The Spruce Goose landed on a thicket miles away from the river plains. Hajime could only imagine what would happen if he were to exit the door without caution. Staying the size of a caterpillar would forfeit the mission faster than a bird would spot his presence. Luckily, it appeared the king thought of everything.
With one step, he “teleported” out of the wooden plane, but it seemed more like he got sucked out as though the air pressure inside remained the same in flight. That aside, he became person-sized again, as anyone walking by would tell him. It took him a while to realize the cobblestone road he found himself in, and his screen gave him another surprise.
Virtue Box v500.5.10 {Welcome to Swordland} Class: Warrior HP 100/100 Objective(s) ATK 20 DEF 10 Meet the local blacksmith to acquire your main weapon. INT 20 SPD 10 Complete the [Starting Forest] past the city’s borders.
It didn’t cause a sense of disbelief, thankfully. Whatever this “Virtue Box” program was, Hajime’s herculean strength still flowed in his body, never fooling him for a second. But for the sake of finding out, he directed his hand at a nearby tree, and the initial grip of his fingers tore deep into its frame.
Before long, all the roots were off the ground with as much effort as pulling a pencil from a jar, but before his thoughts could congratulate such a feat, another witnessed it—a little blonde girl who presented a face of shock and confusion. She didn’t appear to be the child of an impoverished serf, but he didn’t expect a blacksmith’s leather attire fit for a halfling.
Hajime, realizing the tree still in his grasp, raced to fix the issue by replanting it with similar ease. “Sorry about that. Growth spurts can still happen when you’re older.” He let out a nervous chuckle in a vain attempt to drive her attention further from the scene. It was the first day on the mission, and it seemed he already failed.
The girl nodded, still showing the same face until she decided to do a hurried bow. “W-welcome, warrior of light, to Coelestis: The City of Magic and Steel! My name is Mila, and my father and I will be your guide to this world for now. Your future glory is in our hands!”
Now, this was an even greater surprise. Hajime had yet to forget one of the voices he noticed on the ship, making for a fascinating clue for what was about to happen. Usually, he’d skip tutorials and experience the gameplay blind, but to do that here would make him the god of bad manners. These people were far from NPCs.
Hajime kneeled, smiling as he asked, “What are you doing that thumbs up for, kid? You sound like a Scotsman trying to impress the Queen of England.”
“…all right, I’m coming out clean,” sighed Mila, eyes closed. “The general told us to say these things for any reborn hero coming here.”
“General, you say? Where does he live?”
“Right on top of the city, I’ve heard.”
Hajime turned his gaze to where Mila pointed. The view was a hundred times better than before, with the white walls spanning the land, a barrier between nature and civilization. Oddly enough, he saw no medieval-style village on the road he stood on.
Instead, there was a lone cottage not too far, its chimney bellowing puffs of smoke that told of hospitality and warmth. Hajime never thought he could piece every minute detail together in less time than he’d figure out a crossword puzzle, and it wouldn’t be his last observation. “That’s your home. You’re gonna give me a sword.”
“Yes, it is, and you’re right about your other point.” Mila walked past him, twirling a small mallet from her belt without much care. “Follow me. We’ll have coneys for supper.”
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Hajime’s instincts were right on the money upon entering the cottage. It was as welcoming as roasting marshmallows by the fireplace. The living room brimmed with meticulous love for everything metal, yet it didn’t give him a sense of being inside a torture chamber. The pet cat purring on his feet nearly made his heart melt, too. It was a blacksmith’s home—a loud and hearty one at that.
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“Greetings, warrior of light!” said a man toiling by the forge, sporting the same blonde locks and a moderately rotund physique. “My name is Abram, a proud master of iron. I cannot wait to hand you your first step in becoming one of the greats beyond the stars. Your future destiny is in our—”
Once again, Hajime laughed like a hyena watching a game show, wiping a tear in his eye. “Easy there, soldier. Your daughter told me about your script. It needs some work, but otherwise, not bad.”
Despite his joy, it did seem he offended someone who got paid peanuts to say a few lines of flowery language. Then, Abram returned the laughter faster than he could utter an apology. It wasn’t his first choice either, according to both their accounts. They even had a time when they told heroes to explore the [Starting Forest] for some quick experience points.
Hajime smiled after sighing in relief, advancing with his hands inside his pockets. “So, when can I use the straw dudes over there?” he pointed at a row of training dummies that collected dust in their heads.
“Only after you’ve chosen the color of your blade, laddy,” Abram replied. “It’s dangerous to go alone out there, after all. Move your finger down like this, and you get to choose what beautiful ore you want.”
Frankly, Hajime might have gotten himself into a bit of trouble. His motor skills got so used to summoning his virtual phone that he could do it while asleep. The fact it had a scarlet theme going on would’ve been more of a dead giveaway that he was as good as an alien invader. Thankfully, the Virtue Box app saved the mission again by showing Swordland’s distinct opaque white interface.
Choose Your Destiny
Gold
The color of wealth
May your adventure bring bountiful nights never forgotten.
Silver
The color of purity
May your adventure bring everlasting peace unto a land of darkness.
Red
The color of strength
May your adventure bring vigor to those locked in ancient battle.
Blue
The color of serenity
May your adventure bring endless hope in times of need.
White
The color of righteousness
May your adventure bring a new age of leadership and guidance.
Black
The color of dominance
May your adventure bring a world that knows greater power for the greater good.
Hajime caressed his chin, humming like a customer holding the line for hours. Nearly another minute passed until he smiled with the imaginary light bulb above his head. “All right, I want black!”
Abram and Mila gasped in unison, as expected. He didn’t precisely know why, but it seemed the color had brought some dark history into their world, not intending the pun at any point. There were numerous possibilities, ranging from the usual tale of a hero-turned-villain to someone already evil deep within.
“Young lad, are you sure of this?” said Abram with a sweat from his brow.
Hajime failed to contain another dose of hilarity from his mouth. The idea he’d become the overlord to trump all overlords was more unrealistic than a moon made of cheese. “I’m just kidding, man. I want red. Red is the color of every fiber of my being, of every neuron firing throughout my brain. It’s the color of fun, and fun is always free.”
With him choosing his destiny, Abram encouraged his daughter to show improvement in her craft after many weeks in the forge. Hajime supposed there came a time when every budding blacksmith would take up the mantle of their superiors no matter how inexperienced they looked. Mila couldn’t agree more as she twirled her hammer again with pride.
Abram wasted no time starting the forge in a gorgeous blaze, but it wasn’t what Hajime imagined. There was no need for a mundane lever or even a fireball spell; it merely ignited on its own with Abram pointing a long finger. What was more impressive, however, was Mila’s sword-making method.
Mila wore no gloves during the melting process, tossing the coal with nothing but an iron rod that glowed piping hot yellow halfway through its length. In fact, he never thought she’d suddenly dip her hands into the crucible without as much as a flinch. All he witnessed was a face of determination.
“A Dhia na lasair, thoir dhomh solas agus dòchas!” Mila recited those words a few more times before pulling a molten slab of the foretold hue, red as the blood that flowed from all walks of life. She didn’t disappoint in the next step either, with every hit of her mallet leaving sparks rivaling Hajime’s bolts. He might even argue she succeeded in terms of resolve.
Abram stepped in beside him, arms crossed. “Is our work fit for a man like you?”
“Hell, no,” chuckled Hajime, “you guys are way outta my league.”