That Time I Wanted to Be a Farmer (OG) c1

A streak of white light travelled through the log, cutting a section off. 

The cut was clean and instantaneous, like a magical saw. There was no sound either, or more like the sound was cut as well.

I might be no fighter, but such a move could be dangerous to many things.

‘Probably, I haven’t tested it out yet.’

As I pondered on the lethality of this move, the log continued to be sliced up before I had 30 very long planks.

This was where I got on the top of the planks and began to cut them down in size.

I wanted around three meters long each, which led me to have over a hundred planks. I stopped counting a while ago.

‘Should be enough to build something out of it.’

My gaze scanned my handiwork. It was quite a bit of the building material.

‘I do wonder if I get a power related to building.’

I hummed for a second as I tried to imagine something to it.

The only thing I could think of is something like the traditional Japanese building style without nails. They used to build temples using that style.

‘I could try it. It could help me improve my current cutting technique if it's a technique in the first place.’

I looked at the axe for a bit. For a second, I forgot that I had it.

It was so natural that it terrified me for a bit.

First, I took a couple of planks and spread them down on the ground.

“Well, shit, I do need a foundation of some sort.”

Stomach Rumble

“...”

“...”

“Damn…” I grimaced as my empty stomach made itself known.

“I think I got too much into it.” I realised that my rage fit turned into a shelter and then a log house construction site. Quite a development, but for now, it's time to look for some food!

I began to look around.

My eyes eventually ended up on one of the trees with wide branches. I realised that this forest is predominantly dominated by a single species of oak-like trees.

That means that I need a high vantage point to see far away. Maybe I could see different species of trees, like fruits or nuts.

‘Well, let’s see if this power affected my body in some way.’

I walked over to the closest tree and used the axe as a makeshift grab hook to pull myself up.

‘Hoh, so it is purely intent-based.’

My axe wasn’t going crazy from a simple strike as I could climb the tree without much difficulty.

‘I don’t remember being that fit and that I could easily climb like this.’

I noticed how easy all of this climbing was for me. It was like my body weighed nothing!

Eventually, I reached the first branch, which I could easily stand on, but I did not remain there as I continued to climb up and up!

“...hmm…”

A couple of moments later, I was at the top. My left hand was holding the tree top while my right was holding the axe.

I gazed in the distance. I could see a chain of impressive mountains.

‘There are mountains. There could be streams of water.’

I recalled that little fact before looking at different locations.

My eyes perked up as I saw trees with different leaves in the distance.

‘Let’s go there!’

With the goal in mind, I didn’t waste time. I turned to the tree I was holding and moved away from the branch.

Without even thinking about my actions… I was freefalling!

I was surprised that my heart was not even beating rapidly; there was no anxiety, nor did I feel danger for my life. It was… excitement that was slowly growing in my heart.

It was concerning that I didn’t possess such a fear anymore.

Instead, I used my trusty axe to slow down my falling speed.

Once I was close enough to the ground, I let it go and landed on it.

Exhale

“...damn…”

After calming my excited heart, I began walking towards those trees.

It only took a couple of minutes to pass the trees and enter a small clearing. On the other side of this clearing were trees with lighter bark and lighter leaves.

However, what got my interest was the things growing on the branches.

They were greenish-yellow and a little bit smaller than my fist.

I slightly narrowed my eyes.

“...those…”

I had a feeling I knew them.

With faster steps, I walked over to the first tree and inspected the branches after kicking myself from the tree trunk.

“These are wild apples!”

I got excited for a second but then recalled that these greenish-yellow fruits can be very bitter.

“...Well…”

I plucked one of them, and at that moment, I felt something triggered—as if a shattering glass rippled from the apple.

“...Hmm? Well, nothing happened. I guess the security system failed?” I pondered on what this was.

“Now that I think about it.” 

My gaze scanned the surroundings. I realised that the trees growing here like this are slightly strange.

‘A set up?’

‘No, this a garden.’

When I realised what it was, the forest trembled, and a feral roar spread through the area.

Birds swiftly flew away from the trees as something huge approached. The earth itself was shaking.

‘A predator of some sort? No, these are apples, so it should be an omnivore, but this is a fantasy world. My original distinction should only be taken with a grain of salt.’

As I watched the trees, a blur rushed out into the clearing.

“Huh…”

“I wasn’t expecting this…”

I was surprised. What I was looking at was a deer. It was not the regular one, but something from the African Sahara… 

‘Wasn’t it called antelope? With those horns growing backwards like that.’

I didn't have time to ponder as the beast rushed forward and started circling around my area with bloodshot eyes.

