...
{3rd Pov}
It was the next day, and Astreo had already gone through all the different awakening stones that were available, carefully examining them one by one.
He noticed that while there were stones of extremely high quality that could strongly increase the chances of awakening a specific elemental affinity, there were no stones in existence that could guarantee a one-hundred percent chance of awakening a particular element.
That in itself was frustrating, but Astreo had already made up his mind about which element he wanted to awaken.
For him, it had to be that very element, and there were reasons so obvious that even a child could understand them.
Even though Astreo was capable of awakening magic, he was still just a five-year-old boy.
At such a young age, it would be far more practical to awaken an element that did not rely heavily on physical strength or physical prowess.
It would also be wiser to choose an element that could be hidden more easily.
After all, how in the world was a child supposed to hide something as flashy and destructive as lightning or fire?
If he ever found himself in a dangerous situation, then he would have no choice but to reveal his ability to cast magic in order to protect himself.
And the moment people realized what he was capable of, one of two things would definitely happen—either powerful families would try to adopt him into their household by force, or he would end up being dissected and experimented on in the name of so-called scientific research.
Astreo had no trust at all in government officials.
Why should he?
His own parents' entire heritage and everything they had left behind had already been devoured and stolen by who knows how many greedy people.
In the end, he had been left with absolutely nothing—no inheritance, no property, and not even a trace of wealth.
All that awaited him was life in an orphanage, penniless and with no money or belongings to his name.
To make matters worse, the government could easily come up with excuses to take him away.
They might claim that since he was not of Chinese origin, and since awakening a powerful element could benefit the whole of China and even humanity as a whole, they would argue it was only right to turn him into a test subject for the greater good.
In reality, it would simply mean turning him into a lab rat against his will.
Of course, Astreo was not naïve.
He understood that even if he had been living in a foreign country instead of here, the situation would not have been much different.
Human greed and selfishness were the same everywhere.
People would always come up with all sorts of ridiculous excuses to justify their actions, no matter how cruel or inhumane those actions really were.
The worst-case scenario that Astreo had considered was being labeled a calamity bearer and subsequently persecuted by the Heresy Judgement Court.
That alone could have been catastrophic.
Fortunately, he was in Bo City, a place where even the most powerful individuals were, at best, Advanced mages, each specializing in only a single element within the Advanced tier.
The scarcity of truly rare elements in the city worked in his favor, giving him a chance to operate under the radar, provided he was careful.
As long as Astreo exercised caution, trained exclusively within the Dimensional Space created by the system, and focused on a type of magic that was difficult to detect—or at the very least, one that did not reveal him as a magician while still being capable of protecting him in dangerous situations—he could remain relatively safe.
By the time the Heresy Judgement Court even received the first whisper of his existence, he intended to have already ascended to the rank of a Forbidden Mage.
At that point, he would have mastered multiple elements at that tier, all enhanced by Heavenly Seeds, and possessed spells up to level eight imbued with Emperor essences.
Even if they dared to confront him directly, he would make them understand why one should mind their own business and not mess with cheaters like him.
Given his specific circumstances, the best element for him to awaken was undoubtedly the Psychic Element.
Its advantages were clear: it was extremely difficult to detect, and incredibly versatile and useful in almost any scenario.
Even Advanced mages would be able to detect, at most, a faint psychic aura, and even then, they would be unable to identify the true source or the individual responsible for it.
Moreover, most Advanced mages in Bo City were stationed at either critical locations or the wealthier areas of the city, making it exceedingly difficult for Astreo to encounter them directly.
Psychic Magic also carried a deadly advantage over conventional magic.
Unlike elemental or physical attacks, psychic spells struck directly at an opponent's mind and spirit, bypassing all forms of physical defense or barriers entirely.
This made it not only efficient but also a tool that could decisively neutralize threats before they even had a chance to act.
For Astreo, it was the perfect balance between stealth, power, and survivability—exactly what he needed to ensure he could grow strong without drawing unwanted attention.
To ensure that he would awaken the Psychic Element without any risk of failure, Astreo decided to make full use of the system's fusing and enhancing functions to create an Awakening Stone that carried a guaranteed one-hundred percent chance of awakening that specific type of magic.
He had already experimented with the process yesterday, carefully familiarizing himself with the steps.
