On Highdawn 15, 1850 AC (Arbiter Calendar), Alistair woke up early in the morning and headed downstairs. His mother had already prepared breakfast, and he saw his two older sisters finishing their meals, as they were about to head out on hunting missions. After washing up in a nearby river, Alistair ate his breakfast and made his way down the hill to the Village Chieftess Training Center, located in her backyard.
As he was walking, the system activated unexpectedly, causing him to stumble down the hill. "Ouch… What's with the timing?" he muttered. Once he gathered himself, the system prompted him to tap the blue screen.
Alistair followed the instructions and tapped the screen, which displayed three random boxes with question marks above them. After tapping all the boxes, the system announced, "You have received 10 Aura Pills, which will increase your Aura Capacity and Aura Color Level. Additionally, you have received an Iron Gauntlet that seamlessly combines Physical and Aura Attacks. Lastly, you now have the ability to use Aura Generation, enhancing your physical capabilities momentarily."
"System, can you tell me more about the Aura Pills?" The system responded, "The Aura Pills increase your Aura Capacity. Right now, your Aura Capacity lasts only about 10 seconds, which is typical for a newbie like you. Taking one Aura Pill adds an additional 10 seconds to your capacity. Each time you consume an Aura Pill, your Aura Color Level will increase by 1. The Aura Color Level starts at Level 1 and can go up to Level 10. Upon reaching Level 10, you will achieve the breakthrough of the third level, also known as the Aura Transformation Level."
The system then explained the other two gifts: "The second gift is the Iron Gauntlet. It's not an ordinary gauntlet; it's a type of weapon designed to be used alongside Aura Manipulation Arts. Regular weapons may break when Aura is imbued into them, but the Iron Gauntlet is specially crafted to withstand this. Lastly, there's Aura Generation, which allows you to enhance your physical capabilities momentarily. However, it randomly boosts one of your physical attributes: Speed, Strength, or Durability. It is recommended to use this ability during emergencies or if you are in danger."
"I see! Oh no, I will be late for the training!" I activated my Aura Generation, and by some stroke of luck, my speed increased momentarily. I started running faster than I ever had before. In just five minutes, I reached the Village Chieftess's backyard. I bowed my head and placed my hand over my chest, gripping it tightly.
"Good morning, Village Chieftess. Alistair has arrived," I announced. The Village Chieftess gently patted my head.
"Good, you're early and not late. Go there and line up with the others," she instructed. I followed her directions and joined the line. The others looked at me with serious expressions, while some smirked, as if to say they were better due to their pride. A few were simply minding their own business.
The Village Chieftess, Selene Brightlance, stood at the center and began her lesson. "Since we have a new member joining us—his name is Alistair, and he recently awakened his Aura Manifestation—he will be training with all of you for a year. However, that doesn't mean you will all stay for a full year in this training session. If you manage to use your Aura abilities, even if just for a moment, your training will finish, and you will begin undertaking hunting missions like your siblings and parents. Do you understand?"
We all replied, "Yes, ma'am."
In the Training Center, there are only nine people training their Aura Abilities. Out of these nine, only five have been training for over a year and still haven't fully comprehended how to use their aura abilities, even though their aura capacity has been increasing over the past year. The other four members started training at different times: one began four months ago, another three months ago, one two months ago, and the last one just a month ago. These newer members are currently focusing on physical training to strengthen their bodies so they can wield ordinary weapons without relying on their aura capabilities.
Now, with the addition of a new member, Alistair, he is beginning his physical training, which includes running, push-ups, and adding weight bags to his legs or arms to increase his strength and stamina.
As Alistair trains for a few hours under the watchful eye of the Village Chieftess, some of the other members start to feel jealous, especially those who are eager for attention after working hard to master their abilities. The second eldest member notices that the Village Chieftess seems to have high expectations for Alistair, as if she believes he will complete his training sooner than the rest of the group. However, he realizes that this is just a first-day impression.
After several hours, Day 1 of training concludes, and the Village Chieftess instructs everyone to return early the next day.
On the way home, Alistair took out the Aura Pills from the system and consumed one. He immediately felt a surge of energy inside his body as the system notified him, "Congratulations! Your aura capacity has increased! You can now release your aura for about 20 seconds, and your aura abilities can last for that duration. Your Aura Level has increased from Level 1 to Level 2, which means the effectiveness of your ability has improved slightly."
Curious about the extent of this improvement, Alistair inquired how much it had increased. The system explained, "If you combine releasing your aura with the Fist Technique: Jab, your Jab Fist will be strengthened enough to imprint a jab punch on a wooden log or tree." Alistair understood that this was an enhancement of his abilities.
When he arrived home at sunset, he received a warm welcome from his mother and two older sisters, who had just returned from their hunting missions. To his surprise, Ismeria noticed that Alistair's Aura Level had increased to Level 2. "Good job, Alistair!" she said, patting him on the head, and a smile spread across his face.