Chapter Summaries

Xia Nan visited Rock Hammer to buy equipment for his upcoming mission, choosing light leather armor and considering which weapon suited his fighting style. As he weighed his options, Barn mistook his hesitation for a lack of money and offered to show him cheaper goods.

• Xia Nan met Barn Steel Beard, the owner of Rock Hammer, and browsed the shop's armor and weapons.
• Xia Nan rejected expensive Full Plate Armor and medium armor, then bought a ten-gold set of specially made leather armor.
• Xia Nan declined to buy a shield because he lacked the skills to use one effectively.
• Xia Nan considered weapons that were substantial enough for his style and compatible with [Whirlwind Slash].
• Barn assumed Xia Nan was embarrassed about being a beginner and offered to show him cheaper goods.

Xia Nan inspected Barn’s secondhand weapons and discovered that a supposedly defective longsword had unexpectedly strong attributes. He chose to buy it, and Barn agreed to sell it for thirty-five Gold Coins on the condition that Xia Nan would not blame him or reveal where he got it.

• Xia Nan examined Barn’s secondhand weapons while asking whether experienced adventurers used ordinary, non-magical gear.
• Xia Nan’s panel identified the Sturdy Beheading Longsword as a Common weapon with increased durability and decapitation damage.
• Barn explained that he had struck the Gray Steel blade too many times while forging it and feared it might fail in battle.
• Xia Nan decided to buy the longsword despite Barn’s warning about its uncertain quality.
• Barn agreed to sell the sword for thirty-five Gold Coins and told Xia Nan not to hold him responsible or tell anyone it came from his shop.

Xia Nan traveled through Thin Mist Forest, harvested Firefly Garlic Vine, and prepared to leave with his haul. Two hurried sets of footsteps then approached from the woods, interrupting his departure.

• Xia Nan killed a Rosalind Sharp-nosed Viper that had been stalking a Long-eared Mouse and collected its Snake Gall for sale.
• Xia Nan reflected on his growing skills, his Beheading Longsword, and the 50-Gold-Coin Healing Potion he had bought, leaving him with only 24 Gold Coins, 2 Silver Coins, and 7 Copper Coins.
• Xia Nan followed his map and compass to a clearing where he found the Firefly Garlic Vine growing on an Oak Tree.
• Xia Nan cautiously checked the clearing for danger, harvested 32 clumps of Firefly Garlic Vine, and left some immature growth behind.
• As Xia Nan prepared to leave, he heard two hurried sets of footsteps approaching from the woods to his right.

Xia Nan defeated two men who had ambushed him, collected their weapons and a pouch of gold, and prepared to leave with the Firefly Garlic Vine. Hai An, Wood, a blonde girl, and a plump man then arrived and found him standing beside the corpses.

• Xia Nan abandoned his valuable backpack temporarily and chose to fight the two armed men rather than negotiate or flee.
• Xia Nan killed the dull-looking man with Whirlwind Slash, then kicked the Crewcut Man off balance and killed him with a second strike.
• Xia Nan inspected his sword, searched the corpses, and took useful gear and a pouch containing at least fifty Gold Coins.
• As Xia Nan was about to leave, a plump man, Hai An, the blonde girl, and Wood emerged into the clearing.
• Hai An spotted the two corpses and regarded Xia Nan warily.

Xia Nan cautiously heard Hai An explain that his party had mistaken him for an ally while pursuing the people who ambushed them. Larry then proposed recruiting Xia Nan to replace a fallen adventurer, leaving Wood suspicious and opposed to the idea.

• Larry marveled that Xia Nan had killed the two attackers, while Doris agreed that adventuring involved scenes like this.
• Hai An apologized for involving Xia Nan and explained that his party had let two ambushers escape so they could trace the mastermind.
• Xia Nan questioned Hai An’s explanation and wondered whether the group wanted his spoils or compensation.
• Larry suggested recruiting Xia Nan because their previous recruit had died and returning to River Valley Town would waste a day.
• Wood warned Hai An against inviting Xia Nan, noting his suspiciously clean movements and efficient killing of the two attackers.

