In ancient times, there was a myth that was believed to be nothing but a mere fairy tale.
Archaeologists had researched for years and finally found the answer.
That the existence of the myth does exist.
They called it the 'Mystery of the World'.
There were seven mysteries of the world that circulated from mouth to mouth in various parts of the world.
Ancestors said that the Seven Mysteries of the World had existed since the world was newly formed.
While mages said that the Seven Mysteries of the world were remnants of the Transcendent or scientists in ancient times, hidden.
Even creatures like long-lived dragon races, eternal gods, and even races considered ancient did not know the exact location of the Seven Mysteries of the World.
Archaeologists to scientists who were considered geniuses in their time could not solve the puzzle, where it was located.
Where is the mystery located?
What does it look like?
Why is its existence hidden?
So, are the mysteries of the world in the form of weapons, magical spell books, or eggs of ancient races?
They always wondered, but the answer to their questions was like finding a needle in a haystack.
In the end, they gave up. They assumed that the Seven Mysteries of the World were an existence that gave them the power to become the strongest.
'In the novel, the main character finally solves five of the Seven Mysteries of the world, which cannot be done by anyone else. The other two mysteries are still unknown. But it's not hard to guess.'
The sixth mystery of the world.
That is my current goal, I do not know what it is, but I will find out.
With the clues in the novel, it is not difficult to summarize the location's overview.
"It's better to belong to me than to rot there."
I walked out of the inn, inhaling the fresh morning air.
Looking around and finding people starting their activities.
Some were sweeping the yard, some were pulling carts, and some were carrying shopping baskets.
Especially children, women, and the elderly.
"Ha..."
Soon after, my feet slowly moved towards another direction.
Three days passed quickly.
I arrived at the place I was heading to, safely.
Thankfully, during the trip, nothing obstructed our journey. If something like goblins or bandits blocked us, I could not predict the fate that would befall me.
And now I am in the village of Bled, which lies on the border between the Mystick Kingdom and the Caladium Empire.
Despite being on the border, the village is still part of the Caladium Empire.
Three kilometers to the west is a town called Zephyr.
It was the last point of the eastern region of the Caladium Empire.
I didn't go there because I wasn't interested in going there, and for other reasons as well.
I entered a blacksmith's shop and bought some daggers for self-defense.
Not to swing them, but to throw them.
In my previous life, I never learned dagger techniques or sword techniques. Since such knowledge is useless, the majority of all modern people are gun users.
So instead of wasting time learning them, I spent my time learning throwing techniques to an expert level.
The dagger I bought was hidden under the black robe I was wearing.
This was in case it didn't attract too much attention.
I tried to kill as many monsters as possible.
Maybe the system also has a list of EXP to collect.
But I don't know, I'm not that curious.
But I realized one thing.
To collect rewards and skill points from the system.
I must be able to force this body to dive into the danger zone.
—|—
Moments later, I arrived at the village gate.
I raised my eyes and saw the village gatekeeper greeting me, so I waved back at him.
"How did you sleep, Boy? The place I recommended for you is really cheap, right?"
"Of course, I was surprised that there was an inn that was relatively cheap. Thanks to your advice, I can sleep comfortably. Thank you, Mr. Carl."
"Well, take it easy. We have to help fellow humans, let alone a young man like you coming to our village alone. Hahaha...!"
The talkative man in front of me is Mr. Carl, the current gatekeeper of Bled Village.
He has short brown hair and short bangs. He has brown eyes, which are generally characteristic of Europeans. A face without a beard and a height of about 180 cm, a difference of 4 cm from me.
Holding a spear and wearing leather armor, his body is said to be quite well trained.
He wears a bright smile that matches his personality.
I admire this man's kindness.
Since I left Mr. John, it's been hard for me not to know anything about the village.
The rest of my allowance is about to run out, and I feel depressed just looking at it.
I stared blankly at my coin purse and stood like a statue in front of the village gate.
