It took several seconds for his eyes to focus—and once they did, it was his mind's turn to reel.

Not just in front of him. No, all around him.

Nova's vision was filled with Mana particles of various colors. The dominant shade was the usual transparent base Mana, but interspersed throughout were vibrant bursts of green-grey, light blue, brilliant yellow, bright red, and a dull yellow.

"Wind, water, lightning, fire... and the last is earth?" Nova muttered, eyes drifting toward the ceiling.

Realizing there was no familiar notification chiming in his head, he blinked. 'Is lightning no longer harming me?' he wondered. 'If that's true, I'll need to find more of those particles later.'

Shaking his head slightly, he brought up the notification he'd received upon unlocking the Spinal Node.

"Why are there three question marks?" he murmured, frowning. "Hmm…"

He mulled it over for a moment before a memory surfaced—something that happened at the very beginning when he first checked the Store.

"Didn't that overpriced spear have the same question marks?" he muttered. "This thing really loves keeping me in the dark, huh?"

Nova scoffed and attempted to access the Title he'd just earned, only to be met with yet another frustrating notification:

[Impossible to view]

"What do you mean 'impossible to view'? Aren't you supposed to be the Will of the Universe? Shouldn't you know everything?"

The questions poured out in rapid succession, frustration bubbling over. But after a few seconds, he exhaled, letting the tension go. With a shake of his head, he refocused and opened the interface for his Spinal Node.

[??? Spinal Node] (???. Mana affinity increased. +500% Strength, Vigor, Dexterity and Speed.)

"All my efforts finally paid off" he stretched lightly on the ground before thinking 'Status' with a smile.

[Status]

Rank: 0

Name: Nova Grey

Species: Human

Affiliation: None

Level: 27 (170/500)

Mana: Mana Core (Low) (37/100000000), ??? Spinal Node

Class: None

Titles: Goblin Exterminator, Kings Slayer, Survivor, Spear Novice, Troll Exterminator, Orc Exterminator, Rune Novice, Mana Novice, Lord (Giants), Hunter, ???

Stat Points: 343

Attributes:

Strength: 232 (+1521)

Vigor: 205 (+1672)

Dexterity: 255 (+4736)

Speed: 215 (+3847)

Intelligence: 171 (+43)

Wisdom: 215 (+54)

Will: 11

Luck: 10 (+10)

Skills

Active: Spear Thrust (15) (2671/16384000), Spear Jab (15) (69684/16384000), Spear Sweep (16) (8164615/32768000), Spear Lunge (11) (584102/1024000), Spear Overhead Strike (10) (814/512000), Sword Slash (10) (641/512000), Sword Stab (10) (267/512000), Sword Chop (10) (197/512000), Sword Sweep (10) (784/512000), Sword Parry (1) (184/1000), Sword Block (0) (497/500), Blacksmithing (5) (6472/16000), Woodworking (0) (54/500)

Passive: Regeneration (13) (978465/4,096,000), Keen Reflexes (8) (3140/128000), Momentum Streak (15) (12089674/16384000), One with the World (Spear) (MAX), One with the World (Footwork) (MAX)

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Nodding to himself, Nova thought, 'This should be just enough,' before calling out, "Alaric!"

The door swung open almost instantly, and Alaric stepped inside—only to freeze mid-step. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of Nova lying on the floor, grinning up at the ceiling like he'd just solved the universe's greatest puzzle.

Snapping out of his momentary daze, Alaric cleared his throat and asked, "Yes, boss?"

"How do you feel?" Nova asked casually, still sprawled across the floor, his gaze fixed on him.

Alaric took a steady breath before replying, "I feel better now."

"Good to know." Nova's grin widened. "So, ready to train with the fire element again?"

He glanced up at Alaric from below, mischief dancing in his eyes.

A strange tension prickled at the edge of Alaric's senses. Something felt off. His posture stiffened, eyes scanning the room instinctively but he still gave a cautious nod.

"All right," Nova said with a faint smile. "Let me help you."

Before Alaric could ask how—or even what—Nova willed the few fire Mana particles in the room to surge toward his general. Like sparks drawn to tinder, they streaked into Alaric's body one by one.

A sharp grimace twisted Alaric's face as a wave of pain slammed into him. His muscles seized. Sweat broke out across his skin in seconds, and his teeth clenched so hard they scraped audibly against one another.

With great effort, he forced out a stuttering question. "W-What... i-is th-this?"

"Remember what I taught you about training with elemental Mana?" Nova asked, his voice calm, detached.

Alaric nodded quickly, desperation flickering in his eyes as the fire burned through his insides—only to regenerate and burn again in a relentless, agonizing loop.

