Ai asked permission to use the scroll, and Leo said it was okay.

Race Change Scroll (Elf) activated.

Successfully changed race to Elf.

She confirmed that it had been activated and was effective for one hour.

Becoming an elf, even for an hour, felt strange yet comforting. It was as if he could, in some small way, understand Amanda’s world more deeply now.

Leo checked the skills again. He navigated to the sync list and tapped Amanda. Scrolling down to race skills, he saw that the skills were now enabled. He smiled and immediately used "Elf's Perception."

A sudden rush of sensation started from his feet. He felt the grass swaying in the wind, each blade distinctly clear in his mind. The sensation spread, gradually expanding to cover a 1km radius. Leo was bombarded with an overwhelming flood of information—the rustling of leaves, the distant chirping of birds, the subtle movements of small animals. He also sensed the movements of adventurers stealthily navigating the forest and monsters lurking or moving around, creating a vivid map in his mind.

It was too much. His head spun as he tried to process the myriad of sensations. Ai noticed his discomfort and gently advised him, "Focus only on what you want to see, Leo."

Leo steadied his breathing, closed his eyes, and concentrated. Slowly, he filtered out the unnecessary noises and visualized the monsters in the area. Gradually, the overwhelming sensations faded, leaving only the presence of monsters highlighted in his perception.

His eyes widened in fascination. "What an incredible skill," he marveled. He could now see the clusters of monsters throughout the forest. As he scanned the area, he noticed why beginning adventurers might avoid this part of the forest. It was teeming with slimes, packed densely together.

"Isn't that a good thing?" he mused aloud. "More slimes mean faster leveling, right?"

Ai's voice was calm and informative. "These slimes are aggressive, Leo. Which can be identified by their 'Aggressive' status below their name."

Leo's eyes narrowed in understanding. "That makes sense. Even weak monsters can be dangerous in large numbers if they attack you at the same time."

He wondered how other adventurers knew about this. Ai responded, "It is indicated in the adventurers' booklet."

Leo laughed nervously. "I guess I missed that information."

(Author's Note: He didn't read it.)

Leo started to move deeper into the forest where the slimes were. Upon reaching the area, he stopped to survey how many slimes were there. Unsure of the exact amount, he estimated there were 10 to 20 slimes in one spot. Ai corrected him, "There are 25 slimes per spot," she said calmly. He looked at her, still amazed by her abilities. "She even knows the exact number of monsters," he thought.

Without his knowledge, a slime had detected his presence while roaming. A red exclamation mark appeared above it, and in an instant, the entire pack of slimes was alerted. They rushed toward Leo, their gelatinous bodies making unsettling squelching sounds as they moved. Startled, he took a step back but tripped over a tree root, falling to the ground. The slimes were fast and began to attack by hurling themselves at him. He instinctively raised his arms to shield himself.

Ai's voice cut through the chaos. "What are you doing?" she asked, her tone calm and slightly amused.

This wasn’t like the simple slimes from games back on Earth. They moved faster, more erratically, and with far more aggression than he expected. His heart raced as he tried to keep up.

But Leo, feeling no pain from the slime's attacks, started to lower his guard. He looked around and saw that the slimes were still attacking him, but their efforts were ineffective. He stood up, and brushed the dirt off himself but realized that he had forgotten to buy a weapon.

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This was supposed to be easy, just a bunch of slimes! And I forgot to buy a weapon… Great.

He felt like a fool for panicking over the slimes and scratched his head, embarrassed. Composing himself, "I need to start hunting properly. But we should buy a weapon first."

Ai, sensing his realization, said, "Adventurers receive training weapons."

"Of course, I should have a training weapon," he said with a nervous laugh, realizing it was probably mentioned in the adventurer's booklet. He made a mental note to read it later. She asked him if he wanted his training weapon to be equipped. "Yes," he replied.

With a faint shimmer, a wooden sword materialized at his side, he took it and the handle fit perfectly into his grip.

