POV: Arthur 

Location: Former Fort Viridium

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw were stone walls along with some rubble that were all over the place. Right before me, there were some giant wooden doors half opened.

The God or whoever that was certainly did drop me off somewhere I was not expecting. When I think about “safe” places maybe I should been dropped somewhere near the city? So I won’t inevitably get lost and potentially get killed by some powerful monsters in the dark?

Now after looking around a bit, it seems I’m in some kind of abandoned fort? For looks of it, right behind there was a throne with 2 Knight statutes next to it but for some reason they don’t hold anything. The fundamentals has moss all over it, the fort must be quite old.

*Poi

“AAAH! What was that?”

While I was investigating the room, I heard a some kind of squeaky sound. It threw me so much to point I had to look around to find out whenever I’m alone but I didn’t see anybody.

Or rather I did see something, not a person but arguably more bizarre.  

Oh great, it’s one of those. I was never into video games that much in my previous life. I didn’t hated them but I was more interested in different things. When I did play, I was into simulator-type of games just to chill after school or work.

Now to think about it, it reminds me of RPG games although the game I know of didn’t had that detailed stat display. My friends back in high school used to keep nagging me about that one game and they couldn’t shut up about it for even a second.

Can you believe that the developers tried to resell that game on several occasions? “Better Graphics” now water is slightly more transparent than ever! To this day, I cannot get why people like buying basically same product over and over again. But I digress.

By the way… apparently I’m younger now and even my clothes got changed. With the vest, shirt and jeans I’m ready to take on everyone! Although I wish I got any weapon.

As was looking over the stats again, I noticed something was off in “Traits” section. 

“Uhhh…why is this censored? I’m pretty sure this is about “great potential” that God mentioned earlier. They didn’t bother to hide that other trait which honestly is more of a dead giveaway than anything. I will try to click on it. Maybe I will get more information.”

*Click

[Reincarnator] The user is capable of freely converse with others no matter of the language.

Now that’s convenient. I can imagine how awkward would been to not be communicate properly, especially in my age. 

“Now how to switch this thing off? It popped off out of blue maybe if I imagine there is no display maybe it will go away.”

*Pyom

There you go. Honestly that was awful. I’m not looking forward to constantly checking my display as I predict it’s going to be nothing more than tedious.  

Now that out of the way, I probably should check out other rooms. I will save those giant doors for last, it likely leads toward the exit. There is an upper interior but the stairs leading toward it are collapsed so that’s out of question.

_________________________________________________________________

*Around half an hour later                                                                     

Alright, I didn’t know what I was expecting. Of course the whole place was looted but there is a one good news!

Apparently there was an hidden underground passage right before the throne. Remember those Knight Statues? Each of them was missing a weapon and during the search, I found a stone sword and stone axe lying around in a room that looks like I think was an armory.  

Once I recalled that fact, I went back to throne and put them to see whenever something will happen. And BAM! The entrance was opened! Considering there was a hidden mechanism there is a chance I will find something worthwhile.

As I was descending downstairs, the torches were magically lighten up. It didn’t took long to reach the destination.

“Ohhh a secret tomb. Now that’s what I am talking about. From looks of it, nobody opened it. Hold on, there is something written at bottom of it. ”

[\^:{}"{?><>':\]

“….Crap! I can’t read it.”      

As I feared the trait doesn’t help me at reading  languages I don’t know. Despite that, I still decided to brazenly open the coffin. That could easily backfire but fortunately my fears were in vain.

“Cough! Cough! That was a lot of dust.”

I found a skeleton which I expected but most importantly there was something hidden. Fully wrapped up sword and a book.

“Please forgive me but I will need any help I can get.”

Listen, I may not be the most virtuous person but I’m not complete asshole. After I prayed for understanding, I slowly took them up out of coffin. For some reason the book has lock that prevents anyone from opening it despite that there was no key inside that coffin. Perhaps there is another way to open it.

While I was thinking about that book, I left the tomb and afterwards I went toward those giant doors as I was assuming it was an exit. As soon as I stepped outside, I had briefly snap back into reality.

