The SSS-rank Guide Doesn't Need Saving

”What?” Aisha asked.

It seemed as though he had muttered something under his breath, but she wasn’t entirely certain.

Meanwhile, the furry beast continued to look thoroughly despondent, even letting out a pitiful, whimpering noise. Unable to bear seeing it look so profoundly wronged, Aisha pressed on, ”Can I take it back?”

Zeke didn’t offer an immediate response. Instead, he calmly set down the documents he had been reviewing and studied her intently for a long moment before finally opening his mouth.

”You’ve lied to me twice.”

Aisha’s chest tightened instantly. For a split second, an overwhelming urge to bolt for the door and flee the room washed over her. This man had actually caught her in a lie twice already!

Was his psychic power related to mind-reading? Or did he possess some specific sensory power that triggered whenever someone spoke a falsehood?

Sentinels possessed a vast array of unique psychic powers. Even if two individuals shared the same elemental attribute--such as fire manipulation--the exact type, strength, and manifestation of their forms would differ entirely.

Furthermore, their respective ranks acted as a definitive benchmark, creating an insurmountable chasm between the weak and the truly powerful.

Aisha gazed at him with heightened vigilance. ”What do you mean by that, Instructor?”

Meeting her guarded gaze head-on, Zeke answered coolly, ”First, you lied about your true strength. And second... that spiritual beast does not belong to you.”

Though she desperately tried to maintain a neutral expression, her heart was hammering wildly against her ribs. ”I don’t see how you could possibly know either of those things.”

Zeke reached for a miniature device on his desk, idly rolling it between his fingers. ”I have something here called Nano Flies. They record every single event occurring in real time.”

Hearing this, Aisha’s expression cooled completely, her calculated calm instantly shifting into an icy glare. She had entire overlooked that detail. However, what she failed to understand was why, out of all places, he had specifically chosen the training grounds.

Could it be...

”So, not only are you an instructor who follows an unwilling student back to their residence, but you’re also the type to stalk them?” Aisha sneered.

Zeke raised an eyebrow at the sharp accusation, a faint, barely perceptible curl appearing at the corner of his lips. ”It falls strictly under my responsibility as an instructor.”

Before she could formulate a retort, he smoothly added, ”It is my duty to ensure that any student under my supervision remains out of harm’s way. Especially one who is currently being courted by a wanted criminal.”

Aisha’s brows knit together fiercely. ”I am not being courted by anyone.”

”That’s highly difficult to believe.”

For fleeting second, a bizarre thought crossed Aisha’s mind--was this man actually trying to flirt with her?

But she discarded the ridiculous notion just as quickly as it had appeared.

Nodding toward the creature currently squirming weakly in his grasp, she stated coldly, ”The instructor is free to believe whatever delusions he pleases. However, please refrain from detaining someone else’s spiritual beast.”

Zeke dropped the nano fly device back into the desk with a soft, clattering sound, his tone remaining infuriatingly patient. ”And there lies your second lie.”

Aisha stiffened.

”That creature does not belong to you.”

And how exactly would you know that?” Aisha questioned. Yet, even as the words spilled past her lips, a faint suspicion had already taken root in her mind.

She had a sinking feeling she already knew what his response would be before he even uttered it.

”Because it’s mine,” Zeke declared flatly. ”That is how.”

The moment his confession echoed through the room, the beast in his grip suddenly performed an action that completely caught both of them off guard. Its enormous watery eyes instantly brimmed over with massive tears.

The display was so sudden and melodramatically tragic that Zeke--who had never once witnessed the creature exhibit such behavior--actually loosened his grip out of sheer, unadulterated shock.

Suddenly, a perfect opening presented itself.

Capitalizing on the exact moment its master was caught off guard, the creature transformed into a blur. It slipped free, darted across the narrow space separating them, and burrowed straight into the front of Aisha’s collar. It tucked its body securely against her chest, leaving only its small head poking out.

The entire sequence happened within a single breath, unfolding immediately after Zeke had proclaimed ownership of the beast.

Zeke’s voice instantly dropped to a freezing temperature. ”Kylin.”

At the sound of its name, the Qilin-like beast--Kylin--buried its face even deeper into her collar, stubbornly refusing to cast a single glance in his direction.

”...”

Aisha could feel its small form trembling slightly against her skin. Whether it was trembling out of genuine fear or sheer obstinacy, she couldn’t quite tell.

Oddly enough, it reminded her of a rebellious child who knew it had committed a wrong, yet refused to show even a shred of remorse after being scolded.

Zeke attempted to issue a spiritual command for his beast to return to his side. However, the creature remained entirely motionless, completely ignoring his willpower.

Letting out a deep, weary sigh at the stubbornness of his companion, Zeke delivered a line that made Aisha thoroughly question reality.

”Since it has developed such a fondness for you, just let it stay by your side for the time being.”

Aisha opened her mouth, intending to reject the absurd arrangement, but he cleanly severed her words before she could speak.

”You are welcome to try making it stay here,” he challenged.

Aisha actually attempted to do so.

She reached down, fully intending to pry the creature loose and deposit it back onto his desk. Yet, the moment her fingertips brushed against its fur, the beast’s form flickered erratically. It thinned out into a mist-like state, slipping entirely through her fingers. Even in the semi-incorporeal form, it clung stubbornly to her chest, utterly refusing to be detached.

Despite its petite size, it possessed a ridiculous monstrous strength. Then again, considering its colossal original form, such power was only natural.

But this was hardly the time to admire it.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Zeke interlacing his fingers and resting his chin upon them. A faint glint in his eyes suggested he was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle of her struggling against his disobedient spiritual beast.

Finally, Aisha admitted defeat.

”Fine,” she muttered under her breath, subtly adjusting her collar to conceal the small protruding head as much as possible.

She turned to the exit and reached for the door handle, but just as her fingers grazed the metal, a sudden thought caused her to freeze.

She recalled the predicament her group was in, and the powerful counterweight they desperately required to balance the scales of the upcoming duel.

After a brief hesitation, she turned back around to face him.

”Since you’ve already seen the footage from the Nano Flies, this will save us some explanation,” Aisha stated directly. ”Instructor Zeke, would it be possible for you to personally act as the overseer for the match between our class and those senior students?”

”I never involve myself in the private disputes of students. That’s my personal rule,” Zeke rejected her request without a single moment of hesitation.

”But you should have seen their conduct on the field. We weren’t in the wrong. In addition, one of those students is the biological nephew of the Academy Dean.” Aisha deliberately left the remaining implications unsaid, fully aware that a man of Zeke’s intelligence would instantly grasp the underlying crisis.

Yet, Zeke merely stared at her with an inscrutable expression, offering no response whatsoever.

Several agonizing seconds ticked away in silence, but he showed no signs of swaying.

Aisha stood her ground, unwilling to surrender this golden opportunity. However, if this man truly refused to budge, she had no leverage to alter his decision.

Unless...

”If you agree to act as the official overseer for our match, I will grant you a single condition. You may ask me for anything.”

Zeke remained completely silent.

As the silence stretched for a few more beats, Aisha assumed he had no intention of changing his mind, let alone take the offer she had just pushed into his hands.

Accepting the outcome, she turned on her heel to depart. She was about to pull the door open when his low voice finally echoed from behind her.

”Meet me at the Association tomorrow.”