Isekai is a pretty popular genre where I’m from. It involves a protagonist, usually an introvert, getting sent to a different world. The way they’re sent is most often by death. And funny enough, that death is typically by truck. It was so common it became a meme. Fans would call getting transported into these worlds, “getting Isekai’d”. Sure, it's fiction. This happening to me in real life doesn't make any sense. But I don't know how else to explain all this. I literally followed the Isekai guide to an annoyingly accurate degree. Regardless, the realization gives me some solace. I have information now.
I look back at the quest window and notice two buttons under the message. One reads “Details”, and the other says “Accept”. Before I proceed, I turn to the slimes to make sure one doesn't try to sucker punch me again. It's a good thing I did.
Two of them come bouncing at me while the other two spread out. Looks like they're trying to surround me. One of the two slimes pressing forward charges at me after a few bounces.
“Not while I can see you, asshole!”
The first one whizzes past my face as I side-step to my right. My hands instinctually rise to my chin as I do it. Thank God I took up boxing as a hobby. Once I land, the other finds its chance to charge right into my forearms. Seriously! Thank God for boxing.
I'm able to mitigate most of the impact with my block. It slides me back a little, but I stay on my feet. It goes for another try the moment it lands. However, this time I’m able to grab it mid-charge.
“I'll deal with you later!”
With a large step, I fling the slime as far back as I can. Then from my peripherals, I notice the other two that separated earlier coming at me from both sides. I dash forward, barely dodging the pincer attack.
Screw an exercise! These guys are trying to kill me!
From afar, I can see the slime I threw bouncing toward me. With the other three behind me, this is my best chance to strike. Like a bull charging at a matador, I sprint toward the solitary green blob with everything I've got. It tries to go for another charge attack, but it's too late. I manage to reach it mid-bounce. With a firm stomp, I plant my left foot on the ground and bring my right fist down on the monster. The impact slams it on the floor, but just like a kickball, it squishes and then bounces away.
I use the small opening to try and tap the “Accept” button that was on the previous window. It disappeared after the hit but reappeared once I looked back at the watch. However, when I attempt to press the button, my hand goes right through the screen.
THE FUCK?!
Before I can make another move, I get hit again. But this time it's by something a lot bigger. It feels like a bodybuilder launched a weight-filled exercise ball at me. With an almost comedic boing, the impact tosses me like a ragdoll. My body reconvenes with the floor in a violent roll and I end up flat on my back clutching my side. This one really did a number on me. It takes a lot more effort to get back on my feet, but I manage. A good distance in front of me, I spot one of the slime monsters along with another twice its size.
“Where the hell did you come from?!”, I yell while pointing at it accusingly.
Thinking back to the guillotine attack, it's possible they combined on impact. These things do act like jello. Real tough jello.
My watch vibrates. Since the two are pretty far, I bring it up to my face. A blue screen pops up this time along with some text.
TIP-000
YOU CAN USE YOUR VOICE TO INTERACT WITH THE PLAYER WATCH.
“Oh, now you tell me.”
After a couple of seconds, the green quest screen returns. “I accept,” I say aloud. Don't know if the watch understands tone, but I want it to know I'm annoyed.
The “Accept” button glistens, then the screen changes.
QUEST-000 - A Simple Exercise
Objective: 4 monsters have been sent to prepare and test you. To escape the Void, they must be defeated.
- Slime Defeated [0/4]
I exhale in relief. At least I can use the watch now. But I wish it'd show these slimes’ HP (health points) or something. I don't even know if I'm doing damage. Instead of pondering on it more though, I look away from the watch and dash to my right. Gotta keep moving.
The big and small slimes continue following me as I sprint away. I get to a spot where I can see the slime I knocked far back a little while ago. It's on my left and closer to me than the two others. And it looks like the blow I dealt still has it shook. It's slowly rolling my way instead of bouncing.
Sorry little guy. Guess you’re first.
The memory of it charging into my arms flashes through my mind.
Actually, I'm not sorry.
Like a sniper rifle, I lock onto the slime and charge forward. Once I get close enough, I put all my weight on my left foot, prepping to kick it like a soccer ball.
WHAM!
My head snaps back. The slime is in the air above me. Right before I could nail it, it launched itself at my head. But luckily for me, it missed my chin and went directly for my forehead.
That won’t stop me!
With my teeth clenched, I power through. I stomp my kicking leg down behind me to regain my balance, then pivot to face the slime. It's at eye level now and its back is facing me. Couldn't ask for a better setup.
“Die, bitch!!” I yell as my left fist crashes down on my enemy. The impact causes it to burst into little green particles that eventually disappear. Yet another detail that reminds me of video games.
Then with a ding, my quest window pops up and the amount of slimes defeated goes from 0 to 1. It's small, but I can't help but smirk at the sound. I'm doing it. I'm fucking doing it. With a burst of confidence, I turn to the other slimes.
