Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of Hikaru’s room, signaling the start of a fresh day. After about a week of constantly being alert, the comfort of his room felt like a rare luxury. As Hikaru lay on his bed, he smiled with satisfaction as the events of the past few days replayed in his mind—goblin encounters, Masaki’s hand restoration, and his unexpected meeting with Ishihara Sadao. He stretched lazily, savoring the peace and quiet. But even in this tranquil moment, he knew he couldn't relax for too long. There were still many challenges ahead. With a deep breath, Hikaru sat up and prepared to face the new day, ready to tackle whatever came next.

He completed his morning routine and then trained with Lydia in the training hall. He realized that by focusing too much on learning illusion magic, he had neglected his physical training, causing his strength attribute to decrease. So he decided that he would incorporate physical training into his daily routine.

Next, he took the mana scrolls he had bought in the high elf settlement to a large nearby magic specialty shop, intending to sell them. Just as he was about to seal the deal and enjoy a hefty profit, the shopkeeper surprised him with an enticing offer. Instead of paying him, she offered Hikaru a discounted price on a spell that could be used in conjunction with the scroll to create a photograph. Specifically, she presented him with a level 2 illusion magic soulstone containing the Project Image spell, along with a book that detailed the spell’s magic diagram.

‘Well, this is a good opportunity to expedite the learning process of illusion magic. Having mastered level 1 illusion magic, the soulstone and the accompanying book can help accelerate my progress in mastering more advanced illusion magic,’ Hikaru thought to himself.

In the end, Hikaru sold seven of the scrolls, pocketing the remaining three for his own future use. Besides the soulstone and the book, he also bought a Spring Board, recognizing its convenience for long journeys. This transaction depleted all his Eden Beads and even dipped into his coin stash, leaving him with just three gold and ninety silver coins.

‘Looks like I need to start taking adventure missions to generate income before all my funds are depleted,’ Hikaru thought to himself.

After finishing his transaction, Hikaru visited the Ace Society Headquarters to inquire about the registration procedure. To his dismay, he discovered that he needed to pay 30 gold coins for the test to become a bronze-rank fighter-type paragon, which they claimed was equivalent to a B-rank adventurer. So Hikaru decided to postpone his membership for now and went back to the Purple Walnut.

The Purple Walnut buzzed with its usual activity. Hikaru greeted Loyd and mentioned he would be meditating. Then he retreated to his room and settled into a meditative position, beginning the intricate process of switching in the Level 2 Illusion Magic soulstone he had just bought. To his delight, the process took just over two hours, a marked improvement thanks to his increased intelligence attribute. Afterward, Hikaru continued meditating to examine his stats.

Name : Kaya Hikaru

Cell Regen Rate : Moderate

Age : 18 years

Lifespan : 395 /400 years

Race : Human Lord

Sub-race : Bamborean

Soul Space : 20 Vose

Sacred Essence : 8.1 /8.1 Vose

Chi : 118k /118k

Chi Regen : 19.67 chi /minute

Mana : 170k /170k

Mana Regen : 4.72 mana /second

Attributes:

Str: 46 (16); Def: 36 (16); Int: 107 (24); Wits: 68 (24)

Affinities:

Fire: 64 (20); Water: 20 (20); Earth: 20 (20); Wind: 20 (20)

Resistances:

Heat: 3%; Cold: 3%; Electricity: 3%; Poison: 9%.

Traits & Talents & Imprints: Amun-Ra Elemental Sovereign Bloodline (trait)

Existential Essence composition:

11.9 Vose (11 Vose of Skill Anima + 0.9 Vose of Incomplete Skill Anima)

Fire Sovereign (Innate Skill/L1-L2): Phoenix Spiritual Booster (passive/L1), Phoenix Wings (active/L1), Fiery Breath (active/L2), Blazing Assault (active/L2)

Fire Sovereign (Innate Skill/L3-L4/locked): at least 200 points of fire affinity.

Neutral Magic (Solo Skill/L1-L2): Mana Control (active/L1), Magnifying Glass (active/L1), Mana Modulation (active/L2), Kudu Shrimp's Vision Mimicry (active/L2)

Body Arts (Solo Skill/L1): Body Fortification (active/L1), Chi Control (passive/L1)

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Leg Arts (Solo Skill/L1): Leg Chi (active/L1)

Fire Magic (Solo Skill/L1): Fireball (active/L1)

Illusion Magic (Solo Skill/L1-L2): Sleepy Touch (active/L1)

* Project Image (active/L2): This spell allows the user to project whatever is reflected in their retina and relay it through the use of one’s mana. For this spell to work, the user needs to alter their mana into a special type of mana particle that can expand and have color.

Status Effects: Irregular Soul, Extremely Severe Bloodline Regression

Once he finished his meditation, Hikaru immersed himself in memorizing the magic diagram from his newly acquired book. Initially, his attempts to cast the spell were thwarted by imperfect visualization. However, after about two hours of relentless practice, he finally succeeded. The spell worked brilliantly, reflecting the image from his retina and projecting it through shimmering mana in a spectrum of colors. As the mana slowly dissipated, the vibrant image gradually faded away. Eager to test the mana scroll, Hikaru cast the spell again, this time using the scroll to capture the image projection. The result was flawless, with the scroll permanently displaying the image from his retina with the clarity of a high-resolution photo.

Hikaru finished his practice session by doing another meditation to replenish his mana reserve. Since long meditations were common, Loyd refrained from interrupting him. Hikaru was so absorbed in practicing his new spell that he missed lunch and only emerged from his room in the evening.

