Hah…
Hhh…
Hah… not bad…
I thought as I looked around the supposed training room, now transformed into what looked more like a dark ice cave.
Jagged frost veins crawled across the floor and walls, while the faint indigo glow lit the area.
My breathing steadied as I took it all in, eyes moving slowly across the frozen walls.
Whew.
That's a lot of damage.
I shifted my grip slightly, feeling Yu Namit hum in quiet response.
Wide coverage.
Lingering effect.
Environmental control.
My gaze traced the spread again, more focused this time—measuring, noting.
The way it expanded.
The way it held and stayed active even after the initial release.
…That could be used in a lot of ways.
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth.
"Yeah…"
I muttered under my breath.
"…I'm definitely going to use this well."
"Oh, you are?"
"Hm!?"
I snapped my head back—and froze.
My mother stood in the doorway, a slight smile on her face.
The frost that had clawed along the walls and floor didn't retreat immediately. It melted—slowly at first, then faster, dripping away until the ice nearby was gone, as if her very presence radiated a heat the dark ice couldn't withstand.
The biting chill that had filled the room moments ago now seemed distant, overpowered by the warmth she carried. I couldn't help but take a small step away from her—the room felt…different.
Yu Namit dimmed slightly in my hand, swallowed by the subtle, pervasive light she brought with her. The Primal Arcblade pulsed faintly, almost hesitant, yet still as if acknowledging her presence.
I glanced around the room, surprised.
Was my attack that weak?
"What're you… Didn't you have something to go take care of?"
"Fu fu… I already did. Don't you know what time it is?"
I paused.
…Ah.
My eyes flicked around the room—the melting frost, the slowly self-repairing halls, the very obvious aftermath of me going a little overboard.
At the same time, my gaze drifted back to her. She just walked in… and its all melting?
I shifted slightly and turned around, but making sure to angle my body just enough to keep Yu Namit out of her direct line of sight.
A quiet exhale left me.
"Heh…" I rubbed the back of my neck, a faint smirk creeping in. "Got a little carried away."
She tilted her head, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.
"You know," she said softly, "I'm aware of Yu Namit."
I froze mid-smirk, one hand still shifting slightly to keep the arcblade out of sight.
Her gaze didn't waver, steady and calm, yet carrying that quiet weight that made me instinctively straighten up.
"After all," she continued, twirling her pointer finger through the air, "I'm the one who took the weapon in the first place. It was always fated for you—I just… helped it reach you a little ahead of time."
I blinked.
Wait… what?
My eyes widened slightly.
Fated for me…?
I glanced behind at Yu Namit, still dimly pulsing in my hand.
I rubbed the back of my neck again, trying to mask my mix of awe, curiosity, and embarrassment.
"Heh… well, that explains a few things," I muttered, forcing my usual casual tone, though my mind was already spinning.
Yu Namit pulsed faintly in response, a flicker of curious excitement running through our bond—almost childlike, as if it understood nothing at all beyond me and the connection we shared.
I straightened up, letting the last traces of embarrassment fade.
With a small smile, I brought Yu Namit out from behind me, letting it float horizontally in front of me. I ran a hand along the blade, feeling the cold, dark frost beneath my fingers. It let out a low, resonant hum, a sound of satisfaction that made the faint indigo currents flicker along its length.
I looked up, a hint of pride in my voice.
"Cool, isn't it?" I asked.
Yu Namit responded almost instantly, the indigo currents along its blade pulsing brighter, a little shiver running through it like a laugh. It was almost childlike—pure excitement, no understanding beyond me.
I couldn't help but grin. Yeah… it really is.
My mother's gaze softened, a small nod acknowledging me. "Yes," she said calmly, her tone carrying the weight of someone who's seen far greater power—but still patient and understanding of my excitement when discovering something new.
She glanced at me, a gentle smile tugging at her lips. "Are you ready for dinner?"
The moment she said it, my stomach gave a loud, unavoidable rumble. I froze, cheeks warming slightly, and gave a sheepish grin.
"Heh… yeah, I guess so," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck.
Yu Namit twitched in my hand, almost as if it found the sound amusing, the indigo currents flickering in a playful pulse.
"Hey, Yu… go into idle mode. Can you shrink yourself, dull the blade, and hide the aura?"
A faint pulse ran along the arcblade as if it were thinking, and then, with a quiet shimmer, it began to shrink. The dark ice and indigo currents dulled, the sharp edges softening as the aura faded.
Within moments, Yu Namit had condensed into a compact form—only seven inches long—floating neatly in front of me, looking almost… playful, like a child proud of following instructions.
I reached out and ran a finger along its side.
With a smirk, I gathered some of my hair and tied it with a small band. Once secure, I grabbed Yu Namit and slid it through the band, treating it like a fa zan. The arcblade rested compact and unobtrusive, the aura completely hidden, perched like a secret companion atop my head.
Yu Namit let out a faint, almost content hum, the indigo flickers beneath its surface dimmed to a soft glow, like it was quietly proud of itself.
"How's it look?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.
