A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Su Bei perked up instantly, taking a few steps back to blend into the crowd, hoping to avoid any accidental mishaps.

Just then, Jiang Tianming caught a glimpse of his movement, a look of confusion crossing his face, but being outside, he didn’t press for answers.

As previously mentioned, there were only three ability academies in the country, so the teachers generally knew each other. Ye Lin, as the school nurse, often attended various events and immediately recognized the leading teacher, who appeared to be in his forties.

He guided his team to a spot and, accompanied by a notably younger teacher, approached with a friendly smile. “Teacher Ye, long time no see! Are you here to take your students for some training as well?”

Ye Lin nodded. “Yes, just bringing them out to see the world.”

As she spoke, she glanced at the students behind him. This group looked noticeably more mature, taller too; they were likely seniors.

Generally speaking, in a place bustling with people and already partially explored, it was more suitable for novice ability users. Not only could they familiarize themselves with the process, but in case of danger, it would be easier to seek help.

The fact that they brought seniors along suggested that this group’s strength was likely lacking; they probably hadn’t ventured out much for training.

While the teachers chatted, the students from the opposing group edged closer. Just by their height, it was clear that Su Bei and his friends were younger, and the other students assumed they were sophomores, swelling with a sense of pride as upperclassmen.

“Is this your first time out?” asked a tall, burly boy at the front, a hint of barely concealed arrogance in his eyes.

Though subtle, it was evident that in the “Endless Ability Academy” group, aside from Mo Xiaotian, who didn’t have a clue, everyone else was sharp enough to catch the boy’s attitude.

Instantly, the mood soured for any further conversation, but Mu Tieren still replied politely, “Yes.”

“Coming out in your second year, your school really is ruthless. Just don’t get lost in the otherworld,” someone from the back row of the opposing team said, their voice carrying a bit too much.

The young man at the front turned around, feigning a glare at the speaker. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

After that, he turned back to the wooden iron man, apologizing, “Sorry about that. He’s used to rambling. Since your school arranged it this way, you must have your reasons.”

Meng Huai and Lei Ze’en exchanged glances, a hint of amusement in their eyes. It had been a while since they’d seen such student provocations, and they were curious to see how this year’s Class S would respond.

His attempt at sowing discord was rather clumsy, and the wooden iron man’s expression darkened. “It seems our thoughts differ. I believe that the later we enter the otherworld, the more ruthless it is for us.”

This wasn’t merely a retort; the wooden iron man genuinely believed it. The later they went, the fewer opportunities for training they would have. Having teachers around was far safer than facing the trials alone after graduation. The school delaying their outing was doing them a disservice.

“Don’t say that,” Wu Mingbai interjected with a smile, trying to smooth things over. “Actually, there’s a bit of truth in what he just said.”

Upon hearing this, the students across from them instantly puffed up with pride.

But before they could open their mouths to mock, Wu Mingbai continued, “Weaker students are indeed better off coming out later. Otherwise, it’s one thing to embarrass the school, but losing your life is another matter entirely.”

Jiang Tianming had been friends with him for years, their synergy impeccable. As soon as Wu Mingbai finished, he pretended to stifle a laugh, deliberately letting out a scoff.

The mockery was palpable.

The faces of the opposing team shifted from green to red, clearly understanding Wu Mingbai’s implication—that they were too weak to venture into the otherworld until their third year.

“Hah? Are you saying we’re weak?” a hot-headed boy from the opposing team shot back angrily, completely ignoring that they had provoked first.

The girl beside him joined in, her voice dripping with scorn. “Yeah, if a true strong person said that, we’d let it slide, but you guys…”

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She didn’t finish her sentence, but her disdainful gaze said it all.

With their teammate stirring the pot, the captain naturally joined in. The young man at the front chuckled, “Don’t blame them for their harsh words; they’re just worried you’ll get hurt out there looking like this.”

