Re: I'm Stuck In Another World

A Cry for Help

Kazuto sighed as he stacked up the plates in his hands. When he was summoned to a fantasy world, and made a contract with a goddess, he was expecting a more exciting life than busing tables. Still, he had to make a living, and Kitsune hadn't decided on where to go first yet. So, he had resigned himself to doing the best he could.

After his shift was done, Kazuto retired to the room the innkeeper had permanently given to him. He flopped down on his bed and sighed once more.

Then, Kitsune appeared next to him, her tail wagging and her eyes bright.

"I have figured out our first destination!" she announced.

"That's great," said Kazuto. "Where is it?"

"It's Kone, a town not far from here. Its goddess is in a similar state to mine when you first arrived here. Unlike me, the goddess's shrine is still standing, but there aren't many visitors to it."

Kazuto nodded in understanding.

"Okay, then, let's get going,"

The two left the inn and Kitsune led the way towards the town's exit. However, as they were leaving it, they saw an older couple crying in each other's arms.

"As this town's goddess, it is my duty to see to their needs," said Kitsune. "We must help them."

Kazuto hummed in thought.

"Okay," he said. "Let's do it."

Kazuto walked up to the couple and tapped the woman on the shoulder.

"What is it?" the woman exclaimed without turning. "Can't you see that I'm grieving?"

"Um, that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about," said Kazuto, scratching the back of his head nervously. "What happened?"

The woman turned to face Kazuto, a scowl set into her features, but when she saw Kazuto, her face lit up.

"You're the boy who fought that demon!" she exclaimed. "Maybe you can help me! My little one, Edelin, ran off to the cave on the outskirts of town. She was taking a long time to come back, so I sent her older sister, Leila, after her. But now she's disappeared too and I don't know what to do!"

The woman burst into tears once more.

"Uh, don't worry," said Kazuto, "I'll go find them."

The woman nodded furiously while still in tears and went back to the arms of her husband.

Kazuto walked away.

"Do you know where this cave is?" Kazuto asked Kitsune discretely.

"Yes, it's a popular play site for the town's children," replied Kitsune. "I will lead you to it."

Kitsune led Kazuto to the cave and they went inside, where they saw a young child and a girl about Kazuto's age being held by tentacles sitting in a huge pit.

"A portal to the underworld!" exclaimed Kitsune. "We must destroy it!"

Suddenly, the tentacles lashed out at Kazuto and Kitsune, who leapt back out of the tentacles' range.

"Keep it busy," Kitsune commanded.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Kazuto asked.

Another tentacle lashed out at him and he punched it aside. He continued deflecting tentacles for about a minute, while Kitsune chanted and built an aura of blue flame around herself. Finally, Kitsune finished her chant and a massive ball of blue flame launched itself into the center of the tentacle mass. It exploded and when the smoke cleared the tentacles were gone, as was the bit they were in, leaving only level ground that the two girls were laying on.

"Good job, Kazuto," said Kitsune.

"Thaks," said Kazuto.

They woke up the girls and led them back to their parents.

"We can't thank you enough!" exclaimed their mother.

"You don't have to thank us—me," Kazuto said.

The mother nodded and walked away.

"Well, now we can go to Kone," said Kazuto.

"No," said Kitsune, "that portal was just an echo. We must find the real portal and close it before heading for Kone.

"Understood," said Kazuto.