Sunlight filtered through the towering trees surrounding the building, casting a refreshing morning glow despite the density of the forest. The air was crisp, as only morning air can be. If anyone ever desired to indulge in forest bathing, this would be the ideal spot—provided they could actually make it this far, of course.
Rei took his first step out of the building with Set at his side and scanned their surroundings.
"According to Zephyle’s memories, there should be a barrier centered around this building with a radius of about a hundred meters."
"Gururu."
Set nodded in agreement.
"And the moment we step outside that barrier, we’re in a monster’s paradise. You ready for this?"
Rei shifted the Death Scythe from his shoulder to his right hand, ready to use it at a moment's notice.
"Gururuu!"
Set let out a growl thick with fighting spirit. Feeling encouraged by his partner, Rei pressed forward. After about three minutes of walking, they reached a faint, film-like shimmering in the air—the edge of the laboratory’s protection.
"So that’s the barrier. I’m a little tense about leaving, but... well, it’s either this or starve to death."
It was a grim reality. The ten days' worth of food that should have been left in the pantry had vanished during breakfast. Naturally, the culprit was Set. The creature was currently prowling beside Rei, acting as a vigilant shield, but he had managed to devour the entire stockpile in just two meals.
Rei had originally planned to save at least a few pieces of bread for his own lunch, but he had been powerless against Set’s pleading, sorrowful eyes. Now, the final loaf was already sitting in the Gryphon’s stomach.
"Well, whatever. Thinking about future food costs, I need to find a way to earn money fast. That pretty much means becoming an adventurer, doesn't it?"
According to the knowledge he’d inherited, an Adventurer's Guild existed in this world, but branches were only found in relatively large cities. If he wanted to keep himself and Set fed, he had to navigate this forest and find civilization as quickly as possible.
"If I only had to worry about your meals, we could just kill monsters and let you eat the meat. Luckily, since you're a magical creature, you just convert everything you eat into mana. No need to worry about bathroom breaks, even if you do eat like a horse."
However, Rei’s own living expenses were a different story. The most practical plan was to harvest whatever Set didn't eat—horns, claws, hides, and other materials—to sell. That path inevitably led back to the same conclusion: leave the forest, find a city with a guild, and register as an adventurer. There was also the lure of quest rewards to consider.
With his resolve renewed, Rei took his first step with Set out into the world beyond the barrier.
"Whoa, you’ve got to be kidding me."
The moment he crossed the threshold, he was hit by the overwhelming, suffocating presence of living things. Before becoming Rei, Reiji had lived in a rural town in Tohoku. He was used to mountains and rivers, and seeing rabbits, squirrels, deer, or even foxes and boars wasn't unusual. Deep in the mountains, he’d even spotted a bear from a distance once or twice. But the sheer volume of life he felt now was on an entirely different scale.
"I guess this is what 'another world' really feels like."
The plants and trees surrounding the barrier were largely alien to him, despite his upbringing in the countryside. He took a deep breath of the morning air and began his trek into the woods.
The forest had been left untouched for centuries, so there were no paths to follow. Massive trees stretched toward the sky, but they were spaced far enough apart that walking wasn't a struggle for Rei. For the two-meter-tall Set, however, the thicket felt cramped, and he occasionally growled in irritation.
"Gururu."
Set rubbed his face against Rei, fluttering his wings slightly. He clearly wanted to take to the open sky rather than trudge through the cluttered undergrowth.
Rei scratched the Gryphon's head to soothe him. "Take it easy. I told you yesterday, there are Dragon Species in this forest. If you go flying around up there, you’ll just end up as someone’s breakfast."
"Guruu."
Set’s shoulders slumped. He was massive, but he was still only two days old. Patience was not yet his strong suit.
They had been walking for about thirty minutes. Thanks to Rei’s Sleipnir's Shoes and Set’s natural speed, they had already covered a significant distance. Suddenly, Rei spotted a tree ahead laden with bright red fruit. He walked over and plucked one.
"Hey, Set. Do you think this is edible?"
He held up the fist-sized fruit, which looked vaguely like an apple.
"Guruu?"
Set merely tilted his head, unable to offer an opinion. Rei stared at the fruit for a moment before a smile tugged at his lips.
"Right. This is exactly why I have Zephyle’s knowledge."
He searched his mind for information on the apple-like fruit.
'Clara Fruit: A common forest fruit. The flesh is sweet, tart, and highly palatable. However, because of its delicious scent, it is a favorite of many Beasts and animals. Caution is advised when harvesting, as predators are often nearby.'
Rei’s expression soured as he read the mental entry.
"This is bad. Set, let’s get out of here. This fruit is—"
"Gurururururururuuu!"
He was a second too late. Set was already staring into the trees to their right, letting out a low, menacing growl.
"...Too late. Well, it is what it is. I guess you’re just going to have to be our lunch."
Rei’s mind clicked into a state of cold calm. He stashed the Clara Fruit into his Misty Ring and leveled his Death Scythe. He didn't even notice that he felt no fear or hesitation at the prospect of a fight.
"Alright, what have we got? I'd settle for a wild boar over a monster right about now."
His hopes were immediately dashed as a massive creature lumbered out of the shadows. It looked like a bear, roughly two meters long, but its fur was shimmering with a coating of water. This was no normal animal.
The three of them stood in a tense silence for several seconds, eyes locked.
Though it was about the same length as Set, the bear's vertical bulk made it seem much more imposing. Its powerful build was coupled with the strange shroud of water clinging to its fur. Long, wicked claws—at least thirty centimeters each—extended from its paws. Rei found himself wondering why the water wasn't dripping off the fur, but the Water Bear (provisional name) broke the silence before he could find an answer.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
With a deafening roar, the monster dropped to all fours and charged.
