The wooden gates of the town stood tall in front of Alex.
They weren't massive like the walls of a big city, but they were strong enough to keep monsters away. Thick wooden logs were stacked together to form the barrier, and two guards stood at the entrance wearing simple armor and carrying spears.
Alex slowed his steps as he approached.
Alright… act normal.
He had no idea what counted as "normal" in this world, but standing around nervously would definitely attract attention.
The closer he got, the more details he noticed.
People were moving in and out of the gate constantly. Farmers pushed carts filled with vegetables. Merchants guided wagons pulled by large horned animals Alex had never seen before.
They looked like a strange mix between a cow and a horse.
One of the guards noticed him approaching.
"Stop there," the man said firmly.
Alex did.
The guard looked him up and down carefully. His clothes clearly didn't belong to this world—jeans, sneakers, and a worn-out jacket.
The guard frowned slightly.
"Name?"
"Alex," he replied quickly.
The guard nodded and continued.
"Where are you coming from?"
Alex hesitated for a split second.
"…The plains."
Technically, that wasn't a lie.
The guard studied his face for a moment longer before shrugging.
"Traveler?"
"Yeah."
The second guard leaned forward slightly.
"You alone?"
Alex nodded.
The two guards exchanged a quick glance. After a moment, the first one stepped aside.
"Alright. You can enter. Just don't cause trouble."
Relief washed over Alex.
"Thanks."
He walked through the gate and into the town.
Immediately, a wave of noise surrounded him.
The streets were alive with activity. Merchants shouted about fresh bread and roasted meat. Blacksmiths hammered metal inside open workshops. The smell of food filled the air, making Alex's stomach growl loudly.
"…I'm starving."
The buildings were mostly made of wood and stone, with colorful cloth banners hanging outside shops.
It felt like stepping into a medieval movie.
Alex walked slowly through the main street, trying not to look too amazed by everything.
His Analyze skill activated automatically as he looked at people passing by.
Town Guard
Level: 7
Merchant
Level: 3
Hunter
Level: 5
Alex blinked.
Everyone has levels.
Even ordinary people.
But something interesting caught his attention.
Not everyone had the same level.
Some people were clearly stronger than others.
Then a tall man wearing heavy armor walked past him. A massive sword rested on the man's back.
Alex's skill activated again.
Adventurer
Level: 18
Alex nearly choked. Eighteen?!
That was way higher than him.
He suddenly realized something important.
The wolves he fought last night were only Level 2. Which meant monsters could also become much stronger.
"Good to know," he muttered quietly.
If he wanted to survive in this world, he needed to level up quickly.
As Alex continued walking, he noticed a large stone building near the center of town.
Unlike the other buildings, it looked busy and noisy.
A wooden sign hung above the entrance.
A sword and shield symbol were carved into the wood.
People wearing armor and weapons constantly entered and exited the building.
Alex tilted his head.
"Looks important."
Curious, he walked closer.
Loud laughter and conversation could be heard from inside.
When he pushed the door open, the smell of ale and roasted meat hit him immediately. The building was packed with people. Some sat at tables drinking. Others studied a large board covered with papers. A few individuals clearly looked like warriors—armor, swords, bows, even magical staffs.
Alex stepped inside cautiously.
This place felt different from the rest of town.
More dangerous.
More… adventurous.
A woman behind a long wooden counter noticed him.
She had short red hair and sharp eyes that seemed to evaluate him instantly.
"New face," she said.
Alex walked up to the counter.
"Uh… yeah."
She crossed her arms.
"Let me guess."
Her eyes moved over his clothes again.
"New traveler looking for work."
Alex blinked.
"…That obvious?"
She smirked slightly.
"Happens all the time."
She reached under the counter and placed a paper on the desk.
"If you want jobs, this is the place."
Alex looked down at the paper.
At the top were three words.
Adventurer Registration Form
His eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Adventurer?"
The woman nodded.
"You hunt monsters, complete requests, escort merchants… things like that."
Alex glanced around the room again. So that's what all these people were. Adventurers.
It sounded dangerous.
But also… perfect.
Monsters meant experience.
Experience meant levels.
And levels meant survival.
Alex picked up the pen slowly.
"Well…" he said quietly. "I guess I'm becoming an adventurer."
He began writing his name.
Alex Varyn
The woman took the paper once he finished and looked it over quickly. Then she reached into a drawer and placed a small bronze badge on the counter.
"Congratulations."
She slid it toward him.
"You're officially a Beginner Rank Adventurer."
Alex picked up the badge. It felt surprisingly heavy for such a small object.
"So… what now?" he asked.
The woman pointed toward the large board on the wall.
"Now you pick a job."
Alex turned toward the board. Dozens of quest papers were pinned there. Some looked simple. Others looked terrifying. But one thing was certain.
His new life in this world had officially begun.