It was September 26th. According to the usual schedule, the Daiha Sei Festival should have concluded today... No, more accurately, it should have ended last night, but due to certain extraordinary factors, the main event and the final contest of this Daiha Sei Festival had only just begun.

The arena battle between the Magic Side and the Science Side!

The venue for this competition was Academy City's largest stadium, with seating capacity for tens of thousands. By seven in the morning, even before the contest officially started, the entire venue was already a sea of people, absolutely packed... Of course, over ninety percent of these attendees were merely extras—the run-of-the-mill bystanders who only contributed cheap cheers and nothing else; they could be safely ignored.

The true protagonists of this competition were the twenty-four participants representing the Magic Side and the Science Side.

Naturally, among the audience were the Science Side's board members, leaders from various schools, heads of major institutions, and numerous power players from the Magic Side. Many among them were figures whose slightest action could make the world tremble, or renowned experts whose fame spanned the globe.

For instance, there was Laura Stuart, the Archpriestess of the British Church, possessing both a dark intelligence and an air of innocent cluelessness; Kanzaki Kaori, the former Pope of the Crucifix Church of Amakusa, now affiliated with the Anglican Church, and one of fewer than twenty Saints in the world; and the three British Princesses, each renowned for their intellect, military prowess, and personal virtue, respectively... In short, nearly all the high-ranking officials of the British Church and Royal Family were present.

Then there were the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and the Cardinals of the Right Hand of God, the various high-ranking members of the Russian Orthodox Church, the contingent led by the French Saintess renowned as the Nation-Toppling Maiden, the "Magic Gods" and "Quasi-Magic Gods" from the Norse mythology mage factions, and hundreds of other high-level mages from various schools.

These individuals, these powers, before the Third World War, represented their respective Churches and affiliations, maintaining stances of hostility or non-interference towards other factions. But at this moment, they represented only one identity... that of the Magic Side!

In comparison, the Science Side appeared far weaker. Those directors and school administrators were merely ordinary people; the palpable auras of the two sides were completely skewed in one direction... Aleister, the ever-elusive Hanging Man, had clearly anticipated this situation. To avoid being completely overshadowed by the Magic Side, he performed a miracle by stepping out of his windowless, doorless building to reveal himself to the public.

This move undoubtedly shocked the vast majority of people.

"Heh heh, it seems this game is getting more exciting," Lin Luo murmured to himself with a smile, seated in an inconspicuous corner of the VIP section. Such a convergence of powerhouses was hardly astonishing to someone of his caliber—in the Bright Realm, it was equivalent to a lunch engagement; in Gensokyo, a mere banquet. But for this world, it was unprecedented.

Knowing that the main show was about to begin made him a bit excited, yet adhering to his principle of keeping a low profile, he had no intention of making an appearance now... He wouldn't stoop to such demotion of status.

Lin Luo sat in his corner, unnoticed and unapproached. Misaka Mirror Zero and Accelerator were contestants and had fixed locations. The Last Order and a few other Sisters were scattered among the audience watching, while the majority of the Misaka Sisters remained together in the research institute, viewing the event via live broadcast.

Mikoto was not present to observe this competition; she had entered seclusion the previous night to prepare for her breakthrough to the Heavenly Tier. As for Yuyuko, who had invaded the Raildex world from Gensokyo... well, that glutton had incredibly high Agility stats. Lin Luo had looked away for a moment and she had vanished, probably off to wreak havoc in Academy City again.

Although Lin Luo could have found her, he couldn't be bothered. Academy City was rich enough; having a small part of it ruined by Yuyuko was no big deal.

At eight in the morning, the competition officially commenced. But don't expect immediate battles featuring explosive wardrobe malfunctions right away. While the fighting was the main course, there had to be some appetizers first: speeches from leaders, opening addresses from both sides, talk of how the alliance between the two sides benefits global development, achieving the Three Represents and the Five Ideals and Eight Glories and Virtues...

The show-offs droned on enthusiastically about these matters, but Lin Luo found it utterly repulsive. To hasten through this tedious period, he closed his eyes, conjured a semi-realistic online game in his mind, projected his consciousness into it, and started playing.

With an invincible instant-kill cheat enabled, he left the novice village, steamrolled over lolis and married women along the way, reached max level in under half an hour, and took ownership of his harem empire.

"Ding!"

Just then, Lin Luo heard a faint chime deep within his soul. The source of the sound was the spiritual projection the Evil King had left inside him!

Lin Luo's heart stirred, and he immediately exited the game to check that spiritual projection. What he found shocked him greatly... In just a few days, the Evil King had managed to annihilate an entire world, and the insights she gained from the Path of Slaughter were all transmitted to him through that spiritual projection.

"Truly remarkable," Lin Luo couldn't help but exclaim after absorbing all those insights. The world the Evil King had destroyed was no ordinary plane; it was a chaotic fantasy continent filled with countless spatial dimensions, where even the smallest dimension was several times larger than Earth, and experts above the Earthly Tier were innumerable. Yet, the Evil King had obliterated them all!

