--Cale’s perspective—

Right now I’m crouching behind some bushes, using [Vision] to monitor what’s on the other side. That’s right, I’ve finally come up with a name for my ability to “feel” my surroundings. Ah, I’ve also decided to name the pentagram ability [Turn].

I’ve been in this forest for two days now. Falling out of the sky, the branches of the trees did little to break my fall. I hit the ground hard, sinking up to my waist in the bed of the forest. After pulling myself from the ground, I stood and looked around.

A lush, green forest. It’s a little dark due to the large amount of trees blocking the sunlight, but it’s definitely a better setting than the foggy forest and swamp.

Without a particular aim or destination, I began walking through the forest.

During my journey, I noticed my magic power regenerating. It seems there is a lag time between using it and when it starts to replenish itself. Does it have something to do with my state of mind? Perhaps I have to calm myself for it to begin regenerating… though my undead body pretty much keeps me in a constant state of tranquility. I wonder if meditating would speed it up?

Anyway, while wandering through the forest, I began exploring one of the two abilities I’ve developed in this world. That is the ability to extend my sense of touch to everything in my surroundings. Initially the radius of this is roughly 40 meters, with me at the center. However, I found that if I focus on the area just outside the perimeter of my [Vision], I’m able to extend it up to 60 meters. The only draw back is that, though only a small amount, it costs magic power to maintain the extended [Vision]; so I decided to only use it when the situation requires it. After all, my magic power doesn’t regenerate while I’m using it, so it’s not like I can just keep the extended [Vision] up forever.

Other than my discoveries on this skill, the time since I arrived in this forest have been pretty un-eventful. I tried placing my hand on a tree to make a Trent, but like the time with the beetle, the pentagram disappeared before the ooze had a chance to come out. I guess it really needs to be something dead huh… I also heard that broken voice again. Trying to understand what it was saying, I repeatedly used [Turn] on the tree while focusing on the voice. Though I felt like it got somewhat clearer, in the end, I wasn’t able to make out what it was saying.

A few hours ago, I was walking through the forest while using the passive version of [Vision] when I noticed a strange animal ahead of me. It was quite large, not as big as a Trent, but still much larger than me. While concealing myself, I closed the distance between us until I was able to see it clearly.

It looked… sort of like an ape? It definitely had the upper body and arms of a gorilla, but its legs were bent at an angle and it stood on hooves. It had a long tail which seemed to originate from the middle of its back. Though most of its body was covered in grey and brown fur, the tail wasn’t furry, it looked hard, almost like metal; and was pointed at the end. Its face resembled a panther, or lion. It had whiskers and cat-like ears.

Interested in the new creature I found, I decided to follow it around a bit. And that brings me to where I am now.

Crouched behind the bush, I watch the creature stalk the prey it’s been following for a while now. The animal it’s been stalking almost completely resembles a wolf from my world, there are only a couple of differences. The first difference is its size. It’s almost as big as the cat-ape chasing it. Even for dire wolves, it’s oversized. The other difference lies in the color of its fur. It’s a dark green, with black dots scattered across its entire body. Without [Vision], I’m not sure if I would be able to see it from a distance in this forest.

With the cat-ape finally cornering it, the wolf faces the cat-ape and bares its fangs. The cat-ape lets out a ferocious roar and runs towards the wolf. As it draws near, I feel it activate something. A dark mist begins to form around the hands of the cat-ape, quickly shaping itself into a blades. I’m reminded of a certain energy sword an alien had wielded in a video game I used to play. With long dark blades covering each of its hands and extending its reach, the cat-ape nears the wolf.

Out of options, the wolf desperately lunges at the cat-ape, attempting to sink its teeth into its neck. However, in an instant the cat-ape swings its bladed arms in two short strokes, drawing an ‘X’ through the wolf in the air. The wolf falls at the feet of the cat-ape and bleeds out within seconds from the two large gashes spanning the length of its body.

