The first Shadowed Beast to reach the village square was like a shadow blending into the night. With its jet-black, rough hide, sharp claws, and glowing red eyes, it looked like something out of a nightmare. Then, another, and then another... They were swarming from the depths of the forest. The villagers screamed, trying to take refuge in their homes and shacks. Some D-level mages, with trembling hands, tried to conjure small fireballs or weak gusts of wind, but they had no effect on the Shadowed Beasts. Every touch from the monsters drained the mages' mana like a sponge, instantly exhausting them.
Diego, running to his family's home, saw the destruction and helplessness around him. When a Shadowed Beast lunged towards his neighbor, old Mrs. Anya, Diego didn't hesitate to intervene. As an F-level mage, the only thing he could do was use his muscular body as a shield. He felt a sharp pain as the monster's claws dug into his shoulder. But even worse was feeling that tiny remnant of mana in his body being absorbed. He fell to his knees, but his eyes were still on the monster.
"Diego! Run, son!" It was his mother's voice. They stood at the door of their house, with his father. Their faces were filled with fear.
Diego, despite the pain, got to his feet. "I won't leave you!" he shouted. The rage within him was suppressing his fear. These monsters, this destruction... And where were the Magic Knights? Where were the protectors of the Ocxi Kingdom?
Just then, from the west side of the village, the sound of horses gallop was heard in the distance. A glimmer of hope appeared. "The Magic Knights are coming!" a villager whispered. A brief relief also appeared on Diego's face. They would be saved.
However, this relief quickly turned into an icy shock. The approaching Magic Knights' horses stopped at the village entrance. A few A-level Knights, on their horses, watched the massacre in the village. Although Diego couldn't make out the expressions on their faces, he understood from their movements that something was wrong. With a signal, the Knights suddenly turned their horses around and quickly galloped away in the direction they came from.
"No... No way!" A bitter sob escaped Diego's throat. They had been abandoned. They had been left to die by the Knights of their own kingdom, right before their eyes. This betrayal caused a deeper pain than the wound on his shoulder. His eyes welled up, but these tears were not from helplessness, but from pure rage.
The Shadowed Beasts, emboldened by the Knights' departure, began to advance towards the center of the village. Diego's family, cornered, looked at him helplessly. His mother, hiding behind his father, was trembling. A horde of Shadowed Beasts headed directly towards them.
"MOM! DAD!" Diego's voice turned into a desperate cry. He wouldn't lose them. Never. Even if he was F-level, even if he had no power, he would protect them. That steely will within him shone one last time. His eyes were filled with endless love for his family. This love swept away the fear, helplessness, and the pain of betrayal.
"I will protect you!" he cried, his voice trembling but determined. He threw himself in front of his family, spreading his arms. He stood like a shield. As the Shadowed Beasts' claws reached for him, something he had never seen before appeared in Diego's mind. A transparent, blue interface. It was just like the "System" interface he had seen as a child, but this time it was much clearer, much more real. In front of his eyes, his own name and the letter "F" below it glowed. And directly below the letter, incomprehensible symbols and texts, which he had never seen before, appeared and disappeared.
System Activating...
Scanning Potential...
Establishing Ancient Connection...
Mana Limit Removed...
Ability Copy Module Initiating...
Diego's body began to fill with an indescribable energy. This energy wasn't healing the wound on his shoulder; rather, it wanted to burst out from within. The touch of the Shadowed Beasts no longer drained his mana; instead, their dark energies were drawn into Diego, undergoing a transformation there. His eyes turned a bright blue, brighter than they had ever been. His hair, as if moving on its own, subtly lifted.
This awakening was felt not only in the village but throughout the world. In the glorious palace of the Letra Kingdom, the SSSS-level Magic Knight commander dropped his goblet. In the crystal towers of the Crystalis Kingdom, wise mages watched the energy wave spreading across the sky with horror. In the volcanic temples of the Ignis Kingdom, fire priests knelt. And in the capital of the Ocxi Kingdom, the King on his throne rushed to the window with trembling hands.
"What was that?" the Letra King whispered, his voice trembling. "Such power... Impossible!"
The oldest Sage of the Ocxi Kingdom closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His face held both fear and a strange reverence. "He... has awakened," he said, his voice almost inaudible. "The ancient prophecies... are coming true."
In Diego's village, as the Shadowed Beasts advanced towards him, a brand new power surged from within Diego. This was not just a burst of magic; this was the beginning of an era. Diego Fruz, the F-level villager, was no longer just fighting for survival. He was a new hero with the most powerful potential in the universe, destined to change the world's balance. And his first ability emerged by turning the Shadowed Beasts' mana-draining abilities to his advantage: Essence of Shadows.
Around Diego, a dark but controllable aura formed from the mana absorbed by the monsters. This aura weakened the monsters' attacks, even allowing him to steal mana from them. And most importantly, Diego's mana, as if nourished by an infinite source, never depleted. This was his first true power-up. And this was just the beginning.