Free Web NovelChapter 6: Ch 6: Departure
The next three days passed as he awaited the day of departure.
All the villagers came to visit him after learning he would head to First Olympus.
"Good for you, Apollo. Just don’t become a coward there."
"Make our village proud."
"Brother Apo, fight!"
"Tsk, I don’t know how a loser like you got the golden ticket. It should have been me!"
Some were full of well-wishes, while others were just an envious bunch.
Raidan simply accepted their farewells with a smile. He had better things to do than get into mindless scuffles.
During these three days, he created a total of 20 easy quests and completed them all. Even though the rewards grew less impressive with each completion, he still earned more than enough EXP to level up.
[ Congratulations, Player Apollo! You have leveled up! ]
[ Received 5 attribute points to distribute freely (ATK, DEF, AGI) ]
It became clear that leveling up gave five attribute points. It felt painfully low for some reason, but at least his quests sometimes offered extra attribute points as rewards.
This was incredibly important. Even if he fell short in terms of natural talent, his quests could easily bridge the gap, and perhaps even help him surpass everyone else.
However, it also became clear that staying in a backwater place like this wouldn’t yield many high-tier rewards. The village was small, and outside it lay unknown lands that he wasn’t willing to cross at the moment.
He distributed the attribute points according to his needs: 2 to ATK, 2 to AGI, and 1 to DEF.
His updated status:
[ Player Name: Apollo ]
Level: 2 | EXP: 15/200
Species: Human
Titles: None
Class: None
Origins: [Sun God’s Shrine]
Physical Attributes:
ATK (Attack): 12
DEF (Defense): 11
AGI (Agility): 11
Mana: 1
Skills: None
Looking at his status, he was quite satisfied. It wasn’t just numbers on a display; he could feel the physical changes within his body as well. His muscles and bones felt tighter and twice as strong as before.
"Apollo, it’s time!"
From outside his hut, he heard Lucas’s voice.
Raidan picked up the cloth bag he had prepared with what little he had as his belongings. The wooden sword was tied to his waist for easy access in times of danger.
Once outside, he saw the entire village gathering in a festive atmosphere. However, something was different. Most of them were looking at a mysterious man wearing a large straw hat.
’Is he the "Guide" the old chief talked about?’ Raidan thought to himself.
Almost at the same time, the mysterious man with the straw hat turned toward Raidan, offering an intriguing gaze.
As the man’s eyes locked onto him, Raidan felt a tingling sensation ripple through his body, as if that look could pierce through deceptions with ease.
A few seconds later, the man smiled.
"I see you’re not lying, old man. This boy indeed has mana. He can enter First Olympus." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
His voice was like a melody. Almost like a female’s.
Hearing him, all the villagers, including the Village Chief, felt an invisible weight lift off their shoulders.
"See? I told you to have faith in the Village Chief. He wouldn’t demand our gold for no reason," a farmer said to his neighbors.
A young man interjected, "But he is a coward, Father. He will only die before he’s even able to meet our God! Our precious gold will go in mud."
Lucas stepped in, defending Raidan with a scowl. "Shut up, Denis. My buddy Apollo might look like a coward, but I promise he will be the bravest there is. Mark my words!"
"Yes, We should have faith in son Apollo. He is the best chance we have, " another farmer added.
Raidan appreciated the ones who stood up for him, but honestly, he simply couldn’t find any emotional attachment to them at all. Not for Lucas, nor for any of the other villagers.
They were like strangers he had met just a few days ago.
Still, he showed them the kindest smile he could muster.
With all the farewells over, the mysterious guide placed a hand on Raidan’s shoulder, making him stiffen.
"Shall we depart now, chosen one?" he asked with that same annoying smile, as if he knew everything.
Raidan nodded.
Then, he followed the guide through the dark forest.
The environment changed dramatically. Less light, cold air, lifeless woods, and creeping shadows.
Raidan felt uneasy and a little scared. He had never dared to tread into these forests, and yet this guide decided to take him right through them.
Didn’t he know how dangerous the beasts were?
Didn’t he know if they attacked, they would be as helpless as chickens?
The guide looked sideways at his nervous posture and read his mind.
"Are you feeling scared, Apollo?"
Raidan didn’t feel the need to lie.
"Yes, a little, sir."
He expected the man to mock him for his cowardice, but he didn’t.
"Fear is good, Apollo. It’s the best tool if you ever want to survive the mystical world of First Olympus. Remember, at every turn of your day-to-day life, they’ll come for you. You must learn to control your fear and weaponize it."
Whoosh!
Just then, the shadow of a bat jumped down at the duo.
Raidan tensed, but readied himself to defend.
At that exact moment, the mysterious guide’s sword flashed.
Swoosh! Slash!
In a clean swipe, the demonic bat was slain.
It was the size of an adult human, easily capable of killing Raidan ten times over. But this guide had killed it so easily.
This gave Raidan a small idea of just how powerful the guide was.
After that small obstacle, the guide signaled not to look back and to continue walking in silence.
Raidan understood that their voices attracted the beasts, so he remained quiet, even though he had many questions.
The bone-chilling adventure lasted for over thirty minutes, and they finally crossed the forest.
Raidan exhaled in relief upon seeing a clear sky. He had survived, and the sensation was quite satisfying. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"See that boundary over there? That is the destination you need to cross if you want to enter First Olympus."
The mysterious guide pointed toward the distant ocean bed where a transparent blue barrier could be seen clearly.
Raidan was excited.
Without delay, they took the boat already waiting there and started sailing toward the boundary.
Amid this exciting atmosphere, the guide’s chilling reminder came through.
"Remember, it is also called as the Realm Suppression Barrier. Once you pass through it, you can never come back."
Raidan was momentarily stunned. He recalled the faces of Lucas and the villagers whom he hadn’t even acknowledged.
Are they really going to be separated forever?
