The day after my mother's burial, I decided to leave the village. From my perspective, it was the best course of action. In fact, it was the only course of action since I had been banished. I am absolutely certain it was all part of that old man's plan.
The villagers begged me to reconsider and stay. They even offered to hide me whenever the security ninjas came for their usual patrol, but I had to decline. If I hadn't, then what was the point of taking all the blame and accepting my banishment? It was all for them. Besides, deep down, I really wanted to leave. I knew there was a life outside this wall-less prison.
I believe my work here is done. Pachi has been saved and reunited with his family. For now, no one is hurt. Nana was bedridden because she missed her medication, but her condition isn't dire. She should be back to full health in no time.
I bid everyone farewell and left.
***
The village was surrounded by a thick forest, shrouded in fog. We had always heard stories about wild beasts roaming the forest, making it nearly impossible to leave or enter without a group of trained ninjas.
Personally, I think the stories were made up to keep people inside the village. If there truly were monsters in the forest, surely, they would have attacked the village at some point. Since the day I was brought into this world, I've never heard of such an event. So, I was convinced it was all a ploy to stop people from leaving.
I stepped into the thick fog, and it swallowed me. I couldn't see more than a few feet ahead, but I managed to avoid the trees as I made my way out. The mark on my hand stung from the cold, but it wasn't as painful as it had been when I first received it. I wondered whether I had naturally gotten used to the pain or if it was because of the skill I acquired yesterday. Speaking of skills…
"Status open."
I had leveled up again.
NAME: Tatsuya Uzui
AGE: Nine
CLASS: LOCKED (Unlocks at level 20)
LEVEL: 9
ATTRIBUTES
STR: 10
STA: 40
SPE: 19
AGI: 19
CLASS ATTRIBUTES
(LOCKED)
SKILLS
Neural Shell (lv3)
Pain Resistance (lv2)
CLASS SKILLS
(LOCKED)
ITEMS
Skill Boost (1)
I wasn't entirely sure, but I had a feeling it was due to the mark embedded on my hand. The Mark of a Fugitive. With this mark stuck on my arm forever, I am truly fucked. I have little to no privileges as a normal human being. In some places, I might not even be served food, even if I have the money to pay for it. Yes, you read that right. I could be denied lodging, clothes, and much more.
"I'm really screwed," I muttered.
I had been walking for almost half an hour. As I continued on my journey, I noticed that the slope was descending. I had heard once that the village was located on top of a hill, so I was basically heading downhill. But that wasn't the main thing I wanted to point out. The real issue was that the sky, though obscured by the fog, was growing darker, the fog was becoming thicker, and the air was getting colder.
Just then, a sound rang out in my mind:
[WARNING!! Neural Shell triggered. Host is falling into a Level 20 illusion. Host should evacuate in ten, nine, eight—]
"What the hell!" I blurted out.
Confusion washed over me until the countdown hit five. I sprinted forward, running as fast as my small legs could carry me.
Five seconds felt like five minutes, but it still didn't feel fast enough. I thought about activating a skill boost but remembered I had only one left. Was this situation worth the risk? No, it wasn't. I decided to trust my legs.
My breath became ragged, and my legs grew weak as I ran. Ahead, between a cluster of trees, I saw a bright light. It gave me a sense of hope, and I somehow found the strength to kick forward, but it was already too late. There were only two seconds left.
Despite that, I didn't give up. I leaped forward, stretching my hands toward the light. I closed my eyes, bracing for whatever fate awaited me. But then, the sound stopped.
I thought I was dead, but my eyes fluttered open, and a bright light pierced through, sending a sharp pain into my eyes. But just as quickly as the pain came, it vanished.
I opened my eyes fully and pulled myself up, staggering as I did so. Before me was a vast plain of green terrain, with slopes covering the horizon. Different kinds of plants dotted the landscape. It was breathtaking.
"This… this is awesome," I whispered to myself.
The last time I saw something like this was in the anime I used to watch. I had never seen anything so beautiful, not back in the States, nor even in Japan. This was something else entirely.
In that moment of awe and joy, countless thoughts raced through my mind—questions, wishes, and regrets.
Why did I experience the sudden illusion attack? Was it the village that orchestrated it? If they were behind it, why would they go to such lengths? Why were they so intent on keeping people locked inside the village?
Those were the thoughts swirling in my mind.
I also wished I had focused on escaping the village with everyone instead of just trying to survive in it. But then I remembered that I had managed to survive the illusion attack because of the system. Escaping with everyone would have been impossible.
I wished my mother could have seen this before she died… Maybe she had. After all, she wasn't born in the village. But still, I wished we could have seen it together, at least once.
Even so, I'm grateful to be alive to witness this. I'm determined to survive and return to my goddess. No matter what, I will make it back to her.
[NEXT: FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH A DEMON]