A Mother's Mentor

“You, my mentor?” Du Chen scoffed, a slight pout on his lips. “Professor Mina, please don’t joke. You’re a plant-elementalist, and I’m a water-elementalist!”

Mina mimicked Du Chen’s pout, though hers was far cuter. “Please, little cutie, I’m a Rank Seven Battle God! Do you think I can’t teach you the absolute basics of other disciplines?” She shrugged. “Besides, I’m only teaching you the practical combat portion. As for theory, hehe, little cutie, you’re in luck! Vice Dean Philip is actually going to personally instruct you!”

“The Vice Dean is going to personally teach me?!” Du Chen was overjoyed. Anyone who’d been to school knew the difference between being a regular teacher’s student and a Vice Dean’s student.

“Exactly! See? Didn’t I tell you how lucky you are!” Mina gave a few instructions to the teachers guarding the sealed square, then said, “Come with me. You’re in for a tough month. Intensive Training and learning new things – you’ll be dead tired! Oh, and the three-day hunger training isn’t over yet, so you’ll have to learn your basics on an empty stomach. How about it? Can you handle it?”

“I’m fine with that!” Du Chen asked curiously, following Mina. “But why is Vice Dean Philip only teaching me theory, and you’re teaching me practical combat?”

“Vice Dean Philip is limited by his innate talent; his battle qi isn’t strong, only Rank Five!”

Du Chen was greatly startled. Such a “weak” person could be a Vice Dean?!

Mina explained, “But don’t you ever look down on him! He’s no waste, but rather the most brilliant Alchemist Master of our age. And though Vice Dean Philip’s personal strength isn’t formidable, his research into battle qi is absolutely unparalleled on Battle God Isle! Many high-ranking Battle Gods even seek his counsel.”

Speaking, Mina saw that the road was clear and lowered her voice. “Intelligence from the Holy Church indicates that Philip’s alchemy is incredibly potent. He’s currently researching a Talent-Altering Medicine. If you get the chance, help your big sister investigate his research.”

Du Chen silently nodded.

Arthur had said he came to Battle God Academy to find something to change innate talent.

Philip was researching Talent-Altering Medicine…

No wonder the people of Battle God Academy so readily accepted the change in his talent. So, treasures capable of defying fate truly existed in the Battle God World!

Leaving the square, they headed east towards the base of Hot Spring Mountain. On an open patch of ground before a pine forest, a middle-aged man and several staff members were awaiting Du Chen.

“Is this Francis?” The middle-aged man was Philip. He was wearing a common light-yellow staff robe, his hair streaked with blue and white, and a three-stranded beard. His appearance was unpretentious, making him seem like an ordinary teacher.

“Esteemed Vice Dean Philip, this is Francis. For the next three days, I leave his instruction to you.” Mina bowed respectfully and then withdrew.

Du Chen bowed formally in greeting. Just as he was about to speak, Philip smiled and said something that left him dumbfounded.

“Francis, I was once your mother Phil’s mentor!”

Phil, Mother… Du Chen’s mind went blank. His knowledge of Francis’s deceased mother was limited to her name, that she was the only daughter of a minor noble family on the Aethelgard Continent, and that she died of illness when Francis was three. That was all.

This information came from Old Foye – Arges wouldn’t even speak much to Du Chen, let alone about his deceased wife. Steve was only eight when Phil died, so he couldn’t have known much either.

After a brief moment of disarray in his thoughts, Du Chen smiled. “Esteemed Vice Dean, I never imagined you were my mother’s mentor. I am honored to also become your student. It’s just a pity my mother has already…” As he spoke, his expression darkened.

“Poor Phil, alas!” Philip sighed. “From the day she enrolled, I was her mentor, witnessing her growth, and everything from her meeting to falling in love with Arges. She was like a daughter to me…”

“You were very close to my mother?” Du Chen asked, surprised.

“Yes, very close. For a time, she even called me Godfather.” Philip said with a touch of sadness.

Philip was Francis’s mother’s Godfather?! Doesn’t that make him my step-grandfather?

Suddenly gaining a new elder, Du Chen awkwardly laughed. “Vice Dean, my two elder brothers also enrolled in Battle God Academy this year. Since you were my mother’s Godfather, you are now an elder to all three of us brothers.”

“I’ve already reviewed Steve and Charles’s files. I’ll meet them after Intensive Training. For now, I am your mentor.” Philip placed a hand on Du Chen’s shoulder, his voice solemn. “You haven’t cultivated battle qi yet, so you haven’t taken the Battle God Oath, have you? Francis, I wish to be your guide on the path of the Battle God. Swear your oath, and walk the path of the Battle God!”

Du Chen was taken aback with solemnity. Philip was performing the ritual for him to become a Battle God.

In the Battle God World, this ritual is extremely important, much like baptism for Christians in his previous life. During the ceremony, every future Battle God must declare the purpose of their battle qi cultivation, which is known as the Battle God Oath.

Du Chen knelt on one knee before Philip, a warmth spreading through his heart. He thought of his elder brother Steve. When Steve came of age at fifteen and could take responsibility for his words and actions, he swore an oath to forever protect his ‘good-for-nothing’ younger brother, Francis.

Philip placed a hand on Du Chen’s forehead, while with the other, he took a Thorned Flower Leaf dipped in clear water from a staff member and touched it to Du Chen’s glabella. “Francis Saint Sigurd Keynes. Tell me, why do you wish to become a Battle God!”

Why become a Battle God? Heh, he wanted to be able to use force openly, and to borrow the abilities of a Battle God to cultivate his Lotus Internal Force. But of course, he couldn't say that.

Du Chen offered a frank smile and said, “My lifelong wish is to perform good deeds across the world and assist all people!”

Philip’s eyes flashed with an unusual glint. “Hmm, I’ve seen your records. You’ve performed many good deeds. So your purpose in becoming a Battle God is to do good?”

Du Chen nodded.

Philip’s expression suddenly turned solemn. “Then do you understand what truly constitutes a good deed!?”

Du Chen was stunned by the question. After a moment’s thought, he said, “To help those in need, and to punish those who harm others.”

“Is that so? Are good deeds truly that simple?” Philip didn’t immediately conclude the ceremony after the water anointment, as per custom. Instead, he continued to ask, “What if the one in need is an evil person? What if someone harms others but does so to save even more people?”

“Gods above, this Philip isn’t a philosopher, is he?” Du Chen remained kneeling, a hint of annoyance in his heart. His voice grew slightly louder. “I only ask to live with a clear conscience!” Internally, he added, 'And with the Precious Lotus Scripture to determine the standard for good deeds, you don’t need to worry about my choices.'

Philip smiled. “A good answer: ‘to live with a clear conscience.’ Then I ask you, how do you view hatred?”

“Hatred comes in many forms, Vice Dean. Which kind do you mean?”

“For instance… Oh, this is just a hypothetical!” Philip stared into Du Chen’s eyes, smiling as he asked, “What if one day you discover you bear a mission, and this mission demands you seek revenge, to kill, to kill many people, to kill many good people. Would you do it?”

Du Chen was stunned again. Instinctively, he felt that Philip’s words were more than just a hypothetical.

Philip continued, “You just said punishing evil is to uphold good. So, if someone indiscriminately slaughters the innocent, not even sparing the old, weak, women, or children, would you kill such a person?”

“Yes!” Du Chen replied, clean-cut this time.

“Heh heh, what if that person was killing to protect you?”