Chapter 48

A light sea breeze tousled my overgrown hair. I’d aged a year and a half. My body had grown more muscular and defined, I’d gotten a bit taller, and a few silver streaks now ran through the hair on my crown. My arms had become incredibly strong.

My inventory held only my bag of books—all my rings and weapons had been taken. But I was alive! And I was almost home! Home, Dad, Mom… I’ll be back soon!

The map showed I was on the other side of the planet. And considering this world was three times larger than Earth, the journey would take me at least a month—even at my speed! The prospect of being eaten in the ocean didn’t sit well with me. And fittingly, it was called the Ocean of Horrors.

Achievement Unlocked: Titan Slayer. First Rank.

Defeat an opponent 50 levels above your own.

Reward: +5 to all stats.

…

Achievement Unlocked: Titan Slayer. Fourteenth Rank.

Defeat an opponent 700 levels above your own.

Reward: +5 to all stats.

Achievement Unlocked: Styx Crosser.

Anyone who swims across the Styx is a hero. The river grants the brave corresponding abilities.

Reward: Ability "One of Their Own" – All spirits recognize you as kin.

Achievement Unlocked: Genius.

You’ve surpassed all conceivable limits of self-improvement by more than double!

Reward: Access to the Hunter Trials.

The trial will be held in 8 months and 15 days in the city of Zirda.

Go to the tavern "Three Solo Runs" and order three servings of "Koryak Mussels" from the bartender.

Skill Acquired: Body Enhancement

This skill allows you to enhance a body part by stimulating nerve endings with magic. Using it consumes mana and health due to physical strain.

Body Enhancement +1

Effect: +1% enhancement efficiency.

Well, would you look at that! The achievement popped up only after I got out. But it makes sense—the devil mentioned a trial. So, all rewards are granted only after completing it.

"Naive Chukchi children! They think taking everything I’ve gathered will stop my growth?"

Status Window!

Name: Saji

Level: 0

EXP: 0/100 (Next level: 100)

Race: Human

Class: None

Primary Stats:

Strength: 90

Agility: 90

Endurance: 90

Intelligence: 90

Wisdom: 90

Free Stat Points: 0

Secondary Stats:

Speed: 90

Athleticism: 90

Spirit: 90

Vitality: 90

Combat Stats:

Physical Damage: 45 (Strength/2, minimum 1)

Carry Capacity: 225 kg (Strength × 10/4)

Resources:

Mana: 900 (Wisdom × 10)

Health: 900 (Endurance × 10)

Stamina: 900 (Endurance × 10)

Regeneration Rates:

Health Regen: 900/min (Vitality × 10)

Mana Regen: 900/min (Spirit × 10)

Stamina Regen: 900/min (Athleticism × 10)

Movement Speed: 36 km/h (1 + Speed/10)

Defense: 1

Resistances:

Physical Damage: 1.72% (Damage Negation: Up to 421/sec)

Poison: 1.27% (Damage Negation: Up to 211/sec)

Skills:

Cooking: 250

Trap Setting/Disarming: 19

Archery: 250

Swimming: 250

Breath Holding: 250

Stealth: 250

Life Magic: 250

Spirit Magic: 250

Spatial Magic: 250

Earth Magic: 250

Water Magic: 250

Fire Magic: 250

Air Magic: 250

Light Magic: 250

Dark Magic: 250

Meditation: 250

Hand-to-Hand Combat: 92

Perception: 166

Necromancy: 250

Chimerology: 250

Blood Magic: 250

Ritual Magic: 250

Artifact Crafting: 250

Body Enhancement: 1

Professions:

Herbalist: 250

Fisherman: 250

Tailor: 250

Blacksmith: 250

Carpenter: 250

Abilities:

Imp’s Eye

Eleven Streams of Thought

One of Their Own

Gifts:

Deferred Meeting

The Titan Slayer achievement gave me +70 to all stats. I patted myself on the head. I earned the Genius title! And the Hunter Trial intrigued me. If it’s a class—and I can unlock it early—that’s great. If it’s a faction with restricted access, even better.

They took away my Demonic Enhancement ability but gave me a skill with a cooldown. I’d need to train resistances, but I’d have to find a method suited to this world. I also needed a way to craft artifacts. At minimum, I’d need one sacrifice (preferably not a follower of the local pantheon), a massive amount of energy, and a remote location far from temples. No one said the sacrifices had to be sentient—technically, I wouldn’t be breaking Eliza’s rules.

