I'm Just a Teacher. Why Would I Hit Anyone?

Whether in the Previous Era or the Current Era, Changkong City had been destroyed by the Third Honkai War.

And three years after Changkong City's destruction, it would be destroyed once more.

Chen Ran rubbed his head and began sorting through the information.

Then, his expression turned somewhat strange.

"My identity this time is actually a Chiyou Academy teacher assigned by Schicksal to monitor Kiana."

After thinking it over briefly, Chen Ran understood.

The Sirin Plan was Otto's most important project. As a crucial part of it, Kiana naturally warranted Otto's utmost caution.

Perhaps Otto was still weighing how to awaken and control Sirin at this point. Thus, after learning of Kiana's whereabouts, he had not presumptuously retrieved her. Instead, he had sent people to follow, observe, and protect her.

This also explained why Kiana had been able to wander all the way to the Far East and attend Chiyou Academy despite having neither much education nor money.

According to the memories synchronized by the system, what he needed to do was actually quite simple.

He only had to record Kiana's daily life and compile and send it to a professional at fixed intervals.

Chen Ran did not know who that professional was. The system had not provided the relevant memories, but it seemed likely to be Amber or Otto himself.

The year 2013 was quite a delicate time.

Especially at this particular point.

If his memories of the plot were correct, Raiden Ryoma would be imprisoned this year. Raiden Mei would then be ostracized by the students of Chiyou Academy, beginning her descent into darkness.

However, compared to the first simulation scenario, Chen Ran was not in much of a hurry in this one.

After all, he had the reward bestowed by the system. He could wield authority over fluids, and the power he could exert far surpassed what he had possessed in the first simulation scenario.

Besides, this scenario had a "guaranteed drop."

If the plot proceeded without incident, the Herrscher of Thunder would be retrieved by St. Freya. Like hitting the hard pity in a gacha pool, what he needed to do in this scenario was seek out more valuable information.

Of course, time was also an important factor.

Several months remained between 2013 and the outbreak of the Third Honkai War in 2014.

Those few months allowed him to freely explore this scenario, but they also meant that once that time passed, the scenario would no longer hold any value.

Moreover, the world where the End would descend was drawing ever closer. He could not waste all his time here.

His mind began considering what he should do next.

--

"This photograph was entrusted to our World Serpent's Sovereign by an important friend."

"The Sovereign believed she was either his younger sister or lover, someone who had already died in the disaster known as Honkai."

Shenzhou, Sky City.

Inside Shencheng Pharmaceuticals, Raven slowly spoke to the girl before her, who had become a Herrscher. "I admit that World Serpent failed to investigate properly before this, but I want to know even more how someone crossed fifty thousand years."

Wendy was somewhat dazed.

Fifty thousand years...

This had clearly happened only recently.

The excessively long span of time left her distracted. She could not imagine why Chen Ran, whom she knew as a Schicksal researcher, had suddenly become someone from fifty thousand years ago.

"What exactly happened?"

"I would also like to know."

Raven spread her hands. "The Sovereign is currently far away in the Sea of Quantum. However, according to the information left behind by World Serpent, time travel is theoretically possible. It is simply that no one has ever achieved it."

A trace of surprise appeared in Wendy's eyes before turning into resolve. "What do you want me to do?"

"Simple. Join World Serpent."

Raven said, "Don't worry. You are a friend of the Sovereign's friend, so World Serpent will not attack you again. On the contrary, your existence may very well be an important aid in humanity's victory over Honkai. Everyone wants to know the things you wish to learn."

"If time can be turned back, the world might be better. Or it might be worse. But it definitely cannot be worse than it is now."

Raven gave Wendy the right to choose.

But Wendy knew she had no choice.

If she returned to Schicksal, she might be able to remain on the front lines, but it was far more likely that she would be studied.

World Serpent was different. This was the place closest to Honkai.

Most importantly, she wanted to know the truth as well.

At that moment, a sentence Bronya had once said flashed through Wendy's mind.

"He is a liar."

Those words were like a curse and a nightmare, becoming the prison that bound her.

Wendy should have been The Free Wind, yet these four words had placed shackles upon her.

"I agree to join." Wendy agreed almost without hesitation.

Raven nodded. "The right choice. Then I am your senior now."

"As your senior, let me give you a small piece of advice. When the person wearing a dog-head mask comes in later, do not agree to any experimental requests she makes. Of course, she is easy to talk to. You only need to show her that you have a bit of a temper."

Wendy followed Raven's advice expressionlessly.

I'm Just a Teacher—How Could I Hit Someone?

Chiyou Academy was a private aristocratic academy. Those who studied there either had talent and aptitude, or they had money.

And there were quite a few who had both, with Raiden Mei being one of the most prominent examples.

As the daughter of Raiden Ryoma, the head of ME Company, Raiden Mei received immense attention at Chiyou Academy.

The reason was quite practical.