So even the animals are able to perform certain spells. Though it’s just enhancing the body to create a weapon, it seems useful. I wonder if I can learn it…

As I’m thinking about the dark blade ability, the cat-ape disperses them and bends down to start its meal. Well, based on my experience with the bugs; if the corpse is too mutilated, I won’t be able to use [Turn] on it. I guess now is my queue.

Though the cat-ape is bigger than I am, and certainly looks intimidating; when compared to the boss beetle, or even my Trents, it comes up short. I don’t want to rely too much on my body’s durability, but I can’t imagine this guy having an attack stronger than that giant beetle’s stomp. With resolve, I emerge from behind the bushes, and approach the cat-ape while on guard.

It doesn’t take long at all for it to notice me. Turning towards me and letting out a low growl, it re-materializes its blades.

I cautiously approach.

When I come within a certain range, it suddenly sprints towards me. Closing the distance faster than I can react, it immediately swings its arms, attempting to cut me in half.

I brace myself for an impact, but when the blade makes contact with my skeleton; as if it were an illusion, it phases right through me without a hint of resistance.

…? There’s no damage?

The wolf was definitely just killed with the same attack. That was no illusion. So why is it not having an effect on me?

….Dark Blade… If the magic in this world is attribute specific, then that blade would definitely be a dark attribute magic. Being an undead, it would make sense if I was immune to dark magic….

As I’m lost in thought, the cat-ape once again swings its dark blades at me, and they pass right through without a trace. Looking at the cat-ape, I see shock in its eyes.

Well, that’s how it is.

I step forward and grab the arm of the cat-ape. The shock on its face changes to fear and it struggles to break free of my grasp. Another thing I’ve come to realize since coming to this world, is that my physical strength is abnormal. After all, when I first came to this world I dug my way out of an arms-length deep grave of petrified dirt. And with minimal effort I might add. Like such, something like the cat-ape won’t be able to break free from my grasp.

It jerks its hand back, and as it does so, lifts me off the ground. With me still latched onto its arm, it swings me around, trying to shake me off.

…………….I guess even if I’m strong, there’s still a size difference……

As I’m stupidly swung left and right at ridiculous speeds, I reach further up the cat-ape’s arm with my free hand, pulling myself closer to the main body. When I successfully climb up the arm, I move to the beast’s back and wrap my arm around its neck, choking it. It gasps for air and as I tighten my choke hold, it begins to lose strength and collapses to its knees. From there I break its neck, and upon releasing it, it falls to the ground.

That could have gone smoother… in the future, I should take time to plan ahead…

Without reflecting, I get to work using [Turn] on the two corpses. The process is just like it always is. The red pentagram, followed by the black ooze which seeps into the body, then returns to coat them in black. When the process is complete, they both stand before me, waiting for orders.

I wonder if I can get a better understanding of how to use the dark blades if I control the cat-ape and use them…

Thinking this, I focus my conscience on the cat-ape and command it to summon its dark blades. Like that, I can feel the magic power inside of it release from its hands and take the shape of a long blade.

When it releases the magic power, the feeling is similar to when I use [Turn], but as far as shaping it goes, I’m at a loss. I try copying the feeling of the cat-ape forming the dark blades, but I’m unable to even produce the black mist. After several attempts, I give up.

Well, I can revisit it later. For now, let’s try that.

With that thought, I turn my gaze to new wolf minion.

Hahahaha! This is the image I’ve been waiting for!

Currently, I am a badass skeleton riding atop a giant black dire wolf. I grip the rough black fur as I straddle it bear back while it runs at high speeds. The wolf jumps over roots and dodges trees, nimbly weaving through the forest, and a ferocious dark beast with giant blades on its arms follows close behind us.

We are moving so fast that it becomes difficult to process all the information that hits me through my passive [Vision], and my surroundings blur together. It’s exhilarating. Even with my undead body, I still feel some excitement. Without a set destination, I continue riding the wolf through the forest until nightfall.

We encountered several other beasts and monsters as we moved through the forest, but with speed enhanced from [Turn] and endless stamina characteristic of the undead, we easily outran them all.

