Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

"Shut up. Stop acting like anything happened, and why the hell would I be falling for a girl? That makes no sense."

"Oh? You forgot I could phase through walls and go invisible, didn't you?" Void reminded with a smirk. "I saw everything that happened in the living room."

Kyle had no response to what Void said, and with a resigned sigh, he grabbed a towel and headed into the bathroom.

As Kyle poured water on himself in the bathroom, he had some time to think about his earlier actions.

'What the hell is wrong with me?' he wondered. Was Void right? No. It wasn't possible. Maybe he was just overthinking things. Riya's thank you had been heartfelt, and her reaction to the bow was everything he'd hoped for. Nothing more. Nothing less.

"It's nothing serious," he comforted himself before pouring water once more.

t's After some time, Kyle got dressed, gathered his gear, ate, and joined Riya and Void, who were waiting for him in the living room. Together, they made their way to the infirmary.

Grace was cultivating as usual when they arrived, but she opened her eyes the moment they arrived.

"Are you ready to depart?"

They nodded their head at her question, prompting her to continue.

"Well then, follow me. I've made arrangements for you."

Kyle and Riya exchanged curious glances but said nothing as they followed Grace outside.

Once in the open, Grace reached into a small space pouch at her side and loosened its strings.

"This might surprise you," she said with a knowing smile as she loosened the strings.

From the pouch emerged a massive creature, a black and white eagle-like beast with an impressive wingspan and sharp talons.

"This is a Skyrend Roc I rented. It will carry you to the tower," Grace explained.

Kyle and Riya were stunned at seeing the creature, but their excitement was more tempered since this wasn't the first not the second time they were getting on a flying creature.

"So, it knows the way to the tower?" Kyle asked.

"It does," Grace confirmed. "But just in case, here's a map." She handed a rolled paper to Kyle, who scanned it with his comm device, saving an electronic copy there, before Riya did the same.

"You'll also need to feed it during the journey," Grace continued. "I'll give you coins to buy some meat for her before you do."

"Dont worry. I've got plenty of beast corpses remaining," Kyle replied, earning an approving nod from Grace.

"The journey will take about two days, so you'll need to stop every ten hours to let her rest. Don't overwork her," Grace explained in reference to the beast.

"Got it," Riya confirmed with a nod.

Grace stepped closer and placed her hand on their shoulders. "I expect you two to come back stronger, but above all, stay safe."

Before either could respond, she pulled them into a brief but heartfelt hug.

Grace stepped back and her warm smile returned to her face. "I trust you both. Now, go."

Kyle, Riya, and Void climbed onto the Skyrend Roc's back.The creature let out a powerful cry and spread its massive wings wide before it launched into the sky.

The rush of wind filled their ears as they ascended and the ground shrinked rapidly beneath them.

The Skyrend Roc glided effortlessly through the skies, its wings spanning wide as it soared above the vast and unending horizon. Kyle sat near the front with his eyes glued on the scenery below.

Beside him sat Riya, equally enthralled by the sights, while Void lay curled up behind them, lazily enjoying the ride.

The Roc's flight continued for hours. They passed over dense jungles, vast grasslands teeming with wild beasts, and even ruins of what looked like an ancient city buried under layers of moss and vines. Kyle couldn't help but ask questions.

"What do you think happened there?" he asked, gesturing toward the ruins.

"Maybe a forgotten civilization," Riya suggested. "Or a kingdom that fell long ago. There are stories about how powerful mages in the past created their own cities but failed to sustain them."

Void chimed in, his voice tinged with amusement. "Most likely greed or ambition led to their downfall. It always does."

Kyle recognized them from his knowledge of history and could even name quite a few of the lands they passed.

As the sun dipped lower, painting the sky in shades of orange, then purple, Kyle noticed the Roc's wings beginning to falter slightly.

"I think it's time to land," he said, glancing at Riya.

She agreed, pointing toward a clearing in a nearby forest. "That spot looks perfect."

The Roc descended gracefully, its massive claws landing with a soft thud on the grassy ground. The clearing was surrounded by tall trees, their leaves glowing faintly under the twilight sky. As Kyle and Riya dismounted, the Roc let out a low, satisfied squawk before folding its wings.

Kyle stretched, feeling the stiffness in his muscles after hours of sitting.

"Alright, let's eat something." He opened his inventory, pulling out a collection of snacks that he'd packed from the academy cafeteria.

Void's eyes gleamed. "Finally!"

But Riya shook her head firmly. "No. We're not eating snacks for dinner. Let's prepare something proper. Roasted meat sounds good."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Roasted meat? Do you know how long that takes?"

"Come on, Kyle," she said, smiling. "It'll be fun. We're not in a rush, are we?"

Kyle sighed but eventually relented. "Fine. Let me see what I have."

Reaching into his inventory, he pulled out the massive corpse of a Tier-4 beast. The sheer size of the creature drew gasps from both Riya and the Roc, who tilted its head curiously.

"Where did you even get that?" Riya asked, her eyes wide.

Kyle grinned. "The same way I got your bow."

Unsheathing the [Aurora Fang], Kyle began cutting the beast into manageable pieces. The katana's fiery edge made the task surprisingly easy, making each slice clean and precise.

Riya crouched nearby, conjuring her signature blue flames. The heat was intense but controlled, flickering softly as she adjusted its intensity. "Let me handle the roasting."

The process was smooth, with each of them contributing. Void occasionally offered unhelpful advice, while the Roc watched intently, clearly eager for a taste.

When the meat was finally ready, Riya threw in some spices that she carried with her in her space ring, evident of her readiness and the aroma filled the clearing, making Kyle's stomach rumble.

They sat around a small campfire they had prepared and all enjoyed the prepared meal. Even the Roc was fed its share, letting out pleased coos as it devoured the roasted meat.

"This is so much better and its filled with energy," Riya said between bites. She could feel the mana coursing through her with each bite.

Kyle nodded, savoring the flavor. "You're right. This was a good idea."

Stay connected through empire

[EXP +50]

[EXP +50]

Kyle was scared for a moment, but tactfully controlled the mana into his Chaos core after a moment and reminded Void to expel his.

The campfire crackled softly, its warm glow contrasting with the cool night air. After their meal, the trio sat quietly for a while, simply enjoying the serenity of the moment.

As the night deepened, Kyle stood up and stretched. "We should get some rest. I'll keep watch first."

Riya shook her head. "No, I'll keep watch. You've done enough today."

"I'm not letting you stay up all night while I sleep," Kyle said with a frown.

They argued for a while before finally reaching a compromise. Kyle would keep watch for the first four hours, and Riya would take over for the remainder of the night.

With Riya, Void and the Roc settled nearby, Kyle sat near the fire, the [Aurora Fang] resting across his lap. His eyes scanned the forest, alert for any signs of movement.

For the first hour, he stayed sharp with his thoughts wandering to the journey ahead and the strange beauty of the wilderness. But as the second hour rolled in, fatigue began to creep in. His eyelids growing heavier with each passing moment and he continuously shut his eyes.

"It won't hurt to close my eyes for a moment," he told himself.

Before he realized it, sleep claimed him.

***

Kyle didn't know how much time had passed when he felt a tug on the weapon in his hand. Instinctively, his grip tightened, but the tug came again, harder this time but Kyle's hand refused to budge.

Just when he was about to use more force to pull the weapon, Kyle's eyes opened. The thief abandoned the idea of stealing the katana immediately. Activating a wind spell, he zoomed quickly out of sight.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om