Sword Master In The Strange World

Chapter 3: You’ve already reached the B level.

The locals and some nobles were smoking and drinking while waiting for Jonas to continue the story. He used his blurred eyes to survey the room, unable to see much, yet it felt as though he could see everything. He continued in his melodious tone,

“He was a swordsman from another world, a world from the modern era, hundreds of years ago, with things beyond our imagination. He arrived here by chance, taking on the role of an ordinary person, blending into this society to confront a sinister force...”

Jonas’ storytelling was perfectly paced, with climaxes, twists, moments to relax, and even humor, all narrated in a deep, resonant voice. It quickly captured the attention of those in the restaurant, and the audience grew larger by the day. His tip jar filled up.

Jonas finished work late in the evening, and his stories always ended when the restaurant was about to close. After the guests experienced a gamut of emotions—tension, anger, laughter, and even tears—they would leave, some generously tipping him.

In addition, the restaurant owner usually “treated” him to a free meal made up of leftovers from the kitchen or the patrons’ tables. The food was thrown down before him rather callously, and the server immediately turned away without looking at him twice.

But Jonas paid no mind to that. His thin, bony hands eagerly reached for each dish, showing no restraint in his hunger. His appetite was entirely at odds with his frail, emaciated appearance.

Beneath the frail exterior, Jonas harbored a formidable strength, a completely different mystery.

However, nobody in the restaurant at this moment cared about any of that. After Jonas’ story concluded, they treated him as though he were invisible, paying no attention to his actions.

Normally, Jonas would simply focus on eating, paying no mind to the lively noises and banter around him. But today, the most important reason he had come here was to listen to see if anyone mentioned Selene’s disappearance. This bustling place was the most effective information market.

Yet, right now, Jonas heard nothing about Selene. Instead, he heard about something else.

“Hey, do you know what’s been happening in town recently? Something incredibly serious.” A man began, and soon everyone chimed in with curiosity and excitement.

“What’s going on?”

“Come on, tell us!”

“...”

“...”

Urging voices kept echoing, and Jonas paused, his chewing to eavesdrop.

He knew she could close her bakery for a day because of personal reasons or normal health issues. But what was normal in his world might not be so in this one, where even the slightest unusual occurrence could conceal a looming catastrophe.

At that moment, Jonas’s heart raced with excitement and fear, fearing that this might be bad news about Selene. Finally, the man spoke up.

“Oh my, you folks are really outdated, not even aware of the recent news from our town. The authorities are being asked by families to locate young women who have disappeared recently in our town. If this news gets out, some of you might lose your official positions.”

He called it “important news,” but his tone was mocking and cheerful, in stark contrast to the gravity of the story. The reactions of the others varied upon hearing it.

However, collectively, no one seemed concerned or sympathetic towards the missing girls and their families. They were more worried about their own safety and the possibility of a sinister force lurking in the town.

“Maybe we should strengthen our defenses; those dark forces and monsters from outside could infiltrate.”

“That’s right; I should limit my outings at night, or rather stay indoors. Just so you know, I’m building a secret passage in my house...”

“These missing girls... my dear daughter, I must protect her more carefully...”

“...”

As for Jonas, he felt like he had turned into stone. Some young girls disappeared, and it seems someone cruel took them. What were they plotting by abducting these girls? It couldn’t be a simple plan.

At this moment, a wave of anxiety surged within Jonas, making it impossible for him to continue eating. He stood up suddenly, and his abrupt action startled the self-indulgent patrons, who were now worried about their own safety.

They turned to look at him, their gazes filled with concern and fear as if he were a madman.

“Fuck you! Why the hell are you suddenly standing up like a lunatic, threatening to kill me?”

Someone even threw bones and empty drink glasses in his direction.

“You baffling bastard! Do you want to lose your job here?”

But Jonas, who would normally pay no mind to such things, paid even less attention now. He stepped out of the restaurant, gripping his walking stick tightly. As he left, the icy wind clawed at him like malevolent demons, as if trying to swallow his fragile form.

But that was not what concerned Jonas at this moment. What occupied his thoughts was Selene. The usual path back home was far too long, so he took a shortcut by turning into a narrow, desolate alley. Little did he know that this would be a mistake.

Because after walking a short distance, he sensed that there were people in front of him, and they were blocking his way.

