"You're much weaker than I thought."
"Huh? Who—?!" Jasmine flinched, her heart lurching.
But before she could even grasp what was happening, a sudden presence prickled at her right side.
A chilling alarm burst through her senses.
"Ah!!"
Instinct took over. A primal surge of survival electrified her every nerve. The kneeling Jasmine twisted sharply and hurled herself sideways involuntarily, crashing onto the dusty earth with a heavy thud. The impact sent plumes of fine particles billowing like startled spirits into the air.
In the next heartbeat, her hands clawed at the soil; fingers dug deep into the loose terrain like talons, dragging her backward in frantic bursts, scraping nearly a meter away in a haze of raw terror. Sweat mingled with the grime on her skin as her breath became ragged and shallow.
But when she spotted the young man in her former position, a wave of relief washed over her, easing the vise around her chest. Her pulse slowed from its thunderous gallop to a wary rhythm.
Jasmine exhaled a deep sigh of reprieve, "Hoh…" the breath escaping her lips in a visible puff against the cool night air. '...It's just that bastard,' her shoulders sagged as the adrenaline ebbed, leaving her limbs heavy with residual tremors.
"...Hm?!"
Jasmine jolted once more. Her emerald eyes widened in astonishment as a strange emptiness settled around her. At that moment, she couldn't sense any trace of the mana suppression from before. The crushing weight that had moments ago threatened to pulverize her spirit suddenly vanished, plunging her into a whirl of confusion. Her brow furrowed as she probed the anomaly.
But the puzzle didn't linger for long; clarity pierced the fog swiftly as her gaze soon fell on the luminous veil enveloping her form — a transparent golden sheath that shimmered with ethereal warmth, casting prismatic flecks across her skin.
'Wait a minute... it's that bastard's mana telekinesis spell! Why is he using it on me again?! What did I do this... ti-me...'
When Jasmine realized the transparent barrier was forged from the young man's mana telekinesis spell, she flared with indignation. A surge of rage ignited in her chest. Her fists clenched hard at the presumption of being bound again in that vulnerable moment.
But abruptly, she noticed, despite the spell's hold, she could move her arms. The discovery sent a ripple of bewilderment through her.
Soon, her rage dimmed, replaced by a quiet but restless curiosity.
"Did you use your mana telekinesis spell to protect me from their mana suppression?" Jasmine inquired as her gaze locked onto the young man's azure depths for truth, her voice steady yet laced with probing intrigue.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"If I didn't, you would've coughed up all the blood in your body and died and... I need my guide alive."
"........"
The young man's response silenced Jasmine. Her lips parted in mute contemplation as his pragmatic candor struck her with a blunt force.
She knew the young man was telling the truth.
A while ago, the way Jasmine had been coughing up blood due to those mana beasts' mana suppression — if she were a mere mortal rather than a mage, death would have claimed her already. The proof stained the earth at her previous spot — nearly three liters of her lifeblood pooling in dark, viscous puddles.
Had the young man not intervened with his mana telekinesis spell to shield her from the mana suppression, even her fortified mage's body would have succumbed to the blood loss eventually.
Jasmine's gaze remained fixed on that blood-soaked patch of soil.
"Stop staring at your blood and treat your body first."
The young man's words yanked her from her reverie.
Swiftly, she placed her right palm above her space storage and poured some mana in it. Soon, a small glass vial brimming with crimson liquid materialized in her palm that swirled with vital luminescence. It was a healing potion. She drank the contents in one gulp. The potion coursed through her, mending torn vessels and soothing ravaged tissues.
A warm feeling enveloped her form as vitality returned. Her pallor faded to a healthier hue, breaths deepened with renewed strength.
"Why is your body weaker than those third-circle mages?" the young man asked, genuine curiosity lacing his tone.
His question wasn't without reason. The three adventurers lying nearby were all third-circle mages. Though they had fainted from the roars of the level-five mana beasts, their bodies bore no injuries. However, Jasmine, a fourth-circle mage, had coughed up blood and suffered internal damage. It made little to no sense. Even if her near-fainting could be excused, the difference in their physical condition gnawed at the young man's thoughts.
Cough! Cough!
Jasmine coughed again, though no blood followed this time. The healing potion had done its work; her internal wounds were fully mended. Her complexion, once pale and strained, now carried a faint trace of color.
Jasmine rose slowly, wiping the residue of her blood from her chin with her trembling hand.
"Thank you for saving me."
She expressed her gratitude, lowering her head.
The young man merely regarded her in silence.
Jasmine grasped his intent, He didn't want to ask the same question twice.
"In the past, circumstances forced me to use external methods to forcibly make the fourth-circle. And the side effects made my body weak."
"........"
The youth fell silent for a moment, his expression a blank canvas. Then, he suddenly spoke, "...Well, everyone has their circumstances, I guess." His cold expression softened for an instant, only to be replaced by the same. "But, it's a pity that you couldn't even endure a level-five mana beast's roar."
"...Eh? Mana... beast?" Jasmine murmured under her breath, her voice a faint echo.
"HOLY SHIT, I totally forgot about those mana beasts!"
Jasmine whirled in panic. Her eyes darted to the direction of those mana beasts. She had been so engrossed in that young man that she had completely forgotten about those mana beasts.
Jasmine's sudden outburst drew a faint crease of annoyance across the young man's brow. This was the first emotion that appeared on his cold and impassive face. But Jasmine failed to notice it because her attention was elsewhere at that moment.
.
.
.
"...W-what is happening? Why are they not moving?" Jasmine muttered her thoughts aloud in astonishment when she beheld all the level-five beasts immobilized in their prior stance.
