Chapter-3 : Menos-1

I used to call Earth my home. I was born into the embrace of a middle-class family with not a rich background but not a poor one either so I got the basic amount of necessities to live like food, clothing, shelter and education.

During my high school years, as an unabashed extrovert with no grand ambitions, my social inner circle was tight with friends that could be counted only in one hand.

I found contentment and joy in the simplest form of my life, however, at the tender age of 17, a paralysis kind of illness struck me and it claimed my life when I reached the age of 25.

But as my eyes slowly closed in that world, I found myself suddenly opening them again in the form of a baby with black hair and blue eyes and it didn't take me a month to realize that I was in a new realm, a place called Agrasia.

It's been 12 years since my reincarnation into this mystical land, a world right out of a fantasy isekai story.

Agrasia's medieval setting is entwined with magic spells, extraordinary skills, diverse cultures and different array of creatures, including orcs, goblins, elves, dragons, giants, demons, magical fauna, and many more.

….

Currently I am on an adventure in the depths of the Dusk forest which is in the Southeast of Yoshbore city, however, I am under my shelter hiding from the rain.

The shelter is under the ground of a magical tree called Ebon Root.

The tree is called Ebon root because it has roots that ascend 1 meter from the earth, forming an intricate tapestry within a ten-meter radius creating a majestic spectacle.

Beneath these intricate web of roots, I've carved out a small sanctuary for myself, by utilizing my earth elemental magic.

Ebon root thrives only in places where many beings have met their end, sustaining itself by feeding on their departed essence.

My sanctuary carries an unsettling feeling of undead essence, but that in itself is also the unique advantage it provides as the tree's sinister aura prevents any monsters from getting close.

The disadvantage is also the aura but from my experiments, I have confirmed that the aura doesn't harm a living human, so I lived here safely without dangers from any giant wolves's night raids or hordes of Backdot spider sneak ambushes.

My camp is a small space, just enough to accommodate myself, with a ground adorned with wolf hides, creating a makeshift carpet.

I am currently spending my time, sprawling on the carpet, engrossed in a book titled "Basic Herbs & Theory on Alchemy" by Zora Helton.

My faithful pet, Blacky, a small black slime around the size of a big fist, perches on my shoulder.

But as a human cry of excitement pierces the air, Blacky's form trembles and wobbles, responding to the sudden noise. "Yes, I heard it too," I suddenly spoke nonchalantly in response to Blacky shaking.

Although catching snippets like "Girl," "Prize," and "Quickly," I dismissed it as none of my concern.

Remaining focused on my book, I casually remarked, "Perhaps there was a princess's caravan under siege by some local bandits leaving the princess alone to be chased by bandits, just like a cliche story."

Engrossed in the book where I was going to finish the 'Alchemy' section of filtration and separation', I refused to divert my attention to play the hero and rescue a damsel in distress.

Blacky shifts again, prompting me to speak once more. "I would have helped, but I'm not sure if i could win, and it's raining ou.."

I stopped my sentences as I sensed a mana pool, which was the densest I had ever sensed.

I hurriedly put the book aside and rushed outside, pushing the rock that covers the entrance of the cave.

'Dang! I need to see who it is but… shitz, hate this rain.'

The heavy rain touched my body soaking my black leather armor and tunic.

I remember to seal the entrance with a boulder and leaves before crawling out from beneath the tree's roots and moving through the underbrush towards the place where the bandits are.

'Maybe the one with the dense mana pool is the hero here to save the princess,' I thought jokingly.

I also remembered to conceal my mana presence, sound, and scent which I forgot halfway due to excitement.

Along the way I sensed a mana weave which was familiar yet unfamiliar.

A normal human could not have sensed mana like I do from a far away distance but an incident happened in my eighth year in this world that had allowed me to perceive and harness mana more efficiently than others.

As I crawl, the unusual mana weave suddenly disappears leaving me dumbfounded.

But after a moment I could sense the same mana weave starting to form again and as I neared, I recognized it, the weave had formed a spell signature, but one that is vastly different from the ones I'm accustomed to.

Crawling towards the source of the commotion, I cautiously peered from behind a thicket and I saw a young girl cloaked in crimson had her dagger brutally plunged right between the eyes of a bandit.

I felt awe at that sight. It was a different scenario from what I had imagined.

As the girl steps back from the bandits, she unleashes a formidable water ball, propelling one of the bandits high into the air, easily reaching a distance of about 10 meters.

I watch in awe as I track the bandit's trajectory, only to witness another bandit that had a long jagged branch sticking out of his stomach, his intestinal and blood fluids flowing out.

