Chapter 25: The Elder Who
Silence filled the wooden hall. Aren’s heartbeat quickened, the old man’s words echoing repeatedly in his mind. *The Civilization Legacy System has finally chosen another successor.*
No one — not even Doran or Lira — knew about the System. Yet this old man had spoken its name without hesitation.
Jarek stepped forward instinctively. "What did you just say?"
The old elder smiled but didn’t answer. Instead he looked directly at Aren. "It has been many years. I wondered if another successor would ever appear."
Aren stayed calm despite the shock. "You know about the System?"
The elder nodded slowly. "I know... of it. There is an important difference."
---
The old man gestured toward the empty seats around the wooden table. "Please. You have traveled far. You deserve rest before answers."
Although cautious, Aren accepted, and the others followed. Moments later, several young villagers entered the hall carrying wooden bowls of warm stew, roasted roots, fresh fruit, and clean spring water.
Lira looked surprised. "They’re sharing their food with strangers."
The elder chuckled. "A guest who arrives peacefully deserves hospitality. Our ancestors taught us that long ago."
Doran lowered his head slightly. "Your people honor old traditions."
"They kept us alive," the elder replied.
---
After everyone had eaten, the elder spoke again.
"My name is Elder Sen. I have guided the Greenleaf Tribe for thirty-eight winters." He looked toward the open window, where children ran across rope bridges between the giant trees. "My people believe knowledge is more valuable than gold. We hunt only what we need. We take only what the forest can give."
Aren listened quietly. Their way of life was different from his village — not weaker, simply wiser in some ways.
---
Elder Sen reached beneath the wooden table and placed an old stone tablet before Aren. Its surface was covered with symbols unlike any writing Aren had ever seen. The moment he looked at it, the Civilization Legacy System reacted.
[Ancient Record Detected]
```text
══════════════════════
Ancient Archive
Condition:
Fragmented
Translation...
Unavailable
Synchronization Required
26%
══════════════════════
```
Aren’s eyes narrowed. The elder noticed his reaction.
"You can see it." It wasn’t a question. It was certainty.
Aren nodded slowly. "I can."
Doran, Jarek, and Lira exchanged confused looks. "See what?" Jarek asked.
"...Nothing," Aren said. The blue screen existed only for him.
---
Elder Sen folded his hands. "My grandfather once told me a story, passed down for countless generations." He looked toward the ancient tablet. "It speaks of the Keepers. People chosen by the Legacy. Not to conquer. Not to rule. But to rebuild."
A chill ran through Aren’s body. The words sounded strangely familiar, almost as if he’d heard them before.
---
The elder continued. "Our ancestors believed the world was once united. There were great cities. Roads of stone. Bridges that crossed impossible rivers. Knowledge beyond imagination." His voice grew quieter. "Then everything disappeared. No one remembers why. Only fragments remain." He gently touched the tablet. "We became tribes. The world forgot itself."
---
Aren’s thoughts raced. Everything matched the visions he’d experienced — the ruined city, the ancient roads, the memories that weren’t truly his. Could the System really be restoring humanity’s forgotten past?
Before he could ask another question, a loud horn echoed outside. Once. Twice. Three times. Every villager stopped what they were doing. The peaceful atmosphere vanished instantly.
A young warrior rushed into the hall. "Elder! Scouts have returned! They’ve seen smoke in the eastern valley!"
Another guard followed close behind. "It isn’t a forest fire. It’s an army."
Silence filled the hall.
Elder Sen stood slowly. "How many?"
The guard swallowed. "At least... one hundred warriors."
Doran’s expression hardened. "One hundred? That’s enough to wipe out several tribes."
Jarek gripped his spear tightly. "Who are they?"
The young guard answered, voice trembling. "The Black Fang Tribe."
The moment those words were spoken, the Civilization Legacy System flashed.
[Main Quest Updated]
```text
══════════════════════
The First Alliance
Objective:
Prevent the destruction of the Greenleaf Tribe.
Optional Objective:
Form Humanity’s First Alliance.
Reward:
???
Failure:
A civilization will disappear.
══════════════════════
```
Aren slowly closed the System window. He had come searching for answers. Instead, he had arrived just as another war was about to begin.
End of Chapter 25