All that needs to be done now is to leave the academy, but at the same time be prepared for what comes next. “Nothing in this world is free,” I thought as I prepared for the night. Since today is Friday, I can enter and leave the campus freely. I picked up the dagger issued by the academy and the bag I had prepared and left my room. Now the sun has set, the sky has turned dark, and the roads of the academy are empty. I began to recall the history of this world. As most people know, the Hunter theme is a fairly popular theme in fiction, with portals popping up all over the world, mana and supernatural creatures invading our world, and so on. The game also sets the background based on this. Five hundred years ago, on the day of the hub fusion, the barrier that prevented the fusion of dimensions was removed, resulting in the formation of a spatial connection between different dimensions. It was also on that day that the fate of the planet Cynthia changed. Mana was introduced into this world, and then, elves, orcs, dragons and other races from other worlds invaded our world.
At first, humans were very weak, because our world originally had no mana and no ability to fight them, and we were easily repelled by powerful invaders. The races from other worlds were not friendly, and they had their own religions and beliefs. But what is it that we humans are best at? That's adaptation and evolution. Over time, in times of crisis, humanity has evolved. Technology has developed, magic has entered our genes, and most importantly, we have taken back control of the world. It was not until the past hundred years that demons began to invade our world. With the emergence of demons, all races in this world had a common enemy. A race that destroys other races' worlds in pursuit of what they consider to be 'Elysium.' That's the setting of the game. The meaning of the word Hunter is simple. It symbolizes the awakened people who stand against monsters, demons and other races. In the beginning, they were called adventurers or heroes, but as time went on, they were no longer people who saved others, but became people who worked for their own benefit. Therefore, the Hunter Association feels that the name 'Hunter' is more in line with their identity. Anyway, on the first day of the emergence of mana, when the day of the fusion of the hub came, humans were in crisis. They formed a simple alliance. Since this alliance was founded by the legendary hero Valerian, the federation was later named the Valerian Federation, and Arcadia was the capital of the federation. Arcadia College is a college belonging to such a city. In the Human Federation, Arcadia Hunter College is one of the most prestigious hunter colleges in the Human Federation. It occupies a fairly large area in the center of the city, enough to be called a small city. It contains training facilities, artificial dungeons, research institutes, and more. Therefore, it took me a long time to reach the college gate. Since it was evening, not many people would leave the college. When I walked to the gate of Arcadia Hunter Academy, the guard came over. He had a serious face, was wearing a uniform, and had the academy badge on his shoulder. He said in a slightly low voice: "Identity." "Here." I showed him my identity and waited for his reply. After a quick glance, the security guard nodded and said with a straight face, "Remember, you must make sure to return to the academy within a reasonable time. Remember to stay alert, there may be uncertain dangers outside." "yes." After a brief exchange, I left the college and walked towards the train station.
Since the college is located in the city center, the train station is very close to it. So it didn't take me much time to get there. Of course, there are portals in this world, but considering my current financial situation, I have only 1,000 valers on hand. The train is free for all students of the academy. Waller is the currency of the Human Federation, and there is no need to explain the origin of this name. After arriving at the train station, I showed the ticket seller my identity as a student. "...Are you a student of Arcadia Academy? You can go now, young hunter, and I wish you a safe journey." As he said this, he bowed respectfully. In this world, most ordinary people respect hunters when they meet them, because in their eyes, hunters are like supermen. After getting on the train, most of the seats were empty because it was late at night and my destination was not a famous place. The city of Aurifi is not a well-known city. It is not a border city, so there is no military stationed there, nor is it a metropolis or academic city. It's just an ordinary city. So the seats were mostly empty, which I was grateful for because I don't like crowded places. “The train will start in one minute.” As the beautiful sound of machinery reached my ears, I began to prepare for what was about to happen…. ...... When the train arrived in Orife, I walked off the platform. Although not a well-known city, Orife has its own unique charm. The buildings on both sides of the street are in classical European style, and the urban landscape is dotted with small parks, quaint cafes and local shops. The atmosphere is calm and peaceful with a touch of simplicity. People go about their daily lives, contentedly doing their own things. Here, time seems to pass at a leisurely pace, providing a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Even though it is late at night, the city is still bustling. But these are not important to me, I am moving towards my goal. The Essence of Life is located in the forest of the city of Orife. Because it is one of the Easter eggs in the game, unlike other treasures, it can be obtained without fighting. Instead, its difficulty lies in the complex and confusing illusion that guards its location. The life essence is the essence of a special evolutionary tree, which has a property that it can release special substances into the air, causing people to have hallucinations when they get close to the tree. As someone who knew this in advance, I was prepared for this situation. First, I picked up a bottle of ordinary potion that enhances physical senses and drank it in one gulp. Whoosh whoosh~ The moment I drank the potion, the wind made me feel cold all over and I shivered. I took a deep breath and tied the blindfold tightly around my eyes. By eliminating my reliance on vision, I aimed to disable the illusions that would deceive me. "With this, I can start now," I thought to myself, feeling the fabric touch my eyes. It made me feel a little uncomfortable due to my heightened senses, but I ignored it and continued walking forward. I rely on my heightened senses to navigate the treacherous forest. Each step I take creates a vibration in the ground, providing valuable information about the terrain beneath my feet. I could feel the soil beneath my boots, making out the soft dirt and the occasional protruding tree root. I paced to keep my balance and stability. As I ventured deeper into the forest, the air was filled with scents that vividly painted a picture of my surroundings. The sweet smell of moist earth and flowers mingled, while the fresh scent of pine needles whispered about the scent of nearby leaves. Under my sense of smell, this information was like clues to help me find my way through the maze of hallucinations.
Rustle~ In the absence of vision, my hearing became acute, and I could detect even the slightest sound. The gentle rustling of leaves overhead guided me through the dense trees, indicating the direction of the wind. I listened carefully, noting any irregularities in the natural rhythm, alerting me to potential dangers and disruptions. "I'm close," I thought to myself. The knowledge I gained from the game proved invaluable during this test of my senses. I recalled snippets of information I had gleaned from other players, hidden deep in my memory. To some extent, even on Earth, I am a person who enjoys paying attention to small details. But my auditory memory is much weaker than my visual memory, so I've probably gone around in circles here several times. As I persevered in the illusion based on my instinct and knowledge, a faint smell entered my nose. It was a nauseating smell. Just like the description in the game, whenever the player approaches the tree, the character will immediately react by saying how bad the stench is. I seemed to wake up from a dream and stood in front of a tree. Its branches stretched toward the sky, adorned with delicate leaves and gleaming with a natural light. The air around the tree seemed to hum with an ancient power that filled me with awe and reverence. It is the tree that holds the essence of life. Even with a blindfold on, I can still feel the flickering fluorescence inside the tree. I slowly stretched out my hand, feeling the rough texture of the bark under my fingertips, and the essence quickly entered my body, filling me with energy…
