AnnouncementTrying out a new schedule. Saturday/Monday/Wednesday with 3/2/2 chapters. Let me know your thoughts!

  The morning air was crisp as Hiro made his way through the woods, the scent of damp earth lingering from the previous night’s dew. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting flickering shadows along the narrow dirt path leading to his usual training grounds. Chūta clung to his shoulder, his tiny paws gripping onto Hiro’s tunic as the boy absentmindedly stroked the flying squirrel’s head.

  It had been a night since his talk with Kaya. Her words about secrecy and caution still echoed in his mind, but he couldn't shake the excitement of his newfound ability. As he walked, Hiro kept his eyes open, hoping to spot something—anything—that would activate the green glow again.

  Then, just as he stepped past a thick tree trunk, he saw it.

  A faint pulsating green glow emanated from the base of a nearby tree, partially obscured by weeds and underbrush.

  Hiro’s pulse quickened. He crouched down, carefully parting the tangle of leaves, revealing a small, delicate herb with rounded leaves. Recognition flickered in his mind, and almost instinctively, a memory surfaced.

  Kaya stood in front of the orphanage garden, a bundle of dried herbs hanging from her hand as she spoke to a group of children. “This is Creeping Mint,” she expined, running her fingers over the brittle leaves. “It’s valuable. When brewed into tea, it helps with physical fatigue by boosting chakra flow.”

  Hiro, much younger then, had watched as she tied the herbs together into bundles. “So why do you dry them out?”

  Kaya smiled. “Because fresh ones spoil quickly. The dried ones st longer and keep their properties. We sell these to the pharmacist, and with that money, I buy treats for all of you.” With those words, she pulled out a small bag and started handing out a mint-fvored candy to the children.

  The memory faded, and Hiro blinked back into the present.

  His fingers brushed over the herb’s leaves, and as soon as he plucked it from the ground—

  “Creeping Mint - Registered.”

  The melodic voice rang through his head, and the green glow vanished.

  Hiro instantly stored the herb, feeling a thrill of accomplishment.

  “I finally found something else that works,” he muttered, a triumphant grin on his face.

  His excitement grew as he looked around for more. If one pnt had been glowing, surely there were others nearby. He scanned the ground, pushing through weeds and undergrowth. Minutes passed. Then twenty. Then thirty.

  But no matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find another.

  The thick foliage and dim morning light made it difficult. Frustration built in his chest. Why couldn’t he find more?

  Shinzo sighed, arms crossed as he stared at Hiro’s floundering attempts to locate another Creeping Mint. "This kid has no clue what an herb looks like."

  The translucent admin menu floated in front of him, filled with options he had already spent hours sorting through. After reading the book on Summoner Storage, he finally understood the mechanics behind it.

  One new item per day could be registered. Storage limits were determined by Shinzo. Distance limits would increase with skill level, but for now, it was only two meters. Shinzo had specifically set it up so Hiro could unlock one item per day—a priority system to prevent overwhelming him.

  "Not like he’s figured that out yet," Shinzo muttered.

  Watching Hiro struggle, he sighed before pulling up a secondary option in the menu.

  "Storage Tracking Unlocked!"

  A new prompt popped up:

  "Tracking Mode Avaible—Users may toggle the green glow on and off to track stored items."

  Shinzo hesitated. A warning fshed at the bottom: “Activating tracking will slow Summoner Storage growth by 50%.”

  "Tch." Shinzo clicked confirm anyway. The kid needed help.

  Just as Hiro was about to give up his search, a new message appeared.

  "Tracking Mode Avaible."

  "Attempting to track registered items will cause them to glow."

  Hiro’s eyes widened. "Wait... seriously?"

  He focused on Creeping Mint, willing it to glow.

  Immediately, a faint green light shimmered beneath a nearby thorny bush.

  Excited, Hiro carefully pushed aside branches and weeds, revealing another Creeping Mint pnt.

  He quickly stored it, his frustration melting into satisfaction.

  The rest of the morning was spent searching for more herbs—and now that he could track them, he found plenty.

  Hiro nearly ran into the orphanage, his excitement barely contained.

  "Kaya! Look what I found!"

  Kaya turned from where she was preparing breakfast, raising an eyebrow as Hiro dumped a mountain of herbs onto the table.

  She blinked. "Hiro... you cleared out half the forest."

  Hiro grinned. "I can find them really easily now!"

  Kaya chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright, alright. Just... go easy on the local herb popution. We don’t want to ruin the ecosystem."

  They decided on a pn: Kaya would slowly process and sell the Creeping Mint, with the money going into savings. Hiro wanted it to be used for the orphanage and for Kaya. Kaya agreed—but secretly set the earnings aside for Hiro’s future.

  Every morning before training, Hiro spent a little time gathering ingredients. Each day, he unlocked a new item for storage. He still hadn’t noticed the pattern, much to Shinzo’s exasperation.

  Meanwhile, Shinzo had fully embraced his new role as a farmer. The sunflower seeds he had pnted were growing at an extreme speed.

  “Possibly due to higher than normal chakra levels in the atmosphere?” Shinzo mused as he watched the sprouts.

  He shook his head, smirking to himself. "Guess I’m a farmer now... now I just need myself a cute little vampire."

  Hiro felt something shift within him.

  He wasn’t just training for the academy anymore.

  His skills had value beyond combat.

  Kaya watched him from afar, smiling softly. She had never seen him so eager for something outside of training.

  As the sun rose the next morning, Hiro walked into the woods again, ready for his next discovery.