My Disciples Grind, I Get 100x Their Progress

”...So basically this world is Apocalypse genre?”

”Genre...?” Kina tilted her head. She sat on a large rock, tearing part of her clothes and wrapping her wounded thigh. She looked confused by how Julian referred to this world, but since that was probably just part of his personality, Kina accepted it as it was and nodded.

”Yes. After seventy years, the world has become more stable! Humans managed to hold on to about thirty percent of the territory they once had, while the rest has turned into death zones that shouldn’t be visited.”

Kina let the words sink in. She watched Julian as he checked the surroundings. His eyes were empty and cold, yet he clearly still had some curiosity about the area... maybe?

”We’re currently in an Invaded Zone that’s much safer. Around here, there are only low-ranked Invaders. Normally, academy students and free hunters come here to hunt them.”

”...You talk about it as if this world is a game. Do these Invaders keep appearing? Can they spawn automatically?”

Kina blinked, then smiled awkwardly. ”Not exactly, Master! It’s because of the Breach phenomenon.”

”Breach?” Julian turned to look at her.

”Yes! That’s the name for the cracks between the human world and the Invaders.”

’Everything sounds complicated.’

”Are they very dangerous?”

If so, how dangerous?

Considering this world had finally started to stabilize again after the Alien invasion, there shouldn’t suddenly be a second apocalypse, right?

Julian was an atheist, yet he prayed to every god from every religion for this. Honestly, what was going on with this world?

Humans alone were already dangerous enough to trigger their own apocalypse, and now there were Aliens trying to invade as well?

’This world doesn’t look like it has a future.’

His face turned gloomy just from thinking about it. So he slightly hoped for some comfort from Kina, but none came:

”They’re terrifying, Master! Even now, the strongest among humans are only Rank A! And those are the ones who have survived since seventy years ago. As for the Invaders? It’s confirmed there are a huge number of them from Rank S all the way to SSS. How are we supposed to fight them?”

”...Then how have you all survived this long?”

Believe it or not, Julian had raised his voice out of shock. But his Talent didn’t only affect his expression, it affected his voice as well!

What should have been a shout ended up sounding low and calm.

”Ah, that’s because they can’t cross the Breach.”

”...Why?”

If they were strong, shouldn’t they be the ones who could cross the Breach easily?

”It’s because the Breach is like a thin bridge connecting the two worlds. And with the existence of stronger Invaders, that bridge can’t support their weight. It risks snapping the bridge and preventing the Breach from forming.”

’That means only the weak ones come through, right? Like the one earlier. Kina could defeat it easily. Perfect. I’ll just let her protect me.’

Even though Julian already had skills for his own defense. The biggest problem, however, turned out to be his own Rank. Because the quality of his skills was higher than his Rank, he didn’t have enough mana and could only use the skill once.

After that, he would completely return to being an ordinary human. No, he had been an ordinary human from the start!

”So, Master, what are we going to do next?”

”What else? We’re going to the Safe Zone, of course.”

Kina’s face darkened when she heard that. Julian could see it clearly and wondered where he had gone wrong.

’Oh right... Wasn’t it her own family who sent those Scavengers to kill her? If so... she must be afraid of showing herself right now.’

But what could they do?

Stay in this Invaded Zone?

Julian glanced around. Collapsed skyscrapers were everywhere, some still standing but cracked in many places. Dark green and red blood could be seen dried all over. Exploded vehicles, roads torn open into giant holes, and all sorts of other chaos.

The smell was also extremely unfriendly, full of acidic and gas-like odors. Dusty in its own way and looking heavily polluted.

This was clearly not a good place to live.

Julian was already terrified just looking at the surroundings, let alone thinking about having to stay here and give up simply because of his disciple.

”Hmmm...”

Kina flinched when she heard Julian let out a low groan. She fixed her expression and returned to the cheerful attitude she always showed.

”I’ll follow you, Master! But you’ll protect me, right?”

’No. I can’t.’

Julian wanted to say it outright, but he held himself back. His gaze lingered on Kina for a few moments, then he sighed quietly.

He took off the black suit he was wearing, revealing the white shirt underneath. Kina looked puzzled about what Julian was doing, but she understood immediately after he handed the suit to her.

”Use this and hide your face. Don’t let them know it’s you until you’re strong enough.”

’This is for both our sakes, please!’

Kina took the suit, staring at Julian in surprise for a moment, then lowered her head and hugged it, lightly sniffing it.

”...Yes, Master.”

Her face flushed slightly.

’This is the first time someone has actually seemed to care about me...’

Just earlier, Kina had thought she might have to expose herself in public and rely only on herself to survive. Meanwhile the man who had become her Master might simply use her for some unknown purpose.

But it turned out that wasn’t the case. Kina had overthought things, and as a result she felt embarrassed for having had such improper thoughts about a man who had helped her.

”What are you doing?”

”...!” Kina flinched, her body shuddering like a threatened cat. She had just been caught doing something so improper to her own Master’s suit.

Her face turned red as Kina straightened her back and forced a smile with cold sweat.

”N-nothing, Master...! I was just surprised because... Um... Because... Ah... Right, what kind of suit is this? Why have I never seen one before?”

Hearing that, Julian tilted his head for a moment.

’What? Has a suit like this already disappeared from modern civilization?’

Considering this was a modern world, there should still be things like this, right?

’Ah right, the brand must be different. So this suit is more accurately described as something from the past, huh?’

Julian didn’t want to say that he came from another world. So he decided to lie a little:

”It’s a suit that only existed in the past. There’s nothing like it in this era.”

”The past...?” Kina looked confused. Her thoughts wandered, but Julian considered it something not worth worrying about and simply nodded.

”Yes, it’s a brand from long ago.”

After that, Julian walked away. Kina hesitated, staring at Julian’s back as he stepped forward. Her face grew dark and a little tense.

’Did... Master just say that he has something that doesn’t exist in this era?’

Didn’t that mean her Master might come from the distant past?

But if so, why did he ask about this world if he still came from here?

The answer was simple...

’Master might be an ancient being from long ago. He doesn’t recognize this world because he only recently woke up from a long sleep. And after I explained a little, he immediately understood that this is actually the same world, just changed so much.’

Kina blinked. Her body shivered as she forced a smile.

’That can’t be true, right?’

Yet if it were the truth...

Then how strong was her Master?

What secrets did he hide from the past era?

Wasn’t it said that that should have been an era when humans lived in complete peace without any Alien invasion?

Then what exactly was her Master’s true identity?

Kina no longer knew. The man who had previously looked ordinary now seemed like someone extremely mysterious.

He was... living history, just like the Legends who stood at Rank A.

Kina’s heart pounded fiercely at that moment.