Chương 3: Survive Twenty-Four Hours

Aldric leaped just as the black mass hurtled toward him. His boots left the ground, and his body soared above the street with the clatter of armor. The vehicle shot beneath him as he twisted through the air, one hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword. The driver threw up his arms, his face contorted behind the glass. A long, blaring wail erupted from the machine, immediately joined by several more just like it. Aldric landed on the opposite side of the street, his knees absorbing the impact.

The pavement cracked beneath his heels, spiderwebbing outward in a circle around him. He drew his sword and spun around, ready for the creature to charge again. The metal beast, however, continued on its way. It slowed several dozen yards farther down the road, pulled in beside the other machines, and came to a stop beneath a red signal suspended above the street. Around it, the other vehicles stopped as well. Some continued to rumble, but none attempted to move forward.

Aldric held his stance, his sword leveled before him as pedestrians hurried out of the way. Several held up their memory artifacts in his direction. One woman clapped a hand over her mouth. A child burst out laughing before his father pulled him back. Aldric watched the vehicles closely. Their bodies gleamed beneath the sun, smooth and seamless, without a single visible joint. No breath came from their nostrils, for they had none. And yet they emitted a steady growl and moved without being pulled by horses.

Some of the machines were broad and towering, while others were so small that two men could have lifted them. Each bore metal emblems, likely the marks of their makers or the crests of their owners. Golems. The conclusion seemed perfectly logical. The dwarves of the East had once forged stone guardians capable of walking for weeks without rest. The Imperial Mages had also created bronze horses, but they required a mana crystal embedded within their chests to function.

These metal creatures appeared far more advanced. They carried civilians within them and obeyed the city's signals. △ MAIN QUEST △ Survive Your First Day Time Remaining: 23 Hours 51 Minutes Reward: 200 XP Failure Condition: Death Aldric stared at the window. The chaos around him almost completely faded away. A quest. At last, something he could understand.

The system could transport him to an unknown kingdom, confront him with impossible artifacts, and refuse to explain the nature of the metal creatures, but a quest was still a quest. It had an objective, a time limit, and a reward. He lowered his sword.

"Twenty-four hours," he murmured.

"Consider it done." The task seemed strangely simple. He had survived thirty days in the Onyx Forest without food, six weeks in the pestilent Marshes of Sorna, and three nights inside the stomach of an Abyssal Worm. One day in a human city should pose no particular challenge, even if the system still classified its threat level as unknown. He sheathed his blade. The pedestrians who had stopped gradually resumed walking.

Some still glanced his way, but the remarkable lack of panic confirmed that these people did not consider the golems dangerous. Perhaps the driver had only been trying to warn him. In that case, the machine's cry had been more of an alarm horn than a battle roar. Aldric turned back toward the street. The red signal was still glowing. The vehicles waited in a neat line behind one another. Then the light went out, replaced by a green glow. Instantly, the golems began moving again.

Their rumbling grew louder as they rolled forward in perfect order. He looked up at the signal. Three lights were mounted on the structure: red, amber, and green. Military beacons, he thought. In his world, armies used colored crystals to relay orders across the battlefield. Red usually meant danger or hold position. Green signaled the advance. Amber most likely warned that a change was imminent. He watched several cycles. Whenever the red light appeared, the vehicles stopped.

When the green light shone, they moved again. The amber light remained lit for only a few seconds, like a warning directed at the drivers. No mage was visible nearby. The device operated entirely on its own, with remarkable precision. A second signal stood on the sidewalk. It displayed the figure of a small red person. Civilians waited in front of it. Aldric took his place among them, standing slightly behind the others.

An elderly woman held a bag in each hand, while a young man stared at one of his glowing artifacts without ever looking up. A mother kept both of her children close beside her. Aldric waited. The vehicles rolled past them. The red figure remained motionless. Then it vanished, replaced by a moving green figure. Without a single order being spoken, the civilians stepped onto the street. Aldric looked around, searching for the leader responsible for the group. No officer raised a hand. No herald gave the signal.

And yet everyone crossed. Even the young man staring at his artifact walked forward without hesitation. Aldric followed them. White stripes had been painted across the pavement, forming a crossing between the two sidewalks. The vehicles remained stopped before it. Aldric walked slowly, his eyes fixed on the metal golems. They continued to rumble, but none of them moved. Inside one of them, a woman drummed her fingers against the wheel in front of her. She turned her head toward him and stared.

He reached the other side without incident. The green figure began to blink before turning red once more. A few seconds later, the vehicles started moving again. Aldric stopped to study the mechanism. This city did not rely on a commander standing at every intersection. Its people knew the rules and followed them without any visible supervision. Even the golems obeyed the signals.

"Remarkable discipline," he murmured. He continued walking. The farther he moved from the great tower, the narrower the streets became. Stone buildings rose on either side, several stories high. Their facades were lined with metal balconies overflowing with plants. Silhouettes moved behind the windows. Some panes of glass were so spotless that they reflected the sky. Golems were everywhere. They carried one or more passengers, stopped obediently at the signals, and sometimes lined up along the sidewalks.

