Rogelio was shocked after seeing the old man who was supposed to be dead.
"How are you still alive? What happened to you?" Rogelio asked.
"Well, I'm dead. I just appeared in your dream. The reason I can still talk to you is because of the will I left in the ring," the Sage replied.
Rogelio tilted his head. "Will?"
"Yes, but I don't think that's the question you want to ask," the Sage said with a knowing smile.
Rogelio cleared his mind of other thoughts and asked the question, "What do I need to do to be worthy of the ring?"
The Sage smiled. "The reason you can't use the power of the ring isn't because you're not worthy—it's because you don't know how to use it."
Rogelio, puzzled, asked, "So, I'm already worthy? How? I don't even know the sign that the ring accepts me."
The Sage explained, "The moment you activated the ring, it was a sign that it had already accepted you. The ring won't activate if its holder isn't worthy."
Rogelio replied with excitement, "So, how do I use its power?"
"Ask the ring, and it will tell you," the Sage said. He then smiled and continued, "Rogelio, holder of the Ring of Time and…"
Before he could finish, the Sage stopped and said, "Say the magic word."
Rogelio was about to reply when someone suddenly woke him up. Opening his eyes, he saw Letty standing before him.
"I thought you were supposed to go back to the Adventurers' Guild. It's almost noon," Letty said.
"What?!?" Rogelio exclaimed, jumping out of bed. He glanced out the window and saw the sun shining high. Hurriedly, he got ready to leave, but before he could step out of the bar, Jay called to him.
"Jay?" Rogelio asked.
"Don't take a quest today. Come back here before you do," Jay instructed.
Rogelio smiled and nodded before rushing off to the guild.
At the Guild
Rogelio arrived exhausted at the front desk.
"Oh, it's you, newbie. Here's your Adventurer Identification Card," Sara said. "From now on, you're officially an adventurer of the guild with a rank of D. You can only take D-rank quests from the board."
Rogelio happily received the card and went to the quest board.
"There are a lot of D-rank quests here. Hunting a dire wolf in the deep forest sounds good, but…" Rogelio thought aloud.
He decided to check with Sara and asked, "Sara, is there a quest that involves traveling?"
"There's none at the moment, but in a month, there will be one," Sara replied. "It's a job guarding a merchant traveling to Valoria Kingdom. It requires five B-rank adventurers, three C-ranks, and two D-ranks."
"Can I take that one?" Rogelio asked excitedly.
"Sure, I'll reserve it for you," Sara said with a smile.
Rogelio left the guild and returned to the bar.
At the Bar
"So, you're back. That was quick. How was it?" Jay asked.
Rogelio grinned. "I got my Adventurer ID. I'm officially an adventurer now, but I didn't take a quest today, just as you said."
"Follow me," Jay said, walking out the door.
Rogelio followed Jay into the forest. Jay tossed a stick to him and said, "The life of an adventurer is always dangerous. To survive, you need to be strong and skilled. Now, let's see what you've got!"
Understanding the challenge, Rogelio took his stance and said, "Alright, here goes nothing."
Rogelio's Training and the Ring of Time
Rogelio raised his stick and dashed toward Jay, swinging it from left to right with all his strength. Jay effortlessly stepped back, dodging the attack. "He's fast," Rogelio thought, frustration mounting as his strike missed. Gritting his teeth, he dashed forward again, attempting a direct stab. This time, Jay grabbed the stick mid-thrust and said, "Your footwork is a mess, and your swordsmanship lacks precision. Your swings lack power, and you're skipping the basics. There's a lot to improve."
Rogelio stepped back, catching his breath. "Let's test your defense now. Try your best to block or dodge," Jay instructed, a sly grin on his face. He dashed forward, aiming a punch at Rogelio.
"He's too fast! I can't dodge, and if I block with this stick, he'll punch right through it," Rogelio thought, panic rising. Desperately, he closed his eyes and gripped his stick tighter, focusing deeply. He remembered the sage of time from his dream and pictured everything around him freezing in place.
