BRAND NEW WORLD

ZWUS! ZWUS! ZWUS!

Only silence, the desert wind, and the hiss of sand being parted by the ship.

It had been two days since we left the city of Khurun. Unlike traveling by land, camping anywhere in the desert wasn't an option. And for good reason. This desert was home to deadly monsters—Sandworms.

Back in the game, Sandworms were just low-level enemies you encountered early on. They were around level one hundred fifty. But now that this world had become real, that level was no longer considered low. Their strength was equivalent to a B- or even A-rank adventurer in this world. What made them even more dangerous was the fact that they constantly attacked in swarms. Combined with the harsh environment, they became a formidable threat.

That's why these transport ships only operated for a maximum of three days per journey—that's how many provisions they carried. Each vessel offered food and accommodations, divided into two classes: General and Elite.

As expected, General Class was for commoners with no titles or special status. The Elite Class was for the wealthy and nobles. The restaurants, entertainment, and rooms were like two completely different worlds.

Thanks to Rima's status as an S-rank adventurer, we were given a room in the Elite Class.

"Aahh… when are we going to arrive?" Rima groaned.

"What? You're already getting impatient?" I replied.

"It's been so long since I traveled like this. We could've flown there in no time. Or better yet, use your teleportation magic," she complained.

"Weren't you the one who encouraged me to enjoy the journey and the thrill of exploration?"

"Yeah, I did say that. But this is just boring… and hot," Rima replied, fanning her face with her hand.

"Besides, ever since I came back, I can't use teleportation to places I've visited before," I said.

"Ughhh…" Rima sighed heavily.

It was hot—especially for Putih and her two pups, Bamby and Arimby. Being snow wolves, they weren't made for this kind of heat. I cast a spell to conjure a small cloud above them that produced a gentle snowfall and a cool breeze. With that, they were able to sleep peacefully again, especially the little ones.

While Rima was busy complaining and I was reading a book, the ship suddenly shook. Then, a voice echoed through the speaking pipes.

"Emergency! Emergency! A swarm of sandworms is in pursuit! But please remain calm. The situation is under control."

Oh! Sandworms! This is so fantasy-like. Now I want to see them.

"Don't tell me you're thinking of going to take a look," Rima said.

"Well, I've never seen them in person, so I'm curious."

"Ugh… Fine, let's go check. Might as well deal with them so we can travel in peace," Rima said.

"Says the one who was just complaining about how peaceful and boring it was," I teased.

"Hey!"

We headed toward the rear deck of the ship. When we got there, several soldiers and mages were already stationed, armed and ready to face the approaching sandworms. I used my detection magic—the sandworms were still five hundred meters away.

Once they were within a hundred meters, the mages raised their staffs and began chanting spells.

Oh! They're casting Tier 3 Wind Balls!

As soon as the incantations were finished, the mages launched the wind spheres, which shot toward the sandworms with high velocity. Some missed, but others hit their marks. Even so, the direct hits only knocked the worms back—they barely inflicted any damage.

"They're still alive," I whispered.

Someone overheard me.

"That's because those spells are only meant to slow them down. Even though they're worms, their bodies are tough and durable. Even a B-rank adventurer would struggle to take them down in an environment like this," said a voice.

I turned to see a middle-aged man with white hair, a white beard, and a mustache. He wore a white shirt with a brown vest, brown trousers, and boots. A keffiyeh adorned his head.

"Ladies, it's hazardous out here. Please return to your rooms," he said politely.

"Oh, don't worry. We're S-rank adventurers," Rima replied.

"Miss, now's not the time for jokes," the man added.

Rima pulled a shimmering platinum-rainbow card from her spatial storage and handed it to him. His face instantly turned pale.

"M-my deepest apologies. I didn't know you were an S-rank adventurer," he stammered.

"It's fine. What's important now is dealing with this threat. How do you usually handle these situations?" Rima asked.

"We mostly just try to slow them down. We can't afford to hire B-rank or higher adventurers. And with how risky it is, most would turn us down anyway," the man replied bitterly.

