The flickering flame in Max's hand danced gently, its glow lighting the dim corners of his room. He stared at it in silence, afraid that if he blinked, it would vanish—that it had all been a dream.
But the heat was real.
So was the power.
The screen flickered again:
[Quest Complete: Ignite Your First Flame]
[Reward Unlocked: Basic Fire Manipulation – Level 1]
[New Quest Available: Command the Earth]
Max waved his hand, and the fire extinguished with a whisper. "Command the earth?" he murmured, scrolling through the new quest.
[Beginner Quest: Move a Stone]
Objective: Shift an object using Earth Mana
Reward: Basic Earth Manipulation
Tip: Focus on the weight of the world beneath you.
He stood and paced his tiny room. A cracked piece of tile near his bed caught his eye. Kneeling beside it, Max placed his hand on the ground and closed his eyes.
He reached inward, into that strange well of power that had awakened only hours ago. The system whispered, guiding him. "Feel the solidity… the weight… the resistance…"
Max gritted his teeth.
Suddenly, the tile twitched. Then trembled. Then, with a jolt, it jumped into his palm.
His eyes flew open. The tile hovered slightly, surrounded by a faint brown glow, before falling back to the floor with a clatter.
[Quest Complete: Move a Stone]
[Reward Unlocked: Basic Earth Manipulation – Level 1]
He let out a breath, heart racing.
He had just used two different elements in one night. Something only the most elite blue talents could dream of. But Max… was green on paper.
[Alert: Hidden Class Awakening in Progress]
[Synchronizing Host Potential…]
[Estimated Time Until First Core Expansion: 3 days]
Max frowned. "Core expansion?"
[Mana Core Expansion is the evolution of your ability to store and manipulate mana. Most people achieve it once in their lifetime.]
[You, Host, are eligible for multiple expansions due to Tier 11 compatibility.]
Max collapsed onto the bed, overwhelmed.
"I need answers," he whispered. "Why me? Why this necklace?"
No reply came. Only silence. Then, as if summoned by his thoughts, a new panel opened.
[Memory Fragment Unlocked: Peter's Message]
A flickering blue light projected from the necklace. Max sat upright, eyes wide, as the silhouette of a man—tired, battle-worn—appeared.
"Max… if you're seeing this, I'm probably gone."
The man's voice was deep, and there was pain in it.
"My name is Peter. I'm your father. I gave you this necklace when you were a baby because I knew they would come for it—and for you."
Max stared in disbelief, frozen.
"This world… it's not as you think. The Board, your mother's friends—they're not heroes. They want power. And the artifact in that necklace… it's the key."
Peter's voice faded, glitching for a moment.
"They'll come for you, Max. Hide your strength. Learn. Survive. When the time is right… rise."
The projection ended. Silence returned.
Max's chest rose and fell rapidly.
His father—Peter—one of the original four who saved the world… was dead. Killed by the others.
And Max was now carrying the very thing they had killed him for.
He clenched his fists.
"They think I'm weak," he said, voice shaking. "Good. Let them think that."
He looked down at the necklace. "I'll master this power. I'll expose the truth."
And then, for the first time in his life… Max smiled.
It was not the smile of a boy.
It was the smile of someone who had just been reborn.