BXBX NOVEL Chapter 494 - 494
Kyon accepted the nephrite from master Julius and asked in an ingratiating tone: «Master Julius, can I please have the nephrite twenty percent purer?»
The students burst out laughing: «Ah-ha-ha! He wants the nephrite of better quality! He\'s afraid of failing! As if it would have any effect! Ah-ha-ha!» … «That\'s hilarious! What does he hope for?!» … «Who claimed that Dick is not a liar? Ah-ha-ha!»
Master Julius frowned thoughtfully, looking searchingly at the fat man: {Why did he so confidently ask for the nephrite twenty percent purer?} – as far as he knew, the final result would not change much from the purity of the nephrite. The only advantage is that formations that are heavier in terms of energy content can be placed inside.
Finally, the formacist made a decision: «Purification of nephrites is not a cheap task. But since you arouse my interest in your person, I will give you one from my collection.»
«Thank you!» – Kyon bowed gratefully, accepted the nephrite, and proceeded to apply the formation. He asked for the purer nephrite in order to put the code inside, which is very heavy from the point of view of any formacist.
Five hundred students stared at Dick\'s actions. The most ardent haters of the fat man were especially attentive, wanting to catch him red-handed in deception.
Elsa shifted from foot to foot. Her whole appearance spoke of how much she was tense and excited. It is very strange to see such a reaction from the beloved student of master Julius. It looks like she\'s really anxious!
Julius was the first to notice something was wrong: «Hmmm… Why is there already a slot installed inside the nephrite?»
Now the rest of the students noticed the slot inside the nephrite in the hands of Dick. When did the fat man manage to apply it? He did not use the device, and when applied manually, this process can take a lot of time, depending on skills.
«Perhaps you gave him the nephrite with the slot inside?» – suggested one of the students-skeptics.
«No, I couldn\'t… And even if I could, you can\'t put your formation in someone else\'s slot. Nothing will work out because of the energy frequency conflict.» – explained the old formacist.
Elsa\'s eyes widened due to an incredible guess: {N-no… No-no! Please don\'t tell me that he put the slot in those few seconds while clutching the nephrite in his fist!} – this seemingly insane thought sent shivers down her spine.
Everyone began to put forward their theories about the mysterious appearance of the slot. However, after 10 minutes it was over. After another 10 minutes, the students began to laugh quietly at the slowness of Dick. For example, it took Timothy 10 minutes to do everything, and Elsa only 6.
After another 10 minutes, the students began to openly mock the fat man: «Half an hour to apply the formation… It looks like Dick is a real hoser! Even my younger brother applies formations faster, and he is only ten!» … «Baker just has a developmental delay. Let\'s treat this with understanding. Pf-fha-ha-ha!» … «He is either a complete mediocrity, or a seventh rank formacist! How could he earn a thousand points?!»
Despite the venomous comments, no one left, because everyone wanted to wait for the moment when master Julius\'s patience would burst, and he would announce the obvious result – Dick is a deceiver. Then they will be able to get even with Baker for everything.
However, the old formacist was not indignant. He watched the process intently and wondered to himself: {Despite the harassment from all sides, the young man has been maintaining extreme concentration for thirty minutes! He never stopped! Everything on the first try! Astonishing endurance! Usually youngsters are nervous…}
Soon Kyon withdrew his hand, finishing the long formation.
The students burst into sarcastic applause: «Bravo! Finally!» … «Well done, you did it! Congratulations to our genius! Just thirty-two minutes!» … «Come on, show us the miracle of formaceutical thought, the genius of the millennium!»
Elsa swallowed and clenched her fists as if her fate was now being decided.
Kyon coughed dryly and said: «I looked at you, listened to you and realized that you are all too gloomy. Well, if so, then I thought: why not improve your mood? So I created an entertainment formation.»
The students and masters looked at each other uncomprehendingly.
Lovr activated the formation, and a small light screen formed above it, in the center of which a small man and the number 3 appeared. Then the picture changed to a two-dimensional world with this little man. A cheerful melody began to play: "turutu-turu-tu---tu…". At the top of the screen, the numbers showed the score, coins, level number and time.
The audience\'s eyes bulged in amazement. No one has ever even seen something like this.