"Tch, here it comes! Set, go!"
"Guruu!"
Set let out a sharp cry of acknowledgment and lunged forward to intercept. Rei followed close behind, his scythe ready.
"GAAAAAA!"
Seeing that its prey wasn't running, the Water Bear bared ten-centimeter fangs and swung a heavy claw at Set, using its charging momentum to add weight to the blow.
"Guruu!"
Set leaped to the side, evading the strike. He kicked off a nearby tree, using the trunk as a springboard to launch himself at the bear's exposed flank, raking his eagle-like talons across its side.
Rei heard the tree creak and snap from the force of Set’s kick. He gave a grim smile at the Gryphon's raw power and moved in. Since the forest was too dense to swing a two-meter scythe, Rei used the weapon like a spear, leading with the base of the handle rather than the blade.
"GAA!"
The Water Bear cried out in pain from Set’s claws and swung again, trying to catch the agile Gryphon. Set hopped back, out of reach. The bear stumbled, its balance momentarily shattered by the missed swing. Rei didn't miss the opening. He lunged, driving the handle of the Death Scythe into the monster's side.
With a sickening thud, the handle punched straight through the water shroud and the thick hide, impaling the bear's flank.
"GAAAAAAAHHH!"
Rei winced slightly at the sensation of wood tearing through meat, but he didn't freeze. Seeing the bear's right claw rising for a counterattack, he wrenched the handle free and leaped back. A spray of dark blood hit the grass, but the Water Bear ignored the wound and lashed out with its talons.
"GAAAAAAAHH!"
The monster roared in a mix of pain and fury. It was a deep wound, but for a creature with its vitality, it wasn't fatal.
Rei, however, was stunned by his own strength. He had just pierced a monster's hide with a blunt wooden handle. He hadn't expected his new body to be capable of such raw piercing power.
(This body is even more insane than I thought,) he noted privately.
Then, he saw something even more surprising. The water surrounding the bear's fur flowed toward the wound, covering it completely. Within ten seconds, the bleeding stopped, and the flesh began to knit back together before his very eyes. By the time Rei regained his composure, the injury was gone.
"Regeneration... figures. I guess I have to take it down in one shot before it can heal."
He looked at the blade of his scythe, then realized he’d forgotten something important.
(Dammit. I forgot the Death Scythe gets stronger if I channel mana into it. I guess I really am a rookie.)
Despite his self-criticism, he felt strangely composed. He wasn't paralyzed by the "first battle jitters" he’d read about in novels.
(Is this because of the fusion with Zephyle?)
He watched as the Water Bear hesitated, shifting its gaze between Rei and Set. The monster knew that if it committed to one, the other would strike.
From Rei's perspective, the fight was a stalemate. Any non-fatal wound would just be healed in seconds. He hadn't realized that the bear was actually consuming its own mana to power the regeneration; if he’d known, he would have realized he could win a war of attrition. But as it stood, he felt he needed a finishing move.
"GAAA."
"Gururu."
The bear and the Gryphon exchanged low, threatening growls. Rei’s mind raced.
(Should I just gamble on a full-power swing with the blade? With this body, I could probably slice through the bear and the trees at the same time. No, that’s too risky for a first fight. What about fire magic? No, if I set the forest on fire, I'm dead. Wait... fire magic? The handle of the scythe... that's it!)
An idea formed. He called out to Set immediately.
"Set! Trip it again! Just give me one opening and I'll end this!"
"Guruu!"
Set let out a high-pitched cry and began circling the Water Bear, drawing its focus entirely onto himself.
"GAAAA."
The monster followed Set’s movements, its eyes leaving Rei entirely. After a few minutes of circling, the bear reached its limit. It reared back and roared.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
The water on its fur condensed into three distinct orbs that floated in the air before being launched at Set like cannonballs.
(Now!)
Rei focused, readying a spell in his mind as he tightened his grip on the scythe.
Set darted between the trees, using the trunks as cover. One water orb smashed into a tree, gouging out a chunk of wood. Another whistled past Set’s head as he ducked, pulverizing a trunk behind him.
"Gurururururuuu!"
Set used the momentum of his dodge to lunge low at the bear, closing the gap instantly. It looked like he was trying to strike before the third orb could hit him.
"GAA!"
The Water Bear roared in triumph as the final orb curved in mid-air, diving straight for Set’s back. But a split second before impact, the water shattered against an invisible wall.
"GAA!?"
The bear was stunned. It had no way of knowing that Set wore the Bracelet of Wind Manipulation, which could nullify a single projectile or spell every ten hours.
"Gurururururuuu!"
Set dove into the bear's guard and swept its front legs with a powerful blow of his own.
"GAAAA!?"
Boosted by the Bracelet of Herculean Strength, Set’s strike possessed enough force to knock the heavy beast off its feet. As the Water Bear crashed to the ground, Rei was already moving, chanting the words that would reshape reality.
"O Flame, thou art a serpent. Therefore, burn my enemies to ash as I desire."
Mana surged into the Death Scythe, the weapon acting as a massive conductor.
"Hah!"
"GAA!?"
Rei drove the handle of the scythe into the bear's back as it struggled to rise, completing the incantation.
"Dancing Flame Serpent!"
A snake of pure fire erupted from the tip of the handle, boring into the Water Bear’s body. It raced upward through the monster's insides, incinerating everything in its path until it reached the skull.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
With a final, agonizing scream as its brain was cooked from within, the Water Bear went limp and collapsed into the dirt.