“Are you sure?” Mia asked, a troubled look appearing on her face. “I mean, won’t you get into deep shit if you beat up another disciple?”

“It’s fine,” I replied, leaving the beaten-up body of the troublemaker and pushing my hand towards the girl.

As expected, my palm stopped at the invisible barrier.

‘A little bit longer, huh?’ I thought, turning around and sending a kick straight towards the man’s balls.

“AARGH!” the fellow disciple cried out in pain with so much intensity that even my own face turned still for a second.

‘Is this the legendary solidarity of testicles?’ I thought, recalling several memes made about the topic. Apparently, every man was somehow capable of perceiving the damage done to someone else’s balls.

“Well then, don’t mind if I do!” Mia shouted out as soon as her hand got through the barrier, indicating that it was off.

Without any hesitation, she ran the two steps forward before sending a straight kick right to the man’s ribs.

“That was oddly satisfying,” she added, several punches and kicks later. An exhausted smile on her face proved just how much did she enjoy the experience.

“Now that I think about it isn’t hitting a fellow disciple way more efficient than hitting the pillar?” I mentioned as soon as I recalled this odd little bit from my fight at the garden. “Well, I guess it won’t hurt to find out!” I added.

I grabbed the disciple’s hair and dragged him inside the clearing before turning my face to the girl.

“Would you mind going to raise the barrier really quick?”

“Sure, be right back,” Mia replied cheerfully, still riding on the high of beating someone who attempted to oppress her.

‘Dealing with one’s bullies is a great feeling, no matter the world, huh?’ I thought, a small smile forming on my face.

Even though I never was officially a slave back on earth, it didn’t mean I wasn’t oppressed. While the methods of the fellow kids and later students were far more subtle and convoluted, the crux of the story remained the same.

I never managed to truly get back at those who oppressed me back then. Sure, in some instances, I made them pay dearly for all the harm they brought to me, but on the general scale, I had no other way but to admit to leaving that as an unfinished business.

‘Maybe that’s the reason why I enjoy seeing Mia pay her own bullies back?’ I thought, trying to figure out where did that strange joy came from.

Because objectively speaking, this trouble, I invited upon me, all by myself. As such, I could only have myself to blame for all those people coming at me in various ways.

“Are you going to train now?” Mia asked as soon as we reached the garden proper. From the excited looks she was throwing at the disciple, I would have to be an idiot not to realize what was going through her head.

“That’s right. Feel free to enjoy yourself in the meanwhile,” I said with a smile as I walked towards the training pillar.

I took a few breaths to calm myself and clear my mind from all the spare thoughts.

Right now, all the problems that this damned young master was causing me didn’t matter. With the spirit stones already in my possession, I had to figure out the best and most efficient way of training.

‘First, let’s check how much did that single stone do for me,’ I thought, before invoking, ‘status.’

BODY STATUS WINDOW

***

– Name: Arthur (Fian) Pendragon

– Age: 17

– Status: Healthy

– Hidden Status: Focused

– Body Status: Paramortal

– Hidden Body Status: Apostle

***

PROGRESS STATUS WINDOW

***

– Body status: Mortal

– Growth status: Mana Condensation

– Body status modifier:

– Endurance:11/200

– Willpower: 18/200

Mana Condensation 102/900

{

Mana Pool 32/300

Mana Flow 0/300

Mana Density 0/300(+75)

}

***

After a quick look, I confirmed that only a few things changed in my inner situation. Namely, my hidden status changed from confused to focused, both my endurance and willpower raised by quite a bit, and my mana pool managed to grow by thirty points.

‘So a spirit stone raises the mana pool by thirty?’ I thought, not sure about how correct that statement was. For how obvious it was, I had trouble assuming that the simplest answer was the solution.

‘Or maybe I’m overthinking it?’ I thought, gently hitting the stone ahead just to keep the barrier of the garden up. ‘I remember there was this rule stating that the simplest explanation is often the best one. While it applied to problem-solving rather than trying to uncover mysteries, I guess I can go along with that,’ I thought before pulling another stone from my pouch.

“Oh?” Mia spoke out, pulling me out of my focused state.

Looking towards the girl, I saw her holding the unconscious man by his hair, keeping his head right at the perfect height for her knee. The disciple’s bloodied mess of a face proved that she wasn’t slacking while I was thinking either.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked, not sure what caught the girl’s attention.

Wasn’t she busy getting her fair share of a comeback at her bully?

“I see that you managed to obtain the stones,” she said, her eyes flashing up. Yet, while I couldn’t tell what kind of emotion this flash hinted at, I was damn sure it wasn’t greed.

“Yeah,” I nodded my head, holding the stone through the cloth of my robe. Given how the direct contact between the skin and the stone would result in the stone’s absorption, I dared not to touch it freely.

“Isn’t that great?!” Mia said, throwing the beaten-up disciple aside as if he didn’t matter anymore. “Now, you will surely be able to get accepted by that elder!” she exclaimed, happiness striking right through her voice.

“Don’t worry,” I smiled, unable to resist the charm of her happy grin. “Once you break through the purification stage, you won’t be lacking stones either.”

“Huh?” Mia’s smile froze on her lips, her eyes widening. “Why would that be?” she asked, leaning her head over her shoulder.

“Huh?” I shrugged, surprised myself.. “What, did you think I would let you sit comfortably in the back while I will breeze through the ranks?” I asked before a slightly vicious smile appeared on my face. “Now that you are stuck with me, you are stuck with me for good!”