A teacher by chance

Middle Realm, Eariga, Hubert City Hospital.

A red haired girl sat on the bed silently gazing at the world outside the windows, she inwardly sighed before trying to get back to her bed when all of the sudden a knock came from the door.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Chanelle glared at the door and was prepared to jump out of the windows just in case it was someone hostile going after her who was crippled temporarily. Much to her surprise however, the one who came in was a familiar petite red haired queen with her signature twin-tails. Chanelle's reaction gained a raised eyebrow from the girl while two other maids closed the door behind them.

"Mom?! How did you find me here?"

The two maids pulled out a grandiose chair, and with no hesitation Marielle sat on it and crossed her legs.

"Oh~ You dare ask that after a hospital from another rival capital contacted me and told me that the daughter I was looking for through the ends of the earth has been admitted there and is crippled?!"

Chanelle winced and drops of sweat could be seen on her temple, she scratched the back of her head while laughing awkwardly.

"It wasn't anything serious really...ahaha... just a Sand Panther...King"

Marielle got out of her fancy chair and slapped the poor Chanelle in the face before sitting back, she then held out her palms behind her and the maids gave her a fan.

"Answer me truthfully, oh dear daughter of mine. A mere Sand Panther King is akin to worthless pests for our family"

Chanelle was tearing up while lightly rubbing her cheeks that got swollen from the slap.

"But..."

She sighed before looking at the top right screen of hers, she disbanded her party with Zeke a few days back and couldn't really find any other excuse so she decided to tell the truth.

"There was... a slight miscalculation on my part, yes a cute adorable miscalculation"

Chanelle giggled while reminiscing about the past days she spent with Zeke. Marielle who was little shocked by her suddenly happy emotions thought of a few possibilities, mother just like daughter also entered her own day dream land specifically about her daughter having wild bed time fun with a small child. Her face turned bright red and she stood on top of her chair with her palms covering her mouth while the other violently swung the fan

"YOU INSOLENT DAUGHTER! HOW DARE YOU SIN!"

Chanelle, somehow, probably has a connection with the day dream land of her mom and the she also turned bright red.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING HAG?!"

After they lashed out at each other, Marielle slowly calmed down and tried to avoid those kind of thoughts. She rested her chin on her palms while staring at Chanelle.

"So, what's the deal with the kid?"

Chanelle smiled wryly and after a few seconds of staring back she decided to tell the whatever happened the past few days with Zeke. Marielle raised an eyebrow every now and then, while sometimes her lips would turn into an 'o' shape, like a little child.

"Oh~ I admit that child is adorable, but...are you telling me that a random child can somehow dish out 50 crown coins like it's normal gold coins just for you?"

Chanelle's gloomy face resurfaced and she had some doubts about the identity of Zeke but she placed it at the back of her mind because he was just a kid.

"I suspect, he's someone important..."

Marielle closed her eyes and rubbed he chin while thinking deeply for a moment.

"How important? How strong is the boy, as much as you know?"

She and Chanelle had a stare down, Marielle wanted to fish out the identity of the kid and deal with him properly if he was a threat but Chanelle knew this and wanted to somehow let the kid out scot free at the very least.

"Well, he was able to pierce through a sand block of a Professional Earth (peak) mage albeit the witch was distracted with me and injured it was still a worthy achievement so I say he has around Basic Fire (high) if not a little lower"

"That's not enough information my dear daughter... are you perhaps trying to make the boy seem less of a threat?"

Chanelle silently clucked her tongue, she had to somehow convince her mother to just let the matter go...

...

Middle Realm, Eariga, Mountain Peak somewhere in the south.

[Just jump, a leap of faith will do the trick dear host!]

Zeke is now currently looking down at an endless drop from a needlessly large mountain cliff. He was slowly sweating despite the cold temperature and occasionally looked around him.

"I'm only trying to achieve near death state right?"

[Indeed, as you can see from the tutorial in your mind!]

"Isn't this gonna go just a little more past near death?"

[...]

Firaga went quiet before making a shrug sound, Zeke finally lost it at that point.

"YOU BLOODY PIECE OF FUCKING DONKEY SHIT! HOW IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE TRAINING?! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?"

