Leo was lost in thoughts of his new salary when Peter’s voice cut through his daydreams.


    "Even though it only goes up by one gold coin, a gold coin is still a lot," Peter remarked with a raised eyebrow, as if emphasizing the weight of that single coin.


    Peter then glanced at his pocket watch, its cover clicking open. "Finish today’s work as usual. Tomorrow, you’ll start the new tasks."


    Leo nodded. "Then I’ll head to the library."


    He made his way to the library, its familiar scent of old books and parchments calming his nerves. Upon entering, he spotted Samuel.


    "Hi, Mr. Samuel," Leo greeted warmly.


    Samuel turned, a broad smile spreading across his weathered face. "Congratulations, Leo! You’ve climbed the ranks—higher than me now!" he chuckled, a proud twinkle in his eyes.


    Leo returned the smile, feeling a touch of pride himself. "Thank you, Mr. Samuel. It’s still sinking in."


    Samuel stroked his beard, eyeing Leo with curiosity. "So, have you devoured all those language books yet?"


    Leo shook his head, a bit sheepishly. "Not yet. I haven’t started on Ancient Languages."


    Samuel chuckled again, this time with a playful gleam. "Ah, so even you have your limits."


    Leo hesitated, unsure whether to laugh or feel embarrassed. Samuel noticed his unease and sighed, his voice softening.


    "Look, since you skipped straight to F rank, there’s a mountain of reading ahead. But don’t worry, You’ll get through it."


    Just as Leo was about to ask about the books, the urge to know gnawing at him, Samuel cut him off with a wave of his hand.


    "Save your questions for tomorrow. I’ll walk you through everything then. For now, stick to your usual duties. Don’t overwhelm yourself on your first day with the new rank," he added with a knowing smile.


    Leo set about his task with a sense of purpose, gathering his cleaning supplies to meticulously wipe down the tables. His mind, however, was abuzz with anticipation for the books he yearned to delve into. The thought of waiting until tomorrow to read them was almost unbearable.


    As the clock struck four, he packed up his things, bid farewell to his colleagues, and made his way home. On the journey, he couldn’t help but glance down at his weight bracelets, feeling their familiar heft against his wrists.


    ''I need two heavier bracelets.''


    He shivered as he thought of the mysterious magic shop.


    "Did Captain and Bishop forget about the Magic Shop again?"


    On the way home, he found a new magic shop that was famous and crowded. He purchased two new 30 pound bracelets. It was near the end of the month, so he spent all of the coins he had; he now only had ten silver coins.


    He swapped out the bracelets, replacing the current ones with a pair marked as 30 pounds. The moment he activated them a familiar heaviness settled over his body, much like the weight he had felt when first trying out the 20-pound set. His movements slowed slightly as he adjusted to the increased burden.


    Leo’s heart swelled with gratitude as he reflected on his training. ‘This regimen will bolster my strength for a long time. My deepest thanks to you, coach.’


    Upon reaching home, he found his mother and Rosie lounging on the sofa.


    “Hello,” he greeted.


    “Hi… so?” his mother inquired, a hint of expectancy in her voice.


    Leo blinked, momentarily confused, then realization dawned. He had forgotten to share the news of his exam.


    “Oh! Yes, I’ve officially been promoted to Paladin.”


    His mother’s lips curved into a proud smile.


    “Hooray!” Rosie exclaimed, leaping up with joy.


    "So, what do you want for dinner?" his mother asked.


    “Actually, I’ve been invited out by my colleagues to celebrate. I’m sorry,” he added quickly.


    Lisa raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Why apologize? You deserve to enjoy yourself too, sweetie.”


    Leo felt a flush of embarrassment. “I’ll just take a quick shower and head out. I promise I’ll be back by ten.”


    “Don’t fret about us; go and savor your evening,” his mother assured him, her smile warm yet tinged with the worry she had harbored during his arduous three-month journey.


    …


    Liamond, Gery, and Frank were waiting near a restaurant, all dressed in long black coats. After a while, Leo arrived with the same cloth he wears every day.


    ‘I need to get new clothes’ while looking at his friends he thought.


    "Hello, am I late?"


    "Hey, no, you are on time; we are waiting for Albert, Wina, Peter, and Lara."


    "What about Captain and Mr. Samuel?"


    Liamond grumbled.


    "Samuel doesn''t like this stuff, and captain has work to do."


