Chapter 2: The Monsters of This World
The countdown reached zero.
The portal emitted unstable energy that caused a wave to pass through the air. A small foot entered from the portal while wearing a polished leather boot. The impact of the foot hitting the ground caused Yuno's mushroom body to experience a powerful shock.
He trembled.
Additional figures appeared through the portal while their shapes became visible against its bright light. At least twelve children entered the field with their eyes shining, and their faces showing mischief. The children's laughter mixed with the wind through the leaves as they entered the field.
The small mushroom body of Yuno managed to squeeze behind a nearby tree trunk as he pressed his form against its rough bark. His fast breathing combined with the uncontrollable shaking of his cap.
"What... what is this?"
He carefully poked his head out from behind the tree while a large root obstructed his sight. The children traversed through the area in a state of visible excitement. The children engaged in something more serious than a typical game.
It was destruction.
A boy with a large stick stepped toward a tiny snail located on the ground. He lifted his weapon immediately, then swung it through the air.
Thwack!
The fragile body of the snail flew through the air before hitting a rock. A joyful shout escaped from the boy's mouth as he grinned like a victorious athlete.
"Got one!"
A different child placed his fingers around a snail while it rested on the ground. He pulled the snail out of its shell, smiling before throwing away the discarded shell behind him.
"Look at this!"
The third boy obtained a rock to strike with great power.
Crunch.
The shell broke into pieces under the weight with a distinct final sound.
"This is way better than your stupid stick!"
The first boy tightened his hold on his weapon while showing a scowl on his face.
"Oh yeah? Then let's see who gets the biggest one!"
More children joined in. Children handled snails as balls for games while additional children crushed them without compassion.
The sight of destruction made Yuno's fear grow stronger. The snails, who previously observed him with interest, now produced their own screams as their tender bodies remained defenseless against the continuous assaults.
A girl emerged from the crowd to interrupt the madness. The girl's blonde pigtails swung back and forth while she moved with an unusual calmness in her face. She took a bright green snail from the ground while holding it softly in her hands.
"Do you want to be my pet?" she asked sweetly.
A brief period of quietness descended upon the scene.
The snail's tiny eyes blinked. The creature's eyes seemed to express hope because it possibly received compassion from the brutal environment.
The girl swiftly used a tiny blade to cut through the snail's body.
The entire being of Yuno pulled away from his body.
The girl extracted the shell while humming before putting it into the small glass pot attached to her waist. The girl stated she required numerous shells because she needed them for her beast-taming class.
The snail's lifeless body fell to the ground.
Yuno's mind spun.
Monsters.
The children were not children at all but pure monsters.
His tiny body stiffened. What would happen if anyone discovered his true nature and understood what he was? Would they treat him like the snail? Did they plan to tear him to pieces as their entertainment?
A powerful explosion jolted the garden suddenly.
One of the boys screamed in agony when he got thrown through the air until his body crashed against a massive rock. The stone surface became stained with blood after the boy fell dead.
The entire area fell into complete silence.
Then.
"Player eliminated. Returning to Beginner's Village."
🌱
A sudden flicker appeared on the boy's body before he disappeared completely while his stick and a glowing system message remained floating in the air.
[-100 Experience Points]
The children watched with stunned expressions instead of their previous cheerful expressions.
"What… what just happened?"
A shadow loomed over them.
Yuno followed their gaze.
A solitary, enormous snail emerged from the depths of its habitat, unlike any other snail in the area. The creature possessed a smooth shell with a deep green body that showed hidden power beneath its surface.
But most striking of all…
It was riding a skateboard.
[Level 3] Papa Snail
Yuno blinked. What?
The snail stared at the children with eyes that seemed to have become slits. The creature's antennae moved with irritation because it seemed to lack tolerance for their stupid behavior.
Then, it spoke.
"Leave."
A single word emerged from its mouth with a deep, threatening tone.
The children hesitated. One of the boys tightened his fists against his sides.
"It's just a level three! We can get a rare drop by defeating this target!"
Excitement returned to their eyes. The friend's elimination did not stop the children from being overcome by greed.
Yuno witnessed the advancing children with horror as they brandished their weapons.
The Papa Snail sighed. The Papa Snail launched itself into an unattainable speed after moving its antennae.
The battle had begun.
Each child succumbed to the Papa Snail's attack one after the other. The stick-wielding boy received such force that he flew through the air as if he were a ragdoll. The Papa Snail used its antennae to sweep the opponent's legs and send him crashing to the ground before transporting him away.
The girl holding shells did not even manage a single scream before she was thrown through the air by a strong spinning attack.
It was a massacre.
When the battle ended, there was only one survivor among the children. One boy from level four clenched his short sword as he stood at his position. He stood apart from the rest because he didn't show any signs of fear.
Instead, he smirked.
✅
"You again," he muttered, his eyes locked onto the Papa Snail. "I lost to you before. But this time… it's different."
The Papa Snail's gaze sharpened.
Tension crackled in the air. Only two combatants remained in the battlefield, which previously swirled with disorder.
A rematch.
The Papa Snail caused the ground to shake while preparing itself, its skateboard wheels turning.
The boy lifted his sword while determination shone through his eyes.
Yuno held his breath.
The clash was about to begin.