The calm, smooth breeze washed through my face just like fine water. Something felt different about the breeze that hit my face compared to city air. The air was manipulating me to just close my eyes and sleep, but the strange feeling that I didn't belong in this place kept my eyes open.
At one moment, I was in my room, scrolling through my social media, and then I was here. Just here, like I was always here. My brain was panicking; it was like water was rising over my head. My vision was blurring with the sunlight in my eyes. I was hugging myself like a dog and fell to the green grass.
"Just where am I?" I said.
I began thinking about what I should do. Many questions rose in my mind, each question getting an illogical, incomplete, or stupid answer.
Did somebody kidnap me?
Was I abducted by aliens?
Did my parents leave me in the wild?
The last question may be a little bit too wild. However, this whole scenario is out of this world.
[ Military System ]
[ Search ]
[ Soldier ]
- Rifleman
A blue transparent screen appeared in front of me. It was like seeing something come out of a comic or TV. I had seen it many times. I had seen these in comics:
Warrior System.
Wizard System.
Hunter System.
But what was Military System? It was the first time I had heard something like that. Not even in comics or anime had I ever heard of it. Moreover, there weren't many options available in it.
"Shouldn't there be some kind of tutorial?" I said.
I swung my hand through the system; just like other systems, my hand went through it. I waited for a few seconds, but the screen didn't change.
I clicked on 'Search' to see what would happen.
[ Search ]
This feature allows the user to search their questions for answers from the Internet.
"What the..." I said as I stopped myself from cussing. My parents would be unhappy if I cussed. But what the actual heck? Searching questions from the Internet is overpowered. If I had this power in the other world, I'd probably be in any field I wanted—except for the ones that require social skills. Talking with people is hard.
I sighed and went back to the previous screen. This time, I clicked on the Rifleman.
[ Rifleman ]
Primary Weapon: M4A1 Carbine
Sidearm: SIG Sauer M17 9mm pistol
Armor: Modular tactical vest with Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts (ESAPI) plates (NIJ Level IV)
Lightweight Kevlar helmet (Threat Level IIIA+)
Additional Gear: M320 grenade launcher module, fragmentation grenades (M67), night vision goggles.
"I don't understand any of these, but damn! It sounds powerful!" I said. I had seen weapons like the M4A1 Carbine in games, but I had never seen any of them in real life. It's quite a great weapon.
[ The user has been rewarded 2 Rifleman for starting. ]
With that screen, two people materialized in front of me. I was on the ground and taken by surprise. But I stood up and looked at them up close. I couldn't believe I was seeing such advanced weapons. They looked like members of some secret force. Green combat outfits with black boots and so much more. They held their weapons with a firm grip as if it was a part of them. Behind them were bags that soldiers usually carry.
"Sir! May I ask a question?" one of them asked. It was hard to differentiate between them, but there was a number on their vests.
001 and 002.
This is like stormtroopers, although I haven't seen the movie.
"Yes! 001, what do you have to say?" I said. I got into my character, which I had built by playing roleplay games for so long.
"What is our current objective?" 001 asked.
I rubbed my forehead at this question. Honestly, I had no idea. This system made me feel safe, knowing that I had something to protect myself in this unknown world, but I didn't know what I was supposed to do.
I don't know when I came to the idea that I had been transmigrated or isekai'd, but it was probably when the system appeared.
"Check the surrounding area and report any living beings. Engage only if necessary," I said in a commanding voice.
"Yes, sir!" they said as they began checking the surrounding area. They were in my sight as they checked for monsters or that usual stuff in this world.
Butterflies were flying out of my head. This was my first time commanding people. I was not a leader-type person in my old world.
"Asking permission for searching the further area," 001 asked.
"No need! Come back!" I shouted. The previous order was unsafe for me. I didn't want them to venture too deep, or else who would protect me?
"Let's venture deep. 001 will walk in front of me while 002 will walk at the back," I said.
They took the formation which I told them, and I started walking as they followed, just like I had said. I felt special for the first time in a long while—like a politician. I felt important. I smiled and walked confidently as if I was in a fashion show.
10 minutes later.
"How much time has it been, 001?" I asked. It felt like we had been walking for a long time, but the forest didn't seem to end. Sweat poured down my face like a fountain with limitless water. My legs were hurting.
"It's been 10 minutes, sir," he said.
I was surprised. Was I so physically unfit that I got tired so easily? My body wasn't fat, but it wasn't fit either. The fatigue was probably due to my inactivity in my own world. I rarely ever went out except for school, which was near my house.
"Okay. Let's continu—"
"Wait, sir," 001 said in a low voice. He gestured towards 002 with his hand to come forward, and he did so.
