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nLight

nDark

nI wake up from the alarm.

nThe time is 12 noon.

nWhen I looked at the monkey family, the two child monkeys were playing around an open space, but the big monkey was gone. It might have gone out to obtain food.

nIf those monkeys left, I could use that opening to escape, but it looks like the hopes for that are slim.

nWhat’s left is to escape in the dead of the night by slipping in the darkness.

nThere’s no choice of fighting those monkeys. If it is just those child monkeys, magic scrolls could do the job, but that will definitely create a hellish situation where the giant monkey searches every corner for humans with bloodshot eyes.

nThere’s also me simply not wanting to kill animals.

n“Let’s train my Spirit Abilities…” (Hikaru)

nIn the end, that’s all I can do right now.

nThe Abilities have Proficiencies and this is how they look right now.

nDark Spirit Ability

nTier 1 Ability

n・Revelation of Darkness Dark Mist Proficiency 89

n・View of Darkness Dark Vision Proficiency 15

n・Transformation of Darkness Shadow Runner Proficiency 0

nI have been using my Abilities till dawn yesterday while walking, so I feel like they have gone up a decent degree.

nTraining is good, but it seems like using them in actual practice is easier to raise them.

nOn top of that, I got a new Ability.

nLooks like it is a humanoid made of darkness… In other words, creating a decoy with darkness and have it run.

n“Decoy…! I can use this…!” (Hikaru)

nIt is a new Ability, so I want to use it at once.

nI have already confirmed that there’s no problem in using Abilities inside the barrier.

n“Shadow Runner!” (Hikaru)

nReacting to the activation of my Ability, darkness slowly appears from empty space and grows into a humanoid shape.

nMaybe because my Proficiency is low, even when it is called a runner, it isn’t an athlete but the shadow of a small child.

nIt is in the shape of a human, but there’s no density to it.

nIt began to run straight, but at the same time as it touched the film of the barrier, it disappeared. It is impossible to have Spirit Abilities affect the other side of the barrier, so it can’t be helped that it would result in this.

nIt doesn’t even serve as a false threat. It really is just an ability that makes a shadow run.

nBut it does look useful as a decoy. It can at least serve as a means to escape from this forest.

nThat hint really was an important hint.

n“Alright, gotta train!” (Hikaru)

nThe situation is difficult, but it looks like it is still too soon to give up.

n◇◆◆◆◇

nThe Barrier Stone runs out at 5:30pm.

nThe current time is 5:00pm.

nIn the 5 hours since then, I continued training my spells, and there have been quite the good results.

nDark Spirit Ability

nTier 1 Ability

n・View of Darkness Dark Vision Proficiency 17

n・Transformation of Darkness Shadow Runner Proficiency 30

nTier 2 Ability

n・Revelation of Darkness Dark Mist Proficiency 22

nDark Mist’s Proficiency reached its max value and has raised to Tier 2.

nThose tiers must be like the levels of the abilities, and when the Proficiency reaches 100, it goes to the next level.

nDark Vision has no effect when I use it at daytime, and the Proficiency barely increases, so I didn’t use it. It is also because the priority is low.

n“Dark Mist!” (Hikaru)

nWith my voice as the trigger, darkness appeared from empty space, and it eats away the light.

nMost likely because it has tiered up, I can now create pretty dense darkness with Dark Mist. The darkness can now cover all the barriers, so it can’t even be compared to the beginning. The darkness is also coming out a lot faster now.

nWith this, I might be able to go out without the monkeys noticing.

n“…But it isn’t getting as dark as I thought it would.” (Hikaru)

nMaybe because of the season, even at 5:00pm, the sky is maintaining its brightness. It is a situation where I can’t call it evening at all.

nAs for the monkey family, the giant monkey carried back a whole lot of food and they are having dinner time.

nThe chances of them being too into their food that they miss my presence are there…but they are slim.

nEven the child monkeys run more than 3 times faster than me. As for the giant monkey, I feel like it could go as far as 10 times faster. I can’t imagine myself outrunning them.

n“Let’s wait till night…” (Hikaru)

nI decide to keep it safe.

nChallenging it here wouldn’t be that bad, but it could also increase the alertness of the monkeys pointlessly.

nI don’t have many remaining points, but I gotta use them.

nI bought a Barrier Stone with 1 Point, and when the remaining time hit 1 minute, I broke it. You can overlap the times of the Barrier Stones. The remaining time is now 12 hours and 1 minute.

nI continued training my Spirit Ability till late in the night.

n◇◆◆◆◇

n“Alright… The moon is hidden because of the cloudy sky, so I would say this is a good time…” (Hikaru)

n2:00 at the dead of the night.

nIt is the time when even the plants are sleeping.

nEven with Night Vision, the surroundings were covered in way too dense darkness, to a creepy extent.

