Where else could there be a fight where the expression 'playing around' fits so perfectly?The four of them watched Byulya and Witchasha's battle almost entranced."From now on," Dick suddenly began. "My major will be Toxicology—ack!""Don't just decide like that! You idiot!" Dick rubbed the back of his head, where Mei-rin had hit him, and retorted defensively, "Ah, what's the big deal! Isn't Professor Byulya charming?"Mei-rin reacted with more than just disgust; it was revulsion. "Are you an idiot who decides his major based on a professor's charm?""Well, someone here keeps gushing 'Pion, Pion' all day, clearly smitten."Mei-rin's face flushed at his words, and she stammered, "Hey! Wh-why bring that up all of a sudden! That's just pure, innocent affection! Deciding a major is a completely different matter!""Just looking at you, it seems like you'd follow Pion even into Martial Arts if he were a professor."Simon sighed inwardly, watching the two bicker again today."P-Professor Byulya's fighting style is truly unpredictable," Kamibarez couldn't tear her eyes away from the battle. Simon nodded. "She's fighting without even deploying a single magic circle.""Yes, it's like she's constantly assembling potent toxins inside her body, like an animal."Every drop of sweat, bodily fluid, dead skin, and even strands of hair falling from her head became a weapon. Witchasha couldn't land a single proper attack, only accumulating toxins within his body."Why!" Witchasha screamed, purple saliva dripping from his mouth, fueled by rage. "Why did you massacre even the women and children of the tribe!""Didn't I explain that a long time ago?" Byulya tilted her head. "I just went into a nearby puddle to cool off after a fight. But that happened to be your tribe's water source, and you idiots drank the water I bathed in, causing a plague that led to all that.""Are you telling me to believe that?!"Witchasha roared and swung his fist, but Byulya easily blocked it with her hand."Isn't that f***ing idiotic? I think so too. Humans never accept such incidents as they are. They needlessly assign meaning, exaggerate, pour out emotions, and act as if there was some grand cause and effect. I was exiled from my tribe for life because of that incident, so what more do you want? Do you expect me to give up my life for pathetic nobodies like you?"Thwack!Byulya kicked Witchasha in the abdomen. Witchasha staggered back."You're just a monster consumed by hatred, unable to accept reality.""Don't make me laugh!"Witchasha persistently charged forward.As Byulya raised her fingertips, the colorful liquid sweat drops she had spilled on the ground floated into the air.Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!Then, they all flew towards Witchasha simultaneously, causing explosions.Each explosion was a different type of potent toxin. Witchasha's Jet Black Robe became tattered, and his entire body broke out in spots and hives.Thud!Witchasha, having endured all the explosions, visibly exhausted, let his arms hang limp."How boring. More than anything, you're just not skilled enough."Byulya yawned and picked her ear. Seeing her, Witchasha's eyes flared with fury."I!"His Jet Black Robe peeled off, gathering in the center and transforming into a giant, three-meter-long thorned sword."I won six matches against Hongpeng with this technique!"Just as he was about to swing the thorned sword with a roar, Byulya blew on the finger she had used to pick her ear.A fiery red spark flew from her finger, causing a chain reaction of explosions. Witchasha's skin, caught in the explosions, turned stark white, then melted and dripped like candle wax."Aaaaargh!"The horrific sight made the four onlookers turn their heads or close their eyes."There's a limit to how much you can whine."Byulya appeared in a blur and grabbed Witchasha's face with her palm."Kugh!"Witchasha quickly stretched out his arms and grabbed Byulya's arm. But she didn't budge.Squeeze. Squeeze.He was even losing in strength to Byulya. His legs trembled violently, and soon both his knees hit the ground.He roared in humiliation, summoning all his strength, but still, she didn't budge. Instead, the more he tried to activate his Jet Black, the more his internal organs were damaged, and the Jet Black backfired.Am I weaker?Or was this woman originally this strong?"It's not like I'm close with my sister, or that I have any family affection, but still."Squeeze. Squeeze.Witchasha's face was already pressed to the ground. His two arms were precariously holding onto Byulya's right arm, a mere pretense of resistance."What ancient childhood story are you talking about? The current her could subdue you with just one hand.""Kugh!"At that moment, Witchasha's tattered Jet Black Robe began to undulate again. Byulya scoffed."It's useless to try to enhance your strength with Jet Black Robe..."Shwaaaaaak!Witchasha's Jet Black Robe gathered into a single mass and shot out like an awl. This time, Byulya seemed surprised, letting go and retreating to dodge."That's good. So you do listen when I teach you, student?""Haaah! Haaah!"Witchasha exploded all his Jet Black into his feet and began to flee at full speed.'My thinking was wrong. She's completely different from when we were on the plains!'She was an opponent he couldn't possibly win against. For now, he had to retreat and devise another plan.Watching Witchasha flee, Byulya clicked her tongue."How annoying."She also took a charging stance and spoke to the students."I'll go catch him. You guys go somewhere safe..."Craaaash!Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed.Witchasha's pulped body came flying back, passing Byulya and crashing into the wall on the opposite side. The impact was so powerful it created a whirlwind."?"Byulya turned around to see Witchasha's bloodied body trembling, then his head slumped.Soon, a man was seen walking steadily from the direction Witchasha had fled.Simon exclaimed with a voice full of welcome."Kazhan!"Leading the way, Kazhan and three hooded Thieves' Guild agents were approaching."What? Why is Kazhan here?""Senior Kazhan?"Dick and Mei-rin were also surprised. Kazhan lightly gestured to the group."You're late, Kazhan," Simon said, approaching with a smile."No, it's not too late yet.""Huh?""My mission isn't to apprehend a fool like that."Step. Step.Kazhan walked up to Byulya and bowed respectfully."I've come to escort you, Professor Byulya.""......"It seemed Kazhan's purpose was to bring Byulya back. She snorted."Escort me? Get lost. Tell them I'll go to Locke Island on my own terms.""Given this Hupa tribe incident and your reckless behavior, Kizen has received more than a few complaints."His eyes flashed fiercely. "Why did you disregard the escort?""My choice."She smiled back, not backing down."And look at how you're talking. I'm a professor, aren't I? Do you think a mere subordinate can be so disrespectful?""The Thieves' Guild is a partner of Kizen, in a cooperative relationship. And you are not yet a Kizen professor. There's no problem taking you by force.""Oh."Byulya's mouth opened, revealing her sharp, triangular teeth."Try it.""Do you think I can't?"Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble!The Jet Black of the two clashed. Unable to watch any longer, Mei-rin quickly stepped forward."No, why are you two so emotional? Is this something to fight about—!"Crack!Without a moment to intervene, their fists flew towards each other's faces.Their arms crossed, delivering counter-punches, and then they launched kicks and martial arts attacks, clashing head-on.Thwack-thwack-thwack!"Wh-what is this?" Kamibarez trembled. Dick also spoke, dumbfounded."Are those people crazy? Why are they fighting?!""Stop them, Simon!"Simon shook his head.Unless he donned Pier or summoned Prince, there was no way he could stop their fight."And I don't think they're really fighting.""Huh?""Just watch."Simon slowly analyzed the battle.Whoosh!Byulya twisted her waist to dodge Kazhan's punch and grinned."What, you're more fun than that chieftain!"The fight between Byulya and Kazhan—of course, Kazhan was a strong individual, but not strong enough to defeat a professor.Byulya was holding back, but Kazhan also had a resistance to poisons. No matter how much poison Byulya covered him in, he fought perfectly fine."Hahaha! Are you really human?"A Toxicology professor candidate facing a situation where poisons didn't work, a severe counter-match, yet Byulya was laughing.She dodged attacks and retreated a few steps, then pulled a colorful lump of powder from her belt and poured it into her mouth.She wasn't deploying a magic circle or using a potion. Compounds were breaking down within her body, combining with existing compounds, and beginning to recreate themselves.Soon, the color of the sweat flowing from her forehead changed, and the properties of the secreted bodily fluids also changed."......Are you truly human, then?"Kazhan charged roughly, and the two clashed again. After exchanging a few martial arts blows, they simultaneously retreated, and Kazhan looked at his skin.Gray spots began to erupt all over his body."Found it."Byulya licked her lips with her tongue and smiled.Even against an opponent immune to poison, she constantly changed the poison's composition during the battle, finally concocting a poison that only affected Kazhan."Is this enough to pass Kizen's test?""......You knew?""Their methods are obvious, aren't they?"It wouldn't make sense for Kizen's Toxicology professor to give up on poisons just because they met someone with a poison-resistant constitution. Byulya had satisfied Kizen's final test."But the very idea of you evaluating me is arrogant."She cracked her knuckles. "I know you're not at fault for receiving the mission, but I don't care. I'm going to beat you black and blue.""Do as you please."Kazhan also raised his fists, burning with fighting spirit, as if he wouldn't just take it.Just as the two were about to clash again.Clap! Clap!"Alright, stop! Stop it now!"Someone was entering the ruined building.A small girl with silver hair, as if imbued with moonlight, skipped in. She held a half-eaten ice cream cone, her mouth messy. "This is enough!"'L-Lady Neptis!'Simon was startled. Kazhan and the Thieves' Guild members, as well as the other group members, bowed to Kizen's master.Behind Neptis followed a calm, black-haired, red-eyed girl. Lorraine spotted Simon and lightly waved, and Simon smiled and waved back."......?"And Byulya was looking at Neptis with a bewildered expression.Neptis, seemingly unafraid of the poisons, strode confidently in front of Byulya and opened her round eyes wide. Then she smiled brightly and raised her hand."Hi!"Byulya stood still, looking somewhat dazed. Simon suddenly felt uneasy.'Professor Byulya probably doesn't recognize Lady Neptis.'Lorraine seemed to think the same, speaking first. "Professor Byulya. Show your respect—"Whoosh!Byulya suddenly leaped backward, landing on all fours. Then she began to hiss like a wary cat."What is this monster brat?! Get her away from me!"
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