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  Night had fallen. The campfire burned in bright orange flames as I waited for Pumpkin to finish roasting the meat she had brought. Sentil, who had just finished building two igloos, walked over to us.

  “Hey, uh, Your Majesty. Why two igloos when there are three of us?” I asked.

  Sentil looked at me as he sat down in front of the fire and replied calmly:

  “You’ll be staying with Viola.”

  I blinked, startled.

  “What?! Why?”

  “For safety reasons,” he said.

  Pumpkin laughed and patted me twice on the shoulder.

  “Don’t worry, I don’t bite. But the prince over there thinks you might betray us, so he called me along just in case you try anything.”

  “Viola.” Sentil scolded her.

  “Relax, it’s fine. I don’t think he’ll do anything. Here, take your meat.”

  She handed a skewer to Sentil, who accepted it with a frown. Then she passed one to me.

  “Thanks.”

  Then she raised her arms and began removing her helmet. I had been curious since the start, so I watched closely.

  When the armor piece came off, it revealed a delicate face and fair skin. Her hair was a vibrant orange, and her eyes were a light reddish-pink. Even her long eyelashes were orange.

  ‘She really lives up to the nickname Pumpkin…’

  She turned, caught my stare, and gave me a teasing smirk.

  “I know. I’m gorgeous.”

  And then she tore into the meat like a starving beast.

  ? Name: Viola

  Species: Human

  Age: 21

  Threat Class: (A+) ?

  Even though she was so young, she was already that strong; I think that's what they call a prodigy, but since she seemed friendly enough, I decided to strike up a conversation, maybe learn something new.

  “Pumpkin, this thing called Mna… how is it measured?”

  She looked at me, swallowing her bite.

  “These days they use some kind of small device. Honestly, I don’t really get how it works…”

  “Mana represents a person’s very existence in the world. Everything is stored within it, even knowledge and experience. That device quantifies it when it makes contact. But it’s not entirely accurate.” explained Sentil.

  Basically, mana was like a fingerprint, only with extra layers. That’s why it’s called Mna.

  “Exactly.” Pumpkin continued, pointing the skewer at me. “But we’re all born with classes. When your Mna reaches a certain number, you evolve and receive rewards from the Voice. It’s like your existence itself ascends to another level.”

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  “A certain number?” I asked.

  “For example,” she began counting on her fingers, “to reach Class (A), you need at least forty thousand Mna. For Class (A+), you’ve got to surpass a hundred thousand. The gaps between classes get huge. With five hundred thousand, you reach (S-), and with a million, you’re already among the weakest of the (S) class.”

  The numbers were absurdly high. No wonder this world was obsessed with power, those values literally validated one’s existence. The lower the number, the more it meant: “you don’t exist, and you don’t matter.”

  “I measured mine when I accepted this mission. Right now, I’ve got a hundred and fifty thousand. Oh, and you, you’ve got forty-five thousand. But that’s expected. All Metamorphs are born Class (A).”

  “Compared to you, that’s not much.”

  “Don’t say that. I’m sure you’ll reach Class (A+) soon. You just need training and study.”

  ‘I can’t expect too much from myself, I was just born, after all. And if knowledge also increases power here, then I’m below beginner level.’

  A few minutes later, it was time to go inside our igloos. Sentil would take the first watch. We’d take turns, I was supposed to rest with Pumpkin.

  The idea of fighting cold with… snow… sounded absurd. But my ignorance bowed in silence the moment I stepped inside.

  A gentle warmth wrapped around me, soothing and soft, as if the air inside were made of silk. I sighed, stretching my arms and lying on my back in the shape of a cross. Pumpkin did the same, staring at the white ceiling above us. For a brief moment, we shared the same thought.

  “So warm…” she murmured.

  “Yeah… it’s like we’re…”

  “In our mothers’ wombs.” we said at the same time.

  Outside, Sentil’s irritated voice broke the silence.

  “Stop fooling around. Sleep for an hour, then we’ll switch.”

  °??──────??°

  When the sun began to rise, we packed up the campfire. We had only switched watches three times, Viola was so full of energy, and I didn’t need rest anyway, so we just ended up forgetting to change shifts with Sentil. Good for him; he got plenty of rest.

  Another snowball monster appeared, but this one was different from the ones before. My unique skill took an interest in it and recommended that I absorb it.

  While Pumpkin and Sentil were busy fighting others of the same kind, I did as instructed. Then—

  ? Extra Skill [Ultra-Fast Regeneration] acquired. Class (A). ?

  A regeneration ability. That explained the [Skillful King]’s interest.

  The creature’s mana density was lower than mine, so the absorption worked instantly. Apparently, regeneration was useless against my [Fragmentation] and [Absorption]. If my mana far surpasses the target’s, the [Skillful King]’s abilities simply ignore all forms of defense or barriers.

  But opponents with greater mana density become impossible to absorb unless weakened first.

  ‘This will be useful. Perfect!’

  ? Sir. Detecting an unusual mana barrier nearby. ?

  We were close to the mountains. With that alert, I decided to investigate. Pumpkin and Sentil finished their battles and regrouped with me.

  Near the base of the mountain, half-buried under thick layers of snow, there was a massive metal door, nearly invisible to the naked eye. But [Analytical Perception] revealed the magical distortion concealing it.

  The air grew heavier. Sentil stepped forward silently, studying the structure. His voice was calm but firm:

  “Let’s investigate.”

  I stared at the door. It had to weigh tons, its surface was covered in corroded runes and deep marks, as if it were sealing some kind of boogeyman inside.

  Honestly, I didn’t want to touch it… but between lifting the gate and letting Pumpkin “blow things up,” I didn’t have much of a choice.

  Taking a deep breath, I crouched and slid my hands beneath the frozen base. It was the first time I’d felt genuine strain in something physical since waking up in this world.

  The snow beneath my feet cracked, and the screech of metal scraping echoed against the stone.

  But suddenly, as if something within the gate gave way, the weight vanished, and it lifted smoothly in my hands.

  “Good job.” Sentil said, walking underneath with his usual composure.

  “Strong one!” cheered Pumpkin, grinning as she followed.

  I rolled my eyes, holding the gate steady so it wouldn’t crash down, then turned and lowered it quietly behind me to avoid any noise.

  Inside, darkness consumed everything. The air smelled sharply of iron and dampness, like old blood mingled with cold stone.

  When Pumpkin snapped her fingers, a small flame flared at her fingertip, lighting the corridor ahead.

  The path stretched deep into the mountain, narrow, uneven, as though the rock itself had been forcefully carved. Faint lines of weakened energy ran along the walls, pulsing dimly.

  Without wasting time on questions, they moved forward, I followed behind.

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