17 Into The Unknown~

"What a stingy boy… I'd thought that he would jump at the chance of becoming my disciple, and yet he yelled at me..."

"Master! Don't be discouraged! You still have me! I will always be your disciple!"

"Ah, as expected! Only Yachi knows me best!"

Roan and Yachi exchanged words of praise while trailing behind Chen who was cutting down a path in the forest. A red vein popped at the top of the young man's forehead as he listened in on their conversation. His fists tightened, and teeth rubbed against one another, but ultimately, Chen didn't do anything.

As much as the red-haired teen would have loved to chase the master-disciple combo away, Chen just couldn't do anything against Roan's persuasiveness.

A day had passed since Roan visited the young teen and they were already on the move to hunt more Death Scythe Mantises. The innkeeper and barmaid were entranced by Roan's offer and had already given him the green light to work with Chen. Not to mention, they weren't going to split the rewards of his payment.

Therefore, Chen just kept silent and allowed Roan and Yachi to trail behind him as he hunted the Magic Beasts down.

'Endure it… Endure it… There's nothing I can do against a Magician like him anyway… Best to ignore them and go our separate ways once this whole thing is over...'

Chen murmured mentally to himself. If he was put in this predicament a year back, Chen might have burnt Roan to a crisp by now. Fortunately, in that one year, his entire outlook on life had matured drastically. Chen knew that he was a frog at the bottom of the well and worst still, he was a crippled frog.

'Still… what he'd said yesterday… how much of it is true?'

Chen sliced a vine with his treasured spear, occasionally looking over his shoulder to catch glimpses of the middle-aged Magician. Chen may have fallen from grace, and his magical abilities were disabled, but his senses were more or less intact.

It made no sense for Roan to emit so little magical power! Not to mention, his physical body mismatched his overall demeanour. Someone of his calibre should be powerful to move mountains with their minds or split seas with the wave of his hand. Yet, how could Roan look so unassuming?

'The more I think about this guy, the more mysteries I uncover...'

The worst thing was, Roan asked Chen to become his disciple! He clearly knew of Chen's current state, and for some reason, he wanted Chen to join under his wing. If Roan wasn't crazy, there must be something else that was driving his decision.

'If he wanted me so bad… Could it be that he knows how to cure me?'

And thus, Chen started to let his mind wander. Could Roan, this mysterious man who had wine capable of soothing his symptoms, really have the cure to his dying body?

'No, don't get your hopes up, Chen. What I have… is incurable.'

Chen shook his head and killed that glimmer of hope that came piercing through his heart. After that 'incident,' Chen's parents had spared every waking moment of their lives, devoting themselves to find a cure. They tried legendary doctors, holy saints and even delved into the occult in hopes to find something for their crippled son.

And each time they'd found a lead… it only ended with one conclusion.

Chen… couldn't be cured.

Every time Chen felt that familiar ray of hope, it would be crushed by the despairing cry of reality. There was nothing to be done, and Chen knew it all too well.

'Hah… I'm really too naive, to still have such thoughts...'

Chen snickered. So what if he had been on his long journey away from home? So what if he had grown significantly through the trials and tribulations he'd faced as an Adventurer? In the end, he was still a hopeless teenager who yearned to live.

'Whatever… Once we're done with this mission, I'll leave Ganger Road immediately… Hanging out with that weirdo would only prove to be troublesome.'

Chen made a mental resolution and turned his attention back to the tracks ahead. The trio continued their advance cautiously. Well, only Chen was careful with his step. Roan and Yachi tailed the young teenager to the bum and occasionally made too much noise for a hunter, which caused Chen to snap at them quite a few times.

However, Chen endured most of it and kept his senses heightened. His brown eyes dilated, and his nose twitched ever so slightly. Fifteen minutes later, Chen's leisurely pace slowly came to a halt, and he raised his arms up to stop Roan and Yachi's advance.

"Senior, please stand back."

"Hmmm? You found something already?"

Chen nodded without turning his head: "There are traces of blood in the area. From its scent, it must've been at least a day old. Doesn't seem like human blood and there are traces of magical residue… It must've been a fight between two Magic Beasts."

