Chapter 286: Subtle Influence of Dark Demon (4k)
The next morning after a dream.
Dark opened his eyes abruptly, feeling a damp chill on his back and a heavy weight in his chest, he couldn’t help but gasp for air.
But after taking a breath, he silently pulled out the tiny Eevee from the bulging bedding where it had curled up into a small ball.
His chest immediately felt much lighter.
“Haa… ”
Yawning slightly, Dark quietly got out of bed.
Halfway through January, the life in the academy was gradually getting into its groove.
The three new professors were slowly integrating into the lives of the young magi. Occasionally meeting in the castle after class, they no longer found it strange.
Dark wrapped a scarf around his neck and, following his usual route, ran from the second floor of the castle to the first, then made a large circle before returning to the tower. His body’s sinews and bones loosened up as the scent of milk wafted out of the window and into the air.
St. Maryan welcomed a vibrant new day.
Thursday’s first class began under Professor Lily’s sullen mood.
She placed the homework submitted by the students from the previous class into two piles on the podium, one on each side, then puffed out her cheeks to look down at the students below.
The atmosphere froze momentarily.
“Emma.”
“Yes.”
Emma stood up, puzzled.
Professor Lily handed over the right pile of papers: “Help distribute the homework.”
“Alright, Professor,” Emma sighed with relief and stepped forward to take the papers and begin distributing them.
Then only the left pile remained on the podium.
Professor Lily picked up the left pile and called out the first name: “Robert Broheim.”
Robert instantly sat up straight.
Professor Lily shook the papers: “Come and get it.”
Robert crossed the aisle and walked up to the podium.
Professor Lily handed him his paper and, after he caught it, casually said: “Minus five points.”
Robert stiffened all over, his foot hovering in mid-air!
Just after the experiment for “Ultimate Skill Card,” the first-year students were already tight on credits.
Even if they had some leeway, they would save it for the next experiment.
Losing five points suddenly was painful.
More importantly, Robert hadn’t lost any credits in a long time…
This was completely different from the frequent deductions last semester.
He was actually quite pleased about this.
But since the points were deducted, there was no way to get them back, so he could only watch them slip away…
Robert didn’t open his mouth to question anything because the paper in his hand was the best answer.
It was filled with red crosses.
…
After passing by the next person called, Robert returned to his seat.
Wit asked concernedly: “Robert, what happened?”
Robert laid the paper on the desk and grimaced: “I didn’t do the homework well. But what can I do? I don’t know how!”
“Uh…” Wit couldn’t help twitching his lips.
Because he didn’t know either!
They had done the homework together, though they didn’t copy each other, they both knew exactly what the other’s situation was.
Sure enough, not long after, Wit was also called up.
“Wit Gold, minus five points.”
He swallowed the deduction like he was swallowing tears.
…
Students with extremely poor homework were called up one by one to be deducted points.
Most of the students from the Knight Academy were called.
The students from the Noble Academy mostly remained unscathed.
Divided by the aisle, the atmosphere between the two academies was completely different.
The students from the Noble Academy watched the students from the Knight Academy being called as if it were entertainment.
The students from the Knight Academy, noticing almost no one from the Noble Academy was called, nearly ground their teeth in frustration.
If everyone’s homework was equally poor, it might have been time for Professor Lily to reflect.
But since only a few were poor, people couldn’t help but wonder if others weren’t paying attention.
Despite Professor Lily actually being in a childish mood…
However, the reason for the deductions was solid.
Many students simply scribbled to fill the pages, lacking the courage to appeal.
Fortunately, after deducting the points, Professor Lily didn’t say much more and proceeded to explain the papers step by step.
This method of explaining was better understood than just lecturing.
But if someone didn’t even understand 1+1=2, how could they progress to 1+1=1X2=2?
…
The atmosphere during arithmetic class was somber.
It felt like a sweltering summer day where one couldn’t breathe.
After finishing the papers, Professor Lily continued the lesson.
