Chapter 11 Strange Village

Zane had no intention of going home.

He invited Lila to go to a pub located at the end of town.

Initially, Lila herself wants to talk about her intention to invite Zane into her Legion. But when she saw Zane's disheveled face, Lila put it off.

"What's wrong, Zane?"

Zane's mind went awry. But he still wanted to make sure of one thing.

"The man we just met in the Legion Lobby, how strong is he?"

"I think he's an S rank, or even more so. I've never seen him fight in person. But rumor had it, he could single-handedly kill the highest-level mutants. I didn't even imagine that would happen…"

[Rank S or above?]

Zane is seen holding his chin while twirling a beer bottle in front of him.

[Even though I don't have the appraisal skill, he's power aura feels heavy]

A voice from Asmo suddenly sounded from the recesses of Zane's heart.

[Apparently, in this new world, Mr. Zane couldn't relax either. You have to start strengthening yourself if you want to chase that guy]

Zane downed his beer in one gulp.

Lila herself had never seen Zane's strange behavior like this before.

"So what should I do after I get my awakener rank, Lila?"

"Ahh…! I now remember after you left the awakener test room you should have returned to Nikky. She will guide you."

"Is it mandatory? Am I not free to roam without permission from that girl?"

Zane propped his chin up looking uninterested in returning to the Legion Hall.

"Definitely. You not only get directions from her but also get your license"

"Hhh"

He sighed.

Zane got up lazily from his chair.

"Since you are senior in awakener, and own more money than me, pay my beer bill. I leave mom to you and bro Glenn. Don't forget to let me know when everything is in order…"

Zane without further ado came out of the pub.

Lila snorted because not only did she lose her momentum to get Zane into her guild, but she also had to pay the bill for both of them.

[I still have time before I return home. Now I have two choices. Go back to training at the Tower of Magic or get my license and get out of this town]

Asmo's voice came back.

[If only he had come back to you, surely Mr. Zane will probably do both at the same time]

…

Zane comes back to Legion of new awakeners. Some of them seemed to be wearing their respective Legion uniforms, and several others seemed to be wearing free clothes, including Zane.

Nikky directs new recruits on how they get their first quest and the equipment they should wear when in the world outside the city and applies a new app to each recruit's digital watch.

So it's the system in this digital watch that lets awakeners know how much power they've gotten.

After the briefing was over, Zane immediately left the place and headed straight for a deserted hallway.

"Rip—!"

For the second time, Zane opened the door leading to the Tower of Magic.

Inside the abyss world, Asmodeus already looks in Nikky's direction.

"You…adapt quickly, Asmo"

[Certainly, Mr. Zane]

Zane touched the entrance to the Tower of Magic again.

[Welcome back to the Tower of Magic.]

[Will you advance to the next floor?]

"Of course…"

[Gyan Zane, begins to enter the Tower of Magic, the second-floor dungeon. Floor 2/13]

[Choose the level of difficulty.]

[Grade F to S]

"Definitely Grade S"

As usual, a white light enveloped Zane until another sight came into their eyes.

The Tower of Magic has many floors. Each floor has its own world. Inside the tower, each floor has its own environment, climate, and culture.

Upon arriving at the second floor, Zane was both amazed and annoyed.

He was amazed because he was now in a place where the sun never seemed to rise, where the snow always fell complete with a chill that pierced the skin.

"Is the boss of this floor a freak?"

Asmodeus who was already standing beside Zane was still with basic equipment like the clothes he saw in Zane's new world.

[All of us demons are freaks]

Zane felt awkward with Asmo's answer trying to change the subject.

"This place is too cold, I will make new armor for you as well as for me"

[Weapon & Armor Artisan activated]

White light instantly enveloped the bodies of the two.

Now black plate armor with cold resistance protects Asmo.

He looks like a knight with armor similar to a black polar bear.

A thick fur protects its neck and a long cloak protects him from the cold.

Meanwhile, his Dark Greatsword hung behind his back.

Zane, inside of his armor, uses thick leather clothes covered with armor plates in several parts of his body.

A dark brown leather jacket with a hood complemented by an anti-cold mask,

black gloves with an armor plate protecting the chest, left shoulder to the left hand.

An ankle-length dark brown pants protected by long boots that have a knee length. A plate protects the front of the thigh, knee, and shin to the instep.

A cloak similar to Asmo's also protects Zane's body from the snow and cold weather of the place.

Their shoes have soles with the function of gripping the snow so they don't slip easily.

The further they walked away from the door from which they had come, they found a village.

But the village feels very quiet.

[The dungeon begins now.]

[You have entered a village. The village is now in a crisis.]

[Rescue the village, their villagers.]

[And survive.]

The system explanation was too straightforward. Zane wondered if there was a better explanation since it was frustrating that he didn't get clear instructions.

Zane started walking into the village. Instead of looking around the village, Zane looked up at the sky. Zane's face darkened. "It feels… different here."

The black sky seemed changed. The black sky changed to a blue sky but felt bland.

"Step, step—"

The more Zane entered the village, he felt that several people were looking at him from their homes. Even Asmo himself had already drawn his Greatsword.

"Calm yourself, Ash. Sheath your sword again"

[This village feels strange, Mr. Zane. Makes me uncomfortable]

Several villagers suddenly came out of their houses. One by one.

 A skinny mother with her daughter who took her hands, an old man, and a few other men. They stood at a distance, unable to get close to Zane. They looked alert to both of them.

The Villagers, look different. Their skin is pale. their expressions were flat.

[Mr. Zane, look at their toes, their fingers, their ears, and their eyeballs]

Their feet are the same as humans. Their toes, however, are only three toes and shaped like those of a carnivore's, perhaps enabling them to grip smooth snow.

Their fingers have sharp nails.

Their ears were pointed like elves, and their eyes were red as if they could see the darkness of the night.

"They look like creatures that are not human"

Zane tried to approach them, tried to communicate with them.

"Excuse me"

Zane approached the villagers.

The villagers did not hide their defensive response toward Zane. When the child tried to approach him, the mother pulled her back.

Seeing those creatures away from him, his heart sliced. Even he wasn't sure how to respond.

"Hh…"

Zane sighed.

"I want to stay here for a few days before leaving. Can I?"

The question was directed toward everyone, but not one of them respond it. It would have been better to point out someone to talk to…

"Can I meet the village head? Maybe he'll find out how."

Zane is looking at the villagers silently. He was certain about something when observing them.

They are uncomfortable with outsiders.

It could be from their vigilance.

Suddenly a hoarse voice and steps that sounded like they were being dragged approached Zane.

"I'm the head of the village here. Is there anything I can help you with?"