The village of Alian is located in the southern part of the Literra Empire. Most residents have livelihoods as farmers, fishermen, or hunters in areas with a prosperous greeny.
Their region was relatively small compared to the other nobility's territory, so it was common for their village to be quite backward regarding infrastructure and development. Even so, the citizens never complained about it. They were pretty happy with their lives and current situation.
Three days ago, the chief's son woke up from a coma. He has an unknown disease. As soon as he came to his senses, it wasn't long before he made a trip to the Town of Krakal to deepen the ties between the two regions.
A strange natural disaster occurred in Krakal Town one year ago, where dungeon monsters suddenly spawned. There are also unique monsters, mini-bosses, and mysterious figures. They called that disaster the Inverse Dungeon, where they became the prey.
A similar disaster almost happened in the Village of Alian. When it was morning, black clouds rose high, and a strange black spiral appeared in the village, spewing out dozens of monsters from within. Luckily, thanks to the alertness of the three adventurers, they managed to hold off the monsters, and the residents managed to run to a safer place.
“Forgive me, princess. I should be the one escorting the young master and his family, I have failed.”
"Enough, Erick!" Layla snapped, her voice rising at the news of what had happened in the village.
Erick kept his face down. He felt responsible for why he couldn’t protect his master. In the end, other than him and the three adventures, Archie and his mother were still in critical condition.
Layla sat pensively in front of a house, her feelings mixed with everything. Her worries won't subside until she hears news about his fiancé and Mrs. Emeline. Layla stood up when she heard the door squeak and asked, "How are they?"
"Both of them are in bad condition. Mrs. Emeline though her body was cold her heart puls fast. As for Young Master, he seems to have dry out of mana,” replied the person who had just left the room.
They understand the two of them may not come to their senses soon. Layla ordered Erick and the male residents to take turns on guard at night. If they were to be attacked once again, this time, the effect would be dire.
Since she was little, Layla has frequently interacted with residents in her area. Her figure is known as a cheerful and smart girl, even though she is shy, but she often does her duties as a noble in place of her family.
Layla entered the inpatient room. She found two beds, each filled by Archie and Mrs. Emeline. Even though their faces were equally pale, at a glance, she felt a deep sadness towards her mother-in-law.
She had several times diagnosed Mrs. Emeline and confirmed what the previous healer had said was accurate, and the reality made her reflect even more.
“Could it be…Mrs. Emeline has the same symptoms as Mama?” she muttered.
Layla sat on a bench between them, contemplating her fate. When she heard disaster news from the guard, she immediately responded. Her fear had happened.
Her hallucination became more intense, so she hadn't noticed since the beginning. Archie, who had woken up, watched her silently. Archie's slight movement still made the bed squeak, and it woke Layla.
Her mouth wanted to say something, but Archie cut her off immediately.
"Your mother...what happened to her?"
Layla slanted her eyes when she got the question. It seemed Archie had heard her mumbling.
Archie, still sitting on his bed, listened to Layla's story carefully, his eyes shifting to see the figures of Layla and his mother.
The disaster a year ago in the Town of Krakal has claimed dozens of lives. The victims initially only passed out but never regained consciousness until they died one by one.
“Their symptoms…same as Mrs. Emeline,” Layla muttered.
"Do you know why they got like that?"
“I don't know…but it seems my brother knows something. He said that the villagers' power had been forcibly extracted, and…and….”
Archie got up from his bed and drew closer to Layla, who couldn't hold back her tears. He stroked her head several times and whacked the flowing tears. "It's okay," he said.
He left the women in the room and walked out.
The nighttime atmosphere in his village became soundless than usual. Most of the residents had already gone inside their respective homes.
In his reverie, Archie thought about the events of the past three days, since he woke up in this world, and until now. As a foreign soul not from this world, the recesses of his heart remained filled with negative feelings. Just then, he realized this body still belonged to Archie Shellford. With all his ties to this world, he felt the same pain, annoyance, and resentment—which to him, was humane.
In his previous world, he struggles to live decently. He has the knowledge to earn the “standard” title of society, and, just now, because of his stupidity, he put his mother in danger.
He must discard his thoughts of "I am not the original of this world," and live up to his true identity. He must protect those closest to him, his village, his mother, and discover the secrets spread throughout the world. Something that clearly engraved within him—he should conquer dungeons and uncover mysteries.
