Norman woke up to the soft glow of morning sunlight. It was already Sunday, April 5th. Today, he needed to register his new hunter identity at the western hunting zone.
He sat up and summoned his system window.
[Points Available: 3,868]
More than enough.
He had saved up for this moment. All three of his basic talents—Manaforged Flesh (E), Arcane Pulse (E), and Aegis Mind (E)—were ready for an upgrade. The D-rank versions of these talents normally cost 1,800 points each. But since he already possessed the E-rank versions, he only needed 1,200 points per upgrade. A total of 3,600.
He tapped the screen without hesitation.
"Exchange," Norman murmured.
[Ding! Upgrading Manaforged Flesh, Arcane Pulse, Aegis Mind to D-rank. 3,600 points deducted. Points remaining: 268]
A warm surge of energy exploded from within.
Norman staggered slightly as the power rushed through his body—an overwhelming sensation of vitality and clarity. His physique felt tighter, his core denser, and his mind sharper. Everything—from his reflexes to his concentration—felt enhanced by at least 20 or 25 percent.
He couldn't help but smile.
He felt like a god.
For a brief moment, he stood at the peak of his own world—untouchable, empowered, and reborn.
---
Breakfast was a quiet affair.
Jane, his mother, was already dressed in her nurse uniform, ready for her hospital shift. It was Sunday, but that didn't matter—she always took extra shifts. Work had become her coping mechanism ever since Norman's father left.
She smiled at him gently as she finished her tea. "See you, honey. I'm heading out now."
Norman nodded.
There was a silent pain buried in his mother's eyes. One that never quite left. She was still picking up the pieces after being betrayed by Thomas—Norman's father. She tried to bury her sadness in work, but Norman saw through it.
He hated that he couldn't help. Even in this world of mana and monsters, some things couldn't be fixed. Personalities didn't change so easily. Sure, with enough strength, he could use mental magic… but that would be brainwashing.
And no matter how powerful he became, he would never do that to his mom.
Still, one thing made its way onto Norman's future to-do list:
Slap his father. And his mistress.
He knew it wouldn't change anything. His father wouldn't suddenly become a better man. Even if he did, it was already too late. The man who once held the title of "Dad" had become nothing more than a stranger.
No… Norman just wanted to do it to satisfy his ego.
---
Later, he stood under a cold shower, letting the water run down his now-toned body.
His reflection stared back at him from the fogged mirror—subtle muscle lines, sharper features, the glow of power beneath his skin. He looked nothing like the scrawny "F-rank loser" people at school thought he was.
He sighed.
"If only my reputation wasn't garbage… maybe I'd have one or two decent-looking girls interested in me by now."
He muttered to himself, half joking, half bitter. In his past life, he was distant, emotionally guarded. He had friends at university, sure, but never close ones. A few girls had shown interest in him back then, but he'd always shut things down before they could get serious.
The idea of being emotionally vulnerable terrified him. Whenever things started to feel real, he would pull away—cold and distant.
"Even with power… my personality still sucks," he said quietly.
He stared at the mirror.
A single tear ran down his cheek.
Even here—in this new world, with magic, power, and a second chance—the past still haunted him. He had already experienced death once. He had lived through months of unbearable stress before ending up here. He thought power would fix everything.
But it didn't.
And that realization stung more than he expected.
---
After a few minutes, Norman took a deep breath and wiped his face dry.
"Focus. Reach the top of the world, Norman," he whispered to himself, as if reciting a sacred vow.
His voice steadied. His eyes hardened.
---
On the bus to the next hunter company, Norman couldn't shake a lingering melancholy. The excitement from the system upgrade had inflated his ego, made him feel unstoppable for a moment. But breakfast with his mom brought him crashing back down.
His father was still a selfish bastard.
He still had zero fame.
He was still at the bottom.
But unlike before… he had a chance now. A real chance to be someone different. Someone strong. Someone who could not be ignored.
Still, the constant grind of the past few weeks had worn on him. The pressure. The solitude. The expectations.
"Screw it," he muttered.
Instead of heading to the hunter company, he got off the bus and decided to walk around the city.
---
He didn't have a plan. Just a need to breathe.
On a whim, he chose to visit the nearest beach—a place known for helping people clear their minds. It was located on the northeastern side of the city, about an hour and a half away.
Norman hailed a taxi and spent some of his precious mana crystals. A small indulgence.
When he finally arrived, the sea breeze greeted him like an old friend.
The rhythmic crashing of the waves, the warmth of the sun, and the gentle rustling of palm trees made everything feel… lighter.
But even here, something felt off.
Behind the picturesque coastline was a high stone wall, manned by armed border guards. The only access to the beach was a narrow, supervised entrance. It made the beach feel less like a retreat, and more like a prison yard dressed in paradise.
Still, people laughed. Families played. People manipulated water using basic energy spells, shaping waves into creatures and splashing around joyfully.
Norman sat on a bench and watched, quietly. For once, he didn't feel alone.
His gaze swept across the beach… then stopped.
Wait. Was that—
He squinted, trying to confirm what he was seeing. At the same time, the figure turned and locked eyes with him.
Both froze.
"Ellie?"
"Norman?"
They spoke at the same time, voices filled with disbelief.