1 A New Journey
I'm Lucas Aldaric, a 22-year-old man whose life revolves around two primary pursuits: school and video games. Growing up as the only child in a loving family, I never encountered major challenges. Despite the absence of adversity, school proved to be a monotonous experience. I wasn't a prodigy, nor did I put in much effort; my preference leaned towards learning on my own terms. Speeding through homework, I eagerly anticipated the moments when I could immerse myself in video games, anime, or outdoor adventures with friends.
Upon graduating from high school, I sought intellectual challenges and opted for a mathematics-inclusive degree, not out of genuine passion but to inject some difficulty into my academic life. However, the reality fell short of the formidable obstacle my teachers had portrayed. Frustrated, I turned to online challenges, delving into competitive and solo games like the Souls series. My enthusiasm extended to strategic games like Starcraft and Might and Magic.
My initiation into Starcraft occurred at the age of three while watching my dad play Blitzkrieg II on his PC. Intrigued, he taught me the basics and even allowed me to take control of the computer for a while. I perceived him as a master, particularly in turn-based strategic games, a belief I still hold despite the passing of time.
While real-time strategy games captivated me for their increased challenge, my love for classics like Might and Magic remained unwavering, shaping my childhood. A game that left a lasting impression during my school days was Dawn of War, with its captivating design and status as a Warhammer 40K title, one of my favorite intellectual properties.
Just yesterday, like every Sunday, I immersed myself in League of Legends before heading to bed—a game that seemed like a loved toxin, as few openly admit to enjoying it, yet many persist in playing. As I drifted into sleep, a peculiar wheel with cryptic inscriptions on each section appeared in my dreams. Squinting, I attempted to decipher the mysterious language, but the writings eluded my understanding as I continued to observe the enigmatic wheel. It started to rotate suddenly, and when the wheel stopped, the inscription transformed to form a golden 'VI.'
"What is this shit?" I thought as what I saw didn't make sense. I had never dreamt like that before, so it scared me a bit. The wheel started to spin again, stopping on an inscription that changed to reveal a golden cross with a white background. Below this symbol, a series of golden letters formed the word "Haven." "Is this a Might and Magic reference?" I mused as my gaze settled on the word 'Haven.' It was reminiscent of the human faction in the game.
"I can speculate that the 'VI' from before is the sixth installment of the series. What a strange dream," I noted, only to be interrupted by a sudden appearance of a blue light in front of me. "A light shaped like that specifies magic, so am I a caster, huh?" I chuckled inwardly. "As if I could get isekaied in a dream like that. I haven't seen Truck-kun nor a ROB."
The wheel from before vanished, replaced by an enormous one that materialized in front of me. This time, I could discern the writing in each section — names of games or anime. Titles like 'Warcraft,' 'Starcraft,' 'Diablo,' 'Warhammer Fantasy or 40K,' and anime like 'Berserk' and 'Fairy Tail' adorned the spinning wheel. As the wheel gained momentum, my eyes traced the worlds, and a smile crept onto my face.
"Why has my subconscious chosen only the worst worlds?" I pondered, amused by the absurdity of it all. Yet, deep down, I knew it was just a dream. Only the delusional believed in the reality of isekai.
The wheel gradually slowed down, finally coming to a stop on a world simply labeled as '?'. Beneath it, a description unfolded. "This is a world that will be revealed to you upon your discoveries. Be careful; the danger in this world is massive, perhaps less than in Warhammer 40K or SCP, but you don't want to be far from where the plot is happening because only this planet can resist the power of what is to come. But don't worry, there will be other worlds mixed in for your enjoyment."
'What is th-' before I could finish my thought, I was engulfed by a golden light, my consciousness fading away.
In the serene mountain range, the symphony of nature echoed with the chirping of birds and the gentle rustle of leaves, orchestrated by the wind. Suddenly, the tranquil ambiance shattered as a brilliant golden light erupted, startling the birds and scattering all nearby animals in a frenzy. The light bathed the grass below in a shimmering golden hue.
