Chapter 331: Where Is the Delicious Child?

“Heh, got caught again…”

Although the woman transformed into a budget demon was terrifying, the girls who could burst forth at speeds of dozens of meters per second with their petite frames were not entirely unprepared; aside from a few who had been knocked out at first, the rest slipped away smoothly.

“Didn’t I tell you countless times? No club activities outside designated times!”

The few captured brats stuck out their tongues mischievously, utterly unafraid, chattering all at once:

“We know!”

“I can catch bullets!”

“If you keep doing this, Sister Geng will get wrinkles.”

“Look! There’s a mysterious masked man behind you!”

Toudou Mugi sighed wearily, rubbing her forehead in exhaustion.

As one of the founding elders of this city, her official position is now the Kendo instructor for the Tokyo District, specifically tasked with teaching swordsmanship to children lacking talent in unarmed combat or who are interested in wielding swords.

But behind the scenes, she’s the one sent wherever needed—any internal matter, big or small, can be brought to her; she’s essentially a convenient utility tool, and over time, the children began calling her “The Preaching Demon Swordsman Toudou.”

“Alright, go back now.”

Weary, she waved her hand, dark circles under her eyes; the long-haired beauty once plagued by funding shortages now manages the entire academy’s finances and feels utterly overwhelmed.

If not for the handful of barely usable companions still helping her, even her current qi-charged self would have died from overwork.

Of course, to become an “adult” member of this abnormal academy city, like her, one must be deeply trusted by the children—and also possess considerable combat strength.

In today’s world where everyone cultivates, humanity’s baseline strength, once reduced to one in ten during the Entoma War, has risen dramatically—but the pace of improvement still lags far behind these gifted little girls.

The gap between ordinary people and the “Blessed Children” hasn’t narrowed—it’s widened further.

Only those who were already among humanity’s strongest, after enduring even harsher cultivation, have managed to survive the fierce whirlwind of student rivalries.

For example, Senju Kasumi’s former Promoter, Iyuma Shogun, who was spared by Jia Ji during the Great Purge.

Now he serves as the city’s security captain; already ranked among the top in the former police force by sheer strength, he recently switched to the Huashan Steel Armor Breathing Method, and his body is now impervious to blades and bullets.

But even that is barely enough.

According to Sima Heavy Industries’ combat simulations, with the students’ current growth rate, in three more years… no, two, once most enter puberty, they’ll enter a rapid enhancement phase, at which point roughly half will be able to defeat former Level-3 Entoma beasts barehanded, and by adulthood, their average combat power will exceed today’s by more than threefold.

As for Rikimi Renataro, Kiri Sawara, and Higuchi Kagehisa—those obvious tragic protagonist types—they’ve undergone rigorous cultivation and now operate as the academy’s covert arm, quietly eliminating countless covert schemes targeting the Blessed Children, making them usefully employed.

On the surface, everything seems vibrant and thriving, but in truth, every step they take is walking a tightrope, for no one knows what lies ahead—they can only barely hold on as they push forward.

As Entoma creatures are gradually being eradicated, humanity has begun advancing outward again—and this city wields terrifying power; just pick any two student clubs, and they could launch a war in the old era.

Outsiders fear these overly powerful students, while the students inside fear encountering the outside world’s gaze, which might once again turn hostile; separated by a wall that’s now nearly useless, it’s as if two entirely different worlds exist.

Old divisions aren’t easily erased; past violence, though resolving problems, still left behind lingering side effects.

“Time flies so fast.”

Watching the once thin, small children now brimming with vitality, Toudou Mugi could find no more words of reprimand.

“Sister Geng really does say things only old people would say.”

A familiar jab came from behind her; even without turning, she knew it was the voice of Aihara Enju, the one who once “brought the wolf into the world.”

In fact, the term “Sister Geng” was first coined by Enju herself; as the first to cultivate qi, naturally gifted, and with a cheerful, lively personality, she is now the undisputed child queen of the entire city.

Toudou Mugi turned back, intending to give this brat who constantly opposed her a good scolding—but her eyes widened in shock.

“You… you’re!”

The girl in the black sailor uniform froze, her voice trembling, eyes filled with disbelief.

There really is a Masked Man of Shenbi!

“Tell me your name, big man!”

“Jia… Jia Ji Ji Ji Ji Ji?!”

“Bingo!”

The familiar mask—even if his aura had changed slightly—the unmistakable style of dress, and the grinning little girl with twin tails beside him, were enough to confirm his identity.

——Jia Ji

The only officially designated sensei in this academy.

“Oh hell, no!”

Jia Ji, upon learning he’d gained this new title upon his return, looked pained and waved his hands frantically—this couldn’t be said lightly; in Millennium/Abydos/Gehenna… regions, he didn’t have two hundred fiancées.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Toudou Mugi couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Let’s go… you didn’t come back for no reason, did you?”

……

The former Toudou Civil Security Office, after relocating to the Academy City, was expanded into a dedicated office tower, standing hundreds of feet tall.

Inside the conference room, a meeting was underway that would shake the world.

“Mm… so that’s how it is. I completely understand.”

After thoroughly understanding the existing problems, one word could summarize it—steam!

Truly, it’s soaring upward.

Though not as advanced as Kibotos, this place is tense and thrilling, with daily high-intensity martial arts and firepower exchanges; if he were Aihara Enju, he’d surely be sparring here every day, hanging out with friends, watching anime, eating, battling rival student groups, and forgetting all about home.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t even rested two days before being forced back into action due to his three senior brothers.

His first stop was here—the place he’d once smashed to pieces; it seemed the Entoma gene had produced plenty of violent, battle-crazed little girls.

Fortunately, the little girls only liked fighting—they hadn’t turned into muscle-bound bros like him, constantly cackling “Kek kek” and shouting “He rua de!”

One world full of muscle men is enough.

“I’ll tell you two good pieces of news.”

Jia Ji sat grandly before Seiden and Toudou Mugi, a barefoot golden-haired girl clinging to his left shoulder, and Enju—now slightly taller but still easily perched on his shoulder—on his right.

Amid the puzzled yet expectant gazes of the two grown girls before him, Jia Ji raised one index finger.

“First, since the students are so energetic, let’s hold a full-scale battle and release a strength ranking this quarter!”

Before they could react, he raised his middle finger.

“Second, as the saying goes, before advancing the main plot, you must clear the side quests—I’ve come here to resolve the Zodiac’s lingering issues!”

(End of Chapter)