Cael stood in the small garden behind his humble cabin, focused on digging up some root vegetables from the soil.
The original owner had once carefully tended to this garden, filling it with a variety of vegetables. It was clear that, despite his young age, the original owner had been someone who valued a well-lived life.
Since returning from the village hall yesterday, Cael had taken it upon himself to tidy up the cabin. Back in his previous world, he had always enjoyed keeping things neat. Now, with everything organized, the cabin felt refreshed, and he felt a sense of calm.
Last night, Rowan had brought him a few slices of black bread. The food in this world wasn't exactly delicious, but Cael was slowly adjusting to life here.
There was something about this world that reminded him of the medieval era. From the way people dressed to the food they ate—black bread, grain porridge, and root vegetables—it felt like a step back in time.
Today, he planned to cook some of the root vegetables for lunch.
As Cael held a few root vegetables in his hands, he looked up at the sky and instantly sensed something was wrong.
The air had grown heavier, with thick clouds gathering like a storm, filling the air with a suffocating weight. The humidity in the air increased sharply, as if the world itself was preparing for the coming storm.
Just then, a faint flash of light streaked across the distant sky—lightning, signaling that a thunderstorm was imminent.
Back in his previous world, Cael was a weather enthusiast. With the help of satellites, radar, and weather models, he could easily predict thunderstorms days in advance. But in this world, with no modern technology at his disposal, he had to rely on his instincts and keen eyesight to spot signs of an approaching lightning storm.
Fortunately, Cael had plenty of experience with weather patterns. By observing the current weather changes, the gathering clouds, wind speed, and the rising static charge in the air, he quickly realized that a thunderstorm was about to hit from the west.
He needed to absorb the thunder and lightning energy!
After yesterday's sparring session with Sebastian at the village hall, where he had repeatedly used elemental attacks, his energy value had down to just 1,072 VT.
Elemental attacks consume a lot of energy, especially the Thunderwave he used yesterday, which consumed 300 VT, while Lightning Mirage took 400 VT.
Based on his calculations, each meal provided about 2 VT to 5 VT of energy. Resting or the passing of time would restore roughly 2 VT, while normal activities consumed about 2 VT in a single day.
He also noticed that energy gain and consumption varied depending on a person's physical condition.
For example, there was a clear difference between children and adults, which explained why kids like him and Rowan had lower energy values, while the adults in the village had slightly higher ones.
Cael understood that this world operated on the law of "energy conservation"—energy was everything.
Because of this, he had to absorb as much energy as possible. Only then could he truly adapt and survive in this world.
Once he figured out the direction of the incoming thunderstorm, Cael dropped the root vegetables and prepared to leave immediately.
At that moment, Rowan walked out of his house, holding a bowl in his left hand—likely bringing food for Cael. Since their return from the village office yesterday, Rowan had been extremely polite to him.
Seeing Cael hurrying toward the west, Rowan couldn't help but call out: "Cael, where are you going?"
"A thunderstorm is coming soon." Cael replied, turning to point in the direction.
"I'm coming too!" Rowan quickly set the bowl down on the steps in front of the house and hurried to catch up with Cael.
At that moment, Rowan's father rushed out of the house, shouting: "Are you going to absorb energy with him again? You can't go! Don't go! Be careful, he might hurt you again!"
But the two boys ignored his words and ran even faster, soon disappearing from view.
Thunderstorms were often accompanied by strong winds.
As a Cyclonaris, Rowan frequently went with Cael to absorb energy. Being the only Cyclonaris in the village, Rowan wasn't accepted by the others. The only person who willingly spent time with him was Cael.
Rowan kept close behind Cael as they quickly ran up a small hill. The hill was thick with trees, their branches and leaves so dense that they blocked out the the sky.
They continued toward the top, where Cael picked a more open, flat spot, free from the shade of the trees.
While keeping an eye on the sky, Cael sat down cross-legged on the ground.
Rowan followed, sitting beside him.
This was Cael's first time absorbing energy in this world, and he felt a bit nervous. Although he had been absorbing energy when he crossed over, this was a completely new experience—something he had never imagined in his previous life.
Who could have imagined that one day, he would stand under a thunderstorm, absorbing the energy of thunder and lightning?
In his past life, Cael could never have imagined something like this. Yet, at the same time, he felt an undeniable sense of destiny deep inside, as if this moment had been written in the stars.
It seemed clear to him now—this was his fate. He had been born for this, even brought to this world for this very purpose.
The dark clouds above thickened, and the signs of an impending thunderstorm became unmistakable. The air grew heavy and damp, crackling with static. A flash of lightning briefly illuminated the earth, followed by a deafening crash of thunder.
Suddenly, lightning split the sky, lighting up the land below. The wind howled, and the rain began to pour.
