《Magus Supremacy》


 Chapter 1 - 1: Bad news

    "Watch your step, Grey! Wouldn''t want you kissing the ground again!" Laughter erupted as four boys stood together, sneering at the lone figure before them.


    Grey, a young boy of 15 years old who had brown coloured short hair and brown eyes and standing at almost 6ft tall.


    Grey turned around to look at the boy that mocked him.


    "Hey Clark! F*ck you!" Grey said as he lifted his middle finger up and pointed it to Clark.


    "You weak worthless trash how dare you!" Clark shouted and with a flick of his wrist, His fingers traced the air. The wind howled, a sharp gust slamming into Grey''s chest.


    BOOM!


    Grey flew backward, crashing onto the hard cobbled street. Pain shot through his body, and a metallic taste filled his mouth.


    "You should be grateful that you still got to live after being useless to your family. Next time you talk back to me, I won''t be so kind as to spare your life." Clark said as he walked away with his friends. Their laughter faded as they walked away, leaving Grey sprawled on the ground. He stared at the sky, his breathing ragged.


    This was normal.


    Every. Single. Day.


    With a sigh, he wiped the blood from his lips and stood up. His tattered clothes clung to his bruised body as he limped toward home.


    This was how the world worked currently. This was the world of mages; people that had special powers and could be used anyhow the user wanted.


    Clark was also a mage that specialized in using wind magic. It didn''t matter how old you are, as long as you can use magic, you are a mage.


    But Grey wasn''t lucky enough to be counted as one as he had no affinity right from birth. Anybody without an affinity and couldn''t use magic, was considered a cripple and discriminated on.


    Walking slowly, he finally got to the slummy part of the town. The parts where the less privileged rested their heads.


    The house looked small from the outside with broken windows on it and the door was barely hanging on. Even the paint had been washed off and in total, the house looked to be in poor condition.


    Walking in, Grey could perceive the aroma was of something delicious coming from their small kitchen and then his stomach growled loudly at this salivating aroma.


    "Grey! Is that you?" A beautiful, angelic voice was heard calling from the kitchen.


    "Yes mom." Grey said as he took his seat on a partly broken sofa.


    A woman stepped out, wiping her hands on a ragged cloth. Despite the hardships, Clara still looked breathtaking¡ªlong brown hair, kind brown eyes, and a soft, warm smile.


    In short, the woman who looked to be in her early thirties was break takingly beautiful.


    "How was your day honey?" Clara asked as she came over to Grey.


    "Horrible as usual." Grey said with a hint of anger and sadness in his voice.


    Clara just sighed and hugged Grey. "I''m sorry son that you have to go through all this."


    "I feel like it''s my fault that you all have to endure this hardship." Grey said.


    "No honey, it''s not your fault it''s just the way the world works now." Clara said.


    "No!" Grey shouted as he pulled away from his mother''s embrace. "It''s my fault, if only I had an affinity, I would have been able to elevate our status and you and dad wouldn''t have to live this horrible life."


    "Grey¡­" Clara said as she suddenly choked up.


    "I just wish I was never born just maybe you would have been bless with a much more better child that isn''t crippled." Grey said as a tear trickled down his face and he stood up.


    "And I think I know what to do." Grey said as he ran out of the small living room into his own tiny bedroom then he shut the door.


    "Grey! Grey! Grey! Don''t you dare do anything stupid okay." Clara said as she ran towards Grey''s room.


    Meanwhile in Grey''s room, Grey took out a knife that he hid somewhere in the room and contemplated stabbing himself to death. Every day, he always contemplated suicide but he just didn''t have the resolve to.


    That was when he heard voices in his head telling him what to do.


    ''Do it Grey, do it.'' a voice said.


    ''You are totally useless to your family and yourself, it will be better to just end your life.'' Another voice said again.


    To Grey, it was like a mini angel and devil were telling him what to do but in this case, it was two mini devils.


    Grey lifted the knife up and stared at it, contemplating what if he should do it or not.


    ''Just do it and get it all done with.''


    Grey sighed and was now more than ready to do it as he lifted the knife up and was about to stab himself when a loud shout broke out inside the house.


    "Huh? Mom?" Grey said as he threw the knife away and ran towards the living room.


    "Mom, what''s wrong?" Grey said as he came outside and he could see two men standing in front of his mother while they had a panicked expression on their faces.


    "What''s going on?" Grey asked as he glared at the men while demanding answers.


    "It''s¡­ it''s your¡­ it''s¡­" Clara was struggling to say as she choked up in tears.


    "What''s going on mom? Please tell me, I''m getting scared please." Grey pleaded.


    "Kiddo, I want you to be brave please." One of the men said.


    "Will someone just tell me what''s going on?" Grey demanded again feeling frightened.


    "Grey, it''s your dad." Clara said with tears streaming down her face.


    "Dad? What happened to dad?" Grey asked.


    "Kid, your dad is dead. He died when a beast portal broke out at work and he was decimated alive." The second man said.


    Grey suddenly felt like a lightning bolt crashed into him as his world suddenly crashed down right in front of him and he didn''t know how to behave as he stood there stunned without saying anything.


    "I know it must be hard for you to take in but I would like for you to be brave and console your mother here." The other man said as he signalled to his colleague and they left the house.


    Grey still stood there rooted while his mother was on her knees crying her eyes out. Grey didn''t know what to do as he slowly walked out of the house.


    "Grey!" Clara shouted as she saw the close behind him and then she quickly wiped her tears away and went after Grey.


    Meanwhile, Grey was currently on autopilot as he didn''t know what he was doing. He was just heading where his body took him while his mind was racing with so many thoughts.


    ''Dad? Died?'' Grey thought as he kept on walking.


    ''If dad is dead, then what is the point of my existence? It will be better to just end my pathetic life right now.'' He thought.


    ''What better way to end my life than to die the same way dad died huh?'' He thought and then he walked briskly towards the woods where beasts were rumored to live.


    ''What''s the point of my life if dad is not here.'' Grey thought as he stood in the middle of the woods with hot tears streaming down his face rapidly. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Arghhhhhhhhh!" Grey screamed loudly Into the sky as he fell down on his knees while banging his hands into the hard soil.


    "GRRRRRRR!" A loud growl was heard and a wolf was seen heading Grey''s way.


    Looking at where the noise was coming from, he smiled.


    "At last!" Grey said as he stood up and looked at the beast while waiting for it to attack.


    The wolf didn''t hesitate to as it lunged at the standing Grey who still didn''t budge an inch while closing his eyes waiting for death.


    Rather than feeling the sharp fangs on his body, Grey didn''t feel anything and then he heard a loud thud which caused him to open up his eyes to see the dead wolf''s body on the floor in front of him.


    "What the?!?" Grey exclaimed and then looking up, he could see a wave of bright white light heading his way and in a split second, it crashed into him therefore robbing him of his vision.

 Chapter 2 - 2: The First mage

    "Where¡­ where am I? What¡­what happened to me?" Grey said as he slowly opened his eyes that were a bit blurry and then he could see a sea of white in front of him.


    There were no trees like before, no forest, no beasts or anything, just white all over and He was now wondering if he was dead or not.


    "What even happened?" Grey asked himself as he tried to recall what happened and he could finally remember all the details of everything that happened from being bullied as usual, then his father''s death, and finally his move to kill himself in the forest when something unnatural happened and he found himself here.


    "Hello! Is there anybody here? Where the hell am I?" Grey shouted out loud while turning around trying to see if there was anybody around.


    "Grey Dawn!"


    On hearing is name, Grey quickly turned around to see a man standing in front of him. The man was dressed in pure white without any stain on it. Then he also had white hair and white beard on his face.


    "Who are you? And how do you know my name? Were you the one that brought me here?" Grey asked while feeling dreadful.


    "Easy with the questions boy. Which question do you even want me to answer first now?" The man asked with a chuckle.


    "How about starting with who the hell you are?" Grey shouted.


    "A fiesty one huh?" The man chuckled again. "There''s no need to know my name, all you have to know is that I was the first mage to ever exist on Earth and I was the strongest."


    "First mage?" Grey asked again feeling doubtful as he stepped back a bit to examine the man a little.


    "Young ones and being doubtful all the times." The mage said while shaking his head like he was disappointed.


    "Since you don''t believe I was a mage, how about I prove it to you." The mage said and instantly, for Grey, it felt hotter and hotter and then all around the man, a fire erupted.


    "A¡­ a fire mage?!!!" Grey screamed in shock.


    A fire mage was quite rare and considered precious at that. With the amount of power surrounding the man, Grey wasn''t doubtful again when he thought back to when the man called himself most strongest as he could feel the amount of power pouring out of him.


    Which could only be possible by those with high enough affinity and mage color. Right now, the man was exhibiting enough amount of power to be a golden mage.


    The different types of talents under the affinities were graded by colour.


    There were five colours that the different talents could be graded under and they were: Red, yellow, blue, purple and Gold. With red being the lowest while Gold was the highest.


    Below were the colors and their uses.


    1. **Red (Lowest):**


    - Represents minimal talent in magic.


    - Mages of this grade often struggle to cast even the simplest spells.


    - Most common among the general population.


    2. **Yellow:**


    - Indicates average magical ability.


    - Suitable for basic magical tasks, and most mages fall into this category.


    3. **Blue:**


    - Represents exceptional magical talent.


    - Mages with this grade often excel in academies and are sought after by elite factions.


    4. **Purple:**


    - Denotes rare and extraordinary talent.


    - Purple-grade mages are revered as prodigies, capable of mastering advanced spells and techniques.


    5. **Gold (Highest):**


    - Reserved for legendary-level talent.


    - Mages of this grade are so rare that they are considered mythical figures.


    - Known to redefine magical laws and shape history.


    _____________


    And now with how powerful the amount of fire this man exhibited, Grey knew his fire affinity was that of a Gold colour. And immediately he came to the realization of this, Grey fell on his knees while planting his face into the ground.


    "Oh great one! Please forgive my behavior of earlier." Grey said while still keeping his head lowered.


    "Haha!" The man laughed as he quickly extinguished the fire that was surrounding him with a click of his fingers. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Relax young one, don''t go treating me like a god of some kind. Although I''m technically a god. Haha!"


    "You can rise Grey."


    "No! I''m not worthy of looking at your face oh great one." Grey said.


    "Will you stop being dramatic and get up?"


    Hearing the mage ordering him, Grey quickly got up and looked at the mage.


    "If I may ask, why was I summoned here like that?" Grey asked.


    "Because you were about to do something stupid back there."


    "I wasn''t being stupid, I was being considerate!" Grey said.


    "You were being considerate? In what way? Please enlighten me." The mage said as he clicked his fingers again and a chair appeared behind him while he took a seat arms crossed looking at Grey.


    "My life was useless, I couldn''t help my parents do anything tangible. I always got bullied and hated by everyone around me just because I wasn''t like them, a mage like them. Just because I didn''t have an affinity, I was discriminated on." Grey said with a trickle of tears running down his face.


    "I wasn''t useful to myself or even my parents. If only I had an affinity, I would have being able to help one way or the other. I would have saved my dad before he got killed by beasts!" Grey shouted in frustration.


    "So you decided to end your life because of all these? You said you were being considerate? Then what about your mom? Did you even think about her? What she would go through if she found out you died. Poor woman! You lost her husband today and was about to lose her only support; her only son."


    "Did you think about that? No! Because you were childish and foolish."


    Hearing the mage speak, Grey knew he was right and couldn''t help but feel sad as he felt like he was totally abandoning his mom in this perilous times and he felt ashamed of himself.


    "But what can I do? I don''t even have an affinity, I''m totally useless to the world, myself and my mom. So how the hell am I supposed to protect her?" Grey asked.


    "What if I told you, you have an affinity?"


    "What!??!?!!!!!!" Grey said in shock.

 Chapter 3 - 3: Affinity Unveiled

    "What?!" Grey shouted in surprise and that was because the First mage had just informed Grey that he might have an affinity.


    "What do you mean what if I had an affinity?" Grey asked feeling quite excited at the prospect of being a mage then he remembered that to be a mage, it has to be hereditary and as to his knowledge, neither of his parents were mages.


    "But, none of my parents are mages."


    "It doesn''t have to be like that right?" The mage asked.


    "What do you mean?" Grey asked.


    The mage just sighed and then stood up his chair to stare at Grey who was now trembling under the gaze.


    "It doesn''t have to be that your parents should be a mage before you become one. And you are also right, to become a mage, it has to be hereditary that was the restriction placed on the humans."


    "So how am I a mage?" Grey asked in frustration.


    "Did I say you were a mage?" The mage asked. "I only said what if you had an affinity."


    Grey''s head felt like it was going to explode at this as the vein on the side of his head was showing and he was gritting his teeth in anger. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well you could actually be a mage since your grand dad was a mage." The mage said.


    "What?!!!???!!?!!" Grey said in shock.


    "Didn''t you know?" The mage asked with a raised brow. "Even your dad was a mage but he wasn''t able to unlock his affinity before he died. And I couldn''t save him either because it was too late and that is why I couldn''t sit and watch you die just like that."


    Grey now felt like his head was going to explode but not in anger. It was more because of the amount of surprise he was getting one after the other from the first mage.


    ''My grand dad was a mage? Even my dad? So if he had unlocked his dormant abilities, he would have survived.'' Grey thought dejectedly.


    "I could practically see everyone''s affinities and powers but for some reason, I can''t see yours." The mage said.


    "Doesn''t that mean I don''t have an affinity?" Grey asked with a raised brow.


    "No! I can feel it, you definitely have an affinity but what it is, I don''t know but there''s a way to find out." The mage said.


    "Well! Let''s get to work then." Grey smiled.


    "How you have suddenly changed. Just a few moments ago, you were submissive and respectful, now you have suddenly started bossing me around." The mage chuckled.


    And then he quickly clicked his fingers again and a table appeared in front of them all then followed by a huge glowing orb that was so reflective to the extent Grey could see his reflection in it.


    "Alright, now I want you to place your hands on this orb for me." The man said.


    And Grey hurriedly got to work as he was too excited and he placed his hands on the orb. Then he suddenly felt strange as he could feel a piece of him leave his body and then move to his hands before it entered the orb.


    Grey was about to move his hand away when he heard the mage''s voice.


    "Keep your hands still! It will only last a second."


    Grey did what he said and waited again until the mage told him he could move his hands away which he did. Then the mage came over to examine the orb.


    After a few seconds tinkering and mumbling, the old mage suddenly went quiet and stared at the orb with wide eyes like his eyes were going to pop out of its sockets.


    Seeing the mage''s reaction, Grey was now worried.


    "Is everything alright? Are the results bad?"


    Hearing Grey''s voice, the mage snapped out of his daze and looked back at Grey.


    "Kindly place your hands on the orb again." The mage said.


    Grey just shrugged and placed his hands on the orb again albeit quite worried about the results. He felt the same sensation as before and knowing it won''t harm him, he waited.


    After a few seconds, he removed his hands and the mage came over to examine it and he couldn''t help but be shocked the second time again.


    "Yup, it''s definitely not broken. But how is this possible?" The mage said out loud in surprise.


    "What''s wrong? Please tell me, you are scaring me." Grey said worriedly.


    The mage quickly regained his composure while waving his hands and making the orb and table disappear then a second chair appeared behind Grey.


    The mage gestured for him to sit and he did.


    "I don''t know how this is possible, and I''m totally out of words." The mage said while looking at Grey.


    "What is going on? Do I not have an affinity?" Grey asked, feeling down already.


    "Who is saying you don''t have an affinity? Kid, not only do you have an affinity, you could be the strongest of mages soon enough with this."


    "So you mean I have an affinity?" Grey jumped up in excitement. He didn''t care for the title of the strongest or whatever. As long as he had a useful affinity to help his widowed mom, then he is totally cool with it.


    "Will you sit and let me finish?" The mage ordered and Grey quickly sat back down.


    "As I was saying, what do you know about mages?" The mage asked.


    "Nothing much, just that they have some pretty cool powers and they are treated as gods on Earth." Grey answered with a shrug.


    "And you wanted to be a mage? What kind of mage wouldn''t know anything about mages?" The mage asked.


    "Anyway, I won''t tell you everything now, just a little something to further understand what I want to say."


    Grey was now on the edge of his seat as he was ready to hear what the mage had to say.


    The mage leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Grey, your affinity isn''t just rare¡ªit''s something I''ve never seen before. The world isn''t ready for what you might become."

 Chapter 4 - 4: Chosen by the gods

    "What do you mean? And will you just stop keeping me in suspense, it''s killing me." Grey said in frustration.


    The mage just sighed and then leaned back on his chair.


    "You see we mages, have different affinities that could be graded as talents under colours which you are pretty aware of already." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "With red being the lowest and Gold being the highest of them all. Like I am a fire mage, if I were a red coloured talent, which is very unlikely since fire users have high affinities and color talent. But assuming I was a red color talent, I would hardly be able to produce a fire ball."


    "I would just be limited to controlling the fire around me and not being able to produce fire from thin air. Which is quite disadvantageous since red colored talents are limited in their use of their abilities." The mage explained.


    "While those high enough like the blue coloured talents could produce fire out of thin air because they have a high enough affinity and also a high color talent." Grey said.


    "Correct." The mage said. "So you see, along with having an affinity, the grade is also important too. And I''m sure you know the fuel for us mages right?"


    "Yes, mana." Grey replied.


    "Correct. Mana, the energy source from the world that could be used to replenish our core so as to continue using our spells."


    "Now that you know all that, that brings us to affinity types."


    "Affinity types?" Grey asked, confused by this.


    "What? You don''t know that there are affinity types?" The mage asked to which Grey just shook his head.


    The mage just sighed and decided to explain. "There are mages with different affinity types, some are single elementalist, those that can only use one element."


    "While we have dual elementalists, these mages could use two elements at once. These mages are quite versatile as they could hold and control two elements making them powerful and quite rare at this."


    "What!?! These types of people exist?" Grey asked.


    "Yes, and like I said, they are rare. But it doesn''t mean they are all invincible, having two elements doesn''t always means you are powerful, some of them have weak colour in either of the two elements but if someone were ever to encounter dual elementalists with high colour in both affinities, I would advice they run away because they are dangerously powerful." The mage explained.


    "Noted." Grey said, nodding his head along keeping this piece of advice at the back of his head.


    "Then we have the multi-elementalists, these ones are super rare as they could control three or more elements making them formidable. And that was why I was said to be the strongest mage ever as I could control four elements."


    "What!?! You¡­ you are a multi elementalist?" Grey asked in shock and then the mage nodded his head along.


    "And remember when I said some dual elementalists could be weak? Well, if you were to encounter a multi elementalist, I would advise you to run very far away because they usually have very high grades in their elements." The mage said.


    "Now, lastly, we have the special affinities, these are not your usual elemental affinities, they are quite unique. We have three types of special affinities (Space, Chaos and time) anyone possessing either of these, could be called a god."


    "And that is why I called myself a god as I have the affinity of space and that is where we are now, my space." The mage smiled, making Grey tremble at how powerful the mage seemed to be.


    "Now, the reason I made a long speech for you, is because of the result I saw from the orb that made me ask you to take the test twice."


    "Which is?" Grey asked.


    "Grey Dawn! Congratulations because you are a multi elementalist and not just anyone, I would say the strongest as you have five elemental affinities and one of them being a special affinity." The mage said.


    "Fiv¡­ Five freaking elemental affinities! How the hell is that possible?" Grey shouted in shock as he felt his palm sweating.


    "And to think you were about to end your life before you discovered this. What a waste of talent and power that would be." The mage said, shaking his head in disappointment.


    "I¡­I¡­ how is this possible?" Grey asked.


    "Beats me, I don''t even know how you are this OP. My best bet, you must have been chosen by the gods or something." The mage chuckled.


    "Aren''t you jealous?" Grey asked.


    "Jealous? Why should I?" The mage asked.


    "I have so many affinities, and with time, I might be stronger than you. Aren''t you jealous that someone would take your title of being the strongest?" Grey asked with a smirk on his face.


    "I think you have a death wish!" The mage said with his face all looking furious and the space was suddenly shaking tremendously. While Grey was suddenly biting his tongue and cursing himself for being so silly.


    Then his face changed back to his normal cheerful smile. "Is what I would say if I really did care."


    "Look, my time has come to end on Earth, I wouldn''t interfere in Earth''s matters even though it is coming to an end. So since I won''t interfere, why not groom the next strongest. And for the record, I''m not a jealous type." The mage chuckled and the he suddenly looked behind Grey''s back and his expression turned serious.


    "Alright, it''s time for you to go now."


    "What? Go now? I still have so many questions to ask from you. Like what are the affinities I have, how do I control them, how can I use them properly?" Grey shouted.


    "When it''s the right time, you would know how to use them efficiently and you would be able to unlock them. But I will give you the grace of asking one question which would be answered before you go." The mage said.


    Grey hurriedly thought of what he wanted and then he finally came up with a question.


    "How can I contact you? How can we see again?" Grey asked.


    "Whenever you want to talk to me, just look into your heart and you will see me here again. Now byee!" The mage said as he prepared to click his fingers.


    "Wait! What do you mean?" Grey''s voice echoed as the space around him dissolved, pulling him into an infinite void."

 Chapter 5 - 5: Mana Core

    "Darn that god!" Grey shouted as his head was feeling heavy while his senses were still dull.


    And then slowly, his senses were coming back first with his smell as he could perceive the scent of a fresh shampoo, then his sense of feeling as he could feel he was laying on something soft and smooth.


    Then his sense of hearing was next as he could suddenly hear a soft angelic voice echoing in his ear.


    "Grey! You are awake?!" The voice said.


    Then his sense of seeing was next as his eyes snapped open and he could see a beautiful woman in front of him with her eyes all red and puffed up as if she had been crying for so long.


    "Mom?" Grey said.


    "Oh Grey my darling son!" Clara said as she threw her hands around Grey tightly while crying profusely. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s okay mom, I''m fine." Grey said while hugging her back and feeling sad that he had almost made his mom mourn a second time in a day.


    After few minutes of hugging, Clara finally let Grey go as she wiped the tears off her face and sniffled a bit.


    "Why did you go to the forest? Did you want to get yourself killed?" Clara shouted.


    "That was the plan." Grey mumbled under his breath.


    "I''m so sorry mom, I was in so much shock that I didn''t know where I was headed. It felt like my body was on autopilot." Grey said.


    "I''m so sorry son that you had to go through that bad experience." Clara said her eyes almost welled up but she quickly regained her composure.


    That was when Grey turned around looking at his surroundings.


    "Hold on, I''m back home? How is this possible?" Grey asked.


    "When you left the house just like that, I was worried and began looking for you all around but I couldn''t find you so I begged all our male neighbors to help me find you." Clara said.


    "After they agreed, a search party was formed and we began looking for you everywhere we could until we ventured into the forest and could see a dead beast on the floor with you also laying on the floor out cold and you weren''t waking up no matter what we did."


    "I was scared for a moment that something bad had happened to you but someone reassured me that they could still hear a heartbeat. So we managed to bring you back home and the neighbors left."


    "Even though so many hours passed, you weren''t waking up and I was starting to think that the shock of your dad''s passing and then facing a beast made you go into coma. Until you just suddenly woke up." Clara recounted.


    Grey was now feeling terribly bad for putting his mother through the stress she went through today. And thinking of all these, his eyes welled up and he started crying then he quickly hugged his mom.


    "I''m so sorry for putting you through all these, please forgive me. You are truly the best mom ever and I promise to take care of you." Grey said. "And I will never leave you again."


    Clara hugged Grey back as the tears she bottled up just now came pouring down again and she was at a lost for words.


    "And you are the best son I could ever wish for. I love you Grey."


    "I love you too mom." Grey said as he let his mother go and then wiped the tears off his face. And right on cue, a rumbling noise was heard coming from Grey''s stomach.


    "You hungry?" Clara asked as she stood up to go to the kitchen in order to get something for Grey to eat.


    ''I promise to rid this world of beasts so they won''t take someone dear to others like they did mine. And I will also have to take care of those at the top for creating this system that discriminated against the weak. That''s a promise.'' Grey thought and then he could see his mom coming with a plate of food.


    Clara handed it to Grey and he didn''t waste time in collecting and gobbling it up like a ravaged beast. In a flash, the whole food was gone and Grey thanked his mother while going into the kitchen to do the dishes.


    After he was done, Grey went into his room and he could see the knife that he had wanted to use to commit suicide on the floor. Picking it up, Grey tossed it out the window and he went back to his bed.


    "That mage didn''t even tell me what my affinities were so I would know where to start. Darn that mage!" Grey cursed.


    "I want to start training but where do I begin from now?" Grey thought as he paced around the small room and then an idea struck him.


    "How about I start with cultivating mana. I still remember some basics of being a mage, I came across it in a book I read once about mages forming what was none as mana core before they could use their spells."


    Grey then sat down cross legged in the centre of the room and kept his hands in front of him while joining it together and closing his eyes trying to concentrate.


    ''Good thing I''m good at remembering whatever I have read quickly. I remember seeing this technique and even trying but I wasn''t able to.'' Grey thought as he drew in a quick breath and then breathed back out.


    Grey kept on repeating this process of breathing in and out while also moving his joined hands back and forth as if he was drawing something from the air into him.


    And slowly after doing this for thirty minutes, Grey could feel something happening but he didn''t know what it was. Unknown to him that the technique was drawing something from the air to him and it was mana.


    As the mana in the air were all heading to the cross legged Grey and they were entering through his nostrils and going into his body. Slowly, Grey could feel something as his heart was shaking with power.


    His heart was trembling as he could feel something forming around his heart.


    ''Is this what I think it is? Am I finally forming a mana core?'' Grey thought excitedly still with his eyes closed.


    The feeling was quite blissful to Grey as he kept on drawing mana after mana to his core rapidly. The energy was seeping into Grey rapidly as he kept pulling and pulling at it quickly trying to form his core as soon as possible.


    But then, the rapid pull was now overloading him as the blissful feeling turned painful and Grey was feeling immense pain in his chest which caused him to roll and toss around in pain.


    "What the f*ck is going on with me?" Grey managed to mumble.


    The energy kept on spiraling within him, tightening like a vice around his heart. His breathing grew ragged, his body drenched in sweat. A searing pain surged through his chest, as if his heart might burst.


    ''Am I going to die from this?'' was his last thought before darkness swallowed him.

 Chapter 6 - 6: The Watchers

    "Grey!!! Wake up!" A voice was heard calling and Grey slowly opened up his eyes to look around him.


    He could see the familiar surrounding of his room and he was even still in the position he was in when he tried to create his mana core.


    "Oww! My head and chest hurts." Grey said as he touched his head while looking around.


    ''Strange, I could have sworn that I heard someone calling onto me.'' He thought as he looked around then he heard a splash from underneath him and then a foul smell as he slowly looked down.


    Grey''s eyes met with a black toxic substance around him even his clothes was drenched with this substance and he even felt his mouth taste weird while his body was even sweating with the black toxic substance mixed in the sweat.


    "Is this what I think it is?" He said excitedly as he touched his chest and then quickly got into a meditave position and he closed his eyes as he slowly breathed in and he could feel it.


    ''I can feel the mana around me easily and they are even moving to my core as I breathe. I¡­ I have successfully created a mana core.'' Grey thought excitedly as he quickly stood up and jumped up excitedly.


    "Calm down Grey, this is just the first step, the next step is unlocking one of my affinities and for that, I need some guidance." He said.


    That was when the smell hit him again. "Right, I need to get to cleaning."


    Without wasting much time, Grey got to cleaning his room intensively afterwards, he went to take his bath and then he disposed of the clothes he wore because it wasn''t useful again considering the tough smell.


    Even if he were to wash it thoroughly, it won''t get rid of the smell from the clothes so it was better to dispose it off.


    Grey was now about to step out when he noticed how dark it was outside through his window.


    "Huh? Was I unconscious for so long? There''s no way in hell mom would allow me head out now." He said as he sat down on his bed thinking of what to do.


    "I wish dad was able to unlock his dormant affinities in time." Grey sighed in sorrow and then he felt something in his chest.


    ''Even sitting down and not meditating, I can feel the mana heading into my core. So what if I meditate more and try to move the mana around to get the hang of it.'' He thought and then quickly got into a meditave position.


    Grey closed his eyes and began cultivating again drawing mana into his body.


    ''The mana looks like little particles in the air. I just have to draw it into my body and make sure I don''t overload my body.'' He thought as he kept moving the mana into his core.


    And when Grey felt like his core was full enough, he started moving the mana in his body around. He first started with his core as he circulated the mana around his core slowly and then around his body.


    Grey kept doing this for a while, circulating the mana around his body trying to get the hang of it. He did this for so long that he hadn''t realize that it was already dawn.


    Immediately the sunlight hit Grey''s face, he snapped his eyes open and was brimming with energy than ever before.


    "It''s morning already?" He asked himself confused as he slowly stood up and stretched himself.


    "Let me go and freshen up and quickly head over to the library to see if I can get anything that might help me." He said as he rushed out of the room.


    Immediately after Grey left, a crackling noise was heard in the room and slowly, a white blinding light appeared in the room and finally dimmed itself as two men were seen standing in the room.


    "He''s talented." One of the men who had brown hair and blue eyes said.


    "Yeah, without guidance from anybody, he managed to gain control of his mana circulating it properly with immense focus till the extent he didn''t realize it was morning already." The second man who had all white hair and white beard said.


    "I wonder what affinity he would unlock first." The brown haired man said.


    "Whatever it is, he will become a target soon enough. One thing about we multi elementalist, we don''t unlock all of our affinities at once, we unlock it one at a time at different intervals." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "At first, people would see him as a single elementalist when he unlocks his first affinity then a dual elementalists which is quite rare and respectable here. But when he unlocks the third affinity, he would become a major target of those people." The white haired man who turned out to be the first mage said.


    "Yeah, even with all your strengths, you weren''t able to totally defeat them huh?" The brown haired man said.


    "That is why I am putting my hope on Grey. I had four affinities while he has five which is extremely rare." The first magw said.


    "How many affinities does the emperor even have?" The first mage asked.


    "Four, I guess. But rest assured, he doesn''t have any special affinities." The brown haired mage.


    "Grey will face difficulties the more he unlocks his affinities and I will try my best to help him from the shadows." The first mage said and the he and the man quickly disappeared in a blinding light.

 Chapter 7 - 7: The Library Encounter

    Grey had freshened up, took his breakfast and hurriedly left the house for the library in hope of getting a scroll which he could use in unlocking any one of his affinities.


    He was on the street with his hands in his pants pockets and his face down while walking.


    ''I wonder what affinity I will unlock first. Maybe the lightning attribute would be cool since I like the way it works and it increases a person''s speed and it is quite rare. Or I will unlock the fire attribute like that first mage.''


    ''Funny thing is that these attributes are quite rare. If I were to unlock them, I would love to see everyone''s face that looked down on me.'' Grey smiled at this.


    ''I haven''t told mom yet because I want it to be a special surprise to her when she eventually finds out.''


    Finally after a few minutes of walking, Grey was now in front of the library and with a sigh, he pushed it open and walked in confidently than ever before.


    He approached the shelves, and went through all the books he wanted to look at. He kept skimming past the books one by one until his eyes caught two books that fancied him.


    He quickly pulled them out and went to take a seat and began checking the books.


    ''I don''t have money to rent the books for some days so I will just have to come here and look at the books in hope of learning one or two things.'' He thought as he opened a book that had the title.


    *Introduction to the use of Fire magic*


    Grey began skimming through the book carefully while memorizing each and every thing written in it quickly. He read and read everything written there over and over again.


    The book had the basics of fire magic, how to unlock the affinity, the conditions and also the use of fire magic and how to understand it.


    Grey read everything until it became a muscle memory to him.


    "Okay, time for the spell book of this magic." He said as he picked the second book to read.


    The reason Grey had picked the fire magic book was because when he picked the lightning book and was skimming through it, the criterias of unlocking it was quite rare and dangerous and he wasn''t ready for that.


    While the criteria for the fire magic was much easier than lightning and still dangerous at the same time but Grey was ready to take risks at this point.


    Grey read all the basic spells he could and how to perform them easily. He learned both the words a person would utter to activate them and also the hand formations a person would perform.


    Grey didn''t know that he had a special talent of remembering whatever he read or heard easily without stress and it was what he revealed when he cultivated his mana core all on his own.


    And finally, after a few hours of reading and reading, Grey had finally known all the basic fire spells he could and he was more than excited to try it but that would have to wait till the next day as it was quite late.


    Exiting the library, Grey was more happy than usual unknown to him that his happiness would soon turn to annoyance.


    "Hey weakling!" A voice was heard shouting at Grey.


    He turned around with his eyes twitching as he had recognized the voice and who it belonged to.


    "Clark!" Grey muttered in anger as he knew what would happen next.


    "What are you doing at the library?" Clark asked.


    "Huh?" Grey raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Isn''t the library for everyone?"


    "Yes it is_it is, but it''s for mages not weaklings like you." Clark laughed.


    Grey just sighed and muttered under his breath. "If only you knew."


    "What''s that? Are you cursing me under your breath?" Clark asked furiously.


    Clark''s shout had gathered the attention of adults and when they came over, saw Grey, they left again as they already knew what was going on and they didn''t feel like intervening.


    If the people being bullied, couldn''t stand up for themselves, why should they stand up for them. This was how the world worked now and nothing could change it.


    "Why should I curse you under my breath? When you are already cursed!" Grey chuckled in excitement.


    Clark was so angry that a vein was seen popping up on his head as if it would pop. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''I''m gonna teach you not to mess with me. The new wind spell that took me months to learn, would finally be tested on you.'' Clark thought as he raised his hands up.


    Clark quickly raised his dominant hand hand out, his palm facing downwards and then he quickly flicked his wrist while at the same time shouting out words.


    "Aerius!" Clark shouted after flicking his wrist towards Grey who was a few feet away from him.


    Immediately a burst of transparent swirling air erupted from Clark''s hand, accompanied by a loud whooshing sound. And it erupted out towards Grey at a decent speed and then it crashed into him knocking him back a few feet.


    Grey was seen on the floor in pain as the strike hit him then he heard footsteps heading towards him.


    "You see the difference between us, you can never bridge it and I will advice you to keep quiet when next I''m talking." Clark said and was about walking off.


    "Hey Clark!" Grey called out and Clark stopped walking while slowly turning around.


    Then Grey smiled and raised his hands up almost like how Clark did then he pointed his dominant hand while making it face downward. Seeing Grey perform the hand signs, Clark was feeling scared as his heart thumped loudly.


    ''Is he going to perform the Aerius strike? But that took me months to learn with many try and failure. No, he doesn''t even have a mana core.'' Clark thought and then he saw Grey put his hands close to each other.


    And then he quickly put his hands together and bowed down.


    "Thank you for teaching me this valuable lesson and I promise not to forget it."


    "What!!?!!!" Clark exclaimed then he scoffed.


    "As expected from a weakling like you." Clark said as he walked off.


    As Clark stormed away, the street grew quiet. Grey rubbed his aching chest, wincing as he leaned against the wall.


    But then, a faint warmth pulsed from deep within his core. It wasn''t painful, but it was insistent¡ªa steady rhythm, like the beat of a distant drum.


    Grey''s eyes widened. He focused inward, and for the first time, he felt it clearly: mana, swirling and gathering in his chest like a simmering flame waiting to ignite.


    A slow smile crept across his face.


    "Tomorrow,everything changes." He thought.

 Chapter 8 - 8: Cultivation and Confrontation

    The very next day, Grey was seen rising happily as he took his breakfast while happily chatting with his mother at the table.


    "So I was thinking of going out to look for a job so we can feed." Clara said while looking down cast.


    "Don''t look so down mum, things would change for us soon. Don''t worry, you are not alone. I will soon go out and look for work also." Grey said.


    "No! I don''t want you stressing yourself over the household things let me worry about them." Clara said.


    "Mum, there''s nothing you can say that will convince me. I have made up my mind and don''t worry, I won''t do anything stressful or harmful." Grey retorted.


    "Look honey, I know you want to help me and I really appreciate it. But there''s nothing a person your age can do." Clara tried to reason with him.


    "Yeah, that''s cause I''m useless." Grey sighed as he stood up from the table. "I''m heading out, I will be back quite late." Grey said and he soon stormed out the house.


    After leaving the house, Grey was gently strolling the streets. He wanted to head over to somewhere quiet so he could practice the fire magic he learnt from the book and he knew where to start.


    He was currently heading to a place that was as dangerous as the forest. Why was he heading there? Because the book he read instructed he did so and now Grey had started his journey.


    As he went west away from the town while heading into a different forest from before and he kept going in deep. He walked into the forest for a few minutes and slowly, the forest was being cleared.


    The area was being cleared of trees or forests making it open and he could hardly see any animals or beasts of any kind as he kept on walking. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And slowly, the whole place was getting hotter and hotter as he went in deep. The hotness was becoming quite unbearable but Grey beared through the atmosphere as he felt his skin burning off the more he went in deep.


    And slowly, the land beneath Grey''s feet was no longer brown as it became black seemingly from being scorched or burnt. The whole area was black and scorched while signs of lava was seen on the ground.


    The lava kept spewing out of the ground and now, Grey stood in front of a huge volcano that spewed lava while making the whole place unbearably hot and uncomfortable but Grey''s determination kept him going.


    And soon, he couldn''t move again as he fell at the foot of the burning volcano.


    "Darn! This place is Soo hot! Why must the requirements of unlocking the fire attribute be that the person must cultivate in somewhere hot?" Grey gritted his teeth in anger as he slowly sat up.


    "At least this one is some what better than the lightning attribute which is for me to be struck by lightning. How ridiculous?" Grey said as he slowly sat down cross legged.


    Then he closed his eyes as he quickly went into the state of meditation even though the whole place was burning hot and his skin was being scorched slightly, he still kept his eyes tightly closed while concentrating on what he was doing.


    Grey kept breathing in the hot air slowly while breathing it out and then at the same time kept moving his mana around his body trying to get used to the feeling.


    He started with moving the mana around his core a bit while still gently breathing in more mana that had been mixed with in the hot air burning his lungs slightly.


    Grey circulated the mana around his body for five hours straight without flinching or moving as he kept on cultivating and meditating. Unknown to him that he was currently breaking down his body and refining it.


    Even his core was now reacting strongly after a straight five hours worth of meditating. His core was now shaking with power until Grey felt a burst of hot power inside him while also noticing that the heat didn''t affect him like before as his body was now used to it within five hours.


    Grey didn''t understand what it meant as his core was reacting strongly and he didn''t even notice his body was no longer affected by the heat of the lava as he was in too deep in the meditation he didn''t even realized that time had been far spent.


    That was when something interrupted his concentration.


    "GROWLLLL!"


    The growl shattered Grey''s focus like a thunderclap. His eyes snapped open, locking onto a wolf-like beast emerging from the shadows. Its fur blazed like molten lava, and its crimson eyes gleamed with predatory malice. Droplets of molten saliva hissed against the scorched ground as it snarled, baring its jagged, fiery fangs.


    "A beast? Here?" Grey thought, his heart pounding in his chest. The oppressive heat had dulled his senses, but now adrenaline coursed through him like a wildfire.


    The beast didn''t hesitate. With a deafening roar, it slammed its paw into the ground, sending tremors rippling outward. A jagged shard of obsidian rock erupted from the earth, its edges glowing with searing heat.


    Before Grey could react, the rock ignited mid-air, transforming into a blazing missile. It struck him square in the chest, sending him hurtling backward. He crashed into the base of the volcano with a sickening thud, cracks spider webbing across the volcanic stone.


    "Kuh!" Grey spat blood as pain radiated through his body. His legs trembled as he forced himself upright, his vision swimming.


    "This... This is a level 3 beast," Grey muttered, his voice tinged with both awe and dread. "And it''s wielding fire and earth attributes. I''m completely outmatched."


    The wolf growled again, its fiery fur flaring brighter as it prepared another strike.


    Beasts had different power levels ranging from 1 to 8 with 1 being the lowest and 8 being the highest. The wolf that had earlier attacked Grey before he was summoned, was a level 1 beast and now, he was faced with a level 3 beast that could use elemental abilities.


    Grey was now going to be in a tough fight of his life as he himself didn''t have any elemental power or does he?

 Chapter 9 - 9: What am I going to do now?

    Grey had gone over to the volcano forest in an attempt to cultivate and try to gain the affinity in fire. Everything had been going on well until a level 3 beast appeared that could use the Earth and fire attribute.


    After sending the first attack towards Grey that sent him flying, the beast stood there staring at where it had sent Grey and that was when it saw its target slowly standing up while clutching his stomach in pain.


    Grey now stood around 5 feet away from the wolf as he slowly breathed in and out calmly trying to circulate his mana around him.


    ''Darn it! How am I supposed to fare against an elemental wolf? I don''t even have an affinity yet.'' Grey thought worriedly as he eyed the wolf up and down.


    ''The smart move to make now will be to run. But can I outrun it? Hold on, it has two elemental affinities, what if I were to stay and fight then if I were to kill it, I would be able to gain its affinities.'' Grey thought.


    If beasts that had elemental powers were killed, those that had already formed their mana core could extract the power stones that was located in the abdomen part of the beasts then they could absorb the mana out of the power stones giving them whatever elemental power the beasts had.


    ''But what if I were to die in the process? No! I won''t die without giving my mum a better life than she has now.'' Grey thought affirming himself strongly.


    ''If I keep running away in the face of danger, then how the hell will I be a good and strong mage?'' He thought as he raised his hands up staring at the beast.


    "I will never run away and I will make you pay for interrupting my cultivation!" Grey said as he shifted his feet apart from each other and glared at the beast.


    In response to Grey''s words, the beast growled loudly as it consecutively struck the ground twice sending two rock shrapnel that was covered in burning fire towards Grey.


    "Shit!" Grey said as he saw the shrapnels heading his way and he didn''t know what to do when he suddenly remembered something and hastily executed it.


    "I hope this works or else I''m screwed." Grey said as he quickly raised his dominant hand hand out, his palm facing downwards and then he quickly flicked his wrist while at the same time shouting out words.


    "Aerius!" Grey shouted after flicking his wrist towards the incoming projectiles.


    Immediately a burst of transparent swirling air erupted from Grey''s hand accompanied by a loud whooshing sound. And it erupted out towards the shrapnels at a decent speed and then it crashed into the shrapnels changing their trajectory sending them crashing away from Grey.


    "It worked?" Grey asked in confusion as he stared at his hands in excitement. "I¡­ I got the air affinity? I knew something was off when my core reacted strongly after Clark hit me with this skill."


    The wolf seeing how the human managed to throw the shrapnels away, got incredibly furious as it lightly touched the hard ground beneath it with its paw and immediately, the beast was seen heading Grey''s way at an immense speed. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Shit! It can use the Earth to move itself. How the hell am I supposed to deal with that? I only know one air skill and it won''t be enough to move this beast.'' Grey thought worriedly.


    "It would have been helpful to have the Earth attribute now." Grey lamented as the beast was now incredibly close.


    When the beast was two feet away, it opened up its mouth and breathed out a long stream of fire towards Grey like a dragon of some sorts.


    Without wasting time, Grey pointed his hands towards the ground with his palm facing downwards.


    "Aerius!" He shouted and a burst of air quickly come out of his hands towards the ground.


    The force of the air was enough to move Grey away quickly like a rocket but instead of fire below, it was air and Grey successfully avoided the fire from the beast.


    Then he looked around and saw one of the shrapnels he knocked away. Without wasting time, he lifted it up and looked at the beast who was now regaining its footing.


    Before the beast could do anything, Grey lifted the shrapnel up and then swung it hard and fast towards the beast like as if he was throwing a spear.


    The shrapnel was heading towards the beast at average speed and at this rate, the beast would be able to avoid it easily so Grey did the only thing he could as he lifted his hands up and quickly went through the motions of his only skill.


    "Aerius!" He shouted and a burst of air quickly went out hitting the shrapnel and boosting its speed making it reach the wolf in less than a second crashing into it.


    "I hope this is enough." Grey said as he touched his chest feeling his mana dwindling.


    Then slowly, the dust was seen settling and finally, the beast could be seen standing strong with the shrapnel stuck on its body. But its body looked different compared to before.


    Where the shrapnel was about to be struck, it had formed a sort of armour around there protecting it from sustaining any sort of damage.


    Grey annoyed, clicked his tongue and glared at the beast angrily as he could see the beast''s face twisted in a way that looked as if it was grinning at the human''s futile effort.


    And then with a twist of its body by turning around, the shrapnel was seen flying towards Grey with immense speed while it was coated in fire again.


    "Shit! What am I going to do now?" Grey asked as he could see the shrapnel almost close to him.


    _______________


    Please if you enjoy this, kindly check out my other book which is titled My Slayer System: Rise to Supremacy.

 Chapter 10 - 10: Goodbye

    A trip to unlock his potentials, is about to cause Grey his life as he was in a tough battle with a level 3 beast that could use two elemental attribute making it dangerous to fight as Grey was limited in his options in fighting.


    He could only use the wind attribute and he was on the losing side of this fight. This was further cemented with the beast sending a shrapnel coated with fire towards Grey at immense speed.


    "Shit! What am I going to do now?" Grey asked as he could see the shrapnel almost close to him.


    ''Think! Think Grey, think! Finally!'' He thought as an idea struck him and he got to work executing it as he closed his eyes while standing and ignoring the shrapnel that was almost close to him.


    Grey was now circulating the mana around his body and also drawing in more mana from the world. He was drawing more and more mana and in the process, his body was starting to overload.


    That was when a sharp sound was heard as the shrapnel was incredibly close. Quickly snapping his eyes open, Grey thrust his hands outwardly and a burst of energy erupted from his hands hitting the shrapnel and causing it to go flying away from him.


    And then, Grey fell on his knees as he was breathing in heavily because his core was almost depleted with the attack he did earlier.


    From the outside point of view, it looked like Grey used the wind to push the shrapnel very far away from him but that wasn''t what he did. He used mana as a pure form to push the piece of shrapnel away causing it to lunge deep into the ground.


    All mages could do this, whether they were weak or not. As long as they could use or control mana, they were able to do this but it required immense focus and a lot of mana to do what Grey just did.


    But using this, the mage''s mana would be halved as the skill used a lot of mana to be cast and was always seen as a last resort.


    Grey was now on his knees gasping for air as he was feeling incredibly weak. And that was when he heard rumbling noises beneath him.


    "Give me a break damn it!" He shouted as the ground shook and burst open then he was suddenly thrown up in the air by the force of the sudden burst and then a blunt rock was seen heading Grey''s way.


    In an instant, it crashed into him sending him crashing into the ground with so much force that the ground broke beneath him.


    "Kuh! Kuh! Kuh!" Grey coughed as he was finding it difficult to breath and his chest was burning in pain.


    "Darn it! I should have ran for it when I have the chance." He said as he slowly rose as he could hear the sound of steady pounding of paws heading his way.


    ''I wish there was sand for me to use here.'' He thought as he quickly left the way for the beast to ram into a tree.


    ''I need to think fast now!'' Grey thought as he looked around quickly and his eyes landed on another shrapnel just a few feet away from him. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And lifting his hands, Grey twirled it around and slowly, the shrapnel lifted into the air slightly and headed towards Grey who quickly caught it in his hands while taking a weak stance waiting for the beast.


    After ramming into a tree, the wolf turned around and spotted the human a few feet away from it with a bleeding face, hand and nose while holding onto a piece of shrapnel.


    Quickly, the beast tapped the ground softly and it moved pushing the beast towards Grey with immense speed while Grey was seen holding the shrapnel in front of him.


    The beast opened up its mouth and Grey knew what was coming next as a long stream of fire was seen heading his way quickly while the beast was not far behind.


    ''I only have enough for this one last defense.'' Grey thought in his head as he performed the hand signs for his only wind skill.


    "Aerius!" He shouted out loud and a huge burst of wind bigger than what he had performed earlier erupted out of his hands and crashed into the fire dispelling it totally.


    ''Huh? Has my wind powers grown stronger? But how?'' He thought in confusion. ''I shouldn''t worry about that right now, I need to focus.''


    Grey wasn''t wrong in assuming his wind powers had grown stronger and that was because the criteria of leveling wind powers was by repeated use which he had been doing from the start of the fight.


    By repeatedly using the wind powers, his attribute had grown stronger and he could now use more complex skills. That is if he manages to get away from this situation unharmed.


    Immediately after dispelling the fire, Grey could see the beast heading towards him in a straight line with immense speed and he didn''t know what to do but hold the long shrapnel up.


    And now, the beast sent a rock shard towards Grey quickly who used his long shrapnel weapon to hit the shard away and then he moved forward a bit while the wolf was now a feet away.


    Without wasting time, Grey thrust his weapon into the beast body pushing it back a bit. Then he used a little bit of his mana in order to use his wind powers to push him forward a bit.


    Then he quickly stabbed the shrapnel into the beast''s eye temporarily blinding and disorienting it. The wolf was seen twisting its head around rapidly as it felt a stinging pain in its eyes.


    Grey was now seen two feet away from the wolf with his hands raised.


    "Goodbye! Aerius!" He shouted out at once as he used the very last bit of mana he had to perform one last skill.


    The Aerius caused a huge burst of wind to push the shrapnel into the eye of the wolf more and after a little bit of struggle, the edge of the shrapnel was seen popping out the other end of the wolf''s head and the wolf slowly swayed a bit before it fell down with a thud and so did Grey in weariness.

 Chapter 11 - 11: New Affinity!

    Immediately the beast fell down, Grey also fell with a thud as he felt his eyelids closing in and out and he was panting hard from pain as his chest went up and down while his eyes were still partly open looking at the sky.


    "That was somehow hard and dangerous." He said while reflecting on the fight from earlier.


    "If I hadn''t unlocked the wind affinity, I''m sure I would have been dead by now. All I had to do to unlock the wind affinity was to be exposed to it enough time and I got exposed to the wind attribute thanks to Clark." Grey smiled as he weakly lifted himself up and sat down while breathing in and out heavily.


    "But I can''t believe I was able to defeat a level 3 beast that had two affinities all alone. Even in my wildest dreams, I didn''t expect I will pull this off." He said with a chuckle.


    Then he slowly stood up and walked towards the dead beast that layed a couple of feet away from him and then he picked one of the partly broken shrapnel from the ground and decided to get to work.


    "Just by unlocking the wind affinity, I was able to fight with a level 3 beast although I''m terribly injured, I still came out the victor. Now imagine unlocking more affinities! That''s crazy!" Grey laughed loudly like a mad man as he began extracting the crystal cores from the beast.


    The cores were located in different part of the beast. And he began extracting them first by going to the abdomen of the beast extracting a shiny crystal core.


    Holding it, Grey''s eyes gleamed with excitement as it felt like he was holding onto an egg.


    "This is¡­ this is the fire core! With this, I would finally have the fire affinity too." He exclaimed as he set the crystal aside and began carving the second core from the chest area of the beast.


    "Finally! I would soon have three elements." Grey said when he slowly trailed off.


    "No! I don''t think it''s right for me to unlock more affinities at this time, let me first start slow and steady by cultivating the fire core first. After all, I have already started cultivating it already." Grey said as he quickly tucked the Earth crystal core into his pocket. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then he took the fire core that was slightly burning. He took it to the foot of the volcano and sat down cross legged with the core in two of his hands and then he closed his eyes.


    Grey began breathing in and out slowly trying to replenish his mana core while at the same time drawing in energy from the core.


    As Grey drew in energy after energy from the air and the core in his hand, the core was now starting to dim slowly while his chest was glowing even through his somewhat tattered clothing.


    After a few minutes, the core stopped shining and it looked dull after serving it''s purpose, Grey tossed it away and stood up with a beaming smile on his face.


    "Finally! The fire attribute!" He said as he lifted his hand and twirled his finger around.


    Then a fire lit up in front of his finger then throwing it outwardly, a thin stream of fire burst out towards the body of the dead beast slightly torching it a bit.


    With a smile on his face, Grey walked towards the dead beast and he looked at the spot his fire torched.


    "I wouldn''t want to damage my prized possession now would I?" He said as he bent down and started carving out the skin of the beast.


    In this world, beast skin were quite valuable and they sold for 7 silvers per gram and currently, there were at least two grams of skin on the beast meaning Grey would receive 14 silver coins.


    Coins were the world currency. With bronze being the lowest currency followed by silver and then Gold being the highest currency.


    Having a single gold coin is a privilege most poor people don''t have while silver coins are quite easy to come by if a person worked.


    "With this, I would be able to provide for my mom." Grey said before he paused.


    "Hold on, what am I going to tell her about this? About how I got injured, and how I even got the skin. Hold on a sec, what am I going to tell the trader? He won''t believe that a 15 year old with no magical affinity killed a level 3 beast.


    Even most of the adults, would struggle a lot against the level 3 beast." Grey realized as he started pacing around thinking of what to do when a sudden idea hit him like a lightning bolt.


    "Yes, I will just have to tell them this." Grey said as he continued carving the skin off the beast quickly.


    When he was done, Grey parked up the skins and got ready to leave the forest with his trophies in excitement as he couldn''t wait to see his mother''s face when he comes back with a pouch filled with shiny silver coins.


    Grey began his torturous journey back to the town with his body riddled with injuries but he didn''t really feel the pain.


    Immediately Grey left the forest, a phenomenon was occuring in the forest as a warping and whooshing sound was heard in the forest.


    And then a white space appeared around the forest and two men were seen standing in the forest in the exact same spot Grey just left from.


    One of the men who had brown hair left the white haired man and went to where the dead beast lay with its skin totally carved and a huge hole in its head.


    "He is adapting real quick." The brown haired man said.


    "Yeah, he surprises me too. I can''t believe someone as young as him with only the wind affinity managed to kill a level 3 beast." The white haired man said.


    "That''s quite the achievement if I must say." The brown haired man said as he slowly stood up.


    "And now, he has managed to unlock the fire affinity which is the most devastating power ever and quite the rare one I must say." The white haired man who turned out to be the old first mage Grey had met earlier said.


    "We need to keep watching him more to see if he will continue growing then we can make our decision if we are going to help him in this upcoming war or not." The brown haired man said.


    "Agreed." The first mage said.

 Chapter 12 - 12: Money!

    After a few torturous minutes of walking, Grey found himself outside the forest and back in town. Walking for a few minutes, no one stopped nor questioned him and that was because there was no one to.


    As all the adults were still at work in the small factory in the town. Grey just hoped that his mum was not at home. After a few more minutes of walking, He was finally home and luckily, his mum was out of the house.


    He quickly went up to his room to freshen up and changed into another set of cloth as his current one was torn from his fight with. Then he swiftly left the house for the market where all sorts of things were sold including beast skin.


    Leaving the house, Grey walked for 10 minutes before he got out of the shabby area where he and his parents lived to the much better parts of town where the somewhat stable people lived.


    Getting to town, Grey saw people walking around going from one place to another. But he kept his head on the road and wasn''t about to get sidetracked as he made his way to where a vendor displayed his goods and was currently sitting.


    Grey walked towards the man after an exchange of pleasantries, he quickly got down to business so he will get out or there.


    "Sir, I''m here to sell some beast skin." Grey started.


    "Beast skin? Where did you get it from?" The man asked as he slowly stood up.


    "I was training at the outskirts of the forest when I perceived a foul smell and tracing it, I came across a dead beast so I decided to carve its skin." He lied.


    "Hmm!" The man said as he stroke his beard as he examined the skin and noticed a flaw in Grey''s lie.


    ''This skin looks and feels fresh. It''s like it was killed recently which contradicts his story of perceiving a foul smell.'' The man thought as he eyed Grey from the corner of his eyes.


    ''I don''t think it''s possible for him to kill the beast himself right? Unless he has strong magical affinity.''


    ''Whatever the reason, I don''t care because this skin is quite valuable.'' The man thought as he finally looked up at Grey.


    "I will give you 12 silver coins for this skin." The man declared.


    ''12 silver coins! That is a lot than I expected.'' Grey thought excitedly.


    ''Ha! Silly kid, he must be probably happy and doesn''t know that beast skin were always sold at 15 silver coins.'' The man thought excitedly.


    "I will take it." Grey declared happily.


    "Good then, I will get you your money now." The man said and then got to work arranging the silver coins for the young kid.


    After he was done, he handed the pouch over to Grey and bid him goodbye and Grey received the pouch excitedly and left for his modest house with a hop in his steps.


    ''Mum will be so so happy and surprised seeing this huge amount of money.'' Grey smiled happily and was lost in his thoughts that he didn''t realize where he was going and he bumped into a person who was standing in the middle of the street.


    "Sorry." Grey said without looking up and was about to keep going when a hand was felt on his shoulder halting his steps.


    "What do you think you are doing bumping into me!" The voice shouted and Grey''s pupil dilated as he heard the voice.


    Slowly turning around, Grey was met with the face of his nemesis.


    "Weakling? You are the one who barged into me?! How dare you!" Clark shouted as he had a firm grip on Grey''s shoulder in anger.


    "I already apologized Clark, I didn''t intend to bump into you." Grey said again.


    "And yet you still bumped into me." Clark said and then his eyes wondered to Grey''s hand that was trying to hide something behind his back.


    "What is that? What are you trying to hide?" Clark asked as he reached out to grab Grey''s hand.


    "It''s nothing that should concern you Clark." Grey said quickly pulling his hand away.


    "Oh it concerns me wimp." Clark said trying to reach for the pouch again but this time, he used his wind magic to pull Grey''s hand towards him.


    Grey seeing what was going on, quickly used his wind magic to push Clark''s wind magic away totally even moving Clark''s hand a bit.


    "You! Did you use wind magic?" Clark asked.


    "Pfft!" Grey laughed. "Wind magic? No way, I don''t have a mana core at all remember?"


    ''That''s right, how can he use wind magic? He doesn''t have a mana core and so he can''t. Maybe I was hallucinating it.'' Clark thought.


    "Now if you would excuse me, I need to get home as soon as possible." Grey said and he immediately sprinted off while boosting himself with a little wind magic.


    "Wait!" Clark shouted but Grey had almost disappeared from his view. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t think I''m hallucinating it, he definitely is using wind magic and it is much stronger than mine. But how?" Clark wondered aloud.


    "Whatever it is, I need to put him in his place and let him know who he is messing with." Clark said and then he smirked.


    ____________


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    My Slayer System: Rise to Supremacy.


    And I''m sure you would all love it.

 Chapter 13 - 13: A Visit

    After escaping from Clark''s clutches, Grey ran as fast as possible back home while boosting himself with his wind magic making him run faster and better while also avoiding unwanted people.


    He kept on running while sometimes using the wind spell he learnt from Clark to propel him forward. Contrary to what people would think about constantly using spells thinking it would drain their core quickly, Grey''s core was already expanded beyond the average mage''s core so he could use the skill repeatedly than before.


    Finally! After a few minutes of running, Grey was now in front of his shabby house that was looking as if it was on the verge of collapsing. Entering in, he could perceive a sweet aroma in the house making him aware that his mom was around and she was preparing dinner.


    "Mom! I''m back." Grey called out and his mom was seen walking out with a worn out apron tied around her body.


    "Grey! Where were you?" Clara asked.


    "I went to train." He replied.


    "Train? Train for what?" Clara asked coming over.


    "Trying to see if I can unlock my magic powers." Grey replied.


    "Honey, you know that you don''t have an affinity, so why are you stressing yourself?" Clara said while patting him on his shoulder.


    "I know mom, but I just feel like if I practiced more, I might be able to get something." Grey said contorting his face in a way to make it look somber.


    Grey hadn''t told his mom that he had unlocked his magical powers and he also met the first ever mage who told him that he had five affinities making him stronger than the average mage.


    Clara sighed as she had given up trying to talk some sense into Grey and she was about to head into the kitchen when Grey stopped her.


    "Mom! I got something for you." He said and then he removed something from his worn out pant''s pocket bringing out a small pouch.


    Clara looked at her son weirdly wondering what was in the pouch when Grey jiggled it making her eyes glow.


    "Is that what I think it is?" She asked as she inched quickly towards Grey and took the pouch jiggling it herself and even opening it up to confirm.


    "Yup, it''s money." Grey smiled.


    "Silver coins? Where did you get them from?" Clara asked as she finally snapped back to reality.


    "I earned it mum." Grey replied.


    "How the hell did you earn 12 silver coins Grey?" Clara questioned.


    Grey took in a deep breath and decided to narrate to his mom the same lie he told the shop vendor. After a minute of lying, Grey sat down.


    "I see, so you came across a dead beast when you went training. And then carving the skin out, you went to sell it and brought home these." Clara summarized.


    "Yes." Grey replied.


    Clara heaved a sigh of relief as she had been worried that her son was doing something dangerous to earn this much amount of money. But hearing his tales, she was finally relieved as she went into the kitchen to continue preparing the dinner.


    ''pheeew! Thank goodness she got convinced.'' Grey thought in relief.


    ''I could see the smile on her face when I gave her that pouch. It has been long I saw that genuine smile. If I want to keep seeing that smile, I better man up and try support the house like dad did.


    I can''t let her take all the household responsibilities on her shoulder, I need to help her and for that, I need a job or something so I can earn money for her. But where the hell do I start from?'' He thought confused as he paced around the small living room.


    Then he just tiredly walked back to his room thinking of what to do and where to start from.


    ''That will have to wait now, for now, let me practice my the fire magic spells I learnt from the library.'' Grey thought as he stood in front of his room''s door.


    Pushing the loose knob, he walked inside his room and then he was blinded by a huge flash of white light. After a few seconds, he slowly opened his eyes as he didn''t feel any pain or something.


    Looking around, he could see that he was still in his room and not somewhere else.


    "For a second there, I thought the first mage was about to take me away like he did that day in the forest." Grey said with a chuckle when a noise interrupted him.


    Another white light appeared in the room. But this time, it wasn''t huge and blinding although it was bright to the extent Grey had to shield his eyes with his hand, the white light was still mini compared to the other time.


    "What the hell is going on? Am I about to be attacked?" Grey thought as he started swirling his mana around his body while activating his fire magic around his hands ready for anything.


    Finally he could see again and the white light that stood in the middle of his room slowly receded to show a single man standing in the room with his flowing white gown and his long white beard with long white hair that was flowing as if being blown by the wind although there wasn''t any.


    Seeing the man, Grey just sighed as he cancelled his fire magic and finally relaxed.


    "Oh! It''s you." He said nonchalantly. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What?" The man said. "I remember the other day when you found who I was, you were practically grovelling at my feet and now, you are acting nonchalantly?"


    Grey sighed and walked towards the man that stood in the room and looked him in the eyeball then his next actions surprised the man.


    "Oh please pardon me great mage!" Grey said as he bowed down slowly.


    "You can rise." The mage said.


    The man in the room was the first mage that had revealed to Grey that he had magical affinities.


    "What brings you here?" Grey asked as he sat down on his bed while the first mage clicked his fingers and a white throne like chair appeared in front of Grey''s bed.


    Then sitting down, the first mage decided to talk to Grey.


    "I won''t beat around the bush because I don''t have a lot of time right here so I will get straight to the point.


    Grey, I have been watching you for the past two days since you unlocked your potentials." The mage said then Grey quickly wrapped his hands around his body.


    "You silly boy, I do not watch you when you are bathing or stuffs like that!" The mage shouted and finally Grey relaxed.


    With a sigh and a shake of his head, the mage continued. "How did a silly human like you got these amazing powers? Anyway, we have been watching you and I have to say, I''m impressed by what I see especially when you fought that level 3 beast with only wind magic.


    That was truly impressive and I can see you growing strong in the nearest future but it isn''t enough. So I''m here to tell you to grow stronger quickly because they are starting to make their moves." The mage said.


    "Making their moves? Who are those?" Grey asked with a raised brow.


    "The otherworlders." The mage said.

 Chapter 14 - 14: Appraisal!

    "That was truly impressive and I can see you growing strong in the nearest future but it isn''t enough. So I''m here to tell you to grow stronger quickly because they are starting to make their moves." The mage said.


    "Making their moves? Who are those?" Grey asked with a raised brow.


    "The otherworlders." The mage said.


    "Otherworlders? Who are those?" Grey asked feeling tense.


    "I just decided to tell you who are making their moves, it''s not yet time for you to know their background." The mage retorted.


    Grey didn''t push forward because he knew that no matter how much he asked, there was no way the mage would reveal the information unless he was ready. So he decided to ask the next important question.


    "You said you need me to grow stronger, how am I going to do that when I don''t even know the affinities I have, how to unlock them, and neither do I even have spell books to help my current affinities progress forward.


    So unless you have spell books, and the likes, then there''s nothing I can do to rush my progress." Grey said with his arms folded.


    The first mage relaxed on his chair while stroking his beard and thinking about what Grey just told him. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Actually, I think I can help with that." The mage said as he clicked his fingers together.


    "How so?" Grey asked with a raised brow.


    "By providing you with what you need." The mage smiled as he clicked his fingers again and books appeared in front of Grey.


    Grey counted them and he could see there were up to five books in front of him and opening them up, his eyes glistened as he read all what was written in the books making him know the value of the books.


    "Those things in your hands, are skill, spell and instruction manual books which will help you proceed in your training, know how to unlock your affinities, the spells to cast, how to use them in a fight, and other things." The mage said with a smile.


    "You¡­ you are letting me have all these things for free?" Grey asked as he stuttered and looked at the books in his hands again and then looked back at the mage.


    Hearing Grey''s words, the mage laughed out loud and then he looked at Grey.


    "For free? Hahahaha! No! These are not free, as I expect results soon after giving you these. But looking at how fast you progress, I know that is not a problem."


    Hearing how serious the mage was, Grey was left wondering who the otherworlders were that made the mage so serious and urgent about making him as strong as possible.


    Grey knew how strong the mage in front of him was so he was wondering who the otherworlders were that managed to get him so worked up.


    ''Whatever, as long as I''m able to get strong with his help, I don''t care who his enemies or foes are.'' Grey thought as he skimmed through the books again.


    "I can see you have unlocked the wind and fire attributes. You also have high affinity in the wind magic but your fire affinity is still low." The mage said looking into Grey''s eyes.


    "How¡­ how are you so precise about what I got?" Grey asked with a raised brow.


    "Oh! You haven''t unlocked that yet?" The mage asked as he slapped his forehead loudly.


    "Unlocked what?" Grey asked.


    "You have a special attribute like I do, and you haven''t unlocked this skill?" The mage asked again.


    "Unlocked what?" Grey asked again.


    "You see, you have a special attribute just like I do and one of the skills of our special attribute, is something called an appraisal.


    I know your next question, so let me explain to save you the breath. You see, an appraisal is given to mages that are able to unlock the special magical affinities. And what are they?"


    "Chaos, space, time. e.t.c" Grey replied.


    "Correct. These special attributes are given to a select few. To my knowledge, it''s only you and me that have these special attributes. If you have any of these, you are given a skill called appraisal.


    What is appraisal? It is a skill that allows us to see the stats of other mages, we can see how many elements they have, how strong they are, what their elements are, and lastly the color grade of their elements." The first mage explained.


    "That sounds soooo cool!" Grey exclaimed loudly in excitement.


    "Yes, it is cool. And the good news about an appraisal, is that it doesn''t require mana to be activated. It''s just with your thoughts." The mage said.


    "So how can I get it?" Grey asked impatiently.


    With a sigh, the mage stood up and stood over Grey who was still seated on his bed. Then the mage closed his eyes and performed some hand signs while chanting some words.


    Knowing the mage wouldn''t hurt him, Grey relaxed, let him do what he wanted to do without distracting him.


    When the mage was done chanting, he placed his finger into Grey''s left eye which caused him to shout out in pain and he was about to push the mage''s hand.


    "Don''t move! Stay still!" The mage said sternly.


    "Have you gone senile old man? Are you trying to make me go blind at this young age?" Grey retorted angrily.


    "Will you stop shouting and moving so much or else you will really go blind." The mage replied as he was concentrating hard.


    Hearing the threat, Grey stopped moving and let the mage continue while he was still twitching in pain. After a few minutes, the mage was done and he went back to sit while looking at Grey who had his two eyes closed.


    "You can open your eyes now." The mage said.


    "Are you sure? Cause I''m scared of opening it and finding out that I have really gone blind." Grey replied skeptically then he heard a cracking sound in the room and also feeling the familiar air of mana.


    Feeling scared, Grey snapped his eyes open and could see the mage sitting in front of him with a sinister smile on his face and a huge fire surrounding his hand.


    "Are you crazy? Do you want to kill me now?" Grey shouted.


    "Are you blind now?" The mage asked as he cancelled his fire and looked at Grey.


    Touching his face, then his eyes, Grey could see that he could see perfectly and infact, it felt like his vision was sharper than before.


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Grey decided to try it out.


    "Now, how did you say I can activate this appraisal again?" Grey asked when suddenly, his left eye''s vision went dark.


    Then it turned blue and in a split second, a small floating screen appeared in front of his eye and see so many words and symbols written on it.


    He could even see the flow of mana moving around him unlike how he always perceived it, Grey was able to see mana clearly and not only that, when looking at the first mage, some runic symbols appeared in front of him.


    ''Time to see how strong he really is.'' Grey smiled when suddenly, the smile froze on his face.


    Looking at the first mage in front of him, he was unable to see anything about him as all his magical skills came out as ''???''


    "What the hell??!!" Grey exclaimed.

 Chapter 15 - 15: Get Stronger!

    After a series of discussion, the first mage gave Grey a new skill called appraisal that could view a mage''s stats and how strong they were. After getting the appraisal, Grey decided to put it to the test and he had the perfect test subject.


    ''Time to see how strong he really is.'' Grey smiled when suddenly, the smile froze on his face.


    Looking at the first mage in front of him, he was unable to see anything about him as all his magical skills came out as ''???''


    "What the hell??!!" Grey exclaimed as he kept looking at what he was seeing.


    The first mage smiled as if he already knew what was going on. And he really knew what was going on.


    "Let me guess, you tried the skill on me right?" The mage chuckled.


    Grey nodded along confirming what the mage said was true.


    "And it came out as question mark right?" The mage asked again with a smile.


    "How do you know about all these?" Grey asked.


    "Haha! Aren''t I the one who gave you the skill? How won''t I know what happened." The mage chuckled.


    "I don''t understand, you are able to see my attribute, but I''m unable to see yours. What''s wrong?" Grey asked.


    "That''s cause I''m stronger than you. I can see your attributes because you are weaker than me. If you were stronger than me, it would have come out as question marks." The mage replied.


    "Oh! So all I have to do is get stronger than you right? Then that''s what I will do." Grey said with a smile.


    "That''s the spirit. Grow stronger than me then we can finally talk business." The mage said as he stood up and his white throne like chair disappeared.


    "I''m leaving now. And since my business with you is done, you won''t see me again until I deem it''s time for me to have the talk with you. Study those books you were given by me and grow strong enough to best me.


    Then we will proudly help you when the otherworlders come."


    ''We again? He mentioned this we earlier. What does he mean?'' Grey thought.


    The mage was about to snap his fingers when Grey quickly stopped him.


    "Hold on, I have a question." Grey said before the mage snapped his fingers which caused the mage to raise an eyebrow and pause.


    "You kept on mentioning we since the start of this conversation. In fact you even said we again just now. What did you mean?" He asked.


    The mage just smiled and brought his fingers together. "When it''s the right time, you will know."


    And with a snap, the mage disappeared from Grey''s view.


    "Darn this mage for always leaving me in suspense!" Grey shouted and then he quickly covered his mouth in fear his mum would hear him.


    "Hold on, I have been talking with that mage for so long and we even shouted a dozen times, how come mum hasn''t come though those doors by now?" He asked himself as he safely hid the books he was given and quickly left the room. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Heading downstairs, Grey could see his mum still prepping dinner and it looks like she was almost done. Hearing the footsteps behind her, she turned around and could see Grey standing behind her.


    "Hey honey! Go and set the table, dinner is almost ready." Clara said.


    And Grey got to work in setting and arranging the table while his mum was dishing out the food for both she and her son.


    They sat down and ate dinner together while happily chatting away forgetting their worries for a second. But deep down, Clara was worried for her son''s future but she didn''t show it as she kept smiling while she and Grey talked for long.


    After they were done with dinner, Grey went to do the dishes as he cleared the table and also washed the plates clean.


    "Alright mum, I''m heading to my room to sleep now." Grey announced from the kitchen.


    "Alright honey, goodnight." Clara replied from the kitchen.


    "Goodnight mum, I love you." Grey said.


    "And I love you too son." Clara replied while Grey headed to his room.


    Entering and closing the door behind him, Grey heaved a sigh as he sat on his bed and brought the books he was given by the first mage.


    Shuffling through them, looking for the right book, Grey''s eyes stumbled on one particular book that didn''t relate to magical affinities.


    "What''s this?" Grey asked as he pulled the book out and read the front cover.


    *Introduction to magic runes, symbols and portals.*


    "Runes and portals?" He asked with a smile on his face. "I will check it out later. For now, I need to get stronger so I need a fire spell book."


    Shuffling through the books, Grey finally found a fire spell book that had basic, intermediate and advanced spells. All in one book.


    "Bingo! This is wonderful." He said as he hid all the other books.


    Then he went into the centre of the sparse room and began reading the book word for word, sign for sign and movement for movement.


    He started with creating small flames on the palm of his hand and started controlling, moving it around trying to get the hang of it. He twirled it around his palm and slowly started enlarging the small fire on his hand.


    When he was satisfied, he then studied the spell for fireballs and he tried it after reading the book but he tried and failed multiple times.


    He tried to create a fireball for a dozen times till his mana got exhausted. Then he stopped practising and went into meditation trying to restore his mana.


    ''There should be a way to keep restoring my mana without this meditation technique. I can''t be meditating in a fight trying to restore my mana. The more advanced spells I use, the more abilities I use, the faster my mana will get exhausted.


    Darn it! I should have asked that mage for a technique to help with this.'' He thought.


    ''Anyway, I will have to keep practicing the spells then till I get the hang of it all.''

 Chapter 16 - 16: Exploration

    *2 months later*


    Grey spent two months practising all the books he was given, although he didn''t spend them in his room so his mum won''t get suspicious. He would sometimes head into the forest to practice and in these weeks, Grey was able to cast a fire ball spell.


    Even his wind magic had gotten stronger from repeated use. And he had also decided to absorb the Earth crystal core he got from that level 3 beast granting him the Earth energy.


    But unfortunately, he was only able to control the Earth he was touching with his palm as his affinity in the earth magic was still low.


    And he was also able to use his appraisal properly getting the hang of it as he could finally view his own appraisal and when he saw it, he was shocked beyond belief at what he saw.


    <Name: Grey Dawn>


    <Status: Mage>


    <Mana: 50/50>


    <Elements: Three>


    Then he decided to click on the elements tab to view his elements.


    {<Wind: 20> Colour grade: blue}


    {<Earth: 5> CG: yellow}


    {<Fire: 10> CG: Purple}


    These were Grey''s status when he used the eye''s of appraisal to look within himself and the reason for his shock was the colour grade he saw.


    Seeing him having high color affinities, made him shocked which meant he was truly a rare talent.


    Then looking at it more, he could see some numbers at the side of his elements which meant how many points he had in a specific element.


    The higher the number of point, meant the stronger the ability. Which meant his stronger magic was the wind magic as he had twenty points in it.


    Although he had weak points in the other attributes, his colour grades was still a high enough advantage meaning he still had tremendous potentials.


    Currently, he was in the forest practising with his Earth magic as he was trying to increase his points in the Earth magic.


    He currently had a small lump of Earth in his hand as he was repeatedly using and molding it into different things. First a dagger, then a small spear.


    After that, he took a page out of the level 3 beast''s book of skill as he coated the earth spear in fire while swinging it around and then he also smoothly switched to wind magic as he was suddenly floating and then he switched to fire magic shooting a fireball at a nearby tree.


    Causing the tree branches to burn. While still flying slightly, he shaped the Earth in his hand into a spear and then he threw it with all his might towards a tree.


    Then with his hands outstretched, he shot out fire towards the spear causing it to erupt in flames then in a split second, the spear lunged into a tree deep scorching it because of the flames.


    And smoothly, he landed on the ground using the wind magic as he landed softly then he wiped away the small sweat that formed on his face.


    "Phew! That was a work Weldone." He said as he approached the tree and pulled out the Earth spear and the moulded it into just a long thin Earth stick and placed it on his back while examining the tree.


    "I''m finally able to switch between elements seamlessly making me fight better. I''m now a better fighter than before but I won''t be overconfident because I know that I''m still a long way to go." He said as he was now done examining the tree.


    So he went towards a quiet cleared spot that was round like circle while the trees were used as cover for the circle. Then walking forward a bit, Grey stood in front an incomplete cave of some sorts.


    For the past two months after gaining his Earth abilities, he usually frequented this woods because he knew nobody comes here so he always came here while heading deep inside the forest just in case someone comes along.


    Then he slowly built a cave for himself where he knew he could meditate in peace and also practice his magic without any form of disturbance.


    It was incomplete because there were still some parts missing. Just a few metres behind the cave, was the volcano where Grey had battled with the level 3 beast. Once a while, he will head there to practice his fire magic while trying to control the lava he saw there.


    In just two weeks, Grey had made significant progress in magic as he was a very quick learner and he always easily remembered whatever he saw immediately.


    And he also had plenty of time on his hand as he wasn''t bothered with anything which made him focus on his training more. Some would say that he was a training nerd.


    But there was still one aspect he couldn''t quite grasp properly and that was the rune and portal magic he had been learning. That was even the main reason he built his cave because he wanted to practice in peace.


    Heading into the cave, it didn''t look anything like the outside. As from the outside, it looked quite small and when entering in, it look smaller but then Grey inputted a tiny bit of mana into a particular spot in the ground.


    Then a wall in front of him moved allowing him to head inside and then the wall closed shut. After experimenting more with Earth magic, although he had low points, Grey was still resourceful.


    And hence the combination of Earth magic and some runic magic he learnt from the book, he created this wall that without his mana, the wall wouldn''t move. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the wall moved, Grey headed inside and in front of him was a mini mountain of white chalk, drinks and food, and then off to the side, were incomplete runes drawn on the floor.


    With a sigh, he headed to the incomplete runes and he sat in front of it with a chalk in his hand while looking at the runes strangely. Then picking the runic book, he glanced over it, recited some things, memorized it and then began drawing.


    ''I was able to perform illusionist runes, even the small transportation runes. But what I am unable to draw is this darn portal rune. Portal to another planet or something.'' He thought as he concentrated hard.


    After a few minutes of drawing and cancelling, Grey relaxed and decided to meditate. While meditating, something finally clicked in his head as he stood up and went back towards the magic circle.


    Then he began drawing more intensely. After he was done, Grey had a big smile on his face as he had finally grasped the concept of the portal rune and now, it was finally perfectly completed.


    "Finally! Now all I need is to input my mana into the circle and I will be transported to another planet." Grey muttered in excitement.


    "Time for some exploration." He smiled as he inputted his pure mana into the circle and in a second, it lit up white.

 Chapter 17 - 17

    Grey had used two months in order to try master all the spells given to him and he had made significant progress as he was now able to use his abilities seamlessly although his Earth magic was still weak, he compensated for that with his wind and fire magic making him on par with an average blue magic user.


    Then the other thing he struggled with was the runic and portal symbols which he practised for two months straight with some visible results. He was able to draw runes that could serve as casting illusions.


    But where he had problems with was the portal runes as he tried and tried to draw symbols for his portal that would transport him to another world.


    But finally, it all changed as he finally got the inspiration he needed and was able to complete and even activate it. Currently, he was staring at the illuminating light from the portal in front of him and he couldn''t help but smile widely as he stared at his hardwork bear fruit.


    "Finally! After so long, I have finally being able to complete it." Grey smiled as he jumped around in excitement.


    The light glowed for two minutes before it dimmed and then went out but Grey didn''t care as he could activate it anytime as long as he had mana.


    "I can just activate it anytime as long as I have mana which I have in supplus." He smiled as he sat down on his Earth chair in the room and took a chug of a canned drink of some sorts.


    "This drink tastes better as I have accomplished something big." He smiled again taking another chug.


    After he was done drinking, he tossed the can up with all his strength making it fly up then in a flash, he shot out a thin stream of fire towards the can and it caught on fire. It was burning while heading for the ground.


    Before it landed, Grey quickly went to the spot he knew it will fall into and placed his hand on it opening a big enough hole for it using his Earth magic. Then the scorched can fell into the ground and Grey closed the Earth back up and went to take his seat again.


    "Now that, that is done, I need to make up and excuse for mum for when I will activate the portal and head out." Grey thought as he stroke his bare chin in thought.


    After a few minutes of stroking his chin, and pacing around the room, he didn''t have any idea of the excuse he would tell his mum about him heading out.


    Since he got nothing, Grey just stood up and walked to a wall in the room and placed his hand on it, inputting a little bit of mana and then it opened up. He walked through then the wall shut tight.


    Grey now stood in the small cave he came in from. With a sigh, he walked out of the cave and then was on his way out of the forest still trying to come up with an excuse.


    "I think it will be wise to tell mum that I have unlocked my affinities. I can''t keep in keeping her in the dark sooner or later, the truth will be revealed. I rather tell her than for her to find the truth out from somewhere else." He sighed as he was now on the outskirts of the forest.


    He kept walking, keeping his head down and trying to come up with a plausible way of informing his mum of the truth. Finally, after twenty minutes of walking, Grey was now back home as he twisted the door knob and walked in.


    He could see his mum frantically pacing around the room trying to get some things together. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mum?" Grey said as he walked over and could see she was packing her bags.


    "Are you going somewhere?" He asked.


    "Yes honey, you know the factory I''m working in, they selected a few workers to head over to another town for a few weeks for a project." Clara replied.


    "Few weeks?" Grey asked then a small smile played on his lips.


    "I''m sorry honey, I know you will be lonely but this is important. If we were to do the job perfectly, we would be rewarded handsomely and you know how much we need money right now. I also wish I could have taken you along but I can''t." Clara apologized as her hands rested on Grey''s shoulders.


    "It''s okay mum, I will be fine. I''m not a kid anymore, I will take care of myself don''t worry." Grey smiled widely.


    "Thank you honey for your understanding. I love you." Clara said as she hugged her son tightly.


    "I love you too mum." Grey said as he hugged his mum back with a smile.


    Then after a few seconds, Clara got back to packing.


    "Come help me dear."


    "I was planning on doing that." He smiled as he helped his mum arrange her bags.


    "So when are you leaving?"


    "Tomorrow at dusk. And I will be back in the next three weeks or so." Clara replied. "Don''t worry, the house is stocked with food, and I have kept 5 silver coins on the kitchen counter for your upkeep."


    "5 silver coins? Isn''t that too much? Do you even have enough money to take care of yourself right now?" Grey asked.


    "Don''t worry, the factory authorities will take care of that for us." Clara replied with a smile on her face.


    After a few minutes, they were done arranging and the bags were kept aside as Clara headed into the kitchen to prepare dinner for the two of them so they could enjoy it together.


    That night, they ate and chatted all night long happily. After a few hours, they both retired to their rooms as they slept.


    ____________


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 Chapter 18 - 18: A Trip to another world

    It was finally the next day, and it was an emotional day as Grey''s mother was leaving on the trip. They both hugged and cried a few times before Clara finally left.


    When Clara left, Grey went back into the small house and lay on his bed thinking about what to do as he was suddenly missing his mum.


    "Grow up Grey, she will be back soon. For now, I have to focus on the task at hand." He said as he stood up from the bed.


    "I can''t believe that lady luck decided to bless me with this opportunity. I didn''t have to worry about the excuse I will give mum as an opportunity presented itself." He smiled.


    Quickly, Grey packed some clothes into his small back then he left the house while locking it up. He rumnaged his pocket as the five silver coins jiggled in it.


    "Alright, I got everything I might need. Clothes, check. Money, check. Spell books, check. Earth dagger, check." Grey said as he checked his bag again seeing if he forgot anything.


    "Alright, seems everything is here and I''m not forgetting anything. I wi just have to head off to the forest to start my travels." He said as he steadily jogged towards the forest where his hideout was kept.


    He occasionally propelled himself using wind magic to make his journey faster.


    "It would have been much faster if I had clown using wind magic but it will seem suspicious to the people." He said as he kept running at full speed.


    After ten minutes, Grey was now in the forest and he didn''t waste anytime in casting a wind spell that allowed him to float above the ground and he was propelled like a rocket towards where his hideout was located.


    ''This ability is really handy.'' He thought as he was now in front of the cave.


    Looking around for anything suspicious and seeing none, Grey headed into the cave, went into a spot, inputted his mana and the wall moved.


    Entering in, it snapped shut and he was met with the view of his hideout. Happily, Grey took three pieces of white chalk and tossed it into his bag. Then he went towards the runes drawn on the floor.


    "Getting back won''t be a problem as I have studied the runes to draw in order to get back. And it is much easier to do than the one to head into a planet." Grey mumbled as he sat in front of the runes drawn on the floor and with a sigh, he poured his mana into the magic circle and it lit up.


    "Here we go then, a trip to another world." He took a breath, grabbed his bag and then leapt into the lit up circle.


    Immediately the circle registered that someone had gone through it, it closed the portal up and then the lit up white light faded and the circle dimmed down.


    Meanwhile, after going through the portal, Grey experienced a euphoric sensation as the feeling of going through the portal was somewhat blissful as his senses were heightened and he only saw white for a few seconds then he was suddenly thrust out.


    Before he hit the ground, Grey quickly regained his footing and looked around trying to see if there was anything different and there was as when he looked up at sky, rather than seeing the normal blue sky he was used to, Grey could see that sky was orange.


    And the air smelled heavy but the good thing was that Grey was able to see mana around the world as he had activated his appraisal eye to see it.


    Then looking around, Grey could see that he was in a cave of some sorts but the cave had an open ceiling as there was nothing covering the top of it.


    Quickly, he got to work as Grey started drawing magic circles around where he stood on and when he was done, he started drawing illusional runes to hide the magic circle.


    "If I hadn''t drawn those magic circles on where I stood earlier, and I drew it on another place, I would have been teleported to another place different from my hideout." Grey said as took his bag and left the cave.


    But before going far, Grey marked the place by inputting a high concentrated amount of mana on the cave entrance.


    "This will let me know where the cave is as I will be attracted to my mana when I need to head here." He said as he totally left the cave entrance and was about to take a step forward when he suddenly stopped.


    Looking below his feet, Grey could see that there was a deep hole in the ground underneath the cave. Looking closely, Grey noticed that it looked like the cave was placed on a high place.


    "Phew! If I hadn''t been careful, I would have fallen to my death." He said as he looked outwardly and he was now confused. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Huh? What''s going on? Why are there mountains and caves all around this place with a little bit of forest area?" He asked as it was only mountains Grey could see along with some caves.


    The good thing was that the caves were farther from his own cave so he didn''t have to worry about someone mistaking his cave for theirs.


    "Alright, time for some exploration." Grey said as he activated his wind magic and cast a spell that allowed him to float a few metres off the ground.


    And like a bird, Grey flew off from his cave and was heading for the small forest he could see off in the distance. Without slowing down, he had crossed the so many mountains and caves.


    And finally, he stood in the midst of tall trees.


    "When I''m done hunting, I would love to explore those caves some more." He said as he removed his small Earth dagger and shaped it into a small sword.


    "Alright beasts, where are you all hiding?" Grey asked and he was soon met with a response as a loud growl was heard coming from his left.


    "Hunting time!" He smiled.

 Chapter 19 - 19: Team Up

    Grey had left the human world and went into a portal he had drawn. The portal teleported him into a new world that had mountains and caves all around him with a little forest area off in the distance.


    Seeing the mountains and caves, he didn''t think much of it. He just thought that the teleportation method was random and he was thrust into a weird place.


    Then seeing the forest off in the distance, Grey knew that there would be beasts there which he could hunt and extract their cores.


    Using his wind magic, he flew towards the forest at top speed and he was there in less than a minute. Landing smoothly, he brought out his small Earth pole and shaped it into a dagger.


    "Alright beasts, where are you all hiding?" Grey asked and he was soon met with a response as a loud growl was heard coming from his left.


    "Hunting time!" He smiled and took a stance waiting for whatever would come out of the forest.


    And that was when he heard another growl coming from his right.


    "Two growls? That means to beasts." Grey mumbled worriedly as he baited his time waiting for whatever horror would come out of either side of him.


    That was when he heard trees breaking from his left side and his right. Quickly, with his Earth dagger in his right hand, Grey activated his fire magic in his left waiting for whatever would come out.


    Soon enough, a beast could be seen coming out of the forest from his left hand side. The beast on seeing the human, halted it''s steps as it examined it.


    While Grey was also examining it. As the beast was as big as an elephant of the old with huge tusks on its face, a fur on its skin like a bear and strange Earth amour on its body.


    The beast''s fur was grey and it had menacing eyes as it huffed at the small human in front of it.


    "That is one huge looking beast." Grey gulped loudly and then he heard another growl coming from his right as trees were breaking.


    "C''mon, if it''s two of you, then I will be dead soon." Grey mumbled as he looked between the beast in front of it and the other side were the other beast was coming from.


    In a split second, a huge loud crack was heard and something huge was flung landing right at Grey''s foot.


    Looking closely, he could see that it was another beast similar to the one that still stood in front of him.


    "Phew! Good thing it''s dead." He sighed and then turned towards the beast in front of him.


    But then movement beneath his feet made him turn around again as the beast was soon seen rising with its body riddled with injuries.


    Then it glared at Grey while the first beast was also getting ready to charge right at Grey too.


    "Darn! I''m f*cked!" He shouted as the small Earth sword in his hand quickly wrapped around his hand including his knuckles giving him somewhat of an Earth gauntlets weapon.


    While his other free hand was blazing hot with fire and taking a stance, he looked at the two beasts with a fierce look on his face.


    "C''mon let''s dance you ugly beasts!" He shouted and the two beasts charged right at Grey.


    The first to get close to him was the beast that was flung and landed beneath his foot. Swiftly, he turned around and shot out a fireball towards the beast that crashed in it''s Earth armour just slightly scorching it.


    "Crap!" He said as the beast thrust its long tusks towards Grey who quickly acted fast by flying above the beast using his wind magic causing the beast to stumble in the path of the other one.


    Still flying, he raised his hand that was covered in the Earth gauntlet. Then he aimed it at the still injured beast. Mumbling a word, a small Earth from his gauntlet that looked like a bullet while also being covered in flames shot out towards the beast''s head.


    Hearing the loud noise, the beast quickly turned around and used its tusks to block the rock bullet. But its tusks broke into pieces. But luckily for it, the rock bullet was stopped.


    "Darn it!" Grey said as he looked at his hand and the Earth gauntlet left his hand and formed a short sword.


    Grabbing it with one hand, he flew straight at the beast like a rocket and when he was close enough, he swung the sword towards it but the other beast quickly came in and wacked Grey out of the air with its huge paw sending him crashing into the trees breaking it totally.


    "Ah shit! That hurts!" He said as he slowly stood up holding his hand that was wacked by the beast.


    Before he could regain his composure, he could hear loud pounding sounds heading his way. And soon, one of the beast could be seen in view while the second one was slightly behind.


    "Ah! Here we go again!" He said as he quickly placed his hands facing downwards and quickly called out.


    "Aerius!" Immediately, a short huge burst of air came out of his hands quickly moving Grey a few feet away from the beast who went stumbling into the tree Grey stood in front a while ago. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Immediately he landed, Grey fell on one knee as he held his chest in pain.


    "Using the elements in quick succession like this is starting to drain my mana quickly." He mumbled.


    "I need a break darn it!" He shouted into the air when a loud stomping sound was heard coming from behind the beasts and a loud booming voice was heard.


    "Where did that ugly beast head to? I need to finish the job soon." The voice said and then soon, a person was seen.


    But Grey raised an eyebrow looking at the person. "Why is he so short?" He said out loud.


    And the short man sharply turned towards Grey. "That was quite rude of you to say kid, you shouldn''t judge a book by its cover."


    Realizing he had said his words out loud, he quickly covered his mouth with his hands and stared at the features of the man.


    The man was short like an average 7 year old height, but he was quite fat but not too fat and he wore heavy armour with a sword in his hand and some injuries on his face as if he had just come out of a fight. Lastly, the man had long ears like that of a rabbit on its head.


    ''Wait, I have seen someone like this somewhere.'' Grey thought as he stared at the man longer but then a loud growl was heard again.


    "Right, I''m in a fight."


    "Where you fighting against these on your own earlier?" The man asked.


    Seeing as it was him the man was talking to, Grey quickly replied. "Yes."


    "Good! That means you must have a good number of strength to last so long against two of them. I would need you to hold off one on your own while I take care of the other one."


    "I will gladly do that." Grey smiled as one of his hand erupted in flames up till his elbow while the second hand was now covered with his Earth gauntlet that now had a sharp spike protruding out of it.


    "What!?! What type of strange power is that?" The man mumbled quietly.


    Then without warning, the two beasts split up and bolted towards the two humans who were ready for a clash.

 Chapter 20 - 20: Stop Playing around!

    Grey had been fighting with the two beasts on his own. Although he was slightly struggling, he was in no way overwhelmed and that was when he was wacked away by one of the beast. Slowly standing up, he could see a short man in front of the beasts without showing any ounce of fear. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then the short man asked Grey to handle one of the beasts on his own while he handled the other one.


    "I will gladly do that." Grey smiled as one of his hand erupted in flames up till his elbow while the second hand was now covered with his Earth gauntlet that now had a sharp spike protruding out of it.


    "What!?! What type of strange power is that?" The man mumbled quietly.


    Then without warning, the two beasts split up and bolted towards the two humans who were ready for a clash. The beast that was still in a good condition was the one that bolted towards Grey who readied himself.


    And when the beast was close, he quickly used ''Aerius'' again to swerve to the side. Then he shot out a fireball towards the beast but it had avoided it using its Earth armour only scorching it black again.


    ''Darn that armour! Just let me get my hand on it, I will make the beast pay.'' He thought as a plan formed in his head and instead of waiting for the beast, Grey boosted himself using wind magic and he flew towards the beast.


    The beast seeing Grey heading its way, stood on its hind legs opened its mouth and shot out dozens of Earth shards towards the flying Grey.


    "Darn it! It can use elemental abilities!" Grey shouted as he narrowly avoided one of the shard but then more were heading his way.


    Avoiding another one, Grey lifted his hand and blew others his way using his wind magic then the remaining three heading his way, he quickly reshaped the Earth gauntlet in his hand to form some sort of a mini shield.


    The shards crashed into his mini Earth shield but not counting the force, it threw Grey from the air as he plummeted into the ground with a huge force that uprooted the grasses beneath his feet.


    Standing up slowly, Grey could be seen bleeding from his head as he had landed with his face.


    ''Of course it could use elemental magic looking at its Earth armour. So I''m guessing this is a level 3 beast then.'' He thought as he coughed out a speck of blood from his mouth.


    ''But it''s Earth magic is stronger than the other level 3 beast I had fought with which means if I were to absorb the core, my affinity in Earth magic would increase exponentially.'' Grey smiled as he could see the beast charging at him with its tusks pointed outwardly.


    "So how about I stop playing around and get serious then!" He shouted as he lifted his hands forward and pointed it like a rifle.


    Then waiting for the beast to get close, he smiled. "Let''s put the spells I learnt to good use then."


    "Explomb!" Grey shouted as a huge fireball left his hand and headed towards the beast at breakneck speed then it crashed into it and huge explosion erupted.


    With flames and heat spread everywhere to the extent the short man felt it and he looked up at where Grey was fighting.


    "That strange power is quite strong, I need to study him better after this fight." The man said as he narrowly avoided the paw of the beast and swiftly sliced the paw off with his sword then he exploded towards the beast and sliced the other paw off throwing the beast off balance.


    Being defenceless, the beast had no other option than to shoot out dozens of shards towards the man who quickly clapped his hands together and a helmet appeared on his head shielding him from the shards.


    Leaping from where he was, the short man was heading towards the beast at tremendous speed and in a second, he crashed into the beast and used his sword to slice its head off cleanly.


    "Phew! That was a job well done." He smiled and turned towards Grey who was still engaged in a fight with his own beast.


    After using the spell ''explomb'', Grey knew that it wouldn''t be enough to kill the beast as the beast was seen moving through the smoke heading towards Grey.


    Without wasting time, he cast ''Aerius'' twice to push the beast further back. And then his gauntlet turned into a long spike in his hand and in a split second, the spike was coated in fire from head to toe making it burn bright.


    "I wish I could create an Earth pillar. But this will have to do for now and I hope your core will be enough to let me increase my affinity enough to do that!" Grey shouted as he threw the spike with as much strength as he could muster.


    "That took up all my mana. If it doesn''t hit, then I''m done for." Grey mumbled as he lifted his hand to cast one last spell with his remaining mana.


    "Aerius!" He shouted as a huge burst of wind hit the spike in its bottom propelling it forward faster than before.


    In a split second, the spear crashed into the beast''s head while the fire surrounding the spike melted its head allowing the spike to go through easily like a hot knife cutting through butter.


    The spike crashed into the beast''s head and came out the other end totally burning a hole through its head. The beast fell down with a thud while Grey was also seen falling in exhaustion but before he could hit the ground, he was caught by the short man.


    ________________


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 Chapter 21 - 21: Another race

    After defeating the beast, Grey was seen falling down in exhaustion but before he could hit the ground, he was caught by the short man who gently laid him on the ground while Grey''s chest was heaving in and out.


    The good thing was that he was conscious, he was just tired after exerting all his mana in the fight. After getting a little bit of rest, he sat back up and crossed his legs in order to meditate so he could regain his lost mana back.


    Meanwhile, the short man was seen carving and extracting the crystal cores from the dead beasts while occasionally glancing back at Grey who was still meditating with his eyes closed.


    ''This human, why does he have similar powers to those people?'' The man thought as he kept on extracting crystals while staring at Grey with the corner of his eyes.


    ''Is it starting again? Will history repeat itself again? Is he one of them? If so, I need to keep an eye on him for the well being of our race. And if I deem him a threat, I will wipe him out of existence.'' the man thought with resolve as he was finally done extracting the crystals.


    Then he walked towards Grey with the crystals in his hand. When he was in front of him, the man tossed one of the crystals towards Grey and it landed on his lap causing him to open his eyes to see a shining core in his lap.


    "Here, that''s yours." The man said.


    Standing up, Grey took the crystal and hid it away in his pants pocket while looking at the short man strangely mainly because of his rabbit like ears.


    "Quit staring at me like that you human!" The short man shouted.


    "Human?" Grey raised an eyebrow. "Aren''t you also a human? Well, I think." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do I look human to you?" The short man asked angrily.


    "Certainly not, not with that height and ears you don''t." Grey chuckled while the short man was seen clenching his hands in anger and a visible vein was seen popping out of his head.


    Seeing the man''s reaction, Grey quickly regained his composure.


    "I''m so sorry for making jest of you. I didn''t know you don''t like jokes." He apologized while the man was seen calming down.


    "Humans and their stupid nature." The man shook his head.


    ''Again with the human statement, looking at him, I know he isn''t a human. So what race is he? Have I been thrown into an alien planet?'' Grey thought worriedly while clenching his fist in and out.


    ''I have managed to gather a little bit of portion of mana back to cast at least three small spells. In case of a fight, I could just distract him with a fireball then I will quickly fly off to the cave and activate the magic circle so I can go back home.'' He smiled at this plan that formed in his mind.


    "Looking at that smile of yours, I can guess you have just formulated a plan that will facilitate your escape." The man said which caused the smile on Grey''s face to freeze as he looked at the man strangely.


    "I guess my guess was right. Anyway, I don''t think you would need that plan yet as I''m not in the mood for a fight, I just want to talk. So how about we head somewhere private and more friendly?" The man asked with a friendly smile on his face.


    "And why should I trust you? I don''t even know who you are or what your motives are." Grey said with a raised brow.


    "Right, good point. Fine let me introduce myself, I''m Randin. I will explain who I am and what race I''m from when we go somewhere else. This place is filled with beasts and not safe if we don''t leave here soon. I can see you are even weak to even hunt a level 1 beast not to talk of a level 3."


    ''He is right, I can''t even cast more than three spells, there''s no way I can fight right now in case of trouble. So I just have to trust him right now.'' Grey thought clenching his fist in and out.


    "Fine, let''s go." Grey said and Randin went away from the forest area and headed towards the direction of the caves where Grey came from.


    "Why aren''t we heading the other way?" Grey asked.


    "If you wanna be beast food, then be my guest." Randin replied.


    "Isn''t that where you came out from?" Grey asked again.


    "I chased the beast of earlier in that direction when we were fighting." Randin replied.


    "So where we are headed, that''s where you live? Coz I can only see mountains and caves around here. Where are the rest of you?"


    "They are all dead. Only a few of us are left and we are scattered all around the bronze continent." Randin replied.


    ''What!!??! How can a whole race be almost wiped out like that?'' Grey thought worriedly.


    They walked some more and after a few turns, climbs, jumps and scaling, they now stood in front of a big cave that went about 20 metres deep and about 10 metres wide allowing for a lot of space.


    Grey could see different types of equipment scattered around with some tools laying around and then a small bed made out of wood and some soft materials was kept in a corner.


    "Welcome to my humble abode where I live alone now." Randin said as he lay on his bed while a small chair was produced for Grey to sit on.


    "So now, before I begin my story, I need to know what a young human like you is doing here." Randin said.


    With a sigh, Grey decided to say the truth.


    "I''m Grey dawn, and guessing by how this place used to be inhabited by a different race, then I''m guessing this is a different planet. So I come from the planet Earth and where I come from, I''m quite poor and I needed a way to survive so I drew a magic teleporting circle that brought me here.


    So I could hunt beasts and sell their cores back on my planet so I can earn a bit of money to survive." Grey said.


    "Hmm." Randin said as he stroked his small beard.


    "That''s quite plausible. Anyway, since you have answered my question, let me also answer yours."


    "I''m Randin and no, we aren''t humans. We are our own species or race whatever you call it. This planet is called Bronze land. And we are a race known as Dwarves."


    "Dwarves!?!!?" Grey asked surprised.

 Chapter 22 - 22: Increase!

    After they were done defeating the beasts and extracting their crystal cores, Randin led Grey to a cave where he lived all alone and decided to question and also answer Grey''s questions.


    After Grey answered his question, he decided to answer Grey''s questions also.


    "I''m Randin and no, we aren''t humans. We are our own species or race whatever you call it. This planet is called Bronze land. And we are a race known as Dwarves."


    "Dwarves!?!!?" Grey asked surprised.


    The reason for his surprise was that he had read about dwarves and he thought it was just a myth or they were extinct. That was why when he saw Randin, he was sure he had seen him from somewhere but he couldn''t wrap his head around where he has seen him from.


    "Yes dwarves. And before you ask where the rest of us are, like I said earlier, we were almost wiped out hence we have being scattered all around the bronze continent with only me occupying here." Randin said.


    "Why haven''t you tried to reconnect with your kind?" Grey asked.


    "Do you think I haven''t tried? But no matter how much I search, I''m unable to find any of them." Randin replied.


    Grey was seen stroking his chin as it was his thinking pose when a question popped up in his head.


    "You said you were all almost wiped out, by who or what?" Grey asked with a raised brow.


    "I don''t know who they are," Randin replied. "All I know is that they call themselves humans but also called themselves another name."


    ''Humans? Is that why he called me that after seeing me? But why will humans come here and decide to wipe an entire continent? I saw Randin fight earlier and he is incredibly strong.


    So if his race are as strong as him, I doubt anyone would give them much trouble even a yellow coloured fire mage. So who are the humans that were strong enough to almost wipe out the dwarves?'' Grey thought.


    "You said they called themselves another name, what did they call themselves?" Grey asked.


    "Uhm, I can''t really remember, it was kind of a long time ago like five hundred years ago." Randin said.


    "Five hundred what?!?" Grey shouted in shock. "How old are you?"


    "Me? I''m eight hundred years old." Randin replied.


    Grey was about to pass out in shock after hearing Randin''s age.


    ''Calm down Grey, I shouldn''t be surprised. I read that dwarves had a long life span so this is quite understandable.'' Grey thought when a sudden shout from Randin startled him.


    "Yes, I remember!" Randin shouted.


    "Remember what?" Grey asked.


    "The other name those humans called themselves. They called themselves the otherworlders."


    "Otherworlders?" Grey asked feeling a loud thump in his chest.


    ''Aren''t they the people that mage was scared of? The people he said I should get stronger for? Who the hell are they? And how are they so strong to the extent they could wipe out an entire different race.'' Grey thought worriedly.


    ''Come to think of it, the book the mage gave me about runic circles and portal magic, it was from it I drew the circle that brought me here. Was it intentional? Had he come here before? Was it from here he found out about the otherworlders?''


    ''I guess my questions will remain unanswered till I meet that mage and I doubt he will show up anytime soon.'' Grey sighed.


    "Anyway, you are welcome to stay here for as long as you want, your company is very much appreciated. It is good to have a company of a sentient being to talk to cause I have been going crazy staying all alone." Randin said.


    ''And I can have enough time to study you and see how your powers work and see how to counter them in case I encounter those otherworlders so I can take my revenge.


    You will be my test subject oh little Grey.'' Randin smiled.


    "So what are you planning on doing with your crystal core?" Grey asked.


    "Make equipment." Randin replied.


    "Equipment? For who? You just said it yourself that there aren''t people here again so who are you making equipment for?" Grey asked.


    ''I had almost forgotten that dwarves loved making equipment and different types of technologies.'' Grey thought.


    "I''m used to it already. We dwarves forge equipment, weapons and machinery all the time. So it is a part of us now especially me." Randin replied.


    "Wow! You forge weapons? And I can even see you are good with the sword." Grey said.


    "Yeah, in this world where beasts roam around, we will need to be skilled in order to hunt their cores." Randin said. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Anyway, I will be here for at least two weeks before I will need to return." Grey said.


    ''Two weeks? It is actually enough time for me to observe and study him.'' Randin smiled.


    "Well, you are welcome to stay here as long as you want. I''m off to go forge some more weapons." Randin said as he exited the cave while Grey quickly sat up cross legged.


    "Time to absorb this crystal while he is away." Grey mumbled as he brought out the crystal and started absorbing the mana and essence from it adding to his core.


    As Grey begun the absorbing process, the crystal lit up bright and the light got dimmer the more he absorbed.


    And finally, the light was dimmed totally and Grey just tossed the crystal away causing it to fall out of the cave.


    "Time to check how many points I got." He said as he used the appraisal skill on himself to check his affinities.


    <Name: Grey Dawn>


    <Status: Mage>


    <Mana: 50/50>


    <Elements: Three>


    {<Wind: 20> Colour grade: blue}


    {<Earth: 25> CG: yellow}


    {<Fire: 10> CG: Purple}


    Seeing his affinities, his eyes gleamed brightly.


    "The core gave me twenty points?! It has even surpassed my wind attribute and I''m not limited to the Earth in my hand. I can control the Earth around me." Grey smiled excitedly.


    "How do I test this new theory out now?" Grey mumbled as he looked around when his eyes landed on the wall of the cave.


    "Time to get to work." He smiled.

 Chapter 23 - 23: Goblins!

    Randin had just given Grey a history lesson then he left to go forge some equipment leaving Grey all alone in the cave with his own share of the crystal in his hands.


    Seeing that Randin had left, Grey quickly decided to absorb the crystal in his hand so he could try increase his Earth affinity and it worked.


    "The core gave me twenty points?! It has even surpassed my wind attribute and I''m not limited to the Earth in my hand. I can control the Earth around me." Grey smiled excitedly.


    "How do I test this new theory out now?" Grey mumbled as he looked around when his eyes landed on the wall of the cave.


    "Time to get to work." He smiled.


    Heading to a wall in the cave, Grey stood in front of it and placed his hands outwardly not touching the wall and then he moved his hands in a circle before he pulled it back and shouted.


    "Earth shard!" He said and a small Earth spike pulled out of the wall.


    Then Grey quickly threw his hands outwardly towards another part of the wall causing the Earth shard to hit the wall precisely going at least three inches.


    "Haha! Perfect." Grey smiled as he sat down cross legged again trying to recover his mana as much as possible.


    "Now without being limited to the Earth in my hand, I can be more versatile in my use of my power. As long as I''m surrounded by Earth, then I can use it." Grey said as he kept meditating.


    ''I remember from the book that if I want to increase my Earth affinity apart from absorbing crystals, I could as well just head somewhere that''s filled with Earth and meditate there.


    Sounds easy enough after my wind magic. So when I get back, I will do that since I''m totally surrounded by Earth back at home close to my hideout.'' He thought.


    After a few minutes of deep meditation and moving his mana around, Grey''s mana had finally recover and he stood up from the cave.


    "Now, where did that dwarf head to?" Grey wondered as he came out of the cave.


    And then he looked around trying to see if he could spot him across the dozen of caves around but it was impossible so he resorted to another thing.


    Cupping his hands around his mouth, Grey inhaled air and then he released it while shouting.


    "Randin! Where are you?"


    His voice traveled far thanks to his use of wind magic and then he got a response back.


    "Right here!" Listening in, Grey heard the voice coming from his south so he quickly used the simple flying wind magic he knew and gently flew towards the mountain.


    The place where Randin was, was a mountain and as Grey stood in front of it, he could see the size of it as the mountain was big enough to fit around 50 regular humans in it.


    Standing in front of the mountain, was Randin as he looked at Grey angrily.


    "Why the hell did you have to shout?" Randin asked.


    "I was looking for you and since I couldn''t find you, I resulted to shouting. Any problem?" Grey asked with a raised brow.


    "You fool! You could have attracted unwanted attention." Randin said slapping his forehead loudly.


    "Unwanted attention? What kind of unwanted attention? Per my current knowledge, the beasts around here, are quite far away so they won''t easily reach here. So what type of un¡­" Grey stuttered as he saw the sudden serious expression on Randin''s and he pulled out his sword pointing it at Grey.


    "You wanna fight me?" Grey laughed until Randin shook his head and then pointed his head to the side behind Grey.


    Raising an eyebrow, Gey turned around and he could see a dozen short, green creatures in front of him. All of them had pointy ears and with short fangs in their mouth and they all pointed their spears towards Grey and Randin.


    "What are they?" Grey asked. "Cause they don''t look like beasts to me."


    "They are called goblins. They had come along into this planet with those otherworlders. They hunt any dwarves that are left and in this current situation, I''m the only one left.


    I have being smart enough to avoid them because I know I''m not strong enough to fight against them. But thanks to you, I am caught." Randin said.


    "Do they have any special powers?" Grey asked as he was slowly twirling his fingers around while the goblin''s spears lit up bright blue.


    "Nope, but their spears do!" Randin shouted as a blue lightning bolt was shot out towards the two.


    Randin quickly rolled around while Grey was quick to use wind magic to push himself away.


    After regaining his footing, Grey looked at the goblins with a mix of shock and confused expression.


    "Their weapons have the lightning attribute? But how come?" Grey wondered aloud.


    "I would have quickly given you a history lesson but now is not the time." Randin said as he tapped his wrist and in front of Grey''s eyes, an armour was suddenly wrapping around Randin then after it was done, a helmet finally settled on his head.


    "One last question for now though, are they intelligent beings? And do they have a leader?" Grey asked.


    "They are somewhat intelligent and can understand human language but can''t speak it for some reason. They only speak goblin language. And yes, they have a leader. They call him the goblin lord. And she''s very intelligent." Randin replied.


    "Good. Cause after this place, I think I will visit the goblin lord next." Grey replied as his right arm erupted in flames while his left was suddenly surrounded by rocks.


    ''When I first saw them, my instincts screamed at me to run away but if I did that, Randin would struggle against them. And besides, if I keep running away from danger, how would I become a good enough mage.


    So I have decided one thing, I will stay and fight. Maybe I could also take their spears.'' He smiled. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Before you charge forward, remember to not destroy any of their weapons because I need to examine them later." Randin warned.


    "Wasn''t planning on doing that!" Grey said as he pushed himself forward using the wind magic.

 Chapter 24 - 24: I got your back!

    After absorbing the crystal and increasing his affinity in the Earth magic, Grey called for Randin by shouting and when he got to Randin''s position, he was told that he would attract unwanted attention.


    And right on cue, some creatures or race called goblins attacked them. And Grey decided to leap towards them but he was left with a warning.


    "Before you charge forward, remember to not destroy any of their weapons because I need to examine them later." Randin warned.


    "Wasn''t planning on doing that!" Grey said as he pushed himself forward using the wind magic.


    Seeing the human coming at them, two of the goblins shot a constant stream of lightning towards Grey who quickly raised his hands up. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Earth wall!" He called out a huge Earth appeared in front of him blocking the lightning from hitting him.


    ''Good thing they aren''t intelligent enough, they don''t know that lightning is weak towards Earth.'' He smiled as he quickly dismissed the Earth shield and then crashed in the midst of the two goblins.


    Seeing the human, they quickly thrust their spear towards him while the tip of the spear was sparkling and lighting. Without wasting time, the Earth around his hand shaped into an Earth glove then he grabbed the spear of one of the goblin.


    For the second one, he shot out a small fireball towards its head burning its head then with a turn, Grey shaped the Earth gauntlet in his hand into a long spear that plunged into its head killing it on the spot.


    Before he could move, five more goblins came at him again while the remaining five went towards Randin. Well, this is quite unfair, but who am I to complain.


    Two of the goblins shot out three quick successive bolts of lightning while the remaining one dashed towards Grey.


    The lightning bolts heading for Grey crashed into an Earth wall while the spears that were coming for him, he avoided one of them but the second one cut through his clothes and lunged itself into his side.


    Before he could move, the spear lit up and Grey was being electrocuted on the spot leaving him quite vulnerable as he was unable to move. His blood was dripping down his side while his face was twitching in pain.


    The remaining goblins were now coming for him and he could only do one thing as the remaining goblins had their spears lit up and they shot out three lightning bolts each towards Grey who was still stuck in the grip of the other spear.


    Doing the only thing he could, Grey managed to lift his hand in time as he cast one spell that could possibly save him from this trouble.


    "Aerius!" He shouted as a huge burst of wind came out of his hands pushing him away from the tip of the spear then successfully but narrowly avoided the stream of lightning bolts heading towards him.


    The lightning bolts crashed into the goblins themselves stunning them and being unable to move as they being electrocuted.


    "Time to finish you all once and for all." Grey managed to say in pain as he lifted his hands up and it started burning brightly while an orange glow was being shown.


    "Explomb!" He shouted and a stream of fire came out of his hands and crashed into the stunned five goblins and they were being burnt then the last part occured as explosions occured around the goblins burning them to a crisp.


    Grey tiredly fell down as he looked up at Randin that was still fighting against the five goblins while his armour had scratches all around as if it will soon break and he was struggling quite a lot as he was unable to deal with the lightning attribute of their spears.


    "I need to quickly regain my mana so I can help him before he dies." Grey said as he weakly sat down cross legged to meditate.


    While siphoning mana from the air, a sharp pain ran through his mana core and it started shaking in power while Grey''s heart was tightening and his muscles were suddenly tense.


    "Darn it! What is going on? This feels like the time I tried forming my mana core. What is going on? This¡­ this¡­ this pain is excruciating!!!" Grey shouted the last part into the air in pain as he was losing control of his body and then he fell down unconscious while his body was still shaking.


    Meanwhile, Randin was in a tough fight against the goblins. Avoiding a thrust, Randin tried to strike back again when a lightning bolt headed for his face.


    Quickly, he lifted his sword up and used it to block the bolt of lightning. Quickly dropping his sword down, Randin was met with a hit from the spear of one of the goblin as he was sent skidding.


    Then another one of the goblin shot out a lightning bolt again that landed on his armour not doing anything to it. Randin was about to move when he heard a loud shout coming from Grey.


    Quickly glancing at him, he could see that Grey had fallen unconscious while his own share of goblins had all died.


    ''What happened to him? Why is he unconscious? Darn it! I really need his help right now and he went unconscious.'' Randin thought as he swiftly side stepped avoiding a thrust and then smashed his sword on the goblin''s hand swiftly cutting it cleanly.


    Then he kneed the goblin in the face sending it tumbling back. Randin was about to give chase when a lightning bolt landed in front of his feet stopping him from moving further.


    Quickly turning around, a spear hit him the head throwing his helmet off and then a lightning bolt landed on his body but he was protected by his armour.


    Swinging his sword around him, Randin managed to slash one of the goblins away and then the earlier goblin that had its hand cut, came back again.


    Randin managed to avoid its attack and sliced its head off cleanly leaving him to deal with only four more goblins.


    Randin had been so much focused on one goblin that he almost forgot about the remaining ones. As he turned around, he could see three lightning bolts heading for his head and with the speed they were coming at him, he was sure he would be hit soon and no one would be able to save him from his fate.


    But as the lightning bolts approached, the were about to hit him when an Earth wall suddenly appeared in front of Randin blocking his view and not letting the bolts to hit him.


    "Don''t worry, I got your back!" A voice was heard shouting.

 Chapter 25 - 25: Annihilate the goblin lord!

    Randin and Grey had been in a tough fight against the goblins. While Grey had been doing quite well until he suddenly went unconscious, Randin was struggling against the goblins.


    And he was about to be dealt a deadly blow to his head.


    But as the lightning bolts approached, the were about to hit him when an Earth wall suddenly appeared in front of Randin blocking his view and not letting the bolts to hit him. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t worry, I got your back!" A voice was heard shouting.


    The whole goblins turned around and they could see a young man who had his clothes stained with black liquid while his mouth was also stained with the same liquid.


    He even had his hands held out while glaring at the goblins.


    "Young human?! Weren''t you unconscious just now?" Randin asked as he opened his eyes to see Grey with his hands held out.


    "Stop addressing me as a human! My name is Grey, call me that you silly dwarf!" Grey shouted.


    "And you should be thanking me for saving your life right now."


    "Ha! I will thank you when you are able to win this fight against them." Randin laughed.


    Before Grey could reply, a lightning bolt was shot his way and in response, he quickly raised his hands up causing an Earth wall to rise up in front of him blocking the lightning bolt from hitting him.


    But then, a continuous stream of lightning bolt was shot at him and in anger, Grey touched the wall in front of him and dozens of shards that were covered in fire were shot out towards the goblins.


    Seeing the shards, they tried to block it using the spear but before it hit their spears, the shards suddenly stopped and then changed trajectory hitting them in their heads or going through their chest killing them on the spot.


    "You fools, of course I can still control it!" Grey said as he slowly walked forward towards a stunned Randin.


    "Why do I feel like something is different about you and you have just gotten stronger than before." Randin said.


    "Well, I don''t know what happened myself." Grey said shrugging.


    When Grey had fallen unconscious, he wasn''t aware that he was advancing to the next level of a mage, he was becoming a 2 star mage.


    In the world of mages, although they had colours to grade their different affinities, there still need to be something to grade a mage to know how powerful they were or how strong they were.


    And something really popped up, as mages experienced something called the advancement of mana core advancing them into the next level.


    So they called this star, Grey was a 1 star mage earlier and so was Clark. Because that was the lowest a mage could be. The number of star you are, the more you could use advanced spells and also perform complicated spells.


    Using his magic repeatedly and absorbing cores after cores, put a strain on his small mana core making him go through pains needed to advance to the next level.


    Since absorbing beast core was unique to only Grey, he was able to advance faster than others. But it will get harder as he is a 2 star mage right now.


    "So what do we do now?" Grey asked.


    "We clear off the bodies so that more goblins do not appear again." Randin said.


    "Well, I got that covered already." Grey said as he raised his hands up above his head and it erupted in flames.


    "Gather the bodies together." He said.


    And immediately, Randin got to work bringing the dozen goblins together in front of Grey and when he was done, he quickly moved back.


    While Randin had been gathering the bodies, Grey hadn''t just been standing around as he was waving his hands in the air performing hand signs and slowly, a huge fireball was forming in the air.


    Bigger than the fireballs Grey had ever created. If his earlier fireballs looked like a small ball, this current fireball looked like a soccer ball.


    Throwing his hands down, the fireball crashed into the bodies and began burning them quickly. Moving back, Grey stood side by side with Randin while he looked at his hands.


    ''Is it true? Have I really gotten stronger than before? But how?'' Grey thought as he clenched his fists in and out.


    In a minute, the bodies got burnt totally and both Randin and Grey went into one of the small caves to rest.


    "I want to thank you for saving my life earlier, I really am grateful." Randin said.


    "Nah, it''s nothing." Grey replied. "So are you ready to tell me how the hell those goblins appeared all of a sudden?"


    Randin just sighed. "They have something similar to your magic, something called a magic circle or something. It is able to detect where a dwarf is and also teleport a small army there to get rid of them.


    I have been smart enough to avoid this but when you shouted my name and I responded, it must have pinged my location to them hence they appeared."


    "So my guess is they came with those otherworlders. And now, they are hunting any dwarf left. Is there any way to end this?" Grey asked.


    "There is actually, but it is hopeless." Randin replied.


    "What is the way?" Grey asked.


    "We have to get rid of the goblin lord. When we get rid of him, the army would be in disarray and we can totally annihilate them. But the reason I said it was impossible was that the goblin lord has an elite army that are much stronger that what we faced today.


    Also to even get there, we have to cross the forest that is filled with deadly beasts. So that is why I said it is impossible." Randin said.


    Hearing everything Randin said, Grey just stroked his chin in thought while trying to come up with what to do.


    ''If we want to take out the goblin lord, we have to cross the forest. Things could actually go two ways if we do that. Either we kill the beasts and I gain more power, or we get killed by much more stronger beasts.


    And let''s not forget the elite army Randin talked about. For that, we would need our own army.'' Grey thought.


    "Randin, how many men are in the elite squad?"


    "I''m not sure, maybe around 12." Randin replied.


    "Good, I have made my decision then, in the coming week, we will annihilate the goblin lord." Grey said.


    "What!!???!" Randin said.

 Chapter 26 - 26: Encounter

    It was finally the following week that Grey had decided he will attack the goblin lord along with Randin. They were now in Randin''s cave home preparing for their journey to annihilate the goblin lord.


    "Are you sure we can do this on our own?" Randin asked.


    "Yes, I''m certain we can do it." Grey replied.


    ''And that is because after advancing to the next star, I''m now strong enough to perform complex magic spells. I could possibly annihilate two dozen of goblins with a single fireball.'' Grey thought with a smile on his face.


    "Fine, I will just have to take your word for it then." Randin said. "Do you know how to use the sword properly now?"


    "Yes, thanks to your teaching over the week, I''m now able to perform simple sword techniques." Grey replied.


    Over the week, while learning more magic spells, Grey had also been learning how to use the sword from Randin. And thanks to his quick understanding of things, he was able to use the sword quite well.


    Together with his magic, Grey was quite ready for anything and Randin had even crafted a special sword for him made from the beast they had fought when they first met.


    "This sword I gave you, has a special power like those goblins'' spear, I won''t tell you, it is left for you to figure it out." Randin said as he strapped a bag pack made from beast skin on his back.


    ''You don''t need to tell me, I can feel the pure mana flowing through it along with a strange energy.'' Grey thought.


    "Alright, just a heads up, after we set off, it might take some days before we get to the goblin base due to the route we are taking that is filled with beasts." Randin said.


    "That''s fine, it will give me enough time to keep on harnessing my powers." Grey said.


    "Good, let''s set out then." Randin said as they exited the cave and were thinking of a way to get down from the cliff the cave was on.


    "Allow me." Grey said as he moved his hands around in the air and then mouthed a word. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Liftus!" He shouted and a gust of wind lifted Grey and Randin making the fly in the air as they descended from the cliff quickly like a rocket but not that fast.


    And in a minute, they were on the ground in the midst of all the caves.


    "That is oddly helpful." Randin commented as he fixed his clothes and they briskly walked forward at a fast pace.


    "A question though," Randin said as they were now at the edge of the forest. "Why aren''t you using that strange power you used to lift us from the cliff to make us run faster?"


    "That is because if I were to do that, my energy will be depleted quickly and I wouldn''t amount to much in a fight." Grey replied.


    "Then how are you keeping up with me? I know we dwarves a physically stronger and faster than you humans but you are able to keep up with me just fine."


    "That is because I''m using a wind spell on me making me run faster. Using it on this small scale, doesn''t consume as much energy as it would if I were to use it on two people." Grey replied.


    "That makes sense." Randin said as they were now in the middle of the forest.


    And rather than running fast, they decided to walk carefully just in case something popped up. Looking around carefully, Grey placed his hands on the hilt of the sword gifted to him by Randin.


    ''I won''t use my powers if a beast attack, I will just use my sword. But if it is dangerously strong, I will use all I got. This way, I will be able to improve my sword skills while not relying too much on magic.'' Grey thought.


    They kept walking slowly as they heard loud howling sounds coming from deep in the forest while Grey was holding his sword tensely.


    "Shhh! Do not make much sounds, or else, we will have a fight on our hands." Randin whispered as they slowly kept walking when something quick ran past their feet and in a panic, Grey mistakenly stepped on a twig.


    The snap of the twig made loud echoing sound around them and then the howl got louder.


    "What part of do not make a sound do you not understand you silly human!?!" Randin whispered angrily.


    "I''m sorry, something ran past my feet which caused me to panic and step on a twig." Grey apologized.


    "Well, let''s just hope we don''t get into a fight." Randin said.


    And then something fast again ran past their feet which caused Grey to stumble forward making him fall flat on the ground.


    "What is going on? What is running past me everytime?" Grey wondered out loud when he looked in front of him and could see a small cave there.


    Walking out of the cave was a dog like beast that stood around 4 feet tall with red fur around its body and a horn on its head. The dog like beast howled loudly in the air.


    "Well, so far for not getting into a fight." Randin sighed as the beast laid its eyes on Grey who slowly backed away.


    "Appraisal!" Grey whispered silently.


    <Status: Beast>


    <Level: 2(on the cusp of leveling up)>


    <Abilities: none>


    Seeing what was in front of him, Grey heaved a sigh of relief as he was worried for nothing.


    ''It doesn''t have any abilities and it is a level 2 beast. Which means that level 3 and above beasts are the ones with magical abilities.'' Grey thought.


    ''Well, since it''s nothing to worry about, let''s just kill it and gain the free¡­'' He stuttered as the beast suddenly disappeared from his view.


    "What the!?!!!" Grey said as the beast that stood at least 4 feet away from his was suddenly in front of him.

 Chapter 27 - 27: Earth Trap

    Grey and Randin had been on their way to go annihilate the whole goblin race when they suddenly encountered a huge dog like beast that stood in the forest looking at Grey.


    Seeing the beast, Grey worriedly activated his appraisal skill to take a look at it. Then he saw that the beast was just a level 2 beast on the cusp of going to level 3.


    ''Well, since it''s nothing to worry about, let''s just kill it and gain the free¡­'' He stuttered as the beast suddenly disappeared from his view.


    "What the!?!!!" Grey said as the beast that stood at least 4 feet away from his was suddenly in front of him and it thrust its horn forward at Grey.


    Seeing the horn, Grey quickly used the ''Aerius'' spell to move him away just in time before the horn lunged into his body.


    "How did it manage to get in front of me so quick?" Grey asked as he wiped the small sweat that formed on his forehead.


    That was when Randin came forward and stood beside Grey with his sword held out looking at the beast carefully.


    "These type of beasts are known as Jaguars, they are a very fast species. Even though some of them are low levels, they are known for their fast nature." Randin explained.


    "Well, now I''m glad we didn''t encounter any higher level." Grey heaved a sigh of relief when the beast suddenly moved again.


    And in the blink of an eye, it was suddenly in front of Randin and was about to stab him with its horn when a shield suddenly appeared in front of him blocking it.


    And before Randin could attack back, the beast suddenly disappeared from his view and headed towards Grey and tried to strike him with its paws.


    Swiftly, Grey pulled his sword out and clashed with the paw then he pushed the beast away. When it was pushed, instead of falling to the ground, it had used the sword as a foothill and jumped back.


    Landing smoothly on the ground then it bared its fangs at the humans in front of it in anger.


    "Darn! This beast is fast alright." Grey mumbled as he tightened his grip on the sword again and looked at the beast.


    "Why aren''t you using your powers?" Randin asked.


    "Because I want to improve my swordmanship." Grey replied and then the beast darted towards them both.


    And in a blink of an eye, it was suddenly in front of them as it wacked Grey away using its tail.


    ''How is its tail so strong?'' Grey thought as he crashed into the trees breaking it totally while being flung back. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After wacking Grey away, the beast finally turned towards Randin as it made a stab with its horn towards him but Randin had quickly blocked with his shield.


    And he swiftly made a stab towards the beast''s head but it had moved already as it got behind Randin and it swiped at his back with its paws putting a scratch on his armour while pushing him forward a bit.


    Turning around while performing a swipe with his sword, Randin hit nothing but air and then he felt a sting in his leg as the Jaguar''s horn pierced into his leg drawing blood.


    Running back again to put space between them, the beast was seen coming at Randin at top speed as it swung its tail towards him while he raised his sword.


    But the tail didn''t connect with him as a wall appeared in front of him allowing the Jaguar''s tail to crash into the wall cracking it slightly.


    Knowing who the wall would belong to, Randin looked around and could see Grey coming forward with a slight trickle of blood running down his mouth.


    "I don''t know what is it with you guys and trying to injure me." Grey said with his hands held out.


    Then noticing the beast''s legs was twitching, Grey quickly realized what was about to happen.


    "No, I won''t let you run away like that again." Grey said as he quickly closed his hands.


    "Earth trap!" He said and the walls that stood in front of Randin shattered and quickly formed around the beast''s legs keeping it in place and unable to move.


    The beast struggled to move but it was unable to as it tried and tried moving its legs but it wasn''t bulging the slightest.


    And seeing that it couldn''t move, it just snarled at the human who caused its movements to be restricted.


    Grey calmly walked over with a smile on his face.


    "You see, Earth trap is a new spell I picked up from the book which allowed me to trap any beast weaker than me with ease using Earth. And since I knew you were just a level 2 beast, I knew it could hold you just fine.


    If you were a level 3 or more, then it wouldn''t have worked and we would be screwed cause of your speed." Grey said as the beast continued snarling loudly.


    "Oh for frick sake, would you just keep quiet!" Grey shouted as he moved his hands and a bit of earth formed around the beast''s mouth.


    But it just snapped its jaws totally breaking the rocks that were heading for its face.


    "Oh, you still have much power." Grey said.


    "Will you just end this quickly and let us get a move on?" Randin said.


    "Fine." Grey said as his hand lit up and then he pointed it out shaping his hand like a rifle or something.


    And then, he mumbled a word.


    "Fire bullet!" Immediately, a thin fire shot out of his hand towards the beast''s head.


    But then, Grey heard a sizzling sound coming from behind him. And turning his head around just in time, he was able to avoid what seemed to be like a lazer beam heading for his head earlier.


    Because of his timely movement, the lazer beam just grazed his hair therefore cutting it a little and then it crashed into the beast''s eyes therefore killing it in one shot.

 Chapter 28 - 28: A Magical beast!

    On the way to eliminate the goblin lord, Grey and Randin encountered a very fast level 2 beast known as the Jaguar and they were seen struggling a lot.


    In order to not waste time, Grey trapped the beast''s movement using the Earth trap causing the beast to not be able to run fast like it used to.


    And he was about to use one of his fire spell on the beast when something happened.


    "Fire bullet!" Immediately, a thin fire shot out of his hand towards the beast''s head.


    But then, Grey heard a sizzling sound coming from behind him. And turning his head around just in time, he was able to avoid what seemed to be like a lazer beam heading for his head earlier.


    Because of his timely movement, the lazer beam just grazed his hair therefore cutting it a little and then it crashed into the beast''s eyes therefore killing it in one shot.


    Then he heard a voice ringing all around them.


    "Well well well, if it isn''t a mage." The voice said.


    And Grey along with Randin were both on guard as they looked around for where the voice was coming from. Although the Jaguar was a level 2 beast, it was still tough to fight and a laser beam took it out.


    "Who is there?" Grey asked as he looked around cautiously.


    "Over here!" The voice spoke again and Grey looked around until his eyes landed on a small looking wolf that was the size of a small puppy back in those days which had a horn on its head and the colour of its fur was bright red.


    "Huh?" Grey said, confused.


    "What is a mage like you doing on a dwarf planet?"


    "Hold on a sec, you are a beast, and you are able to communicate?" Grey asked out loud in confusion.


    "Do I look like a beast to you?" The wolf asked.


    ''Hold on, that''s not right. Its jaws aren''t moving but I can hear its words loud and clear. No! I think it''s speaking to my mind.'' Grey thought as his fingers were still burning.


    "If you aren''t a beast, then what are you?" Grey asked.


    "Are you crazy Grey?" Randin asked. "Why are you talking to the beast like it''s a human?"


    "Huh? Can''t you hear its words?" Grey asked.


    "I heard a voice before, but I don''t hear anything now." Randin said.


    ''That means the beast is only communicating with me. But why?'' He thought.


    "I told you I''m not a beast, stop referring to me as one!" The wolf shouted.


    ''It can hear my thoughts, but how? This bea¡­ this thing is dangerous.'' He thought worriedly.


    "What are you?" Grey asked again.


    "Me?" The wolf asked as it pointed its small paw at itself. "I''m something called a magical beast."


    "Then aren''t you a beast?" Grey asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "I''m different from those low level intelligent animals so stop comparing me to them." The wolf said.


    "Then why are you talking to me? And how do you know what I am?" Grey asked.


    "Enough with the questions already, all you need to know is that I was attracted to your mana that''s brimming through your body and that''s why I kept running around you to judge if it''s truly you that''s emitting the mana.


    And I was right, it was you. But what I don''t understand is why you are so weak." The wolf wondered.


    ''So it was the thing that kept running around my feet making me freak out. And who the hell is it calling weak?'' Grey thought as he tensed his fists in anger.


    "What happened Grey? What is it saying?" Randin asked as he could see Grey and the wolf standing around conversing.


    He could see Grey''s mouth moving but nothing was coming out while the wolf just stood there and Randin wasn''t sure if he was imagining things but at times, it felt like it was smirking at times.


    "Who are you calling weak? I''m sure I can easily deal with you." Grey claimed.


    The wolf snarled and then chuckled like a human. "What an arrogant mage! Alright, do you want to put your words to the test?"


    "You''re just a small little wolf with laser powers, I can probably handle that." Grey said as his whole left arm erupted in flames.


    "You shouldn''t be so sure about your answers like that, you don''t know what might happen." The wolf said as it slowly grew in size from the small puppy-like size it was to a full grown wolf that was as big as a small house.


    "What the hell!!!!" Grey yelped loudly as he slowly backed away looking at the enormous size of the wolf while Randin''s sword was drawn.


    "Now what were you saying?" The wolf asked as its eyes were now glowing bright red.


    "Look out!" Grey shouted as he quickly used a quick burst of wind magic to push him and Randin away just in time as a lazer beam smashed into where they stood earlier, burning a hole in it.


    "You have a quick reflex." The wolf said. "I need to test your abilities more, so how about telling your friend to stand down or else I will kill him.


    "Randin, kindly stand down for now, I got this." Grey said.


    "No way, you have saved my life twice now, I won''t let you die here." Randin said as he bolted towards the beast and then dipped his hand into his pants and pulled out a dagger throwing it at the beast.


    Seeing the dagger, the beast just shot out a laser from his horn that hit the dagger out of the air but it was too late as Randin was already in front of the wolf swinging his sword out at the wolf.


    "Silly dwarves!" The wolf said as in a flash, it wasn''t in front of Randin again, it was now behind him as it whacked Randin with its paw, sending him tumbling into the trees in front of him.


    "Huh?" The wolf said as it heard a sharp sound heading for its head.


    It quickly turned around and pivoted away avoiding whatever was coming at it. But when it tried to move, its legs were suddenly stuck in place. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking down, the wolf could see that its legs had been stuck with rocks. Quickly, it shot out two laser beams at the rocks, burning it totally and looking up, two fireballs were seen heading its way.


    ''Impressive, this mage has more than one ability and he is good with it. I like it, I need to push him more to see if he is capable.'' The wolf thought.


    "Time to match power with power!" The wolf spoke loudly into Grey''s mind as it opened its jaws widely and out for it, two huge fireballs shot out towards the fireballs heading for it.

 Chapter 29 - 29: Aerius Ultra

    Randin and Grey were in the forest fighting against a beast when another one came in but this one was different as it could communicate than other beasts and it was incredibly strong as it proved that by whacking Randin away with its paws.


    After hitting Randin away, the beast felt a sharp sound coming for it so it quickly moved away into Grey''s Earth trap. After escaping it, two fireballs were seen heading its way.


    "Time to match power with power!" The wolf spoke loudly into Grey''s mind as it opened its jaws widely and out for it, two huge fireballs shot out towards the fireballs heading for it.


    The two fireballs crashed into each other burning the air up and also burning some of the nearby tree branches. And causing smoke to spread everywhere almost covering everybody''s view.


    Then out of the smoke, a wind blade was seen heading for the wolf. Shooting out a laser beam from its horn, the blade broke but then a gust of wind blew the smoke away revealing Grey Infront of the wolf.


    Then he swung his sword sideways towards the wolf who quickly used its tail to whack it down and then quickly climbed up the blade heading for Grey.


    Thinking on his feet, he quickly used his wind magic to push him then he shot out a fireball towards the wolf who quickly shot out two fireballs that consumed Grey''s fireball and were still heading for him.


    Seeing the fireballs heading towards him, Grey quickly moved his hands in the air multiple times conjuring wind all around him that was surrounding his body.


    He kept on moving his hands severally and finally, he thrust his hands outwardly causing all the gathered wind around him to move towards the fireballs crashing into them extinguishing them totally before they dispersed. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Excellent! Not only can he use more than one magic, he thinks quick on his feet and he''s magic isn''t weak by any means.'' The wolf thought when it suddenly heard movements coming from behind it.


    Quickly moving sideways, it saw the dwarf it had hit away crashing into the ground where the wolf stood just moments ago.


    ''Darn! It''s fast.'' Randin thought as he quickly took out a dagger and threw it at the wolf but it quickly knocked it out of the air using its laser beam from its horn.


    "Next time, do not underestimate me!" A voice was heard coming from behind the wolf as the temperature in the area went up by a few degrees and then, a fireball was shot at the wolf while its legs were stuck to the ground.


    ''When did he do all these?'' The wolf thought as the fireball was about to crash into it.


    Then it quickly shrank back in size causing the fireball to go over its head and then shooting a beam, it was free from the rocks as it quickly sped away from Grey and stood several feet away from him.


    Then the wolf quickly grew in size.


    ''Darn it! How fast is this beast?'' Grey thought as he looked the beast angrily. ''I''m running low on mana right here.''


    "You are good, in fact better than most but too bad you are not strong enough to defeat me." The wolf laughed in Grey''s mind.


    "You are right, I''m not strong to defeat you because I have been using my abilities one at a time." Grey smirked.


    "What do you mean?" The wolf asked.


    "You will see¡­" He smiled as the ground started shaking to the extent Randin moved back a little bit away from the area as Grey had already signalled to him to move away.


    With a burst, a huge rock that looked like a mini car erupted from the ground and right in everybody''s eyes, it was being broken and shaped into something.


    ''What is this mage doing?'' The wolf thought excitedly.


    In a split second, the huge rock turned into a very sharp, long, and heavy arrow. Within a second, the rock arrow erupted in flames as the flames roared around it burning it brightly.


    While doing all these, Grey''s hands were raised and then with a smirk, he threw them forward.


    "For the last ingredient, Aerius ultra!" He shouted as a huge strong burst of wind hit the bottom of the arrow propelling it forward at a speed that seemed impossible to dodge.


    Seeing the arrow heading for it, the beast shot out three laser beams in panic but it didn''t work. Then it shot out four huge fireballs but it only added to the flames surrounding the arrow.


    And before it could do anything else, the arrow slammed into the beast with a bang that wind was blown everywhere, trees were uprooted for miles to go and the ground beneath where the wolf stood earlier broke.


    Grey after releasing the attack, fell on his knees in pain as he held his chest while heaving in and out.


    ''That took all my mana to cast. Combining all my abilities like that on that amount of scale, is not easy feat. And I was able to perform it because I am now a 2 star mage.


    If I had tried that when I was still a 1 star mage, I would have destroyed my mana core. But no ordinary 2 star mage can perform this feat, my saving grace was that my affinities in the magic were quite high.


    If that doesn''t kill it, then we are screwed.'' Grey thought as he kept on panting and finally, the smoke and dust settled.


    And the wolf was seen standing strong with its fur scorched and burnt and its horn slightly cracked while black blood was dripping down its body as burn marks could be seen all over it.


    Seeing that the wolf was still alive, Grey clicked his tongue and held his sword tightly while Randin had managed to come over to his side as they gripped their sword tighter too.


    "Relax! I''m not fighting you anymore, rather I want something else." The wolf spoke directly into Grey''s mind.


    "Something else? What is that?" Grey asked as his interest in the wolf had suddenly been piqued.


    "I want to become your companion, I want to attach myself to you."

 Chapter 30 - 30: Familiar

    "I want to become your companion, I want to attach myself to you."


    "What do you mean?" Grey asked.


    That was when the wolf sighed and slowly walked towards Grey while also shrinking down in size into its small puppy-like size of earlier. And it stood directly beneath Grey''s feet.


    "How are you a mage and you don''t understand what I meant? I thought from our fight, you would have understood what I am." The wolf said.


    "Well, there you have it, I don''t understand. So explain yourself." Grey retorted back.


    The wolf just sighed and began speaking. "Well, I am something known as a familiar, not a beast. We are attracted to you mages that was how I knew you were a mage.


    And we don''t just attach ourselves to any mage, we find those that are strong enough for us and that can match us in power that was why I resorted to fighting you earlier to gauge how strong you are.


    From our fight, I''m guessing you are at least a 3 star or higher mage." The wolf said and Grey nervously scratched his head which the wolf didn''t notice at all.


    "But what are you doing on my planet? Shouldn''t you be in the human world?" Randin questioned.


    "Wait, you can hear it too?" Grey asked.


    "Of course, I think it wanted me to hear what is being said too for some reason." Randin shrugged.


    "For your question, it is a long tale. But I will shorten it for your understanding so you can trust me. I was attached to a mage before but during a disastrous battle with some people known as the otherworlders, he died and I found myself roaming around here." The wolf said.


    ''Otherworlders? Who are these people and how strong can they be? And why do I hear their name everywhere I go?'' Grey thought worriedly.


    "Do you know who the otherworlders were?" Grey asked. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No idea. They always wore a mask but one thing Is certain, you don''t want to mess with them. I don''t know how strong the human world is now, but i can guarantee you, they might not last long." The wolf said.


    "Then I just have to get stronger quickly." Grey mumbled.


    "So what do you say to my request?" The wolf asked.


    ''Its request is quite reasonable ana it''s strength will be gladly appreciated considering our task.'' He thought.


    "Fine, I accept. How do we proceed?" Grey asked.


    "Just cut your thumb and place the blood on my forehead." The wolf instructed and Grey got to work.


    Immediately he was done, a white light enveloped the wolf and it suddenly disappeared then it turned into a black mist heading towards Grey.


    Knowing the mist wouldn''t hurt him, Grey stayed still and the mist went to his palm and disappeared. Looking at his palm, he could see a black symbol that almost resembled a fireball.


    After that, Grey was now undergoing a notable change as in front of Randin, his hair color was changing from brown to red with streaks of brown at the tip.


    "What the hell!" Randin shouted.


    "What? What is it?" Grey asked.


    "Your¡­ your¡­your hair has changed!" Randin said.


    "Changed? How?" Grey said as he hurriedly touched his hair and then taking his sword, he looked at his reflection on it.


    "What the f*ck! Why is my hair red?" Grey shouted out loud.


    "A side effect of fusing with me." The wolf spoke inside Grey''s head.


    "Is that it? So the process is done?" Grey wondered.


    "Yes it is done you doofus!" The wolf shouted again.


    Recognizing the annoying voice, Grey didn''t say anything back as he knew the voice belonged to the wolf.


    "Hold on a sec!" The wolf suddenly shouted as a black mist moved out of Grey''s palm and then formed the wolf again in its small size.


    "You¡­you¡­ you are a 2 star mage?!" The wolf asked.


    Grey nervously scratched his head as he was afraid of a fight because his mana hadn''t fully restored and he was afraid of a confrontation.


    "Yes, so?" Grey asked.


    "I can''t believe it! Me? The great Noir the wolf got subdued by a 2 star mage? Me?!" Noir shouted out loud.


    "Noir? Is that your name?" Grey asked.


    "No! It''s yours you puny human mage! Of course Noir is my name you dingus!" Noir said.


    "You are a pretty annoyingly rude pet." Grey said.


    "Me? A pet? How dare you!" Noir shouted as his horn started glowing red then it dimmed back down.


    "You are lucky that we familiars aren''t able to attack our owners until we are stronger than them. In this case, I know I''m stronger than you but over the years, I have lost some of my powers and I''m weakened." Noir said.


    ''Lost some of its powers? How strong is this familiar? I hate to face it when it has regained all its powers. One more reason to get stronger fast so I don''t die at the hands of a mere familiar.'' Grey sighed.


    "Before I go, just so you know I won''t come out on your whims, if you are in trouble and can''t get out, then you are on your own. I rather roam around than stay with a weak mage." Noir said and then it disappeared.


    ''Well, there goes my plan of asking it''s help to take down the goblin lord.'' Grey sighed.


    "Grey, are you alright?" Randin asked.


    "Yeah sure. Let''s find somewhere to rest for now before we continue forward. Someone annoying made me use up all my mana." Grey said and Noir scoffed in his mind.


    "It''s your fault for being weak and not able to contend with me without going all out." Noir said.


    "Why didn''t I get a nice pet?" Grey wondered out loud.


    "Probably because your weak ass aren''t strong enough to get one yourself. You are lucky you have me instead of those weaklings. So stop whining and just go and rest!" Noir retorted back.


    With a sigh, Grey and Randin looked for a safe small cave so they could rest up for the night before they would continue their journey the next day.


    _____________


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 Chapter 31 - 31: Otherworlders

    In a dark orange misty planet, where the sky was orange and the air was misty while the ground was hard and orange in colour also, there were beasts walking around everywhere and also men in black masks were walking side by side with the beasts as if they were nothing.


    All the humans there, had a black robe on with black masks on their face and different weapons on them all. And some buildings were scattered around the whole strange world.


    Out of the hundreds of men, a dozen of them were seen heading towards a huge building that had a huge like beast surrounding the building. The beast wrapped itself around the building that looked like castle.


    While its head was twisting around looking at those that were heading towards the building.


    The beast was long and huge while it had blue scales all around its body with two horns on its head and a powerful jaw on its face. There were also huge wings on its back.


    The dozen men walked towards the huge castle like building without an ounce of fear on their faces.


    Well, their faces wasn''t seen because of the masks they wore on their faces. When they got to the gate of the building, it opened and they were let in while the beast roared loudly into the sky. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After passing through the gates, the dozen men were met with the scene of an empty courtyard while eerie sounds were heard around them.


    Walking in, a loud voice was heard in all their heads.


    "Head West."


    And the men complied as they headed west to where they stood taking them into a dimly lit hallway and a huge door standing at the end of the hallway.


    As they walked on the marble floor, their hearts were thumping loudly as they slowly approached the door. When they got in front of the door, it opened up and they were let into a room that was huge enough to host around a hundred people in it.


    Then in the centre of the room, a round table was set there with about 15 chairs surrounding the table. Then at the edge of the table, a throne was set there were a lone figure with a mask on his face sat.


    The mask the figure wore, had horns on it with fangs on it while also colored red and black. The mask covered the figure''s head totally while the horn stood on his head.


    And another man who also wore a mask like everyone else was seated in one of the chairs patiently.


    "Welcome y''all, please have your seat, we are waiting for the last person to arrive." The other man said and the dozen men took their seats.


    Right on cue, a portal opened up in the middle of the room and a man who had half a mask on his face that didn''t cover his hair walked in.


    His hair was red in colour and he also wore black clothings. Taking his seat, the supposed meeting was about to begin.


    "Red, you always like to make an entrance don''t you." The man on the throne chair spoke towards the man who had just walked in through the meeting.


    "What can I say, am a very busy person you know." Red said. "So what''s the reason for the meeting?"


    "Actually, it''s nothing serious. My oracle here, saw some visions which he told me about and that''s why I decided to invite you all here including some of the generals of my army and their lieutenants."


    "Devil, what do you mean by it''s nothing serious?" The supposed Oracle who had been seated before everyone said.


    "Because to me, it''s nothing of concern." Devil said.


    Why was the man who sat on the throne chair called devil? that was because of the mask he wore. And he preferred being called that name as it befitted his behavior.


    "And what did you see?" Red asked.


    "A disaster!" The Oracle said.


    "Will you just go straight to the point?" One of the dozen men spoke.


    "Fine! I saw that there''s a chosen mage in the human world, this mage is going to be stronger than any mage we have ever seen or battled with. Even stronger than Mage Blake." The Oracle said.


    "Impossible!" Another one of the men shouted. "Blake was the strongest of them mages and we managed to defeat him and you are saying someone stronger than him has appeared?"


    "Yes! Although I didn''t get to see his face that well, I just know his name, his hair color and I can also see that he hasn''t grown strong enough to give us a challenge yet. But he is getting closer to being a strong mage."


    "And what''s his name?" Red asked.


    "Grey! He is red haired." The Oracle said.


    "Grey? Never heard of that name yet. The reason I asked for the name was to know if he is anyone notable from the human world but I guess not." Red said.


    "So what do we do?" One of the men at the table asked.


    "That is why I said there''s no problem yet." Devil chuckled. "He hasn''t grown strong enough right? So why not recruit him into the otherworlders group and groom his strength so we can use it for ourselves.


    But if he doesn''t accept to join us, then we squash him while he is little."


    "I actually like that idea but there''s one problem though." One of the general at the table said. "We don''t know what he looks like we only have his first name to go by and his hair color."


    "Well, that is what Red is for. He will be the one to find him while one of you will be in charge of convincing him to join us or getting rid of him."


    "Why can''t red do all that?" The general asked.


    "That is because of his position in the human world. I don''t want it compromised yet, we still need him to be in the high position a little longer for our takeover to work." Devil replied.


    That was when one of the men stood up from the table and he bowed down slightly towards the Devil.


    "Allow me to take on the task of bringing Grey in." The man said.


    "Oh! Tiger! What a perfect choice, with your immense strength, you are the perfect candidate for this. And with you, the task will be easily done." Devil said.


    "Alright then, the Oracle will still keep on trying to identify Grey while Red is tasked with looking for him and when he is found, Tiger will be given the job of getting rid of him.


    And then, nobody would stand in our way of taking over the human world and also rulling the whole world!" Devil laughed.

 Chapter 32 - 32: Hunt some goblins

    It was finally the next day, the day after Grey had battled against his familiar and he was currently wide awake as he was outside the small cave he and Randin had camped out in at night.


    Waking up early, Grey was outside as he sat down on a stump deep in thought.


    ''I know I planned to take out the goblin lord, and I''m not scared of it. But what worries me is how I''m going to explain to mum about my hair colour.'' He thought as he held his hair while pulling a strand to look at it.


    "Ha! What a baby." Noir spoke inside Grey''s mind.


    "Oh, you are awake." Grey said.


    And Noir just scoffed. "Familiars do not sleep."


    "Great!" He said as he stood up from the stump and walked into a clearing a little away from the small cave.


    "Cause I want to ask a favour from you."


    "And what is that?" Noir asked.


    "You are strong right? The strongest of them familiars, and you have battled against the otherworlders right?" Grey asked.


    "Yes of course." Noir barked.


    "Well then, why don''t you be my sparring partner everyday. I need to grow strong enough to defeat the otherworlders when they come, and I also need to gauge how strong they are from you." Grey requested.


    "And what is in it for me?" Noir asked.


    "Think about it, you said you fought against the otherworlders with your previous owner, and you lost while also resulting in the death of your previous owner.


    So sparring with me, not only will you regain your lost strength and powers slowly, you will also be able to take your revenge from them when the time comes." Grey smiled and Noir went silent.


    "Let me think about it. No thanks, not interested." Noir said.


    "Great, let''s get started the¡­ wait what?" Grey shouted. "You are not interested? But why?"


    "Did I stutter? I''m not interested and I don''t need to give you a reason." Noir said and then went silent.


    "Noir! Noir! Noir!!!" Grey called out and he didn''t get a response. "Darn it! What a useless pet."


    Walking back to the cave, Grey could see Randin already awake and he was packing their bags and camping equipment.


    "Oh! You woke up before me." Randin said.


    "Yeah, I just decided to go stretch a little." Grey replied then he remembered something.


    "The crystal from that beast, what can it be turned to?"


    Grey would have tried to absorb the crystal but there was no mana essence running through it as the beast didn''t have any abilities so it was useless to him.


    "It can be turned into a boot since the beast was fast, the boot will also grant it''s user speed." Randin replied.


    "Great then." Grey said and they finally set off again into the woods looking for the hideout of the goblin lord and his minions.


    "How far away are we from our destination?" Grey asked as he was using his wind spell to boost his speed in order to catch up with Randin who was running at top speed.


    "At this rate, we will get there in two days." Randin replied.


    ''Good, cause I''m starting to get tired of this.'' He thought and then continued running.


    _________


    Randin and Grey spent two days running, killing beasts, getting injured from fighting beasts, camping out and also training in order to get to the goblin base.


    Finally, their efforts paid off as they were hiding in a small forest area looking out at a cave that had goblins walking around it.


    The goblins had their spears out and they were patrolling around the cave''s entrance like a guard of some sorts. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The goblin lord and his elite squad are inside the cave with a hundred of goblin soldiers." Randin said.


    "How do you know their exact number?" Grey asked.


    "Caused I tried the same thing we are doing right now, alone. But I failed horribly mainly because of the elite squad." Randin said.


    "But that cave looks small, so how will a hundred goblin army fit there?" Grey asked.


    "Don''t you remember you humans proverbs? Do not judge a book by its cover. The cave might look small from the outside, but it is massive inside.


    Big enough to house even two hundred goblin soldiers." Randin said.


    "That means it is big enough for me to move around and use my spells then." Grey smiled.


    "So how are we going to take care of the four goblins in front of us?" Randin asked.


    "Like this!" Grey said as he flew out of the small forest area at a tremendous speed then he held his hand out.


    "Earth magic! earth trap!" Grey said and immediately, the goblins had their feet stuck to the ground unable to move.


    "Wind magic! Wind blades!" He called out again and four invisible wind blades appeared and cut through the goblin''s neck with ease killing them on the spot and not alerting the others inside.


    Randin seeing this feat had come out of his hiding spot to look at the damage Grey had caused. As he could see four goblins were dead on the spot without putting much of a fight.


    ''He is growing strong by the moment. And he can also switch between his elements quickly with just a slight delay. But he is certainly good with his use of powers.


    But those otherworlders, are still stronger than him and I can''t forget when their leader struck.'' Randin shuddered in fear as he remembered the devil''s mask he saw that day and the devastating power he had unleashed.


    "What''s wrong?" Grey asked as he could see Randin slightly shaking.


    "No, it''s nothing." Randin replied back.


    "Good! So how about we go hunt some goblins down and reclaim your planet for you then." Grey smiled.


    "I will say, let''s do it!" Randin smiled back as he pulled out his sword and his armour surrounded his body.

 Chapter 33 - 33: Tricky Situation

    "Good! So how about we go hunt some goblins down and reclaim your planet for you then." Grey smiled.


    "I will say, let''s do it!" Randin smiled back as he pulled out his sword and his armour surrounded his body.


    They silently crept into the cave which had no door making their invasion quiet as possible. Walking in, they could see the cave was the same size as it was when they were outside while a wall was standing in front of them. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hold on, that''s not right. This is the place, I''m sure of it." Randin said as he examined the wall and the cave.


    "Is the place alright. I have seen this type of spell before and I have also done it before." Grey replied as he walked around the small cave looking for something.


    ''This is the same runic illusion spell I had created in my cave, how do the goblins know it? Are they working with a mage? Are the otherworlders mages? No! I don''t think it''s possible.


    For now, I need to disable the spell and for that, I need to find the magic circle used for the spell.'' Grey thought as he shuffled around the cave trying to find it.


    "What are you looking for?" Randin asked.


    "The ma¡­" Grey stuttered when he finally felt it.


    ''This spot has the highest mana concentration.'' He thought as he stood by the right of the cave entrance and then he performed a few hand signs.


    "Illusion desperso!" He said and he thrust his hand forward and a small wind hit the side he was pointing at.


    Immediately it hit, the place lit up white while some symbols could be seen on the ground and they were turning and twisting around.


    Finally, the wall that Randin stood in front was slowly moving making some creaking noises.


    "C''mon, let''s go quickly!" Grey said as he pushed himself with wind magic and he slipped into the opening with Randin directly behind him.


    Immediately Grey slipped through the opening, he quickly raised up a wall to his left side and a clang was heard. Putting it down, he shot out a fireball towards his attacker and he caught in flames.


    ''That was a close call.'' He thought as he stood up to examine the cave.


    Just as Randin said, Grey could see the size of the cave as it was huge and wide enough to fight. And right now, about fifty goblins stood in front of Grey with their weapons drawn out.


    Off to the side, Grey could see a door possibly leading into where the goblin lord was. The place was lit up with blue crystals all around while torches were lit around the room also.


    The goblins that stood in front of Grey all had their spears lit up sparkling blue and Grey knew what was coming out of it next so did Randin.


    Right on cue, the goblins all shot out bolts of lightning towards Grey and Randin.


    "Earth magic! Earth wall!" Grey called out and a huge wall stood in front of him and Randin blocking the shots.


    ''Good thing they aren''t really intelligent enough to understand what I''m about to do next. Time for the new Earth skill I was able to learn from the book.'' Grey thought and then he pushed his hands upward.


    Immediately, the wall moved up forming a sort of cover over the goblins above their heads with his other hand held out, Grey called out.


    "Fire magic!" Immediately, a stream of fire left his hand and surrounded the goblins as they stood confused looking at the human in front of them.


    ''Now, that will keep them still for a moment.'' He thought and then he called out again.


    "Earth magic! Bind!" He shouted as he swung his hands down and the wall moved down also.


    The goblins seeing this, shot out streams of continuous lightning bolt at the rocks heading their way but it didn''t do anything as the Earth swiftly surrounded them while trapping them along with the fire that surrounded them earlier in an Earth ball like shape.


    The ball was huge and round as the fifty goblins were all trapped in it along with the fire that Grey had used to surround them earlier.


    "Now for the final touch, Explomb!" He shouted and on cue inside the ball, a huge fire explosion occured burning the whole fifty goblins in it into ashes.


    "Disperse!" He called out again and the ball slowly fell back into the ground and Grey along with Randin were met with a scene of burnt up goblin bodies with smoke rising up in the air.


    "How strong are you?" Randin asked as he looked at the damage Grey had caused in just a minute of entering the cave. He had already killed fifty goblins so easily with a smooth move.


    "Apparently not strong enough for an annoying familiar to come out in order to help!" Grey shouted as he walked forward slowly.


    ''Those skills took a toll on my mana but luckily, I''m a 2 star mage so it''s fine.'' He thought as he stood in front of the wooden door that led into where Grey suspected the goblin lord would be.


    "Allow me!" Randin said as he stood in front of the door and he swung his sword out slicing the door apart while Grey also pulled his sword too as they walked into a huge room.


    "Oh! So I was right, this is where you are hiding." Grey said as at the back of the room, a throne was set and a huge, bulky goblin was seen sitting on it with a crown on its head.


    While directly in front of it, a dozen bulky goblins stood in front of it with each holding either a sword or a spear. Then in front, stood the remaining fifty goblins and they all had their weapons drawn.


    "Well, this just got tricky." Grey sighed as he looked at the adversaries in front of him.

 Chapter 34 - 34: Beat the information out of you!

    "Well, this just got tricky." Grey sighed as he looked at the adversaries in front of him.


    "You human and dwarf have the guts to come into my base to attack me? Now you will pay with your lives." The goblin lord laughed out loud.


    "Oh!? It can communicate in human language? This is a first for me." Grey said surprised.


    After speaking with them, the goblin lord started speaking in an unknown language towards his army and they all unleashed their weapons towards Grey and Randin.


    "Attack the intruders!" The goblin lord shouted and the fifty remaining goblins charged right at them.


    "Earth magic! Sink!" Grey shouted with his hands held out and the goblins which were in front all got their feet stuck to the ground then looking closely, they were being sucked into the ground like as if they were standing on quick sand.


    "A mage? And a powerful one at that?" The goblin lord said as he saw at least 20 goblins sinking into the quick sand.


    ''Sink allowed me to make my opponents sink into the ground by making the Earth beneath their feet like sand. One more trick taught to me by the mage from his book.'' Grey thought with a smirk on his face.


    The remaining thirty goblins all jumped over the sinking goblins heading towards them with full force.


    "Wind magic! Wind blade!" He shouted again and quickly, dozens of invisible wind blades sliced the goblins that were sinking into the ground up.


    Slowly, the remaining thirty goblins were now almost upon them.


    "I need more time for something." Grey said panicking.


    "I got you!" Randin shouted as he bolted towards the oncoming goblins and they all shot out lightning bolts towards him.


    ''I have learnt my lesson from before so I won''t repeat them again.'' Randin thought as a big shield appeared in front of him taking the brunt of the lightning strikes heading his way earlier.


    ''Good thing I had discovered the technique and technology to create a pendant which will allow me to summon any equipment that I stored in it. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although the pendant on my neck might look small, it is still big enough to store any amount of equipment in it but it still has a limit of storage.'' Randin thought as the shield disappeared from view.


    And in his hand, a spear appeared instead while the tip of the spear lit up blue.


    "Look familiar?" Randin asked as three lightning bolts shot out in quick succession towards three goblins in front of him.


    Then a sword replaced the spear as the lightning bolt crashed into the goblins stunning them, Randin swiftly blocked a strike from one of the goblins and then he proceeded to kick its hand hard breaking it.


    Raising his sword, he blocked a thrust from another goblin and then parrying the spear away, Randin sliced the goblin''s head off.


    Before he stepped back a bit and then appearing in his hand, were at least a dozen dagger as he swung them with accuracy, it struck a dozen goblins in their heads killing them on the spot.


    Leaving him with 17 more goblins to handle. Before he could move forward, all 17 goblins shot out three lightning bolts each towards Randin who was looking at at least 51 lightning bolts heading his way.


    ''Darn it! My shield can''t block that, what do I do?'' Randin thought as he equipped the shield anyway and put it in front of him. But then, he heard a familiar voice from behind him.


    "Move!"


    Heeding to the voice, Randin jumped away and a huge Earth wall rose up where Randin stood earlier blocking the lightning bolts. But it wasn''t enough as slowly, the Earth was seen breaking.


    But surprisingly, it held out before it finally dissipated and the goblins were seen about to move forward again when the whole room was suddenly shaking with wind moving around the whole room.


    Confused, everybody looked around and then they could see a huge gust of wind up in the air turning like a tornado above a red haired individual who had his hands held out.


    "Thank you Randin for buying me enough time." Grey smiled.


    ''If I use this, my mana will be depleted completely and I won''t be able to cast spells or skills until my core is replenished. But it is worth it right now.'' Grey thought as he glared at the goblins before his eyes rested on the goblin lord.


    "Wind magic! Aerius Ultra!" He shouted as he swung his hands out and the huge tornado like wind was seen heading towards the goblins at tremendous speed.


    And in less than a second, it crashed into the goblins causing them to go flying across the room and breaking walls apart while some were being smothered by the wind therefore suffocating them.


    And finally, the 17 remaining goblins, were all killed by a single mage who stood in the centre of the room heaving and panting in pain as his whole mana core had been depleted.


    "Well, that''s it. I have no more energy or mana to rely on." He mumbled as he unsheathed his sword from its sheath and took a stance as he could finally see the elite goblin squad making their moves.


    "You fools! You just killed mere goblins and I can see the smiles on your face. But I assure you, you will be buried here as you can''t defeat even one of my elite squad.


    They each have the power of at least 5 goblins put together and they are 12 of them in my squad." The goblin lord laughed in amusement.


    "If they are as strong as you say, they will still not be enough to give us much trouble." Randin claimed.


    "You silly dwarf! You should have just stayed in whatever hole you were hiding in for all these years. Just because you got the help of a single mage, you feel like you can take me on or the otherworlders." The goblin lord laughed.


    "Otherworlders? You know about them?" Grey asked.


    Although he knew that the otherworlders practically brought the goblins to this planet, he asked because he wanted to see if he could pull any information from the goblin lord about them.


    "Ha! Why won''t I know about them? After all, they brought us here and don''t even think of trying to pry any information from me about them because I won''t unless you can defeat me." The goblin lord laughed.


    "Fine then," Grey said as he took a stance with his sword in front of him. "I will just have to beat the information out of you then."

 Chapter 35 - 35: Back off!

    "Ha! Why won''t I know about them? After all, they brought us here and don''t even think of trying to pry any information from me about them because I won''t unless you can defeat me." The goblin lord laughed.


    "Fine then," Grey said as he took a stance with his sword in front of him. "I will just have to beat the information out of you then."


    "Attack!" The goblin lord shouted and six of the elite goblin squad that held spears charged towards Grey while the remaining six that were holding onto swords dashed towards Randin who immediately drew his blade out.


    The six goblins that charged right at Grey quickly got to his position faster than the normal goblins. They thrust their spears all at once towards Grey who narrowly avoided them and then he moved back a bit.


    ''Without my powers, this will become a bit harder. Now I''m regretting using Aerius ultra earlier.'' Grey thought as he wasn''t given a chance to rest.


    The goblins charged right at him again and they thrust their spears towards his stomach. Quickly, Grey put his sword in front of him blocking the thrust but he was pushed back a bit causing him to skid away for about a metre.


    ''Darn! This ugly beasts sure packs a punch.'' Grey thought as he sharply pivoted on one foot avoiding a lightning bolt that was heading for his face.


    Although he was fast enough, the bolt still grazed his cheek as he felt the heat coming off from it while stinging his face a bit.


    ''Darn! That stung.'' He thought as he jumped up quickly avoiding a thrust to his leg.


    And then he fell back on the spear as he ran up on it towards the goblins then he swung his sword at its face but another goblin came in and blocked his swing.


    Another one also came and made a thrust with its spear towards his stomach which got blocked by Grey''s spear and then one more goblin jumped up and delivered a powerful kick to his face that managed to send him flying and tumbling on the ground for a few metres.


    "Darn that hurts!" Grey cried out as he held his face in pain when he heard a crackling noise heading his way quickly.


    "Oh give me a break darn it!" He said as he swiftly rolled over avoiding the lightning bolt heading for his head earlier.


    "Doesn''t your spears have a resting time?" Grey complained as he took another stance while the six goblins were seen heading his way with full speed.


    When they were 2 metres away, they suddenly started doing something strange. As one of the goblins abruptly halted his movements while the remaining five pushed off and climbed onto its shoulder.


    And finally, one of the goblins was hurled right at Grey at tremendous speed. While flying towards Grey, the goblin had its spear held out while the spear was lit up bright blue.


    "What a tricky situation have I found myself in now?" Grey said as he raised his sword in front of him and with a bang, the goblin crashed into Grey throwing him far back in the room causing him to crash into one of the walls while slightly cracking it.


    Slowly, rubbles and small rocks were thrown around in the room and a red haired individual was seen standing up with blood trickling down his mouth, head and nose.


    "Kuh! Kuh! Kuh!" Grey coughed as blood was spilling out his mouth.


    Looking up, he could see all the goblins lifting their spears all at once and it lit up bright blue to the extent, the facial features of the goblins were hardly been seen due to the brightness of the spears.


    "Finish him!" The goblin lord laughed maniacally.


    And then, all at once, lightning bolts were shot out at Grey and heading for him at the speed of light.


    "I hope this works." He mumbled as he weakly lifted his sword and then closed his eyes while concentrating hard.


    Slowly, a wall was rising in front of Grey from his sword up but the speed was quite slow compared to before. And the lightning bolt was almost close to Grey just a few seconds before impact.


    And right on cue, the wall finished forming just in time blocking the bolts and stopping it from moving forward. Immediately the wall stopped the bolts, it fell back down crumbling to the ground.


    "That wall was thanks to the special power in the sword made by Randin!" Grey shouted as he was now in front of one of the goblins and with a swift swing of his sword, its head was rolling down and then with a thud, its body fell down too.


    Although Grey didn''t have any more mana left, the wall that he used earlier was from the sword in his hand which was made from the crystal core of the beast he and Randin killed when he first came to this planet.


    The special skill allowed the user to create any form of Earth skill but it required immense focus as Grey was moving the mana he could feel in the sword to activate the skill. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And when the wall got raised, he knew that it won''t last long so he took the chance to run forward towards the wall in front of him as he knew that the goblins were directly in front of the wall at the other side.


    And immediately the wall, crumbled, he bolted towards them using the element of surprise to kill one of them. But that was it as immediately he sliced the goblin''s head off, the remaining goblins moved as they all thrust their spears towards Grey''s head.


    And raising his hand, he blocked them with his sword but then an Earth shattering kick landed on his stomach making him to cough out blood from his mouth while being blown across the room and crashing into another wall again totally breaking it apart.


    It would be a miracle if Grey was still conscious after that powerful kick.


    "Finish him completely!" The goblin lord barked out the order with a tense expression on his face as he was worried about the outcome of the fight.


    Heeding to the goblin lord''s order, two of the goblins walked towards where Grey was kicked to and they could see him lying on the floor with blood dripping rapidly from his mouth.


    Raising their spears, they pointed it at Grey and it lit up bright blue. They were about to shoot it when the spears suddenly dimmed and the bright light got extinguished.


    Then the whole atmosphere suddenly got heavy while the goblins were finding it hard to breathe as all the hairs on their green bodies were standing up in dread.


    "You know, I still have a use for him so it will be good for you pesky beasts if you backed off!" An angry voice was heard shouting while the whole place suddenly got misty.

 Chapter 36 - 36: A Scary Beast

    Grey was in a tough fight against six of the elite goblin squad and he wasn''t doing well without his magic. But even with that issue, he was still holding his ground not when he got kicked across the room into a wall in the cave totally breaking it apart.


    "Finish him completely!" The goblin lord barked out the order with a tense expression on his face as he was worried about the outcome of the fight.


    Heeding to the goblin lord''s order, two of the goblins walked towards where Grey was kicked to and they could see him lying on the floor with blood dripping rapidly from his mouth.


    Raising their spears, they pointed it at Grey and it lit up bright blue. They were about to shoot it when the spears suddenly dimmed and the bright light got extinguished.


    Then the whole atmosphere suddenly got heavy while the goblins were finding it hard to breathe as all the hairs on their green bodies were standing up in dread.


    "You know, I still have a use for him so it will be good for you pesky beasts if you backed off!" An angry voice was heard shouting while the whole place suddenly got misty.


    And then out of Grey''s body, a black mist was seen rising out of it and a small red wolf with a horn on its head was seen standing there glaring at the goblins that just took a step back in surprise.


    The remaining three goblins walked over and stood beside the two goblins and they all brought out their weapons towards the small wolf in front of them.


    "It will be better if you don''t attack or else you will all die!" The wolf snarled as it spoke inside the goblins'' heads. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the problem was they didn''t understand the human language the wolf was trying to communicate in and so they dashed towards the wolf.


    One of the goblin thrust its spear towards the wolf who suddenly disappeared from its view and appeared behind it while stabbing it in the leg with its horn causing the goblin tremendous pain.


    Quickly, the wolf moved faster again just in time avoiding a lightning bolt heading its way earlier. Then it came in again towards the goblin that shot the lightning bolt.


    It leaped high enough and then it swiftly plunged its horn into the the goblin''s eye totally destroying it. With a swift movement, it pounced off from the goblin''s face and flipped in the air landing away from the goblins and closer to Grey.


    The goblin who had its eyes destroyed tried moving back when a sharp sound was heard and red beam was seen heading its way and in a flash, it crashed into its head killing it on the spot.


    The goblin lord who sat on its throne stood up in fear as it saw what was going on and the amount of power the small wolf exerted.


    ''How is this possible? Where did that wolf come from and why does it have this amount of power that it''s handling my elite squad on its own? Was my eyes playing trick on me or did I see the wolf coming out of the mage?


