The soldier stared at Erison. Erison stared back.
Two pairs of eyes met. One full of confusion, the other pure panic.
Time seemed to freeze. Seconds felt like hours.
"THERE'S SOMEONE HIDING HERE!" the soldier shouted, his voice tearing through the forest silence like a siren.
"SHIT!"
Erison shot up and bolted. His heart pounded like a war drum and his feet stumbled over protruding roots.
The other soldiers instantly turned, hands reaching for weapons with trained precision.
"An ambush!?" "Enemy!?" "WHERE!?" "THE WEST! SOMEONE'S RUNNING!"
Their commander, a man with a jagged scar on his neck, barked orders. "Ten of you, with me! Chase that guy! The rest, continue supporting Captain Varek!"
Erison didn't wait. He sprinted into the forest, legs pumping as fast as his pathetic stamina allowed.
Which, sadly, wasn't very fast.
"CHASE HIM!"
Heavy footsteps thundered behind him. Many of them. Too many. Their steps were steady, their breathing controlled. Unlike Erison, who was already wheezing after ten seconds.
"No no no no NO!" Erison gasped, lungs burning like they were being stabbed by a thousand needles.
'Why does this always happen to me!?'
He felt completely frustrated. He just wanted to live in peace. Find water. Find a village. Why did his life turn into an action movie!?
He weaved between trees, ducking under low branches. His vision blurred from panic and exhaustion. Sweat soaked his clothes.
Thud... thud... thud...
His heart was beating wrong. Too fast, too hard.
'Shit... my heart...'
DING!
A blue screen flickered in front of him, glowing with bad news.
[WARNING: Hostile entities detected.] [Killing intent detected from ten targets.] [Gambling System activating automatically.]
Erison's eyes widened in terror. "NO! NOT NOW!"
[Initiating Emergency Gambling Protocol.] [Objective: Escape without injuries.] [Difficulty: Very High.] [Failure Penalty: Death.]
"What kind of objective is that!? I didn't even agree to anything!"
[Spinning to determine result.]
Three symbols appeared, spinning rapidly.
Erison held his breath. "I don't want to gamble! I don't want the side effects! PLEASE!"
But the system didn't care. It never cared.
The symbols spun. And stopped.
[Heart] [Heart] [Heart]
[JACKPOT ACHIEVED]
[Reward: Temporary Stamina Boost +500%] [Duration: 2 minutes] [Penalty Applied: Cursed Social Presence. Duration extended to 48 hours.]
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Erison shouted while running. "Instead of stamina, give me mana so I can fight them!"
[Optimal buff for current situation: Mobility enhancement.] [Direct combat is not recommended due to player's physical condition.]
"But I can GET mana from gambling, right!? Why don't you give me power!?"
[Gambling results are random based on situational needs.] [Player received the best buff for survival: Stamina.]
'What do you mean best buff? Wouldn't the best thing be beating them all up!?'
Erison wanted to argue more, but he could barely breathe. "Ugh! Fine! Whatever! As long as I can run!"
[System is pleased the player understands priorities.]
"Shut up!"
But while he was busy yelling at the system, something happened.
WHOOOOSH!!
Something like electricity surged through every muscle in his body.
His weak heart, usually a fluttering mess, suddenly beat strong and steady. Not fast from panic, but powerful, like a freshly repaired engine roaring to life.
His legs, once heavy, now felt light. Feather-light.
His lungs filled with air effortlessly. No burning. No drowning sensation.
"What...!?"
'The sensation is foreign.' 'Unnatural.' 'But... incredible.'
For the first time since arriving in this world, his body felt... normal. No, better than normal. It felt amazing.
He glanced back.
The soldiers were still chasing with swords drawn and faces full of resolve. But now... they looked slow.
No. He was faster. Much faster.
Without thinking, Erison pushed harder. He moved with fluid speed, clearing roots effortlessly and leaping fallen logs without stumbling.
"WAHAHAHA! YES!!" he shouted happily. "Okay, fine! I admit it! Stamina buff IS better than mana for running away!"
[System hopes the player learns from this experience.]
"Yeah yeah, thank you, oh merciful System-sama!" he yelled sarcastically, hopping over another fallen tree.
Then, he smelled something.