First, he needed to clearly specify exactly what kind of upgrade or enhancement he wanted. Once the instructions were given, the system would begin automatically mixing, fusing, and refining resources of similar types, combining them with precision until it produced the item exactly as he had designed it.
He had even gone to sleep while leaving the system running, trusting it to work autonomously overnight.
When he woke up the following morning, the process had been completed, and the stone he had envisioned was ready and waiting for him.
[Emperor Psychic Awakening Stone: Crafted using Mind-Calming Grass, Soul Heart Grass, and a fusion of an existing Psychic Awakening Stone, this item guarantees a one-hundred percent probability of awakening the Psychic Element. In addition, the awakened element comes with a default twenty percent strength multiplier, acting as a pseudo-innate talent that permanently enhances the power of the user.]
Upon seeing the system notification, Astreo felt an overwhelming surge of excitement and almost wanted to jump up and perform a celebratory duck dance.
After all, what he had accomplished was unprecedented: he had successfully created the only Awakening Stone in existence with a complete one-hundred percent chance of awakening a specific elemental magic.
On top of that, it carried an additional bonus of a 1.2x multiplier to the element's strength—a benefit that would apply universally, in any situation, and in every corner of the world.
This multiplier was not something to be taken lightly, as it would stack directly upon his spiritual attainment.
To put it into perspective, a person with Spiritual Attainment level 9 would normally have magic roughly 18 to 22 times stronger than someone at Spiritual Attainment level 1 within the same tier.
With the stone's multiplier applied, Astreo's magic would instead reach a strength between 21 and 26 times stronger than the average practitioner at his tier.
The implications of this were staggering.
Even if we consider the average boost granted by a Heavenly Element Spirit, which usually provides a multiplier of 20 times, Astreo's Psychic magic would maintain a consistent boost of 24 times at minimum.
What made this even more remarkable was that this advantage was not limited solely to the Psychic Element.
Any future elements he awakened using similar customized Awakening Stones would also benefit from the same type of multiplier, meaning that with each new element he mastered, his power would continue to scale exponentially.
This single achievement, therefore, not only guaranteed the element he desired but also provided him with a permanent, reliable edge over nearly every other magician in existence.
It was a breakthrough that would secure his advantage in both safety and combat, giving him unprecedented control over his magical development from the very beginning.
Looking at the resources that had been used to create the Emperor Psychic Awakening Stone, Astreo quickly understood why no one had ever successfully created a 100% guaranteed specific-element Awakening Stone before.
It was not due to a lack of human ingenuity or inability to research such items. On the contrary, humans were fully capable of developing them.
The real reason was far more practical: it simply was not cost-effective.
The materials required were far too rare and valuable to justify using them for a single-purpose item.
What exactly were Mind-Calming Grass and Soul Heart Grass?
These were not ordinary herbs or common magical ingredients.
They were considered treasures of the highest order, capable of boosting a practitioner's spiritual attainment to level six or even higher.
Their market value reflected this rarity and utility, ranging anywhere from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars per unit.
To use these invaluable resources simply to manufacture a single Awakening Stone that guaranteed a 100% chance of awakening a specific element was, in practical terms, an enormous waste of wealth and resources.
Few individuals—or institutions—would ever consider it worth the risk.
Astreo also realized that most of these high-quality Awakening Stones were generally single-use.
Unlike the lower-quality stones often owned by magic schools or other institutions—which could be used multiple times because they were part of an Awakening Stone Matrix rather than a standalone stone—true, high-grade Awakening Stones were consumed entirely upon use.
This further explained why 100% guaranteed Awakening Stones had never been produced: the cost was prohibitive, the materials rare, and the outcome consumable.
Another key factor was the tiered requirement of Awakening Stones.
To awaken magic at a higher tier, the Awakening Stone had to be of higher grade than those used for the previous tier.
This escalating demand for increasingly rare and high-quality materials made it even more unlikely that anyone would attempt to create a stone that could guarantee awakening a specific element.
No one had ever been willing to sacrifice such extraordinarily precious resources merely to achieve certainty.
The special Awakening Stones designed to increase the chance of awakening a particular element were already extremely expensive to manufacture, and even they were considered a major investment.
While a mage's knowledge and understanding of magic could advance over time through study and practice, the availability of magical resources could not.
Magic resources were finite and could not be produced indefinitely.
