webnovel

No Mana, Only Mastery

Author: DivineClover
Huyền huyễn
Ongoing · 13.8K Views
  • 16 Chs
    Content
  • ratings
  • NO.200+
    SUPPORT
Synopsis

[Welcome Runners to The Layers!] Trapped in a multiverse of deadly realms, humanity must climb through each Layer to reclaim their world. The System grants supernatural powers fueled by mana, except Lance doesn’t have any mana. No mana. No flashy skills. Just one Special Talent: Weapon Mastery. The higher his mastery, the more deadly his weapon becomes. With nothing but his spear and the sheer singular motive to survive and live on , Lance vows to conquer every Layer and return to the life he lost. But survival comes at a cost and the Layers never let anyone go easily.

Tags
7 tags
Chapter 1Prologue: The Layers

[Warning: You are surrounded by Revenants!]

"Come on, you damn monsters! Is this the best you've got?!" I shouted, voice hoarse, but still carrying the weight of defiance. My legs were barely holding me up, the world spinning with every breath I took, but I wasn't going down without a fight.

I was cornered, surrounded by an army of monsters. The grotesque shapes of their misshapen bodies slithered around me, drooling, their eyes glowing with hunger. Some were tall, others short, their frames twisted and unnatural, but one thing was for sure—they all looked like they had a one-track mind: dinner. And I was the main course.

The only thing I had left was my spear, the old, battered weapon that had seen too many battles and spilled too much blood. The metal was slick with the viscera of monsters I'd already taken down. Each time they leapt at me, I thrust, poked, and skewered whatever dared to get too close. A few dropped, but more took their place, as if they had a never-ending supply of bodies to throw at me. They kept coming.

And me? I kept fighting. But not for much longer.

My team had already escaped, probably off to the next Layer. They were better off without me. I was more of a liability than anything, just dead weight in the grand scheme of things. If I die here, at least I'll die with a little dignity. Right? Or, at the very least, die trying to keep the world from ending.

At this point, there was no way out. An army of these freaks was closing in on me. It was the end.

"Tch!" I grunted, my body stumbling as I tried to parry some of the Revenants' strikes. Their talons were like razors, and I could feel the sharp pain as they tore through my clothes and skin, leaving gashes that bled freely. My body was covered in cuts, bruises, and who knows what else. Honestly, at this point, I didn't even care.

My grip on the spear was slipping. The blood pouring from my wounds seemed to drown out any strength I had left. The fight was fading from me. If I'm being honest, my mind was too. My body wasn't just broken; my spirit was starting to crack too.

The worst part? I knew it. I was giving up. Slowly, but surely.

"Dammit!" I spat, frustration building as I saw no way out. I could have just as easily given up hours ago, let them rip me to shreds. But I couldn't, could I? That's just not how things worked. If I wasn't going to survive, then at least I could keep the others alive a little longer.

But if I'm being honest, I really didn't want to die like this. A twisted part of me wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all.

I wanted my old life back. The normal one. The boring, uneventful one. I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask for the monsters, the power, or the whole damn system that dragged me into this nightmare.

I used to be normal. My name is Lance, just Lance. No last name. No grand destiny. Just some orphaned kid who managed to scrape by. Got a 9-5, a crummy little job that paid enough to keep the roof over my head and food on the table. Life wasn't glamorous, but it was good enough for me. I wasn't asking for much. Hell, I was thankful for my boring little life. I didn't even know how to dream bigger.

But then the Revenants showed up. Out of nowhere. Monsters. Monsters with the sole purpose of slaughtering every damn human they could find. At first, we tried to fight back with our weapons. Firearms, artillery, you name it. But nothing worked. Not a damn thing. No, the only thing that worked was blunt weapons. Swords, axes, and spears. And even then, it was like trying to kill cockroaches with a hammer. They just kept coming.

In a matter of days, humanity was wiped out. The population dwindled to nothing. Just a few of us, hanging on by the skin of our teeth, hiding wherever we could, fighting for scraps. It felt like the end. I didn't think there was a chance for us.

But then, the system showed up. Like some weird glitch in the matrix. It was surreal. One minute, there was nothing. The next, a holographic screen appeared in front of me, flashing messages that made no damn sense.

[System Booting...]

[System Booted!]

[Layer 1 - World 1. Contains Revenants that reset once every five days.]

[Initializing Personal Info...]

[Successfully Read!]

[Congratulations Lance! You are now a 'Runner' Welcome to The Layers!]

[The Layers are worlds separated between bridges trapped between a deadly multiverse of realities. Trapped in a multiverse of deadly realms, your world is at the bottom of said Layers. Runners must conquer the Layers and once conquered, Runners are able to continue their lives as almighty powerful beings or return to their normal lives.]