"...Huh?"
A horrible stench hit his nose. Not just sweat, but something like a rotting corpse left in the sun for a week, mixed with feces and fermented garbage.
"OH MY GOD! THAT'S ME!?" Erison shrieked.
The soldiers behind him reacted even worse.
"UEEEEKKK!!" "What is that smell!?" "It's coming from him!" "Did he... shit himself while running!?" "God, I'm gonna puke!"
Two soldiers actually stopped to heave behind a tree.
Erison wanted to die from embarrassment.
'Oh shit, I forgot about the damn penalty...'
[Standard penalty of Absolute Luck: Cursed Social Presence.] [Effect: All living beings will find player disgusting.] [Duration: 48 hours.]
"FORTY-EIGHT HOURS!? IT USED TO BE 24!!"
[Penalty duration depends on jackpot level.] [The greater the reward, the worse the penalty.]
"YOU SCAM SYSTEM!"
But his legs didn't stop. He couldn't stop. Once this effect ended, he would go back to being a weakling who couldn't run ten meters.
"DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE!" the commander roared, his face red. Whether from anger or holding his breath was unclear.
"But sir! The smell..."
"SILENCE! If I say chase, then chase!"
The remaining eight soldiers forced themselves to continue. Some covered their noses, some breathed through their mouths, all looked like they were suffering.
Erison glanced back. Their eyes were watery, faces turning pale green.
'Well, at least the smell works as a natural defensive weapon,' he thought, trying to stay positive.
Erison kept running, trees flashing past him. But then, he noticed something strange.
'What's that?'
The soldiers' swords had something wrapped around the blades. A swirling purple haze, like living smoke.
One soldier swung his sword.
WHOOOOSH!!
A wave of purple energy shot toward him, slicing a small tree beside him cleanly.
"HUUWAAAA!?" Erison screamed, jumping aside. "WHAT THE HELL!? THEY CAN SHOOT ENERGY!?"
[Information: That is Aura.] [Aura is a manifestation of mana. It can enhance physical attacks or create ranged projectiles.]
"SO THEY CAN USE MANA!? AND I CAN'T!?"
[Player has physical limitation: Body cannot produce mana.]
"Stupid trash body!" Erison cursed his reincarnated vessel.
He ran faster, dodging purple slashes.
WHOOOSH! WHOOOSH!
Trees fell, the ground cracked. Each attack missed him by inches.
'I'm gonna die! I'm seriously gonna die!'
But somehow, either because of luck or because the soldiers were too distracted by the smell, none of the attacks hit. Every time they swung, Erison tripped on a root, making the slash miss. Every time they aimed for his legs, he jumped to avoid a branch, dodging perfectly by accident.
'Absolute Luck really is insane,' he thought, half-impressed.
[Correction: Not only luck. System also calculates optimal survival trajectory.]
"Oh, so you DO help me? I thought you only wanted to torture me!"
[System's job is to keep player alive. Torture is merely a side effect.]
"What do you MEAN side effect!?"
BOOOOOOM!!!
Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted ahead. The ground shook so violently he almost tripped.
"W-WHAT WAS THAT!?"
A streak of pink light slashed through the sky, tearing clouds apart, followed by a shockwave that sent leaves flying.
"Lightning!?"
KRAAAAKKK!!
Another strike hit. This time, Erison saw it clearly. It wasn't natural lightning.
It was... aura. Pink aura shaped like a giant dragon's fang, crashing down with destructive force.
"Th-that's... magic!?" Erison whispered, eyes wide.
He froze for a moment. Terrified. Awed. Overwhelmed.
This was his first time seeing magic in real life. Not on a screen. Not in a novel. Real, right in front of him. And it was terrifying.
WHOOOM!!
A black explosion followed. Dark aura shaped like a giant skull collided with the pink lightning, tearing the earth apart.
Erison swallowed hard.
'Who is fighting up there?'
Then, he remembered. That woman's scream a few minutes ago.
He bit his lip.
"Well... hope she survives," he muttered, veering away from the explosions. "But if I go there, I'll die first."
[Correct analysis. Probability of player surviving in that area: 0.0000001%]
"See? Even the system agrees!" Erison grinned. "I'm realistic, not a coward. Big difference!"
