When Even regained consciousness, a strange smell of old wood filled his nose. The room was very simple; the only furniture was a broken table and a wobbly chair. Outside the window, evening was approaching. He didn't know how long he had been asleep.
Even stared at the ceiling for a few moments. His subconscious was in another world. He thought to himself that he had saved the life of a wealthy merchant. He should have opened his eyes on a silken bed in some luxurious palace. Perhaps several beautiful, well-built 'MILF's' would be surrounding him—one placing a cold compress on his forehead, another saying in a sweet voice, "Are you awake, Hero?" After becoming a hero, receiving such royal treatment was his right!
"Ugh!"
Suddenly, Even slapped himself hard on the cheek. The sound broke the silence of the room. Even's cheek turned red, but his face grew even redder with shame.
"That old habit again! Even, will you never change?" he muttered, cursing himself. Back in his own world, these kinds of bizarre fantasies were his only companions whenever he was alone. But upon arriving in this new world, he had promised to bury these foul thoughts alive. Yet, his subconscious was like an unruly beast. Was that lust still haunting him? He had to become stronger and gain control over himself.
At that moment, a soft hum echoed in the air. A bright blue window floated before Even's eyes.
[System Alert: Congratulations on your bravery on the battlefield!]
[Current Level: 3]
[Note: You have been promoted directly from Level 1 to Level 3. This jump is due to the low experience requirements in the early stages!]
The mechanical voice of the system rang in Even's ears. However, even while offering congratulations, the tone was sarcastic—as if it were saying, [Don't start thinking you're a dragon-slayer just because you beat up a few limping bandits!]
"Alright, alright, I get it! Why are you so condescending all day?" Even grumbled, trying to swipe the window away. He immediately turned his back on the system and lay down again.
But the system showed him something new.
[New Features Unlocked: 'Skill Shop' and 'Skill Upgrade']
Even's curiosity grew. He saw two new icons added to his window:
Skill Shop: Various strange and powerful skills could be bought here. However, they required special 'Coins,' earned by completing tasks or missions.
Skill Upgrade: Here, the capability of Even's skills would be displayed. But there was a strange rule: if Even's current level was 3, he could not upgrade any skill beyond Level 3. To upgrade skills, he first had to increase his base level.
Even tilted his head and stared at the options for a while. His head was still spinning. He thought he would examine the 'Skill Shop' thoroughly when he had more time. But when he glanced at his coin section out of curiosity, he saw a glowing:
'0'.
"Dammit! Not a penny in my pocket, and I'm trying to buy skills!" He closed the window in annoyance. The whole thing felt like a video game where he was the player and his life was one big mission.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. The stout, heavy-set man—Mr. Henderson—entered, making the room shake. His double chin was trembling, but the previous annoyance in his eyes was gone. In its place was a look of gratitude.
"Ah, young man! You're awake, then?" Henderson entered with a wide grin, his belly occupying half the space in the room.
Even tried to sit up. His body was still somewhat weak. "How long have I been here?"
"About eight or nine hours. You truly are a strange person. I've never seen anyone survive that poison like that. And the fight? Oof! The way you kicked those bandits, I felt like I was watching a circus!" Henderson spoke enthusiastically.
After a pause, he asked, "By the way, you haven't told me your name."
"My name is Even," he said calmly. "...Even."
Henderson stared at him for a moment. "Just Even? No family name or title?"
"Orphans don't have lineages," Even replied shortly. He didn't want to invite danger by revealing his full name. Moreover, by saying this, he wanted to give Henderson a little emotional poke.
Henderson expressed some regret, looking ashamed for asking such a question. This was exactly what Even wanted. If he was to survive, it would be good to extract some money from the fat man early on.
That was his main reason for saving this man—to impress him so he could secure some of this world's currency to arrange for his food and shelter for a few days.
Besides, the state of his clothes was still poor. He was still in his thin, tattered rags.
Wait!
He hadn't noticed at first, but his clothes had actually changed. He was now wearing simple garments made of leather. The clothing was dark brown, somewhat faded from the sun and dust. It wasn't a symbol of nobility, but rather the practical, plain outfit of a traveler or a vagabond.
'Still, it's a lot.'
'Wait wait wait'
'Someone saw my mega gigantic chicken!!'
