Mana and inner energy were not terms that Miles was unfamiliar with. He was glad to find that as the memories of the 16 years in this world became clearer to him, he could easily understand what they were used for.
However, that was where the good news ended. When he thought about the status system, something everyone in this day and age should be familiar with, he only had a conceptual understanding of what it was supposed to do.
The memory of him standing in front of those adults six years ago, children cheering on one side and more crying on another, resurfaced in his mind. He now understood what that device was for.
It was an awakening device of sorts. One by one the children had gone up, dropped a bit of blood on the device, and opened their status window for the first time.
Not only that, but the device gave a general outline for how talented that child would be and whether they should put their focus on absorbing inner energy or mana.
But for Miles, that day was the second worst day he could remember. It was the start of a depression he couldn't escape from for the next six years of his life.
That day he learned he wasn't simply lacking talent; he was lacking a status altogether.
For the next six years of his life, he was tortured by the kids around him. They mocked him relentlessly, labeling him "useless" and taunting him with reminders of his so-called inadequacy. Each jeer cut deeper than the last, leaving him feeling invisible, as if he were merely a shadow in a world filled with vibrant, talented souls. The weight of their words settled heavily on his chest, stifling his spirit and sowing seeds of self-doubt. There were days he'd wake up hoping the world would be different, wishing he could feel the rush of magic or the surge of inner energy that others seemed to wield so effortlessly. Instead, he faced the same empty reflection in the mirror—just a boy who was less than what everyone expected.
The pain of that realization was a constant ache, gnawing at his insides like a hungry beast. Miles would sit in the corner of the classroom, feeling the heat of their stares, imagining himself fading away until he was nothing more than a ghost.
Miles's thoughts paused here. After an unknown amount of time, he decided to focus on something else and started reviewing what he knew about inner energy and mana.
Mana and inner energy felt like two sides of a coin, each representing a different path of power and potential. While they shared a foundation, their natures diverged as drastically as day and night. Mana was a mystical force that illuminated the minds and souls of those who could harness it, allowing them to wield the elemental powers of nature itself. For those fortunate enough to absorb mana, the world transformed into a canvas of vibrant possibilities. They became mages or witches, depending on their gender—mystics who could bend the very fabric of reality to their will.
But for Miles, who felt trapped in a body deemed talentless, the thought of magic was both alluring and taunting. He could only dream of standing among the mages, feeling the exhilarating rush of mana coursing through his veins, the thrill of casting spells that could shape destinies. The fantasy felt like a tantalizing dream, forever just out of reach, leaving him with a longing that was both beautiful and agonizing.
In contrast, inner energy focused on physical strength, a raw power that surged through the bodies of those who embraced it. Knights and dames, the warriors of this world, absorbed this energy to bolster their physical forms, becoming paragons of strength and endurance. Unlike mana, which flowed through mystical channels, inner energy demanded a more brutal path—one that involved enduring pain as it seeped into the skin and bones, forging stronger bodies through sheer determination.
Yet again, Miles felt the sting of inadequacy. Each day, he would watch knights train, their muscles rippling with power, their spirits unyielding. They were champions, symbols of courage and valor, while he remained on the sidelines, grappling with his own limitations. The idea of wielding inner energy felt like a distant dream, another realm that remained forever out of reach, taunting him with the strength he could never hope to possess.
Miles sighed, realizing that this life wouldn't be as smooth sailing as he hoped. Luckily though he had a resilient spirit, which could be seen in his moments away from the eyes of others.
Miles never gave up on finding a way to survive in this dog-eat-dog world. When he wasn't studying about mana, inner energy, and powers that come with it, he was studying everything he could get his hands on. And when he wasn't studying that, he was working out, meditating, or anything else he could think of to help him find a path where none seemed to be present.
He often spent nights under the stars, dreaming of a time when he could finally break free from the chains of his perceived inadequacy. The whispers of doubt faded in the gentle night breeze, replaced by a determination to carve his own destiny.
The next thing Miles remembered was the face he saw before he passed out. Leyla is four years older than him, a close friend he has known since the age of five when their mothers brought them out together.
Leyla, with her cold demeanor toward the world, was the fire that kept him warm. Her gaze, sharp and icy to others, burned with a warmth only for him. Those piercing green eyes, as striking as emeralds, were his refuge from the harshness of reality.
Although she may seem cold and indifferent to others, she was like an older sister he could rely on ever since his siblings and father left. Never once did she make him feel inferior to others and refused to distance herself from him when she learned he was "statusless."
Her quiet strength became a beacon of hope in his darkest moments, reminding him that he was not alone in a world that felt overwhelmingly harsh.
Thinking about it, she isn't the only one who has been around for these years. Miles suddenly remembered that there was another person who had burst into his room just moments after he collapsed.
Eldric Savage. The heir to a baron family and one year his senior, they met one day around a year after the day of awakening. The exact situation of that time is unclear, but since they met he has been around, coming and going as he pleased.
Miles couldn't say that he was close to the young man. In fact, even without anyone explicitly stating anything, Miles couldn't help feeling inferior to the man. He was handsomer than most their age and talented too. Currently standing at 5'7, he was well-built and talented in the ways of a knight.
Each time Eldric entered the room, it was as if a light illuminated the space, highlighting Miles's own shadows.
Mumbling a bit under his breath, Miles looked around.
Now that he had calmed down, he realized that surrounding him was a void. He was the only thing in this space, and he wondered what exactly this place was.
Just after the thought, a purple sphere appeared in front of him. Before he could react, a beam shot out of the sphere and landed on him.
Jumping, he tried to move away, but the light followed anyway. Realizing he couldn't escape it, all he could do was wait and see what would happen.
Without any indicator of how much time had passed, and what could only feel like an eternity in this never-ending void, the light retracted.
"Ding," the first noise that wasn't generated by Miles knocked him out of his shock.
The ball of light opened up, revealing a screen of text that read, "Congrats on awakening your status. Please read the details carefully."
The text continued below, but Miles couldn't register what it said. He kept reading those sentences over and over, until finally he mumbled out loud, "My... status?"
And then he woke up.