The first light of dawn crept through the grimy window of Leo's room at The Salty Mare, painting pale golden stripes across the straw mattress where he lay. He'd slept better than he had in months—a full eight hours of dreamless, restful sleep. The exhaustion that had plagued him for so long had finally begun to lift, replaced by a quiet sense of purpose.
He sat up, stretched his arms above his head, and felt the familiar hum of mana flowing through his body. The channeling skill had become second nature now, the energy moving through him like a second bloodstream. He could feel the mana pooling in his core, warm and steady, waiting to be directed.
The blue-tinted window materialized before him, its glow soft and reassuring in the morning light.
**[SYSTEM: SKILL SELECTION AVAILABLE]**
**[UNIQUE SKILL: ANALYTICAL MIMICRY – ONE SELECTION REMAINING THIS MONTH]**
**[PLEASE SELECT YOUR SKILL]**
Leo stared at the screen, his mind turning over the possibilities. He'd been thinking about this moment for weeks, ever since he'd taken his break and re-evaluated his priorities. The past months had been a whirlwind of discovery and growth, but also of exhaustion and burnout. He'd learned the importance of balance, of pacing himself, of building slowly and sustainably.
But there was another lesson he'd learned, one that had been growing in his mind like a seed taking root. The ability to impart skills was powerful—more powerful than he'd initially realized. He'd given the gift of mana sensing to hundreds of people, watched their eyes widen with wonder as they felt the invisible energy for the first time. But he was only one person, and he was already stretched thin.
*What if I could multiply myself?*
The thought had occurred to him during his break, when he'd watched a group of street performers entertaining a crowd. They were three people, working together, each playing a different instrument. Their combined efforts created something far greater than any one of them could have achieved alone.
*What if I could give others the ability to impart skills?*
The idea was audacious. It was also, he realized, the logical next step. He'd already learned that skills could be imparted. Why couldn't the ability to impart skills itself be imparted? It was a skill like any other—a specific, defined ability.
But the system had always been specific. He couldn't just say "I want to impart the ability to impart skills." He'd have to be precise, to choose a specific skill to impart to others.
*I choose to impart the skill of Impartation: Mana Sensing.*
The thought crystallized in his mind, and he spoke it aloud, his voice steady and clear.
"I choose Impart Skill: Impartation: Mana Sensing."
**[ANALYSIS: "IMPART SKILL: IMPARTATION: MANA SENSING" CONFIRMED]**
**[YOU ALREADY POSSESS THE ABILITY TO IMPART THE SKILL OF MANA SENSING. THIS SELECTION WILL ALLOW YOU TO BESTOW THE *ABILITY TO IMPART* THE ABILITY TO IMPART THE SKILL OF MANA SENSING UPON ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL.]**
**[THE RECIPIENT WILL GAIN THE FULL ABILITY TO IMPART MANA SENSING TO OTHERS. YOUR OWN ABILITY REMAINS UNAFFECTED.]**
**[DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED?]**
Leo's heart raced. This was it. The key to unlocking everything.
"Yes," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I want to proceed."
**[SKILL ABSORPTION IN PROGRESS...]**
**[COMPLETE]**
The sensation was subtle—a quiet click in his mind, like a lock turning. He felt a new understanding settle into place, a deep comprehension of how the impartation process worked. He could feel the threads of connection between himself and those he'd already bestowed with mana sensing, and he knew, instinctively, that he could now teach them to do the same.
A grin spread across his face. He had a plan.
The morning at the docks was its usual chaos. Ships were arriving from distant ports, their hulls laden with exotic goods. The boar-creatures grunted as they hauled crates, their powerful auras pulsing with energy. Garrick was already at work, his four arms moving with practiced efficiency. Borin the dwarf foreman was shouting orders, his gruff voice cutting through the cacophony.
Leo fell into the familiar rhythm of the work, his body moving on autopilot while his mind raced with plans. He channeled mana into his muscles, feeling the familiar surge of strength, and lifted a heavy crate with ease.
