The cloudless sky signified good weather, with the sound of birds chirping in harmony as if they were singing worship to Gaia, the goddess of life. Paired with the gentle breeze making the grasses and trees dance, it seemed as though they were celebrating Elyan's first adventure. Small animals scurried to hide from the adventurers, while others simply ignored them as they walked past.

For 30 minutes, the walk was quiet as they enjoyed the beauty of nature. Meanwhile, Elyan glanced left and right, unable to help but look around at everything that moved and stayed still. "What's wrong, Elyan? Is this your first time going out of the village?" asked the woman who noticed Elyan's behavior.

Just before Elyan could answer, the leader of the group joined the conversation. "You see, Shalia, in Eldergrove, we have an ironclad rule for children. One of the rules is that they are not allowed to take a single step outside the village unless they have a skill that allows them to protect themselves. If they don't have even a simple skill such as [Stone Skin] or [Quick Feet] to help them escape danger, they must remain inside the village. Even with that said, most adults in Eldergrove still forbid children from going outside the village, with or without skills. That is why our little companion here has this kind of reaction to the outside world."

Elyan was surprised by the leader's knowledge. Seeing Elyan's wide eyes, the leader continued, anticipating his thoughts. "Ah, I guess you didn't know. I left the village long before you were there. I am from Eldergrove too. My name is Darius Blackwood, son of Garret Blackwood. You can call me Brother Darius; we are from the same village after all."

Elyan's eyes widened further, now paired with a dropped jaw in disbelief. "You are the son of Uncle Garret, the hunter?" Elyan exclaimed, his eyes sparkling.

"Hahahaha, so Uncle Garret, huh? I forgot how close the people of Eldergrove are to each other," Darius let out a laugh. Elyan enthusiastically shared stories of Garret as they continued their walk, filling in the gaps of Garret's life that Darius had missed since becoming an adventurer.

"Brother Darius, why do you say [Skill] instead of blessing? Aren't kids like me not allowed to go out because we don't have a blessing yet?" Elyan asked after exhausting all his stories about Garret.

"Hmm? The answer to your second question is because a kid is a kid, and the dangers outside the village are unpredictable. To make things easier, the adults banned all children from wandering outside regardless of their skills. As for the first question, skills and blessings are two different things. You can have multiple skills but only one blessing. Although there are rumors out there about people with multiple blessings," explained Darius, watching Elyan to see if he understood.

"But how do we know if we have any skills without the system? We only receive it at the age of 12, right?" replied Elyan.

"Hah! I guess we got a good one here. There are several categories of skills, and one of them is a passive skill, which is always active or activated under certain conditions. Simple skills such as [Stone Skin] or [Quick Feet] tend to have very obvious effects. You can see their skin change to look like stone, or they move faster than normal children, and their feet seem to blur when moving.

This might sound logical, but believe me when I say that most people are unaware of this. Adults in Eldergrove observe their children more than any adults in the whole world. So they can tell what skills their children have even before they turn 12," answered Darius while flexing and activating [Stone Skin]. His skin started to look slightly jagged and grayish. He then knocked on his left hand with his right hand, like knocking on a door.

"Woah, that sounds like rock clacking!"

"Hahahaha. Now, why don't we take a look at your skills, Elyan?" Darius then deactivated the [Stone Skin] skill, and his skin started to regain its tanned color. "Alright, but it looks weird, and I can't read what is written there. To be honest, I have not checked it since then. Err, let's see, Unveil Systema?" Elyan was not confident in how to call upon the system since he had only seen it done by adults.

A circle of sparks flickered in front of Elyan, and a bright rectangle appeared, displaying details.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"SYSTEM

Name: Elyan ####

Status: "Forsaken" (Fortune's favor eludes you), Novice Guardian Shield Charm (It protects you)

Blessing: 813$5i^& 0f @!!

Strength: 8

Agility: 10

Intelligence: 12

Endurance: 20

Skills:

• [Keen Senses] (F),

• [Enhanced Reflexes] (E),

• [Indomitable Spirit] (E),

• [Knife Mastery] (F)"

"Woah kid, those are some impressive skills. You know what? Let's make our stop here. Rowan, teach the kid how to hunt and skin the animal. Brannor, you can teach him how to cook afterward," Darius quickly ordered his party members, amazed by Elyan's skill set, eager to see how fast and how much Elyan could learn in a short time.

