Your「LONG BLADE」skill has increased to Level 22!

You skid across the dirt with a wooden sword in your hand. Standing in front of you, unscathed and unfazed, is Grimdal. His skill with the longsword is on a whole other level.

"You possess the speed and the strength, but you lack the technique," he rests his weapon on his shoulder and stares down at you.

"Crap," you stagger to your feet, "I can't get a hit in at all."

"Pay more attention to your movements, Garden Beast. This isn't a fight where you can end it in a single hit."

"I know, I know... But that's easier said than done, teach."

"True, it took me decades to even get the footing down. But that knowledge helped me defeat foes much more powerful than I."

He outstretches his hand toward you, mirroring what you did to him yesterday, and nods at you. And you grab him and pull yourself up, frustrated but fully aware of where you stand as a student of the blade.

"Trying to best me is fine and well, but what's important is what you got out of this," he sheathes his Lunar Glaive and massages his calloused palms. "So, what's your long-blade skill level at now? It should be around Level 7, or Level 10 if you're gifted with a really good Leveling Increment."

"Ah, right," you close your left eye to check. "It's... Level 22. Ooh, your training's pretty effective, Elder!"

"Hahaha! You needn't lie to me about your skill level, girl! I won't laugh!"

"Eh? Why would I need to lie about that to my teacher?"

"H-huh?"

An uncomfortable lull ensues and he does a double-take.

"Wait," his smile drops, "seriously?"

"Mm. Seriously."

"It took you a mere six hours of training to get you from Level 0 to Level 22?"

"Yeah! No doubt thanks to your coaching!"

Suddenly, the elf drops to his knees in despair.

"I-impossible, it took me years to reach Level 20," his husky voice is toneless and dead. "And yet here you are, accomplishing what I did in a fraction of the time."

"Uh... Coach Grimdal?"

"Actually, how are you still considered Level 1 by God's Eye with your skill levels?! Is this talent just broken?!"

"I don't think so, I also wield it and can see your level just fine."

"I can't get a handle on the inner machinations behind your existence, Garden Beast. You're practically a god among men."

He stands up and pivots toward the woods off in the distance. This hill, hidden from the rest of society, serves as your training grounds and while the memories here from last night are fresh and bitter, they are soon replaced by visions of progress.

You jog up beside him and join him in blankly gazing at the scenic greenery.

"I didn't think it possible, but you may have a Leveling Increment of 1X," he glances at you. "Never in my life have I met a person with such a boon."

"Leveling Increment?"

"Typically, with each successive level comes more demanding requirements. For instance, to attain Level 1 in a combat skill you need to successfully land an attack once. Level 2 may require 3 successful attacks, Level 3 would require 9, Level 4 would require 18, and so on and so forth. That is a Leveling Increment of 3X."

"Hm... makes sense..."

"The difficulty in improving your skills exponentially increases with level. That is the natural order of things—the law that governs all living creatures. Humans, animals, and monsters are all bound by this system."

"What determines a being's Leveling Increment?"

"That's left up to chance. When you're born you get a random set of predetermined stats. Some may win this genetic lottery, while others aren't so lucky. Oh, and for your information, I have a Leveling Increment of 1.5X. I was always favored by Gaia, I suppose."

"Hoh... so I was a product of random chance?"

"That I'm not so sure of. Your existence is far too anomalous for that to be the case. Gaia... nay, the gods may have had a hand in your presence in this world."

"The gods, eh..?"

And Grimdal says no more and strides off toward the trees.

"We'll stop here today," he waves with his back toward you. "Rest is important for a warrior."

"B-but, I'm not tired yet! I can still fight!" you eagerly hold up your wooden sword.

"I'm the one that needs to rest, Garden Beast. Unlike your stamina, mine has a limit."

When you can no longer spot him from the precipice, you look down at your wooden sword. His remarks about gods and Leveling Increments make your head spin, and you drop the dummy weapon on the ground.

"That voice in the void..." you recall your past. "Does it belong to one of these gods I wonder?"

