START OF ARC 1 - ETOBIS (New Reincarnation on Etobis)

................

*Chatter*

'Shut up...'

*Chatter* *Chatter* 

I shake my head and mutter, "Shut up..."

*Chatter* *Chatter* *Chatter* *Chatter* 

As a result of the noise, my sleep is gradually vanishing.

"SHUT UP!" 

I scream and open my eyes, but the bright sunlight causes them to close quickly.

I try to cover my ears, but something is preventing me from moving. I can feel pain and numbness in my hands.

*Chatter* *Chatter* *Chatter* *Chatter* 

'Eh? What exactly is this? I should be in bed because I passed out last night after drinking away my frustrations! So, why is it so nosy?'

My eyes pop wide as I feel a chill rush through my body. I can't help but gasp for breath as I find myself in the center of a vast, open arena surrounded by tens of thousands of people.

What's more, the majority of them are laughing while pointing their fingers at me.

'Why are they acting in this manner? Is it possible that I did something amusing? I... I have no idea! What happened after falling asleep last night?'

The combined pressure from those individuals is enough to shock me. That is, until I am hit in the right cheek.

"Ghdnkwcv jdbb dcej cnn!"

From behind me, a good-looking young man gently approaches. He's wearing gleaming armor and wielding a sword in his right hand. He has blond, mane-like hair and appears to be roughly 12 years old. I can see pointed ears if I look closely.

However, the air surrounding him is thick, and he seems cold and uninterested.

"W-what? Sir, where is this...?"

*Smack*

I don't judge people based on their age, so I try to be courteous to him. What I didn't anticipate was being slapped just after speaking.

"Why did you hit me?"

*LAUGHTER* *LAUGHTER* *LAUGHTER* *LAUGHTER*

As I watch him raise his hand to dodge the approaching hit, I drop my head. But what I see on my body isn't my pajamas or even my regular attire. All I see are some garments with holes in them that can hardly conceal a famished, smaller body than mine.

I'm tightly tied to a robust wooden structure. I make an attempt to move, but it seemed pointless. Fear begins to sneak up on me as tears well up in my eyes.

*Smack* *Clang*

I'm struck once more, but this time with such force that I can hear the rattling of the shackles that bind me.

"Ufiaeof aowm ajjoa! Dafei aaboe ande ao!" says the boy, laughing loudly and melodiously.

*Smack* *Clang* 

As I try to grasp the situation after suffering another blow, my mind begins to clear. I have no idea how I got here, and I don't speak his language. But I'm certain that I have to get out of here as soon as possible.

"H-hey? Could you tell me where we are right now? Why am I here?"

The boy's frowning expression indicates that he does not understand English. I attempt to speak in a different language.

"¿Perdon, entiende español? Que tal o Portugues? "

I continue because nothing seems to have changed.

"Compendre le Français?" "Koko nande desu ka?"

Not only are my cheeks burning from the pain, but also from the embarrassment. I'm not sure what I'll say if he responds in one of the last three languages. I barely know them, so I'm pretty sure I threw some gibberish in there somewhere.

"Gadief udha jei!!!"

Regrettably, the boy begins to chuckle while holding his stomach with his left hand.

*LAUGHTER* *LAUGHTER* *LAUGHTER* *LAUGHTER*

The audience is also having a good time. Despite the fact that I have no idea why.

*DING*

*Registering 5 new languages.*

*Creating skill.*

*English Language(LV1).*

*Spanish Language(LV1).*

…

*Japanese language(LV0).*

*DING*

*Checking 5 new registered languages."

*Creating skill.*

*Learning languages(LV0).*

I try speaking in another language in the hopes that he may at least attempt to communicate with me. Even if it's in a language I barely understand, it's acceptable. Sadly, I'm interrupted when a series of text-filled boxes appear in front of my eyes.

"Dafc dfs filth gadfk, I did hagke..."

I don't have enough time to read all the boxes as my attention is drawn again to the words that have just left the boy's mouth.  I seem to grasp a few of them, which is surprising because it all sounded like nonsense to me just a few seconds before. But I won't complain because I'm desperate to get out of here.

"Filth? What exactly are you referring to?"

I try to obtain more information from him, but I'm interrupted once more by a series of boxes floating in front of my face.

*DING*

*Registering 1 new language.*

*Creating skill.*

*??? Language(LV0).*

*DING*

*SubSkill Level up!*

*English Language (LV2).*

"Acting ahdm crazy? When jef adjf  stop ashk?"

I ignore the boxes as I speak again.

"Crazy? Are you talking about me? I'm not insane, and I have no idea what you're talking about because I don't comprehend your language! Can you at least tell me where we are?!"

This time I notice something weird.  Some of my words are similar to English but different at the same time.

*DING*

*SubSkill Level up!*

*??? Language(LV1).*

*English Language(LV3).*

*DING*

*Skill Level up!*

*Learning languages(LV1).*

The boxes and the name 'Skill' look suspiciously like something from a video game. Furthermore, it appears that I have acquired a 'Skill' that will assist me in learning new languages.

'Just what is this situation?'

The young man leans up close. Looking at me with disdainful eyes, he whispered:

"When will you alheng the act, dear brother? It's not like dhja can gain ljnknj right now, right?"

While I'm pondering over the bizarre text, one word manages to re-capture my attention.

"Brother?"

I inquire, my voice trembling, as I raise my eyes to his face, which is directly in front of me.

