I Can Read People's Comments

Chapter 77 Theo's Background

[Chapter 76 Comment]

[Hunter_Keenan_2132: Principle Victoria is confused by your competence and yet meeting you injured by people you should be able to beat. Suspects you…see more]

…

Theo burst into laughter upon reading the comment.

Creak!

His laughter apparently opened an opportunity, as the door then swung open. Mia timidly peeked in, regarding her father with a hesitant expression.

Spotting her, Theo's smile softened. "How did it go out there? Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Mhm…" Mia cast her gaze downward.

Theo waved her over. "What's bothering you? Are you feeling apprehensive now? Do you want to sleep beside me? Come, come."

Mia playfully pouted at Theo's teasing, yet her actions conveyed a different sentiment. She quietly entered the room and perched herself on the bed.

After a brief silence, she spoke up, "I finally got to experience a real battle. I guess you orchestrated that fight... a fight where my opponents weren't meant to kill me. That's your grand plan, isn't it?"

Theo's face brightened with satisfaction. She had deduced it accurately. Indeed, he had meticulously woven layers of protection around Mia, involving figures like Victoria and Lancelot's uncle. Yet, the most substantial safeguard lay in providing enemies that wouldn't kill her.

While Mia had undergone training under Theo in their original world, facing an actual battle was an entirely different ordeal. It contrasted starkly with training exercises. She felt like one wrong move could spell her doom. Owing to her inexperience, she inadvertently called the foes, leading to her defeat. In the aftermath, she realized that this battle had been orchestrated by Theo all along.

She conceded her mistakes, yet Theo was already privy to them without her uttering a word.

Bypassing her errors, Mia posed a question, "Dad, you mentioned you had a rough childhood. How did you overcome all of it?"

Theo affectionately patted her head. "When I was your age, I was nothing special. In fact, I led an ordinary life until I turned sixteen. You've already surpassed me in so many ways."

Undeterred, Mia asserted, "Still, I want to know... I understand you'll protect me, but I don't intend to burden you forever."

Theo chuckled. "That's going to be a lengthy story."

Mia, with a touch of playfulness, shifted to the other side of the bed and nestled next to him, as though awaiting a bedtime story.

Theo's laughter resonated more as he observed his daughter's cute behavior. "Alright. It all started twenty years ago..."

…

The following day.

"What do you think? Do you grasp the full power of his illusions now?" Haruka inquired, displaying a recording of Theo in battle.

"This is..." Maya gasped. "Can you even do that?"

"No kidding. Can his illusions truly kill those creatures with just illusions?" Li Wei exclaimed, observing the recording where Theo's illusion dispatched over fifty monsters at once.

"My uncle conveyed a message from my grandfather," Lancelot interjected, raising his hand. "According to him, Teacher Theo wields illusionary skills comparable to or even surpassing the greatest illusionist in my realm. That illusionist could actually leave effects in my grandfather's body, effects that can't be healed with magic."

"Seriously? Your grandfather, a high-ranking figure and minister, right?" Serena inquired, perplexed.

"I don't possess all the details, but based on my findings, it pertains to the brain. Teacher Theo fabricates an illusion so that our minds register damage. If, in this illusion, we are convinced that we're dead, our brains halt our hearts, transforming the illusion into an actual fatality. This primarily affects the brain... Nonetheless, given his familiarity with both reality and illusion, his actual potential might exceed this." Lancelot expounded.

The group stared in disbelief, rendered momentarily speechless. Even though they had sworn not to get astonished again by whatever Theo achieved, Theo ended up blowing their minds again.

"That monstrous instructor..." Oliver mused, exhaling.

"But don't you think we're fortunate? The opportunity to learn from such a remarkable teacher?" Aurora chimed in, a note of satisfaction in her tone.

"Absolutely." Luca and Lucas nodded. "Hold on! We've yet to go on a mission with him. It's unfair."

"True, we're the only ones not to have experienced it." Luca and Lucas aimed a playful glare at Haruka, who had been bragging non-stop.

Jayden joined their sentiment. Initially skeptical of Theo, he was gradually realizing that the rumors about him in the Demon Realm were incorrect.

"It feels like he's an entirely different person," Jayden mumbled, recalling the discrepancies.

"Speaking of which, you're from the same world. Any info about him?" Serena directed her query at Jayden.

