The City of Deer and Giraffes


    Mary and Kani were standing near a game booth.


    Kani: "We have to aim at the moving chicken targets."


    Mary: "This is too easy."


    The game began, and Mary picked up one of the bows available for play.


    Mary: "I just aim like this and..."


    She fired three arrows, changing their direction using control Shingen to hit three targets.


    Kani: "Cheater... Good thing this is just for fun and doesn''t have any prizes."


    Mary, speaking sarcastically: "What a loss. I would''ve won tons of prizes if that were the case. Anyway—"


    She turned around.


    Mary: "Isn''t everyone here fast?"


    The City of Deer and Giraffes was divided into two sections.


    The deer section was on the right, while the giraffe section was on the left.


    In the deer section, everyone was incredibly fast.


    There were vast grassy plains and numerous forests scattered throughout, creating a beautiful savanna-like environment.


    Leaves rustled in the wind.


    The sheer energy and speed flowing through the city made you pause for a moment just to grasp what was happening around you.


    Kani: "Just watching them, I can feel the energy radiating from this place."


    Mary: "Same here. The Kingdom of Ogrolia is amazing, girl!"


    Kani: "Even though this city isn''t the most famous one, it''s truly incredible."


    Mary: "This is a great place to learn hunting, but of course, they''re citizens, not mindless animals."


    Kani: "We might learn something here."


    Mary: "Like what?"


    Kani: "I don''t know, it''s just a feeling. Let''s see what the great kingdom has to offer."


    As Mary and Kani strolled through the city, Mary spotted a familiar face.


    Mary: "Wait, wait... Ajin!!"


    Kani: "Huh?"


    Mary: "That''s my cousin!"


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Ajin saw Mary and immediately started running toward her.


    Ajin: "Maryyyy!"


    He leaped to hug Mary, but she moved slightly, causing him to fall to the ground.


    Ajin, speaking in a sad tone: "You always do this..."


    Mary: "Doesn''t matter what I do. What matters is—what are you doing here?"


    Ajin, proudly: "I got an invitation to join Gob Academy in the Kingdom of Ogrolia. I am the great Ajin!"


    Mary, sarcastically: "I can''t believe this. My useless cousin got an invitation like that."


    Ajin: "I''m not useless!"


    Mary: "Oh, right. Kani, this is my cousin Ajin. Ajin, this is my friend Kani."


    Kani: "Nice to meet you."


    Ajin: "nice to meet you too."


    Mary: "Do you still dream of becoming like Yaraso Vitalis?"


    Ajin: "Of course!"


    Kani: "Do you want to become the general director of the kingdom''s academies or what?"


    Ajin: "No, I want to be like him. I want to become the strongest being in existence!"


    Kani, clearly shocked: "The strongest being in existence?... Is that a title for Yaraso or what?"


    Ajin: "You don''t know?? That''s the title given to Yaraso after he defeated the previous Sacred Warrior!"


    Kani: "Oh my god... I didn''t know that."


    Mary: "How do you not know this, girl? It''s one of the most famous events in the world, not just the kingdom."


    Kani: "I don''t care about old people''s affairs, so I didn''t know."


    Mary: "As usual."


    Ajin: "Come with me, I want to show you something."


    Mary: "Let''s go, Kani."


    Ajin led them to the dividing line between the deer and giraffe areas, with the help of a friend who had portal abilities.


    There, a staircase led underground.


    Ajin: "This is one of the kingdom''s ruins, but it''s a little strange because of the information it holds."


    The three of them entered and started descending the stairs while Ajin spoke.


    Ajin: "Hundreds of years ago, the Kingdom of Ogrolia was ruled by a king from the gorilla race."


    Mary: "Isn''t the kingdom still ruled by a gorilla king?"


    Ajin: "I''m talking about the past! And don''t interrupt me!"


    He continued calmly.


    Ajin: "This king was called the Water Ruler.


    They say he was the strongest king the kingdom had ever seen.


