[Late Night – Kael's Room]
After finishing my mana training, I dragged myself up and sat on the edge of my bed.
It was past midnight. Time to sleep.
But before that, there was one more thing I needed to do.
"Status," I muttered.
A faint shimmer flickered in the air—and the translucent screen appeared in front of me.
---
🞂 Status Screen 🞀
Name: Kael Thorne
Title(s): None
Potential: B+ (Dormant / Sealed)
Current Rank: F+
Trait(s): None
---
Affinity
→ Status: Analyzing ( ??? )
↳ Affinity not recognized
↳ Potential interference detected... [Analysis Incomplete]
---
Attributes
Strength: F+
Agility: F+
Endurance: F+
Intelligence: F+
Mana Capacity: F+
Luck: ?
---
Skills
Intermediate Swordsmanship — Mastery: 70%
Basic Mana Control — Mastery: 100%
Perfect Insight (Passive) – F Rank
↳ Allows flawless memorization and replication of any technique or spell observed.
Stoic Resolve (Passive) – F Rank
↳ Suppresses emotions, maintains calm, and masks vulnerability under pressure.
---
Imperial Fang of Thorne (Spear Style)
→ [I] Fang Unleashed – Mastery: 75% (Basic)
→ [II] Fang Guard – Mastery: 15% (Basic)
Forms Mastered: 2/8
---
As I stared at the screen, a small spark of pride rose in my chest.
This… was progress.
Sure, it wasn't flashy or overwhelming like some chosen hero.
But for someone like me—someone who was thrown away—this was real.
All my core stats had moved up to F+, which meant I could now advance to the next rank.
Tomorrow, I'd step into E Rank.
I didn't need anything special to go from F to E.
In this world, you only need a mana core to advance past B rank—from A and above.
I wasn't there yet.
But I'd get there.
My mana control had hit 100% mastery.
And my swordsmanship was now at 70%—not bad considering I started with barely any stamina to swing a blade.
And this status screen… it still confused me.
Other people had basic status windows—just simple stats and affinity.
No mastery percentages.
No titles.
No traits.
No skill descriptions.
But mine?
It was almost like a system—though not as advanced or game-breaking as the one that damn protagonist had.
Lucky bastard.
Still… I couldn't help but wonder why my Potential was marked as "Sealed."
Did it mean I wasn't truly B+?
Was there something else buried inside me?
Even my Affinity was still… unknown.
Just endless analysis and some kind of interference.
Maybe I didn't even have an affinity.
An affinity-less mage?
That'd suck.
I laughed quietly at the thought. If that was the case, I was well and truly screwed.
No affinity meant I'd have to force every spell with pure mana control—and that was torture.
Still… fire was the only element I'd ever been trained in.
I didn't even know if it suited me—but it was what I had.
One thing was certain—this status screen wasn't normal.
It felt… custom-made.
Or hidden.
Or locked.
Just like me.
---
I stared at the fading screen, grinning slightly.
Tomorrow, I'd break through to E Rank.
Just thinking about it sent a small thrill through my chest.
"Step by step," I muttered.
Then, with that hopeful thought in my mind, I closed my eyes—
And fell into sleep.
I woke up at the break of dawn, just as the sun's first rays began to bleed over the horizon.
A soft, golden light spilled through the narrow cracks of the fortress wall, brushing gently across my face like a silent whisper—calling me to rise.
My body ached.
Of course it did. Every muscle, every joint, every fiber of me screamed from the relentless training I'd forced it through.
But today… it felt different.
The pain was still there, sure—but it didn't weigh me down.
Instead, it lit a fire in my chest.
Because today, I was going to advance.
Today, I would finally break through to E Rank.
---
F Rank...
It wasn't weak. At least not in the context of normal humans.
Someone who had awakened to F Rank was stronger, faster, and more resilient than the average man.
But even so—an unawakened human could still kill them.
A well-placed arrow.
A stab to the heart.
A clean strike to the neck.
Even a bullet to the skull—if this world had guns—could end a life at F Rank.
You were just a stronger human, nothing more.
A mistake, hesitation, or moment of arrogance? You'd still die like the rest.
---
But E Rank?
That was where things began to change.
Once someone stepped into E Rank, the transformation wasn't just internal—it was physical.
Your skin hardened.
Your bones became denser.
Your muscles compacted and refined.
