Kai awoke with a start, his head still aching as he slowly blinked his eyes open. The world around him was blurry, spinning in and out of focus. The deep forest, once calm and quiet, now felt like a menacing place, full of hidden threats. His body was stiff, and his limbs felt like they were made of lead. The damp earth beneath him was cold against his skin, and he realized, with some horror, that he was still lying on the forest floor.
Wait… What happened?
He pushed himself up into a sitting position, grimacing at the sharp pain that lanced through his skull. The last thing he remembered was fighting a goblin—a fight that had left him both exhausted and barely able to breathe. But now… nothing made sense. The battle was over, the goblin vanquished, yet here he was, still alone, still in the woods.
He looked around, his heart pounding in his chest. The forest was eerily quiet. The usual sounds of birds chirping, the rustle of leaves in the wind—everything seemed muted, as though the world itself was holding its breath. There were no signs of life, no sign of any other beings, not even the goblin he'd just fought.
This is weird, Kai thought, rubbing his temples in an attempt to clear the fog from his mind. What the hell is going on?
The silence felt oppressive, thick like the air before a storm. The only sounds were his own breathing and the occasional crack of a branch somewhere deeper in the woods. The familiar dread of being lost crept back into his chest, but something else gnawed at him too. Something was wrong. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him, something out there just beyond the trees.
Then, without warning, a faint chime rang out—a sound that pierced the heavy silence like a bell tolling in the distance.
Ding!
Kai froze. His eyes widened in disbelief. The sound was... familiar. It reminded him of the way notifications popped up in the games and anime he used to watch. The kind of chime that accompanied a level-up, an achievement, or a new quest.
"No... way," Kai muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes as if that would somehow make the chime go away. But it didn't.
The chime rang again. A low, echoing tone, followed by a shimmering light that suddenly appeared in front of him. It was a glowing screen—a digital display in mid-air, hovering just before his eyes.
What the hell?
His stomach churned, the realization hitting him like a freight train. This wasn't just some weird dream. This wasn't a coincidence.
A part of him wanted to laugh, to brush it off as some elaborate joke or hallucination, but the cold, unfeeling words on the screen, the way his hands shook as he reached out to touch it—there was no denying it. This was real. He was in an entirely new world.
Wait. A merchant? His mind locked onto that part of the message, and he felt his stomach drop. He wasn't some powerful hero. He wasn't some legendary swordsman or mage. He was a merchant. A damn merchant.
"This can't be happening," Kai muttered, his voice shaky. "This... this is just like those isekai anime. But no way... I'm not supposed to be some random NPC. I'm the guy on the couch, the one watching, not the one living it."
He tried to focus on the screen, hoping for more information, something to explain what was going on. But as if the system had read his thoughts, more text appeared:
---
Current Stats:
Name: Kai (Alias: Lowly Merchant)
Class: Merchant
Level: 1
HP: 40/50
MP: 20/20
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 6
Intelligence: 8
Charisma: 10
Skills: None
---
"Kai...?" He blinked at the stats, utterly bewildered. Lowly Merchant? His mind spun. Was this some kind of joke? Why was his class that of a merchant? He wasn't a hero, he wasn't some skilled fighter, and definitely not some legendary warrior out to save the world. He couldn't even remember how to fight properly, and here he was, with these stats hanging over him like a dark cloud.
His HP—40/50—wasn't even at full health. He winced as the memory of the goblin's attack hit him like a wave. Right... the goblin. The one I barely beat. How am I supposed to survive out here in the forest like this?
The stats flickered again, and Kai's confusion deepened. But then—another thought hit him.
His body felt different, not just from the lingering pain, but... it felt unfamiliar. He wasn't himself. He wasn't just Kai anymore. That much was clear. Something was wrong.
Wait. What was that...?
Before he could even finish the thought, he was struck by a flood of images—strange and alien memories that weren't his own. They were hazy at first, like fragments of someone else's life, quickly flashing before his eyes.
---
Gather herbs... sell them for food...
