C-6
The Old Stone Ruin stood like a half-swallowed corpse in the earth. Cracked pillars leaned at odd angles, weeds slithered over the rubble, and the smell of damp stone lingered in the air. Morning sunlight barely reached past the entrance archway, leaving the interior swallowed in stale shadows.
Lucas stood before the collapsed structure, holding the wooden cleaning brush and sack he'd been given at the task board.
To anyone else, this was just a chore.
To him— This was the first step toward rewriting a life that should have ended here.
He took a breath and entered.
The air inside was colder, heavier. It pressed against his chest, a strange contrast to the warm street outside. Pebbles cracked beneath his bare feet as he moved through the half-broken corridor.
The entrance area was small—only a thirty-meter space with fallen debris, some shattered weapon fragments, scraps of monster fur, and dried blood stains.
Nothing dangerous… At least not on the surface.
Lucas looked around.
"This place… hasn't changed."
He remembered the scene from the novel. The original Lucas came here hoping to find inheritance or treasure.
Instead— A cracked ceiling had collapsed on him, ending his story before it began.
Lucas walked further, each step cautious.
"First, clear the debris. Avoid unstable rocks. Check corners for small monsters. Don't trigger pressure plates."
His memory of the novel wasn't perfect, but he knew the basics of ruin exploration.
He knelt, brushing away piles of moss-covered stones and bones. A few rats scurried away; he ignored them. He lifted a broken wooden beam, then swept dust into his sack. The system hadn't prompted anything yet—meaning progress was slow but working.
As he gathered debris, he whispered: "Status. Show me my stamina bar."
A small window appeared.
[STAMINA: 41%]
Warning: Body Fatigue Building
Suggested Action: Moderation
Lucas scoffed. "My body really is too weak."
He continued cleaning for ten more minutes. Sweat gathered on his forehead. His arms trembled from the weight of even small stones.
But he kept going.
Every piece of debris thrown aside felt like reclaiming control over his destiny.
Halfway through the cleaning— A faint metallic clink echoed.
Lucas froze.
That wasn't debris. That was metal hitting stone. He crouched low, eyes scanning the shadows.
"…A monster?"
No. Too small a sound.
Slowly, cautiously, he followed the noise deeper into the left corner of the entrance area. A collapsed stone shelf leaned against the wall, and under it—
Lucas saw a faint glimmer of blue. His breath hitched.
"A mana shard?"
He carefully removed a piece of rubble, revealing a small crystal embedded in the dirt. It was cracked but emitted a faint bluish glow.
In Eldorin:
Low-grade mana shard = 5 copper coins.
"Just finding this doubles my pay."
He smiled faintly and reached for it.
Ding.
A new system window opened.
[ITEM DISCOVERED]
Damaged Mana Shard (F– Rank)
Value: 5 copper
Bonus: +1 Mana if absorbed (One-time)
Lucas stared.
Absorb? He reread the description twice.
"A mana shard… can be absorbed like this?"
In the novel, shards were used by mages for recovery—not for stat increases.
But his Talent Source may have changed something.
He rubbed the shard gently. It pulsed once, reacting to his touch.
His eyes narrowed.
"…No. Not yet. Not here."
He needed a safe space for that. The shard went into his pouch instead.
He continued cleaning, but the system kept pinging lightly as small debris cleared:
[Debris Removed: 12%][Area Cleaned: 25%]
He worked until his arms ached, his back burned, and his breath came out ragged. But the ruin steadily transformed from a mess into something recognizable and clean.
When he finally swept the last patch of dust, a soft chime echoed.
Ding.
A full system window appeared.
[QUEST COMPLETED]
Ruin Cleaner (Beginner)
Reward: 6 Copper Coins
Bonus Reward Unlocked: +1 Vitality
Lucas blinked. "…Already?"
He checked his updated stats.
Vitality: 4 → 5
A tiny change—but it mattered. His body felt a fraction less fragile, breath a little more stable.
He wiped sweat from his brow.
"One job done."
He picked up the debris sack and walked toward the exit, when he suddenly felt a breeze behind him.
A cold, unnatural breeze. The kind that didn't belong in a buried ruin.
Lucas turned.
Nothing. Just broken pillars and shadows.
But… something felt wrong.
"…System. Scan."
The system hesitated, then flickered.
[Warning: Unstable Mana Traces Detected]
Origin: Unknown
Category: Residual
Threat Level: F+
Lucas's pulse quickened.
Residual mana traces? From what?
The original Lucas died from a collapsing ceiling, so there shouldn't have been monsters here. And the ruin entrance area was considered cleared by city guards recently.