She was both beautiful and rich, which was why the other girls regarded her as a public enemy.

Moreover, because she had been kidnapped when she was young, the girl showed no warmth toward anyone who approached her with goodwill. Raiden Mei had thus earned the title of the Raiden Queen at Chiyou Academy.

But today, one of the pillars supporting the Raiden Queen's pride had collapsed.

[ME Company president Raiden Ryoma taken in for investigation over economic crimes.]

The exceedingly brief and hastily delivered news was replayed across television stations. Even the Far East station, which reliably aired anime, specially broadcast the scene live.

ME Company was too large. Its business covered everything from weapons to children's toys. Its market value exceeded one hundred billion, its cash flow was exceptionally healthy, and the trade network it had built spanned the globe.

It could be said that if something happened to ME Company, the entire Far East's financial market would be thrown into turmoil.

Of course, those were not consequences the girl could think about right now.

Her expression was slightly dazed, and she found it difficult to believe what was happening.

The girl's mother had been frail and had died young. Her father had often neglected the home because of ME Company affairs, so she had long since grown accustomed to living alone.

But now, even her only remaining family was gone.

The girl walked silently through the crowd, hearing several deliberately mocking laughs beside her.

They intentionally laughed unpleasantly, noisy as crows.

Raiden Mei remained expressionless. She neither became angry nor fled.

These people were not worth her attention.

"Tsk, so Raiden Ryoma was imprisoned after all."

When Chen Ran learned that ME Company was under investigation, he could not help muttering, "Then Cocolia's plans should be starting as well."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Come to think of it, Cocolia is quite formidable. With no background, she climbed to the position of leader of the radicals. Even veterans like Einstein and Tesla could do nothing about her."

Chen Ran pondered for a long time. In fact, there was a very simple way to clear this scenario as quickly as possible.

He only needed to directly sabotage Cocolia's plan.

The Honkai in Changkong City was an artificially created Honkai. As long as he destroyed the man-made aspect, Raiden Mei would not become the Herrscher of Thunder—at least not in Changkong City.

"I need to find an assistant."

Chen Ran was thoughtful.

It was not impossible to deal with Cocolia relying solely on his own strength, but the plot had never explained how Cocolia had arranged everything throughout Changkong City.

As he wandered around and familiarized himself with the academy, he considered possible countermeasures.

"Wait, it seems I've overlooked something."

"Before the Honkai outbreak in Changkong City, Raiden Ryoma had already been transferred out of the city. Does that mean he himself had made some hasty preparations against Cocolia?"

Just as Chen Ran was thinking this, a gathering of people not far away caught his attention.

After hesitating slightly, he walked over.

There, he saw roughly a dozen girls surrounding Raiden Mei, barking and clamoring like dogs.

The moment ME Company fell from its pedestal, a group of maggots twisted in the darkness began crawling out. They made no attempt to hide their former jealousy or present delight, baring their fangs and waving their claws before Raiden Mei.

"You're the daughter of a liar! You should get out too!"

"How do you still have the nerve to stay here? Your very existence is tarnishing this academy!"

Raiden Mei clenched her fists.

She was not completely weak, and she had expected this situation to some extent.

She possessed Menkyo Kaiden in Hokushin Itto-ryu and was not incapable of fighting. But Mei knew that if she truly struck them, Chiyou Academy would immediately expel her.

For now, she could not lose her status as a student.

Her gaze swept over them coolly, making the group unconsciously take half a step back.

The leader gathered her courage and said, "What are you doing? Are you trying to hit me? Go on, hit me!"

Raiden Mei unconsciously clenched her fists.

A warrior's anger did not mean limitless tolerance, and she had never lost the courage to resist.

Just then, a pebble shot through the air at high speed and struck the shouting girl's head dead-on.

The pebble was not large, yet blood appeared on her forehead, making the sight quite frightening.

"Ah!"

The onlookers began screaming. Rather than being frightened, that girl clamored, "Who did that? Step forward... Ow!"

The crowd scattered at once, leaving only one person who had not gone far.

Chen Ran stood where he was, several small stones still in his hand. Who had done it was naturally obvious.

The girl was like a furious lion. "You dare hit me!"

"Don't misunderstand. I'm a teacher."

Chen Ran grinned. "As an outstanding educator, how could I hit someone? I was just throwing away trash."

"Trash? You bastard, go to hell!"

She lunged at him without a care, until Chen Ran flicked another pebble that struck her ankle directly.

Using the wind of fluid manipulation to make the pebble spin at high speed, its power was no weaker than a thrown baseball.

Very soon, she fell to the ground, her ankle swelling up.

The girl's companions instinctively backed away.

They looked at one another, but none of them dared continue shouting threats.

After all, when had spoiled people ever encountered real violence?

Chen Ran grinned. "You should take her to the infirmary. Otherwise, she'll be stuck in bed for several days."

He had not tried to kill her. After all, Chen Ran was not someone with especially heavy malice.