Chapter 13: Run.

----------------------------------------

— It is advisable to check everything meticulously.

----------------------------------------

Riley Yuki

I ran with all my might, looking back a few times to see if the monsters would attack or not.

This attitude would increase my chances of survival.

*Noise

A shot of nectar mixed with mana exploded the place where I had once been, causing tremors throughout the forest. The tremor was so strong that it ended up knocking me to the ground of dirt and bushes.

Even though I was injured, I got up and ran, and kept running until I had to stop abruptly when the unicorn dragon fell in front of me, and an unknown monster, all gray, attacked it.

In a single attack, that monster killed the unicorn by ripping out its heart. After that, it took a few bites out of it and… looked at us.

“It seems I have no choice but to fight.”

I entered a defensive stance and activated my nectar, while controlling my mana to strengthen it. The tension of the situation was so great that I felt the nectar entering and strengthening every cell in my body.

“Riley!”

Aria interrupted me. I admit I felt irritated, but the information she gave me replaced all my discontent with pure fear.

“You don’t have enough power to kill that monster! He’s an awakened! A mutant awakened!”

Awakened, according to the memories I obtained from Aria, were a class of monsters that were corrupted by dark nectar. Even though I couldn't read all of Aria's memories, I was still able to gather a lot of important information, and this was one of them. However, I never thought I would encounter one.

Aria was someone who reached the pinnacle of martial strength in her world. If even someone like her has that monster….

“I simply have no chance of victory against that monster.”

I have to escape, and fast.

I started running again. Meanwhile, the monster followed me, leaving a trail of destruction wherever it went.

The monster shot several beams of energy, and I dodged them all. Its nectar divided into several tentacles that tried to grab me, but I always escaped from them all.

I ran through almost every area of the southern forest that I knew, until I entered an area that I hadn't explored previously and continued running while dodging the monster's attacks.

I ran for a long time, until I finally found a kind of… village… human city? What is that? I don't have time to think.

Should I bring the monster there and run away in the midst of the confusion that will be created, or should I keep running away until either I or the monster get tired?

The answer is obviously the first option. Such a choice is immoral, but what can I do? It's for my survival. In a few years, I will repay the sacrifice of the inhabitants of this city with good deeds that benefit the entire world.

Sure, I feel guilty just thinking about it, and most likely, I would live with a feeling of guilt for the rest of my life, but it is better to live with guilt than not to live at all. The goddess was clear; one life, one death, one end.

I crossed a stone bridge that led towards the village, but the monster, unlike me, was cut in half as soon as it crossed the village.

"Dangerous."

Going towards the village was a very risky action; the monster probably activated a defense system and ended up dying.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

I was very lucky. What if the system had mistaken me for a monster too? Although… I really am a monster.

“Insolent little creature. It probably only managed to get past the barrier because it can only detect large monsters with high mana storage…”

A deep, vital male voice called me. I looked around, searching for the owner of that voice, and when I found it, the only thing I could think was: do vampires exist?

No, seriously; they really exist!

"Skirt!"

The pale, black-haired, blue-eyed man shouted. At first, I looked at him curiously, completely absorbed by his exotic appearance… In fact, I'm envious.

I'm not gay, but it's very dishonest not to admit that this man is incredibly handsome... so handsome that it makes me wonder where in the world there could be someone so privileged with such beauty, until I answer this with a classic: another world, other rules.

My thoughts were interrupted when the man pointed his finger in my direction, and a layer of nectar covered his entire hand; lightning formed in his hand, and the man was already heading towards me.

“Calm down! I’m not an enemy!”

I spoke quickly before he attacked me, and sighed in relief when the man looked at me with a seemingly confused expression.

“Uh, do you speak?”

“I certainly don’t talk, otherwise you wouldn’t listen.”

As a classic entertainment content creator, I couldn't pass up this opportunity to make the goddess laugh; she's probably watching right now. Also, I realized two things in this encounter with this man: one, the official language here is probably also Mei (Aria's world language, and also... it's the same as Japanese, so it doesn't matter), and two... well, it's not necessarily a learning experience, but I have a plan; I have to find a way to climb the political ladder here.

As soon as possible… if I survive the current situation.

“I don’t have time for jokes. Just follow me.”

“What? But… I don’t even know you…”

“Do you want to die? Do you think I didn’t realize that you were going to use the village as cannon fodder to escape without too much damage?”

I tried to read his mind to get information, but I failed miserably. I got the same result when I tried to read his inner emotions.

My mind-reading power doesn't work on individuals stronger than me? Truly, the people here can't be underestimated…

“What will happen to me?”

Honestly, I'm a little worried... to tell the truth, very worried! The chance of my fate being death is very high. Everything will depend on the choice of this unknown man.

It reminds me of the time Ruby killed me. Indeed, having the destiny of your life controlled by others causes a bitter feeling in the heart.

“I haven’t decided yet; since you are a being with a conscience, I will take you to my sister so she can choose your punishment.”

I followed him. After passing by houses in the city and people looking at me curiously and I also looking at them like that, after all, they were humanoid monsters of all kinds, I finally entered a castle.

Even though I appeared calm on the outside, my heart was filled with fear and anxiety. The only thing I could do was imagine bad scenarios.

The term he used was 'sister', meaning if this isn't just a cultural thing, they probably had the same upbringing, and most likely, have the same values, even though they may be slightly different.

If he didn't see my act of escape in a good light, his sister will probably see it the same way he did; a dishonest act.

"Be."

As soon as I entered a room, a woman greeted me, but I couldn't pay attention to her words, because her face… a work of art.

Her eyes are green, and her skin color is dark; she seems to be around 20 years old, with a slim body and breasts… they are neither too big nor too small. If I had to guess, they would be D Cup. Of course, she may put something in her clothes that makes her breasts look bigger…

Have I become a pervert? No, seriously. I would never have thought of such a thing. But now, in another world with a new body, I thought of such immorality. Did my testosterone increase or something? But I'm a capybara; I shouldn't be attracted to human bodies... or anything close to one.

Instead, let's focus on what really matters: getting information about what's going to happen to me, and calming my heart.

I tried to read the mind of the woman in front of me, and just like the time I tried to read the mind of the vampire man, I couldn't.

I see no choice but to ask…

“So what are you guys going to do with me?”

Her right eye flashed blue for a few moments, and then returned to normal.

The woman was silent for a few moments, probably intentionally to cause tension, until finally, she spoke something.

What was that? Is it some kind of eye power or something?!

“Under normal circumstances, I would chop off your little head and hang it on a stake, but I’m in a good mood today, so… I won’t do anything at all.”

I was perplexed. And the man I had once followed shared my reaction.

What? How absurd! Do you really expect me to believe that?!

“I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes, hahaha. Anyway, this is a village for monsters, so stop being picky and come on over.”

“But… the city would have been destroyed if I hadn’t…”

The man said quickly, but the woman partially ignored him and continued talking.

“The city almost being destroyed is water under the bridge. Besides, you obviously didn’t ally with that monster, because awakened mutants just want to eat and absorb every creature that moves. There’s no way you would ally with a monster like that. Besides, you’re too weak.”

Her statement weighed heavily on my chest; because it's true! Besides, it's a very strange situation. His city was almost destroyed because of me, and he responded with 'it happens, it's part of life'? It's absurd! It doesn't make sense.

Sure, there's the possibility that she just doesn't care, but heck, if this were a book, I'd say it was a plot hole.

I'm very lucky.

“However, the city was almost destroyed because of you, so you have to provide a service for this city.”

The reality is disappointing… well, it could be worse.

“So, before joining the police school, are you going to come and see the city? You’ll need to get to know it better, right?”