3 Chapter 3

After ruminating for a while, he got up because he was starting to get hungry and he had to find some food.

He tried projecting it before and he succeeded. A loaf of bread appeared in his hand as he ate it with suspicion, but it tasted no different from one.

He got happy that he could solve his biggest problem this quickly but his happiness didn't last long as after a minute or so, hunger came back once more.

The taste of the bread that was in his mouth still disappeared. It was like it didn't even exist and he had never eaten it.

He projected once more just to be sure and that he wasn't dreaming of projecting it and as expected, same thing happened once again.

Anything he projected would disappear once the time was up.

He was discouraged from having his hopes shattered within seconds but he pulled himself together quickly as hunger made itself known moments later.

He was ruminating on how to find some food as he was never in a situation like this before but thankfully he didn't have to think about it too long as a group of five people some with heavy and some with leather armors appeared in his vision.

The man at front that looked like the leader had long black hair with a beard growing on his chin if he had to be honest the man looked quite badass with two swords on his back.

Just as he was looking at the group, the group was also looking at him.

"A kid? No, a mimic?" A woman with heavy armor asked while another woman in leather armor replied.

"What would a mimic do around these parts idiot?"

"You tell me? What would a kid do around these parts?"

"She's right, you know?" Then a man joined the argument while the black haired man at the front was quietly checking him out.

Then the man opened his mouth, "what are you doing here kid?"

He was unsure how to reply to the man' Should I say that I transmigrated? Would they even believe that?' He gave up on telling the truth as he said, "I'm lost."

"You are lost? How did you get lost this far away from the Horizon when there are no other settlements around these parts." The man asked once more.

"Uhh, I guess I'm super lost?" He said while he was unsure himself.

"Right. You're super lost. I see. It happens I guess." The man nodded. "Come, we'll take you to the city after cleaning up the area."

"Captain you can't be serious. He is suspicious." The man right next to the black haired man said while trying to persuade his captain.

"Leave it Marcus, he is a human I'm sure of it. Are your eyes better than mine?"

With that the man named Marcus shut his mouth and now that he took a better look at the captain's eyes, they were not normal. They were yellowish with a slit in the middle just like the eyes of a cat.

'Catman.' He nicknamed in his mind.

"What is your name kid?" The captain asked while they were traveling together.

He ruminated on the question before answering.

"Evander Maximillian. Call me Max." He was pretty sure his name wasn't something like that before but what could he do? He had another identity this time. He could only accept.

"Max eh? That's a good name. Name's Leopold. What were you doing before you got lost?"

"I… I don't remember." After he said that a brief silence descended upon the group.

"I see. Is there anything you remember?" The captain answered once again.

Max thought once more before deciding to trust the man. "I can do this." He said as he projected a knife in his hand.

"Ah Gradation Air, I understand. You can do anything else?" The man nodded in understanding once more.

Upon seeing this, Max was astonished then depressed. 'Maybe it wasn't as special as I thought? Not only the captain, but also no other person looked surprised.'

"No, nothing else." His confidence took a big hit so he didn't dare to show the Phantasm. Besides, what could he show them in there? There were only a few fruit knives stuck in the ground and a couple of hills here and there.

"Got it." The captain nodded once again and saw that his expression was not looking good so he put his hand on Max's shoulder while encouraging him. "Don't be down about the situation, maybe your memories will return soon. Be strong."

Then the group continued their expedition while encountering a few groups of monsters.

Meanwhile, Max watched as the group made quick work of the monsters.

Even he didn't know that he would benefit from this so much because ever weapon in their hands be it a mace or a sword, was recorded in his Phantasm.

He was free to call upon them as he wished. But that was not all, since he could record them, he knew all about those weapons from their creation to their use while hunting monsters.

He completely memorized the way they handled those weapons and every user had a different style while using them even if they were using the same weapon.

For example captain Leopold used counter attacking as his base while using the sword while Marcus who also used a sword made use of quick strikes to finish off his opponent.

And Max had all of them memorized. 'Holyshit. That's awesome. I want to try it out.' He was getting excited like a little kid who got a new toy.

Then, he couldn't hold himself back as he asked, "uhh Captain Leopold?"

"Hmm?" He turned to look back at Max who was watching the group from a little distance.

"Can I, can I join too?" He asked nervously.

"Did you remember yourself hunting monsters?" Captain asked.

"No."

"Hmm, okay. We'll leave one for you. But make no mistake, we won't help you unless you are about to die even if every bone in your body is broken." The captain answered which made Max's enthusiasm dwindle a little bit.

He might have gotten excited like a little kid just now and forgot about the dangers but it was actually normal as he had never seen magic nor used it before so everything was novel experience for him, unknowingly he started treating it as a game but the warning of the captain Leopold brought him back.

But his determination didn't shake. If before he was thinking of this as a game, now he completely recognized this as reality where he could die with a simple mistake if he wanted to go home.

"Thank you, that's all I ask." He said with gratitude.

"That's a good lad. Now come."

There was a monster left in the field, the rest were either killed or about to be killed.