Jay paused, puzzled by Rogelio's sudden stillness. Rogelio murmured, "Ring, I know you're there. Give me your strength." As Jay's punch neared Rogelio's face, a whisper echoed in his ear. Rogelio's eyes snapped open, and he uttered the magic words, "Time Walk."
The world around him froze. Jay's face, locked in a mid-punch expression of surprise, seemed comical. Rogelio smiled, stepping to the side, and released the ring's power. Time resumed, and Jay's fist met empty air.
Jay staggered, stunned. "I assume that was the power of the ring?" he asked, impressed.
Rogelio beamed. "Yes—" But before he could finish, exhaustion overtook him, and he collapsed.
Moments Later
Rogelio woke up to Jay's voice. "I guess using the ring's power drained your energy. But that was impressive."
Rogelio sat up, groggy. "So, should I call you 'teacher' now?"
Jay smirked. "You better."
"Just so you know, Teacher," Rogelio added, "I have a quest coming up in a month. I'll be traveling to Valoria."
Jay's expression turned serious. "Then we don't have time to waste. I'm going to train you until your bones scream for mercy."
Jay and Rogelio sat in a clearing in the forest. Jay began, "The first problem we're addressing is you."
"Me?" Rogelio asked, confused.
"Yes. You have the strength of a B-rank adventurer and a durable body because you're a Holder. But you don't know how to use it. Or rather, you lack the will. Take earlier as an example. When I was about to punch you, you could have blocked it with your body or your fist. But you were too scared to face it head-on."
Rogelio frowned. "So what do we do?"
Jay's grin returned. "I have just the solution." Moments later, Rogelio found himself doing push-ups with a massive stone strapped to his back.
"Piece of advice," Jay said, watching him struggle. "Think of yourself as invincible. Your body will take care of the rest. Don't be a baby. Face it like a rock."
Surprisingly, Rogelio managed the push-ups. He followed them with squats, sit-ups, and other grueling exercises, all with the heavy stone. The sun dipped low as their training continued.
Exhausted and gasping for breath, Rogelio asked, "What's this rock supposed to teach me, Teacher?"
Jay smirked. "Before we head back, I'll roll this rock at you. Your job? Stop it head-on."
Rogelio's eyes widened. "That will kill me!"
"No, it won't. You just need the will to face it. Now, get ready."
Jay rolled the rock. Rogelio braced himself, heart pounding. "I'm strong. I'm durable. I can do this!" he thought. Jay shouted, "Don't close your eyes!"
The rock hit Rogelio squarely, but to his astonishment, he stood firm. "Told you you'd be fine," Jay said with a smirk. "Now let's head back."
Back at the Bar
At the bar, Rogelio groaned. "My body is killing me. I'm resting tomorrow."
"You do that," Jay said. "Because tomorrow will be even tougher." Rogelio smirked as he trudged upstairs.
Jay turned to Letty. "How's the bar?"
"Fine," Letty replied. "How's the training?"
Jay recounted the day's events, including Rogelio's use of the ring's power.
"Will he really be ready in a month?" Letty asked.
"If he were a normal person, no. But he's a Holder. Holders learn quickly and have innate talent," Jay reassured her. The two talked late into the night about Rogelio's potential.
The Next Day
"What's today's training, Teacher?" Rogelio asked eagerly.
Jay handed him a stick. "I want you to do a thousand slashes, a thousand stabs, and a thousand horizontal strikes."
Rogelio grinned. "That's easy."
"Oh, I forgot to mention," Jay added with a devilish smile. "You'll be wearing these." He handed Rogelio weighted gear.
Rogelio's grin faltered. "Great," he muttered, putting on the gear.
Jay continued, "Tomorrow, you'll repeat yesterday's training, then continue sword practice. At night, I want you to meditate and use the ring's power to extend the duration of your ability. This routine will continue every day for a month."
Rogelio exhaled heavily but nodded with determination. "Yes, Teacher!"
And so, Rogelio's month of grueling, transformative training began.