The day was bright and clear. A pleasant breeze blew into the community, filling the atmosphere with peace and harmony.
Liu and Mu got dressed for their first day at school. They were exchange students and this change was only temporary. Maybe in the future once they graduated one of them would be off to a high Rated—University.
Both of their outfits were completely different from one another.
Liu's sister slid on a black and white skirt. She then put her school uniform top which was also black and white. Finally; she slid on her thigh high-black socks and her brown slides.
For the finishing touch Mu tied a black ribbon into the side of her hair. Once everything was on, she grabbed her school bag and sprinted off.
Liu combed his hair. Then he reached for his White clothed—school uniform and slid his coat on, and then his slacks. He then put on his loach around his neck. Liu was ready once he slid on his shoes.
He put his wristwatch on.
Mu decided to leave out before Liu. Liu was all on his own. Once he left the gated community, he was to walk about 2 miles. Sure it didn't sound so bad, but there were may distractions along the way. His sister had taken the bus, so he wouldn't be worried.
"I really am glad she decided to take the bus. That way she'll be safe...I guess, from now on it's just me. Liu said while strolling along the sidewalk.
The pathway he took wasn't too far from the train station. Down to the left of him, across the street of a busy intersection was a crowded area full of people. There must've been hundreds.
In New Shanghai people would set up their shops and businesses in the afternoon to attract customers. This was allowed because it could serve as a Local Trade Center.
There were many small shops that resided in the same area, and even concession stands for food. There were also a outside café, it had caught Liu's attention.
"Hey, that looks pretty cool. Maybe I should check that place out. I should have plenty of time left before the ceremony start..."
Liu crossed the street safely. He then made his way over to the café. There were tons of shops in the area that also caught his eye. But Liu needed to settle down. He couldn't manage to get carried away with exploring and inspecting what all the shops had to offer. Liu was bombarded with 10's and 20 different shops, that all sold different things, he decided to not take another look.
Liu sat down. He was sort of attracted to the café because of its modern and detailed structure. It was a medium building at 10ft, with a few chairs. It was near the intersection so people could stop by if they wanted to and check the place out.
"Excuse me, sir what would you like to order?", the cook asked.
"Oh, just...let me get the Tonkatsu dish please."
Liu couldn't get rid of the smile that he face made unconsciously. The time was precious, and he was very pleased with stopping. The food smelled wonderful, and it was a simply a quiet environment.
"Sure, will do!" The cook replied.
The cook wrote down Liu's order. Then he went back into the kitchen to continuing prepping and urgently cooking meals for his customers. He was a very skilled cook, and he was the type of man that enjoyed what he did, regardless of the income.
The aroma at the time was so soothing. The mini-cafe was small and crowded a bit. The food however, had done it justice. The quality of food at that café wasn't like others. It was extremely cleaned and well taken care of. It looked like a professional exquisite restaurant. Liu was so hungry and this made his day.
Liu's Tonkatsu finally arrived. His eyes grew in excitement and he even blushed from the amusement. He couldn't suppress his appetite back any longer, he then began to dig in.
"Man, this is so good...it's such a rich taste and a tasteful texture."
Liu had fallen in love with the dish, and it even brought a smile onto the cook's face.
Liu's small moment of pleasure was instantly taken away by one minor—interruption .
To the next of him was a woman. Like Liu, she too was also enjoying her meal. However, she found herself looking at the loach around Liu's neck. Then it surprised her what he had on.
"Hey, you...that's a Magic-equipment item right. How did you manage to get one?"
The woman took a quick break from eating. She wanted to hear a response from Liu, because finding a item like that wasn't ordinary. A item that Liu had around his neck was marketed for millions.
"H-huh...what are you talking about. What's a magic-equipment?"
Liu said while still taking bites into his food. He had been struggling to use chopsticks at the moment. So there was no way for him to really concentrate on what the woman said.
And most importantly Liu hated being bothered. Especially if it was during a meal, he began to reconsider even sitting next to annoying woman.
"Well, I guess...judging by your school uniform-you are enrolled into the Magic Academy. yeah that's it right?" She asked.
"Wait wait wait...come again?", Liu said. He wanted to clarify what the woman said. He then paused with eating so he could pay attention.
"You go to the Magic Academy...you're a student aren't you. You don't really look like you're from around here either. Yet somehow you managed to find a treasure like that. The item around your neck"
Liu looked at his loach. He began to question what the woman was saying.
"What...magic equipment item? Its only just a loach isn't it. By the way, I don't know what you mean by 'Magic Academy'. I'm only enrolled in school...what are you even talking about?"
The woman thought Liu was being sarcastic. She then took a moment to think about the next question to ask. While Liu found himself being disturbed in the middle of finishing his meal. The woman eyes widened. She found her question.
