Something’s Off!

On the Light Novel Forum...

"Holy crap, I just saw the ad for Volume 2 of 'Magic Sword Academy' on the Times Square billboard in Kyoto! It's releasing next Monday, guys!"

"Is this for real? Volume 2 already? Mo Shao is amazing!"

"If it was any other light novel author, we'd be lucky to get one volume a month."

"Based on my calculations, if Mo Shao has already finished the second volume, then he probably doesn't have a sex life," joked a fourth.

"Hey, shouldn't we be talking about the ad itself? This is the first time a light novel ad has ever been on Times Square in Kyoto!"

Meanwhile, Chen Yulan watched the premiere of the ad at Times Square and immediately contacted a manga artist known as "Your Battery Is Mine" or "Battery Teacher."

Your Battery Is Mine, was a moderately famous manga artist who took on some commercial illustration work on the side. Li Xiaoci would probably say that Battery Teacher's art style was subpar and unappealing, but Chen Yulan knew that there was something special about his work.

Although if you asked Li Xiaoci to evaluate the artist, she would surely say that his style was "no good."

"It's not attractive! I don't like it! Even if the girl is completely naked, I wouldn't be turned on by it."

But...

Wasn't her situation special?

After being used to the 2018 style, if she was asked to use some early C73, C72 works, she wouldn't be able to get hard when faced with that primitive style.

However, in reality, the style of "Your Battery Belongs to Me" is very much in line with the current industry's aesthetics. Whenever he helps draw illustrations for some light novels, they mostly have a positive impact on sales, and even some otakus are willing to pay for his illustrations, even if the story was trash.

Initially, Chen Yulan was planning to contact Battery Teacher to help with illustrations for the first volume of "Magic Sword Academy."

Even if it was a bit expensive, she was willing to pay.

But...

Your Battery Is Mine had a strange personality and only took on orders based on his mood.

For example, last time he refused to work on "Magic Sword Academy" after hearing about it, saying, "What a garbage light novel, it has no substance at all."

This time, due to the artist who drew the illustrations for the first volume of "Magic Sword Academy" having a family emergency, the editorial department had to find a temporary replacement, so Chen Yulan decided to contact Your Battery Is Mine again to see if he was available.

Soon after, a young man's voice could be heard on the other end of the phone.

"Hello? This is Assistant Xiao Liu for Battery Teacher. He's in the restroom right now with his phone, so it might take a while... What can I help you with?"

"Ah, I see," Chen Yulan said. "I'm an editor from a light novel publisher, and I was hoping to commission Battery Teacher to illustrate a novel for us."

"Light novel, huh? That sounds familiar... Oh, right! What's the name of the novel?" asked Xiao Liu.

"It's called 'Magic Sword Academy.' We tried asking Battery Teacher before, but it didn't work out," Chen Yulan replied.

"Ah, 'Magic Sword Academy'? Well, I hate to break it to you, but if Battery Teacher said no last time, then he'll probably say no again. He's a man of principle, and once he makes a decision, no amount of money or words will change his mind. You're better off finding another illustrator," Xiao Liu explained.

"Oh, I see... Well, sorry for bothering you," Chen Yulan said before hanging up.

Meanwhile, at the "Your Battery Belongs to Me" household...

"Xiao Liu, who was that on the phone?" Battery Teacher asked as he sat on the toilet, trying to relieve his constipation while scrolling through his phone.

"Oh, just some light novel publisher. They wanted you to illustrate another one of their novels, but you already turned down their last request," Xiao Liu answered from outside the bathroom door.

"I said no already, and they still have the nerve to come back and bother me? Don't they know me at all?" Battery Teacher grumbled. "What was the name of the novel?"

"Um... 'Magic Sword Academy,' I think," Xiao Liu replied.

"Magic Sword Academy, yeah, that's the one." Xiao Liu replied.

As an assistant to a manga artist, Xiao Liu was always busy, and the rest of his time was spent reading manga. As a result, he didn't have much interest in light novels, so his reaction was so mild.

"What... what academy?" The teacher repeated.

"Magical Sword Academy" Xiao Liu repeated.

He wondered why the teacher's tone suddenly became so shaky upon hearing the book's title.

But he didn't think too much about it.

After all, in Xiao Liu's eyes, the teacher was a mature man who had principles and was unyielding.

Someone had once tried to convince the teacher to accept an illustration proposal by raising the price continuously. However, the teacher simply glanced at the book's synopsis and left, indifferent to the other party's pleas, no matter how desperate or how angry they got, he remained calm.

Yes! In Xiaoliu's eyes, the battery teacher at that moment was as proud as a lone eagle, as cold as a stone, like the statue of Zeus on the peak of Mount Olympus, and like a lonely and desolate swordsman with a back view.

He was like Lu Xun, who stood coldly with crossed eyebrows, looking down on the red dust like a celestial being in a painting, and was always indifferent to the appeals of mortals, not even raising an eyebrow.

This once made Xiaoliu unable to help but sigh that such a transcendent celestial being might only be interested in stealing batteries in this life.

But!

Next, Xiao Liu was left confused when he saw the "immortal" he held in such high regard, walking out of the bathroom with his pants still down...

And apparently, he forgot to flush the toilet... Wait, did he even wipe himself?

Holy crap!

What was going on?!

What could possibly make this teacher, who was usually so carefree, so agitated and even forget to wipe his butt?

Then...

Xiao Liu saw the teacher grab his shoulder without washing his hands and ask again, "It's really the illustration proposal for Magical Sword Academy?!! The same one I turned down last time? The one with my wife Sophia and my senior sister Hoshino in it?"

"Um, I think so..." Xiao Liu replied, looking dazed.

"Hurry up and call them back and tell them I want that proposal from Light Novel Publishers!" the teacher suddenly roared. "Damn it, my wife can only be drawn by me! Let everyone else stay away from her!"

"???" Xiaoliu trembled as he replied, "Uh, yes sir! I'll do it now! I'll do it now!"

At that moment...

Xiaoliu's hand holding the phone was shaking slightly.

He felt like he must have seen an illusion.

That teacher, who had always upheld his principles and was as proud as a lone eagle and as cold as a stone, had abandoned his principles in such an indecent posture?

For a list he had rejected, he had rushed out of the toilet with his pants still down without even wiping himself clean?!

No! Tell me it's not true!

...

Soon enough, Chen Yulan from the light literature editing department received a call from the "Battery Theft Studio."

She was bewildered to learn that the teacher known for being "super principled" in the illustration circle had suddenly taken on a job, and it had to be for "Magic Sword Academy."

From the tone of the manga assistant on the phone, it seemed that if anyone dared to compete with the battery teacher for this job, the teacher would challenge them to a real-life fight, and only the survivor would be worthy of taking on the job... It was that serious.

To this, Chen Yulan could only say, "???"

She had realized one thing...

Sure enough!

Something's off!

Anyone who is interested in this book must be crazy!