"I-is that mist?" Nina points out the carriage window, where a thin mist can be seen in the distance.


    "Sure is," I say.


    "That''s bad! Aren''t we about to be in danger!?"


    "Sure are."


    "Ohhh, why do you sound so calm! You''re the one who''s in the most danger here!"


    "True. If I tried to fight a tough monster on my own, I''d be slaughtered in an instant."


    "Then show some fear!"


    "Hm? Why would I do that?" I look deep into Nina''s eyes. "I trust you will protect me."


    "E-eh…!" Her eyes start darting around.


    "Wow. Didn''t know you could talk to the ladies like that, Lezard." Josh gives me a thumbs up.


    I return it with a smile.


    "Aww geez!" Nina pouts. "This is why boys are annoying!"


    I feel a hand falling on my shoulder. Starting from the fingers, I trace it to the wrist, the arm, the shoulder, and finally to the face of the one the hand belongs to.


    "How lighthearted," Mitsuki says. "But I hope you don''t intend to keep that jovial attitude when we enter the mist."


    "It''s important to lighten the mood, isn''t it? Especially when everyone''s so worried."


    "That''s true, but if you make light of the monsters within, you may find yourself in a dire situation."


    "Eh?" I reach up, placing my hand on Mitsuki''s, which still rests on my shoulder. "But I have you to protect–"


    Mitsuki slides her hand out from beneath mine. "That won''t work on me."


    "Ah, haha…"


    The carriage comes to a stop shortly after our lighthearted conversation, the mist outside the window now closer than ever. Since the coachman and normal soldiers could be turned into monsters if exposed to the mist for too long, they stop outside the affected area.


    Not wanting to waste time, I''m the first to step out into the light of day.


    Checking the other three carriages, I see Captain Rosa''s already guiding my classmates out of the one in front. The other two still have their doors shut, but as I watch, one of them opens, with Curtis stepping out.


    His eyes meet mine, and I see that same disgust as always. When he sees the smile on my lips, his disgust turns to outright hatred.


    You''re really going to let yourself be manipulated by a simple smile?


    At least give me the slightest hint of a challenge, moron.


    "Not to worry, Nina," Mitsuki says from the carriage door. "The mist hasn''t reached this hill yet."


    "Really?" She peeks out, checking for herself. "I guess we''re safe for now, then…"


    Seeing her acting so timid makes me want to bully her a little more. Not in the same way Curtis does me, but simply to draw her focus and change her mood so she''s not so frightened.


    However, if there was ever a time to be scared, it would be now.


    Some of them really are underestimating the mist.


    It''s not something to be taken lightly, even for heroes. If they''re not careful, their lives in this new world could be very short.


    Although it''s good to be cautious, there''s a line where the fear and anxiety will have a negative impact on survivability. Too much, and people are prone to freezing when something goes wrong.


    Nina is a prime candidate for such a scenario.


    She''s really not cut out for the whole hero thing. But if she can temper her fear, then she could still be a powerful force, despite that.


    "Good." Rosa looks around at all of us. "It appears all of you are ready for your first trip into the mist."


    "We should go over the plan once more," Isaac says. "I wouldn''t want anyone to claim that they forgot their role."


    "Good idea." She points to several of my classmates. "All of you will take the front, as your specialties lay in melee combat. Just remember that your goal isn''t to defeat the enemies on your own. Rather, it''s to protect your more vulnerable members."


    She points to a few others. "As for all of you…"


    Rosa continues listing out everyone''s roles, giving them instructions on what their main tasks will be during combat, as well as things to avoid doing.


    It''s a little boring, so it can''t be helped that I end up zoning out during her explanations. She did go over this several times already, after all.


    Not that I needed a tutorial in the first place.


    "If you stick to your lessons and my instructions," Rosa says, "then there''s nothing to fear. Since it''s our first trip into the mist, we''ll be staying near the edge, where the mist is thin. It''s rare for powerful monsters to roam there, so we should be safe. Ah, and Lezard will be protected in the back, of course."


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Yeah, yeah. You don''t have to say it again.


    Also, I couldn''t help but notice that I''m just an afterthought. How rude.


    "While we do battle," Rosa continues, "the soldiers will unpack the supplies and set up camp. Depending on how the fighting goes, we may spend several days here leveling."


    Leaving the soldiers to set up camp on a large hill that overlooks a valley, Rosa leads us down the slope. Directly towards the mist.


    In our captain’s hands is her weapon of choice—a scythe. Unlike the wheat-chopping variant used by farmers, the one Rosa is carrying has an exotic design, carrying an artistic, yet deadly, flourish.


    Although many of my classmates have been silent, their posture and expressions say more than their mouths ever could.


    It''s normal to be afraid, so I can''t blame them. But as long as we stay near the edge where the mist is thin, we''re more than strong enough to deal with a few mishaps.


    Mitsuki eyes me as we approach the creepy fog that covers the valley below. She doesn''t say anything, but I can feel her appraising gaze run over me, looking for any signs of what I''m actually thinking beneath my veil.


    Too bad. I won''t give it away that easily.


    Giving up on me, she turns back to the valley and refocuses on the upcoming journey into the mysterious mist that can turn any living thing into a monster.


    Rosa is at our head, leading us like the commander of a squad. Because of that, she''ll be the first one to reach the very edge of the mist. In fact, it''s only a few paces away. But she doesn''t even slow down.


    "From here on…" Rosa takes the first step into the mist, the fog swirling around her boot as she disrupts the air that carries the mysterious droplets. "...We''re on a bloody battlefield."


    "You ain''t gotta worry about it," Curtis says. "Look how many heroes you got now."


