Amidst the students' screams,
A baseball bat smashed fiercely into the roaring BanaAdviser's face.
The immense force sent him flying into the air!
"Bana-!" His words were cut off by that bat strike.
The Assistananas beside him didn't even have time to get angry before they were blasted in the face by ice shards and spears hits!
Rappa's shuriken cut through the BanaAdvisers with a dangerous whistling sound!
"T-too violent!"
"These guys are going way too far against the teachers!"
"The teachers are actually being 'educated' in return!"
The scene left the students dumbfounded.
Fortunately, the fight didn't last long. This group of BanaAdvisers was no match for the three.
Before absolute violence, the crooked reasoning of the BanaAdvisers was completely shattered.
"As expected! This way of teaching is still the most satisfying!"
Stelle yanked the bat free from the shattered screen-face of a BanaAdviser, letting out a refreshed sigh.
"Hmph, these monkey's finally know how strong we are," March 7th said, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed in anger.
Dan Heng stayed silent. Instead, he looked at the graffiti-covered walls.
As the BanaAdvisers fell, the graffiti seemed to fade slightly.
Just as Dan Heng exhaled in relief, a sudden sound of applause echoed.
Everyone turned, only to see it wasn't the students clapping, but the very same Profnana, the university's president, who had once given a speech in front of the college, wearing a little monkey headpiece.
"It's him?" Stelle and March 7th raised their weapons again.
The Profnana clapped while sweeping his gaze across the fallen Assistananas.
"They say a stowaway has recently snuck into Penacony. Eyewitness accounts from the Bloodhounds describe someone with pink hair, red attire, and a blazing scarf... And you seem to match that description.."
At that, his eyes locked onto Rappa.
Rappa tugged at the brim of her hat and replied bluntly: "No need to beat around the bush, sir."
"Of course. What I'm trying to say is..."
"If the stowaway is indeed plotting something nefarious, it wouldn't make sense for them to attend classes at Paperfold University. So, I'm certain you're just an inquisitive student."
The Profnana paced slowly, saying: "Every banana seedling has the potential to bear fruit, that's why everyone deserves bananenlightenment. Paperfold University advocates freedom in education, so feel free to sit in our classes and be sure to apply yourself!"
His words stunned everyone.
Not only did he not attack Rappa, he was even persuading her?
At that moment, the Profnana looked at the surrounding students. These very students who had just witnessed the brutal beating of their teachers now seemed dazed after hearing his words.
But the Profnana said nothing more, only raising his voice: "Join me in a round of applause for our new student!"
At that, the students' confusion disappeared, replaced by excitement, as they crowded around Rappa and the three.
"Wow, did you just challenge the BananAdvisor? That's SO COOL! I've always found him annoying!"
"Why do you call yourself a ninja? Are there really ninjas on your planet?"
One word of praise after another, completely overturning their earlier fear and hesitation.
The audience watching was utterly shocked.
...
: Holy crap, did he just brainwash all those students with a single sentence?
: This Profnana really isn't ordinary.
: A second ago they were terrified because the teachers were beaten up, now they've completely flipped personalities.
: How is this episode managing to be both abstract and terrifying…
: I think I'm starting to see the truth!
: Is this really the work of the Doctor Primitive?!
: From the looks of it, that "Slumbernana" really does have incredible brainwashing powers!
: Boothill's case, and now these students, all prove that with the spread of the Slumbernana, more and more people will be brainwashed.
: But what's the ultimate goal? To overthrow Penacony? To conquer it?
...
The surreal Slumbernana monkeys, and the increasingly bizarre crowd, all made the viewers even more curious about the truth behind it all.
In the scene, after the Profnana's unexpected words, Rappa already knew she couldn't stay any longer.
"Fellow Ninja, we withdraw, for now!"
With that, Rappa snapped her wrist, and smoke billowed at her feet.
Even as the students coughed violently in the choking smoke, they still smiled and clapped, praising how cool the smoke effect looked.
