“Okay, so I’ve got a bunch of questions I need to ask you real quick before I head back out there,” Roman said hurriedly, as a loud crash reverberated through the room—another monster slamming against the wall. For a moment, he had forgotten about the ongoing battle outside.
“Of course,” Master Wong chuckled softly, clearly amused by Roman's eager thirst for knowledge.
“When I woke up in front of Eidon, I figured out how to open my status screen, and it showed I had the title of World Walker… but it said the title was broken. I can’t access levels or skills. Do you know how to fix that?” Roman asked hopefully, holding his breath, almost afraid of the answer.
Master Wong’s eyes brightened with curiosity. “Fascinating. So, you can see your status at any time? That’s quite impressive.” One hand stroked his beard thoughtfully.
“Yeah, but can you fix it? I mean, it really sucks not being able to gain levels or skills, aside from weapon abilities,” Roman said, the frustration evident in his voice.
“Wait—you’re this strong without being able to level up?” Lexi exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.
“Well, I’m pretty sure you have been leveling up,” Master Wong corrected, his tone serious. “You just don’t have access to it and can’t see it.” He paused, thinking deeply. “But to answer your question… no, I don’t know how to fix it. However…” His voice trailed off.
Roman’s hope flickered. “But?” he asked, leaning forward.
“I do know someone who might be able to help. He’s a reclusive man living in the Dragon Fang Mountains.”
Roman turned to Lexi, who seemed to deflate at the mention of the remote location. “Where’s that?”
“Our kingdom is surrounded by mountains on three sides—that’s what’s kept us safe and difficult to invade… until now,” Master Wong explained. “The Dragon Fang Mountains are to the southeast. Honestly, they’re not that far from here.”
“And it works out perfectly because the King is sending us there to train once we handle this invasion,” Seth said, walking into the room with the others. For the first time since waking up, Roman really took in his surroundings. Nurses moved around, tending to the injured, but the place was mostly deserted. Roman realized he was on the first bed near the entrance, so those deeper inside couldn’t hear their conversation. But Seth and the others, now close by, had overheard everything.
Roman shook his head, smirking. “You shadow users… always sneaking around, eavesdropping on people’s conversations.”
Seth chuckled and patted Roman on the shoulder. “Hey, I always get the juiciest gossip.”
Roman laughed, but his thoughts quickly returned to what Seth had said. “So, the King is sending us to the mountains to train? Why there? What’s so special about them?”
“There’s a new dungeon we recently discovered in the area,” Jessika answered, sitting next to Lexi at the foot of Roman’s bed.
“A dungeon?” Roman’s voice betrayed a spark of hope, though he tried to temper his excitement, worried it might not be what he was thinking.
“Yes,” Master Wong said, nodding. “It’s a space where a magic core has transformed its entire environment. Dungeons are unlike anything else in the world, except perhaps the Beast Plains. Monsters within the dungeons respawn after a set time, and they drop items—what you might call ‘loot.’”
Roman blinked. “Respawn? Loot?” He repeated the words, confused that they were using terms he knew from games back on Earth.
“Oh yes,” Master Wong said, smiling. “Some of the earliest Otherworlder used these terms a lot, so they stuck. It’s part of our vocabulary now.”
Roman shook his head, mentally kicking himself. Of course, he thought. I should have known that.
“Ok next question, Do you know what cultivation is?” he asked and watched Master Wong for any sign of shock or surprise but saw none.
“Yes, I have been taught of this by my master. He learned from an Otherworlder and created an Academy but none of us were able to improve our bodies so the school changed to just the martial arts he taught and not the cultivation side.” Master Wong answered honestly.
“Ok so its not a foreign concept to you then. That is how I am this strong. I have been cultivating since I arrived. The first monster I killed I felt this energy fill me and I got scared and didn’t know what to do with it.” Roman said and trailed off as he remembered that first fight.
“Yes, Every monster you kill releases energy like that, we call it experience, or XP.” Seth answered.
“What do you do with that energy? Does the XP fill your body?” Roman asked.
“No, we sort of breath it in and then the system banks it, after receiving a certain amount of XP we level up.” Seth answered again.
