Author's Note: Last chapter for this arc. Most of you will probably skip it. To those that do, its okay. I know where you live.
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“Cici, I know you've been shy, but I want to hear your answer! Do you want to be my girlfriend? I'm sure I'm more powerful that the guy over there, so that entitles me to have you. Isn't that how it works?”
“So you're the creepy weirdo who has kept sending me love letters?” Asks Cici.
“Creepy? You were supposed to think that it was romantic! I complemented you plenty in those letters! I've racked up a lot of nice guy points doing that! Not only am I strong, I've accumulated enough nice guy points to exchange them for a girlfriend! That's supposed to be how it works!”
The people behind Schizo facepalm.
'I know nothing about how to get a girlfriend, and even I don't think it works like that.' Thinks Null. 'Well, the old saying is that there will always be someone better than you at something. There must be an opposite saying that says there will always someone being worse than you at something.'
“You're gross. Go away.” Cici says to Schizo.
“Ooooooh, I am very angry. Cici, you have caused me to lose a lot of face! So now I will take it out on your boyfriend by killing him!”
He takes out a sword and rushes to Null, aiming to stab at his throat. The fight, was actually pretty sad. Null performed a side kick that sent Schizo flying. He returned 2 minutes later.
“Null, whatever profound art you used to attack me just now won't work twice! For I, your grandfath-”
Null drop kicked him a second time and sent him flying.
Everyone hears Schizo saying in the distance, “My beautiful, jade-white skin!”
He comes once again and starts laughing. “You are clearly courting death!"
"...Weren't you going to kill me anyway?" Null asks confused.
"You may have reached the Titled-Douluo level Null, but let's see if you can beat me when I have this Curling Dragon ring!”
Null drop kicks him a third time sending him flying. The reason Null didn't outright kill him is because he is in a pretty good mood.
He returns once again. This time, he's frightened. “Save me old man expert who lives in the Curling Dragon ring!”
He appears in front of Schizo. He says, “The road of cultivation is rife with hardships. You will have to do this on your own. Besides, I'm not even real! I'm just a figment of your imagination.”
The old man expert then slowly disappears.
“Don't say that old man expert! You're real to me!” Schizo yells out.
“Meds will clear that right up.” The old man expert says.
He then disappears completely to Schizo.
“Who is he talking to?” Cici says crept out.
“Don't worry, he gets like that sometimes.” Rick says to Cici.
“Fine! So I can't beat you! You should know that the pods record everything around me! I have now recorded the video of Null the famous alchemist!”
“I'll keep kicking your ass until you change your mind.” Null says calmly.
Null proceeded to beat the ever living daylights out of Schizo. It took a while, but Schizo had come to his senses.
“Forgive me Null, for I did not recognize Mt. Tai.”
Null raises an eyebrow and looks around. He keeps looking around and eventually becomes frustrated.
Null says, "Where is Mt. Tai? I can't see it."
"Hmph. Of course you can't see it. Only those who stand at the pinnacle have the honor of seeing Mt. Tai."
"Wait, so Mt. Tai is something that can only exist if you believe it exists?"
"No! That's nonsense! Mt. Tai isn't something that appears for anyone that wants it. Mt. Tai only exists for those who know their limits and not try to fight something greater."
"Mt. Tai sounds pretty awesome. I too hope one day to see Mt. Tai."
Schizo didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Null didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Cici didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Soon afterwords, a mutation occurred. Fed up with people not knowing whether to laugh or to cry, it changed into a laugh cry.
The disease quickly spread to the surrounding people. The symptoms made it so that a person will cough up blood and the intestines will quickly turn green. It attacks via the face. For some reason it likes taking face from the other people. Null had found a cure and gave it to everyone before it could spread any farther. All this took the time it took for an incense stick to burn.
'Heheh. I'll still give away the video that I have of Null. Then I'll get my revenge. I cannot settle down until I have my revenge. Even if it costs me everything. That's how its supposed to work right?' Schizo thinks to himself.
As if Cici had read his thoughts, he walks over to Schizo.
She says, “Hey, I've never noticed before, but you're so handsome and strong.” She says this while rubbing his arm.
Schizo's eyes open wide.
Schizo's henchman look at her and say among themselves, "Surely he isn't foolish enough to fall for this?"
Schizo says, “Ohohohoho! So you have finally recognized Mt. Tai!”
Schizo starts flexing.
"*sigh* looks like he is foolish enough."
Cici then says, "Hey handsome could you do me a favor?"
"Haha! Anything for my secret admirier!"
"Could you maybe delete everything that has to do with Null pleeeeeease?"
