0p0 Chapter 286 286: You Are Also a Mentor
Chapter 286 286: You Are Also a Mentor
Hearing Vahn's greeting, Bochi hopped back onto the lectern, its two tiny
tentacles snapping to its "waist" as it adopted a posture of senior authority.
"You are also an Instructor?"
Vahn blinked, giving a slow nod. "I have taught the Anomaly Counter-Measure
curriculum for two decades."
"Oho! Then we are peers of the same vocation!"
Bochi bounced twice in excitement, its black-bean eyes shimmering with light.
"I am the Senior Gomoku Instructor at the Evernight Academy! Though my tenure
has been brief, my students unanimously evaluate my pedagogy as 'Superior'!"
Its tone was saturated with undisguised pride.
"I have even optimized the Invincible Briefs Formation! I shall permit you to
audit my techniques if the opportunity arises!"
Vahn's mouth twitched, his brain a chaotic mess of fragmented data. Gomoku
Instructor? Briefs Formation? What manner of logic is this?
But his analytical mind caught a key detail. The "Evernight Academy" mentioned
by Bochi was unlikely to be an institution registered within the recognized
borders of this world.
"Umm... where is the Evernight Academy localized? Which sector?"
"In the Evernight Empire, naturally," Bochi answered as if it were stating a
fundamental law of physics.
"Our territory is vast. We have The Sunflower Merchant Guild, The Succubus's
Dream, and a staggering variety of high-tier sustenance!"
Mentioning food caused Bochi's eyes to flare. "Oh! I almost forgot! Before I
departed with the Master, I had prepared a massive inventory of localized
sweets! Regrettably, I consumed them all during the 'Lullaby' instance..."
As it spoke, the slime deflated slightly, radiating a wave of "Gluttonous
Sorrow."
Vahn and Sora exchanged a glance, both reading the same shock in each other's
eyes.
Evernight Empire. Sunflower Merchant Guild. Succubus's Dream.
These terms were alien—they didn't sound like a description of any sector in
their world, but rather a civilization from a high-fantasy novel.
"Bochi," Sora knelt, her voice cautious and tentative. "Is this 'Evernight
Empire'... located in another world?"
"Uh-huh!"
Bochi nodded vigorously, its entire frame wobbling. "I utilized a transit-tunnel
left behind by a particularly potent pest! I projected that it led to a Divine
Sanctuary or a Inheritance Chamber."
It began to grumble again. "Hmph! The novels are a collection of logic errors!
All that talk of 'Hidden Dimensions' and 'Chosen Protagonists' is statistically
false! It was just a tunnel!"
Vahn processed the information at high speeds.
Planar Transit. Another world.
This slime was an Inter-Planar traveler. And based on its tone, crossing the
boundaries of reality was a mundane, almost trivial event in its society.
Vahn chose his next words with surgical precision. "Then, your objective for
manifesting in our coordinate... what is the mission?"
"I already stated it, did I not? Exploration!" Bochi answered matter-of-factly.
"The Master stated that to scale one's parameters, one must seek diverse sensory
input! Therefore, I am on an expedition!"
Suddenly, its voice turned slightly apprehensive. "Though... the Master has
likely localized my signature by now. Extraction will likely involve a verbal
reprimand..."
"However!"
Bochi stood as tall as a slime could manage, its voice regaining its firm,
arrogant lilt. "Regardless of the reprimand, I shall complete this expedition! I
wish to witness the unique variables of this world! And I shall consume every
gourmet resource your planet possesses!"
Vahn opened his mouth to respond, then closed it. He was at a loss for data.
A terrifying entity that could crush a High-Tier Anomaly with a yawn. An entity
that had bridged the Void between worlds.
And its sole motivation is exploration and sweets?
"Umm... Lord Bochi," Sora asked. "What is your projected duration for remaining
in our coordinate?"
"Unquantified," Bochi thought for a moment. "I shall initiate extraction once my
'Entertainment Threshold' is reached. Besides, the Master already authorized my
leave from the Academy. And the Decoration Ceremony has only just concluded;
there is no immediate tactical requirement for my presence at the base."
