"Nay! I'm home!" I called out, pushing through the heavy front door of the orphanage.
Rosalia hurried out from the kitchen, apron still dusted with flour, relief and worry fighting for space on her face all at once. "My child — have you eaten? Three days down in that dungeon. Were you fed properly?"
"We're fine, Nay. Kazike packed plenty of dried food, and we shared everything."
Nozue's head popped around the hallway corner, eyes lighting up the second he spotted me. "Kazu! You're back!"
"Just got in." I couldn't keep the grin off my face. "I've got so much to tell you — the dungeon was incredible."
"Really? I hope I get to see one myself someday." His eyes had that particular shine they got whenever he talked about adventuring.
"You can. It's dangerous, though." I thought of the vampires, of the High Ogre, of Kazike's arm on the cavern floor, and decided not to mention any of that just yet.
"I've got mana. I can use magic same as you," he said, chest puffing out a little.
"If you're serious about it, I'll help you," I said. "But we need to build up our bodies first. I'm working on my Strength stat starting tomorrow — you should join me."
"What's a Strength stat?"
"…Not something I can really explain right now." He couldn't see the system windows, after all. "Just come train with me tomorrow morning, alright?"
"Of course! I want to be strong enough to go on adventures with you, best friend."
"Best friend," I echoed, and pulled him into a hug before either of us could feel awkward about it.
"Boys! Food's ready," Rosalia called from the dining room.
We settled around the table, and between bites of stew I let myself check my status out of habit.
[STATUS] Level: 79 — Age: 13
Active Skills: Blink, Explosive Blink, Bloodlust, Blood Steal, Rage (locked)
I need Strength up to seventy before Rage unlocks, I thought, chewing slowly. That starts tomorrow.
"How did the quest go, my child?" Rosalia asked, setting down a plate of fresh bread.
"We got it done. I even found a Rune Stone — one with a [C] on it."
Her eyes went wide. "A [C] Rune? You'd need a very high Mining level just to pull one out of the rock safely."
"I found it just sitting in the dirt, actually. Maybe I've got a knack for it." I shrugged, grinning.
"May I see it?"
I laid the dagger on the table instead, its weight settling against the wood. "I had it forged into this. My first real weapon — the smith called it the Wrath of God. Lord Raku gave it to me as a reward."
She studied the glowing rune along the blade with something close to reverence. "A divine artifact. Take good care of it, my child. It's found its way into good hands."
"I will, Nay. It means a lot, being my first."
"Tomorrow's your birthday, isn't it?"
"Thirteen," I confirmed.
Nozue looked down at his lap, guilty. "I'm sorry — I don't have anything for you."
"Being here, with all of you — that's already more than enough," I said, and meant it.
"I'll make it up to you. I promise."
"Don't worry about it. Just eat — this stew is incredible, Nanay."
"You're always so sweet," Rosalia laughed, ruffling my hair.
We finished, and I stretched, suddenly aware of exactly how long it had been since my last proper bath. "I forgot — I haven't washed in three days. I probably smell like dungeon and monster blood. Sorry, everyone."
"Go get cleaned up, then rest," Rosalia said, already gathering the empty bowls.
The hot water was, without exaggeration, one of the best things I'd felt in days. I sat with my knees drawn up, letting three days of grime finally let go of my skin, and caught my own reflection in the small, fogged mirror across the room.
Level 79. Almost a year here now. I turned the thought over slowly, the way I usually avoided doing. If I get strong enough — would I ever find a way back? Or is this just home now?
I didn't have an answer, and I let the question go rather than chase it any further. There'd be time for it eventually.
Nozue was waiting when I got upstairs, cross-legged on his bed. "Kazu — I really do want to be a strong adventurer."
"Training starts tomorrow, then. Early."
"I can handle it."
"It'll be harder than you think."
"You're my best friend," he said simply. "I want to fight next to you. You're the first real friend I've ever had."
Something in my chest went warm and a little tight at that. "Get some sleep. Early morning."
"Kazu! Wake up, we're training!" Nozue's voice cut through the dark, along with the indignity of my blanket being yanked clean off the bed.
"Too early…" I groaned into the pillow.
"Earlier we start, better we get."
"Fine, fine." I dragged myself upright.
Outside, the pre-dawn air still held some of the night's chill. "What first?" Nozue asked, practically vibrating with eagerness.
"Stretching. Warm the muscles up first, or we'll pull something."
Ten minutes of that, and then, "Push-ups. As many as you've got."
Nozue face-planted into the dirt after roughly ten. "Kazu — I can't — my arms are done."
"Same," I admitted, my own elbows shaking on the last rep.
[Strength stat reached Level 2]
So even push-ups count, I thought, mildly delighted. Good to know.
"Water break," I called, tossing him a canteen once we'd caught our breath. Thirty minutes of jogging the perimeter followed, and we collapsed onto a bench near the house afterward, both of us soaked through with sweat.
"If you want to actually adventure," I said between gulps of water, "you'll need more than muscle. Any combat magic?"
"Basic Water," he said, and demonstrated — a perfect sphere of clear water hovering above his palm, steady and unforced.
"How'd you learn that?"
"Nobody taught me. Just figured it out messing around by the river."
"On your own?" I stared. "That's incredible."
He shrugged, though he looked pleased. "Most people can only ever manage one or two elements in a lifetime, though. Mastering two's rare."
"Show me how it feels," I said. "I'll show you Fire, if you want it."
I closed my eyes and reached for the same feeling — cool instead of hot, fluid instead of burning — and a heavy drop of water bloomed in my palm before I'd fully finished the thought.
"You can do Water too?" Nozue's jaw dropped. "That's not supposed to happen!"
"Maybe the God class doesn't play by the same rules." I turned the water over curiously. "Is there somewhere I could learn the others? Wind, earth?"
"Not that I know, outside of the magic schools. Wealthy families send their kids to the Divine Magic Academy in the capital."
"The Academy again," I murmured. "I keep hearing about that place. Might be worth looking into properly."
By the time the sun cleared the rooftops, we were both wrecked and grinning despite it, the smell of fresh bread from the bakeries down the street mixing with the morning dew.
"You did well today," I told him, clapping him on the back.
"Thanks. I'll keep working at it."
We walked back toward the house together, the city waking up around us, and something settled quietly into place in my chest — not quite peace, not quite purpose, but something close enough to both that I decided not to look at it too closely.
Rosalia was out front tending her flowers when we reached the gate. "Good morning, my boys! How was training?"
"Great, Nay. Nozue did really well for a first day."
"Wonderful. Come wash up — I made a proper birthday breakfast. You two must be starving."
We sat down to more food than I'd seen in one place since arriving in this world, and for a little while, whatever dangers were still waiting out there felt very far away.