Chapter 32: Mission 3 Update
The afternoon sun was beginning to dip, casting long shadows over the landscape as the carriage creaked to a halt. Ahead of us stood Fort Defal, and even after everything I'd seen in my life—on Earth and in this world—it took my breath away.
The ruins were colossal, their massive stone walls looming over us like ancient sentinels. They stretched high into the sky, jagged at the top where time had worn away at their perfection, but they still exuded strength. The fort looked as though it could withstand another thousand years of conflict. Vines and moss crept along the walls, giving it the eerie air of a forgotten giant that refused to crumble entirely.
"Well, this is... intimidating," I said, stepping down from the carriage and craning my neck to take it all in. "If Fort Defal still looks this impressive after fifty years, how massive was it in its heyday?"
Neralia, standing beside me, smirked. "As I mentioned before, the fort stood for more than 500 years. It wasn't just a stronghold—it was a symbol of dominance and power for the Vermillion Empire."
I rubbed my chin, my mind flickering to the lessons she'd drilled into me about this place during our journey. "Right, I remember. You said the Emperor handed over the fort and its surrounding lands to Rostalio because he was smitten with some princess, didn't you?"
Her smirk turned into a sharp grin, the kind that said she was about to deliver one of her condescending corrections. "Not a princess," she said, her tone rich with amusement. "He was smitten with the founder of Rostalio himself. That happened some 300 years ago."
I blinked, taken aback. "Wait, so he handed over all of this because he had a crush on some guy?"
"It wasn't just a 'guy,'" she said, her voice laced with exasperation. "The founder of Rostalio was a hero. He wasn't just smitten; he respected him. There's a difference."
Before I could respond, Lashley jumped in. "Legends say it wasn't just admiration. The founder of Rostalio actually saved the Emperor from some great evil that emerged from Tartaros."
I let out a low whistle. "So, the guy saves the Emperor, and the Emperor goes, 'Here, have my land and my fort. Don't forget to write.'"
Lashley rolled his eyes. "Something like that. Though if you're going to make jokes, try not to sound like an idiot."
I opened my mouth to fire back, but my words caught in my throat. My entire body tensed as a sharp pulse of awareness shot through me. My senses flared, my ki instinctively stretching outward. For a brief moment, I felt it—a human ki signature in the trees. It was faint, almost too fast to track, but it was there.
I turned sharply, scanning the dense treeline to our left. My eyes narrowed, trying to pierce the thick vegetation. "Did you feel that?" I asked, my voice low.
"Feel what?" Neralia asked, glancing at me with a raised eyebrow.
"There was someone there. In the trees."
Lashley followed my gaze, his hand drifting toward the sword at his side. "You're sure?"
"I'm not crazy," I muttered, though I wasn't entirely convinced myself. "It was a human ki signature. But it's gone now. No way someone moves that fast. Not a normal human, anyway."
The twins exchanged a glance, their expressions unreadable.
"Are you certain you're not just jumpy after the wolves?" Neralia asked, though her tone wasn't mocking for once.
"Jumpy?" I said, my voice rising slightly. "I know what I sensed."
But even as I said it, doubt crept in. My ki senses weren't perfect, not yet. Had I imagined it? Or was there really someone—or something—out there, watching us?
Lashley's grip on his sword relaxed, though he didn't take his hand off the hilt. "Keep your guard up," he said, his voice calm but firm. "If someone's out there, they'll make themselves known soon enough."
I nodded, my gaze lingering on the trees for a moment longer before turning back to the imposing fort. Whatever was out there, it could wait. For now, we had bigger things to deal with.
So, you guys must be wondering about Ros, right? What's it like? How big is it? Is it another Earth knockoff? Well, here's the thing—Ros is massive. Like, gargantuan. From what I've estimated (using my painfully limited tools and brainpower), it's roughly three times the size of Earth. Yeah, let that sink in. Imagine trying to circumnavigate this place. Spoiler: you wouldn't. Not unless you've got a death wish and several lifetimes to spare.
The planet is divided into Three super-continents, each roughly the size of Eurasia. For my Earthlings out there, that's big. And for the geographically challenged, Eurasia is Europe and Asia mashed together. Remember that from my previous rant? Good, because I'm not repeating myself.
Anyway, the continent we're on is called Artaros. It's the hub of the civilized world—or at least what passes for civilization around here. To the south, you've got Tartaros, a continent so infamous it's practically a myth. And to the southeast? That's Cartaros, the mysterious one. Travel between the continents? Ha! That's for suicidal maniacs who enjoy fighting monsters the size of mountains, dodging waves hundreds of meters high, and braving distances so ridiculous they make marathon runners cry.
Basically, unless you're insane, desperate, or stupidly overconfident, you stay on your own chunk of land.
I turned my attention back to Neralia. "Okay, so how the hell does something even come from Tartaros? The sheer distances are insane, not to mention all the dangers. Are we talking a world-ending monster here?"
