For exactly one day.
That was his personal record.
The problem wasn't courage.
Or curiosity.
The problem was the warning.
Host Survival Not Guaranteed.
Who wrote that?
Why would anyone read it and think:
"Sounds good. Let's go."
Unfortunately, Ethan already knew he would go eventually.
The hidden staircase existed.
The ghost knew about it.
The system wanted him to investigate it.
And every answer he needed seemed buried beneath Platform Three.
Ignoring it forever wasn't realistic.
So instead of investigating immediately...
He decided to prepare.
Which led to an awkward realization.
He had absolutely no idea how to use magic.
The system called him a sorcerer.
Great.
Wonderful.
Amazing.
One small issue.
He couldn't actually do anything.
No fireballs.
No lightning.
No floating.
Nothing.
Just a blue screen and ten points of mana.
After school, Ethan locked himself in his room.
Then opened the status window.
Name: Ethan Graves
Class: Unawakened Sorcerer
Level: 0
Mana: 10/10
Skills: None
He stared.
The screen stared back.
"That's not very helpful."
A new notification appeared.
[Suggestion Available]
Would you like beginner guidance?
Ethan immediately selected yes.
Nothing happened.
Five seconds passed.
Then another window appeared.
[Basic Sorcerer Training]
Step One: Sense Mana
Step Two: Control Mana
Step Three: Shape Mana
Ethan frowned.
That sounded suspiciously simple.
An hour later, he discovered it wasn't.
Mana sensing came first.
He already understood the basics.
Meditation.
Concentration.
Focus.
The blue particles appeared quickly now.
Floating invisibly around the room.
Control was harder.
Much harder.
Whenever he tried gathering the particles, they scattered.
Like smoke.
Impossible to hold.
Impossible to direct.
Three attempts ended in failure.
Five attempts ended in failure.
Ten attempts ended in failure.
By evening, Ethan had accomplished absolutely nothing.
"How do people do this?"
The system offered no encouragement.
Around midnight, frustration finally overcame common sense.
"Come on."
Ethan focused again.
Carefully.
Slowly.
Patiently.
This time he felt something.
A faint warmth gathered in his hand.
Weak.
Barely noticeable.
Yet definitely present.
His eyes widened.
The blue particles were moving.
Slowly drifting toward his palm.
One second.
Two.
Three.
The warmth intensified.
Then vanished.
A notification appeared.
[Skill Learned]
Mana Thread Lv.1
Ethan blinked.
"What?"
Another window appeared.
Mana Thread Lv.1
Allows the user to guide mana outside the body.
Current Range: 10 centimeters.
Current Power: Very Weak.
The description felt unnecessarily insulting.
Still.
It worked.
His first skill.
His first real step.
Excitement replaced exhaustion.
Ethan immediately tried again.
This time a faint blue line appeared above his fingertips.
Thin as a strand of hair.
Barely visible.
Yet undeniably real.
The moment it appeared, a sharp pain struck his head.
The thread vanished.
Mana: 7/10
"Oh."
That explained a lot.
Magic consumed mana.
Who could have guessed?
The next hour passed in experimentation.
Careful.
Slow.
Repeated.
By the end, Ethan had learned three things.
First.
Mana regenerated naturally.
Very slowly.
Second.
Using mana caused exhaustion.
Third.
The blue thread could interact with hidden things.
That discovery happened accidentally.
The pocket watch sat on his desk.
Open.
Displaying nothing unusual.
Curious, Ethan touched it with the mana thread.
The reaction was immediate.
The watch snapped shut.
A whisper echoed through the room.
"Below."
Ethan jumped.
The thread shattered instantly.
Silence returned.
His heartbeat refused to slow.
"Below?"
The word repeated itself in his mind.
Again and again.
Below.
Beneath Platform Three.
Beneath the tracks.
Beneath the staircase.
The hidden door.
A chill ran down his spine.
For the first time, Ethan felt certain of something.
The staircase wasn't the destination.
It was only the entrance.
And whatever waited below...
Was important enough for a ghost to die protecting it.
A new notification appeared.
[Quest Progress Updated]
Investigate the Hidden Staircase
Progress: 20%
Ethan stared at the screen.
Then at the watch.
Then at the dark window beside his desk.
Somewhere outside, rain began falling.
Softly tapping against the glass.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Quieter.
More isolated.
Because for the first time since receiving the system...
Ethan wasn't wondering whether he should investigate.
He was wondering what would happen if he didn't.
And somehow...
That question felt much scarier.