All I Want as a Ninja Is to Live Off Others in Type-Moon Chapter 38

Inorai gave Higashino Kanade an approving glance, then rose and left with the maid.

The audience was still discussing the duel when a referee suddenly seemed to receive some instruction. He jumped into the dueling grounds and loudly announced, "We've just received word that Olga Marie Yasmiret Animusphere has forfeited. The winner of this match is Uchiha Kanade!"

The result of the match had finally been decided, but there were barely any cheers. After a brief silence, overwhelming waves of doubt and abuse erupted.

"Rigged! This is absolutely rigged! How could a Lord's daughter possibly lose to a mercenary? He must have used some underhanded trick!"

"Miss Olga can't have lost! This must be a scam! Pay back my five hundred thousand dollars!"

"The Edelfelt Family really is as despicable as the rumors say! They're simply the scum of the magecraft world!"

"I'm reporting this to the Department of Law and Politics! I'll expose the Edelfelt Family's crimes! If this isn't a fixed match, what is?"

"I don't think we need to worry ourselves over it. The Lord of Celestial Mechanics will handle this matter properly, considering the one who was set up was his daughter."

The audience erupted into chaos. Fanatical aristocratic supporters who constantly preached bloodline superiority, gamblers who had lost everything in this match, and those secretly in love with Olga Marie all voiced their doubts and insults. Even when a small number of people defended Higashino Kanade and Luvia, their voices were immediately drowned out by the larger crowd.

PS: Second update, aba aba aba.

77. They're All Trash!

Higashino Kanade could understand why such an intense argument had broken out in the audience. After all, he had not won this battle cleanly and beautifully. It had only ended hastily because of an unexpected accident. His greatest mistake had been overestimating his opponent...

Director, how could you be this useless?

Higashino Kanade sighed inwardly as his mind rapidly considered countermeasures.

The audience was arguing fiercely. Most people felt that Higashino Kanade's victory made no sense. As the daughter of a Lord, Olga Marie could not possibly have lost. They believed he must have used some despicable means to win.

A small minority, however, believed that Magi had to do whatever it took in battle. Higashino Kanade had won because he was capable, while Olga Marie deserved to lose because she was inferior.

But the minority could not stand against the majority. The fanatical aristocratic supporters, the gamblers who had lost everything, and the bootlickers coveting the position of the Astronomy Department's live-in son-in-law soon escalated the matter into personal attacks against Luvia and Higashino Kanade. All manner of vicious words and even curses were thrown around.

The chaotic scene reminded Higashino Kanade of a certain kimchi country from his first life. Whenever that country's team lost a match, its people would viciously attack their opponents' entire families, dedicating themselves to finding nonexistent evidence of fouls and fabricating doping rumors.

In short, there was only one rule: if I win, it's only natural; if I lose, it must be the opponent's fault!

"Uchiha, it's time to go. We made five million dollars today. I'll take you shopping tonight."

Luvia happily stood up and waved at Higashino Kanade, completely unaffected by the insults directed at her.

"What a great mentality."

Higashino Kanade smiled in relief. He guessed that Luvia was secretly delighted. She was the sort of woman who became happier the more others envied her.

A hard object whistled through the air.

Higashino Kanade casually raised a hand and caught a flying drink bottle.

"They really can't accept losing." Higashino Kanade sneered, casually tossed the bottle aside, and prepared to leave.

Ding! A special system mission has been triggered!

Mission Name: Fight for a Friend!

Time Limit: Three hours

(Exceeding the time limit will be considered mission failure.)

Description: As an inheritor of the Will of Fire, how could you not stand up when a friend is treated unfairly? As the future Hokage, you have resolved to clear both your own name and your friend's! Defeat ten Magi who are hurling obscenities at you.

Mission Reward: One Special Treasure Chest

Mission Failure: Become a fanatical masochist

(Those who do not follow the rules are trash, but those who do not cherish their companions are worse than trash!)

Let me secretly tell you something: Special Treasure Chests can contain very good things~

"Ah... I didn't want to offend this many people, but since there's a chest to claim, I won't hold back."

Higashino Kanade let out a long sigh, though his face wore a smile.

To be honest, it would be a lie to say he was not angry after winning the match only to be cursed like this. What annoyed him even more was that Luvia had clearly done nothing, yet she was being insulted because of her bad reputation. Higashino Kanade was thoroughly disgusted.

Higashino Kanade was someone skilled at enduring things. In this kind of situation, he would at most remember the people who cursed the most viciously, then teach them what cruelty meant when they walked alone at night.

