When Felix packed his things the next morning, the first thing he noticed was that Milim was gone.
The second thing he noticed was that the basket was empty.
Felix stared at the basket for a moment.
"…Well," he muttered. "At least she didn't take the tent."
Judging by the crumbs scattered inside the basket, Milim had clearly decided to have breakfast before leaving. The fact that she had not simply taken the entire magical hamper was honestly a miracle.
Felix folded the tent carefully and stored it away.
The white fox sleeping on his shoulder stirred faintly but did not wake.
Her tiny paws twitched once before she settled again against his cloak.
Felix adjusted her gently before continuing down the road.
Meeting Milim had been… unexpectedly useful.
Not because of anything she had said directly.
But because of what she hadn't said.
Based on their conversation, Felix could now estimate the timeline fairly accurately.
This should be after the Orc Disaster, but still before the Kingdom of Falmuth's invasion.
Which meant Rimuru's nation had already begun growing.
Tempest existed.
But the events that would shake the entire continent had not happened yet.
Felix walked quietly through the forest path while considering the implications.
Of course, while he was thinking about the world…
The world had already begun thinking about him.
---
Rumors traveled faster than horses.
Especially when Demon Lords were involved.
The incident with Clayman had not remained quiet for long.
The dark elves who once served in Clayman's mansion had spread the story first.
But stories rarely stayed the same once people started repeating them.
By the time the tale reached nearby towns, it had already grown considerably.
In one version of the story, Felix had fought Clayman for hours, their battle shaking the forest and splitting the sky with waves of magic.
In another, Felix had defeated Clayman effortlessly, leaving him alive only because the Demon Lord was "not worthy to die by a hero's hand."
Some even claimed Felix had appeared from the heavens themselves.
The truth—that Felix had kicked Clayman in the throat while a fox spirit bit him—had quietly disappeared somewhere along the way.
What remained was a far more impressive legend.
Particularly because of one small detail.
During their confrontation, Felix had addressed Clayman as "Young Demon Lord."
For someone who didn't know the context, that statement carried a very different implication.
Clayman might have been the newest Demon Lord.
But he certainly wasn't young.
So to call him that…
It sounded as if Felix himself was far older.
An ancient hero who had simply returned to the world.
Soon the rumors twisted even further.
The story now claimed Felix had personally defeated Clayman, freed enslaved spirits, and spared the Demon Lord only out of mercy.
Mjurran's role had been simplified into the tale of a tragic woman enslaved by Clayman until Felix saved her.
And when Felix began helping villages across Demon Lord Milim's territory, the rumors took another strange turn.
Some villagers believed Felix was quietly warning Milim herself.
A silent message.
Do not step out of line.
Or I will come for you next.
Of course…
Milim herself had absolutely no idea any of this was happening.
And even if she did, she probably wouldn't care.
But others did care.
Clayman, for example.
The rumors had severely damaged his reputation.
To the point that unrest had begun spreading among some of his own subordinates.
Meanwhile, the Moderate Harlequin Alliance had begun investigating Felix's identity.
They wanted to know if he was connected to an old hero lineage.
Or perhaps some hidden organization.
But the one most interested in the reports was Yuuki Kagurazaka.
After hearing Clayman's version of the story, Yuuki had been intrigued.
Because the fight sounded… unusual.
According to Clayman, the battle had felt as if Felix was manipulating probability itself.
Every attack had gone wrong.
Every movement had somehow favored Felix.
The spreading rumors only reinforced that theory.
Of course, the Alliance could send someone to eliminate Felix.
But there was one small problem.
They had absolutely no idea how strong he really was.
They had never heard of him losing a fight.
They had never even heard of him getting injured.
So for now…
They were watching.
---
Elsewhere, another figure reviewed the reports.
A black-haired woman stood in a quiet office within the headquarters of the Western Holy Church.
Hinata Sakaguchi read the document silently.
"A new hero…" she murmured.
Whether Felix was truly new, or an ancient hero returning to the world, remained unclear.
But Hinata did not particularly care.
If humanity had gained another powerful hero…
That was a good thing.
As long as he acted in favor of humanity.
His allegiance did not matter.
His intentions did.
She set the document aside.
Time would reveal the truth eventually.
---
Meanwhile, Felix himself had absolutely no idea any of this was happening.
Because at the moment…
He had bigger problems.
After reuniting with Mjurran and crossing into Eurazania, the two of them had arrived at a town where something was terribly wrong.
The streets were quiet.
Too quiet.
Many doors were closed.
Several people lay resting outside their homes, breathing heavily.
Others sat against walls with pale faces and trembling hands.
The air itself felt wrong.
Felix frowned.
"…Something's not right."
Mjurran nodded weakly.
They approached an elderly turtle beastman sitting near a well.
The old man looked exhausted.
"What happened here?" Felix asked gently.
