I paid for another round of sake and skewers, not even keeping track of how much I'd spent. Honestly? I didn't even know what time it was anymore. The anime guy had left a while ago, and it was just me and the old man now.
Strangely enough, the shop still wasn't closed. The old man didn't seem to mind.
"Old man, you're a good person, you know that?" I said, my words slurring a little.
He chuckled, pouring me another drink. "I get that a lot."
I sighed, leaning on the counter. "Haaa... if only life were fair."
He nodded, flipping a skewer on the grill. "Well, that's how life is."
I kept rambling about my days, work, college, and my endless complaints about the ikemen. The old man just kept smiling, listening quietly.
Then, out of nowhere, he spoke up. "Hey."
I looked up, blinking at him. "Hmm?"
His smile grew, and there was something different about it this time. It wasn't his usual kind, understanding smile. It felt like he knew something I didn't.
"What do you think about another world?" he asked, his voice calm and steady.
I blinked again, processing the question, then laughed, nearly spilling my sake. "Old man! Don't tell me you're an anime guy too! Damn! Hahaha!"
He didn't laugh back, just smiled, waiting for me to answer.
Realizing he was serious, I scratched my head, thinking. "Hmm... well, I don't think it's bad. In those stories, people who get Isekai'd end up super OP, right? They build harems, get crazy magic powers... sounds nice."
The old man nodded thoughtfully. "It does, doesn't it?"
I chuckled, leaning back. "Yeah, but that's just fantasy. Real life doesn't work like that."
His smile deepened, and for a moment, I thought I saw something strange in his eyes. Maybe that was just the sake talking.
"You never know," he said cryptically, handing me another skewer. "Life's full of surprises."
Suddenly, the old man pulled out a large, ornate bottle of sake and placed it in front of me. It was different—golden designs etched into the glass, glowing faintly.
I blinked at it, then at him. "Hey, old man! I don't have enough money for this. Payday's not until the day after tomorrow."
He chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, young man. Consider it my treat."
My eyes widened. "Whoa... really? You sure?"
He nodded, smiling warmly. "Just enjoy and drink until you're satisfied."
I grinned, grabbing the bottle. "Oh yeah! Thanks, old man! You're the best!"
He poured me a cup, and I gulped it down, savoring the smooth, rich flavor. It was unlike any sake I'd ever tasted—warm, sweet, and almost otherworldly.
The old man kept grilling meat, sliding fresh skewers in front of me as I drank. The night felt perfect, like nothing else mattered.
But as the sake kept flowing, a warm haze started to take over my mind. My vision blurred, and my head grew heavy, like I was sinking into a dreamlike state.
Through the haze, I could barely make out the old man's voice, calm and steady.
"Sleep well, young man. When you wake up..."
His words trailed off as my eyes finally closed.
"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the story of how I ended up being chased by a horde of horny orc males in heat. Yes, you heard me right—HORNY orc males. In heat.
Do you think I'll stop? Hell no! My ass is literally on the line here. I didn't even get to have sex with a girl, and now these orcs are chasing me like I'm the main course at a buffet!
"Don't run, hyuman! We good orc~" one of them called out, his voice disturbingly enthusiastic.
"Good!? Good!? No way!! Fuck off, scram!!" I yelled, dodging a tree branch.
"Oho~ this hyuman just shy~ Ahnnn!" another orc cooed.
"Shy!? SHY!? Fuck off!! Don't you dare!!" I screamed, leaping over a fallen log.
I kept running, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I evaded everything in my path—rocks, bushes, low-hanging branches—while the orcs stomped behind me like a stampede of hormonal beasts.
"Why me?!" I yelled at the sky. "I didn't sign up for this kind of Isekai!!"
The universe, of course, didn't answer. It just laughed at me silently as I sprinted for my life, my dignity barely clinging on by a thread.
Oh, you want to know how I ended up here? Fine. It all started after I got drunk.
See, after that "special" drink the old man gave me, I blacked out and woke up lying in the grass. At first, I thought I'd just stumbled into some park in the city. But when I noticed the sun wasn't its usual color, I thought maybe it was an eclipse.
Well, guess what? It wasn't.
As I groggily sat up, I heard a loud, earth-shaking thump. I turned just in time to see a massive creature charging at me—shaped like a boar but elephant-sized.
