Why Are You Fooling Around with the Teacher?

"Madman... Senior Brother..."

Huo Yuhao awkwardly pinched the hem of his clothes. He had long grown accustomed to others' cruel words, yet when faced with kindness, he was at a loss.

This place was different from the White Tiger Duke's Estate.

A new home...

Huo Yuhao nervously looked around. Monster Academy was beautiful, with cultivated spiritual plants scattered throughout the grounds.

Monster Academy students in fitted red uniforms were everywhere, along with En Zuo, who seemed cold but was actually gentle, and Long Yue, who looked rough but had a delicate heart.

Huo Yuhao wanted to remember this moment forever.

The two of them found Huo Yuhao's appearance amusing. En Zuo smiled and waved his hand. "Why do you look like you're about to cry? Cheer up. You're a teammate who'll fight alongside me in the future."

Long Yue gave a humorous laugh.

Then he recalled the message Teacher En Ci had conveyed, and his expression dimmed slightly. Long Yue had learned from Teacher En Ci that En Zuo had announced his formal withdrawal from the Eight Heavenly Kings.

The seven seed candidates among the Eight Heavenly Kings had already been confirmed. They had only been waiting for En Zuo to enroll and fill the final vacancy.

"Junior Brother, are you really withdrawing from the Eight Heavenly Kings?" Long Yue asked reluctantly. "I originally hoped we could fight side by side, defeat Shrek Academy, and restore Monster Academy's reputation."

Defeat Shrek...

En Zuo really wanted to tell Long Yue that the original Eight Heavenly Kings of Monster Academy did not stand the slightest chance, much less have any hope of restoring Monster Academy's reputation.

They would only turn Monster Academy into a laughingstock.

En Zuo could not bring himself to say something so discouraging and confidence-shattering. He could only prove through his actions that everything he did—

Was not meaningless fooling around.

Seeing En Zuo remain silent, Long Yue spoke again.

"Don't worry." Long Yue grinned broadly and chuckled. "The moment I heard that you had voluntarily given up your Heavenly King position, I went to speak with the teacher myself."

"If anyone wants to lay claim to the vacant eighth Heavenly King position, then as long as they're not afraid of being beaten to death by me, Dragon Madman, they're welcome to challenge me."

"As long as I remain the leader of the Eight Heavenly Kings, the person holding the eighth Heavenly King position will only ever be you, Junior Brother."

En Zuo no longer knew how to stop Long Yue. This seemingly absurd decision to leave a Heavenly King position vacant—given what En Zuo knew of Long Yue—

Without En Ci's approval, Long Yue would never dare act so arrogantly. He could only use intimidation within the team to force others to give up the Heavenly King position.

"Senior Brother, why are you fooling around with the teacher?" En Zuo pressed a hand to the throbbing vein on his forehead. "The Eight Heavenly Kings are a Monster Academy tradition. What does it look like to leave one position vacant? If someone else wants the Heavenly King position, just let them have it."

"I don't care."

Long Yue curled his lips. "You may not care, but the teacher and I do."

He cracked his fingers and said matter-of-factly, "A team battle only needs seven people anyway. Besides, doesn't Shrek have only the Seven Monsters?"

"Our Eight Heavenly Kings can cut one off ourselves and downgrade to the Seven Heavenly Kings. We can't fall short in terms of propriety."

En Zuo picked up Demon Ding, who was sucking on a blood pack on his shoulder, his innocent-looking face concealing En Zuo's helpless expression.

Let them do as they please.

"I just hope your undermanned Eight Heavenly Kings don't get knocked flat during Monster Academy's internal selection by the Soul Master team I put together."

"When that happens and you become substitutes, I won't let you take the field even if you beg me."

"A battle with you, Junior Brother, is something I've always looked forward to." Long Yue's eyes brimmed with fighting spirit. He truly wanted to fight with all his strength, but the flaw in his martial soul prevented him from using his soul skills.

Once he used his soul skills at full strength, the remaining sliver of reason he possessed would be devoured by the Mountain Dragon King consciousness within his bloodline, turning him into a mad beast.

En Ci was also unwilling to let En Zuo and Long Yue engage in a private Soul Master battle. After all, En Zuo was merely a physically frail Tool Soul Master.

Thus, the matter had remained shelved.

With one arm around Huo Yuhao and the other around Long Yue, En Zuo teased, "Senior Brother, if I really gather a seven-man team, you might lose badly."

Long Yue took it as a joke.

Only Huo Yuhao knew just how bizarre En Zuo's abilities were. A martial soul that could freely travel between different parallel time-spaces was fully worthy of being called the most powerful... most bizarre spatial martial soul in the history of the Douluo Continent.

The three ended their casual chat because Long Yue had training to attend. After notifying En Ci, En Zuo led Huo Yuhao to apply for a private dormitory at Monster Academy, handled the details of Huo Yuhao moving in, and left after settling everything.

After reminding him once more about matters at Monster Academy, En Zuo returned alone to his own dormitory.

His dormitory was a standalone building. Though its exterior looked impressive, the furnishings inside had become somewhat worn with age. No matter how carefully En Zuo maintained them, it was unavoidable.

The natural passage of time left no trace.

Yet on old objects, the marks it left were the clearest.

To En Zuo, this was the place where he had grown up. Psychologically, the clearest difference between an adult and a child was this—

When it came to things filled with old memories, adults were always reluctant to throw them away, even if better replacements existed. That was because beautiful memories were far more precious than the value attached to new objects.

Opening a drawer, En Zuo took out a thick stack of design drafts. His pen moved in graceful strokes as he slowly sketched.

This was the One-Word Battle Armor En Zuo had designed for himself—Nightmare.

In this era, if one wanted their Battle Armor to become powerful, it had to suit them perfectly.

Only by becoming a Battle Armor Master oneself could one create the most perfect Battle Armor, one most suited to oneself.

The professions related to Battle Armor were further divided into three categories: forging, design, and manufacturing.

Although En Zuo possessed no particular talent for forging and was only at Level One, his talent in design and manufacturing had already reached the limit possible for an eleven-year-old.

He was now a Level Four Battle Armor designer and manufacturer.

The core sections of the entire One-Word Battle Armor had already been designed. In another day or two, it would be completely finished. All that remained was the forging and manufacturing, which demanded stamina and patience.

"Battle Armor..." En Zuo murmured as he picked up the design drafts and admired his masterpiece, becoming ever more engrossed. If there was one thing especially important to Soul Masters in the Dragon King Era,

Battle Armor would certainly be among them.

When a Limit Douluo wore Battle Armor, the power they could unleash could exceed their original strength by a full twofold.

Among the fighters from the previous two eras who could contend with those of the Dragon King Era, aside from the few who were destined to become gods,

Only Qian Daoliu, who could wield divine power and was invincible in aerial combat, and Bo Saixi, who was invincible at sea, could steadily suppress Limit Douluo wearing Battle Armor in battle.

Compared to the divine artifacts wielded by gods, Four-Word Battle Armor lacked only the tempering of divine power.

"As long as I completely master the One-Word Battle Armor," En Zuo muttered, "I'll have greater confidence in winning over those geniuses trapped in the old era."

In the old era, no Soul Master could resist the temptation Battle Armor offered. Even Shrek, which prized personal strength above all else and rejected external tools during the Peerless Era,

Ten thousand years later, had begun following the tide and using Battle Armor.