“Exactly!” another teammate chimed in from behind. “That white-haired one doesn’t look too healthy, right? And that pink-haired one? Wow! What’s the term? Oh, right! Fragile and unable to care for themselves—yes, that’s it! The one in the hat looks like a weirdo. And that blue-haired girl, is she hiding behind a mask? This whole team, tsk tsk tsk…”

The earlier girl, acting like a comedic foil, exaggeratedly laughed and added, “The Old, Weak, Sick, and Disabled Team!”

A few short sentences ignited the fury of the crowd.

Su Bei, expressionless, glanced at the heads above him; the hands of the clock, both small and large, pointed firmly toward failure, leaving him no room to maneuver.

Now was certainly not the time to strike directly. In a war of words, the first to act was the one who lost. Jiang Tianming stepped forward calmly: “In terms of age, you are older than us. In terms of weakness, what strength do you have to boast about, having only just emerged from your third year? As for illness, that pale-faced one looks truly sick, doesn’t he? And as for disability, well, being brain-dead counts as a disability too.”

At this point, he scoffed disdainfully, a handsome smile gracing his lips: “Who’s the old, weak, sick, and disabled team? Do I really need to elaborate?”

It must be said, staying calm during an argument gives one a head start. Jiang Tianming’s reasoned retort left their opponents speechless.

The students from the opposing academy were itching for a fight to prove their strength. Even if Jiang Tianming and his group had slightly stronger abilities, they had at least a year more experience; surely, these students believed they could best them.

However, their teachers were not far off, and causing a scene was not advisable. The leading youth could only cast a malicious glance at them: “You’re quite the silver-tongued one, calling us old? Just don’t be surprised if you don’t live to our age!”

At that moment, the two teachers from the opposing side finally approached. They had naturally noticed the verbal spat but, like Meng Huai, were curious to see how their students would handle it.

The outcome was clear: their side had spoken ill first, and for these two teachers, their students’ insults were nothing, but provoking without having been insulted first was quite embarrassing.

So they hurried over, faces stern, and led their team away without even a word of farewell.

Once they left, Meng Huai walked over, satisfied. “Well done, you didn’t bring shame to our school. Once we enter the other realm, those few will likely look for trouble again, and then we can act. Winning a war of words means nothing if you lose in real combat.”

“Teacher, which school are they from?” Si Zhaohua asked calmly. Although they had won the verbal battle, he didn’t want to be scolded for nothing. He had never shied away from using his family background.

“‘Sky Vault Ability Academy,’” Meng Huai said, giving him a meaningful look. “Don’t go too far.”

“Hey, Li Shu, weren’t you angry just now?” Zhao Xiaoyu asked curiously, looking at Li Shu.

After a month of interaction, she had come to understand the personalities of her classmates in Class S quite well. The person who had just called out names had insulted four: Feng Lan, Wu Jin, Lan Subing, and Li Shu.

The first three were indeed not the type to stand out, but don’t let Li Shu’s gentle exterior fool you; he was not one to take offense lightly.

For classmates in Class S, with whom he would have to coexist for three more years, he might endure to maintain his gentle persona.

But if it were someone else who provoked him, retaliation would be immediate. During their training, when onlookers mocked him, Li Shu had used his abilities to trap one in an illusion, and whatever they saw drove them to run naked around the playground ten times.

Afterward, the teacher, with an innocent expression, would say, “He brought it upon himself. He said, ‘If it were me, I wouldn’t be this exhausted.’ So, of course, I had to give him a chance to prove himself. And to make it easier for him to run, I even specially lightened his load.”

Such a person, now facing the mockery of other academies, could actually swallow it down?

Upon hearing this, Li Shu tilted his head, his pink hair making him look rather adorable: “Why would I be angry?”

While Zhao Xiaoyu was puzzled, Su Bei, however, asked with understanding, “What did you do?”

Only someone who had already taken revenge would remain unperturbed.

Li Shu smiled sweetly: “Su Bei, you know me so well! I just let them have some nightmares, that’s all.”

His [Illusion Technique] had a wide range of applications—suggestion, creating phantoms, presenting images, and among them, one developed ability was to alter others’ dreams.

