After buying from ren.
Leo burst through the fog-dim streets, clutching the rusted pendant like it might vanish if he slowed down.
By the time he reached home, his boots were soaked, his breath sharp in the cold air. The door slammed open with a crack — wood striking wood.
If anyone had been inside, they'd have heard chaos: thump, thump, thump — footsteps hammering the floor, the staircase shrieking creak… creak… under his rush.
He reached his room, heart racing, pulse echoing in his ears.
With trembling fingers, he dug into his pocket and drew it out — a small, corroded pendant, its chain stiff with age, its surface etched with faint lines like veins beneath skin.
"Origin Eye — activate."
[Origin Eye: Active]
[Error: Not enough mana.]
He blinked. "What?"
"System! What does that mean?"
The silence that followed felt heavier than sound.
He knew what it meant. Mana — the life-blood of every awakener, the current that powered skills — was gone.the invisible current that powered skills and shaped the world of awakener Without mana, no System should respond.
Without mana, no one could invoke the System. No one.
And yet, his pendant still shimmered faintly.
But then—
"Status."
The air trembled.
Lines of pale silver light unfolded from nothing, drawing words in the space before his eyes — not projected, but engraved directly into the air, alive and humming with faint resonance.
[ TRUTH SYSTEM — ORIGINAL FRAMEWORK ]
[ Editor Name: Leo Thorne ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ Age: 16 ]
[ Class: Appraisal (unclassified)]
[ Rank: F ]
[ Hidden Evolution Path: (See Details) ]
───────────────────────────
Strength: 7
Agility: 9
Intelligence:10
Stamina: 9
Mana:0/20
____________________________________________
Skills Registered:
→ [Origin Eye] (EX Rank)
→ [Appraisal – Fragmented] (f Rank)
→ [Weak Point Recognition] (f Rank)
→ [?????????? – Rank????]
_____________________________________________
[ Hidden Path Details ]
[ System Integration: 39% ]
[ Protocols Detected: 0 ]
"Class: Appraisal… unclassified? What does that mean?"
The glowing text wavered. New lines of light threaded across the air, forming a cool, monotone response.
[ Not enough integration. ]
Leo blinked. "Integration? That's… what is it? It's thirty-nine percent!"
The System pulsed once — a low, harmonic tone vibrating in his chest.
[ For access to hidden details, Integration must be sufficient. ]
"Sufficient?" he repeated, frowning. "You don't mean a hundred percent, right?"
[ Hidden Class Details require 40% Integration. ]
He froze. "Forty percent? I'm that close…"
His eyes narrowed. "Then how do I raise it?"
No reply. Only the flickering hum of the floating text.
"…Not gonna answer?"
The silence broke — symbols realigning in a spiral pattern before exploding into a new cascade of words:
[ Quest System: Unlocked ]
[ Integration Rewards Available ]
[ Quest Details ]
< Locate System Protocol Fragments >
< Objective: Complete Integration >
< Reward: Access Hidden Detail for Everything >
Leo stared, half in disbelief, half in awe. Then a slow grin spread across his face.
"What the—how convenient of you." He laughed under his breath. "I was just about to ask that."
He pocketed the pendant, eyes glinting with anticipation.
"Protocol fragments, huh? Looks like I'm going to be very busy."
He took a deep breath, the tension in his shoulders fading into a sharp, reckless smile.
"Heh… ha ha ha ha! That's right—bring it on!"
The System's glow pulsed once more — faintly, almost like a heartbeat — before dissolving into threads of light that sank into his skin.
And for the first time since awakening, Leo felt it.
The world was no longer silent.
Something vast was watching him back.
"How do I restore my mana…?"
He rubbed his temples, the dim light of the room flickering across the floorboards. "I don't even have potions."
The System didn't answer. It never did when he wanted it to.
He sighed, pushing himself up from the creaking chair. "Whatever. It's about time I head to work. Can't afford to rest."
He grabbed his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder — and then the air around him shifted.
A faint hum threaded through the silence, like static whispering at the edge of hearing.
[ Fragmented Protocol Detected. ]
Leo froze mid-step. "What…?"
Something flickered — a dull glow leaking from his pocket. His heartbeat stuttered. He reached in, fingers brushing cold metal.
The rusted pendant.
The same one he'd bought from Old Man Ren.
