In the run-down house somewhere in Arizona,

Ayaka's body kept twitching. Even though she had stayed in this house for a day, she still could not get used to the sight. She felt that even after living for weeks or even months, she would still not be able to stand the house interior.

All she could see was a study desk made of burly wood in front of her. Right in the middle was a thirty centimeters dying mouse with many stab wounds. The wounds were slowly regenerating, but it abruptly stopped as soon as the mouse died.

To the left of the mouse was a stack of neatly arranged books, numbering about eight. The wall on her right was a dark and green layered creepy wallpaper with yellow lamps attached to them.

Diagonally beside the lamp was a giant tube shrouded in a pale green glow. It contained something that threw Ayaka off.

A lion's corpse.

In front of the tube sat a beautiful middle-aged woman with a devilish body. She had grey colored hair and beautiful silver eyes. Her expressions remained flat despite watching the tube and taking a few notes.

"Professor, can I get an answer already?" Ayaka asked with an impatient voice.

"Haha, you are really an impatient girl… Even Kai is more polite than you." She turned around, made a teasing smile, and walked toward her.

It turned out the beautiful middle-aged lady was the 'Professor' that Kai was afraid about.

"Although you are blessed with a good aptitude, it's hard for you to achieve it. There are many factors that I need to consider, but above all, it's about my promise to that little guy." She put down her notebook on the table as she leaned on the wall.

"I need it, I need power!"

"You are just power hungry. You are still a student, and I have read all of your records. To be honest, you are already a top talent among your peers." The professor rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"It's not enough. If it goes on like this, I will be left in the dust." Ayaka paused for a moment, recalling the past matters that brought her to tears. "Not long ago, I wasn't even qualified to know that my grandfather died and my family was on the brink of extinction. Then Kai stretched his hand to me, helping my family and me from the brink of death.

"Despite wanting to help my family or him, I am powerless. They keep telling me that I can get stronger and take my time, but I am a woman who has her own dream and ambition. Those encouragements to me feel like an insult! That's why I decide to take the risk even knowing I might not be able to meet him and my family again the next day! Even if the risk is huge, please, I beg you."

"Pfft." The professor laughed abruptly as she made a coffee. The clicking sound of a glass and a spoon filled the room created a tense atmosphere. This situation made Ayaka think that the professor did not have any intention to answer her as she put down the cup, sitting on her chair.

"Professor!" Ayaka slowly became frustrated after not getting any answer. If the professor just rejected or accepted her request, it was not this irritating.

The professor ignored her for a few minutes until she finally finished her coffee. "Ah, I finally finished this. If feeling alone can beat someone or go through this, then Humanity might have reclaimed the Earth. Unfortunately, that is not the case."

She did not let Ayaka talk as she rose from her seat, walked toward the door, and said without any emotion. "Follow me."

Ayaka did not understand her and just followed her. The run down house was quite big as they needed a minute before arriving in a room she never entered.

There were a few tubes inside the room. The professor walked toward a computer, typed a few things before looking at Ayaka. "Go inside one of them."

Ayaka did not know what she wanted to do, but this might be her answer. Therefore, she walked inside one of them and entered a simulation world. It was a large white room without anything in it. She looked around, wondering what the professor wanted to do with this room.

A few seconds later, the professor came inside while putting her hand inside the pocket of her white robe.

"Well, you have many shortcomings to even be qualified. So, I will train you for now." She said before yawning like Ayaka was worth nothing in her eyes.

"But professor…" Ayaka didn't understand her meaning and was afraid to hurt her.

"If you don't want to get the chance, it is fine by me. I am just testing you. If you want to get it, then come at me with whatever you have. If you can hit me once, then you pass." She said without a change of expression.

Ayaka looked left and right, not knowing what to do. Ultimately, she took out her spear. If she could only get it with force, then she needed to do it. "I am sorry, Professor. I need to have it."

Looking at Ayaka pointed a spear at her, the professor yawned, raised her hand and waved her finger back and forth to taunt her. "Just come. I still have many things to do."

"Here I go!" She narrowed her eyes and charged at her, thrusting her spear on the professor's heart.

She should end this battle instantly by killing the professor, or that was what she expected. In reality, her vision suddenly turned upside down as she was lying on the floor.

The professor only snorted. "Weak."

Ayaka had yet to realize it, but it was clear from the professor's point of view.

"Get up." The professor looked down at her like looking at trash. "As I said earlier, if you think emotion alone can let you defeat your opponent, then the Earth has already been reclaimed by humanity."

Ayaka looked up, rose from her position, and reached out to her spear before noticing a sharp pain coming from her hand.

"Argh!" The excruciating pain jolted her mind, freezing her brain for a few seconds. She placed her hand on the painful area, but noticed something wrong.

In an instant, she looked down, only finding her arm was bent in a weird direction. "Aahhh!"

Her tears came out as it might be the hardest blow she ever received. In fact, when she died in the simulation room back then, it was a quick death, so she did not really feel anything. But this pain was killing her from the inside.

"Heh… I have turned the pain reduction to zero, so you will feel all the pain like in the real world. I feel I have not introduced myself, right? Then let me introduce myself first. I am Ria Ross. People know me as a mad scientist, and I research many things, including the fusion between Human Blood and Magical Beast Blood, calling it Zodiac.

"I saved Kai a few years ago when I visited United Asia… To be specific, it was after the raid of flying beasts that struck Tokyo. The little brat who was dying just to save a little lass had no other choice than fusing with the blood of a magical beast to survive. Despite having wounds all over and almost died, he uttered no word other than asking me to help the little lass.

"Compared to you, his determination alone far surpassed you. He managed to survive by relying on that will. Though it might also be the greatest setback in my life. At first, I was intrigued by his hearing and extraordinary magic power, but...

"After healing him, I taught him all the necessary things he needed to protect his loved one from knowledge, soft skills, to combat. I became his instructor for about three years before I let him graduate from my training… Well, you can also say I am Kai Carter's Master." The professor finally introduced herself.

Ayaka was stupefied, never expecting this kind of introduction. There was only one thing that kept replaying in her mind.

'Kai's Master?'

The thought alone startled her. She once thought about how Kai could become that strong, but knowing that he had a teacher put her mind at ease.

"And I have said it before… If you can't even have the same amount of willpower, I won't let you take the test. However, there is another thing that I can apply to you to train your will. The simplest way is to kill you over and over… let see… one hundred times should be enough for now. Just tell me when you want to stop, you are free to go."

Ayaka gritted her teeth and rose from the ground while enduring the pain. Even if she could not use her right hand anymore, she would continue fighting with her other hand. She created a magic circle, pointing it at Ria.

Unfortunately, Ria was nowhere to be seen. It was at this time she suddenly felt a sharp pain on her chest.

She flew toward the wall, finding that Ria just kicked at her chest and breaking a few bones.

"Come on! Kai has died more than a thousand times," Ria said nonchalantly.

If Michelle were here, she would say, 'That is the reason why Kai doesn't want to meet you.'

As for Ayaka, she could only spat blood to the ground and looked at Ria with blurry eyes before falling to the floor.