kscans

Chapter 2 - An Encounter, and Then Training.

"You’ve got to be kidding me…"

I’d said it twice now.

But standing here stunned wouldn’t do me any good. I needed to scout my surroundings first. If this was really another world with monsters in the forest, I wouldn’t be able to rest until I found a safe place. I had acquired some skills on my way here, so I decided to try them out.

"I think I got a Detection skill, so let’s give it a go. In these situations, the standard procedure is to say it out loud while picturing it in your head. Detection, activate!"

Just then, something like a video game map materialized in my mind.

"Whoa, so this is how it works. I thought a map would pop up in front of my eyes."

Once the initial shock wore off, I found myself surprisingly calm. My ability to adapt was faster than I expected.

But this was all the proof I needed that this was another world and I had, in fact, been given skills.

"It looks like I can detect an area of about a fifty-meter radius with me at the center. No signs of monsters for now… That’s a relief."

Knowing I wouldn’t be ambushed right away was a huge weight off my shoulders.

"For now, I’ll just walk until I find a populated area. I also want to see how long I can keep the Detection skill active."

I decided to start walking forward.

Normally, you’d proceed through a forest with extreme caution. But thanks to Detection, I could walk without a care in the world. I was truly grateful for this skill.

After about three minutes of walking, the map in my head vanished.

"So, roughly three minutes. I guess that’s about right for a first-timer. If I train it, I might be able to extend the duration and range. That’s how it usually goes in adventure stories. I’ll start training as soon as I get a handle on my current situation."

There was no need to rush. I wasn’t summoned here, nor was the world in peril.

The thought of how strong I could become made my body tingle with excitement. I really am a physical type of guy.

With that thought, I decided to use the Detection skill again.

"Detection, activate… I feel a little bit of my strength draining away. So this is what magic consumption feels like."

Having learned a new sensation, I started walking again.

About two minutes later, I got a hit.

"What’s this? Three lights. Two are red, but one is blue. Going by convention, red means enemy, and blue means ally or non-combatant. Either way, I should check it out."

I moved quietly toward the lights.

Hiding in the bushes, I reached the location and saw the scene unfold.

Two wolves were attacking an old man who had his back against a tree.

"So red is the enemy and blue is an ally, just as I thought. Well, it’s not like he’s a confirmed ally yet. Now, what should I do?"

I wanted to help, but I had no weapon. My skills didn’t offer any direct means of attack, either.

The only thing I had was Matter Conversion. I looked around, searching for something I could transform.

I found and picked up a palm-sized stone.

"I’ll use this. Matter Conversion, activate!"

I pictured iron and used the skill. The stone instantly became a lump of iron.

"Okay, but this size isn’t even enough to make a knife. I think it said something about magic making up for any missing mass. Let’s try making a Japanese sword."

Holding the lump of iron, I pictured the shape of a Japanese sword and continued to use the skill. The iron rapidly increased in mass, growing to the size of a blade about sixty centimeters long.

And just like that, the Japanese sword was complete.

It took five seconds.

"It’s done. A good chunk of my energy is gone, but I can fight now."

My fighting spirit ignited, and I burst out of the bushes.

"Hey! You wolves! I’m your opponent now! Come and get me!"

I shouted and glared at the wolves.

The two beasts turned to look at me, and the old man had a "what the hell?" expression on his face.

The wolves seemed wary and didn't approach. I checked the distance.

I was about a hundred meters away from them. Not exactly charging distance.

But this was my first real fight, and I was at a loss for how to attack.

As if sensing my hesitation, one of the wolves started walking toward me.

(This is bad. It’s cautious, but it doesn’t see me as a threat. The other one is still watching the old man. Damn it, what should I do?)

Just then, a familiar voice echoed in my head.

(Don’t panic!)

It was the voice of my late grandfather.

(!!)

In that moment, a memory from my childhood resurfaced.

(Listen up, Shinsuke. When you face your prey, two things are important: ruthlessness and momentum. You can’t hunt if you feel pity for the prey. You can’t take it down if you’re timid. Stay calm, and when you go in for the kill, do it with overwhelming force! You’re not allowed to use a gun, but you’d probably miss anyway. So, will you set a trap and wait, or will you go at it with a club? Either way, do what you like. But if you choose the club, and you find yourself in a standoff where neither of you will back down, there’s only one thing to do: strike first! Let out a war cry and charge!)

Past events flashed through my mind like a movie.

Come to think of it, Grandpa taught me some oddly passionate things.

But right now, I was grateful for it.

I took a deep breath and raised the Japanese sword into an overhead stance.

"Cheeeeeeeeeeestooooo!"

I screamed as I ran.

The wolf, startled for a moment, froze in place.

The distance was about fifty meters. I ran with everything I had.

As I closed the distance, the wolf regained its composure and charged at me. As we grew closer, the wolf opened its mouth wide, baring its fangs.

I felt a surge of fear at the thought of being bitten, but my momentum was unstoppable.

My mind went blank as I continued to run.

Then, the moment the sword was within reach, I swung it down with all my might.

But it dodged to the right. Panicking, I recklessly swung the sword horizontally to my right.

By some stroke of luck, it hit the wolf’s right eye, and blood spurted out.

The wolf yelped in pain and tumbled to the ground. This was my chance.

I once again raised the sword overhead and brought it down hard.

The wolf’s head was severed from its body, and a torrent of blood gushed from the torso.

"Hah… hah… I did it."

