Chapter 10: Gifts from an Old Friend
Four months of training had passed.
I was in the middle of the Cool Forest, standing by a crystal-clear lake. The sun reflected off the water, making the whole place look like a painting.
I stepped in, letting the cool water wash over me, and for the first time in months, I could just
relax.
Yeah… buddy, it's me—Nero Crimsonflare.
After all that training, my body had gone through massive changes. My hair, once crimson, now had a few golden strands shimmering in the sunlight.
My eyes—still golden—burned brighter than ever. My body? Tall, perfectly proportioned, muscles defined, strong but agile. Handsome… maybe even more than the protagonist of this so-called savior story.
Heh, I had to admit, I looked damn good.
I splashed some water on my face, smirking at my reflection. "Yeah… ready to go back home." My sweet home. Sweet, comfortable, ordinary… perfect. But before I returned, I had one more gift to open—a gift from my very first friend in this world: the old librarian.
I reached into my bag. There were two items waiting for me: a storage ring and a cube.
I examined the ring first.
"Holy shit…" I muttered. Sliding it onto my finger, I realized it was full of elixirs. Millions of them. Healing potions, mana
restoratives, rare and exotic concoctions—even ones never mentioned in the original novel.
Some were so rare, I had only heard about them in passing in other-world stories.
"Wait… I don't know any details about these elixirs. My luck… why is it so shitty?" I cursed. Still, even with my luck, this was insane.
A ring holding literally everything I could ever need.
After a few minutes of cursing my luck and laughing at my own fortune, I turned to the cube. Honestly? I had no idea what the hell it was.
I focused my mana into it, like the librarian taught me, and the cube dissolved into a swirl of crimson and gold particles.
Tiny motes of red danced in the air, sparkling faintly. A message appeared before my eyes:
"My friend, this is a Status Window, a system popular in other worlds. I've added all the details about the elixirs I gave you,
so you can track them here. It will show only your personal stats and the elixirs.
I look forward to your achievements, my little friend."
I blinked. The old man really was… a friend. Not just any ally—he cared. I made a mental note to visit him again, no matter what happened.
This was kind of like Leon Sundawn's system—but better for me. No quests, no shops, no distractions. Just pure stats and info, perfectly tailored for my progress.
I shouted in excitement, just because I could:
"Status Window!"
And it appeared:
[Status Window]
Name: Nero Crimsonflare
Age: 16
Rank: Adept II
Mana: 12,000
Affinity: Flame, Light
Special Job Class: Rune Wizard
Special Job Class Rank: Elite
Skills:
Sovereign War Art (First Form, Second Form)
Flame Art (Beginner)
I stared at it, grinning ear to ear.
"Damn… this is perfect." I flexed my hands, imagining the War Sovereign Gauntlets glowing golden.
My flame affinity already hummed in my veins, ready to erupt at any moment.
It was weird. Just a few months ago, I was a useless extra, ready to die in the background of someone else's story.
Now? I was an elite Rune Wizard, almost at the top of the Adept ranks. Even Leon, the main hero, was Adept IV, and I was closing in
fast.
I couldn't help but chuckle. This life… this world… my luck, my friends, my gifts—it was all falling into place.
I looked around the lake, feeling the wind ruffle my hair, and whispered to myself, "Old buddy… I won't forget this. I'll come
back one day and show you what I've achieved."
The possibilities were endless. I could train, explore, even fight monsters or rogue adventurers in the forest if I wanted.
Every technique, every spell, every skill I had now had a system backing it. Every elixir I could need was stored safely in my ring.
And most importantly… my body and mind were ready for anything the academy—or this world—could throw at me.
I took a deep breath, feeling mana swirl gently around me. Flame, light… a little extra from the rune integration.
My heart beat faster, fueled by excitement. Four months of grueling training had finally paid off.
"Alright," I said, stepping out of the water. "Time to go home… and time to show the world that Nero Crimsonflare doesn't die as an extra."
I adjusted my bag, secured the storage ring, and felt the cube hum faintly against my chest. This wasn't just a gift—it was a declaration of power.
My journey was just beginning.
And now… I was ready to rewrite my fate.