It Seems My Job Aptitude Didn't Come with Human Rights

【Prologue】 Battle in Another World 1

This is the first draft of a new series that I've wanted to write for a while!

It might not be very long, but I'll do my best to make it interesting! (*´ω`*)

If you're interested, please give it a read! ・:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+

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「Hey! There's a Naia Grass over here!」

「Really?」

A distant voice called out, a man's voice. In the dim forest, a blue-haired boy and a red-haired girl walking beside him exchanged glances. The boy seemed to be around ten years old, with strikingly intelligent navy-blue eyes. The red-haired girl was cute, but carried a somewhat simple demeanor. More distinctive were the triangular animal ears protruding from her head, twitching from time to time, indicating they weren't just decorative. The boy wore slightly finer clothes, whereas the girl was clad in inexpensive, brown, hemp-woven garments. A slim tail wagged happily from her backside.

「That's great. Shall we go gather some herbs too?」

「Y-Yes!」

With that conversation, the two briskly made their way through the challenging forest. The sound of dry soil and fallen leaves underfoot, a rich green scent permeating the air. The sunlight was scant, obstructed by the tall trees' branches and leaves.

For a child still growing, overcoming the large tree roots and single rocks was no easy task. The boy, frustrated by their slow progress, found his pace hindered until the girl ahead turned back to him.

「Here, master Lars. Take my hand.」

「Yeah, thanks, Irinya.」

With that exchange, they held hands. The girl, called Irinya, pulled Lars with strength belying her appearance, helping him climb over rocks. As they advanced, their view gradually opened, and the dark forest scenery expanded to include more sky.

Then, from the direction of the men's voices, there was a loud noise. The ground shook, transmitting vibrations through their feet, causing nearby birds to screech and take flight.

It was a ferocious sound, like two heavy objects colliding. Then followed the sound of something falling.

「I-I'll go on ahead!」

Sensing something ominous, Irinya let go of Lars's hand and dashed into the forest, moving with the speed of a wild animal. She must have been matching her pace to Lars's until now, effortlessly clearing waist-high rocks, and quickly disappearing into the remaining forest.

At that moment, Irinya gasped, prompting Lars to lift his face.

「I-I want to grow up quickly...!」

With a hint of frustration, Lars expressed his feelings and pushed forward desperately through the forest. Sprinting roughly ten to twenty meters before the trees vanished from his view, his field of vision expanded drastically as sunlight poured in, causing him to squint.

Partially closing his eyes to adjust to the light, he finally managed to grasp the situation.

In the midst of knee-high grasslands stood a gigantic shadow. It must have emerged from the forest by breaking through the trees. In the distance lay a felled large tree. That shadow raised its head, crushing the fallen timber, unleashing a roar that vibrated the air, illuminating its murky yellow eyes.

Its scales appeared like layers of reddish-brown rock, with massive fangs peeking from its large mouth. The creature stood four meters high and was over ten meters long. Despite lacking wings, it was unmistakably one of the world's most formidable species—a dragon.

A dragon, but not a youngling—a fully matured dragon. Anyone knowledgeable could guess from its rocky scales and lack of wings that it was a type of earth dragon. If knights were to engage it, even a thousand elite might find it a formidable adversary.

Opposing the earth dragon were only two individuals. Both armed with weapons like thirty-centimeter short swords and bows.

「Sir Mikel! Sir Rolf」

Irinya called out their names desperately. Hearing her voice, the two men, who resembled each other like two peas in a pod, turned their sharp gazes. Both had white hair tied at the back, with more pointed triangular animal ears protruding from their heads than Irinya's own. Their tails were thicker with longer fur. The only distinguishing feature seemed to be the direction of their ears—Mikel's pointed upwards while Rolf's drooped down.

「Stay away!」

「Run, Irinya!」

As Mikel and Rolf shouted, they leapt to the sides simultaneously, just as the earth dragon's thick forelimb slammed down. Its unbelievable speed belied its appearance, and with gigantic claws as large as a person, it gouged the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The two appeared desperately evading the earth dragon's attacks, seemingly seeking a way to escape.

「W-What should we do...! Mikel and Rolf might die...!」

Irinya's voice quivered, nearly in tears. Despite their extraordinary agility, Mikel and Rolf couldn't endlessly dodge the massive earth dragon's assaults. Moreover, their equipment was a problem. Both wore light armor made from tanned beast hide, resilient to minor attacks and slashes, yet mere paper against an earth dragon.

Understanding this, Irinya clenched her fists tightly in front of her chest, her shoulders trembling. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and seeing this, Lars lowered his gaze.

「... Though I'm unsure as I haven't tested it yet, I suppose there's no choice.」

Saying this aloud, Lars stepped past Irinya, who stood still, moving to the front. Irinya, surprised, turned her gaze toward him.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
It's a nice first chapter.