The hell was that supposed to mean? What was the purpose of conquerring The Layers in the face place? I didn't even have time to process what I was reading before another message popped up.

[System Update: Humans have gained access to supernatural abilties and also mana. Use mana to summon abilities to fight against the Revenants.]

That was supposed to be good news, right? Humans had a fighting chance now? Maybe.

But not me.

[Name: Lance

Level: 1

Mana: None

Skills: (Empty)

Special Talents: (Weapon Mastery)

Class: (Empty)

Titles: (Empty)]

Yeah, you read that right. No mana. I was literally a walking, talking dead weight. Without mana I couldn't level up. Couldn't get cool magical abilties. Nothing. But, I did have one thing. One small glimmer of usefulness: Weapon Mastery.

[This talent allows you to hone your skills with a specific weapon of your choosing, leveling it into mastery with continuous use and training makes the weapon very deadly.]

Not much, but it kept me alive. So I kept fighting, kept training, kept doing everything I could to survive. Because, frankly, there was nothing else left to do. And somehow, against all odds, I made it. I fought off the Revenants. The group I joined—other survivors like me—we stuck together. It wasn't easy. But we made it.

We thought we had done it. We thought we had cleared our world. The gates opened, and the screen flashed:

[Successfully cleared Layer 1!]

[Enter gates to go to next Layer]

But then the screen flashed again.

[Warning: Revenants are in the area.]

Goddammit.

I turned, heart sinking as I saw the monsters flooding in. An army of them, just waiting to rip us apart. They reset, just as we were about to escape.

I made a decision, one that would seal my fate. I told my team to leave, to get out, and I stayed behind. The bait. The distraction. I was never meant to survive this. It was better me than them right?

Brave? Maybe. Worth it? Probably not. But that's what you get when you're the weakest guy in the room. You die first. Simple as that.

I never asked for this life. I just wanted to live in peace, go back to the mundane. But now? Now I had to face the consequences of surviving in a world that had no place for people like me.

If I die here, I'll at least die with some dignity. Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself.

I was supposed to die, wasn't I?

That thought lingered in my mind as the cold, clawed hands of the Revenants closed in. A guy like me—weak, miserable, a useless speck of existence in a world teetering on chaos—has no business fighting for survival. My death was inevitable, a statistical certainty in this nightmare world. So why bother fighting it? Why not just let these shambling corpses rip me apart and put an end to my pathetic life?

But something wouldn't let me go.

Even as my legs screamed to collapse and my breath came in shallow, broken gasps, my grip on the bloodied spear tightened. My body refused to listen to the whispering void inside me, the one that begged for it all to end. Instead, I let out a guttural, animalistic roar and charged headfirst into the swarm.

"Die!" I bellowed, my voice cracked and raw as I plunged my spear into the chest of a Revenant. Its body spasmed, dark ichor gushing from the wound like a ruptured sewer pipe. The smell was rancid—like rotting meat mixed with burning tires. My stomach churned, but my hands moved on their own, yanking the weapon free with a sickening squelch.

The Revenants came at me like a tidal wave, each grotesque form more hideous than the last. Their skin hung in tatters, their eyes empty sockets dripping with blackened ichor. They weren't particularly strong; no, their strength came in numbers. They swarmed like ants, overwhelming and unrelenting. One lunged for my throat, its claws glinting in the dim moonlight. I twisted the spear, catching it mid-air, and impaled its chest.

Another leaped, its jaw unhinged like a snake. I swung the corpse still hanging from my spear, using it as a grotesque club to knock the attacker back. Blood and viscera sprayed in every direction, painting the ground beneath me in crimson and black.

[Gained 100 Mastery Points!

Weapon Mastery: Spear (Lv. 2) 100/200 → 200/200]

[Your Weapon Mastery has leveled up! Spear (Lv. 3)]

The system notification flashed before me, its glowing letters taunting me in their cheerfulness. "Oh, great," I muttered through gritted teeth, thrusting the spear through another Revenant's face. The blade pierced through its skull, shattering bone and releasing a splatter of brain matter. "Glad to know I'm getting better at dying!"

My body moved as if possessed. I ducked under a claw swipe, spun on my heel, and drove the spear through the attacker's throat. The blade ripped through flesh and sinew, tearing the Revenant's head clean off. It toppled to the ground, its decapitated body twitching.

"Why... why am I still fighting?" I muttered under my breath, kicking a lunging Revenant in the chest. My foot connected with a crunch, sending it sprawling. Another one replaced it immediately, slashing at my face. The claws tore through my cheek, and I stumbled back, warm blood cascading down my jaw.

It hurt like hell.

But instead of collapsing, instead of giving in, I roared again, driving the spear into the creature's mouth and out the back of its skull. "Damn!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the barren wasteland.

