Takeshi slowly opened his eyes as a cold breeze washed over him. He sat up and looked around at his surroundings, remembering that he was in the Stormwind Mountain Range. He hadn't slept since the first night he entered the world of this book. He had almost forgotten how nice it was to simply rest.
As he glanced around, he saw the short old man swinging his staff beneath a tree. Takeshi stood up slowly and approached him. Once he was near, he asked,
"What are you doing?"
The old man lightly gestured toward the canopy of the tree and said,
"Can't you tell? I'm trying to grab a pair of apples to eat."
Takeshi nodded in understanding. Seeing that even with the help of the staff, the old man's mission was impossible due to his height, Takeshi decided to help. He reached his hand up in an attempt to grab an apple but didn't succeed. Even when he stood on his toes, the apple was simply too far away.
He was about to suggest looking for another tree when an idea came to him. He focused on the power he had been suppressing within himself. Quickly, he released all the spiritual restraints he had placed on it and let the fire within him ignite. As soon as he did, he focused on the items within a five-meter radius. Instantly, a dozen illusory threads sprouted from thin air—one from each apple.
Having become a bit more accustomed to his new power, Takeshi swiftly grasped the threads of two apples. Compared to when he had stolen thousands of threads to copy Renji's ability, this was nothing. In less than five seconds, he had full control of the two apples' threads. He then recalled the threads back toward him, and with that, the two apples that had once been hanging in the tree appeared in his hands.
He crouched slightly and extended one of the apples toward the old man.
The old man accepted it and said,
"Thank you very much."
After a short pause, he added,
"So you are also far from ordinary. As expected of someone who seeks the master's guidance."
Takeshi gave a brief nod as he bit into his apple.
After that, he and the old man resumed their journey through the mountains. As Takeshi walked and ate his apple, he thought, I didn't really think about it at the time, but why was I able to steal those apples? Isn't it a condition that it has to be considered someone's possession? Could it be that the tree considered the apples its own property, and that's why I was able to steal them?
As they ventured further, another thought crossed his mind, and he formed a new theory: The number of threads coming out of an item must directly correspond to its power or importance.
As they were walking through the dense mountain forest, the old man asked,
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but for what purpose do you seek to improve your strength? What is your true goal?"
When Takeshi heard this, he was thrown into thought. Well, I can't just tell him that I want to obtain power so I can return to my own world, can I?
Just as Takeshi was pondering how to answer, they entered a wide passageway formed between two towering walls of rock. As they were passing through it, a voice suddenly rang out from above:
"Stop right there, trespassers!"
Both Takeshi and the old man instinctively looked up, only to see a figure leaping down from the top of one of the rock walls. It landed effortlessly, despite the fifteen-meter drop.
The figure was large and imposing—its body a strange mixture of rhinoceros and human. It had the general shape of a man, but its skin was thick and gray, and its head was distinctly that of a rhino. In one massive hand, it wielded a huge hammer made of solid stone.
Upon seeing it land, both Takeshi and the old man instinctively took a step back. Then the creature spoke,
"This is my land. Trespassers such as you must pay a price for intruding."
Taken aback by the fact that the rhino-man could speak, Takeshi asked cautiously,
"What kind of price?"
Before the creature could answer, the short old man interjected,
"Don't listen to his foolish words, young man. He is just a mythical beast—and one lucky enough to have gained higher intelligence and sentience at that."
Before Takeshi could even fully process that information, the rhino creature growled,
"Foul old man! You judge me because I am not human like you two, but you know very well that we mythical beasts stand higher in the hierarchy than your kind. We are the ones the Heavens favor!"
After a short pause, it added coldly,
"For such insults, you shall pay with your lives."
Takeshi listened in disbelief.
How did this escalate to him wanting to kill us after just a few sentences?!
Without giving them a chance to respond further, the rhino firmly gripped the long handle of his stone hammer and stepped forward. As he did, he asked,
"Which one of you shall die first? I'll give you the opportunity to choose."
Takeshi and the old man quickly glanced at each other, the same thought crossing their minds. But then Takeshi came to his senses. He stepped in front of the old man and unsheathed his sword.
Looking calmly at the rhino, he said,
"You shall be the one who dies first."
Upon hearing Takeshi's words, the rhino burst into laughter.
"You think your words intimidate me, you bug? I'll crush you like the rest of them."
With that, the creature gripped his massive hammer with both hands and charged toward Takeshi. As the beast neared, he slammed the hammer downward with devastating force. Takeshi barely managed to dodge in time, the ground beneath the hammer shattering from the impact.
Panting from the close call, Takeshi quickly focused inward, drawing on the stolen power—Renji's spell. With a thought, he externalized it. His blade suddenly became wreathed in flames, the heat radiating off it in waves.
Without wasting a second, Takeshi circled around the rhino's massive form as it struggled to wrench its hammer free from the broken ground. Seizing the opportunity, Takeshi slashed across the creature's lower back.
The blow left a deep, burning wound that seared into its thick hide.
The rhino howled in pain, its furious roar echoing through the rocky corridor.
But with a burst of savage strength, it swung its hammer around in a wide arc—catching Takeshi directly across the chest.
The blow sent Takeshi flying backwards like a ragdoll. He crashed onto the ground several meters away, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs.
Desperately, Takeshi tried to push himself up, but his body refused to obey. Instead, blood gushed from his mouth, staining the earth beneath him.
At that moment, a grim realization settled over him.
Is this... the end for me?