Capítulo 5: Enter: Princess Selene
The morning sunlight filtered through the small window of Alex's quarters, casting a soft glow on the stone walls. He had barely slept, his mind still reeling from the previous day's events. The weight of the king's expectations, the royal family's cold demeanor, and the looming uncertainty about how to survive in this unfamiliar world made sleep elusive.
Alex rubbed his eyes and sat up from his bed. The Heroic Skill interface was still active in front of him, but today he was determined to focus on something else—something more immediate. He needed to level up, to get stronger.
His mind returned to the last conversation with the king.
- 'Choose your party members.'
A strange sense of responsibility weighed on him as he thought about what kind of team he needed to build.
He had learned about the existence of mana and aura, but as far as he knew, his "Online Browsing" skill wasn't going to help in combat. He would have to rely on the others for that—if they could be trusted.
He glanced at his reflection in the window.
'If I don't get stronger, I'll never survive here.'
With a deep breath, Alex stood up and stretched. Today, he planned to venture into the forest with the others to test his skill and level up. The goblins the king mentioned were supposed to be weak enough for beginners, but the reality of fighting was far more daunting than any game.
He was about to leave his quarters when a soft knock at the door interrupted him.
"Come in," he called, already expecting one of his companions.
The door creaked open, and there, standing in the threshold, was Princess Selene.
Her presence immediately filled the room with an eerie calm. Alex had seen her from afar the day before, but now, up close, she was even more striking.
Her ruby-red eyes and delicate pink hair shimmered in the light, and her flawless features were framed by the intricate robes she wore. Despite the warmth of the day, she radiated an ethereal, almost cold beauty.
"Alex Bohn," she said, her voice smooth and slightly mocking. "I have been thinking. You may need... assistance."
Alex blinked, caught off guard by her sudden approach. "Assistance?"
She stepped closer, her gaze never leaving him. "Yes. I will be joining you in your training. My magical prowess will help you level up faster. Consider me... support."
Alex opened his mouth to speak but hesitated. He wasn't sure whether this was a genuine offer or something more sinister. After all, Selene hadn't exactly been warm toward him when they first met. But then he thought about the alternative—struggling alone in the forest, facing goblins with no one to back him up.
Besides, he couldn't deny the allure of her beauty. He swallowed hard, trying to steady his thoughts. "Uh, alright. I'll accept your help. But… what exactly do you mean by support?"
Selene gave him a smile that seemed to have layers of meaning behind it. "I'll help you from the back. You don't need to worry about your own safety, hero. I'll handle the magic. You just focus on improving."
Alex nodded, still unsure, but not wanting to refuse the princess. "Okay. Let's go then."
The journey to the forest was brief, but Alex couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He kept stealing glances at Princess Selene, who walked beside him with an elegant stride, as if the rough terrain of the path meant nothing to her. He had to admit, the idea of having such a powerful and beautiful ally was tempting.
When they reached the forest's edge, Selene stopped and turned to him. "We'll begin with something simple: goblins. They're weak, but dangerous in numbers. Stay close to me, and I'll keep you safe. Let me do the heavy lifting."
Alex glanced at the dense underbrush ahead. He had never fought goblins before—his experiences with RPGs were limited to digital worlds, where combat felt more like a game than reality. But here, in this strange world, everything felt more visceral, more real.
A rustling sound broke his thoughts, and a small, green figure stumbled into view—one of the goblins. It had long, jagged teeth, a hunched posture, and a crude wooden club in its hands. The goblin growled and charged toward Alex with surprising speed.
"Get back!" Selene snapped. With a swift motion, she raised her hand, and a sparkling wave of starlight erupted from her fingers. The light wrapped around the goblin, ensnaring it in a magical barrier before it could reach Alex.
The goblin screeched and struggled, but the barrier held firm. Selene flicked her wrist, and the barrier collapsed into a burst of light, causing the goblin to fall lifeless to the ground.
Alex blinked in awe. "That was... amazing."
Selene didn't acknowledge his praise. Instead, she turned toward him, her expression cold. "This is nothing. We need to keep moving. You need to fight, too. You won't level up just standing there."
Alex hesitated. He wasn't sure if he was ready, but he had no choice. Slowly, he reached for the small sword at his side and stepped forward.
The next few hours were grueling.
Goblins kept emerging from the dense forest, and Selene's magic made quick work of most of them. But Alex found himself struggling. Despite his training back home in martial arts and RPGs, the reality of battle was nothing like he had imagined. His strikes lacked power and precision, and his movements were sluggish. His body wasn't accustomed to the weight of real combat.
At first, he managed to land a few blows on the goblins, but they were weak, slow, and clumsy. His attacks didn't seem to connect as he had hoped, and his sword felt heavier with each swing. His stats, all below average, were beginning to feel like a serious handicap.
Selene, from the sidelines, didn't seem to notice or care about his struggles. She remained calm, her gaze fixed on the ongoing battle, her magic effortlessly dealing with the goblins that Alex couldn't finish off. She had told him to focus on improving, but the longer he fought, the more he realized just how far behind he was.
His Strength and Agility were weak, and it was obvious. Every time he dodged or struck, his movements felt unnatural, slow, and clumsy. Even with the goblins being no more than a minor threat, Alex found himself winded, his arms shaking with exhaustion.
"Come on, Alex," Selene's voice called out to him, her tone more impatient than encouraging. "You need to do better than this. Are you really going to let them overwhelm you?"
Alex's breath came in short, ragged bursts. His Endurance stat was nowhere near enough to keep up with the pace of battle. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he staggered backward, trying to keep his balance.
He swung his sword again, this time more focused, but the goblin ducked under his strike, countering with a sharp jab of its crude weapon. Alex barely managed to block, the force of the blow rattling his arm.
"Ugh!" Alex grunted in frustration, barely managing to hold his ground.
The goblin lunged at him, its teeth bared.
Just then, Selene's magic flared to life, and a wave of starlight washed over the goblin, disintegrating it instantly. The princess stepped forward, her face impassive. "I told you to be careful. You need to pay attention, Alex. You're not in a game anymore. This is real."
Alex, exhausted and embarrassed, nodded quickly. "I know. I'm trying."
But as he looked down at his sword, his thoughts wandered.
- 'Am I really cut out for this?'
The progress had been slow, too slow for his liking. Each goblin felt like a small victory, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was falling behind.
"Do you want to keep going?" Selene asked, her voice colder now, tinged with frustration. "Because we can leave anytime. But understand this—if you can't handle goblins, you'll never survive what's coming next."
Alex clenched his jaw. He wasn't going to give up. Not yet. He had to keep pushing forward. He had to prove that he belonged here.
"I'll keep going," he said firmly, though his voice lacked the conviction he wanted it to have.
Selene raised an eyebrow but said nothing, stepping aside to allow him to fight again.
The goblins kept coming. And Alex, despite his slow progress, kept swinging.
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