The sun had barely risen over the Morval Forest. A rare calm settled over the trees, broken only by the soft chirping of birds and the steady murmur of the nearby waterfall.
Elric opened his eyes, surprised. No shouting. No loud noise. No angry wake-up call from his father.
— "Huh?... No surprise wake-up today?"
He sat up, still groggy, and quickly realized: the house was empty.
— "Where did that old geezer go?" he grumbled, pulling on his boots.
He spent the morning searching the forest, calling out, scanning every corner... Nothing. Not a single trace.
Frustrated, he returned to the cabin, fuming.
— "RAAAAAH! Is he messing with me?! I'll kill him if this is some dumb prank!"
But something on the table caught his eye: a chest, and a letter resting on top.
— "Huh? That wasn't there this morning…"
He grabbed the letter and read:
"Hey son. Worried about your old man? How cute!
Don't worry, I'm invincible, remember? After your first win, I figured it's time for you to explore the world… and learn more about me.
Your mission? Travel the kingdom, accomplish feats, and piece together my past.
Once you know everything, you'll be ready to find me. To help you out… I left a few gifts in the chest.
Good luck. And try not to die."
Elric crushed the letter in his fist, furious.
— "What kind of parent does this to a fifteen-year-old?!"
He reluctantly opened the chest. Inside: a heavy pouch of gold coins, a necklace, a bracelet, some metal ingots, and a second note.
"The pouch? Your allowance. Manage it wisely.
The necklace? It's armor. Use your mana, pass the trial, and it'll obey you.
The bracelet? A failsafe. If you're in serious danger, I'll come.
Forge yourself a proper sword with the metal. And don't break it this time.
Good luck. You're on your own now."
Elric sighed, caught between anger and disbelief.
— "He's completely insane…"
He stared at the items for a moment. Then his eyes hardened.
— "Fine. I'll take your trial, forge the damn sword… And when I find you again…"
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
— "I'M GONNA WRECK YOU!!!"
Elric's journey had only just begun.