A small settlement of ogres was gorging on their freshly hunted prey in the forest. At the center of their gathering stood a spire - shaped stone artifact.

Roughly three meters in height and two meters in both length and width, one side of it bore a pattern resembling a door, giving the impression that this stone carving was more like a diminutive house with an otherworldly style.

Moss and similar plants had taken root on the stone sculpture, a clear indication that it had been left untouched for a long time.

The ogres had long since grown accustomed to the presence of this peculiar stone structure. Thus, they paid it no mind and devoted themselves wholeheartedly to their feast.

At a particular moment when they were thoroughly enjoying their meal, the stone sculpture suddenly stirred to life!

The side with the door - like pattern emitted a distinct creaking sound, characteristic of a wooden door.

Creak——

Glen pushed open the door. Expecting to find a pitch - black chamber, he was instead met with a blinding glare that sent a sharp pain shooting through his eyes, which were accustomed to the darkness. He instinctively raised his arm to shield his eyes.

Once his vision adjusted, he found himself in the heart of a dense jungle, surrounded by a horde of grotesque, repulsive humanoid creatures staring intently at him.

"Er... Hello?" Glen twitched the corners of his mouth and offered a tentative greeting in a hushed tone.

"Foo... Food!" An ogre, its speech slurred, bellowed, shattering the silence.

In an instant, all the ogres in the vicinity dropped the meat in their hands, snatched up stone clubs and axes, and charged towards the intruding human.

Quite a warm welcome, eh... Glen flexed his wrists, and sharp claws extended from the tips of his fingers...

Moments later, after leaving behind several ogre carcasses, the remaining ogres were so terrified that they fled in all directions, severely wounded.

Glen could have easily dispatched them all, but the stench of the accumulated corpses would have been overwhelming. So, he chose to cripple them and let them go. They likely wouldn't survive for long anyway.

Where on earth am I? Glen scratched his head, his eyes scanning the dense forest around him. Since he had only transformed his arm into a wolf - like state, his clothes remained unscathed, and there was no need to return home to change.

He turned to look at the place from which he had emerged. It was beyond his wildest imagination that the door beneath his house would lead to such a place.

He ran his hand along the opened door. One side was made of stone, while the other was of wood. Moreover, he noticed a ring of runes encircling his right wrist, which seemed to be connected to the door.

The right hand was the one he had used to grip the doorknob when opening the door. Could it be that the mark was imprinted at that very moment? As Glen was pondering this, the door abruptly shut on its own.

This caught him off guard. He immediately tried to pry open the crack of the door - like pattern, but to no avail.

"This..." Glen gritted his teeth, his face contorted with frustration.

Am I trapped here with no way back? No, stay calm... Glen took a few deep breaths to steady his nerves.

He cast a glance at the runes on his right wrist and then began to feel around on the stone wall, probing for clues.

Just as his hand touched a triangular pattern, the runes on his wrist glowed faintly, and the door swung open once more.

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This brought a sigh of relief to Glen. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Now that he knew how to open the door, he wasn't in a rush to leave.

He surveyed the surrounding environment. To get a better view, he chose a direction with a towering mountain and set off to explore.

Upon reaching the mountaintop, the scene that unfolded in the distance took him by surprise. At the far end of the sprawling jungle lay a city.

It was the kind of city commonly found in the various regions of the kingdoms in this world. He couldn't mistake the buildings, the castles, and the factories billowing black smoke.

Have I reached the main urban area of the lord's territory? This thought flashed through Glen's mind in an instant, and it seemed highly probable.

To confirm his suspicion, Glen made a hasty descent down the mountain. After all, there was no better way to find out than through direct experience.

A jet - black tempest swept through the jungle, disturbing countless animals and magical beasts, yet none of them had any inkling of what it was.

The speed Glen achieved with a slight werewolf transformation was more than sufficient to outdistance any creature in this jungle.

