SSS Awakening: I am the First Legendary Mage

[Hell Difficulty Map (Trash Rank)]

[It’s a map.]

[Effect: It’s a map.]

Alex stared at the description for a second.

’The System didn’t even bother making a sarcastic comment this time. How lazy is this thing?’ he thought.

Shaking his head, he ignored the notification and unfolded the map.

The map showed a single island surrounded by water. A red cross marked their current location, while a blue cross lay much farther away with no explanation attached to it.

"What do you think the blue cross is?" Emma asked as she looked at the map.

"I don’t know. Whatever it is, we can check it later. Right now, I’m more concerned about the fact that we’re on an island," Alex replied after studying it for another moment.

Sarah looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Is that bad?"

"It probably is. The Guide said people from previously ascended universes live in the Land of Origin. If we had reached a populated area, we might have found them and learned how this world works. If we’re stranded on an island, then the only people nearby are probably those who also chose Hell Difficulty. We cannot get any help from professionals," Joseph answered before Alex could.

The group fell silent for a moment as they considered the possibility.

Finding experienced survivors would have made things much easier, but it seemed they would have to rely on themselves for now.

Alex folded the map and handed it back to Petra.

"We’ll check the blue cross after everyone reaches Level 10. For now, all of you should focus on leveling up while I return to Earth for a while," he said.

Everyone agreed with the plan. Once they each reached Level 10, they would take turns returning to Earth while someone remained behind to protect the unconscious body left in the Land of Origin.

Since Alex was leaving first, he also needed to return before the others started making the trip.

’Four hours should be enough,’ he thought, giving others the rough estimate of time he would return.

Four hours would give him enough time to check on his parents and sister without leaving the group alone for too long.

He wasn’t worried about anyone harming his second body while he was gone. Everyone already knew he was the strongest person in the group, and losing his protection would only make their own situation more dangerous.

Before Alex activated Return, Joseph spoke again. "Remember, even if you can return to Earth, you have to come back here. This place is dangerous, but we don’t know how the System will change Earth either. If we choose to hide there instead of becoming stronger, we might end up facing the greater dangers later without being prepared."

Alex nodded in agreement.

Off to the side, Emma smiled faintly while Sarah, Frank, and Petra exchanged amused looks. Joseph noticed their reactions and raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you all smiling?" Joseph asked.

"You don’t need to remind Alex about that. He’s the one who’s been telling all of us to focus on getting stronger instead of hiding," Yulia replied.

"That’s a good mentality to have." Joseph nodded with approval.

"He doesn’t need your praise. Unlike you, he still has both of his legs," Yulia said without missing a beat.

Joseph smiled bitterly at the remark. Even so, Yulia continued supporting his body and wiping the sweat from his forehead, making it obvious she was far more concerned about him than her words suggested.

Alex smiled faintly before looking around the cavern one last time.

"Alright then. I’ll be back in four hours," Alex said.

Everyone nodded as Alex prepared to activate Return. Just before he did, his eyes drifted toward the far end of the cavern, where a small pond rested beneath the coral-covered walls.

Its dark water was completely still, and for some reason, seeing it there left him with an uneasy feeling.

He looked at it for another second before forcing himself to turn away. Wherever it led, the answer could wait for another day.

Before leaving, Alex willed his sword and wand into the Inventory. Both items disappeared from his hands instantly, and the dull strain on his mind increased. It was still light enough for him.

Then he activated Return.

[4 Origin Energy consumed.]

His consciousness weakened almost immediately, and the strength left his body. The world around him faded into darkness as he completely lost control over himself.

...

Alex woke with a sharp breath and found himself lying on his bed. His mind felt refreshed, as though he had been enjoying a peaceful sleep until this very moment.

For a brief instant, he wondered if everything that happened in the Land of Origin was nothing more than an unusually vivid dream.

Then several translucent screens appeared before him.

[Tutorial Quest 4 completed.]

[Alex Mercer can now evolve his Class, and continue leveling up.]

[Bronze Reward Box gained.]

[Hidden Quest completed: Be the first person from your planet to return from Hell Difficulty.]

[Gold Reward Box gained.]

Alex rubbed his eyes before sitting up.

Mia, the black cat that had been sleeping on his back, slipped off and landed softly on the bed without waking.

Worried, Alex quickly picked her up, but she simply opened her eyes, stretched lazily, and let out a yawn-like meow before rubbing her head against his hand.

He let out a quiet sigh of relief before looking around the room. The moment his eyes reached the outer wall, his body froze.

Half of the wall was gone.

Alex climbed out of bed and slowly walked toward the broken edge of the room. As he looked outside, the words formed in his mind almost on their own.

The world... was ending.

Several burning objects streaked across the sky, trailing flames before disappearing beyond the horizon. Alex narrowed his eyes for a moment before realizing they weren’t meteors.

They were satellites falling out of orbit.

His gaze slowly dropped toward the streets below, and his blood ran cold.

The apartment buildings across the road had three enormous claw marks carved through them from the third floor all the way to the ground. Whatever did that was big, and strong.

Destroyed cars, piles of rubble, and countless corpses covered the streets.

Monsters resembling enormous buffalo with black hides and crimson horns wandered between the ruins.

One lowered its head and tore into a human corpse while another chewed lazily beside it. Alex’s stomach lurched as he watched.

Even after seeing death in the Land of Origin, the sight of so many human bodies lying across familiar streets made him feel sick. Reality was far crueler when the dead belonged to his own world.

More screens appeared.

[Origin Energy: 0/10]

[Refill Origin Energy to use Return skill again.]

Alex frowned as he read the notification. The Return skill should have cost only two Origin Energy.

’Bringing the sword, the shield and the wand back through the Inventory must have increased the cost. If I had returned empty-handed, it probably would have consumed only the base amount,’ he concluded after thinking a bit.

His eyes drifted back toward the monsters outside.

’There are monsters here, so dungeons may have appeared on Earth too. If not, I’ll have to find another way to refill my Origin Energy,’ he thought, trying to ignore the sight of corpses on the road.

Another notification appeared.

[Synchronization will begin. Please prepare.]

..

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