“I get that I have this bonus experience. But leveling every time I take out one of these wrinkly old things. I feel like it’s a bit excessive.

But then again. I have been resting for a thousand or so years. Aye?”

“We can only imagine how that befuddling mind ticks, talking to himself at every opportunity. One should not delve too deep into the mind of a person that collects dead skin and brittle teeth.”

“Hmhn? Oh. Ye that skin thing. What’s the big deal? It just goes into the digital inventory, not like I’m playing around with it.

So, the stairway is supposed to be a dead end and the elevator shaft is supposed to have some secret area.

Wait. Am I going to be able to get out of here?

The entrance to this place must be hidden or something right? Otherwise how would this place not been used as a fortress? It has its own power generation and everything.

I need to gather some information about the outside world. Narrator got anything to add?”

“One can only sit in awe and pity as we watch over the mumblings of a person struggling to fight the extreme loneliness he must be suffering through.”

“That’s why I have you! I’m not lonely.”

“Immense worry pours over oneself as we ponder the future of our protagonist. His naive outlook on life, his weak posture, his less than adequate intelligence. How will he ever make it out alive on his own!? Sit down, relax and watch over him with me.”

“Alright. At least that was loud and clear. Blatantly ignoring me like that.

Do I just pry this elevator door open or? Hmm.”

“The millennial old machines creek and screech as they move for the first time in what could be centuries.”

“Ye, they could use a nice oil job. It’s making my skin crawl.”

“What lies behind closed doors and dark corridors?”

“Are we now rhyming? You sure managed to pick the right timing.”

“As he embarks into the darker darkness, we hope he eliminates his inner madness.”

“Hmm. So things are pulled up by this cable that looks like a thick rope? Might as well try it, it seems to be my only hope.

Damn it! Now you got me doing it.”

“Slim and feeble. Features that may turn out to be beneficial on our hero. He barely manages to squeeze through that unaccommodating ventilation hole.”

“This damn thing is way too tight. I guess air doesn’t need much room to move. Does this lead to the outside? I wonder how far underground we are.

The air is getting more refreshing. A bit colder as well. The lack of clothing isn’t helping. My little man keeps touching stuff as well, and every time it does, it makes me shiver.”

“Such endearing qualities, we may have misjudged our hero! It puts things into perspective to watch a grown human male drag his genitals across the dust covered metal ventilation shaft.”

“I’m glad you can sympathize with me here. This isn’t something I ever expected to do.

Freedom! I can see a light!”

“Go to the light my child.”

“That just sounds wrong coming from you.

Let’s see. From the small holes in the, what do you call this? Grid? The thing that covers the ventilation shaft I’m in.

I can see a room. It looks like strange office space. But the most important part? It’s not dirty. Clearly someone has been cleaning this place.”

“After years of desolation, the gruesome isolation and physical deprivation our little apprentice has found the signs of other humans! Will they embrace him as their own? Will they be repelled by his strange hobbies?”

“It’s not my hobbies! You seem intent on trying to provoke me in some way, I don’t believe for a second that you can’t hear me!

Hello! Anyone here!?

Hmm. This is going to be awkward, do I just crawl out of his thing. It’s not exactly a high fall.”

“Like a worm slithering out of its hole our protagonist slips out of the small ventilation shaft. His body red from chafing and most strange of all, he seemed to have been aroused.”

“It was all the rubbing! No, this is a futile fight.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

‘Who's there?!’

“Hello! My name is Ji Aleksy.”

“The door snaps open as a burly man burst into the room. His leather clothing appear to have been stitched together by an expert tailor. Magnificent white fur used to detail the fine brown leather.”

‘What? Ji? Who? How did you get in here boy!?’

“A wary look is hidden in the large man's eyes as he watches our hero, Ji, point at the now opened ventilation shaft.”

‘There? Why are you naked?’

“How do I explain this? It’s a long story. You think you can get me something wear?”

“Behind the bear of a man pokes out a head. Her eyes widen as she sees the filthy and naked man who stands in a confident manner not bothering to hide his lower half.”

“Eh? Heya! This your daughter?”

‘Leysa, go grab something for him to wear. He looks about your size.’

‘Yes, dad.’

“Indeed, the large man is not incorrect. He does look about the same size as the young woman.”

“What’s so funny!?”

‘Funny? No one is laughing boy.’

“Ah. No. I mean the narrator, not you.”

“A look of pity emerges on the large man’s face. Our hero has yet again slipped further into his own madness.”

“Wait. You can’t hear that? Have I really gone crazy? No. that can’t be, I am perfectly lucid right now.

Then again. When you are crazy, do you know you are crazy?

Hmm.”

‘Boy, are you alright? Where did you come from exactly? Why don’t you sit down?

“Ye. Thanks.”

“After a long, near insufferable silence and the irritating blank look on our hero’s face the girl reappears with leather clothing fit for a tribesman.”

“I’m not too sure if I can pull off this leather look. By the way do you guys have a shower? I’m not exactly clean.”

‘Shower? Where do you think you are? In a noble's home? The people would riot!’

“Noble’s home? What. Where am I? What’s noble about a shower?”   

‘You are in the outer fortress of Keeo! And it just so happens that I am in charge here.’

“I see. What year is it? Are we still on earth? “

‘Boy, did you hit your head? Of course we are still on earth. It’s the season of the crow. Year five hundred and eighteen. And you didn’t answer me, where did you come from?’

“Season of the crow? What five hundred and eighteen. Five hundred and eighteen. The world really has changed a lot, and from the looks of things, the technology seem to have actually regressed.

