Chapter 91: What Am I Supposed to Do? Life’s Just Ridiculous!
Chapter 91: What Am I Supposed to Do? Life’s Just Ridiculous!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After leaving the ring, he returned to his two students’ side.
Once again, Mia wore her hearts on her sleeves— or rather, on her face. Trails of tears were still gleaming on her cheeks and when the Soul Armature reunited with her, her arms were tightly hugging her guardian plushie.
Looking at how much Mia had worried about him made Baiyi feel warm. He couldn’t help ruffling her hair.
"Tsk... Tsk... I thought! I thought Mr Hope was going to..." She stammered. "I wanted to ask Sharkie to help you but i-it wouldn’t move anymore!"
Of course it wouldn’t move, it’s just a doll! This isn’t Toy Story, Baiyi laughed to himself at her childlike innocence. He pinched her cheeks in affection.
Tisdale, meanwhile, was less teary. She patted her chest and said, "That was very close, sir. We were very worried."
"Come on, that small fry? Piece of cake. I was just being dramatic," Baiyi replied smugly. He reached out with his other hand and patted Tisdale’s head and a smile lit up her face instantly.
These two girls are a little bit too easily pleased, don’t you think?
When Tisdale and Mia had their minds settled down, the former’s astute habit resurfaced. "Speaking of which, sir— What was that technique you used to defeat the Magi-breaker?"
"Well, the president is still going on about it. Why don’t you go and listen?" Baiyi gestured towards the direction of a growing crowd.
President Rhansey was still going on with his lecture even though the match was long over. Interestingly enough, the students did not leave after the match either. They remained seated, their curiosity compelling them to listen.
"Now, the finishing move that Master Baiyi had used, if I am not mistaken, was an incredibly refined quarterstaff combat art, the famed ‘Moloch Mirage Movements’!" He explained excitedly to his wide-eyed students. "Okay, technically, this technique probably combined the Mirror spell and Body Substitution spell. First, you create mirror-copies of yourself. Then during combat, you employ Body Substitution spell to repetitively and frequently exchange your body— that is, the real body — with the mirages. That way, the enemy would not be able to guess which one of the mirages is the real one! And you’ve already seen how that turned out for the enemy."
"Of course, it seems like the theory behind the technique seems too simple to be true. Yet, to recreate this technique, even with the right theories, is a notably daunting task," he continued. "The level of mastery one must have over the Mirror spell and Body Substitution Spell, such as to control each image separately so that all of them look independent, as well as to quickly substitute oneself with a copy without giving away any indicator to the enemy— the mastery required is simply too complicated to people like us."
"To make it short, this technique is truly an exquisite work of art, combining the reliability of quarterstaff fighting, the resourcefulness of the Body Substitution Spell and the element of surprise found in the Mirror Spell into a graceful and aesthetic war-dance. The Grand Druid Moloch was truly a savant during his time for creating such a technique! It is truly a pity that he died without being recognized by the Sorcerers' Association..."
As if on cue, several students heaved a sigh of regret. They secretly hoped that the spirit of the Grand Druid would be at peace seeing his famed move prevailed.
Baiyi though, couldn’t help chuckling to himself at the president’s high praise. "Hey, Grand Druid Moloch. Do you have any feelings of gratification after so many years?" He asked in the Void.
"He is truly educated, I’ll admit," The Fourteenth Walker, the Sorcerer, replied smugly. "More so than many who claimed to be knowledgeable."
One of the many, whose chest had been pierced by the Sorcerer’s words, immediately fired back at him.
"Excuse me, lad, for someone who blows his own trumpet all the time, it sure is mystifying that it took thousands of years before someone to finally heard your music, don’t you think?" The Archmage thundered. "Besides, for all that praises he so lavishly showered you, why don’t we ask him if he even finds your techniques practical enough to be worth learning, hmm?"
He was the Sage Emperor of the Magi, who reveled in starting conflicts with other nations with the pretext of "academic disputes"! To call him "uneducated" would be a capital crime.
Another of one of those who were insulted, whose cheeks were stained red by the insult, cried out as well. "To immoderately spend a substantial amount of psychic energy on grandiose spectacles of mere illusions as the foundation of your techniques even though physical battles have always favor pragmatism?" The Scholar retorted in a brisk but undeniably emotional tone. "I am sorry, but you would do well to remember that it was Sir Hope who had executed it. If it was anyone less propitious, the result would be middling at best! At least the simple-minded audience was enraptured by that technique if you so desperately require nourishment for your ego."
She was the Great Unbending Sage of yore, known for spending her whole life studying and researching to become the most learned of all scholars!
A debate started instantly among the Walkers. A fan of spell circles and formations, a fan of runes, and a fan of close-quarter combat had started their three-way verbal sparring with and occasional Walker chiming in. It was just like panels debating about an issue on a certain news network. Soon, the fight had devolved into a sort of verbal foodfight, with someone on the sideline taking the opportunity to scream out the word "You bastard!!!" just for fun.
