Lakane district
Denlea supermarket
Pele city
Nation of Haumea
The supermarket that Mother Ruth took them to was bursting with so much activity, vendors lined up with their goods, trying to advertise them to potential customers, and the air was filled with the grilled scent of Lochfish. They were in the clothing center, Mother Ruth talking to the front staff members regarding some clothes she wanted to get for the kids. Eren had been instructed by Mother to watch over the kids while she had let Ash operate by himself. Patry and Carla were fighting over an item that they wanted to get, and Eren couldn't help but smile at the sight. It reminded him of his own childhood when he would get into fights with Ash. Ina on the other hand was standing beside Eren, silent and holding his hand. Eren wondered if she was still hurt by her rejection from the Owen family, but he didn't want to bring it up. In a way, Eren couldn't understand her feelings since he had never been considered for adoption when he had been younger. Eren still remembered his fellow orphans who were the same age as him, and they had gotten the chance to get a family of their own. He was the only one left from his age group still in Atwell orphanage, except for Ash. Eren wondered how these young ones and the others would feel if they didn't get the chance to get adopted. Would they feel like they had no future? All because their Mana wasn't up to par with society's standard. Eren could feel the burden his acceptance into Namer academy meant to him. Namer Academy was the first step into achieving his dream, a dream that he sometimes had doubts about. But now he felt that he had no choice but to walk that path. The way had been opened up for him, and now he was taking that opportunity so that his siblings could have the same chance as him...
"Eren! Eren!-" Mother Ruth hissed his name. "Can you handle that, please," Eren sighed as he stalked over to the kids. He swiftly took the item from Patri and returned it to the shelf.
"No fair," Patri said.
"Stop acting like spoiled brats," Eren said to Patri. "And don't you do that.." Eren turned to Carla who was about to stick her tongue out at Patri. After their business in the store, Mother Ruth took them on another trip around the supermarket. They were to meet with Ash by the Lochfish vendor store. Ash was already there, sitting at a round table, waiting for them. Eren noticed how the table was far from the rest of the others, Ash putting distance between him and the others. He had always been like that, putting distance between himself and others. As a young brat, Eren never understood Ash's behavior and the behavior of others towards him. Mother Ruth had tried her best to explain to him how different Ash was from him and the others. Growing up alongside him, Eren had clearly seen the difference. Apart from his magical power and talent, he had seen the ways others treated him, especially while they had been in school. Most either envied him, or they would rather keep their distance from him fearing him for no reason. This was another facet of the system that was built within their world. Eren didn't deny that a part of him had always envied his friend, but he couldn't stand how he was treated. Though it was the opposite of how he, a manaless orphan, was treated, there was still that aspect of segregation that they both experienced. One had no mana and was frowned upon while the other had exceptional magical power and yet he was the target of fear and prejudice. When they sat down with Ash, Eren noticed how the rest of the customers quickly took notice of them, muttering. The orphans of Atwell Orphanage were well known around this part, especially Eren.
"Do you think they're scared Eren's gonna go on a rampage again," Patri said as they got their bearings while settling in their seats.
"Not on my watch he won't," Mother Ruth said glaring at Eren. Eren sighed, remembering the last time they had been here. How long has it been? He had gotten into a physical altercation with a customer back when Sister Judith had bought them here for lunch after school. Eren had been in a mood, and one of the customers had been making snide comments about how he couldn't stand to be feet within people like them. It didn't take much for Eren to snap, confronting the idiot to say it directly to his face and from there...well things escalated.
"I still can't believe you managed to unban us from here," Eren said looking around.
"Alejandro is an old friend of mine," Mother Ruth said. A waitress came over with a tray of food. She smiled at Ash who acknowledged her with only a nod.
"You ordered for us already," Eren said.
"I already knew what everyone wanted," Ash said. "Since I got here before everyone, the smart move would be to place our order before the line got serious." Ash turned his head over to the line where people were trying to order their food. It was long and rowdy, and Eren was glad not to be there under this hot smacking sun. The waitress dropped their food on the table while Mother Ruth helped her with passing the food around them. Ash had ordered six Lochfish burgers with a side of fried Petri and Erum juice.
