A few hours later, Elias felt exhausted. He had managed to shift a small ball of dirt around the table. Leaving the mound as it was, he decided it was time for some rest.

After waking up early, Elias prepared himself for another journey. His gear had held up well, but he was concerned that the Viper might not last much longer. He remembered to check if he could order more Broadheads. With the current restrictions on offensive weaponry in the UK, he worried that acquiring new arrows would be challenging. Fortunately, he was able to purchase several online.

Heading into the garage, Elias got ready for his return to Aethoria.

Soon, his first week of back-and-forth travel between Aethoria came to a close. Throughout the week, he had learned a great deal. While traversing the forest, he had battled over twenty goblins and several larger creatures. Following Rusty's guidance, he practised extracting mana cores and trophies from the goblins. Although their bodies didn’t yield any useful parts aside from the cores, their left ears were often kept as trophies to signify kills.

Elias and Rusty discussed human territories and concluded that their best option was to head south after visiting the lake to the east. Historically, humans and other humanoid races had inhabited the southern coast.

While they hadn’t discovered any significant ruins, they did find evidence of past civilizations. On the third day, they stumbled upon what appeared to be a paved road. Although it was damaged and overgrown with vegetation, it was clear that many of the stones had been repurposed. Since this road was generally aligned with his intended direction, Elias decided to follow its path.

With a mana core in one hand, he practised spinning a nut up and down a threaded bolt as he walked. This exercise had proven effective in training his mana core during his time in Aethoria.

It became evident that training in Aethoria was significantly more advantageous for Elias; the ambient mana allowed him to recover more quickly, even when he wasn’t utilizing a goblin mana core.

Elias also clarified a few details that had been unclear to him. The time dilation was at 4 to 1. After spending a night in Aethoria, Elias was certain that it also had 24 hours in a day.

On the final day, Elias made an unexpected discovery while tracking a wounded Aetherhorn Buck. As he reached for his spear, he slipped and, instead of the weapon landing in his hand, it shot out ahead of him as he fell to the ground.

Once he retrieved his spear, Elias practised the technique of storing and summoning it, quickly mastering what had initially happened by accident. If executed correctly, he could easily project the spear from storage with just a simple gesture. The spear would fly with a force comparable to what he would achieve by throwing it with all his strength in a conventional manner.

“Are we ready to head home?” Elias called out to Rusty as he gazed at the lake before him.

In the distance, a stunning expanse of blue stretched out, marking the endpoint of the journey they had taken over the past few days. Elias and Rusty had agreed to return once they reached the lake, and Elias was eager to see if he could arrange for a boat to help him explore its waters.

“All clear!” Rusty chirped, landing swiftly on Elias' shoulder. Without a moment's hesitation, they vanished with a “Blip,” returning home.

Over the past week, Elias had refined his return routine. He had cleared out the garage, removing all unnecessary clutter to create a dedicated space for his explorations. Realizing that goblin blood was notoriously difficult to wash out, Elias invested in a second washing machine specifically for his exploration gear, which found its place in one corner. He also set up several lines to dry his gear and installed benches for repairing any damaged equipment.

In the centre of the garage, Elias fashioned a small “magic training arena”—essentially a glorified sandpit. In this little space, he practised moving stones, gold, and trinkets while experimenting with separating water and conjuring flames.

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Over the past week, the Amazon postal service had been delivering nonstop. Elias has purchased New boots and a better pair of pants, his previous walking pants had lasted only a few days, after an unfortunate battle with some Spider Monkeys Elais had been forced to return home with his ass out for all to see. Alongside the boots and pants, Elias had invested in a semi-modern Military plate carrier. With his ability to store pretty much everything in his ring, Elias didn't need additional storage, he was more worried about receiving a piercing attack to his chest so carrying a plate carrier was reasonable. Within the time they had both been in Aethoria, the days had been warm and the evenings chilly but not overly cold, it had rained a few times so Elais was trying to make his exploration kit comfortable and practical.

Stepping out of the shower, Elias stood in front of the mirror once more. This week had been beneficial for him; the gains from his first battle had settled nicely. He resembled a fit man in his late 40s or early 50s, with his skin regaining its elasticity and noticeable muscle definition. The exercise from walking up and down the hills and trekking through the forest had significantly improved his stamina.

As he flexed in front of the mirror, his phone vibrated. Bzz Bzz.

Checking the caller ID, Elias smiled before picking up the call

“Hey, Gav! How’s it going?” Elias was pleased to see his best mate calling

“Not too bad, mate,” came the reply from the other end. “How about joining us for a pint tomorrow? It’s been a few weeks since we last saw you.”

“Yeah, sure! Do you want to meet at The Ribton?” Elias replied, It had been a while since they last caught up,

“See you there around 8, mate,” Gavin said before abruptly hanging up the phone.

This provided Elias with ample time to search for a boat that would take him to Aethoria. It was late Saturday morning, and he felt a surge of urgency. With a clear plan to explore the marina, he quickly got dressed and stepped out of his home, making his way into town.

The coastal town had experienced a considerable transformation over the decades. Once a struggling area plagued by socio-economic challenges, it faced even greater hardships during the upheavals in the South throughout the 2030s. However, the North benefited from this turmoil, attracting wealthier families seeking refuge and a fresh start away from the chaos.

However, along with wealth came new challenges. Presently, the town was grappling with a small gang problem that had begun to surface. Elias had been cautious to steer clear of these troublemakers. With their sticky fingers and a tendency for drug-fueled violence, it was wise to maintain his distance.

With Rusty leading the way, Elias confidently walked down the street. Before long, he reached the heart of the marina. Over the past week, Elias had discovered an intriguing aspect of his abilities: although he needed to physically touch an item to store it in his ring storage, he could also transfer items through another object. He had practised storing monsters and beasts using his spear as a conduit.

During his training this week, he also learned how to check and categorize the items he stored. For instance, when he stored a goblin brave, he could quickly place the corpse into the goblin pile, while any weapons, clothing, or pouches could be stored individually in their respective folders

As Elias strolled down the street, he amused himself by brushing his fingers against the parked cars he passed. In an instant, his ring delved into his subconscious, revealing glimpses of the vehicles' interiors, and assessing whether they required storage. It was a playful little game, a way to peek into the lives of strangers.

Turning a corner, Elias encountered a gang of five delinquents loitering outside a shop, their presence blocking the path ahead. Opting to avoid confrontation with these unsavoury characters, he stepped onto the road and manoeuvred around a van that seemed to belong to them.

As he quickly touched the van, Elias was taken aback by what he discovered inside: hundreds of vials of a synthetic drug called Hyper, stacked alongside a cache of cryptocurrency cards and a small arsenal of weapons. Among them were several handguns and two Eastern European carbine-style rifles, all waiting in the shadows.

Elias quickly manoeuvred to a vantage point where he could observe the scene unfolding before him. This fleeting glimpse into the local underworld sparked an idea; his crossbow wouldn’t suffice for long in Aethoria. While the broadheads were effective against smaller prey, they were prone to getting lost or damaged when faced with larger beasts or monsters. Although his spear remained his most reliable weapon, he had discovered that “firing” it from storage came with its own limitations—once thrown, he would need to retrieve it.

If he could execute a tactical “Strategic Transfer of Equipment to Alternate Location” strategy and acquire the weapons from these thugs, his options would expand significantly. Additionally, possessing an untraceable cryptocurrency card would enable him to purchase essential supplies for whatever challenges lay ahead.