As Archer soared above the vast farmlands, he couldn't help but notice the increased number of soldiers patrolling the nearby villages.
Determined to avoid detection, he ascended higher into the sky, careful not to draw any unwanted attention.
"It looks like they're on high alert," he thought to himself.
Noting the heightened security measures since he destroyed the Eastern fortress.
Despite the increased danger, Archer remained steadfast in his pursuit of more gold coins, his insatiable greed driving him forward.
As he chuckled to himself, imagining the piles of riches he would soon amass, his stomach growled in protest.
Realizing he needed to refuel, he scanned the horizon for a place to eat and spotted a tall tower in the distance.
The stone lookout tower stood tall and proud, its weathered walls and crumbling battlements a testament to its age and history.
From its vantage point atop a nearby hill, it had once watched over the surrounding farming villages.
But now, as Archer approached the tower, it was clear that no one had been there in a long time.
The wooden door hung off its hinges, creaking in the wind, and the windows were boarded up with rotting planks of wood.
Vines and weeds had grown up the sides of the tower, their tendrils snaking around the stones and threatening to pull the structure down.
With precision and skill, Archer soared towards the top of the tower, landing smoothly on its ancient stones.
As he looked around, he saw that the tower's summit was littered with old wooden crates and broken chairs, evidence of its long-abandoned state.
Undeterred, Archer hopped up onto the side of the tower and sat down cross-legged, taking in the breathtaking landscape that stretched out before him.
Rolling fields of green extended as far as the eye could see, and a small village lay nestled in the distance.
With his keen eyesight, Archer could make out the tiny figures of people going about their daily lives, moving to and fro like ants in a bustling colony.
He pulled out the last of the Orcish Bacon he had and started to eat.
As Archer sat atop the tower, his mind wandered back to the destruction of the eastern fortress, where he had used his newly created meteor swarm to wipe it out along with all the soldiers.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him: he hadn't checked his status after the fight.
'Status.'
[Experience: 200/12000]
[Level Up: 82>85]
[SP: 0>6]
[Mana: 7900>8100]
[Intelligence: 1250>1300]
[Thunder-Step: 5>6]
[Element Bolts: 1>2]
[Dragon's Breath: 0>2]
[Regeneration: 5>6]
Seated at the top of the tower, Archer began to calculate the amount of experience he had gained from destroying the fortress.
After a few moments of intense concentration, he determined that the battle had netted him a whopping 30,000 experience points.
Feeling a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, Archer allowed himself a moment to revel in his gains.
As he reflected on the battle, he felt no guilt or remorse for the death and destruction he had caused.
The soldiers had brought it upon themselves by killing the Dragon-kin without a shred of mercy.
To him, it was simply a matter of justice being served.
He stopped thinking about such things and continued eating again.
Archer savored the delectable flavors of the elven cake, feeling a sense of contentment wash over him.
He indulged in the sweet treat, and his thoughts drifted to Ella, and he longed to be reunited with her once more.
Gazing towards the north, he wondered how she was faring and hoped that their paths would cross again soon.
After finishing his food, Archer jumped off the tower and flew further south, heading for the last fortress before making his way to the Aquarian Kingdom.
As he flew over many more farms and grassy hills, he spotted a large jungle in the distance and stopped flying to look around.
After spotting the massive mountain range miles away, with a road running through it, Archer started following it, hoping it would lead him south.
He ascended higher and kept a watchful eye over the area.
In the distance, he spotted a massive ravine.
Archer got closer to the ravine, he felt a strong gust of wind slam against his body, sending him hurtling toward the ground and creating a deep crater.
Baffled at what had just attacked him, as his Aura Detector didn't activate, he realized it must have been a super long-range attack.
Looking up at the sky, he spotted human-like figures flying around in the wind, numbering in the hundreds.
"Elementals," he thought.
Not wanting to deal with them, he ignored them and got up as he felt his regeneration skill kick in and start repairing the damage taken from the crash.
Archer looked around and spotted the road not too far away.
Dismissing his wings, he decided not to try flying again while elementals were still flying around.
Making his way toward the road he had seen earlier he continued on foot.
He saw a caravan stop not too far in front of him.
After several hours of walking, the caravan came to a halt, and a middle-aged woman with snow-white hair emerged from one of the carriages.
Her blue eyes fixed on Archer.
"Where are you heading, boy?" she asked.
He looked up at the white-haired woman and replied.
"Aquaria City."
She smiled and spoke, "We are headed to Brakawai City, which is on the way to Aquaria. Do you want to join us?"
Staring at the strangely friendly woman before asking.
"Why are you asking a random child to join you?"
The woman laughed.
"We ain't trying to kidnap you, little Dragon-kin. We have no issues with your kind. My name is Sarwana Khalili, the current head manager of the Golden Road Trading Company," she said.
He nodded before introducing himself.
"I'm Archer," he said.
She smiled and jumped off the carriage, approaching him with a smile.
"Where are you from? We haven't seen anyone like you down these ways for years," she asked.
Both of them looked towards the north as she motioned for the caravan to carry on moving.
"Not many northerners travel down here. They don't like the heat or the feisty women," she said, laughing.
He just stared at this crazy woman before answering, "Far North."
Sarwana stared at the boy who didn't belong in these lands.
"I bet you're from the Lunaris Empire," she said.
Archer looked at her in confusion.
"Where is that?" he asked.
She looked at the oblivious boy before teaching him about the northern lands.
"The Southlands border the Land of Mediterra in the north, where two kingdoms, two empires, and what people are calling a republic are fighting over every inch of land."
Archer got curious and asked for more information, making Sarwana smile.
"What is it like?" he asked.
She began to think, rubbing her chin before finally telling the boy what he wanted to know.
"Mediterra is surrounded by the vast Phantom Sea, which stretches from the eastern coast to the northern shores, and it borders the Haunted Waters in the west. The fourth side of the continent is dominated by a large inland sea called The Maelstrom Sea.
It's notorious for causing ships to vanish during bad weather.
The sea is littered with a multitude of small islands, many of which are home to amicable locals who earn their livelihoods through fishing and trade.
However, other islands are home to man-eating wild men.
Many of the islands are diverse in their geography and culture, with some being rocky and barren, while others are made up of lush green jungles.
The mainland is also diverse, with mountain ranges, fertile plains, and arid deserts. The weather is always scorching hot, but to be honest with you, boy, the winters aren't too bad.
The people who call the land home are known as the Medi people. They are brave, passionate, loyal, and very fierce."
Sarwana stopped speaking as she pulled out a waterskin and took a mouthful before continuing.
"But before she could continue, Archer interrupted her.
''How do you travel further north from Mediterra?''
She stopped walking and stared at the boy. ''You're from the Land of Plenty?'' she asked.
Archer raised an eyebrow and nodded.
''If that's what you want to call it, then yes.''
Sarwana's eyes widened in shock. She had never met anyone from the Land of Plenty before.
Only the Nova Empire has anything to do with it, as they control the Whispering Way coastal route.
"How did you end up in the Southlands?" she asked.
He looked at her and sighed before explaining.
"I was on a quest for the guild and got into a battle. As the last humans were killed, an orc king appeared and we fought. As a result, I got knocked out and sent flying into the Eventide River. I woke up a few days later on a sandy beach not far from a cannibal village."
As he finished talking, he pulled out some chocolate and offered some to Sarwana, but she shook her head.
[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]
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