After renaming the Truck to Truck-Kun yesterday, I went to bed. As the sun started to rise, its morning light sneaked through my room's window and landed on my face.
*Agggh*
I groaned as I woke up, still feeling tired. In games, anime, and light novels, characters often wake up full of energy and in a good mood, but the reality is quite the opposite. When you wake up in the real world, you're usually still tired and often not in the best mood.
I wish I could sleep more, but I'm also eager to learn more about this world.
*Sigh*
I sighed, muttering to no one in particular, "I guess you can't have the best of both."
After waking up, I refreshed myself and headed downstairs for breakfast. Unlike yesterday, there were fewer people today, so I easily found a table, enjoyed a hearty meal, and then left the inn.
As I was walking towards the guild, someone called out to me.
"Ara ara, aren't you that new adventurer who came to this town recently?"
Curious, I looked back to see who it was. It turned out to be a woman in her late forties or early fifties, but she appeared surprisingly beautiful for her age. Her red hair flowed elegantly, though a few white hairs were sprinkled here and there. Her porcelain skin was quite striking for someone her age, and her most striking feature of all was her big mommy mil-
Ahem… what I meant to say was she was blessed in the chest.
"He-hello, do I know you?", I asked her with uncertainty because it's only been a few days since I was isekaied.
The only people I know are Ember and her father and that kid from the Inn.
"Ara Ara… sorry for not introducing myself properly. My name is Flareena you can call me Flare, I am the mother of Emberlyn and wife of Owen."
Oh yeah, it's a mother, what the hell am I thinking? But for some reason that's the first thing that came to my mind when I heard her words. So, this is Ember's mother – no wonder Ember is so beautiful. Thank goodness she takes after her mother and not her father.
I imagined a bald Ember with bulging Muscles. Ughhh, just the thought of it gave me goosebumps. It could potentially haunt me for days, even becoming a nightmare.
"Nice to meet you, ma'am. I am Dokuta Doyama. Your husband and your daughter have helped me a lot these past few days. I'm not sure how I can repay their kindness."
"Fufufu… don't worry about it. Please take care of Ember for me. She's been talking about you a lot these past few days. How you managed to become a Copper-ranked adventurer in a single day and how this is the first time in the history of the Adventurer's Guild that something like this has ever happened. As expected of a hero."
What does she mean by 'taking care of Ember'?
"Well, I will do my be- wait did you just call me a hero?"
"Ara ara… sorry, my tongue slipped. Don't worry, I haven't told anyone about this. Well, Ember told me about you, so I naturally knew about that as well. Anyway, I have taken up quite a bit of your time. I'll take my leave today. If you have time, please stop by our house again."
"Sure, I will make sure to stop by when I have time. Please take care of yourself until then."
"Sure, you take care of yourself as well."
After bidding me farewell, she went on her way. Owen, you lucky bastard, to think you have such a beautiful wife. Now that I think about it, Flare is definitely a MILF.
"Mother I'd like to be friends with."
(What were you guys thinking? (≖_≖ ))
After that, I went to the Adventurer's Guild again. For some reason, Ember was nowhere to be seen. Now that I think about it, the same thing happened yesterday as well. Every time I've seen Ember in the guild, it's been during the night. Does that mean she works something similar to the night shift at the Adventurer's Guild? Maybe I'll ask her the next time I see her.
So, I went to a different attendant and started a conversation. "Hello, I was recently promoted to a Copper Rank Adventurer, so I am looking for some quests that are suitable for me. Can you please give me a suggestion?"
She looked at me and told me with a smile, "Of course, that's not an issue. If you've recently become a copper rank, then I suggest you try this quest." She handed me a paper with some quest descriptions.
It was a quest to kill ten small monkeys in Verdant Grove. Now that I think about it, I still have that quest to hunt five hundred different monsters from the Verdant Grove and collect their Energy stone. So, I guess this would be like killing two birds with one stone.
""This looks good, I will take it," I told the attendant.
"Sure, please give me your guild card." I handed her my guild card, and she scanned it in a machine that resembled a computer, then returned my guild card.
"Please be safe out there and happy hunting."
