Cherreads

Chapter 2 - Mapping the Monster's Den

Day 5.

Two loaves short of a full shelf, flour in my hair, and a butter knife tucked in my apron. Just a regular morning.

To them.

To me?

Four days into my transmigration, and I'd already trained the equivalent of 10+ years in the System's training room. I was still the smiling village baker by day.

But by night?

I'd become a hybrid of ninja, swordswoman, and sorceress.

After Mrs. Vasilia left with her usual "you remind me of my niece before the wolves took her," I flipped the "CLOSED" sign and locked the bakery door behind me.

Time for recon.

I wore a simple shawl, dagger in my boot, mini-map crystal in my pocket, and a mana pulse running just beneath my skin like a heartbeat.

The village was cold and quiet. Wooden fences stood like broken teeth, and the fog didn't clear until mid-noon.

But I'd mapped most of it.

By foot. By stealth. By system-backed memory.

[Skill Acquired: OBSERVATION (Lv.1)]

→ Allows real-time environmental scanning. Detects minor movement, terrain weaknesses, and potential hidden paths.

The map materialized in my interface, sketched like a fantasy game. Each building I passed, every alley and creaky staircase, the System marked it down like a cartographer with ADHD.

It even logged enemy presence.

No enemies detected... yet.

By day 2 of scouting, I'd already:

✔ Found an abandoned church tower perfect for sniping

✔ Tagged the Dimitrescu castle in the far hills

✔ Identified the underground wine cellars leading to the Lycan dens

✔ Marked the merchant's likely hideout (the fat guy's silhouette was hard to miss)

After slipping past the Miller's house, I entered the forest path near the graveyard. A thick silence hung in the air.

Good place to practice.

I stepped behind a tree, opened my palm, and summoned the mana.

A deep purple energy glowed between my fingers like liquid starlight.

[Skill: Mana Control (Lv. 3)]

→ Manipulate and channel raw mana for various combat and support techniques.

I molded it into a disc, then launched it into a tree. The bark exploded like shrapnel.

Another spell—Flame String—burst from my fingertips, threading fire across a rock like a laser tripline.

But the highlight?

The moment I closed my eyes and channeled chakra to my legs.

I shot forward like a bullet.

[Skill: Leaf Hurricane (Lv. 2)]

→ Rapid kicks infused with chakra-based acceleration.

→ Combo: Aerial Spiral Kick + Downward Slam.

I leapt. One spin. Two. CRACK.

The poor dummy tree I was using? Snapped in half.

"Oops." I grinned.

Next came the blade.

It wasn't fancy. A plain longsword I forged in the System's forge and enchanted myself.

I held it in both hands, breathed in—and moved.

One slash.

Parry.

Half-spin.

Reverse grip.

Downward cleave.

Every step flowed like a dance. I'd trained with Kenshin, Ichigo, and Saber. And I took the best from each of them.

[Skill: Sword Arts – Hybrid Style (Lv. 4)]

→ A custom style blending Iaido speed, precision, and strength-based brawler techniques.

→ Bonus: Increased critical chance against large enemies.

→ Passive: Blade affinity.

It wasn't all just violence, though.

I saved a kid from falling off a roof with Flowstep. Helped the merchant's assistant fix a wagon with telekinetic Mana Hands. Gained goodwill.

They just thought I was a kind, athletic baker girl with good reflexes.

But in four more days?

The veil over this quiet village would shatter.

And when it did, I wouldn't just be another survivor.

I'd be the one writing the final game script.

[MAIN QUEST UPDATED]

Event Trigger in: 3 Days

Optional: Prepare Escape Routes / Rescue NPCs / Assassinate Minor Lords / Steal Restricted Items

[Bonus Quest Acquired!]

→ Clear Castle Dimitrescu without being detected. Reward: ??? Hidden Art Unlock.

I closed my map.

Smiled at the mist.

And walked back to the bakery.

Flour and death were about to mix.

And I'd be the baker serving them both.

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