Chapter 12: Math Class or Magical Mayhem?
"The thing about being the reincarnated Dragon God is this: no matter how powerful you are, there's no escaping the true horrors of life. Like math class. Seriously, who invented calculus? I'd like to have a word with them—preferably while wielding dragon fire."
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The morning sun streams through the classroom window, mocking me with its cheerful glow.
Ms. Harada stands at the board, her marker squeaking painfully against it as she writes out yet another impossible equation.
"Alright, class," she says, turning to us with a smile that could only belong to someone who enjoys watching students suffer. "Who can solve this?"
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Reina, sitting next to me, jabs her elbow into my side. "Akira, wake up! She's going to call on you!"
I blink, pulling myself out of my daydream about a world where ramen grows on trees. "Huh? What's happening?"
"You weren't listening, were you?" Reina hisses.
"Define 'listening,'" I reply, grinning.
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Narration Mode Activated
"Pro tip: If you're going to ignore the lesson, make sure you have a clever excuse ready. Unfortunately, I was too busy calculating how many bowls of ramen I could eat in one sitting to come up with one."
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"Mr. Tanaka," Ms. Harada says, her eyes zeroing in on me like a hawk spotting its prey. "Why don't you come up and solve this?"
The class erupts in giggles as I stand, trying to remember if dragons can die of embarrassment.
Reina buries her face in her hands. "This is going to be a disaster…"
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I walk up to the board, staring at the equation like it just insulted my ancestors.
Equation: 4x^2 + 7x – 12 = 0
"Ah, quadratic equations," I say, nodding sagely. "The bane of my existence."
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Narration Mode Activated
"Fun fact: I once solved a problem like this in my past life by vaporizing the entire kingdom that assigned it to me. Unfortunately, that's frowned upon here."
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"Any day now, Mr. Tanaka," Ms. Harada says, tapping her foot.
"Right, right," I say, picking up the marker. "Let me just…think for a second."
I scribble random symbols on the board, hoping they look math-y enough to fool everyone.
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"Uh…is that a dragon?" one student whispers.
"What is he doing?" another asks.
Reina groans. "This is painful to watch."
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Finally, I step back, proud of my masterpiece: a poorly drawn dragon breathing fire on the equation.
"There," I say. "Problem solved."
---
The class bursts into laughter.
Ms. Harada sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Mr. Tanaka, this is a math class, not art school. Sit down."
I give her a thumbs-up. "Glad we're on the same page, sensei."
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Reina glares at me as I slide back into my seat. "Do you try to embarrass yourself, or does it come naturally?"
"A little of both," I reply, winking.
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Narration Mode Activated
"Rule #37 of being a reincarnated Dragon God: always find a way to keep things entertaining. Life's too short to take math seriously."
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Just as Ms. Harada launches into another lecture, a loud crash echoes from the hallway.
Everyone freezes.
"What was that?" Reina whispers.
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The classroom door bursts open, and a figure steps in—a tall man dressed in black, with silver hair and a scowl that could curdle milk.
"Akira Tanaka," he growls.
I sigh, leaning back in my chair. "Oh, come on. Can't you people give me one day off?"
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The class stares in confusion.
"Who is this guy?" Reina whispers.
"No idea," I reply, standing up. "But I'm guessing he's not here to borrow a pencil."
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The man steps forward, his eyes locked on me. "You've made a mockery of the Council for the last time."
"Define 'mockery,'" I say, smirking.
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He raises his hand, and the air around him shimmers with magical energy. The students gasp as their desks start to vibrate.
"What is happening?!" one of them screams.
Reina grabs my arm. "Akira, do something!"
I hold up a hand. "Relax. I've got this."
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Narration Mode Activated
"This is the part where most people would panic. But me? I've fought worse. Like that time I accidentally challenged a fire goddess to a drinking contest. Spoiler: I lost."
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The man hurls a bolt of magic straight at me.
I step to the side casually, letting it hit the wall behind me.
The wall explodes, leaving a massive hole.
"Okay, that was a bit rude," I say, brushing dust off my shirt. "You could've just called me outside like a normal person."
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The man snarls, summoning a massive battle axe made of black energy.
"Oh, an axe!" I say, grinning. "That's new. Usually, you guys go with swords. I like the creativity."
"Akira," Reina hisses, pulling me back. "This is serious!"
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"Relax," I say, patting her hand. "It's all under control."
The man charges at me, his axe slicing through the air with terrifying speed.
I dodge effortlessly, yawning as I step to the side.
"You're really going to have to try harder," I say, smirking.
---
The students watch in stunned silence as I continue dodging his attacks, my movements almost playful.
"Is he…laughing?" one of them whispers.
"Who is this guy?" another asks.
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Finally, I get bored. As the man swings his axe again, I catch it with one hand, stopping it mid-swing.
His eyes widen. "What…?"
"Cool axe," I say, smirking. "Mind if I borrow it?"
With a flick of my wrist, I shatter the weapon into a million pieces.
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The man stumbles back, his confidence crumbling.
"You…you're not human," he stammers.
"Correct," I say, stepping forward. "Now, how about you tell me who sent you before I decide to get serious?"
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Before he can answer, he vanishes in a puff of black smoke.
I sigh, turning back to the class.
"Sorry about the wall," I say, shrugging. "I'll pay for it. Probably."
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Reina stares at me, her face a mixture of shock and anger. "Akira, what the hell is going on?!"
"Long story," I reply, grabbing my bag. "Let's talk over ramen."
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Back in the ruins of the Council's chamber, a shadowy figure watches a crystal orb.
"So, the Dragon God continues to resist," they murmur. "Send the Blackthorn Twins. Let's see how he handles them."
End of Chapter 12