I pushed open the heavy wooden door of the orphanage, my voice ringing cheerfully through the quiet house. "Nay! I'm home!"
Rosalia rushed out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. Her face was a mix of profound relief and deep concern. "Oh, my child! Have you eaten? You've been gone in that dungeon for almost three days... Were you able to eat well?"
I smiled brightly, dropping my travel bag. "Yes, Nay. While Kazike and I were down there, he brought plenty of dried food, and we shared it."
Nozue poked his head out from the hallway, his eyes lighting up as he saw me. "Kazu! You're back!"
"Yes, I just arrived," I said, my excitement palpable. "I have so many amazing stories to tell you later! The dungeon was incredible!"
"Really? I hope I can become an adventurer and see a dungeon someday, too," Nozue exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with big dreams.
"You can, but it's very dangerous," I cautioned, remembering the terrifying vampires and the High Ogre.
"I have mana, and I can use magic just like you!" Nozue insisted, puffing out his chest.
"If you really want to be an adventurer, I'll help you," I said with a warm smile. "But first, we need to physically strengthen our bodies. I plan to increase my Strength stat, so you should join me starting tomorrow morning."
"What's a Strength stat?" Nozue asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"It's... well, it's nothing to worry about right now," I replied, realizing he couldn't see my system menus. "Just come and train with me starting tomorrow, okay?"
"Of course! I want to be strong enough to join you on your adventures, best friend!"
"Best friend," I echoed softly, pulling Nozue into a tight hug.
"Alright, boys, it's time to eat," Rosalia called out from the dining room. "The food is hot and ready."
As we settled down at the table to eat the delicious stew, my thoughts drifted to my progression. Status reveal...
[STATUS] Level: 79 Name: Kazu Gonomiya Age: 13 Job Class: God
Passive Skills:
Divine Knowledge
Infinite Mana
Maximized Self-Healing
Active Skills:
Blink
Explosive Blink
Bloodlust
Blood Steal
Rage (Locked)
Magic Spells:
Fire Pierce
Fire Spirit Flare
Unique Skills:
Exploration (Level 88)
Assassin (Level 91)
Cooking (Level 8)
Mining (Level 1)
Smithing (Level 1)
I need to get my physical Strength skill up to Level 70 just to safely unlock the Rage skill, I thought to myself between bites. I'll start working on building muscle tomorrow.
Rosalia interrupted my thoughts, setting down a plate of fresh bread. "How was your quest, my child? Did you complete it successfully?"
"Yes, Nay! I even found a Rune Stone with a [C] carved on it. It was a rare drop from the dungeon."
Rosalia's eyes widened in shock. "A [C] Rune Stone? How did you extract that? Usually, you need a very high Mining level to safely get one out of the rock."
"I just found it lying in the dirt by chance. Maybe I naturally have a Mining skill, too," I speculated with a grin.
"Can you show it to me?" Rosalia asked, leaning closer.
I pulled my new, heavy dagger from my belt and laid it gently on the table. "I actually had the master smith in the city forge it into my very first weapon. It's an ancient artifact called the Wrath of God. Lord Raku gave it to me as my reward for completing the quest."
"A divine artifact... Wrath of God..." Rosalia mused, her eyes filled with absolute wonder as she looked at the glowing rune on the dark blade. "Take good care of it, my child. It's in very good hands with you."
"I will, Nay. It's my first real weapon, so I'll treasure it."
"Oh, and tomorrow is your birthday, right?" Rosalia asked, her face lighting up.
"Yes, Nay. I turn thirteen tomorrow."
Nozue looked down at his lap, highly apologetic. "I'm sorry I don't have a gift for you, Kazu."
"That's okay! Just being here with my new family is the best gift I could ask for," I said with a warm, genuine smile.
"I'll make it up to you, I promise," Nozue vowed seriously.
"Don't worry about it, Nozue! Just eat! This stew is amazing, Nanay Rosalia!"
"You're always so sweet, Kazu," Rosalia laughed, ruffling my hair.
"Thank you for the meal, Nanay Rosalia. I'm full," Nozue said, pushing his bowl away.
"Me too," I added, patting my stomach. "Let's head up to our room, Nozue."
"Sure, Kazu," Nozue replied, standing up from his chair.
"Wait! I forgot to bathe!" I suddenly realized, sniffing my shirt. "I haven't taken a bath in three days. I smell like dungeon dirt and monster blood. Sorry, everyone!" I laughed, embarrassed.
"Go take a hot bath, then get some rest, my child," Rosalia said kindly, gathering the empty bowls.
"I already bathed before dinner, so I'll just head up to the room and wait for you," Nozue said.
The Washroom
I sighed happily as the hot, soapy water washed the grime from my skin. "Ahh, it feels so incredibly good to bathe at night after a long quest."
I glanced at my reflection in the small, foggy mirror.
