Prologue Pt. 2

"Work… Tabuchi-kun, the report is underway…" [Ryouma]

Ryouma woke up under the shade of the trees, deep inside the forest. Just as the gods told him, his body had returned to his tens. When he woke up, he was leaning on a tree with a set of hemp clothes on.

Ryouma woke up muttering. As he did, he looked around him, still half-dazed.

"A forest? It wasn't a dream, I see…" [Ryouma]

As the scent of the earth and the wind wafted to Ryouma's nose, he gradually remembered why he was here.

"Oh, right… I'm in another world. Hmm?" [Ryouma]

Ryouma noticed a leather bag and a book the size of a notebook placed in front of him. When he looked at the cover of the book, on it were words from a language clearly not Japanese. It read: Letter. The sender seemed to be the three gods who invited him to this world.

"Gayn, Kufo, Rurutia…" [Ryouma]

As Ryouma read out the names written down, he recalled the gods he met.

(They already explained things to me before sending me off. They even gave me knowledge and power. Yet they still went the extra mile and left me this letter. I guess it's a lot closer to a manual than a letter, though…")

Turning the book, he saw three things written on the first page.

The first thing written was about the world.

This world is known as Seiruforu. There is a place known as Gana Forest in the Riforu Kingdom. Monsters are relatively rare here, making it a safer place compared to other forests.

The second thing written was about Ryouma's current situation. Though the forest was safe, it wasn't perfectly safe, so the gods suggested that Ryouma go to a livable place as soon as possible. The gods included a small map.

The last page was bound tight, and on it read: "Read the next page only once you've arrived at the designated area."

Ryouma smiled at the gods' graciousness, then Ryouma stood up. When he did, he felt an odd sensation attack him.

"My body really has turned into that of a kid's… Ryouma Takebayashi, 39-years-old, single, occupation: systems engineer. The only thing I have left is my memory. Reminds me of a certain detective."

Ryouma might have heard the gods inform him of what will happen beforehand, but he still couldn't help be shocked when he actually saw his body back to that of a kid's. When he was sure nothing was off, he started moving his body.

Ryouma slowly moved his body, starting with the simple opening and closing of his hands and the bending of his legs, then he started stretching. Gradually, he made more complex movements. When he was finally able to perform the martial feats his father had taught him in his past life, he stopped.

Ryouma turned toward a nearby tree, then as his eyes narrowed, he sent a sharp kick toward its trunk.

"PI!"

"Chi chi!"

An explosive sound resounded throughout the forest as the tree Ryouma kicked easily broke, causing the birds resting on the nearby trees to flee. In the ensuing panic, some of the birds even fell. Meanwhile, Ryouma calmly pondered on what had just happened.

(Strange… My current strength is either equal or greater than it once was. It doesn't make any sense, but for some reason my body moves a lot easier. Of course, the reach has significantly been reduced, but… In any case, it seems the only thing I'll have to get used to is the reach problem. Walking or running doesn't seem like it'll be any trouble, but as for the rest, I'll have to catch up with my new body first.)

With that, Ryouma went back to the tree beneath which he had been sleeping and took a good look at the map. On the map were two locations pinned. One indicated where he currently was, while the other indicated his destination. After gauging the distance, he stored the map into the bag. At the same time, he noticed there was a knife left for him, so he placed it by his waist for easy access, then he walked to the place the gods told him to go.

2 hours later.

Along the way, Ryouma came across some "monsters", living organisms that didn't exist on Earth, but they were all weak and ran away on their own, so Ryouma just ignored them.

With his small legs, it would take him a considerable amount of time to traverse the distance he needed, but thanks to the knowledge the gods had given him, he was able to identify the herbal and edible plants along the way, making things that much more convenient for him.

After walking through the dimly lit forest, Ryouma finally arrived at its depths. As the trees opened up and bare rocks were revealed, Ryouma was greeted by a cliff. When he was certain that he was safe, he put down his belongings and did as the letter instructed him.

