Upon hearing those words, Eric's expression changed instantly. His steps slowed, and his face showed a hint of hesitation. "What did you say?"
Looking at Vivian before him, an ominous premonition swept across his mind.
"Although the agreement we signed stated that I would continue tutoring you for another month, considering your complete lack of progress over the past year, there's no value in continuing anymore. So, I'm leaving." Vivian crossed her arms, her refined face showing no emotion as she calmly stated her purpose.
Her words weren't an appeal for Eric's agreement. They were simply an indifferent notification.
Eric stood frozen in place, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Vivian, are you joking with me? Please, don't give up on me..."
"Enough, shut up." Vivian raised her hand, cutting Eric off.
"Someone like you, who can't even use a beginner-level Magic like Water Sphere Technique, it's normal that I wouldn't waste any more time with you, right?" She finished speaking and turned to leave, her back cold and resolute.
"No! You can't leave!" Eric quickly chased after her, trying to grab her skirt from behind and stop her.
The next moment, Vivian calmly turned around. Beneath her lace-trimmed Magic hat, her delicate yet commanding face appeared. "Eric, stop."
As she spoke, a terrifying surge of Magic Element erupted from her, instantly pressing down on Eric, making it hard for him to breathe.
Vivian, wearing high heels, slowly advanced toward him.
Eric couldn't help but retreat, his face growing stiff and pale.
Vivian gave a smile that seemed neither genuine nor mocking. "Eric, now, release a Water Sphere Technique for me to see."
Hearing this, Eric hesitated, looking at his hand.
"Do it." Vivian urged coldly.
Water Sphere Technique was one of the most basic Magic spells.
But this beginner-level spell, which even novice Magic users could perform, had been a struggle for Eric for an entire year. He hadn't succeeded even once.
Eric swallowed nervously and reluctantly raised his hand, aiming at a tree in the yard, and began to chant the incantation.
"Water Sphere Technique… Water Sphere Technique… Please, not this time, don't embarrass me!" Eric silently begged.
Vivian's eyes, high and mighty, were fixed on him.
Eric desperately hoped this time he would succeed, just so this woman, who had always looked down on him, could finally see.
He focused on sensing the Water Element in the air, and after exerting all his strength, tiny drops of water finally erupted from his palm.
They only flew a few meters before falling to the ground. At this level, the magic had no impact or power whatsoever.
As expected, Vivian shook her head, grabbing Eric's wrist with a mocking look in her eyes. "Is this your Water Sphere Technique? Is this the result of a whole year of learning? It's short, small, and weak. Are you trying to pee yourself, little boy?"
"Fuck you, you bitch! Let go of me!" Eric shouted.
Vivian paused for a moment, clearly startled. In the past year, Eric had always been respectful and obedient, never once speaking to her with such hostility.
This was the first time she had seen him direct such harsh words toward her.
But soon, the surprise in her eyes turned cold. She released Eric's wrist, turned around, and walked away with a calm demeanor.
"Saint Laurent University hired me as a special instructor. I don't have time to waste on you, little failure. Goodbye." Vivian's tone was flat.
Eric, ignoring the pain in his wrist, immediately rushed toward her, chasing after her. "No! You can't leave!"
Vivian turned her head and waved her hand casually. "Gravity Magic!"
In an instant, Eric felt as though a thousand-pound weight had fallen on him. It felt like carrying a mountain on his back as he was forcefully pressed to the ground, unable to move.
Helpless, he could only watch Vivian's retreating figure slowly fade away, her hand still holding his money pouch—his nearly all of his savings, the two hundred thousand dollars left to him by his parents.
"Fuck you! You bitch! I hired you! You wait! One day, I'll make you regret this!" Eric screamed.
Vivian didn't respond. She simply vanished into the evening sunlight.
It wasn't until nightfall that the effect of the gravity magic finally wore off. Eric, utterly exhausted, slowly got up from the ground and, in a daze, stumbled back to his house.
It was a cheap rental in a rundown neighborhood, reflecting Eric's poor financial situation.
He had spent all of his money on tuition, hoping to change his fate, but in the end, it had all been in vain.
Two hundred thousand dollars, gone in two months. That bitch Vivian only taught him for a month before leaving.
"Damn Vivian, what's so great about being an Advanced-level Magic user?" Eric cursed inwardly. Though despite his words, an Advanced-level Magic user was one of the top ranks in Black City.
Magic user ranks are divided into: Low-level, Intermediate-level, Advanced-level, Holy-level, Royal-level, Emperor-level, and Divine-level.
The levels for Physical-Cultivation Practitioners are similar.
Eric, however, wasn't even a Low-level practitioner yet. If he could just become a Low-level Physical-Cultivation Practitioner, he would be on equal footing with the others in his class.
