"If the memory of this body serves me right, there's a perfect location for training… and for hunting monsters."
Arthur's gaze sharpened as he recalled the place—an untamed wilderness roughly ten kilometers beyond the borders of Eldor, the main city. A vast mountain range shrouded in mist and danger. It was a lawless zone, teeming with wild beasts and monstrous creatures. The deeper one ventured, the more savage and powerful the monsters became.
"I'll have to live like a vagrant in the outskirts of mountain range... at least until I grow strong enough to hunt monsters and sell their parts to the Adventurer Guild."
With that thought etched into his mind, Arthur began walking with purpose. The streets of Eldor bustled with life, but his eyes remained fixed ahead.
On both sides of the road, vendors advertised an array of goods—gleaming weapons lined display racks, enchanted potions glowed faintly in glass vials, and shelves brimmed with robes, armor, and mysterious artifacts he couldn't yet identify. The scent of leather, metal, and alchemical herbs filled the air.
Powerful individuals passed him in the crowd—men and women with hardened expressions and muscular builds, clad in combat gear. Their presence exuded danger, and their very aura seemed to weigh down the atmosphere around them.
Arthur kept his head low and his pace steady, not daring to attract attention. He wasn't ready for unnecessary conflict.
Eventually, the cityscape began to fade behind him, replaced by open land. After some time, the towering city wall came into view—a vast barrier of stone and rune-carved metal that shimmered faintly under the sun. The outer gate, even from a distance, looked imposing. Built to withstand sieges and monster hordes alike, it stood as a final bastion between civilization and wilderness.
Arthur paused a few steps away, watching as heavily armed guards patrolled the gate. Every individual passing through was subject to scrutiny, their identification checked thoroughly.
"Well… this is to be expected," Arthur muttered under his breath. "Beyond this gate lies a world of chaos."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ID belonging to this body—worn, but intact. Approaching the guard post, he handed it over to a grim-faced sentry whose cold eyes flicked over him like a hawk sizing up prey.
Arthur suppressed a shiver.
"He looks terrifying... Best to keep my head down and avoid drawing any attention."
The guard examined the ID in silence, then gave a curt nod and handed it back.
Arthur gave a polite nod and stepped through the gate, crossing the invisible threshold that separated the order of the city from the wild unknown.
The wind hit differently on the other side. Freer. Wilder. Dangerous.
And Arthur was ready to face it.
After nearly an hour of sprinting through open fields and dense thickets, the towering silhouette of the mountain range finally came into view. With his enhanced agility, the distance felt like a warm-up rather than a challenge.
The air grew colder and heavier the closer he got. The sun filtered weakly through the thick canopy of trees lining the forest edge. The mountains loomed like sleeping beasts, cloaked in mist and mystery.
"This place gives off a strange, eerie feeling," Arthur muttered, scanning the treeline warily. "Let's observe the monsters on the outskirts before rushing in blind."
Just as he was about to venture deeper, his sharp eyes caught movement in the distance—not monsters, but people.
A group of five humans made their way through the underbrush, treading with practiced steps. Arthur quickly ducked behind a wide tree trunk, narrowing his gaze to study them.
"Are they also here to hunt monsters?" he wondered aloud, curiosity piqued.
He decided to follow them at a safe distance.
The group was a well-balanced party of five—four men and one woman. Their equipment and posture screamed experience. The woman carried a slender staff adorned with a glowing crystal at its tip, marking her as a mage or healer. The others wielded varied weapons: a spear, a sword and shield, a pair of reinforced knuckles, and twin daggers.
Arthur's eyes sparkled.
"Now this is what a fantasy world team should look like. They're like a party straight out of a game."
As they progressed deeper into the wild, Arthur shadowed them silently from the trees. Eventually, the leader—clearly the man with the sword and shield—raised a hand, signaling a halt.
"Be on guard," he said, his voice low but firm. "Group of fang beasts ahead—about fifteen of them."
Immediately, the team sprang into formation.
The captain took the central position, raising his shield and drawing his sword with fluid precision. To his left, the spearman adjusted his grip and lowered into a forward stance. On the right, the brawler cracked his knuckles, muscles tensing with anticipation. Behind them, the mage-girl took a deep breath and murmured an incantation, her staff pulsing with soft light. Meanwhile, the rogue-like dagger wielder swiftly climbed a nearby tree, vanishing into the canopy like a shadow.
"Kim, Jake—flank them when I draw their attention," the captain instructed calmly.
Without waiting, he charged.
With a shout, the captain bashed into the nearest fang beast, his shield absorbing the blow as his sword lashed out in a defensive arc. The beasts, canine in form with black fur and saber-like fangs, snarled and lunged with primal rage.
Jake, the knuckle fighter, dashed to the right and slammed his reinforced fists into a beast's side with a thunderous impact. Bones cracked.
Kim, the spearman, swept his weapon in a wide arc, skewering a beast mid-leap with deadly precision. Blood sprayed as he ripped the spear free.
From the branches above, the rogue struck—daggers flashing like silver streaks as he rained death from the canopy. Each throw landed with practiced accuracy, striking the beasts' vital points and throwing their charges into chaos.
The healer's light flared gently behind them. Wounds closed on the fighters' bodies as her staff glowed, soft chants harmonizing with the pulse of battle.
The clash lasted only minutes, but every second was a deadly dance of coordination and control.
One by one, the fang beasts fell, until only silence remained—punctuated by heavy breaths and the distant rustling of leaves.
Covered in blood and sweat, the group didn't celebrate. They moved into their post-battle routine swiftly and efficiently. The rogue leapt down and began skinning the beasts. The spear user and knuckle fighter worked together to extract claws, fangs, and bones that could be sold or used. The healer rinsed the blood from her hands with a splash of water conjured from her staff.
Fifteen fang beasts, taken down without a single casualty.
From a distance, Arthur watched it all unfold, a mix of awe and exhilaration glowing in his eyes. His heartbeat quickened—not from fear, but inspiration.
"They're strong… and organized," he whispered. "That's the kind of synergy I'll need one day."
But even with admiration blooming in his chest, he didn't approach. The instinct to remain hidden pulsed strong.
"I don't know them. And trust isn't something I can afford yet."
He remained behind the tree, watching their every move, learning—quietly and carefully—as the group packed their bounty and prepared to move on.
..
...
....
.....