Chapter : 06
Brave New World – Part 1
A dazzling light filled Ars’s vision, and the sharp stimulus made him squint instinctively. He squeezed his eyes shut and covered his face with one hand.
Gradually, the light began to fade. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a cave-like place.
Sunlight streamed through a crack in the ceiling, casting faint streaks of light across the stone walls.
Outside, cicadas chirped, and birds called to each other.
The air felt different. Clear, and somewhat tense. The heavy pollution he was used to was gone. Even though Japan had been cleaner than other countries, the difference here was obvious.
The inhabitants of this world did not seem to destroy the environment like humans in his own world.
Taking a slow breath, Ars stepped toward the cave’s exit.
Then it happened.
Without any warning, a sharp pain pierced his head. Strong nausea followed. He bent forward and vomited on the spot. His body would not obey him.
The attack was brief but overwhelming. All his strength left him, and his legs wobbled.
After a while, he forced himself upright. The worst wave had passed, but a bitter taste remained in his mouth, and his breathing was still irregular.
The cause was unknown. Was it the strain of crossing worlds? Or the awakening of abilities after eating the Golden Fruit? There was no answer.
But something inside him had changed. He felt it faintly—a new presence rooted within him. Still vague, but he had a dim understanding of his own powers.
Ars lowered his large backpack from his shoulders and took out his water bottle.
He rinsed his mouth carefully and drank a few cautious sips. He had packed three days’ worth of food and water before passing through the gate.
He didn’t know where he would end up, or whether he could find more supplies.
A sturdy climbing pack, a compact tent, and basic survival gear. He had prepared as much as possible.
A sword hung at his waist. Beneath his shirt, around his neck, was Leah—a fragment of the World Tree—dangling like a necklace.
Once he confirmed that his belongings were safe and that his headache had become bearable, he headed for the exit.
“If the nausea and headache are the price for passing through Leah’s Gate, it’s troublesome, but I have no choice but to endure. I’ll have to tolerate it next time, too.”
But for now, there was something more urgent to do.
Outside the cave, a jungle awaited him. Massive trees surrounded him on all sides. For him, a modern human, staying in the jungle was not an option.
There could be poisonous insects or unknown creatures. He had no way of guessing what might be lurking.
First, he needed to find civilization. The sun was still high. He had no time to linger. Danger would increase at night. He needed to decide which way to go.
He dropped his backpack with a dull thud and quickly climbed a tall tree.
From the top, all he could see was endless dense forest. He couldn’t even imagine what animals or dangerous species lived here.
Turning his gaze east, he spotted it—a tower. Tall enough to reach the sky, its top near the clouds.
He didn’t know what it was, but it was extraordinary. At its base, he could barely make out what looked like a city.
Not just good eyesight. Years of training with Saber and Leah, strengthened with mana, gave him enhanced perception. More importantly, the tower and the city were enormous.
Still, the distance was far.
Ars decided to head for the city. Along the way, he might find villages or towns and gather information.
Judging by the location, he saw a path running east-west. That would be his first route.
He quickly descended, adjusted his pack, and ran toward the path.
After about forty minutes, he finally reached it. He had avoided areas with sounds, making as little noise as possible.
The jungle stretched endlessly. He was certain the source of the sounds was not human.
Could anyone live here? Maybe nomads, but even that seemed unlikely.
Most likely, it was dangerous beasts or something else entirely.
There was no guarantee humans even existed in this world.
It was possible that entirely different beings dominated it.
One lesson from modern Japan was clear: never lightly step into the territory of beings stronger and better adapted than you.
Those who survive in dangerous jungles are not kind to outsiders.
Still, finding a village was the top priority.
As he thought this, he saw something unexpected.
“‘A goblin?!’”
That was his first thought.
Having read countless manga and novels in his eighteen years, it looked like a goblin at first glance.
In many games and stories, goblins were low-level monsters, along with slimes.
He wasn’t certain, but this one matched the description perfectly.
Small, chubby, humanoid, green skin, large protruding eyes.
Just watching it gave him goosebumps. It walked unsteadily, its movements slow. Alone, it was only about half his height.
