Mikail followed them into the open backyard, where a gentle breeze rustled through the trees.
The sunlight cast long shadows, stark contrasts between light and dark, fitting, given what he was about to learn.
Moona raised her hands, weaving an invisible barrier around them to obscure their presence from ordinary humans. Once she finished, she turned to face him, arms crossed.
"Alright, first thing's first, you need to feel your Mana, not just use it. Right now, you're probably treating it like a tool, something separate from yourself. That's a mistake. It's part of you, like a limb you've never used before"
Mikail nodded, rolling his shoulders.
"So how do I do that?"
Moona stepped closer, lifting a hand. A faint glow of silver light flickered around her fingertips.
"Close your eyes. Focus inward. Mana isn't just energy; it's a force that responds to will and intent. Feel it, control it. Right now, you're leaking power without even realizing it. We need to fix that"
Mikail took a slow, steady breath and closed his eyes. At first, there was only silence, the familiar hum of his body. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The air fills his lungs and leaves in a measured exhale.
The distant rustling of leaves in the wind.
Then… Something else.
A warmth. Faint at first, like the lingering heat of a dying ember buried beneath the ashes. But as he focused, it became clearer... More tangible.
It pulsed through him, thrumming just beneath the surface of his skin, coiling around his core like an unseen current. It wasn't wild or chaotic like the raw surge he had felt that night when his power had first awakened. This was different. Subtle. Patient. Almost like a second heartbeat, steady and waiting.
The warmth flowed through his veins, threading itself into every fiber of his being. It wasn't just inside him; it was part of him. A hidden pulse of power, waiting for his command. Yet, despite its presence, he could feel its instability, like a river struggling to find its course, spilling over where it shouldn't.
He inhaled again, deeper this time, trying to reach out to it, not forcefully, but gently, like extending a hand to a restless animal. The energy stirred in response, rippling under his skin, waiting.
Waiting for him to take control.
"Good. Now, pull it back. Keep it inside you"
Mikail furrowed his brows. Pull it back? How? He tried to will the energy inward, imagining it retreating into his core, but instead...
A surge of light burst from his palm, uncontrolled and wild. Melisa jumped back with a laugh.
"Whoa there, don't blow us up just yet!"
Mikail groaned, shaking his hand as the light dissipated.
Moona sighed.
"You're trying too hard. You don't force it but guide it. Like holding water in your hands. Too tight, and it slips through your fingers. Too loose, and it spills everywhere"
Mikail exhaled, refocusing. This time, he imagined the energy flowing through him, not as something separate, but as an extension of himself. He pictured it settling, condensing, like light gathering into a single point.
Slowly, the glow in his hands became steadier, controlled.
Moona nodded in approval.
"Better. Now let's see if you can hold it"
The training continued, each lesson pushing Mikail further. His control over mana sharpened, rough around the edges, but undeniably growing.
Then… It happened.
A familiar, digital chime echoed in his mind, clear and triumphant.
[DING!]
[Skill Unlocked!]
Mana Control (F-Grade)
Status: Can Be Upgraded
Description: Grants basic control over internal mana flow. Essential for spellcasting and ability activation.
Mikail's eyes widened slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
'Finally'
Mikail's lips barely moved, but the anticipation in his eyes was unmistakable.
Without hesitation, he gave the silent command in his mind.
'System, upgrade the [Mana Control] skill to the max level!'
[To upgrade your [Mana Control] skill from Grade-F to Grade-EX, the User requires 2,952,900 SP... Are you sure you want to proceed?]
Mikail raised an eyebrow.
'2.9 million SP? That's... Nothing... System, confirm! Upgrade my Mana Control to the max level!'
Mikail thought, 2.9 Million? He had unlimited SP, 2.9 Million was a small amount for him.
[Confirmed... Upgrading [Mana Control]...
Grade-F -> Grade-E -> Grade-D -> Grade-C -> Grade-B -> Grade-A -> Grade-S -> Grade S -> Grade SS -> Grade SS -> Grade SSS -> Grade-EX... Upgrade complete]
For a moment, the world was silent.
Then the atmosphere twisted.
A shockwave of mana rippled outward, subtle yet oppressive. The air thickened, and the ground beneath Mikail's feet lightly cracked as raw, refined mana surged through his body. His presence shifted drastically.
