He immediately checked the information passed to him by the may not be a system. Closing his eyes, he fell silent for a few seconds before he stood up and opened the window.
Looking at the lightening sky, he suddenly sighs a breath of foul air, feeling something lift off his shoulder but at the same time felt a grip creeping his body a bit.
According to the information in his mind. To acquire magic from a mysterious entity. There are so-called steps in the ritual. And there are three steps to a ritual.
First are the things they like, for example. To offer them food, a specific dance, a song, or maybe some kind of kink like jumping five times in a tree or something.
Second, the place that is best suited for the kind of magic to request And lastly, the third is: what kind of magic does one want? He must say it after doing all of that.
"Although it's a bit complex, at least all the problems I will be facing now would face an excellent solution." Juan didn't dilly-dally, as he prepared all his things before leaving the house after a goodbye.
Another thing to remember was that, although it was a request, It cannot actually be denied. Juan's ritual, as long as it was started correctly, would always reward him with the magic he wanted.
It doesn't need the permission of those mysterious entities at all. Juan suddenly thought of a hold-guess; wouldn't that make him hated? He didn't want to enter those mysterious entities radar at all!
Now that he knew they were real, he naturally wouldn't just go and provoke a fight. Well, it's not like they can affect him at all in real life! Juan smiled at the thought of that.
According to the information he had gotten, apparently those mysterious entities can only see but not touch the real world. Knowing that, he felt much better. "Then there's no need to worry anymore."
There's no such thing as saving the world. No hero saving the princess or whatnot. Not a villain to ruin everything and force things out. Nor is the son of destiny creating all kinds of hype.
"Steady, steady my heart. Now that I had this fantasy opportunity in this real life, I won't have to worry about the past, present, and future anymore."
Juan's eyes lit up as he continued; even his steps seemed to have gained some small mini wings as he kept skipping on the road as he walked.
"Money won't be an issue anymore. I won't have to die because of health issues or the age of my lifespan."
"Those shameful things in the past, I can erase them, and there will be no one to remember them anymore." Juan burst out laughing in the end.
"Eventually, I can use my magic to cure all those who were at their lowest point of life to gain merits. I will help all those who were wounded, sick, and ill back to their peak healthy state!"
"That's the only blessing I can share with the world. Because I too hate the word sick, ill, and "dyiing" because of an incurable disease that eats away our very lives and makes us suffer."
"Since I gain this power, I should at least contribute to the world, right? Hahaha." Juan suddenly stomped hard on the dusty ground as he started running like it was the end of the world.
Hahahahahaha.
His laughter rang true to the world. The elderly who have already woken up and stepped out of their houses were attracted to his boisterous laugher and movements. They looked at each other and then smiled, shaking their heads. "Ah, it's good to be young."
"That's Juan, wasn't it? I heard he already got a proper job at the city. He must be so happy that he was running and laughing like that." The elderly chuckled at each other. Each of them looked at the rising sun in the east, seeing that a new day had already begun.
Feeling happy and very alive at this moment, Juan opened up his smartphone before clicking on the music icon. Then he checked the list of music before he selected the one that he found very much compatible with the occasion, titled "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors.
"I had a dream so big and loud.
I jumped so high that I touched the clouds.
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh.
I stretched my hands out to the sky.
We danced with monsters through the night.
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh🎵
With the music accompanying him along the road. He was much more motivated than usual. He can already see the future of all his success. "I have to be humble... humble myself." Juan laughed. Not caring about the strange looks the others riding motorcycles and bikes gave him.
🎵I'm never going to look back, whoa
I'm never going to give it up, no
Please don't wake me now.
"Two, three, four... now!"
This is going toa be the best day of my life.
My li-i-i-i-i-ife~
This is going to be the best day of my life.
My li-i-i-i-i-ife~🎵
...
Atsivaneub City.
Juan hasn't thought of any rituals yet that correspond to the type of magic he wants right now. He would slowly think it through at work, as only at that time could he focus because of the quiet and lonely environment.
Arriving early like yesterday, Juan enters the office. He greeted the other employees with a humble smile, as he would praise them almost indirectly as they waited in line to log in for attendance. After making the little circle, he was in a good mood.
Juan left after signing in. He walked out at the back before entering the other building. where he worked. "Nice day as always, my friends." Juan was about to continue inside when he remembered something.
