The wooden gates of Silverpeak Outpost loomed above me like the monolithic servers of a tech giant. They were massive, reinforced with dark iron bands, and flanked by two stone watchtowers that seemed to scrape the starry, bruised sky.
As I dragged my exhausted body up the cobblestone ramp toward the entrance, the smell of woodsmoke, roasting meat, and stale ale hit my nose. After the metallic stench of monster blood and the freezing mud of the Whispering Vales, it was the best thing I had ever smelled. It smelled like civilization.
"Halt right there, straggler."
A gruff voice echoed from the shadows of the right watchtower. Two men stepped into the flickering light of the torches. They were clad in boiled leather and chainmail, clutching heavy halberds.
My breath hitched. I stood my ground, fighting the urge to raise my hands. I was covered head-to-toe in black, foul-smelling monster blood, wearing tattered rags, and clutching a rusted dagger. I looked exactly like a mob that needed to be farmed.
Instinctively, I focused my eyes on the guard who had spoken.
Source Code Vision.
[Target: Kaelen - Outpost Guard] [Level: 14] [HP: 850/850] [Status: Suspicious, Bored]
Level 14. If he decided I was a threat, he could probably cleave me in half before my Stamina bar even registered the movement. I quickly banished my dagger back into my Inventory with a thought.
"I'm not a threat," I rasped, my voice cracking from dehydration. "I just survived the Vales. I need a place to rest."
The second guard, a younger man with a nasty scar across his chin, sneered. "Survived the Vales? Looking like that? You smell like a Dire Hound's backside, friend. How do we know you aren't infected by the Blight?"
"He's not infected, Jace," Kaelen muttered, lowering his halberd slightly. "Eyes are clear. No black veins. Just looks like another fool who thought he could wander the woods at night." He turned his stern gaze back to me. "Entry toll is ten copper. No exceptions."
Ten copper. A wave of relief washed over me. I remembered the dead knight. I mentally opened my Inventory and focused on the [50x Copper Coins].
"How do I...?" I muttered to myself. I didn't have pockets.
Suddenly, a small, satisfying weight materialized in the palm of my right hand. I opened my fist to reveal ten dull, slightly green-tinged coins. The System was incredibly intuitive; it executed the exact output I needed based on my intent.
I stepped forward and placed the coins in Kaelen's outstretched, calloused hand.
He inspected the coins, giving me a strange look. "Usually, folks have a coin purse. You a magic user, boy?"
"Something like that," I replied vaguely. In my old life, programmers were basically modern wizards anyway. "Can I go in?"
Kaelen nodded, stepping aside. "Keep your weapons sheathed. The local guild doesn't take kindly to brawlers in the tavern. Welcome to Silverpeak."
I pushed past them through a smaller side-door built into the massive gate.
The moment I stepped inside, the ambient noise of the outpost washed over me. It wasn't a pristine fantasy village. It was a rugged, gritty frontier town. The streets were packed dirt, lined with wooden buildings that looked like they had been patched together over decades. People in varying states of armor and ragged clothing hurried past, ignoring me entirely.
To my right, a massive wooden building spilled warm, yellow light and the raucous sound of laughter into the street. A wooden sign hung above the door, depicting a foaming tankard. The Rusty Anchor.
My Stamina bar was sitting at a miserable 5%. If I didn't sit down soon, I was going to pass out in the middle of the street.
I pushed the heavy tavern doors open. The heat inside was immediate and comforting. The tavern was packed with rough-looking adventurers, merchants, and locals. I found an empty stool in the darkest corner of the room, far away from the roaring fireplace, and practically collapsed onto it.
I needed water. I needed food. But more than anything, I needed to figure out exactly what my "Architect" class actually did, because swinging a rusted dagger wasn't going to keep me alive for much longer.
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and issued my first direct system command.
"Open Character Status."
A massive, golden window materialized in my mind. And as I read the first line of my stats, my jaw slowly dropped.