"I sent seven fire Mana particles into your body," Nova explained evenly, watching him closely. "They'll help your body adapt to the element, slowly digging out your true affinity—not that cheap technique you were using before. When you feel ready to handle more, find fire Mana on your own and guide it inside."

Alaric dropped to his knees, gripping them tightly as the pain surged again. Nova simply observed, unmoved—focused not on the suffering, but on any sign of progress.

"A warning—absorb them one by one, never in bulk."

Nova's tone sharpened, and the easy smile he wore vanished, replaced by a rare, stern expression.

Alaric met his gaze and nodded solemnly.

Satisfied, Nova's features relaxed once more. "Tomorrow, I'm heading to check out the tournament," he said, his voice returning to its usual calm. "It should be nearing its end, and we'll need to start recruiting more talent. Want to come with me?"

Alaric considered for a moment, then gave a firm nod.

"Good. Get everything ready—we leave in a few hours," Nova said, watching as Alaric turned and quietly exited the room, his body slightly trembling.

Alone in the room, Nova raised his left hand into the air, his fingers slightly splayed. He extended his senses outward, instantly locking onto the lingering lightning Mana particles scattered throughout the space. With a focused breath, he willed them to gather at his palm—then began channeling them into his body, one by one.

The count surged. From 77 to 120 in mere seconds, then continued climbing with unrelenting momentum. Within a minute, he passed the 200 mark, yet the flow remained smooth and controlled.

Unlike his earlier experiences, there was no pain, no resistance. Even as the number crossed 300, Nova remained calm—his body didn't show any sign of discomfort.

It wasn't until the count reached the 600s that a faint numbness crept along his arm. By the time he neared 700, the sensation had spread to half his body.

And then, as he crossed the threshold—701—the first involuntary twitch struck. Small jolts of pain followed, crackling through his limbs like static. At the same moment, the familiar chime of notifications echoed in his mind, clear and sharp.

[Regeneration proficiency increased]

[Regeneration proficiency increased]

[Regeneration proficiency increased]

Nova let out a quiet sigh. "So, 729—that's my current limit. Nearly ten times higher than before… and my body still isn't fully attuned to lightning yet. I was hoping for more, but I guess I can't complain."

With that, he closed his eyes, letting the silence settle. The Mana Gathering array continued its steady hum, drawing in dense streams of energy, feeding his body with a near-constant flow.

As his breathing slowed, Nova focused on his thoughts—no longer on the pain or progress, but on the steps ahead he needed to take for his plan to work out.

//////////

About four hours later, as the first light of dawn stretched across the sky, Nova opened his eyes. Rising to his feet, he gave a light stretch and muttered, "I'm starving."

He made his way to the bathroom for a quick shower, then strapped his light armor back on before stepping out of his room.

Waiting just outside his door was Alaric, slumped against the wall, seated on the floor. His posture was stiff, and his eyes—bloodshot and heavy-lidded—made it clear he'd barely rested.

Nova raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? Why do you look like you could die any moment?"

Alaric pushed off the wall unsteadily, a slight tremble in his limbs as he stood. Shaking off the dizziness, he gave a sheepish smile.

"Well… Boss, the more fire Mana particles I train with, the faster my affinity is dug out, right?"

Nova simply nodded, the faintest flicker of amusement crossing his face.

"Two hours ago, I sensed a few fire Mana particles and absorbed them…" Alaric said, a wry smile tugging at his lips as sweat trickled down his forehead.

A flicker of surprise crossed Nova's eyes.

Sensing elemental Mana—especially without an unlocked Spinal Node—was no small feat. Nova was well aware that Alaric had yet to choose a Node, despite his Mana Core being developed enough to unlock one, possibly even two.

And fire Mana? It wasn't nearly as common in this place as wind or water. In fact, sensing it here was nearly as difficult as sensing lightning Mana—something even Nova couldn't manage until the storm had brought a large quantity with it.

Which meant one thing.

Alaric's affinity for fire was already exceptional. High enough, at the very least, to rival—if not surpass—Nova's own affinity for lightning before his Spinal Node had been unlocked.

A satisfied smile flickered across Nova's face. He stepped forward, gave Alaric a firm pat on the shoulder, and said, "You've surprised me again."

His gaze drifted to Alaric's still-sweating form. Despite the confident front, his body trembled with the lingering strain of Mana absorption.

"You sure you're up for this?" Nova asked, a hint of concern slipping into his tone. "You don't have to come."

Alaric managed a grin, though his exhaustion was plain. "No need to worry about me. I'll get used to it…soon."

"I believe you," Nova said, the corners of his mouth lifting. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he added, "By the way… know where I can find something to eat?"

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