My name is Mitsuo Tatsuo, 15 years old. I live in TROTE, short for "The Republic of the East". I'm kind of your average teen. 172 centimeters, 120 pounds, a power level of 100.
Ok, that last part is not so average. I was always weak when I was born. Even if I tried my hardest to hone my magic powers, I was never able to become stronger. Even with the help of magic enhancement therapy, my energy level was never able to rise.
At school, I was always called the Weakest Magic-Born because of my magic energy level. Heck, I think they might be right. If you used an energy scanner on a non-Magic-Born, their energy level would be below a hundred. Yes, even a normal human being could beat me.
Right now I was in my bedroom, looking at the ceiling and on my bed like a dead man. I had cold sweat on my forehead. When did that happen?
Oh right, I had this dream. It felt so real. There was this figure clad in a red evil aura. We were standing above a sea of blood. It was so terrifying, it felt so real! I know I'm repeating that, but the man stabbed me with a sword. It didn't look like a sword that those in the Magic Force would use. It was like something from a long time ago. The sword gave off an aura similar to the figure. When it went through my stomach, I actually felt it when I woke up.
Magic-Borns tend to have dreams like that, so it's not common. However, I don't think they get dreams like mine.
Well, whatever that dream was, it was only a dream so it wasn't real.
Knock Knock!
A sound came from the other side of my door.
"Yes?"
"Tatsuo, are you done getting ready? Your entrance exam is starting in an hour so please hurry up."
That was the voice of my mother. Oh yeah, today is the day for the entrance exam. Where are my clothes and where is my magic tool?
"In a minute, mom!"
I opened my closet and took out my usual attire. Brown fur jacket, white shirt, and blue jeans. On some occasions, I wear my favorite brown fur jacket, only when it's really cold though. I don't feel like wearing my jacket today since it's my entrance exam and well, it's going to involve a lot of dirt. But it's really cold out today, so I guess I'll wear it.
Your average entrance exam would be taking a test, doing some paperwork, and all that but entrance exams to magic academies are different. Instead of doing all that, you have to survive in this arena thing. You have to survive against E-rank Diversos for ten minutes. E-rank Diversos have an average magic level of 100 to 1000, about the average between a 7-year-old Magic-Born.
Since my level is only at a hundred, my plan is to just run around and avoid getting caught by these Diversos. I can fight back, but I don't think I can do any good. My magic tool is a XII-94. A special gun that runs on any level of magic energy. Perfect for me, though I have to watch how much energy I use.
Moving aside from what it does, it has a pretty cool design. A white gun that has blue lights. It's my favorite and possibly the only weapon I can use. There are other magic tools that people can buy, but they cost a lot of money.
Anyway, after getting ready, I exited my room and went down to the kitchen.
"Hey hey! How's it going, sleepyhead?!"
A girl with light brown hair and blue eyes said. She was sitting at the table, drinking a bottle of orange juice.
Orange juice?
"Hey! That's my bottle of orange juice!"
"Really? Well, it didn't have your name on it."
"Shut up."
This girl drinking bottle of precious orange juice is my childhood friend Elaine Sidovora. She is half Russian and half Japanese, born in Russia. After she and her family arrived here ten years ago, they lived in the house next to us, making her my neighbor. Her power level is approximately 54200. Her energy level gives her the potential to become a D-rank magician, if not a C-rank! She gives off this aura that makes you want to fall head over heels for her. Of course that doesn't affect me... well, maybe a little. She is pretty cute, despite being such a tease…
Wait a minute, I don't need to tell you that! Ignore what I just said and don't tell her I mentioned that.
"Mom, protect my drinks from now on."
"Alright."
Man, what am I going to drink now? Oh, maybe I can drink an energy drink from my emergency supply that I kept stashed in the furthest corner of the fridge.
I scattered over to the fridge and searched for the energy drink, but it wasn't there.
"Looking for this?"
I turned around and mom was holding my energy drink in her hand. I chuckled and nodded.
My mom is very strict. Yes she may look very young, about her twenties but she is a very strict mother. Whenever I sneak in junk food or carbonated drinks, she'd confiscate them immediately. Unless those carbonated drinks are sparkling water, but I don't like those so I never buy them. But it's a good thing dad never really cares about what I buy. He actually supports it.
"Tatsuo, you don't drink these kinds of things first thing in the morning. Maybe coffee or milk would do."