Every time Aldric expected them to attack, but none ever did. Some machines were nearly silent, gliding forward with barely a sound. Others rattled and growled like wounded beasts. A much larger vehicle approached. Its white-and-green body stretched several yards in length. Rows of windows lined its sides, revealing dozens of passengers seated inside. Aldric rested a hand on the hilt of his sword. The golem slowed, then stopped beside a post. With a soft hiss, an opening appeared along its side.

Some people stepped off while others climbed aboard. Aldric watched the driver through a pane of glass. The man wore a light-colored shirt and appeared to control the creature using a circular wheel and several levers. So it was not a fully autonomous golem after all. The driver acted like a rider, guiding the machine from within. The doors closed, and the vehicle pulled away. Aldric memorized the symbol displayed on its front.

He had no idea where the creature was carrying its passengers, but it likely belonged to some form of public service. A city this vast would almost certainly require a fast way to move civilians between its districts. The aroma of freshly baked food drifted through the street. Aldric turned his head. Behind a shop window, loaves of bread, pastries, and cakes were neatly arranged on trays. A woman wearing an apron was serving several customers.

The loaves had a golden crust, and the steam rising from some of them suddenly reminded him that he hadn't eaten since the day before the final battle. His stomach tightened. He rested a hand on his coin pouch. The gold coins from his world were probably worthless here. Even so, gold was still gold. Surely even an unknown kingdom would recognize its value. He walked toward the door, but stopped when he caught sight of his reflection in the glass. His armor was still covered in black blood.

His face bore the marks of battle. A cut ran across his cheek, and his hair was matted with sweat and dust. The people of this city seemed to mistake him for a man in costume, but the sight of blood might provoke a very different reaction inside an enclosed building. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Aldric stepped back. Survival was the primary objective. Finding food could wait.

He still had enough strength to last several more days, even if his body desperately needed rest. He resumed walking. Pain throbbed beneath his breastplate with every step, but his wounds had already begun to close. His Endurance and Regeneration were slowing the loss of blood. The greatest danger was his nearly depleted mana. He would not be able to use his most powerful abilities again for several hours.

△ STATUS UPDATE △ Health: 62% Mana: 3% Stamina: 21% Current Effects Exhaustion Multiple Fractures Demonic Blood Contamination Minor Dehydration Aldric grimaced. The Demon King's blood covering his armor was more than just an inconvenience. Some of it had seeped into his wounds, causing contamination. He needed to wash it off as soon as possible, but he hadn't spotted a river or even a fountain secluded enough to do so. He dismissed the window and continued surveying the streets.

The system's only demand was that he survive. No secondary objectives had appeared yet. That meant his priorities were clear: study the territory, identify potential dangers, and avoid unnecessary conflicts. A sharp sound approached from behind him. Aldric turned, but it wasn't another vehicle. Two men dressed in dark blue were walking toward him. They wore reinforced trousers, jackets marked with reflective stripes, and several objects attached to their belts.

Neither carried a sword, but one of them kept a hand close to a black holster. City guards. Their uniforms, their confident stride, and the way civilians stepped aside as they approached left little room for doubt. They belonged to the local watch. Their equipment differed from that of Asteria's soldiers, but their role appeared to be the same. Aldric came to a stop and placed his fist against his chest. The two men slowed their pace. The older one had short hair streaked with gray at the temples.

His younger companion eyed Aldric's sword with obvious caution.

"Good afternoon, sir," the older officer said.

"Are you alright?"

"Greetings, knights of this city," Aldric replied. The two men exchanged a glance.

"Okay..." the younger one muttered. The older officer examined Aldric's armor. His eyes settled on the dark stains covering the breastplate.

"Is that fake blood?" Aldric looked down at his armor.

"No." The younger officer stiffened. His hand drifted closer to the object attached to his belt.

"Are you injured?" the older officer asked.

"My wounds are not life-threatening."

"Do you need an ambulance?" The word meant nothing to Aldric. He studied their faces, searching for a clue. They did not seem hostile, only cautious.

"I am unfamiliar with that unit," he replied.

"Are you here for an event? A film shoot? A convention?"

"I arrived in your kingdom only a short while ago," he explained.

"I am not yet familiar with your customs." The younger officer struggled not to smile.

"He's really committed to the bit," he murmured. His partner shot him a look before turning back to Aldric.

"Alright. Is the sword real?"

"Yes."

"Can you show it to me without making any sudden movements?" Aldric inclined his head. He slowly took hold of the scabbard and detached it from his belt. The young police officer took a step back. Aldric presented the weapon horizontally, with the hilt turned toward himself, as etiquette required when a knight entrusted his sword to another. The officer hesitated before taking it. His arm immediately dropped under the weight.

"How much does this thing weigh?"

"Fifty-two pounds."

"Of course it does," the young officer muttered. The graying officer tried to draw the blade. It slid out a few inches, revealing metal covered in nearly extinguished runes. He immediately pushed it back into its scabbard.