She does a cute face.
"Of course!"
He deletes everything.
"Could you also stop recording right now?"
"Of course!"
He goes to options and goes through the steps to stop recording.
"Could you also tell your henchman to do the same?"
"Of cooooourse! Hey you scrubs! Stop recording and delete everything that has to do with Null! You're upsetting my new girlfriend!"
They all sigh and stop recording. Everyone except Schizo knows what's going to happen.
"Okay, Null. I'll see you in a bit!" Cici says to Null.
"Take your time. Please." Null walks away.
Schizo has his arm around Cici's shoulders.
"Now that that loser is out the way, we should have our own fun, maybe a date, or maybe
hmmm... Maybe-"
He was killed by Cici because of simultaneously lowering his stats and raising her own. She was about to attack the others, but the vice leader says, "Don't bother. We weren't going to do anything."
Potion commotion walks away. One of them asks, “Why did we make him leader again?”
Rick says, “Who knows?”
**********
With that matter done, they finally make it to the edge of town.
Cici says, “So I guess this is goodbye.”
“Yes.”
Null walks away. He keeps walking until he's almost out of her sight.
“Wait!”
Cici runs to Null.
“What now?” Null sighs exasperated.
“This wasn't supposed to happen! You were supposed to hate me at first, but after having our adventure together, and seeing how far we've come, we were supposed to become friends!”
“You had said it yourself before that this wasn't a Shonen Jump. It still isn't. Well if there isn't anything else...”
Null starts to walk away.
“Wait, Null. Can you at least add me as a friend? I don't need anything else.”
Null's eyes squint. 'I'm starting to sense a trend. First Ludis with his intermediate in his monk class wants to add me as a friend. Now Cici with her intermediate in her cleric class wants to add me as a friend. I thought that having intermediate was supposed to be rare. Why are all these people coming out the woodwork wanting to add me as a friend? Well I know one thing. I won't be adding anymore friends!'
“Pleeeeease?” Says Cici with a cute face.
'Well... Maybe just once more.'
“Since you helped me, and since I'm in a pretty good mood, fine. I'll add you. Don't message me. I won't reply back.”
Cici smiles wide. “Thank you Null! I hope one day we'll meet again in the game!”
“Don't count on it.”
Null then walks away.
Cici looks at Null departing.
*********
Flashback:
In 7th grade, Cecile was always told how amazing she was. People always sucked up to her. Naturally, she got a big head. She also ignored people that were considered the bottom of the social hierarchy. It's not that she wanted to cause them harm, she just figured that's the way it was supposed to be. Cecile was on her way to class walking with some of her friends.
“Cecile, you got the highest grade once again!” Someone says to her.
“I'm so jealous!” Another girl says to her.
Cecile smiles and says, “It was really close this time. You almost got me.”
That girl scoffs and says, “Isn't it always like that? I can never beat you. Even in my best subject.”
They make it to class. Cecile greets everyone and makes it to her seat.
“Well you're sure as popular as popular as ever.” Someone says next to her.
“Keimi. Haha. I think this is the longest I've never seen you in a day! Where have you been!?”
“I overslept. That's pretty much it.” Keimi replies.
“Oh my god! Get your shit together!” Cecile jokes.
They make it through the class and head to their next class.
“So how did you do on your math test?” Cecile asks.
“I've gotten a lot better. I got a B.”
“Whaaat? How in the world did you do that? Even when I tried to tutor you, it didn't help at all. Did you cheat?”
“No. Have you no faith in me?” Keimi asks.
“None.” Cecile says bluntly.
This causes both of them to laugh.
“But really, how did you do it?” Cecile asks curious.
“I'm actually getting tutored by David. Even though he makes terrible grades, he's still pretty smart.”
“Oh, him. Why are you even friends with him anyway?”
“He's not bad once you get to know him.”
“Well, I guess it's good that you're friends with him. You're his only friend. I actually feel sorry for him. He keeps getting bullied. Don't ever ask me to be his friend though. Who knows how hard a hit my reputation will suffer?” Cecile says.
“Damn you're so vain.”
“Am not!”
Times passes peacefully for Cecile. Everything was as it was supposed to be. One day, everything changed for her.
Cecile was on her way home from her club when she sees a lot of people hanging around, laughing.
'What's going on? It's after school. Why are there so many people still here?' Cecile wonders.
She walks up to some of her friends who were there.
“Hey, do any of you know what's going on?”
“You won't believe it! Keimi set David up and pelted him with paint balloons! She then recorded it and spread it around!”
