002 Heading to The Town Square

Beneath the shade of a mamoji tree, a gentle summer breeze rustled the leaves. Bellios, a six-year-old boy with silvery hair, sat cross-legged among the spreading roots. His eyes were closed, his delicate eyelashes trembling slightly against the sunlight that penetrated the canopy. His breath flowed calmly and evenly, rising and falling with the breeze. He remained in that position, still but concentrated, as if at one with the surrounding nature.

The cool breeze ruffled his short mane of hair, touching his pale skin. An orange butterfly, attracted by his serenity, landed gently on the top of his head. Shortly after, a pair of blue butterflies followed, dancing briefly in the air before landing on his small shoulders. Only then, slowly, did Bellios open his eyes. Two sapphire blue eyes lit up, their color as clear as the sea and as bright as the summer sky.

He let out a long sigh, her small shoulders slumping. "My mana ring... is still the same," she whispered, her voice low and full of disappointment. Her tiny fingers clenched in her lap. "It's been five years... but this first mana ring doesn't seem to want to develop." A fine wrinkle appeared on her smooth forehead. Her gaze drifted off into the distance, past the trunk of the mamoji tree. "Is it because of the mana levels? This world... the mana does feel thinner than Etheria used to be."

He unclenched his fists, staring at his empty palms as if searching for an answer. The wind blew again, caressing his hair. Finally, he nodded slightly to himself, an expression of resignation yet not despair. "But never mind. Slowly, I'll get better. I should go home now, Grandpa must be awake..." He said softly, trying to cheer himself up.

Bellios rose, his petite body stretching the stiff muscles from sitting cross-legged for so long. He brushed the dust off his simple shorts before finally leaving his beloved tree, following the path he had memorized by heart.

All the way home, his mind was busy comparing the two worlds he had once inhabited. "There are no mages here," he muttered, his eyes fixed on the distant mountain peaks.

"There's no such thing as ordinary mana. The air still contains that energy, but it's much... much thinner than on Etheria." He dodged a small rock in the path. "Those who can manipulate the elements are called Hunters. And while there are no destructive devils like the demons... monsters roam outside the city walls." His lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "What a strange world... but somehow, it feels like home, too."

At the end of the path, a simple wooden house with a dark brown thatched roof appeared. Smoke billowed thinly from the chimney. Bellios's face immediately lit up. "Grandpa!" he shouted cheerfully, his little feet running down the rest of the path, past the short wooden fence.

Creak...

The wooden door opened. Inside, warm light from the window illuminated a white-bearded grandfather sitting on a bench by the fireplace. On his lap was a basket filled with dirty potatoes, and a small knife nimbly peeled the skins.

"Oh, Bellios, you're home already?" the grandfather greeted, his voice hoarse but warm like firewood. His wrinkled eyes lit up when he saw his grandson enter.

Bellios immediately approached, dropping his small bag. "Yes, Grandpa. Let me help you." He grabbed some potatoes and another small knife that had been provided, sitting cross-legged on the floor near his grandfather's feet. His nimble fingers immediately went to work peeling them deftly.

The grandfather watched his grandson with a calm, loving gaze. After taking a sip of warm tea from the clay cup beside him, he set it down gently. "Child," he said, his voice lower. "Tomorrow morning, you must go to the town square." His large, rough hand gently patted Bellios' shoulder. "Emissaries from the Heavenly Temple will be coming. They will test the children to see who is blessed, being awakened with good talent is a good destiny for you." His eyes were full of hope.

"May the heavens bless your talent, my grandson."

Bellios paused in his peeling for a moment. He stared at his grandfather, his clear blue eyes reflecting the firelight. Inside, his thoughts whirled. Awakened... a new power in this world. But my first circle... He hid his doubts.

"Yes, Grandpa," he answered softly but firmly, returning his focus to the potatoes in his hands. "I'll leave tomorrow morning."

.

.

.

Early that morning, Bellios woke up. He immediately lit the fire, warming their quiet hut, then prepared breakfast for himself and his grandfather. Today he would be leaving for the town square, a journey that would take a full day. He estimated it would be three days before he could return.

After all the work was done, Bellios wrote a short letter to his grandfather. "I'll be back soon, Grandpa," he wrote, trying to keep his words light. Without waking his sleeping grandfather, he entered the old room. He stood for a moment in the doorway, gazing at the elderly figure wrapped in a blanket. A small smile spread across his lips, a mixture of affection and emotion. He placed the letter gently on the small table near the mat where his grandfather lay. Then, carefully, he left.