At the heart of this radiant circle of grass lay a man draped in priestly attire, predominantly blue. A metallic mask concealed his face, complemented by a blue hood. His form blended an amalgamation of a knight's armor and priestly vestments. Beside him rested a metallic staff, more a formidable blunt weapon than a conduit for anime-style spells.
"Urghh, my head," the man groaned, attempting to touch his head, only to be hindered by the mask. "What is this?" he murmured, inspecting his gloved hand. "Where am I?" Confusion enveloped him as he surveyed his surroundings, his gaze eventually falling on the Haven faction symbol on the ground and a letter nearby.
Struggling with his gloved hand, the man retrieved the letter and opened it. "Dear Lucas, thank you for playing our wheel game. You are now in another world, guided by a system initially. After one month, the system will vanish, allowing you to navigate this universe with your own knowledge and wit. The system will aid you in creating a Haven town and provide soldiers. A game-like panel will assist you in learning new magic and skills from Heroes of Might and Magic VI. You are a neutral cleric; your future upgrades, 'Tear' and 'Blood,' will be determined as you know by your spell usage and life choices. Beware, this universe is perilous. Strive to improve, and I hope you survive. Goodbye, child."
Trembling from shock, Lucas held the letter. "I am in another world?" he muttered, observing his gloved hand. Strangely, the armor he wore did not burden him; it felt weightless.
Lucas POV:
Despite the unconventional attire, I rose effortlessly. As the letter declared, I found myself in another world. The concept of isekai and reincarnation seemed impossible, so what was this? I scanned my surroundings—a mountainous area, evident from the towering peaks and frosty climate. 'This climate isn't optimal for creating a town,' I thought, surveying the surroundings. 'But with magic, I can address real-life problems.'
'System!' I summoned mentally, and a panel materialized. As I examined the panel, I noticed icons for quests and skills. Opting for quests, I clicked on the icon to discover a task awaiting completion.
[As the first hero of the Haven, you need to choose a suitable location for your inaugural city. Once you pick the spot, the System will assess your choice and reward you based on your score.]
"That's straightforward enough," I mused, eyeing a prime location for the town hall. After fifteen minutes of exploration, I settled on what seemed to be the best spot. Summoning the panel once more, I indicated the chosen location for the city and clicked the validation button. In an instant, a colossal town hall materialized, towering over me. The temperature in the vicinity rose slightly, and the ground seemed to pulsate with vitality. The once ordinary grass now appeared lush and vibrant.
"This was Earth Magic," I thought, shocked by the reality manipulation I had just witnessed. In the game, magic wasn't merely a tool for destruction or troop enhancement; it could reshape the world according to the caster's desires. However, the limitations were clear — magic was tethered to the caster's imagination and mana capacity. As a cleric of the Haven faction, I had access to spells from the Air, Fire, Prime, Light, and Earth lores of magic. Humans were renowned in the game for their magical prowess. Clerics, specifically, could rain down beams of light to pulverize enemies. But first, I needed to assess the rewards from my initial quest.
[Quest No. 1 Finished, Evaluation of the reward...] [Satisfactory Location: 35%, the location required help from the system to terraform the territory of the user to a suitable condition, issuing reward...] [Reward: 1000 gold, 2 units of wood, 2 units of ore, 2 sentinels, a batch of seeds, 2 crossbowmen, and a horse] [The location has potential as a defensive bastion or a mining base, with rich ore and mineral deposits]
I observed the golden light revealing four men: two sentinels in heavy plate armor with shields and spears, and two crossbowmen in lighter armor with protective helmets. "We salute you, sir!" they exclaimed in unison. Acknowledging their presence warmly, I recognized their prowess from the game. While I was no lord in terms of strength, our team could handle bandits or wildlife threats in an ordinary world.
In another golden light, a thousand golden coins and a batch of minerals and wood appeared neatly arranged on the ground. Contemplating my next move, I acknowledged that food, unlike in games, would be a crucial resource.
"Separating from each other would be a grave mistake; we are too weak individually, and these mountains hold unknown dangers," I decided, assessing the situation with my newly acquired soldiers. "So first, I'll learn Earth Magic to help with the growth of the seeds," I informed them.
As they awaited orders, I continued, "During this time, you can go and put the resources near the town hall."