He turned around and asked them for their names, though he could just read them on their name tags. He didn't do that, as that would seem like he was looking at them from above. That would be a little awkward for their future contacts.
"Right, friends, I still haven't asked for your names. I'm Juan, who works as a newbie here." Juan took the initiative for a handshake. The two buff security guards smiled as they continued to have a good impression of him. Although they already knew Juan was a friendly young man.
This personal socializing still made them see each other as buddies immediately. They took the handshake with a smile as they each answered, "My name is Yotib." "I'm Toybits." That's just how men become friends: easy and fast.
A few words later, Juan left them as he entered the room for work with a knock. The same voice received him yesterday. He entered carefully before closing the door.
He saw the senior already on his blanket with eyes closed, saying, "Just do the usual work like yesterday. I'm sleeping now, uwah, so sleepy. Right, don't forget to order some food for me too when you order yours later."
Juan put the sling bag he had on his shoulder on the chair as he sat down comfortably. "No problem, senior. Enjoy your sleep with no worries." Glancing at his senior's already snoring face, Juan grinned as he checked the monitors around him.
No one's coming for me. With the silent environment he was in. He can finally focus more deeply on the magic that he wants first. As well as the ritual required for that. With his eyes staring at the monitors, back leaning, and hands on his head, he fell into thought.
What's my first magic experience like? A magic that can generate money? No, that's too low; I can always achieve that time with other magic. How about flying? But I don't need that for the time being.
Who knows if some satellites captured my figure flying in the sky? Wouldn't I be a goner then if I was mistook for some kind of alien or missile?
Hmmm. Then should something like fire magic that can create a fireball be good? No! I'm not going to fight and create havoc everywhere. Why should I have magic for destroying? Wouldn't I just invite trouble for myself?
Juan immediately fell into a dilemma. Ahh, what magic is suitable for now? Juan suddenly felt tired of thinking more deeply about this topic. Isn't it just the first one? He can always have another one next time.
After all, he can always have another spell next time. It's just that Juan has no idea how long the cooldown will be. Can he perform another ritual tomorrow? Hah! He hadn't even done his first one, and here he was searching for difficulties for himself.
He shook his head, thinking that he was too far ahead. "Nah, I should just worry about what I currently need. And what I need right now is magic about recovery." Juan's eyes lit up. His first magic would be called "Recovery Magic!
The reason he chose that among the other magics he could think of It's because this magic can help him recover to his best, healthy condition. He can also cast it on someone.
It can be regarded as a type of healing magic or time magic. In Juan's heart, healing magic and time magic are all but the same, just in the way they are applied.
"Now then, the problem is, what kind of ritual should I do?" Juan grinned as he took out his phone. Open the wifi as he connected to the router with the password already printed on the walls. Then he opened the browser and searched for the almost all-knowing website.
The artificial intelligence that can answer all your questions as long as it exists! The "chat gpet" will get you the best answer you need! He immediately typed the question. As for what the question was, It was asked what folklore entity has anything to do with the power to recover anything or with time.
Juan focuses mostly on the folklore of his country. A few seconds later, he got the answer he needed. And so he started reading it with focus.
There exists a captivating mythological being called the Tikbalang. It is a creature that combines human and horse-like features, typically depicted with a human body and a horse's head. It is believed to reside in the mountains and forests.
While the Tikbalang isn't directly associated with time manipulation, it is renowned for its mischievous and cunning nature. According to folklore, the Tikbalang takes pleasure in playing tricks on unsuspecting travelers, leading them astray or causing them to lose their sense of direction.
In certain versions of the Tikbalang myth, encountering this creature is said to result in time distortion. People who come across a Tikbalang may experience a distorted perception of time, with it passing differently, or find themselves disoriented and lost for extended periods.
Although the Tikbalang's connection to time is more of an indirect aspect of folklore, it adds an intriguing aspect to the creature's role in the country's mythology.
The Tikbalang is often portrayed as a supernatural entity capable of disrupting one's perception of time and space, contributing to the air of mystery and caution surrounding encounters with this mythical being.
Although he was disappointed, he actually found it interesting how Tikbalang and his country's folklore are regarded as such. However, that's it. What he wants is the power of real recovery.
Although there are other folklores that can heal, they aren't in line with the word recovery in all senses of the word, as they can only heal wounds and illnesses, not things.
He immediately changed to another country's folklore. And he found many of them. However, he suddenly thought of it. How can he do a ritual for them? They're from another country, so he might not be able to do it because of an understanding barrier, right?