Ah, sorry. Right. Long story short, I was put into cryostasis in hopes that my chronic disease would be curable in the future. I just woke up, I suspect it was due to power failure of some sort which triggered a failsafe that woke me up.

After that I got a bit familiar with this game interface thing and found some food in my inventory that allowed me to recover. Then I killed some weak-ass zombies, oh and the narrator thing is an option I turned on from the interface.”

“An eerie silence washes over the room. Our main character again stares blankly into the air oblivious to his surroundings.

The father and daughter pair stare in bewilderment.”

“See. Hear that? No?”

‘I get it now, boy. That voice you hear must be your innate ability. What level are you?’

“Six! Hehe.”

“Another round of silence is invoked. The father and daughters eyes practically radiate pity and their demeanor softens a degree. The burly man even seems relieved.”

‘Alright kid, you poor thing. Only level six, you are so skinny and pale. You must have been through a lot.’

“...”

‘Dad. How can someone that old be level six? You get at least three levels a year just from eating scraps.’

‘Shush, child. Can’t you see how he has suffered. Must’ve been locked up somewhere and lost is his mind.’

“How intuitive! What an accurate guess.”

‘Let me introduce myself, I am Keak, Keak Keeo and this is my daughter Leysa Keeo. This mountain fortress has been under my family's control for generations.’

“Nice to meet you Keak, Leysa. I am Ji Aleksy, of the Aleksy family. My family must have owned this place before the world, well I assume something like an apocalypse happened right?”

‘I see. You have been sleeping in the mountain for that long? Cryostasis you said? That must be some ancient magic. Mm. Good, you’ll stay with us for now.’

“Okay. Thanks for the hospitality then! And thanks for the clothing.”

‘Of course, we humans must stay united. Even though we haven’t been attacked by a horde in decades doesn’t mean we can afford being relaxed. Glad to see Leysa’s pants fit you.’

“And what a snug fit they are.”

“Horde? Could you tell what happened to the world?”

‘The elders spoke of a plagues, the seas became mountains, mountains became deep seas.. Portals that opened and let loose the demons known as the undead.

They took the world by surprise. We are lucky to not have been completely exterminated.’

“Oh.”

‘The undead come in many shapes and sizes. Majority of humans were devoured or converted, some even joined their forces of their own volition.

But those are a laughing matter in comparison to the more powerful undead.’

“Hmm. I did kill something that looked like a human zombie. They were extremely weak.”

‘The human zombie is one of the weakest of the undead. And as long as you possess the smallest degree of strength they are easily dealt with.’

“I see. By the way. What are your levels?”

‘You should be able to tell if you set your profile to public.’

“Oh? Wait a second.

There.

Holy shit! Level two-thousand and eighty three and one thousand thirty seven.”

‘Ha ha ha! That’s right boy! You see my daughter is somewhat of a combat genius, takes it from me of course. In a few years she’ll be one of the highest levels in Keeo!

I’ve even been thinking about sending her to the main clan for further training.’

‘Dad!’

‘Father knows best, calm down. Go have the men prepare something to eat for this poor young man.’

“The day passes and our hero gets settled down in the human fortress. It sustains a population of over hundred thousand humans. Although its size is small it benefits from the natural environment. The surrounding cliffs and deep valley make it near impregnable.”

“Turns out the levels go so high. I should have guessed. They talked about learning skills and crafting professions. Sadly there is no class or something like a specific route you can take.

At least that’s what it sounded like. They would mention it right? Right.

So. I need to find and clear missions to get experience to quickly raise my level. Then I need to use my levels to buy abilities which I then have to train. It’s pretty straight forward.

I need at least thirty levels just to buy a low level ability as well. Apparently I can level up just by eating something other people hunt. That’ll be take too long just by itself though.

Let’s sleep on it. I'm exhausted.”

“In the embrace of soft luscious fur covers our young hero falls asleep. Unaware that his presence has begun to change the future of this world. A change so immense and significant it is too great for most to fathom.

The fortress Keeo holds a responsibility that of a scout and the first layer of defence. A large network of fortresses such as Keeo are in the hundreds. Many once prosperous areas with lustrous natural resources. Keeo was one such place.

Other fortresses were established only for the purpose of expanding areas of its parent branch. Keeo has become such a place after it’s natural resources depleted. And now only serves as a quota to be filled. A small piece in the larger network of scouting outposts.

An alliance formed and it stipulates that certain measure must be taken by every force. Measures that are heavily enforced. All clans, guilds, coalitions, mercenary bands and other miscellaneous powerful groups must adhere to these rules. If they desire a seat of power in this dangerous realm.”

‘Morning Ji.’

“Morning Leysa.”

‘Come with me, breakfast is ready.’

“The second day in his new life. He has already fallen into complacency and is calmly going to eat breakfast. A sad state of affairs, all that potential squandered. But at least he is now clothed. Something we can all be grateful for.”

“Squandered potential my ass. I need to eat like everyone else.”

‘Ji?’

“Ah. Sorry. The narrator keeps describing things in an overly dramatic and is often simply wrong.”

‘This narrator, it’s your innate ability? It’s pretty amazing that you have an innate ability at such a low level. Most people don’t awake theirs until at least at around level thousand.’

“Wouldn’t call that thing amazing. It’s extremely annoying and I can no longer turn it off. I thought it was just a settings thing.”

‘I haven’t gotten an innate ability, father says I just have to be patient. But I’m afraid it’ll never come.’