Alex stood before the towering walls in awe, his mouth agape. These colossal fortifications seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, standing at nearly 1000 meters in height.
They were the city's first line of defense against external monster attacks.
It was easy to understand his amazement, considering that these walls dwarfed even the tallest buildings on Earth. They were not only formidable in size but also magically enchanted, making infiltration or destruction virtually impossible. Flying over them posed another daunting challenge.
The outside world was a vast and perilous realm, with many regions yet unexplored and waiting to be discovered.
It was not just the monsters that posed threats; the terrain, flora, and overall environment were fraught with dangers. The fear of the unknown always lingered.
As civilization continued to expand, the demand for resources and land grew, leading to the continual expansion of cities.
The outside world was a treasure trove of opportunities and abundant resources, rich in minerals and materials.
Monster materials and cores were particularly renowned, used for everything from crafting weapons and armor to alchemical creations. Some monster cores even served as power sources.
However, as the cities expanded, they encroached on monster habitats, leading to retaliation. Sometimes, monsters attacked in large numbers, forming stampedes due to factors like overpopulation or dungeon overflows. Clearing monster nests, dungeons, or exterminating monsters was crucial to mitigate the damage.
This was where adventurers played a vital role. Most of them undertook these tasks for financial gain, while others sought fame or other personal reasons.
The government took the protection of city walls seriously, often hiring mercenaries or adventurers for assistance.
Civilians were prohibited from leaving the city without proper documentation and a valid reason, ensuring their safety and preventing outlaws from escaping or causing chaos.
Alex eventually reached the gate leading outside the city, where heavily armed city guards halted him.
"State your identification and reason for leaving," one of the guards demanded as they inspected his identification.
"Uhh...here's my adventurer's license." Alex replied, handing over his ID.
The guard inserted the card into his device and verified the details.
"So, you're a rookie adventurer, and this is your first time outside?" the guard inquired sternly.
"Yes" Alex answered meekly.
"And you're going alone?"
"Yes, is that a problem?" Alex inquired, feeling a bit concerned.
"No, it's just that F-rank adventurers typically don't venture out alone. They usually go in groups of three or four." the guard explained. It wasn't a strict rule or something, just common practice.
This information alarmed Alex, and he couldn't help but worry. "Is it that dangerous?"
"Yes, I'm telling you this for your own safety. Come back with more people. Monster activity outside has been on the rise." the guard advised, genuinely concerned for the young adventurer.
Alex pondered his options. The time for completing the system quest was running out, and the penalty for failure included a reduction in system points and experience. Alex was determined not to squander his second chance at life so easily.
"My quest is just to collect some herbs, and I won't wander too far." Alex assured the guard.
"You have ten hours to return, and don't venture too deep outside." The guard cautioned before returning Alex's card and signaling to the guard inside, "He's clear." With that, he resumed his position.
The city gates opened before Alex, revealing the outside world. Excitement mixed with a hint of fear as he stepped into the unknown.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
The outside world was just as the books and guides had described it – a place teeming with greenery, with fresh air that contrasted with the city's confines.
While the surroundings appeared calm and tranquil, Alex knew better than to become complacent. He was determined to be brave but cautious. After all, he had been granted a second chance at life and had the system at his side.
Dying early and failing at the outset of his adventure was something Alex found utterly ridiculous. He couldn't bear the thought of others laughing at him if that were to happen.
Besides, he didn't want to leave Aurora behind all alone. While he didn't know much about her, he genuinely cared for her as his first friend and also his magic teacher.
With these thoughts in mind, Alex chose to remain relatively close to the city walls, never straying more deeper far from safety.
Thanks to the two F-rank skills he had received from the system, spotting and identifying the medicinal herbs required for his quest proved to be a breeze.
The quest didn't have a specific limit, so he decided to gather all the herbs he could find. In the process, he also identified other useful plants and herbs.
His skill "Gatherer" enabled him to recognize various types of herbs and learn the proper harvesting techniques.
"This one is used for making healing potions, while this flower is great for perfumes and has its own uses... and this one..."
Within just an hour of searching, Alex had filled his bag with a wide array of collected plants and herbs. His efficiency in gathering was impressive; even experienced adventurers would sometimes overlook these seemingly ordinary but exceptional resources.
Alex's enhanced senses further aided him in quickly spotting and identifying these valuable plants.
Having completed one of the quests, he now needed to move on to the other: hunting three F-rank monsters, Horned Rabbits.
While Alex continued his search for herbs, he spotted a small burrow, just large enough to accommodate a small creature like a rabbit.
With cautious curiosity, he distanced himself slightly from the burrow and threw a stone inside.
It didn't take long for a response. Almost immediately, something stirred within, and movement could be seen.
Quickly, Alex brandished the Black Iron sword, a D-rank artifact gifted to him by the system. He could finally wield the sword, although it still felt heavy for him, swinging it posed little difficulty.
From the burrow emerged an adorable, small, white rabbit. However, despite its cuteness, the creature appeared quite menacing at this moment, with its red eyes and the horn that protruded from its head.
The Horned Rabbit fixed its gaze on the intruder and hopped towards Alex, aiming its horn menacingly.
"HAA"
Alex faced the approaching threat and swung his sword at the monster. As expected, the creature was cleaved in half upon contact with the blade.
The blade had red blood dripping from it and the Horned Rabbits body was cut in half diagonally lying down.
'Huh, huh, that was exhausting.'
Alex took a few deep breaths to calm his mind; this was the first time he had taken a creature's life.
To acknowledge his achievement, a message appeared on the screen before his eyes, visible only to him.
==============================
[The Host has killed a F rank Monster]
[+50 XP and +1 SP]
==============================
"Nice!" Alex exclaimed.
"So, killing monsters also provides me with experience and system points."
----------------------------------------------------
[Main Quest]
[Quest: Hunt F rank Monsters]
[Description: Kill 5 F rank monsters]
[Monsters Killed: 1/5]
[Time Limit: 2 days]
[Reward: 300 XP and 5 SP]
[Penalty: -300 XP and -5 SP]
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Alex scanned his surroundings but couldn't spot a single monster in sight. Feeling somewhat dejected, he could only venture deeper into the area in search of more monsters.