"Do you want to live?"
The question echoed in the silence of the dark alleyway, filled with the mingled stench of blood and animal waste.
A teen in a black trench coat, a white round-neck shirt, and jeans was kneeling near a trashcan in the alley. He tried to lean against the trashcan for support but lacked the strength to do so.
Amidst the quiet, the voice spoke again, deeper and slightly gentler.
"I'll ask you again, my child. Do you want to live?"
The teen searched for the source of the voice but saw nothing.
"I'm going crazy. Yes, this is a hallucination. There's no way I'm dying! I'm just gonna--"
The teen coughed up blood and bits of flesh, tears streaming down his blue eyes as he whimpered.
"Do you want--"
"SHUT YOUR FUCKING CAKE HOLE!"
"Do you want to live--"
"SHUT UP!"
"Do you want to--"
"OF COURSE I WANT TO LIVE!" the teen shouted with a trembling voice, finally giving in to whoever was speaking.
Silence fell over the alley once more. The teen lost his focus and collapsed backward into the filth of the alleyway.
"Noah Kralier, do you wish to accept the opportunity of--"
"I will do it. I will do whatever you want, just save my life."
The voice was silent for a few moments before emitting a barely audible chuckle.
"I suppose I will take you in as my disciple," the voice said with a hint of amusement.
In the next instant, dazzling light blue mana spread throughout the alley before vanishing as if it had never existed... along with the teen named Noah Kralier.
Once again, silence reigned supreme in the alleyway.
************
Noah woke up to the sound of birds chirping near his ear. His vision was blurry, so he blinked and adjusted his focus.
He realized he was lying in the middle of a field of blue flowers. The sun was shining brightly on his face, making him squint.
He looked around for a few moments and came to a conclusion.
"I'm not dead?" Noah muttered, astonished.
He stood up, noticing he was still in the same clothes he'd worn when he was attacked.
His wounds were completely healed, and he felt unusually refreshed.
As the reality of his situation began to sink in, Noah felt a tap on his shoulder.
"Slept well, princess?"
Noah flinched, clumsily creating distance between himself and the source of the voice, nearly stumbling.
He turned to see a man clad in a black robe with long blue hair that nearly reached his waist. The man was mature looking and handsome reminding him of the nobles he used to hate interatacting with.
Howerer, what Noah felt different from this man was the fact that his smile was gentle. Just like his grandfather.
"Who are you?" asked Noah warily seemingly not knowing that he himself was let his guard down a little bit.
"Questions are fine. Knowing you are going to be my disciple, I ought to be truthful with you."
"Disciple?" asked Noah with confusion until a flood of memories invaded his brain.
It took Noah a few minutes to regain his composure. He looked at the man with confusion evident in his eyes.
"You were the voice that saved me?" asked Noah.
"Yes, my disciple. I was the one who saved you," said the man with a smile.
"I'm really indebted to you but where am I? Can I go home now? I will make sure you will recieve approariate compensation for saving me. I'm the young master of the famed Kralier family" said Noah trying to repay the man.
"You can repay me by becoming my disciple. And as for your concern of going home, you can't. You're stuck with me for the next 2 years."
Noah was baffled. He thought he was being skillfully pranked until he decided he was overthinking too much.
"Not to undermine you, who is my saviour but you are probably not stronger than the ones who teach me in my family house." said Noah trying to speak respectfully as possible.
"Hmm..."
"You see that mountain over there?," said the man pointing to the left of Noah.
Noah turned and saw a large mountain in the distance.
"Yes. I see it," said Noah with confusion evident on his face as to why this mysterious man was pointing at the mountain.
In the next split second, He felt an immence aura near him that instanly made him drop down flat to the ground. He never felt any pressure like this ever before, not even with the strongest individuals he has met before.
Suddenly, it was gone. The frigtening aura he felt had disappeared. Noah slowly stood up with difficulty and saw something that he had never seen before.
The mountain once standing proud was split vertically perfect into an half.
"Now, I will ask again. Will you become my disciple or will you meet the same fate as the mountain?" asked the man with a chilling smile.