The scent of humans wafted through the air. Before long, he had approached within a hundred meters of the city wall and could clearly make out the main road in the distance.

Caravans and passers - by were a constant stream. There were also all manner of peculiar means of transportation, such as lizard - shaped magical beasts the size of a compact car, and large cats adorned with twin horns, among others.

The city gates stood wide ajar. Soldiers, clad in armor and gripping muskets, maintained order.

Glen reverted to his normal form, emerged from the shadows, and casually accosted a passing young man."Hey, friend. Could you tell me where I am? I got lost and ended up here quite by accident. Do me a favor."

The young man cast a curious glance at Glen but eventually replied,"This is the city of Kelladria. You can't possibly not know this place, unless you're a wildling."

Kelladria? This isn't the urban area where Bayek Town is situated. Isn't this the main city in the western part of the kingdom? It's several districts away from Bayek! Kelladria... It appears to be the district closest to the royal capital... Glen racked his brain, trying to recall information about Kelladria. For a moment, he was so lost in thought that he forgot to respond to the young man.

"Um... Are you all right, sir?"

The young man waved his hand in front of Glen's eyes, the look of bewilderment on his face intensifying.

"Ah? Oh..." Glen felt a twinge of embarrassment. He cleared his throat and offered a casual explanation."Sorry, I just spaced out. You know, it's easy to get distracted when you suddenly realize you're in the main city of a district."

"Good luck to you, sir." The young man let out a sigh. Evidently, he had no patience for Glen's poorly - crafted excuse. With a slight bow, he walked away.

Glen, with his thick - skinned demeanor, paid no heed to the young man's attitude and remained absorbed in his own musings.

The teleportation magic door reminded him of an animated movie. The previous owner of his house must have been quite remarkable. To be able to create such magic, they surely had to be a powerful mage.

However, judging by the state of his basement, it was evident that no one had set foot there for a long time. That mage was probably long dead...

Without attracting any attention, Glen made his way back into the dense forest. He had no intention of entering the city. There was no pressing need to. He could always do so in the future when he had both the means and the time.

At the city gate, a sharp - eyed eagle perched on the shoulder of a police officer, and in a human voice, it exclaimed,"Damn it! I could have sworn I detected the scent of a werewolf."

"That's impossible. This area has been thoroughly scoured by the knights. Don't be so jumpy," the police officer retorted.

...

Today, Lila had dressed herself to the nines. She donned her most expensive dress, a sun hat perched on her head, and carried a bamboo basket filled with gifts painstakingly prepared by her mother. These were all precious food items for a family like theirs, making her look every bit like someone on a visit to relatives.

However, while she was indeed going out, it wasn't to visit kin.

She called on several friends who lived nearby in the town, hoping to persuade them to accompany her. But they all found excuses to decline. The only one who had some free time turned ashen at the mention of Bayek Town.

She was a dainty little girl with a sprinkling of freckles on her face. She half - closed the door and said, with a hint of trepidation, "Lila, listen to me. You absolutely mustn't go to that place. I swear! If you knew just how perilous it is."

"You know about that place?"

"Of course I do. I once blundered into that area. It's teeming with monsters. I saw them with my own eyes, lurking in the fog. If I hadn't fled as fast as I could, you wouldn't be seeing me now." The freckled girl shuddered at the recollection.

Instead of being frightened, Lila let out a light laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. "Hehe... Bonnie, I think you must have been mistaken."

Upon seeing Lila's reaction, the little girl flushed scarlet. She put on a serious countenance and said, "Lila! You have to believe me! If you don't, go and ask the grown - ups. They'll surely tell you the same thing!"

"All right, Bonnie. That's enough. I really must be going." Lila stepped forward and gave Bonnie a gentle hug, then turned and walked away.

In Lila's opinion, if Bayek Town were truly as dangerous as Bonnie had described, it wouldn't have remained so obscure and scarcely visited. Moreover, that kind gentleman lived there.