The ranking system

A nerium oleander.

The moonlight cast its fair, silvery gaze on the delicate flower. Its petals were vibrant, a deceptive beauty hiding its sinister nature. A single petal could kill a person when consumed, and its alluring fragrance was nothing more than a cruel disguise for the deadly poison it carried.

Aria's hand trembled slightly as she reached for the flower, her fingers brushing its stem. She plucked it hurriedly, wincing as her sore muscles protested. Holding the bloom firmly, she crushed the petals in her palm, squeezing until its lethal juice seeped through her fingers. Without hesitation, she smeared the toxic liquid along the blade of her dagger, the moonlight glinting off the weapon's now-lethal edge.

This should be good enough, she thought grimly, her breathing shallow as she tried to ignore the ache that coursed through her battered body.

With one hand clutching her poisoned dagger, she pushed herself upright, leaning on the nearest tree for support. Every step forward was a test of her endurance, each movement threatening to topple her. But her resolve didn't waver. Her gaze was locked on the faint glow of the campfire ahead, the faint flicker of flames illuminating a lone figure perched atop the cage that had once held her captive.

"I wondered when you'd show up," the man called out, his voice carrying an edge of amusement that made her stomach churn. His face was serious now, a stark contrast to the playful, mocking expression he'd worn earlier.

"You don't seem very surprised to see me," Aria replied, her voice cold and steady despite her exhaustion.

Her sharp gaze roved over him, studying his posture and movements, searching for any sign of a concealed weapon. His hands rested idly on his knees, empty, but she wasn't foolish enough to let her guard down.

"Maybe I underestimated you all along," the leader sneered, his voice dripping with disdain as he regarded her trembling stance. "But this is where your little rebellion ends. You killed my men—all of them. And you think that because you managed to manifest a mana core, you're suddenly invincible?"

He took a step closer, his mocking grin widening as he continued, "The truth is, my lady, you'll always be a worthless brat whose family never cared much for her."

Aria's chest tightened as his words cut deep, igniting a storm of emotions she struggled to suppress. Normally, she would ignore such taunts, knowing they were designed to unnerve her. But the parallels between her past life's struggles and the tragic circumstances of her current body were too glaring to dismiss.

Worthless. Unloved. The accusations echoed through her mind, each word fanning the flames of her anger. She clenched her fists tightly, her vision blurring with rage. This was supposed to be her second chance—a life where she wouldn't be trampled on or belittled. Not anymore.

"Ahhhh!" Aria roared, her anger exploding as she charged at him. Her dagger gleamed in the moonlight, poised to strike.

But just as she closed the distance—two steps away—her chest constricted violently. The air seemed to vanish around her, and her lungs burned as she desperately tried to inhale.

What's happening? Panic surged as her body faltered. She stumbled, clutching at her throat, her gaze snapping to her captor, who was now laughing.

"Look at you," he jeered. "You can't even stand before me. You really thought you could touch me?"

Suddenly, a calm, mechanical voice echoed in her mind:

{System is disappointed by your actions.}

Help me! She pleaded, her vision starting to blur.

{You are within his radius,} the system explained flatly.

Her eyes widened in realization. His radius… She forced her trembling body backward, her steps uneven. One, two, three—her chest still felt tight. Four, five—each step growing lighter. Finally, after thirteen steps, the suffocating grip on her lungs released. She dropped to her knees, gasping for air, her body shaking from the effort.

Now, clear-headed, she did the math. The leader's range was roughly ten meters. Her steps were shorter due to her weakened state, but they still covered the distance. If I get within ten meters, I'll suffocate again.

His mocking voice brought her back to reality. "What now, little girl? Will you run away again? You can't even stand before me."

Aria ignored his taunts, her mind racing. How do I get within his range without succumbing to suffocation? Her fingers brushed against her dagger, its poisoned blade still glistening.

Then, an idea sparked in Aria's mind—a desperate, risky plan that might be her only shot. She hesitated briefly, her instincts warning her of the toll it could take on her already battered body.

"Is it even possible to use three skills at once?" she muttered, half to herself.

{Chances of survival: less than 10%,} the system responded coldly.

Aria's lips curved into a faint, determined smile. "So, it's plausible."

Drawing herself up as best she could, her legs trembling under the strain, she planted her feet firmly and met the leader's mocking gaze. "I won't run away from you anymore," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.

The leader laughed, his arrogance unshaken. "So? Come and get me, then," he taunted, clearly enjoying the spectacle of her defiance.

Before he could react, a vine shot from the ground, wrapping tightly around his wrist. He frowned, quickly raising his blade to cut it, but another vine lashed out, this time coiling around his leg. The sudden pull sent him sprawling to the ground with a thud.

"What the—?!" he growled, thrashing against the restraints.

Aria ignored his protests, her focus razor-sharp. She activated Telekinetic Push, layering the force over the vines. The pressure intensified, causing the vines to press painfully into his skin. His screams echoed in the stillness of the night as the tension pushed his bones to the brink of snapping.

"Enough!" he bellowed, his voice filled with anger and pain. With a surge of strength, he tore his wrist free from the vines, his face twisted in fury.

Aria's vision blurred, but she wasn't finished. Summoning her remaining energy, she activated Seedling Growth, her palms trembling as the nearby plants responded to her call. Tiny shoots sprang from the ground, twisting and snaking toward him like living chains. The plants grew unnaturally fast, latching onto his limbs and torso, binding him even tighter.

The leader roared In frustration, his movements restricted as the vines and seedlings lifted him off the ground, holding him aloft like a prisoner in an executioner's grasp. Aria clenched her fists, pouring her will into Telekinetic Push, amplifying the pressure on the bindings.

