Not even the web novels Benign read in camp would've prepared him for this. He might've transmigrated, but never had he anticipated a sea of dead bodies as a greeting. It wasn't a good welcome at all because, in his experience as a soldier, dead bodies in such mass told a sad tale.
"Why was I brought here? Why did I get chosen?"
In most transmigration novels, a pathetic MC who regretted their lives would get a second chance to relive it. But not Benign. He had been a good son, model student, unlucky with women but he gave up fast and enjoyed good friendships.
He had been okay with a glorious death on the battlefield after taking down seven enemy commanders during his time as a soldier. He had turned down promotions so he'd stay with his unit and around his hometown, but he knew his name had travelled far as the terrifying 'The Cross'.
Also, before his death, he had alerted his unit of the missile, thereby saving them. They'd only be songs of his bravery during his funeral and it wasn't half bad.
So why was he given a second chance to life?
[The Legacy System chose you to aid the realms.]
He slid down the dune he stood on, despite having no idea where the closest station would be. He just needed to start walking.
The sand under him was soft, sinking, and he felt the heat despite the sole of his boots. He needed to get to a station quickly or he might die of thirst next.
"So what's the mission? I'm down, not like I have a choice anyway. Hopefully, it's quick and not like... taking all the women in the realm." He paused when the voice didn't reply. "Or is that it?"
[No. There's a glitch. You correct the glitch.]
Benign stayed quiet, waiting for more answers from what he had accepted as a system that handed him his missions and stats. The system continued.
[Because of the glitch, these bodies you see were dumped in the wrong realm, away from their families to bury. They had also been killed by the wrong enemy and died wrongly.]
He stopped walking and kept his hands on his waist. "You mean, 'clashing of realms' are different worlds colliding with another?"
[Yes.]
Benign's expression relaxed. He knew as much history needed for a soldier and might have dabbled into it more during his time as a model student, but there had never been any history that described glitches, and realms. This must be a really fantastical world.
"Tell me the realms involved, and which one these corpses are from." He continued walking down to the corpses. "Also, those skills you mentioned much earlier, I can actually use them, right?"
[So you were listening?]
"It made sense after a while."
[Well, you have to activate them first. They are your first basic skills so can be used when needed. They'd work without your permission.]
He nodded. He always appreciated soldiers who did what had to be done without waiting for direct orders. "So inform me. What's really going?" he resumed his walk down the dune.
[Three realms are currently clashing are; Noria – home to ancient magic and elves. Olien – home to unconventional technology and births. Karnak – home to mythical beasts and werecreatures. You are currently at Noria.]
"Home of elves?" He remembered all those interesting arts he'd seen about elves. "Not half bad. I guess."
[Noria is also the most hostile of all the realms.]
His hopes deflated. "You could have said it all at the same time. Were they the ones who killed these warriors?"
[Olien did. The realms are always at battle with each other since a turning event, Ragnasenso. Karnak troops prepared for a battle with Noria, but glitched to Olien. Olien saw it as a call to war and dropped a nuclear gas on them.]
"Oh." he paused. Why did this sound like a novel he had read? Especially that turning event. He wasn't good with names but it had been a big deal so he remembered.
[Unsuspecting Karnak troops were massacred before they understood what happened. Their bodies came to Noria. Noria had been trying to use magic to restore the balance, so they abandoned bodies and glitch victims outside their kingdom.]
"Hmm," he shrugged, "cold but practical." The Noria people didn't know why glitches happened to the Karnak troops and whatever passed around could be contagious. The government of his 'realm' would've burned the bodies to avoid an outbreak.
"In summary, I'm on some noble cliche mission to restore balance. Anyhow. It'd save these realms the headaches and spare the innocent their lives."
Another rescue mission within hostile nations. Heroic moments never stayed far from him and his sense of duty as a soldier remained, to leave the innocent out of the problems of the greedy.
"I am not excited about this, but I'm curious to know how being a protagonist in this times feels—"
CRACK!
A sound Benign didn't expect to hear in this world. He didn't miss it one bit either. He slowly turned his head to his left, and saw a figure standing in the middle of the sea of sand. The figure was a man but with scales and a tail behind him.
"Wow. A hostile." He said dryly. By his right was a sea of sand and dead bodies, while on his left, a creature with a gun. "Those skills, how do I activ—"
The creature pointed the revolver to him, but Benign stayed still to check if a revolver would fire from more than fifty metres away. That was no sniper or even a rifle.
BANG!
The bullet grazed his right arm, bruising him. Urgency consumed him and he started a sprint down to the other dune. He couldn't hear the sound of the creature chasing him but he heard their shooting and knew they were coming.
"To activate my skills, I need what?"
[To be alive.]
"NO SHIT!"
Another bullet went past him and he slid to a stop, and faced the creature. He hadn't done anything to be marked. Was it the way of this realm? Kill whatever you see? Was he even allowed to attack and kill it? He wouldn't hesitate, but he was brought here as a saviour to balance and restore. "Or did my saviour complex conclude that?"
[It wouldn't be wrong.]
Also this creature looked nothing like an elf and he was in the home of elves. "So it's a glitched creature from somewhere else trying to survive, right?"
[Good thinking.]
Benign sighed. Glitched creatures had guns, meanwhile he had transmigrated with not even a natural weapon to defend with.
Another bullet shot besides him, bruising his elbow. He frowned and touched his bleeding arm. "You are just picking a fight, aren't you? And what's with those lousy aims, huh?"
[Legacy System loading... Mission Alert!]
"Perfect timing."
[Mission: Eliminate threat to unlock Legacy Skill.] The system's voice became suddenly cold, commanding. [Reward: Activation of all skills, including the stored unique skill.]
A soft smile spread across Benign's face. So he was actually allowed to kill it? "Finally, words I easily understand."
He locked eyes with the creature since it got closer. It was more of a lizard-man, than fish as he had earlier thought. It pointed the revolver on him again, and said something but he didn't understand.
"Don't worry," Benign waved. "I'd give you quick lessons on aiming. You're welcome."
The creature sprayed bullets at Benign but the soldier brilliantly dodged as he could tell where they would hit.
The revolver intrigued him, though it probably wasn't called that in this realm.
Each hit didn't seem lethal, and he questioned what would happen if it did hit him squarely. But he didn't plan to do anything with curiosity till he had handled the problem.
He got closer and swiped an uppercut to the creature, held its arms and bent the wrist. The revolver fell off. It seemed the creature had no basic combat skill. Good enough.
"Can I keep the weapon?"
[Yes.]
He nodded, sighting a sickle on the creature's waist.
Morality flickered in his mind as he's about to kill a weak and defenseless creature. But his fast adaptability honed with merciless acts on the battlefield steeled his resolve.
"If you're the unfortunate one, then I'd pay for my sins someday." He grabbed the sickle and stabbed it at the creature's throat. "Sorry, bro."
The creature let out a loud cry and Benign released it. It held its throat, staggering back. Benign also staggered back as he felt a burning sensation on his hands as green hot blood splashed in him. He shook it off, hissing. Toxic blood? "No way…"
He grabbed the revolver and shot at its neck thrice. It lost its footing and tumbled down the dune. When it stopped, it didn't move and green liquid oozed out of its neck.
Benign stared at the creature, closed his eyes to say a silent prayer, then picked up the gun. He exhaled, admiring it. "It looks like a revolver, but has a wider range."
He picked the sickle. It had a triangular shape than the normally curvy sickles in his world. "Well, weapons acquired. Start the activation of the skills. I need to heal." He wiped the blood off his uniform.
[Death of Creature Icarus from Olien confirmed.]
[Activation commencing…]