The wind howled over the hill, rustling the trees around it as if bearing witness to Rian's discovery of the Storage skill's new potential.A few meters ahead stood Catty, preparing to unleash her most powerful spell.
When she finished chanting, she thrust her hand forward. A dense, perfectly spherical orb of wind took shape, radiating enough pressure to make the air itself tremble. For an ordinary human, being hit by it would mean instant death.
OMG! Is she trying to kill me? I didn't think her power was this strong! Rian thought in shock.The compressed air sphere shot toward him at incredible speed. Instinctively, in the blink of an eye, Rian opened a Storage portal right in front of him.The black vortex expanded and swallowed the wind spell whole—without leaving a trace. Silence followed.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Rian's temple. The power behind that spell had been far more dangerous than he expected.
"Whew… that was close," Rian muttered, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand before glancing at Catty, who looked just as shocked."Did you really cast that with full power?"
"Yes! I didn't think it would come out that strong either!" Catty replied, her tone mixed between panic and pride."I wasn't sure I could attack you the way you expected, so I just went all out. Sorry, sorry!" She scratched her head and smiled awkwardly, clearly embarrassed.
"It's fine," Rian said, his nervousness quickly replaced by excitement. "But you know what? This is insane! The Storage can act as a shield! Did you see that? Your spell vanished completely when it entered! As long as it's not a direct physical strike and it fits within the portal's diameter, I think I can block any magic projectile!"
Catty's eyes lit up. "That's incredible, Rian! You really need to study it more. Maybe that Storage isn't just a simple inventory like everyone assumes."
"Exactly. I'll analyze it later. For now…" Rian turned toward a scorched tree nearby. "Let's test the spell you just used. I'll release it on that burnt tree."He imagined a Storage portal appearing in front of him, aimed at the dead trunk blackened by a previous fireball test. From his holographic panel, he selected the icon labeled High-Energy Wind Sphere.
The next moment, the same dense wind orb shot out of the portal and slammed into the charred tree.
BRAKK! DUARR!
The impact pulverized the dead tree into splinters, then continued forward—toppling two healthy trees behind it before finally dissipating. Both Rian and Catty stood frozen in awe, equally impressed by Catty's raw power and the Storage's ability to absorb and re-release it.
"Wow…" Catty whispered, half amazed, half relieved. A thought crossed her mind: If that spell hadn't been blocked, I'd regret it for the rest of my life.
"Catty," Rian said quietly, "you shouldn't use wind magic that strong inside the kingdom. It's too dangerous. You'll draw too much attention… get famous… and forget about me."His last words came out as a mutter, but Catty's feline ears caught them clearly.
"You're the one who told me to become a hero," she teased. "If I get famous, isn't that a good thing?"
"No, it's not! Don't do it!" Rian pouted, refusing to yield.
"Alright, alright. I won't use it carelessly," Catty said with a laugh. "And if I do get famous one day, I definitely won't forget you."
Rian turned his face away, embarrassed that she had heard him so clearly.
They continued their experiments until the afternoon faded. Several of Catty's other spells were absorbed and reflected by Rian's Storage with increasing precision. The skill was proving to be remarkably versatile—not just for offense and defense, but also for counterattacks. Rian couldn't stop smiling, thrilled by this new discovery.
As the sun began to sink, the sky glowing crimson, Catty suggested they head home to rest. Rian agreed, though his excitement barely waned. On the way back, he kept talking non-stop about all the possibilities of his Storage skill.
"How about we take a guild quest tomorrow?" Catty suggested. "We could test your Storage in a real battle."
"Great idea! Let's do it!" Rian replied enthusiastically.
When they arrived home, Fredd was already there, waiting for them—something unusual.
"You're home early, Fredd," Rian greeted.
Fredd, seated at the dining table, noticed Rian's bright expression and smiled. "Come, sit. Let's have dinner. There's something I need to tell you."
As they ate, Rian eagerly shared his discovery. "I can perform a new kind of attack!" he said excitedly.
Fredd assumed it was just another basic spell Rian had learned and didn't pry further. They enjoyed Fredd's delicious cooking while chatting, with Catty devouring her portion like a hungry kitten.
After a while, Fredd sighed. "Listen," he said in a serious tone. "Tomorrow, I'll be leaving home for a while."
Rian paused mid-bite. "How long will you be gone? Should we leave this place too?" he asked, mouth still half full.
"Well, that's the thing," Fredd said, looking uneasy. "This house was actually booked long ago by new tenants, and they'll arrive the day after tomorrow. I forgot to tell you earlier, so it's sudden. I don't want you to think I'm kicking you out."
"Oh, that's fine. No problem," Rian said casually, returning to his food. His calm reaction surprised Fredd. "Tomorrow I'll just take a new quest and earn money for lodging."
Fredd exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Rian. As an apology, I'll cover your first month's rent. My last mission paid well, so it's the least I can do." He smiled faintly. "After that, I'll be heading to the Kingdom of Lea for another mission with a new party."
That offer eased a great burden off Rian's shoulders.