Darell had a big grin on his face when he opened the system shop.
The first thing that he noticed was that he had a plethora of options in the system shop.
He looked at the Combat Techniques section first and as he scrolled through the section, he was dumbfounded.
The basic ones cost a measly 1 System Point but the cost of the highest one was a whopping 5000 System Points.
He closed the Combat Techniques section and opened the Weapons section.
This section had everything from simple swords to enchanted bows.
But, the most powerful weapon in the section also cost a whopping 5000 System Points.
Then, he opened the Skills section and as he scrolled through it, he realized that it also had the same price scheme.
He exited the section and while scrolling through the shop, he noticed a [Locked] section.
He tried to open it but he couldn't do so no matter how many times he tried.
Finally, he realized that the system wasn't allowing him to open it for some reason.
Then, he opened the Skills section again.
Varona Royal Academy kept track of the students' progress by giving them 'status' cards.
Through these cards, an Instructor could check whether any student was lacking behind in academics or not.
These cards were a good rule and it only applied to Varona Royal Academy.
Everybody loved it.
But, Darell didn't.
Because he would be sitting in the Dean's office on the first day, trying to explain his high stats.
He knew that due to the system, his stats were off the charts among people of his age.
Any Instructor who would see his stats on the 'Status' cards would demand an explanation.
An explanation he didn't have.
So, he needed a way to conceal his stats.
He couldn't have his secret revealed.
He noticed that he couldn't see any skill beyond rank 02 and realized that this was the system's way of telling him that he couldn't lean anything rank 02.
As he scrolled through it, his eyes fell on a skill.
[Conceal]
This skill would allow him to freely set his stats to any number, all without affecting his actual stats.
However, to unlock it, he needed 10 System Points.
He smiled wryly knowing that he didn't have enough points.
Just as he was contemplating what to do, he received a notification, awarding him five system points for a special quest: to master any rank 01 combat technique.
And as a reward, he would receive an additional 10 system points.
He thanked the system and opened the Combat Technique sections and scrolled through it.
The [Reaper Fist] combat technique caught his eye, with its specialization in close combat and the ability to disrupt opponents' blood flow or destroy buildings.
Though it was only a rank 01 technique, it had three levels - basic, intermediate, and master - and consumed 50 MP.
He couldn't believe his luck as he quickly purchased the technique, feeling a surge of information flowing into his brain.
With the [Reaper Fist] technique now under his belt,
He purchased the [Conceal] skill, allowing him to adjust his stats to 50 without raising suspicion from others.
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The ability would prove to be useful in his future battles, and he couldn't thank the system enough for the opportunity.
He closed the system shop and when he looked at his room, he smiled wryly.
Because it was already morning and he could hear birds chirping in the garden.
So, he got out of bed and after quickly washing his face and brushing his teeth, he walked to the dining hall where his family was already seated, waiting for him.
The aroma of freshly cooked dishes filled the air as the maids served them.
He took his seat, and the food was served to him too.
As he ate, his gaze drifted towards Lilith, who was sitting next to him, eating with great gusto.
A small smile formed on his lips as he watched her.
After finishing his meal, he left for the training ground.
He was eager to master the combat technique he had recently acquired.
He spent the next few hours practicing his moves, perfecting his form, and trying out new techniques.
While he was in the middle of his intense training, a sudden chime from the system interrupted him.
DING
He eagerly read the notification that appeared before him.
Special Quest Master Intermediate Arts Of Swordsmanship Time Limit 15 Days Reward 50 System Points
When he saw that the reward was not XP but System Points, this time, he couldn't contain his excitement as he grinned from ear to ear, gripping his sword even tighter.
He was determined to complete the challenge within the given time frame.
For the next 15 days, he tirelessly honed his skills in both the Reaper Fist and the sword.
To his delight, Lilith joined him in his training.
They pushed each other to their limits, sparring together and sharing insights into their techniques.
Lilith was a quick learner and soon mastered the intermediate arts of swordsmanship.
She then went on to create her unique combat technique, which she proudly named the 'Sword Dance of Mist Empress'.
A bit cheesy but he liked it.
He continued his rigorous training, pouring all his effort into mastering the sword.
He would often spar with Lilith, exchanging blows and learning from each other's techniques.
Finally, on the fifteenth day, he completed the quest and he was rewarded with 50 system points.
He spent his hard-earned system points on a rank 01 sword combat technique called 'Earth-Shattering Slash'.
This technique promised to deliver powerful blows that could obliterate anything in its path.
But he didn't stop there.
He also invested in three rank 01 skills that could give him an edge in combat.
The first skill he chose was [Sense], a powerful skill that allowed him to detect anyone who was revealing their killing intent within a certain area.
The range of this skill depended on Darrell's mana, with every 1 MP equating to 1 meter of sensing distance.
