Chapter 315
Chapter 315
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 315
Chapter Title: Interview (3)
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“Uh…… Gavin, you say?”
It was eight-thirty in the evening.
Jo asked Oliver, who had just arrived in X District.
Jo examined the man standing behind Oliver.
He was a thirties white man with no particular distinguishing features—none other than Kevin, that is. Kevin disguised with pure mana school magic.
Originally, they had suggested using a leather mask, but Kevin refused, opting to hide his appearance with magic instead. Items made from human skin peeled off were too creepy, he said.
“Yes, someone I met recently. Since he helped me out, I’m teaching him black magic. If it’s okay, could I teach him here together? It seems more efficient that way…… Ah, Gavin, this is Jo, an executive of Fighter Crew. Say hello.”
Kevin, using the alias Gavin, bowed politely to Jo as Oliver instructed.
“Hello? Nice to meet you.”
“Ah…… Hello?”
Unlike the recent rumors spreading through the back alleys, Jo responded with considerable courtesy.
He had recently signed an exclusive contract with Crime Firm and was emerging as a new powerhouse in the back alleys, drawing no small attention.
With his unique form of black magic, he had crushed the foreign gang coalition outside Landa, slaughtered numerous well-known fixers opposing Crime Firm, and even recently clashed with Pinkman, taking out two executives, it was said.
Word was his methods were brutally ruthless, yet he showed surprising respect to the disguised Kevin.
Kevin quickly realized the reason was Oliver.
Even without using his newly acquired black magician’s eye, he could tell Jo was watching Oliver’s reactions.
What was interesting was that it wasn’t simple loyalty out of fear of power or money, like most back alley folk.
He followed Oliver himself, not his strength or wealth. It was clear from his gaze and subtle movements.
An influence rare in the back alleys.
And Jo wasn’t the only one under that sway.
All the other Fighter Crew members training their physiques, practicing black magic, and learning letters from the red-skinned man in the wide open lot felt the same toward Oliver.
Proof was how the atmosphere shifted the moment Oliver showed his face.
A positive tension, like soldiers welcoming a triumphant general, dominated the space.
An influence hard to create even on command. And Oliver wielded it effortlessly.
“……”
Kevin silently observed such an Oliver.
“Extract emotions?”
“Yes, Jo. As you know, we need to practice extracting from people too, right? But teaching one-on-one doesn’t allow practice on that part. So, could a few of you help Gavin practice a bit?”
The more he heard, the dizzier it made his head.
Extracting emotions was harmless if done in small amounts like blood donation, but it still felt unsettling to let someone draw it out……
Yet, surprisingly, Fighter Crew’s Jo accepted without hesitation.
Quite an unusual case.
People in poor, lawless districts usually recoiled at such proposals due to survival instincts.
It was inevitable in an environment where seeming weak could mean death. Yet Jo accepted willingly.
This meant one of three things.
Either overwhelming fear of Oliver, something worth extracting in him, or immense trust in Oliver.
None easy. Especially the last—nearly impossible.
Oliver, chatting with Jo, turned to Kevin and politely requested.
“Pro…… Gavin?”
“Yeah?”
“If it’s okay, could you wait just an hour…… no, an hour and a half? I need to check on Fighter Crew first.”
Kevin, understanding, nodded readily.
He was the one in a precarious position now, and personally wanted to look around.
When Kevin said he’d wait as long as needed, Oliver expressed thanks and left with Jo.
In the meantime, Kevin decided to cautiously survey the surroundings.
To see what X District, the worst after Y and Z, was like.
An hour and a half later, Oliver returned exactly on time.
Kevin, who had arrived ten minutes early and waited, greeted him.
“You’re back?”
“Yes, Gavin. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Kevin checked his wristwatch and shook his head.
“Nah, exactly an hour and a half. Right on time…… Must’ve had more work than expected?”
Oliver nodded.
First, he gave basic black magic lessons to the new recruits in Fighter Crew and demonstrated proper black magic training for the future, showing the executives including Jo how to cultivate black magicians.
Running two classes simultaneously.
It had been more grueling than expected, but Oliver’s tasks didn’t end there.
He reviewed the test items he’d assigned last time, reassessed the overall level of Fighter Crew members, outlined reinforcements needed, and even recorded it.