He shook his head as he ran.
"Those isekai protagonists are so dumb," he complained. "Barely reincarnated, no skills, no powers, then suddenly hears a girl scream and runs in like a hero. What are they gonna do? Protect her with their weak-ass body? Use the power of friendship?"
[Interesting observation. Most isekai protagonists indeed show unrealistic heroic tendencies.]
"See!?" Erison said, hopping over a root. "They're stupid! Girls won't like a corpse, you know!"
[Player's logic is defensible.]
"And besides," he continued, "there must be strong people in this world, right? Knights, adventurers. Let THEM handle it! I'm just a day-one transmigrator who doesn't even know how mana works!"
[System appreciates player's survival instinct.]
"Survival instinct is the highest wisdom!" he declared proudly. "I'm smart. I know my limits. I KNOW that if I go there, I WILL die."
He nodded to himself, feeling wise and mature.
"I just wanna live peacefully, make money, get married, have kids. Simple. No need to save the world."
WHOOOOSH!!
A purple projectile almost took his head off.
"AAAH! FOCUS, ERISON!"
"OVER THERE! DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE!"
Erison flinched. He'd forgotten he was still being chased. The soldiers were closing in again, eyes full of rage, swords swirling with purple aura.
"Shit! I thought too much!"
He ran. But this time, his direction couldn't be changed. Unknowingly, his legs carried him toward the explosions. Toward the battle.
"Wait! Why am I running there!?"
[Information: Player is heading toward an active battle between two high-level entities.] [Recommendation: Change direction immediately.]
"I KNOW! BUT THIS IS THE ONLY PATH!"
He looked around frantically. Every other direction was blocked. Thick forest, ravine, or angry soldiers. The only escape route was straight ahead.
'Why... why is my life always like this!?'
"THIS ISN'T FAIR!" he yelled. "I'm smart, I'm realistic, I'm NOT a dumb MC, yet the world STILL forces me there!?"
[The world has no agenda. This is merely geographical coincidence.]
"COINCIDENCE MY ASS!"
Tears began streaming down his face. Not from sadness, but pure frustration.
'I... I just wanna live peacefully...' he sobbed while sprinting. 'Find water... find a village... become a merchant... why do I have to get involved in a boss battle!?'
BOOOOM!!!
Another explosion. Closer this time. Trees fell, stones flew. And Erison kept getting closer.
"I DON'T WANNA DIE YOUNG! I HAVEN'T MARRIED ANYONE! HAVEN'T HAD KIDS!"
[Player is only 16 in this world. Too young to marry.]
"SHUT UP, SYSTEM! NOT THE TIME FOR FUN FACTS!"
He burst through the last bush.
And stopped dead.
The sight before him made him stop breathing.
A huge clearing. Scorched earth. Burning trees. Smoke everywhere.
And in the middle, two figures.
A woman with black-pink hair, standing weakly. Tiny sparks danced around her body. She looked exhausted, barely able to stand.
Near her stood a man with small horns, black wings, and an aura of darkness swirling like living flames. His red eyes glowed, fangs bared, sword wrapped in black energy.
Erison froze. Mouth hanging open. Eyes wide.
"Hah... haha..." A weak laugh slipped out. The laugh of someone who had given up on life.
"I... took the wrong path..."
[Correction: It was the only path.]
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, SYSTEM!"
At that moment, both figures turned.
Lyra—her gray-pink eyes flickering red—raised an eyebrow in confusion at the scruffy teenager who had just popped out of the bushes.
Varek—glowing with killing intent—grinned widely at the new target.
Both stared at Erison.
And Erison stared back. Pale. Sweating. Wearing a stupid, trembling smile.
"...Uh," he whispered, voice shaking.
'I wanna go home.'
His nightmare was officially complete when the ten soldiers finally caught up, bursting through the foliage to cut off his retreat.
"GET HIM!"
Ten black-uniformed soldiers burst through the bushes, swords drawn, faces furious.
Erison looked back. Then forward. Then back again.
"..."
His situation: In front: two god-tier monsters who could destroy a forest with a swing. Behind: ten soldiers desperate to kill him.
No escape. No hiding place. No diplomacy.
Just one option.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"