Disciples? I Have Those!

Gray happily entered the Logistics Department… 

But he instantly felt that something was wrong! There were three clerks in total, but as soon as they saw him, two of them instantly went on their break, changing their sign! 

Open → Be Back soon! 

The whole thing gave him bank vibes, from the decor to the counter set-up. 

As for the remaining clerk? He actually tried to go on break too, but he was a beat too late! Realizing that he'd have to deal with Gray, he now looked utterly crestfallen. 

Gray approached the counter… 

"Hello there. I'm here to collect my Teacher Badge!" 

"T-Teacher Gale, right? T-This, there's been a situation…"

The man's entire body seemed to scream… why me?! He was already dreading what would happen next, but it was his job to explain the issue nevertheless. 

"It's like this: Assistant Teacher Allan came earlier and…" 

After their Plaza altercation, the man had started a petition to have him banned as a teacher?! And now Gray's badge was held hostage until review?! 

That process wouldn't take too long, but at this juncture, every minute counted. If Gray couldn't accept students, then he would definitely fall behind! 

Fall off early → Students picking other teachers → Gray left there like a dumbass, twiddling his thumbs → Fall further! It would be a vicious cycle! 

The poor clerk expected Gray to rage, yet he somehow kept his calm?! 

"That so? How can I solve the issue fast? What would you sugg—"

"It's pointless! Teacher Gale, you should leave." 

A voice suddenly came from the back, and the clerk jumped in shock. Along with this, a man appeared, one that seemed to be the supervisor here?! He scoffed, turning to the clerk. 

"Go about your business. Teacher Gale won't be here long anyway." 

Here? It seemed like he meant here as in the Academy! Finally glancing Gray's way, he gave him a half-gloating, half-pitying look.

"You screwed up big time. You should have declined the Teacher position and requested to be an Assistant-Teacher instead. Now you'll be picked apart and made an example of." 

"Picked apart?! How are you so sure of that?" 

"Too specialized a talent. Too little backing. Too many enemies. Others may not know, but I do. That first class of yours? You're already doomed to fail. I've seen the judge list…" 

At this moment, Gray understood. The supervisor COULD have given him the badge, but it would have been risky. Corrupt idiot? No, he had simply picked a side, and it wasn't his! 

Petition against Gray? → Maybe he wouldn't even get any Disciple

Class without any Disciple? → Would regular students even attend? After the postings on the board, doubtful! 

Harsh Judges? → Even if he did get a full class and gave a great lesson, who knew if it would be enough to impress the judges? 

Gray couldn't help but wince. Day two, and he was already getting thrown into Academy Politics?! Goddamn, he wanted nothing to do with all this nonsense! Still, he chuckled: 

"Supervisor, would you take a short walk with me?" 

"A short walk? Teacher Gale, I get where you're coming from, but I'm not messing with you. It really is protocol! Either get Assistant Teacher Allan to drop it or take it up higher." 

"Of course! I just want a few more details on the whole process, that's all. Surely you can do this much for a Teacher, right? Ah, and can I get some paper for notes?" 

The man reluctantly agreed, frowning as Gray headed toward the entrance. He would have preferred to stay inside, where it was cool and quiet, but he still followed. 

But as soon as they had crossed the doorway…. 

Sound came back. No, SOUND came back, all at fucking once! 

"I can't wait to tell all my friends!"

"For sure, all those questions? They're epic!"

"I can already picture their faces as— wait, guys, guys, he's out!" 

"Everyone, shut the hell up! Teacher Gale, you have your badge, right?"

It was a sea of hyperactive students. As for the poor supervisor, he looked like a deer in headlights. What the heck was this?! Where had all those students come from?!

It would have made a little sense if they were Alchemy students, but NOPE! Astral mages, Combat Mages, Hunters, and even a few Forging/Alchemy students?! 

All looking in expectation at Teacher Gale… 

Teacher Gale, the guy who people called a fake, right?

Teacher Gale, the absolute nobody who had no backing, right? 

Teacher Gale, the one who was doomed to fail his first class, right?

WHAT?! What the hell?! Teacher Gale was so different from the rumors! 

"Everyone, thanks for waiting! Turns out, a certain Assistant-Teacher Allan has started a petition to get yours truly kicked out of the school. Thus, I couldn't receive my Badge." 

