Maximilian was irritated, but he knew it was no use arguing with the system. He decided to leave this place first and figure out his next steps based on where—and into what kind of world—he would end up transmigrating.
He walked through a long white corridor with a ventilation system stretching along the ceiling, extending far into the horizon.
At the end of the corridor was a steel door, narrow enough for only one person to pass through. Looking at it, Maximilian was reminded of the back entrances of shops or restaurants—designed for staff to exit discreetly, not for guests or as a main entrance.
Maximilian opened the door, and cold air from the outside seeped into the tunnel. A short stairway leading to the upper level stood before him, but before he could take a step, a rumbling sound followed by an explosion echoed behind him. A red alert flashed, and emergency sirens blared.
"Warning... the secret base will self-destruct in 1 minute," an electronic voice announced through the base's speakers, the same base Maximilian had just exited.
Without hesitation, Maximilian raced up the stairway toward the upper level.
Less than a minute later, he emerged from the tunnel through a dilapidated wooden screen that concealed the entrance to the tunnel below.
A thunderous explosion erupted, destroying the base and causing the tunnel Maximilian had just exited to cave in. He turned back and saw that the stairway's entrance was now completely blocked by concrete, earth, and rocks of various sizes. Only the stairway itself remained untouched.
Maximilian surveyed his surroundings and realized he was in some kind of cemetery. The tunnel he had exited was connected to a small mausoleum, about the size of a hut. He slowly walked out of the cemetery, guided by the moonlight, toward the distant lights on the horizon—lights he found familiar.
Once he reached the street in front of the mausoleum, where the horizon glowed with light, he saw a sprawling metropolis below. The cemetery was situated on higher ground, offering a clear view of the city. The sight of the city below made him unconsciously hum a tune.
"Da dum dum da dum... Da dum dum da dum..."
[What are you? A killer robot from the future?] the system retorted.
"C'mon, don't be a party pooper, System. It's a man's romance!" Maximilian answered with a smirk, looking down at his chiseled muscles like the actor who played the killer robot in that memorable movie he'd watched in his past life.
[But you aren't ass naked.]
"It's better this way. I'm not an exhibitionist."
[Hmm... You seem happy. (¬‿¬)] The system mused. [I thought you'd be confused or wary in this new environment. You don't even know what kind of world you've ended up in.]
"Since I've decided to do everything for my own satisfaction, there's no use worrying too much. I see the city on the horizon—that's enough comfort for me." Maximilian replied.
[Okay... sorry to interrupt your good mood. But Host, I suggest you relocate quickly. The vibration from that explosion should have attracted a lot of attention.] the system warned.
"Thanks for the reminder," Maximilian said with a smile before blending into the darkness and retreating from the cemetery area.
— A few minutes after Maximilian retreated —
The sound of sirens blared from the horizon, growing louder as they approached. Several police cars screeched to a halt, and a group of officers quickly got out, taking up positions behind cover. A team was sent to check inside the cemetery.
After several minutes, the recon team returned, less vigilant as they hadn't found any threats inside the cemetery. The leader of the scout team walked over to one of the officers, who appeared to be their commanding officer.
The officer was Thomas Baker, the captain of the nearest police precinct to the cemetery in this metropolis.
"Sir! No threats detected, and the cemetery seems to be in order from the outside. However, we found a secret passage in one of the family mausoleums," the leader reported.
"A family mausoleum? Who does this mausoleum belong to?" Thomas asked.
"There's no sign or name on the mausoleum, sir. I think we'll need to consult the cemetery administrator to find out who it belongs to," said the recon team leader.
"I see... Take me to see that mausoleum, then."
"Yes, sir! Right this way." The recon leader then led the commanding officer to the mausoleum.
At the mausoleum, Thomas inspected the collapsed entrance of the secret tunnel. He ordered a team to conduct a preliminary check of the sealed entrance and determine if there were any leaks or biohazards inside.
After the team completed their check at the entrance, they reported back.
"Sir, there are no threats, leaks, or biohazards at the entrance. I believe an in-depth check deeper into the collapsed tunnel will reveal more," the threat assessment team reported.
Hearing the report, Thomas let out a long sigh.
"~Sigh... Why does this have to happen right before my vacation?" After wallowing in self-pity for a moment, Thomas stood up and clapped a few times, drawing his team's attention.
"Write me an in-depth report, ladies and gentlemen—preferably before our upcoming long vacation in four days. I'll sacrifice my vacation and submit the report to the governor's office," Thomas said.
"Yes! Our captain is the best!" The police and inspection team cheered, leaving Thomas to smile wryly.
On Maximilian's side, after retreating from the cemetery, he made his way down the cliff where the cemetery was located. He followed another beaten path through thick foliage and a steep descent down the cliff.
Once he reached the bottom, he looked back up at the path he had taken. In some parts, he had even needed to climb down like a mountain climber. But... he was surprisingly skilled at this, despite never having engaged in such activities in his previous life.
"It seems the 'Harsh Environment Survival Mastery' also includes experience traversing harsh environments," he muttered to himself.
[Yes, Blood Mongoose is the greatest black ops operator of this world, so it's normal that he knows things .] the system explained.
"And his soul is trapped within you? Who else is trapped within you other than him?" Maximilian asked curiously.
[That information is classified. You need to clear the first trial first.] the system replied.
"Tch..." Maximilian clicked his tongue before walking toward the nearest establishment.
Not far from the cemetery was a bar filled with shady-looking individuals. Maximilian noticed many eyes turning toward him as soon as he entered their line of sight. Some chuckled and pointed at him, while others laughed out loud, calling him a clown.
[Host, what are you trying to do?] the system asked.
Maximilian walked straight into the bar, ignoring the jeering and laughter from the crowd.
"Hey! Rome is on the other side of the globe! You've come to the wrong city! Hahaha!" one of the thugs mocked him.
"Hey! Clown! Which circus did you crawl out of!?" another thug jeered.
He ignored them and continued walking toward the counter—until he noticed a leg deliberately extended to block his path. The owner of the leg looked at him with a provoking smile, as if daring him to step over it.
Seeing this, Maximilian smiled. Then, without hesitation, he stomped down on the thug's knee with pinpoint accuracy, targeting the joint.
"Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggghhhh! My leg! My f*cking leg!!" The thug screamed, collapsing to the floor as his leg bent at an unnatural angle, bone protruding through the skin.
The thug's friends lunged at Maximilian, but he was already moving. The first attacker threw a wild punch, but Maximilian sidestepped, grabbing the man's wrist and twisting it into a brutal arm lock. With a sharp jerk, he dislocated the shoulder, sending the man crashing into a table.
The second thug swung a bottle, but Maximilian ducked under the blow and drove his elbow into the man's ribs. The thug gasped, doubling over, and Maximilian finished him with a knee to the face, shattering his nose.
The third attacker hesitated, but Maximilian didn't. He closed the distance in a flash, delivering a precise palm strike to the man's jaw. The impact forced the thug's teeth to clamp down on his tongue, and he stumbled back, blood pouring from his mouth.
"Auuuuuuuuuuughhhh!!"
Before the man could recover, Maximilian grabbed him by the collar and slammed his head into the bar counter. The thug crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Another group of thugs recovered from the initial shock and immediately rushed in, knives in hand, targeting Maximilian.
With a quick flick of his leg, Maximilian sent a bar stool flying into the air. He grabbed it and smashed it down on the first thug within range. The precise strike sent the man tumbling to the ground, his knife clattering out of his hand. Maximilian then hurled the stool at the thugs following behind and quickly scooped up the fallen knife with a smooth tumble across the floor.