Avince sat near the back of the classroom where he usually sits, staring out the window as the last few students trickled in. The conversation with Amyra still buzzed in his mind, making it hard to focus. The weight of his upcoming birthday and what it might bring gnawed at him, leaving him distracted and distant. He didn’t notice his friend Erica, slip into the chair beside him until she gently poked his arm.

“Hey, you okay?” she asked, her voice soft with concern.

He blinked, turning to face her. Erica, his childhood friend, had an uncanny ability to sense when something was wrong. Her bright green eyes held a softness that cut through the fog in his mind, the kind of look that made him feel like it was okay to be vulnerable—at least with her.

“Yeah, just thinking about some stuff,” he mumbled, offering a half-hearted smile.

She tilted her head, unconvinced. “Come on, I know that look. You’re overthinking again.” Without waiting for his response, she reached out and lightly touched his arm. A warmth spread from the point of contact, soothing the restless energy inside him. His anxious thoughts began to dissolve, replaced by a quiet calm.

Avince’s eyes widened slightly. “Your ability... I thought it was just regeneration. But this feels... different.”

Erica smiled faintly. “It is regeneration. Sort of. It’s complicated.” She pulled her hand back. “I can use it for other applications too—kind of like healing emotional wounds or calming someone’s mind.”

He leaned back in his chair, brow furrowed in thought. “That doesn’t sound like just regeneration.”

She shrugged, her expression becoming unreadable, as if guarding some deeper truth. “Maybe. I’ve been told it’s a branch of it, but who knows? I’m still figuring it out.”

Before Avince could press further, Professor Carlson, an old man with sharp eyes and a stooped posture, entered the room. Despite his age—nearing seventy—he moved with surprising grace, a clear sign of some kind of mind-enhancing ability keeping him sharp. The room quieted as he made his way to the front.

"Good morning, class," he greeted, his voice steady and commanding. "Today, we’re covering a crucial part of history—The Integration and the rise of dungeons."

Avince sat up straighter, his attention snapping back to the present. History wasn’t his favorite subject, but anything about dungeons always piqued his curiosity.

"As you all know, the world we live in today wasn’t always like this," Carlson began, pacing in front of the blackboard. "One hundred years ago, the Integration occurred—a merging of our dimension with another. Along with this, dungeons appeared—gateways to dangerous pockets of space filled with monsters. These dungeons must be contained and cleared regularly, or the monsters will break through into our world, wreaking havoc."

Erica leaned closer and whispered, “You think we’ll get assigned dungeon duty soon? Seems like they’re gearing us up for it.”

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“Maybe,” Avince whispered back, glancing as Carlson sketched a crude diagram of a dungeon portal on the board.

"And that," Carlson continued, tapping the drawing, "is why maintaining control over dungeons is paramount. The creatures within, while varied in strength and nature, are capable of tremendous destruction. A breach could be catastrophic, which is why we train people to handle these threats."

The bell rang, signaling the end of the first period. Students began gathering their things, the classroom buzzing with chatter. Avince exchanged a glance with Erica as they headed to their next class—Mana Control.

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In Professor Zendrick’s classroom, the atmosphere shifted. Zendrick was known for his no-nonsense approach. As a Great Mage, his presence alone commanded attention. Tall, with graying hair and hands marked by scars from old battles, Zendrick exuded a level of mastery that few could match. His battles had left him unable to advance to Archmage, but his skill in mana control was unmatched.

"Today, we’ll continue our discussion on harnessing mana," Zendrick began, his voice like gravel. "Every human has the capacity to process mana from the surroundings. Without a dedicated ability, however, it’s far less efficient."

Avince watched closely as Zendrick drew mana from the air, his hands glowing faintly with power. It was like watching an artist at work—every motion deliberate and precise. "Mana can be used for strengthening your body, transmuting energy, or conjuring elements. For those without abilities, it’s difficult to master, but essential for survival in this world."

Zendrick paused, his sharp gaze scanning the class before landing on Avince. Avince, unlike most of his peers, still hadn’t awakened an ability. The scrutiny made him shift uncomfortably in his seat, a familiar frustration bubbling up.

"For those of you with abilities, mana is the fuel for your powers. The stronger your control over mana, the more powerful your abilities will become," Zendrick continued, forming a glowing orb of pure energy in his hand. "Conjuration, elemental attacks, enhanced strength—all of it stems from mastering mana."

Avince clenched his fists under the table, trying to push down the feeling of inadequacy. He listened intently, but the knot in his stomach grew tighter.

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As the second period ended, Avince and Erica made their way to their third class—Mana’s Application in Society. This subject was more relaxed, focusing on how mana had integrated into daily life beyond combat.

Their professor, a younger woman with a kind smile, stood at the front of the class. "Today, we’ll be discussing how mana has has been integrated and set to replace conventional energy sources like electricity," she began. "Over the past century, humanity has learned to harness mana not just for combat, but for everyday use. From powering homes and transportation to revolutionizing medical treatment, mana is now at the heart of everything we do."

Avince leaned back in his chair, feeling a rare sense of fascination. "Mana really is the backbone of everything now," he whispered to Erica.

"Yeah," she replied, "it’s hard to imagine how people used to live without it."

The professor projected a hologram of a modern city powered by mana conduits. "These conduits transfer and store mana throughout our infrastructure, providing clean, sustainable energy."

As the lesson continued, Avince’s mind began to wander again. His nineteenth birthday was just around the corner, and with it, the looming possibility of an Unstable Awakening. The thought sent a chill down his spine. Would he finally gain the strength he’d been waiting for? Or would he be cursed with a dangerous, uncontrollable power?

Erica nudged him gently, pulling him from his thoughts. "You’re going to be fine, Avince," she whispered, her voice filled with quiet confidence, as if she could see the storm inside him.

He nodded, offering a small smile, but the uncertainty lingered in the pit of his stomach. Only time would tell what his future held.