"We should head to the Spell Weaving class," Sam said, gathering his things. "Professor Thane hates when people are late."
"Actually," Adom said, rubbing his temple, "I think that duel with Damus affected more than I thought. I'm going to skip today, get so rest."
Sam's face imdiately shifted to concern. "Where are you hurt? Should we go back to the infirmary? Did they miss sothing? I knew that punch looked too strong-"
"It's okay, Sam." Adom cut him off. "I just need to lie down for a bit." He paused, then added, trying to sound casual, "Actually, could you take to our dorm first?"
"Our dorm?" Sam's brow furrowed. "Is it that bad? You can't even rember- I can stay if you need-"
"Sam," Adom said firmly. "I'm fine. Just a headache. But yes, everything's a bit... fuzzy right now."
Sam nodded, and they made their way through Xerkes' winding corridors. The academy hadn't changed much in sixty years - or wouldn't change much, depending on how you looked at it. Still, Adom was grateful for the guidance as Sam led them up three flights of stairs, down a corridor lined with enchanted paintings, and finally to a door marked "214."
Their shared room was exactly what you'd expect from two teenage boys studying magic - scrolls scattered across desks, crystal formations growing in the window, and what appeared to be a failed attempt at an automated clothing-folding spell still sparking weakly in the corner. Sam's side was ticulously organized chaos, while Adom's... well, he'd have to figure out which side was his.
Normally, Xerkes assigned three students to each dorm room - a tradition dating back to the founding fathers of the academy. But either through administrative oversight or luck, Adom and Sam had ended up without a third roommate.
The extra space had quickly been converted into an impromptu potion-making station, complete with a small ventilation charm that Sam had rigged up after their third failed attempt at brewing Clarity Extract had filled the room with purple smoke.
"We should probably put so order in here soon," Adom said, surveying the room.
Sam let out a surprised laugh. "You? The guy who thrives in chaos?"
I'm not that guy anymore, Adom thought, mories of his ticulously organized office at the Council floating through his mind. Sixty years of fastidious record-keeping had a way of changing habits.
"Thanks for showing back," he said, starting to head toward one of the beds.
"The one on the left is yours," Sam called out, making Adom correct his course.
"Thanks again."
Sam sighed, hovering by the door. "I'll bring so snacks and ice cream when classes end." He adjusted his bag. "Stay safe, man."
"I will."
"Bye then," Sam said, lingering for a mont longer before finally heading out, the door clicking shut behind him.
Adom exhaled deeply as he lay on his bed, staring at the familiar-yet-strange ceiling. Just this morning - was it even this morning? - he'd woken up in his bunker, bones aching, joints creaking with the weight of his 79 years.
The last twenty-four hours felt surreal - from his final monts on that beach to his conversation with that mysterious woman, and now... here. Back in his twelve-year-old body. Back when the world still made sense. When his biggest worries were exam scores and whether he'd embarrass himself in front of Mia Storm.
Back when his parents were still alive...
His chest tightened at the thought. They were alive right now. Not just alive - they were probably going about their daily routines, completely unaware that their son had just lived an entire lifeti without them. He wanted, more than anything, to see them. But from this place...
He should write them a letter soon then.
The lack of long-distance communication crystals in this era ant that correspondence was still largely done the old way. The current crystals could barely manage conversations across a city block, nothing like the continent-spanning network that would revolutionize communication in a few years. For now, his parents were just a letter away - achingly close, yet frustratingly distant.
Adom's exhaled as his thoughts drifted to all the possibilities this opportunity at a second chance gave him.
Maybe this ti he could actually see those places he'd only dread about. He could wander through elven cities, explore the depths of dwarven strongholds...
At this point in ti, getting a travel permit to any non-human territory would be nearly impossible. The elves especially were notorious for turning away human visitors - sothing about "preserving cultural purity," though everyone knew it was more about the lingering tensions from the perpetual conflicts.
The dwarves were slightly more welcoming, if only because they enjoyed trading their talwork. Still, they rarely allowed humans past their surface markets. The deeper halls of their cities remained a mystery to most.
An adventurer's license would help - it was one of the few docunts respected across all territories. He'd seen a few lucky guild mbers brandish those badges like keys to the world. But getting one ant proving yourself capable of handling whatever dangers lay beyond city walls and dungeons. No small feat for a twelve-year-old, even one with sixty years of mories.
He smiled, picturing himself at so small tavern in a far-off port, trying dishes he couldn't pronounce, trading stories with travelers from across the sea. Or maybe camping under strange stars, sharing a al with new friends around a campfire. Simple pleasures he'd never gotten to experience in his previous life.
Then, when he got tired of all the traveling, he could find a quiet place sowhere, eventually. A little ho where he could grow his own herbs and vegetables, invite friends over for dinner, watch the seasons change...
