“From this day on, you are no longer a member of our family.”.”
The bright sun illuminated the scene, casting a vibrant glow and painting a lively picture. Yet, this image was abruptly shattered by a sharp voice.
With these words, a small bag was thrown directly at a pale, thin young man standing before the gates of a grand mansion, designed in ancient European architecture. The youth had black hair and striking red-black eyes. His appearance was rather handsome, though he stood somewhat taller than average.
It’s a strange feeling, waking up in a different place with a new name and memories. The experience felt surreal, like a dream—but it was all real for Arunn.
This name belonged to the former owner of the body he now inhabited. Once apathetic and mistrustful, this man somehow found himself in such a world.
The first few days were unusual for him, filled with an almost childlike curiosity. This world, while similar to Earth, had fundamental differences. Here, the most distinctive element was magic.
Looking at the closed gates of the mansion, Arunn clenched his teeth, a single thought looping through his mind.
His fists were tightly clenched in frustration, yet something seemed to shift in his gaze. Exhaling, he lowered his head.
“This was the last time I trusted anyone.”
Yes, that was the thought. After two months in this world and integrating the memories within the body he now possessed, he had dared to open his heart and trust those around him.
But in return, they cast him out of the family without a second glance. The previous owner of this body already had a fragile status, but it had never been this bad. The truth was, he hadn’t managed to awaken his talent in over five years.
In this world, people at the age of twelve use a special awakening stone to reveal their talents. Based on this, each person finds their path in life more easily, without having to wander.
Taking a deep breath, Arunn looked at the mansion one last time before turning to leave.
At seventeen, he had tried every year for the past five years to awaken his talent. Yet, he had failed each time, leading to his eventual abandonment. Those people with gentle smiles and sweet words no longer resembled the ones in Arunn’s memories.
Now, all he had was a worn-out bag—and himself.
But more than anything, his heart, which had slowly opened under the influence of inherited memories, had now closed shut.
Taking a few steps forward, he pulled a slightly tattered black cloak from his bag and draped it over himself, concealing the fine clothing underneath. His understanding of this world told him well enough the consequences of entering the city dressed like this without guards and without any strength.
Casting an indifferent look at the nearby city, he walked forward with resolve, quietly disdaining the concept of status.
---
**[Name: Arunn
Level: 1 (0/100)
Health: 100/100
Mana: 10/10
Attributes:
Strength: 5
Agility: 7
Intellect: 6
Endurance: 4
Skills: --]**
---
Looking at the panel reminiscent of games he’d once played, he knew what he had to do.
“If everyone turned their backs on me just because I lack talent, then I'll have to make my own way. Besides, my status will appear when I awaken my talent. In a way, this is a talent itself. I just need to figure out how to use it beyond simply leveling up.”
Hood pulled low, Arunn headed directly toward the city. His family’s mansion was on a vast estate within a reserved district. During the past three months, his journeys to the city were always by carriage; now, he would have to walk.
Unlike Earth, this world was far more colorful and lively. Here, there were no factories or anything of the sort, and the few things resembling machinery operated mostly through magic.
That’s not to say the physical laws were different. While Arunn hadn’t studied physics deeply, his observations suggested that without magic, everything behaved much like on Earth.
As the city drew closer, Arunn’s thoughts wandered.
“Now, unlike before, I’ll have to focus on survival—on food, shelter, and a way to earn money. They didn’t even provide me with the means to survive, even though we were supposedly family.”
The truth was, he had once lived in that house, but his mother had died many years ago. His father remarried, and other heirs appeared.
“How typical, like a classic aristocratic tale,” he sighed.
Finally, with his thoughts clear, Arunn reached the city. The architecture blended Earth-like styles with magical influences, tinged with an air of mystery and a strange ambiance. Magic clearly shaped the mood of this world.
The streets buzzed with diverse scents and sounds, the city pulsing with life.
He watched people come and go, some clad in gear, some soaring atop giant birds, and others traveling in carriages with their companions.
“It’s like Earth merged with magic. Here, magic was foundational from the beginning. The most dangerous place in this world is what’s known as the End Tower.”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
The End Tower—a mysterious place where battles occurred with strange creatures, an arena of sorts.
It was a place where one could find both glory and wealth—or meet a swift death.
But anyone who proved themselves as the strongest would receive a reward from the Tower. However, rewards weren’t always blessings. About three hundred years ago, one of the strongest people received a mysterious book as a reward. This led to many tragedies; the book became known as the “Message of the Evil God.” This also birthed the Black Cross Cult, a group that claimed to follow this Evil God.
Walking along the street, Arunn looked around, deciding his next step. He had many paths for growth, but first, he needed to increase his strength. His eyes fell upon the city center, where a glowing blue portal shimmered. This was Oksantar—the gateway to the End Tower—but he lacked the funds for a portal journey.
After wandering a few more streets, he arrived at a massive building: the headquarters of the city’s adventurers.
“Mercenaries.”
They held a higher status than commoners but were still beneath nobles—and far below the Excellians. Excellians were people or beings that exceeded the ordinary boundaries of this world.
Even the strongest adventurers paled in comparison to these Excellians.
Staring at the enormous building before him, Arunn was momentarily captivated.
The building had open courtyards, with countless people entering and exiting, clad in gear, wielding weapons or carrying magical items.
Guards stood by the doors, clad in special armor and wielding giant, faintly glowing swords.
Steadying his breath, Arunn calmed himself and approached the entrance. No one paid him any attention; cloaks that obscured one’s identity were common enough.