This sight chilled many of the viewers to the bone.
After Rappa left them, the three decided to find her, but before they went far they came across a lady who had given up her name 'Montana' and taken up a new name 'Denisova 2' just to become a member of the Slumbernana Association.
Here March 7th decided to join the Slumbernana Association to investigate while the other two went ahead to meet Rappa.
Later meeting Rappa, Dan Heng voiced his doubts: "Even though I had doubts before. But the sworn enemy of the Galaxy Rangers, and taking into account the monkeys, the Evil Ninja Osaru you spoke of..."
"It's Dr. Primitive, isn't it?"
Rappa didn't hide it. She nodded solemnly: "Astute. Evil Ninja Osaru... it's definitely Evil Ninja Osaru."
"Who? Is that a yes or no?"
Stelle suddenly cut in.
Dan Heng began to explain:
"Member #64 of the Genius Society, Dr. Primitive. No one knows his real name, but his atrocities are infamous throughout the cosmos. The most horrifying one of all has to be his atavistic experiment.
The dozens of worlds he caught up in this experiment were mostly home to prosperous interstellar civilizations, but every single one of these planets was reduced to a regressed form of intelligence by the time he was done with them.
Intellitrons deteriorated into mere machines, Zatzkas regressed into birds, and even the most ubiquitous human civilizations were subjected to the same fate: millions of apes and monkeys now wander amidst the ruins that they once called home."
As Dan Heng explained in detail, the audience's eyes widened more and more.
...
: Holy shit?! Atavistic experiment? Dozens of worlds?!
: Not just one planet, but dozens? That's insanely over the top!
: I swear, what the Doctor Primitive did sounds even more insane than the Imaginary Pulse Weapon experiments!
: Damn! Dozens of worlds… turned into monkeys… roaming ruins?!
: This is some ultimate horror movie shit!
: The Doctor Primitive is straight-up final boss level!
: Man, these Genius Society guys, if they don't mess with things, fine, but when they do, it's always the craziest shit!
: I can't even imagine what it's like to regress an entire civilization into apes… it's terrifying.
: So behind these abstract little monkeys… was such an outrageous story?!
: Then those people wearing monkey headpieces…
: Damn it, Chadwick's Imaginary Pulse Weapon, and now the Doctor Primitive's atavistic experiment, When it comes to messing with things, these scientists take the crown!
: In terms of sheer notoriety, even within the Genius Society, I say the Doctor Primitive is absolutely the most infamous! His "projects" are the wildest!
....
The comments on screen went wild.
Just a moment ago, everyone had still been puzzled about the real purpose behind the Slumbernana Monkey sweeping through Paperfold University.
No matter how they guessed, the worst they could imagine was that the Doctor Primitive simply wanted to destroy Penacony.
Who would have thought there was such a terrifying goal hidden behind it all!
It could be said that with the Doctor Primitive's shocking appearance, the audience gained a whole new understanding of the Genius Society members.
The audience had only just recovered from the shock.
On screen.
Dan Heng continued speaking: "If Dr. Primitive is indeed behind this, we must alert the Astral Express and The Family at once. We won't be able to avert this crisis on our own. Facing such an amoral Emanator of Erudition... even the slightest of negligence could bring unimaginable consequences."
But as soon as the suggestion came out, Rappa spoke up: "Your analysis is accurate. However, in my humble opinion, now may not be the best time to call the Harmony Shogunate for aid."
"As stated in the Cosmic Ninjutsu Inscriptions: "When the net is cast for a catch, ready yourself to land a fish or forgo your net." With Evil Ninja Osaru lurking in the shadows and our locations not yet compromised, I suggest laying low to avoid alerting the monkeys."
"Rest assured, I've delegated Silvergun Shura to investigate the forbidden ground. Being the chivalrous and exceptional Ninja Hero he is, I have faith Silvergun Shura will accomplish the assigned mission."
