The scent of lavender gently awakens me. As I slowly open my eyes, discomfort washes over me.

"Ugh..."

I try to sit up but immediately feel the pain riddling my body. I glance in the mirror and see I'm shirtless, with bandages wrapped around my right shoulder and left thigh.

I notice a slight increase in muscle mass. It's not substantial, but it's a change.

I scan the room, recognizing the familiar surroundings of my bedroom.

"Hmm...did André carry me here?"

I muse, half-expecting André and Maurice to engage in their usual banter of insults after I lose consciousness.

QUEST COMPLETED! You have successfully survived Maurice!

You obtained 66 Stat Points!

Do you want to receive the Magic Artifact?

[Yes/No]

The appearance of the System pulls me back to the present.

Right, the magic artifact and the Stat Points.

"Yes."

I whisper, eager to claim my rewards yet mindful of my surroundings.

A golden watch materializes, gently landing on my legs.

WEAPON INFO Name: Chrono Pendant

Rank: B+

Description: A golden watch. It can slow down time, but opponents with higher Mana reserves than the rank of Chrono Pendant can resist or be immune to the artifact's effects.

Seeing the description of the artifact, a surge of excitement ran through me. Magic Artifacts, infused with magical energy, don't require the user to have mana, making them perfect for someone like me—a Manaless. The rank of this artifact is [B+]. Is it measured by its rarity or the amount of Mana it has? If it’s the latter, then this artifact would have the same amount of Mana as [B+] ranked Magicians.

Master, it’s both.

Great! That’s great!

The artifact is more powerful than I expected, and its rank and Mana are comparable to those of skilled magicians. This is perfect for someone in my situation, and I can use it as a serious advantage against foes.

Now that I've earned my artifact, it's time to use the 66 Stat Points I earned.

"System, status."

INFO Name: Dominic Eñerforte

Age: 15

Title: None STATS Strength: 86 (E)

Endurance: 97 (E)

Agility: 76 (E)

Speed: 87 (E)

Mana: 0 (F)

Luck: 402 (C+)

Instinct: 747 (A+)

Charisma: 362 (C)

Stat Points: 66 MANUAL ARTS Basic Gun Arts (D+) – Beginner (5%)

Basic Gun Arts encompass a wide range of basic combat techniques involving the use of firearms from range to melee. This art form requires not just physical dexterity to shoot and maneuver accurately but also a deep understanding of the firearms themselves—maintenance, bullet types, and the physics of shooting.

Looking at my Stats, I decide to distribute the Stat Points evenly among my physical stats.

"Add 16.5 for Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Speed."

Strength: 86 > 102.5 (E+)

Endurance: 97 > 113.5 (E+)

Agility: 76 > 92.5 (E)

Speed: 87 > 103.5 (E+)

Following the update, my body feels revitalized, stronger, and more agile—a significant boost that will undoubtedly aid in my preparation for future challenges.

This is great; the more I level up, the better prepared I will be for future events.

-Creak!

Swiftly, I hide the Chrono Pendant behind me as I hear the door open.

I turn around and see Celine entering my room. She smiles as she carries a tray of soup.

"Dominic, I'm glad you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing okay, Mum."

She walks over and places the tray on my bedside table.

"Your father said that you did great in your training. We're proud of you."

"Thanks, Mum."

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That brings warmth to my heart, starkly contrasting the cool morning air seeping through the window.

Wait, now that she's here, where's André?

"By the way, where's Dad?"

"He's out getting healing potions for you," she informs me, setting the tray beside me.

I glance at the clock. It reads 8:32 AM. I wonder how long I was asleep.

“Mum, how long was I asleep?”

"You slept for 7 hours."

"I see."

Seven hours... that's unexpected. I thought I'd be out for days or even weeks due to my low stats.

Celine looks at me and chuckles lightly.

"You're a strong boy, Dominic. Your training has built up your physical strength and resilience as well.

The warmth in her voice fills me with a sense of comfort and reassurance.

Despite the rigorous and almost brutal training session with Maurice, my body has recovered quickly, thanks to my enhanced physical stats and perhaps a bit of the resilience inherited from my father.

"I made you some chicken soup," Celine says, gesturing towards the tray. "It should help you recover. Eat up while it's still warm."

I nod, grateful for her care.

As she leaves the room, my thoughts return to the Chrono Pendant hidden behind me.

The artifact's ability to slow down time is a significant boon. I marvel at integrating its power into my future training and battles.

Once alone, I take the opportunity to examine the Chrono Pendant more closely. The golden watch sparkles in the morning light, and its craftsmanship is exquisite.

"You're now my new best friend."

Now that I have this artifact, I want to know if I can tackle a [E] Ranked Stargate. My strength, endurance, agility, and speed have all improved to [E+] level. Is that going to be enough?

[E] Ranked Stargates are home to monsters of the same rank—[E]. These Stargates and the creatures within them are categorized based on the amount of mana they give off.

