The angels and vampires look confused by Jyne's question about skills. I see Eldrin and Liora stepping closer to fill them in on what's happening. Thank you for that.
I glance at Kenji and Daichi.
[Wright] "We should probably send you two home first before we get into all this."
[Kenji] "Actually, can it wait?"
[Daichi] "We're really interested in seeing what skills everyone gets."
[Kenji] "It'll give us time to say our farewells too."
Fair enough.
I look around at the gathered crowd. We just finished the planting. The angels and vampires completed their mission. Plenty of reasons to celebrate.
[Wright] "You know what? Let's throw a proper farewell party for Kenji and Daichi before they leave."
[Rhevan] "Another barbecue?"
[Wright] "Maybe. Depends on if I get the skill I want."
I can't help but smile at the thought.
I turn toward Jyne.
[Wright] "I want the Online Shopping skill."
[Jyne] "Online what?"
[Wright] "Online Shopping. I want to be able to purchase items from Earth and have them appear here."
It's from one of the best isekai food manga I've read. The possibilities are endless.
Yuki's eyes light up with recognition. She nods excitedly—she definitely gets it.
Jyne's expression shifts to irritation.
[Jyne] "Do you remember my rules?"
[Wright] "I do."
[Jyne] "That skill is essentially summoning items from Earth. Summoning magic requires enormous amounts of energy and draws from the world's reserves. It's too much."
[Wright] "Then make the skill depend solely on my mana, not the world's. I have plenty of mana to spare."
Jyne opens her mouth, then closes it. She's clearly trying to find another reason to refuse, but can't.
[Jyne] "It will take a massive amount of mana per summoning. Even if you have large reserves, it might not be enough for what you're thinking."
[Wright] "That's fine. I'll deal with it as I go."
She stares at me for a long moment, then sighs in defeat.
[Jyne] "Fine. I won't veto it. But don't come crying to me when you run out of mana."
[Wright] "Thank you."
Yuki steps forward next. She looks like she's been waiting for this moment her entire life.
[Yuki] "I want the Taming skill!"
Oh, that's a manga staple as well!
[Yuki] "I want to gather tons of cute and fluffy monsters!"
I nod. She's clearly put a lot of thought into this.
Jyne considers it.
[Jyne] "That's acceptable, but with conditions. It will only work if the monsters agree to be tamed. There will be no brainwashing or forceful control. The skill will allow you to communicate with monsters and share senses, but only with their consent."
[Yuki] "I wouldn't have it any other way!"
Takeshi raises his hand.
[Takeshi] "I want Elemental Magic Mastery. The same skill Yuki has."
[Yuki] "Really?"
[Takeshi] "I got jealous watching all the high elves cast magic during our hunts. I want to combine magic with my physical attacks. Round out my combat style."
[Wright] "Smart thinking."
Finally, Aiko steps forward.
[Aiko] "I'd like... a camper van that I can summon. One that unlocks new features as I level up and grow stronger."
That's unexpected.
[Wright] "Oh! I love those manga. But do you read them?"
[Aiko] "It was Yuki's suggestion. Since Takeshi wants to explore this world, we'll be traveling a lot. A camper van would be incredibly helpful for long journeys."
[Yuki] "I thought it would be practical!"
Jyne pinches the bridge of her nose.
[Jyne] "Yes, fine. They're all acceptable. The camper van is... unusual, but I can use Wright's divine energy to create it as a one-time construct. It won't put stress on the world after that."
Everyone looks happy with their requested skills.
Jyne closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
When she opens them again, they're glowing with divine light—bright and radiant, like staring into twin suns.
She raises both hands, and the air around us begins to shimmer. Threads of pure white light emerge from her palms, weaving through the air like silk. The threads split, flowing toward each person she's blessing—me, Yuki, Takeshi, and Aiko.
The light touches us gently, sinking into our bodies with a warm, tingling sensation. It feels like being wrapped in sunlight, comfortable and energizing.
Jyne's voice echoes with a resonance that seems to come from everywhere at once.
