Let's get WET

I sink into the plush embrace of the king-sized bed, the sheer comfort unlike anything I've ever felt before. The fabric is soft—too soft—almost like I'm being cradled by a cloud, and the mattress? Pure heaven. If I didn't know any better, I'd think this bed was enchanted.

"I could die here and have no complaints" I mumble, stretching my limbs and sinking even further into the ridiculous comfort.

Meanwhile, across the room, Seraphina is pacing.

Not just pacing—prancing.

Her steps are sharp, controlled, but the sheer intensity of her movements tells me she's deep in thought. One hand is shoved into her pocket while the other runs through her black hair in frustration. She mutters under her breath, glancing my way occasionally, probably wondering if I'm about to explode or sprout horns after what just happened in the kitchen.

Honestly? I'd be worried too but my attention isn't on her.

Inside my mind, Genesis hums to life, its golden text appearing in my vision.

[Creation Magic: Level 1 Unlocked.]

I squint at the floating text, curiosity bubbling up.

Alright, Genesis, what exactly does Level 1 let me do?

[With Level 1 Creation Magic, you can now estimate the mana cost of simple items before manifesting them.]

I hum thoughtfully. 

So, I won't accidentally drain myself dry making a sandwich again?

[Affirmative. However, you may still create complex items, but be warned: the more intricate the structure, the higher the mana cost. Attempting to manifest something beyond your level may result in unconsciousness.]

I freeze mid-stretch. Excuse me?

You're telling me that if I try to create, say… a gun, I might just pass out on the spot?

[Potentially.]

Great. Fantastic. So, in other words, my magic is a high-risk, high-reward nightmare.

I sighed 

Alright, noted. No summoning overly complicated stuff unless I want to take a magical nap.

Curious, I mentally swipe to my status screen, eager to see if anything else had changed.

Name: Christian Arkwright Rank: G Potential: EX

Attack: G

Defense: -G

Mana: ???

Abilities:

Creation Magic - Level 1 [??????????]

Spatial Manipulation - [??????????]

Locked

Locked

Locked

I frown, tapping my fingers against the blanket.

So my rank is still garbage, my attack and defense are tragic, and my mana stat is just a bunch of question marks. But at least I leveled up one thing... whatever that means.

Seraphina finally stops pacing and turns to me, her piercing blue eyes locking onto mine.

"What kind of powers do you have? And do you know you're not allowed to have them? You're a Deviant."

The words hit me like a brick to the face.

Deviant.

My breath catches as a memory flickers to life—those floating messages from when I first woke up.

[Warning: You are a Deviant. Deviants are to be executed by royal decree. Status: In Hiding.]

My grip tightens on the blanket as reality sets in. "So the kingdom wants to kill me, right?"

Seraphina exhales heavily. "Yes."

I close my eyes for a moment, then shrug internally.

Fuck it, we ball. Not like I had much to lose anyway.

"Alright then" I say, sitting up straighter. 

"What was that earlier with the kids? That whole 'If we see powers, we did not' mantra—what's that about? Do they have powers too?"

Before I can say another word, Seraphina moves fast. Her strong, callused hand clamps over my mouth, silencing me instantly. Her grip is firm but not painful, her palm rough from years of wielding a weapon.

"Don't say that so loudly." Her voice is a low whisper, urgent, serious. 

"I'm trying to protect these little ones from the Purge."

I mumble against his palm "Puhge?"

Genesis lights up in my vision just as Seraphina lets go of me, both of them speaking at the same time.

[The Purge is a systematic cleansing initiated by the kingdom to eradicate all individuals classified as Deviants—those born with unnatural abilities deemed a threat to societal order. Any discovered Deviant is executed on sight.]

"The Purge," Seraphina says grimly, "is the kingdom's way of keeping magic under control. Anyone with unregulated abilities—Deviants, as they call them—are either killed or disappear without a trace. No trial, no mercy. Just death."

I inhale sharply. Oh. Oh, that's bad.

I exhale, levelling her with a dry look. "So, you going to kill me now or give me up?"

