[Phew!]
Walking on foot through this dense jungle was not easy! Especially since I was buck-naked! Well, almost…
I regret to say that I lost everything from before my untimely demise, and so I took some big leaves and fashioned them into some sort of primitive loin cloth. It suited me, I guess. My situation didn't exactly require me to wear some expensive suit.
But yeah, life sucked!
Then again, it could have been worse I guess. At least there were no ferocious beasts around as far as I could tell. Or maybe there were, what the hell would I know? My only way of magic detection was completely useless, my other senses were limited, and above all, it was so goddamn cold!
I was freezing my balls off here!
The ground was damp, a chill wind was blowing, freezing me to the bone, and that was in the middle of what I can only assume was spring. There was much new growth all around, bright green and buzzing with life. I couldn't say I was looking forward to a night out in the open.
Alright, enough with this weak-ass bullshit! I'll never get anything done by feeling sorry for myself! It's time I pull myself by the bootstraps and…
[…]
[I don't have any boots though…]
Enough metaphors, stupid, focus! I needed to get my head straight. I was feeling like I was going crazy out here!
First thing first, I had to confirm my combat abilities! Magic was extremely easy to notice in these parts, so I had to be careful. Luckily, for the last hour or so, I haven't noticed any animal tracks, sounds, or anything really, that would make me think a predator is nearby. I was confident in my observations, but I couldn't be 100%.
Let me see… This place seemed good enough. It was relatively flat, the bushes were few and far between, and the trees were quite sparse, allowing me to see much farther. It should be a good place to avoid any ambush attacks.
Okay, so… The Howler used some powerful magic. A tree like… like that one was destroyed in about a second. As I slapped the tree it feelt quite sturdy. I should be able to measure the difference between our magic abilities like this.
Now, if I remembered correctly, there were quite a lot of Wind Blades it threw out at once. If I guessed that there were a hundred of them, which was not crazy since it crushed an entire freaking tree into splinters, then I should use 1% of my energy.
I wasn't exactly sure how much that was since I have been resurrected, and I've probably become weaker, but it should be between 5-10 MP. Okay, that seems about right.
Forming a Wind Blade is easy, I've done it hundreds of times before, and this time was no different. I just concentrated, got a clear picture in my head, and molded the energy according to my will, easy peasy! Now I just had to aim it with my hand and…
[Hah!]
I launched my spell toward the tree trunk. It flew straight and true, striking the wood with a satisfying thud, and left a nasty gash behind. I was quite confident that strike would be enough to take someone's leg off. Or hand. Or head. Basically, any part of the body that wasn't reinforced with metal or magic.
But here we ran into our first problem. The cut in the wood was about ten centimeters deep, and twenty centimeters across. Compared to the thickness and size of the trunk, was barely even a scratch! Let me try this a few more times, maybe I'm missing something.
***
Yep, nope! That's not it. My Wind Blades didn't do shit! I would need a thousand of these to just come close to destroying this tree. Thank god I had a clear mind and didn't engage the Howler! I might have been born today, but I was not braindead. Not yet. And hopefully never will be. Knock on wood.
I'm not superstitious, but I prefer to be safe. Don't judge me!
Now let's see how much damage a high-powered Wind Blade does to me. I just needed to confirm my own durability in the unlikely case I overreacted.
I gathered the energy and brought the spell to the front of my mind as clearly as I could. Let's do it with… 15… no, 20… erm, 25 MP! 25 MP, yeah, that should be good… Aim for my, uh… other hand, and… I really hoped I wasn't doing some stupid mistake.
As I pumped my skin and flesh full of Mana, reinforcing it as best as I could, I crossed my fingers and hoped I wasn't just crippling myself for no reason. Welp here goes nothing! The pressure rose as the energy swirled in the palm of my hand as it gathered for action. I took a deep breath, placed my hand point-blank, and then released!
POW!
Oh… OH, IT FUCKING HURTS! GOD! Fuck! Like being stung by a thousand bees at once! My pain sensors were on fire!
That was so retarded! I don't know what I was expecting, honestly… I'm bleeding all over the floor, geez! I immediately administered some first aid in the form of a healing spell. It was basic and not all that useful on deep wounds, but it would have to do.
Well, on the other hand, I was quite pleasantly surprised. The spell didn't do nearly as much damage as I expected. And the Wind Blades were made to show their strength up close! It barely sliced through my skin and didn't even touch the flesh underneath. It's just that I hit a vein that made the whole situation seem more gruesome than it had to be.
But I guess that was to be expected. With the full defensive enhancement, my whole body became like iron. Before I improved it, the original name of the spell was Iron Body, after all. It was kind of self-explanatory.
