'Are you joking with me? Where are they?'
He scanned the area, even moving the bodies, hoping they were hidden beneath them. But there was nothing, as if they had been an illusion.
'Impossible! System, was I imagining things? Weren't they carrying swords?'
If his mind had been pushed to the brink by the continuous shocks, was the pain he felt on his arms also an illusion?
[The hero's brain indicators are being monitored continuously. If anything unusual is detected, the system will notify the hero immediately.]
'Useful information. So, where the hell are the swords?'
[The system was preoccupied explaining the obvious to the hero and had no chance to monitor the surroundings.]
Vio's eyebrows twitched as he tried to ignore the system's sarcasm.
[However, the hero is correct; there were swords with the enemies.]
"This world is strange," Vio muttered as he pulled the curtain aside, preparing to take his first step into the world of Alam. "And it seems like it's going to get even stranger."
For the first time, sunlight struck his eyes, yet he felt chilled by the biting wind that swept through.
"Too cold," Vio muttered.
His feet sank into the snowdrifts, making it difficult to walk. He looked around and noticed something that made him frown.
The trees he thought were tall turned out to be small ones perched atop raised rocks.
And what was the issue with that? The problem was he saw the same thing when he looked in the opposite direction. He was left with only two paths to choose from.
'Don't tell me I'm not in a forest. So, where exactly am I?'
He realized that the tent he had exited wasn't the only one around. Its 'siblings' were scattered nearby. Unlike the interior décor, the tents were white on the outside, which made him feel the color wasn't random. It blended perfectly with the snow covering the ground.
'Are there planes in this world that they're trying to avoid?'
[A drop in temperature has been detected. Excess energy is being allocated to heat the hero.]
Vio felt the cold pushed away, replaced by warmth.
'Sometimes, I like you, System.'
[1EP will be consumed per hour.]
"You're proof that love doesn't last. Cancel it," Vio shouted in frustration.
[canceled.]
Vio hadn't forgotten the days he spent sleeping on the streets, no matter how warm his bed had become after improving life. Even when he despised himself for what sometimes did to cover for his clients, his body reminded him of the cold, causing to grit his teeth and carry on.
'I endured it then, and I'll do the same now.'
[Turn to the right.]
Following the system's guidance, which matched external data with imagery, Vio's journey began.
His new body, which had once been purely robotic, continued through the line of tents scattered along the path.
Of course, Vio checked the tents cautiously, only to find more soldiers with shattered heads.
'What exactly was he planning to do?'
Vio didn't like leaving his trail behind. He wanted to bury or burn the bodies, but he had no such option. After searching their bodies, he was left with no choice but to move on.
'There's no doubt about it. These transparent stones are this world's currency.'
In his life, Vio only loved two things: Sarah and money, for logical reasons.
Sarah had given him the warmth of emotions extinguished with the loss of his family, while money had offered him security, which disappeared after his family went bankrupt.
He continued walking, noticing that the ground had begun to slope slightly, giving the impression he wasn't on flat ground. The tents were no longer visible. Instead, the path narrowed due to protruding rocks.
He crossed the path while studying the nature of the rocks, only for his expression to darken further as he entertained a thought he wished weren't true.
'Please don't tell me I'm on a mountain.'
His reasoning was simple: a forest would make it hard to place soldiers at its borders. Of course, he didn't know the structures of this world, but as the situation escalated, Vio planned to choose a direction and keep moving until things became clear. A mountain, however, was a completely different matter.
Only fools climb a mountain without securing an exit for themselves.
In other words, it would be crawling with soldiers, which wasn't impossible due to the natural layout of mountains. Fortresses weren't built on mountaintops for no reason; it's difficult to get in and out of them.
Vio suddenly stopped, noticing three soldiers sitting around something. He initially thought it was a campfire, but it wasn't.
He didn't care much about what the object was; his main concern was turning around and retracing his steps. That option, however, vanished the moment one of the soldiers noticed him.
'Damn it. Looks like I won't be able to avoid this.'
With steady steps that contrasted the unease brewing inside him, Vio approached. His mind raced, weaving scenarios of what might happen. The closer he got, the more he refined the sequence of his actions.
"What's he doing here" murmured the first soldier to spot him.
'Hm,' muttered the soldier who appeared to be their leader. Straightening his posture, the leader moved toward Vio, whose steps didn't falter.
In less than two seconds, Vio found the leader blocking his path.
"Your badge and the reason for leaving your place," the leader demanded, eyeing Vio's clothing. "What's with your outfit? Did something happen?"
Vio glanced to the right, then to the left, observing the other soldiers. Not that it helped; he couldn't understand their language anyway.
As irritation became visible on the leader's face, senses heightened. Instinctively, he leaned his head back, narrowly dodging Vio's fist, which grazed his cheek by an inch.
'Damn it.'
"Rat!" the leader shouted, retreating quickly.
Vio lunged forward to finish him off, but he was startled by how swiftly the leader moved back—as if he were flying. In a split second, the leader had already positioned himself behind the other two soldiers.
Vio resolved not to waste the opportunity, noticing that the leader's body wasn't grounded. Increasing his speed, Vio charged forward, only for the other two soldiers to unsheathe their swords and slash toward him.
Rolling swiftly, Vio dodged the blades without losing momentum. He struck the ground with his hand, using the force to leap forward, landing directly in front of the leader, who hadn't yet regained control of his footing from his earlier retreat.
Vio aimed a punch at the leader's head, intending to shatter it. His fist was once again inches away from landing when the leader raised a hand, spreading his fingers.
Vio's body froze for a moment.
'What the—?'
Before he could process it, a gust of wind formed in front of him, shoving him backward. Adjusting quickly, Vio dug his feet into the snow-ground, forcing himself to stop.
"Rat! We've got a rat!" the leader bellowed. The two other soldiers tightened their grip on their swords, shifting into forward combat stances.
At the same time, the leader slapped his side, only to freeze, eyes widening when he didn't find what he was expecting. His gaze snapped toward Vio, who raised his hand, holding a ram's horn.
"I don't know you guys, but I'm guessing this horn is for alerting your buddies," Vio said with a victorious smile. He crushed the horn, reducing it to splinters.
When Vio had thrown his punch earlier, his eyes had been on the leader's waist, where he snatched the horn in a swift motion.
'There's no way to avoid fighting them. At least I can prevent their numbers from increasing.'
"Haha," the leader chuckled, pulling a spear from his back and pointing it at Vio. "Show us what you've got, rat."
One soldier stood to the right, another to the left, each wielding swords, while the leader, stationed in the middle, held a spear.
At that moment, Vio saw them as nothing more than piont—he could add to his stats.
And…It seemed the system agreed.
[Mission 'Kill or Be Killed']
Type: Urgent
Requirements: None
Restrictions: None
Description:
Creatures have decided to stand in the Hero's path. It is the Hero's duty to eliminate anyone who prevents their progress.
Objective:
The Hero must ensure his safety by killing the enemies and ending their pitiful lives.
Rewards for Mission Completion:
15 EXP
3 Plastic
6 Metal
1 Steel
1 Point
Penalty for Failure: Minor Punishment: The Hero's heart will stop.
Vio suddenly felt that the punishment section was nothing really.
'It's not like they're inviting me for dinner, is it?'