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Arthur had finally gotten close enough to see the village…
Or rather, what was supposed to be a "village."
Because what he saw looked nothing like one.
The place looked more like an advanced military outpost:
A massive blue energy shield covering the entire area like a giant bubble,
walls forged from molten metal,
and towers equipped with weapons so powerful that—if they existed back in his world—they could start a world war in ten minutes.
And of course… there was a checkpoint.
A strict one.
Very strict.
Especially for unfamiliar faces.
Perhaps the only good thing about this world was that everyone was forced to pass through the checkpoint.
And those who didn't?
Well… those big guns on the towers weren't exactly known for their patience.
Arthur, with his handsome face and presence that screamed "I'm a noble even if I deny it," knew exactly what would happen if he tried to enter normally.
The guards weren't idiots.
They had trained for thousands of scenarios.
They would definitely stop him, question him, and maybe keep him in an interrogation room for days.
So…
He used his skill and slipped inside directly.
Even though he doubted his skill could bypass the security measures:
status scanners, energy disruptors, vibrations, and radar systems…
But—he succeeded.
Why?
(Easy . Because I'm the author… and I can do whatever I want.)
;)
---
The moment he arrived inside, he said to the system in a tense tone:
"We're not safe. I need a phone… clothes… and a lot of food. If I hadn't eaten half of the World Tree's embryo, I would have collapsed already."
The system replied in a voice filled with mocking pity:
[And how exactly am I supposed to get those for you? Did you forget you invested all your money in stocks?]
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"Don't act dumb. You know what I mean. We'll get the money back once we sell the embryo sap."
The system let out a tiny evil laugh:
[Ooooh… little Arthur is back to stealing again. The innocent-faced ones are always the most dangerous.]
Arthur gave him an angry look.
"Just do it. Don't test my patience … I've had enough for today."
The system must have genuinely sensed danger, because it obeyed immediately:
[Fine. Head to five Street—I reserved the best phone for you, with top-tier security. I paid for it using one of the banks.
Then go to Seventh Street—I reserved clothes and masks to hide your face.]
Arthur, while arranging his clothes .
"And the food?"
[Do you want a fancy meal or something quick?]
"Quick. Very quick."
[Got it. The restaurant across from the clothing store.]
Arthur stepped out of the alley, saying:
"Good… let's hurry and leave—"
But he stopped.
Everyone around him…
froze.
Staring at him with wide eyes and open mouths.
Arthur ignored them.
He was used to these looks after years of working as a bodyguard at high-end events.
He entered the store.
The shopkeeper was so deep into his game on the laptop that he didn't notice the "absurdly beautiful being" walking in.
But then… he felt something.
A strange aura.
A presence of someone very important.
He lifted his head without thinking—
And froze.
Standing before him was a boy with illegal levels of handsomeness.
If Arthur were a bit older, people would definitely mistake him for a disguised noble… or a runaway prince.
Arthur spoke with a cold tone that made the shopkeeper tremble:
"Is the reserved phone ready?"
The shopkeeper swallowed loudly.
"Y–Yes, sir… just a moment!"
He typed rapidly on the computer…
and broke into a sweat when he saw the order really was there, paid by a capital bank.
That alone was enough to convince him:
Saying even one wrong word could get him into trouble.
He handed the phone over, then gave Arthur another bag.
"This… is a gift. Anyone who buys a device worth more than 10 million receives one."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
Ten million… for a phone?
He shot a sharp look at the system's window, which simply whistled innocently.
Arthur left the store muttering curses under his breath at the system.
But—
The people were filming again.
And more of them.
The system scrambled to shut down every surveillance camera, every phone trying to record, cutting signals one after another:
[Hurry! Everyone's raising their phones! One picture and you're exposed!]
Arthur moved quickly… which only made people even more impressed.
Some girls gasped.
A young guy dropped his phone.
And a small child shouted:
"Mom! That's an angel!"
Arthur ran into the clothing store, grabbed what he needed without asking the price, then headed to the restaurant—running and trying to cover his face.
Which, of course, made things worse.
He grabbed four family meals.
Then after a moment of thought… ordered four more.
Plus drinks, lots of water, fresh orange juice, and a sugar-free wheat cake.
People swarmed again:
"Who is he?"
"He must be famous!"
"No way—he looks like a noble!"
"Record him! Record him!"
The system was on the verge of crying from the stress.
After running into countless shops and climbing more than a few walls—
He finally found an empty public bathroom.
He checked quickly to make sure no one was inside, activated his skill, and disappeared.
As his body was pulled through the transition realm, he felt something unusual…
His power had increased, and his synchronization with the realm felt smoother.
He was already close to the borders of Tsukinori Continent, so the transition didn't last long.
He murmured:
"If this is like the game quest… I know where you live. And judging by the timeline… you're still sane."
He sighed.
"Let's hope I get there before the disaster that ruined her life completely."
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