---

Reid jolted awake, his heart racing from the remnants of a haunting nightmare that clung to his thoughts like shadows in the night. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as he struggled to shake off the lingering fear. With a shaky breath, he pushed himself up from his bed, his senses still tingling with the echoes of his subconscious torment.

"Another nightmare," Reid muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. He rubbed his eyes wearily, trying to dispel the lingering images that danced at the edge of his consciousness.

As he blinked away the remnants of sleep, Reid's eyes widened in bewilderment. Instead of the familiar sight of his bedroom ceiling, tall trees swayed gently in a mysterious breeze, their branches reaching for the heavens like silent sentinels guarding an ancient secret.

"Where am I?" Reid murmured, his voice tinged with confusion and disbelief. He glanced around, searching for any sign of familiarity, but found none. Panic began to bubble up inside him as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings.

The forest around him seemed different somehow, a subtle shift in the air that whispered of an unfamiliar world. Birds flitted among the branches, their songs melodic yet strangely foreign. One bird in particular caught his eye—a magnificent creature with iridescent feathers that shimmered in the dappled sunlight. But what truly captivated Reid was the horn that spiraled gracefully from its forehead, a majestic appendage that seemed to defy the laws of nature.

"How did I get here?" Reid whispered, his words lost in the rustling of the leaves overhead. The realization slowly dawned on him that he was no longer in his own world, but in a place he could not begin to comprehend.

With a growing sense of unease, he rose to his feet, with his mind racing with unanswered questions.

Reid took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm the frantic rhythm of his heart. He closed his eyes, willing his mind to focus amidst the chaos of confusion and disbelief.

"That night!" Reid whispered to himself, his voice trembling with realization. "I was just taking a walk, trying to escape the grip of those nightmares... And then... a crack appeared out of nowhere, right in front of me. It pulled me in..."

The memory felt surreal, like a scene ripped from the pages of a fantasy novel. Reid's hands shook as he struggled to come to terms with the impossible truth of his situation.

"This... How can this be?" he muttered, his voice barely a whisper against the backdrop of rustling leaves and distant whispers of the wind. The shock of his sudden transportation to another world left him reeling, his mind racing with a million unanswered questions.

But amidst the turmoil, one thought remained steadfast in Reid's mind: he wasn't ready to surrender his life on Earth. There were still dreams to chase, aspirations to fulfill, and loved ones to cherish. And now, trapped in this unfamiliar realm, those dreams felt further out of reach than ever before.

...

The deafening roar of the crowd filled the coliseum, drowning out all other sounds save for the heavy panting of the man standing at the center of the arena. His muscles rippled beneath a sheen of blood and sweat, testament to the fierce battle he had just endured.

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In his grasp, he held the lifeless form of a monstrous wolf, its size rivaling that of a small truck. Despite its formidable appearance, the beast had been no match for the sheer strength and ferocity of the man who now stood victorious amidst the carnage of the battlefield.

As the crowd erupted into cheers and applause, a pair of spectators observed the scene from the stands. One, a man with a cap and circular glasses, bore the air of a merchant, his gaze fixed on the triumphant figure below.

"That guy was so strong," the merchant remarked, his tone filled with awe.

"Of course he is," replied the bearded man beside him, his expression solemn. "Who is that?" the merchant inquired, curiosity piqued as he observed the scene below.

The bearded man's eyes widened in shock. "How can someone not know him?" he exclaimed incredulously.

"I just got here, from the neighboring city," the merchant guy shrugged, his attention returning to the spectacle unfolding before him.

Amidst the chaos of the coliseum, where battles were waged for money, fame, or the thrill of facing formidable opponents, one name stood out above all others. The man standing in the center of the arena was a legend in this city, known far and wide for his unmatched strength and prowess in combat.

He was Elias... Elias the Brave.

Feared by his enemies and revered by his allies, Elias had earned his reputation as a warrior who faced beasts with nothing but his bare fists. His name struck fear into the hearts of those who dared to challenge him, yet garnered the respect and admiration of all who witnessed his feats of valor.

And as the cheers of the crowd echoed through the coliseum, Elias stood tall, a living testament to the indomitable spirit of bravery that defined him.

---

Reid had already calmed himself, standing like a statue in the middle of the forest.

"If I'm in another world, I might have a system, right?" he pondered aloud, his voice echoing softly amidst the rustling of leaves.

Deciding to take action, Reid glanced left and right, though he knew there was no one around. Inwardly, he chuckled at his own folly. After a moment of contemplation, he steeled his resolve and spoke the words he had been hesitant to utter.

"Status!" he exclaimed into the stillness of the forest.

A cold wind blew, but nothing changed. Reid's disappointment was palpable as he realized that the fantastical systems he had read about in novels were nowhere to be found.

"How am I gonna survive then?" he mused to himself. "I still don't know what kind of creatures are living in this world. Except for a horned bird. Maybe there's even a scary monster that could decimate a whole city. How am I gonna survive without a system?"

Calm down, self. First, I need to find shelter, Reid reminded himself. This is another world, and the unknown is dangerous. 

Caves are risky, they might be the territory of some monster. What I need to find first is a river. A small one at that would be my source of drinkable water. Water is more important than food, and I can gather fruits while looking for water. 

A big river might be a home for some monster, even a lake. A small pond would be a source of drinkable water for weak monsters, and a shallow river. These were his options, and the latter was the easiest, as he could hear the splashing water of a shallow river, making it the best option

"The sun still shines above my head; it should be about lunchtime," Reid thought. "I need to move fast, or else I'll die on my first day, ending my survival story in another world. Sigh."

With a determined glint in his eyes, Reid embarked on his first quest:[ Find River]. It was a quest of his own making, but to him, it felt as thrilling as if it had come from a grand system. 

…

After the match, the merchant left the coliseum, his mind abuzz with thoughts. As he made his way back to his lodging, he couldn't shake a particular notion that had taken root in his mind.

"A brave at that young age?" he mused to himself, his brow furrowing in contemplation. "Well, it's not that weird I guess."

His gaze drifted to the crowds of people bustling about, each absorbed in their own pursuits. Some were hard at work, others laughed and chatted amongst themselves. They were living their lives, unaware of the events unfolding in the coliseum.

The sky was tinged with the warm hues of dusk as the merchant reached his lodging, the last remnants of daylight fading into the horizon. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he began to undress, his thoughts still lingering on the young warrior he had witnessed in the arena.

"Anyone in this city could've become a brave if they just tried," he murmured under his breath, the words heavy with meaning. "No... in this world, in fact."

"Time to organize my products, Inventory!" he declared, his voice firm and determined. With a swift motion, he raised his hand as if he was poking something out of nothing. A blob of darkness appeared, expanding and stretching until it formed a curtain-like barrier before him. Through this mysterious veil, various items, goods, and materials materialized before him.

He stared at the items in front of him. There were herbs, swords, shields, pieces of armor, and an array of materials including ores and monster parts. With meticulous care, he organized everything neatly. With a final glance outside the window at the city lights illuminated by magical stones, he closed the window and dropped onto his bed.