My mother glanced at me, a gentle smile tugging at her lips. "Good. Ready to go eat?"
"Yeah let's go." I replied, heading toward the door, Yu Namit resting quietly in my hair like a secret companion.
…
I sat at the dinner table, casually peeling an azure death mango, its sweet-sour scent filling the air. The fruit's skin and juices clung to my fingers, but I didn't mind—it was part of the ritual.
My mother glanced at me over her cup of tea, her gaze calm but curious. "So… what have you opened from your starter pack so far?"
I leaned forward slightly, letting a small, mischievous smirk play on my lips as I wiped my fingers on a napkin. "Well… first, the Eyes of Analysis. Definitely the most… headache-inducing one." I tapped my temple for emphasis.
"And then…" I held up my hand subtly, letting elementals gather as a faint black-and-indigo glow pulsed along my fingertips. "…the Primordial Dark Cold talent."
Her eyebrows lifted slightly, though she didn't comment. I took that as a win and leaned back casually, still peeling the mango.
"And, of course," I added, letting a teasing grin slip onto my face, "Yu Namit. My new little…companion."
Yu Namit, tucked neatly in my hair, gave a faint hum of approval, its indigo glow flickering softly—like it understood I was bragging just for it.
My mother's lips curved into a faint smile, though her eyes held that quiet, knowing glint she always had. "I see," she said, her tone steady, almost teasing. "And Yu Namit… well, I suppose it was only a matter of time before you two met."
I blinked, caught off guard by how casually she acknowledged it. "Yeah… it's kind of… crazy," I admitted, twirling a finger through the air absentmindedly, my mind briefly drifting to my death just a few days ago.
My mother's eyes flicked to mine, sharp but not intrusive, as if she noticed the fleeting shadow crossing my expression. She didn't comment though.
I shifted in my seat, letting the moment pass, forcing my attention back to the azure death mango in my hand. Yu Namit twitched faintly in my hair, the indigo pulse flickering softly, almost sensing my fleeting thoughts but choosing to stay quiet.
Looking at the azure death mango, a faint thought wandered through my mind. Right… the Infinite Vending Machine…
I hadn't opened it yet, hadn't even glanced inside. Maybe it's time, I thought, a flicker of curiosity lighting behind my usual calm mask. The idea of endless options, endless snacks, endless… azure death mangos, was oddly comforting—and more than a little exciting.
Yu Namit twitched faintly in my hair, the indigo pulse flickering as if curious about my thoughts.
My mother tilted her head, noticing my brief, far-off gaze. "What are you thinking about?" she asked, calm but with that gentle curiosity only she could pull off.
I hesitated for a fraction of a second before shrugging. "Uh… just thinking about putting this azure death mango into the Infinite Vending Machine," I admitted, holding the mango up. "I haven't opened it yet, though."
Her eyes softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Then go ahead," she said, almost matter-of-factly, as if granting permission to a child playing with something magical.
I felt a small rush of excitement and acted.
Without another word, I tapped the Infinite Vending Machine in my Inventory, preparing to see what wonders awaited.
——
{Infinite Vending Machine}
[Open?] [Yes] [No]
——
"Yes," I muttered under my breath. The Inventory closed, and another notification appeared.
——
{Ding! Would you like for the system to absorb Infinite Vending Machine?}
[Yes] [No]
——
I paused, fingers hovering above the confirmation. A part of me grinned—endless possibilities, all under my control…—while another part tried to stay cautious.
"Well…" I muttered under my breath, smirking, "let's see what this thing can really do."
With a firm tap, I selected [Yes], feeling a faint hum as the Infinite Vending Machine merged into the system. A vending machine icon then appeared on the system interface.
I leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing as I studied the new vending machine icon on the interface. Curious, I opened the app and saw that the initial thirty slots now had no end—they could be stocked infinitely.
Alright… so how do I actually get stuff into this thing? I asked internally.
——
{Ding! User only needs to touch and will the item they want to stock!}
——
I glanced down at the other azure death mangos on the table, a thought forming.
"Hey, Mom… can you give me two of these?" I asked. "One, I want the biggest one you've got, and the other… a normal-sized one, but the best of the bunch."
"Hmm… sure."
She swiped her hand, and in an instant, two mangos appeared before me—one the size of a basketball, the other just slightly larger than my hand.
"Will these do?"
I nodded enthusiastically and grabbed both of them—then, just like that, they vanished from my hands.
A second later, two basketball-sized azure death mangos reappeared, hovering in my hands, perfectly solid and impossibly ripe. I tossed one lightly in my hand, spinning it with a grin.
"Haha… hahahaha! Stupid Sovereign of Gluttony! Me and the Infinite Vending Machine are gonna clear the azure death mangos' bad name!"
Heaven shook her head, exasperated, but with a small, amused smile. "Is that so…" she said, her tone teasing but calm.
…
And so, far into the future, the azure mangos and the Virtuous Vending Machine would go down in history—one infamous for causing death, the other originally made for the Sovereign of Gluttony to serve human flesh—only for both to have their fates completely rewritten.