Tommy stared at the small vial in his hand. It was a simple glass bottle with a deep blue liquid swirling inside. A Rank C Mana Potion, it was the highest rank of Mana potion his money could buy. He had spent a good portion of his earnings on it, and as he held it, the weight of his decision began to settle in.
He had tried everything else. He'd been through the beginner's dungeon countless of times, guided several groups of adventurers, and followed all the advice he'd been given. But still, no System had appeared for him. He wasn't growing faster. He wasn't leveling up. He wasn't getting stronger the way other adventurers did. And no matter how much he knew, no matter how many battles he survived or how many monsters he killed, it felt like it was never enough.
The others had power. They had systems, stat boosts, and skill progressions. They had magic or weapons forged by the best blacksmiths, powers that allowed them to fight with the strength of veterans. And Tommy? He was stuck. His training had limits. His physical prowess would never match that of adventurers who had their Systems.
**Power.** That's what Tommy needed. He wasn't asking for much. Just a way to make up for what he lacked. And after weeks of frustration, of feeling like a shadow in every raid, Tommy had convinced himself that this was the answer. He thought that if he could just gain mana—just a little bit of the magic that the others had—it would be enough to finally give him an edge, afterall he trains diligently.
It wasn't supposed to be this hard. All the adventurers with Systems spoke about the first awakening. Everyone around him had some form of power, some ability that allowed them to transcend the limitations of their physical bodies. But Tommy was different. He was the anomaly. The outlier. And that made him desperate.
He thought this—the mana potion—was his answer.
The warnings echoed in his mind: "A mana potion is dangerous for an unawakened person."
"Your body isn't ready for it. You'll burn out."
"Without a System, it could kill you."
But Tommy pushed them all aside. He couldn't afford to wait anymore. He had no choice but to take the risk.
Without hesitation, he uncorked the bottle and drank the entire potion in one swift gulp.
At first, nothing happened. The liquid slid down his throat, cool and smooth, with a slight tingle on his tongue.
"Yuck! Tastes like soap water and it has a little tingle to it"
But within seconds, the air around him seemed to change. The room blurred, and he felt a sudden rush of energy surge through his veins. It wasn't just a spark; it was a storm. He could feel the mana flooding through his body, like an electrified current, weaving through his bloodstream and crashing into his muscles.
For a moment, Tommy thought he had succeeded.
He felt strong, powerful. His senses were heightened. He could feel the pulse of the world around him—the air was thick with energy, every molecule brimming with magic. It was like he could see and hear everything all at once. He felt alive, his body humming with newfound potential. His vision sharpened, the faintest movements in the room now clearly visible, his heartbeat thumping loudly in his ears.
But then, the feeling shifted. The surge of power became overwhelming. It wasn't just strength—it was too much. Way too much. His organs began to burn, his heart raced faster than it should have, his lungs gasping for air. He felt dizzy, his body unable to handle the massive influx of mana.
Tommy gasped, his hand clutching his chest. They were right. It was too much for him to handle. The energy was tearing through him, coursing through every part of his body. His vision blurred. He could feel the mana coursing through him like liquid fire, hot and unbearable.
His body convulsed as the pressure built. His breath came in ragged gasps. And then—
He coughed.
At first, it was just a small spurt of blood, staining his lips. But then, it came again—more violent this time. He doubled over, coughing so hard that his vision went black for a moment, his breath coming in jagged gasps. He could feel the blood pooling in his throat, his lungs aching as they tried to process the mana that had just been forced upon them.
The world around him spun wildly. He felt his organs—his heart, his liver, his kidneys—working overtime, as if they were desperately trying to keep up with the overload. They were functioning at ten times their normal capacity, but it wasn't enough. The mana was overwhelming his body, forcing his cells to work in hyperdrive, pushing his limits far beyond what his human form was meant to endure.
Tommy collapsed to the ground, unable to stop the bleeding. His body spasmed as his mind fought to keep control of the sudden surge of power. It felt like he was about to break apart.
He coughed again, blood splattering across the floor.
And then, just as quickly as it had come, the surge of power subsided. His body began to calm, but the damage had already been done. He lay on the floor, gasping for breath, drenched in sweat and covered in blood. The once-thrilling sense of power had vanished, replaced by a sharp, aching fatigue.
But amidst the pain, something had changed.
Tommy could still feel it—the mana. It was inside him now, lingering, swirling around in his veins. Even though he didn't have a System, he could feel the mana in the world. It was no longer an abstract concept or a distant force—it was his now. It pulsed inside of him, giving him a sense of something beyond his body, beyond his mind. It was like the world had shifted, and he could sense every bit of it. He felt different.
But it didn't make him stronger.
His body didn't grow more powerful. His senses didn't improve further. All he had was a raw, unfocused surge of energy that didn't know what to do with itself. It was like a river without a dam—wild, uncontrollable, and still dangerous.
The feeling was temporary. It faded, leaving Tommy in the same place he had been before—alone, with no System, no guidance, just the uncomfortable awareness of how much more he still lacked. He hated this feeling.
---
Later, Tommy stumbled out of his room, still weak and disoriented from the ordeal. He looked at the mirror and saw that his skin was pale, his face gaunt, his eyes bloodshot. The blood had stopped coming, but he felt off, like something inside him had been irreparably damaged.
But he wasn't going to let that stop him.
He had mana now, even if he didn't understand how to use it. That was enough, right?
The Parasite Dungeon was the only place he could go now. He was desperate. If he couldn't get stronger by any other means, maybe he could still fight. He had to.
Tommy made his way toward the dungeon entrance, his legs shaky but determined. As he neared the portal, he noticed a group of adventurers gathered outside, laughing, chatting among themselves. They glanced over at Tommy, their eyes widening in surprise when they saw him approaching alone.
"Isn't that the guy?" one of them murmured, pointing. "The one they call 'The Glitch'?"
"Yeah," another said with a chuckle. "Systemless. Poor guy. He actually thinks he can take on the Parasite Dungeon alone."
"Maybe he's about to end it all"
"He looks scrawny and weak. Haha"
Tommy clenched his fists, ignoring the sneers and mockery. He didn't have time for their doubts.
"Systemless adventurer? He's nothing without a party," someone called out, laughing.
He could feel their eyes on him. The whispers, the mockery. But Tommy didn't care. He had mana now—he could feel it in his veins—and he was going to prove them wrong.
With a deep breath, he stepped through the portal into the Parasite Dungeon alone, ready to face whatever came next.
---
As the dungeon door closed behind him, Tommy felt the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. He had mana. But did that make him any stronger? He was about to find out.
The dungeon awaited, and Tommy was more desperate than ever to prove his worth.