Even the most common magical materials, such as magic crystals, had to be mined from the earth or harvested from magical beasts.
There was no other practical method.
After all, in a world where science was dismissed as fantasy and nonsense, and where technological infrastructure like trains, cars, and machinery relied on magical energy, there was no substitute for the actual, tangible resources needed to sustain such systems.
Every magical item, every crystal, every herb was a limited commodity, making the creation of a one-hundred percent guaranteed Awakening Stone not only prohibitively expensive but also exceedingly rare and impractical.
Astreo grinned from ear to ear as he stared at the system's notification, excitement bubbling inside him.
Just as he was about to get lost in his thoughts, he suddenly heard an aged, familiar voice calling out sharply, "Aster? You haven't brushed your teeth yet? Why are you just standing there like an idiot? Come on, hurry up and brush your teeth, or there will be no breakfast for you!"
The warning was firm, filled with the kind of authority that brooked no argument.
Undoubtedly, it was Grandma Yu, the devoted and tireless caretaker of the orphanage where he lived.
She had been looking after the children for many years, and her dedication was evident in every aspect of her daily routine.
Bo City itself was not a particularly large or wealthy city, and the orphanage reflected that reality.
Funding was extremely limited, barely enough to cover everyone's basic needs, including food, clothing, and shelter.
The government did provide free education for the children, which was helpful, but beyond that, there were no luxuries or extras.
Everything was carefully managed, with the most basic essentials being the priority.
Grandma Yu was effectively the backbone of the orphanage.
She was the sole permanent, dedicated caretaker, responsible for the well-being of all the children on a day-to-day basis.
While there were a few volunteers who helped occasionally, they were inconsistent and could not provide the same level of attention and care that she did.
Her family name was Yu, and according to Chinese customs, when speaking to elders, it was customary to address them using a respectful title such as "Uncle" or "Aunt," followed by their family name.
This form of address was a sign of respect and acknowledgment of their authority and experience.
Children of the same age group, or those to whom the elder had explicitly given permission to use their given names, could address them more casually.
Astreo had gradually learned some of these aspects of Chinese culture during his time at the orphanage.
Of course, compared to the culture of his previous world, the understanding here was not particularly deep or elaborate.
There were practical reasons for this—referred to simply as 'Monsters.'
In a world constantly threatened by dangerous creatures and unpredictable magical phenomena, the focus of society was on survival and basic cultural norms, rather than in-depth traditions or ceremonial practices.
"Grandma Yu! I'm coming!" Astreo called out quickly, his voice filled with both excitement and urgency.
Without wasting a second, he dashed toward the sink area where a toothbrush holder stood, neatly organized with individual slots for each child.
Every toothbrush had a small sticker on it clearly indicating the name of the child to whom it belonged.
Astreo's toothbrush, of course, had the name "Aster" printed on it.
He grabbed it, squeezed an appropriate amount of toothpaste onto the bristles, and began brushing his teeth with determined focus.
Finally, after finishing his battle against the most vicious enemies of mankind—germs—he rinsed his mouth and wiped his hands.
With that small but important victory accomplished, he made his way to the central dining hall.
The room was orderly, with tables and chairs arranged neatly in rows, clearly divided to accommodate different age groups.
Since he was five years old, he was considered capable of eating on his own without assistance from the volunteers.
From where he stood, Astreo could see some volunteers patiently feeding the younger children, teaching them proper table manners and guiding them in how to eat without making a mess.
The orphanage had a total of twenty-nine children at the moment, including himself, though its maximum capacity was forty-five.
Despite the modest number, the dining hall was always lively and bustling with energy during meal times.
Astreo quickly took a plate of food for himself and headed toward the table designated for his age group.
At his table sat five other children, ranging in age from five to eight years old.
Normally, children aged five and six would be grouped together, but because the orphanage had relatively few children overall, they sometimes combined age groups to fill tables.
The older children were patient enough, and the younger ones, like Astreo, adapted quickly to the slightly mixed environment.
Grandma Yu, her eyes sharp yet warm, glanced in his direction and addressed him with her characteristic authority.
"Aster, arriving early is important for discipline. Without discipline, how can you ever hope to become a magician? Don't you want to become a magician?" Her words carried weight, and the tone she used naturally drew the attention of everyone present in the dining hall.
