Mystic Collector Of Time

Chapter 2: Starting Point

Time congratulated Jade for winning the best prizes, and out of nowhere, a door appeared. The door had the appearance of a metal circuit, resembling a clock.

Time then said, "Jade, please enter the door, and I'll be on my way."

Jade walked towards the door, bidding farewell to the god-like figure. As he entered the door, he waved his hand, saying his goodbye.

On the other side of the door, Jade found himself surrounded by numerous clocks of varying colors, shapes, and sizes.

As he marveled at the sight, he glanced back at the door, only to find it had vanished.

Jade spent some time walking and wondering what to do when a clock the size of a finger bumped into him. It displayed a creature with one eye and four tentacles. Out of curiosity, Jade placed his finger in this tiny clock and accidentally absorbed the creature.

He couldn't comprehend what had just happened, but he felt as though he had consumed or absorbed it. It seemed to have bestowed upon him a minuscule yet significant increase in power.

Continuing his exploration, Jade found himself face-to-face with a large, transparent clock. Looking into it, he saw his reflection, which hadn't changed at all.

Standing at 6 feet tall, with white hair, white eyebrows, and red albino eyes, Jade's appearance was a result of a genetic condition, despite being pure Filipino.

Upon his left eye, he noticed the mark that Time had mentioned before. It resembled a clock severed by a black hole.

He was amazed at his own beauty, considering he was a man. Jade tapped the clock, and it transformed into a mirror, revealing an image that shocked him.

Back on Earth, Jade was an avid fan of anime, manga, and novels. He loved anything connected to fantasy, science, magic, and mystery.

He sat down and focused his attention on the mirror. It showed an arena with humans engaged in combat.

"Wow! It feels like watching a medieval movie," Jade exclaimed.

He watched match after match, completely immersed in the fights. He discovered that they used magic in this realm.

As he continued watching, he found himself forgetting about his previous problems.

"Fight him!" Jade shouted, caught up in the excitement.

"Dodge to the right! No, now!" Jade shouted, while observing the mirror.

"That guy is foolish; he could win if he dodges in the right direction. Pfft, weak," he commented.

"Go, go, go, Maria! Defeat him!" Jade cheered like an idol fan.

Maria, a skilled and beautiful swordswoman, had captured his admiration. Her full name was Maria Goldfall, the 8th princess of the Goldfall Kingdom and the youngest among her siblings.

He overheard some hateful words directed at her. He learned that Maria didn't receive as much attention as her siblings due to being considered weaker. Her siblings were geniuses who had reached level two with five rings by her age. Nevertheless, Jade admired her swordsmanship.

Ringed swordsmen were warriors who used mana and could perform various mana-based attacks. The number of rings they possessed determined their strength. There were five levels of ringed swordsmen, each level represented by a crystal on their rings. Maria belonged to the first level, with twelve rings. Despite her efforts to advance, she had failed to progress. She was already considered a genius among normal people, but her siblings' achievements overshadowed her, leading to her being treated as inferior.

"What are they saying? She already has twelve rings; she just needs a little push to reach level two," Jade voiced his frustration.

"Who are they to call her trash? She's better than their son, who is still at level one with eleven rings at eighteen years old, the bastard," Jade angrily retorted.

"She's not a b*tch," he exclaimed.

As many duels concluded, Jade felt unsatisfied with the small mirror. Using his imagination, he changed it into a large rectangular mirror, and to his surprise, it worked.

A bright light suddenly beamed out of the small mirror, transforming its shape, which pleased him.

He continued to monitor Maria during the break.

After the break, the final match commenced. It pitted Maria Goldfall, level one with twelve rings, against Alfonso Dragonfield, level two with two rings. The outcome of the match seemed clear due to the level gap.

One of the audience members remarked, "She has come so far; it's a pity she's fighting Alfonso. Anyway, she's still trash."

Another person interjected, "What are you saying? She's strong compared to other twelve-ringed swordsmen. She'll manage for quite some time. By the way, your child is even weaker than her, so shut up."

Some complimented Maria, while others belittled her, but she remained unfazed. She was there because she needed a little hardship to surpass level one, and her best friend, Alfonso, had agreed to help her.

"Alfonso, thank you for helping me. If I fail to advance, I'll just stay as a librarian," Maria expressed her gratitude.

"No, no, it's my honor. I'm your friend, and don't give up, Maria. What would Levia say if you fail? She'd kill me," Alfonso replied.

"Don't worry; if I fail, I'll talk to her later. Thank you, Alfonso and Levia, for your support," Maria responded, waving at Levia in the crowd.

Maria possessed blonde hair, a symbol of the Goldfall royal bloodline, while Alfonso had red hair, and Levia had blue hair.

The referee asked, "Are you both ready?"

They both answered, "Yes!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and shouts as the match was about to begin.

Some girls shouted, "Go, go, go, Alfonso! I love you!"

Levia, angered by this, glared at them, silencing them. She then turned her attention to Alfonso and mouthed, "See me after this match; we'll talk."

Alfonso felt a chill run down his spine, sighing and muttering, "The match hasn't even started, and I'm already done," internally.

At the top of the arena, a woman in black armor and a long hood observed the events unfold.

--End Of Chapter 2--