I was once weak, now look at me

Chapter 18: Great Tomb of the Undead

Baharuth Empire, Dawn

The sun was just peeking over the horizon as Jaune walked toward a large mansion, careful to maintain a distance from the workers he'd been tailing since early morning. He had only been in this world for a couple of days, and the events that led him here had been far less pleasant than his usual adventures.

It all started back in the floating islands, where Jaune had managed to find Sol and explained everything: the multiple worlds, Sephiroth's plan, the reunion. He spared no detail, recounting everything until he finished his report, and that's when things took a turn for the worse.

Sol's reaction was far from what Jaune expected. He wasn't shocked. He wasn't moved. Sol simply listened, his expression unreadable, until he finally spoke. And then, with the bluntness of someone who'd long ago stopped caring, Sol told Jaune he wouldn't be helping with the reunion. That was when everything fell apart. The conversation turned quickly, Jaune's anger rising like a tidal wave, his voice trembling with rage. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, after completing the mission he was assigned and having to watch his big sister die before his eyes. How could Sol just stand there and do nothing? It was only Sol's cold, biting words that stopped Jaune from lashing out physically and ending the conversation right then and there. Sol, unbothered, moved on to other matters, leaving Jaune standing there, seething.

For the next few days, Jaune's emotions were a mess—shifting from violent rage to numb despair. His mind spiraled, unable to find any semblance of peace. Grief, anger, and confusion swirled together, making it harder and harder to stay grounded. Finally, Sol intervened. Tired of watching Jaune spiral, he opened a portal to a random world and tossed Jaune through it. "You'll return when I say, or when you've completed a quest." Sol told him, closing the portal before Jaune could even react. Rage exploded again as Jaune tried, futilely, to open a portal himself. But the device refused, displaying the same message Sol had left him with. For the next hour, Jaune vented his anger in the alleyway. When the storm passed, he finally stood up and started walking, needing to figure out where the hell he was.

Over the next two days, Jaune began to piece together where he was—a place known as the Baharuth Empire. He learned about the different countries in the region, the basic workings of the world, and, most importantly, the guild and the workers. The guild seemed like a potential avenue for him to pursue; becoming an adventurer might offer him a way to find a worthwhile quest. However, the guild's influence had waned significantly, and with his starting rank at the bottom, he would be tasked with mundane, thankless jobs—guarding rich nobles or collecting herbs. Tasks he refused to waste even a second on.

As for the workers, they weren't an option either. Jaune had a gut feeling that he'd simply be used and discarded by any group he joined, all for the sake of their own profit. He could already imagine the scenario—them betraying him, him killing them all in retaliation and ultimately, returning to square one.

But an opportunity soon appeared. Jaune sat at a corner table in a place called the Singing Apple Pavilion, when his heightened senses picked up on something that caught his interest—an under-the-table conversation between a group of workers. They were discussing a secret job: an expedition to explore a newly discovered tomb in enemy territory. This was exactly what Jaune needed—something to break the boredom and frustration of being stuck in this world. He followed the mage of the group when she broke off, heading back home. Jaune waited in a tree on her estate, taking a nap until she left to meet up with her companions. He then followed them quietly to a noble's mansion.

Back in the present, Jaune stepped into the courtyard with the rest of the workers, the low hum of conversations from various teams filling the air. The leaders from each group were exchanging words, but it was Parpatra, the leader of Dragon Hunt, who noticed Jaune's approach.