Alright, now I knew I might have overreacted to the attack of the Howler… I would just get sliced and diced by it instead of getting turned into minced meat instantly. However, considering I probably wouldn't die from it, it was objectively even worse. At least in death, I wouldn't feel pain.
[…]
Enough dark thoughts! The test failed successfully, and now I knew approximately where I stood. I didn't have to be acting like a lil bitch wherever a bush shook, but I also couldn't be taking some massive clawed monster head-on. Balance was key!
Rumble!
What's that?! Another monster?! … No, it's just my stomach, calm down. I've been on the run the entire day, and I have to say, I was freaking starving! If I didn't get some food quickly I would… lose weight! That would be a disaster!
Just look at me, look at these scrawny arms and legs, where the fuck did my muscles go?! I swear, this resurrection stole years of my gains! I think I lost some height too, as if I reverted back to a child's body! Even my little brother shrunk in size. It now looks more like a wet noodle than a magnificent sausage!
Surely I at least kept my magnificent manly face… I quickly condensed some water from the warm humid air to make a shitty mirror. I then made a floating light to illuminate my face so I could see myself better.
[Nooooooo!] It's way worse than I would have imagined! I looked like some snotty teenager! I swear I lost at least five years, and above all, I was bald! Even my eyebrows weren't spared!
Gah! Once again I was thinking too much! I needed to eat something or I was going to drive myself nuts! Maybe I shouldn't have let that squirrel-
I stopped the thought and perked my ears. I heard some rustling in the nearby bush and readied myself for a fight. I still couldn't see what beast was there if any, so I had to be careful.
I squinted my eyes and strained them to see while I held my breath and stood completely still. There was more rustling and a head rose above the bushes, looking at me.
It was a deer. Or a young buck, I didn't know.
[Hey there, buddy…] I tried to keep my voice calm to not scare it away. It was looking at me with that stupid look you would expect from a clueless wild animal, but I couldn't be sure it wasn't just a monster pretending to be harmless.
I slowly rose my hand, finger guns at the ready, prepared to act.
[Boom, headshot!]
Imagine my surprise when it worked. After my whisper, the animal simply collapsed on the ground without a peep from getting a taste of my Solar Point. One finger-sized hole, straight through the cranium! Easy as that!
Perhaps I have judged this place too harshly. We'll be eating well tonight! I just hoped my magic wasn't going to attract some monsters.
Awoooo!
Yeah, yeah… Nevermind! Looks like even such a short burst was noticed by some. And that sounded like wolves, and more than one.
I quickly grabbed the deer and threw it over my shoulder. It must have weighed at least 50 kilograms, light as a feather! I then quickly broke into a sprint and away from the animal sounds.
Actually, if they wanted food, they would probably follow my trail, so…
I quickly made a decision and tore the deer in half and tossed the head, front legs, and internal organs, minus the liver, on the ground, and made a quick escape.
After a few minutes, and as I didn't hear anyone chasing me, I slowed down to a light jog. It seemed my laser was still useful, unlike that Yung Lin guy who killed me, the bastard! He barely flinched even after taking five simultaneous full-power blasts to the face!
Where did he say he came from? The Brilliant Sword Sect? Where is that? The west? Or perhaps the east? I had no fucking clue! And it wasn't like it would matter, since, I couldn't see even see the sun!
Bah! I wasn't going to think about it, there was no point.
I was just going to slowly get strong on my own, find where he lives, and then get my revenge! … NOT!
I'm not retarded! Not to mention it was partially my fault since I kind of destroyed something that was important to them, a Portal Nexus or some shit, but I also didn't have a death wish!
Hell to the no! Just imagine what kind of monsters must people living on this land be if the common beasts roaming the forest are already something way out of my league.
No, no, I was quite happy to avoid conflict. I'd like to keep my body in one piece this time if you don't mind, thank you. I just hoped I could find some people before it was too late.
Achoo!
And get a warm and dry place to sleep, that'd be nice too. It's already almost night, huh? My little brother already shrunk from the resurrection, and now this? Damn, I hate cold!
Yawn!
[Maaaaaan! I hate this palace!] Let me tell you something, camping in the wild sucked!
Yes, it was all great when you had tools, food, and a warm shelter, but when were are out in the wet and cold dark forest, with only some old leaves covering your ass, and on a constant run from fucking monsters… It's a freaking nightmare!
I was so exhausted...
It's been, what? Four days now? I barely had any shut-eye during that time. On the first day the Wendigo, the Howler, and some wolves were chasing me. I caught myself a nice deer so I got plenty of food, but what did that matter if I couldn't even cook it properly?
