Ryan stood silently in front of the apartment window.
The city outside was calm.
Streetlights illuminated the quiet roads below, and the distant hum of late-night traffic drifted faintly through the glass.
If someone looked out across the city tonight, they would see nothing unusual.
Just another ordinary evening.
But Ryan knew better.
In less than forty-eight hours the world would descend into chaos.
His reflection stared back at him from the dark window.
Cold.
Focused.
Older than the twenty-five-year-old body he now occupied.
Ryan slowly exhaled and stepped away from the glass.
The small apartment behind him was already filled with supplies. Boxes of canned food lined the wall. Bottled water was stacked beside the couch. Fuel containers rested near the door.
Everything he had bought earlier that day.
Ryan moved toward the kitchen counter and set down the last of the bags he had been holding.
Preparation had begun.
But it wasn't enough.
Not yet.
He rubbed the back of his neck as he walked toward his bedroom.
And when he stepped inside—
His gaze immediately landed on the mirror.
Ryan stopped.
"I almost forgot…"
His voice was quiet.
"This is what I looked like back then."
The man in the mirror stood six foot two, broad shouldered and somewhat muscular… but softer than he remembered.
In the previous timeline his body had been forged by a century of combat.
This body, however…
It belonged to a 25-year-old office worker.
His cheeks were fuller.
A few faint blemishes dotted his skin.
His beard was uneven, and around his lips a faint yellow stain lingered from years of smoking.
Ryan touched his chin.
A habit he had abandoned long ago.
He could already feel the old cravings creeping back into his mind.
The desire for a cigarette.
The itch in the back of his throat.
Ryan scoffed quietly.
"Pathetic."
He had ruled the planet for a hundred years.
Faced monsters that could level cities.
Cravings like these meant nothing.
Still…
A long sigh escaped him.
"If only I could get my hands on some Clearleaf."
Clearleaf was a plant that had appeared after the Awakening.
Once processed, its leaves could calm the mind and strengthen mana control. Many early awakened humans had relied on it to stabilize their abilities.
But before the Awakening…
It didn't exist.
Or at least…
Ryan had always believed that.
His brows slowly furrowed.
A thought appeared in his mind.
What if…
Ryan sat down on the bedroom floor.
Cross-legged.
He closed his eyes.
His breathing slowed.
In the previous timeline he had discovered mana sensing by accident during meditation many years after the Awakening.
Now he attempted to recreate the same state.
Inhale.
Exhale.
His mind gradually grew quiet.
The room faded from his awareness.
Instead, he imagined the space around him.
The air.
The walls.
The world.
Minutes passed.
Then—
There.
Ryan's heart skipped.
Tiny ripples drifted through the darkness of his mind.
They looked like faint blue mist… rising slowly like steam from boiling water.
Mana.
It was weak.
Almost nonexistent.
But it was there.
Ryan's instincts from a hundred years of experience took over instantly.
He inhaled slowly.
In his mind he imagined the energy flowing toward him.
The faint blue mist drifted closer.
Then—
A cool sensation spread through his veins.
Mana entered his body.
And at that exact moment—
A voice echoed inside his mind.
[First connection made with mana]
Ryan's eyes snapped open.
"What the hell—"
The voice continued.
[Partial system upload commencing]
Ryan stood up abruptly.
"What the hell is happening?"
Suddenly—
Pain exploded inside his skull.
It felt like someone had shoved a blade into his brain.
Ryan collapsed to his knees.
His vision blurred.
Before he could even scream—
Everything went black.
***
Darkness.
Then—
[Partial system upload complete]
[System integration with Ryan Hale complete]
***
Ryan slowly opened his eyes.
Morning light streamed through the bedroom window.
He groaned and pushed himself up from the floor.
"Shit…"
His body ached.
"What happened?"
Then the voice returned.
Soft.
Familiar.
[I have granted you a system to make life a little easier this time.]