What were dimensional rifts, peak experts, supreme artifacts, peerless sword formations, or gods, demons, and ghosts before the Evil King's Power of Disorder? Nothing. Where Disorder fell, everything was extinguished!

These insights were immensely beneficial to Lin Luo. He had to admit that the Path of Slaughter was indeed a shortcut to the Heavenly Tier, one without any side effects. By observing the minutiae of world shattering through slaughter, one could gain enlightenment. Unfortunately... this path was only suitable for the Evil King; he lacked the necessary ruthlessness.

"I've taken advantage of you this time, but I will repay you soon enough," Lin Luo opened his eyes and smiled faintly.

"Very well, we now invite the representatives of the Magic Side and the Science Side to speak. First, the Magic Side's representative, Laura Stuart." Just then, the female host standing center-stage below suddenly announced loudly.

"Oh, so we're finally reaching the final stage," Lin Luo understood. The speeches must be over; next, the two representatives would exchange words, and then the explosive fighting could begin. However, the Magic Side chose Laura, that cunning little fox. Who would the Science Side send? Perhaps Aleister himself would have to step up; no one could out-debate Laura in a war of words.

"Next, we invite the Science Side's representative, Mr. Lin Luo, the Strongest Instructor in History."

As Lin Luo was contemplating this, the female host had already announced the name. He couldn't help but mutter: Strongest Instructor in History, what a way to boast. But the name Lin Luo sounded strangely familiar... wait! Isn't that me?!

Lin Luo snapped to attention, finally realizing that he was the one slated to have a verbal sparring match with Laura.

Watching the hostess extend her hand in his direction, followed by the gaze of countless people shifting with her gesture, Lin Luo felt a wave of sorrow... Indeed, a man as wise and mighty as himself was like a firefly in the dark, the guiding star of salvation; no matter how much he tried to hide, it was useless. No matter how low-key he aimed to be, he still stood out like a crane among chickens. Alas, the sorrow!

Yet, at this moment, he recalled that the Hanging Man had indeed sent him a message a couple of days ago, asking him to act as a spokesperson or something. He had been feeding Yuyuko at the time and hadn't listened clearly, so he had casually agreed, then naturally forgot about it. He never expected it to almost cause a major blunder now... Well, this wasn't a bad thing either, sparring with Laura.

"Yo, it's been quite a while, Miss Laura. I didn't expect to reunite with you in a place like this; it seems fate has drawn us together." As he stepped onto the stage, Lin Luo greeted Laura Stuart as if she were an old friend, seemingly forgetting that the last time they met, he had infuriated her to the brink of a dark transformation.

Laura offered a smile that looked entirely harmless and utterly gracious. "Yes, it has been two years since we last parted. It is my honor to reunite with you at this grand gathering, Mr. Lin Luo. You look even more handsome and imposing than you did two years ago. If I had known earlier that you had returned to Academy City, I would certainly have paid you a visit."

"Haha, Miss Laura, you are as beautiful and moving as ever..." Lin Luo laughed heartily, though inwardly he admired this female fox's ability to spin nonsense to the same peak level as himself. He hadn't been in Academy City for half a month, and he absolutely didn't believe Laura hadn't known about his presence.

And indeed, that was the case. Lin Luo had appeared openly in Academy City and was serving as the instructor for this competition's participants. How could the Magic Side not know? Furthermore, Lin Luo's profile and records had been kept in the important archives of major Churches for two years, marking him as one of the individuals requiring the most attention.

As the two conversed, the high-ranking officials of the Magic Side focused their attention intensely. They dared not take the unpredictable and mysterious figure of Lin Luo lightly.

Of course, this was an unspoken understanding; there was no need to voice it.

After a few exchanges, Laura gained no advantage and had said what she needed to say, preparing to step down. But just as she turned, Lin Luo called out to her, "Wait a moment, Miss Laura."

"Is something the matter?" Laura turned back, her smile naturally warm and sincere.

Lin Luo appeared captivated by her smile, his face flushing slightly as he scratched his hair sheepishly and said, "Well, actually... there is something I've wanted to say to Miss Laura for a long time, but I never found the right opportunity. Now, on this stage, I finally have the courage."

As he spoke, Lin Luo raised his head, gazing at Laura as if she were a goddess from his dreams.

The atmosphere, which had been simmering with tension, instantly became warm and ambiguous.

"Huh?!" Even Laura was caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events and froze completely. W-wait! What was this atmosphere, one that seemed headed for a confession? It must be a trick, right? It has to be a trick!

Not only was she bewildered, but about ninety percent of the surrounding crowd was dumbfounded. They had anticipated Lin Luo might try to make things difficult for Laura on stage, or vice versa, or considered various other possibilities, but they had never imagined things would take that direction!

Anyone who had experienced adolescence, or was currently in their teens, could only think of one thing: Lin Luo was about to confess to Laura!

Of course, there were differing opinions as to why he would confess.

The ignorant youths believed it was simply a case of a gentleman admiring a virtuous lady; after all, Laura was undeniably a stunning beauty in every aspect, coupled with her outstanding demeanor and gracious attitude. It was natural for a man to develop feelings for her.

