I rent myself a decent apartment, finally able to live a comfortable life after the years outside, and purchase an iron chestplate. These things reduce my money because they’re expensive to get, but it’s worth it. The chestpiece is the only piece of armor I got for now, and it’s the best I could find and afford.

It was enchanted with Harden, an asset that could be activated by the armor wearer pouring mana into the weapon and a stat that significantly increased my defense. 

Today, I venture again into the forest, looking for the day’s money bringer, and hear a howl.

“Great,” I think to myself and head towards where the sound came from. As I get closer, I begin sneaking closer, but when I get there, my blood freezes in my veins at what I meet. The sound of wolves fighting is louder now, a Blood wolf and an Ash wolf going at each other.

“Oh shit,” I say. “This is bad.”

The C-graded Blood wolf is using Bloodlust, a skill that Blood wolves use that decreases rationality for increased speed and attack, but even worse than that is the Ash wolf itself, a B-graded creature with an affinity for fire and wind. It’s far stronger. I don’t even know what an Ash wolf is doing in these parts of the forest. It must’ve been lost and gotten attacked by the Blood wolf.

The Ash wolf shoots a fireball from its mouth and the Blood wolf leaps above it, growling madly with its teeth bared as it lands on a tree, and using it as a foothold, it jumps towards the Ash wolf with its claws out. Before it can sink them in, the Ash wolf swipes and fresh blood spews from the side of the Blood wolf. It had just used Wind claw, a dangerous move I read about in the guild library I pay to use since I can’t use it for free as I don’t want to join that guild.

The Blood wolf, even with this damage is still going, nearly mad. Suddenly, from where I’m standing watching, an extremely heavy aura surrounds me. Fear creeps cold through my veins, freezing my body in place and immediately, I know what just happened. 

The Blood wolf has expended mana to increase its Bloodlust even more, and the effect of such a move is fear. It is inflicted on the body of whoever is close enough, stunning them, and is a very crucial move in a fight; when Bloodlust skill is increased, the wolf deals forty percent more damage. At this point, it was almost just as strong as the Ash wolf.

My eyes are wide open and my breathing is ragged. I should move, turn around and run before any of them discover me, but I can’t. The Blood wolf bites into the side of the Ash wolf who only just broke out of the stun and is helpless against the damage increase. The Blood wolf with its opponent in its mouth thrashes it up and down and around, obviously trying to kill it before it can attack again.

Still, the Ash wolf is not going down easily. It’s the rightful winner of this fight when it uses a fire move that melts the Blood wolf’s body from its mouth where it’s being held, burning it beyond recognition and escape. It falls out to the ground, severely wounded and on the verge of death but alive. And I’m not having any of that.

Crouching down, I drop all my things and aim my hand to shoot my new skill I called Mana Bullet but fumble in shock when the Ash wolf turns its head in my direction suddenly. I make a decision in that swift moment and leap forward, using my strongest move, Mana Bash, slamming my gauntleted fists into its injury, killing it off finally.

That B-grade mana crystal is going nowhere but my pockets. No blood is spilled this time and I’m glad.

I get the valuables before the carcass fades away and do the same for the Blood wolf, salvaging its crystal from the fading, melted flesh. Faintly, I feel something warm course through me. My mana capacity had increased. 

Over a month passes and I get so much stronger. I get my armor binded to me, and my control over my pure mana is now amazing.

The yearly entrance exam to the kingdom’s top magic academies is drawing nearer, and I intend to take it and pass it. I am a fairly experienced adventurer who isn’t affiliated with any guild, but I’m strong. I mean, I can take on an E-rank monster with nothing but good armor, a pair of gauntlets, and pure mana attacks. My chance of passing the exam is at least forty-five percent.

In this village, I admit there are a few homegrown talents that should bring fame to it. That’s what the mayor hopes, at least. Sere, Jack, Leah, and a recent friend of mine Levi are all decent mages. Sere’s fire magic is one of the strongest in the village, as well as Leah, and Levi and Jack are magic swordsmen who I sometimes hunted monsters with.

Anyway, on one of my free days, I am over at the runesmith, Arthur’s shop, studying his weapons when he calls me over and says proudly, “Look at this. It’s called a Magic Measure Machine.”

“What does it do? Measure someone’s capacity?” I ask.

Arthur nods and replies, “Yes, and much more than that. It can check your affinities, the grade for each affinity, mana capacity, as well as mana strength.”

“Oohh, that’s neat,” I say excitedly. “Um, hey, can you, maybe, check me out?””

He raises an eyebrow. “Sorry, only do women.”

“What? No! Not that type! I mean with the machine.”

“Oh, normally, it would be 50 silver to use but as your old friend, I’ll take just thirty-five percent of that.”

“Okay, okay. So that’s 17 silver and 50 bronze.” I say and pull out the money from what I had hidden on me.

“Good.” He collects the money. “When you’re ready, place your hand on this orb and when I say you can, you may remove it.”

I put my hand and he does some tinkling, and the orb glows brightly. When it dims, a paper is fed out through the bottom of the machine.

“Done,” Arthur says and hands it to me. “Here.”

I take it and leave immediately. There are two things that can happen. I discover I have a good affinity and start using that knowledge to my advantage, or see that it’s a shitty one and, well, life goes on.

I enter my apartment and see the ‘mages’ who have begun hanging out here laughing, having fun, and practicing their magic and I take a deep breath. Checking this thing is more intimidating than it should be.

I watch them for a while and after, decide to eat lunch. Everything else I do, I do to stall myself but finally, sit down to mentally prepare myself.

I open the paper.

What the fuck?