"Woah! My [Blacksmith Mastery] is already at level 3!"
"Hahaha! To think I could reach level 3 this fast, I guess it is because of that skill [Super Growth]."
It's already been a month after Kiritsuka Rei wake up in this world.
"Though, I think you who just started doing smithing for the first time, and reached this level already impressive."
And the one who spoke with him right now was Ray Houston. They finally got reunited after his long sleep as they are now talking inside Rei's mind.
After Rei told him that he got up to level 3 on Blacksmith Mastery, Ray went suprised and laughed in happiness.
But then the laugh stop as his eyes looking at Rei while smiling.
"So, what do you want to ask? Kiritsuka-kun." Ray asked, knowing his intention to meet him.
"Please just call me, Kiritsuka, it felt weird when a guy call me with -kun." Rei looked at him with complex looks on his face towards him.
Ray laughed, "Hahaha, sure sure, then what is it that you want...Kiritsuka."
Rei sighed, "Well, since I already acquired the minimum strength needed for the disaster."
"You need to tell me...when will the attack happen." Rei spoke.
Ray stared at him and sighed, "Hmmm, I need to confirm if you had reached the minimum strength." Ray asked him, as he still need to check whether what he is saying is true.
Rei looked at him and nodded his head,
"[Status]."
=======================================
[STATUS]
NAME: Kiritsuka Rei
JOB : Blacksmith
TITLE : [The Reincarnator], [Time Traveler], [Quick Learner]
Level: 1
[HP: 200/200]
[MP: 90/90]
[FATIGUE: 0]
EXP: 0/1000
STATUS POINT : 0
__________________
STRENGTH : 9
AGILITY : 3
VITALITY : 4
INTELLIGENCE : 3(+5)
SENSE : 3(+5)
SKILL
Blacksmith Mastery Lv3
Sword Mastery Lv2
Battle Instinct Lv1
Super Growth LvMax
Fire Magic Lv1
Fire Lv2
Horizontal Slash Lv1
Vertical Slash Lv1
=======================================
Ray eyes widen seeing Rei's status so far.
"I am convinced and couldn't be impressed more than this."
"Even after looking at it again through your memories, it makes me think that the whole world sure is unfair."
"You are definitely genius at both smithing and swordmanship." Ray couldn't help to praised him due the status that Rei gained from his training.
"....." Rei stay quiet after hearing those words, and indeed it's seems very unfair for him to get those.
Ray looked at him, could tell the expression that Rei is making now.
"Don't worry, I'm not blaming you for that, it just that, I'm glad that you are the one who replace me." Ray spoke to assured him that he had no regret nor hatred towards him who took his place.
"Houston." Rei looked at him and still felt bad about it.
Ray smiled at him and clapped his both hands to stop thie heavy atmosphere.
"Now, enough about myself, let's get into this, about the information that you need." Ray immediately getting into the main reason.
"But before let me ask a question, what is the date for today ?" Ray asked
"Hmmm...I think it's day 23th on the 4th moon."
Ray widened his eyes after hearing the date numbers, "....?! I see 23rd, I guess I loss sense of time after sleeping that long."
"What do you mean?" Rei asked as he wanted to know why he said that.
"It means, the attack will start at in2 days from now." Ray answered him.
Then Rei was surprised by it, "What?! 2 days left?!"
"Yeah, I am certain...since in 2 days, is where the full moon start." Ray explained.
Rei looks troubled by the thought, "I didn't think to be this fast...then..."
"Does that mean, I need to attack them first before to prevent the disaster." Rei suggested the plan.
"Yes, tonight you need to set off early and prepared everything you need." Ray instructed.
"Because it is gonna be tough battle and your first one."
"So...I wish you luck and sorry that I couldn't be any help." Ray tapped Rei's shoulder and entrusting him with such a big mission.
Rei looked at him could feel his hand was trembling, holding his shoulder, "It will be fine." Then he spoke.
