Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou - Volume 1

by Chuuni Suki

  "Kyu!"

  A victory cry? The rabbit raised its forelimbs and brushed off its ears.

  "Mommy, tell me it's a lie."

  Hajime who was still stiff can only give a dry smile. Isn't this dangerous? The Traum Soldier that the students had trouble with looked like toys compared to this bunny. This rabbit may be stronger than the Behemoth, who could only do simple monotonous attacks.

  He knew that if he was caught it would be certain death, this fretting caused him to unconsciously step back. That was an error.

  Karan [Tap]

  That noise echoed throughout the whole cave. Hajime had kicked a pebble near his feet that fell and created that racket. Such a cliché grave mistake. A large amount of cold sweat streamed down his face. The rabbit turns its head like a machine that wasn't oiled to the sound.

  Hajime was definitely seen.

  It's ruby red eyes narrow as it caught sight of Hajime. He froze like a frog hypnotized by a snake. Alarms bells started to go off in his head and his soul told him to run for his life, but his body did not listen to him.

  Finally, the rabbit that had only been looking back at Hajime with his head, orientated its whole body towards him. It started to pour energy into its legs.

  "It's coming!"

  He instinctively knew that. Rabbit demon exploded towards him, it dashed at him at an absurd speed that left afterimages behind it.

  When he noticed it, he jumped aside with all his might.

  The place where he was just at exploded like a cannonball had just struck it. It gouged out the ground as it detonated. Hajime rolled while the earth rumbled, and stopped with his backside on the floor. He retreated from the epicenter with a pale face.

  Slowly the rabbit stood up with a slack attitude, after it continued its assault. Hajime quickly constructed a stone wall with his transmutation. Stone wall met the rabbit's kick and easily the kick pierced through it. By pure reflex he brought up his left arm to block. Good thing his face was not crushed, but the impact launched him to the ground. Pain coursed through his left arm when he gathered himself.

  "Augh"

  When he looked at his left forearm, it was broken and bent in a funny angle. Looks like it was totally crushed. Crouching in pain, he desperately sought out the rabbit. What he found was the rabbit walking in a relaxed manner, a total inverse of its earlier attitude. It must have been his imagination, but its eyes were staring at him in a condescending. Looks like it was having fun messing with him.

  Since he was on his backside, he couldn't even retreat that well. There standing in front of Hajime was the rabbit. It looked down on him, like he was some worm crawling on the earth. The rabbit brandished its foot to show it off.

  (...I wonder if this is the end...)

  Despair assailed Hajime. He adopted a dazed looked and gave up as he stared at the rabbit's feet. Eventually the kick of instant death was swung.

  Hajime shut his eyes, horrified at the impending doom.

  ................

  No matter how much time passed, the expected blow never came. He fearfully opened his eyes and in front of his face was the rabbit's foot. The kick was stopped just before it made impact. It can't be, was it still playing with him and trying to instill even more anguish in him? Hajime noticed something though, when he looked closely the rabbit was trembling.

  (W-What? Why is it trembling....it seems scared....)

  No, not "seem", it really was afraid. Hajime tried to run for the right passage, but he caught sight of a new demon.

  Huge, was a word that could describe it. The beast was 2 m tall and its whole frame covered in white fur. Like all the other monsters he met here, this beast also had pulsating dark red lines wrapping its body. If he could compare it to another animal then a bear came to mind. One differences were that its arm extended all the way down to its feet, and these arms had 3 claws protruding out almost 30 cm.

  Before he knew it that bear was nearby, while it glared at its prey. Silence surrounded the area. Both Hajime and the rabbit was frozen and could not move. No, would not move. Just like how Hajime was earlier. The bear's stare had stopped them.

  "...Gururu."

  Tired of the situation, the bear started to growl.

  "Tsu!"

  This caused the rabbit to return to reality. It quickly turned tail and instantly retreated at top speed. All that speed it used to crush its enemies was now being used to escape. Too bad it was all for naught.

  Using speed that didn't suit its size, the bear aimed it's sharp claws at the rabbit. The rabbit used its agility to twist his body to dodge the blow. Hajime was certain the bear's claws had missed their target, and he saw the rabbit finish dodging.

  When it landed, blood started to gush from its body as multiple cut wounds emerged on its body. More and more blood poured out of its wound until Hajime noticed that its body wasn't whole anymore. Piece by piece sections of the rabbit slipped off in different direction and a fountain of blood sprayed when the largest section was set free.

  The gore show disgusted Hajime. A rabbit demon that powerful was taken down so easily without it being able to do anything. Now he knew why it was so scared. That bear demon was extraordinary. This guy would destroy any person Hajime knew of.

  Lumbering its huge body, the bear approached the fresh corpse. Sounds of gorging could be heard from the bear.

  Hajime could not move. Still consumed by fear, the beast eyes pin down Hajime with its eyes.

  Nothing was left of the rabbit after the bear took 3 mouthful of it. It turned around and growled at Hajime. The beast's eyes said it all, "You are next."

  Presented with the eyes of a predator all he could do was despair.

  "Uwaaa-" [Ah!]

