Luke rubbed his still aching thigh, but his eyes remained firmly locked on Senior Ize, as if he wanted to see right through him.
“Senior Ize, just now…how exactly did you take on my string of Fireballs head-on?”
He was completely baffled.
“You didn’t use any martial skill to block, and I didn’t sense you casting any Defensive Magic… How could you possibly come out unscathed? This makes no sense!”
He stroked his chin, eyes suddenly lighting up, as if he had grasped the truth. He shouted excitedly, “Magic Tool! Am I right, Senior? Did you secretly develop some incredible new Magic Tool again?!”
Hearing this, the vague explanation that Ize had prepared—something about his own defense being slightly higher—was swallowed back down.
A hint of helplessness, as if saying “You caught me,” flashed across his face. He went along with it, and, with a show of reaching into his storage ring (though it was just for appearances), he took out an old-fashioned, unremarkable black ring.
“Sigh, you saw through me again, kid.” Ize let out a sigh, waved the ring before Luke’s eyes, and started bluffing, “This thing, I call it the ‘Rebound Amplification Ring.’ The principle is, when under attack, it can absorb and store a portion of the magical energy, then, in a split second, use an internal Miniature Magic Array to amplify and rebound it. But…”
He changed his tone, spreading his hands in feigned regret, “You know my abilities are limited, and the materials are nothing special. For now, this thing can only absorb and rebound regular attribute magic below Fourth Rank Magic. Anything higher, and it’s useless.”
Even so, Luke’s eyes shone with fervent admiration for Ize.
“Senior! That’s already unbelievable! If you get stronger in the future and find the right materials, would you even be able to rebound Headmaster Clea’s Seventh Rank Magic and Eighth Rank Magic?!”
Ize glared at him, raising his hand as if to smack him.
“Wishful thinking! Let alone where to find those materials, even if they existed, the risks during the forging would cost me my life! Steady cultivation is what matters. Don’t spend your days thinking about shortcuts!”
Taking the chance, he launched into his daily “philosophical education,” his tone earnest and weighty.
“Luke, you have to remember, this continent runs deep. There’s always someone stronger, always someone beyond your reach. People like us, ordinary folks, walking this world is like treading barefoot on thin ice—every step could spell doom. Only by always remaining cautious, knowing our place, and doing what we Background Characters are meant to do, can we—”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Luke clearly could recite this by heart. He interrupted impatiently, counting off on his fingers, “First, mind your own business—never meddle. Second, stay away from any man or woman who’s excessively attractive, avoid getting dragged into drama. Third, hold onto your place as a Background Character—never steal the scene, avoid ‘plot-driven deaths.’ I’ve got it all memorized, Senior!”
“I’m not joking with you!” Ize’s expression turned stern, his gaze sharp. “You think I’m just being alarmist? For people like us, with no protagonist’s luck to shield us, this magic world is full of traps. Take one wrong step, and you’ll end up dead with nothing left! You—”
“Yeah, yeah! Senior Ize is always right! Your wisdom is unmatched!” Luke responded, nodding his head so quickly it looked like a pecking chick, but his face clearly read, “Here we go again.”
Seeing Luke’s unresponsive attitude, Ize felt a tightness in his chest, and the rest of his words got stuck in his throat.
“Senior Ize!” Luke fell silent for a moment, but couldn’t hold back his long-held question.
“I admit you’re amazing, Senior, and you know so much. But I still don’t get it… I’m one of the top Third Rank Magicians now. I might not be a big shot at Starlight Academy, but I’m at least someone, right? Why do you always see me as someone who needs to hide in the background?”
Ize showed a “why can’t you do better” look, pointing at Luke with a finger.
“Luke, Luke, you’re like a frog at the bottom of a well, thinking the sky is only as wide as the well’s mouth! You strut around the academy because the real experts can’t be bothered with you! You think outside enemies will fight you with some ‘same rank’ rules? What if one day a Fifth Rank or Sixth Rank Magician or Knight doesn’t like your red hair and decides to smack you down—what will you do?”
His tone grew heavier as he listed off potential threats.
“And besides those human powerhouses, there are those mysterious mid- and high-tier magical beasts. They won’t go easy on you just because you’re a Third Rank!”
Luke still looked unconvinced, muttering, “But…aren’t we still in the academy now? When I get stronger…”
“That’s if you live to see ‘later’!” Ize cut him off, his voice carrying a rare hint of severity. “How many geniuses were like meteors across the sky, never shining before they fell? What makes you think you’re not the next?”
Luke tried to argue, “But…there are plenty in the Empire weaker than me, without background, but they act even cockier! And they’re still fine!”
Ize snorted coldly, his tone firm as iron.
