The Field of Sun and Night

Carous, upon realizing he didn't have anything to camp outside in the open field, gathered all his belongings and packed them into his bag before setting off again.

After putting on his only remaining pair of clothes, he picked up the dirty ones he had washed earlier and left them to dry. I have everything on me now. The only thing left is this fish… He paused before wrapping it in the cloth he had previously used for the jar and then moved on. Since I can just put the two jars in my bag and carry my extra clothes while walking, that should work.

Carous began thinking about what he should do in the next five hours before sunset. Since the cape ability happened, it should be noon now. I only have a few hours before the sun sets—I need to find a place to camp, somewhere I can sleep in peace without worrying about being blown away.

He kept scanning his surroundings, checking every now and then for anything useful. But there was nothing—just endless green in every direction. It reminded him of the forest from before.

Don't tell me… am I on a trial again? He questioned himself, a sinking fear creeping in. If this was another trial event, one that he couldn't escape from, he needed to be ready.

Taking notice of this possibility, Carous put his guard up, preparing for the worst. He clenched his pan as tightly as he could, ready to use it as a blunt weapon. But no matter how long he waited, nothing happened. He had been so focused on staying alert that he didn't even realize the sun had already begun to set.

As he gazed at the fading sunlight, disappointment washed over him. He let out a hollow laugh.

Hahaha… To think I spent the last few hours preparing for nothing. Now I'm out in the open with no shelter.

Feeling frustrated with himself, Carous decided to simply sleep the night away after eating a few summoned fruits.

"I'm gonna name you within a week," he said to the fruit in his hand before taking a bite.

---

As the first light of morning arrived, Carous noticed something floating above his head—the named book had returned.

"You're back," he said, surprised to see it again. It had been so long since the book had appeared on its own without him summoning it. Curious, he decided to test something. He summoned the book again, and this time, another book appeared next to the named one. But the one he had summoned was nameless.

With this, Carous realized something—the book that appeared on its own was the original one he had found in the house, while the book he had been summoning all this time was merely a copy. However, he brushed off the thought, as there was nothing to gain from this discovery.

"Should I learn something new again?" he muttered before opening the named book.

After learning new things from its pages, Carous set out once more. This time, he held the pan firmly in his right arm and summoned the book to his left, using it as a shield against any unseen attacks. Unlike yesterday, when he was only walking, this time he started running, not wanting to be left in the open field again without finding anything.

---

As he ran, he caught a whiff of something and glanced at the fish he had caught earlier. He skidded to a stop and unwrapped it from the cloth. The fish showed no signs of life anymore, but its flesh looked strangely weakened.

Without hesitation, Carous slammed his pan down onto the fish with all his strength. The moment the pan struck, the fish's body disappeared into thin air—and in its place, a ruler-sized knife materialized on the ground.

His eyes widened in surprise. He picked up the knife, grinning at his unexpected gain. Finally, something to cut things with!

Holding the knife up to examine its material, a system notification suddenly appeared before him.

[ Rock Fish Knife ]

[ Rank: E ]

[ Size: 20 inches ]

[ Durability: 100 ]

— A drop obtained by killing a Level 5 Silver Rock Honeycomb Fish.

Carous' grin stretched from ear to ear.

Hahahahah! To think I got something like this without even putting in any effort!

As he picked up the knife, he noticed its weight. It's a bit heavy… probably around a kilo or two. He gripped it firmly, realizing just how weak he really was.

But then, a question formed in his mind. How come I didn't gain any EXP at all?

He waited, expecting another notification. But no matter how long he stood there, nothing happened.

This left him wondering—Can I even level up? Or am I one of those protagonists who stay at Level 1 no matter how many monsters they kill?

With no answers, he simply sighed, put the newly acquired knife into his handbag, and continued to follow the footprints.

---

From time to time, he spotted patches of grass lower than the rest, forcing him to jump over them to keep his speed. At first, it slowed him down, but as time passed, he got used to it and barely struggled anymore.

Haaa… ha… He gasped for air as he ran, exhaustion creeping in. But despite how tired he felt, the sensation of the wind rushing past him made it all worth it.

Fresh air, untainted by pollution, filled his lungs. This isn't so bad after all…

Even if he lacked supplies, even if survival was uncertain, the sheer freedom of running was enough to make him forget his worries.

As if sensing the passage of time, his cape ability activated on its own, cleansing his body of sweat, dirt, and dust. He smiled. It must be noon again.

Just as he was basking in his accomplishment— A chilling sensation ran down his spine.

He blinked. And then— The night sky stretched before him. His breath hitched as he skidded to a stop, eyes widening at the impossible sight.

What?!

Just a second ago, it had been broad daylight. Now, the moon hung high above him, illuminating the world in a pale glow. The air grew cold, his fingers trembling from the sudden shift in temperature.

Carous hesitated before turning around, walking in the opposite direction of the footprints.

The eerie sensation washed over him again.

And then— Sunlight returned. Carous stared, dumbfounded.

It wasn't just a sudden nightfall. It was as if day and night existed in two separate spaces, and he had just stepped between them.

His mind raced with questions, but there were no answers. No way to understand what was happening. In the end, he sighed and turned back to follow the footprints.

Whatever lay ahead, he needed to keep moving. And so, he ran once more.