'This…what in the hell happened here?.'

When the two remaining bandits start to converse with each other, I sense yet another unfamiliar mana flow gathering in the girl's hand, the mana weaved to form a spell signature.

Deep in thought, I pondered, 'She appears to be the only one casting here. This peculiar mana weave, from how it looks, must be her attempt to incorporate the abundant water elements from the surroundings in her spells, hmm.. it enables her to form the magic circles faster. Nice trick, indeed.'

As I watch the two remaining bandits desperately trying to attack her and disrupt her spell, I conclude that those bandits are likely done for. The girl wasn't a damsel in distress but a heroine.

My initial reaction when I first saw the young girl wasn't focused on her young, radiant beautiful face that seemed to glow even in the gloomy, rain-soaked surroundings.

From early times it is an irrefutable fact that only beautiful girls are usually chased by bandits so I thought it was natural that she was beautiful or young.

But

"A small girl luring bandits and killing them savagely, it's quite a different scenario from a cliche story," I murmured, a faint smile gracing my lips as I observed the girl.

...

She appeared to be around 12-13 years old but I couldn't help but marvel at her fighting prowess as I watched her fight the two remaining bandits.

Mesmerized by her fluid movements, I observed closely, eager to learn her fighting technique.

But my head was running with discordant thought, 'Man, am I not a lecher who is intensely looking at a small girl, Nah…it is a genuine desire to learn a fraction of her combat style. That's right, I am captivated, but not as a pedophile, hmm, since I am technically 12 years old, maybe this is not a pedophile case. Possibly, probably, maybe.'

As I drifted into my thoughts, the battle finally finished.

The girl, now surrounded by the bodies of six bandits, scanned the area, perhaps checking for any signs of life among the fallen.

After finding no one was alive, her brows softened, her gaze lifted towards the sky.

Raindrops descended gently upon her face which painted a mesmerizing picture.

As I looked at her face, I thought to myself, 'she really looks adorable'.

She wore a crimson red cloak with intricate dark-purple embroidery on the end, the hood casually draped over her shoulders, revealing her small and young visage.

Ebony-black hair, gathered at the back, released a single strand flowing like a river of midnight silk down her back. Though the distance hindered a clear view, her eyes appeared to be the color of obsidian.

Her appearance suggests a mixed blood possibly from the West Empire.

As I observed her more intently, I could discern a profound sorrow and hidden darkness beneath her youthful exterior.

Her gaze that was looking up suddenly shifts in my direction and her sorrowful eyes turn predatory as she launches herself towards my direction.

"Ohh shit, I got found out! "

In a moment of fear, I toss Blacky into a nearby bush and hurriedly mutter, "Prepare a teleportation spell."

Mentally preparing myself, I stood up and raised my hand, bracing for a confrontation.

Readying myself to be accused of the crime of peeping at her, I mentally sought words to pacify the murderous gaze directed at me.

Suddenly, a sense of dread courses through me as a very strong mana pool emerges near the girl.

Which reminded me, the two reasons that had drawn me to this scene in the first place—the enigmatic spell signature and the densest mana pool I've ever sensed.

Suddenly, the source of that extraordinary mana pool reveals itself as a dark elf materializes out of thin air. My instinct screams to run for my life as I look at him.

The dark elf was tall and slender. His angular handsome face was devoid of facial hair, he looked to be in his 30's but it was difficult to say as elves look younger than their age suggest it to be.

He was wrapped in a black cloak hoodie shrouding his hair, he wore a black vest made from a fine fabric, underneath it he wore a black-scaled armor and with black breeches he was like a dark shadow that comes from the darkest abyss.

It was his emotionless gaze that sent chills down my spine, however, "The boy is not with the bandits," to my relief the dark elf looks at the girl and vouches for my innocence.

He scanned me up and down then inquired my name.

His eyes scared me, so I stammered and in a nervous rush, I told them my name, how I was nearby and the reason for my presence here was solely to help the girl.

I don't delve into the fact that my hesitation to help was due to her brutal killing of the bandits, but my fearful demeanor conveys that message.

I also assure them that I won't divulge any of this to anyone. I was eager to provide answers before they even asked because I wanted to go back to my camp and read my book instead of soaking in the rain.

But the interrogation was not over as the dark elf requested my adventurer ID.

By this point, I've come to understand that they don't intend to harm me.

For reasons unknown, the dark elf insists that I stay by their side as a means of assurance that I won't reveal what transpired here.