The turtle beastman sighed deeply.
"…Ah… it's all the fault of that lord."
"Offending the great Blackfire Snake of the Jinji Forest."
Felix raised an eyebrow.
"And what does that have to do with this?"
The old man coughed.
"A few weeks ago… the town lord decided to kill the snake."
Apparently the creature often destroyed livestock.
The lord believed killing it would protect the town.
But when the hunters attacked…
The Blackfire Snake fled after being injured.
Weeks later, the townspeople began falling ill.
Poison.
Everyone assumed it was the snake's revenge.
But there was something strange about the situation.
The townspeople were used to the creature.
They had medicine specifically made to counter its venom.
Yet none of the cures were working.
Felix and Mjurran stayed the night to investigate further.
And the next morning…
Things became worse.
Mjurran herself began showing symptoms.
Her skin had turned pale.
Her movements slower.
She was still conscious, but clearly weakened.
Felix felt something tighten in his chest.
Mjurran might not be powerful compared to monsters like Rimuru or Milim.
But compared to ordinary people…
She was incredibly strong.
For a poison to affect her like this…
It had to be something far more dangerous than normal venom.
Felix looked at her again.
And for the first time since arriving in this world…
He felt something unfamiliar.
Frustration.
Anger.
Fear.
Mjurran had been traveling beside him for weeks now.
He had grown used to her presence.
Her quiet smiles.
The way she sometimes blushed when villagers praised Felix too much.
Seeing her like this…
Felix clenched his fists.
Something inside him snapped.
---
Suddenly the world vanished.
Felix found himself standing in a vast empty space.
White.
Endless.
Quiet.
His thoughts moved rapidly.
Poison.
Plants.
Medicine.
Healing.
Everything he had learned, everything he had observed, everything he had studied since arriving in this world—his mind pulled it together at once.
His Humanity Unchained essence reacted instantly.
And the world answered.
The moment the voice faded…
Felix returned to reality.
A strange calm washed over him.
The skill information appeared within his mind.
Herbalism
Allows the user to identify plants and simulate their effects individually or in combination.
Life Analysis
Allows the user to analyze a lifeform, identifying conditions, curses, blessings, poison, corruption, and alignment.
Nature's Guide
Allows communication with nature spirits and manipulation of plants while improving environmental magicule usage.
Nature's Wrath
Allows the user to harness nature's power offensively, though excessive use may anger nature spirits.
Felix immediately turned toward Mjurran.
Using Life Analysis.
The answer appeared instantly.
"…This isn't Blackfire Snake venom."
Mjurran looked up weakly.
"It isn't?"
Felix shook his head.
"It's scorpion poison."
"Not natural either."
"Someone has been breeding them specifically to strengthen the toxin."
While discovering the culprit was important…
First he had to save the town.
Using Nature's Guide and Herbalism, Felix began searching nearby plants.
Within hours he found the correct combination.
Roots.
Leaves.
Sap.
The cure worked.
One by one, the townspeople recovered.
As Felix distributed the medicine, cheers spread across the streets.
"Hero Felix!"
"Hero Felix saved us!"
"Long live the hero!"
Felix winced slightly at the noise.
Just as he finished treating the last patient—
A figure rushed toward him with a dagger.
The attack never reached him.
Mjurran moved first.
Despite her weakened state, she raised her hand.
A magic barrier flashed into existence.
The dagger struck it with a sharp clang.
In the same motion, Mjurran cast a binding spell.
Chains of magic wrapped around the attacker, slamming him to the ground.
Moments later, the truth emerged.
The attacker was the previous lord's son.
After losing the position of town lord, he had planned revenge.
By poisoning the water supply with specially bred scorpions, he hoped the new lord would appear incompetent.
Once enough time passed…
He planned to reveal the cure and reclaim authority.
Instead…
Felix had ruined everything.
And now the townspeople surrounded the square, cheering loudly.
"Hero Felix!"
"Hero Felix saved us all!"
Sometime later
Night settled quietly over the town Felix had just saved.
Most of the people were asleep now. The streets that had been filled with cheers earlier had finally grown quiet. Only a few lanterns still burned outside the guard post near the edge of town.
Inside that small wooden building, behind iron bars, sat the man who had poisoned the town.
The former lord's son leaned against the wall of the cell, his face twisted with bitterness.
Everything had been taken from him.
His title.
His reputation.
His future.
And worst of all… his revenge.
The townspeople now celebrated the very man who had ruined him.
"Hero Felix…"
He spat the name out like poison.
Outside the building, hidden within the darkness of a nearby rooftop, a pair of eyes watched him carefully.
Tear swung her legs lazily over the edge of the roof.
"Man… humans really are dramatic."
She had been following Felix and Mjurran for days now.
Ever since they had reunited after separating near Milim's territory.
At first she had expected the assignment to be boring.
