As the prince and princess arrived, a hush fell over the crowd.
Every voice is still. Every movement paused.
Then the prince stepped forward and spoke, his voice calm yet commanding:
"You may all rise."
But only the children of the noble houses—dukes, high lords, and aristocrats—stood.
The common folk remained kneeling, heads bowed in reverence.
Then, in perfect unison, the people proclaimed:
"Welcome, Prince and Princess."
Their voices echoed like a sacred chant, filling the vast space with reverence.
The prince offered only a solemn nod in return.
Suddenly, the great temple's inner gates creaked open.
As the ancient doors parted, a radiant energy surged forth—
and the once-lifeless place bloomed with light and warmth.
Wounds began to heal, pain faded, and a soothing calm settled over every mind present.
Then, a man dressed in flowing white robes emerged.
He walked with grace, and though his voice was barely above a whisper,
every soul heard him clearly, as if his words were carried on the wind itself:
"Welcome to all the young generations... and to those who have come in support of their journey."
Beside him stood an old man, silent and watchful—
his presence like a guardian of the ancient rites about to unfold.
The man continued,
"Now that all the participating children have arrived, let us begin the Awakening Ceremony."
"First, each of you will be given a private room within the temple. All the necessary arrangements have already been prepared for you there."
"Second, in that room, you will begin creating your mana core system. You must form a mana core using the elemental attribute that resonates best with your body."
"Third, understand this—your mana core is a storage device that holds mana. But bigger doesn't always mean better. When mana enters your body from the air, it first transforms into liquid. That liquid mana then flows through your body using the system you've created and gathers in your chest, where it condenses into a solid core."
"The same process happens in reverse when you use magic: the solid core transforms back into liquid mana, then into air."
"Many of you may think that the larger the core, the more mana it can store. But that's not how it works in the human body. There is a limit to how large a mana core can be created within the body."
"That's why you must first form a small mana core. Then, you will create three more—making a total of four mana cores."
"Then, you route all four in a circle, slowly increasing the speed. Then, under special conditions, a state is formed called the Exotic Mana Core State. All four mana cores merge into one. Its size remains the same as the original, but it has four times the mana capacity."
"Fourth, the process of creating the Exotic Mana Core State is very different and painful. You may also achieve it with just two cores."
"I suggest only those who can tolerate the pain attempt it. It is not bad to have a single core of a single element."
***************
Sam listed them out as if a new window of ideas had opened in his mind. He thought:
"I only created a single core of different elements as the instructor said... but it created four mana cores and successfully reached the Exotic Mana Core state. And when I fused those mana cores, it increased greatly."
If that's possible... then what if I go further?
If I combine my skill 'All-Scan' to analyze every detail... and 'All-Conversion' to reshape and refine... then maybe—just maybe—I can forge a single mana core unlike any other... a core beyond limits."
Sam smiled to himself and continued:
"I just want a simple life in the background.
I have nothing to do with princes, princesses, or dukes.
All I truly want... is a peaceful life with my family and maybe a little background romance"
**************
After registration, the subordinates of the temple guided each participant to their rooms.
Sam closed the door behind him and sat in the center of the room. Then, he activated his skill, All-Scan.
[All-Scan: Activated]
Suddenly, it was as if all the colors of the world vanished—only black and white remained.
Sam focused on his surroundings, his eyes sharp and vigilant.
"It looks like I'm sitting in a sea of mana particles, each glowing with different colors."
"This room contains all types of mana particles... even void mana particles are present."
"But I don't have an affinity with void mana. Let's crea—wait. Stop."
"Sam... damn it, why are you so stupid?"
"Let's focus on recreating a single mana core using all elements. After that, with my skill All-Conversion, I can convert any mana particles into different types."
As Sam spoke to himself, a sudden sound echoed in his mind.
[DING]
[Temple Rooms: Forged by Orru'mel, Eternal Archivist of the Divine Chrono-Script]
Sam frowned.
"Orru'mel? Who the hell is Orru'mel?"
"System, give me more information."
...Silence.
"System... more."
Still no response.
Sam stayed calm, almost as if he was used to the system ignoring him.
"Fine. I'll gather the information later.
Right now, my only focus is my mana core."
He took a deep breath—
then activated his second skill.
He looked inward, scanning his body.
Eight mana cores pulsed within him.
"Let's start by merging them into one."
Slowly, he began guiding them toward each other.
Then came the pain—sharp and overwhelming—
as if someone had reached inside and tried to tear his organs apart.
A thick trail of blood escaped his lips.
His hands clenched into fists.
His eyes turned bloodshot.
But Sam didn't stop.
He endured.
He pressed on, gradually increasing the pace.
Ten years of training...
Ten years of pain and perseverance—
all leading to this moment.
As Sam pushed the speed of all eight mana cores within his body, the strain became unbearable. His veins bulged, his body trembled, and blood streamed from his eyes and ears — yet he didn't stop.
This was it.
The test of ten years of pain, sacrifice, and relentless training.
He bit down on his lip until it split, the taste of blood grounding him in the agony. Every cell screamed for relief, but he forced himself forward — not because he was fearless, but because he refused to let those ten years amount to nothing.
************
He pushed harder, forcing the speed higher—beyond what any sane person would dare.
The eight mana cores inside him began to melt, their forms liquefying under the unbearable pressure.
Then came the pain.
Agony, like molten iron, poured through his veins, searing him from the inside out. It felt as if his very soul was being split apart—burned, broken, and reshaped all at once.
But Sam didn't stop.
He couldn't.
This was his test. His limit. His rebirth.
And so, he pushed even further—
defying the pain, defying the fear—
driving himself past the edge of what was humanly possible.
***************
Time lost all meaning for Sam—he didn't know how long he had been pushing himself.
But still, he pressed on.
Then, sensing a subtle shift deep within, Sam began to slow the furious pace of his mana cores.
His breath hitched as he finally came to a stop.
A sharp, clear sound echoed in his ears.
[DING]
[Eight Elements Mana Core: Created]
For a moment, silence. Then a flood of relief washed over him.
Sam exhaled deeply, the weight of years' struggle lifting from his chest.
He had done it.
****************
After steadying his breath,
Sam leaned back and whispered to himself,
"Let's see just how much mana this new core can store..."
He raised his hand and activated the skill.
[All mana manipulation: activate]
Immediately, he felt the flow—mana from the surroundings subtly shifting, drawn toward him.
He was careful, commanding only a small amount. Too much, and he'd risk drawing unwanted attention.
Then, he opened his status screen. His eyes narrowed as the numbers updated before him.
"Hmph..."
"It's increased—eightfold."
"Before, it was 105,000... now..."
His heart pounded.
"840,000."
A grin crept onto his face.
"I've come this far... and I still have time.
Let's push it even further."