World of Grimm

The gentle rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds stirred Nicolas from his slumber. His eyelids fluttered open, and for a moment, he simply lay there, staring at the shifting clouds above. The morning sun bathed the landscape in warm golden light, casting long shadows over the rolling hills of grass.

But something felt… different.

Nicolas furrowed his brows. A strange sensation spread through his body, like a ripple in a still pond. The world around him appeared sharper, more vivid. The rustling leaves, the birds' distant songs, even the soft whisper of the wind—all of it reached his ears with an unnatural clarity.

"What… what is this?" Nicolas muttered, sitting up abruptly.

His breathing hitched as he noticed the faint movement of insects on the grass, the delicate sway of each individual blade of grass. His vision, his hearing—everything was enhanced. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a world more detailed than before.

Nicolas clenched his fists, flexing his fingers. Even the sensation of touch felt more precise, as though his body had become more attuned to the world. It was overwhelming yet exhilarating.

"Did my training do this? No… this is something else. This is… unnatural."

His heart pounded as a sudden flicker of light caught his eye. Right in front of him, floating in midair, was a translucent panel filled with strange words and numbers.

A status window.

Nicolas froze. His breath quickened. He had read about something like this in the stories of his previous life—a system interface, the kind that appeared in fantasy tales.

Slowly, his eyes scanned the glowing text.

---

[Status Window]

Name: Nicolas

Age: 13

Job: Mage Apprentice

Elements:

Earth – Intermediate Mastery

Wind – Beginner Mastery

Physical Attributes:

Strength: 7

Agility: 9

Vitality: 10

Perception: 15

Mana Affinity: 12

---

A cold shiver ran down his spine as he read through the details.

"This… this isn't a dream."

Nicolas inhaled sharply, his fingers trembling slightly. He extended his hand toward the floating panel, half-expecting it to vanish upon touch. Instead, the moment his fingers brushed against it, the panel responded, shimmering slightly.

His mind buzzed with questions.

"This wasn't here before! Did something happen while I was sleeping? Is this the power of some hidden bloodline? No… I don't have any special bloodline."

He clenched his fists, feeling an unfamiliar surge of energy coursing through his body. He glanced at his stats again.

"Earth - Intermediate Mastery… Wind - Beginner Mastery…"

His thoughts swirled in a storm of confusion and excitement. Until now, he had measured his progress through sheer effort, relying on trial and error. But now, with this status window, he had a clear measurement of his strength.

"Does this mean I can get stronger just like in those fantasy stories? Does this mean… I can finally compete with those who have natural talent?"

A grin crept onto his face.

He had always envied those with special gifts—those born with bloodline abilities, those with monstrous strength, those who barely needed to struggle to gain power. But now…

"Now, I have something too."

His perception stat was noticeably higher than the others, which likely explained why the world seemed so much clearer. And his mana affinity was 12. Was that a high number? He had no idea.

But one thing was certain—something inside him had changed.

He needed to test it.

Without hesitation, Nicolas pushed himself off the ground and took a deep breath. The wind brushed against his skin, cool and refreshing. He focused on his earth element first.

Closing his eyes, he reached out with his mind. The familiar sensation of the earth responding to his will was still there, but now, it felt more… refined. Sharper.

With a simple thought, he raised his hand, and a small pillar of earth smoothly emerged from the ground. There was no delay—it reacted instantly.

His control over earth had definitely improved.

A surge of excitement filled his chest. If this power applied to his wind element as well…

He turned his focus to the air around him, stretching his senses. The wind was much harder to grasp, elusive and wild. But now…

He felt it.

A connection, faint but present. He reached out, and a small gust of wind responded, swirling gently around his fingers.

His heart pounded. This wasn't normal. His training had been slow before, frustratingly so, but now, just one attempt, and the wind was obeying him far more easily.

"Was this because of the status window? Or… did something else change?"

Nicolas exhaled, excitement and curiosity battling within him.

He needed answers.

But one thing was certain—his journey had just taken a completely unexpected turn.

And for the first time since coming to this world, Nicolas felt something new bubbling in his chest.

Hope.