C32

What is in front of him is someone who had a very familiar style. With dry eyes and dead fish eyes, he's no other than Erasure Head himself! Joey could recognize him even with one eye closed. No, even if you closed both of his eyes, he would know it was Erasure Head with his voice alone. It was dry, flat, and a bit grumpy as though everyone owed him some money. With such a voice, he addressed the students who were fidgeting with excitement. "What're you guys so excited about?"

When his gloomy voice reached the beaming students, it instantly killed the mood. They stared at him, frozen with question marks on their mind.

But although they're made dumbfounded by his unexpected response, they're not exactly clueless either. It can be said that they're familiar with this pattern. "Could it be that also happen to him?" "Yeah, seeing how bad it was, it should be a close relative." "Nay, I think it's his wife."

What if someone you know suddenly acts coldly toward you for no reason. Being absent-minded in their daily life. Lack of concentration, and constant daydreaming. Violent behaviors without rhyme or cause. Or even sudden depression and suicide.

Although they're not common, sometimes they did happen to neighbors or friends. Especially since the Spawn Disaster six years ago. Many had fallen. Some were acquaintances, neighbors, friends, or even family. That's why even though they're still underage, they had an inkling of what happened to their teacher. They had experienced it a couple of times at the very least. It also went viral on the net. So even kids would know of this trend.

This instructor of them, someone close to him might have fallen, or so they thought. But Joey didn't think so. That gloom and grumpiness should be part of his personality. But he can't exactly tell them the reason why so he can only keep his mouth shut.

"Hurry and pick up the wooden sword." The supposed combat instructor gave a pointed look at the bundle of sticks on the floor and said with a voice that sounds like it was muffled by the scarf on his neck.

"Uh, there's only a wooden sword. Don't we get to choose our weapon based on our talent?" A smart-looking dude raises his hand, he was a bit unhappy.

"Yeah! and we don't even know your name, sir! If it's possible I'd like to learn how to wield a scythe. It looks cool." A nerd boy chimed from the back, voicing his opinion while staying hidden amidst the pack.

"Oh, you want to learn something you find interesting? Haa, I think you're misunderstanding something here." He said, tone laced with annoyance. "Listen here you brats, this is not a martial arts class. I'm not here to teach you a fancy move from some fancy martial arts. I'm here to drill into that young head of yours on how to kill monsters correctly and efficiently."

The youngster looked at their combat instructor, speechless. The class was different from what they had in mind.

"Ah, the name Erasure Head by the way and I'm not your teacher. I'll be your temporary combat instructor until they assign one for you." He took a breath, "If you're done with the sword, then follow me." He didn't wait for them to respond before he walked away from the yard. As though caught in a headlight, the students picked up the wooden sword in a hurry before running after their teacher.

"Is he the real deal?" Tiona asked as they followed the instructor's back.

"He said he was a temporary instructor. So, there's a high chance that he might be a random dude the school picked up until they find a better replacement." Jiro replied.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Tiona looked at the new instructor suspiciously.

Joey laughed, "Relax, I assure you that he's the real deal." The casts from both show that he had met so far kept their original personality and temperament. So he must be still the same trustworthy character. Though he had no idea why Shota was here as a temporary instructor.

"Joey, do you know the instructor?" Momo stared at him with curiosity. The others also did the same.

"You guys should know him too though. He was pretty famous."

"Are you sure? I don't think there's a famous hero like him..." Jiro crumpled her eyebrows.

"Wait, his name sound familiar..." Tiona exclaimed while deep in thought. "Ah! I remember! He's that hero who was targeting the villains with Kill Order on their back. Erasure hero, the Erasure Head!"

Momo and the other looked at Tione with wide eyes. "Are you referring to that famous Erasure Hero?"

"Why would he come to our school to become a temporary instructor?" Jiro asked.

Momo voices her confusion, "He should be teaching at the U.A Academy, isn't he?"

"She's right. Why would he stay here as an instructor, a temporary one at that?" Tiona whispered while looking so excited.

"Are you saying he's a fake?"

"You got that right, Momo! there's no way he's the real deal!" Tiona and the other looked like they had so much fun. Joey looked at the girls helplessly. They're so into it that he doesn't feel like disturbing their fun. 'Well, what's the harm in having some fun?' Joey shrugged as they went into the gymnasium. But just in case he advised the girls to watch out for their manner in case he's the real deal.

It was his first time going to the gymnasium but he overhears the upperclassmen talking about it. They sound impressed even to his ears. So he had some expectations. But not to this decree. He didn't think the gymnasium would be that huge. There are even plenty of bleachers on each side of the field.

The students looked around the place in wonder and amazement. It feels like they're in some kind of stadium. But Joey's attention was on the lone dummy in the middle of the court. It had the familiar shape of a Goblin, the weakest monster from the dungeon.

