Rank 10 Magus

In Theotera when a mage or cultivator taking on an apprentice is a big deal. It is not like when a mage becomes a teacher at a school or when they are required to periodically educate apprentices once a month when they're sent to a resource sight. When someone takes on an apprentice for real it means they have full intention to bequeath all the knowledge that they have gained in their lifetime to that person.

Something most people don't do unless they see death encroaching on them. Once someone takes on an apprentice that apprentice by law has full right to inherit everything their master owned upon death. The master's apprentice even has more right to own their master's belongings than his master's legitimate children.

Zane knowing full well what taking on an apprentice implied made his stance on the matter clear to Desmond. In one swift motion faster then Desmond's eyes could track Zane slapped Desmond out of his seat and onto the floor.

Desmond's cheek was burning from the friction of Zane's hand sliding across his face. In the split second, it took Zane to slap Desmond, Zane injected Desmond with, so much magic it was impossible for Desmond to remove it from his body which made the burning sensation worse. Before Desmond liked the pain, but Zane with a little bit of magic and a lot of skill changed that in an instant.

Zane was able to make Desmond feel worse pain than when he ripped out Desmond's spine. Though Desmond didn't spend much time on the floor, his body had been broken and beaten time and again with little to show for it. So, there was no way Desmond was going to let the asshole above him win without taking a bite out of him. Pushing himself Desmond made his way back to his chair where he was promptly flung back onto the ground by the force of a second slap across his face that doubled the pain Desmond felt originally.

Blood filled Desmond's mouth and he spit it onto the floor. If Desmond had teeth then they all would have been broken by Zane already. After being continuously thrashed around Desmond was becoming use to it. It gave him the strength to get up again only to get smacked back to the ground by Zane.

Seraphine and Ragnar caught off guard by Desmond's request didn't have the strength in them to help Desmond they were to busy laughing at Zane.

"You washed up hack looks like its time for you to settle down and get cozy with your new apprentice" Ragnar teased Zane without restraint which just made Zane angry as he struck Desmond harder then he did before.

Such a rare opportunity to ridicule Zane doesn't come often, so Seraphine was fully on board. "Why are you resisting Desmond's request, so much you were never going to be recognized as a true mage anyway? You might as well do something useful with your time and start teaching the next generation. Having rows of students calling you sensei don't you think that suits you?".

Zane didn't like the repeated pop shots being taken at him. Enraged by everything that has transpired Zane grabbed Desmond by his collar and lifted him up then said to Desmond threateningly.

"I will not be your master choose something else anything else".

Zane leaked out a bit of his imposing aura which mage Desmond feel as though he was back in Clover Forest. Facing off against the thunder wolf, but instead of just one Desmond had the feeling he was cornered by thousands. Desmond always knew the gap between Zane and himself was huge, but he never got a clear answer despite the fight he saw between Zane and Ragnar. The question loomed over him just like he was strung up above Zane's head. How strong was someone at rank 3?.

The intimating aura Zane gave off gave Desmond a taste, but it wasn't enough. He wanted to know the depths of those ranks people pride themselves on just as much as he wants to explore the depth of magic.

Desmond ignorant on the vast dangers the world had to offer stood firm on his request unwilling to give in to the dangerous beast in front of him.

"No, I will not change it. if you want my soul that is the price you must pay. I am willing to give everything I have to study magic. Whether it's my life or my soul it doesn't matter because It is something I never had, something I never knew truly existed, but always dreamt about. It was something I always truly wanted, something I needed in my life. What about you what are you willing to sacrifice?"

Zane hissed at Desmond then said, "do not speak to me about sacrifice. You know nothing about sacrifice or what I have done to get closer to magic".

Wanting to find a different solution to his problem Zane turned to Seraphine.

"Seraphine you teach him to be an assassin or something I don't care I'll pay you too. You'll make a much better teacher anyway".

Seraphine shook her head as she said, "there's no way I can teach him I'm not even a mage I use chi not magic making me a cultivator. Mages seek to understand the universe while cultivator go against it. That's why magic and chi can't be fused together what I have will not suit Desmond. Same with Ragnar we may know some stuff about magic, but neither of us can compare to you teach".

Zane looked towards Ragnar for hope, Ragnar, on the other hand, gave no such thing he simply smirked at Zane and said, "acquiring grade 4 ingredients has never been easy especially something as rare as his soul. So, stop trying to pawn your pupal on others and go start your heart filled journey of self discovery with him".

Zane's useless friends put Zane on the verge of killing someone at the moment, so he turned towards Desmond and said. "You want a teacher I can get you into the Twilight Academy. They have everything you could possibly need. If I do that will you give me your soul then?".

Desmond unmoved by Zane's offer said, "no, Twilight Academy may have everything I could possibly ever need, but it is unsuitable for me. The place has hundreds of mages and cultivators inside. If I go there eventually my secret will be exposed then I will be dissected, enslaved, sold, or some other crazy thing you people do.

