Not long into their journey, the East City Gate was already in sight when suddenly, a red-clad figure sprang out from the side of the street, blocking the path of the trio. They focused their gaze and recognized the person—it was the Fire Magician Kino, who had dueled with Xuan Yue at Biluo Canyon.
Due to their improved relations with Larthas, Ah Dai and Xuan Yue no longer harbored hostility toward the Mage Guild of the Empire of Tian Jing. Xuan Yue giggled and said, "What’s the matter? Blocking our way like this, could it be that you can’t accept your defeat that day?"
Kino seed to be quite afraid of Xuan Yue, and hastily said, "No, that’s not it, I’m indeed not your match. I, I am here on my teacher’s orders."
Ah Dai and the others didn’t know that he was Larthas’s disciple. Ah Dai asked, "Who is your teacher?"
Kino replied, "My teacher is the Magus Larthas, he asked to wait here for you. Which one of you is Ah Dai? My teacher asked to give this to him." As he spoke, he took out a letter from his bosom and handed it over. Ah Dai was slightly startled, a letter from Larthas to himself? What could it be about? He reached out to take the letter, saying, "I am Ah Dai."
Xuan Yue and Olivia crowded over as Ah Dai opened the letter. There was a piece of white paper inside, neatly written in the script of the Empire of Tian Jing, "Ah Dai, I and Gorisong are returning to the Empire of Tian Jing. Kino has been my disciple for twenty years. He is honest and simple-hearted and has stayed by my side since childhood without much exposure to the world. You have seen his magic level for yourselves. I hope you can take him with you, to temper him on the continent. This will be helpful for his magical cultivation. If it is truly inconvenient for you, then let him return directly to the Mage Guild of the Empire of Tian Jing." Signed, Larthas bowing his head. Having read the letter, Ah Dai felt troubled. They already had Olivia with them, and their destination was the Death Mountain Range. Could he really take care of Kino if he ca along?
A faint smile appeared on Xuan Yue’s pretty face as she took the letter from Ah Dai’s hands and looked at Kino, saying, "Your teacher has asked you to follow us and venture on the continent. Are you willing to go?"
Kino was stunned and muttered, "My teacher, is he sending away? I, I..."
Xuan Yue curiously asked, "Didn’t he tell you? Look," she said, passing the letter over.
Kino took the letter and carefully read it over, then with a serious expression said, "So the teacher really doesn’t want anymore."
Ah Dai said, "If you’re troubled by this, then forget it; you can return to the Mage Guild of Tian Jing now. I think Master Larthas hasn’t left yet."
The solemn expression on Kino’s face gradually faded, and suddenly, he shouted excitedly, "That’s great, I finally don’t have to suffer anymore."
Ah Dai, Xuan Yue, and Olivia were all startled by his sudden excitent. Olivia asked, "What suffering? Training with Master Larthas is such a fortunate thing!"
Kino bitterly smiled and said, "If you had gone through the sa hardship I did, you wouldn’t say that. My teacher’s training is like torture from Hell! Please take with you, let go with you." He looked at the trio with a hopeful expression and excitent flickering in his eyes.
Ah Dai was still hesitating, but Xuan Yue interjected, "We are going to a very dangerous place, and might not be able to look after you. Do you still want to go?"
Kino didn’t hesitate at all and blurted out, "I’m not afraid. How wonderful it is to travel the continent! I’ve been longing for it for many years, and my teacher is finally willing to let go. Please, take with you. I can take care of myself. Soone who has survived the Hell of Flas isn’t afraid of death." Later on, Ah Dai and the others found out that Kino had been taken by Larthas to train in magic near a volcano mouth from a young age, enduring over fifteen hours of agonizing torture every day. Eventually, Larthas even took him deep into the volcano to accompany the magma. Otherwise, how could Kino, with his age and unexceptional ingenuity, have achieved what he had?
Xuan Yue laughed happily, for the addition of a Fire Magician would make the power around Ah Dai even stronger. "Alright then, since that’s the case, we’ll take you with us. However, on the road, you must obey us. Otherwise, I’ll send you right back to Master Larthas." With Xuan Yue’s intelligence, she naturally sensed Kino’s fear of Larthas and hit him right where it hurt.
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