I couldn't even use a tiny bit of magic or every son of a bitch and his monster mother would come running from god knows where, trying to eat me.
Then on the second day, I stumbled upon a nest of ants. Yeah, no big deal it's just some ants… is what some retard would say! But no! Those ants were more than two meters in length and a meter tall! With sharp enough mandibles to snap decades-old trees in half like dried twigs! It's the truth, I have seen it with my own eyes!
And the worst thing was, I didn't know I was in their territory until I reached the hill-like mound that was their home. And by then I was already surrounded. It took me most of the day of running and avoiding being chopped in half, and I genuinely still don't know how I managed to get out of that place alive.
On the third day… Oh yeah, I nearly died from poison!
I acted according to a pearl of ancient wisdom, and ate one berry when I found them, one fucking berry! If you don't know if something is poisonous, just take a tiny bite and wait a few hours to see its effects. Most natural poisons wouldn't kill you by just tasting them a bit anyway, right? And so I did. One teeny little berry. What was the worst that could happen, right?
Nearly shat my brains out for the rest of the day, that's what! Even now I was still feeling the effects, and my head was fucking killing me! Worst experience of my life! 0/10 would not recommend.
I've also been walking for god knows how long. I just wanted a place to sleep, man, was that really too much to ask?!
No, no it was apparently not, because I could see the forest coming to an end and a small village further in the distance!
[Oh, thank the Lord!] Lord FSM must have heard my prayers and sent me a sign! My search has come to an end! I quickly tossed away what remained of the smelly deer carcass and gather my energy for one final sprint toward civilization!
***
Old Plum was a tiny little village of a few hundred people living simple lives. A wooden palisade encircled a few dozen wooden houses, as well as a few of them made of fired brick and stone.
Cultivated green fields stretched around the village, as well as a few pens for pigs and other livestock. On both sides of a gravel road that led to the village grew a few old fruit trees, with some of them still displaying white flowers among emerald leaves despite it being early summer.
Two middle-aged guards stood at the entrance to the village and were leaning against the palisade whilst chatting about everyday things when they noticed someone running toward them.
"Hey…" One of them called to his buddy and jerked his head sideways. "Look over there, someone is coming!"
The other guy shaded his eyes from the midday sun and took a good long look. "It looks like a child," he exclaimed.
"Doesn't matter," the first one said and grabbed his spear. "It could be just a trick, get ready!" He then waited for a bit, until the newcomer was closer, about ten meters away, and then shouted. "Hey, you! Stop right there!"
"What's your business here?" Shouted the other.
The boy they were pointing their weapons at was completely bald, dirty, almost naked, covered in old wounds and blood, and his face, especially the eyes, had exhaustion written all over it.
"Finally… people…" the boy said, and then collapsed to the ground.
"… Um, now what?" A guard looked at the boy and then at his partner.
"We… call the Chief?" Said the other, similarly stunned by the event.
"Good idea!"
***
Gerald woke up in an unfamiliar bed with an accompanying headache and a parched throat.
He moved his heavy eyelids, allowing the bit of sunlight in the room to give him sight. However, his vision was blurry, and he felt weak, so as he tried to look around and speak, only a hoarse groan came out.
His movements received a quiet gasp from another person in the room in response, and as he tried to look, the only thing he saw was a blurry figure quickly running away.
"Mother! He's awake!" he heard a young male voice calling from afar.
He slowly moved his arms and rubbed his tired eyes, and in the meantime, he heard a commotion coming from another part of the house. Soon two people came back into his room, one of them a boy, probably the one that just ran away, and the other a middle-aged woman, presumably his mother.
He tried to get up, but a hand pushed him back down as the woman spoke in a soft voice. "Don't move, child, you still need to rest." She then brought a bowl of some strong medicinal-smalling liquid and moved it to his mouth. "Here, drink this, it'll help you recover."
Gerald did as he was told as he was too weak to resist anyway, and drank in big gulps. The brew was bitter and sour, but it felt great on his dried-out tongue and throat, so he didn't complain. Also, the cold liquid helped to wake him up and returned some feeling back to his muscles.
That's when he realized he was hurting all over. It seemed that some of the wounds he had sustained previously had become infected and were now releasing puss.
"Alyx, go get the Chief. Tell him he has woken up."
"Yes, mother!" The boy obeyed and ran back out of the room. The woman then took another bowl, this one filled with water, and helped Gerald sit up.
"We need to change your bandages," she said. "This might sting a bit."
And it did. Actually, it hurt quite a bit. The cloth already bonded with the dried blood and puss, and Gerald had to grit his teeth as it was peeled off. The old lady then washed his wounds with water, dried them out, and then coated them with some kind of oil that made them feel hot.
