The ground was damp and covered with leaves. Kael walked slowly through the forest, hands in his pockets and a vacant gaze. Not from lack of focus, but because the grimório floating beside him kept flashing glowing notifications with every step.

  > Vital Energy stabilized. Safe area for a limited time.

  > Probability of encountering someone with potential: 0.02%

  “Oh, great. So today I get to meet a squirrel with talent,” Kael muttered.

  The little ghost appeared beside the grimório, spinning in the air with boredom.

  “You need to start training someone, Mr. ‘Legendary Master’. Otherwise, you’re just a hobo with a floating bookshelf.”

  Kael ignored him. He kept walking—until he heard a shout… followed by wood smacking against stone.

  “HAAA!”

  He stopped.

  Up ahead, in a small clearing, a blonde girl spun an improvised spear made of a stick wrapped with cloth. She was sweating. Shaking. But her eyes were locked onto a large, solid rock already scarred by weak strikes.

  She shouted again and struck hard.

  *CLACK!* — the wood shook, and the rock… slightly cracked.

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  Kael furrowed his brows.

  “A girl. Alone. Training? Against a rock? With that?”

  “Wrong technique,” the ghost said, “but the determination’s real.”

  Kael approached slowly.

  The girl noticed him and turned, tense, holding her crooked spear defensively.

  “Who are you?!”

  “Someone who knows that rock isn’t going to break like that.”

  She hesitated.

  Kael pointed at the spear.

  “And that weapon? It's shakier than the economy of a collapsing kingdom.”

  “It’s what I’ve got.”

  “And why are you training?”

  She took a deep breath. Stared at the rock.

  “Because I don’t want to die weak. I don’t want to end up like the others. I want... to change something.”

  Kael was silent for a few seconds. The grimório flashed again.

  > Potential compatible. Emotional intensity high. Vital Energy level above average.

  > Name: Lys

  He stared at the girl. Then walked over to the rock.

  “Show me what you’ve got. With everything you’ve got.”

  “With this spear?”

  “No. With everything that’s inside you.”

  Lys bit her lip. Stepped back. Took a deep breath.

  Then she screamed and charged. Spun the spear, raised her arms, and struck with everything she had—aiming at the spot already cracked.

  *CRACK!* — the rock split a bit more. A chunk fell off.

  Kael didn’t smile, but his eyes glinted for a moment.

  “Lys, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Kneel.”

  “What?”

  “You want to get stronger? You want to change your fate?”

  She hesitated… then knelt, not quite understanding, but with her heart racing.

  “Then it’s done,” Kael said, arms crossed.

  “What’s done?”

  “You just became my disciple.”

  Lys widened her eyes.

  “Seriously?!”

  “Too late now. You’ve already signed the invisible contract of ancestral tradition.”

  (pause)

  “And if you stand up now, you explode.”

  “What?!”

  Kael turned and walked away like it was no big deal.

  The ghost floated beside him, whispering:

  “You made that up just now?”

  “Like everything else I do.”