Chapter 416: A Land Prepared by Gods

The man scanned the growing murmur spreading through the crowd. He whispered something to the people beside him, then finally turned toward the people gathered below. Confusion and worry pulled at his expression.

“Look, it’s pretty clear some of you don’t understand anything about the New World. I need you to stay calm for what I’m about to explain. But if you think you’re getting on a plane… you’re mistaken,” he said, his voice steady.

The crowd reacted instantly, ready to argue again. Before the noise could swell back into chaos, the mage beside him lifted his staff and slammed its tip onto the roof. A sharp impact cracked through the air, followed by a wave of sound magic, deep and vibrating, unpleasant enough to rattle bone.

People flinched. Eyes widened. And just like that, even the angriest voices fell silent.

“Right,” the man continued once the quiet settled over them like a heavy blanket. “The New World is part of Earth, yes, but it’s far from the continents you know. There isn’t a plane in existence with enough fuel to cross that distance. And even if there were, it wouldn’t matter. The mana in the atmosphere here is so dense it corrodes anything technological. Nothing advanced can reach this region. The System won’t allow it.”

He patted down his pockets as if searching for his patience.

“And on top of that, there are extremely dangerous flying creatures in this part of the world. They own the skies. There are floating islands, airborne monsters. If a plane tried to come here, it’d be like one of those Bermuda Triangle legends. The System would force it back toward its origin, or make it fly in circles, or a giant bird would simply swallow it.”

That image dropped over the crowd like a bucket of ice water. No one seemed remotely prepared for what they were hearing.

“Ships?” someone asked nervously.

“Also not recommended,” the soldier replied at once. “The ocean between here and the known continents is home to colossal creatures that attack any vessel trying to reach this region. Krakens the size of mountains, leviathans, and things worse than that. Unless you’re unbelievably powerful, sailing isn’t an option.”

Luke stayed quiet, absorbing every word. But as the explanation sank in, a cold weight settled in his stomach. He had no idea how he was supposed to get back to Maine.

That realization sparked another wave of agitation. Voices rose sharply, irritation building on top of fear, and not even the noise magic could calm them this time. The tension edged toward breaking—

Until Judith, the woman Luke had met earlier, lifted her voice above the chaos.

“Teleportation!”

The single word cut through the crowd like a blade. The noise died almost instantly, hope flickering across dozens of faces.

“You’re going back to your home countries through teleportation,” Judith said. “It’ll be instant.”

And of course, someone shouted the question everyone was thinking:

“Then why didn’t the idiot say that earlier?!”

A burst of agreement followed, sharp and exasperated.

“Well… you all just went through a terrible teleportation experience, so I was trying to be considerate,” the Englishman replied, looking sheepish.

***

Everyone had been split among the many houses scattered throughout the place. And, strangely enough, there were houses for everyone. The settlement was huge, a military outpost built like a medieval village, with sturdy wooden homes, simple walls, and neat dirt paths. Yet, despite its size, it was practically empty. Only a small permanent group lived there. Every other house stood untouched and silent, as if waiting specifically for them.

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From what they had been told, this place hadn’t sprung up by chance. It had existed since the very beginning of the tutorial, nine years ago. The gods organized that place because they knew all the tutorial participants would come out together in that exact spot. And as the years went by, more and more houses were ordered to be built.

“Can you believe this?” Eleanor said, still marveling at the village around them.

They were gathered at a long, sturdy wooden table overflowing with food. It was supposed to be breakfast, but the spread looked more like a feast. Trays, deep bowls, large platters, and baskets were laid out in an organized chaos. The smell of fresh bread mixed with the aromas of meat, butter, fruit, and spices.

“I nearly had a heart attack when the Guide visited me,” Eleanor went on. “And then I woke up in a forest instead of my apartment in Washington. My first thought was that I’d somehow stayed stuck in the tutorial.”

Luke sat beside her, eating bacon and eggs, or trying to choose between that and the hamburger someone had placed near him, complete with a tiny American flag stuck on top. He grabbed the hamburger too. The organizers had prepared everything, though most of the food had come out of spatial chests. Outside, another enormous table held dishes from all around the world. Luke stuck to the comforting basics. Bacon, eggs, something familiar.