Aether had long noticed the blue-colored things around him; they seemed to follow the wind. He realized that he might be the only one who could see them. When he tried to touch them, he felt a tingling sensation, almost like an electric shock.
One day, while at school listening to the teacher, he noticed again a blue smoke-like figure passing by.
Aether realized that the surroundings seemed to be filled with this smoke—but blue—and he struggled because he could feel electricity coursing through his entire body, along with a sensation as if these energies wanted to enter him.
What shocked Aether even more was that his classmates and teacher seemed oblivious, as if they couldn't notice the blue haze that had overtaken the surroundings.
The day ended filled with questions, prompting Aether to research this blue energy.
However, in his research, he couldn't find any photos of this energy on social media. He did find, though, that there were people sharing stories about similar experiences.
It was then that Aether realized he wasn't alone—many others were experiencing this too, but no evidence existed because only certain people could see it. Normal humans couldn't capture it with cameras or any technology—it seemed invisible to them.
Continuing his search, Aether discovered that scientists had also been studying it due to the number of people sharing these experiences. He also found a company called Arkeyd, founded by Wyatt Carrington.
Wyatt was a billionaire who could also see this strange blue energy, which the Arkeyd company called "mana."
Arkeyd was established by Wyatt to continue researching mana, and the company was also looking for employees who could see mana in the world.
After reading all the information on the company's website, Aether became very interested and wanted to apply. But the problem was, he was still a minor and knew that his mother probably wouldn't allow it.
Just then, he heard his mother calling him for lunch. He stopped browsing the website and left his room.
While eating with his mother, Aether suddenly noticed the surroundings gradually turning blue. He realized it was mana and felt it coursing through his body.
He tried taking deep breaths and imagined the mana entering his body, as he had read in fantasy novels where characters gain power this way.
Gradually, Aether felt mana entering his body, and with each surge, he felt lighter and more energized.
"Aether… what's happening to you?"
Startled by his mother's voice, Aether immediately stopped absorbing the mana. He opened his eyes and saw his mother's worried face.
Feeling caught, Aether quickly made up an excuse: "Ah… I was just thinking about something, Mom."
But his mother, still full of concern and love, looked at him intently. "Child, if you have a problem, don't hide it. Remember, I'm here as your mother to help you."
Hearing this, Aether smiled sheepishly. "Yes, Mom."
After finishing his meal, Aether returned to his room and sat down to feel the mana again. But he noticed everything had returned to normal; the surroundings were ordinary, and he could no longer sense the mana.
Disappointed, he realized that the magical feeling he had been imagining was gone.
Determined, he got up, opened his laptop, and checked the Arkeyd website again. There, he saw maps showing locations rich in mana and tutorials on how to use and absorb mana as a power.
However, Aether noticed that the content had limited views because people thought it was just a meme or a modern mythology created by the company for profit.
The next morning, Aether woke up early, ate breakfast, and dressed for school. He heard the voice of Rena, his childhood friend.
"Aether, hurry!! We'll be late!"
Startled by Rena's shout, Aether rushed outside and saw Rena waiting.
"Aether, get in," she said, pulling him into the car. He noticed the driver.
"Ah… Rena, is this your new driver?"
Rena looked at him and replied, "Yes, our old driver went back to the province because his child fell ill."
"Ah, I see," Aether muttered, staring out the window. He knew Rena was his childhood friend and the one his family intended for him to marry one day, since both of their families were wealthy and influential. By tradition, it was his duty to support the family with her.
Aether didn't want this, but he couldn't do anything. He also didn't want to disappoint Rena, who cared for him.
After some time, they arrived at school and went to class together, as they were both taking STEM courses.
While walking, Rena turned to him seriously.
"Aether, come eat with me later! Don't run off like yesterday during lunch break." She grabbed his hand firmly.
Aether felt nervous, knowing that Rena had trained in martial arts for ten years, while he had little experience because he was a spoiled rich kid and an introvert.
He forced himself to smile and make an excuse. "Ah… yes, Rena. Let's eat later. I just finished copying a book in the library yesterday, so I couldn't keep up with you."
"Hm, just make sure you do," Rena said, stopping her intense gaze.
Hours later, while solving math problems in class, Aether noticed blue smoke passing by again. Feeling mana, he asked permission to leave the room.
"Uhm, excuse me, I need to go to the restroom," he said. The teacher allowed him to leave.
Aether ran toward the mana but noticed it had disappeared. Determined, he focused on sensing the surroundings and eventually felt the mana again in the canteen.
He went to the seat where the mana had stopped and sat down. Closing his eyes, he concentrated, absorbing mana into his body using the techniques he had read from the Arkeyd company.
To his surprise, it worked efficiently, and he absorbed all the mana in about ten minutes.
Feeling the mana fully inside him, Aether sensed his body becoming incredibly light and powerful.
He tried moving, but accidentally hit the metal table with his hand. To his shock, it bent from the force.
Panicking, Aether worried someone might hear the loud sound, but the canteen was almost empty, and the staff were busy cooking.
He left the canteen and walked back to the classroom.
Entering the room, he saw his classmates leaving and asked, "Hey, why are you all leaving?"
A classmate looked at him and laughed slightly. Rena grabbed his shoulder.
"Hey Aether, where did you go? You said you just went to the restroom, but you were gone ten minutes… and now it's lunch. Tell me, what were you doing?"
Aether felt a bit irritated and nervous. He replied, "Ah… um, I ran off because I couldn't solve the problem. Uhm… let's just go eat. I'll pay for the meal."
Rena seemed unsatisfied but restrained herself. "Alright, let's eat. I brought plenty of food; we can share it."
Seeing her calm down, Aether relaxed and followed Rena to the canteen to eat.