The surrounding forest becomes dark, I have the wolf come to a stop and dismount it. I have it lie down, and I sit down next to it, leaning my back against it. Like that, I look up at the stars through the gaps in the tree tops, and for the first time, it really hits me that I’ve come to another world.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

I don’t dislike it. Though I felt uneasy in the beginning about being undead, this body is strangely convenient in many ways. Back in my old world, I only dreamed of places like this. Awesome adventures with magic and exotic creatures. It’s something only found in novels.

…..That reminds me…..

In the end, I was never able to read the final chapter of that web novel!!!

With that I cursed the heavens and complained about various things until dawn.

As the sun rises into the sky, the forest begins to light up, though not by very much. I don’t need to -and can’t- sleep as an undead. Though I don’t feel any fatigue, sometimes I like to sit down and relax while I think about things. Plus, having an early sleeping schedule for years left me with the habit of stopping whatever I’m doing when it gets dark and settle down for the night. I guess it’ll take a bit to get used to all this extra time.

I stand up and stretch out of habit. My bones crack and pop as I roll my shoulders. Looking around, I breathe in a deep breath. (Figuratively)

Alright, let’s try to find something interesting today. I have my wolf stand up, and hop on its back. Like that, we set off into the forest, the cat-ape following behind us.

In order to thoroughly inspect my surroundings with [Vision], we don’t move nearly as fast as we did yesterday.

While trotting through the forest, all most immediately I notice something with [Vision].

A corpse. Its structure closely resembles a human. Without delay, we head over to it.

Climbing down from the wolf, I approach the corpse.

It’s repulsive. Even after remaining almost completely unfazed by hundreds of thousands of centipedes and other bugs crawling all over each other and out of a swamp, I find myself disgusted with this sight.

The body has been thrown here haphazardly, as if it fell off of something and was left to rot. Its limbs were mostly broken, bending at several crooked angles. In a few places, you could see the bone protruding from the skin. One of the corpse’s eyes had been gouged out, and its face had several cuts scattered across it. Large patches of its hair had been torn out and some of it was still clinging to the body. The corpse had a horrid expression on its face, and I can only imagine what had happened to put it there. This was clearly not done by a wild animal.

It was the corpse of a grown female. It looked as if she were in her 20’s or 30’s. Though you could tell from the long hair and breasts that it was a female, she was a race I had never seen before, but always wanted to meet. A catgirl.

Meeting one like this brings me no happiness.

Her tail bent at several unnatural angles, and from her wide open mouth, you could tell at a glance that several teeth had been pulled out. Cuts and bruises littered her entire body, some were even scarred over, showing that this happened to her over a long period of time. She was completely covered in blood, and some of it was still wet.

She had been left here recently. Thinking this, I look around.

Up a small hill, right above the body, were several long lines stretching into the distance. Intermixed in the lines, where hoof prints, I assume from horses. They are on several horse and carriages, and from the direction of the hoof prints, I can tell which way they are heading.

Seems like the first people I meet will be criminals.

Strangely, what I feel isn't rage, or a strong sense that I need to enact justice. Just.... it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. To go this far to the point of it being obsessive...

Maybe the first people I meet aren't criminals, but demons.

I call cat-ape and with his help, we dig a small grave for the girl. After burying her, I mount up and with determination, follow the tracks.

Following the tracks, I am riding the wolf at a rather high speed. I have extended my [Vision] to its maximum range, and it only takes a few minutes for the caravan to be detected.

With [Vision], I sense several people up ahead. There are 5 carriages lined up, each with 3-4 people in them. One of them has a smaller connected carriage which only has a single rider laying down; perhaps that person is sick? I order cat-ape to take a position in the trees off to the side of them in order to ambush and distract them if things go south.

When I get just out of sight of the carriage at the back of the caravan, I dismount the wolf and order it to remain on standby just off the path.

Like that, I move into view of the carriage.

This is...

Three men are standing in front of an iron cage, one of them is brandishing a sword. Inside the opened cage is a catgirl that looks young enough to be a child.

