Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Master and Disciple
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“So... um... that is...”
Lacy hesitated for a moment, grappling with the explanation swirling in her mind. The term ‘padrip’ didn’t exist in the country where she’d lived before possessing this body, but insults were insults no matter where you went. Her homeland had plenty of similar vulgarities; it just lacked that exact word.
“Um... so... uhmm...”
As she brewed the coffee, Lacy kept hesitating. It would be easy and straightforward to just say it bluntly, but whether then or now, Lacy was someone who placed great importance on ‘dignity’.
“It’s a type of insult.”
“Insult? What kind?”
Orca, who had taken off his vest and was unbuttoning his shirt, tilted his head.
“There are all sorts of insults. What kind is it that someone could be immune to it?”
“Um...”
“I thought ‘immunity’ referred to some kind of attribute. Like lightning attribute or fire attribute. But your world doesn’t have magic or martial arts, right?”
“Ahem... it is an insult categorized by attribute.”
“I can’t get a sense of it at all. Why not just say it plainly?”
Having unbuttoned his shirt completely, Orca sank deeply into the sofa and grumbled.
“It’s insulting... their parents.”
“...?”
“I mean it literally. Insulting the other person’s parents... that’s what they call a padrip.”
Orca blinked, unable to respond. He stared at Lacy with a blank expression before nodding honestly.
“That’s bewildering.”
“Ahem.”
“So, this ‘Padrip Immunity’ guy... he’s immune to parent insults?”
“That’s right.”
“How is that even possible?”
“I don’t know the details either.”
Lacy let out a deep sigh as she poured the richly brewed coffee into a cup.
“He was a nasty piece of work.”
“The name alone suggests it. Or should I say nickname instead of name?”
“It’s not his real name. Though now that he’s come here, it might as well be.”
“What other nasty things did he do besides the name?”
“He was aggressive.”
Lacy rummaged through her past memories. Before she became ‘Lacy Yuzha’. Back when she was playing games on Earth. It was already a story from 15 years ago.
“Purely enjoying the game while sniping people who shared their know-how for others’ benefit—that was his daily routine.”
“He sounds full of malice. Did he go after you too?”
“Of course. He called me trash outright and nitpicked every bit of information I’d carefully written up.”
Even after more than 15 years, Lacy couldn’t forget that humiliation. In truth, what he pointed out wasn’t entirely wrong, but back then, brimming with pride, Lacy had been furious that anyone dared critique her views.
“I tried to engage him in dignified debates several times. Respecting each other’s character and opinions, exchanging feedback. But every time I countered, he killed my mother.”
“Killed your... mother?”
“Oh, not literally. He just insulted her like that.”
Lacy let out another deep sigh and sat across from Orca. She placed the coffee in front of him and crossed her arms.
“He probably hasn’t come to this world yet.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. He... well, he was the kind of scum you could call trash in terms of personality, and his way of speaking was terribly off-base, but his understanding of the game was top-notch.”
She’d never admitted it openly, but in the past, Lacy had referenced Padrip Immunity’s posts quite a bit.
“If he’d come here, he’d have stood out somehow. And by my world’s standards, up until recently, Padrip Immunity hadn’t even hit first place.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“The kid from Haber Tower must have vouched for it?”
Orca took a sip of coffee and asked with a smile. The Haber Magic Tower, in a cooperative relationship with the Earth Church. The fact that their precious greenhouse flower—a seed nurtured in secret—was a possessor was known to only a select few.
“As far as I know, he’s the most recent one to cross over.”
Recent meaning a few years ago, but time flowed differently between this world and Earth.
“Up until just before he crossed, Padrip Immunity wasn’t even in the top ranks of the Hall of Fame—stuck in the lower tiers.”
“So it could be a case of all theory and no practice.”
“I don’t think so. He could’ve taken first anytime but chose not to.”
“You’re sure?”
“Padrip Immunity. He said it himself.”
In every world, those who talk too much relative to their skill get attacked. When the Hall of Fame opened and the community’s rotten elements challenged it. Padrip Immunity, a constant on the boards, drew plenty of mockery for not updating the records.
Padrip Immunity: I could take first but I’m not.
Newbies dismissed it as a lame excuse, but Lacy didn’t see it that way.
“The Haber Tower flower said they got a lot of help from Padrip Immunity too. They’d given up on first because their records wouldn’t budge, but tweaking their build on his advice shot them up.”
“What a clown.”
“He’s suspicious too. It wasn’t just the Haber flower who got help from Padrip Immunity. Several users who reached first before got advice from him.”
Lacy’s brows furrowed.
“That guy caused a huge spike in people reaching first.”
“From what you’re saying, he doesn’t sound like someone to thank.”
Orca took another sip of coffee and chuckled.
“Once you know the truth, hitting first isn’t something to glory in. If not for that damned game’s top spot, none of these possessors would’ve crossed over.”
