Eldritch Horror Theatre

”The report is pretty much done. Once you finish the edits, you don’t need to show it to me again. Just hand it directly to Dean Li.”

Seeing Ji Liushuang deep in thought, having clearly gained some insight, Fu Qian handed the document back to her and tapped the side of his head.

”You’ve worked hard today. How are you feeling now? Does it still linger?”

”Sorry, but a little... Professor Chang even asked if I was feeling unwell this afternoon.”

Faced with Professor Fu’s concern, Ji Liushuang wanted to tell him not to worry, but ultimately gave an honest nod.

”I think I’m starting to understand why those people ended up like that. Human willpower is simply too fragile in the face of certain things.”

”Why apologize? If you had chosen to quickly force yourself to forget, that would have been the real pity.”

Fu Qian didn’t seem to find her reaction inappropriate at all.

”Some things don’t cease to exist just because you ignore them. Knowledge in the Transcendent Tier might be a curse, but more often than not, beneath every layer of ignorance lies a thick paste of blood.”

”You don’t need this knowledge to teach you how to wield a sword, but knowing what your sword is pointed at is, in my opinion, quite necessary.””I think I understand... Thank you.”

Fu Qian’s words brought a long moment of silence. When Ji Liushuang spoke again, the melancholy in her eyes hadn’t faded, but a touch of firm resolve had joined it.

”Facing it head-on instead of running away. That really is how a swordsman should react.”

It was also the exact lesson demonstrated by the predecessors of the Academy.

Deeply satisfied with her statement, Fu Qian made sure to silently add that last part in his head.

He was, of course, thinking of Old Man Li He.

Though their fields of expertise differed, during their brief time in a team, the old man had vividly demonstrated what it meant to face cruelty head-on and break through in the heat of battle.

Casually passing down this demeanor—one the old man himself might not even remember—to the younger generation would be a merit of its own, provided she gained something from it.

...

[Identity verification complete. Today’s work has begun.]

[Warning: Leak Incident.]

Classmate Liushuang clearly had an extreme sense of responsibility toward her work. Having gained new insights from her conversation with Professor Fu, she had no intention of ending her grueling day to rest early. Instead, she decisively headed upstairs to revise the report.

Infected by the young woman’s sharp drive, Expert Fu—having just finished arranging his various tasks—found himself casually arousing youthful wildness. In the dim light, he pulled off his mask.

The familiar and welcoming Warehouse materialized before his eyes, accompanied by a prompt.

[Name: Vacuum Flower, Designation 3-0004]

[Today’s work details have been updated. Enter the Containment Scenario for 3-0004 and complete its re-containment.]

Was this a case of getting luckier the harder you worked? The final mission of the week actually had a designation starting with 3.

[Expend 1 point of SAN Value to begin?]

[Yes]

Having rested for several days and practically fully recovered, Fu Qian was very satisfied with this development.

[Entering the 3-0004 Containment Scenario...]

[Current SAN Value: 122. Current inspiration: 99.]

[Select the skills and items you wish to carry.]

With his confirmation, the preparation prompts followed.

The chances of a mission starting with the number 3 having restrictions were quite slim. Out of habit, Fu Qian simply selected everything and confirmed. For items, of course, he prioritized things that were easy to carry.

[...8%... 13%... 21%... 34%... 55%... 89%... 100%. Containment Scenario loaded.]

[Whimsical fantasies are the privilege of young souls, supported by the confidence of having a long life ahead.

As an ordinary high school student, you have yet to achieve anything you can be proud of.

Yet on this day, you received the call of destiny.

An unbelievable future lies before you, well within your reach.

Of course, before that, you must pass a trial of courage and talent.

Such as skipping class and seeking guidance.]

Ordinary, high school student, the call of destiny?

Even though the difficulty usually wouldn’t be too exaggerated, Fu Qian still listened to the mission briefing closely.

However, a moment later, the keywords he picked out of it left him looking utterly shocked.

The main issue was that these elements were simply far too classic. Strung together, was he about to save the world?

...

He really was going to save the world.

As his five senses recovered, Fu Qian looked down at himself and immediately let out a marveling sigh.

He was currently standing in a long corridor, facing a half-open window.

The weather wasn’t great. Raindrops were even being blown inside by the wind, dampening a delicate little box in his hand.

It was yellowish-brown, covered in flowing patterns, and exquisitely crafted.

At a glance, however, he could see that there wasn’t anything particularly strange inside.

A thin piece of paper lay unfolded, revealing a Key tucked underneath it.

Brass-colored, its bow sported gorgeous, intricate carvings that completely defied practicality. The overall design looked quite vintage.

The writing on the paper was faint, but from his angle, it was still clearly legible—[Find a way into the Workshop. The power to hunt a God awaits.]

It fit the setting perfectly. This description clearly reeked of chuuni energy.

Just as Fu Qian was marveling at it, a prompt chimed in his ear.

[Containment Fulfillment Conditions: Find and destroy the Vacuum Flower.]

How friendly. Not only was this a mission starting with a 3, it even laid out the Containment Conditions clearly right from the start.

Naturally, Fu Qian was quite satisfied with this development.

Although he couldn’t yet confirm what the Vacuum Flower actually was, the item in his hand was clearly a clue to finding it. That much seemed certain.

The Workshop. He had to admit, the name was quite interesting too.

Ring, ring, ring...

While he was musing over this, a sound from deep within his memories actually rang out overhead.

Sure enough, the world had to rely on high schoolers to save it.

Fu Qian wasn’t the least bit surprised by this classic class bell.

The moment he arrived, he had already noticed the throngs of energetic youngsters bouncing around behind him, and realized that he himself was wearing a dark school uniform.

The mission briefing really didn’t lie. It said it would throw him back to attend class, and it threw him back to attend class. He even looked completely ordinary.

In the reflection on the glass ahead, he could clearly see that his current state was disguised—he looked like a thoroughly unremarkable young man.

A skinny frame, messy hair, sleepy eyes. No matter how you looked at him, he didn’t seem even remotely connected to hunting a God.

Clack!

Sliding the window shut to keep the rain from blowing in, Fu Qian turned around. Ignoring the many surprised and confused stares, he walked away against the flow of the crowd.

The mission briefing had said it itself: the first step to saving the world was skipping class.

As for seeking guidance, in this situation, it was easy to interpret that as finding the lock this Key opened.

And that wasn’t an issue at all.

Fu Qian turned the brass Key in his hand, committing to memory an address etched onto it that had already been somewhat worn away.

When he looked up again, he let out a cold scoff, his expression turning arrogant.

A trial of courage and talent?

Sorry, but the world needs me.