My mom lifted me from the chair where I pretended to be asleep. She hugged me, then followed my aunt to a room on the second floor.
Aunt Merry opened the door, saying, "This is the finest room available, complete with an attached bath," showcasing her business acumen.
Mom placed me on the bed, tucked a blanket around me, and kissed me gently before going downstairs with Aunt Merry.
"What's up, Helena? Anything wrong?"
Walking down the staircase, Helena replied, "Zeun has woken up but is still pretending to be asleep. On another note, I think it's better to do as you said. Not letting our children meet each other. I don't want to burden my kid anymore. All I want is to give him a happy and memorable childhood free from all worries. For that, I'll do everything in my capabilities."
Merry nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, I agree too, but what do you plan to do? Oh, also, I don't know anything about your situation, so fill me up first."
Helena nodded. "Hmm. I came downstairs to talk to you. Do you have milk? He might still be hungry."
"Yes, I do have extra milk in the pan. Let's warm the milk, and you fill me up with the details about you and Paul."
Helena put the milk pan on the cooking place as Merry lit the fire using magic. Yes, Merry was a mage who specialized in fire.
With a deep sigh, Helena started from the day Zeun was born...
... ...
As the story unfolded, Merry struggled to contain her temper, feeling her body ablaze. The cotton attire she wore transformed into ashes, leaving only the fire-resistant leather blouse and shorts intact.
Overwhelmed with grief, Merry was tormented by the inability to aid her best friend in a moment of need. Bitterness consumed her, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
...
"Finally, we arrived at Kroton, and it has been more than three years since then."
"Though it feels like a drunkard's gossip that you entered the Everlost Forest and survived, I can't find any valid reason not to believe you; otherwise, you would be already dead. Besides, Paul was the only one who got dragged into the forest even before you met him. He was quite young back then... Anyway, so after arriving at Kroton, everything was fine, I guess?" inquired Merry. "I'm happy that you survived and didn't let Paul's effort be in vain," she mumbled with bitterness in her heart.
...
Helena momentarily looked at her, then continued, "Life was good, but I sensed my money might run short. For the next few years, I hunted to make ends meet. Then one day, impulsively, I decided to have a daughter using the pregnancy bottle Paul had given me. It was a quick choice, but I don't regret it, and Zeun was happy about it too."
Helena sighed deeply before speaking again...
"I quit hunting once I had enough money. Things were calm until Zeun's memory seal began to weaken. To ease his pain, I searched for a cure before it got worse. The library revealed the remedy: a darkness crystal. It cost me a fortune, and now I only have two to three years' worth of money left."
"Then what's the problem? You can earn after three years. Until then, why not stay in the village? Safety comes first, and only then are other things possible," Merry suggested.
"Hmm. Okay, but I actually wanted to send Zeun to at least a basic school. He's extremely interested in magic. I don't think I can stop him for two years... This is the reason I came to this city... to admit him into a Basic Kindergarten," Helena explained with an exasperated tone, as if she now had to return without gaining anything.
"Helena, one thing I can't understand is why you're so eager to send him to school? He's only four... literally only four years old... Why the heck would you pressure him? Isn't this the age for children to play around!" Merry exclaimed with a bit of anger in her tone.
(Note: Basic schools are open for all at age six.)
"Because he's self-awakened," Helena replied with a calm tone, not minding her friend's behavior. She, too, would do the same in her friend's position.
"W-WHAT? I think I heard something wrong. Can you please repeat what you just said?" Merry requested, not believing her own ears.
Helena confirmed, "You heard right. He is a self-awakened."
Merry simply stared. "???" Her silence was profound.
Mana Awakening: Two Paths
There are two primary types of mana awakening in this world:
Naturally Awakened:
Process: Training (age 6-10, Vessel formation) ⟹ Temporary mana collection ⟹ Awakening Orb (age 10) ⟹ Mana Vein
Explanation: In Natural Awakening, a child generally has to train their body for at least two years to make it a suitable vessel to temporarily contain mana. This is because children have weak and undeveloped bodies and cannot contain excess mana like adults.
Self-Awakened:
Process: Mana absorption ⟹ Vessel Formation ⟹ Mana Vein ⟹ Awakening Orb (age 10)
Explanation: This path signifies a rare, innate ability to absorb mana without prior physical conditioning, leading to accelerated development.
Talent vs. Hardwork
All beings in this world contain mana. The difference between talented and hardworking individuals largely impacts their awakening process:
Hardworking Individuals:
Affinity: Those with less affinity towards mana.
Capacity: They have a naturally lower initial limit of mana capacity in their bodies.
Potential: Hardworking individuals gain the results of their effort during their Second Awakening, as their body is matured, bearing the fruit of early efforts and thereby increasing their potential. (Potential variable).
Talented individuals, however, are a different breed:
Talented Individuals:
Affinity: They possess a natural affinity for mana, allowing them to contain more mana than average individuals.
Training: They typically only require 8 to 12 months of training at most before reaching their body's limit. (Potential variable).
