Before I realized it, I was standing in an unfamiliar forest. The forest had a warm atmosphere, with the sunlight peeking through the trees.
In the distance, I hear birds chirping.
"What's going on here?"
I couldn't grasp the situation at all. Where did the train I was on disappear to? The tracks were supposed to have gone right through the middle of the city, so why was I suddenly warped into the forest?
The first answer that came to mind was that I was dreaming, but everything was too real, from the leaves swaying in the wind to the smell of the greenery that tickled my nose.
"…Is this really a different world?"
It was hard for me to believe, but I checked my appearance.
I was still dressed in my suit, but to my surprise, the contents of my pockets were all gone.
My smartphone, wallet, keys, handkerchief, tissues… nothing was left.
I suppose it's better that I still have my clothes, but I couldn't help but feel a bit discouraged.
I wondered if any of them had fallen somewhere.
As I looked around, something unexpected suddenly popped into my vision.
It was a status window, just like in RPGs.
It shows my name, age, gender, race, level, HP, MP, and skills.
Level 1, HP 50, MP 1,000,
and a total of eight skills: [Transmigrator], [Full Assist], [Creation], [Dexterity], [Artisan's Divine Eye], [Item Box], [Dismantle], and [Appraisal].
The MP is unusually high compared to the HP, and the number of skills is also incredibly high.
Could it be that this is from the aforementioned non-standard ability?
As I looked at the status window, a new window appeared near MP.
MP: This is a numerical value of Kou Kousaka's magic power. This is a relative value where 100 is the magic power of an ordinary magician. 1% of the maximum value is recovered per second.
Just next to the MP, when I looked at the [Transmigrator] in the skill list, another window appeared.
[Transmigrator] (Rank 99) A special skill possessed by those who have transferred from another world. In addition to significantly improved physical ability, mental strength, intuition, and growth potential, it also grants knowledge of the language of this world. The rank is determined by the difficulty of the original world. The higher the value, the greater the compensation. The maximum value is 99.
I read the description of the MP and the [Transmigrator] over and over again.
Amount of magic power, magician, another world, transmigrator, previous world…
I guessed from these phrases that I had really come to another world.
"Isn't this some kind of imaginary fiction?"
Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy, and my excitement and anticipation were much greater than my anxiety.
This is the first time in a long time that I've felt my heart dance with joy, and I read the descriptions of the other skills.
[Full Assist]: A skill that assists the user in various aspects of their otherworldly life.
Thanks to [Full Assist], my status and other information are displayed in a window. It seems to be in an RPG-like format to make it easier for me to understand. It also seems to translate the language of this world into Japanese automatically.
After reading through all the explanations about [Creation], [Dexterity], [Artisan's Divine Eye], [Item Box], [Dismantling], and [Appraisal], another window appeared.
Do you want to activate [Full Assist] and perform a fast installation of your skills? This will allow you to handle the skills freely.
The answer was, of course, "Yes."
I nod, and the window disappears in a flash. A few seconds later, I felt something flow into the back of my head.
It was only for a moment, but before long, I realized that I naturally understood the characteristics and usage of each skill. It was as if a new application had been added to my brain.
Installation is complete. Thank you for your time.
Apparently, the installation was completed successfully.
Now that the skills are available, let's do an experiment.
"First of all, let's try… [Item Box]."
This is a skill that allows you to store items in a subspace, and the size of the subspace depends on your skill rank.
In my case, it's rank EX, and the capacity is unlimited. It seems that in order to store things, it is necessary to touch the object.
"Let's try the tree there for now."
I reached out to a nearby tree and thought of storage. Immediately after, a circle of light with a radius of about one meter appeared around my feet.
Inside the circle was a pattern that looked like… a magic circle, a combination of circles and triangles.
It glowed with a golden glow.
At the next moment, the tree I was touching was enveloped in light ─ and sucked into the magic circle.
It had only been a split second so far. The magic circle disappears, and a new window appears to replace it.
The window lists the contents of the [Item Box], and at the top, it says "Hikino Tree x 1". It must be the tree I just stored.
It's not hinoki (Japanese Cypress), but hikino, which is slightly confusing.
Regardless, let's try another skill.
