episode_0005

It’s a beautiful day. Birds chirping, flowers blooming in spring.

The scent of the forest after the rain soothes the mind.

I’ve always liked it when it rains.

The sky after the rain was exceptionally beautiful.

Looking at the sky during tough times made my troubled heart feel healed.

That’s why I enjoyed gazing at the sky.

The sky didn’t always have clear and beautiful scenery, but when it did, it was mesmerizing.

I might have idolized the sky.

It was clear, clean, and consistent.

I might have thought about wanting to become like that too.

But aside from the beauty, the ground after a heavy rain wasn’t as pleasant.

The ground soaked with water turned into mud, and with each step, my feet sank deep.

I could run, but being physically unfit, I knew my stamina would quickly deplete.

So, I decided to move slowly with a light heart.

The cool breeze among the trees felt like an oasis in the desert as I walked on the muddy ground.

Unable to sit due to the mud everywhere, the breeze against my sweaty clothes… it was refreshing.

After aimlessly walking for an hour, I finally reached the center of the forest.

…

Except for a very large birch tree, the center of the forest was mostly empty, making the birch tree appear even larger.

It was an extremely huge tree, towering over 20 meters.

The branches swaying in the wind and the multitude of leaves surrounding them were truly magnificent.

If one were to see the World Tree, it might feel something like this.

I immersed myself in the experience of feeling the leaves falling with the wind.

If I come back here, it would be nice to bring a mat and some lunch.

“But now is not the time to indulge in this view.”

I stopped admiring and approached the base of the trunk.

As expected, there was a small gap, where something like a portal leading to the dungeon existed.

I cleared away the small roots and widened the space, preparing to enter the dungeon.

The interior of the dungeon was a different dimension from this place.

The inside of the dungeon was vast, with Ents appearing frequently.

Apart from the boss room, most of the interior was made of trees.

So, to use fire magic, one had to get as close to the monsters as possible.

If you accidentally set fire to the walls, you might end up roasted.

Well, if I clear it quickly and escape the dungeon, it won’t matter, but this isn’t a game, so it’s unlikely.

That’s why I have to engage in close combat like yesterday.

But it’s okay. I feel like I’ve grasped how to fight since yesterday’s battle.

I finished preparing and headed towards the portal leading to the dungeon.

“Hmm… It’s cleaner inside than I thought?”

Indeed. Perhaps because it’s just the entrance of the dungeon, there were no monsters, and the interior was very clean.

I started walking slowly, holding a longsword in one hand.

There were no torches inside, but instead, lamps made of mana stones were installed.

Shining brightly in white, they exuded a cozy atmosphere that made it hard to believe it was a dungeon.

But this is precisely when one should be cautious.

Even in an atmosphere that seems completely non-threatening, complacency can lead to ruin.

I continued walking through the seemingly harmless dungeon.

How long had I been walking? Up ahead, Ents similar to my height were waiting for me.

I tightened my grip on the sword and walked towards them.

There were two Ents in total. However, their size was similar to mine.

Although their bodies were integrated with wood, they were ultimately humanoid monsters.

To move, their joints wouldn’t be entirely wooden.

I ran at a fast pace, deflecting the first attacker’s strike that came towards me.

Passing by the crumbling Ent, I approached the next creature.

Ents rely solely on their fists and legs for combat, lacking weapons but possessing destructive power at the cost of slower speed. I took advantage of this fact.

The second Ent closed in on me, launching an attack to kill me.

Inhabiting a body infused with magic, I calmly began evading the clearly visible attacks.

Dodging the first strike, the second aimed for my arms and legs, while the third aimed to crush my head with its fist.

Swiftly ducking to evade the attack, I swiftly sliced through the creature’s inner leg joint with a knife.

As the stem-like monster’s body split apart, its stance faltered.

Seizing the opportunity, I prepared to unleash a fire magic spell on the creature.

Though in close proximity, I was prepared to endure potential damage.

