Just as they were about to begin walking through the forest, Wes paused. A curious thought crept into his mind.
Wait a minute… if this is a true isekai world… then that means…
He smirked and muttered, "I wonder if a status screen is a real thing here…"
Scarlett blinked. "What are you mumbling about now?"
Wes grinned and held up his hand. "Status!"
DING!
A shimmering violet screen popped into the air in front of him, hovering with magical energy and shining text.
Wes's jaw dropped. "No way… It worked. IT ACTUALLY WORKED!"
Scarlett's eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding me… You're telling me the whole isekai thing is real real?"
"I told you! This is the real deal! I'm not just some otaku dork anymore—I'm the protagonist!"
He read the screen aloud, eyes glowing with excitement.
Name: Wes Walker
Age: 17
Race: Human (Reincarnated)
Level: 1
Class: Magic Gunslinger
Titles: Otherworlder, Goddess's Chosen Gun, The First Gunslinger, Scarlett's Problem
Blessing: Blessing of Lady Seraphina – Divine Protection from the Goddess of Rebirth
HP: 120/120
MP: 250/250
Strength: 14
Agility: 19
Endurance: 15
Mana: 28
Luck: 22
Charm: 16
Affinity: Fire, Wind, Ice, Lightning, Water, Earth, Light, Dark, Void, Gravity, Sound
Normal Skills:
Appraisal – Instantly assess information about people, items, monsters, and abilities.
Quick Draw – Significantly increases weapon draw speed for lightning-fast surprise attacks.
Danger Sense – Heightened awareness that alerts the user to incoming threats or ambushes.
Perfect Aim – Automatically adjusts trajectory for ranged attacks, drastically improving accuracy.
Night Vision – Allows clear vision in low-light or complete darkness.
Basic Cooking – Enables preparation of simple, energy-boosting meals.
Enhanced Reflexes – Greatly improves response time to physical stimuli.
Acrobatics – Boosts flexibility, balance, and parkour-like movement.
Ability Skills:
Battle Focus – Sharpened senses and thought clarity during combat situations.
Gun Kata Stance – A unique fighting technique blending martial arts and gunplay.
Flashstep – Short-range teleport-like movement for dodging or repositioning.
Eagle Sight – Enhances long-distance visual perception and tracking.
Battle Calm – Reduces panic and fear in high-pressure scenarios.
Pain Resistance – Lowers pain received from physical injuries.
Mana Sense – Detects magical energy sources in the surrounding area.
Deadeye Focus – Slows perception of time when aiming a shot, increasing precision.
Magic Bullet Skills:
Mana Bullet – Basic magical energy shot. Low cost, fast fire rate.
Fire Bullet – Ignites target on impact. Causes burn damage over time.
Ice Bullet – Slows and chills enemies. Chance to freeze weaker foes.
Lightning Bullet – Causes stun and electrical burst in small area.
Wind Bullet – High-speed projectile with piercing effects. Can deflect small projectiles.
Earth Bullet – Causes impact shockwaves. Strong knockback.
Water Bullet – Blunt force damage with added hydro-pressure effect.
Light Bullet – Blinds and burns unholy creatures.
Dark Bullet – Life-leeching effect. Slightly heals user on hit.
Void Bullet – Disrupts space on impact. May cause small-scale disintegration.
Gravity Bullet – Briefly increases target's weight. Slows movement drastically.
Crystal Bullet – Shards on impact, causing multi-hit damage.
Bullet Barrier – Creates temporary magical shield of rotating bullets.
Unique Skills:
Gunslinger's Instinct – Grants predictive combat awareness. Wes subconsciously reacts to threats before recognizing them consciously.
Bullet Fusion – Twin Element Shell – Allows fusion of two elemental bullets to form a new hybrid attack (e.g., Fire + Lightning = Plasma Shot).
Elemental Overdrive – Prism Breaker(Locked – Unlock at Level 15) – Condenses the full power of all elemental affinities into a single glowing bullet, capable of devastating effects.
Arcane Ricochet(Locked – Unlock at Level 10) – Bullets rebound off surfaces to strike hidden or unreachable targets.
Reveria Synchronization(Locked – Unlock at Level 20) – Temporarily merges Wes's consciousness with Reveria's, unlocking god-tier accuracy and judgment.
Weapon: Reveria – Sentient Goddess Revolver
Items: 10,000 Gold Coins
Wes leaned back with a grin. "This… is awesome! I'm stacked! Elemental bullets, cool combat skills, and I even got cooking? I'm a complete RPG party in one dude!"
Scarlett stepped forward, eyes narrowed. "Let me try. Status!"
A pale red screen shimmered into existence in front of her.
She read it silently at first, then blinked in surprise. "Whoa… I've got a blessing, titles, sword skills… and even a passive called 'Wes Suppression Aura'? What the hell?!"
Wes cackled. "You already had that in real life!"