"Hmm... Did I hit you too much that you can't recognize me now?"

He says this with a raised brow.

'What's going on?'

'What exactly is going on? When did I ever have a brother?'

I'm speechless because I'm so taken aback.

"Uh..I.."

"I don't buy that so try harder, big brother!" Exclaims the child, barely holding back his laughter.

I'm staying quiet this time because I'm not sure what to do. What do you think you'd get from me? I've found myself in an unknown area, chained and abused by my alleged younger brother. Furthermore, he is the only person nearby. So, if not him, who can I turn to for answers? But he doesn't appear to be paying attention to me anymore.

"Enough is enough! We've gathered here today to watch the hero give the evil prince a lesson. You may begin now that he is awake!"

My gaze is directed to a large platform where the man who has just talked is relaxing. He appears to be dressed in regal garb and wears a crown encrusted with gleaming stones. Many gorgeous women surround him, fawning him, talking between themselves, laughing, or simply staring at me.

"Who are you talking about?" 

As I become more aware of what is going on, I inquire. On the arena's stage, there is no one except us two. When I see his fierce expression, my body stiffens.

"Who else are we talking about if not beloved brother?" The youngster asks, his face lit up with a smile.

"Or would you rather be burned alive? It's entirely up to you!"

When he notices my gaping lips, he adds, with his hand concealing his smirk:

"Do you want to be burned alive rather than fight in a simple duel? I had no idea that brother was so courageous!"

As soon as I hear the boy insulting me, my body begins to shake. It's not because his statements have enraged me. All I can feel at this point is terror. I have rarely if ever, fought with someone. We are living in a peaceful world after all.

I have a strong suspicion that I was kidnapped by an underground group. Gangsters. That means that everything I've witnessed so far is really a performance put on to appease the audience. Even that one individual who gave the order earlier has to be one of those wealthy men who enjoy torturing others. When I was younger, I had heard about them. But I've always assumed that was one of those lies told by adults to their children in order to get them to behave.

When the child notices that I am silent, he signals with his hand, and two individuals dressed as ancient soldiers arrive to remove the chains that have been wrapped around my limbs. Following that, I am pushed toward the boy who is portrayed as my brother. My joints suffer from a lack of movement, so I stumble a little.

I hear him ridiculing me again as I try to rub my hands to feel them better:

"Oh no! My brother has neglected to bring his sword to our combat. Guards! Give him a couple of  swords!"

Around 20 people charge toward me, each hurling a few swords onto the ground just in front of me.

As I was being released from the chains, I prayed that everything that had happened up to this point had been a farce. Any doubts were erased after witnessing these blades. It appears like I have no choice except to go with the flow. These individuals are not fooling around with me.

I take a look at them. Some are corroded, while others have red stains on them that look like dried blood. Some of the swords are even gleaming in the sunlight as if they've been soaked in an oil barrel.

How is this even fair? I glance at the armor and sword that the boy is holding onto and compare them with the pile of swords that are at my feet. It looks like no matter which one I choose, it will undoubtfully snap in two.

"Sigh"

I let out a sigh and redirect my attention to the sorry excuse of swords. Seeing them makes me frown. I finally find one that is in better shape than the other ones and I grab it. It's heavier than I have thought. I was thinking that it might be fake, but judging from the weight alone, it is probably a good imitation.

"Take a look! He's still looking for more blood, even in this situation!" "It turned out that the rumors were true!" "Death to the creature!" "Villain, why are you still alive?" "Monster, return my daughter!"

Ignoring the disturbing statements, the blade I've chosen is undeniably stained with blood. It is true that it is in better condition than the others, as several of them are chipped or missing a large chunk. I figure that if this weapon has cut something previously, it'll be enough to keep me safe. If the blood on it is genuine, that is.

"How are things doing for you, brother? Do you like the setting I've set up for you? "

After witnessing the dead look in my eyes, he tells me.

"I get what you mean. So you're the one who's doing it."

So you're the one who came up with this crazy scenario.

I've already come to terms with the fact that I've been kidnapped. I know that if I don't join in now, I won't have a good time later. I'll try to hold out until the authorities arrive to liberate me, but I need to stay alive until then.

"I'm not going to deny it."

I'm starting to become annoyed by his smile. If I thought he was rather pretty at first, I now regret it after witnessing the twisted personality of such a young boy. Perhaps it's because he's been trained since he was a child, but he exhibits no remorse after beating or insulting me.

'I suppose I'll be able to play along because he appears to be one head smaller than myself. You will get a show if that is what you want. He is, after all, a child, and even if he is well-trained, he cannot simply defeat an adult.'

"Let's get this party started!"

His abrupt remarks jolt me out of my reverie. I lift the sword in front of me and stare him down. My strategy is simple. For as long as I can, I'll retreat and block his attacks.

When he notices that I am not moving from my location, he frowns slightly. He then vanishes in the blink of an eye. As I begin to panic, a powerful blow to the guts sends me flying towards the swords.

*Splurt*

"Gah!"

I'm getting a lot of cuts on my back as I lend. I appear to have collided directly with the swords. Only after a few more rolls does my body stop moving. My insides are on fire, and I have an iron taste in my mouth.

"HAIL TO THE HERO!" Exclaims the crowd.

The noise is so loud that I can feel little vibrations on the ground where I'm laying. Everything goes black as I pass out from the pain I'm experiencing.