Chapter 304: Crown of the Mundane and Divine: Mundane Troubles 『 Part Eight 』
「 Screwllum nodded. "What you seek to eradicate is the blind faith the researchers place in the Geniuses."
"I merely list my doubts. As for the answers… they will unravel them in time," Dr. Ratio said indifferently. "To seek knowledge with a mindset of negation is still a form of seeking; it too can guide us to the correct destination. If a flock of mediocrities wishes to achieve enlightenment, this is a necessary process."
"You do indeed resemble a 'doctor' more than a scholar."
"Then, I bid you farewell. I hope there will be opportunities to encounter you geniuses again in the future. I trust that when that time comes, it will be just like today…"
Dr. Ratio lowered his gaze to glance at the dancing spirit fire within the container in his palm. Suddenly, his grip loosened. Before the crisp sound of the container hitting the floor could spread, pale blue flames climbed up his entire body like a living creature.
"A farce, a myriad of troubles. In the end, it is nothing but…"
"Mediocrities disturbing themselves."
He placed his right hand over his chest, bowed to Screwllum, and then vanished into the flames without looking back.
"…"
After the matter concluded, Stelle also received a commendation text from Herta, though she didn't care about that. Instead, she wanted to know how Asta was doing.
Hearing that Asta was recovering well and could even get out of bed to work, she felt slightly relieved. The only regret was that they still hadn't managed to find the [Phase Flame].
"Forget it. Consider it a favor owed to me by Ruan Mei; that's worth even more. Let's leave it at that," Herta didn't seem to take it to heart.
"We still have to thank Mr. Ratio," Stelle added.
"Who's that?" Herta suddenly asked.
Stelle ( ・◇・)?: "Huh?"
Herta (・_・?): "Huh?" 」
「 ..... 」
〜Harry Potter World〜
Inside the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts, silver instruments hummed softly, spinning and puffing out pale blue smoke. Dumbledore gazed at the sky through his half-moon spectacles; he could almost imagine the confused expression on Madam Herta's face before she voiced that question.
"Impressive, is it not?"
Dumbledore said softly, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk.
"A human who has not received a glimpse from 『 Erudition 』, yet became the protagonist of this crisis under the scrutiny of a Genius, truly saving lives from the hands of the Annihilation Gang."
Snape stood in the shadows, his black robes almost merging with the wall.
"But in the end, Madam Herta did not even remember his name."
"Heh, that does not matter in the slightest."
Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes twinkled.
"Snape, he is a teacher, and a teacher's mission is to educate students. He may not meet the standards of the 'Genius Society' in the field of research, but in the realm of education, he is an uncompromising genius."
"It seems you admire his teaching philosophy."
Beside them, Fawkes the phoenix let out a soft trill. Dumbledore smiled and fed it a candy.
"Indeed. He teaches people how to think, not merely to accept knowledge. Compared to 'monotonous' indoctrination, guiding students to think and comprehend amidst difficulty is far more vivid—though the balance is rather hard to strike."
"You make a point,"
Snape said dryly.
"Need I remind you that most students at Hogwarts cannot even remember the simplest potion recipes? If even their foundational knowledge is shaky, I fear the 'difficulty' you speak of would crush them on the spot."
"That is precisely why Hogwarts' teaching methods need to change. To correct a wrong, one must often overcorrect."
Dumbledore looked out at the gathering dark clouds outside the window and sighed, seemingly at nothing.
"…The weather is about to turn, Snape."
——
「 Meanwhile, elsewhere.
"Penacony, The Planet of Festivities. The cradle where sweet dreams sink into depravity, the resting place for cowards."
"The Family has set the banquet, and the guests have answered the call. The golden blood of 『 Destruction 』 shall flow with it, offering a grand sacrifice to them."
Inside a gloomy mansion, Duke Inferno, Ifrit, sat upright upon his throne. His fingertips twirled a white flower; under his gaze, the petals gradually curled, blackened, and turned into fine ash that fluttered down.
The burning goat skull lowered, and terrifying flames danced within its hollow eye sockets. He quietly watched his children, low laughter echoing through the residence.
"Children of the fire… this is your rite of passage." 」
「 ..... 」
〜Chainsaw Man World〜
"It-It's this guy again! AAAAAAHHH—!!"
In Aki Hayakawa's apartment, Power was lying sprawled on the sofa with her feet planted directly on Denji's face. The moment she saw the image of Duke Inferno appear in the sky, she sat bolt upright with a whoosh, screaming at the top of her lungs as she fled into the bedroom.
"…Why is she so afraid of Duke Inferno?"
This wasn't the first time this had happened. Aki Hayakawa sighed and righted the teacup Power had accidentally knocked over during her escape.
"I remember, she said something like this guy is even scarier than the Primal Devils in Hell… Anyway, she doesn't even dare to look at him. No wonder, since Power is a devil too,"
Denji scratched his head.
"By the way, what is this place, Penacony? The Planet of Festivities… is it the kind of place that holds parties every day?"
"I recall Topaz mentioning earlier that it's 'The Family's' territory, but it's still unknown which faction The Family belongs to. Also, Penacony is the Astral Express crew's next destination."
"Oh?"
Denji instantly perked up.
"Doesn't that mean the Astral Express is going to go head-to-head with Duke Inferno?"
"I wouldn't rule out that possibility,"
Aki Hayakawa didn't deny it.
"Judging by Duke Inferno's tone, he plans to cause a huge scene in Penacony. Speaking of which, the IPC also intends to intervene. Doesn't that mean there will be four factions involved in Penacony?"
Just thinking about it briefly made Aki feel it was chaotic.
However, given the reputation of the Annihilation Gang, the remaining three factions would likely band together to prioritize eliminating this Duke Inferno. To dare carry out 『 Destruction 』 with such fanfare, this Duke likely harbors unknown objectives and plans beyond just his methods and strength.
—
「 "Akash, my most sentimental child. I ignite your eyes and teach you to pluck strings and make music. You shall play the banquet tune with a four-stringed instrument, silencing the canticles of The 『 Harmony 』."
As a burning eyeball appeared on the screen, a gentle, deep male voice slowly spoke: "That is my intention, Father."
"Dubra, my most brilliant child. I ignite your body and grant you blades, saws, and axes. You shall temper iron scythes with sulfur, bestowing pain upon The Elation, letting the blood and tears of the actors flow into the River Styx."
A golden apple gradually rotted, revealing purple, decayed flesh inside. An obedient female voice said, "As you command, my Father."
"Caterina, my bravest child. I ignite your heart and grant you blood that boils. You shall chisel open the treasury of The Preservation with fury, smelting their gold to cast statues for our Lord."
Metal smelted in the fire, and it was as if the smell of sulfur could be smelled even through the sky. A dashing and triumphant female voice laughed heartily: "Say no more, old man!" 」
「 ..... 」
( Translator-kun: Finally, we've arrived at Penacony! After this Myriad Trailer, Penacony Arc will begin. maybe next update.. )