The moon cast a silvery glow over [The Moonlight Inn] as Alex returned, weariness settling on his shoulders. A warm smile greeted him from Ms. Lana, the innkeeper, and they exchanged pleasantries before his rumbling stomach prompted him to request dinner.
A hearty meal materialized shortly after, courtesy of Lana's daughter: a succulent Kelpie steak and a rich stew made from its offal. The savory flavors chased away the day's exhaustion, and with a lingering glass of wine, Alex retreated to his room.
Soaking in the warm bath, his thoughts drifted towards Silveria.
"Come out," Alex called,
"We need to continue our conversation."
A chuckle echoed in his mind. "No need to shout, Master. Just think your questions and I'll hear them. Though, you wouldn't want to attract unwanted attention, now would you? Imagine the rumors: 'Crazy adventurer talking to his weapon!'"
He could almost picture a mischievous glint in her nonexistent eyes.
"Alright, alright," he conceded. "So, what exactly are you?"
"As you saw in the dream," she explained, "I'm a divine weapon, or in these lands, they call it a Gift. Not all Gifts are divine weapons, mind you. But both yours and your friend's fall under that category, although their grades differ."
Alex took a moment to absorb this new information. The dream had left him with the misconception that all Gifts were divinely imbued, not just a select few.
"And what grade is my weapon?" he pressed, hoping to pry further.
A beat of silence, then, "I'm afraid I can't answer that yet, Master."
He wasn't surprised; he'd half expected this response.
He shifted his focus. "The dream… was it truly the memory of my Gift's previous owner?"
Another pause, filled with a tension he hadn't felt before. When Silveria finally spoke, her voice lacked its usual cheer.
"It was. However, there are certain things you're not ready to know. You're still too weak. My awakening was forced, and only my basic functions are available until you reach a specific level. Then, and only then, will I divulge the answers you seek."
Her tone remained flat, devoid of the playful banter and endearment she usually used.
A sigh escaped his lips. 'One day,' he thought, a playful threat forming in his mind, 'I'll find a way to spank you for this.'
A flicker of annoyance crossed Alex's mind at Silveria's words, but he quickly suppressed it. There was no point dwelling on something beyond his control. Instead, he channeled his frustration into a renewed determination to grow stronger. An intuitive sense gnawed at him, whispering that the future wouldn't be easy. To weather the coming storm, strength was his key.
With power, fear wouldn't chain him.
The vivid dream replayed in his mind, solidifying his conviction that his Gift was far from ordinary. A sudden realization struck him. The golden sword wielded by Arthuro, the dark-haired man's friend, appeared eerily similar to Leonardo's own Gift.
Memories surfaced. During the Gift summoning ceremony, Alex had felt a fleeting pulse of murderous intent directed at Leonardo's blade. Dismissing it as imagination at the time, he now questioned his judgment. Could there be a connection between the previous owner of his Gift and Arthuro? The urge to question Silveria was strong, but he wisely held back.
Instead, he turned his attention to his current level, seeking a more tangible focus for his growing resolve.
Experience Value (XP): 30/600
Magic Power: (1030) ? 1050
Intelligence: (130) ? 150
Gift: Two Guns * Semi-sealed*
Skills: [Normal Appraisal Level 1] [Language Comprehension] [Item box Level 1] [Swift Fingers Max] [Presence Detection Level 1] [Throwing knife Level 3]
Titles: [Otherworlder] [The one who can't use Magic] [The one whose fingers are faster than Flash] 』
Gazing at his status window, Alex couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration. The path to Rank 2 seemed daunting, the chasm between ranks vast. In Mysthia, cultivation progress was marked by Ranks, with Rank 15 being the pinnacle, akin to demigod status. He was an insignificant speck compared to such heights, but dwelling on it wouldn't change his reality.
Focus on the present, he reminded himself.
A spark of excitement ignited as he finally learned his class: Magic Gunman. The name held a certain cool factor, even if its meaning remained unclear. A chuckle escaped his lips at the childishness of the thought. More pressing matters demanded his attention: how to utilize his newly gained 40 BP.
Silveria's voice, previously silent, broke the quiet. "Master," she suggested, "investing all your BP into Magical Power would be most beneficial."
Alex paused, studying his stats. "But," he countered, "Magic isn't exactly my forte. What use is boosting something I can't use?"
A brief silence hung in the air before Silveria's laughter filled the room. "Ah, Master, ever the cunning one! Trying to weave his way into my affections by using nicknames, are we? Quite the charmer!" Her tone feigned innocence, masking a playful jab.
Alex groaned internally. This shameless weapon! "Silveria, focus!" he exclaimed, his frustration mounting. "Answer my question. You know I don't need you to survive."
Sensing his resolve, Silveria's amusement subsided. "Indeed, you cannot use magic in the conventional sense," she conceded. "However, your class, Magic Gunman, holds more secrets than you realize. While bullet creation remains elusive, boosting your Magical Power serves as the fuel for your weapon's true potential."
The revelation struck Alex like a bolt of lightning. His Magical Power was the key to unlocking his Gift's hidden abilities. Eager to learn more, he decided to allocate his BP first, leaving further questions on hold for now. The answers, he knew, would reveal themselves in due time.