But when she noticed that their entire bodies were enveloped in a layer of golden transparent mana like hers, everything became clear to her. She realized that it wasn't voluntary stillness; they were paralyzed. The young man had used his mana telekinesis spell to bind those level-five mana beasts.
Those powerful mana beasts, whose mana radiating from their bodies could affect the very environment around them, were trembling in fear.
'...Just how strong is he... that he can... make them look like... nothing in his presence?' Jasmine marveled in stunned silence.
From this incident, she could guess a bit more about the young man's power.
Jasmine stared transfixed at those still, colossal mana beasts before her. A strange mixture of awe and dread stirred in her chest, leaving her caught between reverence and horror.
On the other hand, looking at the extremely surprised and frightened Jasmine, the young man pondered, '...What a weird woman! She just gets surprised by everything she sees. Should I... not have chosen her as my companion?'
'Hah... I should've used mana sense at the beginning... Well, its not like I can just lift my mana curse spell right now. I guess, I just have to put in a lot of effort to make her stronger. I had that in mind from the beginning anyway.'
Even if the young man had made a mistake, he had no way to correct it then. He could only blame himself for his foolishness.
"Hey, stop your staring contest and listen—" The young man was about to say something to Jasmine, but her abrupt swivel toward him halted him mid-sentence, his words dissolving as he beheld a weird sight.
This time, Jasmine's eyes didn't have the usual fear and surprise. Instead, her eyes, even her entire figure, were brimming with a kind of admiration and respect. The kind that a follower feels towards their idol.
And right then, without warning, Jasmine shattered all of the young man's expectations. She dropped to her knees before him with lighting speed, her eyes burning with resolve. Hands clasped tightly, she bowed her head and spoke in a reverent tone, "Sir, please take me as your disciple!"
Yeah. Jasmine was overflowing with respect for the very person who had bound her freedom with his mana curse spell. Now she was kneeling before him, pleading to become his disciple, swallowing every last ember of hatred and rage that once burned within her. Did she truly possess no shred of pride?
She did.
But Jasmine knew all too well how rare true opportunities were in this unforgiving world.
And she also knew that the one who encounters such an opportunity yet lets it slip away in the name of pride is the greatest fool beneath the heavens.
So, what was that opportunity — the one for which Jasmine was willing to cast aside even her pride?
It was the chance to grow stronger.
When Jasmine had first been ensnared by the young man's mana telekinesis, she had assumed he was a fifth-circle mage. But that assumption shattered the moment she witnessed him subduing ten level-five mana beasts at once — using nothing but that same spell.
Containing even a single level-five mana beast with mere mana telekinesis was beyond impossible for a fifth-circle mage. Yet he had immobilized ten.
If he wasn't a sixth-circle mage… then who could possibly be?
Moreover, when the young man had claimed he'd fallen from space earlier, Jasmine had dismissed it as nonsense. But after witnessing his overwhelming power firsthand, those unbelievable words no longer seemed so far-fetched.
And considering all that, the possibility of the young man being a seventh-circle mage wasn't low either. After all, as the saying goes — to split mountains and oceans, a seventh-circle mage need not even lift a finger. Such beings stand at the pinnacle of mortal power after all. To them, traversing the void of space might not be a fantasy, but a mere extension of their strength. Although, whether anyone had truly achieved such a feat remained shrouded in mystery.
But Jasmine still had no way of knowing the young man's true strength. Because his power was still hidden due to his stealth artifact. For now, all she could rely on were her own eyes — and what she had seen was enough.
The instant she formed a rough estimate of his power, her resolve hardened. No matter what it took, she would become his disciple. This was a golden opportunity — one that she couldn't afford to let slip away, no matter the cost.
'…He's going to refuse, isn't he? Of course he will. Why would anyone accept a disciple just because someone begged for it? And after the way I acted earlier— Aaargh!!! JASMINE, YOU IDIOT!' she screamed inwardly.
'It's fine… I'm already bound by his Mana Curse spell anyway. He definitely won't release me yet. He'll probably keep me around as a guide for a while… Don't panic, Jasmine! Even if he rejects you now, you'll get plenty of chances later! Stay confident—'
While Jasmine frantically tried to comfort herself, the young man spoke.
"No."
'As expected… Alright, don't lose hope. You can convince him eventually. Besides, you're basically the slave of a possible Seventh-Circle mage now. Even mighty Sixth-Circle mages would envy that. Yes… yes, don't worry. This will work out—'
"But I will train you, so don't worry."
"...…."
Jasmine froze.
It took a while for the effect of what she heard to kick in.
"Eh… WHAT?!" she yelped, snapping her head up.
The young man's expression remained calm. No trace of irritation. It looked like he had already acclimated to Jasmine's chaotic reactions.
Jasmine was stunned beyond breath. Why wouldn't she be?
The young man had just said he would train her, meaning 'teach' her, 'guide' her.
That's the same as thing as being his disciple. The only difference was the verbal agreement. For Jasmine, who was greedy to the core and mad for wealth only to grow stronger, those words were too good to be true.
"S–Sir… you… you're not joking, right?" she stammered, trembling with anticipation.
"No, I'm not. Because as you are now, you would be useless to me," the young man replied flatly.
'So he really did say that!' Jasmine's heart leaped.
'Wait...' the hope from Jasmine's face vanished suddenly. 'Last time he told me that if I answered his question, he would let me go. But in the end he didn't and used mana curse spell on me. And this time, he's saying he will train me. What did he actually mean buy that?' her face darkened. '...He's not gonna trick me into something weird like 'slave training', is he?—'
"I planned to clear up the misunderstanding once we reached the city," the young man said suddenly, "but now seems like a better time."
"Eh? Mis…understanding?" Jasmine blinked, completely lost.