Crab

In a seafood restaurant, the three sat at a large table.

"Why did you insist on joining us for dinner?" Nie Hong asked, looking at Leo Duncan, who was still clutching his side.

"Because I'm treating you guys," Leo Duncan said matter-of-factly.

While they talked, Mithra quietly ate her crab.

Leo Duncan turned to Mithra. "You used a miracle to block my vision earlier."

Mithra kept eating. Nie Hong answered for her. "So? Are you upset?"

Leo Duncan glared at Nie Hong. "I'm not some kind of monkey who runs and hides when I can't win."

"Damn crab," Nie Hong snapped, breaking off a crab leg and crunching it.

Leo Duncan continued speaking to Mithra. "There are ways to block vision. I've seen it before, but this is the first time I've been completely unable to counterattack. It wasn't a simple illusion. Was it a Godly miracle?"

"It was in the distilled senses you bought," Mithra said.

"I see. No wonder you sold them despite their connection to the Wandering God. They're rare. It's hard to get them even with money," Leo Duncan said, understanding.

"They were all sold to you, so there's no need to talk nonsense," Nie Hong added.

Leo Duncan chuckled. "Lucky for you, monkey. Experiencing a battle with a Wandering God is a rare opportunity. Even witnessing it would be invaluable."

Should I show you a transformation? Mithra thought sarcastically.

"Ha," Nie Hong scoffed, then remembered something. "We're going to Sun City for our field trip."

"Cut it out. Do you think I'm as naive as you, monkey?" Leo Duncan sneered.

"Who's naive? I've seen a Wandering God; have you?" Nie Hong retorted.

"What's Sun City?" Mithra asked, spitting out a crab shell. She had forgotten to ask Nie Hong earlier.

Leo Duncan answered before Nie Hong could. "A city in Dreamland, a former capital of the first Dreamland empire, the Xyrin Empire."

Mithra nodded. "A field trip for your year?"

"Third and fifth years go together. It's held annually for about two months. To help us adapt to Dreamland's miraculous environment. After all, the miraculous energies are different in the two worlds. What you learn in a lifetime on Planet Blue isn't much use in Dreamland," Leo Duncan explained smoothly, cutting Nie Hong off.

Mithra looked at Nie Hong.

Seizing his chance, Nie Hong explained, "I'm taking advantage of the break to prepare. Although I had two weeks of experience, this trip is two months, so I want to make the most of it."

"Not bad for a monkey," Leo Duncan unexpectedly interjected.

Nie Hong didn't respond, quietly eating his crab.

Crunch crunch!

Mithra considered this and said, "Good luck, then."

...

Mithra and Nie Hong acquired a laptop and a phone, but before Nie Hong could show off his knowledge of Planet Blue electronics, Leo Duncan snatched them away.

Leo Duncan was even more knowledgeable than Nie Hong, offering helpful advice without any pretense.

His attitude towards Mithra was surprisingly polite, though his tone remained arrogant. He was a capable guide.

His attitude towards Nie Hong was entirely different; he clearly looked down on him.

Mithra didn't find this problematic. If she didn't need Nie Hong's assistance, she would have ignored him.

Leo Duncan almost paid for everything. Only after some arguing from Nie Hong and Mithra's refusal did he relent.

"Thank you for your help," Mithra said sincerely as they parted ways at the school gates.

"It's fine. You weren't going to charge me. And I did have some ulterior motives. You're a skilled warrior, and quite interesting. I'll challenge you again," Leo Duncan said with a smile, getting into a waiting luxury car.

Nie Hong found this very strange.

Mithra headed towards the resettlement center.

Nie Hong caught up with her. "Mithra, be careful."

"What?"

"I think that damn crab is up to something."

Mithra, showcasing her newly acquired phone and laptop, replied, "I think he's harmless."

Nie Hong was speechless.

They parted ways.

...

Several days later, Mithra sat in the library, using her laptop to search for information, and chatting with some professors she had befriended.

Despite having her own computer, she preferred the library's atmosphere.

Nie Hong and Leo Duncan had left for Sun City.

Before leaving, Leo Duncan challenged Mithra again.

And, unsurprisingly, lost.

This time, he reacted to the Hunting Shadow, trying to counteract its effects, but he was still defeated by Mithra's agile attacks.

This reinforced Leo Duncan's opinion of Mithra. Their skill gap was much more significant than a single Godly miracle.

He hadn't even used his Water Miracles, but the fact he didn't suggested that his skills were still quite basic, vastly different from Mithra's.

In the end, he gave Mithra a pair of plain glasses, advising her not to rely too much on electronics before leaving for Sun City.

Mithra wore the black, square-framed glasses as she researched.

Suddenly, a hand landed on her shoulder. "What's the famous person looking at today?"

Only Matsuri would act this familiarly with Mithra.

Mithra didn't turn, didn't move, and didn't speak.

Matsuri smoothly sat down beside Mithra. Since Mithra had helped her obtain sewing supplies, her familiarity with Mithra had noticeably increased.

"You beat that Leo Duncan twice. That's become quite a topic around campus," Matsuri said.

"Bored students, how would you even know?" Mithra replied casually, glancing at the computer.

"I'm not that isolated. You're more aloof than you seem."

"I just agreed to fight him. Planet Blue should value martial arts. What's the problem with a sparring match?"

"Hard to say. At least on Planet Blue, people restrain themselves," Matsuri said, adjusting a strand of hair.

She glanced at Mithra's screen and was taken aback by the amount of information. The resources were vast, from various places on Planet Blue, written in many different languages.

Matsuri's mouth opened in surprise. "You can understand all of this?!"

"...I can 'see' it."

"Genius!" Matsuri exclaimed in admiration.

"Fake," Mithra retorted immediately.

Matsuri deflated. "I've only learned three common languages in the time I've been here. I feel like such a failure."

Mithra didn't bother responding.

Matsuri looked at Mithra's screen. "You're looking for information about Sun City?"