"Let's go there then," William casually pointed at a direction inside the campus, "as for you, why not go and check the missions? Berry knows my place; let's all meet together there."
"Tsk, just take this time to reconsider this," Peter said in displeasure. He didn't like seeing such a good friend face a bad end thanks to his rash decision.
However, William just waved his fist high in the air, led the way with this spirit master towards a corner.
It was one of the smaller buildings here that William didn't know any of their uses.
"So, what do you want?" William turned and casually asked.
"It's like this…"
The spirit master started to speak about his life in short sentences. From what he said, William confirmed his earlier guess.
He came from a common family, no wealth, no fame, no strength or strings attached to any of the big names.
He was like a lone wolf, and yet he faced great trouble despite joining the academy.
He thought it was the best turn over in his life. But reality proved him wrong. Life here wasn't that much different than life outside. And even worse, he got suppressed by many, received no help from the academy or the other spirit masters.
He told William that he disliked serving others as their servants. He wasn't arrogant, but he had a high regard for his life and future.
He wanted to be a strong spirit master but didn't like to follow those despicable ones who seemed to look at him like he was a dog or something.
When he saw William's performance today, he had a thought of learning things from him. He promised many things in return, like following William whenever he'd ever go to venture the vast world outside, like never betraying him and such heavy promises.
But he never promised him to act like his servant or an eternal follower. He even limited his services and promises to just five years. William took note of this.
In fact, he wasn't displeased at all. In such times, meeting someone who had beliefs for himself and held tightly to them was quite rare actually.
William never intended to build relations with others in a master and servant fashion. He wanted a mutual relation where both sides would act like friends and mates.
So, he didn't dislike this spirit master or even thought about arguing with his offer terms. To have friends, one had to show sincerity first.
And by coming here and taking the initiative, William was content about such sincerity shown to him.
In return for that, he was going to show the other side his sincerity towards helping him.
As for their future relation, William doubted that with showing enough sincerity and support, sharing good and bad together, this spirit master and others of his calibre wouldn't stick around him.
Servants weren't the only ones who were going to last with one forever, friends were also the same.
And when treating friends in such a great way, one could even have ones that would be more loyal to him than any servant.
"Fine," William nodded, "from what you said, you don't have any unique spirit or special spirit techniques, right?"
"That's… True…" that spirit master who was called John said in a dejected tone that was filled with embarrassment.
In his eyes, William was a special spirit master with his own background and strength. Just accepting a random and common spirit master without any uniqueness wouldn't appeal to William.
But against his disturbed thoughts, William nodded again, "this isn't a big problem. Let's do it this way, I'll help to teach you three fighting techniques, evolving these three of what you already have, and then you'll come with me later to do a mission."
"What mission?" Even if he flabbergasted with what William said, he couldn't help but ask in return about the nature of this mission, out of his old habits to ask first and follow later.
"It's one from the Mercenary department," William shrugged, "I still don't know the specifics yet. Once we are done here, let's go back and join others."
"This…" John recalled William's last words before dragging him here. He got what William meant before asking in doubt, "will this only take this little time? Won't I need days to learn and master these techniques?"
"I already told you; I will just adjust the ones you already know," William smiled, "you just saw the master back there. When he listened to my words, a leap in strength happened. And that is exactly what is going to happen to you as well."
"This…" John was shocked, but William didn't give him any time to even say anything else. He moved to the side of the building as he said:
"Tell me more about the techniques you know, and I'll tell you what to modify them."
"We'll do it right here?!!"
"What? don't tell me you are embarrassed to train in the open," William laughed despite him knowing this wasn't what John was worried about.
"It's just…" John moved his eyes around as if he didn't know how to say it, "what if we damaged the buildings here just like what master did?"
"This… Don't take yourself like that master," William didn't know if he should laugh or cry, "you are far weaker than him, and your mastery over your technique is far worse. Come on, stop wasting time and show me three techniques now."
John seemed to be startled at first. He was truly afraid of causing any harm to the surrounding buildings. But when William kept looking in such a calm way towards him, he resigned to his fate and started to speak first.
"I have a few techniques that I learnt from classes during these years. However, my favourite three are all leg related; the muddy step, the iron hoof leg, and the long whip kick."
"Show me them," William didn't recognise these techniques. But he wasn't feeling any worry.