Change 1

It is peaking summer, and the heat in Baggs is at an all-time high, but it doesn't stop the townspeople from going at it making sure everyone is healthy and happy including me (even though I said I was abandoned, I'm actually not... kinda). Luckily, there is mana in the world, things are a bit easier to do; it isn't surprising to see people flying or carrying unreasonable amounts of load in cities, but that is a bit too advanced for the people in this little town, except for one person, my aunt, Martha Johnson, she is pretty much the reason why this town still exist. She has stopped so many dimension outbreaks

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and protected this town from Ranked Terrorists. She is this town's hero. But now she is "old", or to be exact more lazier, I think she is around 50 years from what I could gather whenever I hear talks from mom and dad and she is also kind of retired, not sure why though because if she wanted to, she could go for another half a century more, but I guess she doesn't want to?

"It is time to go see Aunty Martha it seems"

she probably knows about the news already, yeah….. she probably does….

"damn I'm bleeding"

Redish liquid slipped out of my knee but I didn't flinch nor was I in pain; it was one of those moments where hurt yourself but you didn't feel it at all.

"Aunty will probably heal it for me" I shrugged

"If she woke up, one of them is going to be dinner not going to lie, some tasty goats would be yummy right now," I said grinning to myself

I walked for about ten minutes and got to the pasture, she was still asleep like an angel oblivious to the tragedy around her, yeah I ain't telling her shit, well not yet anyways.

"God Dion you fucking suck, how could you take away her parents?" I said whispering to myself.

Now time to carry this cute angel to Aunty…..

As I was about to squat to pick her up, the cool breeze, the green grass and the sight of my sister made me peel out a little smirk on my lips. Yeah, it's going to be alright,

"I will have to get stronger, a lot fucking stronger."

I carefully picked up my sister and rested her head on my right shoulder

It is about 2 p.m. now, but the sun is still beaming like a solar beam…

"At least she is not awake"

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I didn't care if my skin got any darker or if my flip-flop soles got any thinner, Synera is my everything now.

Another 10 minutes went by and I looked down at the peacefully sleeping infant.

"she must be protected at all cost, even at the cost of –"

"Eyyyyyy you fucking made it!"

"shhhhhhh the baby!" I whispered loudly

"Oh shit my bad" she whispered in kind

She mouthed while slowly walking up to me

"She is one fucking cute baby though…."

"Oh, on that note, ma can you like not curse in front of the baby please, like I don't want my angel sister having the mouth of the sewers in the streets of L.A."

I said that looking directly into my aunt's relaxed blue eyes

"Woah, woah Woah first of all why the L.A. sewer system specifically, and secondly are you indirectly implying that I am a bad influence on you and her?"

".... Well that is for you to decide ma"

"Wow… and here I thought I was your favorite aunty, the news really got to you it seems"

"Well…. You are also the only aunt I know, so does that count?"

"I guess you are right to some degree..."

She suddenly starts looking at Synera with an uncertain mood around her.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Ah no I was just thinking about dinner, is one of the mana goats on the farm be alright"

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"Ah… I see…"

But what are you thinking dinner while looking at Synera….. weird… I don't really care though, as long as it is not eating my sister we should be fine… I hope

"Anyways we should go inside it gets a bit chilly you know…." She perked a little grin "And the baby girl might be awake soon don't want her crying outside do you?"

"She is 4 give her something to work with now" I defended

"Well.. She is 4.... not 3 months old"

"Fair."

I handed her Synera but did not follow Ma inside just yet. I stood before the mana-wood house and just …. Smiled..... not creepily, of course, just a slight grin.

" I will become the strongest in the world, even greater than mom, dad, and aunt. I will be the best…" that is what I hope for now.

The night came in a bit earlier than expected but it felt nice through my curly hair

"That way Synera ain't gonna be dying, she will be live happily…."

I clenched my fist and lifted it to the heavens, looking up simultaneously

"If you gods truly exist I will be coming for you personally, that is how strong I will become, be fucking ready, also take this as little present from me to you" I turned my fist to a deserved middle finger to those shitty rulers of the universe.

"Why don't you have a sit Ren the rice is about done" She gestured for me to take a seat on a sofa opposite the wooden rocking She was on.

"How is Synera…."

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"She is sleeping soundly, I gave a whole dimonas pizza, she will be knocked out for a bit" she chuckled slightly

"I see…"

"Anyways thought it time to talk Ren, I'm talking about your future this time" Her eyes glitter blue, as she emitted blue mana from her eyes

"Your parents are dead unfortunately and you got your African aunt and your 4 year old sister, what are you going to do now?"

"...…." I didn't respond…. Not out of disrespect but more out….. a hint of uncertainty

"Well I know you're still a kid, I mean you're barely 11 years…. But what about school, I mean don't want to go to a middle school to get stronger? There are some options in other cities or even states"

"...… I do… but I ….. don't know"

"Hmm" She looked at me intently as the cool night blew into the living room

"Let's close the window ….." I said to break the awkward atmosphere.

"you know.....I can vouch for you Ren," she said as she kept her gaze into my eyes, making me waver a bit

"You can what ma'am?"

"I can get you into a private magic academy for kids if you want"

"You can? With what money?"

"Sigh….. this child, well I guess it makes sense that you think I'm a broke aunty with nothing but magic" She shrugged her shoulder with a hint of annoyance in it.

"What when did I say t-"

"Anyways I am quite rich and my kids are pretty rich too if you didn't know."