The next one is [Dismantle]. This is a skill that dismantles the carcasses of monsters so that they can be used as materials or food. It seems that it can also be used on the Hikino tree. When I used it, the Hikino tree turned into five pieces of "Hikino wood."
Now, for me personally, the skill that comes after this is the real deal.
──[Creation].
Speaking of what kind of effect it has, the description goes like this.
[Creation] (Rank 1) The power of the God of Creation resides in Kou Kousaka as a skill. This is the highest level of production skill. It consumes materials and creates new items. Items created with this skill are given special effects and have a much higher quality than normal. The higher the skill rank, the wider the range of items you can create.
The phrase "the power of the God of Creation" tickles my chuuni heart, and I have a feeling that some amazing items will be created. I'm looking forward to it.
Now, the "Hikino Wood" that I just stored in the [Item Box] seems to be able to be used as a material for [Creation]. In a new window, the recipe for [Creation] was displayed.
Hikino Wood x 1 → Hikino Stick x 5
It wasn't a Hinoki (Japanese Cypress) stick… it was a Hikino stick.
It's a slightly familiar phrase, but let's make it anyway.
"[Creation]!"
I didn't need to say it out loud, but I was shouting it with all my energy. Although I wasn't really aware of it, I might have been getting excited.
When I checked the item box, I found that the Hikino wood had disappeared, and five Hikino sticks had been added in its place.
Hikino Stick: A stick made from Hikino wood. Hikino wood is sturdy and flame-resistant, and its characteristics are further enhanced by the effect it gives.
Granted Effect: "Durability A""Incombustible S+"
I've created an item that seems to be an excellent construction material.
As I was thinking about this, another message window appeared.
Due to skill experience acquisition, [Creation] is now Rank 2. The recipe will be increased.
Oops, it seems that my skill rank has been increased.
I think it's a little too easy, but I'm honestly happy that the number of recipes has increased.
But still…
A lot of windows have been opening and closing since a while ago, but as expected, they're getting in the way of my vision.
I wondered if I could do something about it… when this time, a voice echoed in my head.
It was an inorganic, clear, announcement-like tone of voice.
Switching from window mode to image mode.
What is image mode?
As I tilted my head, all the windows that were open until then disappeared at once.
Instead, the same image appeared in my mind.
It's a strange sensation, but it's probably more convenient because it doesn't block my view.
"Oh, I remember there are more recipes for [Creation]…"
As if in conjunction with my thoughts, a new window opened in my mind.
Hikino Wood x 1 → Hikino Wooden Axe x 1
When I executed it, I found a "Hikino Wooden Axe" had been added to the [Item Box].
It looked like a weapon, but I wondered what its performance would be like.
This is where the [Appraisal] comes in handy.
It will tell you the general information about any given item or monster.
Hikino Wooden Axe: A sharp wooden axe cut by a skilled woodworker. Its sharpness is close to that of a metal axe.
Granted Effect: "Throwing Critical A+""Hit Correction S+"
[T/n: On the Hikino Wooden Axe description, it's actually written only as Hikino Tree (ヒキノの木), but I just probably change it to Hikino Wooden Axe to avoid confusion.]
Oh, it looks kind of strong.
Based on the granted effects, it seems that throwing it is the right way to use it.
"Let's give it a try."
In my mind, I open the list of [Item Box].
When I selected the Hikino Wooden Axe, a small magic circle appeared around my right-hand side.
This is connected to the subspace of the [Item Box].
I took out the Hikino Wooden Axe from the magic circle.
It was the first time I had ever held a weapon that was actually a weapon, so I was at a loss as to how to handle it.
"This is where the [Dexterity] skill comes in."
This is a skill that allows you to use any item at will.
When I activated it, I felt a strange sensation.
The wooden axe in my right hand fits perfectly as if it were an extension of my body. I intuitively knew what I needed to do with the wooden axe.
I set my sights on a large rock some distance away and threw the wooden axe.
"Haaa!"
The wooden axe spun around and hit the rock, making a loud sound.
The result was astonishing: the rock was split in half in both directions. The wooden axe stands on the ground beyond it.
"…Isn't it strange that a tree can split a rock?"