"So...are you sure you really want to become a magician. It is tough work after all. Its not something that anyone can just do-you have to be born for it. Its like a duty that you have to fulfill."
Huh...what, MAGICIAN?
...MAGIC!
Liu couldn't believe it.
What the hell!...what is this woman talking about. Magicians...Magic-Equipment. Am I really sane right now. This cant be real, I hope this is just a dream.
Liu couldn't bring himself to believe neither Magic nor Magicians. What if the pain really did get to him. Yet he couldn't bring himself to think entirely it was all a dream. Everything after the train incident had felt much more realistic.
W-wait...what if it really is real.
WHAT IF I REALLY AM IN A MAGIC WORLD?
Liu's heart began to race. His heartbeat began to beat so quickly that it triggered his adrenaline to spike. Liu had to calm himself down, but he did have the feeling that the world around him was far different than how he used to remember.
Maybe I really am in a magic world. It's all starting to make sense now, Liu thought. The loach around his neck sparkled brightly from the sun's reflection, and it caught his eye. He then looked at his wristwatch which read that he was practically going to be late.
"Damn. I have to get going."
"Thanks for the food!"
Liu hurried up. He paid for his meal before leaving. He also didn't have much time left and judging by how busy the streets had gotten; students would soon be getting dropped off. Liu sprinted off as fast as he could. He hoped that he would make it in time. He thought he had enough time, but that really wasn't the case.
"Damn it, I really hope I'm not late. I have to make it to the opening ceremony."
Liu blasted off. Like a charging bull only heading in one direction, he was quickly headed to the school.
Meanwhile, at the school there were many parents who dropped off their children at the drop off-lot. The students walked in groups, and only a few were alone. In fact everyone was just now arriving to the opening ceremony of the new school year.
Once the students arrived, they were directed to the arrival area which was arranged by the staff members. The students were all brought through the gate, to stand in order in front of a waterfall.
The water fountain had the appearance of a dragon, only it was sculptures out of stone, and water poured from its mouth into the bottom pit.
"Alright everyone...please right this way.", a man said.
The 5 staff members enthusiastically guided the students to their position.
A lot of the students seemed to have alread known each other. They were all laughing, and chatting with one another, while someone else was far behind.
Liu ran under the trees that blocked sunlight through the entrance area. He kept running and running, that he sorta noticed that something was off.
"Heheha...this is weird, I don't remember myself being this athletic."
Liu looked down. He needed to check his wristwatch to see how much time he had left. "What..only 45 seconds!", Liu said while barely maintaining stamina.
Liu looked ahead. He noticed that the gates that the students had walked through began to close. Both of them.
"Huh...no!...no! I gotta make it!"
Liu yelled, aloud while barely managing to keep running.
"I HAVE TO MAKE IT!"
He got closer and closer to the gate, but the gates were almost sealed tight.
"I'll have to jump it! There's no other way.", Liu looked ahead. The gates didn't stop their movement at all. They kept closing slower and slower—it was only a matter of time befor—
"I have to close the distance!"
Liu slid to the right, creating momentum in his right foot. He then twisted his body to the left, leaping so high which must've amazingly been 12-feet.
The moment went by in slow motion, it was just too amazing. Liu was scare, but he didn't have any other way.
He landed a miraculous backflip in the air, and landed right behind the gate. Liu made it!
"W-woah...how can I do this?", he said while taking a brief break; before he continued running to catch up to the Opening Ceremony.
"Oh...who is that. He dosent seem to be from around here.", a gray-haired girl said.
"Hey did you see that crazy high jump he did, it was sick right!", a girl said to his friends.
The group of people who were waiting for any other students to show, found themselves amazed by Liu's landing. Even Liu was quite caught off guard by it.
"H-huh...", Liu stuttered.
N-no way...I really hope they didn't see that. This is gonna be a really bad look for me, they'll think I'm some sort of Juvenile, Liu thought.
"Hey, you there...", a girl said.
The girl began approaching Liu. She then came to a stop in front of him.
"What's your name?", the girl asked.
Liu was stunned by the beautiful looks of this girl. Her hair was black, and she had sharp powerful crimson red eyes. She seemed like the type of girl that was cold and quite distant from people.
"My name is Liu...Liu Prevalia. I am a student here at this academy."
"Oh is that so...well, if that's the case may you show me your ID card.", she said.
She then held out her hand. The girl only appeared to have been a student, but she must've had a power of authority. She was also a bit suspicious about Liu's skills.
D-damn...I didn't want to attract attention to myself. And by the way, who even is this girl?, Liu thought.
"Hey...who are you exactly?", Liu asked.
