Noe Yu slowly wakes up in a groggy state and slowly opens his eyes. He notices that he's in a small cave on a crudely made stretcher. He sits up quickly as he startles people around him.
A boy that looks his age with black hair, blue eyes, and tan skin comes up to him. "So, you finally woke up. Some of our scouts found you in the east part of the forest under a boulder. What happened?"
Noe Yu says, "..What's your guess?" The boy says, "Hmmmm....You got attacked by monsters, and that landslide pinned you down as it crushed the other ones."
Noe Yu replies, "'Wild guess...if monsters exist in this world, then this has got to be a fantasy world...Well, I better find out more..'" "Close. I was out monster hunting and found a camp of 'em. A large one appeared and I caused the landslide and killed 'em all.'"
The boy's eyes widen, "Really? So that's what I heard. How'd you get pinned? Just a stray boulder?" Noe Yu smiles, "I was playing dead so I could get the jump on any survivors, though it didn't seem like any survived."
The boy says, "Ooh, smart." Noe Yu says, "By the way, what is this place? I've never seen it before..." The boy smiles, "This is our little camp. Most, if not all of us are from another world. We were involved in some sort of trial by a deity of this world, and those of us who survived made our way here; whereas the others...."
Noe Yu nods solemnly, "'Ok..so they are transmigrators just like me....well, since this is a camp...there must be a leader...I better try and curry favor now so he can speak up for me if any trouble arises...'" He says, "I'm sorry...That must've been hard for you guys.." He smiles, "I'm Noe Yu, a fellow transmigrator. I'll be in your care from now on."
The boy smiles and extends his hand, "I'm Kim Yung. I may not be the leader of this camp, but I try to do my part. I look forward to working together." They shake hands and a menu shows up in front of Noe Yu.
[System update completed: Foreign compatibility enacted]
Noe Yu says, "Huh??" and Kim Yung says, "What is it?" The menu then changes.
[Noe Yu: Level 1
Strength: 1
Shows how much physical strength you have.
Stamina: 1
Shows how long you can engage in certain activities, such as heavy lifting.
Goes hand in hand with Endurance.
Defense: 1
Shows your Defense, how much of a beating you can take.
Intelligence: 1 (+500)
Shows your IQ, how smart you are.
Speed: 1
Shows your speed, how fast you are in activities such as running
Dexterity: 1
Shows your ability to handle items and weapons. Higher Dexterity means higher attack speed and less energy spent.
Technique: 1
Shows your discipline, how easily you can execute precise movements and actions.
Magic Affinity: 1
Shows your affinity with magic, how well you can use it.
Magic Power: 1
Shows how powerful your magic is.
Endurance: 1
Shows your ability to ignore and endure an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way, whether it be physical or mental.
Goes hand in hand with Stamina.
Luck: 1 (+500)
Shows your luck, which influences your circumstances for the better.
Charisma: 1 (+500)
Shows your charm and ability to sway people in their opinions and way of thinking.
Disposition: Manipulative Tactician/Childish Visionary
Trait: None
Skill(s): None
Class: None
Experience until Level Up: 18,452/1,000,000
Description: The lowest of the low, the weakest of the weak. There's no point in you living. Whether or not you fell into that chasm, it wouldn't matter. Good luck out here, you're going to need it]
"'Interesting...this really is a fantasy world...stats, skills, and everything...Even if they're only 1, I bet I can get stronger by killing monsters and whatnot...The description though, that'll get old fast.'"
Kim Yung says, "What? What is it?" Noe Yu replies, "Oh, sorry to scare you. Some sort of window or menu just appeared in front of me." Kim Yung gets excited, "Ooh! You got your menu! What are your stats?? What's your skill?"
"'If I tell him my stats are 1, he'll probably think I'm weak. I better bluff, or I might not be important enough to him or the leader of this camp.'" Noe Yu puts his hand behind his head, "Well, I dunno if it's good or bad, my stats. What's the range of stats in this camp?"
Kim Yung replies, "Well, most of the camp is in the 80s," He smiles, "both in stats and in dress." They both crack up at the joke and Noe Yu says, "Heh heh....I thought most everybody would be miles higher than me...."
Kim Yung says, "Really? What are they?" He replies, "130s, 140s." Kim Yung's eyes widen, "Huh??? That high?!?" Noe Yu nods, "'Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Acting 101.'"
