Humans are not born equal, whether it's based on their more well-off parents or perhaps their better-off siblings. Even the environment in which they live affects how their future will be. Because that's actually human life has been determined from the beginning since they were born into the world.
Of course, humans can fight their fate. Struggling with all his might to spend hour after hour to change the direction of the wheel of destiny. Maybe they will succeed, maybe they will fail and lie with the corpses of other warriors. But at least this life still gives humans the opportunity to choose their own path.
However, there is one thing that humans cannot change.
Genetics.
No matter how hard they tried, humans would not be able to change their genetics. Even using magic technology is still impossible. Genetics is like a limiting bond of the human imagination itself.
The bond that shackles their necks to keep them in submission to what is called Fate.
Even on the continent of Meer ruled by mages and their world-law-altering abilities. Genetics remains a shackle in a different form. Those shackles were the grade of mana flow.
Though every human has mana flow, to become a mage they have to change it to a constellation. Changes in the flow of Mana into a constellation is a form of relationship or contract that exists between humans and mana.
Therefore, to build this relationship, humans must have the ability to connect with mana. However, the possibility for a human to establish a connection with mana based on his own efforts was extremely small, one might even say it impossible.
It takes very high spirit and comprehension skills to be able to make that connection. There are only a few people who are magical and have the ability to think beyond normal limits who can do it. Examples of some of these people are what used to be called Mana Gods.
But Khemia Greco found another way that was much easier and had the greatest chance of success. This method allows Mana to take the initiative to build a connection with humans first.
By imitating the concept of God's Corruption (God's Blessing) practiced by Mana Gods, Khemia Greco succeeded in creating a new breakthrough which he called mana potion. By consuming mana potions, the mana flow in the human body will give signals to mana in nature.
The more interesting the emitted signal, the faster the mana in nature reacts and forms contact with the mana flow. The level of attractiveness of the signal given by the mana flow is called The Grade of Mana Flow.
There are five grades of mana flow; Low, Medium, High, Heaven, and Supreme.
For those with low-grade mana flow, the future for becoming a mage was very small. It takes a lot of mana potions with high levels of concentration to form a connection with mana. Therefore if someone with low-grade mana flow wanted to become a mage then he or she had to come from a very rich family or have power on par with a king.
Usually, humans generally have Medium-grade mana flow. Even though it takes a lot of time and mana potions to build a connection with mana in nature, this grade is still quite good.
High-grade mana flow is the acceptance limit of the Military Academy. Those with mana flow grades of this would only need a single mana potion to stimulate a connection with mana in nature.
Heaven-grade mana flow were unique people, even within the Military Academy they would be more specialized than other students. Because of that those with Heaven-grade mana flow would be put into a special class that was different from the others.
Class A.
This is why when Artur showed his acceptance letter to Colby, the jolly boy could only respond with his mouth agape. His face suddenly changed as his mind began to stir.
He changed the way he sat to make it look more polite and his speaking style to be more humble.
"Wow... Congratulation Artur... hehehe... Where are you form again? ah... oh yeah... Heles City.. You know I have friend from Heles City... blablablablablabla"
Artur smiled bitterly again and put his acceptance letter back into his bag. Artur will no longer pay attention to Colby who is trying to get his attention even though being ignored.
He understood what Class A and Heaven-grade mana flow meant. Even though they have the same background and the same commoner status, with this acceptance letter, Artur and Colby's future will be very different.
With his Heaven-grade mana flow, Artur will level up the constellation faster than Colby. He would also have far more lethal spell power. When he has his God's Form, Colby will forever be unable to touch Arthur's toes.
Humans are born equal is the most painful joke that has ever been heard by the ears of a sane person.
Arthur looked back at the train window. Ignoring Colby who was still trying to get his attention. Artur didn't care even though he looked arrogant like the nobles and merchants he hated. This is how everyone's life will have its own level even before they are born.
However, there is one more grade of mana flow that is higher than Heaven-grade mana flow. Supreme-grade mana flow or perhaps better known as Mana Child.
If the world is mana and mana is the world then Mana Child is the protagonist of the world. They are people who are special from birth, everything they do will take the world by storm. Their lives are like a protagonist in cheap novel stories.
It's like they are protected by the plot armor in the story they wrote themselves. Even if they had enemies because of their arrogance, no danger would be able to kill them. Those dangers will only be a ladder to make themselves stronger.
They are loved by mana and mana protects them from fate.
The most famous example of a Mana Child is Stent Gaht. One could even say that Mana Child's name came about because of the Stent Gaht.
Coming from an ordinary farmer who was forced to become a soldier, Stent Gaht broke all obstacles in front of him to become the strongest man in history. His life which looks so smooth becomes the object of ridicule that covers malice.
The malice that comes after hearing the phrase "life is fair".
Because of that when a Mana Child who was also a direct disciple of Stent Gaht was killed in the Bog forest the world went into an uproar. Only Mana Child was capable of killing Mana Child, those words have a ground basis.
Remembering how Stent Gaht was able to battle to draw with the Level 6 Constellation Mage, Iron Darius, when he was still a Level 4 Constellation Mage. It was only when a Mana Child of the elf species was born and joined the battle that the first Mana species war was not won by humans.
And oddly enough, the Mana Child from the elf species, Lily Ariel, only had the ability of a Level 2 Constellation Mage. As if to say her presence in battle was only to balance the destiny that Darius and Gaht had.
"Life is fair... heh!" Artur unintentionally spoke the words that were in his heart.
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"I have a beautiful older sister in Hows city and she is still single... blablabla... she is able to sew and cook... blablabla" Colby who still didn't give up caught Arthur's attention chasing him from behind with his mouth continuously prattling.
Of course, Artur ignored him and continued walking out of the train. They had arrived at the Military Academy after a 7-hour journey and during that time Colby had not run out of ideas for topics of conversation.
Artur was amazed by the Mana Train's speed, a journey that should have taken several weeks by horse-drawn carriage was completed in just a few hours. If only Heles City had a Mana Train then they would no longer need to travel dangerously for days to go to another city.
But again, fairness is the son of a bitch.
Outside the carriage, Arthur saw crowds of train users filling every corner of his vision. He didn't know where to go to get to his new residence. He was only given information to get on the Mana Train and arrive at the Military Academy.
But after looking left and right while ignoring Colby who was still chattering, Artur found a bar that said "Class A".
"We'll split up here," said Arthur curtly.
Colby could only remain silent and nodded with a disappointed face. But once again, Artur paid him no heed, taking big steps Artur walked towards the bar that said "Class A".
Crossing the sea of people while clutching his bag tightly to his stomach, Artur made it to the front of the person holding the bar. This man had a face and skin tone that Artur had never seen before.
His hair is curly black and cut so short it looks bald. His nose is large and his lips are thick, he has thin eyebrows which contrast with the rest of his face. His skin was as black as dipped in ink.
"Your acceptance later," said the black man briefly.
Artur hesitated to give his acceptance later but he felt danger from the man in front of him so he was forced to fulfill his request.
"Artur Morris" read Artur's name slowly, the man matched Artur's face with the photo on the acceptance letter. Then he took a document out of his pocket and searched for Arthur's name in it.
Confirming Artur's name was included in the document he was holding, the man's face turned a little gentler. With a nod, he said, "Follow me!"
Taking a deep breath, Arthur prepared his heart for a new chapter in life.