"Listen, kid. I don't know the meaning of your blessing, but what I see here is the potential for you to be an adventurer. So, take this opportunity to learn as much as you can from Rowan and Brannor. Rowan, Brannor, introduce yourselves properly to this future adventurer."

After hearing Darius's remarks about the possibility of becoming an adventurer in the future, Elyan couldn't contain his happiness; his face lit up, and his smile grew so wide it seemed to take up his whole face. A young man approached him with a friendly smile. His sandy hair fell in loose waves around his face, and he carried a bow slung over his shoulder with a quiver of arrows at his side. "I am Rowan Eldridge, just call me Rowan. As you can see, I am 17 years old this year, which is not much older than you, so you can relax around me as you learn how to hunt."

A burly man with a thick beard and broad chest approached Elyan, adjusting his heavy pack. His muscular frame and the array of weapons he carried marked him as the muscle of the group. "The name is Brannor Stonefist. You can call me Brannor. Once you manage to hunt a game or two, I will teach you how to prepare the meat and how to store it."

"I will do my best! Brother Rowan! Brother Brannor!" replied Elyan, excited to start his first lesson.

"Right, let's put our stuff here first and bring only what we need," said Rowan while putting down his backpack. Elyan then followed suit, placing his backpack next to Rowan's and bringing only his short sword. Meanwhile, Rowan made a quick check on his bow and arrows.

"Ready?" Rowan asked, glancing at Elyan with a reassuring smile.

"Lead the way," Elyan responded, his voice showing eagerness and determination.

Rowan led Elyan into the dense forest surrounding the village. The towering trees cast long shadows over the forest floor, and the air was filled with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant animal calls. Rowan moved ahead of Elyan, his keen eyes scanning for any signs of movement.

"Stay close and watch your step," he advised, his voice barely above a whisper. "The forest can be unpredictable, and we don't want any surprises."

Elyan nodded, following his lead. He marveled at Rowan's grace and agility as he moved silently through the underbrush. As they walked, Rowan slowed down to check on Elyan.

"First time in the wild?" Rowan asked, his tone friendly.

"Yeah," Elyan admitted. "I've always been curious about the forest, but I never had a chance to explore it."

"You'll get used to it," Rowan said encouragingly. "Just keep your eyes open and trust your instincts. And if you ever feel lost or unsure, just remember I'm here to help."

They continued deeper into the forest until they reached a small clearing. Rowan motioned for him to stop and crouch down. "This looks like a good spot to start our hunt," he whispered. "Elyan, let's approach slowly."

Elyan's heart pounded like it was trying to escape from his chest. He watched as Rowan scanned the surroundings with a practiced eye.

"First lesson," Rowan began, his voice low. "Always be aware of your surroundings. Listen to the sounds of the forest. Look for tracks and signs of animals. Patience is key."

Elyan nodded, trying to absorb every word. He followed Rowan's lead, moving slowly and carefully through the underbrush. After what felt like an eternity, Rowan suddenly stopped and pointed to a set of tracks on the ground.

"A resa," he whispered. "Fresh tracks. Stay quiet and follow my lead."

They followed the tracks, moving stealthily through the forest. Elyan's heart pounded in his chest as he strained to see any sign of the resa. Finally, they reached a small stream, and there, grazing on the other side, was a majestic resa. It stood tall and proud, its sleek body adorned with a coat of silver-blue fur that shimmered like moonlit water. From its head sprouted antlers that arced gracefully, adorned with glowing runes that pulsed softly with mysterious light. These runes seemed to whisper ancient secrets of the wilds to those who dared to listen.

The resa moved with fluid grace, its hooves barely touching the forest floor as it navigated through dense thickets and tangled underbrush.

Rowan motioned for Elyan to stay low. "Watch and learn." He slowly nocked an arrow and drew his bow. Elyan watched in awe as Rowan took aim, his movements smooth and precise. With a quiet twang, the arrow flew through the air and struck the resa, bringing it down instantly.

"Quickly now," Rowan instructed. They crossed the stream and approached the fallen resa. Elyan felt a rush of excitement and reverence as he looked at the creature.

"Good shot," Elyan whispered, his voice filled with admiration.

"Thank you," Rowan replied, a proud smile on his face. "Now, let me show you how to dress the meat."