Hai An tried to hire Xia Nan to help his party travel through Thin Mist Forest, but Xia Nan refused even after the offer rose to one hundred Gold Coins. As Xia Nan prepared to leave, he recognized the ancient style of the black token Hai An had taken out as something from his previous life.

• Hai An offered Xia Nan thirty Gold Coins in compensation and seventy more to join the party temporarily, but Xia Nan refused, suspecting the inexperienced group could not be trusted.
• Larry raised the offer to one hundred Gold Coins, but Xia Nan refused again, and Hai An accepted his decision and gave him the promised thirty Gold Coins.
• Wood urged Hai An to return to River Valley Town, warning that Thin Mist Forest was dangerous and suspecting the men they had encountered belonged to Newm's side.
• Hai An rejected Wood's suggestion for the moment and took an ink-black token from his clothes.
• Xia Nan stopped before leaving because the token's ancient style reminded him of his previous life.

Xia Nan recognized the Wooden Token Hai An carried as resembling artifacts from his former world, though he could not read its unfamiliar writing, and joined Hai An’s party to investigate its source. On the journey toward Thin Mist Forest, Xia Nan saw that the group was more disciplined than he had expected, while Wood remained watchful of him.

• Xia Nan examined Hai An’s Wooden Token and noticed its familiar style and shape, but could not read the character written on it.
• Hai An explained that the party’s mission was to investigate where the token had been found and invited Xia Nan to join them.
• Xia Nan accepted the invitation because he wanted to learn the token’s origins.
• The party traveled in a quiet, orderly formation, and Wood used his experience to detect hazards and guide them around danger.
• Hai An walked ahead of Xia Nan and showed him goodwill, while Wood occasionally looked back at Xia Nan warily.

Xia Nan rested with Larry and Hai An’s party in Thin Mist Forest, where they discussed the unusual number of snakes and the origins of Larry’s Wooden Token. Hai An revealed that he suspected the token was connected to a missing relative, and Wood returned from scouting with something to report.

• Larry complained about the many snakes in the forest while Xia Nan cleaned blood from his armor during a rest.
• Larry told Xia Nan that an adventurer had found the Wooden Token in Thin Mist Forest and that Larry had bought the location where it was discovered.
• Xia Nan questioned why Larry had entered the forest without guards, and Larry muttered an unclear explanation while glancing at the blonde-haired girl.
• Hai An said he had led the party and suspected the Wooden Token was connected to the disappearance of one of his relatives.
• Wood returned from scouting, looked at Hai An, and said he had found something.

Xia Nan and the party investigated a mysterious carriage in Thin Mist Forest, where a swarm of scorpion bugs attacked and Wood drove them away with a clay pot of incendiary liquid. As the group made camp, Wood questioned the origin of Hai An’s token, but Hai An shut him down, leaving the token’s connection to the Wickliff Family unresolved.

• Hai An recognized the carriage’s traditional design, while Larry, Hai An, and Wood noted that it could not plausibly have reached the forest recently without leaving tracks.
• Doris spotted scorpion bugs beneath the carriage, and Xia Nan returned to the fight after retreating as the swarm surged toward the party.
• Wood hurled a clay pot that burst into flames, scattering the scorpion bugs and setting the carriage and nearby grass alight.
• Wood examined a scorpion and told Hai An that something was wrong before suggesting the group move around the area and make camp.
• At the campsite, Wood began to explain that Hai An’s Ink-Black Wooden Token was not High Elf in style and referred to the matriarch, but Hai An angrily told him to stop.

Xia Nan’s party was attacked by four Rust Monsters after one of Wood’s warning traps was triggered in the Thin Mist Forest. As the battle began, Larry was hurt by the recoil of his hammer, and Wood warned that the monsters’ venom could corrode metal.

• A trap’s bells rang at dusk, and Xia Nan, Hai An, Wood, Larry, and Doris took up defensive positions.
• The party realized that whatever had triggered the trap was approaching them instead of fleeing.
• Four Rust Monsters emerged from the fog, and Hai An’s arrow bounced off one monster’s carapace.
• Larry struck a Rust Monster with his hammer, but the recoil numbed his arm and forced him to retreat.
• Doris hit the monster’s mouthparts with her hammer, and its venom corroded the weapon.
• Wood warned that Rust Monster venom could corrode metal, making Xia Nan hesitate with his Beheading Longsword in hand.

