Jyang was trying to blow up a rock. Again.
It was noon on the misty hills outside his village, and Jyang stood with his arms pointed at a stubborn boulder. His fingers sparked faintly with electricity—no more than a flicker. He clenched his teeth, muttered a basic Vratsu chant, and thrust his hand forward.
Nothing happened. Not even a puff of smoke.
"I swear," he groaned. "One of these days, that rock's gonna pay."
On his shoulder, a small frog wearing a tiny training bandana rolled his eyes. "You said that yesterday."
"Ursu," Jyang whined, slumping down on the grass. "Why can't I do it? I mean, even a village kid can light a candle with basic fire Vratsu."
"You're not a village kid. You're Jyang, the kid who tries to do fire magic without a fire affinity."
"Not helping."
Ursu sighed dramatically. "Listen. You've got healing. You've got shock spells. That's already something. Some frogs don't even get that."
"But I want to be a sorcerer, Ursu," Jyang muttered. "A real one. Like the guy who saved my village."
A shadow passed over his expression.
Years ago, on a stormy night, a powerful Ru had entered his village. A creature born from despair and rage, the Ru had turned every person into stone. Jyang had screamed, begged, tried every spell he knew, but nothing worked. Not on his sister. Not on his neighbors.
Until a man in a yellow robe appeared, chanting ancient Vratsu, holding a glowing dagger. The stone cracked. Life returned. His sister breathed again.
That moment changed everything.
Since then, Jyang trained. Failed. Tried again. Failed again. But never stopped.
Ursu tapped him with his foot. "You keep wasting your Vratsu like this, you're gonna dry yourself out and die."
"I don't care," Jyang said with a grin. "I just want to become a sorcerer."
At that moment, a gust of wind blew across the field. A folded paper fluttered through the air and smacked Jyang in the face.
He peeled it off. "What the—"
It was a flyer. "Open Entrance Exam: The Dagger Monastery. Sorcerer Candidates Welcome."
His eyes lit up.
"Ursu…" he whispered.
"Oh no."
"This is a sign! A divine sign!"
"Oh no."
"I'm going!" Jyang jumped up. "The Dagger Monastery… I'm coming!"
Ursu groaned. "The Dagger Monastery… they eat little frogs like me for breakfast."