The Emblemless Legendary Hero Chapter 1 - Prologue: The First Adventurers!

C1 Prologue: The First Adventurers!

A long time ago, the world we know only had a single massive continent that houses all the living things. Until one day, a gigantic land formation pierced through the land from the underground and broke it into six smaller continents.

Lands were separated from each other, so far that one could not see the others but the ocean that spreads to the horizon. All the continents are in ruins. There were rumbles everywhere and it seemed that nothing had been spared.

I woke up in the middle of nowhere on one of them. I panicked as I looked around.

"Where am I?"

I was alone and scared.

Then out of the thin air, a message showed up in front of me.

TING!

It contains unfamiliar letters and words but I am somehow able to understand them.

It says ...

[You have received the beginner's body set. Do you want to put it on? Yes / No]

That was the time I looked at myself and suddenly realized that I was naked. I reacted with haste and accepted the body set.

I crouched while covering my body with my arms.

"Yes!", I shouted.

My body was then covered by this bright light. I felt the warmth enveloping me and by the time the light disappeared, I saw myself wearing some sort of clothing.

TING!

Again, a message appeared.

[Beginner's Body set has been equipped.]

TING!

[Set effects have been activated!]

[Defense +50]

[Attack +30]

[Movement Speed +50]

As I was starting to stand up I noticed something was hanging on my right hip.

"What is this?"

"A knife?!", I exclaimed.

I pulled it out and raised it in front of me to fully inspect it when a message similar to the one that keeps popping out appeared.

[Beginner's Dagger]

[Required Level: 1]

[Power: 10]

[Weapon given to a starting adventurer.]

I started to walk hoping to find anyone else in the area. I felt like I was here before but nothing clear comes to my mind. The longer I walk the greater the ruins and the dark of the night eats my strength to carry on.

Exhausted and desperate, I shouted;

"Is anybody here?! Please answer me!"

When I was already on the brink of breaking down, I spotted a light from afar.

"Something must be there!"

My mind was cleared in an instant and I felt hopeful for the first time. My legs started running towards the light without me noticing.

Upon reaching the area, I saw a glowing circle on the ground. The light coming from it is being projected upwards creating a cylinder-like shape.

TING!

[A quest has been received.]

[Meet the World Herald.]

[Go To The Central Ruins And Meet The World Herald!]

"A quest? Meet the World Herald?"

"How am I supposed to go there in the first place? I don't even know where I am right now!"

I glanced back to the glowing circle. Hoping that it might be of help. I slowly walked towards it.

TING!

[World Warp Zone]

[To use, walk inside it and announce the name of the location you want to go to or select any of the available warping locations.]

Nowhere else to go, I decided to enter the Warp Zone.

TING!

[Please announce the location where you want to go or select any of the following locations.]

[Central Ruins]

[Unavailable Location]

"Yes! I hope I can meet others like me there.", I said to myself overjoyed seeing the location indicated on the quest.

I took a deep breath and announced my destination, "Central Ruins".

ZZZZZNNNGGGG

The area I was in changed instantly. It was still in ruins though.

There was this enormous statue erected from the center of the place. It was surrounded by these glowing poles, lighting it enough that anyone can see its distinct characteristics. It resembles a human in an article of strange clothing with giant wings. Holding a long stick in its right hand and a massive square tablet in the left.

My body shivered for some reason. Still looking at the statue. It suddenly looked straight at me. The giant statue started moving its arms. Both arms were fully stretched, and a message appeared.

TING!

[A special quest has been received.]

[Timed: To the meeting place!]

[Move to where the World Herald is.]

[This is a timed quest. Failure will result in an appropriate punishment.]

[Duration: 3 minutes]

[Punishment: Death]

I felt a sharp pain in my chest. It's like something has wrapped my heart and was ready to snap it at any given time.

I was engulfed by this chilling cold.

For a moment I stood still. Too stunned to even blink.

Then I heard something that took me to an even deeper state of mind.

TINK!

The timer!

It was shown at the center just above my line of sight.

[Remaining Time: 2:30 minutes]

"Aaaaaaaah!", I shrieked while throwing my whole body forward.

I took a big step forward and started to race with all I got to the place where the glaring statue is.

As I was approaching the area where the ground is being lit up by the glowing poles; I saw bloody bodies everywhere. It appeared as though the bodies were trying to reach the same location because they are all attempting to grab something that is beyond their reach with their arms outstretched.

"The punishment!"

[Remaining Time: 1:07 minutes]

I remembered the punishment was death. I clenched my fists, closed my eyes and poured out all my remaining energy, and continued my run.

[Remaining Time: 40 seconds]

"I don't wanna die yet!"

[Remaining Time: 33 seconds]

"I don't wanna die!"

[Remaining Time: 16 seconds]

"I don't wanna die!"

[Remaining Time: 4 seconds]

"I don't wanna dieeee!"

[Remaining Time: 1 second]

I tripped, fell to the ground, and was dragged a fair distance by my running force. I sustained numerous deep cuts all over and suffered a broken left arm as a result of the debris and broken stone pieces scattered throughout the area.

TING!

[You have completed the timed quest: To the meeting place!]

"A girl this time huh?", said a guy in a silvery tone.

An unfamiliar voice! But I can hardly move an inch as the fatigue and injuries I sustained finally kicked in.

"Finally! Big Bazongkers!", a girl shouted from a distance in a cheerful but mischievous way.

"Leave the girl in peace.", replied the other in a calm but reassuring voice.

"Yeah yeah mister nice leader guy," she replied.

