As Michael stepped out of the dark, narrow alleyway, the first sensation that hit him was the sudden brightness of the sun, casting long, golden shadows across the cobbled street. The sounds rushed in next: the clatter of horse hooves striking stone, the creaking of wooden wagon wheels, and the murmur of countless voices layered over each other like the hum of a busy beehive.

Horses snorted and stomped, their riders wearing leather jerkins or gleaming chainmail, some with swords slung across their backs. Large wooden carts, drawn by oxen or horses, trundled past, piled high with barrels, sacks of some unknown materials, or even fresh vegetables. The wagons swayed slightly as they rumbled over the uneven stones, their drivers flicking the reins or shouting commands.

The street itself was teeming with people—merchants in brightly colored tunics and embroidered cloaks standing at their stalls, loudly hawking goods ranging from fresh bread to bolts of rich fabric. Peasants in coarse woolen clothes hurried past, baskets of goods balanced on their hips or carried over their shoulders, while wealthier townsfolk, adorned in fine silks and velvets, strolled more leisurely, sometimes escorted by guards or servants.

Michael was amazed at the hustle and bustle of the street filled with people. The street was more than 10 meters wide, lined with different kinds of buildings on both sides.

‘It really looks like I’m back in the 80s or 90s when horse-drawn wagons were common. At least that’s what they showed in the movies. These things were long a thing of the past in the era I was living.’

Michael sighed, looking all around; there was movement—people were pushing through the crowd, children darting between legs, and stray cats nosing around for scraps. It's a scene of constant activity, chaotic but alive, as the medieval town pulses with life.

‘I thought every animal would be a magical monster, but these horses look normal. Despite their ordinary appearance, their stats are far stronger than the horses back on Earth. There are no magical beasts around here. Still, I wonder if this world has Pegasus.’

‘Move along, kid. What are you standing there for like an idiot? Don’t block the way!’

Michael remained in place for a few moments until someone struck him from the side, pushing him away and nearly causing him to fall. However, he regained his balance with reflexes that hadn’t worked before he was hit.

Michael glanced at the source of this awkward scene, only to realize a man stood tall where he had just been. The man’s broad frame was encased in a battle-worn suit of armor that gleamed faintly in the sunlight. His brown skin was weathered and scarred. A thick, bushy mustache dominated his face, curling upwards at the ends like the tusks of some fierce beast, giving him an air of stern authority and ruggedness.

His armor was dented and scratched, bearing the marks of many clashes. Strapped to his feet were sturdy, heavy boots, designed for marching through rough terrain and for battle.

Resting casually on his shoulder, he gripped the handle of a massive axe with one powerful arm. The axe, as formidable as the man himself, had a broad, wickedly sharp blade, gleaming with the sole purpose of destruction. His fingers wrapped tightly around the handle, the muscles in his forearm bulging under the weight of the weapon, showcasing his strength.

‘What the f…’

Michael nearly stopped breathing as he stared at the monster-like man before him. His mind raced with thoughts of the outcome of a battle with this man. He didn’t know if he was going to fight simply because he was standing in the pathway.

‘’What? Scared now, lad? Who asked you to block my way while I’m passing through? Now get ready to face the consequences.’’

The man spoke again in a heavy, deep voice that sent chills to his very core. Suddenly, his heart calmed, and his mind ceased its useless thinking. Just as he contemplated fleeing the scene at full speed, he heard an angry shout coming from behind the bulky man.

‘’Jake! What the hell are you doing trying to scare the poor kid? I’ve told you many times to stop this habit of yours.’’

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Michael hurriedly turned to locate the source of the voice. More than ten people, men and women combined, were walking toward them. All wore different types of armor and robes, with various weapons hanging from their waists and backs.

‘Adventurers.’

A single thought popped into his head at that moment. He had read about the world’s system. There were different guilds in this world, and the Adventure Guild was one of them. He hadn’t read much beyond the name, but he could already discern the role of the adventurers and guilds.

