Chapter 367 - Parting Lessons (Patreon)

A/N: 3.3k :)

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Kai propped his elbow on the slick weeds to sit up. “Wraith’s Edge? Is that what you call—urgh.” His muscles tensed to keep still. A thorn caught on the torn fabric of his sweater and scraped the raw flesh on his back. Pain drowned out his thoughts and curiosity.

Skirting the limit of his reserves, he wove a wisp of Nature mana. His jaw clenched as the bramble slid free from his flesh. Pain held him from reaching to touch the cut. 

“Let me see your injuries,” Elijah said, hand still extended. His smirk turned into a deepening frown. 

If I didn’t know better, I’d say he seems almost guilty. 

Pain lanced his body as the butler unceremoniously lifted him to his feet. 

“Thank… you. I can stand,” Kai hissed. His boots squelched, soaked in the icy water from the creek. Strips of his sweater and shirt hung in tatters, the fabric torn and caked with dirt from his falls. Everything hurt. Though none of his wounds were deep, he was bleeding from dozens of cuts and scratches. “Give me… a second.”

Raelion’s dense elemental mana streamed into his drained pool. Dirt, roots, and leaves clinging to his body slid away, followed by cold pink droplets. His wounds burned as he washed them clean. Getting dry brought no warmth, only the sharp awareness of his shredded clothes and the hot blood seeping from his wounds. 

Wind snuck through the rents in his shirt. With the heat of battle dwindling, the chill crept swiftly back in. He had to channel a trickle of mana just to keep himself from shivering.

How am I going to explain the sweater to Rain? And… uhm… didn’t I have a hat?

“I forgot how convenient your affinities are.” Elijah surveyed his state and clicked his tongue as if disapproving of a mess he had no part in causing. “You’ve gotten quite battered. I’ll look at your wounds. Stand still.”

“I can—” The throbbing pain in his body swallowed his complaints. He’d rather not drink more potions if possible, or continue dripping blood. A soothing warmth spread through his back, melting the pulsing burn. 

Elijah circled him, prodding cuts and bruises with methodical focus. He spent longer stitching his face, still scowling. “I’m no healer. Stop twitching.”

“Ow… Did you have to cut me a dozen times?” Kai gently rubbed his ribs. “Or kick me that hard?”

“Did you have to get hit so many times? You could have dodged. You could’ve stopped earlier instead of pressing on until you could barely stand,” Elijah said dryly without pausing his work. “The spar was over before the first blink. Why did you have to be so damned stubborn?”

Kai snorted. “Wasn’t the purpose to do my best? You’re the one who taught me to treat every fight like my life hung on it.”

“I did,” Elijah pinched close a cut on his arm. “I’m proud of that stubbornness.”

“So… if I shouldn’t give up and shouldn’t keep going. What did you expect me to do, exactly?”

“Not argue with your master,” Elijah smirked haughtily, his scowl softened. “Is that the attitude befitting my disciple? Four years away and still you haven’t learned to act respectfully.”

“Yeah.” Kai gave a crooked grin. “Gods know where I learned that?” 

Elijah halted his prodding. His lips twitched before he reasserted his stoic visage. “Would you like to tend to your own wounds?”

“No, master. Thank you for your care.”

Even if you cause them. 

“You’re welcome, brat.” Elijah stood back with a curt nod as if to approve of his own work. “Do you feel any sharp pain?”

“Uhm, wait…” Kai rolled his shoulders, then slowly stretched his arms and back, suppressing a wince. He was sore and aching all over, but the searing stabs had dulled together with his staunched bleeding. “I think… I'm fine.” He scratched the drying blood on his cheek, only managing to smear it. “Could you maybe… You know?”

Elijah huffed an exasperated breath and flicked his wrist. Crimson flakes fluttered off him like dried leaves. “Don’t get used to it. I’ve closed the surface wounds and stitched the cuts over your major arteries, but the deeper tissue is still torn. Your profession skill should be able to fix it in a couple of days.” He hesitated. “Unless you want me to heal that too?”

Damn, he might actually feel a little guilty if he’s asking. Though I never triggered Nature Healing in front of him. How does he know— uhm… never mind. 

Green motes drifted toward him, drawn by the abundant woodland’s mana. The passive aspect of Nature Healing wouldn’t mend his wounds in a pinch, but it would greatly hasten his recovery, especially inside a Green-1 zone dense with vibrant green mana. 

“You can leave them. My skill should be enough. Thank you,” Kai drew his fur coat from his ring, still warm from when he’d taken it off. At least he’d saved one piece of clothing. 