"Urgh!", I cried while trying to move my body.

"Hush missy. There's a reward for the completed quest that can help you. Patiently wait for it.", The third guy added.

TING!

[Congratulations on completing the timed quest.]

[You have received the quest reward.]

[Initiating quest reward.]

[Activating Greater Heal.]

A glowing circle appeared on the ground below me. It then created another one on top of it and began to move up. I started to be lifted along with it. As I floated fully upright, another circle was created in the middle. It then moved back and forth passing through me.

I was enveloped by a feeling of peace, then my body began to mend itself and regain its lost strength. Deep cuts, bruises, and even my broken arm have been fixed. Not even a speck of any wound mark remained.

My eyes widened in awe as I realized what had just happened. I was then slowly placed back to the ground as the glowing circles fade away.

SHING!

As the circles have gone completely, the ground shook and we were pinned down by this heavy gust of wind from above.

"Urgh! Now what?!", I exclaimed.

After a few moments, the wind calmed down.

"CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING IT HERE MY LITTLE ADVENTURERS."

A ringing voice said. It seemed as though we could hear the voice inside of our heads, so we looked at each other in confusion.

Until one girl shouted frightfully.

"The giant statue!"

I had completely forgotten about the previous statue. It appeared to be in the middle of this area. But it's gone now. The statue was above us when I looked up. It has wings that are gracefully flapping. When it was fully spread out, it was so big that it was as wide as the area we are in. Then it continued speaking without opening its mouth while staring down at us.

"YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AS THE NEXT FOUNDING ADVENTURERS OF THIS WORLD."

"YOU WILL RECEIVE VARIOUS GIFTS AND SKILLS TO HELP YOU ATTAIN YOUR FULL POTENTIAL."

"AS CONFLICT OF INTEREST MAY ARISE, YOU WILL NOW BE GIVEN A DEFAULT EMBLEM."

TING!

[You have received your default emblem!]

"YOUR ADVENTURER INFORMATION HAS NOW BEEN UPDATED. LIFT YOUR HAND OPEN TO YOUR FRONT TO ACTIVATE YOUR STATUS WINDOW."

I followed the statue's instructions. I opened my hand as if I were reading a book with just one hand. Over my hand, a transparent box appeared with texts written all over it.

SHING!

It says:

[Name: Gaelan]

[Female]

[Level: 1]

[Class: Adventurer (Default Emblem: Healer)]

[Health: 170]

[Mana: 63]

Everyone was amazed and began to do the same thing.

SHING!

[Name: Merle]

[Male]

[Level: 1]

[Class: Adventurer (Default Emblem: Vanguard)]

[Health: 170]

[Mana: 63]

[Name: Ladien]

[Male]

[Level: 1]

[Class: Adventurer (Default Emblem: Mage)]

[Health: 170]

[Mana: 63]

[Name: Damien]

[Female]

[Level: 1]

[Class: Adventurer (Default Emblem: Artist)]

[Health: 170]

[Mana: 63]

[Name: Meres]

[Female]

[Level: 1]

[Class: Adventurer (Default Emblem: Fighter)]

[Health: 170]

[Mana: 63]

"We marched with our lives to make it here and be your puppet?!"

"I will make this my way!"

Meres shouted as she turned back and walk away.

"DO NOT LEAVE LITTLE ONE."

The statue softly replied.

Meres stopped and looked back angrily.

"Or what?!"

We all felt a sudden killing intent.

The air began to get thicker and unbreathable. I felt a weight on my chest and I started to lose strength in my legs. I could see the others in the group starting to collapse as well. I was trying to keep conscious, but I felt my body slipping away from me.

"I WOULD NEED TO KILL YOU HERE RIGHT NOW."

I heard the statue reply in a toneless voice as I lose consciousness.

"Gaelan!"

I woke up and noticed Damien beside me.

"Gaelan...", she said with a reassuring face.

"The girl never left your side.", said Merle.

"Thank you.", I said as I looked back to Damien.

She replied with the warmest smile.

Damien helped me as I try to stand up and look for a nearby rock to sit to.

"Where are the others?", I asked.

"They already left and started their journey. Meres was the one who left first.", Damien replied.

"She apologized and said that she needs to get strong to be able to protect us next time. Accepted the quest and has been teleported away.", Merle added.

I thought Meres was just rude. But it turns out that she's a free-spirited girl.

It seems that Ladien also left after a while. We talked about what happened before. Meres was the one who got up first. Merle saw her sitting at the farthest side of the ruins. No one saw the statue after that.

Ladien was the third to wake up. Merle and Ladien tended to us while I and Damien are still unconscious. They later then received the gifts that the statue was talking about and started to part ways.

TING!

[You have completed the quest: Meet the World Herald.]

TING!

[You have received the title: Founding Adventurer.]

TING!

[You have received the gifts of the World Herald.]

[Inventory has been unlocked!]

[Legendary trait: World's Favor activated!]

[Legendary weapon box obtained!]

TING!

[A quest has been received.]

[Become a Legendary Adventurer!]

[Achieve level 100 in the world tower.]

[World tower teleport scroll obtained!]

Merle stood up and said.

"I think we should be on our way too."

"See you soon Gaelan!", Damien cheerfully said.

"Take care out there.", I replied.

I looked at Merle and he nod back smiling.

We opened our inventories and activated our teleport scrolls.

[A quest teleport scroll has been used.]

[Activating teleporting circle!]

[Destination: World tower floor 1.]

A glowing circle appeared below us. It started moving upward and we disappeared simultaneously.

ZZZZZNNNGGGG