"Leo!" Borin's voice cut through his thoughts. "You're looking better. The rest did you good."
"Thanks, Foreman," Leo said, setting down the crate. "I needed it."
Borin grunted, his weathered face unreadable. "You're still not sleeping enough, I can tell. But you've got more energy than you did. That's something."
"I've been thinking about something," Leo said, seizing the opportunity. "A new project. Something big."
Borin raised an eyebrow. "Bigger than your books? Bigger than the magic stall?"
"Much bigger," Leo said. "But I'll need help. Specifically, I'll need your permission to talk to the workers during the lunch break."
Borin studied him for a long moment, then shrugged. "Do what you want, boy. Just don't let it interfere with the work."
The lunch break came, and Leo gathered the workers around him. There were perhaps fifty of them—dock workers, warehouse hands, and a few of the strange creatures that made the waterfront their home. Garrick was there, his bark-like face creased with curiosity. Petyr the warehouse worker was there, his young face bright with interest. Even a few of the boar-creatures had wandered over, their piggy eyes watching Leo with wary curiosity.
"Thank you for coming," Leo began, his voice carrying easily over the noise of the docks. "I have a proposal for you. Something that could change all of our lives."
He paused, letting the words sink in. The workers exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued.
"You all know about the magic stall," Leo continued. "You've seen me give people the ability to sense mana. You've seen the wonder on their faces, the way their lives change when they can feel the energy in the world around them."
A murmur ran through the crowd. Several of the workers had been his customers, and they nodded in agreement.
"But I can't do it alone," Leo said. "There are only so many hours in the day, only so many people I can reach. The demand is growing faster than I can keep up. And I realized something: I don't have to do it alone. I can teach others to do what I do."
He held up his hand, palm open. "I've discovered a way to impart the *ability to impart* mana sensing. In other words, I can give people the power to give the gift to others. And I want to give that ability to all of you."
The workers stared at him, their expressions ranging from disbelief to excitement. Garrick stepped forward, his four arms crossed over his chest.
"You're saying you can make us... like you?" Garrick asked, his deep voice rumbling with curiosity. "We could give people the magic sense ourselves?"
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"Yes," Leo said. "Exactly that. And here's the best part: you can charge for it. I'll teach you how to do it, and you'll keep the profits. The only condition is that a small percentage—twenty-five percent—of what you earn from bestowing the skill goes back to me. A sort of... partnership."
The murmur grew louder. Petyr raised his hand, his young face flushed with excitement. "How much would we charge?"
"That's up to you," Leo said. "But I'd recommend starting at thirty silver, the same price I charge. It's a fair price, and the demand is there. The people will pay."
"But how do we know we can do it?" asked a skeptical worker, a burly human named Darek. "What if we can't learn?"
"You won't have to learn," Leo said, his voice patient. "I'll give you the ability directly. It will be instant, just like when I gave you the mana sense. You'll know exactly what to do."
He paused, letting the idea sink in. "Think about it. Each of you could be earning dozens of silver a night, just by touching someone's hand. That's more than most of you earn in a week. And the more people you bring into the network, the more we all benefit."
A murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd. Leo could see the calculations running through their minds, the vision of a better life taking shape.
"There's one more thing," Leo said, raising his hand for silence. "This is a partnership. I'm not just giving you the ability and walking away. I'll be here to support you, to answer your questions, to help you build your own businesses. And I'll be keeping track of the profits—twenty-five percent of everything you earn from bestowing the skill. That's the deal."
Garrick stepped forward, his bark-like face creased with thought. "And if we don't want to be part of this? If we just want to keep working the docks?"
"Then you keep working the docks," Leo said simply. "This isn't mandatory. It's an opportunity. Take it or leave it."
Garrick studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "I'll try it. If it works, I'm in."
"Me too," Petyr said eagerly.
