My Teacher Was More Than Adequate

Tylen had no trouble getting his reward from Steampunk: a silver ring engraved with a dark red spiral.

Tylen rubbed the ring's cold surface as he read the instructions.

"Inject 2 points of Mental Power to instantly launch a high-pressure fireball 0.5 meters in diameter. Cooldown: 10 minutes."

"Though it's only a one-shot burst, and the cooldown is a little long, it's a nice addition for someone like me, who currently lacks a powerful long-range attack."

Tylen slipped it onto his left index finger. It fit perfectly.

Meanwhile, Locke and Kathy weren't paying any attention to the ring.

They were completely captivated by the Skeleton Dog crouched beside Tylen.

"What exquisite craftsmanship!"

Locke crouched down and couldn't resist running a hand over the runic patterns carved into the Skeleton Dog's spine.

"The way the joints are connected, and this collapsible design... Magnus, you're a genius."

Kathy pushed up her glasses and nodded in agreement.

"Exactly! It's so much more refined than those clunky Skeleton Soldiers I've read about in books."

"But... carving something this complicated and adjusting the balance of its Mana circuits must take a long time, right?"

Tylen gave a wry smile.

"Yeah, it was slow going at first. I failed a lot."

"Once I got the hang of it, I could make one in about a week."

"A week..."

The two exchanged a glance and sighed in unison.

For aristocratic apprentices like them, who had to spend their days meditating, attending classes, and socializing, that was an extremely inefficient and unrewarding use of time.

"Come on, head back to the Wizard Tower with us."

Locke stood up and smiled.

"Don't collect any more bodies today. We need to get this good news back right away!"

Kathy pumped her little fist excitedly.

"Yeah! The Blazing Sun Tower has been acting so arrogant lately. You're a hero to our Wizard Tower now!"

Tylen bowed slightly, remaining modest.

"I was just lucky. You're both too kind."

Nearby, Ike and the other low-ranking apprentices watched Tylen chatting amiably with two aristocratic scions who stood far above them. Their eyes were full of envy and longing.

Ike, especially, looked comical, but there seemed to be a new resolve in his eyes.

He hurried over to Tylen's cart and offered to lead the horse.

On the way back, Ike acted like a dutiful coachman, leading the rickety cart loaded with corpses at the rear.

Tylen, meanwhile, walked at the front alongside Locke and Kathy.

The good news had clearly grown wings, reaching the Wizard Tower even before they did.

As soon as the group crossed the Wizard Tower's heavy gates—

Crash!

A large crowd surged toward them in the broad fountain plaza, led by Makley.

The Wizard Tower had been losing ground lately, with the Blazing Sun Tower pressing them at every turn. Everyone had been holding in their resentment.

Now they had finally won—and won decisively. It made them all feel vindicated.

Not only had large numbers of low-ranking apprentices gathered, but plenty of aristocratic apprentices had come running over, too.

"Nicely done, Sara!"

"Miss Hoffman, I heard the idea for the Bone Flute was yours? That's incredible!"

Everyone congratulated them with great enthusiasm.

However, all eyes were fixed on Locke and Kathy at the front.

Even Makley, their mentor, was subtly steering the conversation, shifting the credit for the victory toward Kathy and Locke.

As for Tylen, he merely mentioned that he had "good execution," then moved on.

Tylen wasn't surprised by this. If anything, he felt a little relieved.

Amid the bustle and noise, he was like an irrelevant shadow. He took the reins from Ike and led the cart back to the Morgue.

"This windfall is more than someone of my current standing could handle."

"Better to keep a low profile and keep training than have those aristocratic scions watch me like an upstart stray dog."

Inside the Morgue, the familiar smell of preservatives was comforting.

After skillfully stuffing the headless corpse of the burly man into a storage slot, he went to the basin and wiped the blood off the Ritual Sword.

In the dim light, its silver-gray blade gleamed with a cold sheen.

"This low-level magical artifact doesn't have any kind of soul-binding."

"Anyone with Mana can use it."

Tylen pulled a scalpel from his waist and cut his left index finger without hesitation.

Drip.

His bright red blood fell into the grooves on the blade and was greedily absorbed at once.

Tylen drew a deep breath, gathered the last of his Mental Power, and abruptly poured it into the sword.

Hum!

For an instant, Tylen sensed an immense shadow sweep past the surface of his mind.

Then a torrent of searing heat surged through the hilt and into his body.

His heart began to pound faster. His blood seemed to catch fire, and an immense strength filled his limbs.