"Ah, damn it."
Adom's smile faded as reality crashed back. These sorts of thoughts in his situation should not be welco. All those dreams ant nothing if he didn't prevent what was coming. That's what the deal had really been about, hadn't it? Not a gift, but a responsibility wrapped in the illusion of choice.
The magnitude of what lay ahead of him was almost overwhelming. He had decades now - decades to prevent the catastrophes he knew were coming. The Valanya Breach. The Fall of Sundar. The Great Collapse. The World Dungeon. Among others. So many others.
All the horrors that would transform the world into the wasteland he'd just left. And he had to do it all starting as a 12-year-old boy who still had to stand on tiptoe to reach the higher shelves in the library.
I guess it could have been worse... He thought as he imagined himself coming back as an infant. Still, that would have left him ti to enjoy the little things of life too.
...Okay, maybe this was worse after all.
Anyway!
Adom sat up.
Before he could even begin to tackle that monuntal task, there was sothing else he needed to understand. That blue thing - that strange, shimring presence he kept seeing today.
It appeared every ti he worked with mana now, sothing he'd never noticed in his first life. Whatever it was, it definitely hadn't been there before.
As if responding to his thoughts, the blue shimr coalesced in front of him, transforming into a translucent window of information:
[Na: Adom Sylla]
[Race: Human]
[Life Force: 100/100]
[Class: Mage (Runicologist*)]
[Mana Pool: 387/400]
[Unique Skills]
[Identify] (Very Rare)
[Inventory] (Very Rare)
[Active Skills]
[None]
[Passive Skills]
[None]
[Stats]
[Expand to see more...]
[Physical Condition: Very Weak]
Suggestion: Physical training required. Current body requires conditioning to handle advanced magical output.
"Whoa..." The mont he saw it, an instinctual understanding flooded his mind. The System - that's what this was.
But how did it work exactly?
He reached for his notebook and quill on the bedside table. "Let's test this inventory thing," he muttered, tapping the [Inventory] section. Five empty slots appeared before him, shimring with a faint blue light.
Cautiously, he held out the notebook toward the first slot. The item seed to dissolve into motes of light before vanishing completely. He did the sa with the quill in the second slot.
"Interesting... It's like a dinsional storage bag, but with fixed slots instead of space limitations."
As if responding to his musing, text appeared below the inventory display:
[Maximum item dinsions per slot: 2m x 2m x 2m]
[Maximum item weight per slot: 200kg]
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
"Oh, so you're interactive," Adom said, raising an eyebrow. He retrieved the notebook and quill with a simple thought, watching them materialize in his hands. "Convenient."
Then he put them back in.
His eyes drifted to [Identify].
"What's this about?" he wondered aloud.
[Identify: Reveals basic information about objects, creatures, and phenona.]
He tested it on his notebook:
[Notebook]
Class (Quality): D (Poor)
Durability: 72%
Notes: Contains various spell diagrams and half-finished howork assignnts. Several pages have ink stains.
"Huh." Adom flipped through the notebook, confirming the accuracy of the description. "That could be useful." He turned his gaze to the shimring window itself:
[System Interface]
Type: Unique
Status: Bonded
Notes: A manifestation of the agreent. Further features will unlock as conditions are t.
Well, that was deliberately vague.
"Wait," Adom said, frowning. "This Identify ability, and the Inventory too—I never had these before. These aren't natural abilities, are they? They don't even seem to use mana."
[Correct. Identify and Inventory are unique gifts provided as part of the agreent. They do not consu mana and function independent of normal magical principles.]
"Gifts?" Adom's eyebrows rose. "So you do provide so abilities directly."
[Only these two. All other capabilities must be developed naturally. The System primarily asures and categorizes your existing potential rather than granting new powers.]
The agreent...
His eyes moved down the window, noting the detailed stat breakdown:
[Physical Stats]
Strength: 6
Agility: 8
Stamina: 5
Dexterity: 7
[ntal Stats]
Intelligence: 142
Wisdom: 138
Focus: 91
mory: 145
[Basic Abilities]
Reading: Advanced
Writing: Advanced
Mathematics: Interdiate
Physical Education: Poor
And dozens more...
"Another question," Adom said, frowning at the stats display. "These numbers - what exactly do they an?"
[Stats reflect asurable physical and ntal capabilities. For example: Current Strength rating of 6 indicates ability to lift approximately 60kg maximum weight]
"Just 60kg? I think I can lift more." He replied, flexing his tiny biceps.
[...No. You cannot. Please refrain from hurting yourself.]
"Why do you have to say it like..." Adom trailed off, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You know what? Never mind. Just... how do these numbers increase?"
[Through natural developnt. Would you like a demonstration?]