[Gained 50 Mastery Points!]

[Gained 100 Mastery Points!]

[Gained 20 Mastery Points!]

The notifications kept coming, one after another, as if the system itself was cheering me on. My spear tore through limbs and torsos, severing heads and impaling chests. Blood rained down, drenching me in gore. I should've been horrified, but all I felt was a sick satisfaction. The adrenaline coursing through my veins drowned out everything else—fear, pain, despair.

One by one, the Revenants fell. My spear turned the battlefield into a grotesque masterpiece of torn flesh and broken bodies. Yet they kept coming, their screeches piercing the night air. My arms burned, my legs wobbled, but I didn't stop.

[You have achieved Weapon Mastery: Spear (Lv. 5)]

[New Title Unlocked: Survivor]

[Skill Upgrade: Thrust → Piercing Thrust]

The system's cheery tone clashed with the carnage around me, almost mocking in its detachment. I couldn't tell if it wanted me to succeed or just to keep bleeding for its amusement.

Finally, as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon, the last Revenant fell. Its body collapsed in a heap, joining the grotesque pile of corpses beneath me. My breath came in ragged gasps, my body trembling from exhaustion. My spear, slick with blood and ichor, trembled in my hands.

I stood atop the mound of bodies, a grotesque king surveying his broken kingdom. My blood dripped onto the corpses below, mixing with theirs. My face throbbed from the gash, and my muscles screamed for rest, but I didn't care.

"I..." My voice cracked, barely audible over the sound of the wind. "I want to live."

The words came unbidden, surprising even me. Despite everything—despite the pain, the despair, the overwhelming futility of it all—I wanted to survive.

For what reason? I didn't want to die here, no. I want to return back to my normal life and find a family, live and die with a woman by my side... But as the sun rose higher, its warmth cutting through the cold darkness, I clung to that fragile, inexplicable desire.

And for now, that was enough.

You May Also Like

Strongest Mage with the Lust system

[ Warning: Mature content R-18 ] Is death a new begining? For Max, it was. Max, a twenty-year-old virgin, got attacked by a bear in forest and died an untimely death. Fortunately for him... that wasn't the end to his story. In the next instant, he found himself transmigrated into the body of a noble's youngest son in a world full of Magic, wonders and... beautiful women. As if God was making up for his untimely death, he also got a system -The Lust System. "I can become stronger just by having sex?" Join the journey of Max and watch he have the time of his life and become the strongest mage the world had ever seen before. ______________________________ [Things to be noted] 1. From the title, you should've guessed it already but let me tell you the story will be filled with many sexual adventures. So... you are welcome to enjoy them..... 2. However... don't expect MC to have sexual relations with every woman he meets. I'll be focusing on the story, and would 'Try' not to blindly throw sex scenes left and right. 3. Most importantly, this is my first time writing so the the quality of first 50 or so may be a bit lacking (But it would cause you no problem if a few minor errors don't bother you). 4. It is a slow paced story. If you want everything to be explosive and fast, maybe this isn't for you. Important Note: If you enjoy the story then don't forget to vote your GTs, Power stones and also if you can, send some GIFTS too. This poor soul would appreciate it. Also check out My other work: [ Rise of the Strongest War God ] & [ My perverted devil system ] Happy reading~ ________________

Blizzard54k · แฟนตาซี
4.5
769 Chs

Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

The world was cruel..... Especially for those who had lost their chances to shine. Aether was one of them.... Born with a golden spoon... yet, he was cast aside like a defective product. He longed for love, for warmth—but all he received was pain. Yet, he smiled, not because he wanted to, but because he had no other choice. With nothing but a broken heart and a hollow laugh, he stepped into the hell called society. "Can't you do a single thing right?!" "…Heh" "You're fired!!!" "…W-Wh…He" "I'm sorry, sir, but you need at least a bachelor's degree to apply." "…I-I am…Heh" "We can’t approve a loan without collateral." "…W-Why?" "Your father’s a politician, right? So, you know…" "…" The so-called society didn't welcome him very well... Yet, He pressed forward! After years of struggle, he finally secured a job—only to be reminded of his place. "Yeah, yeah… I know you got the job thanks to me. So don’t ever contact me or MY parents again," his brother sneered. "...Heh..." And just when he thought he had finally earned a sliver of recognition— "HONK!! HONK!!" Fate was merciless. A split second, a cruel twist, and his already miserable life came to an abrupt end. Yet, as the darkness closed in, he screamed into the void— “I JUST WANT TO LIVE!!!!!” A will that even the universe listened. !~Ding~! Reborn into a new world, Aether thought he had finally been given the chance to truly live. But instead of peace, he found himself in yet another struggle—not just to survive, but against something even more dangerous… Seduction!! Not just any seduction… but a mission to seduce and save the most unattainable women in existence! Seducing the Princess of an Empire! Seducing the Hero’s Mother! Seducing the Villain’s Wife?! ..... ... .. And the list only kept growing… He, a Mere slave, seduces them all.... WHAT KIND OF F## UP LIFE WAS THIS?!! But it wasn’t OVER—far from it.... These women… were even worse!! One wrong move, one careless mistake… and his life could be erased from existence! One thing became painfully clear—if he ever wanted to survive in this hellish world, there was only one path forward. He had to seduce them all. _________________ Release Schedule:- 2 Chapters Every Day! But wait—there’s more! Want extra chapters? Your support makes it happen! Power Stone Rewards: 500 PS = 1 Extra Chapter And for every additional 150 PS, another bonus chapter will be unleashed! Golden Ticket Rewards: 100 GT = 2 Extra Chapters For every additional 50 GT, 1 more chapter will be added! If we break into the Top 100, 5 extra chapters will drop as a celebration! Of course, Gifts are also welcomed—every bit of support fuels more chapters and more excitement! So, dear readers, rally your stones and tickets—not at me, of course… (Or should I be worried?) Either way—buckle up and enjoy the ride! Discord Server Link: 6JA46z23bw