"Shut up," she snapped, though a smile played on her lips.
He looked over to her. "You seeing what I'm seeing, partner? We're ready."
Scarlett rolled her eyes but nodded. "Yeah. We've got weapons, skills, protection from a literal goddess, and each other."
Wes struck a pose. "Time to start our new lives in style."
Scarlett sighed but smiled. "Let's go, Gunslinger."
The two of them stepped forward, the sun shining through the vibrant forest canopy, birds singing above.
Their journey was about to begin.
Wes and Scarlett strolled side by side beneath the towering canopy of a beautiful forest. The air was fresh and clean, filled with the scent of wildflowers and moss. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting shimmering patterns on the forest floor as the breeze brushed gently against their faces.
"Man… I don't think I've ever breathed air this clean before," Wes said, stretching with a relaxed grin.
"It's kind of peaceful here," Scarlett admitted, brushing a strand of red hair behind her ear. "For now."
"Y'know," Wes added, hands behind his head, "in every isekai anime, the hero either joins a guild, hunts monsters, or ends up in a party with cute girls. I'm calling it now—this is our guild arc."
Scarlett rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless. But… traveling, finding work, seeing the world? That doesn't sound too bad."
They laughed, nudging each other, occasionally teasing and annoying one another as they followed the dirt trail deeper into the trees.
But suddenly—
Rustle... rustle... rustle...
They froze.
The trees around them shifted. Something—or somethings—were moving.
"You hear that?" Wes whispered.
"Yeah," Scarlett said, eyes narrowing. "Get ready."
They scanned the treetops, their muscles tensed. More rustling echoed.
Wes muttered, "Don't tell me we're about to get ambushed already…"
From the shadows, ten dark winged shapes emerged—glowing red eyes, glinting stingers, and buzzing wings.
"WHAT—" Wes choked. "Killer Wasps?! Are you kidding me?!"
"Ten of them?" Scarlett hissed. "That's not fair!"
They both stared, startled.
Wes quickly called out, "Appraisal!"
A glowing screen appeared in front of him:
MONSTER STATUS
Name: Killer Wasp
Rank: F
Level: 3
HP: 45/45
MP: 15/15
Strength: 8
Agility: 21
Endurance: 6
Magic Resistance: Low
Skills:
Sting Barrage: Rapid multi-hit needle thrust attack with a high chance of poison.
Aerial Dash: Executes a quick zig-zag aerial movement to dodge or flank.
Frenzy Mode: When HP drops below 30%, attack speed increases by 50%.
Threat Level: Low (Single) / Moderate (Swarm)
Weaknesses: Fire, Wind
Wes grinned. "Perfect chance to try out my new skills."
Scarlett smirked. "Let's go. First one to clear their group wins."
Wes pointed. "I take the five on the left—you get the right."
"Deal."
Suddenly, one wasp charged straight at them.
"Move!" Wes shouted.
They both rolled just as the giant insect zipped between them, its stinger missing by inches.
Wes rose and opened his hand. "Come to me… Reveria."
In a swirl of light and runes, the revolver materialized in his hand with a satisfying click.
Scarlett smirked and opened her hand. "Crimsonsteel Longsword—let's dance."
A flash of red energy lit up as her blade formed.
Wes nodded toward the group. "Let's split 'em!"
"Right!" Scarlett replied.
Wes aimed at the cluster. "Wind Bullet!"
BOOM! A gust shot from the barrel, blasting the center wasps apart in a shockwave of air.
The swarm split, disoriented but far from down.
Suddenly, two wasps rushed Wes from the side. He ducked just in time as one zipped overhead.
"Whoa! These things are fast!"
Scarlett deflected a charge with her blade but stumbled. Another stinger grazed her arm.
"Tch—!"
"You okay?" Wes shouted.
"Just a scratch! Keep fighting!"
Wes focused. Battle Focus... activate. His breathing steadied. He locked onto one incoming wasp.
"Fire Bullet!"
BOOM! The shot exploded, sending the wasp spiraling into a tree—but another one clipped his shoulder.
"Argh! Okay—now I'm mad!"
Scarlett twisted through the air, slashing mid-spin. "Arc Slash!" Her blade nicked one, but it didn't fall.
"They're tough for F-rank!" she yelled.
"They're fast and fight dirty!" Wes replied, dodging a Sting Barrage.
He backflipped, took aim. "Quick Draw... Lightning Bullet!"
A flash of blue crackled and zapped another wasp out of the air.
Scarlett's blade glowed. "Flame Cutter!" she yelled, slashing through two with a burning arc.
Both sides panted, bruised and scuffed.
Wes smirked. "Down to the final five."
"Let's finish this," Scarlett said.
Wes fired rapidly. "Fire Bullet—x3!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Three more exploded into flame.
Scarlett leapt into the air. "Crimson Burst!"
With a fiery spin, she slashed the last two out of the sky.
The clearing fell silent.
