Magic Awakening!!!...Not an Elemental Mana Sphere?!

Mazell had been staying inside the prime amethyst for 25 years now. In these 25 long years he had undergone 7 different types of training: Jumping, Aerial Acrobatics, Danger Sensing, Sniping, Close Combat Gun Arts, Ranged Combat Gun Arts and finally Midair Shooting Combat.

Right now Mazell was sitting on a chair in the Gun Temple's living quarters reading a book while drinking some hot tea. The book is entitled History of the Ancients.

Mazell: "What a good book!.... To think that the ancient humans who lacked power and technology resorted to borrowing magic from other races as a means to protect themselves."

Whenever Mazell had a chance to rest from his training he would take a book from the very large bookcase by the side of the room and start reading it while drinking tea. Mazell had learned a lot by doing this. Including some basic knowledge regarding medicine, programming and engineering.

Old Purple: "Young Candidate...."

Hearing Old Purple's voice Mazell immediately responded: "I've been telling you for the last 25 years Old Purple, please call me Mazell."

As if not caring about what Mazell just stated, Old Purple: "Young Candidate it is time for you to undergo the 8th and final training."

Hearing this Mazell knitted his brow: "Is it really the last?"

Old Purple: "Yes! In terms of training this is indeed the final one. After this you will only need to go through your Magic Awakening then receive the Gun Mage's inheritance. After which you may leave."

Hearing this Mazell immediately got up and placed the book on the table.

Mazell: "So it's finally the last huh. After this all I have to do is undergo the Magic Awakening and receive the Gun Mage's Inheritance then I can finally go home. I can finally see Mom and Dad again."

In these past 25 years Mazell had been missing his adoptive parents very dearly. Thankfully Old Purple explained to him that while he was in here the time in the real world will temporarily stop. Meaning he'll be able to return on the very exact moment that he left.

Mazell went downstairs to the temple's hall. Then he went inside the white door like he's always done in these past 25 years. This time around what was inside was not a vast forest with towering trees, it wasn't a large circus where he had to train acrobatics nor was it a large city where he had to engage in an aerial gunfight with a killer robot. Instead what was inside was a large white gymnasium with pretty much nothing inside.

Mazell: "So what am I supposed to do here Old Purple?"

Suddenly a large violet light appeared before him. After a few seconds the violet light transformed into a person. Mazell was shocked seeing the person the violet light turned into. The reason why he was shocked was because the person looked exactly like him.

Old Purple: "This is your final training. You must fight and defeat an exact copy of yourself. However between you and you're copy there is a difference! Unlike you, you're copy doesn't have any emotions, he cannot feel pain and finally he has infinite stamina. Take note that as you get physically stronger, the copy will grow along with you."

Hearing Old Purple state the objective of this training, Mazell pulled out a pair of ordinary pistols and prepared for combat.

The pistols were loaded with tranquilizer darts instead of real bullets. Weirdly enough Mazell's copy did the exact same thing. It pulled out a pair of pistols that looked exactly like Mazell's pair and similarly prepared for combat.

Both Mazell and his copy raised one of their pistols at each other. Then they simultaneously jumped backwards at high speed while shooting at each other. BANG!....BANG!

As the darts came inches away from their faces both Mazell and his copy expressionlessly tilted their heads sideways at the very last moment to dodge. Kicking the walls behind them both Mazell and his copy propelled themselves towards each other while spinning in midair. BANG!...BANG!...BANG!...BANG!...BANG!...BANG!...BANG!...BANG!

A flurry of darts suddenly filled the gymnasium as the two fired towards each other while spinning in midair. Landing on the ground both Mazell and his copy were completely unscathed. Both of them successfully dodged all of the darts each other fired.

Looking at his copy Mazell realized how thorny of an opponent he was: "It seems this training won't be as easy as the previous ones."

