Monsters Lurk in the Forest (1)

The place where all Wanderers' souls awaken.

"How many times do I have to tell you? It's all true!"

In the resurrection chamber of the Starting Village, a red-haired boy had just woken up. Ray pointed to the faded stigmata on his shoulder, desperately explaining what had happened to him moments ago.

"You little shit. Even if you're embarrassed about dying on your first try, you think we'd believe that bullshit?"

The boys, barely adults, had left the village full of bravado for their first adventure. But they'd been utterly annihilated by some unknown monster right at the start. Now they vented their frustration.

"It's not a lie! A totally normal-looking skeleton sliced our necks in one hit!!"

They'd encountered a monster. Right at the entrance to the Starting Plains, where only trash mobs were supposed to spawn. It was a mandatory gateway to earn the Warrior qualification—and they'd wiped from the very beginning. Mocking laughter rained down on the boys as if it were only natural.

"So you're saying a boss monster just popped up in the field? Disguised as a plain old skeleton?"

"Not exactly, but...!"

No matter how much he explained, the Wanderers had no intention of listening to Ray. They'd already decided the kid was lying to cover up his screw-up, dismissing it as typical teenage bravado.

"Anyway, I saw it clear as day!"

The place was so safe it was downright boring. No newbie just starting out would die here—unless they were total idiots. For Wanderers, this was just the basics.

The land of eternal rest. Here, all Wanderers received one blessing from the gods: immortality. Or more precisely, as long as their stigmata remained, they could resurrect endlessly—a gift from the divine.

Sure, they lost a lot in the process, but Wanderers staked everything on their adventures anyway. To chase their dreams.

"That's enough, everyone."

"Master!"

The Wanderers, who'd been toying with the boy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like a plaything, clammed up at the sudden arrival of a black-haired man.

"Tch. We were just getting to the fun part, and you ruin it. Hey, old man! Your brats are spreading weird rumors."

"...Weird rumors?"

Jeff, the wrinkled old man who mentored the boys, turned to his disciple at the Wanderer's words.

"Well, they're going on about encountering a monster in the Starting Plains. Total bullshit."

"It's not bullshit!!"

Ray's expression and tone screamed genuine grievance. Jeff knew the kid was slippery, but he never lied to others.

"Tell me what happened."

So he gave his disgraceful disciple a chance to clear his name.

Spotting that Jeff believed him, Ray straightened up and spoke earnestly.

"The skeleton swung this stick thing, and the space just split open."

"......"

The boy's heavy words silenced the tavern for a moment. A brief hush filled the air, and then—

""Ahahaha!""

Laughter exploded from all sides.

"Gah! Why are you laughing?!"

Clack!

"Ow! That hurts!"

"You brat! How dare you tarnish your master's name with such nonsense?"

"But—!"

Ray tried to protest again, not fully grasping the situation, but Jeff's iron grip subdued him easily.

"Quiet! You two—back home for a month of extra training the second we get back!"

"Nooo! I just escaped that hell!"

"Who told you to die to some skeleton? No, you're on special training."

"Nooo!!"

Jeff dragged the still-flailing Ray out of the tavern. The boy's scream faded into the distance, and peace returned to the inn.

In one corner of the rowdy tavern, where everyone had been buzzing over ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the lying kid's tale...

"A weird skeleton, huh..."

A man who'd been eavesdropping quietly sank into deep thought. He drummed his fingers on the table for a long while before grabbing his weapon and standing.

I'd better check it out myself.

To think it leveled up...

"Clack clack!"

After the commotion, I belatedly realized I'd leveled up and headed into the forest with a spring in my step. Acting on instinct had led to an unexpected windfall.

The crisp text now followed my empty name. It meant a new change had come—one that hadn't been there before.

Levels! This made it feel like I'd really fallen into a game.

More shocking than turning into a skeleton. Leveling up meant I could get stronger now, right?

A utterly ordinary skeleton. From vague memories of my past life, there was this genre called reincarnation stories. Just like my situation. And the most important thing in those was always the status window.

Confirming the level, I twisted and turned, checking my body. It felt a bit lighter than before. And somehow refreshed. Probably just my imagination, though.

Grrr...

As I sought deeper shade from the hot sun, a wary beast's growl echoed. Turning, I saw a pack of wolves snarling at me.

Me? Now?

Clatter.

Ridiculous. My bones rattled in disbelief. Five wolves crept closer. But why target a skeleton? No flesh to eat.

After a moment's thought, I got it. Wolves were canines. Dogs love bones.

Aha! To them, I was just a walking toy!

"Woof woof!"

"Grrr, woof!"

Barking erupted everywhere. Their wagging tails showed their excitement.

Okay! Come at me.

I crooked a finger arrogantly, and they charged from all sides. Time to debut a new move.

I swung my bone club in a wide arc.

Hrah!Heat Wave Slash!

Whoosh—!

"Yelp!"

The cocky wolves lunging at me crumpled, bleeding out on the plains. Unlike the boys, their corpses didn't crumble to dust—they just lay there.

What the—!

"Clack!"

First emotion after bagging wolves: disappointment. I should've leveled up.

Nothing.

No change. Just a smidge of satisfaction. Still level 1.

Tasteless...

Couldn't even eat. My one fun prospect, gone. Staring at the blood-soaked wolf corpses rolling on the ground, I looked up.

If there's a status window, maybe that too? Levels always come with it.

Skill window!

I shouted in my mind.

More than I expected. I'd thought it'd be empty, but it was packed.

Why hadn't I thought of skills before? Oh, right—skull head. No brain.

Tap my skull—thunk thunk. Hollow echo. Literally empty.

Probably why. Or maybe I'm just dumb.

Checked the first two. Dizzying explanations. Soul's Eye lets me see enemy info on touch. Craving? No clue. Moved on.

Simple. I know: shorter description, better skill. Easy to understand!

The others? Gibberish. But Slash: 1. Swing. 2. Cut. Perfect for my empty head!

Skull-friendly. Nodded in satisfaction. Explanations should be this concise.

But why level 100?

Questioned it. Rolled my non-existent brain, then gave up. Good is good.

Last one.

Froze. Replace bones. Get stronger. That's all I got.

But how to activate?

Happy about skills, clueless on use. Headed back to where I first opened my eyes. Still peaceful. Then, on the wind...

"Boss! You really buying those kids' story?"

Human voices.

"Could be a rare monster."

"Doubt a beast like that spawns here."

"That's why we're checking. If I'm right, we're rich."

An armed group in leather armor approached my spot. Brain whirred. After the boys, I'd leveled immediately.

Humans might do it too.

Let's test.

My eyes gleamed faintly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in the darkness at the new prey.