Chapter 3: Selecting skills


    “Congratulations! Your level has been raised!”


    It certainly sounded like it.


    Then.


    –Choose a skill to acquire.


    –1 Sword Technique (Weak)


    –2 Martial Arts (Weak)


    –3 Hunger Resistance (Weak)


    –4 Natural Healing (Weak)


    I utter the simplest of lines that someone in the same situation would probably say.


    “What is happening…?”


    –Choose a skill to acquire.


    –1 Sword Technique (Weak)


    –2 Martial Arts …


    “No, no, no! I understand that, but! What’s with this all of a sudden!　Sword Technique (Weak)? Skill?”


    The auditory hallucination (?) continues in a flat tone, as if it were a mechanical woman on an automated telephone desk.


    —  <Sword Technique (Weak)> is a skill that immediately allows you to acquire skills that one would gain after about three years of training in an average Japanese Kendo dojo.


    I tapped my temple with my index finger and tried to regain my composure.


    “Then, how about… <Martial Arts (Weak)>?


    — <Martial Arts (Weak)> is a skill that immediately allows you to acquire skills that one would gain after about five years of training in an average Japanese Karate dojo.


    “ <Hunger Resistance(Weak)>?”


    —  <Hunger Resistance (Weak)> will allow you to go more than a week without eating or drinking.


    “And the last one?”


    —  <Natural Healing (Weak)> allows you to recover from minor injuries within a day.


    “Huh!”


    Well, I guess that’s about it.


    Wiping the bloody end of the katana with a curtain, I accepted the situation easily.


    This is what a maiden’s tolerance is all about. Maybe.


    What the hell, though.


    I thought to myself, “Was I chosen or something?”


    I don’t know what it is, but it’s a supernatural being.


    Or maybe the world has completely changed while I’ve been holed up playing games, and a similar phenomenon is happening to all the people around the world.


    Well, I guess it’s up to me how I see the situation.


    This is the world we live in. In any case, wouldn’t you like to think of yourself as the hero of your own story?


    — Choose a skill acquire…


    “Well then, please give me the <Sword Technique (Weak)>.


    I was given this Japanese katana by my grandfather.


    This is the only thing that my evil relatives (excuse the pun) left for me and I didn’t get a penny of the rest of my inheritance, but it is a memento. I could sell it to gain a little money.


    Well, I’ve used it (in a meaningful way), so it won’t sell it anymore.


    A female swordswoman who slays zombies with her grandfather’s memento.


    What do you think?


    Don’t you long for it?


    — Affirmative. Assimilating skill effect.


    At the same time.


    From within my body, I instantly felt that I had changed.


    “Huh…!”


    An unaccustomed whistle leaked out from my mouth.


    Apart from that, nothing else change. My arms are same without any muscles. It is a typical gamer’s thin arm.


    It’s already, how can I put it… amazing.


    It’s an odd feeling.


    It’s so amazing (sudden loss of vocabulary).


    I swung the sword to test it, and the blade flashed through the air with such speed that I could not believe was my own.


    I guess this is the “three years worth” of skills.


    The girl who was holding the sword with a hefty hand is nowhere to be seen.


    And…


    With that thought, I regained my composure.


    So what am I supposed to do?


    Since I was given mysterious powers, there must be a purpose.


    At least that’s what it seemed like to me.


    “Hey, Ms. Auditory Hallucination. What should I do next?”


    That’s why I asked the question to the sky. From a distance, I may have looked like a dangerous girl.


    A moment later, nothing happened.


    I was wondering if I wouldn’t get a response because I called her a hallucination.


    I was not expecting such an answer.


    In short, it was easy to see that it was just like a video game.


    This is a common type of role-playing game.


    You can raise your level by defeating demons and completing quests.


    Hmm.


    I want to stay indoors somewhere and play games all the time.


    However, it is certain that I will be plagued by power shortages everywhere I go until this fiasco is over. In fact, there is a possibility that no new games will be released at this time. I have to avoid such a situation.


    “Well, let’s give it a try, shall we? To save the world.”