    Whatever it is, this wolf is truly dangerous and terrifying!''


    Immediately it shot out a laser beam towards the goblin, its horn started dimming down and Noir had a small devilish smirk on its furry face.


    The goblins seeing their comrade dead on the floor, rather than running away to safety, the remaining four goblins still dashed towards Noir.


    And then they shot out a bolt towards it but it was too fast as it easily avoided it but the bolts kept pouring in as the goblins kept on shooting lightning bolts after bolts from their spears towards Noir who was running around the place easily avoiding the bolts.


    And finally, the spears were unable to produce lightning bolts again and Noir took this chance as it suddenly got in front of the goblin it had punctured its leg with its horn earlier.


    And then in a flash, Noir was growing in size rapidly as it was now as big as a small house and then in one smooth motion, it chomped down on the goblin''s head totally tearing the head off its neck.


    That was two down, three more goblins to go. Spitting the head out of its mouth to the ground, Noir immediately shot out a laser beam towards one of the goblins'' head killing it on the spot.


    And then in the same moment, without moving from its spot, Noir shot out a fireball towards another goblin causing it to light up in flame and quickly turn to ash.


    ''Good thing my fire magic is stronger than that mage''s.'' Noir thought as the remaining last goblin was slowly backing away while the goblin lord was looking for an escape route.


    "Look out!" A voice shouted and a body was hurled towards Noir way.


    Without moving it, it shot out a fireball towards the body totally burning it to ash and Noir could finally see the dwarf that was always with Grey riddled with injuries on its body with bits and pieces of armour lying around.


    And shattered swords, and shields everywhere with five goblin dead bodies around it sliced and killed in different ways.


    ''I guess the dwarf isn''t that useless after all and it has its own strengths.'' Noir thought as its eyes laid on the last goblin.


    With a leap, it was suddenly in front of the fleeing goblin. Without wasting time, Noir bit its head off and then just as it grew in size, Noir quickly reduced back to its small size.


    And with its usual quick speed, it dashed towards the goblin lord that was trying to flee away.


    "I know you understand human language so you can understand me." Noir spoke into the goblin lord''s mind while the goblin was rooted in fear while looking at the scary beast.


    "Good! Usually, I would have killed weak thrash like you. But that kid over there, got questions for you and I also want to hear the answers so I won''t kill you." Noir said and then the goblin lord heaved a sigh of relief.


    "But he didn''t say he needed you intact right?" Noir asked as it smirked evilly and it''s horn was starting to glow bright red.

 Chapter 37 - 37: Who are the otherworlders?

    "Good! Usually, I would have killed a weak thrash like you. But that kid over there, got questions for you and I also want to hear the answers so I won''t kill you." Noir said and then the goblin lord heaved a sigh of relief.


    "But he didn''t say he needed you intact right?" Noir asked as it smirked evilly and it''s horn was starting to glow bright red.


    And then in a flash, a laser beam hit the goblin lord in its legs and hands totally slicing it up and not letting it to move one bit as it had no limbs to.


    "Perfect." Noir said as it leaped towards Randin who was leaning tiredly with blood pouring out of his mouth, nose and head.


    Even his hands were cut and his stomach had punctured wounds on it. Getting there, Noir looked him up and down then it opened up a mind link to Randin.


    "Keep an eye on that goblin and also try to protect that kid over there. If anything happens to him, you are dead." Noir said and without waiting for any response, it turned into a black mist and entered into Grey who was still lying unconscious.


    ''It feels like that beast was much scarier than those goblins.'' Randin thought as he shuddered in fear to what the wolf did.


    Looking around, Randin dragged his feet to where Grey lay unconscious then he picked him up and laid him on his shoulder before dragging his feet to where the goblin lord was screaming in pain.


    After getting there, Randin gently laid Grey aside and walked towards where the goblin lord was screaming.


    "You¡­ you made I and my kind''s lives miserable." Randin said weakly as he pointed towards the goblin lord with fire burning in his eyes.


    "Kill me! Kill me now if you dare!" The goblin lord said with a smirk on its lips.


    Raising his cracked sword, Randin pointed it towards the goblin lord''s neck with an angry expression on his face. He put more pressure on the sword making it cut the goblin lord slightly while it''s smile got wider.


    "No! I''m not a fool, I know what you are trying to do and it won''t work. I won''t kill you so easily, firstly we will get the information we need then you die." Randin smiled as his sword disappeared from his hand.


    The goblin lord clicked his tongue and continued applying pressure on his cut up limbs in pain and then after at least thirty minutes of waiting around, a loud cough and small movements were heard coming from Randin''s side.


    Quickly turning around, his eyes landed on Grey who was slowly twitching in pain and then, he slowly raised his upper body while his eyes were slowly opening up.


    "Wh.. where am I? And wh¡­ why does my body hurt as hell?!" Grey shouted in pain as he held his head.


    "Grey?" Randin said as he stepped forward and placed his hand on Grey''s shoulder gently.


    In one smooth motion, Grey quickly grabbed Randin''s hand and tripped him over then a small flame appeared in his palm and he pointed it directly at Randin''s face.


    "What the hell are you doing you silly human?" Randin shouted as he could see flames directly placed in front of his face.


    "Ra¡­ Randin?" Grey said as his blurry eyes were now starting to become clear.


    "Yes it''s me you silly human!" Randin shouted and Grey quickly stood up from him and dispersed his fire magic.


    "I''m sorry, I thought it was one of the goblins that tried to kill me when I was unconscious." Grey apologized as he scratched his head nervously.


    "It''s okay." Randin said as he dusted himself and wiped the small sweat that formed on his face.


    "The goblins!" Grey shouted as he looked around on guard with his wind magic surrounding his body and then his eyes laid on the massacre around him.


    The cave was broken to the extent it looked like it was on the verge of breaking apart and his eyes moved towards the goblins that had all been killed.


    ''The elite squad? They are dead? How come?'' Grey thought as his eyes landed on Randin''s wounded body.


    "Did you kill them yourself?" He asked.


    "Heck no! Do I look like someone who could kill them on my own? If I was struggling to kill six, how do you expect me to kill twelve without any help?" Randin asked.


    "Then how?" Grey asked confused as he looked around because he could remember that he wasn''t able to defeat them all.


    "It was your pet that did this." Randin said and then a voice sounded in Grey''s head.


    "If that dwarf calls me a pet one more time, I will make I sure I shoot a laser beam through his head." Noir said.


    ''So you did this right?" Grey asked but he didn''t get any response from Noir.


    ''There he goes with the silent treatment. Wait, is it even a he or a she?'' Grey wondered. ''I guess I will not know for now then.''


    "So what do you want to do with this?" Randin asked pointing towards the sitting goblin lord.


    "Ask it the questions I want to know and it better answer or else I won''t think twice before killing it on the spot." Grey replied as he casually walked forward towards the goblin lord.


    Then he bent down in order to be on the same level as the goblin lord who was staring at Grey with fear in its eyes.


    ''This mage, was the one who managed to best some of my elite goblin squad, then he also has that demonic beast with him that he could summon at anytime.


    If I don''t answer his questions, he might kill me. No! He is surely going to kill me if I don''t answer. Or he might summon that demonic beast again.'' The goblin lord thought.


    The goblin lord didn''t know how far away it was from the truth of the matter as Grey couldn''t summon Noir any how he wanted, it will always come out when it wanted to. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Now for my first question, who are the otherworlders?" Grey asked.

 Chapter 38 - 38: Chest of Mystery

    ''This mage, was the one who managed to best some of my elite goblin squad, then he also has that demonic beast with him that he could summon at anytime.


    If I don''t answer his questions, he might kill me. No! He is surely going to kill me if I don''t answer. Or he might summon that demonic beast again.'' The goblin lord thought.


    The goblin lord didn''t know how far away it was from the truth of the matter as Grey couldn''t summon Noir any how he wanted, it will always come out when it wanted to.


    "Now for my first question, who are the otherworlders?" Grey asked.


    "The¡­ the otherworlders? What do you want to know about them?" The goblin lord asked and instantly, Grey''s right hand erupted in flames while his eyes looked like they were burning brightly.


    "Will you answer my question or do you want to get roasted like a chicken?" Grey asked.


    The goblin lord gulped loudly in fear looking at Grey and it instinctively touched it limbs that were sliced off by the wolf.


    "I¡­ I will answer, please don''t hurt me." The goblin lord begged in fear.


    "Good! Now answer my question, who are the otherworlders?"


    "The otherworlders, they are a group of people with immense powers that they can topple down any world they head to. I don''t know what they look like as each of them always wore a mask concealing their identities." The goblin lord said.


    "So that means you have never seen what they look like." Grey said. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, I haven''t seen what they look like beneath that mask."


    "Then how did you know what I am? I remembered you called me a mage, how can a beast like you know what I am?" Grey asked.


    "That was because I heard that word from them. They always described you all as people with mystical powers and they termed you all as mages. So when I saw you use mystical powers that seemed almost impossible, I knew straight away what you are." The goblin lord said.


    "Hmmm." Grey said as he stood up from his bent down position and walked around the goblin lord.


    "What is their aim? What are they after? Randin here said they attacked this planet, what is their aim in conquering this planet?" Grey asked.


    "Their aim? How am I supposed to know that you silly human? I''m just a lowly beast, why would they tell me what their aim is?" The goblin lord shouted.


    "Then you are totally useless to me then." Grey said as his fingers lit up again.


    "Wait!" The goblin lord quickly shouted and Grey raised an eyebrow.


    "I might not have the answers to your questions, but I know who will."


    "And who is that?" Grey asked.


    "My leader." The goblin lord replied.


    "Leader? Aren''t you like the goblin lord?" Randin asked.


    "Yes I am. But did you even know how we came to be? Why we came here? Why we tagged along with the otherworlders to attack here?" The goblin lord said.


    "So what are the answers to those questions?" Grey asked.


    "You see, I have someone superior to me, he is the king of all beasts. The king of not only the goblins, but any other beasts that you might encounter later in future." The goblin lord said.


    ''King of the goblins? Is that really real?'' Grey wondered in his mind.


    "Who is your leader, and where can I find him?" Grey asked.


    "Find him? Ha!" The goblin lord laughed. "You can''t find him unless he wants you to find him. He is practically the second strongest in that world." The goblin lord said.


    "Since you don''t have the answers to my questions, nor can I find your leader, and you decided to leave me with more questions that are unanswered, then you have become useless to me." Grey said as he swiftly lifted his hands.


    "Fire magic!" Grey called out and his hands lit up. Then he turned towards the goblin lord. "Any last words?"


    "Yes, I hope you burn in hell and my leader kills¡­"The goblin lord stuttered as Grey called the last words.


    "Fireballs!" He shouted and two medium sized fireballs came out and hit the goblin lord burning him on the spot to ashes.


    "Now, that is taken care of." He said as he looked around at the destruction caused when his eyes laid on the throne that was in the corner of the room.


    Walking towards it, he grazed his hand on it and then out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something a little shiny by the side of the throne.


    "What is this?" Grey wondered as he went towards it and he saw a little chest on the side that was slightly open.


    "What is that Grey?" Randin asked.


    "I''m not sure, it''s a chest but I don''t know what is inside." Grey said as he put out his hand forward and slowly picked up the small chest.


    Clearing the dust off of it, Grey decided to examine the small chest as it looked as small as a purse made of leather.


    "What is in it?" Randin asked.


    "I don''t know yet you silly dwarf, I haven''t opened it up." Grey retorted as he looked towards Randin.


    "Then open it up you doofus!" Randin shouted as he briskly walked towards Grey and then stood side by side with him.


    "I was just being cautious." Grey replied.


    "Well, open it up because the wait is killing me." Randin said.


    Then Grey slowly opened the chest up while preparing for something to pop out but it didn''t. And then he slowly opened up his eyes that were initially closed.


    Looking into the chest together with Randin, their eyes were widened in surprise at what they were seeing.


    "This¡­ this¡­how is this possible?" Randin wondered out loud.


    ________________


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 Chapter 39 - 39: Head back

    Then Grey slowly opened the chest up while preparing for something to pop out but it didn''t. And then he slowly opened up his eyes that were initially closed.


    Looking into the chest together with Randin, their eyes were widened in surprise at what they were seeing.


    "This¡­ this¡­how is this possible?" Randin wondered out loud.


    "How do they have all these?" Grey wondered out loud also.


    As they stared at the contents of the chest together. The chest had sparkling objects in it. It was half filled with gold coins then at the top of it, it had crystals on it not any crystals, beasts crystals on it.


    "What did they even intend to do with these?" Grey asked.


    "Who knows. Maybe they had collected it when they raided the homes of the dwarves." Randin said.


    "So that means it should belong to you then." Grey said as he closed the chest and handed it over to Randin who quickly pushed it back to Grey.


    "No no no! Why should I collect it? You helped me reclaimed my planet, without your help, I wouldn''t have been able to do this. Before you come up with a counter attack, remember that I have no use for them especially the gold coins.


    There''s no way I can use it here since I have nothing to buy or get. So please have the chest, without refusing it. This is my thank you for helping me reclaim my planet and if you need any other thing, I will help you to do it.


    Just know that you have my help in whatever you want to do." Randin said.


    "Well, with all these points, how can I refuse to receive the chest? Thank you." Grey smiled as he tucked the chest in his clothes and then he walked away from the throne.


    Immediately they walked down, the whole cave began rumbling loudly while also shaking furiously to the extent, Randin and Grey lost their footing and they fell down.


    Immediately they plummeted down, Grey saw a piece of the rock ceiling heading towards them at a fast speed.


    "Watch out!" He shouted as he pushed his hands outwardly.


    "Wind magic! Aerius!" He shouted and a burst of wind hit the rock and threw it away from them.


    "I think this cave is about to crumble down. We need to get out of here now." Grey shouted as he and Randin quickly stood up and bolted towards the door of the main cave.


    They kept running with top speed especially Grey who was naturally fast due to his affinity to wind magic. They kept running until they were close to the entrance and then performing some hand signs while walking, Grey thrust his hands and shouted.


    "Disperso!" Immediately, a white light enveloped the cave''s rock door and then it slid open slowly.


    By the time they got to the entrance, Randin was able to slip through escaping out of the cave while Grey was still a little behind.


    "C''mon Grey, hurry up!" Randin shouted as the cave was now starting to close up after registering that someone had passed through.


    Finally, Grey was now close to the door and with a leap, he used his wind magic to propell himself forward and he managed to jump out of the cave just in time as the door finally closed.


    And then running, they finally jumped out of the normal cave entrance just in time as the cave was now seen crumbling down in pieces.


    "Phew! That was very close." Grey said as he was panting hard while sitting on the ground with Randin beside him.


    They were both breathing hard as they looked at the rubbles off in the distance. They waited for a few minutes to catch their breath before they got a move on and they left the area totally.


    They slowly walked back the way they came from towards the dwarves place.


    "Because of you, I finally have enough time and space to explore more of the planet." Randin said as they were now deep in the forest.


    "It''s not a big deal actually." Grey said as he rubbed his hair smiling.


    ''This kid isn''t bad at all, I think I had misjudged him when I saw how similar his powers were to those otherworlders. I really like him now and for what he did for me, I will try my best to help him in whatever way he needs.


    Even if it requires me to lay down my life, I''m going to do it. As he had helped me reclaim my home planet. All that remains is for me to go look for any dwarf survivors.'' Randin thought with a smile.


    They kept walking and sometimes camping in tiredness as they weren''t ready to fight any beasts because of how tired they were. Where they arrived when the night sky met them, is where they camped out.


    They slept like never before with both of them shuffling and taking turns watching over where they rested.


    The next morning, they continued their journey with more energy and vigour while trying to strike small talks with each other and then sometimes, they always kept quiet and go through the thoughts on their minds that were troubling them.


    Contrary to their thoughts of not encountering any trouble, they still encountered trouble in the form of some beasts.


    And with their team work, they managed to defeat the beasts. And finally, after three days, they were now back where they always stayed and rested all day.


    By the time they got there, it was already late so they went into Randin''s house to rest and before they slept, Grey had something to say.


    "I will return back to my world in two days." Grey announced. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So fast?" Randin asked.


    "So fast? I have been here for close to two weeks and you say so fast?" Grey asked.


    "Well, I have gotten used to you being here and I missed human communication that''s why." Randin said.


    Grey felt sad listening to Randin. He couldn''t imagine how he felt currently with being the only one in this huge planet.


    "But don''t worry, I will continue my task of looking for the others." Randin said with a cheerful smile.


    "Well, you shouldn''t worry, I will always try my best to come here every week." Grey smiled.


    "I will always be expecting you then." Randin returned the smile and then they decided to go to sleep.

 Chapter 40 - 40: Moment of truth

    *Two days later*


    It was finally two days later and Grey couldn''t wait to head back as he was seen waking up early and packing up his belongings while tucking the small chest he found inside his bag pack.


    "Finally, I will be leaving here for the human world." Grey said excitedly as he finished packing up.


    He was currently inside Randin''s cave house while Randin was nowhere to be seen.


    "Where even is Randin?" He wondered aloud as he looked around and then a stomping like footsteps sound was heard coming in.


    "I''m here!" Randin said as he walked into the cave with a dull looking like chest in his hand and a new sword by his side.


    "Where have you been?" Grey asked.


    "Getting your parting gift ready." Randin replied.


    "Is that it in your hands?" Grey asked as he eyed the dull looking chest. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yep, your gift is in this." Randin smiled patting the chest on it''s lid.


    "What''s in it? Lemme see." Grey said stretching his hand to snatch the chest out of Randin''s hand but he quickly withdrew his hand away.


    "Firstly, I want you to promise that you won''t open up this chest here until you get back to the human world." Randin said.


    "Oh C''mon! Let me just see what it is." Grey pleaded.


    "No, you need to promise me first." Randin said.


    "Fine! I promise you. Now can I have the chest already?" Grey asked.


    "Alright, here it is." Randin said handing the chest over to Grey which he greedily snatched out of Randin''s hand and quickly put it into his bag pack.


    "So how will you leave?" Randin asked.


    "The same way I came." Grey smiled.


    "And how did you even come?" Randin asked.


    "Like this!" Grey said and immediately he started floating off the ground using his wind magic.


    "Bye Randin! See you when next I come!" He said and immediately, he bolted out of the cave at top speed using his wind magic.


    Randin quickly rushed out of the cave and he couldn''t see Grey anymore.


    "How fast did he leave? How did he even leave?" Randin wondered. "I guess I won''t find out anytime soon then.


    Bye Grey, till we meet again!"


    ************


    Immediately he had left the cave, Grey entered into another cave but this one was much smaller than Randin''s cave with an opening in the top.


    Walking into it, Grey looked and walked around until he felt a familiar sense of his mana and then he sat on the ground.


    "I had created this circle just in case I wanted to leave hurriedly so this will save me a lot of time." He said as his hand started glowing white.


    And then a white energy was starting to form on his hand. This was the pure form of mana. Mana in it''s purest form from the user''s body.


    Immediately, the thrust his hand forward and the white light left his hand and went into the ground in front of him and immediately, it lit up bright white.


    Immediately it lit up, it started churning and a white portal opened up in front of Grey swirling with a mystical and ominous light.


    Taking a deep breath, Grey dusted himself, picked his bag up and looked behind him.


    "Goodbye planet bronze land, goodbye Randin. Till next time." He said and then he took a step into the portal.


    Followed by his entire body. Immediately he entered, the portal snapped shut and Grey felt the familiar sense of warping as all his senses were on high alert.


    And after a few seconds, Grey was thrust out gently and he found himself stepping into a familiar hidden cave with runes drawn all around, a rock chair off to the corner and dozens of cans laying around.


    "Well that was a crazy way to spend my two weeks of break." He sighed as he took a seat on his chair while opening up a can of his favorite drink.


    "Ah! That felt refreshing, I missed this taste." He smiled and then he stood up, took his backpack and then he went towards a wall in the corner of the room.


    He implanted his mana into the wall then it slowly slid open to let Grey head out into a small cave.


    "That reminds me, the goblin cave also had an illusion spell like mine. A spell to conceal the real deal while putting out a fake illusion." He said as he looked behind him.


    ''Is it a coincidence or is a mage really working for the other side? Or am I overthinking things? I wonder if the emperor even knows about the otherworlders.'' He thought.


    "I guess I won''t know for now. So why bother stressing myself?" Grey shrugged as he swiftly exited the cave and stepped foot into the outside of the forest and immediately, he felt a change in him.


    "It''s like I can feel the mana in the air more better. I never noticed this in bronze land because they had a little mana in the air but here, mana is quite surplus in the air and I can feel it much better." He said.


    And then he moved his mana from his core to around his body and finally to his left eye. Then his eye glowed yellow before his view changed allowing him to see the world in a new light.


    "Yeah, I was right, the mana in the air has become more better to see and I don''t think I''m imagining it but it feels like it''s even heading towards me and entering into my body."


    ''But come to think of it, I haven''t heard of a mage who mana is attracted to. It might actually just be something that happens to mages that advance high in star.'' He shrugged and then proceeded to jog back home while at times using his wind magic to aid him.


    In two minutes, he was already in front of his door and he could see that it was unlocked which meant that his mum had returned already from her trip.


    ''Darn it! Has she arrived earlier than me? Has she been around for so long? Darn! What am I going to give as an excuse about where I went?'' Grey thought worriedly.


    "Will you just quit being a baby and head inside already?" Noir shouted inside Grey''s mind.


    ''Will you stop bossing me around you silly familiar! When it comes to fighting, you don''t help but it seems that bossing people around is what you do best.'' Grey hissed annoyed in his mind.


    Taking a deep long breath, he pushed the door open and walked inside the living room calmly and he could see his mum unpacking excitedly.


    Hearing the door open, she turned around to see Grey, her beloved son.


    "Oh Grey! You are back early from your training. It feels like you know I will be back today so you came back early from your tra¡­" Clara stuttered as she stared at Grey a little longer.


    She noticed his smooth his skin looked like as if he had no single blemish on his skin. And then her eyes laid on his hair that had changed colour from the beautiful brown it was to a redish colour.


    "Grey? What happened to you?" Clara asked as she kept staring at his hair more.


    Seeing his mother''s glare, Grey''s hand naturally crawled up his hair and then he remembered that his hair had changed colour.


    ''Dang! What am I going to tell her now?'' he wondered worriedly.


    "Tell her the truth! I don''t know what you have experienced, or why you are fidgeting a lot, but all I know is that she will appreciate being told the truth than being lied to." Noir said.


    ''Huh!? I never knew you were this sensible.'' Grey thought.


    "My fault for trying to advise you." Noir sneered loudly and then he went quiet.


    "Mum, I can explain." Grey said as he walked forward and led his mum to a chair and made her sit. Then he also sat down, inhaled deeply before he decided speaking.


    "Mum! I won''t lie to you, I will just say the truth to you. Mum, I have awakened my affinities, I''m now a mage. And not just any mage, I''m a 2 star mage that can control three magical abilities for now." Grey said.


    "Wh¡­ what?! But how?" Clara said confused as she looked at Grey like as if not convinced.


    Seeing the look his mum was giving him, Grey just sighed and stood in front of his mum and then lifted his hands.


    "Fire magic!" He called out and right in front his mum''s eyes, his hands burned bright with fire.


    "Wind magic!" He called again and a small wind was now slowly surrounding his mum lifting her up slightly from the chair she sat startling her a bit.


    "Earth magic!" He called again and a piece of shard from the wall of the room popped out and appeared in front of Grey.


    Seeing all these, his mum''s eyes widened in shock and then the next set of words she said stunned Grey too.


    "I knew it! I knew you would awaken it by this time but I didn''t know it will be so soon!" Clara said excitedly as she stared at Grey excitedly.


    "What!!??!!"

 Chapter 41 - 41: Randins gift

    "I knew it! I knew you would awaken it by this time but I didn''t know it will be so soon!" Clara said excitedly as she stared at Grey excitedly.


    "What!!??!!" Grey shouted in shock and then all the elements got dispelled at once.


    "What do you mean by that mum?" He asked as approached his mum in shock.


    Clara just sighed and patted the seat where Grey sat down earlier signalling for him to come sit.


    "You see, when I married your father, I had heard of a particular prophecy that was revealed in this family. Not sure who saw the prophecy." Clara said.


    "What prophecy?" Grey asked.


    "That a special child would be born into the Dawn family. A kid who would become a great mage that no one would ever be able to compete with him."


    "So how does that correlate with me unlocking my affinities?" Grey asked.


    "I''m getting to that, just chillax." Clara said as she chuckled at Grey''s impatience.


    "You see, when the prophecy was unveiled, they were told that the child would be a male but there''s one catch. He won''t be able to unlock his affinities at the proper age he should unlock it, it will be at a later time." Clara explained.


    ''Was the prophecy talking about me?'' He wondered in his mind. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So when your father was born, and he didn''t unlock his affinities at the age he was supposed to, everyone thought he was the one the prophecy was talking about.


    But they waited for some more years and still nothing and when your father turned an adult, he was shunned by everyone and he was called a cripple as he couldn''t perform magic.


    Everybody bullied him, called him weak and he was even thrown out of the family house to go fend for himself. But there was one person who didn''t treat your father bad." Clara said.


    "Who was that?" Grey asked.


    "It was your uncle; Jimmy Dawn. When everyone were treating your father bad, he always tried his best to shield and even defend him. Sometimes having to go against the other family members.


    When your father was even about to be kicked out, Jimmy protested to know avail. So he decided to help in his own way. With the little money he had, he purchased this small house for your father to live in."


    "So where is he now?" Grey asked. "Where is uncle Jimmy?"


    "After some years, he became a well known mage and therefore, he was offered a high position. Not really sure what it was, but he was taken away from his family and wasn''t able to come back at all. But he still managed to send some money whenever he was allowed to." Clara said.


    ''I wonder what position he was offered and how I can find him.'' Grey thought.


    "So when you were born, we thought you would not awaken any affinity just like your dad. Since your dad didn''t have any affinities and magic was hereditary, we thought you wouldn''t have any. So we always tried to protect and shield you from bullies but you still ended up getting bullied anyway." Clara shook her head in sadness.


    "Enough about that, how did you awaken your affinities and how are you able to wield three elements together? And why is your hair red?" Clara questioned.


    "It''s kind of a long story." Grey said scratching his head nervously and then he took a deep breath.


    "When I was training in the woods one day, I encountered a beast that was trying to attack me. I fought hard but I was losing and also getting injured until all of a sudden, I felt dizzy and it felt like something was pulling out of me outwardly.


    Until all of a sudden, something slammed into the beast killing it on the spot while also burning it to ashes. And I fell unconscious on the spot.


    When I woke up, I saw that my hair had changed colour to red. No idea why but I had a suspicion that it was due to me unlocking the fire element. All these happened while you were away." Grey explained.


    "Wow! What a brilliant liar!" Noir couldn''t help but say in Grey''s mind.


    "You were attacked by a beast? Are you okay? Are you alright?" Clara asked looking over Grey''s body from top to bottom which made his cheek heat up in embarrassment.


    "Mum, I''m fine, no need to worry." Grey said and his mum let him go.


    "So how did you also become a 2 star mage so fast. Per my knowledge, it takes at least a year to advance to a 2 star rank. So how did you advance so soon?" Clara asked.


    "That¡­ it was due to repeated cultivation and training. I kept on using my elemental powers repeatedly until one day, I reached a breaking point and then advanced to the next star." Grey said.


    He decided to lie because he didn''t know how he would tell his mum that he encountered the first ever mage in human history who helped him discover his affinities when he was on the verge of dying.


    Then he was given skill and spell books that taught him how to use his magic and also travel to other worlds where he finally advanced into a 2 star mage without sounding crazy.


    So he decided to lie while sprinkling a teeny tiny bit of truth to his lie.


    "Alright, I presume you must be tired, go up to your room and rest. I will call you down when dinner is ready." Clara smiled and Grey happily stood up, took his bag and went into his room.


    Immediately he got into his room, he quickly shut it and breathed a sigh of relief.


    "That was a close one." He said as he sat on his bed and threw his bag aside which caused it to make a thud sound then he remembered something.


    "Huh? Right, I forgot about Randin''s parting gift." Grey said as he quickly went towards where he threw his bag then he picked it up and slowly opened it up.


    "I wonder what is in this chest." Grey said as he excitedly opened it up when his eyes finally laid on what was inside.


    "This¡­ this¡­ this is so generous and thoughtful!" Grey said as a tear rolled down his eyes.

 Chapter 42 - 42: A Generous gift

    "Huh? Right, I forgot about Randin''s parting gift." Grey said as he quickly went towards where he threw his bag then he picked it up and slowly opened it up.


    "I wonder what is in this chest." Grey said as he excitedly opened it up when his eyes finally laid on what was inside.


    "This¡­ this¡­ this is so generous and thoughtful!" Grey said as a tear rolled down his eyes.


    Emptying the contents in the chest, Grey quickly picked them up one by one as he examined them with stars in his eyes.


    Firstly, he picked up a new sword made for him by Randin as his previously one got broken in the fight with the goblin lord''s elite squad.


    The sword was a double edged one with a blue silver like colour on the hilt while the blade itself had a snake pattern drawn on it.


    Then the next thing was a pair of boots. Grazing his hands around it, he could feel how smooth and soft it was. Trying it on, Grey could feel how comfortable it was as his feet rested in them snugly.


    The boots was long enough to reach his ankles while also having something like a rabbit ear design on the edge of it and the boots were also black in colour.


    Lastly, the last item in the chest was a small red pendant that was as small as a small gem.


    Seeing it, Grey already knew what it was as he had always seen something similar on Randin''s neck and he also knew how helpful it was.


    "This¡­ this is a storage pendant. And it''s so beautiful as it complements my red hair." Grey smiled as he put on the pendant and he tapped on it.


    Then he firstly put his sword in front of it and like a wormhole, the pendant sucked the sword in making it disappear.


    "Cool!" Grey smiled as he took his boots next and he did the same thing making the boots disappear.


    "Now how do I equip my sword when I need it?" He wondered aloud and immediately, his sword appeared in his hands.


    "Huh? It works with just a thought?" He said.


    Then he thought about his boots and immediately, it appeared on his legs sitting snugly on them.


    "Now, that''s what I''m talking about." Grey smiled as he kept his equipment back into the pendant storage.


    After he was done with his testing, he went to lay on his bed and got his well deserved rest while making a mental note to thank Randin when next he saw him.


    After he woke up, he headed downstairs to see his mum setting the table and he helped her. After a few minutes, they both sat down and had their dinner while chatting happily.


    With Grey mostly asking his mum about her work and hearing her say nice things about her factory while also asking Grey about how he felt after unlocking his affinities.


    They kept making small talks untill they were done with dinner. After dinner, Grey did the dishes then his mum called him back before he left for his room.


    "What is it mum?" He asked.


    "I want you to promise me something." Clara said after making Grey sit down.


    "What is it mum?" Grey asked.


    "I want you to promise me that you won''t use your power for evil, you will only use it for good. Whether I am around or not, whether I''m with you or not, you will continue using your abilities to help people even those that might have wronged you.


    I want you to do this for me and I will be happy." Clara said.


    "Mum, you have imparted me with good manners, don''t worry, I won''t turn evil and use my powers badly. I will use them for good." Grey smiled.


    "Good! That''s my boy." Clara said as she ruffled his red hair.


    "Darn! That''s going to get some getting used to." Clara said as she held his hair and looked at the red colour.


    "Yeah, same here." Grey chuckled and then they played a little bit of game with each other before they both went to their rooms to get some well deserved rest.


    Heading to his room, rather than sleeping, Grey opened up another chest that was in his bag. Taking out four crystals from it, he smiled as he admired them.


    This box was the one he got from the goblin lord''s cave that was half filled with gold coins and half filled with crystals. Out of the ten crystals in the box, he took out four that he felt had immense power in them.


    "I can feel the power coming from these four crystals. With two of them containing fire magic and the remaining two containing earth magic. With these, I can finally add more points to my affinities." He smiled as he quickly got to work absorbing the crystals.


    It always took a little bit of time to absorb the powers from the crystals and it was something that shouldn''t be rushed as when the user''s concentration has been broken, it will severe his connection with the flow of energy he could feel rendering the crystal ineffective and useless.


    Since the user couldn''t absorb the crystal''s power again. This type of technique was only known to the more powerful mages. Those at the 6 star and more but since Grey was special, he was able to absorb the crystals.


    After a few minutes of absorbing them, Grey finally opened up his eyes with a smile as he could feel the energy bubbling inside him. So he swiftly used his appraisal skill to check how many points he had in the elements.


    <Name: Grey Dawn>


    <Status: Mage>


    <Mana: 50/50>


    <Elements: Three>


    {<Wind: 20> Colour grade: blue} Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    {<Earth: 35> CG: yellow}


    {<Fire: 30> CG: Purple}


    _________


    "Woah! I got 10 points in each element which means the power stones were at the level 2 tier." Grey said with a smile on his face.


    "Ha! This week will be a great week for me!" He smiled as he quickly arranged his room and went to sleep.


    Grey couldn''t be much wrong as he doesn''t know that the week would be a horrible, life changing week for him.

 Chapter 43 - 43: Im gonna kill you!

    Over the week, Grey and his mum were happily doing chores all around the house while they were also renovating some corners of the house with the coins Grey found it bronze land planet.


    When questioned where he had gotten the coins from, he lied that he used his powers for menial jobs earning him a little gold. Grey hadn''t brought out the whole coins otherwise his mum wouldn''t have believed his story.


    So he just took out two gold coins and presented it to her. To them poor people, even a single gold coin was a fortune to them not to talk about two.


    Clara was beyond ecstatic when she saw the coins and she got to work in trying to renovate the house to make it a little comfortable while also paying off the debts they owed a lot of people.


    While still having enough coins at hand. Grey couldn''t help but imagine how his mum''s face would have looked like if he had brought the whole chest of coins out.


    Throughout the previous week, Grey had been busy assisting his mum in renovations and all around the house with his magic. He used his wind magic to clean the house of any cobwebs or dust.


    His wind magic was also used to chop the woods that will be used for firewood. Their lives became easier due to Grey''s magic and he was also happy to be himself without hiding his powers.


    His routine also changed to helping his mum at home during the day then going out to practice his magic. And at night, he practiced cultivating his magic trying to control his mana properly so it will only take a little bit of his mana to cast his spells.


    Today, he decided to take a bit of time from his normal schedule so he could visit the library to see if there is any new information he could find maybe about the otherworlders.


    After getting dressed, he slipped out of the house and was gently strolling to the library with his hands in his pocket. After walking out of the alleyways that led to where their house is located at the poor side of the small town, Grey was now out on the streets of the small town.


    That had people walking around with smiles on their faces, people flying around using their wind magic. Although wind magic was one of the elements, it was still quite a common ability.


    He could even see some kids trying to cast little spells with their parents off to the side trying to encourage and help them. While looking around, he could see buildings but big and small.


    The small buildings was where things were sold. Either food stuffs or clothes and other things.


    Seeing all these things and looking at some people fairly dressed, Grey couldn''t help but sigh.


    ''If we had been quite rich a little bit, we would have been living in this town not in that broken down area where poor people lived.'' He thought and then he clenched his hands in determination.


    ''Mum, I promise you, I will make sure our lives change for the better. Now that I have unlocked my affinities, I will try my best to better our lives.'' He thought with a determined look on his face.


    With a sigh, he proceeded on his journey as he could see a medium sized building in front of him. Stepping through it, he was met with rows and shelves of books at every corner of the building.


    Picking one of them, he went off to the side to begin reading. Grey spent at least two hours surfing the whole library looking for any books that would possibly talk about the otherworlders but he found none.


    The only thing he found were basic spells, skill books and the history of the town and the whole kingdom in total.


    The librarian seeing Grey pick a book, glance through it and drop it back was quite confused about why he was doing so. So he approached Grey and then placed a hand on his shoulder.


    "Anything the problem? Are you looking for a specific book?" The librarian asked.


    ''The librarian? If anybody would know where I will find a book about those otherworlders, it should be him. Maybe he would even know something about them being a librarian.'' He thought.


    "Yes, there was this term u heard some time ago and I was trying to find it."


    "What term?" The librarian asked.


    "The otherworlders. Know anything about them?" Grey asked with a raised eyebrow while looking for any subtle body signs on the librarian but he found none.


    "The otherworlders." The librarian said while stroking his small beard. "I have heard that term before but information about them is not going to be in this small town library, you will surely find it in the main capital."


    The main capital was where the Emperor along with his subordinates lived. All the high star mages that were at least the 5 star and above, lived in the capital with them being either in the Emperor''s army, or they were being independent trying to make a name for themselves.


    ''How will I get to the main capital now? Only the rich live there. I think that''s what this librarian is trying to tell me, that an information like that can only be obtained by the rich.'' Grey sighed as he stood and smiled at the librarian.


    "Thank you so much sir." He smiled and then walked out of the library.


    ''Since I can''t find any information about them here, I should just give up on them and try to grow stronger.'' He thought as he was now on the main street of the town about heading home.


    "Hey weakling!" A voice was heard shouting and Grey stopped in his tracks grinding his teeth.


    "Clark!" He mumbled under his breath.


    "Hey weakling can''t you hear me?" Clark shouted again as he along with two of his friends were coming over.


    Grey just ignored them and continued walking and then he felt a gust of wind blowing from behind him and then a palm was placed on his shoulder.


    "Didn''t you hear me calling you?" Clark asked as he turned Grey around. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Call me? Did you call me? Strange, I didn''t hear my name neither did I hear you call me. So when did you?" Grey asked with a raised brow.


    "I kept on calling you repeatedly but you kept ignoring me." Clark said.


    "Weakling." Grey said.


    "Yes." Clark said.


    "See, i heard someone calling you weakling and you responded so it definitely wasn''t me you were talking to." Grey smiled.


    "You!" Clark said furiously as he could hear his friends laughing at him from behind.


    "I''m gonna kill you!" Clark said as a gust of wind was surrounding his hands.


    "Oh really? I want to see you try." Grey smiled and then Clark leapt towards him with immense speed.

 Chapter 44 - 44: Shopping

    "You!" Clark said furiously as he could hear his friends laughing at him from behind.


    "I''m gonna kill you!" Clark said as a gust of wind was surrounding his hands.


    "Oh really? I want to see you try." Grey smiled and then Clark leapt towards him with immense speed using his wind magic.


    Clark thrust his hand forward and a burst of wind blew out heading towards Grey with full speed.


    "Too slow." Grey smiled as he used his wind magic on his feet allowing him to move fast enough avoiding the attack that crashed on the ground where he stood earlier.


    ''He¡­ he avoided that? But how? Was my suspicion right? Did he manage to unlock his affinities? But how?'' Clark thought worriedly.


    Then he shook his head and swung his hands repeatedly towards Grey releasing wind attack after attack causing loud noise to keep resounding anytime it hit the floor.


    Those passing by now stopped to look at what was going on and they could see two young teenagers fighting like kids and they were impressed because they could see one of them dodging every single attack skillfully.


    They all knew how fast wind attacks were but the red haired kid was dodging every attacks like as if it was nothing.


    "Enough! I''m tired of you embarrassing me!" Clark shouted in anger as he lifted his hands and started going through a motion he was all to familiar with.


    "Wind magic! Aerius!" Clark shouted as he thrust his hands and a huge burst of wind erupted and headed towards Grey who was still smiling.


    "This should shock the hell out of him." He smiled as he lifted his own hands up.


    "Earth magic! Earth wall!" He shouted and a huge wall appeared in front of Grey blocking the wind from hitting him.


    This shocked Clark to the core as he was now sweating while his legs was shaking in fear.


    "How¡­ how is this possible? You¡­ you are now a mage? My suspicions were right, you have unlocked your affinities! But how?" Clark said in fear as he looked at Grey.


    "Let''s just say that I was lucky." Grey smiled then he lifted his hands and looked Clark straight in the eye.


    "Wind magic! Aerius!" Grey shouted as he thrust his hands forward and a wind bigger than Clark''s erupted forward at a speed beyond Clark''s speed.


    "Impossible! You are a dual elementalist!" Clark shouted in fear as those on the streets were also shocked by this fact.


    A dual elementalist was rare to find especially in this parts of the town. But in the capital, dual elementalists were quite easy to find but here, it was impossible. And now, they were seeing a dual elementalist in front of them, in their town.


    There was nobody that didn''t know who Grey was as he was the only one who didn''t have an affinity in this town. Although there were those like Grey, when they discover so, they always committed suicide because they couldn''t bear being called a cripple.


    That was what made people know who Grey was. So seeing him wield one element was surprising and now two! It was beyond a miracle. But to Clark, it was more like a horror as he could see the same attack he used against Grey head towards him.


    And in a flash, it crashed into him lifting and throwing his across the street while his body was bouncing and tumbling on the ground while losing consciousness from the force of the attack.


    "A job Weldone, I have taken out the thrash nicely." Jake smiled as he turned around and began walking on his way back home.


    Everybody that witnessed this feat, were so shocked and they were compelled to share the news as Grey the cripple was now a dual elementalist.


    Those that heard the news, thought it was being exaggerated as everyone in the small town knew who Grey was. So hearing that he was now a dual elementalist, was shocking to say the least.


    Grey got back home and could see his mum standing in front of the door with a stern look on her face.


    "Grey! What did you do?" Clara asked.


    "Wow mum! Is it just me or did you get more beautiful in the few minutes I went out." Grey smiled as he stared at his mum over and over again.


    "Don''t flatter me Grey." Clara said. "Did you fight with Clark?"


    ''How did she know about that so soon? Darn! News travels fast in this parts. I''m sure it is because of who I am that''s why the news spread like wildfire.'' He thought.


    "Mum, it wasn''t my fault. He attacked me first and I decided to defend myself." Grey said.


    "I know you won''t be the one to attack him first but you should have been careful and kept a low profile for now." Clara said.


    "I know mum, I''m sorry. Wait, is that why you came outside to meet me on my way back?" He asked. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No! I was heading out to purchase some food stuffs because we are running low on them." Clara replied.


    "Oh! Can I tag along?" Grey asked.


    "Are you sure?" Clara asked.


    "Yes."


    "Alright then, why not. Let''s go." Clara said as she took the lead while Grey followed.


    On the way to go purchase some food stuffs, Clara asked for the details of the fight and Grey narrated everything to her without omitting a part out of the story.


    Finally, after a few minutes of walking, they were now back in town again and Clara headed off to a stall and began purchasing what she needed.


    The stall owner was about to overcharge Clara but when he saw Grey and remembered the rumours, he quickly came back to his senses and Clara was happily purchasing what she wanted.


    They went from stall to stall purchasing what they needed while Grey''s heart was racing fast.


    ''What''s going on? Why am I feeling weird all of a sudden? I feel like something is off somewhere.'' He thought.


    "Oh, you could feel it too? Which means your senses are sharper than I thought." Noir said.


    "What is it? What is going on?" Grey asked and he was met with the usual silence.


    "Grey! Grey! Grey!" Clara called and he was pulled out of his thoughts.


    "Yes mum."


    "Where were you lost?" Clara asked.


    "It''s¡­ it''s nothing. Have you gotten all what you needed?" He asked.


    "Yes sure, let''s head back home now." Clara said and she took the lead again until she didn''t hear Grey following her.


    Turning around, she could see Grey standing around with his head held down deep in thought again.


    ''Why is my heart beating so loudly and hard? It feels so suffocating!'' he shouted in his mind until he heard his name again and he looked up.


    "What is it son? What are you thinking ab¡­" Clara stuttered as she could suddenly see Grey''s eyes were widened and dilated as if he had just seen the devil himself.


    "Mum! Look out!" He shouted as he tried to stretch his hand.

 Chapter 45 - 45: Beast Attack

    ''Why is my heart beating so loudly and hard? It feels so suffocating!'' he shouted in his mind until he heard his name again and he looked up.


    "What is it son? What are you thinking ab¡­" Clara stuttered as she could suddenly see Grey''s eyes were widened and dilated as if he had just seen the devil himself. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mum! Look out!" He shouted as he tried to stretch his hand.


    "What is going on?" Clara asked as she turned around and she could see a portal opening up in front of her with a claw heading towards her face.


    "Arghhhhhhhhh!" Clara screamed in fright.


    "Wind magic! Aerius!" Grey shouted as he used his wind magic to push him mum from the portal opening up.


    The claw that was heading for Clara''s face just swiped through the air slightly distorting it a little. While Clara was seen falling from the force of the wind Grey had used.


    But manipulating the Earth beneath his feet, Grey managed to move fast enough to catch his mum from hitting the ground.


    "Are you okay mum?" He asked as he looked her over from top to bottom.


    "I''m¡­I''m fine, don''t worry." Clara said as she tried so hard to calm her beating heart.


    "I''m so glad you are alright. I thought I was going to lose you the same way I lost dad." Grey said as he hugged his mum tighter.


    "I''m going no where son." Clara replied and then loud shouting noises interrupted them as they could see people running Helter skelter while the portal was fully opened with three beasts coming out of it.


    The three beasts looked the same with them having brown fur all over their bodies, then two long horns on their heads, with two long fangs protruding out of their mouths and two sharp claws on each of their hands.


    Out of the three beasts, one of them looked a little smaller as it stood around 5ft tall while the remaining beasts stood at least 6ft tall.


    "GRHHHHHH!" The three beasts roared loudly at once.


    Quickly, Grey swirled his mana to his left eye activating his appraisal skill. What he saw made his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets.


    <Name: Talonus>


    <Level: 4>


    <Ability: Strength>


    Grey could see that two of the beasts that were 6ft tall were level 4 beast with the smaller one being a level 3 beast.


    "Darn! Nobody in this town can handle them, we need to run mum." Grey said as he picked his mum up and they began running back while the beasts split up destroying everywhere in one fell swoop.


    They were ripping and killing the humans there as if they were nothing. Those that tried fighting back were easily killed including the children there.


    Grey and Clara were running side by side together trying to escape but it was proving it quite difficult because of the commotion going on.


    The three beasts in seconds of coming out of the portal, had quickly transformed the town into a graveyard as a stampede was currently going on.


    People were currently pushing each other trying their possible best to escape but with three powerful beasts, it was proving difficult. Wherever they get to, a Talonus would appear there and kill them off which was why Grey''s escape was proving difficult.


    ''Darn it! I''m not powerful enough to battle against level 4 beasts. We really need to escape now! I can''t allow anything bad happen to mum here.'' Grey shouted in his head and in anger, he used his wind magic to push some people out of the way.


    ''I can''t really care about anybody now, I need to put my mum first before anyone.'' He thought as they were almost at the alleyway that will lead them to the outskirts of town where they live.


    But all of a sudden, they could see a Talonus cutting of their paths but luckily for Grey, they weren''t noticed as some people were already in front getting massacred.


    ''Darn it! How fast can they be to get from one place to another?'' He wondered as he took another path while dragging his mum by the hand like a kid as they tried to run further again.


    Unfortunately, they found themselves back in the main town again with the two level 4 Talonus killing humans left and right and then Clara could see a mum standing in front of her 5 years old kid while a Talonus stood in front of the mum.


    It was obvious that the mother was trying to protect her kid while trying to shield her child away. But moving quickly, the beast killed the mum in one fell swoop.


    "Mother!!!!!" The child screamed loudly in pain while running forward and grabbing her mother''s dead body.


    The child had even forgotten that there was a beast standing in front of it and that was when she felt a heavy breathing on her face.


    Looking up, she froze up while staring at the beast''s eyes in fear. The Talonus just grabbed her neck with its claws trying to squeeze on tight.


    "Grey! We have to save that girl now!" Clara said as she tugged on Grey''s sleeves making him look at where his mum was pointing at and he could see a girl being held up by the Talonus.


    "No offense mum, but are you crazy? You want to fight against a level 4 beast and get yourself killed because of a girl you don''t know! Forget it, we have to get out of here while the beasts are not focused on us." Grey said as he kept surveying and planning their escape route.


    "Grey please! She''s going to die!" Clara begged.


    "Mum, I know you have a good heart but right now, I have to act like the reasonable and mature one and refuse your request. We need to get the hell outta here now!" Grey said.


    "Fine! If you won''t help her, I will do so myself." Clara said as she broke free from Grey''s grip and ran forward quickly grabbing a long pole and charging straight at the beast.


    "Mum! What are you doing!" Grey shouted out loud as dread filled his heart seeing his mum rushing towards the beast.

 Chapter 46 - 46: Have had enough!

    "Fine! If you won''t help her, I will do so myself." Clara said as she broke free from Grey''s grip and ran forward quickly grabbing a long pole and charging straight at the beast.


    "Mum! What are you doing!" Grey shouted out loud as dread filled his heart seeing his mum rushing towards the beast.


    Clara got in front of the beast and swung the pole she got from the ground and the Talonus quickly grabbed the pole then it dropped the girl and turned to look at the foolish human in front of it.


    It drew the pole from Clara''s hand lifting her slightly from the ground.


    "Let me go you ugly beasts!" She said as she tried her best to kick the beast.


    Not wanting to waste time, the beast stretched its claws heading for Clara''s head. Seeing this, she closed her eyes in fear as she saw her eyes flashed in front of her.


    Then she heard a sharp noise flying beside her and then she was suddenly let go as she found herself free falling down and then she was suddenly in soft arms.


    "What the?" She said as she slowly opened her eyes to see a red haired individual in front of her holding her.


    "Grey?"


    "Mum! Are you nuts?" Grey shouted as his mum was slowing standing up and then they heard a loud growl in front of them.


    "Well, my bad luck that you had to pick a level 4 beast to annoy." Grey said as he grabbed his mum''s hand who in turn grabbed the little girl''s hand and they quickly sped away.


    While running, the Talonus was now chasing them. Anything or anybody that got in its way was quickly dissected as it solely focused on the three humans in front of it that were trying to run away.


    Grey tried everything to shake the beast off his tail either by throwing fireballs or kicking the earth so that a cart or something would be sent the beast way.


    But it didn''t relent as all it attention and focus was solely on the three humans. Seeing that the girl would slow them down, Clara quickly lifted her up and began running alongside Grey.


    But then they suddenly halted as they could see another Talonus in front of them while the earlier one was still behind them.


    "Dead end!" Grey clicked his tongue and then looked behind him to see the level 4 Talonus closing in.


    "What are we going to do now Grey?" Clara asked as she looked at the scared girl in her hands.


    "The only thing I can do, get you two to safety!" He said as he looked around and saw somewhere peaceful that was devoid of beasts ravaging there.


    "Wind magic! Liftus!" He shouted as a huge wind lifted Clara and the girl and made them land on a rooftop of a building safe away from any danger or beasts.


    Clara was about to scream when Grey quickly looked at her and shook his head telling her not to say anything so as not to attract any unwanted attention.


    Looking behind him, he could see the level 3 Talonus coming at him while the level 4 Talonus was closing in in front of him.


    "I guess I can''t run for long huh, I need to fight." Grey smiled as a tornado was suddenly surrounding him blowing away anything that was trying to come close.


    The tornado was raising higher and higher above Grey''s head while surrounding his body and trapping him inside. The beasts that were coming close, suddenly stopped while looking at the phenomenon going on.


    The level 3 beast that was behind Grey quickly bolted towards the tornado trying to draw Grey out of it but when it stretched its claws, it felt a sharp pain that ran through all its body.


    Causing the beast to move back away from the tornado while looking at it weirdly.


    "I learnt this recently. And I think this is the last spell in the wind book that mage gave to me. And it is the strongest spell a 2 star mage of my level can cast." Grey said through the tornado as he was flying in it.


    "Wind magic! Tornado wind blades!" He shouted and immediately, the tornado dispelled and blew hot air around while sharp blades of wind quickly plunged into the level 3 beast killing it on the spot.


    ''I guess I have become strong enough to kill a level 3 beast in one strike huh.'' Grey thought as turned around to see the level 4 beast and his face was met with a claw strike that sent him flying and tumbling on the floor.


    "Darn! It didn''t hurt the level 4 beast at all? Hold on a sec!" Grey said as his eyes widened in shock.


    He could see that the level 3 beast was still alive as it stood up while it''s body was riddled with injuries from head to toe but it was still standing strong.


    It stood beside the level 4 beast while snarling at Grey angrily.


    "Darn it! What the hell!? It didn''t kill it?" Grey said in annoyance.


    In a flash, Grey could see the level 3 beast charging right at him with fury written all over its face as it was getting closer to Grey.


    When it got close, it swung its claws at Grey who quickly used his wind magic to lift him up above the beast making him avoid the claw strike narrowly.


    Before he could do anything else, he could suddenly see the level 4 beast in front of him swinging its claws out at him.


    He swiftly acted fast by creating an Earth wall in front of him but when the claw hit the wall, it shattered and Grey was sent flying out of the air falling to the ground while throwing dust out.


    "Kuh kuh kuh!" Grey coughed as he slowly stood up when he saw a glowing eye in front of him and then he was hit again sending him tumbling and breaking apart whatever cart or stall in his way until his back hit a wall.


    With a cough, blood spilled out of his mouth with his head bleeding entering into his eye. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I have had enough of you filthy beasts!" Grey said as his whole body erupted in flames burning brightly.

 Chapter 47 - 47: Who the hell is he?

    "I have had enough of you filthy beasts!" Grey said as his whole body erupted in flames burning brightly.


    And then boosting himself with his wind magic, Grey was suddenly a few feet away from the level 4 beast. Throwing a fireball at it, he quickly moved away to reposition himself and threw a fireball again towards the beast.


    But to his surprise, it didn''t affect the beast as it slightly scorched it and then out of the smoke, he could see the beast dashing towards him and the level 3 beast heading towards him.


    The first to reach him, was the level 3 beast as it swung its claws towards him, Grey quickly used his wind magic to boost him away from the claw just in the nick of time.


    Then shooting out of his hand was a burst of wind that hit the level 3 beast far back while the level 4 beast was seen leaping in the air falling towards Grey at tremendous speed.


    "Shit!" He said as he quickly lifted his hands and with it, an Earth wall was raised above his head while he quickly moved away.


    The beast fell on the earth wall breaking it into pieces while Grey was seen around two feet away from it.


    Then he heard running noise heading towards him. Turning around, he could see the level 3 beast coming at him furiously.


    "You don''t learn huh." Grey said as he swiftly raised his hand.


    "Earth magic! Sink!"


    Immediately, the ground beneath the beast''s feet was now soft like mud as it was seen sinking into the ground quickly.


    Then a roaring noise was heard behind him. He raised his hand again.


    "Earth magic! Earth trap!" He shouted and a lot of rock surrounded the beast''s legs restricting it''s movements.


    ''This should hold it for a second.'' He thought as he turned towards the level 3 beast that was trying to get out of his sinking trap.


    "Wind magic!" Grey shouted as wind was now surrounding him furiously.


    ''Using high level magic for so long, it will drain my mana core faster and I won''t last long but what can I do? If I don''t use everything I got, I will die.'' he thought.


    "Wind blades!" He shouted and three invisible blades made of wind, appeared and with a thrust of his hands, it flew towards the level 3 beast slicing its neck at once.


    Killing it while its body was seen stuck in the Earth lifelessly.


    "Earth magic! Harden!" Grey said and immediately, the Earth that was soft around the beast hardened cutting the beast into two.


    "A Job weld¡­" Grey stuttered as he was sent flying and crashing into a row of buildings before coming to a halt.


    "Grey!!!" Clara shouted as she saw Grey being flung again and she began crying with hot tears streaming down her face while the little kid she saved was trying to console her.


    And that''s when they could see a huge rock being thrown out of the way and a certain red haired individual was seen walking out of a building with a limp in his steps.


    While he was bleeding all over his body and face. With his face slightly swollen but his eyes were still fierce looking.


    "It''s not over yet!" Grey said as he raised his hands up while glaring at the beast.


    ''This will take up all my mana, but I don''t care as long as I kill this beast.'' he thought.


    "Earth magic!" He shouted and a huge mound of rock burst out of the ground floating above his head.


    Then he began shaping it to look like a huge arrow. Slowly, fire erupted around the arrow causing it to burn brightly while the beast was now charging right at him.


    "For the last ingredient, wind magic! Aerius ultra!" He shouted and the arrow was sent flying at neck breaking speed towards the charging Talonus.


    And in a split second, it crashed into the Talonus while Grey was seen falling to his knees panting hard in pain as he clutched his chest trying to take deep breaths.


    "That''s it, I''m all out of mana. If that doesn''t kill it, then I''m dead." He said as he tiredly looked at the smoke that was starting to settle down.


    Soon, the smoke was finally settled and Grey could see the beast standing strong with part of its furry hand blown off totally. Even part of its face was scorched and burnt.


    "This is it," Grey muttered, his voice heavy with defeat as the Talonus stalked closer with slow steps while behind the Talonus, Grey could see the other level 4 beast still in the middle of total destruction.


    "I guess I''m gonna die huh." Grey said as he looked up to see his mum crying with hot tears streaming down her face while she was hugging the little girl.


    Seeing this, Grey just smiled as he was thankful he got to see his mum while on his deathbed.


    "So pathetic! I can''t believe you have given up so suddenly when you still have a chance you silly human!" A voice was heard saying in Grey''s mind and then out of his palm, a dark mist was seen coming out.


    Then it stayed in front of him while forming a figure. The Talonus seeing this, quickly halted its steps as it stared at the phenomenon that was ongoing.


    After a few seconds, a figure was already formed. As a small wolf with a single horn on its head stood in front of Grey with its fur all red while its eyes was seen glowing furiously with power.


    "Noir?" Grey said weakly.


    "Although you have potential, you give up quickly and that''s what I dislike about you. If you had given up already, and you died, then what next? What will happen to your mum? She will also be killed by the beasts.


    Is that what you wanted? You always feel satisfied with where you are now instead of striving for the best by pushing yourself to the limit. If this is how you will be, then I think I will have to break our bond!" Noir said as his size was now growing rapidly until he stood as tall and big as a small house.


    Then in a flash, it leapt towards the Talonus while trying to chomp down on its neck but it had quickly blocked with its good paw and then it delivered a kick towards Noir that managed to move him a few feet away.


    "AWHOOOO!" Noir roared as he dashed forward again with full speed while avoiding the swipe the Talonus made towards its face.


    Then Noir quickly made a swipe towards the jaw of the Talonus and the strength of the swipe was enough to send the Talonus flying a few feet.


    While Noir was seen charging towards it again with fury all over its face.


    Meanwhile, Grey was seen still kneeling while looking at Noir toying around with the level 4 beast as if it was nothing. If Noir wanted, it would have killed the Talonus already either with its laser beam or fire magic but it didn''t.


    ''Noir is right, I give up too quickly and that''s what makes me weaker than others. I always find the easy way out instead of fighting with everything I got till the end.'' He thought as he clenched his hands in anger and frustration while looking to see his mum sobbing.


    ''I shouldn''t have given up so quickly, instead I should have fought till the very end while trying my best to protect my mum. And that is what I''m going to do now! Enough of being pathetic!'' Grey thought again as he slowly stood up with his face scrunched up in determination.


    Grey''s breaths were ragged, his body screaming in pain. For a moment, he closed his eyes, letting the sounds of destruction fill his ears.


    ''Is this really how it ends?'' he thought.


    Then he saw his mother, her tears shimmering in the light, and a new fire ignited within him.


    "No! I will fight to my last breath to always protect my family!" Grey shouted in fury and then he tapped the pendant across his neck.


    And in an instant, a pair of boots was worn on his feet while a sword suddenly appeared in his hand.


    ''This boot, this is the same one I asked Randin to create for me from the core of that beast.'' Grey smirked as he could see Noir was flung away and Talonus was charging right at him.


    "Time to get to work!" Grey shouted as he suddenly sped forward towards Talonus.


    The way Grey was running was as if he was supplementing his feet with wind magic but it was all the work of the boots.


    As he was suddenly in front of the beast and with a swing of his sword, the Talonus claw clashed with the sword sending a mini shockwave around.


    Meanwhile Grey''s hand felt like it was going to explode from the force of the clash as the beast''s strength was greater than his.


    But he gritted his teeth and pushed forward and then a kick crashed into him sending him bouncing and tumbling on the floor.


    But then he was soon seen standing up as he prepared to dash forward towards the beast again but Noir beat him to it as he was currently going toe to toe against the beast before Noir hit it sending it flying into a building.


    "Now is my chance!" Grey said as the boots lit up slightly and then like a flash, he was running towards the building where the beast was sent and he could see it coming out of the building.


    But it was too late for it as Grey''s sword was seen hitting one of its horn breaking it and then with a thrust, the beast was sent skidding.


    Grey didn''t give up as he chased the beast and swung his sword towards it but the Talonus clashed against his sword with its claws sending him flying again from the strength of the Talonus might.


    This time, it didn''t wait at all as it sped towards where it sent Grey flying and when it was almost close, it jumped up high in the air and was seen falling towards where Grey was with tremendous speed.


    But before it could crash onto Grey, a red furred wolf was seen jumping up and hitting the Talonus with its body, sending it crashing into the ground a few feet away from Grey.


    Noir then leapt backwards and then stood beside Grey who was seen slowly standing up while wiping a speck of blood from his mouth and glaring at the beast that was now standing up while shaking off the dust on its fur.


    "Ready for another round?" Noir asked and Grey gripped his sword tighter while still not taking his eyes off the beast.


    "Always ready." He said and they were about to make their move when a sudden sharp sound was heard in the air and a small chill was also felt in the air.


    Even the two Talonus stopped what they were doing as every living thing in the town was currently feeling the chill in the air.


    And then a crackling sound soon followed as it looked like something was being burnt but they were wrong as everyone''s eyes soon fell in the centre of the town where Grey and Noir had been fighting against the Talonus.


    And then, a distortion in the fabric of reality was starting to show as the middle of Grey, Noir and the Talonus was been divided.


    And slowly, a portal was starting to open up. Then like a flash, something huge came out fast and it crashed into the Talonus Grey had been fighting, killing it immediately and then a voice followed.


    "I can''t believe that a town as small as this managed to attract the attention of level 4 beasts and it even has a strong mage protecting it."


    As the man stepped through the portal, his calm gaze swept across the battlefield. He appeared almost indifferent to the chaos around him, as though the destruction of the Talonus had been no more than an afterthought.


    "Two level 4 beasts, a crumbling town, and a mage barely holding on," he mused, his tone amused yet unreadable. "What a fascinating situation."


    Noir on seeing the man''s clothing, he was having a feeling of dread and was now shaking in fear. Seeing this, Grey was shocked.


    For the first time, Grey saw fear in Noir''s eyes¡ªan emotion he thought the familiar incapable of.


    Noir trembled beside Grey, muttering, "I can''t be seen here." With that, the red-furred wolf dissolved into a mist, retreating into Grey''s body without another word.


    "Noir? What''s going on?" Grey demanded, but his companion was silent.


    The man turned his gaze to Grey, a spark of curiosity in his eyes. "And you¡­ You''ve managed to catch my attention. Interesting." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grey stared after him, his heart pounding. "Who¡­ or what¡­ is that?"

 Chapter 48 - 48: An Offer

    The man turned his gaze to Grey, a spark of curiosity in his eyes. "And you¡­ You''ve managed to catch my attention. Interesting."


    Grey stared after him, his heart pounding. "Who¡­ or what¡­ is that?"


    The remaining people that were hiding out in small shops on seeing the portal open, they slowly revealed themselves to see who had come out of it. Even the remaining last Talonus, was seen standing around sizing the human up.


    That was when the people that were hiding started looking the man up. Especially his clothings and the emblem on it. He wore a long blue robe that reached his legs while the sleeves covered his hands.


    On the robe, there were two emblems on it. One of the emblems had a crescent moon symbol with an arrow pointing upwards, embedded within a circular border. The crescent moon was silver in color, while the arrow is a bright, fiery red. The circular border was adorned with tiny, intricate stars and has the academy''s motto, "Scientia et Magia" (meaning "Knowledge and Magic" in Latin), inscribed in a elegant, curved line above the crescent moon.


    Then the second emblem was a silver coloured badge that was firmly planted on the right side of the robe. Which was shining brightly.


    The man stood around 5"9 tall with beautiful brown hair on his head with brown eyes and he also had a constant smile on his face especially while looking at Grey which caused the hairs on Grey''s body to stand.


    *Yawnn!* The man yawned as he looked at everybody who were staring at the man with wide eyes.


    "Tha¡­ tha¡­ that''s the captain of the Lunaria squad." The librarian from the crowd shouted.


    "The who?" Grey said out loud with a raised eyebrow.


    "He¡­ he is the vice principal of the Lunaria magical academy and also the captain of the squads always dispensed by them for this type of issue." The librarian shouted in surprise.


    ''Lunaria academy? Never even heard of them. But this man, I can feel a powerful aura surrounding him. Although I don''t know anything about them, I know one thing, this man isn''t someone to be triffled with.'' Grey thought worriedly.


    Then the man''s eyes laid on the Talonus that was still about 2 metres away from him. And when the man''s eyes laid on the beast, it felt like it was practically cowering in fear as it was seen slowly moving back.


    "I''m in no mood to prolong this fight, which is why I will need to get rid of you now." The man said as he lifted his hand pointing it to sky and then in a flash, he thrust it back down and a huge sword was seen descending down from the sky and dissecting the Talonus in one fell swoop.


    "What the hell!!!" Grey shouted in shock as he saw the amount of power the man exerted.


    ''My feeling was now wrong, th¡­ this man is dangerously strong. I have a feeling that even if my mana wasn''t depleted, and I decided to fight against him with all affinities, I will still lose.'' He thought as he stared at the man worriedly.


    After defeating the beast, everybody were seen applauding the man excitedly as the demonic beast that was killing them, was now punished by death and everyone were excited. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The man turned away from the crowd and looked at Grey with his eyes all serious while Grey broke out in sweat looking at his eyes.


    ''This was the person that made Noir shake in fear, why is he looking at me like that? Do I have to fight for my life now?'' He thought as he tried to gather his mana around his body but it all disappeared like a flash.


    "Darn! My mana has been completely depleted." He mumbled worriedly as he could see the man walking towards him with steady steps.


    And then, in a flash, the man was suddenly in front of Grey.


    "We need to talk somewhere private." The man said.


    And without warning, he grabbed Grey and they suddenly disappeared from where they stood in town.


    "Grey!!!" Clara shouted after seeing her son disappear.


    She quickly rushed down from the rooftop she was earlier along with the little girl and now, they were downstairs as Clara was constantly turning her head around.


    "Grey!! Where is my son?" She shouted loudly as she fell on her knees in the same spot where Grey stood earlier crying.


    Everybody were also confused by the man''s behavior from earlier as they didn''t know why he suddenly took Grey away.


    Meanwhile, after being forcefully taken away, Grey suddenly found himself appearing in the forest where he always trained.


    "Darn! What''s with all these powerful mages always taking me away without my consent?" He shouted as he fell on the floor with force as if he was ejected from space.


    "Kid, we need to talk urgently." A voice was heard coming from Grey''s side and he quickly stood up as he saw the mage from earlier standing in front of him.


    "Mr vice principal, why did you forcefully bring me here?" Grey asked with a raised brow.


    "Are you deaf or what? I just said I needed to talk to you." The man said shaking his head.


    "Talk to me? About what?" Grey asked.


    "I have some questions, and I want you to answer me truthfully without lying." The man said.


    "Alright." Grey said as he wanted to get the conversations over and done with quickly as he was feeling tired from his battle and his body was aching terribly.


    "You see, before I came here, I was watching what was going on in the town with one of our mages power and I could see you battling against those beasts on your own.


    You stood your ground and I was surprised that someone as young as you could do that." The man explained.


    ''So that''s why he said I have caught his interest.'' Grey noted in his head.


    "What interest me wasn''t your resolve, it was your power. I saw a talent that could only be discovered in once a million years. From this young age, you are able to wield three elements so well which is surprising.


    And not only that, you got yourself a powerful familiar so quick." The mage said.


    "Shit, he noticed me!" Noir shouted inside Grey''s head.


    "All I want to know right now is, what''s your name and how old are you?" The man asked.


    Grey just sighed and decided to respond truthfully.


    "I''m Grey dawn and I''m fifteen years old." Grey answered.


    ''Dawn!?! He¡­ his last name is Dawn?! Co¡­ could he be the one?'' The man thought as he was suddenly taken aback by Grey''s last name.


    The man''s attitude didn''t go unnoticed by Grey as he raised an eyebrow in confusion.


    ''Was it something I said?'' He wondered.


    "I see¡­ well, I''m happy I discovered a once in a lifetime talent like you. So for that, I have an offer for you."


    "Offer? What offer?" Grey asked as he was suddenly intrigued.


    "It''s an interesting offer that I''m sure you won''t be able to resist." The man smiled.

 Chapter 49 - 49: How much do you know about that familiar?

    "Offer? What offer?" Grey asked as he was suddenly intrigued.


    "It''s an interesting offer that I''m sure you won''t be able to resist." The man smiled.


    "Well, what is it?" Grey asked feeling impatient.


    "I''m Amir, the vice principal of Lunaria academy and also the squad captain and I want you to join Lunaria academy. This¡­ your power is not something someone will come by everyday. You are a one in a million genius. And I want to quickly snatch you up before the others find out." Amir said said.


    "Others? Who are they?" Grey asked.


    Amir sighed. "Young mages and not reading¡­ The others I am referring to are the other academy or squad." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There are other academy?" Grey asked genuinely surprised.


    Amir just did a short laugh. "Did you think there will only be one? If it was only Lunaria academy, then we would have become overwhelmed by emergency calls already. As you know, we don''t only teach the young ones, each of the academy go out on quests and missions like this one I was called out for in your town."


    "That makes sense." Grey nodded along.


    "As you are now, you are too young to join so I want you to join in a year time. All the academy come together every year to organize an assessment for young ones like you to see if you are all worth being in the academy." Amir explained. "So what''s your response to my offer?"


    ''Hmm!'' Grey sighed in his head. ''That''s a lot to take in. Although I really want to stay low and not expose myself to the world just yet, there are a lot of benefits in all what Amir said. One of them is these.''


    <Name: Grey Dawn>


    <Status: Mage>


    <Mana: 10/55>


    <Elements: Three>


    {<Wind: 28> Colour grade: blue}


    {<Earth: 35> CG: yellow}


    {<Fire: 30> CG: Purple}


    ''My wind attributes has increased after repeated use and I''m sure it is now stronger than before. But my fire affinity is still in the lower points because I haven''t had the opportunity to increase it. So if I were to join an academy, we might always be called on more missions and along with my affinities getting stronger, I would also be flexible in my use of them.'' he thought.


    ''And maybe, just maybe¡­ I would be able to unlock another magic.'' he smiled at this thought which didn''t go unnoticed by Amir.


    ''I can''t believe that a kid like him as three great magical affinities. If he could join Lunaria academy, it will be a huge boost in our strength and we could also manage to one up the other squads and gain more favour in the Emperor''s eyes.'' Amir thought with a slight smirk that was not noticeable.


    "I have a question though." Grey spoke up dragging Amir from his thoughts. "I am not really stable financially. I mean, we are in the lower class of society, so how am I supposed to afford to even participate in the assessment?"


    "That shouldn''t be a problem. With my recommendation, you should be allowed to take the assessment no problem." Amir replied.


    "In that case then, I accept your offer." Grey smiled.


    "Good! Fabulous! See you in a year''s time then." Amir smiled and a portal opened up in front of him.


    "Wait! What about me!" Grey shouted and Amir turned back towards him.


    "One more thing. How much do you know about that familiar of yours?" Amir asked.


    "Huh? You mean Noir?" Grey asked then he began rubbing his chin. "I don''t really know much about it, we just fought and then it said it wanted to attach itself to me. And seeing it''s powers, I accepted in a heartbeat. It hardly talks to me so I know basically nothing about it just that it''s powerful."


    Amir just sighed. "I thought so. A word of advice, when you get to the academy''s gate, make sure it doesn''t come out or else¡­" he said and the he stepped through the portal totally disappearing from view while it snapped shut behind him.


    "Wait! Or else what?!" Grey shouted but there was no response. "Darn all these powerful mages and always keeping me in suspense!" He screamed.


    "Noir! What is he talking about? What are you? And why the hell did you run away when you saw him?" He asked but he was met with silence as usual.


    "Darn you too Noir!"


    With a sigh, he looked up. "I guess I should be going home then, mum must be worried."


    And then he began painfully walking back to the town with his body riddled with painful injuries making it hard for him to walk properly. A journey that was supposed to take ten minutes, it took thirty because of his constant stops for a break while hiding at times to evade beasts.


    Finally! He got to the town and he could see so little people walking around hurriedly and the damage dealt to the town was so noticable as half of the houses there had been destroyed.


    He could see some people crying around while gathering the dead. While some didn''t bother to gather the dead as they were mourning on the dead bodies in pain.


    Walking back to the battlefield, he could see his mum on her knees crying while the little girl she had saved was consoling her.


    "Mum?!" He called out and Clara looked up to see Grey in front of her standing tiredly.


    "Oh Grey my dear son!" She quickly ran at full speed and embraced him tightly.


    "Ouch mum! I''m in pains." He cried out.


    "Oh I''m so sorry." Clara apologized and let go of him while Grey breathed a sigh of relief. "Let''s go back home, let me tend to your injuries."


    "Sure mum." He smiled.


    "Come on Jesse." Clara said.


    "Jesse?" Grey said and then he turned around to see the little girl his mum had risked her life to save.


    ''Her¡­!'' he thought with his eyes narrowed like a slit glaring at Jesse which made her cower back in fear. ''Because of her, I nearly lost mum today. If I didn''t have this powers, I would have really lost her.''


    "She¡­ she can''t¡­" Grey was about to say when he collapsed on his mum unconsciously.

 Chapter 50 - 50: Hypocrites!

    "Owwww! I''m in so much pains!" Grey shouted as his eyes were slowly being opened up to see himself in his small house while wrapped with a blanket.


    "Oh! I''m back home." He said as he looked around to see he was in the living room while a sweet smell wafted into his nose.


    "Jesse! Go check if Grey is awake." Clara called out from the kitchen. Hearing the name again, Grey clenched his teeth in anger as he could see the small girl heading his way.


    "You are awake." Jesse called out in her little voice. Jesse was a little girl of eight years old with short black hair and black eyes.


    "How are you feeling?" She asked as she came over and was touch Grey when he shot her a glaring look that made her shiver.


    "What are you doing here?!" He shouted angrily and Jesse slowly back away.


    And feeling the pure anger coming off of Grey, she began crying profusely but it didn''t help to calm Grey down as he glared at her more which made her erupt into more cry.


    "I''m¡­I''m sorry brother Grey." She apologized while crying.


    "Don''t you dare call me your brother, I''m not your brother!" Grey shouted angrily.


    Hearing the angry voice, Clara quickly rushed out of the kitchen in haste and could see Grey standing up with an angry expression on his face with the whole atmosphere of the house feeling heavy and suffocating.


    "Grey! What are you doing?" Clara asked and he quickly cancelled his overwhelming aura and walked towards his mum.


    "Mum! What is she doing here?" He asked.


    "What do you mean? We were both there when her parents died and she has nowhere to go. So I invited her to stay with us let me take care of her." Clara replied.


    "Have you forgotten that because of her, you nearly lost your life? I almost lost my only pillar because of her and you allowed her here?" Grey shouted.


    "She didn''t force me, I risked my life to save her voluntarily." Clara retorted back.


    "Which was quite a foolish thing to do mum! What if I wasn''t a mage, what if I hadn''t unlocked my affinities then¡­ or I wasn''t strong enough, did you think about that?" Grey asked.


    "I know¡­ I know I acted impulsively but I couldn''t watch as an innocent child got killed in front of me." Clara replied.


    "But¡­" Grey was about to say when a loud knock was heard on their small door.


    "Huh? We never receive visitors? Who''s there?" Clara wondered and Grey just causally walked towards the door and swung it open to see dozens of people in front of him.


    They all had beaming smiles on their faces while carrying baskets in their hands and seeing Grey, their smiles widened more as they all cheered at once.


    "Hurray for Grey, our town''s saviour! Thank you so much for saving us!" They all said at once and Grey just stood there dumbfounded.


    Then they all stepped forward and presented the baskets they all had in their hands towards Grey and a middle aged man who looked to be older than the others stepped forward.


    "This is a small token of appreciation from all of us for saving us from the beast attack. Yes! The squad captain of the Lunaria academy finished off the beasts, but without you at the beginning, we would have all died before he arrived." The man said while bowing down slightly. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grey didn''t reply at first as he looked at them all then he grit his teeth in anger with his hands clenched and then memories began flashing through his mind.


    "I can''t believe it, he was born without an affinity! Tch! What a useless kid."


    "Clark! Please! You are injuring me. Please anyone, please save me."


    "Let them be, he is worthless, so no need to save him. Instead let the one with a magical affinity practice a little longer."


    ''This world¡­ this town is hypocritical!'' he thought in his head and his mana began flowing out of him.


    "You¡­ you¡­ you are all hypocrites!" Grey shouted out loud towards the people in front of him and they were taken aback by the sudden outburst.


    "What? Now you are coming to thank me? Now you suddenly realize my worth? I still remember that none of you even knew who I was until that day. Did you all know my name?" He asked and they all looked at each other breaking out in a slight sweat.


    "No! You all knew me as a cripple just because I couldn''t use magic then. I step into the streets, I get taunted. I get bullied, no one steps in to intervene. And now, you are suddenly grateful to this cripple?" He asked.


    "But¡­" the middle aged man was about to say.


    "Silence!" Grey shouted and his red hair began floating slowly and a huge pressure suddenly washed over the people as the air became slightly suffocating making it hard to stand in his presence.


    "Grey¡­" Clara called out softly while coming out to hold his hands preventing him from doing anything silly.


    "Let me speak mum!" He said then he turned towards the people in front of him. "You all have the money to get all these gifts, but where were you all when my dad died? No one came to help us, not even to gift a bronze coin.


    And you are all stepping forward now with gifts that possibly cost a lot of silver coins. Tch! Pathetic."


    "We¡­ we are so sorry Grey. I know we did you and your family wrong." The middle aged man apologized.


    "Oh please! Save it, I don''t need your apology. All I need is you all to get out of my sight now before I do something terrible to you all!" Grey shouted and his left hand erupted in flames.


    Seeing this, the people were shuffling around about to leave.


    "Wait!" Grey called out and they all stopped to turn around. "Before you all leave, I need to clear this misconception. I didn''t save your little town out of the goodness of my heart. I don''t even care if it burns down to the ground. I saved it because my mum was in danger and I needed to battle against the beasts hence saving your pathetic town in the process.


    Now with that cleared up, you may all leave!"


    Without wasting time, they all quickly turned around and began leaving while the middle aged man broke out in a slight sweat.


    ''I hope we haven''t made an enemy out of him. Because if so, I don''t think that the town lord could protect us.'' he thought.


    _________________


    {A/N}


    Good news guys! you are enjoying the story and can''t wait for the next chapter upload? wanna read ahead? well you in luck, privilege is now active for you all to read ahead of the normal chapter release. So check out the chapters in privilege tier and enjoy reading ????

 Chapter 51 - 51: Summoned

    *1 week later*


    It was finally a week after the terrible incident in the town Grey lived in and the town was now being rebuilt slowly. The destroyed buildings were now being repaired while new ones were being erected in replace for the ones that couldn''t be repaired.


    In this one week, even though Grey reprimanded the townspeople earlier, more still kept coming to thank him and he kept on lashing at them all but they still kept coming.


    So in anger, he left the house for the forest where he always trained and everyday for the past week, he kept honing his skills. When he gets back, his relationship with Jesse wasn''t even getting better.


    Jesse always tried to get closer to him but he kept pushing her away angrily as he couldn''t forgive her for putting his mother in that dangerous situation. No matter what Clara did or said, it didn''t help to calm Grey''s resentment towards Jesse.


    Throughout the week, he always trained his wind and fire magic more especially his fire magic as it was still in the lowest points possible and he was making significant progress.


    Like any other day, Grey was seen in the forest training hard with his affinities. A fireball was seen heading for a nearby tree and before it hit, a strong gust of wind was felt hitting it and causing it to explode as it touched the tree.


    Standing a few metres away from a tree, he crossed his hands like an X and glared at the three while imagining it was a Talonus of some sorts.


    "Wind magic! Wind blades!" Right on cue, several blades made of wind appeared around him. Swinging his hand forward, they all went forward and tremendous speed and crashed with the tree.


    The more the wind blades sliced the tree, the more marks were beginning to show as the wind blades were chipping at the tree and slowly, as they were dissipating, huge marks were beginning to show and finally, the wind dissipated.


    "Now that''s what I''m talking about!" Grey smiled excitedly as he examined the tree in front of him. "Repeated use of my wind magic has made it stronger than before although the points are not noticeable, it Is still something." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not only has my wind blades gotten sharper, but Aerius is now stronger too. Although not as strong as Aerius ultra, but still stronger than before.


    Let me not also forget my fire magic, it has improved significantly." He said and then he used his appraisal skill on himself to bring out his attributes.


    <Name: Grey Dawn>


    <Status: Mage>


    <Mana: 55/55>


    <Elements: Three>


    {<Wind: 28> Colour grade: blue}


    {<Earth: 35> CG: yellow}


    {<Fire: 30> CG: Purple}


    Looking at his attributes, he smiled widely before walking to his little cave that he made for himself but he didn''t go in. Instead, he walked around it and began his trip back to the volcano that was around thirty metres away from his cave.


    Getting there, he sat down cross legged at the foot of the volcano and closed his eyes to begin meditating.


    ''After so many weeks, I have finally found out the secret to increasing my fire affinity. It is too meditate in a fiery place so I can absorb the mana in the air that has been mixed with the fire and heat coming off from the volcano.''


    Every day that Grey came here, he always did the same thing. He would first of all train with his affinities in the forest and when he felt his mana dwindling, he would come to the volcano to meditate and then slowly rise his fire magic points.


    ''My wind magic is still in the lead and that''s because it is the easiest to raise up. It just needs repeated use to increase.'' he thought and then his mind flashed back to the fight with the Talonus''


    ''I can''t believe I battle head to head with a level 4 beast. If I hadn''t unlocked three affinities, I''m sure I would have died by now. Imagine I only had one affinity, I wouldn''t have survived. But it was still thanks to Noir I am not dead now.


    If it hadn''t come out and gave me that pep talk, I would have admitted defeat and let the Talonus kill me. But since that day, it hasn''t spoken to me nor come out.'' he sighed and then he felt his core vibrating slightly.


    "Battery full! Time to go home." He smiled and then stood up and began walking back home slowly and casually with his hands in his pockets.


    ''I need more money soon! But how am I supposed to do it when there are hardly beasts around here? Even if there were beasts, their cores won''t be that useful as they would be low tier.'' Grey thought as he was on his way out of the forest while heading home.


    ''Although the bronze land has a lot of strong beasts that could sell for a lot of coins, where will I tell mum I went to for some days?'' he sighed and now he was fully out of the forest while he would soon get home.


    After few more minutes of thinking and walking, he was finally home as he could see his house off in the distance but something felt odd as he could see several figures in front of his house.


    Quickly, he bolted forward while using his wind magic to make himself faster and in less than a second, he was already in front of his house while blowing wind everywhere.


    Immediately he stood in front of his house, he could see his mum in front of him while in front of her were six men that suddenly broke out in cold sweat seeing the young Grey in front of them.


    "Oh great! The one you are looking for is finally here!" Clara announced and then Grey raised an eyebrow while turning around to look at the men in front of him.


    One of them gulped down slightly as Grey kept staring at them.


    ''This¡­ this is the mage that saved the town? The one who was a cripple before becoming mysteriously powerful? I don''t think the stories were exaggerated at all, I could feel the sheer power and speed when he ran over here just now.'' he thought.


    That was when someone stepped forward. "Grey Dawn?"


    "Yes! Who''s asking?" Grey asked causally.


    "We are here on behalf of the town lord, you have been summoned by the town lord and failure to comply, will bred terrible consequences."


    "Is that a threat?" Grey asked with a slight smirk playing on his lips while fire began roaring around his hand.

 Chapter 52 - 52: The towns lord

    "Grey Dawn?"


    "Yes! Who''s asking?" Grey asked casually.


    "We are here on behalf of the town lord, you have been summoned by the mayor and failure to comply will bring terrible consequences."


    "Is that a threat?" Grey asked with a slight smirk playing on his lips while fire began roaring around his hand.


    "No! It is a request from the town lord, he needs to see you urgently." The man said.


    "Need to see me? For what?" Grey asked.


    "We don''t know, we are just under him. Do you think he would tell us why you are being summoned?" Another man said aggressively.


    "I don''t like that tone of yours." Grey said as he glared at the man while still smirking causing his face to be unsettling to the others.


    ''What''s wrong with Grey? He was never like this. I noticed he changed after I came back from my trip. Hope he isn''t going down the wrong path, I need to get my son back before it''s too late.'' Clara thought.


    "Grey¡­"Clara called softly. "Just go with them son and listen to what the town lord wants from you. It could be important, you know."


    Grey just sighed and looked at the men. "Fine! Lead the way."


    "Good!" The man who spoke earlier said and they walked towards a carriage that was parked a few feet away from Grey''s house. He hadn''t noticed it earlier because of his panic seeing so many men in front of his house.


    The Carriage had a horse in front of it with reings on it seemingly pulling it along. Then the carriage itself was luxuriously designed with Golden and silver trims around it making it look beautiful while entering inside, Grey could feel how soft the cushions were and he could feel mana running through the carriage.


    ''I wonder what it''s for,'' he thought.


    "The lord wants you to feel comfortable so he sent one of his best carriages along." One of the men boasted.


    "Tch!" Grey just scoffed and sat down nonchalantly which caused the men to glare at him angrily with their veins looking as if it would pop from their heads.


    "Driver let''s go." The man that has been speaking to Grey said and a man in front held the reigns dragging and causing the horse to go speeding forward.


    Throughout the journey, Grey didn''t say anything as he folded his hands and was looking at the men in front of him that were still glaring at him for whatever reasons they had.


    The carriage was big enough to fit ten men comfortably so it was more than spacious for the seven of them.


    "How long will the journey take?" Grey asked.


    "Approximately twenty minutes." One of the men who felt obliged to answer said,


    ''It feels like we aren''t talking to a kid but an adult man. Maybe it''s because of how powerful he is if the rumours are true.'' the man thought.


    ''Good! I hate wasting precious time. If not because of their urgent meeting, I would be home meditating.'' Grey thought and then closed his eyes to begin meditating and at the same time cultivating his mana core.


    ''Is he sleeping?'' one of the men thought in surprise.


    ''I can feel that I''m still a long way to breaking through to the next star so I will try to cultivate as much as I can.'' Grey thought and he continued swirling the mana around his body.


    Grey stayed in the same position for the whole duration of the journey before he got woken up by a tap on his shoulder.


    "We are here." Someone announced and Grey''s eyes snapped open and he stood brimming with power around him.


    Walking out of the carriage, Grey''s eyes were met with a beautiful mansion standing in front of him which belonged to the town''s lord.


    The town lord''s mansion stood as a grand testament to power and prestige, a structure that dominated the heart of the town. Built atop a small elevated hill, it overlooked the bustling streets like a silent guardian. The mansion itself was an architectural masterpiece, blending elegance with fortified security, making it clear that its owner was no mere noble, but a man of influence.


    The mansion was three stories tall, constructed from dark stone bricks reinforced with mithril veins, giving it an almost unbreakable defense against both physical and magical attacks.


    Towering spires at each corner stood like watchful sentinels, adorned with magical lanterns that glowed with a soft golden hue at night.


    A massive iron gate, adorned with intricate carvings of the town''s crest, stood at the entrance. Enchantment runes were etched into the metal, ensuring no intruder could enter without permission.


    The courtyard was an extravagant display of wealth¡ª marble statues of past lords, an immaculately trimmed hedge maze, and a cascading fountain of shimmering mana-infused water.


    Grey was in awe looking at the mansion as he hadn''t seen anything as big or as beautiful as what he was seeing in front of him.


    "Let''s go in shall we?" Someone said and Grey nodded and they took the lead walking forward towards the huge double doors that stood in front of the house.


    Walking in, Grey was greeted by an immense foyer, its floors made of polished obsidian, reflecting the light of a grand chandelier made from crystallized mana stones.


    The walls were adorned with massive paintings of former town lords, their gazes forever watching those who walked the halls.


    The main hall featured spiral staircases lined with golden railings, leading to the upper floors where the lord''s chambers and private offices were located.


    "Come, he is waiting for you in his office as this matter that would be discussed is private."


    "Lead the way." Grey said nonchalantly.


    ''Lead the way? Did this kid just command me as if he was my boss?'' the man thought in his mind but he swallowed his complaint and walked forward taking the stairs that would lead to the town''s lord''s office.


    After a few minutes of climbing the long winding stairs, they finally stood in front of a door that led to the supposed office of the town lord.


    Entering in, Grey was met with a vast room that had bookshelves lining every wall, filled with rare tomes, political treaties, and ancient scrolls.


    A large oak desk, engraved with protective runes, sat in the center, where the town lord conducted business.


    A window behind the desk overlooked the entire town, serving as a reminder that he controlled everything beneath him.


    And at the table, was a man known as the town lord.


    Lord Cedric Valtor was a man of influence, not strength. Unlike warriors and mages, his power lay in strategy and alliances. Tall but lean, with graying brown hair and sharp green eyes, he carried himself with quiet authority. His royal blue robes, embroidered with gold, reflected his status, while the heavy signet ring on his finger symbolized the weight of his decisions.


    Though not a skilled mage, Cedric wielded politics like a weapon, surrounding himself with loyal retainers and powerful warriors. His voice rarely rose, yet his words carried undeniable weight. Some saw him as overly reliant on others, but none could deny his ability to turn tides in his favor.


    Cautious yet proud, he ruled not with brute force but with foresight and diplomacy. In a world where strength dictated power, Cedric proved that true authority came not from magic or might, but from knowing how to control both.


    "Welcome mage Grey!" Cedric said with a warm smile.


    "Quit the useless pleasantries and let''s get straight to business. My time is precious, what do you want me for?" Grey asked sharply and annoyed.


    sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 53 - 53: Lets go rescue your son!

    "Welcome mage Grey!" Cedric said with a warm smile.


    "Quit the useless pleasantries and let''s get straight to business. My time is precious, what do you want me for?" Grey asked sharply and annoyed.


    "Hahaha! You sure are arrogant." Cedric said when he heard a loud knock on the door and he looked at the door.


    "Who''s there?"


    "Dad! It''s me!" A feminine voice was heard saying.


    "Oh Charlotte, come in." Cedric said and the door swung open and a purple haired female walked in.


    She wore a long purple dress with her lips painted purple, her fair skin was as smooth as silk without any blemish. She walked in gracefully as if she owned the land with measured steps.


    Looking at her, Grey had his mouth slightly opened at the beauty in front of him but he quickly regained his composure just in time to not be noticed and it wasn''t really needed as Charlotte didn''t even acknowledge if there was another person in the room.


    "Dad! Has your guest arrived?" She asked as she stood in front of Cedric totally ignoring Grey.


    ''Hmph! How arrogant.'' Grey thought.


    "Actually yes, he is behind you." Cedric pointed towards Grey and Charlotte turned around to see who her father was pointing and she could see a red haired individual in front of her standing nonchalantly with his hands in his pants pocket.


    "Oh!" She said and then turned back towards Cedric. "Do you think he can do it? He looks weak to me."


    "Do not judge a book by its cover lady Charlotte." Grey said with a small smile on his face.


    ''Why the hell did I just respect her when I didn''t respect her dad?'' Grey shouted in his head.


    "Don''t mind my daughter mage Grey, please sit let''s talk about why I brought you here." Cedric said and Grey took his seat opposite the town lord while Charlotte stood beside him while eyeing Grey up.


    "Without beating around the bush, let''s go straight to the point. I need your help Grey."


    "What kind of help?" Grey asked.


    "I need you to rescue someone important to me who got kidnapped." Cedric said.


    "How am I supposed to help? Besides, you have dozens of mages under you, why can''t you send them instead? What can I do?" Grey said.


    "True, I do have dozens of mage under me, but none are as powerful as you are." Cedric said.


    "Dad! We only heard the rumours, it doesn''t mean we would believe what is circulating around." Charlotte said. "What if he is so over hyped?"


    "True! I''m not someone that can help you, so no need to be here." Grey said and then stood up.


    "Please wait!" Cedric called out before he turned towards Charlotte. "Did I ask for your opinion? Kindly shut up when I''m talking!"


    Charlotte just clicked her tongue and glared at Grey. ''This peasant, because of him dad shouted at me. I''m gonna make him pay.''


    "Please don''t leave, please!" Cedric pleaded and then Grey turned towards him.


    "Just tell me who was kidnapped." Grey said.


    "It''s my son, the rightful heir to my position here. You see, he went to the other town to get some things done unknown to him that the town was my rival and they have been trying to get me to step down from my position so they could get control over this town." Cedric explained.


    "I don''t know how he got kidnapped though, after all he is a 2 star lightning mage. And he also went there in disguise so it is surprising when we got a call telling me that he is kidnapped and in return for my son, I need to hand over the town to their hands."


    ''He is a 2 star mage like me? A lightning mage at that and he got kidnapped? Which means those that kidnapped him must surely be stronger than him.'' Grey thought.


    "What''s in it for me?" Grey asked as he finally took his seat and smiled towards Cedric.


    "What?!" Charlotte shouted. "Didn''t you hear what he is saying? They will get control over the town darn it!"


    "And what is my business with that?" Grey asked with a raised eyebrow. "I don''t care if this town gets taken over, gets burned to the ground, or raided. It''s none of my business with that as long as it doesn''t benefit me."


    ''What is wrong with him? How can he say such things? Every person is patriotic to their town or country but he is so nonchalant about that.'' Cedric thought.


    "What kind of a mage are you?" Charlotte asked. "It''s our responsibility as mages to protect those that are defenceless not be selfish."


    "Oh really?! Protect those that are defenceless? In case you don''t know, let me tell you this. I was called a cripple, why? And that is because I didn''t have an affinity, I was born without a mana core and I always got bullied and abused every single day.


    Where were you all? Did you defend me? Did you even know what was going on? No! Nobody cared, you didn''t know about me till today when I became a mage. You finally recognize me. Ha! You all are hypocrites! And for your kind information, if the deal doesn''t benefit me, then it''s not of my business." Grey said with pure anger in his voice while mana was seeping out of him.


    ''So that is why he turned out like this?'' Cedric thought while Charlotte was taken aback by Grey''s outburst.


    "So what do you want?" Cedric asked.


    "I''m glad you asked." Grey smiled. "I don''t want nothing much, all I want is 5000 gold coins."


    "5000?! Isn''t that too much?" Charlotte asked.


    "I guess you aren''t worried about your brother am I right?" Grey asked with a smirk.


    "I will grant you your wish. Just please! Rescue my son and bring him back safe and sound." Cedric pleaded.


    "Consider it done." Grey smiled.


    "Dad! Let me tag along." Charlotte said.


    "Why?" Cedric asked. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Because I want to see for myself if this mage is really capable and along with that, I want to pay those bastards for daring to kidnap my brother." Charlotte said.


    "Very well then! Just take two 2 star mages along with you for safety." Cedric said.


    "Thank you dad." Charlotte smiled.


    "So when do we start?" Grey asked.


    "Today and right now. The ultimatum given to me to hand over the town is tomorrow so if you can get the job done today, it will be great." Cedric said.


    "Very well then! Let''s go rescue your son!" Grey smiled.

 Chapter 54 - 54: The Jig is up

    Immediately Grey agreed, Cedric quickly got to work and all the arrangements were made as per Grey''s plan and when everything was set, Grey, Charlotte along with the two 2 star mages all took a carriage while dressing differently like merchants.


    They got into a carriage that was less luxurious to the one that the town lord always used but it still carried the town''s crest which was that of a black horse with a shield in front of it.


    Every single person that was tasked with the mission were all dressed like ordinary merchants making them seem harmless and not powerful or even mages at all.


    When everything was set and done, they all got in and the carriage set off speeding away from their town towards the next town that was trying to take over Grey''s town.


    While the carriage was speeding off, those that were inside were all sitting down quietly and Grey liked the silence as he took the opportunity to continue cultivating.


    "Is he sleeping?" One of the 2 star mage asked.


    "How useless." The other one said with a scoff.


    "You do know that your loud voices is disturbing me right." Grey said with his eyes still closed.


    "And so what if it does, what are you going to do about it?" One of the mage asked.


    Grey just sighed and kept quiet. "I''m in no mood to pick a fight with weaklings."


    "Who are you calling a weakling you kid?" The other mage who looked to be in his mid twenties asked. "Mind you, we are 2 star mages which should give you a strong idea of our strength."


    "Tch! If only you knew." Grey mumbled and then he went back to what he was doing not minding the men rantings.


    "Guys! Let''s focus please." Charlotte said and the men kept quiet at once. "Thank you! Now since we would be working together, it will be best if we knew each other''s abilities right? So I will go first, I''m a water mage."


    "Wind magic." The man who looked to be in his mid twenties said. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ice magic." The other man replied.


    ''Tch! They are really weaklings.'' Grey thought.


    "Won''t you say yours?" Charlotte asked.


    "Is there a need to? I thought every single person knows about me and my powers, isn''t that why your dad called me?" Grey asked while opening one of his eyes.


    "For some of us, the rumours could be exaggerated." The wind mage said.


    "Then let it be¡­ I have no need to prove anything to you all. All I care about is completing the mission and getting my reward." Grey said.


    "You do know that for your plan to work, we need to know your capabilities." The ice mage said.


    "You wanna know?" Grey asked finally opening his other eye. "Fine! For your information, I could easily kick all of your butts here without breaking a sweat."


    "How dare you!" The ice mage said and the whole carriage suddenly became chilly while Grey had a smirk on his face. "I will put you in your place now!"


    "Bring it on." Grey smiled and the ice mage was about to move when the carriage suddenly came to a halt.


    "Why the sudden stop?" Charlotte shouted out loud towards the driver.


    "Ma''am, we are already here." The driver announced.


    "Great! Let''s get to work then." Grey said as he stood up and then smiled towards the ice mage.


    They all stepped out of the carriage and they could see a huge gate in front of them and spiraling towers on either side of the gates while some men were seen on it with their hands pointed out.


    Seeing this, Grey lifted his hands up above his head and so did the others.


    "We come in peace!" Charlotte said and then one of the men came down from the tower to speak with them.


    "State your business!" He demanded.


    "We need to see the town''s lord of this town, we are here with his negotiation." Grey said.


    "From where?" The man asked.


    "We are from Kiten town." Charlotte replied.


    ''Kiten town! The town which we captured one of their citizens here? Ohh I see!'' the man thought.


    "C''mon, I will lead you all to him." The man said.


    "Thank you sir." Grey forced a smile.


    ''I don''t smell any threat from them, they even look more like merchants to me than mages.'' the man thought and then he signalled towards the others and the gates opened up to reveal a small town in front of them.


    Walking into the gates and unto the streets, they could see that the town looked almost like theirs with little differences in the colours used there and other things.


    Signalling for a carriage, the man got on and asked the others to follow along and which they did and after a few minutes, they were finally in front of a big mansion bigger than Cedric''s own.


    Going in, they were led into a huge courtyard but the man didn''t stop there as he continued walking again and the man took a long winding stairs and the others followed along silently.


    ''I just hope this works.'' Grey thought as they finally walked into a huge hall. The hall looked big enough to fit around 200 people comfortably without making it stuffy.


    Entering in, they could see a huge throne like chair at the back of the room with a bulky man on it who had a twisted smile on his face while several men stood around the room. Possibly around fifty men and without doubt they were all mages.


    "Welcome you all! I hope your lord sent you all with what I want?" The man asked.


    "Sure he did!" Grey smiled. "But before that, we need to see if he is okay."


    "He is surely fine, I wouldn''t damage my bargaining chip." The town lord smiled. "Now let me have what I want."


    "No! I need to see my¡­ the town''s lord son." Charlotte said and Grey glared at her for almost slipping up.


    "Fine! Hey! Bring that brat over here now!" The man shouted.


    ''Why do I feel like something is wrong here? Why are there so many mages in the room? And this town lord, I don''t think I''m imagining it, but he feels more powerful than lord cedric.'' Grey thought as he heard footsteps coming in and a man was walking behind a young man in front of him who had blue hair on his head and a sharp look to his eyes.


    "That''s him." Charlotte whispered.


    "See! He is fine, now let me have what I want." The town lord said.


    The young man surveyed the room and his eyes laid on a certain female and he was wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him.


    ''Is that Charlotte? What is she doing here? Or is my eyes playing tricks on me?'' he wondered when he rubbed his eyes and was still seeing the female in front of him.


    "Sister?! Charlotte! Is that really you?" The young man shouted and the town''s lord looked around in confusion.


    "Sister?" He mumbled. "Aren''t they merchants?"


    "Max you fool!" Charlotte mumbled as she slapped her forehead.


    "Did dad send you here to rescue me?" Max asked.


    "Is that your sister?" The town lord asked.


    "Sure!" Max smiled.


    And the town''s lord laughed out loud. "I guess this my lucky day huh. All of you! Bring me that female and kill anyone who gets in your way!"


    Grey who was still standing, looked around and then glared at Charlotte. "You didn''t tell me that your brother is an idiot!"


    "I think we missed that detail." Charlotte smiled nervously.


    "I guess the jig is up then." Grey sighed as he saw about thirty mages rushing towards them.

 Chapter 55 - 55: Work together!

    "I guess the jig is up then." Grey sighed as he saw about thirty mages rushing towards them.


    "Hold on sir!" Grey said with his hands raised up and the thirty men that were charging towards them suddenly stopped while the town''s lord raised an eyebrow.


    "Why do you want to attack us all of a sudden? Does it really matter if she is lord Cedric''s daughter? Isn''t it the town''s deed you want? So just take it and let us go." Grey smiled sheepishly towards the town''s lord.


    "Do you take me for a fool? Haha!" The town''s lord laughed. "You see¡­ I already knew that she would come here along with some strong mages."


    Charlotte and the men were suddenly shocked hearing what the town''s lord said.


    "Are you shocked by my information gathering?" The town''s lord laughed. "I! The great lord Bale has outsmart the town of Kiten. You see, I knew that Cedric wouldn''t give up Kiten so easily and I was told he would send some powerful mages to come rescue his son and here you all are."


    "Told? By who?" The ice mage asked.


    "Now now, if I were to snitch on my informant, then it won''t be nice of me right? All you have to know is that the person is incredibly close to you." Bale smiled before he turned towards his mages. "Now! Will you attack them and bring me that female or should I kill you all?!" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mages didn''t wait to be told twice as they all activated their man and raised their hands about to unleash whatever spells they had.


    ''There''s no way we can beat them all considering that after these thirty mages, there are twenty more plus the town''s lord. I''m not even sure how strong he is but I know he is strong.'' Grey thought as he surveyed the room.


    "What do we do now?" The wind mage asked as he began conjuring wind around him.


    "Since tactical planning didn''t work because of a snitch, then we have to go with brute strength." Charlotte said.


    "You guys wanted to know what my abilities were right? So how about I show it to you all." Grey smiled as all the thirty mages unleashed all their magic spells towards them as they could bolts of lightning, water and wind heading towards them.


    "Earth magic! Earth wall!" Grey called out with a smile on his face and then a huge wall was raised in front of them blocking the magic spells heading their way not even damaging the wall a bit.


    "Earth magic? And a strong one at that?!" The ice mage mumbled.


    ''Hmm! The wall isn''t damaged which means they are all 1 star mages but still, their overwhelming numbers would prove to be troublesome for me.'' Grey thought and then he looked at the people with him and waited a bit.


    But the spells kept coming hitting at the wall strongly and slowly, it began to get chipped down.


    "This wall isn''t going to hold for long!" The ice mage said. "Any other plan on how to deal with them?"


    "Yes! We put away our differences and work together." Grey said as he could see the wall almost crumbling down.


    "Sure sure! Whatever! As long as we manage to get out of this situation and save my brother." Charlotte said.


    "Very well then!" Grey said and then he put his hand down letting the wall fall.


    The mages who saw the wall crumbling down, had smiles on their faces as they prepared to bombard them with spells but before they could, they all saw balls of fire heading towards them at tremendous speed and then crashing into them, it burnt some of the mages to ash.


    "Fire magic! Fireball!" Grey said as his red hair was coming into view then his face as he stood there calmly looking at the remaining mages.


    "You see lord Bale, I just wanted to get the idiotic kid there and leave here in peace but you had to attack huh." Grey said as he could see Bale break out in cold sweat.


    "Hey! Who are you calling idiotic?! And aren''t you a kid?" Max shouted.


    "Didn''t your dad teach you to respect your helpers?" Grey asked as he raised an eyebrow towards Max. "In this situation, I''m your helper and if you annoy me any further, then I''m leaving here without you."


    Hearing the threat, Max quickly shut up and continued glaring at Grey.


    "What are you doing the rest of you? Attack that brat!" Bale shouted.


    "Not on our watch!" Charlotte shouted as water began surrounding her hands and then shooting it out, it crashed into a mage hitting him in the face and flinging across the room.


    Then a sharp sound was heard and several more mages fell to their knees with blood spurting out of their necks. Then dozens of ice shards were seen crashing into more mages but those that were more skillful, managed to avoid them in time.


    And then slowly, three individuals were seen standing beside Grey with their magic surrounding their hands ready for an attack.


    ''Woah! Dad got some pretty powerful people to come help me, I wonder what deal he struck with them.'' Max thought.


    "You guys are starting to piss me off now!" Bale shouted and then his mana began seeping out of him as fire erupted all around his body.


    "Oh?! You are a fire mage too, interesting." Grey smiled.


    "I want every single mage in this room to attack all of them but leave that red haired kid for me!" Bale shouted and then the twenty men that were standing around with the remaining mages all prepared to attack while Bale jumped up from his throne and landed in front of Grey while thrusting his palm that was blazing hot with fire all around it towards his abdomen.


    ___________


    {A/N}


    Enjoying this? Then I''m sure you would enjoy my other book titled My Slayer System: Rise to Supremacy, kindly check it out you all.

 Chapter 56 - 56: Im not a dual elementalist!

    "You guys are starting to piss me off now!" Bale shouted and then his mana began seeping out of him as fire erupted all around his body.


    "Oh?! You are a fire mage too, interesting." Grey smiled.


    "I want every single mage in this room to attack all of them but leave that red haired kid for me!" Bale shouted and then the twenty men that were standing around with the remaining mages all prepared to attack while Bale jumped up from his throne and landed in front of Grey while thrusting his palm that was blazing hot with fire all around it towards his abdomen.


    Quickly reacting, Grey raised an Earth wall just in time to block the palm strike but then to his surprise, the Earth got caught in flames and he was pushed back a few feet from his position.


    ''What the hell?'' Grey thought when he saw a fireball heading towards him rapidly. Without wasting time, he shot out a fireball of his own but to his greatest surprise, Bale''s fireball swallowed his whole and was heading towards him.


    ''His spell casting speed is fast? And I don''t think I''m imagining it but he might be a little more powerful than I am.'' Grey thought as Earth was beginning to surround his hand and then thrusting it forward, it crashed with the incoming fireball causing it to go up in flames.


    ''Lucky for me that my fireball managed to weaken his a little earlier otherwise, I would have been toast¡­ But what level of mage is he?'' Grey thought worriedly as he could see Bale moving his hand around in a circular motion.


    And then thrusting it, a roaring blaze of fire was heading towards Grey looking as if it wanted to swallow him whole.


    "Shit!" Grey said and then squeezing his hands tight, a huge amount of fire blazed around him and the clapping his hands together, a thin shot of fire like a bullet came out fast and hit the blazing fire heading towards him dissipating it and therefore causing smoke to appear all around.


    "Impressive!" Bale said as he was seen coming out of the smoke so fast that for a second, the smoke got cleared before coming back together again and then he was seen in front of Grey about to grab his face with his flamery hands.


    "You''re fast, but I''m more skillful!" Grey smiled and his hands coated with earth magic, was seen above him and then he used it to block Bale''s hit before delivering a strong punch with his other hand still being covered with Earth into his stomach causing him to cough out blood and then he was sent skidding a few metres.


    Grey looked at his earth covered hands in surprise as he couldn''t believe the amount of strength he displayed from that single punch.


    ''Right! It is Earth magic, it is naturally stronger and I was able to still control it making it sturdy and stronger.'' he thought as he looked up to see Bale kneeling down with his hands on his stomach.


    "Fast! Strong and skillful!" Bale commented as he looked at his hands and then smiled before slowly standing up. "But you are forgetting one thing, I''m still smarter and I am not the town''s lord for no reason!" He declared as his hands blazed brightly again and then he went shooting towards Grey like a rocket as his hands were behind him shooting out fire aiding his movements.


    "He can do that?!" Grey was surprised and was unable to move in time as Bale crashed into him and also shooting out a fireball at him causing him to go flying and crashing into the wall cracking it slightly.


    "Haha!" Bale laughed. "You might be a dual elementalist, but you are still a kid without much experience in fighting humans. Looking at your fire powers, I can feel that it is a purple grade same as mine but mine is still more stronger¡­ why?


    That is because it is a mid purple grade."


    Color grades were also divided into sub sections like low, mid and high. A mid- purple fire mage was still a little stronger than a low-purple fire mage by a slight margin. And that was what Bale was displaying currently as his fire magic totally overwhelmed Grey''s own.


    "You are wrong!" Grey shouted as he was seen slowly standing up but was still kneeling with his hands on the floor and his upper clothes burnt off from his body while still having scorch marks on his body and face which was bleeding also.


    "I''m not a dual elementalist!" Grey smirked and then he slammed his hands into the ground.


    "Earth magic! Bind!" Immediately, Bale felt his feet stuck to the ground with Earth surrounding his legs making him unable to move from his position.


    And then, the whole room suddenly got windy as papers went flying around and rubbles along with dirt were also lifted around in the room then slowly, the wind surrounded Grey who was seen standing up and letting it surround him more causing a tornado to be formed around him.


    Everybody in the room felt the powerful wind magic as they all turned around to see it surrounding a certain red haired individual.


    "Such powerful wind magic!" The wind mage commented while breaking out in a terrible cold sweat.


    "The rumours weren''t exaggerated at all, he is as strong as it comes and he really is a multi elementalist!" The ice mage said feeling his heart thump loudly while remembering the short exchange with Grey in the carriage.


    "He¡­ he was right, he could easily kick our arse without breaking a sweat." The ice mage mumbled as they looked at what Grey was about to do but they were suddenly interrupted by the twenty mages in the room as they lifted their hands about to unleash several spells on them.


    "Now that your speed has been taken care of, let''s do something about you." Grey smirked and then called out. "Wind magic! Tornado wind blades!" sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right on cue, several blades of wind were sent Bale''s way at tremendous speed that he knew it would be difficult to avoid but before it crashed into him, something crashed in front of Bale throwing dust around and then, in a flash, the wind blades were broken easily.


    Which caused Grey to raise an eyebrow in confusion and when the dust slowly settled, he was even more confused and shocked by who broke his wind blades.


    "Max?!"

 Chapter 57 - 57: The Noble Trio

    When Bale gave the order for the attack, the twenty mages didn''t waste time as they all unleashed their various spells.


    "Uhmm¡­ I don''t know about you all, but I think this will be very tricky without that kid." The wind mage said.


    "Oh really? Are you saying without him you are nothing?" The ice mage asked.


    "I didn''t say that, I just said that the kid was really helpful and quite strong." The wind mage said.


    "Because he helped us quite well doesn''t mean that he is better than us¡­ I admit he is strong, but we are of noble blood, so we shouldn''t rely on peasants for help." Charlotte added and then they could see all the spells heading towards them.


    "Water magic! Sea dragon''s cradle!" Charlotte called out and then immediately, a huge amount of water suddenly surrounded the three of them like a ball blocking the attacks heading their way.


    The attacks crashed into the ball but it couldn''t penetrate into it as it only shook slightly but it managed to withhold.


    "I''m not sure I can hold out for much longer, you guys better do something now!" Charlotte said.


    "I was working on it." The ice mage said as the whole water cradle began freezing up causing the three to feel chilly.


    "Are you trying to freeze us to death?" Charlotte shouted while her teeth were chattering against each other continuously.


    "Just trust me!" The ice mage said as the ball finally froze over but the barrage of spells didn''t stop. "Your turn!"


    "Right on it!" The wind mage said. "Wind magic! Continuous wind blades barrage!" He shouted and then a huge gust of wind was felt inside the ball.


    Then dozens of wind blades appeared all around them before moving forward at tremendous speed crashing with the frozen up ball. It continued crashing into it from the inside while the attack from the outside persisted.


    "I wonder whether they don''t run out of mana." The ice mage mumbled as the barrage from outside was still continuing and then slowly, the ball of ice began to crack both from the outside and inside.


    And in less than a second, the whole ball shattered into shards of ice that were flying up about to hit the ground. But before they did, they suddenly stopped mere inches from hitting the ground and then rose up.


    "If I had done this from the start, my mana would have drained quickly creating dozens of shards. But with this, I''m able to control it with ease and not let it eat up my mana." The ice mage smiled and then swinging his hands forward, the small shards of ice were seen speeding towards the mages.


    But then, three mages quickly jumped into the front and slamming their hands together, a huge wall was raised blocking the attack but not without cracking slightly.


    The ice mage seeing this, clicked his tongue in anger.


    "We got this!" Charlotte and the water mage said together as their magic began surrounding them.


    Then swinging her hands forward, a ball of water was seen heading towards the Earth wall while the wind mage also unleashed several wind blades that were neck to neck with Charlotte''s ball of water.


    And in a split second, the two attacks crashed into the earth wall breaking it totally and forcefully throwing the casters away and then the two attacks dissipated.


    But the small ice shards that were almost dissipated, moved faster and hit the stunned mages that were rooted in confusion piercing their eyes and throats killing about ten of them at once while the remaining ten managed to avoid it. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The ice mage fell on his knees while panting hard and glaring at the ten remaining mages.


    "Casting a lot of ice on that ball of water and also holding onto those shards long enough for you guys to do your thing was straining and it took a hit on my mana." The ice mage said.


    "We also felt the hit so quit whining." The wind mage said.


    "Besides, aren''t you practically saying that the red haired kid is stronger than you?" Charlotte said. "I mean, he has been casting high level spells with each element and he isn''t complaining. So does that mean you are saying you are weaker than him?"


    "Hell no I''m not!" The ice mage shouted as he stood up from his kneeling position with his face all scrunched up and ice began forming on his hands. "I won''t give up that easily! And after this, I will also have to teach that kid a lesson too!"


    "Tch! Good luck with that." Charlotte mumbled and then they could all feel a huge amount of wind swirling around in the room causing different types of things to go flying.


    Looking around, they could see a huge tornado forming around Grey while his eyes were fixated on Bale with a smirk on his face.


    "What¡­ the hell is that?" Charlotte''s voice wavered as an overwhelming force pressed against her chest. The air around Grey crackled, thick with mana, while the raging winds around him roared like a beast awakening from its slumber.


    The wind mage swallowed hard, his usual cocky smirk wiped clean. "You, uh¡­ still planning to teach him a lesson?" His voice barely rose above the storm.


    The ice mage clenched his fists, but a shiver ran down his spine¡ªnot from his magic, but from something else. Fear. Before he could respond, a loud whooshing sound cut through the air.


    Behind them, ten mages unleashed a volley of spells.


    "Shit!" Charlotte spun around just as the barrage of water , earth, ice magic came crashing toward them.


    "Water magic! Sea dragon''s cradle!" Charlotte shouted and just in time, a ball of water surrounded them blocking the attacks.


    "Shit!" She cursed. "That was the last big spell I can cast, I can only cast a small ball of water before my mana gets completely depleted."


    "Then let''s make it count! Let the ball of water down!" The ice mage commanded as the ground beneath his feet was now starting to freeze over while ice were forming in his hands.


    Heeding to his command, Charlotte let the ''sea dragon cradle'' down and immediately, the ice mage was seen speeding towards the ten men with the use of his ice magic that was propelling him faster with the ground freezing beneath his feet.


    The speed with which he charged forward was unexpected to the other mages as one of them felt a cold sensation in his eyes before he felt his brain bursting out the other end.


    Not slowing down, the ice mage had totally destroyed the ten remaining men with him impaling them with his ice spears in his hands and those that tried to escape, were suddenly impaled with ice shards and those that tried a sneak attack, had their necks cut up by wind magic.


    And in a minute, the twenty mages all perished by the hands of the noble three as they all collapsed in exhaustion to watch the fight between Grey and Bale.

 Chapter 58 - 58: Kick your arse!

    "Now that your speed has been taken care of, let''s do something about you." Grey smirked and then called out. "Wind magic! Tornado wind blades!"


    Right on cue, several blades of wind were sent Bale''s way at tremendous speed that he knew it would be difficult to avoid but before it crashed into him, something crashed in front of Bale throwing dust around and then, in a flash, the wind blades were broken easily.


    Which caused Grey to raise an eyebrow in confusion and when the dust slowly settled, he was even more confused and shocked by who broke his wind blades.


    "Max?!" Grey said in shock as his face suddenly scrunched up in anger with a vein sticking out his head. "What are you doing you idiotic fool!"


    Grey shouted but there was no response as max stood there rooted and staring at him while his body was sparkling and crackling with lightning covering him and was also taking a stance.


    "Oh you see, Max is not around right now." Bale chuckled.


    "What did you do to him?" Grey asked.


    "You remember I said you might have tremendous power on your side, but I have smartness on mine. Before this fight even happened, I had done something to Max that would enable him act for me and all it needed was a trigger." Bale smiled.


    "I might not be able to get out of this earth trap of yours, but Max would help me bring you down. Let''s see how long you can last against him." Bale smiled and then looked at Max. "Attack that red haired individual and if possible, bring me his head!"


    Immediately the order was given, Max dashed towards Grey with tremendous speed than what Grey was used to as he suddenly got in front of him and delivered a strong punch to his face sending Grey flying into a wall breaking it apart and coming out the other end.


    Before Max could move forward, he saw a fireball head for his face but zipping to the side, he managed to avoid it and could see Grey coming out of the hole he punched him into.


    ''Darn! With his lightning attribute, he is surely faster than me and could avoid whatever I throw at him easily.'' he thought in anger as his body was feeling pains.


    As Max had punched him earlier with his fist covered in lightning which made it sting Grey more.


    Closing his hands together, Max began separating it when blue light began shining brightly in his hand and then a bolt of lightning was been formed before he shot it out at Grey.


    "Curses!" Grey mumbled as he prepared to avoid it but before he could, it slammed into him electrocuting him on the spot making his whole body lit blue while his red hair stood up.


    "Muhahahahaha!" Bale laughed wholeheartedly. "I''m really enjoying myself right now. He is stuck and paralyzed now, finish him off Max!"


    Coating his legs with lightning, Max zipped towards a stunned Grey with a long thin lightning bolt in his hand and he was about to slam it into him when a sharp sound was heard coming from behind him and it slammed into Max throwing him away from Grey.


    Bale raised an eyebrow in confusion about what happened when he saw Grey''s hands twitch a little and finally, the lightning paralysis spell got broken and he was finally able to move as he fell on his knees huffing and puffing.


    ''That¡­ that was the power of lightning? It felt like my whole insides were on fire from it. This is getting dangerous now.'' Grey thought as he slowly stood up with blood trickling down his mouth and he could see Max standing up with a slight cut on his arm.


    "Your dad asked me to rescue you, and he paid for it. So I''m going to do just that but he didn''t say I should bring you unharmed right?" Grey smirked as he wiped the trickle of blood on his mouth away.


    Max who was standing earlier, was now getting ready to charge again as his feet was crackling from using lightning on it and like a flash, he was seen heading towards Grey and in less than a second, he was already there.


    Max was going through the motion of hitting Grey and immediately he shot out a lightning bolt towards him, he felt a gust of wind hit him far back almost flinging him away while the bolt of lightning crashed into Grey electrocuting him on the spot again.


    "Da¡­ darn it!" Grey shouted and then pointing his hands that was moving slower than he expected, he mumbled some words.


    "Earth magic! Earth trap!" Immediately, Max''s feet were suddenly stuck to the ground as he was unable to move which confused him greatly but then looking in front of him, he could see two fireballs heading towards him.


    Charlotte and the other two that were just finishing up their fight, finally looked up to watch Grey''s fight when they could see two fireballs heading towards Max rapidly.


    "No! You are gonna kill him!" Charlotte shouted and then she shot out to large balls of water towards the fire that was heading towards her brother who was still stuck.


    The fireballs were now incredibly close to Max and he could practically feel the heat close to his face but then he felt cold all of a sudden and in front of him, two balls of water hit the fire extinguishing it totally and also hit the Earth magic that surrounded his feet causing the magic to dissipate and Max was now free to move.


    Grey turned towards where the water came from in anger and could see Charlotte with her hands held out.


    "What did you just do?" He shouted in anger as he could feel his body able to move again.


    "What were you trying to do? Kill my brother?" Charlotte asked in anger.


    "I can see that stupidity runs in the family." Grey shouted. "Do you think I wanted to¡­" he stuttered when he suddenly felt a huge surge of power in the room.


    Turning around, he could see a huge lightning bolt forming in front of Max who had a smirk on his face.


    "No Max!" Charlotte shouted fearing the worst but it was too late as the lightning bolt was fired towards Grey and in less than a second, it hit him hard and he felt a sensation he had never felt before.


    Immense pain! As his whole body felt like it was on fire with his insides burning tremendously. And not only that, his body was getting scorched black which made Bale laugh out loud as he could see the pain Grey was going through.


    "Arghhhhhh!" Grey cried out loud in pain and then he collapsed with sparks of lightning hitting the ground while his body lay unmoving.


    "Max! What have you done?" Charlotte asked as she couldn''t believe her eyes on what she was seeing as the red haired individual that was sent to help them, lay on the floor with his body blackened and sparks of electricity hitting the ground beneath his body.


    "Good job Max!" Bale laughed as he could finally feel his feet able to move again because of the Earth magic Grey had used on him finally dissipated because of his condition.


    "I''m glad I used that spell on you, your power is really great. I don''t think I want to let you go now." Bale laughed again and then walked towards Grey who was on the floor while the noble trio were seen standing in shock.


    "And you! You have huge potential, and tremendous power but at the end of the day, you are still a kid." Bale smirked.


    "Muhaha! Hahaha! Hahaha! I win! I''m the greatest! Haha¡­" Bale''s laugh got cut short as he felt movement beneath his feet while the sparks of electricity that was hitting the ground was getting stronger to the extent it was hitting him too stinging him a bit.


    That was when all around Grey''s body, lightning surrounded him while the bolts were hitting the place all around him including Bale who was using his fire magic to combat against it.


    "I¡­ I might be a kid, but I''m still going to become the greatest mage the world has ever seen!" Bale heard the words from beneath his feet and then he could see Grey clenching his fist while the lightning aura grew more brighter to the extent it almost blinded Bale.


    The bolts of lightning now grew consistent and everybody could finally see Grey floating above the ground with all his red hair standing up and floating above his shoulder and in his hands, bolt of lightning were beginning to form and his eyes glowed white too.


    "And this kid, is going to be the one to kick your pitiful arse!" Grey shouted. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 59 - 59: A New Magic!

    "I¡­ I might be a kid, but I''m still going to become the greatest mage the world has ever seen!" Bale heard the words from beneath his feet and then he could see Grey clenching his fist while the lightning aura grew more brighter to the extent it almost blinded Bale. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bolts of lightning now grew consistent and everybody could finally see Grey floating above the ground with all his red hair standing up and floating above his shoulder and in his hands, bolt of lightning were beginning to form and his eyes glowed white too.


    "And this kid, is going to be the one to kick your pitiful arse!" Grey shouted and then like a bolt of lightning, he went speeding towards Bale who had his mouth agape in shock so did the others.


    Stomping his feet on the ground, streaks of lightning ran towards Bale and in response, he used his fire magic to jump away avoiding it.


    "Fire magic! Fire stars!" Bale shouted as several stars made of fire were seen heading towards Grey and were about to crash into him.


    "Earth magic! Earth wall!" Grey shouted and a wall made of earth got raised up in front of him but when the fire stars crashed into the wall, it broke it sending pieces of rocks everywhere.


    But Grey was nowhere to be seen as he appeared directly behind Bale with his hands still crackling and unleashing a powerful lightning punch towards Bale, he sent him flying away tumbling and bouncing on the floor cracking the ground a bit while throwing up blood.


    Before Grey could move, he heard a crackling noise coming from behind him. Jumping up using his wind magic, he managed to avoid a lightning bolt that crashed into a wall in the room causing an explosion to go off.


    Still floating in the air using wind magic, Grey raised his hands up and pointed it at Max who was charging up a lightning attack when he heard words been spoken above.


    "Wind magic! Aerius!" Grey shouted and a huge gust of wind crashed into Max throwing him up into a wall and somehow smothering him.


    Those in the room, the noble trio had their mouths agape at the amount of power Grey was exerting.


    "He¡­ he¡­ he just unlocked another attribute?!" The ice mage said in shock as he felt more cold sweat wash over him.


    "And¡­ and he is powerful using it! How is he so overpowered?" The wind mage asked in shock.


    "And not only that, he is holding his ground against my brother and Bale. I''m brother is a high level lightning mage and he¡­ he is able to do this to him?" Charlotte said with her mouth more agape.


    "Who is this monster?" The wind mage asked as Grey gently floated down using wind magic as he landed elegantly and smoothly.


    Bale could be seen slowly standing up coughing out blood when he felt a gust of wind hit him in the face and looking up, he could see the red haired individual in front of him with his body still glowing slightly bright with lightning sparking around his body.


    "You¡­" Bale wanted to say when he felt his collar being grabbed and his whole body was been electrocuted slightly since Grey was holding onto him with his lightning hands.


    "Arghhhh!" Grey heard screaming coming from behind him and without turning around, he used his wind magic to hit the person coming for him away causing him to crash into the ground but he still stood up again.


    Annoyed, Grey slammed Bale on the floor hard causing him to throw out blood and then turning around, he could see Max twitching slightly while his body was still crackling with lightning.


    "You¡­ I''m fed up of you and I need to put you down first." Grey said and then stomping his foot on the ground, he called out.


    "Earth magic! Bind!" He called out and Earth surrounded Max''s feet binding him in his spot and then he zipped towards Max and grabbed onto his shoulders with his hands still covered in lightning.


    "Arghhhh!" Max was screaming his throat out while Grey kept on holding onto him and their lightning magic began battling against each other but slowly, Max''s own was slowly losing out.


    "Grey! Leave my brother alone!" Charlotte shouted and she was now conjuring water around her hands.


    "I have had enough of your emotional meddling and your stupid sentiments!" Grey shouted as he glared at her and lifted his hands pointing it towards her.


    "Wind magic! Aerius ultra!" He called out and immediately, a tremendous burst of wind crashed into Charlotte pushing her into a wall and breaking it apart while she was seen laying down with blood oozing out of her mouth.


    Turning back to Max who was still screaming, Grey grabbed his neck. "This is still little compared to what you did to me." He said and then he delivered a strong punch to his head knocking him out cold.


    "You are lucky your dad wanted you alive, if not I won''t receive my payment." Grey said and then he turned towards Bale who was trying to escape but he was struggling because of his body that was in pain.


    Grey seeing this, he zipped towards Bale using his lightning magic and then he got in front of Bale. Without wasting time, he managed to control the bolts of lightning from his body that were just hitting the ground.


    Then he directed it towards Bale''s legs and then it crashed into it burning and stunning him not letting him move a bit while also screaming loudly in pain.


    "I won''t kill you, because I don''t want trouble for myself considering your status." Grey said as he could see the pure fear in Bale''s eyes when looking at him especially after seeing that all his fifty mages were dead.


    "Now. In order for me not to kill you in anger, tell me who the hell snitched on us informing you that we were coming?!" He asked with one of his hands erupting in flames.

 Chapter 60 - 60: Lets escape now!

    "Now. In order for me not to kill you in anger, tell me who the hell snitched on us informing you that we were coming?!" He asked with one of his hands erupting in flames.


    "I¡­" Bale stuttered as he could see Grey glaring at him and he was about to talk so he opened his mouth but he closed it back again.


    "You think I''m joking right?" Grey said and then he grabbed Bale on his face with his flammy hand which caused him to scream out loud in pain from the heat of the flames. "How does it feel to get burned by a power similar to yours?"


    "Arghhhhhh! Pl¡­ please stop! Arghhhhhh!" Bale screamed loudly but Grey didn''t stop. "I¡­ I will tell you please, let me leave!"


    "Now that''s a good boy." Grey said and then he let Bale''s scorched face go.


    Tears could be seen dripping from Bale''s face as he touched his blackened face that was peeling off already and it stung badly.


    ''This kid¡­ he is mentally deranged! How can someone as young as him act this nonchalantly and maniacally? I can tell¡­ I can tell that if I don''t tell him what he wants, he would surely kill me and burn me alive.'' Bale thought and then he sniffed preparing to tell Grey everything.


    "I had been told that Cedric had hired some powerful mages to come and rescue his son by his second wife¡­ she was the one who told me that Max was in my town and hence his capture." Bale answered truthfully and everybody in the room were shocked especially the two mages since Charlotte was still knocked out by Grey''s wind attack.


    "Why¡­ why did she do it?" Grey asked.


    "That''s because she wants her son to become the town lord when Cedric stepped down but since Max is older than him, he would naturally get the town." Bale replied.


    "Something still doesn''t make sense here, why go through all these stress and at the end of the day, you get the town?" Grey asked.


    "That''s because, if I get the town''s deed, I was supposed to transfer it to her son''s name and then my gain will be 30 percent of the town''s revenue." Bale replied.


    ''So this was a political issue and I got dragged in it?! Darn it! Now I''m going to make that woman whoever she is pay for making me almost lose my life!'' Grey thought in anger with his hands clenched into a fist while his fire magic receded and in it''s place, the lightning magic took over.


    "I have told you everything I know, please let me go!" Bale pleaded as he saw the lightning forming all around Grey.


    Grey lifted his hands up and pointed it towards Bale who instinctively closed his eyes expecting to be shot a lightning bolt on the spot but he felt nothing and then he slowly opened his eyes to see the red haired individual pointing his hand away from him towards a certain unconscious female in the room.


    "Wake up you dumbass woman!" Grey shouted as a long thin bolt of lightning left his hand and crashed into Charlotte jolting her awake as she shot up from her laying position with her hands held out and water gathering around it.


    When she looked around to see the state of the room and what she saw immediately was her brother on the floor laying unmoving.


    "Max?! Max!" She shouted as she dashed towards him and quickly him around shaking him around with her heart thumping loudly and fearing for the worse.


    "Relax you over sentimental woman, he''s alive. I wouldn''t kill him and risk not getting my money and also having the whole town after me and my family." Grey said and then Charlotte shot him a glaring look as she stood up from her position and was about to charge towards Grey when the wind mage quick grabbed her by the arm.


    "Relax miss Charlotte! Your brother is alright¡­ And don''t go attacking him like that, we all know how powerful he is." The wind mage said the last part silently to only her hearing.


    And that was when Charlotte finally calmed down and breathed a sigh and walked towards Grey albeit with a frown on her face as she could see Bale on the floor injured and his face partly burnt.


    Turning towards Bale, Grey''s hands lit up in flames again and then he glared at him. "Repeat all what you just told me word for word to her."


    "Huh?!" Charlotte said confused on what Grey was talking about.


    "Bu¡­" Bale was about to say when he could see Grey heading for him with his hands outstretched. "I will talk! I will talk!"


    "Good boy!" Grey smiled and then Bale told Charlotte everything he told Grey earlier about the snitch who the person was, and what their motives were.


    When he was done, Charlotte was in disbelief as she almost stumbled down but she quickly regained her footing and composure while also shaking her head refusing to believe what was been said.


    "How¡­ why? Why did Janet mum do this?" Charlotte asked still in disbelief.


    "Are you deaf? Didn''t you hear him saying it was for her personal gain?" Grey asked annoyed. "I don''t care all about your family, all I care about right now is taking revenge for what she put me through today."


    "Don''t you know anything other than revenge all the time? My family is going to be broken after what has been revealed." Charlotte shouted.


    "And it is my problem how?" Grey asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Guys please! Stop your argument!" The ice mage said as he came over while the wind mage lifted Max up using his wind magic. "We would settle this family issue back at Kiten."


    "Right! Let''s first decide on how to escape from here." The wind mage said and then Grey turned towards Bale.


    "Tell all your men at the gate and that are posted everywhere to let us pass through safely so you won''t be harmed." Grey said and immediately without complaining, Bale complied as he channelled the mana through his throat and then shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "Listen up you fools! Let the people of Kiten pass through safely without harming them!" He shouted towards a mechanic in the room that projected his words to the right people. "I have done what you asked of me, now please let me go."


    "Sure, but first." Grey said and then Earth magic surrounded his hand and in a flash, he slammed it into Bale''s head knocking him out cold.


    "What was that for?" Charlotte asked.


    "I was right, stupidity truly runs through your family¡­ if I hadn''t done that, and we left here, he would inform his men to stop us the same way he told them to let us go." Grey replied. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then why can''t you explain that without calling my family stupid?" Charlotte asked while glaring at Grey.


    "Because you all are." Grey replied nonchalantly.


    "Guys please! This argument can continue when we get out of here. For now, let''s get the hell outta here!" The wind mage said.


    "Sure! Let''s go!" Grey said and they all jumped out of the hole in the wall leading outside so they could return back.

 Chapter 61 - 61: Awakened a monster!

    Immediately they jumped out of the hole, they were running through the streets and the people that were walking around casually turned to look at them as they could see them bruised and injured while one of them was floating above the ground unconsciously.


    Looking back at where the strange injured people had popped at from, they could see it was from their town lord''s mansion and they could even see a huge hole in the wall.


    Bale''s mansion was in the middle of the town unlike Cedric''s which was at the edge of the town. The people were now scared and confused by what was going on and why the strange people were running looking badly injured and tired.


    Despite the strange looks given to them by the people, Grey wasn''t bothered as he ran at top speed almost leaving the others behind.


    ''I can''t believe it, I''m now faster than before. I was fast before because of my affinity to the wind magic and now, my speed has doubled seemingly from my new affinity to lightning. Is there anybody that could even defeat me?'' Grey thought when the image of Amir flashed through his mind.


    The image was of him killing the level 4 beast easily using his strange sword magic or so.


    ''Right! There are still some strong powers in this world so I shouldn''t get ahead of myself otherwise I would be crushed quickly.'' he thought as they kept running and now they were in front of the gate.


    When they got to the gate, they thought they would be stopped by the mages in the towers but they were surprisingly let through which meant they heard Bale''s message clearly.


    Jumping into their carriage while the driver was sitting down with his legs hung above and his eyes closed, they all shouted at the driver jolting him awake.


    "Step on it now!" and immediately, the carriage went speeding off from the town. Looking back anxiously thinking they would be followed was the wind mage as he peeped to see absolutely nobody chasing after them.


    After ten minutes of driving and continuously looking back, they finally breathed a sigh of relief after they had crossed the town''s border.


    "That''s a relief." The ice mage said as he relaxed back into his seat to calm his widely beating chest.


    "Guys! Huddle around!" Charlotte said and the ice and wind mage came towards her and her hands began glowing white with water surrounding it. "While we were running, I managed to recover some of my mana to do this."


    "Water magic! Healing hands!" She called out and placed her hands over the men and their wounds were closing up while they began to feel refreshed a little.


    "This is not like light magic which naturally specializes in healing, but it will have to do until we get back." The ice mage said as Charlotte had finished healing him up and went towards Max to do the same before she sat back down.


    "Do you need a special invitation before you bring your pitiful arse over here?" Charlotte shouted at Grey.


    "I don''t need your help nor your charity." Grey replied coldly as he looked out the window when he suddenly felt cold hands on him.


    "Well too bad I need to thank you for saving my brother even though you still asked for payment." Charlotte said and then Grey''s scorched body were healing up while sweat was beginning to form on Charlotte''s face.


    "And this is also an apology for what Max did to you." She said again while Grey felt refreshed and all his scorched up body and external injuries healed up before Charlotte stumbled back almost falling down.


    But Grey had quickly used his wind magic to catch her and lay her softly on the chair while she was breathing and panting hard.


    "You did well even though I thought you were weak¡­ although you are still weak." Grey said and Charlotte shot him a glare while he chuckled and looked out the window.


    ''I didn''t notice it before because of my urge to rescue Max but I can see it now. He is cute¡­ Not like i have any feelings for him whatsoever!'' She screamed in her head while her cheeks heat up slightly and she turned away from him.


    The journey back took around fourty minutes before they finally reached the town of Kiten and driving more, they got to Cedric''s mansion and finally, they took Max to his room to lay him down while mages that specialized in water healing magic, rushed over to check up on him while all the family members came over to see Max.


    Grey was outside leaning on the wall with his arms folded while his eyes were closed patiently waiting for the town''s lord to come give him his payment. Finally! After ten minutes of staying in the room, Cedric called Charlotte, Grey, the wind mage and ice mage to his office.


    When they got there, they could see the smile on Cedric''s face after confirming his son was safe and sound.


    "I guess the rumours weren''t exaggerated one bit mage Grey." Cedric said as he saw the red haired individual walk into the room nonchalantly.


    "Whatever." Grey said and then he stood in front of Cedric who had a big pouch in front of him and jiggling it, Grey heard the sweet sounds of coins in it.


    "Uhm town lord Cedric, Grey has something to say to you." Charlotte said pulling Grey out of his thoughts on how to spend the gold coins.


    "Me? What do I have to say?" Grey asked when Charlotte used her eyes to communicate to him. "Why can''t you? Aren''t you his family?"


    "What is the matter? What do you all have to say to me?" Cedric asked as his hands had been outstretched earlier with the pouch in hand when he suddenly pulled it back.


    "Please Grey, do the honors!" The wind mage said.


    ''Why me? Now they have gone and put me in a tight position.'' he thought annoyed.


    "lord Cedric, the thing is¡­ there is a betrayal in your family and she is one of your wives that wants Max dead for the throne of the town for her son." Grey said bluntly.


    "What?! Who is that?" Cedric asked.


    "It''s mother Janet." Charlotte said and then Cedric''s eyes widened in surprise and shock at the same time as Janet was his most cherished wife.


    "Impossible! I refuse to believe this outrageous lie!" Cedric said angrily.


    "Whether you believe it or not, is none of my business¡­ all I want is my payment." Grey said as he stretched his hand expecting the pouch of coins on it.


    "What effontery! You expect me to believe that my own wife, who has been by my side for years, would betray me? And you still want to receive my money after accusing her wrongly?!" Cedric shouted. "I want you to leave my office now or else I would lock you up for daring to accuse Janet."


    "What did you say?!" Grey asked with his voice low like a growl while lightning began cackling around him hitting the ground and even the table Cedric sat on while the noble trio that saw this, broke out in sweat.


    ''What have you done dad? You have gone and awakened a monster!'' Charlotte gulped loudly.


    S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 62 - 62: A Smart familiar

    "What effontery! You expect me to believe that my own wife, who has been by my side for years, would betray me? And you still want to receive my money after accusing her wrongly?!" Cedric shouted. "I want you to leave my office now or else I would lock you up for daring to accuse Janet."


    "What did you say?!" Grey asked with his voice low like a growl while lightning began cackling around him hitting the ground and even the table Cedric sat on while the noble trio that saw this, broke out in sweat.


    ''What have you done dad? You have gone and awakened a monster!'' Charlotte gulped loudly.


    "I said what I said¡­ you aren''t getting your payment for accusing my wife wrongly!" Cedric said.


    "Do you know who I am? Did you know what I went through before I got your idiotic son back alive?" Grey asked in anger as fire and lightning blazed all around his body brightly while his teeth were grit. "I almost died especially from your idiotic daughter''s interference and your son being mind controlled."


    "And it is my problem how? You were going to get your payment but you had to go accuse my precious wife for that hideous crime!" Cedric shouted as he shot out of his seat.


    "You¡­" Grey was about to say when Charlotte interrupted him.


    "Please Grey, calm down." Charlotte said.


    "Calm down? Did you just say I should calm down? You were the ones who forced me to say the truth and I did. And your dad is denying me my payment after I went through hell to save his son." Grey shouted and Charlotte shrank back after feeling the pure anger coming off of Grey.


    "Don''t you dare insult my family again you peasant!" Cedric shouted at Grey.


    "What did you just call me?!" Grey asked with fire swirling around his arm more.


    "I called what I called you! You peasant!" Cedric retorted back.


    "That does it!" Grey said and then stretching his hand, Cedric was suddenly floating towards Grey while his other hand was still blazing with fire magic.


    "Grey that is enough!" The wind mage shouted as he shot out a dozen wind blade towards Grey who causally swung his hand around breaking them precisely when he saw a thin shard of ice coming towards him.


    Quickly, he lifted an Earth wall blocking it when a stream of water hit the wall breaking it apart and causing him to go skidding while letting go of Cedric who was grabbed with his wind magic earlier.


    "Grey stop it!" Charlotte shouted as the town lord got up to dust himself.


    "For what you tried to do to me, I hereby call for your arrest on the charges of accusing my wife and attempting to kill a town lord." Cedric called.


    "You say what?!" Grey asked and then fire began surrounding his hands when he heard a loud shout in his head.


    "Will you calm down you fool!" Noir shouted in his head and as if a spell was cast upon him, he suddenly calmed down and all his magic got dispelled. "There are other ways to solve a problem than using brute strength you doofus!"


    And that was when a black mist escaped out of Grey''s hand and landed in front of him while taking a shape of a small red wolf.


    "Is that¡­" The wing mage said.


    "The¡­" The ice mage stuttered.


    "The legendary red wolf familiar, the strongest of them all." Charlotte commented as she stared hard and long at noir in front of her.


    Opening up a mind link with everybody in the room especially Cedric,Noir began speaking. "I''m sorry for my host''s irrational behavior and hotheadness towards you all. And lord Cedric, he is speaking the truth about your wife''s betrayal and I can prove it."


    ''Noir is speaking calmly?! This is a first even for me¡­ wait! He has a way to prove what I''m saying? How?'' Grey thought in shock.


    "Oh really?! How do you want to prove it?" Cedric asked and he wasn''t sure if he was imagining it, but it felt like the wolf smirked.


    And then Noir informed them all of how he was going to prove that Grey was saying the truth and their whole roles in the plan starting with one of the mages that were stationed outside.


    Listening to his plan, Grey was astounded as he hasn''t thought the familiar to be this smart and powerful and without wasting time, they all got to work.


    _______________


    In one of the rooms in one of lord Cedric''s mansions, because he had built different mansions for his two wives so they won''t be argument between them as they didn''t get along.


    The small mansions were on either side of lord Cedric''s huge mansion so whoever was lucky to have the town lord for the night, would be visited in their house.


    A female was seen sitting in front of a mirror while another female was standing above her arranging her hair.


    The seated female had slick beautiful black hair with green eyes and a robust figure with the her chest a little bigger than a watermelon. And her cheeks were puffed up a little.


    It could be said that this woman was very beautiful as her maid was attending to her hair and this woman was Janet.


    ''Darn it! I can''t believe that Cedric really succeeded in rescuing that accursed child! How the hell did Bale fail to do the job perfectly even with all the information I provided him? He is truly worthless!'' Janet thought in anger.


    "And you! Do it properly! You are pulling my hair and it''s painful, don''t let me execute you!" Janet screamed at the person tending to her hair.


    "I''m sorry ma''am." She quickly apologized and began tending to Janet''s hair carefully.


    But then a loud knock was heard on the door interrupting Janet''s thoughts. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Who is there?!" She shouted.


    "Ma''am, I''m sorry for disturbing you, but you have a visitor waiting for you in your meeting room. He says it is very urgent." The person announced.


    "Visitor? Who could that be?" Janet asked.


    "I know not of his name ma''am but he said you know him."


    ''Know me? Who the hell is that?'' she thought.


    "Fine! You can leave, I will be there shortly." Janet said and then she stood up and arranged her crimson dress and briskly walked out of the room.


    She walked around the courtyard of the house seeing her maids doing their works properly while also greeting her anytime she walked past. The house was smaller than Cedric''s but each of the wives lived with their children peacefully.


    Getting to the meeting room, she could see one of her mage stationed there and he was the one who opened the door for her letting her through as she could see the back of a bulky man in the room.


    "I was told someone wanted to see me, are you the one?" Janet asked.


    "Yes Janet." She heard the person call her by the name and the voice sounded awfully familiar. Then the man slowly turned around to reveal his face which shocked Janet out of her wits at who she was seeing.


    "Bale?!"

 Chapter 63 - 63: The Truth is out!

    "I was told someone wanted to see me, are you the one?" Janet asked.


    "Yes Janet." She heard the person call her by the name and the voice sounded awfully familiar. Then the man slowly turned around to reveal his face which shocked Janet out of her wits at who she was seeing.


    "Bale?!"


    "Yes¡­ it''s me." Bale smiled at Janet.


    "What the hell are you doing here?! And how are you here?" Janet asked in shock as she could see Bale standing in front of her causally.


    "What? Did you think I won''t come here?" Bale raised his voice in anger. "Why didn''t you tell me that a powerful mage was going to accompany the others to come rescue Max?!"


    "Shush! Lower your voice darn it!" Janet shouted in anger as she looked behind her to see if anybody was going to burst through the room.


    "Don''t shush me you woman! Not only did I not get the town''s deed, I lost so many mages because of you and my mansion got destroyed because of you, how are you going to compensate me?" Bale asked.


    "I didn''t tell you? I specifically warned you that my idiotic husband hired a powerful mage that fought against a level 4 beast and won. But no! You had to behave arrogantly." Janet retorted in anger while shooting Bale a glaring look. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes you did but the way you said it, didn''t sound that important¡­ he is more powerful than you called him out to be." Bale retorted back angrily. "That is none of my business currently, what I want is compensation for the amount of mages I lost today."


    "Compensation?! Hahahaha!" Janet laughed out loud while walking towards Bale. "You would get none. I specifically told you to kidnap Max and threaten Cedric for the town''s deed which would later on be transferred to my son''s name then you can release that good for nothing Max.


    But not only did you fail to do all that, now I have to take matters into my own hands and handle everything."


    "Not my problem. All I need from you is my compensation! And what do you mean by you want to take matters into your hands? What can a weak woman like you do?" Bale asked with a chuckle.


    "Weak? Who the hell are you calling weak? Actually, I might be weak, but I''m smart and not a fool like you." Janet smiled and then she stepped back a bit and walked around the room. "I actually planned to poison that stupid husband of mine but it won''t kill him, it will only put him in discomfort a bit then I will demand that the whole town''s deed be transferred to my own son only then would he get the antidote."


    "What?! That is insane woman! What if he dies?" Bale asked looking genuinely genuinely shocked.


    "Haha! Dies? Then I say let him¡­ he is actually useless to me and doesn''t even satisfy me with his small joystick. Unlike you my handsome Bale." Janet smiled as she walked towards Bale with graceful and measured steps.


    "I don''t trust you anymore woman, what if you do the same thing you plan on doing to Cedric to me later in future?" Bale asked taking a step back.


    "Oh C''mon baby, I can''t do that. I love you with all my heart and have you forgotten, we had planned to do this before I even married him. His town is more prosperous than yours, so I planned on getting married to him while lying that your son is his and then hoping I would put to bed before that ugly wife of his so our son could be the rightful heir to the throne.


    But our plan was ruined when that useless wretch put to bed before me and letting Max be the heir. Did you forget all of these?" Janet asked as she stepped forward and was about to touch Bale when the whole room suddenly ruptured and she could see Bale twisting and turning like as if a paper was being scrunched.


    And then, he disappeared while in the room, she could see a red haired individual, a red horned wolf, Cedric, Charlotte, four mages who had their hands outstretched waiting for orders.


    "Wh¡­ what is going on?" Janet asked looking genuinely shocked as she could see Cedric in the room.


    "Why? Why did you have to do all these Janet despite how much I loved you?" Cedric asked as he took a step back and his hand was on his chest while tears welled up in his eyes.


    "Cedric darling, it''s all a lie. All what you heard is n¡­" Janet stuttered as she felt a stinging pain on her cheeks while in front of her was Charlotte with tears streaming down her face.


    "How dare you slap me?" Janet shouted in anger.


    "Shut the fuck up! You are nobody to us right now¡­ how dare you conspire to kidnap my brother and kill my dad because of what? Properties?!" Charlotte said in disgust. "Despite how much we loved you. I didn''t consider you my step mum nor did I treat you as such, but I considered you my own mum and you did this?"


    "Humans can never be trusted especially females." Grey said nonchalantly with his arms crossed while enjoying the drama that was ongoing.


    "I''m dissappointed in what I found out about you today. I was told, but I didn''t want to believe it but now I believe it. For years, you have only experienced my love but now, you will experience my hatred!" Cedric shouted and then he turned to the mages in the room.


    "Arrest her and take her and her filthy son to the dungeon and lock them up!" He ordered.


    "No no no! Don''t come closer to me!" Janet shouted at the mages that were walking towards her while she was walking backwards and then like a flash, she quickly turned around to bolt towards the door.


    "I still have to make you pay for putting my life in danger! Earth magic! Bind!" Grey called out and then Janet who was almost about to open the door, felt her legs stuck to the ground not letting her move one bit.


    "Take care of her for me now!" Cedric shouted and then Janet broke down in tears while the mages came towards her and Grey snapped his fingers causing the Earth around her feet to disappear and Janet was arrested.

 Chapter 64 - 64: No one threatens my family and goes scot free!

    "Take care of her for me now!" Cedric shouted and then Janet broke down in tears while the mages came towards her and Grey snapped his fingers causing the Earth around her feet to disappear and Janet was arrested.


    Immediately, the mages in the room quickly arrested Janet and then they used Earth magic to bind her hands so she won''t be able to try anything funny.


    "This isn''t over! I promise you, i will make you all pay especially you red haired kid, you will pay! I will make sure I destroy you and your fam¡­" Janet was about to finish saying when Grey suddenly appeared in front of her and he grabbed her face with his hands burning with fire magic hence burning her face and causing her to scream out in pain.


    "Grey! Let her go please, she will be punished for her crimes!" Charlotte pleaded.


    "No one, absolutely no one threatens my family and goes scot free." Grey said with gritted teeth when Charlotte quickly came over and placed her hands on his shoulder.


    "Please, don''t do this." She said.


    Gritting his teeth in anger, and feeling Charlotte''s hand on his shoulder, he let go of Janet''s face but the damage was done as her beautiful face now had burnt scars with her red luscious lips scorched black.


    "Get her out of here now and also take her bastard son along with her." Cedric ordered and the mages swiftly executed the order as they left the room with Janet sobbing uncontrollably.


    "Thank you mage Grey." Cedric said as he came over towards him and bowed slightly again while thanking him. "Without your help, I wouldn''t have found out who that wretch was and you also saved my life at the same time."


    "Wasn''t me, I didn''t do anything. Noir was the one that did everything." Grey said bluntly and then turned to look at Noir who was sitting down and licking his paws nonchalantly as if it doesn''t have any care in the world similar to that of a cat.


    "Yeah, you do have a powerful familiar." Cedric commented.


    ''I didn''t even know that Noir could use illusion magic. How powerful is this familiar and how many percentage of its powers did it even lose?'' Grey thought as he continued staring at Noir when Charlotte''s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.


    "Thank you Grey, for saving my brother''s and father''s life from that wretch who I thought to be my mum." She said.


    "I saved your brother''s life, mind you it wasn''t for free. I''m still waiting for my payment though." Grey replied sharply.


    "Right! Here it is Grey, 6000 gold coins." Cedric said as he handed over a small chest towards him.


    "6000? I asked for 5000 gold coins." Grey said with a raised eyebrow.


    "I know but I can''t help but thank you for saving my life too, so I added a thousand gold coins too." Cedric replied.


    "I saved your life because you were denying me of my payment and besides, I wasn''t planning on saving you, it was just an afterthought since I wanted my payment and mind you, let me remind you that I did nothing to expose miss Janet, it was all Noir.


    So please just give me the 5000 gold coins I requested for." Grey said.


    ''He has integrity, a powerful mage with a strong integrity, I think I like him already¡­ But what if?'' Cedric thought as he looked at Grey then turned to Charlotte who was staring at Grey with her cheeks heating up red and then Cedric chuckled.


    "Fine! You will get the 5000 gold coins. But I still want to thank you properly so how about coming over for a party that I intend on throwing for Max? I want you to attend the party as a special guest of honor and then I will also introduce you to powerful nobles." Cedric smiled while handing Grey a small chest filled with the amount he requested. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I will think about it, but no promises. Thank you for the money, goodbye." Grey said and then Noir who was at the corner of the room turned into a black mist and attached itself to Grey''s palm then Grey swiftly left the room in a flash using his wind magic.


    "This mage¡­ we need to have him by our side soon and make sure we don''t make an enemy of him." Cedric mumbled loudly.


    "Exactly! I also noticed that little things pisses him off especially when it involves his family." Charlotte added.


    "He is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode so we need to draw him close and hopefully forge a strong bond." Cedric said as he turned towards Charlotte who on hearing ''a strong bond'', had her cheeks heat up red again.


    Meanwhile, immediately after leaving the meeting room, Grey was seen running at top speed using his wind magic and then he was out of the town''s lord mansion as his hands were tightly clutched onto the chest and a smile was plastered across his face.


    "Finally! I have managed to make a lot of money that mum wouldn''t have to work in that shitty factory again while we can get out of that hell hole neighborhood and get into the upper parts of the town." Grey said with a smile on his face as he kept on running.


    ''I noticed, no matter how much she tried to hide it. At some point, she always goes to bed hungry so I can be full, she also comes back with injuries on her palm which she applies a sort of ointment on it every night. But now, with this money, she wouldn''t have to work again.'' he thought and finally, he was in front of his house after running for twenty minutes.


    "Mum, I''m home!" He called out and then he opened the door and walked in with a smile on his face.


    ________________


    {A/N}


    Please guys, keep supporting my book with whatever resources you have, be it power stones, Golden tickets or gifts, I will really appreciate it.

 Chapter 65 - 65: One more person to protect

    "Mum, I''m home!" He called out and then he opened the door and walked in with a smile on his face.


    "Grey?" Clara called from the kitchen and then he heard running noise and a small girl appeared in front of him with a smile on her face.


    "Bro¡­ Grey." Jesse called out after almost calling Grey her brother.


    "What do you want?" Grey asked with a sharp annoyance in his tone and Jesse''s face fell flat in sadness and she almost began sobbing but she quickly regained her composure.


    "I don''t want anything Grey, I just came out to greet you." Jesse said but then Grey just walked past her nonchalantly towards the kitchen while Jesse choked up.


    ''Why? Why is brother Grey pushing me away? Why does he hate me? Did I do something wrong?'' Jesse thought but with a sigh, she walked towards the kitchen trailing behind Grey who just entered the small kitchen that had shelves barely hanging on.


    "Mum!" Grey called out again and Clara turned around to see him have a beaming smile on his face.


    "Grey? Where were you?" Clara asked.


    "Mum! I have good news for you!" He smiled and then took his mum from the kitchen after turning down the fire and they went into the sitting room.


    "What is the news?" Clara asked. "And where did those town''s lord men took you to?"


    "They took me to see lord Cedric who needed my help with rescuing his son that was kidnapped by the other town." Grey replied.


    "Kidnapped? Help? Hope it wasn''t dangerous? Are you okay?" Clara asked as she began looking all around Grey trying to spot any visible wounds but there was none.


    "Relax mum, I''m alright. Anyway, after the mission was completed, lord Cedric decided to reward me with 5000 gold coins." Grey said happily.


    "5000 what?!" Clara asked as she shot out of her seat feeling her heart thump loudly in excitement.


    "Yes mum, this is it." Grey said as he produced the chest with the gold coins in it and Clara''s face was glistening looking at them and she even reached out her hands to touch them to see if they were real.


    "They are real!" Clara said after thinking that they were fake as she was doubting what Grey was saying all along but seeing and as well touching the coins, she knew that they were real.


    "Woah! Shiny!" Jesse exclaimed as she reached out her hands to touch the gold coins.


    "Did I give you permission to touch them?" Grey asked angrily and Jesse''s outstretched hand froze, motionless and uncertain. Before she slowly pulled it back and her eyes welled up but she quickly wiped it away and walked towards her room.


    "Grey, you don''t have to be rude toes her. I thought you would have forgotten about this by now." Clara said.


    "Are you kidding me? I can''t forget this, for it was because of her you almost lost your life." Grey replied angrily.


    "But I told you that it was my decision to save her, she didn''t force me to. So if you want to hold someone responsible, hold me." Clara replied. "Please, try to get along with her, we are the only ones she has. For f*ck sake, this girl is an orphan.


    What if something happens to me in future, would you abandon her like this?" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What are you saying mum? Nothing will happen to you, I promise to protect you with my life." Grey said.


    "I know. But I also want you to have another priority apart from me. Please consider her as the little sister you never had, kindly forget about that incident please." Clara pleaded with tears welling up in her eyes.


    Grey hated seeing his mum like this. The last time he saw her cry was when his dad died and ever since then, he promised to make his mum as happy as possible and he would make sure she never felt sad or cry ever again. So seeing her eyes well up, it was pulling at his heart strings so he just sighed.


    "Fine. I will do what you said, I will forgive her and draw Jesse close. Happy?" Grey asked.


    "Very! Now if you will excuse me, let me go and try cheer her up." Clara said and was about to stand up.


    "No, let me." Grey said and then he handed his mum the chest full of coins.


    "I will hold onto this and tomorrow I will go and look for a new, good house in the upper parts of town so we can live in comfortably." Clara smiled.


    "As if you read my mind." Grey smiled back and then he used his wind magic on a minuscule scale to fly towards Jesse''s room or in other words, his mum''s room.


    As the house just had two bedrooms with his parents occupying one earlier and him occupying the other as he enjoyed his privacy from a small age and it wasn''t as if like he had any older or younger siblings to begin with.


    Getting to the room''s door, Grey gave it a gentle knock.


    "Jesse, you in?" He called but there was no response so he spread his wind magic around the door and causing it to seep into the room and then he heard soft sobbing.


    Twisting the door knob, he walked into a room that was much smaller than his with a single torn and worn out bed at the side and the paint in the room was already peeling.


    ''It has been ages I came into this room, I don''t remember it looking this miserable. Now I''m feeling bad for getting the best room out of the two rooms in the house.'' Grey thought and then he scanned the room for Jesse when his eyes landed on a huddled over Jesse knee with her back on the wall and her face in between her knees sobbing.


    "Jesse!" Grey called out softly and then she lifted her face up to see Grey in front of her.


    "I did nothing, please don''t scold me again like you always do." Jesse said in between sobs and snot.


    With a sigh, Grey walked over and sat down beside her with his back against the wall and him facing ahead.


    "I''m not here to scold you, I''m actually here to apologize to you." Grey said.


    "Apologize? Really?" Jesse asked sniffling and wiping her face from the tears. "Are you here willingly or did mother Clara forced you here?"


    With a sigh, Grey stood up. "Wanna see a trick?" He asked to which Jesse replied by nodding her head.


    "Fire magic! Flame!" He called out and a small flame appeared in front of Jesse. "Lightning magic!" He called again and a small spark of lightning hit the fire in front of Jesse and then it exploded in a mini fireworks producing a mix of different colours.


    "Wow!" Jesse exclaimed as she wiped her face totally of tears and watched the phenomenon happening in front of her eyes with wide eyes.


    "Feeling better?" Grey asked and Jesse responded again by nodding. "I''m sorry for always scolding and pushing you away. I don''t know if you will understand what I want to say but I will say it anyway." He said and then he came over and sat back down in his position.


    "I lost my dad not long ago and seeing my mum brace herself and run into danger to save you while almost dying, this feeling of pain I felt when my dad died came back again and I developed a sort of resentment towards you for almost being the cause of my mum''s death but now I see I was slightly wrong for resenting you.


    It wasn''t your fault that you lost your parents nor did you force mum to run up and save you. She saw a helpless kid and wanted to do whatever was in her power to help, something I should I have done. So that''s why I''m here to ask for your forgiveness, will you forgive me?"


    "Of course bro¡­ Grey." Jesse said with a beaming smile on her face after wiping all the tears from her eyes and snot too.


    "Don''t worry, you can call me brother. You are now my younger sister." Grey said as he ruffled her hair and then her face lit up more and she swung her arms all around Grey hugging him which caught him unexpectedly.


    ''I guess mum was right huh? I have one more person on my list to protect from harm''s way and I will do everything in my power to protect those on my list.'' Grey thought with a smile as he hugged Jesse back.


    ___________


    {A/N}


    If you all are enjoying the story, and want more chapters, then let''s start a mass release goal.


    500 power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    500 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic castle= 5 extra chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden gapachon= 15 extra chapters.


    Let''s do well to meet this goal guys so we can have more chapters of Magus Supremacy. Thank you ??????

 Chapter 66 - 66: Party!

    In lord Cedric''s mansion, it was decorated beautifully with different type of lights and more decorations making it glow all around and inside was more extravagant as Crystals were placed all around the mansion making the inside glow while the chandeliers were also beautifully decorated. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cedric''s mansion had a grand hall used for various celebrations. It was spacious enough to fit two large trucks, making it ideal for hosting large gatherings.


    The hall was also not exempted from decorations as about two different chandeliers were hung on the ceiling wile fire torches and beast crystals were embedded in the walls giving the hall different colours and vibe.


    The time was 7pm and the whole hall was already been used as people of different class were there. They were about thirty people in the room all dressed elegantly that their dresses all somewhat almost glowed along with the hall.


    On all the people''s clothes, they all had different symbols embedded on them meaning they came from different place while at the side of the hall, drinks and food were placed there while some men wandered to the section to take different types of drinks.


    A strange device played soft, enchanting music for the crowd and they were chatting happily while dancing softly to the music being played. That was when a glass was raised and Cedric clinged it a bit drawing the attention of the crowd towards him as he stood on a raised platform with Max and Charlotte on either side of him while the wind and ice mage that had gone for the rescue mission were standing behind him.


    "Can I have your attention everybody?" Cedric said and everyone kept quiet as they listened to what he had to say. "Thank you. Firstly, I want to thank everyone for honoring my invitation to attend this party."


    And the thirty people all clinged their glasses softly with a smile on their faces and then Cedric continued.


    "The reason for this party is to appreciate the people that went ahead and rescued my darling son from the clothes of Bale. And to also welcome Max back from his first year at a prestigious magical academy.


    It wasn''t really easy being in the academy as many people were dropped before the first year came to an end but Max endured till the end. Although he isn''t done with the academy yet as he still has three more years to go. But I''m glad he got into the academy and made it through the first year so cheers to that." Cedric said.


    "Cheers!" The whole crowd said as they lifted their glasses together.


    "So let me introduce the people that went to rescue Max from the clutches of Bale and I will also use this medium to thank them. Firstly is my darling daughter Charlotte who went on this risky mission to bring back her brother. This type of sibling love is unheard of as she practically went into danger to rescue her beloved brother.


    I''m really proud of her and I''m thankful to the heavens for giving me such a sweet and caring daughter like her." Cedric smiled towards Charlotte was who also smiled with her crimson dress on her gleaming slightly.


    "Next is Lance! The strong 2 star ice mage who I called and pleaded to help and he honored my call. I was really glad when he humbly accepted to go for the mission. I''m thankful for that and for you accepting my request and also bringing Max back safe and sound," Cedric said and then he dropped his glass before he signalled towards someone that brought a golden platter towards him that had some things covered beneath them.


    And then he asked Lance to step forward and the ice mage did. Cedric opened the cover from the platter and brought out an emblem of some kind that looked like a silver pin but it was bigger than a pin and it hard a long spear symbol on it.


    Outstretching it towards Lance, he continued his speech. "I want to invite you to become one of my mage army commandant. You along with one more person would lead my army. Do you accept?"


    Everybody baited their breath awaiting Lance''s answer and it came soon as he walked forward towards Cedric and knelt down in front of him. "I accept!" Immediately, the whole crowd erupted in cheers and applause as Cedric pinned the emblem on Lance''s blazer.


    Lance stood up and gave a small bow to Cedric before moving back to his position and Cedric continued his speech.


    "I also want to thank mage Brian for also honoring my call when I requested for his help and I want to also award him the position of the second commandant alongside mage Lance." Cedric announced as the wind mage stepped forward and knelt down slightly while Cedric pinned the emblem on his blazer too and after giving a small bow, he went back to his position.


    ""These two, alongside my mages, will defend the town against bandits or any attacks." Cedric announced and the whole crowd applauded him but soon there was murmuring and then someone from the crowd spoke.


    "Lord Cedric! I agree that them being 2 star mages, they have a certain level of power but I fail to believe that the three of them were able to best Bale and rescue your son Max. I mean, we all know Bale''s insane strength and the strength of those under him." The man said and everybody nodded along which brought a smile on Cedric''s face.


    "You are right! There is one more person that went along with them and I''m sure without him, this mission wouldn''t have been possible." Cedric said and everybody began looking around for the person maybe any special person that would stand out but there was none as they also looked around Cedric but they couldn''t find someone like that.


    "His name is mage Grey, the strongest mage in the Kiten town. And there''s no need to look around, as I''m not sure he would even attend although I gave him an in¡­" Cedric was about to say when the door swung open and a gust of wind hit the room to the extent the fire torches all got extinguished and then someone stepped into the hall while everybody''s attention was on the door.


    Seeing the way the door opened, they began murmuring as they anticipated who would come in through the doors.


    And soon after, the person that made stfh an entrance was finally seen and seeing the person, Cedric smiled as a red haired young individual walked in with a stern look on his face.

 Chapter 67 - 67: An eating monster!

    A few hours ago, Grey had been at home trying to put a smile on Jesse''s face and also apologizing to her. After affirming that she could call him brother, they happily walked out of the room together with a smile on their faces.


    When they came out and Clara saw the way Grey was holding onto Jesse''s hand, a smile naturally formed on her lips.


    ''I guess he took my advice. I''m so glad as Grey would finally get the little sister he wasn''t able to get before.'' she thought and then they walked towards the small dining.


    "What''s for dinner mum? Brother Grey and I are hungry." Jesse said.


    "Brother Grey?" Clara asked surprised as she looked at Grey who nervously scratched his head in embarrassment.


    "Yes! He said I can call him brother from now on! I''m so happy that brother Grey has finally forgiven and accepted me!" Jesse said with a cheeky smile on her face.


    "Thank you!" Clara mouthed towards Grey with a smile on her face which Grey retuned back.


    ''I''m glad mum is happy. And I promise to keep on making her and Jesse happy. I will do whatever is in my power to make them happy and protect them from harm.'' Grey thought with his fist clenched and then Clara swiftly set the table.


    Seeing the delicious and exotic meal in front of them, Grey''s eyes widened as he could see different types of meat in front of him. They rarely ate meat as they couldn''t afford it so they ate it on rare occasions but here in front of them, were all sort of meat and not the skinny small meat they were used to, these ones were big and huge.


    Seeing the stars in Grey''s eyes, Clara smiled. "This is all thanks to you. Without the money you brought home, we wouldn''t have been able to afford this."


    "Yay! Meat! I''m going to gobble them up!" Jesse said as she quickly grabbed a lap of huge turkey and began devouring it like a little beast.


    "Woah there! You are a little monster when it comes to eating. Who knew that a cute small girl like you could become a monster in the face of food." Grey chuckled.


    "Mum! Brother Grey is making fun of me and calling me a monster!" Jesse called out towards Clara.


    "C''mon Grey! Give her a break, she must just be hungry." Clara said with a chuckle.


    "And so am I!" Grey said and he grabbed a lap of turkey and began devouring it rapidly.


    "See! He was calling me a monster but who knew he had a wormhole in his belly. Look at the way he is eating!" Jesse said with a small giggle that made Grey smile.


    "Don''t you know that mages need to eat a lot so they can use their powers? That is why I''m eating quickly." Grey said with a chuckle.


    "Really?! Does that mean that I''m also a mage? Since I''m devouring my food!" Jesse asked with stars in her eyes.


    "When you show an iota of magic, I will call you a mage. For now, you are just a little cute eating monster." Grey chuckled.


    "Mother Clara!" Jesse said with mouth pouted and her eyes looking like she was about to cry.


    ''This feels good! It has been long I saw Grey this happy. This¡­ this is the Grey I know and remember, not the other one.'' Clara thought as she recalled the scary look on her son''s face when the town''s people came and then the image switched to when the town''s lord men came to get him.


    ''Thinking of.'' she thought.


    "Grey! I heard that the town''s lord is hosting a party at his residence later today." Clara said and the bickering duo suddenly went quiet and began chewing their food.


    "Yeah! I know of that since he has already invited me but I told him I will think about it." Grey replied.


    "So what is your decision?" Clara asked.


    "I''m not attending. I just told him I will think about it so he would get off my back." Grey replied.


    "But don''t you think it is somehow disrespectful to him? I mean a whole town lord invited you to his party and you didn''t show up?" Clara said.


    "Who cares?" Grey shrugged. "I rather stay here and practice my new magic than to attend a silly party that won''t benefit me in anyway. Oh! Did I forget to tell you that I unlocked my fourth affinity?"


    "Grey!" Clara called with her brows furrowed and he just sighed.


    "Fine! I will attend but I don''t have any good clothes to wear. Wouldn''t it look weird for me to put on my tattered clothing to a noble party?" Grey asked.


    "Don''t worry about that, I gotcha." Clara said and she quickly stood up and ran into her room while Grey just shook his head and continued eating while Jesse kept eating silently.


    A few minutes later, after some muffled cursing and shouting from her room, Clara finally emerged something wrapped in a clean package and she handed it over to Grey.


    "What is this?" He asked with his eyebrows raised. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s a special clothing your father had when he was young and wasn''t kicked out from his family. This was specially made for him and he only wore it twice and then he outgrew it. But instead of throwing it away, he decided to keep it for you."


    "This¡­ this is dad''s?" Grey asked as his eyes welled up and he took the packaging.


    "So will you attend the party?" Clara asked.


    "Yeah yeah, and it''s because of you." Grey said and then he wiped his welled up eyes.


    "Thank you." Clara said and they went back to eating happily while Grey continued teasing Jesse before it was finally time for the party.


    When it was time, Grey dressed up nicely in a black blazer that had stripes of red on the side and the pocket and even the collar had stripes of red. And the pants was also black with stripes of red and then Grey''s hair were neatly swept and combed back making him look for handsome.


    ''This blazer! Although it is faint, I can feel traces of mana moving around it. I wonder what it is for.'' Grey thought and then bidding his mum bye, he ran out of the house using his wind magic to fly above the ground and shooting towards the town''s lord house.


    As he approached the hall, he landed gracefully in front of the door. A small gust of wind followed him, pushing the doors open and extinguishing the fire torches inside. The sudden entrance drew the attention of everyone in the hall.

 Chapter 68 - 68: Bring it on!

    As he approached the hall, he landed gracefully in front of the door. A small gust of wind followed him, pushing the doors open and extinguishing the fire torches inside. The sudden entrance drew the attention of everyone in the hall.


    Stepping into the hall, everybody began mumbling as they could see the strange handsome red haired individual walk into the hall gracefully with a stern look on his face. As he walked forward past the people, his only presence was suffocating to the people he passed by.


    Anytime he walked past, a slight gust of wind usually hit them in the face and then finally, he got in front of lord Cedric who had a wide smile on his face while Charlotte had her cheeks heat up red.


    ''He¡­ he is looking so handsome! I never knew he could look this handsome¡­ what is wrong with me? He is just a peasant, I need to control myself as I''m from a noble bloodline.'' Charlotte thought as she quickly threw her face away from Grey.


    "Mage Grey! You arrived?!" Cedric said with a warm smile as he came down from the raised platform and threw his hand all around Grey who had an uncomfortable look on his face as he tried to disengage from the hug.


    Getting the hint, Cedric finally let Grey go and took a step back.


    "I''m so happy you decided to honor my invitation." He said and then he led Grey to the raised platform where the others stood while Max gave him a small smile and nod of the head.


    "Attention everybody!" Cedric called out and all the murmuring stopped at once as they looked to listen to what he had to say.


