Farewell

The recovery time this time was shorter. After all, James already knew what he had to do and what he needed to avoid. Since his master hadn't accepted any new contracts, there wasn't much that required his attention. The remaining contracts gave him enough time to rest and recover without worries.

James had time to reflect on two fundamental aspects that he had previously overlooked. First, he had a ring and knew nothing about it. Of course, he knew it could transport him between worlds and had some connection to that strange being from the abyss. But now he had discovered that it could also function as a spatial bag. What was even stranger was that the ring had stolen this function from another ring.

James couldn't make heads or tails of this matter. He didn't know what to think about it.

On the other hand, the issue with his sword and sheath was much easier to understand. The rune he had seen in his mind initially was a hypercomplex rune with multiple layers and a three-dimensional construction. At some points, it seemed to fold onto itself, attempting to form four dimensions. This was obviously beyond James's limited mental power, so he couldn't comprehend its full potential. But what he did obtain was the current construction—the sword and the sheath were, in terms of runes, the same thing. As long as one existed, the other would exist as well.

Moreover, he had acquired a series of very useful abilities and passive skills. First, one could always summon the other. Another unique passive was that the sword constantly required mana, both to fuel its powers and to keep growing. The sheath constantly collected mana, both to feed the sword and to provide it to James.

Both had a growth function, and now James understood what this function meant. The sword had levels, just like James did, and part of the experience he gained would go towards the sword. This slightly soured James's mood. If it were only that, it would be barely tolerable. But his ring also had that function. Both were feeding off him. He knew that the higher he leveled up, the more difficult it would be to progress. But in addition to that, he had to advance in different branches of power and simultaneously upgrade his equipment.

Suddenly, a chilling sensation ran down his spine. A thought made him realize that things could always get worse. James knew that for now, he didn't have armor, but he was sure that when the time came, it would also demand something from him.

"I just hope they can earn their keep. If they're only going to rob my progress, I'll let them rust," James said as he looked at his set.

"What are you talking about, young man? Have you lost your mind from using too much mana?" suddenly said a Strom appearing at his door.

"No, sir, don't worry. They were just random thoughts. How can I assist you?" James replied, feeling embarrassed.

"Come to the dining room. I want to introduce you to some friends," Strom said, turning around.

James hurriedly got up and headed towards the door when suddenly he felt a pull in his mind, like a small buzz. This slightly disconcerted James, and he looked in the direction from which he felt the pull. There, he saw his sword.

"What, now you're giving me orders?" James muttered irritably, looking around to make sure no one heard him. (I'm going crazy. I can't believe I'm talking to myself now), he thought.

He took his weapon and since he had no way to attach it to his waist, he simply carried it in his hand.

In the dining room, James saw a group of seven people. Strom and Riverdale were there, along with two other men and three women.

When James entered, Riverdale stood up from his seat and approached him. "James, my boy, come let me introduce you. These are Lucas and Owen, and over here we have the gorgeous world-class ladies Laura, Elisia, and Amelia," he finished with a mischievous smile.

Both Elisia and Amelia seemed to be mages, but Elisia appeared to be more focused on offense, while Amelia had some bandages at hand, presumably indicating she was a healer. Their attire suggested the same. Laura had a bow.

Owen looked strong and well-trained; it could be seen in his eyes, while Lucas appeared rather pale and thin, and there was something sinister about his smile.

"For all of you, this is James, Strom's best student," Riverdale concluded, placing his hands on James's shoulders and making him step forward.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. As you've heard, I'm still learning from Master Strom, so I'm not very skilled," James said humbly.

"Nonsense, young man! From what I've heard, you really shook up old Strom, so you must be quite capable," Lucas said.

"I'm also quite intrigued. To be able to get that stubborn bastard Strom moving, you must be quite good," Elisia said.

"Hey, kid, you have a good sword there. Want to have a duel?" Owen energetically asked.

"Don't bother the boy. You're just a brute, and you'll hurt him because you can't control your strength," Amelia scolded Owen.

"What does it matter if he breaks a bone or two? You can easily fix it," Owen retorted.

Upon hearing that, everyone stared at him with expressions clearly displaying their inner thoughts. (Owen is a real brute), the people present thought.