"Oho… And what makes you say that?"

"Look at the trees," Chen pointed to a dense overgrowth twenty metres away. Trees had been sliced in two, and many branches had been torn apart as if a hurricane had just ripped through the forest. Not only that, there were thousands of split leaves on the forest bed, some of them were cleanly cut.

"Only two things could leave behind a scene like that. Magicians, or Magic Beasts. Since there hasn't been a Magician in these areas for the past few years, there's only one logical conclusion."

"Uh-huh, I concur… And you think that our culprits are the Death Scythe Mantises?"

"Yes."

"Please elaborate."

Roan's tone changed. It became lower, and the playfulness behind his voice had ceased to exist. He folded his arms and looked at Chen's back with a restrained face. There was genuine curiosity in his voice, and both Yachi and Chen felt it. Unconsciously, Chen finally turned his face around and stared the Magician in his eyes.

At that point, Chen felt overwhelmed. Not by Roan's magical pressure. There was none of it to be felt anyway. What Chen felt overwhelmed by… was Roan's regal air.

Even Yachi was confused by her Master's sudden change. She'd spent quite a bit of time with Roan, and there were only two faces she'd seen from him. The laid-back and mischievous side of Roan Erymneus which Roan wore almost ninety percent of the time. And the enthralling face of the Magic God when he dived into his books.

They were the two sides of Roan that people, even those closest to him, got to see the most. But at this moment, Roan was showing another face…

Gulping, Chen regained himself before continuing: "I-It's nothing much. The Death Scythe Mantises that were forced to the outskirts of the forests were relying on the fishermen convoys for food. So when the fishermen stopped using the road, their food supply dwindled. Without any food, they turned to kill one another."

"Cannibalism? The Death Scythe Mantises are capable of that?"

This time, it wasn't Roan who posed the question. Yachi raised her hand and asked Chen with her head tilted to the side.

"Why would they kill their own kin?"

"They are Magic Beasts, junior. There's nothing that they won't do to survive. Also, it's nothing new for the Death Scythe Mantises to eat their kind. Female Mantises tend to eat their male counterparts once they're done mating."

"How barbaric..."

"You're right, that's why they're a threat that needs to be exterminated. They're starving now, and that's why they were bold enough to attack a settlement by the road when they would historically avoid humans."

"..."

Chen concluded his train of thought with logic derived from a combination of factors. A keen sense of awareness of the surroundings. A deep information pool that hid deep within his mind. And most importantly, a frighteningly acute brain that used only facts and logic.

Roan paused and he stared deep into the young man's eyes. An unpleasant silence was shared between the pair, and neither side was willing to break free first. Even Yachi was affected by the silent pressure that Roan was emitting. Beads of sweat rolled down Chen's face, and his throat was becoming dry.

'Did I say something wrong?' The young teen wondered.

For the boisterous Roan to turn quiet all of a sudden, Chen felt that he may have misspoken and gotten on the Magician's nerves. However, after twenty seconds, his conjecture was quickly debunked.

"Full marks! As expected of the second main character potential!" Roan clapped his hands in delight. "Really, just become my disciple already! I can give you cookies!"

"..."

Chen grimaced at Roan's change back to his original self. How could a dignified Magician who was capable of creating a pocket dimension be so weird?

'No, father once said that every strong Magician is a little bit off in their head. Let's just ignore him...'

In the end, the trio continued their progress into the woods with an awkward air hanging over them. Roan continued to pester Chen, as he asked details about his personal life. Yachi frowned and pouted, annoyed that Chen was getting all the attention. And Chen… well, he was doing his best just to keep his mind on track.

Swoosh… Swoosh…

"Hold on…"

Just as Chen was about to blow his temper, his nose twitched as a passing scent entered his senses. Like the hunter he was, Chen raised his left hand up while tightening his grip on the spear by his side.

"Oh? You found it?"

"Yes, the thick scent of blood is coming from upwind. Either there's a recently slaughtered body or the Death Scythe Mantis is feasting up there."

