Chapter 2: Heaven Path Soul
Mateo was confused. Jack and Emma were even more confused.
All of them doubted what they had just heard.
Alice’s request?
Mateo had to become her boyfriend?
What kind of request was that?
Wasn’t this... too good to be true for any man?
This had to be some kind of illusion after seeing Alice.
"You don’t need to ask for my reasons. You only need to answer yes or no. If you agree, you won’t just get three tests—I’ll support you until you succeed. And you can ask for something else as long as it doesn’t trouble me," she continued calmly.
Mateo’s eyes kept blinking uncontrollably.
He was still trying to process it, to make sure this was real—and not a dream.
Even though he was a good-looking man himself, with a handsome face and slightly wavy white hair that added to his charm... in this city, there were plenty like him.
Sure, he knew it wasn’t strange for a woman to ask a man out here.
But this woman wasn’t just any woman.
In fact, no man would refuse.
Even a gay man might say yes if the woman was Alice Habsburg.
Still... there were too many strange things about this.
Mateo couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if they actually started dating right after their first meeting.
"Mateo, Mateo..." Jack whispered, nudging his waist and giving him a look that clearly told him to say yes immediately.
But Mateo wasn’t that kind of man.
"What kind of relationship would this be?" he asked Alice.
What if he was just being used for something?
"I can’t say for sure yet. But I can guarantee I won’t harm you. For now, we’ll just date—and after that, we can try to build the relationship."
"Mateo, why are you still thinking? Just agree already!" Jack said impatiently, clearly restless.
Mateo scratched his head, unable to think clearly.
"Alright..." he finally nodded to Alice.
Meanwhile, Emma stood there, her expression completely frozen.
Alice showed no particular reaction—no smile, nothing.
She opened the small bag on her desk and took out a transparent pen-like device with a tiny needle at the tip.
There was a small amount of liquid inside.
It was, of course, a Magic Awakening Test Device.
"Give me your hand," Alice said.
Mateo did.
Alice held his hand—her touch soft, sending a strange sensation through him—before pressing the needle into his wrist.
The device immediately began blinking with green and red lights.
Normally, the process took at least a minute. If it turned green, it meant success.
But in less than three seconds, the green light stopped.
DING!
(Your Magic Awakening is successful. You can enter the Magic World with your mind!)
A mysterious voice suddenly echoed in his head.
"Success." Jack was stunned. "Isn’t this too fast for an Awakening?"
Succeeding on the very first attempt was already extremely rare.
But the real issue was how fast it had happened.
"Maybe this means he already had talent from the beginningor a few moments earlier, an unintentional and unnoticed awakening," Emma said, her face full of amazement.
She had heard of even rarer cases from Alice.
And now, Alice herself was looking at Mateo much more seriously.
Jack only grew more impressed.
"Hurry, Mateo—enter the Magic World and check your talent. You must’ve gotten something incredible, succeeding on the first try—and that fast!" he said.
"Later..." Mateo didn’t seem that curious.
He looked at Alice and asked, "Can my other two test devices be converted into money?"
Their relationship already felt too awkward to think about.
But money was something he wouldn’t forget.
It would help with his living expenses.
"3300 dollars. I’ll transfer it," Alice nodded.
Hearing that, Mateo quickly took out his phone—an old one with only 3GB RAM.
He only used it for messaging, banking, and browsing—nothing more.
His bank app showed a balance of 500 dollars, given by the university for living expenses.
When the QR code appeared, Alice transferred the money immediately.
His balance rose to 3800 dollars.
"Give me your number," Alice said afterward.
Even if their relationship felt strange, it had already begun.
Of course, they needed each other’s contact.
Mateo gave her his number and instantly received a message from her.
Now he had her contact—something countless people would want.
"Can I go back now?" Mateo asked.
"Why not? I’m not stopping you from going anywhere," Alice replied calmly.
After that, Mateo left, dragging Jack along—who clearly didn’t want to leave just yet.
Once they exited the university building, Jack grabbed Mateo’s shoulders and shook him repeatedly.
"Tell me—what’s your secret? Did you already know Alice or something?" he asked.
"How would I know?" Mateo gave a bitter smile.
"I really don’t understand what just happened."
"There has to be something..." Jack refused to believe it.
"There really isn’t," Mateo replied.
Before long, they returned to their dorm.
"Jack, please don’t tell anyone about this," Mateo said.
He felt it wouldn’t be a good thing if others found out.
Even though Jack was convinced Mateo was hiding something, he still nodded.
"Fine. But try entering the Magic World now. You’ll see—it’s definitely a real world," Jack said.
"Alright." Mateo was a little curious now.
"Do I just think about entering?" he asked.
"Yeah. You’ll fall asleep instantly," Jack replied.
Mateo then focused his thoughts on entering the Magic World.
Immediately, his vision turned dark—then a light appeared, forming a screen before him.
DING!
(Welcome to the Magic World, chosen Earthling, Mateo Allen. Here is your data:)
(You possess the Heaven Path Soul (SSS Class Soul), the strongest soul that allows you to influence the Path of Heaven as long as it has energy. Whatever you desire—be it an object or an event—can become reality as long as there is sufficient energy.
The energy of your Heaven Path Soul can be replenished by defeating enemies. Your current energy is 75 points, and there is no limit to how many energy points you can have. If what you desire are only minor things, it will not consume any energy!)
(Warning: Before you reach a level of power where you can control your soul’s power, your soul will operate automatically, following the desires that arise in your mind without you being able to control it.)
[Magic Realm: Mortal]
[Spiritual Energy: 0/1000]
[Spiritual Energy Accumulation: 0]
[System Points: 0]
[Soul:]
Heaven Path Soul > 75 (SSS Class Soul)
[Body: Ordinary]
[Element Affinity: None]
[Bloodline: None]
[Codex Magica: None]
[Magic Technique: None]
(Menu Phone)
(Magic Realm: Increase your magical power, starting from Initiate, then Adept, Archmage, Second Archmage, Grand Magus, Archon, Transcendent, Emperor of Magic. The higher your realm, the stronger you become!)
(Spiritual Energy: Energy from the Magic World that can be transformed into anything depending on your mastery. The greater your Spiritual Energy, the greater the power you can unleash!)
(System Point: Points that you can obtain by doing various actions, which can be exchanged for upgrades to anything within yourself that can be improved!)
(Soul: One of your magical talents. The higher its level, the easier it is to comprehend magic laws, while granting mysterious abilities!)
(Body: One of your magical talents. The higher its level, the easier it is to absorb Spiritual Energy and gain extraordinary abilities!)
(Element Affinity: Your connection to certain elements, allowing you to directly convert Spiritual Energy into elemental power!)
(Bloodline: Power inherited from your ancestors, hidden within your blood, which you can awaken through effort!)
(Codex Magica: a method created by experienced Magi to shape the core power of magic. Mastering higher classes also makes it easier to absorb Spiritual Energy!)
(Magic Technique: Methods to release your power into structured attacks!)
(Menu Phone: A feature that connects your Earth phone to the System!)
