Chapter 46: Simulated Space
One would have thought that the dragon slayer, who was already very angry today, would at this moment refresh the peak of his anger. However, in the midst of the impending volcanic eruption, he suddenly took a deep breath and then let it out slowly.
Martial arts, [Cold Heart].
Sometimes people encounter situations where they find it difficult to control their emotions. In such cases, they often do very impulsive things. Martial arts, [Cold Heart], however, is about gathering all the anger within oneself and then cooling it down in one breath. In that moment, it reaches the level of [Dead Heart], devoid of any emotion. For the dragon slayer, if he were to rashly confront Leilindor without considering his own abilities, he would likely end up being the one at a disadvantage. The dragon slayer, having calmed down, weighs the pros and cons and is no longer impulsive.
“Yes, I’m indeed twenty-seven years old. I remember my student records should be very clear about that. You can go check.”
The dragon slayer’s calm admission of his age shook Tyr to the core, almost making him think he had mistaken the person. He finally realized that when he had used his cunning to gather all his calculating abilities and appeared as if he were two different people, the dragon slayer had sensed him. However, for the dragon slayer, it was only a moment of unfamiliarity, while for Tyr, it lasted fifteen seconds.
Upon hearing the dragon slayer’s words, Leilindor couldn’t help but drop his pretentious demeanor, inserting his hands into his white coat and smiling, “Just kidding with you, no need to take it seriously.”
Uh… This made everyone dumbfounded again. Leilindor shrugged and continued, “What do people call me? 【Lolicon Emperor】! If I can’t even distinguish between real lolis and legal lolis, then what right do I have to be calm in this seat? But to be honest, Dragon Slayer’s little sister does have some charm that stirs my heart. If she were a real loli, Uncle here might just take her home immediately.”
Upon hearing this from Leilindor, Dragon Slayer felt a chill run through his body, unable to shake off the shiver-inducing cold even though it was winter.
“But then again, if you want to resolve your respective conflicts, hmm… there happens to be a new testing project available. Why don’t you give it a try?”
“Project?” Everyone looked puzzled and confused.
When Tyr and his companions were led by Leilindor from east to west to a room on the third floor, everyone couldn’t help but take in the space filled with magical runes.
“How can the magical runes here be so dense?!” Kagura Xiaoqi, who had some knowledge of runes, couldn’t help but feel his scalp tingle. The runes in this room were not just numerous; they were densely packed, almost reaching a state of complete saturation. The air seemed to be solidified by these runes.
While the others didn’t understand magical runes very well, they had heard that such things were very detail-oriented and a slight mistake could trigger an explosion. It was unimaginable that so many magical runes could be inscribed in such a small space, making the magnitude of the project bewildering.
Leilindor shrugged and said, “This is the newly developed ‘Simulation Space.’ It was ordered by the chairman himself, and it’s because of this that I’ve been holed up here for almost three months.”
“What?! So, you mean all these magical runes were carved by you… by yourself?” Kagura Xiaoqi was astonished, her tone tinged with respect.
Tyr finally realized that the reason Leilindor got lost in District Eleven was because he had been carving magical runes here for the past three months, not because he was naturally directionally challenged.
At this point, Leilindor lazily replied with his hands in the pockets of his white coat, “Well, if I hadn’t gotten lost when buying materials, I probably would have finished more than a month ago. There was no need to wait until now to finish.”
“… ” Tyr was speechless. Indeed, this guy was a totally directionally challenged person!
“Saying so much isn’t going to help. Let’s experience it firsthand,” Leilindor closed the door and looked at the group, saying, “Both sides choose six people to participate in this test.”
Leilindor inadvertently mentioned the test directly, clearly forgetting about the conflict between Dragon Slayer and Tyr.
However, Dragon Slayer looked genuinely interested, which made Tyr, who was still worried about the recent events, silently criticize Dragon Slayer, wondering if Miss Dragon Slayer should consider other people’s feelings.
After some thought, Tyr finally selected Claude, Diaz, Constantine, Kagura Xiaoqi, and Wind Slash Ghost. As for why he didn’t choose Shating Iron Sword, it was because he believed Wind Slash Ghost would have more advantages in a melee.
Shating Iron Sword was well aware of this, so it didn’t mean he was weaker than Wind Slash Ghost.
On Dragon Slayer’s side, considering Claude’s influence, he especially selected Yuehai, followed by Ye Xi, Damiyala, Neruko, and Butterfly of Sunflowers. Although Butterfly of Sunflowers was somewhat reluctant to stand against Tyr, the situation didn’t seem as dire as imagined, so she complied with Dragon Slayer’s choice.
“So, let me explain the rules,” Leilindor said, looking at everyone.
“My magical runes have connected a pathway to another small world. However, for the stability of the space, only your virtual bodies will be sent over. That’s why it’s called a simulation space. The space is real, but you are simulated.”
Everyone suddenly understood, but they found it even more peculiar. Small worlds weren’t easy to come by, and even with powerful magical runes, it should be difficult to transfer someone’s consciousness to another world.
Leilindor noticed the students’ confusion and shrugged. “There are factors at play beyond what I’ve explained. So, don’t bother asking one by one.” It was clear that Leilindor held the ultimate authority over explanations, and no matter how puzzled Tyr and the others were, they wouldn’t be able to figure it out without his input.
“Of course, even though your bodies are virtual, all data including pain sensation is identical. There have been cases of fatalities with such bodies, so you must take care of yourselves. I have to remind you of this. As for the rules of engagement, initially, each side can only send one person into the small world. For example, Claude and Yuehai, if they were to enter first, they would generally engage in combat, right?”
“How could I? I would never attack Yuehai under any circumstances,” Claude said firmly. Leilindor, undeterred by being interrupted, continued on with his own thoughts.
“The duration of each battle is thirty seconds. After thirty seconds, the second member from each side enters. Then, thirty seconds later, the third and fourth members enter simultaneously. After one minute, the fifth member enters. The sixth member is a reinforcement and can only be signaled for replacement after all five members are present. Understand?”
“…It’s a bit complicated, but it’s not a big deal. As long as I’m the first one to enter,” Dragon Slayer declared resolutely as he clenched his fist. However, Leilindor shook his head.
“I’m afraid that’s not going to work for you, because according to the rules, entry is randomized,” Leilindor replied.
“Random? So winning will depend on luck?” Dragon Slayer furrowed his brow slightly. Luck had always been the least considered element in his combat philosophy, and the idea of it determining the outcome of a battle was highly unacceptable to him.
It’s like if Dragon Slayer were the first to enter the battle, and Wind Slash Ghost appeared on the opposing side. Dragon Slayer would instantly defeat his opponent. Then, when the second person appeared, Dragon Slayer would team up with another person to attack the remaining opponent. In this way, the scales of victory would tip increasingly in their favor, much like a snowball rolling down a hill.
Leilindor responded indifferently, “Luck is also a crucial factor in victory. You may disdain luck-based strategies now, but be careful, as luck might just save your life in the future.”