The more mana they emit, the more challenging they are. But the rewards for taking them on increase, too. You get more Camilliums, and the monster orbs you collect can be sold reasonably. The better the orb, the more you earn.

NEW QUEST! Quest: Raid a [E] ranked Stargate.

Reward: 50 Stat Points.

And just like that, the System hits me with a new quest. Talk about good timing.

Stargates don't just pop up in the same places, though. They appear randomly across Sylvestria. But the Sapphire Guild, a guild of Magitists based in Verdant Haven, figured out a way to keep some Stargates in place for training.

The web novel doesn't give details on how they managed it. Still, they've essentially turned these Stargates into training dungeons. To complete a raid, you need to defeat the Alpha monster inside.

They've managed to do this with Stargates ranked from [E-] to [A+]. But anything ranked [S] to [SSS] is off-limits since it's too dangerous for now.

"Knowing this, I should raid a [E] ranked Stargate."

I'm injured right now and recovering, but the future events of this world are so dangerous that every corner of Sylvestria is at war.

I must get stronger to protect myself.

-Creak!

Quickly, I hide the Chrono Pendant behind me again.

This time, André comes into my room. He's holding a glass bottle filled with a green liquid, which I guess is a healing potion.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I nod. "Yeah…"

Sitting beside me on the bed, André gently pats my head.

"You did well yesterday." He hands me the bottle. "Drink this healing potion."

Gratefully, I take the potion and drink it, feeling immediate relief spread through my body.

"Feeling better now?"

Again, I nod.

"That's good to hear!"

Seeing André's comforting smile reminds me of something he mentioned before—that he's a Stargate Raider.

Perhaps he could help me with my new quest.

"Dad, can I ask you for a favor?"

He raises one of his brows. "What do you need?"

"I was thinking... I want to try raiding a [E] ranked Stargate at Le Centre Stargate."

Le Centre Stargate is where they keep those anchored Stargates in the heart of Verdant Haven City.

André seems a bit surprised by my request. "Raid a Stargate now? You're still healing."

"Not today, but tomorrow! Also, I need to do this to catch up. With the entrance exam for Verdant Arcanum coming up in a year, I don't want to fall behind…"

I trail off, realizing I'm struggling to keep the excuse believable.

André places a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Dominic, I get that you're eager, but you should rest for now."

But resting isn't an option for me. Knowing the future events I have to prepare for, I can't afford to waste any time.

"No, I need to do this."

Looking into my eyes, it seems André is trying to read my thoughts.

I'm not surprised if he is like this. After knowing Dominic originally wanted to become a Magitist, it must be weird for him and Celine to witness Dominic suddenly wanting to become a Stargate Raider out of nowhere.

Not only that, I'm also surprised at how André and Celine fully accepted me for becoming a Stargate Raider. Was it because they were that supportive, or was it something else? I don't know what's on their minds.

After a moment, he lets out a heavy sigh.

"Alright, if you're sure."

I can't contain my smile. His agreement means more to me than he knows.

"Thanks, Dad!"

"With that out of the way, I have a question, Dominic."

André's tone suddenly shifts, becoming serious. His face mirrors his tone, grave and intense. Did I do something wrong? Whatever his question is, I'm ready to answer it.

“What is it, Dad?”

"When did you learn the Basic Gun Arts?"

So, that's his question.

I don't know how to respond. Should I concoct a simple lie or a complex one?

You know what? I'll go with something simple.

"I learned it from SylvTube."

SylvTube, the Sylvestrian equivalent of YouTube, is the largest video-sharing platform where information flows freely. Given its vast content, André might find my lie believable, thinking I picked it up from one of the countless tutorials. However, I believe this is not plausible enough.

"SylvTube? Really, Dominic? Learning Basic Gun Arts isn't something you can pick up from videos. It requires hands-on training and guidance from someone experienced. Watching videos can give you theoretical knowledge, but mastering the technique? That's another story. So, who taught you?"

I expected this. However, I know what excuse I would say.

"You're right. It is not something I can pick up from videos. At first, I watched a video on SylvTube, and I had a hard time. One night, during my sleepover at Arthur's house, he saw me practicing and decided to give me those two red guns."

Andre raises one of his brows, but I continued.

"One time, I saw a video of someone doing basic gun arts. I tried to copy their movement, but I was having a hard time. Arthur suggested I find Professor Maurice at school, and he decided to train me."

That lie was not perfect, but it's the best I can do now.

I want to connect the lie Arthur made before with my knowledge from the web novel. From the web novel, Maurice, despite being a [SS] ranked Magician, trained his body and learned a lot of martial arts.

I hope this lie will suffice this time.

André looks at me, analyzing my face, and sighs.

"I see. If that's the case, I believe it."

His tone suggests he doesn't fully believe me, but I'm glad he's at least partially convinced for now.

André suddenly stands up. "You rest up; we're going to Aurelior tomorrow."

As he walks out of the room, I can't help but sigh in relief.

Now that that's out, I should rest and prepare for tomorrow's trip to Verdant Haven City.