What's going on? Is that something three grown men are needed in order to fight against? I can't understand.

Anyway, there's no way I'm gonna miss my chance to get to know someone from the legendary catgirl race. And no mater how I look at it, this situation is undoubtedly one where a heinous crime is about to take place, so there's no reason for me not to interfere, or rather, the first humans I meet are 3 grown men surrounding and attempting to kill a child. I am ashamed.

The catgirl looks at me with a blank expression but I can definitely see relief in her eyes and then she shuts them. Relief? Yeah, relax, I'll promptly save you.

I quickly approach the wagon. As I do, the man notices me.

“What in the hell?!”

The other two men unsheathe their swords as they turn around. I have almost completely closed the distance between me and the wagon, and I can now clearly see the girl.

Broken. Fresh cuts and scars marring her greasy and filthy grey and black fur, her body so bruised, you could see the discolored lumps through her thin fur coat. Extremely malnourished. Her arms and legs were thinner than mine. If I couldn’t feel her chest moving with [Vision], I wouldn’t be able to tell if she was breathing.

....

It leaves a bad feeling.

“Edward, it’s just a single skeleton. I’ll take care of it!”

One man steps forward with a comment to the one next to him, while the 3rd one runs toward the other end of the caravan, most likely to warn the others.

“What the fuck is a single skeleton doing by itself. They normally roam in groups, and always at night… Keep your eyes peeled.”

“Yeah yeah, I’m still pissed about that last fight we had, that shitty beast made a fool out of me.”

The man in front of me readies his sword. He is tall. Slightly taller than me, he has broad shoulders and thick arms. Not an ounce of fat can be seen on his body. He looked to be in his 40’s, his face was hard. He had the look of someone who has walked several battlefields.

Kicking off with his back foot, he closes the distance between us, swinging his sword at me. It’s lightning fast, it’s the swing of an expert swordsman. He aims for my neck, intending to decapitate me. In an instant the sharp blade of his sword makes contact with my bones. It makes a sound similar to swinging a sword at a rock.

…huh?

Weak. So weak. I didn’t even feel an impact. No I'm not trying to boast or anything, it was the same as when the darkness blades went through me, but the sound that rang out was definitely that of an impact.

No but with the beetle I definitely felt the impact when it stomped on me, though it didn't do any damage... it didn't seem like there was any kind of darkness attribute to the sword, could it be because it isn't a blunt weapon?

Are humans just really weak? …no, maybe this is a low level one, but the swing just now seemed like something you would see the experts do in movies... Well, they had to gang up on a single little girl, maybe it was necessary for them to after all? But she looks just like a corpse...

hmmm....

Well he's a bad guy anyway so... let’s play with you a bit, shall we?

I grab the wrist of the hand holding the sword against my neck. Gripping it in my hand I give a gentle squeeze.

There’s an audible crunch, and the bones in his wrist shatter in my grasp.

“AAAGGHHH!!!”

He screams and loosens his grip on the sword, dropping it on the ground.

Uwaa..

I swear I could feel a chill run up my spine just now. The bones broke just like that, are you made of glass?

Could it be? Are humans no different from how they are on Earth here in this world too? Can they not even use magic? Maybe they are actually a pitiful existence?

No, in the memories from when I touched the stone, I definitely saw humans using magic. And my body should be a human skeleton as well...

With his free hand, he desperately tries to free himself from my grasp.

...He totally can't budge it at all

"You monster! Let go!"

Well, I'll think about it later, not like I can communicate with them anyway.

Just like that I lift the man by his arm and toss him into the air.

"!!!!"

As if shot out of a cannon, he flies up above the tops of the trees and disappears from sight.

....Is that where he turns into a star... to think I'd see such a thing, should I say 'as expected of a fantasy world'?

I look at the remaining man. He is standing at a distance, sword in hand and on guard. His eyes are darting around restlessly, looking towards the caravan.

Waiting for reinforcements? I should probably grab the girl and get out of here before they show up...

Thinking that, I step forward.