    "You all asked about the person that made this mission a success, well here you have him, the greatest mage of town Kiten. Grey Dawn the multi elementalist!" Cedric announced and as if a ghost passed by, the whole hall was suddenly silent to the extent that if a pin dropped, it would be heard.


    And then like as if their minds were connected, the whole people burst out laughing hard. It all started from a chuckle before it erupted into a full fledged laughter.


    "You expect us to believe that this little kid is a multi elementalist?!" Someone from the crowd stepped forward. He was the heir of another town that was stronger than the town of Kiten but for some reason, they never attacked Kiten and instead, they forged a relationship with them.


    For a person to be the heir of a town, they had to be immensely powerful just like how Max was. 2 star mages were very rare in small towns but in the royal city, it was a very common occurrence.


    So for someone to be a 2 star mage in a small town, was a miracle but Max broke it as he became a 2 star mage from a small town with incredible lightning affinity.


    But the person that spoke up was also a 2 star mage. An Earth magic user and he was the heir of a strong town that could boast of more 2 star mages than any town.


    "What do you mean Solid?" Cedric asked. "That I''m lying?!"


    "What else would it be if not lies? How can this little kid be a multi elementalist?! The only multi elementalist we have is the Emperor and probably his subordinates." Solid replied. "Besides, if his family name was that of a noble''s, I would have believed but he is practically a no name. A peasant! And his family must be trash looking to gain some sort of recognition!"


    "How dare you!" Max shouted as his hands began crackling with lightning and he took a step forward. "You are insulting my savior and you expect me to keep quiet?!"


    "Tch!" Solid scoffed and then glared Max. "Before you do anything, remember that my magic is your natural enemy."


    Hearing this, Max took a step back as it was true. Lightning magic were naturally weak against Earth magic so this was a worse match up.


    "If his magic is the worst match up, mine shouldn''t be right?" Grey asked as he took a step forward and his whole hands erupted in flames that burned so bright that those that were close to him took several steps back.


    "Tch! You want to threaten me? Fine! If it''s a fight you want, then it''s a fight you will get you annoying peasant!" Solid shouted as Earth began surrounding his hands, legs and the whole of his body.


    "Dad? Won''t you stop them before this place gets destroyed?" Charlotte asked feeling panic wash over her as she knew how strong Grey was.


    "Relax! This hall, infact this mansion is imbuded with magic items that would fix any damage made to it. So even if they rip a hole through it, it would just fix itself back up. Besides even though we are on good terms with Solid''s town and father, Solid himself always rubs me off the wrong way with his arrogant look." Cedric replied.


    "So mage Grey, you can go crazy no worries." Cedric smiled.


    "Glad to hear that." Grey smirked as he took a step forward. ''I wouldn''t have bothered if he had just insulted me alone, I wouldn''t have even batted an eyelid but insulting my family name is unacceptable!''


    "Mind you peasant! I''m not going to hold back one bit!" Solid shouted as he lifted his hand covered in Earth magic.


    "Good to know as I didn''t plan on holding back!" Grey shouted and several wind blades appeared all around him about a dozen. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing and feeling the wind blades, the crowd suddenly felt a loud thump in their hearts as it meant that Cedric was lying one bit.


    "Prepare yourself you ugly looking piece of trash!" Solid shouted and then he dashed towards Grey very quickly while manipulating the Earth around him for a speed boost.


    "Bring it on." Grey mumbled.

 Chapter 69 - 69: It is over!

    "Prepare yourself you ugly looking piece of trash!" Solid shouted and then he dashed towards Grey very quickly while manipulating the Earth around him for a speed boost.


    "Bring it on." Grey mumbled.


    Without wasting time, Solid shot out dozens of Earth spikes towards Grey that were moving at tremendous speed but he just causally used his wind magic to aid him move faster avoiding the spikes that crashed into the wall behind him ripping a hole through the wall and causing a small explosion with smoke behind Grey.


    And just as Cedric said, the wall was seen patching up at rapid speed and in less than a minute, it was good as new again.


    ''This guy! His Earth magic sure packs a punch.'' Grey thought and then lifting his hand and pointing it towards Solid like a pistol of some kind, fire magic suddenly surrounded his arm.


    "Do you think I will just stand here and let you do what you want?" Solid shouted and then he stomped the ground causing an Earthquake to occur throwing Grey off his feet and almost hitting the ground but jumping up and using his wind magic, he landed softly.


    But before he could do anything, more Earth spikes were seen heading his way. Standing up, Grey raised his palm and pointed it towards the spikes heading his way.


    "Wing magic! Aerius!" He called out softly and a big gust of wind came out and hit the spikes sending them flying back towards Solid who swiftly raised an Earth wall in time blocking the spikes.


    Quickly letting the wall down, he could see Grey''s hands lifted and pointed like a pistol towards Solid.


    "Fire magic! Fire bullet!" He called out and a long thin bullet of fire was seen shot towards Solid at tremendous speed that he was unable to lift any defense in time.


    "Fine! My Earth armour would just have to protect me then!" Solid shouted and then lifted his arm that was surrounded by Earth and crossed it in front of him like an X shape in an attempt to block the fire bullet attack.


    But to his surprise, the fire bullet crashed into the Earth surrounding his arm and broke it into pieces shattering it and pushing him back a bit.


    "What the?!" Solid exclaimed.


    "Woah! I don''t think lord Cedric was wrong, this kid is strong." Someone from the crowd commented loudly and Solid hearing this, felt like a vein was going to pop out of his head.


    ''I won''t accept defeat so easily! I¡­ I will show this peasant who is strong here!'' Solid screamed in his mind and then lifting his hand up, all the Earth surrounding his body got lifted up into a huge mound of ball.


    Shaping it, in a split second it looked like an arrow.


    "This fight is over!" Solid laughed.


    "Solid, he is just proving that he has the right to the throne of his town. Not only does he has immense amount of mana, he is skillful with his ability." Cedric mumbled.


    "Perish you trash!" Solid shouted and then he swung his hand sending the arrow flying at neck breaking speed.


    "This fight is truly over, for you!" Grey shouted and then lifted his hand and in a split second in front of everybody''s eyes, a huge arrow made of Earth appeared above him.


    "What monstrous casting speed is this?!" Someone shouted.


    "Even Solid took a minute to creat his, how is he able to create this in a second?!" Another person asked.


    ''I¡­ I trained. I trained day and night honed my affinities so I won''t show any slight sign of weakness especially in my casting speed. I mastered my abilities everyday and now, I won''t let one annoying noble prove I''m weak at all!'' Grey screamed in his head.


    "Fire magic! Flames! Wind magic! Aerius ultra!" Grey screamed out loud as he could see the Earth arrow from Solid incredibly close but then, like a speeding rocket, his arrow was let loose and in a split second, it crashed into Solid''s arrow causing an explosion to occur in the room sending rocks flying everywhere almost hitting the people.


    But they were skillful enough to avoid the debris while also having their mouths agape at what they were seeing.


    "He¡­ he is a multi elementalist?! Lord Cedric wasn''t lying at all!"


    "So¡­ so the town of Kiten has such a monster hiding in it!"


    "Someone should please remind me not to step on the Kiten town''s toes ever!" Another person added as he gulped loudly.


    ''Hmmm. So such a talent is in this small town huh?! I wonder if I can¡­'' a man standing among the crowd who weirdly had a hood over his head since he was wearing a robe thought with a smile on his face.


    "I won''t give up!" Solid shouted as more spikes appeared all around him and he didn''t waste time in unleashing it towards Grey who just causally swung his hand releasing two dozens of wind blades towards the spikes and the two spells cancelled each other out.


    "It isn''t over!" Solid screamed as the urge to prove himself as the best was getting the best of him.


    "It is over." Grey said as he had used his lightning magic to get in front of Solid with his hands sparkling and crackling.


    ''Lightning magic too?!'' the hooded man thought with a smirk on his face as everybody too shared the same surprise.


    Clenching his hands into a fist, he smashed it into Solid''s face sending him flying and crashing into a wall with the wall cracking behind him and he lay there unconsciously while Grey cancelled his magic and calmly walked back towards the platform. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he was walking back, the people that had gathered to see Solid''s condition quickly moved away as they feared to get in Grey''s way.


    ''I hope I haven''t made a mistake in revealing myself too much to the world?!'' Grey thought.


    __________


    Guys! A mass release update would be happening on 1st of March, stay tuned for more exclusive and interesting chapters that would surely wow you all.

 Chapter 70 - 70: Rivals!

    "Water mages that specialize in healing, go check up on that arrogant fool and heal whatever injuries he might have!" Cedric ordered and the mages quickly hurried up to take Solid out of the room to heal his injuries as he was bleeding from his nose being cracked.


    Immediately the mages took him away, the wall where Solid was punched into was now being repaired at amazing speed while Grey walked towards the raised platform and Max chuckled loudly.


    "You?! You really did something I have been meaning to do huh." Max chuckled and then began laughing hard while holding his belly in amusement. "His face was looking horrified as if he saw a ghost when you suddenly appeared in front of him. That was hilarious!"


    Grey was confused and surprised by Max''s attitude and then Max walked towards him and placed his hands on his shoulder while still chuckling.


    "You see. Apart from Solid, I haven''t seen anybody that could compete with me in strength. I mean someone from the young generation as young as us. Until I met you, I never really considered Solid as much as a challenge if not because of his powers that were a counter to mine." Max said with his face all looking serious a contrast to his laughing demeanor.


    "But you, you are different. You have almost all the magical affinities especially my lightning powers making you a perfect candidate. You see Grey, I need to get stronger so for that, I need a milestone someone that I should look ahead of and try to surpass. I mean someone from our generation and now I found the person."


    ''What the hell is this weirdo yapping about?'' Grey thought with a frown on his face.


    "I want you to give me the privilege of being my rival! I want to be your rival and I also want you to consider me as your rival and strive to surpass each other!" Max declared.


    "Haven''t I surpassed you already?" Grey asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "No! I don''t mean in all the magic element or overall prowress, I mean in the lightning affinity category. Let''s compete to see who could be the greatest lightning mage ever! That is what I want to do, set my legend as the greatest lightning user ever!" Max declared.


    ''This weirdo! When I first saw him, I thought he was just a fool, an idiotic moron, but he actually has an ambition?! My ambition is being the greatest mage the world has ever seen while giving my family a good life and his is almost similar to mine in the sense that he wants to be the greatest lightning mage ever.'' Grey thought and then he looked at Max with a smile on his face.


    "But can you keep up? Rival!" Grey asked with a genuine smile on his face.


    ''I love to move with people that have a reasonable ambition and aren''t trying to rely on their family for everything.'' Grey thought.


    "Haha! Or can you keep up rival?!" Max asked and then the both of them hugged each other with a smile on their face before taking a step back.


    "I promise!" Max said.


    "I promise!" Grey said. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "To surpass!" They both said at once.


    "Grey! Max!" They both declared and then they fist bumped.


    ''Max! I thought you were just a care free, annoying son of mine. But you actually have good insight! I made the right choice by choosing you as my successor.'' Cedric thought with a smile.


    "Alright everyone!" Cedric called out while clinging his glass to get their attention and Grey along with Max walked towards the platform.


    "I still have one more thing to announce!" Cedric said and silence befell the hall as they listened to what Cedric had to say again.


    "You see! Since my daughter Charlotte has reached the minimum age requirement, she would be taking the yearly academy test so she could also join a magical academy too." Cedric announced with a smile. "And that is the second reason for this party as it would be her send off party towards a new phase of her life."


    ''Oh?! So she is 16! A little older than I am.'' Grey thought as he looked at Charlotte who had just turned to look at him too when their eyes met and she quickly looked away with a blush on her face.


    "I also want to announce that if Grey is off age, I would sponsor his own academy test as I consider him part of my family too. And anybody that tries to mess with him, would have me to deal with. Not like you all can even do anything to him in the first instance." Cedric chuckled as Grey stared at him.


    ''Who does he think he is trying to wrap under his wings? Maybe it is time to put him in his place.'' Grey thought. ''But come to think of it, his influence and power would actually be more appreciated. Together with a town''s lord and vice principal of a prestigious academy, I would be allowed to take the test no problem.


    And in the long run, if I ever encounter any trouble, his influence would also be off help. Yes! With this, I will just have to play along.'' he thought as he straightened himself and kept on listening.


    "These three," Cedric said as he pointed towards Charlotte, Max and Grey. "Are the future and strength of our small Kiten town and with them, we would continue to grow stronger!"


    Immediately he was done speaking, the hall erupted in cheers and after Cedric was done, the people continued partying as they ate and drank the night away. While some people tried to make small talks with Grey but the cold stare he always gave them was enough to send them shaking away.


    Meanwhile Grey and Max were off to the side while Grey was trying his best to sneakily learn how to control his lightning powers and any help he could get. And since Max''s lips were loose and he also drank after all he was off legal age, his lips were now more loose as he blurted everything Grey needed to know to him.


    While all these were happening, the mysterious hooded man swiftly left the hall and was seen outside looking at the bright moon on his face.


    ''Who knew that a fun trip to a small town under disguise would reveal so much to me. And I can''t believe this was what that old mage was hiding from me.'' the hooded man said as he chuckled slightly.


    "Grey! They gave me an order to eliminate the people who would grow stronger than them from a lowly town, but I can''t help but let you live and so I can see how far you can grow. Till then, bye for now." The man mumbled with a chuckle before he began disappearing and he totally disappeared from view.

 Chapter 71 - 71: Cross the Volcano!

    It was finally a new day and Grey was up early as usual with his daily routine of circulating the mana around him to aid his casting speed get faster than before.


    When he was done, he went down to take his breakfast with his mum and Jesse as they were seen gobbling their foods up and when he was done, he left the house with his mum and Jesse going out to look for a new house where they would live in since their current home was barely hanging on.


    Leaving the house, Grey was seen heading to the usual forest to train as he was seen heading there on foot with his hands in his pockets and his head lowered down in thought.


    ''My lightning powers, I haven''t gotten any spell for it yet and I can''t keep on using the magic in its pure form, I need spells to make my attacks more effective.'' he thought as he finally got to the foot of the forest and heading in, and going deeper, he stood in a large clearing with the trees looking slightly broken and the ground was scorched while some of the trees even had scorch marks on it.


    ''Charlotte should be taking her test right about now.'' Grey sighed as he took a stance in front of a tree. ''I wonder which academy that dumbass lady would be accepted into. In order for me to catch up to Max and Charlotte, I need to train harder so I will get accepted in an academy and after that, I would finally have more spells and good instructors that would help groom my powers.''


    "But first, let''s practice this darn lightning powers." Grey said as his whole hands began crackling and sparkling. Taking a stance in front of a tree, he held his hands out.


    "Let me try take a page from Max''s book!" He said and then he began trying to condense the lightning around his hand.


    The lightning crackling around him began glowing brighter as he tried to condense it more and more to the extent it began glowing bright but then in the next instant, it exploded right in front of Grey''s face sending lightning everywhere almost hitting his face but he was quick to raise an Earth wall.


    The lightning hit the trees scorching them black and even hitting the ground beneath his feet.


    "Darn it! That was a close one." Grey said as he decided to try again.


    But the lightning exploded again. He tried again for about a dozen times but each time, the lightning exploded and now, the forest was almost cleared of trees with his clothes slightly burnt and torn while his face was riddled with sweat and a clear mix of frustration as he was seen with his hands on his knees panting hard.


    "If it was another person, their mana would have gotten depleted by now trying this over and over but luckily for me, I have four magical affinities which gives me more mana than anybody could ever imagine. I haven''t even touched half of my mana pool yet." Grey smiled and then he stood upright wiping the sweat off his face.


    "So let''s go again!" He screamed as he began condensing the ball of lightning again forming a lightning ball in front of him as he tried to control it, it would explode sending sparks of lightning everywhere.


    But regardless, Grey didn''t give up even though the desperation and despair was starting to show, the sheer willpower to complete the task perfectly was starting to show as he kept on doing the same thing over and over again with no results.


    "Only a fool will keep doing the same thing over and over again without any positive results." Noir said.


    "Well this fool will keep on trying until he gets it right regardless of what you say." Grey replied as he began condensing the lightning again.


    "Tch! Good luck with that you talentless human." Noir scoffed and then he went silent in whatever hole he was always watching from.


    "I can''t give up! I can''t and I won''t! I¡­" Grey said as the ball of lightning was now shaking with power while his teeth was grit trying to hold it together so it won''t explode. "I won''t be left behind by Max! I will surpass him and also become the greatest lightning mage and also overall mage to ever walk the Earth!"


    He shouted but then the ball of lightning exploded again sending waves and sparks of lightning everywhere and this time, Grey was too slow to raise an Earth wall as the lightning crashed into him electrocuting and sending joules of pain into him.


    "Arghhhhhh!" He screamed for a few seconds when the pain stopped and he hit the ground panting hard in pain and frustration. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Why?! Why isn''t this working? What am I doing wrong?!"


    "Haha!" Noir laughed inside Grey''s mind. "Face it, you are weak and talentless. The only thing you have on your side is luck! Luck of having more mana and magical affinities than anyone else making you versatile."


    "Curse you Noir! If you come outside here, I will make sure I roast you alive with my flames!" Grey shouted.


    "Don''t forget I also have fire magic." Noir laughed and Grey just grit his teeth and stood up heading towards the mountain of volcano that was several metres away from where he stood.


    "Since I''m getting nowhere with lightning magic today, let me just go and practice my other magic but first I need to recover my mana." Grey said as he picked himself up while slowly heading towards the volcano.


    And in five minutes, he was there but he stood at the foot of a lava while looking at the volcano.


    "Come to think of it, I haven''t tried to go up to that volcano, I always stopped here at the foot of the lava." Grey said as he looked around and then he clenched his hands in and out.


    "It''s taking all my willpower to stand here at the foot of this lava, not to talk of heading to the volcano." He said then a small smile appeared on his face. "If I can''t get anywhere with lightning magic today, let''s try to train my fire magic and body so I can become more stronger. So I''m going to try my best to cross that volcano and see what is behind it!" S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 72 - 72: Mana Skin!

    "Come to think of it, I haven''t tried to go up to that volcano, I always stopped here at the foot of the lava." Grey said as he looked around and then he clenched his hands in and out.


    "It''s taking all my willpower to stand here at the foot of this lava, not to talk of heading to the volcano." He said then a small smile appeared on his face. "If I can''t get anywhere with lightning magic today, let''s try to train my fire magic and body so I can become more stronger. So I''m going to try my best to cross that volcano and see what is behind it!"


    With that, Grey began his journey to explore the volcano a few metres away from him and it wasn''t easy as immediately he left the foot of the lava, and he took about five steps forward, a heavy pressure descended on him as he suddenly felt unable to work forward.


    "Shit! The heat¡­" Grey sucked in a sharp breath, only to choke as it seared down his throat. It felt like he had inhaled fire itself. The ground beneath his feet was nearly unbearable, radiating heat strong enough to make his soles ache with every step. His muscles screamed in protest, his body sluggish as if he were wading through molten tar. Even the air around him felt heavy, pressing down on him like a living force. Still, he gritted his teeth, forcing his legs to move forward.


    He managed to walk for a bit when he suddenly was unable to anymore as the heat and pressure descended on him more which could be seen as he was on his knees panting while his body was drenched with sweat.


    "Shit! I''m not even anywhere close to the volcano and I can feel the heat and pressure here? And I thought the lava was hot." Grey said as he looked at his body covered in sweat to the extent his clothes were clinging onto him.


    Slowly rising to his feet while clenching his jaws tightly to the extent that his teeth were so tightly grit that it looked like even air would find it hard to escape from his mouth, he finally pulled his shirt from his body and wrapped it around his waist revealing a lean and skinny young boy.


    Since mages didn''t really require to train their body to use magic, they didn''t have a fine and toned body and that was what Grey displayed. But one thing that was undeniable was his handsomeness.


    Wrapping the shirt around his waist, he continued his journey with his feet blazing and his body covered in more sweat while his throat was feeling parched and dry as his lips was looking dried but he didn''t allow that to stop him as he could see the volcano around ten metres away from him.


    So he continued walking with more resolve but when he got around five metres away from the volcano, he finally collapsed to the ground hard while breathing in and out in pain as his eyes began closing in and out.


    "Shit! Who sent me to even do this? This torture, for what? Curis¡­ curi¡­ for curiosity?" Grey cursed angrily as he managed to lift his head to look in front him to see the volcano around five metres from him.


    "Darn it! I don''t even have the strength to turn back." Grey''s vision wavered, the edges darkening like ink bleeding into water. His body convulsed involuntarily, heatwaves rolling over him in suffocating layers. The ground beneath him felt like burning coals, but he lacked the energy to even lift a finger. His breath came in short, ragged gasps, each inhale scraping his throat like sandpaper. His lips cracked, and he could taste the faint metallic tang of blood on his tongue.


    Just as Grey''s consciousness began to slip, his core trembled, a deep and resonant vibration that spread through his veins. A sudden, tingling coolness washed over him, like plunging into a pool of refreshing water in the midst of a scorching desert. His skin burned¡ªbut this time, it wasn''t from the heat. It was something else entirely. Something powerful. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A red glow pulsed beneath his skin, lighting up his veins like molten lava. The overwhelming pressure that had crushed him just moments ago seemed to ease. The heat was still there, but it no longer burned¡ªit merely existed around him. He blinked in confusion, flexing his fingers, feeling the new energy coursing through his limbs.


    And then his heart began beating loudly as it pumped blood faster and harder and then his fingers twitched slightly, then his full hand and finally, his whole body began twitching and also glowing slightly red.


    It felt like a red wind surrounded Grey''s body from head to toe like a blanket or something but not quite. And then, his eyes snapped open while slowly rising and looking at his hands and body.


    Closing his eyes, he could feel the mana all around him clearly and his aching, pressured body was no longer being pressured. Even the heat had receded to a bearable level as a confused expression appeared on his face.


    "What the hell is this? How am I glowing? And why aren''t I feeling the heat like before?!" Grey asked himself feeling confused as he touched his mana core.


    "Is this what I think it is? But how? You are still young!" Noir mumbled loudly as Grey became slightly confused.


    "Do you know what this is?" Grey asked and he heard the wolf sigh in his head.


    "This is mana skin!" Noir exclaimed.


    "Mana Skin, huh?" Grey muttered, staring at his glowing hands, feeling the soft hum of energy encasing his body. The red glow flickered like embers in the wind, pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. The air around him no longer burned¡ªit felt like he had merged with the environment, adapting to its harshness.


    "It''s a protective barrier, you idiot," Noir scoffed. "A second skin of mana that shields you from environmental extremes¡ªheat, pressure, even magical radiation. Most mages struggle for years to awaken it, and here you are, dumb luck on your side as usual."


    "Woah! That is so cool! No wonder I''m no longer feeling the heat!" Grey exclaimed. "But how did I unlock it and why is it looking red?"


    "Obviously you unlocked in this harsh condition since your body wanted to shield you from the heat so it naturally adapted and helped you unlock this skin. And it''s colour is like that because of your natural affinity to fire and where you are right now." Noir explained.


    "Oh?! Now that is what I''m talking about!" Grey smiled as he surrounded his body with wind magic and then he looked at his hand. Seeing the wind magic not interfere with his mana skin, he shot forward towards the volcano at tremendous speed despite the intense heat.


    "Now I''m going to see what is behind that volcano." He smiled as he was approaching the volcano at tremendous speed while it was coming into view rapidly and finally, when he was close, he halted his flight as he was seen flying above the intense volcano and despite the heat, he wasn''t feeling it at all.


    "Weird! I thought it was going to be something special but it just looks like a normal volcano." Grey sighed as he continued looking at the volcano. "All these torture for nothing. At least I gained mana skin."


    Just as he was about to dismiss the entire ordeal as a waste of time, Grey turned¡ªand his breath hitched.


    His fingers trembled, a cold shiver running down his spine despite the heat around him. The sight before him was nothing short of unnatural, something that should not exist. His pupils constricted, his heartbeat hammering against his ribs as an unexplainable sense of dread settled over him.


    "What the hell¡­?"


    .

 Chapter 73 - 73: A beautiful forest

    Just as he was about to dismiss the entire ordeal as a waste of time, Grey turned¡ªand his breath hitched.


    His fingers trembled, a cold shiver running down his spine despite the heat around him. The sight before him was nothing short of unnatural, something that should not exist. His pupils constricted, his heartbeat hammering against his ribs as an unexplainable sense of dread settled over him.


    "What the hell¡­?!" He shouted as in front of him behind the volcano, Grey could see forests and they weren''t like the forest he came from, this forest, the trees were looking so fresh and beautiful and not partly dead like the one he came from.


    This forest had beautiful leaves and young thick looking trees intertwining and woven together beautifully with birds perching on the trees while some animals that didn''t look like beasts were seen running around happily without any worries.


    Unlike the forest were Grey came from that was filled with dangerous beasts that would try and harm any human who walked in with partly dead, broken trees, this forest was so beautiful almost looking a garden.


    ''There was something as beautiful as this here? But how?'' Grey thought as he looked at the volcano then back at the forest, then back at the volcano before he looked back at the forest again.


    "More importantly, how is the volcano not affecting the forest? It looks so beautiful and untouched as if there''s no withered leaf on the trees." He mumbled as he stared harder from his floating position.


    ''I need to get a better look and hopefully, I can even bring Jesse here one day to admire this beautiful forest.'' he thought and then he flew at tremendous speed heading towards the forest using his wind magic.


    And it didn''t take less than a minute before he got to the forest and in a flash, he landed in the middle of it causing a huge gust of wind almost like when he uses ''Aerius'' to hit the trees uprooting the weaker trees and causing a few leaves to fall off while the animals in the forest scurried away in fear.


    "Woah! Look at those beautiful and delicious looking fruits." Grey said excitedly. "I''m sure mum and Jesse would love them."


    He was just about to take a step when his brows furrowed as he closed his eyes while turning around slightly.


    "The mana here¡­" He thought as his eyes snapped open with a widened expression on his face. "The mana here is much more abundant than the other side of the volcano and it feels¡­" he mumbled as he closed his eyes more to get the feel.


    "Purer!" he said as he opened his eyes looking around. "Why does this place feel different than the other side? More like I''m in another planet."


    "Whatever! Those fruits look to be calling me. I need to determine first if it is safe to eat before taking some back home." Grey said excitedly as he took several steps forward towards a big tree off to his side and he stretched his hands to reach a red fruit hanging over a branch when his eyes widened while his head looked straight ahead. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is¡­" he said and then swirling his wind magic around him, he flew off the ground and jumped off to the side just in time as arrow was seen coming from behind him and piercing the tree he was admiring fruits from.


    "An arow?!" he mumbled in surprise as he turned to look around when he suddenly saw several arrows heading for him from above that it almost cast a shadow over him.


    "What the hell?!" He exclaimed as he quickly struck the ground beneath him with his hands. "Earth magic! Earth wall."


    Immediately, a huge wall of Earth was raised in front of him blocking the arrows.


    "Using the natural Earth would not take much of my mana than casting Earth from thin air¡­ This should ho¡­" he stuttered as he could see the wall suddenly disintegrating as if acid was poured in it as it began sizzling and since he was still connected to the Earth in front of him, he could still feel the barrage of arrows hitting it.


    And in a split second, the Earth shattered into hundred pieces as Grey was seen surrounding himself with wind magic and jumping back avoiding the arrows.


    He could still see the arrows being sent his way from nowhere which made him panic slightly.


    "Darn! Doesn''t whoever is firing the arrows get tired?!" He shouted as using his wind magic, he was dodging the arrows skillfully while moving back to the extent his back hit a tree behind him while the arrows were still coming.


    "Shit!" He said and then he swiftly jumped back behind the tree in time as the arrows landed in the ground, the exact spot he stood on.


    Hiding behind the tree, Grey was trying his hardest to calm his widely beating heart while his body was still flowing with wind magic but then, he noticed something.


    "It''s quiet?! I can''t hear any arrows barrage." He mumbled as he peeped behind the tree when he saw an arrow almost pierce his eyes but quickly pulling his head back behind the trees, he avoided it.


    "Huh? I didn''t hear the arrow hit the tree?!" He mumbled as he looked back behind the tree and he could see the arrow floating mere inches away from the tree and noticing Grey, it was about to move when he quickly pulled his head back.


    ''That means the people controlling the arrows do not want to hit the trees or forest.'' he thought as he looked in front of him to see rows of trees in front of him.


    ''But I can''t keep hiding here forever! And I can''t attack them especially since I can''t see them.''


    "Demon! Show yourself now!" Grey heard a voice shouting from way over towards where the arrows were coming from.


    ''Demon?'' Grey thought when he decided to dismiss it.


    "I will show myself if you promise not to attack me! Besides, I''m here in peace." Grey said and then the whole place suddenly became quiet.


    "Fine! We accept!" The voice said again.


    Not believing them totally, Grey popped his head a little to see that the floating arrow was no longer there and then bringing his hand forward, he quickly pulled it back expecting a rain of arrows but there was none.


    Taking a deep breath, he walked forward revealing himself from beneath the tree while raising a small mound of Earth beneath his feet just in case of showers of arrows but there was none.


    ''I guess they are adhering to their words.'' Grey thought and then from behind the forest over to the other side, he could see dozens of beings walking forward with bows and arrows in their hands and a stern look on their faces.


    ''Huh?! Why do they look different from humans?'' Grey thought in surprise.


    ____________


    {A/N}


    I''m sorry guys for the one chapter per day release rate, I''m trying to stockpile chapters for March magus Supremacy''s first MGS month... I promise that from March, I will increase my chapter release rate... Also, there will be a five chapters mass release on 1st of March guys... Be prepared for an epic battle and plot twists ????

 Chapter 74 - 74: A New race encountered: Elves!

    ''I guess they are adhering to their words.'' Grey thought and then from behind the forest over to the other side, he could see dozens of beings walking forward with bows and arrows in their hands and a stern look on their faces.


    ''Huh?! Why do they look different from humans?'' Grey thought in surprise.


    The beings in front of him were tall and slender, long limbs and elegant figures, with pointed ears on their heads. The ears were slightly longer and pointier than a human''s. Their eyes were almond shaped which was slightly slanted giving them an exotic, otherworldly appearance.


    The beings had fair, pale skins, with their long silky hair having different colours on them ranging from, dark brown to silver coloured. The beings all had a stern look on their faces with their weapons which was a bow with a quiver free of arrows with them making Grey wonder where all the arrows they were bombarding him with came from.


    Looking around, he noticed that the arrows that missed him had disappeared from the ground as if they had dissipated from the ground causing Grey to be wary of the people in front of him.


    That was when one of the weird beings stepped forward and stood around two metres away from Grey while his arrow was in hand and pointing it at him while drawing the string, a shimmering light appeared on the bow and then it formed a golden arrow of some kind.


    Looking at the arrow, Grey''s eyes widened as he finally realized what they were made from and why they dissipated.


    ''This is mana! I can feel the mana running through that bow for the arrow to appear like that, it feels like magic. But what type though?'' he thought.


    "Tell us what a demon like you is doing here?" The being asked.


    "A demon? Who are you calling a demon? Do I look like a demon?" Grey asked irritated.


    "You certainly look like a demon by your actions and weird magic." The being said. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Says the person that looks so weird." Grey replied and then the being pulled back the arrow again.


    ''I wonder what race or beings they are.'' he thought.


    "Don''t you read at all?" Noir asked. "Those beings are elves!"


    ''Elves? What''s an elf?'' Grey wondered.


    "Beings loved by mana. Have abundant reserve of mana and are quite strong in spell casting. Seriously? It doesn''t ring a bell?" Noir asked.


    "Nope." Grey replied.


    "I give up." Noir said then he went silent.


    ''I wonder how he knows so much about magic and the world lore.'' Grey thought.


    "Would you answer my questions or should I release the arrow?" The elf in front of Grey asked.


    "No! Don''t shoot! I''m from a race known as humans and I just happened to stumble upon this place while exploring." Grey replied.


    ''If truly they are as powerful as Noir said, then I have to tread carefully here. Beings loved by mana and having an abundant reserve, assuming Noir said all these before they attacked, I wouldn''t have believed as I can feel the large mana running through them. If I were to engage with them, I would run out of mana sooner or later, so I just have to play along.'' he thought.


    "Then what are you doing here? And why did you cause such a sin?!" The elf asked.


    "Sin? What sin?" Grey asked with a raised eyebrow and then the elf pointed behind him.


    Looking back wearily, he could see where he landed earlier, how the trees had been uprooted and leaves fell off their branches.


    "I didn''t do that purposely, it was when I landed and my wind magic spread out therefore causing that. Besides, isn''t it just trees? They will surely grow back." Grey replied nonchalantly and then he saw the elf''s eyes twitching in anger.


    "Just trees? Now you need to go." The elf said as he drew the string more while Grey prepared the mound beneath his feet ready for anything but then a loud shout from the crowd interrupted them.


    Then an older elf who had white hair and beard all over walked forward slowly using a walking cane of some sorts.


    "Damien! Why are you so hotheaded and impatient?" The old elf asked.


    ''Even their oldies have tremendous amount of mana that could rival 3 star mages and possibly 4 star?! What is this place? And who are these elves?'' Grey thought then he saw the old elf turn to look at him.


    "What is going on here?" The old elf asked and the elf known as Damien smirked when he saw the old elf.


    "Just take a look at this." Damien said as he pointed behind Grey and the old elf''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Who committed this sin?!" The elf asked.


    "This demon here." Damien replied.


    "I told you I''m no demon and if you keep on calling me that, imma burn you to a crisp." Grey said with his hands erupting in flames shocking the old elf.


    "Oh yeah?! Wanna go for a quick round?" Damien asked as he pointed the bow and arrow forward towards Grey.


    "Enough!" The old elf interrupted them. "You demon, why did you commit this sin?"


    "I''m no demon, I''m a human! Why don''t you silly elves understand that? And I didn''t purposely commit a ''sin'''' Grey said the sin part while performing a bunny ears sign with his fingers.


    "How dare you talk to our elder like that!" Damien shouted and all the elves including Damien lifted their bow and arrows at once while Grey took a stance but then the old elf lifted his hands stopping any altercations.


    "You guys should calm down and you human, you will have to come along to explain yourself to our leader about why you committed this sin." The elf said.


    "For goodness sake, I said it wasn''t on purpose darn it!" Grey shouted in anger.


    "Then you shouldn''t have any problem coming over to our leader in order to clear your name right?" The old elf asked.


    "Fine! You want me to accompany you all to see your leader right? Then no problem, lead the way." Grey said as he walked forward while Damien pulled back his bow and letting the arrows dissipate.


    "Let''s go everyone." The old elf said and they all turned back to the other side of the forest they came from and began walking with Grey in their midst with his hands in his pockets and his shirt still wrapped around his waist and his wind magic slowly moving around making it seem like it''s just the wind.


    But it was his magic just in case something happened and he needed an emergency escape route. They kept walking for around five minutes while going deeper into the forest until they finally came out into a clear area but still forest was seen surrounding them.


    This clearing wasn''t really huge but it was still noticeable while the trees were scattered around with houses made on the trees on different tree. The amount of houses Grey was seeing was enough to make for an entire town back home.


    And then at the edge of the treetop town, a more beautiful tree was laid there with a huge house on it that could fit about two hundred elves on it. The trees instead of having leaves on it, had the houses so it was built spaciously.


    And weirdly enough for Grey, the trees were somehow huge and bigger than anything he has ever seen which was comfortably housing the houses on it.


    Right on cue when stepping onto the soil of treetop town, Grey could feel a weird sensation going around as the air was feeling pure again like the forest but the purity here was so great that it almost felt soothing to him.


    ''I can feel something else¡­ it feels like the mana around the air is trying to force its way into me. But how and why?'' he thought.


    Immediately they had come out of the deep forest, as if sensing it, elves began peeping out of their different houses to see what was going on as they could see Grey in the middle of the warrior elves.


    "That is the way to our leader''s palace, let''s go." The old elf said and they all began moving towards there.


    _______________


    {A/N}


    Guys please motivate me more by sending power stones, Golden tickets and Gifts my way so it would fuel me to keep on writing. I''m participating in WSA, and I don''t want to lose so bad but I can''t do it without all your support so please, support this small time writer so he can keep on pumping more chapters for you all to enjoy.


    And these are my mass release goals that I would like for us to hit so you can get more chapters.


    500 power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    500 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic castle= 5 extra chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 extra chapters.


    Golden gachapon= 15 extra chapters.


    So let''s go guys! Let''s hit the goals!

 Chapter 75 - 75: Light magic!

    ''I can feel something else¡­ it feels like the mana around the air is trying to force its way into me. But how and why?'' he thought.


    Immediately they had come out of the deep forest, as if sensing it, elves began peeping out of their different houses to see what was going on as they could see Grey in the middle of the warrior elves.


    "That is the way to our leader''s palace, let''s go." The old elf said and they all began moving towards there.


    They walked forward for a few steps before they all stood in front of the huge house on a huge painted tree.


    "How are we getting up there?" Grey asked.


    "Like this." The old elf said and then he began floating above the ground so did Damien and they flew upwards towards the tree before they landed in front of the house.


    It was only the old elf and Damien that accompanied Grey to the palace as the rest had turned back. With a sigh, Grey also used his wind magic to begin floating towards the house.


    ''I noticed it, they used pure mana and then shaped like as if it was wind magic they exhibited. These race as no joke.'' he thought as he landed in front of the old elf who gave the house a soft knock and then a male elf opened the door.


    "Oh! Old man! What brings you here?" The elf asked.


    "We are here to see the leader." The old elf replied.


    "The leader? Wh¡­" he was about to ask his next words when he turned around to see Grey standing around without the top half of shirt with his hands in his pockets standing around nonchalantly with soft wind blowing his hair.


    "Who''s this? What even is he?" The elf at the door asked.


    "A human! And will you let us in already? My legs might give in at anytime." The old elf said.


    "I''m sorry, My bad. Come on in." The elf said as he left the door and allowed the old elf, Damien and Grey to enter.


    Walking into the huge house, Grey''s sight was met with the interior of the Elf Leader''s palace which was a breathtaking fusion of nature and elegance. Towering silverwood doors opened into a vast hall where crystal orbs bathed the space in a soft, ethereal glow. Vines crept along the walls, blooming at the presence of visitors, while the polished moonstone floor reflected their faint luminescence. At the hall''s center stood the Heartwood, an ancient tree with golden leaves, its roots visible beneath a transparent floor where an underground spring shimmered.


    Beyond the grand hall lay the throne room, where a seat of power, carved from the roots of an enchanted tree, radiated quiet authority. Behind it, a waterfall cascaded down an ivy-covered marble wall, its melody harmonizing with the whisper of wind through tall, arched windows. Starlit tapestries draped the walls, depicting the long, storied history of the elves.


    Deep within the palace, the Hall of Wisdom held shelves that grew from the walls, cradling countless ancient tomes. Floating lanterns drifted through the air, their blue fire casting flickering shadows over scholars immersed in knowledge.


    The palace extended into lush indoor gardens, where rare flora thrived in open-roofed sanctuaries. Even the Elf Leader''s private chambers reflected their harmony with nature¡ªwoven silver-threaded vines shaped the bed, while an enchanted pool mirrored the stars no matter the time of day. Every step through the palace felt like wandering through a dream, a place where magic, wisdom, and nature existed in perfect balance.


    Walking forward towards the throne, Grey was met with a strange sight as instead of a single throne, there were two thrones but they weren''t of equal size as one of them was slightly smaller than the other but the small one was no less grand as on the two thrones, there were one elves each on it.


    One was a male with the same features as the other elves but he had golden long hair with a commanding aura. Walking forward, Grey felt a powerful aura of mana surrounding the elf which was slightly suffocating to him.


    ''This elf¡­ he has a smile on his face but his aura is saying otherwise. Although it feels pure, he is undoubtedly stronger than even 7 star mages. And the elf beside him¡­'' he thought as he saw a female elf occupying the smaller throne.


    Grey didn''t think he would find another race attractive but this female elf was captivating with her breathtaking long luscious silver hair, she sat with a constant smile on her throne.


    ''She also has immense power but it is still not on the level of this male elf¡­ she could stand her ground against 5 star mages and that''s all¡­ but this male elf, his power¡­ he could stand and possibly best the emperor''s subordinates that are known to be 7 star mages each¡­ what the hell have I found myself in?!'' Grey thought in shock as the elf stopped walking around two feet away from the throne and so did the others including Grey.


    "What brings you here old man? And who is this human guest?" The leader asked calmly but Grey knew that behind that calm words and soothing voice lay a powerful monster.


    ''Wait! He recognizes my race?! The others just called me a demon but he¡­ has he encountered humans before?'' Grey thought when the male elf leader suddenly had his eyes staring at him weirdly.


    "You are a mage?!" The leader shouted as he shot out of his seat in shock with his mouth agape.


    ''Huh?! He knows what I am too? Who the hell is this elf?'' he thought.


    And then like a blur that Grey was unable to keep track of, he suddenly saw the elf in front of him staring at him with wide eyes.


    ''What the hell?! I didn''t see him move, and he is in front of me?!'' Grey gulped down in fear. ''I don''t think I can step on his toes anyhow as he might eliminate me in the blink of an eye.'' Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What powers do you use? What''s your position in the human world? And how strong are you?" The leader asked with more stars dancing in his eyes.


    ''What the hell is wrong with this guy? When those elves mentioned their leader, this is not what I envisioned at all.'' Grey thought.


    "Ahem! You are losing your composure." The female elf said and then she stepped forward while the male elf quickly stepped back and cleared his throat.


    "Old man Jankis, what is a human doing here?" The female elf asked.


    "He committed a sin my lady." Damien said with a slight bow.


    "Huh? What sin?" The male elf asked.


    "You see Licht¡­" Old man Jankis was about to say when the female elf shot him a glaring look but the male leader just smiled.


    "Charla, let him be¡­ Old man Jankis is like a father to me, he can call me by my name." Licht said.


    "Thank you Licht¡­ you see this human here destroyed some trees in the forest a couple of miles away from here." Jankis said.


    "What?! That is an abomination!" Charla said and then she shot Grey and angry look. "Trees are sacred, trees are part of nature and we must always respect nature and you destroyed some trees? That is totally unacceptable!"


    She said and then the vines in the room began moving and in a flash, they bind Grey up spreading his arms and legs apart while he had a stunned look on his face as he gulped down in fear.


    "Please hear me out! I didn''t purposely destroy the trees, it was a mistake and I didn''t even notice as I was busy admiring the beautiful forest¡­ I''m so sorry for destroying your precious trees!" Grey apologized almost crying.


    "Haha! So you can be a cry baby? You always act tough, nonchalant, rude and arrogant in face of danger and foes but here you are pleading for your life?!" Noir began laughing in Grey''s mind while feeling as if he was rolling around in laughter.


    "Oh I''m enjoying the show so badly¡­ I can''t believe his attitude got toned down drastically!" Noir exclaimed as he began laughing again.


    ''It''s not your fault you damned wolf! Just let me catch you out, I will burn you to a crisp.'' Grey screamed in his head.


    "I dare you to say the same thing to that female elf if she won''t skewer you here. Hahaha!" Noir laughed.


    "Relax Charla, he is telling the truth. He didn''t purposely destroy the trees as it was an honest mistake." Licht said and then the vines receded with dropping Grey to the floor who was panting hard not because of exhaustion but because of fear.


    "But we can''t forgive him for commiting an abomination." Charla said.


    "Who said anything about forgiving him? He is still going to be punished." Licht said and then he turned towards Grey with a smirk on his face while he gulped loudly in fear.


    ''I couldn''t see or do anything when the female attacked me¡­ not even a fighting chance. If he was to attack, I would be dead in an instant.'' Grey gulped again while Noir was still rolling in laughter.


    And all of a sudden, a shining and bright light began glowing in the room that some of them had to cover their faces and in an instant, the light got dimmed while Grey slowly opened his eyes to see light swords in front of him.


    The swords had mana running through it while looking like golden swords made of light.


    With a smile, the male elf looked at him. "Light magic! Swords of punishment!"

 Chapter 76 - 76: Stay here!

    ''I couldn''t see or do anything when the female attacked me¡­ not even a fighting chance. If he was to attack, I would be dead in an instant.'' Grey gulped again while Noir was still rolling in laughter.


    And all of a sudden, a shining and bright light began glowing in the room that some of them had to cover their faces and in an instant, the light got dimmed while Grey slowly opened his eyes to see light swords in front of him.


    The swords had mana running through it while looking like golden swords made of light.


    With a smile, the male elf looked at him. "Light magic! Swords of punishment!"


    Grey on seeing the swords made of light hanging above him, he gulped loudly while breaking out in sweat.


    ''I''m cooked! Is this how Solid, Bale and Clark felt when they knew I could easily overpower them?'' Grey thought with wide eyes as he kept looking at the shimmering light coming from the sword while Carla kept smiling.


    Swinging his hand forward, Licht sent the swords heading towards Grey and knowing there was nothing he could do, he quickly lifted an earth wall while his eyes were closed in fear waiting for the impact and possibly death of him since he knew there was no way he could escape or come out unscathed.


    But to his surprise, there was no impact and then an ear piercing laughter was heard in the room while Grey slowly let the earth wall down but he had wind surrounding his hands just in case.


    And then looking around, he could see the light swords were stopped just inches away from his face while Licht was rolling with laughter and everyone had a confused expression on their faces.


    "I was just kidding, I''m not going to kill you." Licht said.


    "So does that mean you are letting me go scot free?" Grey asked swallowing a big lump of saliva.


    And then the light swords all dissipated with Licht walking forward towards Grey with a smile on his face.


    "Although I''m not going to kill you, you are still going to be punished for destroying nature. And your punishment is that you would be required to stay here for a week and help around the town while I study your powers more."


    "A week?!" Grey shouted as he slowly rose up in fear.


    "Any problem? I''m giving you two choices right now, either you die or you stay here for a week. Choose one." Licht said with a smirk as he walked back to his throne and so did Charla as she wondered what Licht was planning on doing.


    ''I don''t want to die, I haven''t accomplished my mission yet so I can''t die. And it''s obvious that if he wanted to kill me, he could do it in the blink of an eye. But if I were to stay here for a week, what would I tell mum? She would be so worried. But come to think of it, I can only worry about mum if I''m alive right?'' he thought as he had his head facing downwards in thoughts.


    "Well, what''s your decision?" Licht asked. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I will stay here for a week." Grey sighed.


    "Good boy." Licht smiled and then he turned towards old man Jankis. "Please show him where he would be staying from now on and his duties that will make up for destroying the trees."


    "Sure." Jankis said and then he led Grey away from the leader towards the quarters where he would be staying.


    When they were out of sight, Charla turned towards Licht. "Why?"


    "Why what?" Licht asked. "Be more specific with your questions will you?"


    "I mean why did you let that human off lightly?" She asked and then she saw Licht sigh.


    "What''s my magic?" He asked and she raised an eyebrow in confusion.


    "Light magic¡­ why?" Charla asked.


    "Correct! I use light magic but not in the way humans use it. Although my magic can heal, it can also destroy. And when I had released my light sword towards him, I felt something I haven''t felt in any race or being before be it humans or elves." Licht said.


    "Felt? What is that?" Charla asked.


    "Power! Power beyond anything anybody has ever seen. Power to even rival and go against them." Licht said with a small smile on his face and Charla''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Yo¡­ you mean¡­ you mean he can rival them?" She asked and Licht nodded in agreement.


    "And about him destroying the trees, it really was a honest mistake. I felt it when he was confessing and begging for his life." Licht said.


    "But power to rival them? How come?" Charla asked.


    "I don''t know and that is why I said he should stay here for a week so I can study him properly¡­ if I notice the slightest sign that he would use his powers for evil, then he is going to be eliminated immediately but if not, then the humans better watch out." Licht laughed.


    Meanwhile, Jankis was leading Grey to where he would stay in the palace when they passed by a female elf that had green leaves surrounding her head like a crown with her golden long hair flowing in the wind beautifully while her almond brown eyes were shining beautifully.


    "Old man Jankis!" The elf called out.


    "Princess Elara!" Jankis said.


    "Oh please! Stop being formal. You call my dad by his name and call me with accolades? It''s not fair." Elara said while pouting her mouth cutely as if she was upset.


    Jankis just chuckled. "I''m sorry about that Elara."


    "Much better." Elara smiled and then looked behind old man Jankis to look at Grey who had his shirt on with a stern look on his face as if he was annoyed by everything going on that he even failed to acknowledge the female elf in front of them.


    "And who is that? I think I have seen their race somewhere." Elara said as she stared hard at Grey and feeling that someone or something was looking his way, he turned around to look at the female elf with his stern brown eyes.


    "Why the stare?" He asked sharply as he calmly felt her mana.


    ''Although she has huge amount of mana like the rest, I can feel she poses no threat to me.'' he thought.


    "This is Grey right?" Old man Jankis said as he turned towards him for confirmation but Grey just scoffed. "Yeah! He is Grey. A human under probation for a week for destroying some trees."


    "What?! That''s a taboo." Elara exclaimed.


    "Yeah yeah. I know now and I apologized to you all but I''m still forced to be here." Grey said in frustration.


    "You should be grateful you didn''t get killed by my mum for doing that." Elara chuckled.


    ''So she is the daughter of the Licht and Charla fellow huh¡­ But how come she feels weaker than them seeing as she is royalty. The only thing that would give me trouble is her huge amount of mana.'' Grey thought.


    "Anyway, I''m off to train. Take care of our guest." The elf said and quickly left.


    "I''m not your¡­ nevermind she is gone." Grey said and then Jankis began walking again.


    "C''mon, let''s get a move on." Jankis said and they left the hallway towards Grey''s new room.

 Chapter 77 - 77: Punishment!

    The next day after Grey had been shown his room, he was seen sitting with his legs crossed, eyes closed and mumbling some words as he breathed in and out while moving his around trying to get the feel of this place''s mana.


    ''Almost there¡­ almost, I''m almost there.'' he thought as he kept concentrating hard when.


    *Knock knock* a loud knock rang out in front of his door.


    "Darn it!" He shouted in frustration as his eyes shot wide open and in anger, he stomped towards the door. "Who the hell decided to ruin my concentration?"


    "Human Grey, it''s me." Old man Jankis said as Grey opened up the door.


    "It''s Grey and not human Grey. By the way, what do you want?"


    "To call you for your punishment." Jankis said and Grey sighed as he stepped out of the room. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What am I doing?" He asked and then Jankis walked away signalling for him to follow and that was what he did while they began walking around the palace towards a place where Jankis collected something.


    Before they set off again this time out of the palace towards the clearing in the middle of the town but he didn''t stop there as they kept walking towards the forest.


    "Where the hell are we going?" Grey asked annoyed.


    "Be patient. You have asked this question about a dozen times now." Jankis replied as they finally got to a part in the forest where different animals were seen hopping around happily. "We are finally here!"


    "Huh?" Grey said as he looked around to just see dozens of trees surrounding them and animals hopping around. The smell of the Earth was as damp as always with leaves rustling around producing a slight hum pleasant to the ears. "What are we doing here?"


    "Your punishment given to you by Licht is to learn how to respect nature. So for that, your first punishment which you will be doing everyday without fail is to catch all these different animals and feed them. Make sure you don''t kill or damage them as you have to be patient and gentle with them otherwise Licht will kill you." Jankis explained.


    "So basically you people want me to become animal caretakers." Grey sighed as he looked around. "How has my life turned out to be like this?!"


    "And note, I''m going to be watching you from way over there." Jankis pointed a few metres away. "And your time starts now." He said as he gave the basket which he had collected from the palace to Grey and then walking back, he stood several metres away from him while Grey just sighed.


    Looking around, he could see the animals running around. From deers, antelopes, sheep and the likes jumping and running around.


    ''This should be quick.'' he thought as he walked towards a deer off to the side but before he could get close, it ran away and Grey gave chase but it was slightly faster.


    Using his wind magic, he began chasing the deer all around trying to feed it but it just kept evading him. In anger, Grey went towards another animal and attempted to feed it but it just ran away


    The same thing repeated itself to the animals he always tried to feed with them running away and Grey unable to keep up as he played tag with them. He tried all his best but there was nothing he could do as all the animals evaded him and he wasn''t able to even keep track of them as they kept using the forest as cover making it hard to find them.


    When he was exhausted, he placed his hands on his knees panting hard in exhaustion as he looked around for the animals.


    "Darn you animals!" He shouted and old man Jankis laughed at him from where he stood.


    "You know time is running out right? In order for you to move on to the next task, you need to be done with this one on time." Jankis said.


    "I know darn it!" Grey shouted back as he kept panting hard.


    "At the end of the day, he is just a youngling." Jankis mumbled.


    ''Think Grey think! How can you feed animals that evade your sight so fast that it is hard to keep track? Think! I can''t even find them because the trees are obstructing my sight.'' he shouted in his mind as he looked around.


    ''Hold on, I know! The same way I detected how strong Licht was, that is the way I will find them.'' he thought with a smile as he finally stood upright with sweat drenching his forehead from chasing the animals around.


    Grey was now seen standing upright with his eyes closed and one of his hands outstretched pointing in a general direction of the forest. He breathed in and out, felt the mana moving around and breathing life into all living beings.


    Due to always meditating everyday, he was able to enter into his meditation mode quickly as he began turning around still with his eyes closed.


    "I wonder what he is doing." Jankis mumbled as he looked at Grey standing around without moving.


    ''I can feel different life forces moving around with mana moving towards them and the life forces are moving all around the forest quickly. That should be them right? Don''t they get tired? They have been running for so long darn it!'' he thought in his mind as he concentrated hard when an opportunity finally presented itself.


    "Gotcha! Earth magic! Earth trap!" He called out with his hand pointing towards a direction in the forest and the deer found its legs stuck to ground unable to move.


    Doing the same thing, he looked around binding the animals to the ground everywhere he pointed to. Finally, all the animals had their feet bind with Earth unable to move.


    "Impressive." Jankis mumbled as he watched Grey walk towards the animals and then he lightly tapped them on their heads.


    "I would have given you all a harder slap if not because I don''t want a couple of light swords impaling my chest. So that is for making me run around." Grey said as he gently fed the animals for a few minutes and then he was finally done.


    Immediately he fed the last animal, he held clapping coming from his side with Jankis walking forward.


    "That was very impressive! You managed to use mana detection to detect the animals so quickly. Although you took a lot of time, you finally managed to unlock mana detection. Good job!" Jankis cheered but Grey just frowned slightly.


    "What''s the next punishment?" He asked.


    "Right! Let''s go back for this." Jankis said and then he began walking back out of the forest with Grey dragging his feet behind him.

 Chapter 78 - 78: A different place

    After he was done with chasing and taking care of animals, Grey was being led by Jankis back towards the palace and after a few minutes of almost silent walking with Grey always grumbling and mumbling in anger, they were finally back at the palace.


    They passed by some elves doing menial work pertaining to the palace and they had also passed by the throne room where Grey had almost gotten killed when they finally stood in front of a door that strangely had vines surrounding, curling and beautifying the door.


    Slowly pushing the door, it opened to reveal a beautiful indoor garden.


    As Grey stepped into the spacious room, he was immediately struck by the breathtaking beauty of the indoor garden before him. The room was filled with an abundance of natural light, streaming in through the translucent ceiling, casting a warm, ethereal glow over the lush greenery.


    Meandering pathways, crafted from polished stone, guided him through the space, inviting exploration and discovery. Towering trees, their trunks sturdy and strong, stretched toward the ceiling, their leafy canopies a vibrant tapestry of greens. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the gentle rustle of leaves.


    Grey wandered along the winding paths, taking in the exotic plants and flowers from around the world. Delicate orchids, velvety roses, and sun-kissed succulents all thrived in this controlled environment. A tranquil water feature, a small pond with a gentle fountain, added a soothing background melody, creating a sense of calm and relaxation.


    As he walked, the gentle burble of water, the soft chirping of birds, and the warmth of the space all blended together to create an atmosphere of peaceful serenity. Grey felt his worries and concerns slowly unraveling, like the tender shoots of a newly sprouted plant. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Walking around, he was struck with awe as he could see different colours of plants and flowers giving the room a beautiful and serene environment. While in the middle of the room, a big tree lay with its leaves blooming beautifully and lush green leaves.


    Then by the sides, were pots of small branches implanted into a soil in the pots. Grey counted around seven pots all surrounding the tree with long thin branches in them and looking as if they were almost dead.


    "What are we doing here?" Grey asked with a sigh. "Am I going to become plant caretakers too?"


    "Something like that." Jankis replied.


    ''Yeah figured. I wonder how my life became this messed up.'' Grey thought as he slapped his forehead loudly. ''I was supposed to become the greatest mage to ever walk the Earth but I''m reduced to nature caretakers here. What a joke!''


    "Your duty here is to take care of those branches in the pots surrounding that big tree there." Jankis pointed out and Grey raised an eyebrow in confusion.


    "Take care of the branches? Aren''t they basically dead already? How on Earth am I supposed to take care of dead twigs?" Grey shouted out and old man Jankis just chuckled.


    "They are dead, I know. And that is where you come in, you are to bring them to life." Old man Jankis smiled.


    "Bring them to life? Are you kidding me? I might be a mage and a strong one at that, it doesn''t mean I can bring or resurrect dead things! Have you all gone senile here?!" Grey retorted angrily.


    "I don''t know, figure that out. Your time starts now." Old man Jankis said as he walked back to the corner of the room to watch Grey.


    "Okay that checks it! The elves here are all crazy, especially their strange leader." He mumbled as he walked towards the big tree.


    And just so you know," Jankis added with a smirk, "if you don''t revive at least one branch today, Lady Charla will handle your punishment."


    "What?! Punishment from that frowny female elf?! How cruel can you all be darn it?!" Grey said and Jankis just chuckled again while Grey walked forward towards one of the pots.


    ''What can I do now? Where do I start from? None of my powers are able to do what they expect from me.'' he thought as he touched one of the pots expecting something to happen but unfortunately, nothing did.


    "Tch!" He scoffed as he grabbed the branch again expecting something to happen but nothing did.


    ''Please, something should happen! Anything.'' Grey pleaded in his mind as he held the branch but nothing happened.


    "Curses!" He shouted and a chuckle was heard again but this one wasn''t from old man Jankis, it came from inside Grey''s mind as Noir was laughing out loud in his mind seeing how hopeless Grey was.


    "You can''t just hold onto it and expect something to happen, you foolish human." Noir said in his mind, still laughing.


    "You know, the day you actually become helpful rather than being a laughing spectator, I would listen to your words or advice you silly wolf familiar." Grey retorted back. "Now! What can I do about this?" He wondered.


    That was when Grey heard a sharp sound heading for his way. The sound was as sharp as a wind strike and that was how he was able to hear it as he quickly jumped away and lifted a piece of Earth to shield him but the wall shattered into a dozen pieces while the strike grazed him slightly on the arm drawing blood.


    "Hmph! You have sharp reflexes and senses." Jankis said.


    "What are you doing you senile old elf? Are you trying to kill me?" Grey shouted in anger.


    "No! I''m trying to help you." Jankis said as he pointed behind Grey and he slowly turned around to see his blood dripping on the branch and the curved branch stood upright slightly.


    "Huh?!" He said in surprise as he forgot all about the attack and walked forward a little bit to observe the branch. "It stood upright? But how? Is it my blood?"


    He wondered and then he squeezed his grazed arm on the branch but nothing happened as it didn''t move an inch which made Grey confused.


    "Huh? I thought it was my blood. But it''s my blood that made it stand upright right? So why isn''t it reacting now? What is different now?" He wondered again as he stood up to think and reflect back to the circumstances that drew his blood.


    ''When I was attacked, I instinctively raised an Earth wall to shield myself but it shattered and my blood was drawn and dropped onto the branch. So what was the difference there?'' he thought as he paced around the pot while Jankis kept observing him.


    ''I thought he was a smart kid and he picks up on things quickly seeing his performance in the forest. But him taking so long to figure this out means I was wrong.'' Jankis sighed and then he saw Grey kneel in front of the pot.


    ''I know! Anytime I''m about to unleash my powers or magic, I always feel my mana circulating around me thereby drawing upon my magic. When I was attacked, I instinctively raised an Earth wall but it shattered and drew my blood but there was one thing, when it drew my blood, mana was still running through my body ready for an attack. Which means¡­'' he thought as he smiled and then placed his hands on the branch with his eyes closed.


    "I haven''t done this before, but there is a first for everything." He mumbled as he concentrated hard drawing his mana circulating around his body towards his hand and it began glowing soft white which made Jankis raise an eyebrow then a smile played on his lips.


    ''He figured it out! Even among the most talented elves, it always takes around a day or so before they can figure it out. Maybe it was because I interfered but he still managed to figure it out on his own so it''s a win.'' Old man Jankis thought.


    ''Shit! My mana is draining rapidly.'' Grey thought in his mind as he focused hard while the branch was glowing soft white and it began to stand upright while looking slightly fresh and a little bit fat.


    This kept going for about ten minutes before Grey collapsed on the ground panting hard with his heart heaving in and out while he looked at the branch that was now standing fully upright and looking almost like a tree with a single branch on it and a leaf on it.


    The tree was looking vastly different from what it used to look like. Earlier the branch was looking like a dead dark brown twig that looked like it was going to snap at any moment but now, it was looking fresh with its colour now bright brown and lush looking with a single branch and a single leaf on it.


    Staring at it, Grey sighed. "Darn! My mana has totally been depleted. But this is impressive I must say, I managed to breathe life into the dead." He chuckled slightly and then he felt the mana moving towards him from the air pulling towards him.


    "Huh? That is weird. Usually I''m the one who meditates and forces the mana from the world to my core but now it''s moving voluntarily towards me? But it still feels blocked, unable to access my core." He mumbled and then he quickly stood upright and sat cross legged with his eyes closed and immediately entered the meditating zone.


    Right on cue, the mana from the world rushed towards his core and began replenishing it and in less than a minute, Grey was brimming with mana again.


    ''And that was oldly quick! Usually it takes around five to seven minutes to replenish my core but now¡­ this place is truly different. Oh well, back to work then.'' Grey thought and turned towards the fresh looking branch.

 Chapter 79 - 79: Just like me

    After that day, Grey''s routine changed a little to waking up early to cultivate while feeling changes around his body then going into the forest to feed the animals. Although it was still slightly hard especially since they ran quickly so it always took longer to bind them.


    But with mana sense, it was slightly easier as slowly, Grey got used to the mana sense that he didn''t have a need to close his eyes before he was able to sense mana and life force. Instead of viewing the feeding of animals as punishment, he took it as training.


    And he became good at sensing mana that he could sense if a life source filled with mana was heading his way. And then his routine would move to reviving the dead branches and trying to ensure that they were fully grown trees.


    It has been 5 days now that Grey had been in the elven place and in these 5 days, he worked harder than anyone would realize as out of seven pots, he was able to revieve four branches into full grown trees. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And after the exercise, his core would be depleted as the fresher and bigger the tree was, the more his mana got depleted faster as the trees consumed more mana than when they were dead branches.


    Today was just another punishment/training day. Grey left the garden in the evening, his mana core half-filled, planning to train his magic. As he passed the palace courtyard, he overheard voices.


    Since it was none of his business, he wanted to leave but then listening in, he realized that he recognized one of the voices and to his contrary thoughts, they weren''t discussing like he expected, it was more like someone was been shouted on.


    Wanting to know more out of curiosity, Grey walked forward a little and peeped through the door that led to the courtyard and in there, he could see five elves standing around with four on one side and only one elf was standing alone on the opposite side.


    Looking at the lone elf, Grey surprisingly recognized the female elf as Elara; the daughter of the leaders of the elf town. But looking at the four elves on the opposite side, he could see that they were two male and two females and they held striking resemblances to the leaders of the town; Licht and Charla.


    ''Oh! So these are their kids, five kids. That''s a lot. Well, since it''s just sibling drama, then it''s none of my business.'' he thought and was about to walk away when the wind blew a word mentioned by one of the male elf which drew his attention and he decided to listen in.


    "Trash!" Grey heard one of the male who looked older than the others standing there and had a more striking resemblance to Licht. "You are so worthless and are a disgrace to us elves."


    "Bro¡­ br¡­" Elara stuttered but then the voice of the second male cut her off.


    "Don''t you dare call us your siblings! You are totally useless and are worthless of being called an elf."


    "Exactly!" One of the female elfs of the group who had green hair said. "She is more like those weak disgusting humans."


    "I wonder what a disgrace like her is still doing in our midst. Even the normal civilians of the town are more useful and stronger than her." The last female said.


    "But¡­" Elara was about to say with tears streaming down her face with her lips quivering.


    "But what you trash?!" The first male spoke. "You want to say you are not trash? Fine, prove it to us right here even though we know you can''t." He said and the group burst into laughter.


    With tears in her eyes, Elara bolted towards the door.


    "Run you disgrace of an elf! Better not show your face here again!" The first female spoke.


    And Elara opened the door and ran out. Luckily she didn''t notice Grey as he had used his wind magic to lift himself up just in time for when she passed his side.


    ''I can''t believe discrimination runs through the elves to.'' Grey thought as he followed Elara while floating above the ground as she ran out of the palace at full speed heading for the forest.


    It didn''t take her up to two minutes before she got there as immediately she got into the forest, she fell on her knees and screamed her lungs out.


    "Arghhhhh!" She screamed as she hit her head on the ground while crying. "Why? Why¡­ why can''t they just accept me as their sibling?" She questioned through snot and tears streaming down her face.


    "Just because they are stronger than I am and I''m a little weaker than normal elves, they look down upon me! Why? I''m not weak darn it! I''m not worthless!" Elara shouted as she continued sobbing.


    "Then prove it and stop crying like a toddler." Elara heard a voice say from behind her and turning around, she could see the red haired human in front of her.


    "What are you doing here?" She asked.


    "Just happened to pass by and I saw the so-called elven princess crying like a toddler that got her candy stolen." Grey replied as he stepped forward.


    "What do you know? You know nothing about me, so just leave me alone in peace." Elara shouted and then she began crying again.


    "They call you trash, worthless, a disgrace and many more and you are here crying?" Grey asked as he came forward in front of her while Elara lifted her head up but Grey''s next actions surprised her as he swung his hand at her cheeks giving her a resounding slap.


    "How dare you?!" Elara shouted as she shot up from her kneeling position.


    "Oh! You can become feisty? Where was this feistiness when you were being talked down on? Where was this feistiness when you were being called names? It was nowhere to be seen, instead the cowardly princess side of yours came out." Grey retorted back while Elara had her head down.


    "You know, I wouldn''t have cared about what happened to you but the words spoken to you struck a chord in me especially since I have experienced the same thing, I felt like I had to come here." Grey said with a sigh.


    "What do you know? You are a mage that is probably worshiped in your world and doesn''t know what we face!" Elara shouted.


    "A mage huh?!" Grey chuckled lightly and then he took a step back. "Believe it or not, before I became this powerful mage you see in front of you, I went through my fair share of bullying and abuse. I was bullied on a daily basis for being born without an affinity."


    "Well it''s different here. I was born with an affinity but I just can''t seem to control my powers and bring them to their full potential and I''m so tired of everything. I can''t handle my own family viewing me as trash. If my own family can see me in this light, then what about the other elves?! Maybe I should just end it all." Elara said as she broke down in tears while falling on her knees.


    "You¡­" Grey said and then he smiled before turning around to face the direction of the palace. "Believe it if you want, but I also experienced bullying to the extent I nearly committed suicide. And just imagine I had gone through it that day, I wouldn''t have become this powerful. And now¡­" he said as he clenched his hands in and out.


    "I''m powerful enough to shut the mouths of my bullies and make them pay for ever messing with me. Wouldn''t it feel nice for you to work hard and become powerful enough that your siblings would take notice of you?" Grey said then he sighed. "I have done my best, if you still want to sit here and cry again, go ahead. If you want to end it all, then go ahead. But just remember that you will be giving your bullies the final laugh."


    ''Why am I even telling her all these? I never talk about it¡­ but I guess I see too much of myself in her.'' he thought and


    then surrounding his body with wind magic, he shot away towards the palace leaving Elara alone as she was kneeling down and staring at the ground with teary eyes.


    "He¡­ he is right!" She shouted as she stood up with her face scrunched in determination as she wiped the tears from her face. "I can''t give them the last laugh, I have to work hard and become more powerful that no one would ever look down on me. Thank you human." She smiled and then she left the forest heading back to the palace.


    ___________


    {A/N}


    If you guys are enjoying the book so far, please don''t forget to support the book with whatever resources you have. Power stones, Golden tickets or even gifts, send them my way and I will keep pumping in more chapters for y''all. Thank you ??????

 Chapter 80 - 80: Attacked!

    The next day, Grey was seen in the forest binding the animals with his Earth magic so he could feed them and he was doing just that. With each day he senses the life force and mana around, it became more easier than the last to feed the animals.


    But today, old man Jankis wasn''t supervising him as normal because he had been called by Licht for something so he was all alone in the forest feeding the stubborn animals.


    ''Six days down, one more day to go and then I''m out of this hell hole! I wonder how mum is doing now, I just hope she hasn''t turned the town upside down in an attempt to look for me.'' Grey thought with a chuckle as he moved onto the next animal which he wanted to feed.


    ''But come to think of it, this punishment doesn''t really feel like one as in the process, I think I have learnt some valuable things and kind of gotten stronger through it. Those trees, I have learnt the quantity of mana to input into them without draining my core and also feed the tree so they could grow.'' he thought when he began feeding an antelope.


    ''It wasn''t easy but I managed to revive six dead trees into full grown trees and I have learnt mana control in the process. The process of not inputting too many mana into something and knowing how to recognize the amount of mana to put into something.'' he thought with a smile when he was finally done with feeding the animals and they went back to gallivanting around the forest as usual.


    "But I haven''t been able to train my magic at all and I feel like they are taking a decline back." Grey said as he looked around. "And I''m itching to use them but I can''t do that in this forest unless I want to die by the hands of that crazy leader."


    ''But where can I train now?'' he thought as he looked around until an idea struck. ''Right! I can go to that clearing where I was caught.''


    And with that, he didn''t waste any more time as he swiftly dashed away deeper into the forest and in a minute, he was there as he could see the trees he had blown away when he first came here had fully grown back.


    "I would have been shocked but knowing what I did in reviving dead trees, I''m not shocked." He said and then he looked around. "And I don''t want to damage these trees, wouldn''t want more punishment."


    With a sigh, Grey looked around more. "This should work!" He said as he stomped his foot hard and the Earth around the trees got lifted creating walls around them and creating a somewhat arena with him in the middle while the trees were covered away.


    Standing in the middle with the Earth surrounding him and creating a wall of some kind, he smiled.


    "My Earth affinity has definitely grown stronger, probably because I wasn''t allowed to wear footwear in the palace, I''m able to feel and connect with the Earth more which helped to increase my affinity more. And I can feel it." He said as he touched his chest.


    "My mana is not drained in the slightest from performing this complex and huge magic. This planet has definitely affected me in a positive way as it feels like my mana pool has increased. Anyway, time to train." He mumbled as his whole hand erupted in flames.


    "Fire magic! Continuous barrage of fireballs!" He called out and then dozens of fireballs began shooting out at the Earth wall surrounding him.


    Two of the fireballs, he controlled the Earth wall to send them back at him and he could see them heading for him at tremendous speed.


    "Wind magic!" He called out and then he jumped up just in time to avoid the fireballs before shooting out a burst of wind towards the fireballs causing them to explode and send fire everywhere.


    In order to shield him from the fire, he hit the ground hard causing a wall to lift in front of him blocking the attack.


    "Hahaha! I''m getting the feel of my affinities and can switch between them without any delay. Usually, it takes a second or more to switch between affinities but now I can do it easily without delay.


    Hey you damned familiar wolf, come out here and spar with me so I can get an excuse to burn you to a crisp!" Grey called out with a chuckle.


    "You do know if I were to come out, you will be dead in seconds you wimp." Noir said.


    "Prove it and pop out here you scaredy cat." Grey chuckled but he didn''t get any response. "Tch! The usual silent treatment."


    ''Anyway, let me try and practice that damned lightning magic again.'' he thought and then he took a stance with his two feet in front and his hands slightly apart and then slowly, his hands began crackling and also glowing bright blue.


    Then slowly, the light grew brighter before a bolt of lightning was seen forming in front of Grey''s hands.


    "Huh?! It doesn''t feel hard to control it again?" Grey said surprised as his right hand fell down with his left raised up and his palm facing upward with a lightning bolt glowing above it.


    With a smile playing on his lips, he shot the bolt towards the Earth wall surrounding him and it crashed into it sending sparks of electricity everywhere.


    "As expected from the Earth attribute withstanding a destructive power like that lightning." He mumbled with a smile. "Let me try again so it won''t be that it was a fluke."


    Grey did the same stance and began shooting out lightning bolts after lightning bolts at the wall causing bangs after bangs to resound loudly while sparks of lightning were shot everywhere almost hitting him.


    This continued for about ten minutes before Grey was covered in sweat as he placed his hands on his knees not in tiredness, but excitement as a small smile played on his lips while looking at the scorched earth wall around him.


    "So the daily input of mana into those trees managed to allow me know how to control the amount of mana I try to infuse for my lightning magic. So it was because I always tried to infuse as much mana as I can that caused the bolts to explode back then. Ha! The idea to stay was actually the best one yet even though I was threatened." Grey said as he stood upright with a smile when¡­


    "Mana!" He mumbled and then twisting his hands around, an Earth hand was seen shooting out of the wall and in seconds, it stopped in front of his face with that palm of the Earth hand facing away from him but then it was closed.


    Stopping and trapping something in its palm while Grey had a raised eyebrow in confusion as he saw who it was that tried to attack him.


    "What was that for?" He asked annoyed. "You could have killed me if I didn''t act fast and sensed the mana in the attack heading towards me."


    "But you aren''t dead right? As expected from the future greatest mage of the human race." The person said and then he stepped forward to reveal an elf with golden long hair with a weird, unsettling smile on his face. The elf was Licht who shot out a light sword towards Grey earlier that was caught in the Earth arm currently.


    "Even with how fast my magic naturally is, you managed to act fast enough to block it. Impressive, I guess the training paid off." Licht said.


    "Training?!" Grey asked surprised.


    "What? You thought you feeding animals and reviving trees were punishment? Heck no! It was part of the training." Licht chuckled.


    "What training? And why would you even train me? What is in it for you?" Grey asked.


    "You are as he described." Licht chuckled. "Curious minded and always asking questions. It is surprising how he knew you would end up here."


    "Huh? What the hell are you talking about?!" Grey shouted.


    "Nevermind, I''m glad my training paid off and you are able to sense mana in attack before it strikes you quickly. And you even managed to control your lightning magic which you were finding it hard to control earlier." Licht said and he stepped forward that he was mere inches away from Grey.


    "And you have surely grown stronger than when I saw you six days ago. Just as he said, you are quick to adapt and learn new things."


    "Who is this he you keep yapping about?!" Grey asked feeling irritated already.


    "Huh? I thought you were this smart kid, I thought you would have figured it out by now. Who do you think would care about your growth so much that he would approach the elves to help teach you?" Licht asked and then he saw a blank expression on Grey''s face.


    "You still haven''t gotten the answer?" Licht asked and then he saw Grey shake his head which made him sigh. "You doofus, it is¡­"


    "Leader Licht!" They both heard someone calling and turning to look around, they could see an elf jumping into the Earth wall Grey raised and then he landed in front of Licht panting hard with sweat forming on his face.


    "Latry? What happened? Why are you panting hard like this?!" Licht asked.


    "There''s a huge problem leader Licht!" The elf known as Latry said.


    "Problem? What problem?! Go straight to the point darn it!" Licht said angrily feeling his heart thump louder with each passing moment fearing for the worst.


    "The elven town is under attack leader Licht!" Latry said.


    "What?!!!" Licht shouted in shock.


    ______________


    {A/N}


    I had planned for a five chapter mass release today and I have delivered them all so guys please enjoy...


    If you all still want another mass release, then let us hit our mass release goals!


    Mass Release Goals!


    500 power stones= 2 chapters


    500 Golden tickets= 2 chapters


    Magic castle= 5 chapters Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters... So let''s go guys!

 Chapter 81 - 81: Elven town in trouble: Beast portal break!

    "Leader Licht!" They both heard someone calling and turning to look around, they could see an elf jumping into the Earth wall Grey raised and then he landed in front of Licht panting hard with sweat forming on his face.


    "Latry? What happened? Why are you panting hard like this?!" Licht asked.


    "There''s a huge problem leader Licht!" The elf known as Latry said.


    "Problem? What problem?! Go straight to the point darn it!" Licht said angrily feeling his heart thump louder with each passing moment fearing for the worst.


    "The elven town is under attack leader Licht!" Latry said.


    "What?!!!" Licht shouted in shock. "What are you saying Latry?"


    "I''m saying the truth leader Licht, the town is under attack!" Latry replied.


    "Attacked? By who?" Grey asked.


    "Not by who, but by what? The town is under attack by beasts! Hordes of them." Latry replied.


    "Portal break?" Licht asked and Latry nodded. "Then we need to get back as soon as possible!"


    "Well good luck with that, I''m not going to fight against beasts again since it''s none of my business." Grey said as he tried to walk away when Licht grabbed him by his collar.


    "You are coming along! I have done my role by training you, now it''s time for you to pay it back." Licht said and then he grabbed Latry too and suddenly a bright light surrounded not giving Grey any chance to escape as Licht held on tight.


    Then all of a sudden, a huge sword was forming below Licht who was still grabbing onto Grey and Latry and immediately, the sword shot off into the distance at tremendous speed than when Grey used his wind magic.


    As they flew at neck breaking speed that they passed the forest where the animals roamed around in a split second before they finally saw the town coming into view and from above, they could see the destruction as hundreds of beasts were roaming around killing the elves while some of the elves were putting up a fight.


    Those slightly weaker were heard shouting in fright as they were about to be killed but still from above, they could see lady Charla coming out and immediately, vines from trees were seen surrounding her and like a dancing beauty, she began ravaging around the town skewering the beasts with her sharp vines.


    The beasts were seen falling to her vines and then coming out from the palace, they could see an elf that looked almost like Licht coming out with his hands glowing bright golden.


    "Dad isn''t here, so it''s up to me to help." He said and then swords made out of light were seen appearing above him and swinging his hands down, it flew slicing some beasts and injuring some of them.


    Jumping down, a sword formed in his hand as he began moving from beast to beast killing or injuring them while Charla was seen using her vines to lift the elves that were injured and drop them safely away.


    From their viewing position above, they could see a portal still wide open at the edge of the forest with a beast that stood on all fours guarding it was looking almost like a lion with its fur shining black and its deep orange eyes glowing slightly.


    On its head were two long horns while having two long fangs protruding out of its jaws with sharp claws on its paws and a long tail wagging side to side. The aura coming out of the beast was that of an otherworldly presence as it failed to leave the portal while looking at its minions ravaging around the place.


    The beasts attacking the elves all looked like the one guarding the portal but the only difference was their height and build as the one guarding the portal stood around 6ft tall with its body as huge and big like a small tree while the ones attacking the town were a little bit smaller looking but they held destructive powers as the strength in their paws was enough to send shockwaves running through the ground.


    Since Licht was holding onto him, Grey decided to look around and his eyes met with the huge beast guarding the portal. Swirling his mana towards his left eye that began to glow slightly, he had his eyes widened by what he was seeing as he gulped in fear.


    {Name: Echidas}


    {Level: 8}


    {Abilities: Pure strength and fire}


    {Mana: 80/80}


    ''A freaking level 8 beast?! I barely survived an attack from a level 4 beast then and I have been dragged into a fight with a level 8 beast!?! This is unfair darn it! Wait, what level are those ones down there?'' Grey thought as he used his appraisal to look at the beasts ravaging the town.


    {Name: Echidas}


    {Level: 5}


    {Abilities: pure strength}


    ''Shit! These are level 5 beasts?! I''m dead!'' he screamed in his head as he saw Licht''s son fighting against one of the beast that swung him away with pure strength but before he completely went flying, he sent a light sword its way piercing it''s side.


    While Licht''s daughters focused on saving those that couldn''t fight and taking them to the most huge place, the palace for treatment for those that were injured that is.


    Elara was standing confused as she didn''t know what to do. She wasn''t as strong in combat as her older brother and nor was she brave to run into danger to rescue the other elves and heal them so she watched helplessly.


    The situation for the elves was looking hopeless as no matter how many beasts they killed, more still came pouring from the portal while the level 8 Echidas stood there guarding the portal and watching the fight.


    "At this rate, the town would be erased!" Latry shouted at Licht.


    "I really want no part in all these, that beast guarding the portal is a level 8 beast and the ones attacking the town are level 5 beasts. I nearly died from battling a level 4 beast so let me go please." Grey pleaded as he was still being held by Licht.


    "You want me to let you go?" Licht asked.


    "Yes!" Grey replied. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fine!" Licht said and then in a flash, he swung Grey in the middle of about two level 5 Echidas that were about to attack three injured elves. "I have let you go." He smiled.


    Grey crashed in the midst of the beasts. In front of the elves while the beasts suddenly halted their steps as they saw someone fell face flat in front of them with his face slightly bruised.


    Standing up, Grey suddenly saw the situation he was put in with the elves behind him looking terrified and injured. The elves were a mother and daughter duo.


    "Arghhhhhh! A demon has also attacked along with the beast." The little daughter elf said and Grey felt a vein sticking out of his head.


    "I''m not a¡­ nevermind." Grey said as he turned around to see the Echidas glaring at him and ready to pounce.


    "Darn that crazy Licht! I promise if I can get out of this situation alive, I''m going to burn and electrocute him to a crisp." Grey shouted in anger.


    "That is if you can do that." Noir laughed in Grey''s mind when the Echidas without warning quickly dashed towards Grey.

 Chapter 82 - 82: He has arrived!

    Immediately he threw Grey down into the midst of danger, he also gently dropped Latry to go aid the two hundred elves fighting against the hundreds of Echidas.


    "I need to observe more to decide what I should do next and since the boss isn''t moving anytime soon, I need to plan my next move properly." Licht mumbled as he floated in the air on his light sword.


    He could see his first son coming back from wherever he was sent flying with his sword in front of him while he was shooting towards an Echidas like a rocket.


    "Langris, he is so brave and doesn''t back down no matter what." Licht mumbled as he saw his first son Langris charging towards an Echidas and getting there, he rained around four light swords onto its head but it wasn''t enough to kill it.


    So he quickly jumped back and swiftly changed the shape of the light sword in his hand into a spear and thrust it forward but the Echidas used its paws to hit the spear into the ground and then quickly came in front of Langris and was about to hit him away but a pair of light swords quickly appeared and hit the paws away giving him enough time to jump back before throwing the light sword in his hand towards the beast. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sword flew at tremendous speed and that it was about to crash into the beast but unfortunately for Langris, another Echidas quickly jumped in front of the sword and attempted to hit it back but the sword suddenly changed direction at the last moment and severed the beast''s head.


    "The beasts are level 5 beasts and Langris is strong enough to defeat them in one fell swoop?" Licht mumbled in surprise as he saw his son swiftly and skillfully. "I guess old man Jankis was right when he said given with time, Langris would surpass me."


    "Do you think you all are a match for me?!" Langris shouted as he lifted his hands up and a huge light sword appeared in the sky. Dropping his hand down, it fell onto the Echidas he was fighting against before the one jumped in front and the sword impaled the beast''s head killing it one go.


    "No you are not! Because I''m the son of the great elf leader Licht!" Langris said and then he jumped towards another beast.


    Meanwhile, Charla was seen slightly floating on some vines. While some part of the vines were saving the injured elves and dropping them in the palace for healing, the remaining half were keeping some beasts at bay.


    It wasn''t easy considering she had to split her concentration but she was managing just fine against two of the Echidas. One of the beasts tried to jump towards her in the air but swirling a vine around, she whacked the beast back to the ground and then shot out a few thorns towards the beast but it managed to avoid it easily.


    "C''mon, just a few more elves to go." She mumbled as she lifted an elf and dropped them in front of the palace door while from the corner of her eyes, the two beasts attempted to jump towards her but whacking them with the vines, she managed to send them back in the ground.


    ''Good thing they don''t have any elemental abilities.'' she thought as she kept on shooting more thorns from her vines while the beasts were running around trying to avoid them. ''This should hold them off for a few more seconds.''


    Controlling three vines, she lifted three elves at once and dropped them at the palace door while shooting out thorns towards the beasts that were still running around and that was when risking it, an Echidas jumped through the thorns that hit its furry body with its paws out about to hit Charla.


    ''Just two more elves.'' she thought as she could see the beast closing in when she turned around to shout. "Elara! Let''s play catch!" She shouted at Elara who was standing helplessly in front of the palace door and leading the elves rescued by Charla in.


    Without warning, Charla picked the two remaining elves using her vines and swung them towards Elara like rag dolls causing them to go flying towards the palace door while the beast was now incredibly close.


    "I finally have your time." She mumbled as she controlled the vines she was standing on at the last moment to form a wall in front of her blocking the beast''s sharp claws and then changing the shape from a wall to a fist, she hammered the fist vines into it sending it crashing into the ground.


    Then from the palm of her hands, she threw some seeds into the ground in the midst of the two Echidas.


    "Erupt!" She shouted and long vines came sprouting out shooting out thorns at the beasts impaling them in all available body parts killing them in the process.


    Immediately she was done, she raised her palms that was facing upwards forward and dozens of seeds appeared in her palms. Throwing them up scattering them around, they fell in the midst of dozens of Echidas erupting and causing explosions with thorns shooting out and killing the beasts.


    Meanwhile when the two elves were thrown, Elara was seen panicking as she didn''t know what to do.


    ''I don''t have control of my powers yet but I hope this works.'' she thought as he lifted her hands and mumbled some words causing vines to appear like a basket of some kind catching the elves in time. ''That was incredibly close. For a second there, I thought it wasn''t going to work.''


    That was when on the battlefield, it suddenly got windy and some Echidas were seen being lifted up and swung back into the portal at incredible speed. The wind was so intense that the elves fighting had to deeply root their feet down to the ground or they would be flung too.


    Licht who was watching smiled widely seeing the windy atmosphere as he turned around to see who caused it. "He has finally arrived."

 Chapter 83 - 83: Time to feel a world of pain!

    "Darn that crazy Licht! I promise if I can get out of this situation alive, I''m going to burn and electrocute him to a crisp." Grey shouted in anger.


    "That is if you can do that." Noir laughed in Grey''s mind when the Echidas without warning quickly dashed towards Grey.


    "Shit!" He said and then he was about to jump back when he remembered that the elves were behind him so did what he could do.


    "Earth magic! Earth wall!" He called out and a huge wall got raised in front of him blocking the Echidas path to him but they were heard pounding the wall.


    ''This wall won''t hold for much longer and I can''t fight properly while protecting these two behind me. The logical thing to do right now is get them to safety but nowhere is safe right now.'' he thought when he saw a piece of the Earth wall fall.


    "Miss elf lady, do you trust me?" Grey asked the older elf who was shielding her daughter.


    "No way! Trust a demon?! We rather trust the beasts to eat us." The little girl said.


    "Keep quiet Eclat! Yes I trust you, I saw the way Licht threw you down here. So for him to do that, it means he knew you could help us. So I trust Licht and whoever he puts his trust in." The older elf said.


    "Good." Grey said then he turned around. "Wind magic! Liftus!" He called out and then all of a sudden, the woman along with her daughter were floating so high in the sky that they could see the whole battle ground from where they were.


    ''There was nowhere safe I could take them to so that place should be much safer and it won''t really chip away my mana considering where I am right now.'' he thought when he saw a large crack appear on the wall and in a split second, it shattered into pieces while Grey quickly jumped back just in time to avoid any sneak attack.


    The beasts were seen standing with a growl on their faces while Grey took a stance.


    "I haven''t fought against a level 5 beast before but now I''m forced to fight with two. Which means I''m facing off against a level ten beast." Grey sighed as he lifted his hand up. "I guess I have no choice in the matter then, let''s dance!"


    "Earth magic! Earth trap!" He called out and the feet of one of the Echidas was trapped while the other one dashed towards him quickly and swung its paws that produced shockwaves when swung showing that the beast had tremendous strength.


    But then, Grey quickly jumped up using his wind magic and the floating up, he shot out dozens of fireballs towards the beast that was jumping and running around dodging it.


    "Life force!" Grey mumbled as he dove back just in time to see the beast he trapped about to hit him away from the air. "That was close! But how did it escape so quick?"


    He wondered but then was forced to focus back on the fight as the beast jumped up and attempted to hit him again but then his hand began glowing and crackling with electricity.


    Shooting out of his hand was a bolt of lightning that crashed into the beast sending it crashing into the ground.


    "I guess you can''t dodge mid air huh." He said when he felt another life force try to sneak up behind him but then diving away, he avoided it in time and shot out a dozen more fireballs that crashed into the beast burning it slightly and pushing it back down.


    ''I can only use lightning and fire while I''m floating in the air. Wind is somewhat out of the question since I''m using it to stay afloat while Earth magic is somewhat out of the question too as I can only use it when I''m back on the ground.'' he thought when he saw the Echidas he shot a lightning bolt jump up towards him while the second too was coming from the other side. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is bad." He said as he quickly dove back down to the ground at tremendous speed while the beasts were about to crash into each other but using their feet to hit one another''s feet, they were sent falling back down towards Grey at tremendous speed.


    ''Why are these beasts fighting together? It''s like their minds are connected or they have some form of intelligence.'' he thought when he saw the first beast to reach him quickly hit him away with its paws before he could react sending him flying into the trees breaking them apart while he coughed out blood.


    "Curses!" He said as he slowly stood up with his hands on his stomach while he heard running noises coming from behind him.


    "Another one?" He quickly turned around to send a dozen fireballs and two lightning bolts towards the beast and since it didn''t expect it, the attacks crashed into the beast scorching and burning it to death.


    ''It''s dead?! So that means to kill a level 5 beast, I need the power of two of my strongest spells to kill it.'' he thought as he turned back to where he was flung from.


    With a smile, he used his wind magic to propell himself forward at tremendous speed. "Time for some payback you beasts!" He said as he could see the beasts in front of him.


    Coating his body with lightning and causing it to crackle around his body while still flying towards the beasts his speed suddenly tripled as he was propelled faster and then his hand blazed with bright fire covering his whole arm.


    In a split second, he slammed his hands into one of the beasts'' head and then grabbing it by the horn, he flew up while the second Echidas was rooted in confusion. Flying up using his wind magic while holding onto the struggling Echidas'' horns with his hands that were electrifying and burning the beast because of his fire and lightning magic, he suddenly halted about several dozen metres away from the ground.


    "Time for you to feel a whole world of pain!" Grey shouted as he dove back down at tremendous speed that he looked like a speeding asteroid coming from outer space and was about to hit the Earth as the speed with which he was heading back down, was breaking the sound barrier one by one causing loud bangs to be heard everywhere around the battlefield.


    And then in a split second, he hit the ground with the Echidas in front of him while manipulating the Earth below his feet to raise an Earth spike that had its tip pointed outwardly while fire was seen around it and when they hit the ground, a wave of wind spread out hitting everywhere and even nearby beasts while Grey let go of the Echidas.


    And he backflipped a couple of times while landing smoothly using his wind magic as he watched the Echidas get impaled into his Earth spike and die a horrible death with blood filling the Earth spike.


    "One down, two more to¡­" he was about to say when he suddenly got hit sending him flying into more trees by the second Echidas as he hit a tree that broke his flight but Grey lay on the floor motionless and unmoving.

 Chapter 84 - 84: Time to get serious!

    That was when on the battlefield, it suddenly got windy and some Echidas were seen being lifted up and swung back into the portal at incredible speed. The wind was so intense that the elves fighting had to deeply root their feet down to the ground or they would be flung too.


    Licht who was watching smiled widely seeing the windy atmosphere as he turned around to see who caused it. "He has finally arrived."


    Stepping out of the palace, was an old elf and he was walking with his back hunched while his almond eyes were squinted as he observed the battlefield.


    "Really? Why does it feel like we are nearing our peaceful days?" The old elf said with a sigh as he stepped down from the tree where the palace was nestled.


    He could see one of the Echidas charge towards him but without moving an inch and just by swinging his arm, a huge wind blade appeared and it sliced the beast''s head in two.


    "Tch! Too weak." The old elf commented.


    "Old man Jankis, his powers is that of the wind attribute and over the years, he has managed to level it up so much that on his own, he is a one man army. He is just a little under me in terms of strength." Licht mumbled as he turned around to observe the big boss that still didn''t move from its position.


    Stepping and walking forward a bit, he could see about three Echidas charging towards him and without wasting time, he shot out two huge burst of wind hitting the beasts and sending them far back and almost landing into the portal.


    Looking around, Jankis could see Charla fighting against more beasts with her vines and Langris was also handling three beasts on his own using his light magic. Then the two hundred elves were slightly struggling but they were still holding their grounds against the hundreds of beasts there.


    "Huh? Where the hell is Licht?" Jankis mumbled and then a wave of pressure descended on him as he could feel an otherworldly aura a few metres away. "Oh! So the boss is also here. It would explain why Licht is missing."


    "Anyway!" Jankis said as he began standing upright with his hunched back began making cracking sounds and then he stood up tall and upright without his earlier signs of hunching forward.


    "It''s time to get serious!" Jankis said as wind began surrounding him creating a sort of tornado around him while moving widely hitting or pushing any beast that tried to get close.


    "Wind magic! Tornado fangs!" He called out and the tornado suddenly stopped surrounding his body and went out sweeping and carrying some beasts.


    About a dozen beasts were seen rolling around in the tornado that lifted them and kept moving until they got to the portal and the beasts were flung into the portal sending them back to wherever they came from.


    "I''m not done with you all yet!" Jankis said as about a hundred wind blades appeared all around him brimming with power and ferociousness.


    ''Old man Jankis! His power is enough to rival even a 6 star mage in the human world and he has absolute control of his wind magic unlike the humans since he is an elf.'' Licht thought as he kept watching the whole battle from above.


    While at times shooting out light needles towards beasts that were about to kill some elves killing the beasts in one single blow.


    "I can''t help much right now because I know that boss is able to sense my presence and if I were to get involved, it would move and kill the elves since they don''t stand a chance." Licht mumbled as he turned around to look for Grey when he saw him. "Huh?! Is he this weak?"


    "Although he did say he barely survived a fight with a level 4 beast so fighting two level 5 beasts is overkill¡­ I guess I over did it by throwing him in the middle of a huge danger." Licht said scratching his hair in embarrassment.


    Turning back to look at Jankis'' fight, he could see the wind blades moving around his body widely and swinging his hands, he unleashed it at a few beasts in front of him and they were getting slashed no matter what they did.


    Some of them tried fighting back using their sheer strength. And although they managed to break some of the blades, more kept appearing and slashing them to death.


    "As long as I have mana, my attacks won''t relent." Jankis said as the wind blades were moving all around the field piercing and slicing the beasts open.


    "Time for a huge one!" Jankis said and then he turned around. "Lady Charla!" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Charla on hearing her name, managed to avoid a swing to her side and swung the beast away using her vines and then she turned towards where her name was called.


    "Both you and Langris, find a way to get the elves fighting down below to safety while also keeping the beasts at bay. When you are done, send a signal back to me!" Old man Jankis said.


    And without giving any response, Charla moved around and whacked a beast to the head while a thorn appeared at the end killing the beast before she used another vine to lift an elf and swung them to safety in the palace.


    Elara seeing this, quickly made vines to appear catching the elf.


    "Langris! Get the elves fighting to safety while keeping the beasts at bay. Do it, no questions asked." Charla said as she continued swinging the elves back to the palace while hitting the beasts with her vines.


    "Noted mum!" Langris replied as he got in the midst of three elves that grouped together against one of the Echidas.


    Shooting out a luminous sword, it smashed into the beast killing it. Creating a light sword beneath their feet, he sent them flying to the palace.


    This kept going on as Charla and Langris worked together to send the elves back while fighting against the hordes of the beasts on their own.


    It was hard, but after about ten minutes, they were finally done and then Langris shot out a luminous light into the air and seeing this Jankis smiled as a huge wind began surrounding his body.


    This wind wasn''t a small one as it was so fierce that it felt like a tsunami was coming as even the ground beneath his feet was breaking slightly.


    Then above Jankis, three hundred wind blades mixed with wind swords appeared above his head while coughing out, a stream of blood trickled down his mouth.


    "This is taking a lot out of me but I have to do this so you all should die!" Jankis shouted as he swung his hands down unleashing the disastrous wind magic down on the battlefield.

 Chapter 85 - 85: Just in time!

    "One down, two more to¡­" he was about to say when he suddenly got hit sending him flying into more trees by the second Echidas as he hit a tree that broke his flight but Grey lay on the floor motionless and unmoving.


    The beast seeing this walked towards Grey with steady steps while he lay totally unmoving and the mother and daughter duo from above were shocked by the turn of events.


    "Demon! Are you alright?!" The daughter shouted from above but there was no response and she turned towards her mother who was holding onto her tightly. "Mum, will Demon be okay?"


    "He will. I hope." She said the last part quietly.


    The beast was now terribly close and the young elf was scared by the fact that their saviour was about to be killed.


    "Demon! Wake up or else you will die! Demon!!! Wake up now you demon!" She shouted at the top of her lungs almost damaging her throat but her efforts paid off as the beast was about to stomp on Grey''s head when he suddenly flew backwards away from the beast and he landed on his feet with blood dripping down his head.


    "I''m not a demon darn it! And why the hell were you screaming? My ear is bleeding now." Grey shouted back.


    "Yayy! The demon is okay!" The young elf said and her mother smiled.


    The beast seeing Grey okay, began growling as it prepared to charge at him.


    "You know, you this beast has begun to piss me off and when I''m pissed, I don''t have mercy!" Grey said with his eyes scrunched up in anger and then stomping the ground, several spikes began popping out of the ground beneath the beast''s feet but already sensing it, it was jumping around avoiding it.


    "One good thing about having four magical affinities, is that I can be versatile as much as I want." Grey said as he lifted his hand and sent several wind blades heading towards the beast who was still dodging the Earth spikes.


    Grey was surprised that the beast was able to avoid the two attacks at once and then in a flash, it dashed towards him at full speed.


    ''Darn it! One thing about these beasts is that the higher their level, the faster they are.'' he thought as the beast''s paw was now close to his face but jumping back using his wind magic, he avoided the strike and then sent a huge Earth boulder towards the beast but it weaved around avoiding it.


    But all of a sudden in front of it, it could see two fireballs and in a second, they crashed into it but then out of the smoke, the beast was seen walking out slightly unharmed as its black fur were scorched.


    ''And the higher their level, the higher their durability! I need to release a powerful attack in order to finish it but I''m not receiving any breathing space.'' he thought as he jumped up in the air flying softly above the ground and sent dozens of lightning bolts and fireballs towards the beast that was jumping around avoiding the spells by the skin of its teeth.


    And then jumping up high, it was about to strike Grey but lifting his hands, he mumbled. "Wind magic! Aerius!"


    And a huge gust of wind slammed into the beast sending it crashing back into the ground and then from above, he kept unleashing fireballs after fireballs at the beast trying to kill it but it managed to avoid every single one. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Curses! Even if I have a large pool of mana from staying here, it isn''t infinite, it would still get over so die already you darn beast!" He shouted as he sent a huge lightning bolt at the beast that managed to crash into it stunning it in its spot.


    "Finally!" He said as he flew towards the ground at tremendous speed before the effects of the lightning wore off. Immediately his feet touched the ground, he controlled the Earth beneath his feet to lift a huge mound of it and then he began forming it into an arrow while he could see the beast twitching about to be released from the effect of the lightning.


    And when the arrow was formed, fire immediately engulfed it burning brightly while the beast was finally released as it dashed towards Grey at immense speed.


    "Shit! Wind magic! Aerius ultra!" He shouted and a tremendous gust of wind hit the flaming arrow sending it flying towards the beast at neck breaking speed.


    "Earth magic! Bind!" He called out as he saw the beast about to change trajectory in order to avoid the arrow and just in time, its feet got stuck in Earth as the arrow slammed into it sending shockwaves and wind blowing out and uprooting trees for miles to go while the ground beneath the beast''s feet broke and even around it, it cracked till it got to Grey''s side.


    And finally, the smoke settled and the beast''s head could be seen impaled by the arrow as the arrow slowly dissipated while the beast fell with a loud thud and so did Grey as he fell on his knees while clutching his chest.


    "I¡­ I did it! I managed to defeat level 5 beasts on my own and just in time." He mumbled as he felt his mana dwindling when he heard screaming above him and he could see the elf mother and daughter duo falling from the sky.


    "Shit! Wind magic!" He called out with the last bit of mana he had left and they were softly landed on the ground unharmed and unhurt.


    "Yayy! Uncle demon is so cool and powerful!" The little elf said as she ran towards Grey and hugged him tightly.


    "For the last time I''m not a¡­ actually nevermind." Grey said as he ruffled the elf''s hair making her smile cheekily.


    "Thank you so much for saving us even though you were forced into the situation by our leader." The woman said.


    "It''s fine. Because of it, I think I have grown stronger in combat." Grey said with a smile when the whole battlefield suddenly felt a tremendous pressure mount them.


    The pressure was somewhat suffocating and sinister as their hearts all thumped loudly in fear by what they were feeling. Grey who was several metres away from the main battlefield felt the same pressure and aura and he knew what it was.


    "The boss is finally making its move." He mumbled with his heart thumping louder and louder with each passing moment almost feeling like it wanted to jump out of his mouth.

 Chapter 86 - 86: Im here now!

    Then above Jankis, three hundred wind blades mixed with wind swords appeared above his head while coughing out, a stream of blood trickled down his mouth.


    "This is taking a lot out of me but I have to do this so you all should die!" Jankis shouted as he swung his hands down unleashing the disastrous wind magic down on the battlefield.


    The wind blades rained down on the Echidas slicing and slashing them apart. Even though they were level 5 beasts, Jankis'' wind blades were stronger as they ripped the beasts apart. Some even tried fighting against it using their strength and all.


    Although some of the beasts managed to break it apart, it still hit them as Jankis kept raining wind blades upon wind blades on the battlefield. Some of the beasts tried outrunning the blades but then dozens of light swords appeared hitting the beasts piercing and killing them.


    "I still had to make you all pay for attacking my town!" Langris shouted as he saw a pair of Echidas trying to escape. "None of you are escaping here!" He said and began shooting light swords towards the beasts that tried outrunning them when a dozen wind blades befell them killing them in the spot.


    In ten minutes, the whole town had been cleared off Echidas and the elves seeing this all cheered loudly while some hugged each other with tears streaming down their faces as the threat was finally over.


    "You guys did it." Elara mumbled with a tear running down her face. "I thought we were all going to die but I was a fool to underestimate you all."


    The cheering reached the whole forest and Licht who was still floating above on his luminous sword looked upon the town and shook his head while mumbling.


    "It''s not over yet and it is already making it''s move." He mumbled when all around the battlefield, an intense, sinister and otherworldly presence befell them and Jankis felt his chest tighten in suffocation and fear.


    So did Langris who suddenly broke out in a cold sweat and his teeth began chattering against each other. "What is going on? Th¡­ this presence is too suffocating!" He shouted as he fell on his knees with his hand covering his head in fear.


    "Th¡­ the boss." Jankis mumbled as a slight drop of sweat appeared on his leg while he looked straight ahead. Then clenching his hands in and out, he suddenly felt an intense pain in his back.


    "I''m already weakened using that huge amount of spell and I cannot keep this going for long." He mumbled as he suddenly began bending forward from his standing upright position and in an instant, his back was hunched. "In order to use my full power, I needed to be standing upright hence I used my wind magic to aid me but now it can''t keep up."


    "Li¡­lic¡­ where is Licht?!" Charla shouted as she knew that the town wouldn''t be able to handle this on their own.


    ''The beast isn''t even here and we can feel its presence from far away? This is not something we can handle without Light.'' Charla thought when they suddenly heard the breaking of trees from far away and a roaring sound.


    Then in a split second before anybody could do anything, a towering Echidas appeared in front of old man Jankis with its eyes glowing furiously red and without warning, it slammed its paws into Jankis'' face sending him flying and breaking a treetop house while laying on the floor unmoving.


    "Old man Jankis!" Charla shouted as she tried to move but her body refused to, especially looking at the towering Echidas that looked more than furious.


    That was when the beast suddenly looked at Charla and in a split second, it suddenly appeared in front of her with it breathing hard and menacing.


    ''We¡­ we are no match¡­I¡­ I''m no match for it.'' Charla thought and then she heard mumbling from a few metres away from her.


    "No¡­ no! No no no no! Please¡­ please don''t come at me, I¡­ I won''t be able to survive." Langris was heard mumbling with his head on the floor and his hand above his head while Charla turned back to look at the Echidas that lifted its paws up and was getting ready to hit her.


    "Li¡­Licht, I''m sorry. This is the end." She said as she closed her eyes when she suddenly heard a calm voice coming from above.


    "It''s not over yet!" And then still with her eyes closed, she heard an explosion occurring in front of her with the Echidas roaring a few metres away. "Yikes! It dodged that?! It means it must be quite strong then."


    "Lic¡­ Licht?!" Charla said as she slowly opened her eyes to see a handsome elf with his golden long hair fluttering in the wind beautifully while in his hand was a light sword.


    "You shouldn''t give up easily whenever you are faced with a difficult challenge, you know." Licht said with a smile as he turned to look at Charla. "Instead of cowering behind and accepting defeat, you should turn your fear into strength and try to save the people you care about like the elves and our kids." He said as he pointed towards Langris who was still on the floor mumbling.


    ''He¡­ he is right! Why on Earth did I accept defeat so easily?! I¡­ I was scared? Of a beast? Then it means I have no right to lead the elves! No! At this point, I shouldn''t be thinking about all that. I got stronger, strived to be the best so I can stand and fight alongside Licht and not drag him down.


    We are supposed to be partners and equals darn it!'' Charla screamed in her head as she saw Licht getting ready to have a go at the beast a few metres away.


    "You all already did your best and I''m sorry I didn''t help you all in your time of need. But now I''m here and it''s my turn to help. I also need to avenge the hit old man Jankis received from that filth!" Licht said calmly with a smile on his face despite the situation.


    "ROARRRRR!" The beast roared and then, like the speed of light to the extent he broke the sound barrier, Licht was seen speeding towards the Echidas while it also dashed forward towards him.


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 Chapter 87 - 87: Man up!

    "ROARRRRR!" The beast roared and then, like the speed of light to the extent he broke the sound barrier, Licht was seen speeding towards the Echidas while it also dashed forward towards him.


    In a flash, Licht and the beast clashed in the center. Licht swung his light sword, but the beast countered with its powerful paw. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the forest, bending trees as Licht was forced back slightly.


    "Guess my magic is strong enough for your strength but I''m not strong enough physically!" Licht said as he saw the beast dashing towards him at immense speed and before he could get to him, a luminous spear from above appeared and was about to hit the beast but as if sensing it, it jumped away just in time but the spear gave chase.


    So the beast did the only thing it could do as it pushed forward breaking the ground beneath its feet while heading towards the spear and by swinging out its small long tail that was as long as that of a lion of the old, it broke the luminous spear and causing the pieces to fall like a bright star of some kind.


    "I''m not done yet!" Licht said as a dozen light swords and spears appeared in front of him and swinging his hand, they were sent towards the beast who weaved and dodged avoiding every single one but they kept on chasing it so it spun around a few times and in a flash, it went from swords to spears breaking it apart easily.


    ''That means it is a match for my magic. Only the swords or light weapons in my hands are strong enough to withstand its strength because I''m reinforcing it with mana while the ones that have been sent flying, would be broken.'' Licht thought and a light sword appeared in each of his hands.


    "I guess we have to bring the fight up close then!" He shouted as he pushed off towards the beast breaking the ground for miles away while the burst of air that appeared from his speed, bent the trees more almost breaking them as part of the air even hit Charla who was a few feet away.


    ''I forgot how powerful and fast Licht is. He is exceptionally fast because of his attribute to light magic which can help reinforce his speed. Since he is holding his ground, I need to check up on Jankis and Langris.'' Charla thought as she moved forward to shake Langris and immediately her hands touched him, he shouted.


    "Please don''t kill me! I''m too young." He cried out when Charla kept shaking him and he kept on shouting. Having enough, Charla swung her hand across his face.


    "Will you shut the f*ck up and quit acting like a baby?" She said and then Langris quietened while opening his eyes to see his mum in front of him. "How pathetic can you be? And you want to take the throne after Licht? Look!" She said pointing at Licht having a go at the beast.


    "If you want to be half the man he is, you need to get stronger and be brave. You want to catch up to him?" She asked and Langris nodded. "Good! Then you have to pick yourself up and set an example to people showing them that you are up for the task."


    Hearing that Langris stood up while wiping the tears on his face up.


    "Beside, if Licht behaved like you just did, he wouldn''t be this strong. Besides, what kind of side do you want to show to your siblings? That you are a weakling and a coward?" Charla asked and Langris clenched his hand with his teeth grit.


    "I won''t be a weakling and I will surpass dad no matter what!" Langris declared.


    "Good boy! So pick yourself up and let''s check up on old man Jankis." Charla said as she walked forward.


    ''She is right! I can''t keep behaving like a weakling in face of danger and need to be brave. I can''t let the people or my siblings see me like this especially that weakling Elara!'' Langris shouted in his head as he dashed forward to check up on Jankis.


    Meanwhile, after creating the two light swords, Licht dashed forward and in a split second, he was in front of the beast as he swung one of the sword from the side but the beast jumped back trying to avoid it when he swung another one from the other side and the beast hit it back causing a shockwave to spread out. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Licht didn''t relent as he along with the beast began moving like a blur trying to find an opening in order to bring their opponent down.


    The more they moved and struck each other, more hot air, shockwave, broken ground and uprooted trees appeared as they were moving all around the forest and had even left the elven town.


    Jumping up, Licht sent a huge light sword towards the beast who jumped back in time avoiding it and letting the sword crash into the ground uprooting more trees.


    "I''m not done yet!" Licht shouted as in his hand, a long luminous whip appeared and it was moving around in his hand like a snake as the whip was 20 metres long and swinging it out, it curled and swirled around trying to hit the beast as more trees, and ground was broken while the beast continued avoiding each and every one of the swing.


    The way the whip moved, every swing destroyed about six trees while curling and moving around like a snake trying to hit the beast but it was quick on its feet and when it landed in a particular spot, Licht smiled.


    "Gotcha!" He said as a bright light surrounded the beast and a huge explosion erupted. "I know that won''t be enough to kill you!" He shouted as he swung the whip again towards where the explosion had occurred but then it felt stuck as he was unable to move the whip again.


    Then the smoke from the explosion settled down and the beast could be seen holding onto the tip of the whip with a weird smirk on its face as its eyes glowed again and its fangs were on full display.


    Dragging the whip, Licht was thrown out of the air and he crashed into the ground hard breaking the ground. The impact sent pain shooting through his body, dust filling his lungs as debris rained down around him.


    That didn''t deter him as he was seen standing up with a slight blood trickling down his face when he saw the beast open up its jaws and an orange glow was seen coming out.


    "What?! Does it have an ability?!" Licht exclaimed in surprise and before he could react, about a dozen fireballs were shot towards him at immense speed. "Shit! I can''t avoid it in time!" He said when he heard a voice coming from his side.


    "Yikes! I was trying to run away earlier from you but who knew that I would end up facing the beast I was trying to escape from here?" The voice said and then right in front of Licht, an Earth wall was raised blocking the fireballs.

 Chapter 88 - 88: A Powered up Grey!

    A few moments ago, Grey, Eclat the little female elf and her mother were still in the forest after he had defeated the two level 5 beasts and he was seen on the floor panting hard in exhaustion as his whole mana had been completely depleted.


    Running forward, Eclat threw her arms around Grey hugging him with a smile on her face.


    "Thank you uncle demon, you were really awesome." Eclat said as she disengaged from the hug and smiled towards Grey.


    ''I would have gotten angry at her calling me a demon but now I don''t care because she just reminds me of Jesse.'' He thought as he slowly tried to rise up when a huge pressure descended upon them.


    The pressure was somewhat suffocating and sinister as their hearts all thumped loudly in fear by what they were feeling. Grey who was several metres away from the main battlefield felt the same pressure and aura and he knew what it was.


    "Mum! What is going on?" Eclat cried out as she was slightly finding it hard to breathe from the amount of heavy pressure.


    "I¡­ I don''t know." Her mother replied as she gripped her chest tightly.


    "The¡­ the boss is finally making its move." Grey mumbled with his heart thumping louder and louder with each passing moment almost feeling like it wanted to jump out of his mouth.


    ''I wonder what Licht is doing right now?'' he thought as he looked up at the sky. ''I need to escape¡­ no! I need to get these two to safety and find a way to recover my mana just in case.''


    When he was done deciding, he grabbed Eclat by the hand while her mother was holding onto the other hand and in a flash, they began running back towards the town but they took another route so they would avoid any encounter of a beast.


    While running, Grey was constantly thinking and trying to come up with something in case things went south but nothing was coming to mind as everything depended on him having mana which he didn''t.


    ''I was barely able to defeat two level 5 beasts on my own. In the course of doing that, my mana was depleted but here, that big bad is a level 8 beast. I don''t even know if Licht can defeat it but I certainly can''t. We need to get to safety as soon as possible. And I just hope the others have defeated those other level 5 beasts because I''m in no condition to fight.'' Grey thought as he skillfully weaved through trees while still grabbing onto Eclat and her mother was just slightly behind.


    "Uncle demon, I''m getting tired already!" Eclat said and then Grey stopped and looked at her.


    ''Darn it! They will slow me down. Even without my mana or magic right now, I''m naturally fast due to my affinities with wind and lightning. Well I guess there''s no other choice then.'' he thought and then he let go of Eclat''s hand while turning to the direction they were coming from.


    He took a step forward when his eyes suddenly widened in shock. Turning around, he swiftly grabbed Eclat and shouted towards her mother.


    "Get down now!" Without wasting time, she did just that as Grey turned around while holding onto Eclat shielding her as a huge air of shockwave hit him in the back hard.


    "Arghhhhh!" He shouted as the shockwave burned and hurt him causing his clothes to tear off leaving his body bare.


    In a few seconds, the shockwave settled down as all around them, the trees were bent while Grey was seen huffing and panting hard while letting Eclat go and her mother stood up slowly.


    "Curse Licht! Damn you Licht!" Grey shouted as he stood up weakly and looked Eclat all around to see if she was hurt. "I know that magic, his darn light magic was mixed in with that shockwave which hurt like hell¡­ I''m really going to burn him alive when I see him."


    "But you need to be alive for that right? So run you doofus!" Noir shouted in Grey''s head as he grabbed Eclat and held her like a baby while her mother stood up.


    "Can you keep up?!" Grey asked.


    "Please! I don''t care about myself right now, all I want is for you to get Eclat back safely even if it means abandoning me." The female elf pleaded.


    "No! I''m not leaving anybody behind. Besides if I did, do you think little Eclat will ever forgive me? She would resent me and I can''t bear to break her little innocent heart now can I?" He asked and he saw a wide smile on Eclat''s face. "So c''mon, let''s go before another round of shockwave hit us."


    Hearing that will Eclat in his hands, they began running again with full speed and in a few minutes, they could see the town coming into view and finally they stood in the centre of the town. Without wasting time, Grey jumped up towards the palace and landed in front of Elara with Eclat in his hands.


    "Human?" Elara said.


    "Just shut up and take this little elf. Take care of her and make sure nothing happens to her or else you will have me to contend with." Grey said.


    "I don''t take orders from you!" Elara shouted but then looked at Eclat. "But I will take care of her." She said and then Eclat''s mother jumped up too and landed in front of them.


    "Eclat!"


    "Mother!" Eclat said as she ran and gave her mother a hug while her mother turned towards Grey.


    "Thank you so much for helping and protecting us all the way. You are not as bad as we thought after all." She said with a smile and then Grey just scratched his head when he felt a little tug on his legs.


    "Thank you uncle de¡­ uncle human!" Eclat said with a smile when Grey bent down and ruffled her hair.


    "Don''t worry, you can call me whatever you want, it''s fine." He said when a loud bang was heard again coming from the forest area.


    "That''s dad, he has been fighting hard." Elara said when she turned towards Grey. "You! For my dad to put so much hope in you, you must be powerful, can you please go help him out?!"


    "Tch!" Grey scoffed. "I don''t take orders from you. Besides I don''t have any mana left and even if I did, going to battle against that beast alone even with Licht''s help is suicide and I''m not ready to die yet without fulfilling my goals."


    "I can help with the mana problem." Grey heard a voice saying from behind him and then he could see lady Charla coming up along with old man Jankis who had blood spewing from his head with Langris slightly behind.


    "Oh really?! How can you help?" Grey asked.


    "Remember those trees you brought back to life as your punishment?" She asked.


    "Well they have another use." Charla said and then twirling her fingers around, a huge noise was heard and then bursting through the doors that led inside the palace, was a branch undoubtedly from a tree and without warning, it slammed into Grey''s chest as his eyes widened in shock from it.


    ''Hold on! It''s not harming me, instead I can feel my mana been restored and not only that, it is filling up at an incredible pace while doubling my mana capacity. This¡­ how is this possible?!'' Grey thought when all of a sudden, a shooting pain ran through his body as he fell down to the ground while breaking out into cold sweat.


    "This¡­ this¡­ I have felt this before." Grey mumbled as his whole body was drenched in sweat and then he began banging the ground hard while gritting his teeth as the branch stayed in place in his chest infusing his core with more mana.


    "Arghhhhhhhhh! This is painful!" He shouted at the top of his lungs that everybody there had to cover their ears.


    As it felt like Grey''s body was been set on fire from the inside out. Like a water that is boiling repeatedly, that was how he felt. And then he began coughing out black liquids from all the pores in his body.


    His mouth, nose and even ears wasn''t spared as the black liquid kept pouring out.


    "Mum! What is wrong with uncle Demon?" Eclat asked as she began crying seeing Grey in his current condition.


    "I¡­ I have heard of this before." Old man Jankis said. "Humans always go through this excruciating pain when they are about to break into the next rank of power laid upon them. So I suppose that is the same thing happening to him right now."


    "So he is breaking through huh?!" Charla said when the cries and screams from Grey suddenly stopped as he was seen slowly standing up with his body covered in impurities.


    "This¡­" Grey said as he clenched his fist in and out while moving his hand in the air as he could feel the cold breeze moving around touching his skin. "I can feel things more clearly and I have broken through and become a 3 star mage!"


    "I feel more powerful!" He said as all his red hair began floating above his shoulder.


    "Now with that, can we go back Licht up?" Charla asked as she could feel the calm aura coming off of Grey and she finally confirmed that he was now stronger.


    ''With this amount of power and aura, he could defeat Langris no problem. The humans sure are crazy strong huh.'' she thought when suddenly the whole place got windy with it surrounding Grey as his eyes was set in front while the people were being pushed back by the wind that they were about to fly off.


    "That is if you guys can keep up. I won''t let that filthy beast kill Licht as it is me that is supposed to burn him to a crisp!" Grey declared and then he pushed off flying forward with a gust wind hitting the branch from the tree breaking it.


    "C''mon! Let''s go too." Jankis said as he flew up using his wind magic while using it on Langris and Charla too and they were off heading towards where Licht was.


    Meanwhile Grey who was flying at immense speed couldn''t believe how powerful he was feeling at the moment as he kept looking at his hands.


    ''I can feel that my spells and magic have all gotten stronger with me breaking into the next star. But I know this won''t be enough to defeat that beast.'' he thought as he sped up more and from above he could hear an explosion occur so he headed there when he saw a long whip with Licht at the end of it.


    And then in the blink of an eye, he could see Licht being slammed into the ground causing another round of shockwave that nearly threw Grey out of the air.


    And then opening up its jaws, an orange glow was seen coming from the back of its mouth.


    "Right! The beast along with its physical strength also has a magical attribute of fire." He said and then he saw the beast shooting out a dozen fireballs towards Licht who was unable to react in time.


    "Earth magic! Earth wall!" Grey mumbled still floating above and a wall was raised in front of Licht.


    ''So I can now cast Earth spells from above. Something I wasn''t able to do earlier.'' he thought as he quickly descended down as he looked at the beast in front of him.


    "Yikes! I was trying to run away earlier from you but who knew that I would end up facing the beast I was trying to escape from here?" he smiled.


    _____________


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 Chapter 89 - 89: Time to skewer a beast!

    "Yikes! I was running away from you earlier, but who knew I''d end up facing the very beast I was trying to escape from?"


    Licht turned around to see the red haired human walking towards him casually while his hair was dancing around in the wind while the beast stood glaring at him.


    "Human Grey?!" Licht said.


    "Grey would be just fine, thank you." Grey scoffed and then he turned towards the beast. "I won''t allow you to kill Licht as it is me that has the right to." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You want to kill me? Haha! How delusional can you be?" Licht said with a chuckle when a light sword appeared in each of his hands.


    "I will burn you to a crisp but now''s not the time." Grey said as his left hand began blazing hot. "For now, I need to burn that beast down!"


    And then he fired a thin stream of fire towards the Echidas that moved aside avoiding it. But then, a thin needle of light shot toward it. The beast opened its mouth and launched a fireball, dispersing the needle and creating a thick cloud of smoke.


    Then out of the smoke, a dozen wind blades were seen flying towards the beast and in a split second, it began running around avoiding it while the blades crashed into trees slicing it up.


    ''Huh? My wind magic has also grown stronger?'' he thought as he looked at his hands.


    "Now''s not the time to be admiring how strong you have become, you silly human!" Licht shouted as he was seen speeding towards the beast and then he swung his sword from the side towards it but it jumped away but it quickly turned around to see a light spear heading its way.


    Swinging its paws, it broke it apart but then several fireballs were seen coming at the beast and it shot out countless fireballs at the incoming fireballs and they cancelled each other out with more smoke appearing in front of the beast.


    Before it could move, a huge sword made of light pierced through the thick cloud of smoke and crashed into the beast, sending it hitting a tree behind it, breaking it totally.


    But that was not all. From above, a huge boulder was seen hanging over the beast and in a flash, it was seen heading towards the beast who jumped away avoiding it and then it saw several spikes appearing from the ground trying to pierce it but as usual, it was quick on its feet as it jumped around avoiding it.


    "Grey! Move back!" Licht shouted.


    "I still need to hold the beast down for whatever you want to do though." Grey said as a stream of lightning left his hands and slammed into the beast before it could do anything. "No matter how fast you are, lightning is still much faster."


    "Now!" Licht said and then his golden hair began floating more above his shoulder as his eyes began shining bright light. ''I need more time.'' he thought as he could see the beast twitching.


    "I will buy you more time!" Grey shouted as he was seen speeding towards the beast using his lightning magic to aid him and when he got close, Earth surrounded his hand forming a type of earth gauntlet on his hand while the tip was sharp and pointy.


    Swinging his hand forward, he was about to slam it into the beast when a blur suddenly appeared in his vision while his fist hit the air causing a bang to be heard but there was no weight behind his hit.


    "Mana!" He said as he turned around to see a dozen fireballs heading his way. "Shit! Earth magic! Earth wall!" He called out and a wall was lifted in front of him taking the hit from the fireballs.


    But there was no follow up attack so he quickly let the wall down fearing the worst and then he could see the beast speeding towards a still standing Licht.


    "Darn it!" Licht said and then in his hand, the long snaky whip appeared in his hand as he quickly sped away from the beast who had already swung its paws out and then swinging his hand, the whip moved fast destroying more trees and was coming at the beast but it kept avoiding it.


    Then from the side, dozen spears appeared flying towards the beast as it tried to avoid the whip and spears at the same time when coming from below were Earth spikes and from above were wind blades.


    "Let''s see how you are going to avoid all these!" Grey shouted as the attacks were about to hit so looking up, it shot out fireballs towards the wind blades breaking them apart and for the whip, it quickly grabbed it by the tip again and swung Licht out of the air while it jumped up avoiding the spears and spikes.


    "Damn! Not again!" Licht said as he coughed out blood.


    "You can''t dodge well while in mid air!" Grey said and then several lightning bolts appeared all around him. Throwing his hand forward they all flew at incredible speed towards the Echidas who impressively dodged everything before it sped back down towards Grey who stunned by the speed from the beast.


    And it was seen swinging its paws when a bright light appeared in its field of vision blinding it for a second and then from the side, a heavy hit hit the beast sending it skidding away from Grey while it roared in anger.


    And then Licht was seen with his hands outwardly while panting hard. "That was close one." He mumbled then he saw the beast getting ready to move.


    "We need more backup and I need more time to prepare a big attack if we want to take care of the beast." Licht said.


    "And that''s why we are here!" He heard a voice saying from above and descending from above were Charla, Langris and old man Jankis.


    "Took you guys long enough." Grey shouted.


    "But now we are here so be grateful." Langris said.


    "So it''s time to skewer this beast to bits." Charla said as long vines began sprouting out from the ground while the branches from the trees began moving around and so did a huge gust of wind spread out surrounding old man Jankis and finally, a dozen light swords appeared all around Langris.

 Chapter 90 - 90: All at once!

    "So it''s time to skewer this beast to bits." Charla said as long vines began sprouting out from the ground while the branches from the trees began moving around and so did a huge gust of wind spread out surrounding old man Jankis and finally, a dozen light swords appeared all around Langris.


    "I''m glad you all are here." Licht said and then he stepped back a bit while a huge light sword appeared beneath his feet as he was suddenly flying up and then stayed in the sky several metres away from the ground. "I want you all to hold it back for me for two minutes and then I will get rid of it."


    "Two whole minutes?! For all I know, we could die in two minutes!" Grey shouted back.


    "I trust you and your judgement so I won''t question you." Charla said and then the vines and branches began moving more twisting and turning like snakes while the beast glared at them all.


    ''Uhm! Noir, I think I might need your help if we want to hold it down.'' Grey thought in his mind but then he heard Noir scoffing.


    "You want to be the greatest mage ever? Then prove it by taking on the beast yourself and don''t disturb me." Noir replied and he went silent.


    "I promise you, whenever I see you out here, I will make sure I electrocute you!" Grey shouted in anger when the beast dashed towards him instead of the others as if deeming him as a much bigger threat.


    Seeing this, old man Jankis shot out dozens of wind blades towards the beast who without turning around managed to avoid each and every one before getting to Grey''s position and taking a swing at him but he was nowhere to be seen as he suddenly could be seen floating slightly above the ground.


    "That was a close one." He breathed a sigh of relief as he could see Langris dashing towards the beast very fast but not as fast as Langris but still something Grey wouldn''t be able to keep up with.


    But the beast avoided his sword easily and then prepared to hit him away when a tree branch suddenly appeared and wrapped around the beast pulling its paws back but pushing its hand forward, the branch snapped but the time it bought was more than enough as Langris shot a spear towards the beast who jumped back in time avoiding it.


    From above, Grey rained fireballs upon fireballs onto the beast who swiveled, jumped and dashed avoiding each and every one while the fireballs were crashing into the ground scorching it and causing smoke to appear around.


    From the side, old man Jankis shot out two consecutive burst of wind towards the beast with one of them hitting it back while it shot out fireballs towards the other wind causing it to blow up forming a smoke screen.


    It was about to move when Langris appeared from the smoke and thrust his sword forward but slapping the light sword, it dissipated and then without wasting time, the beast swiftly turned around and whacked him with its small powerful tail causing Langris to fly backwards and hit a nearby tree hard breaking it as his head was seen bleeding.


    "Darn it!" Grey cursed as a stream of lightning began running up and down his hand. "You f*cking light elf, will you hurry it up before your family and loved ones die?!" He said as he shot out two burst of lightning towards the beast who began running around avoiding each and every bolt of lightning.


    While Charla also controlled the branches around and kept on trying to restrain the beast and then she also shot some seeds into the ground about a dozen of them and then plants sprouted up but before they could do anything, the Echidas shot out two fireballs burning the plants up.


    While Jankis kept on swinging wind blades after blades towards the beast who kept on shooting out more fireballs against it.


    "Darn it! Doesn''t it run out of mana?!" Jankis shouted as a burst of wind shot out of his hand towards the beast hitting and pushing it back. "Cause I''m running out of mana despite my vast pool!"


    "Same here darn it!" Grey shouted as he decided to begin bombarding the beast with both lightning and fire magic while still floating above the ground.


    Looking towards where Licht was, he could see him with his eyes wide open while it began shining bright and his hair was fluttering in the wind and his hands too was glowing bright golden.


    ''This was the same way he was the other time before the beast interrupted him. I wonder what he is about to do. And I hope he does it soon darn it!'' Grey thought as he kept on shooting more magic towards the beast who was still surprisingly avoiding everything.


    "I''m not done yet!" Everybody heard a voice saying and then a long sword made of light was shot at the beast who hit it breaking it but then a dozen more was sent flying its way.


    Twirling around, a gust of wind was surrounding the beast and pushing off, the dozen swords dissipated and then it shot out fireballs towards the person that was sending attack spells towards it.


    The fireballs was heading towards Langris at immense speed but then an Earth wall rose up blocking it when from behind the beast, vines were seen shooting from the ground trying to pierce the beast but jumping up, it shot more fireballs at the vines.


    Immediately its feet touched the ground, Earth suddenly surrounded it grounding it down. More and more Earth was surrounding its feet and then about a dozen shot of lightning bolts hit the beast stunning and electrifying the beast and with no doubt not affecting it.


    "Gotcha! Time for a big one everyone!" Grey shouted and all the vines and branches from the forest and crawled around binding the beast despite the Earth surrounding it.


    And tornado began surrounding Jankis while a huge and towering light sword appeared above Langris'' head.


    "My turn!" Grey mumbled as a huge mound of Earth burst out of the ground before it shaped into a long arrow and fire erupted the arrow surrounding it. Then followed by lightning causing it to hit the ground. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Weldone guys! You helped me and I''m finally ready." They all heard a voice say from above them before they could launch their spells.


    Looking up, they could see Licht floating above his light sword while his body was glowing brightly. With his eyes clear white no single black in it. "This will deplete my whole mana core but it should be worth it."


    He said and then above them all, the whole forest was now surrounded with long light swords above the battlefield. They were about hundreds of it and as if that wasn''t enough, a light whip appeared surrounding the beast restricting it as it was slowly trying to escape.


    "Licht are you crazy?! Are you trying to kill us with this?" Grey shouted when he saw Licht smirk.


    "All at once! Time to finish the beast off!" He smirked as the hundred swords moved at once.

 Chapter 91 - 91: A horrible death!

    "Weldone guys! You helped me and I''m finally ready." They all heard a voice say from above them before they could launch their spells.


    Looking up, they could see Licht floating above his light sword while his body was glowing brightly. With his eyes clear white no single black in it. "This will deplete my whole mana core but it should be worth it."


    He said and then above them all, the whole forest was now surrounded with long light swords above the battlefield. They were about hundreds of it and as if that wasn''t enough, a light whip appeared surrounding the beast restricting it as it was slowly trying to escape. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Licht are you crazy?! Are you trying to kill us with this?" Grey shouted when he saw Licht smirk.


    "All at once! Time to finish the beast off!" He smirked as the hundred swords moved at once.


    ''I don''t know what this fool is planning but I hope he doesn''t kill us off with this.'' Grey thought as they saw the beast slowly break out of all its binding but it was too late as all the hundred swords moved at once at tremendous while Langris'' light sword also moved.


    The beast got ready and opened up its mouth while an orange glow was seen coming from beneath it. When the swords were close, it breathed out a long stream of fire trying to break the swords and it was working as the swords were breaking.


    As the fire and swords were hitting together, the Earth surrounding the beast''s feet finally broke and the vines restricting its movements along with the whip disintegrated and the beast was finally able to move.


    But the hundred swords covered almost everywhere and it was difficult to avoid all but still the continuous stream of fire didn''t stop as it could see Langris'' huge sword coming from the side.


    Swirling around while still breathing fire, it tried to whack the sword away but the strength was too much for it as it was sent flying crashing into some trees breaking it.


    All at once, the remaining dozens of swords left along with Langris'' sword all flew towards where the beast was sent at tremendous speed and they crashed into the general direction but the beast managed to use the trees as cover as it was jumping around avoiding it while the forest was been destroyed more.


    Finally it showed itself in front of them all as old man Jankis finally swung his tornado around towards the beast still dealing with the swords and it was unable to react on time as the tornado slammed into it causing the beast to hit a huge tree breaking it.


    The beast slowly stood up with its head bleeding and its furs having cuts all over it while bleeding black blood but still the swords were not yet done as more of it were trying to dice the beast but since it was a level 8 beast, it was fast and had a good amount of endurance.


    But unknown to it that the constant attacks were wearing it down as its speed was slowly reducing while the light swords were starting to catch up with it but it was still avoiding them by the skin of its teeth while occasionally, old man Jankis would be sending tornados and wind blades at it.


    Which would connect sending it flying into some trees while Charla would control the vines of the trees it was sent into to send some sharp long thorns that were as long as a spear towards it and it would scratch it slightly as the beast was quick on its feet.


    "I can''t believe that the beast is still able to avoid this level of attacks from powerful people. I hate to imagine how powerful the higher beasts are." Grey mumbled while his Earth arrow that was still blazing with fire and lightning was seen above his head.


    ''Darn it! I thought Licht''s attack was meant to finish the beast off but it''s strong enough to keep evading. Out of all of us, Licht is probably the one with the most mana pool but even him would start to feel the strain on his core with the amount of high level spells he is releasing.'' Jankis thought as he prepared to unleash several wind blades towards the beast.


    "Will you just die already you filthy beasts?!" Langris shouted in anger as he shot a light spear towards the beast who tried to hit it in an attempt to break it but it was seen skidding while old man Jankis wind blades finally caught up as it slashed at its paws cutting it cleanly while its body was bleeding all over.


    Controlling the vines and branches, Charla shot out thorns at the beast that hit its body causing an explosion that sent it flying into a tree. From the side of the tree, a long 20 metre whip was seen slamming into the beast while wrapping around it, lifting it up and slamming it back down into the ground sending shockwaves and spreading dust everywhere.


    The beast roared in pains from the slam but Licht wasn''t done yet as he lifted the beast who was still wrapped up by the whip and then he slammed it back down again creating a crater beneath the beast''s body.


    Before Licht could do it again, the beast used its sheer strength to break free from the strains of the whip and tried to move away when it felt its legs stuck to the ground. Looking down, it could see Earth surrounding it as it tried its possible best to break free but it was proving difficult.


    "I finally managed to get you to stay still and with you weakened, this should work." Grey said with a smile as he pointed his hands forward and the huge arrow above his head moved. "Let''s go all out guys!"


    "Gladly!" Licht said and then a huge sword almost the same size as Grey''s arrow appeared while a long blade of wind appeared in front of old man Jankis.


    "Wind magic! Aerius ultra!" He shouted and a huge gust of wind hit the bottom of his arrow and propelled it forward at immense speed.


    "Light magic! Light sword of judgement!" Licht shouted and his sword along with Jankis'' blade moved forward at tremendous speed while the beast was seen struggling and its glowing red eyes widened in surprise as it could see the devastating attacks heading towards it.


    It finally managed to break free from its restraints but it was too late as the three devastating attacks slammed into its body sending hot air out hitting and uprooting dozens of trees and also causing a shockwave to spread out too with the ground beneath the beast''s feet broken and caved in three metres deep.


    When the wind settled, they could see the beast with its tongue out while its eyes were frozen with its wide eyes surprise. Grey''s Earth arrow could be seen protruding out of the beast''s head that was caught on flames due to him adding fire magic while lightning was seen hitting the remaining body.


    Licht''s sword crashed into the beast''s neck causing a deep hole before disintegrating and Old man Jankis'' wind blade sliced its abdomen open. In short, the beast died a horrible death while Grey and Licht hit the ground hard and were seen laying unmoving.

 Chapter 92 - 92: Aftermath!

    The level 8 beast was extremely difficult to defeat, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.


    It took the combination of five powerful people before they could take the beast down and in the process, the once beautiful forest was destroyed as trees were seen uprooted, the whole place was burning due to high level fire and lightning magic.


    Dead animals lay scattered across the broken ground, which was torn apart for several meters. Craters dotted the landscape, and the acrid smell of burning trees and branches filled the air, stinging everyone''s noses.


    In the middle of this forest, a huge towering lion-like beast was seen with a huge arrow made of Earth sticking out its head while the head was blazing with fire. Then a huge cut was seen in its stomach with its neck having a huge hole in it.


    Around the beast, two figures lay on the ground, unmoving, while the remaining three rushed over in concern.


    "Licht! Father!" Langris and Charla said at once as they dashed towards Licht who was laying on the ground unmoving.


    "Grey!" Old man Jankis shouted as he also rushed towards where he was laying unmoving.


    "We are okay!" Licht and Grey said at once as they lifted their hands up when Charla angrily controlled a vine in the area and whipped Licht in the arse.


    "Ow ow ow ow!" Licht shouted as he suddenly sprung up from the ground while rubbing his arse. "What was that for?"


    "That is what you get for making me worried, you dumbass husband of mine!" Charla replied with a scoff when she saw Grey looking at her weirdly. "And what are you looking at you human?!" She asked, lifting a vine up.


    "No nothing ma!" Grey quickly shouted with his hands held out.


    "Good!" Charla replied.


    ''This woman definitely has a screw loose,'' Grey thought.


    "What was with you both hitting the ground at once anyway?" Jankis asked.


    Grey just rubbed his hair in embarrassment. "I was just dead tired. Fighting that beast took a lot from me both mentally and physically so I was exhausted and I could feel my mana dwindling."


    "Well you both shouldn''t have made us worry." Charla said.


    "I feel bad for the forest now. It got destroyed in all these." Licht sighed.


    "So it definitely means you all committed a sin by destroying nature, how are you going to punish yourselves?!" Grey asked.


    When Charla used her vine and grabbed him by the neck bringing him closer. "It doesn''t count if we are trying to protect the town you dumbass!"


    "But it counts when I mistakenly do it." Grey mumbled while struggling to be set free.


    "What was that?!" Charla asked.


    "Nothing ma''am!" Grey replied sharply.


    "Ha! What a wimp." Noir laughed and then Grey was thrown down by Charla.


    "Let''s head back to the town and think of what to do next." Licht said and then they slowly picked themselves up to head back to town.


    The earlier fight had driven them deep into the forest, so it took them nearly ten minutes to return to town.


    Stepping foot into the town, they could see hundreds of bodies all around both from the beasts and the elves. No matter how hard they had tried to save the elves, some still perished. Seeing this, Licht and Charla gritted their teeth in frustration, while Grey simply sighed.


    The town was almost crumbling down as houses were destroyed, trees were bent, craters everywhere and the smell of destruction wafting into their noses.


    The people seeing them walk back with injuries on their face and bodies but no beast behind them, all cheered loudly as it meant that the battle was won despite the losses they suffered. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although there were many elves in the town, everyone knew one another, making each loss deeply personal. As Grey, Licht, Langris, Charla, and Jankis made their way back to the palace, they watched the remaining elves solemnly gather the fallen.


    "Thank you for saving us!" The elves said anytime the five warriors passed by them and then a little elf ran towards the group.


    Licht was about to pick her up when she swerved around and ran towards Grey who quickly picked her up.


    "Thank you uncle demon!" Eclat smiled and Grey ruffled her hair with a smile on his face.


    "You are welcome cutie!" Grey replied and then he let her back down while her mother walked forward.


    "Thank you for saving us¡­ Grey is it?" She asked.


    "Yes!" He replied, scratching his hair.


    "I''ll be sure to remember that." She replied. "C''mon Eclat, let''s go."


    "Bye uncle, demon!" Eclat said as she waved while she and her mother decided to leave the palace to go get things done in the town.


    "I guess you are also building your popularity here huh." Licht said with a chuckle as they walked into the palace and decided to rest while thinking of what they would do next.


    Actually, it was only Grey that went to rest while the rest walked around helping the elves including Licht who was seen using his long whip help lift bodies of elves and place them gently somewhere away while the beasts'' bodies were flung roughly towards a spot and hunched together waiting to be burnt.


    While all this was going on, Licht suddenly stopped and looked up with a smile on his face.


    ''It''s like you knew he would come here and help us. That''s why you said I should treat him nice and train him. I''m sure that if he wasn''t here, we wouldn''t have won this fight.


    Although I might win on my own, the losses we would suffer would be greater than this. So thank you for helping us from the shadows and I hope to see you soon my dear friend.'' Licht thought and he went back to helping around.


    __________


    {A/N}


    Guys! I hope you are enjoying the book so far? I still want to implore you to support the book with whatever resources you have so I can keep on pumping more chapters for y''all

 Chapter 93 - 93: We will miss you

    *Seven days later*


    It was finally a week after the terrible battle between the elves and beasts that suddenly invaded the town for one reason or the other. And in these past few days, the town was recovering nicely as razed down houses were built back rapidly with the help of everybody including Licht and his family.


    Grey didn''t want to help in the first place but was threatened by Charla so he helped in any way he could by using his wind magic to chop down wood that would be used in rebuilding, using his wind magic to lift heavy bricks and Earth used in rebuilding.


    He helped using his magic and therefore the elves appreciated him and whenever he helped, they always came with food trying to feed him. Initially he would refuse, but after some time and constant pestering, he accepted and his relationship with the people grew more.


    In his spare time, he would play with the kids while at the same time training them in using their different magic and hence Grey who was also known as ''uncle demon'' by the kids due to Eclat always calling him a demon became popular and he actually enjoyed his time in the town.


    The reason for this was that there was no differentiation among the people except the one he saw among Elara''s siblings. But in the town, it was different as everybody took care of another. Whether you were rich or poor, talented or talentless, everybody was treated as an equal unlike the human world.


    And this was the type of world he wanted so to leave became quite difficult but he had to leave eventually considering his family would be worried since he had been missing for two weeks now.


    And he finally decided that today was the day he would be leaving back as he informed Licht about his previous decision. Although Licht had grown fond of him, he decided to agree with his decision as the day finally arrived for him to leave.


    And surprisingly or unsurprisingly, the town came bearing gifts of different kind. Foods, clothes, fruits and so on as they used it to show their appreciation which Grey gladly accepted as he was seen in front of the palace with Charla, Licht, old man Jankis, Eclat and her mother in front of him after the town people had gone back to their daily jobs.


    "Are you sure you would be able to carry all that?" Licht asked as he saw the dozen baskets full of different things in front of Grey.


    "The elves have all kindly given me all these, I would be able to handle it. Besides, it won''t really be a problem." Grey said as he swirled his hands and a soft breeze lifted the baskets before setting it back down.


    "Well if you say so." Licht shrugged.


    "Human wimp, make sure you visit once a while huh." Charla said and Grey smiled.


    "Are you missing me already?" He chuckled when he suddenly felt his neck grabbed by something thin and he was dragged towards Charla who had a frown on her face.


    "What did you say?" She asked.


    "Nothing ma''am!" Grey quickly replied when he saw a soft smile on her face before setting him back down.


    "Yeah! I think I will miss you a little." She said and Grey almost choked on the air.


    ''She just said she would miss me? Haha! Wow!'' he thought.


    "Take care of yourself champ!" Jankis said as he walked forward and placed a hand on his shoulders.


    "I will. And thank you for teaching me the other time by nearly killing me with your wind attack." Grey said.


    "Ah yes that!" Jankis said as he scratched his head and flashed back to when Grey had been struggling to revive the dead trees and in order to help him, he released swift wind blades towards him which he avoided easily but it still caused a cut on his arm dripping blood.


    "Uncle demon! I¡­ I will really miss you!" Eclat said as tears began streaming down her face while she wiped it but it kept coming.


    "I will miss you too little Eclat! And don''t forget to keep practising your magic okay? If I ever find out you miss a single day practising or you are slacking off, I will come back and whip you into shape." Grey said with a smile when he saw Eclat wipe her face clean and smiled widely.


    "I won''t slack off, I will keep on practising and make sure I become the most powerful elf and then I will come to the human world to see you again!" Eclat declared.


    "That''s my girl." Grey said ruffling her hair when her mother stepped forward. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you Grey for saving Eclat and me that day. I will never forget your kindness ever." She said and Grey smiled back at her.


    "Alright I think that is enough! You are already making everyone emotional." Licht said as he wiped a tear from his eyes quickly before anybody could notice.


    "Alright then, I will be taking my leave." Grey said as he prepared to take off when a loud shout interrupted him.


    "Hang on!" Everyone turned around to where the voice was coming from when they saw a beautiful female elf with green leaves surrounding her golden long hair like a crown of sorts while running forward and stopped in front of Grey panting hard.


    "Elara?!" Licht said.


    "Please! Take me along with you." Elara said through ragged breath.


    "What?!" Charla said as she stepped forward. "What are you saying? You want to go to the human world with him? Why?"


    "Mum! I know I didn''t inform anyone of my decision early enough but I need to go with him." She replied.


    "And why is that?" Grey asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Remember what you said to me in the forest that day? I need to grow strong, strong enough to shut the mouth of my bullies up and that''s why I intend to come with you." Elara replied as she clenched her hands in frustration. "I could remember the day the beasts struck, I was powerless, weak and unable to provide any tangible help and I¡­ I¡­ I don''t want to ever feel helpless ever again!" She shouted.


    "So how is going with him going to do it? You can train here." Licht said.


    "I have been training here for so long but it is all in vain. I get mocked everyday by Langris and the rest. Despite being your daughter, I''m unable to show it with my powers so it is of no use. But if I go with him, change my environment, it might just do the trick. So please let me go with him." Elara pleaded and Licht sighed while Charla scoffed.


    "Fine! You can go if Grey is okay with it." Licht said.


    Hearing that, Elara turned towards Grey with teary eyes when she heard him sigh too.


    "I understand your plight since I have been there too. So I won''t stop you, you can tag along." Grey replied and Elara smiled widely.


    "Thank you." She said.


    "Alright! I guess that is taken care of, let us head back." Grey said as wind surrounded the baskets and lifted them upon along with Elara and he was also seen hovering above the ground.


    ''This town, I had come here by accident due to curiosity of what was at the volcano but who knew that i would forge bonds with another race and grow stronger. This place, it feels like a second home to me and I really don''t want to leave but I have to. And I hope I will come back soon as aside from my mum, no one has ever made me feel loved and I just did here.'' he thought with a smile on his face when he looked at the people below him.


    "Bye everyone!" He said and they shot forward at immense speed blowing a gust of wind hitting the others that were waving.

 Chapter 94 - 94: Where have you been?

    Grey and Elara were currently seen flying above the forest that made as an entrance and exit to the elve town. From above, Grey could see that the destroyed trees had all been regrown and were as lush and beautiful as ever.


    They were all fully grown and enhancing the forest making it beautiful while the craters had all been fixed along with the broken grounds all around.


    He could even see more animals running around the forest adding to its charm. Seeing this, he smiled as they could see the outskirts of the forest and where Grey had been attacked when he first came here.


    "So how long till we get back? I can''t wait to see the human world!" Elara said excitedly.


    "We will go to the human world and will get there in a few minutes but you are not staying there." Grey replied.


    "What? What do you mean by we are not staying there?" Elara asked.


    "I said you are not staying there no we." Grey replied.


    "Why?" Elara asked.


    "Do you think the humans wouldn''t notice you are different? You will attract so much attention and then what? Hunted and chased all your life since you are different." Grey said.


    "You make a point there. I didn''t really think about that. But where am I going to stay?" She asked.


    "I got that settled, so don''t worry." Grey replied as the volcano was now coming in view.


    ''I remember that my journey here was daunting and treacherous. I had almost died too until I unlocked mana skin. Wait! But I have another person with me.'' Grey thought as he looked towards Elara with wide eyes while they approached the volcano at immense speed and from there, the heat and magma from the volcano was getting strong and on instinct, mana skin activated shielding Grey.


    But looking towards Elara, he was surprised that she wasn''t facing any sort of discomfort and was humming silently.


    ''Huh? Isn''t the heat affecting her in the least? But how? No worries, I''m sure she would begin sweating buckets when we are directly above the volcano.'' he thought and he smiled as they had fully left the forest and the volcano could be seen a few metres away.


    Speeding up more, they were rapidly approaching the volcano and in a few minutes, they were flying above it and the heat along with the magna got intense but of course it didn''t affect Grey because of mana skin but turning around, he could see Elara still humming.


    "Okay I can''t take it anymore!" Grey said and Elara stopped humming while looking at Grey with a confused expression. "How is the magna not affecting you?"


    "Oh that?! My body is being shielded by mana skin so I''m alright. Wait! Don''t tell me you humans don''t know how to use it." Elara said.


    "Of course we do know it. I just didn''t know that the elves knew how to use it too." Grey replied and then they continued on their journey as they crossed the volcano fully and were speeding back towards the forest of the human side.


    ''Come to think of it, my trip back is faster than when I was heading to the elven town. It was hard before because of the heat but now because of mana skin, I was able to get back faster.'' Grey thought as the somewhat dead trees could be seen coming in view.


    "Yikes! You humans sure do not respect nature." Elara commented as she could see destroyed trees everywhere with some having scorched marks on it.


    "Well that is because unlike your beautiful world, our has beasts running around." Grey replied and then he continued forward at immense speed trying to cross the forest.


    ''Shit! How am I going to locate mum and Jesse now. I remember before I embarked on my trip, they had gone out in search of a house in the better parts of town.'' Grey thought as the speed with which they were flying doubled.


    "Woah! Slow down darn it!" Elara said as the wind was hitting her face hard.


    "I can''t. If I slowed down, the people would spot us and I wouldn''t be able to explain so this is the best." He said as a gust of wind hit the tree behind him totally uprooting it and in five minutes, Grey could be seen standing in front of their worn out, broken home.


    And the gust of wind from landing hit the door swinging it off its hinges.


    ''Huh? My wind magic has grown more stronger? I guess this is the perks of being a 3 star mage.'' he thought as he walked in with heavy breath expecting to not see his mum and Jesse but contrary to his thoughts, he could see his mum in the living room arranging some things with Jesse helping her.


    "Mum¡­ I''m ba¡­back." He said stuttering in fear as his mum along with Jesse looked at what caused their door to be broken.


    "Grey?" She said in surprise as the last person she expected to see was her son.


    "You¡­ where have you been you dumbass son of mine?!" Clara shouted as she looked around and picked a shoe of hers throwing it at Grey with force but he easily avoided it.


    "Hold on mum, let me speak." He said but his mum picked the next available thing and threw it at Grey who swiftly dodged it by the skin of his teeth.


    "Do you know how worried I was?" She said as she picked another strong shoe and was about to swing it when she saw someone enter.


    "Hello." Elara said and Clara froze while Jesse screamed.


    "Arghhhhhh! A demon with pointy ears!" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    _____________


    {A/N}


    I hope you all are enjoying the book so far?! If so, please tell me in the comment section as your voice, feedback, suggestions and opinions are well welcomed as I would love to hear all your thoughts on the book so far.


    Also, please your support will be very much appreciated you guys, power stones, Golden tickets, and gifts. Whatever resources you have, please send them my way and I will do my best to pump more interesting chapters for you all. Thank you ??????

 Chapter 95 - 95: A loving family

    "Do you know how worried I was?" She said as she picked another strong shoe and was about to swing it when she saw someone enter.


    "Hello." Elara said and Clara froze while Jesse screamed.


    "Arghhhhhh! A demon with pointy ears!"


    "I''m no demon." Elara said with a smile.


    "Arghhhhhh! Brother Grey, take care of the demon." Jesse cried out as she ran towards Clara and gave her a hug.


    "Greyyyyy!" Clara said and he smiled with him rubbing his hair slightly.


    "That was what I was about to explain mum. And Jesse, she''s not a demon, she''s an elf." Grey said.


    "Elf?! I¡­ I have heard about that race from your grandfather." Clara said with wide eyes as she looked Elara up and down in shock. "They are real?!!!" She shouted.


    "Yup." Grey replied and it looked like Clara was going to faint at any moment.


    "Wait! Where did you find her from? I mean where did you come across her?" Clara asked and then Grey walked forward with Elara slightly behind him while they all sat down on the torn sofas.


    "I met her on an unexpected trip of mine." Grey replied and before his mum could question him, he proceeded to explain about how he always trained in the forest which his mum was aware of and then how he decided to explore the volcano and of course leaving out the part that he nearly died for obvious reasons.


    Then he talked about the elven town, how he was attacked, then how he met Elara and then his punishment for commiting a taboo before he moved on to the beast attack how the town was saved and his decision to head back because he knew his mum would be worried and Elara''s decision of tagging along.


    "So that is how she is here." Grey said as he heaved a sigh while his mother was seemingly taking in everything he said patiently.


    "Wow! Seems like brother Grey had so much fun! And we were worried for nothing." Jesse said.


    "Don''t forget that he almost died." Clara replied as she glared at Grey which made him shrink in his seat.


    ''I didn''t know this human could be scared of anybody but boy was I wrong.'' Elara thought with a chuckle.


    "Oh well it is in the past and it has already happened so no need of getting angry over it. But I would appreciate if you could tell me next time when you are going on a trip like that so I won''t go around the town searching for you worriedly." Clara said.


    "I''m sorry about that." Grey said with a nervous smile.


    "It''s okay!" Clara said.


    "About the house, did you get one?" Grey replied.


    "Actually yes and we would have moved out by now if not because we knew it would cause you troubles whenever you came back so we lingered around a bit more while slowly moving some precious things there." Clara replied.


    "Oh!" Grey said and then he stood up. "Anyway, I just came to inform you that I''m fine, I will be leaving with Elara to take her somewhere safe where nobody would hunt her."


    "Huh?! Let her stay here, I mean let her come with us. I know you are worried about her being chased and looked upon differently, but can''t she put on a disguise or something?" Clara asked.


    "I know but she won''t feel comfortable going out everytime with a disguise. She might adapt to it but on the long run, it will become exhausting as she won''t be able to be herself and interact with others." Grey replied.


    "Hmm. That is a solid point. Well if she can''t stay forever, let her stay for today and then tomorrow, you can take her wherever you want. You said it yourself that her kind treated you nice and stuff, so how about we show her our own hospitality." Clara said.


    "Yes brother Grey! Let the demon aunty stay for today so I can play dress up with her." Jesse said with a cheeky smile which made Grey remember when Eclat usually called him a demon and he smiled.


    "I will accept if it''s fine by Elara." Grey said and then Elara shot up from her seat.


    "Why wouldn''t it be fine by me?! After all, I would love to spend time with the great mage Grey''s family."


    Hearing the name she addressed him with, he coughed and Clara raised an eyebrow.


    "The great mage Grey?!" She chuckled and then grabbed Grey by the ear hard making him scream in pain.


    "Ow ow ow!" He said.


    "What did you really do there? Did you make them all call you that?" She asked.


    "No mum, never." Grey said while screaming from the pain in his ears. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Haha! Brother Grey is a weakling!" Jesse laughed.


    "You come over here!" Grey said as Clara finally let his ear go and he began chasing Jesse around but he refrained from using wind magic which made Jesse evade him easier.


    Seeing the siblings love among them, Elara smiled. ''He is so loving with his family and especially his sister. The same thing I was unable to experience back home since my own siblings always looked down on me.'' she thought as her face suddenly looked down cast which Clara noticed.


    "Don''t look like that, you are now part of our family too no matter whether you are a human or not." Clara said and looking up, Elara smiled widely.


    "Yes." She responded and Clara chuckled.


    "Alright kids! Let''s prepare a scrumptious dinner for our guest." Clara said.


    "Wait! Dinner for our guest? What about me? I just came back from a dangerous trip, won''t I get something special too?" Grey asked.


    "Of course you will." Clara smiled. "You will get a special beating!" She said as she pulled out her shoe again and swung it at Grey. "That is for making me worry and searching the whole town for you."


    "But I thought you forgave me." Grey said avoiding the shoe.


    "Indeed I did. But I needed to vent my frustration out." Clara smiled before picking a pillow and throwing it at Grey who caught it effortlessly.


    ''What a nice, loving and beautiful family. And is it me or does Grey look more charming than before?'' Elara thought with her face heating up.


    "Alright! Enough of that. Jesse! Come help me in the kitchen." Clara said and Jesse accompanied her as they prepared to make Elara feel at home.

 Chapter 96 - 96: Lets go to another world!

    A week passed since Grey and Elara came back to the human world. Although he said he would only allow Elara stay for the night with Jesse and Clara allowing, the night slowly turned into a day. From a day to several days and then a week.


    Every single day, Clara or Jesse always found an excuse to make Grey leave Elara with them for a while and since he couldn''t say no to them, he always let it be but today, he finally decided that it was time to take Elara to the ''safe place'' he had for her.


    Grey could be seen standing beside Elara who had her eyes teary looking at Jesse crying as during the week, they had all bonded well with Elara feeling like a fourth member of their family.


    Jesse considered her an elder sister although she still referred to her as her ''demon aunty'', Elara''s loving nature finally made Jesse warm up to her and they became closer than before with Clara also treating her like family.


    So it was normal to see Jesse crying seeing her demon aunty leave so soon. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t cry Jesse, I promise I will come see you if your grumpy brother allows me too." Elara said.


    "Who are you calling grumpy?" Grey asked with a frown on his face.


    "You of course!" She replied back and Jesse giggled seeing their little banter.


    "I will miss you Elara." Clara said and Elara smiled.


    "Me too." She replied. "If it was up to me, I would have stayed longer but the main reason I came to the human world is to train and grow stronger and I can''t do that indoors and neither can I step out as I might be spotted by others which might freak them out."


    "Yes I understand but do make sure to visit." Clara said.


    "I will." Elara said.


    "Can we go?!" Grey grunted in frustration.


    "Sure! Grumpy uncle." Elara chuckled and Jesse giggled more.


    "Call me grumpy one more time and I will make sure I electrify you here." Grey said with lightning twirling around his fingers.


    "See Jesse. Was i wrong in calling him grumpy?" Elara asked.


    "No! Not at all. Brother Grey is always grumpy." Jesse said and Grey glared at her.


    "Alright I think it''s getting late now." Clara said.


    "Yeah so we need to leave." Grey said and then they stepped out of the house with Clara and Jesse standing in front of the door while wind magic was beginning to surround Grey and Elara. "And one more thing mum, where I am going, I might spend a little bit of time there so please don''t get worried."


    "Sure! Just take care of yourself." Clara said and then Grey along with Elara began floating up above the ground and in a flash, they sped off in the distance towards the forest at immense speed.


    "You really have a nice family." Elara commented as she watched the town from above while they were heading towards the forest.


    "Yeah." Grey said.


    ''Too bad mine do not care about me.'' she thought with a tear nearly dropping down her eyes but she quickly wiped it. ''But I promise to get stronger! Strong enough to make them acknowledge me.''


    "That reminds me. You never told me what powers or magic you use. I saw your elder brother using light magic, and some of your siblings using plant magic. What''s yours?" Grey asked as the forest was now coming in view.


    "Oh! Unlike my siblings and others that have one magic, I have two but I''m unable to control them properly." Elara replied.


    "Two?! I don''t think I have seen any elf using two magic before including Licht. So that makes you special huh?" Grey said.


    "In a sense yes. But it is not useful if I don''t know how to control them though." Elara replied.


    "So what are they?" Grey asked as they could see the cave he always rested in away from the forest and beasts and slowing down, they halted before descending in front of the cave.


    "Healing plant magic and illusion magic." Elara replied. "Although my plant magic is slightly different, it can heal and I can also share mana from my pool to others but I haven''t been able to do that yet. Just able to heal small injuries while my illusion magic is practically useless which males me useless."


    ''Sharing mana from her pool to others?! That is very useful and helpful and illusion magic? Is it like Noir''s?'' Grey thought as they walked into the cave and stood in front of a wall.


    "What are we doing here? Wait! Is your safe place this cave? Do you expect me to live out my life here in this cave?" Elara asked taken aback.


    "If I wanted to let you live in a cave, I would have abandoned you in a forest no problem so quit disturbing me." Grey said as he placed his palm on the wall and mana began seeping out of his palm to the wall causing it to move and they both walked.


    Elara was constantly staring around looking at the cave which looked like a small cottage of some kind with an Earth throne of some kind in the room, a mound of canned beverages off to the side and another mound of chalk off to another side.


    Walking forward, Grey grabbed a chalk and walked to the centre of the room.


    "You have pretty good magic." Grey said as he began drawing some circles and runes while Elara looked at him weirdly. "Because you don''t know how to release this full potential yet doesn''t make you useless. You yourself have to find a use for your useless magic and turn it into something great that no other person can replicate."


    Immediately he was done talking, the circles were now finally complete so he walked forward and inputted a little bit of mana in it and then the circle lit up white while swirling around with a mystical swirl of white colour.


    And slowly, a portal opened in the middle of the room while Elara stood with wide eyes looking at it and then Grey smiled.


    "C''mon, let''s go to another world." He said.

 Chapter 97 - 97: Lets find a use for your magic!

    "C''mon, let''s go to another world." He said and Elara walked forward with a confused and surprised expression on her face.


    "What world are you talking about? And how can you do this?" She asked.


    "Just a world I stumbled on and this, it''s just another one of my skill. Something I can do." Grey replied. "So c''mon, it only has about three more seconds before it closes." He said and then he grabbed Elara by the wrist before jumping into the portal together.


    Immediately they passed through, the portal snapped shut meanwhile, Elara was going through a sensation she hasn''t felt before. Going through the portal, all her emotions and senses were heightened as she could only see white all around her.


    In two seconds, a portal opened up in a cave and the duo were seen stepping through with Elara weirdly touching all her body parts.


    "What are you doing?" Grey asked.


    "Checking if I''m missing any body parts of course!" She replied and when she saw she was okay, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    "I thought your dad Licht was weird, but who knew I was going to be stuck with the biggest weirdo ever." Grey said slapping his forehead loudly.


    That was when Elara stopped and looked around with a raised eyebrow after taking in her surroundings. "Why did we leave another cave and come into another cave?"


    "Can you stop yapping for a few seconds let me get my head on straight?" Grey asked annoyed.


    "I don''t yap, I hardly talk at all." Elara replied.


    "You hardly talk and yet you have spoken for like twenty minutes now. Don''t you take a break?" He asked. "She keeps yapping like a parrot not letting my ears rest."


    "Who are you calling a parrot grumpy uncle?!" Elara asked.


    "Don''t call me grumpy or else I will really roast you here." Grey said.


    "Roast me? Let''s see you just try." Elara said.


    "You¡­" Grey was about to say when.


    "Is that you Grey?" He heard a voice shouting his name from behind him causing him to sharply turn around and then he could see a short man in front of him with long pointy ears.


    "Randin?!" Grey said with a smile on his face.


    "It really is you." Randin said and then he dashed forward and gave Grey a hug with a wide smile on his face. "It''s so nice to see you again."


    "Same here. I''m glad you are safe and sound." Grey said.


    A few months ago, when Grey had gotten the books from the first mage, he had also gotten a book that taught how to draw runes and magic circles that could take people to another world.


    And after a few months of trying over and over again, he finally got it right and opened up a portal that brought him to bronze land. The planet of the dwarves where he met Randin: the last remaining dwarf on the planet.


    Together, they took down the goblins that were on the planet trying to hunt any dwarves that are left on the planet and after that, they became friends. And now, Grey was here to drop Elara as this was the safest place he could think of at the moment.


    "Is it me or you have grown stronger. The air around you feels more powerful." Randin said and Grey chuckled rubbing his hair in embarrassment.


    "You can say so." He replied.


    "Hey grumpy uncle, who is the short man?" Elara asked.


    "I swear, you call me grumpy again I won''t hesitate before I really electrify you." Grey said.


    "And who are you calling short?" Randin asked in anger. "You pointy eared beautiful woman."


    "That is a compliment you dumbass." Grey said.


    "Aren''t you short? And don''t you also have pointy ears too?" Elara asked.


    "You have a good point there. Anyway, I can''t be angry at a beauty for long." Randin chuckled while Grey had a disgusted kind of look on his face.


    ''Who knew Randin was a flirt of a kind.'' he thought.


    "Anyway, what brings you here Grey?" Randin asked.


    "Oh! I needed a place to dump this annoying elf so she can be safe and let me breathe in peace." Grey replied.


    "Wow! So I''m now a burden?! I can''t believe this. You know I didn''t ask to be taken along right?" Elara stated.


    "Uhm¡­ may I point out that you practically begged to accompany me you dumbass elf!" Grey said with a slight frown. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good point." Elara said nervously before she ran towards Randin. "Hi! I''m Elara and I''m an elf, since that grumpy human said I will be staying here, I hope we can get along and I just hope you are not as grumpy as him."


    "No don''t worry, I''m not grumpy. And it''s nice to interact with another race." Randin said. "So let''s go talk better at my place."


    "Good idea." Grey replied as they walked forward and managed to get down from the cliff the cave was stationed on and they set off towards where Randin''s own house cave was.


    Getting there, they all walked in and Randin served them a soup of some kind so they can drink and relax. While they were eating, a questioned suddenly popped up in Grey''s head.


    "Hold on! Randin, how did you know that I was in that cave?" Grey asked.


    "Oh! It''s because of that." Randin said pointing at Grey''s chest and he proceeded to touch his chest to reveal a pendant.


    "My pendant?" Grey asked as he remembered that the pendant was a gift from Randin to him and it also doubled as a storage space that allowed for him to store the weapons Randin forged for him.


    "I had implanted an equipment that allowed me know if you ever came here. You know I said I would roam the planet in search of my kind, I wouldn''t want to wander around and you came back looking for me. So I did that to notify me whenever you stepped foot on the planet." Randin replied.


    "That''s pretty helpful." Grey mumbled and they ate their foods quietly and in a few minutes, they were done. "Now that we are done, let''s finally find a use for your magic Elara and with Randin''s help, it will be easier."


    "Actually, allow me to train her." Grey heard a voice say in his head.


    "What?!" Grey almost choked on the air.

 Chapter 98 - 98: An anomaly!

    "I had implanted an equipment that allowed me know if you ever came here. You know I said I would roam the planet in search of my kind, I wouldn''t want to wander around and you came back looking for me. So I did that to notify me whenever you stepped foot on the planet." Randin replied.


    "That''s pretty helpful." Grey mumbled and they ate their foods quietly and in a few minutes, they were done. "Now that we are done, let''s finally find a use for your magic Elara and with Randin''s help, it will be easier."


    "Actually, allow me to train her." Grey heard a voice say in his head.


    "What?!" Grey almost choked on the air.


    "What happened?" Randin and Elara asked at once as they suddenly looked worried while they rushed towards Grey''s side.


    "Noir! You want to help train her?" Grey asked out loud in shock.


    "Noir? Who''s Noir?" Elara asked.


    "Did I stutter? I said I want to train her, any problem?" Noir asked.


    "But when I had asked for your help in a sparring session, you refused and you want to help Elara?" Grey said.


    "Your case is different. You have a knack for solving your problems yourself without help but she is really in need of the help. And mind you," Noir said as a black mist appeared from Grey''s hand taking the shape of a wolf.


    "I wasn''t asking for your permission, I was telling you." Noir completed his words.


    "Woah! A cute wolf just appeared." Elara said and then she walked towards Noir ruffing his red fur.


    "Cute?!" Grey shouted almost choking on the air the second time. ''She just called him cute but he didn''t do anything¡­ wait, can I even call Noir a he or a she?''


    "Elf lady." Noir said opening a mind link with her which startled Elara slightly. "I just told that grumpy human there that I will be the one training you and since you said you use illusion magic too, I will help you in that aspect too."


    "You¡­ you also acknowledge that he is grumpy?!" Elara laughed out loud while Grey glared at her.


    "Let''s not lose track of the conversation here." Noir said.


    "Right! I really don''t know what you are, but if you are with him, it means you are helpful and strong. So I will gladly accept your help." Elara said bowing down slightly.


    "See the difference between you both?" Noir asked while Grey scoffed.


    "So when do we start?" Elara asked.


    "Now." Noir said and then he walked forward to the edge of the cave. "Let''s go." He ordered and he along with Elara left Randin''s cave house.


    "Well that leaves the two of us. Any idea what we can do?" Randin asked.


    "Actually, I plan on hunting. And not just any beasts, but I need strong ones." Grey replied.


    "Like how strong are we talking about?" Randin asked.


    "About level 4 or 5." Grey replied.


    "That means we will have to venture into the forbidden realm." Randin said rubbing his beard. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Forbidden realm?!" Grey asked.


    "It is a forest filled with more dangerous beasts than the ones we encountered in the outskirts. This forest is at the other side of all these caves and mountains. And the deeper you go into the forest, the stronger the beasts." Randin replied.


    "Good! That will have to do." Grey replied.


    ''I just hope to see some elemental beasts there and maybe I can get their cores and absorb it to gain more points in my affinities. I would have absorbed that level 8 beast''s core, but it''s stronger than me and might mess with my core so level 5 beasts will have to do.'' he thought.


    "Alright, let me go and get my equipment." Randin said while Grey relaxed back in his seat waiting for him to be ready.


    Meanwhile, Elara and Noir were seen in a clearing in the middle of forest where no beast would disturb them. They were seen standing opposite each other while Noir walked around examining Elara.


    "Hmm. As expected of an elf, you have immense amount of mana. Well not as much as that old man Jankis or Licht but it is still impressive." Noir commented.


    "So how do we start?" Elara commented.


    "Be patient girly." Noir replied and then he stood directly opposite to her. "Okay! Do you know how to cast spells and use mana?"


    "Yes! I can cast little plant spells like summoning a thick vine or countless of them that can only last up to three seconds before disappearing again." Elara replied.


    "So you know the basics of using mana and moving it around to create spells." Noir commented. "This should be easy depending on your level of assimilation."


    "Let''s do this!" Elara smiled. "So what are we training first? Plant magic or illusion magic? Oh I have an idea, let''s do plant magic first."


    "Now I know why that kid calls you a parrot." Noir sighed while Elara immediately shut up. "We are training your illusion magic first since it''s the most complicated to do."


    "So how do we start?" Elara asked.


    "By first of all keeping quiet and sitting down in a meditative pose while shutting your eyes." Noir said.


    "Sitting down and shutting my eyes?" Elara asked.


    "Will you stop asking too much question and do as I say?!" Noir shouted and Elara quickly shut her eyes after sitting down cross legged while awaiting further instructions.


    "Now that your eyes are shut, I want you to use your other senses. Since you have an affinity to plant magic, I want you to see the forest not with your eyes, but with your other senses." Noir said.


    "How can I do that?" Elara asked.


    "Imagine and feel the forest around you. The soft breeze ruffling through your hair, the sound of the leaves hitting against each other and the sound of the entire forest. It shouldn''t be hard for you as your practically lived close a forest." Noir said and then Elara took in a deep breath while trying to visualize the forest in her mind.


    "Firstly think of a small pebble. Imagine that you are holding a small pebble in your hands." Noir said and he heard Elara breathing in and out while trying to visualize the small pebble.


    ''I think she has gone into the meditation state. That was quick, usually it takes others around a few days before they could get into the meditation state. The only person I have seen do this so quick was Grey.'' Noir thought.


    Elara was slowly visualizing a small pebble in her mind and it was forming fully in her mind when all of a sudden, an image of a much younger Licht appeared in her mind.


    "You are just wasting your time, you can''t do it. You are just the weakling we all know so stop wasting the wolf''s time and give up." She heard the image say while her hands began to naturally clench while the image changed again to that of her other brother.


    "Tch! Pathetic. How weak can you be that you can''t perform a simple task asked of you?" Then the image switched again to that of her older sister.


    "What did we expect from a disgrace to the family. Hahaha!" Her sister laughed while tears began dropping from Elara''s eyes as she saw her siblings all laughing at her and the laughter grew much louder which made her snap her eyes open as she quickly stood up while wiping the tears off her face.


    "I can''t do it, it''s pointless trying." Elara said as she prepared to walk away when Noir stopped her.


    "What is wrong? You saw your siblings mocking you?" Noir asked and Elara turned around with tears falling down her eyes.


    "I¡­ no matter how hard I try, I can''t seem to shut their faces off my mind. It¡­ they keep haunting me, telling me that I can''t do it and it''s¡­ it''s." Elara struggled to say as she was seen on the floor crying her eyes out.


