Chapter 1666: Bruce Wayne and the Magic Stone (Part 10)

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After Little Bruce walked away to the other side of the long table to discuss Schiller's injured hand with Barry and Harley, Schiller finally cracked a smile and said, "My other personality is curious about that paper shredder. I feel sad about the damage caused by its reckless operation."

Victor let out a disparaging snort, and Anna shook her head, clearly unimpressed by Schiller's excuses. "Actually, I needed to get injured. One of my personalities is exceptionally unlucky, and whenever they surface, all sorts of misfortunes befall me. So I invited them to try out that magical paper shredder."

Schiller calmly twirled the noodles on his plate into a perfect spiral shape, much to the amusement of Victor and Anna. "I don't understand the point," Anna said, puzzled. "Why not just hurt yourself if that's what you want?"

"Pain perception isn't shared among different personalities."

Anna and Victor exchanged a skeptical glance, their faces screaming, "Is that even possible?" and "Aren't you being a bit reckless?"

On the other side of the long table, Little Bruce squeezed between Barry and Harley, prompting Barry to scoot over, clearly annoyed. "What are you doing here? Can't you see we're trying to eat?"

"Did you see that? Rodriguez's hand is injured," Little Bruce said, trying to get their attention.

Harley paused mid-chew, while Barry raised an eyebrow, looking in Schiller's direction from afar. Although the distance was significant, Barry could see that Schiller's hand was hidden under the table.

"So what does that prove?" Harley asked, sipping her oatmeal. "Maybe he just didn't feel like using that hand today. I'm not convinced anything could harm him."

"But don't you think it's a bit suspicious?" Little Bruce set his plate and utensils down, then got up to grab a piece of bread from the front. "Yesterday, we saw someone get hurt by the Tree Demon, and now his arm is tucked away in his sleeve."

"Do you suspect Rodriguez is involved?"

"He's definitely suspicious."

Barry let out a sigh. "I don't get why you're making such a big deal out of this. Can't we just mind our own business?"

Little Bruce's demeanor seemed to brighten slightly as he retorted, "You really think you're clever, don't you? You think these matters have nothing to do with us?"

"What do you mean?"

Little Bruce sneered. "What do you think the magical realm is lacking right now?"

Barry was taken aback by the sudden change in topic. Little Bruce continued, "What kind of people do you think this college is trying to shape?"

Barry hesitated before answering, "I-I think it's to create powerful sorcerers."

Little Bruce shot back, "But is that really the most important thing? Aren't the angels and demons the truly powerful ones? Sorcerers derive their power from them, so what's the point of just being powerful? The previous Archmages of the magical realm were incredibly powerful, and look what happened to them."

Barry was left speechless by Little Bruce's rapid-fire questioning. Little Bruce continued, "If you understand even basic magical realm history, you'd know that the problem isn't personal ability; it's about stance. Constantine told me the magical realm has too many traitors who, whether intentionally or not, side with the angels and demons, harming humans and turning the magical realm into a puppet state controlled by powerful entities, threatening the interests of both sorcerers and ordinary people."

"This magical college was established to change this dynamic. Its purpose isn't to cultivate sorcerers' abilities but to instill the right stance in future sorcerers."

Barry still seemed puzzled. "So how does that relate to you trying to get involved in these matters?"

Little Bruce let out a frustrated sigh. "Can you fit anything else in that head of yours besides sausage?"

Meanwhile, Harley chimed in, "Barry, let's say there's a room containing an extremely crucial Magic Defense Network Energy Core that humans need. Our teachers and senior students warn us repeatedly not to approach that room. What do you think we should do?"

"We should follow the rules, of course."

Harley pressed on, "But what if one day you learn that a certain location holds an artifact? Will you still follow the rules and not try to get involved, even if the angels and demons are involved?"

Barry hesitated before responding. Harley added, "Many sorcerers don't betray humans of their own volition. Sometimes they're not even controlled by angels and demons; they just think it's right to follow them because that's what the environment tells them."

Little Bruce pointed out, "Most ordinary people can't break free from their environment, so promoting the idea that "if you're not successful, it's because you're not trying hard enough" is a red herring. If people can't escape their surroundings, no matter how hard they try, they'll be stuck in a cycle."