"Ugh..."

Tylen grunted and clenched his fist.

This feeling...

It was like taking too much Viagra before a night out with a pair of twin car models in his previous life.

He was exhilarated, burning up, and brimming with strength, with even a hint of an urge to destroy everything.

He checked his status panel. His Constitution had risen from 2 to 3.

Feeling the power surging through his muscles, Tylen's lips curled into a faint smile.

"This feeling of being strong is pretty nice."

Five minutes later,

as the ritual's effects wore off, the burning sensation quickly faded, replaced by fatigue.

Tylen leaned against the dissection table, sweat soaking through his clothes.

"Other than some weakness, there don't seem to be any noticeable side effects."

"Not a bad enhancement."

Tylen didn't rest for the remainder of the day.

As usual, he went through tedious physical training and practiced inscribing runes in the Morgue.

Before long, it was seven in the evening.

The sound of flapping wings rang out.

A black Crow flew in through the ventilation window. A moment later, black mist billowed around it and transformed into Makley's black-robed figure.

Tylen immediately stopped what he was doing and bowed respectfully.

"Teacher."

Makley nodded slightly. His gaze swept over Tylen's tired but resolute face.

"You performed quite well today."

"Your technique, your ability to adapt, and the way you handled the situation at the end all met my expectations."

Tylen lowered his head and let a hint of delight show.

"Thank you for your praise, Teacher. It's all thanks to your guidance."

Makley didn't dwell on the subject. Instead, he changed the topic.

"As a reward, once this examination is over, I'll assign you to work outside the city."

"You'll join the hunting party there and be responsible for collecting and identifying monster corpses for the Wizard Tower."

His voice turned serious.

"It's dangerous and difficult work. You'll have to face monsters in the wilderness and deal with rough mercenaries."

"Are you willing?"

Tylen felt a stir in his heart.

An assignment outside the city? A hunting party?

It looked like a punishment, but in truth, it put him in a position of authority and gave him access to a source of income.

He answered without hesitation, his expression respectful and resolute.

"I'll follow your instructions, Teacher."

"Your needs are my mission."

Makley gave a satisfied "Hmm."

He casually pulled a silver badge from his sleeve and placed it on the bloodstained dissection table.

"Take it."

"Out in the wilderness, it'll represent your identity and status."

"I hope you won't disappoint me."

Tylen respectfully picked up the cold badge with both hands.

"Thank you, Teacher."

"May I ask, Teacher... when will I be able to return to the Wizard Tower?"

Makley looked at Tylen, the corners of his mouth curling into a meaningful smile.

"The hunting party outside the city is a promising job in its own right."

"It's dangerous and tiring, but you'll make a lot of money. It has a brighter future than working here."

"As for when you can come back..."

"That depends on your performance."

"One month at the earliest, six months at the most."

At that, Tylen's dark eyes showed just the right hint of disappointment and dejection.

But he quickly hid it and nodded respectfully again.

"Yes, I understand, Teacher."

Though Tylen looked disappointed, he was smiling inwardly.

"Looks like my teacher's judgment and methods are more than adequate."

"Even after seeing me perform so perfectly, he's managed to stay calm. He hasn't handed me the status of a core apprentice outright. Instead, he's decided to put me through another test."

Tylen knew exactly where he stood in Makley's eyes.

From Makley's deliberate cold shoulder in the plaza after they returned that morning to his sudden decision to assign Tylen to work outside the city now—

That string of moves might fool sheltered youths into thinking their mentor had abandoned them.

But it wouldn't fool a seasoned old hand like Tylen, who had weathered the workplace.

If Makley really wanted to exile him, he wouldn't have given him such a lucrative post, one involving a large volume of transactions.

"Now that's a familiar move."

Tylen toyed with the badge in his hand, his gaze deep and inscrutable.

"Zhuangzi: Lie Yukou says:"

"'Send him far away and observe his loyalty.'"

"By sending me outside the city, far from the center of power and into contact with the various factions, he can test my loyalty without his supervision."

"'Burden him with troubles and observe his abilities.'"

"He's given me the difficult, laborious job of handling monster corpses to test my patience and ability."

"'Entrust him with wealth and observe his integrity.'"

"Monster specimens are generally quite valuable, so I'll be handling a lot of money. He's testing whether I can keep my head when entrusted with control of the funds."

Tylen tucked the badge into his chest and gave a quiet laugh.

"You've used three of the Nine Tests of Judging People in one go."

"Not bad, Makley."