"Because I am here, your trustful knight!" Rei spoke proudly to lessen the heavy atmosphere around him.
Ray was surprised seeing him this calm, and couldn't help to admired by his bravery.
"I see." Then he smiled.
"That's why, I will do my best to protect our precious family." Rei smiled at him.
Ray chuckled seeing this young man had grown in just few days and adjusted well, "Heh, good..."
"Then...."
*THUD*
After that Ray pushed him.
"...?!"
"Off you go, partner...don't miss the morning."
After that...
Rei woke up from his bed, looking at the ceiling.
Then he lifted his right hand to reached his right eyes that have golden yellow color.
"Only 2 days left...to think time goes by this fast."
"I don't have much time left." Rei muttered while he opened his status to look up his skill list.
"I had acquired [Horizontal Slash] dan [Vertical Slash], but the only thing I need to do is level them up."
He shifted his eyes towards his status again.
"Despite being level 1, my status continue to go up on everytime I do training or doing something."
"For example, by swinging a sword and body training, my [Strength], [Vitality] and [Agility] went up."
"While my both [Intelligence] and [Sense] went up, just by reading some books and memorize some stuff."
"Added with my [Title], it increased a bit."
Then he looked at a certain skill that he had.
"[Super Growth], if not for this skill, I wouldn't be able to go this far, rather than cursing at it, I should be grateful."
Then he got up from his bed and went to the closet as he change his clothes.
Until his attention went towards a certain thing that he hid behind the closet.
"Because of that skill, I manage to created these."
He reached his hand towards the thing and pulled it out from behind the closet.
It was a robe and a glove.
=======================================
[Beginners Warm Cloak]
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Grade: Uncommon
Type: Cloak
Vitality: +5
A robe made for protecting, the robe itself have a durability to withstand attack and it have additional effect which is giving warmth towards who wears it and it's great to use it when it's cold night.
=======================================
=======================================
[Beginners Battle Glove]
Grade: Uncommon
Type: Glove
Agility: +3
A glove made for battling, it's also gives a comfortable feelings towards who wears it.
=======================================
"Although, I luckily getting [Uncommon] grade, it's still too bad that I couldn't get any skill from it."
"Or maybe it was beginner luck that time?"
After that, he put them back behind the closet and began to stretched his arms.
"Hmmm...what is the plan for today?" He muttered while looking at the village through the window.
"Oh right, Emily told me that today we're going to meet with the other kids...but somehow I never met them." Rei was reminded since this whole time from day one until current day. He was busy with preparing everything and taking care his little sister.
"Hmmm...they probably just some innocent kids like Emily, it's not gonna be a big deal, right?"
Rei muttered not knowing that his words, would strike back to his face.
******
"Hey hey hey! do you think you are confident that you are stronger than me!" a kid who have tall feature said.
"Yeah! just like the boss said!" a kid who wears a glasses said.
"Boss is the strongest!" and a kid who have fat body said.
Rei finally regretting and taken back his words, 'I take that back...they now start bullying me.'
Right now, Rei is surrounded by a group of kids who is now bullying him.
The glasses one is [Hans], the fat one is [Bob], and their leader which is the tall one is [James].
Rei who looked at them, soon recognized their faces, 'When I look at them closely, I remembered them in Houston's memories.'
'Since these three always together and constantly bullying without reason.'
At the same, when Rei was deep in his thoughts.
James became irritated since he didn't get any response from him.
Then he grabbed his collar, "Oi! don't ignored me!" Then shouted at him.
Rei snapped back and looked at him nonchalantly, "Hmm? ah, sorry about that, I was lost in my thoughts." and he replied with a smile as if he doesn't care about his rough action.
James gritted his teeth after seeing his calm behavior, "Grrrrr.....you dare to ignore me like that!? I challenge you to a fight!" James shouted.
Rei looked at him and became quiet. 'He suddenly surrounded me, and now he picked a fight with me for that reason?'
