Shirou found himself standing before a large, circular building that seemed to have weathered the passage of time. The once-bright colours on the stone walls had faded, giving the structure a slightly worn but dignified appearance. High above the entrance, a large emblem was etched into the stone — an oval symbol containing a clenched fist, and inside the fist were the bold, slightly cracked words: "Elen's Training Gym."
Beneath that, in smaller, almost hopeful lettering, it read: "Where Heroes Are Born."
Shirou stood still for a moment, staring up at the emblem with a blank expression.
"Where heroes are born…" he thought to himself, deadpan. "That's so lame."
Rolling his eyes, he turned his gaze toward the entrance door.
"Anyway, names don't matter," he muttered under his breath. "Only strength does."
With that thought, he stepped through the slightly creaky door and entered the gym.
Inside, the scent of old wood and steel and the faint tang of sweat filled the air. The space was large and open, with training dummies and weapons racks.
At the front counter, a woman with straight black hair tied neatly behind her head stood waiting. She appeared to be in her early thirties, her demeanour is professional yet welcoming.
Shirou walked up to her calmly.
"Good morning, sir. How may I assist you today?" she asked, offering a polite smile.
His eyes instinctively dropped to the nameplate pinned to her uniform: Sherin.
"Good morning to you too, Sherin," Shirou replied casually. "I was wondering if I could train my swordsmanship here."
Her smile widened a fraction. "Of course, sir! Would you be interested in taking a membership? There's even a discount available today."
"Membership?" Shirou raised an eyebrow.
Sherin nodded, clasping her hands together. "Each month typically costs 7 silver aether coins. But with a membership package, you can train here for six months for just 35 silver aether coins. You'd essentially save 7 silver."
Shirou frowned slightly, thinking.
The months here are different from my previous world, he mused. Each month has thirty days, pretty similar to Earth... but the weird part is there are sixteen months in a year. Probably has something to do with those three suns orbiting this world. How do they even calculate a 'year' here?
He shook his head slightly.
"Too confusing." he dismissed the thought.
A membership deal certainly sounded profitable, but Shirou had other plans. I'm planning to head toward Ravaryn soon. No point tying myself down for six months.
"I could just go with one month," Shirou considered. "But before that… there's something I'd like to check."
Looking back at Sherin, he asked, "Is it possible to use the facilities just for a day?"
Sherin tilted her head thoughtfully before nodding. "Of course! The rate is 4 copper aether coins per hour."
"I'll take four hours then," Shirou said without hesitation.
Sherin smiled and picked up a ledger. "Understood. Before we proceed, may I know your level, sir?"
At that question, Shirou froze slightly.
Level? His mind raced. Wait... why would she ask that? I thought only I had a system. Could it be... everyone here also has a way of levelling up? Is the system not as unique as I thought?
A bead of sweat almost formed at his temple, but he quickly composed himself when he noticed Sherin looking at him expectantly.
"Sir?" she prompted gently.
Still confused, Shirou mumbled, "Thirty… six-it."
Sherin blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Huh?"
"You can check it here if you're unsure," she said with a light laugh. "We have a tool for it. It helps us assign a suitable training room based on your current level."
Shirou still didn't fully understand what she meant, but nodded along anyway.
Sherin gestured for him to follow and led him to a side room near the counter. The chamber was small, almost clinical, and at its centre hovered a curious device — a white, perfectly spherical globe suspended in the air by dozens of thin mana wires connecting it both above and below.
"Place your hand on the sphere and channel a bit of your mana into it," Sherin instructed, stepping back to stand near a nearby console that looked like a monitor connected to the sphere through bundles of intricate wiring.
Shirou approached cautiously, feeling a slight hum of energy coming from the globe. He pressed his palm against its cool surface and sent a pulse of mana into it, as instructed.
Almost immediately, he felt a strange sensation — mana from the sphere surged back into his body, travelling swiftly through his mana veins and converging into his core. It was as if something was scanning him from the inside, every corner of his mana system illuminated under its probing light.