All the children paused in their movements, and even a few of the volunteers momentarily stopped what they were doing to listen, demonstrating the respect Grandma Yu commanded in the orphanage.
For the children in the orphanage, discipline had been instilled in their minds from the time they were toddlers.
Even Aster generally followed the same routine as the other children, completing tasks and adhering to schedules with remarkable consistency.
However, compared to the others, he was granted more free time and flexibility, primarily because he learned and adapted far faster than his peers.
His capacity for understanding and mastering tasks at such a young age had not gone unnoticed, and in fact, Grandma Yu had extremely high expectations for him.
She had envisioned a future where he would earn a scholarship and eventually become a mage.
In her mind, even if he only reached the level of a Beginner mage, she could feel a sense of relief and security knowing that his future would be relatively stable.
To her, becoming a mage was not only about cultivating magical power—it also represented a guarantee of respect and social standing.
With the ability to practice magic, Aster would no longer need to worry about finding work or struggling to support himself; he would have opportunities that most ordinary citizens, and certainly most orphans, could only dream of.
Of course, for ordinary people and children like those in the orphanage, gaining admission to a magic school was incredibly difficult.
The process was rigorous, requiring applicants to pass a highly competitive magic exam with top grades.
Even before that, they needed to undergo initial testing for magical aptitude, which determined whether they were even eligible to be considered for enrollment.
Only those who demonstrated sufficient potential and intelligence had a realistic chance of progressing further.
It was generally observed that children who were exceptionally smart or quick learners during their early years often possessed enough innate spiritual force to allow their magical abilities to awaken.
For Aster, as long as he applied himself to studying diligently, it was theoretically possible to earn a scholarship into the city's prestigious High School for magic.
Of course, considering who he truly was and his plans to awaken a powerful element just a few days later at the age of five, such conventional concerns hardly mattered to him at all.
His potential far exceeded what any ordinary magical education could provide at this point.
Even so, Aster did not feel the need to act rude, arrogant, or indifferent toward Grandma Yu.
After all, she was the reason he had a safe place to live, regular meals, and some semblance of stability in his young life.
While some caretakers in orphanages might exploit their positions, treating children poorly while pocketing subsidies for themselves, Grandma Yu was completely different.
She genuinely cared for all the children in her care, treating them fairly, with patience and concern.
Her dedication and affection were evident in every action, and this had earned the respect and quiet admiration of Aster, even if he didn't always show it openly.
"Of course I will, Grandma Yu! I will become the strongest mage that has ever lived!" Aster replied enthusiastically, his childish voice brimming with confidence and determination.
Grandma Yu gave a small, approving nod, her lips curving into a gentle smile as she observed the boy's excitement.
"Whatever, Aster. Now eat your food, and try to be punctual in everything you do… If you ever feel sick or unwell, don't hesitate to tell us right away," she added, her tone firm but caring, reflecting the years of experience she had in taking care of children.
Astreo nodded obediently, picking up his utensils and starting to eat with a focus that bordered on seriousness.
Once he finished, he carefully took his dishes to the sink, where older children and volunteers would assist in washing them.
The process was organized, and everyone had their roles, ensuring that the daily chores were completed efficiently without causing any disruption to the orphanage's routine.
Soon enough, time passed, and the morning study session began.
During these sessions, the children were taught simplified Chinese and English, alongside some fundamental concepts of magic theory.
The magical curriculum was designed to introduce them gradually to the basics: what magic elements existed, their classifications, their tiers, and the fundamental principles governing their use.
The knowledge was heavily focused on laying a foundation, explaining concepts like Basic and Advanced Elements and the three recognized tiers of magic: Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced.
These sessions were not overly complicated but gave the children enough understanding to recognize magical phenomena and begin conceptualizing their own abilities.
After the study session concluded, Astreo was granted free time to play or pursue activities of his own choosing.
This period of freedom was particularly significant for him, as it provided the opportunity he had been waiting for: the chance to awaken his magic.
Yet even in this moment of personal ambition, he was cautious. If he left the room, even briefly, there was a risk someone might notice his absence.
Simply claiming a trip to the toilet could only serve as a temporary explanation; if he spent too long away, it might raise suspicion or prompt concern that he was feeling ill.
Astreo did not want to cause any unnecessary trouble for Grandma Yu, fully aware that she had other children to care for and could not devote her full attention to his secret endeavors.