Shota walked to the huge wrapping beside the dummy and loosened the black rope hanging from the side. The whole sheet then started to slide down the floor, revealing five more Goblins to the amazement of the students. This is their first time seeing something like that. It was the same for Joey.

So far, he had been training with a human version dummy. Not because he can't purchase them but because there's no such a thing to be found. He never heard of a monster-shaped dummy before! And unlike his bland dummies back home, it had a more realistic shape and colors to go with it. Joey sight zeroed to the green chest of the Goblin and saw a logo of earth surrounded by two hands. It's the logo of Ansoft Corporation!

They're the top corporation that invents most of the magic tools people used in their daily life and the dungeon. This monster dummy must be their new product.

Shota clapped his hand, "If you're done with your gawking, then I'll start today's combat lesson." He smirked at the students, "Those whose name I called shall go forward and fight against the Goblins with your designated weapon."

"Huh?" The young and bright-eyed students stared at their instructor and the goblins in confusion. One of them raised her hand, it was Tiona. "Sir, Erasure Head... Should we form our own team?"

He grinned, it was a bit sadistic and nasty. "Nope, you're going to fight the six goblins alone, and without assistance."

"What?!"

"Is that even possible?!"

"He didn't even teach us anything and suddenly asked us to fight monsters?"

The gymnasium immediately started to get rowdy with the chatters of the students. Seeing this Shota added with a bit of glare and nasty smile, "If you don't want to do it then feel free to leave the gymnasium. Don't worry, I'll fail you right away, so you don't bother to attend combat class ever again."

The rowdy gymnasium immediately plunged into silence as they looked at the instructor with anxious gazes. Beside her, Joey saw his girlfriend Momo scrunching her brows as she tried to raise her hand. He wondered if he should stop her, but decided against it. It was her decision and she was free to do what she wants. As for the consequences? He doesn't believe can't clean up after his girlfriend.

"Sir, if I may." Momo said, "As a combat class I think we should practice something that could be of some use to us in the dungeon. I don't think we are going to the dungeon alone, or solo as people might put it. At least for beginners, I think it's unlikely that they would go dungeon delving without comrades. Teammates are essential for heroes, especially inside the dungeon. That's why practicing to fight solo is..."

"Useless?" Shota stared at her with an incomprehensible gaze. "Listen up you lots, do you think you're going to face a mere six goblins inside the dungeon?"

When he saw the silence, he added. "Of course not! It will be much more than that. Being heroes is not that easy! Do you have any idea how many casualties we had when the Spawn Disaster happen? Compared to back then, fighting against six goblins by yourself is nothing in comparison. No, you should at least be able to do this if you don't want to die a dog death inside the dungeon!"

Joey stared with wide eyes at the figure in front of him. To others students, he might look scary and mean but to him, he looked more like a parent who worried about his children. He did his best in scolding them so they could have a better chance at living, even if it's just by a little bit. Staring at the Erasure Hero, Joey had a feeling that it was not how the combat class was supposed to work. He's pretty sure this is his arbitrary decision and there's a 99.9% chance that he was right. But he didn't hate it. This might be good for his classmates in the long run.

Under Shota's intimidation, the students comply with his teaching method and sure enough, it went as he expected, a massacre.

A single student won't be able to contend against six goblins. It doesn't matter if they're trained in martial arts or not, they're both got beaten up by the goblins. It was a miserable sight for Joey. This is his first time seeing people his age in mock combat and it made him speechless. "It's a goddamn awful..."

Shota called a student's name and the boy wobbled to the stage with a nervous expression on his face. One glance and Joey could tell that he had an untrained body.

The boy stood there holding a wooden sword in both hands while waiting for the goblins to make a move. Understandable since he was a newbie, but a wrong decision. Soon enough, the goblins made their move. The boy swung the wooden sword at the approaching goblin but missed spectacularly as the goblin easily. sidestepped to the side and dodge his attack. The green skin then flapped his plastic maw back and forth in a mocking laugh.

The student had no time to get angry before the second goblin whacked his face and ended the match. The other students also can't help but burst into laughter when they saw this, Joey included. "Hey, this might be more fun than I expected."

"Ouch!" A pinch to his side is all he needs to know about his girlfriend's foul mood. He assured his pouting girlfriend. "Don't worry, my name starts with the letter J, so I'll start a bit early. I'll make sure to trash them out completely before they got the chance to mess with you girls."

"That's not what I'm worried about." A worry flashed in Momo's eyes, "Are you going to be okay against so many goblins?"

"No problem. I have a trump card." Joey showed her a golden ring on his finger.

"That's... an artifact? Why would you bring something like that with you?" Mom hissed in his ears. She sounded more worried than before. How come? Joey's plans to assure her backfired on him.