I'm finally here: a verdant field some distance outside the city wall. Wildflowers sway in the wind as birds and insects flit between them.
I accepted my first job at the adventurers' guild, a simple herb gathering job. They want at least eight of this purple flower, with bonus pay for extras. There are plenty of flowers in sight, so this should be easy.
After combing through every blade of grass, I've found only seven flowers that match the picture. They told me to start here because this area is safe, but the real haul is in the nearby forest. The forest isn't too dangerous, a D-rank solo adventurer should be fine, but I'm not even D-rank yet.
The cool shade is a welcome change as I enter the forest. The thick forest canopy blocks the midday rays, leaving a cool humid atmosphere. The forest floor is covered in roots, flowers, mushrooms, and fallen foliage.
But something isn't quite right. As peaceful as the forest looks, I feel like I'm being watched. I step carefully and irregularly in hopes my pursuer can't match my rhythm, but I hear no other footsteps. Yet, the sense of being watched is only getting closer and more intense.
For a moment, I feel the very blood in my body, and an urgent threat. I throw my elbow over my shoulder to cover me as I check my back, and something grazes me as it flies past.
A pale, young male humanoid stands opposite me, a short distance away. He has short hair, simple clothing that doesn't stand out, and an unnerving fixation on me. My arm is bleeding, right along where my sleeves were torn by the attack.
He lifts his head, revealing blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. He braces to attack again! I take a ready position, and recite a short prayer from my world to protect against malicious influence from unseen beings.
[ Skill activated: Holy - Turn Undead ]
My opponent is knocked back, tumbling, a fine dust trail marking his path through the air. He climbs to his feet, a little thin and unsteady. He glares at me grudgingly, then runs deeper into the forest.