A Scolding

Rumble!

The Great Serpent carried Mo Bai through the Academy's Dark Side.

Along the way, Mo Bai saw many negative thoughts the students had left in this space.

Some felt inferior because they were ordinary.

Others felt overwhelmed by the attention they received.

Seeing all this, Mo Bai knew he had to find Moqu faster.

Ring, ring!

Mo Bai noticed his Terminal ringing.

He guessed that since the space that had trapped him was gone, the outside world could contact him again.

After all, this place was only meant to help students face themselves. It certainly wouldn't cut off all contact with the outside world.

"Rover?"

Mo Bai was a little surprised by who had called.

He had expected a teacher, researcher, or even the principal to contact him.

As for why someone was calling, he had a fair idea.

"Do you know why I'm calling you?"

As Rover's clear voice came through, Mo Bai could hear a commotion behind her.

They were all adult voices, probably the teachers who had wanted to question him in person.

Rover clearly had considerable influence if she could bypass them and contact him directly.

"Because I indirectly put some Sonoro students in danger," Mo Bai admitted.

"There's one more thing."

Rover's next words caught Mo Bai off guard.

"You went somewhere like that without telling me."

Still at the Academy, Rover glanced at the innocent students Mo Bai had caught up in the incident.

"You know your situation is unusual. Until just now, you weren't capable of handling something like this alone," Rover added.

Listening to her lecture, Mo Bai's lips curved slightly.

She was a little long-winded, but that was just like her.

He didn't mind.

"Then do you think I can handle it now, Rover?"

Mo Bai directed the question to Rover back at the Academy.

"If our connection has been restored, that means you've overcome your inner demons, doesn't it? In that case, I trust you."

"I won't let you down."

Thud—

As the call ended, Mo Bai reached his destination.

"Woof."

The Divine Dogs riding on the Great Serpent confirmed that Moqu was here.

But something like a barrier now enclosed the place.

Hum—

When Mo Bai placed his hand against it, he felt ripples spread across its surface.

If he pushed any farther, it would probably repel him.

Fortunately, the barrier was transparent, so Mo Bai could see inside.

Someone was in there.

Red ribbons wrapped around him, and a red cloth completely covered his head.

Mo Bai couldn't tell by looking, but one of the Divine Dogs nudged him. That was Moqu.

Ring, ring.

"Be careful. There are traces of the Remnant Star Society's handiwork on him."

Rover had contacted Mo Bai again.

She was always exceptionally alert where that organization was concerned.

"Okay. I'll be careful."

After replying, Mo Bai knocked on the barrier.

Whoosh.

That drew "Moqu's" gaze toward him.

Looking at the figure before him, who bore no resemblance to the Moqu he remembered, Mo Bai felt he had wronged him.

He had only planned to come here and face Moqu's inner demons. He would stand by and offer a little guidance if Moqu lost his way.

Instead, his own actions had drawn the Remnant Star Society into this space and dragged Moqu into it.

Were they counting on me coming to Moqu's side to save him? My enemies think rather highly of me.

Clap!

With that, Mo Bai formed a hand sign and summoned the Toad from the Bottomless Well.

"Ribbit, ribbit."

He summoned several outside the barrier first. Then, using his ability to summon them through shadows, he brought several more Toads from the Bottomless Well into the shadows inside it.

Whoosh, whoosh!

But the moment the toads appeared inside the barrier, the ribbons wrapped around Moqu lashed out and destroyed them.

The toads were easy to destroy when summoned in numbers. Mo Bai had mainly wanted to test how aggressive Moqu was and whether he could enter the barrier through the shadows.

So far, it looked possible.

Plop.

Leaving a few toads on standby outside the barrier, Mo Bai slipped into the shadows and emerged before Moqu.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Slash, slash, slash!

The instant Moqu detected him, the red ribbons on his body attacked like a downpour. Mo Bai held a sharp object and cut through every one.

It was a shard of glass.

When he had used the Great Serpent to destroy that part of the building, Mo Bai had also stored some loose debris in his Shadow Space.

Now, infused with his Cursed Energy, that glass was the perfect blade for cutting the ribbons.

"Sorry. I don't intend to drag this out."

After severing the ribbons, Mo Bai placed his other hand on Moqu's head.

First, he would tear off all these flashy things covering him.

Hum—!

But the instant Mo Bai touched Moqu, he saw something.

He saw what Moqu had experienced at the Academy, and the fear Moqu had faced within himself after entering its Dark Side.

Perhaps it was because Mo Bai was a Jujutsu Sorcerer and more sensitive to negative emotions. Whatever the reason, he saw what Moqu had been through.

Mo Bai didn't really understand those experiences.

He had never wanted to dazzle anyone, or to "bring smiles to everyone's faces."

Could he relate to Moqu? Honestly, he couldn't.

But he knew he had to say something now.

"Wake up already! We still have a play to perform together!" After that sharp rebuke, Mo Bai added, "Once it's done, I'll bring my friends to see it too."

Hearing Mo Bai's words, Moqu felt a faint stir deep within.

Why... had he wanted to bring smiles to everyone's faces in the first place?

Was it because he wanted to force the things he found interesting on others?

Or because he found it satisfying to make the Academy's wooden geniuses laugh?

Neither.

He... wanted to share those things with an "audience" that truly understood him.

He wanted to see smiles on the faces of people who understood him.

And now, it seemed someone stood before him who would stay by his side as he took that first real step.

With that realization, the red cloth covering Moqu's head fell to the ground.