APPRENTICE
Stalane, Syton and Crane met up at the Oserie's tower after they finished buying some materials. As what Syton would usually do, he happily waved at Stalane when they saw her approaching.
"Yo! You brought a company?" Syton greeted.
Stalane was confused at his question. She looked behind her when she noticed that Crane and Syton was looking behind her.
There, she saw the guy that Syton said was staring at her when they were at the Church.
"Who are you?" Stalane coldly asked.
The guy seemed to feel nervous and got scared at her words. Thus, Syton tried to lighten up the atmosphere.
"Don't mind her, bro. I'm Syton and this cold brat is my partner. Her name is Stalane. The guy beside me is Crane. I already noticed that you seem to be interested with this brat, may I ask why? It doesn't seem like she knows you?"
Stalane glared at Syton,"brat?"
Syton just gave her a look that seems to say "What? Aren't you one?" as he gave her a smile. Stalane just gave a small sigh, thinking that arguing with him would be just too bothersome.
Seconds later, the guy did something that the others was not expecting him to do. Everyone was surprised and was stunned.
"Please help me train and become stronger, Dera Hunter!" the guy shouted as he bowed in front of Stalane.
Stalane's eyes widened. She could only mutter, "Eh?"
On the other hand, Syton who was witnessing this couldn't help but to laugh.
"Dera Hunter? That was Stalane?" Crane whispered on the side as he recall the rumors roaming around before.
"I was one of the member of the party that you've helped before when a rank 2G Epivlavis Pedecent attacked us at the Aflavior forest. My name is Kerin. I'm an assassin, a weapon class like you" The guy introduced himself.
Stalane tried to recall the event that Kerin had said. That was when she realized why the guy was somehow familiar to her.
"Oh, the party that doesn't have any synergy" Stalane savagely described the team that she first met when she got teleported at Leouve world.
Kerin's face turned red in embarrassment at her comment.
"I... admit that we really were not that good. That is why, I want you to train me! I want to become stronger!" Kerin said.
Stalane waved her hand in front of her. "I can't help you on that"
"Why?"
Stalane sighed. "Firstly, I don't know how your class works here. Secondly, I don't know how to teach. You should just go and look for someone else to help you"
Stalane then turned her back from Kerin. She walked inside the tower and Crane followed her.
Syton stayed to comfort the guy. He patted Kerin's shoulder as he whispered to him, "Don't worry about it. If you really want, you could join us to the Astro's Labyrinth. You can then try to convince her along the way"
"Astro's Labyrinth? Isn't that a dangerous place?"
Syton sunnily hummed, "Hmm! We have a quest there. If you join us, I think it'll be funny to see Stalane's reaction"
---
"So? Why is that guy here?" Stalane impassively asked Syton after they teleported to the Ichi tower.
Syton shrugged, "The more, the merrier?"
Stalane rolled her eyes. "I'm just warning you, that guy is absolutely useless and weak. I don't even want to start remembering all the flaws they've did while fighting that dera"
"Then that's more a reason why you should just teach him how to properly fight" Syton said in a joke manner.
"Why don't you teach him instead? Now, that I think of it. I think you should teach this guy's friend. I think he is a swordsman like you" Stalane sarcastically answered back.
"You mean, Blaze? He is currently at Aflavior town" Kerin interrupted.
Stalane sighed. "Crane, bring him back. This guy will just give us trouble"
But Kerin was stubborn. He was determined to get Stalane teach her.
"The next Brave Challenger Games is getting nearer. I need to get stronger by then. That's why, I'm begging you to please help me" Kerin said one more time.
Stalane got really have an urge to slice the guy's head off.
"Listen here, I'm only a 5H rank braver. You're even a higher rank than me. Why do you---"
"The way you fight tells otherwise. The moment you easily killed that dera before, I knew that you were a powerful braver" Kerin cuts her off.
Syton nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I got to agree with you on that bud. You have a good eyes in evaluating someone"
Stalane closed her eyes tightly. "Argh! Whatever!" she gave up. Now that Syton was backing up the guy, she can't even bother to argue anymore.
She just noted to herself that whether Kerin dies or not along the way, it won't be her responsible.
That is how Kerin joined the adventure towards the Astro's Labyrinth with Syton and Stalane.
When everything was already set, Crane bids his goodbye. The party also started walking out of the Ichi tower.
"Say, who is this Blaze guy? Stalane mentioned that he is a swordsman. Is he good?" Syton asked Kerin.
Kerin then looked at Stalane. He was hesitating if he should compliment his friend or...
"He's no good either, although he is better than this guy. I think he's path of the sword or whatever is fire. Since, I saw that his sword lits on fire before. In terms of strength, you'll definitely crush him without even moving a single step" Stalane was the one who answered his question.
Kerin who was listening was surprised at what he had heard. He believed that his friend is already a good swordsman, considering how fast he ranks up.
But what surprised Kerin more was how he compared Blaze and Syton's strength. He can't believe that Syton would be that powerful for Stalane to say such things.
Kerin secretly looked at Syton who was just now teasing Stalane.
He was also pretty sure that Syton is just a 5H braver when he used notitia earlier at them.
But if it was Stalane who said so, then...
He breathe in before he shamelessly asked. "Then Syton, could you teach my friend to become stronger too?"
Both Stalane and Syton stopped at his another sudden request. Kerin's heart was beating fast as he was nervous at what Syton might answer.
It was clear as day that they were just strangers since earlier, now he was continuously asking the two for favors.
He was embarrassed but it can't be help...
They need to become stronger.
"Sure! If your friend wants to! Of course, it won't be free though" Syton calmly said.
Kerin face brighten up at Syton's answer. "Really? Thank you! I'm gonna contact him now!"
Syton scratched his cheek. "But, I don't know when I could teach him. We still have this ongoing subquest, you see? I also have many plans that I must do after this quest"
"Then, we could just join you on your quests" Kerin suggested.
"What a bothersome to do" Stalane muttered.
"Sure. If your friend could catch up with us up until tomorrow, then I'll teach him. I could also try to convince Stalane to teach you by then" Syton said.
Stalane just ignored what Syton said. She was sure that Syton was just messing around with her.