At that moment, someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was the gatekeeper, Mr. Carl.
Mr. Carl asked me what had happened, and I only answered his questions honestly.
In the end, Mr. Carl decided to help me, and he started telling me about the topography, structures, and interesting things here. He was also the one who recommended a blacksmith with good quality products.
'He is the kind of person who always sees others in a positive light.'
I stopped my thoughts and concentrated on listening to what Mr. Carl had to say.
"There are rumors that a group of goblins is active again in Death Valley."
The words 'Death Valley' came out of Mr. Carl's mouth and made my pupils flutter.
According to the purpose of my current location, no matter what happens, finding out about this place is a must.
It might increase my chances of survival later on.
My interest was diverted to what Mr. Carl had said earlier.
I said.
"Tell me more."
Mr. Carl looked into my sparkling blue eyes as if he knew I was interested in what he had to say.
He laughed and talked happily.
He said he would tell everything he knew.
Two days ago, the village chief hired a patrol team from the city to check on the condition of Death Valley.
There, the patrol found something strange and immediately reported it to the village chief.
The village chief claimed to have received testimony from the patrol that strange movements were taking place in Death Valley, especially the goblin nest that had begun to roam there.
It looks like the goblins will attack this village sooner or later. The village chief finally decided to ask the mayor of Zephyr City for help, but so far there has been no response from the party.
'It looks like the complications that have befallen this village are quite serious. Just as the novel describes, the flow of monsters around the world is moving slowly, obviously someone did it on purpose.'
I sorted out my chaotic memories and calmed the nerves in my brain.
It took me a while to remember what happened in the novel.
Perhaps that is why I rejected the system that offered to give me memories of the real O'Connor.
Let's get back to the main issue.
The fact that the area where the monsters live is slowly shrinking as they disappear from sight means that they have moved somewhere to live or hunt prey.
Monsters only do this when they are threatened by powerful creatures, or when there is a small gap deliberately created by unknown people.
The conversation continued.
The flow of our conversation gradually turned into a question and answer session.
10 minutes...
15 minutes...
Before we knew it, 15 minutes had passed quickly and we decided to end the conversation.
We said a few words before I left.
"O'Connor boy, be careful on the road and don't you dare go near the Death Valley restricted area. Got it!"
Mr. Carl gave me a stern warning with a worried look on his face.
Seeing that expression made me sigh.
I didn't want his to worry about me, but I had no intention of telling his what was on my mind.
Although I was pleased with his caring attitude towards me.
So I answered his concern with a confident smile.
"Don't worry, I'll remember your words. Then...see you soon!"
... ... ...
I made sure not to follow Mr. Carl's advice.
No matter what, that was my goal from the beginning.
"Sorry, Mr. Carl. For me, your prohibition is an order."
My feet hit the ground, right in front of the Death Valley we talked about last time.
And my eyes turned to the corner of the deep valley in front of me.
Instantly, my vision darkened.
*KOR-!
The atmosphere was tense and cold, tickling my spine.
My breath felt suffocating, and inside my lungs rushed to pump oxygen wildly.
I looked around with a cold sweat on my forehead.
Wild plants were crawling everywhere. Tree roots blocked my path.
Thorny bushes and moldy tree trunks turned into dead plants.
It is estimated that no explorers or adventurers have come here for about a decade.
It's probably because of the strange atmosphere and the air that reflects its appearance.
'Tsk, which stupid bastard named this place 'Death Valley'? ...obviously there are many kinds of trees on the road, so the open area is not visible from here. I prefer to call it 'Death Forest'.'
I kicked my tongue in annoyance at the thought of people having such strange taste in naming places.
As the name suggests, this place is indeed creepy, whether viewed from up close or from a distance.
The body of a 16-year-old boy is enough to make my legs tremble.
My body and mind were at odds with each other.
My body wanted me to leave this place quickly.