Baiyi immediately muted that certain someone.
Of course, there was only one way to settle the dispute and that was to kill each other off… in yet another battle simulation, or in other words, game. Baiyi would have to wait for them to finish their petty quarrel first before setting the game up.
In Baiyi’s opinion, he was actually rather fond of the Moloch Mirage Movements. The technique he’d used was actually incomplete— the completed version had a lot more to offer. Status effects, elemental spells and special skills could be added on every hit. The practitioner could choose to quickly swap between releasing magical attacks or direct physical hits for that decisive blow.
If he was given a chance to fully use all of the Moloch Mirage Movements, it would be even more mind-blowing than what had played out.
"Alright, so what I want all of you to take home with you today, is that what Master Hope had shown us today is a very exclusive way of counter-attacking direct foes like Magi-breakers. Do not try this at home , because you most certainly would not be able to execute it well enough to save your life. The real way to save your life would be as how Master Hope had demonstrated at first— deceive and flee. On the other hand, physical combatants must remember that protecting sorcerers is one of your duties. You are to remember the boons and banes of the techniques that Magi-breakers and War Druids use…" With the president’s lecture ending, the showcase also came to an end.
And with that, the semester was also officially over.
A lot of students were completely captivated by the last battle— especially after listening to the president’s explanation. They had even more questions, along with deep admiration, for the mysterious Soul Armature who had managed to fight using a rare and unorthodox fighting style that completely changed the common belief of Magi-breakers being the exterminators of mages. They wanted to track Baiyi down but the sneaky Soul Armature had already fled the scene with his two students.
He didn’t think he was as admirable as the students had made him out to be because that battle did end with at least one casualty— the cape that Mia had made specially for him had turned into rags.
Baiyi felt tinges of contrite as he remembered how mirthful Mia had been when she handed him the cape. If he knew that this would happen, he wouldn’t have given his foe a chance to even touch him.
He was gloomy even after they had returned to the girls’ dorm. Mia and Tisdale were excitedly discussing their plans for the upcoming vacation but Baiyi didn’t join in. Even the flowers in a vase close to him seemed to be sulking with him.
"Mr. Hope?" Mia noticed the loss of his usual spirit. She ran to him and saw the last piece of cape he still had in his hand.
Realization struck her. With a childlike ruthlessness, she snatched the rag away and put her hands on her hips as she boasted loudly, "Mr. Hope! Who cares about this cape? The important thing is that you’re okay! I’ll just make you a newer and better one! Right, I’ll just have to buy some new fabric tomorrow and I’ll make an even manlier one!"
"I... I can help too…." Tisdale added in an uncharacteristically sheepish way that would suspicion.
Baiyi didn’t catch that though. The only thing that was in his mind was how proud he was of them. That warm feeling was perhaps the pride of a fathe— er, teacher, right?
The next day, the trio finally received the golden clip from the president.
As for the break, it was arranged that they would stay a while in the Aegis family mansion as Tisdale sorted out the arrangement of her refinery business. Then, the trio was to embark on a long trip…
In the evening, the Archmage finally alert Baiyi’s in his consciousness. It seemed that the Voidwalkers had come to a decision that a game was in order to settle the dispute.
"The game will be… the Bishoujo Grooming Game! Yes, that one. Everyone would bring a very different girl up in their own ways and we will pit these girls against one another to see who is the best at creating the perfect little girl!" The Archmage nodded to himself solemnly. "After all, I’m the best at this game."
So the game you’re ‘the best’ at has somehow changed again, huh? As if you can groom anyone properly!
"Excuse me, child! I am a pro, please! Aren’t you the best example?!" He retorted. "Oh, I have no time to chat with you now. You need to set up the game right away! We have decided that this game is most suitable to determine who has the best plans to groom our sweet little Mia and Tisdale!"
Is this even a legit way to solve ‘academic discourses’? In fact, how did all of your discussion ended up in grooming girls? Didn’t I tell all of you that I have decided to let Mia choose her own fate? I don’t care if she ends up being a sailor warrior of the moon or an idol or even a Pretty Cure— she’s got to be the one choosing her own future!
"Uh, just set up the game, okay? We want it to be rated M for Mature, as well as some extra plot settings and endings from the ‘Sir Hope Had Entered the Void’ DLC." the Archmage suddenly lowered his head close to Baiyi and whispered, "And while you’re at it, please give higher growth rate to all of the stats of my unit! Tee hee!"
Tee hee? You’re actually planning to cheat even in a game of parenting?! It’s true that old people don’t compete well with the younger generation in games but your bloody gaming addiction is unreasonable! Always wanting a place in every game yet you dare to ask for handicaps and cheats…
What am I supposed to do when my teacher is like this? Life’s just ridiculous, Baiyi sighed internally as he assumed his lifelong career as The Gamemaster again.