Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Gekokujou

I quenched my hunger by going after the small preys .

It was through this that I was able to pass the night .

The number of preys I had devoured total to four . 2 of which are rabbits, one is a frog, and another one is a lizard .

Having a meal like this, if I were still human, then I would have undoubtedly already thrown up . There’s no question to it . With this meal, and last night’s rest, there’s no more doubt left within me .

Monster .

I am a monster .

Seeing this hideous form of mine has already become somewhat normal . At the very least, I no longer quiver when I see myself .

Besides, it’s not all that bad . I noticed it when I had first hunted . This body is considerably more formidable than that of humans .

Eyes that see in the dark, nails that can tear apart its preys, and fangs strong enough to crunch with . Such power could not even be compared to a human’s puny strength .

Furthermore, there is no longer anything to fear when it comes to unclean water . This body’s resistance is exceptional, unclean water won’t graze it .

Humanity had shed many things through the course of evolution . And those things that humanity has lost, this body still possesses .

If I so desired, I could live the rest of my days like this, and I wouldn’t have the slightest bit of trouble . Because this body is actually more convenient than my human body .

Of course, I’d like to be excused from having to be reduced to living here as a monster .

Slumping down beneath the shade of a tree, I began to think .

Now, what should I do? 

I definitely don’t want to become a monster .

I had once read something about a situation like this before . It was a story about a man who became a tiger . In that story, the man grew insane, and he became not only a tiger in mind, but even in body .

I don’t wish to end up like that .

Chances are, I am in a different world . And most likely, I am no longer human . Then in that case, I must find a way to go back .

Now, what should I do?

I pondered my course of action to myself as I toyed with the rabbit I’d caught just before daybreak .

Thinking back on it, didn’t that goblin talk?

“Get feeds”, he said .

He said, he certainly did . If so, then he is capable of speech .

Since mutual understanding is possible, then wouldn’t that imply that there are other goblins as well?

I may not know how to return, but if there’s a community, then there should be a way for me to get information .

With that, I set my mind . I take the rabbit and begin to walk towards that den .

But as soon as I did, I felt a chill run up my spine, causing me to stop in my tracks . As I felt that sensation run up me, I immediately jumped into a bush .

The fear circulated throughout my whole body, causing my feet to quiver uncontrollably .

Curious and alert, I strain my ears . There, a painful whizzing sound entered my ears . At the same time, I spotted a giant spider around the size of two grown men, walking like a king .

My heart was calm like ice, but my limbs quivered with no signs of stopping .

Logic questioned the monster’s identity, but my instinct roused some sort of primordial fear towards the beast .

My body couldn’t help but shake to the power balance between the predator and the prey . The one eating and the one being eaten .

Six completely red, inhuman eyes, swam around as it looked for its prey . While six limbs, each comparable to a human’s height, carried it .

“Kisha!”

The moment I thought that it had suddenly stopped moving, that monster spider abrutply jumped into a bush opposite the bush I was hiding in .

“Guwoo!”

The creature hiding within the opposite bush was startled, and panic-stricken . That creature had the hideous head of a pig, and at the same time, it had two legs to walk on . In other words, an Orc .

Panicked, the orc tried to run away, but the monster spider chased after it . The orc tried to jump out of the bushes, but the monster spider skillfully moved its long limbs with a speed far too fast for the eyes see, driving it into a corner .

Driven into a corner, the orc was pushed down from behind with two of the spider’s legs . Then, the monster spider brought its chilling jaws towards the orc’s head . With a ‘chomp’, it bit into the head of the orc, crushing its cranium and releasing a plethora of spinal fluid, brain matter, and blood, into its mouth . As the pieces of that hideous pig head swam within that carnivorous aperture, the monster spider voraciously devoured every single bit of it as it took its time, enjoying mealtime .

Seeing the battle of the two monsters at the top of the food chain unfold right before my eyes . This monstrous body of mine, could not help but shake .

However, I gathered every sense of reason I had within my body, mustering whatever courage I could to leave without a sound . After I’d taken some distance, I immediately sprinted as fast as I could and I headed towards the den .

I, who have and should have lived amongst humans all my life, had just been awoken to the absurdity of nature, the law of the jungle .

△▼△

“Gigi!”