"Yes, sir!" they responded in unison before heading towards the pile of materials. Observing them for a moment, I summoned the system panel, clicking on the spell section. The familiar interface of the game's spell management appeared before me. I promptly selected the Earth lore of magic and examined the available spells.
One particular spell caught my attention—Earth Magic 1. In the game, it offered a passive boost to Earth Magic, but in reality, it might provide a profound understanding of this specific magical lore. Humans, like me, also possessed an innate magic called Angelic Protection. In the game, it transformed a troop into an untouchable warmachine. While I was unsure of its real-life workings, I planned to test it in future battles.
I chose Regeneration I as my first spell in the game. In the virtual realm, it healed the wounds of my troops, providing vitality over time. However, in the real world, if cast on seeds, it would accelerate their growth at the cost of a substantial amount of mana. Glancing at my stat sheets, I noted that, as a level 1 Cleric, I had 50 points of mana, and the Regeneration spell consumed half of that.
Observing that my troops had completed their task, I walked towards them, realizing we hadn't properly introduced ourselves. "My name is Lucas Aldaric, pleased to meet you!" I announced to the quartet. One of the sentinels, George, stepped forward. "My lord, I am ready to serve you," he declared. Another sentinel named Jean and a crossbowman named Philip also introduced themselves. The last one, Thom, appeared a bit timid but managed to murmur his name.
A brief silence enveloped the group as I made a decision. "We are going to scout the area near the town hall," I began, scanning everyone. "We need guards for the resource stockpile. I won't leave this amount of gold coins unattended. Since we are in a mountainous area, I'll assign Thom, Jean, and Philip to guard the town hall. George, you come with me."
"Yes, sir!" the group responded. As George joined me, we departed. I contemplated using a horse, but considering the potential hostility of the environment, it seemed unwise. Despite having George with me, I felt extremely stressed about venturing outside the comfort zone created by the town hall. As we stepped beyond its delimitation, a sudden quest appeared:
[You want to explore beyond the safe veil, find a location for an ore mine, and a location for a sawmill to provide your burgeoning kingdom with a stable income of raw materials.] [For the location of the ore mine, the System will provide you with spots and their percentage of profitability.] [The rewards will be distributed in accordance with the completion rate of the mission.]
Reading the quest, I decided to depart swiftly with George. We descended the mountain path, and as the forest grew denser, I nervously scanned the surroundings. I wasn't a soldier or a hero, just an ordinary guy thrust into a fantasy world with a cheat that would last one month. I had the template of a Cleric from Might and Magic but that didn't empêche me to die like a normal person; the letter said that this world is dangerous; I'll just have to prepare for the worst and persevere.
The forest was not silent, far from it. We could hear animals growl and birds chirp everywhere, but we continued to walk nonetheless, the danger of the forest not deterring us even a bit. I spotted near the town hall some kind of cavernous entrance; I tried to look at them to establish a mine, but the System responded, [This cave contains hostile wildlife or persons, clean it from the hostiles before trying to implement a mine, Profit:54%]. This was the last cave that I saw; all the others were abysmal in terms of rentability, but this one was quite good.
I looked at George before saying, "There are hostile wildlife inside this cave; we should retreat and regroup with the others before trying our luck," I said to the sentinel that looked at me in response.
"My lord, I think you underestimate yourself; you are a Hero of our race; you will not be defeated by common enemies," responded the sentinel to me as he started to depart toward the cave.
"Wait, George," I murmured as I gripped his armored shoulder, stopping him. "Look, this is unsafe," I said, looking at the cave. "We should go back and take more arms with us."
The sentinel looked at me; he suddenly sighed as he started to walk past me toward the town hall. "Youmust be a bit more charismatic, my lord, or some people will not follow you," said George as he took back the mountain path toward the Hall.
I looked at him as I pondered what he said. 'This is far harder than in-game; I should look into their personalities and try to understand them,' I thought as I looked at him before I started to walk toward the path.
Suddenly, I heard a growl behind me as I saw a shadow speed toward me at great speed. I suddenly gripped my staff harder as I tried to use the mana inside of me to use Elrath's benediction to strike the shadow that was going for me.