"Oh? There's a river nearby? This should be a good place to settle down."

Ryouma would mutter to himself from time to time as he read his letter. He wasn't even thinking of going out of the forest, as he was intending to live in the forest first just as he had discussed with the gods.

"There seems to be a tent provided, but I think a cave would be better considering there are monsters and all."

With a tent, even a big animal would be enough to cause Ryouma trouble, so he approached the cliff and placed his index finger on the surface of the rock while he read the letter. On the page of the letter were instructions regarding the usage of "magic".

"The first step is to calm down, then one is to gather inside his body… Like this? …My body fills like it's being filled with water like a balloon or something, ugh…"

Though Ryouma complained with his mouth, he was still somewhat happy and excited, so he couldn't help but smile.

However, while he might have indulged himself with otaku hobbies like light novels and games, and while he might have imagined himself using magic countless times during break, Ryouma has never actually used magic.

"Umm… After sensing magic in the body, I am to… move it by imagining it moving, and I am supposed to direct it outside. There."

Ryouma read the instructions aloud as he tried to follow them, giving off an atmosphere akin to that of an old man struggling with technology. As he imagined magic flowing out of his fingertips, magic power began to flow out.

Magic has 12 elements. They are:

Neutral, Fire, Water, Wind, Earth.

Ice, Electricity, Wood, Poison.

Light, Darkness, Space.

Mages are able to change the element of their magic power according to the image within their mind, and then invocate a spell with a chant.

When Ryouma read that part, he chose the earth spell out of the many spells listed in the letter.

"Magic power shall flow into the cliff and the crumbling rocks shall… 'Break Rock'."

With a clear image, Ryouma chanted those last two words, and suddenly, though only a little, a small hole was hollowed in the part of the cliff he was touching. It was only small enough for about three index fingers to fit in, making it more like a dent than an actual hole, but when Ryouma saw the spell take effect, he couldn't help but laugh to himself.

(How long has it been since I last enjoyed myself? I was always pulling all-nighters and overtimes and accompanying my boss to drink… It's not like I never had any time for leisure, but… Yeah, it's been awhile, hasn't it? Since I last felt like this.)

Though Ryouma kept a tight watch on his surroundings, he casted Break Rock after Break Rock with a foolish expression on his face.

After casting spell after spell for a while, Ryouma muttered to himself.

"This isn't very efficient." [Ryouma]

(I've finally started to get the hang of it, but at this rate, I won't finish before the sun sets. Besides, there should be a limit to the number of times I can use magic.)

As Ryouma thought that, he decided to take a break and draw water from the river. When he came back, he opened the letter again.

(It would be great if there's something I can use, but in the worst case, I'll just have to use that tent. I've slept some in one back on Earth, so it should be no problem… Ah.)

While Ryouma was looking for a solution to his predicament, he came across a page that showed his status.

(Status, huh. Well, this should be convenient. At the very least, I'll be able to understand exactly what I can and can't do.)

When he looked at the page again, it read:

Name: Ryouma Takebayashi

Gender: Male

Age: 8

Race: Human

(My name and gender is the same as in my past life. I don't really remember what sort of kid I was back then though. All I remember is that my dad beat everything into me. Anyway, moving on…)

HP: 10,486

MP: 102,300

Note: For an average person, their HP would normally be around 1000, while an adventurer, a soldier, or a trained person would normally have theirs between 2,000 to 3,000.

"What kind of freak am I supposed to be then?" [Ryouma]

(I mean, sure, I might have worked out a bit more than most young people or those bigwigs with their bulging stomachs, but I don't think that's enough to make such a big difference. The magic power makes sense since the gods said my magic power would naturally increase as a side effect of their procedure, but that shouldn't apply to HP.)

MP had a note under it just like HP. Normal people had 100 MP. Warriors that bolstered their fighting abilities with magic ranged from 500 – 700 MP. A normal mage ranged from 1,000 – 5,000 MP, and a royal court magician ranged from 10,000 to 50,000.

