Chapter 1
1000 light-years away from Earth, there was a peculiar planet called Echoplanet. Echoplanet was almost the same size as Earth, possessing similar gravity and atmosphere. Even the inhabitants resembled humans in appearance and build. The difference was that all living beings born on Echoplanet were naturally endowed with the ability to practice magic.
In this world called Echoplanet, peace and tranquility were not the only things present. The shadow of the Dark Alliance loomed over the land, a powerful force composed of fallen dark magic users, who coveted the other nations. To survive in this perilous land, three nations – the Element Kingdom, the Healer Kingdom, and the Warrior Kingdom – each developed their unique paths. The Element Kingdom commanded powerful elemental magic, the Warrior Kingdom was known for its brave and skilled warriors, while the Healer Kingdom, lacking in combat prowess, could only rely on their exquisite healing abilities to survive in the cracks, barely maintaining a fragile balance.
The story begins in an ordinary village in the Element Kingdom. Our male protagonist, Ukko, was born into a poor farming family. In the Element Kingdom, only those who awakened elemental power at the age of five were qualified to attend school, study, and even learn magic. Ukko's parents, having not awakened any elemental power, could only toil away at hard labor day after day.
Ukko's father, Akka, was a taciturn farmer, his dark skin covered with the marks of time. He diligently planted vegetables and fruits for the landlord every day, earning meager wages in return. Ukko's mother, Lilia, was a gentle and virtuous housewife, her rough hands managing the household chores and mending clothes. The main source of income for Ukko's family was Akka's meager earnings, barely enough to make ends meet.
When Ukko was born, Akka and Lilia originally thought that their child would be like them, an ordinary person unable to awaken elemental power. Until this day on Ukko's fifth birthday...
King Orlando of the Element Kingdom, in a chance encounter, witnessed the scene of farmers working hard under the scorching sun. Unable to bear the sight of his people suffering so much, he issued a decree: all children born in the Element Kingdom must go to the Awakening Hall at the age of five to awaken their elemental power. Regardless of status or wealth, all must participate in the awakening ceremony, hoping to change the fate of the poor.
On Ukko's fifth birthday, he woke up before dawn. He put on the coarse cloth clothes mended by his mother, ate some coarse bread, and was taken to the Awakening Hall with the children in the village. There were a total of nine playmates from Ukko's village, some were the landlord's sons, dressed in bright and beautiful clothes; some were poor children like him, with apprehension and expectation on their faces.
The Awakening Hall was located in the center of the village, an ancient stone building with mysterious runes engraved on the walls. The air was filled with a faint magical energy, making people feel both excited and nervous. Ukko clenched his fists tightly, feeling both fear and anticipation in his heart. He was afraid that he would be unable to awaken elemental power like his parents, and he also expected to have the power to change his destiny like those powerful magicians.