The air is distorting. I know what that means! Someone’s going to appear. Mm, or something’s going to appear, but it’s more likely to be someone since I came from there as well. The ruler said she’s sticking by my side, but she’s not going to help me attack anyone. She’s not going to help defend me from anyone either. …I’m not exactly sure what she’s going to do, but with her here, I’m super-duper confident! I might not have the ruler’s help, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to set a trap. I’ll stand right here with my hammer…? Oh. Right. It’s broken, and I never got it fixed. Err, in that case, sword? No, no, I can’t use a sword. Compared to a hammer, it’s way more dangerous. I’m trying to capture people for information, not kill them. In that case, I should look for—ah! Someone appeared!

“Breaking….” I grabbed the hardest-looking thing from inside my interspacial ring. What was it? Oh, uh…, okay, I guess. “Breaking Brick Strike!”

Bang!

As expected of an ambush, my prey didn’t even react! That went easier than I expected. Mm, I’ll grab this person first and teleport away! The air is still distorting, so I’m pretty sure multiple people are coming in. If I leave too late, I might not be able to get away at all. That’s right. Since the ruler’s around to watch me, I have to impress her by using my brain. What if she abandons me because she thinks I’m too stupid?

Wouldn’t she have simply not accepted you as a disciple if that were the case?

Sir Pot? That sounded like him. Are you reading my mind?

No…?

Mm, you better not be. …Wait a second. Ah, forget it, I have more important things to focus on right now. Like, there’s this unconscious person bleeding from the head on the ground beside me. Mm? “Isn’t this guy the disciple of that old man?” A lot of disciples are disciples of old people, so it’s not very helpful of a description, but I met this disciple super recently! “Blazing Sun Sect!” That’s right. He’s definitely from the Blazing Sun Sect. Thanks to my superior memory—not the giant sun emblazoned on this guy’s robes—I figured out his identity. It feels great to have the brain of a genius.

“Urgh.”

Ooh, he’s pretty sturdy. I hit him pretty hard, but he’s recovering already. Well, as the disciple of a supreme immortal, he’s bound to be above average. While he’s still partially unconscious, I’ll use this time to inspect him. I remember the ruler saying something like this guy was on his period: Bloodmoon, I think that’s what she called it. I’ll take his robes, his interspatial rings, and his underwear! This is all to prevent him from running away when he gets up. And … this person definitely isn’t a woman unless that thing is a misshapen third leg. Nope. It’s definitely a penis. Hmm. What did the ruler mean by Bloodmoon then?

“L-Lu—Big Elder Fluffytail?”

What was this guy’s name again? I think it was Disciple Gu. Even if my brain works super well, I can still have problems remembering people’s names. After all, I didn’t just meet one elder and his disciple. The ruler’s really popular for some reason, so I met at least seven old people back there. Seven’s a large number, way more than three. It’s completely understandable for me to take a second to realize who’s who. “That’s right; I’m Big Elder Fluffytail.” Mm, for some reason, this man looks very concerned. “Don’t worry. You’re in a safe place.”

“…Why am I naked?”

“Someone took your clothes.” Ah? Am I a liar? Heck no! I was completely honest. Someone did take his clothes. Leaving out the part that that someone was me can’t be considered a lie. At most, it can be considered a tiny detail I happened to forget about.

Disciple Gu reached up and touched his head. He wasn’t bleeding anymore, but there was a massive lump on his forehead that looked like a horn waiting to sprout. “Did someone attack me? What happened?”

Why does he have so many questions? “Don’t sweat the small stuff. You were in a dangerous place before, but now, since you’re by my side, you’re safe. Don’t you know who I am? I’m the disciple of the White-furred Tyrant!”

Disciple Gu stared at me. Either he wasn’t very bright, or his brain was still a bit rattled from my brick attack earlier. Well, it’s a good thing he doesn’t need to be capable of speech for me to get information out of him. I’ll place my hand on his head…? “Mm? Why are you backing away?”

“I don’t know why you’re attacking me,” Disciple Gu said as he took on a defensive position. Spiritual energy wrapped around his hands and feet, spreading up along his forearms and shins. If he were stronger like the supervisors who beat me, he’d be able to coat his whole body with spiritual energy. “But if you think I’m going to let you Soul Scour me without resistance simply because you’re the disciple of the White-furred Tyrant, you must be joking. I am a holy child of the Blazing Sun Sect. One could say my status isn’t too different from yours.”

Hmm. This isn’t how things were supposed to go. He’s awfully suspicious of me despite my incredible background, and it’s almost as if he knows I’m an expert at Soul Scouring people. Well, I’ll figure out what’s up when I Soul Scour him! He isn’t the only one that can channel spiritual energy! If he wants to fight, then I’ll give him a fight!

I don’t think he wants a fight. I think he’s just trying to defend himself.

Whose side are you on, Sir Pot?

…Let’s beat him until even his mother can’t recognize his face.

That’s the spirit! “Since you want to fight, I hope you’re ready to face my supreme technique! The….” Uh, I don’t think the technique I learned from copying Mrs. Feathers’ Future Husband has a name. How can a technique of mine not have a name? What’s a good name for setting myself on fire? Self-immolation technique? Burning Squirrel Armor? Hmm…. “Hang on a second. I need to think.”