Keeper of Magic, Gaia (2)

"What is magic?"

This one question made Hugo a little stumped. Considering the only things he knew about magic were from VR games, he hadn't really cared to read about magic or watch any magic-related TV series. And if he did, he'd need to have his parent's permission.

"I don't really know, to be honest. But if I was to draw upon previous knowledge, rumours and the like. Magic, in my own definition, would be the Art of the Mysterious. This sounds very vague, but it is more than that."

"If what my history teacher said was correct, Magic played a huge part in the Old World. But while some chose to reveal their powers, most of the others hid in the shadows, covering themselves with a thick veil of mystery and rumours."

"If I knew types of magic, then I'd have been able to explain more, sorry." He bowed his head subserviently and apologized for being philosophical.

The old man frowned, but not at his answer. Instead, it was his behaviour that sickened the older fellow.

"Stop that disgusting act. If someone pressures you with questions, pressure them with silence and if they threaten your life, then f*ck them up!"

These words played a very large role in Hugo's development.

"Alright, for the last question. What do you think Magic would do to a scientifically explained ability?"

Hugo was just about to answer, but then remembered what the old man said, and instead of answering, kept his mouth sealed.

*Boink!*

At lightning speed, the old man's supposed "wand" crashed down on Hugo's head like a raging waterfall.

"Owwwww!"

"I was talking about in situations where your entire career or future isn't at stake, you damn numbskull!"

"So, now that we've established that, answer my question."

Hugo's dried up tear ducts opened up again, and he felt slight teardrops falling out of his eye slowly. All he could do was nurse his wound and try to answer the question at the same time.

"I-i don't know, maybe enhance a particular faculty in a way. Please don't hit me again..."

The old man stared at Hugo for a long time and asked what seemed to be his final question.

"What was the first fundamental magic law I thought you?" The old man said this as he caressed his so-called wand.

Hugo could never forget that certain law.

"It was: 'Magic isn't throwing fireballs around by chanting a few words backwards, it is an intricate art that deals with divinity and otherworldly beings. Creatures that have been by humanity's side since the beginning of time' Well, that's if I remember correctly."

"Exactly. Imagine if a human Awakened the power of Enhanced Strength, which as you know comes in different variations. However, that just isn't enough for him. One option is to train mindlessly, hoping to come across some sort of epiphany. However, another, more effective option is to just contract a god or spirit."

Hugo nodded, as he already knew this much.

"Let's take your Black Matter Manipulation for example. It is one of the fifteen God-grade Awakenings on Earth, already powerful in its own right, and overpowered when comparing the vast majority of Awakenings in the world. To be honest, of all the Awakenings and magic I have encountered in the world, your Black Matter Manipulation is definitely Top 10."

The old man circled around Hugo a few times as he continued talking.

"I didn't allow you to contract a spirit while you were with me. So, you did it just a few months ago. And I want to know, what was the result?"

Hugo was puzzled.

"What're you talking about? I don't remember signing a contract with any spirits!" He exclaimed, trying his best to recall.

But it wasn't like him to forget, so either his teacher made a mistake, or he lost his memory at some point.

"Well, that's a given. It's one of the disadvantages of the spirit contract. More often than not, spirits will include a clause that states one would lose their memory after the subsequent signing. It's kind of their thing." Gaia sighed a little and forgetting that the previous question was meant to be his last, asked another one.

"Do you remember any abilities that appeared out of nowhere?"

Hugo thought for a second and came to a quick conclusion.

"Yeah! My Black Matter Conjuring and Otherworldly Summoning. I never thought much of it. But come to think of it, they suddenly became my main source of fighting power. It kind of makes no sense!"

Gaia nodded in understanding and placed his hand on the ground and pulled out a thick black book. He flipped the book in an instant and stopped on a certain page, pointing at the thick clump of words on it.

"Genesis, the Spirit of Weaponry. This spirit offers endless power in the form of mystic weaponry to its contracted users in exchange for random things. Of the recorded users, he has asked for things like wealth, and some other classic things. But from observation, there's the duration of 4 years."

