As I made my way North, I noticed through the Map that there was a fork on the main road up ahead, one that went towards Will City and one that went towards Martial Citadel.

Up until that point I had taken the off-road route option the map had provided me with, unfortunately even though the Guider chose the safest routes and the most optimal, the rough terrain of the wilderness still made it a slow and exhausting trek.

I thought about it for a while and decided to finish the remainder of my travel towards Martial Citadel through the main road.

I had only gone offroad in the first place to avoid the risk of getting hunted down, but it had now been almost 2 years since the incident with the Evolved Clan members, if they were still looking for me they really were insane.

I rerouted the Map so that it would follow and scan the main road. I wasn’t too far off from the main road. It would only take me half a day's travel to reach it, at which point it would be smooth traveling from there. I couldn’t wait too, I had gotten sick and tired of the uneven and horrible terrain I was forced to traverse on.

And so after making sure all was good with the directions I set off towards the road.

Soon it was time for lunch. Like always I never skipped it. Even though I was traveling medium light I still had all the essentials to make a great meal.

The traveling sled also helped to lighten the load by a lot. I had accumulated a lot of loot both from my fight with the Evolved and my time with the Toltemic, but living out here in the wilderness it might as well all be trash.

Nevertheless, going against all traveling common sense my dumbass still held on to it, and luckily managed to keep it without losing my life.

Old man Kemoro and the Toltemic Tribe truly were good people, as I’m sure they had noticed it but had never made a move on my stuff. I’m sure that’s why the Toltemic Chief gave the sled in the first place so I wouldn’t die of exhaustion lugging the things around mountains and forests.

After the meal, I continued studying the Guider. Instead of going straight towards the scanner function, I instead clicked on the [Environment Observation Augmentor] option.

I already had an idea of what the option entailed, I just wanted to confirm and figure out its use in case I needed it for later.

Again the Guider’s surface turned transparent, and I could see my surroundings as if there was nothing in between.

I swiveled the Guider around trying to figure out the difference between this mode and “Image Capture Mode”.

I noticed different small Icons on the side of the Guiders surface. I had guessed that this mode would be something like a binocular mode but so far everything was the same. I probably had to click on one of the Icons to trigger an effect.

As I hovered my finger over one of the Icons that looked like a weird eye the image suddenly changed. It now looked like I was looking at the side of a mountain.

The thing was there weren’t any mountains nearby, there were only some large hills off into the distance. Moving the Guider around I realized the image on the surface of the Guider was the face of those hills.

It was as I thought it functioned as a binocular. But then what were those other icons?

I clicked the next one which looked like a circle with a blue circle in the middle. Suddenly the image closed back into the surroundings I had before except for one minor difference.

There were streaks of blue all around the area I pointed the Guider towards. Some areas were bluer than others.

I didn't really know what the heck I was looking at so I decided to move on to something else before I made the Guider do something I didn't want it to do.

Besides I had confirmed and learned how to use the function I had hoped for the most. Now I had a way to scout from a long distance.

I went back to the main options menu and chose “Dual System Scanner Mode'' again. And again I saw the options it had shown me previously.

[Magic Scanner]

[Universal Light Spectrum Scanner]

[Dual Scanner]

[Owner Physiological Data Scan]

[Owner Battle Data Scan]

This time I chose “Dual Scanner” since I was ready to try something I had recently thought of.

After choosing “Dual Scanner” I immediately took out my Slingshot and put it in front of the Guider.

[Scan Item] [yes/no]

I confirmed the action, as soon as I did a greyish blue light quickly emerged from the Guider and began scanning the Slingshot. It only took a couple of seconds before another option appeared.

[Magical Item detected…. Scanning]

[Softlocks detected in Magical Item would you like to unlock?] [yes/no]

That was interesting. I wonder what was locked within the Slingshot?

There was no point in being cautious at this point I knew too little about the Slingshot, my primary weapon, if I could find out more about it then it was worth any risk.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

I confirmed the action immediately.

