It took time for Nova’s crazed laughter to fade into a quiet smile. His composure returned.

  "Now that I’m one with the world I should be able to sense mana" he thought.

  Gripping his spear, he closed his eyes and stood still, reaching out with his senses, searching for the unseen threads that connected him to the world around him.

  Then, he felt it—a breeze that wasn’t a breeze.

  It swept past him, weightless yet vast, carrying the essence of Existence itself. It did not merely touch him; it enveloped him, whispering secrets, urging him to grasp its flow and wield its power.

  Nova latched onto the sensation, immersing himself in its presence, trying to decipher its nature.

  ‘The second step after sensing mana is guiding it inward—near the solar plexus, where the Mana Core is formed.’

  Taking a deep breath, he concentrated, attempting to direct the elusive energy into his body.

  At first, the mana thread barely shifted. Sweat dripped down Nova’s forehead, his concentration tightening to an almost unbearable degree as he willed the thin strand to move.

  When it finally made contact with his skin, it met a subtle but firm resistance, as though his very body were reluctant to accept it. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, and he fought to keep his focus, his strength hanging by a thread as he neared the edge of collapse.

  "GO IN!" Nova screamed within his mind, pouring every ounce of willpower into the command.

  In that instant, the mana thread that had resisted so fiercely offered no opposition. It slipped effortlessly past his skin and into the space near his solar plexus.

  Panting, he reeled from the sudden shift.

  ‘How did it become so easy at the end?’

  The same mana that had fought him tooth and nail had now entered as if it had never resisted at all. He couldn’t make sense of it.

  Shoving the thought aside, a soft chime echoed in his mind. A notification.

  Checking it, his breath caught.

  [Mana Core (1/50000)]

  ‘You must be kidding.’

  Frustration welled within him, but he refused to hesitate. He immediately guided another thread of mana inside.

  [Mana Core (2/50000)]

  The constant chime gnawed at his patience. Gritting his teeth, he focused all his energy on pulling in more mana, determined to fill the void faster.

  Slow at first—each thread an exhausting struggle—but then, something changed. A rhythm emerged, a flow. One thread became two, then four, then dozens. It was as if the act itself fueled its own momentum, like a snowball gathering mass as it rolled downhill.

  Minutes blurred into hours.

  Nova never stopped.

  By the time the first rays of dawn stretched across the sky, he finally exhaled, staggering as the weight of exhaustion crashed down on him. His hair clung to his damp forehead, his clothes soaked in sweat.

  Then, at long last, the notification he had been waiting sixteen grueling hours for rang in his mind.

  [Mana Core (50000/50000)]

  [Mana Core has been formed]

  [Title Mana Novice has been acquired]

  Nova felt a shift deep within him—a connection unlike anything before. It was as if the very fabric of the world wrapped around him, pulling him closer, binding him to its essence. Even wielding his spear had never made him feel this in tune with Existence.

  His senses sharpened, every breath of wind, every flicker of energy now vivid and undeniable.

  Then, a notification echoed in his mind. But, it was one he had never seen before.

  [Status updated]

  ‘Hmm?’ Nova frowned, curiosity flickering in his eyes as he accessed his status.

  [Status]

  Rank: 0

  Name: Nova Grey

  Species: Human

  Affiliation: None

  Level: 6 (170/500)

  Mana: Mana Core (Low) (0/100,000,000)

  Class: None

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  Titles: Goblin Exterminator, Kings Slayer, Survivor, Spear Novice, Troll Exterminator, Orc Exterminator, Rune Novice, Mana Novice

  Stat Points: 131

  Attributes:

  Strength: 127 (+1317)

  Vigor: 100 (+1056)

  Dexterity: 150 (+1589)

  Speed: 110 (+1172)

  Intelligence: 66 (+677)

  Wisdom: 110 (+1128)

  Will: 9

  Luck: 10

  Skills

  Active: Spear Thrust (15) (150/16384000), Spear Jab (15) (19/16384000), Spear Sweep (13) (1149981/4096000), Spear Lunge (10) (789/512000), Spear Overhead Strike (10) (757/512000), Sword Stab (1) (11/1000), Sword Chop (0) (141/500), Sword Sweep (1) (48/1000), Sword Parry (1) (184/1000), Sword Block (0) (497/500).

  Passive: Regeneration (10) (236105/256000), Keen Reflexes (3) (267/4000), Momentum Streak (9) (218696/256000), One with the World (Spear) (MAX), One with the Footwork (MAX).

  ‘It added a new Stat’ Nova thought, his mind racing. He couldn't help but wonder aloud "Are there more hidden stats? If so... how many?"

  He mulled over the possibilities for a moment, before halting abruptly. Something else caught his attention.

  "Is that... 100 million?" Nova's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the EXP required to increase his Mana Core.

  He quickly ran the numbers in his head, muttering, "If I absorb one thread per second, this will take me over three years..." He shook his head, frustration rising.

  With a resigned sigh, he prepared to dive back into his training. But then, two voices reached his ears from outside the villa.

  "BOSS."

  “BOSS.”

  'I don’t know if I should praise their impeccable timing or curse it.' Nova sighed again, his shoulders slumping as he walked toward the entrance. As he moved, he continued to draw in mana from the outside world, feeding it into his Mana Core, trying to get accustomed to the process and striving to make it as natural as breathing.

  Time was precious. He couldn’t afford to waste it. Not when it could take over three years to make even the smallest dent in his progress.

