My Pheonix System

​“Huh…. You're still at 1 star?” The teacher’s voice echoed in disappointment as he stared at Lucian's essence results displayed on the screen. “At this rate, Lucian, you'll never become an official hunter,” sighed the teacher, shaking his head.

​“Why can't you be like your peers? You need to put in more effort so you can earn your place if you want to qualify for a decent hunter academy and become useful to society,” he reprimanded him. “Harry is already in the late stages of 2 stars. Why can't you be more like him and match even a fraction of his effort?”

​Lucian’s jaw tightened as he met the teacher's eye for a second. “Ok teacher, I understand. I'll try harder,” he assured him reluctantly before turning back toward his seat.

​Commotion erupted through the crowd. Some burst into laughter while others whispered.

​“I guess trash will always be trash.”

​“Seriously, what’s the point? Dead weight like him won’t last a week in a portal!”

​“HAHAHA…. I don't even know why he keeps trying. It's obvious he's got no talent… if I were him, I'd just give up and focus on school. At least he'll get a job as a construction worker.”

​“Damn, that was mean…. Hahaha.”

​The classroom made a jest of his talent. Every mocking laugh tugged at the strings of his heart. I train using breathing techniques and physical exercises every day, yet my strength isn't improving. I keep wondering why fate keeps playing these games with me, he thought to himself.

​Suddenly, a hand firmly grabbed his shoulder and gave a few reassuring taps. “Don't listen to their bullshit, Lucian. As far as I am concerned, whatever they're saying doesn't matter. I know we’ll figure this out.”

​“Harry, how? What haven't I tried? My mana essence doesn't seem to improve.”

​Lucian's sense of helplessness was justifiable. Despite all his training and meditation, his cultivation showed little to no progress. Most of his classmates were already in the mid-stages of 2-star or nearing advancement into 3-star—the official stage of a hunter—while he remained stuck at 1-star, the very beginning, no matter how hard he tried. At this rate, his dreams of becoming the number one hunter were fading.

​In the hunter world, rank meant everything. Higher ranks translated to more opportunities and resources; lower ranks were treated as the dead weight of society.

​Hours later, school was over. The sky was getting dark, though Lucian barely noticed. The two boys walked the winding, quiet side roads back to their orphanage.

​“Look, you’re coming with me to the hunter academy. I’ll make sure you can stay nearby. We’ll train every night.” Harry’s optimism, fueled by his genius talent, felt like a distant fantasy to Lucian.

​“You don’t get it, do you? You're at the peak of 2-star; soon you will breakthrough to 3-star. You don't understand what it feels like to be me. I don’t belong there.”

​“Then we change that! You and I, we always planned this. I’m not leaving you behind. We’ll start tomorrow. I’ll show you the advanced Mana Circulation techniques I learned.”

​“They won’t work on me because I have a low mana pool, Harry… You know that.”

​Harry sighed, stopping to face him. “Then we’ll find something that does. Don’t quit on yourself because of some number, Lucian.”

​As they continued walking, their route led them into a sudden alleyway. A figure stepped out from the shadows, blocking their path. His face was hidden beneath a hood, and he wielded a crude, jagged axe. His clothes were torn in places that suggested a recent struggle.

​“Don’t move,” the man snarled. His voice was hoarse and desperate. “The Association’s lap dogs are on my trail. You two,” he said, pointing the axe at them, “will make fine hostages.”

​Harry stepped in front of Lucian, his hand already glowing with a swirling sphere of blue light. “You're one of those rogue hunters on the run. Get lost,” he hissed. “Stay back, Lucian.”

​“Feisty, huh? Have it your way then.”

​The man sneered and lunged. Without hesitation, Lucian shoved Harry away from the path of the attack, taking the blow cleanly on his chest. The force slammed him into the stone wall, causing a violent gush of blood to erupt from his lips. The pendant around his neck clattered, blood seeping across its silver surface.

​His vision blurred. So this is how I finally end up, huh?… Tsk. I didn't even get the chance to see what I could’ve become. All because I’m too weak. Damn it… I can’t.. I… I don’t want to die.

​Before he could focus further, he lost consciousness.

​“NOOOO…. Lucian!” Harry’s scream tore through the air. Fury ignited within him.

​The man sneered. “Pathetic… one down already. Now, be a good little boy. Don’t try to play hero… there’s nothing you could do to stop me.”

​“Shut up, bastard,” Harry retorted, trembling with rage. Sparks burst across his arms, swelling into arcs of lightning. His eyes locked on the rogue hunter; if looks could kill, the man would have died a hundred deaths.

​“A mage brat? Luckily for me, you're the perfect hostage.” The man dashed forward, his axe coming down in a savage, whistling arc.

​Harry sidestepped, a streak of lightning lashing from his palm to force the man back. “You picked the wrong guys to mess with,” Harry growled, blasting bolt after bolt in rapid succession.

​The rogue deflected the strikes with his axe, desperate to carve out an opening to counter-attack. But Harry gave him none. His mana surged, lightning condensing in his palm into a spear of crackling blue current. With a sharp thrust, he unleashed it—

​CRAAAKK… BOOM!

​The spear smashed into the rogue’s axe, ripping it from his grip and hurling him to the ground as sparks sent shocks through his body.

​Moments later, two hunters in heavy armor arrived at the scene. Harry stood there, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, while the rogue hunter lay moaning in pain. Spotting the unconscious Lucian lying limp in a pool of blood, their eyes widened.

​“Damn it… he went after some kids.”

​“Quickly, cuff him before he causes more trouble. We’ll sort this out back at the Guild.”

​One of them knelt briefly by Lucian, checking his pulse. “He's still breathing... quickly, let’s wrap things up. This'll get ugly if the officials catch wind.”

​Harry rushed over and dropped to his knees beside Lucian, panic breaking through his fury. Blood ran down his friend’s face, but his chest still rose and fell. “Stay with me, Lucian,” he whispered, clutching his shoulder. “You’re not leaving me here. Not like this.”

​For the first time in Harry’s life, his heart was crushed by despair. But in the depths of Lucian's subconsciousness, a message appeared:

​[ Conditions met. ]

​[ You have been chosen as host for the Phoenix System. ]

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