Though she knew some students didn’t understand, teaching was like this; you couldn’t start over just because a few didn’t follow.
If students didn’t understand, they could relearn from the beginning, ask classmates after class, or directly seek help from the teacher.
If they lacked such initiative and just gave up, sometimes it wasn’t entirely the teacher’s fault.
In short, this class passed in a haze.
At the end, Professor Lily distributed another paper as homework.
She still hoped that doing problems would deepen the students’ understanding of the lecture.
…
The second class was Mana Theory.
Professor Kazel first summarized the collective failure of the previous experimental class, then based on their performance in the Novice Tournament, he called several students to the podium to demonstrate “Remote Transmission and Control of Mana.”
He was surprised to find that, apart from Diana who had already demonstrated remote control of the Mana Guidance Ball in the tournament, the other students had also mastered some of it!
No…
He quickly noticed.
Even the remaining students outside those few also had some basics!
“How did they manage to do this?”
“This year’s average talent is better than previous years, but not to such an extent.”
Professor Kazel couldn’t help but pay extra attention.
Later, in continuing the lesson, he finally discovered the secret behind the students gradually mastering this advanced skill!
From some unknown point in time,
everyone in the classroom had been practicing a technique called “Pen Spinning” all along.
With the necessary talent, remote transmission and control of mana was inherently a matter of practice.
Some needed a year or half to master it, while others could do it in just a few weeks.
The Mana Ring Professor Kazel gave Dark during Christmas was specifically designed for practicing this technique.
But at this moment,
Professor Kazel suddenly realized that “Pen Spinning” seemed to encourage active participation, and after mastering some, they could continue “unconsciously” with high-intensity continuous practice!
This was roughly what “teaching through fun” meant.
He couldn’t help but marvel at the importance of proper teaching methods.
He then seriously considered whether it was necessary to actively promote —全民笔旋 (全民转笔)?
…
For now, let’s set aside Professor Lily’s concerns and Professor Kazel’s considerations.
In Friday’s afternoon Magic History class, Professor Ryan Hux resumed his lecture on the war history against the Demons after several adjustments.
He still struggled to control his emotions and occasionally displayed a temperamental side.
Just like his hair which somehow turned into an afro…
The students knew he had become a test subject for Sister Carrian’s hair growth serum, yet they couldn’t help but secretly laugh.
…
The next day, Friday.
After Professor Jones’ Duel Class, the young magi finally had their third Beast Mastery class of the semester!
As early as Wednesday noon, they had already submitted their homework from last week — analyzing a common monster in the Dungeon and writing a short essay.
Professor Nina announced that she would choose a monster from the homework for this week’s lesson, so the students eagerly awaited the class before it even started.
Although the Sucking Spirits from the previous two weeks were terrifying, after both self-destructed, they left a comical impression.
“I wonder which monster will be the topic today?”
Diana was still reminiscing about her mushroom bear, while Rose was wondering if her fluffy rabbit would be chosen.
Dark looked at the clock on the wall and remembered his own topic.
There were many common monsters in the Dungeon.
Well-known ones included Slimes, Goblins, Ogres, Giants, Dryads, Kobolds…
See…
Just hearing the names was familiar (laugh).
Monsters like the Sucking Spirits, although relatively common, were not well-known to those who hadn’t truly entered the Dungeon.
When studying the “Zoo” creation knowledge, Dark had researched the “Avian-beast Kin Chronicles,” so he knew more than the average person.
In this assignment, he chose a less famous but very numerous monster in the Dungeon — the Vine Monster!
Adventurers always saw vines hanging on the walls in various levels of the Dungeon. These vines emitted strange fragrances or glowed in the dark, attracting all sorts of creatures.
They used these vines to lure people or monsters, then pounced instantly to capture them!
Vine Monsters were extremely dangerous and hard to distinguish.
Adventurers often confused them with vines, leading to fatal accidents.
Cutting open a Vine Monster revealed a body like a vine, but filled with thick blood.
They looked like plants but were animals.
