* Raon POV *
"Arrest him immediately!" the Emperor ordered.
"Well, this seems like a good time to go," I thought.
Before anyone could approach me, I sprinted toward the doors. The few guards stationed at the door were caught off guard, but I managed to swiftly evade them. Unluckily one of the guards had stabbed me and left me wounded. As I left the throne room, I could hear the Emperor screaming for them to catch me. I had successfully bypassed most of the palace's defenses and was about to leave when a catastrophic earthquake shook the capital. The once organized city began to crumble, and cries and screams filled the air. Even the palace itself started to collapse.
But then, a commanding shout rang out, "Enough!"
The earthquake didn't stop; it was merely suppressed. The cause of this suppression was a lone old man in the middle of the capital. He was a Tier 4 magic caster, his mind unusually strong, enabling him to contain the earthquake. However, the strain was evident as he started bleeding from his ears, mouth, nose, and eyes. His mind began to crumble under the pressure and energy consumption.
Suddenly, a voice echoed, reaching every corner of the world.
Speaking in an ancient language, the voice weakened the earthquake until it ceased entirely.
"If this message reaches your ears, it means my preparations have failed. While time is short, I will tell you that this world was once connected to another. The separation between the two worlds was never meant to be, and now they are beginning to merge once more. I defied fate, and now I face the consequences. I had taken certain precautions in case an event like this were to occur. I do not know where or if you are aware of them, but all you need to do is find my descendants—the descendants of Adam, the first human."
The once bustling capital fell into complete silence. I had no intention of waiting around and immediately left the palace and the ruined city.
I embarked on a journey toward the ancient village, which would take approximately a week by carriage, passing through two cities.
The first few days were challenging as I traversed the forest that separated the capital from the first city. The forest was teeming with beasts ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 3, making it difficult to navigate. Moreover, I couldn't enter the Astral Realm as it was unsafe within the forest.
Day 1:
Having entered the forest after my escape from the capital, I realized I had made a foolish oversight. I had no food, water, or spare clothes, despite having ample space in my storage ring. The wound I sustained while leaving the capital had already started to heal. Yet the injury had greatly slowed my progress.
Day 2:
During the previous night, I found a cave to take shelter in. Fortunately, I also stumbled upon a lake, and although I had expensive potions with me, I had never used them due to the lack of security. So, I emptied the bottles and filled them with water. I managed to hunt a few small animals like rabbits and Tier 1 beasts that I knew I could defeat. However, I had an encounter with one of the rare Tier 3 beasts in the forest. Although I managed to injure it and escape, I sustained a few wounds. Thankfully, my high regeneration abilities healed the injuries by nightfall. I hid among the trees and remained on guard until daybreak.
Day 3:
I traversed most of the forest, but an eerie feeling of being stalked or hunted never left me. My clothes were tattered, and my food supply was dwindling. I had no idea how close I was to the city or whether it even stood. The Emperor could have easily declared me a wanted man. My anxiety eased only when I caught sight of the forest's edge.
Yet, that momentary relief proved fatal.
A beast that had been tracking me attacked. Being a Tier 3 creature, it was stronger than me, leaving me with little chance of victory. However, I managed to escape for a second time, though the injuries I sustained were more severe. I lost my entire left arm, experienced major blood loss from my right leg, and bore a large claw mark across my face. Despite these injuries, I made it to the city and stayed hidden on its outskirts. I waited until nightfall, constantly surveying my surroundings until I felt secure enough to get a few hours of sleep.
Day 4:
All my injuries had healed, except for the missing arm. I sensed that it would take a week or two for it to fully regenerate. My time in the forest taught me valuable lessons, and I decided to utilize my powers and abilities more effectively. Despite possessing a strong physique, a sharp mind, and formidable abilities, I lacked knowledge on harnessing their full potential. I had made it my priority to began to develop and understand my abilities. I needed to have a greater master over my body and abilities to achieve greater heights. I first needed to make it back to the ancient village and the city would help me with that. I needed to get some supplies for the rest of my journey m. I chose to enter illegally during the night, so I spent the entire day scouting for an entry point. Once night fell, I navigated the sewers and successfully entered the city without much trouble. I wandered the streets for an inn or some place to stay.
I made my way to the first inn I came across, ready to relax for a moment and ease my mind.
The inn was still lit, even this late at night.
The receptionist looked up with an air of boredom as the door creaked open. She glanced at me with evident disgust and said bluntly,
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave. We don't accept people like you in our establishment."
"Pardon? People like me?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued.
"Yes! Just look at your torn clothes and the filth that covers you. The smell is equally repugnant."
"Well, you shouldn't be so quick to judge someone. I merely wanted to inquire if you have a room available and a bath I could use. I have enough to pay the fee, so you needn't worry about that."
"Alright, we do have a room available, but it comes at a hefty price."
"Does the room include a bath and a meal?"
"Yes, I can arrange a meal for you, and the room does have its own bathroom."
"Very well, how much will it cost?"
"It will be a silver coin."
Fortunately, the village head had provided me with ten of each coin—copper, silver, and gold. The currency of this world followed the typical fantasy coin system, where 100 copper coins equaled 1 silver, and 100 silver coins equaled 1 gold.
"Here," I handed the receptionist a silver coin, and in return, she handed me a key while saying,
"Your room is number 12. Please enjoy your stay at Moonlight Inn."