The morning light filtered through the tall forest leaves, painting patterns on the ground like the world itself was trying to draw something pretty to distract from the chaos to come.

  Kael stood still, arms crossed, watching his new disciple with a look that mixed seriousness, doubt, and a slight touch of regret.

  Lys, the girl who had decided to punch a rock until it respected her, now stood ready for whatever he was about to teach.

  “Disciple, huh…” Kael thought, recalling the scene from yesterday.

  Her kneeling, eyes full of resolve. Him spouting random wisdom with ancient-sounding gravitas.

  “If you stand up now, you explode.”

  Damn it, why am I like this?

  The ghost floated lazily nearby, circling Kael’s head.

  “So, oh master of infinite wisdom... what are you gonna teach her?”

  “I’m thinking.”

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  “You only made all that up yesterday ‘cause she cracked a rock with a stick.”

  “Exactly. That’s already more than 99% of job interviews require.”

  Lys gripped her improvised spear with both hands, sweating slightly. She was nervous, but steady.

  “Master… what’s my first lesson?”

  Kael cleared his throat.

  Looked to the side.

  Pointed to a rock about the size of a chubby pig.

  “Attack that rock.”

  Lys blinked.

  “With... all my strength?”

  “With the strength of your essence,” Kael said, in his most mysterious tone.

  (While the ghost sighed and the grimório pretended not to know them.)

  “And whatever that means...” Kael muttered under his breath.

  Lys shouted, ran forward, and struck the rock with her stick-spear. The tip trembled, and the rock cracked slightly.

  Kael walked around the rock like he was analyzing invisible variables.

  “Hmm... interesting. This rock was spared by divine mercy. That’s the only explanation.”

  “That was good?” Lys asked, hopeful.

  “That was... a start.”

  The grimório flashed with a new notification:

  > New Technique Unlocked:

  > Inner Pressure Spiritual Thrust?

  > (name successfully made up)

  > Progress: 3%

  Kael scratched his chin.

  “Now we’ll train that move until your arm begs for mercy.”

  “And after that?”

  “Then you’ll use both arms.”

  The ghost sighed.

  “You’re really gonna keep training her even though you have no idea what you’re doing?”

  Kael smirked.

  “I might not know what I’m doing… but neither does the universe. So we’re even.”