The next morning, after a relatively quiet night, we prepared for the day's exploration of the city. With backpacks packed with supplies and equipment, we set out to discover what this land had to offer.
The city before us must have once been a bustling center, but now nature had reclaimed it. Entire buildings were covered in vegetation, trees sprouting through broken windows, and roots infiltrating the cracked concrete. The view was both beautiful and disturbing, a reminder of the fragility of human civilization.
"Watch your step," James said, stepping forward carefully. "You never know what you might find in these abandoned buildings."
We walked in silence, every sound of the urban forest amplified in the heavy atmosphere. As we progressed, I noticed familiar elements that reminded me of my old world.
A logo I recognized from an old, rusty Renault lay in the middle of an intersection, its windows broken and overgrown with vines. This remnant of the past reminded me that, after all, we might still be on Earth, but in another 'multiverse.'
"Look at that," I said, pointing to the car. "I know this car, do you know if there are people who restore them?" I asked, an idea forming in my mind.
Nina reached out and touched the rusted hood of the car. "Not many people pay attention to this piece of junk," she murmured.
"Are you interested?" James asked me. "These days, not many people are interested in them because they're terribly expensive to restore, even if you can find them in level 2 or 1 cities. Our city isn't really considered a place for them, and also, the skill to restore these machines has been mostly lost, so it's an elite craft..." I said.
"I'd be interested in restoring one, but not this one," I murmured, a goal I'd thought impossible rising in my heart.
A wave of nostalgia washed over me as I looked at the Twingo. This car, a symbol of my past world, made me feel an unexpected connection to this place. The others, not knowing my background, couldn't fully understand the depth of this feeling. To them, it was just a car, but to me, it was a tangible link to a past that seemed within reach.
We continued our exploration, penetrating deeper into the city. The streets were overgrown, vines wrapped around lampposts, and thorny bushes pushed through the cracked asphalt. Buildings, once proud and imposing, were now ruins covered in moss and ferns.
As we continued, I noticed other signs of what the city had once been. Street signs, faded advertisements on the walls, and facades of what must have been shops.
"Have you ever seen anything like this?" asked Liam, pointing to an old billboard. "It's fascinating to see how time has changed everything."
I nodded, drawing a wistful smile. "Yes, it's amazing how nature can reclaim what was once ours."
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
James stopped suddenly in front of a large building. "We're going to go in there and store our supplies so we can be lighter and more efficient in our research."
We entered the dark, dank lobby of the building. The walls were covered with mold, and broken glass littered the floor. We cautiously climbed the stairs. On the top floor, we found a relatively pristine room with a panoramic view of the overgrown city.
"Let's settle in here," James said. "We'll rest a while and think about what to do next."
I sat down by a window and watched the city below. The streets were quiet now, but I couldn't shake a bad feeling of foreboding as I looked down the dark alleys.
Nina, who was studying a map, raised her head. "We must continue our exploration, but more carefully. The presence of creatures is possible, but it could mean that there's something valuable here, something they're guarding."
As we rested, I took time to consider our situation. The presence of the Twingo and other familiar elements reinforced my conviction that we were in a world identical to my own.
But I had to keep this information to myself. The others didn't know my origin, and I didn't intend to share it with anyone just yet.
After an hour's rest, we set out again to explore the upper floors of the building. Every room we searched seemed to tell a story, memories frozen in time. Overturned furniture, abandoned children's toys, family photos yellowed by time. It was both fascinating and heartbreaking.
We spent much of the day searching the buildings for resources. We found medicinal plants growing at the base of trees, a few monster cores from mutated animals we had killed, and some useful items.
As the sun began to set, we decided to return to our building to collect our bags. The city was getting darker, and the atmosphere was charged with tension. We knew the night would bring its own dangers, and we had to hurry.
"There's something strange about this city," Nina said, casting a worried glance around her. "I have this bad feeling deep inside me..."
James nodded. "You're right. We'll continue tomorrow. For now, let's move quickly and prepare for any eventuality."
By the time we reached the edge of the forest, night had fallen, shrouding the city in oppressive darkness. The sounds of the urban forest were amplified, every creak and whisper sounding more ominous. We were all on guard, aware that the mutated creatures could attack at any moment.
As we began to pass the buildings, a message from the system appeared before my eyes:
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Congratulations ! you've made 100,000 sales.
Reward: Daily Mission
---
As a smile spread across my face, eager to see what this daily mission had in store for me, a second notification, one I never expected, appeared.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
New mission: Kill a mutated boar alone.
Reward: Time Focus skill.
---
My heart raced as I read the message. I'd never imagined being given such a mission, let alone receiving such a valuable reward as a skill.
I took a deep breath and tried to mentally prepare myself for the task ahead. The Temporal Focus skill could be a great asset, but to obtain it, I would first have to face and kill a mutated boar alone. This would not be an easy task, especially in the dark of the night.
A strange sound echoed through the forest as we approached. We froze, hands on our weapons.
"Something's coming," James whispered.
As James spoke, a burning current seemed to run through my body. My hands gripped my sword tightly, the itch to use it mingling with the fear of the unknown, making my heart race.
We scanned the darkness, trying to make out what was lurking in the shadows. Suddenly, a massive figure appeared, its eyes glowing eerily in the night. It was a wolf, bigger and fiercer than anything I'd ever seen.