'What a kid...' Rei mocked him through his thought, 'Wait...I'm also a kid.'
Rei sighed, "But do we have to fight you, just for that reason?" Rei asked while raised one of his eyebrows.
"Yeah! I'm gonna defeat you and—huh?!" Before James finished his words, he stopped his sentence while his face turned pale.
"Huh? What did you said?" Rei couldn't catch what he said on the last part.
Until he his clothes being tugged by someone from behind. He turned around to check who it is.
Finally, he knows that it was Emily who is currently hiding behind him this whole time.
"Emily? what's wrong?" Rei asked but Emily continue to hide behind him.
After that, the situation turned into silent when Emily arrived.
Meanwhile, James expression turned more pale after when he noticed Emily was standing behind him.
Rei took a quick noticed by the change of his behavior, 'Hmmm? Why is he reacting like that?'
James immediately turned around, "I-i guess that's all! W-we're going fight on the n-next time we meet! So...see you later!!!" Then he run away as fast as he could, leaving his two lackeys behind.
"B-boss! W-wait for us!" Hans and Bob followed him and finally the whole group disappeared from his sight.
In that short moment before they left, Rei took a glimpse when James turned around.
'Hmmm? Did his cheeks....turned red?' As he saw it before he ran away.
Then he looked at Emily, soon he realized something.
'Ahhhh....I see, what's going on now.' Rei sighed and smiled, 'I guess that's youth.'
Then Emily began to tugged his shirt again.
"Onii-chan...are you okay?" She looked at him and being concerned by him.
"Did they bully you? Are you hurt?" As she continued to ask.
Rei couldn't help to smile seeing this little girl being concerned this much, so he gently stroke her head to calm her down.
"Onii-chan is okay! So don't worry! Because Onii-chan will protect Emily from anything!" And also trying to assured her by cheering her up with his big smile.
Emily looked at him, "Really?"
"Really!" Rei replied to her.
"Then! Emily will protect Onii-chan! I will help him and get strong!" Emily said with her determined cute looks.
'Ughhhh...' Rei felt his heart melting upon seeing this, "Then, it is a promise...that we going to protect each other!" After that, he gave her his pinky to her.
Emily looked at it and hold his pinky with hers, "Mhm! It's promise!" While smiling happily at him.
Rei smiled seeing her smile, then he held her hand, "Now, how about we go play before going home."
"Mhm!~" Emily nodded and walking together side by side wirh him.
Then the two played together after making that promise.
But Rei didn't know...
That he is going to broke two promises...
*******
Meanwhile, when Rei was playing with Emily. James and his gang having a group talk to one of each other behind a house where no one around.
"Tsk, when did Emily get there, I was about to challenge him into a fight between men!" James said in irritated tone while knocking a pebble away.
Bob who is currently eating, raised his hand, "Ummmm...how about we secretly take Ray away and have fight with him, before Emily around."
*BAM*
Bob suddenly gets hit by James on the head.
"Ouch!" Bob whined while still nomming his food.
James glared at him, "Bob! Are you that stupid! That's not manly at all!"
"R-right! S-sorry boss." Bob felt down after getting yelled like that.
Then Hans raised his hand this time, "Boss...I think the idea of challenging him into a fight, isn't that good idea."
"Why is that?" James asked.
"I heard, Ray recently got hit by a monster, so if you pick a fight with him...don't you think Emily would hate it?"
James was startled by the news, "U-uhhh...that's true."
Then he scratched his head, "Aghhh!! Then how am I supposed to do! To make Emily notice me!"
"Hmmmmm...." The groups start thinking and the one who raised his hand first, was Hans.
"Then, I have a suggestion." Hans had an idea.
"What is it?" James poured his attention towards Hans.
"So! Instead beating her older brother in a fight. How about we go to the forest and show her something amazing? Maybe a beautiful flower for him since she likes flower." After Hans suggested it, the two of them began to stared at him.