Beyond hardworking and talented individuals, there are the true prodigies:
Geniuses:
Composition: They represent the pinnacle of magical aptitude, combining high mana affinity with intense dedication (talent + hard work).
Training: Geniuses train for years under expert guidance and with abundant resources from childhood, prior to their First Awakening.
Distinction: This rigorous preparation often leads them to gain an Elemental's Favorite blessing during their First Awakening at the age of ten.
Societal Standing: These individuals are typically found among High Nobles, Rich Merchants, or Royals.
Potential: They possess the potential to reach the 9th Circle in their lifetime.
For example, if a normal 1st Circle Fireball causes a maximum of 200 damage, its damage will increase as follows based on elemental blessings:
Elemental's Favorite: Affinity with that element increases above the normal margin.
(200 + 50 = 250 damage — 25% additional damage)
Elemental's Guide: Can guide a part of the element and use it as their will, with less mana than required.
(200 + 100 = 300 damage — 50% additional damage)
Elemental's Child: Can control a large portion of that element with their will and the least amount of mana possible.
(200 + 400 = 600 damage — 200% additional damage)
Elemental's Crown Prince: (Requirements: 10th Circle Mage) Can integrate oneself with elements and command all elements surrounding them.
(Damage % — Unknown)
Mages in this world can wield all types of elements at the beginning. But after Awakening, the orb shows an individual which is the best element for them to persue so that they can gain affinity with their favourable elements during their 2nd awakening.
MONSTERS = Genius + Luck :
Self-Awakening: As the name suggests, these individuals awaken on their own, representing the polar opposite of Natural Awakens.
Process: They first absorb large amounts of mana from the environment, then form their vessel, and subsequently use that mana to form mana veins before their First Awakening. They undergo the First Awakening at age ten solely to gain the blessings of an Elemental's Child.
Nature: These are the true "monsters" in existence and cannot be defined by common sense.
(Note: The requirements for Self-Awakening are unknown to most people.)
________________________________________
The process of achieving such power is incredibly rare, with the chances of success being one in a million.
First Condition: Forcibly Gaining Mana Affinity Above Talented Individuals
An infant must stay in a saturated mana environment for years before the age of ten, which is extremely taxing for a child.
Survival Rate: Only 0.01% survive (100 per million). The rest of the children die at this stage and turn into Mana Zombies due to excess mana entering their brains.
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Path 1 (Forced Awakening - Extremely Dangerous)
First Condition: Forcibly Gaining Mana Affinity Above Talented Individuals
An infant must stay in a saturated mana environment for years before the age of ten, which is extremely taxing for a child.
Survival Rate: Only 0.01% survive (100 per million). The rest of the children die at this stage and turn into Mana Zombies due to excess mana entering their brains.
Second Condition: Training in a Specific Elemental Environment
This involves training under a certain Elemental environment, with only a 1% success rate (meaning only 1 out of 100 might survive).Examples:To gain Ice/Water affinity, one must stay in temperatures below -100°C or drown in the depths of the ocean.In both conditions, the individual must somehow use mana to survive.
If one survives these two rigorous trainings for six to eight years, then congratulations: they are a Self-Awakened individual and belong to the "one in a million" group.
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Path 2 (Natural, but still Rare and Risky)
First Condition: Innate Mana Absorption
This is the most natural and safest path: an innate ability to absorb mana from birth or to understand and absorb mana from the environment.
Second Condition: Extreme Emotional Turbulence
This involves an extreme emotional turbulence causing psychopathic disorder.
Example: A village or one's nearest or dearest loved one is burnt in front of their eyes. The individual somehow survives using mana, but the others are dead, causing mental instability, pain, emotional turbulence, etc.
Outcome: Even with these conditions, one may or may not self-awaken.
______________
Merry's mind went blank; she never imagined interacting with a Self-Awakened being, let alone her own nephew. A genius? No, that was the wrong word; he was more like a monster. Her imagination ran wild, and her face flushed red.
Calming herself down, she asked with seriousness, "Helena, this is a serious issue. Who else, other than me, knows this?"
"No one, not even Zeun himself. I'm telling you this because you're closer than my blood sister to me," Helena said with a gentle smile.
Seeing her gentle smile, Merry had a bad premonition. Thinking for a bit, she understood where this bad feeling was coming from.
"Damn you! Helena, you sly old fox! How can you be so cunning when things involve your loved ones? Now that I too know about Zeun—that he's an Elemental's Child—if any powerhouse discovers him, it would also implicate me and my daughter. Sly bitch!" Merry cursed Helena to her face.
"Oohh. Quite daring of you, huh? You old perverted slut. You drooled on my child a few hours ago, and now you're blaming me... blame your own greed..."
A fresh wave of curses and bickering erupted between the two old friends. Luckily, Zeun wasn't around, and they had created a sound barrier in the kitchen before their conversation. Otherwise, who knows how many men would have suffered a heart attack hearing their goddesses arguing and exchanging curses.
One hour later, Helena entered the room with a plate of bread, warm milk, and honey. Zeun, lying on the bed and looking at the ceiling, glanced at his mom as if waiting for her arrival.
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Thank you for Reading :-)