Mage Ascendant: Urban System Awakening

A Glimpse Of Hope

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the Tyker dumping site. The gruff manager, known for his rough demeanor, scolded Tony as he hauled the heavy, black refuse sack onto the waiting truck.

"Hurry up, you lazy ass!" The manager of the site scolded, his voice piercing the stifling air of the dumping site.

Tony, with sweat beading on his forehead, replied, "Yes, sir." He hoisted a large, black refuse sack onto his shoulder and staggered towards a waiting truck. Among the workers toiling under the scorching sun, he was the only teenager, making him felt isolated.

The dumping site, a minor factory owned by a senior mage official, was a place of drudgery. Its purpose was clear - to clear away all the garbage and waste materials in the city. Tony, a laborer in the factory, had one job: load the accumulated waste into sacks for incineration.

His pay was meager, a daily wage where every bag he loaded earned him a mere 0.5 Dars. Dars was the currency of Tyker, equivalent to a dollar. Tony knew that to provide for his family, he had to work hard.

As Tony grunted under the weight of the heavy bags, he thought about his mother and sister. They were likely hungry; breakfast had been scant that morning. He wiped the sweat from his face with his arm, grateful for the shelter provided by the factory's uniform.

Evening descended, and Tony longed to return home. He needed to earn enough to feed his family. He approached the site manager, a portly man lounging in comfort, nursing a bottle of beer. "I'd like to sign out now, sir," Tony said.

The manager, clearly displeased, retorted, "What is it, boy? You've only worked for two hours."

Tony explained, "I know, sir, but I need to go now. My family must be hungry."

The manager grudgingly handed Tony some money. "Here is your payment."

Tony counted the cash and protested, "Sir, it's just five dars here, but I loaded thirty bags."

The manager's reply was callous, "You worthless brat! Have you forgotten you borrowed an extra five Dars from me yesterday? Well, I've taken my balance."

Tony was dumbfounded. They hadn't agreed to an interest of five Dars. In an attempt to cover his debt, he had worked ten extra sacks. But the greedy manager had just dashed his hopes.

"But still, I'm supposed to be given ten Dars, not five."

"Don't bother me, little thing. Five dollars are for the interest," the manager replied dismissively.

Tony had no choice but to leave, but worry gnawed at him. Five Dars wouldn't buy much; a portion of rice in the market cost seven Dars. How would he provide dinner?

As he departed, a familiar voice called out, "Hey, Tiny!" It was a voice that made Tony's legs tremble. Only his bullies addressed him that way.

Tony turned and saw Flash with four others. They cracked their fists together, eager to exercise their cruel talents on him.

Panicking, Tony stammered, "What... what are you doing here, Flash?"

"I came to pay a visit. Thought we were friends, Tiny," Flash mocked.

Tony slowly backed away, fear coursing through his veins. Flash harbored an inexplicable hatred for him, always seeking to assert dominance.

Flash's gang closed in, and Tony, overwhelmed, made a run for it. But one of Flash's allies, an earth mage, used his powers to reverse the ground, bringing Tony back into their grasp.

"Trying to run after insulting me in front of everyone?" Flash taunted.

"But I didn't do anything... I'm sorry," Tony pleaded.

Flash slapped him hard across the face, and Tony crumpled to the ground, blood oozing from his nose and mouth.

The workers and manager had fled; they knew better than to cross paths with a bully like Flash. Tony was helpless, unable to retaliate against those stronger than him.

"I'm punishing you for two reasons, Tony," Flash sneered. "First, for trying to fight back and humiliating me at school, and second, for not doing my homework."

Tony realized the true purpose of his torment. He had forgotten to complete Flash's homework assignment, lost in the turmoil of his life.

"I'm sorry, Flash. Just give me a day, and I'll have it done," Tony begged, still on the ground.

"You think I'm a fool? I know you were expelled from school for being useless, good for nothing trash, just like the garbages you carry!" Flash taunted, his bloodlust evident.

Flash pulled Tony up by his hair, and Tony's heart raced with dread. He wished he could return even a fraction of the pain they inflicted on him, but it was impossible; they were far stronger.

"I'm going to leave a burn mark on your pretty face so that every time you see it, you'll remember me!" Flash threatened, his hand igniting with flames.

Tony pleaded desperately, tears cascading down his cheeks, as he implored, "No, Flash, I beg of you!" His heart raced, knowing that his very countenance was on the brink of being seared beyond recognition.

Almost at Tony's face, Flash's phone rang. Annoyed, Flash extinguished the flames and answered the call, which happened to be from his father.

"You're one lucky fellow, Tiny. But remember, I'll be back to finish what I started," Flash warned before leaving with his crew.

Tony lay on the ground, his body battered and bruised. The world around him seemed to spin as pain radiated through his limbs. He knew no other life but one filled with hardship and suffering. Tyker, a city of opulence and extravagance, was a cruel place for those without power or wealth.

As he slowly pushed himself up from the cold, unforgiving pavement, Tony couldn't help but reflect on the harsh reality he faced every day. It was a city where talents were distributed unequally, where the fortunate were born with extraordinary abilities that elevated them to the highest echelons of society, while others, like Tony, were cursed with seemingly useless talents. He often felt like an outcast, an anomaly in a society that valued power and wealth above all else.

