Paradise of Infinity: 332 (Patreon)

Title: The Leap of Faith

Skulls, that’s what Karma sees. Tadaomi is a plain skeleton in a white shirt and black trousers. Nik is a taller skeleton. Ray is a tiny skeleton. Korosensei is a weird skeleton with several small bone columns for his tentacles. Revy? She would have been a skeleton had she acted like a teacher. But she was more of a street thug.

Why skeletons?

Skulls?

Well, that’s what you are if you die, right? The flesh rots, leaving the bones behind.

But none annoyed Karma more than Koro and Nik. Korosensei turned over his assassination attempts to maintenance sessions. Karma’s nails have been polished, fed takoyaki, hair combed, and much more! So, Karma watches in anticipation. He cannot deal with the freak ball. What about Nik?

Nik enters the classroom as usual. Karma talked with Nagisa before. He learned how Nik spends little time teaching the kids about the art of seduction and instead hears their odd questions, helping them through several things.

It’s more like group counseling.

“Oh?” Nik stops and glances at his table. He picks up the thin magazine with risque artwork on the cover as Tadaomi frowns. The latter glances at the smirking Karma.

But Nik flips the pages.

“This is called hentai, right?” Nik scoffs a chuckle. “People really draw their hearts out. I don’t think elementary girls can enjoy an adult.”

He tosses the magazine into the dustbin. Nik smiles at Karma. “Were you unaware of that?”

“Do you speak from experience, Sensei?” Karma laughs shamelessly as his words make quite a few gasps. “Made several elementary girls cry, have you?”

The boys and girls cannot help but gape as Hansel and Gretel glances at each other, noting annoyance in their gazes. They like Nik. The twins can tell at a glance how different Nik is from Ray and how he empathizes with them. So watching someone make fun of such experiences is…

‘Annoying.’

“That is inappropriate, Karma—” Tadoami begins as Nik waves his hand. “It’s my class, Tadaomi-Sensei. You’re just here to watch, right?”

Nik keeps his emotions in check. He may have briefly lost control yesterday. But he tries to prevent the same mistake today.

“Yes, I know this from experience,” Nik replies calmly. “Would you like to hear my experiences?”

The classroom descends in silence as Nik turns to the chalkboard and writes the term Seduction.

He taps the chalk on it. “There are several ways to learn Seduction. I limit myself to words. It’s appropriate and practical. I would have gone into depth if you were older and your target had a similar body. See, Karma? What you are trying right now is a practical manner to seduce someone. Communicating about someone’s past is an excellent method of building trust. You can use different materials for it.”

Nik begins writing on the board as he explains.

“You may share similar experiences. It’s a trait commonly seen in victims. The most obvious example is everyone in this room. All of you are victims of Kunugigaoka High’s system. Going deeper, you will have more personalized experiences of abused trust. Classifying it further brings topics like assaults, emotional abuse, and whatnot.”

Nik turns and smiles at the classroom. “There are deeper layers than that. Everyone can make some guesses. Of course, you must remember that past trauma doesn’t always translate to present actions.”

“For instance, a groomed boy might not grow repulsed by the opposite gender but might show an incredible need for it. Some may show signs of bone-chilling violence. So, our upbringing during those traumatic years matters.”

Nik glances at the dazed twins. “Breaking it all down doesn’t take away from the experience. Stating things is ALWAYS easier said than done. So, Karma. The better method for you to somehow hurt me would have been through earning my trust and betraying it.”

Karma’s lips twitch.

“Why are you telling us all that, Sensei?” a blonde-haired kid questions.

“Why not?” Nik smirks. “You’re actively participating in assassinations. Just because the Government puts a bounty doesn’t mean killing someone becomes a holy act.”

His words shake others as Nik tilts his head. “You kids resolved to be killers for the Government and money. I can treat you all as peers, no? I wonder what other acts you will be willing to do once you get enough money.”

“We aren’t like that, Sensei!”

“Yes! You’re being mean!”

“It’s not like we killed Korosense!”

“It’s us or the world!”

The kids feel an odd pressure as they cannot help but retort.

Nik glances at Karma. “What do you think, Karma?”

Karma smiles with an eerily blank look in his eyes.

“It doesn’t matter,” he plays with a butterfly knife. “Why do I need a reason to kill a freak? I’ll be dead pretty soon. All reasons will die with me.”

Nik snickers.

“How does all this matter to seduction,” Tadaomi keeps the course on track.

