The group remained vigilant as they spotted Tarkan approaching from a distance.
Despite noticing that he was alone, they didn't let their guard down.
Instead, they continued scanning their surroundings cautiously.
These were tense times, and there had been increasing reports of ascenders ambushing other ascenders just to rob them of their gear and money with some even killing
No one could afford to be careless.
Tarkan, seeing their wariness, wasn't a bit surprised.
He had long accepted that humans were often their own worst enemies.
Raising his hands to show he meant no harm, he spoke up, his voice calm and direct. "Can you help me? I'm looking for the human settlement, I'm not sure which way to go."
Hearing his words, the group visibly relaxed.
They lowered their weapons, exchanging knowing glances, One of them chuckled and stepped forward.
"Ah, sorry bud, you must be a newbie," the man said, half-smiling.
Tarkan nodded slowly, grateful for the lack of hostility.
Once they confirmed he was indeed new, they pointed him down a narrow path that twisted through the woodland
"Follow that," another member of the group advised. "And you'll reach the settlement in no time."
"Thank you," Tarkan said genuinely, nodding at each of them.
As he turned to leave, one of the men called out again, a slight grin tugging at his lips
"Erm... I know this isn't really relevant, but take this as advice from a big brother, you should do something about your face."
Tarkan blinked, confused. "My face?"
The man smirked. "Yeah, Cover it or something, unless you enjoy unnecessary attention."
Sure enough, Tarkan noticed the women in the group were blushing and avoiding his gaze, while the men looked at him with barely disguised envy
"Oh... I see, Thanks again," he said, his tone neutral
The group chuckled, and the two parties parted ways.
Tarkan didn't have anything on him to cover his face.
So, with little choice, he grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled it up, stretching it enough to hide the lower half of his face.
He continued along the path, walking quietly.
He wasn't sure what to expect, but after some time, the view opened up, revealing what looked like a village or rather, something between a village and a bustling camp.
There were people everywhere.
Some stood in groups, smiling and chatting, while others walked hurriedly, carrying the corpses of hunted monsters.
Tarkan wandered deeper into the settlement.
A large wooden sign reading Trade Shop came into view.
People were entering and leaving the building in a constant flow.
Some carried the corpses of monsters inside, others came out with gear, supplies, or what appeared to be documents.
The atmosphere was lively, yet efficient.
Not far from the Trade Shop was a much larger building.
A clean, bold sign across the top read: Terra Association.
That was the place he'd been searching for.
If one wanted to operate as an ascender, registering with the Terra Association was non-negotiable.
Without registration, access to essential services such as safe lodges or the Trade Shop itself was restricted.
The Association also offered legal recognition and safety measures for those who followed their guidelines.
The Terra Association was essentially the restructured remnant of the old world governments, built for the purpose of managing ascenders.
In every era, humans somehow always managed to be their own biggest threat, and the association was created to keep that threat in check.
The strict registration process was necessary.
Because after crossing into the second dimension, the organization has little to no power or control.
Many ascenders became untraceable.
Because once the first realm was cleared, humanity came into contact with other races most of whom viewed humans as a weak species which greatly reduce their influence.
For survival, and even dignity, the Terra Association had to act as humanity's backbone, even if barely holding together.
Tarkan stepped into the building, expecting something plain and possibly even rundown.
But the sight that greeted him stopped him in his tracks.
He was flabbergasted.
What lay before him was a clean, high-tech facility that seemed worlds apart from its rustic exterior.
The building inside gleamed with polished surfaces, intelligent light, and advanced technology.
He blinked slowly, adjusting to the visual. "This... this wasn't what I expected."
It was said that human weapons were ineffective against the monsters of the dimensions.
But clearly, their engineering still held value in areas like infrastructure.
The disparity between what he had read and what he now saw was striking.
Perhaps Tharn, was just too low-level.
He had read about humanity's technological growth, but this... this exceeded his assumptions by far.
Robotic assistants moved smoothly across the lobby, carrying supplies or scanning items.
Digital boards displayed announcements and stats.
And all around him, people walked briskly, attending to their respective missions.
Tarkan took it all in, then turned toward what looked like a reception counter.
Behind it stood a young man, busy working on a sleek interface.
Just as Tarkan made his way toward the counter.
He collided with someone.
"Sorry," Tarkan said instinctively, taking a step back without much thought.
The person he'd bumped into was a young man, roughly his age, with a sharp look and flashy gear.
The guy's face twisted into a sneer.
"You think a sorry will cut it?" he said loudly, drawing attention from people nearby.
...
.