Chương 9: Run to Lumeris

Ch 09 - Run to Lumeris Zeph narrowed his eyes when the early morning sun finally rose high enough to face him directly. It was blinding, forcing him to lower his head slightly, which only made things worse because he was clearly heading toward the road that led out of the city. He kept running without slowing down, sweat truly dripping and feeling unbearably sticky against his skin, even though he had not stopped to rest since the moment he passed through the city gate.

He still had not fully adjusted to his new vision.

There was a good side to it, of course. He could see with far more clarity in the dark. But in broad daylight like this, the brightness felt sharper, almost piercing, as if the sunlight itself was pressing needles into his eyes. The loud rush of vehicles roared past him, engines humming and tires hissing against the asphalt as one sped by Zeph, who was running along the edge of the road. At least the highway outside the city was well designed. There was a pedestrian strip along the outer side of the road.

Maybe someone had actually thought about the rare fools who would choose to travel beyond the city limits on foot like this. So far, he had not seen a single other person wandering along this outer road without using any kind of vehicle at all. Zeph flinched when a vehicle slowed beside him on the roadside. He turned to his right and saw a large, boxy transport truck keeping pace with his run.

"Hey, are you coming from Mekarion?" The window slid down, and a face leaned out. Her hair was instantly caught by the rushing wind. She looked about his age, with shoulder length blonde hair and cheeks slightly flushed from the heat. There was a lively spark in her eyes. In the driver's seat beside her sat a man who looked to be in his forties. Maybe her father? Zeph stared for a second, still running, then quickly looked ahead again.

"Are you heading to Lumeris City?" the girl continued, raising her voice so he could hear her over the engine. Zeph glanced back at her, unsure of what to say. Should he tell her his destination? It was obvious from his direction that he was running toward that very city.

"You can ride with us. We are going to Lumeris too. Are you evacuating?" she asked again, leaning slightly out the window. Zeph swallowed and bit his drying lip. But he was still in that state where he did not want to accept kindness from anyone, or rely on someone else to carry him forward.

"I'm okay. I'm training," he said.

"Okay then," the girl replied with a grin.

"Take care, alright? There are tier one beasts up ahead. Keep your eyes open. They are scared of loud noises." The truck began to move again, slowly at first, then picking up speed until it merged back into the flow of the road. Zeph finally slowed to a stop, slightly out of breath. He reached behind to his waist bag and pulled out a small water bottle, taking a careful sip before closing it again. He wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his hand.

"Tier one beasts?" he murmured.

"It will be a problem if I run into them while I am this exhausted." Maybe he needed to lower his running pace so he would not completely drain his energy before reaching the next stretch of road. Pushing forward recklessly would only leave him vulnerable, and that was the last thing he wanted if those creatures were truly roaming ahead. Zeph resumed running, but this time he paid closer attention to the stretch of land on both his left and right.

On the left side, mostly along the direction he was heading, there was an open plain that looked dry and brittle, covered in yellow grass that reached up to his calves. Farther out, clusters of thicker trees stood in uneven patches. It would not be surprising at all if a group of monsters suddenly emerged from there. On the right side, the land rose into low hills. A few scattered posts and small houses could be seen in the distance, built far apart from one another.

Usually, those belonged to people who chose to live outside the city. Maybe they ran supply posts, small farms, or private outposts. Or maybe they were simply the kind of people who did not care much about safety and preferred living beyond the protection of the city walls. Zeph only stopped occasionally after that, just long enough to eat a little and fill his stomach with a quick snack bar he carried in his bag. Then he would continue again.

Until, at one moment, he narrowed his eyes slightly when he caught a movement in the distance. It blended almost perfectly with the surrounding field, but he could clearly make out a group of figures that looked like animals. They stayed clustered together far ahead. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Mana beasts?" he muttered softly to himself. Mana beasts, or as most people simply called them, monsters, especially at the lower tiers, were commonly found near populated areas. To put it simply, the tier and rank system between mana beasts and awakened individuals was balanced evenly. Rank 1 Apprentice level eleven to twenty matched Tier 1 Mana Beasts at level eleven to twenty. So when someone mentioned a tier one beast, it meant creatures that were in the lower teen levels.

The mana beasts he had spotted should be at a level Zeph could handle, as long as they did not swarm him all at once. For now, he kept glancing back and forth, checking the road ahead and behind to see if any vehicles were passing. The girl had said earlier that these beasts would not approach if they heard loud noises, especially from vehicles. So Zeph stayed alert, hoping the sound of engines would keep the creatures at bay while he planned his next move.

