When Ethan sent the data of the passive skill "Bloodwater Drain (Green)" to Fairwind, something clicked in Fairwind's brain.
He slapped his forehead. "Why didn't I think of that earlier? I've been drinking potions like water for days!"
Over the past few days, Fairwind had consumed hundreds of health potions. His tongue was numb from the taste, and his stomach churned just thinking about another bottle. His appetite was practically nonexistent.
Only Ethan truly understood him. Only a genuine friend would hand over such a helpful skill so casually.
This passive skill would allow him to recover health with every attack, essentially replacing the need for potions altogether. That meant faster fights and no more potion breaks.
Fairwind was so excited, he wanted to teleport straight to Ethan to grab the skill right then and there.
But reality hit—he was currently far from Ravenshade City. The trip back and forth would take too much time.
So, Fairwind suggested, "Why don't I send you my location, and you bring the skill to me?"
He laughed, confident, "With this skill, I'll take you flying straight to the top. The top two spots in the rankings? They're ours."
But Ethan declined. "No need," he said over the phone, "I'm planning to take two days off. I need to gather some information."
He was speaking from the heart—he really did need a break—but Fairwind misunderstood completely.
"Bro… are you giving up?" Fairwind gasped. "Have you already forgotten our bet?"
To Fairwind, the ranking competition meant nothing compared to the private bet he had made with Ethan.
Even if the school was offering prizes and recognition, none of that mattered as much as proving himself to his best friend.
"You can't quit on me now," Fairwind pleaded. "Even if you lose, it's no big deal. I won't ask for anything from you."
"But if you give up without trying, that's no fun at all."
He paused, then added with genuine concern, "Wait… did your summoned beast die? Is that why you're pulling back?"
He didn't even wait for an answer.
"I've got it!" Fairwind exclaimed. "I'll ask my butler to deliver a new summoned beast to you right now."
"How about a gold-tier one? You can use that for now. If it's not good enough, I'll get you another."
"Don't worry, man. It's okay to lose to me once. Just don't give up on yourself."
Ethan, meanwhile, was staring at his phone with a baffled expression. What was this guy even talking about?
Fairwind's thought process was always wild, and this was no exception.
Ethan cut in, a little tired of the nonsense. "Just find time to get the skill book yourself. I'm not arguing with you right now."
He ended the call.
Then, with a sigh, Ethan sent a screenshot of his character level—LV19.
---
Fairwind went silent.
He stared at the screen, blinking.
LV19.
Just days ago, they had both recently changed classes.
Fairwind had been grinding nonstop, even breaking two silver-tier weapons because he was too lazy to repair them. And after all that, he had only reached LV13.
To jump from LV13 to LV19?
Even with full effort, Fairwind figured he'd need at least a week to make that kind of leap.
And yet Ethan had already done it… casually.
Fairwind scratched his head awkwardly. "I really thought you were giving up," he muttered. "I thought your summoned beast had died…"
Turns out, I was just being dramatic.
But his embarrassment didn't last long. The butler soon arrived with the skill book Ethan had sent over.
Fairwind quickly forgot his shame and clapped his hands together, excited.
He opened the book, learned the skill instantly, and then charged toward the nearest giant monster in sight.
---
A Giant Wild Bear Appears!
Fairwind had struggled with this one earlier—he had used two full potions just to survive last time.
But this time?
No potions. No breaks.
With every slash, the Bloodwater Drain skill healed him, keeping his HP high without any effort.
And the more damage he took, the stronger he became.
His own talent amplified his damage the lower his HP got, turning him into a living berserker.
Fairwind was on fire.
He sliced through the monster with reckless joy, basking in the thrill of battle.
Standing atop the bear's corpse, he couldn't help but smile.
"This skill... it's perfect for me," he whispered.
One hand free from potion duty, full focus on combat, and twice the efficiency. It was like a dream come true.
Fairwind turned to his butler. "Uncle, do you think I should give Ethan something in return?"
The butler raised an eyebrow. "Well, that would be appropriate."
"But what should I give him?" Fairwind muttered to himself.
"I can't think of anything good enough right now... maybe later."
"Could just give him money?"
But he immediately shook his head.
"No, no, that won't do. Giving money is too vulgar. It'd be like buying his kindness. And our friendship... it's worth more than that."
He paused, deep in thought. "This skill is such a perfect fit for me. I have to give Ethan something just as meaningful."
---
A Plan Forms
Suddenly, an idea lit up in Fairwind's mind.
"The treasure vault," he whispered.
His father was the Lord of Ravenshade City, and he had a private treasure room full of rare artifacts, skill books, and magical items.
"I'll sneak into the treasure room and find something worthy of Ethan," Fairwind decided.
"Uncle, I'm going to the vault in two days. You can't tell Dad."
The butler frowned. "No can do. Your father said you're not allowed to use any of the treasure vault skills before the entrance exam."
He was firm.
That vault mostly held skill books, and Fairwind's father had made it clear: no early skill advantages.
---
Why the Skill Was So Valuable
Now some might wonder…
Why was Fairwind so grateful over just a green-tier skill book?
After all, he was rich enough to buy one, wasn't he?
Yes, in theory.
But skill books were incredibly rare and expensive, often costing more than gold-tier weapons.
Unlike equipment, which could be reused and repaired, skill books were single-use only.
Once learned, that was it—it disappeared.
On top of that, the drop rate for skill books was ridiculously low. Even green-tier ones sold for millions.
This meant most skill books ended up in the hands of powerful families and guilds, with the public left to scramble for scraps.
So how do ordinary students get good skills?
University.
Going to college is the great equalizer. It's the only realistic way to bridge the gap between commoners and elite families.
A good university can provide students with skill access, training, and connections—that's why the college entrance exam is taken so seriously.
Right now, the time before the exam is supposed to help students explore their own class abilities without relying on high-end skills.
That's why Fairwind's butler was being so strict.
If he hadn't realized Ethan's skill was passive, he wouldn't have let Fairwind learn it either.
Fairwind grinned. "It's fine, I won't learn anything new. I'll just go to pick something out for Ethan. Scout's honor."
---
[End of Chapter]
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