The knight, still gasping for breath, clutched his ribs and tried to stabilize his legs.
"I apologize," he said. Looking at Wesley with wonder.
He had fought many—students, rebels, deserters, even Academy elites in spars—but none had left him feeling like this. Not from pain alone, but from the weight of sheer bewilderment.
He blinked at Wesley, who still stood silently with the mop in hand, the anger in his eyes smoldering but not extinguished.
The knight had to admit—he hadn't just underestimated the kid. He had misjudged something deeper.
What kind of training did this kid undergo…?
His thoughts spun.
The knight recalled other Mana-less noble offspring he'd encountered in the past.
Many noble houses had children who failed to awaken Mana and were quietly discarded to distant lands, given false posts or titles to save face. It was common knowledge.
One Baron's son—weak, soft-spoken—had a predictable form. Overreliant on swordplay that never had the edge of real combat.
The knight remembered training with him: his swings too calculated, too hollow. A child mimicking moves he saw from his father's soldiers.
He remembered a Viscount's daughter who was sent to scrub floors in a mountain monastery because she couldn't awaken Mana by fifteen. She had some spirit, yes, but her footwork always wavered when pressed. Even her will cracked when the spar turned real. The moment pressure rose, her stance collapsed.
Then there was the Earl's nephew—arrogant little thing. He was trained well, sharp in stance, but his movements were too proud. Too rigid. When the knight had fought him, he broke through the kid's guard in five moves.
But this Janitor…
This mop-wielding, angry-eyed, sharp-footed lunatic?
No. Not like them.
Wesley had weight behind his swings. Not the kind that came from power, but from conviction. From necessity. From… the ugly kind of survival training. His footwork wasn't just learned—it was lived. Dodging, shifting, stepping in and out like someone who had no margin for error.
"Could he be from a Marquess line?" the knight wondered aloud in his mind, eyes narrowing.
There were always rumors that children born to Marquess or Ducal families trained with lethal instructors from birth.
Some were even branded with forbidden techniques—art that shouldn't be taught unless bloodlines demanded it. His breath still struggled to return to normal.
Wesley hadn't just attacked—he read him mid-fight. Adjusted.
But… he shook his head slightly.
Still no Mana.
That was the one detail that ruined the whole theory. No noble of true high lineage would fail to awaken their Mana this long. And yet… what if?
The knight slowly stood upright, brushing dust from his chest. His gaze never left Wesley. He made up his mind then.
"You," the knight said, voice calm now. "You have potential."
Wesley blinked.
The knight forced a smile, a faint tremor in the corner of his mouth. "Yes. I can tell. The flow in your movements—there's power in you. Mana may sleep deep, but it's there. All you need is training. Time. Effort."
Wesley's eye twitched slightly. Bastard.
Of course, he was lying. Wesley knew he had already awakened his Mana. But clearly, the knight didn't want to admit he'd lost to someone who didn't have any. So this was his out—his excuse.
Tell the world Wesley has untapped potential and pretend this fight meant something nobler than it really did.
Or maybe he's got some ulterior motive.
Internally, Wesley sighed. Whatever.
"Yes, sir," he replied, bowing slightly, his face calm. "Thank you for believing in me. I'll do my best."
I'll do my best to escape this damn place the first chance I get, he added in his head.
The knight smiled proudly, like he had uncovered a rare gem. "Good. Come tomorrow. We'll train. I'll make sure you awaken your Mana one day, even if it takes years."
Wesley gave a respectful nod.
Years my ass.
With a soft grunt, the knight stepped back and gave Wesley a short salute. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, posture stiff with effort.
As soon as he disappeared past the edge of the green flames, Instructor Heiron raised his wand again.
The emerald light flared like a wildfire being snuffed out, dissolving the silent dome in a soft breath of air. A gust rippled across the arena as the spell faded.
The world returned.
Noise returned.
And with it, came an eruption.
"What happened!?"
"Sir! What did you two talk about?"
"Did Janitor Wesley awaken his Mana!?"
Instructor Heiron held up his hand to silence the barrage of questions.
He cleared his throat.
