“You sure about this?” Tiz asked. “You can stay with us, you know. We do have a guest room at the back.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Zane said. “I don’t wanna impose on uncle and auntie.”

“You do know we’re family, right?” Tiz asked.

“Yea, I know,” he slung his backpack over his shoulder. “I just don’t want to bother you guys.”

Tiz pouted. Crossing her arms over her chest.

“And my packages?” Zane asked. As he was getting giddy over his brand new stuff.

“It’s in your room. Here,” Tiz handed over a card key. “It’s room four-two-zero.”

“Thanks,” he smiled. Pocketing the card in his jeans pocket.

“I’ve been meaning to ask this for a while, but what the fuck are you wearing?” she pointed out at the leather armor under Zane’s olive green bomber jacket.

“Oh, this?” he looked down. “It’s nothing, just some cosplay I’ve been meaning to try out.”

Tiz narrowed her eyes, questioning such absurd reason. “You’re weird,” she said.

“Thanks,” Zane said. “And by the way, I’ll be busy tomorrow so try not to contact or come over, okay?”

“You’re not planning to do anything stupid, are you?” she raised her concern. The things she bought for him were highly suspicious and if the cop found out, she could easily get behind bars.

“Of course not,” he faked a smile and it only added more to her suspicion. “Traveling alone in a foreign country I really need some protection, you know? . . . Since you’ll never know when the bad guys would show up, right?”

“You’re in Malaysia,” she replied.

“Exactly,” he nodded.

“Ugh, whatever,” she said. Rolling her eyes. “So that means you’re free this evening, right?”

“Why?” he narrowed his eyes.

“Well you’re going to dinner with me,” she insisted. “So get that stupid cosplay of yours off, and wear something decent. I’m not going to let you embarrass me in front of the public.”

Zane had no chance for objection. His cousin had done everything he asked for and the least he could do was accompanied her for dinner, and it wasn’t like he was paying. After a change of clothes, they went for dinner in a five-star Michelin restaurant. They ate. They laughed. They reminiscent their childhoods and they were happy. By eleven in the evening, she dropped him back at the hotel and said their goodbyes.

Zane went up to his room with an excited smile. His tank was full and the man was readied to rumble. He changed his clothes and adorned his leather armor. While for the weapon he had to be content with the new kitchen knife he just bought. The Blue-Iron Dagger he got had to be left back at home since there was no way he could pass through the immigration checkpoint with a weapon like that in hand.

Next, he checked on the new items Tiz bought for him. The mixed child of a taser and a flashlight. Two functions in one they said. As it was the only way for them to sell it through the internet, putting emphasis on the flashlight part and not the taser.

He tried it a few times and hearing the buzzing noises felt rather assuring. They were two of them along with their own holsters so it made it easier for Zane to carry them along. Next were the pepper sprays, six of them to be exact. It was a lot, but better be prepared than not. He learned his lesson, and he wasn’t going to be that idiot again.

“I’m good to go,” he said. Smiling ear to ear. The bag was filled with food and water enough for a day and some spare clothes in case he needed them.

“Set new warp point,” he uttered.

[Warp Points]

[1-Aneris Plains]

[2-Apartment 9116]

[3-Renaissance JB Hotel Room 420]

With preparation complete, he took one deep breath and slowly exhaled it. “Fuh . . . Let’s do this,” he said. “Warp to Aneris Plains.”

* * *

He returned to where he once was. The grass plains were green as usual, the grasses were soft as they swayed by the wind. And the sky was a beautiful blue; the light breeze ruffled his hair as he watched the clouds roll in, shading the bright sun.

A second was enough to appreciate the beauty of the world, and Zane turned caution over his surrounding. Panning the area as he readied his taser on his left hand as his right hand gripped tight over the kitchen knife.

He trod through the plains as he figured it was much safer than the woods. Since the Devil Deer was the strongest in this area, then he could expect to see lower-level beasts when compared to those that lived in Legan Forest.

