＜Nisoriya City＞ The second largest city in the Valerian Federation. The city of Nisoria, the vast heart of the Valerian Federation, embodies the wisdom and ambition of mankind. The city's magnificence stretches endlessly, blending the ancient and the modern, history and technology. As I made my way through the bustling streets, I found myself immersed in a sensory symphony that vividly depicted this vibrant metropolis. The reason we came here through the portal is because Arcadia and Nisoria are located at the two ends of the Federation. From Arcadia to Nisoria, it takes ten hours by the fastest train, and fifteen hours by ordinary train. All in all, the atmosphere of this city is not much different from that of Arcadia City. But if there is a noticeable difference, it is that there are more hunters here. The reason is simple: the landscape and environment around the city of Nisoriya has not yet fully recovered from the wild life. The Valerian Federation covers a huge area of land, not all of which is suitable for living. Some places are occupied by monsters from portals, and the city of Nisoria is in such a state.
The surroundings here are full of threats, which is why even though Nisoria is the second largest city, it is not the safest place. It is rumored that before the "hub fusion", this place was the capital of a declining kingdom, so it was not difficult to develop this area into a metropolis, which is another reason why this city is so developed. "There is no doubt that the scenery here is very similar to that in the game." I thought as I walked. This place is another free-to-explore area in the open world, so I already had some knowledge of it. With this thought in mind, I continued walking and observing my surroundings. "Why do I always feel like something is wrong?" I couldn't comprehend what was happening, but my senses were on edge. "Is someone following me?" This doesn't seem logical. Why would someone follow me? My past is clean, and I haven't flaunted or offended anyone. Even if I have offended a few people, it's not enough for them to follow me like this. Moreover, this feeling only came after I set foot in the city of Nisoriya, which makes no sense unless those who targeted me knew in advance that I would come here. But I don't think they would choose to attack here, but to do so when I visit the black market. "That means there is only one possibility." "The devil is nearby." Nothing makes me more uneasy than the presence of a demon. Grit your teeth... If a demon or demon contractor appears, it means something will happen that is not mentioned in the game. "I have been mentally prepared for this." After all, it's impossible to depict an entire world using games alone as a basis. No single game can cover all the actions that take place in a world. "But since I haven't heard anything about it, it must have been kept secret. That means it's not a big deal." Most of the time, things about demons are kept secret by the federal government because they are already busy dealing with invasions of other species and international issues.
Internal problems and social panic will be much more difficult to deal with, and this is exactly what the devil wants to create. “Public distrust.” "terrorism." These insidious tactics will weaken the power of governments and associations, making the human commonwealth more vulnerable. Therefore, the news is mostly filled with exciting content. Although I felt that something might happen, I didn't know where the danger came from. Even if I knew, I couldn't even deal with the students of the academy, let alone the devil's contract. I couldn't notify anyone. So, all I could do was to continue on my way while staying alert for any possible danger. In this way, I walked and browsed the city map on my watch, strolling through the streets of Nisoriya. "Freshly grilled monster meat! Try some delicious food straight from the dungeon!" A vendor's enthusiastic call caught my attention. I was drawn to a busy food stall, the air was filled with the aroma of grilled meat, and people gathered in front of the stall, curious to taste this exotic flavor. This scene is not common in the serious city of Arcadia. As I approached the stall, a man with a big smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye waved at me. "Have a taste of adventure, sir! Here's a beast from the depths of the dungeon, and now it's on your plate!" I couldn't help but be intrigued. "What kind of monster is this?" "Ah, it's a very ferocious creature! It's called the 'Skywrath Flying Snake', and its meat is tender and juicy, all thanks to its fire attribute." “The Wrath of the Sky.” I thought to myself, this is the first time I’ve heard this name. The booth was very busy, and my curiosity was piqued. "Fire attribute?" I raised my eyebrows. The vendor nodded excitedly. "Yes! These creatures can breathe fire. But don't worry, we've taken care of the fire, leaving only the delicious food!" I decided to give it a try, and the vendor expertly cut a piece of roast meat and placed it on the plate. When I took a bite, the flavor exploded in my mouth, salty and fragrant with a hint of smokiness and a slight spiciness. It was a flavor I had never tried before. This moment reminded me once again how special this world I live in is. The mana that poured into me from this piece of monster meat was proof enough that this world was full of possibilities. "Thank you. How much is this piece of meat?" "Five hundred valers." Until I heard the price. "Are you kidding me?" I looked up and finally noticed the name of the stall. Because my senses were on alert, I was more focused on the people around me than the sign on the stall itself. It turned out to be a stall owned by a well-known chef. Eventually, I just paid and went on my way. Wandering the streets, I couldn’t help but hear snippets of conversations that were filled with excitement and familiarity. "Have you heard? The Black Fang Guild is organizing an expedition to the Wildwood Dungeon!" "Yeah, finally a high-level guild has intervened."
