Epilogue. Emma: The search begins

In the northern region of Dumaria, where the air was crisp and cold and the sands were white and made of snow, a single figure trudged through the brush, away from the dead, medium-sized snow dragon lying behind her.

“Mission completed successfully,” the male voice of her AI companion said. “You’ve received multiple upgrades from slaying the beast. Would you like to take a look at your stats, Miss?”

“Maybe later, Richard,” she replied, wisps of frosted air pushing out of her mouth as she spoke.

She trudged through the frozen landscape in her suit of armor, a slim, blue, high-tech set that seemed to cling to every curve of her already attractive body. She had short blonde hair and striking blue eyes as bright as the ocean. A single giant sword rested on her back.

“Let’s just get back to town and tell the mayor we’ve taken care of his little dragon problem,” she said. “We only have four months before the demon gates begin to open. I need to go find him.”

“Understood, Miss Emma,” her AI assistant replied. “And about that, I think I might finally have something.”

The girl suddenly stopped in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat. She couldn't believe what her AI companion had just said to her.

“Richard?” she called in a soft tone. “Show me what you have.”

An orange menu screen suddenly appeared in the center of her vision, displaying a map of the Suthan region of Dumaria. There was a small white dot on the map, pointing at a location called Templa. Was this where he was? The girl wondered. After weeks of searching, had she finally found him?

“Scans indicate a level two-hundred monster has risen at this location; it appears to be the result of an external trigger,” Richard said.

“So, what are you saying?” Emma asked. “Something woke the creature up prematurely?”

“Yes, Miss Emma,” Richard replied. “And I would strongly advise we check it out. We don’t have to engage the monster; just observe from a distance.”

Although Emma herself was only at level eighty, she was still not in any position to take on a level two-hundred boss on her own. That’s why she was looking for him. She had been able to survive by herself since she’d arrived in this world, but the monsters were getting stronger, and she needed someone, a partner, she could fight alongside to keep the people of this world safe.

Also, it was Hunter she was looking for. She missed him. She had loved him ever since they were kids. She couldn't believe she had forgotten him when she woke up in the snow and couldn't remember anything. But as soon as her memories came back, she knew she had to find him no matter what.

“Okay, Richard,” she said as she resumed trudging through the snow with a slight smile on her face. “Let’s deliver the news about the dragon’s death, then go find him.”

...

End of Volume One.