«The game is about a plumber who wants to rescue a kidnapped princess from the clutches of a monster. You will find many levels filled with different dangers. Three lives are given, and for every hundred coins, another life is added. Also take a look at these mushrooms…» – just at that moment the plumber ate the mushroom and became taller. – «After eating it, the plumber gains the ability to break bricks with his head and take one attack without dying from it. There is also a flower that gives you the opportunity to shoot fireballs. There are also many secrets hidden in the game. For example, here is an invisible block with a mushroom that gives life… In total, I created eight worlds of four levels each. At the end of every world is a boss…»
While the fat man was talking about the game, demonstrating the walkthrough of the first level, all the spectators did not make a sound and did not even move, as if someone had pressed the "turn off" button. Their minds frantically tried to comprehend what they saw. Only one thing is completely clear: something incredible is happening here.
«The controls are quite simple, you just need to pour in pure energy…» – after giving instructions, Kyon handed the nephrite with the game formation to the old formacist. – «Try it.»
Master Julius, with trembling hands, accepted the nephrite as a treasure, and, pouring pure energy into it, made the character move forward until he crashed into a mushroom. The old man gasped. His eyes glistened wetly: «This is… W-wonderful! D-dick, y-you… How are you… Oh goddess… I\'m going to…» – the old man swayed and fainted. The nephrite rolled somewhere.
«Mister Julius!» – Ziz Hunter and the rest of the masters rushed to the formacist.
The falling old man was picked up by the pale Elsa. With clenched teeth, she burned Dick with a tearful look, in which hatred and helplessness were mixed in half, as if in front of her was a ruthless invincible monster destroying her life.
Total chaos reigned. The situation would be calmer even if someone decided to set off an explosion in the center of the hall right now.
Master Julius regained consciousness only two minutes later. Stone helped him stand up. To everyone\'s concern, the formacist just shook his head: « I\'m okay… Alright… I\'m fine… Stop worrying about me! Where is my precious?!» – the old man snatched the nephrite from the student\'s hands (he picked it up from the floor) and continued what he had begun, as if his own condition worried him less than Baker\'s game formation. He selflessly played the game about the plumber, ignoring the trembling hands and tears flowing down his cheeks. He had never enjoyed his time so much.
It took the formacist five minutes to kill his first monster: «Yes! I crushed that damn mushroom! Ah-ha-ha! Die, damn mold! A-ha-ha-ha-ha!» – the pear-headed old man laughed half-madly, throwing back his head, when he suddenly came to his senses and realized that about half a thousand spectators had gathered around him. They look at him strangely… It seems that he is so addicted to the game that he forgot about everything around! It\'s awkward.
Coughing dryly, Julius hid the precious in his pocket, hugged Dick as if he were his son and, raising his hand, loudly announced: «Heed my words! Here is a genius sent to us by heaven! In half an hour, under endless harassment, he unmistakably imposed the game formation of incredible complexity! I award Dick Baker a thousand points out of ten! Bravo!»
There were uncertain muffled claps.
Elsa closed her eyelids dejectedly. Now she has also lost to Dick in formacy… Сompletely. The girl began to be afraid of the fat man with his limitless absurd abilities that defied common sense. His image was so dazzling that she couldn\'t bring herself to look into his eyes for more than three seconds. Why don\'t his appearance and strength match his abilities? Is this some kind of world balance?
«Therefore, I declare Dick the undisputed winner of the formacy test! From now on, anyone who says that he undeservedly received a thousand points in all eighteen academic disciplines will go against me and Feng!»
The debtors doomedly bowed their heads. Someone even cried.
Timothy, Clementine and Seraphima snorted with enviable synchronicity.
Rose, noticing that more and more eyes were focusing on him, swallowed his pride and, gritting his teeth, took the initiative and loudly said: «Dick Baker, I\'m sorry for calling you a liar! I was wrong!»
{A-a-a, damn it! Did you have to say it so loud that everyone could hear?..} – Kyon thought with annoyance and nodded condescendingly. – «So be it, apologies accepted. From now on, know that I am the best of the best, and do not dare to throw unfounded accusations against me.»