    "You know, assuming I had hands for paws, I would have really given you a tight slap." Noir said and Elara continued sobbing. "So because their faces keeping coming in front of you, it means you are going to give up? I understand, you have been taunted by them for so long leaving a scar on your mind but why allow it deter you?"


    "It¡­ it is heart breaking to me because all I ever wanted was to be acknowledged by them, I also want to feel loved but I didn''t get that." Elara replied.


    "Haven''t you been acknowledged? Haven''t you been loved?" Noir asked. "Who was the first person to acknowledge you and make you feel good? Didn''t some people made you feel loved?"


    "Acknowledge?!" Elara asked and then the image of Grey talking to her in the forest back at the elf town appeared in her mind and then him acknowledging back at the forest.


    "You have pretty good magic. Because you don''t know how to release this full potential yet doesn''t make you useless. You yourself have to find a use for your useless magic and turn it into something great that no other person can replicate." she remembered Grey saying.


    Then the image switched back to the one week she spent at Grey''s house and how welcoming the family were. How Clara always made sure she fed her and specially took care of her. Then she saw Jesse always calling her a demon with a smile while also forcing her to play dress up and play different childish games.


    "It''s true¡­ I¡­ I was acknowledged and loved not by my family, but by Grey''s and it really made me feel good." Elara said as she began wiping the tears off her face.


    "Good! I''m sure all those times you spent with them brought a smile to your face, so instead of trying to show your siblings that you can achieve great things, do it for the people you really care about. Once the people that care about you and you care about them acknowledges you, others will follow." Noir said.


    "So what are you going to do now? Are you still going to give up or get back up and fight hard?" He asked and Elara stood up wiping her face completely dry of tears.


    "I will fight back and grow strong enough to protect Jesse and her mum. I''m sure that grumpy human can take care of himself." Elara smiled.


    "Good! So get back to imagining a pebble for me." Noir said.


    "Yes sir!" Elara replied and then she sat back down cross legged and closed her eyes with a smile on her face while her mind was on full concentration.


    ''I will make sure to make Grey and his family proud.'' she thought and then she swiftly visualized a pebble which was shining bright in her mind.


    "Can you see the pebble clearly?" Noir asked and he saw her nod. "Good! Now I want you to swirl your mana around and concentrate on that pebble hard, make sure the mana are concentrated on the pebble."


    Elara could feel her vast mana moving around her body and willing it, she managed to direct it to the pebble in front of her while in reality, a bright light was beginning to form in her hand and slowly, as the light dimmed, a small pebble appeared in it.


    Opening her eyes, Elara was surprised and at the same time ecstatic as she quickly shot up and jumped up and down while holding onto the pebble like an egg.


    "I¡­ I did it! I created an illusion!" She shouted in excitement while turning around to look at Noir who had a strange look on his furry face. "What''s wrong?"


    "That''s weird." Noir said as he eyed her up. "Or is that an anomaly that shouldn''t occur?"


    "What anomaly?!" Elara shouted feeling fear grip her heart that her first success was about to be discredited.

 Chapter 99 - 99: Limits hit!

    While Elara and Noir were out training Elara''s magic, Grey along with Randin were seen walking behind the mountains and caves going into a deep forest. But this forest was weird looking as instead of the green leaves Grey was used to, he could see ashen leaves on the trees barely hanging but surprisingly hanging.


    While the air around the forest was thick and heavy as it smelled and felt like death. Walking forward, they could barely see an opening as tall trees surrounded them both while chirping sounds were heard jumping from one tree to the next.


    "I wonder what kind of beast I''m going to encounter." Grey said with a smile as lightning danced around his fingers waiting to be unleashed when danger has been sighted.


    It didn''t take long actually for them to encounter danger as immediately they walked four metres into the forest, they could hear stomping noises heading their way.


    It didn''t take more than a minute for a tall gorrila like beast with four arms on its body with a horn on its head, and sharp fangs protruding out of its mouth.


    Quickly before the beast could do anything, Grey swirled his mana to his left eye and that lit up and he could see the beast''s stats.


    {Name: Quadrog}


    {Level: 5}


    {Abilities: Earth.}


    "Perfect!" Grey smiled as he took a stance with lightning still dancing around his fingers that now ran around his arms almost lighting the dull looking forest.


    The beast on seeing them both, roared loudly as it pounded its chest with all four arms and in a flash was seen dashing towards them as it got to Grey''s position and swung its four arms at once but unluckily for the beast, he had already uses his wind magic to move away in time.


    While Randin quickly came in from the side swinging his sword that was about to crash into it but then an Earth wall suddenly rose blocking Randin''s strike.


    "I guess it can use it well huh." Grey said as he came shooting forward with lightning still coating his hands and he was about to slam it into the beast but a wall was raised again blocking the lightning completely.


    "So it wasn''t you raising the wall." Randin said as he took a stance while Grey quickly zipped away just in time to avoid a spike heading for him.


    "Why would I raise an Earth wall to protect the beast?" Grey asked as fire began blazing around his arm and in a flash, he began shooting fireballs at the beast who skillfully began raising earth walls after walls blocking it.


    The beast letting the wall down, swiftly shot a dozen Earth spikes at Grey who was seen shooting out a dozen wind blades getting rid of them just in time as Randin was seen falling from above with his sword raised above his head.


    ''While Grey was dealing with the spikes, he secretly used his wind magic to lift me up so I can attack from above and I hope the beast won''t notice.'' Randin thought as his sword was about to connect with the beast''s head when an Earth shield appeared from above blocking the strike that when connected, rang out loudly almost like metal hitting metal.


    Then the beast dashed towards Grey who created a wind blade instantly and sent it flying at tremendous speed towards the beast who swiftly jumped up avoiding it and was seen falling towards Grey with all its four arms raised above it and was about to slam it into him but then an Earth wall was raised blocking it.


    While from the side, Randin swiftly threw three daggers at the beast as it was seen kicking off from Grey''s Earth wall and whacking the daggers out of the air but then Grey had the opportunity to shoot out a fireball that crashed into the beast throwing it out of the air and slamming into the ground hard.


    "Silly beast, you think if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn''t do that by now? I was just toying with you to see how far I have grown silly." Grey said as he was seen walking forward with a smirk on his face while lightning was dancing around his fingers.


    That was when he suddenly felt a rumbling beneath his feet. Using his wind magic, he swiftly jumped up just in time to see a swirling thin and long earth that had almost caught him if not because he sensed the mana from the attack.


    The beast was now seen standing up while pounding its chest hard then the long Earth swiftly curled around and wrapped around Grey quickly before he could avoid it and then, a dozen Earth spikes suddenly appeared around the beast and was about to be unleashed towards Grey.


    ___________


    Meanwhile, Noir along with Elara were still back at the other forest as Elara had just finished forming a pebble when Noir''s comment threw her off the celebration mood.


    "That''s weird." Noir said as he eyed her up. "Or is that an anomaly that shouldn''t occur?"


    "What anomaly?!" Elara shouted feeling fear grip her heart that her first success was about to be discredited.


    "How are you holding onto that pebble?" Noir asked as he walked forward to examine it.


    "Am I supposed not to?" Elara asked feeling confused.


    "That is the point. Illusion magic is what it is, illusions. Illusion meaning they aren''t real and can''t be touched but you are able to touch that pebble so fine, which is surprising." Noir said and then Elara glanced at the pebble.


    "That''s weird indeed." She said. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Have you ever tried casting an illusion before?" Noir asked.


    "A few times but I was unsuccessful." She replied.


    "Try again, cast another pebble let''s see." Noir commanded and seeing the seriousness Noir exerted, she quickly got to it and since she already knew how to do it, it was easy the next round as she managed to cast a pebble in four seconds which she held and pointed it towards Noir.


    Walking towards her, Noir placed his paws on the pebble and could feel how real it was.


    ''Her illusions, she is able to make it feel so real that nobody would know it is just an illusion. And she just called herself useless? Even me would struggle to do something like this¡­ not even struggle, I can''t cast such an illusion, it requires a large concentration of mana and natural talent.


    Although I have a lot of mana and talent, it is still something I can''t do.'' Noir thought as he looked up at her.


    "Okay it is established, you and that dumbass Grey are both talented and lucky monsters." Noir said through the mind link as it sighed and moved back. "How do you feel casting that?"


    "Excited." Elara replied with a wide smile.


    "And? Do you feel weak, tired or feeling a strain on your mind or something?" Noir asked.


    Elara took a few seconds to reply and then she shook her head. "Nope! I feel fine."


    "Okay! Let us move to casting higher illusion magic. Are you ready?" Noir asked and Elara nodded while going into her meditative pose.


    Noir would call objects for her, and she kept creating illusions although the casting speed varied, she was still able to do them. From plants, to rocks, to small animals, then objects, weapons and so on. Finally satisfied, Noir decided to take the risk and asked her to create a human illusion.


    "Let me see." Elara said excitedly as she got to walk and began imagining a human or an elf so as to create but when she tried, she felt a banging headache hit her hard and she shouted.


    "What''s wrong?" Noir asked.


    "I have a banging headache." She replied.


    "That means you have hit your limit. So let''s head back and rest up and we can continue later." Noir said.


    "No! I want to continue practising more. Now that I have the chance, I would maximize it." Elara said as she tried imagining an elf when the headache hit her again harder than before and she screamed.


    "Will you listen to me now and take a break?" Noir asked annoyed and Elara sighed as she slowly stood up and they began making their trip back to Randin''s cave unknown that the duo of Randin and Grey were doing something risky.


    __________


    {A/N}


    Guys! I hope you are enjoying the book so far, please talk to me guys. Or you can show that you are reading by supporting the book with whatever resources you have be it power stones, Golden tickets and even gifts, it will be appreciated.


    And I have also started a mass release goal and I will be happy if we can hit the goals.


    500 power stones for 2 extra chapters.


    500 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic castle= 5 chapters


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters.


    Let''s do well to hit this guys¡­ Thank you ??????

 Chapter 100 - 100: Getting Stronger!

    Since Elara and Noir decided to go train, Grey and Randin were in the forbidden realm forest trying to see if they could hunt a beast or more beasts if they had the time.


    They hadn''t even gone deep into the forest when they encountered a level 5 Quadrog: a beast that looked like a gorilla but it had four arms on its body, a horn on its head and fangs protruding out its mouth.


    The fight had been going quite well for Randin and Grey until¡­


    "Silly beast, you think if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn''t do that by now? I was just toying with you to see how far I have grown silly." Grey said as he was seen walking forward with a smirk on his face while lightning was dancing around his fingers.


    That was when he suddenly felt a rumbling beneath his feet. Using his wind magic, he swiftly jumped up just in time to see a swirling thin and long earth that had almost caught him if not because he sensed the mana from the attack.


    The beast was now seen standing up while pounding its chest hard then the long Earth swiftly curled around and wrapped around Grey quickly before he could avoid it and then, a dozen Earth spikes suddenly appeared around the beast and was about to be unleashed towards Grey.


    In an instant, the spikes were sent flying towards Grey who was still held up by the wriggling Earth around him but surprisingly, he had a smile on his face when he saw the spikes closing in and then. Bang!


    A loud sound was heard as a metal shield could be seen in front of Grey blocking the Earth spikes while Randin was a few feet away.


    "Good thing I brought a shield along." Randin smiled.


    "Wouldn''t have needed it anyway." Grey said.


    "Says the person that is wrapped up by Earth magic!" Randin shouted.


    "Who says I''m wrapped up?" Grey asked with a smirk as wind began moving around the forest pushing the trees and bending them slightly and in a flash, the wind hit the wriggling Earth around him breaking it to bits while Grey was seen hovering above the ground with his red hair fluttering in the wind.


    "I told you filthy beast, you are no match for me and if I wanted to kill you, I would have done that by now." Grey smirked while Randin felt his heart thump loudly in fear as he kept staring at Grey.


    ''He¡­ he has grown stronger than the last time I saw him! But how? How does he keep growing strong everytime. And if I''m not mistaken, the last time he was here, he didn''t have lightning magic, so how come?'' Randin thought as he saw Grey lift his hand up in the air.


    "Okay, playtime is over!" He said and then a huge mound of Earth burst out of the ground and began taking shape in front of them all at tremendous speed and taking the shape of an arrow.


    "Next! Fire magic!" Grey called out and the arrow suddenly blazed bright with fire dancing around it.


    The beast not wanting to find out what Grey was doing, swiftly cast Earth spears and shot them towards him at immense speed but Grey just causally waved his hand and wind blades appeared hitting and breaking the spears as if they were nothing.


    ''He¡­ he causally broke it?! But he couldn''t do that before! Was he right? Was he really toying with the beast all along?'' Randin thought. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Earth magic! Bind!" Grey mumbled and in a flash, the beast''s legs were covered in hard earth not allowing it to move on bit.


    "For the final ingredient, Aerius ultra!" Grey said calmly and a gigantic burst of wind hit the blazing arrow above his head and sent it flying at the Quadrog at break neck speed looking like a meteor and in less than a second, before Randin could even blink, the blazing arrow slammed into the beast hard throwing hot hair around and uprooting trees for miles to go.


    Even the ground beneath the beast''s feet broke and created a deep crater. While Randin was seen skidding from the force of the breeze and he almost went flying if it wasn''t because he had quickly stabbed his sword into the ground helping him to stay grounded.


    Finally, the shockwave and wind settled as Grey could be seen landing smoothly on the ground with a smirk playing on his lips.


    ''Was I even needed here?!'' Randin screamed in his head as he saw Grey walk forward towards the beast''s dead body that had its head impaled by the flammy arrow.


    Touching the ground, Earth surrounded Grey''s hand like a gauntlet of some kind. Shaping it using his Earth magic, he finally got a sharp earth sword in his hand and making use of it, the beast''s body was seen dissected apart while a glowing rough crystal was seen in its chest area.


    Pulling it out, Grey smiled widely.


    ''I can''t believe that I have grown strong enough to fight and defeat a level 5 beast on my own. The same level 5 beast I struggled against in the elf world. I guess advancing to being a 3 star mage has its perks.


    I can also feel it, the beasts in the nearby area have all ran away after that final blow I gave the Quadrog. Well, it doesn''t really matter since I got what I wanted on the first hunt.'' Grey shrugged as he walked forward with the crystal in his hand while Randin stared at him with wide eyes before regaining his composure.


    "Still want to hunt a little more?" Randin asked.


    "Nah! I got what I wanted and now, I can finally increase my Earth''s magic points. So let''s head back." Grey replied and Randin sheathed his sword as he was about to move forward when he suddenly found himself hovering above the ground while Grey was hovering beside him.


    "This would be faster." Grey said as they shot off like a shooting star heading back to Randin''s cave house while Randin was heard screaming from the speed of their flight.


    Within two minutes, they found themselves in front of Randin''s cave and immediately their feet touched the ground, Randin quickly ran towards the edge of the cliff to puke.


    "I thought dwarves were physically strong beings, how come you are feeling sick from that short flight?" Grey asked with a chuckle.


    "You know, if it was the Grey of a few months ago, I would have said I would slice your head off but after what I saw today, I rather keep my mouth shut." Randin said as he walked forward and could see Noir and Elara in the house while Elara was hungrily eating.


    "Noir, it''s time to head back." Grey said.


    "What?! So soon?" Elara asked as she shot up from her seat with her mouth half filled.


    "Yes! I got what I wanted and I need to help back now before mum gets more worried." Grey said and Elara forcefully swallowed her food while looking at Grey with pleading eyes.


    ''I thought with the way he told his mum that he will come back late, he was going to stay for a few days but who knew he would be leaving in a few hours.'' Elara thought with a sigh.


    "Fine! You can go you grumpy human." Elara said and Grey glared at her.


    "I don''t want you to go back so soon, but I understand you have something to take care of so I will free you." Randin said.


    "Thank you." Grey said.


    "Elara! I want you to keep practicing your illusion magic every single day but don''t push yourself too much otherwise it wouldn''t be good. Also for your plant magic, try the meditation technique I taught you to use it to feel the mana around you." Noir opened a mind link to her and she nodded listening to what Noir said.


    "Also. I noticed that from what you said, it seems like you were putting too much mana into your plant magic which makes them not to last long. Grey experienced the same thing with his lightning magic. So all you have to do is to practice mana control. I mean learn to know how much mana to input in the spell to make it last long." Noir added.


    "Understood you cute wolf." Elara spoke out loud with a smile and Grey almost choked again.


    "Wait until you see this cute wolf''s real form." Grey chuckled when Noir suddenly turned into a black mist and attached itself to Grey''s palm. "Alright then, see you both when next I drop by." He said and then using his wind magic, he dashed forward at immense speed heading towards the cave that housed the magic circle which will take him back to the human world.


    Unknown to him that he would be stepping into a new phase that will test him more than ever before.

 Chapter 101 - 101: A send off party!

    A year¡­ a year had already passed since when Grey became a mage and a 3 star at that. He was 15 years old when he unlocked his magical affinities and now, he was 16 years old. During the previous months after returning from bronze land, he and his family had moved to their new house.


    The house had four bedrooms with a spacious living room furnished so beautifully and they were able to eat whatever they wanted. In these previous months, Cedric always came to visit once a while and due the Clara''s good nature, he bonded well with the family.


    Grey didn''t waste all those months doing nothing, he trained hard every single day and now although he couldn''t advance to the next star, his affinities were now strong enough to best any foe he encountered.


    His stats after using his appraisal skill were these:


    <Name: Grey Dawn>


    <Status: 3 star Mage>


    <Mana: 60/60>


    <Elements: four>


    {<Wind: 35> Colour grade: blue}


    {<Earth: 40> CG: yellow}


    {<Fire: 37> CG: Purple}


    {<Lightning: 15> CG: Blue}


    His wind magic increased over the months from repeated usage while his Earth magic also increased after absorbing the core he got from the quadrog. His fire magic also didn''t lack behind after his trip to the volcano enduring hot magna and heat which therefore paid off in his increase in the affinity.


    His lightning magic was still low as the criteria to increasing was very difficult. One had to endure and practice in a place with strong thunderstorm. Or a place with high lightning activity. He managed to increase the attribute from 10 points to fifteen after practising on a day of a strong thunderstorm.


    But after that day, no thunderstorm occured again so his magic lacked the increase but other than that, his total mana pool also increased and now, Grey was confident of taking on any foe as long as they weren''t too powerful.


    Today, Grey and his family could be seen dressing up nicely with Grey wearing a black blazer with golden trims and Jesse was being dressed up by Clara in a beautiful blue dress while her hair was neatly braided.


    Clara also decided to wear a matching dress with Jesse after she begged her all day so now, they were finally done. Finally ready as they could be seen looking handsome and beautiful together.


    "I can''t believe lord Cedric is doing this for us." Clara said as she admired herself in the mirror.


    "Which isn''t necessary though as it''s just a waste of time." Grey replied as he adjusted his blazer and swept his red hair back neatly.


    "Why isn''t it? You have never had the opportunity to celebrate your birthdays before and now, you are finally sixteen, you definitely have to celebrate it." Clara said.


    As when lord Cedric had found out that Grey was clocking sixteen soon, he offered to throw a party for him while inviting rich nobles and influential people from other towns for the party.


    "But the party would also draw unnecessary attention towards me which I dislike." Grey scoffed.


    "C''mon brother Grey, stop being a party pooper and let''s go." Jesse said as she was excited to experience a grand party.


    "Fine." Grey said as the walked out of their beautiful house and when they stepped out, they could see people moving around from their houses to different places.


    ''This neighborhood sure is different. I remember when we were in our run down house, there were barely any people walking past but now, I see people everyday. I guess this neighborhood is for the upperclass huh.'' Grey thought as he looked behind them as their small bungalow house that was painted white with silver at some points. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Even with spending so much in getting the house and furnishing it, a lot of money is still left. I guess 5000 gold coins sure go a long way.'' he chuckled as he surrounded himself along with Jesse and Clara with wind magic and in an instant, they shot off flying towards lord Cedric''s mansion at a decent speed.


    Within five minutes, they were there as they walked into the hall that Cedric always used for occasions like these. The party was set to start in the evening around 6pm so the guest of honor needed to be there early and so here he was at 6:05pm as Grey walked forward into the hall that was decorated beautifully with different types of people all dressed nicely and wealthy for the occasion.


    Clara and Jesse admired the huge hall and the people that were there. Lord Cedric who was on a high podium came down to greet the Dawn family as he led them to the podium.


    Clinging his glass, everybody''s attention was turned to the podium. "May I have your attention everyone?"


    And silence descended on the hall as everybody kept quiet to listen to what Cedric had to say. "Thank you! I''m glad that I invited you all and you decided to honor my invitation to join me in celebrating the pride of Kiten town as he clocks sixteen today."


    Everybody clapped together and Cedric cleared his throat so as to continue what he wanted to say. "This party isn''t only to celebrate Grey''s new age, but to celebrate his new phase in life. As well know, when young ones clock sixteen, they are eager to join a magical academy and the same is with Grey as he will be heading to the capital in order to take part in the annual academy assessment tomorrow where if passed, he would be allowed into one of the four prestigious academy."


    Hearing this, everybody applauded loudly as even considering to take part in the assessment was a brave enough thing because for an individual to pass the difficult assessment was rare to come by especially considering that peasants didn''t really stand a chance.


    Max and Charlotte could get in after passing the assessment because they were born of noble blood but knowing that Grey would be going there, they thought he was brave and wished him luck. Maybe, just maybe, he would pass and make Kiten proud as the first peasant to get accepted in a noble academy.


    "So hence this party which will double up as a send-off party for mage Grey as he would be embarking on a new journey tomorrow so cheers to that!" Cedric said and everybody shouted at once.


    "Cheers!"


    And then the party continued with Grey having a discussion with Cedric and after that, they went to enjoy the party together as games were played, competition was done and many other things that would make the part enjoyable were done.


    Jesse along with Clara enjoyed themselves a lot and after a few hours, the party was now drawing to an end as everybody all went back to their houses while Grey was anticipating the next day which he would be taking the test.

 Chapter 102 - 102: Lets go to the capital!

    The next day was finally the day for the academy assessment and Grey was up early with all his belongings packed in a small backpack. He woke up even before his mum and Jesse as he was seen ready and waiting for something or someone when Clara walked into the living room along with Jesse as they heard noises in the house and then they remembered that it was today Grey would be leaving.


    When they rushed down, they suddenly froze as they kept staring at Grey who failed to notice them until Jesse''s voice pulled him back to reality.


    "Arghhhhhh! What the hell happened? Am I still dreaming?" Jesse cried out as she kept staring at Grey weirdly. "Who are you and what are you doing here? Where is brother Grey?"


    "What do you mean by that? I''m Grey, a silly girl." Grey replied with a slight frown.


    "He definitely speaks and acts like brother but he is different." Jesse said when Clara walked forward with her mouth slightly open and pointing it at Grey.


    "Grey, what happened to your hair?" Clara asked as Grey touched his hair and then pulled a strand revealing that his usual red hair had now become brown.


    "Oh now I see the confusion." Grey chuckled as he tossed the strand of hair away. "I decided to cast a spell using rune magic to change my hair to the colour brown."


    "Why would you do that?" Clara asked.


    "Because I noticed that my red hair always brought attention towards me and I don''t like it as people stared at me weirdly. So I did this and besides, I kind of miss my former brown hair." Grey replied. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is this permanent?" Clara asked.


    "Unfortunately no. It is just temporary and would last for about six hours before I will have to recast the spell again or else my hair would go back to being red." Grey replied.


    "That''s fine." Clara said and Jesse walked forward.


    "So you are brother Grey?" Jesse asked.


    "Of course you cutie pie." Grey smiled when a soft knock was heard on their door. "Who''s there?"


    "It''s me! The driver that lord Cedric sent to come pick you up and take you to the capital." A voice was heard replying.


    "So it''s time for you to leave huh?" Clara asked with her eyes suddenly moist while Jesse began to cry her eyes out.


    "Unfortunately yes it is. I would have to leave now." Grey replied with a tear falling down his face.


    "Since you were born, you have never stayed far away from me and now, you would be leaving for an academy." Clara said as her moist eyes began dripping down tears. "I will really miss you honey." She said as she ran forward and gave Grey a tight hug while tears began streaming down her eyes rapidly almost like a waterfall.


    "I will miss you too mum." Grey said as the single tear that fell down from his eyes turned to a dozen as he couldn''t help but feel emotional with tears also dripping down his eyes.


    "Brother Grey!" Jesse shouted with tears and snot falling down her face as she jumped up and gave Grey a big bear hug. "Please don''t leave me."


    "Jesse." Grey called out softly while wiping a tear from his eyes. "I don''t want to leave but it is important I do right now."


    "Wahhh!" Jesse cried more and then the knock came again.


    "Sir Grey, it''s getting late." The driver called again.


    "Go away you mean uncle that wants to take brother away!" Jesse shouted with more tears falling down her face.


    "Jesse, let Grey go. It''s for our good too as where he is headed, he will grow more stronger and then you can boast to your friends about having a superhero as a brother." Clara said.


    "He already is my superhero even without me boasting but I understand that it is important he leaves so." Jesse said as she gently came down from Grey''s hands and wiped her face clean off tears. "I will let him go but make sure you make us proud and keep people''s butt!" She smiled.


    "Sure I will." Grey said and then he took his backpack. "I will be leaving now."


    "Bye!" Clara and Jesse said at once and Grey wiped his face clean taking a step towards the door before turning back around.


    "Please take care of yourselves." Grey said.


    "We will." Clara smiled and then he opened the door walking out to see a middle aged man in front of him and looking behind him, luxurious carriage was seen with the town''s crest of tiger''s face of some kind.


    "Let''s go to the capital." Grey said as he walked forward towards the carriage and got in while the driver walked forward and pulled the reins of the horse making it move forward.


    ''I can''t believe I''m leaving mum. Although I left a few times by going to bronze land and the elf world but I knew I would get back soon and didn''t stay for a month but now, I will be leaving and I don''t even know when I will be back.


    Dad! I hope you are watching from above, please take care and watch over the family back at home and I promise, I will train harder than anyone to grow more stronger so I can come back and protect the Dawn family from any threat. Bye mum, bye Jesse and bye to Kiten town. When next I come here, I will be a force to be reckoned with.'' Grey thought as he clenched his hands into a fist and the carriage sped off heading towards the capital where the rich, wealthy, higher star mages, powerful mages and most especially the emperor lived for Grey''s assessment.


    ______________


    {A/N}


    I hope you are all enjoying the story so far, so I want you all to please show your support to the book and let me climb the Webnovel rankings.


    More power stones, Golden tickets, and Gifts would mean more chapters upload for you all so please keep them coming. Thank you ??????

 Chapter 103 - 103: Bandits!

    Grey was currently in a carriage that was fully out of town and was heading towards the capital where the academy assessment would be taken.


    They had left Kiten ten minutes ago and now, they were crossing a nearby town''s border so they could take another route to the capital. Throughout the journey, Grey was silent and reminiscing his time back in Kiten, all he went through, did and still doing. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How his dad died and him meeting the first mage who helped him unlock his locked affinities.


    "How long till we get there?" Grey asked after deciding to stop thinking about the past.


    "About an hour and thirty minutes sir." The man said.


    "Can you please stop addressing me respectfully like that? You are older than me and probably the same age with my dad so please." Grey said.


    "How can I stop? You are practically like another son to the house of Valtos and also a respectful mage of the Kiten town." The driver replied.


    "You know if you don''t stop, I would report you to lord Cedric so kindly stop addressing me so respectfully. Who knows, I might even be the same age as your son." Grey said and then silence befell the carriage as the driver smiled slightly.


    ''Even though he has this much power, he isn''t misusing it nor is he disrespectful. The world need people like him because if it was another person and I didn''t address them respectfully, I would have my head rolling now.'' the driver thought.


    "Noted." The driver replied with a smile when Grey noticed the carriage passing through a forest.


    "Why are we going through the forest?" Grey asked.


    "This is the route to getting to the capital. After passing through the forest, we would cross about two more borders before we finally get to the capital." The driver replied.


    "Oh! So how long till we fully cross the forest?" Grey asked.


    "About thirty minutes or so." The driver replied.


    "Good! It should be enough time for me to cultivate more. I couldn''t do that this morning since I was in a hurry." Grey mumbled as he sat down cross legged and began his breathing technique moving the mana around his body and getting the feel of it.


    He further used the mana around him to extend his senses as he kept feeling the wind hit his face gently and the rustling of the trees from the gentle breeze. This further put him in the meditative trance as he was getting the feel of his surroundings while shutting his mind.


    ''I can feel it, I''m about 95 percent away from reaching the next star.'' Grey thought. ''In order to advance to the next star, mages need to cultivate their core, go through tough challenges that will break and rebuild their core while also refining their magical affinities.


    Normally it takes years to advance to the next star unless you were talented. That was why to see a 2 star mage in towns are rare because no tough challenge to break them but I heard they were many in the capital as much as a 1 star mage in the village. I wonder what star the emperor is.'' Grey thought as he kept on cultivating when he felt the rustling of the leaves grew more consistent.


    It was not following the rhythm of the wind. Normally Grey would have ignored it, but then he decided to leave the meditative zone and expanded his mana sensing the area around him when he felt it.


    Snapping his eyes open, he barked an order and the driver hurriedly executed it. "Stop the carriage now!"


    Without asking any questions, the carriage was stopped. "What''s wrong?" The driver asked.


    "Whatever happens, don''t step out of the carriage, don''t even think of coming down." Grey ordered and then he swiftly stepped out and using his wind magic, he climbed up to the roof of the carriage.


    "Are you going to come out or should I burn the forest down so as to draw you all out?" Grey asked looking in front of him at the trees which was eerie quiet until, branches began breaking and dropping down from the trees, were six men dressed in black with black scarves covering their faces.


    "Wow! It is surprising how you managed to spot us. Your senses must be keen then." A man was seen stepping forward.


    ''Bandits!'' Grey thought when he sighed. ''I really didn''t want to deal with any stress on my journey but I could tell that they were following me constantly and were looking for a way to stop the carriage even if it meant destroying it. Which I can''t allow because if the carriage gets destroyed or the driver is harmed, I won''t be able to get to the capital.''


    "It''s actually brave of you to step forward and all, so I would love to make this quick. Hand over any valuable things with you so you won''t be hurt and you can go your way in peace." The man said.


    "What if I don''t give up anything?" Grey asked with his hands folded across his chest.


    "Then we are sorry, we would have to kill you considering you are young and we will take anything valuable off your corpse." Another bandit said as they all lifted their hands unleashing different spells.


    Some with water, ice and some with wind magic as they prepared to unleash them all to Grey but surprisingly, they saw a smirk on his face.


    "Not if I kill you all first." Grey smirked as he looked up and so did the others and then they could see a dozen Earth spikes hanging over their heads with fire blazing around the spikes.


    ''When did he do that? How fast is his casting speed? I knew it! I f*cking knew it that we shouldn''t have messed with this fellow but greed got the better of me.'' the supposed leader of the bandit thought when he looked forward at Grey.


    "Well if we are going down, then so will you!" The leader shouted and the spells from all of them were launched at Grey who smiled and snapped his fingers raising an Earth wall that blocked the attacks at once and not even moving a bit not even a crack.


    ''Tch! They are just one star mages.'' Grey scoffed and then he flicked his hands at the stunned bandits that saw how easily he blocked their spells and when they looked up, the spikes all crashed into them at once hitting them in their legs, arms and shoulders causing immense pain to run through their very being as the fire on the spikes were blazing hot.


    And they all fell down screaming their lungs out in pain.


    "You are lucky that I still I''m not comfortable with killing humans yet unless I feel like my life is really being threatened so I will leave you all with scars. So go and sin no more." Grey smirked before he jumped back into the carriage.


    "Let''s go!" He said and the driver who had been watching from the carriage felt his heart thumping loudly in fear.


    ''Truly, he is the hope of Kiten town and I can''t believe he is this fearsome.'' the driver thought and then, the carriage was seen speeding off leaving the six men still screaming in pain.

 Chapter 104 - 104: Let the assessments begin!

    Finally, after an hour plus of driving without any hitch except the bandit issue, the carriage Grey was in was finally seen moving into a huge looking square gate with other carriages. Entering in after the driver showed some people at the gate a document of some type, they were let in.


    Looking out of the carriage, Grey was in awe as he could hardly see people walking with their two feet getting from one place to another. He could see several carriages moving around while looking up, he could see people flying possibly from using wind magic.


    Not a single house looked dilapidated at all. Each of the buildings were beautiful looking and standing tall almost like lord Cedric''s mansion. Then as the carriage moved, he could see some stalls and shops off to the sides with people walking over getting some things they needed before flying off again.


    The ground wasn''t rough at all, it was smooth with marble flooring covering every inch and corner of the streets. The people themselves didn''t look to be starving at all, they all wore beautiful clothes with smiles on their faces as they bought and traded with mostly silver and gold coins.


    ''So this is the capital huh? It is really a huge contrast from the small Kiten town I came from. I can hardly see any broken down house or buildings here. Truly, it''s only the rich that can stay here.'' Grey thought as he admired the whole city.


    "Wait a sec, where is the assessment supposed to take place?" Grey asked out loud when a sharp sound was heard in front of them and the carriage halted sharply in the middle of the streets. "What happened?"


    "Someone just appeared in front of the carriage." The driver replied and then Grey stepped out of the carriage to see a man dressed in a long brown robe with his hands in his pockets.


    "Who are you?" Grey asked.


    "The one tasked with bringing any participants taking part in the assessment to the coliseum." The man replied.


    "Huh? How did you know I was taking part?" Grey asked.


    "We have our ways. Now let the carriage head back and you come with me." The man replied as Grey suddenly felt his forehead sweat slightly.


    ''Why do I feel slightly afraid of the man in front of me? Is it because of the mysterious aura surrounding him or what?'' Grey thought when he walked forward and he could see Cedric''s carriage heading back.


    "Now come on!" The man said as he grabbed onto Grey and before he could do anything else, they suddenly disappeared from the streets leaving no trace of Grey or the man.


    Meanwhile, to the south of the capital, a huge coliseum was built far away from any nearby buildings and devoid of people walking around it. But there was a loud noise heard coming from inside it. The coliseum was so huge that it could be said it spanned several kilometers while it was built in a round shape.


    In front of the coliseum gate, a warping sound was heard and then all of a sudden, two individuals were seen standing in front of the gate. One of them had a mysterious look to his face, the other had a stunned expression on his face.


    ''Teleportation magic?!'' Grey shouted in his head when the man suddenly stepped forward and signalled for Grey to do the same.


    "Huh? Why didn''t you just use your magic to teleport us inside?" Grey asked as he snapped out of his awe and came back to his usual self.


    "That is because a barrier has been put around the coliseum to block any unlawful entry. If I tried, we would be bounced far away by the barrier." The man replied as he suddenly placed a band of some kind on Grey''s hand.


    "What is this for?" Grey asked again about to pull the band out.


    "Don''t pull it! If you do, then you forfeit this assessment as this band will prove that you are going to take part in the assessment. So I will leave you to enter into the coliseum yourself while I go get the rest." The man said as he suddenly disappeared from view.


    "What a weird man." Grey commented as he looked in front of him at the huge gate and then he took a sigh while about to push it open when it suddenly opened by itself and stayed open as if waiting for Grey to walk in. "Seriously?! How am I seeing things I have never seen before?"


    He shouted and then he shrugged before stepping forward and walked into the gate and then, the gate shut back open sealing any options of Grey running back not like he planned to. Taking several steps forward with his heart thumping louder and louder, he could see hundreds of young individuals in front of him no doubt the same age as him.


    They were all dressed differently with some huddling together and making small talks while others stood alone in the corner nonchalantly and some were seen looking around nervously.


    Looking around, Grey admired the coliseum as on the sides, he could see several seats there with a barrier of some kind blocking the place just in case of a stray attack. While in the centre of the coliseum, when one looked forward, they could see about four huge chairs raised with different colours on it which were currently empty.


    ''I think those chairs are for the captains of each squads.'' he thought.


    Walking forward, he could see that the contestants suddenly stopped mumbling and looked his way but shrugging their looks, he walked towards the side and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.


    ''Although I''m nervous about this whole thing, I can''t help but feel excited and pumped up. So I need to see if I can replenish my core and not let a single mana go to waste. This¡­ this assessment is very important to me and I must do my best to get into the academy.'' Grey thought as he closed his eyes to continue meditating.


    The crowd on seeing that the new contestant was not concerned with making friends, let him be and then slowly, the coliseum was receiving more contestants and finally, they could see the gate that served as the entrance and exit to the coliseum disappear meaning that no one would walk in.


    After disappearing, five minutes later behind the chairs that were raised on the very high platform above the ground, a door opened and then, four individuals walked out with two young individuals each walking side by side with them.


    The presence and aura they exuded, made a hush befall the coliseum as they began mumbling while gathering together in the middle of the coliseum. Hearing no loud noise, Grey snapped his eyes open and could see the contestants walk towards the centre so he did the same but stayed at the back.


    Although he was still able to see what was going on and could see the four individuals and seeing them, Grey recognized one of them. But he kept quiet as the four took their seats one at a time with the two people standing on either sides of their chairs.


    The crowd seeing them, began mumbling as the noble blood there recognized the men and they began mumbling.


    "That''s captain Amir! The captain of the Lunaria squad and the vice principal of the Lunaria academy." Someone from the crowd said as they pointed with beautiful brown hair on his head and brown eyes too with a constant smile on his face. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And that''s the captain of the Everwood academy! Alex Brown!" Someone shouted as they pointed at a man that looked to be in his twenties with a lean body build with short black hair and bright blue eyes and a small scar above his left eyebrow.


    He wore a long green robe with a silver pin on his chest indicating his position as a captain.


    "That is the captain of the Ravenhust academy! Sophia Davis! She''s so dreamy!" Someone said as they pointed at a female that looked to be in her early twenties sitting on the far right of the chairs with silver coloured hair on her head and gleaming brown eyes.


    Her skin looked so smooth and beautiful almost without blemish and she wore a purple robe with a silver pin on it while her face was looking stern and emotionless but she still looked beautiful nevertheless.


    "And the last but not the least captain! Ryan Kim! The captain and vice principal of the Wysteria squad." Someone called as they pointed to the man that took the chair in the middle of the captains.


    He looked to be in his late twenties with his jet black spiky hair on his head and beautiful green eyes while having a slightly agile build with his heart-shaped face with small freckles on his nose.


    Captain Ryan wore a black robe with a silver pin on it while a smile was plastered on his face as he stared out at the crowd and then he stood with a glowing green crystal in his hand.


    "Welcome you all to the great assessment held by the four great magical academies!" Ryan Kim spoke and the contestants listened attentively. "We are very busy people so we won''t waste time with unnecessary details, we would just jump straight into the assessment."


    Hearing this, the crowd nervously cheered with some not bothering to say anything while staring nonchalantly.


    "This assessment would be three different types and note, if you fail anyone of them, you would be told to head back. No second option so you must do the assessment properly and when done with all three, winners of all three assessments, would be displayed in front of the captains and the captains would raise their hands if they want any contestant to join their squads. Do we all understand?" Ryan asked and the whole contestants shouted at once.


    "Yes sir!"


    "Good! Now let the assessments begin!" Ryan smiled.

 Chapter 105 - 105: Assessment{1}

    "This assessment would be three different types and note, if you fail anyone of them, you would be told to head back. No second option so you must do the assessment properly and when done with all three, winners of all three assessments, would be displayed in front of the captains and the captains would raise their hands if they want any contestant to join their squads. Do we all understand?" Ryan asked and the whole contestants shouted at once.


    "Yes sir!"


    "Good! Now let the assessments begin!" Ryan smiled. "So for the first assessment!" He said and then several pieces of papers were seen floating above from the sky and as if controlled, they fell into the hands of the applicants along with a writing material like a feather of some kind but with an ink.


    "You are all expected to fill out your name, what magic you use, and what star you are. It will be essential when you are being judged by the council of captains here." Ryan said and the applicants got to work all except Grey.


    "Shit! I didn''t know that I would encounter a hurdle on my first assessment." Grey mumbled as he saw some of the applicants lifting their papers up and it began to float towards the captains while some were still scribbling something.


    ''What affinities should I put here now? The logical thing is not expose myself too much so I have to put two affinities here. It shouldn''t be a problem as I''m sure that some of them here would have two affinities but which one should I put now?'' he thought as he looked at the piece of paper when some applicants beside him began whispering.


    They were part of the first to submit and looking at him, they began mumbling loud enough for him to hear them.


    "What''s wrong with him?" One of them asked out loud.


    "This first test is probably the simplest to perform and yet there is going to be someone who''s going to fail?"


    "Pathetic! Probably he has no affinity." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Didn''t someone tell him that there''s no place for cripples?"


    The last statement surprisingly got to Grey as he remembered that he was always called a cripple by people when he had no affinity so in order to shut them up, he quickly scribbled and filled in the paper and let it float towards the captains.


    "I wonder what he wrote."


    "Probably explaining to the captains that they should allow him to take part in the assessment since he has no affinity." Someone said and the group laughed but Grey just shrugged ignoring them when he saw a group gather around an applicant and no doubt mocking him.


    ''Well I forgot that discrimination is much in this world. Now I''m missing the elf world.'' he thought with a sigh when he saw the group surrounding the bullied young boy disperse and contrary to Grey''s thoughts of seeing him shattered, he could see him smiling as if the taunts didn''t affect him one bit.


    ''Hmm! He has a strong resilience and didn''t let their taunts get to him. I like that.'' Grey smiled and he turned around to Captain Ryan who had finally received all the papers.


    "Okay! That was assessment 1.0, now time for assessment 1.2. I want you all to display the affinities you wrote down in these papers. We want honest and truthful individuals so if you know that you don''t have the magic you wrote down here, leave or else when the assessment starts, you would be punished severely before being told to head back." Ryan said with a stern look on his face while leaving a bit of mana to threaten the crowd and slowly, about thirty applicants began leaving the coliseum and when they got to the place where the gate was, it appeared letting them through.


    "Are those all the deceivers?" Ryan asked and everybody began looking at themselves wondering if they were any more left but no one stepped forward. "Fine! I will begin calling you all one by one to display the affinities you wrote down in the paper."


    And although there were still hundreds of papers, Captain Ryan made sure to get through them all calling everybody one by one to display their affinities which they did while does that wrote down false information, were dealt with either giving them burn marks or something before they were kicked.


    "And the last but not the least applicant, Grey Dawn! Right here, he wrote that he has two affinities which are lightning and wind and he is a two star mage." Ryan said and then the crowd began mumbling while Amir who had a bored expression before suddenly sat up.


    ''Grey Dawn?! He came? I didn''t expect he would come here. But what is it with him saying he has two affinities? By my knowledge, he has three.'' Amir thought as his eyes scanned the crowd.


    "Will Grey Dawn step forward and display his affinities?" Ryan asked and then Grey was seen stepping forward with a confident and an un-bothered look on his face as his hands were in his pants'' pockets. He walked before he finally stood in front of the crowd while the group that called him a cripple were shocked.


    ''Hold on! That''s not the Grey I know. What happened to his red hair and what is this about him having lightning magic? Although the last name is the same and the face is almost the same just a few differences with his hair color change.'' Amir thought.


    "What? This guy? Two affinities?! Ha! He must have lied."


    "I can''t wait to see him get punished severely." Another one laughed.


    "I still can''t believe he has the audacity to still come out when it is evident he lied."


    "Wait! Has anyone ever heard of the family name of Dawn?" Someone from the crowd asked.


    "Nope! Which means he is just a peasant trying to show off and lie his way to a prestigious academy."


    "Thank heavens for the first assessment. I can''t wait for him to get punished right now." Someone said and the crowd laughed.


    "Grey Dawn, display your affinities." Ryan ordered and Grey just shrugged.


    "Lightning magic!" He called out and in front of everybody, lightning was seen surrounding Grey''s hands crackling and sparkling bright and turning his hand towards the crowd that mocked him, he shot a stream of lightning that crashed in front them almost electrifying them but the fear they felt was real as they looked into Grey''s eyes.


    "Wind magic!" Grey called out and immediately, a huge wind descended on the coliseum while it lifted Grey from the ground and made him hover.


    "Impressive! I guess you are not a fake. You pass!" Ryan said and Grey cancelled his magic while walking back to the crowd with hands tucked in his pants'' pockets as he continued walking until he got to the group that mocked him.


    "You shouldn''t judge a book by its cover, who knows, the book might end up hurting you." He said as he fully passed them while their hearts thumped loudly in fear.


    "That concludes the first assessment! Now time for the second assessment!" Ryan smiled.

 Chapter 106 - 106: Assessment {2}

    "Time for the second assessment!" Ryan announced and the crowd baited their breaths waiting for what the next assessment would be. "For that, Captain Amir would conduct it."


    Immediately Ryan was done speaking, he sat back down in his chair and the floating crystal got to Amir''s position as he stood up and looked at the crowd.


    ''We definitely got a lot of applicants this year compared to other years.'' he thought and then he cleared his throat.


    "The second assessment would be a team hunt." Amir announced and everybody were surprised as they began mumbling and murmuring wondering what Amir was saying. "This assessment will comprise of you all forming a team of five and the groups would be teleported to our hunting grounds were you are expected to get your hands on at least 15 magical beast core from the beasts."


    Hearing this, the whole crowd erupted in a murmur as they were wondering if the academies were planning on killing them all.


    "15 magical cores?! That''s insane! The captains are insane!" Someone shouted.


    "Agreed! How are we supposed to hunt 15 magical beasts?!"


    "Mind you, the captain said we would do it in a team of five so there should be no problem as long as your teammates are strong right?"


    "But 15 magical cores? That''s still a lot."


    "Ahem!" Amir coughed and the murmurers went silent. "We didn''t force you all to come here now did we? Do you think you coming to a magical academy you are going to have fun? Joining a magical academy is for you to grow stronger in combat and become the great mage you are destined to be.


    We don''t joke here! And if you know you can''t participate in this assessment, the gates are opened up for you all!" He shouted while glaring at the crowd that suddenly shrank. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Keh Keh Keh!" Captain Alex laughed as he looked at the crowd. "Along with being the most numbers of applicants we ever received, they are also cowards. It''s safe to say they are the worst applicants ever."


    "True! But should you have said that aloud? There are still some impressive people here." Sophia said.


    "Tch! I can''t wait to just get this over and done with." Alex scoffed and then Amir glared at the crowd.


    "What? Is nobody leaving?" He asked and being met with silence, he continued. "Good! Now as I was saying, each teams of five would be teleported to our hunting grounds and would hunt level 3 hop bunnies and make sure to get 15 magical cores. Note! You would all be given a time limit of ten minutes. Any group that fails to get fifteen cores would be eliminated and sent back home."


    "Is that understood?" Amir asked and everybody shouted at once.


    "Yes sir!"


    "Great! You all have five minutes to form your teams." Amir said and then he sat back down letting the applicants to huddle over and form their teams.


    Grey didn''t bother with that, as he walked back to a wall and leaned on it with his eyes closed when he heard footsteps approaching him.


    ''I knew it wouldn''t be hard to find a team, considering my impressive display but a team so soon?'' Grey thought as he opened up his eyes to see a young teenage guy with curly black hair with strands of brown beneath it and bright blue eyes walk over.


    "Uhm¡­ Excuse me Grey right?" The guy asked and Grey raised an eyebrow.


    ''Have I seen him from somewhere?'' he thought as he stared long and hard when it finally clicked in his head. ''Right! He was the dude that was getting bullied earlier.''


    "Yes¡­ what do you want?" Grey asked.


    "I¡­ I was wondering if you would love to form a team with me please." The boy said.


    "Huh?" Grey said with a raised eyebrow.


    "Pardon my manner. Hi! I''m Arthur Rill, and I''m sixteen years old. I would love to form a team with you if you don''t mind." Arthur said.


    Grey just sighed and stood upright from his leaning position. ''I guess bullied individuals got to stay together and I can''t pass this assessment if I don''t form a team so¡­''


    "Fine! So that makes two of us, we need three more people." Grey replied and he could see a wide smile on Arthur''s face.


    "Leave that to me, I would go find more team members." Arthur said and he was about to move when he heard a voice heading their way.


    "Wow wow wow! No surprise there that the flashy new applicant would find a teammate so soon." They both heard a voice coming from behind them when they turned around to see a boy who stood around 5ft tall with blonde hair on his head and a beautiful hazel green eyes walk over with a smile on his face.


    The guy was an epitome of beauty and was the kind that many girls would rush over and try to have their chance with him.


    "Who''s the pretty blonde hair?" A female from the crowd whispered as she felt her cheeks heating up while staring at the boy.


    "I don''t know but I would give anything to have him in my bed."


    "Judging from his looks and charisma, he must be of noble blood."


    "Even better." A girl was heard giggling.


    "Well since you need more teammates, I would just have to join you after all, peasants got to stick together." The guy said.


    "Di¡­ did he just say he is a peasant?" A girl said and the previous stars dancing in her eyes got dimmed.


    "Tch! Worthless."


    "I can''t believe my heart was fluttering for a mere peasant."


    "What a waste of time." Another girl said loudly as she walked away while the boy was seen clenching his hands tightly but then he unclenched it and smiled towards Grey.


    "Well we don''t mind having you on board so welcome." Arthur said.


    "I didn''t approve of that!" Grey replied with a slight frown. ''This guy, with his pretty face, he would draw more attention towards me and I don''t want that.''


    "You want to pass or not?" The boy asked. "The rules clearly states that we need to form a team."


    "True! Don''t you want to get into the academy?" Arthur asked.


    And Grey just sighed before he crossed his hands across his chest. "Fine! So who''s going to be our fourth and fifth teammate?"


    "No idea, but let''s just hope they walk up to us." The boy laughed when as he said, two individuals were seen walking over.


    One was a beautiful red haired female with fair and smooth skin with her red hair neatly packed and braided while her eyes burned with invisible flames of determination and as she walked past confidently with her arms crossed, every guy who sighted her felt like their hearts wanted to leap out of their chests.


    While the second was a boy who had green hair with his brown eyes nervously scanning around as if he was scared of something or someone but the way he carried himself, was as if he was someone important too.


    Walking over, they stopped right in front of Grey.


    "You! We want you to join us!" The female said arrogantly while Grey looked at her with a frown.


    "And who are you to command me like that? I''m not your slave so watch your tone you bitch!" Grey barked with fire twirling around his fingers when he quickly extinguished it.


    ''I can''t show my other magic after saying I have just two affinities.'' Grey thought and the female in front of him had her face scrunched up in anger with a vein sticking out of her head.


    "Don''t you know who I am? How dare¡­" she was about to say when the boy beside her stepped forward quickly.


    "What Scarlet here is trying to say is that, we want to join your team. All other teams are already full and even though we are important people, I don''t think anybody would like to compromise for us so we noticed that you were here with an incomplete team.


    So hence we coming over. So if you don''t mind, can you allow us join your team?" The boy said with a slight bow.


    "What are you doing Vince? You shouldn''t be bowing to peasants, they exist to serve us and not the other way round. He should be happy we even approached him." Scarlet said furiously when Vince stood up and glared at her.


    "Will you let me speak, you annoying girl?!" He shouted.


    "Look! I''m in no way interested in you two love bantering, and I don''t want to form any teams with you so chop chop." Grey said as he turned around to leave when he felt a hand on his shoulder.


    "How dare you walk out of my presence you peasant!" Scarlet shouted and Grey swiftly turned around with lightning crackling in his hands.


    "Be careful how you touch me as you might get burned in the process." Grey said with a low threatening growl.


    "Guys please! Let''s stop this banter." Arthur said as he came in between.


    "You shut up!" Grey and Scarlet shouted at once and Arthur shrank back.


    "Alright!" They all heard a clapping sound and they could see Amir standing up with the floating crystal glowing in front of him. "Times up, let all teams come forward and if you don''t have a team, kindly leave!"


    "You see!" Vince said with a glare and Grey sighed.


    "Fine! And I hope after this assessment, I don''t have to see your annoying faces anymore!" Grey shouted as he walked forward.


    "Me too!" Scarlet replied and they all walked forward registering their team names and all the necessary registration.


    When all was done, some men began descending down onto the coliseum and they placed their hands on the ground.


    "Teleportation circles have all been placed around the coliseum and all these men will activate it teleporting you all to the hunting grounds for the second assessment. So good luck you all!" Amir said and the whole coliseum lit up with a bright white light.

 Chapter 107 - 107: Assessment {3}

    When all was done, some men began descending down onto the coliseum and they placed their hands on the ground.


    "Teleportation circles have all been placed around the coliseum and all these men will activate it teleporting you all to the hunting grounds for the second assessment. So good luck you all!" Amir said and the whole coliseum lit up with a bright white light.


    The applicants instinctively closed their eyes when the light became too bright and then, when they opened their eyes next, they could see themselves in the forest surrounded with trees all around but surprisingly, some of the applicants noticed that they weren''t complete.


    As the amount of people here was lesser than back at the coliseum while looking around them at the forest, the earthy scent of damp soil and moss enveloped them, mingling with the sweet fragrance of wildflowers and the musky smell of decaying leaves. The soft, spongy moss beneath their feet gave way to rough, gnarled tree bark, while the gentle rustle of leaves and branches in the breeze created a soothing melody. The warm sunlight filtering through the canopy above contrasted with the cool, damp air, wrapping them in a sense of tranquility and connection to the natural world.


    For Grey, it was nothing new as he had experienced being in a forest countless times so he just crossed his arms and observed what was going on with his teammates beside him.


    ''We are not as many as back at the coliseum which means the captains purposely spread us out. I guess the forest is huge then which means the hop bunnies or whatever they are called would be surplus. Still, hunting a level 3 beast would be daunting for most which means¡­'' He thought as he sighed and tucked his hands in his pants'' pockets.


    ''This is going to give me a headache soon.''


    "Are we going to stand here and do nothing all day?" The blonde hair boy asked.


    "Hold on! I never did get your name." Arthur replied.


    "I''m Zane, Raze Zane. Now let''s get back to the topic at hand." Raze said.


    "I think we should break away from the rest of the teams here and go formulate a plan somewhere." Grey suggested.


    "And who made you the leader of the team?" Scarlet asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Does it matter?" Grey asked with his eyes twitching. "It was just a suggestion you proud arrogant noble!"


    "You¡­" Scarlet was about to say when Vince stepped forward.


    "Please guys! Not here and certainly not now. We just have ten freaking minutes to gather fifteen magical crystals."


    "Yeah! So quit acting like lovers already!" Raze said.


    "We are not lovers and will never me you dumbass!" Grey and Scarlet shouted out at once as if their thoughts were linked. Then they looked at each other and scoffed.


    "Whatever! All I care about is getting a spot in one of the academies so what the hell are we doing now?" Arthur asked.


    "Firstly, let''s choose a leader and it will be logical to make me the leader since I''m a noble and then, we get to know each other''s affinities so we can formulate a solid plan." Scarlet said.


    "Usually, I would have argued about you wanting to be the leader but now, I don''t even care. I want to get this over and done with so I never see your smug looking face again." Grey scoffed.


    "Like I want to see your face too." Scarlet scoffed.


    "I have no problem with her being the leader." Raze shrugged.


    "Same here." Arthur replied.


    "And me too." Vince added.


    "That''s settled! So let''s get to know each other''s affinities and I will go first. I''m a fire mage and I come from a noble bloodline of fire mages." Scarlet said.


    "Was it important to add the noble part? It''s already obvious you are a noble looking at your haughty attitude." Grey said.


    "And it''s very obvious you are a peasant based on your tone and ugly looking face." Scarlet replied while the others just looked at them and felt like slapping their foreheads.


    "I will go next." Raze said. "I''m Raze Zane, and my magic is pretty special. Let me demonstrate." He said as he stepped forward and touched Scarlet.


    "How dare you touch me you useless peasant?!" She shouted as her hand suddenly blazed with bright fire.


    "It''s a strong one, which means this should be fun." Raze smiled as his own hand also blazed with fire almost as intense as Scarlet''s. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So you are a fire mage? You should have just said that without touching her." Vince said with a sigh.


    "Wrong! I''m not a fire mage." Raze said as he walked forward and touched Vince on the shoulder.


    "Hmm! Impressive magic." Raze muttered as a metal shrapnel began forming in his hands which made Vince and the other''s eyes widen in shock as they stared with open mouth.


    "You¡­ you can copy any magic?!" Arthur said in shock as he took a step back.


    "Ding ding! You see, I can copy anybody''s magic as long as I touch them. But I''m only limited to one magic and once I touch someone else, it would change." Raze replied.


    "Interesting." Grey mumbled. ''And I have to make sure he never touches me or else, my lie of having two affinities would be revealed.''


    "Well since he already showed my magic, no need for me to say anything again." Vince shrugged.


    "And you?" Scarlet asked as she stared at Arthur.


    "I¡­ my¡­ my magic is protection magic. I can create a shield to protect myself and whoever is with me and no matter the spell unless you are a high star mage, can break it." Arthur replied.


    "So you are basically a useless support then." Scarlet scoffed as she stared at Grey.


    "Shall we begin hunting now? The other teams have started." Vince said before Scarlet could banter with Grey.


    "Right! Let''s head west. I kept an eye on the other teams and saw where they moved to so let''s head west." Scarlet said and Grey just shrugged while walking forward with the others slightly behind him.


    ''After the whole assessment shit is over, I will make sure to put that arrogant noble in her place.'' Grey thought.

 Chapter 108 - 108: Assessment {4}

    After they picked a general direction, they quickly began heading there with Arthur slightly behind as the words Scarlet said to him stung slightly as it kept replaying in his head over and over again.


    "So you are just a useless support!" The words kept ringing in his head when Grey noticed and he slowed down until he was walking side by side with Arthur.


    "Usually I don''t like doing this because I''m not the mentor type but I have to. If you keep looking down like this, then you won''t be able to prove your worth to that arrogant bitch.


    You heard her, she is a noble and so I bet she hasn''t faced the real world yet or experienced a real battle before." Grey said as Arthur lifted his head to listen to him.


    "So she doesn''t know that your magic is very essential and would prove very useful to us. So quit looking like a sad cat and show her the beasty part of yourself by proving that your protection magic is useful."


    Hearing this, Arthur''s face lit up as he opened his mouth to thank Grey when they heard rustling of bushes with Scarlet halting abruptly and so did the teams.


    And then all around them, about five bunny looking beasts appeared. They all were as tall as a small dog with long pointy ears on their head and a white fur all over their bodies.


    "This will be quick work." Scarlet said as her hands all blazed with fire and she was about to unleash them when the bunnies all at once began hopping and running away from the humans. "What the hell?!"


    "It''s obvious, after all the term hop was in their name." Raze chuckled.


    "Catch those bunnies!" Scarlet shouted and they began chasing the bunnies all through the forest trying to catch them.


    They had been running all around that they almost lost track of where they were with their focus solely on the bunnies hopping away.


    "This is pointless." Grey said as he halted his steps and so did the others.


    "You have the wind affinity, so why the hell are you slowing us down?!" Scarlet shouted in anger.


    "Will you just shut your running trap up and listen?!" Grey retorted back angrily.


    Scarlet was about to reply him when Vince placed his hands on her shoulder stopping her.


    "What is it? What do you want to say?" Vince asked.


    "I don''t want to say anything, but I need absolute silence." Grey replied and Scarlet was about to say something when she saw Grey suddenly closed his eyes and pointed his fingers out signalling them they should be silent.


    He stayed in that same pose for a few seconds before he snapped his eyes back and then whispered. "Stay back and nobody, absolutely nobody should move from their spots."


    "Who are you to¡­" Scarlet was about to say when she saw wind magic surrounding Grey all around which made her shut her mouth as she saw the serious look on his face.


    And then, in a silent flash, he was seen speeding towards a general direction and it didn''t take less than a minute, they saw him coming back and floating behind him, were six dead hop bunnies as he dropped them down while he landed smoothly.


    "Here you go! Six down, nine more to go." He said as he could see his teammates mouths wide agape as they looked between Grey and the dead bunnies on the floor.


    "How did you?" Scarlet was about to say.


    "How did I kill the beasts? I used my brains and not my brawns unlike you. It isn''t surprising though, after all, I''m not sure if you even have a brain." Grey replied with a smile as he walked away and he saw Scarlet fuming.


    "How did he do these so fast?!" Vince wondered as he looked at the beasts on the ground.


    "We need to extract their cores." Raze said as metal appeared in his hand and he shaped it into a sword and he walked forward and got to work extracting the crystals.


    "How do you know how to use my magic better than me?" Vince asked and Raze just shrugged as he got the six cores in his hand when a loud voice was heard coming from all around.


    "Six minutes remaining!" They all recognized the voice as it belonged to Amir.


    "Well six down, nine more to go! How do we get the remaining nine?" Arthur asked and they all turned to Grey.


    "Mind pulling off the miracle of killing the beasts so fast again?" Raze asked trying to do puppy eyes.


    "I have done my part, the rest is up to you guys. Besides, this was supposed to be a teamwork and not only me doing the work." Grey replied.


    "Tch! Wasn''t expecting a peasant like you to help anyway." Scarlet scoffed. "Let''s go guys!"


    They were about to step forward with Grey having his hands in his pants'' pockets when they heard rustling of bushes and they all took a stance expecting a hop bunny to pop out but instead, five humans were seen coming out.


    "Wow wow wow! When we saw that peasant flying here with hop bunnies, we were sure he stole it from some team. And we didn''t want to go through the hassle of extracting the crystals, so we let you do that for us and then we can take them back." A boy with silver hair said as the rest laughed behind them.


    "That''s¡­ that''s Nozel Silva!" Vince said.


    "Nozel who?" Grey asked nonchalantly.


    "He''s¡­ he is one of the direct descendants of one of the emperor''s subordinate." Scarlet replied.


    "The emperor got subordinates?" Grey asked genuinely surprised.


    "How on Earth did I expect a peasant like you to know all these?!" Scarlet asked as she slapped her forehead loudly.


    "Just consider the emperor''s subordinates'' as something like the vice principal of the magical academies. Actually, they are the principal''s of the academies so Nozel here is one of the academies'' principal son." Vince said.


    "Oh!" Grey just said.


    "That''s right and I want to know why two nobles here are working with peasants?" Nozel asked.


    "It''s our lives, we do as we wish Nozel." Vince replied.


    "Shut up you worthless young boy! Don''t make me blurt out your truth here so just keep your trap shut." Nozel said annoyed.


    "Hey! You can''t bully Vince at all. You have no right whatsoever!" Scarlet said with her brows furrowed.


    "Oh?! And what are you going to do about it?" Nozel laughed when he turned towards Arthur who held the crystals. "For being rude to a royal figure like me, I hereby order that you release all your crystals to me."


    "Or what?" Grey asked as he stepped forward with his hands still in his pockets.


    "Or you will be responsible for whatever happens to you, you peasant." Nozel replied as he also stepped forward with his hands in his pockets and stood directly in front of Grey.


    "How many crystals did you acquire?" Grey asked as he took a step back.


    "We have nine crystals and when we take yours, we finally pass this assessment." Someone from Nozel group replied.


    "How convenient." Grey smiled and then it turned into a chuckle. "I guess I will be taking the crystals for myself then."


    "How arrogant of you?!" Nozel shouted as mana began seeping out of him creating a killing intent towards Grey but to his surprise, Grey wasn''t scared instead, a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes as he unleashed his own mana creating a more stronger intent.


    "You shouldn''t dare threaten me or else this quiet mage will end up biting your head off." Grey said and everybody gulped loudly including his teammates.


    ''What has this peasant gone and done? Doesn''t he know? Royals and nobles all have tremendous amount of mana compared to peasants. He will be quickly swallowed up even if he has more affinities than them.'' Scarlet thought.


    "Just know that you asked for this." Nozel said as he stepped back and then snapped his fingers towards one of his teammates. "I won''t get my hand dirty, Liam, sort this mess out and bring me those crystals."


    "Roger that!" A black haired individual walked out and mist began coming out of his hands.


    "You all should step back or else you would get hurt." Grey calmly said as he removed his hands from his pockets while the others stepped back except one.


    "I don''t take orders from you!" Scarlet shouted when a huge gust of wind erupted out blowing the trees and even uprooting some of them while Scarlet was pushed back that she almost went flying.


    _________________


    {A/N} Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Guys! Please remember to support my book with whatever resources you have. Be it power stones, Golden tickets or even gifts, I will appreciate them a lot.


    Let''s not also forget our mass release goals.


    500 power stones= 2 chapters extra chapters plus the normal release rate.


    500 Golden tickets= 2 chapters extra chapters plus the normal release rate making it a total of 4 chapters to be released.


    Magic castle= 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters.

 Chapter 109 - 109: Assessment {5}

    "You all should step back or else you would get hurt." Grey calmly said as he removed his hands from his pockets while the others stepped back except one.


    "I don''t take orders from you!" Scarlet shouted when a huge gust of wind erupted out blowing the trees and even uprooting some of them while Scarlet was pushed back that she almost went flying.


    ''He¡­he has this much strength? How come? He did say he was a 2 star mage though but this amount of wind magic, it''s insane!'' Scarlet thought as she stared at Grey who stood there facing the black haired kid named as Liam.


    ''Liam''s magic and mine pairs well and that is why he is one of the noble blood.'' Nozel thought with a smile as Liam lifted his hands up.


    "Normally, I wouldn''t have listened to Nozel even if he is the emperor''s son but your attitude really pissed me off and I need to show a peasant like you his place so¡­" Liam smiled as out of his hands, mist appeared covering the Grey while he stood there observing the mist carefully.


    The mist surrounded him, Liam and the remaining four nobles. The mist was making it hard to spot anybody in it as those that were outside which were Grey''s teammates couldn''t see what was going on in the mist.


    "I hope he is going to be okay." Arthur said.


    "I don''t like saying this, but trust me, he would be fine. So c''mon, let''s go hunt more beasts so we can gather more crystals before the time runs out." Scarlet said. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Based from that short gust of wind earlier, I''m sure he has things covered here although the only person I think would give him trouble would be Nozel. So the faster we go and gather more crystals, the faster we would come back to help him.'' she thought.


    "No! I''m not leaving Grey behind." Arthur said.


    "You dumbass! You just met him today and you are willing to throw away the assessment for him? What kind of a fool are you?!" Scarlet shouted.


    "She''s right here." Vince said. "We need to hunt more beasts now as time is ticking."


    "Guys!" They all heard a voice calling from inside the mist which meant that the fight haven''t started. "You all should go and hunt more beasts and I will take care of things here."


    "I don''t f*cking take orders from you and that''s the same thing I suggested so shut your mouth hole up and face whatever you are doing!" Scarlet shouted back and then she was met with silence.


    "So what''s your decisions?" She asked the team.


    ''Prove it to her, show her how powerful your useless magic is.'' Arthur thought back to the words Grey spoke to him as he clenched his hands tightly.


    "Fine! Let''s do it." He said.


    "Great! The useless peasant has said his opinion. What about you copy boy?" Scarlet asked.


    "Count me in too." Raze said.


    "So let''s go!" Vince said and then they picked a general direction and began running there at immense speed while Arthur kept praying in his mind that Grey would be fine.


    Meanwhile! Back in the misty area, Grey was seen standing around while all around him was covered with thick mist not allowing him see anything beyond a one metre radius.


    "I can see you wanted your teammates out of the way. I guess you care about them even though you just met them today." Grey heard a voice echoing all around the mist when Grey began chuckling and then it turned into a full blown laughter.


    "Who says I care about them?! Hahaha." Grey laughed and then the wind around him grew more pushing the mist away for a second before coming back up. "I just need them to go hunt crystals for me while I finish up here. If I were to deal with you all here, get your crystals and add it to the ones we have gathered, we would be pushed up the ladder."


    "And who says you are going to win!" Grey heard a voice say in front of him when he could see a metal sword slice through the mist about to hit him in the chest when he quickly used his wind magic to jump back in time with the metal sword slicing his clothes a bit tearing it.


    ''That was fast! Immensely fast and powerful.'' he thought while trying to calm his widely beating heart.


    "And just so you know," Nozel''s voice began echoing all around the misty area again. "My other teammates have gone to hunt so currently, it''s just me and Liam here but I guarantee you,"


    "You would perish here!" Grey heard a voice saying and the metal sword appeared from downwards about to hit but he raised an Earth wall just in time blocking it.


    ''Good thing he created the mist, now I can use a little more magic without him knowing but he is too fast darn it!'' Grey thought as he wiped the speck of sweat that formed on his face from the close shave he heard.


    "Do you know why I''m so confident?" Nozel laughed. "You are just a puny two star mage which is pretty impressive for a peasant like you but I''m a three star mage and one thing about advancing the stars is that the higher you go, the stronger and faster your abilities would be!" He shouted and then out from the mist, Grey could see a dozen metal spikes heading his way at immense speed.


    "Curses!" He said and then tapping his pendant across his chest, a sword appeared in his hand just in time as he raised it hitting one of the metal spikes to the ground but he still had eleven more to deal with.


    Grey''s feet barely touched the ground as he weaved through the mist, wind surging around his limbs. A spike shot past his cheek, slicing the air with a sharp whistle. He twisted, deflecting another with his sword¡ªclang! Sparks flew as metal met steel. And then he landed smoothly on the ground huffing and panting.


    ''This would have all been easier if I could use all my affinities but I''m limited right here right now.'' Grey said.


    "And the difference between us is," Grey heard Nozel''s voice again and he quickly took a stance.


    "I''m better and stronger than you!" He heard a voice say from his side and he could see a hand covered in metal gauntlets heading for his face at immense speed.

 Chapter 110 - 110: Assessment {6}

    Grey''s feet barely touched the ground as he weaved through the mist, wind surging around his limbs. A spike shot past his cheek, slicing the air with a sharp whistle. He twisted, deflecting another with his sword¡ªclang! Sparks flew as metal met steel. And then he landed smoothly on the ground huffing and panting.


    ''This would have all been easier if I could use all my affinities but I''m limited right here right now.'' Grey said.


    "And the difference between us is," Grey heard Nozel''s voice again and he quickly took a stance.


    "I''m better and stronger than you!" He heard a voice say from his side and he could see a hand covered in metal gauntlets heading for his face at immense speed.


    Before he could say or do anything, the gauntlet fist slammed into his face hard cracking his nose and lifting him up from his feet while sending him crashing into a tree to the extent he broke it in two.


    "Darn it!" Grey screamed as blood spurted out of his nose and pain surged through his very being as if needles were prickling into him from the inside out around his face area.


    "You are just a worthless peasant that should have known his place earlier and respected those much better than them." Nozel said as he suddenly appeared in front of Grey who was struggling to stand as his head felt heavy from the hit.


    Nozel then proceeded to grab Grey by the collar with his metal gauntlet hand and then lifted him off the ground while he was seen struggling trying to get out of Nozel''s grip with blood still dripping down his nose.


    "You should know your place next time. And where is your place? Beneath me! Beneath the noble bloodline you peasant!" Nozel screamed as he slammed his normal fist into Grey''s face drawing more blood.


    "I¡­ I''m¡­" Grey was trying to say.


    "You are what? You are sorry? Haha!" Nozel laughed. "You should hurry up and apologize maybe I might just let you go." He laughed again.


    "Keh keh Keh!" Grey laughed as he glared at Nozel straight in the eyes. "Who said anything about apologizing? You are truly delusional! If we are talking about someone that should know his place, it should be you as you have no idea who you are messing with.


    I¡­.I purposely let my guard down so you can come out from the f*cking mist and it worked!"


    Hearing that, Nozel quickly tossed Grey down and was about to jump back into the mist when¡­


    "Earth magic! Bind." Grey mumbled loud enough to initiate the spell and Nozel suddenly felt his legs stuck to the ground unable to move while Grey stood up wiping the blood off his face.


    "You are strong, true! But I have battle experience on my side." Grey said as he walked forward when he saw Liam jumping out of the mist with his hands forward about to use his mist magic when Grey lifted his hands.


    "Not again. Wind magic! Aerius ultra!" He called out and a humongous gust of wind slammed into Liam sending him flying into a tree hard almost suffocating him while he was seen passed out. "Your turn."


    "My turn?!" Nozel asked with a chuckle. "You think you got me down?! Peasant!" He shouted and then up above his head, a dozen metal spikes appeared.


    ''He has the same magic as Vince?! Interesting.'' Grey thought and before he could move, the metal spikes all moved at once and slammed into the ground and then turned into a liquid before taking the form of a solid metal ground.


    Lifting one of his feet, Nozel broke out of the bindings with a smile on his face and raising the second one, he was fully out when the metal ground suddenly turned into liquid and crawled up towards his hand forming a sword in it.


    ''His magic is not the same as Vince, it is f*cking different!'' Grey screamed in his head when raising his hand, Nozel dashed towards him at incredible speed as he was agile and quick on his feet.


    ''I can''t track him because of how quick he is so I will just rely on my mana sense.'' he thought and closed his eyes while standing in a single spot.


    "Big mistake!" Nozel shouted as he appeared from the side swinging his sword when all of a sudden, loud clang was heard with Grey seen lifting his hand and his sword blocking Nozel''s hit. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Quickly, Nozel jumped back just in time for a wind blade was heading for his head earlier. Immediately his feet touched the ground, another wind blade was sent flying towards him.


    Swinging his sword precisely, he broke the wind blade when a dozen more was sent towards him at immense speed. Quickly, the metal around his hand turned into liquid before changing shape into that of a shield taking the brunt of the wind blades as he was seen skidding from his position.


    Dropping his shield and trying to change the shape, he could see two bolts of lightning shot towards him at immense speed and before he could change the shape back to that of a shield, the bolts slammed into him electrifying him on the spot as he screamed in pain.


    "Arghhhhhh!" Nozel shouted as he grit his teeth and glared at Grey calmly walking over with a smirk on his face when in anger, Nozel shot a dozen metal spikes towards him.


    With his feet crackling and sizzling, Grey began dancing around the place avoiding the spikes when he missed one of the spike that grazed his cheek drawing blood and then another one appeared and he wasn''t able to avoid it in time when it grazed his arm too.


    And when the spikes disappeared, he was seen huffing and panting in exhaustion as he saw Nozel fall to his knees due to the extreme pain from the lightning magic.


    "I''m not done yet!" Nozel and Grey screamed at once as they forced their body to try to move while a long and huge wind blade appeared in the sky pointing towards Nozel and a long spear appeared in Nozel''s hand.


    They were just about to move when a loud ringing voice was heard sounding from all around the forest.


    "Times up! The second assessment is over, all teams are to stop whatever they are doing right now! Failure to comply would bred terrible confidence!"

 Chapter 111 - 111: Assessment {7)

    "Times up! The second assessment is over, all teams are to stop whatever they are doing right now! Failure to comply would bred terrible confidence!"


    Hearing that, the killing intent aura from the two, quickly dispersed as Grey fell to the ground huffing in pain and so did Nozel as they both glared at each other while kneeling on the ground.


    ''My whole body is screaming in pain and I think I might have broken a rib or something.'' Grey thought as his chest tightened the more he breathed in and out. ''I can''t believe that I would ever struggle in a fight but that is because I had limited myself in strength. If I had unleashed my full powers as a 3 star mage along with my other two affinities, then I''m sure this arrogant noble wouldn''t last long at all.


    But I guess I should take my limitation as a form of training while in this academy. Bulldozing my way through problems doesn''t work at times so me limiting myself, would help me grow more.''


    "You are lucky that the assessment is over." Nozel said as he slowly stood up albeit in pain.


    ''Darn! Who would ever thought that I would encounter a commoner that could go toe to toe with me in strength. If it was a noble or royal, it would be understandable. But a commoner? Besides, what was that that held me down earlier before I used my liquid metal magic?'' Nozel thought as he stared at Grey weirdly.


    "This is not over yet! I would advise you keep watching your back." Nozel said.


    "That is my line you proud noble!" Grey shouted.


    ''I can''t believe it, I saw a noble that could contend with me in strength even though I was limiting myself. If someone as young as this could be this powerful, I hate to imagine how powerful the elders must be especially the emperor.'' Grey thought with a shudder.


    "All applicants are advised to stay wherever they are, the teleportation mages would come pick them up shortly." Amir''s voice rang out in the forest and soon enough, three mages appeared in the forest each grabbing onto one person and then teleporting away.


    Liam who was still unconscious was lifted up by the mage while teleporting away. Same with Nozel and Grey as they were grabbed by the arm each.


    "I will make sure I settle the scores with you, you peasant!" Nozel shouted as he got teleported and a smirk appeared on Grey''s face as he also got teleported too.


    Opening his eyes, he found himself back at the coliseum with the other students and then some people descended into the coliseum and rushed to those that were injured especially Grey as a beautiful young woman came forward towards him and placed her hands that began to glow bright white on Grey''s body.


    His body suddenly felt soothed as all the aches and pain suddenly vanished while his nose was being fixed and in a few seconds, he was good as new.


    ''A healer? I guess the captains already thought of the encounter thereby stationing healing mages everywhere just in case.'' Grey thought and then he smiled towards the young woman.


    "Thank you."


    "No mention, just doing my duty." She said returning the smile while walking away to tend to others.


    "Hey Grey!" Grey heard a voice calling him and on turning around, he could see Raze walking towards him along with the others with Scarlet staring at him with a frown.


    "Oh?! You are still alive?! I thought you would be dead by now." Scarlet commented as she walked over.


    "I''m not as weak as you." Grey replied nonchalantly while Scarlet just scoffed. "The crystals? Did you guys manage to hunt any beasts?" He asked and then he saw the faces of the whole group turn sour the next moment while looking at each other.


    "What happened guys?" He asked.


    "Should we tell him?" Vince asked.


    "Somebody has to." Raze said.


    "Well certainly not me, I don''t want to be electrocuted." Arthur replied.


    "Wimps." Scarlet commented.


    "What the hell is going on guys?!" Grey shouted feeling panic wash over him as he was scared that his chances of getting to the academy would be ruined at this point.


    Seeing Grey panic, Raze calmly walked towards him albeit with a sour and sad expression on his face and then he was about to place his palm on his shoulders when Grey swiftly avoided it in time.


    Seeing this, Raze just calmly placed his hands in his pockets and looked at Grey.


    "You see the issue is that." Raze said and then he looked down with a saddened expression on his face before lifting it back up with a wide smile on his face. "We got the crystals! Even more than what we were supposed to get all thanks to you."


    "What?!" Grey shouted as he took a step back and looked at the others that had smiles on their faces except Scarlet who just scoffed. "If¡­ if you got the crystals, then what was the moody faces you made earlier?"


    "We just decided to prank you a bit." Raze shrugged.


    "And arrogant queen there played along?" Grey said pointing at Scarlet.


    "Anything to see you tormented." Scarlet replied and then Grey had his head held down with his hands clenched. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then slowly, Raze heard sizzling and crackling coming from Grey which caused all the hairs on his body to rise up in fear as he took a step back when Grey lifted his head with lightning appearing in his hands.


    "I told you guys this was a bad idea." Arthur said with a gulp as he was seen taking a step back while Grey lifted his hands pointing it towards them with a stern look on his face while the others had frightened expressions on their faces.


    "Gotcha." Grey said as the lightning diminished and he smirked while walking forward and the others all had a stunned expression on their faces.


    "What was that?" Scarlet asked as she was also frightened earlier since she knew how powerful Grey was after getting hit by his wind magic earlier.


    "You guys played a prank on me, so it''s only right if I did the same too." Grey shrugged as he walked towards the front of the coliseum leaving the rest behind with a stunned expression on their faces.

 Chapter 112 - 112: Last assessment of the day {8}

    "All teams! Present your crystals." Amir said and some teams walked forward confidently presenting their crystals to some mages that came around collecting them while some handed the crystals with shaky hands.


    In a few minutes, the whole crystals had all been collected and after a few more minutes, Amir took to the floating crystal in front of him.


    "Team 1,3,6,8,9,11,13 and 14, you failed the assessment. Leave here at once." Amir said and some students wanted to protest.


    "What?! We submitted 14 crystals, can''t we at least pass?" A student from team 13 shouted.


    "Yes! We also submitted 12 crystals, we are least tried." The leader of team 14 said.


    "Quiet!" Amir shouted and silence befell the coliseum. "What was the rules? Collect fifteen crystals right? Then what are you all saying? Submitting 14 or 12 crystals still doesn''t meet the quota. And if you want to argue with me, then I''m telling you, only you will face the consequences that will follow."


    Hearing that, the applicants silently cursed beneath their breaths and walked out of the coliseum in anger. About fourty applicants were seen leaving the coliseum in anger leaving about two hundred more applicants in the coliseum.


    "The rest of you, congratulations! But this is where it gets tough as we are finally getting to the third and last assessment. So I will pass the baton to the next captain that will conduct the assessment." Amir said and then the floating crystal Alex brown, the captain of the Everwood squad.


    ''Boy am I glad that I passed! Now I don''t have to see those annoying pests'' faces again.'' Grey thought with a breath of sigh of relief when he saw captain Alex stand up with a frown on his face.


    "Listen up you weaklings and the few impressive applicants here." Alex said. "I won''t tolerate complaints, whining, or fools thinking they can argue with me. If you can''t handle that, leave now.


    If you don''t like the next assessment and you know you are not up to the task, then just leave immediately or else if you break my rules, you would experience what your eyes wouldn''t be able to say outside." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Woah! Feisty one." Grey mumbled.


    "Will you chill out captain Alex? This is not a military ground or anything." Sophia chuckled.


    "Are you the one conducting the assessment? Since you are not, kindly shut up! The others might be drooling over your beauty and all but I''m not in the least impressed so let me conduct the assessment in peace." Alex retorted back angrily before he turned back towards the crystal.


    "What a bully." Sophia mumbled.


    "Now this assessment would be a combat assessment! You would pick whoever you want, and then fight with them. Whoever loses either by forfeiting or being knocked unconscious, would be eliminated and would not have any chance to join any academy. After the whole combat is done, the winners would be gathered and the captains would pick whoever they want in their squad." Alex said.


    "Do we understand? Are the rules clear enough?!" He shouted.


    "Yes sir!" They all shouted out at once with one thought on their minds.


    ''This man is scary.''


    "Without further Ado, let the assessment begin! Go look for you want to battle with, wait for your turn and then come out and display if you are any of the magical academies'' material." Alex said.


    "Who am I supposed to battle with?" Grey wondered as he looked around to see people quickly meeting those they know they could easily crush and make their way to the academy.


    ''I don''t want someone weak, I need someone strong! Strong enough to show my strength to the world.'' He thought when he saw someone approaching him with a confident steps with his curly black hair and he stood in front of Grey.


    "I want to battle with you." He said and Grey looked at him with one eye trying to size him up.


    "Piss off, I''m not interested in weaklings." Grey replied as he tried to walk away when he felt a grip on his shoulder.


    He tried to pull away with all the strength he could muster but could not so he gradually turned around to look at the individual in front of him.


    "Now will you change that decision?" The individual asked and Grey just sighed.


    ''I was looking for someone strong and with that short encounter, it shows this dude has a level of strength. Whatever.'' Grey thought.


    "Fine!" Grey replied and then they stood together with their arms crossed waiting for their turn while watching other participants take care of each other.


    Grey saw some impressive magical displays, interesting fighting techniques which he made sure to put at the back of his mind. He saw Scarlet step forward with a female and they battle it out with her displaying her dominance.


    The female was impressive with her ice magic but Scarlet was more impressive as she totally dominated her using her fire magic. Then Raze came out with his copy magic. He had copied Scarlet''s magic and that''s what he displayed here as the same style she used that was what he displayed totally dominating his opponent.


    Vince came out too but surprisingly to Grey, he struggled a lot. But at the end of the day coming out with a lot of injuries, he won. Gradually, he saw his ex teammates battle it out and they each won their fights easily.


    "It''s our turn." The individual beside Grey said and he turned around to see him.


    "Whatever!" Grey replied as he walked forward with his hands in his pants'' pockets.


    ''You! You humiliated me in the first assessment. I was unable to do anything because of fear but now, I have found my courage and I will make sure to humiliate you in front of everybody here today.'' the young man thought with a smile on his face.

 Chapter 113 - 113: Impressive display

    "It''s our turn." The individual beside Grey said and he turned around to see him.


    "Whatever!" Grey replied as he walked forward with his hands in his pants'' pockets.


    ''You! You humiliated me in the first assessment. I was unable to do anything because of fear but now, I have found my courage and I will make sure to humiliate you in front of everybody here today.'' the young man thought with a smile on his face.


    Walking to the front of the coliseum was Grey while slightly behind him, was the black curly haired individual that approached him who had a weird smile as he walked forward.


    Seeing Grey, mumblings was being heard coming from the other participants.


    "Isn''t that the peasant that did some flashy moves in the first assessment?"


    "Right! To be honest, he was really cool."


    "No doubt but he is still a peasant regardless."


    "Well I just hope he loses this assessment because I don''t want any peasant close to me in the academy."


    "True! I can''t stand breathing the same air as peasants do."


    "I feel cringe anytime they come close."


    "It would be better off if they just died!"


    Unknown to them, even as they were trying to whisper, Grey was able to hear everything because of his wind magic that softly brought the words to his ears.


    ''I wanted to be the greatest mage ever for my own self but this¡­ this level of discrimination I hate it! I f*cking hate it and can''t stand it! I will prove it¡­'' Grey thought as he stood in front of the coliseum with his opponent standing in front of him.


    ''I will prove it to them¡­ to the whole world that even peasants can become someone great!'' he screamed in his head.


    "Let the combat begin!" Alex said calmly and without wasting time, his opponent quickly raised his hand and mist began surrounding him along with Grey. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Mist magic? How pathetic and weak! The other mist user had that arrogant noble to attack but if this one doesn''t have anything to offer, then he is use¡­'' he was about to finish thinking when out of the mist, several clones of the black haired individual that approached him appeared.


    There were about six of the clones that appeared as they swiftly dashed towards Grey and prepared to attack his face. Raising his hand with wind magic surrounding it, he suddenly felt a solid strong hit in his guts causing him to cough out spit.


    ''What the hell?!'' he screamed in his mind as he took several steps back and saw the clones jump towards him from the back.


    He swiftly turned around and shot streams of lightning towards the clones causing them to disappear. Trying to turn back around, his face was suddenly met with a punch sending his head back.


    "I will make sure I make you suffer for my humiliation!" His opponent''s voice echoed around the mist making it hard to pinpoint his exact location while Grey took a stance with wind magic surrounding him.


    ''It''s hard to pinpoint his exact location in this mist and with the clones, he could use them to confuse me while he attacks me himself. Curses! This wasn''t like the battle with that noble!'' Grey thought as he saw the clones heading for him when he shot out rapid gust of wind that hit the clones and push the mist back a bit before coming back together.


    "As long as I''m in this mist, I can keep on creating clones rapidly unless my mana runs out which wouldn''t be possible anytime soon." The voice said again and looking up, he could see two clones heading for his head.


    Without wasting time, a bolt of lightning was shot hitting them and he also felt a kick to his arm causing him to skid an inch while his arm was throbbing with pain.


    ''How is a 1 star mage like him giving me this much trouble?!'' Grey thought in anger as he kept on moving his head around trying to find wherever the clones or the controller appear from.


    "I know what you are thinking." The voice came again and the six clones appeared with three on either side of Grey as they dashed towards him at immense speed. "That how is a 1 star mage giving you much trouble right?"


    He asked when the clones swiftly tried to attack and Grey jumped up using wind magic while shooting out two bolts of lightning that crashed into the ground throwing electricity everywhere and hitting the clones while causing them to disappear.


    "That is because I''m much calmer and smarter than you and I have my revenge driving me!" The same voice appeared above Grey as a strong hit slammed into his face sending him flying and crashing into the ground sending shockwaves around.


    ''I wish¡­ I wish I wasn''t limiting myself.'' Grey thought as he twitched while on the ground as the hit had affected him a lot. ''Calmness! I¡­ the reason he is getting to me is because I''m not calm!''


    "You shouldn''t have scared me with your lightning magic during the first assessment. I was part of the crowd which you aimed your lightning at and your words annoyed me including that smug smile of yours and I vowed not to let a peasant like you have any chance into the academy." Grey had the voice reverberating around him.


    ''Calm! Calm! Calm down! I need to calm down and think.'' Grey thought as he was seen slowly standing up with blood dripping down his forehead and then he closed his eyes shut while still standing and then he could feel the clones being created and dashing towards him.


    ''No! Not yet! Be calm!'' he thought when the clones jumped up towards him coming from above about to him and in a flash, he shot several streams of lightning hitting them still with his eyes closed when he finally sensed it.


    Bursting through the mist from his right, a punch was heading for his head and using his wind magic, he swiftly turned around and grabbed the hand not letting it move one bit.


    "Your one saving grace was this mist and you said I embarrassed and humiliated you huh?" Grey said as a tremendous burst of wind descended upon the coliseum inside the mist pushing them all away at once revealing Grey standing with his palm held out catching his opponent''s fist.


    "That wasn''t a full embarrassment, so let me fully show you what an embarrassment feels like." Grey shouted as the hand which he used to grab his opponent was now crackling with lightning causing his opponent to get electrocuted from his hand making him scream in pain.


    Letting the hand go, Grey swiftly zipped back a few feet and then raising his hand at the stunned mist mage, he called out softly.


    "Wind magic! Aerius ultra!" He said and a tremendous burst of wind slammed into his opponent lifting him and slamming him into a wall hard causing it to crack slightly and the air to completely get knocked out of his opponent''s mouth.


    "Impressive display from applicant Grey Dawn! He wins!" Alex called out while Grey walked away albeit with a limp in his steps as he clutched his bleeding head.


    ''That was harder than I thought, I just hope my plan of limiting my abilities won''t be the worst decision I ever made.'' Grey thought.

 Chapter 114 - 114: Picking an academy {1}

    After Grey was done with his fight, a healing mage quickly came over and healed him of his injuries making him feel good as new. And then the assessment continued again as Grey''s opponent was lifted out of the arena.


    In a few minutes, the last assessment was finally over as the losers were told to leave the coliseum leaving out of two hundred applicants that took part in the assessment, a hundred applicants were left as they all stood in the coliseum with wide smiles on their faces.


    And they began jubilating.


    "We made it!"


    "We did it!"


    "I actually passed these hard assessments not like I doubted myself one bit."


    "Shit! Those assessments were as difficult as they can get."


    "Who knew that just to get into an academy would bring this much challenge to my mental health."


    ''Tch! I knew I could pass these silly assessments.'' Grey scoffed in his mind when he saw Captain Ryan Kim stand up and the floating crystal glowed in front of him.


    "Congratulations to all brave applicants for even considering to take our assessments and not only take it, but also passed it excellently." Ryan began speaking and the crowd cheered and smiled widely.


    "I know." Ryan said and the crowd became silent again. "I know our assessments must have come out as cruel and hard but our aim was to weed out the weak among you all and then get the strong while grooming them to become the best they can be. And I''m glad that those of you that passed these assessments, are actually strong."


    ''Tch! Discrimination as usual. Why can''t you give them the same opportunities and see if the weak won''t grow stronger. Just imagine that I was actually weak with only a single affinity and probably a one star mage, I would have also gotten the boot before getting to the third assessment.'' Grey thought with a scoff as he folded his arms.


    ''Well! It''s actually none of my business what happens to others. I''m not about to become a hero for the world that abandoned me so all I care about is becoming stronger and protecting my family.'' he thought.


    "So I want to congratulate you all once again! Now, we would call your names one after the other. And the captains would lift their hands up if they want to take you in. But note! If no captain raises their hands'' to signal that they want the applicant, then they would also be sent back home." Ryan said and like as if a spell was cast on the applicants, a hush befell the coliseum as they all stared with wide eyes.


    "I¡­ we thought that after the assessments, it would be smooth sailing from now on and they are saying there''s another problem?"


    "I knew it wouldn''t be that easy." Someone scoffed.


    The shock and words spread out as the applicants expressed their horror at Kim''s words.


    "So let''s get started." Ryan Kim said without caring for the murmurings.


    He began calling applicants out one by one and if a captain wanted them, they would raise their hand and they would be accepted into that academy.


    This went on for a few minutes until¡­


    "Blake cold! Captains raise your hands if you want him into your academy!" Ryan said but surprisingly, there was no volunteers as the applicant suddenly felt like a bolt of lightning crashed into him as he stared at the captains with wide eyes of horror.


    "C''mon! Any one please take me in! I can''t go back like this after coming this far! Please!" Blake pleaded with tears in his eyes but alas, there was no intake and the applicant was sent away.


    "Next!" Ryan called the next person and they were accepted into an academy until¡­


    "Nozel Silva! Captains raise your hands if you want him!" Ryan said and he immediately raised his hand and so did the remaining three captains as Nozel stood there with a smile on his face staring at the captains.


    "Woah! All captains raised their hands! How is this possible?"


    "This has never happened before! Is he that impressive?"


    "Of course he will be, after all he is a noble blood and the son of the principal of one of the academies."


    "Then it''s obvious which academy he would choose huh." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nozel Silva, please choose the academy you would want to attend." Ryan said and Nozel cleared his throat elegantly.


    "Of course I choose Wysteria academy." Nozel replied and Ryan smiled.


    "Good choice kiddo." Ryan said and Nozel stepped aside.


    "Raze Zane!" Ryan called out and Raze stepped forward and immediately, Amir raised his hand signalling he wanted him.


    "Congratulations, you have now been accepted into Lunaria academy!" Amir said with a smile and Raze''s eyes welled up in tears as he walked aside.


    ''I can''t believe it! A peasant like me made it into an academy?! Dad! I have finally made it into an academy. I can''t wait to share this happy news with you.'' Raze thought.


    "Vince Walter!" Ryan called and Vince stepped forward. "Captains please raise your hands if you want him."


    To everybody''s surprise, nobody raised their hands as Vince''s body tensed up looking at them until.


    "I will take him." Amir said and Vince lifted his teary eyes.


    ''Dad!'' he thought with a surprised expression on his face.


    "Very well then! Vince will join Lunaria academy." Ryan said and Vince with a smile, walked aside.


    "Scarlet Trevor!"


    Scarlet on hearing her name walked forward elegantly with a stern look on her face.


    "Captains please raise your hands if you want her." Ryan said and two captains raised their hands and they were Amir and Sophia.


    "C''mon Amir, let the girl come to us. We want beautiful and strong girls like her in our squad." Sophia said.


    "Can''t! Wherever they are talents, I will snatch them up." Amir replied.


    "Scarlet! Please choose the academy you want to join." Ryan said and a small smile played on her lips.


    ''Of course I will go wherever my best friend is.'' She thought.


    "Lunaria academy!" Scarlet said and Sophia''s face fell then she scoffed.


    "Very well then." Ryan said as Scarlet moved aside. "Arthur Rill!" He called and Arthur stepped forward with hesitant steps.


    "Captains! Please raise your hands if you want Arthur Rill to join your academy." Ryan said but there were no volunteers.


    ''As expected, I knew a useless weak support like me can''t get into an academy. It was a miracle I won my combat and that was because my opponent was muck weaker than I am. Anyway, let''s just go and we will try again next¡­''


    "I will take him." Amir announced and Arthur froze in his thoughts as he slowly lifted his head to look at Amir who had a cheeky smile on his face.


    "Very well then! Arthur Rill, congratulations! You have been accepted into Lunaria academy." Ryan said and still with a stunned expression on his face, Arthur dragged his feet towards the others.


    ''Nobody saw what I saw in him hence they didn''t pick him. I could see it, if given more time, this useless support will grow to become more useful and stronger.'' Amir thought with a slight chuckle.


    "Our last but not the least applicant, Grey Dawn!" Ryan said and Grey walked forward nonchalantly not caring about the disgusted expression the crowd threw at him.


    "How exhilarating will it be if no captain chooses him."


    "It will be fun to watch."


    "I can''t wait to see him break down in pains seeing his dream shatter and crumble to the ground."


    "I still wonder what he was thinking when he came here though."


    "I can''t wait to see him fail and leave this place soon because his smug look and arrogant demeanor keeps pissing me off."


    "True."


    Immediately Grey came forward, Ryan continued speaking.


    "Please captains raise your hands if you want Grey Dawn to join your academy." Immediately Ryan said this, he swiftly raised his hand up and the remaining captains did the same as the whole crowd exploded in shock.


    "What the hell?!"

 Chapter 115 - 115: Picking an academy {2}

    "Our last but not the least applicant, Grey Dawn! Please captains raise your hands if you want Grey Dawn to join your academy." Immediately Ryan said this, he swiftly raised his hand up and the remaining captains did the same as the whole crowd exploded in shock.


    "What the hell?!"


    "How¡­ how did a peasant like him get these amount of options?!"


    "The only person that got this was Nozel Silva which is understandable judging from his powers and all but a peasant?!"


    "We accept, he was impressive in the first and last assessment but I''m sure that because of his team up with lady Scarlet is what made him win the second assessment."


    "How did all the captains raise their hands for him? Have they all gone senile or something?"


    Nozel on seeing this, clenched his hands tightly in anger as his teeth was grit looking at Grey stand there with a smug look on his face as if he had no worries about the world.


    ''I can''t believe it and I refuse to accept that a peasant should share the same amount of recognition I received! I¡­ I will make him pay and make him regret ever thinking about joining an academy.'' Nozel thought in anger.


    "Huh! Sophia, why is your hand raised up? I thought your academy only accepted females?" Amir asked.


    "True we only accept females and all that but this kid is very impressive and having him on our side, would boost our strength tremendously and he is quite the looker." Sophia replied with a smile as she stared hard at Grey.


    "Grey Dawn! Please pick the academy you want to join." Ryan smiled.


    ''We have the best odds at grabbing him up. I''m sure he has heard about us and our history. Wysteria academy is the best academy out of the rest and I''m pretty sure he would pick our academy. I''m sure the principal would be happy regardless of whether he is a peasant or not.'' Ryan thought.


    Wysteria academy! The best academy out of the others and also the hardest to get into and that''s because they value strength and nobility more than anything. Even if you were strong but not of noble blood, you won''t be able to get into the academy.


    So seeing Ryan happily raise his hand, meant that he also saw something in Grey and wanted him for themselves. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''It is a surprise that Ryan lifted his hand up and it''s unfortunate for me too. As Wysteria is the best and Lunaria doesn''t stand a chance against them. If Grey was to choose them, it will be a heavy loss for us and a big win for them.'' Amir thought anxiously as he saw Grey''s eyes dancing between the the four captains.


    "I choose Lunaria academy." Grey said and a hush befell the coliseum as Ryan''s raised hand was stuck in the air with a stunned expression on his face while Amir''s face lit up brightly with a wide smile.


    "Ar¡­ are¡­are you sure about your decision?" Ryan asked stuttering as he couldn''t believe his ears.


    "Affirmative." Grey replied with a smile.


    ''Of course I would pick the academy that scouted me first and also saved Kiten town and in the process indirectly saving my mum.'' Grey thought with a soft smile on his face.


    "Very well then." Ryan said and Grey walked away. "That concludes the assessments! All of you are welcome to the great four academies. Wait down there for your captains to come collect you all."


    Without wasting time, Amir was seen walking down with two more people beside him as he had a wide smile on his face walking towards the chosen people. Along with Grey and his teammates, Amir had chosen five more totalling them to ten members.


    "Welcome you all." Amir spoke as he walked forward with his long dark blue robe trailing on the floor with the two beside him wearing short dark blue robes that only passed their chest and stopped a few inches away from the under of their chest.


    "And I''m glad you chose this academy especially you." Amir said as his eyes trailed towards Grey and everybody looked surprised while Vince stuttered.


    "You¡­ you know him?" He asked.


    "Of course! I scouted him myself. But what I don''t understand is his new hair colour." Amir replied.


    ''Dad scouted him himself?! How strong is he to the extent that he managed to catch dad''s eyes?'' Vince thought.


    "Did the hair colour change so as not to attract any attention to myself." Grey replied.


    "Well after today, the attention you didn''t want to attract have been attracted to you. As more eyes would be on you now." Amir chuckled while looking towards the two beside him.


    And then tapping the rings on their hands, robes were seen coming out and they handed it to each and every one of them who swiftly put the robes on. And surprisingly, it was a perfect fit.


    The robes were as short as the ones the men standing beside Amir wore. One couldn''t even call it a robe as it almost looked like a small cloak.


    "You are all now students of Lunaria academy and also members of the Lunaria squad so let''s head home." Amir said.


    "Home?" Arthur asked.


    "Yes! To Lunaria academy." Amir replied and the men stood on either side of Amir while bringing their hands forward allowing the students to hold their hands and slowly, they all joined hands.


    And in a flash, they disappeared from the coliseum and no doubt, heading towards Lunaria academy using the men teleportation magic. With this, the start of Grey''s new phase and challenges began.


    _____________


    {A/N}


    Enjoying the story so far and you are frustrated with the slow release rate? And you want more chapters? Well you are in luck for I''m doing a mass release goal updates and when hit, a mass release of chapters would flow out.


    Mass release goals!!!


    500 power stones= 2 extra chapters


    500 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters


    Magic castle= 5 extra chapters


    Spacecraft= 10 extra chapters


    Golden Gachapon= 15 extra chapters.


    Let''s do well to hit these goals guys¡­ Thank you ??????

 Chapter 116 - 116: Welcome to Lunaria academy

    Grey and the rest opened their eyes to find themselves standing before a towering structure that defied their expectations. Unlike most academies, there were no fortified gates or visible guards stationed outside¡ªonly a vast, open clearing leading to the colossal building ahead.


    The academy itself resembled a relic from an ancient era, yet its architecture bore the sophistication of something beyond its time. It stood like a sky-piercing monolith, its height rivaling the tallest trees in the nearby forest, stretching across several kilometers. The structure was predominantly a deep, royal blue, its surface polished to a reflective sheen that gleamed under the sunlight, making it look almost ethereal.


    A grand flag hung at the peak, fluttering in the wind. The emblem upon it was striking¡ªa silver crescent moon cradling an upward-pointing fiery-red arrow, all encased within a circular border adorned with delicate, star-like etchings. Above the crescent moon, an inscription curved elegantly across the banner: "Scientia et Magic"¡ª"Knowledge and Magic" in the ancient tongue.


    Despite the academy''s open surroundings, an air of mystery lingered, as if unseen forces protected the institution from intruders. The mere sight of it sent a shiver down Grey''s spine.


    "And this," Amir announced with a proud smile, gesturing toward the magnificent structure, "is Lunaria Academy!"


    Grey swallowed as they approached the entrance. "This place gives me the creeps," he mumbled under his breath. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a deep breath, they stepped forward, and as they pushed open the massive double doors, a new world awaited them inside...


    As the massive double doors creaked open, a wave of cool, crisp air washed over them. The moment Grey and the others stepped inside, their eyes widened in awe.


    The entrance hall was vast¡ªso vast that it felt like they had stepped into a different dimension altogether. The high ceilings arched like the heavens, adorned with swirling patterns of silver and blue that shimmered as if alive. At the very center, a grand chandelier of floating crystalline orbs hovered in midair, gently rotating while casting a soft, luminescent glow across the hall.


    The floor was polished obsidian, reflecting their images like a mirror, but with a strange twist¡ªwhenever they moved, faint wisps of magic trailed behind their reflections, as if the very ground was alive with mystical energy.


    Lining the massive walls were colossal bookshelves, stretching several stories high, filled with ancient tomes and scrolls. Some books hovered off the shelves, flipping open by themselves before returning to their place, their pages glowing faintly with arcane symbols. Grand floating staircases spiraled upwards, leading to unseen levels of the academy, shifting positions every now and then as if following an invisible rhythm.


    At the far end of the hall, a massive stained-glass window dominated the wall, depicting the founders of Lunaria Academy¡ªcloaked figures wielding elemental magic, their eyes glowing with wisdom. The glass wasn''t just still; it moved, subtly shifting as if telling an ever-evolving story.


    To the left, an open corridor revealed a glimpse of what lay beyond¡ªa vast dining hall with levitating trays carrying food, enchanted cutlery setting themselves, and long tables where students engaged in conversations, their robes bearing unique symbols that hinted at different factions or specializations within the academy.


    To the right, another corridor led to an arcane training chamber, where the faint hum of magic crackling in the air could be felt. In the distance, they could hear students practicing spells, the sounds of energy blasts and defensive barriers forming in rapid succession.


    Above them, the academy seemed endless¡ªfloating platforms, staircases, and even small flying creatures fluttering near the upper levels, serving as magical messengers. Everything about this place screamed mystery, power, and discovery.


    Grey exhaled, his heartbeat quickening as he took it all in.


    "This place¡­" Vince muttered, still in disbelief.


    "Welcome to Lunaria Academy," Amir announced, his voice filled with pride. "Your journey begins here."


    "Woah!" One of the ten students muttered in amazement as she looked around the whole place. "This place is awesome."


    "Wait till you see Wysteria." Amir chuckled while Grey stood around nonchalantly.


    "Okay! Before we all settle in, I will need to clear some misconceptions." Amir spoke and everybody listened attentively. "None of the four academies is what you know about. We are not here to teach you how to use your magical affinities from scratch. If you are able to get here after participating in the assessments, means that you already know how to use your magic well."


    "Then what are the academies for?" One of the ten students asked.


    "We are here to help take your magic to the next level. We won''t start from scratch, we would help level your powers up. And note, you would also be taking some dangerous quests and trips so be prepared as we said earlier, we aren''t here to joke or play around." Amir replied.


    "I heard something from the others." Raze said and Amir looked towards him. "Instead of vice principals, they all called you and the others captains. Why is that?"


    "Good question." Amir smiled. "Aside from helping taking your magic to the next level as I said earlier, you would also participate in dangerous quests. That is why the academies also doubles up as a squad that gets dispensed for missions. E.g like the town of Kiten." He said as he looked towards Grey who just threw his face away.


    "And in these squads, we! The vice principals are the captains of the squads and only in rare cases do we get called out." Amir replied.


    "So¡­" Grey said as he looked around the whole huge hallway. "Are we the only ones here?"


    "If we are talking about the junior years, then yes! You all are the junior/first years. Since we are still going to help take your powers to the next level, we have divided the years into three like a normal academy should. So we have you ten, the junior/ first years, we have the second years and then the third years.


    Although you would be seeing the second years more as your missions might tend to cross over but you won''t see any third years and when you do, don''t mess with them as even me can''t save you." Amir said the last part with a furrowed brow showing how serious he was.


    ''I wonder how strong they are to get Amir this serious. Oh well! It''s not like I plan on messing with them or else they messed with me.'' Grey thought with a shrug.


    "Alright! Enough of talking, you would be shown your rooms. Also, this lower level houses your rooms, where your classes will hold and so on. On no occasion, should you say you want to explore the higher levels as juniors aren''t allowed to go near their seniors levels." Amir said and then he clapped towards the two young men beside him.


    "Kindly show these young ones their rooms!" He said and then without waiting for their response, he swiftly jumped up towards a staircase and began ascending without looking back.


    "Follow me." One of the men said.


    "Oh! They can talk." Grey muttered with a chuckle as they all began following the men to the north of the hallway.


    ''I guess this begins a new phase in my life. I still wonder how strong those third years are actually.'' He thought.

 Chapter 117 - 117: Roommates!

    Following the men, they finally met themselves in front of a more smaller and narrower hallway that had several doors no doubt with rooms inside the doors dotting the hallway. The doors had a metallic silver colour on it making it look slightly dull.


    "Now these are your rooms." One of the men spoke as he clapped his hands together, inscriptions began appearing on the door.


    When it was done, they could see two names on each door.


    "The names on the doors are yours. While the second would be your roommate since you are only allowed two per room. Note! There won''t be any changes. If you don''t like your roommate, deal with it." The man that did the talking said.


    "Since you are just joining, today would be your day off. Also!" The second man said and then he snapped his fingers and then a holographic bubbly display appeared in front of their eyes startling them a lot as some of them yelped loudly.


    Grey just slightly moved back in surprise before he quickly regained his composure.


    "Those holographic displays would show you the way to wherever you want to go in the academy except the upper levels. The way to your classes, canteen, combat rooms and training rooms. All it needs to function is your mana and it will update regularly and when it feels like you have mastered the whole route, it will disappear." The man said.


    "So rest up for now, when it''s time. You will hear a ringing noise signalling it''s time for you to get lunch. Classes start tomorrow. Lastly, your luggage and things you brought from home have been kept inside after thorough checks." The second man said and then they both disappeared from view leaving Grey looking at the doors with anger and frustration.


    ''I¡­ I have to share the room with one more person? Darn it! I really don''t want to share and I don''t even like to share!'' he screamed in his head as he looked at all the doors trying to spot his name when his eyes laid on Scarlet.


    "What are you looking at? Just because we are in the same academy doesn''t give you the right to look at me." Scarlet said. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Like I want to look at your ugly face." Grey replied coldly as he passed by her leaving her stunned while he searched for his name and he managed to spot it.


    Looking beneath it, he was looking for who he would be sharing his room with.


    ''Please don''t let it be that annoying female or else I won''t be able to restrict myself from burning down the academy so they would change our rooms.'' he prayed in his mind when his eyes laid on the second person he would be sharing his room with and he heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Yo yo yo! Who would have thought that we would be sharing the room together." Raze said with a smile while walking over and Grey just ignored him pushing the door open to walk in.


    Entering in, he could see that the room was wide enough. Bigger than his small room back when he was poor. The room was big enough to even fit ten carriages easily in it. At the corner of the room, he could see two beds spread apart in the room.


    Then at the other corner, they could see two tables and two chairs probably for studying purposes. And then off to the side, two huge tall wardrobes were seen and then at the foot of each one, a bag was kept.


    Walking towards it, he could see his bag in front of one of the wardrobes. Opening it up, he could see several shirts, pants and robes made of the same material and colour which meant that this was the academy''s uniform.


    The shirts were a silver blue colour while the pants were white in colour with the robes a mix of blue and silver colour.


    "Roomie! How does it feel sharing a room with me?" Raze asked with a smile as he walked over while Grey stood looking at the wardrobe with a twitch in his eyes.


    "I feel annoyed." Grey replied as he shut the wardrobe and moved away to see another door in the room.


    Opening it up, he could see that it led to the bathroom so he closed it back up.


    "Ouch! Is that why you are moving around the room? Trying to avoid talking to me?" Raze asked as he jumped on his bed sitting down and watching Grey move all around the room.


    ''I need to see and check if there''s a spell here or something that would be used to spy on me. I can''t afford to lose my guard in this academy.'' he thought as he looked around intensively and seeing nothing, he walked back and finally settled down.


    "You are really a strange dude." Raze said but he didn''t receive any response from Grey.


    "Amir gave us his rules, so let me give you mine." Grey said finally sitting up. "I don''t care about making friends so don''t try to befriend me as it won''t end well for you. Don''t talk too much as it irritates me, don''t ever think of even touching me never as I might not be able to control myself and might tear your throat open and never! I mean never think of touching any of my things. That''s all." He said and then he laid back on his bed leaving Raze looking like he saw a ghost after listening to Grey''s rules.


    ''What kind of a psycho am I sharing the room with?'' Raze thought as he remembered the feeling Grey exuded well when listing the rules which made Raze know that he was being serious.


    After that, the room suddenly got quiet and Grey enjoyed it perfectly until a few minutes later, a loud ear piercing ringing noise was heard signalling that it was time for dinner and concentrating their mana, the holographic displays lit up showing where the canteen was.


    ''This almost reminds me of my appraisal skill.'' Grey thought as he opened the door and exited it leaving Raze looking at his back.


    ''Please heavens! Help me not to mess with that psycho ever!'' Raze thought as he also exited the room.

 Chapter 118 - 118: Tension!

    The newly admitted students could all be seen walking towards the canteen while some were chatting happily, Grey was seen in his usual pose with his hands in his pockets as he walked forward leaving the others behind him.


    And after following the holographic display, they were finally at the canteen with Grey selecting his choice of food and taking his seat. The canteen was also huge with several dishes to choose from.


    Several chairs surrounding a table were seen, about five chairs per table with Grey seen sitting at one of the tables with his food in front of him.


    It didn''t take long before he began digging in while some new students walked towards a table to sit down. Grey didn''t even bother to pay attention to them as he took a full table for himself and the others were eyeing him up.


    "Hmm. This food is quite good." Grey said aloud unknowingly as he took a scoop of rice into his mouth.


    "Obviously it will be good, not the trashy food you commoners eat." Grey heard a voice saying from the table behind him and turning around, he could see Scarlet, Vince and three others seated there.


    With them laughing all except Vince. Looking for the person who said the statement, he just scoffed.


    "I didn''t know I would encounter some senseless beings in this academy on the first day at that." Grey said aloud. "Although, if that prickly queen is there, I shouldn''t be surprised."


    This statement upset those at the table as it was obvious there was discrimination going on with some haughty kids sitting at one table and some modest ones at the other table. With only Grey hoarding a full table for himself.


    "How dare¡­" one of the males sitting with Scarlet and the rest was about to say when she quickly grabbed him by the shoulder.


    "You shouldn''t." She said, shaking her head as she remembered the assessment very well.


    "Like hell I would listen to you!" The male said as he walked towards Grey''s table while Raze and Arthur, who were sitting with some other commoners, swiftly turned around to see a student about to grab the shoulder of Grey.


    "Big mistake dude." Raze mumbled as he remembered Grey''s rules clearly.


    Before the student could grab Grey, he suddenly felt a chill from his right while Grey was calmly chewing through a piece of meat. Looking to his right, the student could see a long wind blade pointing at him exuding a lot of power which made him gulp.


    ''When did he cast the spell? It was so silent that I was unable to hear anything! How come?!'' the male thought with his forehead sweaty slightly.


    "I had said this statement at the assessment." Grey said as he stood up after finishing up his food and he turned around to look at the noble in front of him that took a step back slightly. "You shouldn''t judge a book by its cover, who knows, the book might end up hurting you."


    Waving his hand, the wind blade dispersed and Grey grabbed his plates while walking past the noble, he whispered. "Be careful who you talk to anyhow in future, you don''t know who might end up saving or taking your life."


    Passing the student, he dropped his plate at the counter and thanked the chefs for the delicious food and then he left the canteen while the student was still seen rooted in his spot as the fear he felt from Grey was real.


    "We told you right?" Vince said as he also stood up. "Don''t mess with him otherwise you would regret it."


    Hearing Vince''s voice, the noble turned around with an angry expression on his face.


    "Who gave a weakling like you the right to question me?!" He asked and then in a flash, he was in front of Vince about to unleash his magic when the whole table suddenly got hot and Scarlet''s hair was floating above her shoulders.


    "Don''t even dare!" She said with a low threatening growl and the noble backed off with a scoff. "Where was this attitude of yours when that commoner was speaking? You went there to attack, but couldn''t even move and you think you can try to bully Vince?


    Think of doing that again and I will burn you into a crisp!"


    "Tch! You think if I wanted to kill that annoying commoner I wouldn''t be able to?"


    "Then why didn''t you? Just face it, you are a weak ass trash!" Scarlet said.


    "Just shut up your annoying lady!" The noble said as his whole body began electrifying and his eyes suddenly looked as if it was turning white. "Just because you sit at the table with us doesn''t mean you are the same status as me!"


    "Who cares about status in this world? Only power matters and I will show you why it''s that." Scarlet said with her hands blazing fiery hot when¡­


    "No fighting in the canteen!" They all heard a voice say and two men appeared with stern look on their faces. It felt like they were there all along as they glared at the two noble kids.


    "You have beef? Settle it in a duel or something and definitely not in a canteen!"


    "You are lucky." The noble said as he cancelled his magic and so did Scarlet. "Do not ever think of sitting with us again."


    "Like I would want to do that again." Scarlet scoffed and the noble along with his remaining two friends walked away from the canteen and so did Scarlet and Vince.


    "Woah! What an intense first day and we haven''t resumed the academy fully." Raze commented.


    "If they are like this, I wonder how we are ever going to get some missions done." Arthur replied and the other three commoners at the table nodded agreeing with Arthur.


    Meanwhile, the two men that had appeared suddenly looked away from the students after Scarlet and the other nobles left the hall and they tapped their foreheads at once. When in their ears, they heard a voice say¡­


    "Speak!"


    "Sir! We couldn''t see any students from the new ones that came in that matched your description." One of the men spoke silently.


    "But we saw someone that looked interesting though." The second man said.


    "Did he match my description?" The voice spoke again in their minds.


    "No sir!" They said at once.


    "Then don''t f*cking tell me. I will look into the other academies but for now, keep an eye on the other students." The voice said.


    "Roger that sir!" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 119 - 119: First Class {1}

    The next day, Grey was seen waking up early as usual and he sat down in the middle of the room meditating and trying to increase his mana core. He stayed in that position trying his best for twenty minutes and he was making nice progress as his core was expanding slowly at one percent per ten minutes.


    By twenty minutes, he was making crazy progress when¡­


    "Yoo! What a good morning!" Raze said as he yawned loudly while waking up which broke Grey''s concentration as his eyes snapped open with a vein seen sticking out of his head in anger. "Good morning Grey! Why are you sitting on the floor like that?"


    "What¡­ what did I say about talking too much?" Grey asked as he stood up in anger and turned around to glare at Raze who caught himself gulping loudly in fear.


    "I¡­ I''m sorry." Raze said and Grey scoffed while heading to the bathroom after taking his uniform.


    "Jeez! What is with this guy? Can''t I get another roommate darn it?!" He almost shouted but he calmly mumbled beneath his breath. "What a bad way to start the morning."


    In a few minutes, Grey was done as he was seen walking out with his brown hair neatly swept back and his uniform looking snug on his body as if it was perfectly made for him.


    When he was done, Raze swiftly went into the bathroom while Grey wore his black shoes and exited the room to go take his breakfast before they await when their first classes would start.


    With his usual pose of putting his hand in his pants'' pockets, he was seen heading to the canteen and he passed by the noble he threatened with his wind magic the day before.


    The noble glared at him before taking his eyes off and going into the canteen.


    "Hey Greg! Wasn''t that the commoner from yesterday you had beef with?" Greg''s friend asked.


    "Yes and so?" Greg asked sternly.


    "Nothing. I was just wondering when you plan on putting him in his place." The friend replied.


    "Soon. Incredibly soon." Greg replied as they walked into the canteen and the usual discrimination between nobles and commoners occured.


    Grey was seen hoarding the table all to himself while quietly eating his meal while Greg and his two friends occupied a table, Scarlet and Vince took one. The remaining people who were commoners took another table and they were seen eating their food in peace without any sort of confrontation.


    ''I wonder what today''s class would be about.'' Grey thought as he was finishing up his food and he took the plates back to the counter thanking the chef for the food.


    The chef was seen smiling sheepishly after hearing Grey thank her today for the second time.


    "Will you keep doing this any time you come to drop the plates?" The chef asked.


    "As long as the food is delicious, I will keep on thanking you." Grey said as he was seen leaving the canteen.


    ''What a good weird kid.'' the chef thought with a smile.


    Meanwhile, at the commoners'' table, Arthur, Raze and some others were seen quietly eating when they saw Grey leave.


    "Yo Raze! How does it feel like sharing a room with Grey?" Arthur asked.


    "Please don''t get me started on how terrifying that dude is. Every day I wake up with the fear that that day would be my last anytime I see him." Raze said as he shuddered remembering Grey''s face every day.


    "But having a strong commoner like him staying with you, I''m sure you don''t have to worry about any noble attacking you." One of the female commoner at the table said.


    She had pink beautiful hair with beautiful blue eyes which was surprising.


    "Oh please! I doubt he would ever help me unless it interests him. Or someone touches his property." Raze replied.


    "Woah! What a weirdo he is then." The girl said.


    "You said it all." Raze replied.


    After a few minutes, the students were finally done with their meals and a ringing sound was heard all around signalling it was time for their classes.


    All at once the holographic display appeared in their faces pointing where they were all to head over to.


    And in a few minutes, they were all seen in a large classroom with chairs stationed everywhere and a podium for obviously the instructor to talk from.


    As the students walked in, they could see Grey seated at the corner of the class with him looking straight ahead and not even batting an eyelid to whoever walked in.


    "Shish! It''s like the air around that dude is always cold." Arthur mumbled.


    "You haven''t seen half of his coldness yet." Raze replied. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What are you saying? We both did the join assessment with him remember?" Arthur said.


    "He wasn''t as cold as this then. You wouldn''t understand unless you stay a few hours with him." Raze said as they both took a seat since the chairs allowed two per seat.


    After the whole students were settled, a few minutes later, an instructor walked in. Immediately he walked in, the whole room suddenly got quiet as the aura that exuded off the man was calm and commanding.


    The man was quite tall standing around 6ft 7inches tall with a long black hair on his head, a chilling cold brown eyes and he wore a long blue robe with the academy''s emblem on it but on his face, there were glasses on it.


    Pushing the glasses on his eyes properly, he took to the podium and stood on it while looking at the whole class before he sighed and began the class.


    "Good morning students of Lunaria academy! I''m instructor Clark and I will be taking you on the history of magic, how different affinities works, how to unlock them, why the academy/ squad exists, and what you are expected to do in this academy in order to rise up the ranks." Clark said as he surveyed the room expecting any sort of objections or complaints but there was none as the students all leaned forward listening to everything he had to say.


    ''I wonder why there are fewer students this year than the previous. Was the assessments that difficult or did no one strong catch captain Amir''s eyes? Whatever the case, the fewer they are, the easier to control.'' he thought.


    "So let''s begin." Clark said.

 Chapter 120 - 120: First Class {2}

    "Good morning students of Lunaria academy! I''m instructor Clark and I will be taking you on the history of magic, how different affinities work, how to unlock them, why the academy/ squad exists, and what you are expected to do in this academy in order to rise up the ranks." Clark said as he surveyed the room expecting any sort of objections or complaints but there was none as the students all leaned forward listening to everything he had to say.


    ''I wonder why there are fewer students this year than the previous. Was the assessment that difficult or did no one strong catch captain Amir''s eyes? Whatever the case, the fewer they are, the easier to control.'' he thought.


    "So let''s begin." Clark said. "What is magic?"


    "Magic is power!" A student answered.


    "No!" Clark said.


    "Magic is a way to defeat our foes." Another student said,


    "Wrong!" Clark said again.


    "Tch! As expected of commoners." Greg said. "Magic is elemental control that allows us to do unbelievable things which commoners and cripples might struggle to do."


    "Still wrong." Clark said with a sigh. "Magic is¡­"


    "Magic is the fundamental force that shapes our world. It is the energy that flows through everything¡ªthrough the land, the sky, and even within us. It is neither good nor evil. It simply exists, waiting to be harnessed." The whole class heard someone say and they turned around to see that it was Grey who answered the question correctly.


    "Like that would be the answer." Greg scoffed when¡­


    "What did you say? Repeat it again." Clark said.


    "I said, Magic is the fundamental force that shapes our world. It is the energy that flows through everything¡ªthrough the land, the sky, and even within us. It is neither good nor evil. It simply exists, waiting to be harnessed." Grey repeated himself again and Clark looked as if his mind was about to explode.


    ''How is this possible? To be able to give such a precise answer, the person had to have understood magic and studied it deeply like his soul depends on it. I myself discovered the true meaning when I had unlocked my affinities and ever since then, I was deeply fascinated.'' Clark thought as he kept staring at Grey who looked away.


    "Is that the correct answer?" Scarlet asked after seeing Clark''s shocked expression.


    "Yes." Clark said and Greg along with the whole class turned to stare at Grey who just looked out the window.


    ''I only got the answer right after reading and researching from the town''s library. And then my theory was further proven after I became a mage and a powerful one at that.'' Grey thought with a sigh.


    "Lucky guess." Greg muttered.


    "Okay let''s move on! Since all of us here know how to cast a spell, I''m sure we all know what fuels our magic. Just in case we don''t know, let me briefly explain. What fuels our magic is an energy known as mana.


    What is mana? Mana is a raw energy that flows endlessly around the world and around all living beings. Every living being has mana but only a mage can shape it into spells." Clark said and he paused briefly to examine the class and could see them listening intently.


    "Now do we understand all that?" He asked and he saw the whole class nodding along. "Good! So let''s move on to how to unlock different affinities. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So first up on our list is wind magic. In order for a mage to manifest the wind magic, he/she has to be exposed to it either by getting hit by the magic or training with people that already have the magic. But know this, if you are not destined to have the wind attribute, then no matter how much you expose yourself to it, you won''t awaken it."


    ''Well I guess I was destined to awaken the attribute after all. Thanks to Clark, I got exposed to the affinity countless times from him bullying me and after I managed to create my core, it clicked the last time he bullied me. Thinking of him, I wonder where the hell he is now.'' Grey thought as he kept on listening to what Clark had to say.


    "Now for the fire affinity, it''s quite simple and hard at the same time. You just need to train in a very hot and boiling place like let''s say a volcano. Training there, would get your body and core naturally adapted to the place and you would be able to awaken the fire magic. When I say training, I mean cultivating one''s core around a very hot area." Clark said.


    ''And that''s why my family has a hot training room to help us awaken our affinities and make sure we unlock the fire attribute.'' Scarlet thought as she remembered the gruesome training she had to endure from a very young age.


    "Now for the lightning attribute, this one is very difficult and tricky to awaken and if you don''t have the mind for this, trust me, don''t even think of trying to awaken this affinity." Clark said.


    "And why is that instructor Clark?" Arthur asked.


    "This is because of the condition of unlocking the affinity. One has to get shot by lightning several times over and over again. Or you train in a thunderstorm everyday with the hopes of awakening the affinity. If you are not destined to awaken the affinity, then you will just experience worse training in this harsh condition." Clark shrugged.


    "What''s the worse that can happen?" Raze asked with a chuckle.


    "Death! Have you tried getting hit by lightning before? Trust me, it is so painful like as if you were placed under a moving belt of some kind and tons of needles are prickling you from the inside out." Clark said and the students all had faces of horror as they gulped imagining if they were put in that same position all except two people.


    ''Tch! Weaklings! But what Clark is saying is the truth actually. I died and came back on the day I tried awakening my affinity.'' Greg thought as he remembered being shot with lightning by powerful lightning users of his family including his older siblings.


    He remembered the excruciating pain and how he almost died before he managed to awaken the affinity.


    The second person was of course Grey. ''Yeah! I think I died on the day Max shot me with a high level powerful lightning spell but miraculously, I survived otherwise, I won''t be here.''


    Clark was about to continue his class when a loud ringing noise was heard in the classroom.


    "Okay that is the end of the class today, tomorrow we focus more on the history of Lunaria academy along with other academies and why they were created. For now, it''s time for your theory class."


    ''Theory class?!'' Grey thought and then a smile appeared on his face. ''Now this is my jams.''

 Chapter 121 - 121: Theory Class {1}

    The students were done with their lecture class and now, they were following their holographic display to their next class which is the theory class. As usual, Grey was at the front alone walking towards where they would have their class with his hands in his pockets.


    ''I wonder what the class would be about. I just hope I get to increase my fighting techniques a bit.'' Grey thought in his mind. ''When Instructor Clark mentioned Theory class, I got excited for no reason without even knowing what the class is all about.'' he thought as he nervously scratched his hair.


    ''I wonder what he is thinking about.'' Scarlet thought as she saw Grey scratch his hair. ''Not like I even care about whatever he thinks or does.''


    "Okay screw this!" Arthur said and then he quickened his pace as he began walking towards Grey.


    "Arthur!" Raze called out and the others lifted their head and got pulled out their thoughts to see a commoner heading towards the new famous commoner.


    ''He will just get himself killed.'' Vince thought as he shook his head with everybody waiting to see what Grey would do meanwhile Arthur didn''t even care about any of that.


    ''I''m sure Raze was just exaggerating everything. Back at the assessment, Grey was the one who taught me to stand up for myself and prove my weak magic is not that weak and now, I can''t watch as he distances and detaches himself from people.'' Arthur thought as he got to Grey''s position who was still walking.


    "Uhm¡­ Grey!" Arthur called out and Grey halted his steps. Seeing him halt his steps, it felt like the breath of the others also halted including Arthur as some of them knew that he didn''t like to be disturbed.


    ''Tch! Whatever they do, is their business.'' Greg thought as he and his gang continued on their journey leaving the rest to watch the show.


    Turning around, Grey could see a curly black hair individual in front of him. Thinking hard, he finally remembered who was in front of him and his next reaction, shocked the crowd.


    "Oh Arthur! How are you?" He asked and Raze almost felt his head explode.


    ''He can be nice?!''


    ''He¡­ he just talked to me nicely.'' Arthur thought and then he lifted his head with a smile. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m fine and you?"


    "Yeah I''m good too." Grey replied and tried to continue his walk when¡­


    "Mind if I walk with you?" Arthur asked.


    "Sure no problem." Grey replied and without waiting for Arthur, he continued his way.


    ''Did he hit his head on something this morning? Where the hell is that rude behavior he always showed towards me?!'' Raze shouted in his mind when¡­


    "C''mon Raze, let''s go for the class." Vanica the female commoner always seen with them said.


    "Alright." He replied.


    Meanwhile Grey and Arthur were at front walking in silence which Grey preferred but it was killing Arthur.


    ''Arghhhh! I can''t take this silence anymore. I need to strike up a conversation.'' he thought and then he turned towards Grey.


    "Uhm. Thank you for the word of advice you gave to me on the day of the assessment, it really helped to boost my morale." Arthur said.


    "You''re welcome." Grey simply replied and he kept quiet continuing his walk.


    With a sigh, Arthur continued trying to find another way to strike a more flowing conversation. "I''m really excited for the next class, I actually wonder what it might be."


    "Me too." Grey simply replied.


    ''Was he a weirdo since birth?'' Arthur thought and he was about to say something else when¡­


    "We are here!" Grey announced as he stood in front of an arching door. Pushing it open without care, he stepped inside and soon enough, Arthur followed as they could see a middle aged man in the middle of the room in a meditative position with his eyes closed while Greg and his friends were standing a few metres away from him.


    The room looked to be spacious but empty as it housed nothing at all leaving the wide room big enough for whatever they wanted to do so Grey just walked towards a corner of the room and stood there with his arms crossed.


    Soon enough, the remaining students began to filter in and finally, all students were in the room waiting for the strange man who looked to be in his mid thirties with a bald head and a goatee on his face while he wore the usual blue and silver robe all Lunaria members wore.


    When the class was filled, the man snapped his eyes open and then made a clapping sound stopping the chattering of the students as he stood still looking at the whole class.


    ''Huh!? Is this all the students? I guess there were only weaklings at the assessment which means these ones are the slightly impressive ones Amir could find. Tch! They would just waste my time here and might hardly grab what I''m going to say or do.'' the man thought as he shook his head slightly.


    "Alright listen up! I''m instructor Von and I will be taking you this class which is on how to take your powers, your magic to the next level." Instructor Von said.


    Hearing this, Grey''s ears were suddenly perked up as he was looking for a way to level up his magic as he was tired of the usual shooting out fireballs, wind blades and the likes.


    He craved for more and if this instructor could do that, then he definitely worths his time as he listened up attentively.


    "I don''t like beating around the bush, I like to go straight to the point. So our class for this whole year till you get to the second year, will be on creation magic! That is how I will take your magic to the next level." Von said with a smile while the students all looked dumbfounded.


    ''Creation magic?! I never heard of it before yet it sounds fascinating.'' Grey thought with a smile as he paid rapt attention to whatever Von was about to say.

 Chapter 122 - 122: Theory Class {2}

    "I don''t like beating around the bush, I like to go straight to the point. So our class for this whole year till you get to the second year, will be on creation magic! That is how I will take your magic to the next level." Von said with a smile while the students all looked dumbfounded.


    ''Creation magic?! I never heard of it before yet it sounds fascinating.'' Grey thought with a smile as he paid rapt attention to whatever Von was about to say.


    "I know that word or term sounds foreign to you all so let me explain. You see, to understand this term, you need a deep understanding of your affinities and one more thing, you also need imagination." Von said.


    "Imagination? Easy peasy!" Greg said as lightning appeared around his hand and then closing his eyes, a ball of lightning appeared and he shot it to the corner of the room causing it to blow up. "That is imagination there, I imagined my lightning magic take the form of a ball and it did so next please!" Greg yawned and Von looked a vein was about to pop out of his head.


    "Magic isn''t just about casting fireballs or chucking lightning balls around!" Von shouted in anger and the whole class suddenly fell silent especially Greg who was chuckling earlier, he suddenly kept quiet.


    "True mastery lies in shaping your magic into something greater, into something alive. This is called Magic Creation! Instead of simply throwing fire, shooting out wind blades and the likes, you shape it into a beast, a weapon or a construct of your own to make your power truly destructive." Von explained.


    ''Something alive and destructive? I wonder what he meant by that. Can I even do something like that? No! Can magic do something like that? I don''t think I have ever seen any mage do something like that though.'' Scarlet thought as she began to doubt the instructor in front of her.


    "I know most of you are beginning to doubt me since most mages don''t use whatever I have said before. But trust me, either they are already immensely powerful enough to use it, or they don''t just need it at that time." Von said with a chuckle. "Because to use that, you need extreme control, deep visualization and raw power. Unlike basic spells which just releases energy, Magic creation sustains energy in a complex form. Let me demonstrate."


    Hearing the word demonstrate, the whole class suddenly looked keenly waiting to see this ''awesome magic creation'' that their instructor wouldn''t stop yapping about.


    Banging his hands together, a huge amount of flames erupted in his hands blazing hot to the extent those a few metres away, where able to feel the intense heat as the whole room suddenly got hotter.


    ''So this is the power of an instructor huh?! It makes sense that to instruct, you need to be stronger than those you are teaching.'' Grey thought when Von''s next actions blew them out of their minds.


    After his hands erupted in blazing flames, he pointed his hands downwards and then snapping his fingers, a fiery, flammy long reptile that measured around ten metres long appeared. It looked almost like a snake just that its whole body from head to toe was covered in flames. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everybody were staring with wide eyes including Grey that wanted to act indifferent as he stared at the flammy reptile with wide eyes while also making sure to examine it properly from where he was.


    "This here is Magic Creation! And anything you create out of Magic, using magic creation, would have two times your actual power meaning you could fight alongside your creation making you a devastating opponent to deal with." Von said as he used his hands to demonstrate that the students split into two.


    One on each side of the corner of the room and they did so allowing him to face the opposite wall and then his hand lit up. Shooting out a ball of fire, it crashed into the wall throwing flames everywhere but after it settled, there was only a scorch mark.


    "Slice! Your turn." Von smiled at his flammy snake and it opened its mouth wide and shot out a fireball at another part of the wall far away from where Von shot his causing the wall to not only have scorch marks, but also looked to be disintegrating as if acid was poured on it.


    "Woah!" Raze screamed out loud with the whole class sharing the same expression as they stared hard at the wall and back at Von with stars dancing in their eyes.


    Snapping his fingers, the snake disappeared and he began huffing and panting with sweat dripping down his face which suddenly got the students worried as some of them tried to walk forward to help but Von just raised his hand stopping them.


    "Remember I said to use magic creation, it requires immense concentration and power, well if you don''t have those two, you can never use magic creation. I can only use it and sustain my creation for about twenty seconds before it has to go." Von explained as he finally stood upright and wiped his bald head off the sweat that formed on it.


    "And when I say you need to have immense amount of power, I mean mana and your affinity to that your magic must be quite high which was why I said you need to understand your affinities very well as this skill, only those powerful enough can actually use it."


    ''I could see how draining it was as every second that snake was out, the fire around his hand was diminishing bit by bit which was not really noticeable unless someone paid rapt attention which means it was eating off his mana.'' Grey thought.


    "Only the strongest of mages can use magic creation efficiently. Most of you will fail today. And if you lack imagination, you will fail harder. But it doesn''t mean that you are weaker than those that can use it, it means you have to work harder so you won''t be left behind by those that can use it. So let''s see what you all are capable of!" Von said.

 Chapter 123 - 123: End of theory class

    "Only the strongest of mages can use magic creation efficiently. Most of you will fail today. And if you lack imagination, you will fail harder. But it doesn''t mean that you are weaker than those that can use it, it means you have to work harder so you won''t be left behind by those that can use it. So let''s see what you all are capable of!" Von said.


    "Uhm sir! How do we begin?" Arthur asked.


    "Alright! We will start by knowing each other''s affinities. What''s mine?" Von asked.


    "Fire." Arthur replied.


    "Good! Any other fire mage here?" Von asked and Scarlet raised her hand. Grey was about to raise his but he managed to hold himself back.


    ''Just one? Tch! Pathetic.'' Von thought.


    "When you want to use your magic, how does it work?" Von asked Scarlet.


    "I just take the mana inside me, push it out and ignite it into a flame." She replied.


    "Is that right for you all too? Does the same thing happen whenever you want to use your magic to cast a spell?" Von asked and the whole class nodded. "But have you considered what happens when you stop pushing?" He asked and the whole class looked confused wondering what he meant.


    "I noticed that anytime I stop pushing, the fire disappears." Scarlet replied.


    "Have you considered why though?" Von asked and she shook her head. "That is because you are not sustaining it! Basic spells exist as long as your will commands it. But creation magic is different!"


    "And why is it different?" Vince asked.


    "Because you are not just shaping energy, you are making it self sustaining. That means instead of just pushing mana out, you have to weave, contain it, and guide it into a stable form." Von replied.


    After Von''s explanation, the whole class still looked confused except Grey as he was somewhat understanding what was being said.


    ''This creation magic, it sounds almost similar to whenever I usually created an Earth arrow to unleash a devastating attack.'' he thought as he nodded along.


    "I can see that most of you are confused so let''s do this." Von said as he came down from where he stood and walked forward. "For those of you that has elemental affinities, create either a small flame, lightning, wind or earth in your palm. Keep it there, don''t let it flicker or disappear. Hold it steady, the closer you can keep it steady, the closer you are to real control."


    And it didn''t take long for them all to execute the order as Greg created a small ball of lightning in his palm, Scarlet created a small flame and Grey created a small tornado in his hand. Raze had touched Greg earlier when he bumped into him so he copied his own lightning magic and created a small ball above his hand. One of Greg''s friends created a ball of water above his hand too.


    ''Woah! Who is that brown haired student? He can create a small tornado already?!'' Von thought as he looked at Grey who smiled at his tornado.


    "Wait sir! What about us that don''t have elemental affinities?" Vanica asked.


    "Some you wield special magic like barrier magic, gravity or healing magic but this does not mean that creation magic doesn''t apply to you. Since creation is all about shaping and sustaining not just about controlling fire or lightning." Von said then he turned towards the elemental users.


    "Keep that element steady for one minute without it flickering one bit." He said then he walked towards those the remaining five students that couldn''t use elemental magic.


    "Okay for you guys! I want you to gather pure mana and contain it in a stable form." He said and without complaints, the students all did that. But they were struggling as they mistakenly unleashed spells instead of real mana. "You shouldn''t push it out like a spell!


    Clear your mind, focus inward, feel the mana inside you, don''t just push it out like a spell, instead let it flow, like gathering water into a cup. Now, shape it into a sphere and hold it steady." He instructed and following the instructions, they found it easier to execute as the students all had a sphere of raw white mana dancing above their hands. "Excellent!"


    ''I¡­ I did it?! I could create a ball of mana?'' Vince thought as he stared at his hands in shock when he turned towards the elemental users of the class. ''Well compared to those monsters, this is nothing.''


    "Impressive you all!" Von said aloud towards the elemental users as he walked towards them with some of them sweating slightly after holding and sustaining their magic for too long all except Grey who stood there as if it didn''t affect him one bit.


    ''I guess they are not as weak as I thought before. But we haven''t started the hard part yet so I shouldn''t celebrate so soon.'' Von thought.


    "Dispel the gathered energy!" He ordered and the students all did as told. "Now create the small ball of energies again!" He said and without complaining, they all created it in a flash. Von kept repeating this process again and again until he smiled.


    "Bravo! Now that we all managed to build our foundation nicely, let''s move onto the next step. Which is Visualization or imagination! I want you to know that imagination is not all thinking of a shape, it is believing in that shape. You have to see it clearly in your mind, feel its weight, texture, shape and movements. You have to see every detail." Von explained. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I really don''t understand that part." Greg said.


    "As expected from a dense dude." Grey remarked with a smirk and the whole class erupted into laughter while Greg had his hands clenched with lightning crackling and dancing around his hands.


    "No bickering in my class and certainly no interruptions!" Von said and the whole class went silent with Greg cancelling his magic and glaring at Grey. "Now! For your words, if you want to create a wolf of lightning, don''t just picture lightning shaped like a wolf. Think of its muscles moving, the way its claws dig into the ground, the way its eyes burn with hunger. The clearer your vision, the stronger your creation."


    "Do you understand?"


    "Clearly sir." Greg replied.


    "Good! Now all elemental users, create a blade from your different affinities." Von said.


    "Tch! Easy peasy." Grey said as a blade of wind swiftly appeared in his hand and Von glanced at him with a surprised expression as his mouth was wide agape.


    "How¡­ how¡­how did you create that so quick?" He asked stuttering in surprise.


    "Huh?! This?" Grey asked as he lifted the wind blade and glanced at it. "I was always able to do this so it''s not difficult I guess." He shrugged.


    ''Okay! I take my words back, there are some decent ones here.'' Von thought and he looked at others.


    Scarlet tried creating a fire blade first with the handle and after a few seconds, the whole thing appeared but Greg and Raze were much faster as a pure lightning blade appeared in their hands. While the water mage who was Greg''s friend, struggled a bit and took a minute before he did his water blade.


    "That''s impressive! Now hold those blades for a minute again." Von said and then he walked towards the non-elementalists.


    "Obviously you all can''t do that. So I''m going to ask you to do what is unique to your powers. You! What''s your magic?!" Von said pointing towards Vince.


    "Me¡­ metal magic sir!" He replied.


    "Good! I want you to create a long sword of metal! You! What''s your magic?"


    "Barrier protection magic sir!" Arthur replied.


    "Nice! Create a small shield using your barrrier energy! What about you?" Von pointed towards Vanica.


    "Healing magic sir!" She replied.


    "Healing magic huh." He mumbled. I want you to shape your mana into a floating wisp that can heal anything it touches."


    "Roger that sir!" She said and she got to work trying to imagine what was asked of her.


    "You?" Von asked Greg''s other friend.


    "Mist magic sir!" He replied.


    "Create a misty bird that is almost impossible to see by others." Von ordered and then moved to the last student. "And you?"


    "Poison magic sir!" He replied.


    "Poison? How unique and helpful." He mumbled. "Okay! Create a toxic butterfly that can spread your poison to controlled areas or those it stings rather than randomly dispersing it."


    "Roger that sir!" The guy said and then he got to work.


    ''Let''s see how talented these students are compared to the elemental students.'' Von said when¡­


    "Uhm¡­ is this supposed to look like this?" The mist mage asked as his bird came out with only a single wing and a single leg which caused the others to chuckle.


    "That is actually impressive since it''s your first try. So keep trying till you get better." Von said and the student got to work.


    "Done!" Vince shouted as a long metal sword appeared in his hand but after, he began sweating slightly as it took everything in him to create it.


    ''I managed to create something so big? Even being the son of a squad captain and having a lot of mana, I have been unable to create something huge with my magic like dad but here¡­ I¡­ I just did?! How? Is it because?'' Vince thought as he looked towards Grey who was causally swinging his wind blade around.


    "Nice!" Von said.


    "Completed." Vanica said a wisp appeared and floated towards Von and touched his bald head.


    "That was good! I can feel the healing effects take place as my mana is being replenished at a good rate." Von said and Vanica cheered loudly as she jumped around.


    "Keep it low peasant! You just created a wisp and you are happy? Behold my mist bird!" The mist mage said proudly as an invisible bird was heard flapping around.


    "And I''m also done." The poison mage said as a butterfly was seen dancing around the room."


    "Task completed!" Arthur exclaimed as a transparent looking shield appeared in his hand as he held it with one hand while admiring it.


    ''Woa! I never knew my magic could do something like this! I was only able to generate a barrier of some kind around me blocking any sort of attacks but I actually managed to create a shield?!'' he exclaimed in his mind.


    ''These kids! All of them are actually more impressive than I thought but one person is clearly better.'' Von thought as he looked around and sighted Grey holding onto his wind blade while the others had managed to dispell theirs in exhaustion as it took all their will power to contain.


    "Now dispell your magic and recreate it again! The goal is to get faster at the casting so there won''t be any delay." Von ordered and the students got to work as they dispelled and created over and over again for an hour before they all fell down in exhaustion as their mana had been completely depleted.


    "I''m truly impressed! You all managed to get faster at creating little magic and that is nice." Von said when a loud ringing noise was heard. "Okay! That signals the end of today''s class, tomorrow we focus on more complex creations."

 Chapter 124 - 124: Types of dungeons!

    After the class, everybody was seen heading back to their dorms, exhausted that they were dragging their feet behind them so as to get back.


    Grey was seen in front as usual clenching his hands in and out.


    ''Looking at that flame snake from Von, I actually felt how powerful it was. Just imagine someone on the level of the emperor using that type of magic, their enemies would surely be dead. Are these the people I''m trying to surpass?'' He thought as he was nearing his dorm.


    ''I shouldn''t forget that Amir said we shouldn''t mess with the third years. He didn''t warn against the second year, but the third years. He said something on the lines of even I might not be able to save you if you mess with them. What actually makes them this terrifying if even the captain and vice principal of the academy is sternly warning us against?''


    "I guess I will never know for now until I encounter them but I pray against it." He mumbled as he pushed the door to the dorm open and went inside.


    "That show off." Greg mumbled as he saw Grey walking in. ''He embarrassed me terribly in class, showed off more than a noble like me and keeps getting on my nerves with him acting cool and all that.''


    ''I promise! When the opportunity presents itself, I''m going to mess him up so badly. So bad that no one would recognize who he is anymore. I will train so hard to become powerful that his two affinities won''t be able to save him. That''s a promise!'' he thought in his head while clenching his hands.


    _________


    The next day finally came and since the students knew their schedule, they had all woken up before the bell and awaited its ringing so they could go ahead to grab their breakfast.


    After breakfast, they went to their homeroom class where they met with instructor Clark who had a cheery smile on his face.


    "Good morning you all!" He greeted.


    "Good morning instructor Clark!" They all said at once.


    "So I''m going to be picking from where we left off yesterday. So yesterday we talked about the different affinities and how to unlock it, but today, we would be looking at the history of the academies, history of Lunaria, why it exists and what to do in order to rise up the ranks." Clark said.


    ''I don''t really care about the others, what I care about currently is how to rise up in ranks and grow more powerful.'' Grey thought as he listened attentively regardless.


    "So let''s go to the history of the academies. Shortly after humans discovered that they had these extraordinary abilities to do things that they only dreamt of doing, the first few mages that got their magical affinities decided to create the academies to help train the young talents, those that were just knowing how to use their powers. They created the academies so that it would serve as a training ground for them to become stronger." Clark said.


    "Sir! Sorry to interrupt." Grey said as he was seen standing up while Clark gave him a small nod acknowledging him.


    ''He wants to f*cking show off!'' Greg thought as he stared at Grey in anger.


    "Yes! What do you want?" Clark asked.


    "I was thinking about how humans got these magical powers. How did the first mages discover and get their magic?" Grey asked.


    "That is an interesting question and there were several theories to it. Some said it was demons that gave humans their powers and some said it was a god that was battling an ancient evil and then it got killed therefore spreading its powers to the Earth." Clark replied, shrugging.


    "Interesting." Grey mumbled. ''I remember that old mage saying he was the first mage to exist and he said something about me being chosen by the gods. Were all these real? And who knew that he wasn''t the only first mage then.''


    "Then which of the first mages founded Lunaria academy?" Scarlet asked.


    "Blake! Mage Blake!" Clark replied.


    ''Blake? That oldie never did mention his name to me so I''m not sure whether he was the one who did create Lunaria.'' Grey thought as he sat down.


    "That was the history of how the academies came to be. Now for the reason why the academies suddenly turned into squads for missions. Well it''s because towns frequently got attacked by bandits and they always cried unto the emperor for help.


    Usually, the emperor sends his subordinates to deal with the issue and it always gets sorted. But dealing with banditry issues and then the kingdom''s political affairs was a lot hence the creation of the academy squads.


    Aside from that, there are some things called dungeons that always appear at random, housing mysterious artifacts, treasures and no doubt, traps. Hence the need for the squads." Clark explained.


    "Aren''t these dungeon stuff dangerous? You just said they house traps so why send young ones to deal with them?" Vanica asked.


    "It depends on the type of dungeons. We have a way to determine the grades of dungeons required for younglings to deal with and the ones which the captains are to deal with. Besides, the dungeons are a way to help you grow." Clark said.


    "What are the dungeon grades? Just wanting to know so in case we encounter something beyond our power, we could escape." Greg asked.


    "Sure! We have twelve grades of dungeons ranking from grade 11 to grade 0. Grade 11 dungeons are the lowest and you could just encounter beasts on the level of two or three at most while the higher the grades of the dungeons, the higher the beasts you would find in it.


    Usually, the third years deal with grade three dungeons but if you were to encounter a grade 0 dungeon, I would advise you to run very far away from it as even the principals of the academy are unable to deal with it. This type of dungeon only appears rarely but if it does, the emperor is called down to handle it." Clark explained.


    ''A dungeon that even the emperor''s subordinates are unable to handle? I wonder what grade of dungeon I can clear easily.'' Grey thought.


    "I also heard of the arcane type dungeon too but to my knowledge, it only appeared once during the time of the first few mages and it took all their powers to clear that dungeon but one of them still died though." Clark said.


    "What?!! One of the first strongest mages died from an arcane type dungeon?" All the students shouted out at once.


    "Yup! So if one appears now, I''m not even sure if the emperor can handle it. But you should all calm down, it only appeared once and I don''t think it can happen again." Clark said nervously scratching his head while Grey heard his heart thumping loudly.


    "What is the difference between portal breaks and dungeons?" Grey asked.


    "No major difference. Just that portal break means a portal would open up and beasts would pour out into our world from wherever they come from. That is another use of the squads as they are called to deal with situations like these. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I even heard of a portal break recently in the town of Kiten and captain Amir was sent to deal with it since there were no members to spare." Clark replied.


    ''Another reason I have to grow more powerful than the emperor and those first mages. I can''t let mum experience that portal break again ever!'' Grey thought in his head, clenching his hand in determination.


    "You also mentioned something about how we can grow in ranks!" Arthur said.


    "Yes¡­ that!" Clark was about to say when a loud ringing noise was heard signalling the end of the class. "I guess that will be all for now, I will answer this question in our next class. It''s time for your next class."


    "Curses!" Vanica shouted as the whole class resonated with her frustration too.


    _________________


    {A/N}


    I hope we are all enjoying the book so far, please don''t let your supports relent guys. Power stones, Golden tickets, and Gifts, please send them all my way coz I will really enjoy them.


    Also, for more updates on MSS, MS and future works, please remember to follow me up on my social media accounts below.


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    And if you all are interested in a mass release, below are our goals for a mass release.


    500 Power stones= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate making it a total of 4 chapters to be released.


    500 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


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    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters. All these will be released as soon as the goals are met. Thank you ??????

 Chapter 125 - 125: Have I shut your mouths?

    The next class of the day was the class with instructor Von as the students were seen walking towards the class while chatting excitedly about what complex creation magic they were going to learn today but Grey didn''t share their excitement.


    Although he was excited for the complex creation magic, there was still something on his mind.


    ''Arcane dungeon! I wonder what level of beast are available there.'' he thought as he kept walking. ''But they must be very strong for a powerful mage to die in the process. Wait! Was it that oldie? Is that why he seemed like a ghost to me?''


    ''And Clark said that the third years handle grade three dungeons. How strong are grade three dungeons though? I wonder what level of beasts are there, maybe I can handle them. But¡­ I have to learn creation magic perfectly for that. And also increase my affinity points.'' he thought.


    Finally, they got to the class and could see Von in his usual meditative position and it felt like he was cultivating his mana core. But when the whole class was filled, he stood up and made a clapping sound drawing attention to himself.


    "Good morning you all!" Von said.


    "Good morning sir." They all replied at once.


    "Before we go into the main topic for today, let''s start with warm ups for thirty minutes straight so first of, create a ball of whatever elements you use or pure mana above your hand. The goal is to get better and faster so there won''t be any delay in your casting." Von said and the students did as they were told.


    Some managed to cast the balls in five seconds, some four but Grey did in just a split second wowing Von who was very impressed while Greg got angry and began cancelling and casting again trying to beat Grey''s record but at the end of the day, he began to fill tired.


    "Next on our list is creating the small shapes we all did yesterday. The faster and perfect you create the shapes, the better so get started because some of you took about two minutes before creating the shapes I told you to create yesterday.


    So let''s get better and faster at casting the shapes." Von said and everybody got to work.


    Since Grey knew how to create a wind blade already at immense speed, he just went to the corner of the room and leaned on a wall observing the students as some of them had forgotten the feel of the creation they did the day before and had to start again.


    While others managed to reduce their casting time by half but the elemental users were much faster in their casting. Well not as fast as the monster of the class who was still observing as some did incomplete creations at times.


    And after thirty minutes, they all managed to reduce their creation casting time to half.


    "Amazing! You all are fast learners and are pretty good." Von said.


    ''Even though you are all bad at first. The most impressive of them all are the elemental users, the rest are kind of bad. I wonder if they would be able to take their creation magic to the next level.'' Von thought but he allowed his expression stay the same.


    "So now! Today we will be focusing on complex creations. What are the complex creations I''m talking about? Something like this." Von said and his flammy snake appeared again in front of the whole class.


    ''Interesting! I finally get the gist of how he created this snake.'' Grey thought with a smile.


    Snapping his fingers, the snake disappeared. "Now I want every single one of you to create something living. My advice to you is to start slow and steady. Don''t go ahead trying to create something so big and you end up being disappointed at the end at the result." Von said.


    "I won''t dictate what you should create, I want you all to let your imagination run wild on its own. But for this exercise, I will only give you thirty minutes max to create something alive and complete. And your time starts now!" He said and then he went back to his meditative position while letting the students figure out what they wanted to create.


    Grey didn''t bother to create anything, he just stood in his leaning position observing the students. The first to start was Greg as lightning began crackling around him and then slowly, in a minute, he managed to create a bird covered in lightning.


    ''I guess I one up that arrogant peasant huh.'' Greg smiled as he had finished creating his lightning bird and everybody stood around it amazed.


    The bird was like a small pigeon of some kind but was covered in lightning all around as it stayed above the ground beside Greg flapping its lightning wings.


    "Tch! Show off." Scarlet said and then concentrating hard, something began forming on her shoulders it began with a tail and then began forming a body but when it was about to get to the neck, it dissipated.


    "Haha! What a weakling! You along with your weak best friend are a disgrace to nobles!" Greg said as his small birdie was flapping around while small specks of sweat was beginning to form on his face.


    "I will show you!" Scarlet said as she concentrated hard again determined to shut Greg up and slowly, within two minutes of intense concentration, her creation was finally complete as a small creature that was as big as a grown dog lay on her shoulders.


    It looked like a small dragon with steam pouring out of its nostrils while it wings and whole body was covered in fire and Greg had his mouth agape.


    "How¡­ how¡­ how is this possible?" Grey asked in surprise and then his bird disappeared from view seemingly because his mana was starting to take a hit.


    "Because I''m stronger than you! And this is for you mocking Vince!" Scarlet said and the small dragon opened up its maws breathing out fire towards Greg who swiftly used his lightning magic to jump away avoiding it. While the fire crashed into the ground scorching it badly while throwing small drops of fire everywhere.


    ''Impressive! She is able to create something so complex although it took her a while and she is able to make it attack so soon?!'' Grey thought as he observed everything going on.


    ''I won''t be left behind!'' Vanica thought as she moved away to the corner of the room. ''Yesterday, I was only able to create a wisp but today¡­'' she thought and then within three minutes, a bird made of soft glowing light appeared as it began flapping and moving around her. ''I¡­ I did it! I actually did!''


    Seeing the nobles and few commoners doing amazing things, the rest of the class began creating their living creations ranging from small birds to reptiles like animals like snakes. Vince after ten minutes of struggle, managed to create a porcupine with shato metallic quills all around its body.


    When he successfully created it, he was seen jumping around the room in excitement but after a few seconds, the porcupine disappeared but he was not in the least dissappointed as the feeling of victory overcomed it.


    In twenty minutes, the whole class finally succeeded in creating something amazing and managed to surpass their limits that they didn''t know they could even surpass all except one who still leaned against the wall.


    ''Hmm. So the creation would disappear when too much mana has been inputted in it. Either it disappears or it comes out incomplete. No wait! It only disappears when the creator has lost concentration and can no longer powe it.


    I noticed the amount of mana Von put into his snake to make it perfect. Thanks to sensing mana, I''m able to know the amount of mana I should input in things. I guess my training in the elf world really paid off.'' he thought with a chuckle.


    Von was seen standing up with a wide smile on his face as he applauded the class.


    "I''m totally blown away by how quick you all managed to create complex creations! That was totally amazing. The only person I''m dissappointed in is¡­" Von said as he glanced towards Grey while Greg smiled. "I expected a lot from you. Even if you couldn''t create anything, you should have at least made an effort to try."


    "Who says I can''t create anything?" Grey asked as he stood upright from his leaning position and walked towards the centre of the class.


    "No need to act all mighty and haughty, we all know that you can''t." Scarlet said.


    "Exactly! He is only good with destructive powers and combat wise. Imagination wise, he is weaker than even the most useless and weak trash here." Greg said.


    "I don''t need a bunch of weaklings and arrogant kids telling me what I can and can''t do." Grey replied.


    "Well prove it." Greg''s friend; the water mage said. "Show us you can do this. Create a small bird and shut us up in the process."


    "You want me to shut you up? Fine! As you wish." Grey said and then walked forward a bit and immediately, a tremendous gust of wind erupted pushing everything and everybody back away from Grey leaving an open space all around him.


    ''What intense amount of wind magic! How strong is this guy? Can he really do it?'' Von thought and then he saw Grey lift his two fingers up.


    "Wind creation magic!" He called out and the wind surrounded his side and began taking a shape.


    In the blink of an eye, a colossal bird materialized, its vast wings casting a shadow over the entire class. Its wind-forged feathers shimmered with an emerald glow, each flap sending powerful gusts rippling through the room with its wide wings. Looking at the bird, it could house about a dozen people on it comfortably.


    Everybody seeing this, had their mouths agape as even Greg caught himself swallowing a huge lump of saliva hard.


    ''It¡­ it took all my efforts and mana to create a small bird in a minute, and this peasant managed to create something bigger than mine in a second? How?!'' Greg thought.


    ''Who is this kid? Even I will struggle against creating this huge construct in a second and he just did that?!'' Von thought as a small bead of sweat formed on his face.


    "Greg right?! I guess I shut your mouth up huh?" Grey chuckled as he snapped his fingers and the bird flapped its wings sending two wind blades flying towards Greg at immense speed.


    ''He can even make it attack so fast?! It takes about three seconds for my snake to send an attack! Wait shit! That student won''t be able to block that!'' Von thought as flames erupted around his hands and in a flash, he shot three fireballs at it breaking the wind blades in time from hitting Greg mere inches from his face. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a snap of his fingers, the bird disappeared and Grey was seen standing in the room with his hands in his pockets without even showing any sign of fatigue from creating something so big.


    ''I¡­I¡­ I can''t believe that a peasant can make me so speechless.'' Scarlet thought as she felt her heart thump in fear.


    "What was that for? What if you had hit him?" Von shouted in anger as he had been worried that he might not be able to save Greg in time.


    "I knew that you would be able to save him. After all, for me to listen to your teachings, means that you have a good level of strength." Grey said and then the bell rang loudly. Without waiting for anything, he swiftly exited the class leaving everybody hanging with their mouths agape.


    ''A monster has appeared in this academy! I wonder if he can best that demon of a student in the third year!'' Von thought with a slight sweat dripping down his head thinking about Grey and the ''demonic'' third year.

 Chapter 126 - 126: A Mission

    *One month later*


    A month had passed since Grey and the others joined Lunaria Academy. In that time, the students had transformed, honing their skills through intense training and practical lessons. The more talented ones were able to create complex creations but not as huge as Grey.


    Their casting speed had increased tremendously but still, Grey was a monster that couldn''t be rivalled at that. A few weeks after getting into the academy, they also participated in other classes in order to increase their casting speed.


    In a month, the students managed to increase their prowess to an incredibly noticeable level as even Vince was able to let his porcupine stay out a few more seconds and also attack. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Arthur managed to create several shields which he could control at will to block whatever attacks that came his way. Which he showed several times in the class by blocking some of Greg''s attacks but after some time, the shield would break from taking too many hits.


    Raze experimented with different magic and using creation magic at that. During these times, he was not allowed to touch Grey and Grey''s attitude was still as cold as ever. Dismisses anybody that tries to talk to him which makes him and Scarlet to clash verbally more often.


    And in this month, Grey managed to keep increasing his mana pool and his wind magic while on the side without anybody knowing, he trained his lightning affinity and tried to use creation magic on it.


    He managed to succeed in creating a partial creation magic using his lightning affinity because of the low points in the affinity. For his fire magic, he was able to create a small dragon similar to Scarlet''s but more powerful.


    But he was unable to do anything with his Earth magic so he kept experimenting more and in the process, he found out that he could let two creations stay out at a time for about a minute before he begins to feel the fatigue.


    But if it was a single creation, he could fight for as long as he wanted and in this process, Grey grew more stronger than anybody in this process but on the low while in front of others, he tries to limit his abilities.


    Today was like any other day, Grey and his classmates were in Von''s class trying to create a construct different from what they were used to. And the goal was to achieve diversity. This time, instead of using his wind magic to do the creation, Grey was focusing on lightning magic when¡­


    *Bang!* The door to the class swung open and someone walked in with a hurry and rushed up towards Von and then he whispered something in his ears which made him stiffen up and looked at the students.


    "Did he really say that?" Von asked and the man nodded. With a sigh, he mumbled. "That sneaky old man."


    "Instructor Von! What''s wrong?" Scarlet asked as she saw Von tense up while looking at the others.


    "Listen up you all! A mission has come up for you all. Execute it well, you move up the ranking ladder and make your way to becoming the greatest mage ever. Mess it up, you die." Von said and the students all tensed up all except Grey who had a slight smirk on his face.


    ''Finally! I was starting to get bored of all this training and was itching to test them out.'' he thought.


    "For this mission, I will be assigning people I trust in their strengths to help accomplish it so if your name is not among, then it means you should work harder." Von said and the whole class listened attentively.


    "First of all is the demon of the class Grey Dawn! I trust in your strength and although I would have wanted you to go alone, I wouldn''t want to be blamed for a newbie''s death." Von said.


    ''If only you knew that this newbie could go toe to toe with you.'' Grey thought.


    "Next is Greg! Your lightning magic and creation magic are destructive and strong so your magic will be appreciated on the field." Von said.


    "I will do everything in my honor to make Lunaria proud." Greg said.


    "Good! Also Scarlet, we need diversity and more destructive powers so your fire magic will definitely help especially with your powerful creation magic." Von said.


    "Yes sir!" Scarlet said.


    "And Vanica! The team would be incomplete without a healer just in case so you have also been chosen. Next on the team is Arthur." Von said.


    "Wait! Me¡­? Why me?" Arthur asked genuinely surprised as he had been the last person he would think would be chosen.


    "Duh! Your protection magic will surely come in handy to protect the team from getting hurt. And if they do, Vanica would help." Von replied.


    "That makes sense. I will do my possible best to protect the team." Arthur said.


    "And lastly, Jay! Your water magic will definitely be helpful I hope so you get to tag along." Von said towards Greg''s friend who was a water mage. "Now these six will be the ones to go on this mission."


    ''I knew I couldn''t be chosen! But this won''t deter me, I will still work harder than anyone and make sure I tag along next time.'' Vince thought.


    "What even is this mission you keep yapping about?" Grey asked.


    "Some bandits have attacked the town nearest to us and they are actually hurting people badly and I think they are in search of something but who knows what." Von replied.


    "How many are they?" Scarlet asked.


    "About thirty of them but there could be more so I will advise you to be careful." Von replied.


    "Then we need to hurry." Grey said.


    "Hold on! A teleportation mage would take you there now." Von said.


    "No need." Grey said as he waved his hands and a huge wind bird appeared in the room. "I got a much faster ride." He said as he jumped on the bird and so did the other five that were assigned to the mission.


    "Wait! How do we get there?" Jay asked.


    "The holographic display would be updated in a second and you would get the direction there." Von replied.


    "Good! Let''s go!" Grey said as the bird flapped its wings and took off towards a window in the room.


    "No, not through there!" Von tried shouting but it was too late as the bird smashed through the window and was seen speeding off in the distance.

 Chapter 127 - 127: A Mission: Banditry issue

    The team sent on the mission were currently seen flying at tremendous speed over to the nearest town as they had long crossed Lunaria academy on Grey''s wind bird which was still moving at immense speed as if Grey was flying with the wind magic itself.


    "How¡­ how fas¡­ fast is this thing?!" Scarlet shouted as the wind was hitting her face hard while she gripped onto whatever made up the bird for safety while Grey was seen standing on the bird and the others sitting as he looked ahead with the wind hitting his hair.


    "Sl¡­ slow this thing down darn it!" Greg shouted as he was suddenly feeling air sick by the speed they were going at.


    "You don''t feel comfortable, then you can jump down and then run there. Because I''m not slowing down for anybody." Grey said as if he was upset, the bird doubled its speed again making the others scream except one person.


    "Weeeh! The view from up here is awesome." Vanica exclaimed as she was staring at the world down below from the edge.


    "Any closer and you will fall to your doom." Grey coldly said as he was squinting his eyes looking far ahead.


    "Curse you peasant! I will make you pay for this double the pain." Greg said before he quickly held his mouth with his hands but there was no reply from Grey as squinting his eyes harder, he was able to see smoke rising from a town a few metres away.


    "What the hell?!" Scarlet mumbled as the town was now coming into view with so many buildings on fire with smoke rising out of the fire.


    From above, they could see people running around trying to get away from the burning down while some people dressed in all black were seen shooting fire burning down houses and walking into it and dragging some things from it.


    Seemingly some treasures or foodstuffs. Seeing this, Grey clenched his hands tightly as his teeth was grit while his eyes narrowed down like a slit.


    ''People like these make me sick! How can they do this to people that are seemingly weaker than them? I don''t really care much for the people down below but seeing them like this, I can''t help but imagine that what if this was town Kiten and I was not this powerful.


    What would happen to mum? What would happen to Jesse? They are using their powers to hurt others weaker than them same with Clark and my other bullies then. People like them make me so mad!'' Grey thought in anger but then he suddenly drew quick breaths.


    ''I need to remain calm in situations like this.''


    "You arrogant noble water mage!" Grey called out.


    "My name is Jay!" Jay replied.


    "And I really don''t care at all. I will drop you down, you will go around extinguishing the flames that are burning the houses, while Vanica will go about escorting the civilians to safety and also healing the injured. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Scarlet, I can sense some bandits around gathering around some people to the east of our position, feel free to go crazy. The rest with me!" Grey ordered.


    "And who the hell died and made you the leader?" Scarlet shouted as she saw the big birdie heading down.


    "Wanna argue with me now or save some people?" Grey asked with his eyes narrowed down like a slit while glaring at Scarlet who simply scoffed.


    "Fine whatever!" She replied.


    "Just so you know, I aren''t taking orders from a peasant so I do whatever I want." Greg said as Vanica, Jay and Scarlet had jumped off trying to execute Grey''s orders.


    And then the bird was seen speeding off heading straight ahead at immense speed.


    ''I sense a high concentration of life force and mana straight ahead!'' Grey thought as the bird was seen flying from high above. In a minute, it was seen hovering in the air while Grey examined what was going on.


    ''Completing this mission, we will likely be awarded stars and the most contributor would be given points which will in turn help us rise in ranks and I will get closer to my goal of becoming the greatest but first, I will take the post of captain from Amir.'' Grey smirked as he looked down below to see about thirty mages down below standing with a smile on their faces.


    While occasionally shooting attacks around them towards those that were brave or foolish enough to try attack them. There were some weak magic users in the town and they were currently trying their best to fend of their attackers but all their efforts seemed to be in vain as the bandits seemed to be enjoying the pain on the town''s people''s faces.


    "So the algorithm was wrong, there weren''t thirty bandits, there were fifty." Arthur said.


    "Which means the others would probably encounter twenty of them leaving thirty of them here." Greg said.


    "You both are missing something here." Grey said.


    "Which is?" Greg asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "There is supposed to be a leader here and per my knowledge the leaders are usually the strongest so depending on how strong the leader is, will determine how tough this fight will be." Grey replied.


    "Whatever! Aren''t we supposed to be helping them down there?" Greg asked.


    "Not now." Grey whispered as he could see the exchange of magic down below. One thing was clear, the town''s people were definitely weaker as their spells barely hurt the bandit.


    After letting the town''s people exhaust their little mana in attacking them, the bandits finally decided to go on the attack as about ten of them swiftly dashed towards the people that took a step back in fright seeing fire, lightning, mist and other spells forming around the bandis'' hands.


    "Now!" Grey said and then his bird sent about a dozen wind blades heading towards the bandits who were slightly slow in avoiding it but they were still fast enough as the blades grazed some of them and pierced some in their hands and other parts of their bodies but not killing them.


    "Who knew that you all would be good at reacting to threats!" Grey said as the three students were seen descending down and in a gust of wind, the bird disappeared.


    "Who are you?" One of the bandits asked.


    "I don''t think you have any right of knowing now do you?" Grey asked with a chuckle as the townspeople standing behind them were heaving and panting in exhaustion when they looked up to see the students in front of them.


    "Hold on! That robe, it looks familiar." Someone from the crowd said.


    "Yes! Isn''t that the robe of the Lunaria academy?"


    "Right! So it means the Lunaria squad are here to save us?!"


    "But they are only three people."


    "Hahaha! What sheer arrogance coming from mere kids." The bandit that spoke earlier said as fire erupted in his hands. "I bet it would be fun to toy with you three rather than those weaklings."


    "Don''t complain to me later when you lose you ability to speak forever. Besides, I have been itching to test this in a fight and I think you all are the perfect test subject." Grey smirked as lightning began crackling on his legs and hands forming something.


    And in a split second, a pair of lightning boots formed on his legs hitting the ground with electricity while a pair of lightning gloves that reached up to his elbows formed on his hands hitting the ground with more lightning while a wide smile formed on his lips.


    "Creation magic! Lightning armour." He mumbled with a smile.


    "Don''t forget is thirty vs three!" The bandit shouted and all ten of them dashed forward.


    "Which makes it more fun!" Grey shouted back as he exploded from his position and dashed forward moving like a blur towards the incoming ten bandits.


    ____________


    {A/N}


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 Chapter 128 - 128: A Powerful Scarlet

    After dropping down from the wind bird, Scarlet was seen walking around towards where Grey had said he sensed mana and life force from. She was seen speeding towards the place with her hands behind her back spewing fire and looking more like a rocket heading there but not as fast as when they were on the wind bird.


    "That peasant, how dare he command me?! If it wasn''t for the sake of the mission, I would have taught him a good lesson." Scarlet said as she could see some buildings burning slightly ahead of her.


    ''But can I even do anything to him though?'' she thought back to when he had summoned the wind bird in an instant a month ago and then back at the assessment when he had defeated his opponent swiftly.


    Finally, she had arrived at where she was headed and she came to a halt and could be seen walking around the burning buildings while some civilians were running away trying their best to get to safety.


    "Head west from here!" Scarlet said as he led the civilians away from the burning buildings while she was seen walking forward a bit and then looking down on the ground, her mouth was left hanging at what she saw.


    There were about half a dozen dead bodies on the floor killed in the most gruesome way with parts of their limbs missing and some looked to have been burnt down alive.


    ''How cruel can these people be? Wait! Aren''t they supposed to be normal bandits? Bandits are supposed to steal and take from the people not kill them so what the hell is this?'' Scarlet thought as she passed by a burnt down building when she finally saw them. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Look another one trying to escape!" A bandit shouted and in a split second, nine more appeared making them a total of ten bandits that had smirks on their faces after seeing Scarlet.


    "And where do you think you are going to pretty?" A bandit with a long scar on his face said as him along with the rest were walking forward with slow steady steps while Scarlet stayed rooted and kept looking at them with a glare.


    "I was bored of all these oldies and was craving a young blood and now, my wish is granted. Oh I''m going to have so much fun with you beautiful!" The scarred bandit said.