It was glowing. Not bright, but alive — faint veins of light tracing across its surface, the rust splitting apart like old skin revealing something beneath.
He turned it over in his palm.
The light pulsed once. Then—
[ Protocol Fragment: Recognized. ]
[ Integration Increased: 39% → 40%. ]
[ Hidden Class Details Unlocked. ]
The pendant's glow sank into his skin, vanishing without heat, without sound — leaving only the faintest afterimage in the air, like a burned memory.
Leo stared at his empty hand. "...You've got to be kidding me."
The System pulsed again, quieter this time.
Almost like a breath against his ear.
"Hidden class details… unlocked?"
Leo blinked at the hovering text. His pulse quickened. "What kind of turn of event is this? I was just about to—"
He stopped himself, breath catching in his throat.
"Let's see the Appraisal Class hidden details."
The air rippled again, as if the System had anticipated his thoughts.
[ Accessing Hidden Class Data... ]
[ Class: Appraiser — Rank F ]
[ Hidden Details: Revealing ]
The text expanded, symbols weaving themselves into sentences made of light and shadow.
» Can appraise hidden traits beyond recorded parameters.
» Capable of reading mana residue, emotional imprint, and cause of item degradation.
» Appraisal feedback may alter reality based on observation accuracy.
» Caution: Extended use may trigger Paradox Feedback.
[ Warning: Evolution Path "Appraiser" not stabilized. ]
"Appraiser class not stable? What do you mean"
[System Log – Class Analysis: Appraiser]
Classification: Support / Analysis-Type
Tier: Unstable Fragment (Derived from [Or*** ****])
Known Issues: Structural Instability
Description:
The Appraiser Class was not part of the original System architecture. It is a fragmented derivative of the [Ori** ****] prototype, designed to grant mortals limited access to the System's data streams. Appraisers can analyze items, skills, and beings by interpreting System fragments embedded within reality.]
"Why is it blurring things...And Mortal's?"
Ding
[The system doesn't have access yet]
[ Warning: Not enough integration]
"Forget it. Let's focus on integration — everything will be revealed when the time is right."
"It's saying my class is fragmented. It's not revealing the original class... Hah! This is giving me a headache. Let's get to work already before Silla eats me alive."
The bell above the door chimed as Leo rushed into The Ember Pot, breathless and half out of uniform. The restaurant was alive with noise — sizzling pans, clinking cups, and the low hum of mana lamps casting golden light across the room. The scent of spice and simmering broth hit him like a wall.
From behind the counter, Silla looked up with her usual sharp grin.
"Well, well. Hello, Mr. Appraiser. Good to see you — but you're late."
Leo froze mid-step. "Evening, Manager Silla."
"Evening for you, maybe. For the rest of us, it's been evening for three hours."
She leaned against the counter, ladle in hand. "You've had that fancy System for what, two days? And it's already holding you hostage? Impressive. Didn't think anyone could lose an argument to a menu."
Leo winced. "It's not like that. I had to—"
"Save it." She jabbed the ladle toward him. "You can explain your tragic digital love story later. Right now, you've got three tables waiting, and I'm not running around in heels for you."
He sighed, tying on his apron. "Yes, ma'am."
The Ember Pot pulsed with life — adventurers laughing, the crackle of the hearth spirit's flame, and the comforting chaos of evening rush. Leo's mother handed him a tray of dishes, shaking her head with a soft smile.
"You're lucky she likes you," she said quietly.
"Likes me?" Leo muttered. "I'm pretty sure she keeps me around for target practice."
She reached out, straightening his apron. "We'll keep doing good work, okay?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I got this."
She smiled and walked toward the back, leaving him to face the evening crowd.
She left through the back door, and for a moment, the kitchen noise drowned under the murmur of the crowd. Leo took a breath, grabbed his tray, and stepped back into the main hall.
The Ember Pot was still busy — adventurers laughing too loudly, the smell of mana ale thick in the air, and runes flickering softly under the tables. Leo approached a corner booth where a group of rough-looking awakeners sat, their guild insignia faintly glowing on their jackets.
"Your order — ember stew and flame ale," Leo said, setting the dishes down carefully.
One of them, a red-haired man with a jagged scar over his nose, frowned at his plate. "Oi, kid. I said double portion, didn't I?"
Leo blinked, checking his order slip. "Uh… it says standard. Maybe I misheard—"
"You calling me a liar?" the man snapped, slamming his palm on the table hard enough to rattle the cups.
