Chapter 1
Part 1
This morning was a bit windy, just enough to make my black hair sway softly. It's also a bit warm. The blue sky was filled with clouds sparsely spread across the view.
It was, all in all, good weather in my book. It's not rainy at least, and the sun could still be seen, shining on the ground.
I stepped outside, out of the humble abode the chieftain rented to me cheaply. Moist and firm soil greeted my feet, though I didn't step on it without sandals.
My hands carried some things I wanted to sell. In my right hand was a bag of potatoes from my garden and herbs I picked from the forest, while my left hand carried a basket full of bread and some snacks I made.
Quite a lot, and also heavy, there's no doubt about it. However, as a gift user who had some training, it was nothing. Pretty sure I was physically stronger than most men in this village, those who weren't a gift user.
The Chieftain and his right hand man can still beat me pretty easily….
As I looked forward, the village came into view. Trees could be seen everywhere, decorating the streets and the yards of some villagers' houses. All houses were made from woods, some were made from cheap woods, others who were wealthy enough used the expensive ones.
Those that used cement and bricks were only in large towns.
It's still morning, but I already saw some villagers have already begun their day. Some were walking with huge baskets, carrying various things to sell. Others, the wealthier ones, used carts pulled by horse to carry their things.
A rather lively village.
"Good morning."
"Oh, Misa. Good morning."
"Good morning."
Some villagers, especially those who were familiar to me, began to greet me left and right. I would either greet them back or just nod in acknowledgement.
I continued walking, keeping my gaze forward. Occasionally, I would take a turn, or, if there's someone who needed help, I would stop for a moment to offer help. Like that one kid who's crying because his kite got stuck on a tree. I didn't fear getting late to arrive at whatever I planned to go as I got out pretty early today. Way earlier than it should be.
However, my destination was already in sight before I noticed it. A humble one story building, that housed a small business of a small family, selling snacks, vegetables, and other things, often helping other people to sell their things.
I was one of those people. I would give them things I made and they would sell it. Only after they close it in the evening would they call me to give the money they earned from selling my things.
Entering the building, it was already filled with people, though not as crowded as it would be when approaching noon and afternoon.
"Oh Misa! There you are! One of the customers is already asking for your herbs!"
I smiled at him. Jack, a kind man who was the owner of this small business.
"Who?"
"Regy. He wanted to make herbal tea but he had already exhausted all his herbs yesterday."
"Tell him to not put too much of it in his tea…oh right, he loves it strong in his tongue."
After conversing a bit more, I headed outside, mind already filled with my next agenda. To go to some grumpy guy's house to train.
Exhaling, I know this day would be quite exhausting. However, I knew this was necessary. For my dream, my promise to my parents, and maybe to repay that stubborn chieftain of this beloved village of his.
Part 2
Fixing my pony tail, I took a step forward, already leading to that guy's house. My brown eyes swept to my surroundings.
Houses here, in the heart of the village, were clearly made from woods with better quality. They were also more spacious and wider.
"Oho, Misa. Training again with Jacob?"
"Yes."
"Good luck kid."
People in this village knew me, some knew me more than others. It was no surprise. Beside a rather small population, it was also due to my status as a gift user.
Gift users were already rare in the world, more so in a small village like this. Or it should be. It was a miracle a village this small had any at all. Probably also why this village could stand so long without crumbling under the attack of outsiders like bandits.
Even more impressive, including me, it had seven gift users in total. You might think it's small. But trust me it's quite big of a number.
I eventually came into a one story house, made entirely of wood. The woods seemed to be of high quality, showing that the owner is richer than the average villagers.
It was Jacob's house, one of the gift users in this village, as well as my instructor.
I quickly approached the front door, and, with my closed hand, I knocked on his door at least three times.
"Hello, Teacher! Are you home?"
There was no answer. It was as if there's no people inside. That's weird, usually he was still at home at this hour. But, befire I decided to knock once more…
"Hah. Wait a bit."
A rustling sound could be heard from inside, followed by footsteps, quickly approaching the door.
And sure enough, the door swung open, quite strongly too. And from that, a burly figure with big muscle and greying hair came out, looking at me with a bit of annoyance.
Did I do something wrong?
"I was about to fall asleep again if not for you…"
That's what got you annoyed?
"Well, uh, sorry teacher but it seems you need to put up with me and stay awake for few hours. Tehe."
There's no immediate reply, only a few blinks from his eyes, half annoyed, half humoured, as his right corner of his mouth lifted up faintly.
I myself only smiled sweetly and ignorantly, eyes glueing to him. I saw him narrowing his eyes, before deciding to sigh and give me an ultimatum.
"Whatever. Go to my backyard and run 50 laps first there."
"Okie dokie."
Part 3
Gift was, to simplify, a unique skill unlocked by a select few people in this world. Only few people, those who experienced strong emotion during their lives could receive one.