But after observing Felix for a while…
She had to admit.
He was interesting.
Bandits tripped while attacking him.
Monsters exposed their weak points at the worst possible time.
And even powerful people seemed to underestimate him until it was too late.
Tear tilted her head slightly.
"It's almost like probability bends around him."
She pulled a small communication crystal from her sleeve.
The crystal glowed softly as it connected.
A familiar voice answered.
"Well?" Yuuki asked calmly.
Tear leaned back on the rooftop.
"The hero left the town earlier today."
"And?"
"He's heading toward the nearest city on the edge of the Jura Forest."
There was a brief pause.
Yuuki already understood the implication.
That route passed very close to the place where Charybdis had been sealed.
"…I see," Yuuki said thoughtfully.
Tear smiled.
"So what do you think, boss?"
Yuuki leaned back in his chair on the other side of the crystal.
"We still don't know how strong Felix truly is."
"Clayman's report was… incomplete."
Tear snorted.
"That idiot got kicked in the throat."
Yuuki chuckled quietly.
"Which is precisely why we should test our mysterious hero."
His tone remained relaxed.
"Charybdis should be sufficient."
Tear's grin widened.
"Oho."
Yuuki continued calmly.
"You won't handle this alone."
"I'm sending Footman."
---
The forest outside the town was silent.
Then suddenly—
CRASH.
A large figure burst through the trees, snapping branches like twigs.
"Man, boss always sends me the fun jobs!"
Footman stretched his massive arms and cracked his neck.
His eyes quickly spotted the pink-haired girl sitting on a branch above him.
"Oh hey, Tear!"
"Took you long enough," Tear said lazily.
Footman shrugged.
"Traveling across half the forest isn't exactly quick!"
He glanced toward the town lights.
"So what's the plan?"
Tear jumped down lightly.
"We're breaking someone out."
Footman grinned beneath his mask.
"Oh I like this already."
---
Moments later.
The small prison building was quiet.
The guard didn't even notice the shadow behind him.
A soft thud.
The man collapsed instantly.
Footman stepped inside the building and stretched.
"Man, humans build weak prisons."
He grabbed the iron bars of the cell and ripped them out with a loud screech of metal.
Inside the cell, the prisoner stared in shock.
"You—!"
Tear crouched in front of him.
"Hey there."
The man pressed himself against the wall.
"Who are you?"
"People who want to help you," Tear said sweetly.
The man's eyes burned with anger.
"…Help me?"
"You want revenge on Hero Felix, right?"
His hands clenched immediately.
"That man ruined everything!"
"Perfect," Tear said cheerfully.
Footman stepped forward and dropped two small vials into the prisoner's hands.
The liquid inside was dark and thick.
"Drink those."
The prisoner hesitated.
"…What are they?"
"Something that'll help you fight," Tear said.
Footman crossed his arms.
"If you want revenge, you'll need power."
The man stared at the vials.
He had nothing left.
No title.
No allies.
No future.
Only revenge.
Slowly… he drank both.
At first, nothing happened.
Then his body began to shake.
Veins bulged under his skin.
His muscles tightened unnaturally.
The drug flooding his body strengthened his flesh, pushing his physical limits far beyond what a normal human could handle.
But at the same time…
It quietly eroded something else.
His spirit.
Exactly what was needed to awaken the sealed monster.
Tear stood and stretched.
"Alright."
She pointed toward the distant mountains.
"Head that way."
The prisoner staggered to his feet.
"Why…?"
Footman laughed loudly.
"That's where the power you need is."
Tear smiled softly.
"There's an ancient beast sleeping there."
"If you awaken it… you can control it."
The prisoner's eyes widened.
"…Control it?"
"Of course," Tear said lightly.
"With something like that on your side…"
"You could crush Felix."
The man began stumbling toward the forest.
Toward the mountains.
Toward the ancient seal.
At first his steps were steady.
But as time passed…
His movements grew erratic.
His breathing became uneven.
"Felix…"
He muttered the name again and again.
Sometimes whispering.
Sometimes shouting.
His thoughts began slipping apart.
The drug continued to strengthen his body…
While slowly breaking his mind.
Far ahead of him, deep within the mountains bordering the Jura Forest, something ancient stirred.
The prisoner collapsed to his knees at the entrance of a ruined cavern.
Black mist seeped from the cracks in the stone.
The seal trembled.
Cracks spread across the ancient markings.
And from deep within the earth—
A monstrous roar shook the mountains.
A/n: The MC knows the plot and I am hating it, I mean it makes threats less intimidating and everything predictable. So I'm thinking of introducing a drawback that changes the timeline and things change, not everything but just enough that things aren't completely same. I could do it by butterfly effect but the butterfly effect can't change stuff before Felix came to the world. So who's in favour of this idea?
If enough people don't like the idea I would just use butterfly effect like I'm doing currently.