Rian woke up with a dull ache all over his body. Slowly, his eyes opened. Surrounding him was a dense forest of towering trees. Green leaves rustled in the wind, while the morning sunlight pierced through the gaps between branches. From a distance, the roars of beasts and the chirping of birds could be heard, sometimes punctuated by a silence as if the entire forest was holding its breath.
He looked up at the sky. The sun's position indicated it was around eight in the morning. He took a deep breath and smiled in relief.
This?...
The fantasy world I've longed for?...
From the atmosphere, it's definitely...
just like the forests described in that comic...
Rian stood up, shaking his body to rid himself of the clinging leaves. He remembered how his favorite comics always began: a hero rising to face a great challenge.
"Then, what's the first step now?" I mumbled.
I immediately remembered the gift Goddess Bodas gave me. I looked left, nothing. To the right, same thing.
Front?...
Back?...
Nothing at all...
What gift did she mean?...
Don't tell me I have the power to blow up the earth?...
That seems impossible.
"I'll try. Maybe I can use magic," I mumbled.
Just before Rian made his first attempt, he saw a word clearly written on the palm of his hand: "Storage".
"Storage? What does this mean?" I said.
Without warning, a pitch-black ring shot out in front of me, forming a dark hole in the air.
As my fingertip touched its surface, a holographic light shimmered along its edges.
...
...
Writing appeared:
-Unlimited Storage -
- Can store anything except living beings
- No space limit
...
Contents:
- A small, sharp dagger
- A longsword with an engraved hilt
- One complete set of bow and arrows
...
...
"Huh? Just this? This is just regular equipment. I was only given weapons like this? And this storage? Isn't there some ultimate power or something I can use as a foundation to become a hero?" I mumbled.
I was really disappointed at that moment. In my expectations, I would get some great power, but the reality was just a storage that didn't seem usable for attacking.
In the end, I couldn't complain since no one was here.
Yeah, it's better than getting nothing at all.
Besides, there are weapons that are quite useful for hunting.
Humming lightly, he began to explore the forest. Roots snaked underfoot, bushes scratched at his legs, until he finally arrived at a clear river that reflected the sunlight like a thousand stars.
Wait... I'm curious about my face now. Am I still a middle-aged guy, or did my face change?
Did I become the world's most handsome prince? Or....
I looked into the clear river water. My reflection looked young.
Whoaaa... this is how I looked back when I was a playboy. Handsome as a top celebrity.
I stroked my cheeks, pinched them, and pulled. I really couldn't believe I was young again.
This is like when I was twenty years old.
Wait, this means I was transferred at a younger age, right? Not reborn?
...Which means I'm still alone, just like before. That's really sad.
Oh well, what can I do. This is my second chance to shine and become a hero.
I'm sure I'll be famous later, with lots of fans cheering for me. Hahaha....
I was sad for a moment about having to start over from loneliness, but being sad won't solve anything.
So, I have to move forward.
Now, what should I do? I'll try exploring this forest first.
With a confident stride, Rian stepped deeper.
His stomach roared like an orchestra of hunger. He stumbled to the river and saw several fish swimming against the current.
My life now is like primitive times, finding food by hunting manually. No problem.
Beginnings are like this, right?
Just like in other isekai comics.
He struggled to catch a medium-sized fish. Somehow, he succeeded.
This is amazing. I managed to catch this fish with a surprise attack, but look, my clothes are all wet.
It's fine, the important thing is I can eat.
Let's start a campfire, we'll grill this fish.
I laughed when I realized my lighter was still in my pocket. "Haha, weird... my phone and other things are gone, but this survived? Maybe this is the Goddess's mercy," I said with a wide smile.
Gathering dry leaves and wood, he started a fire and grilled the fish. It was burnt on one side and raw on the other. However, Rian chewed it like it was a gourmet meal.
Huh? How did it cook so fast? Was the fire too big?
Whatever, I'll just eat it.
Even if it's burnt, when you're this hungry, it tastes like grilled fish from a five-star restaurant.
After he was full, he hunted again: rabbits, fish, wild fruits, and mushrooms. He stored them all one by one into the storage.
"STORAGE!"
The hologram flickered, and his hunted goods vanished one by one into the void.
I can't believe this storage makes it so much easier to survive.
I'm sorry I misjudged you, Goddess Bodas. Thank you for this useful skill.
As he walked, his eyes caught a dark cave behind a wall of dense bushes. He pushed the bushes aside. The entrance gaped open, dark and deep, like a waiting challenge.
Maybe I can use that cave as a temporary shelter.
What if it rains? It'll be a problem if I don't have cover.
Without hesitation, he stepped inside. But the cave was not empty.
From its depths, a rumble echoed. A large shadow moved. Heavy breathing shook the walls. The smell of damp earth and fungus filled the air.
Then, the creature emerged. A Troll. Its body was twice as tall as Rian. Its face was like chiseled quartz, overgrown with moss. In its hand, it gripped a giant club shaped like a chicken drumstick.
"Huwwaaaaa!" the Troll roared. Its club slammed down toward Rian.
He jumped back reflexively. His legs were shaking violently.
"Wh-what is this?! A Troll?! No doubt... this is really a Troll!" I stammered in panic.
My hands were shaking badly. I only have the sword on my arm that I can use right now.
My knees feel weak, but if I just stand here like this, I could die again.
So, there are two choices: Fight or run?
The Troll swung again, this time right at him. He tried to dodge, but his foot stepped on a rock.
"Ehh? Like this again? No, no, I can't die the same way again..."
He slipped and fell, but managed to protect his head with his arm before hitting the ground. The Troll's club crashed past Rian's head as he was falling. This time, the incident saved him.
Rian panted. "Huh... almost died twice the same way. Experience really is expensive."
Panic enveloped his chest. Then he remembered his bow.
Hastily, he pulled it out of the Storage. His hands trembled as he nocked an arrow.
"It's impossible to fight it up close. This bow is my only hope."
He aimed for the Troll's stomach, hoping there was a monster core inside. But because he was shaking, his aim was off.
The arrow flew... and lodged in the Troll's eye.
The creature roared in pain, clutching its face.
Rian blinked. Then, slowly, a confident smile appeared on his face. "Heh... luck counts as a skill, too."
The Troll rampaged, blind in one eye. Rian charged forward, dagger in hand, and stabbed its other eye.
His dagger sank deep. The Troll shrieked, grabbed Rian, and threw him like a doll against the stone wall.
"Thud!"
Reflexively, my hands tried to brace my body as I sped toward the stone wall. Pain shot through my left arm.
I heard a terrible cracking sound.
My head slammed hard against the wall, my vision blurring.
The world spun. Blood filled my mouth. My mind was in chaos.
"So this is... how I die again...?"
Darkness began to creep into the edges of my vision.
Such was my fate on the first day in the fantasy world. I thought it would be as smooth as in the comics, but it turns out it wasn't that easy.