“Ok…so that’s different from what I do. I breathe it in but then it sat in my chest and was uncomfortable then remembered about another title I have and cultivation from my world so started compressing it into a ball, then the system called it a broken core. Later on I fixed the core by changing the shape more into a tree…which is what felt right to me at the time, I don’t know why. After I made that change it was like…power I had never known rushing through me. I was faster, stronger, I could even heal myself almost immediately.” Roman answered, it felt good to lay all his cards out there for the first time.
“Ok couple questions but first, another title?” Lexi asked.
“Yeah I’ve been itching to ask you every since we did the scan in the capital but things kept happening, but you have three titles?!” Jessika asked excitedly.
“Oh yeah, I wish there was a way I could show you my status screen how I see it.” He mused and then started trying somethings and it worked on the first one. “Share Status Screen.” He thought and visualized what he wanted. He smiled when everyone jumped in surprise.
Status:
Name: Roman
Race: Human
Age: 19
Title: [World Walker] (Incomplete)
– World Walker is a title earned by traversing the cosmos to arrive on another world capable of sustaining life and with access to the System. This title is currently incomplete; the user has only the lite version. Levels and stats are unavailable.
Title: [Exponential Growth]
– The user’s growth in all areas increases exponentially. All activities completed by the user are influenced by this title until the body can no longer sustain it. Once this limit is reached, the user must improve their body’s constitution and vigor for continued growth.
Title: [Cultivator's Body]
– The user has the ability to enhance bodily functions through cultivation. Energy from the environment and defeated enemies is absorbed and stored directly into the body for self-enhancement, bypassing the System.
Core: Empowered Core
----------------------------------------
Skills and Proficiency:
* Sword Mastery: Lvl 10 (Mastered)
* Glaive Mastery: Lvl 10 (Mastered)
* Enhanced Agility: Lvl 10 (Mastered)
* Athleticism: Lvl 10 (Mastered)
* Elemental Weapon Mastery - Lightning: Lvl 9
* Weapon Proficiency - All Weapons: Lvl 8
* Enhanced Strength: Lvl 8
* Healing Acceleration: Lvl 6
* Split Focus: Lvl 5
* Battle Instincts: Lvl 7
* Combat Awareness: Lvl 8
* Energy Manipulation: Lvl 6
* Elemental Energy creation
* Spiritual Connection: Lvl 8
* Leadership Presence: Lvl 6
ETC>
“Wow this is amazing!” Master wong exclaimed. “So you can keep growing skills as long as you cultivate and make your body strong enough to handle it?! So what if a skill gets out of hand and passes your cultivation level? And are the ones that say mastered your current level?” The questions spewed out of him so fast, Roman couldn’t keep up.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“I-I don’t know.” He muttered.
“So you don’t use mana at all you use…what, Chi?” Lexi asked, looking to Master Wong to see if she said that word right.
“I think so. What does mana feel like?”
Jessika closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the familiar warmth of mana flowing through her. “Mana… it’s like this constant hum beneath the surface. It’s everywhere, in the air, in the ground, in the very core of everything around us. When I draw on it, it feels light, like water or wind brushing against my skin. There’s this gentle pull when you focus, like it’s just waiting to be shaped, molded into whatever spell or ability you need.
“Once you start using it, it’s like a river flowing through you—warm, but not overwhelming. It’s… responsive. You give it shape, as you say the spells it give it form and rules. It bends easily, like clay in your hands.”
She smiled slightly. “But it’s fleeting. Once the spell is cast, the mana dissipates back into the world, like mist. I can draw it in again, but it never stays long.”
Roman, listening to Jessika, paused before offering his own perspective. “Chi… it’s different from what you’re describing. For me, chi isn’t just in the world around us, though it exists there too—it’s in me. It’s personal, like a pulse or a heartbeat. When I’m cultivating, the energy feels… denser. Heavier. It’s not something that flows as easily as you describe mana. It’s more like I have to pull and push it around. I can feel its always there and at first I thought the energy I was absorbing was it until talking to Master Wong…now I know that energy was probably just XP initially and then some mana that I forced to act like Chi…now that I know about the different things when I focus inward I can see two different types of energy and I’ve been using them the same which is wrong. I have some mana in me and Its just been getting pushed around along with the Chi. Chi doesn’t just pass through me like a river. It stays. It lingers, building up pressure if I don’t handle it right. It’s raw, powerful, and wild. I have to compress it, shape it, and refine it constantly, like taking a wild storm and forcing it into a bottle. Luckily my core spins it for me so its a lot easier, I don’t even have to think about it much anymore, just will it and it does what I’m imagining most times…When I use it, it’s not like casting a spell where you release it—it’s like pushing that stored energy into action. Every punch, every movement is powered by that internal force.”