  Hajime ran the opposite direction of the bear while screaming madly and forgetting about his broken arm.

  If something like that rabbit couldn't escape then it did not look good for Hajime. The wind howl and from his left he felt pain explode in his body as he was flung against the wall.

  "Gah!"

  The blow had knocked all the air out of his lungs. He trailed down the wall as he collapsed into a fit of coughs. Hajime was swaying from the impact but he kept his eyes on the bear. Then he noticed the bear was chewing on something.

  What the hell was it chewing on? The rabbit was already consumed. Somehow the arm it was eating was very familiar. Hajime was confused at the event, because he felt lighter on his left side. To be precise, his left arm…

  "A-Are?" [What]

  Hajime's face stiffened. Why is there no arm? Why was blood spurting out? He tilt his head. Hajime could not make sense of what happened. The reality of the situation finally hit him. Pain was the reminder that this was no dream.

  "Ahhhhhhh!!!!"

  His shriek echoed in the passage. Everything below his left elbow had disappeared.

  The beast still had its Special Magic. His three claws were able to create blades of wind that could extend up to 30 cm. If you thought about it losing just one arm was fortunate. The bear was playing with Hajime and it begged the question if Hajime was lucky. Considering that the rabbit earlier had been dealt with so quickly.

  After he was finished with his meal, the bear advanced towards Hajime. His eyes was not condescending like the rabbit's. The beast just looked at Hajime as food.

  The beast extended its forelimbs toward Hajime. It looked like it was going to eat Hajime alive.

  "A, A, Guu, Re "Rensei"!" [Transmute]

  While tears and mucus flowed, drool escaped from his mouth, he transmuted the wall with his only arm. It was an unconscious action. The only power that was available to the Hajime that had such low specs. Using magic that is usually only used to process weapons. This class was without a doubt a crafting class. Thought of as useless in combat, but another worlder showed the knights a new application for its skill. A skill that saved the lives of his classmate. On the brink of death, he choose to rely on that skill, and it answered him with a means of escape.

/>   A hole 50 cm in height, 120 c in width, and 2m in depth formed in the wall. Hajime rolled into the hole and narrowly escaped the bears paws reaching towards him.

  It was overwhelmed with anger from losing a prey.

  "Guruaa!!"

  The beast casted its Special Magic while it roared. It aimed its magic towards the hole Hajime made. A terrible destruction followed as the wall was shaved off my the powerful claws.

  "Ahhhh--! "Rensei"! "Rensei"! "Rensei"!"

  Pancing from the monster that was gradually getting closer, Hajime started to continuously cast his transmuting and delved deeper into the wall. He did not even bother to look back. Recklessly he repeated the magic, and advanced with a crawl. All his pains or any other thoughts were put in the backseat. Mana was consumed over and over again as his survival instinct had control over him.

  How much did he progress? Hajime did not know, but he couldn't hear the terrible sounds. In reality, he did not progress that much. Each cast of his "Rensei" allowed him to advance 2 m (This was twice as strong as his earlier days). The main problem was his bleeding, he would not be able to move soon.

  His awareness was already gone from the excessive bleeding. Still his body pushed forward.

  ""Rensei"..."Rensei"..."Rensei"..."Rensei"..."

  No matter how many times he chanted, the wall did not change. His magic ran out before his body gave out. Exhausted, his hands fell from the wall.

  Hajime fell on his back and his last strand of consciousness was going out. He just aimlessly started to the heavens, but all he saw was darkness.

  Hajime at this time recalled some past memories. It was like a Revolving Lantern(*). His life flashed before his eyes. His nursery and elementary school, middle school, and high school days. Various memories flooded his mind until his last memory. In that bedroom illuminated by the moonlight. The chat he had with a goddess and the promise they made. Her smiling face.

  After remembering that beautiful sight, the darkness engulfed him. Just before sleep claimed him, he felt a drop of water on his cheek. Like someone had shed a tear for him.

  * * *

  * Revolving Lantern is a show where a lantern has some cutouts done in them and in the center a candle or light source is placed. The shadow casted by the light and cutouts could provide a show. Usually the light is directed to one direction so a story could be told.

  Chapter 9: Complete Change

  Tsukkomi from Manzai is Default.

  Forgive me.

  * * *

  Drip…Drip…

  Hajime felt his consciousness return gradually as the drips of water hit his cheeks and entered his mouth. Wondering what was the cause, he slowly opened his eyes.

  (...I'm alive?...I'm saved?...)

  Attempting to get up, he was stopped when his forehead hit the low ceiling of the hole.

  "Aku!?"

  He totally forgot about the hole he constructed that was only 50cm high. Hajime extended his hand to the ceiling to transmute a higher ceiling. Only one arm came into view. He remembered he lost his left arm, and felt phantom limb pains. At that he kept his left arm down, or what remained of it. There was swelling around the wound but it had closed.

  "H-How?...There is so much blood…"

  He couldn't see in the darkness, but if he had some light he would be able to see the pool of blood. The amount of blood he lost would have normally killed someone. To survey the surrounding he felt around with his hand and felt something slimy. His blood was still there and it had yet to dry. After All, it seemed he had bled, and it seemed not much time had passed since he fainted.

