Chapter 576

"Ook ook ook ook~" song rang out again, but this time Star felt a clear oddity… a strange feeling enveloped her, as if the air itself was filled with monkeys.

"Be careful! This is also an evil sorcery! Please, sir, grit your teeth—I will come to help you escape—"

"Luan Luan Karate: Righteous Qi Hand Blade that Breaks Delusion!"

Luan Po rushed forward in a flash and struck Star's brow with a "Pa!"—a powerful force shot through her body straight to her soul; in an instant all five senses were cut off, and even the monkey cries vanished.

Star rubbed her brow in pain: "I almost had my star core shattered."

"Sorry. This is Luan Luan Karate that strikes directly at the soul; I have already exerted my utmost to control the force, but to awaken you, pain is unavoidable."

The monkey beside them seemed to have been thrown off; it could only let out a strained sound, and its "Ook ook" cry suddenly changed meaning, as if it were saying, "What the hell are you doing?"

—

Black Robe Riot Squad

"Shit! Shit! Shit!"

In the lounge on the top floor of Wot Tower, the atmosphere was even more oppressive than usual. The Homelander paced back and forth like a caged beast; he suddenly stopped and slammed a fist into the expensive wall, leaving a clear dent: "These damned monkeys! And that… what's it called… ook ook…"

After Aishili's reminder, the Homelander also noticed he was uncontrollably uttering the word "ook," and it wasn't just him—everyone at Wot Company was experiencing this, and massive similar cases appeared online, with the search index on self-media platforms instantly jumping to first place.

Aishili clung to her tablet, trembling with fear as she stood not far away, her face paler than paper: "Sir, please stay calm—there are still ten minutes… you're about to give the 'Superhero Sense of Responsibility' speech."

"Calm down? You want me to calm down?" The Homelander whirled around, instantly appearing before Aishili with such speed it kicked up a gust, frightening her so much she nearly fell to the ground: "You heard it too—when I speak, that disgusting word slips out again! In this state I couldn't possibly take the stage!"

"Hurry up and think of something! I have to get rid of this damned verbal tic!"

Aishili's brain raced in extreme terror; suddenly she recalled: "There is, Sir! The girl called Luan Po gave Star a hand chop to the brow, and Star woke up—maybe a similar blow to your head, physically, could at least briefly interrupt this mental influence..."

"A hand chop? Yes! Physical impact! You do it!" The Homelander blinked, then seemingly realized, lifting his head; he brought his face close to Aishili's: "Quick! Give me one! Put some force into it!"

"Me??!" Aishili looked at the Homelander's skin that even bullets couldn't penetrate, her voice cracking: "How could I…"

"Hurry up! If you don't act now, I'll twist your head off your neck right now!"

"Yes, yes…!"

Under the threat of death, Aishili could only close her eyes, summon all her strength, and bring a hand chop down hard onto the Homelander's forehead.

"Pa!"

A crisp crack rang out—more like the lament of Aishili's own hand bones. She winced, tears instantly streaming, while the Homelander… he didn't even blink an eyelid.

"Fuck!" The Homelander rubbed his skin, which didn't even leave a red mark: "Useless waste—go call Starlight, Deep Sea, and Trainhead, and have them hit my head with all their might!"

…

Five minutes later, an intern at the Wot Building curiously approached the conference room; the continuous "thud thud thud" sounds coming from inside caught her attention.

She peered through the crack in the door… and instantly sucked in a breath of cold air.

She saw the Homelander sitting in a chair, three of the seven-member crew rolling up their sleeves and taking turns striking his head; the sound of each punch… made her suspect that personal grudges might be mixed in.

—

"Hmph, the plot's been exposed, their true forms revealed. They're calling for the Evil Ape·Companions; sir, please hide behind me!"

These monkeys indeed summoned a few Shock Dream Troupe members, but these monsters were no match for Luan Po—within a couple of moves they scattered like birds and beasts.

"The Galaxy Ninja Scroll says: 'If you should cut, then cut; do not succumb to chaos.' Evil still lingers nearby; we must leave at once."

Having said that, Luan Po led her to a semi‑transparent monkey floating in mid‑air.

"Just touch this and you can return to a safe place; the Dream Soil【Binai Kunni】 truly is profoundly mysterious." Luan Po looked at Star: "Since we've met by fate, before we part, may I ask your esteemed name?"

"Star Ninja."

Luan Po nodded approvingly: "What a resounding title—hello, Baton·Ninja!"

She wiped away her smile, turned serious, and said: "Baton·Ninja, I'll add one more piece of advice for your safety: you and your companions should quickly distance yourselves from the Dream Soil. The appearance of these evils is an omen of great disaster, proof that our nemesis—the prey of us ninja‑knights—is eyeing this place: the ruthless, tearless, merciless【Evil Ape·Evil Ninja】!"

—

Even chuunibyou needs love.

"Evil Ape·Evil Ninja?"

Yuta's lip twitched; this thick chuunibyou aura instantly reminded him of his embarrassing 'DarkFlameMaster' days, and just imagining how Star would look at him made his toes start involuntarily digging into the ground.

"Mmm—!" Having just stuffed a piece of lunchtime bento meat into her mouth, Kotori Rokka let out an excited whimper, her small hands clenched tightly before her chest, her pale cheeks flushing crimson: "Mmm, mmm—Yuta! It's appeared! It's a true kindred spirit in the cosmos! Luan Ran Ninja……what a splendid title! They must be descendants of a hidden clan that wields the primal power of color!"

She abruptly turned to Yuta: "The invisible boundary perceived by her and my 'Evil King True Eye' works in wondrously similar ways! She must have already discerned the enemy's true name【Evil Ape·Evil Ninja】! That weapon of hers is certainly no ordinary thing—that spray can……is likely a blade that can unleash the ancient 'Chaos Color'……Indeed, its power is tremendous!!"

"No, that… um, Rokka, I think she might have just said it offhand…"

"Hmph, Yuta, don't you get it yet? The way to master the primal Chaos Color surpasses ordinary logic!" Rokka lifted her chin proudly: "Decided! Contractor! From today on, my training must add the subjects of 'Color' and 'Rap'!"

"Hey! Wait—! Rokka! Our priority is to get into college first!"

—

"Who?" Star scratched her head, looking utterly bewildered.

But Luan Po had no intention of explaining; she leapt into the dream bubble and vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace. Her movement was so swift that ordinary dynamic vision could not catch it at all.

Star gathered her courage, climbed over the railing, and entered the monkey‑shaped dream bubble as well…

"……"

Galaxy Ninja Scroll: Prologue

"Long, long ago, in a certain distant world, there was a prosperous city‑state. Generation after generation, a ninja‑knight held supreme power, and the people called it the【Ninja Capital】."

"Under the protection of the ninja‑knight, the city's populace lived and worked in peace, prospering to the point that even the sewers of the Ninja Capital exhaled the scent of happiness—until the villain known as the【Evil Ape·Evil Ninja】 plotted to assassinate the ninja‑knight and usurp the lord's seat; the former joy instantly turned to bubbles…"

The Ninja Capital endured for fifty‑six years of ninja history.

The city before them, its neon staining the night sky like an overturned palette, was gorgeous to the point of unreality. Luan Po stood alone on the edge of a lofty balcony, calmly gazing down at this five‑colored metropolis.

Not long after, an old man slowly approached from behind her.

"Girl who has just entered the ninja way, I acknowledge your resolve. From today onward, you are the heir of the Luan Luan Ninja Art."