Cecile was shocked that Keimi was capable of being so cruel.
“Let me see the video.” Cecile practically demands.
“Okay.”
One of their friends puts on her AR glasses and puts it up. Since the girl had it that friends can watch her videos, Cecile can also now watch the video.
When Cecile watches it, her expression goes from shock, to horror, to tranquil fury. She leaves her friends without saying another word and runs off. She doesn't stop running until she finds Keimi. She is currently at a fast food place laughing with her friends.
“Did you see the look on his face?” One of Keimi's friends laughs while saying it.
“It was like, “My only friend betraaaaayed me!”” This causes them to laugh even harder.
They were having a merry time until they hear the door slam open.
Keimi sees who it is and calls out to her.
“Cecile, what's wrong with you?” Keimi asks her friend.
“Why did you do it!?” Cecile yells at Keimi.
There must be a good reason for Keimi to have done what she did.
“Oh you mean what I did to David? It's because I got tired of him, so I decided to end the friendship with a bang! Why are you so angry anyway? Thanks to what I did, my reputation went way up right? You were right. Being friends with him was stupid.”
Cecile slaps Keimi. One of Keimi's friends then pushes Cecile onto the ground.
Keimi was shocked that Cecile had slapped her. She was never known for being violent.
“Do you think what you were doing was any better!?” Keimi yells at Cecile while holding the cheek Cecile slapped. “Don't you dare act all high and mighty! You have always walked around as if you were a saint, yet you ignored anyone that you thought was beneath you! You made not have actively harmed others, but you hurt them just the same! You are the example that everyone else follows! I learned from you!”
Cecile eyes open wide and starts to cry.
'It was me. I'm the one responsible for what happened to David. Keimi is right. I am no better than her!'
She runs out the restaurant. She starts running frantically.
“David. Please. Where are you!?” Cecile calls out.
She spent the next hour running, but found no sign of him. She decided that she will look for him at school the next day.
It is now tomorrow. Cecile went to find David. When she finally finds him, her heart sinks. There in David's eyes were the eyes of no hope. It was the eyes of a broken man. She knew even if she were to go to David, that there would be nothing she could do. She had walked away from him. From that day onward, she decided to change. She no longer only talked to certain people. She became friends with everyone so no one will ever suffer again because of her mistakes.
3 years pass. Because of her change, most people grew to like Cecile. She had gotten rid of her arrogant friends and changed to more humble people. She was no longer viewed as being an arrogant or haughty person. The inspiration for her change had gradually faded from her mind. All she remembered about him was his first name, and that he was overweight.
She was once again talking with friends. Her curriculum is in the honors program, so everyone in a lot of her classes are people who are considered smart. It was there that she had met this version of David for the first time. He was wearing really thick clothes, and staring out the window.
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Cecile asks a person next to her, “Do you know who that is? I've never seen him before.”
She shakes her head. “This is my first time seeing him.”
However, she learned from her past mistakes. She greeted David. He gave short concise answers and looked like he didn't want to be bothered. Cecile decided to just leave him alone.
The more that Cecile learned about David, the more unimpressed she became, though she never voiced these thoughts. Every time they would get their tests back, David would look at his test, frown, then throw his test in the garbage. Every time the teachers called on him to answer a question, no matter how simple it was, David would always say “Don't know.” He wouldn't even pay attention in class. He would usually be reading a book of some kind.
While at lunch, Cecile was chatting with her friends when one of them says, “Hey, have any of you guys noticed that quiet kid who always throws away his tests?”
“Yeah. I feel sorry for him. I would offer to help him, but he looks like he doesn't want to be bothered. It doesn't help that he's weird and creepy.”
“Why do you feel sorry for him? Every time the teacher calls on him to answer a question, he's always
reading a book that has nothing to do with the class saying "I don't know." He deserves no sympathy!”
“Yeah. How did he even get into the advanced class placements in the first place? He seems pretty dumb.”
Cecile jumps in and says, “Don't talk bad about someone just because they're struggling in class. There's probably things he can do that we can't.”
“...You're right Cecile. We shouldn't be talking bad about him like this.”
“I feel terrible now.”
“Cecile, you see the good in everybody. Even a loser like that.”
Cecile says, “Come on. Stop that. You wouldn't like it if he called you a loser right?”
“Alright, alright Cecile. Such a saint you are.”
'Maybe he's gloomy because he has no one to encourage him.' Cecile thinks.
The next class they have together, Cecile walks over to David's desk and says, “Don't give up okay! You can do it!”
“....Okay?” David replies back confused.
They then quickly forgot about one another.