“Exactly. In fact, the Haber flower suspects Padrip Immunity might actually be a minion of the evil god. They hate him for it.”
“That’s pretty credible. From what you’ve told me, Padrip Immunity deliberately increased the number of possessors.”
“I don’t think he was a full-on minion of the evil god... but if he was, it’s chilling. Honestly, I could reach first because I took his advice too.”
“So you thought Yuri might be Padrip Immunity?”
Orca’s eyes narrowed. Lacy didn’t answer right away and fell silent. Tap, tap, tap... Drumming her fingers on the table as she pondered, she let out a short sigh and shook her head.
“If he were a possessor, it’d fit... but now I’m not sure.”
“Really?”
“Lady Orca. You had me check him out, but we didn’t talk deeply. For starters, he seemed... extremely rational. Sensible. Not like the Padrip Immunity I knew.”
“The persona he showed on that community might not match the real him?”
“In Moonlit Revelry’s case, community and reality were identical. Though that might just be because Moonlit Revelry was a total lunatic.”
Lacy, still tapping the table, looked up at Orca.
“Wouldn’t your impression matter more than mine?”
“No mana affinity that I could see. Checked when we first met—no internal energy. Slipped a check before he used the Thunder God Illusion this time... just ordinary internal energy.”
“He could be hiding it, right?”
“Impossible.”
Orca shook his head firmly.
“There’s a realm for martial artists called Return to Truth, where external senses detect no internal energy. But you can’t reach it before 7th Tier.”
“With an artifact?”
“I scanned his dantian directly. No artifact can perfectly hide internal energy in that situation.”
“There’s a game item called the Veil of Deception.”
“You mentioned it before. I know what the Veil of Deception is. I even have one.”
Orca’s finger traced the air, and a small bracelet emerged from the split space.
“It artificially blocks presence and internal energy. But up close, it can’t mask internal energy or mana completely. Fun artifact, but calling it demon-exclusive isn’t an exaggeration. It was made to block the demonic qi leaking from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s artisans.”
“Then Yuri isn’t a possessor.”
Lacy clicked her tongue softly and propped her chin on her hand.
“One month since starting martial arts. Training under Kwon Rang almost daily, diligently cultivating internal energy too, right? A possessor would’ve made huge progress in a month.”
“His mana talent is average. But his martial arts talent is the real deal.”
“That’s what makes it ambiguous.”
Possessors with mana talent are better suited to magic than martial arts. But that doesn’t mean they avoid martial arts entirely. Coming from a game, possessors prefer the skills they learned there, the ‘familiar’.
In that case, they focus on internal energy cultivation to raise their tier first. Even at 3rd Tier with dedicated internal energy training, most martial arts gain decent power. From there, layering on techniques builds true martial might—that’s the standard path.
“If Yuri were a possessor, I thought timing-wise it’d be Padrip Immunity...”
“You say no but keep mixing in ambiguities.”
“It’s suspicious. You heard it too, Lady Orca? Yuri reacted to Moonlit Revelry’s... Thousand Torrents Storm. The reaction was extremely, extremely ambiguous.”
At first, she thought he laughed. But then he vomited blood immediately. Internal injuries from witnessing Kwon Rang’s wretched state.
“And Yuri supported Kwon Rang at the end. Right in front of Moonlit Revelry.”
“I could tell Yuri genuinely cares for Kwon Rang. Everyone else was cheering Moonlit Revelry, but he alone called Kwon Rang’s name. And as you said, a newbie stepping up to the Ultimate Sovereign isn’t something just anyone does.”
“Plus, Yuri didn’t act chummy with Moonlit Revelry.”
“Chummy?”
“In our world, they were very close.”
“Being close there doesn’t mean flaunting it here. Wary of other possessors is natural.”
“Suppose, just suppose. If Yuri is a possessor, what would you do, Lady Orca?”
Lacy’s eyes gleamed as she asked. Orca snorted at her gaze and shrugged.
“What, think I’d fry him?”
“I thought maybe for Elena’s sake.”
“No. Even for Elena, I’d leave him be.”
“If Yuri’s a possessor and Elena finds out, that girl would be deeply hurt, wouldn’t she?”
“That’s why I’d leave him be.”
Orca answered with a smile. Lacy couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
“You really are a nasty one.”
“It’s not just for Elena. Not getting caught by me despite being a possessor. Talent acknowledged by Moonlit Revelry. That alone gives him value. You know this, Lacy. Thirty years since possessors started crossing over. That’s not a short time.”
“...”
“Many still scream possessors are dangerous, shouldn’t exist here, try to kill them. But some recognize their potential. I’m raising you, a possessor, right now...”
Orca paused. Staring at his empty cup, he muttered.
“The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s Heavenly Demon is very interested in possessors too.”
