The Author's POV

"...I want you to teach me martial body. Your family four stars and a half martial technique."

A rather awkward atmosphere enshrouded the place as Han Yufei's calm and composed face finally crumbled.

Even when we were fighting his face had never once changed this much. It was clear that he was extremely shocked by my request.

"...Are you making fun of me?"

Han Yufei suddenly stood up as he sharply glared in my direction.

A threatening aura sprung out from his body, shrouding the whole room.

"You think that just because I surrendered in the tournament, that I'm now a pushover?"

His voice was becoming increasingly louder with each word he said.

Pushing my hands down, I tried to calm him down.

"No, I don't think that at all. Calm down and listen to me."

But that didn't seem to work as Han Yufei got even more riled up.

"Calm down? ...how do you expect me to calm down when you just asked me to teach you our family's most prestigious art? Do I look like a joke to you?"

"Of course, I know what I asked was outrageous, but I obviously have something of equivalent value in exchange."

"...Eh?"

Han Yufei suddenly froze.

"What did you just say?"

Finally gaining Han Yufei's attention, I continued.

"What I'm trying to say is that I'm willing to exchange something of equal value with you in order for you to teach me the martial technique. In fact, you can also say that it's actually a notch above what you're going to teach me."

"A notch above?"

Han Yufeis's brows furrowed at my last words. He was obviously not convinced. I smiled at his doubt.

"Yeah, I can offer you something even better than your family martial arts."

Han Yufei sat back down.

His eyes were filled with interest.

'Got him.'

I thought as I inwardly smiled to myself.

Just by looking at his eyes, I could tell that I had gained his interest. This was all I wanted.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Tapping on the table with my right hand, I remained silent for a couple of seconds. Staring at Han Yufei who was looking back at me, I only spoke up once I noticed that he was about to lose patience.

"In exchange for you teaching me your martial technique, I will give you a five-star manual."

The room froze at my words as Han Yufei was unable to process what I just said.

But it didn't take too long for him to finally understand what I said as his eyes shot wide open. Standing up and smacking the palm of his hand on the table, he leaned forward.

"Did you just say five-star martial manual?!"

His voice cracked a little as he said those words.

It was clear that he was still in disbelief by my proposal.

Staring at him from my seat, I nodded back.

"Yeah. I will give you a five-star manual in exchange for your family art. That simple."

'The Gravar style'

was the five-star manual that I

whenever I saw Han Yufei. The Gravar style, although

user, Han Yufei wished nothing more than for his clan to rise into prominence and dominate the other Chinese

and there was a lot

sword manual, the chances of

trying to get his martial manual, but I was also trying to form a connection with the

appeared to fall into deep thought.

prove to me that you are

his question. I had long seen

"It's simple really."

small piece of paper from my dimensional space, I slid

can sign a mana

the words 'mana contract' escaped from my mouth, all doubts seemed to have

"Let me see it."

saying anything else, sliding the piece of paper in front of him, Han Yufei

"Hm?"

as he was looking through it, his brows

then proceeded to

not a mana

"No, it's not."

I shook my head.

voice any complaints, I quickly

can be the one who provides it. I'm sure you will feel like it's

wasn't impossible

and so, by allowing him to provide the mana contract, I was essentially showing him my willingness to

that was merely on the surface. In reality, a mana contract of that

afford

"I see."

the excuse as he thoughtfully nodded his head. Then, taking the paper back,

to myself when I saw

"...eh?"

the paper down and

it says 'The signee of the contract will join Caïssa mercenary group as a member for

"Ah, that."

the back of my

made it this way since what I'm offering

"What!?"

Han Yufei stood up.

mercenary group? Do

know."

of ever since transmigrating into this wolrd. Of

fifth in Lock, age twenty years, son of Han Gaye, current

face as I recounted all the

shock did not last for long as

you know all of this, why are you asking me to

filled with

merely smiled at

From the way things are going, you won't become the head until you're

"..."

face turned ugly

knew that my words held some truth into

live over two hundred years of age, it would still take quite a long time for him to actually become the head

was essentially going to be losing a lot of time waiting for something that would happen a few decades into the

and I could provide that for

your time there? If you join me, I can guarantee

myself as I said those

teacher, but I definitely knew the

were a far cry from where they were in the past. If he joined, I didn't once doubt the fact

real goal was to gain his trust. If in the future he planned to leave, I wanted to

would massively boost my influence in

I wanted to say, silence

say anything else. I had already said everything that I wanted to

for long. Raising his head and meeting

"I..."

***

time, in a

is the

looked at Emma. Lowering her head and gazing at a small holographic map, Emmas scratched the