ch8. a new start

Jeremy kept his expression neutral.

Kale's gaze remained on him, sharp and searching. The others waited, expecting an answer.

Jeremy just shrugged. "Eh. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't."

Kale's brow twitched. "That so?"

"Yup."

Silence.

Then, Kale smirked. "Alright. Suit yourself."

Jeremy relaxed internally. Good. No more questions.

The dagger-girl, however, kept eyeing Mordis.

"Seriously, though. That skeleton's creepy as hell."

Mordis placed a bony hand over his chest, making an exaggerated offended gesture.

Jeremy snorted. "Yeah, well, he grows on you."

The elf mage, still watching him carefully, sighed. "Whatever. Let's just head back. We wasted enough time."

With that, they started moving.

Jeremy followed, keeping a slight distance.

The journey back took several hours.

Along the way, Jeremy got his first real glimpse of the world beyond the dungeon.

The forest stretched for miles, dense and untamed. Unlike Earth's forests, however, this one was thick with unnatural energy. Strange, glowing plants pulsed faintly in the shadows. In the distance, massive creatures—too big to be normal animals—moved through the treetops.

The sky was different too. There were three moons hanging overhead, their pale light giving the land an eerie glow.

Definitely not Earth.

As they walked, Jeremy picked up bits of conversation between the adventurers.

The continent was called Veyndor.

The city they were heading to was called Ravencross.

Magic was everywhere, and adventurers were common.

Jeremy listened, but didn't ask much.

He had no idea who to trust yet.

Eventually, the dense forest gave way to rolling hills. And beyond that—

A walled city.

Jeremy's eyes widened slightly. Holy shit.

Massive black-stone walls surrounded the city, with watchtowers stationed at regular intervals. Inside, he could see stone buildings, marketplaces, and—far in the distance—a grand spire rising above the skyline.

Ravencross.

His first city in this world.

The moment they entered the gates, Jeremy felt overwhelmed.

The streets were lively, packed with people. Merchants yelled from stalls, armored knights patrolled the roads, and creatures he didn't recognize moved between crowds.

It was like walking into a medieval fantasy game—except real.

Kale led them to a large stone building near the center of the city.

A guild hall.

"This is the Ravencross Adventurer's Guild," Kale explained. "If you're looking to make a living, this is the best place to start."

Jeremy hesitated.

He wasn't sure about sticking with people.

But he needed money. A place to sleep. A way to survive.

So he signed up.

Jeremy quickly realized something.

He didn't like working in groups.

He wasn't used to relying on others.

So after a few basic jobs, he started working alone.

He took smaller quests—hunting weak monsters, gathering materials, scouting locations. It paid decently, but more importantly, it let him explore.

He bought a map of Veyndor.

And after a few weeks—

He packed his gear and left Ravencross.

The Beginning of an Adventure

Jeremy didn't know where he was going.

Didn't know what he would find.

But one thing was clear—

He wasn't going to stay in one place.

With Mordis at his side, he set out into the unknown.