"Thank you for your concern," Nathan said, offering a reassuring smile. "I'm just lost in thought for a moment. I appreciate your suggestion, but I assure you, I'm perfectly fine."
"How sure are you that you're fine?" the woman asked, her eyebrows furrowing with concern. "It's always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to our health."
Nathan couldn't help but notice how caring she was, especially considering that they were completely strangers. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding, "I understand your concern, and I truly appreciate it. However, I've been dealing with this for a while now, and I have a good handle on it. But thank you again for looking out for me."
Then he paused for a second when he recalled the events from yesterday. He fainted and had no idea what happened afterward. It was supposed to be another death—his second death.
But after analyzing all the possibilities, he was pretty sure that he had been rescued. After all, the woman was much stronger than the beast he encountered. It wasn't difficult for her to defeat it.
"Thank you for saving me."
"Don't mention it. It's our responsibility to do so," she replied casually.
"No, without you, I would have died. I promise to repay this kindness in the future." Nathan shot a glance at a window, staring outside.
"By the way, where... where am I?" He asked while blushing, feeling slightly embarrassed for not knowing where he was.
"This is a Frontal Defense Army base on the Slum Wall in Westward City. You have heard of the Slum Wall before, right?" She asked with raised brows.
Going through his memories, he indeed knew what the Slum Wall was. It was a large and strong facility that encompassed a popular city known as Westward, one of the four remaining cities.
The wall was a military base where troops trained while also serving as a barrier to protect the city from external threats. It was known for its strict security measures and advanced weaponry, making it a formidable defense against any potential attacks. The Slum Wall had become a symbol of strength and resilience for the people of Westward City, who relied on it for their safety and protection.
In fact, each of the four cities had its own army stationed within its defense walls, ready to defend against any potential threats.
In the defense walls, there were military academies where young men and women were trained in various combat techniques and strategies. These academies produced skilled troops who were well-prepared to protect their city and its inhabitants. The rigorous training programs ensured that the army was always ready to respond swiftly and effectively to any external aggression, further bolstering the city's security.
In fact, military service was a priority for every citizen, and it was considered a great honor to serve in the city's defense forces. The strong sense of duty and dedication instilled in the soldiers created a formidable force that deterred any potential threats from even considering an attack on the city. Additionally, the city regularly conducted drills and simulations to keep its troops sharp and prepared for any possible scenario, leaving no room for complacency in their commitment to safeguarding their home.
The slum wall also accommodated homeless young men and women who had been rescued by troops, just like Nathan. Homeless adults would be thrown into the city; life was difficult for weak people there. The young people, especially those under 21, were given a chance to strengthen themselves and were permitted to participate in the military academy's entrance competitions. Success in the competition would lead them to join the military academy, opening up opportunities for them to receive training and education, potentially leading to a better future. The military academy provided a structured environment where these young individuals could learn discipline, gain valuable skills, and develop a sense of purpose. This not only empowered them to overcome their difficult circumstances but also instilled in them a strong sense of loyalty and dedication to their country. The section Nathan was in was for the homeless; he was saved by Captain Samantha and her company!
"Yeah, I have heard of it."
He nodded."Good, I'm Captain Samantha Aginy, and I am in charge of looking after this section for the homeless." Captain Samantha introduced herself with a warm smile. "What's your name?"
Nathan returned the smile, grateful for Captain Samantha's kindness. "I'm Nathan Grok, a homeless boy," he replied half-jokingly, feeling a glimmer of hope as he sensed her genuine care and compassion.
Samantha chucked and muttered. "Ha-ha, for that reason, here will be your home, and you will no longer be homeless." She turned around and walked toward the exit. "Follow me"
Nathan got up immediately and followed her out of the room. They got into a very narrow hallway, which gave the impression that the walls were going to press together and crush them.
Walking through the narrow hallway, Nathan kept curiously peeping into each and every room they passed. Most of them were in infirmary rooms until they reached another section of the building that seemed more like living quarters. The rooms were tiny and had personal belongings scattered about, indicating that people actually lived there. Nathan couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope as he realized that this could be his new home, a place where he could finally belong. Nathan knew that it was another section when he read a signboard with the words "HOMELESS RESDENTIAL AREA."
"You'll going to be sleeping here for the time." Aginy muttered while pushing a button on the door of a room. Nathan was simply nodding until he saw the interior of the room, especially its size. It was much smaller than the infirmary rooms and other rooms, which he considered too small.
He was slightly irritated. Nathan's irritation quickly dissipated as he reminded himself that he was lucky to have a place to stay at all. He decided to make the most of the smaller space and focus on the sense of belonging he had found in this new residential area.