Suddenly the copy rushed towards Mazell while shooting both of it's guns. BANG!....BANG! Mazell immediately rolled out of the way to dodge the darts. He then shot towards the Copy's left leg. Realizing his left leg was targeted the copy immediately jumped upwards as he constantly shot down towards Mazell.

Seeing the barrage of darts Mazell jumped towards the nearby wall and by kicking it propelled himself towards the copy. BANG!....BANG! The two were clearly evenly matched. At least for the first hour.

1 hour and 10 minutes later~~

Mazell: "Hah...hah...hah"

Mazell was kneeling on the ground completely exhausted while as the copy was completely fine standing in front of him not moving an inch.

Maze gave a forced smile and said: "To think I was actually this tough...."

Old Purple: "Alright enough! Time for you to take a break young candidate."

Suddenly Mazell was engulfed by violet light and was teleported back to the temple's hall.

Mazell then asked: "Old Purple that thing doesn't get tired right? How am I supposed to beat it? Especially since its strength grows along with mine."

Old Purple: "There is a way to win young candidate. However I am not allowed to state it. You must discover it on your own. That is the point of this training!"

After calming down Mazell rested for an hour while reading some books about one on one combat. After which he resumed his duel with his copy.

5 years later~~

Bang!....Bang!

Two figures could be seen performing somersaults as they landed towards the ground. Several darts could be spotted littered all over the gymnasium floor. They have clearly been going at it for hours.

Mazell while looking at his copy: "So that's really it huh? Your weakness."

Old Purple: "It seems you have finally realized young candidate. The way to win!"

Mazell sighed: "I feel so stupid for taking 5 years to realize it."

Old Purple: "Not at all. Must know that even though the copy's capability to learn is greatly inferior to yours, it can still learn."

Indeed! The main weakness of Mazell's copy was it's capacity to learn. Compared to Mazell or any other human for that matter, the copy was capable of learning and understanding things at a much slower pace.

Mazell: "So basically he can compare to me physically but not mentally huh?"

Old Purple: "Indeed! The main purpose of this training is to make you understand that when facing a superior enemy you must rely on your wisdom, experience and knowledge instead of pure power and brute force. This principle is extremely essential as a Gun Mage."

Now realizing the copy's weakness, Mazell knew exactly what he must do to defeat it: "Alright!"

Mazell first picked up some of the darts on the ground and stored them in his pocket. Then suddenly the copy dashed towards Mazell while accurately shooting his guns towards him. The fight continues.

This time instead of charging towards the copy head-on Mazell took several back-steps while dodging. When the copy got close enough he took out the darts from his pocket and threw it towards the copy.

The copy knitted it's brow and immediately shifted its body sideways to dodge. At that moment Mazell took the opportunity to shoot towards the copy's head. The copy immediately realized Mazell's intention and rolled towards the other side to dodge so that he could counter attack. But after rolling the copy felt sleepy... very sleepy.

Seeing the copy getting sleepy Mazell smiled as he realized his plan had worked: "When I was picking up the darts earlier I made sure to position some of the darts left behind in a way where their tips were facing upwards. So that once you rolled towards them you'd be pricked by them."

A few seconds later the copy finally fell unconscious.

Old Purple: "Congratulations on passing your final training young candidate! But I'm curious how did you know that he would rolled towards the other side?"

Mazell explained: "When I was watching the videos of my previous trainings, I noticed something about myself. It seems I have a habit of changing my position and counter attacking the moment something targets my head. If I was in the same situation as my copy I would most likely roll out of the way and get ready to counter attack. So I assumed he would do the same. But just in case he noticed the darts on the floor with their tips facing upwards I made sure to do something to catch his attention. Simply put I threw the darts from my pocket to startle him. Making him think I was planning something. By doing so his focus was completely on me thus making him neglect the darts on the floor."

Hearing Mazell's explanation Old Purple was slightly startled. To be able to think of such a detailed plan right after realizing the enemy's weakness was indeed quite astonishing.

Old Purple: "Now that you have successfully completed all eight of your trainings, you next have to undergo your Magic Awakening. I shall give you 3 days to rest and prepare."

