Introduction Arc: Chapter 3.
An instant hiss replaced the soft crackle of a fire. Winter put out the fire by dumping the dirty water from a waterskin that the goblins had.
"Murky water, and it smells bad too..." he said, looking around the makeshift camp, aside from the campfire and the hind meat resting over it. There really was nothing; the goblins didn't even have a simple log or stone chair.
"Most animals wouldn't even poopoo where they eat, but these things..." Winter said, glancing with disgust toward a spot where the goblins would defecate.
It was close to the campfire, and it was eerily close to the carcass of the giant boar. It disturbed him that the goblins had no sanitation concerns.
Winter turned away from the sight and then kicked the roasted hind leg, uninterested in the meat. Thinking that it was still contaminated despite the heat.
(They tore it off the poor animal. They didn't even bother to clean or salt it. What a disgusting race of creatures.)
"Nothing salvageable here." Winter felt his stomach churn, thinking that his health was slowly withering by staying here. He unsheathed his sword and continued walking, slicing down overgrown bushes and branches.
"Bricks, notify me if you find anything in the area that might be human activity, like footprints or discarded items."
◆ [ Understood, and let me say that it's an honor to serve you again, Hero. ] ◆
"Serve me again, what?"
◆ [ You vanished, and for a long time, I remained still, directionless. ] ◆
"What? What's the last thing you remember?" Winter raised a brow, taking a deep breath and leaning against a tree, taking a quick rest while listening to Bricks.
◆ [ I remember you talking with the other great heroes. It's been a long time since the last time I've seen that many heroes in one place. You then retreated to your domain. ] ◆
◆ [ You stayed there for exactly three minutes and four seconds until I felt your strength vanish in an instant. Within a split second, I was ejected from your being and was teleported here in the forest of Sereneguard. ] ◆
◆ [ I stood still for a long time, waiting for you, and ultimately it was worth it. You've come back. It's an honor serving you again. ] ◆
Winter listened as Bricks explained his experience. There was a slight pang in Winter's heart, all too familiar with the feeling of being abandoned. (I shouldn't have pressed the reset button. It made me weak, and now this system of mine was left all alone. However, the journey to power isn't that bad. It's enjoyable; I've seen the anime and novels.)
(Bricks. From what I remember, it's a digital, magical system that guides your character. I remember the developers saying that it was a semi-sentient mobile phone.
Winter thought, pausing for a moment while staring at his sword.
"I may be imagining it, but it sounded like your voice cracked, Bricks," Winter said, staring at the empty blue sky. The sky looked welcoming and quiet. There was a silent pause before Bricks answered.
◆ [ It is your imagination, Winter. I do not feel. ] ◆
"You said we're in Serene-guard. That must mean that Newbie Town is nearby. Why were you even recording the topography if you already know this place?" A sound question from Winter.
◆ [ Three hundred and four years have passed. The landscape has changed, and you're already on track towards Newbie Town. I assumed that's where you were heading. ] ◆
◆ [ I told you earlier to check the map. ] ◆
"I see, and three hundred and four years? Wow." Winter said, continuing forward with vigor.
Newbie Town was where all the players would start, and most of the game's colorful cast were there. A flood of nostalgia coursed through him; the characters that made his childhood so memorable were there, waiting to be interacted with.
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With a final clean swing, the foliage was trimmed, and the view cleared.
Winter could finally see Newbie Town from a distance. He traversed through the forest for almost an hour, continuing to head straight, and it paid off. The town where all players would start was now fully visible.
He walked forward, dropping his sword and suddenly kneeling on the grassy ground with teary eyes. He was out of the forest and was now in the Great Plains. The wind breezed through him, tears dropping rapidly.
The fresh wind cooled his tears and whistled as it passed by his ears. Nostalgia, the allure of the past, brought him down.
The view was spectacular; it looked like it was straight out of a wonderful photograph. The first dragon emperor's castle was covered in white sparkling light, while the broken mage tower was floating at a slightly tilted angle with a huge thundercloud above it, and the gladiator's arena was standing up on a hill with red banners and four giant pillars parallel to each other.
Adventure Fable Worlds: Dragon Lords was a 2D MMORPG. The art style was cartoonish at launch, but over the years, it slowly evolved into a 2D art form. From the characters to the weapons, each was carefully handcrafted by loving and dedicated artists.
Now, it was no longer 2D. It became real, but the sense of nostalgia persisted. Winter scanned the town, almost a whole city now. He couldn't help but hitch his breathing as his heart palpitated.
"This is truly a magnificent world,"
Winter said and clutched his hands on the ground; his fingernails were now full of dirt. He rose and then composed himself, skipping forward with excitement.
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Winter was now at the gate; Newbie Town was covered with massive, intimidating grey stone walls. It wasn't there before in the original game. Several guards stood at the gate, and there were two watchtowers, each with two guards.
There were also wandering merchants outside peddling their wares near the city gates. The gate entrance was bubbling with economic activity, and Winter couldn't wait to interact with everyone or the merchants.
A massive line of people and horse-drawn carriages was seen waiting for their turn to enter the gates. A person showed a piece of paper to the guard and was then granted passage.
"That has to be a passport of some kind. I wonder where I can get one." Winter added, excitement slightly waning due to the entry requirements.
"A deep discount on magical enchantments: buy one and get one!"
A slightly chubby merchant dressed in fine, long robes announced to a huge crowd of people. There was already a huge crowd around his stall.
"Let me guess, that's a scam," Winter said, noting novel tropes, approaching the stall.