you need the portal, a few jumps maybe
the base area has the lowest level enemies
Ashen camp is the place you find the weakest enemies, fight over there first, and once you get a sword from there, then think about starting to fight in other areas. To unlock your first combat encounters, explore the Ashen Camp for the first zone, then explore the other areas, and once you are at a high enough combat level (Decided by your equipment rating and stats), you will unlock the new combat zone