The eastern sky glowed with the soft colors of dawn.
Aiden Valen stood before the village gate, his traveling cloak swaying gently in the morning breeze.
Behind him stood every villager.
Elder Rowan.
Gareth and the hunters.
Mira.
The children who had called him “Brother Aiden.”
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Aiden lowered his head in a deep bow.
“Thank you…
for everything.”
Elder Rowan smiled warmly.
“No, Aiden.”
“We should be the ones thanking you.”
“You reminded this old village that kindness is never wasted.”
Mira stepped forward and adjusted the strap of the bag hanging from his shoulder.
“I packed enough medicine for several weeks.”
“Don’t be reckless.”
Gareth laughed.
“And don’t forget to sharpen your sword.”
“A dull blade is more dangerous to its owner than any monster.”
The children crowded around him one last time.
“When you become a famous adventurer…”
“You have to come back!”
“And tell us stories!”
Aiden chuckled.
“I promise.”
Finally…
He turned toward the open road.
Without another word, he began walking.
The village slowly disappeared behind him.
Aiden did not look back.
If he did…
He wasn’t sure he would be able to leave.
Instead, he fixed his eyes on the endless road stretching toward the horizon.
Somewhere beyond those distant hills…
A new chapter of his life awaited.
The first week passed peacefully.
During the day, Aiden followed the main trade road.
Merchant wagons occasionally rolled past him.
Some greeted him politely.
Others simply nodded before continuing their journey.
At night, he camped beneath the stars.
The survival skills he learned inside the Forbidden Forest made living alone seem almost effortless. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Finding clean water.
Starting a fire.
Building temporary shelters.
Cooking food.
Everything had become second nature.
Sometimes he smiled to himself.
Compared to surviving the Forbidden Forest…
This journey almost felt like a vacation.
Not every day was peaceful.
Several times, small groups of monsters appeared near the road.
Most were wandering creatures driven from nearby forests.
Aiden calmly dealt with them using only his sword.
There was no need for Nothingness.
After each battle, he carefully collected the valuable materials.
Monster meat.
Fangs.
Hides.
Mana cores.
Everything was neatly stored inside his Space Storage.
He remembered Gareth’s words.
“Nothing goes to waste.”
Those simple words had changed the way he fought forever.
One afternoon, dark clouds gathered overhead.
Heavy rain soon covered the countryside.
The dirt roads became muddy.
Travel slowed to a crawl.
Many merchants stopped early to set up camp.
Aiden found shelter beneath a rocky cliff.
As the rain poured outside, several travelers invited him to share their campfire.
For hours, they exchanged stories.
Most of the conversation revolved around recent trade routes and dangerous monsters.
Aiden mostly listened.
Every conversation taught him something new.
There were dozens of kingdoms across the continent.
Some lived peacefully.
Others constantly fought over land and resources.
There were adventurers.
Mercenary companies.
Knight Orders.
Mage Towers.
The world was far larger than he had imagined.
The scenery changed with every passing mile.
Rolling grasslands became dense forests.
Dense forests gave way to gentle hills.
Wide rivers crossed the roads like silver ribbons beneath the sunlight.
Every place felt different.
Every place held something new.
For the first time since arriving in this world…
Aiden wasn’t merely surviving.
He was exploring.
One evening, while camping beside a river, Aiden quietly opened his status.
His battles during the journey had steadily increased his experience.
His swordsmanship had become smoother.
His reactions sharper.
His confidence stronger.
Yet he knew…
He still had much to learn.
Real adventurers probably possessed years of experience.
Real swordsmen had trained since childhood.
Compared to them…
He was still a beginner.
That realization didn’t discourage him.
It motivated him.
Nearly a month passed.
The number of travelers on the road gradually increased.
Large merchant caravans became a common sight.
Well-armed escorts could often be seen protecting expensive cargo.
Even the roads themselves became wider and better maintained.
Aiden understood what that meant.
He was getting closer to civilization.
As the sun slowly rose on another morning, he climbed a gentle hill.
From its summit, he paused.
Far beyond the endless plains…
He saw something enormous standing against the horizon.
Towering stone walls.
Watchtowers reaching into the sky.
Flags fluttering above the battlements.
It was the largest settlement Aiden had seen since arriving in this world.
A city.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“So…”
“I’ve finally arrived.”