"So, you caused such a huge commotion tonight just to tell me you want to graduate?"
Opening a bottle of red wine, Cid poured it smoothly into the wine glass on the table with effortless movements. As he did, he tilted his head slightly and looked at Cao Cao while speaking in a calm tone.
The purple-haired man in front of him, wearing Hanfu over his school uniform, was Cao Cao. Cid had met him about seven months ago while he was figuring out what to do with the "Roland Augustus" identity. Since the boy perfectly matched the kind of protagonist he had always imagined, he took on the role of "Roland Augustus" and became his teacher.
A mysterious mentor who had only guided the protagonist for seven months, who seemingly held an extraordinary status in this world, and who even knew the world-famous fugitive Shadow. The image fit perfectly with the idea of an Eminence in Shadow.
"Forget it. I'm too lazy to argue about the fact that you brought a whole group here today to try and kill your teacher. Just pay the tuition first."
Of course, he didn't take students for free. Tuition had to be paid. Otherwise he would have quit long ago out of sheer annoyance.
After all, this world had plenty of opportunities for him to act as an Eminence in Shadow. Why would he spend over half a year stubbornly sticking to this one thing? Although after these months he had grown somewhat attached, even if Cao Cao didn't pay today, he honestly wouldn't mind continuing to teach him.
"Teacher, I'm sorry. But today, I don't intend to pay tuition!"
The Magical Power refinement technique that Cid had been maintaining at double output, even during the battle earlier, dropped to 0.7 times its level.
Pure white Slime Suit fluid seeped out from his skin and flowed beneath his clothes. His motion of sipping the red wine stopped, and the relaxed gaze hidden behind his mask instantly sharpened.
You'd better have a good explanation.
Cid didn't say it out loud, but that was exactly what his eyes conveyed.
Unfortunately, Cao Cao had his head lowered and didn't see the look. Fortunately, what he said next completely dispelled Cid's urge to beat him up and throw him out.
"What I want to give today is a disciple's offering."
"A disciple's offering?"
Cid frowned slightly in confusion.
He had been Cao Cao's teacher for more than half a year, and it had always been a simple arrangement. Teach for a day, get paid for that day. So what exactly was Cao Cao going on about now?
After half a year of teaching, he suddenly wanted to give a disciple's offering? Did that mean Cao Cao hadn't even considered him a real teacher during these past months?
"Teacher, I know you've been calling it tuition because you want to define our relationship over the past six months as nothing more than a financial transaction. But I don't want it to stay that way. I want to prove that I'm qualified to be your disciple."
Cao Cao lifted his head and said those words.
They were spoken from the bottom of his heart.
In his view, Cid had never truly intended to formally accept him as a disciple. Otherwise, he wouldn't have insisted on calling it tuition to distance their relationship.
The pressure he felt from his teacher was even greater than the pressure he had experienced when he first met Indra as a child.
Would someone like that really waste a day teaching him for just a few million zeni?
If anyone actually believed that, it would make people laugh their teeth out. If such a good opportunity really existed, people would happily book the next hundred years in advance.
That's how he saw it.
Is that how he interpreted it?
Cid was completely stunned.
In reality, his funding as an Eminence in Shadow had been cut off, so he simply wanted a temporary side job to earn money and satisfy his Eminence in Shadow urges until he found a stable source of income again. He hadn't thought about it that deeply at all.
But…
Looking at Cao Cao's expression, one filled with determination that he absolutely would not disappoint him, Cid paused to think.
"Ahahaha… ahahaha…"
Cid suddenly burst into laughter.
While laughing, he secretly used Magical Power to stimulate his tear glands, making it look as if he was laughing so hard that tears were forming in his eyes.
"I only took this on as a way to pass the time, but I never expected it to turn out this interesting. This is truly hilarious."
That was a lie.
Even counting his previous life, Cid was only in his thirties. There was no way he could understand the mindset of some transcendent being with an endless lifespan who searched for amusement out of boredom.
And honestly, he didn't think he ever would.
He cherished every single day he lived. Anyone who thought life was boring just because it lasted a long time was an idiot.
What, did you blow up the universe? Or destroy the multiverse? Only then would life become boring?
"Fine. I'll give you a chance, Cao Cao. Do you remember why I accepted you as my student when we first met?"
Cao Cao had actually gotten one thing right. Cid didn't teach him just for the few million zeni a day. The tuition was merely a bonus.
The real reason he chose to guide Cao Cao was because of his dream.
A dream that, in Cid's eyes, had the unmistakable flavor of a true protagonist.
"Of course I remember. You said you wanted to see whether our dream, to remain Human under the heavens, could truly reach its goal."
That was exactly it.
A dream with the aura of a true protagonist.
Without a dream of that caliber, Cid wouldn't have bothered playing the role of a mysterious master.
Lack of strength could be fixed through training.
But if someone's dream was weak, then it was truly hopeless.
And if the disciple lost his shine, the prestige of his mysterious master would fall right along with him.
"Then let me see how far you can go, and just how much you can shake this world. If you truly manage to defeat the Gods as a Human, then what would it matter if I acknowledge you as my disciple?"
Thanks to Gamma, and her habit of occasionally altering the lore of the Cult of Diablos, Cid had developed the ability to smoothly accept whatever new "settings" someone else suddenly introduced.
"You can rest assured about that, Master. In fact, even if you hadn't said it, I would have done it anyway. For half a year now, my companions and I have been holding back our desire to fight."