They had blood vessels and mouths lined with fine teeth.
But if you knew them well…
Removing the head and tail, peeling off the skin, draining the blood, the meat was soft and tender. Boiling it for a few minutes made it ready to eat, making it one of the rare edible species in the Dungeon!
…
Whether it was because of Dark’s essay or not, before the class bell rang, Professor Nina brought in a plump chicken!
The chicken’s eyes were covered with black cloth, and its neck and below were tied like a zongzi.
The young magi initially guessed why Professor Nina brought in a plump chicken, until a snake head emerged from the hemp rope binding the chicken, and some of the more knowledgeable young magi in the front row were terrified!
“Ahh!”
Even the usually reserved Emma screamed!
Compared to her classmates who were half-informed, Emma recognized the monster immediately and felt even more fear.
The classroom erupted into chaos due to the students’ fright.
The young magi in the front row even ran out of their seats, fleeing en masse to the back of the classroom.
…
“Ahh!”
Professor Nina was startled by the young magi’s actions and was momentarily at a loss.
She frantically shook her head and looked around, then suddenly came up with an idea. She hurriedly hid the monster behind her and scratched her head, smiling foolishly.
“Hehe.”
Act as if nothing happened!
…
“You think nothing happened?!”
A male student from the Mana Academy panicked: “Professor Nina, how could you bring a Cocksnake into the classroom? I’m going to tell the principal, I really am!”
Professor Nina glanced at him nervously, recognizing him as a student who almost wet himself during the Sucking Spirit experience, and couldn’t help averting her gaze.
Scaring children was her fault, but she didn’t mean to.
It was just a normal lesson!
…
She gathered her courage and said earnestly: “Everyone, please calm down. Actually, it’s not what you think…”
Emma’s forehead was covered in cold sweat as she subconsciously protected Susan and Lucy behind her, shouting: “Professor Nina, isn’t that the Cocksnake? It turns people into stone with its gaze, a legendary monster?”
Professor Nina hastily shook her head: “No, no, it’s not a Cocksnake, it’s a Chicken Snake! It’s a snake, not a chicken!”
“Who cares!” A loud voice from the Knight Academy immediately roared, “Does it matter if it’s a chicken or a snake? Does it have anything to do with turning people into stone?”
“No, no!”
Professor Nina instinctively pulled out the Chicken Snake from behind and pointed at the narrow black cloth covering the chicken’s eyes with her thick fingers, arguing loudly: “Covering the eyes with cloth prevents it from turning people into stone!”
But another female student from the Mana Academy pointed at the Chicken Snake, terrified: “It’s out, it’s out! The snake head is coming out! It’s not covered, the eyes aren’t covered!”
Professor Nina followed her gaze and looked down.
The snake head of the Chicken Snake indeed emerged from the gaps in the hemp rope, shaking its head and spitting out its tongue.
Professor Nina hurriedly grabbed its tongue and explained desperately: “Don’t worry, the snake head’s eyes can’t turn people to stone.”
“Ahh!” Another girl screamed, “It’s falling! Professor Nina, is that piece of cloth falling?”
Professor Nina asked in confusion: “Which piece of cloth?”
The girl: “The piece covering the chicken’s eyes!”
“(⊙o⊙) Oh.”
So she lowered the Chicken Snake and looked up at its chicken head.
The cloth covering its eye slid off, revealing one of the chicken’s eyes.
Instantly, a sharp gaze flashed from the eye, shooting out a gray ray!
Professor Nina’s face was hit by the ray at close range, and a layer of gray stone-like substance immediately appeared on her skin surface.
The students were horrified, and the suppressed fear erupted instantly.
The entire classroom descended into chaos amidst screams.
Dark Demon immediately stood up.
But the petrification phenomenon on Professor Nina’s face only spread to her nose and then abruptly stopped.
Cracks appeared densely on the gray stone shell, and with a “crack crack,” it shattered and fell to the ground.
Professor Nina touched her cheek and said innocently: “Look, nothing happened!”
…