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Now that I think about it, I have never really asked about her family ….. I didn't she think she had one in the first place

"I didn't know you have kids ma"

"Are trying to say I'm fucking ugly you to be in a relationship you brat?" she looked at me fully annoyed and ready to slap me to heaven

"No ma…. It's just that you have never told me that you had a family"

"Well… you know I used to be a ranker but retired now..."

"But aunty doesn't most ranker usually retire when they like 150 years old or more, that was what mother told me about rankers and stuff…."

"Well, your right…. Because we cultivate mana in our body, we significantly look younger than our actual age"

I mean it is true.., you look like some model for some fashion show, even though you are someone in their fifties

"That makes sense… so you can take me to any rich school like the ones in New York and California?"

"If you want to go all the way there, why the fuck not?" She reclined back her rocking chair and stayed in that position

"um … I have been thinking a lot about school and stuff after they died… and um I think I wanna start when I am at high school age, so in like 2 – 3 years….."

Martha pulled herself forward and said "Are you out of your fuckin' mind boy" the southern accent getting the best of her

"Are you pushin' your chance to be great to just chill for 2 years in this 'wannabe southern' town?"

"....."

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"Answer me boy because the fact I have put you into a pillar of ice is a fucking miracle in itself"

"I want to self-study before going to school"

"????... did you just hear yourself, you want to 'self-study'" She leaned so much forward that I felt like she could fall any second.

"This little boy wants to make life difficult, hahah this boy is insane…."

Is she talking to herself or me?

"No…. I am not insane ma, just hear me out… I will learn martial arts and basic mana manipulation to at least A tier before I go to high school… and you know...."

"?????..... you must be insane to think I will teach you ice magic or mana theory when you literally got not a speck of mana in your body, I am actually too lazy for your shit today boy....."

"...." I didn't say anything I kinda just lowered my gaze into the ground in response

I seems my dream is to big for it to be realistic enough

"Sigh...listen Ren, and even you have mana, it take more than just 2 years to learn it, master and conjure basic ice magic or martial arts"

She leans back to a more relaxed position her black hair over the top of the rocking chair and her eyes closed facing the lightly dimmed ceiling

"I-I will learn it from dimension dives and mission involving ranked terrorists."

"Boy… where was this insane plan for the 5 years I have been with you, were just waiting for when your parents dies in some ransom ass dimension?"

"....."

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"Ren.... think.... would your parents ever approve of you trying to go off yourself because you have the perception that you just a weakling and won't ever become strong?"

"...but how about a wager for your troubles"

"A bet? Did you not hear anything I just said?"

"I did ma but just listen to this, I think we will like it"

She lifted her leaning head of the chair and sat eyeing me with curiosity

"go on"

"how about if I get strong enough to face you and last for 5 minute in 3-4 years, you have to pay for my tuition in any high school of my choice and Synera's school too and never question my plans in life"

"....And what if I win?" she scoffed in disbelief

"Well, I will ... (Shit I didn't that far ahead) I will…..follow your orders on anything and everything as long as it is not illegal of course"

"Boy, that's a shit deal, fuck all that "i am your slave shit", that ain't for me, instead I want you to work for my kids instead, they probably need the manpower anyways"

"That sounds OK? So do we have a deal ma?" I extended my hand to shake to enforce the deal

"Ain't you tryin' to be a ranker? we going to sign a bond contract like actual mages, heh it is going to be fascinating seeing how much you can progress by yourself"

A blue ball of ice appeared from nothing having a Nior inscription on it. Martha then raised her hand and said "I, Martha Peters hereby vow to uphold this agreement till my last breath"

"Your turn" she continued

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So I will just copy her?

"I, Ren Gratos hereby vow to uphold this agreement till my last breath…."

A sudden rush of heat smote my body, it felt like something or someone was grasping my heart waiting at any moment to squash it,

"You're probably feeling the constraints of the Noir bond, don't worry aint gonna kill ya"

"Well i hope so, that would just be unlucky if it does"

"....right....Well then boy, imma be waiting, don't worry about your sister she will be fine with me, my kids will be coming now and then to help me out with the little one, you can go the dimension but don't say I didn't warn ya" She said smirking at my surprised reaction, not because she is taking care of Synera (because she loves her like her own kid) but because she isn't asking anything from me concerning our bet even though she is quite the greedy lady; she once told a very famous team from Chicago that if they wanted her on her team they had to give her 33 percent of the profit, but the problem with that deal is that the team had 20 fucking people, 20 people…. And she wants a one - third split (insanity really).

"Her overloaded cuteness is enough for me to take care of her"

"Fair enough I guess" I shrugged because her cuteness would be enough for me as well

"I will take my leave to my parent's home now ma, thanks for listening....even if we don't really agree, I promise, you won't regret it, ma" I took a bow after standing up of the sofa

"You really aren't staying for dinner"

"No ma, I will come by every so often to say hi to Nera and stuff but I will mostly be in the dungeon going you know ... dungeon stuff n' shit"

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"I see... well boy I will see you later don't stay to long in there else, I will send you to a different orbit when I see you"

"But if you do that, who is going to protect Nera?" I scoffed at her threat knowing it is half truth and half lie

"?? Me?" she said looking confused about the question

"Never mind.... I will get going ma, bye Nera," I said waving toward the room Nera was sleeping in knowing full well she couldn't hear me. I don't want to ever leave little her side for any reason, but I think need to. Dad always told me "The world is run by the strong, powerful, and the famed, but never let that greed to the top be the reason for your downfall".

But unluckily for me I need all that, fame can come later though, besides, the strong are usually pretty famous like that Kane Piper dude, I will surpass him, very soon sure. But how soon… is something I don't know yet