"That's a nice replica."

"It is not a replica."

"Right. Do you have papers allowing you to carry it?"

"I have the authorization of the King of Asteria." The young officer turned his head away, but Aldric noticed his shoulders shaking. His superior remained serious.

"Do you have any identification?"

"My royal insignia." Aldric reached beneath his breastplate. Both officers tensed. He stopped immediately.

"I am going to retrieve an insignia from my tunic," he announced. The older officer nodded. Aldric pulled out a silver badge marked with a sun crossed by a sword. The officer took it and examined it. The ancient inscriptions still glowed faintly under the light.

"It's well made," he admitted.

"It was presented to me by King Edrian after the Battle of Valdorne." The officer handed the insignia back to him.

"Listen, Mr. … Aldric, is that right?"

"Aldric de Valdor."

"Very well, Mr. de Valdor. You can't walk around in the middle of the street carrying a weapon like that. Even as part of a costume."

"I understand."

"Do you have somewhere to go?" The question struck him harder than he had expected. Aldric looked around. Buildings stretched in every direction. Thousands of people moved through the streets, each of them knowing exactly where they were going. He, on the other hand, knew no one, possessed no map, and didn't even know which direction led out of the city.

"Not yet," he replied.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I have been given a quest that requires me to survive until tomorrow." The younger officer coughed to hide a laugh.

"A quest," his partner repeated.

"Yes. The reward is two hundred experience points." Silence settled over them. Around them, vehicles continued to pass by. A woman walked past with a dog on a leash, slowed when she noticed Aldric, then continued on her way. The older officer finally let out a sigh.

"Alright. Keep your sword sheathed, stay off the road, and please don't jump over any more cars."

"I will respect your laws."

"And try to clean off that fake blood. You're going to scare someone." Aldric picked up his scabbard and fastened it back onto his belt.

"Thank you for your advice, knight."

"Police officer," the younger man corrected.

"Police officer," Aldric repeated.

"You have my thanks." He placed his fist against his chest and bowed his head slightly. The graying officer awkwardly returned the gesture. His younger partner raised a hand in farewell.

"Have a good day, Mr. Valdor."

"May your patrols be peaceful." Aldric walked away, leaving the two officers standing behind him.

"Do you think we should've brought him in?" the younger officer murmured.

"For what? Being weird?"

"The sword."

"It's probably a resin prop with a metal core in the handle." Aldric heard every word, but he didn't look back. They had not recognized him as a threat. That suited him just fine. In an unfamiliar kingdom, attracting the attention of the city guard within his first hour would only have made his quest more difficult. He continued exploring for several hours. The streets changed as he walked. Some were lined with shops, while others were bordered by apartment buildings.

Outdoor cafés spilled onto the sidewalks, filled with people sitting over steaming drinks or colorful beverages. Aldric was surprised to see so many civilians spending their day simply talking. In his world, only nobles and the wealthiest merchants could afford so much leisure. He also discovered other forms of transportation. Two-wheeled machines weaved between the larger vehicles. Some growled with engines, while others moved only through the motion of their riders' legs.

Some people glided along on small boards fitted with wheels, while others rode narrow machines equipped with handlebars. Each new discovery sparked another attempt to understand this strange world. Unknown Technology Detected Analysis Failed After the fifth notification, Aldric dismissed the window with an irritated sigh.

"You could at least tell me their names." He stopped in front of a large map displayed beneath a transparent panel. Colored lines stretched across the city, connected by hundreds of dots. Aldric searched for the tower he had seen when he first arrived. A small illustration of the structure allowed him to identify his current location, but the rest of the map remained incomprehensible. Even so, he committed the main routes to memory.

A river appeared to cut through the city, with several bridges connecting its two banks. A vast green area occupied the western side, while another lay closer to the center. The number of streets exceeded that of every capital he had ever visited combined. The daylight began to fade. Shadows stretched across the buildings, and a golden glow shimmered in the windows. People continued going about their business, but the air had grown cooler. Aldric walked to the riverbank and stopped beside a stone parapet.

The water flowed quietly between the embankments. White boats drifted along its surface, carrying passengers. Stone and metal bridges stretched across the river one after another, some adorned with statues. On the opposite bank, lights gradually flickered to life inside the buildings. Aldric rested both hands on the parapet. The dark surface of the river reflected the sky, the surrounding buildings, and the first glow of the streetlights. There was no scent of blood in the air.

No cries of war echoed across the horizon. The city carried on around him with an almost unreal sense of peace. He looked up. The sun was disappearing behind the buildings. △ MAIN QUEST UPDATE △ Survive Your First Day Time Remaining: 12 Hours 03 Minutes △ OPTIONAL OBJECTIVE △ Find Shelter Time Limit: Before Midnight Reward: Unknown Aldric stared at the words as the evening breeze slipped between the plates of his armor.

Around him, the streetlights flickered on one by one, transforming the riverfront into a ribbon of light. He straightened up and rested one hand on the hilt of his sword. The quest had finally become more complicated.