A warm breeze blows, birds sing, the sun shines on the distant snowy mountain peaks.

*...ooOOHHHhh, hHHHaaa...*

Fresh air caresses my healthy lungs, green grass tickles my bare feet...

Oh, I hadn't thought of that.

I am completely naked! Moreover, I am much smaller than I remember. Well, at least there is hair on my head. The molten plastic scar on my left hand is gone. My left knee and neck don't hurt anymore.

— *khem-khem* One, two, three. Testing, testing. World, meet Edmund!

Hm, I'm younger now. Apparently, the biological age of this body is not more than fourteen and a half years, but the voice is slightly lower than I imagined. Sounds cool.

Where are those... Ah, here they are! Human binocular vision is different from vision in the "astral body" state. Biosphere spirits now look more distinct than before. I can even make out their facial features, which is odd, considering my myopia... It is worth thanking them for such a beautiful body without flaws. It is better to try to keep it safe.

— He's looking at us.

— We did everything right, didn't we?

— What if Heart gets angry?

— The last time it got angry at Apocalypse, he was sealed up afterwards.

As before, their voice sounds directly in my mind. So, I will have to answer in the same way.

— Stop being so afraid, I haven't said anything yet! Now explain to me: why am I... smaller?

— There was not enough material.

— Too much life energy can not be consumed, otherwise the forest will suffer.

— You don't have to continue, it's all clear. Thank you for the new body. I will remember you as very generous spirits.

...and smile amiably. Yep, perfect. P-perfect? I scared them even more. Ah, my facial muscles are different now. Anyway, why are they afraid of me? No, seriously: even I don't understand this!

— *a-argh!* What is wrong with me?! Can you just stop acting like this? Okay, you know what? Just point me in the direction of the nearest person, and that's it.

The biosphere spirits nodded at the same time and instantly disappeared from sight, leaving a faint trail of glowing light-green dust. And let them go! The route is there, now I need a plan of operation. It is unlikely that "I need your clothes, your boots, and your horse" will work on this "nearest person". And in general, if there are no monsters here in this forest, it does not mean that there are no ordinary predators.

I should pick up a few rocks and a heavy, strong branch. This oak one looks like it's about to fall off on its own. I grab it with both hands, like a horizontal bar, and pull it down.

*CR-CR...*

Must pump, pump, pump!

*CRACK*

Here, this one will do. Oh, what a smooth stone! These small stones I will take in my left hand, and the large smooth one in my right one, in the place with the club. Not very convenient, but I can always drop one and take the other.

Judging by the position of the sun and the state of the flora around, it is the middle of spring, and it is not yet noon. Presumably, I am on the border of the subtropical and temperate climatic zones, but the landscape reminds me of middle-southern Ciscaucasia.The climate is different from Earth because of the non-collision with Theia, the influence of spirits, and yet it is a different era. The trail of the spirits leads to the south, towards a low mountain, a little flatty

Blyat! I completely forgot about what an isekai'ed one needs to do first! Status! Nothing? Maybe I ought to think even louder.

«STATUS!»

Wrong word?

«Display status!»

«Interface!»

Aloud?

— Status! Show the status! System! Open the status! Terminal! Open inventory! Analysis!

(it was at this moment I knew, I f███ed up.)

I may not have particularly liked the ubiquitous genre of literary RPG before, but I recognized the convenience of "system". The presence of something like this in the world allows main character to get free imbalanced cheats, or upgrade himself non-stop to become the strongest and, without any serious difficulties, go through their plot.

And in a world without a "system"? The main characters of such stories either have a superpower from birth, or they get it in some way, or they are trained. What do I have? No "system" with imbalanced skills, no parents who would hire a magic teacher, no fencing instructor, nothing.

I don't even know what "strong soul" means! Can I use a lot of powerful magic? Do I have high mental damage resistance? I don't know!

— WHY TH-...!

Oops, I almost yelled. I don't want to attract the attention of people (or predators) ahead of time.

So, I don't even have a special goal... Just clearing out dungeons is boring and dangerous. What if there are no organizations like an adventurer's guild?

The sun is already at its zenith. I'm very close to the foot of the mountain. The trail of spirits followed an apparently newly trodden path. I tried to avoid places where there might be insects, as well as grass. I'm not an insectophobe, but in another world there may be a bug that turns people into fire. Also, a common tick can easily kill me.

The nearest person is somewhere ahead, but it is better to be stealthy. I never know, if there are no humans at all. I already had experience in stealth movement when I participated in laser tag games on an overgrown training ground with several buildings.I could determine enemy's location by ear and hit him with a ricochet from the polished ceiling... Ah, nostalgia! I was then... thirteen, no, twelve years.

I can already hear human voices, but I can't make them out: it's too far away and too quiet. Like a ninja in the bushes, I slowly move closer to the source of the noise.

After some time of "stealthy walkthrough", I can finally hear a loud conversation between two men. The strange thing here is that I understand what they are saying as if they were speaking in Russian. I still can't make out the separate words, I have to get closer.

— ...-op taking my apples!

— They don't have your name on 'em.

— Save some for me!

While they're arguing, I'll get even closer to see them.

— Listen 'ere, Vasya, by the right of seniority, I should eat more.

Subordination, I see.

— Tsk, okay...

— *MuNCh-muNCh-munch*

— ...

Say something else already!

— Listen, samo, what are we going to do after the head gets the ransom?

o_o

Eh?

— Rest assured, our gang will live happily! For so many hostages, we'll get a lot of imperials from the fio-... foe-... feudaler.

— Feudal? Pomeschik? [1]

— ...Yep. He has only one daughter, and he values his people. Cornball-lord, in short. You were right to leave that dump. With our head, you will become a great man! Only don't you dare touch the hostages, or he'll send his regiment after us.

