[ 2 Years Later ]

Amidst the verdant expanse of the forest, the rustling leaves and creaking branches bore witness to my agile form.

With every lithesome leap, the echo of my footfalls resonated like a whispered secret, a rhythm in harmony with the symphony of nature.

The towering trees above formed a lush canopy, their interlocking limbs knitting together to create a verdant roof that filtered the sunlight into a gentle, dappled dance upon the forest floor.

Rays of sunlight, like scattered fragments of gold, managed to pierce through the dense foliage, casting fleeting illuminations upon the emerald undergrowth below.

Every leap was a choreography of precision and grace, guided by an almost instinctual understanding of the winds that whispered through the leaves.

It was as though the very air itself supported my movements, lifting me with an unseen hand and cradling my landings.

In pursuit of the elusive wild boar, my senses were heightened to an acute state, attuned to the faintest rustles and distant snaps of twigs.

The creature's russet form darted amongst the trees, a swift shadow against the canvas of green, yet my gaze remained unbroken, tracking its every zig and zag.

With a fluid motion, my hand drew forth a wind blade. Fingers adeptly found their grip on the ethereal weapon, and with a flick, it soared through the air. The blade met its mark, finding purchase upon the boar's flank.

A visceral cry of pain mingled with the rustle of leaves as the creature faltered, its strength surrendering to the bite of the wind blade. The scarlet life spilled upon the forest floor, a profound stillness enveloped the scene.

[ You have hunted a wild boar! ]

[ You have earned +1 Essence Point! ]

"That should settle the score," I remarked, a hint of satisfaction in my voice.

"14 boars hunted in a week. You know, you're slowly becoming the enemy of nature," she teased, her tone laced with a mix of amusement and mock concern.

"15 actually," I replied with a playful grin.

Just as the words left my lips, her figure emerged from the forest's embrace, a triumphant smile playing across her features despite the evident effort it took to catch her breath.

"Also, can't you slow down a bit? Viora would be mad if I lost you again," she chided lightly, her voice a warm reprimand.

Long crimson hair, the color of fresh blood, was elegantly tied into a bun, strands occasionally escaping to frame her face.

Her emerald eyes, reminiscent of the lush forest itself, caught the sunlight in a way that made them seem almost luminescent.

Across her back, a bow rested with a familiarity born of countless hunts. It was both a tool and an extension of her essence. The golden light filtering through the trees cast an ethereal glow upon her, as if the very forest revered her presence.

She was more than just a supervisor or a hunting partner. In the past, during her active day as an adventurer, Viora had a mentorship relationship with her. Due to that, Viora had trusted her to be my hunting supervisor.

"I can do that, but I'll end up losing the boar," I replied, my hands deftly working to skin the boar's hide, following the steps Viora had patiently taught me. Once the task was complete, I stored the skin in my ring storage, a treasured gift from Aeren.

"Shouldn't archers be more agile?" I quipped, my tone playfully mocking.

"Shouldn't 6-year-old boys be slower compared to young adult archers?" She crossed her arms, a mockingly stern expression on her face.

Her retort hung in the air for a moment, and I found myself musing over her words. "You have a solid point," I admitted with a chuckle, stepping closer to her and extending my palm upward. "Doesn't that verify me more as the son of Aeren and Viora?"

"Setting aside the familial blood tie, are you really a 6-year-old? Talking with you doesn't feel that way," she remarked, her tone a mix of curiosity and exasperation.

As we strolled back towards the forest's entrance, the air was ripe with camaraderie. "Same here, it doesn't feel like I'm talking with an adult,"

I confessed, stealing a glance at her out of the corner of my eye. I half-expected an irritated expression, but to my surprise, she was managing to hold it in.

"Your provocation won't work this time," she declared, determination lacing her words as she suppressed her feelings.

"Aww~ Don't worry, I'll leave good words about you to my mom," I teased, a mischievous grin playing on my lips.

"You—" Her words were cut off as I held up my hand, signaling for her to pause. A playful rivalry glinted in her eyes as she realized what I was doing.

I raised three fingers, my thumb and index finger forming downward—a gesture we had come to use to signify an agreement to alert each other to the presence of nearby monsters or beasts.

Vanessa nodded in understanding, swiftly drawing her bow and assuming a cautious stance, her hunter's instincts instantly taking over.

There is a hint of perilous mana flowing out from behind the bush in front of us. Collecting wind in my palm, I was ready to attack but Vanessa block me.

