Chapter 1: The Village!
[Crimsonleaf Village, Old Cemetery]
Sigh!
"Father, it seems like this will be my final visit."
Orion sat by the grave, offering wildflowers and a bottle of 'Troll's Bane' beer, smiling sadly while reminiscing about the loud laughter in his memory.
There were two written memoirs on the stone tablet.
[Zeno Evercrest]
[The loving father, Brave Hunter, Guardian of the Crimsonleaf Village.]
"Father, I have decided to follow in your footsteps. I want to become a hunter to survive in this world.
I... I promise that I will survive no matter what; your teachings and care, I will etch them in my soul."
"Father... I thank you for your love, care, protection, and understanding of my strangeness."
Before the grave, Orion kneeled and pressed his forehead to the ground with his head bowed. He closed his eyes as sadness and grief filled his heart.
He lost his only family in this world, a family that he never experienced in his previous life.
Yes, he, Orion, was a transmigrator.
The reason the original 'son' died is because of an unknown marble-sized 'orb' that invaded its body, stirring its soul into chaos until the original owner's soul shattered into pieces, ending its life silently.
Despite the father's effort to invite a doctor, believing his son had fallen gravely ill, the predecessor's soul had already departed from the world.
In its place, 'he,' an orphan soul from Earth, descended into the body, becoming Orion Evercrest of the Renero World.
As a result, he, the new Orion, acted as the son of Zeno Evercrest, the only known hunter of the Crimsonleaf village.
Although there were some oddities in his behavior, since the memories he received were in jumbles because of the unknown 'orb' messing with the soul and memories of his predecessor... but he still able to manage it little by little and act like Orion for the last eight years.
He not only accepted this new reality but also felt the warmth of having a family as his deceased father, Zeno Evercrest, cared for and protected him, even teaching him how to read, write, and survive.
After all, the world he now lived in is a fantasy medieval setting, a world where the progress of technology is obstructed due to the existence of monsters roaming at every corner.
These monsters obstructed the rapid development of humans, leading them to different paths of development to survive in this dangerous world.
A path of pain, sacrifice, and unpredictability.
Thus, Hunters were born.
The hunters who stood on the plank of pain, suffering, and death as they consumed the potion that grants extraordinary strength to fight monsters with their lives on the line.
Orion, with his two identities as a transmigrator and a hunter's son, now aspires to become one.
He seeks this power to survive in this chaotic world and to protect those he cares for, just like his father once did for him.
He knew being a normal man and maintaining the status quo was not a good choice, especially in such a dangerous environment, as it would only spell doom if he was not cautious.
.
Opening his eyes, Orion touched the stone tablet for the last time before leaving the cemetery.
Not long after he left the cemetery, which was located on the edge of Crimsonleaf Village.
Orion couldn't help but observe the scene of the village he was born and raised in, knowing he would leave the next day.
He took this time to imprint the scenery on his mind.
The peaceful small village was surrounded by thick, three-meter wooden walls with needle-like spikes protruding from the woods and the 'Greenguard Veil,' a commonly used vine on the walls, releasing a scent that repels weak monsters.
Inside the village, the number of small houses was around 20 to 30, counting the establishments like stores and taverns.
They are made from stones, wood, and mud of different sizes.
Next to these houses were small little gardens where the villagers could plant simple vegetables that could be grown easily, making them self-sufficient.
There were also secured water wells around the village.
Walking along the dirt road, Orion was dressed in a simple rustic warrior outfit, a combination of hunter and ranger style. This was a gift from his father, along with his longbow and arrow and a leather belt tied from his waist with a dagger and pouch attached to it.
His attire was functional and earthy and hints at a character who was experienced and accustomed to a tough environment.
"Orion, did you just visit your father's grave?"
Orion heard the voice from behind as he turned. "Aunty Aylin! This... Well, I did visit my father."
He nodded.
"Poor child, you admire your father a bit too much." Aunt Aylin sighed. "Oh! I remember you turned 15 last month, right? Orion, you're already at the right age to start a family.
Ah! I remember a few young ladies are eyeing you."
When Orion heard his aunt's words, he nervously waved his hand. "Aunt... Aunty, let's not talk about marriage... I'm still enjoying my life,
"Nonsense, I remember your father wants to see you start a family since you come of age, but you always avoid such topics and even run from them."
Aunt Aylin recalled Zeno's complaints when he was drunk, as she turned around for a few seconds.
And was ready to teach Orion, she noticed the young man had already run away. "Tsk... No wonder Zeno is always grumbling. His son is an oddball and foolish to waste his youth."
.
.
Closing the door, Orion wipes the sweat from his forehead, sighing.
It was already the seventh time this month that a few village aunties urged him to get married. Yet, he had no desire to settle down, aware of how dangerous the world he was living in.
One mistake means death not only for him but his family if he ever had one, so in the meantime, he controls and advises himself to risk becoming stronger first.
If he died with his plans, so be it.
After all, in a world of hunting or praying, the strong survive and the weak die.
As for the persistent urge in the village, Orion knew the reason for this, and this was because of the small population of the village. There were only a few capable men who were acting as village guards.
His late father, a known 'Hunter,' had been the village's strongest guardian. Now that he's gone, only a few guards remain, but they were much weaker as they were never 'Hunters' themselves.
Hunters were considered beasts capable of fighting monsters.
These capable guards were far inferior to a hunter, let alone against monsters that could bravely march through the Greenguard Veil's repelling zone.
Sigh!
"Thankfully, I'm fast."
"If I had been one step slower, then I would have had to listen to all the names of women she would utter."
Orion mumbled, igniting the wall lamps, before hanging his black cloak on the wall pegs and placing his bow and quiver of arrows on the table where a plate-sized broken mirror could be seen.