Chapter 23 – The First Step
I woke up at 6 a.m.
Quiet.
The kind of quiet that only exists early in the morning—before the world starts moving, before people begin chasing whatever they're chasing.
They were still asleep.
I stayed still for a moment, staring at the ceiling. Listening. Breathing.
Then I got up.
I moved carefully so I wouldn't wake them. The floor creaked a little, but no one stirred.
I went to the kitchen and cooked a simple meal. Nothing special—just enough to fill my stomach. The smell of food slowly spread through the room, warm and familiar. For a moment, it reminded me of before.
Before everything changed.
I pushed that thought away.
I ate alone.
No talking. No noise. Just the sound of utensils against the plate.
Then I washed everything, wiped my hands, and left.
I started jogging.
Circling the South Outskirts.
The air was still cool, brushing lightly against my skin as I moved. My steps were steady, rhythmic. One after another.
Hours passed.
The streets slowly came to life.
Shops opened. People came out. Voices began to fill the air.
I saw many adventurers.
Walking around casually. Some laughing. Some talking about their last run. Others already geared up, heading somewhere dangerous.
Some were buying food—with their kids… with their families.
That part always felt strange to me.
Adventurers.
People who risked their lives every day.
And yet—
They still lived like normal people.
They had families. Children. Homes.
They smiled.
Like nothing could go wrong.
Some headed toward the Central District.
Others—
Toward the Deadlands.
No hesitation.
Just another day for them.
Here in the South Outskirts—
Fractures were relatively safe.
It was close to the Adventurer Inn.
Because of that—
Most adventurers stayed here with their families.
Protection. Support. Backup.
Everything was within reach.
It felt… stable.
Safe enough that people could pretend things were normal.
But the North Outskirts—
That was different.
Completely different.
Chaotic.
Too many fractures—
And too many of them left uncleared.
It was said they kept requesting reinforcements.
Again and again.
Clans, independent adventurers, even the government sent help—
But it was never enough.
So for now…
It was barely holding together.
Like a wall full of cracks—
just waiting to collapse.
Unlike the East and West districts—
Where governments and powerful clans were stationed.
The East—
Was special.
That was where the Tower of Trials stood.
A place known across all of Eldoria—
The Tower of Hercules.
Even just hearing the name—
Made people pay attention.
No one knew who Hercules truly was.
There were no records.
No history books.
No proof.
Just the name.
And yet—
The tower existed.
Standing tall, silent, mysterious.
The tower had only ten floors.
And each floor—
Gave rewards.
Even clearing the first floor
could change someone's life.
Give them strength.
Status.
Recognition.
Some said—
If someone cleared all ten floors—
They would ascend…
And become a god.
But to this day—
The highest anyone had reached—
Was the seventh floor.
That man—
Was famous across all of Eldoria.
A legend.
And now—
He had already left for another city.
Chasing something higher.
Something beyond.
Still—
The tower was managed by the government.
Strictly controlled.
To enter—
You needed to be at least a licensed hunter.
No exceptions.
The West—
Was controlled by clans and nobles.
Organized.
Protected.
Relatively safe.
But the North?
No one truly controlled it.
No structure.
No order.
It was—
A free-for-all.
While jogging—
I saw a party of four.
They walked slowly.
Too slowly.
Their bodies looked heavy—
Like every step took effort.
Broken.
Their equipment—
Destroyed.
Armor cracked. Weapons chipped.
One man had lost an arm.
Blood stains still fresh on the bandages wrapped around his shoulder.
Another supported him—
Carefully.
Like if he let go even for a second—
The man would collapse.
Maybe…
They lost someone.
One of them—
A woman—
Her face was red.
Tears still fresh.
Her eyes empty.
She had been crying.
Recently.
I slowed down.
Watching them pass.
No one spoke.
Not even among themselves.
"…This is reality," I muttered.
My voice felt quiet.
Distant.
Not stories.
Not rumors.
Not exaggerated tales from other people.
This—
Was real.
This was what it meant
to be an adventurer.
Danger.
Loss.
Pain.
And sometimes—
You don't come back whole.
I clenched my fists.
Tighter.
I still didn't have a license.
No rank.
No experience.
Nothing.
