Welcome To The Fortress City Of Nilgen

“This is Nilgen…”

The boy, carrying a crude axe on his back, muttered in astonishment as he gazed upon the gigantic city.

Countless houses, and massive walls that seemed as though they would stretch on forever.

The sight of the enormous city known as a defense city stirred a faint sense of awe within the boy.

“If it’s here, I can survive. I don’t know if I can really become an adventurer, but…”

The boy was aware that he was a reincarnated person.

When had he first realized it, he wondered.

Memories of a world called Japan on Earth awakened, and all the gears of his life slipped out of alignment.

Driven around by memories of his past life, he was ostracized as “someone who says things that make no sense.”

There was no way he could forget them even if he tried, and the mingled memories overwrote who he had been until then—so much so that even his parents could not understand him.

When had people begun to call him demon-possessed?

An elderly priest at the temple firmly told them, “That’s not the case,” but there was no way that alone would put an end to it.

As he grew increasingly uncomfortable under the constant gazes of those around him, the priest told the boy that he “should set out on a journey.”

With the axe he had used for chopping firewood and a small amount of money as farewell gifts, the name of the city he was told to go to was the Defense City of Nilgen.

Nilgen, the front line against monsters, sought adventurers—people overflowing with a spirit of adventure—regardless of their origins.

In a place like that, no one cared if you were a little strange in your words or behavior.

“Hold it right there.”

In front of the massive gate of the Fortress City of Nilgen, the boy was stopped by a guard.

“This your first time, kid?”

“Yes.”

“What’s your purpose for coming here?”

“To become an adventurer.”

When the boy answered, the guard let out a low “Hmm.”

“Calling it tough doesn’t even begin to cover it. Some die almost immediately.”

“I’m prepared for that.”

That was the only path he had. When the boy answered so, the guard gave a small sigh.

“I don’t really like seeing kids die. But we’re always short on hands. You’re welcome here.”

“Thank you very much.”

“You’re a solid one. Most kids who come here either look completely worn down or have eyes full of pointless hope.”

That’s probably true, the boy thought.

The priest had filled his head with plenty of nice-sounding ideas, but fighting monsters could hardly be considered decent work.

Did he think cutting monsters was the same as cutting trees, or did he secretly want him to die?

The boy chose to believe it was simply kindness.

And if that was the case—

“So, kid. What’s your name?”

“Kikori.”

That was the name he decided to give.

Just as a woodcutter cut trees, he would cut monsters and live on.

The guard lightly scratched his cheek at Kikori’s self-introduction, then wrote something down and handed Kikori a single wooden tag.

“Welcome to the Fortress City of Nilgen, Kikori. Do your best to survive.”