The Hero’s Disciple Has Returned

I was certain that my disciple was a hero candidate. Because her talent was truly heaven-sent, to the extent that it couldn’t be explained unless it was a hero’s talent. And I was that hero’s master. In other words, the thing that could become the biggest weakness for my disciple was the current weak state of myself.

If I truly wanted to do something for my disciple, it wasn’t the time to just pray for her.

I had to somehow be able to protect my body.

And I had gained a means to do so.

It was the ‘natural mana’ obtained through elven breathing.

The problem was that the amount was too small.

Of course, it was natural for it to be small since it was leftover energy, like dregs. But even so, I couldn’t use it as a weapon like this.

The only thing I could do was train.

I had to faint frequently.

It wasn’t enough to just use the ‘natural mana’ remaining inside me, so I wanted more than that, and as a side effect, I would faint. In a way, it was natural. The ‘natural mana’ was what was somehow maintaining my collapsing body for me now. So when I tried to forcefully use it, it was only natural that there would be a reaction.

But that doesn’t mean that this crude method of training was entirely meaningless.

‘…It’s increased, even if just a little.’

There was an effect from the training (although it was no different from just putting on a fainting show). If that’s the case, I’ll just train harder. Because of this, I could no longer have any sense of time. Sometimes it was night, sometimes it was morning, there was no set schedule.

Thanks to this, I could now shoot 3 arrows imbued with ‘natural mana’ in a day. Although I had to push myself a bit… The fact that I didn’t faint even after shooting 3 arrows was very significant for me.

I just need to increase it little by little like this. Just when I was trying to think positively like this,

An intruder appeared.

There was a possibility that they could be Sera’s companion like Mr. Ras (Great Magician William’s alias), but…

‘Their movements are too cautious for that. Almost like an assassin or thief.’

Perhaps due to continuously training with ‘natural mana’? I could sensitively feel people’s presence like when I had an Aura Heart. Unfortunately, I still didn’t have the ability to read the opponent’s strength or level like when I had an Aura Heart. But I could solve that with experience.

‘A walking technique that doesn’t make a sound even while clearly walking, that level of skill is at least at the master level… Maybe even a transcendent being.’

It’s difficult to make something lacking seem abundant, but conversely, it’s also difficult to make something abundant seem lacking. Therefore, someone with a lot of experience could accurately capture that sense of discomfort, and I was capable of that much.

The opponent is strong

It would be fortunate if they came with good intentions

If not, it’s the worst-case scenario.

Therefore, I had no choice but to be cautious.

I shot one arrow imbued with natural mana. I didn’t forget to adjust it to barely miss, as they might be an acquaintance of Sera.

If they came with malicious intent, even this one shot could cause some change.

It seemed they were trying to defend with an artifact

At that moment, something amazing happened.

The arrow imbued with ‘natural mana’ penetrated the shield as it was. This was an irregularity that even I hadn’t expected. In a way, it was natural. I had given all the expensive things like artifacts to Sera. There was nothing left, and since there was nothing left, I couldn’t experiment against artifacts. In the end, using an arrow imbued with ‘natural mana’ against a shield magic was a first for me, so even I couldn’t know what would happen.

Accordingly, the opponent quickly swung a dagger and deflected my arrow. At that moment, I could tell. I couldn’t help but know through that figure perfectly handling aura without any error even in an urgent situation. That the opponent was at the realm of transcendence. If the opponent was at the realm of transcendence, I had to be even more cautious, and therefore, I had no choice but to immediately shoot a second arrow imbued with ‘natural mana’.

Sera is cautious and careful by nature. Like with Mr. Ras, she would have made some arrangements to prevent this kind of situation from happening in the first place. The fact that a figure at the realm of transcendence didn’t immediately counterattack or show any hostile intent even after being ambushed meant that the possibility that the opponent had no malice couldn’t be ignored… But even so, the possibility that this person was an uninvited guest who had intruded with some intention still couldn’t be denied.

If that’s the case, it was my duty as a master to confirm somehow. Even if I lose my life as a result.

After shooting the second arrow

I immediately used all the ‘natural mana’ to move at high speed and aimed for the uninvited guest’s back.

At that moment, I was already at my limit.

It was a natural result considering that using ‘natural mana’ for high-speed movement consumed more energy than arrows imbued with ‘natural mana’.

But this should confirm it.

If there’s no problem when I regain consciousness, the opponent has no malice, and if there’s a problem, the opponent definitely has malice.

The answer will be clearly known.

Thinking that, I lost consciousness.

♧♧♧

Rain was dumbfounded.

“Huh. He even prepared poison in his mouth.”

If he regained consciousness and saw the situation, in the worst case, he probably intended to use this poison. Should this be called cautiousness? Or should it be called not valuing oneself to the point of being hopeless? Or maybe…

“‘Rather than being a hindrance to my disciple, I’ll end my own life’…?”