nBut right now they are all factors that will be a plus for me.

nI use Spirit Abilities over and over, and continue to the next step.

n“Darkness Fog.” (Hikaru)

nI chant the new Dark Mist that has reached 3rd Tier; new name, Darkness Fog.

nThe darkness that appeared instantly dyed the inside of the barrier in darkness until it was full.

nI was completely concealed and it will at least hide me from those who rely on their eyesight.

n“My Spirit Ability has also grown decently.” (Hikaru)

nDark Spirit Ability

nTier 1 Ability

n・View of Darkness Dark Vision Proficiency 38

n・Transformation of Darkness Shadow Runner Proficiency 64

nTier 3 Ability

n・Revelation of Darkness Darkness Fog Proficiency 2

nI feel as if using my abilities inside the barrier is easier, or like…the burden is lower, which makes it easier to utilize successively, but I am not even showing any signs of fainting.

nIt must be because the Tier and Proficiency have increased, and I am slowly getting familiar with their use.

n“I have prepared a new Barrier Stone too, so…let’s go…!” (Hikaru)

nI have 7 Points remaining.

nIt is finally beginning to feel scarce, but I actually got 1 Point while I was training on my Spirit Abilities. It is apparently because I am the first Chosen who has Reached Tier 3 Spirit Ability.

nThe other Chosen should be training in their Spirit Ability too though…

nIt really must be the difference in urgency as someone who has been random transferred. Of course, there’s the chance that Affection of the Spirits is doing its work. I am aware that I have been using abilities successively to an unnatural extent after all.

nBut well, I have no one to compare to, so this is just merely a possibility.

nWhichever the case, the First Achiever rewards me Crystals and Points, so it helps me greatly. For example; if I were to defeat that monkey, I might be able to get an achievement like ‘First Monster Subjugation’ -not like I can defeat it though.

nThe monkeys were hugging each other as they slept.

nThis monkey most likely doesn’t have any natural enemy in this forest. It is a defenseless sleeping posture.

nI can escape.

nI felt that confidence.

nThere’s still 3 and a half hours left in the barrier.

nBut I have to escape while it is still night.

n“Darkness Fog.” (Hikaru)

nI stack more onto it.

nI was inside dense darkness and it filled up the inside of the barrier completely.

n“Alright…” (Hikaru)

nI moved slowly and carefully in order to not make any noise, and when I reached the corner of the 3 meter radius barrier, I undo it.

nThe film of the barrier vanishes as if it melted, and I spread the darkness to the surroundings.

nFrom afar, it might have looked like darkness suddenly appeared to an unnatural extent.

nThe monkeys haven’t noticed.

nBut I am feeling a mysterious presence so strong it was prickling my skin.

nA presence I have been feeling the whole time since coming to this world.

nThe presence was so intense that it felt as if someone was by my side on this moonless night.

nBut I can’t let my mind wander to this mysterious presence.

nI carefully advance one step at a time so as to not make any sound.

nFortunately, the monkeys are not showing any signs of waking up.

nThere’s no moon in the sky, making the darkness of the night even denser.

n——-Fu…ufufu……fufu…

nI heard a voice.

nThe monkeys are sleeping.

nBut I heard the laughing of a girl from somewhere.

nIs it a new monster?

nI carefully advance as I check my surroundings.

nDespite me already using Dark Vision, I can’t see that far.

nIt is to a degree where I can barely see the sleeping monkeys 50 meters away.

nKusukusu…

nUfufu…

n(Again… What’s with this voice…?) (Hikaru)

nA mysterious voice that sounds as if it were really far yet right by my side.

nAs if it were a child playing around from faraway yet whispering in my ear.

nFufu…ufufu…

nThe voice was slowly getting clearer.

nThere was no distinct direction, and I can only feel as if it is meaningless noise, but the closer it gets, the more it begins to show some semblance of sentience.

nThe voice is directing her laughs at me…

nI am sure of that.

nI ignore the voice and hurry ahead.

nRight now my highest priority is making distance.

n“Darkness Fog.” (Hikaru)

nIt is a really dark night.

nIt is not something as simple as it being dark because there’s no moonlight, it was as if darkness was present here plainly as darkness itself. It was a night as if deep inside this space that’s dyed in black, there’s a bottomless ocean that stretches all the way to the horizon.

nIf I didn’t have Night Vision, I wouldn’t have been able to take a single step.

nI was hearing the voice endlessly.

nLike a girl, like a boy, like an elderly woman, like an infant…

nAs if radio noise was travelling far through the air and reaching my ears.

n—For some mysterious reason, I wasn’t scared of it.

nIf it had been the groan or the roar of a monster, I might have been scared, but the voice sounded like that of a person.

