CHAPTER 6: STEP & THUMBING

The difference between monsters and ordinary creatures is whether or not they store magic stones in their bodies.

 

　Monsters have an organ right next to their heart that contains magic stones, a mass of magic element.

 

　Ordinary creatures, including us, do not have such an organ.

 

 

　It is said that monsters store magic elements in their bodies in the form of magic stones and release them into the bloodstream to strengthen their bodies when hunting or fighting.

 

　Since ordinary wild animals cannot use body enhancement, monsters are far more dangerous even if they are of the same size.

 

 

　Well, for me, a small catkin, it is dangerous whether it is a monster or a wild animal, and I don’t want to encounter them while I am picking medicinal herbs.

 

　Even goblins, which are considered small fry among monsters, are bigger and stronger than me.

 

 

　After I found out that I was reborn in another world, I longed for a situation where I could use magic and swordsmanship to become a warrior… but the reality is harsh.

 

　I am just a small fry, a small fry among small fry, the king of small fries, a smaller fry than the goblins that are called small fries.

 

 

　Monsters, like wild animals, are wary of people.

 

　They know that people can defeat even the strongest enemies with magic, weapons, and the cooperation of a large number of people, so they do not venture into the village.

 

　They know that the village is the domain of people.

 

 

　If villages and towns are the domain of people, forests and mountains are the domain of monsters and wild animals.

 

　Even monsters that do not venture into villages will attack humans in the forests and mountains after assessing their opponents.

 

　Once they step into the territory of the opponent, people are equally seen as prey.

 

 

　Therefore, when I go into the mountains to gather medicinal herbs, I always pay attention to what is going on around me.

 

　I take dried and powdered wormwood with me, and sometimes scatter it along the path I have just walked on so that they cannot trace my scent.

 

　I try to stay out of clearings as much as possible and try to detect their presence before they do.

 

 

　Even in Japan, there are times when people go into the mountains to gather bamboo shoots or wild vegetables and are attacked by bears, but in this part of the world, the chances of encountering a bear are many times greater, and in fact, some people have gone into the mountains and never returned.

 

　I had to be careful, cautious, be wary when entering the mountain.

 

 

　On this day, I went into the mountains in the morning, but I only saw a deer and its parents, and I was able to come back without encountering any dangerous beasts or monsters.

 

　As I was rinsing and sorting the medicinal herbs I had picked up in the mountains, I was approached later by someone who talked to me,

 

 

“Hey, Nyango.
You seem to be doing well these days.” (Boy)

 

 

　Miguel, the grandson of the village chief who approached me, was jealous that only Horacio, who was the same age as him, was recruited by the Royal Knights during the “Nest Leaving Ceremony,” and has been leading a self-indulgent life since returning to his village.

 

　Even now, with Dalles, a horsekin, one year older than him, and Kimball, a bearkin, one year younger, in tow, he seems to be wandering around without going to school.

 

 

　Sometimes, they are said to be drinking alcohol without their parent’s knowledge, which seems to be a straight path to being a bum.

 

　And although he claims to be well-to-do, he can only earn one silver coin a day.

 

　In the Japanese sense of the word, I can only laugh at the idea that one can make 1,000 yen a day and still be rich.

 

 

“I’m a serious worker, you know.” (Nyango)

 

“What… are you making a fool of me?” (Miguel)

 

“If you think you’re being called a fool, it’s because you feel guilty.” (Nyango)

 

“This twerp… Oy!” (Miguel)

 

 

　Kimball, signaled by Miguel, takes up a pincer position around the riverbank.

 

　I exchanged words with Miguel but kept working with my hands and finished bundling the rinsed herbs and putting them in a basket.

　

 

“Dalles, Kimball.
He looks like he got dirty picking weeds.
Let’s help Nyango clean up.” (Miguel)

 

“Leave it to us, young master, and don’t get wet, Kimball.” (Dalles)

 

 

　I wanted to tell him that he was not that “young” compared to him, but I don’t think I have time for that.

 

　Dalles and Kimball are approaching me with their arms outstretched.

 

　They seem to be planning on catching me and throwing me into the river.

　

 

　Both of them are from a large race, and my physique is not even in the running, and I have a basket of medicinal herbs with me, so it would be difficult to break through.

 

　The river is less than 10 meters wide, but about 1 meter deep, and if they push me down to the center of the river, It would be hard for me to swim up.

