I woke up about four hours later, it seed the Tier-Up had knocked unconscious.
Taking a few deep breaths, I tried to empty my mind and steady my thoughts.
When I stood, I realized I had fainted while still sitting in a lotus position; my legs were completely numb. I waited for the blood to flow back, then did a few light jumps and stretches to shake off the stiffness.
After a few minutes of stretching, I sat down again, crossing my legs and focusing inward to sense the mana within . I felt the sa mist of energy gathered near my heart; I could also feel a node pulsing faintly beside it. Slowly, I sensed six more: one at the crown of my head, one between my brows, one at my throat, one at my solar plexus, one near my navel, and the last at the base of my spine.
They felt like closed valves. I assud I would need to clear these seven nodes to advance to Tier 3. But I didn’t try to start right away. Now that I’d broken through, there was a chance I could access the library again, and I wanted to study first, to see if there were any proper techniques for cleansing the mana nodes. If the library didn’t have what I needed, I’d ask Walter for guidance. My internal mana system wasn’t sothing I could afford to take lightly.
The next thing I did was check my status to see what had changed.
Status
Mana Cultivation: Tier 1 – 50 → 100
Tier 1 → Tier 2
Class Progression:
[Junior Officer (Cadet)] – Level 15 (900 / 1500 EXP)
525 XP — Night Watch
300 XP — Intelligence Report
675 XP — Fortification of Fort
400 XP — Leading Four in Fortification Effort
Level 14 → Level 15
Class Skills
[Applied Military Theory (UC)] – Level 13 → 20[Soldier’s March (C)] – Level 24 → 25[Perceptive Instinct (UC)] – Level 5 → 6[Minor Restoration (C)] – Level 24 → 25[mory Recall (UC)] – Level 12 → 18[Basic Rune Theory (C)] – Level 20 → 25[Siege Rigging (C)] – Level 15 → 22[Map Reading (C)] - Level 18 → 20
Physical Attributes
Constitution: 21.9 → 22.5 → 25.5Strength: 21 → 21.5 → 24.5Agility: 15.9 → 16.2 → 19.2
Spiritual Attributes
Intelligence: 22.6 → 24.2 → 27.2Wisdom: 16.9 → 18.2 → 21.2Willpower: 12.3 → 13.7 → 16.7
Na: Edward
Novice Class: [Junior Officer (Cadet)] – Level 15 (900 / 1500 EXP)
Elental Affinity: 0.1% Wind
Mana Cultivation: Tier 2 (00 / 100)
Mana Nodes: 0 / 7
HP: 255 / 255
HP Regen: 69.2 / day
MP: 684 → 1368
MP Regen: 65.1 → 130.2 / hr
Class Skills
• [Applied Military Theory (UC)] – Level 20
• [Soldier’s March (C)] – Level 25*
• [Defensive Spearplay (C)] – Level 25*
• [Perceptive Instinct (UC)] – Level 1
• [Minor Restoration (C)] – Level 25*
General Skills
• [mory Recall (UC)] – Level 18
• [Field dicine (C)] – Level 22
• [Basic Rune Theory (C)] – Level 20
• [Siege Rigging (C)] – Level 15
• [Map Reading (C)] – Level 20
• [Mana Sensitivity (C)] – Level 25*
• [Hand-to-Hand Combat (C)] – Level 25*
After seeing my mana, I did a quick calculation. It looked like my total mana had doubled beyond what it should be from stats alone, along with my mana regeneration rate.
It felt… incredible. Every technique would now last twice as long. Then ca the bigger surprise: all my stats had increased by three points.
Reviewing my experience log again reminded how much my class favored leadership tasks. Five days of leading and managing conscripts had earned 400 experience, while twenty days of trench digging and nearly the sa spent drawing runes had only given 675.
Finally, I checked my skills. Most of my class skills now sat at or near their thresholds, just as I’d hoped to push them all to Uncommon before advancing my class tier.
But before I could plan my next round of training, the morning delivered one more surprise, two skill upgrade notifications appeared in front of .
Skill [Hand-to-Hand Combat (C)] available for upgrade
[Hand-to-Hand Combat (C)] → [Mana Reinforcent (UC)]
Type: Physical–Mana Hybrid Skill (Augntation / Combat)
Associated Attributes: Strength, Constitution, Willpower
Description:
[Mana Reinforcent] refines the fundantal chanics of close-quarters combat through direct mana infusion. Instead of relying solely on muscle tension or kinetic transfer, the user channels mana into specific muscle groups, tendons, or skeletal structures, montarily exceeding natural limits.
Effects:
Localized Reinforcent: Targeted mana infusion to enhance strength or endurance.Reactive Hardening: Thin mana layer forms at impact point, reducing damage.Montum Amplification: Converts motion into compressed mana force.
[Mana Sensitivity (C)] → [Mana Manipulation (UC)]
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Type: Core Mana Control Skill (Projection / Precision)
Associated Attributes: Intelligence, Wisdom, Willpower
Description:
[Mana Manipulation] advances the user’s connection to mana from passive awareness to active control. Through disciplined resonance between internal and ambient mana, the user learns to extend their influence beyond the body’s natural boundary.
Effects:
External Channeling: Allows projection of internal mana beyond the skin within a limited radius.Directed Flow: Enables shaping mana into streams or concentrated nodes for later spellcasting or reinforcent applications.
This ti, I didn’t wait or hope for better options. These were the skills I’d been aiming for, and honestly, I wasn’t even sure if anything stronger existed at this stage.
[Mana Reinforcent] had been Walter’s recomndation; he’d once said it was the mark of elite, low-affinity soldiers.
And [Mana Manipulation]... that was the one I’d been hoping for all along. I already had plans to experint with it, to see how it could integrate with my other skills.