“Really?”
“There’s suspicion the vice cult leader is one.”
“First I’ve heard of it.”
“It’s not confirmed. Haber Magic Tower and the Earth Church are raising possessors eagerly too, aren’t they? Better to nurture possessors with proven talent than this world’s mediocre natives. Assuming no personality issues.”
Personality issues. At that, Lacy burst out laughing. Over a decade ago, when she’d gone to the Derusia Magic Tower and knocked on the door herself. Orca had recognized her talent and allowed her to become a tower mage.
A year later. Right in this room, Lacy was subdued by Orca and grilled on whether she was a possessor. One slip in that conversation, and she wouldn’t have survived this long.
“What happened with the Ascard Family?”
Even as a possessor, Lacy still felt uncomfortable discussing this topic. The reason she remained a Derusia Magic Tower mage, enjoying privileges as a prospective disciple despite her identity being known, was the alignment of interests between Orca and herself.
Lacy was deeply fascinated by this world’s magic, utterly different from the game’s. Honestly, she had no desire to kill the evil god and return home, or wish on the Goddess of Order as reward. She just wanted to stay here and enjoy magic forever.
Lacy had no ambition to become Derusia Magic Tower Lord, and Orca had no intention of passing it to her. But Orca was interested in her possessor talent, and acknowledged her pure passion for magic.
Right now, Lacy was stuck at 5th Tier, but given time, she could advance quickly. High-tier mages were the tower’s pure firepower, and their broadened insights would advance the tower’s magic.
“I heard about Moonlit Revelry.”
“Word is he solved one of the Ascard Family’s problems in exchange for an elixir?”
“Know about the Blood Coagulating Ghost Blade?”
“I’ve heard of him.”
The Blood Coagulating Ghost Blade was a 6th Tier black dao ronin who raided an Ascard merchant branch months ago, stole massive wealth, and vanished.
“Seemed he was about to defect to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, but Moonlit Revelry took the Ascard commission and killed him.”
“There were plenty of others who could’ve handled that besides Moonlit Revelry, right? An elixir as payment seems excessive.”
“No idea what wind blew him that way after staying unaffiliated so long, but Moonlit Revelry approached the Ascard Family first.”
“Ah, so the elixir wasn’t just for the Ghost Blade’s head?”
“The Ultimate Sovereign made first contact, offering to be their fixer going forward. The Ascards showed their sincerity. Though Moonlit Revelry wanted different compensation.”
“What compensation? Can I hear this?”
“No issue. So Alfreon told me.”
Alfreon, head of the Ascard Family, and Orca were longtime friends. But no matter the friendship, they didn’t share sensitive secrets. That was Alfreon Ascard.
For Alfreon to tell Orca specifically meant the compensation Moonlit Revelry wanted wasn’t much of a secret. It also meant seeking Orca’s advice.
“Moonlit Revelry is looking for the Temple of Order’s holy site.”
“Pardon...?”
“Not necessarily the exact location—he’s seeking a way to contact the Temple of Order.”
The Ascard Family were massive patrons of the Earth Church and Abundance Church; at their request, even the archbishops would come.
Those two churches were among the few that stayed neutral during the persecution and expulsion of the Temple of Order in Union decades ago.
“Asking to bridge to the Earth or Abundance Churches?”
“If that’s all he wanted, going straight to them would be faster than involving the Ascards. Moonlit Revelry seems to think the Ascards secretly support the Temple of Order.”
“Is that true?”
“I don’t know who the Ascards back. Don’t care to dig. But Moonlit Revelry has his convictions. Alfreon denied any Temple of Order connections, though.”
Orca chuckled, staring at Lacy’s face.
“What do you think? Why’s Moonlit Revelry after the Temple of Order?”
“The Temple of Order’s... most famous priestess, the Grim Star Lorellia, is elusive. Not someone you meet just because you want to.”
“True. I’ve never seen her in person either.”
“Not likely he has business with the Grim Star... A possessor like Moonlit Revelry seeking the Temple of Order...”
Community.
Padrip Immunity.
Friendship...
Pieces clicked in Lacy’s mind.
“Maybe he’s looking for other possessors?”
“The Temple of Order’s priests never leak possessor info.”
“Of course Moonlit Revelry knows that, but it could be desperate enough to try anyway.”
Lacy remembered those who hung around Moonlit Revelry.
Lunatics not quite as bad as him, but far from normal.
Yet among them, only Moonlit Revelry openly flaunted being a possessor.
Whether the other four lunatics had crossed over, and what masks they wore, was unknown.
“Well... just speculation. Could be something else entirely.”
If she could get info on other possessors from a Temple of Order priest...
There was something Lacy wanted to hear too.
‘Padrip Immunity.’
Possibly an apostle of the evil god.
She really wanted to know if he was living in this world now.