A Scolding

Rumble!

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

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 crushed by the attention they received.

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

Ring, ring!

Just then, Mo Bai's Terminal rang.

He guessed the space that had confined him earlier had vanished, allowing the outside world to contact him again.

After all, this place was only meant to help students confront themselves. It surely 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 perhaps the Principal to contact him.

As for why someone would call, though, he had a fair idea.

"Do you know why I'm calling?"

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

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

It seemed Rover carried considerable weight if he could bypass them and contact Mo Bai directly.

"Because I indirectly harmed some students at Sonoro," Mo Bai admitted.

"One more thing."

Rover's next words caught Mo Bai off guard.

"Because you went somewhere like that without telling me."

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

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

Listening to him fuss, Mo Bai's lips curved slightly.

A little preachy, but very much like Rover.

Mo Bai didn't mind.

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

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

"The fact that our connection is back means you've overcome your inner demons, doesn't it? If so, I trust you."

"I won't let you down."

Click.

The call ended just as Mo Bai reached his destination.

"Woof."

The Divine Dogs on the Great Serpent's back confirmed that Moqu was here.

But the place was now enclosed by something like a barrier.

Hum—

When Mo Bai laid a hand on it, ripples spread across its surface.

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

Fortunately, the barrier was transparent, so he could see inside.

There was a person in there.

Red ribbons wound around his body, and a red cloth completely covered his head.

Mo Bai couldn't tell by looking, but a Divine Dog nudged him, confirming it was Moqu.

Ring, ring.

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

Rover had contacted Mo Bai again.

He was always particularly alert where that organization was concerned.

"All right. I'll be careful."

After replying, Mo Bai tapped the barrier.

Whoosh.

That drew "Moqu's" gaze.

Looking at the figure before him, so unlike the Moqu he remembered, Mo Bai felt he had let him down.

He had only planned to come here while Moqu faced his inner demons and offer a few pointers whenever Moqu felt lost.

Instead, Mo Bai had drawn the Remnant Star Society into this space, dragging Moqu into it too.

Did they count on me coming to save Moqu? My enemies think highly of me.

Clap!

Mo Bai formed a hand sign and summoned Toads from the Bottomless Well.

"Ribbit, ribbit."

He first summoned several outside the barrier. Then, taking advantage of his ability to summon them through shadows, he conjured several more in the shadows inside.

Swish, swish!

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

Summoning them in numbers made the toads easy to destroy. What Mo Bai really wanted to test was how aggressive Moqu was and whether he could enter the barrier through a shadow.

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.

Swish, swish, swish!

Slash, slash, slash!

The instant Moqu sensed him, the red ribbons rained down. Mo Bai held up a sharp object and cut through every one.

It was a shard of glass.

After using the Great Serpent to destroy that building earlier, Mo Bai had gathered some of the debris into his Shadow Space.

Now, infused with Mo Bai's Cursed Energy, the glass was the perfect blade for cutting those ribbons.

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

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

First, he had to strip off all this gaudy stuff.

Hum—!

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

He saw what Moqu had experienced at the Academy and the fear he had confronted after entering the Academy's Dark Side.

Perhaps it was because Jujutsu Sorcerers were more sensitive to negative emotions. Whatever the reason, Mo Bai saw what Moqu had been through.

Mo Bai didn't really understand any of it.

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

Could he share Moqu's feelings? Honestly, no.

But he knew he had to say something.

"Wake up already! We still have a play to perform together!" Mo Bai scolded him, then added, "Once it's over, I'll bring my friends to watch it again."

Mo Bai's words stirred something deep within Moqu.

Why had I wanted to make everyone smile in the first place...?

Was it because I wanted to force what I found interesting on other people?

Or because it felt like an achievement to make the wooden geniuses at the Academy laugh?

Neither.

I wanted to share those things with an "audience" that could truly understand me.

I wanted to see smiles on the faces of people who understood me.

And now, right before him, there seemed to be someone who would stand beside him as he took that first step.

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