- The Coastal Metropolis, Floor 1 Female Bathroom Entrance -

"Is this the spot?" I asked, looking around for any suspicious people.

Flaria nodded from atop my shoulder. "Yep, this should be where that person was heading to when I got off."

"..."

"What's the matter, Master?" Mei Gui asked, seeing my reluctant attitude.

"W-Well...I mean, this is still a female bathroom, even if it's an emergency. If someone saw me going in there with you, they'll automatically label me a pervert with no chance of parole," I explained. "That's why..."

"Understood, Master," Mei Gui said before I could finish my sentence. "I shall investigate first."

"Many thanks..." I muttered, feeling slightly guilty for some reason.

Mei Gui turned around, and headed inside.

*****

- 5 Minutes Later -

"So? Did you find anything?" I asked immediately once Mei Gui came into view once more.

She shook her head. "I wasn't able to search stall by stall since some of them were being used, but at least on the surface, no one seemed suspicious."

I sighed. "Then I guess they aren't here, most likely. I'm more concerned about Feng Mian and the others..."

I spun on my heel and prepared to leave, but I then noticed someone who had just came out of the female bathroom, walking towards us. She was a familiar face, yet not a pleasant one.

"...Lan Gui Ying?"

"Hmph, who gave you the right to call my name like that, trash?" Lan Gui Ying said condescendingly, crossing her arms.

Since I wasn't wearing my ring at the moment, my disguise of Kai Xuan wasn't up and she was able to tell immediately who I was. However, I ignored her insult, and turned around. "Let's go."

"Hold it, Master!" Flaria suddenly whispered sharply into my ear.

I raised an eyebrow, but since I was facing away from Lan Gui Ying, she couldn't tell.

"What, Flaria?"

"...It's her. She's the one."

"She's the...no, you don't mean-"

"Yes! She's the person I hitchhiked!"

Are you kidding me...what are the odds of this? She still seems to be human right now, but like Mei Gui said, the transformation process takes a while. But the city guards stationed at the entrances still don't know that the culprit is the rainwater, so in reality there's a good chance many soon-to-be monsters are already lurking around in this so-called safe zone.

I slowly glanced behind me. "...I have one question for you, harlot."

"Huh?! The hell did you just call me?!" Lan Gui Ying exclaimed angrily, walking over closer.

I ignored her fury, and continued. "...Has the rain outside ever touched your bare skin?"

"What are you asking, you damn pervert?!" she yelled in confusion. "Hey! Everyone! Look, there's a pervert here!"

I narrowed my eyes at her insolent shouting. Walking closer, I immediately grabbed her by the throat with ease, and slammed her into the wall.

"G-Guh...w-what are you-"

"I'll repeat the question one last time, you damn slut. Have you ever came into direct contact with the rain outside?"

"I-I...d-don't know...what you're...talking about..." she croaked, running out of breath since I was choking her.

...Really? Like hell I'm going to believe that...

"Master, people came," Mei Gui said quietly.

"Tch..." I let go of Lan Gui Ying's throat, and she collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. I spun around to be met with Li Mu Shen and some other ex-Class A students at Shenzhen Magic High School. After my class took first place at the tournament, their class had been pushed down to the Class B position. Undoubtedly, they held a grudge against us.

And now that I hurt his girlfriend...yeah, he's definitely not going to just let us walk away from this.

"M-Mu Shen!" Lan Gui Ying cried, getting to her feet and running over to Li Mu Shen. I didn't interfere.

"Ying'Er, are you okay?!" Li Mu Shen asked in worry.1

Lan Gui Ying latched onto Li Mu Shen's arm and hid behind it, making a fearful expression and pointing at me. "I-I'm fine, but...I was almost raped by him!"

Hearing this, Li Mu Shen narrowed his eyes and glared at me. His lackeys did the same.

"Oi oi, you piece of shit...how dare you try to rape my girlfriend?"

"Hmph. Rape? Her?" I scoffed. "She's not nearly ladylike enough."

"You-" Lan Gui Ying began, but Li Mu Shen silenced her with a stop gesture.