[Yes, though only nearly. Entering a near death state would allow your soul to momentarily ascend to the heavenly realm and come back, giving it better comprehension and mana control since it basically got free from you it's mortal coil for a few tiny bit]

"It doesn't matter, I can enter the state through some other means right?!"

[If you want to get beat up purposely or to hang yourself then yes there are other means]

Zeke gulped before looking down the mountain again, he could not see the end of it below. Aside from the clouds it was just a black pit with no end whatsoever at least that's what he sees. Zeke inhaled before doing light stationary joggings and punching once and twice, just like a boxer's warm up.

[What are you doing?]

"I'm prepping for my descend, I think you wouldn't let me die anyways since I'm your host"

[... Yes, let's think of it like]

Zeke abruptly stopped and squinted his eyes, he sighed before looking behind him. Behind him was the endless drop and in front of him was the way back, a choice presented itself.

'To get stronger fast and rough or to turn back and do it the lame way'

Zeke closed his eyes and the Firaga couldn't help but pitch him and try to let him think he has...no I mean let him have free will to choose.

[You know, it's really up to you if you want to or not. To be strong needs a lot of patie-]

SMACK!

[YOU IDIOT WHAT ARE YOU DOING JUMPING SUDDENLY?!]

Zeke punched himself in the face in order to drop unwillingly, he wanted to shout but no words could come out. He was paralyzed, the sheer amount of air hitting his face and the sudden descent even made the system shocked.

'Oh crap...'

BLURGH!

Zeke puked in mid air, the tiny disgusting floating piece of disgusting leftovers with acid made him want to puke more but in slight fear he gulped it back down and settled with being puked by himself once only.

'I...can't...breath!'

Zeke was slowly gasping for more air but to no avail, he could feel his lungs slowly expand larger and larger until he felt light headed, followed by a darkening vision...

[Entering Near Death State...]

...

FLOOSH!

In a forest somewhere, an object fell down to a nearby lake causing the animals near there to flee in panic. While an old man with white hair and a very note worthy black coat with a bad of a cross in his right pockets had a surprised face.

"Oh my...a near death state?"

In front of him was a boy with ash white hair floating upwards from the pond in a lotus position, he was glowing with blue energy and his ash white hair slowly turned darker and darker until it was completely black with a few red strands. Shortly after the boy opened his eyes and sighed

"I don't even know what the hell happened anymore..."

He teared up slight until he realized that he was floating on top of a lake. His eyes widened and he dropped down.

"HELP! I CAN'T SWIM FOR BLOODY FUCK'S SAKE!"

The old man watching him laughed merrily while re tossing his fishing rod and skillfully caught Zeke on his collar and reeling it up. Zeke saw the old man and was slightly wary while also thankful.

"Ohohoho! What an admirable young man! I never knew any one had the guts to perform a near death state at such an age!"

Zeke smiled wryly and coughed some water out of his lungs.

'Course not...'

He silently cursed every children in Eariga and his system, much to her annoyance and only gave him a snort.

[Firaga Mana Control 1 complete 1/10]

Zeke's eyes nearly went out of their socket, he couldn't really do anymore task in the same level as falling from the top of a mountain for 24 hours flat.

"I'm not doing that again!"

The old man laughed at the child who was shouting at himself, to him the kid was gutsy and only regretted his near death experience a little.

"What an interesting fellow! Come to my tent and dry yourself!"

Zeke glanced at the old man and to his clothes, he nodded while following and at the same time looking at his stats.

[Arteus Machton]

[Class = Grand Inquisitor/ Demon Hunter]

[Rank = Mythical/ Holy Cross Cardinal]

[LVL 150]

[Lore = A cool old man]

'What's with that Lore!?'

Zeke was confused, how could someone so important looking have such shitty lore? Was he a literal fodder?

"I'd appreciate it if you don't stare at my name status too much young man! Ohohoho!"

Zeke was now shocked and took a few steps back before glaring at the old man, anyone who could know about such things weren't normal at all! The old man who is Arteus only smiled while raising his arms in the air, signifying he meant no harm.

"The church has done a disguise on that, and we are also warned if out status are checked plus the mana aura you're emitting is obvious...sheesh what a clumsy fellow"

He shook his head, but after a few moment he held out his palm.

"The name's Arteus! Although, you probably already know Ohohoho!"

'Who the hell is this?!'