[Jyne] "By the authority of creation, I grant these blessings. May they serve you well."
The light intensifies for a brief moment, then fades away, leaving only the faint scent of ozone in the air.
It's done.
[Wright] "Status Open!"
My status screen materializes in front of me, glowing softly. I scroll down to my skills section, and there it is—Online Shopping, listed right below my other abilities.
I tap on the skill icon.
The screen transforms, expanding into something that looks exactly like the manga I read. There's a navigation bar on the left side with categories: Food, Appliances, Tools, Clothing, Electronics, Miscellaneous. On the right, a detailed display area with product images and descriptions.
This is amazing.
I navigate to Appliances and search for "portable stove." Several options appear. I select one that looks good—a compact camping stove with multiple burners.
The product details load.
Price: 17,000 Mana.
I stare at the number.
What.
I check my total mana: 18,000.
That means one portable stove would cost almost all my mana. And I still need a gas canister to fuel it, which is probably another few thousand mana.
These prices are ridiculous.
[Wright] "Uh... change of plans. We can't do hot pot today. Barbecue it is."
The high elves look confused—they have no idea what hot pot is. The heroes do, though, and I can see the disappointment on Yuki's face.
[Seraphina] "Is everything alright?"
[Wright] "Yeah, just... the skill is more expensive than I thought."
[Lucien] "I'm sure whatever you prepare will be excellent regardless."
Everyone's trying to cheer me up, which is nice, but it doesn't change the fact that I severely underestimated the mana cost.
I need to get stronger. Actually stronger. I need to level up and increase my mana reserves if I ever want to use this skill properly.
For the first time since arriving in this world, I feel genuine motivation to grind levels.
Around me, the others are testing their new skills.
Yuki crouches down near Donny first, her expression intense with concentration. Her eyes begin to glow with a soft golden light, and she reaches out tentatively to touch his shell.
[Yuki] "Donny? Can you hear me?"
Donny's head perks up. He tilts it to one side, then churrs—but this time, Yuki's entire face lights up with understanding.
[Yuki] "I can understand him! He's saying he's happy we're all together!"
Donny waddles closer and rubs against her leg affectionately. Yuki laughs, scratching under his chin.
[Yuki] "He also says he's been wanting to tell me that I need to work on my stance when fighting. Apparently I leave my left side too open."
[Wright] "He's not wrong."
[Yuki] "Donny! You could've told Wright to tell me!"
Donny churrs again, and Yuki's expression shifts to embarrassment.
[Yuki] "He says... he tried, but I never listened during training."
[Takeshi] "Ha! Even Donny's calling you out!"
Yuki stands up, looking both delighted and slightly indignant, but she's smiling.
[Yuki] "This is amazing though. I can feel a connection with him. Like there's a thread linking our minds. If I focus, I can sense what direction he's looking, what he's feeling..."
She closes her eyes, concentrating.
[Yuki] "He's... content. Happy. A little bit hungry."
Donny churrs in confirmation.
[Sylphaeris] "That's a powerful skill. Being able to share senses with your companion in battle would be incredibly useful."
[Yuki] "I can't wait to try this with other monsters! Imagine having a whole team of companions!"
Takeshi steps forward next, holding both hands out in front of him. He closes his eyes, and I can see him drawing on his mana—the air around him shimmers slightly with energy.
[Takeshi] "Okay... fire first..."
A spark appears above his right palm. It flickers, unstable, then suddenly flares into a small flame. Takeshi's eyes snap open in surprise, and the flame wavers but holds steady.
[Takeshi] "I did it! Actual fire!"
[Rhevan] "Good control for a first attempt."
[Takeshi] "Now let's try..."
He shifts his focus to his left hand. The air above it grows cold, frost forming in the air before a shard of ice crystallizes and hovers above his palm.
He's holding fire in one hand and ice in the other.
[Takeshi] "This is incredible! I can feel the difference between them—fire wants to expand and consume, but ice wants to compact and preserve."
