Money? Ethan didn't have any. In fact, he didn't even own much of anything. Everything he possessed was on him: a set of clothes, the spiritual training book, the island pointer from State Island, and a small supply of dry food and water.
"There's no way I could steal anything—I don't have the strength or the skills to pull that off," Ethan muttered to himself.
After thinking it over, he decided the safest option was to work at the Rogue Camp. Selling his labor in exchange for rewards was straightforward, wouldn't raise suspicions, and would help him gather the resources he needed.
The next morning, after a solid night's rest, Ethan went to find Akara. She was the only person in the camp he could communicate with, so he needed her help to convey his intentions to others.
Akara's tent was easy to locate. As one of the few remaining senior priestesses of the Sisterhood, her status in the camp was unmatched. The northeastern corner of the camp was reserved for the nuns, and among the cluster of tents, Akara's was the largest and most prominent.
In addition to her high status, Akara was invaluable for her exceptional healing skills and potion-making abilities, which were critical to maintaining the Rogue warriors' combat effectiveness. Whether through her knowledge or her authority, she was a cornerstone of the camp.
When Ethan arrived, Akara was outside her tent, staring thoughtfully at a patch of plants. She appeared to be deep in contemplation, and only when Ethan approached, blocking what little light there was, did she finally turn to face him.
"Young apprentice mage," she said, her tone kind but curious. "Do you need help with something?"
"Yes, Priestess Akara," Ethan replied, carefully forming his thoughts before projecting them through their mental link. "I need your help. As you can see, I'm penniless. I don't have anything to trade for travel expenses. I was hoping to do some work in exchange for rewards, enough to buy some protective weapons and enough food to last me for a while."
Akara nodded, understanding his predicament. "So you need me to translate your intentions to others?"
"Exactly," Ethan confirmed.
Since he couldn't speak directly with the people in the camp, Akara's help was essential. Thankfully, she didn't seem to mind the request.
"Wait here," she said. "I'll write a few notes for you and teach you some basic vocabulary. That should be enough to get you by."
True to her word, Akara wasted no time. She quickly jotted down several notes with simple messages, such as 'Need help?', 'I can work!', and 'I need to earn money to go home!' She then instructed Ethan to copy the words, ensuring he could recognize and differentiate them.
At the same time, she taught him a handful of basic words and phrases, like "hello," using gestures and repetition. For nearly three hours, they worked outside her tent, and by the end of it, Ethan had surprised even himself with how much he'd learned.
"I never learned this fast in my past life," Ethan marveled, running through the new vocabulary in his mind.
Not only had he picked up the words quickly, but his memory was unusually sharp. Despite learning more than a dozen words in one sitting, he felt no confusion or mental fatigue.
"It seems the Ancient One was right," Ethan muttered to himself. "As my mental strength improves, learning new languages becomes much easier."
The enhancement of his memory was a direct benefit of his growing mental power. While it didn't make him inherently smarter, it allowed him to process and retain large amounts of information with ease. In the world of mages, this wasn't just a bonus, it was an essential skill for advanced mages.
Akara, observing Ethan closely, noted his rapid progress. Though he had yet to formally begin his journey as a mage, his mental control and memory retention were already at the level of an apprentice.
However, this observation gave Akara pause. She began to consider whether the tasks Ethan was currently seeking were truly suitable for someone of his abilities.
Her decision came quickly. The Rogues who guarded this camp were already stretched to their limits. Between their regular patrols to fend off the growing number of dark creatures, their efforts to maintain the camp's defenses, and their need to collect resources, they had no extra capacity for additional tasks.
"If you truly wish to help, there is one thing that we could use assistance with right now."
Ethan's thoughts immediately jumped to the game he had played before. Akara had been the one to give the first quest in Act One. Was this the same? A dangerous combat mission involving killing an unknown number of dark creatures?
"Is she seriously going to send me out to clear the Den of Evil? I can't possibly handle something like that…" Ethan wondered, already considering how to politely refuse.
But Akara's next words dispelled his concerns.
She had clearly assessed him well. Thin, untrained, and without armor or weapons, let alone any practical experience as a mage. Ethan wasn't ready for any large-scale combat. What she wanted, however, was far simpler: herb gathering.
"The darkness is encroaching ever closer," Akara explained. "The pressure on the Rogues is increasing by the day. They are now forced to stay near the camp for defensive purposes and have no manpower left to gather materials. The herbs we use for potions are running low, and I need fresh supplies to make more."
Akara herself couldn't leave the camp, and neither could the lower-ranked nuns, who were under strict protection. These tasks, therefore, fell to others.