He must become stronger. If another outlander came after him again—he had to have the power to fight back—and win; it was the only way to get closer to the mystery.
"Layla…," said Archie, he knows Layla following him from behind, "I have succeeded drawing up the outline. First, for the sake of finding medicine for my mother, I have a few questions.”
He knew this was a world of magic and dungeons, which meant that the restrictions that used to be a hindrance in his old world didn't all apply. One could heal abrasions with spells, which meant one could also find an antidote—with magic or magic items.
To answer that, he has to research; he has to study; he has to learn everything. Strength is not just those with a sturdy physique, but intelligence—if used properly, has greater opportunities.
"Do you know where I can get Nymph blood?"
“It’s here? It turned out to be quite crowded.” “Well, besides getting your ID card, there is a guild office nearby; many adventurers are taking care of their needs.” Archie and Layla had just entered Wellspring town, the closest place they could register for identity cards. The city is bustling with traffic, and the buildings stand majestically. They can see many adventurers wearing various equipment doing their activities, whether just drinking or discussing their strategy to conquer dungeons. That night, Archie had decided to find a cure for his mother. He had to research dungeons, looking for magic items or drop items that could be useful to him. For that, he needs to have an identity card. In this world, identity cards are obtained from a commercial dungeon called “The Given.” Unlike dungeons in general, the size is like an ordinary house door, and this dungeon can be in the college offices or guild agencies. After putting the horse down, Archie walked with Layla to a large
"Is there something wrong?" "Nothing." The answer was so fast out of Layla. “If so, you can contact me any time if you need help,” Emma greeted. After a light bow, she walked back to her counter. No one else is in the same queue, which means that today or indeed, the ID card registration process is not as busy as other transactions. If this were still in his world, he would probably have to queue several hours before having his turn to be served and then wait days to weeks for the paperwork to be completed. If he remembered correctly, he once applied for a national identity card and had waited almost two years before the process had to be repeated from the beginning. Luckily he was already a civil servant at that time, and when he processed it for the second time, miraculously, it was finished in just two days even though they should have completed the process on the same day. "So, now what should I do?" After getting the ID card, and with all the skill points he has, he should
"I think that's a good idea, do you guys agree?" “Mmm…of course, why not?” There was no objection from the party members, and everyone agreed. From the beginning, Archie was just a spectator in the back, with Layla casting support spells, while the other three adventurers were in the front row, slaying monsters. Unlike the three adventurers, who wore complete equipment such as armor and weapons, Archie and Layla only wore makeshift equipment. They didn't have any prior preparations, so they used equipment that could be bought in Craydon city. "I have a suggestion," Kane chimed in. "In order to save time, it is better for the three of you to proceed to the left side first, let me and the kid unlock the secret room on the right side." "That's right, it's possible that there are other parties that can precede us, right?" “Mmm…after all the monsters int the early stage are only blue-level, Kane alone is enough, right?” Without Layla's or Archie's approval involved, the three advent
It all started when Coby and Kane were watching Layla sitting alone in the guild building. They admire Layla's beauty and body shape. Even though the girl has tried not to stand out and dress modestly, the purity of her beauty still radiates and invites their attention.At a glance, they could tell that Layla must be a noble, and a noble must be wealthy and have money. Instead, those who were in a stalemate spent the rest of their money on drinking until a depraved idea popped into Kane's head.They can play around with the girl and ask for something in return. A classic method that any petty bandit could do.The choice of The Cursed Dungeon was not purely random, but they had thought of using the dungeon mechanism to isolate Archie and Layla. Reasons can come later, give the girl a bit of a threat, and people will simply believe that incident happened and the newbie can’t be saved.On the other hand, Layla acted more aggressively because she followed her emotions when she saw her fia
The Cursed Cave Dungeon is a purple-level difficulty and a monthly type dungeon. This dungeon was not a high-difficulty dungeon, but adventurers who wanted to explore it still needed sufficient knowledge and power level. Whitecaste-ranked adventurers could only enter white-level dungeons, Bluecaste only blue-level, and so on. But this system could be busted by having more than three people at the same rank as the dungeon level and one newbie. Even though it is classified as a low difficulty level, a dungeon is still strange and unknown to humans. They just explore and repeat for rewards and treasures, but the mystery of the dungeon doesn't stop there. “Damn it, isn't this strange? The monsters' levels suddenly increased, and we had a hard time killing them. Not to mention the numbers seem never to lessen.” "There must be something going on, we've never experienced this before." As the first team to advance exploring, leaving Kane and Archie behind, they are currently being pushed
