| Author: TA☆KA | Original Source: Kakuyomu / Syosetu |
| Translator: Jiro | English Source: Re:Library |
So, what was I going to do?
“There’s quite a few of them. And they’re coming in a group… I don’t want them to pollute the water1, so I guess I’ll drag them away from here.”
With that, I bounced a few dozen meters away from the lakeshore.
As I moved, a group of Mobs followed after me. Luckily, I’d learned a few things while making my way through the dense forest and fighting all those Mobs.
First was that there were those that would attack me the moment they saw me. Those Mobs were known as an Active Type. The others were the Non-Active Type. They wouldn’t approach me unless I provoked them first.
Generally speaking, the Active types were carnivorous. While the Non-Actives were herbivorous. However, even the most herbivorous Mobs were territorial and would attack if I intruded. So, I couldn’t just rely on a Mob’s appearance to judge.
For the time being, I’d decided to avoid Non-Active ones as much as possible. And if the Active ones recognized me as prey and attacked, I’d fight back! The Mobs who were heading towards me were all Active ones and looked to be quite hungry.
“There’s about 200 or 300 of them. And all of them are Highland Gremlins.”
A writhing black mass crawled around me. A Highland Gremlin was a black ogre, standing only about 40 to 50 centimeters tall. Its body had short, crab-like legs, while its long arms sported dirty, sharp claws on both hands and feet.
Its face was flat, resembling that of a frog, with long, pointed ears that were longer than half its face. Its mouth stretched all the way to the ears, revealing yellowing fangs that jutted out in a messy, crooked line.
The creature’s long, narrow yellow eyes darted around frantically, with vertical pupils that never seemed to stop moving. From its forehead to the back of its head, a row of small horns formed a ****’s comb, while its skin, covered in black scales, gleamed with a slimy sheen.
Hundreds of these creatures gathered around me, forming a space about five meters in diameter, their black bodies creating an impenetrable wall. Countless yellow eyes glowed ominously in the dim light.
One of the gremlins, positioned at the front of the group, seemed unable to contain its hunger. It let out a wild scream, drool spilling from its gaping mouth, before leaping toward me with reckless energy.
But just as that first gremlin leaped up, it popped out of existence almost instantly. As if following some unspoken command, the others swarmed in like a flood. Yet, each one that jumped burst in midair, like water balloons exploding in every direction.
One by one, countless gremlins burst and scattered without ever reaching me, as if some invisible barrier shielded me.
“Yah!” “Ha!” “Hiya!” “Eat this!” “You!”
I shouted, striking down each gremlin with my sword as they flew by, my movements swift and unrelenting.
“Have a taste of this!” “Hyaaa!” “One more!” “Aaa!” “Have this!” “You fat b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲!” “Take this!” “Yaa!”
I yelled as more and more of them were cut down.
To the right, to the left, diagonally, and upward—each one popped and scattered. The edge of my sword left behind a glowing afterimage, a trail of light as it sliced through the air.
“Hoah!” “Nyaaah!” “Eat this!” “Upsie!” “Look at this!” “Eat this!”
Soon, the gremlins’ flesh and blood, which had been spraying everywhere, began to pile up. Like thick black tar, it formed a wall of carnage around me. The smell of raw meat filled the air, heavy and foul.
“Nu!” “Ugh” “Murgh!” “Guuh!” “Huu!” “Haaa!”
I wrinkled my nose at the stench but kept swinging my sword, not letting up for a second.
“Argh!” “Hyaa!” “Myaa!” “Gyaa!” “Shyyaa!” “Aaa!” “Oooo!” “Hugh!” “Ryaa!” “Yaaah!”
I paused for a moment, lowering my sword and dropping to the ground.
“Just blow up, would you?”
| Skill Name | Extensive Shock |
|---|---|
| Type | Enchantment Channeler Skill |
| Range | AoE (Area of Effect) |
| Description | Unleash a powerful shockwave with the user as the center, dealing damage and applying a DEF and Evasion Reduction debuff to all enemies within range. |
A massive explosion reverberated through the area, and the impact, radiating from me, spread over more than ten meters. All the remaining gremlins were obliterated, blown into tiny pieces along with the grotesque wall of flesh and blood that had surrounded me.
“Haaa. Finally over. To think that I still haven’t lost my breath after all that. This is only possible inside a dream!”
I thought, glancing around. The battlefield was littered with blackened flesh and blood splattered across a wide area.
“Now that’s gory! A Nightmare At 2,000 Meters Above Sea Level sounds like a fitting name. And no, it doesn’t take place on a plane!!”
And don’t judge me; I know it was a bad joke.
“Argh.” I sighed, stretching once more. “Okay, it’s all cleaned up. Time for a bath! I’ve got to wash off this nasty smell!”
With that, I stored my equipment in the inventory and headed toward the lake. Stripping off my clothes at the lakeshore, I ran straight into the water.
“Ahhhh. This is way better than what I imagined! I feel so relieved right now!”
Soon, the unmistakable sound of Susie’s soft, charming voice echoed across the plateau lake.
Inside the tent, wrapped in a furry blanket, I wriggled and squirmed to stay warm. The comfort of the blanket was too perfect to resist.
“You can’t beat this feeling. A blanket’s warm embrace is the best even inside of a dream!”
Pulling my face and shoulders out of the blanket, I raised my right hand above my head and stared at it for a moment.
“This is a dream, right? I doubt it’s one of those cliché stories where my consciousness was switched with someone else’s while in the dream.”
Raising my left hand as well, I thrust both hands upward in frustration.
“If that’s the case, then I’d die of shame if anyone found out the embarrassing things I did.” With a sigh, I let my arms fall limply to my sides.
“Nah, there’s just no way! It’s impossible. I’ve already slept twice, and I’m still here. Besides, this is a character from a game. There’s no way such an overpowered body could exist in real life.”
Pulling my arms back into the blanket, I hugged myself and lay down, feeling the warmth wrap around me again.
“It sure feels surreal to be in a dream and still be able to dream. But I guess it makes sense given this is a lucid dream2. I don’t know when I’ll wake up, but it’d be nice if I could enjoy this for just a bit more.
Soon, quiet sounds of sleep filled the tent.
Outside, the sky glittered with countless stars, as if they were on the verge of falling. A blue-tinted moon peeked gently from behind a small red-tinted one. The moons reflected in the mirror-like surface of the plateau lake, their light meeting and together illuminating the small tent that was placed by the lakeshore.
