No mana.
My mind reeled at the grim conclusion I'd reached after much deliberation.
Of course, since I was self-studying, it was possible I just hadn't grasped the knack yet...
But that didn't make sense—Aura had come to me so quickly.
'I must just not be finding it. Yeah, that's it. This is reality, after all. The way to sense Aura and mana must be different. Right, that has to be it. No mana in Failure Hero? What kind of trash character is that?'
Mana was the foundation of all magic, so lacking it was no different from discarding half your skills.
No need to mention how exponentially that jacked up the ending difficulty.
'At least I have Aura, so I can use Arts skills, but that's not enough to survive on its own.'
The Failure Hero series especially featured bosses with strong resistances to Aura or mana popping up frequently, making it crucial to balance training both.
Of course, it was just resistance, not immunity, so a concept build wasn't impossible—but honestly, I didn't want to go there.
'Trial and error on a single boss took over four hours. No way I can do that.'
And now that the game had become reality, it would undoubtedly take even longer than four hours.
If I didn't want to die, the smart move was not to attempt it.
Even in the game, sealing off either Aura or mana got you labeled a pathetic trash character. In this reality, it wouldn't end at that.
'One misstep, and I might not even see the ending!'
Plus, in the Failure Hero world, lacking mana or Aura meant you weren't viewed favorably.
Sure, the amounts varied, but total absence was exceedingly rare, so you almost never saw such people in practice.
'But they did exist.'
Yet the Failure Hero series never missed including even those rare cases...
Was it in Failure Hero 1?
An early story event featured one such character.
'The treatment was unreal.'
One of the students enrolling in Academy City, who got endless pitying looks just for lacking Aura.
In the setting of 1, Academy City was in its early establishment phase, with few students—not the continent's top academy yet, just starting trial operations.
Even those average students looked at them with utter pity.
'That kid in 1 definitely couldn't get high scores because lacking Aura was such a huge weakness...'
I remembered they ended up succumbing to the devil's temptation and falling to corruption.
'And now I'm going to get that kind of treatment?'
The thought of pitying stares from other students already made my head spin.
...
"I have to overcome this weakness somehow."
I said that as I stood up, ending my brief moment of reflection.
For a second, I considered dumping everything on the protagonist and giving up, but if he failed, it would be catastrophic.
'Even if I stay out of the story and live quietly, I need at least minimal force to protect myself.'
If Failure Hero 3 followed the same story flow as prior entries, the latter half would see the entire continent engulfed in war.
Demons appearing across the land, national security crumbling.
Not just the invading demons, but villains exploiting the chaos and traitors siding with demons.
The continent would plunge into disorder, and in that chaos, only your own strength was reliable.
Without minimal force against unpredictable demons, I'd be in deep trouble.
To avoid that, I needed to join the future hero party or at least guide them as a supporter.
That would minimize the damage.
'I don't know 3's story, so not sure how helpful, but the world is the same, so I can advise on basic lore.'
I wasn't the type to sit idle when I could act and prevent escalation.
If I did nothing and the hero lost?
'Game over.'
Having seen plenty of bad endings in the game, I could easily imagine the conclusion.
'The whole continent suffers horrifically.'
Plus, demons would reach Academy City, the story's main stage, so I needed power for self-defense regardless.
"Overcoming the weakness, is it."
"...Gasp!"
Suddenly, the murmur of my exclusive maid, who had approached without a sound, startled me into shaking my head.
"Picky eating! I meant picky eating!"
"...An excellent idea, Young Master. You will one day become the Yeon Clan Head. It's good to show dignity as the Young Clan Head from now on—even if it's just table manners."
"Uh, y-yeah."
As my exclusive maid launched into Yeon Clan history, traditions, and the duties of a Clan Head starting from my picky eating comment, I tuned her out and pondered ways to overcome the mana issue.
'First off, I can't stop searching for mana.'
Having mana versus not was like heaven and earth; I couldn't just give up because I didn't feel it yet.
At least until the mana measurement—at which point I'd keep meditating diligently.
I'd heard measurements happened right before training started, same as physical exams.
According to her, training began at age ten, so I had four years left.
I needed body meditation for Aura anyway, so I had no qualms planning ahead.
'But I can't just hunt for mana forever.'
No telling when I'd find it, and wasting the Aura I'd already awakened felt criminal.
So for now, focusing on Aura training made sense.
'Four years ahead...'
Age ten.
Until formal training began, I'd grow my Aura!
With that resolve, I rejected the dinner of grass-filled soup the maid brought.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The Yeon Clan was the largest in the Imperial Empire.
Wealth, military might, influence.
Possessing it all, the Yeon Clan wielded prestige across the continent, not just the Empire.
With such power came vast grounds.
Grand Void Hall for direct kin, Pure Abode Pavilion for key branch families, Various Benefits Quarters and Mutual Protection Quarters for servants—enough people to form a small village.
And Yeon Je-seong, the clan's sole heir and future Clan Head, naturally received treatment equal to—perhaps surpassing—the current Clan Head.
Obviously, his protecting maids were no ordinary folk—
"Crane here. No anomalies."
"Wolf here. No signs of intrusion."
"Turtle here. No red alerts."
The moment 'Yeon Je-seong' fell asleep, their true night began.
"Tiger here. No black alerts."