    ''It is obvious that that is the leader of this small group. Hearing his comments just wants to make me burn him to a crisp so bad.'' she thought with anger while looking around.


    "What happened? Looking for an escape route?" The bandit asked and all of them laughed at once.


    "If it was the Scarlet of a month ago before I discovered magic could be used in another way, I would have tried to run away. But this new Scarlet, would burn you all to a crisp!" She shouted and a shape began forming hovering above her shoulder.


    And in half a minute, a medium sized dragon appeared with smoke coming out its nostrils and all its body including its wings was flammy with fire as Scarlet narrowed her eyes down looking at the bandits.


    "Prepare to burn in hell!" She shouted and she dashed forward with the dragon flying away from her shoulder and staying above.


    While she jumped up and shot out a dozen fireballs towards the bandits and then one of them jumped forward and raised an Earth wall in time blocking the fireball but then more came raining down and in a split second, the wall shattered.


    "Draggy!" Scarlet shouted and the dragon opened up its maws and breathed out a stream of fire towards the men and the bandit tried to raise an Earth wall but he was slow as the fire slammed into him burning him immediately to a crisp.


    "Wh¡­ how is this possible?" the scarred bandit exclaimed as he saw Scarlet stare at them all with a dangerous expression on her face as she glared at them all.


    "One down, nine more to go." She said as she raised her hands up.


    ''Not only does my creation magic cast fire at twice the normal rate that I would, it also has double the damage and strength. And together with me, we are a dangerous combo!'' she screamed in her head as she pushed forward with her hands behind her while the dragon opened up its maws preparing for an attack.


    "Enough of all these!" The scarred bandit said as he lifted his hand and then three consecutive shots of fire came out and was seen heading towards Scarlet while the other mages each shot out shots of lightning towards her.


    Swirling around, she managed to avoid the shots of fireballs and then for the lightning, she raised her hand and a wave of fire raised up blocking the lightning.


    Pushing her hands forward, the wave of fire pushed off towards the bandits that each jumped away avoiding it in time but then a stream of fire from the dragon burnt two of the bandits at once.


    "Three down, seven more to go!" Scarlet shouted as a huge ball of fire appeared beside her while the scarred bandit also created a huge ball of fire and at once, they shot it out cancelling each other out.


    And the remaining bandits shot out streams and bolts of lightning towards her.


    ''Shit! The lightning attribute is much faster!'' she thought in her head as she narrowly avoided a lightning bolt by the skin of her teeth and then moving back, another bolt skimmed past her face seering it and giving her a slight jolt of pain.


    She managed to keep avoiding each of the lightning by the skin of her teeth all while her hands were behind her back moving like a rocket of some kind.


    And finally, the attacks stopped as she was seen huffing and panting with the dragon seen slowly fading in and out.


    "Oh! So you are losing steam!" The scarred bandit said.


    "Not even close." She smiled and then shot out balls of fire towards all of them rapidly and they were seen avoiding it but along with the dragon, the attacks never stopped as the bandits were seen avoiding the fireballs by the skin of their teeth.


    "Time for a big one!" She shouted as the dragon opened up its maws that was showing an orange glow from beneath, while Scarlet''s whole hands roared with immense amount of fire that reached up to her shoulders.


    "You think I will just stand around and watch you do that?" The scarred bandit shouted as he jumped forward towards her but he was too late.


    "Fire magic! Combo fireball!" She shouted as the dragon shot out a huge stream of fire that almost covered the whole area while Scarlet also shot out a condensed fireball that slammed into the scarred bandit burning him immediately while the stream of fire from the dragon burnt the others before they could avoid it.


    "At the end of the day, peasants can''t match up to the nobles." Scarlet scoffed as she saw the ten mages burn to death while her dragon was slowly fading in and out before it totally disappeared.

 Chapter 129 - 129: Taste what my fist feels like!

    Vanica was currently seen escorting some civilians after she came down from the big wind bird. She was escorting them to where Grey deemed as safe. And if she couldn''t go, she would send a bird flying ahead of the civilians while at the same time healing them with the bird.


    While moving and weaving through the buildings looking for who to save, her mind was also occupied.


    ''That brown haired cool dude is quite handsome if I must to say. Although he is quite cold, that is also what makes him sooo cool!'' she thought in her head with a blush as she saw an injured civilian and quickly healed his wounds before directing him away.


    ''I''m glad that instructor Von asked me to be on the team. I was so happy because I get to be with him but he had to ask me to play rescue missions.'' she thought with a sad face as she swiftly helped someone out of a rubble and healed them of their wounds.


    "I was wondering why this place was suddenly desolate. So you have been the one leading them away huh?" Vanica heard a voice say from a few feet away from her and looking up, she could see five men dressed in black.


    ''Shit! Why is my luck so bad? I''m not good at combat, and neither is my magic built for this. What do I do?'' she screamed in her head as she quickly sent a wisp ahead in order to lead the saved individual away.


    "Oh! You are healing mage! Now this will be fun." The bandit said as he along with four others walked forward with smirks on their faces while Vanica was seen moving back with a panicked expression on her face.


    ''Shit shit shit! Why did I come along again?! I can''t fight, I can''t use destructive magic like the rest! What am I going to do now?! Someone, please save me! Help me! Anyone!'' Vanica screamed in her head as she saw the men closing in slowly with smirks on their faces while seemingly enjoying the frightened expression on her face.


    Vanica kept moving backwards bit by bit while the men were walking slowly until her back hit a wall while the men were in front of her still smirking.


    ''A dead end? No! No no no! What will I do?! I¡­ I¡­i¡­ I can''t fend them off!'' she screamed in her head as tears began rolling down her face while the men were laughing.


    "Look at her! So pathetic! So beautiful, so sexy and definitely going to worth our time." The man said.


    "Absolutely! Too bad that you will get the first turn. But I just have to make do." Another bandit said.


    "Someone! Anyone! Please save me!" Vanica screamed but this further fueled the men as they approached her more.


    "I wonder how she taste!" Another bandit said as his hands was now reaching Vanica''s face while she closed her eyes in fright not knowing what she could do again while the man''s hands was getting closer and closer until¡­


    *Bang!* A huge explosion was heard and the wall behind Vanica broke while a fist was seen coming out of it slamming into the bandit''s face sending him skidding a few inches away.


    "And now you can taste what my fist feels like." A masculine voice was heard coming from behind Vanica and coming out of the partially destroyed building was Jay with his ashen colour hair fluttering in the wind and around his hand, a lot of water gathered with his face slightly injured with blood dripping down his face and his clothes partially destroyed.


    "Jay?!" Vanica said as she sniffled while trying to look at him clearly through her teary vision.


    "Although you are a peasant, you are still part of the team and even though I despise peasants, I despise lustful and disgusting bandits more." Jay said and then he turned around to glare at the men in front of him who all had angry expression on their faces.


    "How¡­ how did you get into this condition?!" Vanica asked as she stared at Jay''s slightly injured body.


    __________


    A little while ago, when Jay had been dropped by Grey and given his role, he went around extinguishing all the houses that had caught on fire using his water magic. And since he was a noble and a skilled water mage at that, he was able to put out the fires quickly as he went from building to building.


    While occasionally saving some civilians that were trapped in a burning building. Everything was going well until he encountered five bandits and in the process got into a fight as three of them used lightning magic, one used wind and the last used Earth magic.


    Immediately he encountered them, a fight broke out as Jay sent a dozen water slashes towards them but the Earth user quickly came in front raising an Earth wall but the water slashes smashed into the wall breaking it.


    But before he could do anything more, he saw three wind slashes and bolts of lightning heading his way. He was able to avoid the wind slashes but the bolt of lightning crashed into him sending joules of pain running through him while electrifying him on the spot.


    The earth user seeing this, sent a few spikes heading towards him but luckily, the lightning were not of high levels so it didn''t stun him and he was able to shoot out two balls of water hitting the earth away from him while more lightning were seen heading his way.


    He managed to avoid them by the skin of his teeth with some of the sparks grazing his skin drawing blood and sending a sharp pain coursing through him. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the barrage of attacks, the bandits were seen charging up an attack again while Jay was seen huffing and panting in exhaustion as his hands were seen on his knees.


    ''Shit! Who knew I would be dragged into a tough fight like this? I thought the academy was a sheltered place, a place to grow my powers but here I am fighting for my life! Curses! Now I miss my peaceful life back at home before I stubbornly said I wanted to attend an academy.'' Jay thought as he slowly stood upright while glaring at the bandits.


    "You have all dealt me a huge amount of attacks, so it''s rightful I do mine too even if I don''t make it!" Jay said as he could see the attacks finishing up so he raised his hands.


    "Water creation magic!" He called out softly and a huge amount of water appeared around him moving all around his body. "Serpent of the sea!" In two seconds, before the bandits could do anything, a long serpent made completely out of water with sharp jaws on its face and a horn of some kind appeared and without wasting time, he shot it towards the bandits.


    The serpent was seen flying towards them at immense speed that they won''t be able to avoid it in time and they couldn''t as the serpent slammed into them with it grabbing the five bandits at once with its jaws looking as if it was eating them.


    And then it slammed itself into a sturdy looking building along with the bandits totally knocking them out cold before disappearing immediately.


    Jay was seen huffing and panting hard as he fell to his knees after unleashing his creation magic as it wasn''t easy on his part. He totally broke his record with this as his desire to live made him surpass his limits and created a serpent in two seconds besting his record of eight seconds.


    ''I actually did that so quick?! Ha! I''m getting closer to beating that arrogant peasant''s record. But I doubt I can pull that off again. Tch! I''m sure he is fighting till this moment so I need to also keep fighting!'' he thought as he stood up slowly and then picked a general direction to run towards.


    He began running trying to see if he would find any civilians to save and while running, he heard a loud shout.


    "Someone! Anyone! Please save me!"


    ''Someone in trouble? Wait! Why does that voice sound oddly familiar?!'' he thought as he quickly took a short cut by breaking into a house and was heading towards the wall that the voice came from and then using water creation magic again, his hand was fully covered with water with the tip sharp and pointed.


    In an instant without thinking of anything or what he would encounter on the other end, he slammed his hands into the wall breaking it apart and hitting a bandit in the face. And all the led to him being here in front of Vanica while facing five bandits.


    ''I can''t believe that I''m encountering a tough fight immediately after coming out of one. Oh someone take my soul right now!'' Jay screamed in his mind as the men prepared to unleash spells on him.


    "You will pay heavily for hitting me in the face! Attack him!"

 Chapter 130 - 130: Perish you all!

    "Hahaha! What sheer arrogance coming from mere kids." The bandit that spoke earlier said as fire erupted in his hands. "I bet it would be fun to toy with you three rather than those weaklings."


    "Don''t complain to me later when you lose your ability to speak forever. Besides, I have been itching to test this in a fight and I think you all are the perfect test subject." Grey smirked as lightning began crackling on his legs and hands forming something.


    And in a split second, a pair of lightning boots formed on his legs hitting the ground with electricity while a pair of lightning gloves that reached up to his elbows formed on his hands hitting the ground with more lightning while a wide smile formed on his lips.


    "Creation magic! Lightning armour." He mumbled with a smile.


    "Don''t forget it''s thirty vs three!" The bandit shouted and all ten of them dashed forward.


    "Which makes it more fun!" Grey shouted back as he exploded from his position and dashed forward moving like a blur towards the incoming ten bandits.


    The bandits all stopped at once as nobody, not even Grey''s teammates, were able to keep track of him. It suddenly felt as if he was the blur himself as the only thing they could all hear were bangs and thunderclaps resounding all around the place.


    And then he was seen appearing beside one of the bandits. Before he could react, Grey''s fist gauntlet slammed into him sending joules of electricity and pain coursing through him while the bandit was sent flying before the same thunderclap was heard with Grey moving all around.


    "What is going on? Who is this monster?" The leader of the group wondered aloud as before anybody could do anything, the remaining nine bandits in front suddenly saw a dozen lightning bolts and before they could even think of doing anything, they all slammed into them frying and electrocuting them from the inside out.


    And then, they could all see Grey zipping back to the front of his friends with a smirk on his face.


    "That was actually fun." He said.


    "Uhm¡­ Grey?!" Greg called out softly with no presence of his previous cocky demeanor. "When did you learn how to do that?"


    "When you were busy being too arrogant." Grey replied as the boots and gauntlets were still shooting lightning down while the remaining twenty bandits that stood away could see their men on the floor defeated and the kid that defeated them didn''t even look to have broken a sweat.


    ''I¡­ I don''t think we can handle this kid on our own. If this is what one of them can do, I wonder what the other two can do. We need the boss at this rate¡­ where even is he darn it?!'' the leader of the small group gulped.


    "Is that what you all can offer? If so, then this is over!" Grey shouted as he exploded from his position causing another bang to be heard around as he swiftly appeared in front of one of the twenty bandits.


    Before they could do anything, an earth spike appeared in Grey''s hands with jolts of lightning running through it.


    "It''s alright if you see this, since you are going to die." He whispered as he slammed the spike into the bandit''s head killing him on the spot before jumping away again.


    ''How are we supposed to defend and attack when we are unable to see him?!'' the leader of the group thought with a hard gulp as his hands began burning bright with fire.


    "Over here!" Grey called out as he was seen floating above the ground. Hearing his voice, everybody lifted their heads to see him hovering above the ground with a smirk on his face and then snapping his fingers, a few dozen wind blades appeared.


    Swinging his hand down, he sent the wind blades flying towards the bandits and without wasting time, the leader shot out countless fireballs at the wind blades same with the other fire users in the group causing the wind blades to break and smoke appeared covering their field of vision.


    "Thank you for that smoke screen!" Grey said softly as he appeared in front of half a dozen bandits and his hand blazed bright with fire and he shot out countless fireballs at them which they were unable to block, burning them to a crisp.


    The smokescreen was now dissipating so he zipped back just in time as the leader had caught him for a second therefore sending a fireball heading his way but Grey was faster.


    The townspeople seeing all what Grey was doing had their mouths agape as they couldn''t believe their eyes. The people they were struggling so hard against is what a single person is toying with.


    "Did Lunaria pull their highest ranked member to come save us or what?" Someone mumbled loudly.


    "Is he the demonic third year we always heard about?" Another person said.


    "At this rate, I''m not even sure. I''m just thankful that they are here." Someone said,


    "Okay! Playtime is over!" Grey said and then his wind bird appeared beside him in an instant and before the bandits could blink, the bird sent dozens and dozens of wind blades towards them which caught the bandits unaware as they were pierced in the head, throat, eyes and stomach killing them all except one who managed to avoid just in time and that was the leader of the small group.


    "He¡­ he just killed them all in an instant?!" Arthur said in surprise that it felt like his eyeballs were about to fall out.


    "Where we even needed here? Why did he even pull us along when he knew he could handle them all alone?" Greg asked in frustration and shock. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Will I ever catch up to him? He keeps proving that he truly is a monster.'' he thought with his hands clenched.


    "Don''t think you avoided that on your own, I purposely spared you." Grey smirked as the leader of the small group was looking around to see his men killed in the most gruesome way and in an instant at that.


    And then a bang was heard as Grey appeared in front of him with a smirk on his face. "It''s because it will feel satisfying to kill you with my own hands." He said with his fist clenched tightly and an Earth spike was seen protruding out his hands about to slam into the bandit who wouldn''t be able to avoid it in time when¡­


    Several piercing noises were heard heading for Grey''s head and without wasting time, he zipped back just in time avoid being impaled in the head. The leader hearing the sound and feeling a chill behind him, turned around to see someone walking over dressed in black but was putting on a fluttering black robe.


    With a symbol on it. The symbol was that of a black moon looking like an eclipse of some kind.


    "Boss!" The leader of the mini group said.


    "It''s about time." Grey smirked.


    "What did you think you were doing to my men?!" The man asked as his eye was narrowed down in anger while the second one was covered by a black patch and his rough black hair was floating slightly.


    "Huh? I just did to them what they were doing to the others! What happened? You upset?" Grey asked with a smirk but deep down, he was worried.


    ''This aura¡­ am I imagining things or is the air getting slightly chilly especially just looking at this guy?'' he thought with a furrowed brow.


    "Then I just have to make you pay then." The man said and the whole area suddenly got misty as mist and fog covered everywhere including the man and Grey and all the town''s people.


    The fog/ mist looked to span for about ten metres surrounding and encompassing everything and everybody. And then above Grey, his teammates and the townspeople, several long ice spikes appeared numbering around fifty and the man had a smirk on his face.


    ''I was right! He¡­ he is dangerously strong!'' Grey thought with his heart thumping and the man''s smirk got wider.


    "Perish you all!" He said, swinging his hand down, sending the spikes crashing down at tremendous speed.

 Chapter 131 - 131: A not so bad noble!

    Jay was currently standing in front of five bandits with his body slightly injured and Vanica standing beside him looking at his body over and over.


    "You rat! How dare you interrupt us?" One of the bandits shouted angrily.


    "Rat?! How dare you call a noble like me a rat?!" Jay asked as the water around his hand began moving violently.


    "What? You angry? Look at you! You are in no condition to fight and you want to play hero?" Another bandit asked.


    "I''m feeling generous." The leader of the small group stepped forward with fire swirling around his hand. "If you leave here now, we won''t kill you but if you still want to play hero, then we will bury you here and have our way with that beauty behind you."


    "So what is it going to be?" Another bandit asked.


    Jay looked behind him to see Vanica''s teary eyes and her panicked expression then at his body which was slightly injured with blood dripping down his face.


    "I will say." Jay said while clenching his hands so hard tight it began to turn white. "F*ck you all!"


    "Very well! This will be quick." The bandit leader said and then shot out two quick shots of fireballs towards Jay but swinging his hand, three balls of water hit the fire extinguishing it.


    "Water magic huh." The bandit said and then he snapped his fingers. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two bandits quickly jumped forward and shot thin streams of lightning towards Jay who jumped around avoiding them one after the other by the skin of his teeth.


    His saving grace was that their casting speed was a bit slow. After dodging the last bolt, he tripped and fell flat on his face with all his wounds getting reopened and his breath becoming ragged.


    ''Curses! My injured body is slowing me down.'' he thought with his chest tightening in pain while glaring at the bandits that began laughing maniacally.


    "Look at you! And you want to play the hero! Die here." The bandit leader said as fire blazed around his hand.


    Shooting it forward, fireballs were seen heading Jay''s way while he grit his teeth in anger.


    ''Darn! Move, body move! Move darn it!'' he screamed at his body in anger while seeing the fireballs heading towards him but then at the last second, he saw a small wall that looked like the rubble of a building being raised in front of him blocking the fireball before falling back down.


    Looking up, he could see Vanica standing there with her hands on her knees panting hard in exhaustion as the bandits looked at her angrily.


    ''That¡­ lifting that was f*cking hard! How on Earth did I lift that on my own?! I guess seeing my savior about to die made it easier.'' Vanica thought as she looked back at Jay and then swiftly raised it forward and a bright light was beginning to appear.


    And then in five seconds, a white cloak of some kind appeared covering Jay''s body totally making him glow softly.


    "Healing creation magic! Healing cloak." Vanica called out and Jay could feel his body healing up, all his wounds closing and him regaining his strength again while the bandits seeing this, didn''t want to let it happen.


    "I wanted to have my way with you but if you will be a hindrance to our plans, then you have to die!" The bandit leader said as he raised his hands while on hearing the voice, Vanica turned around to see fireballs heading her way.


    "Shit!" Vanica cursed in anger when she saw Jay push off quickly and lifted a small wall of water blocking the attack while holding Vanica in her arms shielding her from any sort of harm like a hero of some kind.


    "You¡­" the bandit leader said in anger with his eyes narrowed down in frustration.


    "I guess it is time for round two huh." Jay said as water began surrounding his hands and then he slowly pulled Vanica backwards behind him to shield her just in case.


    And in a split second, the water surrounding his hand became a water blade of some kind shining bright.


    "Enough of all these! Kill them all!" The bandit leader shouted and all the four bandits except the leader dashed forward at tremendous speed.


    Lightning and Earth began surrounding their hands as they dashed forward with the Earth users shooting out spikes of earth towards Jay and the lightning users shooting out bolts of lightning one by one.


    Moving swiftly and fluidly like a water of some kind, Jay was able to avoid the lightning bolts and for the Earth spikes, he swung his water blade swiftly breaking the spikes down but more came his way and he kept striking and hitting them down when he saw bolts of lightning heading his water.


    Dancing around nimbly, he was able to avoid them but one bolt skimmed past his face stinging him slightly but he grit his teeth and moved forward more as he jumped forward while kicking a water platform beneath his feet propelling him forward.


    Slashing his water blade from the side, he managed to slice a bandit''s neck open before he nimbly jumped back avoiding a bolt of lightning and could see a spike of earth heading his way when he slammed his blade into it sending it flying back.


    Flipping backwards, he landed on the ground smoothly with a slight frown on his face while the bandit leader had an annoyed expression on his face.


    "You see the difference between us," Jay said as he saw the bandits heaving and panting in exhaustion after using their magic for too long. "The difference is that I''m a noble with a vast pool of mana while you all are simple peasants that can never match up to we nobles!"


    The leader stepped forward while swinging his hands in a circular motion and fire was seen coming out forming a circle of some kind in the air out of fire while Jay stood rooted with a smile on his face.


    ''Time to surpass my limits again!'' he screamed in his head as water began moving around him violently. The water was seen swirling and moving around him looking like a serpent moving around him but it was just water.


    While the leader of the bandit turned towards the remaining three bandits. "Do you all still have enough mana?!" He asked while still moving his hands in a circular motion with the fire getting more and more violent.


    The bandits nodded as they walked towards him and stood side by side with him. "Good! It''s time for a combo attack." He said and lightning began crackling around two of the bandits'' hands and earth began moving around the other hand.


    "Now!" The bandit leader shouted and they all shot their magic out at once with spikes seen flying towards Jay while lightning magic swirled around the spike adding to its speed as it was moving faster and then the leader thrust his hands forward sending the wide circular fire forward looking like a disk of some kind.


    "Water creation magic! Serpent of the sea!" Jay shouted as he could see the attack closing in when the water surrounding him moved and immediately took the form of a huge serpent that slammed into the attacks hitting them away with one of its horns breaking and before the bandits could do anything, the snake slammed into them lifting and slamming them into the ground hard knocking the total air out of their mouths.


    "You¡­ you did it!" Vanica exclaimed with excitement showing on her face as she almost jumped up.


    "I¡­ I really did. I surpassed my lim¡­" Jay was about to say when his body was seen falling forward. Vanica, seeing this, quickly ran forward and was about to help him when his face slammed into her chest area and he lay there unmoving while Vanica had her face heat up red in embarrassment at the awkward position they were in currently.


    ''I¡­ I guess he really pushed past his limits to save me so he deserves this much. I guess not all nobles are bad people.'' She thought in embarrassment as she tried to figure how to help Jay so they could leave where they were before another trouble comes their way.


    Unknown to them that no place was safe as a huge battle was about to occur in the centre of the town between Grey and the boss of the bandits.


    ____________


    {A/N}


    For more updates on MS and future works, please remember to follow me up on my social media accounts below.


    Instagram: KBKayboy.


    Facebook: KBKayboy.


    When news on MS or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first and you can also use the platform to chat with me and ask whatever questions you have about the book.


    Also our mass release goals are still on.


    500 power stones= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate.


    500 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate.


    Magic castle= 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters.

 Chapter 132 - 132: You are trapped with me!

    "Then I just have to make you pay then." The man said and the whole area suddenly got misty as mist and fog covered everywhere including the man and Grey and all the town''s people.


    The dense mist spanned ten meters, engulfing everything and everyone in its reach. And then above Grey, his teammates and the townspeople, several long ice spikes appeared numbering around fifty and the man had a smirk on his face.


    ''I was right! He¡­ he is dangerously strong!'' Grey thought with his heart thumping and the man''s smirk got wider.


    "Perish you all!" He said, swinging his hand down, sending the spikes crashing down at tremendous speed.


    "Arthur! Greg!" Grey shouted.


    "On it!" They both shouted at once as a dozen transparent shield appeared at once rising above the townspeople blocking the spikes from hitting them but the shields began cracking slightly as if it was glass while Greg jumped and shot out a dozen lightning bolts at once towards some of the ice spikes breaking it.


    For Grey, he tapped his pendant and a sword appeared in his lightning gauntlet hand and like a lightning bolt while still causing resounding bangs to be heard, he went around breaking the remaining spikes using his sword and in two seconds, he was done as he landed back down with a huff.


    "That was impressive!" The eye patched boss said as he smirked. "But too bad it''s not going to be enough." He said and another round of spikes appeared again.


    ''What the hell?! How can he create them so quick after unleashing that many spikes earlier?!'' Arthur screamed in his mind as he created more shields again.


    ''I''m not like the others that can create living constructs, I can only create shields. And my limit is about six but now, I''m straining myself!'' Arthur thought in his head as eight more shields appeared together with the cracked six from earlier. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Snapping his fingers, the ice spikes came crashing down again and Arthur lifted the shields protecting himself and the townspeople while Greg and Grey went around breaking the remaining spikes with Grey moving more like a lightning bolt.


    In three seconds, they were done again as Greg was beginning to huff and pant in exhaustion.


    ''This is becoming endless.'' Greg thought.


    "You both! Take the townspeople away from here and try your possible best to protect them." Grey ordered.


    "Wait! Then what about you? We can''t just leave you alone here to deal with fifty spikes." Arthur said.


    "Trust me, I will be fine." Grey said as he looked at his hands and legs to see the lightning armour fading in and out. "Now hurry!"


    "Pft! I will prioritize the townspeople more than you right now. And make sure you don''t die, cause if you do, I won''t be able to surpass you and prove my superiority." Greg said as he blitzed towards the people and began leading them away quickly while Arthur stayed at the rear of the group with his shields lifted just in case.


    "You think I will just let you all leave like that?" The boss asked again as he shot two dozen ice spikes towards the retreating group.


    "And I won''t let you harm them!" Grey shouted as he blitzed towards the spikes and began moving around like a blur breaking the spikes while letting the others retreat which they did with full speed.


    And when Grey was done dealing with the spikes, that was when the townspeople along with his teammates had fully left the misty area leaving Grey alone with the bandit boss and the leader of the thirty group.


    "Your idea of staying here alone with be the worst mistake you have ever made as we will get our way no matter what!" The one eyed boss said with fifty more spikes appearing in the fog all around Grey.


    "Boss! Let me help too!" The leader of the thirty bandits said.


    "No! You will just slow me down, I got this. You want to do something? Go stop those dirtbags even if it means killing them." The boss said.


    "Yes sir!" The bandit replied as he prepared to leave.


    "I will not let you leave!" Grey shouted as he shot out two bolts of lightning towards the bandit who was slow to react when¡­


    An ice shield of some kind appeared blocking the lightning from hitting the bandit allowing him to leave.


    "Focus here!" The boss shouted as he swung his hand down unleashing the fifty shards towards Grey who gripped his sword tighter and took a stance with his boots fading in and out and then exploding from his position forward, he turned into a blur again.


    With a kick to the air, he sliced through a shard and then using his wind magic to aid him, he swirled around and slammed his leg into another shard but he was a bit slow as another shard grazed his face drawing blood slightly but he managed to strike the bolt with lightning.


    And then surrounding his body were two dozens of wind blades and he shot them out at once breaking some of the ice shards while he went jumping from air to air hitting the other shards breaking them using his sword.


    And finally in a minute, he was seen landing back down with his chest heaving in and out with slight sweat forming on his face while his lightning boots and gauntlets finally dissipated from view leaving him with only his sword.


    "Oh?! Your friends and only saving grace which is that lightning armour of yours is gone and you are stuck with me here." The boss chuckled as he stepped forward.


    "Should I tell you something? There''s no way you are ever escaping from this mist because this mist helps boost my magic. I can keep on creating shards upon shards here which means you are trapped with me."


    "Keh Keh Keh!" Grey laughed as his head that was bent down was finally being raised with a smirk on his face. "Who says I''m trapped in here with you? It''s more like you are trapped with me." He said and a tremendous burst of wind erupted out hitting the mist but as if it had a mind of its own, it formed back.


    Then around Grey''s hands, fire burned brightly while several spikes of earth appeared surrounding him while he had a smirk on his face.


    ''He¡­ he is a multi elementalist?! But¡­ but how?! How is someone so young able to wield so much tremendous power? Is he the emperor? I was told that the emperor is a multi elementalist! Is he the one in disguise?!'' the boss thought with his heart thumping loudly in fear but the he calmed down while a smirk formed on his face.


    ''He can''t be the emperor, his powers, the mana running through it still feels slightly weak and if he was the emperor, the fight would have ended long ago which means he is just a talented kid of the kingdom that was hiding his abilities.'' the bandit boss thought.


    "I see that you have been holding back huh! And so have I!" The bandit boss shouted as instead of the usual two dozen of ice shards, fifty Ice swords appeared all around the mist almost covering the whole misty area.


    "I guess we have both been holding back, so let''s go all out!" Grey shouted as along with fire and earth surrounding him, two dozen wind blades appeared and the both of them took a stance getting ready to explode forward.


    "With pleasure!" The bandit boss said as he snapped his fingers sending the ice swords flying towards Grey.

 Chapter 133 - 133: For the sake of the mission!

    The townspeople hurried through the dense fog, guided back to what remained of their town. As they emerged, they were met with destruction¡ªcharred buildings, smoldering ruins, and the eerie silence of a place that had already endured devastation.


    Greg and Arthur didn''t stop there. They led the townspeople toward the town''s edge, where a group of survivors sat in exhaustion. Two glowing white birds fluttered overhead, their soft light radiating healing energy as they tended to the wounded.


    "Hold on! That''s Vanica''s creation magic." Arthur said as he recognized the birds moving around and healing the people.


    "Vanica who?" Greg asked.


    "Seriously?! You don''t know who Vanica is?" Arthur shouted back and Greg just shrugged.


    "The female that accompanied us along with Scarlet! That has healing magic." Arthur described.


    "Oh! That peasant." Greg said with a scoff as he led the townspeople towards the other survivors while Arthur was seen clenching his hands in frustration. But he calmed down and walked to the survivors being healed by Vanica''s healing birds.


    "The mage who created these birds, where is she?" He asked.


    "She¡­ she is still back in the middle of the town. East from here and¡­ and she is surrounded by bandits." A woman replied sniffling.


    "Ba¡­ bandits?!" Greg asked as he sharply turned around towards the woman.


    "Yes! About five of them." The woman replied. "Sh¡­ she¡­ she risked her life to let us escape."


    "Damn it! Vanica isn''t a combat mage. She won''t stand a chance against them," Arthur muttered, his face tightening with concern.


    "As much as I hate to say this, we need to go and save her and then look for the others so we would regroup and go back to the main town." Greg said with his hands clenched.


    "Well what are we waiting for?" Arthur asked as he prepared to move when he felt a touch on his hand and he turned around to see the woman that answered their question.


    "Please¡­ please ensure you save her." The woman begged.


    "Don''t worry, I promise, I will get her back here safe and sound." Arthur said clenching his hands tightly.


    "Says the most useless support." Greg said as lightning began crackling around his legs.


    "I can''t carry us both like that arrogant peasant, so I''ll go ahead. Catch up however you want." In a flash, he was gone, streaking toward Vanica''s location.


    Arthur gritted his teeth. "I won''t be left behind." With that, he took off, pushing his speed to the limit.


    _____


    Meanwhile, in another part of the town, a fiery red haired female could be seen with her back against a wall heaving in and out in exhaustion. As sweat dripped down her forehead while she clutched her aching sides.


    "I thought I could find a safe place to rest after that fight, but my body is completely drained," she muttered, shaking her head. "My mana¡­ I barely have a fraction left."


    With a sigh, she forced herself to stand up and took a deep breath while looking up. "I can''t just keep sitting here, I need to find the others and regroup with them. But where are they? I only remember where Vanica was dropped and I think it''s not really far from here.


    The most logical thing to do would be to find her and get her to heal my injuries and probably, my stamina would be restored and the fatigue would be gone." She said as she picked a direction and began walking slowly there.


    ''Although I managed to win my fight,'' Scarlet thought as she began making her way to where she thought Vanica would be. ''It wasn''t easy and I only managed to dominate the fight because of my creation magic.


    And my saving grace was that my opponents were weaklings and mere bandits. The higher I go in this life, the more tougher opponents I face.


    I¡­ I need to grow stronger! But how? How even does that peasant does it? He just keep growing stronger and surpassing the rest of us even though we are nobles and should have more mana than him.'' she thought as she was finally nearing the town and in two minutes, she finally walked in and could see more destroyed buildings which was no surprise.


    While on the ground were dead bodies of the inhabitants of the town which was no surprise also. Walking forward a bit more, she saw five bandits laying down seemingly either unconscious or dead but she couldn''t care less.


    Lifting her head up, she could see Vanica standing rooted like a statue while her eyes looked to be closing in and out and Jay could be seen laying face flat on her soft chest comfortably as if he was laying on a bed.


    "Huh?! When did this happen? I didn''t know that a proud noble like Jay would fall for a peasant." Scarlet said as she walked forward and on hearing her voice, it pulled Vanica out of her thoughts.


    "Sc¡­ scarlet!" She almost screamed but managed to hold her mouth.


    "What happened here?" Scarlet asked while pointing towards Jay.


    "It''s a long story and it definitely is not what you are thinking." Vanica replied with her cheeks all flushed up.


    "Whatever. Will you be able to heal me? Considering your awkward position." Scarlet asked.


    "Yeah sure! Healing creation magic! Healing butterflies!" Vanica called out and about three butterflies appeared and headed towards Scarlet resting on her body while her body glowed soft white and her injuries began to heal up.


    "Thank you." Scarlet said softly when they heard sizzling noise coming from above and then something landed in their mist throwing lightning everywhere with a bolt hitting Jay causing him to scream awake.


    "An attack! An attack! Dad save me!" He shouted as he fell down hitting his butt down while Vanica was seen a few feet away with a bruise on her arm.


    "Quiet down you pimp!" Scarlet shouted as the dust began to settle down and Greg could be seen standing there with lightning hitting the ground.


    "Are you guys okay?" He asked as his eyes surveyed the whole place before landing on Vanica.


    "Do we look okay to you? You senseless fool! It feels like you have lightning for a brain." Scarlet shouted in anger.


    "Will you just stop shouting?! I really wish the lightning had even hit your running trap we would have had a moment of silence here." Greg replied.


    "I dare you to say that again!" Scarlet said with a flame appearing above her hand.


    "Gu¡­ guys!" A voice was heard calling from behind while a panting Arthur appeared falling to the ground in exhaustion as he heaved in and out.


    "Oh! The useless support actually made it." Greg said.


    "Vanica! Are you okay?" Arthur asked.


    "Yeah! All thanks to Jay." Vanica said with a smile.


    "I did it because you are part of the squad not for anything else so don''t get funny ideas. I still see you all as beneath we nobles." Jay replied standing up.


    "Says the weakling noble that was screaming and calling for his dad in fright of being attacked. Are you sure he really saved you? Vanica! He looks more like someone that needs to be saved." Scarlet said.


    "You¡­" Jay was about to say when a still panting Arthur stood up and came between them.


    "Guys! Now''s not the time. There is something more important right now." He said.


    "What could be more important than me trying to drown this arrogant queen!" Jay said as water began surrounding his hands.


    "The mission is." Arthur replied.


    "Mission? Haven''t we already completed it? I mean all the bandits have been dealt with and for you two to be here, means that Grey has round off the rest of them." Vanica said.


    "Still amazes me how he does that. He keeps growing stronger than us all." Scarlet scoffed.


    "He is right, the mission isn''t over and it has just gotten more deadlier." Greg said.


    "Meaning?" Jay asked.


    "The bandits'' main boss has arrived and he is on a whole different level. By my estimation, he should be at the rank of a three star mage or so." Arthur replied.


    "What?!" The others all shouted at once.


    "Wh¡­ where is Grey now?" Vanica asked.


    "Facing off against him on his own." Greg replied.


    "Bu¡­ but he is just a two star mage which is also a surprise. Even if he has two affinities on his side, a three star mage is still a three star for a reason." Scarlet stated.


    "Yeah yeah we know. He had us do an escort mission leaving him alone." Greg said.


    "Then we need to head back and help him now!" Vanica said.


    "But are we enough?" Arthur asked. "Don''t get me wrong, I want to help but Greg can testify to what I''m saying. That boss dude kept on summoning ice shards upon shards endlessly. Can we do it?"


    "Speak for yourself you weakling! I know that with me there, we can win so let''s go darn it." Scarlet shouted.


    "Who''s in?" Vanica asked. "Let''s go rescue Grey and finish this mission."


    "I don''t really care whatever happens to Grey but the mission is what''s important to me so I will go." Jay said with a shrug.


    "Same here." Greg added.


    "Me too." Scarlet said.


    "Fine! I will come along." Arthur said.


    "Even if you didn''t, we would have been fine." Scarlet said and Arthur clenched his hand tightly in anger when a flashback to when the assessment took place when Grey had advised him. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Show her how powerful and useful your magic is."


    "So it''s settled, let''s move now!" Vanica said.


    "Who died and made you the leader?" Scarlet asked but they all ran forward nevertheless on their way to go save Grey.

 Chapter 134 - 134: We are here now!

    Meanwhile, Grey stood in the center of town, thick fog swirling around him. Fifty ice swords loomed overhead, earth spikes surrounded him, fire blazed in his hands, and two dozen wind blades hovered above, ready to strike. He was prepared to go all out against the bandit boss.


    With a swift motion, the ice swords shot toward Grey at immense speed. He raised his hands, summoning an earth wall just in time to block them. The impact sent tremors through the wall, causing it to vibrate as Grey was pushed back by the sheer force.


    Dropping the wall, he retaliated with a barrage of fireballs. The bandit boss condensed the mist around him into a shield, blocking the attack. Then, from behind, a dozen wind blades tore through the air toward him. Sensing the threat, he condensed the mist into a sword in a split second and slashed through the wind blades in a blur of motion.


    Just as he prepared to counterattack, his legs became ensnared in hardened earth, and a dozen earth spikes shot toward him at blinding speed. He swung his sword wildly, shattering the spikes, only to see another wave of wind blades closing in.


    ''Shit! Having multiple elements sure do boost versatility!'' the bandit thought as he tried to move but his legs were still stuck.


    So he did what he could, he created an ice shield just in time to block the blades while the shield reverberated and it was also getting chipped bit by bit by the continuous barrage of wind.


    Dissolving the mist around him to turn into droplets of water, it fell on the earth surrounding his legs allowing him to destroy it and allow for him to move away which he did by jumping up and an ice platform appeared beneath his feet.


    Bouncing off from it, he was sent propelling forward towards Grey at immense speed who at the same time encased his fists in earth just in time as the bandit boss was coming from the front while swinging his ice sword from the side.


    And right on cue, they both clashed at the same time with the sword hitting Grey and him punching the boss with his Earth covered hand causing a thunderous bang to echo and the were both sent flying and crashing into the ground.


    That didn''t deter them as they were seen standing up while the bandit boss chuckled.


    "Impressive! Too good! I''m enjoying myself! Hahaha!" He laughed as a dozen ice swords appeared and without hesitation, he sent them launching towards Grey.


    Who swirled his hands around causing a tornado to surround him blocking and causing the ice swords to swirl around its vortex. And with a forceful thrust of his hands forward, the swords were sent back at the bandit boss who simply held his hands using his magic to control and stop it from hurting him.


    Clenching his hands, the swords broke down into shards and he swung his hands back sending the shards flying towards Grey who simply lifted an earth wall in time blocking the shards that hit it hard while he was seen skidding from the force of the hit and a trickle of blood dripped down his mouth.


    ''This guy, isn''t he getting weaker soon? I have been using high level spells for so long and I can feel my mana taking a hit.'' Grey thought as he almost fell to his knees but he caught himself just in time.


    "What happened? Getting weaker?" The boss chuckled.


    "Not even the least!" Grey roared as he used his wind magic to boost himself forward at immense speed with his hands having fire dancing around it as he prepared to slam it into the boss''s face but he had bounced of an ice platform in time while Grey''s flammy fist just hit the mist dispelling it for a bit before coming back.


    Turning around, his face was met with a huge fist made of ice which slammed into him sending him crashing into the ground hard with block trickling down his nose and head.


    "I told you right, you are no match for me. You might be a multi elementalist, but you are still a kid and an inexperienced one at that." The man said while Grey was twitching slightly trying to stand up.


    "For entertaining me for so long, and making me enjoy the fight more than I have ever done, I''m going to grant you a swift death." He said as a huge ice sword appeared hanging over Grey.


    "It''s¡­ it''s¡­ it''s not over yet!" Grey shouted as the sword was sent flying towards him and he pushed off hard with his hands in front of him surrounded by Earth while the tip was pointy.


    And with a bang to the extent shockwaves rippled out hitting the foggy area, he slammed into the ice sword breaking it in total while some of its shards grazed his face and lips drawing blood as he landed back down huffing and panting while his hand naturally moved to his chest. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''My¡­ my mana¡­ I can feel it dwindling. By my estimation, I think I have just a minute left.'' Grey thought while the bandit boss raised an eyebrow.


    ''A resilient one huh! But if he continues like this, I might lose the fight soon. Thanks to the objects distributed to us by the boss just in case I encounter trouble, I had a whole tremendous amount of mana but because of this kid, my mana is about to diminish.


    I¡­ I just have two minutes left before my whole core would be depleted. Darn this annoying kid!'' the man screamed in his head as sweat began to form on his face.


    "I will kill you! I will freaking kill you! Enough of playing around!" The bandit boss said said as two huge ice swords appeared with its tips pointing at Grey.


    "Die you annoying brat!" He shouted and laughed maniacally while sending the swords flying towards Grey at immense speed.


    ''Shit! There''s no way I can block that in time.'' Grey thought as he saw the sword closing in while he tried his best and luckily, an Earth wall got lifted but to his utter shock, the swords smashed into the wall breaking it apart while he was sent flying but not out of the misty area with blood spurting out his mouth.


    As he fell to his knees while the swords were reduced to just one after smashing into the wall and it was about to hit Grey who instinctively closed his eyes when *bang* a loud resounding bang was heard all around the foggy area and opening his eyes, he could see a transparent shield hovering in front of him blocking the sword.


    But soon, it was seen cracking and so Grey swiftly jumped aside just in time as the shield shattered like fragile glass but it already served its purpose as the sword flew outside the mist to wherever it was going to hit.


    "Wh¡­ how was I saved?" Grey wondered aloud as he looked around the fog and so did the bandit boss who was so furious that someone blocked his strike.


    "We are here now you arrogant peasant!" Grey heard a voice saying and then five people were seen walking into the mist with their different magic swirling around their hands.


    "Guys!" Grey croaked out in pain.


    "We are here to save your pathetic ass!" Scarlet scoffed.


    "How dare you all!" The bandit boss shouted. "You had a chance to escape, yet you chose death. Fine, I''ll grant your wish!


    Ice creation magic! Full potential!" He shouted as a hundred ice swords appeared in the mist hanging above the students'' heads like the looming and pending call of the reaper.


    "Uhm guys, I think we are cooked." Arthur gulped loudly.


    _____________


    {A/N}


    I hope you all are enjoying the book so far, please I want to implore you all to not forget to keep on supporting the book with power stones, Golden tickets and even gifts as it fuels my motivation and determination to keep on pumping more chapters for you all.


    Also, if you all are interested in a mass release, then below are the mass release goals for Magus Supremacy:


    500 power stones= 2 chapters plus the normal release rate.


    500 Golden tickets= 2 chapters plus the normal release rate making it four chapters to be released when the goal is met.


    Magic castle= 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters.


    Let''s do well to meet these goals guys for a mass release. Thank ????????


    P.S For more updates on MS and future works, please remember to follow me up on my social media accounts below.


    Instagram: KBKayboy.


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    When news on MS or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first.

 Chapter 135 - 135: Teamwork

    Grey fought against the bandit boss, pushing himself to the limit with all his affinities. But no matter how hard he tried, the boss countered every attack with equal strength, rendering Grey''s efforts futile. They had exchanged relentless blows, yet neither could overpower the other.


    Just as Grey was about to be struck by ice swords, his teammates stepped into the mist to save him. The bandit boss, enraged that his prey had been snatched from the jaws of death, decided to go all out.


    "Uhm¡­ guys, why do I feel like we are cooked?" Arthur gulped loudly, his eyes widening at the hundred ice swords hanging above them.


    ''Is this who he''s been fighting alone?'' Scarlet thought, turning to see Grey panting heavily, blood dripping from his mouth, nose, and head.


    ''How was that peasant able to last this long?'' Greg clenched his fists as lightning crackled around his hands.


    "Vanica!" Arthur called.


    "On it!" she responded, conjuring three butterflies and sending them toward Grey. But before they could reach him, the bandit boss fired three swift ice shards, shattering them instantly.


    "I''m fine, guys. Don''t worry." Grey wiped the blood from his mouth and forced himself to stand.


    ''With them here, I can''t use all my affinities. I have to limit myself again. But even at full strength, I couldn''t defeat him. Now¡­ if I hold back¡­''


    "Tch! Pathetic. You couldn''t even defeat a single bandit?" Jay scoffed as water swirled around him.


    ''I can tell¡­ this bandit isn''t an easy prey,'' Jay thought.


    "How dare you all!" the bandit boss roared. "You had a chance to escape, yet you chose death. Fine, I''ll grant your wish!


    Ice Creation Magic¡ªFull Potential!"


    The hundred ice swords tilted their tips toward the group.


    ''With this, I''ve halved my mana core,'' he thought. ''But it should be worth it!''


    The swords shot toward them at a terrifying speed.


    "Water Magic!"


    "Barrier Magic!"


    "Fire Magic!"


    "Lightning Magic!"


    "Wind Magic!"


    The team shouted in unison, ready to counter when¡ª


    "Barrier Creation Magic¡ªBouncy Bubble!" Arthur yelled. A massive, transparent dome encased the entire team just as the swords struck. The barrier held, but cracks began forming.


    "You¡­ you can do this?" Scarlet asked in disbelief.


    "Kuh! Kuh kuh!" Arthur coughed up blood as his knees buckled. "I¡­ I can''t hold it for much longer."


    "Let it down," Grey ordered, his body enveloped in wild wind energy.


    Arthur complied, and the moment the barrier faded, Grey swung his hand, unleashing a powerful gust that deflected the swords.


    "I must applaud you all¡ªyou hold your ground well," the boss admitted.


    "I hate men that talk too much!" Scarlet shot forward with blazing speed. She leaped into the air and came crashing down with a flaming axe kick. But just before impact, an ice shield materialized, absorbing the blow with an explosive burst of fire and wind.


    As the boss leaped back, a streak of lightning shot toward him, striking his body and sending jolts of pain through him.


    "You shouldn''t have underestimated us!" Jay roared, summoning two blades of water. He closed the distance in a blink and slashed¡ª


    CLANG!


    The boss blocked with an ice sword. Jay swung his second blade, but a swift kick sent him flying. The boss barely dodged a wind blade aimed at his head, shattering another midair just in time. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two fireballs hurtled toward him, forcing him to raise an ice wall. The impact pushed him back. Before he could recover, two bolts of lightning came from behind, but he ducked just in time, countering with a barrage of ice shards aimed at Greg.


    ''These kids¡­ They''re working together too well,'' the bandit thought, clutching his chest. ''And I''m running out of time.''


    "Focus!" Grey clapped his hands, launching a thin, lightning-infused bullet. It drilled through the boss''s hand, leaving a gaping hole. A wind blade followed.


    ''I have ten seconds of mana left,'' Grey realized.


    The boss swung his ice sword with his remaining hand, shattering the blade of wind, but two fire blasts immediately followed. He created an ice platform and leaped into the air, dodging the attacks before conjuring another platform beneath his feet.


    Then he rained down dozens of ice shards.


    Arthur, coughing blood, managed to summon a final barrier. The shards struck, cracking it instantly. After a moment, it shattered.


    Grey shot up like a bullet, lightning coiling around his arm and forming a single gauntlet. ''This is my last bit of mana!''


    With a roar, he slammed his fist into the bandit''s face. The impact sent the man crashing to the ground, lightning tearing through his body.


    "The¡­ The Eclipse Pact will never lose!" the bandit boss growled, another ice sword forming in his trembling hand.


    "I told you, right?" Jay smirked as the water around him surged violently.


    The bandit struggled to stand, his face covered in blood, breaths ragged.


    "You shouldn''t have underestimated us. Water Creation Magic¡ªSerpent of the Sea!"


    A massive serpent of water materialized and lunged. Greg and Scarlet unleashed simultaneous attacks¡ªlightning and fire striking the bandit''s limbs. Electricity ravaged his body from within.


    The water serpent struck with crushing force, lifting the bandit off his feet. Before he could even hit anything, he lost consciousness.


    The mist began to dissipate.


    A loud bang echoed in the distance.


    Grey and Arthur collapsed to the ground. Jay staggered, his vision blurring.


    ''Using this¡­ three times in one day¡­ If I survive this¡­ I''ll be grateful¡­'' Jay thought before falling unconscious once again.


    __________


    {A/N}


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 Chapter 136 - 136: Mission completed!

    A loud bang echoed several meters away from a misty area, followed by the sight of a forest where several trees lay destroyed. A few meters beyond, the ground was cracked, and at its center, a lone man lay unconscious. He wore an eye patch over one eye, his body covered in injuries¡ªhis face, arms, and stomach battered and bloodied. His black robe was blown apart, leaving his wounds exposed.


    Despite his unmoving state, he was not dead¡ªonly unconscious. A few minutes later, a dark ripple appeared on the ground beside him. Rising from it was a tall man, his entire face concealed behind a mask. The most distinctive feature about him, however, was the black robe he wore, adorned with the symbol of a black moon¡ªidentical to the insignia of the unconscious man lying at his feet.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ I can''t believe you let yourself be defeated." The tall man shook his head in disappointment and took a step forward. Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence. He turned to see someone dressed entirely in black, sweat dripping down his face, his clothes slightly torn.


    Upon recognizing the masked figure, the running man halted abruptly and gulped hard.


    "S-Sir Daze?!" the man stammered, quickly bowing his head in respect.


    He was the same bandit Grey had nearly killed before their leader arrived.


    "What happened to the rest?" Daze asked, his voice calm yet firm.


    The bowing bandit trembled as beads of sweat rolled down his face. He swallowed hard before finally forcing out the words. "T-They¡­ they''re all dead, sir."


    Daze remained silent. His fingers curled into a fist as he turned his gaze back to the unconscious man lying beneath him.


    "Who did this?" Daze asked, his voice laced with restrained fury.


    "It was¡­ some students from the Lunaria squad, sir," the bandit hesitated. "If¡­ if I''m not wrong, only one of them was responsible."


    Daze''s calm demeanor shattered as he took a step forward. "One student?! A single student did this to him?! He''s a damn three-star mage!" he bellowed, causing the bandit to flinch. But after a deep breath, Daze steadied himself, waiting for an explanation.


    "S-Sir¡­ I don''t know the details, but I heard they were first-year students¡­ But that one student¡ªhe''s a devil incarnate! I¡­ I could barely defend myself."


    "No surprise there¡ªyou''re weak," Daze scoffed, but his mind was still in turmoil. "But him? A first-year student did this? Not a second-year, not a third-year¡­ but a first-year?! How?!"


    He clenched his fists tighter, his gaze lingering on the battered body at his feet.


    "S-So what now, sir? I think they''re still in town. Do you want to attack them?" the bandit asked hesitantly.


    A sudden gust of wind rushed past him. Before he could react, Daze was crouched at eye level, his piercing blue eyes visible through the mask.


    ''H-How did he get here so fast?! He was at least four meters away a second ago¡­ No, I shouldn''t be surprised,'' the bandit thought with a fearful gulp, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.


    "Let them have this one," Daze said in a calm yet ominous tone. He stood up and turned away. "Let them think they''ve won today. Let them celebrate¡­ but the next time we attack, they won''t survive."


    He paused. "Remind me, what was the name of that squad again?"


    "T-The Lunaria squad, sir!" the bandit quickly responded.


    ''Lunaria squad¡­? Wasn''t our newest addition from three years ago from there? If he has a grudge against them, he''ll be perfect for this,'' Daze mused.


    "Fine. I''ll make sure to remember that name. The Eclipse Pact won''t take this lying down." With those final words, the shadows beneath them rippled, and in an instant, Daze, the bandit, and the unconscious man disappeared from sight.


    Meanwhile, back in town, the Lunaria squad stood together. Grey, Arthur, and Jay lay on the ground, unconscious from exhaustion. Vanica moved between them, healing their wounds. But after finishing, she slumped down, completely drained of mana.


    "Guys¡­" Greg muttered, clenching his fists as he looked at Grey before turning to the others. "Are¡­ are we really weaker than him? I mean, he fought that bandit boss for so long before we even arrived. I doubt I could''ve lasted that long."


    "Tch! Speak for yourself, weakling. I took down ten bandits on my own," Scarlet scoffed. "But¡­ you''re right. He truly is on another level. And don''t you dare tell him I said that, Vanica!"


    "Me? I won''t tell him, I promise," Vanica replied with a playful smirk.


    "No need for the promise. I already heard you," a familiar voice interjected.


    Everyone turned, shocked to see Grey slowly sitting up, his body throbbing in pain.


    "G-G-Grey?!" Scarlet gasped, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Honestly, I don''t even care," Grey said nonchalantly as he stretched slightly. "I don''t need your validation to know I''m stronger than you all."


    "Tch! Don''t start acting all high and mighty, you weakling," Greg retorted.


    Before Grey could respond, they heard approaching footsteps. Turning, they saw the townspeople walking toward them with beaming smiles.


    "Thank you for saving us, Lunaria squad!" the crowd cheered in unison.


    A middle-aged man stepped forward. "You all were incredible!"


    A little girl then walked up to Vanica, holding a small yellow flower. "Thank you, miss, for helping my mom out of the rubble."


    Vanica bent down with a wide smile, accepting the flower and embracing the child. "Thank you for your kind gesture."


    The middle-aged man stepped forward again. "Please, stay the night so we can treat you all to a well-deserved meal."


    Grey narrowed his eyes. ''These people¡­ they remind me of the people from Kiten and their hypocrisies. Though these ones aren''t like Kiten''s, I still can''t stand this world.''


    "No need," Grey replied bluntly before anyone else could speak. "We need to get our injured back to the academy."


    Raising his hand, he summoned the wind. Within seconds, a massive bird formed.


    ''That was slower than usual¡­ I''m still feeling weak,'' Grey noted, controlling the wind to lift Jay and Arthur onto the bird''s back.


    "You''re such a party pooper," Scarlet scoffed as she climbed on, followed by Vanica and Greg. Grey was the last to board. With a powerful flap of its wings, the wind bird soared into the sky, carrying them back toward the academy.

 Chapter 137 - 137: Rewards

    In twenty minutes, the Lunaria squad approached the academy, landing gracefully before the double doors. Grey used his wind magic to effortlessly carry Jay and Arthur as they descended.


    Upon entering, they rushed to the academy''s clinic, where high-level recovery mages and alchemists examined them and the unconscious members of their squad. As their treatment progressed, a familiar figure walked into the clinic¡ªa man with a bald head so polished it seemed capable of reflecting sunlight.


    "Instructor Von?!" Scarlet called out, drawing Grey''s attention.


    ''I''m not one to judge, but I swear I can see my reflection on his head,'' Grey mused with a silent chuckle as Von approached, glancing at the unconscious Jay and Arthur.


    "I''m proud of you all for completing the mission successfully," Von said.


    "How do you know we completed it? For all you know, we might have run away," Grey remarked.


    "Run away?!" Von let out a hearty laugh as he stepped closer, locking eyes with Grey. "If you had, we would''ve known, and you wouldn''t be allowed back here."


    Grey scoffed while Von took a step back. "Anyway, that''s not why I''m here. Captain Amir sent for you all. Since some of your team are still out cold, the rest of you should come with me."


    "Sorry, Instructor Von, but I''ll pass." Grey slumped back into his bed. "Still feeling a little weak."


    "Same here," Vanica added.


    "You, I don''t care about," Von said, glancing at Vanica before turning back to Grey. "But you, Grey, the captain specifically requested your presence. After all, he assigned you this mission."


    "If the captain asked for you, you should go," Scarlet said as she swung her legs over the bed.


    "I didn''t need your permission," Grey muttered, pushing himself up. Together, they followed Von out of the clinic.


    The moment they exited, a teleportation mage stood before them. Without a word, he grabbed their hands and teleported them away.


    In mere seconds, they arrived before a massive silver-painted door. A soft knock was met with a voice inviting them inside. As they stepped in, they found themselves in a spacious office with pristine white walls and a marble floor. A large desk sat in one corner, stacked with mountains of paperwork. Behind it, Captain Amir sat, his presence exuding an air of authority.


    "Oh, Von!" Amir greeted before tilting his head to spot Grey, Greg, and Scarlet. "And the wonderful squad that successfully completed their mission."


    "C-Captain Amir!" Greg stuttered, feeling the weight of the captain''s calm yet overwhelming aura. It could suffocate the weak, but Grey stood unaffected, hands casually tucked in his pockets.


    "You may leave, Von," Amir instructed. With a slight bow, Von exited the room. "Now, give me your report. What exactly happened in the town?"


    "Yes, sir!" Scarlet stepped forward, recounting everything¡ªfrom their encounter with the bandits to the town''s devastation, the victims, the battle, and the unexpected arrival of the bandit leader.


    When she finished, Greg took over, detailing the battle with the three-star mage. Amir listened intently, nodding as he processed the information. Finally, he sighed.


    "So, they weren''t ordinary bandits if they went as far as massacring civilians," Amir mused. "And from your report, there were about fifty of them, along with a three-star mage. That is indeed strange."


    "There''s one more thing," Grey spoke up, stepping forward. "That mage mentioned something before he died. These weren''t just bandits; they were part of a group."


    "A group?" Amir''s eyes narrowed. "What was it called?"


    "Something like ''Eclipse Pact'' or whatever," Grey said with a shrug. "Ring any bells?"


    "Hmph! Never heard of it." Amir rested his chin on his hand, a puzzled expression crossing his face. "I''ll consult the principal. He might know something."


    "Whatever," Grey muttered, turning to leave.


    "Hold on!" Amir stopped him. "I want to reward you all for a job well done. Each of you may request one thing¡ªanything within the academy''s power, and it will be granted. Whether it''s a spell scroll to advance your magic, a private training session, or something else, name it."


    Grey paused mid-step, a slow smile creeping onto his lips. "Anything?" he repeated.


    "Anything within my capability," Amir confirmed.


    "I¡­ I want a three-day private session with Instructor Von," Scarlet declared.


    ''He uses fire magic like me, and he''s skilled in creation magic. I need him to teach me more than the standard lessons¡ªI refuse to be outpaced by that peasant!'' she thought. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s simple enough. I''ll speak with him. If he agrees, you''ll have your training." Amir nodded.


    "Thank you," Scarlet said, bowing slightly.


    "And you?" Amir turned to Greg.


    "I want a scroll to advance my lightning magic," Greg requested.


    "Granted," Amir confirmed. "And you, Grey?"


    "I want a full day of unrestricted access to the academy''s library. Every book, every document¡ªanything with relevant information."


    "Huh? Why just a day in the library? Don''t you want something to enhance your magic?" Amir asked, raising a brow.


    "As the saying goes, knowledge is power," Grey replied with a shrug. "I''m already strong enough. If I want more power, I know how to get it."


    ''If this works, I can finally start investigating the otherworlders! That librarian in Kiten Town told me to come to the capital for information. Now that I''m here, it''s time to begin.''


    "That''s an easy request. Consider it done," Amir agreed. "Additionally, I''m giving your entire team a day off from classes tomorrow. Spend it however you like¡ªgo into town, celebrate, or rest."


    "Thank you, sir!" they all responded in unison.


    "Greg, your scroll will be delivered. Grey, I''ll send someone to escort you to the library." Amir clapped, signaling the teleportation mage to reenter the room.


    ''Knowledge is power indeed,'' Amir thought as he watched them vanish. ''I need to dig deeper into this Eclipse Pact. The principal must be informed, and I suspect a meeting among the captains will be necessary.''


    With that, Amir stood from his desk and left the room, his mind already racing with plans.

 Chapter 138 - 138: You need more help!

    After leaving Amir''s office, the trio headed back to the clinic. As they walked in, they saw that Jay and Arthur were already awake. Not only that, but Raze and Vince were also in the room, chatting with the others.


    Hearing the door open, the group turned to see the trio entering. Without saying a word, Grey walked straight to his bed and lay down, uninterested in whatever conversation was taking place.


    "What happened? What did Captain say?" Vanica asked.


    "You were summoned by the captain?" Vince added.


    "Yes," Scarlet replied. "And he said the whole squad has a day off tomorrow because we managed to complete the mission."


    "A day off?!" Arthur''s eyes widened. "Finally! After so many weeks, we have a break. Now I can go into town and hit on as many beautiful girls as I want."


    "Huh?! You didn''t strike me as the girl-loving type. When did this happen?" Raze asked.


    "I have always been a girl lover, and you are lucky you aren''t a girl, or I would have started hitting on you." Arthur chuckled.


    "So, does that mean you plan on shooting your shot at Scarlet?" Vince teased with a short laugh. But the moment Arthur turned toward Scarlet, he could feel a menacing aura radiating from her.


    "What?! Never! I would never dare!" he blurted out. As soon as the words left his mouth, the aura receded, and he let out a sigh of relief.


    "Wait, Vince! Are you and Scarlet in a relationship?" Vanica asked.


    "Eww! What?! Never!" Vince and Scarlet shouted in unison before exchanging glances. The room burst into laughter, except for Grey and Greg, who remained indifferent to the conversation.


    "Why? He''s not that bad, you know," Raze commented.


    "Say one more stupid word, and watch me burn you to a crisp," Scarlet threatened. Raze immediately shrank into his seat.


    "What Scarlet is trying to say is that we are childhood best friends and would never think of dating each other," Vince clarified.


    "Ohhh! That explains the closeness and why she sticks up for a weakling like you," Greg commented, earning a glare from Scarlet.


    "We still haven''t decided who is stronger, so how about after we leave here, we have a small duel? I need an excuse to burn that arrogant look off your face," Scarlet challenged.


    "Like I would waste my time dueling with a weakling like you. I have better things to do," Greg scoffed. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just admit you''re scared and stop pretending to be some strong warrior you''re not," Scarlet taunted.


    "Uhm, guys! We still haven''t decided what to do with our day off tomorrow," Raze interjected. "Grey! What do you plan on doing tomorrow?"


    "What I do is none of your business," Grey replied coldly, turning away.


    "C''mon! Don''t be a spoil sport. We''re a team, and we got the day off together," Arthur said.


    "I don''t recall ever agreeing to be part of any team with you all. If I remember correctly, I said I never wanted to see your faces again," Grey retorted, standing up from his bed.


    "A peasant will always be a peasant, so stop acting like an arrogant noble," Scarlet snapped.


    "So you admit that you''re arrogant," Grey countered.


    "Tch!" She scoffed.


    "Please, Grey. We''re trying so hard to befriend you, but you keep pushing us away. Why?" Arthur asked.


    "Point of correction," Scarlet interjected, "you are trying to befriend him, not me."


    "Same here," Greg added.


    "Me too," Jay chimed in.


    "Like I want to be friends with rich, arrogant, and weak nobles," Grey scoffed before walking out of the room, heading to only heavens knows where.


    "What the hell is wrong with that dude?!" Raze shouted in frustration.


    "He''s your roommate; you should know," Vanica replied.


    "I''ve never seen him smile genuinely or interact properly. But was it just me, or did I see him smile when he saw the power that three-star bandit boss exerted?" Arthur asked.


    "I saw that smile, alright. It was like he got some kind of thrill from being in danger," Greg added.


    "I noticed it during the assessment when we were ambushed by Nozel Silva," Scarlet said.


    "You were ambushed by Nozel?" Greg asked, his eyes widening in shock. "How on earth are you all still in the academy? As far as I know, Nozel is a three-star mage and should have been able to defeat weaklings like you."


    "Like I said, you foolish noble," Scarlet snapped, "we were ambushed, but Grey managed to handle the situation by fighting him. I even saw one of Nozel''s aides unconscious afterward."


    "Welp! I''m no longer surprised after what happened today," Jay shrugged.


    "True! He''s on another level," Vanica added.


    "Probably because of that thrill. That''s how he gets stronger," Scarlet mused.


    "Whatever! I just need to get much stronger," Greg muttered, his hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.


    Meanwhile, Grey walked along the corridor, his hands in his pockets, lost in thought.


    ''Why do I feel like I shouldn''t have asked about that library and the otherworlders? he thought. If the information is in the library, I''m sure someone won''t allow me to access it easily. I should be prepared for anything.


    And my suspicion that someone is working with them keeps gnawing at me.''


    "Are you forgetting something?" Noir''s voice echoed in his mind.


    "About what?" Grey asked.


    "Your teammates! The way you treated them was rude. I''m not one to talk, but that was weird," Noir said.


    "I know, but my past trauma still haunts me," Grey admitted.


    "I understand. But do you think your mother would be happy seeing you like this? I mean, you never had friends growing up, but now you have a chance. Wouldn''t your mother be happy knowing that her son finally made some friends?" Noir asked.


    Grey halted his steps, deep in thought. "You''re right. I shouldn''t have treated them like that. I''m just so used to being alone... but I''ll try to be nicer to them."


    "Good! Because you need to start thinking about the future. If the otherworlders attack or the Eclipse Pact makes a move, you won''t be able to fight them alone. You need allies.


    Example of what I''m saying happened today when you were fighting against that three star bandit. Before you could defeat him, you had the power of five of your team. Now imagine they were not five but more, and they were more powerful, just imagine the number of people you can defeat.


    I''m sure that emperor dude didn''t get to his position on his own, he had his subordinates to help so think about that too." Noir said.


    "Alright, alright! Are you sure you won''t become a counselor one day? You''re good at this," Grey chuckled.


    "My mistake for even saying anything," Noir scoffed before going silent.


    Grey smirked. "Yeah, sure. I''ll think about it. But for now, let me focus on my reward." With that, he disappeared down the corridor.

 Chapter 139 - 139: No one should know about the otherworlders!

    It was finally the next day¡ªthe team''s day off, allowing them to do as they pleased. Those who had been in the clinic were discharged early in the morning, and now, they were preparing to make the most of their free time.


    Scarlet had secured permission for a three-day private session with Von and decided to begin today. Greg had received a scroll that could help him advance his magic to the next level, so he planned to dedicate his day to mastering it.


    Meanwhile, the remaining team members¡ªJay, Vanica, Arthur, Vince, Raze, the poison user, and Greg''s other friend¡ªventured into another town, different from the one recently attacked, to enjoy themselves. Arthur, in particular, was excited at the prospect of encountering beautiful girls.


    As for Grey, he had been collected by a teleportation mage and transported to the library. Now, he stood in front of the grand entrance to the academy''s vast archive. Before he could push it open, the door swung inward on its own, revealing an enormous room, larger than any he had ever seen. It seemed as if two massive halls had been merged together.


    The door shut behind him as he stepped inside. Rows upon rows of bookshelves lined the towering walls, even extending to the ceiling.


    ''Yikes! Talk about a book room,'' Grey thought, taking a step forward. But before he could advance further, a swooshing sound filled the air, and suddenly, an old man appeared before him. With a hunched back, narrowed eyes, and draped in Lunaria Academy robes, he studied Grey intently.


    "Are you the one who requested a full day in the library?" the old man asked.


    Grey nodded. "I am."


    "Hmph. I didn''t think younglings nowadays were still interested in reading books." A faint smile crept onto the man''s wrinkled face as he turned and gestured for Grey to follow.


    "Well, I always read books. That''s how I''ve gained a lot of knowledge about magical spells," Grey responded, trailing behind him.


    As he walked, a bead of sweat formed on his brow. ''This man... His aura is unreadable. Ever since I left the elven town, I''ve been able to sense auras, mana, and even read expressions. But his... it''s completely mysterious, just like a void. I could even read Amir''s aura, but his is on another level! How and why?''


    The old man''s voice pulled him from his thoughts. "That''s nice to know."


    Grey furrowed his brows. "What is?"


    "That younglings still value reading. I assumed most academy students only cared about battle prowess, refining their magic, and achieving power."


    "Not all students are the same." Grey shrugged.


    The old man nodded approvingly before coming to a halt. "You are free to read any books on this level, but do not venture into the upper levels."


    Grey tilted his head upward, noticing additional bookshelves stacked high above. "Noted. Not like I could even finish reading everything here, let alone what''s up there."


    "Good. Now, you may proceed," the old man said.


    Grey turned toward the nearest shelf, his fingers grazing over the spines of the books. But when he glanced back, the old man had vanished without a trace.


    ''I knew it! He''s weird and mysterious!'' Grey thought, exhaling sharply.


    He selected a book that seemed interesting and quickly skimmed through it. Finding nothing of value, he returned it to the shelf and grabbed another, only to put it back down minutes later. This process repeated itself as he sifted through numerous books, his eyes darting across countless pages.


    ''Nothing useful! Just information on world lore, magic, portals, dungeons, and the like. Not a single mention of the otherworlders! Damn it!'' Grey scowled, moving to another section. That''s when his eyes landed on a particular book.


    The title read: The Mysterious Terrorist Group.


    His interest piqued, he pulled it from the shelf. ''Mysterious group? What group? And why are they called terrorists?''


    As he delved into its contents, his eyes narrowed.


    ''A hundred years ago, a secretive organization launched a massive assault, attempting to eradicate all mages and seize control of the world. Thanks to the first mages, the world was saved, though at a great cost¡ªten towns were completely obliterated during the conflict.''


    Grey reached the end of the book, his mind racing. ''Their name wasn''t mentioned, but their power sounds devastating. Then again, history tends to exaggerate...''


    Before he could ponder further, the swooshing sound returned. Lifting his head, he found the old man standing before him once more.


    "I see that book caught your interest," the man remarked.


    "Yeah. The story is intriguing and happens to relate to what I''m searching for," Grey admitted.


    The old man''s expression shifted slightly. "And what, exactly, are you searching for?" S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Information."


    "What kind?"


    "About a particular group¡ªor rather, an organization. They call themselves... the otherworlders."


    For the briefest moment, the old man''s eyes widened before he quickly regained his composure.


    ''Hah! He knows something!'' Grey smirked internally.


    "That name sounds oddly familiar, but I can''t quite place where I''ve heard it before," the old man said, stroking his beard. "Ah, wait! Now I remember. It was in a book I once read, though I was later told it was mere fiction¡ªa tale fabricated to scare people while glorifying the first mages as saviors of the world."


    "Huh?! That''s a blatant lie! They''re real!" Noir''s voice erupted in Grey''s mind, his frustration evident.


    ''Calm down, Noir. He might not know, but I have a feeling he''s lying,'' Grey reassured him mentally.


    "Fine then. If you don''t know about them, let''s see if you know about something else," Grey continued. "Tell me about the founder of Lunaria Academy. I heard that four mages, the first ones to discover magic, established different academies to train new mages. So who created Lunaria Academy?"


    The old man suddenly chuckled. "Ah, now that is something I do know. But I can''t tell you."


    Grey''s eye twitched. "Why not?"


    "That information is classified. If you truly wish to know, you must first become the captain of the Lunaria Squad."


    "What?! You''re saying I won''t get an answer unless I become the captain? That''s ridiculous!" Grey shouted in frustration.


    The old man only chuckled again. "That is the condition placed upon me. Only the captain is granted access to high-level knowledge."


    Grey clenched his fists, his gaze firm. "Fine! Then I''ll become the captain of the Lunaria Squad soon!" He declared before swiftly exiting the library, leaving the old man behind, still chuckling.


    The mirth, however, vanished as quickly as it had come. His face darkened, and pressing two fingers to his forehead, he muttered something under his breath. A moment later, a voice echoed in his mind.


    "Speak."


    "There''s an issue, sir," the old man reported.


    "Make it quick. You know I''m busy," the voice responded.


    "A student came here today, inquiring about them."


    Silence.


    Then, the voice asked in a lower tone, "Them? Them who?"


    "The otherworlders, sir."


    Another pause¡ªlonger this time.


    "Did he say why he was searching for them?" the voice questioned.


    "No. He merely asked if I knew about them. I feigned ignorance."


    "Impossible... No one¡ªno one¡ªshould know about the otherworlders. How did this boy learn of them? What is his name?"


    The old man hesitated before replying. "I¡­ forgot to ask."


    "Tch! Useless! Find out who he is. Eliminate him. No one else must uncover the truth."


    The old man stiffened. "But sir, he is under Captain Amir. If I act, it will raise suspicions."


    "Have you forgotten who I am? Execute my orders. Find that boy¡ªand make sure he never asks questions again. That is an order!"


    The old man sighed. "Understood. It will be done."


    And then, silence.

 Chapter 140 - 140: Dug my grave!

    A week had passed since the team''s mission, and in that time, they had trained harder than ever. While the others pushed themselves to surpass Grey, he remained indifferent to their efforts, focusing only on his own growth.


    During the previous week, Scarlet had spent three days training with Von, convinced that she had grown at least a little stronger. Meanwhile, Greg had buried himself in studying the scroll as if his life depended on it.


    Raze, however, barely cared for training. His magic revolved around copying others, so as long as his opponents were powerful, he too would be powerful.


    The one person who could truly claim to have trained relentlessly was Vince. Every single day, after classes, he was found in the training room, exhausting himself in pursuit of strength. His sole ambition was to grow stronger¡ªstronger than anyone. Yet, his progress was frustratingly slow. The only constructs he could summon remained the same: a metal porcupine, a sword, and a single gauntlet.


    Despite this, he refused to give up. He tirelessly battled against the magic-powered constructs designed to simulate real combat, pushing himself to the brink.


    Today was no different.


    Vince stood in the training room, facing one of the constructs. It was humanoid in shape but lacked features¡ªjust a solid mass of metal animated by magic, programmed to wield a specific element in battle.


    Moving behind the construct, Vince tapped a circular panel on its back. A mechanical whir filled the air as the construct powered up, its blank metal face turning toward him.


    To make it fight, I need to make it see me as a threat.


    Stepping back, a gleaming metal sword materialized in his grip.


    "My magic is weak¡­ embarrassingly weak," Vince muttered, eyes narrowing. "Even though I''m a noble¡ªthe son of the captain of a reputable academy¡ªI can''t even live up to his reputation."


    The construct raised its hand, ice forming and solidifying into a sword. Then, with a burst of speed, it charged.


    "And the only way to get stronger¡­" Vince pivoted sideways, parrying the incoming strike with his metal blade, his feet sliding smoothly across the floor.


    "Is to become versatile like Grey¡ªto become a powerful magic swordsman!" He roared, lunging forward and swinging horizontally. The construct jumped back just in time, then retaliated by launching a dozen ice shards at him.


    "If I can''t defeat you¡­" He moved swiftly, his sword a blur as he shattered the incoming shards, dodging with precise footwork.


    A shard grazed his cheek, drawing blood. He didn''t flinch. Instead, he countered with a shard of metal, breaking another approaching projectile.


    "Then I''m no different from some weak peasant!"


    Pain pricked his skin as more ice shards sliced at him¡ªhis face, arms, even his ear. Yet, he remained focused. Something was forming in his hands. The magic was taking shape.


    The construct, sensing danger, unleashed another barrage, but Vince pressed on, evading as best as he could while molding his magic. His blood painted the floor, his body screamed in pain, but finally¡ª


    It was done.


    The ground beneath him turned to metal. The sword in his hand elongated, reshaping itself into a spear. Then, with a burst of power, he propelled himself forward, the metallic platform beneath his feet launching him like a bullet.


    The construct had no time to react. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The spear drove straight through its head, piercing out the other end. The construct powered down instantly, its magic core extinguished.


    Vince collapsed to his knees, panting, sweat dripping from his brow. He turned his gaze to the metal clock in the corner of the room.


    "Damn it!" He slammed a fist into the floor. "Five seconds slower than yesterday!"


    A slow, mocking clap echoed from behind him.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk. The great son of the great Captain of the Lunaria Squad is still a weakling?"


    Vince stiffened, his breath hitching. Turning around, his eyes widened in shock as a tall, handsome young man stepped forward.


    His dark hair nearly covered his face, held back only by a tight bandana. His academy robe billowed slightly as he walked, the emblem of the Lunaria Squad stitched into the fabric.


    "Brother?!" Vince gasped.


    The young man''s expression twisted into a scowl. His fists clenched, teeth grinding in frustration.


    "How many times?" he spat. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me brother?"


    Vince swallowed. "I¡­ I''m sorry, Dave."


    Dave''s lips curled into a sneer. "Better." He stepped past Vince, glancing at the training construct before shifting his gaze to the clock. "Even after all these years, you''re still this pathetic? Still failing to live up to Captain Amir''s name?"


    Vince''s jaw tightened. "Just because you''re a second-year and have a better grasp of Metal Magic doesn''t mean you can look down on me! I¡­ I promise, I will become stronger!" Vince said and then Dave laughed loudly.


    "Probably in a hundred years but for now, you are still a weakling!" Dave said.


    "Weakling? You call me a weakling?! I have been making improvements and I''m sure I can stand my ground against you." Vince said and a short laugh eluded Dave''s mouth.


    "Stand your ground against me? You have become delusional after spending a month in the academy.


    Dave let out a loud, cruel laugh. His gaze sharpened. "Remind me, little brother. I heard your group was assigned a mission recently. But you weren''t chosen. Why is that?"


    Vince''s fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.


    "I''ll tell you why," Dave continued. "Because you''re weak. So weak that you were deemed useless. Even peasants got chosen over you." He scoffed. "You, a noble, weren''t even considered."


    "Dave!" Vince roared, anger flaring in his chest.


    "What?" Dave smirked. "What are you going to do? What can you do?"


    Vince trembled with fury. "I¡­ I want to beat you so badly! And I will!"


    Dave snorted. "Oh? Well, I''d love to see you try. Why don''t we settle it with a duel?" His lips curled into a sinister grin. "I''ll give you the privilege of facing me."


    "Fine!" Vince blurted out before he could stop himself. "I challenge you to an official duel¡ªin front of everyone!"


    Dave threw his head back and laughed. "Keh keh keh! As you wish." With a final smirk, he turned and strode out of the room. "I''ll make sure everything''s arranged."


    As soon as he was gone, Vince''s breath hitched. His stomach sank.


    "What have I done?" His voice was barely above a whisper. His hands trembled. "I¡­ I just dug my own grave. Dave is going to bury me alive. Damn it! I said all that in a fit of rage. What the hell am I going to do now?!"

 Chapter 141 - 141: Lets duel!

    "Guys!"


    The canteen doors burst open as Raze stormed in, panting heavily, his blonde hair damp with sweat and panic written all over his face. Grey barely spared him a glance, continuing his meal in silence, while the others at their tables turned to stare.


    Arthur stood up immediately. "What happened, Raze?"


    Instead of addressing the group, Raze strode straight to Grey''s table, casting a shadow over him. Grey finally looked up, chewing, unimpressed by the interruption.


    "Please, everyone! Scarlet, Grey, Arthur¡ªwe need to stop Vince before he gets himself killed!" Raze shouted.


    Scarlet''s breath hitched, and she shot to her feet, eyes wide with alarm. Grey, on the other hand, calmly swallowed his food.


    "What do you mean?" Scarlet demanded.


    "He... Vince is about to do something reckless¡ªsomething that could cost him his life," Raze said desperately.


    Grey sighed, irritation flickering in his eyes. "Just spit it out or get lost. You''re interrupting my meal."


    "Fine!" Raze snapped. "On my way here, I overheard a crowd gathering at the arena¡ªthe one meant for sparring students. When I asked what was going on, I found out Vince is about to fight a second-year named Dave or something."


    "Dave?!" Scarlet exclaimed, stepping closer. "Are you serious?"


    "You know him?" Raze asked.


    Greg''s expression darkened. "Dave is Vince''s older brother. They''ve had bad blood since childhood. Vince was always seen as weak and useless, while Dave¡ªhe''s a powerhouse."


    "Not just any powerhouse," Scarlet added grimly. "Dave''s a three-star mage with an exceptionally high metal affinity¡ªhis magic grade is Purple."


    A heavy silence settled over the group. Even Grey''s eyes widened slightly, his grip tightening on his spoon. Across the table, Vanica''s utensil slipped from her fingers.


    "The¡­ the Purple grade?" she murmured in disbelief.


    Magic wasn''t just about a mage''s star level; it was also ranked by color grades. Red was the weakest, followed by Yellow, Blue, Purple, and Gold¡ªthe rarest and most powerful. Each color was further divided into low, mid, and high tiers. A mid-grade user could typically defeat a low-grade one of the same rank, but exceptional skill could sometimes bridge the gap.


    "What''s Vince''s magic grade?" Arthur asked, though he already dreaded the answer.


    Scarlet''s lips parted hesitantly. "L-Low Blue."


    Raze groaned. "Okay! He is indeed cooked."


    Scarlet didn''t waste another second. "I''m stopping this now." She bolted for the door, Raze, Vanica, and Arthur hot on her heels. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grey remained seated, picking up his spoon again. ''They can handle this, right? No need for me to go.''


    Noir''s voice echoed in his mind. "And you want to make friends?! At least pretend to care!"


    ''One step at a time, you annoying familiar. I''m not used to all this ''friendship'' nonsense. They''ll drag him back to his senses,'' Grey thought, resuming his meal.


    Meanwhile, Scarlet and the others sprinted through the academy halls, reaching the arena in under two minutes. A crowd of second-years had gathered, watching intently. First-years were still in the canteen, unaware of what was unfolding.


    Pushing through the spectators, they finally reached the front. There, in the center of the ring, Vince and Dave stood on opposite sides of a circular arena with a white canvas beneath their feet. A magic-powered metal barrier surrounded them, ensuring no outside interference.


    "Vince!" Scarlet shouted.


    Vince turned at the sound of her voice, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.


    "What the hell are you doing?" Scarlet demanded. "Get out of there!"


    "Vince! Do you want to die?" Arthur added urgently.


    "I thought you had common sense! Forfeit now before you get yourself killed!" Raze yelled.


    "I can''t." Vince''s voice was barely above a whisper, but a single tear slipped down his cheek.


    Scarlet''s fury burned hotter. "What do you mean, you can''t?!"


    Vince kept his head down. He couldn''t tell them. Couldn''t tell them how Dave had cornered him, whispering threats about what he''d do to Scarlet¡ªhow he and three of his friends would ''have their fun'' with her before killing her. How Raze and Arthur would be next.


    Dave wasn''t bluffing. Vince knew that much. And he wasn''t about to let his monster of a brother follow through on his threats.


    He had to fight.


    Dave smirked, his gaze flicking to Scarlet before running his tongue over his lips. "So, little bro¡­ are we doing this, or are you chickening out?"


    "Let''s do this." Vince said.


    "Vince you fool!" Scarlet shouted and was about to jump into the arena along with Raze and the others but the second-years yanked them back.


    "No interruptions allowed during an official duel," one of them sneered, his palm igniting with flames. "If you can''t handle it, leave. But if you interfere¡­"


    Scarlet, gritting her teeth, hesitated. The message was clear.


    "Good! Now let''s duel." Dave smiled as a loud gong off to the side was rung signalling the start of the match.


    ____________


    {A/N}


    For more updates on MSS, MS and future works, please remember to follow me up on my social media accounts below.


    Instagram: KBKayboy


    Facebook: KBKayboy.


    When news on MS or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first. Also, I''m open on any one of the social media accounts above for chats.


    If you want to ask a question, talk to me or want to say something which you can''t do here, then those accounts are available for that.


    ______


    Our mass release goals for this month guys!


    500 Power stones= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate making it a total of 4 chapters to be released.


    500 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate making it a total of 4 chapters to be released.


    Magic Castle= 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters... We were unable to hit this mass release last month, so I''m hoping it will be hit this month.


    Creation isn''t easy guys, and you all aren''t motivating someone ???? so please guys, let me feel your support. Thank you ??????

 Chapter 142 - 142: What do you think you are doing?!

    "Let the duel begin!" Dave smiled as the gong off to the side was rung. Without wasting time, Vince immediately shaped his metal magic into a long sword, lifting it and pointing it at Dave with a glare.


    "I won''t let your plans succeed!" he shouted, dashing forward at full speed. Dave, however, remained standing with his arms crossed, watching Vince with an amused expression.


    As soon as Vince reached him, he swung his sword swiftly, but a loud clang echoed in the air. To his shock, a sword floated in midair, effortlessly blocking his strike. Before he could react, the floating sword lunged at him, forcing him on the defensive.


    ''He¡­ he can control his magic like Dad?! I can barely create a sword and hold onto it, but he''s manipulating his effortlessly.'' Vince thought as he jumped back, narrowly avoiding a thrust aimed at his stomach.


    The sword suddenly stopped, hovering menacingly in front of him. Then, without warning, it surged forward at double its previous speed, preparing to smash him from above. Vince barely had time to raise his sword in defense, but the sheer force of the impact made his knees buckle, almost driving him to the ground.


    "Look at you! You can''t even touch me. Ha! Just hurry up and lose so I can do whatever I want," Dave smirked.


    Vince gritted his teeth, pushing against the sword with all his strength. His muscles tensed and bulged slightly as he forced himself upright, his narrowed eyes burning with determination.


    "I told you¡ªI won''t let you have your way!" Vince roared, shoving the floating sword aside, causing it to dissipate.


    Without hesitation, he pushed off towards Dave at full speed, swinging his sword at his opponent. Yet, his blade met nothing but air. Vince almost stumbled forward, stabbing his sword into the ground just in time to steady himself.


    "I told you¡­" Dave''s voice rang out from a few meters away. "That you''re not on my level."


    A dozen metal spikes materialized around Dave, hovering ominously.


    "Vince!" Scarlet shouted, about to move, but Raze caught her wrist, stopping her.


    "Don''t. Look around you¡ªwe''re surrounded. If you try anything reckless, Dave might kill Vince, or worse, we''ll all end up injured," Raze warned.


    "But Vince¡­" Scarlet clenched her fists.


    "Wait!" Raze pointed towards Vince. "Does he look like he''s given up? Do those look like the eyes of a quitter?"


    Taking a stance, Vince saw Dave launch the metal shards toward him. He moved swiftly, deflecting them with his sword, striking one into the ground. But the impact chipped his blade.


    Another shard flew at him¡ªhe dodged, but it grazed his cheek, drawing blood.


    More shards followed, flying relentlessly. Vince dodged as best as he could, but each time, more cuts appeared on his body. His movements slowed. His breath grew ragged.


    Dave finally halted his attack, smirking at Vince''s battered form. Blood dripped from his forehead, mouth, neck, arms, and stomach. His body swayed weakly, his cracked sword trembling in his grip.


    "What happened? Is that all your resolve can muster?" Dave mocked.


    Vince lifted his head, blood running into his eyes. He glared at his brother. "What happened? Is that all you can muster?" he countered, taking a slow step forward.


    Above him, something began to take shape¡ªa porcupine, bristling with sharp quills.


    "Oh! Hahaha!" Dave laughed. "So you learned creation magic, and now you think you stand a chance?!"


    "No. I''m not cocky because of that." Vince smirked. "I''m confident because I know I can bring you down."


    Dave''s grin faltered. "Fine! Bring it on!"


    Vince shot forward, his porcupine at his side. The creature fired quills at Dave, who swiftly created a sword and slashed them midair, breaking them apart. As he focused on the quills, Vince appeared behind him, swinging¡ªbut a loud clang rang out. Dave had hardened his body with metal magic just in time.


    Turning swiftly, Dave''s sword morphed into a gauntlet. He smashed his fist into Vince''s face, sending him flying. Then, leaping up, he conjured a long metal shard and hurled it at the porcupine. The creature dodged, but Dave was faster¡ªhe appeared in front of it, smashing it to pieces with a single swing.


    Landing, he turned to see Vince struggling to stand, his hands clenched tightly around his fractured sword.


    "Vince! Please stop," Scarlet begged, tears streaming down her face. "You''re already injured. Please, just stop."


    "No¡­ no¡­ no¡­ I¡­ I won''t give up until I punch that arrogant smile off his face!" Vince shouted and then he exploded from his position strongly while the broken sword changed its shape to that of a gauntlet with a sharp pointy end.


    Dave was seen smiling with his hands folded as he saw Vince approaching him with a swing towards his face that was about to hit him so he quickly used his metal magic to harden his face when he suddenly felt a strong hit in his gut causing him to cough out blood while looking down to see the sharp end of Vince''s gauntlet had pierced his stomach.


    "Did you think I was foolish enough to call where I would hit?" Vince asked as he twisted his hand that was still in Dave''s gut causing him to yelp in pain while Vince smiled with his face still bleeding but then all of a sudden, he could see Dave vibrating in anger as his teeth was grit with blood still dripping down his mouth.


    Dave''s eyes burned with rage. His body trembled. His teeth gnashed together as blood dripped from his lips.


    "How¡­ dare you¡­ draw my blood, you filthy weakling?!" he bellowed. A wave of power erupted from him, sending Vince hurtling backward. He crashed into the arena''s barrier, which immediately surged with electricity, shocking him violently before he fell to the ground with a sickening thud.


    "Vince!" Scarlet screamed, a terrible feeling twisting in her gut.


    Dave stood there, fists clenched, his body trembling with raw energy. His wound closed as his metal magic hardened his abdomen. His eyes glowed white. His hair floated wildly as an immense aura radiated from him.


    "I¡­ I¡­ I will make you pay! It''s time I showed you the difference between a second-year and a first-year!" Dave declared, a towering spear of metal forming above his head, aimed straight at Vince.


    Scarlet''s breath hitched. The air turned suffocating.


    "No¡­ no¡­ no!" she mumbled as dread consumed her.


    Even the other second-years looked uneasy. "Hey, Dave! Isn''t this going too far?" one of them called out.


    "Shut up! Did I ask for your opinion?!" Dave snapped, his glowing eyes narrowing. His metal spear shot downward, aimed to end Vince''s life.


    Scarlet screamed, fire erupting from her hands as she surged forward. Raze hurled fireballs at the barrier, trying to break it.


    Others rushed to intervene.


    Then¡ªa gust of wind howled through the arena.


    Dave ignored the commotion, focusing only on ending Vince.


    But before his spear could land, a massive whirlwind tore through the air. A figure zipped into the arena at blinding speed, seizing the spear just inches from Vince''s head.


    Electricity crackled around the figure''s strange blue hands, eyes burning with fury.


    "What¡­ do you think you''re doing?!" the newcomer roared, his brown hair floating in the raging wind.


    A tremendous burst of air struck Dave, sending him skidding backward.


    Silence fell over the arena.


    And then, chaos erupted.


    S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 143 - 143: Make you pay for hurting my friend!

    A few minutes ago, Grey was still in the canteen, eating quietly while Greg and his two friends had already left to go wherever they wanted. Grey continued eating slowly until he was finally done, then he went to drop off his dishes, thanking the chef before leaving the canteen with his hands in his pockets.


    "I wonder if Scarlet and the rest managed to stop Vince from acting stupid," Grey mumbled as he headed toward his dorm room slowly, his head lowered in thought.


    "I really don''t want anything bad to happen to Vince. He was the first noble I ever met who didn''t act proud or haughty. Probably because he was a weakling like the peasants, but he is still down to earth," he muttered as he stood in front of his dorm room, his hand resting on the handle. But then, he froze, staring at the door.


    "Do it already. I know you want to head to the arena, so do so before it''s too late," Noir said as Grey''s hand hovered on the door handle.


    ''Why aren''t Scarlet and the rest back with him if they managed to knock some sense into him? Did something happen? But from what I gathered, the dude that wants to duel with Vince is his elder brother, so he won''t do something drastic, right?'' Grey thought, pressing his hand further onto the door handle, about to twist it.


    "F*ck it! There''s no harm in heading there to see if he is okay," Grey said to himself as he let go of the door handle and turned around, heading towards the arena with his hands still in his pockets.


    He started out slow and steady, his mind deep in thought, but as he walked, his pace began to pick up. His heart thumped louder and louder the closer he got to the arena stationed at the end of the academy''s building.


    As he approached, he noticed the massive crowd gathered, further cementing that he was in the right place. Seeing the number of people blocking his view, he used his wind magic to float above them, his eyes scanning the fight below.


    The first thing he saw was Vince''s battered body, covered in multiple injuries and cuts, yet he still didn''t give up. He kept moving, only to be sent flying by a punch to the face. Even so, he came back again, this time landing a punch to Dave''s gut.


    "He¡­ he got him? Did I underestimate Vince?" Grey muttered, eyes fixed on the fight. The crowd was so focused that no one noticed someone floating above them.


    Grey, still watching, noticed something different about Dave. The entire atmosphere around him shifted after Vince landed the hit, and his suspicion was confirmed when he heard Noir screaming in his head.


    "You dumbass human! Get your friend out of there right this moment!" Noir screamed.


    "Huh? Why? Although I feel something is wrong, that dude shouldn''t be able to move after Vince landed that bl¡ª" Grey stuttered as a strange energy erupted around Dave, throwing Vince against the barrier and electrocuting him on the spot. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then he heard Dave''s friends yelling at him that he was going too far. His eyes were now white, his hair floated above his shoulders, and energy spilled out of him as he slowly walked toward Vince.


    "You fool! If you don''t act fast, Vince will die! What his brother is using is the breakthrough mode¡ªa state that grants the user an immense amount of mana, making their spells and magic exponentially stronger.


    I don''t have time to lecture you! His breakthrough is still incomplete, so you still have a chance. Once it''s complete, not even you can stop him!" Noir screamed as they saw Dave create a massive metal spear, while Scarlet and the rest prepared to charge. Flames burst wildly around Scarlet.


    "If you say it''s dangerous, then¡­" Grey muttered as the wind around him intensified, sending a powerful gust through the crowd. In an instant, lightning gauntlets and boots materialized on his hands and legs. Then, with a thunderous burst, he shot forward at immense speed, his lightning armor and wind magic propelling him. He crashed into the barrier, shattering it completely, and landed in front of the spear, grabbing it with his gauntlet-covered hands.


    "What¡­ what do you think you are doing?!" Grey shouted, his brown hair floating as a powerful burst of wind sent Dave skidding backward.


    "Woah! Who the hell is that?" someone in the crowd asked.


    "The real question is, why the hell would someone foolishly crash into that place?" another muttered.


    "That¡­ Grey?!" Scarlet exclaimed as the wild flames around her began to subside. Grey rose to his feet, gripping the spear before swinging it back toward Dave. But with a mere touch of his fingertip, Dave caused the spear to explode into metallic fragments.


    "How¡­ how dare you interrupt me?!" Dave roared, slowly floating into the air.


    "More like, how dare you do that to my friend?!" Grey shouted, invisible sparks crackling in the air between them.


    "Friend?" Dave sneered, then chuckled. "That weakling over there isn''t supposed to have any friends. He isn''t even supposed to be in this academy at all!"


    "Oh? And you have the right to be here?! Clearly, you''ve lost control. A hotheaded fool like you shouldn''t even be allowed here, let alone be sent on missions!" Grey retorted.


    "Clearly, you don''t know who I am or what I''m capable of," Dave said as his body began to glow softly.


    "Oh, I know who you are, alright¡ªa jerk and a hotheaded dumbass who would kill his own younger sibling, the one he should be protecting. You''re a disgrace to us older siblings!" Grey growled as lightning bolts struck the ground around him.


    "Grey, hurry up! His breakthrough is becoming complete!" Noir warned, his voice filled with urgency.


    "And I will make sure you pay," Grey said, his feet shifting as his narrowed eyes locked onto Dave. Lightning crackled around him, growing more intense as he crouched low, pressing his hands against the ground like a sprinter at the starting line.


    "Make you pay for hurting my friend!" he roared as he exploded forward with a resounding bang that echoed throughout the entire arena.

 Chapter 144 - 144: No match!

    "And I will make sure you pay," Grey said, his eyes narrowing into slits as lightning crackled around him. He bent forward, hands on the ground, poised like a sprinter at the starting line.


    "Make you pay for hurting my friend!" he roared, launching forward with such force that a deafening boom echoed through the arena.


    In an instant, he shot into the air toward Dave, who hovered above. Before Dave could react, Grey''s lightning-clad fist slammed into his face, sending him crashing down with a thunderous impact that bent the canvas beneath him. Grey dived after him, wind magic boosting his speed to incredible levels, shattering multiple sound barriers as he closed in.


    Just as Grey''s fist was about to strike again, Dave vanished. Grey''s punch missed, and he crashed into the canvas. He quickly sprang to his feet, scanning the area. A metal fist materialized out of nowhere, slamming into his face and sending him hurtling into the barrier. Sparks of lightning erupted on impact, but they didn''t harm him. As he stood, a long metal sword shot toward him.


    "I''m going to show you!" Grey shouted, propelling himself forward. Wind wrapped around his arm as he struck the sword midair, sparks flying as it crashed into the ground.


    Before his feet touched down, he unleashed a flurry of wind blades at Dave. Dave clapped his hands, conjuring a massive metal shield that absorbed the attacks without a scratch.


    Grey''s voice rang out. "Wind Magic: Aerius Ultra!"


    A violent gust exploded forth, hammering into Dave''s shield and sending him hurtling backward. Before he could hit the barrier, he enveloped himself in metal, dulling the impact. But in that instant, Grey appeared before him, lightning gauntlet swinging. The punch connected, smashing Dave''s head into the metal barrier and launching him across the arena.


    "Raze! Vanica! Get Vince out of here and heal him, now!" Grey ordered.


    The two wasted no time, sprinting to retrieve Vince. As they retreated, a massive metal sword hurtled toward them. Grey reacted instantly, sending a controlled burst of wind to redirect the blade, slamming it into the opposite side of the barrier with a resounding clang. The path was clear for Vince to escape.


    "Vanica! Heal him now!" Scarlet cried, tears streaming as Vanica got to work. The arena trembled with the force of Grey and Dave''s battle.


    "Who the hell is going to stop these two monsters?" Raze muttered, watching the clash of fists, spells, and raw power.


    "Only one person can," Arthur said before dashing out of the arena, leaving the others to tend to Vince.


    "Where is that idiot going?" Raze asked before another shockwave sent him stumbling.


    Grey panted, his movements a blur as he dodged the fifty metal shards relentlessly chasing him. No matter how fast he moved, they adjusted their course.


    "Then I just have to do this!" he growled, summoning his sword from his pendant. As he dove through the air, he struck one shard away, used wind magic to evade another, and slashed through a third.


    He danced through the storm of metal, deflecting and destroying shards until one suddenly accelerated and struck his shoulder, sending him spiraling. A metal fist followed up, slamming him into the ground, shattering the canvas beneath him.


    Dave approached with a smirk. "I told that weakling the same thing I''ll tell you." He reinforced his knee with metal and drove it into Grey''s face, blood and spit spraying as Grey''s head snapped back against the canvas.


    "We are not on the same level. And with my breakthrough mode nearly complete, you will finally face my full wrath." Dave hovered above him, exuding a terrifying aura.


    But before he could react, something coiled around his ankle. Looking down, he saw a whip of pure lightning, its end clutched by a bloodied Grey.


    "And I''ll tell you this," Grey snarled, yanking the whip. "You are no f*cking match for me¡ªbreakthrough mode or not!"


    Dave was ripped from the air and slammed into the ground with such force that deep cracks splintered across the arena.


    ''If I weren''t holding back my magic, you wouldn''t have even landed a single hit on me!'' Grey thought furiously, watching Dave rise with nothing more than a minor scratch.


    ''Seriously?! Does this guy even take damage?!''


    A wide grin spread across Dave''s face as metallic energy crackled around him. His body glowed bright white, his eyes devoid of pupils, and his hair lifted unnaturally above his shoulders.


    "Finally!" Dave exhaled, his voice reverberating with raw energy. "Now I know who you are. You''re that dual-elementalist peasant from the first years!"


    The air thickened with tension as dozens of metal constructs¡ªswords, spears, shards, fists, and balls¡ªmanifested around him, their numbers overwhelming.


    "Even with two affinities, you are still no match for someone who has broken through!" Dave declared.


    With a snap of his fingers, the deadly barrage launched toward Grey at blinding speed. He swallowed hard, bracing for impact.


    _______


    {A/N}


    For more updates on MSS, MS and future works, please remember to follow me up on my social media accounts below.


    Instagram: KBKayboy.


    Facebook: KBKayboy. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When news on MS or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first. Also, if you want to chat, say something or ask a question which you can''t do here, my social media accounts above, are very much active.


    Also, our mass release goals for this month is out guys!


    100 Power stones= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate making it a total of 4 chapters to be released.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate making it a total of 4 chapters to be released.


    Magic Castle= 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters.


    I''m sure you all are wondering why the PS and GT criteria has become low... Well it''s because I realized that we aren''t many here so hence the reduction. The former criteria will be used when Magus Supremacy''s family has become many. So let''s go ??????

 Chapter 145 - 145: Go all out!

    The fight between Grey and Dave was devastating, destructive, and intense¡ªso much so that some spectators struggled to keep up with the action, their eyes darting across the canvas in an attempt to follow the battle properly. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The second years were in disbelief. They never imagined anyone among them, let alone a first-year, could keep up with Dave and match him blow for blow.


    Why was this such a shock? Because Dave was the son of a squad captain, granting him immense advantages and privileges. He had been trained firsthand by his father since childhood, growing into a monster in both magic and combat. The same was expected of Vince when he was born, but he turned out to be a weakling, lacking the talent to be considered even a shadow of a competitor for Dave.


    This subjected Vince to bullying, even among the nobles¡ªand by his own brother. And now, before their eyes, a peasant was going toe-to-toe with Dave, even as he attempted to break through. Now that Dave had fully broken through, the first thing he wanted to do was go all out. Constructs made entirely of metal materialized around him.


    "You shouldn''t have interfered between two siblings! Now, this is your punishment!" Dave shouted, snapping his fingers and sending the metal constructs hurtling toward Grey at frightening speed.


    ''Shit! I don''t have any magic that can block this except Earth. But if I use it here, my lie about only having two affinities will be exposed,'' Grey thought. Suddenly, black smoke began appearing from his hand.


    "What are you doing, Noir? You can''t be seen," Grey whispered.


    "And I won''t," Noir replied. The smoke swiftly moved like an invisible blur as the constructs closed in. Grey braced himself, ready to defend, when¡ª


    BOOM!


    The constructs blew up entirely.


    Everyone¡ªDave, Grey, his friends, and even the second years¡ªstood stunned. A black smoke streaked back toward Grey''s hand.


    "How¡­ how did they blow up?" Grey muttered, staring at his hands.


    "That''s all I can do for you for now. Take care of the rest," Noir said.


    Grey smirked. ''I guess you''re not so useless after all.''


    Three bolts of lightning flared around him while two wind blades hovered above the ground, their tips aimed at Dave.


    "My turn!" Grey shouted, snapping his fingers as the lightning bolts shot toward Dave.


    Dave grinned. A metal sword appeared in his hand as he dashed forward. Pivoting mid-air, he swung the flat side of his sword into one bolt, sending sparks flying before it dissipated. Another bolt came at him, but his arm suddenly hardened into metal, allowing him to slam it away effortlessly.


    Grey followed up by sending his two wind blades from one side and the final lightning bolt from the other, while he charged straight at Dave.


    Dave''s eyes gleamed. Another sword materialized in his hand. He dashed forward, maneuvering like a nimble cat, deflecting the wind blades and lightning bolt back toward Grey, who leaped backward. A burst of wind shot from Grey''s palm, striking Dave and pushing him back.


    Slapping his hands together, Grey conjured a long lightning bullet and fired it at immense speed. It tore into Dave''s shoulder, leaving a deep hole as blood dripped down.


    Dave froze, staring at his injury. Grey seized the opportunity, zipping forward and slamming his lightning-clad fist into Dave''s face, sending him crashing into the metal barrier. Jolts of electricity coursed through Dave''s body. Blood trickled from his mouth as he glared at Grey, falling from the barrier.


    "You shouldn''t have done what you did to Vince. Now, you''re going to pay for it!" Grey declared, stepping forward. But then Dave chuckled. The chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh.


    "Make me pay?! Hahaha! Are you delusional?" Dave sneered, rising to his feet. Grey hesitated. "Do these minor injuries give you hope?" He glanced at his shoulder, and to Grey''s shock, the wound was healing rapidly.


    ''How¡­ how is this possible? Does he have healing magic? But how?!'' Grey''s lips quivered as he took a step back.


    "That''s not healing magic," Noir explained. "It''s an advantage of breakthrough mode. It''s not as effective as actual healing magic, but it''s still handy¡ªand has limits."


    Dave cackled. "Hahaha! I see your lips quivering. Good! Great! Lovely! Fear me! Revere me! Because you won''t have the chance to do so again¡ªyou''ll be buried right here!"


    He burst forward with terrifying speed, as if teleporting. Metal engulfed his fist, and he slammed it into Grey''s face, sending him flying and bouncing across the canvas.


    Snapping his fingers, Dave summoned three metal swords and sent them speeding toward Grey, who barely managed to evade using his wind magic. Panting hard, blood dripped from his nose.


    "I''m¡­ I''m¡­ I''m¡­" Grey stuttered between ragged breaths.


    Dave raised an eyebrow. "You''re what? Sorry?" he mocked with a chuckle.


    "I''m¡­ I''m fcking tired of holding back!" Grey roared, his teeth gritted. Looking down at his hands and legs, he saw his lightning boots and gauntlets flickering in and out.


    ''I only have three seconds before they disappear,'' he realized. Clenching his fists, he made his decision.


    "I just have to make it count! Time to go all out!" Grey shouted.


    "Keh Keh Keh! Fine, let''s go all out!" Dave cackled. Metal gauntlets formed around his hands, metal boots encased his legs, a helmet covered his head, and full-body armor materialized.


    Grey took a step back, bent forward, and then¡ªboom! He burst forward. Earth formed around his hand, shaping into a deadly, pointed lance as he charged at Dave, who also dashed forward at full speed.


    "Damn it! If they collide, they won''t survive the hit!" Raze shouted, his eyes wide.


    "No! Someone stop them! They''ll take each other out!" Scarlet screamed in fear for Grey''s life.


    "Help is here," Arthur said calmly. The others turned to see him¡ªbut no one else. Then¡ª


    BANG!


    The barrier shattered.


    Grey and Dave were moments from colliding, about to unleash their strongest attacks.


    "Enough of this foolishness!" A powerful voice rang out as someone crashed between them. But Grey and Dave didn''t care. They launched their attacks¡ª


    Only for metal to wrap around the newcomer''s arm. With a single swing, he sent them both flying, crashing into the barriers, utterly destroying them. Grey and Dave were knocked out cold.

 Chapter 146 - 146: The disruptor!

    "Help is here," Arthur said as they turned around to see him, but no one was with him. Then¡ªbang! The barrier broke open. Turning back, they saw Grey and Dave about to strike each other with all their strength when¡ª


    "Enough of this foolishness!" a voice roared as someone crashed between them. But neither cared and continued their attack. Suddenly, metal surrounded the person''s hand, and with a powerful swing, he sent both students flying. They crashed into the barriers, completely destroying them, before falling unconscious.


    Standing at the center of the canvas was a man with flowing brown hair and sharp brown eyes, his hands encased in metal gauntlets. On either side of him lay Grey and Dave, knocked out cold. The fighting aura and breakthrough mode had vanished completely.


    "Ca¡­cap¡­ Captain Amir?!" Scarlet gasped. Then, she felt movement beneath her as Vince slowly opened his eyes, twitching as he tried to sit up. "Vince?! You okay? You shouldn''t be moving so much."


    "I¡­ I''m okay." Vince touched his head, then his face, surprise etched on his features. "Huh?! I''m not bleeding anymore? Wait! Scarlet?! How am I out?" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Woah! Easy with the questions, bro," Raze said, walking over but swiftly glancing back at the cage.


    "What''s goi¡ª" Vince stuttered as he turned and saw Captain Amir standing inside the cage with Grey and Dave sprawled beside him. "Da¡­ Captain?" he muttered as he slowly stood, watching Amir approach Dave.


    Dave twitched slightly. Before he could open his eyes, a sharp slap landed across his cheek, snapping them open. He found himself face-to-face with Amir.


    "Da¡­ Dad?" Dave stammered, only to be lifted into the air by a single hand.


    "That''s Captain to you, you doofus!" Amir bellowed, his voice seething with anger.


    "Woah! I don''t think I''ve ever seen the Captain this mad," a second-year whispered.


    "That''s the truth," Vince muttered, his hands clenched, his heart pounding for Dave. "Dad has never been angry before¡ªnot even when Dave played dirty or when I brought shame to the family name. But now¡­ I think he believes Dave has crossed the line."


    "If that''s the case, then what will happen to Grey and your brother?" Arthur asked, blaming himself for calling Amir. But it had been the only option¡ªhe couldn''t think of anyone strong enough to stop the two monsters'' clash.


    "I''m¡­ I''m sorry, Ca¡­ Captain," Dave stuttered.


    "What was all that?! How dare you pull this stunt? Not only that, but you also tried to kill your younger brother and a junior squad member while using the breakthrough mode!" Amir thundered, tightening his grip on Dave''s collar as the air around them grew heavier.


    "It¡­ it wasn''t intentional, sir! I''m sorry!" Dave pleaded.


    "Not intentional?! You''re sorry?!" Amir''s rage exploded as he swung Dave to the ground. Blood spurted from his mouth, his eyes rolling back. Before he could lose consciousness, Amir yanked him up again.


    "You''ve really crossed the line today, and you will pay severely!" Amir declared, his metal gauntleted fist smashing into Dave''s face, sending another spray of blood flying.


    "I know you''re strong and resilient, so you should be able to withstand this much," Amir said before slamming his fist into Dave''s stomach, making him spit up blood and saliva.


    He raised his fist again, about to strike when¡ª


    "Da¡­ Captain!" Vince called out, stepping forward despite his limp. "Please stop!"


    Hearing Vince''s voice, Amir''s hand froze. He turned, glaring at Dave.


    "See?! Do you see why you''ll never be like Vince?! Even though you tried to kill him, put him down, and humiliated him, he still stands up for you. Meanwhile, you''re just a worthless battle maniac!" Amir growled, swinging Dave away like a ragdoll. He collapsed, clutching his abdomen in pain.


    ''You¡­ because of you, Dad hit me! I¡­ I will never forgive you and your friends! That''s a promise!'' Dave vowed internally, glaring first at Vince, then at Grey, who twitched slightly before his eyes snapped open. As he slowly stood, his head felt heavy¡ªuntil his collar was suddenly yanked forward.


    "And you!" Amir barked, glaring at Grey, who looked stunned. "Thank you for saving Vince from certain death. I suppose you are reliable, even if you act awkwardly." He released Grey gently, who turned to glare at Dave.


    ''I can''t believe I lost my cool there for a second. What if I had revealed my other affinities in front of everyone? Thank heavens Amir stopped me in time,'' Grey thought.


    "You!" Amir turned back to Dave. "You will be punished for your recklessness. You''re sitting out of two missions."


    "Two whole missions?!" Dave shouted, pushing himself up. "My stars will be at stake! I could lose my ranking because of this!"


    "And how is that my problem?" Amir shot back. "Maybe now, you''ll think twice before acting foolishly."


    Then, his gaze swept over the crowd of students that had gathered. "Do you all need a formal invitation to leave? Get the hell out of here¡ªnow!"


    "Sorry, Captain!" The students scrambled away.


    As Amir walked off, his thoughts lingered on Grey. ''Grey¡­ thank you for helping and protecting Vince. Despite limiting your abilities, you went toe-to-toe with someone in breakthrough mode. If you''re already this strong¡­ I can''t wait to see what you''ll accomplish after mastering breakthrough mode yourself. Maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªyou''ll even surpass me someday.''


    A small smile crossed Amir''s lips as he left the arena.


    ________


    {A/N}


    For more updates on MSS, MS and future works, please remember to follow me up on my social media accounts below.


    Instagram: KBKayboy.


    Facebook: KBKayboy.


    When news on MS or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first. Also, if you just want to chat, say something or ask a question you can''t do here, then I''m active on any of the accounts above.


    Also, our mass release goals is locked in for this month guys!


    100 power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters.

 Chapter 147 - 147: Not as bad as I thought.

    "Did you hear?" someone asked his fellow student as they stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall.


    "Heard what?" the student asked.


    "That a first-year beat up Dave Walter!" the student replied.


    "A first-year beat up Dave? Impossible! Stop making things up, please," the student said and was about to leave.


    "I''m serious. I saw it with my own eyes. Just a few moments ago, they were fighting at the arena, and Dave even had to go into breakthrough mode but was still unable to defeat him," the student said.


    "Hahaha! And you really want me to believe that? You just said he went into breakthrough mode and still couldn''t defeat a first-year?" the student laughed.


    "I''m serious! I saw it with my own eyes," the student said. "I''m not crazy."


    "Tch! Next time you want to cook up something, make it more believable," the student said as he scoffed while leaving the hallway when two more students passed by them.


    "I can''t believe that a first-year really f*cked Dave up," one of the two students said.


    "Dude even went into breakthrough mode and was still beaten out of it," the second one said, and they laughed about it when the other student that was leaving earlier halted his steps as he turned back to see his partner pointing to his ears and then back at the two discussing students.


    And that was how the news of a first-year beating up the son of the Lunaria squad''s captain to the extent that he went into breakthrough mode and was still beaten out of it spread like wildfire in just ten minutes of the students being dispersed from the arena.


    The news mostly spread among the second years while Dave was in the clinic getting checked up, and Grey and his group were seen in their own level clinic as Vince was still getting checked up for internal injuries.


    Even Grey was getting checked up for injuries too as he lay in his bed while reminiscing on the fight that happened twenty minutes ago.


    ''Why did I call Vince my friend, and why did my blood boil so much seeing him in that condition? And what the hell is that breakthrough thingy? It suddenly amplified his magic, mana, speed, strength, and even durability,'' Grey thought, and then something flashed in his mind.


    The image of when Noir came out and immediately eliminated the metal constructs that were heading for him earlier.


    ''Noir! How did you do that earlier? You were so fast that I was unable to keep up,'' Grey thought.


    "Tch! That was half my normal speed. I just came out and moved so fast that no one was able to keep up and used my laser magic on the constructs, blowing them up. No biggie," Noir replied.


    ''Wait! Half your normal speed? Who are you kidding? I was able to keep up with you earlier. You were not as fast as this,'' Grey thought.


    "I wasn''t, and if you remember, I told you I was weakened after the fight with the otherworlders along with my previous owner. That was why I challenged you to a fight to gauge your strength and also attach myself to you.


    The more I''m around you, the more your mana feeds me, helping me recover from my previous injuries and the restrictions placed on me," Noir replied.


    ''Wait! That wasn''t your full power nor your speed?!'' Grey screamed in his mind as he gulped loudly, fearing how much more powerful Noir would become if he stuck with him a bit longer.


    "And just a reminder, I told you that when I''m strong enough, I will still challenge you to a fight. I need to know that my owner is capable and strong. If not, I will just kill you off," Noir said, and then he went quiet.


    ''Challenge? Kill me off?! I''m telling you, I will get so much stronger that I will be the one who burns you to a crisp, you annoying familiar,'' Grey screamed in his head, but there was no response when¡­


    "Grey." Vince called out as he was seen heading towards him. "Thank you," he said, bowing down slightly towards Grey. "If you hadn''t come on time, I wouldn''t be here by now. So for that, you have my gratitude."


    "It was nothing. I really like you, that''s why I didn''t let you die. You are not like some arrogant nobles," Grey said as he looked towards Scarlet, who just scoffed.


    "Thank you for saving my friend, even though you are an annoying, arrogant peasant," Scarlet scoffed.


    "I didn''t know you considered Vince your friend," Raze said, stepping forward with a chuckle when Grey shot him a death glare.


    "Did I ask you to interfere?" he asked.


    "Yikes! You are such a sucker. Why don''t you admit to some things?" Raze scoffed when he saw a wind blade appear in front of him, and he gulped loudly in fear. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And then the blade disappeared with Grey chuckling slightly.


    "You all are not as bad as I think," he muttered a little loud as he walked forward and then glanced towards Scarlet. "Although some people are still annoying."


    "I will burn you to a crisp, you annoying peasant!" Scarlet said, and a burst of flames erupted around her hands.


    "Can you even contend with me? If you can, then let''s go," Grey smirked, and the flames around Scarlet''s hand diminished.


    "You both really act like lovers at times," Arthur commented with a chuckle when the whole room suddenly got hot as Grey and Scarlet shouted at once.


    "We are not and would never be lovers!"


    "Yeah, right," Vince chuckled.


    ---


    {A/N}


    Want more chapters? Our mass release goals are still active!


    100 power stones = 2 extra chapters plus the usual release rate.


    50 Golden tickets = 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate.


    Magic castle = 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft = 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon = 15 chapters... Thank you all for your supports ??????

 Chapter 148 - 148: Beast hunt.

    Days had passed since Grey''s clash with Dave, yet the rumors still burned like wildfire. Though some third-years dismissed it as mere gossip, the second-years who had witnessed it firsthand knew better¡ªwhat they had seen was no rumor.


    Life for the first-years gradually returned to its usual rhythm. They trained, studied, and sparred, yet an unspoken shift had occurred.


    During this time, Grey made a conscious effort to grow closer to his peers. He had realized that not all of them were as unbearable as he had initially thought. Most hadn''t even tried to bully him¡ªnot that they could.


    He started with Raze, maintaining the rules he had set in place, particularly the no-touching rule. Despite this, their conversations flowed naturally, and a sense of camaraderie slowly formed.


    His relationship with Scarlet remained the same¡ªrivalrous, laced with sharp banter¡ªwhile Greg, along with his two noble friends, continued to distance themselves from the commoners.


    Today, however, would mark a change.


    Von had noticed the growing divide between nobles and commoners among the first-years. Unwilling to let it fester, he devised a plan and brought it before the academy''s higher-ups. Seeing no harm in it, they approved his proposal.


    And so, the announcement was made.


    The first-years would be teleported to another planet for a week-long practical training. But this wasn''t just any training¡ªthis time, teamwork was not optional. All ten of them would have to work together.


    Now, they stood in a dimly lit chamber, surrounded by swirling runes pulsating with white light, casting eerie shadows across the room. A frigid aura hung in the air, sending an involuntary shiver down their spines. Grey''s eyes flickered as he studied the runes, their intricate patterns reminding him of the ones he had drawn before being transported to the dwarf world.


    Von''s voice rang through the chamber, his tone firm and commanding.


    "Listen well! This will be a beast-hunting exercise. Your task is to gather thirty magical crystal cores within the week. This is not a competition. You are to work together. Failure to meet the quota will result in consequences."


    "Thirty cores?" Greg scoffed, arching a brow. "That''s excessive."


    "Not if you cooperate instead of going off on your own," Von countered.


    Vince, ever cautious, voiced his concern. "How safe is this planet?"


    Von smirked. "Every rune in this chamber connects to worlds that have been thoroughly scouted by high-ranking mages. You weaklings will be fine."


    "What''s the strongest beast we could encounter?" Scarlet asked, her eyes gleaming with interest.


    Von shrugged. "Can''t say for certain. But nothing above level seven¡ªmost likely. However, be warned¡­ The planet has a dominant entity¡ªthe boss.


    Defeating it will cause the portal to snap shut within ten seconds. If you fail to return before then, you''ll be stranded. If left alone, the portal remains open, ensuring your safe return."


    Grey narrowed his eyes. "Won''t an open portal risk allowing beasts to invade this side?"


    "We''ve accounted for that. No beast can pass through. We have¡­ mechanisms in place." Von''s lips curled slightly.


    Greg stepped forward impatiently. "Can we get on with this?"


    Von chuckled. "Eager, aren''t we? You have no idea what awaits."


    Greg scoffed. "Whatever."


    Arthur spoke up next. "You''re not coming with us, are you?"


    Von shook his head. "No. If I were there, I''d be tempted to intervene when things got rough, and that would defeat the purpose of this training. You are meant to grow stronger."


    ''And to work together,'' he thought to himself.


    "Fine." Grey shrugged, stepping forward. The others followed, standing shoulder to shoulder before the glowing portal.


    "Remember," Von reminded them, his voice taking on a final note of warning, "thirty cores within a week. And do not¡ªunder any circumstances¡ªengage the boss before then. If you do and it falls, you''ll have mere seconds to escape, and I doubt you''ll make it back in time."


    "Yeah, yeah, we got it," Scarlet said dismissively as they began stepping through the portal one by one. Soon, only Von remained in the chamber.


    He sighed, watching the swirling vortex ripple. "Good luck," he murmured before turning to leave.


    But as soon as he exited, the air in the chamber shifted.


    A soft swoosh filled the space, and two figures materialized before the portal.


    One was a hunched man with sunken eyes, his presence exuding a sinister, enigmatic aura. Beside him stood a younger man, clad in flowing grey robes. His orange hair shimmered under the glow of the runes, his expression etched with cruel amusement.


    The hunched man''s voice was low, rasping.


    "You know your orders. Eliminate the one called Grey. Do not harm the others¡ªsome of them are nobles, and their families would not take kindly to their untimely deaths.


    But Grey? He''s a peasant. No one will notice his absence. Make sure the job is clean. No witnesses."


    The younger man smirked. "A level two mage with only two affinities? And I''m level four¡­ This will be effortless."


    With that, he stepped into the portal, vanishing into the same unknown world as Grey and his team.


    The hunched man watched him go, his lips twisting into a sinister sneer.


    "With this¡­ no one¡ªabsolutely no one¡ªwill ever uncover the truth about the otherworlders."


    The air trembled. Another swooshing sound echoed through the chamber.


    And then, silence.


    The portal shimmered, runes pulsating with an eerie white glow, as if whispering secrets to the void.


    ______


    {A/N} S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I hope you all are ready for what''s to happen next???? the fight is going to be epic. BTW, please guys don''t forget to keep supporting the book with power stones, Golden tickets and Gifts. All of these keeps fueling my determination to pump more chapters for you all.


    Also, if you all want to get ahead of the release schedule, then our mass release goals is the perfect thing for that.


    100 power stones= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate making it a total of 4 chapters to be released.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic castle= 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters.

 Chapter 149 - 149: Time to hunt a student!

    Stepping out of the portal, the first-year squad was immediately greeted by the harsh terrain beneath their feet¡ªrugged, crimson-red earth riddled with craters and jagged ridges. Behind them, the portal remained open, shimmering faintly, a comforting reminder that their exit was still accessible.


    With that assurance, they finally raised their heads to take in the world that would serve as their home for the next week¡ªand were instantly struck by the atmosphere. The air was so thick and oppressive it felt as if a gravitational spell was pushing down on their shoulders.


    ''How did I not feel this earlier?'' Grey thought, struggling to lift his foot, let alone walk.


    This was Planet Verrar¡ªa wild, untamed world brimming with danger. Towering crimson forests loomed in the distance, dense and seemingly alive. Massive rock formations hovered in the air, suspended by invisible forces. Above them stretched an eternal twilight sky, where the sun never fully set, casting the land in an eerie orange-purple hue. A dense mist veiled the landscape, limiting visibility and casting long shadows.


    The very air vibrated with a subtle, haunting hum¡ªa sign of the planet''s overwhelming mana saturation. Bioluminescent flora pulsed gently, casting faint glows across their path, while rivers of deep indigo liquid flowed quietly through the terrain. Rumors claimed that drinking from them could enhance one''s mana ever so slightly.


    The atmosphere was clearly denser than Arondale''s¡ªsomething they could all now feel in their bones. Their movements were sluggish, almost laborious, as though they were wading through invisible mud.


    A loud grunt drew their attention behind. Arthur and the poison user were locked in a battle with gravity, barely able to lift their feet, yet still pushing forward with grit.


    ''Hold on¡­ I might have something that can help,'' Grey thought as he closed his eyes, focusing inward. A moment later, a faint, soft red glow shimmered across his skin¡ªhis mana skin activating silently, nearly imperceptible to those around him. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He took a step. Light. Controlled. Effortless.


    A grin spread across his face. "Much better," he muttered.


    The others could only gawk.


    "I give up!" Raze exclaimed, dragging his feet forward. "At this point, no matter what this guy pulls out, I''m done being surprised."


    The others grumbled as they struggled to keep pace, each step draining what little energy they had left. Their breathing grew heavier, sweat drenching their robes as though they had run a marathon.


    Taking in a deep breath, Grey smiled and remarked, "Beautiful planet, isn''t it?"


    He turned around to face the others, his smile widening at the sight of their exhausted forms. "Not like any of you can relate though."


    "You¡­" Scarlet growled, fists clenched, but even talking was a chore.


    "Has Instructor Von lost his mind?! How could they send us here when we can barely walk, let alone fight beasts?!" Raze barked.


    "This is what you signed up for. Either endure it, or quit," Greg snapped, though the strain in his voice betrayed how close he was to collapsing.


    "Like hell I signed up for this!" Raze retorted.


    "Shut up, you idiot! Want to attract beasts already?!" Vince hissed, then forced himself to calm down.


    "C''mon," Grey said, already walking ahead, hands casually tucked in his pockets. "Let''s find shelter first. Then we can talk about how we''ll be hunting these beasts¡ªassuming you''re not all too pathetic by then."


    "Like hell I''m moving a step forward with you," Scarlet shot back.


    "Suit yourself. But I''m curious how you plan to run when a beast charges at you." Grey chuckled, not bothering to look back.


    The others groaned and reluctantly followed, dragging their bodies behind him. Scarlet hesitated for a moment, then clenched her jaw.


    ''If this was back home, I could face down a level 3 beast without flinching. But here, with this cursed atmosphere, I wouldn''t even last long enough to cast my third spell,'' she thought bitterly, before forcing herself to move forward.


    Behind them, the portal flickered¡ªthen out stepped a young man with vibrant orange hair, hands tucked into his pockets. His eyes gleamed with quiet malice as he scanned the alien landscape.


    "What an interesting planet," he murmured. The weight of the atmosphere slammed against him, but his mana skin flared to life instantly, forming an invisible barrier that let him walk with ease.


    "It''s almost like this place was tailor-made for me. With this kind of pressure, my target will barely be able to walk¡ªlet alone fight."


    A cold smile spread across his lips. "His little twin affinities won''t be of any use here."


    Then came a low chuckle.


    "Oh, this is going to be fun¡­ Time to go hunt a loudmouth fool," he whispered, stepping away from the portal and into the thick mist, following the distant traces of the squad ahead.


    Meanwhile, the first-years were completely drenched in sweat, struggling to remain upright. Grey, on the other hand, strode effortlessly ahead, hands in his pockets, whistling a soft, cheerful tune.


    ''Noir was right,'' Grey mused. ''I won''t be able to take down the Emperor or face the otherworlders alone when that time comes. I''ll need a strong force beside me¡ªpeople I can trust to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me.''


    ''That means these idiots will have to improve. And fast. So this hellish world is perfect for them.''


    "Hey! Will you stop that annoying whistling?!" Jay snapped. "It''s driving me crazy!"


    Grey didn''t stop. "Don''t like it? Stay behind," he replied casually.


    Then suddenly, Grey stopped walking, causing everyone else to halt with ragged breaths.


    "Wh¡­ What is it? Why did we stop?" Arthur managed to gasp, on the verge of collapse.


    Grey didn''t answer. He crouched down, placing his hands on the rocky ground. Sparks of lightning crackled from his palms, racing out in every direction¡ªslithering across the terrain like glowing veins.


    "What was that?" Greg asked, blinking in surprise.


    "A type of mana tracking," Grey replied. "Using my lightning affinity, I can spread my mana across a large area to sense the presence¡ªor absence¡ªof mana and lifeforms. I''m searching for a place with the least mana flow, where we can rest."


    "Awwn! You do care," Raze smirked.


    "Tch. Don''t flatter yourself. I just don''t want weaklings slowing me down in battle," Grey scoffed, then stood up and pointed ahead. "That way."


    With no better options, the group silently followed him once more, their footsteps echoing softly through the strange, alien world.

 Chapter 150 - 150: Rest up!

    The team approached a looming cave nestled amidst jagged cliffs. They would have arrived much earlier if it weren''t for frequent stops¡ªeither to avoid prowling beasts or to wait for those struggling to walk for¡­ obvious reasons. But finally, they had made it.


    Without hesitation, the team members dashed past Grey and collapsed inside, hitting the ground with audible groans. Their chests heaved in and out, lungs begging for air.


    Grey entered last, his eyes scanning the interior. The cave was cavernous¡ªeasily spacious enough to house ten beasts side by side. It was perfect. His teammates were already gulping down water, their bodies sprawled out in pure exhaustion.


    "Chill, guys! At this rate, our water supply''s gonna run dry before we even start hunting," Raze muttered.


    "You forget we''ve got an endless supply right here?" Arthur said, gesturing toward Jay, who silently sipped his water.


    "Right! He''s a water mage. Incredibly convenient," Scarlet added.


    Grey moved toward a quiet corner and sat down, his sharp gaze dancing across the cave walls, the uneven ground, and up to the craggy ceiling above.


    ''This is a solid hideout,'' he thought. ''Doesn''t look like there''s a back entrance. Just one way in and one way out¡ªgood.''


    "Hey! Want a bottle of water?" Vince called out, lifting one up.


    ''Try to mingle more with them,'' Grey reminded himself.


    "Yeah, sure," he replied.


    Vince tossed it over, and Grey casually summoned a breeze to guide it toward him. He unscrewed the cap and took a sip.


    ''Awwn! He looks cute while drinking water,'' Vanica thought, cheeks turning rosy. Scarlet, catching the look, narrowed her eyes.


    "What are you looking at?" she asked. ''Wait! Why did I just ask that? Why do I care?!''


    "It''s¡­ it''s nothing," Vanica stammered, looking away with a small blush.


    "We''ve got shelter, water, and clothes to change into," Arthur began, raising a finger, "but no one''s talking about the most important thing¡ªfood!"


    "Shouldn''t the most important thing be finding a better way to move around this planet?" asked Gordon, the poison user.


    "That''s important, sure. But don''t we need food to fuel that movement?" Arthur replied with a pointed brow.


    "I heard beast meat is edible," said Vorden, the mist user and Greg''s close friend.


    "Ewww! How can a noble like you even think of eating beast meat?" Vince asked, visibly appalled.


    "I heard, doesn''t mean I want to eat it. But considering our situation, we might not have much of a choice," Vorden said with a shrug.


    "I''ll head out and hunt a beast. That should give us enough meat for tonight," Grey said, pushing to his feet before leaving the cave.


    "Is¡­ is Grey becoming kinder lately?" Raze asked.


    "Yeah, sure. Like that arrogant peasant would care about anyone but himself," Scarlet scoffed.


    "I don''t know. He seemed pretty decent saving Vince from Dave," Vanica added.


    "That''s your opinion. I still see him as a damn peasant," Greg muttered.


    "Agreed," Vorden nodded, and the group fell into silence, waiting.


    Ten minutes later, Grey returned¡ªspecks of crimson on his face, dragging the corpse of a massive beast, as large as a lion from the Old Era.


    "I got the food. Now it''s your turn to make it edible," Grey said, dropping the beast with a thud and walking off to his corner.


    "Well¡­ who''s cooking this thing?" Greg asked, staring at the carcass.


    "Shouldn''t we clean it first?" Vanica asked.


    "Right. And lucky us¡ªwe''ve got an endless water supply," Scarlet replied.


    Jay stepped forward, scoffing, and summoned a blade of water. With expert precision, he dissected the beast, though his expression looked like he might puke at any moment. After several minutes of vigorous cleaning, he finally stepped back.


    "Now¡­ who''s cooking this?" he asked, wiping sweat from his brow.


    "Logically, the females should handle that part, right?" Vorden suggested.


    "Right," Gordon seconded.


    "What?! You expect a noble like me to cook for you all?" Scarlet fired back.


    "What''s the problem? Didn''t I just clean it? Aren''t I a noble too?" Jay countered.


    "But¡ª" Scarlet began.


    "But what? Everyone''s playing their part. It''s not hard to do yours," Vince chuckled.


    "You doofus! Let me finish! Don''t we need wood to even cook this damn thing?!" Scarlet yelled.


    "True! And maybe a pot or something," Vanica added.


    "Do we really need pots? Roasting it with a few spices should be fine. No need for fancy prep," Jay said.


    "What about wood?" Vanica repeated.


    "Right! Why not let Greg handle that?" Vince grinned.


    "Why me?! Why can''t you weaklings go?" Greg snapped.


    "Duh! Aren''t you supposed to be the second strongest after Grey? Want to prove you''re stronger than him? Here''s your chance. Be useful and fetch some wood," Raze said with a shrug.


    "All this is none of my concern," Arthur groaned, clutching his stomach. "Whoever''s going should hurry¡ªmy stomach''s about to stage a rebellion." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fine!" Greg grumbled and stormed out of the cave.


    "How many hours do you think he''ll take?" Raze asked.


    "You''re wicked for even asking that," Scarlet smirked. "But if I had to guess¡ªmaybe a day or so."


    "Facts," Arthur nodded.


    "Agreed," Vanica giggled.


    Just then, Greg returned, huffing and drenched in sweat, a hefty pile of wood slung over one arm.


    "Whoa! He surpassed expectations. Somebody give this man an award," Scarlet chuckled.


    "Whatever. Here''s your damn wood," Greg muttered, tossing it down. "Now get cooking before I cook you."


    "Yeah, yeah." Scarlet rolled her eyes and, along with Vanica, dragged the beast and wood aside to start prepping.


    Meanwhile, at the far end of the cave, Grey sat cross-legged, eyes closed, deep in meditation. He was completely tuned out, detached from the back-and-forth of the others.


    Thirty minutes later, a mouthwatering aroma filled the cave. The meat was finally ready. Within five minutes, portions were distributed, and everyone began devouring it like ravenous wolves.


    Ten minutes passed, and the beast was reduced to nothing but bones, everyone now sitting back, patting their full bellies with satisfied smiles.


    "That was strangely delicious," Grey said. "I doubt the arrogant queen here could''ve made something that good, so my thanks go to Vanica."


    "Hey! What the hell?! Who says I can''t cook?!" Scarlet snapped.


    "Did you cook it though? If you had, we''d all be out looking for bushes to unload our guts by now," Grey smirked.


    "How dare you?!" Scarlet yelled, flames dancing on her hands as the group erupted in laughter.


    "Anyway, let''s get some rest. Tomorrow, we hunt," Grey said, standing and heading to his corner.


    "I still want to know who died and made you the f*cking leader!" Scarlet shouted.


    "Ask your gramps," Grey shot back as he settled down. "Goodnight, weaklings."


    "I swear, one day I''ll roast you alive!" Scarlet shouted furiously.


    Everyone laughed again before settling down, slowly drifting off to sleep¡ªminds already bracing for the brutal hunt awaiting them come morning.

 Chapter 151 - 151: Hunt begins!

    On a distant planet, the air was dense, the atmosphere oppressive, and the pressure nearly suffocating. At one section of this alien world, a wide cave stood, its entrance narrow and jagged like clenched teeth.


    At the edge of the cave, a lone figure sat, his back turned to the interior as he peered out into the eerie stillness beyond. Brown hair fluttered gently in the occasional breeze, and his sharp brown eyes scanned the environment with unwavering focus.


    Moments later, faint shuffling echoed from within the cave. A red-haired girl stirred, letting out a soft yawn as her sleepy eyes opened and caught sight of the silhouette by the entrance.


    "Huh?!" she muttered groggily, rising to her feet and walking toward the figure at the mouth of the cave.


    "You''re awake?!" the brown-haired figure¡ªGrey¡ªasked without turning around, his eyes still flicking across the landscape.


    "Tch! Did you think I''d sleep in?" the red-haired girl, Scarlet, retorted.


    "Just didn''t think a proud, arrogant noble would be eager to wake up early," Grey replied, finally glancing up to meet her gaze.


    "Don''t start this morning, okay?!" Scarlet scoffed, dropping down beside him as they observed the bleak world outside. "So, what''s the plan for today?"


    "Plan?!" Grey echoed, raising a brow at her before turning his gaze forward again. "Yeah, there''s one. When the others wake up, we head out and enjoy a picnic."


    "Picnic? On this planet?" Scarlet blinked incredulously. "Aren''t we supposed to be hunting?!"


    "Oh, so you do remember that? And you''re seriously asking me what the plan is?" Grey scoffed.


    "I mean, how are we supposed to hunt, damn it?!" Scarlet snapped.


    "How else? Don''t you have magic? Aren''t you trained? Quit pestering me with dumb questions," Grey shot back.


    "You''re so f*cking annoying!" Scarlet growled.


    "Guys! Let us sleep in peace and stop your lovers'' quarrel already!" Raze groaned from deeper in the cave. In response, Grey spun around and sent a long stream of lightning crackling in Raze''s direction, jolting him awake with a loud yelp that stirred the rest of the team.


    "Should you even be sleeping by now, you foolish peasant?!" Scarlet shouted as the rest of the group stirred groggily.


    "Glad you''re all awake," Grey said, rising from his perch and brushing the dust from his cloak. "Now we can finally prepare for the hunt."


    "How the hell are we supposed to hunt on a planet with this crushing pressure?" Greg grumbled, rubbing his temples.


    "Not my problem. Figure it out. I''m only worried about my score," Grey replied curtly. He strolled deeper into the cave, rummaged through his bag, and pulled out a few items. "You''ve got ten minutes to get ready. After that, we hunt."


    With that, he disappeared out of the cave, destination unknown.


    "I still want to know who made him the leader!" Scarlet complained loudly.


    "It''s pointless now. We all know he''s the most capable," Vince shrugged as the rest of them began to prepare, checking their gear and supplies.


    Ten minutes later, the group was geared up, right on cue as Grey reappeared, hands stuffed in his pockets, his robe fluttering elegantly in the wind as he scanned the group.


    "Now you''re all looking decent. Let''s go hunt for some points, shall we?" he said, turning and walking ahead as the others followed, exiting the safety of the cave.


    The moment they stepped out, the oppressive pressure crashed down on them again, thick like invisible waves. Grey quickly activated Mana Skin to shield himself and turned to glance back at his teammates, who were clearly struggling¡ªsweat already beading on their brows.


    ''They still haven''t figured it out?'' Grey thought, shaking his head in disappointment. He slowed his pace, annoyed by their sluggishness.


    "Move it, weaklings! You''re slowing me down!" he shouted.


    "We wouldn''t be slow if we knew how to deal with this pressure," Scarlet huffed, her voice strained.


    "You mean to tell me that you nobles don''t even know how to use Mana Skin? Seriously?!" Grey raised an eyebrow, clearly baffled.


    "Mana Skin? I''ve heard of it, but I''ve never used it," Vince replied.


    "If you don''t know what it is, you sure as hell don''t know how to use it," Grey muttered.


    "Can''t you teach us, you arrogant peasant?!" Greg barked.


    "I could. But I don''t want to," Grey said, spinning around to face them.


    "You''re a¡ª" Scarlet began, only to freeze mid-sentence as her eyes widened in shock. The rest of the team stood paralyzed, lips parted, gazes fixed ahead.


    Grey''s brow furrowed. "What are you¡ª"


    "Mana," he whispered, spinning back around just in time to see a massive beast lunging at him. Reacting in a flash, he used wind magic to divert the blow and leapt back to safety.


    Now facing the threat directly, Grey''s eyes narrowed. A dozen black-furred beasts stood before them, their yellow eyes gleaming with hunger, long fangs bared as they snarled.


    He channeled mana into his eye, igniting a soft blue glow in the left. A screen flared to life.


    {Name: Shadowclad Panthers}


    {Level: 4}


    {Magic: Shadow Manipulation}


    {Mana: 50/50}


    ''Shadow magic? Intriguing,'' Grey thought.


    "Uhm¡­ Grey," Arthur called out nervously.


    The panthers had begun to circle them, forming a tight ring with no exits. The second Grey looked up, the beasts vanished¡ªsinking into the earth like ghosts. Despite their frantic searching, not a trace of the creatures remained. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Where did they go?!" Vanica shouted, spinning wildly as Vorden stepped forward, crouching to examine the ground where the beasts had disappeared.


    Without warning, a shadow burst upward.


    A claw flashed.


    A blur of motion¡ª


    And Vorden didn''t move in time.


    "Vorden!" Greg screamed, lunging forward to help¡ªbut it was too late.


    _____


    {A/N}


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 Chapter 152 - 152: Time for a payback!

    "Where did they go?" Vanica shouted, her eyes scanning the surroundings frantically. Vorden stepped forward, carefully inspecting the spot where the beasts had sunk into the ground. Suddenly, a sharp paw shot toward his neck, moving so swiftly that he couldn''t dodge in time.


    "Vorden!" Greg screamed, rushing forward to help, but it was too late.


    "Lightning Creation Magic! Lightning Armour!" Grey shouted as he sprinted toward the scene, his body starting to radiate a bright blue light.


    He was at least three meters away from Vorden, but just in time, the armor was completed. Grey was now encased in lightning gauntlets and boots. Bang! A loud crack filled the air as his speed surged. In a flash, he reached Vorden and yanked him backward by his robe''s collar just as the beast''s claws were a hair''s breadth from Vorden''s neck.


    A wind blade appeared in Grey''s hands as he swung it forward, aiming to slice off the beast''s paws. But the creature swiftly retreated back into the ground.


    "Th-that was a close call..." Greg gasped, his heart pounding so loudly it could almost be heard.


    "What the hell were you thinking charging in like that?!" Grey snapped, his voice harsh. Vorden shot him a glare, unshaken.


    "Did I give you the right to talk to me like that just because you saved me?" Vorden growled.


    "Uhm... guys¡­" Vanica''s voice trembled as she called out.


    "What?!" Grey and Vorden shouted in unison, spinning toward her.


    "Look!" Vanica pointed urgently, and they turned to see two of the beasts emerging from the ground. In a flash, they charged toward the two quarreling individuals.


    But before they could reach them, a barrier appeared just in time, stopping the beasts in their tracks.


    "Good thing I was on time," Arthur huffed, wiping sweat from his brow.


    "Thanks," Grey replied curtly. "That''s how you thank someone who helps you," he added, glaring at Vorden.


    "Will you stop acting like everyone''s boss and focus on what''s on the ground?" Jay shouted.


    "Oh!" Grey finally noticed the shadows rippling on the ground, covering a span of about seven meters. "You''re on your own with that," he said, nonchalantly floating a few meters above the ground as wind began swirling around him.


    "What the hell does that mean?!" Raze shouted, frustration evident in his voice as he watched the beasts sink back into the shadows.


    "You want to know what ''mana skin'' is about? Now''s your chance," Grey said with a smirk, hovering higher. "Good luck, weaklings."


    "What?! You''re leaving us to deal with this?!" Greg shouted in disbelief.


    "What, were you relying on a peasant to save you?" Scarlet scoffed, crossing her arms as the shadows around them writhed, more beasts emerging from the ground. They all stood together, eyes darting around in preparation.


    "Didn''t need him," Greg muttered, lightning crackling in his hands as he braced for battle.


    "Good," Scarlet replied with a nod. ''But he''s the only one who can move better than us right now. How are we supposed to defeat a dozen beasts when we can barely move?''


    Without warning, six Shadow Panthers emerged, dashing toward the students, all of them charging their magic.


    A shadow panther lunged toward Greg. He shot out a bolt of lightning, but at the last second, the beast disappeared from view and reappeared in his blind spot. It struck him hard, sending him skidding several feet.


    "Shit!" Greg cursed, lightning crackling around his arms. "Where the hell is our shield?"


    "Uhm, the shield''s a bit busy," Arthur called out, his voice strained. He blocked a blow from an SP, the shield around him reverberating slightly from the impact. ''For my shield to hold, this beast must be around level 4,'' he thought, focusing his attention. Then, two fireballs struck the SP from behind, forcing it to retreat.


    "Thanks, Scarlet!" Arthur called, watching as she moved swiftly to assist. But her speed was limited by the oppressive pressure of the atmosphere, and an SP appeared behind her, swinging its claws to strike. She was too slow to react.


    "Hold your breath!" Gordon shouted, his voice urgent. Scarlet did as instructed, and a purple mist enveloped the beast, disorienting it as it struggled to move. Scarlet shot a stream of fire at its legs, and the creature stumbled, its body growing weak before it fell with a thud, its mouth beginning to foam.


    "You know, relying on your brawn and not your brain won''t help you here," Grey taunted from above.


    "Curse you, peasant!" Jay yelled, his hands summoning two blades of water as he dashed toward an SP. But the beast sank into the ground and reappeared behind him, stabbing him in the leg.


    "Arghhh!" Jay screamed, turning around with fury, slashing at the air with his water blades. But the SP reappeared again from behind, striking him in the ribs and sending him skidding across the ground, spitting blood.


    ''Think, think, think!'' Scarlet screamed in her mind, launching fireballs at the beasts, but they always disappeared into the ground and reappeared behind them.


    "Mana skin... mana skin... mana skin..." Vince muttered, his body surrounded by a few dozen quills of metal. He was ready when a Shadow Panther charged toward him, but he quickly launched two quills at the beast. It vanished and reappeared, but before it could react, three more quills struck its eyes.


    ''Grey said it''s protecting him, allowing him to move properly in this dense atmosphere. Mana skin... it must be related to surrounding the body with mana,'' Vince thought as two metal spikes materialized in front of him. With a swift movement, he sent them crashing into the beast''s head, killing it instantly. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With Gordon and Vince each taking down a Shadow Panther, only four remained.


    Vince closed his eyes, trying to center himself. The others were still struggling, restricted by the oppressive atmosphere, but Vince entered a meditative state. In the calm silence of his mind, he could feel the flow of mana around his body. He reached deep inside, pulling mana from his core and pushing it outward with all his strength, expelling it from his body.


    "What are you doing, Vince?!" Scarlet screamed, panic rising in her voice.


    Vince snapped his eyes open just in time to see an SP looming over him, ready to strike. A soft glow surrounded his body, and the pressure in the atmosphere eased. In his hands, two metal swords materialized.


    With a swift motion, Vince blocked the incoming blow, grunting under the weight of the strike. Then, metal began to form around his feet, and with a push, he shot upward, diving down toward the SP. His swords collided with its head, cutting it clean off as he slid down its body. Vince landed with a heavy breath.


    "Congratulations, Vince! You unlocked mana skin," Grey''s voice echoed from above.


    "Uhm, Vince, what exactly is that?" Scarlet called, shooting fireballs as she fought off the remaining beasts.


    "Guys, extend your mana outward and maintain control. The key is balance as you push it outward. You need to constantly supply it with mana," Vince called, his voice steady.


    Greg was the first to react, his body crackling with lightning as he zipped around, dodging an incoming strike.


    "Concentrate!" he barked, his eyes narrowing at the approaching beast.


    The others followed suit, closing their eyes as they rooted themselves to the ground. Within seconds, their bodies began to glow softly, and they opened their eyes just as the last three beasts appeared, splitting off to face their new opponents.


    ''Oh?! They''ve unlocked mana skin too. Nice!'' Grey thought with a smirk as he watched Greg charge forward, lightning blades in hand.


    The remaining Shadow Panthers had no chance. In an instant, Greg''s lightning blade cleaved through the air, striking one beast down, electrocuting it as his sword remained lodged inside its body.


    "That''s four down, two more to go," Greg muttered as Scarlet stepped forward. Flames surrounded her hands, and she shot a pair of fireballs at an SP. The beast sank into the ground but reappeared behind her. Without hesitation, she turned and punched the beast in the face, sending it skidding back. Then, a fiery spear materialized in her hands, which she hurled at the SP''s head, killing it instantly.


    The last SP met its end at Jay''s hands. With Arthur''s barrier blocking its strike, Jay quickly turned and plunged his water blade into its head, finishing it off.


    With all the Shadow Panthers dead, the team stood, panting heavily, their bodies drenched in sweat, a few injuries marring their skin.


    "Well done, weaklings," a voice echoed from above. Grey descended, his lightning armor still crackling with energy.


    "F*ck you! Why didn''t you help us?" Scarlet snapped in frustration.


    "Did you need me to?" Grey shrugged. "You handled it just fine."


    "What if we had died?!" Greg demanded.


    "Did you? I thought you didn''t need a peasant. So what''s changed?" Grey grinned.


    "Wait! Where''s Raze?" Vanica suddenly shouted, scanning the area.


    Raze stumbled out from behind a large rock. "Sorry, I couldn''t help. My magic lets me copy other people''s, but I hadn''t touched anyone today, and I couldn''t get close enough during the fight."


    "You peasants are all useless!" Jay sneered.


    A chilling sensation washed over the group, and the hairs on their necks stood up.


    Turning around, they saw six more Shadow Panthers rising from the ground, their low growls sending a shiver through the group.


    "Oh, come on! Give us a break!" Arthur groaned.


    "There were twelve of them... I wondered where they went," Vince said with a grim look.


    "Now you''ve got your answer," Vorden said, grinning.


    "What do we¡­" Gordon began to ask when Grey stepped forward, his hands still casually in his pockets.


    "You''ve all done your best. I''m glad to know my teammates aren''t weaklings," Grey said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the beasts. "Leave this one to me. I''ll take care of it."


    ''It''s time to pay these beasts back for daring to attack the supreme mage and his friends!'' he thought, a small dangerous smile appeared on his face as he stared at the beasts.

 Chapter 153 - 153: I guess I can deal with a level 4 beast.

    "What do we¡­" Gordon was about to say when Grey stepped forward ahead of them, his hands still buried in his pants'' pockets.


    "You all have done your best, and I''m glad to know my teammates aren''t weaklings. So leave this one to me¡ªI''ll take care of it." Grey said, his eyes narrowing into slits as he stared down the beasts.


    "What?! Are you senile or something? How do you plan to solo six beasts alone?" Scarlet shouted.


    "Dude! Scarlet is right here." Vince added.


    Just as they finished speaking, a gust of wind swept through the entire area, condensing rapidly beside Grey and forming the shape of something massive.


    "Do you doubt I would lose?" he smirked.


    The six beasts suddenly lunged at once toward him, and in that instant, the construct completed its form¡ªa massive wind-forged bird erupted into existence, flinging three wind blades at the charging beasts. They struck the ground with such force that shockwaves rippled outward.


    Grey remained unmoved, hands still casually in his pockets, as the wind blades sliced through a nearby tree, obliterating it in one blast.


    Shadows began to ripple across the area¡ªthe warning sign that the SPS were emerging. But no one could guess where they''d appear.


    Right on cue, two SPS surfaced simultaneously, one on each side of Grey, claws slashing out with terrifying speed¡ªfar too fast for the average eye to follow.


    Bang! A sharp noise split the air as Grey, unfazed, caught the claws of one with his lightning-coated gauntlet, a smirk tugging at his lips. Above him, his wind bird unleashed a barrage of three wind blades, impaling the second SP directly in the head.


    "How? How did he know where the beasts would attack from?" Vorden asked, his mouth agape.


    "It''s¡­ it''s like he could sense them." Vanica added.


    "Wait! Didn''t he sense where the cave we slept in was the day before? So this shouldn''t be a surprise, right?" Raze asked.


    "Are you a fool?! That other time, he used his lightning magic, but we can clearly see him standing still right now." Greg snapped back.


    "Fair point." Raze muttered as all eyes returned to Grey.


    The beast in Grey''s grip struggled to retreat, trying to sink back into the ground.


    "Oh, you''re going nowhere," Grey smirked, then called out in his mind, ''Earth magic! Bind!''


    Instantly, the beast''s feet were locked in place, unable to phase out. A blade made entirely of swirling wind materialized in Grey''s hand.


    "I love the slow torture," he whispered as he turned sharply, just in time to meet another SP''s claws with his wind blade. Sparks flew as they clashed, and Grey flipped back, unleashing three bolts of lightning mid-air. The electricity surged through the beast, paralyzing it. His wind bird immediately followed up, firing three precise blades that pierced the beast''s body.


    Landing smoothly, Grey turned back and leapt into the air, plunging his wind blade into the eye of the bound SP. It howled in pain, thrashing, just as another wind blade shot downward, slicing into its neck and finishing it off.


    "Three down, three more to go." Grey smirked, eyes flicking to the rippling shadows ahead.


    Three more shadow panthers emerged and bolted straight toward him.


    "Wind magic! Aerius Ultra!" he shouted.


    A mighty burst of wind exploded outward, striking the panthers and knocking them off balance. As his flickering lightning armor began to pulse faintly, Grey dashed forward. Thunder cracked as he slammed his electrified hand into one of the SPs, sending a violent jolt through its body.


    Before he could follow up, another panther barreled into him, throwing him back. Mid-air, Grey regained control with his wind magic and landed smoothly, a smirk still etched on his face.


    "Need any help?" Vince asked, a metal sword forming in his hand¡ªonly to vanish immediately as he struggled to maintain his mana skin.


    "Don''t need it. I want to push myself to the limits," Grey replied.


    "Just say you need help, you doofus!" Greg shouted as the three beasts prepared to charge once again.


    "Do I look like I need it?" Grey asked, though his lightning armor had faded and his wind bird was now flickering in and out of form.


    "Uhm¡­ it looks like you need help now," Jay chimed in.


    "Tch." Grey clicked his tongue, pushing forward with wind magic enhancing his speed. The beasts launched themselves at him, and they collided in a flash.


    Grey shot three wind blades at one of them, but the creature dodged by sinking underground. The impact of the blades sent a shockwave through the earth. The other two managed to close the gap, swinging at him¡ªbut with a sudden surge of wind magic, Grey lifted off the ground just in time.


    From above, he unleashed a dozen wind blades toward the beasts, but again they evaded, slipping into the ground. This time, however, something changed¡ªthe wind blades froze mid-air before striking.


    Grey''s hands were raised, controlling the very trajectory of the blades.


    "He stopped an attack that had already left his hands?!" Vince gasped in awe. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How?! I can''t even do that no matter how much control I''ve trained for. Only mages at three stars or higher can do that." Greg replied.


    "Didn''t he say he was a two-star mage?" Scarlet added.


    The beasts re-emerged from the earth¡ªonly to be met by the suspended wind blades that, with a sudden flash, surged forward and impaled their heads before they could react.


    And just like that, Grey had taken down six level 4 beasts all by himself.


    He landed softly on the ground, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.


    "I guess I''m strong enough to deal with level 4 beasts alone." He smiled.


    ______


    {A/N}


    I hope you all are enjoying the book so far? Please keep on supporting the book with power stones, Golden tickets and even gifts! It will gladly be appreciated.


    Also, our mass release goal for this week is out!


    100 Power stones= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate making it a total of 4 chapters to be released.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters

 Chapter 154 - 154: A Magical presence

    "I guess I''m strong enough to handle Level 4 beasts on my own." Grey smiled.


    "You!" Scarlet shouted, storming toward him. Grey simply strode forward with a smug grin as a gust of wind swirled around him, carrying the twelve slain beasts along in his wake.


    "Why do you always act so high and mighty? You could''ve asked for help. Things would''ve been much easier," Scarlet snapped.


    "Are you worried about me?" Grey asked with a teasing glint in his eyes.


    Scarlet''s cheeks flushed as she swiftly turned away. "I don''t care if you go to hell or not! I just wouldn''t want a strong teammate to die, that''s all."


    "So you do care, and you acknowledge my strength." Grey smirked as the beasts dropped behind him with heavy thuds, the ground shaking slightly beneath them. Scarlet spun around, her face even redder.


    "You''re not stronger than I am! And I don''t care about you, darn it!" she shouted as Grey walked past her.


    "Yeah, sure."


    "Ughhh! I hate you!"


    "Feelings are mutual," Grey replied coolly.


    "Guys, enough of all this!" Raze interrupted. "What''s the plan now?"


    "What''s the plan?" Greg repeated, glaring. "We were here fighting while you hid like a rat."


    "Oh, come on. Don''t be like that. I didn''t have any useful magic at the time," Raze said, scratching his head awkwardly.


    "Then make yourself useful now. Start slicing those beasts open and retrieve the cores while the rest of us recover our mana," Grey ordered.


    "Fine," Raze sighed, walking toward Vince. "May I?"


    "Sure," Vince replied, and Raze touched his shoulder before stepping over to the carcasses.


    "This might take a while unless someone helps," Raze said as he knelt.


    "Take your time," Vorden replied without glancing up.


    "Tch. Heartless humans," Raze mumbled under his breath.


    "What was that?" Scarlet asked sharply.


    "I said nothing," he muttered quickly and began slicing open the beasts, digging through blood and sinew in search of cores. He cursed under his breath with each pull, and after ten grueling minutes, he stumbled back, pale and queasy.


    "Here you go¡ªtwelve magical beast cores." Raze held them out, and Vanica snatched them up, slipping them into a small pouch they''d brought along.


    "Twelve down. Eighteen more to go," Jay said with a low groan.


    "Shall we?" Grey asked, standing up and dusting himself off.


    "Shall we what?" Scarlet asked, narrowing her eyes.


    "Fly up to the moon, you fool! Shall we continue hunting? We need five more before sunset," Grey shouted, exasperated.


    "Must you always insult me?"


    "Yeah¡ªwhenever you ask dumb questions that don''t deserve answers," he replied, walking ahead.


    "We were lucky a dozen beasts attacked earlier. I doubt we''ll be so lucky next time," Arthur said, as the others began following Grey, who had already picked a path and moved ahead.


    ''I wonder what level the boss of this planet is,'' Grey mused as they trekked forward. After five minutes, they came across another group¡ªthis time, five wolf-like beasts.


    These beasts had rough brown fur, razor-sharp fangs, and vicious claws. The moment they spotted the group, they launched into a full sprint, snarling as they charged.


    The humans responded without hesitation. Scarlet unleashed a flurry of fireballs, incinerating one of the wolves with just four strikes.


    ''Huh? That''s odd. My magic wasn''t that strong before¡­ What changed?'' she thought.


    And it wasn''t just her. Vince had summoned a spiked metal porcupine that darted through the battlefield. It fired a volley of quills¡ªsome pierced a wolf''s leg, staggering it. Another barrage struck its eye, making it howl in agony. Two boys leapt into the air, swords in hand, and came down hard, slicing the beast''s head clean off.


    Two down. Three to go.


    Greg zipped forward, electricity crackling through his palm. He slammed it into a wolf, making it screech in pain before retreating. Greg didn''t relent¡ªtwo lightning bolts followed, blasting into its chest and leaving a gaping hole.


    Next, Gordon raised his hands. A violet mist swirled before one of the wolves, clouding its vision and weakening it rapidly.


    ''My poison magic usually takes two minutes to take effect. Why does it feel faster now?'' Gordon wondered as the beast stumbled, then collapsed within ninety seconds.


    The last wolf was obliterated by Jay, who conjured a massive wave of water magic that swept it away entirely.


    Grey stood in silence, watching the aftermath unfold.


    ''So this is their true power¡­ With mana skin unlocked and their movements refined, they''re finally showing what they''re capable of. Maybe they''re not as useless as I thought.''


    He watched as Vince and Raze immediately moved in to dissect the fallen beasts, searching for the cores.


    "Grey," a familiar voice echoed in his mind.


    He froze.


    "I sense a magical presence a few meters away. You can handle it, but¡­ it feels unsettling," Noir said calmly.


    "Huh?" Grey muttered aloud, drawing Scarlet''s attention.


    "What is it?" she asked.


    "Greg, Jay, Gordon¡ªstay here with Raze and Vince. Scarlet, Vorden, Vanica, Arthur¡ªyou''re with me." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "To where?" Vanica asked.


    "Exploration," Grey replied and without waiting, began moving in the direction Noir had indicated.


    ''I wonder what''s out there. Just in case it''s something dangerous, it''s better to have backup. Let''s go find whatever''s hiding that presence,'' he thought, eyes sharp and senses alert.


    ______


    {A/N}


    For more updates on MSS, MS and future works, please remember to follow me up on my social media accounts below.


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    When news on MS or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first. And if you just want to chat, speak with me, say something or ask a question which you can''t do here, then those accounts above especially Facebook are very much active.


    Our mass release goals are still active guys! I hope we can meet it one day.


    100 Power stones before reset= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate.


    50 Golden tickets before reset= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters.

 Chapter 155 - 155: A message!

    Grey, Scarlet, Vanica, Arthur, and Vorden were seen walking away from the others, heading in a different direction from where the magical beast cores were being extracted.


    The group moved in silence, a quiet intensity settling over them as Grey remained deep in thought. His mana swirled around him, primed and ready to be unleashed in a spell at any moment.


    After about ten minutes of walking, they arrived in front of a cave that resembled an ancient chamber, one that had weathered time itself. The mouth of the cave yawned wide open¡ªso vast that ten people could walk in side by side without brushing shoulders.


    Stepping inside, they were met with a cavernous space. The air was slightly damp and carried the faint scent of moss and stone, but the ground beneath their feet was surprisingly dry, though uneven, filled with ridges and scattered bumps.


    The ceiling arched high above them, far beyond reach for most¡ªbut not for Grey, who could easily ascend with his wind magic.


    ''Wait... if something is really down here, then how did the scouts miss it?'' Grey thought as they tread deeper into the dimly lit cave. Strange blue crystals lined the walls, casting soft glows¡ªthough many of them flickered weakly, and some remained dark altogether.


    "Uhm¡­ Grey," Arthur called out softly, quickening his pace to catch up. "Doesn''t this place give you the creeps?"


    "Creeps?" Grey echoed.


    "I don''t know¡­ I just get a strange feeling the deeper we go," Arthur murmured.


    "It''s probably nothing. You''re just being the weakling you are," Scarlet retorted, her eyes scanning the surroundings warily.


    But before she could take another step, something small and fast scurried by her feet, making her yelp in fright and leap toward Grey.


    "Look who''s calling someone a weakling," Grey muttered with a scoff, continuing onward.


    Eventually, they stood before three passageways. One of them was heavily draped in cobwebs, while the other two remained clear. They paused, unsure which path to take.


    "Which one should we go with?" Vorden asked.


    "I''m not sure¡­" Grey admitted, his gaze shifting between the three.


    "Great! So you dragged us out here for some silly exploration and don''t even know where to go?!" Scarlet snapped.


    "Take the middle one," Noir suddenly said in Grey''s head.


    "The middle? But it''s covered in cobwebs. That probably means nothing''s gone in or out of there in ages," Grey replied under his breath.


    "Just trust me."


    "Fine! Guys, we''re taking this one," Grey said, pointing at the center path.


    "Huh? You were unsure a moment ago, and now you suddenly decide?" Vorden asked, confused.


    "Trust me," Grey said firmly.


    "Fine, whatever," Scarlet muttered. Flames ignited in her palms, and she fired a fireball that scorched the cobwebs to ash.


    "Ladies first," she said, gesturing toward Grey with a smirk.


    "Who are you calling a lady?" Grey snapped.


    "You, of course!"


    "What makes you think I look like a lady with all this masculine physique?" he asked indignantly.


    "Hmm¡­ something about your face. You just look like a pretty lady to me."


    "You¡ª"


    "Guys! Focus," Vorden interrupted. "Let''s explore this place quickly and head back."


    "He''s right," Grey said, taking the lead.


    As they stepped into the corridor, the ground turned moist. Water sloshed beneath their boots with each step.


    ''Water? But the ground behind us was completely dry. Why didn''t it spill out?'' Grey mused as he led the group through the dim tunnel, the walls still glowing faintly with blue crystals.


    He brushed a hand along the wall, feeling the jagged texture¡ªuntil suddenly, his fingers grazed a smooth surface. He halted, stepping back a few paces to examine it more closely.


    "What''s wrong?" Vanica asked.


    "Trouble?" Vorden added.


    "Chill," Grey said, eyes narrowing as he focused on the smooth surface. Upon closer inspection, he noticed odd symbols¡ªwords etched into the stone.


    "What is this weird writing? I can''t f*cking read it," Grey muttered, squinting.


    Then a voice echoed in his mind.


    "The more you seek, the more you find. The more you find, the more you unravel. They are coming¡­ and when they do, no one¡ªno one is safe. They will destroy everything in their path and seize it all."


    "You¡­ can read it?" Grey asked, stunned.


    "Duh. It''s an ancient language¡ªI recognize it from when I was with my previous owner," Noir replied.


    "And who was that?" Grey asked.


    "I''d rather not say," Noir said curtly and fell silent. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Back to the inscription¡­ They are coming? Who are they? The Otherworlders? Are they that powerful? And who came here to write this in the first place?'' Grey pondered.


    "Grey, something wrong?" Scarlet asked.


    "No. Let''s keep going," he said, pushing the ominous message to the back of his mind.


    The group continued walking, encountering nothing unusual¡ªuntil the narrow passage opened into a vast chamber. Their eyes widened at the sight before them.


    A colossal six-legged beast lay asleep at the center. Behind it stood a massive door, ancient and untouched.


    The creature''s frame was monstrous. It had four gleaming eyes, jet-black skin veined with glowing blue cracks, and claws that looked sharp enough to shred steel. A row of jagged, serrated fangs jutted from its maw.


    Grey instantly swirled his mana into his left eye, activating his analysis spell.


    {Name: Voidfang Hydro}


    {Level: 5 (Cusp of Evolving)}


    {Magic: Regeneration}


    {Mana: 60/60}


    Seeing that the beast was asleep, they collectively let out a silent sigh of relief, all except Grey, who remained tense, assessing the situation. They were just about to plan a way to sneak past the beast toward the door when¡ª


    SPLASH!


    Vorden had unknowingly stepped into a puddle, and the sound echoed across the chamber like a bell toll.


    In an instant, the creature''s four eyes snapped open, blazing red with fury.


    Everyone''s heart skipped several beats.


    "Shit! Vorden, you idiot!" Grey cursed, as the creature rose to its full height and released a guttural roar that shook the chamber walls.


    M

 Chapter 156 - 156: Berserk!

    "Shit! Vorden, you fool," Grey muttered as the beast rose, its massive form towering and a furious roar echoing as its four crimson-glowing eyes locked onto the humans.


    "ROARRRRR!"


    "I guess we can''t tiptoe around this anymore. We''ll have to go all in," Grey said, steeling himself as the creature surged forward with terrifying speed despite its hulking frame.


    Just as it was about to collide with the group, the area became enveloped in a dense, almost suffocating mist, making it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.


    "Mist?" Grey mumbled, quickly glancing back to see Vorden with his arms extended, channeling his magic.


    "Behind you, you idiot!" Vorden yelled.


    Grey spun around just in time to see the beast''s massive claws bearing down on him. A shimmering barrier materialized at the last second, absorbing the brunt of the attack¡ªbut cracks instantly spiderwebbed across it.


    "I can''t hold on much longer!" Arthur cried out.


    The mist crackled with lightning as Grey zipped to the beast''s side, lightning-coated boots and gauntlets forming around his limbs. Scarlet flanked from the other side, her fire blazing bright. Simultaneously, they struck¡ªGrey slamming electrified fists into its ribs while Scarlet unleashed a fiery blast that bored into its side. Blood erupted from the impact points as the creature recoiled with a deafening roar.


    "I thought a level 5 beast would give us real trouble, but I guess that''s over with, huh?" Scarlet scoffed.


    "No, we''re not done yet," Grey replied grimly.


    Right before her eyes, the wounds they had inflicted began sealing shut, muscle and flesh weaving back together.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me. Regeneration magic?!" Vorden barked, frustrated.


    The beast rose again, its six legs slamming the ground as it vanished in a blur, appearing just inches from Grey. He barely managed to retreat, dodging the massive jaws that snapped shut with a thunderous bang.


    Grey retaliated instantly, hurling a dozen razor-sharp wind blades. The beast, agile despite its size, evaded the most threatening ones with ease.


    Scarlet followed up with three blazing fireballs, striking its body and scorching its hide¡ªonly for the wounds to regenerate once again before their eyes.


    It ignored Grey now, launching at Scarlet. Vorden conjured mist in its path, blinding it momentarily, while a semi-transparent shield materialized between its claws and Scarlet¡ªjust in time to block the blow.


    She leapt back as the shield cracked and shattered like fragile glass.


    Two crackling bolts of lightning slammed into the beast''s side, stunning it just long enough for half a dozen wind blades to rip through its limbs and neck. A resounding shockwave burst out from the impact zones, displaying the sheer power behind the attack. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But again¡ªits body began to mend, faster than before. Blood ceased to flow as flesh stitched itself back together, its four eyes flaring with heightened fury.


    "Oh, come on! My mana''s running dry!" Arthur groaned.


    The beast moved¡ªfaster than it ever had. It reappeared in front of Grey, claws slashing past his face, sending him flying across the cave. His back slammed into the cave door with a heavy thud, and blood splattered from his mouth as his body slumped, robes torn, face bloodied.


    "Shit! That wasn''t even a direct hit!" Scarlet cried out, her eyes wide as the temperature around her spiked dramatically, waves of heat radiating from her body.


    Noticing the sudden rise in heat, the beast turned sharply, spotting something rapidly forming around Scarlet. Sensing danger, it charged her, legs pounding the ground like thunder.


    "Guys! I need more time!" Scarlet shouted.


    "On it!" Vorden replied, unleashing another wave of dense mist.


    Though the mist clouded its vision, the beast relied on its heightened senses to track Scarlet. It slashed out just as a transparent shield materialized once again¡ªbut this time, it shattered instantly on contact.


    "What the f*ck?!" Arthur gasped, horror in his voice as he saw the claws inches from Scarlet''s face. There wasn''t enough time to cast another barrier.


    Suddenly, a bang rang out as a powerful shockwave tore through the mist. Heat blasted outward, revealing Grey¡ªgripping the beast''s claws with his lightning-charged gauntlet, electricity surging violently into the creature''s arm. Despite being pushed back by its sheer force, Grey stood firm.


    His face was half-covered in blood, crimson trailing down his chin, and his robe hung in tatters¡ªbut his eyes burned with unwavering defiance.


    "If you want to kill someone, then finish the job properly!" he roared.


    Dozens of wind blades spiraled into existence behind him. Still holding the beast in place, he released the barrage point-blank, the sheer force sending the beast hurtling backward and skidding across the stone floor.


    Its body spasmed, blood pouring from fresh wounds¡ªbut within seconds, the injuries began vanishing, healing at an alarming rate.


    It stood again, more menacing than before. Its four eyes glowed ferociously as an overwhelming pressure descended upon the cave. Cracks of radiant blue lightning began spidering across its black skin, merging in an eerie glow.


    Foam dripped from its snarling jaws. The whites of its eyes vanished, replaced with pitch black voids. Its fangs elongated, and for a second¡ªit almost looked like the beast was grinning.


    Everyone''s heart raced in unison.


    "What''s¡­what''s happening?" Arthur stammered, overwhelmed by the suffocating pressure.


    For once, Noir didn''t answer first.


    "The... the beast is going berserk!" Scarlet screamed, her voice trembling as the construct she''d been forming flickered and dispersed.


    "Berserk?" Grey asked, eyes narrowing.


    "I read about this¡ªwhen a beast undergoes a sudden transformation, becoming feral and gaining immense power. It''s called berserking. Their strength, speed, ferocity¡­ everything doubles. It''s like the beast equivalent of our breakthrough," she explained, her voice shaken as goosebumps rose on her skin.


    ''Is this for real? I''ve never seen a beast do that before¡­'' Grey thought.


    "That''s because not all of them can," Noir answered in his head. "Only some level 5 and above beasts possess that ability. Even then, it depends on their core strength."


    ''That explains¡­'' Grey''s thought was interrupted.


    In a blink, the berserk beast reappeared before him, its monstrous form exuding primal malice. With devastating force, it slammed its claw into Grey''s torso, sending him flying once again¡ªthis time with a trail of blood gushing from a wide tear across his stomach.


    "GREY!!!" his team screamed.


    His body crashed into the stone wall with a sickening crunch, the force shaking the entire cave. Rock fragments rained down as blood splattered across the wall.


    For a chilling moment, Grey lay motionless¡ªbroken, bleeding, and still.

 Chapter 157 - 157: A weakness

    "Grey!!!" the entire team screamed as his body slammed into the cave wall with a sickening crunch. Rocks crumbled around him, blood splattering across the stone. For a moment, his body lay motionless¡ªlifeless.


