Chapter 32: An Unexpected Item

"At the same time William was trying and succeeded in gaining control of the energy inside his body, both Norton and Dawnson were watching. On the surface, they appeared calm and collected, as seasoned masters should, but behind their facade, both of them were shocked by William's performance.

"Old guy, when you came bragging to me, I didn't believe it at first. But now, I do," Dawnson admitted, unable to hide his astonishment. "That boy is truly a genius."

"Hahaha, I told you!" Norton chuckled, brushing off Dawnson's compliment. However, deep down, even he was shocked by William's exceptional performance. It took him weeks to master this technique, and yet William managed to grasp it within minutes. Sensing the connection between the two stars was a difficult task for an ordinary warrior, but William accomplished it effortlessly.

After their exchange, both Norton and Dawnson fell silent, realizing the extent of William's potential.

"Master, I succeeded!" I exclaimed with excitement, eager to share my accomplishment with my mentor.

"Humph! What is there to be excited about? That was basic knowledge among the basics. I expected you to figure it out yourself, but it seems I still have to teach you everything," my master replied with a hint of disappointment. "Haih, William, if you want to surpass those geniuses, you must work hard in the future."

My master's words resonated with me. I realized that I should push myself further and not become complacent with such elementary achievements. However, there was something peculiar about the way Uncle Dawnson was looking at my master. It felt as though he was mocking my master's words, but I couldn't dwell on it for long.

Since there was no benefit in pondering further, I put the matter aside and focused on what I wanted to do next. Utilizing the newly acquired technique, I attempted to activate the space ring in my possession, and this time, it worked.

With a single thought, an item emerged from the space ring—it was the black shield Sarah had lent me during my training in the Ghost Forest. When we divided our loot, I offered to forfeit all my shares, including the valuable Blue Chrysanthemum, in exchange for this shield.

Initially, I thought it would be an impossible request, considering the shield's value. However, Sarah surprisingly agreed without hesitation. She explained that the shield was just one of many defense items in her collection, and she had never had the opportunity to use it due to its requirement of a strong physical strength. Thus, it didn't inconvenience her to part with it.

"Hmm? A shield? William, where did you get this?" my master asked, holding the shield and inspecting it closely.

Since it wasn't a secret, I replied, "The same friend who gave me the ring also gave me this shield."

"Hmm, it's a decent shield. Good enough for you to use for now," my master commented, acknowledging the quality of the shield.

After returning the shield to me, my master continued, "Since you now have a space ring and a shield, things will become simpler. As you know, we warriors primarily engage in close combat, which can be extremely dangerous. While our bodies are stronger than those of mages, they are not invincible. I had planned to get you a defense item for protection, but since you already have this shield, we can scrap that idea."

My heart sank. A magic item—even the most basic one—could cost a fortune. Missing out on such an opportunity made my heart ache.

"Master, you can't do this to me. If you acquired an item for me, why not just give it to me? Having two defense items would be a good thing. We should prioritize our safety," I pleaded, hoping to persuade my master.

"Huh, wipe that annoying look off your face. If you keep this up, you can forget about receiving anything from me," my master retorted, making it clear he wouldn't budge.

Realizing my persistence could backfire, I immediately stepped back, not wanting to change my master's mind due to my incessant pleading.

"I didn't even finish my sentence, and you're already coming at me like that. Have some patience. Besides, who said the item I acquired for you was a defense item?"

"It's not?" I asked in surprise. Hadn't my master mentioned getting me a defense item before? Did I misunderstand something?

Anticipating my thoughts, my master pointed his finger and clarified, "I know what you were thinking. It's not that difficult. I didn't acquire an item for you. I brought you him."

Following my master's pointed finger, I saw Uncle Dawnson standing silently nearby, observing our interaction. I had completely forgotten about him until my master directed my attention.

"But, my item can't be him, right?" I questioned, perplexed by the revelation.