Confirming the Young Clan Head was fully asleep, exclusive maid Yu Chae-hyeon signaled the others and quietly left the room.
'No presences.'
She'd been vigilant lately due to insolent intruders, but after the Clan Head brutally eliminated them, nights had been quiet.
How long had she walked?
Passing a silent corridor devoid of even insect chirps, a lit room appeared ahead.
Knock knock—
[Who is it.]
"It's Chae-hyeon, Master."
[Enter.]
At the Clan Head's permission, Chae-hyeon gripped the handle and slowly opened the door.
Well-oiled, it swung silently, revealing the interior.
Bookshelves lining both sides, a luxurious central sofa, an antique desk in the corner.
"You're here."
There he was, amid stacks of documents.
Black hair cascading to his neckline.
Golden eyes scanning papers indifferently.
An overwhelming presence from his muscle-bound frame.
The pillar of the Yeon Clan, known as the Martial Emperor.
Yeon Clan Head Yeon Chang-hyeok welcomed his visitor without hiding his radiating aura.
"Your servant Chae-hyeon greets the Clan Head."
Parting the heavy atmosphere filling the study, Chae-hyeon approached and bowed deeply.
The Clan Head, processing the piled documents, spoke in a flat tone.
"So, how was my son today."
"Yes, he spent the day without incident."
"Hm."
Satisfied with her answer, the Clan Head kept writing, awaiting more.
"Unlike usual, his aversion to those around him seems much reduced."
"Is that so."
"Yes, he even slept without biting the guarding maids today."
"He's finally gotten used to it, huh."
"Yes, fortunately, he seems to have recovered somewhat from the assassination shock."
"...Don't slack on vigilance. Our enemies won't leave the boy alone."
"Understood."
With her words done, only the pen's scratch echoed in the study.
The Clan Head continued work wordlessly.
His silent focus conveyed: leave.
Normally, she'd bow and go, but today Chae-hyeon had more to say.
"One matter."
"..."
"One question."
"Speak."
"When do you plan to start the Young Master's training?"
"In four years."
The sharp reply came instantly.
Chae-hyeon cautiously eyed the Clan Head.
"Could it not start sooner?"
"...If the boy wants, we could begin a bit early. But as you know, too young and the meridians suffer. Blind early training doesn't yield good results."
Saying so, the Clan Head glanced at her then refocused on papers.
How long passed like that?
Gazing at his immersed form, Chae-hyeon finally broached the main point.
"...Today, the Young Master awakened Aura."
Pause—
"...?"
Her words halted the ever-moving pen for the first time.
A gaze thick with bewilderment turned to her.
"What do you mean by that?"
"At lunch today. During meditation, the Young Master awakened Aura."
"Ha."
The Clan Head set down his pen and looked at her squarely.
"You—the head maid, right."
"Still lacking, but..."
"I trust the head maid's judgment."
However.
"This time, it's too much."
"...Forgive my impertinence, but it's the unvarnished truth."
His gaze grew heavier.
Swallowing under the intensifying pressure, Chae-hyeon bowed deeply. The Clan Head slightly released his aura and spoke coldly.
"Can you take responsibility for those words?"
"How could I lie to the Clan Head? If false, I'll stake my life."
"..."
Her firm vow made his eyes flicker faintly.
'Awakened Aura?'
Recalling his son's age as he eyed the maid.
Six years old.
A child barely steady on his feet had awakened Aura.
Staring at the maid enduring his aura without flinching, resolute.
'It's true?'
Facing her utterly serious expression, doubting his hearing, the Clan Head finally said something utterly reasonable.
"...The youngest Aura user to date was over twenty."
"Not a user. He merely sensed its existence..."
"Even that requires at least fifteen."
What was Aura?
The pure energy innate to the human body.
Everyone had it from birth, but as congenital energy, awakening it properly was immensely difficult.
Even he, the Clan Head, had consumed rare elixirs from childhood, studied meridians under master tutors, meditated for years—and awakened at sixteen.
Back then, hailed as the Yeon Clan's greatest prodigy.
Yet his son, not even ten, had done it...
Hard to believe.
Then, the maid enduring silently met his eyes.
"Master."
Her words carried unwavering conviction. As his gaze turned, she continued gravely.
"The Young Master is a genius."
Her follow-up was even more absurd.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I know it's hard to accept, but it's pure truth."
"..."
Hearing it all, the Clan Head sighed, lit a cigarette with a fingertip flame, and inhaled deeply. Smoke soon filled the study.
Pondering her words, he murmured lowly.
"A genius, huh."
No, less genius—more calamity.
Compared to his son, even the Martial Emperor was mere mortal.
Bitter to deem his own son a disaster, but talent beyond vessel always devoured the body.
'Meditated to success without elixirs or proper master? Even awakened Aura?'
Unaware his eyes trembled faintly, he stubbed the cigarette, stood.
Chae-hyeon hurried after as he strode out.
"M-Master...?"
To his purposeful steps, she voiced confusion; he replied curtly.
"I'll confirm myself."
"Now? The Young Master is sleeping..."
"Perfect. He'll be in his room."
"It's late—better schedule for tomorrow..."
"No time."
Yeon Clan Head Yeon Chang-hyeok.
He preferred seeing once over hearing a hundred times.
This was five minutes before Yeon Je-seong, deep in sweet slumber, was rudely awakened.