The mood turned awkward after that.

"By the way, I'm Sethi, the captain of this ship," he introduced himself.

"I'm Rima. This is my sister, Luna, and that's Lusserina," Rima responded.

Lusserina and I nodded in acknowledgment.

"Miss Rima, could we ask for your help? Only in this emergency," Sethi asked.

"Not a problem. You're lucky we happen to be on board today," Rima replied.

"Leave it to me," she added.

"Thank you in advance," said Sethi, bowing slightly.

He then stepped forward to inform his crew. Though there was hesitation and disbelief on their faces, we ignored it.

Lusserina moved to the front line, drew her twin blades, and assumed a stance. With a swift slash into the air, a wave of wind followed her motion and sliced through several sandworms, severing their bodies into pieces.

Cheers erupted from the back deck. Relief spread across Sethi's face. Thanks to that display, Lusserina gained considerable admiration—and fans.

Once the situation was resolved, we returned to our room and rested peacefully.

[Several Days Later]

Fifteen days—or two whole weeks—had passed since we left Khurun. Ever since that sandworm incident, the journey had gone smoothly. Every three days, we stopped at various towns to resupply and give the sandship crew some rest.

According to Captain Sethi, if everything continued without delay, we'd arrive in Arvastan tomorrow afternoon.

"Hey, Lun, there you are. I've been looking all over. What are you doing out here daydreaming by yourself at night?" Rima asked.

"Hey, Rim. Isn't the sky beautiful tonight?"

The night air was cool, and as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but barren desert—a hellscape. But when you looked up, the night sky was filled with twinkling stars, calming the soul. A crescent moon hung high among them, radiant and proud.

"Yeah… it is beautiful," Rima replied.

As we quietly enjoyed the peace of the desert night, the ship suddenly jolted. A moment later, several masked individuals climbed aboard.

Who are they? Don't tell me…

"Oho! Two beautiful women? Looks like we struck gold tonight!" said a sleazy man.

"Indeed! What a catch," another leered, licking his lips.

Several of them started walking toward us.

"Ugh… Can't we enjoy one trip without interruptions?" Rima muttered.

I knew it!

As they got closer, I focused on a spell in my mind and snapped my fingers.

SLEEP.

With that, a single snap, several of the approaching thugs collapsed, unconscious.

"Hey! What did you do to my friend?" barked a bald man.

He drew his sword, and the others followed suit.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that? What were you planning to do to my sister?" Rima countered.

"Shut up! You better not resist if you want to stay alive," growled the bearded one.

"Likewise. You'd better surrender if you value your life," Rima snapped back.

One of the bandits lunged at her with a sword. But before he got close, something—or someone—slammed into him, knocking him off the ship and into the desert below.

THUD!

"You filthy men aren't even worthy of looking at them," said a female voice.

It was a black-haired elf in maid attire.

"Lu!" I shouted.

"Lu, as usual—right on time..." Rima added.

Seeing Lusserina, the bandits hesitated.

"Don't be afraid! She's just a maid—and a woman! We've got numbers. Let's get them!" shouted a scruffy-haired man.

"YEAH! GET 'EM!" the rest echoed.

Riled up again, the bandits charged.

"Lu, don't kill them," I said.

Without a word, Lusserina vanished like a ghost. In mere fractions of a second, she reappeared behind one of the thugs and knocked him out cold. Then she continued, moving at blinding speed, knocking each one unconscious, one by one.

When she finished, the guards arrived. Sethi was among them.

Sethi stared in shock at the pile of unconscious bodies. Rima quickly explained what had happened. The attackers were then tied up to prevent their escape.

[The Next Afternoon]

In the distance, a grand city came into view—an oasis in the middle of the desert. A wave of relief spread through the passengers as they saw it.

"We're almost there," Rima said.

Wow! From afar, it looked just like Santorini in Greece.

My heart pounded with anticipation. I couldn't wait to finally see what this festival was all about.