Jonas’s steps slowed and then stopped. His nostrils twitched as he detected a mixture of sweat and a distinct, salty odor. He identified these individuals as members of the largest criminal gang in the town.

Jonas’s ears perked up slightly as he heard their footsteps and movements. He determined that there were about three of them.

Encountering this gang was unfortunate. They were like wolves hunting at night, blocking the path of the vulnerable to collect tolls.

At that moment, the leader’s gruff voice rang out, “Hey, you blind beggar, if you want to live, hand over all the money you’ve got.”

Jonas had no intention of getting into a confrontation with them. First, he had more important matters to attend to. Second, he didn’t want to reveal his true identity before becoming more powerful. Engaging in a fight here would undoubtedly stir up trouble, and dark forces and creatures would hunt him down when they discovered his existence.

Jonas had a hidden stash of money that no one knew about. Normally, he only carried a few coins on him, as appearing wealthy while begging was counterproductive.

So, at this moment, Jonas spoke meekly, “I have little money on me, just this.” He pretended to struggle and rummage deep inside his tattered coat, then extended his hand.

A few small coins.

But even this was a decent amount when robbing a beggar who appeared blind. The gang leader moved forward to take the money, but at that moment, one of his underlings pulled him back.

“Boss, this beggar has more resources than we thought.”

The gang leader furrowed his brow, puzzled. “What do you mean? What resources can a ragged bum like him have?”

The underling insinuated, “Boss, you see, he’s currently working as a storyteller for the wealthy in that restaurant over there. And you know our boss really likes to listen to stories. Or...”

Although he didn’t finish the sentence, everyone understood. They planned to bring Jonas back to their “boss” as a storyteller.

After speaking, they broke into laughter, gleeful as fishers with a full net of fish.

Jonas, on the other hand, furrowed his brows. These people were intentionally obstructing him. His ears perked up, hearing their footsteps as they approached, aggressively moving closer to him.

“Hey kid, be obedient and come with us, and you’ll be spared. If not, do you believe I’ll chew you up?”

“Boss, after this, we will get a big reward from the boss, and we can go out for drinks again.”

“Damn, the brothel just got a new beauty, and I haven’t saved enough money to book...”

Jonas furrowed his brow slightly. He had initially intended to lower his guard, pay off these people, and avoid resisting to prevent any dangerous situation from escalating and endangering others. But he didn’t expect them to be unaware of this, and they were planning to exploit him for profit, using that money for questionable purposes.

People like these were truly not worth living.

Jonas unconsciously tightened his grip on the stick in his hand. His eyes emitted a chilling aura. He slowly shifted one foot back, assuming a defensive posture, ready to quickly transform the stick into a sword and swiftly cut through the throats of the three men in front of him at any moment.

A sweet and deadly strike that would leave them speechless.

In that moment, Jonas had determined the right distance and was preparing to activate the mechanism on the makeshift sword when a loud, fierce, yet somewhat adorable voice suddenly rang out,

“Hey, what are you all doing!?”

This sudden voice caused Jonas’s hand to immediately drop, and his tense body, ready for combat, relaxed. This voice belonged to Selene!

That’s right; he couldn’t be mistaken.

And in that very moment, upon seeing someone approaching, the three thugs also immediately changed their minds. They hesitated, looking forward with dark and hateful glares.

“Damn it, this brat!”

“I’ll remember his face.”

“I’ll kill him to show him.”

Because she shouted loudly, the three thugs were also afraid that others would notice, so they turned and left, releasing Jonas.

As for Jonas, at this moment, he spun around and sensed Selene’s footsteps as she ran towards him. He accurately determined her position.

“Selene...” Jonas was deeply moved, and the stone that had hung in his heart was finally put down.

“Jonas, are you okay? Did those three gangsters hurt you? Why would you walk alone on this deserted road? It’s very dangerous.”

Selene’s voice was full of concern, and urgency as she continued to examine his entire body.

“It’s okay, I’m fine. What about you? Why did you close your bakery all day today? Is there something wrong?”

Jonas quickly pushed aside his own concerns to inquire about Selene. He tried to analyze her scent, though in his emotionally charged state, it was difficult to remain calm.

There was no smell of blood on her, nor the scent of disinfectant, showing that she wasn’t injured. She was okay. Jonas breathed a sigh of relief.

