Chapter 1: Life in the Mountains is Tough

In the center of this world’s largest continent, there is a mountain where no one sets foot or even approaches. Above a certain altitude, the weather changes at a dizzying pace, as if rejecting anyone who tries to climb it. It is in a constant state of natural disaster, so extreme that not even the smallest footprint can be left behind.

Furthermore, if the creatures known as monsters inhabiting that mountain were to be classified using the universally established rank system of “S, A, B, C, D, E, and F,” every single one of them would fall into the highest tier: S-rank.

To put the strength of an S-rank monster simply, they are at a disaster level where an order of elite knights from a major country might barely manage to repel one at the cost of tremendous sacrifices, or conversely, be entirely wiped out. It is a well-known fact that they cannot be defeated solo. However, S-rank being the “highest tier” is merely a classification arbitrarily decided by humans. Among the monsters living in this mountain, there are those that surpass even that S-rank. It is a forbidden mountain that one must never enter without preparation…

…I found myself remembering a story I had heard a long time ago.

Why was I recalling such a thing, you ask? Well, it’s because the place I’m in right now is the forest at the foot of that very mountain! Hahaha… haah… I might be doomed… Please forgive my unfilial passing.

If you’re wondering why I’m in such a place, it’s the result of dashing out of the Royal Capital in tears and running recklessly without looking ahead.

Yeah, from now on, I’ll make sure to look ahead when I run. I shouldn’t rush out blindly. It’s bad, absolutely.

But it’s not like I’m stupid. Really.

Once I realized I was near the central mountain, I tried to leave immediately. Fortunately—or perhaps luckily—I was saved by the fact that I hadn’t gone above a certain altitude.

I thought about quickly leaving the forest and finding a nearby town, but… it seems the world doesn’t work out that easily.

Right now, there are monsters right in front of me.

Two monsters were blocking my path, refusing to let me advance: a disgusting creature with a fish-like body sprouting limbs, and a bipedal cat monster wearing gloves on its hands and boots on its feet.

Or rather, having seemingly recognized me as prey, the fish one was opening and closing its mouth, while the cat one was licking its lips. The fish might just be breathing, though…

—I’m not delicious, you know?

I wanted to say that, but would they even understand me? No, logically speaking, they wouldn’t…

And why are a fish and a cat attacking me together anyway?! Normally, shouldn’t the cat be attacking the fish? Why are they working hand in hand to attack me? Is this a place where common sense doesn’t apply?

Ah, what a pain. A real pain. What kind of place is this…? If the forest at the foot of the mountain is like this, what kind of monsters are on the mountain itself…?

While sweating cold bullets and thinking such things, I slowly backed away. Matching my movements, the two creatures also inched forward.

It’s true that over the past two years, I’ve trained myself and gained a little experience fighting monsters through Adventurer’s Guild requests, but even I could tell. I understood from the aura they exuded that the two creatures in front of me were on a completely different level from the monsters I had fought so far.

If I fought them as I am, I’d just be brutally killed. I mean, I brought a little bit of money, but I forgot to bring a sword for self-defense. I was totally out of it, so I guess it can’t be helped…

No, a bad situation is unfolding right in front of me, so it definitely can’t be helped. In that case, my only option is to run. Since I can’t go down, the natural direction to head is… up.

I immediately turned on my heel and ran through the forest, aiming for the mountain.

I could sense the two creatures chasing me from behind. I was driven by the urge to check over my shoulder, but I shook off the thought and just kept looking forward, running continuously.

I moved my legs desperately, dashing through the trees, but perhaps the difference in our fundamental physical abilities was too great, as they caught up to me almost immediately.

In an instant, perhaps my sixth sense kicked in, a chill ran down my spine, and I reflexively jumped to the side.

My body slammed hard against a tree, sending a sharp pain through my back, but in the spot where I had just been, stood the cat with long, sharp claws extending from its gloves.

—That was close.

If I had continued straight ahead, those claws would have undoubtedly pierced my body. Terrified by how easily my life could have ended, my body naturally began to tremble violently.

I fell on my rear and slowly backed away, but soon hit a tree and couldn’t retreat any further.

—Ah, is this where it ends for me?

The tears I thought had dried up from the fear of death once again wet my cheeks. However, the two monsters showed no signs of attacking.

Why?

Observing the two monsters closely, their gaze wasn’t on me; they were frozen, staring at something behind me.

Following their line of sight, I stealthily peeked from the shadow of the tree to check behind me, and there stood a massive “Dragon.”

A “Dragon.” Let me say it again. A “Dragon.”

Looking up from below, my vision was filled with a giant Black Dragon that seemed to cover the entire sky. The Black Dragon was staring intently at the two monsters. When the Black Dragon licked its lips as if it had found prey, the two monsters scattered and fled at top speed.

The Black Dragon, which had been watching them with a bored expression, now turned its gaze toward me.

—So I am going to die here after all.

In a situation where all I could do was laugh, I prepared for death. But just as it had looked at the two monsters, the Black Dragon looked at me with boredom, let out a massive “Kuwaaah” yawn, flapped its wings, and flew away from the area.

For a while, I sat there in a daze, only realizing much later that I had actually been saved.