Zenith sat cross-legged in a dusty storage room of the orphanage, a faded parchment map spread across his lap. The room smelled of old wood, ink, and forgotten time. Faint rays of sunlight pierced through the broken slats of a window, casting golden lines across the floor.
But he barely noticed.
His eyes were locked on a single location marked on the outskirts of the city.
"Whispering Hollow…"
The name rang in his ears like a prophecy.
In the novel, it had been nothing more than a vague rumor—a few sentences lost in a conversation between side characters. A child once claimed to see a glowing tree in the ruins of an old mana garden near Whispering Hollow. No one believed them. The protagonist never followed up on it.
But Zenith had.
He'd always been obsessive about lore. He remembered how the fanbase speculated about the truth behind the glowing tree. Hidden deep in one theory thread was the term that made his blood run cold now.
"The Fruit of Origin."
A mythical fruit.
Said to grow once every thousand years from a mana tree birthed by the world's first leyline. It was more than rare—it was unreal. In the novel, no one ever found it. But the descriptions matched.
If the theory was true, consuming the fruit would awaken the Ultimate-grade Mana Core—a core so powerful it transcended the known rankings of magical power. But more than that…
"It also awakens an Ultimate-grade Ability."
The highest rank of ability—above Mythical, above Legendary. Something so powerful it could rewrite the rules of battle, of magic, even of fate.
A single fruit… that could raise someone above kings, above dragons.
Zenith's hands trembled slightly as he traced the route on the map.
"It's just outside the city.""Two hours by foot."
The place was now known as a danger zone—abandoned ruins surrounded by corrupted beasts and unstable mana. Too dangerous for children. Off-limits to civilians.
"But no one's claimed it. No one knows what's there."
He did.
He had two weeks until the full moon. The fruit only ripened under moonlight—another tiny detail dropped in the lore, ignored by everyone.
"This is my chance."
The Awakening Ceremony was still seven years away. If he could get the fruit now, awaken both his mana core and ability to the highest grade… he wouldn't just be prepared for the future.
He'd shape it.
Zenith stood up, rolling the map carefully and sliding it beneath a floorboard. His heart thundered in his chest.
"Ultimate Mana Core. Ultimate Ability.""That's not just a cheat code. That's a revolution."
He would need to prepare: supplies, a weapon, a plan to sneak out without drawing attention. But this wasn't a childish dream.
This was his first mission.
"If I can get that fruit… no one will stop me.""Not the Abyss.""Not the gods.""Not fate."
The boy who once died reading a fantasy novel had been reborn inside one.
And he was going to rewrite its ending.
He would need to prepare: supplies, a weapon, a plan to sneak out without drawing attention. But this wasn't a childish dream.
This was his first mission.
"If I can get that fruit… no one will stop me.""Not the Abyss.""Not the gods.""Not fate."
Because once the fruit was eaten, legend said it would happen instantly—the moment the juice touched his tongue, his mana core would be awakened to Ultimate-grade,and with it, his ability too.
Not slowly. Not with years of training.
Boom.
The power would surge through his soul.The ability would imprint itself into his very being.A force the world hadn't seen in centuries—maybe ever.
"This will be my turning point.""The moment the forgotten extra… becomes the hidden nightmare of this world."
He grinned, the first real smile since waking in this new life.
Let the world sleep.
Zenith Nova was done waiting.