96: Chapter 96 Destroy them!

Kyubey jumped down from the sofa armrest, its tail sweeping across Su Bai's forehead.

"Mana completely depleted. Stamina completely depleted. The one-time consumption of a two-hundred-fold Explosion Magic exceeded the capacity of his current mana pool. Being able to hold on until finishing his line before collapsing is already a sign of astonishing willpower."

"... Are you complimenting me?"

"I am stating objective facts."

Chu Yin lay on the sofa, and Su Bai lay on the floor. Neither of them could move, and their gazes met awkwardly on the ceiling.

"You can't move either."

"Mm."

"I can't move either."

"Mm."

"So we are currently competing to see who can get up first."

"You go first."

"You go first."

Lin Xiao covered her forehead, letting out a sigh that was somewhere between wanting to laugh and wanting to cry. Zhao Dahai had already started making calls to summon rescue.

Outside the window.

A pale golden spatial rift tore open silently.

Li Qingyue stepped out from the rift, her bare feet landing on the floor covered in broken glass. Behind her was the exhaustion from just finishing the aftermath work at the Canglan Strait, with a few strands of abyssal monster blood still staining her silver-white hair.

Then she saw the scene in the room.

Pools of blood, dismembered corpses, grenade fragments scattered everywhere, the ceiling chandelier blown away, a bald head rolling in the corner, Su Bai lying on the floor, Chu Yin lying on the sofa, Lin Xiao covering her forehead, and Zhao Dahai making a phone call.

Li Qingyue closed her eyes.

Opened them.

Closed them again.

"Su Bai."

"... Yes."

"How many times has this been now?"

"What do you mean how many times—"

"Assassinations. How many assassinations has this been?"

"If we count from the end of the Monthly Exam—probably the third time?"

"Do you know who the culprit is?"

"The Ghost Guild!"

Li Qingyue was silent for three seconds. Then she opened the guild channel and sent a message in a tone so cold it could make the screen frost over.

[Li Qingyue]: "Ghost Guild, we must wipe them out."

After sending it, she turned off her communicator, walked up to Su Bai, and looked down at him.

"The Ghost Guild is one of the thirteen guilds that previously boycotted your cards. They used to be considered one of the pillars of humanity, but it seems they have someone behind them now; they are likely connected to the Gate of the Underworld and the Li family. After this failed abyssal invasion, they probably wanted to take advantage of the chaos to eliminate you and then pin the blame on the remnants of the abyss."

"Master, you're so reliable."

"Shut up. I am very angry right now."

"Angry about what?"

"Angry that you always get yourself into this state. And—"

She paused.

A look of extreme complexity appeared on her porcelain-doll-like face.

"You just reached the second rank during the day. At night, you used Time Stop plus Explosion Magic to insta-kill a peak sixth-ranker. Do you know what they will write on the forums tomorrow?"

"[Second-rank Card Creator kills Ghost Guild leader by leaping four ranks]?"

"More than that."

There was a hint of helplessness in Li Qingyue's voice.

"Countless people will start to seriously consider—whether or not they should buy your magical girl cards."

Su Bai lay on the floor, his mouth curling into a faint arc.

"Isn't that pretty good?"

"What's good about it? You can't even stand up right now."

Zhao Dahai hung up the phone and cautiously raised his hand.

"Um—the rescue team says they'll arrive in about ten minutes. Also—"

He swallowed hard.

"There are so many people gathered downstairs. There are students, teachers, and a few people who look like reporters. The nuclear explosion just now seemed too shocking, and I don't know if it caused any casualties..."

Li Qingyue rubbed her temples.

"Su Bai."

"Mm."

"How do you plan to explain tonight's events to the public?"

"Just say—"

Su Bai thought for a moment.

"The late-night snack sent by the Ghost Guild was too unpalatable. Returned it."

Chu Yin let out a weak laugh from the sofa.

Lin Xiao finally lowered the hand she had been using to cover her forehead.

Outside the window.

In the direction of the distant teaching building, the mana streetlights were still emitting a quiet orange light. The crowd of onlookers downstairs was growing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Some people were holding up their phones to film the charred hole on the building's exterior wall blasted out by the Explosion Magic. Others were discussing whether the purple-silver pillar of light that shot into the sky just now resembled the pink mushroom cloud from the day.

And in a place where none of these people knew, the Ghost Guild's headquarters had already received a message with the source displayed as "Truth Sanctuary · Li Qingyue".

The message content was only three words.

"It's your turn."

The night wind blew through the broken window into the living room.

Su Bai lay on the floor, staring at the black hole left on the ceiling after the chandelier was blown away.

"Master."

"Speak."

"That National Competition—what exactly is it?"

Li Qingyue did not answer immediately. She walked to the window and looked at the twinkling lights in the distant night.

"A place where you can become stronger with justification. When you have rested well, I will tell you."

"Not telling me now?"

"Intelligence and such can wait until tomorrow. What you need right now is sleep."

Su Bai closed his eyes.

Then he opened them again.

"Master, I have one last question."

"What is it?"

"The Ghost Guild leader—what rank was he again?"

The corners of Li Qingyue's mouth lifted slightly. Very shallow, so shallow it was almost invisible.

"Ninth rank."

"Hiss... That's a bit terrifying, but I believe in you, Master!"

"Go to sleep."

Su Bai obediently closed his eyes.

Kyubey crouched on his chest, its tail slowly sweeping across his chin.

"Su Bai."

"Mm."

"You used Time Stop three times, twelve grenades, and one two-hundred-fold Explosion Magic today. The overdraft level of your mana pool has exceeded the safety threshold. It is not recommended to transform again within the next forty-eight hours."

"Got it."

"Additionally, Lin Xiao's heart rate has not returned to normal levels even now. Her hands were shaking violently when she fired the gun earlier. But she still fired."

Su Bai was silent for a beat.

"I know."

"Zhao Dahai as well. His voice was trembling when he called the rescue team earlier, but he stood at the door the whole time blocking the people outside, not letting anyone come in to take pictures."

"I know."

"So."

Kyubey tilted its head.

"Although your combat power can now insta-kill a peak sixth-ranker, the people around you will still be in danger because of you. This has nothing to do with combat power; it is purely a matter of social relationships."

"... When did you start studying sociology?"

"Last week. Your social network data shows that the more people who know you, the more people who try to kill you. It is positively correlated."

"Then what is your advice?"

"I advise you to become stronger."

Kyubey's red glass eyes glowed slightly in the darkness.

"Strong enough that no one dares to mess with you. Strong enough that even the Abyss will instinctively close its portals when it hears your name. Strong enough that—"

"Strong enough that those stubborn predecessors of yours can finally go to the battlefield wearing pink puffy skirts with peace of mind, without worrying about being laughed at."

Su Bai chuckled.

Very softly.

Then he truly fell asleep.

Outside the window.

The night sky over Jinghai City had been blasted into a temporary clear zone by that earlier Explosion Magic, and starlight spilled down from the hole in the clouds, landing right on this scarred dormitory building.

The sound of the rescue team's mana engines gradually approached from the distance.

The crowd of onlookers downstairs was still looking up and taking pictures.

And Li Qingyue stood by the window, looking at her sleeping disciple, a very faint smile—one she herself didn't even notice—appearing on that twelve-or-thirteen-year-old face.

"As for the National Competition—we'll talk about it after you wake up."

She said softly.

Then she raised her hand and closed the curtains.