“Of course, it does. What would happen if a nun seduced a sex-crazed freak? She would be ill-prepared for the result. The chances of you seducing Korosensei are low. But if you luckily succeed and get cold feet—Then what? You’re all attacking Korosensei as if it’s a joke. Are you ready to take a life?”

The classroom falls silent as Nik’s words poke Tadaomi.

“No,” he smiles. “Are you ready to kill for strangers? There aren’t heroes or villains. Even if you’re called a hero, you will only find a murderer in the mirror.”

“Pedo-Sensei has a point,” Karma smirks. “But you changed topics. So? A teacher always helps their students, right?”

He walks out of his seat and walks up to the podium. “Does that mean you’re here to help me?”

“I’m here to teach,” Nik replies. “It just so happens I can be slightly helpful.”

“Oh? How so?”

Karma speaks. “Are you saying you would be here for all of us? That’s a tall order, isn’t it, Sensei? As I told Octo-Sensei. He wants to act like a teacher. He can’t kill me even if I annoy him. That would kill his identity as a Sensei. What about you? How important is this identity to you?”

“Less than you can imagine,” Nik beams. “But you don’t have to worry, kid. I have no reason to discipline you.”

“No reason?” Karma gets into Nik’s face. “I brought Porn, Sensei.”

“Do you want me to believe you kids have never watched porn?” Nik shrugs. “I only advise you to not get into strange kinks. But it’s your decision at the end of the day.”

“I’m disrupting the class.”

“Only because you’re confused. I’m here to teach and guide. I can’t help with everything. But I can be a good listener. Sometimes, that’s all the other party needs.”

“Confused?” Karma laughs as he leaves the classroom. “Your jokes aren’t funny.”

Others are silent as Nik’s previous words bring them to reality.

“You let Karma leave again,” Tadaomi frowns.

“Why not?” Nik shrugs. “I only have three classes a week. It’s the last one for the week. I’m just glad I didn’t blow my top like last time. Hmm. Everyone, I don’t have adequate materials present to teach further. I will try bringing ‘props’ the next week.”

“You all can study something else.”

“Can we go play in the Shooting Range?” Hansel and Gretel questions.

“No. Complete the assignments Korosensei gave you.”

“Aw!”

<<<>>>

Students rarely enter the slightly more dangerous areas of the mountain. There’s a small cliff directly above the winding path leading to Class 3-E’s building. From this cliff grows an old, tilted tree. Karma perches atop the tree, his gaze seemingly lost as he bites his thumbnail. The shooting range spans a considerable section of the forest, so Karma can hear Revy barking orders at Nik as he shoots at the target from different angles.

“It’s alright, Karma,” Nagisa smiles sheepishly. “We all tried killing Korosensei. It’s nothing to feel frustrated about.”

Karma doesn’t pay Nagisa any mind.

Karma’s grades have been top-notch. He could effortlessly place in Class 3-A. However, his behavior and other issues kept him in Class 2-D before getting suspended after the year’s end. Nik was right. His trust had been betrayed.

His teacher has always been accommodating to his actions. Karma was always slightly a loose cannon. However, his grades allowed him to act as a delinquent.

His teacher always said, “You can trust me to have your back as long as you’re in the right.”

And he WAS in the right.

Karma just helped his senior against a bully.

So what if this senior studies in Class 3-E?

Does someone’s origin matter or designation matter? Still, Karma didn’t worry. His teacher had his back.

“No, you were wrong, Karma!”—His Homeroom Teacher didn’t. “How can you hurt someone with a bright future over the dregs of society? Truly! I only let you act like a boor because of your grades. But your performance will lower my image. I can’t bother with your nonsense anymore. Hmph. I’m—”

Karma didn’t even know when he flipped the table away, making the Teacher fearfully squeak. Well, that’s the sad part.

Karma didn’t even see a Teacher in that man anymore. All there was a skull.

A man dead to Karma.

“My, my,” a cold snicker breaks Karma from his reminiscence. “Already giving up, Karma-kun? I expected more.”

Unknowingly, the region around the cliff is already silent.

Did Revy and Nik already leave? Karma muses as he stands on the dried tree. Nagisa almost urges Karma to step back from the tree. However, the red-haired boy smiles.

“To be clear, Korosensei,” He begins. “You will do everything to teach and guide us. Even if it means putting your life at risk, right?”

“Nyufufu, of course.” Green stripes appear around Korosensei’s head as he giggles.

‘Green stripes. So, the yellow goofball is looking down on me.’ Karma takes out the gun filled with anti-sensei bullets.

“Then…” Karma steps back, laughing. “Let’s put it to the test.”