Not to mention, why should the recovery magic be that unique? Why not use the magic that heals all kinds of wounds, illnesses, and diseases instead? Juan suddenly found himself too greedy. "I should just take it one at a time. Ah."
He sighs at himself; he almost gets blinded by his limited mind. Juan thought for a bit and decided to just try the easiest one. It's the folklore that depicts a mysterious entity called "Diwata".
[Diwata: In the country's folklore, Diwatas are supernatural beings or spirits that are often associated with nature and revered as guardians of certain places such as mountains, forests, and bodies of water. Some Diwatas are believed to possess the power to heal or offer assistance in times of illness or injury.]
Juan's eyes lit up. Didn't he want to be a healer? This one is good enough for him. It's easy to make rituals because he was much more familiar with their stories since he was a child, not to mention that he was a local.
He remembered that those [Diwata] liked being offered human food. They also like to play pranks on those who do them harm. Juan immediately had an idea; he took out some yellow paper and a pen as he wrote.
Things to do tonight:
Step 1: Buy some sweet bread after work for the offering.
Step 2: Put it on some small hilly places in the forest or foothills near a river, as that's where they are said to live invisibly.
Step 3: Chant the request for a type of magic that they similarly had.
Reading it again, Juan nodded inwardly. "I'll go easy with this first. Then, after some time, when I have enough experience and knowledge, I can try those overpowered ones from Greek mythologies and other countries."
With those thoughts in mind, Juan's mind relaxed a bit. He folded the paper and put it in his bag along with the pen. Checking around him, he saw that the time on the clock at the wall was way past an hour already.
The senior on the bed was still asleep and snoring. There's no one coming in his direction from the monitor either. He sighs a breath of relief, feeling relaxed. Smiling, Juan examined the whole side of his sight and saw no panels.
System? Open status? Abracadabra?Â
Juan smiled helplessly. There's no system. That thing just likes to act one, perhaps. He didn't dwell on it much. And so, time flew by. The day at work quietly ended without any hiccups.
He left for work and returned home after buying some bread with sweet fillings from the bakery along the road he took when returning home. Juan swears to buy a bike after he gets some breathing room with his finances.
Though he had been swearing that since he was a freshman, money was really the issue. But now, "in due time, I can have anything I want!" He chuckled at those thoughts.
Returning home, he greeted his parents, who had just returned, before changing into his home clothes from his room. Juan then took a paper bag with bread his parents liked before giving it to them. "Here, mother and father, have some snacks to eat now or tomorrow."
Without waiting for their reply, Juan immediately left while the sun was still alive, shining the ground orange, and hadn't yet fully set. He soon arrived at the little forest at the back of his yard, where he saw no people around.
In this quiet place, Juan is very afraid that there might be some unknown entity that is going to bite him to horror or some snake that is going to take a surprise attack. He didn't want to die, but what he will do will be the starting point for him to achieve that goal.
In order to avoid dying, this is just the first step. Juan prayed to the mighty being above, although he didn't go to church anymore. In his heart, the altar is everywhere. The temple can be anywhere. All he had to do was use himself as the other side of the bridge to communicate with the faith he believes in.
And Juan's faith furthered his belief because of these events as well as the information he got from the system, which maybe is not be a system. Walking along the woody, grassy forest.
Juan gently put the plate containing three types of bread on top of a small hill that might have been created by ants. Maybe these ants are the servants for those Diwata? After all, they can be small or big. But I heard that they were usually small, the size of a palm.
As for who really knew the right answer, Juan didn't know. But from all the information he got from the internet and his area, He was sure that his ritual would definitely make it real!
Juan was focused after placing the offering at the location. He immediately began his third step with his palms clasped together. "Oh Diwata, the spirit and guardians of mountains and forests, please grant my wish to have the magic of healing any kinds of sickness, illness, diseases, and wounds."
That should do it, right? Or am I wrong? Juan glances around him but mostly focuses on the plate. He didn't wait for fear of really seeing something that might give him nightmares this night.
He left without turning around and returned home carefully after checking that no one was following or observing him somewhere. If others find out what he did, who knows if they will gather the neighbors to bombard him with all kinds of questions to test their guess?
"I need to be more careful next time," Juan muttered in his mind, feeling alert. However, he failed to notice a pair of curious-looking, strange, eerie eyes looking at him from the far back.