AbiLIon · แฟนตาซี
4.7
814 Chs

Armipotent

This is a work of fiction, any names, characters, stories or events, are fictitious! (Even the country in the story is just the author's fantasy as the author never visited those countries in the story) Armipotent is an archaic adjective meaning "strong in battle." Basically, it refers to someone who is physically tough in war. Originally, it was used to refer to the Roman god of war, Mars. ===================== Tang Shaoyang, an orphan who dropped out of the middle school to fight on the street as he found out school was useless for a penniless orphan like him. Tang Shaoyang dropped out of his school, fighting on the street, and made a name for himself. Berserker Tang from Youyouliucun. Afterward, Dragon Wing triad recruited him and everything was good for him. Even though the public deemed him as a tumor of society, Tang Shaoyang was having a decent life. Until one day, everything changed as an absurd and strange game started. "... Game starts! Stage one: Survival for The Fittest!" After the game started, zombies appeared out of nowhere. ... Ding! "You have killed 1000 zombies less than 24 hours since the game started! You gained 3 Talents!" Dong! "You may choose 3 Talents! please choose carefully!" Tang Shaoyang held his chin and mused what Talent he had to choose. "With Zombies appear everywhere, I need an infinite strength... this is one, I still need to choose 2 Talents more..." Then a lewd smile formed on his lips. "I want an infinite strength, charm and charisma to conquer women, and the last one, I want to upgrade my **** so I can please my women!" After saying this, Tang Shaoyang laughed aloud. "Hahaha, there's no way such talent exists... ehhhhh?!!!" Ding! Dong! "3 Talents are consumed! You have been granted Divine Body! Good Luck, Gamer Tang Shaoyang!" Tang Shaoyang immediately checked the detail of Divine Body. After a brief silence, he muttered unbelievably. "Such Talents really exist..." Note: I don't own the cover. If the creator wants me to take down the cover or put credit, please notify me by replying to my review at the Review section.

HotIce · แฟนตาซี
4.4
1856 Chs

Affinity:Chaos

Check out my other book as well Lunar:Secret Guardians ******************* "Grey, elemental affinity, zero" The Elder announced the result loudly On hearing this, it was like a bolt of lightning struck Grey, he stood there dumbfounded and just stared at the Elder. Shocked voices could be heard from the people and there was some which were also filled with scorn. Grey stood dazed amidst all the noises without any reactions. One word was constantly reverberating in his head, 'How?'. 'Why, why did this happen to me?' Grey asked himself over and over again **************** Unbeknownst to Grey, something greater lies in wait in his body.... *************** Check out the book, leave a review after reading, and also your powerstones. Hope you enjoy this, and Thanks for reading ^_^ P.S: When I started this book I had zero writing experience, so the first chapters aren't that great, although, my writing quality has improved over time. Also, English isn't my first language, so there are some instances where my choice of words are not good enough for what I'm trying to portray. A heads up, the book will be using a medieval setting. My world building is not the best, but it gets better over time, so bear with me on the early chapters! P.S: Cover art not mine I just edited it. If you're the owner and want me to take it down you can notify me. Other novel: Lunar:Secret Guardians Check it out as well! Discord Server: https://discord.gg/gs68a4ZzaN

Springs_Halo · แฟนตาซี
4.3
1787 Chs

ratings

  • Overall Rate
  • Writing Quality
  • Updating Stability
  • Story Development
  • Character Design
  • world background
Reviews
Liked
Newest

SUPPORT