"I'm already Level 79, and I've been in this world for almost a year now," I whispered to the empty room. "I wonder... if I get strong enough, will I ever be able to return to my original world with these powers? ...Maybe I shouldn't think about it too much right now."
I dried off, changed into clean clothes, and headed upstairs to my room, where Nozue was waiting on his bed.
"Kazu, I really want to be a strong adventurer, too," Nozue said earnestly as I walked in.
"Alright, Nozue. You'll join me for physical training starting tomorrow morning," I replied, sitting on the edge of my mattress.
"I will! I can handle it!"
"It will be incredibly hard and tiring," I warned him.
"Kazu, you're my best friend. I want to fight beside you. You're the first real friend I've ever had."
My heart swelled. "Alright, let's get some sleep. We have a very early day tomorrow," I said, smiling as I pulled the covers up.
Early Morning
"Kazu, wake up! We need to train!" Nozue called out, shaking my shoulder aggressively in the dark.
"Ugh... it's too early..." I mumbled, burying my face in the pillow.
"The earlier we start, the better we get!" Nozue insisted, pulling my blanket away.
"Okay, okay..." I yawned, swinging my legs over the side of the bed.
"What's first?" Nozue asked eagerly as we stepped out into the cool, dark morning air behind the orphanage.
"Stretching. We need to warm up our muscles so we don't pull anything," I instructed.
After stretching for ten minutes, I dropped to the dirt. "Alright, push-ups. As many as you can do."
Ten minutes later, Nozue collapsed onto his stomach. "Kazu, I can't do any more... my arms hurt so much," he panted.
"Me too... my arms are burning," I admitted, my elbows shaking as I lowered myself one last time.
Suddenly, a blue translucent screen popped up in my vision.
[Notification: Strength stat reached Level 2]
So, I can actually gain Strength levels just by doing basic push-ups, I thought, grinning. Interesting...
"Let's rest for a minute, Nozue. We'll do a perimeter jog next."
"Alright," Nozue wheezed.
After thirty grueling minutes of jogging around the city streets, we took a break on a wooden bench near the orphanage.
"Here's some water, Nozue. Drink up. Do you want me to get something to eat from the kitchen?" I offered, handing him a canteen.
"No, I'm not hungry yet," Nozue replied between gulps of water.
"If you really want to be an adventurer, you need more than just physical skills. Do you know any combat magic?" I asked.
"I can use basic Water element magic. Like this," Nozue said. He focused his energy, and a perfectly spherical ball of clear water formed, hovering just above his palm.
"Wow! How did you learn to do that?" I asked, leaning in.
"No one taught me. I just figured it out by playing by the river," Nozue shrugged.
"You learned it accidentally?!" I asked, amazed.
"Yeah, kind of," Nozue confirmed.
"Can you teach me how it feels? I'll teach you how to cast Fire magic in return," I proposed.
"Sure! But you should know that most people can only ever learn one or two elemental magics in their lifetime. It's incredibly rare to master two," Nozue explained.
"Hmm... Let me try," I said. Since my Job Class was God, I figured I didn't have the same limits as normal humans. I focused my infinite mana into my palm, imagining the cool, fluid nature of water instead of the burning heat of fire.
A heavy, floating drop of water instantly materialized in my hand.
"Whoa! You can use Water magic too, Kazu! That's amazing!" Nozue cheered, clapping his hands.
"Thanks, Nozue. Is there an easier way to learn the other elemental magics? Like wind or earth?" I wondered.
"Not that I know of, but some wealthy people go to study at the magic schools," Nozue said.
"Magic school?"
"Yes, at the Divine Magic Academy in the capital."
"Hmm... I should try enrolling there sometime," I mused.
The morning training session ended with both of us feeling highly accomplished despite our exhaustion. The sun had finally risen, casting a gentle, golden light over the quiet streets of Druzka. The scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the air from the nearby bakeries, mingling with the crisp morning dew.
I looked at Nozue, who was panting heavily and covered in sweat, but smiling broadly.
"You did great today, Nozue. We'll keep this routine up, and soon you'll be ready for any low-level adventure," I said, patting him on the back.
"Thanks, Kazu. I'll work hard!" Nozue replied, his determination unwavering.
We walked back toward the house, the sounds of the city beginning to stir with the start of a new day. I felt a profound sense of peace and purpose, knowing that each day brought me closer to unlocking my full potential and understanding my place in this strange new world.
As we approached the front gate, Rosalia was already outside, tending to her small flower garden. She looked up and smiled warmly at us. "Good morning, my boys! How was your physical training?"
"It was great, Nay. Nozue did really well for his first day," I said, beaming with pride.
"That's wonderful to hear! Come inside and wash up. I've made a special birthday breakfast. You both must be starving," Rosalia said, ushering us into the house.
As we sat down to eat the massive feast she had prepared, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly grateful for my new family and the life I was building here. I knew terrifying challenges and dangerous dungeons lay ahead, but with my family by my side and my skills growing every day, I was ready to face whatever came my way.