Cael stood up, feeling a rush of relief. All the unfairness and frustrations he had faced in his past life, along with the confusion and uncertainty he'd felt since arriving in this world, seemed to be washed away by the storm's rain.
Rowan stood up as well, meeting Cael's gaze. A silent understanding passed between them, and they both smiled, two innocent boys connected by an unspoken bond in the heart of the storm.
Years later, Cael often found himself recalling that moment: Rowan's brown hair, and his own golden, slightly curled locks, both drenched by the rain, clinging to their faces. Yet their smiles, filled with joy, were unmissable, no matter how heavy the downpour.
The storm raged on, its intensity growing. The wind howled louder, thunder deafening in the distance, lightning tearing through the sky, and the air crackled with energy.
Cael closed his eyes, spreading his arms wide, fully absorbing the raw power of the storm.
As he did, a virtual screen appeared before his eyes, and the numbers under "Energy Value" began to rapidly flicker.
[1,100 VT]...[1,200 VT]...
[1,300 VT]...[1,500 VT]...
Finally, the number stopped at "1,572 VT". The thunder and lightning energy he had absorbed this time was a solid 500 VT!
Right after, a bold red text popped up:
[Doubling in progress… ]
The number in the "Energy Value" section continued to climb rapidly, eventually settling at "2,072 VT".
At that moment, Cael felt an overwhelming surge of energy. Unlike when he first arrived in this world, this time, as he absorbed the thunder and lightning's power, he felt nothing but a sense of ease and alignment.
His mind and body had fully integrated with to the energy of the thunder and lightning.
Cael felt lighthearted, his spirit lifted, and a refreshing clarity swept through him.
At the same time, Rowan was absorbing the energy of the cyclone. With the fierce winds whipped up by the storm, his energy value also rose steadily.
Cael glanced at Rowan's system interface, where the "Energy Value" displayed "790 GL".
Cael felt a sense of relief. At least by the time Rowan needed to head to the city for his entrance exam, he'd have gathered enough energy.
Rowan noticed the sudden surge of energy around Cael and found it strange. Though he had questions, he decided not to ask.
The two of them continued absorbing the energy of nature as the wind and rain raged around them. After a while, the storm began to subside, and sunlight slowly spread across the land once more.
With the sun now shining, their hair and clothes had dried considerably, and they made their way home.
As they neared the house, Cael saw his aunt, Nadia, standing at the door, waiting for him.
Nadia had promised to give Cael an answer today, and as he approached, he couldn't help but feel a sense of nervous anticipation. He really hoped to attend school. Since arriving in this world with his "golden fingers" abilities, he'd been eager to explore more of it.
"Cael Zesterein, I've made my decision. You can go to the secondary academy." Nadia said as Cael walked up to her.
Her voice carried a trace of reluctance, but there was also a quiet determination behind her words.
"Really?" Cael asked, his voice filled with surprise.
"That's awesome! Cael! We can go to secondary academy together!" Rowan cheered excitedly, his joy evident.
" Alright, pack your things tomorrow, and the day after, you'll set off with Rowan." Nadia said as she handed Cael a cloth-wrapped bundle she had been holding.
Cael felt the softness of the bundle in his hands. It was probably filled with clothes.
" Rowan, since Cael has lost his memory, you'll need to guide him once you get to Aetherium City." Nadia said to Rowan.
"Got it. I know the way to the city. We'll stick together once we get there." Rowan replied.
"Awesome! We can head to Aetherium City together!" Rowan said again to Cael, his excitement clear.
The next day, Cael and Rowan headed to the village center to buy some supplies before their journey to the city.
Cael found a few silver coins in a ceramic jar inside the cabin, each with different denominations. He also noticed that in the package Nadia had given him yesterday, along with a few thick clothes, there were several silver coins hidden inside.
In this world, each country had its own currency. These silver coins were used in the Thorvia Kingdom and were called " Orin Coins".
Cael carefully counted the silver coins he had and found only 12 in total. Comparing the prices at a few stalls, he realized this wasn't much, and he'd have to make it last.
So, he bought just the basics: some dry bread, a handful of raisins, a water pouch, and a few cleaning supplies, like wooden cleaning sticks and herbal cloths. That left him with only 7 Orin Coins.
Cael thought this world wasn't entirely backward. At least items like the naturally woven herbal cloth and cleaning sticks gave him some comfort. While modern cleaning tools were absent, he felt lucky to find these practical alternatives in such an ancient land.
Rowan, on the other hand, had brought more than enough money. Besides the essentials, he also bought some pickled ham, wrapped in oil paper by the vendor. The mouth-watering aroma reached Cael's nose, making him swallow involuntarily.
After their shopping, they each headed home. Cael returned to his small cabin and started packing.
The cabin was nearly empty, with almost nothing to pack. He simply laid out a few clothes and the new daily necessities on a piece of cloth, then tied the corners together. That was all he would take on his journey to Aetherium City.