*******
“I don't know why we go to these award ceremonies anyway. Everyone knows it will be Cecile who will get the best in all the academic subjects.”
“Maybe it'll be different this year.” Someone else says.
“You've said the same thing ever since elementary school.”
Cecile hears this and doesn't say anything.
She's used to this.
A person who teaches Mathematics stands on stage. After giving various awards he goes to the main event.
“I will now be presenting the best award in Mathematics overall.”
Cecile gets ready to stand up.
“David Lewis.”
That name echoed in the quiet auditorium. People were surprised. Ever since they were little, it had always been Cecile who had gotten the best grades in her subjects.
“Someone beat Cecile!?”
“I don't believe it!”
“Where is he?”
Everyone looks around, but the person that was called was nowhere to be found.
“Heheh. He didn't even bother showing up to the award ceremony.”
Cecile was the most shocked of them all. Never before had she been beaten academically. She felt awful.
'Well good job David Lewis. To beat me in a subject. Well done.' She has a sad smile.
The awards for Chemistry is next.
Cecile was sad, but she quickly got over it.
She thinks, 'Well it's no biggie.'
Chemistry was always her best subject anyway.
“This award for best in Chemistry goes to...”
Cecile prepares to get up.
“David Lewis.”
Once again there was silence, then murmurs.
“Oh my god! This David Lewis beat Cecile twice!”
“Is the era of Cecile coming to an end!?”
Cecile's friends were even more shocked than everyone else. They know who David Lewis is.
They were saying, "Looks like we underestimated him."
"Huh. Looks like I was wrong. The reason he was reading other books was because he already knew the material."
"He beat Cecile!? How!?"
"Cecile, don't feel bad. This is probably some fluke. You'll definitely beat him next
time."
On the outside she smiled and nodded, but on the inside, the rage of a thousand white hot suns was brewing. Cecile did not take it well.
'David Lewis? David Lewis!? I've never been beaten scholastically! Did you cheat? Are you paying off the teachers or something? Next time I'll make sure catch you cheating in the act!'
A few months pass and it was time for the new year. Cecile would always stare at David, wanting to catch him in the act of cheating. He does the same thing he did last year. He would read a book and say "Don't know." Whenever he was called upon by a teacher.
'Judging from the way the teachers look at him, I don't think David is paying them off. In fact, it looks like the teachers don't even like him. Are you telling me he beat me with intelligence alone, and with teachers that don't even like him!?'
She continues staring at David. Sometimes she would stalk him. She saw that he was always by himself.
'Is he by himself because he feels no one else is worthy of being next to him?' Cecile ponders.
2 weeks into the year. She always arrived early to school. She was on her way to her friends when she saw David in a corner playing with his AR glasses.
'It's time I talk to him and see what he's all about.' "Hey you." Cecile talks to David.
David ignores her.
'Is he ignoring me?' Cecile thinks aggravated. "David, I'm talking to you!" She yells at him.
'He's still ignoring me! Does he think he's better than me!?' "David Lewis!"
David continues to ignore her.
'That's it! I've had it!' She stomps over to where David is sitting. "I know you heard me talking to you!"
Cecile gets a good look at David. This is the first time she has really paid attention to David up close. Last time she looked at David up close, it was just to give him motivation, and she quickly forgot about him.
"Um, can I help you?" David asks Cecile.
Cecile looks at his expression. The people Cecile has to deal with generally come in 3 categories. First, there's the people that admire her because of her intelligence. Second, is the love struck boys who always want to date her, though she usually turns them down. Third, are the group of people who are jealous of her, who feign disinterest even though they're jealous, or scoff at her when they think she can't hear.
David belongs to none of those groups. She can see it in his eyes. David genuinely doesn't give a damn about her. They talk some more.
David then says. “I'm not gonna lie. I'm lost. Why are you here and so angry at me? I've never even seen you before.”
Cecile can tell he's not lying. He doesn't even know who she is?
'Does he consider me so beneath him that he doesn't even know who I am? He doesn't look like he's feigning disinterest to try to make me be attracted to him like the other boys do.'
She gives her rant about how she will beat him and walks away.
She thinks, 'This is so humiliating! He doesn't even consider me at his level!'
When projects came up, he would always volunteer to work by himself, even though the workload would greatly increase.
The teacher talks to the students. "Okay, we'll be working on making models of different amino acids. Each group will have a different amino acid to work on okay? Now everybody get in groups of 3 and I'll assign you an amino acid."
David raises his hand.
"Yes, um...?"
"David."
"Okay. David, do you have a question?"
"No, it's a request."