Those who experienced a tragedy.
Those who lost their loved one.
Those who were overwhelmed by everything around them.
Once they experienced it that it impacted their psyche, gift could suddenly be awakened inside their body. However, strong emotion didn't guarantee it, merely giving you a chance. One could lose their lover in front of them and still not receive anything. Those who did, however, would get something powerful.
Also, apparently gift could extend lifespan, ranging from a few hundred to even thousands. So a lot of gift users might be old monsters who had lived for hundreds of years even if their appearance were as young as a young adult in their early twenties.
Some used it for revenge. Others merely used it to protect others. But one thing was certain, awakening a gift would elevate anyone to be above normal humans.
And gift that's awakened could differ from one another. No, people's gifts would definitely be different from each other. Even if they outwardly appeared similar and had the exact same name, it would still be different.
After all, according to chieftain and teacher Jacob, gift was a crystallization of one's soul, being the manifestation of their personality, wish, as well as their imagination.
And my gift, according to chieftain, was among the most unique gifts he had encountered.
It involved eyes.
"See these dummies? Set it on fire one by one starting from the nearest."
I saw seven dummies made from wood and rugs. It was set diagonally, from the nearest in the right to the farthest in the left.
I concentrated my eyes on one of them, pouring energy to my eyeballs, while constantly thinking about setting it off on fire. A tingling sensation was felt, and the dummy was burned in a bright flash. I repeated the same to other dummies. However, it stopped at the fifth dummy, I simply couldn't set the sixth and seventh dummies.
Well, not much change in the past weeks.
"No change. But I expect you will be able to burn the sixth dummy in the next two weeks or so."
"Yeah."
Improving and increasing the power in my repertoire wasn't easy. It took me 5 years to get this far, even though this was literally the first sub ability I got right after awakening my gift. Teacher said it might be because I lacked the experience of facing a genuine danger to my life before. He said that real danger shaped one's ability and strength.
Well, that's not my fault. Chieftain always held me back here, forcing me to retreat whenever a danger arose. Like three years ago when a rampaging gift user attacked, I was tasked to calm and evacuate the villagers. I knew evacuating the villagers was important, but still.
However, the Chieftain always said that I would get an opportunity eventually. And I trusted him. Why? Because he was never wrong, somehow.
Ignoring my inner rumbling, Jacob said with a stern voice.
"Now, use your other eyes and try to predict where I will attack and dodge."
Jacob then grabbed a fake sword from nearby, and after a few testing, began to sprint at me from my right. However, at that instant, I also saw another him suddenly change direction and run to my left.
And sure enough, he changed durection and tried to attack me from my left, which I successfully dodged.
"Did you see me change direction?"
"Yeah. It was…eight steps before you actually did it."
"Good."
And that was my second sub-ability I gad from my gift. One to set a fire on anything I saw, another to predict the future. However, I also had one more. But Jacob didn't test it as he said it's not important to fight.
I looked at Jacob, and I saw some color coating his body.
So a bit satisfied….and some anticipation?
It was to see other people's emotions. And although Jacib didn't regularly test it, he still asked me to practice it. Considering it was the most harmless of all three, Jacob said it was going to be the one with the most growth as I could constantly practice it silently and harmlessly. Same with the one to predict the future, but if I practice it too much it would cause a headache. And the one to set fire was the most destructive so I could only practice it in controlled manners, unlike others where I could just do it whenever and wherever I liked
Probably the reason why the fire one is improving at snail pace.
"Alright, take a break for half an hour. After that we will practice unarmed combat before switching to swordsmanship training."
Breathing in relief, I quickly found a tree stump and sat on it. My butt plopped down with a soft tud.
I heard a rustle on my left. Turning my head, I saw Teacher placed a chair and immediately sat on it. He hummed a few tunes before finally setting his sight on me.
"Someone will arrive here today, to our village."
"Huh?"
"A traveller who is apparently Chief's old friend. A mercenary who is also an old monster who wields gift."
At that claim, I widened my eyes. An old gift user? Coming here? And he's apparently an old friend of Chieftain?
And apparently an old monster? Was he strong? Teacher was sufficiently strong, maybe not the strongest here, but still strong. And to have been called old by Teacher was astonishing in itself. Teacher was said to be 250 years old at least, but to be called old by someone who was already that old must mean something….
An old monster coming here? Should I be worried? But he was Chieftain's old friend, right? And Teacher told me this with a carefree attitude. He wouldn't be dangerous.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because the Chief wanted you to meet him."
He said that with his left side of mouth lifted a bit. And then I activated my gift to see what he was feeling right now….
….He was happy for me?
"Huh?"
"Don't 'huh' me! Didn't you want a better teacher and an opportunity to explore the world and get out of this cramped village?"
"HUH?"
And I saw Teacher twitched the corner of his mouth a bit.