Morning broke in hushed gray light. I woke before the alarm, dawn's pale glow filtering through the window. For a moment I lay still, eyes on the ceiling, aware of the steady thrum of mana pulsing through my limbs. Stronger than yesterday—subtly, undeniably.
"System," I whispered.
The familiar interface flickered into view.
Body: 1.5
Soul: 1.2
Mana: 2.1 / 2.1
Spells:
• Magic Missile (E-Rank) – Mastery 5/5 (Upgraded)
• Rock Formation (D-Rank) – Mastery 2/5 (Upgraded)
I exhaled slowly. A D-rank spell at mastery level two—already beyond most beginners, who wouldn't dare D-rank until far later, if ever. And my trait preserved mastery through upgrades.
Some players boasted revivals or halved mana costs. I had what might be the most overpowered trait ever recorded.
Two dungeons awaited. I dressed quickly and left.
***
The Sector 9 transit hub buzzed with activity. Players clustered in groups, armor plates and weapons clinking with each movement, mana signatures weaving like static.
Some brimmed with confidence; others trembled with nerves. A heated dispute broke out nearby—probably loot or party roles.
I stayed back, hands in pockets, face calm. Ahead, the first dungeon gate shimmered into view. I approached the scanner; my solo tag blinked above my name.
The scanner chimed.
[Player confirmed: Alexander Cain]
[Dungeon entry authorized]
The world folded.
***
The Underground Transit Ruins unfolded around me—dim corridors, cracked stone, ambient mana flowing smoother than the day before, as if the dungeon had reset overnight.
I wasted no time.
Tunnel Crawlers skittered into view—three of them. I raised a hand. "Magic Missile."
Three glowing darts congealed and shot forward in a tight spread, each tracking on instinct.
They struck the Crawlers in unison; their bodies fizzled into mist before hitting the floor. Three silent kills.
I had to remind myself this was E-rank.
I pressed on. Crawler packs swarmed, and a lone Brute charged—but never reached me, its chest collapsing under rapid-fire magic. My mana barely budged.
Then the ceiling groaned. Stone slabs began to rain down—a previously untriggered trap.
I summoned mana into my palm. "Rock Formation."
Deeper power surged. Stone erupted beneath my command, rising as a slanted slab that deflected the debris harmlessly aside.
Razor-sharp spikes rooted it solid. A perfect barrier.
Moments later, the system pinged.
[Rock Formation mastery increased]
[Mastery: 3/5]
Already level three? D-rank was supposed to be brutal. But Absolute Sage didn't slow for curves. At the dungeon's midpoint:
[Dungeon clear conditions met.]
Twenty-three minutes. Yesterday had taken over an hour. The ruins dissolved and I stepped out, cool and collected.
***
Outside, notices flickered on Bureau monitors. Operators frowned and whispered. The woman I'd seen earlier watched me openly.
"You're fast," she said.
I nodded. "I know."
That was precisely the point.
***
No rest.
Next: Forest Sinkhole.
The landscape shifted—tangled foliage, warped trunks, earth pulsing with living mana. A trio of players fussed over gear at the gate; one sneered as I passed. I ignored them and stepped inside.
The forest sighed around me. Vines twitched, roots shifted beneath my boots. A wolf-like beast reinforced with bark and stone lunged from the underbrush.
I raised my staff. "Rock Formation."
Stone sprang up in a half-dome that absorbed the impact. I unleashed Magic Missiles; they drilled through the creature's skull from within the shell.
The beast collapsed, lifeless. I allowed myself a faint smile.
Hours later I emerged, clothes scuffed and mana pool depleted but spirit steady. I checked my stats one last time:
Body: 1.7
Soul: 1.3
Mana: 2.4 / 2.4
Spells:
• Magic Missile (E-Rank) – Mastery 5/5
• Rock Formation (D-Rank) – Mastery 3/5
Onlookers watched as I strolled away—some curious, others suspicious. I didn't mind.
Tomorrow I'd register again, and the day after that.
Today had been fruitful: two dungeons cleared, spells honed far beyond what most players achieved in months, and a bonus drop—a Magic Bullet spellbook worth two thousand credits.
Not extraordinary for me, but more than enough for one day's work. I tucked it away; selling could wait.
For the first time in a long while, my future felt… stable.
I walked home under flickering streetlights, status window fading from view.
This world ran on strength, mana, and opportunity—and now I held all three.