"Hehehe, Sain, you did a good job. You brought the mature Starlight Grass that I needed for my upcoming experiment..."
A hoarse voice came from a middle-aged Magician wearing a black robe.
The Magician's face was mostly covered by a large hood, leaving only half of his dry, mummified-like face and a murky yellow eyeball visible.
Facing the intermediate-level Saltwater Crocodile, Sain managed to maintain his composure throughout the battle.
However, in front of this Dark Magician, Sain couldn't help but tremble slightly.
Sain believed that even the most ferocious monster, such as the crocodile, would become as docile as a kitten, crawling obediently at the Dark Magician's feet with a mere flick of his finger.
This was the power of magic, the majesty of the Dark Magician - a true synonym for terror and despair.
"So, Sain, as Magicians, we generally follow the principle of equivalent exchange. What do you want?"
The Dark Magician, named Mosido, pointed to his Magic wand with his pale finger and asked the boy in front of him.
Taking a deep breath, which caused his wounds to ache, Sain spoke with a humble and respectful tone, "I want to become your apprentice, Mosido-sama, to help you with your problems and to explore the true meaning of magic."
Despite the blood oozing from his chest, Sain's movements and words did not falter.
He bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle and remained motionless until Mosido responded to his request.
The quartz clock, which kept track of the slow passage of time, ticked in the background.
Sain couldn't see Mosido's expression, only the skeletal hand slowly tapping the head of his Magic wand.
The feeling of having one's fate in the hands of another was uncomfortable, but Sain knew that if Mosido was willing to take him as an apprentice, he would at least have a better chance at controlling his own destiny than seventy percent of the magic apprentices in Mosobla City.
He didn't want to end up as a sample on an experiment table at the whim of an unhappy Dark Magician one day.
The wait was long, and the wound on Sain's chest continued to bleed, forming a small puddle on the ground.
Under normal circumstances, desecrating a Dark Magician's laboratory would result in severe consequences.
However, strangely enough, Mosido did not blame Sain for it.
Even Sain, who was fully focused on his request to become Mosido's apprentice, did not notice this detail.
"Ha ha ha, I heard that old woman Angelia and old man Colonso also praised your performance in the magic classroom."
"Why don't you go ask them to be your mentor?" Mosido asked casually, breaking the tense and quiet atmosphere.
Sain had his own reasons for choosing Mosido as his mentor.
However, he knew that his reasons were not easy to explain. He thought Mosido behaved more "normally" than Angelia, who would occasionally go insane, and Colonso, who liked to use his apprentices for magic experiments.
Mosido's main courses at the Dark Magic Academy were "Introduction to Alchemy" and "Basics of Fire Elemental Magic."
Sain's body was particularly compatible with fire elemental magic, and the limited magic knowledge he had was mostly based on fire magic.
Therefore, after much consideration, he decided to apply to Mosido, who had always been low-key at the Dark Magic Academy, to become his mentor.
This included the three Starlight Grasses he obtained at the risk of his life, which were important neutralizing agents in magic alchemy experiments.
For most Dark Magicians, Starlight Grass was not particularly valuable, but it was indeed valuable to Mosido because it was difficult to artificially cultivate and only grew in the wild.
After a moment of contemplation, Sain whispered, "Because I feel that Master, you have gone farther on the path of magic than Master Angelia and Master Colonso."
"Only by following you can I grasp the true essence of magic."
Sain's answer quickly caused Mosido to burst into laughter.
However, due to Mosido's naturally hoarse voice, the quiet laboratory seemed even more eerie under Mosido's laughter.
Mosido was very pleased with Sain's praise of him and his belittling of the other two Dark Magicians.
But what really convinced Mosido to take Sain as his apprentice was the latter part of Sain's statement.
"Grasp the true essence of magic, rather than pursuing greater power?!"
"Hmph! Sain, if you truly understand that knowledge is the source of power for us Magicians, then you have surpassed more than 90% of the apprentices at the Dark Magic Academy."
"Even many bored official Dark Magicians are often blinded by power."
"Perhaps these guys have been underground for too long and have gradually forgotten the true essence of magic." Mosido sneered.
A green magic beam of "Muscle Regeneration" shot out from Mosido's magic wand.
Here's the improved text:
This is an advanced Healing Magic spell from a great and formal Magician, and as soon as Sain saw the green beam of light, he finally let go of the long-standing burden in his heart.
At the same time, fatigue emanated from deep within his body, along with an itch caused by a lump of flesh growing on his chest.
"Take some time off and rest first. I agree to take you as my fifth disciple," said the Magician.
"Is there still a trace of paralysis toxin in your blood? Did you eat Blue Moss?" Mosido asked.
"Yes, mentor. I used Blue Moss to treat my wounds on the way back to Mosobla City," Sain respectfully replied, and addressed Mosido as "mentor" as well.
Blue Moss is a common low-level plant with minimal magical value, but it can cause a certain degree of muscle paralysis.
However, the price for using it is that Blue Moss itself is poisonous and requires an Antidote to neutralize the toxin afterwards.
Dark Magician Mosido gave off a cold impression, but it had to be said that Sain made an absolutely correct decision this time.
Mosido took out a large bottle of intermediate-level Antidote from his black robe.
Along with it, a short wand and a medal appeared as well. Both the wand and the medal emitted strong magical fluctuations on their surface.
This was the first time Sain had seen real magical items.
The former was a Magic wand, which was considered Mosido's gift to Sain as a disciple.
Although it was just a "trinket" Mosido made during his leisure time, it was undoubtedly a treasure for Sain.
It contained a Corrosive Acid that was powerful enough to dissolve the scales of high-level magical beasts.
The latter, the medal, was the key that allowed Sain to freely access Mosido's laboratory in the future, and it was also a symbol of Sain being Mosido's apprentice.
"Take some time off and rest first. Come to my lab in three days. I have an experiment that requires your assistance," Mosido said, handing the three disciple gifts to Sain and waving his hand.
It was only at this moment that Sain dared to look up at Mosido.
In front of him was the face of a slightly sinister-looking middle-aged man with yellowish eyes hidden under a black robe.