Still reeling from the sensation of my first kill, I quickly turned my attention to the other wolf.

But the old man had already dispatched it with an axe he was holding.

"Are you alright?"

I called out as I approached the old man.

"No need to worry. I’m not so senile that a beast like this would give me trouble."

His voice was oddly cold. I took a proper look at the old man.

He was about one hundred seventy centimeters tall, with white hair and a white beard, clearly quite elderly. Yet, his physique was that of a man who had trained relentlessly; I could tell he possessed incredible strength.

The old man seemed strangely wary of me, so I said, "I’m a traveler who has just begun his training journey. I was wandering through this forest when I saw you being attacked, so I came to help."

I couldn't just say I came from another world, so I decided to lie. I felt a little guilty, but it couldn't be helped.

The old man seemed to let his guard down, though his tone remained gruff. "I was about to say you shouldn’t have bothered, but to be honest, my body wasn’t moving as well as I’d like. So… I’ll thank you."

He had a condescending way of talking.

But I was used to dealing with my boss at work, so it didn't bother me.

I asked, "By the way, I have a question. Is this near the regional city of Alum?"

I needed to confirm if this was the place mentioned in the book. If not, something might have gone wrong with the transfer.

The old man replied, "That’s right. This is the forest near Alum. Don’t ask such obvious questions. Just how much of a novice are you?"

Well, at least nothing went wrong. The old man’s manner of speaking was something I was used to, having listened to my boss's constant complaints, so I remained calm.

I said, "Even though I’ve just started, I’ve been traveling for about a month, so I wasn’t confident."

At this, the old man said, "A month? You’re the greenest of novices. And I take it today was your first real fight, then."

I was a little surprised. "How did you know it was my first time fighting?"

The old man sighed and answered, "Anyone could tell, seeing how scared you were of that wolf. Plus, your weapon handling was sloppy, like a child swinging a stick. Your war cry, though, that was pretty impressive."

Even in this dim light, and from that distance… This old man’s eyesight was clearly not failing. His gaze was sharp.

Still surprised, I asked, "Excuse me, but who are you?"

To that question, the old man replied, "I am Dornet. A hunter who lives in a cabin nearby."

Hunter. When I heard that word, I found it hard to believe that was the only reason he could tell it was my first fight.

"I’m sorry to ask, but what did you do when you were younger?"

The old man looked annoyed. "I was an adventurer. Retired many years ago."

An adventurer. Hearing that, it all made sense. It explained his keen observational skills, his ability to strike the wolf’s vital point in a single blow—it all came from his experience in battle.

And this man, he somehow reminded me of my late grandfather.

"Um, I know this is sudden, but there's something I want to ask."

The old man retorted, "What is it? Stop being so hesitant. If you have something to say, spit it out!"

His tone was strangely irritated.

But I didn’t let it deter me. "Please, take me on as your disciple!"

I bowed my head and pleaded with the old man.

"Hah? Disciple? What do you think you’re saying? You want to be the disciple of a man you just met? What’s wrong with you?"

He spoke as if he were exasperated, but I looked at him with a serious expression and replied, "I told you I was on a training journey, but I’ve been traveling without any real direction. I figured I’d become an adventurer to earn some money and came to this city. But then, Dornet-san, I met you."

I looked at the wolf the old man had killed. "The skill with which you took down this wolf, and your perceptiveness to realize it was my first time fighting… I can see that you are no ordinary man. I am inexperienced in every way, but I want to train under you and become a strong man."

The old man folded his arms and thought for a moment. Then he asked, "You want to become strong and be an adventurer?"

To this question, I replied, "I want to be a hunter and an adventurer."

My answer made the old man’s eyes go wide.

I know, he probably expected me to just say adventurer. I thought so too.

But the word "hunter" came out first, probably because it reminded me of my grandfather asking if I wanted to become one.

It wasn’t logic. It was just a feeling.

The old man’s lips curled into a slight smile. "You’re a strange one. I’d understand if you wanted to be an adventurer, but to say you want to be a hunter and an adventurer at the same time… you’ve got some nerve."

He said it with an air of exasperation, but he wasn’t mocking me.

This was another way he was like my grandfather. He would listen to what people had to say without laughing at them.

I said, "So please, I beg you. Take me—no, take me on as your disciple."

I bowed my head once more.

At this, the old man said, "I have a policy of not taking disciples. But… I owe you for helping me. I’ll teach you the basics. After that, you’ll have to train on your own."

I was overjoyed at his words. "Thank you, Master!"

The old man said, "Calling me Master already? You’re an eager one. Oh well. It’s late. You can stay at my cabin tonight. But starting tomorrow, you’ll build your own cabin. I’ll teach you how then."

The old man’s way of speaking was blunt, but there was a kindness to it.

I replied, "Yes, I look forward to learning from you. My name is Shinsuke."

The old man said, "Shinsuke, a strange name. Well, whatever. I have a sharp tongue and my teaching methods can be rough. Don’t blame me if you die halfway through."

I replied, "I’ll be fine. I won’t die. Not until I’ve learned everything you have to teach me, traveled to all sorts of places, and hunted."

In response to that, I thought I saw the old man’s mouth curve into a slight smile, but it quickly returned to its usual scowl. And so, under my master Dornet-san, I learned how to hunt, how to handle weapons, how to move my body efficiently, how to train as an adventurer, and all the other knowledge and skills necessary for survival and crafting.

He taught me everything he knew.

Two years passed like that.