Julius leaned back slightly, studying me with calm, thoughtful eyes.
"Gifted…" he muttered. "Only a few in this world have that blessing. You see, mana— it's not something born from us. It's a gift. The God of Myrren, the White Tree, blessed humanity with the power to survive."
He pointed at his chest.
"Some people can use mana to strengthen their bodies — they call it chi. Others shape it into spells — they call it magic. But in truth, it's the same essence. The life of the world flowing through every living thing."
He looked toward the open field beyond the house.
"Knights like me learned to channel it into our swords and armor. Mages control it with their mind. Either way, we all depend on the blessing of Myrren. Without her, we'd be nothing but prey for monsters."
Julius's tone shifted, softer but filled with a quiet pride.
"I'm one of them. Back in my days as a knight, I could control mana directly… bend it through my sword and shield."
He looked down at his hands for a moment, as if remembering old battles.
"That power saved many lives… but it also took many."
I nodded slowly, my mind spinning. So mana and chi… they're one and the same?
Julius folded his arms, watching quietly. The air between us felt heavy for a moment before he finally spoke.
"I see it now," he murmured. "All of you… you're Gifted."
We looked at each other, confused. "Gifted? You mean that blessing you mentioned earlier?"
Julius nodded slowly. "Yes. That's why I believed your story about the Ogre. For a group this young to take down such a beast—it's almost impossible. But if all of you carry the God of Myrren's blessing, it makes sense."
He paused, glancing toward the door as if making sure no one was listening.
"To be able to produce this many Gifted from one place… that's shocking. Usually, one out of every hundred people awaken as warriors, assassins, or knights. Mages appear once in a thousand. But priests, healers, paladins…" Julius exhaled, shaking his head. "Only one in ten thousand ever receives that gift."
We went silent, the weight of his words settling in.
He looked at me again, his gaze sharp—almost glowing faintly with mana.
"I can tell what job each of you have with just one glance," he said.
I blinked. "How? You can see our jobs?"
A small smile tugged at his lips. "When your mana has been trained long enough, you start to feel the flow around others. The more mana a person carries, the clearer their presence becomes."
He pointed first toward Hyun Woo. "That one—his energy burns hot. A Paladin, or something close."
Then to Minji. "Cold, sharp, and controlled. Ice magic. A Mage."
And finally, he looked at me. "You, Haru… your mana doesn't sit still. It moves through your body, like a storm waiting to break. A warrior's core—dense, alive, and dangerous."
I scratched my head, still trying to process it all. "So you trained yourself to sense mana like that?"
Julius nodded. "Since I was a child. The more mana you have, the more you understand how it behaves in others. Mages and healers shine brightly with it… priests radiate warmth. But warriors—" he smiled faintly "—warriors bury it deep in their muscles and bones. You can only see a glimpse of it."
He leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing with a knowing look.
"That's why warrior , Swordman and assassins are predictable in battle," he said. "You can sense their intent… their killing aura. But you can't see their full potential until they strike. That's what makes them both dangerous and vulnerable."
His words echoed in my mind. For the first time, I understood what separated a true warrior from the rest. It wasn't just power — it was how you hid it.
We fell quiet again. The thought that all of us were part of something so rare—it was both terrifying and humbling.