I thought to myself, “I focus solely on killing the enemy now.”

A blue flame imbued with magical energy flickered to life in my left hand.

The flame blazed fiercely as if it would consume everything in its path.

Turning my left hand into a literal fire fist, I struck the creature.

“Fire Fist!”

Drawing inspiration from a technique seen in a manga, I created the Fire Fist technique, compressing flames onto my fist to significantly amplify damage output at the expense of minimal magical energy consumption, albeit causing definite harm to my own body.

However, acquiring fire resistance would resolve this drawback.

The blue flame engulfed my fist, burrowing into the creature’s torso and incinerating its insides completely.

I withdrew my hand from what could no longer be considered a living being.

Simultaneously readjusting my stance, I dodged the incoming Ent’s attack and severed its joints in a similar fashion as before.

Not long after rising, another crumbling monster faced me.

To preserve its dignity, I severed all remaining joints before delivering several blows to its weak neck, ending its life.

It was a profound battle. A challenging one.

I won’t forget our fight.

After dispatching a few more Ents using the same method, I finally arrived at the entrance to the boss room.

My purpose for entering this hidden dungeon was to obtain an artifact.

An item called ‘Grace of Nature,’ which boosts both health and mana stats by 20%, proving highly efficient for beginners due to its early acquisition.

For someone like me with low health and a small mana core, this item is akin to a divine blessing.

A 20% increase may seem subtle, but it significantly impacts abilities like combustion magic, now allowing six uses per day instead of five.

This difference can determine victory or defeat based on utilizing a skill just once.

The mana amplification feature is straightforward, enhancing skill potency by boosting mana but requiring specific stat thresholds for activation.

Considered more of a late-game passive trait than an early-game asset, it imposes some burden post-acquisition but grants a valuable additional use.

“Of course, this discussion pertains to obtaining it after defeating the boss.”

I secured a shop lighter and oil flask in my backpack, readying myself for what lay ahead.

Unlike previous areas, the boss room was vast, constructed of stone.

The boss, unlike the preceding Ents, was significantly larger—two to three times the size of a player. Well…

Burning it should do the trick.

Given the freedom to wield fire within the boss room, the challenge shouldn’t be too daunting.

Completing my preparations, I opened the massive door leading into the expansive boss chamber.

Inside, a different aura of blue energy permeated the air.

The azure-hued stones exuded a heavy atmosphere unlike before.

Gripping my sword tightly, I entered, bracing myself for what awaited me.

Thud, thud—

In the dark shadows, a colossal tree giant revealed itself.

Its size was roughly 6 meters.

Resembling or even surpassing the trees in the forest in size,

its mere presence was enough to instill a sense of intimidation.

But in the end, it was still an Ent.

Slow in speed and vulnerable to fire, just like the others.

I dashed towards the massive Ent.

Given its size, defending against my attacks would be difficult.

I hurled oil flasks strapped to my waist at its gigantic legs.

Crash!

One down.

The oil flask hitting its leg burst, drenching the leg in oil.

I lit a lighter and tossed it at a leg as thick as my torso.

Whoosh!

One leg ablaze in red.

Yet the Giant Ent remained intact.

However, a beast screaming loudly in extreme agony.

–!!!

As its leg continued to burn, I slipped underneath, unnoticed, and threw oil flasks at its other leg.

Crash!

Using ignition, I began to burn its last remaining leg.

With flames of red and blue gradually engulfing its body.

“Going smoothly.”

The seemingly sturdy monster was losing composure

and crumbling.

No matter how huge the monster, it couldn’t withstand trickery.

Especially when most of its body was made of wood.

“Think your opponent wasn’t good.”

If that had been a Troll, it would have been annihilated…

But worrying about what didn’t happen is as foolish

as it gets.

Let’s wrap this up and head back to the academy.

Yes, after the struggles of today and yesterday, I deserve a free meal too.

Feeling good at the thought of obtaining an artifact.

It’s time to return to the academy.