CHAPTER 13
After escaping from Clark's clutches, Grey ran as fast as possible back home, boosting his pace with his wind magic.
The elemental energy allowed him to sprint faster and more efficiently while also helping him avoid any unwanted encounters with people on the streets.
He kept on running, occasionally using the specific wind spell he had mirrored from Clark to propel his body forward in powerful lunges.
Contrary to the common belief that constantly casting spells would drain a mana core rapidly, Grey's internal reservoir had already expanded well beyond the average mage's capacity; consequently, he could utilize the skill repeatedly with much more ease than before.
Finally!
After several minutes of intense exertion, Grey arrived in front of his shabby house, which looked as though it were perpetually on the verge of collapsing.
Stepping inside, he immediately perceived a sweet, savory aroma wafting through the air, making him aware that his mother was home and busy preparing dinner.
"Mom! I'm back," Grey called out.
His mother, Clara, soon appeared, walking out from the kitchen with a worn-out apron tied snugly around her waist.
"Grey! Where have you been?" Clara asked, her eyes scanning him for injuries.
"I went to train," he replied simply.
"Train? Train for what exactly?" Clara questioned, stepping closer to her son.
"I was trying to see if I could finally unlock my magic powers," Grey answered.
"Honey, you know that the tests showed you don't have an affinity, so why are you stressing yourself out like this?" Clara said softly, reaching out to pat him gently on his shoulder.
"I know, Mom, but I just feel like if I practiced more, I might be able to discover something dormant," Grey said, intentionally contorting his face to make it look somber and convincing.
Grey still hadn't informed his mother that he had successfully unlocked his magical potential.
He kept the secret of meeting the legendary First Mage to himself, along with the shocking revelation that he possessed five distinct affinities—a feat that made him exponentially stronger than any average sorcerer.
Clara sighed, seemingly having given up on trying to talk some sense into him.
She was about to head back into the kitchen when Grey stopped her in her tracks.
"Mom! I got something for you," he said.
He reached into his worn-out pant pocket and produced a small, clinking pouch.
Clara looked at her son skeptically, wondering what could possibly be inside the bag, until Grey jiggled it.
The metallic ring made her eyes glow with sudden realization.
"Is that what I think it is?" she asked breathlessly.
She inched toward Grey, snatched the pouch, and jiggled it herself before peering inside to confirm the contents.
"Yup, it's money," Grey said with a proud smile.
"Silver coins? Grey, where did you get these from?" Clara asked, snapping back to reality with a look of concern.
"I earned it, Mom," Grey replied smoothly.
"How the hell did you earn twelve silver coins, Grey?" Clara questioned, her tone sharpening with maternal suspicion.
Grey took in a deep breath and decided to narrate the same fabricated story he had told the shop vendor earlier.
After a minute of carefully weaving his lie, Grey sat down.
"I see. So you came across a dead beast while you were out training. After carving the skin out, you went to sell the hide and brought home the proceeds," Clara summarized, processing the tale.
"Yes," Grey replied firmly.
Clara heaved a massive sigh of relief.
She had been terrified that her son was involved in something dangerous or illegal to acquire such a significant sum.
Hearing his explanation, she felt comforted and returned to the kitchen to continue preparing their evening meal.
'Phew! Thank goodness she was convinced,' Grey thought, leaning back in relief.
'I could see the genuine smile on her face when I handed her that pouch. It has been such a long time since I saw her look truly happy.
If I want to keep seeing that expression, I had better man up and support this household just like Dad did.
I can't let her carry all the household responsibilities on her shoulders alone.
I need to assist her, and for that, I require a steady job or a reliable source of income. But where the hell do I even start looking?' He paced around the small, cramped living room, his mind racing with possibilities.
Eventually, he tiredly retreated toward his room, still pondering his next move.
'That will have to wait for now. For the moment, let me practice the fire magic spells I studied at the library,' Grey decided as he reached his bedroom door.
Pushing the loose knob, he walked inside his room and then he was momentarily blinded by a colossal flash of white light.
After a few seconds, he slowly peeled his eyes open once he realized he didn't feel any pain or discomfort.
Looking around, he confirmed that he was still in the familiar confines of his room and hadn't been transported elsewhere.
"For a second there, I thought the First Mage was about to whisk me away like he did that day in the forest," Grey said with a light chuckle, but a sudden noise interrupted his thoughts.
Another white light manifested in the center of the room.
This time, however, it wasn't quite as massive or blinding.
Although it remained bright enough that Grey had to shield his vision with his hand, the radiance was miniature compared to the previous occurrence.
"What the hell is going on? Am I about to be attacked?" Grey thought frantically.
He began swirling the mana around his body, activating his fire magic around his knuckles, prepared for any threat.
Finally, his sight returned.
The white light standing in the middle of his quarters slowly receded to reveal a single man.
He wore a flowing white gown, and his long beard and hair billowed as if being stirred by an invisible wind, despite the stagnant air in the room.
Recognizing the figure, Grey simply sighed as he cancelled his fire magic and allowed his muscles to relax.
"Oh! It's you," he said nonchalantly.
"What?" the man exclaimed, sounding slightly offended.
"I recall the other day when you discovered who I was; you were practically groveling at my feet, and now you are acting this indifferent?"
Grey sighed and walked toward the man standing in the chamber, looking him directly in the eye.
His next actions caught the elder completely off guard.
"Oh, please pardon me, Great Mage!" Grey said as he performed a slow, exaggerated bow.
"You can rise," the mage replied, shaking his head.
The visitor was indeed the First Mage, the legendary figure who had originally revealed to Grey that he possessed such unique magical affinities.
"What brings you here?" Grey asked, taking a seat on his bed.
The First Mage clicked his fingers, and an ornate, white throne-like chair materialized directly in front of Grey's mattress.
After sitting down, the First Mage decided to address Grey directly.
"I won't beat around the bush because I don't possess a lot of time right now, so I will get straight to the point. Grey, I have been observing you for the past two days since you unlocked your potential," the mage stated.
Hearing this, Grey quickly wrapped his hands protectively around his body.
"You silly boy, I do not watch you when you are bathing or things like that!" the mage shouted, and Grey finally relaxed his posture.
With a heavy sigh and a shake of his head, the mage continued.
"How did a silly human like you obtain these amazing powers? Regardless, we have been monitoring your progress, and I must say, I'm impressed by what I've witnessed—especially when you battled that Level 3 beast using only wind magic.
That was truly remarkable, and I can see you becoming incredibly formidable in the near future. But it isn't enough. I am here to tell you to grow stronger quickly, because they are starting to make their moves."
"Making their moves? Who are you talking about?" Grey asked with a raised brow.
"The Otherworlders," the mage answered, his voice turning grave.