Kingdom of Riverhaven, Greenwood Village
The chilly sea breeze rolled in, filled with the tang of saltwater.
Despite everything, the boy slowly opened his eyes—he shouldn't have been alive.Hunger gnawed at him, twisting his insides as if flames danced in his belly, creating an unbearable ache.
"Oliver Stark… is that my name now? I'm just a farmer. My parents are gone, leaving behind only a dilapidated shack and a small plot of land…"
He was in a coastal village, evoking memories of ancient England.Fragmented memories surged within him, and Oliver recalled that even the land he relied on for survival had recently been taken from him. That was why this body was on the brink of starvation.
A soul from another world, someone from the 21st century, had appeared here.
Yes, Oliver had been transported.
Once, he was just a regular guy in a small American town, living an uneventful life. It was unthinkable that, during a shooting incident, he, an innocent bystander, had been struck by a stray bullet, leading to this moment...
I'm so hungry!
His stomach growled.
The noise pulled him back from his thoughts. Instinct for survival drove him to scan his surroundings, desperate for even the slightest morsel of food. But all he saw was the empty, crumbling interior of the shack.
An empty clay pot sat where fresh water should have been, while a small barrel of ale lay on its side, dried out long ago.
There was nothing—no food, not even a drop to drink.
"Get lost! There's nothing to eat here; my family can hardly feed themselves!"
"Don't bother him; who knows if he's sick!"
Indifferent voices rang in his ears, while faces from his past drifted through his mind.
I can't just starve to death like this.
A fierce desire to live surged through Oliver, compelling him to struggle up from the dilapidated floorboards, unsteady as he stumbled out of the shack. He needed to find something to eat.
However, just a few steps outside, fatigue hit him like lead, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, unable to move further.
"Is this what it feels like to starve to death?"
Oliver managed a bitter smile, glancing down at his emaciated form, feeling utterly despondent.
He had died once; could he really be on the verge of dying again just after being transported?
Thud, thud, thud—heavy, chaotic footsteps approached.
Someone was coming?
Oliver's heart skipped a beat as he struggled to cry out for help. But before he could open his mouth, the figures had already spotted him and began to murmur coldly.
"Another one on the brink of starvation."
"Leave him; he might be contagious!"
The voices of several fishermen faded into the distance.
Despair wrapped around Oliver's heart like a vice, his limbs growing colder and weaker. He wanted to crawl back inside to see if any scraps remained, but he lacked the strength for even that.
"Oliver, why are you lying here?"
A melodic voice cut through the darkness.
He managed to lift his gaze and saw a frail girl standing in the doorway, her face a mask of alarm.
"Isabella?"
Isabella Alstan, the daughter of the neighboring farmer. The Alstans were just as impoverished as he was, toiling daily for their meager sustenance.
"I—I came out to find some water. What about you, little Isabella?"
Oliver panted, forcing the words out.
He longed not just for water but for food. Yet remembering the indifferent faces from earlier, and knowing the Alstans were just as destitute, he held his tongue.
"Nonsense! You must be starving!"
Little Isabella shot him a stern look, her eyes flashing with compassion.
Oliver's gaunt figure was alarming, like a specter of malnutrition. As she stepped closer, she realized something was seriously wrong.
"Wait here; I—I'll bring you some rye bread…"
Before she could finish her sentence, she hurried off.
Moments later, she returned, clutching a hard piece of rye bread in her small hands.
Though it was the cheapest food, costing only seven or eight copper coins, to a family like hers, it was a crucial lifeline for survival.
As the daughter of a farmer, she understood the value of food. Offering it made her heart ache.
She had stolen this bread from her home; if her father found out, she would surely face a beating.
Isabella's father had a penchant for drinking, and though it was only the cheapest ale, he became violent after drinking. Oliver often heard cries and screams from next door.
At that moment, Isabella instinctively touched a bruise on her arm, hesitation flickering in her eyes as fear of her father crept in. Yet she still extended the piece of rye bread toward him.
"Little Isabella, I—I can't…"
Oliver couldn't help but swallow hard. What once seemed to him a tough, unpalatable crust now appeared as a delicacy beyond measure.
He had intended to refuse, but before he could voice it, his trembling hands reached out instinctively, accepting it and shoving it into his mouth, chewing and swallowing with urgency.
The starch mixed with saliva burst forth with a faint sweetness in his mouth, mingling with the original sour and salty flavors of the rye bread. The taste was far from delightful, even somewhat repulsive.
But in that moment, Oliver's only thought was of survival; he couldn't care less about the flavor.
The bread was gritty with bran and even contained bits of wood, making it rough and difficult to swallow, but he forced it down without a sip of water.