Kim Yung turns to see someone calling to him and he says to Noe Yu, "Whoops, the camp leader's calling me." Noe Yu smiles, "All right, that's fine. Don't let me keep you."
He leaves and Noe Yu walks out of the small cave. "'Since I'm so weak, I'll need strong bodyguards until I can protect myself, and even then I'd need to keep 'em around. If I can get the strong people in this camp on my side, nobody can touch me.'"
He walks through the camp, observing the people there, and notices a couple boys standing around a scared and nervous-looking girl. "'Oh? What's that about?'"
He walks over and gets within earshot. He hears one of the boys say, "Heh..Sorry, but I believe that's mine now. Just stay out of my way, stupid poor girl." Noe Yu gets flashbacks of the same thing happening to him and chuckles bitterly.
"'...It seems they're everywhere...well, who knows? That girl could be useful.'" He walks over to them and says, "What's with all the commotion?" The boys turn to him and the one who spoke earlier says, "None of your business, dweeb! Stay out of our business!"
Noe Yu says to the girl, "Are these boys bothering you, young lady?" She doesn't make eye contact for a bit, then nods slightly. Noe Yu holds out his hand, "Why don't you come with me? Away from these brutes?"
She pauses for a second, then takes his hand. The boy says, "That's it! You asked for this!" He punches Noe Yu in the face, sending him sprawling on the ground several feet away into some boxes. Noe Yu turns over as people take notice of what's happening.
Noe Yu says as he wipes some dust and dirt off his face, "What did I do to you..?" "Noe Yu-san!" Kim Yung comes racing over to him and crouches next to him.
"What happened?? Who did this??" He stands up and dusts himself off, "No no, it's fine. That guy over there just punched me for no reason. He probably had too much to drink.." Kim Yung turns to the boy, "....We don't have alcohol..."
Other people start rushing over as Kim Yung says angrily, "How dare you attack him unprovoked!! What kind of a man are you?!" The boy says nervously, "H-He was trying to steal my food and my girl!" He turns to the girl, "Nyoka-san, are you all right?"
Kim Yung turns to her, "Is what he said true?" The girl trembles as eyes are set on her and Noe Yu says, "....It's all right. She doesn't have to say anything."
He bows to the boy, surprising her, "I'm sorry to have disturbed you." He turns to leave when he hears a voice. ".....N-No! He's the one in the wrong!"
Everyone turns to the girl as she continues, "Th-This guy was trying to steal m-my food and h-he tried to..." She falls silent as everyone understands what she means.
Various whispers are heard, "He really tried to-" "I know, right?" "Despicable!!" "Noe Yu was willing to apologize even when he wasn't at fault.." "And he only just showed up!"
A boy with blue hair and yellow eyes comes forward and says, "What's going on here? Why is everybody gathered here?" Kim Yung says to him, "Li Xiao-nim, this boy attacked Noe Yu-san unprovoked, and he was trying to assault the girl over there."
The boy, Li Xiao, says to the one who attacked Noe Yu, "..What kind of a man are you!? I should kick you out of the camp for this!"
The boy grits his teeth as Noe Yu sneers at him while no one else is looking, "'Hehehehehe Ahahahahaha! This is going perfect...Not only is Kim Yung on my side, and he's close to the leader, the other people in the crowd are impressed too!"
The boy bows reluctantly, hiding his expression, "...I-I apologize for my actions...It was wrong of me..." Li Xiao looks at him for a moment, then turns away, satisfied as the boy stalks away and the other boys distance themselves from him.
Li Xiao turns to Noe Yu, "....Come with me." "'Huh?...I guess he's not on my side quite yet...this could be bad...'" He follows him along with his group, consisting of 2 other boys and a girl. Li Xiao says, "I'm Li Xiao, the leader of this camp. We all went through the trial and passed, otherwise we wouldn't be here."
He looks back at him while walking, "Kim Yung says that you have exceptionally high stats, and yet I heard some of our scouts found you under a boulder near a landslide." Noe Yu nods, "'Yikes.....he could expose me here.....'"
They stop outside the camp near a cave and Li Xiao draws a sword. "Something's off about you..." He points it at Noe Yu's face, "I heard that a group of murderers are out and about near these parts. How do I know you're not with them or you're someone like them?"