But is that all? Su Bei looked at him thoughtfully, yet he didn’t ask further. He didn’t want to hear the other say, “You really understand me,” again; it sounded rather nauseating.

Facing Su Bei’s scrutinizing gaze, Li Shu wore an innocent expression. He had indeed only let them have nightmares, but those nightmares didn’t necessarily have to occur at night, did they?

On the other side, Teacher Li, leading the “Sky Vault Ability Academy,” looked at the students, covered in dirt and grime, and sneered, “When you get back, each of you will double your training. Provoking others without being provoked first—how shameful!”

The young teacher beside him was also angry but still had to soothe Teacher Li: “Don’t be upset, Teacher Li. The real test will come when we enter the alternate space.”

A girl in the team quickly added, “I’ve already marked their scent. Once we’re in the alternate space, we can find them anytime.”

The tall captain clenched his fists, his expression fierce: “They’re just good with words. Once we’re in the alternate space, they’ll know what true strength is.”

Teacher Li didn’t refute this; he believed they could definitely defeat the others. After all, age was on their side—more training over the years couldn’t have been for nothing, right?

What worried him more were the three teachers over there. After all, they had the numerical advantage; they only had two teachers and might not be able to match those three.

“Teacher Wang, do you know them? Except for that Ye Lin,” Teacher Li asked.

Unlike the other teachers, he came from a rough background and hadn’t studied in the ability academy system when he was young.

Such situations were not uncommon, as those who awakened their abilities might not realize it immediately. By the time they did, they could be older, which could lead to delays.

Ability users were a minority; some ignorant ordinary people might not even know the existence of the ability world, let alone find any ability academy.

Li Laoshi was one such case; he discovered his extraordinary abilities at the age of twenty. At that age, returning to school was out of the question, so he had no choice but to spend a fortune to find a master among the gifted.

His powers were indeed impressive, and through years of diligent training, he had finally succeeded in becoming a teacher at the “Sky Vault Academy of Abilities” two years prior.

Because of this, he was not well-acquainted with the other teachers from different academies; among the three, he only recognized Ye Lin, whom he had met a few times.

However, Xiao Wang was also unclear: “That chubby teacher should be teaching the seniors, but I don’t know how he ended up leading this team. I’ve never seen the other teacher.”

“Then they probably lack any real reputation.” Li Laoshi sighed in relief, turning to the captain, “If we encounter them later, I won’t let them disturb you. Just give those students a good thrashing, but don’t go overboard. Just say it’s a reasonable sparring session.”

“Don’t worry, teacher.” The captain patted his chest, confidently declaring, “We’ll make them pay the price.”

The scene shifted back to the protagonists; while they had been arguing, Ye Lin had efficiently completed the registration and payment.

Hearing Meng Huai’s words, she shot a glare at the instigator of the trouble: “The tickets are already bought. Now come with me to line up. Once we arrive, follow the instructions, and if danger arises, don’t panic; the teachers are always nearby.”

“I thought Teacher Ye would say something about Teacher Meng,” Lan Subing whispered to Ai Baozhu.

Ai Baozhu nodded in agreement; they had both seen Ye Lin glare at Meng Huai. Did she really not refute him?

The physical prowess of the gifted was remarkable; their senses were sharp. Although they spoke softly, Ye Lin still heard them.

She turned and gently explained, “Though it’s wrong for him to incite you, the world of the gifted is never short of conflict. Since those from the ‘Sky Vault Academy’ have set their sights on you, you must rise to the challenge and retaliate.”

Reizhen, who was beside her, boisterously said, “Don’t worry, just go all out; we’ve got your backs! You should know that in life, you only have a few years when someone’s got your back.”

In front of familiar faces, Lan Subing couldn’t help but voice her thoughts: “It feels like Teacher Lei has cheerfully spoken some very sad words.”

As they joked, the group lined up to enter the alternate space. This country’s semi-open alternate space was different from the one they had visited before; here, the landing points were fixed and unchanging.

As they emerged from the black hole, they found themselves in a desert-like world. However, they were in a large tent that shielded them from the wind and sand outside.

