I Kinda Came to Another World, but Where’s the Way Home?

Chapter9: Surviving Reality

Its pitch black.

For some reason, its nostalgic yeah, its that. The same as back when I died. The feeling of sinking into the depths of a deep, cold, and dark ocean. But compared to before, the falling feeling seems much slower perhaps that means my wounds are less fatal this time around.

But theres no doubt that Ill die at this rate. I dont want to die. I want to somehow return to the surface, but I cant feel my body. Only my conscious is sinking, and even if I try to reach out my hands, I have none. Even if I try to kick with my legs, I have none. This is no good, I have no cards to play so am I going to die

I wonder what happened to Finia-chan. I made sure to protect the mask, so she probably didnt die from the impact but I doubt that monster would just let her leave. When I recall those red eyes I still feel a little afraid.

And.

!

I felt the sensation of my sinking body resurfacing. Something is enveloping me, and pulling me up. This is one of the barest of possibilities, but maybe Im still alive.

Within the darkness, I saw a single light. I didnt have the feeling of my hands, but I give an intent to reach them out. Slowly, the light grows brighter, and when my entire surroundings were covered in a pure white light I heard a voice.

nen! tsun!

Ah, this is that childs voice. My best friend, Shiori-chans voice. Shes calling for me. I have to go, or else

My consciousness was swallowed by the light, and resurfaced.

Kitsune-san! Kitsune-san!

Within the forest, a voice called out to the fallen boy.

The owner of that voice was a small fairy Finia. With her hands pointed at him, she used healing magic again, and again. Even after running out of Mana, she continues pointing her hands, and trying to activate it, but of course, nothing happens.

Kitsune was submerged in a puddle of his own blood. The wounds had already been fully taken care of with the magic, but he had lost too much blood. Kitsunes face was pale, and anyone could see he was in a state where he would die at a moments notice.

Kitsune-san! Wake up! Open your eyes!!

Out of magic, and too exhausted to even fly. It wouldnt be strange for her to have passed out from fatigue, but Finia desperately continues to call out to Kitsune.

Shen she had opened her eyes, the monster of miasma had already left. In its place, she found Kitsune collapsed in terminal condition. In the first place, Finia never saw the form of her enemy. Just what had attacked her, or what had happened to put the boy in such a state were completely unknown to her. She frantically continued to cast healing magic on him.

Kitsune-sa haa haa!

Her calling voice grew faint, and her breathing became rough. She fell to her knees, and sat on the ground. Hugging the finger of Kitsune, who was losing strength before her eyes, she erased her ever-present smile as she wept. Thikc tears fell, and along with her sobbing, she raised a quiet cry.

Uee Kitsune sa! Ueeeeeeen! Kitsune-saaaaaaan!

A childing cry rang out. Her tears ran down, and soaked Kitsunes hand.

His wet hand twitched slightly.

Dont cry Finia-chan

! Kitsune-san!

Keho hah hah it seems Ive survived somehow.

Still with a pale expression, Kitsune lifted his body. Observing his surroundings, he saw that the monster was no longer there. For now, he breathed a sigh of relief.

And when he used his left hand to cover his face he noticed.

? Finia-chan sorry, but my face whats wrong with the left side?

On his question, Finia took a deep breath. She had probably noticed before, but it was hard to say. When Kitsune looked into her eyes, she averted them, and slowly opened her mouth.

Your l-left eye is gone

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Just as she had said, Kitsune had lost his left eye. In the space where it was, there was nothing but a dark red hole.

Having heard that, Kitsune gained a vague idea of just what had happened after he was on the brink of death, and before Finia awoke him. Its likely the doing of that the miasma monster the red eyed one. While Kitsune was unconscious, that monster had eaten his eye.

He didnt know whether it was a Magical Beast, or some other lifeform entirely, but as long as it was out assaulting humans, there was more than enough of a chance that it ate people.

Kitsune tested the change from losing half of his eyesight, as he removed his hand from the hole where his left eye once was.

My eye, is it

Using his finger, Kitsune patted the head of Finia, who was looking at him with a worried expression, as he stood up. He restlessly looked around, and found the Kitsune Mask behind him. He took unsteady steps, and collected it.

