Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

It didn't take too long for the three of them to return to the house. It looked exactly as they had left it, warm and beautiful. Kyle took in the fresh air as a wave of nostalgia hit him. 'There's nothing more than home.'

"I'll head to Martha's shop and buy some meat for dinner," Grace announced the moment they returned, already reaching for her bag.

Kyle raised an eyebrow and grinned. "No need for that, Ma'am. I've got it covered."

"What do you mean?" Grace asked with a curious look.

With a dramatic flair, Kyle summoned his inventory and pulled out the enormous carcass of a freshly killed beast.

The creature, easily towering over seven feet in length and weighing close to 600 kilograms, had sleek fur and powerful limbs, evidence of its ferocity in life. It was one of the Tier-2 beasts from the mission and the inventory had done well to preserve it.

Grace's eyes widened in astonishment, while Riya gasped. "Kyle! Where did you even get that?"

"From the beast tide during my mission. I've got more if this isn't enough."

Riya shook her head in disbelief. "Of course you do…"

Grace, however, approached the beast curiosity, running her hand over its fur. "This is incredible. It's still fresh… And you say you have more?"

Kyle nodded. "Plenty more. I figured we could use this for dinner. You've always made the best meals, and we've missed them."

Grace's lips curved into a smile. "You flatter me, Kyle. Very well, I'll use this beast."

Grace was about to head into the kitchen when Kyle remembered something. "There's one more thing I want to show you," he said with a grin.

Riya, who was already inspecting the massive beast, perked up. "What now, Kyle? Another secret stash of treasures?"

"Not quite." Kyle's smile grew wider as he raised his hand. A small ripple of energy appeared before Void materialized in the room, his sleek black scales catching the light as his golden eyes gleamed with curiosity.

Void stretched his wings slightly and let out a rumbling growl, his posture exuding confidence. He looked around the room and his gaze lingered on Grace.

Grace froze, her hand halfway to her mouth as her eyes widened. "Kyle… is that a dragon?"

Riya, who had seen Void before, smirked. "Yep, that's Void. Kyle's little companion with an ego the size of a mountain."

"Little? Please, I am anything but little." Void straightened, puffing out his chest as he spread his wings just enough to emphasize his presence.

"You may call me magnificent, exceptional, or unparalleled. All are acceptable."

"He's incredible," Grace said softly, her eyes scanning Void with both awe and curiosity. "It's unlike anything I've seen. You've been hiding him all this time?"

"Well," Kyle said, rubbing the back of his neck, "Not exactly hiding. He's been with me during missions and training. But yeah, I guess I haven't really shown him to many people."

"Well, whatever he is, he's remarkable," Grace added before she turned her attention back to the beast carcass.

"I'll get started on preparing this. You two go freshen up. Dinner will be ready soon."

Kyle and Riya left the kitchen, heading to their respective rooms. Void followed Kyle, lounging on the bed while Kyle quickly washed up and changed.

Once they were both refreshed, they returned to find the table laden with an array of dishes: roasted meat, hearty stews, grilled skewers, and more. The aroma was mouthwatering.

Kyle's eyes widened as he took in the spread. "Wow, ma'am, you really went all out!"

Riya nodded in agreement, already taking a seat. "This smells amazing!"

Void, perched on a chair like a miniature king, let out an approving growl before diving into the food.

The dragon d didn't wait for anyone before he began devouring plate after plate with his seemingly endless appetite.

As they ate, Kyle and Riya couldn't stop praising Grace's cooking.

"This is the best meal I've had in months," Kyle said, savoring a piece of roasted meat. "No one cooks like you, Ma'am."

Riya nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely. The academy food doesn't even come close."

Grace smiled warmly, her heart full at seeing them enjoy the meal. "I'm glad you like it. I've missed cooking for you both."

They ate until they were full, the beast's massive size ensuring plenty of leftovers for the coming days. After cleaning up and saying goodnight to Grace, Kyle and Riya headed to their rooms.

Kyle was just about to enter his room when he stopped, turning back to Riya. "Hey, wait a second."

"What is it?" Riya asked after pausing.

Kyle reached into his inventory and pulled out a large, leather-bound book. The cover was intricately designed, with elegant patterns framing the title: "Phantom Arc Mastery." The faint shimmer of enchantment on the book's surface gave it an air of importance.

Riya's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the book. "What's this?"

Kyle smiled and handed it to her. "It's a martial technique. I thought you might like it."

Riya blinked with confusion evident on her face. "A… martial technique? What's that supposed to mean?"

Kyle scratched the back of his head, realizing she had no idea.

"Right, I guess you wouldn't know. Martial techniques are special methods or skills that enhance combat abilities.

They're not like spells—you don't need mana to use them. Instead, they rely on your physical prowess and control."

Riya held the book more carefully now, her curiosity piqued. "And this one? What's it about?"

Kyle's smile widened. "It's called Phantom Arc Mastery. It's designed for long-range fighters. With it, you'll learn how to manipulate the trajectory of your projectiles after firing.

You can guide arrows to hit targets behind cover, curve them in mid-air, and even control multiple projectiles at once if you practice hard enough."

Riya's jaw dropped as she flipped open the book, skimming through the diagrams and descriptions. "This… this is amazing! But… how did you get something like this?"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Kyle leaned casually against the doorframe. "I got it from the Contribution Hall. It cost me 200 contribution points."

Her head snapped up, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. "Two hundred contribution points?!"

"I may have… over-performed during my mission."

Riya narrowed her eyes, already anticipating his answer. "Of course you did."

Kyle laughed, but the sound was softer than usual.

"I thought this would suit you. You've always been great with your aim, and this will help you take it to the next level."

Riya stared at the book for a long moment before looking up at him with an unreadable expression. Slowly, she smiled.

"Thank you, Kyle. This is… this is really something special. I know how much this must mean."

Before Kyle could respond, she took a step forward and wrapped her arms around him in a sudden hug.

Kyle froze, his mind scrambling to process what was happening. Except for Madam Grace, he'd never been hugged by a female before.

And his hug with Grace was something he had gone for, not the other way round. This felt different; warmer, closer.

His heart thudded in his chest as he stood stiffly, unsure how to react.

When Riya pulled away, her face was flushed with pink, and her eyes darted to the floor. "Don't get any ideas," she mumbled with a soft voice. "It's just a thank-you hug."

Kyle, still processing, nodded slowly. "Uh, y- yeah. Of course."

Riya turned on her heel and hurried to her room with a blush, clutching the book tightly to her chest.

Kyle remained in the hallway for a moment, staring after her. His mind was racing, trying to make sense of the emotions swirling within him. Shaking his head, he muttered, "Where's my mind going? It's just a thank-you hug. Nothing more."

With that, he entered his room, where Void was already sprawled across the bed, snoring lightly.

Kyle glanced at the dragon and smiled faintly. "Well, time to get to work."

He pulled out four books from his inventory, similar in size to the one he'd given Riya, and laid them on the bed.

"Let's see what these have in store."