On the night of the twin moons, a torrential downpour battered the forest in the darkness.

A terrifying wolf’s howl rang out in the distance, making the girl in front of me shudder.

“So this really is another world…”

That was what I thought as I struggled to lift my head and look at the two moons hanging in the starry sky, one red and one blue.

“I can’t even talk… I can’t move my head… Tch…”

I was still under control. My neck was as stiff as a locked steering wheel, and heavy as hell. This body could speak, but maybe it hadn’t been given the command ‘you may speak,’ so I couldn’t get a single word out.

“Mmm… There really are wolves… Hey, if one attacks me, you’ll protect me, right, Mr. Skeleton?”

“……”

I was made to nod.

“Then it’s a promise!! We’re friends, after all!”

“……”

I was forced to nod again.

“Hehe~~”

So what the heck was this girl even talking about…

She’d been chatting me up nonstop for a while now. But she seemed to think I was just an ordinary skeleton soldier, and knew I couldn’t answer her, so she just went on talking to herself.

She was having this much fun chatting with something like a robot. Did this girl have some kind of mental disorder or what?

[Hey, um, System—do you have any combat abilities? If I’m about to get GG’d, you’d better figure out how to keep me alive, right?]

【This system’s designation in the mission log is Inter-temporal Com——】

[Too long!! Just rename yourself Paper-chan! You’re basically just a two-dimensional character anyway!!]

It paused for a moment, then answered in a completely emotionless mechanical voice.

【As the user, you have the right to give this system a new name, though that one is rather tasteless.】

【Incidentally, this system has no combat abilities. It exists to assist you; it is not a combat model.】

Damn it! What a rip-off!

[Then what kind of support abilities do you have!?]

【This system is merely a subprogram. As the user’s ability level rises, the main program will gradually unlock energy access and permissions for the various support systems.】

【This system’s energy comes from all your actions. Walking, fighting, casting spells—all of them can increase your experience.】

【Once your experience reaches a certain threshold, you can level up.】

Huh?

Levels, magic, experience points.

No way…

[Wait!!]

I asked it in disbelief.

[You mean I… I’ve been transported to a game world? Or some other world with a level system?]

[Then… then I’m screwed! I don’t know how to do anything! I’ve got nothing! Won’t some high-level enemy just cut me down for 99,999 damage!?]

No gear! No weapon! Starting at level 0! Structural resistance!!

I’m so screwed!

【That is not the case.】

Huh?

【This system developed your level system and game-like status and skill panels to help you adapt more quickly and understand this world’s system of power in greater detail. But this world itself has no levels.】

【So there is no ‘EXP +999’ after defeating a monster, and no monsters vanishing into thin air after death and dropping equipment.】

【You need a knife to cut someone and a sword to kill them. Even if there’s a difference of dozens of levels, a stab to the heart is still fatal. There are no health bars, either. If you want to cut someone down, aim for the head and be done with it.】

[I see…]

So this was just a real world…

Huh… Come to think of it, this skeleton soldier’s body actually has some serious advantages. I don’t get tired or feel pain, my body’s hollow, and I’m automatically immune to most ranged attacks.

【Incidentally, although most skills are locked, this system comes with a ‘radar’ scanning ability. It can scan the surroundings within a 350-meter radius of you.】

【At the eleven o’clock position, 145 meters away, there are more than ten humans and eight skeleton soldiers. They’re probably that girl’s companions.】

[Oh, nice.]

Just then, the girl, who’d been walking silently ahead of me, suddenly turned around and stared at me. Her abrupt movement made me jump.

“W-what is it?”

I asked her in my mind.

She walked over and looked up at me. Then she rose onto her tiptoes and brushed the fallen leaves off my skull and shoulders.

Just like a newlywed wife straightening her husband’s clothes.

“Hm? What’s she doing?”

I was still under control and couldn’t move on my own.

The girl looked at me, visibly excited.

“I can finally control the undead! Now they’ll acknowledge me as a real Necromancer, right?”

Whatever she was thinking, her cute little face was flushed. She gave me a satisfied look, nodded, then turned and continued walking.

But a hint of loneliness flickered in those crimson eyes, then vanished.

“What’s going on…?”

Soon, the girl led me to a small camp. A few people dressed just like her, all in black robes, were discussing something together.

“What about Mare? Is he dead?”

“Here he is.” One of them pointed to the skeleton soldier beside them.

“Tch. So it’s just us few left?”

A man who seemed to be the leader sat dejectedly on a huge log, propping his head on one hand as he thought about something.

“Um… I’m back. Sorry I’m late…”

The girl greeted them timidly, then ran into the group with me in tow. I looked around to count how many people were there.

Fourteen people and eight skeleton soldiers… Most of them were holding things that looked like staves.

Were they all Necromancers who’d attacked that village earlier?

I’d walked right into a den of thieves!!

Just as I was wondering whether I should make a run for it, a sharp slap cut off my thoughts.

Smack!!

“Ah!!”

“Useless!! If you hadn’t failed to notice they had another party of adventurers, we wouldn’t have taken such heavy losses!!”

“Ugh… I-I’m sorry… But… but I can control a skeleton soldier now, so this time I—”

“You what!? You’re just a half-elf! You think you can become a Necromancer!? I bought you to trick those ignorant villagers, you little piece of trash! Know your place!”

“Hmph! Useless!”

The man cursed at her, straightened his clothes, then turned away and began speaking to his indifferent companions.

“Ugh… W-waah…”

“……”

I saw all of it.

But I didn’t dare act rashly.

“Hey! You useless thing! Get up!”