He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “So yeah, I guess it’s a lot more intense. Chi feels like lava—once it’s there, it doesn’t just fade. It can burn you up if you’re not careful.”
Master Wong listened attentively to Roman’s explanation, his expression calm but thoughtful. “Yes, Roman, that aligns with the core principles of chi manipulation. Chi is an internal force, a life energy that, once harnessed, becomes a permanent part of you. It doesn’t fade away like mana—it stays with you, strengthens you. But it’s also volatile, which is why cultivation is so important. Without proper control, chi can easily overwhelm the body.”
Roman nodded as Wong spoke, realizing just how similar their understandings of chi were, even though Roman had discovered it on his own.
Wong smiled. “You’ve done remarkably well for someone who’s been navigating it blindly. You have even come to some of the same discoveries that were taught to my master.”
Roman suddenly popped up from the bed, energy and excitement flashing across his face. “I have to try something.” His sudden movement startled everyone, but there was no stopping the flood of thoughts and ideas racing through his mind.
“What are you trying now?” Jessika asked, bemused by Roman’s enthusiasm.
Roman turned to her, his eyes wide with anticipation. “I want to try using mana—just mana. I think I’ve been confusing it with chi this whole time, forcing it into something it’s not. I need to learn how to use them separately.”
Master Wong tilted his head with interest. “That would be wise, Roman. If you can distinguish between the two energies, you could expand your abilities greatly. But mana requires a different kind of discipline than chi.”
Jessika stood up, brushing off her clothes and headed out the tent walking into a clearing far away from anything flammable. “Alright, I’ll help you with that. Mana isn’t something you just brute-force into a shape. You have to guide it. Let me show you how I cast spells.” She paused for a moment, looking thoughtful as the rest of the group followed behind her. “When I cast, I usually chant in my mind. Some people have to say the incantation out loud, but I’ve gotten good enough that I only need to think the words to tell the mana what to do.”
Roman looked intrigued. “So, it’s all about directing the mana through thought?”
“Pretty much,” Jessika confirmed. “You give it shape, form, and purpose. It responds to intention, but you still need to be specific, or the spell can fizzle out or go wrong.”
Roman nodded, soaking in her words. “Okay. Can you teach me how to cast a basic spell, like fireball?”
“Alright, first close your eyes and try to sense the mana around you.”
Roman obeyed, taking a deep breath and focusing inward. For the first time, he tried to separate the sensation of chi from the other energy he’d been ignoring—mana. It was subtle, but he could feel it now—lighter, more fluid, like a breeze compared to the dense, heavy pulse of his chi. He hadn’t noticed the difference before because he was used to forcing them both into the same mold.
“I can feel it,” Roman said softly, his eyes still closed. “It’s... different from chi. It feels more like what you said—like a river flowing around me.”
“Good,” Jessika encouraged him. “Now, imagine reaching out to it. Don’t try to grab it like you would with chi—just gently guide it. Let it respond to you. Then, in your mind, start the chant. ‘Fireball.’ Visualize it. See the flames forming in your hand.”
Roman followed her instructions carefully. He didn’t pull at the mana like he would with chi; instead, he allowed it to gather slowly, like swirling air currents, responding to his mental command. He imagined the word ‘fireball,’ picturing flames in his palm.
To his amazement, he felt warmth begin to bloom in his hand. His eyes shot open in surprise, and there, hovering above his palm, was a small, flickering fireball.
“Whoa,” Roman whispered, staring at the flames.
Jessika grinned, clearly pleased with herself. “See? You just needed to stop forcing it. Mana wants to work with you—you just have to guide it.”
Roman’s focus shifted back to the flame, marveling at how different this felt compared to when he had been using chi to create elemental energy. The fire was much lighter, more flexible, like it was alive in a way his chi-enhanced attacks never were. Chi was like brute force, raw and intense, but this—this was delicate, like holding a wisp of flame that could vanish at any moment.
