As they made their way through the dense foliage of the forest, Mike thoughts drifted to the system screen that had become his unexpected guide in this new world. 

With the wagon jostling beneath him, each bump and dip a stark reminder of the luxuries of his past life, he couldn't help but reflect on the stark contrast to modern conveniences. 

Even the so-called cushion, a meager comfort left by the old man, offered little reprieve, feeling akin to sitting on a rock.

He turned his attention inward, calling upon the system's interface with a focused thought. Thankfully, the system was straightforward and opened when he gave a nudge to the little bundle he felt at the edge of his mind.

At least I don't have to look like an idiot to call the screen.

Ignoring the others small details for the moment, he focused on the main advantages that he got.

..
…

[ Skills ] / [ Quests ]

Both the Skills and the Quest options are available, so he opened the Skills first.

A new menu flashed across his eyes, replacing the old one containing all his skills.

 

Skills:

Mage Class Skills (Max: 5)
- No skills acquired

Slave Master Sub Class Skills (Max: 5)
- No skills acquired

 

For a moment, Mike just stared at the screen, the words "No skills acquired" seeming almost to mock him. 

He let out a string of curses under his breath, directed at the system for its cheap nature. After getting the class, he was hopeful of getting some skills, but it was not to be. 

And there was also a limit. Yet, he couldn't truly say he was surprised. 

Coming into this world, he had nothing but his soul and the vast experiences of his past lives—neither of which, apparently, translated into immediate magical prowess or command over others.

He closed the Skills menu with a thought, the system screen fading from his vision. Let's see what my Quests Menu have. A new screen flashed with all the Quest and for once there was a touch of smile on his lips.

 

Active Quests:

1. World Quest: Prepare for the World Integration

Log Entry: Upon reaching a critical Soul Strength for a Human, you've unlocked the World Quest due to your Immense Experience and Soul.

Objective: With the world set to integrate with the Multiverse in about 20 years, strengthen your soul to influence the integration process. Integration Control: Command the integration process, shaping the future of the realm and its denizens. (Deadline: 19 years, 327 days)
Progress: 0.000000000017 % ( 12.24575 % Lvl Locked )

2. Initial Class Quest: Mage
Mana Sense: Remove the veil and sense the energy of the World. Take your first step on your path to becoming the strongest Mage.

3. Initial Class Quest: Slave Master
Bond of Servitude: Establish a magical bond with another being, compelling obedience. The strength of the bond depends on the caster's power and the target's will.

 

Mike read the screen a few times that popped up in his view. Especially the first Quest.

The idea of joining the multiverse? That was... well, it was a lot.

He squinted at the part that said his level wasn't high enough yet. Great, he thought, not only do I have to deal with all of this magic stuff, but I also have to grind for levels.

Mike wasn't the type to back down from a challenge, but this was like being told to run a marathon when you've only ever jogged for a bus. 

He also didn't like the fact that he was sent here only due to that woman. 

Being not in control of a situation was not new for him, but this was his first encounter with magic and in a long time he felt excited to do something new. A new adventure, as she promised. But at what cost?

But as he thought about it, a hope began to take root. Maybe, just maybe I will get my chance to… 

Before it could consume him, he quelled those thoughts. Hope is just a farce given to weaker men. Knowledge and Power would make my wish come true.

And there is whole new world full of knowledge waiting for him.

If it's about leveling up, then that's what I'll do, Mike resolved. I'll learn this magic, figure out how to strengthen my soul, and whatever else it takes.

 If this world's going to join this Multiverse, whatever that means, I want to make sure we're not just tagging along. We're going to be a part of it, a big part.

There were also Class Skills. Though, it didn't come with a manual. Only the name and vague details of the skills.

[ Mana Sense ] could be fascinating, a direct interaction with the world energy in a way technology never allowed.

[ Bond of Servitude ] also looked like a great skill for his current situation.

Both also felt like starting skills in their respective class. At least he had a rough idea of where to begin.

And the idea of bonding another being to his will with magic? That was something else entirely. "There's got to be a way to use that... somehow," he mused.

A slave would undoubtedly be helpful if it were somehow reliable. If I had someone to do mundane things, then there'd be more time for him to focus on major things.

There was also a spark of idea. In the back of his mind, Mike wondered if there was a way to reinterpret the role defined by his subclass. Could a Slave Master become a Leader type class, like a protector, Captain, or maybe even Ruling class?

As the wagon continued its bumpy journey, Mike closed the system screen with a thought, his mind abuzz with possibilities. 

Then his thought turned to his immediate problems, the slaves walking behind the wagon. [ Bond of Servitude ] sounds like a high level skill. There was also the stipulation to form a magical bond. 

In his experience, slaves were unreliable, so he wouldn't use them given the chance. The human desire to be free is a strong motivator that makes people act in unpredictable ways. In the end, not worth the effort. 

But letting the slaves go might be a liability. They knew he had killed three slave traders and where he would set up camp. 

The slave traders mistook him for the son of a noble, so if the slaves went into some town and started blabbing about him and what he had done, people might come after him.

Perhaps it would be better to dispose of all of them? No, the chances of killing them all would be low and leave me with a lot of corpses to deal with. 

And corpses meant Monsters. What if ten of human body is enough to lure the Drakes? 

Also, killing them might get me in trouble if there is something like Karma in this world... 

Hmm, Maybe better to just let them go before they could know more about him. 

The road continued through a small hill with trees blocking much of the view, and all of the horses flicked their ears when they started trekking up. 

Mike didn’t miss that tick and reached into the wagon. 

When searching earlier for any weapons, he found a bow and a few arrows, none of which seemed very well made. Likely to be used as a last resort. 

He took aim up the hill, searching for anything that the horse had noticed subconsciously. 

After a moment, he detected the shrubs moving and spotted a shadow shifting among the trees a hundred meters away.

Archery had been a hobby of his around four or five lifetimes ago, so he was understandably rusty. The released arrow veered off course as it flew between the trees, but where skill and equipment failed, luck succeeded. 

Mike didn’t see what he hit, but there was a shriek of pain that he did not recognize and the sound of rustling as multiple things running off.

“What was that?” Cinder asked.

“Maybe, one of those goblins you mentioned.” This was getting dangerous.

“You stay here,” he told Cinder. He brought the wagon to a stop and went back with his knife and the key. 

He cut the slaves’ binds and unlocked their collars. “You’re all free to go, get out of here. But don’t even think of trying to follow—”

They ran off before he could finish his sentence. 

Good, that would make him less of a sitting duck, and they’d draw the attention of anything that might want a piece of him. 

He returned to the driver’s seat and turned to Cinder, holding up one of the coin purses.

“Get me to that safe spot, and this is yours.”

He could see some rocky mountains peak in the distance, but other than those, there was nothing to be seen from the top other than the foliage of the lush trees, so they continued. 

After half an hour, the forest thinned a bit, the trees spreading out far enough for the wagon to go off the road and head toward the sound of running water. 

Finally, they arrived at a clearing where a waterfall thumped on exposed rock. It was isolated, just the place Mike needed. 

There was even a cave behind the waterfall where he could hide from predators. However, they were not the only inhabitants.

“Cinder, what are those things?” he asked, looking at the four barrel-sized creatures sliding across the ground. At first, he thought they were giant slugs, but realized they were translucent.

“Slimes, sir," Cinder said while eyeing the slimes.

Mike felt his eye twitch at the words. Of course, they are slimes. Maybe next would be Orcs or Hobgoblin or something.

Damn, that woman totally scammed him. Adventure.

 

 

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