Only I know about “Level Up” in this world

29/05/2022PC

This town is a huge pen for livestock. A stock of humans that exist for the sake of monsters. The sturdy walls around the town reminds one of walls used to pen sheep and the exit is blocked by a massive iron gate. Every place in the town is under the surveillance of man-eating monsters called Ogres.

No one goes against the monsters or rather they cannot. All the people in this town have resigned to a lifestyle as livestock for the monsters.

“…So, you’ve gathered, you human trash.”, said the ogre who was satisfied after seeing us humans gathered in the open square on that day.

“Well then, choose the one to be sacrificed1 this time.”, ordered the ogre.

Humans have no choice but to periodically provide sacrifices to these monsters. This was the reason for which we were all gathered at the open square today. Usually, the humans who are to be sacrificed are chosen beforehand through discussions and it was no different this time.

“Hoh…, you sure made your choice without any fuss.”, sneered the ogre as everyone in the square pointed at me.

“I’m sorry, Theo”, my friend Thor apologized to me while hanging his head.

“But you know, it’s partly your fault too. If only you hadn’t said something like that…”, he grumbled at me while having just apologized.

Indeed, my selection was my own fault to a certain extent. It all started just the other day, when I brought up a certain topic with my friends.

“Do you want to escape from this city?”.

The answer to this question was neither YES nor NO but a fist.

“You idiot! There is no way humans can go up against monsters. Our Levels are 1, you moron.”, shouted Thor while showing me the back of his hand.

Shining a pale blue on his fist was the Level Crest. In this world, a being’s worth is decided by the numerical value of their Level. This Level is determined by one’s race and is engraved somewhere on the body as the Level Crest since birth. For example it is said that, in case of a Goblin it’s Level 3, in case of an ogre it’s Level 10, for a Wyvern it’s Level 37 and for a human… it is Level 1.

“A human with a Level of 1 can never go up against a monster. Neither can we use magic nor do we have any weapons or are naturally gifted like those monsters. If we defy them in such a state, all we will gain is needless suffering.”, admonished Thor while shaking his fist.

“Do you get it now Theo? Humans can’t win against monsters.”

Since that incident I was treated as a dangerous individual in the city. Well, one would think that that was the normal reaction. I would have thought and acted the same way too if I had been born and raised the same way as them.

“Theo, It’s because you are too dangerous. Even if you alone act against them the rest of us could be dragged into it and suffer unnecessarily.”

“I know. I don’t resent you for it.”

“So, it’s him then.”, said the ogre while easily picking me up.

Having picked me up, the ogre began to smell me as if he were a connoisseur and I the dish.

“He smells pretty delicious. I am really looking forward to eating him.”

Saying that, he locked me up in a human sized bird cage that was placed nearby and then carried it like luggage.

“…………”

I looked down at my feet as if I was too scared to look at anything or anyone else. I didn’t want anyone to see the expression on my face right then because I knew that a smile had floated up on it.

“Well then, so far everything has gone according to plan…”

While quietly chuckling to myself, I took out the wire that was hidden beneath my clothes and stealthily inserted it into the cage’s lock.

◇

I was carried to the ogre’s base which was the castle in the town’s centre. When I entered the castle’s dining hall, the preparation for the meal had already begun.

“Preparations to eat me huh…”

A long table covered with a luxurious cloth was neatly arranged with beautifully polished large plates, sake cups, silver knives and forks.

And the ones sitting in front these luxurious tableware were… Ogres.

“Oh! You’ve finally returned!”, “Whoo!!”

The ogres that were seated were delighted by the arrival of the main ingredient.

“Took you long enough!”, “That’s today’s main dish huh!”, “Cook him

already!”, “Let’s just eat him alive!”, “First we should decide who is

going to eat which part.”

“Hold on you lot. We need to properly butcher him first.”, said the

ogre who was carrying the cage.

I was sent off to the kitchen by such vulgar calls. Even though I called it a kitchen it was different from what I knew a kitchen to be. If I had to mention exactly what was different it would be the abattoir2.

“Well then, I should begin the cooking prep.”

The ogre put down the bird cage on the floor and turned his back to me. He was completely unwary of me and defenceless. He would have never even imagined that a human would or could ever show any resistance against him, moreover, he believed that the cage was also locked.

“～～♪”

The ogre was humming to himself while choosing which knife to use. Meanwhile, I quickly scanned the kitchen’s interior.

“The thing I want is……there.”

I found an edged tool on a stand nearby. It was a somewhat large butcher’s knife with a sharp tip. I quickly got out of the cage and stretched my hand towards that knife…

“Haa? What are you doing?”

“Tch, I guess he felt my presence when I moved.”

The ogre, who now held a meat cleaver, turned towards me. He grimaced after finding me outside the cage.

“Hmmm? Did I forget to lock the cage? Still, who the hell gave you

permission to get out?”

“……….”

“That’s quite the defiant gaze for a human. Did you really think you would be able escape form here? Impossible. You humans can’t do shit. You know why that is don’t you?”, jeered the ogre.

“It’s because your Level is too low.”, he declared as he looked down at my level crest which displayed a Level of 1.

On the other hand, the Level engraved on his shoulder was 10.

“As for why…, it must be because”God” really hates you humans. That’s why he made humanity the weakest race and raised the Levels of us monsters.”

“You humans exist to be eaten by us monsters!”

The ogre then brandished the meat cleaver. His blood vessels began to undulate as his boulder like muscles swelled, and then……

He swung down the meat cleaver toward me. A sound echoed as if the floor itself exploded as the iron cage near me was crushed and burst open. The fine debris and dirt began to dance in the air like a dust cloud.

“As expected of the brute force of an ogre with 10 times the Level of a human.”

“You mere monster, aren’t you misunderstanding something?”

When the dust cloud cleared up, I wasn’t under the meat cleaver but

was standing on top of it.

“Wha…?”

I sneered at the ogre who froze without understanding what had just happened.

“You bastards are going to eat me? No, it’s the other way round.”

The magic circle I had set up in advance began to gleam near my hand.

—“Body Strengthening” —“Matter Strengthening”

Magic, something that a human supposedly shouldn’t be able to use. As both of them activated, I jumped from there and by using the ogre’s arm as a foothold I jumped even higher disappearing from the ogre’s sight. I then unsheathed the butcher’s knife hidden behind my back.

“I am the one who will eat you lot.”

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