The Evolution of Mana Echoes

Ch 1 - Pt 2 Dreams of a Hero

The children stayed focused, not wanting to miss what came next. Long shifted his weight and kept speaking.

“To bring order back to the world, King Xeno’s four companions created the Guild System after his death.”

The mood in the room brightened right away. Several children sat up a little straighter.

“Guilds organize and manage adventurers. They give out missions, protect villages from danger, hunt monsters, escort merchants through unsafe lands, and solve all kinds of problems across the world.”

Several children nodded quickly, already imagining themselves joining one someday.

“The first guilds were set up by those four companions. As time passed, more guilds appeared everywhere.” Long went on. “They also created ranks and classes to measure how strong and skilled someone is.”

Suddenly, one boy jumped right to his feet.

“Old man, what is the highest rank there is?” His voice was loud, full of energy, and completely without fear. “If I’m going to aim for the top, I need to know what the top actually looks like.”

Long closed his eyes for a second. “Mythic Rank.”

The boy clenched his fist tight. “Then that is where I’m going. One day I will reach Mythic Rank, and everyone here will remember that I said it first.”

Long pointed toward the floor. “Sit down first. You haven’t even heard the rest of the explanation yet.”

But the boy ignored him completely.

“I will become the next King Xeno. I will defeat monsters wherever they appear and make sure the whole world knows my name.”

He paused for just a second, looking a little unsure.

“Actually… what were those classes again? I think I stopped listening for a minute.”

Long raised his voice firmly. “I said sit down and listen properly!”

Laughter filled the room, and the boy finally sat back down, grinning.

Long rubbed his forehead, looking tired but amused.

That boy was Tyda. He was eight years old, with messy dark blue hair and simple, plain clothes. At first glance, there was nothing special about him.

But everyone in the village knew who he was. Among all the children, he was clearly the strongest. Even some adults found it hard to keep up with him when they practiced fighting. Every single day, right after finishing his chores, he trained with a wooden sword until his arms burned and his hands could barely hold the handle anymore.

Long let out another long breath.

“Now listen carefully. This next part matters a lot if any of you truly want to become adventurers.”

The children quickly focused again, ready to learn.

“There are three main types of mana.”

Everyone leaned forward once more.

“First is Gold Mana. People also call it Divine Mana.”

Tyda narrowed his eyes, taking in every word.

“Second is Blue Mana. That is known as Terra Mana.”

Several children nodded as they repeated the name quietly to themselves.

“Third is White Mana. That is called Virtue Mana.”

Soft whispers went around the room again. Long continued speaking.

“The type of mana a person awakens depends mostly on their family line and other factors that no one fully understands yet.” The room grew quiet again. “Some families have awakened the same kind of mana for many generations in a row.”

One child raised a hand. “What about Divine Mana? Can anyone ever get that?”

Long smiled gently. “Very few people ever awaken Divine Mana. It is rare.”

Excitement spread through the room. Long raised his hand to calm everyone down before they got too carried away.

“But do not misunderstand this.”

The noise settled.

“Divine Mana does not automatically make someone stronger than everyone else.” Several children blinked in surprise. “Someone with Terra Mana can work hard and become stronger than someone with Divine Mana. The same goes for those with Virtue Mana.” He nodded firmly. “What matters most is how much you train, how much experience you gain, how disciplined you are, and how much effort you put in.”

His voice grew serious again.

“Mana is only the very beginning.”

Tyda stayed quiet. His hands rested on his knees, fingers curled tightly into fists.

So that is how it works.

The type of mana someone has doesn’t decide everything. What counts most is how far they are willing to push themselves.

If effort matters more than natural talent, then there is no reason to stop. No matter what kind of mana appears later, real strength can still be earned.

Long slowly stood up. His knees made a soft cracking sound, but his eyes stayed sharp and clear.

“When you turn sixteen years old, you will all take a special test.”

The room filled with excited chatter right away.

“High up on Mount Sigil lives the Great Sage.” Several children gasped in awe. “That person will examine you and tell you both your mana type and how strong your mana level is.”

Tyda turned his head toward the window nearby. The night sky stretched out endlessly beyond the glass. Far away, barely visible against the darkness, he could see the faint outline of a mountain rising high toward the stars.

His fists tightened slowly.

Divine, Terra, or Virtue… it doesn’t matter.

One day I will stand among the strongest people in history. It won’t happen overnight, and it won’t be easy. But if others have climbed that high before, then there is no reason I can’t do the same.

Eventually, the story and lesson came to an end.

The children left in groups, filling the quiet night with excited talk. Some argued about which mana type was best. Others asked questions about guilds. Many were already dreaming out loud about the day they would become adventurers.

Tyda stepped outside by himself.

Cool night air brushed against his face. He stopped on the dirt path and looked up toward the horizon.

Far away in the distance, Mount Sigil rose into the sky. It looked impossibly far off, just a dark shape against the stars, barely visible, like something that only existed in dreams.

Yet somehow, it did not feel unreachable.

A grin slowly appeared on his face. It started small, then grew wider and more confident.

One day, he would leave Lerin Village. One day, he would officially become an adventurer. One day, he would see the whole world beyond these familiar fields and forests.

Most importantly, one day, the whole world would know his name.

Tyda raised his fist toward the distant mountain.

“Just wait for me,” he said in a quiet but steady voice. “I don’t care who believes me or who doubts me. I will become strong no matter what kind of mana I get. I will keep climbing higher and higher until I reach the very top.”

The night stayed silent around him.

Beyond the village, the rest of the world kept turning. Kingdoms rose and fell. Guilds accepted dangerous missions. Monsters roamed through wild lands. Ancient secrets slept deep beneath forgotten ruins.

Tyda knew almost nothing about those things yet.

But somewhere deep inside, a small feeling told him that his journey had already begun.

And far beyond the village, beyond the mountains, beyond everything he could currently see, fate was quietly starting to move.

A future waited for him.

A future filled with battles, pain and loss, true friendships, and choices that would one day shape the whole world.

Tyda did not know any of that yet.

He only knew one thing for sure.

Tomorrow, he would train harder than he did today.

And that single decision became the very first step along a path that would change everything.