“You two are next.”
I point in their direction and stare them down. It makes me feel pretty cool. Like an Anime hero or something. I almost tilt my head up to give a smug “hmph”. But as if it heard me, the small slime rolls into the bigger one next to it. They fuse and the product is a bigger orange slime. From my years of experience playing MMOs, I know a color change is not a good sign. Its expression also goes from cute and innocent to slightly more menacing. It feels like I'm staring down a big tiger cub preparing to strike. Then it begins rolling forward at a much quicker speed than it was before.
“Wait! You got bigger and now you're faster?! That's cheating!”
There’s no use running now. I bring my fists to my chin and take on an orthodox boxing stance. The only attack I've seen it do was a simple charge. I'll sidestep the attack and punish.
As I begin hopping to get in my rhythm, the slime launches itself into the air. It's something new, but my plan can still work. I’m guessing it’s trying to bounce on me. Use gravity to its advantage to deal more damage. I just need to dodge but stay close.
Once it gets near my range, I squat and jump backward. I try to account for its size, but it's not enough. The shockwave from its landing knocks me back further than I expected. I land awkwardly and fall on my back, but I use the force to roll on my feet. The moment I look up, all I see is orange. My arms fly up in front of my face, but even with the protection, the impact is strong enough to push me back again.
With a stroke of luck, I manage to land in a squat with one hand on the ground. A sharp pain hits my ribs. The effects of the last big blow are still apparent. But I don't have time to let that slow me down. The orange menace is already rolling this way.
It barrels forward again, but this time I read it. Using my hand for the extra push, I use all three limbs to hop to the right and circle around its charge. I land in a roll and quickly get back to my feet. With its back facing me, I waste no time rushing in for my attack.
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My turn!
I bring my right knee close to my chest and ram my foot into the monster before it can turn. The blow is enough to push it back, but only by a few feet. So I use the momentum from the kick to keep pressing forward. I throw a left hook followed by another overhand right. This gets it to turn to me quickly and I get a good look at just how big this thing is. It looks about 7 feet tall. A foot taller than me. And it's just about the same size in width.
Expecting another attack, I sidestep around it again. But to my surprise, it turns with me.
SHIT!
I bring my arms back up and feel another impact knock me back. This one isn't as bad as the last though. It pushes me back a little, but I know I can close the distance quickly. I dash forward ready to throw another right, but it reads me like a book. It jumps right over me. My heart drops as my fist hits nothing but air. Then I feel a heavy weight slam down on my head. My legs aren't strong enough to withstand the pressure, so my whole body crashes into the floor as this thing flattens me like a pancake. I feel something give near my chest and unbearable agony follows. My watch vibrates, and a red notification window pops up.
ALERT
-YOU HAVE BROKEN RIBS-
Well, that’s not good!
The weight lifts. I try to scramble to my feet, but movement only makes the pain worse. My hand instinctively grabs my side as I bite my lower lip. I can feel tears forming in my eyes.
Move, Donte! Move!
But the slime isn’t having that. I feel its weight crush me again. It feels like someone is slamming a 300lbs sack on my body. A painful yelp escapes my mouth. I've never broken a bone before and I never thought I would. I wouldn’t wish this kind of pain on my worst enemy.
The weight lifts again. It's going for the final blow. I can't afford to stay here. But it hurts. It hurts so much. The thought of lying there and accepting whatever comes next crosses my mind. But another, more angry thought, slaps that idea out of my head.
Donte! Are you REALLY about to lose to a slime? A SLIME?!
“NNNGH!!”
With my teeth clenched, I'm able to launch myself forward right before the giant slime lands the killing blow. But I know dodging isn't enough. I quickly spin to face it. The stabbing pain makes me stumble, but I bear it. Something tells me that it's going to go for another charge now that it’s in front of me again. I listen to my gut and jump to my left. Thank god I did. My maneuver gets me to the slime's side after its missed attack.
“RAAAAAAA!!”
With a roar, I come at it with a series of straight punches. I’m reminded of my shattered ribs with each twist, but somehow the yelling makes it a little more manageable. Maybe this is why anime heroes always deliver war screams in dire moments.
After a couple of hits, I notice it about to turn and face me. It’s not going to let me skirt around it again. It's too smart for that. I need to mix it up! Then a spark of inspiration hits. I jump backward and take off my jacket. The pain tries to slow me down, but I’m still able to ball it up in both hands. Once the slime turns to me, it goes for another charge. But instead of simply dodging I throw my jacket directly at its face. It rushes right into it as it opens up and I use the chance to circle around it while it misses a second time.
Now for part 2!
Once I get to its back, I squat and use all the energy I have left to jump on top of it. I use my left hand and knees to get a good hold on the beast. Then with my right, I lay into the thing. Right punch after right punch.