Hans was startled by the stare, "I-i mean it just a suggestion." And that made him feel nervous.
*TAP*
James tapped his shoulder, "Hans...that's a great idea!" Then he approved and praised his suggestion which made Hans happy.
"I wonder what kind of flower does she like?" James muttered while being in his happy thought about Emily.
But Hans become serious again, "But there is one problem."
Which snapped James back to reality, "Huh?? There is?"
"Yes, how can we go out without the adults noticed us? Since kids are prohibited to go out without them." Hans reminded them about the guards who guarding the gate at outside.
James looks troubled, "Yeah...that's true, they won't allow us to go to the forest without them."
In the midst of thinking, Bob suddenly raised his hand while his other hand used for him to eat his bread.
"Ummm, I think know how to get out without the adult noticed." Bob spoke which mads the two of them surprised.
"....?! Really Bob?!" James quickly asked him and even shook his body.
"Wait! Bob...how do you know that there is a way?" Hans asked.
Bob then stopped eating his food and made them gathered together, so his voice won't leak out.
"Actually....it was yesterday when I was walking home, I seen Ray was heading somewhere."
"So I got curious and followed him, after that I saw him crawled outside through a hole in the wall." Bob explained them.
After that, two became quiet and then James tapped Bob's back.
"Nice job! Bob! I know you had some potential in you!" James praised him.
"Since now know how to get out, we shall set off when time before dark!" James spoke his plan.
"But wait!" Hans interrupted them.
"What is it Hans? It is getting good!" James spoke.
"This is strange...don't you want to question why did Ray goes out without him telling his family and even Emily?" Hans spoke.
"What about it? We can know about it after we go out right?" James replied.
"Ummmm...that's true." Hans just accepted it.
James giving off a wicked smirk on his face, "When we know what behind that wall, we can expose it to Emily and made him look bad! Muhahahaha!" James laughed wickedly, not knowing his pride as a man had been thrown away by evil thoughts.
But Hans was the only one who is concerned by this.
'Why would Ray went out from there alone...I got bad feeling about this.' Hans then shook his head to brush off the thoughts, 'No... I shouldn't think too much, let's just follow them.'
Finally, they agreed and towards the place where Rei hid it.
******
As the sun start setting down.
Just like they planned, they went to the location.
Where they found few twigs covering underneath the wall.
"Is this where Ray hid it?" James muttered while he looked around that this location pretty much isolated.
"Boss! look!" Bob shouted when he pushed those twigs aside.
Finally, they found the hole that will lead them to the outside.
"It's really there." Hans said while fixing his glasses and gulped.
"Great job you guys! Now, what are we waiting for! Let's go in before it is too late!" James suggested.
.
.
.
.
.
.
After they crawled pass through the hole, they suddenly stopped.
"Woah." Because they were amazed after seeing the entrance of the forest for the first time in their life.
When they looked around, their attention suddenly stopped at something.
"What the..." James's mouth opened wide.
"This is..." Hans fixing his glasses.
"Hiiii..." Bob shivering.
James's face went pale as whole group is now in awe and scared...
After they saw....
Cut marks on almost on all the trees around them.
"What happen here..." James muttered, even he couldn't help to be curious of the state of the trees around them.
Hans slowly noticed something, "What is that?" He pointed on the thing that is currently being hanged on the trees.
"I will check it out!" James replied and went to climb the tree and taking one down before he get down.
The three began to stare at the thing that James currently holding.
"What is this?" Then when he leaned close to it, his nose picking up something, "Ugghh! What is this smell?"
The thing that on his hand, was a small pouch filled with something in it.
But when Hans take a closer looks, he immediately recognized it, "This is...a [Monster Repellent]!" He claimed it.
James look confused of what he just said, "Monster....what now?"
"[Monster Repellent]...just like its name .... it is an item that can repell monster away from by using herbs that had strong smell." Hans explained it.