Wes and Scarlett stood amidst smoking wings and scorched leaves.
They looked at each other.
"…We did it," Wes breathed.
"Our first real fight," Scarlett nodded, brushing her singed ponytail back.
DING! DING!
Two translucent screens popped up before them:
LEVEL UP!
Name: Wes Walker
Current Level: 1 → 3
Skill Points Earned: +4
New Skills Available: Flame Burst Shot (Unlocked), Acrobatics Lv. 2 (Upgraded)
Name: Scarlett Hayes
Current Level: 1 → 3
Skill Points Earned: +4
New Skills Available: Flame Blade (Unlocked), Parry Counter (Unlocked)
Wes beamed. "We leveled up already? And I got new stuff!"
Scarlett smiled faintly. "Guess it's not all fantasy. This is our life now."
They turned to each other.
"High five," Wes said.
SLAP!
Their hands met in midair.
Their weapons dissolved into shimmering light, returning to their spiritual bond.
Scarlett smirked. "Not bad, Gunslinger."
Wes raised a brow. "I mean, clearly I did better."
Scarlett glared. "Please. I actually used technique. You just blew everything up."
"Explosion is a technique!" Wes argued.
They laughed, their voices echoing through the trees as they walked forward into the unknown.
Wes and Scarlett walked side by side again, still catching their breath after the intense battle with the Killer Wasps. Though victorious, the adrenaline had begun to fade, and a creeping fatigue settled in.
"Man, those bees really gave us a workout," Wes muttered, wiping his brow.
Scarlett nodded. "For F-rank monsters, they hit harder than I expected."
"But still," Wes said with a grin, "we handled it. First fight in a new world? Pretty epic."
"True," she agreed, though her tone was more tired than thrilled. "So… what now?"
Wes tilted his head, thinking aloud. "Maybe we find a town or city. Get our bearings, grab a map, eat something that isn't wasp venom."
Scarlett cracked a faint smile. "You really want to roleplay your anime fantasy, don't you?"
He shrugged. "When in fantasy world…"
Just then—
BOOM! A deep rumble echoed through the forest, followed by the crack of splitting wood and a shockwave of air.
The two froze.
Scarlett's eyes widened. "What was that?"
"I don't know," Wes said, his grin replaced by wary curiosity. "But it sounded close."
They looked at each other.
"Should we check it out?" Wes asked.
Scarlett hesitated, sighing. "We just fought giant wasps, and now we're going toward an explosion?"
Wes nodded seriously. "Exactly."
Scarlett narrowed her eyes. "You're not normal."
Still, she nodded. "Fine. But if it's a dragon, I'm blaming you."
"Deal," Wes grinned, and they both dashed toward the sound.
As they ran, Wes muttered dramatically, "It could be a clash of powerful warriors and a massive beast… or two terrifying monsters fighting each other like some anime boss battle!"
Scarlett groaned. "You sound like a walking light novel."
Wes laughed, then got an idea. "Wait… Let me try something." He opened his skill list in his mind and activated one.
"Eagle Sight."
His eyes shimmered violet as his vision sharpened. Trees, branches, and terrain ahead came into crystal-clear focus—even through the forest canopy.
"What do you see?" Scarlett asked.
"…Whoa," Wes said, jaw dropping slightly.
He zoomed in mentally on the clearing ahead.
"There's a group of people… looks like seven. They're fighting a giant… snake? No, a massive serpent."
Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "A snake? How big are we talking?"
"Like… bus-sized. Scales, fangs, the works. Looks pissed too."
Scarlett's expression tensed. "And these people—are they adventurers?"
"They look like knights. Armor, swords, banners. Definitely organized."
Scarlett sighed. "Great. From wasps to warfare."
Wes grinned. "Yeah, but come on—how cool is this? Giant serpent? Epic fight? We have to see it."
Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Idiot. You're too excited."
Wes chuckled and activated Acrobatics, bounding up onto a low branch.
"Let's go, Red Blaze!"
"Stop calling me that!" she snapped, but followed quickly behind him.
They zipped through the trees, jumping branch to branch, the sounds of clashing steel and shouting growing louder.
Then—
They stopped at the edge of a clearing.
Peering behind a thick trunk, they finally saw it.
A monstrous snake, at least thirty feet long, writhed and coiled violently. Its scales were deep green with streaks of black, its golden eyes glowing with fury. Fangs the size of swords snapped at a group of armored fighters—seven knights, forming a semi-circle, blades glowing with enchantments.
"Holy crap," Wes whispered. "It's like a mini-boss fight in real time."
Scarlett's eyes widened. "That thing… It's no wasp. That's a real monster."
They stayed hidden, watching.
"We should wait and see how this plays out," Wes said quietly.
Scarlett looked at him, then nodded. "Right. Let's observe first."
Wes crouched, watching the battle unfold with awe.
Let's see what people in this world can really do… he thought.
To be continued…