A sword from a regular human? It might leave a scratch—if they got lucky.
A headshot wouldn't instantly kill anymore. It'd hurt like hell, maybe knock you out—but death wouldn't be so simple.
You'd become something more.
Something... beyond human.
---
This world didn't rely on bombs or nuclear weapons.
Technology had taken a back seat long ago, eclipsed by personal power.
Here, strength came from within.
From mana, will, blood, and sweat.
So no matter how skilled or angry a normal human was, once you reached E Rank...
They could no longer touch you.
Today, I was stepping into that world.
No longer prey.
No longer the weakest link.
Just thinking about it made my chest swell with pride.
---
I stood from my bed slowly, stretching every sore muscle.
I walked toward the center of the room—barefoot on cold stone—and took a deep breath.
Today marked the start of something new.
My beginning.
Today, I skipped my usual mana training.
I needed to be in perfect condition—physically and mentally.
No exhaustion. No drained core. No distraction.
Just clarity.
So I did a light warm-up in my room—basic stretches, a few deep breaths—and then waited for Liana.
As expected, she arrived not long after, holding the breakfast tray with her usual calm smile.
We sat together, like always.
But today, I couldn't help it.
My foot tapped the floor. My fingers drummed on the table. And despite my best efforts, a small grin kept tugging at the corners of my lips.
Liana tilted her head, studying me quietly.
Then she said it.
"Something good happened, Kael."
I blinked, looking up from my food.
"Why do you think that?"
"Hmm… nothing much," she said, her voice light. "Just that you're practically glowing, and trying way too hard not to smile."
I froze for a second.
Was I that obvious?
"You can tell?" I asked, trying to play it off.
She nodded seriously.
"It's basically written on your face."
I turned to her, raising an eyebrow.
And then… a thought came to me.
A wicked little grin stretched across my face as I leaned in just a bit closer.
>"Oh? So you're watching me that closely, huh? Paying attention to me more than necessary?"
Liana didn't flinch.
Didn't blush.
She just shrugged and replied flatly.
"Of course. That's my job."
I was stunned.
Wait. What?
Where was the blushing, the stammering?
She just said that with a straight face. Calm. Confident.
I cleared my throat awkwardly, suddenly the one feeling flustered.
"Uh… right. Of course."
She smirked. Smirked. Like she'd won something.
Trying to save face, I quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway… you'll find out what's special when you bring my lunch today."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity flashing in them.
But she didn't push. Didn't ask.
She just stood, picked up the empty tray, and said,
"Okay. I'll be looking forward to it."
And with that, she left for her duties.
I sat in my room for a while longer, a strange mix of emotions swirling inside me.
Excitement. Nervousness. Anticipation.
Today was the day I would step into the next rank.
I could feel it in my bones.
And somehow…
That small conversation with her made it feel even more real.
I walked to my usual spot beneath the large tree at the edge of the training ground—the place where I always took my meals with Liana. The rough bark, the shade it offered, even the smell of dust and wood… it had become oddly comforting over the past two months.
Originally, I considered advancing in my room.
But the furniture was… well, let's just say it was barely holding together. One burst of mana and the whole place might collapse. I didn't want to end up sleeping on the floor because I burned my bed in the process.
So I came here instead.
Advancing from F+ to E rank was supposed to be simple.
It didn't require rituals, rare materials, or months of meditation.
Everyone could do it—eventually.
You just had to reach the limit of your current body… and then break through it.
I knew how it worked. I'd read about it dozens of times in the novel.
Even the protagonist had described it in vivid detail.
> "It felt like shedding my skin… like being set on fire from the inside, and then rebuilt stronger, piece by piece. As if something dormant had been clawing at the walls of my soul, and now, finally, it was breaking free."
Those were his words.
Now it was my turn.
I sat down, legs crossed under the shade of the old tree. The wind was soft today, brushing gently against my face, like the world itself was holding its breath.
I closed my eyes and focused.
For two whole months, I'd pushed my body to its absolute limits. I had torn muscle, bled through training, and burned every drop of mana in my core every single night.
I didn't need guidance.
I didn't need anyone to tell me I was ready.
Because I knew.
The mana in the air responded to my thoughts. It danced at the edge of my skin, like static waiting to be ignited.
And then—
I let go.
I stopped holding back.
I released everything inside me.