As he limped through the bustling streets of Tyker, he couldn't help but envy those who possessed the talents that brought them fame and fortune. The fire mages who dazzled crowds with their fiery displays were celebrated and adored, the earth mages who could display there physical strength and command the ground. Meanwhile, Tony's Talent remained hidden, like a precious gem buried beneath layers of dust and dirt.

As Tony pushed through the heavy glass doors of Megatron Supermarket, a wave of fluorescent lights and the cacophony of shopping carts greeted him. It was late, and the general market had long since closed its doors, leaving him with no choice but to brave the steep prices that were infamous at Megatron.

The supermarket was a pulsating hub of consumer activity. Shelves towered high with a dizzying array of products, from gleaming electronics to gourmet cheeses. Shoppers weaved in and out of aisles, their carts filled to the brim with necessities and indulgences alike. Tony's ragged appearance drew disapproving glances from some of the well-dressed patrons, but he was undeterred.

With determination etched across his face, he navigated the labyrinthine aisles, searching for the items on his list, knowing fully well that his pocket was not capable enough. The overhead speakers buzzed with announcements of sales and promotions, but Tony knew better than to be swayed by these marketing ploys. He had a budget to stick to, and it was tight. 

Finally, he reached the checkout lanes, where a line of impatient shoppers stood. As he waited, he couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversations around him. People were discussing their day, their plans, and the newest products they had discovered. Tony felt like a stranger in this consumerist world, a world he had rarely ventured into.

When his turn finally came, Tony approached the shopkeeper, a weary middle-aged woman with tired eyes. She scanned his items one by one, and Tony watched the total on the screen climb higher and higher, his heart sinking with each beep of the barcode scanner. With a sigh, he handed over the few crumpled bills he had earned for today.

The shopkeeper was already irritated. Her brows furrowed as he stared at the crumpled bills Tony had placed on the counter. They weren't even ten percent of the total cost of the items piled up next to Tony.

The shopkeeper's voice was tinged with indignation as she bellowed, "Who let you in here? Security!" Her call for assistance echoed through the narrow aisles of the bustling marketplace. "You can't just stroll in here looking like that and expect to buy all these items for five dars when your bill is thirty-four dars!"

Tony, wearing a worn-out jacket and scuffed shoes, it was his spare clothes he always dropped at the dumpsite. He sighed internally, realizing the gravity of the situation. He leaned in, his voice lowered, and asked, "Alright, what can I get with this amount?"

The shopkeeper considered for a moment before responding, "Two chocolates."

Tony pondered what use two chocolates would be, but he couldn't afford to argue. The weight of his circumstances pressed upon him, and he reluctantly agreed, "Alright, what if I exchange some items with my phone?" He retrieved his battered phone from his pocket and placed it on the counter.

The shopkeeper inspected the damaged phone with a critical eye and finally offered, "How about forty-five dars?"

Tony, feeling a sense of injustice, protested, "But I bought it for ninety-five dars."

The shopkeeper's response was unyielding. "If you won't sell it, you can leave."

Defeated and with a heavy heart, Tony conceded, "Alright, you can have it." As he handed over his phone, he couldn't help but wonder how he had ended up in this predicament, bartering away his prized possession for just a fraction of its worth in a dusty, crowded corner of the marketplace.

As Tony stood at the supermarket checkout counter, his heart pounded with a mixture of relief and anticipation. The cashier handed him his change, and he counted the crisp eleven Dars bills now tucked safely into his pocket. For weeks, he had been scraping together every spare coin he could find, and this extra money felt like a small victory. He thanked the cashier with a nod, and with newfound determination, he turned to make his exit from the bustling store.

The supermarket's sliding doors opened, releasing Tony into the bustling streets of Central Tyker. The city was a whirlwind of activity, but today, his focus was elsewhere. As he navigated the crowds, his mind replayed the news report he had seen on the TV screens inside. The words of the news anchor echoed in his ears, announcing the President's extraordinary announcement.

"The President of Central Tyker, Mr. Danny, has announced a tournament for young mages ranked at least B in talent," the news anchor had declared. Tony had stopped dead in his tracks, his attention instantly captivated. His ears perked up as he listened intently, his eyes fixed on the supermarket's window, which displayed the news broadcast.

"The winner will receive ten thousand Dars, with five thousand Dars and three thousand Dars for the second and third place, respectively." Those numbers seemed almost surreal to Tony. Ten thousand Dars could cover not only his mage academy fees but also his mother's mounting medical bills and his younger sister's school expenses. It was a dream come true, a lifeline to his family's financial struggles.

Yet, as the excitement swirled within him, Tony couldn't ignore the catch. The tournament required participants to possess a B-rank talent or higher, a level of magical ability he had never come close to achieving. He was a mere grade D mage, far from the caliber of mages who typically competed in such prestigious events.

Nevertheless, determination welled up inside Tony, igniting a silent promise to himself. He would find a way to enter that tournament, to grasp at this unexpected opportunity that had fallen into his lap. The flicker of hope, once dim and distant, now blazed brightly in his heart, and he wasn't about to let it fade away.

With each step he took on the bustling streets of Central Tyker, Tony's thoughts raced, forming a plan to overcome the odds stacked against him. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but the chance to change his family's fortunes was a dream worth pursuing, no matter how impossible it seemed.