---
He saw a man—a thin, brown-haired figure moving through the woods, carrying a simple satchel, a basket slung over his arm. This wasn't Kai. This wasn't the Otaku who had died. This was someone else, someone real.
---
I can't keep doing this. There's no other way...
---
Memories of a small village. A humble house with dirt floors. The merchant was weak, smaller than Kai, barely able to survive in this brutal world. He was poor—always struggling to make enough money to eat, to pay rent. There was no real future for him, only the constant grind of survival.
And then Kai understood.
---
He came to the woods...
---
The merchant, this Kale, had come to the woods to gather herbs. He'd been alone, just like Kai. It made sense now. Kale had nothing but a small pack of herbs to offer the village in exchange for a few copper coins. His life had been one of quiet desperation.
Kai could feel Kale's loneliness, his determination to make a living despite his weakness. The merchant wasn't foolish enough to believe he could defeat monsters or make a fortune—but he could gather herbs. Herbs were cheap, and the forest had an abundance of them. So, Kale had gone, knowing full well how dangerous it was. He had no other choice. If he didn't gather the herbs, he wouldn't eat.
---
I… I'm him now, Kai realized, the realization sinking in like a heavy stone. The merchant's life—Kale's life—had been forced on him. There was no escaping it now. He wasn't some high-powered hero on a grand adventure. He was just a weak merchant, stuck in a cruel world.
A deep sense of dread filled him as the weight of Kale's memories pressed down on him. And still, the goblin's wounds, the pain in his chest, and the ever-encroaching silence of the woods told him he wasn't out of danger yet.
A sudden rustling in the bushes broke the silence. Kai's heart jumped into his throat. He didn't have to guess. The goblins were back.
Out of the dense foliage, a group of goblins emerged—three, maybe four of them this time, each with a crude weapon in hand and snarls on their twisted faces. The leader, a larger goblin with scars across his chest, looked down at Kai as if he were an easy target.
Kai's pulse quickened. I'm not ready for this...
His hands trembled as he fumbled to grab a stick from the ground—anything to defend himself. But the panic rising in his chest was suffocating. His stats didn't help him. His memories didn't help him. He was just a scared, weak merchant now.
Come on, think, think!
A voice within him screamed at him to move, to run, but his legs were frozen. The goblins were closing in, their wicked cackles echoing around him, and Kai knew he was as good as dead if he didn't do something fast.
But there was no running. There was no hiding. All he could do was stand his ground and try.
Kai's breath hitched as the goblins moved closer, their savage smiles glistening with sharp, yellowed teeth. His mind raced, his thoughts desperately trying to piece together what little he knew about combat. But all his life, he had been the guy sitting on the couch, watching others fight and battle against foes. Now, it was his turn, but his body felt sluggish, his movements stiff and uncoordinated. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't even a fighter. He was a lowly merchant—completely out of his depth in a world full of danger and monsters.
What do I do?
A rush of panic surged through him, but just as the first goblin lunged at him with a jagged knife, something strange happened. A voice, not his own, not anything he had heard before, echoed in his mind. The words were firm, cold, almost like a command.
---
Quest Added:
Objective: Survive the Forest Encounter. Defeat 5 Goblins.
Reward: 50 XP, +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity.
---
Kai blinked, the quest notification flashing before his eyes like an annoying pop-up ad. He couldn't believe what he was reading. A quest? He looked around frantically, expecting someone—anyone—to be there, but the goblins were still the only ones in sight, creeping toward him with malicious intent. The words on the screen felt too absurd, too out of place for the reality he was living in. How was he supposed to defeat five goblins when he couldn't even stand properly?
He wanted to laugh, to scoff at the ridiculousness of it all. But a goblin's guttural growl snapped him out of his stupor. The creature was almost upon him, a jagged knife raised, ready to strike. His instincts kicked in, or maybe it was Kale's memories that had started to bleed through—he wasn't sure—but without thinking, Kai swung the stick he had picked up with all the force he could muster.
It wasn't much. The stick was thin, weak, and far from a weapon capable of fending off monsters. But, by some miracle, it struck the goblin square on the chest, pushing it back with a loud grunt. The creature stumbled, giving Kai just enough time to react.
He scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest, and readied the stick again. This is it. I can't die here. I have to survive.
The second goblin came at him from the side, its dagger aimed at his throat. But Kai was faster this time, instincts and desperation guiding his movements. He ducked, just barely avoiding the blade, and swung the stick upward with everything he had. It made contact with the goblin's face, and the creature let out a scream of pain before it collapsed in a heap at his feet.
Kai didn't have time to celebrate. More goblins were coming. His mind raced, trying to piece together anything that could help him survive this encounter. But all he had was a stick and a body that felt weak and untrained.
Another goblin charged at him, and this time, Kai didn't have the luxury of dodging. He tried to block the incoming blow with his stick, but the goblin's knife slid past the wood, grazing his arm and drawing blood. A sharp pain shot through him, and Kai stumbled back, his vision blurring for a moment. Shit. I can't take another hit like that.
A voice in the back of his mind screamed at him to fight harder, to be stronger, but all Kai could focus on was the growing sense of dread. He couldn't even remember how to fight properly. He had no training, no special abilities—nothing that could help him survive this world.
Another goblin lunged, this one faster and more aggressive. Kai barely had time to react before the creature was on him, swiping with its claws. In a panic, he swung the stick wildly, his arms trembling with fear and adrenaline. The goblin dodged easily, too quick for him, and slashed across his chest, leaving a deep gash. Blood spilled out, and Kai gasped in pain.
The pain was overwhelming. His vision swam, and the world seemed to blur at the edges. He could hear the goblins laughing, taunting him as he fought to stay on his feet.
Then, something strange happened. A surge of energy—raw, unfiltered—flooded his body. He didn't know where it came from or why, but suddenly, his body moved with more precision. His grip on the stick tightened, and he swung it at the goblin in front of him with more accuracy than before. The blow landed with a sickening crack as the goblin was sent sprawling backward.
Kai stood there, panting, his body shaking. His chest heaved as he looked at the goblins before him. His heart was pounding in his ears, and his thoughts were in disarray. But... he had done it. He had actually defeated one of them. I... I can do this.
The remaining goblins hesitated, their eyes narrowing as they assessed Kai. He could feel their gaze, the hunger in it, and he knew that they weren't done yet.
---
Quest Progress:
Objective: Survive the Forest Encounter. Defeat 5 Goblins.
Goblin Kills: 1/5
---
Kai blinked at the new message that popped up in front of him. He barely registered the words at first. One out of five? His throat went dry as the severity of the situation sank in. He had only just defeated one goblin, and he was already bleeding, exhausted, and unsure how to fight the others. The weight of the quest, the pressure to survive, threatened to crush him.
I can't die here, Kai thought, steeling himself. I'm not giving up.
With a grunt, he shifted his stance, readying the stick once more. The goblins were still advancing, but now there was something different in their movements. They weren't just hungry predators anymore; they were wary, cautious.
But Kai knew it was only a matter of time before they came at him again. He had to stay sharp, stay focused.
---
Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Another goblin was rushing at him from the trees, and before he could react, a sharp, cold pain exploded in his side.
Damn it, Kai cursed silently. But before he could even think about another move, a strange tingling sensation surged through him. It wasn't just the pain; it was something different. He didn't know why, but he felt stronger now, as though the energy he needed to fight back had been unlocked.
The goblin reared back to strike again, but this time, Kai wasn't backing down. He swung the stick with all his might, knocking the goblin's dagger from its hand. In the same motion, he swung again, the stick connecting with the goblin's head with a sickening crack. The creature crumpled to the ground.
---
Quest Progress:
Objective: Survive the Forest Encounter. Defeat 5 Goblins.
Goblin Kills: 2/5
---
Kai gasped for breath as he stood over the fallen goblin. He could feel the weight of the quest pressing down on him, but now, something had changed. His fear was still there, lurking in the back of his mind, but so was a new kind of resolve. He had to survive. There was no other choice.
And as the last two goblins circled, Kai tightened his grip on the stick and prepared to fight.
To be continued...