I drew a long breath, feeling the pulse of mana coursing through . For a fleeting mont, I felt like I could take on a steelbeak alone. Then, just as quickly, I knew I’d need another sparring session with Walter to rein in that confidence.
For now, I sat on my bedroll for a few quiet minutes, relishing the mont, whispering silent thanks to whatever gods this world had for placing in the sa squad as Walter. Most of my progress was because of him. His brutal training had reshaped , pushing to think and use my skills in creative ways.
Now, with Tier 2 mana cultivation, I should be able to stand toe-to-toe with early Tier 2 beasts. At the very least, it should increase my chances of survival when the beast tide cos.
When the calm finally settled, I stood, washed my face, and gathered the intelligence reports I’d prepared. I’d spent enough ti reflecting on my progress, now it was ti for duty.
I made my way to the command building, it had beco a familiar place. Guards nodded as I passed, and a few clerks recognized from my weekly submissions.
I’d already handed my report to Sergeant Fenward yesterday. This one was for Lieutenant Fenward.
The lieutenant’s office was quiet when I arrived. I was admitted after a short wait.
Fenward looked up from his desk as soon as I entered. His head snapped toward with a frown, alert, guarded.
I saluted. “Good morning, sir!”
“At ease,” he said, but his brow stayed furrowed.
“Everything alright, sir?” I asked, unsure what had drawn that look.
“Yeah… you have the report?” His eyes didn’t leave .
“Yes, sir.” I passed it over.
He set the report aside but kept eyeing , as if trying to figure sothing out. It was unusual, Lieutenant Fenward had always been fair with . He was the one who’d suggested I approach Walter, which eventually led to our training sessions. He’d also shown my runes to the Rune-Master, allowing to etch independently on the trenches, and had recently granted authority over the conscripts. But right now, he looked distant and thoughtful.
“Sir,” I said, trying to ignore his expression and focus on what I’d been aning to ask for the past few days. “If it’s not rude, I wanted to ask about my next assignnt. The sapper work should finish in about two months, leaving another two before the beast tide. I’d like to request additional training, specifically in field dicine. My specialization from Stonegate only covers healing for Tier 1 and early Tier 2. I can’t treat higher-tier injuries effectively, and that could make a real difference during the siege.”
I’d asked Walter once during our training why he’d refused the healing paste I made after our fight with the Steelbeaks. He told it wasn’t that the paste was weak, it was that his mana, as a high Tier 2, was already strong enough to accelerate healing on its own. My mixture’s effects would’ve been negligible.
He shook his head. “No. To heal soone at Tier 3, you’d need at least Tier 2 mana cultivation.”
“Oh,” I said, realizing the irony. “Sorry for not reporting it earlier, sir. That was next on my list… but I broke through to Tier 2 this morning.”
Fenward froze. Then, for the first ti since I’d known him, he stood abruptly.
“So that’s what I was feeling…” he muttered under his breath.
“You really broke through?” he asked again, his tone shifting, part disbelief, part relief.
“Yes, sir.”
His eyes lingered on for a mont longer, studying. Then he straightened. “Wait outside. I need to verify sothing with the Captain.”
He gestured toward the hall, already reaching for his cloak.
“Yes, sir.”
We stepped out together. He closed his office door behind him and walked off without another word.
I sat waiting.
Minutes passed. Then tens of them.
I tried not to think, but my mind, refused to cooperate.
Had I done sothing wrong?
Could breaking through without reporting it count as a breach of protocol?
Would I be court-martialed?
Would they strip my rank? Reassign ?
By the thirtieth minute, I was imagining absurd futures, living in disgrace in so small town, unable to find a reputable job because of a court-martial, barred from any proper posting.
Fort clerks passed by occasionally, glancing at . The more they looked, the harder it beca to breathe.
Finally, after about forty-five minutes, the lieutenant returned.
He stopped in front of , his expression conflicted, half amusent, half fatigue.
“I had to confirm a few things about you,” he said finally.
“Sir?”
Fenward shook his head, exhaling through his nose. “I’m still deciding if you’re exceptionally gifted or just reckless enough to survive your own luck.”
He crossed his arms, the faintest trace of a smirk tugging at his mouth.
“I co from a minor noble family, Cadet. I’ve seen prodigies, but I’ve never seen anyone break through to Tier 2 this young. That makes you gifted, but doing it without supervision makes you dangerously reckless.”
His tone hardened again.
“Listen carefully. If your mana cultivation rises too far above your class tier, you risk crippling your internal mana system. You could die, or worse, end up as powerless as the unawakened. Don’t cultivate any further until your class advances to Tier 2. That’s an order.”
“Yes, sir,” I said quickly. A cold realization settled over . After being called a scholar so many tis in the last year and a half, and comforting myself with extra knowledge whenever I fell behind physically, I had convinced myself that I was the most knowledgeable in the room, and forgotten that books could never replace real experience. I should have asked Walter, or soone, when my mana cultivation reached a hundred… maybe even before that.
Maybe Lieutenant Fenward noticed the worry on my face, because his expression softened.
“Still… congratulations on the breakthrough. You’ve earned it.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“As for your request, advanced healing training isn’t feasible for now. The Rune-Master has already requested your reassignnt once the trench work concludes. However, the Captain has granted limited access: one full day in the library, use it to study review material on healing, and three days in the dical unit. I’ll inform the doctor to answer your questions personally. You can collect your ditation technique from the library as well, but again, do not cultivate before your class reaches Tier 2.”
He straightened. “Dismissed.”
“Yes, sir.”
I saluted and stepped out, my mind still reeling. But I was grateful the lieutenant had given a chance to expand my healing knowledge, and I couldn’t bring myself to be disappointed about being assigned to rune work. Healing was a matter of survival, but my interest in runes had never faded.
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