The moonlight poured through Zane's window, casting a pale glow on the cluttered desk where his notebook sat open. His handwriting sprawled across the page in haphazard lines as he scribbled down every theory he could think of.
The mana attribute block had been gnawing at him ever since he discovered it. Every time he leveled up, every time he saw that zero staring back at him, it was a reminder of something wrong.
"What's your deal?" Zane muttered, glaring at the system display in his mind.
[Mana: 0]
He tapped his pencil against the notebook, a steady rhythm filling the otherwise silent room. His other stats were progressing steadily, but the inability to allocate points into mana was a glaring flaw.
"Alright," he muttered to himself, "what do I know?"
He underlined the first theory:
1. Unawakened Mana Core
This was the most obvious answer. Everyone knew that without an awakened mana core, you couldn't use magic. But that shouldn't stop him from storing mana points, right? After all, plenty of people born with dormant cores were still able to accumulate mana reserves before their awakening.
He frowned and wrote another theory.
2. System Glitch
This one didn't sit well with him. The system, as far as he could tell, was flawless. It guided him through quests, kept track of his XP, and allowed him to distribute attribute points seamlessly—except for mana. If it was a glitch, why hadn't it affected anything else?
Then came the theory he was least comfortable with.
3. External Interference
Someone or something could be blocking his mana attribute on purpose. But why? Was it a safeguard? A punishment? Some kind of restriction he hadn't earned the right to bypass?
He let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in his chair. No matter how he sliced it, none of the answers felt satisfying. He needed more information—something concrete.
The next morning, Zane decided to dig deeper. His first stop was the public library, a massive, sprawling building nestled in the heart of the city. While most people in his age group avoided it like the plague, Zane had always found comfort in its rows of dusty books and quiet corners.
He headed straight for the Magic Theory section. His fingers skimmed across the titles until he found what he was looking for:
"The Anatomy of the Mana Core"
Settling into a creaky chair, Zane flipped through the pages. The book delved into the basics of mana core development, from birth to full awakening. He skimmed through familiar concepts—core purity, alignment, the awakening process—until something caught his eye.
"In rare cases, a mana core may remain dormant due to an external seal. Such seals are often imposed by powerful mages for various reasons, including safety, punishment, or experimentation."
A seal? Could that explain the block? His mind raced as he reread the passage.
"If it's a seal," Zane muttered, "then who put it there? And why?"
The idea of someone tampering with his mana core without his knowledge made his skin crawl.
Later that afternoon, Zane wandered to the park to clear his head. It was a sunny day, the kind that made you forget for a moment that mana beasts roamed the wilds beyond the city. Kids played on the swings, and joggers passed by with their enchanted water bottles glowing faintly in the sunlight.
He found a bench near the fountain and sat down, letting the sound of rushing water soothe his nerves. But his peace didn't last long.
"Zane?"
He looked up to see Mia approaching, her braid swaying as she walked. She had a bag slung over her shoulder, and her expression was a mix of curiosity and concern.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked, sitting beside him.
"Thinking," Zane said honestly.
Mia tilted her head. "About the test?"
"About a lot of things." He hesitated, then decided to test the waters. "You ever heard of someone having their mana core sealed?"
Her brow furrowed. "Sealed? Like, by another mage?"
"Yeah."
She thought for a moment, then shrugged. "It's not something you hear about often. Why?"
"Just something I read," Zane said quickly, not ready to reveal too much.
Mia gave him a long look but didn't press further. "Well, if you're worried about your core, there's one surefire way to figure out what's going on."
"What's that?"
"Find someone who specializes in mana diagnostics," she said. "There are clinics for that kind of thing, you know. They can scan your core and tell you if something's off."
The idea hadn't even crossed Zane's mind, but it made sense. If there was a way to get answers, he'd have to look into it.
Later that evening, Zane returned to his room and checked the system menu again.
[Level: 4]
[XP: 165/400]
He still had one unused attribute point, but without the ability to invest it into mana, he had no choice but to focus on his other stats. After some deliberation, he allocated the point to Intelligence, bringing it to 6.
He also noticed something new in his quest log:
[New Quest: Explore the Wilds]
Objective: Venture outside the city's mana barrier and defeat one mana beast.
Reward: 250 XP, Minor Mana Stone.
Failure: None.
The quest made his heart skip a beat. Leaving the safety of the city was no joke, but the rewards were tempting. A Minor Mana Stone could be useful—he didn't know exactly how yet, but he'd figure it out.
The next day, Zane made preparations. He borrowed a basic enchanted dagger from Liam, who didn't ask too many questions, and packed some essentials: water, food, and a first-aid kit.
He didn't tell anyone where he was going.
The city's mana barrier loomed in the distance, a shimmering dome of protective energy. Beyond it lay the untamed wilderness, where mana beasts roamed freely. Zane approached the checkpoint nervously, showing his ID to the bored-looking guard.
"First time out?" the guard asked, glancing at him.
"Yeah," Zane admitted.
"Stay close to the barrier," the guard warned. "Don't go picking fights with anything bigger than you."
Zane nodded and stepped through the barrier. The air felt different on the other side—heavier, charged with raw energy. Trees stretched high into the sky, their leaves glowing faintly with mana. The sounds of the city faded, replaced by the rustle of wind and the distant calls of creatures he couldn't see.
He tightened his grip on the dagger and started walking.
An hour later, Zane spotted his target: a small mana beast that looked like a cross between a wolf and a lizard. Its scales shimmered faintly, and its sharp eyes locked onto him the moment he stepped into its clearing.
The beast snarled, and Zane felt a surge of adrenaline. This wasn't like the Crawlers in the warehouse. This thing was alive, aware, and ready to fight.
"Alright," Zane muttered, "let's do this."
The fight was brutal. The beast lunged at him, its claws scraping against his dagger as he barely managed to parry. He dodged and struck back, aiming for its exposed underbelly. The system provided no guidance—this was all him.
When he finally landed the killing blow, the beast let out a final growl and collapsed.
[XP Gained: 250]
[Item Acquired: Minor Mana Stone]
Zane collapsed beside the corpse, his chest heaving. He opened the system menu and saw the updated stats:
[Level: 5]
[XP: 15/500]
The Minor Mana Stone glowed faintly in his hand, its energy pulsing rhythmically. He didn't know what to do with it yet, but one thing was clear: he was getting stronger.
As he made his way back to the city, his thoughts returned to the mana core block. He still didn't have all the answers, but he had a feeling that his path—dangerous and uncertain as it was—would lead him to the truth.