Selene seemed to realize this as well and said, “I had a cold, so I took a day off from work. I’m fine.” Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she hurriedly added, “You must be hungry; here, I have a bun.”

She spoke and took a neatly wrapped bun from her pocket. It was still warm, and she handed it to Jonas. “Eat; it’s still warm.”

In any situation, she cared about him and always thought of him. This deeply moved Jonas. “Thank you.”

“Alright, now let me take you home,” Selene said, instinctively taking Jonas’s hand and leading him along.

In truth, he was staying by her side like this to make her happy and put her mind at ease. After Selene escorted him home, he would always quietly follow behind her, ensuring she had safely returned home before he left.

While walking down the road, Jonas suddenly remembered the topic he had overheard people discussing in the restaurant earlier.

He said, “Selene, the situation in town has been complicated lately, with many young girls going missing. You should be more careful. Don’t go out alone at night and consider closing the bakery a bit earlier...”

Jonas was extremely concerned. He couldn’t always be there with her, but during the daytime, when it was crowded, it should be safe. At night, he would try to return early to protect her.

Just as he was about to offer more advice, a warm breath suddenly enveloped the top of his head. This left Jonas momentarily stunned. Selene was gently stroking his head with her fingers, her touch soft, weaving through his roots of hair.

“No need to worry. From now on, I’ll always be here waiting for you every day.”

“From now on, I’ll always be here waiting for you every day.” This statement reached the depths of Jonas’s heart. Whether in the real world or in this one, no one had ever spoken to him like this or treated him unconditionally well.

Life had always been cruel to him, whether in the real world or here. Jonas lowered his head, hiding a smile of happiness and a tear that welled up in the corner of his eye.

Then, when he raised his head again, everything on his face had returned to normal, and he nodded.

However, he truly didn’t want her to think he was waiting for her just because she provided him with food. This was, in fact, an unfamiliar emotion.

“To be honest, I’m not waiting for you just because you give me food...”

Jonas began, but he was not skilled at expressing his emotions through words, so he hesitated. Yet before he could complete his sentence, Selene suddenly burst into laughter.

“I know that. You don’t have to think too much about it.”

By now, they had arrived at Jonas’s home, and Selene bid him goodbye to return to her own place.

“In truth, the one I’m worried about isn’t you,” Jonas muttered.

o0o

The next morning, Jonas woke up early. His schedule for the day had a slight change: he would go up the mountain to gather some herbs to cure Selene’s cold before his training.

As he left, Selene’s bakery was still closed. When he returned, the sun had risen high, and her bakery was bustling with customers, filled with the fragrant aroma of butter and milk, just like any other day. This made Jonas unconsciously curl the corners of his mouth, and he quietly set down the medicine basket next to her bakery’s door before leaving.

Jonas’s swordsmanship skills were improving day by day, and today, after finishing his training, he sat down on the mountain to check his progress.

Closing his eyes, his consciousness delved into the subconscious. Everything was the same as before, and all the processes unfolded as usual.

And quickly, Alice appeared.

“Welcome back to the Swordmaster Upgrade System. How can I assist you today?”

Her voice sounded like that of a child, but it had a hint of artificiality, as if a computer’s sound conversion system produced it.

“Alice, show me my rank and statistics,” Jonas said in his subconscious.

“Yes, of course,” Alice replied playfully. On the board behind her, a series of long numbers immediately appeared.

Character: Jonas Rank: B (20%) Skill: Swordsmanship Current Strength: Capable of easily demolishing a house Other Skills: Defense: 80% Offense: 89% Super Senses: 90% Self-healing: 60% Sleight of Hand: 85%

Upon looking at the comprehensive board and assessment, Alice was quite surprised. “Wow, you’ve already reached the B level. It won’t be long before you reach the level and become a renowned swordsman, known throughout the martial world.”

But Jonas wasn’t particularly interested in Alice’s flattery. He knew he was still weaker than many others and had to patiently continue to live and protect the people he cared about.

At that moment, Jonas remembered Selene’s smile. So he knew he had to try even harder.

“Alright, goodbye.” After viewing what he wanted, Jonas said briefly and then withdrew his consciousness from the subconscious.

He slowly opened his eyes, and the real-world scene appeared before him. He stood up, and as usual, his days continued in their usual pattern. After training, he would go to the restaurant to tell stories, then return home, passing by Selene’s bakery and meeting her.