A profound sense of clarity washed over Zaylan. The agonizing process of mana saturation had culminated in a silent snap within him, like a vast, empty void suddenly filled to the brim.
A wave of intense, pure mana surged from his core, not tearing, but mending, soothing the screaming cells, fusing his renewed body together with astonishing speed.
The searing pain, though still a ghost, dulled to a distant throb, replaced by an invigorating hum. His senses, sharpened to an almost unbearable degree, now felt finely tuned, precisely calibrated.
He could hear the frantic scurry of unseen insects beneath the damp leaves, smell the distant scent of pine sap and decomposing earth with astonishing clarity.
The very air around him, thick with mana, seemed to sing a vibrant, resonant tune.
The System screen, now radiant with triumph, confirmed his transformation.
[Mana Saturation: 100% - Achieved!]
[Cultivation: Stage 0 (Beginner) -> Stage 1 (Foundation Building) - Breakthrough!]
A wave of unimaginable lightness, of pristine power, surged through Zaylan. His body felt renewed, incredibly powerful, yet surprisingly nimble.
He stood taller, his posture naturally straightening, his movements fluid and efficient.
He was no longer just a boy; he was a cultivator, now a true Foundation Building expert.
This was just the beginning. The corrupted beings were coming, but for the first time, Zaylan felt a surge of grim confidence. He was ready.
He examined his own hands, calloused from dock work, but now with a subtle sheen to the skin, a faint resilience he hadn't noticed before.
He felt the mana swirling within his Dantian, a stable, vibrant core of energy, ready to be wielded. My Dantian… it's using mana.
This is so different from what I remember reading about in novels, he mused, a flicker of concern mingled with awe. Those stories had detailed spiritual Qi, not mana.
But somehow, his body, perhaps due to his Physique: Primordial Chaos and Bloodline: Devouring Nine-Legged Dragon, was adapting this new energy to an old framework.
This made him an oddity, a unique anomaly in this mana-flooded world. He understood that his path was distinct from the other "Awakeners" he'd encountered or heard about.
He was a cultivator, a rare individual transforming himself, not just manifesting external effects.
Meanwhile, in the high-tech, frantic war rooms and research facilities scattered across the globe, the revelations of the World System were causing more divisions than unity.
In the Bradonn's Empire Command Center, Chancellor Evelyn Reed watched the holographic map flicker with new data points and frantic news feeds.
The entity's brief mention of "Awakening Worlds" was a terrifying mystery, fueling endless speculation but offering no concrete answers.
"Admiral Thorne, Minister Rhys," she began, her voice tight with strain, "Dr. Aris Thorne's new data on 'Integrators'… what exactly does it mean? Are they simply a more advanced type of Awakener?"
Admiral Thorne, his face grim, gestured to a complex diagram. "Chancellor, our initial assessment was broad. We've refined the categories. Most 'Awakeners' are what we now term 'Ability Users' – they manifest distinct, often elemental or sensory powers. They are the magic users and spell casters of this new age, harnessing mana to cast effects, like Lena's 'Spark Manipulation' or Professor Arin's 'Empathy.' Their power scales with their mana affinity and their 'skill level' with that ability. They are utilizing mana as a resource for external effects."
Minister Rhys, however, brought up a different projection. "But then there are the 'Integrators.' They don't have discrete abilities in the traditional sense, or at least, not initially. Their bodies directly absorb and integrate mana, enhancing their base parameters: strength, speed, resilience. This is where it gets complex. The majority of these 'Integrators' aren't manifesting magic or casting spells. Instead, they seem to be... Rune Masters or Inscription Masters."
Chancellor Reed frowned, "Rune Masters? What are you saying? How do they work?"
Dr. Aris Thorne's holographic projection flickered to life, his weary eyes burning with intellectual fervor. "Chancellor, their unique physiologies seem to respond to the runic patterns inherent in mana itself. They literally 'draw in' mana because their bodies resonate with these hidden symbols. Their talent isn't about channeling mana for external effects. Instead, it's about the ability to translate their runic comprehension onto external objects through inscription."
He brought up images of strange, glowing symbols appearing on various confiscated weapons. "They discover these runes, understand their inherent meaning, and then, through sheer willpower and their direct mana integration, they can inscribe them onto weapons or tools. The weapon then uses the mana absorbed by the Rune Master as a source of energy, granting it new properties – sharper edges, enhanced durability, even rudimentary elemental effects. Their 'level' isn't about the power of their direct body, but about the depth of their understanding and application of these runic patterns. The more complex runes they comprehend and successfully apply, the more powerful their inscribed objects become. It gives them a significant head start over most Ability Users, who are still grappling with basic spell manifestations and mana control. They are potent force multipliers, but not directly offensive spell-casters."
"So, these 'Integrators' are weapon enchantresses, not frontline combatants themselves?" General Armitage scoffed, still clinging to conventional military thought.
"Not entirely, General," Dr. Thorne countered, a hint of impatience in his voice. "Their direct mana absorption still makes them physically superior to unawakened humans, giving them enhanced strength and resilience.
And their inscribed weapons are potentially devastating. But yes, they aren't directly using mana as a personal offensive spell like an elementalist. It's a fundamental difference in how their unique talent processes mana.
Their bodies respond to runes, not to any form of internal refinement we've seen in other data." He paused, a flicker of perplexity crossing his face. "We are still trying to determine if there are any other types of Integrators, perhaps some truly unique individuals who fall outside these two classifications. But the data remains limited."
Zaylan, miles away in the quiet solitude of the forest, was oblivious to the nuanced scientific debates happening thousands of kilometers away. His focus remained on his own internal change.
He was a cultivator, but of mana, not spiritual Qi. He was not a Rune Master, not a Spell Caster. He wasn't bound to inscribing mana onto objects or shouting incantations.
His path was internal, a journey of self-perfection, utilizing mana in a way no one else on this transformed world seemed capable of. He knew he was an anomaly, a singular point in a new, chaotic world.
This understanding, that his was a unique path even among the nascent mana users, hardened his resolve.
The two weeks were ticking down, but for the first time, Zaylan felt a surge of grim confidence. He was ready.
This was the beginning of his true journey, a path forged by fire and resilience, distinct from any other Awakener on this new, terrifying world.