Rama Dunstan, having stopped crying, began to think.
No matter what, I have to become strong. But, now it is not for my parents or for Arisa. I need to be powerful enough to defeat a person with 94% affinity, yet my strongest affinity is only two percent. Well, I will persevere.
Quickly, with his new-found will, Rama took an inventory. He had a book on training through the ranks, and how to get into the beginner realm, ranks 1-9 through the Master realm in power level. Power level had nothing to do with the rank of the spirit or any affinities. It was qi generation, essentially,one’s control over their qi and their amount of qi. These were not innate talents, and could be trained through enough work.
Next, Rama had the fine black sword which his father had given him. Since it was quite valuable, and at least as physically strong as his father’s hammer, his father probably wanted it back. But, since Rama had run away from the Mages Guild so fast, he had ended up with it.
Finally, He had 5 silver coins which he had with him before the affinity testing and another 10 that his father had left him with.
Since Rama lacked food, he went into the market to get enough bread and salted meat for a week, all for about 1 silver. The sellers at the stands thanked him and Rama was on his way to the city gates.
If all goes well, it will be at least two years before I return, after all, even those without enough affinity can gain a weakling spirit, but they will still not be able to cast any spells.
Well, in two years, I know Arisa will be starting at the Kingdom’s Spirit Academy so I will go to her to enact my revenge. I cannot forgive her for how she played with me for my whole life. With a few words from her, the brightest spots in my bleak life turned into the darkest. And with my parents words, although they hurt a bit less, still made the rest of my childhood turn into darkness.
At that moment, Rama finally came upon the carriage station. He used 5 silver pieces to buy his way all the way to the Dark Forest.
It was one week's journey in a carriage, so the carriage trip was truly worth the five silver pieces.
Rama had extensively studied the Dark Forest as a child, because he planned to take a training trip there once he got his spirit and became a mage.
However, I guess i’ll be making this trip earlier than I planned. After all, I have a whole two years to prepare and train, so it's best to do it this way.
I can only stay on the outskirts of the forest for now, and only fight lower Beginner level magical beasts and non-magical beasts. But, once I have achieved the upper beginner level, I will venture a little further in. However, no matter how strong I get in these two years, I will never venture near the center of the forest, for I have heard the stories of a beast so strong that even demigods above the 90th rank were seen running at full speed from it, trying to escape. Of course, they were all slaughtered by the beast before they could.
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Once the carriage dropped him off outside the Dark Forest, he immediately disappeared into the trees. Rama found a place to set up camp.
I used up all of my food on the trip here, since I only bought a week's worth. Now, I will truly have to train in order to survive.
After hunting a few ducks and some fowl from outside the forest, he made his ways back in. He cooked the food on a fire which he made after about an hour of figuring out how to rub the sticks together correctly. After all the birds were cooked, he sat them down and started to train. To enter the first level of the Beginner’s realm was supposed to be incredibly simple, no matter your affinities. For most people it would only take a day of training. After all, all you needed to do was sense qi around you and pull it into your body.
After meditating for twelve hours, taking a break, and going for another twelve hours, Rama could still feel no progress. It was as if some power that he could not even touch was forcing the qi away from him. After another break and another session of twelve hours, Rama started getting mad.
Its as if the gods themselves are pushing the qi away from me!
Finally, Rama truly broke, it was just too much, that something so powerful was holding him back from making it to even the 1st Beginner Level. Rama was enraged again, like when he learned the truth about Arisa and his parents. He wanted to cry, but before he got the chance to, everything went black.
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“Hahahaha” laughed the same gravely voice from the affinity testing. “Those three gods really are idiots, by making you so enraged that your mind came to me, they have allowed me to break their curse. After all, what is a mere smidgen of three gods powers to another God?”
“W-who are you?” Rama meekly whispered.
“I am Raas, God of Darkness. There, your curse from the Water, Fire, and Light Gods is finally gone. It was even stronger than I expected, no wonder you couldn't break it yourself” raped the voice, who Rama now knew was a god.
“Why am I here?” asked Rama who had now had a few seconds to gather what little bearings he could in the complete darkness.
“Haha, really too funny boy, you haven’t figured it out yet?” chuckled Raas in response.
“Am I to be devoured by you, or am I to be your champion?” asked Raas in a more polite tone.
“Neither, I, Raas, am unique among the gods, I do not choose a champion, only a successor. That successor is you, although once I show you your affinities, you will be the champions of my two brothers.”
“Wait—.how can I succeed a God of Darkness and be the champion of your brothers? Anyways, who are your brothers and why did I have that curse? What did that curse even do?”
“Okay boy, I see that you understand nothing. Since you will only be here for another couple of minutes, I might as well explain all I can. Don’t interrupt me until I am done.”
“Okay.”
“Well, I might as well start with the basics. As you know, there are seven gods of this world. But what most people do not know is that there are alliances between various gods. For instance, the ones who cursed you, the God of Light, Brahma, the God of Water, Ryong, and the Goddess of Fire, Veena, who chose the one you hate the most as her champion form one side. Myself and my Brothers, Aster, God of Wind, and Zane, God of Lightning form another alliance. Hadvar, the God of Earth, is more of a wanderer, and does not take either side. Oh, wait a minute, let me show you your affinities after you broke the curse. These should clear up why you are my successor and the champion of both of my brothers. Ohh, I guess its time for you to go. See you soon boy, hahaha”
As soon as he heard those final words, Rama was whisked back into the outskirts of the forest, where he quickly took in all of the information that Raas had given him. But, there was one thing in his mind that Raas had not told him, but rather implanted in his mind before his return. How could this be real? But at least Rama now knew that Raas’s words held truth. After all, the affinities that Raas had shown him were proof.
His affinities were held back by the same curse that held back the qi. That curse which was even stronger than Rama had imagined was now gone. His affinities were now:
Fire
WaterWindEarthLightningLightDark0%0%99%49%99%-2%102%
.
Rama knew for sure why he was Raas’s successor and the champion of Aster and Zane. He had 99% affinity for wind and lightning, as well as a greater affinity than Raas himself for Darkness. Each god had 100% affinity for their own element, but Rama had 102% in darkness, making him have more affinity than a god.
I guess that's why Raas said I was his successor...
Since he could now absorb qi like a normal person, well not a normal person, or even a talented one, for without the curse, Rama was now a genius of the utmost extreme, Rama began to train his qi, and practice the sword techniques which he had learned since he was little. But with a small stroke of insight, Rama started to train his left hand more to make it become equal to his right.
Now that my revenge is even a possibility, I will make it happen
That’s what Rama thought as he once again began to train his qi.