Incomprehensible sounds escaped my mouth, as I screamed while I ran .

But upon reaching the den, I could not help but feel hesitant to enter that dark and narrow hole . However, I could spare no time dallying for that giant spider may come at any moment . Having no time left, I raised my voice, and called out towards the den . A short while passed, and the goblin from before came out .

“Feed . ” 

The same, hideous face, accompanied by a gaze that couldn’t be described as anything else but hate . However, there was one thing that startled me, the difference in our heights .

Though I had only passed a night outside, it would appear that I had already sprouted a fair bit .

I handed the rabbit to the goblin, and it glanced at it, without saying a word . Then it disappeared into the den . I didn’t know whether I should chase after it or not, but after a while, it came back out . With a stern look, it roared at me .

“Come! Enemy, coming!”

The goblin strongly pulled on my arm, and brought me into the den .

I leaked a cry to that overbearing strength . Apparently, it never had any intentions of holding back in the first place .

The goblin then threw me into a room, and it quickly went over to pick up a club .

“Get . ” 

As I looked around me, I noticed something . The room may appear to be a little shoddy, but it is actually an armory .

In any case, it wants me to pick one, right?

As I felt fear towards the goblin, I searched the armory for a weapon . Unfortunately, they were all of poor quality .

It’s not like I was expecting these monsters to have a Japanese Katana or a spear, but even then, I was hoping for something that at least resembled a weapon .

With that in mind, I labored to find something more fitting of fantasy, like something that resembles a long sword . Unfortunately, however, all I could find were a reasonably long club, a pointed picket, and a fork that’s used for farming .

Well, better than nothing I suppose .

With that I convinced myself, and I took the club .

“Come . ”

Said the goblin as we quickly left the room .

While I was half in thought, I followed after it .

△▼△

“Hurry . ”

The guy urged me to go faster, while I had to go reduce its unrestrained club . I had thought that it only wanted me to pick a weapon, but then it drove me to the surface, and then it even made me run . Finally, after being thoughtlessly hurried, we arrived at our supposed destination, a village that looks to be abandoned .

I couldn’t really tell though, as to whether it was really an abandoned village or not, as I could spot some squirming shadows .

What are those?

It turns out that what had gathered there, was a large number of green goblins . And at the center of that was a boss-like existence that had red skin .

“Come!”

The goblin that came with me, took my arm by the hand, and brought me over to where that red boss was . As the goblin brought me, I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide at that thing that couldn’t be thought to have any trace of majesty .

The red goblin was of respectable stature, it big arms, a sharp glint in the eye, and more than anything, a hideous countenance . It was outfitted with a rusted armor, and a sword with a chip in the blade . Looking at it, I couldn’t help but want to doubt that we were of the same race .

“King, come . This, pipsqueak . ” 

Hearing those fragmented words, I had a fairly good guess at what these two’s relationship was .

The red one is their king, and these goblins are his servants . And so, this guy is making me have an audience with the king as someone who is even lower than him .

Then abruptly, the king looked at me .

“You, last . Slow bastard, give punishment . ” 

In other words, he wishes to punish me because I’m last?

Don’t fuck with me… who do you think you are?

As I thought that, the goblin beside the red bastard already had me pinned down .

“Me, gentle . Will not kill you . ” 

Looking up, my eyes intersected with the red goblin’s eyes .

When I saw that monster’s eyes, I thought to myself that I would never forget that sight .

Those eyes were muddied with a sense of superiority and contempt . The kind of condescending look that a parent, a teacher, or a shitty sibling would give you .

Then I felt my back get hit .

“Gugigi!”

Feeling that pain, I couldn’t help but let out a cry .

That red goblin was hitting me with a club, while showing signs of pleasure .

It felt like it enjoyed it, persecuting me, and hitting me several times . After a moment, it stopped, and then it stepped on my head and said this .

“Me, King . Do not… disobey . ” 

I’ll kill you .

I don’t know where this is, but I’ll definitely kill you!

In this nightmarish world, for the first time, I was able to take back a nostalgic emotion .

It was a world of difference from that desire to eat, that was leading me just a while ago .

I don’t mind even if you say it’s human .

Perhaps you could say that such an emotion shouldn’t have been born in a world like this that is upheld by the law of the jungle . In such a world where the strong is always strong, and the weak is always weak .

