Ethan practically floated down the sidewalk, feet barely touching the ground as he made his way home from the Awakening Center. The afternoon sun painted the skies over Potsdam in hues of orange and gold, but his mind was elsewhere—entirely consumed by the surreal truth that had finally taken root in his heart.
He had Awakened.
A wide grin stretched across his face, so wide it nearly hurt his cheeks. Passersby gave him strange looks—some chuckled, some whispered, some outright pointed—but he didn't care. Let them stare. They didn't know. They had no idea what had just changed in his life.
If only they knew, Ethan thought, puffing his chest slightly. They're laughing at someone who's going to be one of the strongest Mages this world has ever seen.
Then again, maybe he was getting a little ahead of himself.
Okay, okay… calm down, Ethan. You've got an F-Rank Fireball, not an A-Rank Doomsday spell, he reminded himself, laughing quietly. Still, he couldn't deny the way his body thrummed with energy. The mana running through his veins made him feel alive in a way he'd never experienced before.
According to their lessons at school, Awakened individuals had their base stats reset to 10—a baseline equivalent to an Olympic-level athlete. But feeling it was something else entirely. His limbs felt lighter, his reflexes sharper, and every breath felt cleaner, more focused. He was faster, stronger, more aware.
He paused at a quiet corner, the rush of emotion slowly giving way to curiosity. A thought had been gnawing at the back of his mind since he left the chamber. Something strange in the System page he'd seen…
Talent: Mana Overflow.
No teacher had ever mentioned anything about Talents. It wasn't in any of their curriculum. What was it?
Stopping under the flickering glow of a streetlight, Ethan took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing inward. A mental nudge, the same way he had summoned the System before. When he opened his eyes again, the floating translucent panel greeted him once more.
[SYSTEM PAGE - ETHAN VALE]
Class: Mage
Talent: Mana Overflow
Class Rank: F
HP: 110 / 110
STA: 110 / 110
Stamina Regen: 110 Stamina / Hour
Mana: 150 / 150
Mana Regen: 150 Mana / Hour
STR: 11
VIT: 11
AGI: 11
STA: 11
Mana: 15
Spell Power: 12
Spells: 1 / 6
Spell Memory:
F-Rank - Fireball - Mastery: 0.00%
F-Rank - Fireball
Mastery: 0.00%
Mana Cost: 10 Mana
Cooldown: 2 seconds
Range: 20 Meters
Base Damage: 50 → 56 (+6 from spellpower)
Ethan scanned through the stats again to ground myself.
He had studied all of this in school:
Strength: Increases physical attack power; +1% damage per point to melee abilities and weapon strikes.
Vitality: +10 HP per point.
Agility: Improves movement speed, evasion, and attack speed.
Stamina: +10 Stamina per point; +10 Stamina Regen per hour per point.
Mana: +10 Mana per point; +10 Mana Regen per hour per point.
Spell Power: Increases spell damage and spell effect strength; +1% per point for offensive & supportive spells.
But his eyes kept drifting back to the unfamiliar word:
Talent: Mana Overflow
Curious, he focused on it.
A new screen appeared:
[Talent: Mana Overflow]
Every time Ethan Vale empties his entire Mana pool, he gains +1 Mana and +1 Spell Power permanently. (Can be upgraded)
He blinked. Then blinked again. A shocked breath escaped his lips.
"No way…"
Only one sentence. But it carried the weight of destiny.
Permanent stat growth. Every time he emptied his mana.
His hands trembled slightly. He could train himself to grow stronger—infinitely. Every time he used up his Mana completely, he would grow. His Mana pool would expand. His spell damage would increase. There was no ceiling to it. No bottleneck.
It was a cheat code. A backdoor into power. And it was his.
The realization hit him like a tidal wave. All his doubts, all the disappointment of awakening at F-Rank with only a Fireball—none of it mattered anymore. He had potential. Unparalleled, evolving potential.
With a surge of energy, Ethan broke into a sprint. He didn't care how ridiculous he looked to others—he had to tell his family. The cobbled streets of Potsdam blurred past as he dashed home, the late-day breeze whipping through his hair.
He burst through the café's front door like a bolt of lightning. The small, cozy establishment was quiet. His parents stood behind the counter, wiping down surfaces. His younger sister, Alice, sat near the window sketching in her notebook.
"I AWAKENED!" Ethan blurted out, panting and flushed.
His parents froze.
Then slowly, tears welled up in their eyes. His mother dropped the cloth she was holding. His father stood still, jaw trembling slightly.
Alice didn't even look up. "Where are the pastries?" she muttered.
Ethan couldn't help but laugh, breathless and giddy.
In the next moment, both his parents rushed from behind the counter and wrapped him in the tightest hug he'd ever felt. All the excitement and pressure he'd bottled up burst free as he hugged them back.
"I knew you'd do it," his mother whispered, voice thick with emotion. Her smile could've lit up the entire city. His father gave a loud sniff, trying to play it off like it was just dust in his eyes.
After a long moment, they pulled away. His father clapped a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "So what's the Class, son? Knight? Assassin?"
Ethan grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Mage."
His parents beamed, exchanging proud looks.
"But—" he raised a finger, "—before you get too excited… I only got one spell. F-Rank. Fireball."
Still, their smiles didn't fade. His father nodded approvingly, while his mother placed a gentle hand on his cheek.
Alice finally looked up. "So… you can breathe fire now?"
Ethan laughed. "No. It's from the hands, not the mouth."
Their laughter filled the small café, warm and bright.
"Come on!" Ethan said, heading toward the back door. "I'll show you what your brother can do now."
They followed him into the narrow backyard garden—nothing fancy, just a small patch of grass and a few bushes. Ethan raised his hand, palm outward.
He could feel the mana pulse inside him—waiting, eager.
Let's see what you can do, he thought.
A faint red glow formed at his fingertips.
Then, with a soft whoosh, a small fireball crackled to life in his palm, hovering like a tiny sun. The air shimmered around it, casting flickering orange light across his family's awed faces.
Ethan grinned.
This was only the beginning.
And the fire had just been lit.