Day 5: Cave
One day, in the forest, I met Gob-san. In the mushroom-filled forest, I met Gob-san.
I Clubbed it to death.
No, seriously, while I was searching for food, and walking through the forest.
It went as followed: Mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, Gob, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, Gob, Gob, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, Gob, mushroom, Gob, mushroom, Gob, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, Gob, Gob, Gob, Gob.
Eeei! Appraising while going around but only mushrooms edible mushrooms. The rest herbs, and then Gob, Gob, Gob. No, Gobs aren't edible.
Occasional rabbit is a feast, but no ranged weapons, no magic. Erase presence, activate Stealth, sneak close, pounce.
Presence Concealment and Stealth are godsends. Way more useful than white-room skills. God-given transfer skills all less useful than Presence Concealment or Stealth, maybe skipping the white room was fine? What was the point of the old man showing up? Next time I see him, make him sit seiza for an hour and interrogate.
"Mushroom, mushroom, ah, Gob." Bonk
Somehow, I've gotten used to Gobs. What if I start feeling affection? I'll still clubbed them to death.
They're slow. With Presence Concealment and Stealth, almost never noticed.
Ambush = instant no reaction.
And they always raise the club.
So basically: ambush, momentum club kill. Repeat.
Stopping or trading blows = bad. Their power/defense high, speed low, intelligence even lower.
Charge combat repeat, mushroom gathering repeat, occasional herbs, rare rabbit. Fake delinquents, no thanks.
Gobs around cave few but Lv10–15 range. Lv15 needs full commitment or no one-shot.
Forest deeper has many but Lv~10, trash. Mushroom side quest but don't eat though.
Sometimes bird calls overhead. Come on, yakitori sounds real good right about now.
No ranged attacks, so looking up longingly, maybe tree fruits edible.
These contacts jackpot. Vision not just improved, even in dark, even if far, or small, all visible. Good eyes matter.
If sold in original world, I'd have debuted contacts. Would it fix the glare in my eye,? Probably not.
Climbed tree right away, grabbed fruit, bit in. Sweet, slight sour, finally first sweetness in ages.
Didn't even like sweets much originally, but in a world without, it's strangely delicious, nostalgic.
Gathered all possible. Small ones, not much quantity, won't fill stomach.
Kept going: mushroom, Gob, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, Gob, mushroom, mushroom, Gob… enough already! There's a crying child here, which is me.
・ ・ ・
No level up. Hunted quite a few Gobs though.
Item bag full of clubs. Sell in town? Don't want to go to a town that needs massive clubs.
Done for. Concentration shot. In this state, screw-up inevitable. One headshot club and dead.
"Movement" somewhat usable now, but low concentration = bad. Charge, trip, clubbed. Dead.
"Go home~"
Circle opposite way back. Mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, Gob, mushroom—enough. Master mushroom cuisine! Only salt though.
・ ・
Home = relax. Shut-in effect? Gradually stop going out.
Most light novels recommend draining mana, standard procedure. Good magic practice too.
Concentrated my mana, raised mushroom temperature.
"Dried mushrooms increasing. Next, try Earth Magic rock-grilling?"
Kept improving base, drained mana, time for sleep.
Mana depletion makes sleep easy since coming here.
Lying in bed, suddenly thinking about why I was summoned.
Why was I summoned to a mushroom-and-Gob-only forest?
To protect this world from mushrooms and Gobs?
Maybe my isekai life ends with mushrooms and Gobs?
Ahh, gonna dream of mushrooms and Gobs. Sleep time.
NAME Haruka HumanAGE 16 Lv 03 Job -- HP 35 MP 32 ViT 37 PoW 35 SpE 38 DeX 38 MiN 36 InT 40 LuK Max (Limit Break) SP 16
Martial Arts "Staff Technique Lv2" "Evasion Lv2" "Perception Lv2" "Mana Cloak Lv2"
Magic "Temperature Lv2" "Movement Lv2" "Weight Lv1" "Packaging Lv2" "Fire Magic Lv2" "Earth Magic Lv1"
Skills "Health Lv2" "Sensitive Lv2" "Gymnastics Lv2" "Walking Lv2" "Servitude Lv1" "Appraisal Lv3" "Clairvoyance Lv1" "Presence Detection Lv2" "Enemy Search Lv2" "Mana Manipulation Lv2" (Up) "Presence Concealment Lv1" "Stealth Lv1"
Titles "Shut-in Lv2" "NEET Lv1" "Loner Lv2"
Unknown "Report-Contact-Consult Lv1" "Jack of All Trades Lv1" "Wooden Puppet Lv1"
Equipment "Wooden Stick?" "Cloth Clothes?" "Leather Gloves?" "Leather Boots?" "Cape?" "Contacts?" "Dire Soul Ring" "Item Bag" "Bracelet PoW +1%"
Forest supposed to be ingredient treasure trove—why mushroom-only treasure trove? Weird vegetation? That kind of forest?
Where to go for other food? What even is in forest food?
Tree fruits up top, ground? Underground? Potatoes possible but digging is needed.
Maybe move base but kind of attached now.
But staying here = eternal mushrooms.
Troubling. Already enough mushrooms to last a while without gathering.
Gather anyway = still mushrooms.
Shut-in full speed. NEET soon. Loner forever.