It has been around two months since I’ve arrived in this world. My current location was somewhere within a gigantic forest. While it was dangerous due to the many creatures that see me as nothing more than a snack, there were plenty of places to hide as well. If there was one thing to be thankful about this body for was its small size. If I had to take a guess I was no bigger than a human’s hand, as a result I could squeeze into most small places with ease.

While sitting atop a tree, hiding within the many leaves, I began to think of what to do next. Currently my form wasn’t one suited for fighting and I was still learning how to fly properly. My only means of attack was the large quantity of mana I had. Actual magic however was not something the current me can do. Basically while I had the fuel, mana, for it I lacked the ignition needed to properly cast magic.

The most the current me could do was use my mana to construct a variety of things, but even that wasn’t going well. Mana is fairly thin and nonphysical, so in order to make a construct capable of attacking or defending there needs to be massive amounts of it concentrated. The problem is that controlling massive amounts of mana is not something a beginner like me could do properly.

My constructs were flimsy and weak, breaking at the slightest impact. Luckily for me Faeries could survive on nothing but mana, otherwise I would’ve probably starved to death by now. Speaking of Faeries, I had actually met a few scattered about in the forest. This was how I managed to learn what species I was. I would’ve followed them, but they were heading into a very dangerous section of the forest. I wasn’t confident that I could survive if I went, as well as whether or not they would aid me if I were to get into trouble. In the end I decided to remain in my small section of the woods.

“Haaah~ guess I’ll train some more.”

Sighing once more, something that seems to be becoming a habit for me, I began on mana manipulation training. The process of this was simple. I take some of my mana, draw it out of my body, and practice shaping it into various forms. At times I would even draw out as much as I could and continuously shape it. As a result of this basis training, I was becoming stronger little by little.

After mana manipulation training I begin my mana construct training. Just as before I draw out mana and shape it into a form. This time however I focus on the construct, rather than constant changing, and try to keep the concentrated mana in place for as long as possible. At present my strongest constructs were a thin rectangular shield and a small toothpick-like sword. The shield was strong enough to survive a hit or two from some weak enemies, and the sword was sharp and durable enough to cause shallow cuts on enemies without scales, armor, or hard skin.

As you can see this was definitely not enough to survive. Right now I couldn’t even defeat the weakest monster here with what I had. The main problem was mana leakage. Whenever I create a mana construct there is always a lot of mana that leaks out from it. As a result I need to constantly resupply my constructs to maintain its power, all the while trying to keep it from exploding due to the sheer concentration of mana that constitutes it. If I could at least fly properly then I might have taken the risk and gone with those other Faeries.

“Nothing will come out of complaining, just focus.”

Trying to regain my thoughts I spoke out to myself. After a few hours of painstaking mana training, I began my flight training. While mana was still in use during flight, it was less mental strain due to this being an inborn ability of my race. Of course I couldn’t be reckless, proper mana control was still required for flying. Right now the best I could ever accomplish was gently gliding through the air.

Well I say gently gliding, but if was more of a rocketing plunge accompanied by womanly screams – Ahem~ manly roaring more than anything. Last thing I needed was to head-butt the ground and die from the impact. There just had to be an easier way of moving about.

As I sat there thinking on the subject of improvement a gust of wind blew across in gentle grace. Looking up I watched as the wind severed a loose leaf as it lightly danced in the air like a figure skater, silently mocking me.

Perhaps it was all the training I was doing or simple unexplained anger, but I lunged at the dancing leaf in an attempt to silence its fluttering dance. Like a mission locked onto its target, I launched off the tree branch I was on and slammed directly into my foe.

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

“Damn, things sturdier than I thought!”

Due to my new body I was much lighter than I originally anticipated. As a result my Superman Dive-Bomb technique failed me when I struck the leaf. Rather than plowing straight through it, I merely entered its embrace. Like any worthy warrior, the leaf itself began to fight back; although maybe it was just the wind that was making it thrash around as such.

Feeling as though I were in a cyclone I grasped the edged of the leaf to the best of my ability. Spinning, spinning, spinning, and more spinning was all I experienced in that moment. Thankfully it seemed as though Faeries had no stomachs, otherwise some of my insides might have ended up on the outside. Since I’m sustained on mana, would that be what I puke out?