I thanked her and left the guild building. As I walked towards the town gate to go to Verdant Grove, I saw some stalls selling different types of food. But one stall, in particular, caught my eye—it was selling cherries, and cherries are my favorite.
I went and bought some and then went to the outskirts of the city to summon Truck-Kun, and got into him and started driving towards Verdant Grove while driving the cherries that I bought came to my mind and I took some out and put some inside my mouth and then…
"Lero Lero Lero Lero Lero Lero Lero Lero….."
…..
Finally, after a few hours, we arrived at Verdant Grove. Suddenly, Truck-Kun started yelling at me for some reason.
"Can you not be yourself for five minutes, just five minutes!"
I was confused, so I asked him, "What did I do?"
"Really? You really have no idea what you just did?"
"If I knew what I did, why do you think I am asking you?"
"You were making that weird sound with your mouth throughout our journey. Who the hell eats a cherry like that?"
"Sorry, sorry. It's kind of a habit. I just thought that I should have some cherries after having a special encounter."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Nothing. Anyway, since we're already here, let's go and create a massacre. Unlike yesterday, I have you with me today, so things will turn out differently."
I said those words and stepped on the accelerator.
*Vroom Vroom*
*Crash*
I crashed into a tree," Ohhh nooo, Truck-Kunnn are you ok?"
"Goddammit! How many times do I have to tell you that something like this will not affect me? And what the hell do you think will happen if you try to drive a delivery truck like me inside a forest full of trees?"
"Then are you saying that I have to hunt all those monkeys by myself?"
"Yes!"
"Nooooooo"
"Shut up! And go," he said those words and kicked me out.
"In the forest's depths, alone I tread,
No metal armor like Truck-Kun's stead.
Hundreds of monkeys, a challenge spread,
Flesh and bones, a feeling of dread.
I'll strive and fight, though death draws near,
Truck-Kun's shadow haunts, whispers of fear.
Flesh and bone, I'll hold back my tear,
In this forest's grasp, my courage will steer.
Yet courage within me starts to bloom,
Though not of metal, I'll face the gloom.
In the heart of the woods, where shadows loom,
I'll find strength in my humanity's tune.
Against hundreds of monkeys, I'll stand with might,
No Truck-Kun's power, but my spirit takes flight.
Through flesh and bones, I'll embrace the fight,
In the forest's embrace, I'll conquer the night.
Yet I'll fight on, 'til my last breath,
Truck-Kun's shadow, a reminder of death.
With flesh and bone, I'll face the depths,
In this forest's heart, my courage's test."
"Shut up! Why the hell did you suddenly start to sing? Stop being so dramatic. Unlike yesterday, today you can use all my skills, go do something with them and leave me alone."
"In Verdant Grove's embrace, I stand alone,
A realm of darkness, where hope was overthrown.
But today, a change within me has grown,
Truck-Kun's skills, like stars, brightly shone.
Unlike yesterday's doubt, today I see,
His skills, his power, now awakened in me.
Acceleration's speed, like a river set free,
And Search Engine's insight, a new way to be.
Passive skills, dormant, yet ready to rise,
Untapped potential, a treasure in disguise.
In this cold forest's depths, where shadows comprise,
Truck-Kun's legacy, a fire that never dies.
Oh, newfound hope, a radiant light,
Truck-Kun's abilities, ready to ignite.
In the heart of the grove, where shadows take flight,
With new power and skills, I'll conquer this fight."
"Shut up and go. And why the hell are you so good at this? You know what, don't answer that question. I feel like if you open your mouth again, you'll start to sing again."
…..
After that, I went a little deeper inside the forest, but the monkeys were nowhere to be seen. Hmm… let's see why don't I try one of Truck-Kun's passive skills.
"Skill Share."
Once I said these words, a list appeared in my field of vision.
Select one of your SumMon's Skills
Search Engine(S)
Acceleration(S)
Alloy Body(S)
Telepathy(S)
Mana Sense(S)
Grey Magic(C)
Linguistic (C)
Hmm… what to do, why don't I try using this Mana Sense thing.
"Mana Sense"
Once I uttered these words, the whole world around me suddenly changed.