The sun dipped below the jagged peaks of the Eastern Range as Kael emerged from the forest, his boots coated in dust and leaves. A quiet, earthen road stretched ahead, winding down toward a cluster of lights nestled between the hills. It was his first sight of a mortal town in this world.
He paused at a rise, taking in the view. Smoke curled from chimneys, children laughed in the distance, and lanterns blinked to life as dusk thickened into twilight. After days wandering the untamed wilds since his mysterious arrival in this world, the town was a beacon of normalcy—and maybe, finally, answers.
System Alert: You are entering a mortal settlement. Energy Presence: Low. Cultivation Activity: Negligible.
Kael exhaled. "Finally. A place to rest."
He descended the hill, clutching the worn satchel Mira had given him. Inside, a few spirit herbs, a short blade, and the jade pendant that had sparked with energy the night before. It pulsed now with a gentle warmth.
The town, as he would learn, was called River's End.
The gates were modest, flanked by wooden totems carved with fading runes. Two guards watched Kael's approach with tired suspicion.
"Name and purpose?" one asked, hand resting on his spear.
Kael hesitated. "Kael. I'm... a traveler. Looking for food, work, maybe a place to stay."
The guards exchanged a look. The older one gestured. "Talk to Innkeeper Luan at the Hollow Lantern. She rents rooms. But no trouble. This is a peaceful town."
Kael nodded and stepped through the gates, his presence drawing curious glances. His clothes—stitched by Mira from spirit beast hide—marked him as an outsider, though they hid most of his lean, trained frame.
River's End was humble but vibrant. Market stalls closed for the evening, scents of roast meat and fresh bread drifted from open windows, and somewhere a stringed instrument sang a soft, mournful tune.
The Hollow Lantern was easy to find—a two-story inn with golden light spilling from its windows. Inside, it was warm, crowded, and filled with the comforting clatter of wooden mugs and quiet laughter.
Luan, the innkeeper, was a stout woman with sharp eyes. She sized Kael up in a heartbeat.
"Two silver a night. Extra for food. Coin?"
Kael handed her a pouch Mira had tucked into his gear. Luan weighed it with practiced fingers and nodded. "You get a room. Bath's in the back. Breakfast at dawn."
His room was simple but clean. Kael collapsed on the bed, the events of the past weeks catching up to him. Earth felt like a distant dream now—the endless calls, the flickering monitors, the crushing repetition. Here, in this strange new world, everything was uncertain. And yet, he had never felt more alive.
That night, he dreamed of fire.
Morning came with mist and distant bird calls. Kael washed quickly, dressed, and stepped into the dining room. Villagers ate quietly, nodding to one another. He took a seat in the corner, observing.
System Notice: Local rumor detection active. Keywords: Cultivation, Artifacts, Sect.
Whispers drifted past:
"...said she saw a spirit beast in the northern woods."
"...the Veil Cult's been sniffing around again. Strange folk."
"...that merchant had a talisman that glowed blue. Paid ten times market price."
Kael listened, piecing together fragments. The world outside the town was clearly more dangerous and more wondrous than the villagers could grasp.
He spent the day helping Luan carry barrels from her cellar in exchange for extra meals. His strength, bolstered subtly by the system, surprised even the town blacksmith who offered him part-time work.
That evening, a commotion erupted near the gate.
Kael emerged from the inn to see a crowd gathered. A girl—no older than twelve—had stumbled into town, bloodied and breathless.
"Bandits," she gasped. "They took the east road... trapped my brother... near the ridge..."
Before the guards could react, Kael stepped forward. "Where exactly?"
The girl pointed with a trembling hand.
Luan touched his arm. "Don't. They're killers."
But Kael was already moving.
The ridge was an hour's run. The system guided him unerringly, marking tracks and recent signs of movement. Kael moved like a shadow.
He found the bandits just as they dragged a boy toward their campfire. Four men, armed with rusted blades. Laughing.
Kael stepped from the trees.
"Let the boy go."
They turned, amused.
"And who are you?"
"Your end."
System Skill Unlocked: Echo Step (Rank 1) Effect: Temporarily enhances speed and silent movement for 5 seconds. Cooldown: 20 seconds.
He vanished.
When he reappeared, one bandit dropped without a sound, throat crushed. Another screamed before Kael shattered his wrist and swept his legs from beneath him.
The last two charged.
Kael caught one blade with the flat of Mira's short sword, twisted, and drove his elbow into the attacker's jaw. The fourth tried to flee. He didn't make it five steps.
System Alert: Combat complete. Efficiency Score: 92%. Host condition: Optimal.
The boy wept as Kael cut his bonds.
"You're safe now."
When they returned to River's End, the townspeople stared in awe. Kael carried the boy in his arms, his cloak stained but his eyes calm.
The mayor offered him coin. Luan offered him free lodging. The guards offered him a position.
He refused them all.
He wasn't here to settle.
That night, beneath the stars, Kael stood alone behind the inn.
Mira stepped from the shadows.
"So, you made it."
He didn't flinch. "You're late."
"You were never in danger. I watched."
He turned. "You knew the bandits would be there."
She shrugged. "The town needed a hero. And you needed a reputation."
Kael didn't reply.
She handed him a scroll. "Map to the sect lands. You'll need to prove yourself there. Trials await. But if your system is as strong as I suspect... you might just survive."
He unrolled the scroll, the mountains of the Inner Range looming like teeth across the parchment.
"I'll do more than survive."
Mira smiled. "Good. Then your path truly begins."