Chapter 2, The Start of a Era

'I'm dead..where am I? Why is everything black? Is this the afterlife?' Suddenly his eyes opened, the night sky appeared before him.

Sitting up he looked at the blood on the ground and the footprints on the ground.

'I'm alive?' Suddenly his head hurt, it started small before becoming excruciatingly painful.

He held his head before feeling a sharp pain like a needle was piercing his. He felt like he was being torn and tortured.

Everything went black for a second time, but now he saw a beautiful pillar shining brightly. Just as he was about to walk toward it, a man appeared.

He was extremely ugly and plump, his face was covered in acne and he looked unclean.

Confused, suddenly the man touched the pillar and it shined brightly. The pillar turned into a screen showing where he just was.

He was confused before he heard it.

{Have I been reincarnated?}

Confused he watched his body stand up before a golden screen appeared.

[Hello host, congratulations on being chosen to awaken the God Emperor system. Would you like your newbie package.]

He didn't understand it, who was this? Why are they in his body? What is a system?

Even though he didn't understand, a extreme rage filled him. Stealing his body?

He was filled with unbridled rage, the space started to crack as if it was a cage that couldn't restrain him.

Suddenly the space calmed down and a golden light filled it. A beautiful being appeared, she was pure golden and had a peerless face.

"Hmph, trying to take your body back?" The being mocked him and was about to erase him.

Her face changed suddenly as she turned to run.

{Why run little one.}

A deep powerful voice sounded as dark red chains restrained her.

"No you..how?"

Suddenly she was compressed into a golden ball which sat silently in the dark space.

...

His eyes opened, the familiar dirt road appeared again. His mind was filled with memories not belonging to him.

'Earth? A different world.' Confused he could only stand up and continue along the dirt path.

{Haha really? You're boring.}

A deep, booming voice shook his mind, startled he froze up.

{Don't worry little one. I'm here to help you.}

"Who- what." He found himself out of words as his mind raced.

{Go off the road. We cannot speak here, I'll guide you.}

"Oh..okay." His heart was pounding extremely fast, all these events in such little time his brain was in shock.

{Keep going straight through the forest.}

He walked for half a hour, he didn't encounter even the smallest of animals along the way.

{Turn a little left, toward that big rock.}

He then again walked for another half hour before a towering mountain appeared out of nowhere.

Stunned he didn't move for awhile.

{Kid don't be so shocked, places like this exist everywhere.}

Nodding he walked for awhile more before reaching a large boulder and sitting down.

{Ha, I was so suddenly awakened. I still had a few more years of resting, this is fine though.}

"So..who are you?"

{I am your teacher. No more questions, I will teach you how to circulate mana now.}

"Mana?"

{Yes mana, mana exist in everything and everything. Every atom and molecule is filled with mana, it's existence is what runs the world. That is too far for you to think of as of now. The first step is to sense mana, now do it.}

"Wha-okay."

Closing his eyes he tried to feel the so called mana. Instantly he sensed it, all around him was mana.

Curious he interacted with these balls of light, they didn't run or reject. They floated around him, letting him interact as he pleased.

{Good, now try to guide that mana into your body.}

Doing as he was told, he felt the fiery, hot power of the red ball of mana that went into his body.

{Close your eyes, try to feel your body. There is a special place called the spiritual mound. A place which exists and doesn't exist, this place is where all your mana will reside. The bigger your spiritual mound, the higher your potential. Find it.}

He concentrated on his body for a few seconds before a mysterious suction force appeared. Not only absorbing the mana inside him, but also the mana around him.

Like a black hole mana rushed into him frantically. Soon the suction force stopped, he felt a tugging force and he suddenly saw a flora of colors.

Red, black, white, blue, green, if you could think of it, the color was there. It was amassed in a weird place, like a box surrounding it.

{Ah you have great potential young man, now your spiritual mound is full. Next is to break into the next realm, your spiritual mound will increase at this breakthrough.}

{The realm you are currently in is called a Mage Apprentice. There are nine steps in this realm. It is very simple, fill up your spiritual mound and you will reach the peak of Mage Apprentice realm. There is no major technique of this realm. The next realm is the Mage realm, don't worry about that you need training first.}

"Yes master. What will my training be?" He asked somewhat eagerly.

{Hm, I will help you train your mana for the next two months. You are new to this so it is better to not break through for the while. I will also help you train in a weapon. You can pick what you like, after these two months you will have a test.}

"Thank you master, I won't let you down."

....