Inside, Arunn scanned his surroundings, silently observing. He quickly noted the layout.
The grand hall, filled with people, was the registration area, catering to adventurers and offering various functions.
Listening to the nearby chatter, he spotted a few rookies heading toward the registration counter. Following them, Arunn also approached the counter.
“Hello, would you like to become an adventurer?” The middle-aged man at the counter, wearing glasses, looked up at him and asked.
Arunn simply nodded in response.
Seeing his nod, the man began explaining.
"Can you answer the question, how long ago did you awaken?"
"No, I awakened recently."
"Oh, in that case, you won’t be able to become an adventurer above rank E. Even if you don’t have any combat abilities, you can still take on simple tasks for now. But first, you’ll need to undergo a test for any contamination by dark energy."
As he spoke, the man typed something into the magical computer before him. Once he was done, he looked up at Arunn. Seeing Arunn nod in understanding, the man rose from his seat and gestured for him to follow. Almost immediately, another person took the man’s place to attend to the next person in line.
Following the man, Arunn was led to a peculiar room. One wall featured an oversized mirror, while the others were adorned with strange symbols.
The man instructed Arunn to stand at the center of the room to begin the inspection. Moments passed in silence as Arunn waited. Then, the symbols on the walls faintly glowed. After a few seconds, the glow faded, and the door opened. The man motioned for Arunn to step forward.
The final part of the process was swiftly completed. They handed him a small device to attach to his wrist—a versatile artifact for purchases and job acceptance.
Alongside it, they gave him a beginner’s fencing manual, explaining that it was a basic perk for new adventurers. The book, they noted, was so common that even if he wanted to sell it, he likely wouldn’t find any buyers.
Taking the items, Arunn exited the building and opened the map on his device. The holographic display made him feel as if he’d stepped not into another world, but into a future filled with advanced technology.
Surveying the map of the city, he quickly located a few places he needed to visit. All were in a distant district of the city, where he could find a source of funds and, hopefully, sell his noble attire.
"If my family abandoned me, then there’s no reason to hold on to this," he thought. "Better to have some extra money instead. I need to complete a few quests to settle into this city."
Using public transportation, he soon arrived in the city’s outer regions. Although the area looked somewhat dangerous, Arunn knew that in a world with so many people hiding their powers, attacks were rare unless someone was very sure of their target.
Finally, Arunn reached his destination: a small clothing shop. Inside, he found an elderly man, likely in his sixties or seventies, busy with something in the corner. Upon hearing the door open, the old man came over to greet him.
“Welcome, stranger. What can I help you with?” the old man asked, studying him carefully.
“I’d like to sell some clothing. It’s of decent quality. Is that something you’d be interested in?”
The old man paused, scrutinizing Arunn for a moment. Then, with a slight nod, he reached out and gently lifted part of Arunn’s cloak to inspect it. His movement was quick, almost practiced, and Arunn couldn’t react in time.
As he glimpsed the garment beneath Arunn's cloak, the old man’s eyes gleamed briefly. He nodded again, motioning toward a small room where Arunn could change.
“Need a different outfit, don’t you?” the old man inquired, offering Arunn a simple set of clothes.
After a brief hesitation, Arunn accepted the outfit and headed to change. A short while later, he emerged, hood drawn over his face, and approached the counter where the old man awaited.
Setting the noble attire on the counter, Arunn asked, “How much can I get for this?”
“120 miren,” the old man replied, his tone firm. “And before you start haggling, that’s my final offer. Besides, I doubt you’d find another buyer for these in the area. You’re fortunate to have come here.”
Arunn considered bargaining, but the old man’s words silenced him. Reluctantly, he agreed. 120 miren was enough to get him by for a while. But thinking about how much he’d need to use the city’s portal, he realized adventuring would be his only viable source of income.
For nobles, the portal fee of 3,000 miren was trivial, but for ordinary people, it was a fortune. With a pouch of dimly glowing coins in hand, Arunn left the shop and crossed the street to a nearby inn, known for offering the lowest rates in the city.
The map on his device had even flagged the place as a notable spot, mentioning that its low rates attracted many shady characters.
Determined to save the money he needed, he entered the inn. While the exterior was plain, the interior had an old, peculiar charm. In one corner of the room, patrons could be seen drinking, some of them dressed in garb that obscured their identities.
After renting a room for a few miren, he ignored the covert glances directed his way and climbed to the upper floor. Inside his surprisingly clean room, he locked the door and collapsed onto the bed, exhaling in relief.
Lying there for a while, unsure of what to do next, he remembered the fencing manual given to him at the adventurers' guild. Sitting up, he opened the book titled *The World’s Simplest Fencing Guide*. As expected, the title suggested it was a straightforward guide, outlining the fundamentals of standard fencing.
Though not especially engaging, the book was brief enough that Arunn read it through. Just as he finished, a message flashed before his eyes:
*[Skill Acquired: Fencing]*
Curious, he opened his status screen.
**[Name: Arunn
Level: 1 (0/100)
Health: 100/100
Mana: 10/10
Attributes:
Strength: 5
Agility: 7
Intelligence: 6
Endurance: 4
Skills:
Fencing: Level 0 (0/100)]**
Seeing that the skill had indeed appeared, Arunn was surprised, though the required experience points puzzled him.
“Does this mean I need all 100 points to level up? So if I earn enough experience, I could raise it? But how?”
After pondering for a while, he decided he’d need to buy a sword to test his theory.