CHAPTER 1

I’m Ysa Yamashita, and it’s been three years since our world turned into something out of a fantasy game.

For three years, most of us have learned to cope with this strange new reality. Those who aren’t fond of games chose to live like before—working in offices or running shops, pretending nothing ever happened and picking up where they left off. Others embraced the change, becoming “players” who hunt monsters to gain experience, level up, and earn money from the loot they collect. Some adapted by crafting potions, weapons, and armor—supporting adventurers like me.

I chose to become an adventurer. For me, it was like a dream come true…

But not the kind of dream I ever wanted for the world.

To this day, we still don’t know how this all began—or who did it.

I was a loner in my past life, and I’m still comfortable hunting solo.

The good part of solo adventuring? You don’t have to share your earnings.

The downside? You can’t take on high-level monsters alone—not without risking your life. And here, living in a game-like world doesn’t mean you respawn when your health hits zero. Death is still death. That part hasn’t changed.

Today, I plan to go deeper into the forest.

I try not to think about the worst-case scenario—but if something happens to me, I’ll leave my mother behind in this world. I can’t let that happen.

Still, I need to go further to earn more money. We need supplies at home, and I need a new dagger. The one I’m using is already dull from constant use.

The dagger has a brown wooden handle and a yellowish blade—old, worn, with three small holes near the top as a design.

It’s the dagger my father left me before he died.

I didn’t buy a starter weapon thanks to this, so… thank you, Dad.

Now I’m here. In the forest.

I can’t really explain how I feel every time I enter.

It’s magical and dangerous at the same time.

I start my hunt by killing slimes—they’re the weakest monsters here and the easiest to kill.

It’s also the fastest way to warm up and earn some quick money.

After taking down a few, I feel my body’s ready.

I go deeper.

But then—

I accidentally cross paths with an armored humanoid slime.

A mini-boss of this forest.

Its body is a translucent blue, wearing yellow armor embedded with three gems—one at the chest, and two near the lower part of its torso.

It has a faceless, vaguely human-shaped head, a right arm with three fingers, a left arm that’s more like a tentacle, and a long, snake-like tail.

This… is going to be a long, hellish fight.

Hours have passed.

I’ve already used up all five of my small health potions—the liquid inside each was a glowing red.

I’m exhausted.

But I’ve learned a few things.

Those gems? They’re its weak points.

But breaking them isn’t easy.

Its right hand handles close-range attacks.

Its left—long-range.

That makes it hard to close the distance and target the gems.

I’m not great at ranged combat yet, and the tentacle-whip can easily deflect any dagger I try to throw.

I land hard from my last attack, panting, trying to catch my breath.

I know its pattern now. Every move. Every pause.

This is it.

I dash forward with everything I’ve got.

It lashes out with its tail—I leap.

Air Dash.

I create a foothold mid-air and dodge the incoming strike.

Then—Water Blast!

It fires from its right hand.

I use another Air Dash—blasting forward.

I block the tentacle strike with my left dagger.

Then—I throw.

Passive Skill: Speed Throwing activates.

My dagger spins through the air—

—and lands, piercing the final gem on its armor.

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