The Dawn of New Challenges

As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window, Akira stirred from his restless slumber. The distant sounds of celebration from the previous night were now replaced by the chirping of morning birds. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, feeling the weight of exhaustion still lingering. Alfred, his ever-vigilant companion, congratulated him on the increase in his mana pool and physical limits again.

"Good morning, Akira. Your mana pool has expanded significantly, and your physical limits have improved,again as expected because of yesterday's battle" Alfred reported cheerfully.

Akira nodded, the acknowledgment a small consolation after the emotional turmoil of the previous day. He quickly washed up and resolved to keep pushing himself. "I'll use my mana for daily exercises," he thought. "This way, I can work on both physical and magical endurance without casting extreme spells."

He stepped out into the fresh morning air and began running around the city. Despite the fatigue, he pushed his limits, running at a great speed with stamina that surprised even him. The streets were mostly empty, save for a few adventurers and civilians crashed out after the previous night's revelries.

After his rigorous workout, Akira headed to the Adventurers Guild. The receptionist greeted him warmly and handed over the coins for the previous day's quest. Akira accepted them with a nod and then inquired about the Homeowners Office.

"What business do you have there?" the receptionist asked, curious.

"I'm interested in buying a property," Akira replied, referring to the old man's house that had been destroyed.

The receptionist's eyes widened in recognition. "Congratulations on your rank increase, Akira. You've moved from D to B rank. That's impressive!"

Akira updated his details without much reaction and then made his way to the Homeowners Office. There, he was greeted by another receptionist and explained his reason for visiting.

"I'm here about a property I'd like to purchase. The previous owner has passed away."

The receptionist handed him a form. "Please fill this out. We'll send an agent to confirm that the owner is no longer alive and that there's no claim on the inheritance. The inspection will cost two silver coins and take two days."

Akira paid the fee and left, deciding to take a leisurely walk around the city instead of rushing to the mines. The image of the golem still haunted his thoughts, and he knew he needed a break. As he wandered, many civilians and adventurers recognized him, greeting him warmly. Despite their friendliness, Akira preferred solitude.

He entered an armor shop, his eyes drawn to a variety of masks with different enchantments. Nothing caught his eye until Alfred suggested, "Why not craft one yourself? Get the raw material and make it."

Akira agreed and headed to the blacksmith's shop, where he purchased some palladium ore for ten gold coins. Palladium was rare, more so than mithril, with properties that made it resistant to acid, and quite durable. It also possessed detoxifying properties. Next, he visited a tailor's shop and bought a robe made from giant spider silk. The robe was resistant to venom and acid and had a discreet appearance, perfect for avoiding unwanted attention.

On his way back to the tavern, Akira stumbled upon a slave auction. Different species were on display, controlled by magic collars sensitive to their owner's will. He stood watching for a moment before leaving, and thought about getting a house help for himself as well one day.

Back in his room at the tavern, Akira pulled the palladium out of his spatial bag and began crafting a mask. Halfway through, he paused, thinking of adding properties like air purification. Alfred suggested, "You need a Treant's core for that."

"Agreed. I'll go to the forest tomorrow," Akira decided, putting away the unfinished mask. He glanced at the other cores he had collected, unsure what to do with them. Selling them was out of the question due to their uniqueness and quality.

As he lay on his bed, Alfred broke the silence. "You didn't smile once today. Are you okay?"

Akira closed his eyes, his heart heavy with the losses and battles of the previous days. "I'm fine, Alfred," he whispered, though his tone suggested otherwise. Exhaustion pulled him into a deep sleep, where visions of battle and the faces of the fallen haunted his dreams.

The next morning, Akira woke early, Alfred notified him of the improvement in physical and mana pool. Akira nodes and instructs Alfred that the improvement is expected so Alfred should notify him when the improvement doesn't occur and Alfred acknowledges it . Then he went through his morning routine.

Akira got ready for the day, his mind set on leaving the city. He visited the Adventurers Guild to pick up some quests he could complete along the way. Akira accepts quests of hunting dard wolves and rainbow deer.

After leaving the city, Akira made his way to the forest. He knew where to find the tall grass that rainbow deer favored. It wasn't long before he spotted five deer grazing. With swift precision, he used ice bullets to immobilize them and finished them off with his dagger.

Next, he tracked a pack of wolves to their cave. Knowing they would be resting, he built a fire at the entrance and directed the smoke inside. Disoriented and suffocating, the wolves stumbled out one by one, easy prey for Akira's wind blades.

With those tasks completed, Akira focused on finding a Treant. He leaped onto a tree, using it as a springboard to gain height and spot a larger tree in the distance. As he traveled, he encountered various creatures—horned rabbits, slimes, giant wasps, shining lizards, dart frogs, and even a giant claw bear. He collected useful herbs along the way, a habit from his many excursions into the forest.

Eventually, Akira neared the Treant's domain. He could smell the earthy scent and hear the heavy steps of the creature. Steeling himself, he knew he had to act quickly before the Treant could trap him with its roots. Fire was the Treant's weakness.

Akira cast a fireball and leaped from the bushes. The Treant raised a mud wall in defense, but Akira was already moving, darting behind it to strike with a wind blade. The Treant responded with a shield of roots, forcing Akira to retreat and hide. The Treant lashed out with random earth attacks, growing increasingly frustrated as Akira occasionally threw rocks to keep it on edge.

Finally, the Treant began to tire, its movements slowing. Akira saw his chance and cast another fireball. The Treant's mud wall crumbled under the assault, and Akira dashed through the opening, slashing with his sword. The blow was strong but not fatal. Weakened and wounded, the Treant tried to ensnare Akira with its roots, but he was too quick. He closed in, casting a fireball at point-blank range. The Treant screamed in pain, and Akira ended its misery with a final strike.

Among the Treant's remains, Akira found a core and a small seed. Alfred noted the seed's potential. "You could grow and tame a Treant with this."

Akira nodded, recognizing the value of such a companion. He returned to the guild, claimed his rewards, and headed to his room. There, he designed a mask from the palladium ore. The mask covered his nose and lower face, leaving only his eyes and forehead exposed. He enchanted it with the Treant's core, giving it the property of detoxifying air. Dissatisfied with the palladium's copper color, he crushed some black herbs he had collected and painted the mask black, using mana to make the color permanent.

Satisfied with his creation, Akira felt a rare moment of contentment. As the day came to an end, he resolved to visit the Homeowners Office the following day to finalize his purchase of the old man's house. He lay on his bed, the weight of the day's accomplishments and the sorrow of recent losses mingling in his thoughts. For now, he found solace in the small victories, knowing they were steps towards a greater purpose.