"... What are you, Mikail?"
I met with Moona's gaze, the weight of her question lingering in the air like the static hum of too much Mana.
What was I?
I didn't even fully know the answer.
Not yet.
"…I'm still figuring that out"
I said, keeping my voice steady. Calm. But even I could hear the underlying tremor of power beneath every word now.
"But I know this... Whatever I am, I'm not your enemy"
Moona didn't answer. Her staff lowered slightly, but her grip didn't ease. I could see it in her eyes... Doubt.
Maybe even fear. And Melisa? She was watching me like she'd just realized I wasn't human anymore.
Maybe I wasn't.
I looked down at my hand, flexing my fingers again. The Mana responded instantly, obedient, eager. No chanting. No focusing. Just a thought. A flicker of intent. That glowing sigil earlier? That wasn't a spell.
It was instinct.
And that was terrifying. Even to me.
[Skill: Mana Resonance – Passive] was still active. I could feel the world. The tree to my left pulsed faintly with life energy. The wind carried ambient mMana-like threads drifting through the air. The dirt beneath my feet hummed quietly, like the world was singing a song I'd never noticed until now.
And I was the conductor.
This was power.
But power without understanding? That's how you lose yourself. I needed more than control... I needed truth.
"Moona..."
I said, my voice dropping lower,
"If you know anything about this… About what this means, I need you to tell me. No more half-truths"
She hesitated. That hesitation told me she did know something.
Melisa stepped forward instead, her expression still wary but thoughtful.
"…There are legends"
She said.
"Old ones. Long, Long before The Shadow Realm could affect Reality... From the time before the Academies. There were several people who weren't born strong but became something else. Not through bloodlines or artifacts. Through… Something higher"
She tilted her head slightly.
"Some called them Blessed. Others, the Marked. They were chosen. Or cursed. It depends on who you ask... But one thing is certain, they are the deciders... History calls them the Harbingers"
Moona finally spoke.
"And every single one of them either changed the world… Or destroyed it"
Great.
No pressure.
I let out a breath, slow and controlled, and pushed the weight of mana back down into my core. Not sealing it but anchoring it. Claiming it as mine.
"I don't care what they were called"
I said.
"I'm not planning to destroy anything"
Melisa raised an eyebrow.
"That's the thing. None of them planned to"
Fair point.
Still, I wasn't going to back down now. Not from them. Not from this.
"I'm not a god"
I said, voice quiet.
"And I'm not a monster either. I'm Mikail Fremawan. That's all"
And for now, that would have to be enough.
The wind stirred again... This time gentle, almost reverent. The mana around me settled. No more resistance. No more chaos.
Just… Acceptance.
A chime echoed in my mind once more.
[DING!]
[Hidden Quest Progression: "The Path of the Harbingers"]
[Milestone Achieved – 1/???]
Moona stared at me, her lips parting like she wanted to argue. Then slowly, she nodded.
"Alright then, Mikail. Let's see where this path takes you"
And for the first time, it wasn't fear I saw in her eyes.
It was respect.
Maybe even hope.
--------
Mana is energy. It is power that flows through everything, people, air, earth, even thoughts. It can be used in many ways. That's why it's called flexible.
When people use mana to cast spells, it becomes Magic. Fireballs, healing, illusions, all of those are forms of Magic.
When they use mana to make their bodies stronger, faster, tougher, or sharper, it's called Enhancement. Fighters and swordsmen often use this without even knowing the proper term.
And when mana is poured into objects, like weapons or tools, to give them power or special effects, it's called Imbuing.
Same energy. Different methods. Different names.
But that's only the surface.
There are also people who can use mana without chanting. Without focus circles. Without training. They make mana obey by will alone. Those people are rare, very rare. They're feared and also respected.
Mikail was becoming one of them.
Not by choice.
But by fate.
--------
"...That old man is a perfect example of Enhancement"
Melisa said, her tone calm but full of respect.
"You could say he's reached the highest, most perfect level of Body Enhancement. His control over Mana in his muscles, bones, and even reflexes is so precise and overwhelming that people started calling him Iron Fist. He didn't earn that nickname for nothing. He became a legend because no one could break through his defense… And almost no one could withstand his punch"
Moona who stood beside Melisa, nodded with a small smile.
"I saw him fight once. It was terrifying. His body doesn't just move, it responds. Like it knows what's coming before it happens"
Mikail blinked, trying to imagine it. The grumpy old man which he always teased and made angry was… A legend?
"…Grandpa is that strong?"
Mikail muttered, half in disbelief, half in awe.
There was a moment of silence.
Melisa looked out toward the training ground.
"He doesn't show it, but he's always the strongest"
Moona added softly,
"And he wouldn't waste time on someone he didn't believe in... So, seeing him actively involved in the supernatural world again means something big is happening... And that something involves you, Mikail"
Mikail looked down at his hands again. They looked the same. Flesh and bone. There was a little dirt under the nails and a faint scar on the knuckle from when back in middle school. But they didn't feel the same anymore.
Power wasn't just something inside him now.
It was him.
"…So what am I supposed to do with all this?"
Mikail asked quietly.
"I didn't ask for any of it"
"You don't have to ask for destiny"
Moona replied.
"It shows up anyway"
Melisa gave a small shrug.
"And if you're lucky, you survive it... That's how is it"
Mikail chuckled under his breath. It wasn't really funny, but he appreciated the honesty. Then, he turned toward the horizon, toward the mountains that shimmered faintly with mana threads even from this distance.
Something was calling to him. Faint, but clear.
A pulse.
A presence.
"So... What now?"
Mikail asked.
Moona stepped forward, brushing her hair behind one ear.
"Now? You train. You learn. You get stronger. Because power like yours draws attention. Good and bad"
Melisa smirked.
"Mostly bad"
Muka sighed. Then said.
"... Of course it does... So, which side should I take? Magic? Body Enhancement, or that Imbuing thing? Which one?"
Moona and Melisa exchanged a glance. They had both seen what Mikail did that night... It wasn't Magic, Enhancement, or Imbuing.
What Mikail did… Was something else. Something completely new.
"…Actually"
Moona begin slowly, her voice serious. Then continued.
"... We don't really know which path you should take. Because of what you did that night... It wasn't any of the three. It was something different. A new path. One that only you can walk"
Mikail looked at her, confused but curious.
"Then… what should I do?"
Once again, Moona and Melisa looked at each other. Then Melisa stepped forward.
A soft light appeared in her hand. It pulsed gently, then faded.
When it was gone, she was holding something, something like a gun.
She held it out toward Mikail.
"Let's start by learning what you can learn right now"
She smiled slightly.
"... Luckily I am a Magic Weapon User, and Moona here is a Mage, for Body enhancement... let's leave it for The Old Man to teach you"
....
...
..
.