So, while they were sitting in front of a long-dead bonfire on camp-stools against the wall and discussing the fabulous bright future of their OCG [2], I got a good look at these two. Bandit "Vasya": long neck, brown hair, brown eyes, just a nose, slightly large ears, thin, height ~180 cm, gray hemp shirt, common pants and shoes. On his back is a wooden hunting bow and a quiver of arrows, and on his belt is a long hunting knife without a scabbard. He can't be more than eighteen years old. Bandit "Danya": a little shorter than Vasya, well-fed, shoulders wider and looks thirty-five years old, but in other characteristics they are similar. At his belt is a short Romanesque sword in a primitive scabbard and a dagger.

Dangerous.

If they notice, I'll die right away. I don't think anyone in this world would think of two bandits. Assumption: Vasya is new to the gang, a hesitant hunter. If I throw a large stone into the far bush to the left behind me, and then I throw small stones further and further away, then Danya will send Vasya to check out. Quietly knock out one, pick up the bow, shoot the another one. Yes, it's a good plan, in the style of Jason Brody.

I won't hesitate because I have no reason to. Only a naive fool would not kill a person in a situation where it is necessary, and I am not a fool. These two are just steps on my way to becoming the perfect person! And so, filled with ambitious plans, I implement them:

*RuSTle, pong, rustle-rustle-rustle*

— Yo, what is this?

— It must've been some kind of animal. A rabbit.

— So, go and catch it!

— Stop telling me what to do!

— Don't be impertinent, or you'll get a smack in the face!

I am really nervous right now. It is very easy to make a mistake under such intense stress. But not for me! I left some rocks behind just in case, which is now the case. Throwing them further away from their place, I forced the hunter to move away from his partner by twenty or twenty-five meters. This is not a game where I can press one button to initiate a takedown.

— "Go here, do this, go there, do that." Pain in ass.

— What did you say?!

I've taken the hunter so far (~30 m already, I guess?) that they have to shout at each other.

— There's no rabbit here, I said!

— Huhu, bend down and take a better look! No, even lower. Even lower. Yeah, that's it. May my eyes not see you, ha-ha!

Yeah, that's it. Perfect! He's so close, but he doesn't even know I'm here! Not now. The hunter almost saw me when he turned his head to the left. Fortunately, I managed to hide my silhouette behind a tree. When he looks to the right, I'll hit him on the neck with the thick end of the branch. Judging by the rustle of clothing, the hunter turned away. Now!

*HCRACK!*

By repeating one of the certain trash-hero's favorite moves with terrifying accuracy, I've achieved the desired result. I won't let his body fall and make a noise. After I carefully laid the body on grass, I check the pulse, respiration, and pupils. Pupils slightly dilated, no respiration, no pulse.

I have killed a real person.

Strange feeling. Guilt? It doesn't feel like it. After all, I am indirectly liable for the deaths of more than eight billion people. I will not apologize for simply expediting the inevitable. Then, what is this strange feeling of anxiety, regret...? No, nonsense. It is quite possible that an ordinary Japanese schoolboy in my place would immediately grab his head in horror and start whining. Head... Is there something wrong with my head?

— Stop beating around the bush! I'll eat the last apple!

I can't keep him waiting. I left a branch and a large smooth stone, threw on my quiver, and picked up the bow. Having prepared the arrow, I tried to pull string beforehand. Tense, but okay for my arms. I have to pull harder, and try to stabilize the shaking of the arrow, or whatever archers call it. I've never shoot a bow before, or maybe I don't remember it. I don't think it's that hard. Another fifteen seconds of pulling the bowstring, and I understood enough how to do that.

— Have it your way, I'm already taking it in my hands! It's so big, red, juicy...

I am insanely lucky today: the shadow of trees covers the bush closest to the bandit, in which I again hid. I reload my bow with the faceted arrow and pull on the twisted hemp string, and then I take a deep breath. Holding my breath, I try to make the most accurate, practically silent shot. I am definitely doing it wrong.

*hooow*

I missed. Danya the bandit looks astonished, as he dropped his apple. But there's nothing to worry about, he thinks that his "junior" just decided to make a joke. He's thinking, isn't he? Isn't he? Blyat, I've been spotted! Hurry up and reload!

He abruptly jumped up from the stool and ran towards the mountain wall. Trying to push aside a bunch of branches with leaves, he hesitates. During this time, I managed to run up to him unnoticed at close range and shoot.

— *Gha*!

Hit just below and to the right of the center of the left shoulder blade. I knew that faceted arrows have an increased piercing effect. Even at a distance of five meters to hit it in heart was a lot of effort and luck. I don't like it. The body has fallen, but is still twitching? I will finish his agony with his own dagger, and then I will explore the cave hidden behind the branches later.

On my first day of living in another world, I killed two people.

"I wanted to be good," right?

— How could I get to that bullshit?

Just like that, huh? Born a few hours ago, and already a killer, huh? «It will be hard wiith no system/cheats», huh? Heart must be looking down upon me now, and deeply regretting its decision to let me come to the surface.

But I am different.

I am absolutely free of regrets!

Now, I understand: by sacrificing yourself, I will gain nothing. Sacrifice another, take away their hope, break their will, and so I will taste the fruit of truth!

Nah, sounds too pretentious.

— So, that's what you had thought, Edmund...

Am I pretentious? I hope Heart doesn't find me like this.

— Yes. Truth was... Truth is, but where it was back then?

— I am the one who is asking this question, and you are the one who will answer. Continue.

— Hey, are you going to tell me how biosphere spirits came to their weird idea?

— ... Of course.