While my mind kept urging me to step on the pedal to enter this valley immediately, it probably had something to do with the curiosity and gluttony nature that existed in me.
No matter what I did, nothing could stop the conflict raging inside me.
"Huh..."
After taking a breath, my gaze immediately shifted to another place.
Something in the shape of a blue box appeared in the air.
______________________________
['Side-Quest' has been triggered]
-「Mission」: Get in and out of Death Valley alive.
-「Gift」: +4 SP
-「Fail」: Death.
_______________________________
I held my breath and exhaled, shaking my head.
"That bastard gave me something to chew on, damn it."
There is no time limit, so there is no need to rush. If you are too careless, the result will be death.
But it doesn't matter, it can even be an advantage if you manage to complete it.
From the moment I prepared to visit this place, I didn't think about the possibility of my survival.
Even if I enter with my soul still in my body, I have an 80% chance of meeting the Grim Reaper.
If I survived, I would take it as a plot armor given to me by chance, or that damn anonim would give me a savior.
A few seconds later, my consciousness was focused on doing something.
I took the parchment containing the geology of Death Valley out of the leather pouch.
Without hesitation, I spread the parchment out with both hands.
*CLICK!
I bite my thumb until it bleeds and mark the location with blood from my finger.
"Here, here, here, and here."
I licked my dry lips and looked at the parchment, no, the map I had altered moments ago.
The four locations I had marked most likely led to where the secret of the sixth world lay.
In other words, I had to check each place one by one.
After that, I rolled up the map and put it into a leather bag.
The leather bag I'm using is actually a "space bag" with a capacity of at least 30 kilograms. That's the maximum limit of the low-level "space bag" I bought cheaply.
It contains the tools I need for my time of need.
Calming my racing heart, I took silent steps toward Death Valley without thinking.
—|—
A few moments later...
A cool breeze brushed across my forehead, and soon my feet finally stopped running.
I leaned my hands against the tree trunk as I inhaled to calm my aching lungs.
Perhaps my actions were too much for this body.
Even now, I am still having a hard time adjusting to this young body.
"Hah... hah..."
Just a few minutes of running has made my leg bones crumble and shake.
"This damn weak body...ugh..."
My stamina is running out fast, it's only natural.
Considering that I saw this body in the mirror a few days ago, I guess the original owner of this body rarely exercises.
I thought it would be easy like the fast-running main character in the novel.
I thought I could jump two meters like the superhumans I saw in the movies.
But that wishful thinking was just an illusion to me, and I felt an unbearable disappointment.
It is true that this world is made up of magic and swords.
But people who use magic with only a wild imagination are usually called magic amateurs.
With a weak body that cannot receive or handle mana, the only way for me to become strong is to use one.
"The only thing I can do to survive and become strong is to follow the path of a swordsman..sigh~"
The bitter feeling made me smile crookedly.
But...
I suddenly lifted my ears and listened to the faint sounds around me.
I quickly pricked up my ears as I looked around.
My gaze shifted to increase my alertness.
*Step. Stepping. Stepping.
The forest was quiet and cold, and there was only the sound of someone's footsteps.
'A person came here, is it human?'
My heart became restless, many thoughts weighing on my head right now.
And then...
The more I looked at the voice, the closer it got.
*CLACK!
I reflexively moved my body, hastily hiding behind the trees to hide my presence.
My gaze shifted to the source of the footsteps.
-Kiek?
-Kikekkik!?
A hoarse yet frightening voice summoned my courage, I saw his stature from the small corner of my vision.
『Small body dwarf but green like a leaf』
『Bald head and ugly face』
『His big nose is pointing downwards』
『Freckles like dirt covering his face』
『Sticky drool flowing from the mouth is sharp and terrible』
『That creature is only naked and the cloth only covers the bottom』
『The opus that is touted as a failure that God created』
According to the description I read from the novel at that time.
I remember that.
The monster that everyone in the world says is a cruel creature that kills people senselessly.