Neralia, ever the fountain of knowledge, brushed a strand of her hair back with the kind of smugness that grated my nerves. "The Vermillion Empire has magic technology that makes travel to Tartaros possible. Their methods are far safer than those of any other kingdom."
I raised an eyebrow. "Define 'far safer.'"
"Five percent."
"Five?!"
"Yes. Five percent," she said flatly. "Don't look so shocked. That's still leagues better than the best ships from other kingdoms."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to wrap my head around this absurdity. "So, you're saying that even the most advanced kingdom on Artaros is barely scraping by when it comes to crossing oceans."
"Precisely," she said, her tone annoyingly matter-of-fact. "Oceanic travel between the three continents is so rare that those who dare to do it are compensated more than you could imagine. Even kingdoms with powerful navies—like Rostalio—rarely attempt it. The risks simply outweigh the rewards."
"Which is another way of saying Rostalio is too weak to even try," Lashley chimed in, his voice laced with disdain.
I snorted. "Well, thanks for the geography lesson. I feel so much better knowing our survival depends on kingdoms that are basically playing dice with their lives every time they set sail."
Neralia shrugged. "Welcome to Ros."
Welcome, indeed.
I motioned to Neralia with a dramatic wave of my arm. "Alright, Neralia, whip out that old, silly map of yours. Enlighten us. Where's this grand governor's mansion with the mysterious artifact you two are being so secretive about?"
Neralia shot me a glare so sharp it could have doubled as a sword. "Old, silly map? This is a priceless heirloom, you ignoramus. My father entrusted this to me, knowing I'd need it for our family's survival. Show some respect."
I put my hands up defensively, grinning. "Relax, Miss Priceless Heirloom. I'm just saying—if it's so valuable, maybe invest in a sturdier material than parchment. I've seen sturdier napkins."
"Why do I even put up with you?" she muttered as she carefully unrolled the map. Lashley, surprisingly, didn't chime in for once.
As she scanned the map, we entered the ruins through a section of the wall that had caved in. The sight of the collapsed stone and twisted metal was almost enough to make me forget how much my legs still felt like jelly from the wolf fight earlier. Almost.
I gave an appreciative whistle, gesturing to the rubble. "Still can't believe two Imperial Magic Knights managed to reduce this fort to rubble. Walls this thick? This massive? That's some scary firepower right there."
Lashley shuddered, his usual bravado replaced with genuine fear. "Don't even mention those freaks. They're monsters. Absolute monsters."
I grinned inwardly. Oh, how I loved seeing Mr. Arrogant reduced to a trembling puddle at the thought of someone stronger than him. But the grin didn't last long—I wasn't exactly brimming with confidence myself. If I wasn't even ready to fight a pack of wolves without nearly dying, what chance did I have against magic knights who could solo entire forts?
And that's when it hit me—literally. The second I stepped fully into the ruins, a holographic screen materialized in front of me, glowing faintly in the air like some obnoxious pop-up ad from the universe.
***---***
Mission Update:
Mission 3: The Philosopher's Stone.
Primary Objective: Retrieve the Philosopher's Stone for the user's use.
Secondary Objective: Kill Menato Sanchez.
Reward: Status Menu Unlocked.
Secondary Reward: Ki 5% easier to control. (Accessible by absorbing the natural energy of the Stone.)
Bonus Reward: Stamina +5%.
Completion Condition: Successful Retrieval of the Philosopher's Stone for the user. Secure it within the user's possession for 3 hours.
***---***
I stopped in my tracks, staring at the words. Menato Sanchez? Who the fuck is Menato Sanchez? And why do I have to kill him? Sounds like an HR nightmare waiting to happen.
The rewards caught my attention next. 5% easier ki control? Yes, please. Controlling ki right now was like trying to wrangle a pissed-off snake—it didn't listen, drained my stamina, and left me feeling like I'd run a marathon uphill. And the stamina boost? Don't mind if I do. But the cherry on top? Unlocking the Status Menu. Finally. Maybe I'd actually get some answers about this insane world instead of piecing it together like a half-assed puzzle.
But seriously. Menato Sanchez?!
I scowled at the screen. "You've got to be kidding me. Can't I just have one normal mission where I don't have to murder someone? Just once? No? Cool, thanks, System."
The hologram didn't answer, of course. It just floated there, smugly silent, like it knew it owned me. Which it kinda did.
"Kaizen?" Neralia's voice snapped me out of my silent argument with the System. She and Lashley were staring at me like I'd grown a second head. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, uh, just… marveling at how ancient this place feels. Really gives you that foreboding, haunted vibe, doesn't it?" I plastered on my best fake smile, hoping they wouldn't pry further.
Neralia rolled her eyes and returned to her map. "Whatever. Just try not to break anything. This isn't some common dungeon, you know."
As they continued bickering about the best route to the governor's mansion, I took another glance at the hologram before it faded.
Menato Sanchez. Whoever you are, I hope you're not a nice guy.