Chapter 400: Master Soren!

"Good morning, Brother Soren!"

"Good morning, Ryan."

Soren waved through the car window and gestured for him to get in.

Ryan opened the door and climbed into the passenger seat, but as he settled in, he noticed another presence in the back. He looked over his shoulder and saw a red-haired boy who looked a year or two younger than him, with slightly chubby cheeks and bright, curious eyes.

Before he could even speak, the boy offered him a wide smile and greeted him enthusiastically. "Good morning! You must be Senior Ryan Master talked about! It’s a pleasure to meet you!"

’Master? Is he talking about Brother Soren?’ Ryan thought, momentarily caught off guard by the title. Recovering quickly, he gave a polite nod and smiled back. "Good morning. Yes, I’m Ryan. And who might you be?"

The boy’s eyes widened in realization, and he hurriedly bowed his head, looking a bit flustered. "Ah, forgive me! I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Darian, Darian Dervish! I’m Master Soren’s disciple!"

’I really guessed right?’ Ryan raised a brow in surprise and immediately turned his gaze toward the driver’s seat.

Soren offered a wry smile, catching Ryan’s baffled expression in the rearview mirror. "I’ll explain everything on the way," he said while smoothly pulling the car into traffic.

After a moment of silence, Soren glanced at Ryan and broke the quiet. "...Darian is the boy I talked to you about before, the one I wanted to sponsor. Before coming to pick you up, I went to his house with him to talk with his parents and got their consent."

He kept his eyes on the road as he continued. "Fortunately, his family was supportive of the idea, especially given the benefits of being an Awakened and the opportunities he could get at the academy. Since he’ll be training under my direction, he decided to call me ’Master,’ even though I told him a simple ’Brother’ or ’Mister’ would suffice."

In the back seat, Darian puffed his chest out slightly, grinning with pride. "Master Soren paid for another awakening test and promised to help me get into Etenia Academy! He even said he would help with tuition once I pass! He’s helping me achieve my lifelong dream. How could I not call him Master? And he’s a 5th Circle Awakened too!"

"I see..." Ryan listened carefully, the pieces clicking into place. He looked back at Darian and nodded with genuine appreciation. "It’s a huge opportunity to learn from Brother Soren, Darian. Work hard, and make sure you listen to everything he teaches you."

"I will!" Darian replied eagerly, leaning back against his seat with eyes sparkling at the prospect of the journey ahead.

"You should be taking notes from Ryan, too," Soren said with a slight smirk through the rearview mirror. "He is a 4th-Circle Awakened and exceptionally talented. Plus, he’s a swordsman, just like you want to be. So you can ask him for guidance whenever you get stuck with your swordsmanship in the future."

Darian’s eyes lit up instantly. "Really?!"

Ryan rubbed the back of his neck, offering a modest wave of his hand. "I only broke through to the 4th Circle not long ago. I’m really not that amazing."

"He’s still sixteen," Soren added seamlessly.

Darian’s gaze brightened even more, practically burning with starry-eyed reverence.

Slightly embarrassed by the boy’s intense awe, Ryan shifted in his seat and cleared his throat to change the subject. "Have you not taken the awakening test before?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, a sudden silence fell over the car.

Darian’s excited expression deflated, his shoulder dropping as his eyes cast downward. Ryan froze, immediately realizing he might have touched upon a sensitive subject.

"Actually..." Just as Soren was about to step in and break the heavy silence, Darian raised his head. The momentary shadow on his face had completely vanished, replaced by a spark of pure determination.

"I failed to awaken at the official ceremony," Darian explained, his voice steadying before firing up again. "But I didn’t give up, and I never will!"

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes surprisingly calm despite his usual scattered energy.

"Grandma always says that flowers don’t all bloom in the same month, and fruit doesn’t ripen on the same day. Everything in this world has its own right time. I think... my time just hadn’t arrived yet, but it’s definitely near. This time, I probably will—no, I must awaken!"

Ryan blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected depth in the young boy’s words. The sheer conviction in Darian’s tone hung in the air, carrying an uncanny weight that seemed far beyond his years.

Soren caught Ryan’s eye in the mirror and offered a subtle nod. Thanks to Eyes of Truth, Soren knew that Darian might be a bit scatterbrained most of the time, but every so often, he dropped truths that held a strange, almost prophetic weight. Perhaps this was one of those moments.

"That’s the spirit," he said softly, a subtle smile touching his lips as he steered the car toward the Bureau. "Hold onto that belief. Keep pushing forward, and don’t stop no matter what anyone says."

Ryan turned in his seat, the remaining awkwardness melting away into an encouraging smile. "That’s right, as long as you don’t give up, anything is possible. And... once you awaken, I’ll help you practice your swordsmanship."

Darian’s smile widened until it practically reached his ears, his eyes shining with newfound determination. "Thank you so much, Master! Thank you, Senior Ryan! I promise I won’t let either of you down!"

Soren and Ryan shared an amused smile at the boy’s boundless enthusiasm. Soren kept his eyes on the road, though his thoughts drifted for a moment as he wondered how to handle the situation if Darian failed to awaken again.

’No... Let’s not think about failure for now. Today is about giving him a chance. Let’s believe in him.’

They continued with small talk as the car moved through the city streets, with Darian mostly asking questions while Ryan and Soren answered. Eventually, they arrived at their destination: the Ademary Awakened Bureau.