The City of Arcadia is a bustling and lively human settlement, one of the largest on Earth. It's home to a population of five hundred million people, most of whom live underground but occasionally venture to the surface.
The streets are filled with vendors selling various goods, and towering buildings reach for the sky.
What's particularly fascinating is the presence of flying cars, adding to the futuristic vibe of the city.
Outside the city, you'll find a natural landscape with grass, trees, monsters, and portals, devoid of any signs of advanced civilization.
However, once you step into Arcadia, it's like traveling back in time. The city preserves elements of humanity's past, reflected in the architecture and technology that still exist.
This mix of the present and the past gives Arcadia a captivating and unique atmosphere, making it a truly special place on Earth.
Arcadia stands as a safe haven against the constant threat of monster attacks. What sets it apart is the formidable protective barrier that envelops the city, capable of withstanding simultaneous assaults from hundreds of S-rank monsters and Thousands of A-Rank Monsters. This impenetrable shield ensures the safety and security of the city's inhabitants, providing them with a sense of peace and protection amidst a world filled with danger. With the barrier in place, the people of Arcadia can live their lives without constant fear, knowing that they are shielded from the relentless onslaught of monsters lurking outside.
The City of Arcadia is divided into three districts, each with its own protective barrier. There are a total of four protective barriers, including one at the entrance and three within the districts. The city has 15 levels of underground cities, with 11 levels dedicated to human habitation. Each level can accommodate a population of 30 to 50 million people, making the total population of the above city around 50 million.
The remaining four levels are used for farming and raising animals. Although resources are not scarce, people often venture outside the city to hunt for additional resources. The meat of monsters holds great value for awakened individuals, but the inhabitants of Arcadia appreciate the delicious flavors of Earth's food.
This underground setup serves as a contingency plan for emergencies when humans are unable to venture outside due to monster attacks. Portals typically do not spawn underground, unless highly evolved monsters become intelligent enough to dig through the ground in search of humans. Even though it is located underground, the city, agricultural and animal areas are also shielded by protective barriers for added security.
The possibility of constructing underground cities arose when humanity made a groundbreaking discovery—the expansion of Earth to five times its original size.
This phenomenon occurred as the old continents began to merge and fuse together, forming a colossal supercontinent.
The relentless onslaught of monsters and frequent earthquakes during the initial war prompted humans to seek alternative habitats and the emergence of the new four super continents came into existence simultaneously.
The four new supercontinents, largely uncharted by humanity, have been designated as Calamity Zones due to their status as natural habitats for unknown and dangerous monsters.
Only A-Rank to S-Rank Users and skilled hunters are authorized to venture into these territories, tasked with both gathering crucial information and eliminating potential threats to humanity.
The exploration of these regions remains a challenging and perilous endeavor, as the true extent of the dangers lurking within the Calamity Zones has yet to be fully understood.
Jin walked through the large city, realizing it was too big to explore on foot alone. He remembered the red capsule he received earlier and opened it to reveal a shiny red motorcycle.
Checking the map for directions, he hopped on the bike and rode for about thirty minutes until he reached a simple apartment building. Parking the motorcycle, he entered the building and was greeted by a friendly employee.
"Hello, sir. Can I see your Identification?" the employee asked politely.
"Yes, here," Jin tapped his watch to show his Identification. The employee scanned it and checked it in his records.
"Yes, sir Jin, right?" the employee confirmed.
"Yes," Jin replied.
"Follow me, sir Jin," the employee said, and they walked towards his assigned room.
"Here is the room that the government arranged for you, sir. You can stay here for 3 days, and after that, you'll need to find your own place or extend your stay by informing us and paying a fee of 5 high magic crystals per day. Your identification card will serve as your key. Additionally, there's a private pool on each floor that you can use for one hour. If you wish to extend your usage, the cost is 50 small magic crystals per additional hour. That's all, sir. If you have any other inquiries, feel free to contact us. Do you have any other questions, sir?" the employee asked.
"No, thank you," Jin said.
"Thank you, sir! Have a nice day and enjoy your time here," the employee concluded.
"Wow, this place is so luxurious and spacious. It's my first time lying on such a soft and comfortable bed. Zephyr, come out!" Jin called out to Zephyr in the system territory, adjusting the time flow so that Zephyr wouldn't feel lonely.
He still needed to officially register Zephyr as his pet, allowing it to roam freely by his side. "Are you hungry?" Jin asked. Zephyr replied with a cheerful "Squish!" Jin smiled and handed Zephyr a sandwich that Lily had given him before they parted ways. "Here, eat up. It's delicious," he said, watching Zephyr happily enjoy the meal.
"I have to say, I'm feeling much more tired than I expected. The gravity here on Earth is way stronger than what I'm used to in my spaceship. It's pretty amazing how this intense gravity affects everything so much. Luckily, I've been practicing in artificial gravity, so I can easily adjust to different planets. That's probably why regular folks on Earth seem stronger and more resilient than in other places. " He exclaimed, and went to sleep immediately after being lost to this kind of thoughts and seeing himself the next morning.
...
"Oh, is it already morning? I still feel like I want to sleep, but I'm actually quite relaxed. Anyway, I need to head to district 3 to register Zephyr and find out more about what happened to my parents," he said as he prepared their breakfast.
"I'm glad there's food in the refrigerator. Paying 1,000 High Magic Crystals just to be able to enter earth doesn't seem so bad, with this kind of service. but for someone like me who used to be poor, it's really expensive. I remember how the other scavengers would only earn small magic crystals a day," he exclaimed, as he started cooking eggs and other dishes.
Cooking wasn't something he had much experience with since he used to survive on vegetables and canned foods in the past.
"Phew, I'm stuffed! How about you, Zephyr?" Jin asked.
"Squish! Squiisshhh!" Zephyr happily replied.
"Haha, looks like you really enjoyed the food I cooked. Good boy, Zephyr! Eat up, we're going to the ADF to register you so we can travel together," Jin said with a smile.
After their meal, they set off on their journey. Zephyr transformed into a smaller size, resembling a cute keychain, to blend in and avoid drawing attention while perched on Jin's shoulder. Zephyr didn't want to be left alone in Jin's territory, so Jin decided to let him stay outside and keep him company.