Four Rust Monsters attacked the camp, and Wood and Xia Nan fought to protect the others. Xia Nan killed the bug that nearly ambushed Hai An, while the remaining Rust Monsters were still engaged elsewhere in the camp.

• Xia Nan rushed to support the camp when he saw a Rust Monster threaten the group.
• Wood killed one Rust Monster by stabbing through a gap in its neck plates.
• Wood spotted another Rust Monster circling toward Hai An and shouted a warning.
• The Rust Monster lunged at Hai An from behind as Hai An realized one of the bugs was missing.
• Xia Nan killed the attacker with [Whirlwind Slash] and told Hai An not to get distracted.

Xia Nan and his party survived a sudden attack by four Rust Monsters, with Xia Nan and Hai An working together to kill one and Wood defeating the last. After collecting valuable poison glands, Wood questioned why the cave-dwelling monsters had appeared in the Thin Mist Forest.

• Wood checked that Hai An was unharmed after Xia Nan killed the Rust Monster threatening him.
• Hai An shot an arrow into another Rust Monster's eye, allowing Xia Nan to kill it with a thrust through its lower jaw.
• Wood defeated the final Rust Monster, and the party prepared to move camp after Larry suffered a minor injury from its venom.
• Wood explained that Rust Monster poison glands were valuable and warned that their shells spoiled quickly in the forest.
• Hai An gave Xia Nan the poison glands from the other three monsters as compensation, while Wood wondered what had drawn the Rust Monsters into the Thin Mist Forest.

After the battle with the Rust Monsters, Xia Nan shared food with his companions and learned why Hai An had come to the Thin Mist Forest. Wood explained how Combat Skills worked, and Xia Nan discovered that mastering one was a requirement for gaining a Profession Level.

• Xia Nan and the others moved their camp after the Rust Monster battle, and Doris treated Larry's injured arm.
• Larry gave Xia Nan honey and cheese, and Hai An explained that Larry and Doris had grown up together.
• Hai An revealed that he sought his mother's homeland with the Wooden Token and feared he might not be able to leave home again after the commission.
• Xia Nan told Hai An and Wood how he had learned [Whirlwind Slash] from a partial Skill Book, surprising them with his combat talent.
• Wood explained the three grades of Combat Skill proficiency, and Hai An revealed that mastering a Combat Skill was one requirement for obtaining a Profession Level.
• Xia Nan eagerly asked what other conditions were needed to become a Professional.

Xia Nan learned how adventurers gained Profession Levels by mastering three Combat Skills that belonged to the same class category. He realized he needed two more compatible skills alongside [Whirlwind Slash], and Hai An pointed him toward the Adventurers Association as the easiest place to learn them.

• Xia Nan asked Hai An what was required to become a Professional, and Hai An explained the three-Combat-Skill requirement and the need to train one skill to Mastery.
• Hai An clarified that mismatched Combat Skills usually did not qualify for advancement, though rare combinations could lead to an uncertain profession.
• Wood explained that common Basic Classes had clear advancement paths, while rare professions relied on scarce skills and secret combinations.
• Xia Nan concluded that pursuing a common class was his best option and realized he needed two more compatible Combat Skills to gain a Profession Level.
• Xia Nan asked where adventurers could learn Combat Skills, and Hai An told him the Adventurers Association was the most convenient place.

Hai An explained how people in the Servia Kingdom obtained Combat Skills and why Xia Nan’s former self had been unusually lucky to learn one from half a Skill Book. He offered to use his family’s connections to hire a Warrior-type Professional to train Xia Nan, and Xia Nan accepted as they prepared to part ways.

• Hai An told Xia Nan that Skill Books were sold on the Adventurers Association’s second floor, which was generally accessible only to Professionals, and Wood explained that the world did not need many adventurers.
• Hai An described the main ways to learn Combat Skills: joining a major organization, hiring a Professional, or trying one’s luck with circulating Skill Books, most of which were worthless.
• Xia Nan realized his former self had been talented and lucky to learn a Combat Skill from half a Skill Book, and considered how to advance from there.
• Hai An said Wood’s Wanderer skills could not help Xia Nan with [Whirlwind Slash] and offered to find a reliable Professional to train him in a [Warrior]-type Combat Skill.
• Xia Nan accepted Hai An’s offer, and Hai An asked for his address so he could write after returning to Newm; Xia Nan said he would be in River Valley Town.

