The words had barely registered before Derek felt a surge of energy flow through him. At first, it was pleasant—a gentle warmth spreading through his body, like slipping into a sunlit pool. He closed his eyes, embracing the sensation, but the warmth quickly intensified, turning into a searing heat that coursed through his veins.

His eyes snapped open as pain tore through him, sharp and overwhelming. It felt as though every cell in his body was igniting, burning from the inside out. Derek screamed, clutching at his chest as the fire spread, every nerve alight with agony. The calm water around him churned violently, responding to his turmoil.

"What… what's happening?!" he gasped, his voice hoarse with pain. He had expected power, not this excruciating torment.

The system’s voice returned, still calm and indifferent to his suffering.

[The process of awakening is not without its challenges. Your affinity must synchronize with the mana coursing through you. The pain will subside once your body adapts.]

Derek’s vision blurred as he struggled to remain conscious. The fire inside him felt like it was consuming him, tearing apart what he had been and rebuilding him into something new. He could feel the water around him trying to soothe the flames, but it wasn’t enough. The heat was too intense, too overwhelming.

He gritted his teeth, fighting against the urge to give in to the pain. This was his chance, his one shot at regaining what he had lost. He couldn’t afford to fail now. Not when he was so close.

“Come on,” he whispered to himself, his voice trembling. “Come on, Derek. You can do this. You’ve faced worse.”

But had he? The thought flickered through his mind, a moment of doubt that threatened to shatter his resolve. No, this was different. This was beyond anything he had ever experienced. But he couldn’t stop now. He wouldn’t.

The flames roared louder, and Derek felt something deep within him snap. The pain reached a crescendo, a blinding white light filling his mind—and then, just as suddenly, it was gone.

He collapsed into the water, gasping for breath as the searing heat vanished, leaving only a lingering warmth in its wake. The water cradled him, supporting his weight as he floated, exhausted but alive.

[Awakening complete. Welcome, Derek Blake. Your starting skills are now active.]

Derek’s chest heaved as he fought to regain his breath. The pain had been unlike anything he had ever imagined, but it was over now. He was still here. Still alive.

And more than that—he was changed. The proof of that popped in front of his eyes.

[Status Screen]

Name: Derek Blake

Class: Mage

Level: 1

Race: Human

Affiliation: Earth

Health: 100/100

Mana: 200/200

Strength: 10

Agility: 12

Endurance: 10

Intelligence: 18

Wisdom: 15

[Skills Unlocked]

Mana Manipulation: Control and direct the flow of mana within and around you. This skill is fundamental to all magical abilities and allows you to harness the energy necessary for spellcasting.

Focus: Sharpen your concentration to enhance spell accuracy and potency. This skill increases the effectiveness of your spells, reducing the chance of failure and maximizing their impact.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Derek opened and closed his eyes, the simple action helping him ground himself in the strange, new reality he found himself in. He was floating in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by an endless expanse of water that stretched out as far as the eye could see. So many unexpected things had happened in such a short amount of time, yet despite the chaos and uncertainty, Derek felt an odd sense of calm. Maybe it was the water. The familiar, comforting presence of it seemed to soothe his frayed nerves, reminding him of the many hours he had spent immersed in it, both physically and emotionally, throughout his life.

As he floated there, feeling the gentle rise and fall of the water beneath him, his thoughts drifted to his mother. The thought of her filled him with a pang of worry. Where was she? Where was Joana? He didn’t know how the world had changed or what dangers might now lurk in this new reality, but he could only hope that they were safe, that they could somehow hold on until he was strong enough to find them.

The system had said that the Earth had been integrated into a Multiverse. He had no idea what that meant for the world he knew, for the people he cared about, or for the future that now lay before him. But one thing was certain: he had to get stronger. He had to master the powers he had been given if he was going to survive in this new world and if he was going to find his mother and keep her safe. Maybe in this new world, there was a chance for her to fully recover. The cancer was killing her slowly. But maybe now, everything could change.

Derek did not know how to feel about all this. For now, all he could do was take the first step.

He glanced at the Status Screen that had popped up earlier, his eyes settling on the word "Mana." He had felt the surge of energy during his awakening, the mana flowing through him like a raging river. But now, as he floated in the calm, endless water, he wanted to understand it better. He needed to know how to control it, to wield it with precision and purpose.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes again, this time focusing inward. He tried to feel the mana flowing within him, to sense the current of energy that now supposedly pulsed through his veins. But to his surprise, there was nothing? A frown creased his brow. Maybe he wasn’t concentrating hard enough. Maybe the mana required more focus, more intent than he had initially thought.

Derek took another deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and closed his eyes once more. This time, he concentrated harder, clearing his mind of all distractions. He envisioned the mana as a river within him, waiting to be summoned, ready to be shaped by his will.

But again, there was nothing.

Panic began to creep in at the edges of his mind. As if that was not enough, Derek suddenly heard a splashing noise somewhere nearby. His heart skipped a beat as the unexpected sound of splashing water cut through the eerie silence around him. His eyes snapped open, scanning the vast, empty expanse of water that stretched out in every direction. The calm he had been holding onto so tightly was beginning to fray, replaced by a growing sense of unease. He wasn’t alone.

Of course, he wasn’t alone. His mind raced. The system had integrated Earth into the Multiverse, but what did that mean for the creatures—or people—inhabiting this new reality? The possibilities were endless and, frankly, terrifying. All of a sudden Derek felt exposed, vulnerable. He had no idea what was out there, or whether it was friendly, dangerous, or something far worse.

The splashing continued, rhythmic and deliberate, coming closer. Derek’s pulse quickened as he tried to locate the source. The water, which had once been his refuge, now seemed ominous, hiding whatever was approaching beneath its surface. His thoughts darted between options: should he try to hide? Flee? Or stay and confront whatever was coming?

He forced himself to breathe steadily, his mind snapping back to focus. Panicking wouldn’t help; he needed to assess the situation calmly, just as he had done countless times in the pool during his competitive days. He couldn’t afford to lose control now, not when he was so vulnerable.

Straining his eyes, Derek finally caught sight of a disturbance in the water—a small ripple that grew larger as it approached. Whatever was making that noise was just beneath the surface, moving with purpose. It was neither too big nor too small, maybe something he could handle? Scratch that. He saw something jagged and his muscles tensed.

Calm down. Derek took a deep breath and told himself to stay fucking calm. Otherwise, he could tell things were not going to be so pretty. Calm down. He breathed in and out.

[Ding! Focus - lvl 1 > Focus - lvl 2]

[Ding! You have gained experience points]

A soft chime echoed in his mind, signaling the upgrade to his Focus skill. Derek’s eyes widened in surprise. He could do this? Well, shit.

He immediately got down to business and despite the thing swimming closer to him, he kept his mind on the task at hand as he tried harder and harder to focus and sense the mana that should be within him. If he could improve his skills by staying calm and focused, then maybe, just maybe, he could access the mana he knew was within him.

Wrong. Before he could do anything, the thing in the water was already in front of him. It was a big fish with even bigger teeth.