and the goblin grabbed my arm, causing the claws to dig in and stain my shirt with blood.

It's not a major wound, but...

The goblin is clearly unhygienic.

There's a risk of the wound getting infected.

All of this is my own doing.

If I had initiated the attack, would I have been unharmed? I can't answer that, but I feel like I could have defeated it more smoothly.

Soft thoughts and actions always come back to haunt me.

I knew this from my previous world.

In this world, it could mean death.

I knew this, given that I have nothing.

...I will never be soft again. Absolutely not.

If I judge it as an enemy and detect hostility, I will show no mercy.

And I must develop the strength to deal with evil and enemies.

Yūto, using his wounds and pain as a warning, vows this to himself.