Upon waking, Rogelio found himself on a hill overlooking an unfamiliar world. In the distance, he spotted a small town. Confused about what to do, how to survive, and worried about the old man who gave him the ring, Rogelio recalled the sage's words: "This ring will give you power beyond anything you could imagine."
Taking a deep breath, he muttered to himself, "I got this! First, before heading to town, I need to test the ring's power."
Raising his hand, Rogelio shouted, "Fireball!"
Nothing happened. He tried again, "Windstorm!"
Still, nothing. Disappointed, he muttered, "This should be a magical world where I'm the powerful protagonist, like in those novels. Yet I'm powerless, and all I have is a glowing ring that only changes outfits. Great. I'm going to die early here."
His stomach growled, interrupting his thoughts. "I should just go to town and find something to eat," he said with a sigh.
When Rogelio arrived in town, he noticed it was filled with thugs and poverty. Suddenly, a bulky thug blocked his path.
"What's a Valorian apprentice doing in foreign lands?" the thug asked.
"I think you've got the wrong person, sir," Rogelio replied, shocked that he could understand and speak the thug's language.
While Rogelio stood in stunned silence, the thug raised his hand, ready to strike. But an old man intervened.
"Stop! If a Valorian knight hears of this, are you prepared to face the consequences?" the old man said.
The thug hesitated, lowering his hand. "You're lucky, young man," he muttered before walking away.
The old man noticed Rogelio's ring. "Follow me, young apprentice," he said firmly.
"Um, sir, I think you've got the wrong—"
"Don't say anything," the old man interrupted. "Just follow me if you value your life."
Moments later, they arrived at a bar. The old man introduced himself.
"I'm Jay, the owner of this bar. And you are?"
"I'm Rogelio. I came from afar, but I'm not a Valorian apprentice. I don't even know what that means," Rogelio replied.
Jay raised an eyebrow but said, "I won't ask for more. Since you've come to this land, you must need something."
Jay offered Rogelio a drink, and Rogelio replied, "Thanks, but I don't have money. That's why I'm here—I need a job."
Jay chuckled. "That's on the house. If you're looking for work, try the Adventurer's Guild. They'll offer jobs even to people without proper backgrounds."
"Adventurer's Guild? So this is a magical world," Rogelio muttered.
"Pardon?" Jay asked.
"Nothing. Where is this guild located?"
"At the center of town. Look for the logo of a sword and shield," Jay replied.
"Thanks, Jay. Before I go, what's a Valorian apprentice? And where am I?" Rogelio asked.
Jay smiled knowingly. "You really are from afar. This is the Zandora continent, divided into four ancient kingdoms and one central kingdom:
Arcadia: A realm of eternal spring in the north.
Luminara: A land of twilight and starlight in the southeast.
Valoria: A prosperous realm of brave knights in the south.
Firelands: A volcanic region filled with danger and demonic humans in the west.
The central kingdom, Eclipsia, hosts the Adventurer's Guild headquarters. Where you stand now, however, is the Foreign Land—a lawless region full of crime and syndicates. The thugs likely mistook you for a Valorian apprentice because of your black robe. True Valorian apprentices wear blue robes."
"Thanks for the info, Jay. I'll keep that in mind," Rogelio replied.
As he left the bar, Jay called out, "If you need a place to stay, come back anytime."
Following Jay's directions, Rogelio arrived at the Adventurer's Guild. The sword and shield logo confirmed it.
Inside, everyone stared at him, mistaking him for a Valorian apprentice. He approached the front desk, where a woman greeted him.
"How can I help you, sir?"
"I'd like to apply to join the Adventurer's Guild," Rogelio said.
"Follow me to the testing area. By the way, I'm Sara," she replied.
Sara introduced him to Baron, a B-rank adventurer who would test him.
"It's simple," Baron explained. "Fight me. I'll rank your skill from D to B. If you're better than that, you'll face an A-rank adventurer. Choose a weapon from the rack."
Rogelio picked up a sword. "A sword should do. I've always used swords in games and VR."
Baron smirked. "A swordsman, huh? Take your stance."
Before Rogelio could prepare, Baron dashed forward, aiming a stab at his chest.
"F**k, he's too fast!" Rogelio thought, panic setting in.
Suddenly, the ring on his finger glowed faintly, and time seemed to slow. Rogelio, though startled, seized the opportunity and redirected Baron's strike with a swing of his sword.
Baron stepped back, visibly impressed. "To redirect a B-rank sword attack… You've got something, kid."