"Is there something?" I asked.
"There's something up ahead. I saw something move," 001 said.
I looked around to hide somewhere, maybe behind a tree, but monsters might be present in this forest. Staying too far from my soldiers might be a bad idea. If they die, then it means I'll die too.
"Hey, 002, give me your gun. I'll need it to defend myself," I ordered. He gave it to me without much question.
ROAR
A blood-curdling shout filled the forest. I felt it in the air—something was coming.
Through the bushes in front of us, a bunch of tall green creatures came into view. They wore only one cloth to hide their lower body, just like prehistoric humans. They had fat bellies, but their bodies were strong. Their teeth were big, and saliva was drooling from their mouths. There were about ten of them.
"OPEN FIRE!" I shouted.
Both of the soldiers began firing at the orcs. I covered my ears from the loud firing of the guns. The gun's muzzle flashed with each bullet. The orcs' blood-curdling screams filled the air with each of their deaths.
The bullets hit the orcs with pinpoint accuracy. Two bullets for each orc. The orcs in the back tried to rush at us, but they died without any chance to resist. In half a minute, all of the orcs were dead.
"How many bullets did you use?" I asked.
"14 bullets," 001 said.
"6 bullets," 002 said.
These guys have awesome aim. I looked at them with sparkle in my eyes, but I rubbed it away with my hands. I should also try to look a bit cool.
However, wasting this many bullets is a loss for us, but I think there should be an option to buy bullets in the system—if the system isn't cruel.
[ Supplies Section has been unlocked after killing your first monster. ]
[ "Automatic Rifleman" has been unlocked in the Soldier Section. ]
[ Buying soldiers is now possible. ]
[ Congratulations on killing 10 "Orcs". You can sell their mana stones to the system to buy in the System. ]
This is just the good news I wanted to hear.
"Cut those orcs' ears and teeth. It may be possible to sell them. Also, cut them up for meat and mana stones. If we can't find food, we may need to eat them. Fill as much as we can carry," I ordered, pointing toward the orcs.
The soldiers took out their knives and carefully began cutting up the orcs. I expected them to be grossed out or something, but they didn't show a single emotion. I don't think they can even be called humans since they are summoned from the system.
After an hour more, it was done. We packed up the meat, ears, and teeth in the soldiers' bags. Sadly, we couldn't carry all of the meat.
Now, about the mana stones. "System," I said. It appeared before my eyes.
[ Military System ]
[ Search ]
[ Soldier ]
- Rifleman (20 points)
- Automatic Rifleman (40 points)
[ Supplies ]
- 5.56mm (1 point)
- 7.62mm (1 point)
- MREs (0.1 point)
This system is truly heavenly. I looked at the sky and closed my eyes. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, whoever it is," I cried in my mind.
"System. I want to sell these mana stones," I said with the mana stones in my hands. I looked at the soldiers. They didn't seem to have a single emotion on their faces. I was expecting that they would say something or react since I was talking to the air right now. But it may be possible that they knew about the existence of the Military System.
After I said those words to the system, the mana stones in my hands vanished. It was predictable.
[ Points are given according to the size and weight of the mana stones. ]
[ You have earned +6 points for each mana stone. ]
[ Current points: 60 points ]
I could buy the newly unlocked soldier from this, but I needed to save it for food if the orc meat isn't edible, or for ammo since it guarantees our survival from these monsters.
"It's time to move forward now," I said.
I looked around and saw that the soldiers were about to carry those bags, but I stopped them.
"Let me carry them. You will be able to protect me more effectively if you can move without much weight," I said.
The soldiers looked at each other, then gave me their bags. They were heavy, but I was able to carry them.
"What is in those bags?" I asked. It didn't seem that there was only the stuff we picked up from the orcs.
"Sir. There are 10 magazines for the M4A1 Carbine and 9mm ammo for the pistol, along with some food and water," 001 said.
I ordered them to get back into our previous formation and start walking forward again. I was so wrong for even thinking about worrying about ammo. This is more than enough to get out of the forest, if I'm not wrong.
Nothing much happened after the encounter with the orcs. Everything was going as smooth as butter. We found a large open grass field with a river flowing a little far from where we were standing. We could see more trees ahead of the river.
The view was beautiful. I could even see some flowers near the river. I had never seen something so beautiful. Most of my life, I was in the city. The pollution, the bad air, and the honking of cars were the things I always heard. After coming to this field, I felt that I could be me. Truly alive. No one to decide what I should do and no one to decide what I should become. I want to live here.
"001. Let's stay here," I said.