"I read it on the book, but I never seen one before." Hans spoke while examining the pouch.
"I-I see..." James nodded his head as if he understood what he meant.
"But I wonder why does this thing is here? There's a lot of it around the trees." Hans questioned himself.
"Hmmm...maybe Ray use this to hide something even from the monster!"
"Hahaha! I knew it! He have something to hide" James spoke with proud as if he just solved a mystery.
"Now, since you said this thing is to do whatever it is to the monster, it keep us safe right?" James spoke.
"Y-yeah..." Hans somewhat hesitated to give him the answer.
"Then we should bring this with us! To keep us safe!"
"Now then, let's not wait far too long! Emily, here I come!" James start bravely walk forward
"W-wait for us, Boss!" Then Bob and Hans followed him.
Not knowing, when they walked inside the forest, as the road slowly turned dark inside...
They don't know...the danger they will have to face...
***********
The night had come, where Rei is currently at his room. He is now preparing his attires and everything to start his mission.
"I guess everything is ready, all I need is some [Monster Repellent] to change." He muttered while holding his sword and putting the [Monster Repellent] that he had into his pocket.
Then he wore his robe and put on the glove. "Now, I am ready."
After he walked out from his room quietly, checking his surrounding.
Then, when he went down the stairs he heard a voice.
"...?!" He hid in the shadow while peeking to check who is it, at night time like this.
And that when he saw his mother Sheila talking with some womens at the front door.
'Hmmm?' Rei who tried to eavesdrop them, found out that these womens at outside...sound distress.
"Do you know where James is?...I haven't seen him ever since morning..."
"Yeah ! Bob and Hans also haven't gone home yet!"
"....?!"
When Rei heard their name, he widened his eyes.
'They haven't gone home yet?'
'How could that I be? I saw them a while ago before I play with Emily.'
'But that's still strange....if they haven't gone home yet...their parents should be able to search them.'
'Unless...' That is when Rei realized it.
'Did they went out!? But how?! The adults should be watching over the gate if they tried to go out!'
Then finally...
"...?!" Rei realized something again.
'No way....' After that, he suddenly jumped straight down and went outside through them.
Sheila who saw him was surprised, "Huh?! R-ray?! where are you going!?"
"Sorry, Mom! I have something to do!" Rei replied while he ran in full speed.
******
Soon Rei stopped at the location where...
He hid the hole which is the passage that lead to the forest. Then he saw those twigs were pushed aside.
'This brats!' Rei felt irritated while clenching his hands as tight as possible, seeing his plan got ruined.
Then he took a deep breath, 'Calm down...it's my fault to begin with, I should have noticed their disappearances earlier.'
Rei shook his head and crawled through the hole, then he immediately looked his surroundings.
'I need to find them quickly as possible.' Then he looked at traces of footsteps leading the forest.
'They shouldn't be far from here...if they aren't that idiot.'
Then he noticed one of the pouch that hanging on the trees got taken down.
'It seems they brought one with them...I guess not one of them are stupid.'
'But...that thing they took, I don't know how long the effect will wear off.'
He clicked his tongue unsheated his sword that on his hand.
'Let's not waste my time! I have to get them before it's too late.'
'So you brats! Be safe!'
Rei quickly dashed through the dark forest and hoping for their safety.
******
On the same time James and his group was still walking together inside the forest.
"B-boss....it's already getting dark....I-i'm scared." Hans said while trembling and tugging James shirt from behind.
"Y-yeah, boss...we need to go back..." Bob added as his face already went pale.
James turn his head to his back and saw them getting scared make him worried.
Then he sighed, 'Dammit...to think it is already dark now.'
'We already gone so far and found nothing...but I guess we should go back and go search it again tomorrow.' James finally gave up.
"Yeah...we should go back ..." James gave up and accept their request to go back.
Then it made them smiled, "T-thank you boss!"
But sometimes, when everything goes well....
"Hmm?"