“...well, you are a big one. And I like those furs you got there.” I tried to play down my worry by talking random shit.

But the animal brought forth some serious pressure. It was like boulders dropped on my shoulders and were pushing down. 

What I was sensing was not normal. The beast suddenly became extremely heavy, and it was affecting me like gravity.

‘Well, there is one thing that I could do.’

I looked at my axe. After clenching the handle, I could feel a surge of intent rise from me. It was pointed at the deer-like beast; its red eyes looked spooked.

Was it afraid of my cutting power? Well, there is only one way to see it happen!

I need to swing it!

“...”

“...”

But first… somehow, I need to move!

Seeing that I couldn’t do anything even with the threat it was facing, the enormous dear regained its bearing and was ready to take me down with the whole tree I was in!

‘Shit…shit…shit.’

I started to get a little bit worried. If that truck-sized antilope rams into the tree, not only will I fly away like a ragdoll, but most likely, my second chance at life will end right here.

As the animal leaned its head forward and turned itself into a battering ram, I realised that I had no time at all!

“Fuck! Can’t I just cut this!? It's magic-like stuff!? So it should cut this pressure!”

With a desperate roar, a white aura manifested at the axe and rushed into my body.

I realised that I had some sort of breakthrough. Since I cut things apart without even touching them, do I even need the axe?

It appears…

That I don’t need it.

And just like that, the pressure and the tree I was in cut apart into countless pieces, and I landed on the ground… slowly, as if something was helping or more like cutting apart to make a smooth landing.

“Now then… I want to see if it works.”

I lifted my free hand and pointed my fingers at the deer, making a smooth brushing motion to the side.

“...cut…”

White glowy energy manifested where I brushed my finger before. This energy rushed at dumbfounded antilope.

The horizontal cut sliced part of the animal’s head off. The upper portion of the head dropped on the ground with a thud, brain matter started to leak from half of the severed head, while the portion on the body turned into a blood fountain as the blood erupted like a gazer.

“...holy…shit…”

I lowered my finger as I looked at this with disbelief.

It appears I have proved that my ‘cut’ was very dangerous.

It's very dangerous. I might be able to defend myself from all sorts of animals and bandits who would want to rob my farm.

THUD

The corpse dropped to the ground with a loud thud. The blood fountain had ended, and in its place was a large blood puddle with the animal’s corpse inside of it.

“...Damn, with that much blood, the fur will be messed up beyond recognition!

Not that I know or have the means to clean that much blood of a material!

I gingerly walked over to the corpse. It was huge. Now that I was close to it.

I can, without any doubt, say that I was in a foreign world where animals of this size exist.

‘Just how many calories does something like this need to eat to become this size?’

I tried to think of random things, not to think about the gory stuff that was in front of me.

Regardless, I needed to do something about it! This was prime meat, and right now, I need all the food I can get!

“Right! Right!”

For a second, I pumped myself up. I tried to get closer, but there was a small pond of blood right in front of me.

My feet stopped right in front of the blood.

“...Yeah…”

I stepped back before I recalled that I could ‘cut’…

My free hand went up as I pointed my fingers at the corpse.

“...Cut…”

White light rushed from my hand and consumed the corpse. What was left after was a ‘clean’ corpse.

“...”

“...Damn…”

I walked over and touched the corpse. My fingers barely touched it, but intense pressure radiated from it, even if it was dead.

Whatever power this animal had, it won’t disappear that easily.

It was so intense that it was difficult for me to touch it even now, as if there was an invisible protective layer.

“...Umm… I want to bring you to my place, but you are huge…”

I complained out loud as I realised that this ‘deer’ was huge and most likely weighed several tons.

How am I supposed to move it back to my place?

For a second, I pondered, but then I looked at the trees in front of me. There were many of them, and all I needed to do was chop a bit and then turn them into something.

“Hoh…this could work…”

I imagined the tree becoming a cart or something like that!

Now that I can control some sort of white energy that can cut effortlessly, I should be able to turn the trees into shapes I want.

I walked away from the antilope corpse and towards the closest tree. My hand went up on the tre,e, and I closed my eyes.

“Let’s see if this works.” I murmured to myself as I called forth my power over ‘cut’.

Thud

The sounds of branches falling and the blocks of tree parts made me open my eyes and look at my handiwork.

The tree in front of me was gone, and blocks of trees were in its place.

The way it got cut was surreal!

It was almost like game-like! Like that block game, I used to play back in the day.

I walked to the first one and began to cut it further. It was time to see if I could construct things from pieces.

It was only a matter of time before other animals smelled the blood and came to see if there was any food for them.