Nature Healing had to reach level 100 for a proper profession advancement, and the sooner he could pick the specializations, the better.  

Gesturing to a patch of surviving level ground, he waded through the cracking shards of his ice spears and sank onto a rock with a grateful groan. From the picturesque meadow, only a ravaged and trampled battlefield remained.

Hopefully, this wasn’t the secret spot of some gardener. Hmm… now, guess it’s answer time.

“So you’re really Blue?” Kai muttered. With the pain dulled, he couldn’t hide his disbelief. He’d known Elijah and Dora must have reached Green, but Blue. A single grade with a chasm of difference.

Having survived Professor Lysander’s class, he could recite the statistics in his sleep. More than half of those who reached Green in the Republic never advanced past the low grade—even with the experience from their professions. Unlike earlier advancements, most ended up with fewer general skills at Green; some far fewer, if they hadn’t planned their paths.

“Indeed, I’ve recently advanced.” Elijah leaned his back on a nearby trunk, arms folded with studied nonchalance. His impassive face just confirmed he must be inwardly gloating.

Fine. If that doesn’t earn him bragging rights, what does?

Kai let a little awe show, squinting up at the butler’s visage as the man stoically gazed on. “How old are you?” 

The butler snorted. “It’s rude to pry information without an invitation. And I remember you being the one who owes me an answer,” he said, then continued after a moment. “I’m in my first century.”

“I see. Meaning… around seventy? Eighty? Ninety-nine? Drop the mysterious act. Don’t tell me I’m apprenticed to an old man!”

The butler regarded him with a snideful huff, though his annoyance looked performative. “I’m thirty-four, you brat.” A half-smirk showed his teeth. “Why did you think Lady Virya chose to instruct me among thousands? You’re not the only one who has been called genius. And not in a backwater.” He motioned at the spires soaring above the woodland in the distance.

Thirty-four…

Kai blinked. Raelion restricted information about Blue—if there were even enough to draw statistics. The dean, famous for his early advancement, must be closer to twice that age.

Wait! Does that mean the butler was what… twenty-five when we met? Around that. It explains a few things… Not that he has changed much.

“What stage of Yellow were you born at?” Kai squinted at the man, though the damp rock he sat on gave away more than him. “C’mon, you know mine. I’m an open book to you.” 

Elijah sniffed. “I’m your master.”

“And I’m your one and only disciple.” He grinned smartly. 

“Are you? How do you know I don’t have scores of more respectful disciples?”

Kai looked him over, from the polished boots to the perpetually grumpy face. “Do you?”

Elijah harrumphed without dignifying him with an answer. “For someone who’s an open book, your last chapters are still blank. You haven’t explained how you used my sword skill.”

“I copied it.”

“Obviously. How? Even with a profession skill, and accounting for severe restrictions… Uhm, so you know what grade Wraith’s Edge is?”

“Not really.” Kai’s inquisitive look earned him a flat stare. “I do have a large restriction. Echoing Empath can only mimic skills and spells that hit me.”

The explanation about his echoes smoothly drifted to Spatial Shift before turning into a rundown of Favored Mystic of the Isles. Sadly, he received no tips as good as those for Elemental Swordsman. 

Elijah prompted him with terse nods and thoughtful grunts, his questions sharp and pointed. At last, he declared, “That’s the most ridiculous profession I’ve ever heard of.”

“Huh… thanks? It wasn’t easy to get.” Kai grinned as if he’d just gotten full marks on an exam. 

The steady trickle of Nature mana dulled the worst of the soreness, but not his light-headedness from blood loss. He drew his legs up onto the rock and wrapped his coat around them as Elijah grumpily muttered to himself.

I need a distraction.

Elemental Swordsman (lv20>24) – Blend martial precision and elemental mastery, turning each attack into a cutting spell. The sword is an extension of your will, and mana is the essence that sharpens it. True mastery lies in weaving their natures in balance. 

Attacks… damn. How did I miss that? I’ve been using it wrong all along. Is that why it was such a chore to level? 

From the searing pain when he mischanneled Earth mana, elemental enhancing wasn’t the most intuitive application. How long would he have taken to discover it without assistance? As a mage student, probably months to years. 

Moreover, Elemental Swordsman wasn’t his only gain. 

