After what felt like an eternity of trudging through the forest, Taurus finally spotted his destination up ahead. It had been a long, exhausting journey, and by now, his legs felt like jelly. He'd muttered curses at his low Luck stat all along the way, but the faint outlines of buildings in the distance gave him a glimmer of hope.
He opened up the system map, squinting at the faded, sketchy outline that looked vaguely like a village. And hey, what do you know? It was a village. Or at least, something that had once been a village and now looked like it had taken a few too many hits. As he got closer, he could see that the place was rundown, with dilapidated houses and crooked fences that looked like they might collapse if someone so much as sneezed in their direction.
"Well… not exactly what I had in mind," Taurus muttered, eyeing the place from afar. "Is this even worth it?"
He stared at the mess of buildings, feeling a deep, unsettling hesitation. This place didn't exactly scream "welcome." It was more like a giant, blinking warning sign that he was walking into trouble. He was still trying to weigh the pros and cons of entering when his attention was caught by something strange happening in the village.
A kid in tattered, threadbare clothes shuffled out from between two crumbling buildings. Taurus couldn't help but feel a little twinge of pity at the sight of the kid's worn, downcast expression. But before he could dwell on it, someone shot out from the shadows—a ragged-looking guy who was all grime, stink, and missing teeth. The stranger grabbed the kid and yanked them back into the alley in a blur of movement.
"What the…?" Taurus whispered, staring in horror.
Not even a few seconds later, it happened again. This time, it was a grown man, strolling down what passed for a street. And then, bam! Out of nowhere, another rough-looking figure darted forward, snatched the guy by the collar, and dragged him out of sight. Taurus's jaw dropped as he watched, trying to process what he was seeing.
He barely had time to wrap his head around it when a woman walking across the road suddenly got pulled into an alley by yet another shady-looking individual.
"What kind of place is this?" Taurus muttered. People were getting snatched left and right in broad daylight, and nobody seemed to bat an eye. The whole village had a kind of eerie, "anything goes" vibe, and if this was the norm here, then he'd clearly walked into a no-man's-land.
He stood there, stuck between two very unappealing options. On one hand, he could turn around and try his luck again in the forest, but given his recent experience with thunderstorms and monsters, he wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect. On the other hand, he could venture into this crazy, lawless town where people were literally getting dragged off into the shadows.
"Of course, I'd walk into the one town that's probably more dangerous than the wilderness," he sighed.
But maybe he could handle himself, right? He had Eternis, and a few new skills, and he could technically defend himself if anyone tried to mess with him. It would be self-defense… probably.
He shook his head, trying to convince himself. But it was one thing to kill monsters; killing people? That was a different story entirely. Even if it was in self-defense, the thought didn't sit well with him.
He pulled up the system map again, staring at the blurry outlines of the village as they slowly became clearer, details filling in little by little. Taurus took a deep breath, hoping for something—anything—that would make him feel better about going into this place. Just as he was starting to wonder about the town, a new bit of information popped up on the map.
A single, ominous label appeared over the village: The Hollow Pit.
"Oh… that's just great," he muttered, reading the description that followed:
The Hollow Pit
Known as a haven for the lawless and the lost, The Hollow Pit is a gathering ground for thieves, outcasts, and people who prefer to live without rules or consequences. Expect no guards, no laws, and no mercy.
Taurus felt a chill run down his spine. "So… it's basically a hunting ground for maniacs." This place was where people came to steal, cheat, and probably do a lot worse, and from the looks of it, nobody was going to stop them.
He groaned, weighing his options once more. He didn't have to go in there, did he? He could always try his luck back in the forest. Sure, the forest was full of monsters, unpredictable weather, and everything else nature could throw at him, but it wasn't filled with people actively looking to rob him.
Then, as if the universe had heard his thoughts, a thunderous boom of lightning cracked through the air, followed by a familiar rumble of thunder from the direction of the forest. Dark clouds were starting to gather on the horizon, spreading fast and looking way too much like the beginning of another storm.
"Nope. Nope, nope, nope," he said, shaking his head with a resigned sigh. "Crazy town it is."
With a final, reluctant sigh, Taurus took his first step toward The Hollow Pit. If he was going to do this, he'd at least need to keep his guard up. His fancy, clean clothes practically screamed "target," but he couldn't exactly strip down and go in half-naked. Plus, it was getting cold again, and he didn't fancy freezing to death just to avoid looking too appealing to potential muggers.
"Alright, Taurus," he muttered to himself as he crossed into the outskirts of the village, "just stay low, keep quiet, and maybe no one will notice you."
Almost immediately, he realized that wasn't going to be an option. People lurked in the shadows, giving him shifty glances as he passed. Some of them had that rough, scraggly look that screamed "trouble," and more than a few were clearly sizing him up, their eyes lingering on his clothes.
"Oh, this was a terrible idea," he muttered under his breath, forcing himself to keep walking and avoid eye contact.
He tried to blend in, hunching his shoulders and pulling his cloak around him like he was just another traveler down on his luck. But The Hollow Pit was like a magnet for trouble, and he could feel the gazes following him, as if everyone in the village had some sixth sense for fresh meat.
"Okay, maybe just don't do anything stupid," he whispered to himself, casting a nervous glance at a few shifty-looking characters hanging around a nearby alley.
His stomach rumbled, reminding him why he'd braved this mess in the first place. If he could just find food, maybe barter with someone for supplies, he'd be on his way. He'd get what he needed and get out of here without any trouble. That was the plan, anyway.
As he made his way deeper into the village, a strange feeling settled over him. It was as if the entire place was watching him, waiting for him to make a wrong move. He'd never felt more out of place, and he cursed his dumb Luck stat for leading him here.
Still, he wasn't about to turn back now. Not with another storm brewing, and not after coming all this way. "Just keep moving, Taurus," he muttered, swallowing the knot of anxiety in his throat. "What's the worst that could happen?"
Famous last words.