I’m not Goblin Slayer Chapter 002

Gauss went out with the determination to kill a monster.

But after wandering around the town for a long time, he found that it was not as simple as he thought.

First of all, as a weakling at the level of an ordinary person, his ideal target was naturally a low-level monster that ordinary people could deal with, and it had to be alone. If he could minimize travel and be close, that would be best.

But after actually walking around, his initial idea was basically out of the question.

There was no fertile ground for low-level monsters to survive near the town.

The city guard’s constant clear-out operations and the frequent movement of adventurers had already ploughed the area within a few kilometers of the town over and over again, making it quite safe.

So, to kill a monster, he could only leave the direct jurisdiction of the town and try his luck at the outermost edge of the nearby Emerald Forest.

Before setting off, he prepared to purchase some “expensive” equipment he had never bought before.

Lacking suitable armor to kill monsters, even if his target was a low-level monster that ordinary people could deal with, it was still too risky.

He only had one life, so he had to be extra careful.

In a few of the busiest and most popular shops, he purchased the equipment he temporarily needed.

50 copper coins, a small oak round shield, 30cm in diameter, with a riveted metal strip wrapped around the edge.

1 silver coin, a set of cloth armor, made of several layers of cloth and cotton lining, the texture felt quite tough, and it should be able to withstand several attacks.

20 copper coins, a dose of paralysis poison homemade by the herbalist, which could be applied in advance and air-dried on the weapon. According to the apprentice in the shop, after applying the paralysis poison, the attacked monster’s movements would become relatively slow for a period of time.

40 copper coins, a dose of external herbal medicine, which could temporarily stop bleeding and slow down injuries when applied to a wound.

30 copper coins, simple medical tools such as linen cloth for bandaging, wooden splints, and bandages.

In total, it was 2 silver coins and 40 copper coins.

After the shopping spree, his savings dropped to 1 silver coin and 25 copper coins.

He naturally didn’t dare to spend all his money. If the adventure failed, he would still have some savings, which would at least give him peace of mind and prevent him from starving or being unable to pay rent and sleeping on the streets.

Moreover, the items and armor he bought were relatively suitable for his current stage.

The wooden shield and cloth armor were the cheapest defensive gear and armor.

Other armors and defensive gear were ridiculously expensive. Not to mention metal armor, even a decent set of leather armor would cost 10 silver coins or more.

As for weapons, he glanced at the metal swords, maces, and other common weapons sold in the weapon shop and decisively gave up the idea. The price was temporarily beyond his means.

Even second-hand ones would cost at least double-digit silver coins.

Besides, his original body already had weapons: a dagger about twenty centimeters long; and a wooden spear, entirely carved from hardwood, with a sharp conical spearhead, 1.8 meters long, and its surface carbonized by fire to enhance its hardness.

In terms of proficiency, his original body had been taught to use a dagger since childhood, helping the family process prey, skinning, cutting meat, and making traps. He was very skilled in using a dagger.

His experience in using a wooden spear was less than that of a dagger, but it was passable.

Using both weapons together, he could suppress at mid-range with the wooden spear and finish off enemies up close with the dagger. Although wooden weapons were not very durable and the dagger was old, it was acceptable to make do with them when conditions were not ample.

He would replace them with better weapons when he had the means later.

After a brief thought, combining his financial situation, he decided not to invest too much in weapons.

With his original body’s muscle memory for using a dagger and a wooden spear, even he, who knew nothing about using weapons in his previous life, could use them smoothly.

The sun quietly climbed to the top of his head.

Before setting off, Gauss reluctantly had a good meal at the Nightingale Tavern at the town’s exit, spending 30 copper coins.

It was a lunch with both meat and vegetables: a small dish of pickled fish, carefully prepared pickles, a few pieces of stewed soft meat, and a bowl of noodles.

Although the portions of meat were not large, they were enough to replenish some precious fat reserves for his body, which had been reluctant to touch meat for a long time.