That's worst case best case scenario is I'm not exposed, but I will still have to go threw the day to day bull shit that is my cultivation level, other students drama, and schemes, missions to earn contribution points just so I can read one book and a whole lot of other things that is not only cliche but boring and a waste of my time.

I'm no world class genius, but I'm not stupid either. Now despite how dangerous and unbearable you are to be around, you are the best option that I have to become a true mage".

Zane was less moved by Desmond's words then Desmond was with his counter offer. When it came down to it for people like Zane benefits were all that mattered. While Zane didn't want an apprentice or to teach anyone for the matter. When Zane slowed down to think about the benefits out wayed the cost.

To Zane, Desmond was nothing more than a very rare and precious grade 4 material which he could use on all sorts of things. While to Desmond Zane was everything in the world he was his goal his very future. If Zane grabbed hold of such a precious resource he could drain it regularly with little cost to him. His target would even supply the resource willingly. Desmond was a walking gold mine that all Zane had to exchange for was trash he didn't need and a little bit of respect from others.

Realizing that the true winner, in the end, was himself Zane embraced the gold opportunity with open arms.

"Your words have moved me. In light of that, I will take you on as my apprentice".

Zane's words made everyone in the room go silent. Seraphine and Ragnar thought that they heard wrong. They were sure in their hearts Zane would have torn off Desmond's head at one point or at least pulled out his heart a couple of times. Desmond, on the other hand, was shocked that his spur of the moment request actually got him what he wanted. For a second Desmond also believed that was a symbol that his luck was turning around.

Zane not wanting to damage his student (property) any more than he has to gently tossed Desmond on the floor. Zane's accepting Desmond, so easily made Seraphine feel uneasy, but because of her deal with Zane, all she could do at the moment was watch.

Zane looked at Desmond's pathetic form on the floor and said to him, "you requesting to be my pupal is like an outer branch member in a large clan skipping ahead of everyone in front of him including the core disciples of a clan. The ones with actual skill, then kneeling in front of a clan elder expecting him to teach you all that he knows.

In other words, your request was insane and stupid. Two qualities that are very much needed to become my disciple".

Zane's words irked Desmond, irritated Desmond said to Zane, "I am not stupid"

"Yes you are and it is that stupidity that has gotten you this far, so rejoice for you have a long journey ahead of you.

Now, If you truly want to become my disciple then you must swear to me that you will conceal all my secrets as if they were your own. Swear that you will defend your master's honor, support your master when he is in need, be unwavering in your pursuit of immortality".

Desmond listened to Zane's rant about the things he was supposed to swear to and didn't like any of them.

"Hell no, I'm not swearing to any of that stuff. Conceal all your secrets fine I have no problem with that. Swear to defend your honor fuck no, I am not going to die defending your honor. Who knows how many people want you dead all of which I'm betting are a whole lot stronger than me. I could defend your honor all day and I would still make no progress. As for supporting you when you are in need anything that you need help on is definitely out of my league. Your already getting bits of my soul stop trying to turn me into a slave.

As for the whole immortality thing I honestly don't care about immortality. It's not my goal reaching the pinnacle of magic is my goal. What in the world am I going to do if I become immortal and can not die? I think I will just spend my time seeking death".

Zane could accept Desmond not becoming his lapdog, but a mage not pursuing immortality is something he couldn't stand. Just as fast as before Zane slapped Desmond to the floor then he stepped on his head. Desmond felt as though Zane's foot weighed a thousand tons it was impossible for Desmond to slip out.

Without emotion, Zane said, "if you don't want to swear to what I said then fine, but not pursuing immortality is a deal breaker. Cultivators go against heaven and the earth while mages seek to understand it. Once a person becomes an immortal their eyes will be open to the secrets that have alluded them and everyone for, so long. Unless you become an immortal you will never reach the pinnacle of magic that you seek.

As for your worry of not dying there is no reason to have it because immortals can die just by the hands of other immortals. You might be confused about that part, so let me explain. Rank 9 immortality does not imply biological immortality. True immortality is when you understand the laws of both time and space pushing you into the realm of immortals were you can construct your own personal law with all the knowledge that you have gathered that even the very universe will have to follow.

I risked my life for that little bit of information you should be thankful that I gave it to you for free".

While Desmond's head felt like it was going to explode he also felt as though he was enlightened. Zane was an asshole Desmond knew that, but he knew his stuff and above all loved magic.

Desmond knew for sure Zane was the best kind of teacher for Desmond to have if he wanted to survive in Theotera and become a true mage.

Wanting to be enlightened once more Desmond said, "I am indeed thankful, but I must know why are their only 9 ranks is there a higher realm then immortal.

Zane blew out a puff of smoke then gave Desmond his reply, "Indeed there is".

Wide eyed and curious Desmond asked, "what is it?".

"it's more of a joke than something actual obtainable".

"I still want to know"

Zane's reply wasn't what Desmond was expecting, but it made complete sense".

"Your inside of it right now. Rank 10 Magus is The Universe".

Everything that you see, eat, drink, breathe. Everything that you are, everything that you were, everything that ever will be is Rank 10. There can only be one thought of reaching such a hight it is nothing more than a fool's dream.