Samuel was walking towards the mansion. The sun was high in the sky, casting long shadows across the manicured lawns. He kept his pace slow and steady. He could not train openly during the day.
If people saw a boy with zero mana and zero aura casting spells, suspicions would arise immediately. How could a waste use fire? It would be hard to explain to the family, and even harder to explain to the enemies watching from the shadows.
When Samuel entered the mansion, the air grew cooler. The stone walls seemed to absorb the light. A butler was standing in the hallway, waiting.
His eyes were fixed on Samuel. His name was Ray, an old butler who had served the family since Samuel's grandfather was the head of the clan. His hair was white, and his posture was perfectly straight.
"May I help you with something, Young Master Samuel?" Ray asked. His voice was polite, but there was a calm, watchful tone beneath it.
"Do you know where the library is? I need to find something there," Samuel replied, keeping his voice neutral.
Ray bowed slightly. "Down the hall, second door on the left. It is unlocked."
"Thank you," Samuel said. He walked past the old man, feeling Ray's gaze on his back until he turned the corner.
The door of the library had an ancient feel, like it held thousands of years of history within its wood. The carvings on the frame were worn smooth by time. Samuel pushed it open. The smell of old paper and dust hit him. Inside, an old lady with hair dyed white sat behind a large desk. Her gaze was sharp, like a hawk watching a mouse.
Samuel did not mind her. He walked into the rows of shelves. He needed to find a book about spirit users in this world. He needed to know if there were others like him.
"Here it is. A book about the Origin of Spirits," Samuel whispered.
The book had an ancient cover, yet it did not look old. The leather was supple, the gold lettering bright. He opened it. According to the text, a person without mana could not bond or contact a spirit. Mana was the required driving force to maintain a spirit in this world. The book also stated that spirits were not from this world. They were from a different realm, similar to demons.
"I have a System which defies normal logic," Samuel thought,"A normal person needs to send their spirit back to the spirit world, but mine lives in my spiritual sea."
The book also stated that spirit users were rare. Not many people knew about their existence. Furthermore, there was not a single recorded person who made a bond with a high-ranking spirit whose power was equal to B-Rank or above.
Samuel closed the book. He exited the library and meditated in his room until night fell. The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of purple and black.
"System, status," Samuel said softly.
[ Name: Samuel Crimson ]
[ Human Rank: None (Zero Aptitude) ]
[ Spirit Rank: F-Rank (10%) ]
[ Spirits: Fire Imp]
[ Spirit Skills: Fireball, Fire Immunity (F) ]
Samuel saw his status. He was shocked to know that his rank had risen by 10% just from meditation." But it is still too low to get admitted into the Zenith Imperial Academy, "
he whispered
"It's night time. I should head towards the forest to train. I need to become strong, or I won't be able to control my own life. I will be sent to the outer lands."
Samuel picked up a black cloak. He slipped out of the mansion, hiding from the patrolling guards around the perimeter. The night air was cold, but his hands were sweating. He reached the clearing behind the garden.
"Fireball," Samuel said.
A small ball of fire appeared. It looked like it could be blown out by one gust of wind.
"I am still new at it. System, how can I get stronger other than meditation?"
[ Host Can Hunt Monsters For Their Cores. Or Host Can Fight Opponents Stronger Than Himself ]
[ You Can Also Become Stronger By Training Harder ]
[ You Will Still Be MC. That Cannot Be Changed Quickly, Host ]
"Man, how can you demotivate your own host? I will just train harder fighting monsters. I can not do that for now." Thinking of how he made a contract with the Fire Imp, his hands were trembling.
He never fought before in his previous life. How could an ordinary man fight so easily? He at least needed to train harder for now.
"Fireball, now," he spoke. A tiny fireball shot from his hand and hit a tree. It only damaged one layer of tree bark.
"System, whatever you say, but this is so cool. Shooting fireballs like this from my hands. I never imagined it."
[ Host No Need To Get So Worked Up. There Are Many People Stronger Than You Among Common People With Mana ]
[ Do Not Even Think About Nobles And Seven Clans Geniuses ]
"Yes, I need to train harder."
Samuel trained until he was tired. The sweat soaked his cloak. His mental power felt drained, like a dry well.
"It's been 5 hours and I can't conjure any more fireballs. Looks like I need to rest now."
[ Host, Date For Imperial Exams Has Been Shifted To 20 Days. Not 30 Days Now ]
"Wh... what did you say? 20 days? How can I pass the exam at this rate?"
Samuel came to his room and slept. He dreamed of fire and shadows. In the next morning, he woke and headed toward the dining hall to eat . His father, mother, and siblings were there. His mother looked worried. His father's expression was stern.
Before he could ask, his father spoke.
"Samuel, the date has been shifted to 20 days. Not 30 days now. And an Imperial Officer will come to our house in 7 days for pre-exams."
Hearing this, Samuel was calm on the outside, but the 7-day pre-exam gave him a headache. Time was slipping away.
"And you look tired. Did you not have a good sleep?" his sister Aria spoke with a hint of teasing. But her eyes were sharp. She knew something was wrong.
"I... had a nightmare last night," Samuel lied to his sister.
"Have a good sleep. And... do not embarrass our clan in front of the Imperial Inspection Officer," his father spoke from the clan chair he was sitting on. His voice was heavy with expectation.
After lunch, he went to the library again. He sat in the corner, thinking.
"Looks like I need to train both day and night to pass the pre-exam."
[ Host Gained Skill: Passive Training, Can Be Used To Train While Learning. But Stamina Will Drain Quickly ]
"That is some good news I got today," Samuel said to the System. He opened a book on magic theory. He would learn while he trained. He had no choice. The clock was ticking.