Ethan wakes up expecting to see the walls of a hospital room—only to find a system message blinking in front of him: [Ding! You have killed a green worm] [Ding! Green worm has been added to your summoning list] Anything he kills becomes his to command?!
The caravan rolled out of the city gates just as the morning sun crested over the horizon, casting a golden glow on the sprawling procession.
Ethan sat on the back of one of the wagons, his new armor glinting faintly in the light. Lia was seated beside him, her hands clasped tightly around the strap of her satchel, her gaze darting nervously to the unfamiliar faces around them. There were only servants around them but they were still quite intimidating.
The steady rhythm of wagon wheels rolling against the dirt road filled the air, mingling with the soft murmurs of conversation between the servants and the occasional barked orders from the guards.
Ethan kept his posture relaxed, though his eyes flicked constantly across the caravan, cataloging faces, movements, and potential threats. Intimidating or not, everyone here was either a potential ally—or an obstacle.