Days later, Rou found himself on the training grounds of the Vandorea estate, surrounded by rows of weapons. Sunlight glinted off blades and shields lined up neatly on the racks, and he couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement at the sight. He approached the weapon stand, his eyes catching on a simple wooden sword among the more ornate ones.
Rou swung the wooden sword, testing its weight and balance.
Rou:
[So this is what it's like… actually holding a weapon.]
He grinned, an excited glint in his eyes.
Rou:
[I really am living in a fantasy world.]
He looked around the empty training grounds, and his thoughts drifted to the beast in the forest just outside the Vandorea state. He remembered the beast being one of the first pain in the ass he had to deal with in the game.
Rou:
[I bet taking that thing down would give me a real boost...]
(In the game, they had to wait until twelve for the status plate… well, I don't want to wait any longer.)
Rou then glanced back around him, making sure no one was around.
Rou:
[Besides, a high-ranking beast might be the only decent challenge around here.]
Rou took a deep breath, steeling himself.
Rou:
[Alright, I'll keep it low-key…]
With that, he began heading toward the forest, his mind buzzing with the thrill of facing something powerful on his own terms.
Moments passed
Rou walked deeper into the dense forest, his senses heightened by the sounds of the wildlife surrounding him. The path was uneven, the earth damp underfoot, and the canopy above shielded him from the full intensity of the sun. His mind was focused, and with every step, the excitement of the unknown buzzed in his chest.
As he continued, the faint rustle of leaves alerted him to movement. The air felt charged with anticipation, and Rou tensed, prepared for whatever creature might cross his path.
From behind a thick cluster of bushes, a low-level monster emerged—a small, wolf-like creature, its eyes glowing with an unsettling red hue. It snarled, baring its sharp teeth, but Rou barely flinched.
Rou:
[First one, huh? Let's see…]
The creature lunged at him, its claws slashing through the air. With a quick sidestep, Rou avoided the attack effortlessly, his body fluid and precise. His movements were smooth, almost instinctual, as he grabbed the wolf's front foot, twisting it with surprising force. The creature yelped in pain, but Rou didn't stop there—he used its own momentum against it, slamming the monster to the ground with a resounding thud.
Rou:
[Too slow.]
The wolf struggled for a moment, but it was clear to Rou that it was no match for his strength and speed. He pressed a knee into its chest, pinning it to the ground. With a quick motion, he snapped its neck, ending the fight in an instant.
His breathing was steady, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. He stood over the creature, his expression unbothered.
Rou:
[hmm... not much of a challenge.]
With a brief glance at the fallen beast, Rou continued deeper into the forest. The further he walked, the more frequent the encounters with low-level monsters became—each one a reminder that the world was filled with creatures he could defeat with little more than his bare hands. As more monsters appeared—snakes, goblins, and other low tier monsters—he dealt with them with ease, dispatching each one with calculated, almost effortless moves.
Rou:
[Feels like I'm on a training course... This is fun.]
He didn't bother picking up any of the items the creatures dropped—potions, scales, or scraps of armor. To him, they were insignificant. What mattered was the battle itself, and so far, these encounters were nothing more than distractions, each one fueling his desire for something greater.
As Rou trekked through the forest, he noticed something different—an oppressive stillness in the air, the sounds of the usual forest creatures eerily absent. A flicker of movement caught his eye, and there, looming ahead, was the massive shape of the Minotaur.
The creature's hulking figure stood taller than any of the beasts Rou had encountered so far. Its muscular frame was covered in thick, matted fur, and the horns that spiraled from its head glinted menacingly in the light. The Minotaur's eyes, red and wild, locked onto Rou's form, a primal snarl escaping its lips as it bared its fangs.
Rou's heart pounded in his chest—not from fear, but from anticipation. He knew this monster, had studied it well in the game. It was a mid-tier threat, a boss-level challenge for the unprepared. But Rou wasn't unprepared. He wasn't a beginner.
Rou:
[Well, well... looks like I've found my target]
He stood tall, flexing his fingers, letting out a slow, controlled breath. The knowledge he had of the Minotaur's movements from the game flooded back into his mind—the creature's slow but devastating charge, the wide arcs of its axes, the terrifying reach of its horns.
But none of that phased him. In the game, players were forced to dodge and wait for the right opening, relying on speed and agility. Rou had no such limitations. He wasn't a regular character—he was faster, stronger, and far more dangerous than the average adventurer.
Rou:
[Let's see how you handle me.]
Without further hesitation, Rou charged forward, his feet pounding the earth as he closed the gap between himself and the towering Minotaur. The creature reared back, lifting its heavy axe to strike. With a mighty roar, it swung the weapon down with the power of a battering ram.
Rou, anticipating the move from his memories, sidestepped just in time, feeling the rush of air as the axe passed mere inches from his face. The force of the blow left the Minotaur briefly unbalanced, giving Rou his first opening.
He surged forward, his body moving with the precision of a predator, and slammed his fist into the Minotaur's side with bone-crushing force. The impact made a sickening sound as Rou's blow struck its ribcage, sending the beast stumbling to the side.
The Minotaur recovered quickly, but Rou wasn't finished. He moved with lightning speed, his fists landing blow after blow on the Minotaur's body. Each punch cracked against its thick hide with brutal force, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
The Minotaur bellowed in pain, swinging its axe wildly in retaliation. Rou ducked under the swing, his body a blur as he closed the distance between them. He planted a foot on the Minotaur's knee, pushing off with the force of his powerful legs, launching himself upward.
With a roar, Rou delivered an uppercut directly to the Minotaur's jaw, the blow lifting the beast off its feet. Its head snapped back, and it staggered, dazed, before it crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact.
Rou stood tall over the beast, panting slightly from the exertion. His body was alive with energy, the fight only stoking the fire within him. But the Minotaur wasn't done yet—it growled, pushing itself back up, its rage giving it strength.
The creature's eyes burned with fury, and it swung its axe again, this time aiming for Rou's midsection. Rou darted forward with a burst of speed, his body low to the ground, and grabbed the Minotaur's axe by the shaft.
The creature's eyes widened in surprise, but before it could react, Rou yanked the weapon from its hands with ease. In one fluid motion, Rou spun as he striked the axe into the Minotaur's head, sending it crashing to the ground once more. The axe got stuck between the minotaur's horn.
The beast struggled to rise, but Rou was already on top of it. He pounced, pinning its head to the ground with a knee and delivering a series of rapid, punishing strikes to its face. Each blow landed with terrifying force, breaking bones, bruising flesh, and finally silencing the Minotaur's roars.
Rou's fists came down one final time, and with a sickening crunch, the creature's skull cracked under the weight of his strength. Silence fell over the forest as the Minotaur's massive body lay still beneath him, defeated.
Rou stood above the fallen creature, chest heaving with breath, his body radiating power and adrenaline. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his expression a mixture of satisfaction and quiet respect for the fight.
Rou:
[Not bad… for a game monster.]