But I wanted to try.
To enter a fracture.
To fight.
To see it for myself.
And today—
Since it was Saturday—
I planned to go to the North Outskirts.
Alone.
A small smile formed on my lips.
"…I'm really doing this."
There was excitement.
But first—
I needed to prepare.
I searched for a weapon shop.
Walking through the streets, passing by stalls and small stores, asking around when needed.
After a while—
I found one.
Two floors.
Large.
Busy.
Many adventurers were inside.
Some inspecting weapons.
Others negotiating prices.
The atmosphere felt serious.
Professional.
From what I heard—
The quality here was good.
Reliable.
So I stepped inside.
And froze.
Behind the counter—
Was a man.
Short.
Maybe five feet tall.
But his presence—
Heavy.
His beard was long and thick.
His arms—
Massive.
Like iron.
Veins visible.
Muscles tight.
Not someone you'd want to fight.
Three men greeted me.
"Welcome to our shop."
Their voices were calm.
Measured.
They looked at me.
Curious.
Sizing me up.
Then one of them asked,
"What are you looking for?"
"I want to buy a weapon… and light armor," I said.
They nodded.
Then began touring me around the shop.
I looked at the items.
And my eyes widened.
10,000 dollars… for a vest.
100,000… for armor.
1,000,000… for weapons.
Even accessories—
Were insanely expensive.
"…What the hell…" I whispered.
If Elias hadn't recommended this place—
I would've thought they were scammers.
My chest tightened.
"…So this is how poor I am…"
They seemed to notice.
One of them scratched his head.
Then said,
"…You might want to check over there."
He pointed to the far end of the shop.
I walked over.
Step by step.
Hoping—
At least something there was within my reach.
And finally—
Something I could afford.
A sword.
600 dollars.
Rank F.
Simple.
No design.
No decoration.
Just a clean blade.
But sharp.
Well-balanced.
A basic blade capable of penetrating Level 1 monsters.
Next—
A breastplate.
300 dollars.
Rank F.
Not flashy.
Not impressive.
But sturdy.
Durable enough to deflect attacks from low-level monsters.
I let out a small breath.
"…At least I can buy something."
Even if they were low-tier—
They were mine.
After paying—
I immediately left the shop.
Inside—
The three staff members watched me go.
"That kid earlier…" one said.
"He's still inexperienced."
"…But did you see his eyes?" another replied.
"Yeah."
"Determined."
The third one crossed his arms.
"…He's young."
"…But I think he has a bright future."
The others nodded.
Then—
They continued chatting.
Like it was nothing unusual.
After paying—
I immediately left the shop.
But I didn't head out right away.
Not yet.
I looked around the street, scanning the nearby stalls and smaller stores. If I was really going to the North Outskirts… I couldn't go like this.
Unprepared.
Recognizable.
So I stopped by a small clothing stall.
Nothing fancy—just basic items hanging on display.
"Got anything to cover the face?" I asked.
The shopkeeper glanced at me, then reached under the counter and pulled out a black hood.
Simple. Light. No markings.
"Popular with beginners," he said. "Helps keep attention away."
"How much?"
"30 dollars."
I nodded.
Cheap.
Perfect.
I bought it.
Next—
A backpack.
Old, worn leather. Not the best quality, but durable enough to carry supplies.
Something practical.
Something I'd need.
After paying for both, I stepped aside and equipped everything.
The hood covered most of my face, casting a shadow over my eyes.
Good.
Less attention.
The backpack rested against my back—light for now, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.
Then—
I equipped my gear.
The sword felt light in my hand.
Unfamiliar.
But…
Right.
I swung it once.
Slowly.
Testing the weight.
Not perfect.
But enough.
I lowered the blade—
And looked around the street.
People moved as usual.
Adventurers passed by without a second glance.
Merchants shouted prices.
Laughter echoed from somewhere nearby.
Normal.
Too normal.
No one cared.
No one noticed.
Just another rookie with a cheap blade.
I exhaled slowly.
Good.
That's exactly what I needed.
I took a deep breath.
The air felt heavier now.
Or maybe—
It was just me.
"…I'm really doing this."
No turning back.
Then—
I boarded a transport heading toward the North Outskirts.