“That’s why they’ll get what’s coming to them later! Justice may be slow, but it never forgets!”
Luke: “……” He was completely defeated by this ironclad logic.
He held back for a while, finally asking with a trace of curiosity and defiance, “Then…according to your great wisdom, Senior Ize, what level do I have to reach before I can be…well, ‘a little less of a Background Character’?”
Ize glanced at him and threw out a line, “When you can beat me, a ‘normal’ Second Rank Magician, then you can start thinking about what ‘cocky’ means.”
Luke’s mouth twitched hard. Normal? Since when did “normal” Second Rank Magicians casually improve formulas, forge ridiculous Magic Tools, set up intricate arrays, and shrug off Third Rank Magic without a scratch? Where in the whole Aure Empire could you find a few more “normal people” like you, Senior? Maybe your idea of “normal” is a little off?!
Ize looked at the slowly setting sun, said no more, and activated the positioning teleportation array inscribed in their dormitory ahead of time. With a flash of light, the two instantly returned from the desolate mountain to their familiar room.
“Teacher Isha should have told you about the investigation mission to the Raymond Family territory, right?” Ize asked as he straightened his slightly messy clothes from the rapid movement.
“She did!” Luke nodded, glancing at Ize with curiosity. “Are you going, Senior?”
Ize let out a sigh, his face full of resignation.
“The Headmaster herself gave the order. Do I dare not go? Do I have a death wish?”
“Oh—so you’re being forced!” Luke stretched out the syllables, then grinned slyly, as if recalling something, “I thought maybe you were interested in that newly famous, magic-and-martial dual genius from Liyue Academy, so you agreed so fast.”
“What genius?” Ize asked absentmindedly, still focused on how to avoid the task.
“Lian! Haven’t you heard of him, Senior Ize?” Luke sounded surprised.
Lian?!
That name exploded in Ize’s mind like a thunderbolt. His pupils contracted sharply, and his body stiffened. How could he not have heard of him? That was the undisputed male lead of the original game!
Oblivious to Ize’s reaction, Luke continued excitedly, sharing the gossip he’d heard.
“I only heard about this during this training from the Liyue Academy people. They said Lian only joined Liyue Academy two years ago. He was a commoner, caught by magical beasts, and happened to be rescued by Teacher Angelica’s group from Liyue Academy. That’s when they discovered his terrifying talent—all five basic elements with over sixty percent affinity! And he’s got that super rare innate martial body! He was immediately taken as the personal disciple of Dean Aran—her only male disciple so far!”
Luke spoke with envy.
“In just two years, he’s not only reached Third Rank Magician, but mastered several powerful martial techniques. He’s a star at Liyue Academy now, with limitless future potential! We’re sure to meet him on this trip to Raymond territory. And there’s Rhea, the genius on par with our Senior Sister Sara—she’ll be there too!”
“Wait!” Ize suddenly cut off Luke, his voice so urgent it nearly changed pitch. “You said…Lian joined Liyue Academy only two years ago?!”
“Yeah, that’s right? What’s up, Senior?” Luke was startled by Ize’s sudden agitation, completely lost.
Good grief! In a flash, Ize understood. Six years ago, when he’d first transmigrated and encountered those kids in the pig-headed men’s dungeon, Lian wasn’t even there! He’d got the timeline completely wrong—and the person, too!
No wonder, despite all his searching over the years, he never heard anything about “Lian,” the main character!
“Wait, one more thing!” Ize seemed to seize another key point, his voice incredulous. “You said Rhea’s going too? Shouldn’t she be taking her advanced magic exam?!”
Luke didn’t understand why Ize cared so much about Rhea’s whereabouts, so he explained, “The advanced magic exam ends in the next two days. I heard that all the top academies are taking the Raymond territory incident really seriously, so as soon as top disciples like Senior Sister Sara and Rhea finish, they’ll rush over to join the investigation.”
Before Luke could finish, he watched in shock as Ize sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He dashed to the bed and started packing a giant backpack at lightning speed—compressed rations, all sorts of bottles and jars, a heap of mysterious Magic Tools. His movements were so fast they were dizzying.
“Senior? There are still three days before departure! Isn’t it a bit early to be packing?” Luke stared at Ize’s bizarre behavior, completely bewildered.
“Go? Go to hell with Raymond territory!” Ize jerked his head up, eyes wide with terror as he jabbed a trembling finger at Luke. “Lian! Rhea! Sara! When these three are together, do you know what that means?!”
Luke shook his head, confused.
“It means the main plot is starting!” Ize almost roared, his face drained of blood. “For small fry like us, getting swept into a storm of that level means we’re just cannon fodder—stepping stones! Certain death! If I don’t run now, am I supposed to wait around for a plot-driven death?!”
…