And you come to remember your promise to Anna as the sun climbs to its apotheosis. As morning transitions to noon, you sprint through the forest toward the first tree building you see. It is here that the alchemists of Elderwood Village operate.

You hastily open the door and step inside.

"Sorry I'm late!" you lower your head in an apologetic bow. "I was too caught up in my training I didn't notice the time."

"Ah, Nameless Seer!" Anna greets you cheerfully. "No need to apologize, I'm running behind schedule myself."

"I-is that so?"

"Yep! Not proud of it though! Take a seat anywhere you'd like, I just need to finish up this concoction."

You take a gander at the place—vials of potions and poisons of all sorts and varieties sit neatly arranged along the many shelves that line the walls. It is the very definition of a well-maintained apothecary.

Plants and ingredients are kept in jars on the tables beside the alembic Anna uses. They are labeled and displayed in an orderly fashion.

As Anna is a laid-back and seemingly-slovenly individual, you are surprised to see this level of tidiness from her.

"Oh," Anna turns to you, "and if you're looking for your fox friend, he's in the next room. Anya's taking care of him."

"Really? Is she alright?"

"Go see for yourself."

You incline your head and walk over to draw the portiere to your right. Beyond the doorway is an astonishing scene.

On a wooden bench in the corner, the Mystfox lies with his head nestled in Anya's lap, relaxed and quiet. She strokes his soft body with her small hand and lets him drift off to sleep. You rarely witness the animal this placated.

"Huh..." you speak softly so as to not wake him up. "Is he asleep?"

"He's been like this for hours," Anya replies, never taking her eyes off him. "He must be tired from all that playing last night."

"What am I going to do with him?"

You sidle up to the girl and sit beside her. She appears quite content as she continues petting the Mystfox. It makes you a tiny bit jealous to see him in the warm embrace of another girl, but as Anya harbors no ill intent, you leave her be.

"He seems to have taken a liking to you," you chuckle.

"T-that's not true. He's just exhausted is all," the young elf blushes at your assertion.

"Eeh, really?"

"Of course. Who could ever like a girl like me..?"

The room you find yourself in is remarkably smaller than the main building. It acts as a storage room for dusty mortars, pestles, and strange apparatuses. A few books are littered about, and the messy state of the place is a far cry from the previous room.

Cobwebs in the corner of the room bring you back to your first time entering your farmhouse. And you grow homesick thinking about it.

"Hey, Anya," you suddenly say. "Do you like animals?"

"W-where'd that come from?"

"I just had a hunch."

"Well, I guess I do..."

"Own any pets back home?"

"N-no... my parents won't allow it."

"Why not? This is the perfect environment to raise an animal."

"Um, remember that story Elder Anna told you, back at the hot springs? About Fidri?"

"Ahh, the one where he was sick with a rare disease as a child?"

"Mm. Apparently, he caught the disease from an animal my parents kept. That sorta made them scared of owning pets ever again."

"Right... that'll do that to them..."

You reach for the Mystfox's head and scratch him on the chin. His tail wags as you do so, and you realize he is awake.

"Honestly, what a spoiled thing," you stop giving him any more love, prompting him to roll over and present his underside to you. "And now you want a belly rub? I've been treating you too kindly..."

"Heh, what's the trouble? Isn't it fine to give him some attention?" she laughs and complies with the Mystfox's demands.

"I've been giving him attention for decades. I should train him to show restraint."

The animal hears your harsh reprimands and opens its eyes. It then kicks you with its hind legs and scampers off to the main room.

"Oi! C-come back here!" you shout. Alas, he doesn't appear willing to change his unruly ways.

"Now, now," Anya tries to calm you down.

Abruptly though, your vexation is interrupted by two loud voices barging in.

"Elder Anna! I did it! I brewed a health potion!"

"Shut up doofus, that's clearly unfit for elven consumption!"

"Doofus?! It takes one to know one!"

"So you admit you're doofus!"

"So are you!"

And this exchange, muffled behind curtain doors, marks the beginning of your journey through the magical world of alchemy.