"I don't see you complaining," Ash said as Eren glared at him.
"What were you up to," He asked.
"I was getting my final paycheck," Ash said. He had worked part-time in a local shop that sold old magitech and appliances. He had gotten the job thanks to Mother Ruth. Eren had worked there for a while, but he had gotten kicked out because of his brash actions when it came to the customer.
"Did you get it," Mother Ruth said to Ash who nodded. He pulled out a wrapped gift package and handed it to her.
"What's going on," Eren said. He could sense something between those two. Mother Ruth smiled at Eren as she pushed the package towards him.
"Open it," She said. Eren looked at it, wondering what was inside it. He looked from Mother Ruth's face to Ash but their expression was unreadable. It wasn't his birthday which wasn't for another month. He unwrapped the gift eager to learn what Mother Ruth got him. It wasn't strange for her to get him gifts here and there, but it was normally for special events. He opened the package to see a silver device within it. It was small, rectangular and thin like the newest model that had recently come out this year. Eren pulled it out, shocked and surprised to see the Transcell.
"You gotta be kidding," Eren said. "This must have cost a fortune…" He stared at Mother Ruth who was smiling at him.
"Like it," Mother Ruth said.
"A Transcell," Eren said loudly. The other patrons of the restaurant turned to them but Eren showed them his fist and they all looked away. "
"Can you not be loud," Ash said as Patri and Carla laughed.
"But I already have one. You didn't need to spend anything on me " Eren couldn't believe it. The model of the transcell that was in the package was definitely the latest tech that Satou Industry had put out in the beginning of this year. The amount of money the Magitech could have cost was
"It's no problem. I used your money to get it for you." Mother Ruth said.
"My money…" Eren said.
"Don't think I don't know about your little trips in the night," Mother Ruth said. Eren almost lost his grip on the transcell, caught off guard by what she said.
"You knew," He muttered.
"Of course I did. I also knew you were secretly donating your money to the Orphanage." Mother Ruth said. "Sorry, I couldn't accept it."
"The money was meant to-" Mother Ruth held out her hand stopping Eren. She shook her head, a small smile hung on her lips.
"I'm glad you truly care for us. You always have but the responsibility for the Orphanage rests on us adults. You should focus on putting your money on something more useful. Like this Magitech. Now while you're in school, we can keep in touch," Mother Ruth said. "And also it seems this model comes with a Holo Projector."
"What! Seriously a projector? " Eren asked.
"I already put in my contact info with yours, plus the Orphanage landline." Ash said.
"Thanks," Eren said. Words couldn't express how much emotion he was feeling.
"Hey, Don't cry on us now," Ash said.
"I'm not crying-" Eren stopped speaking as he saw the group that came inside the restaurant. Ash turned to see them, his eyebrow turning into a scowl. It was Tyron Oyster walking with his cronies. Tyron was one of the most privileged kids that Eren knew. The Oyster factory was the number one leading factory in Pele city that dealt with providing power to the city's infrastructure. The family was definitely loaded and Tyron didn't miss a chance to always throw it at Eren's face. He had known the brat since his freshman year of public school, and the bastard didn't like the fact that he couldn't bully and hoard his magical power over Eren since he would always give him a smack here and there. Over the years of fighting with Tyron, Eren had learnt that just because one had magical power, that didn't mean they knew how to use their powers when it came to combat. Eren squeezed his fist, suppressing his urge to punch the bastard in the face. He had a sneer grin in his face and couldn't wait to show the brat how stronger he had become since their last fight. Tyron and his friends took a table as far from them as possible and a little bit of Eren was disappointed. He wanted a fight from them so badly.
"Is that the Kid you normally get into fights with," Mother Ruth said. She had a stern look, like she was forbidding Eren from doing anything irresponsible.
"He looks like a brat," Carly said. She had sauce stains all over her mouth. Patri chuckled in agreement.
"He is," Ash said. "But don't pay him no mind," Eren had decided to forget about Tyron, diverting his attention back to his Transcell.
"Come on guys, focus on your food," Mother Ruth said, bringing the kids' attention back to their dishes and away from Tyron and his cronies.