"Anyway, everyone calms down," Strom said loudly. "Boy, you should know that I'll soon be going on a mission with my group, so I probably won't be here when you return. This workshop is a property the municipality gave me when I started working for them, but I'm sure they'll find some excuse to take it away once I'm gone. So, I can't leave it in your care," Strom commented, struggling to find the right words.

Elisia, seeing his difficulty in communicating his feelings, stepped forward and asked, "Boy, do you have any plans for the future?"

" There is something important I must do, but for now, I am too weak. I need to unlock more of my class's potential, so I want to learn other disciplines," James responded honestly.

"It's quite unusual for you to choose to improve in that way. Most people focus on just one thing when they want to grow quickly. However, if that's truly your plan, I recommend that you work for an academy. Those study centers have the largest collection of knowledge, especially the Academy of the Kingdom of Himlar. It's the biggest and most prestigious one, and it accepts members of various races, although you might face some discrimination," Amelia advised with a sweet voice.

"I see, that could be a good option. How can I join the academy?" James asked.

"Through the usual channels, although you probably won't like them. Unfortunately, to truly enter any of those groups, you'll have to commit or have someone vouch for you," Riverdale said.

"As a matter of fact, I know a low-status human noble within the Kingdom of Himlar. I'm not sure if it'll be enough, but if you go on my behalf, he might be able to show you a path or give you a clue," Strom said as he rummaged through his belongings until he found a brooch. "If you give him this and tell him you're going on my behalf, he might be able to help you." Strom finally felt better, knowing he wouldn't leave his disciple to fend for himself.

"Thank you very much, Master. I will never forget all the favors you've done for me and your kindness towards me," James responded emotionally.

"Hey, boy, don't give me that puppy-dog face, or I'll feel sorry for taking the old man away. I promise you, if you want, we'll bring him back alive," Owen teased James.

"Who are you calling an old man? If you're so eager for a beating, just ask for it," Strom angrily retorted, grabbing his weapon.

Although they pretended to be angry, the atmosphere quickly turned jovial, and in the end, everyone enjoyed some mugs of beer and shared stories.

"Although I planned to leave after you went on the expedition, the truth is, there are many things I need to fix before I depart. So, I'll be intermittently absent, even for weeks. Try not to get into trouble, especially with the clans ruling the Republic," Strom advised James.

"Don't worry, Master. I'll make sure not to bother anyone. I just want to hone my skills while I'm here," James said.

"Well, boy, you should know that sometimes the mere act of wanting to hone your skills can upset someone important," Elisia said, and the entire group nodded. It was clear that everyone had a story related to that.

"Let's not lose our optimism. Maybe, in your case, things will be different," Amelia said.

"A toast to that," Riverdale said.

The next day, James woke up with a slight hangover. He didn't remember much about what they had done after certain moments, but he knew that Owen was a beast when it came to drinking.

"Good morning, princess," Owen greeted him.

James looked around dazed and saw Owen sitting on a chair. He realized he had fallen asleep in the dining room.

With his body sore, he asked, "Good morning, Owen. Where is everyone else?"

"They went out. I think they'll be back in about 4 or 5 days," the big guy replied.

James simply got up and went to get some water.

"What do we do now?" Owen genuinely asked, feeling bored.

"I don't know about you, but I have a couple of contracts to fulfill in the next two weeks," James replied.

Irritated, Owen stood up and left the house. James didn't know what he would do, but he knew it wasn't of his interest.

He continued with his normal routine in the following days—crafting weapons and components, inscribing runes, meditating, and even having sparring sessions with Owen to learn how to use his sword. It was pointless to have one if he wasn't trained in it.

"You've never fought before, kid. You're too predictable," Owen said, surprised by James's lack of skill.

"Not really, I've always avoided getting into fights," James responded, feeling the pain from the beating he just received.

"That's not a bad attitude, but unfortunately, it won't help you from now on. When you fight, you shouldn't be so predictable. If the enemy can read you at all times, they'll move accordingly, and it'll be more like a dance than a fight," Owen advised.

He got up and went to the center of the courtyard. "First, we need to work on your legs. Leg movement is crucial so that you can follow your enemy without becoming a hindrance to yourself."

Despite not getting along so well with Owen, James appreciated his honest willingness and accepted his lessons in good faith. In return, James cooked some dishes in the afternoons.

Both of them spent almost a month like this, and there were still no signs of Strom and his group. However, trouble knocked on their door.