In the training room, Ajax was struggling to keep up with Jared. Jared pushed him to the brink, and Ajax had died six times in the last three years. It had been 15 years since the training began, and although Ajax had made some improvements, like dodging a few attacks, it wasn't enough. Even dodging didn't always save him—he had died from the impact of Jared's blows more than once.
Jared taunted him, "Boy, if you keep learning at this pace, you have a long way to go before you can even think about catching up with your wife. I doubt you'll ever get there."
Ajax smiled at Jared's words but had no time to respond. Even while Jared was talking, he wasn't holding back his attacks. Ajax cursed him silently, thinking, If I had more power than you, I'd make you clean a baby's a* with your mouth!*
But Jared, somehow sensing Ajax's thoughts, smirked. "Oh? You want to lick something, do you? What is it? Tell me, and if it's possible, I'll make it happen," he teased.
Ajax frowned. Did I say that out loud? he wondered. Or was Jared just reading his mind?
Jared was good at reading people—men, at least. He couldn't figure women out, but when it came to men, he often knew what they were thinking. He wasn't always perfectly accurate, but he was close enough to make people uncomfortable.
Ajax, quick to recover, transmitted back, I was just thinking how thrilling it is to have such a great master to teach me!
Jared, pleased with the compliment, beamed. Everyone enjoys a bit of praise, after all. "You're my first disciple," Jared said, "and I want you to make a name for yourself. So listen carefully. If you ever use your wife's influence or her power to suppress others, or if you hide behind her, I will make you suffer in ways you can't even imagine. Understood?"
Ajax swallowed hard, a mouthful of saliva almost choking him. "Yes, Master, I understand. I will remember your words and never rely on her like that."
Though Ajax had never thought of living in his wife's shadow, living in this mansion had made him realize that they were on entirely different levels. But that didn't mean he couldn't create a world as powerful as hers. It would just take time. He wasn't the protagonist of some system novel where the main character received endless gifts and power-ups. He had to learn everything on his own. His divine ability, Learner, allowed him to improve rapidly, but it would still take a long time to reach the level where he could protect his wife. He knew he had to be patient, polite, and diligent in his training.
Another 10 years passed, and Ajax had died over 30 times, each time reborn in the training box. One day, during a brief respite,
Ajax called out in his mind, "Ceil, respond to me!"
A melodious but disinterested female voice resonated in his head. "Ajax, what is it? Do you want to hear something? Asking for permission," Ceil's tone was bored, as though Ajax was interrupting an eternal nap.
Ajax, busy dodging Jared's relentless attacks, winced in pain. He knew Ceil could have helped him out from the start, but instead, he'd died more than 30 times. Sure, he wasn't afraid of death, but dying and being reborn again had left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Help me out with this fight against Jared," Ajax pleaded, his voice tense with frustration.
Ceil didn't even respond. It was as if the system was pretending not to exist.
"Are you going to help me or not?" Ajax demanded.
"You're doing just fine on your own," Ceil replied, sounding amused. "Why do you need my help?"
Ajax opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. He didn't know how to explain it. After an awkward silence, he muttered, "Because…"
Ceil's voice chimed in, cutting him off. "If Master has nothing else to say, I will enter sleep mode for 290 years. Keep up the good work!" she said, in what was supposed to be an encouraging tone but felt more like a slap in the face.
Then, as if adding insult to injury, Ceil continued, "Oh, by the way, if you're wondering whether Jared can read your mind—he can't. So, no worries there, okay? Sleep mode activated."
A mechanical voice echoed: Sleep mode activated.
Ajax stood there, dumbfounded. Really? Now of all times?! He felt like a hunter whose dog decided to take a nap just as they spotted their prey. And in this case, the prey was Jared—a prey that was beating him senseless. He was the hunter without his hunting dog.
Meanwhile, Jared had been watching Ajax this whole time. The young vampire looked distracted, even in the middle of their intense training. Jared raised an eyebrow, somewhat amazed. Usually, people either ran away or quit after a month of his brutal lessons. But Ajax? This kid had lasted 10 years straight without a single break.
Jared chuckled. "Boy, you thinking about anything other than fighting right now?"
Ajax blinked back to reality. "Uh, no, Master. Just... reflecting on your teachings," he lied, trying to play it cool while still nursing the sting of Ceil's abandonment.
Jared smirked. "Sure, sure. But let me tell you—if your mind keeps wandering, I'll punch it back into place." He threw a light jab, which Ajax barely dodged, still aching from his previous beatings.
Ajax groaned inwardly. If Ceil hadn't bailed on me... He shook his head, focusing again.
Jared cracked his knuckles. "You're the only one who hasn't run away from my training in all these years, you know that? Most give up after the first month. They whine about 'oh, it's too hard,' or 'oh, I don't like dying every week.'" He rolled his eyes. "But you? You've lasted 10 years. Maybe I picked the right man for my little miss after all."
Ajax forced a smile, unsure whether to take that as a compliment or not. "Uh, thank you, Master."
"Though," Jared continued, "you die an awful lot. Half the time, it's not even your fault—it's just me getting a little too excited." He grinned. "Oops."
Ajax gulped. "Oops?"
"Yeah. Oops." Jared shrugged. "Sometimes I hit a bit harder than planned, and—bam! You're dead again. But hey, I'm learning to control my strength, thanks to you."
Ajax narrowed his eyes. "I'm... glad I could help?"
Jared laughed. "You're a good sport, kid. Now, let's see how many more times I can kill you today!"
Before Ajax could protest, Jared lunged at him again, faster than before. Ajax braced himself. Well, at least I don't have to worry about him reading my mind, he thought sarcastically, right before everything went black.
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