Mazell nodded upon hearing Old Purple's words. Even though he was very eager to go home and see his family again he still knew that he needed some time to study and understand how a Magic Awakening works. In these 30 years Mazell had only been undergoing the training laid out for him by Old Purple while as reading some none-magic related books during his rest periods. Although he had read books about some history regarding mages, he hasn't read a single book about Magic Awakenings at all. Mainly because he wasn't really interested. Must know that after exiting the prime amethyst Mazell planned on continuing his training in becoming a chef. As for becoming a mage, he only planned on becoming one so that he could exit the prime amethyst. He never really planned on pursuing it as a career.

Mazell returned to the living quarters and started reading about Magic Awakenings while drinking some hot tea.

How does one become a Mage you ask? It's quite simple really. First and foremost I must explain to you about a person's Soul Space. In this world all living creatures have their own Soul Space. It is an infinite cosmos hidden within their souls. The Magic Awakening is a ritual where a person's consciousness can enter their own Soul Space. During the Magic Awakening the person's Soul Space will be temporarily connected to the origin of all magic....The Magic's Mystic Source. During that temporary connection The Magic's Mystic Source will send an orb to the person's Soul Space. That orb is called Elemental Mana Sphere. The elemental mana sphere contains a random type of elemental mana within it. The person who has an elemental mana sphere within their soul space can cast spells based on the sphere's elemental mana.

Types of Elemental Manas: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light, Shadow, Lightning, Ice, Metal, Nature, Poison, Sand, Combat, Healing, Support, Illusion.

Say for example if Mazell obtains an Elemental Mana Sphere with Fire Elemental Mana inside his Soul Space. This means Mazell possesses Fire Element Magic and can cast Fire Type Spells. This officially makes him a Fire Mage. The person undergoing the awakening cannot choose what elemental mana will be inside the elemental mana sphere. Whatever elemental mana type you obtain it will be decided by the Magic's Mystic Source. As for how it decides nobody knows.

3 days later~~

Mazell was sitting cross legged in the middle of a glowing blue magic circle while having his eyes closed. As time passed Mazell felt his consciousness slowly leaving him.

When Mazell opened his eyes he found himself in a large limitless space that looked exactly like the cosmos itself.

Sure enough this was his Soul Space.

Mazell: "So this is my Soul Space huh."

Suddenly a small palm sized purple colored light appeared beside him.

From it a voice sounded: "So how does it feel to enter your Soul Space for the first time?"

Mazell: "Old Purple is that you?"

Old Purple: "It is I! I used a special method to temporarily enter your Soul Space."

Mazell nodded and shifted his gaze back to his Soul Space quietly watching for any changes that would occur.

Suddenly....Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

A sound could be heard from above. When Mazell raised his head and saw what it was, he was really shocked. It was a wormhole that opened in his Soul Space.

Even though he had read about it in books seeing it in person was truly flabbergasting. This wormhole was what connected Mazell's Soul Space to the Magic's Mystic Source.

Both Mazell and Old Purple patiently waited for an Elemental Mana Sphere to come out of the wormhole.

Suddenly: "Ri....Ri....Ri....Ri!!!"

Mazell: "What is that? Is that an Elemental Mana Sphere?"

Old Purple: "No. Elemental Mana Spheres don't make sounds."

Suddenly a blue light jumped out from the wormhole and rushed towards Mazell then started cuddling him. After which the wormhole closed and peace returned to the Soul Space.

Mazell was completely dumbfounded with what was happening: "This....What is this? Is this thing supposed to be an Elemental Mana Sphere?"

Old Purple: "No! That is definitely not an elemental mana sphere."

What came out of the wormhole was an adorable baby blue snake like beast that was about the same length as Mazell's arm.

Baby Blue Snake: "Ri....Ri....Ri....Ri!!!"

What was even weirder was that the little snake wasn't hissing but instead kept saying Ri....Ri....Ri....Ri!!! Instead.