Younes stood at the edge of the dense forest, the path before him obscured by creeping mist and the sounds of distant beasts. His eyes traced the craggy slopes of the Third Mountain, its silhouette sharp against the pale morning light. Today's goal was clear: retrieve the Celestial Ginseng, a rare and mystical herb rumored to grant a powerful boost in mana affinity.
Armed with a hunting knife, a leather satchel, and his budding connection to mana, he began the ascent.
Each step brought new challenges. Twisted roots tried to trip him, and thorned vines clawed at his clothes. The deeper he went, the more the atmosphere changed. The air grew heavier, thick with mana, almost humming in his lungs. It pulsed faintly beneath his skin—like the forest was alive and watching.
He reached a clearing hours later, breath shallow, when he finally saw it.
The Celestial Ginseng stood tall in the center of a ring of moss-covered stones. Its roots shimmered faintly with golden light, and its leaves pulsed with a gentle glow. But guarding it was a creature of nightmares—a serpent, massive and coiled, its scales iridescent and eyes glowing silver.
Younes crouched behind a rock, analyzing.
"Why does it always have to be a guardian beast?" he whispered, frustrated but focused.
He didn't have the strength for a direct confrontation. So he observed—how it moved, how often it blinked, the patterns in its gaze. For over an hour, he watched, then reached into his bag for a piece of smoked meat. It wasn't much, but perhaps...
He tossed it to the left of the clearing.
The serpent twitched, head shifting toward the noise. Then again. Another toss.
Its body slithered toward the false bait. Younes darted forward, low and silent, heart pounding. In seconds, he reached the herb, unsheathed his knife, and began carefully cutting the roots.
He felt the pulse of mana from the plant—like a heartbeat. The moment the last root was severed, the glow faded, and the forest went eerily quiet.
Too quiet.
The serpent hissed.
He didn't look back. He ran.
Through tangled underbrush, over slippery rocks, adrenaline fueling every step. The serpent gave chase, its massive body tearing through the woods behind him. Just as it lunged, Younes dove off a small cliff into a river below.
Cold. Crushing. The current dragged him.
But he held the Celestial Ginseng close.
By nightfall, bruised and soaked, he returned to the isolated hut he'd found earlier. He lay on the wooden floor, the herb resting on a cloth beside him. Despite everything, a smile crept onto his face.
"I did it..."
He prepared a small fire, drying himself off before beginning the process of consuming the Celestial Ginseng. He brewed a simple tea from its leaves, crushing the root and chewing it raw.
The moment the essence touched his tongue, a sharp heat surged through his chest.
Mana exploded within him.
He screamed—not in pain, but in raw intensity. It felt like lightning coursing through his blood, tearing apart limits he didn't know existed. His bones vibrated. His skin shimmered faintly with pale blue light. For minutes, he couldn't move, caught in a storm of power.
Then, it passed.
Younes collapsed backward, gasping.
And then... he felt it.
Like a floodgate had opened, mana was no longer a distant presence. It was within him now, flowing freely, answering his call. He extended a trembling hand, and with a whisper, summoned a small orb of blue energy.
It floated above his palm.
Tears filled his eyes.
"I can do it," he whispered. "I can really control it now."
A faint ding echoed in his ears.
Golden letters appeared in the air before him.
Congratulations. You are now recognized as a Mana Initiate. Total internal mana: equivalent to 45 years of chi.
He stared at the message, stunned. This wasn't just a step forward. It was a leap.
The real journey... was just beginning.