Zephyr rose before dawn, the scent of damp wood and cold air filling his nostrils as he pushed himself out of bed. The Anchor's Lodge was silent at this hour, save for the distant sounds of mercenaries stirring, some preparing for early missions while others were just returning from night patrols.
Cedric was still fast asleep, his steady breathing a reminder of the exhaustion he must have felt after whatever job he had taken with Gage the previous day. Zephyr took one last glance at his sleeping friend before heading out to start his daily duties.
As he made his rounds, he spotted Gage in the training yard, standing with his arms crossed as he observed a few men sparring. Their wooden swords clashed in the dim morning light, the crisp air punctuated by the grunts of exertion. Gage caught Zephyr's gaze and nodded in greeting, motioning for him to come over once he was done.
Zephyr didn't hesitate. He finished his tasks quickly, then walked over.
Gage wasted no time. "Let's go," he said, turning on his heel. "You'll get the potion for Apex Predator at the Mercenary Guild."
They walked together in silence at first, their boots crunching against the dirt road. The city was beginning to wake, the streets growing livelier with merchants setting up their stalls and laborers heading to their work.
Then, Gage spoke. "The Mercenary Guild subsidizes advancement potions for every knight. If they didn't, we'd be run to death by the cost. One tier-one potion costs sixty gold coins."
Zephyr nearly stopped walking. "Sixty?!" he repeated in disbelief.
Gage smirked slightly but continued. "And some people don't pass the trial the first time."
Zephyr frowned. "So how do they pay back?"
"You sign a contract," Gage explained. "The guild provides the potions, and you slowly repay them over the years as a mercenary. If you die, they collect the debt from your next of kin or guarantor."
Zephyr's frown deepened. The idea of saddling someone else with his debt unsettled him.
"And they have branches all over different kingdoms," Gage added. "So, even if someone tries to run, they'll find them."
Zephyr considered this. "But can I pay off the cost in full if I have the money?"
"Sure," Gage nodded. "They're not bad, really. It's a fair deal. Without the guild covering the cost upfront, most people wouldn't even have the chance to advance."
Zephyr thought about that. At first glance, it seemed like the guild was doing everyone a favor. But it also meant they had control. Indebted mercenaries were bound to the guild, tied by the very power that made them strong.
"Then how much does a tier-two potion cost?" he asked.
Gage glanced at him. "Around a hundred and forty gold coins...on average."
Zephyr felt his stomach drop. His current earnings were one silver and five bronze per week. That added up to about seven gold and two silver a year. At that rate, it would take him nineteen years to afford a tier-two potion.
He clenched his jaw. Mercenaries make much more money though, but still... No wonder so many knights stay tied to the guild.
They arrived at the Mercenary Guild, its massive stone structure was already bustling with activity. Warriors in armor, some seasoned and others fresh-faced like himself, moved in and out of the building. Some carried weapons still stained with blood, fresh from a mission. Others looked fresh and ready to take on a new job.
Zephyr and Gage approached the front desk. A clerk, a middle-aged man with graying hair and sharp eyes, looked up as they stopped in front of him.
Zephyr stated his intention. The clerk barely reacted, pulling out a stack of forms.
"Fill this out," he said. "You'll need a guarantor."
Zephyr took the form, scanning through the required information. It was simple—name, age, chosen pathway, and confirmation of sponsorship.
He hesitated slightly before glancing at Gage.
Without a word, Gage stepped forward, signing his name in the guarantor section.
Zephyr's grip on the quill tightened. Despite their disagreement the night before, Gage was still backing him.
Once the form was submitted, they were told to wait. They sat in silence, watching the mercenary hall's constant activity.
Zephyr finally broke the silence. "Thank you."
Gage didn't look at him immediately. Then he sighed. "It's by the Mother's Grace. Think nothing of it."
Zephyr studied him. He could tell Gage still thought he was making a mistake. But despite that, he had chosen to stand by his commitment.
Time passed as they watched people stream in and out. Men, women, some younger than him—each of them chasing strength, each walking their own path.
Eventually, Zephyr's name was called. He stepped forward, and the clerk handed him a small vial along with a book.
Zephyr took them carefully, his fingers tightening around the smooth glass of the vial. It was small, and looked deceptively light, but as he held it, he felt a strange...weight.
Lifting it to the light, he watched as the amber liquid inside shifted. At first, it moved as expected, swirling gently with his movements. But then he noticed something odd. It didn't just slosh—it pulled. The way it stretched and recoiled wasn't natural, almost as if it was reacting to him.
A strange feeling crawled up his spine. The longer he stared, the more unnatural it seemed. It felt...aware.
His grip tightened slightly. Was this normal? He glanced at Gage, but the older mercenary's face remained impassive, offering no indication that anything was out of the ordinary.
He tore his gaze away, slipping the vial into his pouch where the book was as he exited the building with Gage.
Whatever it was, he had already chosen this path.
As they stepped outside. Gage turned to him. "Well, this is where you have to walk on your own."
Zephyr met his gaze.
"The book contains a general cultivation technique to open your mana veins and cultivate to mana saturation," Gage explained. "Once you reach that stage, that's when you take the potion and face your trial."