I was downtrodden and dismayed but I complied, the amount of words cannot describe my sad feelings, however, I was scared to say 'no'.

Telling them that I need to get my belongings, I guided them towards the Ebon Root tree.

Upon gathering my backpack and essential items, I looked at my camp with longing in my eyes before joining them on the journey to Yoshbore City.

'See blacky! It was a bad idea to involves in any plot types scenerio' I look at Blacky on my left shoulder as I inwardly thought.

Along the way to Yoshbore, I share the reasons behind my seemingly unconventional choice of establishing a sanctuary within the eerie energy enveloping the area, providing insight into the circumstances that led to my unique campsite.

_ _ _ _ _ _

A goblin lunged at me with a knife, and despite my best effort to evade, the blade grazed my face, leaving a small cut. In a swift countermove, I swung my sword at the goblin's defenseless belly, cutting its stomach and causing a gush of green blood.

But I didn't manage to cleave the goblin in half as I'd hoped and the dying green skinned creature fell towards me and tried to stab my chest in a final, desperate act.

Just as the goblin nearly stabbed me, a black dagger landed on its head with a whoosh, causing it to collapse.

I narrowly avoided getting stabbed and gave a grateful smile to Gilhen, the dark elf who had thrown the dagger.

However, Gilhen seemed preoccupied and continued to conjure and throw the same kind of black dagger, which I learned was a spell, at the ongoing horde of goblins.

It was my second day with this party, and tomorrow was the day they planned to depart the city using a teleportation portal.

A day earlier, we had ventured into a B-rank dungeon and it had been a close call with my life hanging in the balance so later we had to continue in a C-rank dungeon but considering my limited strength, I manage to stay alive only by staying in the back and not fighting.

Our current Quest at the moment involved defending a village from a goblin horde, and while there were other adventurers present, our C-rank party, boosted by Gilhen strength, a {Master} title adventurer, made us the strongest team.

Klaire, a 13-year-old mage, was the other member of Gilhen's party, and I too had been temporarily included in it.

Klaire's magical prowess was impressive, and she stood at the back casting fireballs, her spell's signature appearing normal this time.

Positioned in the second line of defense, my role was to combat goblins who managed to slip past the first line. Thanks to Gilhen's [Shadow Daggers], very few goblins reached the second line.

It also struck me that the previous goblin encounter might have been a Gilhen way to test my abilities, which 'I had successfully failed as I planned'.

…

Finally the next day arrived, and it was time for them to head to the Teleportation Faculty. Before their departure, Gilhen approached me and tried to give me something akin to what an departing uncle would bestow.

I was overjoyed as I smiled but instead of coins, I received a wand, which left me feeling dejected.

He even provided an accompanying lecture on the virtues of using a wand instead of a sword, making me further convinced of his "uncle" demeanor due to the unwelcome lecture accompanying the gift.

Suddenly, the Teleportation array shimmered brightly, signaling that it was ready. Gilhen and Klaire made their way towards it. I had no words for Gilhen, but there was something I wanted to say to Klaire.

But

My words got stuck in my mouth as I watched the petite figure in crimson cloak fade into the distance.

It was evident that it didn't matter what I said, so I didn't even try to say anything, maybe, I was merely a mob character to her, someone she would soon forget.

_ _ _ _ _

Stepping into the Adventurer Guild Office, my half-black and half-white mask drew immediate attention from the patrons inside, they stopped their chatter as they looked at my face or my mask.

A scar-faced man even stood up and approached me, his eyes squinting menacingly, "Where have you been, Mask? It's been five days! Thought you were dead." but his voice carried a witty remark.

The room erupted in teasing remarks, as the onlookers erupted with questions.

"Did a goblin finally catch up to ya?"

"Thought ya quit being the adventurer kid?"

Behind my mask, I smirked and replied, "Why? Y'all concerned 'bout me? I had joined a solid adventurer party temporarily, them dragged me into a C-rank dungeon. And it's three days, Scar-face, not five."

Scar-faced and the crowds didn't hear my last part as the mention of a C-rank dungeon had silenced the room.

I chuckled, "Just kidding,"

The tension broke and the crowds burst into laughter.

"Haha, Mask, that's a good one,"

Scar-faced joined in the laughter.

"C-rank dungeon, ya caught me by surprise, kiddo."

The chat with the crowds carries on as I went on to share a fabricated story about rescuing a damsel in distress from a bandit group, claiming this damsel was a ravishing red-cloaked princess who had fallen head over heels for me, detaining me for three unforgettable days.

The onlookers roared with laughter, joining in with playful jests and cheeky questions.