First Time in Another World and First Battle
I came to my senses standing in a clearing surrounded by trees, with Mizuki right beside me.
Sunlight filtered through the branches. It felt like midday.
A stone-paved road stretched out ahead and behind us.
"No clue which way the town's in."
I started to say something, but noticed Mizuki was crying for real.
"What's up? That kiss make you so happy?"
"No! I'm just pissed off!"
She wiped her tears with a handkerchief and glared at me.
But for some reason, that glare turned to confusion.
I felt the same about her face. It was already pretty, but now it looked even more refined, like fine-tuning had kicked in.
"Were you always that much of a beauty? You some kinda idol on the side?"
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
"Wh-what? You butterin' me up for another kiss?"
"Nah! But I'll give ya one anytime. More importantly, check out your hair color."
She grabbed a strand and froze.
Her hair had been pure black back with Rakushel, but now it had a blue tint.
"The light playin' tricks?"
"Dunno, but I don't think so. Hard to explain, but your whole vibe's different now."
"Yeah. Your hair's lookin' more green too. Back on the train, I thought you looked like someone I knew, but now the vibe's even closer..."
So she mistook me for that guy and pegged me as a groper.
"That guy a serial molester or what?"
"N-no, he's not... like that..." She got super flustered for some reason.
"Boyfriend then?"
"No!"
She blew up.
"But forgive me for the groper suspicion, okay? Call it payback for that slap, and we're even."
"Payback for what?"
She wanted to wipe the slate clean, but I was dying to hear what she thought I'd done to her.
"Don't wanna talk about it. Already forgotten."
"After that, you slapped me back as revenge. Balances out, right?"
I rubbed my cheek. It was hot and swollen.
"Ugh, fine, I'll think of some apology for that."
"A kiss works. One time or a hundred, it's all the same, yeah?"
"It's not about the number! It's just... physiologically impossible for me! Please, make me forget!"
She still knew how to stab right at my insecurities.
"Besides..." Mizuki trailed off.
"What, you got a boyfriend?"
"No, not exactly, but there's someone I like. And I have..."
She hesitated, glancing at me like she was checking something. No memory on my end, but maybe we'd crossed paths before.
"What, you doin' sugar daddy stuff?"
"As if! Stop with the weird ideas!"
After that, we started walking toward town, figuring that was the plan.
No idea which way, so we headed where the view opened up.
Direction decided by Mizuki winning rock-paper-scissors.
"Damn Rakushel. Coulda dropped us somewhere more obvious."
"Maybe she picked a spot that'd take time to reach town on purpose."
"Why?"
The road should've been safe, but getting lost out here meant no rescue. Situation was turning dicey.
"Hey, can I ask somethin'?"
"Yeah, shoot."
"Before that, mind if I call you Mash instead of 'old man'?"
"Go for it. I'll call you Mizuki-chan then."
"Ugh, creepy... just Mizuki. Shorter, so I can stomach it better."
"Gotcha, Mizuki."
I said her name on purpose, and she shuddered. Hated too much.
Why do high school girls loathe us old guys so much?
"Your cheek still has my handprint. Hope it's gone before we hit town."
"For real? It's been throbbing the whole time."
Would've been nice to run into someone, but no luck.
Felt like we were heading away from people—town— but no proof.
Camping out here would suck.
Kept walking, started sweating.
"Hot as balls."
Yanked off my tie. Tried shoving it in Storage roughly and fumbled, dropping it on the road.
"Hey, don't litter!" Mizuki spotted it quick and picked it up.
"Eh? Just a slip-up."
I reached for it, but she dodged.
"I'll hold onto it."
"Why? Gimme. Don't need it, but it's mine."
"You'd just toss it again." She stashed it in her Storage.
While we bantered, a scream echoed from the bushes off the path.
"Hm? Someone there?" I strained my ears.
"Help!"
Someone yelling far off. Screams mixed in. Faint sounds of fighting too.
"Gotta go!"
"Wait up!"
I grabbed Mizuki's arm as she bolted toward the noise.
She shot me a dirty look.
"Gonna leave 'em?"
"Not that. This ain't Japan. Gotta be careful."
"Right. Got it."
"Pull a sword from Storage first. Sneak up and scout."
She nodded. Rakushel had given us small one-handers.
Gripping hers tight, we crept toward the sounds, ducking behind trees. Had to bushwhack, so some noise was inevitable.
Sounds sharpened: thuds of blows, beastly "Gya! Gya!" yells, human groans. Wanted to pretend I heard nothing and bail.
Finally reached a spot to peek.
Small humanoid things—like apes but hairless, in loincloths—swinging clubs at a man and woman. About ten goblins.
Woman down, man trying to save her. Goblins clubbing him senseless.
"Goblins? Kobolds?"
Nothing we could do.
Didn't even know our own strength, let alone theirs.
"Let's go."
"Huh?"
No time to stop her—Mizuki charged. Caught one off-guard, sliced it clean. It burst and vanished.