"Hmm..." Aurora, surprisingly, was the first to respond. Following her initial abduction, her family took an interest in Theo and started inquiring about his background. "From my investigation, Teacher Theo holds the 96th position in his world, mainly due to his Royal Grade Demon. There are 53 registered Royal Grade Demons in that realm."

"However, my findings suggest that Teacher Theo isn't adept at combat. In fact, he wouldn't even be among the top hundred individuals in the world if not for his Royal Grade Demon."

Maya's eyebrows twitched as she commented, "Is the Demon Realm that ridiculous?"

"He's likely concealing his true strength. The situation is probably more complicated than we thought. Perhaps his wife's family is involved." Jayden offered his insights, while casting a fleeting glance at Aurora.

Aurora recollected the details. "He's married to Agata Mota. The Mota Family wields substantial influence in that world, ranking among the top four families in a certain superpower nation. They stand among the world's top twenty families."

"Due to his unremarkable power and his love for his daughter, the Mota Family patriarch bestowed his daughter to Teacher Theo. Presumably, they wanted to incorporate the Royal Grade Demon possessor bloodline – and succeeded, considering Mia also possesses a Royal Grade Demon."

"Nevertheless, his wife is said to be so beautiful that it's impossible to count the number of her suitors. The number is so big that conflicts arise, forcing the Mota Family to marry them in exchange for solving their problems. Many of them are the enemies of the Mota Family and they also possess Royal Grade demons. But given their enmity, Teacher Theo was selected on account of his ordinary background."

Maya remarked, "Still, isn't it peculiar that they sent him here? And Mia accompanying him to this world? Both of them are Royal Grade Demon possessors, a rarity even in the Demon Realm. Wouldn't their family wish to protect and cultivate them until they're formidable enough to defeat those enemies?"

Aurora considered a possibility. "Perhaps they're concealing their strength."

"What do you mean?" Maya queried.

"Our worlds tend to be wary of infiltration by powerhouses. Sending them here could be a countermeasure against pursuing enemies. Furthermore, considering that Teacher Theo's strength deviates from reported accounts, he may be planning a surprise upon his return."

"Playing the pig to eat the tiger, huh?" Li Wei muttered, contemplating.

"Yes, indeed. Principal Victoria is having a hard time against him even though she has possessed all that background and resources. She could potentially overpower him, yet Teacher Theo leaves no gap to exploit." Aurora, true to her royal status, managed to access Theo's information and had even forged a close connection with Victoria.

"If we consider this, Teacher Theo will inevitably surpass these people, right? If that's his aim, who is the most formidable opponent he faces?" Lancelot inquired.

Aurora deliberated for a moment. "I believe there are three figures worth noting: Flynn Marshall, ranked 24th in the world; Zack Anderson, ranked 16th; and Raphael Penigma, ranked 6th."

"If he's setting his sights on that strongest individual..." Serena's gaze sharpened. She had acquired another target. By investigating Raphael Penigma and gauging his strength, she could deduce Theo's capabilities more accurately.

"I'll look into that guy," Maya declared firmly.

"It's better if I do it. Considering my royal status, they're unlikely to target me." Aurora shook her head.

"That Raphael character is quite notorious in the Demon Realm," Jayden commented. "I'm not too knowledgeable about it, but some general information exists. Reportedly, he leads an organization with six members among the top hundred. Their organization is ruthlessly malevolent, with members willingly sacrificing their lives to inflict harm upon their foes – similar to suicide bombers. Regardless, Raphael is clearly not a good person."

"It's no surprise his wife's family hates him," Aurora concurred.

"At any rate, we must ascertain the extent of Teacher's power. We might yet find something more to request from him." Serena clenched her fists, resolved to capitalize on her time at the academy to amass strength.

"You needn't do that; I'll continue to teach you to the best of my ability." Theo's voice suddenly resounded, adopting a gentle and composed tone that resembled a peer discussing their instructor. However, because his voice was unmistakable to the students, they couldn't help but swivel around to find Theo seated among them.

"Eh... Teacher... Why..." Maya gulped, contemplating the potential repercussions.

However, Serena, accustomed to his tactics, checked the clock and realized the class had begun two minutes earlier. They hadn't heard the bell, thanks to Theo's illusion that muted its sound.

Noticing her action, the rest of the students grew pale.

Theo maintained his smile and calmly addressed them, "All of you, excluding Li Wei and Mia..."

"Li Wei?" Maya spun around to see Li Wei already seated. "When did he..."

Theo interjected, "...will have one point deducted."

"Nooo!"