"The Mana Man."
Mike decided to summon the book, and as soon as the words left his mouth, a book with thick black cover landed in his palm.
It looked like any ordinary book, but he knew the information inside was invaluable for his mana cultivation.
He flipped it open, and his heart raced with excitement as he saw the bold writing. He could barely put it down.
"I don't think I would be able to concentrate without seeing the weapon I've forgot." He knew himself well. His thoughts would lingered on that sword unless he sees it.
With a thought, the Moon Blade appeared right in front of him.
It was a thin black blade with a faint luster.
As soon as he picked it up, its stats appeared before him.
Mike stared at it intently.
[Name: Moon Blade
Description: Hero at night. It sees no peace; it craves blood.
Level: 1
> The more blood it collects, the more energy it gathers for its upgrade.
Strength: D
]
After examining the blade, he was filled with nothing but satisfaction.
"Disappear," he said, and the sword vanished into thin air.
Mike broke into a smile.
"Ahhh, it's a completely different feeling when you have something like this to yourself." As someone who had enjoyed reading novels back in college, he'd read a wide variety and was always a bit envious of those MCs with systems that allowed things to appear and disappear with a thought.
But now, he had one.
Who wouldn't be excited?
He licked his lips. "I'll study the mana book first. The first thing every hero needs is power. Besides, Elvida's situation seems precarious. It's clear this won't be a smooth rescue. I need to give it my best and end it once and for all."
Flipping open the book again, he was instantly captivated by the opening.
[All heroes start somewhere.
But they all wanted one thing; power.
And that's where mana comes from.
No one touches mana without desire.
Not the noble kind.
The kind that lingers in the chest…
…curls in the gut…
…tingles across the skin.
]
But before his excitement could carry him further, there was a knock at the door.
The book vanished with a command, and he looked toward the door. "Come in."
A young man in a guard uniform stepped in. His skin was as fair as a lady's, yet he still looked masculine. His hairstyle made Mike almost burst out laughing, it was a mullet ponytail... was that the name?
Anyway, there was only hair in the middle of his head, and it was long enough to be tied into a ponytail.
Mike had an idea who this young man was. Rafael Jun.
According to the memories he'd received, they had trained together from low-level guards to the mid-level rank they now held. Rafael was also one of his roommates, and the one he was closest with.
Rafael wore a huge smile as he looked him over.
"I heard you fainted. Did that witch bully you? With her massive tits?" The gossipy energy around him was obvious, his eyes shining with curiosity.
"Mmmm, no... I just... fainted for a moment and fell."
Rafael nudged him. "Quit lying. You think I don't know how you've been staring at those giant tits of hers? You even had her drawing in your room!"
"I—I do?"
"You think I wouldn't notice? You kept it under your pillow. Everyone in our room has seen it. Hehe~ Now you can't hide it anymore." He struck a dramatic pose. "Now, give me the juicy gist. What made you lose consciousness? Did that big-titted bitch really bully you?"
"She doesn't have a name?"
"Well, she does. But who among us uses it? Most of us call her that. It suits her, doesn't it?"
Mike shrugged.
"So, why are you here?"
The young man wrapped his arm around Mike's neck. "Our shift starts in thirty minutes. I came to check if you're good to go, or if I should help you get leave from the captain."
Mike immediately replied, "It's okay, I'm fine. I'll be able to make it."
Every moment mattered to Mike; it would be beneficial in the long run.
"Are you sure?" Rafael whispered teasingly. "Or do you just want to see that witch again?"
He stood from the bed. "It's pretty obvious, you know. I mean, our room has become the envy of the squad because we're the ones guarding her cell. We're just a bunch of rough men who rarely see beauties, and now we have the most beautiful one as a captive. Everyone keeps asking me what she looks like every day."
He patted Mike's shoulder. "Then get ready. Let's leave in twenty minutes."
"Okay. I'll come and join you soon."
"Alright…" With that, Rafael pulled out a mirror from his pocket, adjusted his hair, rubbed his brows, and looked at Mike with a satisfied expression.
"You may not realize it, but you're not the only one trying to get under that woman's skirt. Everyone's paying more attention to their appearance now. We've got to at least look better than that traitorous ex-boyfriend of hers."
Speaking of which, Mike would have completely forgotten if not for the mention.
Yes, Elvida used to have a secret boyfriend whom was one of the generals—Kaelor Strev.
According to the memories he'd received, it went like this: the eldest princess, Princess Elvida, had desperately wanted to inherit the throne and erase the caste system—a structure that had existed for centuries. To many elves, that was equivalent to overthrowing the king.
No one wanted that. Especially not the nobles.
But Elvida clearly had intentions. She had been seen chatting and eating with commoners.
The rich felt threatened, and the poor were scared. So they collectively pinned the blame on her.
And the cherry on top?
An important document was found during her escape with her bodyguard general, one that suggested she did want the throne, not just for herself, but so she could be with her lowborn elf lover. She even planned to abolish the caste system... for him.
That was abominable.
A royal in cahoots with a low-ranking general?
Plotting treason?
Death by hacking.