And he placed the depressed Finia on his right shoulder.

Kitsune-san

Its alright lets keep going

As if it had become muddy, the vision from his right eye was dark. With a pale complexion, his visage was like a ghosts, and a bit eerie. But even so, his clouded eye still had a will to live. Right now, his promise to Shinozaki Shiori was the only thing supporting Kitsune.

Unsteadily, Kitsune slowly proceeded forward. The town was only a little further. Kitsune put on the mask that was in his hand. This time, he didnt hang it on one side, he firmly set it to cover his face. To cover the hole of his left eye, to hide his white complexion, Kitsune wore the face of a Kitsune.

Just a little further

Little by little, but his feet were definitely moving forward.

The time was night. When the sky had become quite gloomy, Kitsune and Finia took a rest under a large tree. Without removing the mask, Kitsune leaned against the base of the trunk, and fell asleep. Next to him, Finia kept watch of the area.

The girl, no, the fairy, while alive, didnt require food or sleep to sustain function. To put it specifically, she was able to do both actions, but it wasnt a necessity. All a fairy needed to live was the intermediary through which they were born, Nature, orFeelings.

Even so, fairies possessed a body and soul similar to humans. As with humans, if they suffered a fatal injury, they would usually die.

With Natural Fairies, even if one died, another would be born, but for an Ideological Fairy, even if the intermediary item remained, they wouldnt be revived. As long as that item was in a good condition, they wouldnt have a life span, so they wouldnt die from time. Of course, they would perish if that item were to be destroyed.

Leaving that aside, anyways, as she didnt require sleep, Finia passed the night keeping watch. Her expression had taken a drastic dark turn from the usual, and she looked back at him time and again. Her face was filled with a sense of guilt.

She regretted. After she said she would protect him, Kitsunes near-death state felt like her responsibility.

Kitsune-san

Whats more, he paid the irreplaceable price of his eye. It was an injury she wouldnt be able to compensate for regardless of her power. Even after using healing magic, she couldnt recover what was lost. Perhaps her magic level wasnt high enough, or it wasnt something any level of magic could take care of. Finia brooded over it.

Kitsune-san Ill protect you

Finia whispered, as she clenched her small fist. Her magic had recovered, and she could move her body.

She couldnt let Kitsune get hurt any further, and even if it cost her her life, she would protect him. Resolve rose in her flaxen eyes.

From here on Ill become Kitsune-sans left eye.

She placed her hand on Kitsunes face, concealed by the mask, as she let out her voice. Her small voice echoed through the gloomy forest, before going out.

Night came to an end.

Kitsune opened his eye, and started walking alongside Finia in the early morning. The conversations they exchanged before encountering the monster had died out, and within an awkward silence, they proceeded forward.

The previos night, they had walked a while, and only 1km remained to the town. Their surroundings were undergoing a complete change, and the gaps between each tree gradually began to widen. The height of the vegetation also began to fall. They expected that they would soon be out of the forest.

What sort of face was he making underneath that mask? Finia still didnt know. His gait had gotten much better than yesterday, so after a nights rest, he had probably recovered considerably. All he had eaten in the past three days were weeds and fruits that seemed safe. There hadnt been any major changes to his body after eating them, so he had harvested quite a few, but that stock had already been run through.

After a few hours had passed, Kitsune opened his mouth.

Finia-chan.

! W-what could it be!?

Sorry. Im already fine Ive been able to put my thoughts in order quite a bit.

Saying that, he took off his mask, and made a bitter smile. Under it was, without change, a blank hole where his left eye once was but Kitsune appeared to have some determination in regards to that. As evidence, his expression was no longer sad.

Y-yeah! Im the one who should be sorry I said I would protect you, and yet

Ahaha, dont worry about it. I dont think even Finia-chan would be a match for that one more importantly Im happy youre safe.

Yeah.

She dismounted his shoulder, and put her face to his. Their emotional wounds hadnt healed completely, but both of their expressions had gotten a little softer.

Ah Finia-chan, look.

Eh ah!

In the direction Kitsunes finger pointed spread a vast grassland. They had gotten out of the forest. And looking over the field they saw a town.

