Magic Awakening: "Prayer"

In the blink of an eye.

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, the instant before the beast claw could grab his head, Noah swiftly crouched, planted both hands on the ground, and swept a powerful leg kick toward "Elfman's" ankle.

Off balance, "Elfman" stumbled forward. Seizing the opportunity, Noah pushed off the ground and delivered a reverse roundhouse kick, sending the burly man airborne.

That brief moment of suspension left the beast-king-controlled "Elfman" no room to exert any force, and Noah's attack came in an instant.

Under Mira's shocked gaze, the suddenly appeared man used sharp leg techniques to kick her brother around like a ball, interspersing punches between kicks.

So fast, so fierce—among the mages Mira had seen, in pure physical combat, only the drunkard uncle and that volatile "Thunder Dragon" could compare.

"Elfman" flailed his arms wildly, but couldn't even touch Noah's clothes, while he himself was beaten dizzy by the storm of fists and feet.

Until a precisely aimed chop struck the side of "Elfman's" neck, and the instantly unconscious beast finally hit the ground.

Seeing Elfman's arm revert to a human arm, Noah, not even out of breath, relaxed his guard. He understood the monster controlling this burly man had disconnected.

"All that strength, but no skill in applying it. Wasted talent." Shaking his head, Noah gave his assessment.

Not that he looked down on Elfman, but from appearances, this muscular guy looked at least twenty-seven or twenty-eight. In Noah's eyes, his potential was just so-so.

By then, Lisanna had come back to her senses, a bit of color returning to her pale, frightened face.

Watching the ferocious "Elfman" from moments ago lying unconscious on the ground in just two or three minutes, and her savior had taken him down without even using magic.

Her teary eyes blinking, Lisanna said gratefully, "Big brother, thank you for saving us."

Noah nodded. Compared to the very jailbait-looking one, he was more interested in the other white-haired girl. After all, in his original world, this beauty was a regular on Welfare Weekly covers.

Mira, leaning against the rock wall catching her breath, saw her savior looking at her and spoke first, "My name is Mira. Thank you for saving my little brother and sister. Can you tell me your name?"

Same name. Sure enough, parallel world counterparts.

"Yeah, I'm Noah."

Noah nodded, then asked in confusion, pointing at the fallen man, "What did you call him just now? Little brother?"

"That's right, Elfman is only sixteen this year." Mira didn't understand what was so puzzling about that.

The hell he's sixteen?!!!

What sixteen-year-old minor builds a frame like that?!!

But then Noah thought again—Earth-land was rich in magic. In this magical world, such development might not be that strange.

Mira seventeen, Elfman sixteen, Lisanna fifteen.

After learning the ages of these three white-haired siblings, Noah, also eighteen with white hair, couldn't help marveling at such a coincidental encounter.

If you only looked at appearances, the four of them could easily be mistaken for a family. If Noah hadn't come from a parallel world, he might have thought this was a novel trope of long-separated family reuniting.

Mira's injuries were serious. The superficial wounds were nothing, but the crushing grip of the beast king's giant palm had caused severe internal damage.

Noah couldn't help with that. All he had on him, besides the clothes on his back, was the "Dragoon" his old father had given him before the "Anima" transported him. This war machine had no healing capabilities.

While Lisanna bandaged Mira and Elfman was still unconscious, Noah finally had a moment to look around.

Right after being transported, he'd seen Lisanna naively "rushing to her death." With lives at stake, the newly arrived Noah had no choice but to save her.

With each breath, a massive amount of magic particles converged toward Noah.

He was the only human in Edolas with magic inside him, but also unable to replenish it due to magic depletion.

Noah closed his eyes, greedily absorbing the surrounding magic, like a parched land finally receiving rain's nourishment. Every cell in his body seemed to let out a joyful cry.

Pale white magic flowed like mist, circling Noah in a regular pattern, forcibly drawing in all masterless magic around him.

From the valley to the forest, to the two nearby mountains, countless magic particles gathered into a massive magic storm.

And Noah was the eye of the storm.

Mira and Lisanna watched in astonishment. The magic storm looked terrifying, but it was gentle toward them.

Because it held no hostility.

Lisanna didn't know what was happening to Noah, but Mira did—she had experienced something similar, though not on such a grand scale.

Magic Awakening.

Something every mage in Earth-land had gone through.

This world was rich in magic. Humans were born with magic, but due to differences in magic quality and capacity, most humans were just ordinary people.

Those with slightly stronger magic than ordinary people could learn magic and become mages.

Among mages, a very few would awaken their own magic in childhood. Such magic was usually very powerful.

Take Mira herself—though she and her siblings all had "Take Over" magic, there were differences even within the same magic.

Elfman's Take Over magic was attuned to "Beasts."

But Mira could turn the stronger, fiercer "Demon Gods" and "Devils" into her own power.

Watching the increasingly dense magic surge into Noah's body, Mira grew worried. Magic Awakening usually happened in early childhood. She had never heard of someone awakening magic at eighteen.

And with such vast magic... could his body really withstand it?

Of course it could. Absolutely.

The surging mana continuously filled the youth's parched body, Noah like a dried-out sponge—such immense magical power still wasn't enough to satisfy him.

But everything must know when to stop.

With this kind of commotion, Noah worried it might attract unwanted attention.

Replenishing mana was something he could do anytime, anywhere in this world; there was no need to make such a grand scene.

Besides, he still had to familiarize himself with his brand-new power, his magic—"Prayer"!

Just the name alone made Noah's heart race.

A magic that could grant wishes was bound to bring him endless surprises!

But the next moment, a strange expression appeared on Noah's face.

"Prayer" could grant wishes, yes, but not Noah's own wishes—other people's!!

Through the "Prayer" magic, Noah could accept the wishes of others. The client didn't need to be near him, or even in this world.

As long as their desire for the requested thing was "sincere" enough, their wish would be sensed by Noah's "Prayer" magic.

Whenever Noah completed a prayer commission, he would receive a replica of some "power" or "item" from the client.

Doesn't that mean I'm working for other people?!!!

What the hell kind of wish-granting magic is this—it's basically an endless grind for a wage slave!

I, the dignified Second Prince of the Edolas Human Kingdom, the strongest human warrior of Edolas—there's no way I'm becoming a laborer!

His mind cursed, but his body was honest.

Otherworld Commission

Toriko, a gourmet hunter and supreme glutton and drinker, desires a never-before-tasted ingredient.

Reward: A random completed dish from Toriko's "Full Course Menu."

Time Limit: 30 days

Staring at the prayer commission formed from mana before him, Noah didn't hesitate much before accepting.

As for Otherworld Commissions—wish clients from outside this world—since they came through parallel dimensions, Noah wasn't too shocked.

Turning his gaze to the Beast King's corpse, Noah smiled faintly. The king of magical beasts was still just a magical beast.

Different worlds—surely this gourmet hunter named Toriko had never seen a creature from a magical world either.

Such fresh ingredients had to be handled while they were still hot.

Under Mira and Lisanna's slightly terrified gazes, Noah bloodily tore a chunk of meat from the Beast King's body and stuffed it into his magic, which radiated pure white light.