The streets of Elyndra spread out before me like veins in a giant, living creature. I kept my eyes peeled and my steps steady, still trying to absorb the absurd reality of my Gamer system interface floating just to the side of my vision.
I opened the menus again as I walked.
[Name: ??? | Class: Gamer | Level: 1 | HP: 100 | MP: 50 | STR: 8 | AGI: 10 | INT: 12 | LCK: ???]
Skills:
[Gamer's Mind (Passive)]
[Gamer's Body (Passive)]
Inventory:
1x Coin Pouch (Gold x43, Silver x17, Copper x9)
1x Rusted Dagger
1x Basic Clothes
Quest Log: Empty
Not even a starting quest. Figures.
Still, the more I looked, the more ideas began to take shape. The Gamer's Body might mean I could push myself harder without collapsing. Maybe I could fight longer, recover faster. And the Gamer's Mind? That was already doing heavy lifting it was like a constant stream of cold clarity was holding back the creeping fear and bitterness.
I passed an open-air blacksmith shop, flames licking out from a forge while a burly orc hammered at a glowing blade. The sound rang through the air, drawing my eyes to the sparks. Even he barely looked at me.
Yeah. I was just another nobody to them. No badge. No armor. No class badge even. Nothing said "adventurer" except the anxiety sweat soaking my shirt.
I took a sharp turn down a side street, hoping to reach the south gate. If isekai stories had taught me anything, it was that bad kings liked to "remove problems" quietly and I'd already made myself a problem by being a useless hero.
Every step further from the castle eased something in my gut. I passed people of all sorts horned demons bartering spices, a group of lizardfolk playing a flute and dancing, a pair of gnomes arguing with a goblin over map prices.
The diversity was dazzling. But I didn't let my guard down. I stopped to ask a cloaked man, probably an adventurer, for directions.
"The exit?" he said, voice dry. "Go back to your cradle, kid. World's gonna chew you up. But sure just keep straight 'til you hit the Bronze Fountain, then veer west. You'll smell the stables."
Rude, but helpful.
Further on, I asked a vendor an older cat-eared woman selling bread rolls. She gave me a warm smile and a pat on the arm.
"Heading out already, sweetheart? Brave or stupid. Follow this road, love. Just don't get yourself killed."
I nodded my thanks, trying not to look too nervous. My thoughts were racing as fast as my feet.
What was my goal now? Survive? Escape this kingdom? Level up? All of the above?
I reached the massive wooden arch of the outer gate just as a merchant caravan rolled in, flanked by bored guards. No one stopped me. One even yawned as I passed.
Beyond the gate lay open plains and a distant stretch of forest like a green tide.
That was it. My destination.
A forest meant monsters. And monsters meant XP.
I didn't have a sword, armor, or even a damn skill, but I had a system and a flimsy dagger. They had to count for something.
If I was going to survive this world and maybe even win I needed to grind.
Time to find out what a Level 1 Gamer could do.