"The knight has determined," he announced, "that Janitor Wesley has a chance. A chance to awaken his Mana—if he continues to work hard."
A heartbeat passed.
Then—
"KYAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
The girls screamed in delight.
The cheer was sudden, ear-piercing, and absolutely full of energy.
"Wesley the Janitor is going to awaken his Mana!"
"I knew it! He was never just a janitor!"
"I told you he had potential! Did you see how he held that mop?"
"JANITOR WESLEY! LET ME CLEAN WITH YOU!"
"WESLEY-SENPAI!!!"
Some of the boys groaned.
"Oh, come on…"
"He's just a janitor…"
"Why is everyone cheering for him?"
But the girls shut them up almost immediately.
"It's because he's handsome!"
"He's strong!"
"And humble!"
"And he uses a mop!"
"That's so unique!"
"Better than your sword swings that look like you're swatting flies!"
The boys quieted down, scowling.
Meanwhile, Wesley stood in the center of the crowd, utterly overwhelmed. His face twitched as the cheering continued. The words "Janitor Wesley" echoed across the arena like a chant. Some students were actually clapping. Others were already debating what kind of mana affinity he might awaken.
He didn't know where to look.
He didn't want to look anywhere.
He just stood there, mop in hand, and tried to act like he belonged—like this was part of the plan.
Heiron walked up to him and gave him a single approving nod.
"Not bad. From now on, I will make sure that your working hours are reduced, but the pay will remain the same," he said, nodding at Wesley. "Got it?" he asked. "Train hard," he added.
Wesley tried to smile.
Not because he was grateful.
But because he was already planning how to disappear now.
…
Now, after finally leaving the arena, Wesley walked the dim hallway with a dead expression etched across his face, dragging his cleaning mop behind him like a war-torn soldier clutching a broken spear.
Every footstep echoed with a defeated thud, each one louder than the last as the cheers of "Janitor Wesley" still rang distantly behind him, haunting his every breath.
What a day.
What a complete, utter mess.
How the hell did I get into this? he grumbled inwardly, eyes dull with regret.
All he wanted was to leave the damn place. That's it. Just clean a few zones, trigger some system missions, level up quietly, and move the hell on. But no. Of course not. Acting like a humble, spirit-filled janitor made people actually like him.
And now?
Now he was branded as "a future Mana Knight with a heart of gold."
He rubbed his temples.
"Fuck this shit," Wesley muttered, the words bitter and weary.
All of it—pretending to be humble, trying to sneak out with polite words, faking weakness—only backfired. Instead of being ignored, he was forced to fight. Instead of being dismissed, he got praised.
The Knight was now probably planning some long-term training curriculum for him. He might even get an official invite to some "special knight candidate program for underdog awakeners." Great.
Wesley groaned.
And then, just as he reached the middle of the hallway and stopped to lean against a marble column, a faint chime echoed in his head.
Ding!
He blinked.
A translucent blue screen flickered into view. It hovered calmly before him like it always did—his only real companion in this bizarre world. But this one looked different.
A golden glow shimmered across the borders of the notification.
Wesley narrowed his eyes.
SYSTEM ACHIEVEMENT: "JANITORIAL SUPREMACY" UNLOCKED!
Description: You have shown the world that janitors are not to be underestimated. By defeating a seasoned knight while wielding a cleaning mop, you've brought honor and silent power to your station.
— The knight was humbled.
— The students now cheer your name.
— You have won while staying true to your weapon.
Reward: Title "Mop Wielder Supreme" granted.
Reward: Hidden Potential unlocked.
Reward: [Innate Ability] - Janitorial Awakening.
Wesley stood there, mouth slightly open. "What the hell is this nonsense?"
And before he could fully react, more windows opened.
Ding!
SYSTEM NOTICE:
Congratulations, Wesley Anatoly Grime.
You have become a symbol of quiet power.
Your actions have triggered a paradigm shift in janitorial perception.
The mop is no longer a tool of menial labor—it is now a spear of destiny.
The world shall never see cleaning the same again.
