That second mission Elara wants to do has still not been picked up officially by the time we leave town.

I'm not that bothered - two missions sounds like better experience and loot to me, but at the same time, I don't know how tired I'll be after this first one.

Elara rents all of us horses to ride.

I've never ridden a horse before.

I squint at the chestnut beast before me.

I know it's a mount but I have no clue how to even get on it.

Kael stares at me out of the corner of his eye.

Is it somehow unusual to meet someone who doesn't know how to ride a horse here?

Well, I won't be deterred by this. It's not the kind of difficulty I usually like to zero in on, but I'm not about to complain about a hard challenge.

Even if the challenge is just to ride a horse without falling off when I've got no experience with any kind of mount that's not automatic.

It occurs to me now that it's actually surprising none of the hardcore games I've played had complicated mechanics involving riding horses.

Maybe that just means it's really easy.

Rather than make a fool of myself trying and failing, I hang back. If I just watch how they do it close up, it'll give me a guide, at least, over how to approach it.

I glance over at Elara.

She's swung a leg over the beast, a perfect, graceful arc, and settles on top of it.

Seems straightforward enough.

Just in case, though, I glance toward Arin. Not Kael. I don't need to give him more reason to stare at me.

Arin, seeing me, just lifts his leg and throws it over, resting on the saddle.

Again, not that hard.

I turn my gaze to Kael last, since he's already climbing atop the most impatient steed of the bunch, the one trying to whinny and pull at the reins in anticipation.

His grip is steady and movements smooth and agile. Despite having an impatient horse, he seems the most smooth and comfortable.

Kael arches an eyebrow. "Well? You gonna just walk there?"

"No." I inhale and shake my head.

Seems easy enough.

I reach up, grab the saddle, brace myself, and...

Actually, I do it flawlessly.

Smooth. Quick. Easy.

It really is just as easy as doing it the way I watched them do it, apparently.

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The only reason I pause after getting on the horse is to pat it on the flank and congratulate it on behaving perfectly well.

The horse snorts in disdain.

Rude.

I just learned how to ride a horse for the first time, so I'm being considerate and making sure I treat it well.

As I look around, I notice everyone has their eyes fixed on me.

Odd.

"Y...you!" Elara points emphatically, eyes wide. "You...moved so effortlessly!"

Didn't she?

It's not like it's hard.

"He did." Kael squints, disbelieving. "Where did you get your riding experience?"

"...I don't have any." I tilt my head to one side, a little confused. "I just watched you all do it and copied that."

The three of them exchange glances.

That seems...significant, but I don't know what they're trying to communicate to one another with it.

I ignore it, and tap my horse lightly on the flank with my heel.

"Let's go, then."

Elara shakes herself and nods, looking on ahead. "Right. To....treasure!"

Treasure isn't what I'm here for.

I'm just here to see what this place is like so I know what kind of mechanics this world uses.

I'll fight whatever.

Treasure is probably involved anyway.

She clucks her tongue and urges the horse to move forward.

The rest of us follow after her, and I idly study the environment as I do. The rolling green hills of the landscape give way to denser forests, and soon we are surrounded by trees, following a road that's barely more than an overgrown animal trail.

There's a slight breeze that rustles through the leaves, and a gentle hum of insects droning in the background. Occasionally I spot movement, either animals darting through the bushes or birds flying overhead.

My ears prick at the distant sound of rushing water.

The sun hangs low in the sky as it starts to set, bathing everything in a soft golden light.

It really is a beautiful sight.

It's no wonder Elara seems so cheerful.

It's been a while since I've seen such a pleasant outdoor scene like this in real life. Or in video games. I haven't really had much of a desire to go outdoors lately, since most of my time was spent streaming or sleeping, and I tend to have enough problems just leaving my house when I do want to go shopping.

Given the choice I'd still be in my cozy bedroom.

But it seems touching grass is just inevitable for now.

After a few more hours of riding, the woods become increasingly dense. Vines crawl along the ground, and the trees tower high overhead, blocking out most of the light.

The air grows colder and thicker. It feels like we're stepping into the entrance to a cave, except this is an enormous area covered in greenery.

I blink. "The dungeon is near here?"

Elara nods, glancing briefly over at me. "There's a cave nearby, don't let your guard down. Once we're inside, even an instant can cost you."

Alright.

I don't even have a weapon yet, but I can handle an unforgiving system.

She slides off her horse, tying it to a tree, and I follow suit, gently tugging the horse over to a convenient branch to tie it up.

For a moment I'm not sure if it'll stay put, but when I walk away it doesn't immediately bolt, so I'm going to take that as good enough.

"Ready?" She looks around at us, eyes glittering. "Kael, take the back, and...Ryo, you're with me."

I'll take that.

Kael just nods. "Alright. Stay focused."

Elara and I take the lead.

I focus on watching for any movement and listening carefully. There's an unnatural silence in the air, the only sounds being the crunching of our boots on fallen twigs and leaves, and the occasional whisper of wind through the treetops.

This is starting to feel a bit eerie.

It's like the entire forest is empty, devoid of all signs of life. The sounds of animals were here just a few moments ago, but no longer.

I glance behind us, looking at the others. They seem fine, but they also don't seem too worried about it.

So maybe I shouldn't be, either.

But as the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, I can't help but wonder if perhaps this is really the worst decision they could have made.

Something is very wrong.

Then a hand touches my shoulder and I turn fast enough to make me dizzy.

Elara has drawn her sword and is gesturing silently, pointing towards a hole in the base of a large rock.

Oh.

It's the entrance to the cave.

I can feel it, my pulse racing.

This is my first time in a video game.

I have to fight, and it's a first taste of this world's challenges.

I won't lose in the tutorial mission.

I have no equipment, no skills, no experience with fighting at all.

I can do it.

I draw in a breath and nod, steeling myself for whatever it is that's in there.

Now isn't the time to be afraid. Now is the time to be excited.

I'll show the world that I am Ryo Takahashi, the only pro that plays exclusively to defeat the game in the hardest possible way!