Day 61-70/Day 61/Sidestory: Male Elf's POV

Day 61: A certain male elf's point of view
Including us elves, races other than humans are able to rank up by accumulating large amounts of exp and levelling to lvl 100. The difficulty and total exp required differs between races, but the fact that these cases are few and far between is a trait shared between all races, as despite reaching lvl 100 many are unable to rank up.

For example, goblins who are weak but in exchange matures rapidly, there are usually only two or three, at most 4, out of a hundred or so that ranks up to hob goblins. I had little knowledge on goblins who I thought were the weakest until recently, but from what I heard this should be the standard.

Like this, those who fulfills the requirements and ranks up to stronger races dwindle with each rank. Due to such harsh demands, those who become Dragonewts, Lords, and Midians only appear once in thousands to ten thousands.

But, the group that captured and enslaved us, lead by a black ogre that can be described as nothing less than impossible, ranks up in bulk each night.

The Dhampir - variant with beauty that rivals even those of elves. The Half-Earth Lord with her heroic but warm nature. The Half-Bloody Lord that hid a blood coloured madness in her. And many other hob goblins.

This kind of thing, it should have been impossible. Utterly dismantles common sense. If it had been this easy for non-humans to rank up, by now the hatable humans would have been chased to the corners of the continent, not living leisurely as they are now.

Or, so I would have thought until a little while back. But at this point, it’s not much a surprise anymore.

For the common sense I had cultivated, living in the forest for so long, has already been shattered into pieces.

I burned myself in the strong libido I had never experienced until I came here. Adorning jewelry or opening holes on our ears should have been severe taboos, but using all means possible, we were cornered with no other choice but to don the ear cuffs. Forced into training harsh enough to make all our efforts up until now seem like child’s play, we were not even allowed to pass out.

Faced with massive stress, the shock from encountering unknown, it brought upon changes that elves who spent their time leisurely cannot discern. Paying with my common sense, as otherwise it would be my sanity that deviates, the result of efforts to rebuilt my mentality, it should be perfectly understandable to become unfazed at all abnormalities.

Well then, for today’s training, we fought black skeleton knights that the black ogre - renamed from Gobu Rou to Ogre Rou - summoned. At first a part of me underestimated it, even though the skeleton was a knight that’s stronger than normal, it is in the end of the same skeleton species. The reason was because my equipment consists of a mithril short sword that is effective against undead to which skeletons are grouped under, and a light but sturdy round shield, in addition to my confidence gained from daily training. If even one attack lands, I thought I would be able to easily win from the effects the mithril brings.

But contrary to all expectations, from the results alone I ultimately lost. I certainly am not inferior in terms of skill, but I lost against the Black Skeleton - Knight’s stamina. Originally the fight was to end before it turned into an endurance struggle, but the Black Skeleton - Knight’s capabilities exceeded my assumptions, though I did not receive any damage, neither could I land an attack. After it was over, I was frustrated, but also felt refreshed. I felt an easiness that I had never felt before.

Somewhere in my heart I thought, somehow, such living isn’t bad, unexpectedly.

With the ear cuffs on, I can never meet my family and friends again, or even if I do, I would not have a place back home, but I don’t feel such feelings like despair. Rather, I held a different sort of feelings. Perhaps the change in me, despite my disinterest for the outside world up until now, has something to do with this.

What is certain is that, this group is absolutely, outside our imagination.

While wondering what would happen to us now, feeling both eagerness and anxiety, I think I will continue living my life here.