He also purchased [Final Blow], a skill that would conceal his killing intent until the moment he delivered a deadly blow.
This skill was perfect for sneak attacks or catching opponents off guard.
Lastly, he chose [Death's Touch], a devastating skill that allowed him to deal a finishing blow to his opponent with twice the power of his strength stat.
But, the price of using this skill was high as it consumed half of his overall mana.
With these new skills at his disposal, he was more confident than ever in his ability to take on any challenge that came his way.
For the next 15 days, Darell and Lilith stealthily slipped away to the Forest of Fyn to sharpen their combat skills.
Darell didn't focus solely on leveling up, but instead spent time getting comfortable with his newly acquired combat techniques and skills.
Lilith, on the other hand, was content with her rank 02 Ice and Wind spells and didn't inquire much about Darell's new skills.
Despite the discrepancy in their skills, Lilith didn't harbor any jealousy toward Darell's progress.
One day, a letter arrived at Ralph's doorstep addressed to Lilith.
It was an invitation from the Royal Varona Academy, offering to hold a special test for her.
As the first person in the world to possess a rank 02 innate ability, she would be accepted into the academy without question.
However, to avoid sparking backlash from other students and noble families, they wanted to conduct this test as a formality.
On the last day of their training, Darell and Lilith decided to rest and prepare themselves for the upcoming travel journey.
As the family gathered for dinner, the anticipation for Lilith and Darrell's departure to the Royal Capital, where the esteemed Varona Royal Academy was located, filled the air.
Ralph took the opportunity to remind them of the responsibilities that come with their acceptance to the academy and the potential dangers they may encounter.
Isabella, while less vocal, chimed in with a warning about the powerful and influential noble families in the area.
She cautioned her children to avoid getting entangled with them, as it could lead to trouble that even the family's connections may not be able to resolve.
Lilith listened attentively as Ralph and Isabella talked about their experiences in the academy.
However, Darell's thoughts drifted to something else.
He was suddenly curious about how his parents had met.
"Umm....how did you meet Dad?", he asked Isabella.
Ralph and Isabella looked surprised for a moment before bursting out laughing.
Isabella wiped the tears from her eyes and replied, "Your father and I were in the academy together with some friends. We had our differences at first but we found love in the end and got married."
Darell's curiosity grew as he asked, "Who were your friends?"
Isabella and Ralph's expressions turned somber as they remembered their past.
Ralph spoke slowly, "We had two friends. One was Rick who...died during a mission he was sent on and the other...."
His voice trailed off as he found it difficult to continue.
Isabella sighed deeply and said, "The other was Anna, she had a complicated personal life."
She shook her head, recalling past incidents.
"What happened to her?", Darell asked, confused.
Ralph and Isabella couldn't bring themselves to continue, but Isabella managed to say, "Anna left the academy during the second year as she had some family problems."
Darell understood the pain in their hearts and didn't ask further.
After dinner, he entered his room and felt excited about his future.
He knew that he had to prepare himself for the journey to the Varona Royal Academy, where he would be taking his first steps into the world of magic and power.
He quickly began to pack his clothes and other belongings, trying to fit everything he would need into a single bag.
Finally, after several minutes of packing, he finished and managed to sleep.
The next morning, he woke up early, took a refreshing bath, and changed into his best set of clothes.
After he finished getting ready, he gathered his belongings and made his way to the mansion gates, where a carriage was waiting for him and Lilith.
After boarding the carriage, Darell and Lilith said goodbye to their parents and the maids and servants who stood on the gates.
Ralph looked at his children and thought, 'My children have grown up. They are going to make their own lives. I will miss them so much!!! Fuck!! I'm going to cry!!'
But, on the outside, he only had slightly reddened eyes and said, "Take care of yourselves. I don't want to hear any bad thing about you from the academy."
Lilith looked at him with tears in her eyes and asked, "I will miss you very much, Dad! Will you miss me?"
Ralph looked at her crying face and thought, 'I will miss you too, my cute honey bun!! I will miss you very much!!'
But, he said, "How can I miss you? You aren't even going that far. If I want, I can always come to Varona by our carriage every evening. I won't miss you. Just, concentrate on your studies, alright?"
Isabella, on the other hand, was crying her heart out, "Whaaa!!! My little children have grown up!!! They are leaving for academy!! I will miss you sooo much!!"
She blew her nose using the tissue, handed to her by the maids standing beside her.
Darell, with tears in his eyes, said, "Goodbye, Dad! Mom!"
The carriage began moving and they waved them goodbye.
A few hours later, Darell was looking out of the carriage window at the vast expanse of fields and turned to Lilith and said, "We're finally on our way to the real world. Let's make the most of it."
Lilith smiled and nodded.