Dekan Offers Him the Flower of Hope

Baron Batchelor's eyes turned blood-red, as if they were about to overflow with tears of blood.

"Ah!!!"

He charged toward the small figure like a madman.

The Dekan doll also began to run with its short little legs.

Just as Baron Batchelor was about to grab it, it pushed open a classroom door and darted inside.

Disregarding everything else, Baron Batchelor crashed into the classroom right behind it.

Then, like a ferocious tiger charging into a sheepfold, the classroom erupted with screams intertwined with blood and terror.

Hiding in the distance, in a corner on the other side of the corridor, Dekan and Cornelia poked their heads out.

"Don't you want that card back?"

Cornelia asked.

The creature that had just lured Baron Batchelor into the classroom was indeed Dekan's summon.

If a summon is defeated while the user is not nearby, it cannot be recalled into a card.

The fate of the doll that had just lured Baron Batchelor away would be to revert into a card and be destroyed by the frenzied Baron Batchelor.

"It's fine, the production cost of [Captain Dekan] isn't high; I can mass-produce them."

Dekan explained, waving the two remaining identical cards in his hand at Cornelia.

[Captain Dekan]

[Category: Summon Card]

[Rarity: Blue Rare]

[Tier: 1]

[Attack: 0]

[Health: 100]

[Effect: A summon created in the chibi style of Dekan. Possesses a powerful single-target taunt function, applies the "Confusion" status to the taunted target, and the deeper the target's hatred for Dekan, the longer the taunt duration.]

[Note: "Captain Dekan, reporting for duty—to die!"]

One of Dekan's life-saving cards.

Low cost, great results.

Sometimes, when an enemy is pushed to their limit, Captain Dekan can even lure them into causing targeted destruction.

Dekan's plan was precisely to have Baron Batchelor healed in the infirmary, driven mad, and if lucky, even have him buffed, before using Captain Dekan to lure him into wrecking rooms.

Once Baron Batchelor finished off the faculty in the classroom, Dekan could easily steamroll that room!

Exploration progress gained, nice and easy!

"Like this, Cornelia: after Batchelor clears a few more classrooms, we'll go in to push our exploration progress. That should be enough to meet our contribution quota. If we can happen to acquire key intel on the Boss, we'll go take her down; otherwise, let's not risk it."

Dekan explained their next step to Cornelia.

It was already class time, but they were strolling down the corridor as if they were out for a walk.

Dekan felt a bit bored.

He complained that Baron Batchelor was fighting too slowly.

It had been nearly ten minutes, and Baron Batchelor still hadn't cleared that classroom.

"Alright, I'll listen to you."

Cornelia nodded happily.

Whether they were going to fight or play next, she didn't mind either way.

"Now that we have the cooking classroom as a safe house, once we take care of The Dean, this school will be ours to do as we please."

Dekan said.

"I'm starting to feel like I don't want to go back to Havenlit Academy anymore..."

Cornelia couldn't help but sigh.

"Oh, right, Cornelia."

Suddenly, Dekan remembered something and said very seriously: "Actually, there is one piece of information Baron Batchelor told me that I'm quite concerned about."

"What is it?"

Hearing him say that, Cornelia's expression also became slightly serious.

"There is... a swimming pool in the Headmaster's office!"

"A swimming pool...? Do you want to go swimming?"

"Of course! No student could refuse the chance to swim in the Headmaster's office; it's super cool, isn't it?"

"..."

Cornelia fell silent.

But after a moment of thought, she seemed to find the idea quite tempting.

Cornelia: "Count me in."

Dekan: "Great!"

"By the way, is that The Dean over there?"

"It looks like him."

Just as Dekan and Cornelia were chatting and laughing in the hallway, they finally ran into the legendary Dean.

It seemed that the commotion caused by Baron Batchelor nearby had drawn The Dean to the area.

Of course, this pair of truants was so brazen that it would have been difficult for The Dean not to notice them.

They were walking down the corridor as if they owned the place.

The Dean charged toward them without hesitation, ready to apprehend them.

Yet, the man and woman showed no signs of panic, nor did they have any intention of fleeing.

Unfazed, they each held out a red ticket toward The Dean.

"Here, take it."

Dekan and Cornelia didn't even bother to glance at The Dean, shoving the Demon Pass into his hand before continuing their conversation.

As they brushed past him, Dekan even gave The Dean a pat on the shoulder.

The Dean: "..."

He had seen arrogant students before, but never any this arrogant.

However, according to the rules, he could not attack these two students again for another half hour.

The Dean stood rooted to the spot for a long time, unable to reconcile his feelings.

Since when.

Had he reached the point where he was no longer feared by his students?

"It seems quiet now."

Cornelia leaned against the wall, pressing her ear to the surface to gauge the situation in the classroom not far away.

Dekan nodded and summoned a second Captain Dekan.

He controlled the Captain Dekan to trot over to the classroom door, push it open, and hop around while waving its arms.

Then, the Captain Dekan turned and bolted, charging straight into another room nearby.

Soon, the entire hallway erupted as if something had exploded.

Baron Batchelor rushed out once more, following the Captain Dekan into the room.

However, Dekan could tell that Baron Batchelor had sustained significant injuries this time.

"Ganbatte! Baron Batchelor, you cannot fall yet!"

Watching the figure of Baron Batchelor charge into the classroom from afar, Dekan shouted.

Baron Batchelor still had some heat left in him.

There was still more residual value to be squeezed out of Baron Batchelor.

About twenty minutes passed.

"It should be over; there's no sound anymore."

Cornelia said, once again pressed against the wall.

It seemed that Baron Batchelor's combat power had dropped significantly, as the fights were lasting longer and longer.

Dekan summoned his final Captain Dekan and ordered it to run to the door of the previous room and dance.

Then, it turned and ran into yet another classroom.

As expected, Baron Batchelor, despite being battered and broken, roared and followed the Captain Dekan into the classroom.

"Baron Batchelor."

"Your destination doesn't matter at all; you just need to keep moving forward. As long as you don't stop, the path lies ahead."

"Batchelor, I won't stop. As long as you don't stop, I will be waiting for you up ahead. So, don't you dare stop!"

Dekan watched from afar as Baron Batchelor's figure disappeared, murmuring as if bidding farewell to an old friend.

This time, the Baron Batchelor who charged into the classroom finally remained there for a long time, never to emerge again.

Instead, some surviving demon students in the classroom dragged their broken bodies out.

It seems Baron Batchelor has burned himself out.

He ended up in a mutual destruction with the teacher of this classroom.

It is time to start the harvest.

"Cornelia! Time to work!"

"Got it!"

Cornelia pulled out her spare hammer, and she and Dekan charged into the classroom one after the other.

The wails of the surviving demons rose and fell once again...