However, before actually attempting to awaken his magic, Astreo decided he wanted to try something first.
'Say, System, is there any way for me to awaken two or more elements at once? Could you create an Awakening Stone like that?' he asked, his mind racing with possibilities.
After all, if he could awaken multiple elements simultaneously and had virtually unlimited resources at his disposal, it would only make him stronger, far beyond what a typical mage could achieve at his age.
[Plausible. It would require creating a completely new Awakening Stone. However, Master can awaken a maximum of two elements per tier.] the System replied in its usual calm, mechanical tone.
'Why only two? Why not three or four?' Astreo asked immediately, a hint of frustration in his voice.
With no shortage of resources, he saw no reason to limit himself.
The more elements he could control, the greater his advantage would be, and the easier it would be for him to dominate his magical development.
[The strain on Master's soul would be too great...] the System explained.
Astreo could only let out a long, disappointed sigh.
Even so, the fact that he could awaken ten elements over time would still give him a significant advantage against other Forbidden-tier mages, making him an exceptionally dangerous force even if he followed the two-element limit per tier.
Finally, accepting the constraints, he instructed the System to begin fusing the necessary resources to create an Awakening Stone that would not only guarantee the awakening of two elements simultaneously but would do so with a one-hundred percent success rate.
As for the specific elements he chose, there was no hesitation.
He selected Psychic and Space elements.
Since he could not simply upgrade these elements through brute force methods, such as using higher-grade Spirit or Soul-level element Spirits like some other magic elements, he knew he would need to cultivate his abilities through the development of Psychic Attainment.
Thankfully, the advantage of Psychic Attainment was that it was universal—it enhanced not only all grades of magic but also elements that required spiritual cultivation for mastery.
This made it an ideal choice for someone planning long-term growth and versatility with their first element as Psychic.
(A/N: I am intentionally skipping a detailed explanation of why the Space element is the best choice. To avoid wasting words on theory, the story will continue forward.)
While the other children were playing outside in the warm morning sunlight, Astreo quietly picked up a book and walked over to the library.
Fortunately, the room was completely empty, providing him with the perfect environment for undisturbed study.
He settled down in a corner and began reading one of the freely available books on magic knowledge.
Awakening magic was never an easy process.
Beyond innate talent, a mage required a solid understanding of magical theories, spell structures, and meditation techniques to successfully channel their spiritual force.
Even the most naturally gifted individuals could fail without proper preparation. Fortunately, the System had filled in all the gaps while he was sleeping, ensuring that Astreo had mastered all the necessary theoretical knowledge in advance.
This preparation meant he could focus entirely on the practical aspects of awakening, confident that he understood every underlying principle needed to succeed.
After some time, approximately twenty minutes of casual reading and preparation, a notification from the System caught his attention.
The tone of the alert was crisp and unmistakable.
[The Divine Grade Awakening Stone of Space and Mind has been successfully synthesized.]
Astreo's heart raced as he mentally issued a command to the System to display the full description of the newly created stone.
[Divine Grade Awakening Stone of Space and Mind: This Awakening Stone is capable of awakening both the Psychic and Space Elements with a one-hundred percent guarantee, provided the individual possesses sufficient spiritual force. In addition, it grants a pseudo-innate talent bonus of 1.5 times, permanently enhancing the user's elemental abilities.]
'Damn! A pseudo-innate talent bonus of 1.5 times! This is incredible!' Astreo thought in his mind.
For a brief moment, his native language from his previous life slipped out without his realizing it.
"Abb khela hobe—ahem, wrong country," he quickly corrected himself, though the words had already escaped.
(A/N: Translation: "Now we will be playing the game." or "That's what I am talking about")
After taking a moment to collect his excitement, Astreo gave the System a set of precise instructions.
He wanted to ensure that he could reappear anywhere within the orphanage and leave quickly if anyone began to notice his absence.
Planning his movements in advance was crucial; even a few seconds of delay could risk someone discovering that he was gone.
Once everything was set, he took a deep breath and activated the teleportation command.
In an instant, the familiar surroundings of the orphanage vanished, replaced by the clean, limitless space of the System's dimension.
Here, he could proceed with his awakening without fear of interruption or observation, safely isolated from the outside world.
The moment he had been preparing for had finally arrived.
To be continued...
(A/N: Give me powerstones!)