Power Lies Within Text

I decide to help Jessica out of the goodness of my cold black heart. Just kidding. As if. It is more like an investment in her as well as her brother. The fact that they both had survived the Death Zone the first time around tells me that they have great potential. Potential that I can definitely make use of.

The Merchant in me is talking again, as it sees everyone either of use or not, and if they are not of use, then there is no need for me to waste time and money to invest in them.

I sell the semi-purified Life Essence to the Shop System to create a record before buying it back several times, costing me quite a lot of GPs, but the cost isn't as much as I have gained from Thomas by selling his car. Even so, Thomas is never getting his car back unless he repays me several folds with interests.

Alex helicopters around me while I take out a fountain pen and fill it with Life Essence. He really wants to know what the hell am I doing with the expression on his face, and I guess I can tell him.

"Quest." I request as a System Window appears. The faint blue glow illuminates our surroundings, and Alex stares at the window. "Can you read it?"

"Proving Ground…? Congratulation on Awakening, and with it, all is now at your commands. However, to gain acknowledgement, you must prove yourself in front of those who came before. Only then, you may allow to step onto the Great Path towards Zenith."

Alex blinks. "What the? No. I can't really read it, but I know what it says."

I nod. "Yes, I notice it the moment Thomas questions about Swamp Trolls and Swamp Roots. He should not have been able to understand the runes, but he could. Likely because he survived the culling."

Alex and everyone here also survived the culling, thus, they are considered to be Awakened. As such, they can actually use magic and more, but without the guide from the System, they will probably never get anywhere with it.

I explain this magic mumble jumble in laymen's terms to Alex and Alice, who joins in on the lecture.

"I can use magic!? Awesome! How? Show me, Great Teacher Zander!" Alex questions rather excitedly, causing rumbling due to his loud voice. Loud enough to catch the attention of the girls.

"I tell you to calm the fuck down, Alex, or one day your mouth's going to get you killed," I tell Alex and remember the moment of his death. It is thanks to his mouth that he was able to attract all the demons and allow me to survive.

I sigh afterwards and shake my head. "Technically yes, but only through studying and training as well as a lot of practices. Becoming a Mage is a lifelong ambition."

Of course, it is different under the System, but a self-made Mage is far more powerful than one under the System. Still, there are skills and abilities that cannot be learned regardless of how much potentials and talents a person has. Therefore, it is better to have the best of both worlds. Have the System and learn as much as possible on the side. I certainly have done so.

"But some types of magic do not require a lot of times and dedications," I tell Alex and use the fountain pen to scribble an elaborate inscription onto a broken piece of wood. It is in the same language within the System Window, and it is known as Runic Text.

It takes several minutes to do so, and once I do, I touch the inscription and activate it, shocking all.