Decoration Ceremony?
Another unidentified term. Vahn took a deep breath, forcing his logic to
stabilize. Now was not the time for cultural anthropology. If Bochi intended to
remain in this world, they had to establish a cooperative protocol.
"Lord Bochi, may I present a query?"
"Proceed."
"Do you... possess the capacity to perceive the Anomalies of this world?" Vahn
asked. He feared Bochi might not understand the local terminology, so he
elaborated, his tone turning grim. "I refer to the monsters that hunt our
species."
"Oh, you mean the pests," Bochi replied, waving a tiny tentacle dismissively.
"I can sense them. They are everywhere. A dense, irritating infestation.
Statistically speaking, they are everywhere."
"But they are incredibly weak. Significantly lower-tier than the 'Mama' Anomaly
in the Instance. Most of them haven't even achieved a Tier-1 signature; they are
mere 'Unranked Scum'."
Vahn's heart sank into his boots.
Everywhere. Dense.
It was the confirmation he had feared. Their world had been completely saturated
by the Eldritch Scourge.
"Lord Bochi," Vahn's voice dropped an octave, heavy with desperation. "If I were
to request your assistance... would you be willing to aid us in the liquidation
of these Anomalies?"
"Eh?" Bochi blinked. "Why should I bother with a pest-control mission?"
"Because," Sora interjected quickly, "our world possesses a staggering array of
'Gourmet Variables.' We have ingredients and spices that your Master has likely
never even seen! We will personally oversee the production of any dish your soul
craves!"
"And our seasonings are so high-tier," she added, "that even a pair of old
leather boots would taste like a five-star roast if paired with them!"
Bochi tilted its head, using its tentacles to stroke its blue cranium as it
processed the data. Sustenance as a lever... After a long duration of
contemplation, it finally spoke, its voice carrying a note of reluctance.
"Uncle Sloth—no, wait, Uncle Sloth said sleeping is better—Uncle Avarice said
that without a direct mandate from the Sovereign, one should not interfere in
the internal affairs of foreign coordinates."
"Every world possesses its own unique structural laws. Unauthorized tampering
can lead to a systemic collapse."
Vahn and Sora felt their hope plummeting. But a second later, Bochi chirped
again.
"However..."
It hopped onto Sora's hand, poking her skin with a tentacle.
"If a pest happens to obstruct my exploratory path, liquidating it is a minor
expenditure of Od. I have no objection to 'clearing the road' while I explore."
"But!"
The slime puffed itself up, its voice turning icy and serious.
"I will not hunt them. I will not alter my exploratory itinerary for the sake of
liquidation. I am an Explorer, not a 'Savior' unit. Your species must record
this data clearly."
Vahn and Sora exchanged a glance.
Though Bochi's terms were strictly limited, it was the best possible result.
Even if the slime only struck down Anomalies it "ran into," it would
statistically save thousands of lives a day.
"I understand," Vahn said with a deep, respectful bow. "We accept the terms.
Thank you, Lord Bochi."
"Gratitude is unnecessary. Totally unnecessary."
Bochi waved its tentacles shyly. Liquidating "Unranked Scum" was hardly a feat
worthy of a future God, after all.
"So! What are the primary entertainment sectors of this coordinate?! Lead me to
the sustenance!"
Its excitement returned in a surge. "Let the expedition commence!"
Sora thought for a moment before speaking. "If you wish to understand the logic
of this world, I would be honored to serve as your guide."
"Really?!" Bochi bounced excitedly on the lectern. "Excellent! I was struggling
to formulate a starting point for my survey!"
It leaped into the air, landing perfectly on top of Sora's head.
"The contract is set! You are the Guide-Unit! I shall serve as the
Protector-Unit!"
Sora smiled, reaching up to gently pat the cool, rubbery surface of the slime.
"Accepted."
"I shall document this expedition in my personal log! The Master and the
Generals will be mesmerized by my reports!"
Vahn opened his mouth, wondering if he should attempt to secure a more formal
defense treaty, but ultimately he remained silent. For now, he reasoned, this is
enough.
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you