But since the system had issued a mission as well, Higashino Kanade decided not to endure it anymore. He knew that what he was about to do would certainly offend many people, but he wanted to take this chance to hype up the Sharingan's reputation once more.

"The last Special Treasure Chest gave me three boxes of Häagen-Dazs that restored Chakra. I wonder what this one will contain. But the system outright said it would be something good, so it shouldn't be too bad."

Higashino Kanade glanced over the audience.

A small number of spectators had already left after the match ended, but many remained, seemingly waiting for an explanation.

"Uchiha, stop spacing out. There's no need to pay attention to these Magi." Seeing that Higashino Kanade was still not leaving, Luvia could not help urging him.

Higashino Kanade took a deep breath and said in a booming voice, "The match is over. If you're all still sitting here, are you waiting for me to give you an explanation?"

The arguments in the audience gradually died down. Many people looked at Higashino Kanade with disdain, and their intentions were obvious.

"Oh no! He wouldn't..." Waver's expression immediately became much uglier as he muttered a prayer under his breath. "Don't do anything stupid, Uchiha Kanade."

"I assume everyone here is more or less dissatisfied with the outcome of this match. You believe I must have used some despicable method to defeat Young Lady Olga, and that this match was unfair, correct?"

"Hmph!"

Someone snorted coldly, expressing the attitude of most people present.

"That's why I hate you Magi who hide in ivory towers and think so highly of yourselves."

Higashino Kanade helplessly spread his hands and let out a sigh loud enough for everyone to hear.

The next moment, curses flooded in like a tide, and Higashino Kanade was instantly blacklisted in many people's minds.

Higashino Kanade glanced at Waver. At that moment, Waver was looking at him with an incredibly complicated gaze—confusion, anger, regret, admiration, and agreement.

Higashino Kanade recalled how, before the Fourth Holy Grail War, Waver had been constantly mocked in Director Keneith's classroom for being a new-generation Magus. He had endured bullying from his classmates and had barely had any friends.

In a way, Higashino Kanade now resembled the Waver of the past. Both were looked down upon by most people, except after Waver became a Lord, those who had once despised him merely began cursing him in private.

It seemed that no matter the era, creatures like haters would never decrease!

Higashino Kanade directly filtered out the insults aimed at him, then loudly called to the three of them, "Master Waver, Senior Grea, Young Lady Luvia, please stand up."

"???"

The three of them were deeply confused. They did not understand Higashino Kanade's intentions, but out of trust in him, they hesitantly stood up.

Higashino Kanade cleared his throat and amplified his voice with Chakra. "Everyone, quiet down. I have something to say, so please listen."

The arguments in the audience quickly subsided. Many people looked at Higashino Kanade as though watching a monkey perform, wanting to see what sort of joke he could make at a time like this.

"I am strong—stronger than every single one of you here. Young Lady Olga losing to me was well within my expectations, and I did not use any of the so-called despicable methods you speak of."

"As for those who question me, I only have this to say: don't misunderstand me. I'm not targeting any one person. I mean everyone here is! Trash!"

PS: Third update, you know the drill.

78. If Only I Were as Dashing as Him

After a strange silence, the entire venue exploded.

"Hahaha, that's definitely the funniest joke I've heard this year. When I'm old, I'll make sure to tell it to my descendants."

"He's just a dog raised by the Edelfelt Family. He got lucky and defeated the Lord of Celestial Mechanics' daughter through underhanded means, then got so full of himself that he no longer knows his place. As expected of a lowborn nobody from a family with no history."

"Who's going to teach him a lesson? I can't stand this anymore."

"He's just a child. Please beat him to death!"

Scornful mockery continued without end. In most people's eyes, Higashino Kanade had become synonymous with a joke.

Waver tremblingly took out a cigar and struck a match, intending to light it.

But just as he brought the match closer, Waver dejectedly lowered it again. He repeated this several times, until the match burned out without ever lighting the cigar.

"Master, what are you doing?" Grea looked at Waver in confusion.

Waver frowned slightly and let out a complicated sigh. "If only I were as dashing as him."

"?"

Grea tilted her head in confusion. She could read obvious envy in Waver's eyes.

Waver envied Higashino Kanade at that moment because Higashino Kanade had done something he had always wanted to do but had never dared to.

Once upon a time, Waver had been just like Higashino Kanade was now, looked down upon by everyone. The thesis he had painstakingly written had been criticized in class and thrown into the trash, leaving him frustrated and unable to fulfill his ambitions.