(Well, more won't hurt. Now about those skills…)

Domestic Skills

Domestic Chores LV10

Etiquette LV7

Musical Instrument LV3

Singing LV3

Calculation LV5

Battle Skills

Close-Combat Mastery LV7

Sword Mastery LV7

Knife Mastery LV6

Hidden Weapons Mastery LV7

Spear Mastery LV4

Bow Mastery LV6

Staff Mastery LV6

Weight Control LV4

Throwing Weapons Mastery LV7

Stealth Mastery LV7

Traps LV6

Body Control LV6

Spirit Cultivation LV5

Magic Skills

Familiar Magic LV1

Barrier Magic LV1

Healing Magic LV1

Alchemy LV1

Fire Magic LV1

Water Magic LV1

Wind Magic LV1

Earth Magic LV1

Neutral Magic LV1

Electric Magic LV1

Ice Magic LV1

Poison Magic LV1

Wood Magic LV1

Light Magic LV1

Dark Magic LV1

Space Magic LV1

Magic Perception LV1

Magic Manipulation LV1

Increased MP Recovery LV1

Production Skills

Pharmacy LV6

Smithing LV1

Architecture LV2

Woodworking LV2

Molding LV4

Drawing LV4

Resistance Skills

Physical Pain Resistance LV8

Mental Resistance LV9

Health LV7

Special Skills

Survival Skills LV3

Focused Mind LV5

Greater Vitality LV3

Greater Stamina LV6

Greater Regeneration LV3

Titles

Usurper

One Who has Lived Through Misfortune

Favored Child of the Gods

Disciple of the Sage

Disciple of the Martial God

Blessings

Blessing of Gayn, the God of Creation

Blessing of Kufo, the God of Life

Blessing of Rurutia, the God of Love

(Regarding skills, a level 1 means that one has learned the basics. A level 2 indicates that one is an apprentice, while a level 3 indicates that one is learned. 4 indicates proficiency, while a 5 means first-class. From 6 beyond is the mark of an expert.

I guess the 39 years I spent wasn't for nothing. A lot of the skills seem to have taken inspiration from the things I learned in work and school. Stuff like programming which isn't relevant to this world aren't written, though.

Titles and blessings don't really seem like they'll be much use right now. Now, what to do?)

Ryouma turned to the next page and read the explanations written about various skills. 10 minutes later, one skill caught his eyes.

Spirit Cultivation, a skill that strengthens one's life force.

By sensing one's ki beneath the stomach and by letting it flow throughout the body like one does with magic, one's physical faculties are heightened. By allowing the ki to course through one's weapons, the sharpness of the weapon increases, making it much more powerful. The use of Spirit Cultivation can become second-nature after regular use, so there are cases when its practitioners use it unaware.

(This is probably the reason why I moved so much awhile ago. I should be able to use it well once I understand it. Now, where is that earth spell… Ah, found it.)

The elementary earth spell, Rock. A spell that hardens soil and transforms it into either rock or stone. The shape can be molded according to the will of the mage.

"'Rock'" [Ryouma]

As Ryouma used the spell on the crumbled parts of the cliff, the earth and sand quickly turned into stones.

"Good. 'Rock'. 'Rock'. —" [Ryouma]

Using the same spell several times, Ryouma created a short stone rod. Using Break Rock, Ryouma thinned its end, creating a shape akin to that of a beast's fang. After completion, Ryouma held his newly made rod with a backhand grip as he walked toward the cliff.

Ryouma took a deep breath as he circulated ki from his right arm to his rod, then he slammed it down onto the cliff.

"Ha!" [Ryouma]

Ryouma's hardened rod slammed into the cliff, boring a hole deep enough for half his finger to enter.

When Ryouma saw his rod take effect, he slammed the cliff again, boring holes faster than when he just chanted spells.

"Tch! It broke! 'Rock'" [Ryouma]

Whenever Ryouma's rod broke, he would fix it and begin digging again. By the time the sun had set, Ryouma had only managed to dig out a hole big enough for him to store his belongings. Despite that, because Ryouma had to use Spirit Cultivation and Magic, which he was unfamiliar with, a wave of exhaustion hit him.

