Liam turned back to head ho, but he had a sudden feeling that he was being watched.
The instructor snapped out of his shock and quickly raised his hands. A series of glowing golden chains erupted from his palms, wrapping around the boss’s massive fra.
The restraints locked in place with a magical hum, ensuring that the creature wouldn’t be able to move even if it recovered.
The instructor exhaled, his sharp gaze snapping back to Liam.
"What... was that just now? How did you take that boss out so fast?"
He asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Liam simply shrugged.
"I just knocked it out."
"Knocked it out?"
One of the fighters, a young man with short brown hair, repeated incredulously.
"That thing was wiping the floor with us a second ago! What did you even do?"
Liam didn’t answer imdiately. He was debating whether to play dumb or give a half-truth, but before he could decide, Asger let out an amused chuckle.
"Seems like you made quite the impression, human."
The instructor narrowed his eyes, clearly assessing Liam now. It wasn’t just that Liam had taken down the boss—it was how effortlessly he had done it.
The two fighters exchanged uneasy glances. They had been fighting the boss for at least twenty minutes, pushing themselves to their limits, and then this guy had co in and ended it in re seconds? It was absurd.
The instructor finally spoke again, his tone calr but no less intense.
"Who are you?"
Liam tilted his head.
"Nico Vale."
The instructor frowned. That na was unfamiliar. A new recruit, perhaps? A rogue magician?
Either way, the sheer control Liam had displayed over his magic was not sothing just any C-class magician should have been capable of.
"I don’t suppose you’re part of a guild? You look like a newbie."
The instructor probed.
Liam shook his head.
"Nope. I just got evaluated today, so today is my first day...sort of."
The instructor’s expression darkened slightly, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he turned back to the immobilized boss, checking the chains he had placed around it. The two fighters, still in shock, walked hesitantly toward the downed monster.
"...So what do we do now?"
The brown-haired fighter asked.
The instructor sighed.
"Training is over. We will head ho now."
His words made Liam blink in surprise.
"Oh?. You’re not planning to kill it?"
Liam asked as he looked at the unconscious boss lying on the floor.
The instructor shot him a sharp glance.
"That was not the objective. We only ca here to train and nothing more."
Liam chuckled, folding his arms.
"Well, good luck with that."
With that, he turned and walked toward the exit, leaving the three behind.
"Wait!"
The instructor called out, but Liam didn’t stop.
"What do you want now?"
Liam asked, glancing back.
The instructor hesitated for a mont before his eyes narrowed in determination.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?"
Liam simply smirked.
"Wouldn’t you like to know?"
And with that, he walked away, leaving the baffled instructor and his two students staring after him.
Asger, still perched on his shoulder, let out a snicker.
"Human, I swear, you love being mysterious just for the sake of it."
Liam chuckled.
"Maybe."
As he stepped out of the boss’s chamber, he felt the instructor’s gaze still lingering on his back. He had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last ti they crossed paths.
______
Liam spent another hour wandering around the C-class dungeon, but boredom quickly set in. The monsters were too weak to provide any real challenge, and the experience points he earned were pitiful.
He barely even needed to use magic—just a few well-placed strikes were enough to take most creatures down.
With nothing worthwhile to collect, no rare materials, and no valuable loot, Liam sighed and decided it was ti to leave.
"Asger, this place is a waste of ti."
Liam muttered, shaking his head as he made his way toward the exit.
"Took you long enough to figure that out, human. I told you so half an hour ago. You should have just listened to in the first place."
Asger said, lazily stretched out on Liam’s shoulder.
Liam rolled his eyes but said nothing. As he walked, he sensed a familiar presence ahead. His pace slowed, his instincts alerting him before he even laid eyes on them.
Sure enough, standing just outside the exit was the sa trio from earlier.
The two younger fighters—the brown-haired boy and his twin sister—tensed the mont they spotted Liam. The boy’s eyes narrowed, his body stiff with wariness, while the girl shrank back slightly, watching him with a more reserved but curious gaze.
The instructor, however, seed unfazed. As soon as he noticed Liam, his expression brightened, and he strode forward confidently.
Liam debated just walking past them, but the instructor was quick to block his path.
"Well, well. I was hoping to run into you again."
The man said, a friendly but assessing smile on his face.
Liam didn’t respond, only staring at him with his usual disinterested expression.
The instructor, undeterred, gestured toward the twins.
"Since we didn’t get to introduce ourselves properly last ti, let fix that. My na is Zane Aldric, and these two are my students, Ethan and Elaine Carter."
Ethan, the brown-haired boy, scowled, crossing his arms.
"Not that you care, right?"
He muttered under his breath.
Elaine didn’t say anything, but she looked away, shifting uncomfortably.
Zane shot Ethan a warning glance before looking back at Liam.
"And you are...?"
Liam sighed before he replied in the most deadpan voice he could..
"Nico Vale."
If possible, he wanted nothing to do with these people. But he had a feeling that he wouldn’t be able to walk away if he did not introduce himself.
As soon as Liam introduced himself, he saw the interest in the instructor’s eyes. It spelled trouble but it was too late to take his introduction back.
Liam would have to decline whatever request that would be made.
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