    Having taken down its greatest threat, the beast charged at Scarlet next. She barely dodged in time, launching a barrage of fireballs in retaliation. Some missed entirely, while the few that struck only left shallow scorch marks on its thick hide.


    It came at her with a savage swing aimed for her head. She ducked at the last second, retaliating with a fireball to its abdomen before leaping back. Her half-formed construct trailed behind her, flickering as she desperately poured mana into it, trying to complete it in time.


    But the beast was relentless. It pursued her around the cave with terrifying speed, forcing her to focus solely on dodging rather than attacking. Her breath became ragged, her body sluggish, but still she danced with death, evading by mere inches.


    This deadly game of cat and mouse continued for nearly a minute until¡ª


    "Finally!" she shouted.


    A colossal burst of fire erupted from her hands, sending the beast skidding back. Hovering above her was a newly completed construct¡ªa miniature fire dragon with flames licking its body and steam hissing from its nostrils.


    "Beast for beast!" she roared.


    She lunged forward, the dragon soaring behind her. The beast met her charge, swinging its claws¡ªbut she weaved under the attack, vanishing behind it in a blur.


    The fire dragon unleashed a volley of rapid fireballs. Unlike her earlier attacks, these struck true, searing flesh and drawing blood with every hit.


    Scarlet jumped back, only to wince as a sharp sting bloomed across her cheek. Though she had dodged, the beast''s claws had grazed her, leaving a thin trail of blood.


    The dragon inhaled deeply before expelling a wide stream of fire. The beast attempted to dodge, but the inferno was too broad, burning away large swathes of its skin.


    Yet, even as it took damage, its wounds began mending instantly. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And once more, it charged at Scarlet.


    "Damn it! How can we help if we can''t even track their movements?!" Vorden growled, hands outstretched, searching for an opening to release his mist.


    Scarlet ducked just in time to avoid another claw swipe. Flames wreathed her hands as she slammed them into the beast''s abdomen, sending it skidding back ever so slightly¡ªjust enough to give her a fleeting moment to breathe.


    "Don''t worry about me¡ªcheck on that arrogant peasant and make sure he''s still alive!" she shouted, sweat trickling down her face. "Vanica, save him! If something happens to him, I''ll kill you myself!"


    "Shit!" Arthur cursed. Pushing himself to the limit, he summoned a shield just as the beast''s claws tore through the air toward Scarlet. The barrier manifested in time¡ªbut it shattered the moment the claws connected.


    "Not again, darn it!" Arthur yelled, his heart pounding as the claws drew closer.


    Bang!


    A thunderous explosion rang out. Heat and dust surged through the cave. And when it cleared¡­


    A young man stood tall, brown hair tousled, brown eyes fierce, gripping the beast''s claws with his lightning-wreathed hands. Sparks danced across a pair of glowing gauntlets.


    "I... I told you¡­ If you want to kill someone, then do it properly, darn it!" Grey roared.


    A violent wind storm erupted around him, twisting into a tornado that rose with furious might. Its sharp tip slammed into the beast, launching it across the cave and smashing it through a thick stone wall.


    Grey dropped to his knees, coughing blood. His robe was torn, a deep claw wound gashing his stomach, blood dripping to the ground.


    "Grey!" Scarlet cried, rushing to his side. "Vanica, help¡ªnow!"


    Four glowing butterflies emerged, fluttering toward him. They settled gently on his body, and within seconds, their healing magic began to mend his wounds.


    In under a minute, Grey stood once more, fists clenched, his eyes locked on the rubble.


    From the broken wall, the beast emerged¡ªfully healed once again. A smug, almost mocking glint sparkled in its eyes as it surveyed the team.


    ''How?! How the hell am I supposed to kill this thing if it keeps regenerating?!'' Grey raged internally. His gaze swept across the beast until he spotted something¡ªsomething embedded in its head.


    A small red crystal.


    ''What the hell is that?'' he thought, his mind replaying every moment of the battle. Every time they struck near the head, the beast had defended it. Even when taking massive damage elsewhere, it always protected the crystal.


    ''That''s it... That has to be it,'' Grey thought, a surge of determination flooding his veins.


    A dozen razor-sharp wind blades materialized around him.


    Before the beast could charge, he launched them¡ªeach one aimed at the crystal.


    The beast froze for a split second before raising its claws to shield the crystal, swatting the blades away.


    "Bingo," Grey muttered. "Scarlet¡ªaim everything you''ve got at the red crystal!"


    In a flash, he dashed forward, a lightning-forged blade forming in his grasp.


    ''I didn''t want to rely on anyone¡­ I''ve got four magic affinities¡­ But right now, I need her firepower,'' he admitted to himself.


    The beast met him halfway, slashing with lethal speed. But thanks to his lightning boots, Grey zipped around the attack and plunged the blade into its back, sending a pulse of electricity through its body.


    Scarlet and her fire dragon unleashed a joint assault. Fireballs roared through the air, each one zeroing in on the crystal. Even under the sword''s stunning effect, the beast tried to raise its arms.


    "Not this time!" Grey snarled.


    He slammed his lightning-charged fists into the beast''s chest, amplifying the paralysis. Then he slid beneath it and drove a wind blade deep into its torso.


    On cue, the fireballs struck the crystal¡ªcracking it. Black blood poured from the beast''s mouth.


    Grey surged forward, wind blade in hand.


    The beast''s eyes widened in panic.


    "Do you know why you''re going to lose?" Grey said coldly, his blade inches from the fractured crystal. "Because you went up against the Supreme Mage."


    He rammed the blade into the crystal¡ªshattering it completely. The blade continued through, piercing the beast''s brain.


    With a final, guttural groan, the beast collapsed to the ground with a thunderous thud.

 Chapter 158 - 158: Useful treasures!

    The fight against the Voidfang Hydro was finally over. The beast collapsed with a thunderous thud, a gaping hole in its head, while Grey landed smoothly, hands tucked casually in his pockets.


    "Not like you even stood a chance," he muttered, turning his gaze toward the state of the cave. Broken terrain stretched across the ground, walls bore deep cracks, and debris littered the area. But honestly, he didn''t care as he calmly walked forward.


    "Everyone okay?" he asked.


    "You could have at least asked like you meant it!" Scarlet shouted before coughing up blood. Vanica rushed to her side, quickly healing the internal injuries with a burst of light magic.


    "Ah, thank goodness!" Arthur exclaimed, collapsing with a dramatic thud. He looked up to see the others giving him odd stares. "Don''t look at me like that. I really thought we were going to die here."


    "Weakling," Vorden commented, brushing past with trembling hands.


    "So¡­ who''s extracting the magical core?" he asked.


    "No one," Scarlet replied, prompting a wave of raised eyebrows. "Since the beast went berserk, its core won''t be useful. It might not even count when we get back, so let it be."


    "Whatever," Grey muttered, striding toward the looming black door at the back of the room. He eyed it briefly and gave it a gentle push¡ªbut it didn''t budge.


    Putting in more force, it still didn''t move an inch.


    "How are we supposed to know what''s in there when this damn door won''t open?!" Grey growled in frustration, turning to face his teammates, who merely shrugged. He looked back at the door, then again at his uninterested teammates.


    "Perfect," he mumbled, as earthy energy gathered around his hand, encasing it like a gauntlet. Drawing his arm back, he slammed his fist into the door, the impact creating a deafening bang that startled everyone. A moment later, the door was seen flying off its hinges.


    "How¡­ how did you do that?" Scarlet asked, staring at Grey''s now-empty hand as the earth gauntlet dispersed.


    "Hmph," Grey shrugged, walking in.


    His teammates scrambled up and followed closely, entering a surprisingly pristine chamber¡ªclean floors, no webs, no dust. It felt as though someone had been maintaining it regularly.


    Inside, several small platforms stood, each concealing mysterious items. The group fanned out, gazing curiously at the displays. But something in the far corner drew Grey''s attention.


    He stepped toward it and saw the same strange writing he''d encountered earlier.


    "What is this now?" he murmured to himself when Noir interpreted.


    "To whoever manages to get past the guardian and open the door¡ªthese are your rewards. I hope they help in the coming war, whenever it begins. And I hope it''s not too late," Noir translated as Grey scanned the script.


    He continued reading until he spotted a smaller message beneath the main one.


    "Note: Some items here will only activate for specific individuals, based on conditions placed upon them. Others will only awaken under the right circumstances. However, this does not mean they are useless," Noir added.


    With no more text in sight, Grey turned back to the group, who were still observing the artifacts but refrained from touching them, cautious not to trigger anything accidentally.


    Grey casually approached two platforms set beside each other.


    ''Since the message said these were meant to help us, they won''t harm us¡­ And I feel a strange aura coming from this one,'' he thought as he stepped closer to a platform bearing a ring.


    The ring was small, black with red accents, and covered in unrecognizable engravings. A mysterious aura pulsed from it, and just as Grey stepped back, a sudden urge made him reach out and pick it up.


    Sliding it onto his finger, he closed his eyes, expecting something dramatic¡ªbut nothing happened. Disappointed, he tried pulling it off¡­ but it wouldn''t budge. No matter how hard he tugged, the ring remained stuck.


    "What gives?!" Grey shouted, still struggling. His teammates rushed over, finding him locked in a comical fight with a ring.


    "Tch. Pathetic," Scarlet scoffed, then glanced toward the adjacent platform, where a book lay.


    She picked it up and, to her surprise, understood the title clearly.


    "Introduction to All Types of Fusion magic."


    "Fusion Magic?" the whole team echoed, quickly gathering around to see.


    Even Grey, momentarily distracted from his ring dilemma, leaned in eagerly. Scarlet opened the book but was met with indecipherable symbols.


    "Huh? This is gibberish!" Vorden complained as the others struggled to make sense of it.


    "That''s because of this warning here," Grey said, reading aloud. "To prevent this book from falling into the wrong hands, it has been transcribed in an ancient language incomprehensible to the new generation of evil."


    Everyone turned to him in shock.


    "Huh?! How can you read that?" Vanica asked.


    "I¡­ don''t know. I just found myself saying it word for word," Grey lied smoothly. In truth, Noir had translated everything for him.


    "Then it''s useless to us," Scarlet sighed, tossing the book toward Grey, who caught it delicately, holding it as if it were a priceless artifact.


    ''Fusion Magic, huh?'' Grey thought, grinning wide as he eyed the book. ''This could push my magic to the next level... especially since I have four affinities.''


    "Guys! I found something!" Vorden called from a corner of the room, pulling out a dagger embedded in the wall.


    It was slender and light, with a magical aura radiating from it. Blue in color, the blade featured intricate, scaly patterns.


    "But mages don''t use weapons. It''s useless unless it boosts magical power," Scarlet pointed out.


    "I don''t know¡­ I feel like keeping this," Vorden replied.


    "Suit yourself," Scarlet said with a shrug, and they all continued exploring the chamber.


    That''s when Vanica spotted a softly glowing pendant, almost as if it were calling out to her. She walked toward it instinctively and picked it up. Instantly, she felt a strong connection.


    ''This... this pendant is radiating healing magic!'' she realized as she slipped it on, a bright smile spreading across her face.


    Next was Arthur, who noticed an ash-colored bracelet. He didn''t hesitate¡ªhe put it on. A strange sensation coursed through his mana. Curious, he cast a shield and shouted for Scarlet to hit it with fire magic.


    She did, and when the dust cleared, the shield remained completely intact¡ªwithout a single crack.


    "Huh?! The useless support finally got something useful," Scarlet remarked with a scoff.


    ''I had a good feeling about that bracelet¡­ and I was right,'' Arthur thought proudly.


    "So I''m the only one who didn''t get anything cool? No fair!" Scarlet huffed as she stormed out into the large cavern they had entered from. The others followed behind.


    Grey, meanwhile, slipped the book into the pendant Randin had given him¡ªhis personal storage space.


    As they stepped back into the cave, their eyes immediately landed on the decomposing beast. Near its head, a red crystal shaped like a ring pulsed with heat and energy.


    Scarlet walked over, picked it up, and slipped it onto her finger.


    "This looks good on me," she smiled. "Wait a second¡­ doesn''t this place feel like a dungeon? According to the stories I''ve heard, dungeons have beasts¡­ and after defeating them, you usually find treasure."


    "Well, you dumbass woman, clearly this isn''t a dungeon," Grey retorted as he headed back the way they had come. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Who are you calling dumb, you muscle brain?!" Scarlet shouted, chasing after him as the others trailed behind, sighing in exhaustion.

 Chapter 159 - 159: Fusion Magic {1}

    The exploration team had already left the cave and met up with the others who were extracting crystals from the wolf beasts they encountered earlier.


    With the twelve crystals they had gotten from the shadow panthers and the five from the wolves, the total number of crystals hunted that day stood at seventeen¡ªmeaning they had thirteen more to go before their assessment would be deemed complete.


    After regrouping, they headed back to their cave hideout. Grey used his wind magic to levitate one of the wolves, which would serve as dinner for the night.


    The return journey to the cave was quicker now that everyone had learned how to use mana skin, and no one was slowing Grey down. Along the way, several of them chatted, especially the members of the exploration team.


    They discussed the dangers they encountered inside the cave, the tough battles, and the rewarding loot¡ªwhich made the others quite envious.


    "Why didn''t you take me along, Grey? I would''ve found something useful," Raze asked, eyeing the dagger Vorden twirled with envy.


    "Simple. I knew you weren''t going to be of much help," Grey replied coldly, making Raze scoff in annoyance.


    Within minutes, they were back at the cave. Everyone walked in and began preparing dinner, with each person assigned a role to ensure everything was ready quickly.


    As usual, Jay was tasked with washing the beast, Greg hunted for wood, the girls handled the cooking, and the others lounged around chatting¡ªwhile Grey sat in a corner of the cave, his focus on the book in his hands, aided by Noir.


    "Now let''s see¡­ what magic combination should I learn?" he muttered, flipping through the pages as Noir explained the text.


    "It''s like different people were asked to write this book. No way one man had all these affinities."


    "Don''t you have almost all the affinities?" Noir asked.


    "Almost. I only have the elemental ones, not every type of magic in the world. And I still haven''t awakened my fifth affinity. That old mage said I was destined to have five, but here I am stuck with just four. I wonder when the last one will awaken," Grey mumbled, eyes scanning the pages.


    "It might be today, might be tomorrow. Might even take years," Noir replied. "Just because you awakened four in one year doesn''t mean the fifth will come quickly. Focus on mastering the ones you have¡ªso a mere level five beast won''t trouble you again."


    "You''ve got a point. Sometimes, I imagine you as a counselor. It''d suit you well," Grey chuckled as he continued flipping through the book, listening to Noir''s interpretations.


    "Okay, I think I''ve decided on the magic I want to combine. I already have wind and lightning affinities, so the logical thing would be to combine those two," Grey said thoughtfully.


    "Haven''t you already learned how to combine magic before?" Noir asked.


    "Huh? I did?" Grey frowned, trying to recall.


    "Your final move when facing overwhelming enemies. That earth arrow thingy," Noir reminded.


    "Oh! That. It''s destructive and super helpful, but there might come a time when I can''t use all my affinities. Learning individual combinations will come in handy. Besides, I want to save that move for opponents who are actually worth it. Let''s call it my ''supreme move'' for now¡­ until I find something cooler," Grey replied.


    "As you please. Let''s get back to the book," Noir said.


    Grey flipped and flipped¡ªuntil finally, he found what he was looking for: the combination for lightning and wind magic. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Bingo," he smiled, just about to begin reading when¡ª


    "Yoo, Grey! Dinner''s ready!" Arthur called out.


    "So quick?" Grey asked, bookmarking the page before storing the book in his storage pendant.


    "What do you mean ''so quick''? Did you think preparing a wolf would take all night?" Scarlet asked.


    "With you? Yes," Grey smirked, walking toward the group as Vince laughed.


    "You know¡­ if you weren''t so good in a fight, I''d have burned you to a crisp by now," Scarlet said, narrowing her eyes.


    "But can you, though?" Grey asked with a smug grin as Vanica began distributing the wolf meat. Scarlet shot him a glare.


    "Please, you two," Greg interjected, already gnawing on the meat that was tougher than expected. "We need peace and silence to enjoy dinner. Keep your banter down."


    With that, the entire team dug in. The wolf meat was oddly seasoned with who-knew-what the girls had used. In ten minutes, everyone was done and began preparing to sleep.


    "Aren''t you going to sleep?" Vanica asked when she saw Grey suddenly stand and walk toward the cave entrance.


    "You all sleep. I''ll keep watch," Grey replied.


    "Don''t you need rest?" Scarlet asked, drawing surprised looks from everyone.


    "Don''t get me wrong. I don''t care about him. I care about a valuable fighter. He needs to be in top shape tomorrow," she added quickly.


    "So, you acknowledge a peasant''s strength now," Grey said, chuckling.


    "You know what? Do whatever you want. I hate you!" Scarlet snapped and stormed off.


    "The feeling''s mutual," Grey replied casually, while the others set up their makeshift beds and drifted off one by one.


    Left alone at the cave''s entrance, Grey sat and gazed up at the night sky, its stars shimmering in the dark velvet expanse.


    An hour passed. He looked back at his sleeping team, then turned his gaze outside again.


    Now that they''re asleep¡­ let''s go practice this fusion magic thingy, he thought.


    Wind magic enveloped him, and without a sound, he shot off into the distance.


    _____


    {A/N}


    Excited to see how Grey would learn fusion magic? And what spells or combination he would learn? Well let''s check out the next chapter... But be aware, whatever he would learn, would further prove how OP our MC is so let''s see...


    ____


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 Chapter 160 - 160: Fusion Magic{2}

    After leaving the cave, Grey was seen heading to the opposite side, where a dense forest with towering trees stood tall and silent. He had stumbled upon it the day before while hunting for their dinner, so here he was again, strolling casually into the woods. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although it was a forest, strangely enough, there were only a few beasts roaming within, and the ones that did¡ªmerely level 3 or level 4 beasts¡ªwould instantly scatter the moment they sensed Grey''s aura.


    Walking a little further, he arrived at a wide clearing nestled deep in the forest, with a small mound off to the side. Making his way there, he sat down atop it and brought out the book.


    "Time for reading," he muttered, and Noir began interpreting what he was seeing. One remarkable gift Grey possessed aside from magic was his razor-sharp, photographic memory.


    He could recall anything he''d read once or twice and recite it word for word. It was how he had managed to form his mana core earlier without any guidance¡ªsimply because he''d studied it beforehand.


    And now, he was displaying that ability once more. Since this task only required the fusion of two affinities, it wasn''t supposed to take long.


    Grey had already read the steps, slowly and thoroughly, for ten minutes¡ªjust enough for his mind to retain every detail¡ªas he stood up.


    "Time for the practical aspect," Grey muttered, conjuring a small swirling wind current above his palm, then channeling lightning into his other hand.


    With wind spinning in one palm and lightning crackling in the other, he aimed the lightning toward the air current.


    Three small bolts surged forward into the swirling wind¡ªbut the moment they touched, the lightning arced wildly in all directions before exploding in Grey''s face. A spark nearly seared his cheek, but he dodged just in time.


    "Well, that''s a failure. Take two," Grey said, then summoned another wind current and attempted to infuse it with lightning again. But this time, the wind current immediately snuffed out the magic.


    "Again!" he growled, conjuring another current and channeling lightning once more¡ªbut it exploded again, and the backlash of lightning surged into his body. Pain erupted across his muscles, nearly forcing him to his knees, but he grit his teeth and stifled his scream.


    ''I won''t be a Supreme Mage if I can''t take this much pain,'' he thought, rising steadily to his feet. Instead of repeating the attempt, he stared ahead at a tree, deep in thought.


    "What am I doing wrong here? This... this is just like when I tried practicing lightning magic before¡ªalways exploding in my face. Then I went to the elven town and learned mana control. After that, I could finally wield lightning magic." He muttered, and suddenly, his eyes widened.


    "Right! I''m such a darn fool!" Grey smacked a hand against his head. "The key is control. I''m supposed to apply balanced control over the two affinities¡ªthey can''t just mix like water and ice. The answer was always balance."


    "Lightning is wild magic. Unstable, almost all the time. I just need to find a way to stabilize it," Grey murmured as he thought hard, until an idea sparked in his mind.


    ''This should work.'' He conjured a spinning current of air in front of him¡ªa miniature vortex swirling with condensed wind.


    His hand crackled with lightning, and then¡ªtwo bolts surged out, striking the vortex. This time, unlike before, the spells didn''t cancel each other out.


    The vortex spun faster, and lightning began cycling inside it, swirling like a storm. Occasionally, small sparks shot out, zapping him.


    "This isn''t an attack, you doofus¡ªit''s just static," Noir chided.


    "A little progress is better than none," Grey replied. Right then, the vortex exploded outward in a burst of lightning, launching him backward until he crashed into a nearby tree. "Shit!"


    "A little progress is better than none," Noir mocked with a laugh. "A little bolt of lightning is painful than none."


    "Curse you, Noir," Grey groaned. "What the hell am I doing wrong?! I can''t combine them, and I can''t dump lightning into wind either¡ªit just explodes in my face."


    "The key¡ªwhich you''ve completely failed to grasp because you''re too daft¡ªis precision, not raw power. Let the wind guide the lightning instead of trying to dump and mash them together. Didn''t you even read the book?" Noir snapped.


    "The wind should guide the lightning... Guide... a guide," Grey muttered over and over again, rising to his feet slowly. And then¡ªan idea struck him like a literal bolt of lightning.


    Spinning his hand counterclockwise, a spiral vortex of wind formed around his palm, sending powerful gusts tearing through the forest, even toppling nearby trees.


    With a forward thrust, he launched the vortex outward. Just before it could disperse, he condensed it¡ªslowing its movement¡ªand then fired three sharp streams of lightning into it. The lightning slipped seamlessly into the narrow vortex passage and began spinning at its center.


    Then¡ªwith a snap of his fingers¡ªthe lightning-charged vortex shot forward and slammed into a tree, ripping it apart like a hot knife through butter.


    "Woah! That... that was crazy! And that is my power," he grinned, eyes wide as he stared at the obliterated tree.


    "But that''s just step one," Noir reminded. "That''s like throwing a gust of wind in a direction. Now you need to create an actual technique¡ªlike your Wind Blades or something."


    "Right. Let''s get to work," Grey said as he dove back into training¡ªdetermined to forge a destructive ability no opponent could withstand.


    _______


    {A/N}


    The next chapter, ???? I can say something dangerous will happen... For the next few chapters, Grey will be thrust into danger one after the other starting with the next chapter which will be published tomorrow.


    But if you want to read ahead and can''t wait for tomorrow, then our mass release program is still active.


    100 Power stones= 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate making it a total of 4 chapters to be released.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters... Let''s hit the goal legends!(Still trying to come up for a nickname for our little fan group ????)

 Chapter 161 - 161: Grim reaper!

    It had been five days now¡ªfive days since the first-year students were transported to a new planet for their practical training: hunting thirty beasts.


    In that time, the students had managed to hunt twenty-six beasts, a remarkable feat considering their inexperience. Two factors, however, had served as their saving grace. Without these, their accomplishments would have been impossible.


    The first was that the beasts were only Level 4. The second was Grey.


    His leadership made everything easier. He took command and assigned roles to the team, ensuring smoother operations.


    Though the nobles initially resisted his authority, they eventually learned to accept his orders. As time passed, things began to flow seamlessly.


    Scarlet and Grey continued their daily banter. Whenever they started, some of the team would simply walk out of the cave¡ªtheir arguments never seemed to end.


    During those five days, Grey occasionally snuck out to practice his fusion magic. In that time, he managed to create a devastating technique. Each time he used it in the forest, its destructive power leveled dozens of trees.


    But it drained him.


    Fortunately, he was never caught sneaking out. He always returned before the others awoke.


    Today was no different.


    It was another hunting day. The team emerged from their cave, chatting away as they moved through the dense landscape, their eyes alert for any sign of beasts.


    After experiencing near-death situations together, the nobles had begun to accept the commoners¡ªalbeit reluctantly.


    There were still insults and tension, but a sense of unity had started to form. They were all vital to the team, and in these five days, that truth had become undeniable.


    Grey led the way, hands tucked in his pockets as usual, while the others followed behind, laughing like they were on a field trip.


    Grey didn''t join their chatter. He just kept his gaze fixed ahead as they stepped out of the woods and into an open field covered in tall, knee-high grass.


    Movement became slower as they trudged through the thick blades, dragging their feet through the greenery.


    "So, you''re telling me you were placed in a scorching area¡ªlike a volcano or something¡ªto awaken your fire magic?!" Raze asked Scarlet, his eyes wide.


    "You bet," Scarlet replied, smug. "You wouldn''t understand. And even if you did, you wouldn''t have survived it. But I did. Which proves¡ªonce again¡ªthat I''m better than all of you."


    "Tch! I was struck by lightning a hundred times," Greg scoffed. "The top mages in my family¡ªmy siblings, my dad¡ªthey all blasted me every single day. I literally died and came back to life several times."


    "Tch! My awakening was far more dangerous," Scarlet said.


    "More dangerous? I died and came back to life!" Greg retorted.


    "Big deal! I was boiled alive over and over!"


    "Enough, both of you!" Vince cut in, his voice rising. "First it was Scarlet and Grey, now it''s Scarlet and Greg. Girl, choose one¡ªwho do you like between the two of them?"


    The moment Vince finished speaking, flames erupted on Scarlet''s hands as she lunged at him. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Come back here so I can rebrand that filthy mouth of yours!" she shouted, chasing him around the field.


    "I don''t need rebranding¡ªI''m already perfect!" Vince yelled back, laughing as he ran, while the entire group burst into laughter.


    Until...


    "Shush!" Grey raised a finger to his lips. Instantly, the field fell silent, and even the two chasing each other came to a halt.


    "What''s wrong?" Arthur asked.


    "Listen," Grey said.


    The group obeyed, ears straining in the stillness.


    "What? I can''t hear anything," Vanica said.


    "Exactly. I love the silence. So let''s keep it that way," Grey replied, continuing forward.


    "I''ll burn you to a crisp, you peasant!" Scarlet shouted, launching into a chase after Grey.


    But Grey floated effortlessly above the ground using his wind magic, a teasing smile on his face.


    "Let''s see you reach me up here."


    "I can''t. But my magic can!" Scarlet replied, launching flames at him.


    Grey simply weaved through the air, dodging her attacks with ease.


    "What? That''s all you''ve got? You were roasted in a volcano, boiled like an egg, and this is what you produce? Pathetic!" he taunted.


    "Why you¡ª!" Scarlet unleashed a flurry of fireballs. Grey weaved through them with a grin¡ªuntil one fireball suddenly stopped mid-air, then curved back to strike from behind.


    Without even glancing back, Grey waved his hand. A burst of wind shot out, clashing with the fire and extinguishing it.


    "If that''s all, I''ll go scout ahead for beasts," Grey said before shooting off into the distance.


    ''She managed to control a spell mid-air unconsciously... she''s improving,'' he thought as he sped farther ahead, leaving the others behind.


    Still airborne, Grey scouted from above, scanning the terrain for signs of beasts. But there were none.


    "C''mon, we just need four more to complete the training. Don''t tell me we hunted everything there is," he muttered.


    Minutes passed with no results.


    Eventually, he landed in a small clearing near a massive mound, glancing around with a frown.


    "Why is there no¡ª?" he started, then stopped.


    The air shifted.


    Turning sharply, he caught a faint distortion in space behind him.


    "Who''s there?" he asked, his voice low.


    No response.


    The air returned to normal, but Grey''s frown deepened as he locked eyes on a specific spot.


    "There shouldn''t be anyone here except first years," he called out, louder. "So who are you? Show yourself."


    A voice answered, calm and smooth.


    "Impressive. Your perception is remarkable¡ªI couldn''t hide from you."


    The air distorted again, and this time, a figure appeared¡ªa man with striking orange hair.


    "Who are you?" Grey asked immediately, taking a guarded stance.


    "Me?" the stranger replied, smirking. "I''m the grim reaper sent for you. So why don''t you be a good little boy¡­ and die?"


    _______


    {A/N}


    Damnnn! Finally, the confrontation we were waiting for. C''mon, let''s dive into the next chapter to read an epic confrontation.


    You all will be surprised by something in this fight so let''s read...

 Chapter 162 - 162: Thank you!

    Grey had left the team behind to scout ahead, just in case there was trouble or a beast they couldn''t handle. If there was, he would inform them on time so they could prepare.


    The scouting was going slightly bad, with him not seeing any beast to even hunt, when a strange phenomenon occurred¡ªand a strange man appeared in front of Grey.


    "Who are you?" Grey asked immediately, going on guard as he eyed the man in front of him.


    "Me?" the orange-haired individual asked. "I''m the grim reaper for you, so why don''t you be a good little boy¡ªand die!"


    "Hahaha!" Grey laughed, looking at the man with a smirk. "Grim reaper? Seriously?! You look more like a clown to me with that silly orange hairstyle. What''s even with that hair color? It makes you look dumb.


    Please, just be a good little boy and return back before you get hurt."


    The orange-haired individual clenched his fists tightly, a vein on his forehead looking like it was about to pop as he heard Grey''s words.


    "You sure do have the audacity to talk down on me like that¡ªespecially since you don''t know who I am," the assassin said.


    "Oh really?! Why don''t you tell me who you are then?" Grey asked, arms crossed.


    "I don''t owe you an introduction. All you should know is that your life has been paid for," the assassin said. "And I need you to know¡ªI have never failed a task. Ever."


    "Tch! It would do you good to head back and return the payment you took for this task. Because I guarantee you¡ªif you push further, you will surely fail this one," Grey replied.


    ''This guy¡­ although I can feel a large amount of mana and energy radiating off him, I don''t know¡­ I don''t feel any threat coming from him. Based on the energy I''m sensing, he shouldn''t be above a three-star,'' Grey thought, still eyeing the man in front of him.


    "You sure do have a sharp tongue for someone who''s about to lose his life," the assassin said¡ªand then, a dozen more of him appeared around Grey, all looking and moving exactly like him.


    "Would you say the same thing now?"


    ''What the?! He can create copies of himself?! I''ve fought someone like this before, but he was never able to summon this many. Was I wrong? What if he isn''t a three-star mage?'' Grey thought.


    Then all at once, lightning began crackling around the hands of all the summons, lighting up the area as Grey''s eyes widened in shock. His heart thumped loudly as he instinctively took a stance.


    ''A dual elementalist?! How?! There shouldn''t¡­ oh fck! I forgot we''re in the capital¡ªtwo-star mages and even dual elementalist are quite common. Shit!''* Grey thought as he watched a bolt from each clone shoot toward him at tremendous speed.


    He was about to dodge when the attacks slammed into him, jolting his body with waves of pain before he was lifted and violently slammed into a nearby tree.


    Trying to stand, Grey coughed out blood, eyes fixed on the clones getting ready to move.


    ''What the hell happened? Wasn''t that attack just a metre away earlier? How did it hit me so fast?'' Grey wondered as he slowly got to his feet, lightning beginning to crackle around his own hands.


    "Oh?!" the summons all said at once. "You''re a lightning mage too¡ªalong with wind. This will be fun."


    Two bolts of lightning shot toward Grey, who fired his own in response, ready to clash with the enemy''s attack¡ªonly for one of the bolts to slam into his gut, launching him backward once again.


    He crashed into the ground, coughing out more blood. Gritting his teeth in pain and fury, he glared at the orange-haired individual casually walking over with the summons.


    *''Curses! The attacks look like they speed up¡ªbut that''s not it. Does he have another affinity? No! I''ve never heard of a magic that speeds up attacks mid-launch. So what is it?


    Hold on¡­ Two bolts each from all twelve should''ve hurt like hell, but it''s not that bad. Which means¡ªonly the real one can attack. The rest are illusions.''* Grey thought, now standing again with blood trickling from his mouth as he faced the twelve figures.


    "You should know¡ªI''m not even trying," the assassin said, all twelve voices speaking at once. "You know something? I like to toy with my opponents a little before killing them. So make this fun for me, darn it!"


    A barrage of lightning bolts was launched toward Grey again.


    "You know something?" Grey shouted as the bolts crashed into him, his body bracing, refusing to be flung back. "That was my line!" he roared, sending out a dozen lightning bolts and a dozen wind blades at the enemy¡ªall shooting at immense speed toward the assassins.


    But then, to his shock, all the attacks passed right through the twelve assassins and crashed into the ground behind them.


    A thunderous bang resounded, and the impact cracked the earth¡ªhot air blowing out from the explosion.


    "Keh keh keh! Is that all you''ve got?" the assassin laughed, taking pleasure in the distraught look on Grey''s face.


    *''My magic¡­ The first is Mirage Magic¡ªit lets me summon clones that can move, speak, and attack like me¡ªbut they can''t deal real damage. That''s how I confuse my enemies.


    The second ability lets me warp horizons¡ªso an attack that seems far might actually be right in front of them.


    And the last¡­ it lets me phase through any kind of attack. That way, they never know which one is the real me¡ªwhile I keep bombarding them with my lightning magic.''* the assassin thought with a wicked grin¡ªonly for the look on Grey''s face to shift from distraught¡­ to smiling.


    "You know," Grey said, wiping the blood from his mouth, "I should really be thanking you right now. I''ve been looking for someone to test my fusion magic on¡ªand you just happened to show up. So thank you¡ªand goodbye."


    A powerful burst of wind exploded forward like a vortex from Grey.


    Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 163 - 163: The boss!

    The fight with the assassin was proving to be extremely difficult. Grey could barely move freely because, before he could react, the attacks had already reached him, launching him through the air with crushing force.


    He would spot an attack seemingly three meters away, only for it to be a mere foot from him¡ªstriking him before he could muster any form of defense.


    But now, Grey was about to unveil what he had been working on relentlessly for the past five days. He hoped that with this, he would finally uncover the true identity of the real assassin among the twelve standing before him.


    "You know, I should really be thanking you right now," Grey said, wiping a smear of blood from the corner of his mouth.


    "I was looking for someone to test my fusion magic on, and you just happened to show up. So, thank you¡ªand goodbye."


    A massive gust of wind suddenly spiraled in front of Grey, swirling into a fierce vortex. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The vortex spun with raw intensity, and gradually, crackling streaks of lightning intertwined with the wind. Its sharpened tip pointed directly at the twelve assassins.


    "And you think I''d just stand here and let you finish whatever it is you''re doing?" the twelve assassins said in unison before unleashing bolts of lightning toward Grey.


    Closing his eyes, Grey stood calmly, the vortex still howling before him as the lightning closed in rapidly.


    "Mana!" he whispered, and in a blur, he shot upward¡ªjust in time¡ªas the lightning crashed into the ground beneath him, erupting into a cloud of dust and debris.


    From his hands, lightning surged forward toward the assassin, who barely leapt back in time to avoid it.


    The assassins then charged toward Grey, their feet infused with lightning, zipping forward with blinding speed as Grey began hurling wind blades in rapid succession.


    They darted around the battlefield, dodging the slicing gusts that struck the earth and stirred up waves of dust and smoke.


    One assassin jumped high and launched a crackling orb of lightning toward Grey, who used a blast of wind to pivot mid-air, narrowly evading the orb as it skimmed past his face, filling his nose with the sharp tang of ozone.


    ''How is he avoiding all of this?'' the assassin thought. ''Even with my warping ability, he''s dodging everything? How?!''


    The vortex beside Grey continued condensing, morphing into an arrow of tightly compressed wind and lightning.


    The lightning sparked violently as the wind funneled tighter, forming a deadly arrow wrapped in electrical fury.


    Meanwhile, wind blades continued flying toward the assassins, each one barely missing as they danced through the chaos.


    The assassins raised their hands and unleashed a flurry of lightning bullets toward Grey, who twisted and flipped mid-air, dodging each one with graceful precision.


    ''I want to use my earth magic to block these shots¡­ but there''s no need,'' Grey roared inwardly. Let''s push past my limits!


    The arrow finally completed its formation, and with no hesitation, Grey released it. It soared into the sky like a missile, causing the assassins to halt in confusion as they looked upward.


    "Huh?! Was that supposed to do something?" the assassins asked, squinting at the sky where nothing seemed to happen.


    "Keh keh keh¡­ It was," Grey grinned. "But this¡ªthis is the real deal."


    The assassins turned their gaze back down¡ªonly to see a dozen razor-sharp, crescent-shaped blades materialize, each one crackling with lightning, forming terrifying arcs of wind fused with electricity.


    "Fusion Magic: Thunder Gale," Grey declared, his eyes gleaming. "Dodge this."


    The thunder gales rocketed forward at a speed that outmatched anything before¡ªwind and lightning combined to create a lethal storm of devastation.


    The assassins'' eyes widened in disbelief as the attacks closed the distance in a heartbeat.


    ''I can only use this once,'' the real assassin thought desperately.


    The thunder gales shredded through the illusions, ripping the ground open and cleaving through trees like paper as they tore forward in a straight, merciless path.


    Grey dropped to one knee, panting heavily, his hands on his knees.


    ''That¡­ that was devastating. If I hadn''t used my phasing ability¡­ I would''ve been cut clean in half,'' the real assassin thought, turning back to see the land behind him utterly torn apart. He swallowed hard.


    "Hahaha¡­" the assassins laughed shakily. "Was that all? I thought you had more in you. Keep them coming¡ªthey won''t touch me."


    ''That was a bluff! I can''t phase again if he sends one more of those at me!'' the assassin screamed internally.


    "I''ve already figured out your abilities," Grey said, straightening up despite the sweat glistening on his forehead. "I spent three years studying every kind of magic I could find."


    He smiled. "Back then, when I couldn''t use magic myself, I decided to study the different types¡ªso I''d be ready when I faced real mages. You''re using Mirage Magic, right?"


    The assassins'' eyes widened in shock.


    "Knew it," Grey smirked and snapped his fingers.


    A sizzle cracked above, and they all instinctively looked up.


    The arrow Grey had launched earlier was now plummeting back to the ground¡ªaimed directly at them, its speed beyond belief.


    With a blinding flash, the arrow struck the real assassin, electrocuting him with overwhelming force.


    "You can''t dodge that arrow¡ªeven if you run," Grey said calmly. "It hunts the real deal¡­ until it hits."


    As the dust settled, only one assassin remained, blood trickling from his mouth and a deep gash across his face.


    ''Who¡­ who is this monster I''m fighting?!'' the assassin thought, heart pounding as he stared at Grey in disbelief.


    "Now," Grey smiled, "this will be more of a one-on-one."


    Dozens of wind blades materialized around him, spinning in mid-air like hungry blades, while the assassin conjured a dozen bolts of lightning around himself, ready to strike¡ª


    *Thump!* *Thump!* *Thump!* *Thump!*


    A heavy, rhythmic sound echoed from the side, freezing them both in place. A sickening aura rolled in with the force of a nightmare.


    They turned instinctively.


    "What¡­ is going on?" the assassin asked, his voice trembling as his chest tightened under the weight of the approaching presence.


    "Wait¡­" Grey muttered, eyes narrowing as his mind raced. "I''ve felt that aura before¡­"


    Then it hit him¡ªlike a bolt of lightning.


    "The boss of the planet is here!"

 Chapter 164 - 164: We did it!

    A few moments ago, when Grey had shot off to scout, he left his teammates behind in the long meadow of grasses that were knee-high.


    "Seriously, someone needs to tame that peasant''s wings," Scarlet said.


    "Do the honors," Arthur replied, and then they kept walking forward with measured and draggy steps due to the grasses.


    "Ahhhhh! This is so frustrating!" Scarlet shouted as flames blazed on her hands, and she shot them towards the grasses. Immediately, they caught fire, burning brightly and spreading quickly.


    "What the hell are you doing, you fool?!" Greg shouted, then looked toward Jay.


    Right on cue, he shot out water at the burning grass around them, dousing it immediately.


    "Are you trying to turn us into burnt meat?" Vince asked, visibly angered.


    "These grasses are slowing us down, and it''s annoying," Scarlet shouted back.


    "Doesn''t mean you turn us into burnt food," Arthur replied.


    "Fine! Keep dragging your feet," Scarlet snapped, then moved away from the rest, dragging her feet. Suddenly, she halted a few feet away, and the others, walking over, also stopped.


    Thanks to Scarlet''s earlier burst, the grasses had now gone a little lower, and walking was somewhat bearable. But when they saw her halt, they walked cautiously.


    "Arrogant queen, what''s wrong?" Greg asked.


    "Shut up! Only one person has the right to call me that," Scarlet retorted. Then, realizing what she''d just said, her cheeks flushed, but her attention turned back to the grass as the others arrived beside her¡ªand saw the grass moving towards them from a few meters away.


    "What''s going on?" Arthur asked, seeing the grass shift harder and faster.


    "I think it''s a beast," Vanica replied.


    "More like beasts," Scarlet said, narrowing her eyes.


    "Well, that''s nice. Now we can take care of them and leave this place," Vorden added¡ªwhen the beasts suddenly raised their heads, revealing five of them.


    The beasts looked like insects, with ant-like mandibles curved like sickles and hard red armored bodies.


    Two antennas jutted from their heads. The beasts were as big as small cars, their movements sharp and unnervingly fast like real ants.


    "They look like ants to me," Gordon said, staring at the five creatures.


    "None of my business. Now we got slightly more than the number we''re required to kill," Greg muttered, his hands crackling with lightning as he prepared to move¡ªbut a tap on his shoulder stopped him.


    "Don''t you have any sense? Those beasts... I can feel it¡ªthey''re level 5 beasts," Scarlet said, a small bead of sweat forming on her head. Greg''s movements froze as the insects moved steadily closer.


    "Level 5¡­ beasts? Are you sure about that?" Greg asked, a sweat dripping down his temple.


    "Yeah¡­ I can feel it too," Raze added with a loud gulp.


    "Can we handle this alone without Grey?" Raze asked as he quickly touched Vince''s shoulder, copying his metal magic. A sword began forming in his hand.


    "I don''t need him," Greg said as lightning encased his feet¡ªand he exploded forward towards the insects.


    "C''mon! Let''s back that hotheaded fool up!" Scarlet shouted as she fire-rocketed toward the beasts behind Greg.


    Immediately after reaching the insects, Greg shot a bolt of lightning toward one¡ªbut it moved swiftly and tried to chomp on his legs.


    He jumped up just in time, releasing a thin, sharp bolt of lightning that struck the beast''s back¡ªonly for it to bounce off harmlessly.


    "I should have known¡­ these beasts have natural armor," Greg muttered.


    As he descended, he was about to smash his lightning-covered hand into the creature¡ªbut at the last second, the beast shifted away. Greg''s fist slammed into the ground instead, sending debris flying and the grass scattering.


    Around him, the other four beasts were already being engaged. Vince and Raze were fighting one together.


    Vince shot out a metal spike, which the beast dodged before dashing toward him, ready to chomp.


    But Raze jumped in front, lifting a metal sword to block the bite.


    Then, a porcupine materialized above the beast, launching quills at its back¡ªbut they bounced off the hard carapace.


    Using one hand to hold the sword wedged in the beast''s jaws, Raze formed a metal gauntlet on his other hand.


    In a flash, he hammered it into the beast''s face, sending it skidding back.


    A massive metal spear appeared next, shooting toward the dazed creature.


    Just as it was about to dodge, a huge metal fist slammed down on its back, cracking its armor and creating shockwaves. The spear then pierced its soft eye, driving deep into its head.


    The beast writhed in pain. That''s when Raze appeared in front, a massive metal sword in his hands, muscles tensed.


    With a single thrust into the underbelly, the sword drove through¡ªkilling it.


    "Guys! Ignore the armored back and go for the underbelly!" Raze shouted, turning just in time to see Scarlet hammering fiery blows from top to bottom into another beast. With a flaming uppercut, she sent it flying into the air.


    "Already figured that out!" she shouted. Two fireballs ignited in her palms, then launched forward. They crashed into the beast''s underbelly¡ªburning it alive.


    Gordon and Arthur worked together to take down one beast. Whenever it lunged, a shield or barrier appeared, blocking the strikes.


    Gordon focused all his mana, generating a thick poison cloud dripping with venom.


    Arthur used the fight to test his bracelet, discovering that his shield could now withstand blows from a level 5 beast. He continued guarding Gordon.


    Once ready, Gordon released the poisonous mist toward the beast''s face.


    It inhaled unknowingly as the duo leapt back. Gordon collapsed to his knees, panting from mana exhaustion.


    The beast started to charge¡ªbut suddenly its movements became groggy. Seconds later, it dropped with a thud.


    That made three down¡ªtwo more to go. Greg was still exchanging blows with one, and upon hearing Raze''s command, he switched tactics.


    A mini lightning dragon appeared above his shoulder, crackling with energy. Together, they sped up. The dragon fired bolts of lightning, some grazing the beast while others missed.


    In Greg''s hand, a lightning blade formed. He leapt, smashing his foot into the beast''s face while it was dodging a bolt.


    The impact sent it flying. Greg hurled his lightning blade like a javelin¡ªit struck the underbelly, killing it instantly.


    Only one beast remained¡ªbeing handled by Jay and Vorden. Vorden used mist magic to disorient it, while Jay continuously attacked with water balls and slashes from his water blade.


    When he finally immobilized the beast, he used water creation magic to blast it into the ground, killing it.


    After the battle, the group stood panting, wide smiles on their faces¡ªthey couldn''t believe they had defeated level 5 beasts on their own. Looking down, they saw the results of their teamwork.


    But the downside¡ªalmost all of their cores were nearly depleted. They had only enough mana left for a few basic spells.


    Raze and Vince didn''t waste time, quickly harvesting the magical cores. When they were done, everyone beamed with pride.


    "Yayyy! We did it¡ªwe managed to complete the practical training! Now we can head back!" Vanica shouted.


    "We did it¡ªnot you. You didn''t contribute shit here," Greg said, glaring at her tiredly.


    "You know, you''re being mean to the one who would help heal your injuries," Vanica scoffed.


    "I don''t¡­" Greg began, but his voice trailed off¡ªand not just his. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone''s heart suddenly thudded violently as their gazes instinctively turned to the path Grey had taken.


    Scarlet''s breath hitched as an overwhelming presence loomed in the distance. Her knees went weak, her instincts screaming at her to flee. "The¡­ the boss," she whispered, dread creeping up her spine. "The boss of the planet."


    "Shit! Grey went that way!" Raze shouted.


    "Darn it! We need to go help him¡ªnow!" Arthur yelled. Without hesitation or complaint, they all dashed forward toward the source of the sickening aura.

 Chapter 165 - 165: I will not be going down!

    Grey was faced with an assassin who had come for his life, and he was holding his own against him.


    After successfully disarming his cloning technique, they were both set for a one-on-one clash¡ªuntil...


    Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.


    They both heard heavy thudding sounds approaching from the side, accompanied by a vile and oppressive aura that brought their movements to a sudden halt.


    Both combatants turned toward the source, instincts flaring.


    "What is going on?" the assassin demanded, his voice trembling slightly as he felt his heart pounding furiously, his chest tightening from the sickening aura closing in.


    "Wait¡­ I''ve felt that aura before," Grey muttered, thoughts racing until realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. "The boss of the planet is here!"


    ''Wait! How strong is the boss of the planet? And why is their aura so suffocating?'' he wondered frantically.


    "Well, you''re going to find out now," Noir chuckled in his mind.


    Suddenly, the cracking of trees echoed through the air¡ªand before they could blink, a massive beast emerged, standing barely a meter away from them.


    ''How fast is this thing?!'' Grey screamed internally, locking eyes with the colossal creature while it examined them with equal scrutiny.


    The beast resembled a monstrous gorilla¡ªmassive in stature, at least twice the size and height of a typical one.


    It had only two muscular arms, but its back was encased in a layer of hardened earth armor that stretched from the crown of its skull to its lower spine.


    Its piercing red eyes scanned the humans like a predator sizing up its prey.


    To gauge the creature''s power, Grey instantly funneled mana to his left eye, causing it to glow a bright blue. A translucent screen shimmered into view before him. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    {Name: Ironback Gorrillian}


    {Level: 7}


    {Magic: Earth and Ice}


    {Mana: 80/80}


    {Description: The Ironback Gorrillian is a gorilla-type beast with tremendous physical strength capable of shattering mountains. Its speed rivals that of swift-type beasts.}


    ''Am I cooked or what?'' Grey gulped as he stared at the beast.


    ''A level 7 beast? That''s only one level below the level 8 we fought in the elf world. It took Licht, Langris, Charla, Old Man Jankis, and myself to bring that thing down¡­ Now I''m alone? And this thing has dual affinities?!''


    Before Grey could react, a sharp sizzling sound erupted behind him. Trusting his instincts, he launched himself into the air using wind magic, narrowly avoiding the incoming strike.


    "Don''t think you can ignore me just because a beast showed up!" the assassin snarled, redirecting the lightning midair back toward Grey.


    Grey backflipped several times, zipping between bolts as they exploded into the ground with violent bursts.


    The beast, observing this, roared with primal fury. It pounded its armored chest rhythmically before launching a dozen earth spikes toward the assassin.


    But the assassin, reacting swiftly, coated his legs in lightning and zipped around, dodging the deadly barrage.


    At that moment, Grey snapped his fingers, unleashing a flurry of wind blades that surged toward the beast.


    But the creature responded instantly, erecting an earth wall that absorbed the assault.


    ''Damn it! This is bad¡ªreally bad! Now I''m stuck in a 1v2! This fight is completely lopsided!'' Grey cursed in his mind, ducking as ice shards and lightning bolts shot toward him. He zipped around swiftly and landed back on the ground.


    The moment his feet hit the earth, a radiant glow enveloped his body. Lightning gauntlets formed on his fists, and a pair of lightning boots materialized on his legs. Meanwhile, the assassin bolted toward the beast and launched a spinning aerial kick.


    But the beast vanished from the spot and reappeared behind the assassin in a flash, swinging its massive arm with terrifying force.


    As if sensing it, the assassin unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts midair, deflecting the incoming blow and landing safely.


    Just then, a thunderous bang echoed as Grey materialized in front of the assassin, his lightning-coated fist whipping forward.


    The assassin was caught off-guard, and Grey''s punch slammed into his face, sending him flying and tumbling across the ground.


    But Grey''s moment of triumph was short-lived. A sudden chill swept past him. He turned just in time to see an ice-covered fist hurtling his way.


    Reacting swiftly, he stomped his foot and raised an earth wall, but to his shock, the icy punch shattered through it, flinging him backward. He skidded across the ground, barely managing to stay upright.


    "Curses! Looks like my earth magic is completely outmatched," Grey gritted, summoning two dozen earth spikes. With a fierce gesture, he launched them toward the beast.


    The creature casually waved its hand, conjuring an ice wall that absorbed the impact. The collision produced thunderous shockwaves.


    Before Grey could breathe, the beast was already in front of him, its fist swinging forward. Thanks to his lightning boots, Grey barely zipped away in time.


    But the creature''s knuckles grazed his cheek, sending him crashing into a tree with brutal force. Blood dripped from his mouth as the tree bent under the impact.


    "Darn it¡­" he groaned, coughing. Then he heard it¡ªheavy footsteps approaching rapidly. Raising his head, he saw the beast charging toward him like a freight train.


    Just as the beast was about to attack him, the assassin reappeared between them, firing a barrage of lightning bolts at the beast, forcing it to halt and conjure an earth wall for defense.


    The assassin spun around and fired a lightning stream at Grey, who barely zipped away in time. The attack slammed into the tree behind him, blasting a gaping hole through it.


    Moments later, Grey stood huffing and panting, sweat dripping down his face. One meter to his left stood the beast.


    One meter to his right stood the assassin. All three warriors locked eyes, battle intent flaring in the air like wildfire.


    "I won''t be going down today¡ªor ever!" Grey roared as a dozen fireballs ignited around him, while two dozen earth and ice spikes floated around the beast.


    "We''ll see about that," the assassin snarled, summoning a dozen crackling lightning bolts, poised to strike.

 Chapter 166 - 166: Backup!

    "I won''t be going down today¡ªor ever!" Grey shouted, as a dozen blazing fireballs materialized around him, while jagged earth spikes and razor-sharp ice shards erupted around the beast.


    "We''ll see about that," the assassin muttered as a dozen crackling lightning bolts hovered around him.


    In a blink, both sides launched their attacks¡ªGrey hastily raised an earthen wall just in time to block the lightning bolts, while the assassin zipped away, dodging the ice shards that crashed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of debris.


    Leaping into the air, Grey soared above the terrain, evading the beast''s incoming earth spikes. In a fluid motion, he slashed out with six wind blades aimed at the beast.


    The beast raised its arm, blocking the strikes, yet the force sent it skidding backward, a faint trickle of blood trailing down its arm.


    Before Grey could react, the assassin materialized in front of him, delivering a brutal roundhouse kick that knocked Grey out of the air.


    He crashed into the ground with a sickening thud, dirt and debris flying as blood streamed down his cheek, the ground beneath him cracking from the impact.


    Before he could rise, a looming shadow blanketed him. Grey looked up¡ªonly to see the gorilla-like beast descending upon him.


    "Shit!" he cursed, activating his wind magic and propelling himself backward just in time as the beast smashed down, causing the earth to quake as if struck by an earthquake.


    Still off-balance, Grey barely registered the assassin reappearing before him, lightning surging around his fists.


    Anticipating the strike, Grey threw up another earth wall. The assassin''s electrified blow slammed into the wall with a thunderous impact, but it held firm.


    From the wall, five sharpened earth shards burst forth, hurtling toward the assassin. Though he tried to evade by zipping side to side, one shard pierced his arm, drawing blood.


    The assassin barely had a second to recover before the beast charged him, swinging a colossal hand.


    With reflexes like lightning, the assassin ducked under the beast''s arm, retaliating with three bolts of lightning that struck it beneath the ribs.


    "You''re fast," the assassin sneered, "but lightning is faster."


    "True!" Grey roared as he exploded from his position with a sonic boom.


    In a flash, he appeared before the assassin and drove a devastating punch into his gut, sending him flying across the battlefield, blood spraying from his mouth as he tumbled across the hard ground.


    Sensing danger behind him, Grey spun around¡ªalready raising an earth wall. Ice shards slammed into it, impaling the structure.


    Dropping the wall, he countered with a barrage of fireballs that scorched toward the beast. The beast responded with its own earth wall, but the searing fireballs burst through, shattering it apart.


    Without pause, Grey launched four massive wind blades. The beast dodged with surprising agility, maneuvering behind him and grabbing his head in its monstrous hand.


    Grey struggled, but the grip was like a vice, squeezing until it felt like his skull would burst.


    "Cu¡­curses!" Grey growled and snapped his fingers, sending two fireballs into the beast''s face¡ªbut the creature raised an ice wall with a wave, effortlessly blocking them.


    ''No! My head! The pain¡­ Am I¡­ Am I really going to die here? No! I can''t die! I won''t!'' Grey screamed internally¡ªwhen a sudden surge of fire blazed past his face, slamming into the beast.


    ''Wait¡­ that wasn''t me,'' he thought, just as two bolts of lightning struck the beast''s arm.


    Two figures leapt into the air, slamming their metal swords into the beast''s wrist. With a groan, it released Grey. A sphere of water appeared beneath him, cushioning his fall as the beast staggered back to assess the new threat.


    Staring in disbelief, Grey turned to see his teammates. Their battered forms and ragged breathing made it clear¡ªthey had just emerged from a battle themselves.


    "Guys¡­" Grey murmured, stunned.


    "Who would''ve thought the arrogant peasant would get his butt kicked by a simple beast. Tch! Pathetic," Scarlet scoffed.


    "You alright, dude?" Arthur asked.


    "Yeah, I''m fine. Thanks for the help¡ªbut you all need to leave now!" Grey barked.


    "Huh?! We just saved your life, and now you''re kicking us out? Even with all your strength, you can''t handle this solo," Jay protested.


    "No! I''m not talking about the beast," Grey replied.


    "Then wha¡ª" Arthur was cut off as a blur zipped in front of him, lightning dancing across his attacker''s hands.


    "No witnesses should remain," the assassin growled, lunging toward Arthur¡ªbut was abruptly intercepted by another lightning-powered figure who delivered a brutal roundhouse kick, sending the assassin skidding across the ground.


    "How dare you?!" Greg snarled, fury blazing in his eyes.


    "Is this why you told us to leave?" Vanica asked.


    ''Damn it! How am I supposed to tell them? If they stay here, I won''t be able to unleash my full strength,'' Grey thought, frustrated.


    "We can he¡ª" Scarlet began, but faltered. She raised her arms to summon flames¡ªnothing.


    The others tried to cast spells¡ªnothing again. Only Vanica managed a flicker of power.


    "Shit! We''re out of mana. We used the last of it to save you," Arthur gasped, horrified at the realization.


    A deafening roar echoed as the beast barreled toward Grey. Gritting his teeth, Grey launched himself forward, lightning-infused gauntlets at the ready. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The beast fired a series of earth spikes¡ªGrey weaved around each midair. Then came a massive ice fist.


    He surged lightning into his arm and smashed through it, just as the assassin reappeared with a flying kick, knocking Grey backward through the dirt.


    "Guys, leave now!" Grey yelled. "I hate to admit this, but you''re only slowing me down. Just get out of here!"


    "Fine! We''ll head to the cave¡ª" Raze started.


    "No! Go to the portal and use it¡ªnow!" Grey interrupted.


    "Huh?! What do you mean?" Vorden asked, confused.


    "I''m going to kill that boss, and once it dies, we only get ten seconds before the portal shuts. So move while you still can!" Grey ordered.


    "But¡ª" Arthur tried to protest, only for Scarlet to grab his shoulder.


    "Look at him," she said. Grey was charging again, wind swirling around him, moving faster than before.


    He caught the assassin off-guard, blasting him away with a wind blast, then pivoted mid-motion to dodge another ice shard from the beast.


    "Does he look like he''s losing?" Scarlet asked. "He''s been holding his ground alone. And his eyes¡ªthose aren''t the eyes of someone who''s ready to die."


    "He''ll survive," Greg added. "If he says he''s killing that thing, he will. We''ve seen him do the impossible more than once. Come on¡ªwe need to go before it''s too late."


    "Argh! Grey, you better make it out alive, or I''ll kill you myself!" Raze shouted.


    "Same here! We''re counting on you!" Arthur yelled. Grey smiled, still dodging and fighting.


    "I will. Now go! You''re the reason I haven''t finished that thing yet!" Grey called back, launching two wind blades at the assassin, who conjured a lightning blade and slashed them apart.


    "We''re leaving now!" Vanica called out, and the group sprinted back toward the portal, praying Grey would endure.


    "Noir! I need you now¡ªcome out!" Grey called as another lightning blade grazed his face, blood dripping. He retaliated with a sweeping wave of wind magic.


    "No. Handle this on your own," Noir replied.


    "Please, damn it! Noir, I can''t win this fight alone. You want revenge on the otherworlders, right? Then you need me alive! So get your hairy ass out here¡ªnow!" Grey roared as a shard of earth slammed into his arm, sending him skidding, blood trailing.


    "Fine," Noir said as black mist poured from Grey''s hand, condensing rapidly. In moments, a small, crimson puppy-like wolf with a singular horn took shape.


    "Keh keh keh! This is your trump card? A tiny mutt? Pathetic!" the assassin jeered as he bolted toward Grey.


    "Be careful how you judge a book by its cover¡­ some bite harder than you expect," Noir growled as he expanded¡ªgrowing massive in seconds, towering like a house. Then, in a burst of speed, he lunged toward the assassin with terrifying force.

 Chapter 167 - 167: The end of an assassin!

    "Be careful how you judge a book by its cover. Some people end up biting back hard," Noir said as he began to grow rapidly, his body expanding until he stood as tall as a small house. In a flash, he exploded forward toward the assassin.


    The speed with which Noir launched himself was like that of a lightning mage. His acceleration rivaled¡ªif not surpassed¡ªthe assassin''s,


    and in a split second, before the assassin could react, a massive paw slammed into his head, sending him crashing into a tree, shattering it completely and nearly uprooting its roots.


    Hmph! My strength has grown so much these past few months, Noir thought as he skidded to a halt and looked up to see the gorilla dashing toward Grey, who responded by conjuring an earth fist and hurling it at the beast. The attack slammed into it, pushing the creature backward.


    "Noir! Help me hold the beast for a few minutes. I need to pay back that assassin for nearly killing Arthur!" Grey shouted as he sprinted toward the area the assassin had crashed into, the beast hot on his heels.


    "I don''t take orders from you," Noir muttered as the beast moved to pass him.


    "But I don''t like being ignored." A laser beam shot from his horn, sizzling toward the beast. It hastily raised an ice wall to block, but the beam sliced clean through.


    "I have the power to end this fight... but I enjoy toying with my opponents more," Noir said with a sharp-toothed smirk. With a bang, he charged forward.


    The beast fired ice and earth shards alternately, each shard slamming into the ground with force that caused the earth to tremble. But Noir evaded them all with ease.


    Leaping into the air, Noir appeared in front of the beast and, from his mouth, launched two enormous fireballs¡ªeach nearly twice the size of Grey''s.


    The fireballs slammed into the beast, scorching its black fur and sending it skidding across the field.


    In an instant, Noir vanished from its view and reappeared behind it, delivering a crushing blow to its head with his paw, nearly making the beast tumble.


    The gorilla swung its arm in retaliation, but Noir vanished again, the gust from the attack creating a shockwave that rippled through the area.


    "Tch! Too slow," Noir scoffed, reappearing in front of the beast. A single laser beam shot from his horn and pierced its shoulder, creating a smoking bullet hole. "Guess your skin ain''t that tough!"


    While Noir fought the beast, Grey stood before the assassin, who was groaning and slowly getting to his feet.


    "Damn that little wolf!" the assassin cursed, blood dripping down his forehead. He lifted his head, only to find a brown-haired boy standing over him, blood staining his mouth, his eyes burning with fury.


    "Now that the beast''s being handled, how about a little rematch?!" Grey growled and smashed his knee into the assassin''s jaw, jerking his head back. Before he could recover, Grey grabbed him midair and shot upward with wind magic, the force bending nearby trees away.


    "Let me go, you accursed child!" the assassin shouted, lightning crackling in his hand as he prepared to strike.


    "Gladly," Grey replied, releasing him.


    The assassin plummeted several meters before Grey rocketed down after him, kicking off the air with blinding speed.


    As he neared, Grey coated his hand in earth and delivered a devastating punch, blood bursting from the assassin''s mouth as he crashed into the ground, creating a crater from the impact.


    His eyes rolled back, but Grey jolted him with a lightning bolt, forcing him to his feet. The dazed assassin stood unsteadily, only to notice a shadow looming over him.


    Looking up, he saw five wind blades, three fireballs, two lightning bolts, and twelve earth shards all aimed at him.


    "I''m feeling generous, so choose how you want to die," Grey said with a smirk.


    "Me? Die?! Haha! So delusional!" the assassin laughed. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Grey, fist cocked, but Grey had already vanished and reappeared behind him.


    The assassin spun and charged again, but Grey''s lightning-boosted boots let him dodge with ease, weaving effortlessly between the attacks.


    "I know you''re frustrated by how I keep dodging," Grey taunted as he ducked another punch. "It''s simple¡ªI can sense whenever you''re about to attack."


    "Arghhhhhh!" the assassin roared in frustration, unleashing bolts of lightning in every direction in a desperate attempt to hit Grey.


    "Tch. Without your mirage magic, you''re nothing. You would''ve died a long time ago if it weren''t for that meddling beast," Grey said, hurling a wind blade that severed the assassin''s hand.


    The assassin, blinded by rage, didn''t even realize he was missing a hand. He kept firing lightning bolts wildly, screaming incoherently.


    "I¡­ I will not lose! I will complete my task! My reputation as a task completer won''t be tarnished!" he shouted, continuing to attack at random.


    Dodging with ease, Grey appeared behind him, his fist now sheathed in thick, heavy earth.


    "Well, too bad your reputation''s already in shambles. You picked the wrong target," Grey said before slamming his fist into the assassin''s skull, knocking him to the ground with a sickening thud.


    "Earth Magic: Bind!" he shouted. Pillars of earth rose around the assassin, wrapping around his limbs and pinning him in place. No matter how he struggled, he couldn''t break free.


    "How¡­ how¡­ how have I lost? Why have I lost?" the assassin cried, tears trailing down his cheeks¡ªjust as four wind blades began to hover above his head.


    ''I knew it, I felt it when I was taking that task. My gut feelings were telling me something was wrong and I wish I listened to my feelings.


    Arghh! It''s all that hunched back man''s fault! If he hadn''t tasked with this mission which came with a lot of coins, I wouldn''t be here... In this situation. If only... If only I can be free, I would teach him a lesson! Arghhhhhh!'' the assassin screamed in his head.


    "You lost the moment you decided to face me," Grey whispered, and with a snap of his fingers, the wind blades shot downward, piercing the assassin and ending his life. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Although you were also human like me, I will never hesitate to kill those who try to kill me. Because if I die, Mum and Jesse would be heartbroken,'' Grey thought.

 Chapter 168 - 168: Race against time

    While Grey was toying with the assassin, Noir was also engaged in a fierce dance with the gorilla beast.


    After unleashing a scorching laser beam, Noir soared above the beast and hurled two blazing fireballs, but the beast was nimble¡ªswiftly evading the attack as the fireballs slammed into the ground, searing a deep hole into the earth.


    ''I wonder if Grey''s idiotic friends have left the planet yet. I can''t eliminate this beast until they do,'' Noir thought, sidestepping just in time to dodge a long, jagged earth spear fired in retaliation.


    Dashing forward again, Noir blurred with speed toward the beast that now unleashed a barrage of razor-sharp ice shards in a blind fury.


    Yet, Noir danced around every shard¡ªtwisting, leaping, and weaving with fluid precision¡ªnever once taking a hit.


    With a powerful launch from the ground, Noir lunged with jaws agape, aiming to sink its fangs into the beast.


    But the gorilla twisted away at the last second, its massive hand colliding with Noir and slamming it into the ground, creating a crater beneath its body.


    ''Damn! That hit shook the whole planet!'' Noir winced as pain radiated through its frame.


    Raising one hand, the beast conjured a brutal club of solid earth and brought it down like a hammer.


    Noir twisted around, a flash of crimson energy erupting from its horn as it burned through the club with a precise laser shot.


    Then, in a heartbeat, it morphed into its smaller puppy form, its speed doubling. In a blur, Noir reappeared behind the beast.


    Reverting back to the size of a house, it conjured several fireballs and flung them at the beast.


    But the gorilla responded instantly¡ªan earth wall erupted, followed by an ice barrier. The fireballs smashed against them, scorching but unable to penetrate.


    "Damn it! When will Grey''s dumbass friends leave?! This beast is really starting to tick me off!" Noir roared in frustration, leaping high and firing two searing laser beams at the beast''s legs.


    The beams hit true, burning through fur and flesh¡ªjust as a luminous butterfly fluttered into the battlefield.


    Noir ignored it.


    Launching forward, it aimed for a decisive strike, but the beast pounded the ground, sending up sharp earth spikes. Noir dodged most, but one impaled its paw¡ªblack blood dripping.


    "Shit!" Noir snarled just before the beast appeared directly before it, slamming an ice club into its face and sending it hurtling into a tree, uprooting it entirely.


    "Enough is enough!" Noir roared, summoning a massive fireball, the size of a carriage, above its head.


    With a flash, it hurled the blazing orb at the beast. The gorilla tried to defend, raising an earth wall, but it shattered under impact.


    The fireball slammed into the creature, sending it crashing into the ground, charred fur turning pitch black.


    ''I still can''t kill you... yet.'' Noir glared as the luminous butterfly hovered directly in front of its snout.


    "Get out of my face!" it growled, swinging its paw to swat the butterfly, which danced away effortlessly. "Get awa¡ªshit!" Noir cursed as an ice fist smashed into its side, sending it tumbling once more.


    "Curse Grey''s teammates¡ªand curse this damn butterfly!" Noir roared. Its horn lit up crimson again and fired a laser at the insect, narrowly missing.


    The beast surged toward it, brandishing an earth club. Noir narrowly evaded the swing and retaliated with a fierce paw strike, sending the gorilla staggering backward.


    Glancing around, Noir noticed the butterfly was gone. "Good riddance," it muttered, launching another fireball, which was blocked again by an earth wall. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From behind the wall, a barrage of sharp earth spikes erupted toward Noir, who nimbly ducked, weaved, and dashed through them.


    Each spike struck the ground with thunderous impacts, sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield.


    Noir was preparing to dash again when¡ª


    "Noir! Send the beast my way now!" a voice shouted.


    "I don''t take orders from you¡ªand I know what you''re thinking," Noir snapped, continuing to dodge a volley of ice shards. "You want to kill the beast now. But what about your friends?"


    "They''re safe. Now hurry!" Grey called from the forest''s edge. A massive mound of earth exploded from the ground, shaping rapidly into an arrow.


    "How can you be sure?" Noir asked, rushing toward the beast. It raised yet another earth wall, but Noir barreled straight through it, smashing the gorilla backward and then dashing forward again.


    "Because they sent a signal¡ªone you almost destroyed!" Grey barked.


    ''Signal? Destroy? Oh... that annoying butterfly was the signal.'' Noir realized just as the beast came at it with both an ice and an earth club in each hand.


    The ice club swung sideways. Noir sprang up and slammed its paw into the beast''s skull mid-air.


    "Will you hurry up?! I''m running out of mana, damn it!" Grey yelled as flames and lightning coiled around the earthen arrow.


    "Fine! Here it comes!" Noir said, dodging another swing. It darted behind the beast and unleashed all its might in a crushing blow to the head, launching the beast toward Grey.


    "Here goes nothing! Wind Magic¡ªAerius Ultra!" Grey chanted. The arrow surged forward, fire and lightning trailing it like a comet.


    The beast conjured another earth wall, but the arrow shattered it on contact and drove straight into the gorilla, sending it crashing into the ground. Dust and debris erupted skyward.


    "It''s not dead yet," Noir muttered, shrinking in size and dashing toward the injured beast, now pinned with the arrow lodged in its abdomen, black blood pooling.


    "I know. Finish it off in thirty seconds. I need to get to the portal¡ªso it''s all on you," Grey said, jumping so hard that the ground beneath him cracked. His lightning boots and gauntlets began flickering out.


    "Wind Creation Magic¡ªKaiser!" Grey summoned a colossal bird of wind beneath him. In an instant, it soared away, carrying him toward the portal.


    ''I hope the thirty-second window I gave Noir is enough,'' Grey thought, racing above tall grass fields.


    Meanwhile, Noir watched the gorilla stir.


    "Screw your time limit! You need to learn not to boss me around!" Noir growled, its horn glowing crimson once again.


    A concentrated laser blast shot out and pierced the gorilla''s chest, finally ending its life. From the same spot, a gleaming magical core shimmered.


    "I''ll be taking this," Noir said as it extracted the core and began dissipating into black mist. The ground trembled beneath it. The planet was beginning to collapse.


    "Now it''s a race against time for you," Noir smirked, vanishing completely into mist.


    Elsewhere, Grey shot past the swaying fields.


    ''Twenty more seconds to the portal... which means Noir''s time window is almo¡ª'' He paused mid-thought as the entire planet began to quake violently.


    "What the... damn it! Curse you, Noir!" Grey shouted, instantly realizing what had happened.


    "You''re welcome. Now push yourself to your absolute limit," Noir said in his mind, laughing.


    "I swear I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you, you cursed familiar!" Grey shouted. The ground was splitting apart. The sky was darkening. A swirling wormhole tore into the sky above.


    "Five seconds left," Noir said mockingly.


    Sweat poured from Grey''s brow. His mana flickered¡ªbarely holding on. The wind bird faded in and out of existence. The portal, once wide, was shrinking fast.


    "Three seconds," Noir murmured.


    The portal swirled tighter. Its glow dimmed.


    "Shit!" Grey yelled. His mana was down to a flicker. The bird''s beak vanished. The gap was closing.


    "One second left," Noir whispered.


    "Here goes nothing!" Grey yelled, launching himself from the bird. He summoned a final burst of wind with the last of his mana, flinging himself forward.


    In a blur, Grey shot through the portal just as it snapped shut behind him. The wind bird vanished.

 Chapter 169 - 169: Grey is our friend!

    Back at Lunaria Academy, everything seemed to be running as planned. The first-year instructors lounged in the quiet corridors, Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    enjoying a temporary lull since all the new students had been out on a beast-hunting mission. Their idle chatter was suddenly interrupted by alarming news¡ªthe portal was active.


    Instructor Von wasted no time as he rushed to the portal chamber. The room pulsed with faint light and shadows as the ancient gateway flickered and hummed with energy, clearly in use.


    Within moments, Scarlet emerged through the portal, her presence marked by exhaustion and urgency.


    One by one, Arthur, Raze, Vince, Greg, Gordon, Vorden, Vanica, and Jay followed, collapsing onto the cold stone floor.


    Their bodies bore the marks of a brutal encounter¡ªbruises, cuts, and signs of strenuous exertion¡ªand while they were awake, they were far from being fully awake, their exhaustion almost palpable.


    Amid the chaos, Vanica hurried from student to student, her gentle yet determined magic mending wounds with swift, glowing gestures.


    Standing off to the side, Instructor Von began his routine headcount, his eyes narrowing as he took in the battered group. His gaze hardened.


    "You all!" His booming voice cut through the murmurs, causing the injured students to sit up straighter in alarm.


    "Instructor Von," Scarlet managed, her voice hoarse with both pain and relief.


    "There were ten of you that entered that portal," Von stated, his tone grave. "But I count only nine. Where is the last one?" His question was direct, laced with growing concern.


    Unbeknownst to them, a shadow lurked near the back of the room¡ªa hunched figure watching silently.


    In the dim light, a raspy voice echoed from the darkness,


    "He... he is dead." Greg replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.


    At that, the shadowed figure allowed a twisted smile and lightly tapped his head as if confirming a secret connection. "The job is done," he whispered before vanishing without a trace.


    Across the room, Gordon''s eyes flicked nervously around. ''Why did I feel like someone else was here, watching us?'' he thought, unease building in his chest.


    Instructor Von''s face grew pale. "Dead? What do you mean dead?" he demanded, his heart beginning to race.


    "He is facing off against the boss of the planet alone, and fighting an assassin at the same time!" Arthur blurted out, desperation coating his words.


    "Boss? Assassin? What are you all saying? Wait¡ªhe is fighting the boss by himself? That''s madness!" Von shouted, tapping his head once more to reach the higher-ups with urgent thoughts.


    "Please, Instructor Von, hurry and save him," Vanica pleaded, her eyes shining with both fear and hope. "He risked everything so that we could escape. We can''t lose him now."


    Von turned sharply. "Captain Amir! A student by the name of Grey Dawn is stranded on the planet where the first-years had their practical training," he reported into his magical communicator.


    "Well, if he''s stuck, he will get out. Don''t bother me¡ªI''m busy," came Amir''s curt reply.


    "Sir, not stuck in that sense! He''s fighting against the planet''s boss," Von insisted, his voice trembling as he spoke just as something heavy thudded on the other side of the chamber.


    "What... what level is this boss?" Amir asked, and then Von repeated the question to the students, "What level is the beast?"


    "We''re not completely sure," explained Raze. "But this beast is a massive gorilla, wielding two affinities¡ªIce and Earth."


    "Two affinities?!" Captain Amir exclaimed. "Shit! That makes it an Ironback Gorilla, roughly level seven at least, if it can harness both powers."


    Von''s voice turned urgent. "What should we do, sir? That student¡ªalthough some see him as a peasant¡ªis very valuable to our squad."


    "I know exactly what to do," Amir said. "Prepare a small squad of second-years, led by a third-year. That should be enough support."


    "Right on it," Von replied.


    Then Vince''s determined voice rang out, "Instructor Von, I want to come along!" Clenching his fists, he stepped forward.


    "Are you crazy too?" Von snapped.


    "Yes, I am crazy!" Vince shouted back, emotions rising. "Twice now, Grey Dawn has saved me. First, when I was nearly killed by my own brother, and now¡ªhe''s fighting the boss alone so that we might live. I need to help him."


    Von raised an eyebrow. "Aren''t you a noble? Why would you risk your life to save a commoner?"


    Tears welled in Vince''s eyes as he stuttered, "I... I don''t see him as a commoner. He''s my friend, and I will do whatever it takes to help my friend!"


    "Too bad that it''s only you that shares that sentiment." Von said about to leave.


    "Wrong!" Scarlet interjected. "Yes, he is a peasant. But for him to risk his life for us, he is¡­ is¡­ darn I can''t believe I want to say this, but he is my friend!"


    "Same here!" Raze added.


    Arthur joined in, fists clenching with emotion. "He not only let us escape, but he also taught me to stand up and prove my worth. I cannot let him face death alone on that miserable planet."


    Greg smirked as he took a slow step forward. "Besides, if he dies, who else will challenge me as my rival? None of these weaklings can ever do that."


    "And we will fight against death itself to save the one we hold dear," Vanica said softly, her eyes resolute.


    Instructor Von turned away from the group, a faint smile tugging at his lips. In his mind, he mused, ''The plan worked. They have learned to unite beyond class differences. Perhaps now, the end of this divide is near.''


    "Fine, let''s go..." Von muttered just as a sudden swooshing sound caught their attention. They spun around to see the portal shrinking rapidly. Von''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "What... what is happening?" Vince asked as he watched the portal diminish before his eyes.


    "Blast it! If the portal is closing, that can only mean one thing¡ªthe boss of the planet has been defeated," Von said, his voice heavy with shock as the portal shrank to half its original size.


    "What?!" The entire team cried out in unison.


    "Were any of you near the portal when the fight began?" Von demanded, sweat beading on his forehead as he looked at the shaken students.


    They all shook their heads in unison. Von cursed under his breath. "Damn it! If we cannot get in, how will we save him?"


    Before more could be said, a furious voice shouted from within the diminishing portal. "Curse you, Noir!" The words echoed as someone was ejected from the portal just in time.


    There, lying on the cold floor of the chamber, was a human figure¡ªfalling and battered yet alive¡ªwhose arrival would change the course of what was to come.

 Chapter 170 - 170

    The team had just delivered an impassioned speech explaining why they were willing to risk everything to save Grey.


    At last, Instructor Von gave his consent, and they prepared to move out. But just as they were about to leave, their eyes widened in alarm¡ªthe portal was shrinking rapidly.


    "Shit! How can this be?" Von exclaimed, his voice tense with urgency. "This can only mean that the boss of the planet has been defeated." The portal had now reduced to half its original size.


    "What?!" the entire team shouted in unison.


    "Were any of you near the portal when the fight broke out?" Von demanded, sweat beading on his brow as he saw every face shake their head in unison.


    "Darn it! If none of you were close, we won''t be able to get back in to save him¡ªand he won''t be able to¡­"


    Before he could finish, a furious shout rang out from the shrinking portal: "Curse you, Noir!" In that split second, a human figure was propelled out of the portal, landing with a thud on the cold stone floor.


    Staggering to his feet with blood streaming down his face from a cut above his brow and his half-torn robe clinging to him, Grey looked around the chamber that housed the portals.


    His brown hair was a wild, unkempt mess, and his eyes, though tired, burned with determination. Behind him, the portal he''d just emerged from had all but disappeared, and he let out a sigh of relief.


    "That was a close call," he murmured. Just then, an ear-piercing noise split the silence.


    "Grey!!!" two voices shouted at once as Vanica and Vince dashed toward him.


    They enveloped him in a tight embrace¡ªVince with concern and Vanica with tears streaming down her face.


    Vanica used the last of her mana to heal his wounds, her gentle magic glowing faintly as it mended cuts and bruises.


    "Yoo! You really did it, man," Raze said, approaching with a gentle pat on his back.


    "Tch! The way you were talking, I thought you''d be done in a minute¡ªbut it actually took you five. Pathetic," Scarlet scoffed, though her eyes betrayed a deep relief.


    ''Thank goodness he''s safe,'' Scarlet thought silently.


    "You''re still a weakling if you needed that long to defeat a common level 7 beast," Greg teased with a smirk.


    "Tch! I could have done it in a minute," Jay retorted sharply.


    "Oh yeah? How about I push you into one of these portals so you can fight the boss and finish it in a minute?" Grey shot back at Jay, causing him to take a small step back in alarm.


    "Thank goodness you''re safe," Gordon said, wrapping Grey in a tight hug. "You know, you didn''t have to send us away."


    "If I hadn''t, you all would be dead by now," Grey replied, a wry smile dancing on his lips. "Besides, I didn''t want a bunch of weaklings holding me back."


    "Weaklings?! Who are you calling a weakling?" Scarlet challenged, attempting to summon even the tiniest spark of flame¡ªbut nothing came forth.


    "See? You can''t even summon a small flame when you try to fight. It''s pathetic," Grey teased. "By the way, Vanica, thank you for that signal you sent¡ªeven though someone almost destroyed it." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s¡­ it''s nothing," Vanica stuttered, her cheeks reddening with bashful gratitude. In her mind, she couldn''t help but wonder, ''Oh my goodness! He just thanked me again!''


    "And what about that dude who nearly killed me? I thought it was just the two of us on that planet," Arthur asked, still catching his breath.


    "Oh! He was an assassin sent to kill me for reasons I couldn''t figure out," Grey replied with a shrug.


    "An assassin?" Von interjected, stepping forward to make his presence known.


    "Instructor Von," Grey called out respectfully.


    "Why would an assassin be sent after you?" Von asked, genuine concern in his tone.


    "No idea. He was just mumbling nonsense, and honestly, I couldn''t care less," Grey shrugged off the question.


    "Where''s he now?" Vince pressed.


    "He''s probably off chatting with his ancestors by now," Grey smirked, a remark that made everyone''s hearts pound in uneasy laughter.


    ''This dude is a psycho,'' they all thought.


    "How did you handle those two threats by yourself¡ªand still managed to kill a level 7 beast?" Von asked, the admiration clear in his voice.


    "I don''t know¡ªI just did it," Grey replied with a weary shrug. "Anyway, I''m exhausted. I need rest. And thanks, Vanica, for healing me up. Now I can skip a visit to the clinic." With that, he turned and left the chamber.


    As Grey departed, Vanica''s flushed cheeks and scattered thoughts made her murmur internally,


    ''He thanked me again! Oh, I''m so pregnant right now. Wait, what am I saying?'' Scarlet eyed her curiously, wondering what was so extraordinary about Vanica.


    ''What''s her deal? Why is she blushing?'' Scarlet thought.


    "Alright, everyone!" Von called out after a moment. "I know you''re all exhausted from what you went through today.


    Head back to your rooms and get some rest. If any of you still need healing, the clinic is open. And remember¡ªyou have tomorrow off.


    But later, you''ll be required to submit the magical cores you hunted. If you don''t meet the quota I set, your day off will be canceled." With that, Von exited the room.


    "Are the crystals safe?" Vince asked, turning to Vanica. She quickly opened the pouch at her waist, carefully counted the crystals, and nodded.


    "Good! I think I''m going to spend my day off in a long, relaxing bath." Vince said as he casually stretched.


    "Same here¡ªbecause I reek," Raze joked as he walked ahead.


    "You always do," Scarlet chuckled as she left the room.


    After a long, much-needed rest and refreshing bath, the whole team was called back to submit the crystals.


    Once they were finished, they were dismissed, while Grey was asked to recount what had led him to encounter and battle the assassin.


    Grey narrated the events in detail¡ªcarefully omitting the part where he fought the assassin.


    He described the assailant''s eerie appearance and the strange magic he wielded.


    Once he was done, he was excused, and he left the room with relief. Meanwhile, the academy set about the task of uncovering the identity of the assassin and the motive behind the order to target Grey.

 Chapter 171 - 171: An Urgent mission

    A month had slipped by since Grey and his friends embarked on that unforgettable practical training on a distant planet¡ª


    the very place where Grey encountered an assassin, one whose sinister purpose was to end his life before ultimately meeting his own fate.


    During this past month, Grey had poured himself into relentless practice, honing his abilities in fusion magic.


    With dedication, he mastered not only the two fusion spells he already knew but also added a brand-new one to his repertoire.


    In addition, Grey expanded his arsenal by learning one more wind spell and an extra lightning spell, each addition reinforcing his resolve and making him stronger than ever before.


    His relationship with his friends had grown significantly, too; where once there was a divide at the canteen, now they all sat together at every meal, sharing laughter and stories as they forged deeper bonds.


    Though Grey was usually reticent, he found solace in their company, joining them for meals and classes alike¡ªespecially when Scarlet teasingly bantered with him, lightening even the tensest moments.


    Over the month, not only had Grey sharpened his skills, but his friends, too, had shown improvement.


    Their creation magic had become noticeably more potent, their physical strength had increased, and their camaraderie glowed as visibly as ever.


    Meanwhile, the academy''s efforts to uncover the identity of the elusive assassin¡ªand to learn who might have hired him¡ªproved fruitless, always ending in a dead-end.


    With Captain Amir warning Grey that he needed to grow stronger for his own protection, the gravity of the situation was never far from his mind.


    Amir''s words resonated deeply: if an assassin could breach the academy and slip through a portal, then someone powerful and authoritative was at play.


    Motivated by this warning, Grey pushed himself day in and day out, though he still fell short of the powerful four-star mages.


    Nonetheless, his elemental affinities were growing rapidly with every grueling training session.


    Amid this progress, one persistent grievance remained¡ªGrey often cursed Noir for nearly killing him with a dangerous prank.


    For weeks, Grey vowed to hunt down and bury Noir the next time their paths crossed. Finally, unable to bear the relentless taunts, Noir emerged and, in an act both surprising and sincere, gifted Grey the earth magical core he had retrieved from a mighty beast.


    That single gesture calmed Grey''s raging heart, for he knew that absorbing the core would empower his earth magic.


    After absorbing the magical core and using his appraisal skill, Grey carefully inspected his updated stats displayed before him:


    <Name: Grey Dawn>


    <Status: 3-Star Mage>


    <Mana: 65/65>


    <Elements: Four>


    ? {<Wind: 40> | Colour Grade: Blue}


    ? {<Earth: 45> | Colour Grade: Yellow}


    ? {<Fire: 37> | Colour Grade: Purple}


    ? {<Lightning: 15> | Colour Grade: Blue}


    His wind magic had soared thanks to repeated practice, while his earth magic gained a significant boost from the powerful magical core.


    Meanwhile, his other affinities lagged behind because their growth required far more challenging conditions.


    Wind magic flourished through constant use; fire magic demanded intense training in a volcanic environment like the one at Kiten; earth magic thrived through a deep connection with nature¡ª


    best achieved on a mountain rather than within the academy''s confines; and lightning magic needed to be honed amid roaring thunderstorms.


    Despite these challenges, Grey''s unique talents as a multi-elementalist allowed him to absorb magical cores with remarkable ease.


    Today, in homeroom class, Instructor Clark briefed the students on various matters pertaining to the world and the academy.


    His lecture drilled home the importance of responsibility and the ever-present pursuit of improvement.


    "Wait, Instructor Clark," Greg interrupted, his tone laced with curiosity, "you mean you don''t know what the highest level a magical beast can reach?"


    "If you put it that way, then yes," Clark admitted. "Beasts evolve every day, so it''s hard to pin down an exact level. However, the highest level a beast ever encountered by humans was a level 12¡ªone that the founder of Lunaria Academy single-handedly dealt with."


    Grey''s mind raced with awe and determination. ''A level 12 beast¡­ terrifying and amazing at the same time. But times have changed, and these beasts are more common now.''


    "What about our academy stars?" Grey asked, leaning forward with intensity. "How do they work, and what do they mean for our rankings?"


    "Good question," Clark replied. "Stars are awarded to squad members as a way to climb up the academy rankings.


    Every successful mission earns points from the principal. Once a squad accumulates twenty points, they are awarded a star. These stars are not just marks of honor¡ªthey reflect your overall dominion and potential.


    Although you are still in the testing phase and do not have official rankings yet, the real struggle begins in your second year. Every mission, every point, is recorded and matters."


    Arthur frowned in confusion. "I still don''t understand."


    "Think of it like this," Clark elaborated. "When a mission is completed, points are tallied. Every twenty points equals one star, and these stars help define your place among the seven rankings in the academy. I''ll explain the rest in our next class."


    Grey''s thoughts churned with resolve.


    ''Interesting. So our stats are being recorded ever since we stepped foot in this academy. Which means, I need to do extraordinarily well.''


    Vanica then raised another question, "Instructor Clark, if we have captains for our squads, why are there no vice-captains?"


    Clark smiled. "There are vice-captains, too. The strongest third-year students are chosen for that role, though they rarely appear.


    They are usually called away to handle external threats, perhaps even a potential invasion, and work closely with the academy principals."


    Before Clark could continue, Grey stood up, eyes narrowed with determination. "One more thing¡ªwhat star is the emperor, how strong is he, and what are his affinities?" he demanded quietly.


    In his heart, he knew that to surpass the emperor, he had to know everything about him¡ªeven if it meant starting with his star level.


    Clark sighed and replied, "That, most of you should already know, but I guess not everyone is on the same page. The emperor stands at the..." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, a Bang! resounded as the classroom door swung open. A messenger strode in with urgency, interrupting Clark''s words.


    "Instructor Clark, I have a message from the captain for all first-years," the messenger announced. The students exchanged anxious glances, their hearts skipping beats¡ªexcept for Grey, whose eyes widened with anticipation.


    "Please, go ahead," Clark said, stepping aside to let the messenger speak.


    "Listen up, everyone! You have been tasked with an urgent mission. Complete it, and you''ll earn a star. This mission is worth twenty points," the messenger declared.


    A spark ignited within Grey. ''A mission worth twenty points?! I''m in,'' he thought, determination swelling in his chest as he prepared to step into yet another challenge on the path to greatness.

 Chapter 172 - 172: Lets go in with a bang!

    "Listen up, everyone! You have been assigned an urgent mission¡ªa mission that, if completed, will earn you a star," the messenger announced, his voice both clear and commanding.


    ''A mission worth twenty points?! I''m in,'' Grey thought, his eyes widening with anticipation.


    The messenger continued, his tone somber yet urgent,


    "This mission is extremely dangerous. Normally, such tasks fall to the second years, but for reasons unknown, the captain has chosen you. There has been a portal break in a nearby village."


    "Po¡­ po¡­ portal break?!" Raze stuttered in fright, his voice trembling as uncertainty gripped him.


    ''Portal break? The same occurrence that rocked Kiten and even the elven town? How does a portal break even work?'' Grey pondered, his mind racing with questions.


    "Yes! A portal break, and the more time you spend there, the more lives are lost," the messenger explained, his eyes scanning the room for understanding. "This is a Level 2 portal break, meaning the beasts pouring out are of Level 3 and 4."


    "Well, that shouldn''t be an issue then," Scarlet declared, pumping her fist with renewed determination.


    "You all aren''t completely clear on what a portal break entails, are you?" the messenger asked, letting a brief pause underscore the gravity of the situation.


    "The coordinates have been sent to your holographic displays. Your task is to go there, save as many lives as possible, and eliminate all the beasts. Good luck."


    With that, the messenger swiftly exited the room. As if on cue, the holographic display shifted, projecting the precise location before them.


    "What are you waiting for? You heard him!" Instructor Clark urged.


    "Right," Grey replied, his tone resolute as he led his team out the door.


    Outside, the crisp air mingled with the scent of adventure as Grey summoned his giant wind bird, a majestic creature with shimmering feathers. Soon they were soaring over the landscape, heading for the troubled village.


    "A portal break, huh? I wonder how many beasts we''ll face," Vanica mused, her eyes fixed on the sprawling vista below. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Probably twenty, max," Arthur shrugged with a mix of casual confidence and curiosity.


    "I don''t think it''ll be just twenty¡ªmaybe fifty at most," Raze added, his tone edged with anxiety.


    "Whatever the number, we can handle it," Scarlet insisted with unwavering resolve.


    "You all still haven''t truly grasped the meaning of a portal break, have you?" Grey asked with a sly smile.


    "Listen carefully: don''t unleash your full power right away. Save a little strength for the battles ahead."


    "Tch! You''re making a mountain out of a molehill," Greg scoffed. "I''m sure it''s going to be fine."


    "Whatever," Grey replied, his voice calm as the giant bird circled overhead. Below, the village emerged into view: buildings lay in ruins, thick smoke billowed from shattered windows, and the sound of loud bangs mixed with chilling screams filled the air.


    As they drew closer, an even more horrifying sight met their eyes. Hundreds of monstrous beasts¡ªthick, pitch-black creatures with bat-like features yet four times larger than normal¡ªswarmed the area.


    Their razor-sharp wings sliced through the air as they moved with deadly precision, and their fangs glistened ominously in the diffused daylight.


    Scarlet''s eyes widened, and she gasped, "Fif¡­ no! Hundreds of beasts?! How?"


    "Let''s go," Grey commanded as the giant bird began a graceful yet rapid descent toward the village.


    "Go where?" Raze interjected, panic creeping into his voice. "Can''t you see what we''re facing? Hundreds of them! How do we handle that?"


    "I agree with Raze," Vorden muttered, his voice laced with desperation.


    "My magic is practically useless against those swarming bat-like fiends." He gestured toward the chaotic scene below, where the creatures darted in and out of smoky alleys.


    The beasts were nightmarish. Their skin was a deep, impenetrable black that absorbed light.


    Their wings, edged like razor blades, sliced through the air with a menacing hum, and one particularly gruesome creature was seen clinging to a civilian''s neck¡ª


    its fangs draining the victim''s life-force so efficiently that the person''s vibrant color faded into the pallor of old age before collapsing with a heavy thud.


    "Those things are practically demons," Jay observed in a hushed yet horrified tone.


    "Are you all scared?" Grey called over the din, his voice steady as he guided his wind bird to hover just a few meters above the ground, keeping them out of immediate danger from the creatures below.


    "Tch! Why should we be scared?" Scarlet retorted, swallowing a lump of fear as she steadied herself.


    "Haven''t you all faced beasts before?" Grey pressed, his eyes dark with determination.


    "Well, yes, but never in a swarm like this. They suck the life out of their victims," Gordon replied, his voice low and grim.


    "What''s the difference?" Grey challenged passionately. "Beasts are meant to kill¡ªbut tell me, do you really want to run away and abandon these weak individuals? They have no magic to defend themselves!"


    "I''m not going to sacrifice myself for cripples," Greg retorted sharply, his voice biting.


    "Fine, if that''s how you feel, you can leave," Grey said, pointing down to a horrifying scene: a vicious bat was actively tearing a young girl apart. His eyes blazed with fury. "But once you leave, then they''re all finished."


    That statement stilled the defiant murmurs around him. ''Not that I even care,'' Grey thought, ''but I need to complete this mission and earn that star. I can''t do it alone, even with my four affinities. I need their help.''


    "Fine! Whatever," Scarlet finally agreed with a determined nod.


    "Yeah, yeah! Let''s just get this over with," Greg grumbled.


    "Let''s go in with a bang," Raze said, clenching his fists as he briefly touched Scarlet''s shoulder to merge their magic.


    "I have an idea," Grey announced, his voice cutting through the tension like the sharp wind.


    As the giant bird descended rapidly toward the village, the air around it thickened with the force of descending wind, causing even Grey''s hair to ripple in the gust.


    "Wind magic! Sky Cutter!" he roared. In a flash, a massive, crescent-shaped slash¡ªspanning nearly seven meters¡ªmaterialized from his outstretched hand.


    With astonishing speed, it hurtled downward, cleaving through a swarm of beasts and reducing around twenty of them to nothing but splintered, disintegrated remains in a single strike.


    The rest of his teammates watched in stunned silence, their mouths agape as they absorbed the full impact of Grey''s power¡ªa moment of dazzling brilliance amid chaos.

 Chapter 173 - 173: Up to you guys!

    Sky cutter; a spell Grey managed to create on his own in a bid of looking for something destructive that could wipe out a large number of opponents at once. Although he had a lot of spells to do that in his arsenal, he wasn''t satisfied.


    Which led him to develop sky cutter which could only be used to destroy a large number of enemies at once, destroying whatever defenses that they had in one smooth motion.


    And since it was made of wind attribute, it was both fast and silent that the enemy unless they were tremendously fast enough, they wouldn''t be able to avoid it in time not until it has done what it needed to do which was utter destruction.


    Grey thought he wouldn''t be able to test the spell in the battlefield considering that the enemies he faced against didn''t come in large numbers but now, seeing the hundreds of bat beasts, he finally got a use for the spell which he demonstrated killing about twenty beasts in a single swing leaving his friends stunned.


    "Hpmh! It''s weaker than I thought. I was aiming for at least thirty or fifty of them, but this will have to do." Grey said with a shrug.


    ''Are you kidding me?! Did he just say that was weak? I could try to produce an attack like that using my lightning magic, but it wouldn''t be able to wipe out that many beasts!'' Greg screamed in his head.


    ''Grey, who are you? I don''t think you are an ordinary being the way you keep progressing faster than us.'' Vince thought. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''With the way he keeps getting stronger, at this rate, I would have to stop taunting him before he snaps one day and eliminate me with a single strike. Not like he couldn''t do that before though.'' Jay thought with a slight sweat dripping down his face.


    ''Grey, will I ever be half as strong as you?'' Arthur thought.


    ''Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! That¡­ that¡­ I can actually do that too if he allowed me touch him, just once so I can copy his magic but he has already laid a rule that I can''t. And I honestly do not want my head rolling on the floor next, I like the position it is in.'' Raze thought.


    The beasts on noticing the Lunaria squad, all screeched at once while behind them, a portal could be seen flickering in and out before snapping shut sealing the hundreds of beasts in the human world.


    Using his appraisal skill, he could see that the beasts were all level 4 beasts with the ability to drain their enemies using their fangs. Closing his eyes for a second, Grey managed to sense the others and he counted around a hundred and fifty beasts in the village.


    ''That is quite a lot.'' Grey thought.


    "Unm Grey." Arthur called out pulling him out of his thoughts as he could see a dozen bats flying towards them at immense speed.


    "Why the hell are you calling me? Don''t you have magic? Use it darn it!" Grey shouted.


    "Ri¡­ right! I almost forgot." Arthur said as the beasts were now closing in and before they could hit the group, a transparent looking like barrier appeared in front of them blocking the beasts as they began to pound on it and trying to use their wings to cut the barrier open.


    "We need to take the fight to the ground, they have more of an advantage in the sky and we won''t be able to move properly." Gordon said.


    "Actually, I need Vince, Vanica and Vorden to take the bird and grab the civilians and take them far from here." Grey said.


    "What?!" Vanica shouted. "Don''t you need me? I mean my magic."


    "We don''t really need that." Grey said as he saw the barrier cracking. "You guys need to hurry up, because it is going to turn bloody now."


    "Fine! Not like I''m much of a help here anyway." Vorden said and the bird was seen weaving around the bats that began following them while Arthur still had the barrier up while the bird was now heading to the ground.


    Immediately after its feet touched the ground, Grey and the others leapt off and the bird took off with Vanica, Vorden and Vince on it as they were seen grabbing the civilians onto the bird while heading away.


    The bats didn''t need to give chase as the main threat that eliminated twenty of them was in front of them so they focused their attention on him as he walked forward calmly while about fifty of the bats were hovering above the ground ready to charge forward.


    "Lower the barrier Arthur." Grey ordered.


    "Are you sure about that?" Arthur asked and Grey nodded while the barrier was starting to come down and the bats on seeing this, got ready to dash forward.


    "Guys! After I use this, my mana will be completely depleted and I would need to replenish my core so I will leave the rest to you all." Grey said without giving his team any time to say anything, a huge amount of wind descended upon them.


    The beasts were seen dashing forward at immense speed. There were about fifty bats coming at the team at tremendous speed while the wind that descended upon the field took the shape of a tornado that was spinning violently in front of Grey.


    And then, lightning was seen crackling around Grey and in a flash, two bolts of lightning were shot towards the tornado that kept spinning hard.


    Not satisfied, Grey walked forward and placed his hands in front of the tornado pouring all his mana into the tornado in front of him making it spin more with lightning bolts hitting the ground scorching it.


    The lightning was now more evident in the tornado that was spinning violently throwing up wind everywhere while the beasts were now a metre away.


    ''I purposely didn''t use all my mana because of the wind bird but I still won''t be able to fight after this.'' Grey thought as the beasts were now mere feet away as they wanted to manoeuver around the tornado.


    "Fusion magic! Rajin Spiral." He called out with a snap of his fingers sending the tornado flying towards the fifty beasts at terrifying speed due to the wind and lightning attribute making it faster than anything anybody had ever seen.


    As the attack was flying, it was slicing everything in its path and in a flash, it slammed into the beasts that tried their best to avoid it as the attack sliced through them killing them on the spot while the pieces of their bodies were seen falling on the floor.


    While Grey also fell to his knees with blood trickling down his mouth.


    "I have done my best." He said snapping his friends from their thoughts as they stared in awe and fear at what Grey displayed. "Now it''s up to you guys."


    ____


    {A/N}


    I hope you all are enjoying the book so far? Kindly support the book with whatever resources you have...


    Power stones, Golden tickets, gifts or even comments, anything that will let me know you all are reading, please send them my way.

 Chapter 174 - 174: 10V1

    "I have done my best." Grey''s calm declaration sliced through the stunned silence, yanking his friends from their thoughts as they stared at him in equal measures of awe and apprehension.


    His mana-charged sword¡ªa swirling whirlwind of energy¡ªhad just carved a swathe through the battlefield, leaving behind only scattered ash and echoing disbelief. "Now it''s up to you guys."


    Before anyone could respond, Grey propelled himself upward with the grace of a falling leaf, launching three metres back from the chaos.


    He folded his legs beneath him, crossed at the ankles, and closed his eyes in serene meditation. Around him, the air trembled faintly with residual power.


    ''It will take five to ten minutes to replenish my core,'' Grey mused inwardly, so let''s see how well they hold their own.


    On the battlefield, his teammates gaped at the scorched earth where Grey''s Sky Cutter had struck¡ªfragments of bat beasts smoldering in the dust.


    Their wonder, however, was abruptly shattered by a wave of ear?splitting screeches. The remaining eighty bat beasts¡ªten of them marked by sickly green stains on their fangs¡ªdove forward with terrifying speed.


    From between those stained fangs, streams of corrosive green goo arced toward the group, hissing in the air like acidic serpents.


    "Arthur!" Scarlet snapped out of her trance, her voice sharp as flint.


    "On it." With a focused clap, Arthur summoned a crystalline barrier that shimmered into being between the group and the acid.


    The slag-like droplets sizzled as they met the shield''s surface, sending up plumes of acrid steam.


    "Acid?!" Greg exclaimed, arcs of lightning dancing across his knuckles as he braced for the counterattack.


    "This is the full eighty, right?" Raze called out, the heat of roaring flames flickering over his hands as he readied himself.


    "I think so," Jay added in a steady voice, the watery blade in his hand reflecting the chaos like a liquid mirror.


    "Fine¡ªlet''s toast some bats," Scarlet declared. She thrust her palms forward; twin columns of fire erupted around her, their orange glow so intense that the specially reinforced hem of her robe rippled but did not burn.


    Just as she spoke, Arthur''s barrier splintered under the acid''s onslaught, shards of magic fizzing into nothingness.


    The smoky air filled again with the thunder of flapping wings as the remaining beasts swooped low. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, two black forms appeared before Greg, their leather-thin wings slicing toward him in a blur. He ducked instinctively, his lightning magic surging to boost his reflexes.


    He sprang upward to evade a snapping bite and unleashed a jagged bolt of electricity¡ªbut watched in frustration as the creature spread its wide wings, absorbing the strike like a living shield.


    ''What?! My lightning can''t break through their wings?'' Greg thought, heart pounding.


    He zipped to the right, evading another vicious swipe, then summoned a spear of crackling lightning in his palm. He hurled the spear at one bat''s wing, sending a spray of sparks cascading around it.


    Even as the beast staggered, another lunged at his legs. He stomped its skull with a gritty crunch, then slammed his crackling fist into a second bat''s head¡ªunleashing a point-blank bolt that burned a smoldering hole through its skull.


    "Yikes! That was rough," Greg panted, wheels of electricity dancing around him as he flipped backward to avoid a grazing wing.


    He fired successive streams and orbs of lightning, each shot illuminating the smoky haze.


    In a final surge, he shaped a sword of pure energy, slashing through the hard, resilient hide of the bats to carve a staggering path through the swarm.


    Meanwhile, Scarlet stood like a pillar of flame. Twelve incandescent spheres hovered around her, each ember glowing with snarling fury.


    With a graceful motion, she sent them arcing toward three charging beasts. The bats convulsed as their leathery wings blackened under the intense heat, stumbling backward in shock.


    ''I will show I''m not inferior to that peasant¡ªI''m true nobility!'' Scarlet roared in her mind. She rocketed toward the foes, her hands trailing molten fire.


    In one swift, brutal strike, she punched through a bat''s skull, then leaped aside to dodge a clawed gauntlet.


    Without hesitation, she grabbed the shattered remains of its wing¡ªits serrated edges biting into her skin¡ªand hurled it like a javelin at another attacker. The collision erupted in a shower of sparks and shrieks.


    Scarlet barely had time to catch her breath before another wave descended.


    ''Fuck! I''ve only felled four, and I''m already winded. How did he take out seventy in two attacks? No wonder his core''s spent,'' she fumed as she charged into the next cluster of bats.


    At her side, Jay fought with balletic precision. Twin water blades shimmered in each hand as he parried and riposted.


    A horizontal slice met a wing swing, then he spun away and hurled a pulsating orb of water, forcing one bat to stagger back.


    One sword elongated into a jagged spear that he thrust through a wing, sending the creature crashing into rubble.


    He pressed on, sweeping his hands to conjure a surging wave that knocked another beast aside.


    When green acid arced toward him, Jay transformed his final blade into a makeshift shield¡ªit melted on contact but bought him a precious moment.


    He channeled a nearby water ball, striking the acid mid?air and transforming it into a living chain that coiled around a bat''s torso.


    A snap of his wrist, and two water?formed spears impaled the bound creature, ending its rampage.


    Sweat drenched Jay''s brow as he dashed forward, whirling a new blade of water in a graceful arc¡ªjust in time to dodge a wing that sliced through his robe and drew a crimson line across his back.


    "Curses!" he growled, breath ragged, as ten more bats flapped before him¡ªeyes glinting with murderous intent.


    Amid the clashing elements¡ªfire licking the air, lightning crackling like drums, and water dancing in lethal arcs¡ªGrey''s teammates fought with every last ounce of skill and courage. Each knew that only their combined might could turn the tide against this onslaught.

 Chapter 175 - 175: Time to get creative!

    The Lunaria squad pressed their assault against the ravenous bat?beasts, their combined magic flaring like beacons in the dusky haze.


    At first, they held firm¡ªuntil the creatures, as if driven by a cunning instinct, began coordinating their attacks. Packs of five swooped from their positions; then ten dove in lockstep, battering the students with relentless wing?blades and acid spits.


    Overwhelmed, the young mages were forced back, their backs nearly touching as the beasts encircled them like living shadows.


    Greg had just dispatched three snarling beasts with a crackling bolt of lightning when five more descended.


    He pivoted on a fallen barrel, sparks dancing along his arms, but a stream of green acid spat from beaded fangs and sizzled into the cracked stone at his feet.


    Growling, he vaulted upward, boots skidding on loose gravel, then looped around to fire another lightning shot¡ªonly to see the beast''s wing absorb the strike as though it were forged of iron.


    Nearby, Scarlet retreated slowly, each backward step highlighting the glow of her crimson flames.


    She swept embers outward, sending arcs of living fire to scorch any bat bold enough to close the distance.


    Yet the creatures probed her defense with maddening persistence, their steady onslaught forcing every member of the squad into a tight, back?to?back formation.


    By the time the dust settled from that first onslaught, forty of the beasts lay crumpled on the ruined market square. Forty remained, their blood?curdling screeches echoing against shattered stalls and twisted iron lanterns.


    "Damn it," Scarlet cursed through clenched teeth, her sleeve smoldering where a stray wing had clipped it. "I took that peasant''s advice to conserve my strength¡ªand look where it''s gotten me."


    "Tch! Should we go all?out?" Greg snapped, electricity arcing wildly across his skin.


    "Let''s do it!" Scarlet agreed, her voice igniting the air. Above her palm, a miniature fire?dragon coalesced¡ªa sinuous, ember?glowing wyrm whose tiny wings beat in time with her racing pulse.


    At Greg''s feet, the air shimmered as a lightning wolf pup materialized, its fur crackling with raw energy.


    Gordon''s brow glistened with sweat as he struggled to condense his magic into a gigantic poisonous bird.


    Its ebony feathers glowed with sickly green veins of toxin. Jay, eyes steeled, gestured sharply¡ªand a water serpent, scales gleaming like liquid silver, coiled protectively around his form.


    "Shall we terminate these annoying bats?!" Scarlet proclaimed, grinning as her little dragon opened its maw and an orange glow blossomed at its throat.


    "Do you even need to ask?" Greg laughed, the lightning wolf launching itself forward in a blur.


    And right on cue, ten out of the thirty bats dashed forward towards the wolf and at the last moment of impact, they swiveled around avoiding the wolf''s shot of lightning and went straight towards Scarlet.


    "Oh! You want to get burned by me, suit yourself. Drags!" Scarlet shouted and two consecutive balls of fire erupted from her fiery dragon''s maws heading towards the ten bats but they managed to swivel around so fast avoiding it, and then they got behind the group.


    Instead of attacking the students, they were seen heading towards another location. But more like they were heading to a specific person that was seen sitting down on the ground with his eyes closed and his legs crossed as he looked to be meditating.


    "Shit! They are heading for Grey!" Scarlet shouted and tried to move forward when the remaining thirty beasts made their moves as they dashed forward shooting out acid towards her when she tried to move.


    But with her dragon by her side, it shot out a long stream of fire hitting the acid giving Scarlet enough time to shoot out three flames of fire towards the beasts that moved away avoiding it.


    "I don''t think they would allow us to help Grey so easily." Greg observed grimly. Five bats hovered before him, their wings flickering like sharpened scythes.


    In an instant, his lightning wolf surged forward at twice its normal speed. Three jagged bolts flashed from its jaws, tearing neat holes through leathery wings and sending the beasts spiraling downward.


    ''I saw the peasant do this¡­ I think I''ve got it,'' Greg thought, infusing his legs with crackling lightning to form electric boots.


    In a single pulse, he rocketed forward at triple speed, the ground bursting in a BOOM beneath his feet. Creation magic drains my mana fast, he noted, feeling its cold pull on his reserves.


    "But if I don''t take these annoying flies out, I won''t be a worthy rival!" he roared, a surging blade of pure lightning materializing in his hand.


    He darted behind three staggered bats, slashed in a blinding arc, and severed their bodies cleanly. Their heads rolled across the cobblestones as he flipped backward, boots and wolf fading in a cascade of spent energy.


    ''Ten seconds¡ªthat''s my limit,'' he panted, adrenaline sloshing through his veins. I still have a long way to go.


    "If they won''t let us help him, well he would have to protect himself." Scarlet shouted as five beasts were seen in front of her as they dashed forward and in a flash, they were in front of her slashing with their wings but she was quick to react as she rocketed backwards.


    While her dragon shot a stream of fire catching one of the bats burning it to a crisp while for the remaining four, she punched the air several times sending fists of fire towards the bats that used their wings to block at once with the fists of fire only moving them an inch from the sky.


    Not until Scarlet''s dragon unleashed a long stream of fire towards them before they could drop their wings down, they were already toasted as their bodies fell to the ground.


    Scarlet''s dragon vanished in a final flare, leaving her to collapse onto trembling knees. Sweat and soot streaked her face. "My mana¡­" she gasped, voice hoarse.


    At the same moment, Jay raised his hands high.


    "And do you all think he can''t protect himself?"


    The water serpent lashed out, crashing into ten of the remaining beasts as though it were a tidal wave unchained.


    Cries of ripping flesh and splintering bone echoed as the monsters were hurled into shattered facades, their forms dissolving in torrents of brackish water.


    ''This is the last bit of mana I have, I hope it works.'' Gordon watched the last toxic bird shimmer into being, then hissed an incantation.


    A single bat lunged at the phantom creature¡ªa poisoned shard erupted in a sickly green cloud, and the beast collapsed mid?air, limbs twitching before it fell like a ragdoll.


    The remaining bats faltered, their momentum stuttering as the airborne toxin clung to their wings making their movements feel erratic and then, they began dropping down like flies.


    Only ten creatures remained¡ªten black silhouettes diving in for one final strike. They zeroed in on Raze, who planted his feet and summoned his fiery blade with a confident smirk.


    His miniature fire?dragon hovered at his shoulder, embers dancing across its scaled hide.


    "I''ve grown fond of blades, so this will have to do." Raze muttered. He rocketed forward in a blazing drift of flame, weaving through acidic spits that hissed over his shoulder.


    A wave of fire erupted from his palm, deflecting a wing?sweep with roaring intensity.


    He vaulted behind a lone bat, his sword tracing a flaming arc that sheared through its wing¡ªits shriek drowned in the heat of his strike as it tumbled to the ground.


    Two more beasts fell to dragonfire: the little wyrm''s breath roared like a furnace. The last pair twisted to launch acid from their maws¡ªbut the fiery blade in Raze''s hand began turning into something shaping around his hand giving him a somewhat long limb but a barrel was seen at the end which was quite thin.


    "It''s time to get creative!" Raze declared. "Fire Copy Magic¡ªBreath of Hell!"


    His dragon unleashed a volcanic inferno while the flame cannon spat a lightning?fast jet of searing heat.


    The twin torrents crashed into the bats'' open mouths, sealing their fangs before incinerating them from the inside out.


    Their charred bodies collapsed in smoldering ruins as the dragon faded in one final burst of molten ash.


    Raze staggered back, exhaustion pulling at his limbs. "We¡­ we did it. Twenty points for us¡­" he stuttered, voice trembling with relief and fatigue.


    A sudden cry cut through the settling dust¡ªScarlet, her tone edged with raw alarm: "Grey!"


    Raze''s heart lurched. He whipped around to see ten bat?beasts diving in on Grey''s silhouette, mere inches from the calm figure seated in meditation. Their wings blotted out the dim sky, their red eyes gleaming with lethal intent.


    And in that moment, the squad''s triumph teetered on the razor''s edge of disaster once more.


    ___


    {A/N}


    I hope we are enjoying the series so far? Out mass release program is still active guys!


    For this week: 100 power stones= 2 extra chapters. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon=15 Chapters.

 Chapter 176 - 176: Play time is over!

    Grey sat cross?legged, eyes closed in deep meditation, perched about three to four metres from the heart of the battle.


    Even at that distance, the air trembled with the thunder of destruction¡ªcurses, booming bangs, and the crackle of magic explosions all reached his ears.


    Yet his focus remained unshakable as he drew mana from the ambient world, visible as wisps of white energy flowing into his nostrils, descending to fuel his core¡ªno larger than a clenched fist but thrumming with potential.


    His inner core had to be twice the normal size for someone his age, a testament to the heavy demands of his fire and lightning affinities. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he meditated, the core swelled from half?capacity toward fullness, each pulse of energy making it vibrate like a hummingbird''s wings.


    Around him, the battlefield''s chaos threatened to intrude, but he forced himself to remain still¡ªevery second spent here meant more power for the fight.


    ''I can''t believe they''re holding out this long against those bats,'' Grey thought, sensing the rhythmic cadence of his friends'' spells. I estimated three minutes¡ªbut it''s nearly five, and those explosions still ring out.


    His concentration deepened, and his mana core shimmered brighter, when a cold, familiar voice broke through his thoughts.


    "You really love underestimating , don''t you? They''re tougher than you give them credit for," Noir drawled from the edge of perception.


    ''Did I ask for your opinion?'' Grey fumed silently. ''I''m still furious over your stunt on that planet. Don''t think a single core apology fixes that.''


    ''C''mon, it helped boost your earth affinity, didn''t it? So ease up on the grudge,'' Noir retorted, amused.


    ''And the core wouldn''t have saved me if the portal had snapped shut with me inside, would it? I''d be dead,'' Grey seethed inwardly.


    "But you aren''t," Noir shot back. "So I call that a win."


    "Tch¡­so annoying." Grey clenched his teeth as his core throbbed with energy. "Almost there¡ªjust one more breath¡­"


    "Grey!" a shout broke through the voice in his head¡ªGreg''s, urgent and loud. He recognized the tone and stifled a sigh, choosing to stay silent and complete his meditation.


    "You foolish peasant! Open your eyes right now!" Greg''s second, more desperate shout rang out as Grey''s intuitive senses picked up frantic life?force readings speeding toward him.


    ''What on earth¡­?'' Grey''s calm mask slipped. ''Shit¡ªthe bats!''


    With a snap, his eyelids snapped open to reveal ten bat?beasts diving at him, wings extended like obsidian scythes mere inches from his face.


    Instinctively, he thrust his palm outward, weaving a gust of wind that propelled him backward¡ªstill in a cross?legged position¡ªlanding a metre away as the swarm cleaved through the air where he''d been.


    "Oh thank goodness," Raze breathed, heart pounding, as he realized how close Grey had come to decapitation.


    "What are they doing here?" Grey demanded, eyes narrowing as he glared at his friends. "Weren''t you supposed to hold them off?"


    "And we did!" Scarlet shot back. "Not my fault your show?off move made them target you!"


    "Tch! You''re all useless," Grey snapped. The bats screeched and spat globs of green acid in his direction.


    He flicked his wrist nonchalantly, sending swirling gusts of wind that deflected the acidic blobs harmlessly to the side.


    A pair of bats lunged, wings slashing for his head. Grey sprang upward, lightning dancing along his legs as he channeled a bolt directly at one bat''s chest, sending it tumbling through the smoky air.


    ''My lightning''s never been my strongest affinity¡ªGreg''s still better¡ªbut at least wind magic can bail me out,'' Grey thought, steadying himself amid the acid sprays. Each hiss against his shield of air reminded him of the battle''s intensity.


    "Will you just finish them off already?" Scarlet called, impatience creasing her brow as she watched him toy with the beasts.


    Before he could answer, a bat?beast accelerated in a furious dive. Grey pivoted mid?air to avoid its wing?blade, only to spot a splash of acid rocketing toward his face.


    He whipped up a mini wind barrier, but another beast swept in from behind, its wing grazing his forearm and drawing a line of red.


    ''Are they learning?'' Grey realized, tension creeping into his spine. ''These bats have intelligence¡ªthis is dangerous.''


    "Is it me, or are the bats starting to catch up with Grey?" Raze called out, voice edged with concern.


    "Yeah¡ªhe''s slowing down," Gordon observed, gaze fixed on Grey''s flurry of defensive spells.


    "No, more like the bats are spooling up speed," Arthur countered, eyes tracking the beasts'' coordinated maneuvers.


    "This is getting dangerous," Vanica agreed, worry sharpening her features. "Grey, finish this now!"


    "Tch! I wanted to study them longer, but I''m getting frustrated¡ªplaytime''s over," Grey muttered. Lightning crackled around his lower legs and wrists, solidifying into glowing gauntlets and boots.


    With a thunderous bang, he kicked into the air and slammed his fist into a beast''s chest, its body exploding inward under the force. Before anyone could react, three razor?thin wind blades flickered into existence around him, slicing clean through three more bats.


    Six remained. Grey leapt high above the battlefield, hovering in the smoky twilight as the final six beasts swooped upward in unison, wings beating like war drums.


    "Fusion magic!" Grey shouted, voice echoing in the charged air. Wind and lightning coalesced in front of him, compressing into brilliant arcs of energy that hummed with raw power.


    "Thunder Gale!" he roared. The six crescent blades of wind and lightning shot forward at blistering speed, carving through the beasts mid?flight.


    Their screeches ended abruptly as the blades severed wing and limb, and the ferocious attack crashed into the ground, gouging a two?metre trench in the cracked cobblestones before dissipating in a hail of sparks.


    Silence followed. The wind died. Smoke drifted in lazy spirals as Grey floated down, boots touching earth with a controlled grace. His core, now brimming with energy, pulsed gently in harmony with his steadying heartbeat.


    His friends stared at him with mouths agape, wide eyes reflecting equal parts awe, relief, and amazement. Each one silently echoed the same astonished thought:


    ''He''s already mastered fusion magic!''

 Chapter 177 - 177: A weird aura!

    Grey landed with cat?like grace, his boots whispering over the cracked earth.


    He brushed a few glowing embers from his pant''s pocket and strode toward his friends, who stood rooted in place, mouths agape.


    Their eyes flicked from his calm expression to the charred carcasses of the bat?beasts and the cratered ground he''d carved.


    "Hmph¡ªdestructive," he remarked casually, shoulders relaxing as he surveyed the aftermath.


    "When¡­ when did you learn fusion magic? And¡ªis it from that book we found in the cave?" Arthur stammered, awe and confusion mingling in his voice.


    "I learned it back on the planet," Grey replied, tone as steady as twilight wind. "And yes, it''s from the book."


    "How¡­ how did you master it so fast?" Scarlet asked, stepping forward as residual sparks of flame danced across her sleeves. "And why the hell did you have to unlock something so overwhelmingly powerful?"


    "Not my fault you couldn''t read the book," Grey shrugged, tracing a swirl in the ash?dust beneath his feet. "You all should figure out how to extract the bats'' magical cores¡ªwouldn''t want those cores to go to waste."


    "Who the hell are you ordering around?" Jay shouted, his water?blade dripping in lazy arcs.


    "The weaklings standing before me," Grey replied without turning, his tone icy.


    "Why the hell do you keep calling us weaklings, you arrogant peasant?!" Greg thundered, stepping forward until a vein pulsed at his temple.


    "I''ll stop when you all surpass me," Grey answered, walking on. "Which, let''s be honest, won''t happen anytime soon."


    "What sheer arrogance," Scarlet muttered, fists clenching so tight the veins on her forearms stood out like ropes.


    "What you call arrogance, I call charisma," Vanica said softly, cheeks flushed as she emerged from the ridge where she''d been finishing her healing spells.


    "Just keep quiet, you d*ck sucker" Greg lunged, but Vanica''s steely gaze halted him.


    "Who''re you calling a dick?licker?" she demanded, voice crisp as frost.


    "You, of course!" Greg sneered.


    "Have I licked yours?" Vanica shot back, tone daring as she knelt by the nearest carcass, plucking a jagged wing fragment from the earth. Calmly, she extracted its glowing core.


    "Like I''d let a peasant touch my precious jewel," Greg huffed, jaw clenched.


    "Like I''m dying to touch that matchstick," Vanica retorted, slipping the core into her pouch. Greg''s face burned richer than the embers at his feet.


    Scarlet''s surprised giggle rippled into full?throated laughter. "Haha¡ªdidn''t know your precious jewel competed with a matchstick!"


    "Annoying bitches!" Greg spat, lightning crackling around his clenched fists.


    "Guys!" a new voice called from above, carried on rushing wings. A vast wind bird descended, feathers glinting in the dying light as Vince and Vorden dismounted with practiced grace.


    "Hey, Vanica¡ªwhy did you leave us back there to come here?" Vorden asked, brow furrowed in curiosity.


    "I healed all the injured civilians," Vanica answered succinctly, eyes warm but wary. "I thought they would need me here¡ªbut I guess they didn''t." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Where''s Grey?" Vince asked, neck snapping as he searched the clearing.


    "Who cares?" Vorden shrugged, then spotted Greg''s flushed features. "Why are you so beet?red?"


    Greg opened his mouth to retort but faltered under Scarlet''s continued laughter.


    Soon, Raze and Vince joined Vanica, moving in unison to extract the glittering cores from the dozens of shattered bat?beasts. Their motions were efficient, practiced.


    Thirty minutes later, sweat gleamed on every forehead. The core?pouches at their waists were full, and their limbs tingled from the effort.


    As they straightened, Grey strolled over, hands casually tucked into his pockets. To his left, the wind bird rested with patient wings; to his right, his friends stood in a half?circle, pouches heavy with plucked cores.


    "Shall¡ª" Grey began, voice low, but a rising chorus of cheers cut him off.


    They turned to see the rescued villagers returning down the dusty path. Their faces shone with relief and gratitude.


    An old man, white?bearded and weathered by sun and wind, stepped forward, raising a trembling fist.


    "Three cheers for the Lunaria squad!" he cried, voice cracking with emotion.


    "Hip, hip¡ªhooray!" the crowd roared, hats and hands lifting in salute. Vanica, Vorden, Vince¡ªand even Jay, Gordon, and Raze¡ªsmiled broadly, their chests swelling with pride. Only Grey, Greg, and Scarlet maintained guarded expressions.


    "Thank you so much for saving us," the old man said, bowing deeply, cane clicking on the stones.


    "It was nothing," Grey replied flatly, voice cool as dawn frost.


    "Please¡ªhow can we ever repay you?" the old man pressed, eyes bright with hope.


    "There''s nothing you need to do. We did our duty," Grey said sharply.


    "Now bury the dead and clear the wreckage. Reinforcements will arrive to rebuild." He gestured toward the wind bird, which flapped its great wings.


    "Mount up," he added. In an instant, they were aloft, the wind roaring in their ears as the bird soared toward the horizon.


    ''That boy carried an aura far beyond his years,'' the old man thought, watching the sweeping silhouette depart. ''Is he the one? The one that got them worried? Whatever!As long as he had helped us, I don''t have any obligations to taking his life.''


    High above the smoldering ruins, Grey stood on the bird''s broad back, eyes drifting to distant clouds¡ªuntil Scarlet''s voice cut through the breeze.


    "Don''t you think you were too cold to them? They only wanted to thank us."


    "Yeah¡ªsame thing you pulled a month ago during that bandit raid," Vanica added, tone reproachful against the roar of the wind.


    "I don''t owe any explanations," Grey replied flatly. "I answer to no one but myself. Most especially, I don''t answer to weaklings."


    "Again with ''weaklings''?" Greg shouted, frustration igniting his tone.


    "Problem with it? Get stronger¡ªor keep your voice down," Grey said coldly, gaze fixed on the shifting landscape below.


    ''How do I explain the strange aura I felt from that old man?'' Grey thought as the wind bird bolted toward the academy. ''Something divine¡­almost overwhelming. I sensed the same presence at Lord Cedric''s party when I humbled that noble.


    Something monumental is stirring in this kingdom¡ªand I''m nowhere near strong enough to face it.''

 Chapter 178 - 178: Take your position!

    The squad assigned to quell the beastly portal break strode back into the academy''s grand entrance, faces bruised but bright with triumph.


    Their robes were singed in places and smeared with ash, yet the minor wounds barely registered¡ªafter all, claiming victory and earning the star they''d fought so hard for was reward enough.


    Massive double doors of oak and iron creaked open before them. Beyond lay the marble?floored foyer, banners bearing Lunaria''s crest fluttering overhead.


    At the far end, Captain Amir and Instructor Von stood side by side, their smiles warm lanterns in the cool hallway.


    "Welcome, brave mages!" Amir''s voice rang out, echoing off the vaulted ceiling. His eyes shone with pride as the squad filed forward. "We watched every moment of your battle¡ªthe way you cut through those beasts was nothing short of phenomenal."


    "Wait¡ªwatching us? How?" Greg blurted, pausing mid?step to scan the ornate stained?glass windows and polished armor?plated guards.


    "That remains classified," Amir replied with a conspiratorial wink.


    "But we needed to see how you''d tackle your second grueling mission. I confess, I wasn''t worried¡ªnot once¡ªbecause I knew he was there." His gaze drifted briefly to Grey, earning startled looks from the others.


    ''Special treatment again!'' Greg fumed inwardly, fists tightening at his sides.


    Vanica stepped forward, "Captain, we''ve successfully extracted the magical cores," she announced, bowing respectfully while presenting a satchel overflowing with glowing, pulsing crystals.


    Amir raised a hand, palms outward. "No need to hand them over. The cores are yours¡ªshare them, sell them, or harness them however you wish." His tone was generous, almost fatherly.


    "Seriously? You''re letting us keep over a hundred Level 4 magical cores?" Vince blinked, disbelief tinting his voice.


    "You earned them, and that''s just the beginning," Amir smiled, his arms sweeping the assembled team.


    Grey¡ªhands tucked into his pockets¡ªstepped forward. "About the star¡­ how do we claim it, and when will it be awarded?"


    "Keh keh keh¡ªpatience, young Dawn," Amir chided kindly, the crinkles around his eyes deepening. "But first¡ªany questions?"


    Raze lifted his hand. "Captain, can you explain this ranking and star system? We touched on it briefly in homeroom, but¡ª"


    "You deserve the full picture," Amir said with a nod. He turned on his heel, beckoning the squad to follow as Von glided beside him.


    They wound through arched corridors lit by floating motes of light¡ªeach step echoing against polished stone¡ªuntil they reached Clark''s familiar classroom.


    "Take your seats," Amir instructed, gesturing to the neatly arranged desks. The team settled in, their pouches heavy with cores, faces flush with adrenaline and curiosity.


    "The squad''s strength is measured through two rankings: individual and squad," Amir began, voice carrying the weight of authority. "Squad rankings show collective might; individual rankings reflect personal achievement."


    "Squad ranking? Isn''t Lunaria a single squad?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.


    "It is," Amir explained, "but for administrative clarity, we divide it into three tiers: the Junior Squad¡ªwhere you belong¡ªthe Intermediate Squad of second years, and the Advanced Squad, made up of third years."


    "Ohhh, that makes sense," Arthur nodded, relief softening his features.


    "Now, on to individual rankings," Amir continued, leaning against the teacher''s desk. "There are ten levels you''ll encounter throughout your time here: Iron, currently, you all belong at the iron rank. Then we have the Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Elite, Master, Grandmaster, and Supreme¡ªSupreme being the pinnacle."


    A hush fell over the room. Grey''s pulse hammered in his ears as he recognized their current station.


    "So¡­ we''re Iron rank? How¡­ how do we climb out of that quickly?" Grey asked, voice tight with both determination and dread.


    "I''m glad you asked. Advancement depends on mission participation and stars earned. Remember: twenty points equal one star. To progress from Iron to Bronze, you need about twenty stars," Amir explained, arms folded with patient authority.


    The class collectively swallowed hard as Grey''s knuckles whitened around his sleeves.


    ''Twenty stars¡­?'' he thought, stomach knotting. ''I estimated one star per mission at best.'' S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The higher the rank, the steeper the climb," Amir added, scanning their faces like a general assessing his troops.


    Scarlet raised a cautious hand. "And the third years¡ªwhat rank are most of them?"


    "Diamond, typically," Amir said, eyes gleaming. "Reaching Diamond requires roughly one hundred stars. Do not expect to catch them quickly."


    ''One hundred stars¡­'' Grey nearly choked on his own breath.


    "Hundred stars?!" he burst. "We¡­ we just have one!" Grey cried out.


    "Precisely," Amir agreed. "You have a long road ahead. And know this: you cannot join the Intermediate Squad¡ªthe second years¡ªuntil you reach at least Gold rank, which demands forty?five stars."


    Grey''s jaw clenched. ''I''m still a long way to go?! I¡­ I thought that my magic would be enough but the academy had to introduce a shitty system to cap my progress!''


    "How are we even supposed to do that?" Greg stammered, voice wavering. "Missions are rare, and we barely have time!"


    "Your assessment told you that this is no leisurely academy," Amir reminded them.


    "You must volunteer for¡ªand excel at¡ªevery available mission.


    More missions yield more stars, but the tougher the mission, the more stars you earn. And some¡ª" he paused for emphasis "¡ªdon''t grant any stars at all."


    The weight of those words fell upon Grey like a physical blow. He bowed his head, fighting the swirl of frustration in his chest, until he felt a calm resolve anchor him again.


    "Captain Amir," Grey said softly, eyes lifting to meet the older man''s. "If you don''t mind¡­ what is your rank?"


    Amir''s lips curved into a modest grin. "Me? I''m a Master rank. Nothing more."


    Grey''s stomach lurched. ''Amir is Master¡­ while we''re still Iron.''


    "Hahaha! I thought you said one time you wanted to be the captain, well good luck with that." Noir''s sardonic voice chased through his mind.


    Grey straightened, balled fists at his hips. "I promise, Captain. I will grow strong, complete every mission, and¡ªone day¡ªtake your position."


    Amir''s chuckle was soft but honest. "Oh?? A Feisty spirit. I''ll be watching." He walked to the door, pausing to look back over his shoulder. "Guts alone won''t bridge the gap between us. But¡ªtry to keep up, if you can."


    With that challenge hanging in the hallowed halls, the door swung shut, leaving the Junior Squad to stare at one another¡ªminds racing with stars to earn and ranks to conquer.

 Chapter 179 - 179: The Monster keeps getting stronger!

    It had been two months since Grey and his squad embarked on their second mission¡ªthe beast portal break incident in a remote village.


    Ever since that event, and especially after learning about the ranking system within the academy, they had become obsessed with improvement.


    Every member pushed themselves harder than ever, determined to rise through the ranks and prove their worth.


    Any mission that appeared on the board¡ªwhether it was dealing with bandits, escorting dignitaries, slaying beasts, handling portal anomalies, or engaging in duels¡ªthey took it on without hesitation.


    With Grey at the helm and driven by an unrelenting hunger to reach the top, their success rate remained unmatched. Yet, they rarely returned unscathed, bearing cuts and bruises as marks of both struggle and growth.


    Grey, ever mindful of Noir''s advice, didn''t let the others grow too dependent on him. He often stepped back, letting the team handle missions on their own.


    "You won''t always have me to rely on," he''d said. "If you''re to stand beside me, you must be strong enough on your own."


    To his surprise, they performed efficiently. Despite returning with fresh injuries each time, they always returned.


    Through grit and determination, their squad climbed the rankings, ascending from Iron Rank to Bronze. It was a proud achievement, though they were still far from reaching Gold Rank.


    Captain Amir had made it clear¡ª45 stars were needed to touch that level. After two months, they had earned 22.


    Outside of missions, Grey continued training relentlessly. Fusion Magic had hit a frustrating bottleneck.


    No matter how intensely he trained, he couldn''t develop a new skill within that domain.


    Accepting this plateau, he shifted focus to his Creation Magic and other affinities.


    After classes, he often snuck into the training room alone, hammering away at his limitations. He didn''t want any part of his magical arsenal to lag behind.


    No one saw how late he stayed, nor how many times he collapsed from exhaustion, pushing himself past reason.


    The rest of the team weren''t idle either.


    Scarlet''s fire magic had grown fiercer, her flames burning hotter and her constructs lasting longer. Her mana pool had also expanded slightly, allowing for more sustained combat.


    Greg''s once-cuddly wolf cub had evolved into a formidable creature the size of a small horse, now crackling with lightning.


    His lightning magic had matured as well, delivering deadly shocks with each strike.


    Raze, though not the most hardworking, still honed his abilities. With Copy Magic, he only needed to touch someone strong to mirror their magic¡ªaffinities, mana reserves, control, even unique spells and skills.


    Still, mastering what he copied required effort, and the frequency of their missions gave him plenty of opportunities to practice.


    He had touched every member of the squad at least once¡ªeveryone except Grey. And oh, how he begged for it.


    "Just once, Grey! Let me touch your shoulder! I wanna see what Wind Magic feels like from your core."


    Grey always refused, and for good reason. Raze''s copy of his abilities could easily tip the balance in ways Grey wasn''t comfortable with.


    Despite spending four months in the academy, they had yet to encounter upperclassmen¡ªno second or third years in sight.


    It felt like they were alone in a ghost school, with whispers of the elite floating through the halls.


    But Grey didn''t care. His eyes were fixed solely on one goal: surpassing Captain Amir.


    He absorbed lessons like a sponge, trained with near-insane dedication, and volunteered for mission after mission, all to inch closer to his target.


    Greg had started to joke about it.


    "The monster keeps getting stronger," he would say after each mission.


    Grey''s growth was terrifying. It didn''t make sense. They all trained hard, but the gap between them and Grey only widened.


    Today felt like any other day. The students were in class, practicing creation magic under Von''s guidance.


    The instructor was demonstrating various techniques and theories, encouraging students to mold mana into physical constructs.


    Grey didn''t even bother paying attention. He could perform everything Von was teaching in his sleep. Instead, he leaned against a wall, closed his eyes, and cultivated his core quietly.


    Then¡ª


    Bang!


    The door slammed open.


    A messenger strode in, heading straight to Von. He whispered something into the instructor''s ear. Immediately, Von''s expression changed. Cold sweat trickled down his bald head, and his eyes widened in alarm.


    The students took notice.


    "What''s wrong, Instructor Von? Is it another mission?" Raze asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.


    "In a sense, yes," Von replied, his voice unnaturally stiff.


    "Well, what is it? I''m already feeling pumped!" Scarlet grinned, flames dancing across her fingertips.


    "Actually... the captain wants to see all of you."


    Grey pushed off the wall. "See us? Why? This isn''t our first mission. What''s the big deal?" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Von shook his head. "True. But this mission... this one''s different."


    "How different? What''s so special about it?" Vanica asked.


    "Go see the captain. Let him explain. Don''t pester me."


    The messenger gestured, and the students filed out, murmuring among themselves. Grey trailed at the rear. Before stepping out, he glanced back.


    Von remained frozen, sweat still beading on his scalp.


    ''What kind of mission is this? And why does Von look so shaken?'' Grey wondered. ''I just hope it''s nothing too dangerous.''


    He exited, his expression unreadable.


    Von stood in silence, watching them disappear.


    ''Guys... I hope you pull through. This mission... it''s the most dangerous yet. But knowing Captain Amir, he must have a reason. You shouldn''t be the ones going on this... and yet, here we are. I have no choice but to wish you all luck.''


    ___


    {A/N}


    Now, I wonder what kind of mission this will be that will make Von this shaken up???? let''s click the next chapter to find out more and see if our favorite MC can pull through or if he will die ????


    __


    Our mass release program still stand active guys!


    100 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters.

 Chapter 180 - 180: Joint raid mission!

    The training hall''s vaulted ceiling rang with the crackle of spellcraft as the team drilled basic practical techniques under Instructor Von''s exacting gaze.


    Then, breathless urgency cut through the routine. A messenger burst in, bearing Captain Amir''s seal.


    "You''re summoned," he announced, voice taut. "Details at the captain''s office."


    The squad exchanged startled glances. Wounds from previous missions still tingled, robes bore scorch marks and dust¡ªbut duty beckoned.


    They formed up and followed the messenger down lantern?lit corridors whose walls were lined with storied weapons and glowing arcane sigils. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What do you guys think this mission will involve?" Vince asked, elbowing Arthur as they strode side by side.


    Arthur shrugged, rolling a leather satchel in his palm. "Probably a high?level portal break. They''re cropping up everywhere lately."


    "You doofus," Greg snorted, weaving through the group. "If it were a high?level beast portal break, the second or third years would handle it."


    "Well, whatever it is," Raze mused, "Amir calling us directly means it''s important¡ªand that he trusts us to nail it."


    ''They really don''t know what they''re getting into,'' thought the messenger as they paused before a pair of ornate double doors. Gold inlays shimmered around Lunaria''s winged crest.


    Amir''s voice boomed from inside: "Come in!"


    They pushed open the doors, revealing a spacious office bathed in morning light. Stacks of mission parchments lined one wall;


    a large oak desk stood at the far end, behind which Captain Amir sat, his expression both warm and grave.


    "Welcome, all ten of you," Amir greeted, rising to meet them. The chair creaked softly as he swept his gaze over each face.


    Grey stepped forward. "You have a mission for us, Captain?" His tone was calm, precise.


    Amir nodded, motioning them in. "First, allow me to commend your efforts. In just two months, you ascended from Iron to Bronze rank¡ªa feat many cannot claim.


    Bronze may not glimmer like Gold, but your dedication shone through. I''ve observed your drive¡ªparticularly one grumpy student among you," he added, eyebrows arching toward Grey. A ripple of guilty¡ªand proud¡ªglances passed among the group.


    ''Of course it''s Grey''s doing,'' they each thought, whether through admiration or envy.


    "But enough praise," Amir said, leaning forward. "An urgent mission has appeared, and it will be your greatest challenge yet."


    Greg''s jaw snapped shut. "What is it?"


    "A dungeon has manifested," Amir announced, voice dropping.


    "A dungeon?!" All ten voices rose in startled unison.


    Grey''s mind raced back to Instructor Clark''s warnings: dungeons materialize at ley?line intersections, labyrinthine by design, riddled with traps, and rumored to house artifacts of immeasurable power. Few who entered ever returned unchanged.


    "What¡­ what level is this dungeon?" Vince asked, swallowing audibly.


    "Level Nine," Amir replied, gaze steady.


    A hush fell.


    ''Clark said Level Eleven is the baseline for fierce beasts of Level Two to Three¡­ Level Nine could harbor monsters of legendary might,'' Grey realized, pulse quickening.


    "You will encounter beasts primarily of Level Five and Six¡ªand perhaps even Level Seven," Amir continued, his tone matter?of?fact.


    "And you want us to go?" Jay''s shout cracked the silence. "We barely escaped a Level Seven beast two months ago!"


    Amir''s eyes flashed steel. "This academy is a crucible, not a sanctuary. Here, you forge yourselves against every threat. If you shrink from this trial, the doors stand open¡ªand you will lose stars for refusal."


    A collective gulp echoed around the chamber as the weight of those words sank in. Grey clenched his fists beneath his cloak, resolve flaring.


    ''I can''t let my stars be docked,'' he thought. ''I have to face this.''


    Amir''s expression softened. "You will not go completely alone. A squad of second?year mages will accompany you."


    Gordon craned his neck. "A joint mission? But I can''t see the second years anywhere here. Isn''t this supposed to be an urgent mission? Then where are they?"


    "Captain!" They all heard a voice calling from the hallway.


    "Come in," Amir called, and the door swung open. Five second?years strode in: two burly young men and three confident young women, each distinct in appearance.


    The first man was broad?shouldered, his robe half?slung off one shoulder, a blue bandana wound around his brow. The second was shorter, round glasses glinting on his face, forearms wrapped in white bandages.


    The trio of women included a statuesque figure whose figure strained the buttons of her robe, a mysterious beauty in sleek black attire that hinted at deadly precision, and a graceful girl in flowing violet robes that matched her hair. Their confident strides spoke of hard?earned skill.


    Grey barely blinked¡ªhe had neither time nor interest in weak allies. But his teammates studied their new partners with keen eyes.


    Raze and Arthur''s gazes lingered on the buxom second?year, drool nearly gathering until she shot them a scornful glance.


    ''Perverts,'' she thought as she passed. The first years were currently eyeing their upperclassmen while the second years were examining their lowerclassmen.


    ''Perverts, handsome, beautiful, weak looking, arrogant.'' that was how they were tagging them as they kept surveying them as their eyes landed on Grey who didn''t even turn to look at them as his face was rested on Amir but he was deep in thought.


    "You will raid this dungeon together," Amir instructed. "You have ten minutes to introduce yourselves and coordinate. Then depart immediately."


    He turned and departed, leaving twenty mages in an uneasy assembly.


    Grey inhaled deeply, stepping away from the desk. The anxious chatter of introductions began at once.


    The second years couldn''t care less by introductions as they looked away while Grey slowly turned around to finally acknowledge those in the room when his eyes laid on one person among the first years immediately.


    The purple haired female was seen introducing herself to Scarlet as the others had recognized her seeing her family''s trademark red hair as they kept talking.


    "So who''s in charge of your little group?" The bulky second year asked and naturally, everybody''s eyes rested on Grey who had already zoned out looking at the purple haired female in shock.


    The purple haired female was also staring at Grey weirdly trying to recall where she had seen someone like him before; after the first years had acknowledged that he was the one in charge and after a few seconds, it finally clicked.


    "Grey?!" She called and hearing the voice, it finally clicked in Grey''s mind where he had seen the female before.


    "Charlotte?!" Grey called out too.

 Chapter 181 - 181: Times up!

    The team had been summoned by Captain Amir for a briefing. As they entered the room, Amir informed them of a joint raid mission and introduced the second-years they would be collaborating with for the dungeon incursion.


    Once the formalities were done, Amir exited the room, giving both groups space to get acquainted.


    However, the second-years exuded an air of superiority, barely acknowledging the first-years¡ªexcept for one female who walked around warmly introducing herself. Grey, on the other hand, remained aloof, not sparing them a glance.


    That changed the moment he heard her voice. Something about it tugged at his memory. He turned to the group, and as his eyes locked with hers, they both squinted, as if digging through a fog of memories. Until¡ª


    "Grey?!" the girl suddenly called, her voice tinged with surprise.


    "Charlotte?!" Grey responded, a smile creeping onto his lips.


    "Huh? You two know each other?" asked a bulky second-year with a tone laced with suspicion. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Charlotte ignored him and stepped forward. "Is this really you, Grey?" she asked, eyes wide as she looked him over from head to toe, clearly amazed by how much he had grown.


    "I could say the same. Who would''ve thought we''d end up in the same academy?" Grey chuckled, stepping toward her.


    "What happened to your hair? It looks different," Charlotte asked, tilting her head slightly. "No wonder I didn''t recognize you right away."


    "I just felt like trying something new," Grey replied casually.


    "I kind of¡­ missed you," she said softly. Without warning, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.


    Every jaw in the room dropped.


    The busty second-year girl nearby chuckled at the scene, her eyes gleaming with mischief.


    ''H-How could that filthy peasant touch Charlotte?! I''ll kill him¡­ skin him alive and bury what''s left!'' the bulky student fumed internally, his fists clenched.


    ''Grey allowed someone to hug him?!'' the first-years all screamed in their minds, still frozen in disbelief.


    ''Why¡­ why do I feel this sting in my chest?'' Scarlet''s thoughts twisted uncomfortably. ''No! I''m not jealous. There''s no way I''d feel jealous of a peasant!''


    Charlotte pulled away from the embrace, her cheeks flushed.


    "That was... unexpected," Grey chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.


    ''He''s not even mad?!'' the first-years felt like collapsing right there.


    "I''m sorry," Charlotte said, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "I just acted in the moment. But I never got to thank you properly for that night."


    ''Night?! What night?!'' the bulky student thought, grinding his teeth.


    "You made that night unforgettable. I still remember how wild and stylish your moves were," Charlotte added with a playful grin.


    "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Scarlet blurted out, unable to hold back any longer.


    Charlotte turned, unbothered. "Oh! Grey here beat the crap out of a noble named Solid during a party. The way he fought with different styles¡ªit was amazing! What were you thinking I meant?" she asked innocently.


    Everyone in the room let out a collective sigh of relief.


    "Is Max also here at the academy?" Grey asked.


    "Thankfully¡ªor not¡ªno. He''s a third-year now at Wysteria Academy," Charlotte answered.


    "Oh," Grey muttered simply.


    "Wait a second," Raze said, stepping forward. "You two knew each other from before?"


    Charlotte nodded with a smile.


    "Then how the hell is a noble like you so chummy with a peasant like him?" the bulky second-year barked. "You should put him in his place¡ªbeneath us."


    Charlotte''s eyes narrowed. "Did I ask for your opinion, Dante? You''re not my master, and I can associate with whoever I please.


    Besides, Grey saved my brother from a rival town, stopped an assassination attempt on my father, and much more. I owe him more than you''ll ever understand."


    "Damn. Didn''t think the ice princess could fall for a handsome peasant," the busty girl commented, walking forward with elegant strides. "By the way¡ªthat was a compliment."


    "We''re not in love, Lyra!" Charlotte blurted, flustered.


    "Then why''re you blushing, hmm?" Lyra teased, laughing softly.


    "Are we here to talk about love, or to prepare for this mission?" asked a boy with round glasses, his voice calm and logical.


    "Relax, Kael. Let people breathe a little," Lyra replied.


    "And did you all forget Amir said this was an urgent mission?" another girl, dressed in dark, mysterious attire, spoke up. Her voice was low and serious.


    "We hear you, Selene," Lyra responded. "But as Amir instructed, we''re just¡­ bonding. Starting with this delicious peasant right here." She reached out toward Grey, her fingers aiming to graze his arm.


    Grey seized her wrist in a flash, his eyes sharp and cold. "Don''t touch me, you perverted noble. I''m not one of your playthings. Try it again and you''ll regret it."


    As he released a sliver of his aura, the temperature in the room dropped. Lyra stepped back, genuinely rattled.


    "Feisty. I like it," she said with a smirk. "How about you bring that energy to my bed after the mission?"


    Grey scoffed and walked away toward his team. "I''m not into overinflated balloons," he muttered.


    Kael and Charlotte chuckled, while Lyra stood frozen, her fists clenched in silent rage.


    "You little¡ª!" she growled and was just about to lash out when the door swung open.


    Amir stepped in, his presence immediately commanding silence.


    "Time''s up. Move out," he ordered, his voice firm.


    The students quickly saluted and filed out in order, heading to the location of the dungeon displayed on their holographic interface.


    Once outside the academy, they began discussing how best to reach the dungeon site. Just then, a powerful gust of wind blew across the courtyard as a massive wind bird descended beside Grey.


    "You can all get on¡ªif you''re not afraid of heights," Grey said, already astride the creature with his teammates.


    "Tch. Whatever," Kael muttered, stepping forward as the others followed.


    Once everyone was aboard, the wind bird took to the skies, soaring swiftly toward the dungeon.


    ''Amir called in five second-years for this raid. That means this mission won''t be a walk in the park,'' Grey thought, eyes narrowing against the wind. ''I just hope I don''t have to reveal my other affinities¡­ not yet.''

 Chapter 182 - 182: Choose a leader!

    The team was seen flying on a huge wind bird, heading for the dungeon said to have appeared across the town''s border. The dungeon was located on the borderline of Velzoria¡ªthe kingdom Grey was in.


    It sat right on the border between Velzoria and another kingdom, so they needed to get there as soon as possible before the other kingdom had a chance to arrive and claim the artifacts.


    Just as Bronze Land was another world where Randin and the other dwarves lived, Arondale was another world or continent where Grey and the other mages lived. On this continent, there were three kingdoms, one of which was Velzoria.


    The others were Drakesville and the Clover Kingdom. These three kingdoms constantly fought for supremacy, though they all remained wary of Velzoria''s emperor due to the tremendous power he wielded.


    That was the only reason they hadn''t attacked Velzoria¡ªthey were lying low for now.


    But with the dungeon lying on the border between Velzoria and Drakesville, time was of the essence. They needed to raid the dungeon before Drakesville''s forces arrived.


    "Can''t this shitty wind bird go any faster?!" Dante shouted in anger.


    "If you don''t like the speed, get off. Mind you, I''m not stopping¡ªyou''ll have to jump," Grey commented coldly, still staring outward.


    "Shit! This place is stuffy and tight," Lyra grumbled.


    "Maybe you shouldn''t have brought two floating balloons over," Grey added, and the group chuckled.


    "You do know I''m your senior, right? Your words might cost you a lot," Lyra said, glaring at him.


    "Too bad I''m a peasant who can''t afford much anyway, so let it be costly," Grey replied with a shrug.


    "Guys! Enough of this. Let''s focus on the mission and formulate a plan," Selene interjected.


    "Wouldn''t it be best to choose a leader? Someone who can properly lead the team," Scarlet suggested.


    "Right! And since we''re your seniors, the leader has to be one of us," Kael added, pushing his glasses up his face.


    "It''s not a must that you guys lead. There are some good leaders here too," Greg said with a frown.


    "Do you want to disobey your seniors?" Dante asked, mana swirling around his hands. It was pure mana¡ªknown to be quite destructive. But then, Grey grabbed his wrist.


    "Don''t you dare," he said, glaring while Dante tried to pull his hand away.


    "How dare you touch me?! I''ll show you your place!" Dante shouted.


    ''Now''s my time to show Charlotte how manly and strong I am compared to this weakling,'' he thought with a smirk.


    Earth spikes began to form beside him, and he was about to launch them when suddenly, Grey blurred and appeared behind him.


    "I told you¡ªdon''t you dare," Grey said calmly before slamming his palm into Dante''s head, sending him plummeting off the wind bird.


    "Grey! What did you do?! He''s going to die!" Raze shouted, heart leaping out of his chest.


    "No, he won''t," Grey replied, and the bird suddenly sped after Dante with tremendous speed. The wind bit at their faces as the bird dived. At the last moment, Dante landed on its back as it swooped beneath him.


    "How dare you attack your senior?!" Kael shouted, seeing that Dante was slightly dazed.


    "Kael, stop it," Charlotte ordered. "And you, Grey¡ªyou went too far with that."


    "Tch. As if I care," Grey said, walking away.


    "Uhm¡­ we have no problem with you guys leading, as long as no more fights break out," Vince said.


    "In that case, Dante will lead, since he''s always led our team on missions," Lyra shrugged. Hearing his name, Dante finally regained his senses and glared at Grey''s back.


    ''I''ll make him pay¡­ He''ll pay for humiliating me like that. And I know the perfect way¡­ After all, deaths in dungeons aren''t punished,'' Dante smirked, eyes fixed on Grey.


    "We''re here," Grey announced. The wind bird hovered above the ground.


    Below them was a partly destroyed temple-like structure buried under vines and moss, with weathered statues lining the sides.


    Ahead, the temple-like dungeon stood partly on the border, marked by a large, wide river. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Descending slowly and cautiously, the wind bird vanished as the team stood before a steel-reinforced door, hearts pounding loudly.


    "Before we go in, I need to make some things clear," Dante said. "As your leader and senior, I expect you to trust my judgment and follow my lead. This isn''t our first dungeon raid¡ªwe know what to expect."


    "Right. Our first dungeon raid with a bunch of weaklings, though," Kael added, pushing his glasses up again. "Wait¡ªI just remembered. Which one of you beat up Dave?"


    The question struck a chord with the second-years. A few months back, a rumor had circulated that the eldest son of Captain Amir had been beaten up by a first-year.


    As the question hung in the air, all eyes naturally turned to Grey. He remained indifferent, but the second-years took notice.


    ''Did he? Was he the one who beat up Dave? How? How is that possible?'' Dante thought.


    ''I knew I sensed a weird, powerful aura from him¡­ Is he really the one?'' Selene mused, eyeing Grey.


    ''Whatever! I''ll still get my revenge,'' Dante thought.


    "Are we going in, or are we just going to stand here?" Jay asked.


    "One more thing," Dante added. "Be careful in there. You could get lost and never be found¡­ or maybe, it''s only your body that will be."


    His gaze lingered ominously on Grey.


    "This guy gives me the creeps," Noir muttered.


    "All right, without further ado, let''s go in," Dante said as they prepared to step into a dangerous place.


    ____


    {A/N}


    Alright guys! We don''t know what we are going to expect in this dungeon raid but you should trust me that there''s going to be something epic coming.


    The raid will bring about so many things that will strike you all. Anyway, let''s move onto the next chapter.


    Our mass release program is still running guys! And these are the goals for this week.


    100 Power stones= 2 extra chapters


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters.

 Chapter 183 - 183: Dungeon traps!

    The team pushed the heavy stone doors open, the loud groan of the hinges echoing like a dying beast. A gust of stale, ancient air rushed out, brushing against their faces like a warning from the past.


    They stepped into the dungeon¡ªan oppressive, dimly lit corridor that stretched forward like the gullet of some ancient, slumbering creature.


    Cracked torches lined the eastern and western walls, their flickering flames barely holding back the shadows that slithered across the stone.


    Silence dominated the space¡ªso absolute that even the faint crunch of gravel beneath their boots sounded like thunder. Every breath felt heavier, the air laced with dust and the scent of decay.


    Dante took the first step, his silhouette merging with the gloom. The others followed tightly, eyes darting about as if expecting the walls themselves to lunge forward.


    After several tense steps, the narrow corridor finally opened into a massive underground chamber.


    The ceiling arched high above like the belly of a cathedral, held up by massive stone columns worn by time.


    The walls were lined with ten gaping holes, each pitch black and just large enough for a man to crawl through. They resembled mouths, open and waiting.


    Scanning the chamber, there was no clear exit¡ªjust a stone altar standing ominously in the chamber''s corner, draped in tattered crimson cloth.


    Atop it stood a weathered statue of a hooded figure, its face completely hidden beneath the folds of its robe.


    In its outstretched hand, it clutched a twisted staff that seemed almost to pulse with malice.


    "Where do we go?" Greg muttered, his voice hushed, as though afraid to disturb something.


    "I don''t know," Dante replied, his brows furrowed as he studied the room. "There are too many options."


    "I can help," Grey said, stepping forward with calm confidence.


    "How can a weakling like you be of any help?" Dante scoffed, not bothering to hide his contempt.


    Grey ignored the jab. He walked into the heart of the room and knelt. The moment his palms touched the stone, electricity sparked to life, dancing across his fingers in crackling arcs.


    In a heartbeat, ten lightning tendrils shot out from him, each branching into one of the holes like searching serpents.


    "Well?" Kael asked, folding his arms.


    "What''s this idiot doing now?" Selene murmured.


    "He''s using lightning magic to probe the tunnels," Arthur explained.


    "And who asked for your opinion, peasant?" Kael growled.


    He took a step forward¡ªbut¡ª


    "Don''t move!" Grey commanded sharply. "The floor is riddled with traps. Step wrong, and you''ll lose more than your pride."


    "Tch! Like I''d believe that," Kael muttered and took another step.


    A brilliant glyph flared beneath his foot. Instantly, a deadly spike launched upward¡ªbut a translucent barrier snapped into place just in time to block it.


    "You were saying?" Grey said, rising to his feet.


    Charlotte''s eyes swept across the ground. "Can we even detect where all the traps are?"


    "By destroying each and every one using our special bait." Grey smiled while looking at Raze and Vince.


    "Us?! Why us?!" they shouted in perfect sync.


    Grey facepalmed. "Not you¡ªyour powers. Use your metal magic to make something that moves."


    "Ohhh¡­ right," Raze muttered, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.


    "Tch! Pathetic, this is not going to work. And who made you the leader of the group? I am the leader!" Dante snapped.


    Raze and Vince ignored him, focusing on molding their mana. Soon, they forged small metallic constructs shaped like porcupines.


    The creations scuttled forward, their metal spikes clinking with every step.


    "Get ready to destroy them!" Grey barked.


    "We don''t take orders fr¡ª" Lyra started but was abruptly cut off.


    "Now!" Grey shouted.


    One of the metal porcupines stepped on a pressure plate. Flames erupted from the ground in a violent burst.


    Jay and Charlotte reacted instantly, shooting dual jets of water to smother the fire.


    "Next one," Grey called.


    From another trap, a gigantic axe launched itself from the wall and spun toward them like a death wheel, howling through the air.


    The axe was thrice the size of a normal axe without its handle and when it was almost close, Kael swung his hands aside without touching the axe and it was sent flying into a wall causing an explosion to be heard.


    Grey raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. "Guess you''re not as useless as you act."


    Kael adjusted his glasses coolly. "We''re still your seniors."


    Grey smirked but said nothing.


    "I think we triggered them all," Vanica said, surveying the chamber.


    "So, which path is real?" Vorden asked, turning to Grey.


    "That one," Grey replied, pointing toward a wider hole slightly elevated from the others.


    "Why that one?" Lyra questioned, narrowing her eyes.


    "The others lead back to that one. The other holes were created as a decoy to confuse dead brains like you all." Grey said.


    "Who are you calling dead brains? Are you saying we are dead brains?!" Dante shouted in anger.


    "Your words not mine." Grey shrugged and turned away.


    ''Still cold and distant,'' Charlotte thought, a soft smile tugging at her lips. ''But that''s what makes him interesting¡­''


    "Let''s move," Grey ordered as he stepped forward and so did his friends.


    "I''m¡­ I''m still the darn leader you peasant!" Dante shouted.


    "C''mon Dante, give your throat a break." Kael said with a chuckle as he also walked forward.


    "You short little mage, I''m going to bury you." Dante said.


    "Yeah right." Selene said and then they all began walking forward with Dante holding the rear.


    As the others followed, Dante lingered behind, clenching his fists so hard his nails dug into his palm.


    ''I hate him¡­ that smug bastard. But soon¡­ I''ll crush him beneath my foot.'' S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ---


    {A/N}


    WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!


    A mysterious, generous reader just dropped a MAGIC CASTLE on Magus Supremacy!


    I don''t even know what to say... I''m speechless. I''m shaking.


    As promised, I will be dropping 5 BONUS CHAPTERS today.


    Let''s make this moment go legendary¡ªif we can get a Spacecraft, I''ll rain 10 bonus chapters down like a magical meteor shower!


    Feeling spicy? Go all out and hit the Golden Gachapon, and I''ll turn this book into a festival of flames¡ª15 bonus chapters incoming!


    Every gift helps boost this book higher in the rankings, unlocks new readers, and shows the world that Magus Supremacy isn''t just a story...


    It''s a rising empire.

 Chapter 184 - 184: Ant beasts!

    Soaring into the darkness, the team flew low on a massive wind bird, its feathered wings cutting through the stale air of a narrow, tunnel-like cavern.


    The light from above had vanished behind them, replaced by shadows that crept along the jagged stone walls as they descended deeper into the unknown.


    The air was silent. Tense. Each member lost in their own thoughts.


    ''How should I punish this peasant for defying my orders?'' Dante mused, his cold eyes fixed ahead as he sat beside Charlotte.


    Charlotte, on the other hand, kept stealing glances at Grey, her mind wandering. ''How did his hair change? The red actually suited him... but why change it?''


    "We''re closing in," Grey suddenly announced, his voice snapping everyone out of their trance.


    At once, they stood from their seated positions, eyes narrowing as they approached a large opening that radiated a strange, white glow.


    The moment the wind bird passed through the glowing veil, their surroundings shifted¡ªand so did their expressions.


    They hovered in the center of a massive underground chamber¡­ and what they saw made their hearts skip.


    "What the hell?!" Greg gasped, stepping forward, peering over the bird''s edge.


    "What are those?" Scarlet whispered, scanning the cavern with wide eyes.


    "Are you blind?" Lyra scoffed. "It''s obvious what those are."


    "Guys... I think we should keep it down," Vorden muttered, his voice low.


    "What''s everyone making noise about now?" Dante growled, rising from his spot on the bird''s back. But as he stepped forward, his words caught in his throat.


    His eyes widened.


    Because around them¡ªscattered across the floor and embedded into the cavern walls¡ªwere massive cocoons.


    Glossy, veined structures the size of small humans. Some pulsed faintly, as if something inside was alive¡­ waiting.


    There were at least fifty of them.


    "This isn''t just a chamber... it''s a nest," Charlotte whispered.


    "There," Gordon pointed, spotting a reinforced stone door across the chamber. To reach it, they''d have to pass directly over the cocoons.


    "Let''s move," Greg said, nodding.


    Grey was about to steer the wind bird forward when something made him freeze. His pupils narrowed, and without warning, he pulled the bird into a sharp descent.


    "Everyone off. Now!" he barked.


    They quickly dismounted, landing softly on the rocky ground. The wind bird dissolved into particles of wind.


    "Why''d you dismiss our ride?" Selene asked, frowning.


    "I sense something behind that door," Grey replied calmly.


    "What, you''re scared now?" Dante sneered. "Just say you''re too afraid to keep going."


    "If you think it''s nothing, then go on ahead," Grey shot back, his tone sharp.


    "I will! I''m the leader here, remember? I don''t need approval from a peasant like you!"


    Charlotte tried to interject. "Um, guys¡ª"


    But they ignored her.


    Grey''s eyes narrowed. "You keep waving that title around. If I had wanted it, it wouldn''t be yours."


    "Oh yeah?" Dante snapped. "You think you''re worthy? I''m your senior for a reason."


    Scarlet stepped forward. "Guys¡ªplease!"


    "Senior, my foot!" Grey snapped, sparks of lightning crackling in his palms. "Power rules this world. And I''ve got more than enough."


    "Want to test that?!" Dante bellowed, stones rising and swirling around his fists.


    Their mana surged, flooding the room in a wave of raw energy. The air crackled as the two glared at each other, moments from clashing¡ª


    "GUYS!" Kael finally shouted.


    "What the hell do you want?!" they both snapped in unison.


    "Look what you fools have done," Lyra said grimly.


    Silence fell. Slowly, both boys turned to the cocoons.


    They were moving.


    One by one, the cocoons began to rupture. Thin slits split down their centers, and long, razor-sharp claws pierced through, green slime dripping from them like venom.


    Then came the heads¡ªelongated, armored, with long antennae twitching hungrily. Jaw-like mandibles clicked as they fully emerged, unfurling insectoid wings that buzzed with a metallic hum.


    Fifty monstrous creatures now filled the air, their orange, chitin-covered bodies reflecting the dim light.


    As large as full-grown mastiffs, they looked like something out of a nightmare¡ªants twisted by mutation and rage.


    "What¡­ what are those?" Vorden whispered, stumbling back.


    "Are you blind? They''re ant beasts!" Greg barked.


    The swarm let out a deafening, unified screech.


    "SSSSSSSSSSSS!"


    It was a shrill, piercing sound that rattled their bones. Everyone covered their ears, faces twisting in pain.


    "This is bad¡­ this is really bad," Grey muttered.


    The screech continued for agonizing minutes before stopping abruptly. The moment it ended, the ants opened their mandibles¡ªand fired.


    A hail of green, mucus-like goo shot from their mouths, hurtling straight for the team. Fifty streams of liquid death.


    Arthur reacted instantly. Clapping his hands together, he summoned a glowing, transparent barrier around them. The goo splashed against it, hissing.


    But instead of melting through, it slid off harmlessly.


    Grey narrowed his eyes and activated his appraisal skill.


    {Name: Ant Beasts}


    {Level: 6}


    {Abilities: ???}


    ''Question marks?'' Grey thought, heart racing. ''That''s only happened once before¡ªwhen I tried to scan that old mage...''


    Level 6. That meant they were powerful. Very powerful.


    And they were just getting started.


    The ants screeched again, then shot toward the barrier, claws extended.


    They slammed into it¡ªhard.


    The shield held¡­ but a second strike followed. A crack spiderwebbed across its surface.


    "Guys!" Arthur cried out, blood spraying from his lips.


    The third hit landed.


    The barrier shattered like glass.


    "Shit!" Grey hissed, his eyes locking on one of the ant beasts diving straight for Arthur¡ªwho was still recovering from erecting the barrier.


    Everything was spiraling out of control¡­ and the real battle was just beginning.


    ___


    {A/N}


    This is not a drill.


    The Magus Supremacy community just made HISTORY.


    With a Magic Castle just dropped by one of our mighty legends, this book is now in the spotlight.


    If you''ve been thinking about supporting, this is the moment.


    Be a part of something BIG. A storm is coming, and every gift you send fuels the fire.


    Power Stones? Boosted.


    Golden Tickets? Summoned.


    Super Gifts? You might just trigger the next wave of bonus chapters.


    Let''s not whisper our presence.


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 Chapter 185 - 185: Heroes do arrive at the last moment!

    "Guys!" Arthur coughed out blood as the third strike landed, widening the already deep crack in his barrier. A moment later, it shattered like fragile glass, splinters of magic dispersing into the air.


    "Shit," Grey muttered, eyes narrowing as one of the ants charged toward Arthur. Since Arthur had stepped forward earlier to raise the barrier, he was now exposed.


    Just as the ant lunged, claws raised, an earth wall suddenly burst from the ground between them, stopping the beast in its tracks.


    ''Wait... that didn''t come from me.'' Grey turned, blinking in surprise.


    Dante stood a few meters away, his hands outstretched. "What are you all waiting for?" he barked.


    Ten long earthen spikes floated around him, rotating like blades. With a swift gesture, he launched them. The ants tried to dodge, moving in sharp, erratic patterns midair, barely evading the attack.


    Beside him, Charlotte summoned several swirling balls of water. With a thrust, she launched them at a group of ants, knocking the creatures back into the stone wall.


    Kael, quiet and composed, adjusted his glasses and stepped forward. As three ants dived toward him, he calmly raised his hand.


    The creatures halted midair, as if yanked by an invisible force. With a flick of his wrist, they slammed into the wall like broken dolls.


    ''Telekinetic magic?!'' Scarlet thought as she saw Kael''s display.


    A sharp wind howled through the cavern. Crescent-shaped blades of air spiraled around Lyra, orbiting her like a deadly dance.


    With a snap of her fingers, the blades shot out. The ants raised their claws, trying to defend themselves, but the wind blades knocked them across the room with bone-crunching force.


    ''Wait, weren''t there five second-years?'' Arthur thought. ''Where''s the last one?''


    Before he could ask, the ground beneath several ants turned pitch black.


    Shadows coiled upward like serpents, forming massive hands that reached up and grabbed three ants mid-flight, yanking them to the ground with terrifying strength.


    ''They''re holding their own against Level 6 beasts?!'' Grey thought, stunned by their teamwork and strength. ''These guys¡­ they''re strong. Really strong. But¡­''


    Despite all the attacks, the ants rose again¡ªcompletely unscathed.


    "What the hell?! Why isn''t this working?!" Dante shouted, frustration seeping into his voice.


    Three massive earthen scythes formed above him. With a yell, he swung his arm forward, sending them flying. The ants veered away, but one had its wing clipped, spinning midair.


    Suddenly, the ants let out a collective screech and released another volley of green goo.


    "Earth Wall!" Dante yelled, raising a barrier just in time. The goo splattered across it, sizzling slightly¡ªbut it held.


    "I thought you first-year trash were brought here for a reason," Kael muttered, raising his hand again and slamming two more ants into the wall.


    "Tch. Looks like they froze up when faced with real danger," Lyra added, wind gathering in her palms. She released a wave that scattered more ants.


    "We''re not weak!" Scarlet yelled, her red hair whipping around her face. She clenched her fists, flames bursting forth. "C''mon, guys! Let''s show these arrogant seniors our strength!"


    "Already ahead of you," Greg replied, lightning dancing across his body. He darted forward, electricity coiling around his leg as he jumped and kicked an ant in the face, sending it crashing.


    Scarlet grinned. "So weak," she muttered. She raised her hands, fireballs forming in the air before launching them like missiles. They pelted a few ants, burning one mid-flight.


    "Don''t forget me!" Raze bellowed, fire swirling around his fists.


    ''My Copy Magic depends on the power of the person I''ve copied. But I can only hold one magic at a time, and it resets every 24 hours¡­'' he reminded himself.


    He punched an ant''s underbelly with a blazing fist, launching it backward. The sheer force left a crater where it landed.


    "I guess some of you aren''t that weak," Selene said with a shrug, stepping out of the shadows.


    "Some of us?" Jay echoed with a smirk.


    Water spiraled around him, shaping into a serpent. "Water Creation Magic: Serpent of the Sea!" he roared.


    The massive water serpent surged forward, plowing through four ants like a tidal wave, even smashing through part of the cavern wall.


    Still, about forty ants remained, and they didn''t hesitate to retaliate.


    The remaining swarm screeched in unison and darted across the room, zigzagging through the air with uncanny speed. Goo launched from their mouths again, forcing everyone to dodge or block.


    Three ants broke from the pack and charged Arthur. He raised a barrier just in time, the claws scraping across the surface.


    "Back off!" Vince roared, leaping between them. His sword¡ªnow metal from his affinity¡ªsliced into one of the ants'' shells, leaving a long crack.


    Another one tried to spit goo at him, but before Vince could dodge, a fireball struck the ant in the face, knocking it away. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned and saw Scarlet, her fists blazing, offering a quick nod.


    Then Arthur''s eyes widened. "Vince, look out!"


    Vince turned just as a blob of green goo flew at him. He instinctively shut his eyes as it splashed across his face.


    "Ahhh! My face!" he yelled. But then, strangely, he blinked.


    "Huh? I feel fine¡­" Vince muttered, touching his skin. But seconds later, his eyes grew heavy, his legs buckled, and he collapsed.


    "Why... do I feel... sle¨Csleepy¡­" he mumbled, hitting the floor with a soft thud.


    Two ants zoomed in, jaws ready to bite¡ªbut Scarlet blurred forward, punching one back and kicking the other midair.


    "Vince! Vince! Vince!" she screamed, shaking him. He didn''t respond. Not even a flinch.


    "He''s not dead," Arthur said, crouching beside her.


    "And you think I don''t know that?!" Scarlet snapped, eyes flaring with fury. "He''s just¡­ not waking up!"


    Meanwhile, more explosions rocked the cavern.


    "Where the hell is that bastard?!" Dante yelled, retreating slightly. He drove a spike into the ground, causing an eruption beneath an ant¡ªbut it dodged.


