The Cheat Seed

Chapter 2

The eight mages emerged out of thin air, settling themselves around the auditorium. The space twinkled with elegance as they circled into position. These weren't just any mages—they were the top spellcasters in the mainland, named after the planets of the Shock Way Galaxy: Mersol, Reinus, Earth, Shardas, Magmar, Naranas, Regas, and Projeny.

Each carried decades of battlefield experience and magical knowledge that radiated from them like heat from a furnace.

As the mages separated and faced the audience, everyone stood and bowed, positioning their hands in the traditional salute. Ring finger folded down, held by the thumb, hand placed just under the nose covering the mouth, head bowed at a forty-five-degree angle. The gesture conveyed respect, silence, and deference before those of greater power.

When the second hand hit twelve, everyone acknowledged the mages' arrival with another bow before returning to their seats. The awakening circle and globe at the center of the platform began twinkling with pure white light, drawing power from the mages surrounding it.

Three hundred and sixty students from six divisions stared nervously at the mages and the globe. Marcus felt sweat beading on his forehead. This was it—the moment that would define his future.

Within two minutes, the mages had fully activated the awakening globe and circle. The globe's purpose wasn't just to awaken seeds but to boost the chances of awakening good perks. After completing the activation, the mages took their seats in the front row, ready to observe.

Their job didn't end with awakening. Every year, they selected promising students who could strengthen the continent, guiding them toward perfection.

A teacher stepped off the dais after thanking the mages. After a minute of preparation, the Awakening Test began.

Students were called by roll number to avoid confusion. Each would step onto the elevated stage, enter the circle, and wait until it gleamed white.

"First student from Class A, Roll Number 1, Micheal Rorark," announced the teacher.

Micheal stood tall at six-foot-one, with short black hair and barely visible freckles. Though nervousness showed in his stance, his face remained firm as he walked toward the circle.

He stopped at the center, and the circle instantly glinted white. Placing his hands on the globe, he inhaled deeply, his body tensing. With students surrounding him in a circle, he closed his eyes to hide his fear.

*There's no way I'm gonna fall low like peasants. I'm not scared. Micheal, you are not scared!!*

Images of Dave and Marcus flashed through his mind as he thought of peasants. *Yeah, not at all like those two losers.*

After five seconds, the podium began rippling. Multiple flashes of colors twinkled from the globe, captivating everyone in the audience.

Marcus's eyes gleamed through his glasses. *Goddamn, this is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.*

The color festival subsided as the oscillation beneath them ceased. A red flash emanated from the globe clenched in Micheal's hands, and the circle became a pool of red.

"Uni-Unique Seed!!!" Miss Sylvie clamored.

Everyone stared at Micheal, who looked stunned himself. Even a noble hadn't expected such results.

"I bet he feels proud," Dave murmured beside Marcus.

Marcus, awestruck by the glistening red globe, nodded. Then his face transformed with a wicked smile as he turned to Dave.

"Watch me Awaken a Legendary seed."

Dave, digging through his nose, replied sarcastically, "Yeah... Yeah, of course you will."

Micheal received congratulations from friends and girls from other divisions as he returned to his seat.

"I hope girls will talk with me too!!" Dave uttered, gaping at them.

Marcus smacked Dave's shoulder. "Good luck with that, buddy!"

"Shut up bruh, it's not like you have your harem to wash your a*s every morning!!"

"Soon," Marcus retorted with his labeled wicked smile. "Soon... kekekekek."

Time flew as students awakened their seeds. Several Unique seeds emerged and dozens of Noble seeds. Favorably, no Peasant seeds had appeared yet.

Gabriel stood as the teacher respectfully called his name. His green hair fluttered behind him as he smugly approached the podium, girls blushing all around. Being the king's son had its windfall.

Unlike the others, Gabriel wiped the globe with his gold-foiled handkerchief before placing his hands on it.

"Eww, why do I have to touch the same globe which the extras used?" he mumbled.

The podium rattled when the king's son touched the globe. Colors flickered before their eyes, and the ground shook with enough force to demolish a weak building.

When the tremor subsided, everyone blinked and rubbed their eyes. The globe twinkled with bright blue light.

The audience and several top mages gasped.

"It's a...Mon... Monarch Seed," Miss Sylvie dropped to her knees, a festival of expressions flashing across her face. "A MONARCH SEED???????!!!! Yes Sir! He is my student, and I am his homeroom teacher!"

She jumped up and saluted the mages who rushed to her side. All except Mage Earth, who oddly stared at Marcus and Dave across the platform. The boys didn't notice her; their attention fixed on Gabriel, who sneered in their direction.

Gabriel grinned at Marcus and Dave, his eyes carrying ego and pride before shifting to his new girlfriend, Alisha, who had awakened a Unique seed. She blushed and bowed her head with a smile.

The scene made Marcus even more enraged. He was about to stand and scream when Miss Sylvie announced the next student.

"Roll No: 59, Dave Vagner!!"

"f**k!! It's my turn now," Dave bolted upright, releasing Marcus. He slapped his friend. "It's my turn, brooooo!!"

He raised his hand to slap Marcus again, but Marcus, now alert, moved faster.

SMACK

"All the best, bruv."

"He-he," Dave giggled sarcastically, holding his red cheek as he waddled toward the stage.

"Make it quick, I have other things to do," Miss Sylvie snarled at Dave, treating him like an insect now that she had a Monarch Seed awakener in her class.

"Just place your hands on the globe and just get lost," Gabriel implied as he descended the stairs.

He shoved his shoulder against Dave, trying to throw him off balance. Dave's feet gave way, and he fell on his stomach with a thud. Everyone except Marcus laughed.

Dave ignored them, slowly standing and ascending the stairs again with a smile. In his mind, he imagined how his parents would react if he awakened at least a Unique Seed.

*They would be proud!! Yeah, and Marcus would go mad as well... Hehe.*

Dave turned to look at his friend sitting in the back row. His mood improved seeing Marcus strutting and fisting the air while chanting his name. At least his friend supported him.

The circle glinted white as Dave entered. He placed his palms on the globe, entrusting everything into the sphere of glass. Closing his eyes, Dave recalled his cherished memories—time with his parents on the farm and moments with Marcus.

The podium rippled more violently than before, stronger even than when Gabriel awakened his seed. The light flashes grew so bright they blinded the audience. The mages gaped in awe.

The auditorium trembled as gusts of wind blew dust inside.

"What happened?" Marcus asked himself, waving frantically at the dust engulfing him. Despite his glasses, the wind deposited dust into his eyes.

The mages reacted quickly, using wind spells to clear the dust and tidy the stage within seconds.

But something was off. Hundreds of gasps caught Marcus's ears as he wiped dust from his eyes.

He heard shrill noises as he blinked through his glasses. Miss Sylvia had fallen to her knees again, staring at the podium with widened eyes.

Marcus followed her gaze to Dave, who stood frightened, staring at his hands.

Marcus removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes frantically, desperate to see clearly. When he put them back on, he stared at his trembling friend.

Finally, his eyes adjusted to the light shining from the globe.

It was orange.

Like everyone else, Marcus's eyes widened. Even as he tried to hold back, the words escaped his mouth:

"Lege...."

"LEGENDARY SEED!!!???!!!"