Chapter Two: Legacy Unveiled
Not even the web novels Benign read in camp would've prepared him for this. He might've transmigrated, but never had he anticipated a sea of dead bodies as a greeting?
It wasn't give a comforting welcome, at all, because as a soldier, dead bodies in such mass told a sad tale.
"Why was I brought here? Why did I get chosen?"
In most transmigration, a pathetic MC who regretted their lives would get a second chance to relive it. But not Benign. He had been a model student, quite unlucky with women but he had good friends.
He had been okay with a glorious death on the battlefield after taking down seven enemy commanders during his time as soldier.
He had turned down promotions so he'd stay with his unit, but he knew his name had travelled far as the terrifying 'The Cross'.
Also, before his death, he had alerted his unit of the missile, thereby saving them. They'd only be songs of his bravery during his funeral and it wasn't half bad.
So why was he given a second chance to life?
[The Legacy System chose you to aid the realms.]
He slid down the dune he was on, despite having no idea where the closest station would be. He just needed to start walking.
The sand under him was soft and sinking, and he felt the heat despite the sole of his boots. He needed to get to a station quickly or he'd die of thirst next.
"So what's the mission? I'm down, not like I have a choice anyway. Hopefully, its not a crazy mission like... taking all the women in the realm." He paused when the voice didn't reply. "Wait, is that it?"
[No. There's a glitch. You correct the glitch.]
He stayed quiet, waiting for more answers from what he had accepted as a system that handed him his missions and stats.
The system continued. [Because of the glitch, these bodies you see were dumped in the wrong realm, away from their families to bury. They had also been killed by the wrong enemy and died wrongly.]
He stopped walking and kept his hands on his waist. "You mean the clashing of realms meant different worlds colliding with another?"
[Yes.]
Benign's expression changed. He knew as much history needed for a soldier and might have dabbled into it more during his time as a model student, but they had never been any history that described glitches, and realms. This must be a really fantastical world.
"Tell me the realms involved, and which one these corpses are from." He continued walking down to the corpses. "Also, those skills thing you mentioned much earlier, I can actually use them, right?"
[No. You have to activate them first. They are basic skills so can be used when needed. They'd work without your permission.]
He nodded. He always appreciated soldiers who did what had to be done without waiting to take orders.
[The three realms current clashing are; Noria – home to ancient magic and elves. Olien – home to absurd technology and births. Karnak – home to mythical beasts and werecreatures. You are currently at Noria.]
"Home of elves?" He remembered all those interesting pieces of arts he'd seen about elves. "Not half bad. At least, something to look forward to."
[Noria is also the most hostile of all the realms.]
His hopes deflated. "You could have said it all at the same time. Were they the ones who killed these warriors?"
[No. Olien did. The realms are also at constant battle with each other since a turning point event, Ragnasenso. Karnak troops prepared for a battle with Noria, but glitch to Olien. Olien saw it as a call to war and dropped a nuclear on them.]
"Oh."
[The unsuspecting Karnak troops were massacred before they understood what happened. Their bodies came to Noria. Noria had been trying to use magic to restore the balance, so they abandoned bodies and glitch victims outside their kingdom.]
Benign felt it was practical. The Noria people didn't know why the glitches happened to the Karnak troops and whatever passed around could be contagious.
The government of his 'realm' would've burned the bodies to avoid an outbreak.
"So I have to be the one to restore balance. It'd save these realms the headaches and spare the innocent their lives."
In other words, another rescue mission. Heroic moments never stayed far from him and his sense of duty as a soldier remained, even if he barely knew the people.
"So what's the first move. Those skills, how do I activ—"
There was a gunshot kilometres away.
Benign snapped his head to his left, and saw a figure standing in the middle of the sea of sand. The figure was a man but with scales and a tail behind him.
"Wow. A hostile." He said dryly. By his right was a sea of sand and dead bodies, while his left, a creature with a gun.
The creature pointed the revolver to him, but Benign stayed still to check if a revolver would fire from more than fifty metres away. That was no sniper.
Yet, he felt the bullet pass his right and nearly bruising him. A sense of urgency consumed him and he started a sprint down to the another dune.
He couldn't hear the sound of the creature chasing him but he heard their shooting and knew they were coming.
"To activate my skills, I need what?"
[To be alive.]
"WHAT?"
Another bullet went past him and he slid to a stop, and faced the creature. He hadn't done anything hostile to be marked. Was it the way of this realm?
Was he even allowed to attack and kill it? He wouldn't hesitate, but he was brought here as a saviour to balance and restore. "Or was it my saviour complex that concluded that?"
Also this creature looked nothing like an elf and he was in the home of elves. "So it's a glitched creature from Karnak trying to survive, right?"
[A good use of your brain.]
Benign sighed. Glitches creatures had guns, meanwhile he transmigrated with not even a natural weapon to defend with.
Another bullet shot besides him, bruising his elbow. He frowned and touched his bleeding arm. "You are just picking a fight, aren't you? And what's with those lousy aims, huh?"
[Legacy System loading... Mission Alert!]
"Perfect timing."
[Mission: Eliminate threat to unlock Legacy Skill.] The system's voice became suddenly cold, commanding. [Reward: Activation of all skills, including the stored unique skill.]
A grin spread across Benign's face. So he was actually allowed to kill it? "Finally, something I understand."
He locked eyes with the creature since it got closer. It was more of a lizard head, than fish as he had earlier thought. It pointed the revolver on him again, and said something but he didn't understand.
"Don't worry," Benign waved. "I'd give you quick lessons on aiming. You're welcome."
{Author's note: Tell me what you think? ( ╹▽╹ )}