Following the mood of the moment, Cid walked over to the window and pulled the curtains aside, allowing the moonlight to pour into the room. He raised the glass of red wine in his hand and drained it in one gulp.
"Carry that lamp that illuminates the darkness and keep walking forward, child of man. You have a group of companions willing to hand their own lamps to you. Cherish them well."
"I will, Master."
Cao Cao nodded firmly. He turned around, summoned his spear, rested it over his shoulder, and began walking toward the door.
"Wait!"
"Huh?!"
Cid's sudden call made Cao Cao instinctively turn back. But the sight before him made his pupils tremble in shock.
Cid held his right hand open. Above his palm floated a sphere roughly the size of a bowling ball, while four smaller spheres emitting a faint white glow revolved slowly around it.
"If I remember correctly, you've only completed five of your Seven Treasures so far. I'll lend you a hand with the sixth."
The largest sphere floated forward and merged directly into the spear in Cao Cao's hand. The remaining four spheres flew over and lined up in front of him.
The white light controlling them suddenly disappeared. Without the support of Magical Power, the four spheres immediately began to fall under gravity, forcing Cao Cao to hurriedly catch them.
"Master, what are these?"
Looking at the four spheres now in his hands, Cao Cao asked in confusion.
He understood the purpose of the largest one. It was meant to complete the sixth of his Seven Treasures.
The spear he wielded, the "True Longinus," was the Sacred Gear he had been born with. It was the legendary holy spear said to have pierced a God, known in mythology as the Spear of Longinus.
Through his own efforts, he had developed seven abilities from it, which he collectively called the "Seven Treasures."
Although they were referred to as seven abilities, some of them had originally overlapped. Under the guidance of Cid "Roland Augustus," he had merged several duplicate abilities together, freeing up two new slots.
Even now, he had yet to develop new abilities to fill those empty positions.
But these four spheres were something he completely didn't understand. And the True Longinus showed no reaction at all, as if it had no intention of absorbing them.
"These are for your companions. Consider them a reward from me for the brave."
Hearing Cid's explanation, Cao Cao finally put away the four spheres.
"Thank you, Master. I'll make sure you see both my dream and my resolve."
When he reached the doorway, Cao Cao suddenly stopped and spoke again.
"Although this may be presumptuous… Master, is there anything you'd like us to do for you? After all, from now on my companions and I will be terrorists. There are quite a few things people like us can do."
After saying it, Cao Cao himself couldn't help shaking his head, finding his own words a bit ridiculous.
"Hmm… actually, there is something."
To his surprise, Cid really did have an answer.
"Do you know Shadow?"
"Of course. The world-class fugitive who threatened the three worlds during the World Union Conference, forcing them to either unite or face destruction."
Cao Cao answered without hesitation.
"If you ever run into Shadow, and if the opportunity presents itself, no matter what he's doing… cause trouble for him. Make things as unpleasant for him as you can."
Cao Cao's expression stiffened. For the first time, he studied Cid with a puzzled look.
"Master… do you have some kind of grudge against Shadow?"
With his back still turned, Cid shook his head.
"No. I've only crossed paths with him once or twice. I just find him rather interesting."
After thinking about it for a few seconds, Cao Cao nodded.
"I understand, Master."
With that said, he opened the door.
Waiting outside were his companions. Some leaned casually against trees while others sat on the ground.
"Cao Cao, well? Are you ready?"
The first to speak was a dark-haired young man wearing glasses and a mage's robe: Georg.
"Of course. I'm ready. What about the rest of you?"
"The Witch of Netheril has analyzed the data we provided. She has managed to reduce the damage caused to the human body by the Artificial Balance Breaker to the absolute minimum. She's also willing to grant Netheril identity documents to those who might defect. As for the resources needed for the Artificial Balance Breaker…"
The one responding was Siegfried, the vice-captain of the Hero Faction. As he spoke, he glanced toward a woman clad in orange armor with golden hair and blue eyes.
Jeanne.
"The President of the Mitsugoshi Company refused to cooperate with us. However, the other core executives are willing to provide enough resources for the Balance Breaker. In exchange, they want us to act as intermediaries. Netheril cannot simply accept human defectors who flee because they're dissatisfied with their treatment."
Jeanne spoke calmly with a faint smile, as if she had just said something ordinary.
Yet the others couldn't hide their shock when they heard the news.
"The Mitsugoshi Company, which always looked completely united, actually has internal conflicts?"
Cao Cao's eyes lit up.
"Georg, record that intelligence. Heracles, what about the situation with Hades? Is the Dragon Eater ready to be used?"
The tall man nodded, signaling that everything had already been taken care of.
"Good. Excellent."
Cao Cao laughed.
"Everyone, are you ready? What we're about to do… could very well get us killed."
After confirming that everything was prepared, Cao Cao asked the final question. By the time he finished speaking, his tone had grown noticeably heavier.
At his words, everyone present stood up.
Their gazes met, and excited smiles appeared on their faces.
"At this point, don't you think that question is unnecessary?"
Siegfried answered on behalf of everyone.
"The moment I chose to follow you, I was already prepared to die. I'm sure the others feel the same way. For someone like me, dying in battle is only natural."
"Then let's go."
Cao Cao raised his spear.
"Let's turn this world upside down. Let's tear apart the hypocritical masks of those so-called Gods and Buddhas. And let's see just how far we can go."