In an instant, a pillar of light came down from above as the beam collided with the shadow. An enormous explosion happened; I was flung toward George, who promptly caught me with his free arm as his other arm used his shield to protect us from the shockwave.
The light died out, and we saw what the shadow was – it was a black wolf, his entire head was missing due to the beam heat that disintegrated it. "Well, my lord, it seems that you are packing quite the power," murmured George as I stood up from his arm.
I looked at what remained of the wolf darkly. 'I could've died,' I thought as I looked at the sky.
[Not detecting anymore hostile, you can implement a mine]
'Well thank you' I thought as I looked at the button, then a new notification appeared
[You won the battle, you received 16 XP]
[Next level progression: 16/1000]
I glanced at the system's notification, then made my way toward the now-empty cave with George following closely behind me.
[Do you want to create an ore mine using this emplacement? Mining drones will be given to you to manage the mine and will provide minerals each day.]
[As the quality of the vein is mid, you will be given half a stack of minerals each day.]
[So, do you want to create the mine?]
[Yes]
[No]
Considering for a moment, I observed that most mine locations in the vicinity were poor, barely reaching 20% quality. However, this one boasted a 54% quality, making it the best choice. I clicked yes, and a pillar of light descended on the cave, momentarily blinding both George and me.
When the light vanished, the cave had transformed into a mine entrance, as if the mountain itself had been carved to create a path for the mining drones. Golden robots resembling the sentinel armor marched towards the mine entrance, ready to commence their work.
"Let's go, George. We should return to the town. If we find an unprotected sawmill site, we could implement one for the town," I suggested, and we promptly set off along the mountain path back to the town.
An hour later, we safely returned to the city. As I surveyed the scene, I noticed the bodies of several strange beasts, pierced by crossbow bolts. Rushing forward, I checked on my three other men, relieved to find them unharmed with no visible wounds or scratches on their armor.
"What happened?" I inquired urgently, scanning the surroundings for any additional threats.
"My lord, we were suddenly attacked by a pack of strange beasts. Fortunately, they were extremely weak and posed no threat to any of us," reported Philip, the crossbowman.
"I'm glad to hear that," I responded, relieved that the group was unharmed. "George and I secured an ore mine for the city. We just need a sawmill, and we'll be well-equipped with standard resources."
[You were attacked by the local wildlife; a city cannot be prosperous if threats like wildlife persist. Find the nest of the forest's beasts and eradicate them to safeguard your future city.]
[Reward: A random building will be constructed inside the city, a substantial amount of gold, and an artifact. During this hunt, your city will be safeguarded by a shield to prevent any outside interference.]
[Level of threat: Moderate]
'Well, this is going to be a challenging fight. If this grading is similar to the games, 'Moderate' means the foe has comparable power to mine,'I pondered as I observed the notification.
"Everyone, we'll be going hunting these animals" I declared as an enormous shield of light started to envelop the city.
We set out on the path the beasts had taken to attack us, venturing into the forest. A chill ran down my spine, a premonition of danger lurking within the woods.
"Be careful, there's something dangerous in the woods," I warned the group. The sentinels tightened their grip on their spears, and the crossbowmen loaded their bolts.
We proceeded through the forest, tracking the heavy footprints on the ground. Soon, we stumbled upon the remnants of prey devoured by the beasts, all with animalistic features.
I harnessed Elrath's power within me, attempting to recreate the sensation from the previous wolf attack. Then, a growl echoed ahead of us. Four creatures, a fusion of wolf and bear, rushed towards us. At close range, I could discern their features. Swiftly, two bolts found their mark in the creatures' heads, dropping them dead on the spot.
The two sentinels blocked the paths of the two remaining beasts, using their spear to impale the head of one beast but the second one dodge narrowly the spear but a beam of light coming from above to burn his head.
I looked at at the bodies of the beasts before I looked at the group.
"This fight will draw every beast in the vicinity, prepare yourselves for the fight" I commanded my soldiers, I was strangely calm as I looked at what was going on. I should be stressed and scared of what was happening but I was calmer than when I was on Earth.
