Cane paced in circles, his boots digging shallow lines into the forest floor. His eyes twitched as he stared at the mission window still floating beside him.
"Okay… okay, Cane. Let's think this through. You're gonna die if you don't get stronger. Simple, right? Just level up. One stat. Just one. That's all."
He stopped and scratched his head furiously.
"But why me? Why this kind of mission? What kind of god drops you into a loser's body, then tells you to save the world or die trying?"
Then another thought hit him.
"Wait… What if this wasn't the god's doing? What if this stupid mission came from you?"
The floating window blinked.
[No comment.]
"...Yeah, thanks. Super helpful."
His shoulders dropped. He slumped to the dirt, arms stretched behind him. The sun was dipping toward the west, and the trees cast long shadows over his face.
"Ugh… I'm too handsome to die in a forest like this," he muttered.
He glanced again at the mission screen.
[Raise at least one stat to C.]
"System," he said, sitting up. "What do I even get for finishing this death race?"
[You don't die.]
"…That's it?"
[Haha. Yes. 🎉]
Cane growled. "I swear, I'll train until I can slice open the sky and end your existence."
[Looking forward to it.]
The bushes rustled behind him.
Cane turned slowly, face lit by a twisted grin and dead eyes.
A pack of goblins stared back, their green faces scrunching with confusion and fear.
Cane's lips parted in a grin far too wide for comfort. "Oh, good. More volunteers."
[Talent Active: I'm Crazy]
The goblins stood no chance.
By the time Cane returned to Kaelmoor, night had fallen. He trudged through the gates, arms heavy with sacks.
He exhaled through his nose, staring up at the fading stars. "Mental stat's at E-minus. Great. At this rate, I'll go insane before the system kills me."
He stopped at the Adventurer Guild's reception counter, where a young woman was just finishing her shift. Her eyes widened when she saw the pile of goblin parts he dropped with a thud.
"Th-these are all…?"
Cane nodded slowly, his eyes dark, his grin stretched unnaturally wide.
"Limbs, heads, tails, tongues," he said with eerie calm. "I brought everything but their nightmares."
The receptionist blinked. "A-and… why?"
He leaned in slightly. "Because I enjoy watching them stop squirming."
Her mouth parted. No sound came out.
"Relax," Cane said suddenly, straightening with a carefree chuckle. "Just kidding. Mostly."
She took a half-step back.
"I like to keep people unsettled," he muttered under his breath, eyes scanning the other adventurers who were now doing their best to avoid eye contact. "Never know who's watching in the woods. Might as well make my job easier."
[Smart. Terrifying. But smart.]
After collecting his coin and a pile of disturbed stares, Cane returned to the small inn where he was staying.
He bathed. He cleaned his gear. Then he collapsed into bed—katana in hand.
But his mind wandered.
Earlier, just before returning, he had noticed a girl struggling with a basket of fruit. A careless adventurer had bumped into her. She stumbled—nearly fell.
Cane had been close. He reacted instantly.
His katana swung down like a brace, catching the edge of the falling basket. With his right hand, he reached out and grabbed her waist to steady her.
"Whoa—careful."
She froze in his grasp, her cheeks tinted.
"You okay?" Cane asked, steadying the basket again with the katana's flat side.
"I-I'm okay," she stammered, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Thank you."
Cane let go and nodded, walking off without looking back.
Now, in bed, he frowned.
"Why did I help her?" he muttered. "Didn't I say I was done helping people?"
[You called yourself stupid earlier. I agree. Stupid Cane.]
"Shut up, System. I'm not in the mood."
[Same.]
He rolled onto his side, katana tucked under his arm.
Before sleep came, his eyes caught a portion of his map data:
Kaelmoor – Known For:
Border town in Eastreach, far from central governance.Ideal for beginner adventurers.Home to one of Ravaryn's oldest ruin sites.Nicknamed "The Gate of the Broken."
His eyes narrowed.
"Old ruins?"
He sat up. "System, what's in those ruins?"
[No.]
Cane blinked. "What?"
[No, I'm not talking.]
Cane sighed. He stared at the ceiling in silence.
"…Maybe I really was the one being difficult earlier," he murmured. Cane thought that he had been too harsh toward the system too, so it was only fair for him to respond like that.
The room was quiet.
[...]
Then:
[Fine.]
[Ruins like the ones near Kaelmoor sometimes contain scrolls and artifacts. Scrolls can teach techniques, elemental mastery, or fighting styles. They're ranked by rarity: Common, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic. Same with artifacts.]
Cane's breath hitched. "Artifacts?"
[Yep. Leftovers from the wars between beings of Mytheria and Aethralis.]
"Mytheria… that's the beast realm, right?"
[Correct. Mythical beasts from there can move between realms. Spirits, angels, and demons from Aethralis can't, unless through specific rituals or natural breaches.]
"So sometimes their stuff… ends up here."
[Yes. Artifacts can be weapons, armor, tools. Some have their own will. The rarest ones can talk. Most just hum with power. But—]
"But?"
[They choose their wielder. You can't just 'equip' them. If you're not compatible, best case they ignore you. Worst case, you die.]
Cane leaned back slowly. "So the ruins… they're more than just rocks."
[They're leftovers from a war the world forgot.]
A long silence followed. Then Cane stood.
"I know what I have to do."
He packed dried food, checked his gear, and slung his katana over his back. This time, he wasn't going into the forest to kill goblins. He was hunting something ancient.
The next morning, Cane passed by a small fruit stall. The girl from the day before looked up, surprised. "Ah!" Before she could speak, Cane raised a hand. "You don't have to thank me. I was just passing by." Better to avoid any sense of obligation don't want to get dragged into more trouble.
[Don't get cocky.]
She looked at him, stubborn. "No. Please. Let me thank you properly." She reached under the table and pulled out a full sack of fruit. "Here. For you."
Cane stared at the sack. He grabbed one apple and took a bite.
"I don't need all that," he said softly. "Your smile is enough." Hopefully that's enough to kill her goodwill. But… ugh, that line was gross.
Her cheeks flushed bright red. She quickly looked away.
Cane then turned and walked off, chewing the apple slowly, not bothering to see her reaction.
[Tch. You only got away with that because of your charm stat. You're still ugly.]
"Shut up. I'm not that ugly."
He stepped into the trees, eyes scanning for the ruins.
Somewhere in the forest, the past waited to be unearthed.