Fate or Coincidence? (5)

As Tristan entered the portal, his eyes widened in awe, absorbing the vast emptiness around him. The sheer size of the space astonished him, and he couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Wow, I never imagined this storage room would be so... empty," he muttered, pacing around the cavernous room. "I guess I got my hopes up too high. But, I mean, it's huge. Like a four-story building, almost as wide as a soccer field!" He let out a sigh, shaking his head as reality set in. "I guess relying on myself is still the only way to survive in this world."

Just as he began to think of the possibilities this space offered, his gaze was drawn to something unexpected. "Wait, why is there a door over there? It was just an empty space before, right? Am I seeing things?"

Curiosity got the better of him, and he stepped toward the door, cautiously opening it. Inside, he discovered a cozy room with a table, several shelves lined with jars, old books, and worn equipment made of steel and leather. In the center of it all sat a single book on the table.

Tristan approached, brushing his fingers over the cover as he read the title, "A Book for Our Son" by Gran Ciyane & Alinda Ciyane.

With a mixture of excitement and nostalgia, he opened it, reading his parents' words.

"Hello, son. This is your father and mother. We made this book to keep things a bit interesting, to explain what you'll find here in the storage room. Hopefully, you won't need to read this, because if you are, it means we're no longer here in this world. But let's get right to it, shall we?"

Tristan's eyes scanned the contents with mounting interest.

"To your left, on that shelf, there are five elixirs. The red one is a life-saving potion, any wound will heal when you drink it, though it can't bring back the dead."

"The second one, purple, boosts your physical strength and mana capacity. Fun fact: it's made from dragon blood I hunted in my youth," his father wrote with a chuckle.

"The third, yellow, is an enigma even to me. I found it in a large angel-themed dungeon, and it radiates holy energy. Maybe it lets you wield holy power, who knows, right?"

"The fourth, green, grants immunity to poisons, while the final elixir, light blue, enhances your skill proficiency. Those are the five potions I gathered in my youth. I never needed them, since most of these abilities I already possess as skills, haha."

As Tristan continued reading, he reached the part where his mother took over the explanation.

"And the shelf to your right, well, that's for me to explain. Your father's been hogging the book, and I've been getting impatient." Her warmth radiated through her words, and Tristan couldn't help but smile. "Hello, dear, this is your mother. I hope you're in good health as you read this. Now, I'll guide you through the books on this shelf. Since your father never touched books, you're probably surprised he kept any around, right?"

"The first book on the left is titled All You Need to Know About Mana. As the title suggests, it will guide you in mana control. It's the very first book I read on the subject," she continued.

"The second book is titled Defense is Better than Attack, and it contains defensive spells of all types. Every kind of defensive magic you can think of is in there. I even wrote that book myself, pretty impressive, right?"

"Next, we have The Best Defense is Attacking, a book packed with offensive spells across all elements. It covers everything from minor attacks, like Fireball, to high-level spells like Fire Inferno. I also wrote this one, and it was quite popular among the nobles when it was first published."

"The fourth book is called The Basics of Ultimate Swordsmanship, which your father wrote especially for you! Isn't that wonderful? He poured so much of himself into creating this book, which contains his unique sword techniques. Just so you know, there's not a swordsman in the entire kingdom who could best your father. If you want to study the sword, this is the perfect guide for you."

"Oh, and those worn-out pieces of gear in the room belonged to your father when he was adventuring across the world to perfect his swordsmanship. Don't hesitate to use them; they're enchanted to fit whoever wears them."

"Lastly, there's an empty book on the shelf. I'm sure you're wondering why I put it there. While exploring a dungeon with your father, I found this book sealed in a treasure room, with a note on it claiming, 'This book will open for the right person.' Who knows? Maybe that person is you, haha. Well, that's everything on the right shelf. Now, it's your father's turn to explain the hidden section."

Tristan continued to read, feeling a mixture of excitement and a deep, bittersweet nostalgia as his father's words unfolded on the page.