The other adventurers went quiet. A few nearby customers turned to look.
"N-no, sir," Leo said quickly, keeping his voice calm. "I can get you another serving right away."
The man stood, his chair scraping harshly against the floor. "You think I'm some drunk fool you can ignore? Apologize properly, brat."
Leo froze. His System flickered faintly — [Danger Level: Moderate detected]
"Sir, please—"
"Show some respect to real awakeners," the man growled, mana crackling faintly along his hand. He took a step closer, his intent clear.
Before he could move further, a voice came from behind.
"Leo," Silla said calmly, walking toward them, her expression unreadable. "Go inside. I'll handle it."
Leo hesitated. "But—"
"Now."
There was no anger in her tone, only certainty. Reluctantly, Leo stepped back toward the kitchen doorway — but not far enough to miss what followed.
Silla came to stand between them, her stance relaxed but steady. "He's new," she said evenly. "Still learning the ropes. It was an accident — nothing more."
The D-rank scoffed. "Then maybe you should train your staff better. People like him need to learn respect."
Silla tilted her head slightly. "Respect?" Her tone cooled. "You want respect? Then act like someone who deserves it."
His jaw clenched. "Watch your mouth. You know who I am?"
"Oh, I do," she said, her eyes sharpening. "D-rank, East District. The one who got humiliated in the E+ Sanctuary expedition."
The man froze. "...What?"
your squad walked straight into a mana trap, and half your team got wiped before the Mistweaver Guildmistress pulled you out. If she hadn't been there, we'd be talking about body counts, not bruised pride."
Murmurs rippled through the room. The man's face flushed red, his jaw trembling with rage.
"Y-you—"
Silla stepped closer, her tone sharpening with every word. "Your squad fell apart under your leadership. You ignored the scouts, charged ahead, and half your team nearly got infected before Mistweaver Guildmistress Lira stepped in and saved your sorry hide. If she hadn't been there, we'd be talking about corpses, not bruised egos."
The man's fists trembled. "You… you think you can talk to me like that?"
Silla's expression didn't change. "You came in here to bully a waiter because it makes you feel strong. But the truth is, you're still the same coward who hid behind his team when things went bad. You want respect? Earn it. Not from me — from yourself."
Silence filled the Ember Pot. The other adventurers looked anywhere but at him.
After a long moment, the man cursed, slammed a few coins onto the table, and stormed out.
Silla didn't move until the door shut. Then she exhaled softly and said, "Next round's on me, everyone. Show's over."
The tension eased; people chuckled quietly.
From behind the kitchen door, Leo exhaled in disbelief.
She doesn't even have mana… and he still backed down.
When he stepped out again, Silla was already back behind the counter, ladle in hand, like nothing happened.
"Next time, double-check the order slip."
Leo nodded slowly. "Yes, Manager."
She glanced, meeting his eyes. "And don't let anyone talk down to you for being weak. You are now a awakener too".
He smiled faintly. "I'll remember that."
The Ember Pot soon settled back into its usual rhythm, but Leo couldn't shake what he'd seen.
Silla Rane — no mana, no power left — had faced a D-rank head-on and won without lifting a hand.
The last customers had long left, leaving only the low hum of the hearth and the faint scent of spices hanging in the air. Silla flipped the sign to Closed, while Leo finished stacking the last few plates.
"You can head out," Silla said, wiping her hands on a towel. "I'll handle the rest."
Leo nodded tiredly. "Good night, Manager."
"Try not to be late tomorrow," she called as he headed for the door.
"I'll set three alarms," he muttered.
"Make it four," she said with a smirk.
Leo stepped out into the cool night. The cobbled streets of Grey District were quiet, the mana lamps flickering with weak, blue light. His body ached from hours of work, his eyes heavy.
He stretched, yawning. "Man… I'm supposed to be an Awakener now, but I still get tired like a normal guy."
He glanced at his hands — rough from work, not battle. "F-rank really is… useless."
The street was empty, silent except for the wind brushing past old signboards.
He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets, walking under the dim glow of a lantern — and then froze.
A faint blue shimmer appeared before his eyes.
[System Notice]
[Hidden Evolution Path Detected.]
The text hung there, silent and unreadable, casting a faint light across his tired face.
Leo blinked once, the cool night suddenly feeling a little less quiet.