The system said he was dead.
Did it work? Maybe not…
Those were the last thoughts crossing his mind as he closed his eyes and… nothing.
He couldn't open his eyes, but his consciousness was still there. The sound of waves crashing against the rocks, distant birds singing, and the horrified voices of the players.
"Why did he do it?"
"He lost his mind. We can't judge him. Some people aren't strong enough to endure this. He was the first, but not the last."
Kael knew it had worked. That was the only explanation for his consciousness still being there.
The guard who killed him complained.
"Now I need to get rid of the body. Why did the man do it? And who are all these people here in the first place?"
The other guard shrugged.
"I don't know, but I think we should send a message to the king about this. This isn't normal."
Kael's body got dragged from the village's main gate all the way to the shore. The guard tossed his body into the water, knowing that beasts would eat him in a matter of hours.
All areas had dangerous monsters, and the ocean was no different. Kael could feel everything, but he couldn't move his body.
Damn it. I need to move before it's too late.
What was the point of his consciousness if he couldn't move? Kael would still die, eaten by ocean beasts.
But then, his toes twitched. It started like that—small movements spreading through his body. Eventually, Kael moved his hands, and then the rest of his body.
The wound on his chest had closed somehow. The blood was still there, but the pain was gone, and his HP was back to full.
[Ding]
[New Quest Acquired. Check your journal for more information.]
Kael's lips formed a smile.
I did it.
If the system was giving him a quest, then it had to be about the legendary class the Mad Warrior had.
Kael got up, his body drenched in ocean water. He slowly walked back toward shore.
The guard who tossed him there was nowhere to be seen. He had returned to the village a while ago. And the system? It wasn't done with him yet.
[You lost your reputation after hitting the guard. You cannot return to the novice village.]
Kael didn't care. Reputation was something a player could earn back. The only problem was that Kael no longer had a safe place to return to. He was lost in the wilderness as a weak player.
How could he defend himself against the dangers lurking in the shadows? He didn't know.
The quest log had something waiting for him. Kael read the quest with his full attention. It wouldn't be hard to find the location.
[The Blood King]
[Quest Rank: SSS]
[Details: Find clues about the island where the Blood King's tomb is located.]
Kael already knew where it was. The island where his life had ended in his previous life. That was where he needed to go.
With nothing to his name but a desire to grow stronger, Kael moved. His destination wasn't far from the novice village.
A fishing village not far from where he stood. That was the place where he learned how to fish, and more importantly, where he could get a boat to the island where the legendary class awaited.
The Mad Warrior, the player who obtained the class in the original timeline, wasn't from this continent. It took him two years to find the spot where his class was located.
Kael was in a much better position than that guy. The island was near, and he knew where it was. What else could he want?
While most players were still figuring out the world, he already knew how things worked. But the same problem from before still remained. He was too weak.
All his attributes had a base of 1. Kael had spoken with other less talented players before, and no one was as weak as he was.
So even though the first region didn't have powerful beasts, it was still too much for someone like him. Kael knew very well the chances of him dying—now for good—were high.
It didn't stop him.
Kael had spent a lot of time in the region he was currently in. Even without a map to his name, he knew the best path to the fishing village.
All the dangerous locations, the fastest route, all of it. A normal player didn't have the knowledge he had.
I need to get this legendary class, and then get ahead of everyone else!
There were lots of special missions and things Kael wanted to do before anyone else. Getting ahead was crucial.
After the first few months, the fight for territory would be fierce. Players would realize how important it was to control a territory and gather its resources.
It was easier to claim decent land at the start. However, for all those things to work, Kael needed to get his class first…
Three hours of running, avoiding all the monsters he could. While other players were leveling up near the first village, Kael was just traveling, losing precious time.
He almost got spotted by monsters a few times, but he managed to use the surroundings to avoid getting caught.
The vegetation was useful for hiding, and the rivers were crucial for washing off his scent from predators.
Then, he saw it. The fishing village. It was nestled close to a cliff, right next to the ocean. There were only a few houses—around eight—all made of wood. A small village that didn't get many visitors.
Finally here. Now I need to earn their trust to get a boat.
To reach the island, Kael needed a boat. He still didn't know how to get one without money or a good reputation. Even his charisma stat was shit, so convincing them would be hard too.
Still, he walked toward the village, hoping for the best. But then, he saw something.
A dark figure on top of the cliff near the village. It appeared to be a man with a straw hat. Kael had never seen that person before.
[Ding]
[Danger!!!]
The figure jumped from the cliff, landing right in front of Kael. He couldn't believe his eyes.
[Level: ????]
The man was so powerful he couldn't see his level.