---
"How did you do that?" Alexander asked.
Jesse, who had been ordered to wait after the combat class, carefully hung the scythes in an empty spot.
"Luck."
Alexander smiled. What he had always teased the boy for had come back to bite him. Yet, "What great luck you have."
"You also went easy on me. Thank you for letting me win." Jesse bowed. He was partly right—the teacher hadn't used his stamina-draining signature moves, nor did he prevent himself from falling.
"I'll be your teacher," Alexander said out of the blue, picking up the scythes that Jesse had hung carefully on the wall. "You received a death match request."
A death match with the number one ranker was nothing more than a signed death warrant. However, Alexander couldn't afford to let such talent go to waste.
Jesse was shocked, but it wasn't surprising for a teacher to know about duel requests. Besides, it was a tempting offer—he couldn't use his full powers in a duel anyway, so this was to his advantage.
However, things didn't come for free. Jesse squinted his eyes, and Alexander chuckled. "In exchange, when you become a government official or a guide master, I will have the status of your master."
The status of "master" for a high-rank individual was an open door to opportunities, which is why teachers scouted talented students to become their masters.
A master-disciple relationship was all the teacher wanted, and there was no one else to give that status to.
"Thank you—" Jesse paused, bowing his head slightly again, "Master."
"Good." Alexander smiled, handing the scythes to Jesse. "This is my gift to you."
---
"How did you do that?" Alexander asked, his voice a mixture of curiosity and surprise.
Jesse, who had been ordered to stay behind after combat class, slowly placed the twin scythes back on their rack. Each weapon gleamed in the dim light, the sharp blades catching the faint glow.
"Luck," Jesse replied, his tone flat, respectful, maybe with a tinge of taunt.
Alexander let out a small chuckle. The irony wasn't lost on him. He had often teased Jesse for his reliance on luck in training, yet here it was—Jesse's "luck" had come back to surprise even him.
"You're a lucky one, indeed," Alexander remarked, though a smile crept onto his face.
He hadn't gone all out during their match, holding back his stamina-draining signature moves and falling intentionally; Jesse knew this.
"You went easy on me," Jesse said quietly, bowing his head. "Thank you for letting me win."
Partly true, Alexander thought. But even so, the boy's skill had potential that went beyond mere luck.
"I'll be your teacher from now on," Alexander said suddenly, his deep voice cutting through the air. He strode forward, picking up the scythes Jesse had just carefully hung up. "You've received a death match challenge."
Jesse's eyes widened in shock, but it wasn't surprising that staff knew of the request.
A battle with the session's number one ranker. It was a battle no one survived—an official fight to the death. But for a mere fiftieth-ranked individual, it was more like a death sentence than an honorable duel. But here stood Alexander, the academy's most feared combat instructor, offering to step in.
"Why?" Jesse asked, still trying to process the offer. The sudden proposal was too good to be true, and things that were too good came at a price.
Alexander's gaze didn't waver. "I can't let talent like yours go to waste. You have potential far beyond what you realize." He paused, the weight of his words hanging in the air. "If you fight that duel without training, you'll die. But if you agree to become my disciple, I'll make sure you survive."
The offer was tempting—too tempting. He couldn't unleash his full strength in a public duel, after all. The risk of revealing his true powers was too great. But if Alexander trained him, if he had the protection of a master... he could keep his secrets hidden and still grow stronger.
But Jesse wasn't naïve. Nothing came for free.
"What will you gain from this?" Jesse asked, his voice more controlled now, though his eyes were sharp with suspicion.
Alexander smirked. He had expected the question. "In exchange, when you rise in the ranks—whether as a government official, a guide master, or something greater—you'll give me the honor of being recognized as your master."
It was a fair deal, Jesse thought. The title of 'master' for a high-ranking official was worth its weight in gold. It opened doors, brought prestige, and guaranteed influence. Hence, so many teachers fought over talented students—claiming the title of master was like securing a piece of the future.
Jesse stood still for a moment, thinking it through. He had no other teacher, no one else to offer him such protection. This was the best deal he could hope for, and he knew it.
Finally, Jesse bowed his head again. "Thank you," he paused briefly before adding, "Master."
Alexander's smile widened. "Good," he said, his voice full of satisfaction. He handed the scythes back to Jesse. "Take these. They're my gift to you."
Jesse's hands trembled slightly as he took hold of the weapons. They were perfectly balanced, their edges razor-sharp.
"These scythes are special," Alexander explained, his tone serious. "One of the first weapons forged from beast cores."
Jesse felt the weight of the scythes in his hands. He swung both scythes in each hand, and his heart pulsed with excitement.
"From today on," Alexander said, his eyes burning with intensity, "you're not just any student. You're my apprentice. Do not disappoint me."
Jesse nodded in response, determination hardening in his gaze.
---
Jesse's academy life continued. The only changes were his extra lessons with his new master and his lessons in the enhancement class. It was a period when classes were divided based on abilities, and now, under the guise of a strength ability user, Jesse attended every enhancement ability class.
Their lessons were nothing but training, but even Jesse's stamina was limited.
"You're too slow." A plastic cane collided with his bare back, and Jesse held back the urge to curse at his master. He was already drained from the enhancement training.
"Strike faster!" Another whip collided with his back, and Jesse increased his striking pace.
The human body diagram flashed on a holographic screen as Jesse struck the marked points. With more than 365 pressure points in the human body, Jesse was having a hard time remembering and striking all of them.
[You have acquired a new skill.]
[Strike.]
His pace decreased when the system's screen appeared in front of him, and another whip hit his back.
The plastic shouldn't have hurt this much, but Alexander made sure to hit only certain points.
Jesse's hand quivered as sweat dripped from his body. His hair stuck to his face as the sweat dropped continuously.
"You only managed to strike 359 points. You missed ST9, GB30, K1, B2E..."
Alexander's voice faded into the distance as Jesse sat on the floor.
"However, you did well," Alexander added with a smile on his face.