"Sure."
[Perform a push-up]
"A push-up? Is this really necessary?"
[Demonstration optional. Physical exercise one of many thods for natural strength developnt]
"No, no, I'll do it," Adom got down on the floor, sowhat awkwardly. He managed one push-up, arms trembling slightly.
[Again]
He complied, breathing harder this ti.
[Again]
By the sixth push-up, his arms were shaking. "I don't see how this-"
[Continue]
The ninth push-up was a struggle. His muscles burned.
[Two more. Physical improvent requires pushing limits]
Gritting his teeth, Adom forced himself through the tenth, then the eleventh push-up. His arms felt like jelly.
[One final repetition]
With a grunt, he managed the twelfth push-up before collapsing onto the floor, panting.
A small notification appeared:
[Physical exertion past normal limits has resulted in natural body strengthening]
[Strength: 1/1000]
[Stamina: 1/1000]
"What's..." Adom panted, still on his hands and knees, "what's with the plus one?"
[Progress asured on scale of 1000.]
[Current status: Strength 6 (1/1000) - 0.1% progress toward Strength 7
When progress reaches 1000/1000:
Level increases to Strength 7Maximum lift capacity increases to 70kgProgress resets to 0/1000
Sa principle applies to all physical attributes]
"So," Adom said between breaths, "you didn't give those stats. My body actually got stronger from the exercise?"
[Correct. Each full stat point represents significant physical developnt. Example: Strength 6 to 7 requires approximately:
3 months consistent trainingProper nutritionAdequate restProgressive overload exercises
System rely quantifies natural developnt. Stats will decrease if maintenance exercises are neglected]
In all his years studying magical artifacts and constructs, Adom had never encountered anything quite like this - a system that responded so naturally to thoughts, providing precise information without any visible chanisms or magical circles. He needed to verify its consistency from multiple angles.
"And my mana pool?" he asked, looking at the 387/400 display.
[Mana capacity develops through two natural thods:
Physical conditioning - healthy body supports larger mana poolditation - increases efficiency of mana pathways
Combat training combines both aspects, leading to natural growth]
"So if I want to increase my mana pool..."
[Regular physical exercise and ditation recomnded. Would you like to attempt another set of push-ups?]
"Heh...I think I'll pass for now."
Adom's eyes lingered on his class designation. "What's this little star next to 'Runicologist' for?"
[Indicates current primary specialization path.
Available Mage Paths:
Runicologist (Expert) Diviner (Locked)Battle Mage (Locked)Elentalist (Locked)Alchemist (Locked)Druid (Locked)Healer (Locked)
Complete mastery of all paths enables class evolution: [True Archmage]
'True Archmage'...
Among humans, that title had never been more than an honorary position. The current Archmage, Sir Gaius, while undoubtedly powerful, was simply an exceptional battle mage who'd been chosen to oversee the Magisterium—a towering bastion of arcane authority responsible for governing and safeguarding all matters pertaining to mages and magic within the Empire of Sundar.
His role was more administrative than anything: protecting and directing the Empire's mages.
And because humans needed the position to be filled, if only to avoid the embarrassnt of being mocked for having none, soone like Sir Gaius had been the natural choice.
The elves, now they had a genuine True Archmage. Adom had never seen them personally, but tales spoke of their mastery over all seven paths of magic. The dwarves too had boasted one, until their passing two centuries ago. But humans? The task seed beyond their reach.
Even with magic extending their natural lifespan - assuming they weren't cut down early - human mages typically lived to around 150 years. Lady Verana had set the record at 202, and even she had only fully mastered two paths. The ti required to truly master all aspects of magic, to reach the pinnacle of each specialization... it simply exceeded what even the longest-lived humans could achieve.
So human mages faced an impossible choice - either spread themselves thin attempting to learn everything, becoming diocre at all, or focus on one path while barely scratching the surface of the others. Even those rare few who managed to master two paths had dedicated their entire lives to the pursuit.
A thought nagged at Adom's mind as he considered his situation.
In his past life, He had never been intentionally placed on the frontlines. His role had always been more cerebral than physical—he was a researcher, a scholar, soone whose value ca from deciphering magical theory, not wielding it in open combat. That position ca with protections, but also restrictions. He'd operated under the weight of oversight, protocol, and chains of command. His movents had been limited. His voice, even with its authority, had to be carefully asured.
And in the world that was coming—the one he alone rembered—such constraints could prove fatal.
This ti, things had to be different. He couldn't afford to stand behind the lines, trusting others to act. He needed the freedom to move, to intervene, to act without waiting for permission.
At Xerkes, the path-choosing ceremony was a pivotal mont in every student's third year. After experiencing the basics of all seven magical disciplines in their first two years, students would gather in the Celestial Pavilion during the spring equinox. There, before the Academy's masters and their peers, they would declare their chosen path. It was more a tradition, really.