Rain has various information. That didn’t just mean she had information. It meant she had learned everything she could learn with her own body. That also meant she had learned medical skills. Using that knowledge in combination with aura to accurately analyze the opponent’s body was also one of Rain’s many talents.

“There’s no Aura Heart… Instead, he’s somehow preventing the collapse of his body with a heterogeneous power. Considering that it made my senses feel like I was dealing with an elf… Elven breathing method? A mercenary happened to have such top-class information? Rather than that, it’s more realistic to think that that monstrous hero gave it to her master who lost his Aura Heart.”

If that’s the case

Where did Jade’s Aura Heart disappear to?

Rain could easily recall that heterogeneous Aura Blade that the hero was wielding. Jade’s Aura Heart is inside the hero. And it wouldn’t have been forcibly taken.

There are many crazy people in this world. There are plenty of madmen who try to forcibly take others’ Aura Hearts, saying they’ll fill their lacking talent. And not a single one of them has succeeded. Because if you try to take it forcibly, the Aura Heart will inevitably be damaged, and absorbing a damaged Aura Heart is no different from suicide. A wounded Aura Heart only continues to rot and never heals. As a result, those who forcibly took others’ Aura Hearts end up no different from absorbing a living poison into their bodies.

Therefore, she couldn’t help but know.

That Jade’s Aura Heart had purely settled inside the hero with only his own will.

He offered his Aura Heart, which could be said to be his life’s work, for his disciple. And now he’s willing to throw away even his life, saying he doesn’t want to hold his disciple back.

A hopeless, senseless fool

There’s no other way to describe it.

He’s such a tremendous fool that there seems to be no way to save him.

Even Rain, who had collected all sorts of information and seen all kinds of human characters, could assert that she had never seen such a fool.

“…I think I understand why that hero values him so much.”

♧♧♧

Rain returned.

She couldn’t leave an unconscious person on the ground, so she laid him down properly in his secluded place and even covered him with a blanket. She wanted to have a conversation if possible, but… She thought that would be difficult. Jade seemed to be quite perceptive. There was a high possibility that he would immediately notice even a plausible lie. Rather, she judged it rational to quietly withdraw at this point, so she returned as she was.

And what was waiting for her was

“You came back faster than expected.”

…as expected, the hero was waiting.

Her closest aide, Alfredo, was collapsed.

Rain didn’t get excited.

Because she had done this thinking such a situation might unfold

“It seems you thought you could ignore my words not to touch my master?”
“As you know, hero, in this industry, not selling information isn’t such a simple matter. Of course, it’s natural that there are risks that come with it. So I needed to accurately analyze whether it was worth bearing those risks.”

It was at that moment.

Swoosh!

Clang!

“……!”

Rain couldn’t help but be flustered.

Although her guard had been dealt with

That guard was only to hide her own strength. Transcendent beings don’t have guards, and there was a preconception that someone with many guards couldn’t be a transcendent being. That’s why she could easily defeat her own guards if she wanted to.

In other words, she too had pride as a transcendent being.

That’s why she believed that even if the hero was strong, she was strong too, so she wouldn’t easily crumble.

She had no choice but to confirm at this moment how groundless that confidence was.

“…This was quite expensive.”

Her favorite dagger had been cut exactly in half. It was evidence that she had been completely defeated in aura, strength, and skill, and it showed that the hero’s current level had surpassed the realm of transcendence.

“It’s better to think there won’t be a next time.”
“…Yes, I’ll engrave it deeply in my heart.”
“That would be good.”

Saying that, the hero sheathed her sword.

“It’s quite a good sword, but it seems insufficient for the hero to use. As an apology, shall I prepare a better sword for you?”
“I’ll pass. There’s no better sword for me than this one.”

Rain could easily realize at once that that sword was the one Jade had given to Sera as a gift. It wasn’t difficult because a woman’s heart is best read by another woman.

‘…Great Magician William isn’t here.’

Great Magician William, who always assisted by her side, wasn’t there.

Rain could easily realize that there was a third party when she and Jade were confronting each other. Probably, if Rain had used an assassin or done something to harm Jade, at that moment…

She could easily realize that she would have had to experience how terrifying a Great Magician’s magic can be.

“Both master and disciple are excessively thorough.”

Rain said that with a strange smile.

It was then.

“Ugh.”
“Are you alright, Alfredo?”
“Ah. Young miss. Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. My favorite dagger isn’t, though. But are you really alright, Alfredo?”
“Huh? Hmm? I’m not just alright, I feel healthy?”
“What?”
“…I feel so good that even my bad back feels refreshed?”
“……”

Of course, it goes without saying

That Rain being precious to Sera

Meant that Alfredo, who always stood by her side,

Was also precious to her.

In many ways, they were truly like master, like disciple.