(This is it for the day, I suppose.)

When Ryouma walked away from the cliff to get the food and water he'd gathered, he suddenly found himself staring at the scenery.

"Amazing…" [Ryouma]

Before Ryouma knew it, the world outside had been dyed in the color of the setting sun. The trees and the leaves reflected the red of the sun onto the leaves and plants outside of its reach. Ryouma was speechless at the beauty of that sight.

As the red sky began to fade, a resplendent starry sky filled its place.

(There's so many stars. How beautiful. How long has it been since I last saw so many stars? In fact, how long has it been since I last had the opportunity to take in my surroundings?)

No one answered Ryouma's questions, but regardless, Ryouma was satisfied. And with a face full of satisfaction, he took his belongings and carried them into his cave.

Ryouma took a blanket from his bag and spread it over the ground, creating a place for him to rest, then as he leaned onto the wall, he took a mouthful of food. He'd only gathered fruits and herbs he could eat raw, so there weren't much, but he was still able to fill his belly, while still leaving about half of everything he'd gathered.

(I'll eat the rest tomorrow. I should sleep now. I have to gather ingredients and things I can use in my day-to-day life tomorrow. There's a lot to do, but there's also a lot to gain.)

After eating his fill, Ryouma blocked the entrance of his cave.

"Gayn, Kufo, Rurutia, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your kindness…" [Ryouma]

Ryouma's busy legs finally stopped, taking refuge in the embrace of the soft blanket around him. As his words vanished into the dark of the cave, the sound of snoring could be heard not long after.

Meanwhile, in the divine realm, three gods were peeping at Ryouma. These gods were – of course – none other than Gayn, Kufo, and Rurutia, the gods who sent Ryouma to Seiruforu.

"Everything seems to be going well." [Gayn]

"Yes, we have also managed to bestow him power without any difficulties." [Rurutia]

"He's managed to find a place to live in as well. It should be smooth sailing from here." [Kufo]

The three gods expressed their relief in the blank white space.

"Indeed, but let's keep watching him for now. We might have made a deal with him, but it would ache my heart to see him happen into some unfortunate accident. And besides, he's piqued my interest." [Gayn]

"Sure, Gayn." [Kufo]

"I agree, let's keep watching. That aside, just what on Earth is the earth god thinking? I can't believe he actually meddled with the destiny of a living person." [Rurutia]

After showing their approval to Gayn's proposal, Rurutia suddenly spat her disgust for the Earth God.

"Calm down, Rurutia. Grumbling here won't do any of us any good." [Gayn]

"But I'm concerned. You are too, right, Gayn?" [Rurutia]

"Well, yes. Even if it's not always with malicious intention, there aren't a lot of people whose destiny has been tampered with. To begin with, the fact that gods aren't supposed to so easily tamper with a person's destiny is common sense. And stealing a person's fortune is just incorrigible." [Gayn]

"He even went as far as to use 'Trials'. I can't believe he would actually have some reason behind all this." [Rurutia]

Trials are a kind of opportunity the gods can give to the people living in the mortal world to help them; usually it is given when a great danger is looming over a great multitude, though ultimately, when it is given is completely up to the gods' discretion.

When a trial is passed, the people who have undertaken the trial are given great power as reward.

"That god might have intended to hurt him, but in the end, a trial is a trial. If you can live through it, you can gain power." [Rurutia]

"And though the trials were suppressed to little misfortunes in his everyday life, after so many, the effect is bound to accumulate." [Gayn]

"Even a little trash here and there can one day form a mountain, in other words. Though the power he gained never benefited him in his work or luck, his body ended up becoming freakishly strong. It's fortunate though, because otherwise…" [Rurutia]

"It's because of that that we noticed. And from looking at his memories, it seems even his father—" [Kufo]

While Ryouma slept, the gods chattered among themselves about matters he did not understand.