Chapter 2 - 2. From Earth to Mythara

Elliot was an ordinary delivery guy with a knack for precision timing. His life was neatly organized into routes, packages, and coffee breaks. Nothing out of the ordinary ever happened, except that one fateful Tuesday...

Elliot: "Alright, package for Mrs. Thompson, check. Coffee, check.

ok, Next stop...

(Sound of screeching tires and a loud crash)

Elliot: "Oh, come on! Really!?"

In a blink, Elliot's world flipped upside down. He blinked, disoriented, as he found himself lying in a grassy field, surrounded by bizarre creatures.

Elliot screams, and all the creatures run away, "What the hell just happened"

He had been an ordinary delivery man on Earth, but a tragic accident—a truck collision—led to his reincarnation in the bustling city of Aetheoven in the country of Zephyria.

"Well, this is certainly not the coffee shop I was expecting."

Elliot stumbled through the forest, his sense of direction completely off in the unfamiliar landscape. He could see a village in the distance, and with renewed hope, he trudged towards it, hoping for some answers and perhaps a bit of direction.

Elliot: "Alright, village. Let's see if they have a map... or a coffee shop. Preferably both."

He arrived at the village and was greeted by a resident, Bruno, a burly man with a grizzled beard and a cheerful demeanor. Bruno was in the middle of fixing a fence when Elliot approached.

Bruno: "Well, look at that! A new face. You lost, stranger?"

Elliot: "You could say that. Got hit by a truck and now here I am"

Bruno: "A truck, you say? That's a new one. Well, if you're looking for the village chief, I can take you there. He's the guy who knows everything about this place."

Elliot followed Bruno through the village, taking in the quaint houses and bustling market. They arrived at a modest yet sturdy building where the village chief, Eropi, a wise old man with a mole around his eye, was sleeping.

Bruno: "Hey baldie you sleeping or you dead"

Eropi: "Do you ever care to shut up, its high noon, go dig a grave for yourself and let me sleep will you" 

"We have a visitor... from far"

Eropi opens one of his eyes and looks up at Elliot "So which planet are you from kid?"

Elliot: "I am from Earth"

Eropi slowly gets up and walks past Elliot "What are you looking at, follow me"

"Well, you've landed in a world quite different from your own. We have magic, dragons, and a rather complex economy. You see, in Mythara, our currency is based on magical artifacts and services. Our language? You seem to understand it perfectly, which is quite rare for otherworlders."

"Well you are taking it pretty neatly"

"It's not my first rodeo kid, now follow me"

Eropi takes him to a training ground which has multiple scarecrows but looks like the place hadn't been used in many years.

"Now, let's see if we can get you started. Otherworlders like you have something called a 'Stat Window.' It shows your abilities and skills. Try opening it."

Elliot blinked. "Uh, how do I do that?"

"Just focus on the thought of opening a menu or something similar. It should appear."

To Elliot's surprise, a translucent screen appeared in front of him, showing his basic stats.

Stat Window:

Name: Elliot

Gender: Male

Age: 21

Job: Delivery Man

Level: 1

Stats:

Strength: 5

Dexterity: 7

Endurance: 6

Agility: 2

Magic: 0

Skill:

Efficient Delivery (Level 1) - Enhances speed and accuracy in delivering items.

"Whoa, this is... unexpected. I didn't even know I had a stat screen."

Eropi: "It's a common trait for otherworlders. Now, I'd like you to try something. Strike the scarecrow with a basic attack to see how your stats play out."

Elliot approached the scarecrow, feeling somewhat awkward. He took a deep breath and tried to strike the scarecrow. His swing was less impressive than he had hoped, but the scarecrow did wobble a bit.

Elliot: "Well, that was less dramatic than I imagined. Did I do it right?"

Eropi: "Indeed. It's a start. With practice, you'll get better. Well keep hitting it until sundown then we can talk."

"But this is not why I am here." But before Elliot could finish, Eropi had already left leaving Elliot all alone.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the training ground, Eropi returned to check on Elliot's progress. He found Elliot flat on the ground, sprawled out in a heap next to the wobbling scarecrow.

Eropi: "Well, look at that. He's actually fallen asleep. I'd better wake him up before it gets too dark."

Eropi grabbed a nearby bucket of water and splashed it over Elliot's head.

Elliot: "Whoa! What the—? Is this some kind of wake-up call or are you trying to waterboard me?"

Eropi: "Consider it a refresher course in reality. Now, let's see how you've been doing."

Elliot groaned and pushed himself up, wiping water from his face.

Elliot: "Did I pass out or was I just really bored with hitting a scarecrow?"

Eropi: "Neither. I just wanted to check your progress. Open your stat window and let's see what we've got."

Elliot focused and the translucent screen appeared again, showing his basic stats.

Eropi: "Any changes since this morning?"

Elliot: "Nope. Everything looks the same."

Eropi squinted at the screen, puzzled.

Eropi: "No changes? You didn't gain any stats at all?"

Elliot: "Nope. Zero, zip, nada."

Eropi stared at Elliot, wide-eyed.

Eropi: "It seems your life here is going to be a bit difficult. It feels like you're not meant for fighting."

Elliot scratched his head, trying to make sense of it all.

Eropi: "What's your magic stat?"

Elliot: "Zero."

Eropi with a completely blank face: "Kid, you are doomed, you know that, right?"