‘An adventure guild is typically an organization or establishment where adventurers gather, register, and accept quests or missions. These guilds often serve as central hubs for the main characters or groups of characters, offering various services.’

Michael had some knowledge about the Adventure Guild from the past. He looked at them closely and noticed two women wearing robes that covered them from head to toe. ‘Are they mages? I didn’t know that mages walked around in long robes to stay hidden, or if they just had this weird habit.’

‘’Hahaha! Boss, I was just messing with this kid! He looked lost, so I helped him and brought him back to this world.’’

The guy named Jake, who had pushed Michael aside, laughed heartily, appearing more easygoing than before. His attitude had shifted so dramatically that Michael wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen him acting like a jerk earlier.

‘’Stop this nonsense. We’re already running late. After we repair the weapons, we need to stop at Humble’s to restock on potions. Our supply has run out because of your mistake today.’’

The guy at the front, who appeared to be the leader of the team, spoke again. He carried a sword at his waist and wore armor that covered his entire front, which looked tattered, indicating that the team had just returned from a significant battle.

‘’Haha! Sorry, boss.’’

With that, Jack ignored Michael and walked straight ahead. The entire team passed him by, none offering even a sidelong glance. Michael stood there like an extra who had suddenly been reincarnated into a world where the main character didn’t even acknowledge him.

‘I have no idea what’s going on here. They didn’t even apologize for something that was just a minor prank.’

Michael shook his head and watched the backs of the adventurers. Two guys had large shields strapped to their backs, while a girl carried a longbow adorned with strange symbols that glowed on its surface.

‘Runes. They’re actually runic weapons. I need to get my hands on one as soon as possible. I’m already feeling excited, and my hands are itching again.’

Michael had completely forgotten about the strange incident that had occurred earlier after seeing more runic weapons. He believed that everything was a technology as long as runes were inscribed on them; that was the new philosophy he had adopted after reading a bit about runes.

‘My knowledge is too limited. That’s to be expected from someone who’s been in this world for only a month. Let’s look around; I hope I can find something interesting that’s within my budget.’

Michael looked at his inventory, which contained 18 gold coins, 3 silver, 7 coppers, and 13 bronze. He had discovered this money after rummaging through his room on the first night after waking up. The most commonly used currency in the world consisted of coins made of gold, silver, copper, and bronze, with bronze being the lowest and gold the highest. One hundred bronze coins equaled one copper coin, and this sequence continued all the way up to gold.

In total, he had more than 18 million bronze coins at his disposal. He wanted to consider himself rich, but he had no idea about the cost of things around here. This was also why he had sneaked out of the mansion for the first time; he simply wanted to explore and learn more about the world, and wandering the streets was the most efficient way to do that.

He wasn’t worried about getting pickpocketed, as he wasn’t carrying anything in his clothes—not even a single penny—except for a small pouch he used as an excuse when he needed to take out money. Everything was stashed inside his inventory, which proved its worth at this moment.

“Let’s head that way.”

Michael started walking away from the adventurer team; he didn’t want to bump into them again. Along the way, he encountered many different types of people. He even saw a few humans who were, in fact, humans with tails and tiger heads.

“So, they are called demi-humans. Huh. I completely forgot that there were other races in the world too.”

Michael approached one of the passersby, a demi-human with the face of a tiger and a body like a normal human. Almost all the demi-humans he met along the way had at least one stat significantly higher than that of normal humans, highlighting the differences between them.

‘Is that what I think it is?’

Michael’s gaze halted as he stopped in front of a particular shop. A sign reading Erlond’s Jewels hung above, but it was not that which captured his attention. A large glass window showcased various shelves inside the shop. On the top shelf, neatly arranged weapons with different inscriptions rested.

‘Indeed. This shop sells runic weapons,’ Michael used his skill to check the details of the dagger placed among other small weapons nearby.

Item: Small Dagger

Quality: Common

Type: Runic Weapon

Property: The weapon is inscribed with the piercing rune