"Master…" Sitting at the veranda of his master's lodging, Katran whined into the air. With his eyes glued to the bright, blue skies, one would be unable to tell in just what kind of plight his soul was in.
"What's wrong, little one?" Not expecting an answer to his whine at all, Katran nearly lost his stability when the familiar voice responded unexpectedly.
"Master!" Instantly standing up from the cold tiles of the veranda, Katran's face brightened up for the first time in a long while. 'Now that I finally admitted defeat… Isn't it a bit easier on my soul?' Puzzled by the reason why his mood managed to improve a bit, Katran attempted to formulate a thesis on this point in his mind.
"Stand down, how many times do I need to tell you not to act like that?" Looking at the youth with a mix of scorn and friendly ridicule in his voice, the elder to the developmental affairs of the outer sect smiled. Ever since he had an extensive debacle with that random stranger behind the appearance of that treasure shrine, his mood couldn't be any better.
'If I manage to paint the picture in just the right way…' There was a proper procedure to dealing with Academy as an outsider. Even if some random Joe on the streets would be suddenly enlightened by one of the gods and wished to pass his teachings inside, it would still take a long time for the elders to decide how to profit off it. 'But now? With the shrine already settled? As long as I claim it as my own initiative…' With those slightly shady thoughts appearing in the middle-aged man's head, his mood only continued to soar.
"Master, what do you need me to do, now?" Given how all his attempts to conquer Irea were foiled, Katran suddenly found himself standing at the crossroads. From one side, he could continue to act like the abusive and authoritative veteran of the outer academy, one never capable to reach the inner academy or even a position of a quasi-teacher, not to speak about becoming an elder. On the other hand, he could stop beating himself down due to how long he stood in the same place and attempt to enjoy his situation any bit.
'Rather than bullying others into submission, why won't I do something productive for once…?' In the end, Katran still required to be beaten down so fully and completely to understand this simple truth. Just a few hours ago, he could still consider bullying others as a viable way of expanding his influence. Right now, it was nothing but a waste of time and energy.
"What do I need you to do? What, do you really think I need you for anything?" While his lips still were curved upwards, indicating just how happy his master was, Katran could tell from the utter confusion in his master's eyes that he really meant what he just said.
"Master, with all due respect, but I won't accept the fact that you took me in as your direct disciple… For no reason. With so many people aiming for your favor day and night…" Taking a moment to calm his own emotions down, Katran swallowed a gulp of saliva before looking directly into his master's eyes. "Why me?"
Ever since this great defeat broke the young man's soul, he could find the answer to this simple question. Asked the same question just a few hours prior, Katran could claim with confidence that it was his skills and personality that made this academy elder turn him into his disciple. But now? Katran could no longer make such a haughty claim.
"I… I see…" Startled by the sudden change happening to his disciple, the middle-aged man finally looked at the youth seriously. 'While its easy to disregard the problems of the younger generation, it doesn't mean they are meaningless. For a child, loss of candy is a big matter.' Trying to figure out the best way to answer, Katran's master took his time to sort out his thoughts.
"What I will tell you is just a fraction of the truth but… But it remains clear that you have a huge dose of charisma and dedication." Suddenly coming up with such statements, Katran's master somehow managed to pull the youth from the pits of desperation and depression by carefully stroking his ego. "If not for your wish to instantly see the fruits of your labor, you could easily reach for heights far greater than you could even imagine."
Shaking his head in confusion, Katran turned his head to the side, avoiding his master's scrutinous gaze. 'Just be patient, huh?' This thought alone was enough to reignite the sparks of annoyance within the youth's soul. While not a positive or correct emotion to ride on for long, it still managed to put energy back into the young student's life, even if it would be a life completely devoid of sense or direction.
"Either way, I need you to come with me right away." Waving his hand away as if in an attempt to picture just how little he thought about Katran's problems, the young man's master only managed to put a greater rift in Katran's former respect towards elders and adults in general. While not yet turning into contempt, it was all that far from it.
"Yes, master." Obediently standing up, Katran quickly followed after the departing master of his. Thankfully the travel was short enough for him to just run its course. At such a short distance, Katran would bury himself in the ground in shame if he had as much as a slight problem drawing the next breath after such an easy exercise. Yet, as he raised his eyes towards the place they just reached, Katran's pupils widened in shock.
"Listen well, as this 'humbleness shrine' will soon become the center of the outer academy's weight." Suddenly speaking up, his master didn't intend to hide his own excitement over the matter. Yet, what Katran's master couldn't know, was that the duo loitering around the edges of the shrine was the reason behind the plight the middle-aged man saw his student in!
'Wait, what are they…' This thought was powerful that it soon find its way out of Katran's mouth. "Who are they?" Whispering softly, Katran didn't even notice how his lips moved.
"Them? They are the ones responsible for the appearance of this shrine. What's more, they were even clever enough to organize a third's prince name to vouch for this place." Shaking his head in silent awe, the middle-aged man rubbed his chin before smiling even wider. "Well, that only means this is a serious business. Katran, for now, I need you to go inside and tell me what you think about the effects inside, okay?"
Following his master's words more out of momentum rather than own free will, Katran attempted to pretend he didn't notice the shocked and curious eyes on the duo. He attempted to bother them just a few hours ago only to end up beaten without a single attack. Yet, right now, Katran who was behind the entire ordeal was about to use something they created?
'So the third prince is backing up this place, huh?' Stepping inside, Katran could feel his face suddenly turn hot, as if a wall of warm air suddenly slammed right into his face. But whether it was the effect of the shrine or the influence of this sudden realization that suddenly struck him, Katran couldn't tell. 'That means, this project has to be huge…' As soon as this thought appeared in Katran's head, he suddenly realized where did this strange heat come from. Because right now, just by standing inside the shrine, he could feel all the pores in his body opening only to suck energy comparable to an entire damned grade-one stone directly from the air!
Yet, instead of rejoicing and using this opportunity to cultivate, Katran just stood on the spot, frozen. 'With everything about this place…' His eyes suddenly turned to where Katran imagined the gate to the inner sect to be. Then, his fingers clutched against the token his senior offered him.
'I'm no match for that man, nor for the prince himself. But for those seniors…' With a genuine smile finally appearing on Katran's lips, his hold over the token released as he sat down and started to cultivate. 'No, they won't be able to do anything either… But it wouldn't hurt to tip them off about this place!'