Zephyr nodded, gripping the book and vial tightly.
Gage exhaled, then patted him on the shoulder once. "Good luck."
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.
Zephyr stood there for a long moment, staring at his back as he disappeared into the crowd.
Finally, he took a deep breath and turned toward the Anchor's Lodge, the weight of the vial and book heavy in his hands.
As Zephyr got back, he climbed the stairs to the room he and Cedric shared and found Cedric just about to head down.
"You're back," Cedric said, pausing at the door.
"Yeah. You seemed pretty knocked out yesterday, so I tried not to wake you this morning," Zephyr replied.
Cedric let out a short laugh. "Yeah, thanks. Gage and I went to train some merchant's son. The guy's getting knight training, but not through the usual means. Gage is being paid to teach him every now and then, and since I'm also at tier one, I get to tag along... serve as a sparring partner." He shrugged. "Long story short, the guy's good, so I end up feeling like shit at the end.
We usually do this at least once a week, actually. Maybe when you break through, Gage will bring you along too."
Zephyr nodded as Cedric waved and started down the stairs, likely heading for food.
Stepping into his room, Zephyr immediately pulled out the book he'd received from the Mercenary Guild. He traced the embossed title with his fingers. Fundamentals of Mana Cultivation—Vein Awakening.
He flipped it open and read the first passage aloud.
"To wield mana, one must first awaken the veins, the invisible channels through which magic flows. These veins exist within all beings but remain dormant unless nurtured."
His eyes flicked to the next line.
"The first step is perception. Find a quiet place, steady your breath, and feel the world's mana. It is there, always present, drifting in the air, woven into the earth, flowing through life itself. Do not force it. Let it brush against your skin and start to seep into your pores."
Zephyr leaned back, thinking. 'This is somewhat like the meditation techniques from my previous life...'
He continued reading.
"Once you sense mana, draw it inward. Let it trickle into your veins like a slow-moving stream. Do not rush. Forcing too much at once will tear your channels before they are ready. Circulate it gently, again and again, until warmth spreads through you. This is the first sign of awakening."
Flipping the page, his eyes settled on the final instruction.
"From there, growth would come naturally. Each session would expand the veins, allowing them to carry more mana. In time, what began as a trickle would eventually become a river, and later, a storm. Leading you to full mana saturation."
Zephyr exhaled, set the book down, and settled onto the floor, legs crossed, hands resting on his knees.
"First... open the veins."
Shutting his eyes, he took a slow breath. The world around him faded as his senses turned inward. He had felt mana before—glimpsed its presence, brushed against its vast current—but this time, he had to pull it in, guide it, make it his own.
For a while, there was nothing. Just him trying to quiet his rambling thoughts.
Then, gradually, he started to feel it. Faint, weightless strands drifting around him, flowing through the air, buried beneath the earth. He reached, not with his hands, but with his mind, drawing those invisible threads toward him.
A tingling sensation brushed his skin, seeping into his body. He directed it downward, toward the hidden veins the book spoke of—barriers lying dormant, waiting to be broken.
The moment mana pressed against them, resistance flared. It was like trying to force water through a sealed pipe. He gritted his teeth, pressed again, adding more force. But the veins held firm.
His breathing grew heavier, sweat forming at his brow as the hours stretched on. He kept pushing, again and again, guiding the mana, forcing it to press against the seals. It was grueling, frustrating—every attempt felt like striking a wall, only for the impact to ripple back through his body.
The suns climbed higher. Noon passed. His muscles ached from remaining still for so long, his clothes damp with sweat, but he refused to stop.
"Steady pressure. Don't force too much at once."
He adjusted his approach, loosening his grip, letting the mana move naturally. Instead of hammering at the barrier, he let it flow over it, around it, seeping into the smallest cracks. Bit by bit, it pushed deeper.
Then abruptly, he felt it start to give.
His heart pounded in excitement as the pressure inside him changed, like a dam beginning to strain under the weight of rising water. The seal on his veins was no longer solid.
Zephyr pressed forward.
The hours bled together. His breath was ragged, his body trembling, exhaustion was creeping into his mind. He barely even noticed when the door creaked open.
Cedric stepped in and paused, his gaze falling on Zephyr's unmoving form. The beads of sweat trailing down his face, the shallow rise and fall of his chest, the way his jaw was set in determination.
Cedric's lips curved into a knowing smile. He had been through this before. The struggle, the exhaustion, the way time lost all meaning as you clawed your way toward awakening. He took a step back, careful not to make a sound, and silently closed the door behind him.
Evening arrived, the sky outside tinged with gold.
Zephyr barely registered the change. His world was nothing but the mana pressing against his veins, the slow yet inevitable build-up of pressure. His mind screamed for rest, his body on the verge of collapse.
Snap.
A rush of heat flooded his body, spreading outward like wildfire. His eyes widened, breath hitching as mana surged through him for the first time. The sealed channels shattered, allowing energy to flow freely through his body. It was raw, untamed, overwhelming. His limbs felt weightless, his skin alive with energy.
He had done it.
His mana veins were open.
Zephyr exhaled, smiling as his body slumped forward, the exhaustion finally taking hold.
The first step was complete, but this was only the beginning.