"Eat up, and hurry home; don't just lie here at the door."
"Mm…"
Oliver wanted to respond, but Isabella stood up, turning to leave, her face pale, still grappling with how to handle her father's inevitable questions.
And it was autumn; given how starved he was now, how would he survive the coming winter when food would be scarcer?
Would she dare to steal more food for him in the future?
Yet their family was not well-off either, and if her father discovered it…
With these worries weighing heavily on her, Isabella's figure gradually faded from view.
Oliver fought to swallow the last remnants of the rye bread, wishing he could express his gratitude but found no words in time.
Life as a farmer was anything but easy.
The Alstan family comprised five members, and just the cost of rye bread alone amounted to eighty copper coins daily.
While the Alstans' harvest translated to about one hundred copper coins a day, seemingly enough at first glance, household expenses went far beyond just bread.
Food, clothing, shelter—these all required coin.
Moreover, much of the farmers' land wasn't theirs.
It belonged to the lord, and taxes had to be paid.
There were various other dues, bribes for selling grain, costs for renting tools, and even obligatory service.
Not to mention the potential for famine or illness striking family members.
A piece of rye bread may seem insignificant, but for families like theirs, it held immense value.
Though only fifteen, Isabella had already been helping her family with work; she understood the worth of food, yet still chose to share a piece with Oliver.
She would undoubtedly face her father's wrath tonight.
Oliver wished he could help her, but he was utterly powerless in his current state.
As darkness enveloped the land after he finished the rye bread, he gazed up at the unfamiliar night sky.
The stars shone brightly, yet they were unlike anything he had known before.
A gust of night air washed over him, and Oliver felt adrift in confusion; he had never been a farmer in his past life. Although he had inherited some memories of this body, he lacked the skills to till the land.
How was he to survive in this world?
Moreover, and perhaps more crucially, this world was unlike any other!
He recalled stories of people from the neighboring town who could punch through iron walls and tales of those who could form so-called mana cores to wield elemental magic.
Yet these seemed leagues away from him now.
He couldn't even secure the most basic necessity—food for survival!
But just then, something unexpected occurred.
A strange chill surged through his mind, followed by sharp pain as though needles were piercing his skull, while his lungs felt on fire, suffocating him.
Fortunately, this sensation subsided quickly.
In its wake, a series of words appeared before his eyes!
---Oliver Stark
Mana cores:
[Mana core 1 – Red –Elysian Nexus Core – Enhances magical growth based on creature cultivation. This core can transform into different forms based on the captured creature, granting unique abilities associated with each form. ]
[Mana core 2 – ???]
Bloodline:
[Beastmaster's Lineage] – Grants the ability to cultivate and control magical creatures, enhancing their growth and abilities as the bloodline matures.
Transformation Mechanism:
[Shape-shifting Core] – Adapts to the essence of captured creatures, enabling various transformations. Each form provides unique abilities that enhance the wielder's skills based on the creature captured.
A Mana Core?
I've got a legendary artifact now?
With the Beastmaster bloodline, I can keep capturing creatures, gaining their abilities to boost my own—just like the legendary Druids!
[Mana Core]
[Acquired Creature Soul Crystal: Unknown Hound (Red)]
He caught a glimpse in his mind—a red crystal floating slowly around the Mana Core.
Where did this captured creature come from?
Suddenly, Oliver remembered that when a stray bullet had taken him down in his past life, a black dog had been lying in a pool of blood beside him. Could it be from that time?From what he understood, his Mana Core captured creatures to enhance himself, without needing to kill them.
Of course, if the creature was already dead, it wouldn't affect his gains.
[Would you like to refine its abilities?]
A notification chimed.
Oliver hesitated for a moment. He glanced around at his shabby dwelling, then at his own empty self.
In truth, he had no other choice. Did he?
This world was fascinating. Those with Mana Cores could summon the elements, soar freely, and wield immense power. How could he not want that?It was settled. Starting today, he would walk the path of magic!
As he thought about it, the red crystal shimmered, transforming into a red light that fused into his Mana Core.
A wave of warmth surged from the core, spreading through his body and limbs!Just having arrived in this world, he had felt weak, as if on the verge of death.
But now, the warmth flowing through him made him feel strong, revitalized—no longer frail.
However, the warmth didn't last long, fading quickly, leaving him still not as powerful as he'd hoped.
But the system's notification chimed again.
[Refinement Successful]
[Mana Core 1 – Red – Elysian Nexus Core - Current Form: Hound Form]
[Captured Creature: Unknown Hound (Red), Fusion Level: 10%]
[Life Essence: 0]
[Forest Favorability: 0]
[Evaluation: A strange hound of unknown origin; its abilities are yet to be fully developed.]