Spread Anomaly, a dungeon mechanism accidentally triggered by Archie. The initial trigger is to open a secret room near the starting path, then kill all the monsters that spawn in that room; then, the mechanism will run immediately, making the spawned monsters increase in number and stronger. Mechanisms like this were common in high-level dungeons, but it always maintained the possibility that low-level dungeons would also have them. Monsters in dungeons have a thickness of Health Points that can be seen if one masters the "Eyesight" ability. It's a passive ability that anyone can learn, and Archie just learned it after taking a test at The Given. “I need more attacks than Kane, who only uses two or three skills. Is it because this weapon is low grade?” Archie muttered to himself after blowing away the monsters. His Eyesight saw their HP only decrease by 20% after receiving the attack. [Ordinary One-handed Sword] [Category: Spiritual Weapon] [Rarity: Whitecaste] This world has
Things have changed, and now Archie comes and takes the initiative himself. Basically, he didn't care what the three adventurers would get into. Allowing them to flee towards the entrance was understandable—so that no one would see him using his Grimoire.The atmosphere inside the cave area is rather dark, making their vision limited. Kane, who ran into Archie, did not immediately realize that Archie was using the Grimoire’s powers. Whether Kane will think about where Archie got the skill from, it's not essential.The deal was taken unilaterally by Archie. He decided to continue the dungeon and headed for the next room, while the other three adventurers immediately ran towards the dungeon entrance. Though it was a waste since they wouldn't be able to escape immediately, at least they would be safe there—that was what they thought.Layla has activated [Aura of Velocity] on Archie. His figure can now move faster and more agile by combining Layla's skill effect with the passive skill fro
“Archie…what is this?”A gust of wind blew within the dungeon's narrow passages, circling the two as if prevent the monsters from approaching. The wind was so fast that it made the dungeon seem to vibrate.In order to summon a Spiritual Weapon, Archie needs to activate the Grimoire. However, once summoned, he can deactivate the Grimoire and continue using the Spiritual Weapon as appropriate. The weakness is that its power is reduced by half. Archie was able to notice after feeling the difference when he fought the monsters in the secret room and outside of that room.The wind carried along monsters like goblins, bats, and rats. They collided with each other until their HP was finally drained and lost.The wind wasn't a skill. Archie can create wind waves using his Mana without casting a skill, but it costs more Mana Points than a skill from the Grimoire.Layla was lying on the ground, sitting between her thighs, when she felt the vibrations in the dungeon. Her figure watched Archie, s
Archie awoke to a peculiar and unfamiliar dream, disorientated by the commotion outside. Looking around, he struggled to grasp his surroundings and the situation at hand.Gradually, he realised he was lying on a bed of soft grass, when suddenly a loud noise shattered the silence. It was the voices of the people who had just emerged victorious against three raging demons.He gingerly touched his temple, feeling the tender wound. While he couldn't recall much from the dream, he sensed it had been unnervingly vivid and had left him anxious.Getting up, Archie surveyed his surroundings, taking in the warriors' smiling faces and cheerful chatter. They wore expressions of fulfilment after their triumph over the demons. Archie was relieved to still be alive but overwhelmed by the reality of the situation.
As the group entered the city, they saw that chaos had already begun to unfold. Buildings were on fire, people were screaming and running for their lives, and there were strange creatures roaming the streets. Akhem and Harlequin seemed pleased with the destruction they had caused, but Archie felt a pit in his stomach."What have you done?" he asked, looking at them with horror."We have done what needed to be done," replied Harlequin. "We are bringing change to this world, and sometimes that requires sacrifice."Archie shook his head, unable to comprehend the cruelty of their actions. "This isn't change, it's destruction. Innocent people are dying because of your actions."Akhem chuckled. "Innocent? There is no such thing as innocence in this world. Everyone is guilty of
As the group made their way through the desert, Archie couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the situation. The sandstorm had died down, but the air was still thick with dust and it was difficult to see more than a few feet in front of them. Akhem and Harlequin led the way, with Archie following closely behind.Suddenly, Akhem stopped in his tracks, causing Harlequin to bump into him from behind. Archie almost ran into Harlequin as well, but managed to stop just in time. "What's going on?" he asked, confused.Akhem turned to face them, his eyes scanning the horizon. "We're being followed," he said in a low voice."Followed? By who?" asked Harlequin, also looking around."I don't know yet. But we need to keep moving and be cautious," replied Akhem.