If he could just become a Low-level Magic user, that was something beyond imagination. The people in his class would have to bow to him!
To be considered a Low-level Magic user, one only needed to learn three Magic spells, but Eric still couldn't manage even one.
"Damn Vivian, you ruined my entire afternoon…" Eric gripped the note in his hand. For someone as time-sensitive as him, losing the afternoon felt like a serious blow.
According to his plan, at this point, he should have been practicing combat skills.
Anxiously, he took out his phone. "Hurry, the gym should still be open…"
Just as he was about to follow his plan and make up for the lost time, his hand shook, and the phone dropped to the floor.
"No... it's pointless. Even if I go to the gym now, it won't change the fact that I'm a failure. All this talk about hard work, effort—it's all a lie..." His eyes glazed over, and he suddenly began to doubt everything he had done until now.
He had spent all his money on studying, and in the end, it had all been for nothing. He had become the laughingstock.
Maybe, he should just accept his fate.
Eric bent down, his face filled with pain as he picked up the phone from the floor and dialed a number.
Soon, the call connected. Eric hesitated for a moment before speaking to the person on the other end. "Jack, it's me, Eric. I've been thinking for a long time. Please, find me another vocational school like the one last time."
On the other end, a laugh sounded. "Good boy, you finally came to your senses. I knew you'd call me again. You should've figured it out sooner."
Eric forced a self-deprecating smile. "You're right, Uncle Jack. I'll just become a carpenter or a blacksmith... I used to get a lot of compliments when I was a kid, for being good with my hands…" His voice trailed off, growing so low it was almost inaudible.
The man on the other end was very reassuring. "Don't worry, Eric. I'm glad you called. I'll make sure to find you the best option. Also, don't be sad. How many people can actually become powerful Superhumans?"
"In all of Black City, there are fewer than a hundred Intermediate-level Superhumans, and even fewer than ten Advanced-level Superhumans. As long as you're doing something to support yourself, there's no such thing as a lowly job. Just relax. How about I find you something for the day after tomorrow?" Jack comforted him, but there was no response for a long while.
"Hello? Eric, are you still there?" Jack called out, but Eric had already put the phone down. Ignoring the calls from the other side, his gaze was drawn to a photograph nearby.
It was a family portrait.
However, at this moment, he couldn't bring himself to look at his irresponsible parents in the photo. Instead, he took the frame apart and pulled out an old Magic book from the back.
The book wasn't thick, but it was clear it had been around for quite some time. Eric ran his fingers over it. "Mom, you left me this, but it's of no use to me. I can't even open it…"
Whenever Eric tried to force the book open, it would emit a glow, as if it were sealed by some sort of power.
This was because Eric's magic wasn't strong enough. According to the explanation on the cover, he needed to have Royal-level magic mastery to open it.
Given Eric's current situation, it seemed unlikely that he would ever be able to open this book in his lifetime.
He helplessly stroked this only keepsake from his parents, his eyes filled with resentment. "I don't know what nonsense is written in here. All the effort I've put into practicing magic has been for the day I could open this book."
"But now it seems, maybe I should just sell it... I've had someone look at it, and this book is worth at least a hundred thousand dollars." Eric speculated that the book likely contained powerful magic that would make many Advanced-level Magic users salivate.
But for Eric, it was utterly useless.
He flipped the frame over and stared at his parents' photo. "You gave me this, thinking I could become a powerful Magic user? Ridiculous…"
He placed the photo frame on the table, aligned it to face him, then stood up and pulled out his worn Magic study book from his pocket.
Grinding his teeth, he muttered, "You two just watch, your son, who you had such high hopes for, is so talented that he can't even use a basic Water Sphere Technique…"
With that, he opened the Magic study book. The first page was the method for using the Water Sphere Technique.
He read through the instructions, gritting his teeth. "Focus, sense the water element in the air, and use magic to give it kinetic energy…"
He read through the instructions verbatim, his expression filled with self-loathing. He didn't believe he would succeed, after all, he had failed hundreds, even thousands of times before.
But this time, just as Eric finished reciting the words…
[Ding! Your diligent training has triggered a ten-times critical hit, gaining ten times the insight. Progress +15.]
A voice suddenly echoed in Eric's mind, like a game notification. His mind shook, and before he could react, another line of text appeared in front of him.
It was like the status bar in a game.
[Skill: Water Sphere Technique (Not yet started)]
[Progress: (1/10)]
[Description: No understanding of the Water Sphere Technique, no insights.]
Just as the ten-times critical hit message faded from his mind, the text in the status bar flashed and changed!
[Progress +15]
[Skill: Water Sphere Technique (Beginner)]
[Progress: (6/50)]
[Description: Has begun to learn the Water Sphere Technique, able to use it somewhat.]