Infinite Mana In The Oasis

Morning 7.30 AM.

A car that had arrays underneath it instead of wheels zipped through the near-empty streets of suburban Phoenix.

The ever-changing scenery he saw while in the car reminded a certain hustler of how ill-privileged the place he lived in not so long ago used to be.

The fusion of mana and technology was everywhere. There were mana-powered spectral displays that were displaying various things about products Vik never heard of.

Superfoods that increase body stats. Mana potions with various properties. Artifacts of various types and effects-- categorized by their elemental affinities. Array and runic scrolls, which could be used for a variety of purposes.

These were some of the things Vik could understand because of Eren's memories. He'd have to research others to find out more.

Vik had a lot of things he needed to ask questions on. But there was one thing he thought he should ask first while he was witnessing the brilliance of an Elysian city from the shotgun seat. Reece was driving.

"Reece, what rank is Aunt Rumi again?"

Vik asked while keeping his attention on those spectral screens that were on either side of the road. He had felt that Rumi's existence was more prominent than she had let on.

Even though he wasn't an official ranker, he could feel the difference in their level with the way he felt around Rumi. it was akin to being near a nuclear reactor without a protective suit on.

Reece sighed when she heard Vik's reaction. She too kept her eyes on the road while responding to Vik's question.

"Did you feel too? You have a very keen perception, even without the mana sense, Eren. That's right. In her last expedition, Mom attained Arch rank.

Her ridiculous progress is a bit frustrating for me. It feels like no matter how much I try to catch up to her, she just keeps on moving ahead."

Vik raised his eyebrows when he heard the term Arch. This was the Rank 3 ranker's title when they broke past the Awakened rank. He sorted his thoughts and chuckled before replying to Reece.

"Hehe! I feel the same looking at you, Reece. It's fine to feel these things. You just don't let these feelings drag you down."

This was the first time Reece had heard Eren come clean to her regarding how he felt about his unranked status. She was a perceptive girl as well. She could tell that his unranked status was bothering Eren a bit. That's why she was paying extra attention to him.

Reece felt that all her efforts of reaching out to Eren had finally paid off. She smiled and was about to respond to Eren's comment when the guy spoke first.

"Don't worry. I'm not disheartened. At least not anymore. I can feel it. I'll become an official ranker soon, Reece. Trust me."

Vik said and assured Reece. That latter also calmed down after hearing his positive outlook. It was as if Eren had been reborn with a newfound drive for his goals.

Reece wanted to talk about something that happened between her and Eren today. But the guy seemed too occupied with his thoughts. She was also hesitant to bring up the subject herself.

So she let the matter go and focused on driving the mana-fueled car. The automated cars had more licensing procedures in Elysian cities. So people that didn't like restrictions placed on them preferred to drive the car by themselves.

Vik scratched the back of his head as he remembered something. He pursed his lips before saying out loud.

Reece, I'm trying to reinvent myself through a mind training program. So I would appreciate it if you could call me Viktor sometimes. Or Vik, if you feel like it.

I know how weird that sounds. But let's consider this as part of the process that requires me to train my mind and envision myself as a new person."

Reece looked at Vik funnily when Eren came up with a weird idea to call himself Vik out of the blue. But she looked at him and saw that he seemed serious. So she could only nod to him after mumbling a few things to herself about how she didn't understand what boys thought about these days.

Vik wanted to feel like himself even in his changed life. He didn't want to lose his previous life and past experiences completely. The guy's roots and his struggles were an influential part of his persona. So he'd prefer if people that knew him also called him Vik. That way, he'd always get reminded of his past life.

This was something very personal to Vik Vladimir that had the emotions and identity of Eren Elijah Idril. And he was glad that Reece just accepted his request without raising any questions.

***

Weavers Needle, Elysian City-State of Phoenix.

After around 45 minutes of driving from his supposed home, Vik found himself looking at a small, three-story building that screamed simplicity. The building was currently housing the Stardust guild. He was working at this place for the time being. Or to be precise a place where Eren used to work.

Weavers' Needle used to be a tourist attraction because of the 1,000-foot-high column of rock that formed a distinctive peak visible from miles around. And it was still there for everyone to see. But the area around it was not completely barren and lifeless anymore.

Constructions like Stardust's guild building were present after a set distance from each other. It was apparent that the place was a preferred spot for small guilds like Stardust.

Eren worked as a non-ranker support staff here while Reece was the official member of the guild. The kind of job that was usually taken by mortals. This was the disparity that had given the previous Eren his inferiority complex when he compared himself to Reece.

Reece was busy parking the car in the parking lot. She had dropped Vik at the front gates. The latter was about to enter the premises when he heard a familiar voice.

"Yo, Eren. How is it going, my friend?"