    "There are a lot of bastards here. Be more specific," Kael said coolly, throwing another ant into a wall.


    "I mean that arrogant peasant! Where the hell is he hiding?!" Dante shouted.


    Lyra moved past him, her winds slicing down another ant. "For someone who claims to be a leader, you sure crumble without him."


    Suddenly, a calm voice cut through the noise.


    "For someone who brags about being a leader, you sure fall apart when I''m not around, huh?"


    Everyone turned. Grey stood at the edge of the battlefield, hands in his pockets, a confident grin on his face. His eyes calmly swept across the chaos.


    "Where were you?!" Charlotte asked, blasting an ant aside with a water orb.


    "Unlike the rest of you who charged in recklessly, I stayed back to observe. And let''s just say¡­ I found something interesting," Grey replied.


    "Unlike you all that charged forward carelessly, I had to stay back to observe the beasts and I found a few interesting things out."


    Grey smirked as he ducked under the ant''s slash. But instead of retreating, it suddenly stopped midair and spun back toward him.


    "You don''t know your place huh." Grey said as a wind blade smashed into the beast sending it into a wall.


    "Well? You gonna help or just farm aura from the sidelines?" Greg shouted.


    "Do you even need my help?" Grey asked, smirking.


    Selene appeared beside him, shadowy hands pinning an ant in place as Dante pierced it with a spear.


    "Yes, you fool! The ants are still attacking!" Raze yelled.


    One ant grabbed his wrist and pulled him in, mandibles aimed at his throat¡ªuntil a water orb struck its face.


    Jay landed beside him, slashing off the ant''s claws with a blade of water. Raze blasted it with flames, sending it flying.


    Grey exhaled.


    "Very well. They do say heroes arrive at the last second."


    The air around him trembled. His aura exploded.


    Wind spiraled, lightning crackled¡ªcombining into a storm of energy.


    "Fusion Magic: Raijin Spiral."

 Chapter 186 - 186: The ant king!

    Grey had stood at the back of the group earlier, unlike the others who charged in.


    He chose instead to observe the beasts and figure out their abilities, especially since his appraisal skill was only bringing up question marks, which puzzled him¡ªuntil he saw Vince being hit by the goo that rendered him unconscious.


    Their claws were clearly sharp; he saw Raze struggling to keep one from piercing him, his blood dripping to the floor.


    Their hard, orange-armored backs were next¡ªhe noticed it took high-level attacks just to break through them. Killing even one beast required significant effort.


    While watching, Grey formed different strategies to combat the beasts'' strengths. Then, he finally decided.


    He stepped forward, revealing himself, and activated Fusion Magic.


    The magic hadn''t fully unleashed when the room began to tremble. Winds howled through the cavern.


    Sparks and bolts of lightning danced across the ground, striking the walls.


    Grey stood calmly at the center, unaffected, as if this natural disaster was merely a side effect of his power.


    Even the ants paused in their attack, their antennae rattling as the air grew heavy.


    A sudden gust of wind whipped through the cavern, and the green goo that had been shot at the team evaporated mid-air from the heat rising around Grey.


    Sparks of lightning coiled around his feet, slithering up his legs like living serpents.


    When he raised his hand, the remaining ants halted mid-charge, their instincts screaming danger.


    Then he spoke.


    "Fusion Magic! Raijin Spiral."


    A tornado of wind and lightning swirled into existence, violent and magnificent.


    Those still fighting¡ªincluding the second-years¡ªquickly jumped back, retreating from the sudden tempest.


    The thirty remaining ant beasts, too shocked to move, hovered helplessly in the air.


    In a flash, the tornado surged forward¡ªfaster than the ants could react¡ªand slammed into them.


    It tore through their armored shells, shredded their bodies, and even ripped open the steel door behind them.


    The cavern floor cracked, the ceiling shattered. The entire space trembled under the might of the spell.


    And just like that¡ªwithin two seconds¡ªthirty Level 6 ant beasts, who had overwhelmed even the second-years, were annihilated by a single spell.


    "A job well done, if I do say so myself," Grey smiled as he turned and walked away, leaving all the second-years speechless, their mouths wide open as they stared at the devastation.


    ''Did he...? D-Did he just eliminate thirty Level 6 beasts... alone? How is that even possible?''


    Kael, usually composed, trembled in fear.


    ''How? How strong is this guy? Were the rumors true? Did he really defeat Dave?''


    Dante clenched his fists, glancing at Grey walking back to his teammates.


    ''Grey¡­ you''ve really changed. Stronger than when I last saw you. How is this possible in just one year? You''ve become a monster.''


    Charlotte thought, eyes filled with disbelief.


    ''Guess I have good taste. Not only is he handsome, he''s stupidly strong. I like!''


    Lyra licked her lips, her eyes lingering on Grey.


    "Is he alright?" Grey asked, noticing Vince still unconscious with Scarlet guarding him. Her arms and body bore light wounds, and three ant bodies lay at her feet.


    "I think..." she began, only for a sudden twitch to make her look down. Vince stirred, groaning as he clutched his head.


    "Wh¡­what happened? Why do I feel like I''m recovering from a hangover?" Vince muttered, blinking rapidly as memories rushed back.


    He shot to his feet, summoning a metal sword and looking around¡ªonly to lower it moments later.


    "What happened? Where are the ants?" he asked.


    "I took care of them," Grey replied with a shrug, walking away.


    "Was I supposed to be surprised?" Vince sighed, shaking his head.


    "Guys!" a voice called from beyond the now-sliced steel door. "Check this out!"


    They rushed over to Selene, standing at the threshold of a vast chamber filled with golden coins, treasure chests, rubies, strange artifacts, and more. The sight left them stunned.


    "So the rumors are true. Dungeons really do have treasure," Raze said, stars practically glittering in his eyes.


    "Well, don''t mind if I do!" Arthur grinned and stepped forward¡ªonly for Grey to yank him back by the collar just in time as a dart zipped from the wall and struck the far end.


    "You fool! Have you forgotten where we are? It''s a dungeon filled with traps!" Dante snapped.


    "Sorry, I forgot," Arthur chuckled nervously, scratching his head.


    "So... how do we take all of this?" Charlotte asked.


    "That''s where I come in," Selene replied, placing her hands on the ground. Shadowy hands emerged, slithering into the room and dragging chests of gold and artifacts back out.


    "Why aren''t the traps activating?" Raze asked, fascinated. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Because my magic isn''t a living thing, duh! If it were one of you or something tangible, the traps would trigger.


    But shadows are intangible, so they pass right through." Selene smiled as her shadows retrieved chest after chest.


    Still, ten chests remained inside, plus several artifact-filled ones near the front.


    "I think this is enough. Let''s not be greedy," Greg advised.


    "Speak for yourself. I want more," Lyra replied. "Hey Selene, see that beautiful necklace? Can you grab it for me?"


    "Of co¡ª" Selene suddenly froze, eyes wide. The others felt it too.


    Their hearts skipped a beat as a suffocating pressure descended upon them.


    "Wh¡­what is¡­ going on?" Charlotte gasped, clutching her chest as they instinctively backed away from the treasure chamber, returning to the center of the room, surrounded by the bodies of dead ants.


    ''I¡­ I''ve felt this before. No¡­ Don''t tell me¡ªthis dungeon has a boss?! This aura¡­ It''s a beast boss!''


    Grey''s mind screamed as lightning began crackling around his hands.


    A low buzzing echoed from the hole they had used to enter, like something large flying nearby.


    Then¡ª


    "Humans."


    A deep voice echoed in their minds, and a shadow slowly revealed itself.


    ''It can talk? A¡­ a beast that can talk?!''


    Dante gritted his teeth, earth swirling around his fists.


    And then they saw it¡ªan ant, but unlike the others, it walked on two legs, stood taller, with pure crimson armor, and crimson wings twitching behind its back. Its claws clutched something.


    Squinting closer, they gasped.


    It was a human¡ªa corpse.


    "This dungeon is on the border of another kingdom, right?" Vorden asked, dry-mouthed.


    "I was wondering why we hadn''t encountered anyone else. So¡­ the ant killed them?" Kael muttered, his body trembling.


    ''They wouldn''t have sent weaklings. This ant must be insanely strong. But why can it speak?''


    Grey stared, his heart racing.


    "You are all trespassers. And not only that¡ªyou killed my beloved subordinates," the voice echoed in their minds once more.


    Scarlet stepped forward, two meters ahead of the group. Her red hair fluttered.


    "Wh¡­who are you?! How can a beast like you speak?" she asked, her voice trembling.


    "You can barely speak in front of me, and you dare question the Ant King?!"


    ''Ant King? Is this the dungeon boss?!''


    Lyra thought, pulse racing.


    "For the death of my children, your punishment is death!" the beast screeched.


    And in a blink, it moved¡ªfrom the hole four meters away to directly in front of Scarlet.


    Its claw shot toward her stomach¡ªso fast no one could react. Scarlet shut her eyes, bracing for death.


    "Scarlet!" Vince shouted, trying to move¡ªwhen¡­


    "Huh? I feel... fine?" Scarlet mumbled, still trembling, her eyes still shut.


    Then¡ªa scream.


    "GREY!"


    ''Grey? What happened to¡ª''


    She opened her eyes¡ªand froze.


    A brown-haired figure stood in front of her, blood pouring from his mouth.


    The Ant King''s claw was buried in his stomach.


    "Shit¡­ what did¡­ Did I do?" Grey gasped, blood spilling from his lips as he collapsed.


    "ARGHHHHH! GREY!!!" Scarlet screamed.

 Chapter 187 - 187: We are sorry we are late!

    Just a few moments ago, Grey thought the battle was over. They had seen the artifacts, raided the dungeon, and were ready to return safely. But everything changed when the dungeon boss appeared ¡ª and strangely, it could speak.


    Even more shocking, he saw Scarlet step forward.


    Seeing her do so, Grey''s heart unknowingly skipped a beat. And then, Noir, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke.


    "Grey! That beast is furious. I can feel its rage boiling. You have to talk some sense into the team¡ªespecially that redhead¡ªor you''re all going to die. You can''t handle it!"


    ''Huh? What do yo¡ª'' Grey stuttered, but then his mana sense kicked in. He could feel it¡ªevery muscle of the ant-like beast twitching, ready to lunge.


    "Shit," he muttered.


    Lightning crackled around his body, and in a flash, he was coated in his signature lightning boots. But before he could even yell, the beast shot toward Scarlet like a bullet.


    Grey''s heart skipped several beats in that moment.


    His body moved on its own, faster than he could think. In a blur of light, he appeared in front of Scarlet just as the ant''s claw struck.


    The hit pierced through his stomach.


    A sharp pain exploded through his body as blood filled his mouth and poured from the fresh wound. His strength drained instantly, legs giving way beneath him.


    "Shit... what did I... what did I do?" he groaned, his voice barely above a whisper before he collapsed to the ground.


    An ear-piercing scream echoed across the cavern.


    "ARGHHHHH! GREY!" Scarlet''s voice rang out, trembling with panic and fury. She rushed to his side and turned him over, eyes widening at the gaping hole in his stomach.


    "Grey! Grey, wake up! Don''t you dare die on me!" she sobbed, tears already streaming down her cheeks.


    Slowly, as if summoned by her cries, Grey''s eyes fluttered open.


    "Why... why did you do that?!" she asked, her voice breaking with each word.


    "Even... even though you''re arrogant... you''re still part of the team¡­ my team... I can''t bear to see my teammates... my friends... hurt," Grey whispered, managing a weak smile before his eyes closed again and his hand fell limp.


    Scarlet''s world crumbled.


    "No... no, no, no!" she screamed, shaking him. Her shoulders trembled, tears falling freely now.


    "When I was young, even though I had talent and noble blood, my family never cared. My siblings outshone me.


    I was nothing to them. No one cared¡ªno one except Vince," she cried, her voice hoarse. "So why?! Why would you risk your life for someone like me?!"


    She laid her head on Grey''s chest, broken and helpless. Then¡ª


    Thump.


    Her eyes widened.


    A heartbeat.


    "Vanica! He''s still alive! Get over here! Help him now before I burn you to a crisp!" she yelled.


    Vanica rushed over and immediately began pouring healing magic into Grey while the ant king stood just a few meters away, watching. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, that was emotional," it commented. "Almost made me tear up."


    Its eyes narrowed. "Now, I feel generous. Let me send you all to meet him in the afterlife!"


    It launched forward, claws aimed straight for Scarlet, who was still beside Grey. Vanica continued her healing, refusing to stop.


    But just before impact, Scarlet''s hand lit up with flames. She grabbed the incoming claw mid-air, stopping it cold.


    Her head remained bowed. Her voice was quiet.


    "Vanica," she said calmly, "Take Grey away. Now."


    Arthur rushed in, helping Vanica lift Grey and pull him to safety. The others, snapping out of their daze, began to move, but it was too late.


    The cavern suddenly turned into a furnace.


    The heat was unbearable. Scarlet''s hair floated above her shoulders, her eyes filled with rage, and her magic burned so hot the air shimmered.


    The flames around her intensified as she glared at the ant king. Still gripping its claw, she stood.


    "You will pay for hurting my friend!" she roared, and with a fiery swing, her fist struck the ant''s underbelly.


    The blow sent it skidding across the cavern, almost airborne, but it managed to steady itself.


    "Hmm. Lovely," the ant king said with a grin. Water began to swirl around its claws. "Ah, finally activated!"


    In an instant, it lunged again, swinging its claws and releasing a dozen razor-sharp water slashes toward Scarlet.


    ''It can use magic? Water magic?'' Charlotte thought in disbelief.


    Before the slashes could reach Scarlet, Greg zipped forward, lightning wrapping around his arms. He smashed into the slashes, scattering them.


    "Thanks," Scarlet muttered as she launched herself at the ant.


    She swung her flaming fist, but the creature dodged, and her punch instead shattered the stone floor, kicking up debris.


    "Too slow," the ant king taunted.


    "But I''m not!" Greg shouted from behind.


    He slashed a blade of lightning at the ant, but the beast spun around and delivered a brutal kick to his gut, sending him flying. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crashed to the ground.


    "Too weak," the ant sneered.


    "ARGHHHHH! I''LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID!" Scarlet screamed, unleashing a rapid flurry of fireballs.


    The heat was intense. Dozens of fireballs blazed forward, slamming into the ant and creating a series of explosions.


    But just as she thought she had the upper hand¡ª


    SWOOSH!


    The ant appeared behind her, mandibles open.


    "Your power will be mine," it hissed, lunging to bite.


    But before it could land the hit, a wall of earth shot up between them. The mandibles crushed the wall¡ªbut the delay gave Scarlet time to leap back.


    "We''re sorry we''re late. Fear froze us," Raze said, flames bursting from his hands.


    "We''ll show this beast what Lunaria students can do," Jay said, water shaping into a gleaming blade.


    "And we''ll avenge Grey," Charlotte added, her body encased in a swirling water armor.


    The ant king turned, annoyed. "More pests? You should''ve waited your turn. But since you''re eager to die... I''ll grant your wish!"


    And then, It zipped forward toward the weakest among them¡ªKael.


    __


    {A/N}


    And this concludes the mass release for the massive super gift Magus Supremacy received!


    Want more mass releases like this? Then you can also support the book by sending a super gift too.


    Our mass release program still stands active guys!


    100 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters¡­ let''s go legends!


    To the generous soul who dropped the Magic Castle¡ª


    You sparked this storm.


    You''re the reason we''re going full throttle.


    5 chapters down... and we''re just getting started. Keep reading guys??

 Chapter 188 - 188: Gone too far!

    The fight against the Ant King was so intense that it seemed like the entire cavern was going to collapse.


    When it started looking like Scarlet was losing, the others quickly stepped in. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We''re sorry we''re late. Fear got us slightly rooted," Raze said, his hands burning brightly with fire.


    "Let''s show this beast not to mess with students of Lunaria Academy," Jay added as a blade of water formed in his hands.


    "And avenge what it did to Grey," Charlotte said, water swirling around her and forming a kind of armor.


    "More annoying pests. You should have waited your turn. But since you''re so eager to court death, let me grant it!" the Ant King roared, zipping toward the one it deemed the weakest¡ªKael.


    Its speed made it appear like a lightning mage in action; it was too fast for the others to follow. But Kael calmly stood his ground, pushing his glasses back up his face.


    "You made a big mistake," he said. Swinging his hand, the beast''s movements suddenly turned sluggish¡ªand then, with a burst of force, it was smashed into a wall.


    "We are not a bunch of weaklings," Lyra declared as a dozen wind blades hovered in front of the wall where the beast had crashed.


    With a flash, they flew forward, hitting it hard and causing a shockwave to ripple through the cavern.


    But as the dust settled, the beast stood firm¡ªwithout a single crack in its armor.


    "You were all saying?" the Ant King mocked.


    Slashes of water suddenly appeared around it, and with a swing of its claws, it launched them toward the team. Kael casually swung his hand, redirecting the slashes to the ground.


    Then, shadowy hands erupted from beneath the beast, pinning it in place. Lightning crackled as Greg zipped in, slamming a bolt of lightning into its abdomen and sending it skidding¡ªbefore leaping back.


    "That tickles," the Ant King commented with a smirk.


    "Oh yeah?! Take this!" Dante shouted, launching spikes of earth at the beast. But it swiftly dodged, and the spikes crashed into the ground, throwing up dust.


    However, waiting at the new spot it moved to were Jay and Scarlet, closing in from either side.


    Scarlet''s palm swirled with fire as she tried to slam it into the beast''s side¡ªbut water surrounded the beast''s claws.


    It grabbed her wrists, extinguishing her flames. For Jay, it launched five water balls his way.


    "Don''t forget about me, you bastard!" Raze shouted, his fists ablaze. He slammed a fiery punch into its abdomen, sending it skidding back.


    From behind, Lyra fired four wind blades, which slammed into the beast and flung it forward¡ªstraight toward Dante, who was already mid-jump with earth swirling around his fists. He struck, sending the beast crashing back.


    Vince followed, leaping above it with a metal spear in hand, slamming it into the beast''s armor¡ªbut still, it didn''t crack.


    Kael calmly stepped forward, adjusting his glasses. Raising his hands, the beast was lifted off the ground and, in a flash, slammed down hard, cracking the cavern floor and throwing up dust.


    Without wasting time, Scarlet jumped forward and began hurling fireballs. When the smaller ones didn''t satisfy her fury, she conjured a massive fireball and sent it crashing into the crater the beast lay in, scattering flames, smoke, and dust in every direction.


    The team landed side by side, staring into the smoke-filled crater. Slowly, the beast rose from within, a trickle of black blood running down the arm housing its claws.


    "All that for just a trickle of blood? Is that all twelve of you can muster?" the Ant King asked, mocking them. "Tsk, tsk. The other group gave me more trouble."


    "Shut up!" Scarlet screamed, rocketing forward with her hands burning brightly.


    She tried to land a blow, but the Ant King caught her wrists and lifted her off the ground¡ªbefore slamming her down hard. Debris flew into her mouth as she coughed up blood.


    "If this is all twelve of you''ve got, then this fight is over," the beast growled. In a blur, it surged toward the rest of the group.


    Greg zipped in front, lightning blade in hand, ready to strike¡ªbut the beast pivoted sharply and planted a brutal kick to Greg''s head, sending him crashing into the ground.


    It jumped back, dodging ten metal spikes from Vince. Then, with a single swing of its claws, a wall of water surged forth, slamming Vince into the cavern wall.


    From the side, a few wind blades came flying¡ªbut the beast moved too fast. They shattered mid-air as it appeared in front of Lyra.


    "Attractive," it said darkly, grabbing her by her large chest. "And soft too." With that, it slammed her into the ground before narrowly avoiding the incoming scythes of earth.


    As it prepared to move again, it felt its body stiffen. Glancing up, it spotted the human with glasses¡ªKael¡ªraising his hands again.


    "You''re annoying," the beast hissed. Pushing through the resistance, it suddenly appeared in front of Kael. With a vicious swing of its claws¡ªKael''s head rolled to the ground.


    "Kael!" Dante screamed, watching his friend''s head tumble across the floor.


    Before anyone could react, the Ant King''s mandibles opened. Before Kael''s body even hit the ground, it ripped out a chunk of flesh and swallowed it whole.


    "Mmm... I can feel it being added," the beast said, a twisted smile stretching across its face.


    "How¡­ how¡­ how dare you?! When¡­ when you harmed that peasant, I didn''t care. But now... you''ve gone... gone..." Dante muttered, the ground trembling beneath his feet. His fists clenched. His eyes turned completely white, no hint of black remaining.


    "You''ve gone too far!" he roared.


    The air in the cavern shifted instantly. His hair floated above his shoulders. His entire body began to glow with a soft white light.


    "Breakthrough!" he shouted, teeth gritted in rage.


    __


    {A/N}


    Crap! I didn''t expect that Kael would die here???? shit! I feel so bad for suddenly killing a character ???? let''s see what happens next


    ????????????????

 Chapter 189 - 189: You are not alone!

    SILENCE!


    That was all that remained in the cavern as Kael''s head rolled across the blood-stained floor, his body collapsing soon after.


    A brutal chunk of flesh was missing from his side¡ªripped away by the beast.


    No one moved. No one dared breathe. The horrific stillness was deafening as the reality of death set in.


    Kael was dead.


    Unlike Grey, who had once teetered on the edge of death but clung to life by a thread, Kael''s fate was absolute.


    No healing magic, no miracle, no intervention could undo what had just happened. The light in his eyes had vanished. Irrevocably.


    All around, the cavern fell into a stunned silence.


    Then¡ªlight.


    A blinding white radiance burst from Dante''s body, cutting through the shadows like a blade.


    The others could only stare, their eyes wide and unblinking, disbelief etched into every face.


    Kael¡­ was gone.


    "H-He just¡­" Jay stammered, his voice caught between shock and terror. His fingers trembled uncontrollably.


    Scarlet bit down hard on her lower lip, so hard that blood trickled from the corners of her mouth. Her fists clenched with fury. "Dante¡­" she whispered. "He''s about to use it."


    Then the earth trembled.


    A deep crack split the ground beneath them. Dust and loose stone quivered as the tremors grew.


    Dante''s head snapped upward, and the very air around him warped with raw, surging energy.


    His eyes gleamed with unearthly brilliance, and when he spoke next, his voice was no longer entirely his own.


    "I''m going to break this thing apart. Breakthrough!" he roared.


    A violent explosion of energy erupted from his form. The cavern shook, and even the beast¡ªthe monstrosity that had slain Kael¡ªhesitated, taking a wary step backward. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''The others didn''t use this power before. What''s going on?!'' the creature snarled inwardly.


    In a blink, Dante vanished from his spot, reappearing like a thunderclap beside the beast.


    As the ant king reacted, the earth behind it surged upward, imprisoning its limbs in a prison of jagged stone.


    From the trembling ground, earthen spears erupted with lethal precision, angling to decapitate the monster.


    But the beast was fast.


    With a furious roar, it broke free just in time to dodge the spears. Yet, it couldn''t avoid what came next¡ªDante.


    He reappeared in a blink, both arms encased in dense, earthen gauntlets, sharp and jagged like the fangs of the world itself.


    With a thunderous cry, he drove his fist into the beast''s chest.


    The impact was cataclysmic¡ªits armor cracked like brittle glass, and the creature was hurled backward into the wall with an earsplitting crash.


    "I''ll f*cking rip you apart!" Dante bellowed, his voice thick with anguish and fury.


    He raised his arm again. The stone wall behind the beast rumbled and morphed, launching sharp spikes that pierced into its back, straining to crack through its defenses. Though blood oozed¡ªblack and thick¡ªthe armor held¡­ barely.


    The beast growled, lurching forward, only for a massive boulder to materialize overhead. Dante swung his hand down.


    The boulder obeyed, slamming onto the ant with devastating force, burying it beneath tons of rock.


    "I''m not done with you yet!" Dante snarled. He stomped the ground, causing a powerful shockwave that launched the beast high into the air.


    Without a pause, he followed.


    Leaping with unrelenting speed, Dante ascended skyward, his earth-forged gauntlet glinting.


    With a brutal uppercut, he sent the beast crashing back to the cavern floor.


    A shattering explosion of force followed, fracturing the ground for meters.


    "I''ll kill you! I''ll freaking kill you!" he screamed, his hair levitating in the air, charged with the pure, untamed rage surging through him.


    The beast groaned, standing shakily. Its once-pristine armor was now cracked, leaking viscous black blood.


    "Dante¡­" Charlotte whispered, watching with wide, solemn eyes. The fury radiating from him was palpable¡ªundeniable.


    "Breakthrough mode," Lyra explained calmly, her gaze locked on Dante. "His power has doubled¡ªso have his speed and strength. But it comes at a cost. Once the time limit ends, his mana will collapse. How long he has¡­ I don''t know."


    "We should help him," Scarlet muttered, slowly rising to her feet. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.


    "Unless you can use Breakthrough, you''ll only get in the way," Charlotte said firmly.


    Then her water armor shimmered, turning brilliant white. Her purple hair floated gently as her eyes turned a glowing, ethereal white.


    "Breakthrough!" she declared, and the air blasted away from her in a ripple of power.


    "Breakthrough!" Lyra echoed, her form erupting in luminous energy as well.


    In a flash, both women shot forward, streaks of brilliance cutting through the battlefield.


    Raze glanced sideways. "You''re not going to join them?" he asked Selene.


    She shook her head slowly. "Not every mage can use Breakthrough. Only those strong enough¡­ and I''m not one of them."


    Back on the field, Dante rushed the beast again¡ªbut it had recovered.


    Anticipating his charge, it dodged at the last moment. Twisting his body mid-air, Dante''s face was slammed by a massive ball of condensed water, sending him flying into the cavern wall.


    The ant king pounced, claws gleaming. Dante ducked instinctively, and the monster''s claws gouged deep into the stone behind him, snapping with brutal force.


    With a snap of his fingers, Dante manipulated the wall, causing it to lash around the beast''s claws like thick chains, pinning them in place.


    Despite his shaking arms and the strain of compacting so much earth, Dante gritted his teeth and swung another vicious blow into the beast''s face. The impact sent it flying and shattered its bindings.


    "So¡­ strong!" the ant king growled as its back slammed into another wall, a minor explosion blooming from the point of impact.


    Dante stepped forward¡ªbut staggered.


    He collapsed to one knee, coughing up blood, clutching his chest. His breath came in gasps.


    ''No! I need more time. I''m not done yet! Please¡­ more time!''


    He forced his trembling limbs to rise. The beast stepped forward, eyes glowing with malevolence. It raised its claw¡ªand then¡­


    Dante floated.


    He felt it immediately¡ªhis body, suspended against his will.


    ''This¡­ this is Kael''s telekinetic magic! But how?!''


    "I''m sure you''re wondering how I can use this," the ant king said, a wicked smile in its voice. "It''s simple. I can use the magic of anyone I''ve consumed. That''s how I''m able to communicate. That''s how I can express my rage."


    With a downward swipe, the ant king sent Dante plummeting. He crashed into the earth, forming a crater, blood spurting from his mouth on impact.


    "I¡­ I¡­ you have no right to use his magic!" Dante roared through the dust, rising slowly to his feet. His body trembled, broken, but his spirit burned hotter than ever.


    "I''ll kill you! I''ll f*cking kill you for killing my friend!"


    "You''re not alone in that." Lyra''s voice rang out clear and strong.


    She and Charlotte emerged from the dust, their bodies glowing like divine avengers, hair floating with the surge of magic that danced around them.


    "How about we avenge Kael?" Lyra said, her eyes glinting with determination. "Together."

 Chapter 190 - 190: King of mages!

    "I¡­ I¡­ you have no right to use his magic!" Dante roared, staggering forward through the swirling dust, each step driven by pure rage. His fists clenched, body trembling with fury. "I''ll kill you! I''ll f*cking kill you for murdering my friend!"


    "You''re not alone in that," came a calm yet resolute voice. Lyra and Charlotte emerged from the haze, their bodies faintly glowing, eyes fierce with purpose. Their hair floated as if responding to the intensity of the magic coursing through them.


    "How about we avenge Kael¡­ together?" Lyra offered, her voice like steel wrapped in sorrow.


    The Ant King let out a harsh, grating laugh. "You wish to avenge a fallen comrade by banding together? Pathetic. Only the weak need allies. The strong stand alone."


    "Wrong!" Dante bellowed, slamming his foot into the ground as he launched forward. "Weaklings don''t unite¡ªfriends do!"


    Earth magic surged around his fists as he struck, but the Ant King caught his punch mid-air with chilling ease.


    From the side, twenty razor-sharp wind blades screamed toward the beast. Without a flinch, it spun, using Dante''s body like a shield¡ªslamming him into every blade, sparks and blood flying.


    "Water Creation Magic: Leviathan!" Charlotte chanted, her voice echoing like a hymn of vengeance.


    A massive aquatic serpent surged from the air, gleaming with power.


    It slammed into the Ant King with bone-shattering force, dragging him backward and smashing him through the wall in a tidal explosion.


    The water beast coiled and writhed, wrapping the creature in a crushing grip.


    Jay''s eyes widened in disbelief. "That¡­ That was terrifying. Far stronger than my own Water Creation spell."


    Selene nodded solemnly. "That''s the power of breakthrough mode. It amplifies both magic and mana core¡ªbut it''s limited. A trump card you only play when you know your enemy won''t outlast it."


    Through the rubble, the Ant King emerged¡ªcrimson armor fractured and dripping blood from deep mandible wounds. His breathing was heavier now, each step echoing with menace.


    "Impressive," he admitted coldly. "But still not enough." The beast said as it raised its claws when...


    "Not this time!" Dante shouted, stomping the ground and sending an earth-shaking shockwave that flung the beast backward.


    Lyra followed up instantly, summoning a howling gust that hurled the monster into the far wall with a thunderous crack.


    "We won''t let you abuse Kael''s power! Never again!" Charlotte cried. She flung her arms forward, a surging tide of water crashing into the Ant King and pounding him into the ground.


    "You forget¡­ I can use the same magic," the beast growled.


    It slammed its claws into the ground. A torrential flood burst forward, swallowing the team in a suffocating wave.


    "Not on my watch!" Lyra shouted, slicing through the deluge with a whirlwind that dispelled the water.


    She twisted, gathering the winds, and unleashed a tornado that spiraled into the Ant King, ripping him off his feet and flinging him across the chamber.


    Dante seized the moment, raising both hands. The very wall the beast struck responded, pushing forward like a piston and crushing the Ant King deeper into the stone.


    "Water Creation Magic: Leviathan!" Charlotte yelled again, her second serpent exploding from a vortex of churning liquid and body-slamming the beast, detonating the wall behind it.


    Charlotte coughed violently, blood spattering her lips. "I¡­ I''m nearing my limit."


    "Same," Lyra muttered, snapping her fingers and launching dozens of wind spears into the rubble where the Ant King had fallen. The explosion shook the cavern.


    But from behind them came a voice.


    "And I''m just getting started."


    They whirled around¡ªtoo late.


    The Ant King moved like a blur, reappearing behind Dante and seizing him by the neck. With brutal force, he slammed him into the ground. The crack of bone and the splatter of blood echoed ominously.


    "Dante!" Charlotte screamed. She began to chant, but a swipe of the beast''s claw sent her crashing into a wall.


    Lyra surged upward, descending with a wind-forged sword¡ªbut the Ant King caught the blade effortlessly and shattered it with a squeeze. With a flick, he tapped her head, and she was hurled backward like a ragdoll.


    "No¡­" Scarlet muttered, conjuring flames around her fists. But the fire wasn''t as bright as before. "He''s getting stronger¡­"


    Dante, barely conscious, moved from beneath the beast, grabbing its legs and slamming it down with sheer will.


    He conjured an earthen spike to impale it¡ªbut the spike shattered on impact.


    Lyra and Charlotte landed beside him, blood leaking from their mouths and foreheads. Their ribs ached; every breath was pain.


    "Pathetic," the Ant King spat. "You are no match for me."


    "Oh yeah?! Let me show you what happens when you mess with us!" Dante snarled, pushing up again¡ªonly to fall to his knees. Blood poured from his mouth. His white aura flickered¡­ and vanished.


    "The breakthrough¡­ it''s over," Charlotte whispered, panic creeping into her voice.


    "Tsk! Knew it wouldn''t last," the beast sneered. "That''s why I held back."


    He blurred forward and slammed a fist into Dante''s face.


    Then he raised his claws¡ªand with an eerie gesture, every human in the chamber floated off the ground, suspended like helpless puppets.


    With a single downward sweep, he slammed them all into the earth. A deafening crash shook the entire cavern as twelve bodies hit the ground like meteors.


    "None of you are worth my time," the Ant King muttered coldly. "Not one of you is fit to face the King of Ants."


    He turned to leave¡ªonly for his foot to suddenly freeze mid-step.


    A pressure unlike anything before filled the cavern. The ground trembled. Air became heavy. Magic surged like a tsunami.


    And then¡ªcame the voice. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But you haven''t faced the King of Mages yet."


    Those who were barely conscious turned their heads weakly, eyes widening.


    Someone walked toward them¡ªbrown hair tousled in the wind, robes torn, body bloodied¡­ but eyes burning with fierce, unrelenting purpose.


    "Too bad the King of Ants couldn''t kill properly," the figure said, cracking his neck. "Let me show you how it''s done."


    "Grey?!" Scarlet gasped, heart pounding in disbelief.

 Chapter 191 - 191: A Faint heartbeat!

    Roughly thirty minutes earlier, Grey teetered on the brink of death.


    Vanica and Arthur had rushed him away from the battlefield, dragging his bleeding form toward the edge of the cavern, a jagged platform just seven meters away from the heart of the chaos.


    The clash behind them echoed like a war drum¡ªroars, explosions, the cries of fury and pain¡ªall distant yet deafening.


    They had considered entering the treasure room, but the traps embedded within its walls had made that impossible.


    With desperation etched across her face, Vanica''s hands glowed with a brilliant white light.


    "Can you do anything?" Arthur asked, his voice tight as his eyes darted to the gaping hole in Grey''s abdomen. Grey''s skin had already begun losing its color, turning sickly pale.


    "I can try," Vanica muttered. She pressed both glowing palms against Grey''s stomach, her jaw clenched as sweat beaded and dripped down her brow. "Shit. The wound¡­ it''s too deep."


    BOOM! The ground beneath them trembled. Explosive shockwaves reverberated through the cavern, dust raining down from above.


    The walls groaned with the force of the ongoing battle.


    "Damn¡­ Scarlet''s gone berserk," Arthur muttered, his gaze flicking to the battlefield. Scarlet was a blur of fury, charging the beast with unrelenting rage.


    Her flames burned with a wild, almost divine intensity, the cavern illuminated in pulsating waves of crimson fire.


    "Come on, come on¡­" Vanica murmured, her voice cracking as she fought to stop the bleeding.


    Though her magic managed to slow it, the wound stubbornly refused to close. Grey''s body remained cold, unmoving.


    "Do you hear a pulse?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper.


    "Let me check." Arthur replied as he leaned down, placing his ear to Grey''s chest. Silence. Then¡ªba-dum¡­ ba¡ª


    "It''s faint," Arthur said, his face paling. "One beat¡­ every two seconds, maybe."


    Vanica''s breath caught in her throat. "We''re losing him." Her hands flared with brighter light, mana pouring from her very core into Grey.


    Slowly¡ªagonizingly slowly¡ªthe hole in his stomach began to close. Yet, his pulse faded further, his life slipping away even as his body mended.


    The cavern continued to quake with the fury of battle. The Ant King''s savage howls clashed with Scarlet''s firestorms and the screams of struggling students. Amid the chaos, Grey remained still.


    A minute passed.


    His physical wounds had finally healed. But there was no improvement¡ªno flicker of breath, no spark of life.


    "I''ve done all I can¡­" Vanica whispered. Her hands dropped to her sides as she collapsed beside him, her mana spent. Her chest heaved with exhaustion.


    Arthur knelt beside Grey, shaking him lightly. "Come on, Grey¡­ the team needs you. We need you. Wake up, dammit."


    But Grey remained still.


    "Shit! Why isn''t he waking up?" Arthur''s voice cracked as he pressed his ear to Grey''s chest again¡ªand froze. His eyes widened, panic rushing in like a tide. "No, no, no¡­ This can''t be happening!"


    "What''s wrong?!" Vanica asked, forcing herself up with trembling limbs.


    "I¡­ I can''t hear a beat anymore!" Arthur choked out, eyes wild.


    Vanica scrambled to Grey''s side, pressing her ear to his chest. Nothing. Absolute silence. Her expression shattered.


    "No¡­ No, this isn''t possible. I healed him. I closed his wounds! I¡­ I¡ª" Her voice dissolved into a stutter, lost in disbelief.


    Another thunderous bang echoed. They turned just in time to witness Kael''s head being torn from his body, his corpse collapsing with a sickening thud. Horror etched itself into their faces.


    "This is bad¡­ This beast is a monster beyond anything we''ve seen," Arthur said, voice hollow.


    Dante, consumed by grief and rage, roared and charged forward.


    "Grey! Grey! Please!" Vanica cried, shaking Grey''s limp body, tears sliding down her cheeks. "You can''t die now!"


    Arthur joined her.


    "You can''t die now, we need you!" Arthur said as he began frantically shaking Grey up.


    "C''mon man, you can''t die on us now, what about your dreams? Don''t you want to surpass the captain? You can''t do it while your eyes are closed darn it! Wake the f*ck up!" He shouted.


    Thankfully, the Ant King remained too focused on the second-years to notice the desperate shouts echoing across the cavern.


    "He''s still... still not breathing," Vanica whispered, eyes locked on Grey''s face.


    She rubbed her palms together, summoning a weak glow of white mana. She pressed her hands to his chest¡ªbut the glow sputtered and faded.


    "No, no, no! Not now!" she screamed. "I can''t be out of mana now!"


    Tears streamed freely as she collapsed onto Grey''s body. "What will I tell Scarlet? What will I say if you die here?"


    "You¡­ you told me that nothing was impossible for peasants like us to achieve. You told me to dream big and show the world that I''m not useless.


    So why? Why are you laying down here?! Don''t¡­ don''t you want to show the world what you can do?" Arthur asked with tears falling down his eyes as his head was bent when another bang was heard again with Dante punching the ant into a wall.


    "If you die, what¡­ what will we tell the captain? What will we tell Scarlet and the team?" Arthur asked as more tears continued pouring down his face while Vanica was sobbing on Grey''s body.


    "Most especially, what will we tell your family? Your mum, I can''t imagine how shattered she would be when she finds out. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So for that, you can''t die Grey! So wake the f*ck up now! For your family''s sake, for your mum''s sake, wake up!" Arthur shouted with his eyes closed and more tears falling down his eyes when..


    A silence fell between them.


    Then¡­ a twitch.


    Grey''s fingers moved.


    Arthur blinked. Vanica lifted her head.


    "He¡­ he moved¡­" she whispered, staring at his hand.


    Grey''s chest rose¡ªonce, then again. His heart thumped¡ªslow at first, but steadily gaining rhythm.


    "His pulse!" Arthur cried.


    "Damn it! You guys are so freaking loud¡­ I think my eardrums are bleeding," a familiar voice muttered weakly.


    Both of them looked down¡ªdisbelief and joy clashing on their faces.


    "Grey!" they screamed in unison, hugging him tightly.


    "Guys," he groaned, "I''m still sore, y''know¡­"


    They both let go at once. Grey looked down at his stomach¡ªhis clothes torn and bloodied, but no wound beneath. Slowly, the fog in his mind began to clear. And then¡ª


    BOOM!


    His eyes snapped up to the battlefield. The Ant King had just slammed Dante into the ground with bone-rattling force. Students were flung into the air like ragdolls, then smashed back down with brutal precision.


    "I guess none of you are worth my time," the beast snarled, its voice chilling. "None of you even come close to matching the king of ants."


    It turned to move¡ªbut its feet halted mid-step.


    A dense, suffocating pressure slammed into the cavern like a divine presence awakening. The very air trembled.


    A voice rose, clear and unyielding.


    "But you haven''t faced the king of mages yet."


    Grey stood tall, lightning crackling around his fingertips. His eyes burned with renewed fury.


    "Too bad the king of ants was unable to kill someone properly," he said, taking a step forward. "Let me show you how it''s done."


    "Grey?!" Scarlet''s voice rang out, disbelief and hope entangled in her words.


    __


    {A/N}


    Are we ready for an inevitable clash? A tough and devastating battle between Grey and the ant king? Well I would have said click the next chapter to read further but too bad we have to wait till tomorrow for that.


    But there''s a way to read more today itself for anyone interested.


    Our mass release goals guys!


    100 Power stones= 2 extra chapters


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters... You want more chapters? Here, I have given you all a way.

 Chapter 192 - 192: One step ahead!

    "But you haven''t faced the King of Mages yet," Grey said, his voice calm but laced with lethal intent as he rose to his feet.


    He strode forward, lightning crackling around his hands, arcs of sizzling energy dancing in the air.


    "Too bad the so-called king of ants couldn''t even kill someone properly. So let me show you how it''s done."


    "Grey?!" Scarlet gasped, her voice trembling with disbelief.


    "Huh?! Another pest?" the Ant King hissed, its compound eyes narrowing as it scanned Grey repeatedly, as if trying to make sense of his sudden appearance.


    "Weakling! What the hell are you doing? Run! Get out while you still can!" Selene barked, struggling to sit up.


    "Damn it, how did you survive that attack? You''re still too weak! You need to leave now!" Charlotte yelled, her tone sharp but filled with worry.


    "Grey¡­" Scarlet called again, this time softly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "You''re okay."


    "How arrogant can you be, peasant?! He''s no match for us, let alone you. You need to run now!" Greg shouted, his voice filled with frustration and disbelief.


    "He might be beneath you all," Grey said coldly, lightning now coursing up his arms, crackling around his fingers like serpents of raw power, "but he''s still beneath me."


    He clenched his fists, and electricity began to surge stronger, climbing over his body like living armor. ''This ant¡­ I saw what it did to the others. I can''t afford to hold back¡ªnot this time.''


    "Guys," Grey called out, planting his feet firmly as he took a stance. Power pulsed outward, forming a radiant glow around him.


    A white-hot light spread across his body¡ªfirst encasing his legs, then forming gauntlets over his fists.


    Lightning boots shimmered into existence with crackles echoing through the cavern. "I need all of you to promise me something."


    The others looked up, their battered forms watching him with growing awe.


    "Whatever you see here¡ªwhatever I do¡ªit must not leave this dungeon. Not to the academy. Not to the outside world."


    "What do you mean?" Jay asked weakly, his eyes fluttering as he regained consciousness.


    "I''m about to reveal things I''ve kept hidden¡­ and that gives you two choices: either you keep it a secret¡ªor I''ll kill you myself." Grey''s eyes flared with electric fury. "After all, anything that happens in a dungeon stays in the dungeon." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The tension became palpable. Everyone could feel it. Something terrifying and untamed was stirring within Grey.


    Then¡ª


    "I¡­ I don''t care," Dante muttered as he staggered to his feet, blood trailing down the side of his face.


    His body trembled, but his eyes were steady. "I don''t care what you''re hiding. As long as you kill that insect and avenge Kael¡­ we''re good."


    "Whether you kill us or not," Charlotte added, her voice quiet but firm, "we could still die by that beast''s hands. If you''re holding back for any reason, Grey¡­ I beg you not to."


    "I know you. I know the real you. Please¡ªdon''t hold back."


    Grey closed his eyes, then let out a long breath. "Very well."


    The energy around him surged, the lightning on his armor growing more intense¡ªits hum becoming a roar. His aura erupted like a storm made flesh.


    "You should''ve listened to your friends when they told you to run!" the Ant King snarled. It vanished in a blur and reappeared before Grey, swinging a blade of condensed water.


    A thunderous bang echoed as the strike landed¡ªbut Grey was gone, now standing two meters away, completely unscathed.


    "Tsk. Too slow," Grey scoffed, not even looking fazed.


    "Oh really? What about now?!" the beast growled, vanishing and instantly appearing in front of Grey with another water blade. The attack hit¡ªbut Grey''s form flickered and dissolved.


    ''An affrimage?'' Lyra thought in shock. ''Just how fast is this guy?!''


    "What''s wrong?" Grey''s voice rang out mockingly from behind the beast. "You can''t hit what you can''t catch. And you call yourself the Ant King? More like the Slow Ant King."


    The creature screeched in rage and charged again, swinging with precision¡ªbut it hit nothing.


    "Still missing," Grey chuckled.


    "What happened? Are you going to keep on making me play tag? Don''t you know how to fight? And you call yourself the king of mages! Pathetic!" The beast shouted as it dashed forward towards Grey swinging its claws but as usual, it hit nothing.


    "A true king doesn''t dirty his hands," Grey said, appearing once more two meters away. "And I haven''t been playing tag¡ªI''ve been setting the board."


    The Ant King froze.


    "You should really learn to pay attention to your surroundings," Grey added.


    The others turned instinctively¡ªand their eyes widened in disbelief. Surrounding the Ant King were over fifty suspended wind blades, their tips glowing and pointed at the beast.


    "When did he¡ª?" Vorden gasped, gaping at the sheer number of spells.


    "How can he conjure so many wind blades without showing signs of strain?" Lyra whispered. "Even I would struggle to do that unless I broke through¡­"


    "You know," Grey said, casually snapping his fingers, "I was worried I''d have to try. But turns out¡­ you really are nothing more than an insect."


    The blades shot forth in a symphony of slicing air, crashing into the Ant King and erupting into a storm of dust and wind. The entire cavern quaked.


    "Keh keh keh¡­" a sinister chuckle echoed from within the dust cloud. A beat later, the beast''s wings flared, blowing the debris away.


    "Is that all you''ve got?" the Ant King snarled, its body dripping with thick black blood.


    "Not even close," Grey replied coldly.


    With another snap, a dozen lightning blades materialized and zipped toward the beast, tearing into it and sending arcs of electricity rippling across its body.


    "What monstrous casting speed is that?!" Dante exclaimed, eyes wide. "How the hell is he dominating this fight?!"


    "You should also pay attention¡­ to your surroundings," came a low voice behind Grey.


    The Ant King had closed the distance silently, swinging its water blade toward Grey''s exposed back.


    "You think you caught me off guard?" Grey muttered as the blade came within inches of his face.


    Suddenly, an earth wall erupted from the ground, intercepting the blow with a deafening crack.


    "Earth magic?!" Greg shouted, stunned.


    The others stared too, eyes wide with disbelief.


    "Is this what he wanted us to keep secret?" Selene murmured, her heart pounding. "He''s¡­ a multi-elementalist?!"


    Only Charlotte didn''t flinch. She had already known.


    "I''ve always been one step ahead," Grey said, raising his hand.


    The earth wall responded, moving with unnatural speed. It surged outward, wrapping around the beast, binding its legs and pinning it to the floor. The Ant King roared and struggled¡ªbut couldn''t break free in time.


    Above it, thirty wind blades appeared again, but this time¡ªthey crackled with lightning, charged with destructive energy.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Grey is always one step ahead of any fight, and I''m sure you all want to stay one step ahead of the reading schedule right? Well here is a way; our mass release program.


    100 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


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    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters... Let''s go legends! Let''s stay one step ahead??

 Chapter 193 - 193: Whos this mage?

    "I was always one step ahead!" Grey''s voice echoed through the cavern as the earth trembled beneath his command.


    With a snap of his fingers, the ground shifted violently, thick stone walls rising in a heartbeat to encircle the beast before it could flee.


    The earth coiled around the ant-like creature, binding it to the very ground beneath it.


    Above, thirty razor-sharp wind blades materialized, their edges crackling with electric energy, buzzing in the air like a swarm of angry bees.


    "Grey," Dante gasped, his voice filled with disbelief. He watched in awe as Grey effortlessly contained the creature with his magic, the mighty ant thrashing beneath the weight of the elemental bindings.


    Vince''s heart pounded in his chest, his voice barely a whisper. "Was Grey always this strong?"


    Scarlet''s gaze widened in stunned recognition. "I knew he was powerful, but this¡­? It''s absurd." Her mind reeled, flashing back to the times Grey had obliterated his enemies with frightening ease¡ªfirst the bandits, then the breaking of the beast portal, and now, this moment of destruction.


    "Keh keh keh!" The ant laughed, its voice sinister and mocking, sending a chill through the air.


    The creature ceased its futile struggles, its beady eyes narrowing as it fixed on Grey with growing amusement. "You think you''ve got me? Think again."


    In an instant, the beast''s body surged with unnatural power, and with a single, explosive movement, it tore free from the earthen bindings, sending chunks of rock flying in all directions.


    Grey staggered back, momentarily stunned, but his wind blades hovered ominously in the air, crackling with lightning.


    "You shocked?" The ant''s laughter echoed mockingly. "Or are you finally realizing your plans have failed?"


    Grey''s eyes flashed with determination as he regained his composure. "Not in the least!" he called out, his voice unwavering. "Wind magic! Continuous wind blades barrage!"


    With a single snap of his fingers, the blades shot forward like a storm, their velocity and power leaving no room for mercy.


    The barrage tore into the beast, sending it skidding back with a series of violent impacts, its dark exoskeleton cracking under the force.


    "Enough!" The beast howled, its voice vibrating with fury.


    A powerful wave of energy erupted from its body, crashing into the wind blades with enough force to break them apart like fragile glass.


    ''It still has so much power, huh? So do I.'' Grey''s thoughts raced, his mind sharp and focused.


    Before the beast could make another move, Grey''s voice rang out again, filled with raw energy.


    "Fire magic!" Flames erupted from his hands in a brilliant blaze, the fire burning with an intensity that mirrored the wrath of a volcano.


    The flames shimmered and twisted, radiating with a heat so fierce it scorched the very air around him.


    The sight of Grey unleashing such ferocious fire magic sent a wave of shock through the group.


    Everyone took an instinctive step back, their faces etched with fear and disbelief.


    "F...f... fire magic too?!" Greg stammered, his eyes wide in shock. The realization hit him hard¡ªevery time he''d taunted Grey, he had no idea how close he''d come to facing death at any moment.


    Now, the weight of that truth was settling in like a cold, suffocating hand.


    "H... how is this possible? Who is this mage?" Scarlet murmured, her fingers trembling as she glanced down at her own hand, the powerful fire magic from before now feeling insignificant in comparison.


    Her mind raced as she recalled the fire ring she''d acquired, the one that had enhanced her abilities.


    But now, she stood face-to-face with someone who not only matched her power but surpassed it in ways she couldn''t even fathom.


    ''My fire magic was powerful earlier because of this ring I got in that cave the other time. But I can see someone rivalling my magical power and producing something I can''t do, who is this peasant?'' she thought.


    Greg''s thoughts mirrored hers. ''I see now... I''ve been underestimating him all this time. I have so much to learn before I can catch up to this peasant.''


    Charlotte, however, couldn''t hide the unease stirring inside her. ''Grey, now that you''re revealing yourself, aren''t you worried about the consequences?'' she wondered silently, watching the transformation unfold before her.


    Grey''s hair, once brown, began to shift, the color changing to a vibrant red. It rippled like a flame in the wind, dancing around him with an almost mystical energy.


    The sight was enough to make everyone gasp, their eyes glued to him in a mix of awe and fear.


    ''Transformation spell?!'' Dante''s mind raced, his breath caught in his throat. ''How... how is he doing this? Only high-level mages, those above level 5, can perform transformations like this.''


    Grey, however, wasn''t concerned with the spectacle of his transformation. ''Using high-level spells is taking its toll. I can barely sustain the transformation as it is,'' he thought, gritting his teeth as he prepared to strike.


    "Fire magic! Fire bullet!" Grey shouted, his voice fierce with determination.


    A thin, concentrated fiery bullet shot from his outstretched hand, faster than anyone could track, slamming into the beast''s shoulder.


    The impact sent a shockwave through the cavern, the fire burning deep into its thick exoskeleton. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lightning magic! Lightning bullet!" Grey''s voice was barely a whisper, but the next attack was even faster¡ªanother bolt of pure energy streaked through the air, striking the beast''s other shoulder with pinpoint precision.


    "I will kill you!" The beast roared, enraged by the onslaught. With a furious, primal scream, it lifted its claws, ready to crush Grey.


    In a blink, Grey was lifted into the air, weightless for a brief moment¡ªbefore he was violently slammed back into the ground, dust and debris exploding around him as he coughed, gasping for air.


    "Grey!" Vanica screamed, panic flooding her voice as they saw him floating once more, only to be slammed down harder, the impact shaking the ground beneath them.


    "Shit! At this rate, he''s going to die!" Raze cursed, his hands ablaze with magical energy.


    He moved to charge in, ready to face the beast head-on, but then, a sound¡ªa low chuckle¡ªcame from Grey, who, battered and bloodied, was hoisted into the air again by the beast''s overwhelming magic.


    Despite his mangled face and the blood dripping from his mouth, Grey still managed to give the beast a defiant smirk. "What''s with that smirk?" the ant demanded, his voice dripping with venom. "I have the upper hand here!"


    The beast slammed Grey back down with all its strength, sending him crashing into the ground with a sickening thud.


    Blood splattered from his mouth as he gasped for air, but the smirk never left his face.


    Grey slowly stood again, his face battered and bruised, a mangled mess of blood and dirt.


    He coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his body trembling, but his eyes were fierce. "Do you think you have the upper hand?" he rasped, his voice low but full of defiance.


    With a swift motion, Grey raised his hand high, and fire flared to life around him once more. "Fire magic!" he shouted, his voice like thunder. A massive fireball, the size of a boulder, erupted from his hands, soaring towards the beast.


    The fireball careened toward the beast, but Grey wasn''t finished. "Explomb!" With a snap of his fingers, a fiery explosion detonated with such force that the beast was hurled back, its body scorched and singed, blood oozing from the fresh burns.


    Grey wasn''t done. His eyes burned with determination as he stomped his foot into the ground.


    A massive, jagged earth spike shot up from beneath the beast''s feet, sending tremors through the cavern.


    The beast leapt into the air, but before it could react, a massive boulder¡ªlarger than any they had seen¡ªplummeted from above, crashing into the creature with earth-shattering force, sending it hurtling down to the ground once more.


    "I''m not done yet!" Grey shouted with a battle cry, his lightning armor crackling as it flared to life around him.


    In an instant, he was gone, dashing toward the beast with the speed of a lightning bolt, leaving a trail of light in his wake.


    The beast began to rise again, its body enveloped by spheres of water that crackled with threatening energy.


    It launched them at Grey, each one exploding on impact, the cavern shaking with each blast.


    Grey darted around the room at blinding speed, effortlessly dodging each attack, his movements a blur.


    "Your magic is as slow as you!" Grey taunted from above, his voice dripping with confidence.


    He descended upon the beast like a meteor, his foot swinging in a powerful roundhouse kick aimed at the creature''s head.


    But just as he was about to land the blow, the beast vanished from his sight. "You were saying?" it asked from behind him, its claws slashing into Grey''s side with terrifying force. Grey was sent crashing into the wall with a sickening crack, the impact so violent it shattered the stone around him.


    "Darn it! Grey!" Vince shouted, his voice choked with panic. They all stood frozen, their eyes fixed on the spot where Grey had been sent flying, unable to see whether he would rise again.

 Chapter 194 - 194: Supreme Magus!

    "Grey!" Vince shouted, not seeing him emerge from where he had been sent when¡ª


    "You guys need to stop screaming my name like I''m dead or something. I''m not as weak as all of you," a voice said, and Grey appeared, limping slightly with a determined expression as he emerged from the wall. The ant looked stunned.


    "Why won''t you just die?" the ant asked as a blade of water formed in its claws. "None of these pests gave me much trouble, so why are you?"


    "Probably because I''m a known troublemaker," Grey chuckled just as the beast dashed at him in anger. "Big mistake," he added, then moved so fast the beast missed him entirely.


    "Wind Magic¡ªSky Cutter!" Grey shouted. A massive horizontal wind slash surged out in a flash, cutting toward the beast. It tried to evade, but the slash skimmed its crimson armor, tearing into it.


    "You are dangerous," the beast growled, appearing right in front of Grey and thrusting its claws, swirling with water, into Grey''s stomach, sending him flying and bouncing across the cavern floor. Blood spurted from Grey''s mouth.


    "And you keep playing with fire, but I''ll make sure it burns you."


    "And fire is my specialty," Grey said as two huge fireballs exploded forward, slamming into the beast and sending it skidding.


    From behind, an earth spike shot up and crashed into its back, but the creature''s tough armor shattered it.


    Still, Grey didn''t give chase. He stood up, blood dripping from his body, and raised his hands. "I haven''t tried this before, but you''ll have to be my guinea rat!"


    "Lightning Creation Magic¡ªHoly Lightning Arrows!" he shouted, and a dozen arrows formed in the air before him, their tips aimed at the beast, who now took a defensive stance.


    "He¡­ he keeps proving he''s on another level," Selene murmured.


    "With this kind of strength, he could easily make it to second year," Charlotte added.


    "Is that really your concern? Just look at him. Now imagine if he used Breakthrough¡ªa mode that amplifies magic, speed, and strength," Dante chimed in.


    "Are you forgetting what third-years are taught? If he learns that too... I hate to admit it, but he''d become the strongest this academy''s ever seen. He might even defeat the vice-captain," Lyra said, and the second-years shuddered at the thought. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just because you''ve got some fancy lightning arrows doesn''t mean you''ll win! And when I eat you, I''ll use your powers to kill those pests you call friends!" the beast roared, exploding forward in a blur. But Grey remained calm, eyes closed, the dozen arrows still floating in front of him.


    "Why is he closing his eyes?!" Lyra exclaimed, chewing her nails anxiously.


    "Trust him," Vince said. "He always does this when he''s trying to track something¡ªor someone."


    "How is standing like a statue supposed to track anything?" Dante asked.


    "Just watch," Raze replied.


    The beast appeared from the side, having circled around, ready to strike with its water blade.


    "Gotcha!" Grey snapped, turning swiftly. The arrows immediately shifted to his front, their bright lightning illuminating the beast''s shocked expression¡ªthen surged forward with a thunderous blast.


    The impact sent the beast crashing into the wall, its body convulsing violently as a shockwave rocked the cavern.


    Its armor cracked wider, on the brink of shattering. Black blood oozed from its body as it coughed out a mouthful.


    "I''ve got to hand it to the elves¡ªespecially Licht¡ªfor teaching me mana sense," Grey said calmly, walking forward as the beast struggled to rise.


    "I''m not done with you!" the beast screamed, slamming its claws into the ground and sending a wave of water toward Grey''s feet. But he calmly stepped forward, fire encasing his feet.


    The intensity of the flames evaporated the water beneath him, and he walked across with a smirk as the beast rose, lifting its claws to unleash Kael''s power¡ª


    "Not again!" Grey shouted, his lightning armor activating with a bang.


    He shot forward at such speed it looked like he teleported, appearing in front of the beast with a wind blade in one hand and an earth sword in the other.


    He swung both blades so fast the spectators couldn''t keep up.


    Moments later, Grey skidded behind the beast¡ªand the creature looked down to see its severed hands, claws and all, lying on the ground. Right on cue, black blood spurted from its stumps.


    "How¡­ how is this possible?" the ant beast gasped as Grey''s footsteps approached. It turned to face him.


    "I told you¡ªI was always a step ahead. I''m not a fool. I already fought your kind a few minutes ago, so I know your weaknesses. That''s why I kept bombarding you with spells and magic.


    Thanks to the others, they unknowingly helped weaken you. The barrage of spells from me and my friends damaged your armor, drained your durability, and reduced your magic power¡ªmaking it easier for me to cut through," Grey said with a smirk as everyone stared in shock.


    ''He¡­ he knew what he was doing all along?'' Greg screamed internally.


    "So he purposely kept taking hits just to exploit the beast''s weakness?!" Selene exclaimed.


    "This peasant¡­ he keeps proving how dangerous he is," Dante muttered, clenching his fists.


    "Handsome, powerful, and intelligent. Totally my type," Lyra smiled.


    "This¡­ this can''t be happening!" the beast screamed. "How did I lose?! I''m the king of ants! How?!"


    "You lost the moment you faced me¡ªthe Supreme Mage," Grey declared as a tornado began to swirl before him, lightning crackling inside it.


    "Fusion Magic!" he called out. The beast remained frozen in disbelief.


    "One more thing. Remember this name, even in your grave. Remember that you were defeated by the King of Mages¡ªthe Supreme Magus¡­ Raijin Spiral!"


    Grey unleashed the devastating tornado. It tore through the beast, the ground, the wall, and even the back of the cavern itself.


    __


    {A/N}


    I hope I have delivered perfectly for you guys right????? Our Supreme Mage just flexed his strength to the King of ants... Let''s click the next chapter if you are all ready for a lil laugh????

 Chapter 195 - 195: A near escape!

    The destruction Grey''s final attack caused was anything but small.


    It was as if half the cavern had been utterly obliterated, leaving nothing behind of the ant beast ¡ª not even a corpse, only charred dust and broken earth.


    The very ground was scorched and torn, testament to the sheer force he had unleashed.


    Despite having poured out a torrent of high-level spells and even using an ultimate attack that drained half the mana in his core, Grey wasn''t exhausted.


    His stamina held firm, but his battered body told a different story. Each step he took was heavy, his limp worsening, his breath ragged and shallow.


    His body screamed at him to surrender, to collapse and rest, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward, blood trickling freely from his nose.


    Every few steps, he coughed up specks of blood, likely from internal injuries caused by the beast''s brutal blows.


    The others stood frozen, their expressions a mixture of awe and disbelief. This high-level beast, which had resisted all their combined efforts ¡ª even breakthroughs from some of the strongest students ¡ª had fallen to a single first-year student. And not just fallen... It had been annihilated.


    In their minds, there was no longer any doubt ¡ª Grey was the strongest among them.


    They watched, dumbfounded, as he dropped to one knee and began drawing intricate runes on the stone floor, using his own blood as ink.


    "What are you doing?" Vanica asked, her voice filled with confusion.


    "Doing what I want to," Grey replied, his tone casual despite the pain. "You all keep staring at me like I''m a monster. So, I need to fix that."


    He finished the rune circle and channeled a thin stream of mana into it. The carvings blazed with radiant light, bathing the cavern in an eerie glow.


    Grey stepped inside ¡ª and before their eyes, his crimson hair slowly reverted to the familiar brown they were used to. However, the injuries marring his body remained unchanged, bleeding and raw.


    "You can make runes?" Vorden asked, almost breathless.


    "Is it really surprising anymore?" Scarlet scoffed, crossing her arms and looking away with a snort.


    "We have so many questions¡­" Raze began, then hesitated, frowning. "But I doubt you''ll want to answer them."


    He paused, realization dawning. "Wait ¡ª is that why you never let anyone touch you? Because if I did, I would''ve sensed the absurd amount of magic you''re hiding?"


    "Ding ding ding! The fool finally gets it," Grey said, flashing a smirk. "But you''re still forbidden from touching me. I hate it."


    He turned to move forward when suddenly a strong hand clamped onto his shoulder.


    Grey spun around and found himself staring at Dante''s battered, bloodstained face.


    The older student''s jaw was clenched, his eyes brimming with unshed tears that finally spilled over his cheeks.


    "I''m sorry," Dante said hoarsely. "Sorry for always looking down on you... for planning to kill you in this dungeon. Thank you... for saving us ¡ª and for avenging Kael."


    Grey blinked. "Wait, what?! You planned on killing me?"


    "Let''s not lose track of the conversation here," Dante said hurriedly. "Not like I could''ve killed you anyway, after seeing that." He wiped his tears roughly. "As thanks, your secret''s safe with me."


    "That doesn''t count. You''re all obligated to keep it a secret," Grey replied with a shrug. "Otherwise..." His gaze sharpened. "You won''t live to see the sunrise."


    A chilling silence fell as everyone felt a cold shiver run down their spines.


    "So... How are we taking back Kael''s body and the treasures?" Grey asked, changing the subject.


    "I got that covered," Selene said, stepping forward. "My shadow magic allows me to store non-living things. And since Kael is... you know... it should work."


    "Perfect. Take the body and let''s¡ª" Grey''s words faltered as the entire cavern trembled violently.


    Chunks of rock started raining from the ceiling. At first, pebbles. Then slabs of stone, large enough to crush a man, crashed down around them.


    "The cavern''s collapsing!" Raze yelled, blasting a massive slab away with a fireball.


    "Well, after that fight between two titans, it''s a miracle it lasted this long," Lyra commented grimly.


    "Run! Now!" Grey commanded.


    He summoned the wind around him, the air swirling violently before coalescing into the shape of a massive bird. Its wings stretched wide, made entirely of compressed, roaring air.


    Selene quickly rushed over, storing Kael''s body and the scattered treasures into her shadow.


    The group leapt onto the bird''s back just as a massive boulder smashed into the ground where they''d been standing a moment ago.


    The bird shot forward at breakneck speed, weaving through the falling debris with impossible agility.


    Each wingbeat carried them higher, dodging death by the slimmest margins.


    The opening they had entered through finally came into view, but the cavern''s collapse was accelerating. Entire sections of ceiling gave way in thunderous crashes.


    With perfect timing, Grey''s bird hurled itself toward the hole, slipping through just as the entire cavern imploded behind them. Whatever other treasures lay hidden inside were buried forever beneath tons of stone.


    Yet the danger wasn''t over.


    The dungeon itself was trembling now. Even the wide altar room was beginning to crack apart, ancient stones splitting as if struck by invisible hammers.


    Without pausing, Grey guided the bird through the shaking ruins, racing for the exit.


    "Can''t this damn bird go faster?!" Raze screamed, his voice nearly lost in the roaring wind.


    "I''m slowing down for your weak stomachs!" Grey shot back, scowling. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is it until we''re buried alive?!" Greg shouted. "Step on it, you shitty bird taxi!"


    Grey snorted. "Fine. As you wish."


    The bird''s speed doubled ¡ª no, tripled ¡ª and the world around them blurred into a chaotic rush of stone and wind.


    The group screamed in terror, clutching onto the bird for dear life as they sped like a comet toward the dungeon''s final hallway.


    "I take it back! Slow the f*ck down!" Raze roared, his cheeks flapping violently from the force of the wind.


    "Error! Command not recognized!" Grey said with a savage grin.


    Ahead loomed the steel door sealing the dungeon''s entrance ¡ª still closed.


    "Arghhhhhh! We''re going to smash into the door!" Vince howled as the solid metal rushed up to meet them.


    BOOM!


    The steel door was blasted clean off its hinges, flying outward like a missile. The bird rocketed through the opening, carrying them into the open sky just as the entire dungeon collapsed in on itself with a deafening roar.


    They barely escaped by the skin of their teeth.


    "Curse you Grey! You''ll suffer in the pit of hell for this, Grey!" Jay shouted over the rushing wind, clutching his stomach, looking ready to vomit.


    "At least I''ll be at peace... knowing you''re coming with me," Grey called back, laughing.


    The bird soared higher, speeding towards Lunaria Academy, leaving the crumbling dungeon far behind them.

 Chapter 196 - 196: Shattered!

    The team soared steadily through the sky atop Grey''s majestic Wind Bird, the creature''s vast wings slicing through the cool air with rhythmic grace.


    After the chaotic collapse of the dungeon, their escape had been a narrow one ¡ª a desperate scramble against the raining rocks and crumbling walls that nearly buried them alive.


    Behind them, the dungeon had vanished without a trace, swallowed whole by the earth.


    Now, they glided above the sprawling borderlands, the fading battlefield nothing but a memory etched into their hearts.


    The group remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts, the somber mood weighing heavily over them.


    Seated near the rear, Dante sat hunched over, his gaze locked onto Kael''s lifeless, headless body that Selene had solemnly withdrawn from her shadow space.


    His fingers trembled, and his throat tightened as memories flooded him with brutal clarity.


    It felt like only yesterday when he and Kael had first met during the Academy''s assessment, a random grouping that fate had destined to be far more.


    Back then, Kael had saved Dante''s life, pulling him from the jaws of death when no one else would.


    From that day onward, they were inseparable ¡ª partners in missions, comrades in battle, and brothers at heart.


    Whenever missions were assigned, Dante refused to go without Kael by his side, a bond so visible that even Captain Amir made it a habit to pair them together.


    No matter how dangerous the task, they always returned victorious, stronger than before.


    But today... today was different.


    Dante''s hands clenched into trembling fists as bitter tears blurred his vision. The sight of Kael''s motionless body shattered something deep within him.


    With a choked sob, Dante suddenly threw back his head and screamed, a raw, anguished cry that split the heavy silence and startled everyone aboard.


    Charlotte, her heart breaking at the sight, moved towards him and pulled him into a tight embrace.


    Dante collapsed into her arms, his sobs racking his body as grief poured out of him.


    "It''s okay, Dante. Let it all out," Charlotte whispered soothingly, stroking his back as he cried harder.


    "Why... why did he have to die?!" Dante screamed, his voice cracking under the weight of his pain. "This was supposed to be an easy mission! Kael wasn''t supposed to die!"


    His cries echoed across the skies, a chorus of grief that pierced even the coldest hearts.


    "We all feel the pain of his loss, Dante," Lyra said quietly, her own voice tinged with sorrow. "He wasn''t just a squad member... he was our friend."


    "ARGHHHHH!" Dante roared, falling to his knees beside Kael''s broken body, pounding the surface of the bird with clenched fists.


    None of the others knew how to console him ¡ª they had never seen Dante, the unshakable pillar of the second years, crumble like this.


    Though he and Kael bickered often, their bond had been unbreakable. And now, that bond lay shattered.


    A few feet away, Grey remained standing at the front of the Wind Bird, his gaze fixed ahead, the wind whipping his hair.


    His voice, when it came, was low but carried across the bird with surprising clarity.


    "Dante," Grey called out, still without turning. "I can''t imagine how much it hurts... but you have to pull through. For Kael."


    His words floated through the heavy air like a lifeline. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you think he''d be happy seeing you like this? Crushed, broken, drowning in tears?" Grey continued.


    "You''re not dishonoring his memory by grieving... but if you stay here, in this pain, you''ll trap him too. Let him rest. Let his spirit soar free."


    "You... you''re saying I should just forget him?!" Dante snapped, anger flashing through his tears.


    Grey turned his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with something deeper ¡ª experience, pain, and growth.


    "No," Grey said firmly. "I''m saying honor him. Carry him forward."


    He paused, his voice lowering even more. "I lost my dad, too. Someone who meant everything to me.


    That kind of loss doesn''t leave you... it becomes part of you. But instead of letting it destroy me, I chose to fulfill his dreams. To protect the ones he left behind. To become someone he would be proud of."


    Grey''s hands tightened at his sides as his voice dropped to a near whisper. "Think about it, Dante. What would Kael have wanted for you? What dreams, what hopes did he leave behind?"


    Dante froze, Grey''s words stirring memories buried deep within him.


    He flashed back to a conversation ¡ª a simple walk to the Academy''s canteen, laughter ringing between them.


    ---


    "So, why did you even enroll at the Academy?" Dante had asked, tossing an apple into the air.


    Kael had scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Reason, huh? Well... I guess it''s because Captain Amir saved me once when I was younger.


    I''ve always dreamed of becoming someone he could be proud of. Someone strong enough to protect the weak, just like he protected me."


    Dante had scoffed back then, throwing a mocking glance over his shoulder. "Saving the weak? Sounds pathetic. If they''re weak, they don''t deserve saving."


    Kael had only smiled, his voice filled with quiet conviction. "One day, you''ll understand, Dante. You''ll find something... someone worth fighting for."


    ---


    The memory shattered, and Dante found himself staring at Kael''s body once more, his chest heaving.


    A new fire ignited within him ¡ª not of anger, but of purpose.


    "I promise you, Kael," Dante whispered hoarsely, wiping the tears from his bloodshot eyes. "I will carry your legacy. I''ll make you proud, dear friend. You''ll never be forgotten."


    Grey smiled faintly. "That''s the spirit. As long as you live for him, as long as you carry his dreams, Kael will never truly be gone."


    Ahead, Lunaria Academy''s familiar towers began to emerge over the horizon, the setting sun bathing them in a warm, golden glow.


    Charlotte found herself staring at Grey''s back, her heart trembling slightly.


    ''Grey¡­ he''s changed so much. He''s no longer the hotheaded boy I knew a year ago. What happened to him? How did he grow so much, so fast?'' she wondered silently, a strange ache blooming in her chest.


    Grey''s own thoughts drifted inward, his hands tightening into fists at his sides.


    ''Dad... I swear to you, I will become someone you can be proud of. I''ll protect the Dawn family with everything I have. No one will ever take from us again. I''ll become the greatest mage the world has ever known. That''s my promise to you... and to myself.''


    The Wind Bird let out a soft, mournful cry as it began its descent, landing gracefully before the towering gates of Lunaria Academy ¡ª carrying with it not just the battered team, but the weight of promises yet to be fulfilled.

 Chapter 197 - 197: More people to protect!

    The team finally arrived at Lunaria Academy, the wind bird descending gracefully onto the academy grounds.


    As they dismounted, battered, bruised, and carrying an air of heavy sorrow, two familiar figures awaited them.


    Captain Amir and Instructor Von stood outside, their gazes sharp with expectation.


    The moment Amir laid eyes on the returning group, he immediately knew. Their expressions¡ªhollow, strained, grief-stricken¡ªtold him everything before a single word was spoken.


    "Captain!" Everyone saluted weakly, their voices barely holding strength.


    "Welcome back, proud magi¡ª" Amir began, but his voice caught midway. His keen eyes swept over them, his heart skipping a beat. "Hold on. I sent out fifteen students, but I see only fourteen... Where is Kael?"


    A thick silence fell. Dante''s shoulders trembled, and tears welled up before spilling down his cheeks. His throat tightened, words refusing to come out.


    Seeing Dante''s reaction and the mournful faces of the others, Amir''s heart sank. Reality struck him like a hammer.


    He exhaled heavily, his features contorting with silent regret as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the sobbing Dante.


    "Captain¡­ I failed as a friend," Dante choked out, his voice raw with emotion as he clung to Amir.


    "You didn''t fail," Amir said softly, gripping Dante firmly. "In our quest to protect the continent, death is an inevitable shadow we all face. I grieve with you... Kael was a brilliant student and, to me, like a son."


    A faint tremble crossed Amir''s clenched fists. "Perhaps... I miscalculated," he muttered bitterly under his breath.


    Von, who had remained silent till now, stepped forward, his brow furrowed. "How¡­ how did it happen? For Kael to die... you must have faced something far beyond your capabilities. How did the rest of you survive?"


    Every head turned toward Grey, who stood quietly among them, his expression unreadable.


    "I understand," Amir said, his voice low, stepping back from Dante. "Enough for now. Head to the clinic and get yourselves checked out. Rest. We''ll take care of Kael''s body."


    "Yes, sir!" the students replied, saluting once more, though the gesture was heavy with grief.


    Tears continued to slide down Dante''s face as he trudged past Amir, his heart weighed down by guilt.


    The group moved towards the academy''s clinic, the second years separating and heading to the upper floor reserved for more advanced students.


    The first years were ushered into a large room where healing mages swiftly tended to their wounds. The room was somber, each student''s heart shackled by the memories of what had transpired.


    Silence reigned.


    Each lost in their own grim reflections.


    ''That could''ve been any one of us who died in that dungeon,'' Scarlet thought, shivering as she recalled Grey being impaled by the monstrous ant beast.


    ''Our very first dungeon raid¡­ and a second-year died,'' Raze brooded, his fists clenching with silent fury.


    ''This is the reality of the path we chose,'' Greg thought bitterly. ''There''s no turning back.''


    ''I have to get stronger,'' Vorden resolved, a dark fire igniting in his chest. ''No matter what, I won''t fall.''


    The healing mages finished their work, giving gentle orders to rest and recover, when the door creaked open. Von stepped into the room, his presence hardly noticed until he spoke.


    "I can''t even begin to imagine the pain you''re all feeling after seeing one of your own fall in battle," Von said, his voice softer than usual.


    Only then did the students stir, lifting their gazes towards him.


    "But hear me clearly: in our duty to protect this continent and our kingdom, death is a bitter companion we must learn to endure. Do not let it break you."


    Grey''s jaw tightened. His anger, sorrow, and confusion bubbling to the surface, he asked bluntly, "Why are you even here?"


    Von chuckled humorlessly, masking the ache in his own heart. "I''m still your instructor, you know?" he barked, before sighing heavily. "I checked with the senior healer. You''re all cleared to return to your dorms."


    He paused, giving them a moment before continuing, "But before that, there''s something you should know. The principal has heard of your achievement¡­ and your loss.


    How you all completed your first dungeon raid successfully, and even lost one of your comrades. So he has decided to host a ceremony tomorrow."


    "Ceremony?" Vince scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. "Tch! We''re in no mood to celebrate."


    "It''s not a party, fools!" Von snapped, the usual sharpness returning to his voice. "It''s a ceremony. We will honor the fallen, and yes, you will be rewarded for completing your first dungeon raid under such harsh conditions."


    Grey let out a long, weary sigh as he stood up. "The principal will be there?" he asked, his voice hollow.


    "Yes," Von confirmed with a firm nod. "Teleportation mages will come for you tomorrow morning. Be ready."


    "Fine," Grey muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked out of the room without looking back.


    Alone in the hallway, his footsteps echoed against the marble floor, each one heavier than the last. His mind was a turbulent storm of emotions.


    ''Why the hell is this bothering me so much?'' Grey thought grimly. ''I barely knew Kael.''


    A quiet voice answered him inside his mind.


    "Because your heart keeps replacing Kael with someone else," Noir said gently. "You can''t help but imagine one of your friends in his place."


    ''But... I don''t even care about them that much, do I?'' Grey thought stubbornly, his gaze fixed ahead.


    "No matter what you tell yourself, it doesn''t change the truth," Noir replied. "You care more than you realize. Otherwise, why throw yourself in front of Scarlet to take that ant beast''s strike?"


    ''I didn''t think. My body just moved on its own,'' Grey argued weakly. ''By the time I realized it, it was too late.''


    "You fool," Noir said, his voice laced with fond exasperation. "That''s what caring looks like. Instinct. You couldn''t stand to watch them die. Just like when you shielded Vince from his brother."


    Grey let out a slow, frustrated sigh, his boots dragging him toward a side staircase almost unconsciously.


    He climbed the steps in silence until a door appeared before him. Without hesitation, he pushed it open.


    The fresh night air greeted him.


    Stepping onto the academy''s rooftop, Grey took a deep breath. Before him, the vast forest stretched out, endless and wild.


    A soft breeze rustled his hair, and for the first time since the mission, a fragile peace settled over him.


    He sat down heavily, letting the world fade away as memories of the dungeon flashed before his eyes.


    "I suppose you''re right," he murmured into the cool night air. "I do care about them."


    His eyes, sharp yet weary, gazed out into the dark horizon.


    "I guess¡­ I have more people to protect now¡ªalong with the Dawn family."


    ---


    {A/N}


    I hope you all are enjoying the book so far! If you are, please keep supporting with Power Stones, Golden Tickets, and Gifts to help the book grow!


    If you want a mass release, here are the goals:


    500 Power Stones = 2 extra chapters (4 chapters total for the day) Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    500 Golden Tickets = 2 extra chapters plus the normal release rate


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    Let''s keep pushing together!

 Chapter 198 - 198: Award ceremony!

    The next day marked the long-awaited ceremony, and the first years were up early, dressed impeccably in their academy uniforms.


    Their blue and silver robes shimmered faintly under the morning sun, the colors symbolizing Lunaria''s proud legacy.


    Grey stood in front of his room, his hair neatly combed, his posture relaxed but his sharp eyes betraying a quiet intensity.


    Around him, other students waited as teleportation mages moved efficiently, pairing them two at a time before casting shimmering spells that whisked them away.


    It didn''t take long before it was Grey and Raze''s turn. In the blink of an eye, the world around them twisted and stretched¡ªand then snapped back into place.


    They opened their eyes to find themselves inside an awe-inspiring structure: the Grand Ceremonial Hall of Lunaria Academy.


    The hall was a marvel of magical architecture, a breathtaking fusion of artistry and sorcery.


    The vaulted ceiling soared high above, supported by intricate arches from which massive crystal chandeliers floated, casting a soft, golden glow over the vast chamber.


    The white marble walls gleamed, etched with ancient runic engravings that pulsed faintly, as though breathing in tune with the academy''s magic.


    At the forefront of the hall stood an elevated stage, guarded by two towering arcane pillars that crackled with restrained energy.


    Above the stage, a colossal tapestry swayed gently¡ªa crescent moon cradled by a ring of shimmering stars, the sacred emblem of Lunaria Academy, symbolizing the pursuit of wisdom and the relentless reach for power.


    Rows of ornate silver chairs spread out in a grand semi-circle, facing the stage. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each seat bore insignias representing the academy''s various factions¡ªfirst-years, second-years, senior students, instructors, and distinguished high-ranking officials.


    At the very center, a prestigious section awaited honored guests: nobles, renowned mages, and even envoys from the royal court.


    Majestic stained-glass windows flanked the hall, depicting legendary battles, heroic figures, and epoch-defining moments in vivid colors that danced across the polished obsidian floor.


    Toward the rear of the hall, a sweeping staircase spiraled up to a balcony where the principal and other prominent figures would soon appear, watching over the ceremony from a place of honor.


    The very air vibrated with a solemn energy, as if the hall itself carried the memories of triumphs and sacrifices spanning centuries.


    Today, a new name would be etched into that legacy¡ªKael''s. And the students who returned alive would be honored for their valor.


    Grey stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the gathering. He spotted the second-years who had accompanied them on the raid¡ªfriends, allies, and others invited for different reasons.


    In total, about twenty-five students filled the ceremonial space, a mix of first and second years. Dave was among them, chatting animatedly with two others.


    When Grey and Vince entered, Dave''s gaze met Grey''s for a fleeting second¡ªonly to turn away with a scoff.


    The hall buzzed with chatter, students swapping stories and speculations. Grey moved silently through the murmuring crowd, settling into a chair as his friends gradually gathered around him.


    "I thought this ceremony was supposed to be for those of us who went on the raid," Arthur muttered, shifting uneasily under the withering gazes of some second-years.


    "Maybe the authorities want to make a spectacle of it," Scarlet shrugged, her crimson hair catching the golden light as she crossed her arms casually.


    The noise continued until a deep thud echoed from above¡ªthe balcony doors swung open.


    One by one, the high-ranking personnel of Lunaria Academy emerged.


    First came Amir, captain of the Lunaria squad, his brown hair flowing freely like a banner caught in a gentle breeze.


    A warm, easygoing smile was etched on his face, though the glint in his eyes spoke of experience earned on bloody battlefields.


    Next was an unfamiliar figure¡ªa high-ranking squad member unknown to the students.


    His expression was grim, his steps measured as he strode forward with authority.


    Instructor Von followed, his bald head gleaming under the chandelier light. His gaze was sharp and assessing, missing nothing as he surveyed the students below.


    And then¡ªa shift in the atmosphere.


    A wave of mana, crushing yet strangely calming, swept over the hall. The students stiffened instinctively, their bodies reacting before their minds could even register it.


    A man entered, walking with the effortless grace of one born to command. His long red hair flowed down to his back, his silver robe billowing as if caught by an unseen wind.


    Sharp golden eyes, cold and penetrating, swept across the gathered students. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips.


    He radiated power¡ªraw, refined, and terrifying in its restraint.


    It didn''t take a genius to recognize him.


    Lucian Everhart¡ªprincipal of Lunaria Academy, one of the emperor''s trusted subordinates, and one of the most formidable figures in the kingdom.


    As the high-ranking officials assembled, the entire hall fell into immediate silence. The students snapped to attention and saluted, the air thick with a mix of awe and fear.


    ''So that''s the principal of Lunaria Academy, huh?'' Grey thought, his gaze locking onto Lucian. ''One of the emperor''s subordinates... His aura feels... strange. Familiar, yet shrouded in mystery.''


    Almost as if sensing Grey''s scrutiny, Lucian''s piercing golden eyes shifted¡ªand met his.


    ''Shit!'' Grey cursed internally, hastily dropping his gaze. ''He caught me staring!''


    A floating green crystal drifted to Lucian''s side, amplifying his voice with magic as he spoke.


    "Welcome, all of you, to this award ceremony."


    Each word he uttered carried weight, causing the very walls to tremble lightly. Every student''s heart raced, clinging desperately to each syllable as if the future itself hinged on his words.


    "This ceremony has been organized to recognize the brave students who recently embarked on a level-nine dungeon raid," Lucian continued, his voice steady and commanding. "Not only did they survive, they returned bearing powerful artifacts¡ªtreasures that will aid in safeguarding our kingdom."


    Polite applause echoed through the hall, measured and respectful.


    Lucian lifted a hand, and silence returned instantly.


    "However," he said, his tone dropping slightly, "this victory did not come without loss. One among you made the ultimate sacrifice."


    At those words, a heavy stillness settled over the room. Dante, standing stiffly at the back, clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, his teeth grinding audibly.


    "And that student''s name," Lucian said solemnly, "will be forever engraved among Lunaria''s honored dead.


    His burial will be conducted with the dignity and glamour befitting one who gave his life in service to the academy and the realm.


    His name will stand proudly on the Pillar of Valor, so that future generations will remember his bravery."


    ''Is that all?!'' Dante seethed inwardly, rage boiling beneath the surface. ''My friend gave his life¡ªand all he gets is a name carved into a stone pillar?!''


    Charlotte, sensing his rising fury, leaned closer and whispered urgently, "Dante... I understand your pain. But don''t do something you''ll regret. Stay calm¡ªfor him."


    Dante took a shuddering breath, forcing himself to exhale slowly.


    "Tch," he scoffed, swallowing the lump in his throat.


    Lucian''s voice rang out once more. "Furthermore, the students who participated in the raid will be rewarded with stars and merit rankings befitting their courage and achievements."


    A rare, approving smile touched his lips.


    "Now... let us begin."

 Chapter 199 - 199: How dare you?!

    "Also, the students who participated in this raid will be rewarded with stars and ranking advancements. So, let''s begin," Lucian announced with a warm smile.


    At those words, Amir stepped forward, descending from the balcony with Lucian following behind him.


    Together, they walked toward the high platform at the front of the grand hall. A table stood before them, adorned with gleaming badges, certificates, and polished ornaments that shimmered under the enchanted lights above.


    "Firstly," Amir began, his voice steady yet vibrant, "we will reward each squad with twenty stars for completing this mission."


    Grey and his teammates exchanged wide-eyed glances, their faces lighting up with excitement at the announcement.


    ''Twenty stars?!'' Arthur thought, barely able to contain his grin. ''With this, we''re so much closer to reaching the gold rank! No more constant worrying about promotions.


    We already have twenty-two stars, and now, with these additional twenty, we''ll have forty-two!''


    "And that''s not the end of it," Amir continued, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "If it were, such a grand ceremony wouldn''t be necessary. As you all know, we have not only squad rankings but individual student rankings."


    The hall quieted down, everyone leaning forward slightly, their curiosity piqued.


    "For squad rankings, we divide them into three tiers: Junior, Intermediate, and Advanced.


    First years belong to the Junior tier, second years to Intermediate, and third years to Advanced, corresponding with the iron, bronze, and silver ranks, respectively," Amir explained, his hand slicing through the air to emphasize each point.


    "However, for individual rankings, we have ten levels¡ªstarting from Iron, then Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Elite, Master, Grandmaster, and finally, Supreme rank."


    Gasps rippled across the room at the reminder of the prestigious hierarchy.


    "Normally, advancement through the ranks requires collecting stars via missions.


    But, on special occasions like today, ranks can be awarded based on exceptional contributions and achievements," Amir concluded, his words hanging heavily in the room.


    The students sat up straighter, a low murmur of excitement rising among them.


    "So," Amir said, a glint in his eyes, "having rewarded the squads, it''s now time to honor the individuals who gave their all during the dungeon raid¡ªthose whose efforts led us to success."


    The room buzzed with anticipation.


    "First up, Scarlet Trevor!" Amir called.


    A confident Scarlet strode forward, her fiery-red hair catching the light, matching the flame of pride burning in her gaze.


    "With her fire magic, she decimated countless ant beasts, fought fiercely against the dungeon boss, and defended her comrades with unwavering resolve."


    Scarlet stood before Amir and Lucian, back straight, hands clenched at her sides.


    "Congratulations," Lucian said, pinning a new badge onto her robe. "You have been promoted from Bronze rank to High Silver rank."


    A wave of applause swept the hall as Scarlet saluted crisply and returned to her seat, her steps proud and composed.


    "Next," Amir announced, "Charlotte Valtos!"


    Charlotte emerged from the crowd, her expression calm yet determined.


    "She displayed immense bravery, battling through the ant beasts and facing the dungeon boss without faltering."


    Lucian smiled warmly as he pinned her badge. "Congratulations, you have been promoted from Gold rank to Low Platinum rank."


    The crowd clapped and cheered, many whispering about Charlotte''s steady rise.


    "We also have Dante!" Amir said, his tone deepening.


    The atmosphere shifted. Everyone knew Dante had given more than just effort¡ªhe had lost a friend.


    Dante approached, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened. His jaw was set, eyes hollow yet burning with a silent rage.


    "He fought the hardest against the dungeon boss, pouring everything he had into the battle," Amir said with a note of respect. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Congratulations," Lucian said, pinning a shining platinum badge to Dante''s robe. "You have been promoted from High Gold rank to High Platinum rank."


    The hall filled with murmurs.


    "Wow! He''s definitely surpassed all the second years!"


    "Yeah, he''s getting closer to the third years."


    "I''m honestly jealous¡ªthat''s a massive leap!"


    Dante saluted, his chest heaving slightly, and then turned away, a storm of emotions whirling inside him. ''I was holding myself back so hard from exploding¡­''


    Amir''s voice rose once more.


    "Last but not least, the first-year student, Grey Dawn!"


    A stunned silence fell over the room.


    "This young man set a new academy record¡ªeliminating thirty ant beasts singlehandedly and taking down a level 7 dungeon boss on his own."


    A collective gasp echoed across the hall, quickly followed by hushed whispers.


    "It has to be a lie, right?"


    "A first year defeating a level 7 beast? That''s absurd."


    "And a dungeon boss at that!"


    "I refuse to believe it. He must''ve coerced others into saying that."


    "But¡­ threaten Dante? No way. Dante''s one of the strongest second years."


    "Maybe it was blackmail?"


    "But has anyone ever heard of ''Dawn'' among the noble families?"


    "No¡­ he must be a commoner."


    "Just a peasant, after all."


    Unfazed by the growing clamor, Grey rose smoothly, straightened his robe, and walked forward with measured, almost lazy steps. His face was a mask of calm indifference, radiating an undeniable aura of dominance.


    ''Grey Dawn, huh?'' Lucian thought, narrowing his eyes. ''That name sounds familiar¡­''


    "Congratulations, Grey Dawn," Lucian said, his voice steady. "You have been promoted from Bronze rank to Low Platinum rank."


    The hall exploded.


    "Platinum?! Just because of a rumor?!" a second-year student shouted, face flushed with anger.


    Amir''s gaze snapped to him, hard and cold.


    "Who gave you the right to question the academy''s judgment?" he demanded, his voice slicing through the uproar. "Do you think we would award ranks without thorough investigation?!"


    The second-year shrank in his seat under Amir''s glare. "I¡­ I apologize, sir."


    Still glowering, the second-year muttered darkly under his breath as Grey received his badge and turned away, his expression as unreadable as ever.


    "That concludes the award ceremony," Lucian declared. "Eat, rest, and celebrate. A banquet has been prepared for you all."


    With a curt nod, Lucian strode briskly out of the hall, his mind occupied, while Amir lingered a moment longer, overseeing the trays of steaming food now being rolled in by the staff.


    "You all should eat up. I''ll return shortly," Amir said, before exiting the hall as well.


    Students rushed to their tables, plates and cups clinking together as the feast began. Grey found himself immediately surrounded by his friends.


    "Woah! You got Platinum rank?!" Arthur exclaimed, clapping Grey on the back. "That''s insane!"


    "Yeah," Grey replied with a small shrug.


    "Yeah?! That''s all you have to say?" Raze barked. "Do you even understand what this means? You''re almost standing shoulder to shoulder with the third years¡ªthe academy''s elite!"


    Grey just shrugged again, his usual nonchalant air irritating Raze to no end.


    "Hey, Vince!" a voice called.


    They all turned to see Dave, Vince''s older brother, striding over with a mocking grin plastered on his face.


    "Dave¡­" Vince muttered under his breath, stiffening.


    "I can''t believe you were so useless you couldn''t even get recognized," Dave sneered. "Imagine¡­ a peasant outshining you. How pathetic."


    Vince''s fists trembled at his sides, but then, taking a deep breath, he looked up calmly.


    "Just because I didn''t get recognized this time doesn''t make me pathetic," he said, his voice steady. "Remind me, Dave¡­ how many achievements have you earned since you set foot in the academy?"


    The words cut deep. Dave''s face turned crimson.


    "You¡ªhow dare you speak to me like that, you worthless fool?!" Dave roared, his magic flaring wildly.


    The hall went deathly silent. Conversations froze mid-sentence. Plates clattered onto tables.


    "I think it''s time I reminded you of your place!" Dave snarled, summoning a massive metal sword, its blade gleaming menacingly as it hovered before him.


    "Maybe a little bloodshed will teach you to respect your betters," he spat, and with a snap of his fingers, sent the deadly weapon hurtling towards Vince.


    Vince froze, panic etched across his face. The sword screamed through the air¡ªuntil a deafening bang rocked the hall.


    In the next instant, standing protectively before Vince, was Grey.


    His fists were clad in crackling lightning gauntlets, arcs of electricity dancing around him like angry serpents. His grip crushed the flying sword mid-air, invisible flames burning in his narrowed eyes.


    "How dare you try to harm one of my friends?!" Grey roared.


    A colossal wave of mana erupted from him, surging like a hurricane. Winds howled through the grand hall, causing those who had ignored the earlier commotion to now whip their heads around, eyes wide with shock.


    All attention locked onto Grey¡ªan unmovable force, a rising storm they hadn''t seen coming.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Alright guys! If you have sticked this far, then prepare for the ride of your lives not coz of this fight, but something else that''s brewing under the surface.


    So eager right? Well, if you can''t wait no more, we got a mass release goals that when hit, extra chapters will be released.


    100 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters.

 Chapter 200 - 200: Zombie attack!

    In Lunaria Academy''s hall, after Grey and the others had been awarded for the successful dungeon raid, the students dispersed, chatting and enjoying snacks.


    However, the second years clearly avoided interacting with the first years.


    While this was going on, Dave¡ªVince''s elder brother¡ªapproached with two of his friends and began taunting him. Eventually, Vince snapped and retorted angrily, making Dave shout in rage.


    "Just because I didn''t get recognition doesn''t mean I''m pathetic. Please remind me¡ªhow many achievements have you gotten since stepping foot in this academy?" Vince shot back, fed up with Dave''s taunts.


    "How dare¡­ How dare you talk to me like that, you useless being?!" Dave bellowed. The hall fell silent. Grey, who was chatting with Charlotte a few meters away, suddenly turned around.


    "I guess it''s been a while since I taught you a lesson," Dave growled as a metal sword materialized in front of him.


    "Maybe a little bloodshed will teach you a lesson," he added, snapping his fingers. The sword shot toward Vince, who stood frozen in shock¡ªuntil a loud bang rang out.


    An individual with crackling lightning gauntlets now stood between Vince and the sword, his eyes burning with invisible flames.


    "How dare you try to harm one of my friends?!" Grey shouted. A massive wave of mana burst out from him, stirring the wind and drawing everyone''s attention.


    "You!" Dave barked as Grey punched the sword away, standing firmly before Vince. Lightning surged around his boots and gauntlets, his brown hair whipping wildly in the gusts.


    "How dare you attack my friend?" Grey repeated, the lightning around him intensifying, his eyes narrowing to slits.


    "And how dare you interrupt me while I''m disciplining my younger brother?!" Dave retorted. By now, all the students had gathered to witness the escalating scene.


    "Discipline? Or attempted murder?" Grey shot back.


    "You know, we still have scores to settle from that day," Dave said, summoning a metal sword. His two friends joined him¡ªone wielding an ice sword, the other crackling with lightning.


    "Last time, the captain interrupted. This time, I''ll f*ck you up properly. Let''s see how you handle a 3-vs-1!" Dave roared, charging at Grey at tremendous speed.


    "I promised¡­ I promised I wouldn''t lose any more family or friends. And you just tried to kill one of mine." Grey''s voice was low but seething as the sword neared his face. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bang! A split second later, Grey stood a meter away, his hands clenched.


    "For that¡­ your punishment is death!" he declared, pointing at Dave. A bolt of lightning shot out faster than light, slamming into Dave and sending him flying across the hall.


    Just then, the lightning mage appeared in front of Grey and fired a close-range bolt¡ªbut Grey had already moved.


    In a flash, he appeared behind him, slamming his foot into the mage and sending him skidding across the floor.


    Grey then leapt into the air, dodging an ice shard. Before he landed, more shards followed.


    To the second years'' surprise, Grey hovered midair using wind magic. Raising his hand, he chanted, "Wind Magic: Aerius!"


    A huge burst of wind erupted, blasting the ice shards down and shaking the room.


    "Whoa! That first year is holding his own against three second years."


    "I heard he beat Dave a few months ago."


    "Is he the one though? Might be a different guy."


    "Who else in the first years can do this? We''re all watching the same thing, right?" another second year replied.


    "Sh*t! What if Captain Amir was right about him defeating that dungeon boss?"


    Hovering above, Grey watched as Dave wiped blood from his mouth and regrouped with his friends.


    "I''ve learned my lesson from our last fight," Dave said with a smirk. His energy surged, his eyes glowing white, hair lifting with power, and body radiating.


    "And that is to go all out! Breakthrough!"


    With a roar, energy exploded from Dave as twenty metal swords materialized midair, all pointed at Grey.


    "Let''s see how you¡ª" he began, but before he could finish, Grey launched forward with a sonic boom. A hole formed in the wall behind him.


    Appearing before the swords, Grey unleashed rapid bolts of lightning and wind blades, shattering all twenty blades in seconds.


    Still airborne, he pointed his hand at the trio, who stared in shock.


    "You talk too much¡ªand I despise that."


    Thirty wind blades formed in the air.


    Snap!


    They launched forward. Dave hastily raised a metal wall, blocking the attack, though the wind''s backlash hit nearby students.


    "You protected your front¡ªbut forgot your back," Grey said, appearing behind the trio. As he prepared to strike, the lightning mage whirled around and fired another bolt.


    "You''re a lightning mage, yet you''re this slow?" Grey mocked. Twisting midair, he fired a gust of wind that sent the mage crashing into a wall.


    Then he noticed twenty ice shards flying at him. He darted around the room, dodging expertly¡ªuntil one grazed his cheek, drawing blood.


    "Don''t forget about me!" Dave yelled, summoning dozens of metal swords and spears and launching them.


    Grey pushed himself to the limit, dodging all¡ªuntil the last spear, which he caught by the tip. Twisting midair, he flung it back with immense force. Dave raised a wall, but it shattered on impact.


    "Whoa, this is getting dangerous," Charlotte murmured as the shockwave stirred her hair.


    "Grey! Enough!" Raze shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. But Grey ignored him, dashing at the lightning mage who prepared to attack.


    Grey appeared before him and hammered a lightning-charged fist into his gut. The mage coughed blood and collapsed unconscious.


    "Your turn," Grey growled, leaping to avoid another metal shard. But Dave suddenly appeared in front of him with a metal sword, swinging at high speed. Grey jumped back and fired a wind spear that Dave shattered with his sword.


    "Impressive. I''ll enjoy skewering you bit by bit! Let''s go all out!" Dave roared, maniacal energy spilling from him.


    "Has Dave lost it? Grey will kill him if he gets serious," Dante said, shocking the second years.


    "What do you mean?" one asked.


    "You didn''t see what we saw in the dungeon," Lyra explained. "Grey destroyed a level 7 beast alone. If he gets serious, Dave stands no chance."


    "And with how pissed he looks, I don''t think he''ll hold back," Charlotte added. "I''d hate to see what the captain will do when he finds out."


    "Sh*t! Someone needs to stop them now!" a second year exclaimed.


    "Good luck with that," Dante scoffed.


    "You want to go all out?" Grey asked, clenching his fists. "Fine! Let''s go all out!"


    Energy surged around both fighters, ready to clash¡ª


    BANG!


    A tremendous sound echoed as the doors flew off their hinges. A man in Lunaria robes burst in, eyes wild with panic.


    "Where is the captain?!" he shouted, drawing every gaze in the room¡ªeven Grey''s and Dave''s.


    "Why? What happened?" Dante asked.


    "Where is he?!" the man demanded again, more frantic.


    "He left not long ago¡ªsaid he had something to deal with," Lyra replied.


    "Crap! This is bad¡ªreally bad," the man muttered.


    "What happened? Spill it already!" Dante shouted.


    "The village nearest us¡ªit''s being attacked by hordes of zombie-looking beings! And they''re making their way here now!"


    "Is this a joke or something? Zombies aren''t real. Buzz off," Dave scoffed.


    "I''m serious! They''re alm¡ª" The man was cut off by a thunderous explosion outside.


    "They''re here."


    __


    {A/N}


    Congratulations to us guys! We just hit 200 Chapters???? And I think this author here deserves something right? Right guys?!???? A whole 200 chapters of rollercoaster events that hooked you all till now with many more to come. Let''s go legends! Off to the next chapter ??

 Chapter 201 - 201: Necromancing magic.

    "I''m serious! They are alm¡ª" the man began, but a thunderous explosion outside cut his words short, shaking the very walls of the academy.


    "They''re here," he whispered, eyes wide with dread.


    Immediately, a wave of panic swept through the students as they rushed to the tall glass windows overlooking the academy grounds. What they saw made their blood run cold.


    Figures emerged from the treeline¡ªhumanoids in tattered rags, their skin a ghastly pale, stretched taut over bones.


    Their eyes were pits of darkness, soulless voids filled with hunger and malice. Each one moved with a jerky, unnatural gait, growling and snarling like starved beasts.


    Some dragged broken limbs as they shuffled forward, while others radiated faint magical auras, using crude spells to uproot trees and tear through the terrain on their slow but inevitable march toward Lunaria Academy.


    There were more than a hundred of them¡ªand they were closing in.


    "Shit! What the hell is this?!" Dante shouted, his fists clenched as he took a step back from the window.


    Grey turned sharply to the breathless messenger. "You said a nearby village was attacked?"


    "Yes!" the man replied, panting. "Goltas Village¡ªit''s being overrun by triple the number heading here."


    Selene''s eyes narrowed. "The enemy is calculated. This isn''t random magic¡ªthis is necromancy."


    "Necromancing?" Arthur echoed, disbelief evident in his voice. "That''s forbidden in the kingdom, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, it is," Lyra answered grimly. "And to my knowledge, there was only one person ever known to practice it."


    "There''s no time for a history lesson," Grey cut in. "If Goltas is under heavier attack, we need to move¡ªnow."


    "How do we contact the captain?" Raze asked urgently.


    "I don''t think we need to. We can handle this without him," Dave said, his breathing still a little labored from his recent breakthrough, but his eyes were sharp.


    "Everyone, with me!" Grey commanded, dashing out of the hall, his comrades quickly falling in step behind him.


    "Where are you all rushing off to? Don''t we need a plan?" Charlotte called after them, but the first-years didn''t look back.


    "Let them go," Dante said, stepping forward with calm authority. "If he''s leading them, they''ll be fine. I know exactly where they''re headed. For now, we protect the academy."


    He clenched his fists as earthen energy began coiling around his arms.


    "Already ahead of you all," Lyra smirked as a sharp gust of wind enveloped her.


    With a sharp cry, she smashed through the window in a spiral of wind and descended into the heart of the undead swarm.


    "I know you can''t hear me," she said as she landed gracefully amid the monsters, her hair whipping wildly around her. "So let me be clear¡ªdie!"


    A barrage of fifty razor-sharp wind blades erupted from her, slicing through limbs and torsos.


    Some of the zombies stumbled, others dodged unnaturally fast, while a few were shredded into pieces on the spot.


    With a guttural roar, twenty of the creatures retaliated, unleashing erratic blasts of water and wind magic.


    Lyra swiftly retreated, wind spiraling around her like a miniature tornado, shielding her from the incoming attacks in a chaotic swirl of air.


    "You shouldn''t just dive in like that, you perverted woman!" Dave''s voice rang out as a dozen gleaming metal swords shot through the air, skewering zombies through the skull and pinning them into the ground with brutal precision.


    "Exactly! The caster could still be nearby!" Dante shouted, leaping through the shattered glass and landing with such force that the ground quaked, sending a shockwave rippling outward.


    The undead were thrown back like ragdolls, their bodies twisting grotesquely as they hit the earth.


    "These numbers are excessive¡­" Selene murmured. "I doubt this is the original necromancer. Could a second one exist¡ªone the kingdom hasn''t discovered?"


    "That doesn''t matter now," Dante replied, slamming his palms to the ground as dozens of jagged earth spikes erupted upward, impaling brainless bodies.


    "We deal with the puppets first¡ªthen we find their master." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eighty zombies remained, shambling forward with erratic, drunken movements. Their attacks were sloppier, more chaotic, but relentless all the same.


    "They disgust me!" Charlotte snapped, her expression twisted in revulsion.


    A powerful wave of water burst forth from her, blasting several zombies back.


    But as they hit the ground, they began to stir¡ªrising once more with inhuman persistence.


    "Tch! Pathetic." A cold voice interrupted. One of Dave''s classmates¡ªthe ice mage who had once been humiliated by Grey¡ªstrode forward, his steps leaving frost in his wake.


    ''That filthy first-year made a fool out of me. Time to prove I''m not weak.''


    "Ice Magic¡ªIce Trail!" he bellowed. A slick path of ice erupted beneath the zombies, encasing their legs in a solid block.


    "Shatter!" he snapped, and with a crackling boom, the ice exploded, snapping the creatures'' legs clean off.


    "That''s how you get the job done," he said smugly.


    "They''re still alive," Selene stated coolly.


    "Does it matter? At least they''re no¡ª" the mage paused mid-sentence.


    A low, bone-chilling growl came from behind him. He turned¡ªand his eyes widened in horror.


    The zombies with shattered limbs were standing again, their legs whole, as if never broken.


    "What the hell is going on?!" Dante exclaimed as the undead horde advanced again¡ªthis time joined by the ones they''d already taken down.


    "How are they regenerating?" Charlotte demanded.


    "He couldn''t do this before¡­ has something changed?" Lyra asked. Her eyes narrowed as wind blades began forming in mid-air, each one gleaming with deadly sharpness, poised like fangs.


    "They want to drain us," Dante said grimly. "It''s a tactic. They''re forcing us to burn through our core energy. Don''t go all out just yet!"


    Suddenly, five massive earth boulders levitated above the battlefield.


    As the zombies launched a barrage of elemental attacks, Dante raised an earth wall that absorbed the impact.


    With a flick of his wrist, the boulders crashed down like meteors, flattening dozens of the monsters in an instant.


    With precision, Lyra released her wind blades¡ªdozens slicing through necks and torsos. Heads rolled, bodies crumpled.


    Now only forty zombies remained. Selene, Charlotte, and the others joined in with well-placed spells, freezing bodies solid and then shattering them with violent force.


    "That was a good job done," Selene said, her lips curling into a rare smile.


    "Says the person who didn''t even lift a finger," Dave scoffed.


    "I could have. But if I had, it would have made you all look incompetent," she replied with a smirk.


    She was about to take a step forward when the ground trembled.


    A chilling creak, followed by a low moan, echoed through the battlefield. Then the soil burst open¡ªand skeletal hands erupted from beneath the earth.


    In mere seconds, hundreds of bones clattered together, forming full skeletons alongside rotting zombies.


    Within the blink of an eye, over three hundred new undead stood before them, their hollow eyes locked on the students.


    "What the actual hell?!" Dave gasped, his voice cracking slightly as the shadow of the horde fell over them.


    ___


    {A/N}


    And this is what I was talking about yesterday ???? hope you all enjoy what''s to come as you will all be seeing interesting things... I will stop here, let me not ruin the fun.


    Also, kindly support with all the resources you all have???? power stones, Golden tickets, gifts or even comments, help this small author grow and let Grey climb to the top????

 Chapter 202 - 202: God of the undead!

    Grey and his companions soared through the skies atop his massive Wind Bird, a majestic creature whose feathers shimmered in streaks of azure.


    The creature''s wings sliced through the air with incredible speed, the wind screaming past their ears and whipping against their faces like biting frost.


    Below them, the lush terrain quickly gave way to the outskirts of civilization as they flew past Lunaria Academy and into the wild beyond.


    Soon, a plume of thick black smoke curled into the sky like a mourning veil. The smell of burning wood and scorched earth hit their senses.


    As they drew closer, the Goltas village came into view¡ªa settlement now gripped by chaos.


    Panicked villagers ran in all directions, some dragging children behind them while others stumbled through debris. Half-toppled houses smoldered, their wooden beams blackened and cracked.


    Then came the sound¡ªlow, guttural, and chilling.


    Moans. Groans. Cries that didn''t belong to the living.


    Zombies.


    Dozens of them lumbered and dashed across the village, much faster than the usual shambling kind.


    They tore through the unprotected with feral frenzy, blood dripping from their jagged teeth as they feasted on those too slow to escape.


    And then, even worse¡ªskeletal figures appeared. But these weren''t mere bones animated by weak spells.


    These skeletons were armored in ghostly silver and gripped bone-forged swords and cracked shields, moving with disturbing precision and speed.


    They darted through the chaos like death itself, cutting down villagers in quick, brutal flashes of white.


    Screams of pain and destruction rose into the air, blending with the sound of crackling flames and splintering wood.


    "I feel like I''m going to throw up," Vanica muttered, her face pale as she watched a zombie rip into a helpless villager.


    "C''mon! Let''s go!" Grey snapped, eyes narrowed as he commanded the Wind Bird to dive.


    Before they touched the ground, Grey made a swift gesture.


    In an instant, two dozen razor-sharp wind blades exploded from the bird''s wings, streaking through the air and tearing apart a group of advancing zombies.


    Blood and blackened flesh splattered across the ruined streets as the undead fell.


    With a powerful gust, the bird descended, stirring a shockwave of wind that blasted back the encroaching horde.


    The moment its claws hit the earth, the first years leapt off, forming a defensive arc as panicked villagers took notice of the students in their academy robes.


    A flicker of hope lit up the terrified eyes of the survivors.


    "You know the drill," Grey said coldly, stepping forward as wind swirled around his boots. His gaze was fixed on the undead ahead. "All of you¡ªclear out."


    As if sensing the authority in his voice, the villagers began fleeing the battlefield, their screams echoing behind them.


    Some tripped and stumbled, others accidentally trampled those too slow to rise, but they kept running¡ªdesperate to escape the slaughter.


    ''Their aura... it reeks of death,'' Grey thought. ''Dark. Ancient. Like something ripped from the pits of hell.''


    Suddenly, a voice shattered the uneasy silence.


    "Students of Lunaria¡­"


    The words didn''t come from a villager. They came from a zombie.


    The students froze, startled by the eerie calmness in its voice. The creature, rotting yet upright, stood among the carnage like a general on a battlefield.


    "I don''t know how you managed to get here," it continued. "By my knowledge, some of the undead should have been blocking your path at the academy while I wrapped up matters over here."


    Grey''s eyes narrowed. "And to my knowledge, zombies don''t speak. So¡­ who are you?"


    The creature took a step forward, its skeletal fingers clenching into fists.


    "Me? I''m the God of Dead Creations! The Necromancing King¡ªthe very one Lunaria Academy turned its back on and banished for practicing forbidden arts."


    Grey tilted his head slightly, unfazed. "So what now? You came for revenge?"


    "Revenge?" the zombie scoffed. "No, that would be petty. I am not petty."


    "Then what do you want?"


    "Destruction," the undead king growled, eyes glowing with a sickly green light. "I want Lunaria reduced to rubble. When I''m done there, the other academies will follow. I will burn every institution that stood against me."


    Grey laughed, taking a casual step back. "Keh keh keh¡­ And you say you were once part of Lunaria? Have you forgotten so quickly the power that protects that place? Captain Amir. The Principal¡ªa subordinate of the Emperor. Not to mention the Vice-Captain and the third years."


    The undead king snarled. "If I couldn''t handle them, I wouldn''t be standing here. You children insult me by showing up with a measly ten-man squad! It''s humiliating to the God of the Undead!"


    Grey''s eyes glinted. "A god of the undead, huh? That''s cute. Too bad you''re speaking to the God of Mages."


    As the words left his lips, wind began to coil around Grey''s body, forming a vortex of howling power. The zombies instinctively recoiled.


    "You think you can handle three hundred of them alone?" the necromancer sneered.


    Even as he spoke, the earth cracked open and more zombies erupted from the soil, followed by skeletal warriors brandishing weapons.


    Grey didn''t flinch. He cracked his neck, smiling.


    "If I couldn''t, I wouldn''t be here."


    The horde charged¡ªover three hundred undead sprinting forward in unison.


    "Tch. I hate being underestimated," Grey muttered. "If you wanted a chance, you should''ve brought at least a thousand."


    The winds around him exploded in volume, spiraling into a roaring cyclone.


    "Fusion Magic!" Grey roared. "Rajin Spiral!"


    A colossal vortex of lightning entwined with wind burst from his outstretched hand, spiraling like a god''s wrath toward the incoming swarm.


    The sky seemed to split as the tornado slammed into the undead, shredding them to pieces and carving a deep trench into the battlefield.


    When the dust settled, only silence remained¡ªand pieces of what once were enemies littered the ruined earth.


    Grey stood motionless, hands in his pockets, staring at the destruction with a cold frown.


    Then¡ªmovement.


    He sensed it before he saw it. In a blink, he leapt high, avoiding a skeletal spear that shot up like a lightning bolt.


    Twisting mid-air, he landed and slammed a palm into the ground, raising an Earth Wall just in time to block a downward swing of a skeletal sword.


    "Thanks to your little performance," the necromancer''s voice echoed, "I''ve gauged your strength. Clearly, zombies are beneath you. So behold¡ªmy true soldiers!"


    The ground erupted once again as over two hundred skeleton soldiers burst free, their eyes burning with unnatural light.


    "How many undead does this freak control?" Raze asked, sweat forming on his brow. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without a word, he reached out and tapped Scarlet''s shoulder, copying her Fire Magic. Twin flames erupted in his hands.


    "I guess¡­" Jay stepped forward, water spiraling around his arm until it formed a glimmering blade. "We''re about to find out."

 Chapter 203 - 203: Second wave!

    Just when it seemed like Grey had seized control of the battlefield, the ground began to quake with a sinister rhythm.


    Cracks spread like lightning bolts through the earth, and from those cracks emerged a horrifying sight¡ªthree hundred skeletal soldiers, their sockets glowing dimly with necrotic flame.


    Each brandished a different weapon made of bone: jagged spears, rust-stained swords, curved shields, bone-forged chains, and more.


    "Guys," Grey called out, voice calm but firm.


    In an instant, his team closed in beside him, forming a tight defensive line. Their eyes locked onto the skeletal army now marching toward them with chilling synchronization.


    "Attack!" the commanding zombie bellowed from several meters away, its voice rasping like metal on stone.


    The skeletons lunged forward, bones clattering like war drums.


    "I get the first hit!" Scarlet roared, flames bursting from her feet as she rocketed into the fray.


    As she neared, she unleashed a searing funnel of fire, scorching the front lines to crisp ashes. But some agile skeletons circled behind her, swords raised.


    Before they could strike, a transparent shield blinked into existence, absorbing their blows with a soft pulse of magic.


    Then, out of nowhere, a thick mist enveloped the field.


    Visibility dropped to a whisper, and within that fog, water-forged arrows zipped through the air, piercing skeletal skulls and dropping them like marionettes cut from strings.


    Meanwhile, Greg zipped across the battlefield, his legs clad in crackling lightning boots.


    With a ferocious leap, he hammered his foot into a skeleton''s skull, sending a shockwave that buckled the enemy''s legs.


    But a lurking skeleton bashed him square in the face with its shield, sending him spiraling backward.


    Before he hit the ground, a gentle gust of wind slowed his descent, letting him land upright with a grunt.


    Above them, the sky darkened as fifty crescent-shaped blades of wind, each laced with flickering lightning, formed in the air.


    "Fusion Magic: Thunder Gale!" Grey shouted, extending his hand.


    The sky rained blades, slicing through skeletal ranks with elegant precision. Bone shields shattered.


    Ribs cracked. The skeletons fell in heaps, turned into fragmented remains.


    "Show-off!" Scarlet yelled playfully, a fiery tunnel swirling around her arms. She swung it with force, the flames crashing into more skeletons and turning them into clouds of ash.


    Elsewhere, Vince clashed swords with a skeleton, narrowly dodging a bone strike before retaliating with his own blade.


    But a shield blocked his attack, then slammed into his face, sending him skidding across the field. Blood trickled down his cheek.


    Before the skeletons could finish him, three precise water arrows zipped through the air, smashing through their skulls. Jay approached, a gleaming water blade in hand.


    "You okay?" he asked.


    "Yeah, thanks," Vince replied, quickly deflecting another strike. With a twist of his hand, a metal spike shot out from the ground, impaling the new attacker.


    "Die!" Scarlet shouted, erupting in a tornado of flames that incinerated anything in its path.


    Among all the fighters, Scarlet and Greg were wreaking the most havoc, while Grey chimed in with lethal precision.


    ''Hmm¡­ Scarlet''s magic is much stronger than before. Could it be that ring she picked up in that cave?'' Grey wondered, casually waving a hand to send a wave of wind that blasted an approaching skeleton away.


    "Water Creation Magic: Serpent of the Sea!" Jay chanted. A colossal water serpent surged forward, crashing into skeletons and hurling them like ragdolls into the wall.


    "Lightning Creation Magic: Showers of Lightning Arrows!" Greg''s voice boomed as hundreds of lightning arrows descended from the heavens, each bolt turning skeletons to smoldering debris.


    "Show-offs!" Raze yelled, unleashing his own flame tunnel, which engulfed four skeletons in a roaring inferno.


    "Look out!" Arthur shouted. A transparent shield shimmered behind Raze just in time to block a bone spear.


    Vince appeared a heartbeat later, slicing the offending skeleton''s head clean off.


    "Thanks!" Raze breathed.


    "You''re all on a battlefield¡ªconcentrate!" Vorden snapped, using his mist magic to blur an incoming skeleton''s vision before a bolt of lightning finished it off.


    ''Support roles... That''s what I''ve been reduced to,'' Vorden thought bitterly. ''Even that peasant Arthur is more useful than me.''


    "Fire Creation Magic: Drags!" Scarlet''s voice cut through the chaos. A flaming dragon burst from her palms, wings beating as it soared into the skeleton ranks.


    They tried to fight it, but the beast opened its flaming maw and incinerated them in a single sweep.


    "I thought these skeletons were supposed to give us trouble!" Jay shouted, leaping over a bone sword and plunging his water spear into another skeleton.


    A sweep of his foot sent a water wave crashing into another enemy.


    "Too weak!" Greg declared, propelling himself with a thunderous boom.


    He landed a devastating double-fisted strike that shattered a skeleton into dust. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m here too, damn it!" Raze barked, flames enveloping his hands.


    Just as a bone spear grazed his cheek, he twisted and delivered a burning punch that cracked his foe into smoldering chunks.


    "Is this all they''ve got for Grey? He doesn''t even need to lift a finger!" Vince laughed.


    A tiny metal bird fluttered past him, flapping its wings to launch sharp shards of metal that embedded into enemy skulls.


    "Enough!" Scarlet shouted. Her fiery dragon dove into a mass of enemies, and with a shriek, it detonated, releasing a massive fireburst that vaporized a dozen skeletons.


    ''No¡­ something''s wrong,'' Grey thought, scanning the battlefield. The skeletons were being wiped out too easily. His gut twisted with unease.


    Within moments, the field was quiet. Bones littered the ground, and the team stood panting, their elemental magic fading.


    "My turn," Vanica said gently, releasing two dozen luminous butterflies. The healing light from their wings washed over the team, mending wounds and reinvigorating exhausted bodies.


    But Grey''s unease deepened.


    ''Something''s off. I feel it¡ªsomething''s coming.''


    "Where''s this so-called undead god?!" Greg taunted. "Look! We destroyed your proud skeleton soldiers! What now?!"


    "Keh keh keh¡­ Did you?" a voice rasped as a zombie rose from the ground, half its face rotted clean off. "That was merely the first wave¡­ Now prepare for the next."


    The earth split open again¡ªthis time with a sickening rumble.


    Out of the fissures climbed hulking beasts, each the size of an ogre, with massive tusks and jagged swords nearly the length of a man. Their eyes glowed like burning coals, and they snarled as they faced the weary team.


    There were ten of them¡ªand they reeked of power.


    "Appraisal!" Grey called, and a faint blue screen materialized before his eyes.


    {Name: Ogres}


    {Level: 6}


    {Magic: Enhanced strength}


    {Mana: 70/70}


    "Shit!" Grey muttered, tightening his fists. "I hate it when I''m right."

 Chapter 204 - 204: Going to be tough!

    Back at Lunaria Academy, chaos erupted just as the second-year students came face-to-face with an army of skeletal soldiers¡ªover three hundred of them clawing their way from the earth like a plague reborn.


    The air turned cold as the undead charged forward at a blistering speed, their hollow eyes glowing with eerie blue light. In a heartbeat, battle exploded in front of the academy gates.


    With a sharp motion of her hand, Lyra unleashed a slicing crescent of wind. It cleaved through a skeleton''s arm, bones scattering like shattered porcelain.


    She propelled herself forward, carried by her magic, and blasted a concentrated gale into the skeleton''s chest, reducing it to a splintered heap.


    A metallic whistle sliced through the air¡ªDave hurled a massive metal scythe into a cluster of enemies.


    It spun like a buzzsaw, tearing through ten skeletons and sending bones flying in all directions.


    "You walking piles of garbage, stay dead already!" a lightning mage snarled, arcs of electricity dancing around him.


    Twelve bolts crackled into being and shot outward¡ªbut the skeletons evaded with uncanny agility. Three of them materialized before him, their bone spears thrusting toward his chest.


    An earthen wall erupted just in time, intercepting the deadly strike. A second later, icy spears rained down from the sky, impaling the skeletons and silencing their rattling growls.


    "Dante!" Selene''s voice rang out. She stood in the middle of the fray, shadowy tendrils emerging from beneath her feet, binding four skeletons in place. Dante pivoted, an earth-forged blade materializing in his hand.


    He bent the very ground to his will, rocketing forward in a blink. With two brutal swings, his sword pulverized the four restrained skeletons into dust.


    "Behind you!" Charlotte shouted.


    Lyra twisted midair. A bone sword grazed her cheek, drawing a thin line of crimson.


    "You damn walking fossils!" she yelled, summoning a spiraling gust.


    A tornado erupted from her outstretched hand, sweeping across the battlefield and tearing five skeletons apart like paper. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Metal Creation Magic!" Dave bellowed, eyes scanning the battlefield. His breathing was ragged.


    ''Damn it. I burned through a breakthrough against that irritating commoner earlier, and now this. My core''s running dry. If we hadn''t been interrupted¡­ I''d have nothing left to give.''


    "Spiral Lance!" he roared.


    A gigantic, rotating metal lance formed at his side, spinning with such speed that it stirred the dust into a storm.


    With a thunderous crack, it shot forward, obliterating twelve skeletons and gouging a trench in the earth that extended into the nearby forest.


    "Kuh!" Dave choked on blood, wiping it away with the back of his hand.


    "There''s no end to them!" a student shouted, barely dodging a descending sword. He vanished in a blink, reappearing behind the attacking skeleton.


    With a snarl, he drove a stolen bone sword into its skull. Teleporting again, he emerged behind two more and crushed their skulls in tandem.


    Nearby, another student raised his arms. Twelve skeletons were wrenched into the air by unseen force, then slammed back down with such intensity that the ground cracked beneath them.


    "And I''m running out of mana¡­" he muttered under his breath, face drenched in sweat.


    Two lightning mages zipped across the battlefield like twin comets, hurling arcs of electricity into enemies. Bones exploded wherever they struck.


    Further back, Charlotte focused on precision over spectacle. She calmly fired spheres of water, each one bursting upon contact and dismantling skeletons.


    A few dodged and crept up behind her¡ªbut before they could strike, a sharp shard of metal embedded itself in one of their skulls.


    "Why are you holding back?" Dave shouted, fending off a relentless skeleton. Its bone sword clashed with his metal blade, pushing him back with each blow.


    "I''m conserving my energy. Something doesn''t feel right," Charlotte replied, releasing a wave of water that sent a group of skeletons tumbling.


    "Doesn''t feel right?" Dante barked, his voice sharp with disbelief. "We''re being swarmed by undead monsters!"


    Dozens of earth spears formed around him and launched like missiles, striking skeletons¡ªuntil one appeared unexpectedly from the side, thrusting a spear at his midsection.


    Dave''s earth wall wasn''t fast enough. Dante twisted, the spear slicing through his robe and into his side.


    Gritting his teeth, he formed an earthen gauntlet and smashed the skeleton''s head to dust.


    "Damn it¡­" he growled, dropping to one knee as blood soaked his side.


    "I''m saying it because this all feels wrong," Charlotte said, snapping her fingers. A thin stream of water shot from her palm, piercing a skeleton''s skull.


    "Why use sheer numbers? First zombies, now skeletons. The zombies were weak, but these ones¡­ What happens if something worse comes next?"


    "Your logic is trash!" an ice mage snapped, summoning an ice shield that absorbed a sword strike.


    He froze the skeleton mid-motion and shattered it into glittering fragments.


    ''Still¡­ she might have a point, he admitted internally. I''ve been burning through my mana way too fast. If this keeps up¡­''


    "Lyra!" Selene called again. Shadows erupted from her feet, ensnaring ten skeletons.


    "Wind Magic¡ªTornado!" Lyra cried, her hands flaring with power. A massive vortex swirled into being, dragging the skeletons upward before scattering their remains like autumn leaves.


    With relentless coordination, the students began overwhelming the undead. Their numbers thinned rapidly.


    In just five more minutes of furious combat, silence finally returned. The skeletal threat was gone.


    Panting and drenched in sweat, the second-years collapsed to their knees, gasping for air. Some laughed in disbelief, others just let their weapons drop. Relief washed over them.


    Until the ground screamed.


    "ARGHHHH!" Charlotte shrieked as a blade burst from beneath a student, cleaving him in two before anyone could react.


    "On your feet!" someone shouted, eyes wide with horror. Another student gasped, blood spilling from his mouth as a sword impaled him through the chest.


    "Damn it all!" Lyra cursed, throwing up a barrier of wind around the group. It lifted them high above the ground for a better view.


    And then they saw it.


    Fifty towering ogres clawed their way out of the earth, each one grinning savagely, their beady eyes glowing with malice.


    They wielded colossal swords and jagged spears, muscles rippling beneath coarse armor.


    A suffocating pressure descended over the battlefield.


    "This is going to be tough," Selene whispered, her voice trembling. She wasn''t alone¡ªevery student could feel it.


    The ogres were different.


    They radiated raw, brutal power.


    And they were only just getting started.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Happy new month to all my lovely readers ???? I hope you all are still enjoying the book so far? If so, please keep on supporting the book with all resources you have.


    Power stones, Golden tickets, gifts or even comments, anything will help to fuel my drive. Thank you guys!??????

 Chapter 205 - 205: Third years arrive!

    Just when the second years thought they had secured victory, an even deadlier threat emerged from the shadows.


    Though their numbers weren''t as overwhelming as the previous two waves, their danger was far greater.


    These enemies bypassed the students'' detection entirely¡ªstriking from the darkness and killing two second years in a single, chilling instant.


    Reacting swiftly, Lyra unleashed her wind magic, lifting the entire squad several meters above the ground.


    As they hovered midair, their widened eyes caught sight of monstrous figures rising from the earth below¡ªLevel 6 ogres, wielding jagged metal swords and spears, their grotesque grins filled with malicious glee.


    Unlike the brittle skeletons from before, these towering brutes were grotesque abominations.


    Rotting flesh clung stubbornly to their immense, muscular frames, and hollow eye sockets burned with eerie green flames.


    They were neither living nor truly dead¡ªreanimated horrors, shaped by the necromancer''s vile magic.


    "I knew it! Damn it!" Charlotte cursed, swirling water gathering protectively around her.


    "Lyra, take us down!" Dave barked, his body already crackling with raw energy. ''Using this twice in one day will drain me dry for a week¡­ but there''s no other choice.''


    "Got it!" Lyra replied. Years of battle experience had honed their instincts¡ªthey immediately recognized the dense, oppressive aura of Level 6 beasts.


    "Breakthrough!" the second years roared in unison as their feet slammed back to the ground.


    Their eyes glowed stark white, ethereal energy shimmering around them like divine armor.


    "Attack!" Dave commanded.


    With a forceful stomp, he surged forward¡ªgripping a massive metal sword nearly four times the size of a normal blade.


    He launched toward an ogre, slamming his weapon down. Steel met steel in an earth-shaking clash that blasted a shockwave outward, uprooting nearby trees.


    Teeth gritted, Dave leapt back just as another ogre lunged from the side.


    It swung its sword without hesitation. Dave barely managed to raise his own weapon in defense¡ªbut the sheer force sent him flying through the air.


    "Wind Magic!" Lyra shouted, raising her arms. A funnel of cutting wind surged from her fingertips, hurling forward like a blade.


    One of the ogres brought its sword up, effortlessly blocking the attack without a scratch.


    "Earth Magic¡ªSink!" Dante yelled. The ground beneath three ogres softened like wet clay, dragging them into the earth. But another ogre noticed and charged him.


    Thinking fast, Dante raised an earthen wall to block. The ogre''s sword slammed into it, shattering it completely and sending Dante skidding backward, blood speckling his lips.


    "Water Creation Magic¡ªLeviathan!" Charlotte roared.


    A colossal sea creature surged forth, bellowing as it crashed into an ogre, shattering its rotting body. She stood behind it, panting, drained.


    "Ice Magic¡ªClub of Justice!" the ice student yelled, summoning a titanic ice club that smashed into an ogre''s side, sending it tumbling.


    ''My mana¡­ it''s vanishing fast,'' the student thought, staggering.


    "Look out!" cried the lightning mage. He zipped forward like a bolt and shoved the ice mage aside¡ªbut not before an ogre''s spear impaled his chest clean through.


    "Lance!" the ice mage screamed.


    Blood gushed from Lance''s mouth as he collapsed to the ground with a lifeless thud.


    "Damn it!" Dave growled, blood trickling down his forehead.


    Rage burned in his gaze as he stared at Lance''s killer. Power exploded from him, cracking the ground beneath.


    "I''ll tear you apart! Metal Creation Magic¡ªSpiral Lance!" he bellowed. A spinning lance of jagged steel tore through the air, piercing the ogre''s chest and ending it in a brutal instant.


    "Dave!" Dante called out¡ªbut before Dave could respond, another ogre''s sword smashed into him, sending him soaring through the air again, spitting blood.


    "Damn it all!" Dante snarled, slamming his foot down and launching earthen spikes at the ogres.


    They simply smashed their weapons into the ground, breaking through his defense.


    High above, Lyra raised her arms. A hundred gleaming wind blades materialized in the sky. With blood staining her lips, she sent them hurtling down. The blades tore into two ogres, ripping them apart¡ªbut the effort made her stumble.


    ''Ten more seconds¡­ my mana is almost gone,'' she thought, panting.


    Still, she pushed on. A dozen wind arrows formed in front of her, and with a snap of her fingers, they launched at another ogre. It parried with its sword, shattering them.


    But that gave her the moment she needed. She appeared behind the beast in a blur, slamming a wind blade into its skull¡ªkilling it. Before she could retreat, a metal spear hurtled toward her head.


    Just as it was about to connect, shadows swirled beneath her feet. She sank into the ground and reappeared several meters away.


    "Are you okay?" Selene asked, appearing beside her.


    "Yeah¡­ thanks," Lyra said, trying to push forward¡ªbut her body finally gave out.


    She fell, coughing up blood. Her mana core was completely drained, and her breakthrough mode ended.


    Around her, the other second years began to falter. Their cores flickered, then emptied. One by one, they dropped to their knees, breathless and helpless.


    Of the fifty ogres, thirty remained. The monsters laughed¡ªa deep, guttural sound¡ªmocking the fallen humans.


    Charlotte knelt helplessly before an ogre. She screamed at her limbs to move¡ªbut nothing happened.


    The ogre loomed over her, raising its enormous blade toward her neck with a wicked grin.


    "Charlotte!" Lyra cried, struggling to rise, but her body refused.


    The others could only watch in horror as the ogre prepared to behead her.


    ''No¡­ Dad, you sent me here so I could make our family proud. But I failed¡­ I''m so sorry. Max, please don''t be too sad¡­ Take care of Dad for me. And Grey¡­ Grey¡­ I regret never telling you how I felt. Please¡­ take care. Goodbye.''


    Tears streamed down her cheeks. The sword was inches from her neck.


    Then¡ªBOOM!


    A thunderous crack echoed across the battlefield, followed by the heavy thud of something collapsing.


    Charlotte''s eyes fluttered open. In front of her lay the severed head of the ogre, its massive body swaying before falling lifelessly to the ground.


    "Tch. I can''t believe you weaklings are this helpless. I had to descend personally just to clean up your mess," a confident male voice sneered.


    "Don''t act like you handled it alone. I''m here too," a female voice chimed in. "But seriously¡ªhow incompetent can you juniors be that we had to be summoned?"


    "Juniors¡­?" Charlotte whispered, turning slowly.


    Two figures stood proudly before the battered second years.


    "Third years?!"


    ___


    {A/N} Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For so long, I have been teasing how strong the third year students are???? now get ready to see the full force and wrath of the third year students.


    Also, you all are going to see an interesting power up in this lil arc... So are we ready to see how strong the third year students are?

 Chapter 206 - 206: An agenda!

    Back in Goltas Town, Grey barely had to lift a finger. The skeletal soldiers crumbled under the coordinated might of his teammates, and he only stepped in occasionally¡ªwhen someone got in a tight spot or backed themselves into a corner.


    Within five minutes, the battlefield fell silent. The team stood amid the remains of bone and magic, panting and heaving, yet doing their best to conceal their exhaustion.


    Vanica moved between them, her hands glowing with healing light, knitting wounds and restoring stamina.


    That was when the taunting began.


    "The mighty necromancer couldn''t even give us a proper workout," Arthur jeered, cracking his knuckles.


    "These skeletons were softer than mud," Scarlet added with a grin.


    "Keh keh keh... Did you think that was all?" a raspy voice rasped from the shadows.


    A grotesque zombie clawed its way from the ground, green rot clinging to its decomposing flesh.


    Its grin widened, revealing broken, yellowed teeth. "That was merely the first wave. Now... prepare for the next!"


    Right on cue, the earth trembled. Cracks split the ground, and a thunderous growl erupted as monstrous forms clawed their way into the open. Beasts¡ªeach as tall as ogres, tusks protruding from their decayed maws, wielding swords nearly as long as a man was tall¡ªemerged, snarling.


    There were ten of them.


    "Appraisal," Grey commanded, his voice calm.


    A soft blue glow shimmered before his eyes.


    ---


    {Name: Ogres}


    {Level: 6}


    {Magic: Enhanced strength}


    {Mana: 70/70}


    ---


    Grey''s expression darkened. "Damn it. I hate when I''m right."


    The team instantly stiffened, shifting into battle stances. The stench of rotting flesh and burning mana thickened the air. The zombie cackled louder.


    "You''re a coward," Grey said coldly, stepping forward. Flames erupted from his palms, licking the air like hungry serpents. "You hide behind minions rather than facing us yourself."


    "Keh!" the zombie rasped. "If I came out now, none of you would survive. I like letting my opponents squirm, thinking they have the upper hand... before I crush them."


    He raised his decaying arms with dramatic flair. "When I''m done here, I''ll raise every one of you as my undead. I''ll use your power to bring the four great academies to their knees. Then, I''ll march on the royal capital and claim the emperor''s head myself!"


    Grey laughed¡ªnot with mirth, but with disdain. "You really think you can manage that? This is why it''s important to study your enemies."


    "What do you mean?" the zombie growled.


    "You planned to wear us down with waves," Grey scoffed. Wind began swirling around him, coalescing at his hands. His robe flared as he advanced. "And you thought ten ogres would be enough? You don''t know me."


    "Get him! Dead or alive!" the zombie screeched.


    The ogres roared and charged.


    The first one swung its massive blade, but Grey leapt into the air with a spinning flip, unleashing a torrent of flame that blasted its face and knocked it backward with a thunderous boom.


    A wall of stone burst from the earth, blocking another ogre''s slash. The wall morphed into a rocky fist and slammed into the creature''s chest, sending it skidding across the ground.


    Grey punched the air. Fists made of condensed wind formed instantly and launched at another ogre, hammering it with invisible force.


    "Energy," he muttered.


    He pivoted, narrowly avoiding a downward slash that carved into the earth, the edge of the blade grazing his arm and drawing blood.


    Gritting his teeth, he retaliated with a wind-imbued kick that unleashed a crescent slash, severing the ogre''s rotting arm.


    Slamming his foot into the ground, he launched himself upward just as another blade sliced through the space he had just vacated.


    Hovering mid-air, wind whipping around him, Grey smirked. "You''ve shown me the strength of a necromancer. Now, let me show you the power... of a supreme mage!"


    He snapped his fingers.


    Hundreds of wind blades shimmered into existence across the sky. Twenty jagged earth shards hovered beside him. With a casual wave of his hand, the deadly barrage rained down.


    The ogres tried to scatter, but the attacks locked onto them like guided missiles. Wind tore through limbs, earth pierced skulls, and bodies were flung like ragdolls.


    Explosions of blood and bone filled the air as the ogres were dismantled with merciless precision. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In just two minutes, the last ogre collapsed in a heap.


    Grey landed softly, dusting off his robe with theatrical calm, a cocky smirk on his face.


    The zombie trembled¡ªnot from fear, but fury. Its rotting eyes blazed.


    "Who... who are you?" it snarled. "How can you wield four magical affinities?!"


    Grey remained silent, simply smirking.


    "Are you a third year? A vice captain of Lunaria?! Who are you?!"


    Grey took a step forward. "The name''s Grey Dawn," he said, his voice carrying like thunder. "But if you''re asking about titles... then know this¡ªI will become the greatest mage to ever walk this land."


    "Ha! Delusional brat!" the zombie barked. "The greatest? You call yourself the supreme mage like it means something. You haven''t even scratched the surface of what true power is! Do you think you can defeat the emperor¡ªor even his subordinates?!"


    Grey narrowed his gaze. "Can you?" he asked coolly.


    "You want revenge on the four great academies? That means facing the emperor''s subordinates¡ªeach one a principal of those academies.


    If just first-years like us can give you this much trouble¡­ what will you do when you face the captains, vice captains, instructors, third-years... and principals?"


    The zombie''s grin returned, slow and sinister. "Who said I was alone?"


    Black shadows rippled across the ground, like oil swirling in water. From within the darkness, a figure rose.


    Unlike the others, this creature retained its human form¡ªbarely. Tattered robes hung from its frame, ash-gray hair wild and unkempt. Its pitch-black eyes glinted with malicious intelligence.


    "This," the zombie said proudly, "is one of my finest creations. Stronger than the ogres. Smarter than the skeletons. If I were to rank it, I''d say it''s equal to a Level 10 beast... just a shade under the strength of a captain."


    His grin widened.


    "Let''s just say... this one is on vice-captain level. So, tell me, supreme mage¡ªhow are you going to handle this?"

 Chapter 207 - 207: Nice to see you both!

    Back at Lunaria Academy, the battlefield raged as students clashed against hulking ogres.


    The air trembled with magic and brute force, and sensing the immense threat before them, the students unleashed their breakthroughs¡ªbattling with everything they had to hold the line.


    But exhaustion crept in. Their breakthroughs began to wane, and with every passing moment, their defenses weakened.


    Charlotte, panting and drained, stood frozen as an ogre raised its massive cleaver above her head. Time slowed.


    Then¡ªBOOM!


    A deafening bang shattered the moment, followed by a heavy thud right in front of her.


    Slowly, Charlotte cracked her eyes open. To her shock, the ogre''s head lay severed at her feet, its thick neck gushing what little blood it had.


    A heartbeat later, the rest of its massive body collapsed with a dull thump beside it.


    A voice rang out¡ªlaced with arrogance.


    "Tch. I can''t believe you weaklings are this useless. I had to descend just to clean up your mess."


    A male voice echoed across the battlefield.


    "Stop acting like you''re the only one who stepped in," a calm yet stern female voice followed. "Honestly, how incompetent can our juniors be that we had to be summoned?"


    "Juniors¡­?" Charlotte mumbled, spinning around toward the source of the voices. Standing confidently before the weary second-years were two upperclassmen. Her eyes widened.


    "Third years?!"


    The male wore a blue bandana tied tightly over his spiky yellow hair, his sharp light-brown eyes scanning the chaos with an air of boredom.


    Beside him, a blonde-haired girl stood tall, her hair rippling in the wind. She was dressed in tight-fitting silver garments, her flowing academy robe billowing behind her like the cloak of a war goddess.


    "No way¡­ It''s Viktor and Sol!" Selene blurted out, her voice filled with awe.


    The ogres froze. Even the most feral among them sensed something unnatural about the two newcomers¡ªtheir presence oozed power. It wasn''t just strength; it was authority.


    Their posture alone¡ªrelaxed, yet commanding¡ªspoke volumes. As they casually surveyed the field, the remaining 29 ogres stood wary, their earlier aggression dulled.


    "Yikes. This place reeks," Viktor said, wrinkling his nose. "Couldn''t you lot have killed the undead without turning the whole place into a landfill? Ever heard of elegance?"


    "Come on, tone it down," Sol sighed, placing a hand on her hip. "Give them a break. They held out against the hordes¡ªit couldn''t have been easy."


    "Tch. You always ruin my dramatic flair," Viktor began, but an ogre''s growl cut him off.


    One of the creatures lunged at him, its massive club swinging.


    Viktor didn''t flinch. "Could you not?"


    With a single shout, a crushing wave of gravity exploded outward, slamming into the charging ogre.


    The creature dropped instantly to its knees, the ground cracking beneath it from the sheer force.


    "Now watch closely, juniors. This is how you kill with style."


    The ogre floated upward, its limbs trembling violently before Viktor snapped his fingers.


    In the next instant¡ªBAM!¡ªthe beast was slammed back down, a shockwave rippling outward. Its skull shattered into bits, the ground around it splintered like glass.


    "You still cracked the ground," Sol said dryly. "Let me show you how it''s really done."


    She snapped her fingers. A shimmering glow surrounded three ogres as glowing runes materialized beneath them.


    In a flash, fire erupted, engulfing them in searing light. When it faded, nothing remained but ash.


    "Must you always compete with me?" Viktor muttered, lifting a hand. Ten ogres floated into the air, suspended helplessly.


    Slowly, their bodies began to contort and shrink, compressed by invisible force until¡ªBOOM! They exploded in unison, reduced to specks of blood and air.


    "Now that... is elegant." He smirked.


    Of the original thirty, only sixteen ogres remained. And yet, instead of retreating, they roared and charged.


    "I still don''t get why two of us were sent," Sol mused, sidestepping an ogre''s lunge. "One of us could''ve handled this alone." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As she spoke, two ogres surged forward¡ªbut a rune beneath them pulsed, and in a blink, they sank into the earth, vanishing without a trace.


    "The academy does tend to overdo things," Viktor added, hands in his pockets as two more ogres swung down at him.


    He didn''t budge.


    Their weapons crashed into the ground, missing him entirely. Suddenly, their bodies began to tremble.


    They collapsed, knees shattering rock, then their torsos crumbled downward¡ªand their heads burst violently, sinking into the craters their bodies carved.


    "I guess they were worried over nothing," Sol said, appearing beside him.


    She pivoted, narrowly dodging a sword swipe. A second ogre came from behind, but a shimmering rune shield blocked the blow.


    She calmly pressed a glowing palm into the ogre''s abdomen¡ªBOOM! It flew backward, obliterated by raw mana.


    "For real," Viktor said, chuckling as he raised a finger. Three ogres in the distance clutched their heads¡ªand they exploded.


    In just three minutes, Viktor and Sol had dismantled all thirty level-6 ogres¡ªusing nothing more than basic spells. The second-years stood slack-jawed, unable to speak.


    "The rumors were true¡­" Lyra murmured. "Viktor the Gravity Mage¡­ and Sol, the Runic Mage. The two closest to elite rank¡­ just under the vice captain himself."


    Selene nodded in agreement. "They, along with that demonic third year, are the strongest trio in the entire third-year cohort."


    "They could''ve been vice captains by now¡­ but they hold themselves back." Lyra added with a frown.


    "Wait¡­ why are they even here?" Dante asked, slowly rising to his feet.


    "Because you weaklings couldn''t handle your duties. The ruckus over here was shaking the entire academy," Viktor snapped.


    But then he paused. His gaze sharpened.


    "Something''s off."


    Sol raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"


    "The report said a reward ceremony was being held. First years and second years were meant to be honored for completing a dungeon raid. I see the second years here¡ªbut where are the first years?"


    Silence fell over the group. Charlotte''s eyes widened. "Don''t tell me¡­"


    Sol blinked. "They didn''t run off, did they?"


    "They did," Charlotte answered, forcing herself upright. "Grey and the others rushed to Goltas Village to confront the source of the attack. That village is also under siege."


    "Grey?" Viktor asked, unfamiliar with the name.


    "He''s a first year," Dante said. "He and his team are taking on the source directly."


    Sol''s expression shifted. "If that''s true, then they''ll soon come face-to-face with the one behind all this¡­"


    "According to our knowledge, that expelled bastard was only capable of summoning a hundred undead before exhausting his mana," Viktor said grimly. "But now¡­"


    He glanced at the battlefield. "Judging by the scale of this attack¡­ he''s ascended to star 6¡ªor maybe even star 7."


    Charlotte gasped, a bead of sweat trailing down her cheek. "Star 7? That''s dangerously close to the principal''s strength!"


    "Damn it! We have to move¡ªnow!" Lyra shouted.


    "Leave that to¡ª" Sol began, but the ground trembled violently, interrupting her.


    A sinister voice slithered through the air:


    "I can''t have you ruining my plans just yet¡­ So until then, enjoy the company of my little army. Oh, and Viktor¡­ Sol¡­ good to see you again."


    From the ground rose a fresh horde: a hundred zombies, a hundred skeletal soldiers, and a hundred ogres¡ªall snarling, weapons drawn, eyes glowing with malice.


    "Crap¡­" Lyra whispered. "This is bad."

 Chapter 208 - 208: Peek a boo!

    "This is another one of my prized creations," the zombie rasped, its decaying lips curled into a wicked smirk.


    "And don''t think you''ll take it down as easily as you did the others. If I were to classify its rank¡­ let''s say, level 10 beast¡ªjust a step below your precious captains."


    Its hollow eyes glowed with eerie satisfaction. "Let''s just call it a vice-captain level monster. So, how exactly do you plan to survive this one?"


    Without warning, the zombie raised a skeletal hand. A jagged bolt of lightning exploded from its fingertips, tearing through the air like a spear of raw energy.


    It slammed into Grey with such force that it hurled him across the field like a ragdoll, sending him crashing into Raze, who had been positioned far back.


    "Oh? Did I forget to mention?" the zombie cackled, voice echoing unnaturally. "It also knows magic."


    Grey groaned as he struggled to stand, coughing dust from his lungs.


    "Damn it, why did you crash into me?" Raze snarled, brushing debris off his cloak.


    "Did I have a choice in the matter?" Grey grunted.


    Scarlet scoffed, fire flickering at her fingertips. "And here I thought you were supposed to be the supreme mage or something."


    "Being the supreme mage doesn''t mean I''m invinci¡ª"


    Grey didn''t get to finish. The creation vanished in a blink, reappearing in front of Vanica, who was standing at the rear, her eyes wide with horror.


    ''Shit¡ªit''s fast. Very fast,'' Grey thought.


    A transparent shield blinked into existence in front of Vanica just in time to block the lightning punch.


    But the impact shattered the barrier like brittle glass, and the force of the wind that followed sent Vanica tumbling backward with a pained cry.


    ''I almost forgot¡­ If it''s on the level of a level 10 beast, then we don''t stand a chance.''


    Dozens of wind blades shimmered into existence in the air around Grey. With a sharp snap of his fingers, he launched them toward the creature.


    But it was already gone¡ªgone before the attack even reached halfway. A new bolt of lightning tore toward Grey''s position.


    "Not so fast!" Greg yelled as he leapt in, his arms wrapped in arcs of lightning. He swung with explosive force, intercepting the bolt mid-air and smashing it into the ground. Dirt and dust billowed into the sky.


    But the monster was relentless. It zipped behind Greg in a blur, then discharged a burst of sparks into his back, sending him hurtling forward like a broken puppet.


    "Crap!" Raze muttered, rocketing forward with his arms trailing flames. As he neared the monster, he unleashed a torrential funnel of fire, similar to Scarlet''s¡ªbut the creature moved again, teleporting in a blink to appear behind him.


    "I knew you''d try that!" Grey shouted from above. Fireballs circled him like miniature suns, then shot down toward the monster.


    The zombie turned, forming a dome of crackling lightning to block the fiery barrage. The fireballs slammed into the barrier but were absorbed and dissipated with bursts of light.


    "I''m still here!" Jay roared. A dense stream of water shot from his hands, crashing into the lightning shield.


    It vaporized on contact, erupting into a shockwave of steam that knocked the monster back slightly.


    From the rear flank, Vince raised both hands. Dozens of glinting metal shards formed and launched with deadly precision. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The creature dodged each one, blinking from one location to another with maddening speed.


    The shards buried into the ground behind it, detonating in sharp explosions.


    Suddenly, the monster vanished again¡ªonly to reappear right behind Vince, a bolt of lightning already forming in its hand, ready to strike.


    But then¡ªboom!


    A fiery explosion lit up the sky. Scarlet, suspended mid-air with Grey''s wind magic, had launched a new wave of fireballs.


    The monster twisted and spun mid-air, dodging each one with uncanny grace.


    A new bolt of lightning surged toward it¡ªGreg''s strike¡ªbut the zombie dodged again, flipping high into the air. The moment it landed, however, its movements suddenly faltered.


    It looked down.


    Its legs were now encased in solid earth, locking it in place.


    On the ground, Grey was crouched low, palms pressed against the dirt, lightning coursing up and down his arms like a living serpent.


    With a final push, he transferred that energy through the earth, aiming it directly at the trapped monster.


    Simultaneously, sharp slashes of water surged from Jay''s direction, while another barrage of fireballs rained down from above.


    "Let''s see you dodge this," Grey growled.


    A colossal bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky, engulfing the monster in blinding white-blue energy. The resulting explosion unleashed a massive shockwave.


    Scarlet was thrown from the sky, tumbling like a broken star. The others were knocked off their feet, coughing up blood as they hit the ground.


    When the dust settled, the creature still stood¡ªlightning dancing violently across its body like living armor.


    The current intensified, wrapping it in a veil of glowing static. Its speed surged once again.


    It blurred forward, aiming for Scarlet, who was still recovering. A shimmering lightning blade extended from its arm, arcing down toward her.


    But a thunderous bang echoed.


    Grey appeared in front of her in the blink of an eye, his limbs now adorned in glowing lightning boots and gauntlets.


    "Peek-a-boo," he smirked¡ªand unleashed a massive fireball at point-blank range. It slammed into the zombie, hurling it across the field and into the earth with a deafening crash.


    From the distance, the necromancer''s voice echoed once more. "Did you know? This entire time, that was the first hit you''ve landed. Just one. Meanwhile, how many of you are bleeding now? Three? Four?"


    Lightning zombie groaned and began to rise again.


    "Don''t get cocky," Grey said, eyes narrowing. "Just because we''ve been taking hits doesn''t mean we''re helpless. I''ve been testing my limits¡­ watching how your creation moves, how it strikes."


    He cracked his neck and flexed his fingers, sparks crackling around him.


    "I think it''s time I tried one of the new moves I''ve been working on since arriving here."


    Then, without a sound, Grey vanished.


    He didn''t leap. He didn''t blink.


    He was just¡ªgone.


    The others stared, eyes wide, heads swiveling left and right as they searched the battlefield.


    "Where the hell did he go?" Raze murmured, tension creeping into his voice.


    Scarlet clenched her fists. "He''s moving faster than we can perceive¡­"


    The battle was far from over.


    But Grey had just become a storm.

 Chapter 209 - 209: 300 V 2!

    Back at Lunaria Academy, the aftermath of the ogre invasion lingered in the air¡ªbroken weapons, splattered blood, and heavy breathing.


    The battle had finally come to a halt, thanks to the timely intervention of two third-year elites¡ªmembers of the academy''s legendary strongest trio.


    They were second only to the vice captain, a figure revered as one of the most formidable in that generation.


    The battered team had barely caught their breath, granted only a few precious moments to collect themselves and strategize how to aid Grey and his companions.


    But as if fate was mocking them¡ªor perhaps their unseen enemy had been listening all along¡ªa raspy voice echoed from nowhere and everywhere at once.


    "I can''t have you all ruining my plans now, can I?" the voice sneered. "So until then¡­ enjoy the company of my army. And it''s nice to see you two are still alive and well, Viktor and Sol."


    A corpse erupted from the ground, twitching and snarling, followed by a nightmarish spectacle¡ªa hundred rotting zombies, a hundred skeletal warriors, and a hundred ogres, their eyes glowing with unnatural malice.


    "Crap! This is bad," Lyra muttered, her voice tinged with dread.


    "Keh!" Viktor let out a low, almost amused scoff and strode forward confidently. "Jack¡­ you forgot who you''re dealing with so soon? Just three years in the real world and you''ve already lost your edge?"


    Silence followed his words, thick with tension. Then a low chuckle rippled from one of the zombies¡ªthe voice of their enemy using the corpse as his vessel.


    "Forgot you? No, I remember perfectly how you betrayed me to the captain. Got me expelled¡ªover necromancy.


    Just because I reanimated a student during an experiment? That corpse could''ve helped us develop the perfect undead army¡­ a safeguard against future threats."


    "Army?" Viktor snapped, his voice rising. "Don''t make me laugh. You wanted to build a legion of the dead! What kind of monster are you? And don''t forget¡ªthat student was my best friend!"


    The air around Viktor pulsed violently. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned pale, and his nails dug deep into his palms, drawing blood.


    "Is that really why you betrayed me?" the zombie crooned. "We could''ve achieved greatness. The strong rise by crushing the weak, Viktor. His sacrifice advanced my research."


    "You were lucky," Viktor growled, his voice low and trembling with rage. "Lucky I only reported you.


    Every damn day since, I''ve cursed myself for not ending your life. I thought I''d never get the chance¡­ but now, here you are¡ªhand-delivered. Once I finish your minions, I''m coming for you."


    "Viktor¡­" Lyra whispered, her tone soft, grounding him as the second years looked on, caught in the tension of a battle that hadn''t yet begun.


    "Good luck with that," the zombie sneered. "Meanwhile¡­ allow me some fun with the pests over at Goltas."


    "That''s where Grey and his friends are!" Charlotte gasped, horror flashing in her eyes.


    Right on cue, the enemy''s undead army surged to life, preparing to charge.


    "All of you," Sol barked, her tone stern, "staying here will only slow us down. Find a way to Goltas and help those kids."


    "But¡­ there''s hundreds of undead. And only you two," Selene said, voice quivering.


    "You think we''d lose?" Sol asked, tossing her hair. "We''re not like you second years. One of us alone is enough. The two of us? Overkill."


    "Listen to her," Viktor added. "Because I won''t be holding back. You stay, and you''ll get caught in the storm. Move¡ªnow."


    As he spoke, the ground trembled violently, the tremor so intense it reached the academy itself, shaking its foundations for a brief moment.


    "You heard them!" Dante shouted, turning to his team. "Let''s move before we''re dead too!"


    "Goltas¡­ that''s where Vince is," Dave murmured, wiping blood off his brow.


    "Oh, now you care about your brother?" Lyra said, eyeing him suspiciously.


    "Care, my foot!" Dave snapped, breaking into a sprint. "I want front row seats to watch him get torn apart!"


    "How are we even supposed to get there on foot?" Selene asked, anxious.


    "I got it covered," Lyra said, raising a hand. The wind swirled fiercely around her, lifting her hair and cloaking her in a miniature cyclone.


    In an instant, the gust took form¡ªa massive wind dragon with translucent wings and emerald eyes.


    Without hesitation, the second years leapt aboard, and with a mighty roar, the creature surged skyward toward Goltas.


    With the students gone, the battlefield fell into an eerie silence.


    "So¡­" Sol began, tracing glowing symbols in the air with her fingers, "are you going to use that?" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t need it to defeat them," Viktor replied, his voice steady. His hair lifted above his shoulders as radiant white energy cracked and danced around his body.


    His eyes began to glow, glowing white like stars in a stormy sky. "All I need¡­ is this."


    "You know mixing that with your magic drains your mana twice as fast," Sol warned, eyes narrowing as the undead army finally charged.


    "I know," Viktor said coldly. "But I''m not here to conserve energy. I''m here to bulldoze my way through." He raised his arm. "Breakthrough!"


    An explosive wave of energy erupted from him, launching forward like a divine shockwave.


    Several zombies in the front ranks were decapitated instantly, their heads flying through the air like rag dolls.


    "As you wish," Sol smirked. Without wasting a second, she sprinted forward, her body gliding like a blade through the wind. Mid-run, she slid across the bloodstained ground, snatched a greatsword from the hands of a fallen ogre, and sprang upward¡ªjust in time to avoid a rune trap flaring beneath her.


    With a twist in the air, she drove the sword into a zombie''s skull, pinning it to the ground.


    Before landing, she spun, flinging the impaled body into a skeletal soldier, shattering it into fragments of brittle bone.


    "Gravity Magic¡ªGraviole!" Viktor roared, his voice shaking the earth as the next wave of undead surged toward him.


    __


    {A/N}


    I hope you are all enjoying the book so far? Kindly continue supporting the book with whatever resources you have be it power stones, Golden tickets, gifts or even comments will very much be appreciated.


    Let''s also remember that some support breeds extra chapters ????

 Chapter 210 - 210: Not on our watch!

    At Goltas Village, the team found themselves battling a monstrous undead creation on par with a Level 10 beast.


    Despite combining their strengths¡ªand Grey unleashing all his affinities¡ªthey couldn''t land a single meaningful blow.


    In contrast, the undead relentlessly dealt out devastating attacks, one after another, weakening the group with ruthless efficiency.


    Grey stood firm amidst the chaos, his body bruised, his breaths shallow. His gaze locked onto the undead, which crackled with volatile lightning. The static charge buzzed in the air like a storm waiting to erupt.


    "Just because we''ve been getting hit doesn''t mean you should get cocky," Grey said with a smirk, his voice cold and unwavering. "All this time, I''ve just been testing your limits¡­ Now it''s time I show you one of the new moves I picked up during my stay here."


    In a blink, Grey vanished.


    Gasps filled the battlefield. The others spun around in shock, eyes scanning desperately for any sign of him.


    Then¡ªwhoosh!


    A sudden burst of motion. A fireball smashed into the undead''s back. It roared and twisted around, flinging out arcs of lightning, but Grey had already disappeared again.


    "Looking for me?" Grey''s voice rang out from its side. He reappeared, a gleaming bolt of pure lightning clutched in his hand.


    He slashed forward¡ªbut the undead was unnaturally fast, forming its own bolt and clashing against his, sending out a blinding shockwave.


    Grey had already moved again.


    He was now employing a technique he had honed from the academy and the fusion magic book¡ªa devastating blend of wind and lightning magic that allowed him to move at blinding speed. To onlookers, it seemed like teleportation.


    It was designed for assassination. But today, he used it to match and outpace the undead''s blistering speed.


    He called it: Phantom Annihilation.


    "Too slow!" Grey taunted, reappearing above the undead. A blade of condensed wind magic spiraled toward the beast.


    Sensing the attack, the undead leapt away just in time, the blade exploding violently where it had stood. But before it could recover, a new assault came.


    Grey shot in from the side, fists encased in gauntlets made from compressed earth laced with arcing lightning.


    The earthen armor crackled, lightning dancing across its surface in defiance of elemental logic.


    Though lightning was typically weak to earth, Grey''s deep understanding of fusion magic had found equilibrium.


    With a boom that shattered the sound barrier, he punched forward.


    Sensing the danger, the undead cloaked its arm in lightning and met his strike¡ªbut the moment it grasped Grey''s gauntlet, its energy fizzled out.


    "I guess you really are brain-dead. Lightning is weak to earth," Grey growled.


    With his other hand, he delivered a brutal punch to its chest. The ground shook violently as the undead was hurled backward, crashing and skidding across the dirt, leaving a cracked trail in its wake.


    ''Damn it... My mana''s down to half,'' Grey thought grimly.


    "How is Grey suddenly this fast?" Vanica asked, eyes wide with awe.


    "Wasn''t he always fast?" Gordon responded, swirling his hands through the air as a misty purple cloud began to take shape.


    "Yes, but now he''s¡ªfaster than before. Sharper. Deadlier," Vanica muttered.


    "What are you doing?" Arthur asked, raising a brow as he glanced at the cloudy shape forming in front of Gordon.


    "Since the fight started, I''ve felt useless. So... I''m trying something that might help." Gordon replied, revealing a mist-woven bird hovering before him.


    "Not you. Him," Arthur pointed at Vorden, who stood surrounded by swirling mist with Greg and Vince beside him.


    "We want to help," Vorden said simply¡ªand in a sudden swirl of mist, the trio vanished, surging toward the battlefield like silent shadows.


    Scarlet, eyes burning with determination, summoned a mini dragon made of searing flames.


    "I hate feeling useless too," she said, her voice trembling with intensity. "I''ll pour all my mana into this¡­ I won''t be able to fight after, so I''m counting on you. Make Mama proud."


    With a soft cry, the fiery dragon soared into the fray.


    But the undead was already back on its feet¡ªunharmed. Its body crackled with fury as it hurled a lance of lightning at Grey.


    The bolt struck before he could react, stunning him and dropping him to one knee.


    And in a heartbeat, it was upon him.


    It drove its fist into his face, launching him into the air. While he flew, the undead bombarded him with unrelenting lightning, making his body convulse, his hair rise from the static, his frame flung back down to the ground with thunderous force.


    CRASH!


    "Kuh¡­ kuh!" Grey coughed, blood and dust splattering from his mouth.


    "I warned you," came a mocking voice. The talking zombie, the necromancer behind this monstrosity, watched the spectacle from afar, just outside the range of the shockwaves. "You''re no match for a Level 10 beast. You''re just asking to die."


    The undead stalked toward Grey with a crackling blade of lightning in hand, only a foot away when a wall of thick mist rose around it, distorting its vision. The ten-meter fog bank smothered everything in white.


    ZAP!


    Greg dashed through the mist, landing a burst of lightning at point-blank range before darting back and launching another bolt. The undead slid back slightly.


    Then¡ªTHWIP! A metallic shriek.


    A long steel arrow aimed for its head¡ªbut the undead, without even turning, caught it mid-air between two fingers and snapped it like a twig.


    "Crap!" Vorden hissed.


    A torrent of flames surged from outside the mist, but the undead rolled away in time, retaliating with bolts of lightning that struck both Vince and Vorden, dropping them. Greg narrowly dodged the next wave.


    A fireball launched from within the mist¡ªScarlet''s mini dragon. But the undead dodged midair, slammed its hands together, and unleashed a lightning shockwave. It engulfed the dragon, snuffing it out instantly.


    "I''m not done with you!" Grey''s voice roared. An earth spear hurtled toward the undead.


    It sidestepped, caught it mid-flight, and with terrifying precision, hurled it back.


    CRACK!


    The spear slammed into Grey, knocking him back and spilling blood from his mouth.


    In a flash, the undead appeared in front of Vorden and smashed him across the face, sending him crashing into the dirt.


    The mist began to clear as Vince launched metal shards, each dodged expertly¡ªuntil the last one was caught, spun around, and thrown into Greg''s leg. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Greg dropped with a scream.


    "It''s not over yet!" Grey''s shout tore through the battlefield.


    A high-speed wind blade shot forward like a cannon round, slicing into the undead''s arm. It hissed and struck the ground in frustration.


    Grey stood again¡ªbarely. Blood streamed down his face, his body trembling with exhaustion. He staggered but caught himself.


    "How are you still standing?" the zombie demanded. "Look around. Your team is broken. Why keep fighting?"


    "I won''t become the greatest mage ever if I can''t endure this much," Grey said with a faint smile, chest heaving.


    "You just don''t know when to quit?! Fine! I''ll kill you, raise you from the dead, and use your body to murder your friends.


    Then I''ll take their bodies and conquer the Four Great Academies!"


    "Not¡­ on my watch," Grey replied, voice hoarse but resolute, as lightning danced across his hands.


    "Then prepare to die!" the zombie howled. The undead fired two deadly lightning arrows¡ªfast, sharp, lethal.


    BOOM!


    "Not on our watch!" a voice rang from above. An earth wall erupted in front of Grey, shielding him just in time before shattering into rubble.


    __


    {A/N}


    Guys! We managed to hit one of our mass release goals! I''m so glad! What goal did we hit? The power stones goal and as promised, I will be releasing two extra chapters today... Stay locked in guys!????

 Chapter 211 - 211: Combined efforts!

    "Prepare to die!" the talking zombie screeched, its voice hollow and grating. Without warning, the undead fired two searing arrows of lightning, cutting through the air with crackling speed, hurtling straight for Grey.


    But just before impact¡ª


    "Not on our watch!" a voice echoed from above.


    A massive wall of earth erupted from the ground, intercepting the lightning bolts with a deafening crack.


    The impact sent dust and debris into the air, blanketing the battlefield in a gritty haze.


    As the dust gradually settled, a colossal wind dragon came into view, its scales shimmering with elemental energy.


    Several students leapt gracefully from its back, their eyes fierce with determination. One figure remained mounted atop the dragon¡ªcalm and composed, her gaze locked onto the undead below.


    "Looks like we made it just in time," Charlotte said, her voice sharp but relieved, her eyes drifting to Grey¡ªbattered, bloodied, but still standing tall like a pillar refusing to fall.


    Grey stepped forward, ignoring the sting of open wounds and the fatigue pressing against every muscle.


    "What are you all doing here?" he asked, his voice steady despite the pain. "What about the academy?"


    "The academy?" Selene replied with a shrug. "We''ve got some reliable people holding the line there."


    ''Reliable people? What are they talking about?'' Grey wondered, confusion briefly crossing his mind before the tension pulled him back.


    "You annoying weaklings!" the zombie growled, its skeletal features twisted with frustration. "You keep showing up one after the other¡ªand it''s pissing me off!"


    "Weaklings?" a ragged voice interjected. Heavy breathing followed, and soon a sweat-drenched figure stumbled into view¡ªDave. His fists were clenched tight, and despite his exhaustion, his spirit blazed.


    "Took you long enough, Dave," Dante said, grinning.


    "Tsk!" Dave spat, pointing toward the injured Vince, who lay unconscious nearby. "The only one who deserves that ''weakling'' title is that disgrace of a brother down there. So don''t you dare call me that!"


    The zombie chuckled darkly. "Keh keh keh! I''ve been watching¡­ All this time, I watched you all fight at the academy. You were impressive. But this one¡ª" it pointed a skeletal finger at Grey "¡ªhe''s the only one that caught my eye. And I''ll do whatever it takes to make him mine!"


    Without warning, the undead launched ten lightning arrows at Grey with deadly precision.


    ''Damn it! I can''t use all my affinities here¡ªnot with second-years around.'' Wind began to swirl around Grey''s arms in preparation when¡ª


    "There''s a lot I can ignore¡ªbut saying none of us are even at a first-year''s level? That''s something I''ll never accept!" Dave roared.


    Mana exploded from his body in a wave of fury. His body trembled, but his will burned brighter than ever.


    ''Where''s all this power coming from? Did something happen to him?'' Lyra thought, still aboard the wind dragon, her eyes narrowing in awe.


    "Metal Creation Magic: Metal Eclipse Strike!" Dave shouted, blood trickling from his lips.


    A massive crescent slash of shimmering metal, at least five meters long, tore through the air. It collided with the lightning arrows mid-flight, shattering them after a brief struggle, then continued forward¡ªunstoppable¡ªtoward the undead.


    "I''ll make you eat those words!" Dave yelled, conjuring two gleaming metal swords, one in each hand, before charging with reckless resolve.


    ''I barely managed to gather enough mana while running¡­ but I don''t care anymore. That thing has to pay!'' Dave thought.


    The crescent slash was mere inches from impact when the undead blinked¡ªteleporting via lightning magic¡ªjust in time. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The attack gouged a deep scar in the earth as the undead reappeared behind Dave, swinging a lightning blade.


    Dave spun mid-run, raising his sword just in time to block the strike. Sparks flew as steel clashed with crackling energy, and Dave skidded backward from the force.


    "Metal Magic: Metal Shards!" he called out, launching ten dagger-like projectiles toward the undead.


    But the creature vanished again, its movement enhanced by high-speed lightning displacement.


    In a flash, it reappeared in front of Dave and thrust forward, lightning dancing around its clawed hand.


    Dave froze¡ª


    Until shrill whistling sounds tore through the air. Above, Lyra and her wind dragon unleashed a storm of wind spears.


    The undead turned, firing bolts of lightning to counter, the clash of elements echoing across the field.


    Before it could escape again, it felt something tug at its legs. Glancing down, it saw shadowy hands emerging from the ground, pinning its feet in place.


    Footsteps thundered in front of it¡ªDante, his hands encased in hardened earth.


    "Here goes nothing!" he roared, slamming his stone gauntlets into the undead''s face.


    The creature was launched back, skidding violently along the ground, chunks of stone and debris flying with it.


    "Water Creation Magic: Water Snakes!" Charlotte yelled. Three serpentine torrents of water slithered through the air, chasing the undead as it scrambled to its feet.


    Crackling with rage, the undead fired a burst of lightning that vaporized the watery attacks¡ªonly for two fireballs to explode from the steam, crashing into its chest and singeing its rotting clothes.


    From the smoke, Scarlet was revealed, breathing heavily, her body trembling. She dropped to her knees.


    ''That was all I had left... I''m out of mana.''


    Seizing the moment, Dave and Dante charged together. As they closed in, a large purple bird soared past them and dove toward the stunned undead.


    Boom! It exploded on impact, creating a smoke screen.


    The two warriors burst through the cloud. Dante shifted the ground beneath the undead, unbalancing it, then smashed his earth gauntlets into its chest¡ªslamming it into the ground and splintering the earth.


    Dave raised his swords for the final strike¡ª


    Pain lanced through his body.


    He looked down¡ªhis foot was gone, cleaved clean off.


    "Arghh!!"


    A searing lightning bolt slammed into his side, hurling him away like a ragdoll.


    "Dave!" Dante shouted¡ªonly to be struck himself. A lightning blade slashed across his chest, drawing a river of blood as he was launched backward.


    "I''ve had enough of this farce," the zombie said coldly.


    The undead raised its arms high. In an instant, a hundred lightning arrows formed in the sky above, casting an ominous glow over the battlefield.


    "What the hell?!" Raze gasped, eyes wide in horror.


    "Did you think that was its full power?" the talking zombie asked with a grin. "Of course not. This is a Level 10 Undead. And these arrows? They won''t just stun you¡ªthey''ll burn clean through whatever body part they strike."


    The sky darkened under the electric storm forming overhead.


    __


    {A/N}


    This is not the extra chapter, this is the best friend of the extra chapter ????????

 Chapter 212 - 212: Can you defeat the boss?(Power stones bonus chap)

    The battle at Goltas had taken yet another perilous turn.


    Above the battlefield, a swarm of crackling lightning arrows¡ªa hundred in total¡ªhovered ominously in the sky, their blue glow bathing the war-torn city in eerie illumination.