"You might think you're hot stuff, always hanging around the top four beauties of Shenzhen, but they are clearly just messing around with you! Who in their right mind would want to be together with a bastard like you?" he said with a laugh. "You may have gotten magic or whatever now, but trash will always be trash, haha!"

Messing around with me? Hah. I wonder what his reaction would be like if I told him all four of them confessed to me not long ago.

I ignored their pitiful insults and walked straight towards them. Mei Gui trailed behind me menacingly, and Flaria sat on top of my shoulder, watching every tiny movement.

I stared straight into Li Mu Shen's eyes, and spoke. "I won't waste any more time. I'll just ask one thing - can I leave?"

Li Mu Shen laughed boisterously. "Hahaha! You think we're just going to let you get away unharmed after all the things you've done to me, and Class A as a whole?! Even if you knelt and licked my shoes, I wouldn't even consider it!"

"Yeah, though so..." I muttered.

"What was that?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. I just wanted to remind you that you're not Class A anymore. I am. And honestly? It's pretty unfortunate you guys didn't get killed by one of those monsters out there. Oh, but I guess it's fortunate at the same time, since now I can kill you with my own two hands. What I favor I am doing for the planet by cleansing the world of idiots like you."

Since they were probably in the school dorms when the disaster happened, they were spared from being struck by the rain head-on. Moreover, when I went back to the dorms earlier, the place hadn't been destroyed yet, meaning it was still relatively safe. That is also the reason why Lan Gui Ying and now these other schoolmates of mine were able to make it here to the safe zone.

Truly...unfortunate. It would have saved me a lot of trouble if they just died outside.

"You bastard-!" Li Mu Shen gritted his teeth in anger. Then, turning to his accomplices, he yelled, "Get him, together!"

I smirked. "Come at me, morons."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

A booming voice came out of nowhere, and the students who were so eager to throw offensive spells at me just moments ago were now shrinking back. Even Li Mu Shen backed off a fair bit, as the newcomer made his entrance.

"P-Principal Song?" Li Mu Shen murmured quietly.

"Yes I am!" Song Qian Long thundered, menacingly walking towards us. "What are you fools thinking, starting a fight in the middle of a safe zone?! Right during this ongoing catastrophe outside, no less. You have brought the entire school to shame!"

"H-He started it!" Li Mu Shen cried, pointing at me with trembling fingers. Song Qian Long was just that scary, it seemed. I wasn't affected by his oppressive aura though, possibly thanks to the power of Chaos.

I sighed. "Please, you sound like a 5 year old whining about who started a fight."

"Y-You-!"

"Xuan Kai! Come with me," Song Qian Long interrupted, before turning on his heel. "As for Li Mu Shen and the rest of you...I will handle you once this disaster is over."

Mei Gui and I glanced at each other, then nodded. I raised my hand.

"Uh, sorry, but I kind of have things to do. Can I not come with you?"

Song Qian Long turned around and stared at me right in the eye. "You have to come with me right now, whether you like it or not."

Deep within his eyes, they were actually begging for me to go with him. I could choose to defy him here, but then that would leave his reputation ruined as the ferocious Dragon of Shenzhen, seeing as how he wouldn't be able to raise his hand against me. And so, I decided to play along.

"Fine...but you better make this quick," I muttered.

If it had been back then before the Advancement Exams, I likely wouldn't have even cared about his reputation or anything. But after knowing he was actually my godfather, and someone who had helped me out quite a bit so far...I can't bring myself to do that anymore. And so, Mei Gui, Flaria, and I followed Song Qian Long out of the female bathroom entrance, as Li Mu Shen, Lan Gui Ying, and their lackeys watched on in fear.

Song Qian Long...what the hell do you need me for, this urgently? I doubt it's to issue a punishment or anything for starting a brawl back there, but...I hope this is really important. Important enough to make me delay checking on the four girls.

Come to think of it...Mei Gui still hasn't made that call, since I interrupted with a sudden question for Flaria about the rainwater...damn it. They could be in danger at this exact moment, and I'm stuck in here following an old geezer.

As these feelings of worry and frustration grew stronger by the second, little did we know, Lan Gui Ying's mind and consciousness was getting hazier and hazier.

Slowly, she was beginning to transform.

Ying'Er is an affectionate way of calling Lan Gui Ying.