Profession Skills: 

• Spatial Shift (lv26>27) 

• Echoing Empath (lv24>28)  

• Water Cannon (lv23>24) 

• Nature Healing (lv18>23) 

General Skills:

• Hallowed Intuition (lv92>93)

• Mana Observer (lv60>61) 

• Body Augmentation (lv49>50) 

• Mana Weaving (lv48>49) 

• Split Mind (lv44>45) 

• Water Magic – Advanced (lv45>46)  

• Elemental Swordsman (lv20>24)

• Nature Magic – Advanced (lv19>22)

• Earth Magic (lv77>80)

• Shadow Magic (lv72>75) 

Spirits, this feels almost like cheating. 

Only a Blue foe with a penchant for violent lessons could justify such absurd numbers from a three-minute spar. The difference in grade must have drastically bolstered his growth.

And it only cost me enough blood to fill a bucket. Whoever or whatever created the Guide must be a sadist. I even hit the milestone for Body Augmentation and Shadow Magic—

“How many times can you blink?” Elijah’s gaze cut back to him. “ I mean consecutively.”

“Hmm… About three without damaging my channels. After that, I risk injuring myself and have to wait exponentially longer to recover," Kai said. “Though… How did you counter my blink? It was like you knew where I’d emerge.” His eyes narrowed, recalling both the attempts in his room break-in and during the spar.  

“I did know,” Elijah chuckled. “To teleport, you must link two locations in space. Anyone trained can sense the disturbance in the mana flow where you’ll emerge. It’s easier if you have a Space affinity, but it’s not required.”

…no. It can’t be that easy to do, can it?

Kai anchored his hands on the rock. “So anyone can just see where I’ll reappear? Is there no way to counter-counter it?” 

“Perhaps. I’m not a Space Warper. Profession skills are harder to modify beyond their purpose. Better if you focus on distractions and timing. Your foes can’t anticipate what they don't expect. Even if they know how, few at your grade can sense the disturbance and react in time. It’s possible Spatial Shift will become faster and more subtle as it levels, though I’ve never heard of this skill, so I can’t say.”

Kai chewed his cheek. “The description just mentioned distance.”  

“You could aim for a specialization. But that’s a give and take. You’ll have to give up something else. Regardless, you shouldn’t rely so heavily on one trick. There’ll always be someone who can see through it.”

“I understand.” Kai hung his head. “Is there nothing else to do, master? Even if it’s not a perfect solution, it’s a waste not to make the most of the skill.”

“I imagine you could try cloaking your blink.”

His brows drew into a frown. “You mean… with Shadow Magic? 

The butler ran a hand over his face. “Do they teach you nothing at this academy? Yes, with Shadow Magic. Have you never tried shrouding your own spells?” 

“Like… Combining two elements? Is that possible?”

Elijah gave a martyred sigh. “That’s advanced magic. You just need to layer Shadow to cloak a spell.” He raised a gloved hand. Two blue flames flickered in his palm. Suddenly, one disappeared—no, not exactly. It still burned with its twin, yet it gave off no mana signature and slipped his attention like trying to catch a fish bare-handed. 

How does that—

Elijah snapped his fingers. “Listen carefully. You're a grown man. I won’t repeat myself if you don’t pay attention.”

You know, you told me the same when I was six…

“Yes, master.” Kai dutifully bobbed his head.

Beyond the curt manners and suffering looks, the butler never did anything halfway—including teaching. He struck at the heart of a lesson, laying out in a few sentences what most professors took a full lecture. 

The most annoying part is how good he is.

Kai committed every word to Mnemonic Mastery. Each minute under Elijah’s gruff gaze, he learned more than in days of coursework. In all fairness, cloaking spells were likely covered in the advanced elemental courses, though he wasn’t about to interrupt the tutoring to defend the academy. 

“I think I get it now,” Kai nodded to himself. Cloaking an active spell felt like weaving a veil over a running torrent. Once he understood the theory, he could burn mana to force a solution, though the butler would never accept that. 

Cross-legged on the boulder, Kai locked his gaze on the Water sphere revolving between his palms. Carefully, he overlaid Shadow onto Water, layering their flows, keeping them from clashing and shredding each other. 

Finally, the sphere seemed to melt in the background.

“Clumsy, but passable.” Elijah dismissed with a wave. “You’ll have to adapt the weave for each element. And for Spatial Shift, you’ll need to channel Shadow inside your channels.”

“Wait… All of them?”

“All the ones you use to blink. Maybe more. Profession skills can be finicky before even considering Space mana. You’ll have to figure it out. Once you’ve understood the underlying principle, the process is more of the same. Just harder,” Elijah finished with a shrug.

Yeah, just a tiny bit harder.

The prospect made enhancing his body with Elemental Swordsman look like a kid’s trick. 