So where did this trace come from?
He stepped cautiously toward the far wall. The light dimmed as he reached a cracked section where moss glistened faintly.
He squatted, placing his palm on the surface.
It was cold. Too cold.
He whispered: "…Ice-type mana?"
He knew someone in the future who specialized in ice. Someone important. But it couldn't be her. She shouldn't be here yet.
Before he could decide, his fingers brushed a small indentation—something like a chipped emblem carved into the stone.
He leaned closer.
The symbol was faint but recognizable. A star with twelve points… surrounded by a sword.
Lucas stiffened. That symbol…
"No way…"
The Starlight Emblem.
Why was it here? The ruin in the novel didn't mention this. The original Lucas died before anyone noticed. No records. No lore.
His breathing became shallow. "If this symbol is here… then this ruin isn't simple."
He swallowed hard. His parents disappearance may have had ties to ruins like these.
Still, standing before the emblem made his skin prickle.
He traced the star shape with a trembling fingertip.
"…Who were you two, really?" Before he could lose himself, something snapped behind him.
A twig.
Footsteps.
Someone was approaching the ruin.
Lucas's instincts flared. Hide. Now.
He darted into a corner, crouching behind a fallen pillar just as shadows entered the ruin.
Three voices echoed.
"Boss said the brat came here."
"He better not be dead. We need to squeeze that copper out of him."
"Check the entrance."
Lucas's heartbeat slowed, breathing steadying from years of slum survival instinct.
The gang. The same men from earlier. They were searching for him.
"Hiding in the ruins, huh? That rat thinks he's clever."
A footstep approached dangerously close to Lucas's hiding spot.
He clenched his fists. He was too weak to fight all three—but too determined to die.
He glanced at his status.
Strength: 3
Agility: 5
Vitality: 5
Perception: 7
Mana: 1
Not enough. He scanned the debris around him—Broken stones. A half-rotting wooden spear haft. Dust.
No weapons. No escape. But then—
His hand brushed the mana shard inside his pouch.
Absorb it?
The description flashed in his memory.
+1 Mana.
One-time.
Mana meant he could awaken Magic Control— even at a basic level.
With Magic Control, he could strengthen his body temporarily, even if only enough to dodge or escape.
His heart pounded. If he absorbed it now, he might have one chance—
He closed his eyes.
"System… absorb."
Ding.
A warm pulse spread through his chest.
[Mana +1]
Mana: 1 → 2
[Magic Control – Basic Awakening Unlocked]
Mastery: Basic (0%)
A strange energy stirred inside him.
Mana. His mana.
The gang members were almost at his hiding spot.
Lucas breathed in. Mana pooled inside his stomach, flowing like warm water through his veins.
He whispered:
"…Body Reinforcement."
Nothing happened for a moment—
Then the system flickered.
[Body Reinforcement – Temporary Activation]
Duration: 5 seconds Bonus: +2 Agility, +1 Strength
Lucas sprang out of hiding.
The sudden movement startled the nearest thug. "Wha—?!"
Lucas dashed past him, faster than his weak body should've allowed.
He slipped through their makeshift encirclement, narrowly avoiding a grabbing hand.
"Stop him!"
They chased, but Lucas's temporary boost let him sprint toward the exit, lungs burning.
He burst into daylight. People in the slums stared as he stumbled onto the street, panting.
The gang members followed but slowed—too cowardly to fight in public.
"You're dead, boy!" the leader shouted.
Lucas didn't respond. He kept running until he reached a crowd-filled lane, disappearing into it.
Only when he reached a quiet alley did he collapse against a wall, chest heaving.
His heart thundered. His limbs shook.
But he was alive. More importantly— He felt something new inside.
A spark. A fire. A beginning.
"…This… this is mana…?"
His body hummed with faint energy. Weak, unstable—but real.
He wasn't just a slum rat anymore. He was someone who could grow.
System Notification A soft chime echoed.
[UNIQUE TITLE UNLOCKED]
First Step Taken Effect: Small increase to growth speed in physical and mana-related actions.
Lucas laughed weakly. "A title… already?"
For the first time since reincarnating, he felt a genuine smile stretch across his face.
He had survived the ruin.
He had gained mana.
He had avoided a gang beating.
He had found a hidden clue about his parents.
And he had earned money. All in a single day. He looked at the sky— faint hints of orange painting the horizon.
"…Tomorrow, I start real training."
He pushed himself to his feet, body trembling.
"Five months… I'll make them count."
And with that, Lucas walked back toward the slums—toward the beginning of the path that would shape the future of Eldorin.