Master!

"Master, can't I get more protective charms? What if a monster disguises itself, appearing weaker than it actually is?"

As we walked into the wilderness, I pressed my master for extra protective gear. Who knew when a monster might launch a sneak attack and endanger me?

"There's no need to be that cautious," my master replied, shaking their head. "If worse comes to worst, I'll just heal you." Clearly, my master wasn't taking my concerns seriously.

It had been four days since I arrived in this world. In that time, I met my master and became her disciple.

~

[Flashback]

"Let's hear it."

The receptionist had offered me three offers, and my impatience was growing, and I needed answers.

"Each choice is an investment in your potential," she explained. "With your talent, I'm sure you understand why I selected these options for you."

"The first option is to offer your services to a high-ranking noble. The more resources they invest in you, the more they'll expect in return with high interest. If you're lucky and a noble likes you, you might even have the chance to marry into nobility." 

"The second choice is similar but on a grander scale. Instead of a noble, you could serve a kingdom. With your talent, any nation would be eager to recruit you. Unlike a noble's patronage, a kingdom would provide you with far greater resources. However, the restrictions would be much stricter, as you can imagine." 

"The final choice is to become a disciple of the Magic Association. Unlike the first two, the Association is an independent organization with no strict allegiances. With your abilities, I do not doubt that many masters within the Association would be eager to take you under their wing." 

"Please contact the Magic Association." The third choice was a no-brainer.

I wanted a master who could teach me without demanding too much in return. Unlike the first two options, this would also give me the freedom to move around. I wasn't about to become someone's property.

"Very well, I'll contact the Magic Association. The process will take a full day to complete. In the meantime, take this. It should help you pass the time while you explore the area."

The receptionist handed me a small pouch of money, looking quite pleased with herself. I couldn't help but wonder if recruiting someone like me earned her a nice bonus.

Since she offered, I took the money without hesitation.

"Thanks."

"Before I go, when should I return? It wouldn't be funny if I showed up late."

"Just be back by sunset. There's no rush."

"Got it. Thanks for your help."

"..."

"What a dumbass." The guard who spoke to me earlier spoke in disdain as he saw that the man who chased me earlier had fainted from overheating.

Instead of wasting time, I decided it would be better to explore the town.

~

The town of Wellspring wasn't particularly remarkable, but as I explored and chatted with its residents, I gained valuable insight into the common sense of this world.

Before I knew it, dusk had settled in. The sky was painted in shades of red, signaling it was time to head back to the town hall.

"Did I make it back on time?"

With the town hall service about to close, this was the perfect moment to act.

"Just in time," the receptionist confirmed. "Follow me. All of your potential mentors are waiting upstairs."

I followed her to the second floor, where we entered a spacious lounge. Inside, five people were locked in a heated discussion, their intense exchange filling the room with tension.

"Don't you already have three disciples? Just focus on them!"

"Is that your excuse? Sure, I have three, but they're all successful. It would be a waste if you took this one. You have no experience! Just like your sex life."

From their heated exchange, figuring out what they were arguing over wasn't hard. Yet, that last jab seemed unnecessary.

"Hello, young disciple. I'm Jerma, a fourth-ranked mage specializing in metal magic."

Sensing my presence, Jerma, who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, quickly approached and introduced himself.

"Don't listen to him," another voice interjected. "I'm Norman, a great magician of the fourth rank. Unlike his defensive magic, my wind magic is much more exciting to learn."

Norman shoved Jerma aside as he introduced himself. Unlike Jerma, he looked much younger, possibly in his early twenties, the youngest of the five.

"Actually, I already have a specialized element, and I don't plan on learning any others."

From how Jerma and Norman spoke, they clearly wanted to teach me their respective magic. That was cool, but could metal or wind magic compare to the power of death? And more importantly, could they teach me anything about it?

"What element is it?"

Rather than answering, I decided to show them. Gathering the dark particles onto my hand, I let the eerie energy swirl around my palm.

The room fell silent.

Out of the five mages, only two reacted with genuine surprise.

"What is that?" one of them finally asked, eyes narrowed with intrigue.

"A divine manifestation?" The words echoed in my mind as my vision blurred.

A drowsy haze settled over me, dragging me toward unconsciousness.

"Evelyn! What are you..."

Before I could grasp the rest of the master's words, my body gave out, succumbing to the darkness.

~

And that's when I met my master. She put me to sleep and took me captive.

Outsmarting everyone else, she managed to escape, and now she's a fugitive on the run from the magic association. It's pretty impressive. I'm so valuable that she broke the law just to capture me.

On the bright side, while Master couldn't teach me anything, she was rich and a bombshell. With long black hair, piercing black eyes, and an outfit that screamed seductress with a magical twist, she had the kind of figure that could drive any sane man wild. Her revealing attire made it easier to appreciate how curvy she was.

In Mythic, strength comes through leveling up, and the only way to do that is by taking a life with a soul. When someone defeats a soul, its essence is absorbed, fueling their own growth.

What made this world fascinating was its rigid system. Master couldn't interfere with my training because if someone stronger aided in a kill, the soul wouldn't transfer.

In other words, power leveling was impossible. If I wanted to grow stronger, I had to do it myself, though at least I had the magic tools Master gifted me to help along the way.

After equipping my defensive tools and a necklace that enhanced my talent, I felt confident enough to take on weaker monsters.

"There's a monster up ahead," Master warned, her lips curling into an amused smile. "Even with your equipment, this one could still pose a threat. But with your current abilities, I'm sure it won't stop you."

I remained silent for a moment before asking, "Master, do you have any idea what kind of monster it is?" If she could sense it, she might know what I was up against.

She smirked. "When you encounter a monster for the first time, you're never expected to know what it will be."

That was her way of saying, Figure it out yourself.

As we got closer, my first opponent came into view.

"..."

I turned to Master, hoping this was some kind of joke. She ignored me and gestured for me to focus on my target.

Looming before me was a giant tarantula twice my size. Its grotesque form shivered down my spine, making my skin crawl. Its hairy body and its multiple giant black beady eyes brought me disgust.

"DIE!"

Fortunately, the tarantula was too focused on devouring its prey, a smaller monster, to notice me. Seizing the opportunity, I gathered a mass of death essence, roughly the size of my palm, and hurled it at the creature.

Thanks to my master's guidance, I learned a far more efficient way to harness these lingering remains of the dead than I did on my first attempt.

"Yuck."

The tarantula let out a shrill, agonized screech as it tumbled from its web, writhing in pain. Once touched by the death essence, its fate was sealed. Death was inevitable.

Thanks to the resources Master provided, my countless experiments with death essence had given me a solid understanding of how it worked.

Death essence functioned like a poison. Once too much accumulated in a body, death was inevitable. The only way to remove it was to perceive the essence itself, a feat beyond most.

The real danger, however, lay in its insatiable hunger for life energy. It fed off vitality, growing stronger as it drained its victim dry, leaving them powerless to resist.

The amusing part? Since I had some control over it, I could intensify its effects at will, fanning the flames of decay within the tarantula.

It didn't take long for the giant monster to wither and die.

"Didn't I tell you? You worry too much." Seeing the result, my master went to the tarantula and observed its corpse.

With the monster's death, I felt my body becoming stronger. This is what made this world special.

[Andrew Huxley]

[Level]: 4 (Rank 0)

[Title]: Monstrous Talent

[Heavenly Defier] – An entity that transcends fate itself. No matter the circumstances, you will always find yourself in a position of advantage. (Additional Effect: Having merged with the power of death, your affinity with death has reached its highest caliber.)