"But mom, I don't like those."
She sighed and shook her head. Hmm, now that I think about it, where is dad?
"Hey mom, did dad already leave?"
"Don't try to change the subject, Tatsuo. And you know he always leaves early. Now, if you don't eat anything healthy, how will you ever become stronger?"
"Psst!"
Elaine couldn't help but laugh. Mom grabbed a roll of paper towel and tossed it to Elaine so she could clean up. My dad always leaves early, he works in the magic force, he's a B-rank magician with a power level of 1030295. You may ask, how can my dad be so strong yet me myself be so weak? That's because of my mother, not that I'm blaming her for anything. My mother is Non-Magic-Born, so the magic cells in my body are greatly reduced. If my mother was Magic-Born, then I would've been having a power level of 10000 or higher! Sadly that's never gonna happen.
"Whatever, just let me drink it, I'm going to need all the energy I need."
"Fine, but this is the last one young man. Then it's going to be milk or coffee."
"Fine..."
After we quickly ate breakfast, we headed out. Elaine's father is driving us to the school so we can take the entrance exam. To be honest, I might not make it. Then I'll have to be a ronin and wait till I can do it again.
"See you later, mom!"
"Good luck and try not to come back all bruised up."
"Don't worry, Ms. Mitsuo, I'll be sure to bring him back unscathed."
My mother waved us goodbye and we entered the car. Elaine's father looked at us with a rear-view mirror.
"Good morning, Tatsuo."
"Good morning, Mr. Sidovora. Thanks for giving me a ride."
"Oh it's no worries, I owe it to your father."
"Ahh, I see."
About a few years before I was born, a void had opened up in Russia, and coincidentally, it opened in front of Mr. Sidovora. He was attacked and brutally scarred by the experience until my dad had saved him. From then on he became friends with my dad and they are basically like brothers. Good thing Mr. Sidovora is rich because I can get as many chips as I want. Not... that I'm doing it for fun, I just want chips.
As we drove to our destination, we passed by a few stores. We lived in Tokyo so there tends to be a lot of traffic. I hate traffic, I'm sure everyone does.
"Hey hey Tatsuo look!"
"Huh? What is it?"
Elaine showed me her phone and it was some news on a new magic weapon being developed.
"New weapon, model DXK-92?"
"Huh? Oh, wait not this one."
Despite it, she is really interested in the weapons being made. She has an XM-1, the first magic sword prototype made. I don't know why she has a sword though cause she is a long-range magician. Well she did say she was going to go train so maybe she learned some close-range combat along the way.
"Here you go."
She showed me a picture of two people walking out of a plane. I didn't really recognize who they were until I saw a tiger tattoo on the guy's face.
"Alexandro Mason and Kelly Scottland is visiting Tokyo to the national press call!"
Alexandro Mason and Kelly Scottland, two of the most famous S-rank magicians in the United States. So it looks like they are coming to TROTE for a press call, huh? Wonder what it's going to be about again. Last time there was a press call, all they talked was about politics. Never liked the news.
Eventually, we arrived at the location where we are going to take our entrance exam. The Meiji Stadium.
As we waved goodbye to Mr. Sidovora, we passed through the gates. We handed in our IDs to this guy wearing the Magic Force uniform, and the guy let us through.
There weren't a lot of people in the stadium. Well, that would make sense since the entrance exam is split into multiple intervals. Me and Elaine took the first spots on the exam so we can finish the exam first and fast.
I checked my phone. Four holographic digits appeared. 12:00. Looks like we arrived right exactly when the exam is supposed to begin.
Then the roof of the stadium closed. The sunlight pouring onto my skin eventually faded away and now we were in complete darkness. Ooo, dramatic.
Lights flickered on and there was a man in this middle of the grass fields. The man was wearing the Magic Force uniform and a long trench coat. He had a cane and looked really young. Though his pale skin and light red eyes made him look like a vampire.
"I will be your examiner. In about ten seconds, I will release the Diversos. Each of them has an energy level of 1000. Though I think that won't be a problem for most of you. Now be prepared."
Everyone brought out their magic tools. The man stared at his phone and right when the time hit 12:01, we suddenly heard noises that sounded like footsteps. Or similar to footsteps.
"Good luck, you'll need it."
The creatures with glowing eyes appeared, bolts of electricity ran over their backs.
"And your ten minutes... begin."
.
.
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