[Nym] "That's exactly right. You're already understanding the nature of the elements."
Takeshi grins, then brings his hands together. The fire and ice meet in the middle, creating a burst of steam that makes him yelp and jump back.
[Takeshi] "Okay, note to self—don't mix opposing elements without preparation!"
Everyone laughs. Nym walks over and starts explaining the basics of elemental control, and Takeshi listens with rapt attention.
[Takeshi] "So if I layer earth magic as a base, I can use fire magic more efficiently?"
[Nym] "Exactly. The elements can work together if you understand their relationships."
[Takeshi] "I have so much to learn. This is going to be amazing for combat!"
Finally, Aiko closes her eyes and clasps her hands together. I can sense her drawing on the new skill, and there's a shimmer in the air beside her.
The camper van materializes.
It's larger than I expected—not enormous, but definitely spacious. The exterior is a cheerful cream color with rounded edges and large windows. It looks sturdy and well-made, like something that could handle rough terrain.
Aiko opens her eyes and gasps.
[Aiko] "It's real! It actually worked!"
She rushes to the door and pulls it open, stepping inside. We all crowd around to look.
The interior is... shocking.
From the outside, the van looked decent-sized but normal. Inside, it's massive. The space has clearly been expanded with magic—the interior is easily three times larger than the exterior suggests.
[Aiko] "This is impossible! Look at all this space!"
There's a full kitchen area along one wall, complete with a stove, refrigerator, and plenty of counter space. A dining area with a table and cushioned benches. A separate sleeping area with an actual bed. And through a doorway in the back—
[Aiko] "There's a bathroom! With a toilet, bathtub, and shower!"
Vesper immediately pushes past everyone to examine the toilet.
[Vesper] "Another one! And this one's built into a vehicle!"
[Wright] "Please don't break it."
[Aiko] "Wait, there's more information coming through from the skill..."
She closes her eyes, concentrating.
[Aiko] "The camper van never runs out of fuel. It's completely indestructible—it can't be damaged no matter what happens to it. And there's a barrier that prevents hostile people from getting near it! If someone has ill intent, they literally can't approach within ten meters."
[Lucien] "That's an incredibly powerful defensive skill."
[Aiko] "The inside has space expansion magic, which is why it's so much bigger than it looks. And apparently as I level up and grow stronger, new features will unlock. Right now I have the basics, but eventually I might get things like climate control, additional rooms, or enhanced storage!"
She's practically glowing with excitement.
[Seraphina] "That's perfect for long-term travel. You'll essentially have a mobile home."
[Takeshi] "This is going to make exploring so much easier! We can go anywhere and always have a safe place to rest!"
The high elves are gathering around the van now, examining it with fascination. Some of the children are trying to peek through the windows. Kara walks up and knocks on the exterior wall, testing its solidity.
[Kara] "Remarkable. The craftsmanship is flawless, and I can feel the enchantments woven into every part of it."
[Vesper] "Space expansion magic of this quality would normally require a master enchanter and months of work."
[Aiko] "I still can't believe this is mine. Thank you so much, Goddess Jyne!"
Jyne, who's been watching all of this with an expression somewhere between amusement and exasperation, waves a hand dismissively.
[Jyne] "Just don't crash it into anything important."
[Aiko] "I don't even know how to drive it yet!"
[Takeshi] "We'll figure it out!"
The heroes are all chattering excitedly now, comparing their new skills and already making plans for how to use them. The energy is infectious, even the high elves are getting caught up in the excitement.
Meanwhile, preparations for the barbecue have already begun. Rhevan and his hunting team are pulling meat from storage. Kara is setting up the grill, the metal gleaming in the afternoon sun. Liora is organizing volunteers to prepare side dishes and gather firewood.
Several high elves have started setting up tables and chairs in the clearing. Children are running around, playing games while the adults work. The vampires and angels are mingling with everyone, some helping with preparations while others simply enjoy the atmosphere.
The festive mood builds quickly, everyone moving with purpose and excitement.
It's going to be a good party.