Rishi activates his [Mobile Skill Station], and out of nowhere, a massive steel chamber springs into existence. It looks primitive compared to the one in the Realm, but it’s extrely tall, barely fitting into the living room. In fact, it’s so large that it slightly touches the ground, sinking into it under its own weight.
Alex notices that it looks chunkier and more rudintary than the one in the Realm. There’s even so kind of energy leaking out of it, probably explaining why it can only stay active for a day and costs a whopping 10,000 FC just to activate it.
“You can go first, Alex, since you’ll only be learning one new skill, right? Mine might take a while,” Tereza says, gesturing toward the station.
“Thank you,” Alex says as he steps inside. As the door slowly closes, he raises his thumb and calls out, “I’ll be back!”
“...”
“Weak joke…”
Alex stands in the small station, the sound from the outside completely cut off. He feels the usual discomfort of tight spaces, sothing he’s never been fond of.
Since Alex is without his full system and only has access to the basic System interface, he speaks loudly: “System: Unlearn Pistol Proficiency!”
[Does player want to unlearn Pistol Proficiency lvl 4? This action will permanently remove this skill, freeing one skill slot but requiring another skillbook should you want to relearn the skill. Player also has to start from lvl 0 again. Unlearning a skill costs 5,000 FC. Does player want to proceed? Warning: this decision is final.]
“Fuck… yes, go ahead,” Alex says, no longer hesitating.
He feels sothing being drained out of him, a strange sensation that takes a few minutes to complete.
[Player has unlearned Pistol Proficiency lvl 4]
“Okay, System, use [Skillbook: Imbuent Archery] and upgrade it to lvl 4!”
Alex closes his eyes as his mind and body are bombarded by a foreign power. The process is intense, taking almost two hours before he finally feels it’s over. He opens his eyes, the notification flashing in front of him.
[Player has learned Imbuent Archery lvl 4]
Alex forces open the door of the [Mobile Skill Station], and Rishi and Tereza look at him with curious expressions.
“It works fine… but it’s even slower than the one in the Realm. This thing cost 5,000 FC to set up the station, 5,000 FC to unlearn my Pistol Proficiency, and another 14,000 FC to level it up. 24,000 FC gone. This is very expensive,” Alex explains as he steps out, complaining about the FC he just spent.
As he stands there, he imdiately equips his new weapon, [Magoroth’s Legacy (Damaged)], a big smile spreading across his face. He pulls it out of his inventory, and the bow looks incredibly dangerous. It’s huge, made of wood with tal reinforcents and runes etched into its surface. Despite the damage, it has a mysterious aura that complents its otherwise brutal appearance.
“Hehe, I can’t wait to use this beauty! Damn, I’ll rain thousands of fiery arrows upon my enemies… or maybe just twenty-six for now…” Alex jokes, his excitent obvious to everyone.
“Twenty-six burning, fire-enchanted arrows sound dangerous enough, Alex! Maybe you can burn down that Acromantula nest by yourself,” Tereza says with a smile.
“Probably not,” Rishi replies, though he quickly adds, “Regardless, it’ll be a strong weapon if it works as you imagine it.”
“Anyway, my turn now! If it takes longer than usual, I have no ti to waste,” Tereza says, her tone determined as she steps toward the station.
Alex gives her a quick hug. “Good luck!”
She steps inside, turns around, and flashes a smile. She blinks her left eye and blows a kiss at Alex as the door closes behind her.
Alex feels his heart skip a beat, his hand instinctively resting over his chest.
Damn, this new Tereza is way more dangerous than before.
He sits down on the couch, pulling out an extrely large bowl. He adds the [Powdered Erumpent Horn], [Murtlap Essence], and [Glowing Fairy Wings] into it, mixing them with his own blood. He drains fresh blood from his arm using a syringe, adding it to the bowl along with the last bit of his stored blood. Finally, he drops in one [Blood Essence], watching as the mixture begins to react, the blood taking on a mysterious, magical glow.
Alex carefully places his [Royal Thornback Matriarch (Mutated) Egg] into the bowl, which it barely fits into.
“That’s a very expensive al… at least for an egg,” Rishi comnts, his curiosity evident as he watches Alex work.
“You know, Hagrid told that these Royal eggs need way more energy than normal ones. Usually, the mother, in this case, the Matriarch, would supply it by secreting nutrients and strengthening them with her own essence until the egg hatches. I can’t do that, though, so the only option is my blood and external sources. Honestly, even if it ends up as a Light-Blue ranked pet, I’d still be happy. This is the first ti I’ve heard about pets. They must be aweso. I bet most people will only have sothing standard, like a dog or wolf. A spider is a cool pet in most gas because it can use ambush tactics and has access to useful effects like poison and webs,” Alex says, his enthusiasm shining through.
“A spider is indeed a suitable pet for you,” Rishi agrees, his tone analytical. “You’re a frontline fighter with access to powerful magic and abilities. A tricky pet that can use unique abilities like poison or hindering webs is probably the best choice for you.”