Ryan froze.
"Iris?"
A faint chuckle echoed in his mind.
[Who else would it be?]
Ryan rubbed his temples.
"..."
[If you want to view your system dashboard, simply say or think 'Status'.]
Ryan blinked.
"So if I say… Status—"
A translucent screen appeared in front of him.
[Host: Ryan Hale]
Age: 25Race: Human
Rank: Lower-EarthLevel: 1
Strength: 11Agility: 6Vitality: 6Intelligence: 10
Mana Capacity: 0 / 100
Skills:Absorption — Mid-Earth Rank
Ryan stared at it.
"This looks like a game interface."
Iris sounded amused.
[Where do you think I got the idea from?]
Ryan studied the numbers.
A grimace appeared on his face.
"These stats are terrible."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Was I really this weak?"
A giggle echoed inside his head.
[They're actually not that bad.]
[Your strength is slightly above average.]
[Your intelligence is perfectly average.]
A pause.
[But yes… the rest are quite terrible.]
Ryan chuckled dryly.
"If you could see this body right now, you'd understand why."
His eyes moved back to the screen.
One detail caught his attention.
"What's this rank mean?"
He stood up and walked toward the bathroom.
He still had things to do today.
Radios.
Communication equipment.
Preparation.
Iris answered calmly.
[The ranking system is divided by realms.]
[For your realm, the relevant ranks are Earth, Skye, and Heaven.]
Ryan turned on the shower.
Steam began filling the room.
[Each rank is divided into Lower, Mid, and High.]
[Lower-Earth rank simply means you are still a mortal.]
Ryan stepped under the hot water.
"So basically my ability is just slightly better than a normal human?"
[Not quite.]
[There is a significant gap between ranks.]
[And skills can be leveled up.]
Ryan washed his face.
"And how exactly do I level them?"
[Use them.]
[The more proficient you become, the stronger they grow.]
Ryan considered this while finishing his shower.
"In the previous timeline I had to discover everything on my own."
He dried himself off.
"Mana control… skill activation… everything."
He pulled on a pair of jeans and a simple T-shirt.
"So with this system I don't have to struggle through that part again?"
[In a sense, yes.]
[However, you should still learn how your abilities work.]
[This system will only assist you until you reach Heaven Rank.]
Ryan paused.
"After that?"
[After that you are on your own again.]
Ryan nodded slowly.
He didn't like relying on outside help anyway.
"Earlier you mentioned realms."
He grabbed his keys from the table.
"What exactly does that mean?"
A pause.
Then Iris replied.
[I cannot tell you much about that.]
Ryan frowned.
"And why not?"
He opened the apartment door.
"I thought you said you were a goddess."
[I am.]
Her voice softened.
[But if I explain too much… you will be punished.]
Ryan stopped walking.
"For my safety?"
[Yes.]
Ryan sighed.
He hated mysteries.
"Fine."
He stepped outside.
"So what else can your system do?"
Iris immediately sounded excited.
[I'm glad you asked!]
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
[Besides helping you control your abilities…]
[I can also use my space-time authority to search for items you might need.]
Ryan stopped walking.
"Wait."
He slowly turned his head.
"You can search for things?"
[Yes.]
[As long as they are not living beings.]
Ryan's eyes sharpened.
"So you could search for a plant?"
[Correct.]
His heartbeat accelerated.
"What range can you search?"
Iris answered casually.
[With your current mana capacity… approximately one hundred miles.]
Ryan felt excitement rising inside his chest.
If mana already exists on Earth…
Then there is a chance…
His voice lowered slightly.
"Search the surrounding area for a plant called Clearleaf."
For a moment there was silence.
Then—
A wide grin spread across Ryan's face.
Because if Clearleaf already existed before the Awakening…
Then he was about to gain a massive advantage.
Ryan grabbed his car keys.
"It looks like…"
His grin widened.
"We're taking a little detour."