Waver had wanted to prove himself to everyone, to prove that he too was a genius no weaker than anyone else. Others could do it, and so could he. He wanted those who had once looked down on him to regret it, which was why he stole Director Keneith's Holy Relic and participated in the Holy Grail War.

The result was obvious. That journey to prove himself had ultimately ended in tragedy.

After losing everything, Waver woke from his dream. He returned to the Clock Tower, bought the classroom Director Keneith had left behind, became a teacher, and inherited the identity of the El-Melloi Lord.

Even now, many still looked down on him and believed he was unworthy of his position. But compared to ten years ago, he had matured. He no longer cared about such meaningless humiliation.

To Waver, the current Higashino Kanade was like a mirror, but the person in that mirror was his complete opposite.

Both had suffered discrimination. Both had been looked down upon by everyone. Yet Higashino Kanade possessed a courage Waver lacked—the courage to prove himself head-on.

And most, most, most importantly, Higashino Kanade possessed the strength to do it. He was a Phantasmal Species surviving into the modern era, while Waver had nothing. He was merely an ordinary person.

Waver knew very well that with Higashino Kanade's current strength, he could easily teach eighty percent of the Magi in this world a lesson.

After obtaining the Curse Mark of Heaven, Higashino Kanade's strength had already surpassed the peak of his previous life. He now had the confidence to fight even a lower-ranked Servant.

And even the weakest Servant could easily defeat a first-rate Magus.

The strength of Magi was only great compared to ordinary people. Not every Magus was a freak like those in Chaldea's Group A. Against these apprentice Magi still studying in ivory towers, Higashino Kanade could not have had an easier time.

"Why are the gods so unfair..."

Waver gave a bitter laugh and covered his face, his eyes especially dim, as though he had suffered a tremendous blow.

"Master..."

Grea opened her mouth, wanting to offer some comfort, but she did not know what to say. She could only gently stroke Waver's back, hoping to ease his anxiety.

Unlike Waver, who felt deeply shaken, Luvia shed tears of emotion. Her usual proud expression melted like snow beneath the sun, becoming intense affection and shy embarrassment.

"Is Uchiha standing up for me? That's far too bold."

Luvia gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, her face blooming with a radiant smile like a midsummer sky.

This was the first time in Luvia's life that someone outside her family had stood up for her, daring to become the enemy of half the Clock Tower's students for her sake.

The Edelfelt Family's reputation had not become bad overnight. Since childhood, Luvia had been insulted directly or cursed behind her back by many Magi.

She had developed a strong mentality and would not be troubled by such venomous words, but even someone as strong as her had hoped that one day, someone like a Prince from a fairy tale would appear—someone who would protect her behind him and punish every person who had hurt her.

And at that moment, Higashino Kanade had done what she had always wanted to see. He fulfilled most of her definition of the Prince in her heart.

If Luvia's affection for Higashino Kanade had previously been sixty, it had now risen to ninety—high enough for them to get married on the spot.

Naturally, Higashino Kanade did not notice Luvia's self-guided conquest. Right then, all he wanted was to trick a few people who disliked him into coming down and fighting him.

"If you think I used despicable methods, then come down and have a match with me. I'll make you shut up with absolute strength."

After speaking, Higashino Kanade laughed at himself and swept his gaze over the audience with utter disappointment. "You... don't lack even the courage to prove yourselves, do you?"

The next moment, a young Magus jumped into the arena.

"My name is Yalman Clive. I will defeat you with my strength and expose the methods you used to defeat Miss Olga."

The first challenger was a young nobleman who looked quite refined.

Though the man spoke politely, the contempt and disgust rooted deep in his eyes could not be concealed.

"So it's the only son of the famous Clive Family. He has already reached the rank of Festival Seat at such a young age. He's a genius from the Mineral Department."

"If it's Yalman, he'll definitely defeat the Edelfelt Family's lapdog and win back some honor for us noble Magi!"

Cheers rose from the audience. Everyone had high expectations for the Magus called Yalman.

Out of caution, Higashino Kanade swept the challenger with his Sharingan. The next second, he nearly burst out laughing.

The first challenger appeared to be in his twenties, but his Mana reserves were not even as great as the embarrassing Director Olga Marie's. If they truly fought, he might not even last as long as Olga Marie.

"I was hasty. I underestimated the Director." Higashino Kanade suppressed his laughter and coughed lightly.