  When he reached the entrance, he saw Darius and Nox standing there, each accompanied by someone. Nova raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.

  "What happened?" he asked.

  Darius stepped forward, a glint in his eye. "I’ve brought someone for you to check out. I wanted them to join my Legion."

  Nox nodded, his expression unreadable. "Same here."

  "Oh?" Nova's gaze shifted to the two newcomers, his curiosity piqued.

  Near Nox stood a young woman of average height, her pale blonde hair cascading in soft waves around her shoulders. Her piercing blue eyes—cold, sharp, almost unnaturally so—seemed to hold a quiet, dangerous intensity. Her expression mirrored the chill of her gaze: distant, aloof. Her right hand rested casually on the hilt of a rapier strapped to her waist.

  Beside Darius was a young man, slightly taller than Darius himself. He had black hair and warm brown eyes, a striking contrast to the woman beside Nox. His demeanor was approachable, his smile polite but guarded. He held no weapon, most likely stored in his Inventory.

  Turning his attention back to Darius and Nox, Nova asked "Who are they?"

  Before they could respond, the young woman's gaze sharpened, her eyes narrowing with icy disdain as they fixed on Nova. A faint but unmistakable mockery lingered in her expression. Meanwhile, the young man beside Darius maintained a neutral expression, his smile still in place.

  Nova, feeling the weight of her gaze, returned her stare with a calm smile. "What?"

  Her lips curled slightly, the words cold and cutting. "You can drop the act. No need to pretend you don’t know us."

  At her words, Nox’s face visibly cooled, the temperature around him seemingly dropping a few degrees. He shot the young woman a piercing glance and said "Apologize."

  The woman ignored him completely, her attention still fixed on Nova.

  Sensing the brewing tension, Nova glanced at Nox, his curiosity growing. "Who is she?" he asked, before turning his gaze to Darius and asking the same question. "And him?"

  Nox’s voice grew colder, each word dripping with restraint. "She’s Neve Whitlock. The one said to be as strong as the young teachers."

  Darius smiled and replied casually, "He’s Elric Everhart. From what I’ve heard, he’s the only one on par with her." He shot Neve a sidelong glance.

  Neve’s disdain was palpable, her gaze cutting like a knife, but she chose to remain silent.

  Nova raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the names. "I heard of them just yesterday... but I didn’t expect you to bring them here so quickly."

  “You wanted her to become a commander of your assassin organization?” Nova asked, eyeing Nox with mild curiosity.

  Nox nodded his expression serious. "Yes, boss... but now, I’m not sure anymore."

  Nova shrugged, uninterested. "Do whatever you want with her." He then shifted topics and said "Anyway, you should name your organization. Calling it 'assassin organization' every time gets old."

  Nox's eye twitched, his frustration clear. "Boss... it already has a name."

  "How is it called?" Nova raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised.

  Nox, pleased with his choice, gave a small smile. "Last View."

  Nova let out a low whistle. "That does sound pretty cool."

  As they continued to chat casually, Neve’s patience began to wear thin. She glared at them, her voice laced with ice. "You should stop pretending. It’s getting tiresome." Her eyes then locked onto Nox. "You said your boss was strong, but he looks nothing like it."

  Nox’s face darkened, ready to silence her with a few harsh words. But before he could speak, Nova’s calm voice rang out. "Make her kneel until we’re done with this conversation."

  Neve sneered, unsheathing her rapier with fluid motion. "As if you could—"

  She never finished her sentence. A dagger, driven with deadly precision, was plunged deep behind her knees before she even had time to react.

  Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground with a scream, her hands clutching at her knees as pain radiated through her body. She glared up at Nova, fury in her eyes. "You—! You have no idea what you've just done."

  Darius and Elric stood off to the side, silent witnesses to the scene unfolding before them. Darius’ face remained impassive, his calm demeanor unchanged. Elric, however, couldn’t hide the crack in his smile, his concern momentarily slipping through as he looked from Neve to Nova, unsure whether his worry was for her... or himself.

  Shaking his head, Nova chose not to waste any more energy on Neve. Instead, he turned to Darius with a smile. "If you want him as your commander, I have no issue. But you know how I expect things to be handled if anything goes wrong."

  Darius nodded solemnly. "Yes, boss."

  Nova then looked over at Elric, his smile remaining unchanged. "Good. At least you don’t get too arrogant in front of others."

  Elric hesitated before stammering, "T-thank y-you." Upon seeing Nova’s smile earlier, he had hoped for a friendly, approachable leader. But after witnessing what happened to Neve, his initial impression was shattered. This man wasn’t amiable—he was a demon. And the two men under his command? Clearly not ordinary either.

  Nova’s smile deepened as he spoke again. "Alright, we're done here. Tell the others I might not leave the villa for a while."

  Both Darius and Nox nodded, signaling their understanding.

  Turning back to Elric, Darius spoke with a sense of finality. "Let’s go. You’ll be one of my commanders from now on."

  Elric nodded eagerly, now grasping how things operated he said "Okay, boss." He followed Darius.

  Nox, watching Neve still squirming on the ground, shook his head. "I thought you were different" he muttered under his breath. "We’ll see what happens to you." With a sigh, he hoisted her up and began walking away, leaving her to fume in silence.

  Nova stood still, his gaze distant as he watched them leave. Thoughts swirled in his mind. ‘I need to complete what comes after the Mana Core as quickly as possible.’

  With that, he turned and made his way back to his courtyard.

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