Each second felt like an eternity. Blood began to drip from her nose, then her eyes, staining her cheeks with crimson trails. She didn't notice. The strain on her body was unbearable, but she refused to let go.

Since she couldn't get close, Aria focused her mind on the dagger lying near his feet. It twitched, then lifted off the ground. Slowly, it turned toward him, the blade catching the faint glow of the moon.

"What are you?" he choked out, his voice trembling.

For the first time, he felt fear. He had always believed he was superior. Being the only one in his family to awaken a mana core had filled him with pride. People praised him, feared him, and he thought no one beneath him could ever challenge him. But now, this bloodied girl—this weak thing he had mocked and humiliated—was proving him wrong.

The vines held him tight, their grip like iron, yet he tried to fight. He gathered the air around him, forming a barrier. Wind howled as it spun in a tight vortex, a desperate shield against the incoming blade.

But the dagger pushed forward, cutting through his defenses bit by bit. Aria's focus never wavered. Her body shook, blood dripping from her nose and eyes, but she refused to let go.

The blade pierced his chest. His eyes went wide, shock and pain freezing him in place. Blood bubbled up, spilling over his lips.

The poison worked fast. His heart raced, pounding in his ears, then slowed as the toxin spread. He gasped, his head falling forward, his body still trapped by the vines. Then, silence.

Aria was breathing heavily, each gasp a struggle as she lay sprawled on the ground, utterly spent. Her vision blurred, her body trembling from exhaustion, every limb screaming in pain. She tried to focus, but the overwhelming fatigue threatened to pull her into unconsciousness.

One by one, glowing notifications appeared in her minds eye:

{Quest Completed: Defeat 5 Enemies Before Sunrise}

{Time left after successful completion, 10:02}

{You have unlocked Symbiotic Recovery!}

{Bonus Reward: +20 Stat Points for an unexpected achievement}

A faint, tired smile spread across her lips. Yata, I did it… I did… The words barely escaped her mouth, her voice weak and broken. Relief washed over her, but it wasn't enough to keep her conscious.

Her eyelids fluttered, her body finally succumbing to the exhaustion that had been building for hours. Slowly, they closed as darkness claimed her.

Her last thought was bittersweet: A normal human wouldn't have survived this.

And then, silence. She collapsed fully, her body motionless under the pale light of dawn breaking over the horizon.

__________________________

Slowly, Aria's eyes fluttered open, revealing irises of a striking emerald hue that seemed to catch and reflect the faint light filtering through the trees. The sharp, metallic scent of blood roused her other senses. Her entire body ached, a deep, unrelenting throb that made even the idea of moving seem impossible. She lay there, her body unresponsive, staring up at the canopy of the trees as the sun light cast its glow on them. As the memories of the night before flooded her mind, a low groan escaped her lips.

"Fuck me," she muttered weakly. "It hurts all over."

{Welcome back, Aria. You almost died.}

Her emerald eyes narrowed as she gave a bitter smirk. "Well, no shit."

{Literally.}

That made her pause. "Hmm?"

{Your health points were down to just 1.}

Her heart skipped a beat. "No shit! That was close. How long was I out?"

{Five hours.}

She sighed, her vibrant eyes reflecting a flicker of relief. The faint movement of air brushing against her skin offered a small, fleeting comfort. "Show me my status," she mumbled, too weak to even lift a hand, opting instead to lie motionless on the grass. For now, the cool ground beneath her and the soothing whisper of the breeze were the only things keeping her calm.

___

{Host Information}

Name: Aria Zarek

HP: 11/100

Mana: 5/100

Energy: 0/100

Core(s): Nature (Green) + Psychic (Viridian, Dark Green)

Tier: 1 (Low)

[Stats]

Strength: 13

Agility: 13

Willpower: 15

Stamina: 9

[Skills]

Vine Bind (Lv. 1): Control plants to trap or bind enemies.

Cost: 10 MP

Seedling Growth (Lv. 1): Encourage the rapid growth of plants in your immediate area.

Cost: 10 MP

Telekinesis Push (Lv. 1): Use psychic energy to push or move objects, including enemies.

Cost: 5 MP

Mind Focus (Lv. 1): Sharpen focus and awareness to improve mental clarity.

Cost: 5 MP

________________________________________

Bonus reward:+20 stat point (unused)

________________________________________

"I thought you said I had one health point left?" Aria asked, her emerald eyes narrowing as she processed the information.

{Your state of unconsciousness placed you in a deep rest, resulting in a partial recovery of health.}

"I see…" she muttered, her gaze drifting to the status display. Her attention snagged on a new metric she hadn't focused on before. "What's energy?"

{Energy is essentially aura. As your cores strengthen, they emit a tangible aura around you, signifying your tier. At your current state—Tier 1 (Low)—your aura remains dormant until you ascend to Tier 1 (Advanced).}

"So… I'm basically a beginner with no active aura?"

{Correct.}

She let out a small sigh, rubbing her temple. "How many tiers are there?"

{There are nine tiers. Each tier has three sub-levels: Low, mid, and advance. As you progress, your aura and abilities will grow exponentially stronger.}

Her brows furrowed as she absorbed the explanation. Nine tiers seemed like an impossible mountain to climb, but if this was her new reality, she would figure out how to scale it.

Aria lay still, absorbing the system's responses. Her mind reeled as she tried to make sense of the ranking structure.

"So, explain the ranking system in detail," she said, her voice steady despite her exhaustion.

{Of course. Here is the ranking system:}

Tier 1 (Beginner): The entry-level tier for those just starting to practice or harness their core.