Ryan finished packing the last of his supplies when a thought suddenly surfaced.
He paused beside the kitchen counter.
For a moment, he just stood there—eyes unfocused, mind turning.
Then—
"By the way…"
His thoughts shifted toward the faint red interface only he could see.
"What does my skill actually do?"
Iris answered immediately.
[If you want more details, focus on the skill in your status screen.]
Ryan nodded.
"Status."
The familiar crimson interface appeared before him.
[Host: Ryan Hale]
Age: 25 (Mental age 125)
Race: Human
Rank: Lower-Earth
Level: 2
Strength: 22
Agility: 12
Vitality: 12
Intelligence: 20
Skills: Absorption (Mid-Earth)
Ryan narrowed his eyes.
This was new.
And anything new—
Meant advantage.
The moment his attention settled on the skill—
The screen shifted.
***
[Absorption — Mid-Earth Rank]
Passive Skill
Allows the host to absorb a percentage of stat points from enemies slain.
Also increases the host's natural absorption of ambient mana.
Skill Effects:
• Stat absorption from defeated enemies — 5%
• Increased natural mana absorption — 10%
Note: This skill does not increase maximum mana capacity.
***
Ryan leaned back slightly.
A slow breath left him.
"This…"
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"…is going to be useful."
Iris sounded pleased.
[It allows you to grow stronger with every enemy you defeat.]
Ryan nodded, already moving again—stuffing supplies into his backpack with renewed focus.
"So the more enemies I kill…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"The stronger I become."
[Correct.]
A brief pause.
[However, it will not increase your level.]
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"Why not?"
[Because it strengthens your physical attributes, not your mana capacity.]
Ryan hummed.
Thoughtful.
That distinction mattered.
But even so—
In a world about to collapse into chaos…
A skill like this?
It wasn't just useful.
It was dangerous.
The kind of power that didn't scale—
It snowballed.
It was monstrous.
Ryan zipped the backpack closed.
Then—
Another thought.
"In my previous life…"
He leaned back against the counter slightly.
"There were people who could use mana like magic."
"Fire. Lightning. Ice."
His eyes narrowed faintly.
"I never figured out how they did it."
Iris answered calmly.
[Those were likely abilities granted during their Awakening.]
[They are tied to elemental affinities.]
Ryan crossed his arms.
"So if I didn't awaken with one…"
"I can't use magic?"
[You can.]
Ryan blinked.
"…I can?"
[Every living being has at least one elemental affinity.]
[You simply need to discover yours.]
Ryan tilted his head slightly.
"And how exactly do I do that?"
A pause.
Then—
[It's simple.]
Another pause.
[But that lesson can wait.]
Ryan frowned.
"Why?"
Iris didn't hesitate.
[Because you're about to be late for work.]
Ryan turned toward the clock.
11:30 AM.
His eyes widened.
"Shit—"
Everything moved at once.
He grabbed bags.
Checked supplies.
Recounted items mentally.
Too much.
Way too much.
"I can't carry all of this…"
Two backpacks were already full.
And there was still more.
Ryan ran a hand through his hair, frustration rising.
"This won't fit in the car."
Iris spoke again.
Casual.
Almost offhand.
[You know…]
[With your current mana capacity…]
[I can create a pocket dimension for you.]
Ryan didn't respond immediately.
Because that—
Didn't sound real.
"…You can what?"
[A pocket dimension.]
[A storage space connected directly to your soul.]
Ryan stared.
Then—
His eyes lit up.
"Seriously?"
A step forward.
"How big?"
[Its size corresponds to the range of my space-time ability.]
Ryan frowned slightly.
"And that is?"
[Currently… two hundred miles.]
Ryan blinked.
"…Two hundred?"
Iris sounded smug.
[Your mana capacity increased.]
Ryan's mind moved quickly.
Connecting pieces.
"So for every point of mana…"
He pointed vaguely.
"You get one mile of range?"
[Correct.]
Ryan laughed.
Short.
Disbelieving.
"That's ridiculous."
[Naturally.]
He looked around the apartment.
Really looked this time.
Every box.
Every supply.
Every piece of preparation.
"So I can store anything?"
[Anything without a soul.]
Ryan paused.
"Without a soul?"
[Living beings cannot enter.]
A brief pause.
[Not yet.]
Ryan's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Meaning?"
[At High-Sky Rank, that restriction disappears.]
Ryan let out a low whistle.
"So eventually…"
His gaze unfocused slightly.
"I could build a world inside it."
[In theory… yes.]
Ryan grinned.
"That's insane."
[Obviously.]
He exhaled once.
Then—
"Alright."
His tone shifted.
Focused.
Controlled.
"Let's try it."
Ryan closed his eyes.
And reached inward.
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
He felt it.
A thread.
Thin.
Subtle.
Like something lightly brushing against his soul.
Ryan followed it.
And instantly—
His awareness shifted.
Darkness.
Endless.
Silent.
No sky.
No ground.
No sense of direction.
Just—
Space.
Empty.
Waiting.
"I found it…"
Ryan's voice echoed faintly in the void.
"It's…"
He frowned slightly.
"…depressing."
[You don't have enough mana to sustain an environment yet.]
Ryan nodded slowly.
"Will the Clearleaf survive in here?"
[Yes.]
[Time is locked.]
Ryan blinked.
"…Locked?"
[Objects neither decay nor grow.]
Ryan's brows rose.
"So what's the ratio?"
[Currently…]
A brief pause.
[One day outside equals one year inside.]
Ryan went completely still.
Then—
He burst out laughing.
"That is broken."
Not useful.
Not strong.
Broken.
One by one—
The apartment began to empty.
Boxes vanished.
Supplies disappeared.
Backpacks.
Radios.
Fuel.
Water.
Even his bed.
Everything slipped into the void.
Until—
Nothing remained.
Ryan opened his eyes.
The apartment was bare.
Silent.
Empty.
He slowly turned.
Taking it in.
"This…"
A quiet breath.
"…changes everything."
He grabbed his keys.
Then paused at the door.
One last glance behind him.
This place—
Where everything had ended.
Where everything had begun again.
No hesitation.
Ryan stepped out.
And didn't look back.
***
Far away—
In another dimension—
Darkness stretched endlessly in every direction.
At its center stood a massive mansion.
Elegant.
Silent.
Timeless.
Inside—
A vast bedroom.
Soft light.
Silk sheets.
Golden accents.
Iris lay across an enormous four-poster bed.
A glowing blue screen hovered before her.
Ryan's figure moved across it—driving through empty streets.
She sighed softly.
"It's been almost two thousand years…"
Her voice barely carried.
"I know I said I wouldn't interfere…"
Her fingers brushed the screen.
Light rippled outward.
"But how long was I supposed to wait?"
The screen vanished.
But her connection remained.
She stood.
Walked toward the massive window.
Beyond it—
A glowing blue barrier stretched across the void.
Two hundred miles wide.
Her domain.
"It won't be long now…"
Her voice softened.
"He'll grow strong enough."
A pause.
Something deeper beneath her words.
Something unspoken.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
For the first time—
There was tension in her expression.
"I won't lose you again."
The darkness swallowed her whisper.
***
Ryan's car rolled into the parking lot twenty minutes later.
The building loomed ahead.
Familiar.
Unchanged.
Unaware.
Ryan stepped out.
The air felt different.
He adjusted his jacket.
His posture straightened.
Calm.
Controlled.
A faint smile rested on his lips.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
He walked toward the entrance.
And this time—
He wasn't walking toward survival.
He was walking toward control.
And this time—
It begins with him.