Norman woke up in the morning feeling energized. Without actively focusing on refining mana, his body naturally refined it thanks to his Mana Affinity (S) talent. His physique, core, and mind all felt noticeably better than the day before.
"I wonder how long it'll take me to break through to the next tier at this pace," Norman murmured.
With Mana Affinity (S), progress shouldn't take too long. However, living in a densely populated area meant the surrounding mana was already greatly diminished. Many people traveled to areas with concentrated mana to refine their bodies, but those regions were often filled with dangerous beasts.
The only other option for efficient refinement was through wealth. With enough money, even talentless individuals could refine faster than naturally gifted ones. Still, overwhelming talent could surpass even the rich. Despite not refining daily, Norman's progress with his Mana Affinity (S) was faster than most who relied on money.
"Thank goodness I bought that mana cloak last night. I just hope no strong individuals notice how fast I refine mana while sleeping," Norman muttered.
After taking a bath, Norman looked at his reflection. Though the change wasn't drastic, his body felt slightly more toned, as if he could run endlessly without tiring.
"Sigh... Now that I look a bit older, I wonder what people will say behind my back," Norman thought, recalling historical dramas where characters aged drastically after one night of stress.
He dressed in his school uniform and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. On the way, he crossed paths with his mother, who looked shocked.
"Sigh... The first victim," Norman murmured.
"Norman, what happened to you? Is the stress getting to you? You can still get a normal job, darling," Jane said, her voice tinged with sadness.
"No, Mom, it's okay. I just spent the whole night refining mana and didn't get much sleep," Norman replied, trying to reassure her.
"Are you sure? You're not lying, are you? Okay... have some breakfast. I'll head to work now. Take care, darling," she said, still slightly concerned.
Norman left for school afterward. There were two months of preparation following the awakening, culminating in an upcoming exam. It had two parts: an academic exam and a mana practice exam. The academic portion was for those pursuing jobs within the city—supporting society without engaging in beast extermination. The mana exam was for those entering the dangerous field of beast extermination.
As such, two types of universities existed: academic universities and mana universities. Both taught mana refinement, but mana academies focused more on combat training and received more government support, prioritizing the development of strong mana users to combat the ever-present beast threat.
At school, Norman couldn't avoid being noticed. Though still young, his appearance had matured drastically—from a baby-faced teen to someone older and more weathered overnight.
"That's the F-talent senior. Poor guy. The stress must've hit him hard in one night. I hope I can handle it better if I get a bad rank next year," one junior whispered.
"So, you've dropped the act, huh? Just admit it—you cried all night, Norman," Ellie teased when she met him.
"..." Norman had no idea how to respond.
"It's okay, Norman. Even without a good talent, you can still refine mana. Talent only gives a head start. Many strong users out there got where they are through hard work, not talent," Ellie said encouragingly.
"Sigh... Now everyone thinks I'm depressed because of my F-level talent. Might as well play along," Norman thought. He had planned to refine without drawing attention, rising quietly. But now, branded as the pitiful F-talent guy, he decided to lean into the role.
The mornings were reserved for academic classes for seniors. Their schedules were split: academic study in the morning and mana training in the afternoon.
In the afternoon, seniors gathered in the main hall. Teachers first explained the basics of mana refinement, then supervised self-study. The standard schedule involved an hour each for physique refining, energy manipulation, and mental training.
Norman trained alongside the others, but thanks to his mana cloak, it didn't look like he was making any progress. It was common for students to struggle in the first few days, so no one paid him much attention.
A week later, most students had learned the basics and could refine independently. But one student still stood out—for the wrong reason.
"This... This makes no sense. Talent shouldn't affect refinement this much. It's all about comprehension. Why haven't you gotten it yet, Norman?" Mr. Graye asked, frustrated.
"There's nothing I can do, Mr. Graye. I followed all the instructions, but nothing works," Norman replied.
"Just keep following the steps. Maybe you're just a slow learner. You'll get the hang of it eventually," Mr. Graye said, trying to stay patient.
Norman continued playing the part. In truth, he was refining faster than everyone else. But with the mana cloak hiding his progress, it looked like he was struggling.
Another week passed, and Norman began refining more noticeably—though still under the cloak's veil. But by now, he had also been labeled as someone with F-level comprehension.
"Yo, slowpoke. You're finally getting the hang of it, huh? Acting all tough before—bet you cried every night, didn't you?" Rex said sarcastically. With a D-level talent, Rex knew he was destined for an average university and took out his frustrations on Norman.
Most of the time, Norman simply ignored him.
One day, a teacher gathered all the seniors.
"Listen up, everyone. The mana exam is divided into two parts: the aptitude test—which includes physical, energy, and mental assessments—and the survival test. Work hard and prepare."
Norman's eyes lit up. He couldn't wait for the survival test. The thought of facing mana beasts—and earning points—was just too exciting.