He looks at him with a calculating gaze, "I am the protector of this camp, and I will defend it with my life." Kim Yung looks at Li Xiao nervously and Li Xiao looks at Kim Yung with a grave look. Noe Yu stands there, "'...There's not much that I can do here.....this might be the end...'"
Li Xiao goes to slash at Noe Yu and he only turns his head and closes his eyes. Suddenly, the sword stops short of his head. Li Xiao says to himself in disbelief, "He barely even flinched..." He says to Noe Yu warily, ".....Why didn't you dodge?"
Noe Yu replies, "....Isn't it obvious?" "'Looks like I still have a chance....'" He puts his hand behind his head, looking a little yielding, "Well, I guess I haven't been completely truthful with what happened..." He gives them an uncomfortable look, "Well, it's just a little hard to talk about..."
"....In my other world, I was a nobody. Not like somebody who isn't popular or something like that, like an actual nobody. My parents abandoned me at birth, just because of one look at me....."
He continues, "I could barely pay for my education, I was always alone, and I was constantly trying to get money and somebody who actually cared about me." "One day, I fell into a large fissure and ended up in a cave near here....Two adventurers found me and helped me."
"Not even a day after I met them..." He tears up, "Th-They fell into a large hole a-and..." Li Xiao and the others look solemn, except for one boy, and Noe Yu says, "I-I don't even know if they're alive or....."
He turns to Li Xiao with a determined yet somber expression, "...This new world is a new chance to live my life in a whole new way, and if they are alive, I will find them!!" Li Xiao stays silent for a while, then turns to Kim Yung, who nods, and he bows, "I'm so sorry I doubted you! I didn't know about your troubled past!"
Noe Yu says, seemingly with an awkward tone, "No no, it's fine.." Li Xiao shakes his head, "No...I was ready to kill you on the spot, I should've just trusted you!"
Noe Yu puts his hand on Li Xiao's shoulder, "Oh well, I'm already acquainted with Death, so it's fine. Let's do our best to survive here." Li Xiao nods, slightly confused, "Yeah..."
Eventually they leave and Noe Yu chuckles to himself, "'....The funny thing is.....Everything I said was true, even if I didn't elaborate about who Tseroy and Ando were, or what I'll do when I find them...'" "'After all..those guys could ruin my image if they are actually alive....'"
He then notices where he is and notices the cave near him. "'Waaaaaaaiiiiiiiit...in just about every fantasy game, monsters are found in caves, and where there's monsters.....'"
He smiles widely, "'There's XP...'" He heads to the cave and descends lower and lower. "'Thankfully I nicked a knife from the armory as we were passing by it..'" The floor levels out and comes to a fork. "'Hmmmmmmmmmm...For now, I'll go right. I'll explore the left later.....'"
He walks down the right passageway and sees several monsters just out of sight from the fork. The monsters are human-like with grey and red skin, black horns, eyes, and hair, and little clothing that isn't ragged or torn in various places. He starts sneaking toward them and notices they have mostly clubs and a couple shortswords. "'Good..they don't have super threatening weapons, like a spear or a hammer...Since I'm so weak right now, I can't afford to care about honor and whatnot...I just need to kill them quickly..'"
He sneaks up on them and slashes it in the back, surprising it and making it drop its shortsword. He grabs it and slashes it again. It stumbles and he backs away. "'Dang it....Having 1 Strength is so limiting!'" The other monsters pick up their weapons and start coming toward him.
"'Yikes...I need to be extremely careful here.......in terms of archetypes, Bait-and-Punish seems to be the best bet here, as I can't take any damage from them or I die...at least I think. I'm not gonna try and test that.'"
He slashes two of them at the same time and one narrowly dodges a stab from his knife. He slashes at them again as he backs up and they stumble back a little, not showing any signs of tiring. He narrowly dodges a club strike and slashes again, still not having much effect on them.
He continues backing up until he almost slips and falls off a large ravine. "'Yikes!! I won't fall here....Not now...I will become the most powerful person in this world!!!
One of the monsters deflects his sword slash and disarms him, leaving him only with his knife. He tries to slash with it but it catches it and wrenches it from his grasp, sending waves of pain through his arm.
Unarmed and defenseless, the monsters laugh amongst themselves as the closest one prepares to deliver the final blow and Noe Yu's vision goes white.