Chapter 04: Danmachi World?

'Interesting, very interesting, that being how this really works, huh.'

*Boing*

I muttered surprisedly and jumped up and down like a ball. I stroked my long, non-existent white beard with my non-existent hands.

It's been five days since I arrived in this world. During that time, I didn't sit idly by... since I didn't have any. I did everything I could to be able to control my small, round body. In the end, I managed it in a few hours of effort.

It had also been five days since I got that system which, honestly, had surprised me. I mean, even reincarnating myself in a different world, being a damn golden slime was already hard to digest for my poor, limited brain.

Who would have imagined that a screen that could only be read in some fantasy novels would appear in front of me, seemingly out of nowhere? It was something disconcerting and, at the same time, exciting.

Although I had doubts about it and at first thought that there was someone who wanted to manipulate me in the process, after carefully studying all of its functions and style, it seemed that it really wouldn't put me in any situation that would require my life in exchange for anything... for now. After all, the future is uncertain.

If I wanted to keep my little life around, I had no choice but to roll... that is, walk forward while being in the present and do everything I could to ensure my future wasn't dark.

'But man, I've seriously been reincarnated into this world. Now I wonder how they were created if they were just a source of amusement before.'

With my thoughts elsewhere, I muttered to myself and remembered that this world wouldn't be so easy...

I had already become aware of my current location and surroundings. All thanks to the 'Map' option built into the mysterious system.

Of course, during this time, I already knew this place, or more specifically, this mysterious world where I had been reincarnated as a golden ball.

A medieval-style world where swords and magic were familiar in everyday life. The different races that made up this world, as well as the various dangerous monsters that inhabited every corner of the world.

As well as the so-called adventurers who would join an adventurers' guild to go in search of an adventure to become stronger and gain fame.

Although, in ancient times, even before the gods descended into this world, monsters already existed, and so did the beings who fought them without the protection of the gods behind them.

'Quite admirable. Fighting monsters at the cost of your blood and bones.'

However, now adventurers could become much more potent than normal beings. Of course, all this would not be possible without the blessings of the gods welcoming their children into their own families.

Yes! Gods! Damn, I'm still amazed at this myself, and sometimes I keep thinking that this is all just a dream and that tomorrow I'll wake up in a hospital without my legs... No, that would be traumatic enough; I'm happy being a pathetic rubber ball.

'Thank the gods for granting me such a wonderful body.' I thanked them sarcastically in my mind.

The gods were beings beyond the imagination of mere mortals like me. They were different from the beings of this world; they were existences from a different dimension, a dimension beyond common sense that no one could climb to reach.

Apparently, from what I knew from my previous life about this world and the gods that inhabited it, they had decided to descend to this lower world because they had found "Heaven" or, as someone like me, a mortal called "Paradise" boring.

They had decided to stay in this Lower World as they had found the various cultures and what made them amusing for their satisfaction to satisfy their boredom. Of course, their "arcanum" powers were sealed; otherwise, wouldn't this world now be hell? A hell caused by the gods themselves?

These beings, from the memories stored in the memory of my previous life, as I said before, bestowed their "Blessings" on the children of their factions, or in this case, their families.

However, these blessings were not so different from a "master-slave" contract. The master had fun in their respective homes, and his slaves ventured into endless battles within a mysterious place permeated with the smell of blood and banners of death.

Few gods cared about their children's lives and gave them their due reward. On the other hand, most of these gods were looking for a way to have fun and compete against other gods without the slightest concern for the life situation of their children.

The inhabitants of this world also knew that the gods used them. However, they also used them to receive their blessings.

Thanks to that, these adventurers could strengthen themselves and break the shackles that kept them bound to challenge that mysterious place called "Dungeon."

The mortals were excited to gain powers; for this reason, they welcomed the gods with open arms even though they knew they would use them. For both parties, it was a win-win, use and be used, simple enough.

'Ugh, this is a pain in the ass.'

'Danmachi, huh? That was the last anime I watched before a truck ran me over. But, worst of all, I had only seen the first season, and I remember reading the first volume of its novel.' I thought.

So, my knowledge of this world was somewhat limited, to say the least.

I also don't know the timeline I've been reincarnated into. But looking at the current civilization marked on the beautiful system map option, it seemed that it wasn't that far from the main story. As to whether it was later or earlier, I didn't know.

Fortunately, I wouldn't have to worry too much about going instantly in search of a "Familia." That was because, in the system, there was a part that said my powers were not bound to the world's laws.

This meant I wouldn't necessarily have to join a "Familia" of gods to gain power and advance.

Therefore, for now, I had no intention of leaving this forest soon where powerful monsters dwelled. I wanted to strengthen myself before going out and venturing into Labyrinth City, also known as "Orario."

My plan was simple: get strong enough to decide my own choices. I didn't want some random being to come to kick me in the head while spitting in my face.

'I think I'm traumatized because of Xianxia novels.'

Considering all this and setting my course of action from now on, I looked at the corpse of a rather disgusting creature.

Small green body. Bulging pot bellies. An ugly face next to a large, arched nose. Saliva and spittle escaped from the toothy mouth onto the short neck. On the lower body, the creature used a large leaf from a green plant to cover its intimate part.

Yes, it was a goblin, the weakest creatures one can find in fantasy books next to slimes.

With much effort, I managed to hunt some goblins from this forest, and one of these monsters was this goblin lying in front of me.

At first, I had a lot of trouble dealing with the goblins, and often the sticks in my hand would send me flying into tree stalks, only to bounce off them.

I had literally become a rubber ball that the goblins could hit at will.

Although I should be thankful that my body is so elastic that it allows me to withstand physical blows without getting hurt.

Since I couldn't defeat them face to face, I fled with my tail between my legs and started using the "ambush" strategy.

However, even with that, I still couldn't defeat them, so I started practicing the exceptional ability that came with my race. It wasn't easy at first, but with a lot of dedication and time, I made little progress.

The skill I'm talking about is called "Camouflage." As the name suggests, the skill can hide me; more specifically, it allows me to take the form of any lifeless biological material.

Although so far, I can only take the form of a stone, it was enough for my plan to work. Incidentally, this ability also concealed my presence and any scent given off by my physical body, worthy of a camouflage ability.

I used the terrain and the map of my system to my advantage, along with my ambush and golden ray ability, to finish them off.

Although the energy drain from using both skills at the same time exhausted me quite a bit, so I only hunted one goblin at a time.