I made a rough map of my current location.To the west lies the city, the southeast is dominated by the mountains, and to the northwest stretches a dense jungle.I created this map to ensure I have a clear understanding of the terrain around me and to decide my next move.
Heading north or south would be ideal, but there’s no constant water supply in those directions, and the system only sells soup—which isn’t sustainable in the long run. Even though the water tastes awful, it’s still better than surviving on soup alone.So, my only viable option is to follow the stream as it winds past the mountain and alongside the field.
Thinking about the wolves, I felt a twinge of fear. But as long as I could avoid them, it wouldn’t be a problem. Gathering the books I had with me, I suddenly realized something about learning skills the books disappear once a skill is fully mastered. I could still improve on the beginner level of spiritual mastery, which explained why the book hadn’t vanished yet. I also remembered I’d used it as a firestarter.
I sighed, knowing I could always buy the book back later. Sometimes, returning to the basics is the best way to learn—reliving the joy of why you started in the first place and appreciating the progress you’ve made since then.
With a final glance at the cave, I understood I might never return. It was time to find a new settlement.
Why not wait for the settlement to be rebuilt? Or even return to reality? The entire city was overrun by zombies, and no reinforcements had arrived from Earth. This made it clear that the crack leading to Earth was also surrounded by trouble.
With these thoughts swirling in my mind, I left the cave. The sound of the waterfall eventually faded behind me, marking the start of a new journey.
----------------------------------------
For three days, I’ve been walking alongside the river, encountering and killing minor monsters. Luckily, I haven’t faced any enemies strong enough to force me to flee with my tail between my legs.
I passed the mountains a day ago, but the most dangerous thing I’ve faced so far is the night. The absolute darkness makes it nearly impossible to rely on anything but your other senses—unless you have a large reserve of spiritual energy.
I tested something during one of those nights channeling spiritual energy into my eyes. It worked, allowing me to detect the surroundings and make out murky outlines of nearby monsters. Unfortunately, I could only sustain it for about 40 seconds before my spiritual energy was completely drained.
If I had a large reserve of spiritual energy, I might be able to sustain it for an entire night. But this thought led me to another question is there an item that can store spiritual energy for later use? The answer is yes, there is! And it costs only 50 gold coins! That’s right, just 50 gold coins!
A mouth-foaming price.Even the most shameless capitalists would have lowered it to 49 gold, 99 silver, and 99 copper to make it seem less painful. But no—the system proudly stuck with 50 gold, a number so precise and greedy that it would make capitalists green with envy.
Snapping out of my mental rant, I returned to eating while lying on the grass. A little napping between meals never hurt anyone. I mean, I can’t just walk all day, right? I’m not some ancient Roman soldier trekking endlessly across the empire. I’m a free man in a free world—where oppressing the weak is praised, and being weak is practically a crime.
If only people didn’t fight amongst themselves. But no, everyone has an opinion they refuse to keep to themselves.
After finishing my nap, I started walking again. The monotony quickly set in. All I did was hunt the occasional monster and stare at an endless field. No trees, no landmarks—just weeds upon weeds. Not even the interesting kind, but the boring, dry kind.
Eventually, the air changed. It was fresher. No clouds were in sight, so the only explanation was that I was nearing the sea. Soon, I heard the unmistakable cries of seagulls.
Looking up, I spotted them—normal-sized seagulls. Or so I thought. As they flew closer, it became clear they were larger than normal. They cast glances in my direction but paid me no mind, diving into the ocean where, judging by their frenzied movements, either a swarm of fish or a cluster of sea monsters had gathered. That spectacle was far more exciting than a lone wanderer trudging along a field.
When I finally reached the shore, I looked around. The sea breeze was refreshing, but aside from the endless expanse of water and the field behind me, there was nothing in sight. No ships, no settlements—just emptiness.
North or South? With no clear direction, I decided to head south.
As I walked along the shore, I occasionally glanced toward the water. Something in the ocean caught my attention—movement beneath the waves. I paused, and soon the sound of splashing water reached my ears. A group of six creatures emerged from the sea.
They were fishmen, but unlike the scrawny ones you’d find in stores, these were far more robust. Their gray, scaly skin glistened in the sunlight, and their shark-like teeth jutted from their fish-like heads. On either side of their throats were gills, an unmistakable sign of their underwater origin.
They didn’t dare attack me outright, likely because they’d encountered others like me before. Their wary glances toward my weapon gave them pause.Despite being surrounded, they hesitated, and I realized they might be waiting for reinforcements. I didn’t intend to give them that chance. Without warning, I unleashed an energy slash, catching them off guard and striking one down instantly.
As I approached the fallen fishman, I touched its body and sold it to the system for 1 silver and 12 copper—a mortal-grade being.
Should I stay and fight or retreat?
My hesitation didn’t last long. More fishmen surfaced from the water, their numbers swelling rapidly. It was clear my only option was to run. No—this wasn’t running away it was a strategic retreat!
If you ignore the 30 fishmen chasing me, that is.
What did I do to deserve this? Why were so many of them after me?!
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
As I sprinted along the shoreline, I suddenly felt something rush past me. Ahead, a spear had embedded itself firmly into the ground. From out of nowhere, a larger fishman appeared, its hulking form joining the "fight." It seemed to think its kin weren’t enough to handle me.
Just great.
But hope flickered on the horizon—high walls! A city!
Fueled by desperation, I pushed myself to reach the gates. As I drew closer, horns blared, and I watched in horror as the gates began to close.
“No, wait for me!” I shouted, but my pleas only seemed to make the gates shut faster.
Boom!
The gates slammed shut.
From the top of the city walls, I could see people peering down, indifferent to my plight. They showed no concern for the fishmen advancing toward the city.
