Chapter 34: A New Beginning

"So, you're the bastard that's like me, huh."

The old, harsh voice resounded out in the room, and Desire turned his head towards the voice's directions.

When he did, he saw a man who was standing beside Varyce.

He wasn't there before, yet, in just a blink of an eye, he was able to stand there without Desire noticing.

It was clear what that meant.

'Strong!'

This man who appeared was strong. Stronger than any person Desire met.

Desire spoke politely to the person who was the father of Jarina and the husband of Varyce.

"Yes, I am. I have heard of you from your daughter."

At that moment, the man turned his head to look at Liya and then to Varyce with a dumbfounded look.

"Huh? Why is he this polite? Cold-blooded doesn't make one polite, right?"

It was then.

The tightly sealed lips of Varyce opened wide while she has her hand covering her mouth.

"Fufufu..."

Her shoulders were shivering slightly as she tried to hold back her laughter.

"Oy, Varyce! I thought I told you that I wanted him to become my disciple?!"

"Eh? Disciple? What do you mean?"

Desire interrupted the dumbfounded man by having a dumbfounded look on his face as he heard what the man said.

After all, the man just came in and was already shouting how he was going to make Desire his disciple.

Even for Desire, who was able to get the Heavenly Demon, this was a piece of shocking news.

After all, this would change the course of his life in the human world, and also in his entire life.

"Huh? You don't know? What the!! I told Jarina to tell you!"

The man's angry face could be seen as he walked while stomping the ground with full force. However, due to Varyce's magic, he wasn't able to shake it.

The man's black hair could be seen, and his dangerously slit eyes were wide open.

His face that could be categorized as a middle-aged man was still handsome, that Desire could understand how he was able to get Varyce.

His long hair looks like a mane of a lion, expressing his dignity and proud blood.

It was then.

The laughing Varyce finally stopped laughing as she spoke while wiping the tear off her eyes.

"S-she didn't tell Desire. After all, Desire hates humans. I thought you already knew?"

"Ah..." The man exclaimed with his mouth wide open.

And while all this was happening, Liya was just watching with curious eyes, guessing what would happen now.

"So, will I become this man's disciple?" Desire said as he looked at the man with interested eyes.

After all, if ever he did accept, this man would be his teacher, master, or even his benefactor.

The man turned his fierce gaze towards Desire, who was basically like a puppy.

"Hmmm. So, do you want to be? Let me remind you; you'll be the very first disciple of this very Sir Lionel! Kuhahahaha!"

Lionel laughed loudly as he proudly introduced himself.

His hair that looked as if it were the lion's mane shook roughly, and his flashy fangs showed themselves naturally.

"This is also what I was about to talk with you before. But this guy suddenly barged in. So, what do you think?"

Varyce spoke with a smile on her face. If Desire was to become Lionel's disciple, she can be reassured that Desire would definitely repay his debt.

Unless Desire had a thick face that would betray even his master, he would definitely put the race of Suckus as a race who helped him.

Moreover, if Desire was able to become strong...The Suckus would get a man who could protect them from outside forces.

Although Varyce seems to be cunning, this was actually normal in this world.

If the Suckus didn't have Varyce and Lionel, they would already have fallen from their high horse and be slaves to the winners who got them.

Desire was just someone she invested in to protect her race.

And, of course, Desire knows this as well. If he got a special thing from someone, that someone would definitely ask for a thing of the same value.

Meaning, Varyce was basically asking for Desire to accept Lionel's offer of becoming his disciple.

Even if Desire has something else to offer, Varyce will reject it because of Desire's potential.

That was why Desire answered without hesitation.

"It's fine with me, but...can you even teach me how to become one with water?"

"Ah...That's right. You do have that with you...hmmm."

Lionel eyed his wife, Varyce, with a grin on his face. He already had an answer to this, but he wanted to tease his wife because of what she did earlier.

However...

"Don't worry, Desire. Jarina will teach you that."

Varyce said with a rather proud face. Of course, since they were husband and wife, they knew how each other's minds worked.

"Tsk. Right, Jarina will teach you about that, so don't worry about it. I'll teach you how to become a High Ranker in no time."

"Jarina? What do you mean? And what's a High Ranker...?"

"Oh. You don't know anything about the outside world. I guess that's reasonable since you were a baby before."

Desire was born in an underground space and was transferred into this forest.

He lived quite a harsh life before meeting Lyra, who brought him to her village of Suckus.

He then met Liya and some other various events that led him here to his current situation.

Anyway, the point is that there is no way, Desire, a baby who was just born, would know about the world or anything like that.

The only time he was able to read or learn something was when he read a book about humans.

"That's right. Hmmm, so what will we do exactly if I ever become your disciple?"

"You'll know soon. So, it's just yes or no!! What do you say!"

'What the hell is this person's deal...' Desire thought when he heard Lionel's answer.

After all, Lionel was basically keeping the important stuff as secrets and was just straight pressuring Desire to answer yes.

Well, Desire was able to stay calm despite that because of his trait.

'It's best if I do become his disciple. However...'

Desire, after finishing organizing his thoughts, looked straight at Lionel as he spoke.

"I can become your disciple, but. I want to have my freedom."

For Desire, freedom is the most important thing. The reason why he practiced this Heavenly Demon Trait is to make sure that he wouldn't get bound by guys who are the authority.

He wanted to make sure that he could still do whatever he wants while avoiding people like Lionel.

Even though the reason is not the same, becoming Lionel's disciple will limit some of Desire's freedom. His ability to do things would become bound to whatever his teacher's way, principles, or teachings.

Desire didn't want that.

After all, if he were to become bound to someone, why did he do all that training?

Either way, Desire expressed his feelings to Lionel strongly.

"Alright! I won't bind you to me!"

Lionel proudly declared. After all, it doesn't really matter to him.

Whether Desire follows his own principles or not, Lionel plans to teach him everything he knows.

After all, this was the first time Lionel has met someone like him.

Lionel was special in that he has some monster blood, but he was also a full-fledged human.

He can also increase and improve his rank by using the monster's way of increasing their strength and also accumulate experience to increase his rank.

He lived his life lonely, unable to find someone like him.

He was alone in the whole wide world where strength matters.

People in the past bullied him for being weird.

However, all that stopped when Lionel became strong.

That was the ironclad rule of this world.

That was why when he heard that someone like him was in Skinjur, Lionel couldn't contain his excitement.

Jarina was his daughter, but she inherited her mother's blood. She wasn't like Lionel, who was living in the line between humans and monsters.

However, Desire was someone like him. A human, yet he could also train like a monster.

That fact made Lionel want to take Desire in no matter what.

He wanted to take care of him until he becomes strong enough to punish all those who dared make fun of him.

He wanted to take care of a person that was like him.

Because in the past, no one did that for him.

And that's why he was desperately dying to see if Desire will become his disciple.

And...

"...Okay. I'll be your disciple."

Desire has successfully become Lionel's disciple. Or rather, Lionel has successfully recruited Desire.

Either way, the point is the same.

The Lionel of the Lion Clan has got his silent young cub.

And this silent young cub was something Lionel the Lion King would put his entire heart on to teach.

It was the beginning of the Young King's road.