On Highdawn 17, 1850 AC (Arbiter Calendar), after a brief graduation that took only a few days due to the awakening of his Aura Manifestation, Alistair returned home as the sun was setting. Upon his arrival, he was greeted with enthusiastic congratulations from his two older sisters and his mother. While they knew Alistair would graduate early from his training sessions, it had become a topic of conversation in Leaf Village. The news that the Son of Astrid completed his training in just a few days since his Aura Manifestation awakening filled the village with hope for the younger generation. Astrid expressed her pride, saying, "I am very proud of you, Alistair. Starting tomorrow, your sisters and I will temporarily cease our hunting missions. We will dedicate the next few days to lectures on hunting missions, village merit points, hunting rules, and the ranking system from bronze to the highest level you can achieve."
When Alistair returned to his bed, a message from the system appeared: "Alistair, for the next few days, you will not be receiving any gifts. The gifts will resume once you have gained enough knowledge from the lessons with your two older sisters and your mother. Once your lectures are complete, I will provide you with gifts, which will not be random; I personally select these gifts for you and your family."
Alistair was shocked that he wouldn't be receiving gifts from the system and wondered why it cared so much about him and his family. "System, thank you so much. I have a question: are you a real person under the name 'System'?"
The system paused for a moment before responding, "Maybe I am, or maybe I am not. That depends on you. But someday, when you receive gifts greater than you could have imagined, you will know. Until then, see you in a few days, Alistair. Good luck with your lectures." The system sent a heart icon on the screen before disappearing temporarily for a few days.
Highdawn 18, 1850 AC (Arbiter Calendar)
Alistair's mother, Astrid, began her lecture for her son about the concept of territorial merit points, commonly referred to as tribal merit points. These points serve to expand a group's territory based on the merits earned by its members. It begins with a small tribe, hamlet, or group of individuals who wish to establish their own land.
The most common way to earn territorial merit points is by defeating monsters in designated areas, as these locations serve as the starting point for marking their territory. As they gather more merit points, they can expand their territory in the future. Other methods for earning merit points include finding relics, treasures, or exploring dungeons and monster camps that contain numerous points.
Astrid explained to Alistair the hierarchy of territorial levels, starting from the Tribe and then moving to Small Villages. This division includes Small, Big, and Large Territories. Alistair asked, "What do you mean, Mother?" Astrid replied, "For example, we have Small Villages, Big Villages, and Large Villages. Our Leaf Village is classified as a Big Village, with over 250 residents but only 25 aura users. Despite our limited number of aura users, we have also trained at least 75 men and women to learn how to fight and defend against foes. One day, during their guard duties, while protecting, attacking, and defending, they may have a higher chance of manifesting their aura." Alistair understood his mother's explanation and the various methods through which the people of this continent awakened their aura manifestation.
Highdawn 20, 1850 AC (Arbiter Calendar)
After taking her mother's lectures, it was Big Sister Ismeria's turn to teach her little brother Alistair. "Alistair, I will be teaching you about the rules and information regarding hunting missions, especially the risks involved. Because of that, you will be joining me, Lyra, and mother on the hunting missions in a few days after this lesson. It will be like a family trip—there are risks, but there are also good rewards, including territorial merit points and rewards for ourselves."
Alistair felt something strange about viewing the hunting missions as a family trip. As Ismeria continued her lecture, she explained, "New hunters like you, Alistair, start at the Hunter Bronze Batch and can progress to Silver, Gold, Diamond, Platinum, and lastly Ruby for women or Emerald for men. However, it becomes increasingly difficult to reach the next level in each batch due to the numerous requirements.
For the Bronze Batch, you need to be able to release your aura, gain an ability, and reach a minimum aura color level of at least level 3. To advance to the Silver Hunter Batch, you must achieve Aura Materialization with an Aura Color Level of 5, along with other requirements such as destroying a medium-sized bandit camp, killing a monster that could destroy a small or large village, or finding a relic that provides a buff or has the ability to defeat an Aura Materialization with an Aura Color Level of 5. This is just an overview of the requirements, Alistair."
"Lastly, regarding the hunting rules, there are not many strict regulations. It is normal for hunters to steal prey from each other, except in certain circumstances. If the stolen prey crosses into the territory of the thief's village and comes within 5 meters, the reward will belong to the hunters who originally claimed it. Additionally, if the original hunters who had their prey stolen enter the territory of the village that has taken their prey, they must retreat immediately to avoid any conflict between villages or towns. Such disputes could potentially lead to territorial warfare. So, that's all there is to it. You can rest now, Alistair."
Highdawn 23, 1850 AC (Arbiter Calendar)
A few days later, Big Sister Lyra initiated a training session that lasted a full week, focusing on both body and mind. This was the most intense training Alistair had ever experienced. Lyra secretly sent him to the mountains for the week while she observed from a distance. Thanks to Alistair's Iron Body and Basic Aura Fortification, he was able to endure the rigorous training and eventually returned home. However, Lyra faced consequences for sending Alistair away without permission.
On Duskrice 1, 1850 AC (Arbiter Calendar), Alistair struggled to sleep due to persistent aches in his body. Suddenly, a message appeared in front of him: "Congratulations, Alistair! For surviving several days and one week of knowledge and body training, I will reward you for completing the mission. This is a separate gift that I will send to you later—one that is personal. I call this ability Dream Training. Whenever you sleep, you will recover slightly faster. Additionally, this ability will allow you to momentarily train your aura to gradually increase its potential. You may rest now."
Alistair fell asleep again that morning and later woke up in the afternoon, feeling much better and eager to receive his personal gift from the system.