Chapter 13 [ Extra ]

It really was a wonder to how the Nihility co. created such a masterpiece.

The graphics were rendered beautifully, and the senses were simulated with 100% accuracy. If not for the existence of the system, then it is unknown whether it was truly a real world.

I have been playing the game for a few hours, a little more than 5 hours in the game.

After the encounter in the forest, I told the brown-haired man, who I later learned was named Neus, and his group that I only remembered my name, and nothing more.

Though he was suspicious of my intentions, he still led me to the nearby village where he resided.

001 informed me that I would most likely be taken there and be tested using a truth orb, an orb that can differentiate absolute lies from truth.

Naturally, it doesn't work if the one in question doesn't know the answer, or if they were too powerful for the orb.

I was led to the chief in charge, and as 001 said, was tested with the truth orb.

The questions were pretty straightforward yes or no questions.

Like 'is your name really Indrid' and 'Do you remember anything other than your name'.

001 said that the system will mess with the truth orb, making it seem as though I were an amnesiac.

After that, Neus was no longer suspicious of me, and I could even feel looks of pity on me.

He asked what I wanted to do, and I just said that I would probably look around, see if anything interests me.

I already knew that I was gonna be an adventurer, going around and killing those demons I saw in the opening but I also wanted to explore the world of VANHA.

When I was taken to the villages' chief, I hadn't had the time to look around and observe the place I was taken to.

But once I was released, I finally took the time to see my surroundings.

The architecture resembled old Earth, before the digital revolution, it was a novel experience as the air was fresh and everyone looked so carefree.

Although the lack of technology made me feel a bit shocked, I already learned all of this in the mandatory years of schooling.

Being in a high-class family, I was required to learn about the history of Earth, going from the ages of no technology to the middle earthen age, all the way to recent times.

However directly experiencing was different, even if it was just a game.

Inwardly, I was shocked, but I controlled my facial expressions so that I didn't look like some sort of country bumpkin.

The walls of the houses were painted white, made out of what is presumably concrete, and the roofs were tiled with colors of dark red and navy blue.

Pots of plants, flowers, and herbs were dotted about and young trees, which cleared the air, giving everything a refreshing feeling.

Neus and his sister, the brown-haired girl, Sasha, showed me around their village.

001 had informed me that there were many different languages in VANHA, which was recommended the players learned but the system would automatically translate for the player, two ways.

So while what I hear won't be English, but a different language, I would still know the essence of what they are saying and vice versa.

There were three modes of playing in VANHA. Namely [ Automatic Mode ], [ Semi-automatic Mode ], and [ Manual Mode ], which were also abbreviated as AM, SM, and MM.

AM was recommended for leisure and casual players, as well as those with no skills. The system would subtly correct the players' movements and posture, helping them on their journey.

That included automatic translation, all the way to things like walking posture. But this mode also includes not being able to gather high-quality materials as it is the systems' doing.

At most, AM would restrict and hinder an experts' movements.

SM was for those with skills, although still receiving help from the system, like subtle hints and language translation. And because the player is doing most of the work, there is a 5% increase in EXP gains and higher quality materials.

MM is for the masters and is absolutely not recommended for those on the mage path. Everything is for the player to decide and there is no help from the system whatsoever.

This includes language translation, which the player would have to learn by themselves, and truth orb alterations. Yet the EXP increase is 20%, which also shows the immense difficulty of the mode.

As a pro player, I chose the [ Semi-automatic Mode ] as I wasn't so bored as to learn a completely new language as of now.

After touring the bustling town, Neus asked what I wanted to do now, to which I responded with my newfound passion for exploring.

Which, wasn't entirely false. I definitely wanted to see the world with my own eyes.

I got registered in the Adventurers guild, a typical loosely kept guild for freelance adventurers.

The process wasn't so hard, they just registered the mana signature, something that was unique to one person. I asked about the people who didn't have any mana in them, how they would register.

'Then they wouldn't register in the first place, this is a guild for adventurers, no?'

Thinking about it, I guess it made sense.

VANHA's world clock was synced with Earths' clock. 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. There were 28 days a month, meaning 4 weeks in a month.

When 1 day passes in VANHA, 8 hours pass on Earth, I have been logged on VANHA for nearly 5 hours which is around an hour and a half on Earth.

It was almost time for lunch over there, 001 informed me before I created my avatar that when I logged out my avatar would still be present here.

That was going to be troublesome. I could just log out on the streets or something, but wouldn't that just be suspicious? Doing so in the forest would kill me one way or another.

I could also just rent a place in the inn, which is 10 silver coins a night. The problem was that I didn't have any money...

Argh, I came here to play games... not earn money!

{ If you want ways to earn money, you could have just asked me. }

001's voice resounded in my head once more.

I was in walking around the village, taking in the view at a slower pace.

'...Oh.'

It didn't really cross my mind as 001 had been silent the entire time.

{ You can just hunt some beasts in the forest or something. That or just do some errands, jobs not really because you've 'lost your memories' and are not credible as of now. }

'Ah, you really are a lifesaver!'

My eyes brighten as I slow to a stop, before once again asking 001.

'...Where will I get weapons?'

{ And who said you needed weapons to kill anything? You can just kill a few weaker things and sell their parts before buying a suitable weapon later. }

'Alright...'

---

And so I spent the next half hour killing small animals like birds, mice, squirrels, little harmless animals.

Careful as I was, I never strayed too deep into the forest... but why... is there such a large bear here?!

[ You have leveled up ]

[ Congratulations for reaching level 5 ]

I had just leveled up to the 5th level. 001 told me that I should take a rest, as I had been killing small animals and running about in the forest for the last half hour.

Sitting under the shade of a tall tree, I had opened my status screen yet before I could catch a glimpse of it, 001's voice resounded in my head.

{ Watch out! Behind you! }

Rolling onto my side, I found a large paw print on the ground that I was just sitting on.

Without a second thought, I ran for my dear life, as a roar rippled through the air.

Dull thumps shook the ground as I navigated the forest, the trees and bushes were especially annoying to avoid, but the large bear behind me also had to as well.

The bear had brown fur, a large grizzly, and stood at about 2 meters tall, and that was on four legs!

"Fck! What did I ever do to provoke you?"

{ Uh, actually I think it was because of the child behind the bear. }

'Wh- that's not my fault!'

{ Mother bears are protective of their kin. }

001 informed me, no sht Sherlock, even I know that! Plus, I didn't even feel it sneak up to me!

Angrily chasing me throughout the forest, the mother bear sped up even more!

The only thing keeping me alive right now were all the trees that disrupted the bears' momentum.

Yet it was still catching up to me!

5 feet

Its breath was audible from here.

4 feet

My heart was leaping out of my chest.

3 feet

Sweat dribbled down the side of my chin.

2 feet

I'm gonna die!

1 foot

F-