"Wait! Don't run!"
A woman's voice?
I froze for a moment. That definitely came from somewhere nearby.
"Tsukihime-san, there's a woman!" I blurted out, still catching my breath.
Tsukihime shot me a sharp glare. "Idiot, don't listen! That's probably the elf I mentioned earlier!"
Oh. Right. The A-rank elf with way too many OP skills.
We didn't waste any more time and kept running. Well, she kept running while carrying me on her back like a sack of rice. I wasn't exactly in a position to complain. But just as we thought we were getting away—
CRASH!
Out of nowhere, the trees around us groaned and twisted unnaturally. Branches stretched and wove together, forming a giant wooden wall that completely blocked our escape.
Tsukihime skidded to a stop, her face instantly darkening. "...Oh, come on."
I swallowed hard. "Tsukihime-san… tell me that was just nature being weird."
She let out a dry laugh. "Hahaha… yeah, no. That's definitely the elf. Welp, we're screwed."
I turned back and saw her clenching her fists. She must be calculating our options—though from the way she looked at the wall, it was obvious she already knew.
"It's no use, Shun," she muttered, giving the thick branches a light kick. "Not even a scratch. Breaking through isn't happening."
A deep sigh escaped my lips. "Then put me down. If we're gonna die, let's at least go down fighting."
Tsukihime hesitated for a second before gently lowering me onto the ground. She crossed her arms and smirked. "Man… I just got a physical body, and now I have to die already? Life really is unfair."
Before I could respond, a rustling sound came from the bushes ahead.
Our muscles tensed. This was it. The elf was here. We braced for battle.
And then—
"...A bunny?"
A small, fluffy white rabbit hopped out of the bushes, its nose twitching.
"...Wait. That's just a normal bunny, isn't it?" I asked, a little dumbfounded.
Tsukihime, whose fear had instantly melted into pure joy, crouched down and reached out her hand. "Aww, what a cute little bu—"
THWACK!
An arrow whizzed through the air and pierced straight through the bunny's skull.
"AAAHHH!" I yelped, jumping back.
Tsukihime's eyes widened. "WHAT THE HELL?! WHY'D YOU KILL IT?!"
A voice sighed behind us. "Idiot. That was a monster."
I spun around, and there she was.
The elf.
My breath hitched as I took her in.
Long golden hair that shimmered like sunlight. Sharp, ice-blue eyes that held a mix of amusement and authority. Smooth, pale skin, a slender but toned frame, and—okay, I won't comment on the other parts, but let's just say she had all the elf-like beauty you'd expect in a fantasy world.
Meanwhile, Tsukihime was still grieving over the rabbit. "Wait, wait, wait. That was a monster? What do you mean? It looked so fluffy!"
The elf flicked her hair back, giving us a graceful, almost smug smile. "That was a Forest Bunny. Threat Rank: E."
Threat rank? So monsters here are ranked like that?
Before I could ask more, the elf turned to me, her sharp gaze softening a little.
"Little boy, what's your name?"
Uh.
Wait.
A hottie just asked for my name.
Okay, play it cool, play it cool—
"I-I'm Shun," I said, trying not to sound like a socially awkward mess.
She chuckled. "Ara, what a nice name~"
Oh god. She just "Ara"'d me.
"My name is Mime," she continued, placing a hand on her hip. "I'm the chief of the elven village of Zepris. Also an A-rank adventurer."
Adventurer? Elven village? Oh yeah. This really is an isekai, huh?
After a short and awkward stare-down, Mime suddenly clapped her hands together. "Well then! Let's go. I'll take you both to my village."
Wait. Just like that?
"Uh, why are you being so friendly all of a sudden?" I asked, glancing at Tsukihime, who was also eyeing her with suspicion.
Mime shrugged. "Oh, I was hunting that orc you killed earlier. It was my bounty. So, I figured the least I could do is take care of you for a bit."
Ah. So that explains why she was nearby.
Still, we exchanged skeptical glances but ultimately decided to follow. I mean, we didn't exactly have better options.
Zepris Village
After a long walk (which involved Mime casually one-shotting any monsters we encountered), we finally arrived at Zepris Village.
And holy crap, it was beautiful.
The entire village sat beside a clear, flowing river. Tall wooden walls stood firm around the perimeter, manned by giant, muscle-bound elves that looked like they could crush me with their pinky fingers.
The houses were all made of finely carved wood, and the streets were lively—blacksmiths hammering weapons, merchants selling goods, and even food stalls filling the air with delicious smells.
"Whoa… this place is amazing," I muttered.
Mime giggled. "Ara, flattery will get you everywhere, Shun-chan~"
I ignored the "Shun-chan" part and just kept staring in awe.
She eventually led us to her mansion—because of course she had one. A village chief living in a tiny house would've been weird.
The moment we stepped inside, a row of maids greeted us.
"Welcome back, Mime-sama."
Mime smiled and waved. "Prepare some food for my guests, will you?"
The maids nodded and hurried off. Meanwhile, she gestured for us to follow her into the living room.
We sat down, and after a brief pause, she crossed her legs and leaned forward.
"Shun. I must say, I'm impressed. Killing a D-rank monster on your own isn't easy."
I needed to tread carefully now. I still didn't want to reveal my Gacha Skill outright.
"Ahaha… I just got lucky," I said, scratching my cheek.
Mime raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. Instead, she took a deep breath and leaned forward.
"Shun. Would you like to stay here?"
…Huh?
"You're obviously new to this world," she continued. "Letting you wander alone would be dangerous."
That's… a pretty generous offer. A little too generous.
I glanced at Tsukihime. She was giving me the same "Yeah, this is kinda fishy" look.
"Mime-san," I said carefully, "forgive me for asking, but… why are you being so kind to us? We're complete strangers."
Her playful smile vanished.
"Ara, you're clever. That makes me like you even more."
Then, her expression darkened slightly.
She stood up, walked to the door, and told the maids, "Don't come in for a while. We have important matters to discuss."
She locked the door behind her, sat down again, and sighed.
"The truth is… we need your help."
"...What kind of help?"
She opened her status screen and slid it toward me.
"I'll show you everything to earn your trust. In return, I ask that you help us fight."
Then, she reached out and gently held my hands.
"Shun. Please. Help me defend my land and slay the Orc King. The conqueror who seeks to turn my people into slaves."
"Eh? But why me? You're strong Mime-san! I bet you can even solo that orc king right?"
"Hahaha, you think highly of me no? Don't try to hide it Shun. That girl beside you, Tsukihime right?"
"I know you're Shun's summon"
STATS SUMMARY
Shun Kirisaki
Pull counts remaining: 62
Skill: Unique Passive: Physical ability boost. (E) ~ Night vision (E)
Summons: Tsukihime (Null)
Skill: Unique Passive: Physical ability boost. (E) ~ Roaring beast (D)