I sat in the park, and everything felt calm. I started thinking about the incident that happened in the dungeon. How did Mole know me? Others were also here, and what did she mean when she said others would soon know we were here?
A system panel appeared. A quest arrived, showing some coordinates with a timer.
"To know the secret, reach this point."
I was confused, as this was the first time I had seen a quest like this. I stood up and started moving toward the location. A notification appeared on my screen.
Another S-rank.
I started reading its description. It was announced that an S-rank hunter named Saye had awakened. It was all over the news.
While moving, I saw someone running past me. A girl around my age was jogging in the park, wearing goggles. I sensed something strange from her, like we knew each other. She suddenly stopped and looked at me. A strange aura emitted from her body, and in an instant everything became normal again.
I continued walking.
On my way, I watched children running peacefully, enjoying their lives. People were walking, talking, and living normally. Without knowing the dangers of dungeons and monsters, life looked peaceful.
I remembered my first meeting with Henry and the story he told me. I was the awaited one. Mole also knew me. Others were coming too—some who would fight alongside me, and some who would try to kill us. We were carrying a heavy responsibility. We did not know when they would arrive or how we would face them, but we had to face them.
The burden was too heavy to carry alone, and I had no one to share it with. Everyone carries their own burden. Life is tough.
I reached a dead end. There was no way forward.
A system window appeared again.
"You have reached the destination."
A portal suddenly appeared in front of me, and in the next second it swallowed me.
I was standing in a strange place. There was nothing around me except a circular building. I was confused.
What place was this?
A warning appeared on the system screen.
"To move back to Alpha-1, you must finish all floors. Rewards will be shared. Information will be shared."
I started moving toward the tower and entered through the door.
The world changed instantly, just like in dungeons. Insects appeared from the ground and started attacking me. I took out my sword and started killing them. They were easy to kill, but there were too many of them. I was panting after killing all of them, and I received some points.
Inside the tower, the system settings changed. It now showed only points, and I could buy things using these points.
A door appeared after the last insect died, and I moved toward it.
The world changed again.
I was standing on top of a mountain. Suddenly, birds appeared in the sky and attacked me with their claws. I barely dodged.
I understood my task. I had to kill these flying monsters without falling.
The birds attacked and then vanished into the air repeatedly. It started to annoy me. I killed two birds, and an hour passed. I was frustrated because killing them was too hard.
Then I realized something.
The system was preparing me for battles. These birds appeared and disappeared for a reason. There had to be something else.
I moved toward the edge and jumped.
I landed on the ground below. A huge eagle was standing in front of me. As soon as it saw me, it flew into the air and attacked.
I ran into the forest and summoned my sword. When it came down to attack me, I used Shadow Grabbing, then Shadow Slash, and killed it.
Within seconds, another door appeared.
I entered it, and in the next moment I was in a jungle. I started killing monsters, and after some time I reached floor 20. From here, tougher monsters started appearing.
On the 21st floor, I saw two boys running, and behind them was a lizard monster attacking them with fireballs and its tail. One boy fell to the ground, and the lizard opened its mouth to eat him.
I teleported in front of the boy and killed the lizard. Its blood splashed on my face, and both boys started screaming. I cleaned my face and approached them.
"What is this dressing, and what are you doing here? We have never seen you before," they asked.
"I think he is a monster, or maybe he is a lizard too — a big one that looks like us. You saw how he teleported, Rem," said Joe.
"I don't think so, Joe. Please close your mouth," Rem said.
Joe became silent and stared at me.
Rem stepped forward.
"Mister, who are you and what are you doing here?"
"I am Austin. I was here practicing hunting," I replied.
"So where is your home? I have never seen you in our tribe," Joe asked.
"Actually, I forgot my way home. That is why I was wandering and saw you two running and crying like ducks."
"Would you like to come with us?" Rem asked.
Since I also did not know why the system sent me here, I agreed.
We started walking together.
"Do you know about us or our history?" Joe asked.
"No, I don't," I replied honestly.
Joe started explaining.
"We live in a tribe. Children like us are not allowed to go outside. We wanted to explore the forest, so we came secretly, but we did not know it was so dangerous. Our village is in the north. Only adults go to the jungle to bring food. There is also a myth that a monster appears every fifteen years and takes every child who turns fifteen."
"But we know it is just a story parents tell to scare us. I am turning fifteen in two days," Rem said.
We reached the village. Everything was calm. People were doing different kinds of work. I sensed strange energy around the village and tried to understand why I could not sense any monsters nearby.
People started staring at me.
A young man with a bow and arrows approached us.
"Who are you, mister?" he asked. Then he saw Joe and Rem. "Where were you? We searched the whole village."
"Uncle, we were in the forest. A lizard monster attacked us, and this man saved us," Rem said.
I introduced myself formally.
He thanked me and offered me a place to stay for the night. I noticed a woman watching me from behind a house.
I accepted the offer.
We sat near a fireplace and started talking. One of them asked where I was from.
I told them I was on a sea adventure from a distant place and somehow ended up here. They started discussing monster attacks, food shortages, and the coming winter.
At first, I thought they were monsters, but after spending time with them, I realized they were humans like me. It was strange because this was a world inside a tower, and humans were living here.
They offered me food and water, and I ate with them. A festival was going on. People were dancing and celebrating. I also joined and enjoyed the event.
At midnight, I was tired. Rem and Joe came and took me on a walk around the village. After exploring, they showed me my room.
In the morning, I woke up and decided to explore the jungle.
The village chief was standing outside my room. I greeted him. He offered me food, and I told him I would be leaving today.
I started walking away from the village and noticed something strange.
"Sir, please stop!" a voice called from behind.
It was the woman I had seen yesterday.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"I am Rem's mother. I need your help. Rem's life is in danger."
"What happened to him?"
"The village chief is going to sacrifice him today. Our village guardian monster wakes up today, and Rem will be offered as a sacrifice."
"What?" I was shocked.
"The village chief visited you today. If you had said you were staying, he would have tried to kill you too. But you said you were leaving, so he stayed silent."
"Where is his uncle? Doesn't he know?"
"Every elder knows, but they do nothing. It is a ritual. Please save my child," she begged.
Now I understood why Rem and Joe were not there in the morning.
"Where did they take him?" I asked.
She pointed toward a cave in the distance and started running. I followed her.
Soon we reached the cave. I sensed the same strange energy that I felt near the village.
I told her to stay outside and stepped forward.
An arrow passed near my head. I dodged it.
It was Rem's uncle.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Where is Rem?" I asked.
"Kid, there is nothing you can do. We must make an offering for our village."
I teleported in front of him and grabbed his neck.
"Where is he?"
He pointed inside.
"There..."
I released him. I heard him whisper, "Please save him."
I entered the cave.
— End of Chapter 10 —
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