“Reply . ”

As hate filled me, enough to the point where it could trickle, I replied .

“Gai”

I won’t defy .

As blue blood bled from my body, I swore, I’m going to kill this fucker .

△▼△

As I swore a curse while the goblin boss was stepping over me, I heard a voice that was close to a scream from somewhere distant .

“En . . . emy!” 

All of the sudden, I was kicked aside, and the red boss’ raised its voice .

While I was thrown away to the ground like trash, I absentmindedly stared at that scene .

Beside the red goblin were many goblins, and at the end of its sight were three orcs .

Those orcs mowed down several dozens of goblins as it drew near the red goblin .

But despite the overwhelming number of the goblins, the orcs that were 2 times their size, easily swept them with its club .

They aren’t a match .

That was my honest impression . With that big of a difference in body, there’s no way they could win an upfront fight .

With a swing, their heads were crushed, and their spinal fluids burst . The goblins attacked the orc one after another . But their bulky blades were stopped by the orc’s fat, and were unable to deliver a fatal wound .

During all of this, the red goblin only stared at the goblins without going out to help .

That red boss only looked on at those orcs as they were surround by a wall of green goblins . As it looked on, it even made the goblins beside it join the fight .

But such a thing was meaningless . Something like that could not possibly hope to stop the ever pushing orcs . And using their bodies, the orcs were able to break through the wall of goblins .

One goblin falling was all that was needed . As long as one fell, the wall, too, would follow . But it’s not like the orcs were without wounds . In fact, the orcs had wounds all over their body, so much so, that they were angered . You could see their eyes flicker with anger, with no trace of any reason left .

They must have been desperate to get out of that encirclement .

And then one of those orcs drew towards the red goblin, and it crashed with it .

“Gururu!”

“Guga!”

Although it was the clashing of two monsters, it ended quickly .

All that was left was the expected result .

That orc ignored the deep cut from its shoulder, sent the red goblin flying, and they disappeared into the forest .

As for the red goblin, I think it’s lost its consciousness .

It’s not even twitching .

As I thought that, I noticed a sword from the edge of my eyes . The sword that was dropped, the sword with a chipped blade .

Tu tump .

In that instant, I heard my heart’s beat as it began to race . .

I mustered whatever strength I could, ignoring the grumbling of the monster as I sit up .

“Gi, gigi–––“

Well, well . This is quite the fortuitous turn of events, isn’t it?

Right?

Despite being lightheaded, I grab that thing that caught my attention .

The long sword with a chipped blade .

Then I drew near that motionless red goblin .

It shouldn’t have died after just that .

“Gigigi . ”

––––Die, bitch .

I thrust the long sword into the red goblin’s neck with all of my strength .

When the sword’s tip had deeply pierced its throat, I swung the sword horizontally .

“Gigugyaguguaa!”

“Dji, ––Djai”

And as the red goblin’s death throe echoed, it breathed its last, and then it ceased .

“Gu, Babbabba…”

I killed it .

“Gigigugugagu”

What is this?

I’m actually a lot more rattled than I’d expected .

“Gi, gigu!?’ 

As I thought that, I felt something burst from inside me, causing me to fall to my knees .

“Gigi, guha!?”

As I felt something strange from within me, I couldn’t help but hold my head . Something was happening . Something inexplicable, a horrifying sensation of some sort, eating me from inside .

There, I heard a sword fall with a thud from a distance .

“Ah… ahhh…”

Only a second had passed, yet it felt like an hour of pain . As that pain receded, I looked around .

Too quiet .

Looking around, I found to my surprise that the goblins were all looking at me .

Am I… am I in trouble?

Unfortunately though, I cannot muster even the slightest strength . Not even the strength to run away .

As I feared for the worst, a goblin stepped forward .

“King . ”

What?

“Ahh?”

What did this goblin say just now? King?

“Your orders . ”

Doubtingly, I stared back at those clumsy words, then I looked at my arms .

Red, hideous, and hard like steel .

How should I describe the emotions I felt at this time?

It wasn’t the simple happiness of becoming strong . Nor was it repugnance from being tainted with ugliness . Rather, I was intoxicated .

To what I wonder .

But regardless, I am definitely intoxicated .