Zane jogged at a brisk pace while keeping an eye out for his surrounding. The day was pretty nice and bright, opposite to back on earth which was currently night. He reckoned day and night was the opposite of earth as this place probably corresponded similar to the east coast of America. But it might not be the case if this world wasn’t spherical like earth.

Thirty minutes in, nothing out of the ordinary happened. He even wondered whether the last trip was really just a case of bad luck. Who could blame him though? The moment he stepped into this world, he met a killer deer bent on tearing his flesh apart. But now, it felt like he was on a school trip near a park or something.

Then the slightest hint of movement made him freeze. Just a few meters to his left, a tuft of long grass rustled. He stared with wide-open eyes, readied for a battle. A figure jumped, revealing itself. For a second, Zane let his guard down, thinking how cute that creature was. White cotton fur with a petite and fluffy body. Long ears that stood up, flickering left and right, wary of unseen danger. Yet the sharp cone horn was the big give-away that it wasn’t a normal beast.

[Horn Rabbit][Lv.1]

[Grazer of the plains. A rabbit with a cone horn. But do not let its cuddly features fool you. A stab of its horn is enough to even kill a grown man.]

A level one? Zane relaxed. The low level was the decider and knowing the danger was minimal, he let himself take a breather. He stared at the rabbit grazing at the grass as the creature didn’t seem to mind the presence of an onlooker. If he looked at it from another angle, this scene was no different from a petting zoo.

Yup, I’m definitely not going to kill it, Zane thought. He left the fluffy creature to its own bidding, continuing his journey through the plains. Along the way, he stumbled with more of these rabbits, living peacefully, nibbling the end of the pointy grasses of the plains.

Another hour went by. And Zane was getting bored. His expectation of a wild battle against ferocious beasts was dumbed down by the lax fields devoid of any danger. Well, there must be danger somewhere, except his luck wasn’t rotten enough like the previous trip.

What the? He turned wary. The horn rabbits that were peacefully loitering around scampered in the same direction, fleeing as if someone shouted shark in a shallow beach.

A feeble whimper was heard from the back. He turned and saw. Jaw filled with fangs ripped apart the flesh of a pinned-down horn bunny. Blood dripped. Staining the white cotton fur of the horn rabbit that was hanging in its last breath.

“The blue-maned wolf,” he said. Recognizing the canine over the distinct yellow eyes rather than the blue fur. How could he forget? Those eyes were the ones that assaulted him during that chilly night.

He felt a chill down his spine as if reliving those memories once more. Yet he had half a smile. Don’t get him wrong, he still feared the beast that was mauling the little animal, and yet there was a hint of excitement coursing in his veins.

Zane rushed forward. Meeting the blue-maned wolf head-on. The beast noticed him. Growling in response as if trying to say that this horn rabbit was its and it alone. But that wasn’t the case for Zane. He slashed forward. And yet it was a miss. The blue-maned wolf leaped to the other side with what was left of the horn rabbit dangling in between its jaws. It glared at Zane. Daring to interrupt its meal. Its black lips pulled back, revealing rows of bloody sharp fangs. It was a sign. A sign that the blue-maned wolf was readied for another hunt, and the prey was none other than Zane.

“Bring it,” Zane taunted. He brought his stance low and his arms loosened for a fight.

The blue-maned wolf pounced. Baring its fangs and claws.

Zane waited. Taking his time as the canine descended closer to him. Then he struck. A quick jab from his left hand and the metal rods of the taser sparked in bluish electricity. The wolf yelped. Falling helplessly to the ground, twitching. Zane continued his assault. Jolting the down blue-maned wolf with his taser as his right hand did its work. Zane stabbed it like a mad man as blood splashed and pooled underneath them two. Then it died.

[Brawler-class leveled up to 2. Stat points distributed; +1 Strength, +1 Agility.]

[Brawler-class leveled up to 3. Stat points distributed; +1 Strength, +1 Agility.]

His class level went up, and four points were enough to make a grown man smile. Then three objects floated above the dead wolf. And much to his surprise, it was the same three things as before.

“Great,” he said. Ditching the kitchen knife as he grabbed his new Blue-Iron Dagger. “I guess Enhanced Drop Rate isn’t that bad after all.”