"Your mother and I agreed not to engage with the monsters," She whispered.

I stared at her deadpan. "So, are we pretending that this isn't the first time you said that,"

She sighed. "Do whatever you want,"

I grinned. "Sure,"

With a swift motion, I raised my hand towards the dense thicket, conjuring a gust of wind that tore the bushes asunder.

From the parted foliage emerged a pair of ugly monsters, towering the same height as me, their rugged hides gleaming.

As the bush split apart, revealing their concealed presence, the monsters wasted no time and lunged at us in a furious charge.

Vanessa, undeterred by the sudden assault, drew upon her mana to conjure two blazing arrows of fire.

Vanessa's flame-laden arrows found their marks, detonating upon impact and scorching their toughened skin.

Yet, their resilient skin prevailed, shrugging off the fiery explosion with little sign of harm.

"That's one hell of a tough skin," I remarked.

"Don't tell me you picked up that colorful language from your mother as well," I brushed off Vanessa's jests with a grin.

Unfazed by the searing pain, the relentless monsters pressed forward, their determination unwavering.

Focusing my energy, I shaped a potent cyclone of wind within my palm, infusing it with the raw power of the earth. In an instant, I unleashed the tempest towards the heart of the monsters.

The unleashed blast, though almost overwhelming for my modest frame, surged forth. Despite the struggle to harness its might, it found its mark, piercing through one monster's heart.

Simultaneously, my other aim faltered, and the second creature narrowly evaded the full brunt, leaving a deep gash on its arm.

Vanessa promptly notched another arrow, this time directing her fiery projectile towards the wounded arm, which now bled profusely.

The arrow's fiery essence seared through the monster from within. Swiftly, I unsheath my sword, shrouding my form in an enhanced aura of mana.

With a surge of wind magic, I propelled myself forward, closing the distance to the creature in a blink.

As the monster's right appendage swung menacingly through the air, I evaded its attack.

Capitalizing on the opening, my blade cleaved through the beast in one deft stroke, causing its lifeless halves to plummet and a torrent of blood to spill forth.

[ You have slain a D-Rank Monster! ]

[ You have earned +5 Essence Points! ]

"Satisfied?" Vanessa queried.

"Not entirely, but the time is late now," I responded. "By the way, you're welcome to—"

"Yeah, yeah. Do you have to remind me every time we take down monsters? It's like you're making me feel like I'm the one who's getting babysat,"

Vanessa interjected with a grin, her playful annoyance evident. She efficiently used her storage ring to collect the monster corpses, preparing them for sale.

As the sun began its descent on the horizon, we made our way back home, retracing our steps to the spot where we had left our horse earlier.

Upon reaching our destination...

Our horse was meant to be resting here, but it was nowhere in sight. A half-hearted chuckle escaped me, a wry reaction to the unexpected turn of events.

However, Vanessa's reaction was far more profound. Her gaze fixed on the empty space, her soul seemingly shattered at the disappearance of the horse given to her by Aeren.

"The horse... Our horse," her voice quivered, her legs giving way as she sank to the ground.

Seizing the opportunity to inject a hint of levity, I remarked.

"Looks like we'll be taking a leisurely walk back to the city gate," The humor was intended but it wasn't effective due to the gravity of the situation for her.

Firstly, because the horse held sentimental value as a gift from Aeren, a token of her role as my hunting instructor.

Secondly, this unexpected setback meant we would likely return home behind schedule, inciting the ire of my mother.

"I'm doomed," she lamented, her distress palpable. Offering what comfort I could, I gave her back a reassuring pat, a gesture of empathy for her predicament.

'You should help her,' Garen's thought flowed into my mind.

'I'm on it,' I replied mentally, as I was already weaving my wind magic into action. I extended my senses, coaxing the wind to carry my awareness across the landscape in search of our runaway horse, hoping it hadn't strayed too far from the reach of my elemental influence.

As my mana manipulated the air currents, a breeze enveloped me, causing my hair and garments to dance in its rhythm. Vanessa could feel my mana's movement, sensing the power I commanded over the wind.

"Good news. I've located it," I declared, a smile tugging at my lips as I relayed the good news.

…

Arriving at my house on horseback, I spotted Viora tending to the flowers at the front, a watering can in her hand. Meanwhile, my 1-year-old sister, Rina, was engrossed in playing with the grass nearby.

Rina, with her cherubic countenance, displayed short tufts of baby hair that held a delicate shade of violet, even paler than my own.