Naturally, my first reaction wasn't bravery—it was sheer panic.
"Hey!! What the hell?!" I screamed, diving out of its path just in time. Do you think I was going to charge at that thing? Hell no! I evaded like my life depended on it. Because, well, it did.
Luckily, the big boar was slow, so dodging it was easy. It stomped around a bit before running off into the forest.
Now, here's where things get complicated.
I stood there, catching my breath, and thought maybe I should throw a rock at it to scare it off. Not my brightest idea, but I picked up a rock, aimed, and hurled it.
And... I missed.
Instead, I heard a scream from the nearby forest.
"Who threw a stone at us?!"
At first, I thought it was just some random hikers. "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to!" I yelled.
Then they emerged—a group of hulking figures stepped out of the trees, easily taking down the big boar. I was about to thank them when I realized something was off. Their skin was green, their muscles bulged unnaturally, and their tusks gleamed in the sunlight.
They were orcs. Male orcs.
I froze. One of them stepped closer, sizing me up with a grin. Then, without warning, he reached out and grabbed my ass.
"Hey~ nice looking ass," he said, his tone disturbingly playful.
My brain short-circuited.
"W-what?! H-hey!! Hands off!!" I shouted, stumbling backward. But they didn't stop. Their eyes lit up like predators spotting prey.
"Don't run, hyuman. We good orc~"
And that's how I ended up in this mess, sprinting for my life while a horde of male orcs in heat chased me down.
"Good!? GOOD!? No way!! Screw you guys!! Leave me alone!!"
"Aww, come on! Don't be shy~" one of them called out, licking his lips.
"Shy!? SHY?! I'M NOT SHY, I'M TERRIFIED!!" I screamed, jumping over a log and sprinting faster.
And that, folks, is the story of my glorious first day in this so-called fantasy world. Not exactly the heroic Isekai dream I signed up for, huh?
"Formation!!! Ready!! Shoot!!"
Huh? What the hell was that? I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see a barrage of glowing arrows flying straight toward me—or, more accurately, the orc horde hot on my tail.
"Shit!" I yelled, instinctively ducking as the arrows whizzed over my head. One came so close I could feel the heat sizzling past my hair.
"Hey!! Watch where you're aiming, dammit!!"
Luckily, the orcs behind me weren't as agile. The glowing arrows struck them with deadly precision, lighting up the forest like a fireworks show. Several howled in pain and collapsed.
For the first time in this nightmare, I felt a sliver of hope. And My ass? Finally safe. At least for now.
I stood up and looked ahead to see a group of people charging toward me, clad in full plate armor. Some wielded bows, others carried massive shields and pikes, and a few had small shields paired with swords. They moved in tight, disciplined formation, like a proper military unit.
One soldier, wearing a shining helmet and exuding authority, ran up to me. "Hey! Are you alright?"
"Yes! Thank you very much!!" I panted, still catching my breath. "If you hadn't shown up, I'd be... well... let's not talk about it."
The soldier tilted their head, confused. "What were you doing so deep in the forest alone? Don't you know this area is dangerous?"
"Trust me, I had no idea where I was or what was going on. I just woke up here, and the next thing I know—bam! Orcs! Everywhere!"
They nodded slowly and gestured to their group. "You're lucky we were patrolling this area. Those orcs are part of a raiding party. They've been terrorizing nearby villages for weeks."
"Raiding party? Terrorizing? Well, they were definitely terrorizing me!" I said, throwing up my hands.
Another soldier joined us, glaring at me suspiciously. "Who are you? You don't look like a villager, and you're dressed... strangely."
I looked down at my clothes—still my office attire, now covered in dirt, sweat, and probably a bit of orc spit. "Uh... long story. Let's just say I'm not from around here."
The first soldier gave me a curious look but didn't press further. Instead, they motioned to their group. "We'll escort you to the nearest village. You can explain everything there."
"Nearest village? Sounds good to me!" I said, quickly falling in line behind them. Anywhere was better than here, especially if it meant fewer orcs and more safety.
As we marched away, I glanced back at the carnage. The surviving orcs were retreating into the forest, grumbling angrily. I shuddered.
"First day in this world," I muttered to myself. "And I've already almost died... twice."
( End of Chapter )