On top of that, he checked the black magic of executives and members like Jo who felt growth limits, giving on-the-spot advice on improvements and potential.
Finishing in just an hour and a half was impressive.
“Truly amazing.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah.”
“Ah…… Thank you. Professor—no, Gavin. Hearing that from you feels good.”
Oliver responded to Kevin’s praise, whose strict grading as a professor was matched by his undeniable diligence and competence.
But Kevin’s words were purely his honest impression, not meant to please.
While Oliver busied himself with work for that hour and a half, Kevin, as his companion, poked around, observing various things.
For instance, Fighter Crew training systematically like an army.
More noteworthy than the discipline was their training structure.
Discipline could be imposed temporarily with overwhelming charisma or power, but a systematic training structure was entirely different.
Slum organizations usually lacked such systems, limiting growth even with a strong leader. But Fighter Crew had its own systematic setup, comparable to the Magic Tower’s.
Still in infancy, but impressive nonetheless.
Squads of eight, structured training managed by evaluation criteria, training and black magic regimens based on those……
Even rare in slums, multiple people learning literacy together.
A system impossible without guidance, diving headfirst into uncharted territory.
Kevin mentioned it, asking if it was Oliver’s creation.
“Yes…… Not grand like a masterpiece, but just referencing your [Magic Combat Basics] class, Professor, and training manuals from the elemental school and pure mana school libraries.”
Oliver answered sincerely, not the false humility arrogant novice geniuses of the Magic Tower favored.
True to his word, Fighter Crew’s training was exactly at reference level.
Testing basic fitness and black magic, reinforcing weaknesses…… A simple framework, yet remarkable.
Even more so for sticking to essential basics without half-baked additions.
He knew what was most effective.
Oliver wasn’t just talented in magic and black magic; his organizational sense was equally sharp.
‘Come to think of it, his actions and thinking are frustratingly straightforward, but he handles tasks well.’
Kevin belatedly recalled Oliver excelling at paperwork, chores, cleaning, research, coffee-making—anything.
A frightening realization.
A guy who could build a massive organization with innate personal power, talent-granting traits, now also handling operations and systems adeptly.
Merlin once said Oliver could single-handedly create schools with centuries of history or towers with decades, depending on his will. Seemed he wasn’t wrong.
No joke—Oliver could forge a Magic Tower-rivaling organization alone if motivated. In short order, even.
Overwhelming personal force, influence captivating X District’s brutal gangs, talent-bestowing traits, plus system-building smarts…… Failure would be odder.
The only reason it hadn’t happened was lack of will or ambition.
No joke—chilling to the bone.
Just half a semester as a Magic Tower employee yielded this. Kevin understood why mentor Merlin entrusted Oliver to him.
Being near felt like he’d be devoured.
“Gavin? ……Gavin? ……Professor?”
Lost in thought, Kevin snapped back as Oliver called.
“You okay? Any problem?”
“Ah…… Nothing. Just thinking.”
“Some trouble?”
“Not trouble…… Just curious. I saw Fighter Crew members learning letters from some red-skinned guy in that building.”
“Ah, you mean Al? He’s a waiter at my usual restaurant. Teaching letters to Fighter Crew at my request.”
“Hmm…… Why teach Fighter Crew to read?”
“Nothing much. Without literacy, they can’t do anything…… My opinion, but the city should provide public education for basic letters to all citizens. For the city’s growth.”
Oliver spoke from his experiences and newspaper insights.
Coincidentally aligning with progressive scholars like Merlin or Kevin.
“Interesting…… But what were you getting at?”
“A proposal. Would you hear it?”
“What?”
“If okay, not just today—how about learning black magic here regularly?”
Unexpected. Kevin asked again.
“Reason?”
“No special one. Realized since I teach here, you learning together would be efficient. Saves time for both.”
Oliver was straightforward, and Kevin didn’t hate it.
Learning together might help more than alone, and he could monitor Oliver up close.
“……Sure.”
“Thank you. Let’s start class. Helpers are there.”
Oliver glanced at his fingertips. Jo and Fighter Crew members stood ready.
Volunteers as teaching materials.
“Let’s extract their emotions once. Start small…… Get used to it, then ramp up to precarious levels in one go.”
Oliver clearly outlined the practice and goal.
“Sounds risky at the end.”
“A bit, but it’ll be fine.”
Oliver uttered the scary words without a change in expression.