Dante woke to the pale light filtering through the wooden slats of the small house, his mind unusually clear. The knowledge of Novarath, the vast world that now surrounded him, flowed effortlessly through his thoughts. It was as though he had lived here for years, learning the intricate details of its realms, factions, and currencies. Yet, only a few hours had passed since his first steps into this new reality. He sat up, stretched his arms, and rolled his shoulders, feeling the stiffness from sleeping on the hard bed.
With a long exhale, Dante rose to his feet. His body, though still adjusting to this new life, felt stronger—alive with the potential of what lay ahead.
First things first, he thought. He needed to stay sharp.
Without hesitation, Dante dropped to the floor and began a series of push-ups, his muscles straining under the tension. After several reps, he switched to sit-ups, then onto some quick stretches, warming up his limbs. The exercise was familiar, grounding him in a way that reminded him of his old life. It kept him focused, his mind steady as he prepared for the challenges ahead.
Once his body was warmed up, he turned to the task at hand: figuring out exactly where he was. He approached the holographic screen, which had dimmed overnight, and with a flick of his fingers, the system's interface blinked to life once more.
"Map", Dante commanded, watching as a detailed holographic projection of the surrounding area unfolded before him.
The map zoomed out slowly, revealing a dense, dark green expanse around his current location. He was deep inside a forest, labeled on the map as "The Deadmist Forest." The name alone sent a chill through him. This was no ordinary forest—it was notorious for being one of the most dangerous areas in all of Novarath, crawling with lethal creatures, ancient beasts, and deadly traps. The forest was known to swallow entire armies, leaving no trace behind.
But the map also revealed something useful: he was in the inner zone of the forest. It was still perilous, but the inner region was known for its abundance of rare herbs, both poisonous and extraordinary. It seemed the forest was teeming with valuable resources, even if it was crawling with danger.
Beyond the forest, Dante could see the distant outline of a kingdom—Alderon, one of the many cities spread across Novarath, and one of the nearest bastions of civilization. The distance between the forest and the kingdom, however, was considerable. If Dante wanted to reach it, he would need to travel for days, possibly weeks, and survive the deadly creatures that lurked between him and the city walls.
He let out a sigh. "Looks like I'm stuck here for a while."
Dante knew his best bet was to take advantage of his surroundings and gather as many resources as he could. With that in mind, he grabbed the small satchel he had found in the corner of the house and stepped outside into the dense forest. The air was thick with the scent of earth and leaves, and the undergrowth was alive with the faint rustling of unseen creatures. Dante kept his senses sharp, knowing that any misstep could result in a swift death.
For hours, he wandered through the dense foliage, his eyes scanning for any signs of herbs. The knowledge from the system flooded his thoughts, helping him recognize which plants were valuable and which were poisonous. Occasionally, he would pick a few glowing herbs, their soft light giving them away amidst the shadows of the forest. He didn't discriminate—he picked anything that looked valuable, his bag slowly filling with a mixture of plants, roots, and leaves.
After a few more hours of careful scavenging, Dante came across a strange sight. In a small, hidden glade, half-covered by moss and vines, was a single herb glowing with an intense golden light. Unlike the others, this one stood out—radiating power and vitality. It almost seemed to call to him.
Without hesitation, Dante knelt down and carefully plucked the herb from the ground. A prompt immediately appeared in front of him:
"You have acquired a Legendary Herb. Estimated value: 100,000 Astrals."
Dante's heart skipped a beat. He knew the system was generous with its rewards, but this? This was on a whole other level. The herb in his hand was worth a fortune—more money than most people could earn in a lifetime. A grin spread across his face. He had barely begun, and already he had hit the jackpot.
But then, another message popped up, catching his attention.
"Consume the Legendary Herb to gain 100 levels. Warning: This herb is extremely powerful. Effects may vary."
Dante's breath caught in his throat. Gain 100 levels? That was absurd! He had barely begun collecting experience, and here was a way to boost his power instantly. He quickly recalled that, based on the system, one level required collecting 100 experience points. Normally, this would take a considerable amount of effort, battling creatures, completing tasks, and collecting resources. But this herb would skip all of that.
It almost felt like cheating.
Dante chuckled to himself. "Well, it's not cheating if the system allows it."
But the decision wasn't as easy as it seemed. Gaining 100 levels right now would skyrocket his power, but there were always consequences to using something so potent. He wasn't sure if the system would introduce side effects or unexpected challenges down the line. After all, nothing in life—his old or this new one—came without a cost.
He weighed his options for a moment longer, then made his decision.
Back at the small house, Dante sat down, cross-legged on the floor. His bag was filled with herbs of varying types, but his focus was on the golden, glowing herb in his hand. He stared at it for a moment, then took a deep breath and made his choice.
"Consume the herb," he instructed the system.
The moment he did, the herb dissolved into a golden mist, which was quickly absorbed into his body. He felt a wave of energy surge through him, electrifying every nerve, every muscle. His vision blurred momentarily as a massive influx of strength coursed through his veins. The system chimed in:
"You have gained 100 levels."
Dante's breath came in sharp gasps as his body adjusted to the sudden surge of power. He felt stronger—much stronger than he had been just moments ago. His muscles seemed more defined, his reflexes sharper. It was as though his body had been re-forged in the fires of some divine forge.
After a few minutes, the intense rush of energy subsided, leaving Dante feeling invigorated. He opened the system screen to check his stats.
The interface now displayed a wealth of new information. His level had indeed jumped to 100, and with it came a host of new abilities, stats, and unlocks that hadn't been available before. His physical strength had increased dramatically, as had his endurance, agility, and perception.
He scrolled through the options, noting the now-unlocked weapons tab, which revealed a list of items he could potentially acquire or create. The currency tab displayed his accumulated wealth, showing the number of Astrals he had earned from the herbs.
Ordinary herbs had fetched him 1,200 Astrals each—more than enough to sustain himself, but the Legendary Herb was something else entirely. If he had sold it instead of consuming it, it would have been worth a staggering 100,000 Astrals. That was a massive amount of wealth, enough to buy land, influence, or entire armies in this world. But Dante didn't regret his decision. Power was more important than money, and now he had both.
He briefly glanced at the other currency types: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Each had its place in Novarath's economy, but none could compare to the rarity and value of Astrals. For every 1,000 Gold Coins, only 1 Astral could be obtained. It was clear that while gold and silver were useful for basic transactions, Astrals were the currency of power—the currency that could change destinies.
Dante leaned back, letting the realization sink in. The Mafia System was generous—far more so than he had expected. It was almost unfair how easy it had been to gain both experience and currency in such a short time. But he wasn't complaining. In this world, he needed every advantage he could get.
As he stared at the glowing screen, a small smirk tugged at his lips.
"This system… it feels like a cheat."
And he wasn't about to waste it.
With his newfound strength and resources, Dante knew the next steps were crucial. He had leveled up, gained wealth, and understood the world he was in. But the real challenge lay ahead. He had to carve his way through the dangers of the Deadmist Forest and eventually make his way to the kingdom of Alderon.
But for now, he had time. Time to plan, time to strategize.