"Grandpa, I'm going..." Bellios whispered, his voice almost lost in the morning silence before he stepped out.

The sky was still dark, as the sun hadn't yet risen, as his little feet began to walk along the dew-drenched path. He stopped occasionally, looking back. The simple hut where he and Grandpa lived slowly shrank in the distance, like an abandoned miniature.

"Just three days," he murmured, trying to calm himself. "Nothing will happen." Even so, a pang of worry gnawed at his heart. Grandpa was old, and their home was isolated in the outer city. Although protected by the Great Wall from monster attacks, this area was still vulnerable.

Usually, to make ends meet, his grandfather would walk nearly ten kilometers every harvest season to the nearest village to sell his produce. Thinking about the distance and the difficulty of carrying his goods with his frail body made Bellios sigh.

"Ah, snow mushrooms!" Bellios exclaimed suddenly, his eyes sparkling at the sight of a clump of glistening white mushrooms hidden behind a bush. Along the way, the outer city forest indeed promised abundance, with shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, even ginseng and reishi scattered about. He deftly picked them, storing the harvest in his spatial bag, a magical pouch he had created after successfully forming his first mana ring. Though not large, it could hold a hundred liters and preserve its contents.

"I can sell these mushrooms," he thought excitedly, imagining his grandfather's smile when he returned with the money. The journey felt light, until before he realized it, his feet had carried him to the village as the sun was starting to set. He had to hurry and find a buyer before darkness fell.

"Excuse me, Uncle!" he called to a vegetable vendor at a roadside stall.

The vendor frowned at the sight of the lone child. "Do you need anything, little brother?"

Bellios opened his backpack, showing off the fresh mushrooms. "Would you like some of these, Uncle? Snow mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms, freshly picked!"

The man narrowed his eyes, looking left and right as if searching for Bellios' companion. "Where are your parents, son?"

"Grandpa's selling over there," Bellios replied quickly, pointing in any direction while still smiling.

The vendor sighed, then squatted down to inspect the quality of the mushrooms. "Did you pick these yourself from the forest?"

Bellios nodded happily. "Yes, Uncle!"

"Okay," he said finally. "I'll buy them all."

Bellios' smile widened. Luckily, he had transferred the mushrooms from his space bag to a regular backpack before entering the village; the secret of his magic pouch should remain safe.

After his tiny hands received a few copper coins, Bellios quickly put them in his space pouch and hurried away. But before he left, he had time to thank the vegetable seller.

Bellios's small steps began to walk down the still-busy village street that afternoon. Suddenly, his feet stopped. From behind the bustle of the market, his ears caught the call of a man a coachman, it seemed.

"Come on, who else wants to get on? We're heading to the town square!" the voice boomed, cutting through the chatter of the vendors.

Without hesitation, Bellios rushed toward the source of the voice. At the end of the street, a simple horse-drawn carriage was almost full of children his age. "Uncle! Uncle!" he shouted, straining to look up. "Can I come? I'm also going to the town square."

The coachman turned, his eyebrows raised. His eyes scanned Bellios from head to toe, then, like déjà vu for Bellios, the coachman's gaze darted around the carriage as if searching for something. "Hey, kid..." his voice was rough but not loud, as he crouched down to face level with the boy. "Where are your parents? Why are you alone?"

Bellios shook his head slowly. A small smile spread, though a hint of sadness flickered in his eyes. "I don't have parents, Uncle. Grandpa's old, so I'm going alone."

Instantly, a look of shock and deep sympathy crossed the sweat-covered driver's face. He sighed heavily, "Tsk! My goodness... you're so unlucky." His voice suddenly softened, becoming kinder. "You're heading to the town square... to join the recruitment process too, huh?"

Bellios nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling. "Yes, Uncle!"

"All right, get in!" the driver said, standing up, his hand pointing to the small gap in the back seat. A genuine smile spread across his chapped lips. "I'll take you safely to the town square."

A cry of joy escaped Bellios's lips. "Hooray! Thank you, Uncle!" He gave a small jump before attempting to climb onto the carriage. Relief and good fortune surged through his chest. Sure enough, the children from this village were also being transported to the same place, the awakening test in the town square. He arrived just before the last carriage departed!

The journey to the town square would take approximately three hours. The carriage gathered prospective participants from the six villages under the city's authority. Those who successfully awakened their talents and were deemed sufficiently promising would be taken directly to the Academy. This legendary school housed the greatest Hunters, the guardians who guarded the front line of defense and fortified humanity against unseen threats.