His body falls down.

“Karma!” Nagisa shouts as Korosensei doesn’t move. His smile widens as Nagisa hears another shout.

“Oi! Don’t be stupid!”

*Swish*

A shadow tears past Korosensei and Nagisa in the blink of an eye before diving past the cliff. Karma’s eyes remain wide in excitement. He points the gun at the figure before his expression stiffens.

‘Wait… that’s not the yellow—’

His thoughts jumble into a mess as the figure hurriedly catches the boy before wrapping him up. Even quicker is a yellow flash that flies past the duo.

*Broing*

The weightlessness within Karma disappears as he feels something sturdy underneath him. He pulls himself out of the surprisingly thick arms before standing on a strange web of yellow material, acting as a platform. His wide amber eyes stare as the figure tries to move from the platform.

“It’s too sticky!” He complains.

It is sticky. Karma almost fell down the moment he tried moving away.

“You—” Revy bites back her words once she looks down the cliff alongside Nagisa.

“You jumped?” Karma questions, stupefied.

“Huh?” Nik blinks before jerking his arm slightly. Karma instantly feels something hitting his head.

Wind?

“Why won’t I jump, you crazy crackhead?! You DO understand what falling to one’s death means, right?”

“I do,” Karma blinks. “Do you?”

Nik scoffs and glances at the grinning Korosensei.

“A little help, please. I also had it under control.”

Korosensei snickers. “I’m sure you did. However, I could not risk my student’s and coworker’s life.”

Korosensei pulls Nik from the sticky web, explaining.

“Your plan was brilliant, Karma. You forced me to save you. Using inhumane speed would have unintentionally crushed you. Had I been slower, you would kill me with your gun. However, you looked down on your teachers. I don’t mean it just because men like me or Nik are different. Teachers never abandon their students.”

Koro laughs as Karma continues staring at Nik. His gaze shifts between the two teachers as the latter sighs and shakes his head.

“But jumping down from a cliff is different. Man! Don’t be so eager to prove a point. I wouldn’t have jumped down if I wasn’t powerful.”

“And dumb!” Revy supplants from above.

“As the lady said,” Nik shrugs before looking at Korosensei. “Can you toss me up?”

“Sure.” Koro coils a tentacle around Nik before tossing him to the cliff. His figure calmly lands beside Revy as Karma’s eyes widen.

“And no need to bring more pornography during my classroom, Karma,” Nik smirks at the boy. “Now you know how it feels to be slightly seduced. You’re smart. I’m sure you would use it well to assassinate Korosensei.”

Karma snaps out of his daze.

Nik glances at Korosensei.

That’s what Koro did to Nik.

Power and promise… are seductive.

Nik and Revy leave as Koro brings Karma to the cliff, too. Koro’s teaching to the boy will remain their moment. Nik was nearby and watched Karma’s interaction with Koro to understand more about the problem kid.

Who would have known he would jump?

Revy glances at the youth, suddenly elbowing Nik once they get out of view.

“Ow,” he deadpans as she grabs his collars!

“Ow? You fucking maniac! Learn to not risk your life on stupid shit!” She snorts. “I ain’t talking for myself. But you have a lot of people looking out for you.”

“Revy? I would have turned the ground soft,” Nik shrugs.

‘I don’t mean that…’

“I don’t mind repeating it as many times as I like,” he suddenly coils his arms around her shoulder. “You lot are my priority. I would love to be a hero. But I’ve known the truth that no such being exists.”

“Fuck off!” She pulls away. “Don’t act so chummy.”

“So, having sex and threesomes is fine. But it’s too much to have slight intimacy?”

Revy scoffs.

“You’re mighty cute when you’re embarrassed.” Nik snickers. “My! Look at that scowl. Ah! And a gun against my crotch, too. Don’t misunderstand. It’s not getting harder due to the gun.”

Sometimes…

Nik can be infuriating to a speechless Revy!

***

Alternate Title: Karma Pushing The Boundaries; The Stifling Talk; Keeping It Real; The Harsh Truths; Forced To Combat Morality; Nik Learned a Thing or Two From Kyoshi; The Doujin; Loli Artists Do Be Freaky; Nik Dreads Entering The Hentai World; Also Nik: Has a Harem in Hentai World; The Annoyed Karma; Distrust; Not a Teacher; The Loose Cannon; Danger; Forcing Hand; The Cliff; The Teachers Jump; The Slap on The Back of The Hand Through Airbending; Core of Seduction—Promise; Embarrassed Revy and Dominatrix Revy Are Peak