A faint warmth slipped through the window, landing across the room in a soft golden hue.
Shadow opened his eyes after a long, comfortable sleep.
A rare sense of rest lingered in his body as he sat up and stretched slightly.
"Best sleep of my life… suspicious." he muttered.
It was already noon.
He stood up and walked toward the door, ready to leave his room.
The moment he opened it, he stopped.
Hanging just outside his door were a set of clothes.
Black.
A simple black shirt made from a durable, lightweight fabric was neatly folded and hung at the top. Beneath it was a pair of dark trousers, tightly stitched along the seams, clearly made for movement and long use rather than comfort alone.
Draped beside them was a long black coat. It fell just past the knees, structured but not stiff, with clean edges and subtle stitching along the sleeves and collar. The collar itself was slightly raised, giving it a sharp and composed silhouette.
No decorations. No symbols. No excess design.
Just practical, quiet black clothing that felt oddly fitting for him.
Shadow stared at it for a moment.
"…Prepared already," he muttered.
He took the clothes, changed quickly, and stepped outside.
He made his way downstairs toward the tavern kitchen.
"Well, well… look who finally decided to wake up," Marta said the moment she saw him. "You must've been exhausted."
"To be honest," Shadow replied, stretching slightly, "that was probably the best sleep I can remember. I'm really grateful."
Marta smiled faintly. "You're probably starving. Sit down—I'll bring you something to eat."
"Ah, sorry for troubling you," he said before pausing. "By the way, where is Gregor?"
"He's out handling some business in town. He'll be back soon."
Shadow nodded and sat quietly as Marta prepared the food. The smell alone was enough to remind him just how hungry he actually was.
After finishing his meal, he leaned back slightly before asking, "You mentioned you have a son around my age, but I haven't seen him."
Marta's expression shifted.
She let out a quiet sigh.
"He left early this morning. He's probably out training again."
"Training?" Shadow tilted his head slightly. "Is he an awakener?"
"Yes," she replied, though there was a trace of heaviness in her voice. "He's F-rank."
She hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"He trains every single day… hoping he might get into a magic academy. Any academy would do. But with his talent…" she shook her head slightly, "…and without any reputation or backing, it's difficult."
She forced a small smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
Shadow didn't respond immediately.
'An F-rank…'
He understood what that meant.
In this world, ranks didn't measure current strength—but potential.
From F to SSS, they defined how far a person could grow, how well they could control mana, and how deeply they could understand magic itself.
An F-rank meant limits.
A ceiling that most would never break.
'Even with effort… his chances are slim,' Shadow thought calmly.
Still, effort wasn't meaningless.
Those who worked hard could still push themselves further than expected… even if the end result was never extraordinary.
After a short silence, Shadow stood up.
"I'll head out for a bit," he said.
Marta nodded. "Be careful."
---
The city was completely different under daylight.
Shops were open, voices filled the air, and the streets buzzed with movement. Merchants called out to passing customers, children ran through narrow paths, and adventurers moved in small groups, their presence noticeable even in a crowd.
Shadow walked without any particular direction, his eyes calmly scanning everything around him.
He wasn't just wandering.
He was searching.
Someone worth copying.
Someone useful.
After some time, he noticed a crowd gathered ahead, forming a loose circle in the middle of the street.
Loud cheers echoed from within.
"…That sounds promising," Shadow muttered.
As he approached, the noise grew louder.
An arena.
Or rather, a makeshift fighting ground surrounded by spectators.
"This is entertainment? Humanity is simple, but I think I found what I was looking for," he said quietly.
Blending into the crowd, he listened.
"The big guy's gonna crush him. That kid's insane for stepping in there."
"I don't know…"
"What do you mean? He's been getting punched nonstop!"
"That's exactly my point. He's still standing."
"…Now that you say it, yeah."
Shadow's gaze shifted toward the center.
A bulky man in his thirties stood firmly, his muscles tense, his fists swinging with heavy force.
In front of him—
A boy.
White hair, roughly Shadow's age.
His body swayed slightly, bruised and battered, yet somehow still standing.
"Respect… for not dying instantly." Shadow commented.
It looked like a one-sided beating.
But something felt off.
The man was using magic—enhancing his strength with mana.
The boy…
Wasn't.
Or at least, not in any obvious way.
"Kid… huff… you should give up…" the man said between heavy breaths. "I don't want to kill you by mistake…"
Despite everything—
The boy smiled.
"There it is… the opening." Shadow whispered.
Then—
He moved.
In a sudden burst, the boy dashed forward.
A small flame flickered into existence in his hand before he threw it straight toward the man's face.
Instinctively, the man raised both arms to block.
The flame barely did any damage.
But that wasn't the point.
In that brief moment—
His guard dropped.
The boy's body lowered sharply.
A swift motion—
His leg swept across the man's stance.
The bulky man lost balance instantly and crashed onto his back.
Before he could recover—
A finger was already pointing at his face.
"Bang."
A concentrated burst of flame shot forward.
Direct hit.
The man's body went limp as he fell unconscious.
For a brief second—
Silence filled the arena.
Then—
It exploded.
"WHAT?!"
"How is he still moving like that?!"
"That endurance… that's insane!"
"He planned that from the start!"
The noise rose like a wave, crashing from every direction.
Not just excitement—
Confusion.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Shadow watched quietly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
'System.'
[Analyzing target]
[Analysis complete]
[Target: F-rank mage]
[Affinities: Fire, Water]
Shadow paused.
'A dual elemental user…'
For a moment, even he was surprised.
'Calling that rare wouldn't even be enough.'
And yet—
F-rank.
'What a joke of a world. It's wasted… on people who can't see.'
"…Copy him."
[Copying in progress]
A faint sensation spread through his body—warm, then fluid, like something settling into place.
[Copy complete]
[Fire and Water magic acquired]
"Nice. I stole it legally. I'll make better use of this."Shadow said as he flexed his fingers slightly.
A subtle warmth lingered before fading away.
'My rank?'
[F-rank. Equivalent to original target]
[Further growth requires upgrade]
"I see…" he murmured.
His lips curled into a faint smile.
"Limited talent… limited thinking."
His eyes shifted toward the crowd.
"No wonder they stop where they do."
Meanwhile, the boy stepped down from the arena.
His face was swollen, bruises covering nearly every visible part of his skin.
"…Mother's going to kill me if she sees this," he muttered under his breath as he walked away.
Shadow watched him in silence.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"…So that's him."