  While he was wondering about his wound, another drop of water hit his cheeks. The moment it entered his mouth, he felt his body reenergize.

  "...No way...was it this?"

  Using his hand he performed a transmutation on the area where the droplet came from, while he ignored his phantom limb pains. Progressing further and further in as he transmuted a little lightheaded. Mysteriously when he drank the liquid his mana returned and no matter how much transmuting he performed his mana did not run out. Hajime repeatedly transfigured to find the water source.

  Eventually the amount of mysterious liquid increased and more trickling could be heard. Hajime finally reached the source.

  "This...is…"

  An ore the size of a basketball emitting a light existed there. This ore was buried and assimilated with the surrounding rocks, and it dripped the liquid. A beautiful and mysterious stone. The ore was emitting darker blue than aquamarine, at least that was the best representation he could think of. His phantom limb pain was left forgotten.

  Fascinated with the stone, Hajime reached out to touch it with his mouth. The dull pain and haze that his body and mind felt was cleared, and the fatigue disappeared. Seems like the liquid from this stone had saved him. The liquid seemed to hold restorative powers. Phantom limb pains still occurred, but the other injuries or negative effects were healed.

  Hajime didn't know, but this stone was the highest grade treasure called "God's Crystal". The crystal is a legendary relic thought to have been just a story. Formation of such a crystal is a miracle, because it was the crystallization of magical pools that collect by chance and needed 1000 years to form. Looking over it, the crystal was about 30-40 cm in diameter. After it has crystallized, it takes several hundred more years to saturate it to cause overflowing. That overflowing liquid is called "Sacred Water", and when drank it could cure any injury or disease. Though it doesn't have the power to regenerate parts, and it is considered a fountain of youth if continuously taken. A story of Eht healing people with this sacred water in ancient time is often recited.

  He noticed that he returned from the brink of death. Hajime who was leaning on the wall sagged down. Bring up both knees, he placed his head between them while shivering from his close brush with death. He had no energy to even try to escape, his heart was broken.

  Hajime might confront hostility and malice. Any rescue would be appreciated, and he might be able to stand up again. However, that bear's eyes scared him. He did not want to encounter the eyes of a predator that wanted to devour him. Eyes that he had no experience with because he was used to being the top law of the jungle. Those eyes were responsible for why his arm was eaten and this broke his heart.

  "Some...help me…"

  In this abyss, his voice did not reach anyone…

  * * *

  What did he do?

  Hajime was laying on his side curled up into a fetus position.

  Four days have passed since his collapse. All this time he had not moved much and the sacred water had sustained him. The sacred water could keep a person alive except for extreme circumstances, and it did not ease any hunger pangs. He wasn't going to die, but he was suffering from phantom limb pains and starving sensation.

  (How did I end up like this?)

  A question he asked himself over and over again. His mind had recovered from drinking the sacred water, even if he suffered from pain and hunger. Unfortunately, because he had a clear mind, all the suffering was clearly felt.

  One day Hajime stopped drinking the sacred water.

  (If this anguish continues for so long...I rather…)

  After he muttered that, he fell unconscious.

  Three days passed. The hunger that calmed had returned. His phantom limb pains did not subside.

  (Still...I'm not dead...I don't want to die…)

  Although he wished for death, a part of him still wanted to live. Conflicting thoughts alternated within his mind. He could no longer form any normal thoughts. His murmurs became incoherent and delirious.

  Three more days elapsed. The sacred water was losing its efficiency, at this rate two more days and he would most likely be dead. He had not taken in fluids, let alone food.

  Abnormalities started to appear in Hajime's mind recently.

  (Why do I have to suffer….What did I do…)

  (Why did this happen...What's the cause…)

  (G
od unreasonably abducted me…)

  (A classmate betrayed me…)

  (The rabbit looked down on me…)

  (That guy ate me…)

  Gradually his thoughts became darker. Who was wrong? Who forced their unreasonableness onto him? Who harmed him? Pain gradually turned into rage, rage led to hatred, he seeked an enemy. Everything had worked into corrupt his spirit. The severe pain and starvation that wrecked his body, and the events that led him here into this endless darkness.

  (Nobody has come to rescue me….)

  (If nobody is going to help me, what should I do?)

  (How do I rid myself of this pain?)

  Day 9. Hajime thoughts had made a breakthrough about his current situation. With a heart that wanted release from its torment, he needed to first expel the unnecessary hatred and anger. Because the suffering did not end when his heart turned black…

  (What...am I wishing for?)

  (I wish for "life".)

  (What type of people impedes me?)

  (My enemies)

  (Then what should I do?)

  (I-I…)

  Day ten. His heart was now free of hatred and anger. The outrageous God, back-stabbing classmate, hostile demons, the smiling person desiring to protect him, all of them mattered naught. To live, to earn the privilege to survive, everything else was trivialities. Hajime had arrived at an answer for his question.

  That is…

  ( KILL )

  Not for malice, animosity, or hate. In order to live, he will kill with pure intent.

  All those who threaten his survival are enemies, and to my enemies…