The high-ranking officials from both sides, however, sensed a deeper plot. A person like Lin Luo wouldn't be so easily swayed by beauty, especially not in public. Even if he genuinely liked Laura, confessing at this precise moment was out of the question. Therefore, his impending confession must have a profound purpose, likely intended to deliberately distract onlookers.

With this thought, the Magic Side's leaders exchanged glances, their guard rising further.

"Go for it! Hit her with the frontal assault!" In the contestant seating area, Shirai Kuroko pounded her fist lightly in front of her chest, muttering excitedly. She loved this kind of unexpected development. If Lin Luo truly confessed, that leverage would fall completely into her hands, and she could report it to Onee-sama... Hehehehehe!

Beside her, Saten Ruiko and the others could only stare at her fervent display with speechless exasperation.

On stage, Laura quickly composed herself and smiled lightly. "You seem reserved. Say whatever you wish; I am listening."

"Okay, then I shall speak," Lin Luo replied, seeming encouraged. He nodded firmly, then took a few steps forward, gazing deeply into Laura's eyes. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke in a deep voice, "Miss Laura, may I ask... what is your age this year?"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The moment Lin Luo uttered those words, the spectators either collapsed, spat out their drinks, or were otherwise incapable of normal observation. Even the Magic Side powerhouses, usually famed for their composure, shifted from calm to utterly crestfallen.

And among them, Laura Stuart, the person directly involved, suffered the greatest blow. She barely managed to maintain her composure, but the corner of her mouth twitched incessantly, forcing out an inarticulate laugh, "Heh heh... Hehehehe, Mr. Lin Luo, you really... you really know how to joke. Don't you know that a woman's age is a secret?"

As Laura spoke, she felt an intense urge to choke herself. For just a moment, she had actually felt nervous, her heart had actually quickened... Shame! This was blatant, naked humiliation!

In truth, it wasn't entirely her fault. Lin Luo's deliberately crafted atmosphere was incredibly deceptive; any reasonably normal person would think along those lines. Furthermore, under the effect of the change in his aura, his charm would increase exponentially. It was entirely normal for Laura to feel a momentary flutter of emotion.

Or rather, the fact that Laura only felt that brief moment of attraction was already quite remarkable. An ordinary woman might have already started weeping dramatic tears.

Lin Luo's mind shifted, and the ambiguous atmosphere vanished instantly. He said, "Of course I know a woman's age is a secret, but I have my reasons. Actually, recently I've been looking for a nun to take a position at my place. After considering it, Miss Laura seems the most suitable candidate, which is why I took the liberty of asking. Don't worry, the compensation I offer is very high: one million [currency unit implied], room and board included, one dual cultivation day per week, plus a two-thousand-square-meter seaside villa, and personal attendants. If work isn't going well, you can always come find me for heart-to-heart talks. How about it, are you interested?"

Listening to Lin Luo's sales-pitch tone, Laura froze instantly. She wasn't surprised by the high compensation; she was astonished that he, who knew she was the Archpriestess of the British Church and lacked nothing, was openly trying to poach her. Was he insane, or was she hallucinating?

"Mr. Lin Luo, I appreciate your consideration if you value me, but I must decline," Laura said flatly, her tone no longer as warm as it was initially. However, she didn't believe her attitude was poor; she currently wished she could tear Lin Luo into pieces, yet managing to remain calm was already showing him considerable respect.

"What a pity," Lin Luo shook his head and said no more. A proper strategy requires relaxation and tension in turns. Angering Laura a bit now would be beneficial for future development, but if he genuinely infuriated her beyond repair, the loss would outweigh the gain.

Subsequently, both of them descended from the stage.

"Adjust this person's threat level down by two tiers, to Lv4."

"Raise his threat level to Lv6."

As Lin Luo stepped down, some of the Magic Side's key figures quietly issued orders to their subordinates. Some believed that this fool Lin Luo, beyond his intimidating combat prowess, had negligible intelligence and didn't warrant much caution. Others, however, felt that Lin Luo dared to openly solicit personnel, demonstrating audacious courage, and thus required greater attention.

"Bring me a cup of refreshing, cooling tea!" Laura stated expressionlessly to an attendant upon returning to her seat. She was truly furious!

From the main seating area of the venue, Aleister glanced at the Magic Side, a flicker of a smile crossing his face. He seemed quite entertained by this farce.

Then he spoke, "Very well, next up are the friendly matches between the Magic Side and the Science Side. This is a public exhibition, and to ensure everyone can watch clearly, we need a commentator. Who is willing to serve as the commentator?"

"Oh, me, me!"

As soon as Aleister finished speaking, a voice suddenly echoed from the sky. Everyone reflexively looked up to see a girl in an ancient kimono slowly floating down from above. As she descended, countless pink cherry blossoms danced in the air.

"Holy crap!"

Seeing this person, Lin Luo nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood, because this was none other than Yuyuko, who had just taken the opportunity to slip away earlier!

What was this glutton trying to do now?!