Chapter 10: A New Journey Begins
The young piglet walked ahead with no worries while the wild boars behind her remained unimportant to her. The wild boars' threatening looks and stomping feet failed to affect the piglet at all. The boar chief grew increasingly irritated but refused to issue the command for an assault. The boar leader showed awareness of her identity, or he chose not to anger her. All the boars remained motionless to watch the piglet and Yuno depart from the area.
The piglet, Yuno rested motionless on her back as they made their journey due to utter exhaustion. The tiny appendages of his body gripped her soft fur while he finally gained the rare opportunity to think since his arrival in this world. The chase, followed by the cave and battling monsters, proved to be too much for him. At this moment, when the piglet transported him away, he gained an important insight.
"Back in the cave, she helped me recover," Yuno murmured. "And now, she's taking me with her… Does she possess no harmful intentions toward me?"
His thoughts led him to understand the situation better and better. She would have eaten him if she planned to do so since her awakening in this world. She protected him after healing his injuries, and now she carried him toward safety.
He checked his surroundings while his mind wandered. "System, where are we now?"
A screen with transparent qualities materialized before his eyes.
Your current position stands at Crescent Bay, which lies east of the Grasslands with a distance of 200 kilometers from Starter Village. Distance from Starter Village: 200 kilometers.
"Two hundred kilometers?!" Yuno's mind reeled. "How the hell did I get here?"
There was only one explanation. An activation of teleportation magic occurred right before he lost consciousness. The piglet served as the possible source that delivered him to this location. The piglet intentionally transported him to this location.
The piglet moved swiftly to the side just as something passed by him.
"Wha?" Yuno reacted too late to defend herself when another strike appeared. The pig utilized her body to escape the attack with precision.
Something was attacking them.
The sudden revelation made his body shiver. The wilderness proved dangerous because he already had personal experience with its dangers. The piglet's superior perception abilities saved them from potential strikes from the unknown projectiles.
A massive frog emerged from the darkness with its slimy body shining under the sunlight.
"System, analyze it!"
Giant Frog – Level 11
Yuno gulped. The creature proved to be beyond his current level of power.
The frog's throat expanded because it was about to launch another strike. The piglet maintained a state of high alert as her body muscles stiffened. Yuno braced himself.
The frog extended its tongue forward at lightning speed before Yuno could respond.
The situation happened too fast for him to escape.
The frog's sticky appendage wrapped around his small limbs while he helplessly tried to escape. A sudden wave of panic raced through him when he realized the frog was about to swallow him entirely.
The piglet suddenly made a loud, angry noise which triggered her quick attack. The piglet used unexpected strength to pounce on the frog, which caused it to drop Yuno. She reached him before his descent ended and positioned herself to receive his fall.
Yuno remained on her back while feeling stunned yet unharmed. "You… You saved me again."
Through her actions, the piglet communicated more than words ever could.
However, their ordeal wasn't over.
A sharp gust of wind cut through the air.
The frog missed its mark when the piglet moved quickly to avoid the attack, while the frog remained stationary. A blade of wind sliced through the creature's body with such precision that it cut it into several pieces.
Yuno directed his eyes toward the direction of the sound.
The Blade Mantis stood within the grass fields while eating the remains of the frog.
Blade Mantis – Level 19
Yuno's eyes widened. The creature had weak health and defense capabilities but possessed terrifying attack strength. That wind blade, it was deadly.
The mantis raised its head when it detected the presence of the intruders.
The piglet had already taken a defensive posture with her body in a rigid position. Yuno swallowed. "Don't be rash," he warned.
The tension was suffocating. The mantis settled into a strike position.
Then,
A gigantic dark shape appeared above them.
The falling rock destroyed the mantis instantly when it hit.
The object, which appeared to be a boulder, moved.
The "rock" suddenly stirred, its rough surface shifting as it absorbed the mantis whole.
Two eyes began to glow from the surface.
Boulder Mushroom – Level 26
Yuno stiffened.
The creature exceeded their understanding by a wide margin.
They needed to leave, now.
The piglet displayed identical thoughts about this situation. The piglet quickly turned to run away while supporting Yuno on her back.
The Boulder Mushroom pulled back its body without pursuing them.
They ran forever until they reached a serene clearing where they stopped.
The place was calm. Yuno stood on the hilltop where he could witness the endless panorama of the world extending in front of him while a large tree created shade.
He paused to observe the place for the very first time.
This world, it was beautiful.
He was interrupted by the system's voice, which cut through his thoughts.
The system functions with natural laws and ecosystems that resemble the ones in your former world.
Yuno exhaled. "Then that means…"
He was nothing in this world, which operated according to its own natural order. A single mushroom at the bottom of the food chain.
The piglet's existence had saved him from death many times.
His grip tightened.
He refused to stay weak.
"System, give me another mission. I need to get stronger."
Understood. The system needs you to choose between Easy, Medium, and Hard levels.
Yuno didn't hesitate. "Fortune favors the bold. I'll take Hard."
The mission requires the defeat of one of the Four Heavenly Generals located within the Tempest Grassland.
Yuno froze.
"...Huh?"
The system delivered the mission information in a composed manner.
His mushroom body trembled.
"...I take it back. Give me an easy mission."
Understood. The system assigned him the new task to gather 10 Red Berry Herbs.
Now that sounded reasonable.
Yuno started his journey to gather the herbs with a feeling of certainty. Within minutes, he gathered six.
Then, right before his eyes,
The piglet ate them all.
Yuno's vision turned red.
This… this little glutton!
"This won't slide," he muttered.
He attacked.
He attempted to strike, but his efforts were fruitless.
His small limbs made weak contact with the piglet's skin. His attempt to strike the creature felt like hitting a cotton pillow.
The piglet rotated her head while looking at him. Her tail wiggled excitedly.
She thought he was playing.
The piglet reacted to his attack by tossing him into the air.
For the next few hours, Yuno suffered as the pig happily "played" with him.
The team finished their additional tasks after the piglet ate all their mission objectives and they gathered 30 fruits. The Inventory Box reward from this mission came at a steep price for Yuno.
Ding!
***
[System Notification]
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
[Status Updated]
[Mushroom Monster] - Level 9
HP: 75/75
MP: 60/60
SP: 10/100
Attack: 39
Speed: 13
Magic: 0
Critical Rate: 10%
Defense: 8
Magic Defense: 8
New Abilities Unlocked:
[Appraisal] Lv.2
[Mushroom Bash] Lv.2
[Spore Explosion] Lv.1
***
His exhausted state stopped him from progressing past Level 9.
The piglet satisfied itself with eating all its mission objectives before falling asleep in a contented state.
Yuno rested next to her in complete defeat.
"...This world is cruel."