As he walked down the streets of the outer city, his unfamiliarity with the area was obvious, and he could feel countless gazes on him.
What puzzled him, however, was that mixed within those gazes were traces of ill intent.
What confused him even more was that when he turned to identify the sources, he found that almost all of them came from children or people around his age.
From the children, the emotions he sensed were a strange mixture of hatred, longing, and awe.
From the older ones, however, the feelings were much darker—hatred, greed, envy, jealousy, and a general sense of resentment.
All of this left Michael confused. He couldn’t recall offending anyone since arriving in the Land of Origin—aside from a particular monster that seemed obsessed with wrapping its tentacles around him.
What Michael didn’t know—or perhaps hadn’t fully grasped, despite his past life—was the reality of a world where nobles and commoners existed.
Perhaps he understood it on some level but hadn’t truly realized it yet, still in the process of adapting.
When he did, the first thought that would come to his mind was how eerily similar it was to the Dark Ages of Aurora.
Whenever a divide formed between people, changes inevitably followed.
The rich and the poor.
A wealthy person and someone slightly better off.
It didn’t always have to be extreme. Even within the same group, hierarchies naturally emerged.
But when it came to nobles and commoners, the divide could be far worse.
Nobles, the so-called superior beings, valued noble blood above all.
Commoners, on the other hand, were regarded as people of lesser worth.
The Land of Origin was far from an ideal world, and soon enough, Michael would come to realize just how deeply these divisions influenced human relationships—especially now that he carried the identity he did.
As Michael walked toward his destination, he paid no mind to the people trailing behind him. Meanwhile, in a dark corner, two older-looking boys whispered to each other.
“Are we really going to try robbing a noble again, Lia? I know you hate nobles because of what happened to your—”
The shorter of the two suddenly cut himself off when the boy he was speaking to shot him a sharp glare.
But after a brief hesitation, a determined expression settled on his face.
“I know you hate nobles because of what happened to Lira. She’s your sister, and though we aren’t blood-related, she was like one to me too. But it was because of this that Tim died the last time we tried this. And that wasn’t even long ago—it was just a week ago, Lia! What do you think stealing from a noble will do to them? Nothing. It’ll only cause trouble for us. Sure, we might gather enough money to enter a dojo and learn the ways of a knight, but isn’t this too risky?” Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire
A conflicted look finally appeared on the taller boy’s face, but it was fleeting. Soon, it was replaced by unwavering determination.
Seeing this, the shorter boy sighed.
“This is the last time, Lia. The last time,” he muttered, seemingly resigned to following his friend down this path once again.
For a brief moment, a smile flickered across the taller boy’s face before vanishing, replaced by pure hatred.
I’ll use your wealth to gain power, and then I’ll use that power to kill all you damn nobles! he thought, his eyes burning with loathing.
Oblivious to the tragic stories trailing behind him, Michael finally arrived at his destination.
Although the outer city, by its very nature, seemed inferior to the inner city, it wasn’t entirely stricken with poverty.
There were a few establishments that stood out—larger and more refined than their surroundings—but none compared to the one before Michael.
The Hunter Guild.
A massive signpost stood at the entrance of the building. Though Michael didn’t recognize the characters, he instinctively knew what they meant.
The building itself was among the largest he had seen in this world, even surpassing some in the inner city.
Standing six stories tall, its exterior was coated in black, brown, and hints of red, giving it a solemn and imposing appearance.
Taking a deep breath, Michael hesitated no longer and stepped inside.
Immediately, a rush of sounds assaulted his ears.
For a moment, it reminded him of the first time he had entered a Supers Association branch.
Outside, it had been quiet. Inside, it was anything but.
However, unlike in the real world, here, Michael could sense the distinct traces of mana lingering in the air.”Sound magic?”
This wasn’t Michael’s first encounter with it in this world.
The flying ship he had taken with Mage Lian had used the same effect.
After recovering from the sudden noise that assaulted his sharp hearing—catching him off guard—Michael turned to take in his surroundings.
The next moment, an odd expression appeared on his face.
The first floor of the Hunter’s Guild looked like a bar.
Rough-looking men and women, both in armor and casual wear, filled the space as they drank, ate, and made noise.
With his heightened senses, Michael could detect a wide range of varying strengths, but none of them were stronger than him.
As he observed the guild’s first floor, several people turned to look at him.
Some gave him a quick glance before returning to their business, while others pointed at him and began discussing him as a topic of interest. A few simply stared.
Michael frowned slightly at the rude gestures directed at him but chose to ignore them. Instead, he made his way to the reception desk, where several attendants dressed in formal clothing were seated.
Without hesitation, he approached one of them and got straight to the point.
“Good morning. I’d like to register as a hunter and learn about the requirements for joining.”
Michael’s voice wasn’t particularly loud, yet somehow, it echoed throughout the area.
Even the receptionist he had addressed froze momentarily, seemingly caught off guard.
But before she could respond, a loud burst of laughter suddenly erupted.