    While they were talking, Albert, Wina, Peter, and Lara came together. Peter was as usual; Albert was dressed in a short coat and black slacks; with his large build, he looked like a bodyguard. Wina wore a long black dress and some jewelry, which matched her purple hair and yellow eyes. Lara wore a tight black skirt that came down to her knees.


    After greeting each other, Leo glanced at Liamond and muttered.


    "Although these two always fight each other, it looks like they were made for each other."


    Laimond was perplexed as to how a 16-year-old boy could grasp these things, but he kept it to himself and responded.


    "We all think like that; only they don''t know it."


    He then looked at all of them.


    "Ok, everyone, let''s go inside and celebrate."


    Everyone cheered.


    As they entered the restaurant, Liamond guided them to a reserved table where two familiar figures sat, elegantly dressed. It took Leo a moment to recognize his mother and sister in such finery.


    “Mom, Rosie? What are you doing here?” he asked, astonished.


    Lisa and Rosie turned to him, their smiles radiant. Lisa was clad in a sleek black dress, while Rosie donned a vibrant purple one. Leo’s gaze flicked back to Liamond, seeking an explanation.


    “Congratulations and happy birthday!” the group exclaimed in unison.


    Leo stood there, dumbfounded.


    Liamond draped an arm around Leo’s shoulders. “I let your mother in on the plan before you knew. We wanted to surprise you for both your promotion and your birthday.”


    “But my birthday isn’t for another four days,” Leo managed to say.


    Frank stepped forward with a grin. “It’s not really a surprise if it happens on your actual birthday, is it?”


    As Leo searched for words, he felt another hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw his mother and Rosie beaming at him.


    “We had to keep it a secret for the surprise,” Lisa apologized.


    “Were did you got these clothe?”


    “these dresses? Mr. Liamond told us where we could borrow them.”


    “Next time, I’ll buy one for you,” Leo promised.


    “Today is about you, not me,” Lisa said with a gentle nudge. “Now come and sit down; everyone’s waiting.”Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Leo took his place at the table, surrounded by loved ones as they commenced the dual celebration of his new rank and upcoming birthday.


    …


    Edmond was strolling along a dark corridor, accompanied by a man with dark blue eyes and long blond hair.


    "What do you think this meeting is about?"


    "I don''t know," Edmond replied sincerely.


    "Why are you always this serious, Edmond?"


    "Why are you always this talkative, Cirnath?"


    Cirnath Tahroman, like Edmond, was a captain, and they had known each other since they were little kids.


    After a while, they reached a large door. There were two guards beside the door. When they saw them, they bow slightly and opened the door. Inside was a large hall with a semicircular table. There were 4 people inside; one of them was Bishop Oryu; the others were 2 women and 1 man; all of them were captains like Edmond.


    "It looks like everyone''s gathered."


    A woman made her way gracefully towards Edmond and Cirnath. Standing at 175 cm, she carried herself with an air of confidence typical of someone in her thirties. Her beauty was striking, with deep, dark eyes that seemed to capture the light, a delicate nose, and petite lips that curved into a familiar smile.


    “Edmond, Cirnath, it’s been ages,” she greeted.


    “Hello, Emma. How have you been?” Edmond asked warmly.


    “I’ve been well, thank you. And you?”


    “I’m doing quite alright,” Edmond replied.


    Cirnath, ever the charmer, couldn’t resist adding, “May I say, Emma, you look as enchanting as ever?”


    Emma let out a small sigh, a mix of amusement and resignation in her eyes. “Cirnath, some things never change.”


    “Thank you,” he said with a grin.


    “That wasn’t meant as a compliment.”


    But Cirnath just winked. “I’ll take it as one anyway.”


    Before Emma could say anything, Cirnath past her and went to the other woman. She was somewhat taller than Emma, and she had a stunning figure. Both her hair and eyes were silver.


    "Nora, it is really good to see you again."


    Nora''s gaze remained motionless.


    "I wish I could say the same thing."


    Cirnath frowned.


    "As serious as always."


    He continued as if nothing had happened.


    "After this, I am going to the queens; want to come with me?"


    Queens, renowned as one of the city''s finest restaurant, was accessible only to the wealthy elite.


    "No"


    "Come on, at least think about it a little."


    Nora paused, her eyes closed briefly in contemplation before she reopened them, fixing her gaze upon Cirnath.


    "No"


    "Come on…"


    "Enough Cirnath"


    The other man spoke. He was even taller than Edmond, with typical facial characteristics, red eyes, and long black curly hair.


    "O Gerhard, you are here too?."


