Like the smoke from the campfire, laughter drifted through the air. Those sounds and smells were the first things I noticed as I woke up. My eyelids fluttered open. I was in a tent on a very comfy hide cot. 'What time is it?' I rubbed my eyes and noticed the light from the dancing flame outside. Its moves were fast and elegant.
"I should go thank my saviors." I sat up and stretched my arms upwards. I felt something shift under the heavy blanket on top of me. It was warm and quite pleasant, but also uncomfortably close to me. I carefully removed the blanket. My face was frozen in terror.
"Mew." It was a naked cat girl. She had orange hair with two pointy ears that twitched at the sounds of panic I was making. Her eyes slowly opened. "Oh, are you feeling better?" She rolled over. I felt something soft touch my leg and I nearly died right there. 'Her, um—' I gulped as I heard her fall back asleep with her generously sized assets touching my leg.
'I don't want to be like a horny anime protagonist.' I nodded and decisively slinked out from under the covers. She was sound asleep again snuggled under the blanket. 'Glad that's over with.' The tent flap opened and in came Ferin.
"How are you feeling?" Ferin's smile cracked. "Oh, I see you aren't familiar with spirit healing." He chuckled.
My face became even more flushed with embarrassment. "Well, it is kind of unorthodox."
"Shut up!" I shouted. Ferin's smile faded into an expression of confusion. He picked a book out of his satchel and began to thumb through it. "Shouting at nothing." He muttered to himself. I quickly panicked, with no idea how to explain myself. "I have a sassy system." I blurted out.
Ferin looked up from his book and stared blankly. "How is your system sassy?"
I let out a sigh of relief. "Good so at least everyone has one." I wiped the cold sweat from my brow. "Yeah, my system happens to be extremely rude and kind of lazy."
I ignored the message and continued to explain myself. "I hope you guys don't sell me on a black market but... I'm not from this world." My words hung in the air for a moment. I watched nervously as his eyes widened at my statement.
"You are a 'Newcomer'?" He asked incredulously.
I thought for a moment. "Yeah, if that's what you call us." I felt as if I made a mistake telling him that because his expression became serious. My palms itched as they became damp with sweat.
"Can you pull up your stat sheet for me?" Ferin approached me cautiously.
"Sure." I waved my hand in the air and a familiar loud sound played in my head. "Oh by the way, does your stat screen play a loud noise when starting up?" I asked
"No, not at all." Ferin said plainly.
Name: Jason
Human
Level: 1
XP: 0
Skills:
Acrobatics Level 1
Fishing Level 1
Recovery Level 1
Abilities:
Fish Whisperer
Special skill: null
HP: 100/100
No Mana acquired
Stamina: 50/50
"Huh, I gained a new skill and leveled up." I nodded my head at the newly acquired skill.
Ferin gasped. "That confirms it, you are a 'Newcomer'!" He scrambled out of the tent and motioned me to come out. Under the covers, a loud catlike growl could be heard. "I'm sleeping, meow." I quietly stepped outside the tent. Everyone was staring at Ferin on account of his worried expression.
"He's a 'Newcomer'." Ferin announced to the group. They all had a similar reaction, except for the shy rogue who sat in the corner hiding under her hood. They all turned to me and I opened my stat screen again to show them.
Lana's beautiful eyes twinkled as she sat with the news. "Jason, will you join our party?"
She looked up at me and my heart started to race.
"Well, I don't seem to have much else to do." I kicked the dirt awkwardly with my foot. "There could be more fishing, right?" I sat down on an unoccupied blanket. The flame's movements were unfettered by the intensity of this situation.
Lana stood up. "I am honored, but I fear you are unaware of the potential you possess, Jason. It would be unrighteous of me to allow you to make such a decision without prior knowledge." She began to pace deep in thought. She stopped again and looked at me. "Would you let me modify my request 'Newcomer'?"
"Of course, I'm really in no rush, miss." I rubbed my new pair of pants with my hands. 'This is nerve-racking.'
"Accompany us to the temple of the aspects. There you will unlock your true power, only then I will accept your answer." Her voice was sincere. Every word she spoke sounded like it was out of some fantasy movie.
"Well, it beats getting swallowed by a fish." The Orc's expression cracked into a chuckle at my quip. I stood up and extended my hand to Lana. "Please take me into your party for now, 'Lana Earthwright The Knight'." She smiled and removed her glove. She came closer and clasped my hand with a stern grip.
"Meow, what's with the noise?' A familiar voice asked behind me. Everyone's face, except Ferin and the rogue, turned bright red. I swiveled around to see a still very naked cat girl standing behind me. My jaw dropped and I sprinted around to the back of the tent to get away from her. "I'll go sleep in the wagon for tonight, we can talk about this more in the morning."