54 Into a New World

Ever since the Gates appeared, the number of unknown monsters appeared. There were even elves, dwarves and more demons. Their strength leveled that of S-rank adventurers and the weakest would be at C-rank. Fortunately, the gates of the cities were shut tight and the monsters never attempted to attack either.

However, Thelorion was under the siege of monsters. The city was taken and the monsters reigned. The citizens were killed and treated as food for the dwelling monsters.

When the first person woke up from their long sleep, a year and six months had already passed.

"What… happened?" he mumbled as he got up from his bed. He looked around to inspect if anything changed. Of course, his room was filled with dust. When his feet touched the wooden floor, it creaked and then broke. His fall sent him to the first floor, but he wasn't injured nor he could feel any extreme pain from falling.

He looked around and saw a few people collapsed on the tables of the diner. Then, for some reason, he heard something outside. He hurriedly went out and saw a woman walking down the stoned road, eating skewered meat. Their eyes met and her red eyes showed joy.

"Hey!" She called him.

"Who are you? What happened?"

"Chang Xiuying. There was a sudden catastrophic event that made people sleep. Gates appeared everywhere in this world."

"Gates?"

"Dimensional tears."

He tilted his head.

"A gap in space that connects two worlds."

"Hmm… okay."

"You're the first person I saw awake here. What's your name?"

"Alaric. Alaric Heath," he stretched out his hand then shook hands with Chang Xiuying.

"So, do you feel any changes in your body?"

"... my hearing, eyes and sense of touch became sharp… ah, right. I have to pay for the floor I broke..."

Chang Xiuying observed Alaric more closely. Suddenly, she threw a light punch at him. Even though it was light, it still carried force that could destroy a building into shambles. Alaric's eyes went wide and then dodged it within a hair's breadth.

"Your body also improved," she said.

Alaric blinked a few times then looked at his hands. He also tried throwing a punch at Chang Xiuying. His hand was quicker than before and carried more force. She caught his hand, but it was enough for him to know his capabilities. He was surprised with the sudden power up.

"How… many days have passed?"

"One year, six months and fourteen days."

"You've been awake all this time?"

"No. I only found out when 265 days passed."

"Still… it sounds so accurate. How?"

"It doesn't matter anyway. So, I've been protecting this city ever since I woke up. It means that you also have to protect this city from now on."

"I… I can't do that. I'm only a dishwasher at a diner..."

"You have the strength and ability though."

"Yet you have the most potential. You're the very first guy that awakened in Lasirion. If that is your problem, then I can accompany you to kill monsters. I'll let you grow."

"But..."

"You have the power, Alaric."

Alaric held his head and eventually nodded. "Alright. I'll do it."

"Good. Follow me," she said as she finished her skewer then turned around. Alaric followed with heavy footsteps. Chang Xiuying naturally noticed this and told him, "Don't be so stiff. I am with you."

"Oh… okay."

They walked down the road, exited through the northern gate and went into Avira. The monsters in Avira increased since the day the dimensional tear appeared and it increased exponentially through mating. There were mixed species and stronger genes.

"Uhm… I don't have a weapon..." Alaric suddenly blurted out.

"Don't worry, I have some in my item box. Which weapon do you prefer?"

"I… don't know."

"Well, we have the time to figure it out while we hunt. For starters, which weapon do you want to use first?"

"A gu---a bow."

"Gun? I have a few."

"Eh?"

"I have guns."

"How… is that possible? This is a world without guns."

"Why do you know it then?"

"... I used to handle a gun in my previous life," he confessed.

"Oh, I see," Chang Xiuying said as she retrieved a gun from her item box. "Here. This one uses mana as bullets."

Alaric stared at the weapon in his hands then looked at the female. "Where did you get this?"

"From somewhere far from here."

"Alright..." knowing that he wouldn't be able to get more information from her, he gave up and tried handling the gun if he still had the ability to wield it. He tried shooting and the direction was off. He needed to practice more.