As soon as I did new information appeared on the Guider.

[Unlocking Magical Items Softlocks…. Action Successful!]

[Completing Dual Scan….Scan complete]

[Adding Magical Items Data to Internal Recorded Files….Action Successful]

[Magical Item is compatible with Dual System Guider do you wish to Synchronise them together for easier Data access?] [yes/no]

By this point, I was already a bit overwhelmed. I didn't know what some of the information, it was showing to me was but by this point, I was all in.

Up until now, the Guider has done well by me no point to start doubting it. I press “yes” without hesitation.

[Synchronising process activating….Action Successful]

[You can now access and perform the Magical Items Special functions through the Dual System Guider]

[New Option “Special Magical Item” added to Main Options Menu]

[Dual Scan Summary: New Magical Item made of high-level Magical Composite Material, capable of absorbing, infusing, and activating most forms of energy, although it is most adept at handling Magical Energy. It is also capable of changing its structure to pre-programmed shapes as well as many other possible configurations.]

[For a more detailed Analysis of its Material Data perform a Magical Scan]

[For details on the Items option functions go back to the Main Menu]

I went back to the Main Menu and like it said the new option was there,[Special Magical Item]. I immediately click on it. Soon a new list of options appears.

[Magic Force Calibration]

[Energy Absorption Mode]

[Weapon Form Change]

[Weapon Configurations]

The options were basically the functions the summary had already explained to me.

For now, I didnt want to mess with the Slingshot, its current configurations had been working out well for me.

I had to hold in the urge to scream out in joy. I was happy and extremely excited my idea turned out to be the best thing I could have done.

I really was stupid I should have done this a long time ago, my fear of new things was really holding me back, I had inadvertently handicapped my battle power and denied myself the ability to know the functions of my primary weapon because of my perceived ineptitude with technology or magical items.

When I was a kid I wanted to be a Mage; well now was my chance this Slingshot was a shortcut towards that dream.

In my heart, I decide to make it a priority to fully understand all the functions and potential of both my Guider and Slingshot. Luckily it seemed the Guider was going to be really helpful in that regard, its name really was appropriate for such an amazing item.

I decided I had achieved my objective as I now had a better understanding of my Slingshot.

I cleaned up my camp and moved on with my journey. When the Sky was just about to hit its twilight hours but the Sun still lingered up above I managed to reach the road.

I had made it right at the time I wanted, as I really didn't want to travel offroad not even one more night.

Not far from where I reached the road I saw an outpost on the side of the road with two men standing guard.

I tidied myself up as best I could a useless action considering I had basically been a forest bum for the last two years.

But Mr. Reyas always told me first impressions mattered so I instinctively did my best to look good in front of what essentially was my first contact with Civilization since Bean’s Village.

As soon as I approached them they waved at me in a friendly manner and pulled out a paper.

“Good evening Honorable Traveler we are State Officials from Volunterra’s Transportation and Infrastructure Bureau, we have been given the task to warn the passersby’s of this road section that this is currently a Red Danger Zone, as this territory falls within the casualty range of the current Clan War that has ravaged the inhabitants of this Territory. Although the Government and correspondent Territory Officials are working to keep their Citizens and Visitors safe, as you might have already heard this Clan War between the Sparking Light Clan and the Titan Hand Clan has reached unprecedented levels of savagery and violence during these past 2 years. They cannot be reasoned with and so everyone’s at risk. Please be careful on your travels, do your best to avoid any conflict or flee at the sight of any of these Clan members.”

He handed me a pamphlet with pictures and a more specific description of the recent tragedies caused by the War.

It also revealed that two of those pictures were the Clan Emblems of both Clans.

As soon as I had heard the Government Official mention the second Clan in the conflict a chill went down my back.

What kind of rotten luck was this, not the Titan Hand Clan again!

After so long hiding and I still couldn't shake them off.

At that moment all I could do was wonder if the War had anything to do with me.