"Gathering herbs?" Ethan repeated, the task sounding simple enough. "That doesn't sound too hard. I can do that."
Akara seemed relieved to see his willingness and provided a detailed explanation of the herbs she needed, including their shapes, characteristics, and even a few illustrations to make identification easier.
"But be cautious," she warned. "According to the patrolling Rogues, the number of dark creatures near the camp is steadily increasing. Even some of the local wildlife has begun to fall prey to the corruption of dark forces. It's no longer entirely safe, even close to the camp."
Ethan nodded, already planning to stay close to the camp's perimeter. He wasn't foolish enough to venture too far, knowing he'd have no way to escape if something went wrong.
"I'll write a note for you," Akara added, "to take to Kashya. She will prepare some basic self-defense weapons for you."
"Thank you," Ethan said, accepting the note.
He left Akara's tent and headed toward Kashya, the formidable leader of the Rogues. She stood in the center of the camp, her tall and commanding figure unmistakable.
Handing the note over, Ethan watched as Kashya quickly recognized Akara's handwriting.
"So, you're helping Akara gather herbs?" she asked.
Ethan couldn't understand her words, but he nodded and handed over another note Akara had prepared for him earlier. The note contained a phrase in the local language, which Ethan understood to mean: I need to earn what I need to get home.
Kashya read it, then glanced at Ethan with a mixture of scrutiny and amusement. She didn't bother repeating the dangers of venturing outside the camp. Akara's request was clear enough. Turning to one of the Rogues nearby, she gave a series of instructions, all the while muttering something under her breath.
Ethan couldn't understand a word, but Kashya's tone made him feel as if she were… criticizing him. If he had understood, he would've been quite annoyed.
"Too thin!"
"Clearly lacking in strength!"
"With such a weak physique, even light leather armor would slow him down. Just prepare a small weapon and forget the protective gear."
"He could use some training, any one of my Rogues could take down ten of him!"
Despite the uneasy feeling of being judged, Ethan kept a polite demeanor. When Kashya handed him a short sword and a small shield, he thanked her.
"I wish you a safe return, young man," Kashya said, her tone softening slightly.
Ethan understood this phrase, as Akara had taught it to him specifically for such moments.
"Thank you," he replied.
He sheathed the short sword at his side, strapped the small shield to his arm, and began his journey outside the camp. His steps were steady, but his heart raced.
"Am I scared? Of course I'm scared," Ethan admitted to himself.
Though he had been given a second chance at life, he had never experienced anything like this, facing actual monsters corrupted by dark forces.
"But I have to face this sooner or later. There's no running away from it," he told himself firmly. Taking a deep breath, Ethan pressed forward.
As he stepped past the camp's gates, the Rogues called out, "I wish you a safe return!"
The area surrounding the camp was known as the Blood Moor. Despite the ominous name, it was still populated with plants and animals. However, their unnatural colors hinted at the world's growing corruption under the influence of dark forces.
Ethan didn't know the full extent of the corruption. Even the herbs Akara needed were tainted by dark energy, forcing her to purify them with magic before they could be used to make potions. This purification process weakened the potions' effects, which was one of the reasons supplies were running low.
"As long as I don't go too far, I shouldn't run into any monsters, right?"
This logic seemed sound. The Rogues patrolled daily to keep the area around the camp clear, ensuring that it remained relatively safe.
Unfortunately, Lady Luck was not on Ethan's side.
He had barely walked far enough for the camp to disappear from sight when he spotted the first herb on his list. But next to it, two zombies in tattered clothing shuffled aimlessly. Their movements were stiff and sluggish.
"Zombies… Just two of them. No other monsters around."
Ethan's grip tightened around the hilt of his short sword. While zombies were slow and clumsy, they were still dangerous if underestimated. However, this situation was manageable. With only two of them, he could use his agility to stay out of their reach. If he took one out quickly, he'd only have to deal with the second one in a one-on-one fight.
After carefully surveying the area and confirming there were no other threats, Ethan made his decision.
Drawing his short sword, he charged forward.
He moved as quickly as he could, building momentum with every step. When he reached the first zombie, he leapt into the air, using the weight of his small shield to smash into the zombie's head.
"Take this!"
The impact knocked the zombie off balance, sending it toppling to the ground. Without hesitating, Ethan brought his short sword down in a sharp, decisive strike aimed at its head.
Ethan's mind flashed back to the countless novels and movies he had consumed in his previous life. He had seen too many "experienced" characters get killed because they hesitated or underestimated zombies. Those lessons were burned into his mind.
Quick. Hard. Precise.
In one fluid motion, Ethan landed the killing blow.
And just like that, he claimed the first kill of his life.