Whether they read a lot of comics, watch a lot of animes, or have read many novels, people often imagine or dream of other worlds—even if they haven't seen much.
Another world separate from Earth!
A world filled with different races, swords and magic, and romance.
People often wonder what it would be like to exist in such a world and immerse themselves in it, sometimes playing various games to fulfill that fantasy.
Of course, those imagining such worlds often picture themselves as kind and heroic figures.
Blasting magic, wielding swords to defeat monsters, or being surrounded by numerous beauties and charming companions...
"Ian, before you leave work today, make sure to clean up properly, organize the shelves, and write up the inventory list before clocking out."
"Yes, boss."
...However, I hadn't gotten the life everyone had been dreaming of.
***
Have you ever fantasized about other worlds?
Leaving a review on a novel with over 6,800 chapters, reading a novel with zero views out of curiosity, or trying out games boasting extreme difficulty—sometimes downloading strange mods from somewhere just to experience something different.
In the end, most of it was just daydreaming. Imagining oneself being pulled into the world of a novel or game.
But one day, I realized something. What if other worlds truly existed? What if the fantasy world I'd imagined, with magic and other races, were real? At first, I thought it would be fun.
But as I learned more about how "demons" existed in those worlds, I began to worry about whether the fantasy world might actually turn into something like a dark fantasy.
And occasionally, I'd joke that if I ever ended up in another world, I would train hard to gain skills that could allow me to survive.
[Sensory Block lv.1 - Blocks sensory perception below a certain threshold.]
That notification first appeared when I checked my skills. No matter how much I dreamed of flashy abilities, the system seemed determined to keep me grounded.
Still, I decided to look on the bright side. Maybe "Sensory Block" was a way to protect me from unwanted attention or harm. Perhaps it wasn't entirely useless.
Eagerly diving into the pursuit of happiness, I tried practicing skills without hesitation. Eventually, I bought the cheapest family sword I could afford and began to run around aimlessly like a madman, slashing at anything.
But that's when reality began to set in. When I swung the sword once, I would lose 1 stamina point. Every time I struck something, the world's mechanics would grind me down, and soon, my body couldn't keep up.
No, actually, it wasn't just difficult. The moment I treated the world as though it were a game, the penalties became obvious.
"Damn it, this sucks! Seriously!"
A goblin. Even the goblin from the first area of the beginner zone shattered all my fantasies as it brutally defeated me.
The goblin wasn't a problem when I fought it alone one-on-one. But once another goblin appeared behind it, then a third one popped out from the side, I couldn't do anything.
The goblins slashed at me relentlessly, and while their hits were light, the cumulative damage left me exhausted and ultimately defeated outside of the beginner zone.
"[Sensory Block], [Sensory Block]"
The trust I had placed in my skills betrayed me. I tried applying my skills to myself, thinking that maybe the name of the skill would activate its effect. However, even when I chanted the skill names, all I achieved was an embarrassing level of self-pain without ever getting the relief I expected.
After realizing the harshness of reality and analyzing my situation, I ended up working at a small clinic in this world. I wasn't treated as a hero or savior who had arrived to change things. Instead, I was employed as a part-time assistant doing mundane work at the clinic, earning barely enough to survive.
And then, three years later...
[Sensory Block lv.1 - Blocks sensory perception below a certain threshold.]
My skill remained exactly the same as before.
***
"Phew, I finished just before closing."
After finishing organizing the medicine cabinet, sorting the stock of medicines, and handing over the inventory to the priest, I realized I had more time left than I thought. It seems like I've become quite skilled after not doing much else for three years.
"Once you're done, stop by the treatment room for a moment."
"Yes, Priest."
Following the priest's instructions, I put down the inventory list I was holding and headed to the treatment room. Inside, there appeared to be a boy around five years old with a man and woman who seemed to be his parents.
"Get ready for your shot! If you behave, we'll get fried ogre tenders afterward!"
…Even in this other world, does "bribing kids" exist? I've been working at this clinic for three years, but it was my first time seeing parents coaxing their child in such a way.
No, to be precise, it wasn't fried ogre tenders they were offering—it was just regular pork chops.
"Ian, just do it the usual way."
"Ah, yes."
As the priest prepared the syringe and approached the child, the boy's face twisted in terror, and he let out a frightened scream.
"Don't come closer! Mom, Dad, save me! This is a scam!"
…Was he angry that it wasn't fried ogre tenders, or was he scared of the shot?
"This shot isn't an ordinary shot!"
"Lies! Priests inject holy water filled with great blessings! Even vampire and werewolf skin gets pierced, but this won't work on me?!"
Wow, what nonsense.
I've been working here for over a year, and I still don't know what's in those injections. But now's not the time to dwell on that. I used the only skill I've ever managed to master: glaring at the child and handing the syringe to the priest with precision.
[Sensory Block]
Feeling the success of the skill activation, I shifted my gaze to the priest next to me. The priest, as if sensing my intentions, swiftly gave the injection to the frightened child with practiced ease.
"Okay, the injection is done!"
"Wait, huh…? I didn't even feel anything!"
"Because your skin is as soft as vampire skin, it's no problem for holy water to penetrate."
"Wow! Is that so? I must really be amazing!"
I left the smiling priest and the child's parents to their conversation, opened the skill window as I often do, and checked it just in case.
...Still level 1.