    Gerhard''s eyes narrowed. He wanted to say something when Oryu raised his staff.


    "That is enough; sit down; we don''t have all day.


    All five captains sat on one of the chairs, with Oryu in front of them.


    "The reason I summoned you here is that we have an intruder in the city."


    "Is this person the same one who infiltrated the dungeons?" Asked Emma.


    “No, that person is an S rank, and it’s too much for you. I will manage that myself; this one is an A, or even an A+. I want you guys to increase patrols across the city. Each captain must patrol his or her own section of the city. If you find the person, do not engage.


    You first call all of the captains and me, and then we proceed as planned."


    Oryu paused for a few seconds before turning his gaze toward Gerhard.


    "Not even you, Gerhard. I know you''re close to becoming an A rank, but you''re not there yet."


    “I know what I’m doing,” Gerhard replied, his face set in a serious expression.


    "Any other questions?" Oryu asked, shifting his attention to the rest of the group.


    "Do we have any information about this guy?" Cirnath asked.


    "Unfortunately, no. All I know is that he''s in the city. As for who he is or what powers he possesses, I have no idea."


    For the next 30 minutes, Oryu meticulously went over every piece of information he had, from minor sightings to unconfirmed reports. He spoke with a calm authority, his voice carrying the weight of the situation. The captains listened intently, occasionally interrupting with questions or observations. They debated possible strategies, speculated about the mystery man''s abilities, and discussed how best to defend the city if he posed a threat. Maps were unfolded on the table, fingers tracing potential routes of entry, and several theories were proposed about the figure’s motives. Despite the lack of concrete intelligence, each captain contributed their expertise, sharpening their collective understanding.


    Finally, after a thorough exchange of ideas and strategies, Oryu nodded, signaling the end of the meeting.


    "If there are no more questions, you''re dismissed. Light be with you."


    All five captains rose to their feet, placing their fists against their chests in unison


    .


    "Light be with you."


    …


    Leo had returned from the party with his family, feeling a warm glow of happiness as he leaned back against his bed, lost in thought. Reflecting on the last three months, he marveled at how much he had learned about the world around him. He could now almost converse in four languages in addition to his own, a skill that filled him with pride. His body had transformed too, becoming more muscular through countless hours of training. Yet, despite these accomplishments, he recognized that this was only the beginning; there was still so much more to explore and understand. Exhausted but content, he drifted off to sleep, his mind swirling with dreams of the future.


    The next day, Leo arrived at work a little earlier than usual, his heart racing with excitement. As he stood in the storage room, he caught a glimpse of the calendar hanging on the wall.


    ''It''s the first day of the month, and today I''m finally going to receive my last six gold coins,'' he thought, a smile breaking across his face at the anticipation of the reward he had worked so hard to earn.


    Arriving early, he engaged in a quick round of push-ups and stretches to warm up before going to Faleria. By nine o''clock, he was there for their training session. After greeting, Faleria brought a new kind of wooden sword.


    "Starting today, I will teach you how to fight with every weapon we have here. We call an F-rank fighter, thus you must know how to fight, Even a pencil can be used as a weapon."


    Faleria handed the weapon to Leo.


    "Inject your mana into it and get ready."


    Leo was puzzled.


    ‘Are we going to start now?’


    He inject his mana in his sword; it became heavier, but before he could react, Faleria charged at him with incredible speed. Leo could only raise his sword as quickly as he could to defend himself. The blow was strong and sent Leo flying; he landed two meters away.


    "I said get ready."


    Leo''s eyes got serious; he realized by now that anything Faleria says is not joking and is possibly dangerous. He stood up, took the right pose, and was ready to defend. Faleria charged him again. She attacked him from the right side. The attack was extremely fast, but Leo was practicing with thirty-pound wristbands, and without them, he was significantly faster. He blocked her attack. since it was heavy, He used his other elbow in the center of the blade to slightly diminish the force of the impact, and he positioned one leg behind the other to maintain his balance. Faleria''s eyebrows raised. She pulled her hand back and attacked again, this time from the left side. The attack was so fast that Leo was unable to shift his posture to defend himself; he was hit directly and flew again. After collecting his breath, he stood up.


    "You blocked one of my attacks; now we can start the real exercise."


    Leo was perplexed.


    "I was merely showing you the danger you might face, I will not teach you like this; you will die."


    Leo frowned.


    "Also, I needed to see how you fight."


    Leo grasped Faleria''s objective; she aimed to assess his combat skills to determine the appropriate starting point for their training.


