Chapter 4 – Shadows of the First City

Chapter 4 – Shadows of the First City

My steps grew heavier. I wasn't sure if it was because I had walked too far, or because of the growing emptiness in my stomach. If this was just a dream, this hunger shouldn't exist. But every growl in my gut, every pulse in my feet… reminded me I was still 'alive' — even in a world that wasn't mine.

"1.7 km," I read the HUD silently. The distance to Eldenross was shrinking. But for some reason… it felt further away.

The landscape began to shift. The tall, thick trees gradually thinned out. In their place stretched open fields, long grass, wildflowers, and dirt paths — clearly worn by something. Wheels? Footprints? I couldn't tell. I paused at a small shelter, little more than a half-collapsed wooden frame.

But it was enough to send a message: I wasn't the first to pass through here. "This isn't a static world. Someone else has been here." I sat for a moment, catching my breath. The HUD was still active, but quieter now — only responding when I focused:

[ZONE UPDATED: OUTSKIRT REGION]

Environment: Stable

Threat Level: Low

Recommended Action: Proceed to Eldenross for basic resources.

The sun had started to descend, and the sky was bathed in hues of gold and red. I climbed a low hill, and that's when I saw it —

Eldenross.

A small city, surrounded by dark wooden walls, with watchtowers at every corner. Smoke rose from chimneys. Distant sounds reached my ears — shouts, metal clanging, mixed voices. Alive. Moving.

And with that came a feeling: Hope. But also… doubt. "Am I really going into that place? What if they realize I'm… not from here?" I didn't know what awaited me. But I knew one thing — I couldn't survive much longer like this. My body was starting to tremble. River water alone wasn't enough. If I wanted to live… I had to enter.

Just a few meters from the city gates, the HUD flickered once.

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

Settlement Entry Detected: ELDENROSS

Class Selection Eligibility – PENDING

"You are now eligible to begin your journey. Choose wisely."

I stopped. What did it mean by "class"? Like in an RPG? What kind of system was this? And why was I… eligible? Question after question spun in my head. But my feet kept walking. The city gates were open. And for the first time since I was 'reborn' — I was about to arrive at a place that… maybe, I could call home.

[To Be Continued – Chapter 5: The First Step into Eldenross]

Glossary – Chapter 4

Outskirt Region – The peripheral zone before entering a main settlement. Low threat, but closer to NPC interaction and world systems.

Settlement (Eldenross) – A small walled city that serves as a starting point for new players' survival journey.

Class Selection Eligibility – A system milestone indicating that the user is now able to choose a skill path or identity within the world of Ethereon.