The next morning came with a strange energy. It wasn’t from the stabilized crystal or the purified fog.

  It was gossip, flowing faster than Vital Energy itself.

  Kael sat on a makeshift bench of crooked wood and stone, trying to warm up stale bread using heat from his palm. The grimório floated nearby, flashing a list of pending notifications.

  Updates:

  – 23 new followers in the village

  – 8 disciple requests

  – 1 religious group trying to build a temple in his honor

  – Lys founded a training group called “Disciples of Total Harmony?”

  “This escalated faster than my patience,” Kael muttered.

  The ghost appeared mid-yawn.

  “Congrats. You started a cult. Accidentally.”

  “A cult and a very bad toaster,” Kael replied, staring at the semi-burnt bread in his hand.

  The mayor ran over, sweaty and ecstatic.

  “Master Kael! Please! The youth of the village beg to learn from you!”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Learn what? How to spin around yelling with a stick?”

  “YES!”

  Kael blinked slowly.

  “…Alright. Gather them. I shall administer the feared Trial of Internal Vital Energy Awakening.”

  “…That sounds… extremely legitimate.”

  > System: Fake technique created successfully.

  ---

  A few minutes later...

  Three candidates knelt before Kael:

  – A scrawny boy who looked like a strong sneeze would knock him over.

  – A muscular and serious young woman.

  – An old man pretending to need a cane, clearly ready to fight someone.

  Lys watched from a distance, as excited as a student on the first day of school.

  Kael stared at the trio with a solemn gaze.

  “To access your hidden Vital Energy potential… you must balance this spoon on your nose… for five minutes.”

  Silence.

  The ghost’s eyes widened.

  “You just made that up.”

  “And the world will respect it.”

  The boy trembled. The spoon fell.

  Kael said:

  “You’re not ready. Return when your septum is in harmony.”

  The girl held the spoon steady, eyes unblinking.

  “Hm. Discipline. Potential.”

  The old man not only balanced the spoon but started doing push-ups.

  “Excessive… but acceptable.”

  > Candidates approved for observation and basic training.

  Status: Temporary Apprentices (not disciples).

  Assigned Supervisor: Lys.

  Kael turned to her.

  “Take care of them. If one explodes, it’s on you.”

  “Yes, Master!”

  (pause)

  “Wait, what do you mean explode?!”

  Kael was already walking away, chewing on stale bread.

  “Vital Energy is unstable. And I’m sleepy.”

  The ghost floated beside him, muttering:

  “You created two apprentices, a fake method, and an entire hierarchy in half an hour.”

  Kael yawned.

  “And I haven’t even started lying properly yet.”