I raised my arm and, with the tip of my index finger, touched the first item on the inventory list.
The screen vibrated softly, and a popup appeared before my eyes:
"Do you want to open this gift?"
"Yes?" "No!"
I looked at the two options. Any normal person would hesitate… but me? The choice was obvious. I pressed "Yes" without a second thought.
The screen vibrated again, and the image of a white box with a red ribbon appeared floating in front of me. Slowly, the ribbon untied itself, and the box vanished with a faint flash.
Immediately after, several notifications appeared in sequence, filling the air with lights and magical words:
["You have opened the Starter Gift!"]
["Congratulations! You received Light Fist Martial Art – Speed and impact above all (x1)"]
Description: A high-level assassination technique, focused on turning your body into a weapon. Fists and feet, when struck at the right points, can be as deadly as a sharp blade.
["Congratulations! You received Superior Breathing Technique: Thunder Style (x1)"]
Description: A physical meditation technique capable of refining the body, making it ultralight, and enhancing strikes. Limits: 10 Speed points, 2 Strength points, 2 Stamina points. Can be combined with other breathing techniques.
["Congratulations! You received Armament Haki (x1)"]
Description: A technique that shields the body against magic. At higher levels, attacks reach the internal organs of the target, terrifyingly amplifying physical attacks.
I widened my eyes, completely astonished. With these abilities, my survival on this journey was practically guaranteed. And if I became a mage? A type of mage completely unlike any other that existed.
— After all… am I a mage or a martial cultivator? — I murmured, a devilish smile creeping across my face.
I imagined myself dancing across the battlefield: fast as lightning, shielded by Haki, my fists and feet transformed into deadly weapons. Anyone who dared face me… goodbye. They'd be dead before they even blinked.
I shook my head, pushing away the daydreams of being a mage specialized in close combat, and focused on the items that were now fused with me.
["Light Fist Martial Art (Level 1)"] (100/00)
["Superior Breathing Technique: Thunder Style (Level 1)"] (100/00)
["Armament Haki (Level 1)"] (100/00)
— Urggg~~~ — I groaned as my head was hit by a torrent of new information.
"Holy shit, this hurts so much…" I groaned, feeling every concept, every technique, every detail instantly etched into my mind.
— If I had known, expected, and mentally prepared for this… instead of absorbing everything all at once.
A few moments passed. The pain gradually faded, leaving my body and mind finely tuned.
In this world, there were many mysterious forces. However, most commoners and lower nobility had more experience in becoming Knights!
Knights were warriors who had undergone rigorous training and stimulated their inner vital energy. Their physical attributes were far beyond those of a normal human.
To become a Mage, a specific type of talent was required, and among tens of thousands of people, it was possible that not a single one possessed it. However, being a Knight was different… as long as they were willing to put in the effort, anyone could become a Knight!
For these Knights, not only were their physical attributes several times superior to those of normal humans, but they were also skilled in the use of various weapons and the arts of killing. Some Knights even possessed special secret abilities, capable of unleashing a sudden burst of power!
But, of course… compared to everything I had received as a gift, without a doubt, even some Mages would go crazy. After all, who wouldn't want a peak of 10 Speed points without even using magic? Now imagine all of that amplified by wind or lightning magic? Ehusehu…
I crossed my legs and took a deep breath. Following the knowledge I had just received, I closed my eyes and began to meditate. Each breath followed the rhythm of the Superior Breathing Technique: Thunder Style, feeling my body slowly enter a meditative state.
As I remained still, notifications appeared in my mind like tiny sparks of information:
["Your Strength has increased by 0.01 points."]
["Your Agility has increased by 0.01 points."]
["Your Agility has increased by 0.01 points."]
["Your Agility has increased by 0.01 points."]
…
Time seemed to flow strangely, and when I finally opened my eyes, the world around me had changed. The dark sky of the previous night was now tinged with orange and gold. The sun rose on the horizon, illuminating every tree, every leaf.
— What?! — I gasped, surprised. I hadn't realized how much time had passed.
I looked at the air and asked my system:
— How long have I been meditating?
["About 14 hours."]
I covered my mouth, feeling the impact of the information.
— Holy shit… what was that? — I murmured, still absorbing the sensation. — I allowed myself to feel every nuance of the Technique. In my inner world, it felt like only an hour had passed, but in reality… fourteen hours!
Slowly standing up, I felt my body crack in every corner, the result of being still for so long.
"Crack~~"
Every muscle protested slightly, but the pain was pleasant, a reminder that something was changing within me.
I took a deep breath and issued another mental command:
— Status.
[STATUS]
Name: Raven Wood
Title: Potential Princess Devourer
Age: 15
Sex: Giga Chad
Race: Giga Chad
[Attributes]
Strength: 1.0
Agility: 1.3
Vitality: 1.9
[Skils]
1.["Light Fist Martial Art (Level 1)"] (100/0)
2.["Superior Breathing Technique: Thunder Style (Level 1)"] (100/5)
3.["Armament Haki (Level 1)"] (100/0)
["Wealth"]
Magic Crystals: 10
In just one night, my Strength had increased by 0.1 points and my Speed by 0.3 points. Fast, considering these initial techniques would normally take much longer to evolve, even within the story I had read… but somehow, I was living in this world.
— Time to head back before they leave me behind. — I murmured, a smile forming on my lips as I walked back to the camp.
...
1000 Words