CH 30

Charles was surprised by the things he just heard. The fact that such a thing exists was too much to take especially when he only found about it today. An absurd thing like the existence of mana was something he wanted to happen, like, everyday but now that someone was saying it to him, he couldn't help but feel amazed and disappointed at the same time.

'I could have done three so fast!'

His thoughts wandered into the work he had done for the past and felt it was a waste. The use mana was something that could make him faster and stronger if he understands it correctly as that's what big brother Zel told him and since he saw the thing happen right before his eyes he had no way to deny it. Rather, he really liked the way it sounds. If only he was someone who has mana too, maybe he could be one of the power rangers!

"The power of mana is something everyone has. But not everyone is the same."

"Why not?"

"Some people are more blessed than others, like you and me."

"Blessed? Me?"

"Yes, you!"                                                                                  

Charles thought about his life and the things that happened to him and couldn't help but wonder if he was right. Sure, he was an orphan but he had a sister so he still has family. He may not have parents, but he does have big brothers Zel, big sister Emilia, Mr. and Mrs. Halsey and all his other friends in the orphanage. He had to work lots every day, but now, he gets to play and learn and eat without having someone ask him to pay.

"I really am blessed!"

"I sure hope that you see it that way, but I don't know if you realize just how blessed you are."

"Hmm? What do you mean big brother?" Charles' growing anxiety made him wonder randomly about Zel's words. The words he said made it seem like there was a condition that he had to do after all, those were the words of a bad guy who wants to take away the good things from the good guy. Was there a price for all the things he got?

A feeling of betrayal lingered in his heart, but he shook it off. If he had to do something, then fine, he'll do it. If it means paying back everything to big brother and big sister, then he'll do it! If it's for his beloved sister, then he'll do it!

"Mana is a wonderful thing you see and as I said, though everyone has it and could eventually use it, but you got something better than those people. You have talent in it."

"Talent? Did I have to use that talent to pay you back?"

"If you want to, yes, but if you don't, it's also alright."

"What?"

Charles was a very bright boy, even if he was not educated and learned in many ways, his genius showed in more than one. A good judgement of character was one of them. Zel's previous words were turning his impression of him from very good to just good until the last ones made it rise all the way to the top. Reaching beyond the bestest and landing on the most bestest!

"It's alright Charles, if you don't wan-"

"I'll do it!"

"?"

"If big brother wants me to do something then surely it's going to be something good! If he wants me to work then I will work. I want to be useful! I want to be strong! I want to be a goo-" Charles' passion had risen to heights that he never knew were possible, making him give a lifelong pledge that came from the bottom of his heart.

"Pfft. Haha, I'm sorry." But to the adult Zel, the cutesy face of the boy giving such a serious speech was something he didn't expect as even the ones in his dreams never did this before. Not a single one.

"I get it Charles, you want to help right?"

"..."

"I said I'm sorry ok? I'll get you more of that drink if you forgive me."

"..."

"Two drinks?"

"..."

"What abou-"

"Make it two, but give one to Tina!"

"Alright. Two it is, then."

A negotiation started and ended in a few seconds. Talking to a smart child made things a lot easier, making Zel wonder if his kid would be like him.

It was then that a day dream of Zel and Emilia walking around a park appeared in his head. She held on to a stroller where a little angel was snoring away as the fresh air cooled her tiny little body. Zel was walking along side with Emilia while a pair of dangling feet rested on his shoulders. A pair of little hands holding on to his hair while a very cute chuckle came from above him.

"Daddy, look!"

A tiny finger that came from above his head was pointing towards the lake where a duck was moving about as a line of ducklings. Their steps were highly coordinated as if they were planning every step they take.

"Those are ducks, #*!(@. Don't go too near or they might bite you, ok?"

"Ok, daddy!" The little boy was set free from his father's clutches, but thin strands made of mana surrounded the boy like a nest of snakes. The little boy couldn't see them, or made it seem like he didn't see them and instead went towards the ducks to check them out up close.

"Daddy! Look at the gold eggs it's laying!"

"Gold eggs? Do ducks lay gol-"

"Big brother Zel?"

"Mmm?"

Zel noticed that the surroundings changed, and he was back to the backyard of Emilia's folks. He was looking around to see what the heck was going on. He was about to say something but held back.

'What was I going to say again?'

He felt like he was doing something important, but he didn't know what. Did he day dream and just forgot about it so quickly? Was his intelligence so low?

[Intelligence - 3(+17)]

'Doesn't look like it.'

Doing a few side quests, like running 5 kilometers or cooking was way too easy for Zel. He didn't know why but his side quests are way too easy. He has seen a few side quests of Emilia and was confused as to how big the difference in the difficulty was. She had to go for more adventurous quests, because most of it are like that. It's one of the reasons they left for Cina in the first place.

The dreams had also been showing their best use yet, skill creation. Or rather, it makes skills available for use if its learned to the basics.

[Skills and Talents Available:

[4]Mana Armor Mk.1 - Level 1 - 4 pt.

[3]Mana Shield Mk.1 - Level 1 - 3 pt.

[2]Mana Threads Mk.1 - Level 1 - 2 pt.

Mastery Points Available: 1 pt.]

It seems that the dreams had finally made a skill out of his mana manipulation techniques. He looked at his skills and found nothing new and even his stats seem fine to him. If anything, he was doing better than everyone else on his level would do so the matter still stands.

'How could that be? How could I just forg-.' Looking around, Zel finally understood. She must have gotten a new ability that she hasn't told him about yet. Sneaky, little girl.

'Oh, I see. She did this. I think she might have actually heard me before, so now she's not hiding it anymore.'

Zel knew the reason for his day dream now and the reason he forgot all about it. It was something he needs to address later because he has something he needs to do right now. He always had time for her anyway.

"Sorry about that. You know, I'm apologizing to you a lot today."

"Hehe, if you keep staring into space like that then I'll just have to say that I forgive you every time. So you don't have to apologize, ok?"

"Hahaha, good! It's a deal, then!"

Charles was now able to feel closer to Zel, after all, a man like this would never do anything to harm him so what's wrong with joking around with him. He never had someone who could talk to him and make him learn every time he did so he was a special person to him, second only to his sister Tina.

"Here, drink this."

"..."

"What is it?"

"It looks expensive. Are you sure you want me to drink it?" The bottle he gave Charles was different from what Emilia received. Since Love Potion # 9 was something with a rather 'special' effect that Charles certainly didn't need, he opted to use a regular mana potion instead.

[ Basic Mana Potion(100ml): +100 mana upon full consumption]

Since he had seen the effects of it beforehand and most other rankers wouldn't bother spending the price of a few side quest's worth of Exp Points to get something that seemed pretty useless, he was sure that only a handful of people knew this feature. Zel watched as Charles was about to drink all of it down and suddenly stopped him.

"Wait, drink it down slowly so we can see how much you need to get full."

"Full of what?"

"Mana, you idiot!"

"Oh, yeah. That's sooo obvious!"

"Haha!"

The two laughed off anything now, maybe it was the mood but it felt nice. As Charles downed the bottle until only half was left, a feeling of strangely relaxing drowsiness got to Charles and he couldn't help but stop and yawn.

"Hmmm, so you have 50 points of base mana storage? Not bad, not bad"

"I feel so sleepy big brother..."

"Don't worry about it and just take a re-"

"Thud. Snore. -st. Yeah, just like that."

Just as Charles' eyes closed to rest, he heard a voice that made his body shiver.

(Welcome to the System Ranker! Greet us when you wake up, we'll be waiting for your call!)