"Hello? Mara?" Whey soon heard a booming voice coming from outside just as she was bandaging him up with a fresh piece of cloth.
"In here!" Mara called. "We are in here, you can come in!"
Gerald then heard a heavy weight moving through the house, and the wooden floor creaked as a man came into the tiny room. He had to bend down and turn sideways to go through the door, and as he straightened back up, his figure took most of the remaining space, and his head nearly touched the ceiling.
"Ah, it's a bit cramped in here…" The man commented.
Mara stood up and moved out of the way, giving a slight bow as she did so. "Chief Almar."
"Thanks for your help, Mara! I'll call you if I'll need anything." Chief Almar said, after which the woman left.
Gerald quietly observed everything, and although the chief appeared cheerful on the surface, he noticed suspicion and wariness in his eyes. Despite his mind still feeling a bit fuzzy, he knew not to mess with this guy, especially since he was now feeling quite helpless.
The Chief came to the bed he was laying in and went down on one knee. Still, he remained towering over him as he began. "Hey there, kid."
[Um… hello.] Gerald replied weakly.
"Feeling well?" the chief continued.
[It's… alright.]
"Hmm." The chief then introduced himself, "I'm the Chief of this Old Plum village, Almar Tholes. What's your name?"
[Gerald.]
"Hmm." Chief Almar Tholes squinted his eyes a bit, and then barely noticeably nodded to himself. "Then, tell me… Gerald. Why are you here?" He began his mandatory questioning. As he should have since an unknown child came to his village out of nowhere.
The question stumped Gerald. How should he answer this? Telling his complete backstory probably wouldn't be wise. And besides, he didn't know these people. Were they allies? Enemies? It was difficult to tell at the moment. Were they helping him out of the goodness of their heart or were they just keeping him alive long enough to get information out of him?
It was too many unknowns for him to consider at the moment, and his brain was still in a fog from exhaustion, so he chose to pick the safest option.
[I… don't understand the question.]
The Chief rolled his eyes but repeated the question nonetheless. "Why did you come here? Why this village?"
[I don't know… because it was there?]
"Explain."
[I was wandering in the forest and running from monsters when I stumbled upon this place…] He spoke in the least words possible.
"You got lost in the forest?"
[Yes, I have wandered aimlessly for days. I thought I was going to die, and I nearly did…] That much was quite clear from all the wounds on his back and legs. It looked like something took big chunks out of him as well.
"You don't have a family?" The Chief continued his interrogation.
[No… My family is… not in this world.] Gerald once again answered with what was technically the truth. His parents were back on Earth, wherever that was, so he didn't technically lie, in case this guy could tell.
"Hmm." The Chief nodded again, this time a bit slower. His gaze then sharpened as he came to the important part. "What about your friends? Where are they?"
[My friends?] Gerald appeared sad and sighed. [They are far, far away. I don't think I'll ever get to see them again.]
Another nod came from the Chief and then he posed the last, but also most important question. "Do you belong or are associated with any Sects, past or present?"
What kind of question was that? Gerald for sure didn't know. But if he was talking about stuff like Cultivation Sects, then he for sure didn't belong to any. And so he calmly answered with a flat [No.]
At his last answer, the village Chief visibly relaxed. He was a bit tense during the exchange, but in the end, his shoulders dropped a bit and he released a quiet sigh.
"Good!" He smiled. "Let me check on your condition…" He placed a hand on Gerald's back. "If you feel any pain just say so and I'll stop," he added.
Gerald simply nodded in return.
"Alright, there I go."
Gerald almost immediately felt… something. He felt some form of pressure in his chest, but it was more of a slight itch than anything. It could be easily ignored as on a scale of 1-10 of discomfort it barely even reached 1. It was quite possible that if he didn't know it was there, he wouldn't even notice.
"Feeling alright?" The Chief asked after a bit.
[I'm okay.] Gerald replied.
"Great!" His response brought a genuine smile to the man's face as he removed his hand. "I'll tell Mara to prepare a few more herbs, and you should be back in business in a few days!"
He then stood back up, once again nearly hitting his head on the low ceiling. "You can stay in the village for a bit until you recover, but then I got a proposition for you…"
[Oh? What is it?] Gerald figured they wouldn't let him stay here for long. The village seemed poor as it was. Having another mouth to feed, and an outsider at that, probably wasn't something they wanted.
Chief Almar Tholes smiled mysteriously as he caressed his chin and looked at Gerald from above. "Kid!" he began. "How would you like to join the Myriad Beasts Sect?"
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