"Ninety eight. Ninety nine. Hundred! Argh!!" Wally gritted his teeth, finally completing the round of press up exercise.
"Tch. If only he was a Magi"
"Yeah. I mean, what's the point of even training your physical body, when a single hex can cut right through it?"
"Pft. What a moron"
Hearing the remarks of his fellow classmates, Wally grinned.
"What are you guys saying? I am going to become the strongest magi this world has ever seen"
"Pft. What an idiot"
.
.
Wally, a fifteen years old orphan who sells charcoal for a living. When he was just six years old, his parents who were Hunters lost their lives to wild animals.
Ever since, he had lived in the woods, selling charcoal for a living, while attending Corry Middle school, Corryville's only educational center.
Just when everybody thought his life was miserable, another trajedy struck.
In this current world, there existed an esoteric energy called world energy. It was the very core driving force that kept the planet thriving.
It could only be sensed by a select few known as Magis.
By sensing and absorbing this world energy, Magis could mold them into a new level of esoteric force known as Beta force.
Magis could use this Beta force to reinforce their bodies, increasing their physical capabilities. They could also expel it in the form of hexes for both attacks, defenses and support.
As time went on, humanity went through a gradual but steady evolution. Now, seventy percent of the world's population were Magis.
It was everybody's greatest aspiration to became a Magi, since becoming one will spell a drastic rise to the top.
Wealth, riches, power. They could have them all.
As for those who failed to become Magis, they were forever destined to be at the bottom runge; bottom feeders.
The step to becoming a Magi was very simple.
At the age of eight to ten, a potential Magi would experience a genetical mutation where their senses will become heightened.
Only through an heightened sense can one be able to sense world energy.
From the age of ten till fifteen, the potential magi will absorb world energy, slowly accumulating it in their neidan core.
Then at the age of sixteen, they would undergo an awakening ceremony, where they would awaken their mojo.
Mojos were the essential source at which hexes could be casted. Examples were fire mojo, animal mojo and the likes.
Only by awakening their mojo would they be qualified to be Magis.
At the age of eight to ten, Wally discovered a tragic reality; he had no affinity to absorb world energy.
However, he never gave up, always training his physical body in hopes that a miracle would happen; a miracle that would enable him to awaken a mojo.
.
.
Deep within the woods, the sound of an axe chopping through thich wood echoed loudly, drowning out the chirping of birds and other forest animals.
"Wheew!" Wally took in a deep breath as a large axe, half his size fell from his grip.
"One thousand logs chopped! with this, not only did I train, I can also sell them to get enough money to foot my awakening ceremony and maybe get into a good Magi Academy" Wally mumbled his future plans, an excited glint flashing past his eyes.
Tomorrow was the town's awakening ceremony. Coincidentally, it was also the day he would be turning sixteen.
Gathering the many chopped logs of woods together, he loaded them in a wooden cart, preparing his journey to the nearest city to sell them off for a sizeable sum.
.
.
Walking down the bleak street was a fifteen years old boy in haggard clothing, counting some shriveled bank notes with excitement.
"Yes! I finally made up to two hundred dollars. Adding all my savings to the mix will make a perfect thousand. With this much money, I can afford the awakening fee. Hopefully a miracle happens!"
Just as Wally wanted to tuck the bank notes away, he noticed seven figures had already surrounded him, with malicious grins.
"Oh my Kid, I never expected that you'd be so brutal" the one at the lead sniggered.
He had a blade tattoo on his forehead, making him look very sinister.
"Ke. Ke. Ke. Hand over that money you stole!" another of the trouble makers demanded, with a wicked smile.
"W-What money? I didn't steal any money!" Wally stuttered as he took a step back.
"Ke. Ke. Ke. Lying at such a young age? Allow me to discipline you in your parents stead" the leader of thd trouble makers landed a hot slap on Wally's cheeks.
Pah!
"Take the cash boys!"
The rest of the trouble makers snagged the pouch tied around Wally's waist, before fleeing.
"N-No!" Wally cried out sorrowfully as he watched the bullies flee into the distance.