Seraphina scoffs, crossing her arms. "Don't be stupid. If I was one of their dogs, I would've taken the bounty for myself already. But I don't see the point."

Her eyes flicker toward my hand. "Besides, you just created food out of thin air. What else can you create?"

I pause, thinking it through.

Hot mature lady saved me = bandaged me and healed me = saves children from this ''purge'' = stupidly rich = never asked anything from me = wants to protect kids.

Hmmm… yeah, why not? Plus, my mana being ??? is a nuisance, and I don't know my limits anyway.

"Alright, let's try something" I murmur, closing my eyes. My mind pulls from the countless novels I've read, envisioning a fire sword—something straight out of fantasy.

First, the hilt—sturdy, wrapped in black leather, designed to fit perfectly in my grip. I picture runes etched into the metal, glowing faintly with power. The blade itself? Long, sleek, forged from a mystical alloy that can withstand extreme heat. The flames licking along its edge burn blue, hotter than any natural fire, radiating a dangerous but mesmerizing glow.

Brick by brick, the image solidifies in my mind.

Then, it happens.

A flicker of blue energy forms before me, pixels—no, arcane bricks—snapping together, piece by piece, the shape assembling itself in mid-air. The heat intensifies, making my skin prickle. With a final pulse of energy, the sword materializes in my grasp, its burning edge crackling in the silence.

I stare at it, feeling the sheer heat radiating from the blade, the weight perfectly balanced in my hand.

"Holy shit" I whisper.

Across from me, Seraphina looks like she just witnessed the impossible. She stares at the blazing sword in my hand, then at me, then back at the sword—before her legs give out and she sits on the floor, completely bewildered.

"What... the hell?"

Before I can answer, Genesis lights up again.

[Congratulations! Due to successfully creating an elemental weapon, a complex manifestation, Creation Magic has levelled up from Level 1 to Level 10!]

I blink. Wait, what?!

More notifications flood my vision as a new section appears under my abilities list.

New Sub-Abilities Unlocked:

Basic Weapon Creation: Swords, daggers, bows, and polearms can now be created with standard materials.

Elemental Infusion: Weapons can now be imbued with basic elemental properties (Fire, Water, Earth, Wind).

Blueprint Memory: Objects successfully created once can be replicated with reduced mana cost.

Material Reinforcement: Strengthen existing creations to increase durability and efficiency.

I gape at the list, my grip on the sword tightening.

That escalated quickly.

I glance down at the sword, the heat radiating off it becoming unbearable. The flames flicker wildly, licking at the air as if eager to consume something.

"Uh… so what do I do with this? It's getting kinda hot."

Genesis flickers in front of me with a familiar, unhelpful [Shrug] notification.

I deadpan. You're supposed to be the all-knowing system, and that is your answer?

Seraphina, still sitting on the floor like her entire worldview just shattered, blinks up at me.

"That's… actually a good question. How do you turn that thing off?"

I stare at her. She stares at me.

"I don't know?" I offer with a tilt to my head trying to make myself look innocent.

Her eye twitches. "You just created a flaming sword out of thin air, and you don't know how to put it away!?"

Before I can respond, she groans and shouts "Mina! Get the maids in here! We need to deal with this heat!"

A flurry of footsteps echoes through the halls as several maids rush in, armed with buckets of water, damp cloths, and even a few magical cooling artifacts. Many, many, many failed attempts later, the fire finally dies down.

I sit there, soaked to the bone, my wet hair sticking to my face like I just survived a damn tsunami. The air still hums with lingering heat, and the entire room smells like singed fabric and damp wood.

Genesis, the little shit, flickers in my vision again. [Suppressing laughter…]

I glare at the screen. I will dismantle you.

Then, I glance downward—and freeze.

Oh. Oh no.

My bare chest is on full display, the wet fabric of my white shirt clinging to me in a way that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.

My eyes flicker toward Seraphina.

She is very much aware of the situation. Her face is bright red, her gaze flickering anywhere but at me, before she abruptly grabs a towel and throws it over me like a woman fighting for her life.

"Cover yourself."

I blink at her, then at the towel, then back at her.

Oh?