This was a stronghold built by professionals, allowing them to avoid being attacked by nightmare beasts upon entry. Inside the tent, many gifted individuals were resting and chatting, while others sold supplies.

“Generally, at the entrance of an already developed alternate space, there are rest stations. Each time you go out and come back in, you need to re-register and pay again. So if you want to avoid that, you can directly replenish supplies at the rest station, but the prices here are much higher than outside,” Ye Lin explained as she led everyone inside.

She glanced at the situation outside: “You might want to buy a veil or mask; it’ll be more comfortable later.”

“I brought a mask,” Lan Subing said softly, pulling out a pack of medical masks from her bag. “Will this work?”

Yelin was unaware that Lan Subing had prepared all this due to her social anxiety. She gently patted her head, “You’re well-prepared; just use this.”

With a legitimate reason to wear a mask, Lan Subing squinted her eyes in delight. After grabbing a blue one for herself, she handed out the remaining colorful masks, “Does anyone need these?”

Naturally, no one dared to refuse her offer. Su Bei, quick as a flash, snatched up a black one. Black and white were universal combinations; he turned down the other gaudy colors.

After buying masks, they moved on to headscarves—essential for traversing the desert. Otherwise, the blazing sun would scorch their heads until they smoked. Watching Jiang Tianming and the others donning pink floral-patterned masks, all while Lan Subing insisted they buy matching headscarves, Su Bei couldn’t help but smirk in schadenfreude.

But soon, his smile faded, and his expression turned serious.

Something felt off?

Why were the people around them looking at them with such amused eyes?! ↑Back to Top↑

He was somewhat sensitive to gazes; in fact, those with abilities were generally attuned to events, their mental strength heightened, making the presence of many gazes more pronounced. Moreover, that group seemed to have no malicious intent, nor did they hide their scrutiny, openly sizing them up without a care.

Was it wrong for them to wear masks? Or was there something else amiss?

The others sensed the attention as well. Mu Tieren cautiously asked Meng Huai, “Teacher, why are they looking at us like that?”

Meng Huai was well aware of the reason, as were the other teachers. Yet, he had no intention of warning the students in advance: “I don’t know; let’s take it one step at a time.”

From his words, Su Bei could see that Meng Huai knew the truth but chose not to speak. He raised an eyebrow, dismissing the possibility that the masks were the issue.

Since Meng Huai knew the truth, Yelin must know as well. It was Yelin who had explicitly said they could wear masks; she might be testing them by not reminding them, but she wouldn’t directly lead them into trouble.

It seemed the problem lay outside?

After pondering, he quietly retreated to the back of the line, planning to be the last to step out.

Coincidentally, Jiang Tianming noticed his movement once more. Remembering the last time he had seen such a gesture, when the “Sky Academy” had come to provoke them, the ones in front had been scolded. With a shift in thought, Jiang Tianming followed him to the back.

His movement drew even more attention. Several people turned their heads, eyes landing on the two at the very end of the line.

It was Wu Mingbai, the one Jiang Tianming was most familiar with, who spoke first: “What are you two doing at the back?”

Jiang Tianming quickly distanced himself from the situation, “I only followed Su Bei when I saw him move back here.”

Su Bei: “……”

Not really? You just sold me out?

Suppressing the urge to glare at him, Su Bei forced a smile that was awkward yet polite, turning to Si Zhao Hua: “I’m just following the formation.”

Si Zhao Hua recalled that he had indeed assigned him to the rear, and immediately explained, “That’s right, I had him walk at the back.”

Upon hearing this, the others promptly lost interest and averted their gazes, having expected some grand revelation.

Among them, only Jiang Tian Ming, who had witnessed Su Bei’s earlier actions, and Meng Huai, who knew the truth, didn’t buy his explanation. The rest, even if they sensed something amiss, didn’t dare to join them at the back.

Seeing Jiang Tian Ming steadfastly remain at the end of the line with him, Su Bei finally had the chance to glare at him.

Jiang Tian Ming, aware of his own misdeeds, winked at him in a way that was almost endearing, mouthing slowly, “I, was, wrong!”—but I’d do it again next time.

