Mana.
People were divided based on system and potential. A system might be given to everyone, but there was something more than just a system that defined a person's future and potential.
And that something was called Mana.
Mana can be regarded as something that is present from birth inside every being. Although very less at birth, a comparative amount can determine how much mana a person will have in the future when he grows up.
Mana is something that keeps growing and how many spells you can use or what not depends upon how much mana you have stored. Every spell which a person can use depends upon whether he has sufficient mana for it or not.
For better or worse, people's potential gave structure to a power oriented society and people with more potential were given more privileges than people of lesser potential.
After much research and experiments, it was determined that at the age of 16 people's potential will reach its optimum condition and that will be the best time to measure a person's potential rather than at their birth.
The following mana chart was constructed to determine the potential of a human being at the age of 16.
Rank G: Mana - Less than 25
Rank F: Mana - 25 to 100
Rank E: Mana - 100 to 200
Rank D: Mana - 200 to 300
Rank C: Mana - 300 to 500
Rank B: Mana - 500 to 750
Rank A: Mana - 750 to 1250
Rank A+ : Mana- 1250 to 2000
Rank S: Mana - 2000 to 5000
Rank SS: Mana - 5000+
The slight disparity between Rank A and Rank A+ is to differ between people who can work a Rank A level work and who can take on Grade A Monsters, who have their own will and intelligence.
...….
Clair opens her eyes with a slightly confused look as she looks around, only to find herself in a white room sleeping on a couch which was centrally placed. She observes the surrounding area when a sudden headache hits her head and memories of what had transpired before comes back.
'I was fighting the frog monsters… then a few men in black coats came and the attack of those frog monsters stopped. What happened next? I… don't remember… Did I lose consciousness?' Clair held her head for a few moments before trying to use her system.
[System Locked: Not enough Mana to unlock the System]
'Huh?! What?' Confused at the screen, she looked with more intent than before as she once again tried to use the system. However…
[System Locked: Not enough Mana to unlock the System]
[System Locked: Not enough Mana to unlock the System]
[System Locked: Not enough Mana to unlock the System]
[System Locked: Not enough Mana to unlock the System]
[System Locked: Not enough Mana to unlock the System]
Her heartbeat rose more than she frantically tried to use her system, but failed to do so. After trying for another few minutes, she fell on her knees with her eyes wide open, displaying the hard time she was having while coping up with reality.
She then tried to use her mana, but no matter how much she tried, she failed to bring out even an ounce of mana to use.
"What… this must… this must be a dream! Yeah! Hahahaha… yeah this must be a dream!!!" she thought as she started frantically laughing as she bit her lips nervously. She tried to wake herself up from the dream by biting herself, but even after trying for a while, this dream, or perhaps this nightmare, didn't go away.
She stood up from the bed and looked around with her heart still pounding hard as it was before. Her sanity was almost crumbling down, but before she lost all her will.
-Click click. Mike testing… Mike testing. Can you hear me?
A voice through the speaker came from the surrounding area. Clair, still in her shocked state, looked around, searching for the source of the voice, but it didn't bring any change in the situation.
-No need to try so hard, young girl. All you need to do is listen. After all, I am the one who holds your very fate in my hands. For starters, sit down on the ground calmly and listen.
At his words, Clair's eyes seem to have connected some dots, and she understood that there was a connection between her loss of system and that guy who was speaking through the speaker. A slight glare entered her eyes as she sat down on the ground and turned quiet.
-Good girl. Now, this is a laboratory. For what? You don't need to know. All you need to know is that you will be used for experiments in this laboratory for the next few years. The more you will cooperate, the faster we will release you to the outside world, conversely the more you will misbehave, the more we will be forced to do things the hard way. Am I clear?
At his words, Clair couldn't help but make a fierce expression, as she understood the meaning of that guy's words.
-Look, there is not much choice you have in this. You are already in the palm of my hand and there is little you can do to change your fate. The fact that I am talking to you should already be considered an honour for you. Well, you are just a D grade wh.. Ed..eg…t… Hello mike testing mike testing.
His voice was cut off in the middle and it looked like a child had just taken over.
-So… I have taken over this facilty's programmed autostructure. In simple terms, I have hacked into this facility's system. For convenience's sake, call me Zero. I shall be helping all of you get out of this facility. This is not a test drill, but a real time situation. I repeat this not a test drill exercise but a real time situation. Since we lack time… let's begin "Protocol: I want to get out of this facility", shall we?
-Click
After that childish voice cut off, the door opened and Clair couldn't help but feel a bit confused whether she should follow the guidelines or not. However, given the lack of choices she had, she began moving outside the lab without wasting any moments.