In these three days, thinking of how hard they had tried to come all the way here, Kitsunes and Finias expressions turned bright.

We did it!

Lets go! Kitsune-san!

On Finias words, Kitsune ran out. There was only less than 800m to the town, a distance they could instantly span by running. With his elevated status, it was one Kitsune could span easily. They gradually approach civilization.

But there, a final obstruction appeared.

Wha!

Even here!

Distanced about 500m from the town, a Demon Beast stood before them. What came out were several wolf-shaped ones the size of a large breed of dog. From the hostility in their eyes, Kitsune knew it was looking on him as prey.

I see, but thats no good at you guys level, youll never even scratch that monster from before.

Kitsune wasnt scared. Having tasted the complete fear of death, and having experienced it a second time, he had gained mental strength as not to fear anything. After experiencing the greatest of threats, everything else seemed but a small trifle.

And for Kitsune, that was the most beneficial of powers.

Status.

Kitsune activated his Status Discernment.

Status

Name: Naginata Kitsune

Gender: Male Lv4

Strength: 140(+100)

Stamina: 160(+100)

Resilience: 280(+100)

Dexterity: 150(+100)

Magic: 120(+100)

SkillPersistenceIN EFFECT

Title:Otherworlder

Skill: Pain Null Lv1(NEW!)Eerie ConstitutionWorld Language TranslatorStatus DiscernmentPersistenceCoercionNear Death Experience(NEW!)

Innate Skill: ???

PT Member: Finia(Fairy)

Hmm? For some reason, my Pain Resistance Lv8 changed. Well, I guess thats fine when fighting against that monster, theres something I started to understand.

GRRRRRRRR!

Its about how to activate this skill!

As he said that, for a brief instant, the wolves saw something. Something like a living creature, yet an existence unlike anyright, that was death itself.

Eerie Constitution

The wolves take a step back. It was because the atmosphere around Kitsune had changed.

Scary. Creepy. I dont want to get any closer. Eerie pressure great enough for those thoughts to enter their minds. Though he was a weakling they would be able to handle if they all leapt at him, he was a dangerous presence they didnt want to approach.

Ah this too.

Saying that, a thin smile spread across Kitsunes face. There, the next Skill activated.

Coercion.

The pressure emitted at the wolves became even heavier. They felt as if they were going to be crushed. No matter how much they wanted to run away, they couldnt take a single step away. The great sense of intimidation had stiffened their body to that extent.

Active Skills can be used just by thinking or performing the action, but it looks like Passives have some conditions you have to meet to use them thats stuff like my Eerie Constitution. In order to use it, Ill be theres a sort of psychological trigger. In my case, its deeply related to fear My skill probably only activates when I have mental stability.

The wolves had no choice but to quietly listen to Kitsunes monologue. They couldnt move.

And my Skill is a sort of thing that intimidates an enemys mentality do you think Im scary?

With a faint smile on his face, Kitsune approached the wolves. HE pat one of their immobile heads, and walked straight past them.

Seeya. Now that you understand that you cant underestimate weak humans dont go attacking them left and right.

Saying that, he released the skill, and the wolves were released from their paralysis.

But without doing something as foolish as attacking him they departed towards the forest in terror. Kitsune turned only his head to watch them off, before he started walking forward again with his faint smile on his face.

Kitsune-san, was that fine? Not killing them?

Its fine. Right now, as long as were alive thats enough.

Thats right. Yeah! Thats exactly right!

Finia gave a bright smile. Kitsune gave a thin one. As the two of them returned to their usual selves, Kitsune and Finia arrived at the village entrance.

Hah hah weve finally arrived!

Yeah!

Thats good

But there, Kitsune lost consciousness. Even if he had recovered, his mind and body had been accumulating quite a bit of fatigue. From the sense of relief brought about from arriving at town, he collapsed, as if a switch had been flipped.

Kitsune-san! Kitsune-san!?

Finia calls out to him in worry. But seeing as he was breathing normall, she was relieved to find he was only sleeping.

However, she couldnt just leave him there. A troubled expression surfaced on her face.

And there

Um Are ya I mean, are you alright?

Eh?

A voice like that called out to them.