Chapter 4: First Day
He saw a handsome boy who seemed close to his age, based on his appearance and build.
"Eh?" the boy echoed.
Jin Feng wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. The boy seemed to be mimicking him. Feeling the situation was awkward, Jin Feng stayed silent.
"Self Healing Magic," the boy suddenly said.
"?" Jin Feng didn't respond.
"It's a type of healing magic that only works on the caster," the boy explained.
"Only on the caster? Not on others?" Jin Feng asked, frowning.
"Haha, yeah. That's why it's the lowest type of healing magic," the boy replied.
Jin Feng's heart sank at the words. His magic spell was Self Healing Magic? It couldn't heal anyone but himself? The lowest D-rank?
"Argh! What kind of crime did I commit in my past life?!" Jin Feng thought, his eyes and face turning pale, almost like an emoji.
"Leo," the boy said.
"Huh?"
"My name. You?" Leo said, extending his hand.
"Jin Feng, Jin Feng," Jin Feng replied with a smile, shaking Leo's hand while lost in the thought of his ability which to be honest was too low for him.
"Don't be sad," Leo seems to have noticed Jin Feng's mood as he let out with a light smile, "you do know even the lowest type of magic can upgrade as long as one keeps learning and researching on how to utilize it, right?"
---
A week had passed.
"It's okay, Kuya. The important thing is you're now a full-fledged magician," Anya said excitedly.
"Haha, you seem more excited than I am."
"Of course, Kuya! I'm so happy for you. I hope I can become a magician too."
"Don't worry, there's a high chance you'll become one as well."
"Really, Kuya?"
"Well, I'm not sure, but based on a book I read before, if the father is a magician and the mother is an ordinary person, a daughter has a higher chance of developing Hollow Cell Symptoms."
"Yay! I'm so excited to become a magician!"
"Haha, what kind of magician do you want to be if that happens?"
"I want to be a magician who fights monsters!"
"Eh?"
"What's wrong, Kuya?"
"Nothing, nothing, haha."
"Hmph!"
Li Mei overheard the cheerful conversation between her children and smiled. She glanced out the window, gazing at the bright moon. The weather was clear, with countless stars twinkling in the sky. Tears rolled down her cheeks, though her lips remained curled in a smile.
"Dear, wherever you are, please guide our children," Li Mei whispered.
A moment later, she looked at the clock on the wall. The short hand pointed at 9, and the long hand was between 6 and 7.
She realized her children had school the next day.
"Jin Feng? Anya? Kids, go to bed now. *Cough! Cough!*"
"Okay, Nay," Anya said, approaching her mother and giving her a tight hug.
"Goodnight, Inay."
"Goodnight, my little one," Li Mei said with a smile.
"Nay, how are you feeling?" Jin Feng asked his mother.
"I'm fine, anak. Don't worry too much. Have you packed your things?"
"Yes, Nay, I'm all set. I'll do my best to find a way to earn money there to help you."
Li Mei smiled at her son's kindness.
---
Carrying a large bag on his back, Jin Feng headed early to EMRMHS (East Middle Region Magic High School). He wore a new black-and-white dress suit uniform with a logo of a flaming, winged globe on the left chest, paired with black pants.
Jin Feng checked the watch on his wrist and sighed in relief, realizing he'd arrived just in time. He went straight to the auditorium, where all the students were gathering. When he arrived, the place was almost full. People were happily chatting in various groups, discussing different topics. Jin Feng found an empty seat and sat down.
"Hey!"
"?!" Jin Feng jumped at the shout from beside him. He turned and was stunned by the beauty of the girl next to him. Her lavender hair was tied in a ponytail, and her striking green eyes were captivating.
"M-me?" Jin Feng pointed at himself.
"Who else!" the beautiful girl snapped.
"W-why?"
"Get up! That seat's for my friend."
Jin Feng noticed many eyes turning in his direction. The girl's shout had drawn attention.
"S-sorry," he said, quickly standing to find another seat.
