Chapter 3 - Consecutive Level Up

After waking up, I shoved up two fruits in my pocket in case my Hunger and Thirst Meter drops, then I equipped myself with the stone knife. My Attack status got some + besides it, becoming triple.

“All that manual labor wasn’t futile woohoo!” I shouted happily.

I climbed back to where I fell from, just to check if the bats were still there.

Oh damn they are all sleeping on the ceiling. Yeah, still not going to risk my life to fight the swarm.

I climbed down and thought about where I should go. I forgot to mention this due to my weapon prep, but there are many paths leading to this place: around 26 paths to choose from. What a coincidence it matches the number of alphabets. Let’s just say I came from Path A.

I went to each one clockwise, until I felt a breeze blowing in Path F. If there is a path that leads outside, it’s gotta be windy!

“That sounds so smart, but I don’t remember when I learned that.”

Still with only my memories of 2 years old and vague instinctual hunches, I stride down path F.

More I go, the less I see Glowing Moss. It soon became dark again, so I slowed my pace and went back to the wall guidance method.

…

“I think it’s already 1 hour passed! Why is there nothing here!?”

[Skill Unlocked: Night Vision Lv 1] it increases the sight in the dark.

Huh? Ah, it’s the same as [Appraisal], I must’ve met some condition to unlock it! It was when that bat bit me, perhaps [Night Vision] was because I spent some time in the darkness?

Anyway, the path became visible 2 meters away from me. I can see the path now…!

I started running again to find something here. Is it me, or this excitement I feel was from the adrenaline?

Oh, I found names appearing on the ceiling as I ran!

[Red Lizard - Lv 1] [Red Lizard - Lv 1] [Red Lizard - Lv 1] [Red Lizard - Lv 1]

I jumped and stabbed each one of them in the head, killing them before they could react nor screech to notify the others. Though it may be due to me attacking their vitals, my current attack is way more than enough to kill level 1 monsters as I expected.

My gauge still hasn't been filled, I guess it’s not that easy huh.

There are still a lot of lizards left, and they don’t attack me in a swarm, let’s see how many EXP I can make out of them!

… Come to think of it, weren’t they just chilling there? If this is a game, at least don’t leave the corpses! It’s bugging my morality as a human!

Later, I found a Starwing Bat using some wind attack while keeping it distance from me. It then ran away.

“... was that the wind source?”

Now that my EXP gauge was filled with x2, I think I can level up twice. I decided to head back to the Safe Zone, because I don’t want to risk getting attacked by monsters while regaining my memories.

Those lizards didn’t respawn on my way back here, I guess that means monsters don’t respawn?

Anyway, I decided to lean by the tree and raise my level.

Since the last one was my second birthday, I wonder what memories will I see this time.

…

“We’re here, Yuuma!” says the man lifting me up.

“Happy birthday, my dear child!” says the woman while clasping my hands.

It’s clear who they are now: My dad and mom.

We’re at the pet adoption center. I’m so excited I started running around.

My dad picked me up and put me in an area surrounded by wooden walls. The lady who was smiling at me, opened a wooden door and…

A pack of fluffiness attacked me, licking me all over. It felt ticklish and I was unable to move much. I laughed so loud without being able to think of anything.

“Look how much they’re taking a liking to you.”

“Isn’t that good, my dear?”

After some time letting me be attacked, the pack of fluffiness, the puppies went for a meal, giving me time to take a breath.

… Except for one puppy, still looking at me with its tail wagging so eagerly.

It jumped on me and started licking over my face again. I couldn't stop laughing.

“Seems like you found the one!”

“Or more, it finds Yuuma-chan!”

That’s how my family got a new member, Lucky the Golden Retriever.

My memories with Lucky were filled with happiness for the whole year, until…

He died, pushing me from getting hit by an overspeeding car.

I cried so hard begging him to come back.

We buried him in the backyard, and I would visit him everyday.

My fourth birthday came, but it was different. Lucky is no more with us.

Later, I found out my family once got a new member again. A baby was born.

I was never told of it, but it seems like when I thought Mom’s tummy was getting fat, she’s conceiving my little sister.

Dad held my hand and stretched it towards the baby. The baby grabbed my finger, and it felt warm.

A week later, they let me carry her. She smiled at me. My little sister: Haruka.

My instinct told me to protect her.

I visited Lucky’s grave the next day, and told him I will protect her.

“Woof!”

It felt like I heard a bark that night, but it must be my imagination.