You are now known as:
JANITORIAL PARAGON OF THE MOP PATH.
"Excuse me?"
Wesley blinked, deadpan.
The screen continued as if it hadn't heard him.
Ding!
SYSTEM RECOGNITION:
Due to repeated actions demonstrating dedication, humility (forced), restraint (unintentional), and unmatched battle capability while using a cleaning implement, you have earned a unique Innate Ability:
— Janitorial Awakening
Would you like to apply [Janitorial Awakening] to current abilities?
Wesley stared. He stared for a full five seconds without blinking.
Then said flatly, "…What in the flying hell does that mean?"
He quickly tapped on the system's information tab, hoping for clarification.
Name: Wesley Anatoly Grime
Age: 16 years old
Status: Depressed
Title: Abandoned Grime Family Descendant
Manas:
Mana Knight (5th Stage)
Mana Conjurer (5th Stage)
Innate Abilities:
Grime Family Spearmanship Heritage
Janitorial Awakening (NEW)
Abilities:
Grime Family Basic Spearmanship (7/15 stars)
Flame Ember (3/3 stars)
Sword Slash (3/3 stars)
Flame Resistance (3 stars)
Nature Blitzing Fury (0/5 stars)
Spear Flash (0/6 stars)
"…Wait, that's not bad," Wesley muttered, squinting. "I mean… kinda normal, actually. After all, that's my current abilities now…"
Then—
Ding!
Would you like to apply "Janitorial Awakening" to current abilities?
The system repeated the message.
Wesley hesitated. "Well… it's a system thing, right? Probably good." He scratched his head. "It has been kind so far… except when it screws me over for being too good at faking humility."
He sighed.
"…Alright. Apply."
The moment he said it, the screen turned gold.
The screen shook.
And then, one by one, his ability list changed.
Abilities:
Grime Family Basic Spearmanship (REPLACED) → Mop Art: Grime-Piercing Style (12/20 stars)
Flame Ember → Steam Burst Cleanse (5/10 stars)
Sword Slash → Mop Swipe: Wax Cutter (5/10 stars)
Flame Resistance → Janitor's Flame Retardant Coat (5 stars Passive)
Nature Blitzing Fury → Eco-Friendly Sudden Scrub (3/10 stars)
Spear Flash → Mop Flash: Reflective Gleam Strike (4/12 stars)
"…What the actual fuck is happening to me?" Wesley whispered.
He scrolled down.
PASSIVES UNLOCKED:
— Chemical Immunity: 100% resistance to toxic fumes and cleansers.
— Mop Mastery: Enhanced speed, flexibility, and strength while wielding a mop.
— Scrub-Lung: Increased stamina while inhaling dust.
— Shine-Based Buffs: All cleaning actions temporarily raise physical stats.
Additional Note:
— Mops are now considered "Legend-Class Weapons" within your System Interface.
— Using a non-mop weapon will now disable [Janitorial Awakening].
— You have chosen your path.
— You cannot stray.
Wesley was frozen.
He was… floored. In shock.
All his actual family abilities were wiped. Every flame skill, every spear lineage move—converted into some absurd cleaning-based variant. But looks more powerful but something was wrong.
"WHY IS EVERYTHING MOP NOW!?" he screamed in his head.
But…
As much as he wanted to curse, to flip the system the bird, a tiny part of him…
…felt powerful.
He didn't know why, but just reading "Legend-Class Weapon: Mop" gave him a strange thrill in his bones. Was he delusional now? Was this how the system brainwashed people?
Still gripping the mop, Wesley stared at the weapon in his hand.
"…This world is messed up," he muttered quietly.
Then, as he started walking again down the hallway, another screen popped up.
New Quest Available: — Mission: Wax the Grand Stairwell Before Sunset. — Time Limit: 2 hours.
Completion Reward: — Advanced Mop Technique: Gleam Mirage Step — 15 Silver Coins
— +1 Fan Girl Follower
Wesley stared at the quest.
He sighed long and loud.
"Alright," he muttered, defeated. "Nah, I'll rest for today."
Wesley said. But then, he paused as he sensed a group of people.