The group prepared themselves as we heard a lot of thumping sound coming our way from where the beasts came before. Soon enough three more beasts like before and an enormous beast came, probably the chief of the pack, he easily dwarfed the others as he drooled toward us.
"Kill the two on the right, I kill the other little one and next we focus on their chief ! " I declared to the group as I channeled Elrath's wrath as a beam of light killed another beast, at the same time two crossbow bolts took the life of the other two beasts.
The leader of the pack, seeing this rugis before charging toward us like a train, I chanelled once again Elrath's power as a beam of light hit the beast
"Rarrrrwr !" the beast rugis of pain as the beam burned the back of his head but didn't kill him
"Blind him and dispersion ! " I cried out as the crossbow men's bolt find their way in each eyes of the beast, and as soon as the bolt find their mark the whole group dispersed, each sentinel protecting a crossbow man as they reloaded to rain the bolt on the beast
I channeled once again Elrath's power but before I could use my attack I saw the beast turn toward me and open his toothy mouth before light was seen in his mouth and a beam of green energy was launched toward me
'He can detect magic !' I thought as I tried to dodge but I was too slow, I saw the beam come for me but before I could get hit, George put himself between me and the attack, using his shield to protect me.
The collision between the beam and the shield created a small explosion that sent George flying past me, I didn't get distracted by what happened and used this time frame that George gave me to rain down a beam of light at the same location than the last one, this time penetrating the beast head and destroying it, effectively killing the beast.
[Quest achieved!]
Without even checking the rewards, I hurried back to George to ensure he wasn't wounded.
"Are you okay, George?" I inquired as he rose to his feet, seemingly unaffected by the magical blast from the creature.
"I am well, my lord," he replied, retrieving his shield. "The detonation just propelled me back; I've seen far worse than that. This little beast was no demon from Sheog."
I marveled at the sentinel's resilience, aware that humans in the game were much stronger than their Earth counterparts, but witnessing it firsthand was extraordinary.
"I'm glad you're well, then," I responded with a smile, surveying the battlefield. The crossbowmen retrieved their bolts, while the other sentinel attempted to reclaim his spear from one of the fallen beasts.
"We should search their lair for valuables!" I declared, turning my attention to the quest rewards.
[Reward: The barracks have been constructed in your town. You can now recruit sentinels each week. 2000 gold has been donated to you.]
[Incredible! The artifact given to you is the Pendant of Holiness. This allows your entire army to be immune to curses.]
The robotic voice of the system sounded more joyous, and virtual glitter filled the window.
[You finished this quest in record time; another reward will be issued to you: the spell Earth Magic 1 is given to you.]
As the voice spoke, a profound enlightenment swept over me. Knowledge about Earth magic flooded my mind. As I had suspected, Earth Magic 1 functioned like mastery, enabling me to cast more potent spells and granting me comprehensive knowledge of the magic. It even allowed me to create my own spells.
"Incredible!" I marveled at my hands and the new pendant around my neck. I felt a surge of power. Yet, I sensed two new things: an overwhelming malevolence inside the nest and a revelation that the Earth was alive—it was communicating with me!
'I'll see after, for now let's see this malevolent thing in the nest' I thought as I followed my troop inside the nest
"My Lord!" Philip's voice rang out, and I followed it to discover the source of the malevolent presence. It turned out to be a hole, containing a green liquid that even Elrath within me found repulsive; an instant desire to obliterate it surged through me.
[Congratulations! You found a fountain of pure Fel Energy! A function of the system is unlocked! Discovering this fountain allows you to change your faction to a branch of the Inferno faction! Be careful of your choice as it will change your own body and thoughts!]
[Change]
[Stay]
I stared at the window in shock. The idea of changing factions intrigued me, but the Inferno was not my preference. Though having an army of extradimensional demons was tempting, the repulsive fountain made the decision for me. I clicked on stay.
[Elrath is pleased by your choice and donates to you a scale of himself. Plunge it inside the fountain to purify it! Praise the Light.]
A golden scale materialized in my hands, prompting all my soldiers to kneel in a praying position.
"Thank you, Elrath," I smiled, observing the pulsating light energy emanating from the scale, resembling a miniature sun that illuminated the entire vicinity.