"At this juncture, our priority is to rescue the ninja initiates of Paperfold Town. What Ninja Heroes would we be if left those defenseless initiates to the monkeys? If we don't rescue those before us, how can we hope to save the world?"
Rappa's reasoning was clear.
Doctor Primitive was important, of course, but already many people had fallen into the Atavistic experiment and meme infections. If the conflict escalated, the fate of those people would surely be tragic.
By this point in the story, in the eyes of the audience, aside from his uniquely eccentric speech, Rappa actually came across as very kind.
And sure enough, after his words, the screen once again filled with comments of praise for Rappa.
The three had no real counterarguments.
And indeed, the situation wasn't yet as dire as the Order's Dream.
So, everyone decided to follow Rappa's plan, continue gathering intelligence while also figuring out the BanaAdviser' setup within Paperfold University.
As they left their spot after that conversation, they ran into a Slumbernana who was making sounds nearby. It was the toy Stelle had ordered, it also had a tag on it, "Peelin' Richie, Fortune Academy."
Stelle reached out to touch it, but before she could, the toy ran off.
Dan Heng and Stelle gave chase to the monkey.
The little monkey ran incredibly fast, and even seemed to know the way. In just a few bounds it raced out of the academy and into the Fortune Academy's commercial street.
This was the same street where students freely set up stalls to sell things.
The monkey didn't stop for a moment, charging straight to one particular stall, finally stopping right in front of it.
And the stall's owner was not unfamiliar to the viewers.
Back when the scene first showed the bustling street, the camera had briefly captured this very stall, covered with Slumbernana plushies.
Richie, the stall owner was just an ordinary male student.
Stelle and Dan Heng caught up, and they immediately noticed Rappa standing and questioning Richie.
When questioned, he showed helplessness and sorrow, claiming he knew nothing about the Slumbernana Association.
He only sold Slumbernana Monkey because they were popular, hoping to ride the trend and earn enough money for tuition.
When Rappa was about to ask more, just like with the Dreamweaving BananAdviser earlier, here too appeared a Fortune BananAdviser.
The Fortune BananAdviser quickly spewed some nonsense and slipped away saying: "Excuse me, students. I'll take all other questions after class."
The student also slipped away saying: "I should get to my class too. But do me a favor buddies, just come look for me if you need anything. Let's not involve BananAdvisor again ..."
But of course, the three and Rappa would not give up so easily.
After leaving the stall behind, they quietly tailed both the Fortune BananAdviser and Richie… and after many twists and turns found the secret of the toys.
The Slumbernana plushies were in truth humans who were turned into plushies and were being sold.
They uncovered another shocking event! That runaway little Slumbernana plushie was actually Richie's father!
When he heard the news, Richie was completely dumbfounded, staring in disbelief at the Slumbernana Monkey that kept calling out to him with its "bana bana" cries.
"My… father? Th-That's impossible!" Richie collapsed to the ground.
"What's impossible about it? To pay for your tuition at Paperfold University, your father worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk at the Dawn Factory."
"When I met him, your father was already exhausted. I asked if he regretted it, and he said no."
"You, you're just an ordinary student. At Paperfold University, you're worthless. Why make your father work himself to death for you?"
"So, I instilled in him the tenets of our banacademics, convincing him that becoming a Slumbernana Monkey is the right thing to do."
The Fortune BananAdviser's words struck Richie's heart like hammer blows.
For the sake of chasing his dream of studying at Paperfold University, he and his father had struggled desperately.
His father labored away, while he himself worked hard after classes to scrape together money.
But Paperfold University's tuition was simply too expensive…
"Dad… If it was too much for you… why didn't you tell me?"
"If even you gave up… then what was the point of me coming here at all…?"
Richie muttered in despair. That scene made the audience watching it shiver.
Whether it was the origin of the Slumbernana Monkey, or the devastating words of the Fortune BananAdviser at this moment, it gave people an even deeper sense of what the Atavistic Experiment truly meant.