Chapter 4: Crystalline Mana Heart
The aftermath of the Awakening Ceremony was a whirlwind of congratulations, hushed whispers, and curious stares. Mike, despite his outwardly calm demeanor, felt a surge of unease. This Mana Heart felt less like a gift and more like a target painted on his back. Jek, ever the loyal friend, clapped him on the shoulder, his grin wide.
"Dude, that was insane! A Crystalline Mana Heart? You're practically a walking legend!"
Mike offered a weak smile. "Yeah, but it might be troublesome!"
Jek's grin widened. "Can't you be more positive? This could be a huge opportunity! You can finally get into that college you want – the one you both dreamed of! Isn't that amazing?"
"Right, let's go back to our dorm. Tomorrow is the start of classes."
That evening, alone in his dorm while Jek slept, Mike pondered the implications of his newfound power. His phone rang.
"Mike? Son, are you alright? How was the Awakening Ceremony?" His mother's voice was laced with worry.
"I'm… I'm fine, Ma," he managed, sounding more confident than he felt. "It was… intense."
"Intense? My weak little brother!" A joyful, mocking voice cut in. "Just you wait, I'll awaken too someday, and I'll be more powerful than you! Hahaha!!!" It was his sister.
"Hey, don't be like that," a muffled sound of someone being hit could be heard in the background.
Mike chuckled. "What's so funny? Tell us, tell us what kind of Mana Heart you awakened!" Jem's excited voice urged.
Jem, his younger sister, was a bundle of joyful energy, even though their father had died in the Calamity ten years ago – a tragedy she didn't remember. She and their mother were all that remained of his family.
"It's just a Crystalline Mana Heart! What's the big deal?"
"Just a Crystalline Mana Heart?! That's incredibly rare, bro! Oh my, oh my! My brother awakened a rare element! You're officially the coolest brother ever! Hehehehe!" Jem squealed.
"That's wonderful, son. This will help you get into the college you want with a better ranking in the exam! Your mother supports you completely," his mother said. "Just take care of yourself, study hard, and get a good ranking, but be careful!"
"Okay, Ma! Don't worry about me. Jem's always got your back, right?"
"You protect her if I'm not there?
"Ay, ay, Captain! I, Jem, the great warrior, will protect our mother with my life!" Jem declared proudly.
Mike hung up and went to bed.
The next morning dawned bright, with birds chirping and a gentle breeze rustling the leaves. Sunlight streamed through his window, waking him. After his usual morning routine, he woke his friend.
"Hey, buddy, wake up! We're going to be late! You're not waking up, huh? Then…" Mike grabbed a pitcher of cold water and splashed it on Jek's face.
"Whaaaat the—Are you insane?!" Jek yelled angrily.
"What? Do you want to fight?" Mike grinned creepily.
"Sorry, sorry, Great Master! I'm awake now!" Jek said quickly.
In the classroom, a buzz of excitement filled the air. It was their last lesson before practical training, and everyone was eager to get started. Then, the chatter died down abruptly. Everyone's face paled. Why? It was Teacher V, the notoriously strict and popular teacher.
"What is this? Did you all see a ghost or something?" Teacher V asked, her voice sharp.
"Okay, today I'll briefly explain what you need to do before the exam. Afterward, you're free to train in the wilderness, at the training facility, or research your element in the library. Perhaps through training, some of you will discover rare branches of your elements."
"Here are smartwatches for everyone. President Zylen, what are you waiting for? Distribute them."
"Okay, while Zylen distributes the watches, I'll explain this device. It will provide data on your physique, strength, agility, and mana. It will also show your realm level."
Teacher V pointed to a student in the front row. Fei quickly went to the front, visibly nervous.
"Okay, put this on your wrist and show everyone."
-Data Panel-
Name: Fei
Race: Human
Realm: Tier 1 [level 1: 0/10]
Mana Heart: Wind Mana Heart
Scripture: None
-Status-
Strength: 5
Physique: 6
Agility: 4
Mana: 10
Skills: None
"Woah, that's awesome! So this is what they call a status panel," Fei said excitedly.
"As you can see, the watch helps you identify your level. The 'skills' and 'scripture' sections will be blank if you haven't learned any cultivation methods or skills. However, those who awakened rare Mana Hearts may already possess a significant amount of mana and some unique innate skills," Teacher V explained firmly.
"Yes, ma'am!" the class responded in unison.
"I have tokens for everyone here. These will grant you a bronze-grade scripture in the school vault. This is a gift for successfully awakening. Everyone line up to receive your token before going outside."
Meanwhile, Mike waited in line, anxiously checking his own status.
-Data Panel-
Name: Mike
Race: Human
Realm: Tier 1 [level 1: 0/10]
Mana Heart: Crystalline Mana Heart [hidden branch of Water Mana Heart]
Scripture: None
-Status-
Strength: 9
Physique: 8
Agility: 9
Mana: 20
Native Skill: Crystallization
Skills: None
[Crystallization – a unique skill of the Crystalline Mana Heart. It allows manipulation of water into crystal, similar to freezing, but harder.]
Mike was shocked. Besides his innate skill, his mana was far above average for a new awakener.
"What the… are you a monster or something?" Jek blurted out in shock.
Mike quickly covered Jek's mouth. "Shut up! Do you want me to give you an example? Your mouth will get you into trouble if you keep asking me that!"
"But… shush…"
"Let's ask the teacher later. Let's go to the back of the line so nobody sees this," Mike said, hurrying to the end of the line.
"Okay!" Jek replied.
"Let me see your panel. What's the difference between a normal Mana Heart and a rare one?" Mike asked Jek.
Jek showed him his panel. "See? The difference is huge!"
-Data Panel-
Name: Jek
Race: Human
Realm: Tier 1 [level 1: 0/10]
Mana Heart: Earth Mana Heart [Bend in nature]
Scripture: None
-Status-
Strength: 10
Physique: 8
Agility: 8
Mana: 10
Native Skill: Nature Absorption [passive]
Skills: None
[Nature Absorption – passively absorbs mana from nature while meditating.]
Mike's eyes widened. "What the heck! Is that considered normal too? You also have a rare Mana Heart, bro!"
Jek chuckled. "I don't know either. At the ceremony, the principal said I awakened an Earth Mana Heart. That's all I heard."
"Let's ask the teacher later…"