Current Location: Heron Island.

Beach.

A white-haired old man in a chlamys pointed at me and spoke.

"Hernu piri! A rgen tu moto."

"I don’t understand you."

"Bere?"

Knowledge Unlocked: Haaronian Language +0.001%

The more you hear and repeat unfamiliar languages, the faster you learn them.

"Bere?" I echoed.

Thirty minutes later, we were starting to understand each other. I was naked, which was considered improper. For one silver coin, I got a pair of makeshift shorts and a shirt.

Village Children’s Shorts

Plain cotton shorts. The height of peasant fashion.

Durability: 77/100

Village Children’s Shirt

A worn-out child’s shirt.

Durability: 81/100

The old man’s name was Romulus, a local who enjoyed morning walks on the beach—that’s how he found me. Nudity was frowned upon, even in a village. After questioning where I’d come from, I asked where I was and learned I was on a fishing island. Ships to the mainland came once every two months—the next one was in forty days. There were no taverns or inns, but I was told how to find lodging.

"Learn a trade and apprentice at the shipyard or the blacksmith’s. He’s married to the local healer—she might need help too."

"Thanks for the advice. I’ll start at the shipyard."

Romulus continued his walk, while I headed toward the village. Even from here, I could hear the sounds of work at the docks.

The village nestled at the foot of a mountain, stretching to the ocean: one- and two-story wooden and clay buildings, a shipyard, and a port with ten log piers.

But the shipyard foreman was no fool.

"Saji, you’re stronger and more skilled than anyone in my crew. Not to mention you’re a kid. You’ve achieved more in your years than they have in their whole lives. I can’t take you as an apprentice. If you hadn’t mentioned your skills, maybe."

"Got it." Maybe I shouldn’t have been so honest. "Then I’ll try the blacksmith. Sorry for the trouble."

The foreman hesitated. "If you’re going there, do me a favor. Pick up my nail order."

Quest Received: Retrieve Nails from the Blacksmith

Foreman Karis asks you to collect his nail order from the blacksmith.

Reward: Variable

Failure: Worsened relations with Karis.

"Fine, I’ll do it."

Quest Accepted: Retrieve Nails from the Blacksmith

"But where’s the blacksmith?"

"Give me your map." He sketched the entire island and surrounding waters in moments. "My main skill is Cartography," he explained. "Foreman’s just a job. Drawing maps is a hobby now."

The map was detailed—houses, roads, notes. He even added currents. How high is his skill to draw this so fast?

I spent the morning fishing on the pier, surrounded by the scent of wood and water, the rod comfortable in my hands, sunlight dancing on the waves. I was happy. Not in the big world, but content. There were people, good food, skills, professions. I didn’t regret my losses—I kept moving forward. I still had something greater than stats and skills. I had family.

By noon, boats returned from the morning catch. I fished a little longer, quietly practicing Haaronian by eavesdropping on the fishermen unloading. I had time—for the quest and the Hunter Trial. I released ordinary fish, keeping only high-quality ones. With Fishing at 250, I could catch anything—even predators.

After a full day on the pier, I wanted to swim. I stripped and dove in. Despite the evening gloom, I could see the seabed clearly. My underwater vision worked perfectly, and my four-minute breath-hold let me gather crabs.

I got so carried away I nearly drowned. Swimming like a dolphin was exhilarating—water caressed my body, muscles straining yet weightless. The sun was setting, but I wanted to explore the coral reefs. Bioluminescent fish, mollusks, and plankton glowed around me. I activated Lightbugs at full power, illuminating fifty meters.

I dove deep, prying open mollusks. Before I knew it, I was two kilometers from shore. Pearls of every color and size littered the seabed. The highlight was a level 198 clam in a black, iridescent shell. It fought back—and tried to eat me when I pried it open. Inside was a black pearl the size of my fist.

That’s enough tempting fate. Night predators were stirring, so I hurried back.

I slept on the pier until dawn.

In the real world, things were fine. The psychologist stopped pestering me, and Vaalsi’s harvesters left me alone—maybe because the shrink took too much interest in me. My head buzzed constantly, my nose bled often. Sometimes I studied next year’s material just to relax. My mind assembled facts like an octopus weaving connections. Recently, I read physics nonstop for a day. My consciousness did shocking things—I saw formulas without augmented reality. Just thinking of a variable made its equation appear.

Sleep was hard. Thoughts raced, my nose bled. The six-hour capsule rest was enough.