"Hello again, it's your father writing. You must be curious about the hidden features, right? Haha, alright, the first hidden secret is that this storage room exists in a separate dimension," his father explained. "Your mother and I worked on this together; if the world knew we created it, it would cause quite the stir. This place can serve as a safe haven if you ever encounter danger beyond your strength."

"The second hidden feature," his father went on, "is the surveillance magic circle beneath you. From here, you can observe the outside area where you entered this space. Please don't tamper with it; your mother and I spent years perfecting these unique spells."

"And the final secret," his father added, "is in the desk drawer. I've stored our research book there. If you channel mana into the desk, the drawer will open. That book will be invaluable for managing this space. How you choose to develop it will depend on the knowledge you gain from our research."

As Tristan reached the end, his father's words took on a softer tone. "That's all we have for you, son. I hope this brings you strength and guidance. Oh, and be sure to drink the green and purple elixirs right away, they'll make you as strong as your old man, haha. Take care of yourself, Tristan. Guard your life, and make choices that you won't regret. Farewell, Tristan Ciyane. We love you deeply, with all our hearts, from your father and mother."

With a swell of emotion, Tristan closed the book, feeling their presence lingering around him, as though his parents had given him one final gift to light his path forward.

"Damn it, if only I'd come into this world while they were still alive, maybe I would have felt a warmth I never knew before. I'm starting to care about them… they feel like the parents I never had." Tristan's gaze softened for a moment, but his resolve hardened just as quickly. "I'll get stronger and avenge them someday. My first target will be Mortis Lavindra. But before that, I need to drink the green and purple elixirs, just like Father said."

He stood up, his expression determined as he walked to the shelf where the elixirs awaited. Reaching for the green vial, he paused. "There must be a reason Father told me to take this one first… Alright, here goes nothing."

Tristan downed the entire green elixir, feeling the liquid burn slightly as it went down. "Hmm… nothing yet. Wait, there's a warmth spreading through my body… and it's getting hotter. This won't actually burn me alive, will it?" he thought, a flash of panic creeping in.

Suddenly, a surge of heat ignited within him, intense and overwhelming. "Ggahhhh, it's so hot!" He fell to his knees, hands splayed on the ground as he braced against the rising inferno. His skin turned flushed, the heat consuming him entirely. "I… I have to endure this."

*Skill level up*

"I can't give in to this pain."

*Skill level up* *Skill level up* *Skill level up* *Skill level up* *Skill level up* *Skill level up*

The heat grew unbearable, pushing him to his limits, his mind reeling. "Gggarrrghhh!"

*Skill level up* *Skill level up* *Skill level up*

*Skill: Pain Resistance-level 18*

The scorching sensation finally began to subside, the redness of his skin fading as his body cooled.

"At last… it's calming down," he gasped, still panting from the ordeal. "Damn, I didn't expect it to be this painful, definitely not made for a kid." But he smirked through the lingering ache. "It doesn't matter. I'll endure any pain if it means growing stronger."

*Skill level up* *Skill level up* *Skill level up*

*Skill: Strong Will-level 10*

*Unlocked Passive Skill: Poison Immunity-Max Level*

With a resolved look, he glanced back at the purple elixir."Alright, let's move on to the next one." 

Tristan took a steadying breath, gripping the violet elixir firmly in his hand. "All right, this one should increase my strength and mana capacity. If it's anything like the last elixir, it's going to be intense." Without hesitation, he uncorked the bottle, took a deep breath, and drank every drop.

Almost immediately, a surge of power rippled through his veins, like liquid lightning. Energy pulsed within him, raw and overwhelming. "Whoa... This is incredible... It feels like my body could tear itself apart, but it's... doesn't feel that hurt." Tristan feels his muscles tense and his mana pool expand, filling him with newfound resilience and strength.

"Finally, I've taken both. The first one was excruciating, but the second… not so bad," Tristan murmured, feeling the surge of power settle within him. "Maybe that's just how these elixirs work. But… why am I feeling so slee... py?"

In an instant, Tristan collapsed, his consciousness slipping away as his body convulsed under the intense, overwhelming surge of newfound power and mana. The forces within him surged wildly, far beyond what his body could handle.

*The body cannot withstand the sudden torrent of mana. The vessel will rupture.*