Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

William's mind raced. He had no idea who those figures were or why they sought him, but their threat was clear. They were sending scouts to hunt him down. He considered his options, his heart pounding against his ribs like a trapped bird.

'What kind of scouts?' he wondered, his gaze sweeping the desolate landscape. The demonic sword's words echoed in his mind. 'Necromancers...'

He recalled the grotesque forms of the zombies he had slain, their unnatural movements, their vacant eyes. A chilling realization dawned on him.

'Could the zombies be their scouts?' he thought, a shiver running down his spine. 'They were the only monsters I faced, and I didn't see anyone else...'

The best explanation he could find was that the scouts were the zombies, or the hand that had pulled him into the water, but zombies were more likely. He had to avoid them and any other creatures that might come his way. But how?

Still afraid that necromancers or other monsters might appear while he slept, William took a while to fall asleep again. He woke up early in the morning, hoping to avoid any scouts the necromancers might send.

The first thing he did was destroy everything to cover his tracks, and then he left the cave and went into the forest. His priorities were finding food, avoiding undead monsters, and finding a flying beast to tame. Continue your adventure at empire

William knew that flying beasts often lived in the mountains, and there were many mountains around him.

"I should get some food first, and then climb the mountains again," he murmured.

The best source of food William could think of was fish. Without a bow, and with the chance of encountering scouts in the forest, fishing seemed to be the safest option. But the hand that had pulled him into the water still worried him, so William decided to fish somewhere else.

He followed the river, always looking around, trying to spot monsters before they got to him. Eventually, he found a waterfall, where he saw fish jumping out of the water. It was the perfect spot to catch them without a fishing rod. All he had to do was wait until they jumped and grab them with his hand.

William, with his enhanced strength and agility, made quick work of the fish. He expertly gutted and cleaned it, the sharp scales glinting in the morning light.

The fish, though not the most appetizing meal, would sustain him. He grimaced as he tucked the slippery carcass into his pockets, the fishy odor clinging to his fingers. It was a small price to pay for survival.

He would wash his clothes later, once he found a suitable water source. For now, food was his priority.

William surveyed the landscape, his gaze sweeping across the jagged peaks and snow-dusted slopes. Each mountain held the promise of a hidden lair, a potential sanctuary for a flying beast. He considered his options, his mind sharp despite the hunger gnawing at his stomach.

'Trees for shade, a cave for shelter...' He narrowed his eyes, focusing on a mountain that seemed to fit the criteria. Its lower slopes were cloaked in a thick forest, while its upper reaches were a jagged expanse of rock and ice, riddled with potential caves.

With a determined glint in his eyes, William set off, his footsteps crunching in the fresh snow. The climb was arduous, the wind whipping at his exposed skin, the cold seeping into his bones. But he pressed on.

The aftermath of the snowstorm transformed the mountain into a treacherous labyrinth of ice and snow. Each step was a battle against the elements, the biting wind stealing his breath, the treacherous footing threatening to send him tumbling into the abyss.

Even with his enhanced abilities, William felt his strength waning, his body shivering with exhaustion and hunger. He paused midway up the slope, leaning against a sturdy pine for support, his lungs burning, his muscles screaming for respite.

From his vantage point, he spotted movement at the base of the mountain. A horde of undead creatures – zombies, skeletons, and grotesque wolf-like figures – scoured the area, their movements purposeful, their forms a chilling reminder of the necromancer's presence.

William's heart pounded. 'They know I'm here,' he realized, a wave of fear washing over him. 'But they can't reach me', he reassured himself, clinging to a sliver of hope.

The terrain was treacherous, the climb demanding even for someone with his enhanced abilities.

Those decaying creatures wouldn't stand a chance. He was safe, for now. But the respite was temporary. He needed to reach the summit, find the flying beast, and escape this cursed land before the necromancers found a way to reach him.

He stumbled towards the summit, his legs burning, his lungs aching. The world narrowed to a blur of snow and ice, his vision tunneling as exhaustion threatened to consume him. But he pushed on, driven by a desperate need to escape. Finally, he crested the peak, collapsing onto the frozen ground, gasping for breath.

He lay there for a moment, his chest heaving, his body trembling with fatigue. He needed food, rest, a moment to gather his strength. His gaze swept across the summit, taking in the jagged peaks and the vast expanse of snow-covered wilderness.

A pristine lake, its surface shimmering like a sapphire mirror, nestled amongst the rocks. 'Perfect,' he thought. 'A source of water, a potential hunting ground... This must be where the flying beast makes its home.'

But his hopes were dashed by a distant roar, a chilling sound that echoed through the mountains. He looked up to see a horrifying sight. A griffin, its feathers matted and decayed, its eyes glowing with an eerie green light, circled overhead. And upon its back, the cloaked figure of the necromancer, their skeletal face grinning triumphantly.

"Fuck!" William cursed, scrambling to his feet. He had underestimated his pursuers.

They had aerial capabilities, their reach extending beyond the limitations of the ground. Panic surged through him, but he quickly regained his composure.

He needed to hide, to find a place to regroup and plan his next move. His eyes fell upon a cave, its dark maw gaping open like a hungry beast. He sprinted towards it, his heart pounding, the griffin's shadow looming over him.

The cave's maw yawned before him, a dark abyss promising both refuge and potential danger. William hesitated for a fleeting moment, weighing the risks. Remaining exposed on the mountaintop was a death sentence, the necromancer's undead griffin circling overhead like a predator stalking its prey. The cave, despite its unknown depths, offered a sliver of hope, a chance to regroup and evade his pursuers.

He plunged into the darkness, his senses heightened, his sword gripped tightly in his hand. The air grew heavy, the silence pressing down on him like a physical weight. The stench of decay and damp earth filled his nostrils, and his footsteps echoed in the cavernous space.

The tunnel opened into a vast chamber, its ceiling lost in the shadows. A subterranean lake, its surface eerily still, shimmered in the faint light filtering through a crack in the ceiling. The sight was both beautiful and unsettling, a reminder of the unnatural forces at play in this desolate land.

And then he saw it. A small cabin, nestled against the far wall, its wooden frame warped and weathered, its windows dark and lifeless.

'A cabin?' William thought, his brow furrowing in confusion. Who would build a dwelling in such a remote and inhospitable place?