Kyle's Visit

Kai spent the other part of the day chilling within his cave, carving another bone spear, whilst commotion was happening outside. The sounds of the dangerous creatures that roamed the forest outside filtered into the cave, filling the air with a symphony of roars, screeches, and chirps.

Yet, despite the noises happening just beyond the entrance to his shelter, Kai remained focused on his work, perfecting the sharp point of his bone spearhead. Despite the danger that lurked outside, Kai felt a sense of peace in his solitary surroundings.

Eventually, the sounds outside faded into the background, becoming nothing more than a distant chorus to the music in his head. Kai worked until the last remnants of light faded from the sky, and then, with a satisfied sigh, he placed his finished work aside, preparing himself for rest.

Kai's attention was suddenly drawn to the entrance of the cave, where he caught a glimpse of strange shadows moving amidst the lush greenery outside. With a final glance at the mysterious figures, Kai settled himself into his moss bed, curling up and closing his eyes.

Rustle...

Kai had just closed his eyes, eager to enter the White Desert and train, when he heard a rustling sound just a few meters away from his bed. His body tensed, every muscle coiling as he sprang into action. In one fluid motion, he reached for his Bone Spear, gripping it tightly as he thrusted it towards the source of the noise.

But to his surprise, the spear was caught mid-air by a firm hand. A figure stepped into the faint moonlight filtering into the cave, revealing themselves as a fellow human.

"How have you been doing, Kai?"

Kai's grip on the weapon loosened as relief washed over him, and he let out a sigh as he lowered the spear. He didn't expect his guardian to come meet him so soon.

"I've awakened!"

Kai's words echoed through the cave, causing the corners of Kyle's eyes to twitch with surprise.

"The more I hear about your achievements, the less I believe in the validity of this Talent Test..."

For a second, Kyle's gaze became distant as he fixated upon the rough, stone surface of the cave's wall. But then, with a sudden jolt, his attention was brought back to Kai.

"What happened outside? Why are there so many beasts swarming this vicinity?"

Kyle asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity which made Kai feel a mix of conflicting emotions. He wanted to tell Kyle about what he had found, but at the same time, he was afraid of what might happen if Kyle knew the truth. Would Kyle turn on him and even take his life if he found Kai had a 'Mana Fruit'?

'I'm already planning to tell him about the Mana Heart, so there's no need to hide the Treasure...'

Kai thought to himself as he tried to calm his racing thoughts. With a firm nod of his head, he delved into his Spatial Storage, withdrawing the natural Treasure that had nearly cost him his life.

Swish...

In an instant, the Mana density within the cavern skyrocketed and before Kai could react, Kyle had already acted, quickly shoving the 'Mana Fruit' back into Kai's ring.

"Hide that thing!"

Kyle spoke with a tone of urgency and quickly pulled a piece of cloth from his Spatial Ring. He moved quickly to drape the cloth over the entrance of the cave, blocking their location from view.

Kai's senses picked up on the unusual flow of Mana within the cloth that hung at the entrance of the cave. He quickly understood that the cloth was used to block the Mana fluctuations coming from inside the cavern.

"How were you able to get it?"

Kyle took a seat before Kai and closely examined his body, searching for any signs of injury. To his surprise, Kai seemed to be unscathed, causing him to release a sigh of relief.

"It is good to see that you have not suffered any harm..."

Kyle whispered softly, his words barely audible, but Kai's sharp senses caught the sentence. He felt a warm feeling in his chest, knowing that someone cared for him.

"I managed to find this Fruit at the very moment it began to ripen, so I was lucky to avoid most of the monsters that were further away from the tree..."

Kyle listened in amazement as Kai retold his story of how he had acquired such a precious treasure. He couldn't believe that Kai had been able to acquire an A+ Rank Natural Treasure without facing any monster along the way. This was in stark contrast to Kyle's own experience of struggling and suffering to obtain the Icy Iris that he had given to Kai.

'Why do I feel like he's the protagonist?'

Kyle scratched his neck, observing Kai as he continued to relate his experience. Kyle noticed the added muscle mass on the young man's previously slim frame. He had always known that Kai was a determined young man, but the changes he was witnessing were truly remarkable. Kyle realized that Kai had been working hard to improve himself.

As he looked at Kai, Kyle felt a sense of pride welling up inside of him. Though they were not related by blood, Kyle had taken Kai under his wing, and he felt a strong sense of fatherly affection for the young man before him. The progress that Kai had made was truly remarkable, even for someone as talented as Kyle.

"Good job!"

Kyle's sudden interruption of the young man's story took the latter by surprise. The young man looked up at Kyle, his eyes blinking in confusion. But Kyle was not paying attention to the young man's reaction. Instead, his eyes lit up with excitement and he spoke again.

"Oh! I almost forgot! Alexandra couldn't make it today due to some pressing matters at work, but she wanted you to have this gift."

Kai's eyes widened as he watched the man rummage through his Spatial Ring. He couldn't help but lick his lips in anticipation, as every time he had received a gift from the pair, it had been something truly valuable.

What would it be this time?

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AN: It can't be a new spear... It can't!