    "Don''t get arrogant." Mitsuki sends him a glare. "Weren''t you listening when she told the story of how their strongest hero failed against this mist?"


    "Just one guy. And he probably wasn''t even that strong. It was the same back on Earth, wasn''t it? Like how they talk about some great writers back in the day. But when they forced us to read their junk, it''s just boring crap. Probably the same here, making a big deal outta nothing."


    Mitsuki shakes her head, giving up on getting Curtis to take our first trip into the mist seriously.


    Well, can''t blame her for trying. Though she should have known that nothing can get through that guy''s thick skull.


    Our feet don’t stop, even while they argue. By now, all of us are walking in the mist, leaving swirls with each step we take.


    "Stop." Rosa holds up her balled fist. "Get ready for combat."


    She points down the slope, deeper into the mist. From within the white fog, a shadow can be seen. As we watch, it grows larger. Or to be more precise, the creature that''s making the shadow is getting closer.


    My classmates watch with bated breaths as they set their eyes on their very first monster.


    It steps out of the swirling mist, revealing its true form. Long, sharp fangs, white fur, and a body the size of a lion.


    But the creature is no feline. Rather, it''s a canine. A wolf, to be exact.


    At least, it was a wolf until recently. And from the looks of it, it''s not even done mutating.


    The mutant wolf releases a growl that would send a shiver down the spine of anyone on Earth. A wild animal this size is already a fearsome sight, and with everyone''s nerves on full display because of the deadly mist, it''s not surprising to see many of them freeze up.


    But there''s someone here who''s hunted monsters much stronger than this pup.


    "Do not fear," Rosa says, pointing her scythe at the mutant. "A beast this weak will fall in an instant."


    She motions to the front-line fighters who stand beside her. Having been urged on, Josh steps forward.


    "Alright, I''m up! Let''s see how well this skill works in a real fight!" He raises his gauntleted fist, then slams it into the ground. "[Shockwave]!"


    A burst of energy flies forward, slamming into the approaching mutant and knocking it skyward. Gravity soon regains its hold, and the wolf-like creature lands in a heap.


    "Grrr…" The mutant struggles, but eventually stands.


    "C''mon!" Curtis pushes Josh out of the way. "Let me show you how to use that skill. [Shockwave]!"


    The same scene plays out, except the strength of the skill is a step or two below the one Josh used. However…


    "See that?" Curtis turns to us, the wolf mutant lying defeated on the ground. "That''s how it''s done!"


    "Don''t get conceited," Mitsuki says. "It was the combined effort of–"


    "Yeah, yeah." Curtis waves his hand. "I heard it all before."


    His Heroic Skill, [Copy]. Quite rare and powerful, if used properly.


    When he pushed Josh out of the way, Curtis copied his skills. Although he can only copy one person at a time, the fact that he can obtain virtually any skill he wants simply by touching someone can''t be underestimated.


    But that''s not the most dangerous aspect of [Copy].


    We need to be careful…


    As I''m lost in thought, my classmates are enjoying their first victory over a mist creature. Even if it wasn''t fully mutated, they should gain some confidence seeing how easily their skills were able to take it down.


    As Rosa reins in their excess enthusiasm, I take a moment to check something important.


    My vision is blocked by the sudden appearance of a text box. Words and numbers fill the box, along with various sub-screens that I can open with a simple thought.


    But my focus is only on one single line.


    No experience points, huh? That''s not good. Even if I didn''t fight the monster, I should have gained experience just by virtue of being a hero.


    Does this mean…


    "--zard." Rosa''s voice pulls me from my thoughts.


    "Hm? What''s up?"


    "I was saying that a mutant has appeared that could be beneficial for you." She points into the mist. "A hare. Or at least, it was. They''re just food for stronger mutants, but they also make good training for…"


    "For weak people like me." I finish for her.


    "Ahem. How about giving it a try? I''ll be here to back you up, just in case."


    I pull my sword from its sheath. "Sure, no problem."


    "A little bunny," Curtis says. "Perfect for you."


    Ignoring his snide remark, I walk forward from the group. Like the wolf, this rabbit has yet to fully transform. That makes the already weak mutant into something of a joke, even for newbie soldiers.


    But newbie soldiers aren''t level 1 like me. They have a bit of superhuman strength, even if they''re not at the level and class of heroes.


    Man, what a pain…


    The creature isn''t the furry little fluffball most people would imagine when thinking of a bunny. It has long fangs dripping with saliva, a set of razor-sharp claws, and a feral glint in its red eyes.


    Even if it''s classified as one of the weakest mutants, it''s still dangerous.


    Unlike my classmates, I don''t have a Heroic Skill and the special abilities that come along with it. That means I can only rely on generic magic and my sword.


    Seeing as how my magic is painfully weak, that really only leaves me with one option.


    "Eat steel!" I swing my blade, slicing into the mutant rabbit as it leaps at me.


    I feel my sword sink into flesh, but…


    "Still wanna go, huh?" I swing again, and again.


    Each attack sends a spray of red through the air, but none of them can put an end to the rabbit''s assault. But combined, they''re finally adding up.


    "It''s over!" I stab my sword into the ground, straight through the bunny''s body.


    I pull my weapon free and clean the blade before sheathing it.


    "Bwahahaha!" The usual suspect lets out a bellowing laugh. "All that to take out a little bunny!"


    "Curtis, you–"


    Isaac holds up his hand, cutting Mitsuki off. "It seems you''ve forgotten, Curtis. We’re a team now, and I expect you to act like it.”


    “Tch. Whatever.” Curtis spits off to the side.


    And just like that, our trip through the misty land begins.