Harlequin and Akhem exchanged glances before turning back to Archie, who was still trying to process the information. "We don't expect you to make a decision right now," said Harlequin. "We understand that this is a lot to take in. But we hope that you'll consider it and join us in our cause."Archie remained silent, unsure of what to say. He had always thought of himself as an ordinary person, not someone with the power to change the world. The idea of possessing a grimoire and using it to achieve such a goal was overwhelming.After a few moments of contemplation, Archie spoke up. "I need some time to think about this. It's a big decision, and I can't just jump into it without knowing all the facts.""Of course," said Akhem. "Take all the time you need. But keep in mind that the longer we wait, the more difficult i
As they walked through the crowded streets, Archie couldn't help but notice the fear and anxiety on people's faces. He wondered if it was related to the strange occurrences happening lately.They arrived at the town square, where a large stage had been set up. A man in a white suit was standing on it, addressing the crowd."People of Krakal, I come to you with a message of hope. For too long, we have suffered under the rule of corrupt leaders who care only for their own interests. But I promise you, things are about to change."The man's words were met with mixed reactions from the crowd. Some cheered, while others remained skeptical.Akhem turned to Archie and Harlequin. "That man is dangerous. He's using the people's fear and frustration to gain power."<
As Archie continued to train with Harlequin and Akhem, he began to notice their growing obsession with the idea of changing the world. At first, he didn't think much of it, but as their training progressed, he couldn't ignore the darker undertones in their conversations.One day, while they were resting after a training session, Archie brought up his concerns to Harlequin and Akhem."Guys, I have to be honest with you. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this idea of changing the world. What if we cause more harm than good?" Archie asked.Harlequin and Akhem exchanged a quick glance before turning back to Archie."Archie, we understand your concern, but the world as it is now is flawed. We have the power to change that, to make it a better place for everyone. Don't you wan
The world was in turmoil. Wars ravaged the lands, famine and disease were rampant, and natural disasters were becoming more frequent. In the midst of all this chaos, two individuals emerged with a grand plan to change the world. Their names were Akhem and Harlequin, and they were the leaders of a secretive organization known as The Clowns.Akhem and Harlequin believed that the world was in dire need of a massive transformation, and they knew just the way to achieve it. They had discovered a powerful artifact called The Tree of Elders, which they believed held the key to their grand plan.According to legend, The Tree of Elders was a sentient tree that had existed since the beginning of time. It was said to possess unimaginable power and wisdom, and those who were worthy could gain its favor and wield its power.Akhe
“Like I said before, we just need to buy time until the time limit for summoning these demons runs out.”"How long?""I don't know. It could be days, or even months.”"That's crazy. We can't possibly last that long,” Dannais was frustrated to hear that.Naturally, even though Archie only exaggerated a little, it doesn't mean that the potential for it to happen doesn't exist at all. If the demons existed and survived by absorbing things from this world, then they wouldn't be able to continue to defend against it and the humans would definitely be wiped out in a few days.“I'm just exaggerating. Since I fought them first, they haven't gotten stronger or weakened, it seems my thinking in that direct
The situation at the church had not been much different since Archie had left it some time ago. The bandits and guards were still squabbling and attacking each other while occasionally cooperating when the demons attacked them. Even so, it didn't seem like it would make their fortunes any better.Archie still has a somewhat blurry look in his eyes, the effect of a ritual that somehow he could do. He thought, it seemed that indeed the holy power was intertwined with each other, or, Elashaa Whitehall's body which was empty of holy power, still had traces of being able to receive the holy power from the Grimoire of the Light.Occasionally, and not infrequently, earthquakes still occur wherever they are. Everyone just thought they were facing a natural disaster, but no one would know that this was one of The Clowns' plans.