[Elrath's Scale]
[Legendary Material]
[The scale of the Dragon God of Light and one of the greatest gods in his world. This scale can purify any illness and resurrect the dead.]
Suddenly, a red window appeared before me.
[Urgash, Dragon of Chaos and Father of the Demon, is pleased by your choice as this energy is not that of his Children. He donates to you His blessing.]
"What?" Fear gripped me; nothing good could come from a blessing bestowed by one of the worst beings in Ashan.
[Urgash's Blessing]
[Mythical]
[If you didn't have fire attribute magic, you now possess it. You are extremely attuned to the fire lore of magic. Each spell of that lore will cause damage to the enemy, even if they have extreme fire resistance or spell nullification. Praise the Omniscient Fire!]
[With Urgash's blessing comes an income of 500 gold a day.]
"That was not what I was expecting. I thought I would erupt in fire, but this is a welcome surprise," I pondered, removing my glove and examining my hand. On the back of it, I could see the mark of the Inferno.
"My Lord?" called George, prompting me to quickly put my glove back on to conceal the mark. "Should we destroy this fountain?"
"Yes, I will purify this thing," I spat out the last word with venom. This energy was pure malice; even Urgash was disgusted by it, revealing its profound malevolence.
I grasped Elrath's scale and tossed it into the fountain. In less than a second, the ground trembled as if it were roaring. Suddenly, an explosion of light formed, blasting all of us back and causing us to lose our footing. As I stood up, the Fel's fountain was nowhere to be found. In its place stood a fountain of pure light.
[Fountain of Elrath's Blessing]
[Epic]
[This fountain enhances basic creatures of the Haven faction with Elrath's might, upgrading them to their next tier.]
[One enhancement per day at no cost.]
[This fountain serves as a dwelling place for Radiant Glory, a powerful troop of the Haven Faction.]
[One creature per week for no cost.]
"By Elrath's light!" I heard George exclaim, gazing above me. Floating in the air was a blue humanoid, emanating a blinding light of the same color.
"An envoy of Elrath!" exclaimed Philip in shock, joining his hands in prayer to the God.
I observed her as she returned my gaze, and then I heard her voice within my head.
"You bear the mark of the Dragon of Chaos, just like the child of the Griffin back then. So, even if I serve someone blessed by Chaos, if my lord wills me to serve you, I will serve you," her voice was like a melodious carillon.
"Then I accept you into my humble army, envoy of Elrath!" I replied, still shocked at how quickly I had obtained such an elite creature. These were powerhouse, a Radiant Glory was an extremely strong being capable of teleporting a launching strong beam of light to pulverize or blind her enemy.
I turned to the rest of my troop, noting that they had recovered from their shock but were still obviously in awe before this magnificent creature.
"This fountain can enhance you with Elrath's might," I explained, stepping in front of George and taking him by the shoulders with a smile.
"You can go first, George. In fact, each one of you will have the honor. This fountain can upgrade one of you per day."
George looked at me before nodding, "Yes, my Lord. I will not disappoint you," he said as he approached the fountain.
As soon as he neared it, a golden light enveloped him, and a second later, a proud Praetorian stood before me — one of Elrath's chosen infantry and guardian of the Holy Emperor and Dukes of the Holy Empire. George's armor now gleamed in golden and white hues, adorned with a majestic cloak.
"I feel so strong, my Lord!" declared George, making a quick sweeping motion with his spear, creating a little shockwave due to the speed of the blow.
'This is incredible,' I marveled. In the game, Praetorians were just normal warriors in armor, not particularly formidable. However, this was not a game; this was a Praetorian with the blessing of Elrath to boot.
The other three looked at George as if he had grown a second head, but it was Philip who spoke first.
"Well, I didn't know that Elrath's blessing could turn you into a Praetorian," he said, chuckling as he looked at me.
I chuckled too before responding, "Well, let's head back to town," commanding as we started to depart from the fountain and the nest of the beasts.
'Today was my first day in this new world. I will live a life that my parents would be proud of,' I thought excitedly as I looked at the sun for a moment before departing.
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Well I gave a int of what the universe he is in is, perhaps you caught it
See you soon :)
