Chapter-3 Back to Home

Arrol clutched his head as a torrent of memories surged through his mind, each fragment falling into place like pieces of a long-forgotten puzzle. The pain was excruciating, but within the chaos of images, startling clarity emerged—this body wasn't his; it belonged to someone else. Someone who had lived, struggled, and ultimately perished in a world that felt completely foreign to him.

When the pain subsided and Arrol opened his eyes, his breathing came in ragged gasps. The towering trees still loomed overhead, their gnarled branches stretching towards an unyielding sky, but within the depths of his being, everything had irrevocably shifted.

"Are these... the memories of this body?" he whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief. "What a magical world. It feels so unreal again." The images danced in the recesses of his mind—vivid flashes of a life he had never lived, yet felt deeply connected to.

It was a disorienting feeling; they felt like his, yet at the same time, they were painfully distant. He struggled to make sense of the onslaught of memories, grappling with the enchantment and the confusion they sparked within him.

"This is a World of MAGIC," he spoke aloud, the words escaping his lips with a mixture of wonder and skepticism etched on his face. The realization was a shocking revelation; the world he had entered was called Ertagus, a realm awash with a mysterious energy known as Mana. Mana coursed through every being, even the inanimate, infusing life with supernatural potential.

In this wondrous world, the inhabitants who tapped into this Mana were known by various names: Magus, Magic Users, and Mages. Arrol's new memories hinted at their incredible strength, the astonishing powers they wielded, and the miracles they could conjure. However, the insights were frustratingly scant.

As light coexisted with darkness, so too did monsters in this land. Sinister and destructive creatures roamed the depths of Ertagus, many endowed with the very same supernatural abilities as the magic-wielding denizens. They lurked among the trees, waiting to ambush the unwary, and lived in various regions and dungeons scattered on the Earth.

Arrol soon came to realize that he now inhabited the body of a teenage boy named Noland Krol—a mere child of not yet fourteen. Noland's life had been marred by hardship and tragedy; he was an orphan from Fograin, a small town largely untouched by the trappings of progress. To label it a village would be more accurate, for it was a place of neglect, where dilapidated buildings and decay cast long shadows over the meager population struggling to survive.

In a harsh reality where his age denied him the chance to awaken his latent magical powers, Noland had eked out an existence in the slums—destitute areas often associated with vice and marginalization. The only means of survival had been to venture into the wild, foraging for herbs to sell to local merchants. It was barely enough to sustain him.

Arrol pieced together the events that had led to this moment only gradually. He remembered setting out to collect herbs one fateful day, only to be hurled by an unseen force—an encounter with one of the dreaded monsters lurking in the forest. Strangely, he wondered why the creature hadn't consumed Noland's body. Was it sheer luck or some unfathomable twist of fate that had spared him?

With a mind racing from these revelations, Arrol—now fully conscious of his identity as Noland—scanned the environment. Following the echoes of his newfound memories, he chose a path that would lead him away from the ominous forest.

After half an hour's trek, he emerged onto the edge of the vast plains. "I'm safe," he muttered, a sense of relief washing over him. Fortunately, there were no monsters in sight; the encounter that had plagued Noland could be ascribed to a stroke of bad luck. For Arrol, in this new incarnation, it felt distinctly like good fortune.

"Nano, keep scanning the environment for any potential danger," he commanded his Nano-AI, heightening his vigilance. Scanning was one of the functions of Nano. He didn't have the time to delve into more functions as getting out of here was more important for now.

As he navigated toward the town he could now see in the distance, a wave of familiarity washed over him. The verdant landscape stretched unfettered under the sun. The town wall, a modest structure barely five meters high, stood watch over bustling activity; people meandered in and out, some armored and vigilant, others carefree.

His heart raced as he approached the gates, the two guards stationed there eyeing the comings and goings. Their polished armors looked a bit rusty which indicated the situation of the town. Passing through the gates was surprisingly uneventful, the guards only gave him a side glance, which his original body was used to.

"It resembles a medieval town back in my world," he noted with fascination, grateful for the memories that guided him; without them, he would have floundered amidst the sights and sounds of this new life.

"Should I explore the city or head straight to the slums?" Noland pondered, the weight of the decision pressing on his mind. After a moment's thought, he concluded, "It's better to head home and gather my thoughts first."

 With that resolve, he navigated the crowded streets, purposefully avoiding idle chatter and the curious gazes of passersby. The Nano Machine embedded within him was a comforting presence, ensuring he wouldn't struggle too much with the complexities of his surroundings.

He felt a familiar pull toward the worn paths leading to the slums, where he blended in among the throngs of people who shared his circumstance.

As Noland stepped onto the uneven streets of the slums, he felt the familiar mix of anxiety and relief wash over him. This area was chaotic and raw—living here required an unspoken understanding of survival.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through, illuminating the dust that hung in the air like a curtain. After walking for what felt like an eternity, he finally reached the entrance to a narrow valley, his refuge nestled at the far end.

His home stood as a small wooden structure, barely 20 square meters, enduring yet fragile. Noland felt a rush of emotion wash over him as he stood before the worn door, patched haphazardly with makeshift repairs.

''At least the lock is intact''

He chuckled at the flimsy lock that hung on the door, little more than a token effort at security.

''I'm glad I didn't lose the keys''

He reached into his waistband, retrieving the key that felt almost like a lifeline, and with a gentle turn, the creaking door swung open, welcoming him back.

He stepped inside and quickly locked the door, the sound of the latch clicking into place offering him a rare sense of safety. "Sigh! Feels like I'm home again," he muttered, inhaling the familiar scent of aged wood and musty fabric.

The interior was a stark reflection of his reality: dimly lit and cramped. A small bed occupied one corner, its frame sagging under the weight of a tattered blanket. A faint beam of light streamed in from a grimy window, casting a dull glow over the sparse furnishings. There was a door leading to the toilet, firmly shut to keep the unpleasant odors at bay.

Noland's possessions were few: a handful of kitchen items, remnants of a life lived simply, and a small box tucked beneath his bed, containing the few cherished belongings he had managed to hold onto. He couldn't help but feel the weight of his situation pressing in on him.

"I should change my clothes first and then eat," he thought, urgency nudging him along. He quickly discarded his worn garments, tossing them aside without a second glance. The washroom offered a small reprieve; he splashed himself with whatever water was left in the basin, the coolness sharpening his senses.

Afterward, he donned a plain blue shirt and black pants, along with a patched pair of black underwear, feeling slightly more put together than he had upon awakening.

Looking in the cracked mirror, Noland couldn't help but smirk at himself. "To think I'm a lot handsome than I thought."

Noland sat on his bed after eating what he had saved from the last time to satisfy his hunger, and called out the only thing that could help him get-over this world and it's dangerous entities.