“Woah there a lot of rubbles around here.”

In contrast to the rest of the fort which remained intact for the most part this section is completely destroyed. Only a bit of wall on the left side and doors are still standing somehow. In a way I wasn’t wrong about going outside.

“Search the whole place, stone by stone and as soon as you find anything remotely useful bring it to me immediately! ”

“Yes Boss!!!”

Oh crap someone is coming and by sound of it they don’t seem very friendly. Wasn’t I suppose to be send off somewhere safe!? Hellooooo? God? Anyone?

Sigh…I managed to hide behind closest pile of rubble but man you have no idea how angry I am right now.

Once the sounds of footsteps finally faded away, I slowly peaked in in order to assess the situation. They are 3 guys standing right next to entrance from where I came from.

Rough voices, shady looks and even mouth-covering scarfs…I am not able to see them as anything but bandits. Worst part is I heard many footsteps coming from the inside so it must a large group.

I have a sword but something tells me I wouldn’t be able to handle all of them at once. I should try to sneak past somehow.

Fortunately, they didn’t guard the other doors so as long as I will run as fast I can it shouldn’t be a problem. They didn’t check my hiding spot yet but I cannot take that risk.

After taking a brief second, I decided to not waste that opportunity and sprinted toward unguarded exit.  

“Oi! Stop right there!”

I ignored the shout that was coming from behind and soon after I passed the doors. Unfortunately, there were few more bandits standing outside of the castle. I did something which some people may say suicidal but I tried to run past them.

“Don’t let that brat get away!”

Those guys were not screwing around anymore. At first, I was successfully dodging their attacks as they tried to slice me up. One of the bandits even tried to grab me but I pushed him first and surprisingly he was struggling to stay still. I used that opportunity to slip past him but as I kept running suddenly I felt pain in my left hand.

“OUUUUCH, the book!”                   

Something sharp was thrown at my direction and in result I dropped the book. As I tried to retrieve it, one of the baddies managed to get close enough to attack me. In the last second, I managed to barely dodge it but then I realized a horrible truth.

I was surrounded and once I turned my head for a second, I noticed that I was on verge of the cliff. There was truly no escape.

I was nervously observing the bandits and then out of nowhere a burly man with some sort of metallic arm with giant axe appeared right before my eyes as he was about to strike me with immerse force.  My shock didn’t last long as it replaced that feeling with despair.

It’s over, man this sucks I didn’t last even a day in my second life. As I resigned to my fate, I closed my eyes and awaited for my judgement.

“Die.”

I heard a very cold voice spelling a single word and afterwards I heard a loud clash sound. As I was slowly opening my eyes, I was shocked once again.

That wrapped up sword I was holding stopped the swing in the last second. It seems I reflexively tried to cover myself and how would of thought it actually worked! By my joy didn’t last long.

The power of that swing was so strong that it’s shockwave caused the ground right under me to crumble. That guy who also was briefly shocked like me but he quickly jumped off to safer spot as he realized the danger of staying near me. 

Seconds later, I felt as if I was falling off which was accompanied by my scream  later was replaced by  feeling of immerse pain as I was keep getting hit by multiple tree branches until consciousness failed me.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Once Arthur’s scream finally ceased, the Bandit Leader turned his back and pick up a book that was lying right next to place where he fell off.

During the examination, all the bandits gathered around as they heard voices of their compatriots. One of the henchmen reported the results of the search.

“Boss! We investigated the tomb but there was nothing inside. The coffin was already opened and only the skeleton remained.”

The Leader heard that and yet he didn’t pay much attention as if he wasn’t very interested with that tomb to begin with.

“No matter, we got what we came for. Return back to caravan. We already wasted enough time in this wretched place.”

Thanks to huge success of this expedition, the bandits were in merry mood.  Especially Bandit Leader, who managed accomplish something more than getting that book. On a thought of job well done, he couldn’t help but smirk as he was imagining the reward for that endeavor.