nAlso, I might have felt as if…someone was staying by my side in this lonely journey…

nMy distance from the monkeys was 100 meters…200 meters, smoothly getting further and further away.

n“Darkness Fog.” (Hikaru)

nIt was at the time when I chanted the Spirit Ability for who knows how many times now…

nThe darkness around began to grow noisy…trembling as if it were alive.

nThe air pulsated, even deeper darkness appearing from within the darkness…sticking thickly to the ground, the trunk of the trees, branches, leaves, and even the sky…

n(W-What’s going on…?) (Hikaru)

nThe ‘voice’ that I have been hearing until now had at some point stopped.

nNot only that, the sound of the wind, the noise of the insects; I couldn’t hear a single thing.

nI take out the Barrier Stone from my pocket, and ready myself.

nThere’s a monster nearby…?

nNo, there’s no way. There’s no sounds of footsteps…

nIs it not a living being…?

nThe darkness took shape…that was the only way I could describe this phenomenon.

nRight after I used the ability, something appeared from inside the darkness.

nI couldn’t tell my surroundings at all. Everything was dyed in darkness as if my Night Vision was serving no purpose at all.

nIt is not something as vague as a ghost.

nSomething of condensed darkness was somewhere around here…

nFar far away…or maybe right by my shoulder…

n—Hey, you look tasty.

nI heard this clearly by my ear.

nA feeling as if my life itself was caressed by a mass of tangible darkness.

nThe hairs on my whole body stood on end, and I reflexively broke the Barrier Stone.

n—Hmm, what a mysterious power…

n—The closer I try to get, the farther you get.

nAt that moment, I finally saw the ‘owner of that voice’.

nBlack, truly jet black contours.

nIt was inside darkness, and it was as if her figure itself was in even deeper darkness.

nThe outline of a girl with long hair waving with the wind.

nFortunately, it seems like she can’t enter the barrier, but it is walking around me with imperceivable movements.

n“W-Who are you?” (Hikaru)

nI somehow manage to ask her that.

nI don’t know what she is. This being is dangerous for me…I think.

nBut if words get to her, maybe there’s the chance that we can reach an understanding here?

n—Can’t tell who I am?

n—Even though you needed me that much? You love me, right?

n—I also love you. Now, undo this.

n—Let’s become one.

nLooks like that won’t work.

nThe ‘owner of the voice’ that could be called the Avatar of Darkness spoke words in a fluffy manner similar to her movements. The words itself are passionate, but her tone was emotionless without a single hint of warmth.

nThe only thing I can tell is that she is not an ally.

nI could also tell instinctively that fighting her would be pointless.

nEven so, it looks like she can’t enter the barrier and is simply moving around without any clear intent.

nAnd, different from the monkeys…she can see inside the barrier.

nIf she can see me, it would mean that she has no reason to leave.

nI am done for.

nHere I was, thinking I finally managed to get away from the monkeys, and yet, to think there was even something this incomprehensible living here. I mistook how horrifying a danger level 4 forest was.

n—Now, now, undo this already, my beloved…

n—Let’s become one before the sun comes up.

n—You called for me over and over, right? Aah, that means you love me that much, right…? And yet, why are you being so cold…?

nThe Avatar of Darkness was floating around as she said this.

nIt was as if she were talking to me, yet it also sounded as if she were monologuing. It was quite the mysterious tone of voice.

n(But she said something about the sun… She is the Avatar of Darkness, so maybe she disappears by the morning?) (Hikaru)

nThere’s the chance.

nOr more like, please let that be the case.

nI sat there plainly scared of the voice.

nI couldn’t do anything.

nBecause I feel like I ended up calling the owner of this voice with my excessive Spirit Ability training.

nIn her(?) eyes, I apparently was calling for her.

nI can only think of this being the Dark Spirit Ability.

n(Spirit Abilities are apparently performed by borrowing the power of the Spirits after all…) (Hikaru)

nWhichever the case, I have no choice but to wait for morning to come.

nFortunately, my Barrier Stone will last plenty enough, till around 2:30pm.

nI waited for the sun to come up without sleeping a wink.

nThe Avatar of Darkness was floating around the whole time, but by the time it turned 3:30am, a change happened.

n—What a shame. It truly is a shame, cutie. I wanted to become one with you.

n—But at the very least…at the very least I have met you, so I should give you a present.

n—Wait a bit, okay? I can tell anything it is you want.

n—I am looking forward to meeting you again…

nThe voice disappeared somewhere.

nI pat my chest in relief, but after a while, the Avatar of Darkness appeared again.

nThe sounds of something being placed on the ground.

nAnd then, this time around, the owner of the voice disappeared as if vanishing in thin air.

nThe forest ruled by silence steadily regained the cries of the insects, the noise of the trees, and I could feel the presence of living beings, so I finally perceived that I had managed to survive one more day…

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