 

 

“[Step].” (Nyango)

 

 

　I put the basket on my back and walked toward the river.

 

　I step out onto the surface of the river, but I never touch the water’s surface.

 

 

　The strength of my void magic has increased, and I can now create footholds that can support my weight.

 

　I still only make three footholds simultaneously, and they will break if my concentration is disturbed, but for now, I have no other choice.

 

 

“What the! This guy is walking on water.” (Dalles)

 

“What? What’s going on?” (Kimball)

 

 

　While Dalles and Kimball were startled, I was able to walk to the middle of the river, but I let my guard down.

 

 

“He’s using magic.
Hey, Dalles.
You use your magic, too.” (Miguel)

 

“Hey, I understand! In the name of the Goddess Fatima, let the wind soar!” (Dalles)

 

 

　Hey, hey, I’m not a devout believer, but don’t use the name of the Goddess’s name for bullying.

 

　The air currents released from Dalles’ outstretched hands come rushing across the surface of the river.

 

 

　The air currents made my body sway, but they were not so strong that I could not endure them if I knew they were coming.

 

　Without disturbing my concentration, I balanced my feet onto the foothold and took the next [Step].

 

 

“What are you doing, be careful.
In the name of the Goddess Fatima, let the flames burn!” (Miguel)

 

 

　Hearing Miguel start chanting, I discarded the foothold I had made straight ahead and started making a new one.

 

　A fireball with a diameter of 50 centimeters passed right next to me as I changed course to the right.

 

 

　Immediately after the fireball passed by, a rush of hot air rushed toward me.

 

　If I were to take a direct hit from that thing, it would make my fluffy coat, which I’m so proud of, burn off my back.

 

 

“Damn it! Don’t dodge! In the name of the Goddess Fatima, let the flames burn!” (Miguel)

 

 

　I discarded the front foothold again, made a new one, and this time dodged to the left.

 

　He must have thought I would dodge to the right again, but Miguel’s fireball went off to the right.

 

 

　Just when I thought I could make it across in a few more steps, I suddenly felt a dull pain in my left shoulder, which broke my concentration and caused me to break my foothold.

 

　Fortunately, I had made it to the shallows and didn’t fall into the depths, only getting my foot wet.

 

 

　When I turned around to see what the hell had happened, I saw Kimball picking up a stone and throwing it at me.

 

　The pain I felt earlier must have been a direct hit from the stone.

 

 

“[Thumbing].” (Nyango)

 

“Gyaaaaa, my eyes…” (Kimball)

 

 

　I immediately gave Kimball an eye-blinding blow using void magic.

 

　After trying it out at the Adventurer’s Guild in Ibouro, I thought it would be useful and I kept practicing it.

 

 

　The strength of the solidified air had increased, and I could use two different patterns: one is pointed so as to seriously rob my opponent of their sight, and the other a spherical shape to temporarily rob people of sight.

 

　Kimball was hit with the sphere, which must have hurt him a lot because I had been practicing to increase the speed of the thrusts.

 

 

“You bastard, you’ve done a great job so far.
In the name of the Goddess Fatima, let the flames burn!” (Miguel)

 

“[Wall].” (Nyango)

 

 

　The air is solidified to form a wall around the center of the river against the fireballs shot out by Miguel.

 

　With training, I was able to solidify an area about the size of four tatami mats if stretched thinly enough.

 

 

　It is only three millimeters thick and as strong as a vinyl board, but even if it breaks, it can be rebuilt many times.

 

　Miguel’s fireball would shatter the solidified air wall into pieces, but next time, let’s try to build a wall at an angle to deflect its trajectory.

 

 

　I was waiting to build the next wall, but it was the fireball that shattered.

 

　It hit the wall of air, spread out, and disappeared just like that.

 

 

　It was not as dense as soil or water, but a mere mass of fire, so it did not seem to have the impact force to break anything.

 

　The fireball suddenly disappeared, and Miguel stood there stunned.

 

 

“Hey, what the heck is that joke… Ugyaaa, my eye.” (Miguel)

 

“You shot fire magic at me without question, how the heck are you complaining?” (Nyango)

 

“It hurts, my eyes…” (Dalles)

 

 

　While I was at it, I also blinded Dalles and went up the other side and went on my way home.

 

　I was getting seriously worried about the future of the village when I realized that someone like that would eventually become the village chief.