At that moment, so many death stares landed on the shivering supervisor. If looks could kill, he would have already been six feet under! But just as it seemed like they'd riot, Gray spoke: 

"Anyway, I've decided to start a petition of my own..." The paper from before? It wasn't exactly for notes.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Gray's Fun Petition! 

Give Allan a Promotion! Sign Now! 

Assistant-Teacher Allan → Dumbass Allan! 

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

What kind of petition was this?! He wanted to legally change the man's job title from assistant teacher to dumbass?! This made no sense at all!

"T-Teacher, what is this supposed to accomplish?"

"Shouldn't you ask for your badge instead?"

"Or maybe to have him expelled?"

They gave him puzzled looks as they tried to guess his thought process. That's when Gray clicked his tongue.

"Are you all heartless? I'm sure Assistant-Teacher Allan has a family to support! Do you want his wife and kids to be out on the street? No, they deserve a proper barn!"

Seeing this, the students couldn't help but be impressed.

"Teacher Gale's surprisingly compassionate."

"Supporting one's family is important!"

"Eh, guys, did he just say barn?!"

"D-Don't tell me...?!"

Barn?!! Was he actually calling the man's family animals?! Wouldn't that also mean that had done the deed with... BLERG! Holy shit! Teacher Gale sure was ruthless!

But they weren't the only ones impressed…

"T-Teacher Gale, wait for me an instant. I'll be right back!"

The shivering supervisor suddenly had a change of heart. One, Gray really had many Disciples, proving his potential. Two, there really were too many disciples! 

What would happen if he sent them after him... he'd be freaking doomed! He hurriedly disappeared inside, Gray nodding approvingly as he turned to the students:

"I do have one last question for you all. Are you interested? This time, the reward will be 1000 Obsidian Coins." Interested? Of course, they fucking were! Gray began: 

"An ugly old decrepit witch has been having nightmares recently. Every night at 3 am, she wakes up, her ears bleeding and her body covered in sweat. Scared, she goes to the doctor."

"The doctor says there's nothing wrong with her and that she should simply rest. She goes back home, but then it happens again. This time, however, she feels a shadowy presence, too!"

"Spooked, she invites an exorcist. He goes around her place: no evil spirit. Still, to be 100% sure, he asks a buddy of his, a mage, to put a ward on the whole place. It's now a fortress!" 

"Satisfied, she rests easy… until 3 am! Ears bleed, sweat pours, and there's a shadow by her window! Incensed, she checks it.. only to have a heart attack, her eyes bleeding! What did she see?"

By now, the supervisor was already back, hypnotized by the story. What did she see? Even he couldn't even begin to guess it. As for the students?

"A specter! They feed off fears!"

"Idiot, the ward would have blocked it!"

"She's a witch! She sees a witch hunter!"

"But she's an old witch. She's probably strong, no?"

From curses to enemies to her simply having a bad heart, they gave every tiny idea they could think of until, as usual, they had to admit defeat. They looked at Gray in expectation:

"It was Assistant-Teacher Allan singing her a serenade!"

"Pfft— So that's why her ears were bleeding!" 

"Ugly decrepit witch? What a peculiar taste!"

"Tch— Cheating on his family? Villain!" 

What kind of nuclear revenge was this?! Insulting the guy? Everyone would have soon forgotten. But a weird petition and an elaborate story? It was bound to spread far and wide!

Grinning, Gray turned to the shell-shocked supervisor.

"So, about my Teacher Badge…"

"Here you go, Teacher Gale!" He respectfully handed it over with both fucking hands.

At this moment, he was truly scared. This young teacher? He was the freaking Devil himself! Under that compassionate smile hid a devious, scheming mastermind! Even now... 

"Ah, but I can't accept this. I wouldn't want to trouble you, now would I? After all, it really is against protocol!"

Gray had barely uttered that the poor supervisor felt the weight of hundreds of gazes, the Badge burning his palms! If the man decided to write a story about him instead... OH GOD! 

"Please! What's a tiny villain's petition in the face of such an amazing teacher? After having witnessed your work, I just have to do the right thing! Here, take it, I INSIST!" 

Seeing how desperate the man was and how deeply he bowed, Gray "reluctantly" accepted the Badge. Finally, he turned one last time to the crowd: 

"Disciples, come forward and get registered! As for all the others? See you in my first class! We'll review today's teachings, so come prepared!"

They all happily crowded forward, but little did they know that their new teacher was an utter fake. 

He knew. He also knew faking could only take him so far. 

It was time to learn Magic...