"If it's reasonable I may allow it. What is it?"
"Can I work on the project by myself?"
"Why would you want to do that? That would greatly increase your workload. I recommend you group with other people."
"I prefer working by myself."
"Well since you're so insistent, I'll let you, but I won't take any excuses if your project comes out mediocre."
"Thank you."
David then went back to reading his book. Meanwhile, Cecile was getting requests from nearly everyone. Love struck boys and admiring girls all wanted Cecile to be in their group.
"Cecile, please let me in your group!"
"Hey Cecile, let's work together. I know a lot about amino acids."
"Cecile! I love you! Please marry me!"
Everyone except David looks at who said that with a weird look.
He says, "Um, I meant work on a project with me! The marriage can come later!"
Cecile wasn't paying any attention to them at the moment.
She is thinking, 'Does he really think everyone is beneath him, or is it something else? Even if he thought people were beneath him, it would be foolish to take on a project like this by himself. He could've gotten others to do gruntwork or something.'
She looks at all his habits, sees him getting bullied, and then sees how he always avoids people.
'There's a limit to arrogance. The way he avoids people is just too much. Is it really arrogance?'
She continues to look at him. Time passes. They get their tests back. Cecile wants to beat David, so she runs to David's desk and asks for his scores.
“Show me what you have! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!”
David hands her his tests. "Wha?" 'I finally beat him? Is this true?'
She looks at the questions that David got wrong. The question David got wrong were easy
questions. He got them wrong on purpose just so Cecile could feel like she won. Cecile gets angry.
'This humiliation! No one has ever humiliated me to this extent! No one has ever had to go easy on me on tests to make me feel better! Fine! You want to humiliate me!? I'll humiliate you!'
She smiles “Ha! I finally beat you! I won!”
“Yes, yes. You're the best. So now you can finally-”
“Ha! You suck and I won! Ha, stupid!”
“Right. So with this you can-”
“I won and you lost!”
She then sticks her tongue out and started pointing and David really close to his face without touching him.
“You lost to meeeeee!”
“Are you going to sto-”
“Loser who's dumber than me!”
David just leaves.
Cecile thinks, 'David, this is only the beginning!'
From then on out, David never let Cecile beat him in tests. She's glad that he's no longer taking it easy on her, but she's upset that she still can't beat him. David's mathematics and Chemistry are at a college level. She only studies for tests as it is written in the study guide. She'll never beat David like this.
********
Cici gets a mission to go to cure town of epidemic. While she's walking and turning down suitors, she sees David.
'Is that David? What's he doing here?'
She calls out to him.
"Huh? David? Is that you?"
David then runs away.
'Why is he running away from me? Does he really not like me that much? ...Well that's a dumb question.'
They spend their time together. Cecile grows ever more impressed with David. She was shocked when she had learned that the David that caused her to change and the David who she is always trying to compete against are the same person. Just when she thinks that she figured him out, she realizes that she still underestimated him.
Flashback end:
***********
Cici sees him until he disappears. She walks back to her cabin with one thought.
'Null, I'm going to be your friend whether you want to or not!'
She feels nothing but admiration for Null. It breaks her heart that such an amazing person chooses to isolate himself and hide his skills.
**********
Null has made it far enough from town. He uses his mana and sees that there is no one near him. He takes out the book from his inventory.
'Now it's time for the moment of truth.'
He places his hand on the transmutation circle and activates his skill.
“Transmutation Circle Activation!”
Null feels his mana getting drained from his hand. The mana activates the transmutation circle, causing it to glow. First the outer circle glows, then it spreads inward until it reaches the center. When the entire circle design glows, it doubles in luminosity, and it looks like something is floating up from the circle.
Null sees a circle with an arrow floating directly above the transmutation circle. Every time Null turns, it points to the same direction.
'This is a compass!' Null thinks excited.
'No longer will I be aimlessly wandering around. Now I know where to go!'
He starts heading towards the direction the compass is pointing in.
***********
It has been a month since some members of the Qasburg force went into the cave. They went in for the sole purpose of defeating Plague. Due to Plague being dead, the Queen Bee had replaced him for being a boss, which the Qasburg force swiftly defeated.
“Now it's time for Plague!”
“Yeah!”
“We'll show Swordedge how real warriors fight!”
“Yeah!”
They waited a long time, but Plague never came.
“....The fuck did he go!?”
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Author's Note: Now the arc is over. I thank everyone who helps me and tries to give me ideas, but at the end of the day, whateva! I do what I want! Now if you'll excuse me, I will now go play Cookie Clickers.