While working at the clinic, I explored the limits of skill usage. Even when dealing with goblins, no skill I used could remove the pain from the wounds caused by their blades. However, after researching and testing my skill repeatedly, I discovered that it could at least block minor pain like a syringe prick. Since then, I've sometimes assisted the priests with injections, effectively acting like an experimental tool on humans.
I tried using my skill on kids who hated eating medicine to block their sense of taste, but while the skill activated, the sensory block felt delayed and ineffective. It wasn't powerful enough to block the bitter taste of the medicine. Apparently, this skill could only block pain up to a certain threshold but couldn't block sensations like taste. Furthermore, the skill was so weak that it wouldn't even affect ordinary adults. In the end, it was only useful to me for trivial tasks.
In conclusion, my skill was pretty much useless. Over the three years I used it regularly, the skill didn't grow or level up at all. I occasionally used it to alleviate the pain for kids receiving injections, but the level remained stuck at its lowest.
"Yes, thank you for your hard work. Ian, you can go home now."
"Yes, Priest."
I closed the skill window and stepped out of the treatment room. The place I headed toward was the storage room, where I kept all my belongings, including my sleeping mat. Inside was a little nook where I could curl up and rest after my shifts.
The priest always gave me a place to sleep and ensured I was taken care of, so I was deeply grateful for his kindness.
"Ian! Come here for a second; there's a visitor."
"Yes! I'm coming!"
Ah, is it another parent with a sick kid? Hopefully, they're not just here to leave and not come back... Wait, why am I still working?
"Yes? About me?"
What I saw in the treatment room was the priest and a woman. She seemed to be complaining... was it about her pay?
Apparently, she got caught by goblins while passing through the wilderness. Goblins are creatures of the lowest rank, and their weak level of pressure usually doesn't even feel like a threat to ordinary people.
"They're manageable, but it's exhausting dealing with them. I just wanted to relax here for a bit and recover. Can't this skill block at least that much pressure?"
"Well, it's possible, but isn't your skill level still low? Plus, if something interrupts in the middle, like another attack, the skill effect will cancel immediately. Besides, it's not like the goblins are that threatening."
Apparently, even adventurers who wander around the wilderness often have high skill resistance, meaning my skill would barely affect them.
"It'd be better if you could have Ian handle this while I go get some more supplies."
"Me? Priest?"
The priest smiled kindly, as usual, and told me to take care of her. He was a good person, though his workaholic tendencies were a bit much for me. He didn't push his responsibilities on me often, but still, he seemed quite glad to rely on me.
"Excuse me…"
"Yes?"
"So… are you Ian? Are you by any chance a priest?"
"Oh, no, I just work here… as a helper."
"Then, what is it the priest wants you to help me with?"
The priest handed me over to assist the woman, and as if confused by the sudden situation, she began speaking to me. I took a proper look at her.
Short black hair, clothes with minimal metal to minimize the noise of the Rogues, a dagger tied to her waist with a leather strap, a long shark-like tail and bright red pupils typical of the Miao tribe standing out on top of her head. However, what was on a complete other level was her chest. It was probably the biggest I had ever seen in my life… Actually, I almost imagined myself fondling her gigantic chest.
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, yes. The priest mentioned that my skill might be helpful. It's a minor sensory-blocking skill. If I use it, it might ease the tension caused by the goblins' lingering pressure."
"A minor skill… I guess that could be useful in a clinic."
To clarify, the skill wasn't "minor" but rather the sensory-blocking [Sensory Block] skill. The difference is subtle, but it was still distinct enough for me to emphasize it. Honestly, the skill wasn't particularly effective, but I couldn't outright deny its usefulness either.
"Could you lie down on the bed for now? I'll try using the skill once."
"Ah, okay. Let's give it a try."
The woman, looking hesitant but complying, climbed onto the bed. Focusing on her, I activated the skill. The goblins' presence had likely left her feeling unsettled, and I aimed to alleviate her burden.
'[Sensory Block]!'
Honestly, I didn't expect much, but… the skill, which usually doesn't work on anyone with even average resistance, surprisingly worked on this person. It seemed like my clumsy beginner-level skill actually succeeded.
"Huh? The unpleasant sensation I was feeling up until now is gone. This skill is quite effective!"
"Oh, really?"
Contrary to my expectations, the skill activated immediately.
Hmm… come to think of it, she mentioned that her constitution had unusually weak resistance to external stimuli? And didn't she say that being exposed to goblins weakened her resistance even further?
Anyway, it worked out, so I also felt relieved.
"Excuse me, but could I rest for a moment like this? I haven't been able to sleep properly because of the pressure from the goblins…"
"Oh, yes. That's fine. Once the priest comes back, I'll let him know to help you with your blessing."
Our clinic exists to provide blessings to people in order to recover their divine protection and abilities. That's why such small-scale treatment centers are operated here.
"Ah, thank you…"
The woman looked truly exhausted, and she fell asleep not long after.
…Was this even okay? It wasn't in a clinic where I worked, but rather here, where a man who wasn't a priest or healer was taking care of a woman in such a state. Still, she fell asleep without hesitation…
…Maybe it's because the clinic owner has a trustworthy reputation in the area?
Carefully, I adjusted the sleeping woman's posture and pulled the blanket from the side of the bed to cover her.
"Mm…"
"…!"
The woman stirred slightly, and before I realized it, her chest briefly pressed against my hand.
[The Sensory Block skill has blocked the woman's discomfort!]
[The Sensory Block skill has leveled up to Level 2!]