When he awoke once again, everything had changed. He was back in his own room, gasping for breath, the searing pain still fresh in his memory, but his body remained unharmed.
Sweat dripped from his forehead, and his breath was ragged and tense. He sat on the edge of his bed, attempting to collect his thoughts. The recent events, the vicious attack of the ice piranhas, the excruciating pain, and then suddenly returning to his room had left him utterly bewildered.
He examined his body carefully, but there was no sign of any injuries, and the peculiar ring had naturally fallen beside the bed. Could it have all been a dream? However, the pain and fear he had experienced felt all too real, making disbelief difficult.
His roommate, Mio, noticed Eric's restlessness and asked with concern, "What's wrong, Eric? Did you have a nightmare?"
Eric replied, "No, it wasn't a nightmare, Mio. It's this ring; it seems to lead people into some strange virtual space."
Mio Hyde looked at Eric curiously and inquired, "Are you talking about... the Otherworldly Ring?"
Eric sat on the bed and carefully retrieved the ring, showing it to Mio. "Take a look; it's this ring."
Mio's eyes widened, showing an astonished expression. "It really seems to be an Otherworldly Ring. I've heard classmates talking about it during breaks. The Otherworldly Ring is used by advanced-level magicians for physical and magical training in a special virtual space, a training room with adjustable parameters that can simulate realistic experiences, intense danger without harm to the physical body, all to enhance a magician's magical abilities and physical training. It's typically accessible only to higher-level magicians. Eric, where did you get this?"
Eric explained, "I found it accidentally during the Night Hunt. It appears that some magician must have dropped it. But the runes on the ring and the aura it exudes always remind me of the man I encountered in the hallway that night."
Mio studied the runes on the ring with a furrowed brow, then said, "The runes on this Otherworldly Ring do seem unusually intricate. Under normal circumstances, such a ring wouldn't fall into the hands of lower-level students like us. I think you should use caution with it. Since our levels and abilities haven't touched this ring, we don't fully understand its implications for our safety."
Eric nodded in agreement, determined to handle the ring with care.
However, the very next day, it seemed as if destiny guided him, and he once again encountered that man.
Eric Stone didn't sleep well that night, plagued by a sense of unease. The next morning, he woke up early, and as he left his room, a black cat suddenly appeared in the middle of his path. He crouched down, offering a piece of ham from his breakfast to the feline. Unexpectedly, the cat took a couple of steps back with a haughty air, seemingly disapproving of Eric's gesture. It gazed at him intently, its eyes resembling those of a human. The black cat meowed twice, then elegantly sauntered down a nearby path.
The morning was still young, and there was plenty of time before class. Curiosity piqued, Eric decided to follow the path that the black cat had taken.
He arrived at a partially open laboratory door. The black cat had vanished, and Eric cautiously peered inside. To his surprise, he found the man from the hallway!
Eric observed the man from behind; he still wore his black robes, his hands occupied with a murky, dark-red liquid within the laboratory equipment. The atmosphere seemed to freeze, and Eric shivered involuntarily. The man appeared entirely focused on his experiments, seemingly unaware of Eric's presence.
The laboratory was permeated with a peculiar scent. The dark-red liquid flowed between the instruments, emitting a faint humming sound. Ancient scrolls and runes adorned the walls, along with bizarre contraptions that left Eric baffled about the nature of the experiments.
Suddenly, the man's voice echoed through the silent laboratory, cold and profound. "How did you get in here?"
Eric's throat tightened, and he struggled to reply, "I'm not sure; I simply followed the black cat and found myself here."
The man slowly turned around, his face still concealed behind the black veil. His eyes exuded a sense of detachment, and he said, "The black cat has brought another unexpected guest."
"Take a seat," the man ceased his work and prepared a cup of green, jelly-like liquid for Eric. "This is my laboratory, and since you're here, try my newly concocted Warmth Brew with a hint of green apple." He smiled faintly.
Eric accepted the cup. The green liquid inside had the texture of jelly. He hesitated for a moment but then took a sip. As soon as the liquid touched his tongue, he felt a peculiar warmth radiating from it. The warmth spread from his tongue, coursing through his body.
"Warmth Brew surrounds one with temporary warmth," the man explained after a brief pause, as if recalling a distant memory. His gaze held a lingering sorrow. "Even in the most frigid conditions, it can't fully ward off the cold, but it does offer a moment of warmth." His voice was soft, as if recounting a long-lost story.
At that moment, he noticed the small vine accessory around Eric's neck. "The Elder Tree chose you," the man whispered as he gently touched the vine accessory, a cherished gift from the Elder Tree that Eric had worn faithfully.
Eric's heart quickened. He suddenly realized he might be entwined in a profound destiny.
It was then that Eric Stone noticed the runes on the man's staff, reminding him of the ring he had found. From his pocket, he took out the ring and handed it to the man. "Perhaps this is yours?"
The man received the ring, carefully tracing the fine runes on its surface. His touch was gentle and evocative, as if caressing a fragment of a fragmented memory.
The runes on the ring began to flicker, emitting a faint glow, as though responding to the man's touch. The atmosphere in the room seemed to subtly change in tandem with the ring.
After a prolonged moment, the man seemed to resurface from memories. He patiently explained, "This ring is known as the Otherworldly Ring. It is a tool used to access a special
virtual space, often employed for advanced magicians' specialized training. The virtual space enables magicians to engage in physical training and magical practices, enhancing their abilities. It constructs a virtual environment that offers real experiences."
The man continued, "But be cautious; the parameters must not be set too high, or the sudden high-difficulty environment might result in instant death, rendering the training pointless. Even though there are no physical injuries, the pain is one hundred percent real."
Eric listened attentively, and the harrowing events he had experienced through the Otherworldly Ring the night before now made sense.
"Thank you for bringing this back," the man said softly. After a moment of reflection, he tossed the ring back to Eric. "It's yours now. I hope you use it well."
Eric carefully accepted the ring.
The chiming of the hourly clock reminded Eric, "Oh no, class is starting. I'm sorry; I should get back now. Thank you for the gift, and I'll make sure to use it wisely."
With a wave, he bid farewell to the man.
"Goodbye, young Shadow of the Elder Tree," the man said softly. Then, he returned to his experiments.
Eric Stone rushed out of the laboratory, too preoccupied with the mysterious encounter to dwell on the man's parting words. After this enigmatic meeting, his future was poised to unveil more secrets. All he wanted to do now was run and catch up with the training. "Oh no, the training has already begun!" he exclaimed.