"The hell was that?" Shirou muttered under his breath, pulling his hand away once the process ended.
Sherin was already staring at the monitor.
"You're currently at the border of early and late apprentice stage," she announced.
Seeing his confused look, she explained further, "As people grow stronger, their mana cores also evolve. We don't measure the size or volume of mana because that can vary widely between individuals and clans. What we assess is the colour of your mana core. The darker it becomes, the stronger your level."
She smiled reassuringly.
"The device helps us detect that colour."
"I see..." Shirou muttered, still processing the information. "So is Apprentice considered weak?"
"Oh no, not at all," Sherin said with a light chuckle. "Let me explain it properly. Here, we categorize people who can use abilities into six main stages. Each stage is further divided into early and late ranks."
Shirou leaned in a little, paying close attention.
"At the very bottom," she began, "are normal people — those without any ability to manipulate mana. Above them are the Novices, the first real step into the world of mana users. They're just starting out, learning to control their abilities. With enough training and sometimes a bit of good bloodline, a Novice can eventually grow stronger."
She paused briefly, giving Shirou time to absorb her words before continuing.
"Next is the Apprentice stage. Most of the general population who work with mana — even some minor officials and local defenders — fall into this group. It's where most people tend to stay unless they have exceptional talent or opportunities."
Shirou nodded slowly. It already sounded like climbing the ladder wasn't easy.
"After the Apprentice comes to the Adept stage," Sherin continued. "This is where most adventurers, royal guards, and serious fighters stand. It's a mark of real strength — being an Adept means you're well beyond the basics."
She gave Shirou a small smile, seeing him following along.
"Beyond that is the Ascendant stage," she said, her tone turning a little more serious. "That's where the truly powerful figures are. The Highlords of each kingdom — the leaders you hear about in stories — are mostly at late Ascendant level."
Shirou raised an eyebrow at that. That's a long way to go, he thought to himself.
Sherin seemed to catch his reaction but pressed on.
"Above Ascendant is the Sage stage," she said, lowering her voice slightly, as if speaking of something rare. "Very few ever reach it. As far as I know, there are only nine individuals across all of Lucariaus who've achieved it. And the king of Arcanthia, the Second Nation, also is at this level. The strongest among them is called the Sovereign Sentinels — warriors currently at late Sage stage, nearly at the pinnacle of mortal strength."
Shirou listened carefully, the names unfamiliar but the weight of them clear.
"And finally," Sherin said, a faint trace of awe entering her voice, "there's the mythic stage. Almost a myth, really. In ancient times, there were a few who reached it, but now... only one remains. The King of Lucariaus himself. He alone stands at the Legendary stage."
She smiled kindly at Shirou, who was now deep in thought, feeling the sheer height of the world's power structure looming over him.
Shirou folded his arms, deep in thought.
So there's still a long road ahead... Apprentice is respectable, but nowhere near enough to reach the heights I'm aiming for.
Sherin noticed his contemplative mood and added warmly, "Don't be discouraged, sir. Being close to the late apprentice stage at your age is already remarkable. Many would be envious. And with hard work, there's always room for growth."
Her words, simple and honest, managed to lift Shirou's spirits a little.
She's right. I have the system, the dungeons... countless ways to grow stronger. I won't stay weak forever.
Sherin clapped her hands lightly.
"Alright, with that part done, let's get you assigned to your training room. Just one last step — please fill in your name and training hours, and pay the fee upfront."
They returned to the counter. Sherin handed Shirou a large book bound in leather, where he wrote down his name — Shirou — and the requested time, four hours.
He then counted out the necessary coins: sixteen copper aether coins, placing them neatly on the counter.
Sherin tucked the book away and beamed at him.
"All set! Just follow me, sir."
Shirou adjusted the sword strapped across his back and stepped forward without hesitation, trailing behind Sherin towards his first-ever training room.