Su Bei shot him an exasperated look; this guy was no saint, and given the chance, he’d surely find a way to pull a fast one on him.

Nearby, Lei Ze En couldn’t help but chuckle at their interaction, turning to the two beside him: “Ah, youth! Reminds me of our days, all that playful bickering.”

However, Ye Lin had no desire to be dragged down with them at this moment.

Pointing at Meng Huai: “Playful.”

Then at Lei Ze En: “Bickering.”

Finally, pointing at herself, she blinked vigorously: “Watch.”

She was merely the spectator in this drama, not one to sully herself with their antics.

Seeing her distance herself, Meng Huai immediately protested: “Then who was it that always plotted revenge every time we bothered you, huh?”

“You know it was you all who came after me first, right?” Ye Lin replied, amusement dancing in her eyes.

“Alright, alright.” Lei Ze En interjected smoothly, “I wonder how Su Bei found out about this. He’s never been to the other realm, has he?”

Speaking of students, Ye Lin instantly reverted to her usual gentle demeanor: “How could he? Non-ability users would be consumed if they entered the other realm. He must have gotten the information through other channels; after all, this isn’t exactly a secret.”

“Perhaps he is an early awakener,” Meng Huai chuckled, arms crossed. “This kid has already mastered advanced mental power.”

At these words, Ye Lin and the others were immediately taken aback. The information of students entering Class S was encrypted; without their own words or Meng Huai’s, no one else could possibly know.

“Kids these days are truly remarkable,” Lei Ze’en scratched his head, muttering, “Advanced mental power? I only mastered it at twenty-five.”

“If they heard you say that, other ability users would probably choke on their envy,” Ye Lin laughed, offering comfort.

She wasn’t lying, though; to become an advanced mental power user, one needed both talent and effort. How many people never succeeded in their lifetime? Those who achieved it before thirty, like them, were indeed rare as phoenix feathers. If he continued to belittle himself, others might just find a block of tofu to smash their heads against.

But this Su Bei, to have become an advanced mental power user in just his first year of high school, was truly astonishing…

“They’re about to go out,” Meng Huai reminded. The other two immediately turned to watch, ready to enjoy the spectacle.

Not just them; other ability users in the rest area also donned expressions of eager anticipation. Each year, the new ability users led by teachers were a source of amusement for them.

Sure enough, as the group reached halfway, two shadows suddenly erupted from the ground on either side, darting towards Si Zhaohua and the others who had just stepped out of the greenhouse barrier.

“Watch out!” Si Zhaohua shouted, reacting swiftly, activating his ability to transform into an angel. His wings spread wide, shielding the group from one side of the attack. However, his wings weren’t long enough; the remaining part was reinforced by Mo Xiaotian’s air wall.

As they protected one side and prepared to face the attack from the other, a wall of earth abruptly rose from the right, blocking the enemy’s advance.

—This was Wu Mingbai’s ability.

With the first wave of attacks thwarted, everyone felt considerably more at ease. They could now see the creatures attacking them—several nightmare beasts resembling sand rats.

Lan Subing removed her mask, activating her ability, softly uttering a single word: “‘Freeze.’”

In the next moment, those ravenous nightmare rats indeed stood frozen in place. Naturally, the others didn’t waste this golden opportunity; Mu Tieren charged out, delivering a punch that sent one flying.

Following closely, Mo Xiaotian’s explosive cube detonated successfully. Through his recent training, he had learned to compress air to an extreme degree, thus amplifying the explosion’s power. Coupled with the small size of the nightmare rats, one was outright obliterated.

Li Shu, too, didn’t know how he did it, but after he struck the head of a nightmare rat, mere seconds later, it collapsed to the ground, silent.

The last one was dealt with by Qi Huang, whose phoenix flames were immensely powerful.

In a direct hit, even defensive nightmare beasts would find no respite, let alone fragile ones like the nightmare rats.

In just a minute, all four nightmare beasts were dispatched. The air fell silent for a few seconds, then erupted into a cacophony of applause.