Village found.
As soon as I reached the large door, the mage looked at me and asked,
"Where do you wish to go?"
As soon as he asked, blue screens appeared in front of me:
Southern Continent
Northern Continent
Eastern Continent
Western Continent
Central Continent
Looking at the options, I thought for a moment to make my choice carefully. Based on information from books and some forum comments, the choice of continent must be made with caution. Moving between continents will require heavily armed ships or something similar, taking days of in-game travel or an exorbitant price paid through intercontinental teleportation centers.
The continents also differ in many ways. According to the game's explanation, each continent takes on social and cultural aspects from different countries and continents around the world, not to mention the creativity and innovation of the designers and programmers. In the end, the option I chose was the Southern Continent.
After I selected the option, it disappeared, and new options appeared:
Astel Empire
Gae Empire
Medellin Kingdom
Armetil Kingdom
...
Curitiba Island
...
Random Location
There were countless options of empires, kingdoms, and islands, and the last one, which I chose, was "Random Location," a controversial and not recommended choice. The reason is simple: by choosing one of the other options, you are placed in a safe starting zone close to other players. However, with the random location option, you might end up in places not listed in the options. For example, one player reported being born in a small tribe atop a volcano, making it extremely difficult to start due to the high temperature and the higher-level monsters.
Still, I wanted to choose this option: Random Location. As soon as I clicked on it, the mage beside me looked at me strangely but didn't comment and just asked for confirmation:
"Have you decided your location?"
"Yes," I replied calmly.
"Great."
He pointed his magic staff toward the large door, which began to glow with various colors. Unlike previous moments, the colors were mixed and constantly shifting, seemingly symbolizing the randomness of the portal. I stepped in, and a powerful spatial energy enveloped my body, and in an instant, I disappeared.
...
Small droplets of water fell from the sky slowly and steadily. Around me, I could smell damp plants, and the strong humidity was undeniable. Looking to the side, I saw trees with darker wood and sparse foliage, with a faint, darkened shade of green. The ground was a light brownish color, with a soft, somewhat mushy texture. There were smaller plants nearby, like mosses and light leaves, reminding me of a swamp or something similar.
For a moment, I couldn't see any structures, so after looking around, I decided to walk north, hoping to find some form of civilization or a town. After about two minutes, I was attacked.
"Water Wall!"
I raised my wand into the air, and a blue magic circle formed a water wall that blocked the attack. Looking in the direction of the attack, I saw three creatures. They extended their long tongues, a particularly disgusting sight, and attacked me. The only reason I was able to defend myself was due to the hidden perk of my race, or rather, my races. Increased sensitivity in humid environments, combined with my aerial nature, allowed me to feel the movement of the air and its direction. By combining both, I was able to use my skill before the attacks hit.
After that, I moved my wand again, and about 25 mana arrows appeared in the air. The arrows had a bluish-dark hue, symbolizing the elements of darkness and water. Without hesitation, the arrows attacked the enemies. They tried to dodge and defend themselves using their speed and tongues, but due to the sheer number of arrows, they were hit, especially in their legs and parts of their bodies.
After shooting the arrows, I drew my whip with my left hand and gathered water from both my mana and the environment, extending the length of the whip. When the first enemy destroyed the wall and leaped at me, I struck it with the whip, pushing it several meters away and dealing even more damage. At the same time, I subtly moved my wand and used my darkness magic. The creatures, lacking intelligence, didn't understand my action. I increased the size and density of the whip further, and as I pushed the other two into the middle of the spell, one of them sensed something wrong and tried to flee. However, I had already launched a dark orb that sent it straight back.
Once both fell, the dark energy circle activated, and dark energy tentacles bound them in place. I focused on eliminating the first frog and then the other two. It took some time, and I got hit, but the damage was insignificant. Afterward, I continued walking and encountered some more annoying frogs along the way until I finally found signs of civilization.
....
In the distance, I could see what appeared to be a town or something similar. There was a large wooden fence that marked its boundaries, and the houses were made of straw and wood, or at least materials that looked similar. From afar, the structures seemed relatively well-preserved.
Curious, I moved toward the town, and soon enough, I arrived at its entrance. However, I had to stop as spears were pointed in my direction, and the individuals who seemed to inhabit the village were somewhat unusual.
They stood over two meters tall, with elongated arms and lower bodies resembling that of serpents, covered in blue-green scales. Their long tails looked dangerous and threatening.
What intrigued me was that, from what I knew, they didn't seem to belong to any race I was familiar with in the game. They didn't resemble any of the beast-kind options available.
"Who are you, and what do you want?"
The one who looked the strongest and most dangerous spoke in a firm voice, watching me closely.
I was also able to see his status:
---
Gate Guard - Level 25*
Description
The gate guard of the village Ophi, a village formed by a unique race in this world—the race of the Nagas. One must be cautious when dealing with them, as they are known for being unwelcoming to humans and fiercely protective of their home and territory. However, they may be more receptive to beast-kind races.
---
Keeping the description in mind, I lowered my hood and removed my mask. My dark black-blue hair was revealed, along with my eyes—a striking mix of green and blue, both beautiful and captivating. Small respiratory systems were discreetly located near my neck, and my skin wasn't entirely human-like. My large, graceful wings became visible to everyone present.
Upon seeing my features, the guards seemed to relax a little, though I noticed some odd expressions as they looked at me. It didn't seem like prejudice, but rather something resembling pity and confusion.
That feeling seemed to dissipate as they examined my face more closely. Upon seeing my extremely attractive and charming appearance, one that could seemingly "topple nations," they became more fascinated and noticeably more receptive.
Noticing their reactions, I could only think that, somehow, my looks were influencing even the game world... at least they had some utility here, aside from attracting trouble.
"My name is Alan. I'm a new adventurer in this world," I said.
"I'd like to know if you could give me some information about where I am and, if possible, provide some temporary shelter."
The leader, who hadn't reacted as much to my appearance, responded after a few moments.
"Since you're new to this world, I understand your confusion. You don't belong to the human race either, but as a member of the beast-kind, you may be considered more trustworthy. However, our race typically doesn't allow outsiders to enter our village."
He paused briefly before continuing,
"I will take you to the village leader, and you can negotiate with him regarding your stay."
Hearing this, I sighed in relief. I wasn't sure if I was lucky or unlucky, given that I assumed most players spawned directly in a safe area where they could stay for a while without issue. At the very least, I had encountered an unusual race... wherever I was.
After the guard allowed me entry, he accompanied me inside. As we walked, I observed the village closely. Indeed, the entire village was made up of buildings constructed from straw and wood. Many members of the naga race were walking around—adults, children, and what appeared to be elders.
They wore various types of clothing, all of which had a relatively rough appearance, as if made from animal hides and plants. However, when I looked more closely and used my mana-sensing ability, I could feel that their clothes were crafted with great care. The garments seemed to be sewn with threads infused with mana, and I also sensed traces of water magic in them, possibly indicating that water magic had been used in their creation. This particularly intrigued me, given the type of magic I use myself.
"As you can see, this is our village," the guard began to explain. "More specifically, it's just one of the villages belonging to the darker races, and one that's quite far from our central hub. Culturally, we follow a simpler way of life, but we use water and nature magic to enhance our daily lives, given our natural affinities..."
He gestured to his weapon, which had a distinct green tint along its dark blade.
"We also have a natural ability with poison, which we infuse into our weapons. And, of course, our fangs."
As he spoke, he not only pointed his weapon at me but also revealed his sharp, retractable fangs, which had a faint venomous hue.
"Oh... I see..." I replied.
"By the way..." he said, continuing to inspect me closely.