Six feet one inch tall, with lion-like white hair flowing down his back. Compared side by side, the goblin looked like a child.
It hadn’t noticed him yet.
“This is my chance.”
Ars quietly set down his backpack and gripped his sword.
Years of training with Saber had shaped him. Mana flowed through his body, giving him strength, speed, and endurance beyond ordinary humans.
He didn’t know how effective he would be, but it was better than a novice. His swordsmanship also gave him an edge.
Even so, tension crept into his chest. A real monster he had never seen before. Fear was natural.
He silently closed the distance and thrust the sword.
The blade pierced its head.
The creature let out a beastly scream, thrashed for a few seconds, then collapsed. It convulsed once and stopped moving.
Ars stood still, watching. Once he was certain it was dead, he finally exhaled.
“That was too easy.”
It felt anticlimactic, but he didn’t need to prove anything.
Fighting head-on in an unknown world, in an unknown forest, was foolish. One injury, infection, or poison could be fatal. Prolonged fighting could attract others.
He didn’t even know where he was.
In this world, he was alone.
He wouldn’t die recklessly. He would understand the world first and reach civilization before testing himself.
At least it wasn’t a place uninhabitable to humans.
“If the air were poisonous, or there was no oxygen, I’d be dead instantly. That’s why I brought a mask, food, and water.”
Fortunately, the simple mask wasn’t needed.
He aimed for the head instead of the neck or heart for a reason—he didn’t know the biology.
The sword was high quality, borrowed by Saber from a master craftsman.
But it wasn’t designed to repeatedly cut thick bones. Chipping or breaking was a risk. In a world without repair or replacement, he couldn’t afford to break it.
So he also had multiple high-quality knives and a proper survival kit, all ordered from Amazon before leaving. He had prepared as much as possible.
Most creatures die if their brains are destroyed. But the heart’s location varies by species.
“The brain is the most reliable target.”
The goblin-like creature bled heavily. Ars crouched and observed.
It was still creepy.
A worry crossed his mind.
“What if this is a normal resident of this world? Did I just kill a civilian?”
The thought lingered briefly, then he shook it off.
No. It was a monster.
Appearance, movement, and aura—all wrong for a human.
Still, the feeling of cutting through flesh and bone stayed in his mind. Unpleasant. Far more real than training with Saber.
But years of preparation carried him.
Since choosing the path shown by Leah, he had been ready.
“I was saved, given much. If I can’t endure this as the price, what kind of person would I be?”
His hunting experience with boars and deer in Japan had prepared him for blood and death. Without it, he might have been more shaken.
Another thought occurred.
Monsters drop loot.
Ears, fangs, claws, magic stones.
Inspecting the body, he found a small crystal-like stone embedded in it.
“Could it really be a magic stone?”
He carefully dug it out with his knife.
“Whoa!”
The moment he removed the crystal, the corpse turned to ash and vanished.
Ars froze.
Only one fang remained on the ground. The crystal was in his hand. Some blood remained, but most had disappeared.
A mystery.
Do all creatures in this world vanish like this when they die, leaving only loot? Would the same happen if he were killed?
Where do the bodies go? Turn into mana? Or only monsters with crystals?
Questions filled his mind.
But he couldn’t stop.
He put the crystal and fang in his backpack and walked quickly along the path.
Nine hours later,
He encountered thirteen more goblin-like creatures.
Fortunately, they were alone or in small groups. Weak. His training with Saber was enough.
Now he had fourteen crystals, seven fangs, and two claws.
They didn’t always drop loot.
He rested along the way, eating and drinking, but conserved supplies. He didn’t know how long it would take to exit the forest.
Even if he reached civilization, there was no guarantee he could buy food without currency from this world.
He hoped the crystals or materials had value.
Canned and preserved food lasted long, but he used only the minimum needed.
Then, he heard a voice.
Someone was speaking.
Heading toward the tower, Ars quickly left the path and moved toward the sound.
Soon, he saw two men walking and talking.
“Excuse me, just a—”
The moment they saw him, both went on guard. One raised a spear, the other drew a sword.
“####**#……”
At that moment, he realized:
“‘Damn. I don’t understand their language.’”
