MMORPG: Rise of the Peerless Pumpkinmancer

━━━━━━ POV ━━━━━━━

As he watched his new student training, Sensei Laurent Felt the world spin. Monster! She was an utter and complete monster!

One of his old students, now a PE teacher at a rich girl's school, had called him in tears begging him to keep a certain girl busy so she'd stop challenging him.

Back then, he had thought it to be an exaggeration….NOPE!

Lilly simply wasn't human!

Even now, she was performing moves that even his best students had trouble pulling off! She hadn't even flinched at the "Heaven", "Hell", and "Dragon" in the names.

Seeing her practice made him feel like he had wasted all his life. She'd soon reach his level. Yet, he couldn't help but cheer her on from the sidelines, a huge grin on his face.

She was so diligent and an incredibly kind soul.

Even with her impossible talent, she wasn't the least bit arrogant. He'd often hear her mumble about catching up to her brother and berating herself for her mistakes.

Please! What catching up?! She had to be misunderstanding something for sure! Either that or the man was a cyborg!

She kept performing the moves, growing more and more confident. From time to time, she'd glow green, the poor girl seemingly oblivious to her own powers.

As for the actual training…

Laurent was already racking his brain, wondering what he'd teach her the next day. As for in a week or month….would he still have the qualifications by then?

But just as he was deep in thoughts, he suddenly froze. Wait…what?! He could feel a disturbance!

This room was completely soundproof, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but his instinct was warning him. Something was happening!

His gaze turned solemn as he glanced at the young lady. It probably concerned her, right?

In the beginning, he had been worried about other martial arts club recruiters trying to steal her. But now that he had seen her power, he feared something far sinister.

Laurent nervously fiddled with the device in his pocket: hopefully, he wouldn't have to blow another city up…

"I'll be right back, Lilly. Train well!"

"Yes! I'll master these basic moves ASAP!!"

He almost choked when he heard "basic," but he calmed himself, leaving the hidden training room. He could already sense a tornado of negative emotions: fear and anger.

"Here goes nothing."

He opened the door decisively, just in time to see a youngster holding a knife to his eldest student's throat. Oh god, Bob?! He had to deescalate the situation and—

Just as he was getting ready for the worst, the situation turned strange as both started laughing.

"Pfft— Wait, so you guys aren't kidnappers?!"

"Pfft— So you aren't a recruiter?!"

"That's such a relief!" (X2)

The captor moved the knife away, even helping the victim up. The two then started conversing with one another as if everything was normal.

"Sorry about the stabbing, and don't worry about your arms. They'll be as good as new in a few weeks or days with medicine."

"All good, brother! It's my fault: I misunderstood the notepad and then got angry and… Still, you went 1 v 14 to save your sister. That's awesome!!"

"No, no, you're exaggerating. It's nothing that great."

"What are you talking about? It's…."

They kept going back and forth like two old friends, one still bleeding. Laurent stood still, gawking at the crazy duo. But then he finally recognized the youngster.

"It's you!!" Sensei Laurent screamed.

This was the youth from the homeless man incident, the one with a genius-level perception! Jack turned his way.

"I've heard from these guys that you're teaching my sister. Thanks for that and sorry for all the mess." The youngster politely bowed.

Sister?! He was the brother Lilly kept mumbling about?! The world sure was a small place. Wait, wasn't this an opportunity? He'd have him join the Dojo in the guise of making amends!

He made sure to look as stern as humanly possible.

"As you said, you really made a mess and—"

"~Teacher, please forgive him already!"

"A big mess: there's so much blood all over and—"

"~Teacher, I'll wipe the blood!"

"An incredible mess. All that emotional distress and—"

"~Teacher, I'm fine!"

"…."

"…."

Laurent took a deep breath, staring daggers at his pig-like student. He then uttered as quickly as possible:

"A huge mess! I'll only forgive you if you join us, first passing the entrance test!! Let's start right now!!"

— Hopeful Teacher Noises —

"Fine, but martial art isn't my strong suit." Jack finally sighed.

Not his strong suit?! Who was he trying to fool?! They all made a circle around the two of them, Laurent quickly showing the youngster a few moves, instructing him to copy them.

- Flowing palm strikes

- Balancing Crane Position

- Dexterous Ape's Catching Pose

- …

After every single exercise, the students exclaimed in awe. Jack was so good! It was as if he had done those movements a million times!!

"You got this, brother Jack!"

"He's a natural!"

But the more they exclaimed and the more Laurent frowned. No, there was something wrong. He wasn't doing the actual movements he had shown him, just similar ones.

Talent wasn't a measure of proficiency but of one's ability to improve quickly. This youngster didn't have an ounce of talent. None at all!

"Talentless—"

"~Teacher, are you blind?!"

Laurent ignored the students' protest as he and Jack exchanged a glance, the youngster smiling meaningfully. ‘Didn't I tell you?'

A talentless older brother protecting his little sister who had all the talent in the world. Heaven could be so unfair! How much suffering had he endured to reach this level?

"I can see why she idolizes you…." Laurent chuckled.

"~Teacher, you mean he passed?! Awesome! Ah, you haven't even seen the best part! He can look really scary when he wants! Jack, do the eyes!!!" The student rejoiced.

The eyes? What was this about? Laurent looked on, curious. That's when IT happened: a gaze he would forever remember.

For an instant, the youngster disappeared.

He was replaced by an old man. No…a broken thing, a creature who had long stopped being human, one only fueled by its obsessions.

It was a monster that would do anything to reach its goal.

Even if the world stopped, it would remain.

Its grasp seemed to engulf the universe.

Unending pain and sorrow…

"~Teacher? Are you alright? You seem a little pale."

Laurent returned to his senses, his legs shaking as he stared at the youngster. At this moment, he found himself thanking the Heavens that such a being was talentless!

Was Lilly a monster? No, she was a sweet girl with too much power.

This thing was a true monster…or could become one.

"Take good care of her, alright?"

It wasn't a request. It was a warning. Laurent gulped, fearing what the world would become if anything happened to "Lilly".

— Ding! —

The youngster's cellphone beeped, and he suddenly seemed slightly nervous. "Well, gotta go. I have a date, haha. Take care, everyone!"

The ordinary-looking youngster left peacefully, leaving a teacher scared shitless in his wake…