She went for a second, but its club blocked.
More closed in. I rushed one.
My sword stabbed true; it screamed and popped.
But no turnaround—Mizuki swarmed by two, purely defending.
Another crept behind, club raised at her head.
"Shit!"
Rushed to her. Tried blocking with my sword, but momentum won.
Dull thud to my shoulder. Next thing, face in dirt.
Tried pushing up—agony shot through my shoulder, sent me rolling.
Desperate spot.
"Mizuki! Screwed up. Run!"
"Super Save...?"
Mizuki murmured, looking down at me.
Her eyes gleamed blue, but that light blue panty peeking from her skirt was brighter.
What followed was unreal.
Took some hits from the mob, but dodged all lethal blows. Every swing she made landed fatal.
As numbers thinned, the guy she'd saved joined in.
I lay there stealing glances at her panties till the fight ended.
"You okay?"
She ran over.
"Worry about yourself. You got tagged a few times."
"I'm fine. Nothin' solid landed."
Grunted through the pain, hauled myself up.
Then a four-person party showed—drawn by the noise, like us.
"Name's Lead. Leader of Wind's Blade. We're adventurers from the Rishel guild. Goblin attacks on people have spiked, so we took a patrol quest."
Lead introduced himself. Young, total pretty boy. Wind's Blade was their party: adventurer, warrior, mage, priestess.
Wish they'd come sooner. Beat the goblins before we jumped in.
"Potion. Drink."
The mage-looking girl handed me liquid. Bitter.
Priestess girl chanted over my shoulder. Pain gone.
"Do Mizuki too."
"I'm good." Mizuki waved it off quick.
"Hm. But you've taken damage. Let me heal you."
Priestess insisted. Unrelated, but she was stacked.
"Th-thanks."
The couple had been herb-picking when goblins hit.
Town outskirts usually patrolled by knights and adventurers, so solo weaklings only—packs like this were rare.
Both badly hurt. Girl was down when we arrived; guy collapsed at the end.
His recovery magic got him walking, but hers needed town treatment—potions and spells falling short.
Call by a bearded short guy who showed after Wind's Blade. Dwarf, apparently—Aidan.
Whole group heading back to town. We tagged along.
Dwarf tried carrying the girl, but Lead stopped him.
"Aidan, I know you're A-rank. Can't have you doing that. My slave'll handle it."
"Right." Aidan nodded.
"Beers, carry her."
Warrior-type Beers hoisted her, Aidan helping.
We walked opposite our arrival direction.
Stone road to town. Mizuki already chummy with Wind's Blade.
Insane social skills I couldn't match.
Why not use 'em on me? She slid next to me.
"Mage is Cecily, priestess Ira. Both total babes, right?"
"Yeah."
Grunted back; she laughed. Expected that.
"Both Lead's lovers!"
"What?" Hated him for those tits.
"Townsfolk do monogamy, but adventurers are free agents. East's got the Demon Kingdom—polygamy central."
Great system. But nah, pretty boys hogging all the hotties.
Lead had two beauties and a slave. Not for me.
"Anyway... this."
Handed me a marble-sized thing. White flame flickered in the core.
"Dropped from the goblin you killed. Mana Seed."
More gem than seed.
"Drink it to boost stats or enchant gear."
"Know what goblin ones buff?"
"Others are fixed, but goblins random."
"Huh. Farm a ton, max stats?"
"Need like 10,000 kills."
"Damn. By then you're strong enough without 'em."
I laughed. Rare stuff.
"So... can I have it? As a good-luck charm."
"Huh? Waste. Rare—sell high, split the cash."
"Muu... it's your kill, so sell if you want. Money's yours anyway."
She pouted.
Not planning to hog and sell it sneaky.
"Eh, you rushing in almost got us killed, but you saved my ass. Keep it."
Handed back the Mana Seed.
"Feels backhanded, but I'll treasure it. Thanks, Mash."
"Speakin' of that fight—remember my Special Skill?"
"Large-Scale Retail Stores Act or somethin'?"
"I get you're joking for laughs. Lame."
Her Super Save auto-dodged lethal hits.
Super Kill chance for instant kills.
Either triggered Super Expansion, boosting dodge and kill odds.
Each chain infinitely amped it—dodge handled normals too, kill chance skyrocketed.
Worked regardless of her base stats.
That loop shredded the goblins.
"So I didn't need to help—you'd Super Save and solo anyway."
Too OP. Rakushel's gift was busted.
"Woulda been dicey without you. Felt like it kicked in when you jumped in."
Would've protected her somehow, but mobbed saturation made it rough.
"Got it. But don't blab about skills or being Transfers to randos."
"Why?"
"Hard to explain. You'll regret it when shit hits."
If she's the strongest, keep swinging.
Demon King out there. Other Transfers with powers too.
Her reckless ass would burn hot—big backlash coming.
"Kinda felt that too. I'll watch it."
Straightforward. Kinda scary.