The rabbit even tried to attack William again, but was unable to. The bleeding was too intense, and with a few more sword strikes from William, the creature died.
A smile spread across William's face as he saw the level-up notification. Leveling up was the key to his survival and, more importantly, to his revenge. He remembered the humiliation he had suffered at the hands of the other heroes, and a wave of anger washed over him. 'I'll show them what I'm capable of,' he thought, clenching his fists. 'They'll regret underestimating me.'
After defeating the creature, William continued to follow the river, heading towards the smoke he had seen in the distance.
He walked for a long time, making his way through the dense forest. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the woods, mingling with the birdsong and the buzzing of insects. Along the way, he fought some creatures — small goblins and giant spiders — but luckily, they were all weak.
'That smoke is even farther than I thought,' William thought, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Finally, he reached the place where the smoke was coming from. Near the river, on a small hill, he saw a wooden house. It was a simple building, just one story, with log walls and a thatched roof. Around it, there were crops of corn, wheat, and pumpkins, and some animals — chickens pecking at the ground and cows grazing — completed the bucolic landscape.
It was a cozy place, but William had no idea who lived there. What if it was a dangerous person? Above all, he needed to communicate. Would whoever lived there speak the same language?
William walked slowly towards the house. As he approached, he noticed the curtain moving and a face staring curiously at him.
It was an old man, with a long white beard and gray hair that fell over his shoulders. His clothes were simple and worn with time.
The man seemed surprised to see William. He opened the door, but hesitantly said, "Stay a little further away for now. I don't know you."
William sighed with relief. He understood what the man said. 'Could it be some kind of summoned hero power?' he wondered. 'Maybe my System is translating his language.'
"Young man, what brings you to such an isolated place?" the old man asked, his voice raspy. "I'm surprised to see you alive. Walking through the forest is dangerous."
"I'm lost," William replied, trying to appear as harmless as possible. "I've been attacked several times. Luckily, I have this," he said, showing the scabbard of his sword.
The old man narrowed his eyes, looking at William suspiciously. "You don't look like someone who's lost in the woods," he said, frowning. "Your hair is neat, and your clothes are barely dirty."
"I... I was careful," William stammered, disconcerted.
"I see," the old man said after a pause. "How can I help you?"
William, still a little awkward, asked, "I wanted to know if there is any civilization around here... Maybe a village or a city?"
The old man shook his head. "Unfortunately not. You'll have to walk for quite a while before you find a civilization. As far as I know, if you follow the river, you'll eventually reach one. But as I said, traveling at night is not a good idea."
The news was not good. A shadow of frustration crossed William's face. 'That far? How will I get there?' he thought, discouraged. He still didn't know if he would be able to keep the progress he made within that dimension.
The place where he appeared was the same place where he opened the portal in Aethel's current time. This meant that he would have to travel the entire way again if he continued to open the portal in the same place.
'I need to find a way to save my progress. That's the only way I'll be able to reach civilization since it's so far away...' he thought, worried.
William, curious, asked, "And what are you doing here, so far away from everyone?"
The old man, with his tired look, said, "I was a powerful adventurer during my life. Now I just want to relax and be at peace. I'm tired of always being in trouble."
"I understand...", said William, still unsure of what to do. "Well, thank you anyway. See you later, then."
William turned to leave, but the old man called him: "Wait! Are you crazy, young man? You can't go at night. Spend the night here, at least. I can offer you a bed in the barn."
William hesitated for a moment. ' Should I trust him? He seems harmless, but...' he thought cautiously. But the prospect of spending the night alone in the forest was even more frightening.
"Thank you," said William with a grateful smile. "I accept your offer."
The old man smiled back and led William to the barn. It was a rustic building, with wooden walls and the smell of hay. In the corner, there was a makeshift bed with a straw mattress and some blankets. "I hope it's comfortable enough," said the old man.
"It's perfect," replied William, feeling relieved and grateful for the unexpected hospitality.
William was a little tired; this was the first negative thing about his ability. While time passed normally in that dimension, it would remain static in Aethel's current time.
In other words, extended stays in this dimension could disrupt his sleep patterns and lead to exhaustion. But the rewards far outweighed the risks, in William's mind.
As he lay down on the makeshift bed, a notification surprised him.
[Resting place detected. Would you like to set this location as your respawn point?]
Excited by the prospect of a reliable haven, William eagerly accepted. At least one of his problems had been solved.
As soon as night came, William decided to sleep and woke up back on that hill near Willow Creek. The morning sun was shining brightly, and the air was fresh and invigorating.
William got up, feeling rested after a good night's sleep.
'It's good that I managed to save my progress,' he thought, observing the surrounding landscape. The dense forest stretched to the horizon, and the sound of the river flowing in the distance broke the silence of the morning.
After spending the time limit in the dimension, William had to return. Finding the first person in that dimension made him feel great, even if he hadn't gained that many levels.
It was normal for evolution to slow down as the level increased. But William was determined to get stronger.
'I need to be prepared for any challenge,' he thought as he descended the hill towards Gorn's house.