Not realistic to use in a fight till I advance Shadow Magic. At minimum. Perhaps if I have time to prepare… Goodbye semester break. 

“Who knew Shadow was that versatile?” Kai said, undaunted by the frigid look that fell on him.

“Indeed.” Elijah drew out the word like a blade. “A bright pupil might have thought to use it to cross the academy unnoticed by the other students. Instead of…” He regarded his oversized fur coat with a judgmental look. “That.” 

Kai stuck his hands under his armpits. “It’s warm. And somebody has destroyed my clothes.” He matched the scoff. “Still, won’t a Shadow cloak just draw more attention if I get stuck in the crowd in the lit halls?"

“Not if you cast it properly. Naturally, you wouldn’t use a full shroud. Just hide your presence.”

“I see… and how would that work exactly, master?”

“You only call me master when you want something.”

“Yes, master.” Kai dipped his head, not bothering to deny.

Elijah pursed his lips, grumbling something about brats and respect. “Alright. I’ll be shamed to the grave if you can’t cast a proper cloak. You know each element has several aspects that can be manipulated to cast spells. Nature is the most stark example among your affinities, but it remains true for all your elements. Since concealment is a main aspect of Shadow, it's natural to make use of it. However, if you want to slip away from attention rather than sight. You must draw that sub-aspect above the rest.”

The sun dipped beyond the tops of the pines circling the meadow before the butler finished his remedial lesson.

“Like this?” Kai waved his cloaked arm—perfectly visible, yet his eyes couldn’t focus on it. 

Elijah grunted a meh. “Better too little than too much, if you aren’t practiced. That’s too obvious.”

“Let me try.” Kai tweaked the spell for several minutes longer before earning a curt look of approval. “Thank you for the lesson, master.” He hopped off the rock, barely wincing when his feet hit the ground. “I should head back before my roommates wonder where I disappeared.”

“Not yet.” Elijah held him in place with a hand on his shoulder. “You will have to honor your part of the wager. What’s your Favor?” 

Kai vainly tried to wiggle free. “Hmm, well… about 96?” 

“Huh,” Elijah watched for several seconds, stony silent and still. “That’s… good.” His voice sounded stiff and strangely faint. He seemed to suddenly realize he’d frozen, coughing and moving toward the edge of the meadow. “Very good. That’s enough to train your danger skill through Yellow. Just keep in mind there people avoid Fate-based abilities for a reason. Attributes are the foundation to advance any skill, and there is no reliable way to grow Luck.” 

“I will, though it has worked till now.” Kai hurried to keep pace as they headed into the woodland toward the path. “Hey, slow down. I’m still hurting.  How much is your Favor anyway? Is it lower than mine?” 

Elijah scoffed. “Keep dreaming.”

“Then what is it?”

“You’ve pried enough for one day. Unless you want to wager it on another spar?”

“Maybe another time. When can we meet again?”

Elijah shortened his strides, glancing at him with a weary look. “Kai… you know I can’t stay.” 

“You’re leaving?” He halted. Feeling his throat choke on the words, he couldn’t add more.

“Not immediately,” Elijah said. “But soon, yes. I’ve closed my affairs in Meria. My preparations didn’t account for an extended stay. I wish I had longer, but I must return. Any time will be much too short to teach you everything you need. You’ll have to find a proper teacher.” 

“That… I have someone in mind.” Kai tried to keep his tone even, focusing on the distraction. “I had a professor offer to take me on.”

Speaking of skills…

Ding 

Shadow Magic (lv75) ➔

As you reach the second milestone, you are presented with three choices to continue your journey.

• Stay the Course - You won’t gain new significant benefits, but you’ll deepen the insight into your path.

• Domain of Shadows - Shape the shadows near you. Improve your control, resilience, and responsiveness when casting spells within your immediate range.

• Shadow Weaver - Master the subtle art of concealment, weaving shadow into seamless veils that blur the line between what is seen and unseen.

• Cutting Shadows - Grant the ephemeral form. Mold shadows into edges and cut down your foes.

That will make it easier. Though which should I—

“Mrow.” Hobbes rubbed against his leg, looking up at him with large green eyes.

Hey, bud. What are you doing here? No, I’m fine. Just a tad battered.

Kai bent to pick up his preening familiar, all the while the silver furrball held a blinking contest with Elijah. 

The butler was staring with parted lips when his head snapped ahead. “Someone’s crossed the wards I set on the path.” 

“Yeah, it looks like Hobbes has brought us a fish.” Kai shook his head at Elijah’s bemused look. “My roommate.”