As he emerged from his room, the shop was already closed. Loyd was preparing dinner, while Lydia was seating on her seat on the dining table.

Lydia glanced up as Hikaru descended the stairs and entered the room, offering him a warm smile. “Hey there, Hikaru! Ready for dinner?” she asked cheerfully.

Hikaru stretched, feeling the effects of his long meditation. “Absolutely. I could eat a horse,” he replied with a grin.

Loyd glanced over from the stove, where he was finishing up the meal. “I hope you like stew. It’s not horse, but it’s hearty enough.”

Hikaru chuckled as he took a seat at the dining table. “Stew sounds perfect. Thanks, Loyd.”

“So, how did your day go? What’s with the long meditation?” Lydia asked, curious.

“Well, I planned to sell the mana scrolls and earn some profit, but the shopkeeper offered a nice deal for an Illusion Magic soulstone with the Project Image spell. So I ended up buying it and switching in the skill anima.” Hikaru replied.

Lydia’s eyes widened with interest. “That’s fantastic! You’ll have to show us the spell sometime.”

Loyd brought the pot of stew to the table and began serving. “Well, I’m glad to hear it. But for now, let’s focus on getting some food in you. You’ve been at it all day.”

Hikaru smiled, appreciating the support. “Sounds like a plan. Thanks, both of you.”

As they started eating, the conversation flowed easily. Hikaru thought to himself, ‘Both Loyd and Lydia have been good to me lately. Before, I was afraid to ask about my stuff that was confiscated by the military after I got detained, but now...’

“Lydia, if you don’t mind me asking, do you know what happened to my things that were taken after the military raided Kaito’s hideout?” Hikaru asked.

“Oooh, about that,” Lydia replied. “I actually already asked the people in charge. Unfortunately, your stuff, along with the other detainees’ belongings, has been given to the Elvira side as a gesture of goodwill. Is there anything important that you need? I can ask them if you want!”

“No, don’t worry about it. I was just curious... Hahaha,” Hikaru said.

‘Those items are mementos from the former Hikaru’s late parents, so they have sentimental value. But they aren’t important enough for me to ask her to retrieve them from the enemy! What's important now is raising funds. I need to bring her along on adventure missions as promised,’ Hikaru thought to himself.

“Lydia, you mentioned you've completed all your tasks. What have you been up to lately?” Hikaru inquired.

“Lydia’s a training maniac. She probably continued her training even after her morning session with you,” Loyd interjected.

“Yes, Loyd's right. I trained all morning. Why do you ask?” Lydia questioned.

“Well, after buying the soulstone, I’m currently low on funds. I planned to take on some adventure missions. What do you think? Can I take on some adventure missions?” Hikaru proposed.

“You know, if you’re low on funds, I can always give you some. However, if you still want to do adventure missions, I won’t stop you. Just remember our agreement and bring me along with you!” Lydia reminded him.

“Thanks for the offer, Lydia. I appreciate it, but I want to be independent, so I prefer taking on adventure missions instead of a handout. And don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten our agreement. You’re definitely coming with me!” Hikaru assured her with a confident smile.

“You know, if your goal is to make money, registering under my adventurer card might be more profitable since I’m already a C-rank adventurer,” Lydia suggested.

“Oooh, that reminds me,” Hikaru said. “If we form a party, can I register for the same mission to advance my adventurer rank quicker?”

“No, you can’t,” Loyd explained. “Adventure missions are designed for solo completion, which is why parties usually consist of adventurers with the same rank. They rotate who registers for each mission, ensuring everyone gets a chance to advance their rank.”

“Hmmm, in that case, I think I’ll stick to D-rank missions. Sorry, Lydia, I know you’ll be joining me, but I really want to work on advancing my own rank,” Hikaru decided.

“No, you don’t need to be sorry. I don’t plan to advance my adventurer rank in the first place, knowing how difficult B-rank missions are,” Lydia said. “By the way, do you want to hire porters, considering our party only consists of the two of us?”

“Hmmm, but they might slow us down. Perhaps we could take missions that don't involve carrying heavy loads?” Hikaru said.

“That's only doable if you’re tackling a C-rank mission or above, as many of them involve hunting down monsters and obtaining their Monster Cores. As opposed to D-rank missions, which usually involve obtaining a certain beast parts.” Loyd explained.

“Hmm, isn’t there a mission involving skeleton soldier bones, or something similar, they probably wouldn’t weigh much?” Hikaru asked.

“What do you mean by skeleton soldiers?” Lydia inquired.

Hikaru then elaborated on the concept of undead skeletons from Earth and all their variations, which only served to confuse them further. “That sounds like pure fantasy. How could a skeleton without a brain think? Without eyes, how could it see? And how do they even generate energy, considering they can’t consume food without their organs?” Loyd voiced his skepticism.

‘I thought with the existence of elves, dwarves, and beastmen, there might also be something like skeleton soldiers. Looks like I was wrong!’ Hikaru pondered to himself.

“Hahaha, seems like my friend may have lied. I’ve only heard his story, but I’ve never actually seen it for myself,” Hikaru clarified while scratching his head in embarrassment.

Their conversation continued to flow effortlessly as they enjoyed their meal together, while laughing about the concept of undead skeleton amidst the comforting atmosphere of the Purple Walnut. In the end, Lydia agreed to head to the adventure guild together and tackle a suitable mission the next day after their morning practice.