Rose\'s eye twitched nervously, but he forced himself to smile, apparently deciding that such a reaction would be appropriate. But the result looked scary.
For some reason, Elsa was not at all comforted by her boyfriend\'s apologies.
{Just two percent of darkness? Damn bum.} – Lovr noticed with displeasure and with a sweeping wave of his hands attracted the attention of all those gathered. – «And now I want to make a small announcement for all of you! From tomorrow, I will be giving one two-hour lecture on formacy and alchemy per day in the thirteenth house. Fifty seats. Anyone can sign up, even a master, if he is willing to pay five hundred points for a visit.»
«Lectures given by you?! Are you kidding?!» … «Five hundred points for a lecture for fifty heads?!» … «Who needs you?!» … «No one will come to you!» – the students were indignant.
«I\'ll sign up.» – after a little hesitation, master Julius said fervently.
The audience fell silent in dismay. If even the formacist of the 3rd rank has signed up for Dick, then what right do they have to criticize him? Now 500 points don\'t seem like a robbery. Dislike is dislike, but it\'s stupid to deny Baker\'s skills after what happened.
«Then I\'ll come too.» … «And I want to listen!» … «Well, I\'m with you…» – the students decided to attend Dick\'s lecture with effort, having no desire. Still, 500 points is a trifle. After the first lesson, it will become clear whether they are spent in vain or not.
«I invite everyone to the thirteenth house tomorrow at ten in the morning. And remember, as soon as fifty seats are occupied, the one who pays more will take the place of the one who pays less.» – dropping another bomb, Kyon purposely caught the look of the discouraged Elsa and smiled significantly at her.
The blonde stopped breathing from the emotions that flared up. Her pride was dunked in the slop! She also gives lectures on alchemy and formacy, but she takes 50 points per lesson and even so 10 people hardly come there, and those are mostly her fans who come to hear her pleasant voice, but not to get knowledge. Dick\'s classes are much more expensive, and even her master will come to him!
{What have I done to you, freak?! Why are you doing this to me?!} – Elsa activated invisibility and with tears in her eyes ran home to grieve alone. What a shame to lose to Baker on all fronts. The only thing that did not allow Stone to plunge into hopeless despair was confidence in her own strength and talent for development. She will definitely never lose to her weak fat opponent in this.
{Elsa, you warm my heart.} – Kyon thought maliciously. – {I think we\'re even for that incident at the warehouse. I wonder if you\'ll come to my classes? I wouldn\'t mind working hard on you!} – the dark part of the core even pulsed with vulgar thoughts. Oh, what a pity that not a drop of darkness came from the blonde. Apparently, her emotions are not negative enough. Or she really admires Dick. He couldn\'t understand.
«And now, ladies and gentlemen, please pay off your debts!» – Lovr grinned greedily.
The fat man with a satisfied face collected debts from the students. Those who had recently planned to lynch him were now forced to pay the bills. Such a turn of events caused dizziness. The twin sisters and Timothy could hardly restrain themselves from rash actions. They wanted to wring the money-grubber\'s neck very much! But it is unlikely that there will be anyone who will go against the favorite of master Feng and Julius.
As a result, Kyon earned 2% of the darkness from Rose and a miserable 1% from the students. Not much. There were only 43% in total. But now on his balance there are 100 thousand points for bets and records in trials. This is just enough to pay the rent of the houses and hire people for a year in advance.
«Greetings to all! What did I miss?» – master Feng, who had just entered the testing pavilion, asked curiously.
{He finally appeared.} – Kyon rolled his eyes. – {But plus one student at the lecture!}
…
In house number 17, Rose was surrounded by a group of Valentines. With a face contorted with rage, he turned the table into splinters with a blow of his fist: «I want that bastard\'s head! At any cost! You must finish him off as soon as possible!»
«But sir, Dick is in good standing with Julius and Feng! We cannot act openly!» – the guy explained the situation, but when he met Rose\'s bloodthirsty gaze, he shivered in fright and pressed his head into his shoulders.
«So, act secretly! Ideally, an accident should happen to the bastard! Kill the fatty, and in the future, when I become the patriarch, your life will be full of luxury and honor! Is everything clear to you?!» – Rose growled.
«Yes, sir!» – the twenty students shouted in unison.