The girl's eyes were captured by his voice. She then let out a few words.
"My name is Mei, Mei Luo!", the girl said. She looked into Liu's eyes and they made strong eye contact. She was being formal which is why she told Liu her entire name.
This girl...something is off about her. I can sorta feel something about her. But she's...kinda cute., Liu thought.
He handed her the ID. She inspected it and scanned all of the information with her eyes. She even checked it many times after before handing it back to him.
"Alright, ...thanks a lot."
While handing Liu his ID, Mei noticed the strange key shaped necklace around Liu's neck. Her eyes at the moment raged with fire, and she even was intimidated by it. There was something about the necklace on Liu's neck.
For a short second she had turned hostile towards him. But why exactly?
The girl turned around. She then began walking and joined with the others. Liu then followed one step at a time behind her. He couldn't help himself but to notice the strange aura around her. It was figuratively.
There was a unique significance-about her.
Liu found himself fixated on the girl, Mei Luo.
I'll make sure to remember her name—. She looks incredibly beautiful, but she seems so distant.
The students that were lined in a group were being instructed by one individual. She was the headmistress of the academy.
"Hello, everyone...good afternoon. I hope that all of you are ready for what the future holds in store."
The woman who talked in front of everyone looked very young. She must've been in her early 20's so she wasn't too mature. Her voice didn't carry much power to it, but she was very serious. She was prepared, she calmed dressed professionally.
Her hair was dark green and her eyes—bright red; her hair was styled as twin tails, with ribbons on both the side of her hair with long front bangs. She also had white hair clips in her hair, and she wore an all black dress skirt outfit. And of course she wore black slides.
"For today's ceremony we will be doing a quick power test. The test is to decide the ranking of all students for this school year."
"You will all receive your ranks as magicians, as this factor will decide your level in this academy!"
Liu finally began to understand.
"Wait a second...maybe this world really is magic. It all makes sense now, everything after the train incident felt somehow different...and earlier that woman said something about this magic academy."
Liu wasn't so sure about this, but he wasn't really too surprised by it either, he just couldn't believe it.
The students were guided to the testing halls. The hallway was quite shallow and thin, and the sounds of footsteps echoed with the crystal engraved patterns that layered as floor-tile.
Liu followed everyone else observing the ominous hallway. The walls had different black. Obsidian-like patterns to it and white owned glass that allowed a glimmer of light to enter through each window.
The students arrived at the classroom. They were all lined up one behind another. Everyone was being lined up from the outside of the classroom to begin their Magic Examinations.
Many of the students were enthusiastic. They were constantly chatting back and forth wondering what element they were destined to awaken. After all this was only a test to see if someone could score a high class rank, it would solely depend on their element.
"Man, I sure am ready for this. I've been cultivating my energy all summer!" a yellow- haired boy said.
"Yeah same here, I wonder what element we'll manage to awaken. What if I awaken fire magic—that should put me at the top!", a girl with red lengthy hair said. She began to drool at the imagination of her being able to use fire magic.
The chatting continued for a while, and it suddenly grew into a widespread conversation. Some students weren't even bothered and stayed quiet, but others were looking forward to it.
In front of Liu was the girl from earlier. The elegant damsel that asked for Liu's ID. Even while Liu stood behind her he could feel a strange strong aura emitting from her body.
Man she's entirely focused. It's almost like I can sense it, Liu thought.
There's so many people here. I wonder what element I'll awaken it...honestly I have no clue, what are the elements exactly, Liu thought.
"Hmm...let me think, if this really is a magic world. Then the elements must be very basic...there's fire, water, wind, and earth.
The element types didn't come to Liu's head. He instead overheard other people's conversations which were completely obnoxious and cocky.
Liu wasn't dumb, he took information from his surroundings. Once that information was obtained he executed it thoroughly. After all Liu was very smart.
He exceeded all of his grades and classes in the other world. He was simply a genius, but he never took advantage of his abilities. But In order to survive in a Magic world it would call for him to not fall behind.
Although he knew the magic types, he still began to tremble.
The girl in front of him noticed his obvious trembling and frustration, through the corner of her eye.
Liu wasn't feeling too confident. He knew that he had to take a test, but he believed that if he was in a Magic world that the test would be far different than normal school—material. If the world did suddenly become magic then he would have to adapt really quickly.
Deep in his mind he knew that maybe it wouldn't be so bad. But he did accept that the world most certainly had shifted to magic.
Liu sighed.
Behind that door would determine Liu's fate. It also would decide the outcome of the path he was headed to. It would be up to him whether or not to accept it or reject it—however, this here—was the start of Liu's reign.
"I'm ready!...I can do this", Liu thought.