Before long it starts trying to shake me off, but as if my life depends on it, cause it kinda does, I hold on.
“That weak shit won't save you now!” I announce as the punishment continues.
Suddenly, the shaking stops, but my punches don't. Each one takes more out of me than the last, but my body refuses to stop. Then the next thing I know, we’re both in the air…and climbing HIGHER!
“WAIT! WAIT! I WAS KIDDING!”
But my yells mean nothing now. We reach the peak of the jump and then plummet like an anvil in a cartoon. I feel my stomach drop. To say heights aren't my thing would be an understatement. My grip intensifies as we fall and the panic begins to set in again.
Fuck! Fuck! FUCK! I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die!
The tears are coming back. I’m scared. I’m so fucking scared. It feels like everything is moving in slow motion. A part of me just wants the final hit to happen already. I can die or whatever and the pain can go away.
But believe it or not, the embarrassment I felt before kicks in. I feel my rage building up and slowly matching my fear.
“You know what…screw it. If I’m going down, I’m taking YOU with me!”
I accept whatever may happen to me and let go of the slime to gain some distance. It lands before me, but it has no time to dodge now. I extend my legs and with gravity giving me the push I need, I stomp on the slime.
“COME WITH ME TO HELL!”
I stole the line from one of my favorite fighting games, but it felt fitting. I feel the thing squish below my sneakers. Then before long, it bursts just like the other. Orange particles disperse as I land safely on my feet. No broken legs. No destroyed body. Nothing. The slime managed to cushion my fall.
Dumbfounded, I pat myself down making sure everything is okay.
“I’m fine. I…I did it.”
I feel the excitement bubbling up in my stomach, then with an ecstatic jump, I let it all go.
“YES! I WON! I’M ALIVE!”
With all the jumping, you’d think my ribs were fine. Regardless, I continue my mini-victory party and point down at the floor where my adversary was.
“You thought you could mess with ME?! The Black Mastadonte?! HA!!”
I raise my open palms to my face with a maniacal grin.
“These hands…are lethal weapons!”
After a deep exhale, I raise my head and puff out my chest for one last victory cry.
“I AM THE SLIME SLAYEEEEERRRR!”
Then my moment is ruined by my battered rib cage. I wince and try to comfort my side, but my watch vibrates. Another green screen appears with text.
QUEST-000 COMPLETED
Rewards:
- 100 experience points -
- Access to Character Menu -
- Beginner Item Set -
- The next level of The Final Sector -
“Well, would ya look at that?” I say while going over my rewards. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect from this. Though this feels like a game, I completely forgot about the possibility of getting rewards for completing tasks. But the last reward is odd. What does “the next level of the Final Sector” mean?
Another series of vibrations interrupts my thoughts. The quest screen disappears. Then a blue window with text listed on it replaces it.
ALERT
- YOU LEVELED UP 5 TIMES! -
“NICE!”
I had a feeling, but actually seeing that I can level up in this world gives me immense hope. I can get stronger! And if that’s possible then I can fight my way back home if I have to. Well...if I'm still alive. The jury's still out on that one.
My watch vibrates again as another window replaces the last.
ALERT
- HEALTH HAS RECOVERED -
- BROKEN RIBS HAVE RECOVERED -
- ACQUIRED 25 STAT POINTS (SP) -
Like magic, I notice my side feels completely fine. In fact, my whole body feels amazing. It's like I just finished taking the nap of a lifetime. Looks like leveling up recovers everything. My eyes then navigate to the stat points alert.
25 stat points huh?
That means I get 5 SP per level up. With curiosity killing me, I prepare to call for the Character Menu, but my watch vibrates yet again. This is the most active I’ve seen it since I got here.
Yet another blue window appears to replace the last. This time with a blinking text cursor. Soon after, a new message is typed out.
“CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING IT THIS FAR. NOW THAT THE SYSTEM IS PREPARED, YOU MAY ENJOY THE SECOND STAGE OF THE FINAL SECTOR”
Second stage? What are you-
But before I can finish my thought, I hear the sound of something cracking. I turn to find a tear in the space to my left. As if an invisible force is ripping it apart, the rift begins to open. Inside is an almost blinding purple light. It looks like a portal.
I step back in apprehension, but I look around the empty area around me. There isn’t much else for me to do here. And following what this thing says has been doing better for me than doing nothing. But I still have no idea what awaits me on the other side.
“Character Menu.”
I try calling for my menu again to see if I can at least increase my stats to prepare. But yet again, nothing happens. Either I’m calling for it wrong, or this system is locking it off until I go to the “second stage”.
“I guess I have no choice.”
I take a deep breath and exhale, mentally counting backward from 5. Then, with both eyes open this time, I step into the unknown.