"Stop right there!!"
I dodged the incoming arrows as I rushed to find shelter behind a tree.
I don't know the area, but my pursuers do.
It didn't take them long to surround me and corner me on this hill.
We're not far from the residence where I appeared.
Thanks to my stats being above those of an ordinary athletic human, I was able to maintain some distance from the natives on their natural terrain.
But I'm reaching my limit.
"I need to try breaking through their ranks, and at worst, negotiate."
Right now, I'm accused of attempted rape and illegal entry into the shogun's or some important officer's residence.
In an era like this... it's certain death.
However, if I manage to get enough time during my trial...
I could return to Konosuba.
"Create Water"
"Tinder"
First, I need to neutralize these damn archers and provoke a close combat confrontation with these assailants.
For that, fog will be useful.
It took about ten minutes to fill the hill with fog.
Basic magic doesn't consume much mana, but I used a large amount of water and fire.
Unfortunately, I don't have any thief class skills.
That would've been extremely useful right now.
Despite that, I managed to sneak behind an archer who was slightly set back from the rest of the group.
He had a torch in hand, so I neutralized that first with a knife throw.
"W-what?!"
Crack.
I broke his neck after jumping on his back because of my small size.
My first real murder.
I thought about knocking him out, but...
"If his companions find him, then I would've just wasted my time."
Do I regret my action?
Yes, but this isn't the time to reflect on the cycles of love and hate.
Sure, it's possible this man had a family and friends.
They'll want my death.
However, that's not enough to justify letting myself die or be caught by him.
It's with this logic that I picked up his weapon.
A bow and arrows.
I've never used this stuff, but I'll have to learn right here.
A crazy thought at this moment, but my guild card showed an increase in my XP.
This means my magic and skills aren't the only things working in this reality.
My guild card too. So my adventurer class must still work in this place.
I need skill points.
"D... did you hear that?"
"Where's Tahakura?!"
"He wasn't behind you..."
The group of archers didn't take long to notice one of their own was missing.
Still, it was too late.
The distance between us, the fog, and the night are on my side.
I immediately closed the distance with one of them before using the bow like a makeshift bat.
The man took enough of a shock to be thrown to the ground.
Without waiting, I lifted him off the ground.
Blood.
"The bastard hid behind him."
Bastard? Yeah, I've had that title in both my lives.
However, this time will be slightly different.
"Oops, sorry." I threw the man sporting his allies' arrows, which were planted in his body, toward them.
Of course, I took advantage of the confusion.
Pierce.
The man who called me a bastard ended up with an arrow planted in his skull by my hands directly.
The last man tried to flee, but I threw the bow directly at his legs.
"P... please."
The middle-aged man immediately started begging for his life.
I leaned toward him as I raised the bow and an arrow.
"Show me how to use this thing... I want to learn."
If I'm right, then I can learn skills in this world too.
A theory to test.
[Name: Bow]
[Lvl: 1]
[Description: Increases mastery of bow and arrows.]
[Effect: You are more skilled in using a bow.]
"It's official, I have more points."
Fortunately, skills from the Archer, Thief, or Warrior classes aren't expensive.
My initial goal in designing my single point was to save up for Aqua's magic.
Apart from Megumin, there's literally no one in my party.
Later, I could easily find a warrior or even recruit Darkness.
The problem lies in the rarity of a high-ranking priest like Aqua.
"There, here I have a good clear view."
Thanks to my pursuers' torches, it was easy for me to spot them in the darkness.
All that's left is to play sniper.
How long?
Until I form a gap big enough to make my way through.
XP
XP
XP
So I spent most of the night conducting guerrilla warfare against my pursuers.
How many did I kill?
I don't know.
The only times I left my tree were to look for arrows from downed enemy archers or useful weapons.
"Wow, they're stubborn," I said with a small yawn.
I frowned as I watched dawn arrive.
The enemies hadn't decreased.
No, they'd even increased!
The bastard mobilized the local population to deal with my case.
"My mana has recovered, thanks to my guerrilla tactics..."
But the situation looks grim at this rate.
Finally, I decided to try forcing my way through.
The quality of troops had decreased for quantity.
Especially since it's clear I'll never be able to leave this world alive if I stay on this hill.
"If the lord sends the army... yeah, I'd rather face guards and farmers."
During the night, I had covered my clothes with mud and my hair with various leaves inside.
I wanted to maximize my concealment while I was perched in the tree.
Thanks to the morning dew, the fog is still there.
So my camouflage is still effective.
"N... no, if he—" slash
I unconsciously looked at the sickle in my hands, which I confiscated from a farmer, with complex eyes.
During this nightmarish night... I killed again and again.
My level even increased twice, giving me 6 skill points.
My hand literally moved without paying attention to the man begging for his life.
"...XP, not man... yeah, that's it."
A blatant lie, but I'm not going to try getting into that reflection now.
I still have 9 days left here.
"So it's you."
Run.
My instinct demanded this of me.
But I was already exhausted from all the farmers and guards I executed to get to this place.
The border, where the limit of the local sovereign's lands is located.
Unfortunately, they stationed most of their elite forces here, it seems.
"A blind man?!"
Shion.
(Image)
No wonder my instinct screamed at me to flee.
Next to him, there's the blond boy from last time and a girl with slightly dark skin.
She seems to have a similar age to mine, at least in appearance.
(Image)
"Blind? Yeah, I often forget that detail."
An attempt at humor?
I didn't quite grasp his intention.
I simply threw the sickle at him as I began preparing my intermediate magic.
Fog?
That's useless against this guy.
I'd rather cast my Lightning magic in this humid area.
If I can resist...
The world started spinning as I found myself on the ground, unable to move.
Shion, who was in front of me, had closed the distance and knocked me out with the guard of his sword.