Zeph continued running, doing his best to put as much distance as possible between himself and the area that might fall within the detection range of the mana beasts. It took time, mostly because the plains stretched far and wide without clear boundaries. Afternoon arrived, the sunlight turning warmer and heavier. Then night followed, blanketing the land in deep blue silence. He did not reach the city according to his original estimate.

He had truly believed he would arrive by nightfall, but even by then, he was barely halfway through the journey. More than anything, he had overestimated his own endurance. Even though he had grown stronger, mental barriers were not something that could be crushed as easily as physical limits. His body could push forward, but his mind still hesitated, still calculated every risk. Because of that, the journey demanded more time than he had expected. And then, yes, finally…

Zeph came to a complete stop, bracing his hands on his knees as the next morning arrived. The sun began to rise once again. Ahead of him, not too far in the distance, stood the towering city walls of Lumeris. The traffic had grown denser, and there were more people moving along the outer roads.

"Finally?" he breathed out. More than twenty four hours on the road. It had been a grueling and exhausting experience, one that tested both his body and his will. But in the end, he had arrived. Actually, Zeph could have taken public transportation if he wanted to. One hundred kilometers was not that far. It could have been covered in just a few hours. But for some reason, he had insisted on forcing himself to run the entire way. Still, it was fine. He could treat it as training.

Zeph quickly approached the inspection area near the gates, where several guards were stationed. One of the officers stepped toward him.

"I'm from Mekarion, sir," he said to the uniformed guard.

"Are you evacuating here as well?"

"Yes, sir. My residence was destroyed, and I had nowhere else to go."

"Alright," the man replied with a nod.

"Do you already have a place to stay? Do you need assistance with food or shelter? There is a support center in the central district if you need temporary accommodation. Meals are provided there as well." Zeph listened as the guard explained a few more details. The process went smoothly, and before long, he was finally allowed to pass through the gates and enter the city. Once again, he was greeted by the sight of crowded streets filled with people moving in every direction.

Mekarion and Lumeris were not that different in terms of layout and people. Mekarion was larger in scale, but this city shared a similar style of architecture and the same general culture. The main difference lay in its hunters. Most of them here were lower level, since the monster threats surrounding Lumeris were not as severe as those around Mekarion. Zephion wandered through the city, occasionally glancing left and right as he took in everything around him.

The streets were lively, filled with vendors, pedestrians, and the distant hum of traffic. One thing he knew he needed to settle as soon as he arrived was food. His stomach had been complaining for a while now. So he stopped by the nearest minimarket and grabbed a simple breakfast set along with a bottled drink. Nothing fancy, just enough to refill his energy. He sat on a chair outside the store, unwrapping his meal while scrolling through his awakener device.

"Should I stay at the shelter?" he muttered to himself. There were far more evacuees than he had expected. The place was described as a large dome like hall, spacious and reasonably comfortable. Food was provided there as well. But for some reason, Zeph hesitated. He did not really want to stay among so many people. If he chose the shelter, he would likely have to share a large room with several strangers. The thought alone made him uneasy.

He should have enough money to rent a small inn room for a few days, as long as he chose something within his budget. During that time, he could figure out a way to earn more money.

"The next Hunter recruitment will not happen for another two months," he murmured after checking the schedule. Two months was a long time to sit around doing nothing. He could focus on training himself first, learning more about his abilities, or even take the risk of stepping outside the city to hunt low tier monsters. If he was lucky, he might earn some quick rewards from small scale subjugation requests or material drops. Zeph let out a slow breath.

"The only way to truly grow stronger is to register as a Hunter," he muttered to himself. He finished his breakfast, tossed the trash into a nearby bin, and continued walking without any clear direction. For a while, he just wandered aimlessly through the streets, blending into the flow of the city like someone who had nowhere specific to be. Eventually, he stopped in front of a small roadside building.

It had a narrow entrance with a modest signboard hanging above the door, quietly announcing that it was a small inn. He stood there for a moment.

"The price here should not be too expensive," he murmured. Then he stepped inside. The entrance led immediately to a staircase going up to the second floor. He climbed it without hesitation. At the top, there was a small lobby area. To the left stood a simple reception desk, and behind it someone was sitting on a chair, seemingly on duty.

"I need a room for…" Zeph said. He stopped mid sentence when the person behind the desk lifted her face.

"Yes," the girl said automatically, then paused.

"Wait… you…" It was the same girl from earlier. The shoulder length blonde hair, the faint redness on her cheeks, and the familiar spark in her eyes.

"You made it to the city after all," she continued, letting out a small giggle.

"Do you need a place to stay?" For a brief second, Zeph considered turning around and finding another inn. But…

"Yes," his mouth answered before his thoughts could catch up.