'How cruel is this!!!'
Trying to normalize the awkward moment, Henderson nearly broke the chair as he sat down. "Anyway, Even, you saved my life. I am Henderson, one of the biggest wholesalers in this region. I keep my word. Your food is being arranged."
Before he could finish, a hotel staff member entered with a large tray. On the tray were large pieces of roasted meat, bread, and a glass of fragrant drink. As the scent of food hit his nose, Even's stomach let out a strange roar, as if his intestines were trying to swallow each other.
Even forgot all etiquette and pounced on the food. He began tearing into the meat like a madman. Henderson watched him eat with a hint of surprise.
In the middle of eating, Even suddenly stopped. Something was bothering him. Wiping his mouth, he asked, "Mr. Henderson, can I ask you something? You are a shrewd businessman. Yet, you were willing to give half of your wealth to that swordsman Alfred's party? What exactly is this 'Red Viper'? Why is it so valuable?"
The smile on Henderson's face vanished instantly. A look of terror and caution appeared on his face. He glanced out the window, making sure no one was eavesdropping.
"It's better not to ask about business matters, Even," Henderson tried to dodge the question.
But Even insisted, "As far as I know, businessmen understand profit and loss. There must be a big reason for giving away half the 'red viper' price. And why did the bandits risk their lives for it?"
Henderson sighed. He realized he couldn't easily avoid Even. Besides, the boy had saved his life. He lowered his voice and began to speak.
"The Red Viper... it's no ordinary snake, Even. It's one of the rarest and most ancient monster species in this world. Some are larger than a carriage."
Even stopped mid-swallow. "You fought that snake?"
"Of course not! Am I crazy?" Henderson gave a cynical laugh. "The story is actually quite strange. I was returning through a remote mountain pass for business once. Suddenly, I saw the carcass of that snake in a deep ravine. Believe me, Even, no one killed it. Sometimes, these snakes get so hungry that they mistakenly start eating themselves from the tail. Eventually, they suffocate and die as their own body fills their stomach. I found it in that state."
Even shuddered. "It eats its own body? That's bizarre!"
"Yes. But my mistake was elsewhere." Henderson lowered his voice further. "That day at the bar, I drank a bit too much. In my drunken state, I let slip about the Red Viper. Word travels fast, as you probably know. Since then, those bandits have been hunting me."
Henderson paused, sweat beading on his forehead. "Luxurious items made from Red Viper skin, and the blood used to create high level medicine and portions are life-saving and harder to find in the market than diamonds. And its meat... oh! Eating it can add years to a person's life. The taste is so delicious that once you take a bite, you'll forget the taste of all other food in this world."
Even looked at the meat on his plate. He suddenly felt nauseous. He thought to himself—do people in this world eat monsters? The greed he saw in Henderson's eyes while talking about the taste of the meat felt grotesque to him.
"So that means Alfred knew you were in danger?" Even asked.
"Yes," Henderson said. "Alfred is extremely clever. I heard him for protection, but he did a business deal. He knew if I died, he would get nothing. So, he held me hostage in a way, plotting to seize half price. And at that moment, I had no choice but to save my life."
Even realized the politics of this world. No one saved anyone out of mercy here. Every life had a price tag. Alfred was an opportunist, and Henderson was careless. Caught in the middle, Even was now in a strange maze.
"So, what happens now?" Even asked.
"What else? I'll spend a few days in this city to complete my business transactions," Henderson stood up. "...But Even, I must be going."
Henderson left the room. Even sat alone. The system window was still glowing before him.
[This world is going to be tough for you. Anyway, forget it. Do you want to see the new skills?]
Even didn't move; he just let out a long sigh. He realized that being Level 3 was just the beginning. A fight was coming where boxing punches or low gravity wouldn't be enough to save him. He had to get something from the System's 'Skill Shop' that would allow him to deal with both the monsters and the humans of this world. Because humans were scarier than monsters.
But then again, he had to learn from these humans.
He reached into his pocket to see if any money had accidentally been left in the clothes. Empty. But a strange stubbornness took root in his mind.
Even reached for the tray again. His hunger wasn't satisfied yet. He had to get strong. Because in this new world, scarier than monsters was—human greed.
'Is this some kind of monster meat?!'