Like a graceful butterfly I spun through the air in such a majestic manner that it made all beauty pale in comparison. Using my wings I attempted to stabilize myself atop the drifting leaf. After a few moments of struggle I managed to succeed in my task. Now if only the forest could stop multiplying I think I’ll be good.

With my somewhat miniscule weight I prevented the leaf from entering a second dance with me. Balancing myself, I slowly stood up on the drifting leaf and looked around. There was nothing but trees, shrubbery, and wildlife. Basically I was nowhere different in terms of place. My physical location however was different.

Although trees are hard to tell apart I’m fairly sure that one has one more leaf than usual. In all seriousness the only reason I could tell I was elsewhere was due to the strange feeling of dread coming over me…well that and I did just do the tango with this leaf not too long ago, undoubtedly wandering further and further from where I was originally at.

As I tried to figure out where I ended up distracted as another gust of wind, one much stronger than before, lifted the leaf. From zero to a hundred in a second, I sped through the forest on the wind-propelled leaf. Balancing myself out and using my wings as a pair of makeshift airplane fins to control my direction, I made an emergency crash landing.

Luckily the descent wasn’t too bad and I managed to make it back on solid ground without much injury. Thinking back on it now, wasn’t I basically surfing in the wind atop a leaf? Did I just invent a new sport? Leafboarding? Wind surfing?

Whatever the name for it will be I was just happy to be off it. After getting up and taking a good look at my surroundings, a tinge of fear entered me. The trees around were more numerous than before, enough so that visibility beyond twenty feet was near impossible. In addition to that the leaves blocked out most of the sunlight overhead with only a few sunbeams peering through.

With a gulp of nonexistent saliva I quickly make my way to a safer area. Streaking as quickly and cautiously as I could I began to make my way back to what I presumed was the outer area of the forest. I thought about rocket-propelling myself via flight, but quickly dismissed the idea. There were too many trees bunched up together. If I did go through with it I would undoubtedly strike one after liftoff.

Suddenly I thought back to the leaf. If it was able to survive a direct tackle from me at maximum speed then it might be able to withstand the wind pressure from my flight by acting as a parachute to slow my speed. If that was the case then rocket-propelling myself out of here wasn’t completely impossible.

Grabbing a new leaf in both hands behind me I bend slightly to prepare for takeoff. Circulating mana through my wings they begin to hum slightly. With a quick jump and a single flap from my wings I end up propelling myself forward at breakneck speed.

As planned, the pressure from the wind caught onto the leaf that I desperately held onto and lowered my speed. Twisting and turning I managed to dodge the trees in front of me one by one. All seemed to be going well for me until the leaf, strained by the continuous wind pressure, tore in half midway of my flight.

Without the resistance the leaf provided I ended up accelerating in an instant. That sudden spurt caused me to loose balance with my wings as I spiraled out of control. Tumbling downwards I crashed into something hard before recoiling back and landing on the ground.

“Ugh, that hurt…”

Muttering out a complaint I slowly stood up, wobbling occasionally due to the impact. A few moments later I managed to regain my bearings, thanking the heavens that I didn’t die from the sudden collision with my head. Before I could wonder what it was I crashed into a large shadow was suddenly cast down at me. Though incorporeal it felt as though it bore weight when cast over me.

Feeling a sense of dread I robotically turned my head to see what was casting the shadow. There I saw it. It had large round red eyes that peered through my soul, a single horn protruding from its head sharp enough to pierce through me, and its glistening and soft looking white fur that would make a cozy bed for me. All of these dangerous things were molded into a single form.

The creature in front of me was no doubt some type of rabbit-like creature.

“It’s you!”

I yelled out, my voice one of anger and irritation. Yes, a rabbit. Those fiendish bastards had been at war with me even during my time on Earth, constantly stealing the carrots I planted in my garden outdoors. Now they’ve finally come, seeking to end things once and for all.

“Well, fine by me. Bring it!”

Yelling out that declaration I begin the charge at the vile beast that had tormented me for far too long. In return the beast also charged. Right here, right now, the battle with the beast begins.

Chapter End