"I'll try," Darek said, still skeptical but intrigued.
The others followed suit, one by one. By the time Leo had finished, nearly all of the workers had agreed to be part of his network.
The bestowal process took most of the afternoon. Leo worked methodically, starting with Garrick, then Petyr, then the others. He touched each one's hand, concentrated, and felt the new ability flow from him into them. It was draining—each bestowal took a small amount of his own mana, and after fifty of them, he could feel his reserves running low—but he pressed on, determined to build his network.
The results were immediate. Garrick, who had been skeptical, stared at his own hands with wide eyes. "I can feel it," he breathed. "The ability. I know exactly what to do. It's like I've always known."
"It's the same for all of you," Leo said, his voice tired but satisfied. "You can now give the gift of mana sensing to anyone. Just touch their hand, concentrate, and push."
"But you should practice," Leo added. "Find someone you trust, someone who's willing to be your first customer. The more you do it, the more natural it will become."
The evening market was buzzing with energy. Leo had arranged for his network of new bestowers to set up their own stalls around the square, creating a constellation of magic-giving stations. Each one had a simple wooden sign, painted with the same words Leo had used:
**"GAIN THE ABILITY TO SENSE MANA!**
**Instant bestowal – thirty silver.**
**Money back if it doesn't work."**
The response was overwhelming. People who had been waiting in Leo's endless line now had options—faster options, multiple options. The stalls were doing brisk business, each one processing customers with the same efficiency Leo had developed.
But Leo's new plan went beyond just the stalls. He had a vision of a network that would spread across the city, across the continent, across the world. A network of people who could give the gift of mana sensing to anyone, anywhere, at any time. A network that would make him rich, not through direct labor, but through a percentage of the profits of everyone he'd empowered.
He walked through the market, observing his bestowers in action. Garrick was working at a stall, his four arms moving with practiced efficiency. He'd already processed twenty customers and was showing no signs of fatigue.
"This is incredible," Garrick said, his bark-like face creased with a smile. "I've earned more tonight than I do in a week at the docks."
"Imagine what you'll earn in a month," Leo said. "A year. This is just the beginning."
Petyr was working nearby, his young face flushed with excitement. He'd already processed ten customers and was eagerly explaining the benefits of mana sensing to each one.
"This is amazing!" Petyr said when Leo approached. "I can't believe it. I can really do this!"
"I told you," Leo said, smiling. "You're a natural."
The weeks that followed were a whirlwind of growth. Leo's network of bestowers expanded rapidly, adding new members every day. The word spread through the city like wildfire—there were now dozens of people who could give the gift of mana sensing, and they were everywhere.
Leo worked tirelessly, giving the ability to impart to anyone who wanted it. The system was simple: each new bestower paid him a small fee—a token payment of one silver—for the privilege of joining the network. In return, they got the ability to bestow mana sensing and a place in the network, along with Leo's support and guidance.
The bestowers themselves could set their own prices, but Leo recommended thirty silver, the same price he'd been charging. The demand was so high that even at thirty silver, they were processing dozens of customers every night.
The profits flowed in like a river. Leo had negotiated a simple system: each bestower kept seventy-five percent of their earnings, with the remaining twenty-five percent going to him. It was a small percentage, but with dozens of bestowers, it added up quickly.
By the end of the first week, Leo had earned more from his share of the profits than he had from his entire month of solo bestowals. The money was coming in faster than he could spend it.
The merchant guild was watching Leo's success with keen interest. Mira, the sharp-eyed representative who had become his primary contact, invited him to a meeting at the guild's offices.
"You've built something remarkable," Mira said, her voice admiring. "A network of magic-bestowers, spreading across the city. I've never seen anything like it."
"It's just a business," Leo said, trying to downplay his success. "A partnership."
"It's more than that," Mira said, leaning forward. "You're creating a system, Leo. A way for people to gain magical power without years of training. That's revolutionary."
Leo shrugged. "I just saw a need and filled it."