Gaia closed the book and pushed it back into the soil.

"Goddamnit, you are a lucky dog, you know that? Do you know why a spirit asks for the memory of the signing?"

Hugo furrowed his brows and shook his head, hoping to learn more of these elusive phantasmal creatures.

"It's because of happenings like this. Earlier, I said Black Matter Manipulation had unbelievable power right? Well, it's highly likely that Genesis intended to exploit you upon noticing the vast power laying in your soul, but it didn't expect the power to take its own share at the same time."

Gaia laughed out loud; this situation was foreign to him.

"So does that mean my Black Matter Manipulation was an even stronger Awakening?"

"Of course! You must really look down on it so much." Gaia felt insulted by that question "Why did all the good Awakenings go to the ignorant youths of society?"

"Tell me, have there been any weird moments recently?"

Hugo thought and replied quite uncertainly.

"Well, no-" That was when he suddenly remembered something. "Yeah, there was!"

"It was a dark space with an umbrella that seemed to be an even darker space. That has happened multiple times to me, I forgot but, it may have happened when I was a child! And in the most recent one there was a transition, from the usual dark space and umbrella to a white space with a weird-looking bow and the same umbrella."

His words made Gaia dismayed.

"Then what the f*ck are you doing here, shouldn't you be slacking off?! Do you know what you've been witnessing all this time, that umbrella is actually a split part of Genesis that has been held captive by your soul!"

Hugo was confused but felt somewhat happy?

"So… does that mean you won't be teaching me?"

"Of course I won't be teaching you. Go improve your battle experience or something, and if you find someone that actually needs my help then bring him over here. You freaks nowadays, that's the fourth one this week."

"Get lost, go, go!"

The old man pushed Hugo out of his cave with his wand.

"Come back when you've lost all your power and reincarnate into the body of some poor bum who was unable to Awaken."

Hugo stared at the cave entrance with an unbelievable look on his face.

"I guess being the protagonist and overpowered is really off-putting to sensei's hoping to time skip."

. . .

"Hello."

"Yeah, Alpha2 and IA V-1. Bring the both of them with you to the location I'm sending."

"I'm not kidding. This guy will definitely upgrade your crappy abilities by another level, trust me!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm a narcissistic arsehole blah blah. Heard it a million times."

Hugo put his communicator back into his pocket and sighed a little.

"So… what am I to do now?"

He could go slack off like Gaia told him to or occupy himself with something productive.

'I wonder if I should battle some of the other Skydancers in preparation for the Re-ranking tournament or try to come up with some flame oriented technique that's capable of incinerating those mucor monsters?'

"Sigh, being strong is really tough. What bullshit freedom, this lack of purpose is beyond ordinary comprehension!"

Hugo lamented to himself and kicked some rocks as he trudged towards his house.

. . .

"Hmm. So you're the poor bums with trashy abilities that the brat told me about?" Gaia walked up and down the cave room.

"That bastard actually went that far?!" Hyena felt angry but oddly satisfied that he was mentioned.

"Well, doesn't really matter what he said. I'll be the one to judge, and judging from the looks of it, your abilities are really… trash!"

"Let me rephrase myself. Short boy, your Awakening isn't bad, but your applications are trash. Hence, overall ability ruined!"

"Mr V-1, considering you are a tech-based Skydancer, I can't quite tell if you're okay or not. But for the sake of equal starting level, you're trash as well."

"And last of all, salaryman."

'Ku!'

Hyena suddenly felt a huge urge to beat this man to a pulp.

'I'm a teacher for God's sake. Why does everyone mistake it?'

"You are the most unfortunate here. You clearly have the talent to have a decent Awakening, but you are held back by some childish tendencies. Honestly, if we're talking about starting level, you're the worst I've ever received so far…"

Hyena sighed and the half-smile on his face turned into a frown. It was always this when it came to himself.

"... However, that does not mean I don't have the ability to mould you properly. After all, my name Gaia belongs to mother earth. If I don't have the ability to help one of the lost creatures Mother Earth birthed, then I don't deserve this name!"

And so, the long quest for strength begun!