    He was powerful and beloved.


    So much so that many considered him a god and started worshiping him."


    Kani: "Worship? How extraordinary must someone be for that to happen?"


    Ajin: "As extraordinary as this Water Ruler, I guess."


    They reached the bottom of the stairs and found a large wall covered in ancient inscriptions.


    Ajin continued: "These writings are over a thousand years old.


    The Kingdom of Ogrolia managed to translate some of the inscriptions after years of research.


    From them, we learned about the Water Ruler and how he was worshiped.


    But then, the research stopped, and this place became one of the kingdom''s ignored ruins for some reason.


    The truly strange thing, though, is this inscription, written in our modern language."


    Ajin pointed to a small engraving.


    Mary: "onak? There''s also a number below... 22 days? What does this mean?"


    Ajin: "If I knew, I''d tell you."


    Kani: "Even though it''s in our language, we don''t understand its meaning. But I feel like I''ve heard the word ''onak'' before... I just can''t remember where."


    Ajin: "If you remember, tell me. I''m really trying to figure out what it means."


    Kani: "If I remember, I''ll definitely tell you."


    Ajin: "Thanks!"


    That evening, the four returned to Marin''s house.


    Everyone was still busy with different things.


    Mary: "Sai, where''s Leo?"


    Sai: "Oh, he went to buy some things. Also, he''s starting his journey tomorrow with Karez to the Fish City."


    Mary: "You''re saying they won''t ask portal mages to transport them?"


    Sai: "Yeah, they said they want to experience traveling this way. It''ll take them a few days to get there since Fish City is near the borders of Ogrolia, next to the Kingdom of Atlantis."


    Mary: "I just hope nothing happens there. We wouldn''t be able to reach them in time."


    Kano: "Kinto, do you want to go to a city tomorrow?"


    Kinto: "No, I don''t."


    Kano: "Come on, man, aren''t you bored of staying here?"


    Kinto: "Why would I go to a noisy city?"


    Kano: "Why don''t we go to a place where we can relax?"


    Kinto: "Relax?... I''ll think about it."


    Kano smiled.


    Garin sat on the roof, sharpening his sword quietly as autumn leaves fell around him.


    Arian climbed up beside him and sat down.


    Garin: "Bored?"


    Arian: "Yeah."


    They sat in silence for a while.


    Arian: "I feel like I can''t improve anymore."


    Garin: "Why do you feel that way?"


    Arian: "After I became able to break rocks easily, I started improving quickly.


    I even started affecting steel, and now I can leave deep dents in it.


    But after I master steel... what''s next?"


    Garin, smiling: "Reading comic books is fun, isn''t it?"


    Arian: "Why did you change the subject so suddenly?"


    Garin: "In fighting comics, there are different types of fighters.


    Some rely on logic.


    Some rely on instincts.


    And some combine both."


    Arian tilted his head slightly, wondering what Garin meant. "And how does this relate to our discussion?"


    Garin: "You''re the second type. But you think logic is the only way to fight..."


    Arian: "huh?"


    Garin: "Instincts are the most creative, a person who fights with logic only knows things that he knows before or knows that they are possible, but this does not mean that he cannot be creative, but compared to the creativity of instincts, the creativity of logic is minimal, instincts know the possibilities of the body completely and for this thing that seems impossible to many people, instinct fighters can do"


    Arian: "a lot of information.."


    Garin: "The bottom line is that you have to let go of logic a bit and unleash your fighting instincts, Arian, if you can do it, you will be able to cross your limits and you will find ways that only you can imagine"


    A slow smile formed on Arian''s face. "I get it now! Thanks, Garin!"


    Garin i surprised a bit "This is the first time I''ve seen him smile."


    He looked out over the city and smiled back.


    "No need to thank me."


    Arian: "But what about the third type?"


    Garin: "The ones who use both instincts and logic? They''re rare... but they''re the most dangerous fighters of them all."