Leo smiled and slightly loosened his grip and started to attack the slimes, efficiently dispatching them. The sound of his blade slicing through the air was accompanied by the squelching noise of slimes being cut apart. His movements were precise, his eyes darting from one slime to the next, sometimes killing 2-3 slimes in a single swing. The slimes' gelatinous bodies splattered and dissolved into the ground with each successful strike.

This wasn’t just a grind for levels anymore. The weight of the sword in his hand, the sharpness of the strikes—it all felt real, far beyond the games he used to play.

Having experienced punching the Orc Lord and the sparring session with Ranna, he was getting the hang of adjusting his strength at will. The slimes' shrill noises filled the air as they lunged at him, but he easily deflected and countered their attacks.

Then a notification appeared,

Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 2.

He continued his relentless assault, barely registering the message. His focus was unyielding as he finished off the first wave of slimes, eliminating all 25 in quick succession. The repeated slashing sound echoed through the forest.

Shortly after, another notification appeared,

Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 3.

The sound of slimes being defeated and their remnants hitting the ground provided a rhythmic backdrop to his actions. Not wasting any time, he immediately strafed towards the next group. This time, he was even more efficient, cutting through the slimes with ease. His sword whistled through the air, and each swing was met with a satisfying squelch. Another 25 slimes fell to his blade, granting him more experience.

Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 4.

Still, Leo was too immersed in his task to pay attention.

Remembering the third wave's location, he ran towards it and hunted the group, swiftly dispatching another 25 slimes. As he finished the third wave, a new notification appeared,

Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 5.

The repeated "plop" sounds of the slimes being defeated marked his progress. Leo, driven by his focus, didn't register the message.

He continued this pattern, swiftly moving from one group to another, honing his skills with each swing. His eyes scanned the area, pinpointing the location of the slimes, and he adjusted his attacks accordingly. He paused for a moment to catch his breath, the forest around him echoing with the sounds of his previous battles.

As he finished the third wave, he noticed that the first group had already respawned. He quickly navigated back to it and dealt with them efficiently, adding another 25 slimes to his tally.

By this point, Leo had killed 100 Slimes. The forest was filled with the sounds of his determined efforts.

A notification appeared in his vision,

Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 6.

Leo felt a surge of energy and strength flow through him. Finally taking a moment to check his status, he saw the series of notifications and realized he had leveled up multiple times during his focused hunting spree. A smile spread across his face as he acknowledged his progress, appreciating the growth in his abilities. The surrounding forest seemed quieter now, the slimes temporarily vanquished.

As Leo wiped the slime residue off his wooden sword, miles away, another figure observed a different kind of carnage.

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

Back in the destroyed Orc Dominion, a familiar figure strode into the scene. The air around him seemed to ripple with an oppressive energy, his bright red armor gleaming ominously under the fractured light filtering through the trees. "So, there's really a new system user," he muttered, his voice dripping with arrogance as he surveyed the devastation around him. His eyes, cold and calculating, missed nothing.

His servant, appeared at his side, her nose twitching as she caught a familiar scent. "Master," she called out, her tone respectful and cautious. "I smell the boy from Lady Ranna's farmhouse."

The Dragon Lord's forehead curled in thought as he tried to recall the boy she mentioned. "He's not my concern right now," he said dismissively, waving a hand. His focus was on the destruction and the implications of a new power emerging. "Have they figured out who did this?"

His servant bowed slightly, her fox-like ears drooping in apprehension. "No, Master. Based on the Winter Warlock's report, they have not."

A terrifying smile spread across his face, his teeth gleaming like those of a predator. "I guess I'll take credit and get my reward then," he said with a dark chuckle. The servant shivered slightly, remembering the implications of the reward he was referring to. She felt a pang of pity for those involved, but she dared not voice it.

The Dragon Lord turned his gaze back to the ruins, already plotting his next move. His servant followed, her heart heavy with the knowledge of the price to be paid.