Alas.. all this happened because he was too weak..
Yes.. Weak.. If only he was strong..
These were the last thoughts he had before falling unconscious.
.
.
"Hm?" Wally groaned as his eyes flung open.
He felt that the atmosphere around him felt foreign and unfamiliar.
"Oh, you are awake?" a girlish voice gasped as a girl scampered over to his side.
She looked to be about his age, with pepper raid hair that reached her shoulder.
She had freckles on her cheeks. She was neither pretty nor ugly.
"Who are you? Ugh" Wally groaned as he tried to leave the bed he was lying on, when a sudden wave of headache hit him.
"My name is Juris. I saw you unconscious on the road and brought you to my place to nurse you back to health" Wally's female benefactor explained.
"You carried me all by yourself?" Wally stared at her like she was a monster.
"Duh. I used my mojo!" Juris shrugged.
"M-Mojo? How old are you really?' Wally's shock was intensified.
"Uhm. Fifteen this year.. Hey! why did I even tell you that?! a gentle man doesn't ask for a lady's age"
Wally stared at her with complicated emotions.
"B-But that doesn't make sense.. I mean, you must be sixteen years old before you can awaken a mojo. Why.. Why are you different?"
"Sixteen? strange. I awakened my mojo at the age of eleven" Juris touched her lower lips, appearing confused.
"E-Eleven?" Wally pinched himself to check if he was dreaming.
"Ow!" he shrieked when he felt a piercing pain course through his body.
He wasn't dreaming!
"Well.. thank you for saving me" he decided not to think too much about it, since it would only bring more depression to him.
"It's nothing. Do you have a place to stay? I noticed that you had no money on you. Are you hungry?"
Faced with these countless questions, Wally just smiled.
"It's okay. You've done enough for me"
Just as he made to walk, a wave of headache struck, causing him to wobble weakly.
Soon, a string of words appeared on a floating screen before his eyes.
-[Congratulations! You have been chosen to become the Avatar of the Ultimate Invoker System!]
-[By Invoking one of the four ancient Priests, you can possess their abilities!]
"Are you okay?" Juris supported Wally's wobbling figure as she made him sit back.
However Wally was too ecstatic to pay her any attention.
Yes! Yes! He finally did it!
You see, on the night of his ninth birthday, this same floating screen appeared before his eyes.
But at that time, it claimed that his body was too weak to harness the ability of the system.
Which was why, he never gave up on training his physical body, hoping that one day, he would meet the requirement to harness the system.
Seven years.. After seven long years, his hard work finally paid off!
"Thank you for your assistance, but I have to go now!" brimming with new found strength, Wally sprang up to his feet as he broke off into a sprint.
"Tsk. What a weirdo"
.
.
Sprinting down the path leading to his small cottage, Wally whistled with joy. Along the way, many of the townsfolk exchanged looks of puzzlement when the noticed how happy Wally was.
On getting to his apartment, Wally shut the doors and windows, making the inside of his cottage to become dark.
"System, Open!"
A glowing screen appeared before his eyes. On it were four images.
However three of them were blurred, with the tag *LOCKED* floating over their heads.
As for the image that was clear, it was a Dragon, roaring into the sky.
-[ANCIENT PRIEST UNLOCKED!]
-[ANCIENT PRIEST INFO]
-Name: Ryhaung the Ancient Dragon Priest
-Level: 1
-MOJO: ENHANCEMENT
-[SKILL]
1. Enhanced body (L1)
.
-[Do you wish to invoke the spirit of Ryhaugng?]
"Hell yes!" Wally grinned.
Just then, a golden glow encased his body, illuminating the dark cottage. Wally could sense a powerful energy surging through his whole body.
Opening the cottage door, he sprinted towards the nearest tree he could see.
"Whaat?!" he gasped.
Shockingly, his speed was so fast that he arrived before the tree that was ten yards away in just two seconds.
"My speed increased!" he bit his lips wIth excitement as he swung his fist towards the tree.
He wanted to see just how strong he's become.