He burped, feeling his body seemingly becoming more energetic. Gauss, who was still feeling the pinch of the spent copper coins, finally felt it was worth it.

Forget it, before a big battle, there must be supplies! Just consider it charging up his body first!

He stretched, put on his cloth armor, tied the supply bag to his body, tucked the cloth-wrapped dagger into his waist, grabbed the wooden spear, and strode towards the town exit.

Leaving the town, the scenery outside suddenly became open!

Under the clear blue sky, apart from the hard, dry yellow dirt road underfoot, there was an endless wilderness.

For the sake of town safety, all the nearby forests had been completely cut down many years ago, replaced by cultivated land close to the town and grasslands with excellent visibility.

Firstly, the open view helped the town’s guard collect information and detect anomalies from the Emerald Forest in advance. Secondly, dense forests were not suitable for human combat, while various monsters living in the forest year-round were unaffected. With one side benefiting and the other not, it was naturally better to cut down the forests.

Gauss was not the only one heading to the Emerald Forest. On the way, he met many people.

Some were solitary hunters, some were small teams of low-level adventurers, and he even vaguely saw the figures of a few professionals.

Don’t ask Gauss how he judged them. That heavy plate armor exuding a sense of wealth, the physical quality that allowed them to carry heavy armor and move freely, and the aura of a strong person that kept strangers away—anyone with eyes could tell they were professionals.

Gauss lowered his head and glanced at his slender figure, the messy cloth armor he wore, the small wooden shield tied to his chest, the small cloth-wrapped dagger tucked into his waist, and the rough wooden spear he held in his hand. He instantly felt that the equipment he had purchased with most of his fortune was extremely shabby.

Compared to them, he looked like a caveman.

“If I were to fight him, I’d probably fall apart with one punch, wouldn’t I?” Gauss could already imagine the scene in his mind.

He would rush up with his wooden spear, the spearhead hitting the opponent’s rock-solid full plate armor, completely unable to cause any damage. Then, the opponent would slap him two or three meters away, rendering him unable to get up again.

“I wish I were him. Killing an ordinary goblin to unlock the monster entry would probably be easier than kicking a stray dog on the roadside. Even a group of goblins wouldn’t scare him at all.”

As he thought, Gauss was full of envy, but then he laughed at his own “emperor using a golden hoe to plow the field” frog-in-the-well thinking.

Having become a professional, the goal of adventure would naturally not be small monsters like goblins, right?

But as long as I kill one monster! I’ll activate the Monster Encyclopedia, and then I won’t be so weak!

The road to the Emerald Forest was not short. Gauss observed other fellow travelers to pass the time, while also cheering himself up.

“Want to team up?”

“No, I’m used to being alone.”

Perhaps Gauss’s equipment was already presentable among “the lowest-level adventurers,” as several unfamiliar teams invited him to join them along the way.

However, Gauss refused them all.

This was not because Gauss was arrogant and looked down on them. In reality, his own combat power might be on par with theirs, and besides, moving together would allow them to look out for each other.

It was just that his original body had always been a lone wolf and was used to being alone, with no close acquaintances.

In the wilderness, joining an unknown team without knowing their background made him uneasy. He worried that he would have to face both monsters and guard against strangers around him.

It was better to act alone and be more at ease.

He could act completely according to his personal will and proceed cautiously.

If he observed an enemy beyond his capabilities, he wouldn’t engage and would choose a suitable target. Even during a battle, he could completely turn and run.

Although he came with a goal this time, he knew in his heart that combat was secondary, and preserving his life was key.

When his strength was insufficient, he had to be cowardly when necessary.

But if he joined a team, he wouldn’t have that much freedom.

“Caw! Caw!”

Entering the outer perimeter of the Emerald Forest.

The environment suddenly darkened. The noisy calls of unknown birds echoed from the airtight tree canopy above, making one feel irritable.

Gauss gripped the wooden spear in his hand tighter, subconsciously holding his breath.

This forest seemed to make everyone who came here feel uneasy, like a dark, eerie maw swallowing all visitors.