*"Countryside folks…"*
*"Weird guy…"*
*"Maybe a mentally ill guy…"*
*"Hahaha!"*
Jin Feng overheard various mocking whispers. He didn't know whether to laugh or feel sad. People were making a big deal out of something small—a typical Filipino trait. He found a single empty seat in the second-to-last row.
*Nice, there's one vacant seat.*
*Yawn!* The boy sitting next to it yawned and blocked the empty seat with his hand as he noticed Jin Feng approaching.
"Excuse me," Jin Feng called out to the boy.
*Yawn!* The boy yawned again, not even glancing at Jin Feng.
Jin Feng gave up and stood alone at the back.
This caught the attention of Fang Jue's group.
"Fang Jue! Fang Jue, it's Jin Feng!" one of them said.
Fang Jue looked in the direction his friend pointed and grinned, whispering something to his two companions.
A moment later…
"Hey! SUKAMAN! I mean, Jin Feng bro!" one of Fang Jue's friends shouted loudly, echoing through the auditorium.
"Huh?! IHIMAN, I mean, Jin Feng!" another yelled, drawing even more attention.
*"Sukaman?"*
*"Ihiman?"*
The whispers grew, further shrinking Jin Feng's sense of self.
*BWAHAHAHAHAHA!*
*"Isn't that the mentally ill boy?"*
*"That's Weirdman!"*
*HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!*
The mockery and mockers multiplied. Jin Feng's face turned as pale as bond paper from embarrassment. He didn't know where to hide to avoid the attention.
*"Look, guys, he's turned into Snow Whiteman!"*
The direct insults continued. Almost every move he made was turned into a joke. The taunts came in various versions, each more humiliating. He wanted to run home, but he endured it for his family. He had promised to lift them out of poverty and heal his mother.
*TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!*
A high-pitched tone from the microphone silenced the barrage of mockery. A beautiful older woman took the stage and gave a speech that lasted about 20 minutes.
Next, a first-year representative student stepped up. She had long, dark hair, a graceful figure, and a stunningly beautiful face. Both male and female students were captivated by her beauty, swallowing hard. It was as if a goddess had descended from the heavens, her every movement elegant.
"Mi…na?" Jin Feng whispered in shock.
Jin Feng knew this girl. She was the reason Fang Jue bullied him even more. She was also the girl who stole a kiss on his cheek. Jin Feng glanced at Fang Jue's direction, and as he suspected, Fang Jue's eyes were heart-shaped. But it wasn't just Fang Jue—almost all the male students, and even some female students, had heart-shaped eyes. Jin Feng was stunned. To him, this was…
*Haa (sigh)! Bad news!* he muttered to himself.
---
When Mina was still in elementary school, she often hung out at the park with her friends. She was always surrounded by them, laughing and having fun. But in truth, she preferred to be alone, craving privacy.
Mina was an only child. Both her parents were professional magicians—her father a leader of one of the top 10 strongest magician guilds in the Philippines, and her mother an S-rank magician. They were extremely strict, leaving Mina with little privacy, whether in their palace-like home or outside. She was always accompanied by five personal maids wherever she went.
One day, they went to the park to hang out. A young boy was sitting in their usual spot. Her friends frowned and tried to shoo him away, but he ignored them, staring up at a tree. They decided to leave and let the "weird kid" be, planning to return the next day.
The next day, the boy was still there, still staring up at the tree, as if frozen. He was in their favorite spot again. Unable to take it, Mina's male friends punched and kicked the boy.
On the third day, the boy was still there, in the same position, staring at the tree. The only difference was that he now held a two-meter stick. Mina frowned, wanting to ask him why he had the stick. But…
A highbreed cat with two tails and red eyes suddenly leaped onto a tree branch.
The "weird" boy stood up. Mina's friends thought he was about to attack them in retaliation for the previous day, but what happened next shocked them. The boy swung his stick at the branch where the cat was. Startled, the cat leaped away and vanished in a flash.
Mina felt a surge of anger at what the boy had done.
"Hey! Why did you try to hurt that cat?!" she demanded angrily.