*
"...you would think that with the Aranka's of the Middle East moving into the Eastern continent, the Global Union would do something about the situation. What do you say, Schawmer?"
"According to sources, the Security council are deliberating over sanctions to put on the nation of Aran,"
"Shouldn't they just send a Magic King or Battle King to smooth it over,"
"You have to put into consideration what sending a King class Hunter means," Schawmer said. "There's been peace for almost three hundred years now since the third World war. Just sending one king class is like declaring war upfront."
"Boy! And we don't want that... So what can the global union do in order to ensure the Eastern continent...."
"Look who it is guys, it's Eren the Manaless," Tyron's voice cut into the broadcast that Eren had been listening to. After lunch with the others, Eren had gone his own way through the market district, looking for things to buy for himself. He still had leftover quids that Mother Ruth had given back to him, insisting that Eren use it for himself instead of using it for the orphanage. He was in a Magic tool shop, browsing through the aisle looking for something to get. He was just window shopping, enjoying the sight of the items before him. But it looked like his stay in the shop was gonna end up being interrupted. Tyron and his goons were approaching him and Eren could tell that the boy was aiming for a fight. He hadn't gotten over the fact that Eren had beat him up in front of their classmates, and now he probably figured ganging up on Eren with his goonsquad would give him the upper hand. Eren had no problem facing them, but he didn't want to get into a fight right here in the store. The Owner, Singuay, would report him to Mother Ruth for any damage that would occur.
"Tyron, don't tell me your sore that I came out on top in our class performance," Eren said. "Come on, get over it. We're no longer in public school."
"I don't give a fuck." Tyron said. "What's this rumor I'm hearing that you got into Namer University, Walker,"
"What...How did you..." Eren groaned realizing who was responsible for the news about his acceptance spreading. Leave it to Mother Ruth to go around telling everyone in the market about him and Ash.
"Wait..it's true."Tyron said.
"Bullshit..." Cyrus, his close friend said. "No way this Mundie got in and you didn't.." He shut up as Eren held out the School ID that had been sent within the package from Namer.
"Sorry guys, but you're no longer on my level," Eren said
"How...How did a Mundie like..."
"I wouldn't call me that again," Eren said quietly. For a moment, he felt his Mana flow surge, releasing a sort of pressure upon them. Tyron and his goons took a step back feeling the presence of mana within Eren.
"He...He...He has Mana," One of them said. The rage in Tyron's face overshadowed the fear that had been there. The idiot bought out his own grimoire, flaring his magic power all over the store.
"Really, Tyron..here," Eren said. His Transcell sprang to life, ringing as Ash was calling him. Damn. Why now? Eren didn't answer his cell but instead he sprinted off from the goons that wanted to fight him. Eren could always count on his speed, so he knew he could get out of the store before they could even move. They gave chase, but it didn't bother Eren that they were chasing him. He made sure not to run at full speed, to enable them to follow him as he nimbly moved through the crowds within the market. He had to take this fight somewhere and teach these guys a lesson. For four years, Tyron never gave up in trying to make his life miserable in school. When they had first met, he had tried to use his Magic power to subdue him but Eren had given him a fair beating. But it didn't stop there. The bastard would often try to fight once in a while but Eren would always win. And now it was time to put it to rest. He saw the alley before he reached the corner and took a turn towards it. It was a deadend just like he hoped it would be. They caught up to him just in time, some of them breathing hard like they had just ran for their lives. Idiots had magic power and yet they couldn't use it to strengthen their body. Tyron was the only one who didn't seem out of breath. Eren could feel the Mana around his body reinforcing it. Good. It seemed the boy had improved.
"It's not gonna be like last time, Mundie," Tyron said. "I'm gonna-" He froze as he saw the swirls of battle aura that appeared on Eren's fist.
"So you awakened as a Mana Warrior," Tyron said. "And you're already at the Intermediate rank."
"That's bullshit," Cyrus said. "That can't be right, Tyron," The goons behind them all began muttering, a little bit of fear was visible on their faces.
"Fancy yourself a Hunter already, Mundie," One of the goons said.