Something wrong happen.
James pulled the pouch near to his face and sniff on it. "Is it just me...or the smell is less than before?"
When he keep sniffing on it, Hans and Bob's faces went pale as if they saw something.
"B-boss..." Hans stuttered and point his finger on something behind James.
"Hmm? what's wrong you guys?" James looks clueless seeing his friends being scared like that.
*Grrrrrrr....*
"...?!"
James widened his eyes after hearing a sound came out from behind him.
"....."
His body start to tremble, then he when he slowly turned around he saw...
A pack of wolves with their red color eyes that shining bright in the shadows.
And now they start to crawled at them.
James couldn't stop trembling in fear, as they start to step back.
"B-boss...w-what should we do..." Hans asked while trembling as well.
"Y-you guys....should run straight to the village and tell them...what we saw..." James replied while also trembling.
"B-but...what about you boss...?" Bob asked him while his tears start falling out.
"I will distract them..." James answered him, even he was trembling, he was smiling as a brave leader for them.
"B-but...b-boss! We can't!" Bob said as he start crying.
"Just run! Now, you idiots!" James shouted and gave the pouch to Hans, before he starts running.
"B-boss!..." Hans cried.
As the pack start howling, start to follow where James ran.
As for Bob and Hans, they ran away with the feeling regret and guilt.
*******
When the two of them continue to run fast as they could through the forest.
There were two wolves that didn't follow James and start chasing for them.
"Run! Bob! you can do it...!"
Hans encourage Bob to keep running as they were run out of breath.
"J-just...l-leave me here....Hans!" But Bob slowly getting exhausted.
"No!...I can't leave you!!" Hans shouted at him, until he spotted the two wolves is now approaching Bob.
"No! Bob!! watch out!!" Hans keep shouting, but Bob's speed getting slower.
Until he stopped.
"Bob...?"
Bob then smiled at him and stood there, "Survive, Hans." He said while he act as the bait for him.
"No...!!" Hans stopped and ran towards at Bob.
But...
Their distances is far away and his hands couldn't reached him, 'It's my fault...'
'I should have told them to stop...no...I shouldn't have told them to go to the forest.'
As their fangs about to reach Bob's head suddenly...
'Anyone...please...'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
'Save my friend!!!'
.
.
.
.
.
.
*SWOOSH*
Then something approaching from above.
*SLASH*
.
.
.
.
.
.
After that...
One of the wolf's head was cutted off by something.
Hans who saw it, immediately recognized it, 'You...are...'
*******
Meanwhile James was standing behind a wall, as he was cornered by the wolfs.
He is now exhausted while covered in dirt and small scratches on all over his body, Dammit...I hope they got away..." he muttered while thinking about Bob and Hans.
James could see that those wolves are now salivating and showing how hungry they are and waiting to eat him.
He gulped and trembling, "I guess this is my end...I should have apologize to Ray and Emily before..."
James had given up seeing these wolves are slowly getting near him.
Soon the tears start falling after thinking something.
"Bob... Hans... Emily... Ray..."
"Mom..." as he start to cry.
The wolves began to jump towards him...
"I still want to see you..."
As he closed his eyes.
.
.
.
.
.
*SWOOSH*
Suddenly a voice reached out of him...
"Then say that after getting out of here..."
James quickly opened his eyes after hearing those words.
As the wolves steps back, a mysterious person with with robe and holding a sword is now standing right in front of him.
"Y-you are..."
James quickly recognized that voice, as he slowly begin to cry and lean his head down..
"I-i'm sorry..."
He pleaded for the first time in his life, "Please save me..."
As the wind slowly blowing to their side the robe that covering his head got blown off and revealed this mysterious person.
As the moon light above them start to show up and give the light to them, so they could see who he is.
"Don't worry."
"You won't die, because right now!"
Then he lift up the sword and went into his stance.
"I am here!"
Kiritsuka Rei joined the fight....
To be continued...