True to Chen's suspicions, as the trio moved, signs of battle were littered throughout the dense forest. Fallen trees that had been cut clean with wind blades. Chopped branches that had been broken into many splinters. It was a scene of carnage that came directly out of a storybook. And at the end of the path…

"There it is..."

Chen whispered as he crouched down. Standing right ahead of them, there was a two-metre-tall mantis slowly nibbling on the remains of another mantis. Its elongated knives stabbed the hard abdomen, meticulously scrapping out remnant meat from its former companion. It yelped every few seconds like a gourmet enjoying a delicious meal. To most, it was a disgusting scene, but for the hunter within Chen...

"Senior, are you going to participate in the upcoming battle?"

"Hmmm, nah. It'll be too boring! Show me your stuff, future disciple!"

"I'm not… whatever.��

Arguing with Roan would only prove to be a waste of time and effort, something that Chen didn't want to lose before fighting against a dangerous Magic Beast.

So, the moment Roan washed his hands off this battle, Chen immediately turned all of his attention to the snacking Death Scythe Mantis. It was merrily chomping down on its former companion's carcass, unaware that a new hunter was eyeing it down. This gave Chen the golden opportunity to land a fatal starting blow.

Chen's Magic Source began to sparkle as a deep resonance rumbled through his muscular, lean body. A red light emerged out from his pores and wreathed around him like a misty aurora. It was subtle, yet shockingly overpowering. It was as if… Chen had stored a deadly explosion deep within his inner soul.

"Master, that is?"

"Ah, I've haven't taught you that yet. It's an Aura Technique."

"Aura technique?"

"Yes, you still remember the two paths that a Magician could take right?"

As the pair were talking leisurely at the back, Chen made the first move. He sent all of his energy to his thighs and bent down like a frog. The Aura coating his body grew stronger by the second until eventually, Chen made the leap.

Two distinct imprints were left behind as Chen charged forward with everything in his power and in two seconds, the young teenager was flying right above the Death Scythe Mantis' head. Coated with his aura, Chen's spear flew at a drastic speed as well. Spinning twice before landing a clean hit on the Magic Beast's skull.

EEEEEEEEEEEERKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!

'Shit, too shallow!'

Chen somersaulted midair after drawing blood and landed right at a nearby tree. Pain enveloped the Death Scythe Mantis' senses, rendering it unable to identify its attacker. Which gave Chen the perfect opportunity to lunge again.

Still coated in Aura, Chen extended his spear forward and aimed for the Magic Beast's head once more. This time, his spear was far more effective as it targeted the same place where the Death Scythe Mantis had bled.

"I remember… There are the Spellcasters and the Aura Users right?"

"That's right. Over the past few weeks, you have been learning the path of the Spellcaster from me. Using mana and knowledge to conjure powerful spells that eviscerate foes. That's the Spellcaster's way. However, Aura Users don't rely on spells to fight enemies. They directly convert mana into energy to fight."

Roan folded his arms and examined Chen's beautiful technique with a smile.

"Spellcasters conjure mana into spells while Aura Users make use of mana to strengthen their bodies and use a combination of martial arts and Aura to fight in both close and long-range combat. It has been the law of the land ever since the first Magicians founded their techniques."

"But Master… If Chen is an Aura User and you're a Spellcaster… Why do you want him to become your disciple? Aren't your disciplines too different?"

"Yachi… You underestimate your Master too much."

Roan chuckled as he raised one finger up. Yachi was confused in the beginning, but she watched in surprise as a beautiful pale-white light coated Roan's extended finger.

"Is that Aura? Master, are you an Aura User as well?"

"Well… Yes and no."

"Yes and no?"

"To survive in the Frontiers, I'd trained myself in some Aura Techniques. In a place where life and death are determined in an instant, I couldn't just rely on my Spellcasting abilities. Some enemies can move as fast as light itself, making it impossible for me to cast my spells in time to repel them."

"That's why you trained in Aura?"