Xia Nan learned about Professions and Combat Skills from Hai An and Wood, then continued with the party toward the place where they had found the Wooden Token. As they explored newly ruined buildings in the Thin Mist Forest, Xia Nan recognized the towering Wooden Tower as a restaurant and suspected the structures had been displaced from another place or time.

• Xia Nan spoke with Hai An and Wood about Professions, Combat Skills, and adventuring, and Hai An agreed to help him find a mentor in Newm.
• The party set out at first light and traveled through the forest without encountering Monsters, except for a Golden-Eyed Black Panther that watched them before retreating.
• Larry used his damaged One-handed Hammer to probe the undergrowth and drive away snakes as the party approached its destination.
• Xia Nan saw several oddly styled ruined buildings, including a five-story Wooden Tower, and found a fragment of porcelain among the rubble.
• Wood estimated that the Wooden Tower had been built only a month or two earlier, while Xia Nan recognized it as a restaurant and suspected the buildings had been randomly brought from another world.

Xia Nan and his companions explored an intact courtyard whose architecture and strange anomalies strengthened his suspicion that it came from another world. Hai An ended the mission and agreed to return, but Wood’s discovery of a Rust Monster statue left the group on alert.

• Xia Nan noticed that the courtyard had bridges and pavilions but no water, and saw a rockery fused with an Oak Tree.
• Wood confirmed that the courtyard’s architecture did not belong to the matriarch’s tribe, so Hai An declared the mission over.
• Xia Nan decided against venturing farther into the Thin Mist Forest, and Larry promised to pay him the 100 gold reward.
• Larry found a detailed Stone Statue of a Venomous Snake, then spotted a Rust Monster statue that looked like the creatures they had fought.
• Wood moved in front of Hai An and warned everyone to stay alert.

An invisible petrifying force struck the party in the ruins, turning Larry and Doris to stone while Hai An and Wood narrowly survived. Xia Nan resisted the attack, but the enormous creature behind the courtyard emerged from the mist as the survivors fled.

• Larry and Doris were petrified while holding onto each other.
• Hai An's protective Magic Item shattered and shielded him from the attack.
• Wood resisted the petrifying force and rushed to carry Hai An away, shouting for everyone to run.
• Xia Nan endured the force with the help of his attributes and will, though his extremities turned gray.
• Wood fled toward the forest with Hai An as the enormous creature crawled out of the mist behind the courtyard.

Xia Nan fled after witnessing the Petrification Lizard turn his companions to stone, but the Monster pursued him through the forest. His [Dead Line] ring deflected one bite, yet the lizard slammed its body into him.

• Xia Nan recognized the Petrification Lizard as a Challenge Rating 3 Monster and realized he could not fight it.
• Xia Nan ran deeper into the forest as the Half-Elf and Wood fled in another direction.
• The Petrification Lizard chose to pursue Xia Nan and charged through the forest, crushing trees and brush.
• The lizard nearly bit Xia Nan, but his [Dead Line] ring activated its Deflection Force Field and turned the bite aside.
• The Petrification Lizard crashed its massive body into Xia Nan.

Xia Nan was badly injured by the Petrification Lizard, but Hai An and Wood distracted it long enough for him to escape. He vanished into the mist near the strange ruins, leaving Hai An and Wood searching for him while the lizard refused to cross an unseen boundary.

• The Petrification Lizard struck Xia Nan and left him unable to fight as petrification spread across his fingers.
• Hai An’s arrow and a firebomb distracted the lizard, allowing Xia Nan to drink half a Healing Potion and flee.
• Xia Nan ran deeper into the Thin Mist Forest until the lizard’s pursuit abruptly stopped and the ruins around him disappeared.
• Space twisted around Xia Nan, and he vanished into the mist.
• Hai An and Wood found Xia Nan’s footprints ending abruptly and decided to search for two more hours before retreating.
• The Petrification Lizard destroyed trees near the ruins but would not cross an invisible boundary, then turned back into the forest.