The most appropriate word is disgusting, and they are the culprits who are predicted to be the cunning killers of the people of this valley.
Sometimes they can be called troublemakers who damage people's homes.
They....
"The goblin race."
A low murmur unconsciously escaped my lips.
Reflexively, a frown formed on my forehead.
According to the lore of past lives, goblins are a race of wild and ferocious creatures.
They live in dark caves or underground. Their race is identified with evil creatures and they are brutal warriors.
They are depicted as creatures with stocky, human-like bodies, green skin, pointed ears, and terrifying, hideous faces.
They are about 130 centimeters tall.
They sometimes kidnap babies and prey on humans.
"But only one in front of me escaped from the group?"
'I wondered, is it okay to kill these terrible creatures?'
The more I thought about it, the more I thought that my question was really stupid.
'Fool, the enemy is right in front of you, so why are you hesitating? This is not like me before.'
I blamed myself for having useless thoughts.
After that, I took out the dagger hidden under my robe.
I took a suitable stance for the throw. In order to throw, I only need to take the right stance.
Left foot in front, right hand drawn up and back, wrist flat.
The throw itself comes from the movement of the body, not the arm. Once you have the right stroke, throwing a knife will be much easier.
My mind was firm, but not my body, which was shaking violently.
But I didn't give up and concentrated on the target.
Immediately, the arm that formed the letter 'L' while holding the dagger swung down for a moment, and at the same time I let go of the dagger.
It generates a force in the form of a spring force through a medium using only the arm muscles.
Just as the dagger leaves my hand, it should not be placed horizontally, but slightly tilted vertically.
Yes, this is exactly what gives it the momentum to keep it on target.
Therefore, the throw should be made when the hand with the dagger is somewhere at head height.
There is no need to crouch down and throw my hand as far forward as possible, because in that case the dagger will not have time to turn 180 degrees and will not be able to stick anywhere.
Actually, everything. Nothing complicated, just the practice I did in my previous life that made my throwing skills improve to a professional level.
*WOOSH-!
And at the same time, the dagger I threw cut through the surrounding wind and glided towards the goblin.
0.5 seconds.....
*STUCK!
-kike?
For some reason, the goblin felt something cold pressed against his forehead.
Trembling, he looked up to find a white blade piercing his forehead that had come out of nowhere.
-Cough... cough... cough...
Thick blood spurted from his mouth and the hole in his forehead.
The feeling of weak legs and blurred eyes swirled around him, and soon they gradually turned white.
Suddenly his vision went pitch black.
*Thud!
"S-success...!"
I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the green creature dead.
My arms were tingling, cracking and shaking.
My body almost collapsed and I was forced to lean against a tree.
While I had time, I calmed my racing heart.
To be honest, if it weren't for the 'Coward' trait, I could have been a little more calmer in doing the action earlier.
'After this is over, I need to do something to silence this annoying trait.'
I slowly remembered my youth, when I had a cowardly and weak personality, and the same thing happened to this body.
It's like going back to i was a teenage years.
If it weren't for my brain and intelligence, I wouldn't be able to survive until now.
"It's not over yet."
I forced my body to stand up as hard as I could.
Then I stared silently into the air, waiting for a message from the system.
[You gain +EXP]
______________
[Level 1]
-EXP」 [005/375]
________________
"Only five EXP!?"
I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of experience I had to gain to level up.
I gritted my teeth at the thought of the hidden intention of the person who sent me here.
"It won't change anything if you catch just one."
It was quite difficult.
I looked at the goblin corpse, stretched out my hand, and took out the dagger stuck in the goblin corpse's forehead.
'I have to save my energy.'
No matter how strong and sharp I throw the dagger, if I use it continuously, the blade will eventually become dull.
I never know what will happen.
There is nothing wrong with being careful.
I slowly walked towards the place shown on the map.
Scary, but ....
..... is quite interesting.