Chapter 78 Extra Skill.

As the measure came out, the two people inside the room had completely different expressions. The man is amazed by the gold that he received from Soma and Soma, who is still racking his brain, trying to recall the memories he had of the currency in the Ark.

The man turned his gaze at Soma and opened his mouth.

"Kid, where did you get this gold?".

Soma turned his gaze, and he saw the curious eyes that were probing him. The man didn't have any other motive for asking that question. He simply wanted to know how Soma could have this gold in his possession.

"I am lucky enough to encounter an uncharted Gate and managed to clear it with my friend, also collect every treasure we found inside".

"Such good luck. Okay, I believe you. As for the payment, you need two more of these kinds of gold. Do you have it?".

"Yes, no problems".

As requested, Soma took another two gold bricks in his storage and let the man measure them. The result was all the same. The three of them had the same quality, and all off the pieces were exactly three million gold. For each, ten Kg of gold with high purity content was worth one million.

"Thanks for the patronizing kid. I almost forgot. My Name is Malik. Pleased to meet you, Soma".

"Please to meet you sir Malik".

"Hehe, you polite kid, Soma. I like that".

"Thank you".

As Soma's business is done here. He once again sweeps his gaze around, trying to recall something that maybe he forgot on the way. Then, after mulling it through, he chose to end his visit today and come back to the hotel where Hina was waiting.

"Thank you, Sir Malik, I will visit again sometime".

"Okay, be careful on your way".

Malik raised his right hand flashed his white teeth, seeing the departing figure of Soma. Soma turned his head to the back and bowed a little before he left the shop.

The door closed as Soma stomped his feet outside. A crisp chill of breeze brushes past his skin, cooled his body and refreshed his mind. The sunlight that shines above his head feels mellow, for it is still the time in winter. The surrounding place was still filled to the brim with people who were taking their time to visit the market.

Soma began to take his phone and operate the map function so that he didn't get lost on his way back. On his way, he spotted a lot of stalls that sold a variety of food that he had seen in his previous world, and some didn't. Then, there is one of the stalls that caught his attention that sells some fried chicken.

Looking for the position of the sun, the time was already noon, but despite it was his time for a meal, he didn't have a lot of appetite in him. So he plans to fill it with some light meal like a sandwich and some fried chicken, and there is also Hina who asks him to buy some food. He recalled Hina also liked some junk food, so this was a good choice he made.

"Excuse me, how much for the chicken?".

Hina who is enjoying the soft, bouncy embrace on top of the bed inside the hotel room. Opened her eyes at her phone while lying to the side, reading some articles about the earlier news that bugged her mind even until now.

The media spread the news that she was the one who cleared the gate, but the truth was far from that. She considered herself a burden there, when Soma was fighting with life on the line alone, and all she could do was just sit in the side watching.

His figure when fighting those strong monsters was so mesmerizing and also miserable in her eyes, jumping toward the wall of flame, followed by a bolt of ragging lightning in his hands, fighting a flying monster using a cutting space sword, and the crucial moment when he was possessed by a mysterious entity to kill the Rank-S monster Raiju. Those become a spectacle that she could never forget for the rest of her life.

However, on the other side, it evokes a feeling of fear and unease in her heart. She is determined to become stronger to prove to herself that she doesn't need anyone by her side, only herself and her parents. She felt that her wall of determination shook. Unconsciously, she clenched her phone and gritted her teeth in frustration. Then, a single whisper echoed in her mind as if Soma was beside him.

{..Do your best..}.

Hina's body sprung up as Soma's voice reverberated in her brain.

"...Do your best, huh".

She once again looked toward the articles in hand. Her mind began to create multiple possibilities that would involve her and Soma in the future. There will be a time in the future when they will be fighting another strong monster, and if that happen, does she want the same tragedies to happen again? Hina inhaled a deep breath while closing her eyes, slowly breathing out, then opened her eyes that burned in fighting spirit.

"Yosh, let's train for a bit".

The phone in her hand drew a parabola arc before it struck down the bounced bed as she took a seat on the chair, welcomed by a scene of the cityscape that looked like a city from the future.

Hina raised her right palm before her eyes. Then, she began to concentrate as the nerve in her body tensed and the flow of the mana in her body hastened and gathered toward her right palm, smoothly without any resistance.

The control she has right now is considered marvelous, looking at her age, who is still fourteen. She already reached an intermediate mastery of her skill that people around her age rarely couldn't do. Even with luck, she unlocked her potential at that crucial fight when she desperately squeezed her mana pool, which made her experience something so excruciating just to wake up Soma. But she didn't regret a thing, and because of that, they managed to survive that trial.

On her palm appears a firetail that swirls in gentle flow like a dancing serpent. The flame was warm, and Hina kept her eyes open, manipulating the flame trail, formed a small dragon touching every tip of her fingers, then doing otherwise for a couple of times.