Desperate and out of options, I veered away and began circling the city wall. Surprisingly, the fishmen didn’t follow. They stopped at a distance, watching me with cold, calculating eyes. It was clear this wasn’t their first time attacking this city.
Frustrated, the fishmen vented their anger by kicking up sand along the shore. Their growls and hisses echoed faintly as they slowly retreated into the sea, disappearing just as suddenly as they had come.
Soon the gates opened and as I walked in the city guard grumped at me.
„Tch, you made us close the gates and work so hard and scare off the merchants so your entry to the city is 1 silver.” Said the guard with an evil smile on his face.
1 silver?! Are you kidding me? What merchant are you talking about who I scared off or did you mean yourself as you guys closed the gates so fast?
Seeing my reaction as my face distorted the guard was as happy as it felt, he gained 1 silver for nothing as its only job was to check for any suspicious person and ask for entry into the city which is 10 copper.
Instead of it I turned around and left. I made my way around the city while the guard was stunned in its place the other guards made fun of him as how he let go of a big fish.
I made my way around the city and took a long distance from the shore as I did not want to get near it.
I don’t even know what city this is, but 1 silver for entry is a clear robbery, no wonder I have not seen anyone in the streets who can afford to go in and out of the city.
As I left the city and walked in the field I encountered some monsters, but I always felt uneasy about the sea.
Like the lake where that giant octopus was. Something was off about it, but I just can’t point my finger at the cause of it.
As I walked soon I found a road. I don’t know who built it, but there will be a city in which entry does not cost 1 silver.
Soon I saw another city in the distance, but these city walls were bigger, and even Skylit city walls were smaller with at least 5 meters.
This is truly a bastion. As I got near the city just like before I was stopped, but they only did a checkup on me and did not ask for money.
Normally cities ask you money to enter it as a means by which you pay for their protection and you can sleep peacefully at night and in exchange you pay in money for it.
Not the best method, but the most effective and fastest way.
They compared my face with multiple ones who are wanted by the alliances and when they found no similarities, they told me they saw me somewhere and I should be a famous person, but they can’t remember it.
I could only give a small chuckle as I left, but the city guards were better people here.
This city's name is Ostfurk.
No one knows why the city was named Ostfurk, but over time, everyone grew accustomed to it. It became such a fixture that no one even considered changing it anymore.
I also learned that the previous “city” I visited wasn’t a proper city at all—it was merely an outpost, populated mostly by fighters tasked with defending against sea monster attacks. This outpost was established by the previous city lord to shield the people of Ostfurk from the relentless assaults that had once made daily life a nightmare.
Before the outpost was built, the city was under constant siege by sea monsters. But the tide turned, quite literally, when the city lord made strategic sacrifices to fortify the region. The outpost kept the monsters at bay, allowing the people of Ostfurk to live in relative peace.
However, things changed when the fishmen appeared. Unlike the mindless sea beasts, fishmen were more intelligent, though still primitive in many ways. Their intelligence was at the level of barbarians—they could mimic weapon designs and use them against humans. They even began crafting their versions, though something seemed to block their advancement, preventing them from developing a wider range of weapons.
Their arsenal was simple but effective tridents and spears. They didn’t bother with shields, as their tough, scaly bodies were resilient enough to shrug off most conventional weapons. Only magic cannons, developed under the guidance of the previous city lord, turned the tide in humanity's favor.
These magic cannons, powered by magma crystals, fired devastating blasts that traveled in a straight line, incinerating anything in their path. Even the fishmen’s hardened scales couldn’t withstand the searing explosions and the scorching heat that followed.
The fishmen, realizing that fire alone couldn’t harm them effectively, were unprepared for the deadly heat waves generated by the cannons. The balance of power shifted decisively, transforming Ostfurk from a city under siege to one where the guards barely considered their jobs a danger. What had once been one of the deadliest occupations became one of the safest.
The current city lord came to power under unusual circumstances. The previous city lord died in battle against the fishmen, and his successor—a trusted lieutenant—took control without a formal election. However, his leadership quickly earned the full support of the people, ensuring that no one questioned his authority.
The new city lord, by contrast, rose to power through political maneuvering, backed by major organizations that supported his ascension in exchange for significant concessions.
How do I know all this? Well, drunk people love to tell stories, and I’m a good listener.
Currently, two factions vie for power in Ostfurk. On one side, the former city lord’s assistant, who oversees the military and the magic cannons, holds significant influence. On the other side is the new city lord, whose power is rooted in the backing of the major organizations that helped him secure his title.
In his thirst for power and wealth, the new city lord attempted to transfer full control of the magic cannons to the organizations backing him. However, the city’s military intervened, halting the deal before it could be finalized.
This betrayal soured the organization’s relationship with the city lord, leading to a tense and uncertain atmosphere. The once-strong alliance fractured, and clashes between the organizations and the city military became more frequent.
The situation grew darker as threats began targeting the families of military guards, coercing them to comply. Fear spread through the ranks, discouraging recruits from joining the city guards. Even those who did were loyal only to the city lord, deepening the divide between the factions.
Slowly but surely, the influence of the old city lord’s administration faded, giving way to widespread corruption. Those who had never experienced the horrors of the past could only imagine the chaos and suffering. But no imagination could capture the true depth of the despair—it was a hundred times worse than anyone could fathom.
As I sipped my drink, the man beside me, whom I’d offered a drink earlier, nudged me and gestured toward a commotion nearby.
I turned to see a standoff between city guards and a group of thugs.
“Do you see that?” the man slurred, his words barely comprehensible through his drunken haze.
“Those thugs? They’re the city lord’s men. And the guards? They’re loyal to the old military. Looks like they’re at it again.”
He grinned, leaning in as if to share some grand revelation, but before he could continue, he face-planted onto the table, completely passed out from drinking too much.