1. Habit, and the Illusion of Being Alive
[Time: 08:00 AM]
Link sat on the gray stone steps in front of his house.
He reached into his pack and pulled out a waterskin.
Without hesitation—
he took a drink.
The water slid down his throat.
Cold. Clean.
But there was no relief.
No sense of thirst being quenched.
Only… the familiarity of the motion itself.
Link lowered the waterskin slowly.
His gaze fell onto his palm.
The thin calluses from countless swings of his pickaxe were still there.
Real. Tangible.
But his body—
was no longer human.
He had realized it long ago.
By the third day in this world, the abnormality had already revealed itself.
He could swing a pickaxe thousands of times without rest.
He could go an entire day without eating.
He could survive brutal battles and recover unnaturally fast.
Yet—
he never felt hunger.
Never felt thirst.
Even fatigue seemed artificially suppressed.
His body was like a perfectly calibrated machine.
Stable.
Efficient.
Without consumption.
Link let out a quiet laugh.
"So even my survival instincts… have been taken away."
He didn't bother opening the [Terraria Encyclopedia (Wiki)].
He already knew the answer.
And yet—
the waterskin remained in his inventory.
Every morning, he still sat down.
Still took a drink.
Not because he needed it.
But because—
if even this habit disappeared,
then he truly wouldn't feel like someone who was still alive.
The wind passed quietly.
Link stored the waterskin away and stood up.
His eyes sharpened once more.
"If my body isn't human anymore…"
"…then at least my actions should be."
He brushed the dust off his armor
and summoned the Map.
2. Westward: Into the Unknown
Only a small portion of the map was revealed.
Link turned his gaze toward the opposite direction of the rising sun—
west.
Unexplored territory.
Unknown danger.
"Watch the place," Link called out casually toward the house.
"If I don't come back, pick a room."
With a thought—
the wing-like ornaments on his Hermes Boots flared to life, emitting faint blue streams of energy.
A burst of force—
and his body shot forward.
In an instant, he became a blur racing across the plains, leaving a trail of dust behind as he charged into the western wilderness.
3. Heat and Sand: The Malice of the Desert
[Time: 11:15 AM]
The forest ended abruptly.
The moment Link crossed the boundary—
a wave of scorching heat slammed into him.
Before him stretched endless golden dunes.
In this three-dimensional world, the desert was no longer just scenery.
Sand whipped violently against his armor, producing an irritating hiss.
[Current Area: Desert]
"Whoosh—!"
A sharp tearing sound cut through the wind.
A massive vulture dove from the sky, its talons aimed straight for his face.
Link didn't move.
"Too slow."
The boomerang left his hand instantly.
A blue arc flashed through the air.
"Crack!"
The vulture burst apart midair, dissolving into black smoke and scattered feathers.
Link caught the returning weapon smoothly.
Effortless.
4. Ancient Remains: The Shadow of Sandstone
After crossing a towering dune—
Link stopped.
At the center of the valley stood a massive structure.
Eroded. Weathered.
Yet still symmetrical and imposing.
A sandstone formation resembling the spine of a buried beast.
"…A pyramid."
He approached the entrance.
A dry, decaying breath of air flowed outward, carrying a faint scent of ancient spices.
He lit a torch.
The flame flickered.
Ancient carvings emerged along the walls.
In the 3D darkness—
the sense of oppression intensified.
As if something was watching him.
5. A Game of Death
Inside the corridor, Link slowed down.
He didn't rush.
His eyes remained locked on the Map.
"…There."
He stopped mid-step.
At the edge of the torchlight—
one tile looked slightly darker.
A memory surfaced instantly.
Pressure plate.
Link crouched down.
Using his pickaxe, he carefully pried open the adjacent tile.
Inside the wall—
a rusted dart trap, fully loaded with poison.
Link exhaled slowly.
"If I stepped on that… I'd probably lose half my HP."
A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
This kind of danger—
was addictive.
6. Golden Reward: The Power of Wind
After passing the corridor,
Link reached the deepest chamber.
At the center—
a golden chest rested silently on a stone altar.
He opened it.
Golden light burst outward.
[Coins]: 3 Gold
[Coins]: 45 Silver
[Items]: Lesser Healing Potions, Shurikens
And then—
something else.
A neatly folded piece of fabric.
Blue patterns flowed across its surface like living wind.
[Flying Carpet]
Link fastened it to his waist.
He stepped out of the pyramid
and stood atop a dune.
Then—
he jumped.
Gravity pulled him downward—
but in the next instant,
a gentle force lifted him.
Wind gathered beneath his feet.
He glided forward.
Five full meters across the desert.
Light. Stable.
He landed smoothly.
Link turned back toward the setting sun.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"No hunger. No thirst…"
"…and now I can fly."
His eyes burned with something deeper.
"This world…"
"…is getting more interesting."
[End of Chapter 9]Status
HP: 120 / 120
Equipment:
Full Iron ArmorBoomerangIron BroadswordHermes BootsFlying Carpet
Wealth: ~8 Gold