Melisa froze mid-step, her pupils widening in shock.
"...W-What the hell?!"
Moona stumbled back, her hand instinctively gripping her staff, eyes wide in disbelief.
"That's... That's impossible! That kind of control… It's not human!"
Melisa's voice trembled, something it had never done before.
"I've seen Royal Archmages in action… Even they can't manipulate mana like that. Not instantly. Not casually"
They watched as Mikail lifted his hand, and without chanting, without drawing a circle or forming a seal, pure mana coalesced into a flawless glowing strand, weaving itself into an elegant sigil midair. It shimmered with terrifying precision, then dissipated without a trace.
Silence.
Melisa whispered, almost to herself,
"Mana is obeying him. Not responding but obeying"
Moona's voice cracked.
"Even prodigies need years to reach a perfect control, but… This... This is like watching the mana bow to him. As it knows, he's... Something else"
Mikail looked at his hand, flexing his fingers. A small, calm smile formed.
"This feels... Right"
Melisa took a step back.
"This isn't just talent. This is something else entirely. No one gets that strong, that fast. Not without a price… Or something hidden... Is this why the Shadows are so afraid of those with light Affinities?"
Moona glanced at Melisa, her expression pale.
"You think he's... Cursed?"
"No"
Melisa said slowly, narrowing her eyes.
"...Worse. I think he's blessed by something we don't understand"
And in that moment, for the first time since they met him, Mikail terrified them.
"... So this is how it feels to wield Mana at will? This feeling... This is Amazing!"
--------
A gust of wind swept through the backyard, rustling the leaves in a sudden, violent flurry as if nature itself responded to Mikail's awakening.
The pressure around him didn't fade. If anything, it deepened. Heavy. Dense. Not with malice, but with raw, untamed potential.
Moona still hadn't moved. Her grip tightened around her staff. Melisa stood beside her, eyes darting between Mikail and the shimmering sigil that had only moments ago vanished. Neither of them spoke. Not yet.
But Mikail felt it... Everything.
The mana in the trees, in the wind, in the very earth beneath his feet. It whispered to him now. Not in words, but in intention. The world was alive in a way he'd never experienced before. And he was no longer separate from it.
He was part of it.
He was connected.
Then, another chime echoed in his head.
[DING!]
[Passive Skill Unlocked: Mana Resonance]
[Your mana no longer exists in isolation. You can now detect, influence, and harmonize with external Mana sources within a 15-meter radius. Passive bonuses to Mana-based perception and spellcasting speed]
Mikail's grin widened.
'System, status window!'
The familiar blue screen bloomed in front of his eyes:
--------
[STATUS>>Skill>>Title>>Inventory>>Quest]
[Status]
Name: Mikail Fremawan.
Class: ???
Affinity: Light
Affiliate: Brotherhood's Cafe
Lvl: 12
--------
[Status>>SKILL>>Title>>Inventory>>Quest]
[Skill]
+ Masked Presence [Passive]
+ Mana Control [EX- Grade #Must meet certain criteria for Further Upgrade]
+ Breathing [EX- Grade #Must meet certain criteria for Further Upgrade]
+ Cooking [EX- Grade #Must meet certain criteria for Further Upgrade]
+ Brewing Coffee [Ex-Grade #Must meet certain criteria for Further Upgrade]
+ Instant Learning [SSS+ - Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Reading [B- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Walk [C- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Running [C- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Swimming [D- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Sing [D- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
...
...
...
...
+ Beginner Magic Affinity [E- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Mana Sensory [E- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Flirt [E- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Guitar [E- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Boxing [E- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Poison Immunity [F- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
+ Silat [F- Grade #Can be Upgraded]
SP: 999,999,999+
--------
Looking at his skill list and the unchanging SP, even after the upgrade, Mikail felt a strong urge to max out all his skills. But the memory of what happened the last time he upgraded his Breathing skill gave him pause.
'...I need to be careful and choose which skills are safe to upgrade. I'm not dying a stupid death because of another surprise side effect'
Mikail thought, but before he could even test anything else, Moona finally spoke. Her voice was soft but strained.
"…What are you, Mikail?"
....
...
..
.