Her innocence radiated through her wide, curious eyes as she explored the world around her, her tiny fingers gently brushing against the grass as she played.

"How did the hunting go, Raul?" Viora's smile shone as she gently lifted Rina into her arms.

"I had a lot of fun today. Vanessa taught me so much," I replied, dismounting from the horse and making my way over to join Viora and Rina.

As I approached, Rina responded with a gentle chuckle, her laughter a melodic sound that added a touch of joy to the scene.

"Vanessa, thank you so much," Viora acknowledged with a bow, expressing her gratitude.

"Oh, it was really nothing. I'm enjoying hunting with Raul too," Vanessa waved her hand dismissively.

"Vanessa, why not join us for dinner tonight?" My mother suggested while setting aside the watering can.

"That's a fantastic idea!" I chimed in, knowing Vanessa would relish the opportunity. She admired my mother greatly and would go to great lengths for a chance to chat with her.

"Um, are you sure? I mean, wouldn't I be a bother?" Vanessa hesitated, her reply tinged with uncertainty.

"Yes, you should. We also have something to say to you, Vanessa," Aeren said as he came out from the door.

As the evening approached, Vanessa's uncertainty seemed to fade, replaced by a gentle smile as she stood before the entrance to our home.

The warm glow of the setting sun painted the scene with a comforting palette of colors. The table was set with care, adorned with dishes that carried the aromas of home-cooked delights.

Once Vanessa and I freshened up, we took our seats at the table. Vanessa had stashed her clean clothes in her storage ring, a practical choice that seemed almost second nature to every adventurer.

We savored the meal, relishing each bite as we engaged in delightful conversation, most were regarding my recent hunting activities. Rina had already fallen asleep.

Vanessa recounted every detail to them except the part about our monster and beast hunting.

"Vanessa, there's actually a favor we wanted to discuss," Aeren's tone grew more serious.

"Would you consider becoming the mentor of the "Rising Ascendants" Program? Leno and Gina are interested as well; I've talked to him about it. The young party members would include Raul, Naera and maybe other children the same age as them," Aeren explained.

I have heard about that from Aeren as he discussed that with Viora before.

"Rising Ascendants" refers to a program established within the Ruinor Adventure Guild aimed at nurturing and training young individuals in the art of adventuring before their academic enrollment.

This policy is designed to provide a supportive and educational environment for budding adventurers who are still in their early stages of learning and exploration.

It allows them to gain experience, knowledge, and camaraderie under the guidance of more experienced adventurers. The policy might encompass special training sessions, mentorship opportunities, and tailored quests suited for young adventurers.

By participating in this program, these individuals can gradually develop their skills, build valuable connections, and prepare for more challenging adventures in the future.

Additionally, to be eligible for the "Rising Ascendants" program, individuals must undergo an awakening process. This requirement ensures that the young adventurers have the necessary foundation to benefit from the training, mentorship, and challenges offered by the guild.

"Accepting the role of a mentor in The Rising Ascendants program would not only contribute to your reputation within the Ruinor Adventure Guild but could also accelerate your advancement in the Adventurer Rank system. Given your recent promotion to B-Class Adventurer, this opportunity holds significant potential for further recognition,"

"Moreover, by taking on this responsibility, you'll play a pivotal role in mentoring Raul and Naera. When they officially register as qualified adventurers in the future, their accomplishments will be attributed to you. Your guidance and mentorship will be noted in their adventurer profiles, cementing your role as their mentor in the guild's records," Aeren explained.

"However, I understand if you–"

"Yes, I will do it!" Vanessa's exclamation filled the room before she stole a quick glance in my direction. In response, I shot her a look of pride, accompanied by a playful smirk.

'There's no way she would oppose that,' I said and sensing Garen's agreement as well inside of my mind.

Given Vanessa's deep understanding of my potential, it's unlikely she would oppose this opportunity. She possesses an insight into my capabilities that even my parents may not fully grasp.

Envisioning the possibilities that lie ahead, especially once I officially register as an adventurer, it becomes evident that Vanessa stands to gain significant recognition.

Her mentorship would undoubtedly propel her into the spotlight, earning her substantial fame and credit for nurturing and guiding me.

"Thank you. In that case, I'll ensure your name is registered as the mentor for Raul and Naera's party under the program next week," Aeren's smile exuded warmth as he shared a meaningful look with Viora. It was evident that both of them were genuinely pleased with this promising progression.