“Khah!! Cough… cough, cough…”

The man stepped on the girl. She doubled over in agony, her tiny body trembling nonstop. Still, she staggered back to her feet, looking as if she might collapse at any moment.

The crimson eyes that had been full of joy and hope dimmed, too.

“Take the backpack! We’re moving!!”

“Yes…”

They were moving out.

【Ding-dong】

Huh?

【Detected 23 units in the six o’clock direction! Distance: 34 meters!!】

[34 meters!?]

What was going on!? Were they the villagers from earlier?!

【The rain is severely interfering with sonar detection. This system only just detected them.】

Whoosh!

“Ah!!”

Violet lightning tore through the night, illuminating an arrow as it flew past me and pierced another Necromancer.

“Charge!!!”

“Huh? W-wha…?!”

The group burst out all at once. A chaotic melee was about to erupt.

[Activate [Steadfast Will]!]

As soon as I said it, my body suddenly felt lighter, like a prisoner who’d been locked away for years finally tasting freedom. Somewhere in my mind, a glacier quietly melted.

“Huh, huh, huh?!”

Without another word, I grabbed the girl, slung her over my shoulder, snatched the staff from the man’s hand at top speed before anyone could react, and sprinted away behind them.

“Damn it! Stop him!!!”

A skeleton soldier blocked my path and swung its blade at me.

“Get lost!!”

Bam!!

But I smashed its skull apart with a single blow from my staff, and it toppled to the side.

Behind me, firelight flickered and people shouted. Weapons clanged together.

Steel and blood screamed beneath the rainy night sky.

……

…

“Whew. We should be safe here, right?”

I set the girl down from my shoulder.

“Huh? What happened…? Um…?”

She still seemed unsure what had happened. She stared up at me, dazed.

“I didn’t give you an order. Why did you…?”

“Hey, I saved you. Aren’t you going to thank me?”

“Huhhhhh?!”

But the moment I spoke, the girl made a strange sound as if she’d seen something unbelievable. She shakily raised a small hand, pointed at me, and asked:

“Huh? Skeleton…? No… You… were you the one who just spoke…?”

I scratched the top of my skull.

“Yeah. That was me.”

“Eeeeeek!!!”

The moment I spoke, she freaked out and dived into her robe, trembling. Her silver hair spilled across the ground, making her look like a startled snow ferret. It was kind of cute.

Was that really necessary…? Sure, it was weird for a skeleton to talk…

【According to the database, undead creatures in this world have neither independent consciousness nor intelligence. They cannot act of their own accord; every movement must be controlled by their summoner.】

Paper-chan suddenly explained in a mechanical voice inside my head.

【On top of that, they have no vocal organs, so the idea of making them speak is simply impossible.】

【So, to her, an undead creature like you, capable of speaking and acting independently, is no different from a monster or ghost.】

【Imagine a skeleton version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.】

I pictured it with my skull and shuddered.

“Uhhhh, anyway, don’t tell anyone else you saw a talking skeleton. I’m leaving. Go wherever you’re supposed to go. It’s dangerous here.”

I hadn’t planned on taking this girl with me anyway. After making sure there was no danger nearby, I left her where she was and headed off in another direction.

……

…

Ten minutes later.

“Oh… So actions in combat give you far more energy than other activities, and that energy can charge you up and raise your level so you can get new skills.”

【Correct. Incidentally, you’ve now unlocked a new skill and a new achievement.】

“There are achievements, too… Is this really not a game world?”

【If you don’t want them, this system can take them back.】

“No, no! Collecting achievements in games is one of my hobbies. Let’s hear them.”

Two menus, like game UIs, instantly appeared before my eyes.

【Ding-dong】

【Successfully obtained 13 energy points. Current energy: 47 points.】

【Maximum energy increased by 5 points. Current maximum energy: 100 points.】

【Leveled up!】

【Current level: 13】

【Achievement unlocked: New Player】

【Requirement: Successfully obtain at least 10 energy points.】

【Note: You weakling! Never seen anyone whose crap is bigger than their meal before!】

And a skill like the ones players have in games.

【Information Gathering】

【Category: System Skill, Upgradeable】

【Requirement: A complete, independent consciousness】

【How to Use: Aim at a target and silently think “Acquire” or “Ascertain”】

【Effect: Ascertain basic information about a specified target within ten meters, including their name, sex, race (if known), and obvious condition】

【Each use consumes 0.1 energy. No cooldown】

【Note: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you can win a hundred battles—The Art of War】

I looked at the two new things I’d acquired and rubbed my jawbone.

“Hmm, not bad. Putting that achievement aside, this new skill is pretty useful.”

Plop!

“Meow!!”

A little ways behind me, something hit the ground with a splash. Then came the soft sobs of a girl.

【So, what are you going to do about that little tagalong behind you?】

“……”

I stopped in my tracks, scratched my skull, and turned around.

The girl from earlier had actually followed me. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to do.

She was clutching her scraped shin and crying softly. A few drops of blood welled from the wound, and her tiny figure sat in a puddle, looking utterly pitiful.

I spoke to the little figure who’d been following me this whole time, my tone a little impatient.

“Um, hey!”

“Eep!! I-I’m sorry!! I-I didn’t mean to, but!!”

She jerked her shoulders up and hurried to her feet. Her slender legs trembled nonstop as she looked at me in terror.

【Didn’t this system tell you not to go doing unnecessary things? So what are you going to do now?】

“I don’t know either! I’m desperate here! Who could’ve guessed she’d follow me?”

【This system does have a good idea】

“Huh?”

Paper-chan spoke in my head in an emotionless, mechanical voice.

【Cut her down and help this system recharge】

【After all, the dead can’t talk】