    ''What a horrible way.'' He smiled.


    Faleria positioned herself in the center of the room, assuming a combat stance. Leo approached, ready to engage. After an hour of rigorous training, Leo''s body was adorned with red blotches, evidence of his exertion.


    At the end of his training, Leo found himself sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath as he struggled to recover. Every muscle in his body ached, a testament to the intensity of the session.


    ''Although she said she wouldn''t teach me like this, her new approach is just as grueling. Every inch of my body hurts,'' he thought, wincing as he tried to shift his weight.


    Once the training ended, he made his way to the storage room to shower and prepare for his class. As he entered, he noticed Albert changing his clothes.


    “Good morning, Mr. Albert,” Leo greeted, his voice a mix of exhaustion and cheer.


    Albert looked up, his face breaking into a warm smile. “Good morning, Leo!”


    However, that friendly expression quickly morphed into one of shock as Leo began to shed his clothes, revealing the bruises and welts from his rigorous training with Faleria.


    “By the gods, it looks like Faleria beat the hell out of you!” Albert exclaimed, his eyes wide with concern.


    Leo grimaced slightly, trying to brush off the discomfort. “Well, as an F rank, there’s a steep learning curve.”


    Albert''s eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he assessed Leo. “If Faleria is training you this rigorously, she must see great potential in you.”


    Intrigued, Leo met Albert’s gaze, a flicker of curiosity igniting in his eyes. “What do you mean?”


    “It’s rare for Faleria to push someone so hard. Your rapid progress must have caught her attention; she’s likely testing your limits,” Albert explained, his tone serious yet encouraging.


    With a wry smile, Leo quipped, “At this rate, I might not survive the training.”


    Albert laughed, the sound echoing warmly in the room. “That’s always a possibility,” he joked, shaking his head as he turned away, still chuckling.


    After a refreshing shower and a change of clothes, Leo felt somewhat rejuvenated. He made his way to the library, where Samuel awaited him.


    “Mr. Samuel, my apologies for being late.”


    Samuel dismissed it with a wave of his hand. “No matter, you’re nearly on time. Come, sit down, let’s get started.”


    Leo took his seat across from Samuel, ready to begin their session.


    "Okay, so in order to choose your path, you must first learn more about mana and then explore all of the options open to you. Your classes will change once you make your decision."


    "More about mana?"


    "Yes, you didn''t think that the book you read till now was everything about Mana, did you?"


    "I didn''t really think about it."


    "There is far more than you can think. So let''s start by reviewing our previous knowledge.


    Samuel made himself comfortable in his chair and continued.


    "In the Introduction to the World of Magic book, you learned that mana is the source of magic; it is your soul''s power, which, like muscle power, may be increased by training, but it is also susceptible to corruption. Mana is in your soul; increasing it without control can harm your soul. When your soul is harmed, it manifests itself in your body."


    Leo was listening attentively.


    "Corruption can be anything, from a person just going crazy to changing their body shape completely."


    "Changing body shape?"


    “Yes, you can turn into a monster."


    Leo''s brow furrowed in a frown.


    "Also, the specialty you choose shapes your mana."


    "What does it mean?"


    "That means if you decide to be a paladin, and by paladin I mean the light magic, your soul changes shape to be more compatible with the light, and if you decide to go to shadow magic after, your soul that is now compatible with light needs to change one hundred and eighty degrees around and become compatible with shadow, and that means corruption."


    "So I can only choose one specialty?"


    "It can be a lot safer, but no, you can choose up to three if they are compatible with each other; for example, you can choose enchanting, elementalist, and also pure magic."


    Leo paused for a few seconds before asking.


    "How about four specialties?"


    "Nobody was able to do that, and even among those who chose to learn three specialties, only twenty percent were successful, so I suggest you choose one or two."


    When Samuel saw Leo in deep thought, he added.


    "But this corruption usually only happens after B rank; for example, if you are an A rank necromancer and you have good control over your mana, you can still use enchanting spells under B rank and vice versa."


    Upon hearing that, the corners of Leo''s mouth twitched upwards momentarily before settling back into their usual expression.


    "Okay, that is for mana. Now, before we move on to each specialty, I''m going to teach you how to control your mana, followed by two pure magic spells that every Paladin knows how to use."


    Leo got excited.


    "What are those?"


    "One is the spell you already tried; it''s the light ball spell, we use it to learn how to control your mana better, and after that, we learn telepathy."


    He then clapped once.


    “So let’s begin with controlling your mana”