Oliver noticed that, although his Mana Core remained red, there was now a faint black mist around it, as if the hound's form flickered on its surface!
When he clicked on the captured creature section, more information appeared, drawing his attention.
[Unknown Hound (Red): Capable of searching forests, locating treasures, and detecting danger!]
[Current fusion level is low, capable of enhancing stamina and providing night vision.]
[Consuming Life Essence can upgrade it to Orange, unlocking new abilities; upgrade to Yellow for Blood Wolf Claws.]
"Consuming Life Essence can enhance fusion levels, boosting my Mana Core. But what exactly is Life Essence? How do I acquire it? And what is Forest Favorability?"
Oliver's mind raced, a mix of excitement and confusion. His Mana Core was extraordinary!
Just capturing an ordinary hound granted him such powerful abilities.
If he could capture magical creatures, how strong could his Mana Core become?
This world was full of dense, dangerous forests.
Magical beasts, treasures, and mineral veins hid deep within.
But acquiring treasures in the woods was no easy task.The magical beasts were far beyond the strength of ordinary humans.
And deeper in the woods, toxic mists lingered, killing anyone who ventured too far.But now, with a Mana Core as a Beastmaster, Oliver was confident he could navigate the wilderness like a beast.
And when the time came, the treasures hidden in the forests would be his for the taking.
He recalled stories of someone from the neighboring village who'd found a dead saber-toothed kitten. Its broken body had sold for thirty silver coins!
One silver coin was worth one hundred copper coins—thirty silver coins was a farmer's monthly income! "Now I can see in the dark and sense danger. Does that mean I can head into the mountains to hunt for treasure?"
Oliver's heart raced with excitement.
His Mana Core's hound form was only red for now. If he could upgrade it to orange, yellow, or even higher forms—green, blue, purple—how strong could he become?Taking a deep breath, Oliver stopped hesitating and started searching his home.
This rundown house was empty, but he managed to find a rusty sickle.
The moonlight shone brightly.
From a nearby thatched house, he could hear faint weeping.
Clenching his fists, Oliver set out toward the forest. As he walked, he took in the unfamiliar world around him.
His village, Greenwood Village, was as ordinary as it got.
Transportation was primitive, with only a muddy path for the villagers to use.
Above the village was a small town, Eccleston, where people went to sell grain and pay taxes.
Beyond that lay Glensorne City, a place he had always dreamed of—a vibrant, prosperous city full of wizards and knights.
Once he grew powerful, he would definitely visit.
This world felt far grander and more exciting than he had ever imagined. After a long walk, Oliver finally reached the edge of the forest.
Breathless, he gazed into the dark woods, hesitant to venture too deep. Instead, he wandered along the outskirts.
His danger-sensing ability told him that the deeper parts of the forest were still too dangerous.After wandering for a while, he suddenly felt a stir in his heart and rushed toward a shadowy thicket.
To his surprise, a yellow-furred rabbit was quietly munching on grass.
Hidden well beneath the thicket's cover, the rabbit was almost undetectable.
But with his night vision, it couldn't escape his notice.
Realizing it was being hunted, the rabbit leapt away in panic.
But it was too late.
In an instant, Oliver had captured it with twine and tossed it into the linen bag slung over his shoulder. "Night vision is amazing, and the Mana Core is making me feel stronger. My physical abilities are far beyond those of an average person. I can move fast and strike with precision!"
This catch would make for a good meal.With that thought, he continued walking along the forest's edge.
The darkness of night held no fear for him.
He moved like an elf in the night.
Along the way, he easily spotted various nocturnal creatures—rabbits, squirrels, even foxes.
But after catching a few of them, his interest began to fade.
Aside from filling his stomach, they weren't worth much.
Of course, he could still sense danger in the air. Without his special ability, an ordinary person would likely have died by now.
Even the forest's edge was perilous. It was truly frightening! Finally, after some searching, Oliver spotted a more suitable target.
A small, sharp-toothed weasel!
About the size of an adult's forearm and weighing around three kilograms, its sharp teeth and special meat made it a popular item in town.
It could fetch at least five silver coins!
But it wasn't easy to catch.
Its speed was impressive, and its sharp teeth were like small daggers—dangerous.Taking a deep breath, Oliver knew the moment was fleeting. He carefully approached, then swung the sickle with all his might.
The weasel, startled by the sudden appearance of a human, tried to flee.
But Oliver's speed was too much. The sickle struck true, severing its tail in one blow.
The small creature screamed in pain and tried to escape, but Oliver stepped forward and pinned it down with his foot.
Five silver coins, secured!