"Do you have any queries?"Captain Aginy suddenly asked while shooting a glance at him. Her face was devoid of expression."I don't have any questions so far."Nathan replied with a shrug while scanning the room with his eyes. The room was sparsely furnished, with only a mattress, a small desk, and a single chair. Nathan's gaze lingered on the plain walls, lacking any personal touches or decorations."Don't worry, once you become a student warrior, you'll have a better place." Samantha uttered it upon seeing Nathan's dissatisfaction with the place. "The military academy's entrance competition will occur in five days. You've got to train hard."In this world, your strength determines your fate. The weak were considered useless and were often overlooked or taken advantage of. The strong received the best services, while the weak received the worst or none at all.Nathan had already gotten to know what kind of world this was, and regardless of his disability, he had decided to do as much
"Because you’re behind your friends. I’ll give you a free access to training space" According to what he learnt from old Nathan memories, one had to pay a decent amount to use a training space. Free training were available to military and gifted students only.He wasn’t one, and he had to pay a decent sum to access a training space. Giving him free access to a training space was a huge favor."You’re too kind, Captain." Nathan felt that the young woman was being too generous to him. He couldn't help but feel grateful for her kindness, as it was rare for someone to offer free access to a training space, especially to someone like him who wasn't part of the military or a gifted student. Nathan wondered what had prompted her to be so generous toward him. "There’s no problem. May I know which level you are?" Training spaces were virtual worlds where one would confront illusory monsters, mostly gouses of preferred levels.This was critical because people were able to put their fears to th
Ding! [Opponents detected!] Ding! [Quest Received! Quests Details Quest: Conquer the opponents! Reward: 30 EP and 600 EXP Time limit: Limitless! Penalty For Failure: Getting Killed by the Opponents!] His heart raced as the notifications appeared on his screen. The realization that failure meant death only heightened his fear, making the situation feel even more intense and dangerous. His first quest wasn't as interesting as he thought it would be, but rather terrifying and life-threatening. The thought of facing opponents who were just as skilled and determined as him sent shivers down his spine. He knew that in order to survive, he would have to give it his all and strategize every move carefully. Instinctively, he reached for his weapon, ready to defend himself against the onslaught of attackers. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! A shot for each of the monsters changed the situation. The monsters were down, and the immediate threat was eliminated. There were all ordinary
He killed two more ordinary level 2 gouses and earned an additional 22 EP and 440 EXP. The fight was tough given that he had to rely on ordinary level 1 strength to defeat two ordinary level 2 gouses. He got injured, and his HP dropped. After the fight, his total EXP was 4390, and he leveled up to ordinary level 2. He then required 1810 EXP to level up to the next level, which was ordinary level 2. He had a total of 219.5 EP, still not enough to purchase the desired 10-minute 10x BSD, which was the highest. He found a thick bush nearby and decided to take a moment to rest and recover. The night found him there under the cover of darkness, providing a sense of safety and allowing him to heal without interruption. However, he occasionally heard sounds of monsters lurking. The next morning, he woke up feeling refreshed and ready to continue his journey. He knew he had to be cautious as he ventured further, aware that stronger enemies could be waiting for him. Despite the risks, he was
"What should I do now?" He whispered to himself. After ruminating for a few minutes, he made up his mind and stood up. He decided to practice basic combat skills before involving himself in a fight again. Although he was much stronger than before and could easily defeat any monster in the set-up, he knew that combat knowledge was very important in a warrior's adventure. It would help him deal with stronger opponents in real life. After all, in real life, there was no way to choose an opponent's level of strength or predict their tactics. Therefore, the warrior understood the necessity of constantly improving his combat skills to adapt to any situation and emerge victorious. By honing his techniques and reflexes, he would be able to face any adversary with confidence and overcome even the most formidable opponents. He took the skill book from his pockets. Flipping over the pages, he stopped on the book's content page. Firstly, he had to practice attacking skills such as strikes, kic
"My bad!" He muttered to himself while turning around. Indeed, a gous was there, staring at him with its piercing eyes. It seemed curious yet cautious, as if deciding whether he posed a threat. Like him, the lower half of its body was submerged while the upper half was not. Nathan hastily scrutinized it before it made any moves. He could feel that his fears had decreased by a leap. [Scrutinizing the target... Please wait.] Target Scrutinized! Target Details: Name: Gous Race: Alien Age: N/A Strength: 20kg+ Strength Level: Ordinary Level 2 Defense Shield: 6kg\6kg+ Health Points: 100/100] Without wasting time, the gous threw a punch. Nathan only saw a blurry figure, and it took him some time to realize that the blurry figure was a fist coming towards him at an incredible speed. Thus, it successfully landed on his face. Without using the system, he knew his HP had been subtracted by 14. The gous punch contained about 20 kg of energy, and his defense shield was 6kg, so less t
Splash! He landed in the stream with a resounding splash. To lure the gouses, he kicked the water several times, but no gouses emerged. He kicked a few more times, but still no gous appeared. It was as if the gouses had noticed his confidence and current abilities. Since no gous was appearing, he wasn't going to waste any more time here. He walked out of the water and went deeper into the thick and dense forest. The deeper he went, the more dense and creepy it became. Due to this, Nathan had no doubt that he would encounter monsters and was ready for it. All of a sudden, a gous leaped from a huge tree and landed on its feet right in front of him. This one was an ordinary level 3. The gous didn't waste any time bowling and stalking; it immediately charged toward Nathan and immediately became a blurry figure in the latter's eyes. As part of what he just learned, Nathan didn't make any moves until the figure was about to collide with him. With fast reflexes, Nathan sidestepped at the
He cursed repeatedly as he got up. "I burst into pieces; oh my god, how painful?"He was only grateful that he was still alive.Checking his EP, he saw that he remained with 62.5 EP. During his encounter with the bunch of ordinary level 3 gous, he managed to kill only one, the first one. Thus, he gained 330 EXP and 16.5 EP.Now he wanted to exchange the points for ammunition, but something came to his mind, and he asked. "What else can I do with these points?" He wondered if there were any other useful items or features he could acquire with his remaining points. Perhaps there were special abilities or skills that could be unlocked, enhancing his strength. Curiosity piqued, he eagerly awaited the response, hoping for more options to explore.[At the moment, you can only exchange points for 10-minute DSB, ammunition, and HP refills.]The only new thing was the HP refill, but it was also ineffective at the time because his HP could recover on its own after a brief rest. It was only usef