Bang!
Minori raised the iron sword in his hand to block. A flash of black-and-gray steel smashed into the blade with a heavy, muffled thud.
Crunch—crack!
The sword groaned under the pressure. Jagged gaps tore open along its edge, and Minori's arms went numb from the impact.
Across from him, the silver-white creature paused in mid-motion, seemingly surprised that its blow had been blocked.
Minori used that brief lull to retreat several steps, glancing down at the damaged blade. The sight of those gaping cracks made his eyelid twitch slightly.
"…I thought it was just more ogres invading my domain again.""But it turns out to be you—a human? Were you the one controlling them? You look like a spellcaster, yet you blocked my strike."
A curious, slightly aloof voice spoke up.
Minori looked up.
Standing across from him was a bizarre beast—a monster coated in silver-white fur, towering over two meters tall and vaguely resembling a hamster. But whatever cuteness that comparison implied was shattered the moment you looked closer.
Its muscular forelimbs hung lazily by its sides, each finger tipped with a jagged gray-black claw over a meter long, still wet with ogre blood.Most eye-catching of all was the twenty-meter-long tail—serpentine, scaled, and writhing behind it like a coiled whip.
Silver runes shimmered faintly through its thick fur, glowing with a slow pulse.
The creature radiated an unnatural sense of weight and dominance.
If Ainz called this thing "cute," Minori thought dryly, then he and I clearly have different standards.
"Have you gazed upon my glorious form and been struck silent by awe and fear?"
The silver beast—Hamsuke, the Wise King of the Forest—grinned, baring serrated teeth. Its tone swelled with pride, like a performer long isolated from the stage.
"Hahaha! You're speechless, aren't you? I understand. I'll honor your bravery with a swift and painless death. After all…""You've entered my domain. And prey doesn't talk back."
Minori let out a soft sigh and tossed his iron sword aside.
"Hmm? Giving up already?" Hamsuke blinked. "But you withstood my strike. I had hoped for a better fight."
"I'm just switching weapons." Minori reached to his waist, drawing a fresh sword from his Item Box. "And you talk too much."
"…Talk too much?" Hamsuke's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't sound like praise. Hmph! Perhaps it's better to silence you permanently!"
Bang!
The Wise King charged, kicking up wind and leaves with a leap. His massive body lunged down like a falling boulder.
"Dark Wave!"
Minori's shout echoed as dark energy erupted around him, radiating in a pulse. The miasma washed over Hamsuke mid-pounce.
The beast's charge halted mid-air.
He froze in place for a heartbeat—but unlike the ogres earlier, there was no blank look in his eyes.
"What is this?" Hamsuke muttered, voice tinged with surprise.
The fear effect didn't take hold.
Minori didn't hesitate. He dashed forward and swung with full strength.
"Quick Slash!"
His iron blade howled through the air, striking Hamsuke's broad chest. Black curse energy flared.
Clang!
Only a tuft of silver hair was shaved off.
Minori's eyes sharpened. No blood. No wound. Not even a scratch.
That's not just high defense. That's armor-grade skin. A passive skill… maybe even a racial trait.
Boom!
Hamsuke's body twitched as he regained control and leapt back. Panic flickered briefly in his gaze.
"What did you just do?!" His haughty tone was gone, replaced with suspicion. When he realized he was unharmed, he exhaled in relief. "…Annoying."
"You're not the only one with tricks!" Hamsuke growled.
A glowing magic rune bloomed around his chest.
"Charm of All Races!"
Minori's eyes narrowed. Mind control.
"Immortal Spirit!"
His spell activated instantly. A translucent halo flickered around his head, negating the incoming enchantment.
Though the bunko version of the novel claimed Hamsuke had no talent for magic, Minori didn't take any chances. Real life wasn't always bound by text.
His gaze dropped to the corner of his interface.
[Skill Points: 39 → 38]
He opened the charm skill description:
[Charm of All Races – Lv4]MP Cost: 20Effect: Exerts charm-based mind control on any race.
Bingo.
That was the real prize here. Khajiit and Duogan had both only used [Human Race Charm], which Minori had passed on.
But this? This was a versatile, superior version. One he hadn't encountered before.
So that's why I provoked him… and it worked.
But even so, he hadn't expected Hamsuke's defense to be this absurd.
"I need to fall back."
Minori turned, scooped up the little evil dog, and whispered, "Fly."
Blue mana surged beneath his feet—and with a whoosh of wind, he launched into the sky.
"Get back down here, damn human!!"
Hamsuke snarled from below, tail lashing violently. He leapt, slashing toward the fleeing figure—but he was too late.
The tail fell short as Minori soared above the canopy.
Enraged howls echoed through the forest behind him.
Minori hovered high above, looking down at the silver figure rampaging below, crashing through leaves and branches without direction.
This… is the difference that skills can make.
He exhaled, looked to the eastern horizon, and shifted course toward the far side of the forest.
The wind rushed past his ears.
Sunlight bathed his body as he glided over endless green jungle. The sight, the sensation—it stirred something deep within him.
"Power changes everything," Minori murmured, voice nearly lost in the breeze. "This world... it feels real."
Then his thoughts turned back to the fight. The thrill had worn off.
"I underestimated Hamsuke."
The Wise King had clearly been holding back, playing with his prey. Yet even that much had proven difficult to overcome.
"Still…" Minori glanced at his interface again. "Now that I've acquired this skill, the next step becomes possible."
Ahead, the dense forest began to split.
From high above, a deep fissure was visible—cutting through the jungle like a scar.
If the goblin Agulu hadn't lied, then that crack marked the domain of Gu, the ogre—and one of the forest's other rulers.