The egg slowly absorbs the blood until Alex feels it’s sated, no longer drawing in any more. He kisses the egg, decides to give it a quick lick for good asure, and then puts it away, along with the bowl of energized blood. He hopes the mixture will last a long ti.
“You’re taking this seriously. I’m impressed,” Rishi says. “With your LUK and your willingness to do whatever it takes to hatch it perfectly, including close contact and expensive investnts—I’d say the chances aren’t bad that you’ll get at least a Deep-Blue, if not a Light-Purple ranked pet. Honestly, with your LUK, anything is possible. But a pet is sothing special, not just a random possession. Even nchi started as a Light-Purple-ranked Supporter. Supporters and pets aren’t just items. They’re sentient beings that stick with you, grow with you, and can potentially accompany you for the rest of your adventure in the Realm. I’m praying for the best results, but if it’s a Light-Purple ranked pet, you should be more than happy, Alex. Don’t expect more, or you’ll be disappointed.”
“It’s fine,” Alex says, his tone calm. “I’m doing this not just for the quality and strength of the pet, but to make sure there aren’t any problems after it hatches. The last thing we need is conflict or instability. As long as it behaves and doesn’t cause issues, I’m more than satisfied.”
Tereza spends hours inside the cabin, and Alex lies on the couch, close to falling asleep. He’s exhausted from their adventure, but he jolts awake as he hears the door opening. But it’s not the door from the [Mobile Skill Station], but the entrance door that is opening.
nchi casually walks in, looking utterly drained. She plops down on the couch, sitting next to Alex, who’s still lying down.
“I’m tired… that guy is such a petty slave driver. I’ve been cutting and preparing ingredients, constantly getting yelled at despite doing everything perfectly. Cleaning pots and equipnt, and the second I get a break, he throws a new book at , telling to read it while I ‘laze around.’ Damn, he even gave howork! I have to read twenty pages by tomorrow. Can you believe this? I feel like I’m back in school,” nchi complains, her voice dripping with exhaustion and frustration.
“That sounds tough, but he accepted you as so sort of disciple? That sounds like a huge success to ,” Alex notes, his tone encouraging.
“Yeah, it’s out of character for him. You must have really impressed him, nchi. How did you do it?” Rishi asks, clearly intrigued by how nchi managed to win Snape over.
“Quite simple, just like this,” nchi says, snapping her fingers. A blue fla flickers in the air for a second before disappearing.
“He’s probably interested in your special fla,” Alex says, his tone thoughtful. “It can synthesize different things, and he likely sees how insane your ability actually is. It’s probably far more useful in potion-making than in cooking.”
“I didn’t think about that when I created this Hatsu, but yeah. Surprisingly, it, along with my Synthesis skill, is perfectly suited for potion-making. I just need to endure and not give in to the temptation to assault him…” nchi jokes, her tone dry but amused.
Despite her complaints, nchi stands up and says, “I’ll prepare dinner. I’ll add so herbs useful for restoring stamina!”
Alex looks at her with a slightly doubtful expression but nods. “Thanks, but please don’t overdo it!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll add just a tiny amount,” nchi assures him before disappearing into the kitchen.
It takes another hour for Tereza to finally erge from the Skill Station. At the sa ti, nchi brings in the food, placing it on the table in the middle of the room.
“Everything okay, Tereza?” Alex asks, his tone concerned.
“Yeah… it was kinda exhausting. Also…” Tereza takes out her [Ben’s Knife] and [Poison Enchanted Dagger]. She throws them into the air, catching them skillfully and slicing them through the air with practiced ease.
“It doesn’t look any worse,” Alex comnts, trying to sound reassuring.
nchi, however, notes, “You still know the techniques, but compared to when we were playing around with daggers before, it’s obvious you’ve lost so speed, accuracy, and a bit of your finesse in handling them. Still, at this level, you’re more than capable of using them efficiently.”
“Yeah… it’s not that bad. Still, I feel like I’ve lost sothing. But all the spells I’ve learned more than make up for it. And I’ve decided: I’ll regain this skill… no, I’ll gain an even better one! This is just a temporary loss!” Tereza declares, her voice filled with conviction.
Alex stands up, pats her on the back, and gently guides her to the table. “Sit down and eat before it gets cold. We can experint tomorrow!”
Tereza sits down with a smile, and the group of four nods at each other. They begin eating nchi’s cooking, which mostly consists of at dishes but also includes various vegetable-based dishes. Alex imdiately praises the al:
“Not bad. It still tastes as good as always, even with that dicinal aftertaste.”
“It’s good,” Tereza comnts, her tone appreciative.
“Yeah, and it’ll help you recover. You’ll see!” nchi says proudly.
“Let’s talk about our plans for tomorrow, then. We’ve got two weeks until our trip to Diagon Alley,” Rishi says, steering the conversation toward their next steps.
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