It's unthinkable from an earthling common sense, but if I had to give a reason, it would be because of the granted effect.
"Throwing critical A+"
This is a different world, and there may be laws at work here different than on Earth.
So, what should I do now?
From a safety and information gathering aspect, I think I should look for a human village.
However, there are RPG-like statuses and skills in this world, and it would not be surprising if there were RPG-like monsters.
What if I run into a powerful monster?
The hikino wooden axe is powerful, but it's dangerous to be overconfident.
…Let's raise the [Creation] rank a bit more here and get some more equipment.
* * *
"[Creation], [Creation], [Creation]…!"
And so I used the Hikino trees that grew in the surrounding area as materials and continued to gain experience for [Creation].
As a result of my efforts, it's already reached rank 5.
"Is it possible to rank up any further?"
I muttered to myself as I gazed at the surroundings, where the view had completely cleared up.
Thanks to the various tests I've tried, I have a reasonable understanding of [Creation].
The following is a brief summary.
First, experience values are gained only when you use a new recipe for [Creation].
Second, when the experience value reaches a certain value, the rank will be upgraded.
Third, no experience will be gained by repeating an existing recipe over and over again.
Currently, there are eight recipes that use the Hikino tree as the material.
In addition to the Hikino stick and wooden axe, there are also wooden swords, wooden spears, wooden hammers, tableware set, table, and chair.
Each of these had strong effects, such as "Slash Enhancement S+" or "Stun Enhancement S".
Incidentally, "Stun Enhancement S" is an effect granted to "Hikino's Chair."
Why, of all things, would a chair have a stun effect?
Another world is scary.
"…It's time to move on."
The sun was still high in the sky, but night will eventually come. I wanted to avoid camping out in the open, and if possible, I wanted to make it to the village while the sun was still up.
I made my way through the forest, brushing aside the grass that grew all around me.
I didn't know the exact time because my smartphone had disappeared somewhere, but I'd probably been walking for about an hour.
Normally I would have been eager to rest, but somehow I didn't feel tired at all. It made the walk more enjoyable, and I had more time to appreciate the scenery around me.
"This is the power of the minus ions of the forest…!"
This was a joke, but I'm sure it was because my physical abilities had been boosted by the [Transmigrator] skill.
In addition to that, my five senses were also sharpened: my vision was very clear, and my ears were also clear.
"Hmm?"
I thought I heard someone's voice and stopped. I focused my ears in the direction of the voice and concentrated my attention.
──Whoaaaaaaa!
This time, I heard a man scream more clearly.
I couldn't understand what was going on, but I was sure that there was a person in there.
"Let's go check it out."
I had a feeling it was going to be dangerous, but it was better than wandering around the forest with no idea what to do.
I took out the hikino wooden axe in case something attacked me.
This is because it is possible to attack from a distance with the granted effects of "Throwing Critical A+"and"Hit Correction S+".
With the axe at the ready, I walked in the direction of the voice, and eventually, the forest cleared, and my vision opened up.
It was a meadow.
About 20 meters away from the forest I was standing in, there was a road running through it, and a wagon was being attacked by a monster.
It was a giant bear, and from the neck down, it was covered with an armor-like object.
──D-don't come! Get away from me!
There was a small, fat man holding a sword with his back to the wagon, probably trying to protect his cargo.
Swords and shields were lying on the ground around him, and in the distance, I could see three men running away in a panic. All of them were wearing light armor. They were probably the bodyguards of the wagon.
I activated [Appraisal] on the bear.
Then the following information flowed into my head.
Armored Bear: A bear-shaped monster with a steel-like outer body. It craves combat.
It craves combat. It's a dangerous bear, hey.
That person clinging to the cargo might be the owner of the wagon, judging from his merchant-like attire?
He was holding a sword, but his stance was clumsy. It was apparent that he was not used to fighting.
Fortunately, the bear was preoccupied with the merchant and didn't notice me at all.
If I wanted to escape, now was my chance.
Realistically speaking, I should probably get out of here as quickly as possible.
However, I have a lot of cheat items in my hand.
If I use them, I might be able to help the merchant.
"…Abandoning him here would leave a bad aftertaste."
I gripped the hikino wooden axe tightly.