Pan!

I put my hands together in front of a stone in the shade of a tree and close my eyes.
This stone is the grave of Master.

I don't know how people mourn the dead in this world.
No, even if you asked whether I knew in my previous life, I would say that I don't know.
There are probably not many people in Japan who could bury someone and then make a correct memorial for them without any help.
Omake-san should have known about this from watching the Isekai ¹This means reincarnating into a new world stream but she was confused on how to conduct funerals.

Well, these people don't seem interested in the dignity of their dead. . .
Since they're just gonna be reincarnated then what's the point of a funeral, right Omake-sama?

<It's not fair that you're asking me as if I'm a person. . .>

I'm not blaming you.
Even if we have lots of similar interests, there will always be differences in everything that you can't control.
But I do know that you aren't a human in the first place.

Well, anyway.
Since I don't know the proper way of mourning, I'll just do it in the most heartfelt way, so I made this grave.

This cut of stone came from the cliff where I practiced my skills.
It's a beautiful square rock from the middle of the cliffside using [grasshopper] and [silverfish], and carved out from there with [mantis].

This headstone used a lot of techniques Master taught me which I am very grateful for.

"Myogo. . . Myogyogogyogogo. . . Shugo!"

From a distance you can hear the sounds of a Myogogoshugo, which is a little different from the sounds I heard in Naso Forest.
Even atop this mountain I feel that summer has arrived, albeit belatedly.

If you open your eyes and look up, you can see a beautiful blue-sky peeking through the gaps of the leaves.
In the horizon, a large cloud is growing.

<Well, then Emmy. . .>

Yes, that's right Omake-sama.

 

 

. . . . . . . It's time for a new journey.

 

◇　◇　◇

 

I don the clothes Master made for me and also grab a few pieces of meat jerky.
I stay empty-handed and leave my master's house.

Of course, I love that place.
There are enough animals so that you don't have to eat insects or worry about food.

Still, there are many reasons to leave.

First of all, if more people like that man come back, I wouldn't be able to deal with them at all.
. . .Who is Master?
I never heard him say it but guessing from his appearance, I'd say Master is a legendary being.

A crazy powerful man coming to look for Master.
But I'm the only one here. . . I'm going to get killed.

And from what I've seen of the bald guy, I don't think it's unlikely. . .

Second, I want to eat something different than rice.
Humans are spoiled creatures, and I was a little tired of the rice Master made me, the meat of the beasts I hunted, and the herbs I gathered to eat as snacks.
No, I think it's really extravagant and I'm not complaining about Master's cooking but my goal is to have lavish feast with Omake-sama.
Unfortunately, if I stay here, I won't be able to achieve that dream, we have to go explore.

And the last reason.
Master's last words. . . he said "ganbare".

What did Master think when he said that?
Master died without ever explaining himself.

But.

A life where I continue to live in Master's home, frightened by the thugs who are looking for him, not knowing when or if they'll come.
Somehow, I can feel that Master wouldn't be happy with that.

I want to be strong.

Of course, that's a wish I had before I met Master.
If you're not strong, you won't survive.

But that feeling became much stronger during the 6 months I spent with him.

I want to be strong.
I want to learn more techniques.
I want to become like Master.
No! Someday even stronger than him!

I want enough strength that can repel any unreasonableness!

For this reason, I set off.

That's how I want to live.
I think that Master would have supported me with this kind of wish.
"Good luck."

 

◇　◇　◇

 

Clearing through the bushes, we follow the roadless road.
I don't know where we're going.
I have no idea where to go anyways, so, before leaving, I picked up a stick and spun it.
Once it stopped, I went toward the direction it pointed to.

Attacks from poisonous insects and plants can be overcome with [physical enhancement], cliffs could be handled with [silverfish] and [grasshopper].

And. . .

<. . . Emmy, they're coming>

Yes, I know Omake-sama.

 

We arrive to a gaping clearing in the mountains, a large tree must've fallen because of a storm.
As soon as I step into it, I get surrounded by beasts who have been stalking me ever since I started my new journey.

Their name was the Shinigami Wolf.
Before I met Master, they were the monsters that chased me on the mountain.

There are five.
All of them around me in a circle, growling.

I thought my [presence blocker] was well-developed but it seems that I can't cheat a wolf's nose.
I'm still powerless.

"GAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Two of them jump on me.
One in front, the other behind.
I feel the wisdom of the cunning beasts.
It seems that the gap caused by being distracted by one the wolves let one of them die a little later than the other.

 

But it was disappointing.

 

"Wof!!?"

I slash the wolf that attacked me head-on with [mantis].
The Shinigami Wolf behind me gets halved with [magic slash] before it can even touch me.
This is new technique I developed.
It's a little tricky to employ but I can utilize it in a trap hence making [magic slash] become essential to me.

The remaining three are repelled back by the corpses of their comrades, becoming very surprised and confused.

You guys.
You guys are supposed to be predators, right?
You don't have time to be surprised or confused.
For your sake, die.

I instantly pick up pebbles and rocks from the ground and use [stone throwing].
Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! The Shinigami Wolves' heads burst open, and the flesh rockets to the soil.
Whether it is because of [solidification] or [physical enhancement], my [stone throwing], which didn't work half a year ago, is now powerful enough to kill a wolf.

The battle ends.

<. . . The sun is about to set. Shouldn't we stop and camp here?>

That's fine.

Once we settle down, I prepare the rice.
I decide to use the meat lying about.
I've heard that carnivorous animals don't taste good, but the Shinigami Wolf at least tastes better than a Myogyogoshugo.
There's also plenty to eat.

 

I think as I dismantle a wolf.
How would Master have defeated these five?

I shake my head and blink my eyes rapidly.
It's easy to imagine such a scenario.

 

 

Ah. . .

Tears are welling in my eyes.

 

 

Master.

Master, Master, Master. . . 

 

I'm going to be stronger.

Watch it happen.

Please support me.

 

The souls of the dead are sent into the netherworld, where they undergo some processing, and then immediately join the flow of reincarnation.
The netherworld is only a soul processing agency, and there are no places known as an "afterlife", such as heaven and hell, where the dead can exist with the memories of their past lives.

Yes, even if Omake-sama explained it to me.

Even if I know that Master doesn't exist anymore.

 

I still can't seem to stop talking about my Master.