"Does he look like a Mundie, idiot," Tyron hissed. The goon snapped back in fear from Tyron's retort. The others spared Eren a glance, realizing that the Manaless boy who used to beat the crap out of them now had Mana. How strong had he become compared to them? Tyron turned back to Eren, there was a look in his eyes as he studied the battle aura that flowed with a darker shade of blue.
"Let's go," Tyron said. He knew he stood no chance when he was still a Novice, so he decided that fighting this monster was not good for him. Eren could tell that Tyron had given up, and didn't have the will to fight. But as he saw them turn around to leave, Eren was taken over by a sudden urge. Like he said, he was looking forward to a fight.
"Where do you think you guys are going," Eren said. The air turned chilly as Tyron and his gang turned around just as Eren rushed past Tyron, his Manaless fist smacking the crap out of the one who called him a Mundie. He was careful not to use his full strength so the boy flew up in the air, blood gushing out of his broken jaw and then landed on the ground unconscious. Eren didn't wait for the rest to snap out of their daze, he got within them and using the space within the alley, used a roundhouse kick to send them all flying up in the air. He didn't make contact with his foot but instead had directed the concussive force to attack them. Tyron and Cyrus were the only ones to avoid his attack.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Don't think we're gonna fall for your tricks again," Cyrus exclaimed. Eren smiled loving the fear that was in Cyrus's eyes as he stared at him. "Why you bastard-"
"Wait! Hold on Cyrus.." Tyron grabbed Cyrus' shoulder, holding him back.
"What's going on here!" Both boys froze at the voice that came from the back of Tyron and Cyrus. Eren recognized the voice and was shocked to see him standing there at the mouth of the alley. Onyanko's huge frame was posed there, wearing a light teal jacket with a darker shade of brown colored pants. Eren wondered why he was wearing a jacket like that in this heat.
"It's Onyanko," Cyrus whispered.
"Let's get out of here," Tyron said. He and Cyrus ran off, leaving their goon squad behind.
"What was that about?" Onyanko said.
"Where did you come from," Eren asked.
"I saw you being chased around the corner there," Onyanko said. "I figured I would see what the fuss is about…but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," Eren stared down at the bodies that were knocked out before him. Eren and Onynako left the market square, walking side to side on the mismatched ground of Lakane district. Eren had given up on using his remaining money to get anything for himself. He took a look at Onyanko whose hands were in his pockets, his expression showed no reaction to the awkward air that was surrounding them. Or was it all Eren's imagination. Again Eren wanted to ask him if he wasn't bothered by the heat. They kept on walking till they reached Eren's favorite spot by the Lakane rivers, watching the train.
"I heard the rumors going around Lakane," Onyanko said. "The manaless boy, Eren the brawler, has awakened to Mana."
"Oh!" Eren said. He didn't know that rumors about him having Mana had spread around town. The only thing Eren was known for in Lakane district was being a thug who liked to fight even though he had no Mana. But it seems word about his current situation has spread.
"And also he got admitted into Namer school for the Awakened," Onyanko said. Eren glanced at Onyanko to gauge his expression. There was something about his tone that Eren had noticed.
"Sounds like you don't approve of me going to Namer," Eren said.
"You're a skilled fighter," Onyanko said. "You're probably one of the best Martial arts fighters I've come across. You defeated me, without the use of Mana."
"What about it?" Eren said not understanding where he was going with it.
"You could go pro. I thought with the proper use of an Enchanted tool, you might have a decent chance at going all the way. And now that you've awakened to Mana, I figured you would-"
"Go pro," Eren said. The hot simmering light of the sun fell on Eren while the gentle pull of the river's surface mirrored the sunlight, making it look like the river was glowing. A single memory was planted in Eren's mind as he decided to give Onyanko his answer.
"Sorry but I have no intention of being a MMA fighter," Eren said. "I've always had a dream, and it has nothing to do with becoming a professional MMA fighter."
"What's your dream," Onyanko said. An image of a black haired warrior in a black metal armor.The majestic figure that had filled an eight year old with joy at the marvelous feat she had performed.
"To become the strongest in the world," Eren said simply.