Then they encountered their first monster and it was a mixture of a lion as its head and its body that seemed like a hide made of Qi. Alaric tried shooting at the monster's head but its skin was tough. It didn't go through at all. After a few rounds, his mana depleted.

Chang Xiuying gave him a sword, but he refused and said, "I would rather use a katana. I used to have one, though it was only a toy."

"Here," then she handed a katana to him.

"You… have a lot of weapons in your item box."

"I collect them for a hobby."

"I see… here, the gun."

"Nah. You keep it."

"Oh… are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

It seemed like the katana was made for Alaric as he plowed through the monster with his raw strength, though his execution of techniques needs more polishing.. Chang Xiuying whistled in amazement.

"You do have the most potential. Interesting..." she touched her chin.

When the monster died, its mana and Qi got absorbed through Alaric's body. He felt his body getting lighter and he could feel his strength improving.

"We just have to hunt monsters along the way. I can also cook for you."

"Thanks, that would be a great help."

"No worries. We are a team for now," Chang Xiuying patted his back and they continued hunting until it was time for dinner. They went back to the inn where Alaric was staying in and they saw another person standing in front of the inn. Moreover, Chang Xiuying could recognize who she was. With her busty chest and demi-human traits, it was Flora. When Flora sensed Chang Xiuying, she immediately looked at them and raised a questioning brow.

"Who are you?"

Seeing that he was the one being stared at, he responded, "Me? I'm Alaric Heath. How about you?"

"Flora," she tersed.

"Perfect. Since Flora is here, we can let her cook as we talk."

"Master, why are you with him?"

"We hunted monsters for his experience. Also, to gather food."

"Are you sure we need to stay inside the city? We were banished… What if those people wake up and take Master?"

"Don't worry, I built a small house for me outside the city. Since I have to fight strong monsters who were here to destroy the city. After all, I can't leave this place unguarded."

Flora sighed then said, "Master… you're too softhearted..."

"I am? I always think I am not."

"Why else would you try saving this place that abandoned you?"

Chang Xiuying touched her chin. "Well, we have to open up a business near Lasirion, we need to build up more connections for the shop. If Lasirion is gone, how can we conduct our business here? Besides… wouldn't people incline to the side of their savior?" She grinned.

"Excuses," Flora said.

"What? Hey!"

"Anyway, sit wherever. I'll come back with food."

Chang Xiuying just stood there as she watched Flora enter the diner plus inn.

"I guess… we should go," she scratched her nape and turned at Alaric who was already inside.

"..."

Chang Xiuying entered alone and sat next to Alaric and waited silently for the food. They never really had anything to talk about or anything in particular. They weren't that close either to talk for long. Fortunately, Flora exited the kitchen and served them with a variety of meat dishes.

When they finished their dinner, they went into the vacant rooms of the inn. They slept and woke up early in the morning. Since there wasn't a bell, they had to guess which time it was by the position of the sun. They went out to hunt and procure food until their numbers increased into five after four more months of waiting.

The additions were Gaius and Farma, one of Chang Xiuying's followers. They mostly spent their time hunting and grinding for experience. When a powerful monster came out of the Gate, they would eliminate it even without Chang Xiuying's help. They were joyous for their improvement.

Since Chang Xiuying didn't contribute much in the fights, she was tasked to cook for the fighters.

Their numbers increased as time passed by. For some reason, they already ignored the day and months that passed. But Chang Xiuying paid close attention.

After three more years, a lot of people woke up each day and it kept on increasing. Chang Xiuying lived outside of Lasirion starting from that day with her followers and opened up a diner. Of course, the house was made by them; it was made to be sturdy even amongst stronger monsters.

Strangely, people went to and fro in their diner as they trained their reinforced body in Avira. It gave great motivation to the people and it also gained compliments from other cities.

Besides that, it was time for Chang Xiuying to explore the world that was connected through the Gate of Lasirion.

However, when her team approached the Gate, they were repelled and Chang Xiuying was the only one able to enter.