Hina, who was in full concentration mode, completely forgot about the time and her surrounding, as she submerged herself in her training in controlling mana.

Soma, who arrived at the hallway on the thirteenth floor, found his front door occupied by two people who kept monitoring suspiciously.

"Why are you guys here?"

"Soma, where have you been?".

"Just take a stroll outside".

"Is that so?".

Hisako, who realized Soma's appearance, greeted him back then shifting her focus again toward the room. Soma followed her gaze and tilted his head to the side, not knowing what was happening.

"It is about Hina. Soma, do you know what happened inside?".

"No, I just recently came back from my stroll outside".

"Since when are you out?".

"Since we separated".

"That long?..".

"Yes".

Hiroshi, who also stood by his wife's side, responded while keeping his attention to the inside of the room. Soma, who is still oblivious about the event that transpired in front of him, calms his confused mind, and he feels a slight flow from the surrounding wind shifted inside the room. It piqued his curiosity further then, without him noticing, his red eyes start to glow in a faint light.

"What is this?". Soma muttered.

His vision shook and began to alter, into a brilliant color of light. The world that he used to see was now gone, replaced by a beautiful color that spread across the atmosphere and painted with a glittering gentle flow of myriad particles from mana in the air that got sucked inside the room.

As he realized what had transpired inside. His vision came back to normal as he saw the usual color that spread before his eyes. "What was that?". Soma shift his attention and opened his mouth.

"What did she do inside?".

"She is in training. I am sure of that".

Hisako opened her mouth and gave Soma a brief explanation about what had transpired recently.

It seems Hina was in training to control the mana. That is why the surrounding flow of mana was disrupted as it got sucked at her side. However, Hisako, as an S-Rank awakener who is walking the path as a wizard, noticed a slight change in her daughter's constitution.

"..Since when did She reach intermediate mastery in mana manipulation? This was too fast even for her. Hmm".

Hisako noticed the change in the surrounding atmosphere. She raised her hand and knocked on the door.

"Hina, open the door!".

"..Mom?!".

Hina, who noticed the call, stood up from her seat and rushed to the door as she was about to reach the doorknob. She caught the figure of the terminal beside it, took the black card Soma handed to her and slid the card that unlocked the lock feature of the door.

"What is the matter, Mom?".

As she opened the door, Hina saw three figures standing in front of the room she was currently occupying. Hina saw her mother, Hisako, who had a frown on her face. Hiroshi, who smiled bitterly looking at her figure, and lastly, Soma, who threw his gaze at a faraway place, not wanting to look at her.

"Hina, what did you do earlier?".

"I was training my magic, and..".

"I see. As I thought you already reached intermediate mastery".

Hearing the words from her mother made her stiffen her body.

"How did you know?".

"Fool, don't underestimate your mother, who is already mastering mana manipulation to advance stage..".

"What was that? Are you boasting about that right now?".

"Sure I am. But, more than that, congratulations Hina".

"Ah?...".

Hisako closed the distance between them, spreading her hands to the side before pulling Hina into her embrace. Hina, who is caught off guard, couldn't do anything and let herself be buried in her mother's bosom.

"You did great, Hina".

"Thanks, Mom".

The warmth they shared with each other melted their heart and loosened all of the restraint in their being. In that tender moment, they find solace and reassurance in each other's arms. Hisako separates herself from her daughter as she feels regret for destroying that warmth, but she also wants to convey something important to her current daughter.

"Change your clothes first! They are drenched and reeks of sweat".

"Huh?".

Hina, who did still not understand what her mother meant, shifted her gaze downward, and she could see a glimpse of her blue underwear and a drenched t-shirt that became transparent because it was wet. Her confused mind heated up as the blood in her body shot through the roof and boiled her face in red.

"Mom, you dummy. Why didn't you tell me sooner!".

"Huh, what was that. Since when has my daughter become a person who forgot how to say her gratitude?".

"Mou, I don't care. I want to take a bath first".

"Hurry up because we will be getting out to have our lunch".

"..Okaay".

As for the two men, they stood behind Hisako, watching her and Hina interact like a pair of close sisters. The ambiance from earlier was gone like a glimmering of fireworks that only lasted an instant for them to show their beautiful sight.

Hiroshi, seeing the figure of his family that he swore to protect with a wry smile, approached his wife, who stood in front of the door waiting for her daughter.

"Hisako..".

"Dear..".

Soma watched those families interact, giving him a warm comfort in his heart that he almost forgot. It was small, but he could feel it, albeit slightly. He felt thankful for the Akabane family, who always took care of him and vowed to return this debt later.

[Extra Skill Adapt activated]

"Huh?!".