Kito picked up the shimmering ring from the ground, letting his fingers graze its cold surface. After clearing away the dust that covered it, he noticed it was in excellent condition. The silver ring sparkled under the light, revealing complex engraved patterns on its surface, the meaning of which eluded Kito. The ring appeared delicate and refined but seemed far too large for his finger.
Curious, he decided to put it on. To his great surprise, the ring instantly shrank to fit his finger perfectly. He then felt a strange connection with the ring, as if he could sense objects inside. He focused for a moment and realized that this mysterious ring was, in fact, a storage ring, containing objects within!
Excited by this discovery, Kito began to explore the contents of the ring. He found a collection of books and a few alchemy instruments that seemed worn and of mediocre quality. There were books on the basics of alchemy, combat, magic, the country's history, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He decided to store these objects in his study room, on the makeshift shelves he had made.
"Maybe this isn't the most breathtaking discovery, but it's better than nothing," he thought as he carefully placed the books.
"I should at least try to read one of these books, even if I'm not sure they will bring me much knowledge," he thought, tempted by a book. He picked up the first book within reach, titled "The Basics of Alchemy."
His parents owned a few books, but the knowledge in this world seemed lagging compared to the vague memories he had of his former world. Apart from a few vague ideas about healing potions, which required great expertise and rare ingredients, everything seemed out of reach for limited results.
Kito enthusiastically dove into the book on alchemy, flipping through the pages with insatiable curiosity. He learned that alchemy in this world was an ancient and complex art that combined magic, science, and philosophy. Alchemists used secret techniques to create potions, magical items, and even chimeric creatures in rare cases. Alchemists could manipulate the very nature of elements and materials using these principles to create works of unprecedented power and ingenuity.
To achieve such feats, extensive knowledge was required, including the properties of each ingredient, their specifics, the purpose of the creation, the quality of materials, and many other factors. All these elements made this discipline very complex and thus depended on many factors.
As he progressed in his reading, Kito began to understand the power and infinite possibilities that alchemy could offer. He realized that this knowledge, once mastered, could give him the advantage he needed to survive and thrive in this dangerous and mysterious world. He spent days and nights studying the book, absorbing every detail. Although it focused only on the basics, unlike his parents' books that merely listed creation recipes, this one delved more into the theory behind creation, allowing for much more freedom. Thanks to this, he could follow his own path in learning alchemy and experiment on his own.
To begin his experiments, he would need to gather herbs and other ingredients, which meant going to the forest. This prospect made him somewhat nervous. He thought he would need at least basic skills to defend himself. Maybe it was time to ask his father for advice?
In the meantime, Kito continued his training routine. Although it did not allow him to improve his stats, he had formed this habit, perhaps a remnant of his former life.
The sun began to set, and Kito was on his way home, ready to ask his father to teach him the art of combat.
Upon opening the door to his home, he could hear his mother say cheerfully: "Ah, you're arriving at just the right time, Kito! We're about to sit down for dinner."
With his father nearby, the moment seemed ideal to bring up the subject. "Dad, could you teach me the art of combat?" Kito asked with a hint of hesitation.
His father smiled warmly and replied: "Of course! Some might think you're still too young for that, but you seem to be developing faster than others. Besides, your father is a very strong fighter!"
However, his mother expressed her concerns: "I think it's still too early. You're only 5 years old! Moreover, it's dangerous; you could get hurt."
"Don't worry, dear," his father reassured her. "We'll take it slow at first, trust me." Then, turning to Kito, he added: "Be ready tomorrow morning; the training will begin."
Kito's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed enthusiastically: "Great, I can't wait!"
The family spent the evening chatting around the table, sharing a convivial meal. Kito listened attentively to his father's advice and mentally prepared himself for the upcoming training. He was eager to learn the fighting techniques that would help him accomplish his goals.
Then Kito went up to his room and lay down on his bed.
"It's strange, I haven't received any more quests lately. My level is stagnating, I wish I could continue to increase it!" he thought.
To level up, he had to kill monsters. But for now, he didn't know how to fight, and only quests had allowed him to increase his level, so he was eager to receive new ones! The objectives gradually began to appear clearly in his mind. The first would be to learn to fight with his father. That way, he could start exploring the forest, leveling up by defeating monsters, and also gathering herbs and materials to experiment with alchemy.
Fortunately, his parents were very understanding and allowed him to go out every day. They had great confidence in the village's protective barrier, which was supposed to hold back the strongest monsters, as well as the many fighters, including his father. The village seemed safe. This reminded Kito that he had never visited the village before. He would ask his parents to take him there and show him around later.
Sometimes, Kito had trouble figuring out how to behave with his parents. Although he only had vague memories of his previous life, he knew that he had lived for about twenty years and sometimes found it difficult to adopt the behavior of a child. However, he felt that his child's body influenced his thoughts, reasoning, and desires. Despite the maturity he had retained, he began to perceive a certain immaturity and childish side in himself, probably due to his very young body, which became a little more important each day. Although his soul was older, his child's body undoubtedly had some influence.
But those questions would come later. For now, he had to go to bed, his father would surely be waiting for him early in the morning to begin training. He closed his eyes, letting the dreams take him to epic adventures and exciting challenges, before sinking into a restful sleep.