Awakening

The sun rays crashed through the window, rudely yanking Bell out of his slumber. He heard the orphanage lady's loud voice piercing through the room.

"Bell! Bell! Hey, Bell!" she hollered, making him jump up in bed. Bell rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of the commotion.

"Wah! Huh? What?!" Bell mumbled, still half-asleep. The orphanage lady scolded him for lazing around and urged him to get up and get going. Grumbling to himself, Bell thought, "Ugh, it's way too early for this."

Dragging himself out of bed, Bell made his way to the orphanage lady. As he walk along, his eyes landed on a lucky kid who had just been adopted. The kid was all smiles, embraced by their new family. Bell couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy, longing for the affection he had never known, even in his previous life as a powerful mage. He sighed and continued on, a cloud of gloom hanging over him.

Heading towards the back of the church, Bell knew he had the task of chopping wood waiting for him. He grumbled under his breath, "Why am I always stuck with this stupid work? My puny arms can barely lift an axe."

Feeling disheartened, Bell decided to give it one last shot. He plopped himself on the ground, closed his eyes, and focused on tapping into his magical energy through meditation. Minutes passed, but nothing happened. Frustration boiled up inside him as he realized that the village had such a low mana flowing around.

In a desperate attempt, Bell stood up and called out, "M.O." behold, the holographic system appeared before him. Bell fired off a question, "Are there any other ways for me to get some mana?"

The system answered, "Yeah, just extend your arm out, close your eyes, and concentrate. Picture the same energy flow you had during meditation."

Puzzled but willing to give it a shot, Bell followed the system's instructions. He took a deep breath, extended his right arm, opened his hand, and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to gain his magic mana. And once again, nothing happened.

"Huh?! What? Did you lie, system?!" Bell exclaimed in frustration.

The system clarified, "informative, I did not lie. Please try the same technique on a deceased living being."

Bell's eyes fell upon a line of ants crawling on the ground. A mischievous smirk crept onto his face as an idea formed in his mind. He picked up a nearby piece of wood and rolled it, crushing the ants to their demise. With a newfound determination, Bell assumed the same stance as before.

A surge of black mana burst forth from the lifeless ants and spiraled into Bell's open palm. "Woahhhh!" he exclaimed in awe. However, the power was too overwhelming for his untrained body. The skin on his arm began to burn and peel, causing him intense pain.

"Argh! That hurts! Stop! Stop! Arghhhhhhh!" Bell cried out in agony, collapsing to the ground, tears streaming down his face.

In the midst of Bell's suffering, the system notified in with several announcements. "Notice: New skills learned - Dark Regeneration and Cut. Would you like to use Dark Regeneration?"

Despite the pain, Bell managed to utter a weak response, "Y-Yes, hurry!"

Instantly, a spiraling stream of black mana emerged from Bell's hand and rushed towards the burned and peeled skin. Miraculously, the mana initiated the process of regeneration, causing new skin to grow in its place. Though the burn and tingling sensation persisted, the excruciating pain had subsided.

As Bell slowly regained his composure, he stared at his arm in disbelief. "Whoa, that was intense," he muttered, his voice trembling still from the pain. He realized that his encounter with the ants had unlocked hidden powers within him. The discovery fascinated him, even in the middle of the lingering discomfort.

Taking a moment to collect himself, Bell glanced at the holographic system hovering before him. "M.O., tell me more about these skills," he requested, his curiosity piqued.

The system obliged, providing a detailed explanation of the newly acquired skills. It described Dark Regeneration as a powerful ability that allowed Bell to heal wounds using the dark mana within him. The Cut skill, on the other hand, granted him the capability to channel dark mana into his attacks, enhancing their potency.

Bell's eyes widened with excitement. This was far beyond anything he had ever imagined. He could feel the power of his newfound potential, urging him to explore the depths of his magic.

Determined to understand his abilities further, Bell asked the system, "M.O., can you provide me with more information on how to train and develop these skills?"

The hologram responded, "Certainly, Bell. To master these skills, you will need to practice channeling and controlling dark mana. Experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you. Additionally, engaging in combat and pushing your limits will accelerate your growth."

Bell nodded, absorbing the information eagerly. The prospect of honing his skills and becoming stronger filled him with a renewed sense of purpose.

As he stood up, ready to face the day, the orphanage lady's voice echoed through the church once again. "Bell! Stop daydreaming and get back to work!"

Gathering his resolve, Bell wiped away his tears and replied, "On it, ma'am!" He was determined to make the most of his abilities and uncover the truth behind his reincarnation.

Bell, exhausted from his unsuccessful attempts at cutting wood, found himself lacking the strength to accomplish the task. Frustrated, he glanced at the lifeless ants nearby, contemplating a different approach. Taking a deep breath, he replicated the same stance as before and channeled his focus. Suddenly, a surge of black mana erupted from the ants, although the mana had a thin and small form. The overwhelming power threatened to overwhelm Bell's body, but he steeled himself, clenching his teeth and extending his arm.

As the dark mana flowed into him, Bell could feel its intensity degree and as the dark mana stop surging, the ants dissolving into nothingness. "Woah... that's creepy," Bell remarked, awestruck by the experience. Despite the unsettling nature of the dark mana, he couldn't deny its potential. Energized by his absorption of this newfound power, Bell positioned himself in front of the stubborn piece of wood that failed his earlier efforts. With determination, he extended his arm and declared.

"Cut!"

.

.

.

...

"arghhhhhh!" < embarrassment

To his disappointment, nothing happened. Frustration, confusion, and embarrassment flooded Bell's mind, compelling him to call out to the system, "Hey, M.O.! What went wrong? Why didn't my skill work?" The system responded with the answer, "Kindly extend a single finger."

Sighing, Bell complied, extending a single finger and enchanting the word "cut." Instantly, a small burst of dark mana emerged from his fingertip, materializing into a sharp, although a petite, form. Bell couldn't help but feel disappointed, given its the same length to a butter knife.

"Can this mana even cut through wood?" Bell muttered sceptically. Nonetheless, he approached the piece of wood, carefully using the dark mana emanating from his fingertip to make an cut. To his surprise, despite its modest size, the mana proved capable of slicing through the wood, although with some effort. It took Bell a painstaking two minutes to finally cleave it in half. "Phew, at least it beats wielding that annoying axe," Bell breathed a sigh of relief, acknowledging the newfound usefulness of his dark mana manipulation.

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CURRENT STATS:

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Name - Bell Aize,

Age - 9

Gender - Male

Race - Human

Attribute - None

Title - Dark Mana User

Old Title - The Greatest Mage

(locked)

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Strength: 7

Speed: 5

Vitality: 6 (+3)

Intelligence: 56 (+3)

(Locked)

(Locked)

(Locked)

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SKILL SETS:

(Dark regeneration)

(Cut)

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