“So, this is mana,” Roman muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. “It feels... easy, but hard at the same time. It’s not as intense as chi, but I have to be careful with it, or it might slip away.”
“Exactly,” Jessika confirmed. “Mana doesn’t stick around. Once you use it, it’s gone until you draw more. That’s why it’s important to be efficient with your spells. If you try to use too much at once, you’ll burn through it fast and tire yourself out.”
Roman nodded, still staring at the fireball. He flicked his wrist, and the flame dissipated into a wisp of smoke. “That was... incredible. I’ve been pushing the mana around with my chi this whole time, and I didn’t even realize I was doing it wrong.”
Master Wong stepped forward, nodding in approval. “It seems you’ve taken your first step toward understanding the difference. The ability to manipulate both chi and mana separately will make you far more versatile. The things your predecessors were able to do was astonishing. The power they wielded enough to shape the entire world on a whim. And Some of them did just that! These mountains for instance! These were made by a man who just got sick of the monsters for the Monster Plains leaking into the small town he chose to call home…it kind of got out of hand and stretched all the way and completely closed us in on all sides though.”
“The Scorched lands too! Its now a permanent desert nothing can grow out there and there’s not an ounce of water even though a giant river runs not too far from it!” Z spoke up for the first time in a while.
Roman smiled, feeling a surge of excitement. “So, if I can combine what I know about chi with this new understanding of mana, I’ll be even stronger.”
Master Wong raised an eyebrow. “That’s the idea, but don’t get too cocky. Mana and chi are different beasts. It’s not about mixing them together recklessly—you have to respect how they work individually. Otherwise, you’ll lose control.”
Roman’s grin softened, acknowledging her point. “Got it. Step by step.”
Seth, who had been watching the entire time, finally spoke up. “So, not only are you ridiculously strong with your chi stuff, but now you’re going to master mana too? You’re really going for the ‘overpowered protagonist’ title, huh?”
Roman laughed. “Hey, I’m just trying to keep up with this crazy world. Wait how do you even know about…” He paused and then thought about it. “One of my predecessors used to say stuff like that a lot right?”
Seth just grinned.
Master Wong folded his arms, smiling wisely. “It seems Roman’s journey is only just beginning. The ability to understand and master multiple energies—chi and mana—sets him apart, but it also places a great responsibility on him. Roman, you must remember that true strength comes not from raw power but from balance and control. While yes you can unleash devastating blasts like I saw you doing earlier, with balance and control you can create the most devastitng and battle changing attacks.”
Roman nodded seriously. “I understand, Master Wong. I’ll work hard to get it right.”
“Good,” Wong said, his tone gentle but firm. “Then let us continue. There’s much more to learn.”
With a renewed sense of purpose, Roman felt more ready than ever to face whatever challenges lay ahead. Whether it was mastering his chi or learning the subtleties of mana, he was determined to rise to the occasion. There was no turning back now.
“One more thing I want to tell you as I can see you’re itching to get out there. The people like you, your predecessors were not humans according to the system. They all carried a different title and race name. Sons of God. I noticed that your race still says Human, I would suggest hurrying up with this battle so you can seek out help in those mountains and find out how you attain your true race. I am sure the power you attain then would make the strongest human now seem like a toddler with a stick. I do not remember seeing anything about what they needed to do to gain the title but I remember there was something.”
“Thank you.” Roman answered and then his mind went back to the words. “Sons of God huh?”
“Those words mean something to you?” Seth asked.
“Yes…uh, are you guys religious?” He asked and looked around.
“there are a few religions in the Kingdom but the major one these days follows the goddess Athena, goddess of Wisdom and War. I’m not too religious though.” Seth answered. Roman looked at him in shock.
“Athena?! Is there Zeus, Poseidon, Hades as well?” Roman asked.
“Yes, You know of them?” Jessika asked excitedly. “I follow Athena myself.”
“Yes, They are part of what is called the Greek gods in my world. Greek Mythology.” He said. "They were forgotten after a while and other religions rose and fell but one that carried through time, the one I follow is called Christianity and I serve the one true and living God."