"That's what all great entrepreneurs do," Mira said. "But I have a question for you. Do you have a plan for the next step?"
Leo was silent for a moment. "What do you mean?"
"The network is growing," Mira said. "But it's still limited to Aridia. What about the other cities? The capital? The provinces? There are millions of people out there who would pay for the gift of mana sensing. Millions."
Leo nodded slowly, his mind racing. "I've thought about that. But I can't be everywhere at once."
"No," Mira agreed. "But your network can. You have dozens of bestowers now, and more joining every day. If you could send some of them to other cities, you could expand the network exponentially."
"It's possible," Leo admitted. "But it would take resources. Gold. Ships. Supplies. And the bestowers would have to be willing to leave their homes."
"Resources we can provide," Mira said, her eyes gleaming. "The merchant guild has ships. We have connections in every major city. We can help you expand, Leo. But we want a piece of the pie."
Leo studied her, his expression guarded. "What kind of piece?"
"Twenty percent," Mira said. "Of the profits from the network. In return, we'll provide the infrastructure—ships, supplies, legal protection, everything you need to take this to the next level."
Leo was silent for a long moment. Twenty percent was a lot, but Mira was right: he couldn't do it alone. The merchant guild had resources he could only dream of.
"Ten percent," he said finally. "And you get exclusive rights to transport the bestowers and their supplies."
Mira's eyes narrowed, then she smiled. "Fifteen percent, and you have a deal."
"Twelve percent," Leo countered.
"Thirteen percent, final offer."
Leo extended his hand. "Deal."
The expansion began within the week. The merchant guild provided ships, supplies, and connections, and Leo's network of bestowers expanded to new cities. Within a month, there were hundreds of bestowers across the continent, each one sending a percentage of their earnings back to Leo.
The money flowed in like a flood. Leo had never imagined such wealth was possible. He could have bought a palace, a fleet of ships, an army of servants. But he didn't want any of that. He wanted to build his fireball, to master magic, to carve a place for himself in this world.
The mana sensing network was just the beginning.
The month drew to a close with Leo sitting at his desk, the candle flickering low, a stack of ledgers before him. The numbers were staggering. He'd earned more in a single week than most people earned in a lifetime. And the network was still growing.
He looked out the window at the sleeping city. The stars were out, scattered across the sky like diamonds on black velvet. Somewhere, a night bird sang.
*I've done it,* he thought. *I've built something that will last beyond me. A network of magic-bestowers, spreading across the continent. A legacy.*
But he knew, deep down, that this was just the beginning. The mana sensing network was a foundation, a way to build wealth and influence. But his true goal—the fireball—was still far away. He'd taken the first steps, mastered mana sensing and channeling, but there was so much more to learn.
He smiled, a genuine smile that reached his eyes. Tomorrow, the system would unlock a new skill choice. He'd have to decide what to learn next—something that would build on his foundation, something that would bring him closer to his ultimate goal.
*Maybe Mana Circulation,* he thought. *The ability to circulate mana through the body more efficiently. Or maybe Mana Storage, to build up my reserves. Or perhaps...*
He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. He had time. All the time in the world.
He blew out the candle and lay back on his straw mattress, staring up at the ceiling in the darkness. The mana hummed in his chest, a warm and steady presence. The network was growing, the money was flowing, and his future was unfolding before him.
He couldn't wait to see what next month would bring.
**[SYSTEM: NETWORK STATUS]**
**[NETWORK: MANA SENSING IMPARTATION NETWORK]**
**[TOTAL BESTOWERS: 1,247]**
**[ACTIVE BESTOWERS: 983]**
**[TOTAL CUSTOMERS BESTEWED: 10,847]**
**[TOTAL PROFIT: 325,410 SILVER]**
**[YOUR SHARE (25%): 81,352.5 SILVER]**
**[NEXT MONTH'S PROJECTED PROFIT: 450,000 SILVER]**