Chapter 12 Reality Different From Expection

[New Chosen detected!]

[Chosen Identity confirmed!]

[You have gained a new skill {Detect}!]

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After reading more about the Land of Origin, Michael often wondered where his initial location would be.

Would it be in the middle of a forest? An open plain? Or maybe dangerously close to a monster nest?

There were endless possibilities, and Michael's imagination ran wild. He hoped that as long as it wasn't anywhere near monsters, he'd be fine.

But when Michael opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark room with black brick walls covered in moss. If not for the holes in the roof allowing in some sunlight, the room would have been pitch black.

A foul odour filled the air, making Michael gag in disgust.

"What is this smell? Rotting garbage? Or… worse?"

'No, that's not important right now! Where on earth am I?'

If he hadn't registered with the Supers Association and gained access to information about the Land of Origin, he might have panicked. However, though Michael knew each Awakener's initial location was random, he wasn't exactly thrilled. The problem wasn't the location itself but the disgusting smell.

Though he wanted to leave immediately, Michael resisted the urge to move.

His current location wasn't the worst; at least there were no monsters or erupting volcanoes nearby. But he knew it was better to proceed with caution until he learned more about his surroundings. This wasn't just his own hunch—experienced Awakeners had emphasised caution multiple times in the "Tips for New Awakeners" forum post.

'First step, observe your surroundings.'

Michael turned to inspect the wall beside him.

[Wall]

A wall made of old, weathered bricks.

'Figures,' Michael thought sarcastically as he read the description. He wasn't surprised by its sudden appearance, having expected it.

This information was thanks to a new skill he had gained—actually, one that every Awakener received upon entering the Land of Origin for the first time: {Detect}.

Much like in games, the {Detect} skill allowed the user to gather information about specific objects they focused on. It was an essential skill for both new and experienced Awakeners alike.

However, {Detect} had its limitations. For one, it couldn't reveal information about living beings significantly stronger than the user. If the target was more than 20 levels above the user, {Detect} simply wouldn't work. Conversely, the skill provided more detailed information when the user's level was significantly higher than that of the target.

{Detect} could also improve over time, providing more details as the user's knowledge grew.

Shifting his focus away from the room's wall, Michael took a moment to observe his own 'body' in this world.

As expected, nothing from Aurora had followed him—not even his clothes. Thankfully, he wasn't naked; he was dressed in simple clothing similar to what commoners wore in the mediaeval ages on Earth.

Aside from the clothing, there was nothing else of note on him.

Now that he had a basic understanding of his surroundings, Michael decided it was time to explore. But before leaving the room, he decided to arm himself, just in case. 

There was no sign of monsters outside, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Michael had read plenty of stories on the forum about the unfortunate fates of new Awakeners, and he had no intention of dying on his first day.

The first thing Michael retrieved from his storage space was the leather armour he had bought from the Association. While better armour existed, those options were either too expensive or impractical for him at this stage.

Enduring the urge to gag from the foul smell around him, Michael quickly but quietly donned his leather armour.

'Time to arm myself.'

Michael had purchased three types of weapons from the Association: two melee weapons and one firearm. He had been surprised he could get the latter without any complications—apparently, his status as an Awakener was all the "licence" he needed.

Guns were effective in the Land of Origin, so he decided to bring one along. Compared to the spear and dagger he'd purchased, he felt much safer with a firearm. Though he'd never held a gun in either of his lives, let alone fired one, it offered a few clear advantages over melee weapons. For one, he could attack from a distance, and even if he missed, he could fire additional shots quickly.

Of course, guns also had their drawbacks. For instance, the noise could attract unwanted attention, like nearby monsters. Michael had considered this and even read about it on the forum, so he also bought a silencer for his gun.

'Guns are one of the best tools to have in the early stages, but they quickly become obsolete as one grows stronger. Like the experienced Awakeners in the forum said, personal strength is still the most important thing here.'

After loading his gun and removing the safety, he relaxed his tense shoulders and made his way out of the dark room.

Even if his first impression of the Land of Origin wasn't what he had expected, Michael's excitement about this new world remained undiminished.