Countdown to Leigh’s System Access.

I spent the entire morning pouring mana into my final draft of Leigh’s enchantment. Dad had stopped by again to let me know everyone was leaving for the town square, and urged me to hurry up. I was too busy scraping extra moments to make the pendant as perfect as I could manage. At this rate I’d have to sprint into town to make it in time, but I didn’t care.

[Mana Crafting] was still only level one but as my aching hands manipulated the subtle threads of energy, teasing them into the right shape, I felt a familiar sensation burn through me. [Mana Sight] activated without my input, and I was instantly overwhelmed by the surging storm of energy filling the basement. Fatigue built in my chest with every breath, [Mana Forming] and [Mana Command] had both been supplementing my desperate final attempt. My mana pool must be bottoming out, it felt like I was going to pass out. My blood burned in my veins.

A flurry of system notifications clouded my vision, right as I tumbled to the floor.

Congratulations!

You have achieved a great feat of magic.

* Create a magical item manually

* Cast a spell without system assistance

* Continuously feed a spell for over 24 hours

* Continuously feed a spell for over 48 hours

…

* Continuously feed a spell for 1 year.

* Spend over 1000 points of mana at level 1

* Spend over 5000 points of mana at level 1

…

* Spend over 50,000,000 points of mana at level 1

ERROR. System Overflow detected.

Rerouting to Adminis-

⌀v∃r rid∃ ∀∁∁∈pt∈d.

₵oΠgrΛts Kid. SΣΣ μ šσoΠ.

[Mana Crafting], [Mana Sight], [Mana Forming], [Mana Command] have been merged.

[Blessing of Mana] has been formed.

[Blessing of Mana] has been set to level 5.

[Curse of Pain] has been formed

[Curse of Pain] has been set to level 5.

Then, I actually did pass out.

I wasn’t unconscious for very long, more of a flicker than a faint. When I stumbled out of the cellar doors, the sun hadn’t moved since the last time I checked it. Still plenty of time to make it to the party. I stuffed the amulet in my pocket and rushed into the house to quickly wash the sweat from my face and soothe the achingly dry mouth I woke up with.

A small splash of water later, and I was sprinting at full speed out of the garden. As I ran down the dirt path deeper into the village, my thoughts were racing even faster than my feet. What had that message been about? Why did the system window flicker like that? Dozens of other questions I didn’t have the answers to, and vague half-memories from my first life that seemed to scream and hiss in my subconscious, misty and distant.

The system wasn’t a friend, I knew that much, but it didn’t fucking speak to me either! It was a clearly flawed creation, but it was autonomous. Everyone says it is autonomous. I seem to recall a few churches that revered the gods as “System Administrators”, but then why had the text been so broken? Why was the system screaming in response? Why were my eyes buzzing?

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I couldn’t answer any of those questions.

I called out a mental command to my solitary minion, ordering Bone Wolf out of the cellar into the woods on the outskirts of town. I’d come up with a name for him, and a plan to help his appearance some, but the strange interference was accelerating my timetable. I didn’t want to be caught unprepared. Silently, my loyal friend circled the very edges of the village, finding the closest spot to the town center while staying hidden. He’d be ready if I needed him.

Rounding a corner in the street, I slowed to a light jog while approaching the town square. I could hear the subtle chattering of a crowd in the distance and didn’t want to make too much of a scene by sprinting in at the last moment. Fishing the amulet out of my pocket, I wanted to inspect it one last time before giving it over to Leigh.

As I gazed down at the bauble in my hand, the familiar tingle of a skill activating filled the space behind my eyes. Information poured out of the object, and I could sense the mana wafting off of it like steam. It wasn’t quite like sight, but more of a natural awareness. My new sixth sense, likely supplied by [Blessing of Mana] filled my mind with the details of the item.

Amulet of Purification - Uncommon

* Can be activated to cleanse user of filth and grime

* Provides slight resistance to poison

* Provides slight resistance to disease

Must be recharged when mana reserve has been exhausted

The effects were overall better than I’d hoped for. I’d only intended to make it a basic cleanse charm, but the interference of my new blessing was a welcomed addition. Even if it was a small addition. I’m curious to see how the [Blessing of Mana] affects things in the future, but for now, I had better things to worry about. I could hear the village counting down Leigh’s system access in the distance. Ten. Nine. Eight.

I made it just in time to catch Leigh’s eyes scanning the crowd. We made eye contact and she smiled. Seven. Six. Five.

A heartbeat passed, and she looked away, her smile not fading. The way her nervous eyes swept over our entire village, gathered to support her, made my chest flutter. More so than just the running. Four. Three. Two.

She smiled at mom and dad, her adoptive parents standing up front to support her. One.

Her eyes went blank. Rolling back into her head a surge of power, knowledge, and control rushed into her. There were many theories about the system, as wide and varied as the cultures of the world. Some believed it to be a direct line to the gods, the voice of divine angels, or the will of living mana itself. None could say for sure, but one thing was certain. That first moment was always overwhelming.

Thinking back, I can't even remember my own system unlock day. I thought I could, I could have sworn I did. My parents were there. I think? Standing there while Leigh scrolled through her status and options for the first time, I tried to think back to my first life. To Andras Gregori and his parents. However, every time I tried to focus on the concept of a mother or a father, all I could bring to mind were Neia and Daniel. My current parents.

I know I had parents the first time. Everyone has parents. It felt like we didn’t have a good relationship, but I couldn’t even remember their faces let alone their names. I couldn’t miss something I couldn’t remember, but even still the emptiness made me pause. I wasn’t going to let it stop me though, I was here today for Leigh, and she should be done with her menus soon.

She stepped down from the small wooden platform that had been built for the town to watch her. One of the boards snapped under her newfound strength, unable to regulate her newly enhanced ability. She stumbled forward and Daniel blurred forward, catching her before she could hit the ground. The crowd was cheering, but already starting to disperse. Our little family unit would exchange gifts here before returning home for dinner.

Dad went first, he had a custom forging hammer made for Leigh, with her name engraved on the top. Neia gave her a new dress, handmade and well-fitted to Leigh’s measurements. I was looking forward to seeing her in it.

When it was finally my turn, I stepped forward and handed her the amulet.

“I made this for you, sorry I was late though. It took all morning to finish” I stammered, blushing as she took it and smiled.

Leigh immediately looped the chain over her head and smiled at me. “It’s great! Thank you”. I briefly tried to explain the properties I had enchanted into it, but Leigh tackled me into a hug before I could finish.

“I took the [Mana Crafting skill] would you mind teaching me?” Leigh asked sheepishly, not offering up any more information about her new system unlock. I accepted immediately.