When faced with powerful entities beyond our control, it's crucial to maintain our sense of self through rebellion, doubt, and resistance against authority. This is the most vital lesson for all students.

Barry furrowed his brow deeply, feeling like he somewhat understood, as he stroked the fork in his hand and said, "So, is this some kind of trap set by our teachers and professors, or a challenge for us to overcome?"

"How else can it be explained?" Little Bruce replied forcefully, cutting through a piece of bread with his knife. "At the start of the new semester, they repeatedly emphasize how certain places are extremely dangerous and absolutely off-limits. But if these places were truly that hazardous, couldn't they just use magic to seal them off with concrete? I doubt many students could breach such a physical barrier."

Barry opened his mouth, suddenly realizing the logic in Little Bruce's words.

In a school setting, where teachers repeatedly warn students about a particular area but fail to implement any safety measures, it doesn't add up.

Why don't they seal off the entire floor with powerful magic? The rooms on the fourth floor aren't used for educational purposes, so blocking the corridor wouldn't affect the school's operations. So, why don't they?

"The biggest flaw is the injured student," Little Bruce said, rolling his eyes.

"Initially, they establish authority by repeatedly emphasizing rules and consequences, then they use the example of a student getting severely injured to scare everyone into submission. They use this incident to reinforce the rules, creating a mental prison for the students."

"Similar to how those angels and devils manipulate sorcerers," Harley said, sighing softly as she nibbled on a biscuit. "They create a sense of religious devotion, giving their followers the power to kill 'heretics' and instill fear. They emphasize 'obey and prosper, disobey and perish,' and within just one generation, people will be brainwashed and obedient."

Barry shivered, feeling a chill run down his spine as he spoke up, "So, if I were to encounter a demon now and it were to use the same tactics on me, would I fall for it?"

"Most people would," Little Bruce replied, his tone tinged with emotion. "I simply can't comprehend why you people are so unbelievably forgetful, complacent, and naive. Living among you, I feel like I'm surrounded by rocks."

"But those obstinate, foolish humans also have so much to cry about," Little Bruce continued. "They don't even try to sympathize with their own ignorance; instead, they're always crying about how pitied I am when I'm just expressing my genuine feelings."

Harley shot Little Bruce a sidelong glance as she turned the biscuit in her hand. "I've grown accustomed to this. I told my parents they might die, and they just thought I was crazy. When they did pass away, people swarmed around me, crying and telling me how pitiful I was and how I'd face hardships. They called this 'love,' but I was just overwhelmed by their emotions, foolish conjectures, and hidden malice."

"I was so much freer when I finally broke free from those people who claimed to love me. Now, people think I'm just a poor orphan."

Little Bruce paused from eating, wiping his mouth with a napkin as he said, "From a young age, I realized that many things were obvious to me, but others couldn't see or understand them. Even if they grasped the idea, they couldn't think of a reason or solution, or if they did, they couldn't execute it. And when they finally acted, it was always a mess."

"I often feel like I'm not even the same species as you people," Little Bruce said dispassionately, turning his gaze away. "I'd rather soar through the skies with the bats than wallow in the muck with these stupid fools who constantly pity me. Although they say humans can't understand one another, I seem to understand nothing about all of you."

Barry attempted to interrupt, but Little Bruce cut him off. "I have no interest in understanding you people; I'm perfectly fine on my own."

With that, he stood up and began to walk out of the dining hall alone. But his words still left an impression on him, even if he thought they wouldn't.

When he collided with someone, he was taken aback.

A sudden noise.

Little Bruce recoiled, covering his forehead and took two steps back. In contrast, the other person didn't flinch. As Little Bruce reopened his eyes to reveal the face of a Professor.

The first thing he noticed was the magnificent, intricately embroidered magical cloak with an ocean-blue inner lining and gold-edged hem, adorned with complex floral patterns. Then he saw the Professor's black outer cloak, etched with even more intricate patterns resembling split reeds and vines. Perhaps the cloak was longer than those worn by his colleagues.

Little Bruce raised his head to see icy blue eyes that sparkled like a frozen desert and a face almost identical to his own.

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

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Next Chapter =>Chapter 1667: Bruce Wayne and the Magic Stone (Eleven)