"Indeed. I wonder why it took them so long to get into that dungeon?" "I heard there was a problem with taxation. They said the association's demands were ridiculously high this time." "That makes sense. The Association's tax requirements for the Guild have been really harsh lately." These words again demonstrate the adventurous spirit of Nissoria, where dungeons and their treasures are part of everyday life, but I also see here more clearly the power of association. Since I deal more with black market dungeons, I don't have a license from the association yet. I can certainly get one, but there's no need to do so for now. So I don't know much about Guild Dungeons. Finally, after walking for a while, I arrived at my destination - the museum. "The feeling of threat has also disappeared. It seems they have retreated." I thought to myself. That’s what I thought. Now that the uncomfortable feeling was gone, I decided not to waste any more time and headed straight into the museum. “This trip feels a bit refreshing,” I thought to myself. I’ve been busy doing nothing for the past three weeks, and this random trip around like this has cleared my mind a little. I walked through the museum's doors and looked up to see the elegant words "Nisolia Magic Museum" come into view. With a quiet determination, I decided to explore the exhibition on my own, forgoing the help of a guide. The receptionist at the front desk was a young woman with a warm smile. "Welcome to the Nisoriya Magic Museum! Are you here for a guided tour?" She was neatly dressed and had a friendly smile on her face. From the cuffs and pockets of her uniform, I noticed that she smoked and wore braces to protect her teeth. "She used a high-quality brand of cigarettes. Her breathing was steady, with no signs of heaviness. She had been smoking for at least ten years, and the signs of nicotine addiction were hidden by the heavy makeup under her eyes. She was unmarried, but her sex life was satisfying. There were three different male perfumes mixed in with her body odor. She was a 'player', I guess." "Okay, let's observe until now." After reaching these conclusions, I said to her, “No, I want to see it myself.” She nodded in understanding. "Of course! Feel free to come and visit. If you have any questions or need help, please let me know." She didn't mind even though my tone was a little blunt. “A rare professional,” I thought to myself, nodding and entering the museum. This museum is a place where otherworldly objects and relics from the past are brought together. The first floor of the museum exhibits materials from other worlds. The first exhibit caught my eye - a group of softly glowing metal ingots that looked as if they were enveloped in a mysterious energy. ＜Ruminas＞ A sign nearby said the metals came from Gwangmyeong Cave, an underground city famous for its intricate network of tunnels. These crystals are said to absorb and amplify mana, making them a valuable resource for spellcasters and enchanters. However, that was only in the past. This material was once one of the keys to human civilization's ability to resist the invasion of species with innate magical powers. The technology here is based on mana rather than electricity, and this material is the source of the breakthrough. It can convert any type of mana into raw energy, which can be used to charge mana batteries, among other uses. This is the essential difference between this world and Earth.
While Earth's civilization was built on electricity, the world here revolves around mana. Continuing on, I came across other eye-catching materials. There were the "rainbow scales" recovered from the "Azure Abyss" dungeon, which exuded a protective aura and were ideal for crafting sturdy armor. A few steps further ahead, the petals of the "Flower of Heaven" are on display. These petals were collected from the "Elysian Fields" underground city. They are said to have extraordinary healing powers and are regarded as sacred objects that can heal injuries and diseases. Bang! As I continued forward, I suddenly felt a violent throbbing sensation in my head. "What's going on?" Before I could think about it, the throbbing sensation intensified and my vision suddenly went dark. "elder brother." A voice echoed in my mind, and at the same time, the outline of a girl appeared in front of me. "younger sister……" However, I couldn't make any sound, and my chest felt like it was being pressed down by something. This was the dream I kept having. Then, an obscure sound appeared, mixed with an unknown presence. "Searching for the Moonstone." This time, however, the words rang out as clearly as a bell, and their meaning suddenly became clear in my mind. Everything seemed to connect. The beating in my mind was no longer a mysterious mystery, but a force that led me to achieve my goal. When my vision cleared, my eyes were drawn to a corner of the museum, where a soft silver light illuminated a display case. I staggered towards the display case like a child tempted by candy. When I walked up to the display case, there was a stone on display with its name written on a sign next to it. ＜Moonstone＞