"Precisely," Roan nodded. "I'm not at the Aura Emperor level, but I can hold my own against the majority of Aura Users. Naturally, when your Spellcasting abilities have matured, I'll teach you Aura as well. Even if you don't master it, it's good to just master the basics."

"I see..." Yachi took a deep breath in as she thought back about Roan's words. "Wait, but Master! If that's the case, wouldn't it be better for Chen to be taught by a pure Aura User? He wouldn't be able to inherit the Magic Tyrant system or learn any of your signature spells."

"Hoho, you could tell?" Roan smiled.

Chen may have superior perception, but Yachi wasn't a slouch either. She was quick to comprehend Roan's words and was able to find holes in Roan's logic.

"You don't have to worry about Chen inheriting my techniques."

"But..."

"Haha, just watch. He's going to do it soon."

Roan didn't answer Yachi's question and prompted her to look at the red-haired teen's fight.

'Stupid exoskeleton… Looks like I can't rely on Aura to defeat this asshole.'

Chen clicked his tongue, holding back the desire to spit on the Death Scythe Mantis' face. Its head was already pierced in, and it was screaming with everything it had. Mana coated the Death Scythe Mantis' exterior, giving it a new layer of defence.

'Thirty seconds again...'

Chen looked deep into his Magic Source and confirmed that his body wouldn't collapse. Following that, he used his spear to draw a Magic Circle in the air and channelled some of his red Aura into it.

And then…

Vfffffffffttttttttttt

Like any conjured spell, the Magic Circle was completed, and red flames spewed out from its core. It coated Chen's spear like a serpent coiling around a branch. Intense heat broke free from the cold metal, melting down any poor leaves that came anywhere close to it.

"He used a spell?"

"That's right!" Roan chuckled as if he were waiting for this moment. "There are two main paths that a Magician could take. That is the widespread belief. But some bold individuals challenge that notion! They are the greediest and most ambitious Magicians living on the face of the planet."

The battle between Chen and the Death Scythe Mantis was finally reaching its climax. Chen moved faster with his spear wreathed with fire. Flame rings lingered in the air, and multiple fireballs were fired out each time Chen swung his spear.

The Death Scythe Mantis tried to resist by flailing its arms in the air. Wind blades shot free from the two deadly blades, trying to land a random hit on Chen. Unfortunately for the poor insect, Chen was way too experienced to fall for the wailings of a D-ranked Magic Beast.

Chen swung his spear in five different strokes. One to destroy the wind blades with his own fire rings. The second to create a few different fireballs up in the sky. The third and fourth to cut off the pesky arms of the Death Scythe Mantis. And the final one…

"DIE!!!"

Chen shouted at the top of his lungs and coated his spear with every remaining fire elemental that he had. He aimed his spear right at the top of the Magic Beast's head and threw it straight like a javelin.

Eeeeeeeeeekkkkkkk!!!

Under the rain of fireballs, the Death Scythe Mantis was unable to figure out where the final blow was coming from. In the end, all it could see was a scorching white ray before its vision faded into complete darkness.

The battle ended just as quickly as it began. Embers from Chen's final attack still remained on the ground surrounding the dead Magic Beast. It was a one-sided battle, but it was one that brought out everything in the young teenage Magician. No, Chen was no Magician. He was a...

"Magic Warrior," Roan declared wholeheartedly.

"A Magician that treads the path of both a Spellcaster and an Aura User. It is the hardest path to go for, and those that reach the pinnacle of magic are practically non-existent. But some tune out the critics. Those that follow their belief to their dying breath."

Roan tapped Yachi's head, bringing her senses back to Earth.

Chen walked out from the flames and not a wrinkle was found on his attire. At least, that was what it seemed on the outside. Chen's master hand was shivering, and his Magic Source had dimmed considerably. Even a Master Magician would have succumbed to their internal woes and collapsed on the spot.

And yet… Chen kept standing.

It was the dignity of a champion, a hero that never gave up even if his body was screaming at him to just give in. It was… the nature of a true and tested Magic Warrior.

"That is the nature of your future junior disciple brother, Yachi."