Chapter 12: Chapter 12 : A Gift
"Screeeeeechhhhh"
Laura slammed the brakes as the sound of the tires sliding on the road echoed through the car. Aaron's announcement about quitting his job had caught her off guard. She had always believed that teaching was a stable and safe profession compared to others, and people didn't just quit without a good reason.
As they drove to the school, Laura remained silent, trying to gather her thoughts. When they reached the main lobby, she parked her car and they walked together to her office.
"Aaron, I'm surprised to hear that you want to quit teaching," Laura said, taking a seat behind her desk. "Can you tell me why?"
Aaron hesitated for a moment before answering. "I've been doing some soul-searching lately, and I've realized that teaching isn't my true calling. I want to pursue other interests and see where they take me."
Laura nodded slowly, trying to process the news. "I see. Have you thought about what you'll do next? It's important to have a plan."
"I have some savings, so I don't have to worry about money for a while. And I've been exploring some new hobbies and interests, so I think I'll be okay," Aaron replied.
Laura leaned forward, concerned. "Aaron, I understand that you're unhappy with teaching, but I don't want you to make a hasty decision that you'll regret later. Teaching is a noble profession, and you have a gift for it. Have you considered talking to a career counselor or exploring other options within education?"
Aaron shook his head. "I appreciate your concern, Laura, but I've thought long and hard about this. I need to follow my heart, even if it means taking a risk."
Laura sighed, knowing that she couldn't change Aaron's mind. "Well, I respect your decision, even if I don't agree with it. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors."
Aaron stood up and walked over to the window, gazing out at the field. "Thanks, Laura. And don't worry, we'll still be friends. We can grab a beer sometime and catch up."
Laura smiled weakly and extended her pinky. "You're right. We're still friends, no matter what. Promise?"
Aaron grinned and hooked his pinky around hers. "Promise."
As Aaron walked briskly towards the school's exit, his mind was consumed with thoughts of the last two tokens he needed to complete his 10x roll. "I hope I will get at least a magical weapon this time please.. Even common grade will be fine," he muttered to himself.
Laura caught his eye from her office window, and he offered her a cheery wave before teleporting himself back to the facility, leaving the school far behind.
"It was fun while it lasted.. Tho I am not the best teacher for them, at least I did what I could.." muttered Aaron when he accidentally recall his memories working as teacher. He uses his phone to leave the work related group, he got no reason to stay anyway. He then start running to complete one of the quest.
As the sun began to set, Aaron was drenched in sweat and gasping for air after finishing the second quest of the day. Despite his desire to complete the final task, he hesitated at the thought of dedicating 9 hours to meditation, especially since he had already completed the task the day before. He resolved to remind himself that it was not necessary to meditate every day, and that doing so only 2 or 3 times a week would suffice.
He called Luo for advice on handling the illegal underground tunnel beneath the orphanage. While waiting for Luo in one of the training rooms, Aaron practiced with his winged boots and teleportation ring. Although he couldn't fly, he could jump twice and reach an average height of 30 meters, but before he started to fall, he would teleport to the ground.
This was a way to practice reducing or eliminating the momentum from falling at such a height. Even though he wouldn't be severely injured from falling at that height, he would still feel pain and wanted to master every magical equipment he had.
Aaron sat on the edge of his bed, his impatience growing as the daylight outside slowly faded. "What's taking him so long?" he grumbled to himself. With only 12 tokens remaining, he decided to take a chance on a x10 roll.
He wasn't too concerned about the quality of the items he received. He just needed something he could use as a weapon. The colors on his phone screen flashed and changed before settling on his new items.
There was only one blue light flashing, indicating the production of a single rare item. Aaron didn't expect to get anything legendary. He had always been unlucky when it came to lotteries or potlucks. It seemed like the god of fortune was never on his side.
With bated breath, Aaron scanned through the long list of items he had rolled. His heart sank as he realised he had only acquired a handful of usable items, until his eyes landed on the very weapon he had been coveting for weeks. Elation washed over him, but it was short-lived as his attention was captured by the unfamiliar scroll he had received.
[Gifting Scroll - Wrap or cover the item you want to give. The moment the item is received by the person, it will be immediately bonded to them.]
Aaron's eyes widened as he read the scroll's description. "Hold on, I can gift my magical items to others? That sounds kind of dangerous, but also kind of exciting," he muttered to himself.
He had obtained seven scrolls, but instead of using his space ring on his left hand to store them, he simply kept them in his phone's inventory. After storing everything, he claimed the only weapon he had received with the last 2 tokens since he liked the hammer design.
[Rare Weight Shifting War Hammer - For those seeking a weapon that is both unique and versatile, look no further than the Rare Weight Shifting War Hammer. Its ability to shift weight from feather to whale is a feat of magical engineering, but what else does it hold in store? Only the brave and the skilled will be able to unlock its full potential. Are you the one?]
He lifted the 1.4 meter hammer with both hands, but was surprised when he could lift it effortlessly. He let go of his left hand and wielded the hammer with his dominant right hand. "It must be in light mode since I haven't shifted the weight yet."
Aaron had trained in using a warhammer before, but the one he held now felt vastly different. With his enhanced abilities, he quickly adapted to the weapon within minutes before he started to shift the weight of the warhammer by his thought.
Despite his mistakes in shifting the weight too early or too long, he excitedly continued to practice and pushed his limits.
Garry and Luo walked towards where Aaron was practicing. As they entered the room, Garry's eyes widened in surprise while Luo maintained his usual stoic expression. As Aaron swung the warhammer, the vibrations from the impacts reverberated through the floor, indicating just how heavy the weapon was. Aaron continued to swing the hammer from all directions, completely focused on his training.
Eventually, Luo rang a bell to signal Aaron to stop. Despite his tunnel vision during training, Aaron always trusted Luo to keep him from overdoing it. With the training session complete, Aaron turned to greet them with slightly disappointed expression toward Luo.
"Wow Luo, you made it. Nice," Aaron said with a hint of relief as he deftly stored the warhammer away in his space ring.
Aaron and Garry caught up and Aaron shared that he had quit his teaching job. They chatted about his future plans and Garry suggested he become a mercenary. Garry advised him to head to the main capital of the country to learn more about the job from the main HQ.
Aaron agreed and said he'd head there in a couple of days after he got his stuff sorted. Even though he could teleport within 100km in just two hours, it would be his first time travelling since he graduated. He never had enough cash to travel before and never had any free time either.
Garry had to leave early because he had other things to do, but before he left, Aaron used the gifting scroll to enchant the tranquility cup and gave it to Garry as a gift. Since he ate the golden apple, Aaron had recovered even faster than he did with the magical water, and he wanted to show his gratitude to Garry for all his help.
Although Garry was initially hesitant, Aaron persisted, "Seriously please, take it. I insist. It's the least I can do to thank you."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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