In his previous life, Adom had stood proudly before the maesters and chosen the path of runes. He rembered how natural that choice had felt, how right. But next spring, when his turn ca again, he'd have to make a different choice.
A different choice...
He would be fighting—there was no avoiding that. Not just wild beasts or dungeon creatures, but people. Mages. Knights. Rogue guilds. Even governnts. He’d need to be able to defend himself and strike preemptively when required.
And not just that—he’d be moving constantly.
Across cities, through borderlands, into places most people wouldn’t dare step. The mission he carried wasn’t one that would be served from behind a desk or buried in a library scroll. Freedom of movent was non-negotiable. Waiting for official permissions, asking for escorts, petitioning councils? That would only slow him down—and he didn’t have ti to waste.
But the future he rembered held threats far larger than anything one man could face alone. There would be monts where he’d need more than independence—he’d need influence. Authority. The ability to rally others, command forces, mobilize armies if it ca to that.
So what kind of mage could do all of that?
One path. Only one.
The Battle Mage.
Crossing his legs, Adom focused on his mana core, that well of energy nestled deep within. The mana pathways throughout his body were still developing - they would continue to do so until he turned twenty-one. Like a second circulatory system, they carried mana instead of blood. He could feel the potential there, raw and untapped.
It was fascinating how knights used the sa energy so differently. While mages like himself could manipulate raw mana directly, knights compressed it into what they called 'Fluid,' transforming it into pure physical enhancent. Battle mages were unique in that they learned both arts - pure mana manipulation and Fluid transformation.
"I wonder..." Adom murmured, trying to recall those basic lessons from his father. Perhaps he could get a head start on the path.
He closed his eyes, recalling his father's patient instructions from years ago. His old man had spent countless hours trying to teach his academically-inclined son how to transform mana into Fluid. The knowledge was still there, buried in his mories - the theory, the process, the visualization.
"Feel it," his father would say, "let your emotions guide the transformation."
A droplet of sweat rolled down Adom's temple as he concentrated on his mana core. The energy was there, swirling, ready to be used. But Fluid required sothing more than just technical understanding. It needed emotion - raw, powerful, overwhelming emotion.
He'd always found that requirent ridiculous. The idea that feelings could catalyze a physical transformation of energy seed absurd to his analytical mind. Yet history proved otherwise. Every knight, every battle mage who'd ever manifested Fluid had done so through the power of their emotions. Rage, exhilaration, love, despair - any emotion would do, as long as it burned hot enough.
The problem was quantifying that "hot enough." How much emotion was sufficient? How did one asure the intensity of a feeling?
Adom focused on his current emotional state. Joy bubbled within him at his second chance at life. Anxiety churned in his stomach about the challenges ahead. Hope burned bright when he thought about changing his fate. He tried to amplify these feelings, to let them fill his entire being.
The mana in his core responded, stirring faster, flowing through his pathways with increased speed. But despite his concentration, despite the sweat now dripping down his face, the crucial transformation remained elusive. His mana stayed as it was - raw, untransford energy.
With a frustrated sigh, he opened his eyes. Perhaps he needed sothing stronger than hope and anxiety to trigger his first transformation.
A small window expanded as Adom kept pondering:
[Alert]
[Life Force Status: Currently stable]
[Warning: Potential developnt of Lifedrain Syndro detected]
[First symptoms estimated to manifest within 2-3 months without intervention]
Adom's breath caught in his throat. Lifedrain Syndro. The magical degradation that had slowly eaten away at his body for decades. It wasn't until he was in his fifties, after years of research and desperate searches for a cure, that he'd discovered the cruel truth - his body had been prone to it from birth.
His perpetually skinny fra, which no amount of food could ever change, every unexplained exhaustion, every failed attempt to build stamina during his childhood - they hadn't been normal weakness. They were early symptoms no one knew to look for.
He rembered the concerned looks from the school healers during his second year at Xerkes, He was exactly his current body's age when the first visible symptoms had appeared in his previous life. The way they'd dismissed the occasional tremors and mana fluctuations as puberty-related magical instability.
As if responding to his mounting dread, a new window materialized:
[System Protocol: Tiline Divergence Detected]
[Initiating Ergency Quest: “The Race Against Ti”]
Objective: Cure Lifedrain Syndro before visible symptoms manifest.
Ti Limit: 2 months, 21 days, 14 hours, 48 minutes
Failure Condition: Terminal deterioration
Reward: Survival
Adom stared at the glowing text.
He had spent his entire forr life slowly losing a battle he didn’t know had started. Not this ti.
This ti, he would win.
[Quest Logged]
User Comments
0 comments from readers