Part 2: ReStart
A bitter aftertaste lingered in my mouth as I maneuvered through the charred remnants of buildings. The burning city's grim horizon came into view after overcoming more debris. Reaching the city's edge, I cautiously entered the familiar forest, contemplating the challenges of my journey without a carriage.
As the sun set, I established a camp by a river amid the trees, taking time to rest and hunt for food. In my previous life, luxury and maids attending to my every need were the norm.
"No point in complaining," I muttered, removing my shirt.
A shower sounded good, but as I undressed further I noticed an unexpected change in my body's resilience. After poking at my skin around for a bit, I finally opted for a cold bath in the river before continuing my journey. It remained uneventful until I neared Kogasha–
As my legs went through the long shards of grass, I encountered a mutant different from any I had faced before, it appeared more human and significantly fiercer.
"Disgusting," I remarked, preparing to face it.
"Come at me then!" I taunted.
It charged toward me with urgency. Dodging its attacks, I responded with a swift kick to the stomach, sending it sprawling. It has a hard hide, proven by how fast it recovered. "Then it's round two I guess," I stretched cockily
The mutant repeated its assault, but this time I strategically backed away, dodging its strikes again although this time around, I sought an opening. Grasping its wrist, I delivered a gut punch before retreating.
The mutant, visibly discomforted, gave me a good chance for a finishing blow. However, as I unleashed a kick, as it was about to make contact, a sudden chill went up my spine as the ice started forming from the ground up to my knees, trapping me in place.
"The mutant uses Igma!?" I exclaimed, recognizing the phenomenon from the previous encounter I had while I was with Takeo.
Sensing my vulnerability, the mutant aimed for a fatal strike. Bracing for impact, I closed my eyes.
A clash interrupted the impending doom. Peering cautiously, I witnessed a man with a large sword overpowering the mutant. He exploited an opening in its defenses, driving his sword through its core. The mutant crumpled, and the ice imprisoning me dissolved.
Offering a helping hand, the man introduced himself as Arthur. I reciprocated with my name, Makino.
He seems to be in his thirties.
"Thanks for the help," Expressing gratuide, dusting off the dirt from my clothes.
"Anytime," he replied. "There's a town nearby with a guild as I haven't seen you around."
"It's my first time here," I explained.
"Ah, welcome then," Arthur said, leading me into the town. Its distinctiveness became apparent—a lack of bustling crowds, more animals, additional housing, and fewer inns.
"Not the friendliest place, huh?" I remarked.
"People here aren't too keen on outsiders," Arthur explained. "After the disaster, trust is hard to come by. Just don't cause any trouble, and you should be fine."
He halted and pointed towards a building with a friendly smile. "That's the guild. You'll probably find me there if you need anything."
"Sure will," I waved goodbye as he headed to the inn. Watching him go, I couldn't help but think about how much nicer Lucien was. Arthur wasn't unfriendly, but he just wasn't on Lucien's level.
Taking a moment to explore, I quickly realized that this place was still a work in progress, far from becoming a kingdom.
Entering the guild, I observed a bustling scene with people resting or engaging in missions. Approaching the registration desk, a girl greeted me.
"Here to sign up?"
"Yeah, thinking of earning some extra money."
"Okay, if you just sign right here." She handed me a piece of paper and a pen.
The paper provided details about the guild and the town's surrounding area. I filled in the necessary information:
[Name: Makino Katsu]
[Age: 15]
[Gender: Male]
Handing back the paper, the girl pulled out a glass orb from beneath the desk. "If you put your hand on it, we can measure your capability."
I hesitated for a moment, although I knew about these orbs from my past life, I had never used one deliberately to avoid exposure. Kogasha seemed to be ahead, having acquired this technology first. Placing my palm on the orb, it emitted a faint blue glow.
"What does that mean?" I inquired, intrigued.
"The color indicates your strength. Green means slightly stronger than average, and blue means much stronger," she explained.
"Well, that explains it," I muttered to myself.
She handed me a blue card displaying my name and rank.
"The card proves your guild membership and skill level. Right now, you're at rank D since you haven't completed any quests. The more you do, the higher you climb. Striving for an S rank is the ultimate goal for now; it comes with more challenges and rewards."
Taking the information to heart, I exited the town, the forest coming into view again. The quest assigned to me involved hunting five normal mutants and bringing back their claws for medicinal use.