    Each arrow aimed mercilessly at the exhausted students below, who were barely standing¡ªespecially the first-years. Most could only stare upward, paralyzed with dread.


    Even Lyra''s wind dragon, once a symbol of hope, flickered in and out of existence until it vanished entirely. She plummeted gracefully from the sky, her body limp with exhaustion.


    Dave and Dante? Their condition remained unknown. The last thing Vince saw was Dave''s foot being blown clean off before his body was flung across the battlefield like a rag doll.


    Vince had screamed until his throat burned, but fear gripped him too tightly to move. The undead''s presence was overwhelming.


    ''Damn it! We haven''t even seen the mastermind behind this ambush¡ªor any potential allies. And yet... we''re already losing horribly,'' Arthur thought, his fists trembling as his eyes fixated on the death-laced lightning above.


    "If you all manage to survive this," the talking zombie sneered, voice like gravel grinding bone, "then maybe... just maybe, I''ll admit you''re not weak. But don''t get your hopes up!"


    With a bone-chilling snap of its fingers, the arrows screamed downward like divine judgment.


    "Alright, screw it¡ªno more hiding!" a voice bellowed suddenly.


    The ground rumbled.


    Grey bolted to the frontlines in a blur, earth surging beneath him with terrifying force.


    ''This will drain me... but if I don''t act, we''ll all die. I can''t afford to let them fall!'' Grey''s thoughts blazed as his body sped from one end of the group to the other, gathering momentum, manipulating the terrain.


    All the students felt the quake beneath their feet¡ªthen the earth erupted.


    Massive slabs of rock burst upward in synchronized motion, rising swiftly to form a protective dome.


    The arrows neared¡ªmere inches away¡ªbut Grey pushed himself past his breaking point, and the stone canopy sealed shut just in time.


    The impact was thunderous.


    Arrows collided violently with the dome, shaking the earth with such intensity that dust and debris rained down like a storm.


    The students huddled inside, protected, while Grey raised a smaller wall to shield himself. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips as his body trembled.


    Then¡ªsilence.


    The arrows stopped.


    The makeshift walls crumbled slowly, revealing the chaos outside. Homes were reduced to ashes, and the ground was riddled with craters. Grey dropped to one knee, coughing blood.


    A soft flutter.


    A radiant butterfly settled atop his head, and a gentle, healing light washed over his broken body. Flesh knit itself back together; his strength returned¡ªslowly, but surely.


    "This is the least I can do to thank you," Vanica whispered with a warm, grateful smile.


    Grey stood tall once more, his gaze locking onto the talking zombie¡ªwhose expression now twitched with rage.


    "Did you forget?" Grey asked, his voice calm, yet laced with defiance. "Lightning is weak against earth."


    He clenched his fist. Flames burst around it in a sudden blaze. His lightning-imbued boots crackled with energy.


    "And your pathetic puppet¡ª" Grey smirked, "¡ªis no match for me!"


    Before the undead could respond, Grey blitzed forward like a thunderbolt, fist slamming into its gut with seismic force.


    A shockwave exploded outward, hurling the undead across the battlefield. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As it crashed toward the ground, Grey snapped his fingers.


    An earth spike surged up like a spear to impale the undead¡ªbut it recovered, rolling midair and narrowly dodging.


    From its legs, streams of lightning surged toward Grey, who raised a wall just in time to block the blast.


    "Mana''s almost gone. Two minutes at best before I''m dry. If only¡­ I could break through now!" Grey thought with gritted teeth.


    Ten earthen spikes erupted around him, then launched at the undead. It blurred from one spot to another, evading every shot as the ground shattered with every miss.


    ''Just stand still once! That''s all I need!''


    Twelve blazing fireballs formed around Grey. He fired them rapidly. The undead dashed through the flaming barrage and appeared directly in front of him, slamming a lightning bolt into Grey''s chest.


    He flew backward, pain erupting in every fiber of his body. Blood sprayed from his mouth.


    "Crap..." he gasped.


    Then¡ªa sharp crackle.


    The undead loomed above him, raising one arm. A massive lightning arrow materialized, humming with raw energy.


    With a sharp downward motion, it sent the arrow careening toward Grey''s limp body.


    But in a flash¡ªhe moved.


    With earth encasing his hands, Grey reached up, caught the arrow mid-flight, and¡ªsnap¡ªshattered it.


    Wiping blood from his cheek, he let out a slow breath.


    "Got you."


    The undead''s eyes widened. Its legs suddenly felt like they were sinking. Looking down, it realized¡ªearth had wrapped around its ankles, anchoring it firmly.


    "This will burn everything I have left... but it''ll be worth it."


    "Fusion Magic!" Grey roared.


    Everyone conscious felt their hearts skip a beat.


    ''Fusion magic?! The same skill he used in the dungeon to annihilate thirty ant-beasts in a flash?'' Scarlet thought, stunned.


    ''What''s he going to cast this time?'' Raze wondered.


    "Thanks for standing still for me," Grey said coldly. "Thunder Gale!"


    A compressed crescent of wind¡ªrazor-sharp, infused with crackling lightning¡ªformed before him. The air sizzled with tension.


    "Bye."


    He snapped his fingers.


    The blade shot forward like a meteor. It sliced past the undead¡ªthen through the ground behind it, carving a deep trench.


    For a moment, the undead just stood there, still and silent. Confusion rippled among the students.


    Then¡ªripppppp.


    The body split cleanly in half. Each half toppled in opposite directions with a wet thud.


    The students gasped.


    Grey collapsed to his knees, his mana utterly depleted. He wasn''t the only one¡ªmany students dropped, exhausted but smiling.


    They had won.


    The terror that haunted them lay defeated. Relief washed over them like a long-awaited sunrise.


    But it didn''t last.


    A slow, mocking clap echoed.


    "Impressive," a new voice spoke¡ªnot from the zombie, but from the ground itself.


    A figure emerged.


    A young man, eyes slanted and glowing an unnatural yellow, rose slowly from the earth.


    His wild, dark-blue hair looked like it had never met a comb, and his black robe fluttered faintly¡ªemblazoned with an emblem resembling a dark eclipse.


    An aura of death¡ªsour, thick, and revolting¡ªpoured from his body. It wasn''t just spiritual. It smelled like death, like he''d been rotting for days¡­ and yet, he was very much alive.


    "You managed to kill my puppets," he smirked. "But can you defeat the boss?"


    The students froze. No mana. No stamina. No hope.


    Grey gritted his teeth, trying to rise¡ªonly for someone else to step forward.


    "If they can''t¡­ I will. And I''ll make you pay for killing my friend!"


    A shout pierced the air.


    Everyone turned.


    A young man with a blue bandana wrapped around his tousled yellow hair strode onto the battlefield.


    His face bore fresh cuts, his sleeves were shredded, and blood stained his arms¡ªbut his eyes burned with fury.


    "Viktor?!" Charlotte gasped.


    Their senior marched forward, power surging around him.


    "I know exactly how dangerous you are. That''s why I''m not holding anything back."


    He raised one hand to the sky.


    "Magus Dominion!"


    ___


    {A/N}


    Now this is the bonus chapter for the power stone goal! Another one will be coming shortly... Stay tuned guys!


    Also! That word Viktor shouted, that power up???????????? you will all be amazed... I won''t say more again ????

 Chapter 213 - 213: Why Im part of the big three! (Power stones bonus chap)

    A few moments ago at Lunaria Academy, two third-year elites¡ªSol and Viktor¡ªstood against a monstrous tide of three hundred undead, consisting of skeletal soldiers, ogres, and festering zombies. The battlefield reeked of death and decay, but they remained unfazed.


    In a split second, Viktor activated Breakthrough, and power surged through his veins as his eyes glinted with intensity. He wasted no time.


    "Gravity Magic: Graviole!" he roared.


    Instantly, a crushing gravitational force slammed down on the battlefield.


    Over fifty zombies crumpled like paper, their heads exploding against the ground like overripe melons.


    Bone shards and blood spattered the dirt as gravity did its gruesome work.


    Meanwhile, Sol danced like a phantom between the undead. With twin bone swords¡ªsalvaged from fallen skeletal warriors¡ªshe sliced her way through the chaos.


    Agile and fierce, she flipped backward mid-air to dodge a massive ogre''s sword. The colossal weapon slammed into the ground, cracking it with an earth-shaking impact.


    With grace and momentum, Sol ran up the ogre''s sword, pushed off mid-stride, and drove her blade deep into its skull.


    A sickening crack echoed as she flipped off, landing smoothly on her feet, her hair whipping behind her like a banner of war.


    Suddenly, two bursts of wind magic tore through the air from a cluster of twenty zombies, targeting her.


    Just before impact, glowing runes materialized, swallowing the wind slashes whole and swirling like a protective vortex.


    Then the ground beneath the zombies lit up. Gusts of wind exploded from below, launching the creatures into the air. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their bodies slammed into nearby trees with brutal force, skulls splintering on impact.


    "I don''t need Breakthrough to deal with you weaklings," Sol muttered, twisting away from a skeletal spear thrust toward her abdomen.


    With surgical precision, she shattered the weapon with her bone blade and leaped back just in time to evade another ogre''s charge.


    Her fingers blurred through the air, drawing runes mid-combat. With a sudden flash, chains erupted into existence, swinging wildly and ripping through the horde.


    Five chains then twisted into a massive binding rope that coiled around an ogre, squeezing tight as it roared in agony.


    Sol surged forward, her bone sword gleaming.


    She ducked a spear from a nearby skeleton and countered with a bone-breaking uppercut to its jaw, shattering the skull in an instant.


    ''Rune Magic¡­ Over the years, I''ve mastered countless ways to use it,'' Sol thought. ''I can redirect attacks, empower my body, lay traps, and even trigger distant effects in places I''ve marked before.''


    She skidded to a halt, surrounded by fifty skeletal soldiers. The ogre, still bound in chains, began thrashing violently.


    Snap!


    At her command, the chained ogre rolled like a wrecking ball, pulverizing the surrounding skeletons.


    Bones splintered and cracked under its massive weight, reducing the army to dust within seconds.


    Now, only ogres and zombies remained¡ªand Viktor was already thinning their numbers.


    He stepped back, narrowly avoiding a deadly ogre sword swipe. With a flick of his fingers, he amplified gravity around the beast''s head.


    The ogre smashed its own face into the ground with a sickening crunch, teeth scattering like gravel.


    "Also¡ªI can do this!" Viktor shouted.


    His body glowed faintly as he blitzed into the fray. Zombies turned to him, launching wind slashes, but a swirling black hole appeared before him, sucking the attacks into its void.


    "Pathetic!" he spat.


    With a raise of his hand, he lessened the gravity surrounding the zombies. They began to float helplessly, arms flailing in midair.


    Suddenly, a sword slashed past his face¡ªso close it drew blood. An ogre had slipped through his defenses.


    Viktor retaliated with a pure mana blast, sending the ogre skidding, and then increased the pressure around its skull until it exploded like a bursting balloon.


    Then, with a gesture, he slammed the floating zombies into the earth. They hit with bone-shattering force, forming a crater where they landed. Their heads detached from their bodies¡ªdead once more.


    "I know you were once human¡­ but I can''t waste time here," Viktor said, eyes steely. "The longer I stay, the higher the chance Jack escapes."


    Suddenly, an ogre ambushed him from the side, catching him off guard.


    "Sol!" he shouted.


    A defensive rune shimmered to life in front of him. Chains wrapped around his forearms in an X shape just as the ogre''s sword came down.


    The blow sent tremors through his bones, the chains quivering under the force. Pain surged through his arms and into his chest.


    "ARGHHHHH!" he roared, teeth gritted.


    He shoved the ogre back, the chains snapping apart, sleeves torn¡ªbut his arms remained unscathed.


    "You don''t know your place," Viktor growled, locking eyes with the remaining ogres¡ªeighty-six in total.


    "KNEEL!"


    The air thickened. Ogres dropped to their knees, crushed by invisible weights. Viktor''s aura intensified, the whites of his eyes glowing as his hair floated, charged with power.


    "BOW!"


    The command was absolute. The ogres'' skulls slammed into the dirt, cracking the ground beneath them.


    One ogre, barely resisting the pressure from the outer edge, managed to lunge forward from above, sword raised.


    Viktor looked up and narrowed his gaze.


    "Know your place, undead. WARP!"


    The pressure tripled in a flash. The ogre burst mid-air¡ªblood and bone splattered everywhere. Its sword fell harmlessly, grazing Viktor''s cheek.


    Turning to the last of the ogres, he raised a single hand.


    "This is why I''m one of the Big Three at the Academy¡­ DIE!"


    The gravity crushed down like a mountain. If the pressure before felt like a car, now it was a freight train.


    The ogres'' bodies caved in, flattened into the ground with horrific force.


    Silence.


    The spell faded, and Viktor collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath. Sol, nearby, sliced through the final ogre, blood on her face and torn robes fluttering in the wind.


    "What next?" Sol asked, catching her breath.


    "Next?" Viktor echoed, rising slowly. "We won¡­ right? No more undead."


    "Shouldn''t that worry us more?" she asked.


    Viktor''s gaze darkened. "It means one of two things. Either the puppeteer is dead¡­ or he no longer needs the undead."


    Sol''s eyes narrowed. "Which means he could be at Goltas Village¡­ right now."


    "I''m not sure, he could very well att¡­" Viktor stuttered as his eyes widened and then his hands clenched. "He is at Goltas village now!" He said and without waiting for anything, he jumped up very high and then whistled.


    He shot into the air and whistled sharply.


    "Yin!"


    A massive bird, flesh and blood¡ªnot magic¡ªswooped beneath him. In the blink of an eye, they were airborne, heading toward the village with a thunderous flap.


    "Jack, I promise... I will make you pay!" Viktor growled.


    In under three minutes, the bird arrived. Viktor leapt down, landing softly. Ahead stood the necromancer, smirking wickedly.


    "You defeated the puppets," the necromancer said, arms spread. "But can you defeat the boss?"


    Viktor stepped forward, battle-worn and bloodied, his yellow hair messy beneath a blue bandana. Cuts lined his face and arms. His eyes burned with vengeance.


    "If they can''t... I can. And I will make you pay¡ªfor killing my friend."


    ---


    {A/N}


    This is the last extra chapter for meeting one of the mass release goals for last week. I hope you all enjoy the chapters ????


    Our mass release goals this week has been locked in guys! I hope we can also hit this goal like we did last week.


    Below are the goals:


    150 Power Stones = 2 Extra Chapters


    50 Golden Tickets = 2 Extra Chapters


    Magic Castle = 5 Chapters


    Spacecraft = 10 Chapters


    Golden Gachapon = 15 Chapters


    Let''s crush those goals together!

 Chapter 214 - 214: Magus Dominion!

    "You managed to defeat the puppets, but can you defeat the boss?" the man smirked, his voice laced with mockery as he stared at the tired and worn-out students. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If they can''t¡­ I can."


    A sharp voice rang out across the battlefield. "And I will make you pay for killing my friend!"


    All eyes turned toward the new voice.


    Viktor emerged from the smoke and rubble, walking with a bloodied limp. His once-vibrant yellow hair was matted with sweat and dust, and a tattered blue bandana clung stubbornly to his head.


    Cuts marked his face and arms, and his shredded sleeves flapped with every step. His expression was a mixture of rage and grief.


    "Huh?" the necromancer muttered, turning to face the newcomer. The students followed his gaze.


    "Viktor?" Charlotte breathed, her voice laced with disbelief.


    Her upperclassman walked forward, seething with fury¡ªhis presence commanding the broken field like a storm waiting to erupt.


    "Viktor! Viktor!" the young man grinned, spreading his arms wide like a host welcoming an old friend. "Nice to see you could make it to the party."


    "You finally decided to show your face, you coward," Viktor growled, his voice sharp as steel.


    "Aww! That''s not a very nice thing to say to a dear friend you''re seeing after so many years, now is it?" the necromancer said with mock sorrow. His smile twisted with malice.


    "Dear friend?" Vince echoed, brows furrowed in confusion.


    "I guess Lunaria wiped my name from their history," Jack replied with a wistful sigh. "Too bad."


    "What are you talking about?" Grey rasped, forcing his battered body upright. He was drained¡ªhis mana depleted, his limbs trembling¡ªbut he needed to hear this.


    "Jack... he was once a student at Lunaria," Viktor answered grimly. "Back when we were first-years. He would''ve been a third-year with us¡ªif he hadn''t murdered my friend."


    "Yikes," Jack chuckled. "You''re still hung up on that? It was his destiny to die¡ªfor me to rise! Don''t you get it?"


    "Rise?" Scarlet''s voice trembled with disbelief. "You sacrificed a life just to climb higher?"


    Jack shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean, I saw no problem with it. Was about to do the same thing to all of you when I killed you."


    "And that''s why I''m here." Viktor''s voice dropped, now cold as death. "To avenge my best friend''s death."


    "I suppose we''re even then," Jack snarled. "I''m here to take revenge on Lunaria Academy for casting me out. For tossing away a great talent like me¡ªafter you snitched!"


    "You murdered a human. My friend. My freaking best friend! And you expected me to stay quiet?" Viktor roared, his eyes wild.


    "Trust me¡ªI wanted to kill you that day when I found out. But instead, I chose to report you to the captain. I thought justice would prevail¡­"


    His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. Blood trickled from where his nails dug into his palms.


    "I have nightmares. Every night. I see his face. He asks me¡ªwith tears in his eyes¡ªwhy I never avenged him. Why I let his murderer walk free."


    Viktor''s voice cracked.


    "I hated myself for it. I cursed my naivety. And I vowed¡­ the day I see you again, I will end you."


    Jack''s grin widened. "Then here''s your chance. I''m right here." He stepped forward, just a few meters away. "Avenge your little friend. If you can."


    Silence fell.


    Viktor''s head dipped. His fists remained clenched, trembling with emotion. Then¡­ he chuckled.


    It started softly¡ªlow and bitter. He took a step forward. Another. Jack''s expression flickered with interest as Viktor approached.


    Three meters away, Viktor stopped.


    And then¡­ the chuckle erupted into laughter.


    "Trust me, I will," Viktor said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "You never stayed long enough at Lunaria to learn this. You didn''t make it past second year. You never saw the power meant only for the elite¡­ for those chosen to rewrite the battlefield."


    The air changed.


    A humming, crackling energy began to form around Viktor, causing nearby students to instinctively step back.


    Dave, who had lost his foot earlier in the battle, was seen crawling back to the group, sweat pouring down his face.


    Dante emerged moments later, limping with bruises and blood, carrying Dave''s severed foot.


    "You''re the healer, right?" he said, tossing it to Vanica. "Do something about this."


    The ambient pressure rose sharply. Greg stirred from unconsciousness, awakened by the surge of power coursing through the area.


    "What¡­ what is happening?" Arthur asked, his heartbeat pounding like a war drum.


    "What is this feeling?" Grey muttered, staring wide-eyed at Viktor.


    "That," Lyra said with reverence, "is what third-years learn to wield. The world powers know it¡ªthe captains, the vice captains, the principals¡­ even the Emperor. It is the power to command a world of their own. A realm where magic obeys them."


    "No ordinary mage can wield it. Without immense strength or talent, their core would shatter, and they''d lose all ability to use magic ever again," she added.


    "What''s the name of this power?" Raze asked.


    Lyra smiled. "Magus Dominion."


    Viktor stepped forward, his eyes glowing with golden fury. "And with this power I learned here¡­ I will take revenge!"


    "Magus Dominion!"


    As the words rang out, the very sky seemed to tremble.


    A suffocating pressure slammed down on the battlefield. The wind stilled. The air crackled with invisible energy, and the heavens above twisted like a canvas being torn apart.


    The ground beneath Viktor''s feet exploded into fragments, golden runes expanding in perfect formation around him.


    The temperature dropped like a stone, breath fogging as if winter had descended in an instant.


    Then¡ªBOOM!


    A massive shockwave burst from Viktor, flinging debris and knocking back even the strongest students. The force rattled bones and hearts alike.


    A dome of distorted energy formed around him, shimmering with iridescent light. Inside it, the world was no longer bound by natural law. The rules bent¡ªno, obeyed¡ªViktor''s will.


    Jack, once amused, now stared in silence. His yellow eyes narrowed, the grin wiped clean from his face.


    "This¡­ is Magus Dominion?" he whispered, stepping back on instinct.


    Within the domain, magic itself responded to Viktor like a loyal servant. Arcs of lightning slithered across cracked earth. The air pulsed with raw, sentient power.


    Then¡ªViktor opened his eyes.


    His golden pupils shone like suns, and when he spoke, the battlefield obeyed.


    "You''re in my world now."


    __


    {A/N}


    I just want to make a quick reference to something... If you have watched the anime known as Jujutsu Kaisen, then consider this Magus Dominion on the lines of Domain expansion.


    Keep reading guys and I hope I didn''t really spoil the show????

 Chapter 215 - 215: Let the games begin!

    Then, Viktor opened his eyes.


    A radiant golden glow surged within his pupils, fierce and commanding. His voice resonated through the dome, laden with divine authority:


    "You''re in my world now."


    Jack chuckled, unfazed, his gaze sweeping across the invisible dome that spanned nearly eight meters.


    Viktor''s golden eyes shimmered like twin suns, but Jack remained unimpressed.


    "Magus Dominion? Really? You expected that to scare me?" he said, scoffing. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A smirk curled on his lips as a wave of dead, putrid energy surged around him.


    His eyes darkened into pitch black orbs, and pulsing black veins crawled along his neck and arms like tendrils of shadow.


    "Necrotic Kingdom," he declared.


    A second invisible dome flared to life¡ªdarker, colder, and far more sinister¡ªcoiling like a nightmare within Viktor''s radiant world.


    A suffocating wave of necrotic energy rolled out. From the cracked ground, dozens of gray, skeletal hands burst forth.


    In the blink of an eye, fifty monstrous ogres emerged¡ªeach one towering and reeking of decay. Jack''s eyes gleamed with malevolent amusement.


    "Destroy him." His command was soft, but it cut through the air like a dagger.


    The ogres charged, unnaturally fast¡ªfaster than anything Viktor had encountered before.


    They surged past the boundary of Jack''s domain and into Viktor''s, blades raised high.


    Still, Viktor stood motionless, hands in his pockets, golden eyes watching.


    "Graviole," he whispered.


    Instantly, an immense pressure crushed down on the battlefield. The ogres faltered¡ªknees buckling, limbs trembling.


    They pushed forward, straining to resist the invisible weight.


    "You forgot," Viktor said, his tone calm, almost bored. "Magus Dominion amplifies my spells, pushing them beyond their limits. Inside this field, I dictate the rules."


    As if in agreement with his words, the pressure intensified.


    Boom!


    The ogres slammed into the ground, their skulls shattering like glass. One by one, their heads popped under the force, blood and bone spraying across the shimmering dome.


    Jack, still smiling, waved a dismissive hand. "You don''t understand, do you? In my Necrotic Kingdom, I can raise the dead endlessly. It is not as good as Magus Dominion but something is better than none, right?"


    The shattered ogres twitched¡ªthen began to stir.


    "Rise," Jack murmured.


    Their rotten flesh turned pitch black, hardened and reanimated by a fresh surge of corrupted energy.


    They rose again, stronger, darker, their blades crackling with a foul aura.


    "Also, did I forget to mention?" Jack continued, eyes glowing with glee. "I can enhance them¡ªgrant them strength, speed¡­ even intelligence. Right now, they''re level 7 beasts."


    With a guttural roar, the undead ogres lunged. Their blades whistled through the air in unison, aiming straight for Viktor''s heart.


    Still unmoved, Viktor raised a single finger. A miniature black hole twisted into existence before him, dense and pulsing.


    The ogres'' swords were pulled in, their force negated. One ogre screamed as its leg was ripped off by the gravitational force; another''s head imploded instantly.


    Boom!


    All of them exploded simultaneously under the intensified pressure. Viktor side-stepped casually, dodging a wave of blackened blood that splattered the ground behind him.


    "You missed one crucial detail," he said coldly, golden eyes glowing brighter. "My magic is superior to yours."


    The very air trembled as the pressure surged again. Jack''s Necrotic Kingdom began to crack, fissures of golden light slicing through the darkness.


    "Impressive," a low voice murmured behind Viktor.


    He spun¡ªand was greeted by a zombie, its eyes pitch black, its rotting hands inches from his face.


    But before it could strike, its arms exploded under the weight of Viktor''s Dominion, its entire body following a second later.


    "Tch," Viktor spat. "Are you seriously trying to wear me down with these pathetic minions? Fight me directly, you coward!"


    His voice thundered, shaking the dome. Jack''s domain flickered, visibly weakening.


    "I am fighting you," Jack replied smoothly.


    From the ground, twenty more ogres erupted. Jack placed a hand on one, infusing it with dark energy. Its eyes glowed ominously.


    In a flash, it vanished, teleporting behind Viktor with its blade already swinging. Viktor barely managed to leap back, the sword grazing his cheek, slicing it open.


    As blood trickled down his face, the other ogres advanced¡ªbut suddenly, they levitated into the air and were slammed back down with such force that the ground beneath them cracked.


    Before Viktor could regroup, a sharp slashing sound whistled from his side. He twisted mid-air, slowing time around the attacker.


    But the ogre defied logic, accelerating suddenly and slamming its blade into Viktor''s side, sending him crashing down.


    "How... how is that possible?" Viktor gasped, blood spilling from his lips.


    His eyes widened in horror.


    "Unless¡ª"


    "You finally figured it out?" the ogre said, grinning.


    Viktor froze.


    "They''re not supposed to talk¡­"


    "I can swap souls too," Jack''s voice came from the ogre''s mouth.


    The undead beast lunged again.


    "Graviole!" Viktor yelled.


    The ogre''s speed dropped. A black hole spiraled into existence beside it, pulling in its arm. Viktor''s eyes sharpened.


    "Then I just have to kill you, and Jack dies with you!"


    The black hole''s pull intensified, but the ogre leapt back.


    "Fool."


    The voice came from elsewhere. Viktor turned.


    Jack stood at the edge of his own domain, untouched.


    With a snap of his fingers, five more zombies burst from the earth.


    Viktor turned back to the ogre and, with a flick of his hand, reduced the pressure. The undead floated up and slammed back down, its head rupturing upon impact.


    Then the zombies charged.


    Viktor stepped back, calculating his next move.


    "Combat this," Jack taunted.


    The zombies suddenly swelled grotesquely, their bloated bodies pulsing with energy before exploding simultaneously.


    Viktor dashed through the chaos, avoiding the bursts of blood¡ªaware that even a single drop could be laced with corruption.


    Just as he dodged the last one, a blade whizzed toward his head. He ducked, but not fast enough. It nicked his ear, drawing blood.


    Panting, Viktor landed in a crouch. His Magus Dominion was wavering, shrinking with every breath he took.


    The golden shimmer flickered, his concentration faltering.


    "I''m not just trying to wear you down," Jack said coolly, walking closer. "I''m breaking your focus. You''re not the only one who studied. Before I was expelled, I did extensive research."


    His voice grew darker.


    "Magus Dominion collapses when its caster loses focus. So let''s play a game."


    Ten zombies rose behind him. Three skeletal soldiers followed, their empty sockets burning with purple fire.


    "Will my Necrotic Kingdom fall first, crushed under your superior magic?" Jack asked. "Or will you break first, lose control, and watch your Dominion fade?"


    He raised his hand.


    "Let the games begin."


    The undead horde surged forward.


    Viktor took a stance, golden eyes burning through the storm.


    __


    {A/N}


    I was tired of the usual shooting magic from kilometers away to kill an enemy so I decided to do something unique and then give some of my characters a power up.


    It took quite a long time for me to come up with Magus Dominion and I''m not sure if I even used it well.


    So your feedbacks on this power up will help me improve. Kindly let me know if this power up is good????


    So guys! I have just released our mass release goals for this week.


    150 Power stones=2 extra Chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra Chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters. Let''s do well to crush these goals guys!??????

 Chapter 216 - 216: Its your turn!

    At the fringes of Goltas Village, the surviving students huddled just four meters away from Viktor''s Magus Dominion¡ªa colossal sphere of shimmering energy that pulsed with power.


    They sat in a loose circle on the bare, cracked ground, their chests rising and falling with ragged breaths. Only a few among them had the composure to meditate and restore their drained mana reserves.


    One of them was Grey.


    He sat cross-legged, eyes closed in deep concentration, as tendrils of ambient mana were drawn toward him like moths to a flame.


    His presence remained still and calm, a sharp contrast to the chaos unraveling within the dominion.


    From inside the glowing dome, resounding bangs echoed in rhythmic fury¡ªeach thunderous impact a grim testament to Viktor''s relentless assault.


    Grotesque zombies and skeletal beasts surged in waves, only to be crushed into the ground with devastating force each time they dared approach him.


    "How does that thing even work?" Scarlet asked, her brows furrowed in curiosity and concern as she gazed at the towering barrier of energy.


    "I''m not certain about the precise mechanics," Charlotte replied, her voice steady but hushed, "but the caster gains absolute control over the battlefield once it''s activated.


    Within the dominion, they can shape the terrain and manipulate the flow of battle to their advantage."


    "Can we enter it if something goes wrong?" Vorden asked, unease evident in his tone. "Not that I''d be of much use anyway."


    "No," Dante said grimly. "Unless Viktor allows us in or the dominion shatters on its own, we''re locked out. And with the way he''s fighting¡­ I doubt he''ll let us interrupt and steal this moment of glory."


    His gaze shifted down to where Vanica knelt beside Dave, her palms glowing with gentle light as she poured mana into his mangled foot.


    "How much longer?" Selene asked, concern etched into her features.


    "A few more minutes, maybe," Vanica replied through clenched teeth, sweat dripping down her temples as her magic flickered slightly.


    "How long does a Magus Dominion last anyway?" Vince inquired.


    He sat cross-legged as well, trying to focus on replenishing his mana core, though his eyes kept flicking toward the ongoing clash.


    "It depends," a calm voice answered from behind.


    Everyone turned.


    Striding toward them with a confident gait, her clothes torn in places and minor cuts on her face and hands, was Sol.


    She looked like she had just walked through hell¡ªand was ready to go back in again.


    "Sol," Dante greeted with a nod.


    "How''s everyone holding up? Can you still fight?" she asked, scanning their faces with sharp eyes.


    "Most of us are trying to recover what we can," Scarlet responded.


    "Good. Because when this goes south¡ªand trust me, it will¡ªI''ll need every ounce of strength you''ve got.


    The necromancer we''re facing is a slippery bastard, full of tricks. So be ready." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good luck with that," a voice rang out from behind them.


    They all turned to see Grey rising from his meditation, brushing imaginary dust from his robes. His face was calm¡ªalmost bored.


    "I only came here to help because I thought I''d gain a few extra points and stars for my rankings," he said, his tone casual. "But since the glorious third years are here, I don''t see the need to do anything else."


    "What do you mean?" Dante asked, incredulous. "Don''t you realize if we lose here, the academies will fall?"


    "And that''s my concern why?" Grey asked, frowning. "Besides, do you seriously think the great Four Academies would crumble under a single necromancer?"


    "That''s exactly why we need your help," Charlotte said, her voice sharp.


    Sol''s eyebrow twitched. "Why are second years begging a first year for help?" she asked, folding her arms. "Is he really that special? He looks weak to me."


    The second years flinched.


    ''Did¡­ did she just call Grey weak?'' Lyra thought, stunned.


    "If you''re not interested in helping," Sol continued coldly, "then take your pitiful little arse and run away like the scared kitten you are."


    Grey raised an eyebrow. "Scared little cat?" he echoed with a dry chuckle. "Whatever."


    He turned to walk away, speaking over his shoulder. "All I know is that if I ever wanted to, I''d wipe the floor with you¡ªunless, of course, you hid behind that Magus Dominion trick of yours."


    "What did you say?" Sol snapped as glowing runes suddenly lit up beneath Grey''s feet.


    "Oh, rune magic?" Grey turned with a mocking smile. "Do you know what it''s weak against?"


    With a sudden gust, he propelled himself into the air using wind magic¡ªjust in time to dodge the stone spears erupting from the ground where he had stood.


    "It''s weak against me," he said coolly.


    "You arrogant first year!" Sol yelled.


    "Oh! She barks!" Grey mocked with a smirk.


    Sol''s fists clenched as her eyes burned with fury, veins rising on her forehead.


    "You''re angry? Good. Channel that rage into fighting that necromancer instead of picking on me."


    "Grey! What are you doing?!" Charlotte called out.


    "Hey, peasant! Do you think it''s smart to antagonize a third year like that?" Greg asked, his voice sharp with disdain.


    "I guess lowlifes will always act like lowlifes. You really don''t know your place, do you?!" Dave snarled¡ªonly to freeze when a long, shimmering wind blade materialized just inches from his face.


    "Say that again," Grey said, floating in the air with eyes like sharpened steel, "and you''ll be dining with your ancestors tonight."


    Dave gulped audibly, unable to move.


    Sol, meanwhile, had grown eerily quiet.


    ''He''s not scared of me¡­ and he''s casually threatening second years, and they''re just¡­ taking it. Who is he? Why can''t I sense his aura? Is he masking it somehow?''


    Grey, on the other hand, thought to himself, ''I remember Amir warning me not to mess with the third years.


    Was this Magus Dominion stuff what he meant? Either way, I''m not looking to fight her¡ªyet.''


    The wind blade vanished in a ripple of energy.


    "Enough! Please!" Scarlet pleaded, stepping forward. "We need to stop fighting each other! We should be united right now, not tearing ourselves apart!"


    Suddenly, a sound like cracking glass filled the air.


    They all turned as fissures appeared in the shimmering space surrounding Viktor''s dominion¡ªthin at first, then rapidly spreading like spiderwebs.


    And then, all at once, it shattered.


    The barrier disintegrated into fragments of glowing light, revealing Viktor lying motionless on the ground, blood trickling from his mouth.


    The necromancer stood tall and unscathed, a cruel smirk dancing on his lips.


    "It''s your turn now," Jack said, stepping forward with his own smile of dark anticipation.

 Chapter 217 - 217: A Shattered Domain!

    Moments ago, within the swirling chaos of his Magus Dominion, Viktor stood locked in a brutal contest of endurance and power against Jack, the deranged necromancer.


    The battlefield trembled under the weight of their magic, and Jack, with his usual manic grin, unleashed yet another barrage of explosive zombies.


    "Let''s play a game, shall we?" Jack''s voice echoed like a taunt through the distorted domain.


    "Will my necrotic kingdom collapse first and get crushed under your magic? Or will you run out of steam and lose concentration, forcing your precious dominion to disappear?"


    As he spoke, ten grotesque zombies clawed their way up from the ground, flanked by three skeletal soldiers wielding jagged bone swords.


    "Let the games begin!" Jack cackled, eyes glinting with madness.


    The undead charged in unison, their snarls ripping through the thick air. The skeletal soldiers came first, blades gleaming with necrotic energy as they swung at Viktor.


    But with a flick of his hand, Viktor intensified the gravity around their weapons. The swords missed their mark entirely and shattered mid-swing, pulverized by their own unnatural weight.


    Viktor leapt backward, he landed just in time to see the zombies closing in¡ªsurrounding him like vultures. Their bloated bodies began to swell grotesquely.


    "Damn it," Viktor muttered, forming a black hole in front of him. The explosion came a split second later¡ªroaring and violent¡ªbut the black hole absorbed the blood and gore before it could obstruct his vision.


    But just as the blast cleared, Viktor''s instincts screamed. A massive ogre lunged from the smoke, its rusted metal sword swinging with brutal force.


    The blade struck him squarely, hurling him across the battlefield. Blood trickled from Viktor''s mouth as he skidded across the ground.


    "You forgot something, Jack¡­ or perhaps you never knew it," Viktor growled, wiping the blood from his lips.


    The entire dome trembled violently. The ogre, still looming before him, froze as all the gravity in the area focused into a single, crushing point¡ªa singularity.


    The ogre screamed as it was dragged into the forming black hole, limbs contorting and vanishing into the void.


    Jack''s domain groaned under the weight of the singularity; cracks spiderwebbed across its surface like fractures in glass. The black hole vanished, but the damage was done.


    "The longer you stay in my domain," Viktor said, rising to his full height, "the heavier everything becomes. You don''t feel it yet because of your fake dominion, but once I shatter it... you''ll be flattened beneath my boots."


    "Are you so sure?" a voice hissed from behind.


    Viktor spun around as another ogre materialized behind him, blade raised high. But before it could strike, the air itself seemed to twist.


    A loud crack rang out as the ogre''s weapon shattered, its fragments scattering like glittering ash. Viktor''s eyes glowed golden with fury.


    "And once your undead step into my domain," he roared, "they''re already dead men walking. I have absolute control over gravity!"


    He clenched his fist.


    The ogre slammed into the ground with a thunderous crack, its bones snapping like twigs, skin tearing open under the pressure until it erupted¡ªbursting like an overripe fruit.


    "Still hotheaded as ever, Viktor," Jack mocked with a sinister smirk. From the ground, a giant ogre erupted. Jack touched its head with a blackened hand, and its eyes lit up with malevolent black fire.


    "You really should learn to think before you act."


    The ogre opened its mouth wide. Orange light glowed in its throat, intensifying until it erupted in a barrage of fireballs.


    But Viktor didn''t move.


    A black hole materialized before him, effortlessly devouring each fireball mid-air.


    "Keh keh keh¡­" Viktor chuckled darkly. A second black hole appeared¡ªthis time above Jack''s domain. The devoured fireballs shot out like meteorites, slamming into the false dominion. Cracks spread like lightning across its surface.


    "Very close," Viktor whispered.


    "Oh, you can redirect magical attacks¡­ Impressive," Jack sneered. "But what about physical ones?"


    The giant ogre sunk into the ground like sludge, then burst from the earth behind Viktor, sword descending. Still, Viktor didn''t flinch. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The blade veered off suddenly, driven into the dirt by unseen force. A black hole formed beside the ogre, swelling in size before collapsing into a singularity. It sucked the creature in¡ªbut only halfway.


    "Snap," Viktor said coldly.


    The singularity collapsed. The ogre was sliced clean in half¡ªone part vanishing into nothing, the other landing at Viktor''s feet.


    "Still haven''t learned?" he snarled. "My focus cannot be broken! And I''ll tear that pathetic fake domain of yours apart!"


    The pressure intensified. Jack''s false dominion cracked wide open before exploding like shattering glass.


    Jack fell to his knees, his body collapsing under the sudden onslaught of pure gravity.


    "Finally," Viktor said with a vengeful grin. "Time for some payback!"


    He dashed forward, a red streak of fury. But Jack, coughing and trembling, began to laugh¡ªa low, rasping chuckle.


    "Do you want to kill your old, best friend?" Jack''s question brought Viktor to an abrupt halt.


    "You''re no friend of mine!" Viktor spat.


    "Not me," Jack said, nodding to Viktor''s side. "Him."


    Viktor turned slowly, eyes widening.


    There¡ªkneeling in agony¡ªwas a young man with wavy brown hair. He clutched his throat, gasping for air, crushed by the gravity.


    "Viktor¡­ I¡­ can''t¡­ breathe¡­" he choked out.


    "Steve?!" Viktor gasped, the color draining from his face. Instinctively, the gravity around the man eased, lessening the pressure.


    Still in the domain but with the intensity reduced, Viktor rushed to the kneeling figure, eyes brimming with tears.


    "Steve¡­ You''re here. I''m¡­ I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have left you with that monster. I should have ended him. I¡ª" his voice broke. "I was a coward¡­ I snitched when I should have fought. I''m so sorry."


    He knelt before Steve, face twisted with guilt and emotion.


    "Viktor¡­" Steve whispered.


    "Yes?" Viktor''s voice trembled.


    "Gotcha."


    The head lifted.


    Steve''s face had twisted into a grotesque blackened mask, with a wicked smirk spread across his rotting features.


    Before Viktor could react, the imposter lunged¡ªits blackened hands gripping Viktor tightly.


    Pain exploded in Viktor''s chest. Blood spilled from his mouth as his eyes turned pitch black. Cracks raced across the dominion, light pouring from the fractures.


    And then¡ªeverything shattered.


    The fake Steve vanished like smoke. Jack stood over the crumpled Viktor, a twisted smirk carved across his face as he turned toward the others watching from beyond.


    "¡­It''s your turn now," he whispered darkly.

 Chapter 218 - 218: Obliterate them!

    "It''s your turn now."


    Those outside the shattered domain heard the chilling voice echo just as Viktor''s barrier collapsed, revealing him crumpled on the ground.


    His chest heaved with every breath, his eyes pitch black, and blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.


    "Viktor!" Sol cried out, her voice cracking as she surged forward¡ªonly to freeze mid-step.


    She looked down. Shadowy, clawed hands writhed out of the ground, coiling tightly around her ankles and rooting her in place.


    "Let me go!" she screamed, turning furiously in the direction the shadows came from.


    "Can''t do that," Selene replied, her voice cold and rational. "We need to think smart. Not emotionally."


    "Exactly," Dave added, rising to his feet with barely a scratch. "You know Viktor better than any of us. Do you really believe he''d go down that easily?"


    Beside him, Vanica was drenched in sweat, her breaths shallow and mana nearly depleted. Yet she remained standing, determination burning in her eyes.


    A sharp voice cut through the tension.


    "Did you think I''d lose so easily?" Jack asked, stepping forward. But just as he moved, Viktor''s hand latched onto his ankle, halting him.


    "It''s¡­ it''s¡­ not¡­ over yet¡­" Viktor rasped, blood still trickling from his lips. "I¡­ will¡­ kill you¡­"


    "Oh, please." Jack scoffed and drove his foot hard into Viktor''s hand¡ªthen kicked his head. Viktor''s grip slackened, and he collapsed again.


    "I''ll kill you!" Sol screamed, fury surging through her. Runes lit up around her, glowing violently with her mana.


    But before she could act, wham!


    A sharp pain exploded at the back of her head.


    "Seriously? How on Earth did you make it to third year?" Grey''s voice mocked from behind her, his knuckles still raised from the strike.


    Sol turned, eyes blazing. "How dare you hit me?!"


    Grey smirked. "Give me a break. You didn''t even notice me sneaking up behind you¡ªand you think you''re ready to take him on?"


    With a nonchalant shrug, he stepped forward, hands stuffed casually in his pockets.


    As he flicked one hand outward, Viktor''s limp form suddenly flew toward them. Jack reached out to grab him back¡ªbut was forced to recoil when twin wind blades sliced toward his wrists.


    Two ogres leapt forward just in time, using their massive swords to deflect the blades.


    But the brief distraction was enough. Grey caught Viktor midair and gently laid him beneath Vanica''s feet.


    "I know your core''s exhausted," he said to her without turning. "Rest. When you recover, do what you can for him. We''ll need him back soon¡ªfor his revenge."


    Jack snarled. "You¡­ Ever since I arrived, you''ve been a thorn in my side."


    Behind him, the ground quaked¡ªand two hundred undead rose in unison, an army of ogres and skeletal warriors, eyes glowing with cold hatred.


    "A thorn?" Grey arched a brow. "Come on, I was hoping you''d at least say I''m a giant tree in your path."


    "Kill him," Jack snapped.


    The undead army charged. A chaotic tide of snarling monsters surged toward Grey, who remained completely still¡ªjust one meter away.


    "You know the drill," Grey said calmly. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Above him, the skies answered.


    A colossal wind dragon roared into existence, its serpentine body coiling above like a wrathful god. Then came the storm.


    Hundreds of wind blades rained down like divine judgment, slicing into the horde. Limbs flew. Bones shattered. Screams of the damned filled the air.


    Yet some undead were agile, darting and weaving through the blades.


    Until a second dragon appeared¡ªsmaller, but no less deadly. Its mouth opened, unleashing a torrent of scorching flame.


    The searing stream melted through the undead ranks, turning ogres into charred husks.


    "Greg!" Grey shouted.


    "I don''t take orders from you!" Greg barked¡ªbut still launched into action. Lightning surged around his boots, propelling him forward like a thunderbolt. In his hand, a lightning-forged blade crackled with raw power.


    He crashed into the front line, his blade meeting a skeleton in a blaze of sparks.


    The impact shattered the bones and sent lightning arcing to nearby enemies, frying them instantly.


    Leaping high, Greg flipped midair and then plunged down, his landing unleashing a blast of electricity that fried four more skeletons on the spot.


    "Dante!" Grey called.


    Right on cue, massive earth boulders materialized above and hurled downward like meteorites, smashing into ogres with brutal force.


    Though some undead were strong enough to resist the initial impact, they didn''t expect what came next.


    The shattered boulders fragmented into sharp shrapnel¡ªrazor-like rocks that blasted forward and pierced the ogres'' eyes and skulls, dropping them instantly.


    "Sol!" Grey shouted, his voice sharp. "You want revenge? Channel the ambient mana! Obliterate the rest!"


    Sol clenched her fists.


    ''How the hell does he get all these powerful people to listen to him¡ªeven the second years? And now he''s ordering me around too?'' she thought bitterly. ''It''s insulting. But¡­ it''s for the academy.''


    She exhaled and moved her hands, drawing sigils in the air at blinding speed. Then, with a forceful clap, the atmosphere erupted¡ªrunes ignited around her, feeding on the remnants of magic that lingered in the air.


    ''Using this will halve my mana¡­ but so be it!''


    The runes spun like a vortex, and all the absorbed energy detonated outward in a violent cascade.


    The resulting blast surged with amplified speed, tearing through the battlefield like a living storm¡ªengulfing the remaining undead in fire and magic.


    The earth blackened. Smoke billowed. The scent of ash choked the air.


    Just like that, in under five minutes, two hundred undead were obliterated by the combined force of first, second, and third years¡ªwithout sustaining serious injuries.


    Jack stood frozen. His fists trembled, veins bulging across his forehead, and his eyes flared with a deeper blackness.


    "I didn''t want to use this," he growled. "But you''ve left me no choice. Fine. Witness the culmination of my work¡ªthree years of undead gathering!"


    The ground convulsed violently. The tremors shook the very ground they stood on as dirt split open, revealing grotesque silhouettes emerging from the earth.


    Ogres. Zombies. Skeletal soldiers.


    They rose¡ªhundreds upon hundreds.


    A thousand undead now stood before the students, the thunderous sound of their awakening echoing across the field.


    Fear rippled through the air. Throats tightened. Hearts pounded.


    Except for Grey.


    He smiled.


    ''This is it. Pour out your mana. Give me everything.''


    "Ready?" he asked, glancing at his comrades.


    They nodded.


    "Time to join the fray."


    A hundred wind blades shimmered into the sky above him. Beside him, Lyra directed her wind dragon to create two hundred more. The others braced for battle, eyes fierce and spirits unshaken.


    "Destroy," Jack ordered.


    "Obliterate them," Grey echoed with a smirk.


    __


    {A/N}


    Guys kindly support with all resources you have if you are enjoying the book. Power stones, Golden tickets, gifts or even comments. Each of them would help drive me to keep on pumping interesting chapters for you all.


    Also. If anybody is interested in some extra chapters, our mass release goals are still active y''all!


    These are our goals for this week;


    150 power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters... Come on guys, let''s crush these goals together!

 Chapter 219 - 219: I have allies!

    "Ready?" Grey asked, his voice carrying a calm ferocity. Everyone around him nodded with silent resolve. "Then let''s join the fray."


    A hundred razor-sharp wind blades shimmered into existence above Grey, slicing through the air like ghostly sabers.


    Beside him, Lyra¡ªriding atop her wind dragon¡ªsummoned two hundred more, the sky above darkening with swirling blades of death. The others crouched, primed to pounce.


    "Destroy," Jack commanded coldly.


    "Obliterate them," Grey added with a smirk, his eyes gleaming.


    Then chaos erupted.


    A storm of spells rained from the sky, crashing into the ranks of the undead.


    Dante''s fifty earth spears launched upward, and in a blinding instant, multiple explosions shattered the battlefield, dirt and debris flying in all directions.


    An ogre roared, swinging its massive sword and deflecting an earth spear with brute force¡ªonly for a wind blade to whistle through the air and cleave its head clean off.


    Nearby, fire magic engulfed another ogre, turning the snarling beast into a charred husk.


    Greg fired ten lightning arrows that zipped through the air, crackling with energy. They tore limbs off zombies and sent skeleton soldiers flying like broken toys.


    Jay and Charlotte stood side by side, their eyes glowing with determination as they launched wave after wave of water orbs that pummeled the oncoming undead.


    The speed of their attacks kept the monsters at bay¡ªif only barely.


    Growing tired of the volley approach, Jay clenched his fists. "Let''s step it up." A dozen water slashes erupted from his hands, slicing cleanly through several zombies¡ªonly for something eerie to occur.


    The zombies began to group together, eerily synchronized, like puppets on a single string.


    In unison, they lifted their decaying arms and conjured wind blades¡ªdozens from each monster¡ªforming a deadly barrage of nearly two hundred blades aimed straight at the students.


    "Arthur!" Grey yelled.


    "On it!" Arthur responded instantly. He slammed his hands together, and a transparent, shimmering bubble surrounded the group just in time.


    The wind blades slammed into it with explosive force, causing a deafening, reverberating hum. Cracks spidered across the surface as Arthur coughed out a speck of blood.


    "Let it down!" Dante shouted.


    The barrier dropped, and the remaining wind blades surged forward¡ªonly to meet a massive earth pillar that Dante raised with a powerful stomp.


    The stone smashed through the incoming blades, neutralizing the threat.


    "Dave!" Grey barked.


    "For the record," Dave snarled, stepping forward, "I''m only helping to pay that necromancer back for slicing my foot. Don''t get cocky!"


    A massive crescent-shaped slab of gleaming metal burst forth from his hands, spinning violently as it flew into the undead horde. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It cleaved through at least a hundred monsters, leaving only torn limbs and twitching corpses in its wake.


    "Sol!" Grey called.


    Sol''s eyes glowed as she summoned glowing runes that absorbed the crescent''s energy, condensed it, and launched it back at twice the speed and power.


    The reinforced attack ripped through another hundred undead like butter.


    The battlefield was now soaked in smoke, scorched earth, and the acrid scent of death.


    Despite the carnage, around eight hundred undead remained, steadily closing in.


    The students instinctively took a step back¡ªeveryone except Grey, who stood his ground like a defiant beacon.


    "Lyra, keep the wind blades coming!" Grey ordered.


    "But you''re right in their path!" she protested.


    "Just do it!" he snapped.


    "Fine!"


    More wind blades rained down from above, slicing through zombies, limbs flailing and heads rolling.


    The storm of magic continued, but the ogres¡ªlarger and more durable¡ªbatted away spells and withstood most assaults. Only a few had fallen so far. The rest were almost upon him.


    Grey clenched his fists. "My turn to go offensive." His voice dropped low, steady.


    "Lightning Creation Magic¡ªLightning Armor!"


    Crackling light enveloped him, electricity humming through the air with sizzling intensity.


    His legs were coated in gleaming lightning boots that sparked with each twitch, and instead of gauntlets, a pair of razor-edged lightning daggers crackled to life in his hands.


    "Keep the spells coming! Don''t worry about hitting me!" he shouted.


    Then came the boom.


    With a thunderous clap that rippled through the air, Grey vanished in a flash of light. He blitzed into the undead ranks, a streak of lightning tearing across the battlefield.


    His daggers crossed in an X, he tore through the first ogre, stabbing it in the skull and unleashing a surge of electricity that fried its brain before the body even hit the dirt.


    He blurred again¡ªanother ogre fell.


    He was a phantom, a storm with a human form. His lightning daggers weaved and slashed with precision and fury, dancing through the battlefield like death incarnate.


    Not even friendly fire slowed him¡ªhe evaded a wind blade with a sharp sidestep, letting it decapitate a zombie behind him.


    He skidded across the earth as a cluster of skeletons were impaled by Dante''s earth spikes.


    Without pause, Grey launched himself again, slicing through ogres and zombies like paper, leaving only sparks, blood, and ash in his wake.


    All of this happened in the span of seconds.


    The tide began to shift. Undead numbers dropped rapidly with Grey at the front.


    His speed was unreal¡ªneither allies nor enemies could keep up. Not even Jack could track his movements.


    Then Grey launched himself high into the air. A massive fireball flew past him and crashed into a pack of zombies, incinerating them. An ogre lunged at him with a wide swing¡ªbut Grey was faster.


    He landed, spun, and hurled a lightning dagger with all his might. The weapon screamed through the air, breaking the sound barrier before slamming into the ogre''s skull, dropping the beast instantly.


    Grey appeared among his allies again, calm, back turned to the remaining undead.


    "No need to waste your mana," he said, casually brushing dust from his shoulder.


    Greg frowned, crackling lightning in his hands. "What are you talking about? There''re still a hundred undead left!"


    "Are there?" Grey asked, smirking.


    A thunderous explosion erupted behind him, followed by the simultaneous collapse of all remaining undead. They fell like dominoes, lifeless, unmoving.


    Everyone stared in stunned silence.


    Jack clenched his fists, anger bubbling beneath his calm.


    Grey''s smirk widened. "So, Jack¡­ what now? Your mana''s spent. Your undead army''s gone. What can you possibly do?"


    Jack lowered his head, shoulders shaking.


    Then he laughed.


    Lifting a single finger, he said, "I still have allies."


    Shadows rippled at his feet. From the dark pool, a man clad in a black robe emerged, an eye patch covering his right eye.


    "Remember me?" the man asked with a twisted grin.


    Grey''s eyes widened. "You?!"


    __


    {A/N}


    Yeah! I also want to know who Grey saw???? damn it! What can I do to get more ASAP?????


    Well, you are just in luck because our mass release goals is the perfect thing for you all. Below are our goals for this week:


    150 power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters... Let''s crush these goals guys and the chapters will be ours!

 Chapter 220 - 220: A Familiar aura!

    A thousand undead surged forward, summoned by Jack with the singular aim of annihilating the Lunaria squad.


    But Grey¡ªever the anomaly, ever the Supreme Mage¡ªrose to meet the threat with unflinching resolve.


    Though he didn''t defeat them all on his own, his power blazed through the battlefield like a tempest, wiping out nearly half of the undead horde with a brilliance that silenced doubt.


    Now, with the last of the undead crumbling into bone and dust, the Lunaria squad stood only a few meters from Jack, who remained rooted in place.


    "What now?" Grey taunted, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Your mana''s depleted. Your army''s gone. You''re empty. What can you possibly do?"


    Jack kept his head bowed, shoulders trembling¡­ until a low chuckle escaped his lips. Slowly, he raised a finger.


    "I''m not alone," he said coolly.


    From the shadow rippling beneath him, a figure began to rise¡ªcloaked in a tattered black robe, a single eye glaring from behind a jagged eye patch.


    "Remember me?" the man rasped, and Grey''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "You?!" Grey exclaimed.


    "Who is that?" Sol asked, chest heaving with exhaustion. Her mana reserves had dwindled to a perilous three percent.


    "How are you still alive?" Jay demanded, stepping forward in disbelief.


    "Exactly!" Scarlet added sharply. "We killed you."


    "Wait¡­ You all know who this is?" Selene asked, puzzled. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A few months back," Greg explained, "we were assigned to investigate a bandit-infested town.


    That''s where we fought him. It was a brutal battle, and Jay landed the final blow. We thought he was dead¡ªbut maybe¡­ he wasn''t."


    "You''re right," the man replied with a bitter grin. "I was hanging by a thread¡­ until the boss saved me."


    Grey''s eyes narrowed as recognition sparked. "Now I get it. That emblem¡­" He pointed at the insignia on Jack''s robe. "You joined the Eclipse Pact, didn''t you?!"


    Jack glanced at his attire but said nothing.


    "Is that what you''re focused on right now?" Charlotte snapped.


    "Actually, yes," Grey replied. "Throughout the fight, the reason why I haven''t killed him was that I was trying hard to remember where I had seen that emblem from and now I know. So shall we wrap this up quickly?" He asked.


    Wind began swirling around him like a living thing, sharp and ready.


    "Oh, we shall," the robed man said with a wicked grin as thick mist began seeping from his body, cloaking the battlefield in a heavy fog.


    "Mist magic?" Dante scoffed. "He''s just a support, then. Useless."


    "Don''t be so quick to judge," Grey warned.


    Suddenly, fifty gleaming ice shards materialized around them, all aimed at their vital points.


    "Oh? So he''s packing Ice Magic too?" Sol muttered, arcane runes glowing faintly around her.


    The shards launched with terrifying speed¡ªbut Arthur stepped forward, slamming his palms together.


    A translucent, shimmering barrier expanded outward, enclosing the group. The shards struck, clinking and crackling¡ªbut failed to leave a mark.


    "Surprised?" Arthur grinned, his voice strained but defiant. "Last time, I was weak. But I found something that amplified my magic. I''m not out yet!"


    "Enough talking!" Jack snapped, waving his hand as the ice mage conjured twenty ice swords in mid-air.


    Selene''s fingers danced subtly behind the squad, her eyes locked onto the ice mage. As he released the shards, they veered off course and slammed harmlessly into the ground.


    "What the hell was that?" Jack growled. "Can''t you aim properly?"


    "If you wanted them dead so bad, maybe you should do it yourself," the mage shot back. Another volley of ten shards flew, only to be diverted again.


    "I can''t, idiot! I''ve got no mana left¡ªI''ve been fighting nonstop!"


    "Then stop rushing me!" the mage barked, launching ten more ice swords.


    Jack scoffed. "I didn''t even like you from the moment when they brought me in."


    "Feeling''s mutual," the mage snapped, his eyes scanning for interference. They locked on Selene, hands weaving strange signs. He looked down¡ªhis shadow writhed unnaturally.


    ''Shadow Magic¡­ so that''s your trick.''


    With a hiss, he summoned an enormous ice snake, launching it at breakneck speed.


    It crashed into Arthur''s shield before Selene could redirect it. The barrier cracked. Arthur staggered, coughing blood.


    "Drop the shield," Grey ordered.


    Crackling lightning formed around his arms, twisting into glowing gauntlets etched with runes.


    Arthur obeyed. The bubble vanished.


    "Time for payback," Grey said¡ªand vanished.


    "Wait¡ªhow is he faster than before?!" the ice mage gasped.


    He waved his hand frantically, fog wrapping around himself and Jack like a shroud.


    ''He can''t find me in this¡­''


    A crackle of lightning burst through the mist¡ªGrey reappeared, his aura surging with electric fury.


    "I can sense mana, you fool."


    The mage barely conjured a shield before Grey''s punch shattered it like glass. Ice shards exploded everywhere¡ªone even slicing Grey''s cheek.


    The mage skidded across the ground, blood trailing from his mouth.


    A voice echoed behind Grey.


    "I''ve had enough of you," Jack snarled, his cursed black hand aiming for Grey''s neck.


    But there was no resistance¡ªGrey had already moved.


    "I wanted Viktor to take his revenge¡­ but now I''ll show you how it''s done."


    Wind exploded outward from Grey''s body, a roaring tempest that blasted Jack out of the fog. The dense mist thinned momentarily as Jack tumbled across the ground.


    "You bastard!" the ice mage screamed in panic. Grey was far more powerful than their last encounter. Desperate, he hurled an ice arrow at blinding speed.


    Grey didn''t flinch.


    He caught the arrow between two fingers and stared at it before snapping it clean in half.


    "My turn."


    Two lightning arrows screamed from his hand, slamming into the mage. The force lifted him off the ground and flung him into unconsciousness, the fog finally vanishing.


    "And that''s how you deal with delusional fools," Grey said coolly.


    But then¡ªthey felt it.


    Another presence.


    From atop the unconscious bodies stood a man¡ªsmiling.


    "Hello, students of Lunaria," he greeted. "I''m Daze."


    Grey froze.


    ''That aura¡­ it''s him. The same presence I felt from the old man in the village months ago.''


    His heart pounded as he took an involuntary step back. ''Who is he? What is he? This¡­ this man is on a level I can''t touch.''


    "Don''t worry. I''m not here to kill you¡ªnot yet," Daze said casually. "Those two acted without my permission, and clearly, they lost. Miserably."


    Shadows coiled at his feet as Jack and the ice mage were dragged into them like dolls into quicksand.


    "No!" came a raw, thunderous scream.


    Viktor was awake¡ªstanding¡ªwhile Vanica lay collapsed beside him, utterly drained.


    "BRING HIM BACK! I need my revenge¡ªNOW!" Viktor bellowed.


    The very air trembled under his rage. Pressure surged, forcing the first-years to their knees. Even Grey struggled to stay upright. But Daze didn''t flinch.


    "You had your chance¡­ and you lost," Daze said as he slowly sank into the ground.


    "Live with that," he added. "And know¡ªI will return. Not just to end you¡­ but to burn your academy and kingdom to the ground."


    With that, he vanished.


    ---


    {A/N}


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 Chapter 221 - 221: A Sudden visit!

    "You had your chance... and you lost it," the man said coldly, his body slowly descending into the ground like a phantom fading into the abyss.


    "Live each day in dread, for I will return¡ªand when I do, I''ll reduce your precious academy and kingdom to dust."


    And then, he vanished.


    "No!!" Viktor''s anguished scream tore through the air. He dropped to his knees, his fists pounding the bloodstained earth as tears streamed down his face.


    Rage, sorrow, and frustration clashed violently within him. He had been so close¡ªso close to avenging his fallen friend.


    "Arghhh!" Dante collapsed backward, the exhaustion finally catching up to him. His body trembled, drained of every last ounce of energy.


    "I''m glad that''s over..." Lyra whispered breathlessly, her voice barely audible.


    Around them, the other students were already sprawled on the ground¡ªpanting, heaving, bruised and bloodied.


    Each one of them bore the mark of a war far beyond their years. The battle had been long, merciless, and unforgettable.


    All except one.


    Grey stood alone. Unyielding. Silent. His brown hair fluttered gently in the breeze as he stared at the spot where the man called Daze had sunk into the earth with Jack and the bandit.


    Sparks of lightning still flickered around his fists, casting eerie shadows across his face.


    ''Why did that aura feel so... foreign? So unnatural?


    It was the same energy that radiated from that old man I met not too long ago...


    And again at the town lord''s party¡ªit was there, hidden under layers of subtlety. I was too busy fighting that arrogant noble to focus on it back then, but now... it''s unmistakable.''


    Grey''s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched.


    ''Something larger is at play. Something older, darker, and far more dangerous than the otherworlders.


    A hidden force... pulling the strings from the shadows.


    Who are they? What are they?


    What the hell is going on in this world?!''


    His fists trembled as the sparks around them intensified.


    "Viktor¡­" Sol''s soft voice cut through the silence. She walked slowly toward the kneeling boy, her expression calm, yet touched with compassion.


    "I know it hurts. You think you''ve lost your chance... but what if you haven''t?"


    Viktor looked up, eyes red, his voice cracking. "What do you mean?! We were right there when they were rescued! Right in front of us!"


    "Yes, I know." Sol nodded. "But think about this¡ªJack isn''t gone. You scarred him, wounded his pride and body.


    That alone should tell you¡ªyou''re strong. Stronger than he ever expected. And if he hadn''t tricked you... you wouldn''t have lost."


    She knelt beside him, placing a hand gently on his shoulder.


    "Use that. Train harder. Prepare for the next time. Because there will be a next time. And when it comes¡ªcrush him. Leave no room for tricks."


    Viktor stared at her, breathing heavily. And then¡ªhe nodded, slowly wiping the tears and snot from his face.


    "You''re right... as much as I hate to admit it... this isn''t the end."


    Suddenly, a sizzling crack echoed across the field.


    A blinding white light flared behind them as a portal tore open in midair, pulsating with radiant, mystical energy.


    The students scrambled to their feet, battered and weary, but ready. Spells flared. Weapons rose.


    Even Grey, despite his exhaustion, crackled with fresh lightning¡ªhis instincts refusing to let down their guard.


    From the portal, a lone figure emerged. A silver robe danced around him like flowing mercury, adorned with the unmistakable Lunaria insignia.


    "Captain!" the students gasped in unison. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amir stood still, eyes slowly scanning the devastation. His gaze swept across the ruined village, the fallen undead, and the lifeless villagers scattered like broken dolls.


    "Damn it..." he muttered, voice laced with guilt. His fists clenched so tightly they turned pale, his teeth grinding as fury brewed within him.


    Then, his eyes fell on Grey¡ªlightning crackling around him like a vengeful storm, his expression unreadable.


    Grey stepped forward, closing the gap until only two meters separated them.


    "Where were you?" Grey asked, voice calm but brimming with restrained fury.


    Amir stuttered. "I¡ªI¡­"


    ''Why is the air... so heavy?'' Amir thought in alarm. ''His aura... it''s suffocating. How can a student emit this much pressure?''


    "I had an urgent mission to attend to," Amir finally managed.


    "An urgent mission?" Grey repeated¡ªand then, in a flash of light, he appeared right in front of Amir, eyes glowing, lightning flaring like an angry god.


    "Grey! What are you doing?!" Dante shouted from behind.


    "Don''t interrupt me," Grey said without turning, his voice like ice.


    "Hey! Who do you think you are?! That''s my father!" Dave shouted, summoning a gleaming metal blade and lunging forward.


    But he stopped dead in his tracks as a wind blade appeared out of nowhere¡ªpointed directly at his throat.


    The swirling magic around it radiated deadly power. He swallowed hard and slowly stepped back.


    "I''m having a conversation with the captain," Grey said, eyes still locked on Amir. "And I''d appreciate it if no one else interrupted... or else."


    Amir raised a hand slowly, trying to de-escalate. "I''m sorry I left you all here. The captains were summoned by the emperor for a dungeon raid. It was urgent... and dangerous."


    Grey''s eyes scanned him from head to toe. He saw the torn robe, the bruises along Amir''s face. The pain. The exhaustion.


    Eventually, the lightning faded from his hands.


    "Fine," Grey muttered, stepping away.


    "Wait... what happened here?" Amir asked. "Who was responsible for this?"


    "Jack," Viktor replied, voice like stone.


    "The same Jack?!" Amir''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "Yes. And he''s joined a group now," Sol said. "They call themselves... the Eclipse Pact."


    "Eclipse Pact?" Amir''s voice dropped. "Isn''t that...?"


    "Yes," Grey replied. "The same group who attacked a town under the guise of bandits."


    Amir groaned and rubbed his forehead. "This is giving me a headache..."


    He sighed. "Let''s return to the academy. We''ll discuss everything there. Viktor, Sol¡ªthank you for stepping in. All of you did well."


    A portal shimmered into existence, and one by one, the battered students, along with Amir, vanished.


    ---


    Far away, in a hidden location...


    Within the depths of a darkened chamber, men moved through twisting corridors carved from obsidian stone. Torches flickered with violet flames. And at the heart of it all, Daze walked silently, hands behind his back¡ªuntil he stopped.


    A bead of sweat rolled down his temple.


    The air had changed.


    A dense, unnatural pressure flooded the hall, coiling like a serpent around his body.


    And then¡ªwhoosh.


    A figure appeared before him.


    The newcomer wore a mask¡ªan eerie, obsidian faceplate that seemed to devour all light. Ancient runes pulsed across its surface, whispering secrets to the void.


    Its exaggerated grin, carved wide and unnatural, glared in frozen mockery. Black mist curled from its edges like tendrils, alive and watching.


    Its eye sockets were endless voids, within which flickered embers like dying stars.


    When the man spoke, his voice did not come from his mouth¡ªbut from the very air, as though reality itself shuddered under his words.


    "Oh?" Daze smiled, unfazed. "What brings one of the Twelve Zodiacs to my humble domain?"


    "You know of us?" the voice echoed eerily.


    Daze chuckled. "How could I not? What kind of god would I be if I didn''t know what slithers beneath my feet?"


    "That begs the question, then," the Zodiac replied, arms crossed. "Why would a so-called god descend to the mortal realm... and start an organization?"


    Daze grinned wider. "I was bored. The world above is dull. And your realm was no better. So I decided... to add a little spice."


    "We''ve already caused chaos across worlds. Isn''t that enough?" the voice asked.


    "Not for me. You''ve stirred things up, sure¡ªbut this continent? It''s far too peaceful. Wait¡ªyou attacked this world earlier, didn''t you?"


    "Yes."


    "And you retreated. Pathetic." Daze spat. "What happened?"


    "We didn''t retreat. We await the Devil''s word. When he calls¡ªwe strike."


    "Hmph," Daze scoffed. "So why are you here?"


    "To request your assistance," the Zodiac replied. "We cannot interfere directly at this time. Our attention is... elsewhere. We need your help locating someone."


    "Interesting." Daze tilted his head. "Aren''t your kind good at infiltration? Don''t you have agents within?"


    "We do. In fact, one of the Twelve sits within their ranks, highly influential. But he must maintain his cover. So we turn to you."


    Daze chuckled again. "I haven''t agreed to anything. But who''s this mysterious individual that has the mighty otherworlders so anxious?"


    "His name... is Grey," the Zodiac said. "Red-haired. Capable. Dangerous. We want him¡ªdead or alive."


    ___


    {A/N}


    Daze decided to stir up trouble coz he was bored of the realm above. And I decided to stir up a storm coz the book felt boring a bit????


    So listen up you all...an arc is coming soon. This arc will carry so many emotional tones and most especially fights where Grey will dominate as if it was nothing.


    Also, prepare for a new arrival guys! A character that''s so OP... Let me not spoil the fun ????????


    Our mass release goals are still active guys!


    150 power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters... Let''s crush these goals together guys!

 Chapter 222 - 222: Meeting of the captains!

    Weeks had passed since the catastrophic assault led by Jack, the necromancer tied to the clandestine group known as the Eclipse Pact.


    The devastation left in the wake of their attack on Goltas Village was harrowing¡ªnearly half the village lay in smoldering ruins, a blackened memory of what once stood.


    Thankfully, casualties were minimal. Most of the villagers managed to flee before the undead swarm consumed the settlement.


    In the aftermath, Lunaria Academy spared several units to assist in reconstructing the shattered infrastructure, offering both manpower and magical resources.


    Yet, the implications of the attack rippled far beyond Goltas. The bold strike against one of the Four Great Academies demanded immediate attention.


    And so, a high-level meeting was convened¡ªone that brought together the four captains of the empire''s elite institutions.


    However, the meeting would not unfold in some plain chamber.


    It took place at the heart of the empire¡ªthe royal capital¡ªwithin a monumental edifice known only as the Obsidian Hall.


    The structure loomed like a titan of black stone, its walls absorbing sunlight like a bottomless void.


    Golden inscriptions etched into its surface pulsed faintly with runic magic¡ªancient wards of secrecy and protection that whispered a single truth: what is said within, stays within.


    The enchanted steel double doors bore the sigil of the empire¡ªa cryptic crest recognizable only to captains, generals, and the emperor''s most trusted few.


    Inside, the temperature dropped instantly, a cold that wasn''t natural but born from the weight of age-old decisions, power plays, and wars planned in silence.


    The vast chamber was centered around a round table of polished obsidian, its surface etched with arcane glyphs that flared to life during discussions of great consequence.


    High-backed thrones encircled the table, each uniquely carved to reflect the soul and legacy of its occupant.


    The light overhead came from a massive chandelier composed of levitating crystals¡ªeach fragment glowing softly, connected to the empire''s magical ley lines and pulsing in tandem with its heartbeat.


    Narrow windows offered a haunting view of the capital below, though no one dared to be distracted. This place was not for idle admiration. It was for shaping destiny.


    Four captains now sat in those seats of power: Captain Ryan, stern and composed as always; Captain Alex, ever-arrogant, a blade of words and ego; Captain Sophia, fierce and proud; and Captain Amir, calm but unpredictable¡ªthe one whose academy had suffered most from the recent attack.


    Ryan, as the senior among them, took the lead, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "So you''re all telling me we have nothing? Not a single trace of this new group?"


    Amir leaned back, his tone even but heavy. "Not a shred. It''s like they emerged from the shadows, declared war, and vanished again. Ghosts with a vendetta."


    Alex sneered. "Interesting, considering one of your former students is among their ranks. He attacked your academy, did he not?"


    Amir''s eyebrow lifted in challenge. "And your point?"


    "My point," Alex said, lips curling, "is that your squad is clearly incompetent. If it were my students, Jack would be in chains, begging for mercy."


    "Tsk." Sophia rolled her eyes. "Who gave this narcissist a stage to perform? If I recall, your squad is the weakest among us."


    Alex''s eyes flared with contempt. "Didn''t I warn you not to interrupt me when I''m speaking?!"


    A wave of pressure burst from him, dense and suffocating.


    Sophia rose slowly, her power flaring as the ground quaked beneath her feet. "Who do you think you are trying to threaten? Me?! Just because you are a man, doesn''t mean you are stronger than us."


    "Enough!" Ryan''s voice boomed, laced with command. Instantly, the pressure in the hall dissipated. "We''re not here to stroke egos. We''re here because an unknown force dared attack one of us. Focus." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A tense silence followed.


    Sophia spoke again, her eyes narrowing at Amir. "Tell me, how did your academy survive, Amir? We heard Sol and Viktor arrived, but even they have their limits. The undead forces were relentless."


    Alex leaned forward. "Exactly. The only plausible explanation is that he descended. Your most prized student. The one they call the Demon."


    Amir chuckled darkly. "You think he''s my only trump card? You''re all so blind, it''s almost amusing. I have more. Many more. You just never noticed."


    Ryan''s brow arched. "Careful, Amir. Sounds like you''re throwing shade at the rest of us.


    Remember that Wysteria academy is still better than you lot. We can boast of the strongest and best students there is.


    The only academy that could give us a run for our money is Lunaria. And that is if he descends."


    "Whatever," Amir muttered. "Can we return to the reason we''re here?"


    Alex shrugged. "Sure. But we still have nothing. No leads. No location. Unless they attack again, we''re groping in the dark."


    "Then we make them come to us." Amir''s eyes lit up as an idea struck him. He snapped his fingers. "A beacon."


    Sophia tilted her head. "Explain."


    "During the interrogation, my students revealed Jack was recruiting¡ªno, hunting¡ªfor the strongest. He wanted to kill and possess powerful bodies for his army.


    So, we set a trap. We use strong students as bait¡­ place them in visible positions across key zones. If Jack is truly gathering forces, he won''t resist."


    "And then?" Ryan asked, voice even.


    "We strike," Amir said with a wicked smirk. "We follow. We find their base. We burn it to the ground."


    Alex scoffed. "Sounds both dumd and brilliant. A dangerous combination."


    "I didn''t expect a dumbass like you to grasp it fully," Amir replied with a dismissive wave. Alex bristled but said nothing.


    Ryan rubbed his temples. "We''ll shelve this for now. Let''s return with updates and evidence. This is giving me a headache."


    "Fine by me," Sophia said, rising. "My girls and I have business anyway."


    "Meeting adjourned," Ryan declared, and one by one, the captains began filing out.


    Just as Amir turned to leave, a voice pierced his mind¡ªsharp, shrill, and undeniably not his own.


    "Why didn''t you tell them?"


    Amir''s steps slowed. His eyes narrowed, but his expression remained unreadable. Because it wasn''t necessary, he replied silently.


    "I won''t speak of Grey''s condition until I know for sure. If what I suspect is true¡­ then they may have truly descended. But¡­ I pray I''m wrong."


    He stepped through the hall''s great doors and vanished into the gathering dusk, his thoughts darker than the obsidian walls behind him.

 Chapter 223 - 223: A boss level mission!

    The academy grounds had returned to normalcy, almost as if nothing had happened.


    The towering buildings stood tall, the damage from the attack seamlessly repaired.


    The nearby village that had once been ravaged now bustled again with life¡ªits wounds patched and scars hidden beneath the surface.


    Everything seemed fine... at least on the outside.


    The students resumed their academic duties with renewed focus, as though no shadows of the past lingered. But for Grey, the unease hadn''t passed.


    He still couldn''t shake the ominous aura he had sensed¡ªnot once, but thrice. Each time, it felt distinct... powerful... and dangerously unfamiliar. What exactly were they?


    Training resumed with full intensity. Each student poured their heart and might into it, pushing their limits daily.


    Von occasionally paired them up in sparring matches¡ªnot just to test their raw strength, but to evaluate how well they could complement one another in real combat scenarios.


    Raze was evolving at a remarkable pace. His mastery of various magics¡ªcopied from his comrades¡ªhad grown into a dazzling arsenal.


    His adaptability made him a valuable asset on the field. The only limitation that held him back was the fact that he could copy and wield only one magic at a time, and the effect lasted just 24 hours.


    Even so, with his quick thinking and versatility, he was a powerhouse in his own right.


    Still, Grey remained a step ahead.


    Despite struggling with progress in his own magic, he pushed forward relentlessly.


    Fusion Magic was proving elusive¡ªhe had studied it endlessly, devoured every page he could find¡ªbut apart from the three spells he had already managed to learn, the rest were still far beyond his reach.


    As for Creation Magic, there was stagnation. He had grown familiar with his usual constructs, and innovation had slowed.


    Apart from the instructors and a few upper-year students, no one truly knew just how many types of magic Grey possessed.


    Their team was steadily clearing missions, rising through the ranks. But today felt... different.


    A certain stillness hung in the air as they gathered in Von''s class, where a change in rhythm was about to take shape.


    "Welp! I''ve taught you all what I can teach," Von sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.


    "Didn''t realize I was dealing with a class full of geniuses. Everything I was meant to teach across the entire first year, you all somehow managed to grasp in just half the time."


    Grey blinked, briefly pulled from his thoughts.


    ''Seven months... It''s already been seven months since we started at the academy,'' he mused, eyes glazing over slightly.


    I wonder how Mum and Jesse are doing. I''ve been writing every month...


    The academy''s policy restricted incoming letters, but once a month, exceptions were made. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His mother''s replies had always been warm and comforting, full of reassurance. Lord Cedric was apparently still caring for them.


    Still, the ache in his chest remained.


    ''When will we be allowed to return home? I miss it. Elara, Randin, the elven town¡ªLicht... I miss everyone.''


    "What''s wrong, Grey? What are you thinking about?" Von asked, catching sight of the distant look on his face.


    "Nothing. Just homesick," Grey muttered.


    "Aww! Mama''s boy," Scarlet teased with a mischievous giggle.


    "Whatever." He barely looked at her.


    "I know most of you want to return home soon," Von said, his voice taking on a softer tone. "And you will. I promise."


    "How soon?" Raze asked eagerly. "I miss my dad."


    "After the academy''s Inter-Tournament," Von replied.


    "Inter-Tournament?" Greg echoed, raising a brow.


    "Yes," Von nodded. "Every year, Lunaria Academy holds an inter-academy tournament for its second- and third-year students.


    The winners go on to face champions from other academies across the continent."


    "So you mean we all get to head home after the second years are done with their tournament?" Grey asked, a flicker of hope in his voice.


    "Nope. After you complete the tournament¡ªin your second year," Von smirked, clearly amused.


    "I should''ve known," Grey grumbled under his breath.


    "Over the past few months, you''ve all ranked up impressively," Von continued. "All that stands between you and the next year is one more successful mission and two more months."


    "That''s right! In just two months, our first year will be done. We''re only one mission away," Arthur said, visibly excited.


    ''I can''t wait for second year, Grey thought. That breakthrough technique... It looked insanely powerful. If I can learn that, I might finally start catching up to those third years.''


    "Let''s just hope a mission comes in soon," Vince yawned, stretching when¡ª


    Bang!


    The classroom door slammed open with force. Captain Amir strode in, hands folded behind his back, boots echoing across the floor with authority.


    "Listen up, weaklings!" Amir barked.


    "Captain?!" the students exclaimed in unison, quickly jumping to their feet and saluting.


    "A mission just came in. One I think you lot can handle. Do it right, and you''ll finally earn the stars that''ll bump you up a year.


    Fail..." he shrugged, "...and you''ll be stuck waiting indefinitely. Who knows¡ªmaybe the academy won''t wait. They do expel stagnant students."


    "What''s the mission about?" Grey asked, stepping forward.


    "A beast portal break. A dangerous one," Amir said, tone grim.


    "Pfft! We''ve gone on countless portal break missions. What makes this one different?" Greg scoffed.


    "Because unlike those," Amir replied, eyes narrowing, "this time, our scans picked up something new¡ªa boss."


    "What level?" Scarlet asked instantly, her voice sharp.


    "Level seven, we think."


    "Where?" Vanica piped up, eyes gleaming despite her inexperience in combat.


    "You''ll be updated now," Amir said, snapping his fingers.


    Right on cue, a holographic projection shimmered into existence before them, displaying coordinates and mission specifics.


    "Good luck. Don''t mess this up," Amir warned.


    "We don''t really need luck," Grey said as his wind bird spiraled into the room, wings flaring with energy.


    "Oh, come on! Not again..." Von groaned as the students climbed aboard.


    With a single powerful flap, the majestic creature launched forward, slamming through the window and soaring into the sky with unrelenting speed¡ªheading straight for the portal site.


    "Do they always do that?" Amir asked, staring at the gaping hole now letting the wind whistle through the room.


    "Every time I brief them here," Von muttered.


    "This is going to cost a fortune in silver coins," Amir sighed. "Let''s just hope they don''t level half the town in the process."


    ___


    {A/N}


    Hi guys! Just wanted to inform you all that Magus Supremacy is participating in the Webnovel b-day event thingy so instead of the normal two chapters, I will be uploading three instead. Enjoy ??????

 Chapter 224 - 224: A good transport!

    The team soared through the skies atop Grey''s majestic wind bird, its powerful wings slicing through clouds as they raced toward the location where the portal had reportedly appeared.


    "You know," Greg chuckled, leaning slightly over the side, "if it wasn''t for how strong you are, you''d make one hell of a transport."


    "And you know," Grey replied with a sly smirk, not missing a beat, "if you weren''t going to be useful on this mission, I would''ve tossed you off a long time ago."


    As the bird began to descend, approaching the distant silhouette of the town below, a strange unease washed over Grey. Something felt off¡ªwrong.


    "Is it just me, or does that town look... completely untouched?" Vanica asked, squinting at the quiet buildings.


    The wind bird picked up speed, now flying at double its normal pace, slicing through the air with urgency.


    It was true. Normally, if a town were under beast attack, there''d be signs¡ªroaring flames, rising smoke, collapsed buildings. But here, there was only silence. No destruction, no chaos.


    "Huh? Did Captain Amir make a mistake?" Gordon, who was typically as quiet as a shadow, finally spoke up.


    His sudden voice startled Scarlet, who let out a yelp and turned to face him. "You! Why are you always so silent? I didn''t even notice you were here!"


    "That''s the plan," Gordon replied, deadpan.


    "No," Grey said, his eyes narrowing. "Captain Amir didn''t make a mistake. Something''s definitely wrong here."


    The wind bird began its descent, gliding lower and lower until the central square of the town came into view¡ªand then, they saw it.


    The portal.


    Dozens of beasts poured out of the swirling vortex, which crackled with arcane light and pulsed with eerie, otherworldly energy.


    Encircling it were towering reptilian monsters¡ªBonecrushers.


    Hulking, four-legged beasts that stood at nearly three meters tall, their bodies encased in gray, stone-like scales that deflected blades and magic alike.


    Their prehistoric crocodilian heads sported rows of jagged teeth and glowing yellow eyes filled with savage hunger.


    Despite their size, the Bonecrushers moved with terrifying speed.


    They could lunge forward like charging rhinos, and when they did, they unleashed their signature Titan Stomp¡ªa quake-inducing slam that generated shockwaves powerful enough to send anything nearby flying.


    Their tails, muscular and bristling with jagged bone spikes, could be used both as bludgeoning weapons and as deadly ranged projectiles.


    And when injured, their eyes flared crimson, entering a berserk Rage Mode that doubled their power and erased any hesitation.


    Once a Bonecrusher initiated its Unyielding Charge, there was no stopping it. Anything in its path would be trampled, shattered, or crushed into dust.


    Grey recognized them immediately¡ªhe had studied them in the archives, and everything matched.


    Just to confirm, he activated his Appraisal Skill, and sure enough, the data was clear: Level 5 Bonecrushers.


    Individually, they weren''t too dangerous for his group. But the problem was the numbers¡ªover a hundred of them, all gathered in front of terrified civilians who stood several meters away from the portal.


    And then, from the heart of the vortex, it emerged.


    The Boss.


    A monstrous, five-meter-tall scorpion-like creature stepped halfway out of the portal and loomed beside it.


    Its obsidian exoskeleton shimmered with dark, violet runes, casting faint pulses of cursed light.


    Its ten-meter-long body moved with unnatural elegance, the movement almost hypnotic.


    Eight crimson eyes glinted with intelligence and malice. Its massive pincers, capable of crushing boulders like twigs, snapped with lethal precision.


    And its segmented tail, dripping glowing green venom, swayed ominously over its back.


    Embedded in its carapace was a pulsating mana core that radiated sinister energy.


    The Boss didn''t advance. It stood sentinel, beside the portal, glaring up at the students with a predator''s focus.


    "Something smells fishy," Jay muttered. "Why haven''t they attacked the humans yet?"


    "I think these ones... they''re intelligent," Gordon responded, eyes fixed on the boss. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Whatever the reason, let''s get this over with," Scarlet said curtly¡ªand without another word, she launched herself off the bird.


    Her body became a streak of flame, limbs tucked in tight as fire erupted from her arms and legs. The wind tore through her red hair as she plummeted, descending like a meteor.


    And then¡ªimpact.


    She slammed into the ground with explosive force. A ring of fire and shockwaves burst outward, knocking back the front ranks of Bonecrushers.


    "You shouldn''t charge in all by yourself," Vince said, standing at the bird''s edge. With a mighty flap of its wings, the wind bird unleashed a volley of razor-sharp wind blades.


    The beasts moved. Shockingly fast.


    They darted out of the way, and the blades tore into the earth instead, sending clouds of dust spiraling into the sky.


    Grey''s voice rang out calmly, aimed at the civilians frozen in place. "Get out of here. Unless you''re prepared to die, run."


    The people didn''t need to be told twice. They fled, scattering like leaves in the wind, leaving only the team to face the monstrous tide¡ªand the boss that watched them like a spider eyeing prey caught in its web.


    "Just like Scarlet said," Grey muttered, the wind bird vanishing beneath him in a burst of air, "we don''t have much time."


    The wind around him gathered with urgency, converging into his outstretched palm.


    "Wind Magic: Sky Cutter!"


    A colossal horizontal slash of compressed wind energy burst forth with thunderous speed, ripping through the ranks of Bonecrushers and tearing a deep scar into the earth.


    The arc cut down a dozen of them instantly and crashed into the portal''s base before finally dissipating, leaving chaos in its wake.


    Eighty-eight beasts remained. And the boss had started to move.


    It slammed its pincers into the ground, and with a guttural roar, its army surged forward.


    Grey stepped in front of his teammates, his expression unreadable.


    "This battle''s not mine to finish. I''ve done my part. Now... someone else waits for me."


    And with that, he vanished.


    He became a blur, wind swirling around his body, propelling him through the swarm of beasts like a phantom.


    He dodged bone spikes, sidestepped gnashing jaws, and left decapitated corpses in his wake.


    Then, he was face-to-face with the boss.


    Seeing him approach, the monstrous scorpion flicked its venom-dripping tail¡ªand in response, Grey unleashed a barrage of fireballs, each one striking its exoskeleton in a cascade of explosions.


    Smoke filled the air.


    But as it cleared, the beast remained¡ªunharmed.


    In a blink, it appeared before him.


    Its enormous tail lashed out, venom gleaming in the sunlight¡ªheading straight for Grey''s head.


    ___


    {A/N}


    This is the third chapter I was talking about guys! Enjoy????


    Also, kindly support with power stones, Golden tickets, gifts or even comments because all these allows me to keep on pumping chapters out for you all.


    Another day to remind you all that our mass release goals are still active guys!


    150 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 chapters... Let''s crush these goals guys together!??????

 Chapter 225 - 225: Rematch!

    The team was on a mission to contain a portal break¡ªbut things had taken a sharp turn for the worse.


    Grey had dashed off to engage the boss of the breach, leaving the others behind to confront a wave of eighty-eight Level 5 beasts, each more monstrous than the last.


    They charged in with terrifying speed, their snarls echoing across the broken battlefield, each thunderous step sending tremors through the ground.


    The stampede was relentless, a blur of muscle, claws, and bone. In that crucial moment¡ªwhen it looked like the students would be overwhelmed¡ªArthur stepped forward.


    In the blink of an eye, a transparent bubble shimmered into existence around the group, snapping into place just as the beasts collided against it.


    The barrier rippled with energy as spiked tails and fanged maws crashed into it. But instead of giving way, it hurled the monsters backward in bursts of kinetic force.


    "I guess the bubble can handle attacks from Level 5 beasts," Arthur muttered, watching the creatures lash out.


    Their long, muscular tails¡ªlined with sharp, bony spikes¡ªslammed repeatedly into the barrier, trying to tear it apart. But the shield held strong... for now.


    "It''s only a matter of time before the bubble fails," Vanica warned, her tone grim.


    "Can it absorb attacks?" Greg asked, curiosity flashing in his eyes.


    "I''m not sure. Never actually tried it," Arthur replied honestly.


    "Well, now''s the perfect time to experiment," Greg said with a smirk. Crackling arcs of lightning flared around his hands as he brought them together.


    As his palms parted, a glowing ball of condensed lightning formed¡ªso bright and wild that the others shielded their eyes.


    With a thunderous thrust, he hurled the orb toward the barrier.


    "No! What if it breaks?!" Scarlet shouted¡ªbut it was too late.


    The lightning sphere collided with the shield. Instead of shattering it, the energy dispersed across the surface in a spectacular web of voltage. The bubble surged with electricity, crackling like a live storm.


    Then the real surprise happened.


    As the beasts lunged again, tails raised for a fresh assault¡ªsharp bolts of redirected lightning erupted from the barrier, zapping the attackers with ruthless precision.


    The monsters recoiled, yelping and snarling in frustration, now glaring at the shield with a mixture of fear and rage.


    "They''ve backed off... for now," Jay noted, his eyes glowing blue as torrents of water swirled violently around him, the force making the bubble vibrate with pressure.


    "Grey took down a dozen on his own, right? Let''s see if I can double that. Arthur¡ªdrop the shield on my count."


    "Are you sure?" Arthur asked, coughing lightly as he noticed the beasts preparing to charge again.


    "One!" Jay shouted, eyes locked on the dozen beasts that had moved to the front of the pack while others held back, biding their time.


    "Two!" Jay continued, tension crackling in the air.


    Arthur''s muscles tensed. Flames ignited on Scarlet''s hands, casting an orange glow on her face. Twin metal blades materialized in Vince and Raze''s grip.


    Greg''s lightning blade crackled dangerously in his hand. Vorden, Gordon, and Vanica stood further back, eyes sharp, ready for what was to come.


    "Three! Now!" Jay roared.


    The bubble vanished.


    The beasts didn''t hesitate. Sensing an opportunity, they charged forward like a tsunami of flesh and fury.


    "Water Creation Magic¡ªSerpent of the Sea!" Jay roared.


    From the swirling vortex of water surrounding him, a colossal serpent emerged, its liquid body gleaming with translucent blue, long horns curling back from its head, fangs glistening like ivory daggers. With explosive speed, the serpent surged forward.


    The charging beasts tried to dodge, but they were too late.


    The serpent slammed into them, tearing them apart with savage precision. Its tail whipped around like a battering ram, smashing others into crumbling buildings, shattering walls and sending debris flying.


    "I think it''s time for you all to attack," Jay said, breath controlled but voice sharp.


    "Didn''t need you to tell me that," Scarlet snarled.


    She rushed forward, meeting two Bone Crushers head-on. As they swung their barbed tails toward her, she skidded to a stop and grabbed one tail mid-swing with a fiery hand. Flames erupted¡ªbut the attack barely scorched the beast''s thick hide.


    Suddenly, jagged fangs lunged at her from the side.


    With a swift upward motion, she released a blast of flame, catching the creature''s face and sending it skidding away with blackened, smoking flesh.


    But before she could react, another tail struck her side, sending her hurtling across the battlefield.


    She rolled across the ground, crimson streaks trailing from her lips. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn it... too slow," Scarlet coughed, her vision spinning. Another beast was almost on top of her, jaws wide open, ready to snap.


    Thwip!


    A flaming arrow pierced the creature''s eye, a searing hole bored through its skull before it collapsed beside her with a bone-rattling thud.


    But another tail came swinging from behind. She barely stepped back in time as it grazed her cheek, slicing a thin line of blood across her face.


    "Curses," she spat. "Can''t do this alone."


    She raised a hand to the sky, smirking. "Fire Creation Magic¡ªDragon of Hell!"


    A miniature dragon erupted above her in a swirling storm of fire, its nostrils billowing smoke. Its reptilian eyes glowed with fury.


    "Let''s go for a rematch."


    Meanwhile, Greg had become a blur of motion, weaving through the enemy ranks with a dancer''s grace and a predator''s speed.


    His lightning blade clashed with a beast''s spiked tail, sending showers of sparks flying.


    Sensing a strike from behind, he zipped to the side, narrowly avoiding a tail that smashed into the ground, splitting the earth open.


    With a sharp pivot, Greg spun on one foot and slammed his sword into an incoming beast''s jaws. The impact sent him skidding backward, but the beast staggered.


    "You picked the wrong fight!" Greg growled.


    He channeled lightning into one hand while gripping the sword with the other. Then, with brutal force, he slammed both into the beast''s skull.


    A burst of lightning exploded on impact, frying the creature''s brain. It dropped to the ground, smoking.


    But his triumph was short-lived.


    Before he could move, another tail slammed into his ribs from the side. Greg was flung into the air, his body crashing into the ground with bone-jarring impact.


    He tumbled across the battlefield like a ragdoll before coming to a stop¡ªmotionless.


    Blood spilled from his mouth, and his limbs twitched slightly, but he couldn''t move. He was too dazed, too broken.


    Five Bone Crushers surged toward him, their eyes gleaming with the hunger of hunters who sensed their prey was defenseless.


    One beast raised its spiked tail high above Greg''s head, ready to deliver the killing blow.


    From the backlines, Vorden screamed, panic overtaking him. "Greg!"


    It was too late.


    Until¡ª


    BANG!


    BZZZZZT.


    A streak of lightning shot through the air, and a hand¡ªcrackling with electricity¡ªclamped down on the spiked tail just inches from Greg''s head.


    The figure didn''t flinch.


    "Damn it," a voice growled. "If you all want to fight, do it right. Stop making me play the hero."


    ___


    {A/N}


    I''m sorry for the late upload guys! I was in class and just coming out of the class... So sorry for posting late.

 Chapter 226 - 226: Focus on your fight!

    The boss, sensing the surge of power radiating from Grey, let out a guttural screech. Its long, venom-laced tail swayed menacingly from side to side, carving jagged arcs in the air as it eyed him with lethal intent.


    Grey didn''t hesitate. He darted forward, conjuring a dozen fireballs in a blazing ring around him before launching them toward the monstrous creature in a fiery barrage.


    The searing flames exploded against the beast''s thick exoskeleton, shrouding it in dense smoke. But as the haze dispersed, Grey''s eyes widened.


    The creature stood unscathed¡ªits armored body glinting ominously under the light. And then, in a terrifying blink, it appeared right before him.


    Its tail, slick with viscous green venom, came hurtling toward his skull.


    Boom!


    An earth wall surged up just in time, intercepting the deadly strike. The impact sent tremors through the wall, cracking it from top to bottom before it shattered into dust.


    Grey had already sidestepped, reacting with lightning-fast instincts. He retaliated, unleashing a dozen lightning bolts that arced through the air with a sharp crack!¡ªeach aimed at the beast''s torso.


    But the creature raised its massive pincers, absorbing the blows. It skidded back slightly, claws sparking against the stone beneath it.


    "I''m still not done, you know?" Grey muttered with a smirk.


    Above the beast, four razor-sharp wind blades formed with a violent howl before slicing downward at high velocity.


    But the monster was even faster. It zipped away, the blades missing by mere inches and embedding deep into the ground, leaving long, jagged cracks in their wake.


    The ground suddenly trembled beneath Grey''s feet. His senses screamed danger.


    Boom!


    Without warning, the creature burst from underground like a missile, its venomous tail slashing at him with terrifying speed.


    "Shit!" Grey cursed, earth rapidly hardening around his arms. He caught the tail mid-swing, his muscles straining against its sheer force. But he didn''t have time to celebrate.


    Wham!


    The beast''s colossal pincers slammed into his side, sending him flying backward. Blood splattered midair as pain exploded across his ribs. He crashed into the dirt, coughing violently.


    The beast let out another shriek, slamming its claws into the ground. With frightening speed, it disappeared below once more.


    "Crap," Grey muttered, eyes wide, jumping forward just as the creature erupted behind him with a devastating swipe. "This has suddenly gotten trickier."


    The monster began pounding the earth in a frenzied rage, each blow shaking the ground like an earthquake.


    Grey staggered, momentarily losing balance¡ªand that was all the beast needed. It materialized in front of him and smashed its pincers into his chest.


    Boom!


    Grey soared through the air like a broken doll, landing hard. Dust and blood filled his vision.


    "What are you doing?!" Noir''s voice echoed furiously in his mind as he staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his lips. The beast was already preparing to burrow again.


    "Trying, you bossy piece of contract!" Grey spat. "You think I''m enjoying this?!"


    The beast emerged at his side, tail whipping toward him again. Grey snapped his fingers, summoning another earth wall, but it shattered like glass under the impact, sending him tumbling again.


    "I mean, it does look like you''re playing around," Noir added dryly.


    "Screw you, Noir!" Grey barked.


    The beast lunged, pincers descending. But this time, wind surged around Grey''s hands.


    With a violent thrust, he blasted a powerful gust forward. The windstorm slammed into the creature, forcing it back.


    Yet even mid-flight, its tail snapped out like a whip, aiming for Grey''s head. He twisted at the last second, the tail narrowly missing.


    "Aren''t you going to ask for my help?" Noir teased, voice dripping with sarcasm.


    "Just shut up, Noir!" Grey growled, gathering wind into a tight spiral. "Sky Cutter! Sky Cutter! Sky Cutter!"


    Three bladed wind slashes exploded forth, howling through the air. The beast dove underground to evade them, and the blades sliced through two dozen Bone Crushers behind it¡ªcleaving them clean in half, their corpses slamming to the earth in bloody heaps.


    "Earth Magic!" Grey called, eyes tracking the rumbling ground. "Earth Spikes!"


    Jagged pillars of stone erupted from the ground in erratic patterns, aiming to impale the creature. It burst out to escape, only to be met by a massive fireball that detonated against its chest. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The explosion flung it back, smoke and embers trailing behind. Yet, its exoskeleton bore only a faint scorch¡ªno real damage done.


    It attempted to burrow again, but this time Grey launched another barrage of spikes from above. They rained down, but each one snapped upon contact with its shell.


    "Damn it! My earth magic''s too weak to pierce that thick armor¡­" he hissed.


    Glancing toward the others, he saw them locked in fierce combat, each fighting multiple Bone Crushers. But he had no time to worry.


    "Will you focus on your own fight?!" Noir barked.


    The beast exploded from below, tail slashing again. Grey reacted instantly. Lightning surged through his feet and he zipped out of harm''s way, launching four lightning arrows mid-dash.


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    The arrows struck home, sinking into the beast''s hide and unleashing jolts of electricity. The creature screeched, tail lashing madly.


    "Gotcha¡ª" Grey began.


    Then a scream rang out.


    "GREG!!!" Vorden''s voice tore through the chaos.


    Grey spun. His eyes locked onto Greg''s unmoving form on the ground. Five Bone Crushers were converging, one already swinging its tail toward the boy''s head.


    "Crap!" Grey hissed.


    Lightning exploded around him, coating his limbs. His gauntlets and boots surged with energy.


    BOOM!


    He vanished in a flash of blue, reappearing between Greg and the tail¡ªmere meters from impact.


    His hand thrust out, grabbing the venomous appendage with raw fury etched on his face.


    "Damn it! If you guys want to fight, then fight properly!" he growled, lightning crackling violently around his arm. "Stop forcing me to play the damn hero!"


    __


    {A/N}


    I''m sorry once more for uploading chapters late today... I had to go to school early today and I woke up late so I couldn''t publish on time... I''m just coming out of class now so I hope you all can forgive me????

 Chapter 227 - 227: Not over yet!

    "Damn it! If you all want to fight, then do it right and stop forcing me to play the damn hero," Grey growled, lightning crackling fiercely around his clenched fists as he gripped the Bone Crusher''s tail without flinching.


    The beast snarled and thrashed, trying to rip its tail free, but it was completely stuck¡ªas if caught in a vice grip forged by a god.


    Beside it, the remaining beasts prepared to lunge, while farther back, the boss creature began to shrug off the lingering stun effect of Grey''s earlier lightning strike.


    "I don''t have time for this," Grey muttered coldly.


    With a sudden heave, he swung the massive Bone Crusher like a ragdoll, spinning it with terrifying force before slamming it into the other four beasts.


    The impact cracked the earth and sent them flying in different directions like broken toys.


    Still gripping the dazed creature''s tail, Grey raised it high and smashed it headfirst into the ground.


    The sound of skull meeting stone echoed across the battlefield. Blood splattered. The creature twitched once, then went still¡ªits thick skull shattered like glass.


    Ten more Bone Crushers came charging with bone-rattling fury. But Grey simply lifted his hand, and wind surged around it in a growing vortex.


    A massive, condensed horizontal slash of air formed¡ªshimmering like a blade forged from the sky itself.


    With a swift sweep of his arm, the blade surged forward. In less than a second, it cleaved through the onrushing beasts, tearing them apart mid-charge. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Limbs and torsos flew in different directions, their pieces thudding grotesquely onto the cracked earth.


    Silence fell.


    The remaining monsters, once brimming with confidence, backed away in fear. They no longer dared to confront him. And if they could speak, their words would be the same:


    "A monster walks among us."


    "Ugh..." A soft groan broke the stillness. Grey glanced down to see Greg twitching beneath his feet, slowly regaining consciousness.


    "Well, well... The weakling awakens from his beauty sleep," Grey remarked dryly.


    Greg''s eyes snapped open, his gaze meeting Grey''s as he took in the bloody remains of shattered beasts and scorched earth around them.


    One beast lay with its head caved in; others were torn limb from limb. The very ground looked like it had been clawed open by a titan.


    "Because of your sorry ass, I had to come down here and clean up your mess," Grey muttered with a sigh.


    "Like I needed your help," Greg snapped¡ªonly to spot, from the corner of his eye, a Bone Crusher lunging toward Grey from behind.


    Before he could react or summon a single bolt, a sharp wind blade sliced through the air and impaled the beast''s skull. It collapsed with a lifeless thud.


    "You were saying?" Grey asked without even glancing back.


    "Stop acting like you''re better than me! You''re a peasant. Know your place!" Greg snarled as he struggled to his feet, glaring at Grey.


    Grey smirked, about to reply¡ªwhen a deep, guttural roar echoed from behind. He turned just in time to see the boss beast stirring.


    "I''ll be right back," he said calmly, and with a sonic boom, vanished in a blur, kicking up a wave of dust into Greg''s face.


    "Show-off," Greg muttered, then turned to scan the battlefield.


    ''But with him coming here for a short moment, he has managed to obliterate a dozen beasts. How does he keep doing it?''


    Across the field, Raze and Vince fought side by side, facing down two aggressive Bone Crushers.


    With a sharp clap, a volley of metallic bullets fired from Vince''s gauntlet, smashing into one of the beasts and sending it skidding backward.


    Raze leapt into the air with a massive metal sword, bringing it down like thunder and cleaving through the creature''s skull.


    The second beast lunged toward Raze, its muscular tail ready to crush. But Vince stepped in, battered and bleeding, his metal shield raised just in time to absorb the blow.


    The impact echoed like a gong, and blood trickled from his mouth.


    "Do something already!" Vince grunted as the beast''s tail swung again.


    "On it... but this will drain me completely," Raze warned, the air around him growing dense with power.


    "Just do it!" Vince shouted as the shield cracked under pressure. With a final tail strike, the shield shattered, and Vince was sent flying.


    "Here it goes!" Raze roared.


    A colossal sword¡ªeight meters long¡ªmaterialized in the air above the beast. Blood poured from Raze''s nose and mouth as he forced the spell into existence.


    With a snap of his fingers, the sword plunged downward, bisecting the beast with brutal finality.


    As it collapsed, so did Raze, his mana core depleted. Vince rushed over just in time to catch him.


    "How''d you pull that off? Your Copy Magic shouldn''t let you cast more than I can¡­ and I can''t do that," Vince said, panting.


    "If I did it, it means you can. You''re just scratching the surface. Dig deeper," Raze replied, turning to look at the others still fighting.


    Jay danced between enemies with two water blades in hand, his movements ragged but calculated.


    Though his body bore injuries, he avoided every strike aimed at his vitals, exchanging pain for precision.


    For every blow he received, the beasts paid double.


    A tail slammed the ground beside him, fracturing it. Jay flicked his fingers, launching a water orb that sent a beast skidding backward.


    He pivoted, slicing another beast''s incoming tail with a clean, fluid motion.


    Then, with a sharp thrust, his water blade shot from his hand like a missile, bisecting a beast''s skull.


    ''Damn. I''m running dry,'' Jay thought, switching tactics and launching multiple water orbs. They hit their marks but lacked the power of his earlier strikes.


    A tail lashed toward his head. He ducked, only for another to strike him from below, smashing into his jaw. Blood exploded from his mouth as his head whipped back.


    "Damn it! Enough of playing around!" he roared, fury overtaking pain. "Water Creation Magic¡ªSerpent of the Sea!"


    A towering serpent of pure water erupted from the earth, its fangs slicing through everything in its path.


    The watery beast tore into six Bone Crushers before vanishing into mist. Jay dropped to one knee, coughing blood, his body trembling.


    "That... was draining," he muttered, eyes scanning the field. Over half the beasts were now dead, but more than twenty still remained.


    Scarlet was the next most devastating force on the field. Her Fire Creation Magic had taken the form of a majestic dragon hovering above her.


    It rained hellfire upon the beasts¡ªblasts of flame and explosive fireballs that reduced everything they touched to ash.


    Still, the sheer number of enemies surrounding her was daunting¡ªuntil a loud voice pierced the chaos.


    "Hey, Scar! Time for a big one!"


    "What the hell? Who said you could shorten my name?!" she snapped, turning to see Greg¡ªlightning coursing around him, his expression deadly serious.


    "No time for drama. Let''s pour everything into one massive spell," Greg said.


    The lightning around him condensed into a growing ball above his head, sparking and surging with energy.


    "Fine," Scarlet gritted out, focusing as a massive fireball began to form above her. Her flaming dragon flickered in and out of existence as she funneled all her mana into the spell.


    The remaining beasts charged, tails raised, teeth bared. The duo stood unmoving.


    Just before impact, a transparent shield shimmered into existence, absorbing the brutal assault¡ªand shattering instantly.


    "Now!" Scarlet yelled.


    Both spells launched with thunderous force¡ªflames and lightning combining midair into a storm of destruction.


    The explosion consumed the last wave of Bone Crushers, electrocuting and incinerating them until not even ash remained.


    The scorched earth beneath them sizzled. Both Greg and Scarlet dropped to their knees, gasping for breath.


    But their brief moment of relief was shattered by a sudden shockwave that rippled across the battlefield, nearly lifting them off the ground.


    All eyes turned toward the source.


    At the center of the chaos stood Grey, locked in a furious clash with the Boss Beast¡ªeach blow shaking the world around them.


    The battle... wasn''t over yet.


    __


    {A/N}


    So sad???? we were unable to meet any of our target for this week so no extra chapters ????I just hope we can meet next week''s target which would be communicated to you all tomorrow.

 Chapter 228 - 228: Mission over!

    After saving Greg''s ass, Grey didn''t waste a second. Like a streak of lightning, he bolted toward the boss beast, which had finally shrugged off his earlier lightning attack.


    Bursting out of the cracked, rumbling earth with violent tremors, the monstrous creature twisted its grotesque form and locked its many eyes on Grey, who was rapidly approaching like a guided missile.


    With a sudden whip of its massive tail, it launched a crescent slash of viridian venom toward him.


    Grey pivoted on one foot with flawless precision, narrowly evading the acidic projectile. In retaliation, he fired a searing arrow of lightning that crackled through the air like a bolt from the heavens.


    But the beast was relentless. It burrowed into the ground with astonishing speed, vanishing beneath the shifting terrain.


    Moments later, it erupted from behind Grey, swinging its jagged pincers with lethal intent¡ªbut a solid wall of earth surged up, intercepting the blow and absorbing the crushing impact.


    In an instant, the wall shattered into chunks, but spikes of stone erupted from the debris and lunged at the beast.


    They slammed into its glistening exoskeleton with loud metallic clangs. It was like bullets bouncing off armor¡ªloud, useless impacts that echoed across the battlefield.


    The creature growled, furious, and slammed its body into the ground. The shockwaves sent vibrations rippling outward, throwing Grey slightly off-balance.


    It seized the opportunity.


    The beast dashed forward, pincers slicing the air toward the tumbling mage¡ªbut¡­


    "Sike!" Grey grinned.


    He levitated swiftly into the air using wind magic, gliding above the battlefield with grace.


    From his new vantage point, something on the beast''s body caught his eye.


    At the core of its torso, a pulsating orb of mana radiated a deep, unnatural glow¡ªalive with raw energy.


    ''That... is that its life force? Its power source?'' Grey thought, but he didn''t have the luxury of reflection.


    The beast whipped its tail, unleashing several venomous slashes that tore through the air toward him.


    But in midair, Grey danced around them with aerial elegance. Each slash missed him by mere inches.


    In swift retaliation, he conjured multiple Sky Cutters¡ªblades of wind sharp enough to cleave boulders.


    They tore through the battlefield toward the beast, but once again, it burrowed underground, evading the attacks as the Sky Cutters raked deep scars into the earth.


    "I hate that damn burrowing ability. If only I could stop it just for a second¡­" Grey muttered under his breath.


    The creature burst out again, and this time Grey responded with a dozen lightning arrows, firing them like rapid-fire artillery.


    The beast spun, presenting its hardened, shimmering purple exoskeleton.


    The arrows struck true, sending waves of crackling energy rippling through its body.


    The creature convulsed slightly, but still endured, roaring as it whipped its tail again, sending another flurry of venomous slashes toward Grey.


    "I''ll give it to you¡ªyou''re definitely living up to your Level 7 ranking," Grey smirked as he twisted and weaved through the air, his movements graceful and calculated.


    One slash narrowly grazed past his cheek, but didn''t touch him. Another aimed for his arm, but with a swing of his hand, a wind blade materialized and shattered the attack.


    "But see, there''s one big problem here," Grey added.


    He suddenly dived.


    A sonic boom erupted as he broke through sound barriers, descending at insane velocity. With a thunderous crash, he smashed into the beast''s face.


    The shockwave was enormous, kicking up dust and debris that washed over the battlefield and rattled spectators far away.


    The beast staggered back, black blood oozing from its face as it skidded across the dirt, its limbs flailing. A victorious grin stretched across Grey''s face.


    "I''ve fought plenty of Level 7s¡ªand I always find a way to win."


    He snapped his fingers.


    Four lightning arrows darted forward, homing in on the bruised spot he''d just punched.


    They slammed into its face, including its crimson eyes, which sizzled and burned from the impact.


    The creature howled in pain, writhing and swinging its tail in blind desperation, launching venomous waves¡ªbut none reached Grey. Earth walls rose one after the other, blocking them all.


    "Now that I''ve got you standing still¡­" Grey said, his voice cold with focus.


    The earth beneath him cracked and trembled. Then¡ªboom!¡ªa colossal arrow forged from solid earth surged upward, flames roaring along its shaft.


    Lightning sparked at the tip, encasing it in a radiant glow of elemental fusion. Fire, lightning, and earth¡ªcombined into one weapon.


    The beast screeched, squirming madly. Out of its eight eyes, four had already been destroyed. It snapped open the remaining ones and saw the incoming projectile.


    Panicked, it burrowed again¡ªthis time, reappearing at Grey''s far right, faster than ever before.


    It swung its pincers.


    BOOM!


    The impact crashed into Grey''s side, sending him flying like a ragdoll. Blood sprayed from his mouth as ribs cracked under the sheer force. He smashed into a building, leveling it completely.


    "ARGHHHHHHH!" Grey cried out in agony, blood dripping from his forehead.


    The rumble of the ground signaled the beast coming for more. It burst out again, swinging its tail toward him. But Grey ducked in time.


    A fierce burst of wind exploded from his position, slamming into the beast and pushing it back.


    Two blazing fireballs orbited around him¡ªthen with a snap of his fingers, they shot forward, crashing into the monster and sending it stumbling once again.


    "Earth Magic¡ªBind!" Grey shouted.


    Stone tendrils erupted from beneath the beast''s feet, anchoring them tightly to the ground. No matter how hard it struggled, it couldn''t move.


    "You''re one persistent bastard, I''ll give you that. But no matter what you try¡­ you''ll never defeat the Supreme Mage!" Grey declared, fury igniting in his eyes.


    "Wind Magic¡ªAerius Ultra!"


    A storm-level gust howled to life, amplifying the flaming, lightning-charged arrow. The sound was deafening¡ªa thunderclap that rang in every ear. The arrow rocketed forward like divine punishment.


    The beast, desperate, flailed and swung its tail one final time to stop Grey¡ªbut earth walls surged up, blocking every slash.


    BOOM!


    The elemental arrow hit the beast from behind with cataclysmic force. Wind blasted outward, flattening the surrounding terrain and making a nearby building quake.


    The arrow pierced the beast''s body completely, shattering the pulsating mana core at its back. The tip emerged from its front¡ªbloodied and sizzling.


    It let out a final, strangled screech before its body collapsed.


    The portal in the distance, once swirling violently, shimmered a few times¡­ then vanished.


    Grey fell to his knees, panting heavily, his body trembling from exhaustion.


    "Finally¡­ the mission is over!" Vorden''s voice rang out, breaking into sobs.


    Tears streamed down his cheeks, and others followed suit¡ªrelieved, overwhelmed.


    "We¡­ we did it! We finally earned enough stars¡­ to move up to the second year!" Vanica cried, dropping to her knees as tears flowed freely.


    "Will you pull yourself together and start healing people?" Greg barked.


    "Ri¨Cright!" Vanica stammered, snapping back to reality. She summoned five luminous birds, and they flew out, gently landing on the wounded. One by one, the injuries faded under their healing glow.


    A few minutes later, the lightbirds dispersed, and the students stood¡ªwounded, but alive.


    Grey summoned his wind bird once more.


    "Let''s head back," he said with a weary but proud tone.


    Scarlet raised her hands, and with Grey''s help, flames swept across the battlefield, incinerating the corpses of the fallen beasts.


    When all was done, the team soared into the skies¡ªriding the wind back to the academy.


    __ S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    {A/N}


    This is the end of the second arc or volume guys???? I''m really grateful to you all for reading this far... You might agree with me, it has really been a rollercoaster of events.


    I don''t know, if you think that this volume was crazy, wait till you see the next volume that will begin tomorrow ???? the next volume is so crazy that even my bones rattled with excitement ???? so please stick around for some more guys!


    Also, we were unable to meet any of our mass release goals and hence no extra chapters this week???? I just hope we can meet next week''s goals which will start tomorrow.


    Please keep on supporting the book with all resources you have. Power stones, Golden tickets, gifts or even comments... All of these will help me passion and motivation to keep writing. Thank you all ??????

 Chapter 229 - 229: The next phase!

    Just like that, two months had passed since the harrowing battle against the Level 7 beast. In that brief span, everything had changed.


    Grey and his classmates were no longer wide-eyed first-years struggling to find their footing¡ªthey were officially second-years now.


    And with that elevated status came fiercer challenges, more dangerous missions, and an even heavier weight of expectations.


    These past two months marked a full year since they''d entered Lunaria Academy¡ªa year brimming with chaos, growth, and unforgettable events.


    For Grey, it had been a whirlwind of transformation. He had endured grueling training sessions, braved life-threatening encounters, and ascended to heights of magical prowess he hadn''t imagined when he first arrived.


    It hadn''t been easy. Nothing about this place was. But somehow, he adapted. He came to the academy to rise above¡ªto sharpen his abilities and stand among the elite.


    Now, standing at the threshold of his second year, Grey could say with certainty: he had begun to achieve that goal.


    But among the power and the battles, something unexpected had taken root within him¡ªfriendship. At first, he never imagined he''d grow close to anyone.


    Yet over time, despite the arguments, banters, and occasional petty fights, Grey had built bonds he now held dear. They weren''t just his teammates¡ªthey were his friends.


    Even if they didn''t say it aloud, most of them felt the same. Especially Scarlet. Ever since the dungeon raid, she had begun to look at Grey differently.


    Her gaze lingered longer, her reactions grew sharper whenever someone else got too close to him. She tried to hide it, but her feelings were becoming harder to conceal.


    In the wake of their most recent mission, they had been rewarded for their efforts and elevated to the Intermediate Squad, which officially marked them as second-years.


    Though they had technically met the requirements two months ago, the academy only made it official after a waiting period.


    Now, they were recognized as full-fledged second-years of Lunaria Academy.


    The former second-years, meanwhile, had either advanced to the Advanced Squad, or were striving to do so.


    But what Grey and his friends didn''t yet know was that beyond the Advanced Squad lay a hidden tier¡ªthe Elite Squad.


    This exclusive group was comprised of the most powerful and capable students, handpicked by Captain Amir himself.


    Only the strongest made it in, and members sometimes accompanied the principal on perilous missions.


    Students who reached their third year were given a choice: pursue their own path outside the academy, or aim for the Elite Squad. But those who entered it¡­ never left.


    Within that secretive unit, fierce competition brewed, and many sought to rise through the ranks to become either captain or vice-captain.


    (Back to the present¡­)


    After all the trials and achievements, Grey and his classmates had stepped into their second year with pride.


    The feeling was electric. There was excitement, ambition¡ªand just a touch of melancholy.


    Instructor Von, who had guided them through so much in their first year, would no longer be their main teacher.


    They had been assigned a new instructor¡ªone better suited to teach them the advanced concepts awaiting them.


    Homeroom classes, once mandatory, were now rare.


    Instructor Clark still presided over them, but with the students in the Intermediate Squad being called out frequently for various missions¡ªoften at unpredictable times¡ªthey no longer adhered to a fixed schedule.


    However, in light of their promotion, they had been granted two weeks of dedicated training time before diving headfirst into their new responsibilities.


    One major reason for the students'' excitement was the introduction of a long-awaited topic¡ªBreakthrough Magic.


    Even Grey couldn''t contain his anticipation. He had seen glimpses of breakthrough magic in action¡ªwitnessed its overwhelming power used by those far above his level¡ªand ever since, he had been obsessed with learning it.


    "Arg! I can''t believe we finally made it¡­ together," Raze exclaimed, practically glowing with enthusiasm as the newly promoted second-years gathered in the upper-level canteen.


    This wasn''t the same mess hall they had grown used to during their first year. This one was larger, classier, and reserved exclusively for second-years and above.


    A privilege they had once been denied. Now, they had earned it¡ªand with it came other perks, like upgraded rooms and a noticeable improvement in the quality of their meals.


    While the first-year food wasn''t bad, this was on another level. If they once got a piece of meat, now they got two. Juicier, tender, and seasoned to perfection.


    The only downside? They still had to share rooms with their original roommates. At least the new rooms were more spacious and comfortable.


    "Yeah, I can''t believe it''s been that long already," Arthur said, his voice tinged with awe.


    "For real! A whole year flew by in the blink of an eye," Vanica added, her eyes distant as she reminisced on their shared memories¡ªthe exhausting training, the life-threatening missions, the quiet conversations under starlit skies, and the laughter they shared during peaceful moments.


    ''And in this whole year¡­ I still haven''t seen Mum.'' Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grey''s thoughts drifted homeward.


    ''Though I send letters nearly every day, the academy only lets me receive one letter from her each month¡­ and even then, it''s limited. Maybe that''ll change with the new privileges we''ve gained.''


    He sighed quietly and shook the thought away.


    "Will you all just shut up and eat already? We need to get to class early," Greg snapped, shoving food into his mouth with mechanical speed.


    "Better slow down or you''ll choke," Scarlet said, amused.


    "Whether I choke or not isn''t your business, now is¡ªkuh! Kuh!" Greg''s eyes bulged as he began coughing violently, reaching out for a glass of water with desperate urgency. He downed it in gulps.


    "Is it too late to say I told you so?" Scarlet teased, chuckling as she took a dainty bite of her food¡ªonly to immediately start coughing herself. "Kuh! Kuh!"


    "Ha! Hahaha!" Jay burst out laughing. "The arrogant queen is choking!"


    "Don''t¡ªkuh!" Scarlet struggled, grabbing her glass. After a gulp, she scowled at him. "Don''t call me that. Only one person has the right."


    Her gaze instinctively darted to Grey, who was calmly eating his meal, seemingly oblivious¡ªor maybe just pretending not to notice.


    Minutes later, with bellies full and spirits high, the group stood and made their way toward the large lecture hall. Today was the day. The start of a new chapter.


    The day they would begin learning Breakthrough Mode¡ªand take their first step toward mastering a power that could change everything.


    ___


    {A/N}


    The previous year had been a rollercoaster of events and trials for Grey and his friends. But you see this new year, this new phase, it will be so tough and daunting for them all.


    The challenges Grey will face this new year, this new arc, it will either make or break him. When I''m saying break, I mean shatter him completely. So let''s keep reading to see if he can overcome this problem.

 Chapter 230 - 230: Instructor Magnus!

    The students moved in clusters, following the floating holographic display ahead of them.


    It shimmered gently, casting bluish light on the corridor walls as it guided them toward the hall where their Breakthrough Mode practical class was set to begin.


    Some students chattered with excitement, others argued over theories, while a few kept to themselves.


    Among the quiet ones was Grey, his hands tucked into his pockets, eyes distant as he walked deep in thought.


    ''What kind of instructor are we getting this time?'' he pondered. ''Will the class be intense? And what exactly will ''breakthrough'' feel like for someone like me?''


    Noir, his inner companion who had always been silent for long finally chimed in coolly.


    "Don''t forget, breakthrough can only be achieved by those strong enough¡ªthose with firm willpower and potent magic. Don''t get ahead of yourself."


    ''Let the class decide that,'' Grey replied silently. ''If I can''t master it, I''ll take it as the will of the world¡­ and I''ll continue refining my foundation and prowess. So hush now¡ªand stop buzzing in my head.''


    As he settled back into silence, the group finally came to a stop in front of a tall, rune-etched door.


    Without hesitation, Grey stepped forward and pushed it open.


    A sudden gust of wind escaped the room like a held breath, brushing against their skin with an icy chill that made several of them shiver involuntarily.


    "Why does it feel like no one''s opened this door in ages?" Vorden muttered, pulling his coat tighter around him.


    "No, that''s not it¡­" Scarlet murmured, her eyes narrowing as she focused. "It''s not the room¡ªit''s an aura."


    "Not just the aura of the room," Grey added, his tone grim. "It''s coming from someone¡­ someone powerful."


    The group entered cautiously.


    The hall was vast¡ªfar larger than the one used during their first-year Creation Magic classes. It was a cathedral of magic in its own right.


    Ancient runes lined the obsidian-colored walls, pulsing faintly with ambient light and an eerie hum. The atmosphere was dense, saturated with magic.


    The high ceiling shimmered with enchantments, designed to reflect the flow of magical energy within the room.


    At times, glowing streams danced overhead like auroras¡ªevidence of previous breakthroughs.


    The ground was layered with Arcanite, a rare mineral that absorbed excess mana and prevented magical backlash.


    It sparkled subtly beneath their feet, grounding their power like the roots of a mighty tree.


    At the center stood a circular stone platform, engraved with intricate sigils¡ªguidelines for channeling and stabilizing energy during breakthroughs.


    The air tingled with static charge, causing the students'' mana to stir as if awakened by the room itself.


    Then, a voice echoed calmly across the hall.


    "Welcome, all of you. And congratulations¡­ on passing my little test."


    The students halted and turned toward the platform.


    Standing at its center was a tall, broad-shouldered man who radiated strength. He didn''t have to speak loudly¡ªhis presence alone demanded attention.


    He had long, dark gray hair tied into a low ponytail that swayed slightly with his movements.


    His sharp golden eyes scanned them with surgical precision, piercing through facades as though reading their very souls.


    His face bore numerous scars, each one a story from a battlefield.


    He wore a majestic robe¡ªdeep blue trimmed with silver, embroidered with golden runes.


    It shimmered slightly, reacting to the mana-rich environment. This was no ordinary robe; it was the garb of someone who walked the line between scholar and warrior.


    Unlike their previous instructors, this man didn''t seem interested in banter or pleasantries.


    He exuded discipline, resolve, and a barely restrained power. He was someone who believed in results, not excuses. The kind of man who molded diamonds under pressure.


    A quiet realization swept over the students: Instructor Von was gone. This man¡ªthis titan¡ªwas their new reality.


    But one word pulled them back to the present.


    "Wait¡­ test?" Arthur asked, brows furrowed.


    The man merely smiled in response.


    ''So that''s what that aura was?'' Grey thought, eyes narrowing. ''That chill when I opened the door¡­ was his test? But a test of what, exactly?''


    As if sensing the intensity of Grey''s gaze, the man turned and locked eyes with him.


    Their stares met¡ªunyielding, unflinching.


    A strange familiarity stirred in Grey''s chest. ''Where¡­ where have I seen him before? His aura¡­ his face¡­''


    Likewise, the instructor''s eyes flickered with intrigue. ''That kid¡­ I''ve seen him somewhere. And for him to stare me down like that without blinking? Impressive. But where the hell have I seen him before?''


    The silent duel continued until Gordon''s voice broke the moment.


    "You said something about a test?!"


    "Right." The man turned to address them all. "When the door was opened, I released a fragment of my aura and magic.


    It was a test¡ªto gauge your bravery and determination. Many would turn back when faced with overwhelming pressure. But all of you walked in. That alone speaks volumes."


    "Ohhh¡­ so that''s what that was," Scarlet muttered, half-impressed, half-irritated.


    The man stepped down from the platform, his footsteps deliberate and strong, each one echoing faintly in the enchanted hall.


    "I am Instructor Magnus," he announced. "An Ice Mage¡ªand one of the most powerful this academy has to offer. I am not just an instructor, but an active elite-ranked squad member."


    Murmurs rippled through the students at the word elite.


    ''Elite rank?'' Greg mused, awed. That''s just below Captain Amir''s master rank. To reach that level means he''s already among the academy''s top combatants.


    Grey''s thoughts raced as well. ''Elite¡­ that''s the same rank the vice captains hold. If I were captain, I''d only choose the best elite available. This guy''s the real deal¡­''


    Magnus continued. "By now, I expect you all to understand the ranking system, so I won''t bore you with that. Instead, let''s get straight to it."


    His golden eyes glinted.


    "It''s time to begin your lecture¡­ on Breakthrough Mode."


    The students straightened, excitement buzzing through the air like electricity.


    Grey''s lips curled into a confident smirk.


    ''Finally¡­ time to add a new weapon to my growing arsenal.'' S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Our mass release goals for this week is active guys!


    150 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters... I hope we can crush these goals guys!??

 Chapter 231 - 231: 50/50 risk!

    "So, let''s get straight to business. Time for you all to begin your lecture on the Breakthrough Mode," Magnus said, and all the students'' ears perked up.


    ''Finally! Time to learn something new to add to my large arsenal of skills.'' Grey smirked.


    Magnus stepped forward, his eyes sweeping across the room, trying to gauge each student''s potential and mana capacity.


    ''Impressive mana,'' he thought as his gaze landed on Scarlet. He then shifted toward Greg.


    ''Also equally impressive.'' He continued his silent assessment, arriving at Jay and giving a slight smile. ''Nice mana input. Most of them here are promising, so the classes might go smoothly depending on how quickly they grasp things.''


    Then Magnus paused before Grey, locking eyes with him. There was a strange familiarity about him¡ªone he couldn''t quite place. Shaking it off, he tried to feel Grey''s mana and aura.


    ''Huh?! I can''t feel anything!'' Magnus''s eyes widened in surprise. He stared harder at Grey, who only shrugged and looked away. ''How is this possible? He shouldn''t be able to shroud his mana unless¡­''


    "I guess for every few impressive ones, there are weaklings too," Magnus muttered aloud before turning away and walking back to the front of the class.


    As Magnus walked off, Grey let out a sigh of relief, staring at the instructor''s back. ''Good thing I managed to learn how to shroud my mana in the last two months. Wouldn''t want to be noticed by this instructor till I figure out why he seems so familiar.''


    Magnus turned around, his voice firm as he addressed the class again.


    "Today, you all will be learning a new concept¡ªa new level in the magic world. A new boost to your power and capacity."


    Everyone leaned forward attentively.


    "I''m sure when you all began learning Creation Magic in your first year, you felt like you''d reached your peak and were powerful. But trust me, that was nothing compared to Breakthrough Mode," he said, a wide smile on his face.


    "Yeah, we''ve already encountered students using it. That''s why we''re here," Scarlet scoffed. "We acknowledge how powerful it is, so kindly get on with the class."


    "Arrogant nobles, huh?" Magnus muttered. "No surprise there. But there''s one thing¡­"


    Suddenly, the temperature in the room dropped sharply. It was as though they''d been thrown into the coldest depths of the ocean¡ªcold enough to freeze someone to death.


    "I don''t take kindly to interruptions¡­ unless it''s a reasonable question," Magnus added, his tone deathly calm as the cold became suffocating.


    "I¡­ I''m sorry, sir," Scarlet stuttered, her lips chattering.


    ''This man¡­ He''s nothing like Instructor Von. He''s powerful. Just from that chill, I can tell. If I don''t go all out with my affinities, I''ll be crushed,'' Grey thought.


    ''Crap! I need to clip my mouth from now on. Wouldn''t want to mess with a powerful mage ever again,'' Scarlet thought, breaking into a cold sweat.


    "Great," Magnus said, his expression relaxing into a smile. In the blink of an eye, the chill disappeared. The room returned to its earlier warmth.


    Magnus stepped forward again, his eyes sharp, voice calm but commanding.


    "What you''re about to learn isn''t a spell. It''s not a chant, nor is it something you can mimic by watching others.


    Breakthrough Mode is a state of being¡ªa collision between your mind, mana, and willpower. To learn it, you must go inward. You must face the core of your magic¡­ and force it to evolve."


    "Force it to evolve? How is that possible? Can cores evolve?" Arthur asked.


    "Exactly! To evolve, wouldn''t it mean one is advancing to the next star level?" Raze added.


    "Yes¡­ and no," Magnus said, glancing between Arthur and Raze. "Our mana cores can evolve beyond their current capacity without advancing to the next star level."


    "How so? I''m getting confused here," Jay said, furrowing his brows.


    "Think of your core as a balloon with no air in it," Magnus explained. "Once you begin to pump air¡ªor water¡ªinto it, it inflates, growing larger. Something much more potent than its deflated form."


    "The more water or air pumped in, the bigger it becomes. Now, if you throw a fully pumped balloon at someone, it will hurt. Can the same be said about a deflated balloon?"


    "Not at all. It would feel like a leaf being thrown," Vanica replied.


    "Exactly. Now consider your current mana core as a deflated balloon. When it evolves into Breakthrough, it becomes inflated. It causes damage. But when the balloon pops, that''s when you trigger your advancement to the next star level¡ªif you''re ready for it."


    "So, the key is learning how to contain and control the mana input right enough to trigger a breakthrough, right?" Vorden asked.


    "Correct. Seems like we have some bright students here after all," Magnus commented. "But¡­ there''s a but."


    "Which is?" Scarlet asked.


    "I was getting to that," Magnus snapped. "If you can''t contain the mana, and it overflows before you''re ready for the next star¡ªyour core will rupture. Crippled. And you''ll never be able to cast magic again."


    A heavy silence fell across the room as the weight of those words sank in.


    "Which is why only those strong enough¡ªthose with solid willpower and deep mana reserves¡ªcan attempt a breakthrough."


    ''Damn! Success is only fifty-fifty, but the risk is worth taking,'' Grey thought, clenching his fists.


    ''I don''t think I should even try¡­ I''m not strong enough. I don''t want to lose the little power I''ve gathered,'' Vince thought, a single tear rolling down his cheek. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Welp! Risk is worth it. I wonder what my breakthrough will look like¡­ that is, if I manage to do it,'' Raze mused.


    ''Am I strong enough? Can I really pull this off?'' Arthur thought to himself.


    "So!" Magnus''s voice shattered their thoughts, pulling everyone back to reality. "Are we ready for this? There''s no going back once you begin. Some of you might succeed on your first try. Some might take months¡­ or even years. Others may never succeed."


    He paused, his gaze intense.


    "Or worse¡ªyou could be crippled forever."


    The air grew tense with anticipation, uncertainty, and silent determination.


    "If you''re ready¡­ let''s begin."

 Chapter 232 - 232: First Step!

    "So!" Magnus''s voice thundered through the room, cutting through the students'' thoughts like a blade and yanking them back to reality. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are we ready for this? There''s no turning back once you begin. Know this: you might break through on your first attempt, or it might take months, even years. Or worse¡ªthis might be the end of you. You could be crippled forever."


    He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle before continuing.


    "If you''re ready, let''s begin."


    "I''m ready!" Grey announced, his hands clenched into fists, his expression hardening with determination as he stepped forward, eyes fixed ahead.


    "Same here," Scarlet and Greg echoed simultaneously, their resolve as firm as his.


    "I mean, it''s worth a shot," Raze shrugged nonchalantly, his eyes flickering with intrigue.


    "Who doesn''t want more power? I certainly do," Jay added, smirking as he confidently strode forward, his usual cocky demeanor on full display.


    "Will the breakthrough make my healing magic stronger?" Vanica''s voice rang with curiosity as she walked toward Grey, a radiant smile lighting up her face. "If so, then I''m in."


    ''Why is this witch standing so close to Grey? Wait, why do I care?!'' Scarlet''s thoughts seethed, her irritation simmering beneath the surface.


    ''Dave...'' Vince''s hands were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, nails digging deep into his palm. ''Every damn time¡­ You always look down on me because I''m weak.


    You treated me like dirt¡ªalmost killed my friends, hurt me so much. I''ve let it happen for too long. I''ve watched everyone surpass me, even though I''m supposed to be the Captain''s son.


    I''m still just a scared little boy, a weakling¡­ Not anymore. This is it. No more fear. I will take the risk, even if it means crippling my core.''


    "I''ll take the chance. It''s worth the risk. I don''t care what it takes. Just¡­ please¡­ teach us!" Vince''s shout rang out, his voice raw with emotion, his hands still trembling from the weight of his thoughts and the ghosts of past abuses.


    "We''ll take our chances too, Instructor Magnus! No matter the cost!" the entire class shouted in unison, their voices ringing out with a unified defiance.


    Magnus''s eyes widened in surprise, and an almost wolfish grin spread across his face.


    His smile stretched so wide it seemed like his lips might touch his ears.


    "Beautiful. Marvelous. Wonderful!" Magnus exclaimed, clapping his hands together in an exaggerated show of applause.


    The students stood frozen in confusion, surprised by the unexpected display of enthusiasm.


    "Congratulations! You''ve all passed my second test¡ªthe test of willpower!" Magnus announced, his grin almost comical as he looked at their stunned expressions.


    "Wait, what?!" the entire class shouted, their disbelief palpable as they glared at the instructor.


    "What? You thought your cores would just crumble if you didn''t learn it?" Magnus laughed, his voice light.


    "While it can happen in some rare cases, the reality is that your total mana capacity will only be halved, nothing more. Your spells will be slightly weaker, and you might drop a level¡ªonly rarely will someone be truly crippled."


    Magnus shrugged, a glint of mischief in his eyes.


    "Wait, then why scare us like that?" Grey demanded, his eyes narrowing sharply as he glared at the instructor, his fists crackling with tiny bolts of lightning, the air around him humming with static.


    "Didn''t you hear what I said?" Magnus chuckled. "It was a test of willpower. To see if you had the strength to even face the risks of gaining such power.


    Don''t blame me¡ªblame yourselves for believing my words so easily. You either break through or you don''t. And if you fail, you''ll watch your friends grow stronger while you stagnate."


    "Tsk!" Grey scoffed in frustration, shaking his head as he turned away, stalking to the back of the class. His thoughts whirled with conflicting emotions, but one thing was clear.


    ''This instructor is insane.''


    "So, let''s begin, shall we?" Magnus''s voice was light, filled with a mischievous energy as he smiled, watching the students gather in front of him, eager to begin the process.


    The class stood in silence, awaiting the next step. There was a collective buzz in the air¡ªa shared anticipation, as though the students could already feel the weight of the moment. They were ready.


    "Know this: Breakthrough is a complex and delicate process," Magnus began, his tone now more serious. "It''s not something I expect any of you to achieve on your first try.


    It''s a step-by-step journey, one that takes time, patience, and understanding. Some of you may not succeed at all, while others may take years to master it. But all of you will have the chance to try."


    The students hung on his every word, their focus unwavering.


    "Breakthrough allows a mage to release a tremendous burst of mana," Magnus explained, pacing in front of them. "It taps into a hidden pool of power¡ªyour true potential.


    After breaking through, you''ll be able to use mana in ways you never thought possible. Your spells may be faster, your movements quicker, your constructs more numerous, your healing abilities stronger."


    His voice dropped into a more personal tone. "I''ll give you an example. As an ice mage, if I were to break through, I could encase this entire room in ice. Freeze everything. That''s the kind of power we''re talking about here."


    The students remained strangely unfazed, their faces neutral.


    ''Hmm¡­ Have they encountered someone using the breakthrough before? Hold on, that reminds me of the rumour that a first year managed to beat a second year who even broke through. Is that why they are nonchalant?'' Magnus thought, studying the students carefully. Could it be that''s why they''re so nonchalant?


    "Anyway," Magnus continued, brushing off his musings. "Let''s move on. Time to begin the first step toward learning breakthrough." He paused, and the room was filled with a palpable sense of tension as the students prepared for whatever came next.


    "You will now enter the preparation phase," Magnus announced, his voice firm. "This phase requires absolute stillness and silence."


    As his words sank in, a hush fell over the entire hall, a thick silence enveloping the room.


    ''These students really are eager, aren''t they?'' Magnus thought with an inward chuckle. ''I almost forgot how much energy they have at the beginning of their training.''


    "The first step is silence," Magnus continued, his tone reverent, as if the very idea held deep meaning. "Not just around you, but within you."


    ---


    {A/N}


    I hope you''re all enjoying the book so far! Please don''t let your support for the book slip. Power stones, Golden Tickets, Gifts¡­ send them all my way. Thank you! ???? ??

 Chapter 233 - 233: Void!

    "So, we will all have to enter the preparation phase right now¡ªwhich is absolute stillness and silence," Magnus said, and instantly, a profound hush fell upon the vast training hall like a divine command.


    ''Woah¡­ these students are quite eager, huh?'' he mused with a quiet chuckle, amused by how swiftly they obeyed.


    "The first step is silence¡ªnot just around you, but within you," Magnus continued, his tone turning more meditative. "Empty your mind of distractions.


    Let your thoughts fade. I want you to meditate while standing. That way, you''ll align with the breakthrough state in the posture you''ll actually experience it."


    One by one, the students slipped into silent focus, closing their eyes and regulating their breaths.


    Among them, Grey had already sunk deep into his meditative trance, as though it were second nature.


    ''Yup. Thanks to my constant training, I can enter this state whenever I want. Just a snap of my fingers,'' Grey thought with a smirk of pride. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Now," Magnus spoke softly, his voice resonating across the hall like a breeze brushing across water, "feel your mana. Don''t command it. Just feel it¡ªlet it swirl as it wishes, wild and raw, like a storm raging behind your ribs."


    The students stood motionless, eyes shut tight, their minds sinking inward. Slowly, something shifted.


    Scarlet''s body tensed. Beads of sweat formed along her temples as her breathing grew ragged.


    In her mind''s eye, an enormous orange flame blazed and flickered, surging with volatile energy.


    It wasn''t just fire¡ªit was a scorching sun that threatened to consume her, roasting her alive in the deepest depths of an inferno.


    She whimpered softly, her fists trembling at her sides. The sensation was too real¡ªtoo intense.


    Greg, too, was drawn into a vivid vision. He found himself standing in a turbulent sea, with a sky of roiling, stormy clouds stretching endlessly above him.


    Thunder cracked like an ancient beast howling across the heavens, and lightning danced across the water, striking the sea, the horizon, the very ground beneath him.


    Every bolt made the world shake.


    "What are you all seeing?" Magnus asked, his keen eyes observing their subtle reactions.


    "It hurts! It''s burning!" Scarlet cried out, tears streaking down her cheeks as she struggled to remain standing.


    "The¡­ the thunderstorm¡ªit''s getting worse! I¡ªI''m scared!" Greg gasped, clenching his fists tighter as the imaginary wind howled around him.


    "Good," Magnus said with a knowing smile. "Very good. That means your visualization is strong. And that, my dear students, is exactly the next step¡ªvisualization.


    What you''re seeing¡ªfire, lightning, storms¡ªis not fantasy. It is the true, raw form of your mana core. Far more real than that little sphere most people imagine."


    Grey stood utterly still, his eyes sealed shut. In his mind''s realm, he focused deeply, trying to hear what his core was trying to say¡ªtrying to become what it was showing him.


    At first, there was only light.


    Blinding, radiant light that grew so intense it threatened to devour him whole. Then, within that light, a monstrous storm formed.


    Furious winds roared, becoming colossal tornadoes that could level entire towns. Lightning arced violently, dancing across the skies with a wrathful cry.


    And from above¡ªfire. Raining in torrents as if the heavens themselves were weeping flame.


    The ground beneath him trembled. Mountains convulsed and shifted, splitting open like wounded beasts. And yet, amidst the elemental chaos, Grey saw something else.


    Far off in the distance, standing alone in the storm-ravaged horizon, was something tiny. Barely visible. No bigger than the pinky finger of a child. A pitch-black speck¡ªa void¡ªhovered silently, like an eye without a face. Staring. Watching. Waiting.


    ''What¡­ what is that?'' Grey''s thoughts raced as he stared into the abyss. ''Fire, lightning, earth, and wind¡ªmy known affinities. But that thing¡­ that blackness¡­ What could it be?''


    "Look at it!" Magnus''s voice rang out, powerful and commanding. "Whatever your core shows you¡ªobserve it. Witness it. You''re not here to tame it. You''re here to evolve with it."


    "H-how do we do that?" Jay''s voice emerged from the sea of silence. Though his eyes were shut like the others, his expression was unusually calm.


    In Jay''s inner world, he stood before a vast body of water. On one side, it flowed peacefully like a gentle lake.


    On the other, it churned violently like a cyclone. Fortunately, Jay remained on the calm side, the setting sun painting the horizon in golden hues.


    "Communicate with it," Magnus said, his voice dropping to a firm whisper that echoed across the room. "Speak to it. Listen to what your mana has to say."


    ''Communicate?'' Grey frowned inwardly. How am I supposed to talk to wild storms and voids?


    "Talk to it, talk to it, talk to it," Greg chanted inside his mind as he stared down the furious thunderstorm before him.


    "Listen up," Greg muttered, barely audible. "I want more power. I need to break through¡­ and surpass that peasant. Can you hear me? Is there a way we can¡­ talk? If so, now would be great."


    The storm didn''t answer.


    Instead, a bolt of lightning streaked from the sky and slammed into Greg''s mental projection, striking him across the face. He cried out and staggered backward in the real world.


    "With that yelp, I take it your core''s angry," Magnus said, chuckling lightly.


    "Why are you treating it like it''s alive?!" Greg snapped, frustration bleeding through his voice.


    "Because it is," Magnus replied, his tone now cold and serious. "What is a mana core made of?"


    "Mana," Scarlet panted, her eyes squeezed shut as she fought through the phantom heat.


    "Exactly," Magnus said. "And mana is no ordinary energy. It''s a living force, flowing through the world, the stars, and everything beyond.


    It chooses the worthy, grants them power, and ignores the rest. Those who are unloved by mana are called cripples. It is not just energy¡ªit is life."


    Jay''s eyes remained closed, but he nodded slightly. "So¡­ we treat it like a living being."


    ''Look,'' Grey thought, his heart pounding, ''I don''t know if you''re alive or not. I don''t even know how to talk to you. But I just want to say¡ªthank you. For choosing me. For giving me power. For helping me protect my family.


    Without you, I wouldn''t be here. I wouldn''t be a mage¡­ let alone one who wields four affinities, hoping for a fifth. I''m not here to command you. I want us to work together. So¡­ can we?''


    Within Grey''s core, something changed.


    The tornadoes, though still spinning with terrifying force, began to calm ever so slightly. The fire no longer fell in molten balls, but in gentle drops of flame.


    The ground still shifted, and the mountains continued to quake¡ªbut it was no longer chaos. It was movement. Transformation.


    Grey looked again at the void. It still loomed far away, silently watching¡ªbut it no longer felt ominous. It felt¡­ curious.


    "Well, I guess I should take that as a good sign," Grey murmured with a small, hopeful smile.


    "I''m sure most of you have figured it out by now," Magnus said, his arms folded behind him. "It''s time we move onto the next step."

 Chapter 234 - 234: He is breaking through?!

    "Well, I guess I should take this as a good sign, huh?" Grey muttered with a faint smile, a flicker of anticipation gleaming in his eyes.


    Magnus took center stage, his commanding presence immediately drawing everyone''s attention. "I''m sure most of you have figured it out by now," he said, his voice firm yet oddly encouraging. "It''s time we move onto the next step for today."


    He paused, scanning the room as he let his words sink in. "Most of you, when you first visualized your cores, probably saw something wild.


    A storm of energy¡ªravaging, chaotic, burning so intensely it nearly blinded you. That''s not a coincidence."


    "Now, we go further. We push past your boundaries¡ªpast the chains shackling your potential. The barrier that holds you back from reaching the supreme stage.


    Today, we''re going to crack that ceiling and become something closer to the divine."


    A confident smile tugged at his lips as murmurs of uncertainty stirred among the students.


    "Are we really getting close to breaking through?" Arthur asked, his brows furrowed.


    In his mental space, all he could see was a luminous orb of light floating rhythmically, its glow pulsing gently in the air before him.


    "Yes and no," Magnus replied cryptically. "You''ve all passed three stages already. So yes, you''re close¡ªbut you''re not there yet. Not quite."


    "What''s the next step, then?" Vanica asked, her gaze locked on the river of pure, flowing mana she had visualized¡ªso tranquil, yet unfathomably deep.


    "Now, it''s time for the Mental Resistance Exercise." Magnus'' smirk widened. "This... is where most of you will falter. Some of you will break. Others might get lost in fear. How far you go depends on one thing¡ªmental fortitude."


    "But don''t be discouraged if you fail today," he added, his voice softening slightly. "Growth takes time. All you need is a little more effort... and maybe a little more pain."


    "How exactly do we advance?" Grey asked, his curiosity piqued.


    Magnus''s voice dropped, taking on an ominous tone. "By preparing to feel a world of pain."


    His words chilled the room.


    "I want you all to use your willpower¡ªforce your mana to its edge. Not to cast a spell, but to push your core to spin faster, sharper, stronger than ever before. Not passively. Actively."


    "It will resist you. It will hurt. Your thoughts will feel like they''re on fire. But that''s the entire point. Breakthrough only happens when you break the ceiling the world has imposed upon your magic."


    "Defy it. Crush it. Transcend it."


    With that final, thunderous command, Magnus stepped back as the students braced themselves.


    ---


    Raze stood in silence, lost in the abyss of his mind. Before him stretched a dark cosmic sky, scattered with stars that pulsed in radiant hues¡ªfiery orange, dull metallics, vibrant aquas, and crackling bolts of lightning that danced from cloud to ground.


    ''These stars... they represent all the magic I''ve ever copied,'' he realized. A dozen stars, each a testament to his battles, his growth.


    ''So, how do I make it spin faster?''


    He closed his eyes and began. Mana surged outward from his core, spiraling throughout his body.


    But unlike before, he didn''t allow it to flow naturally. He forced it. Drove it like a storm churning in reverse. Faster. Harder.


    The void around him began to twist.


    At first, it was subtle. Then, the sky whirled violently¡ªspinning so fast it blurred the stars into streaks of color.


    Vertigo slammed into him. His feet stumbled in reality, and he dropped to the ground with a hard thud.


    His body convulsed. Trembled. His mind trembled in sync with the storm inside him.


    ---


    Scarlet had flames dancing within her spiritual space¡ªmajestic, towering, yet now growing feral. As she pushed her mana to swirl faster, the flames surged. Roared.


    Suddenly, she was in the fire.


    It burned through her consciousness, licking at her soul with searing intensity. She screamed¡ªa bloodcurdling, ear-piercing cry that echoed across the room. Her body hit the floor, convulsing under the agony.


    ---


    Greg grit his teeth as the crackling storm above him intensified. Lightning bolts struck again and again, slamming into his mental projection.


    This wasn''t new. His first awakening had been forged under a similar storm¡ªdeliberate electrocution by elite mages in his family.


    But this time... it was worse.


    It felt like molten needles driving into every nerve. From within. His muscles clenched. Spasmed. His breath came in ragged gasps.


    Still, he held on.


    A final bolt struck. He screamed, collapsing as the world around him shattered into blinding light.


    ---


    Magnus watched in silence, eyes flickering from one trembling body to another. "Impressive," he muttered, staring at Greg, who convulsed on the ground, his eyes wide like a man haunted by nightmares.


    ---


    Vince stood firm, though his legs were shaking. In his mental world, metallic shards and glowing needles bombarded him from all directions. Pain stabbed into him¡ªreal, visceral.


    His fists were clenched so tightly that blood trickled from where his nails dug into his palms. Every fiber of his being begged him to stop. But he wouldn''t.


    He couldn''t.


    ''No matter what... I won''t give up. I''ll prove myself. I''ll become stronger¡ªstronger than Dave... so he can never look down on me again¡­ I... I ne¡ª''


    His thoughts faded as consciousness fled, his body crumpling with a heavy thud.


    ---


    Magnus began to nod, murmuring, "Even though he was injured, he still soldiered on. But at the end of the da¡ª"


    He froze.


    His eyes widened, practically bulging out of their sockets.


    He was staring at Grey.


    --- S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grey''s hair began to billow, caught in a wind that didn''t exist. A gentle glow surrounded him, flickering like a holy aura. His face twisted in agony, veins pulsing on his forehead, jaw clenched, sweat dripping in rivers.


    His eyes turned a blinding white.


    Then¡ª


    BOOM!


    A shockwave exploded from his body, knocking Magnus back a full step. The force rattled the walls, sending an invisible pulse through the room like a bell tolling across the void.


    Only Instructor Magnus remained standing, eyes still wide, heart pounding.


    "He... he''s breaking through?" Magnus whispered in awe, his voice barely audible.


    The glow around Grey surged once more¡ªbrilliant, searing¡ªand then it faded.


    His body hit the ground, unconscious.


    So did the rest.


    __


    {A/N}


    If you are enjoying the book so far, your support will gladly be appreciated. Power stones, Golden tickets, gifts or even comments will all be appreciated guys.


    For more chapters, our mass release goals are still active!


    150 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters... Let''s hit these goals together guys!??????

 Chapter 235 - 235: An incomplete breakthrough! (Super gift bonus chapter)

    "Wh¡­ wh¡­where am I?" Grey muttered, his voice hoarse and weak as his blurry vision gradually adjusted.


    A blinding white light flooded his sight, forcing him to squint. The ceiling above him was sterile and smooth¡ªtoo clean, too unfamiliar.


    The soft, sterile scent of medicine tickled his nose. He shifted slightly, and only then realized he was lying on a bed. Confused, he tried to sit up when¡ª


    "Woah there! Easy, kid. You shouldn''t be moving around yet."


    A familiar voice cut through the haze.


    Turning his head, Grey''s vision cleared enough to recognize Instructor Magnus standing nearby, arms folded, a calm but watchful expression on his face.


    Around the room, his teammates lay in their own beds, eyes wide open and fixed on him with a mixture of concern and curiosity.


    "Wh¡­what happened? Why are we here?" Grey asked, his voice strained. His hand instinctively moved to his chest.


    ''Why is my mana core¡­ drained? What the hell is going on?'' he thought, panic creeping in. Then, fragments of memory¡ªfaint but vivid¡ªflashed in his mind.


    He remembered standing in the training hall, pushing his mana through his body just as Instructor Magnus instructed¡ªfaster, harder, more aggressively. Then¡­ nothing. Just a splitting headache¡­ a burning pain in his chest¡­ and then darkness.


    "Do you remember anything?" Magnus asked, his brow furrowed with concern.


    "Not really," Grey replied, wincing as he touched his throbbing head. "I remember doing the mana circulation exercise¡­ then my mind just¡­ went blank. Next thing I know, I''m here."


    "That explains a lot," Magnus muttered under his breath.


    "Explain what? Wait¡ªwhy are all of us here?" Raze asked, glancing at the others.


    Magnus let out a breath. "First of all, I have to say¡ªyou all were impressive today. Most of you showed strength¡ªmentally and physically.


    Though¡­ some of you clearly have a long way to go." His gaze swept over Vanica, Arthur, Gordon, Vorden, and finally stopped at Vince.


    "Secondly¡­" Magnus squinted at Grey. "Uh¡­ what''s your name again?"


    "Grey Dawn," he replied, still massaging his aching temples.


    "Grey Dawn! Now I remember!" Magnus smacked his forehead. "You''re the one Captain Amir told me about¡ªthe one who took down a level 7 boss beast during your first year."


    ''Right¡­'' Grey thought as realization dawned. ''He was there that day¡ªthe award ceremony. There were four of them: the principal, the captain, Instructor Von¡­ and him.''


    "The pieces are finally clicking together," Magnus continued with a shrug. "If what Amir said was true, I shouldn''t be surprised by what happened today."


    Grey''s brows tightened. "What did happen? Why is my mana core empty? And why does my head feel like it''s being hammered?!"


    "It''s normal," Magnus replied calmly. "Your core is drained because¡­ you broke through."


    "What?!" Grey and the others exclaimed in unison, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.


    "You¡­ you¡­you mean¡­ I broke through? Seriously?" Grey asked, a mix of disbelief and cautious excitement coloring his voice.


    "Well, technically, you didn''t fully break through," Magnus clarified. "You got close. But something disrupted the flow and forced all your mana out. You collapsed before the breakthrough could complete."


    Grey''s expression twisted in frustration. "Can you please stop beating around the bush and explain clearly what the hell happened?"


    Magnus nodded. "You had what we call an incomplete breakthrough. It''s when a mage pushes their limits to ascend to the next stage, but fails to control the surging mana.


    When that happens, the mana violently disperses, draining the user entirely and rendering them unconscious."


    "If you''d managed to contain and guide that energy properly, you would''ve made a complete breakthrough¡ªand you''d be flaunting your new strength right now."


    "So I failed¡­" Grey muttered, his head lowered, disappointment washing over him like cold water.


    "Failed?" Magnus raised a brow. "Hell no. That was excellent¡ªfor an amateur. You surpassed all expectations." His voice carried rare enthusiasm.


    "Out of all the students I''ve ever trained, you''re the first to grasp this exercise on your first try¡ªeven if it was incomplete¡­" he paused, eyes narrowing in thought.


    "Actually¡­ no. You''re the second student to surprise me like this."


    "Who was the first?" Arthur asked, curious.


    Magnus''s expression turned nostalgic. "An ex-third year. The academy''s ''demonic student of the year.'' He was so powerful that some believed he rivaled¡ªif not surpassed¡ªthe vice-captain."


    "I''ve heard of him since first year," Greg scoffed. "People make him sound like some god. I''m sure he''s not that strong."


    Magnus chuckled, then shook his head. "Not strong, huh? I''ll never forget our sparring session. He could''ve flattened me easily¡ªbut he held back. Out of respect."


    "Wait¡ªwhat?!" Scarlet gasped, her eyes wide.


    "Anyway," Magnus said, waving it off. "Rest now. Tomorrow, we will continue our training. And Grey¡ªdon''t worry. Your core will be replenished in about an hour."


    With that, he turned and exited the room, leaving silence in his wake.


    ''Captain Amir talked about him. Instructor Von talked about him. The third years back then talked about him¡­ even Charlotte mentioned him. Who is this demonic student? How strong is he really?


    Why do I feel this rush inside me¡­ like I want to fight him? Is he really that strong? Or is everyone just overhyping him?'' Grey clenched the bedsheet, fire stirring in his chest.


    ''Grey¡­ no matter how hard I work, no matter how much I improve, you always surpass me. It''s like there''s this wall I can never climb.


    Even though we''re friends¡­ It hurts like hell.'' Vince clenched his fists tightly, his gaze locked on Grey with quiet frustration. ''But I swear¡ªI''ll work twice as hard. I won''t drag our team down. I refuse to be a burden.''


    ''He actually managed an incomplete breakthrough? A peasant like him? How far ahead is he now?'' Greg gritted his teeth, hands crushing the fabric of his blanket. ''I can''t let this continue.'' sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''An incomplete breakthrough, huh? Big deal.'' Scarlet thought with a smirk. ''I doubt he can pull it off again.''


    As silence fell over the room, each of them sank into their own thoughts. But one thing was certain¡ªsomething had shifted today, and none of them would leave this moment unchanged.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Last month, it was a generous reader, this month, it''s another wonderful reader¡­ To you dear Shadowmornachx, I really appreciate this kind gesture of you gifting Magus Supremacy a super gift and in the process, you have triggered a 5 chapters mass release storm. I just to say, thank you sir!

 Chapter 236 - 236: The demonic student!(super gift bonus chapter)

    Somewhere within a forested expanse under a sky locked in perpetual twilight, the world thrummed with dangerous life.


    The landscape sprawled like a fever dream¡ªan unholy blend of jagged mountains, scarred valleys, and sinister forests.


    Dual suns, Arcturus and Solaris, painted the world in a bloody orange hue, casting elongated shadows that seemed to slither across the terrain.


    Electromagnetic storms crackled above, painting the heavens with arcs of electric blue fire.


    The terrain bore scars of apocalyptic history. Shattered mountain peaks jutted like broken fangs toward the sky, remnants of ancient celestial battles.


    Razor forests, filled with metallic thorns and obsidian spines, sprawled like deadly mazes¡ªlethal to both man and beast.


    And far across the horizon, violent maelstroms spun ceaselessly, massive whirlwinds of dust and debris that could reduce cities to dust in moments.


    In the heart of this devastation, the forest floor was a graveyard of ruin¡ªbroken trees, deep craters, and the mangled corpses of beasts.


    Some lay still, their deaths swift and clean. But the majority looked shriveled, burnt, their life force seemingly drained in the most unnatural of ways.


    Amid this chaos stood two figures.


    One was a young man with a blue bandana wrapped tightly over his tousled yellow hair. His light brown eyes scanned the devastation with a mix of awe and tension.


    Beside him stood another.


    Taller¡ªabout 6''2"¡ªwith a lean, battle-hardened frame carved through years of merciless combat and survival.


    His very presence weighed on the air, distorting silence. Even mana seemed to bend around him, clearing a path in deference.


    His hair was midnight black, unruly yet controlled, chaos tamed by force of will. Violet streaks shimmered occasionally through the strands, a residual mark of raw lightning mana exposure.


    But it was his eyes that unsettled most¡ªone a cold storm-gray, unreadable; the other a glowing amethyst, laced with cracks of flickering lightning that never ceased, as if a storm raged within.


    A jagged scar ran from his collarbone diagonally across his chest, etched with runes of shadow magic¡ªpulsing faintly like a slumbering beast sensing danger.


    He wore a deep blue battlecoat lined with metallic violet trim, made from reforged mana-thread and monster hide. The insignia of the Lunaria Squad blazed on the back¡ªcrackling lightning bolts twisting around a half-moon crest.


    Despite the carnage, he walked with calm indifference¡ªlike someone who had watched the world burn one too many times to care anymore.


    "I thought the captain said this was supposed to be tough," the black-haired youth said, voice calm yet brimming with restrained power.


    "It would have been," the bandana-wearing boy replied. "If you weren''t here."


    "So you''re saying you couldn''t handle this on your own? That right, Viktor?" The young man asked, turning his intense gaze toward the boy.


    Viktor chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "C''mon, don''t make it sound like that. Sol and I did handle Jack when he attacked. You were the one missing back then."


    "Oh, that?" Kael replied, strolling casually away from the wreckage. "I saw no need to intervene. That''s why I left it to you and Sol."


    Viktor jogged after him, his tone tinged with exasperation. "Why? Kael, only you, just you. With your power and strength, you could have ended the attack in a second. Hell, they don''t call you the Demonic Student for nothing."


    "Oh that?!" Kael smirked. "I still don''t know why the academy insists on calling me that. I don''t see it, I''m not as strong as they claim I am. It''s just overhy¡­" He trailed off as a sharp crack echoed from the forest¡ªtrees snapping in the distance, something massive approaching.


    "I think we''ve got company," Viktor muttered, dropping into a stance, mana coiling around him.


    From the forest emerged a beast like no other¡ªa towering gorilla-like creature, ten feet tall, its fur a deep crimson.


    Two thick, twisted horns curled from its skull like demonic branches. Six arms extended from its bulky frame, each ending in claws that shimmered with an ominous crimson glow.


    "ROARRR!"


    Its roar shook the heavens. The very ground trembled, and nearby trees were uprooted by the sheer force of its voice.


    Then, it pounded its chest with all six fists¡ªbooming, rhythmic thuds that sent seismic shockwaves through the area.


    "Uhm Kael," Viktor said quickly, "That''s a level 12 beast. Records say it''s the planet''s boss."


    "A level 12, huh?" Kael murmured, eyes locked onto the beast. A grin slowly spread across his face. "Think you can take it?"


    "I mean¡­ I could try. Might take a few minutes. I''d say¡­ eighty percent chance I win."


    "Perfect."


    Kael turned away from the rampaging beast and walked toward Viktor, hands buried in his coat pockets.


    "Uhm¡­ Kael?" Viktor stammered, eyeing the oncoming threat. "What exactly are you doing?"


    "This," Kael said simply.


    Just before impact, the air around the beast shimmered. Twenty shadowy portals burst open, surrounding it from all sides.


    From each portal, spears of lightning the size of tree trunks erupted¡ªcrackling with overwhelming voltage.


    Before the beast could react, they struck¡ªpiercing deep, electrocuting it, locking its body in mid-charge.


    Stunned, the monster staggered, its body writhing under the onslaught of energy. Then the portals snapped shut¡ªand Kael was gone.


    A moment later, the sky screamed.


    A sonic boom exploded across the battlefield. Sound barriers shattered, and the nearby fauna fled in terror. A streak of lightning seared the sky¡ªand with it, Kael appeared again.


    The beast twitched. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Its head slid from its shoulders.


    Its body collapsed with a thunderous crash, dust and ash clouding the air.


    Kael reappeared before Viktor. With a flick of his hand, dark beast blood was flung from his face. He smiled nonchalantly.


    "Like I was saying¡ªthe academy keeps overhyping me."


    Viktor stared, slack-jawed. "You''re just like him¡­"


    Kael''s brow rose. "Like who?"


    "A first-year¡ªwell, second now. A multi-elementalist. He was the one who took down Jack and most of his undead."


    "Strong?"


    "Compared to you? Not quite. But he''d give you a real challenge."


    Kael''s grin widened, and excitement flickered in his lightning-filled eyes.


    "Then I guess," he said, voice low, "it''s time we returned to Lunaria Academy."


    And with that, the ground beneath their feet turned pitch black¡ªshadows consuming their forms. The duo sank slowly into the earth, vanishing from sight.


    __


    {A/N}


    For so long now, for the past hundred chapters, I have been teasing this ''demonic student.'' I hope I have delivered perfectly guys???? I had already named the demonic student Kael for a few dozen chapters before I remembered that there was another Kael I had killed way back.


    So I just want to clarify to you all that these two Kaels are different and tbh, in my defense, I had already forgotten that I had created a character called Kael earlier so please, pardon me and keep reading.

 Chapter 237 - 237: A Theory! (Super gift bonus chapter)

    The following morning, Grey and his friends had just finished their breakfast.


    With full stomachs and slightly drowsy steps, they were now required to attend their theory class, where Instructor Magnus would continue his lecture on Breakthrough Mode¡ªa concept that now held new weight after yesterday''s events.


    A heavy silence followed them down the hallway, thick like fog.


    "Something''s bothering me," Raze finally spoke, breaking the quiet that had settled like a curse.


    "Whatever it is, keep it to yourself," Scarlet replied sharply, her eyes locked on Grey, who walked a few paces ahead of the group. "We don''t need more nonsense this early."


    "But I think you''ll want to hear this theory," Raze pressed on, his brows furrowed as thoughts spun in his mind like a puzzle trying to click into place.


    "What is it?" Greg asked, sounding bored. He wasn''t particularly interested, but he knew Raze well enough to realize he wouldn''t shut up unless heard.


    "That demonic student we''ve been hearing rumors about¡­ I don''t think he''s overhyped," Raze began, pacing ahead of the others before turning around to walk backwards, facing them as he spoke.


    Grey remained quiet up front, his hands buried in his pockets, but his ears subtly perked up.


    "Duh! Isn''t that what the powerful instructors have already been saying?" Vince asked casually.


    "Yeah, but hear me out," Raze insisted, gesturing animatedly. "We''ve got the captain''s kids here¡ªVince and Dave.


    Dave''s one of the strongest upperclassmen, right? He should easily be in the top three of his year. Meanwhile, Vince¡­" he paused, smirking, "well, no offense, but you''re kinda weak, bro. Even if your magic is top-tier."


    "None taken," Vince said with a shrug, clearly used to it by now.


    "Cool. Now, the captain is a powerhouse. So, logically, his kids should be strong too. And then, there''s the principal¡­ we don''t know how strong he really is."


    "Obviously, he''s powerful," Jay chimed in. "He''s one of the emperor''s right-hand men. That kind of position doesn''t go to the weak."


    "Exactly!" Raze''s eyes lit up with energy. "So if the principal is a monster in strength, it stands to reason his child¡ªif he has one¡ªcould be just as monstrous. Right?"


    Vanica raised an eyebrow. "Wait... are you saying that the demonic student is the principal''s son?"


    "Bingo." Raze snapped his fingers, grinning. "Think about it. Grey''s seen it too¡ªremember Nozel? The son of Wysteria Academy''s principal? That guy was a beast."


    Grey''s pace didn''t slow, but his mind buzzed.


    "And let''s not forget," Greg interjected, pointing at Vince again, "not all sons are stronger than their fathers. Look at Vince¡ªno offense."


    "Again, none taken," Vince muttered, his voice flat.


    "Hmm... good point," Raze admitted, stroking his chin. "Still, it''s a pattern worth thinking about."


    Scarlet rolled her eyes. "Even if your theory holds water, why would he choose Lunaria Academy? If he''s that strong, he could''ve gone anywhere."


    Grey, despite his outward calm, was fully engaged in the conversation. His gaze was fixed forward, but internally, his thoughts stirred.


    ''What if Raze is right? That principal¡­ When I first met him, he was smiling, mysterious¡ªbut there was power behind that smile.


    Unfathomable power. If his kid exists and has even a fraction of that strength¡­ he could very well be the demonic student we''ve heard about.


    But I guess I won''t know for sure unless we meet... which probably won''t happen anytime soon¡ªunless fate pits us against each other.''


    They reached the heavy wooden door to their class, and Grey gave it a light push.


    Inside, Instructor Magnus stood by the platform with a faint, nearly invisible smile creasing his lips.


    "Welcome, all of you," he greeted. "Glad to see you''re back on your feet."


    The students quickly shuffled to the center of the spacious hall, finding their usual spots, their focus slowly zeroing in.


    "As you know, there''s no time to slack," Magnus began, his tone solemn. "The missions you''ll be called upon this year won''t be the simple errands of your first. No¡ªthis year, you''ll be stepping into more dangerous operations. Dungeon raids, for one."


    A quiet chill washed through the room.


    The word raid alone pulled their minds back to the horrors of the last dungeon. What had started as a routine exercise turned into a bloodbath.


    The Ant King''s sudden appearance had decimated the group in seconds. They remembered the searing pain, the helplessness¡­ and the death of Kael, a second-year student who never made it out.


    Shivers ran down their spines¡ªexcept Grey. He stood still, arms folded, face unreadable as memories flickered behind his calm eyes. While the students all heard one thought in their minds.


    ''If Grey hadn''t been there¡­ we would''ve all died.''


    "Why am I telling you this?" Magnus asked, snapping them out of their grim reflections.


    "Because your current power levels won''t cut it when the next real threat appears. You''ll need more than magic¡ªyou''ll need evolution. Breakthrough Mode is your path to that."


    He let the words settle for a beat before continuing.


    "With a breakthrough, your magic transcends. You''ll feel it¡ªdeeper, sharper, stronger. I said this before, and I''ll say it again: not everyone will unlock it.


    And that''s okay. Those of you who can''t, don''t be discouraged. Mastery of your magic can still take you far."


    Grey''s expression shifted slightly. ''From what happened yesterday, it''s clear¡­ I''m close. The potential is there. I just have to reach for it.''


    A faint, determined smile touched his lips. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Now enough talk!" Magnus suddenly clapped his hands, the sound echoing like thunder through the hall. "Let''s get to it¡ªsame drill as yesterday. Push past your limits. Strengthen your mental core! Go!"


    The air thrummed with energy as the students braced themselves. Today, they would chase the edge of their potential¡ªand maybe, some would cross it.


    __


    {A/N}


    Just as I have explained in the previous chapter, the Kael who had died and the Kael who is the demonic student are two different people and I''m sorry for the current confusion.


    Wasn''t my intention and that''s because I had totally forgotten that I had a character called Kael who died. It was after I was a few dozen chapters in that I finally remembered.

 Chapter 238 - 238: A Spreading reputation(super gift Bonus chapter)

    "So, enough talking. Let''s move on to today''s phase¡ªexactly what you were all doing yesterday before falling unconscious!" Magnus clapped his hands sharply, a crack echoing across the hall like a gunshot.


    "Push beyond your limits and train your mental state! Let''s go!"


    Without hesitation, the students spaced themselves out, each two feet apart, and quickly assumed their meditative positions. Some were faster than others, especially Grey, who slipped effortlessly into his inner world.


    There it was¡ªhis multi-core once again in full display, swirling with elemental fury.


    Tornadoes spiraled violently, lightning crackling and arching like divine fury across the chaotic skies of his consciousness, striking the phantom ground below with deafening blasts.


    Fiery rain cascaded from the heavens, melting into molten rivers. The mountains shifted and crumbled with seismic intensity.


    And then, far off in the void of his core¡ªa small, ominous rift.


    It pulsed. Silent. Elusive.


    ''That thing¡­ I''ve been ignoring it. But what if that void is my fifth affinity staring me right in the face? Every element here mirrors my current affinities.


    They''re close to me because I''ve awakened them... But that void is distant. Untouchable. Because it''s still asleep within me.''


    He narrowed his eyes, straining to peer deeper into the abyss. ''Is it dark magic? Shadow? No... That old man said my fifth affinity was special¡ªone of the forbidden three: Time, Spatial, or Chaos. But which one¡­?''


    A sigh left his lips.


    ''No use speculating. Focus on the task at hand, Grey.''


    "By now, you should all be inside your meditative zones," Magnus''s voice echoed, calm yet commanding. "Now focus on spinning your mana¡ªharder, faster. Push the limits of your core!"


    "Are you sure? Isn''t that what put us unconscious yesterday?" Gordon asked skeptically, cracking open one eye.


    Magnus turned his gaze, sharp as a blade. "Would you like to come up here and teach the class, Gordon? Or will you let me do my job?"


    The hall fell into dead silence.


    "Thought so. Now get to it."


    Reluctantly but obediently, the students began to spin their mana with increasing speed and force, tapping deeper into their cores¡ªand then, the torment began.


    Scarlet''s core flared like a living inferno. Her veins ignited with searing heat, a firestorm erupting from within, threatening to incinerate her from the inside out.


    Greg was pelted with thunderbolts, each one slamming into him like divine punishment.


    Every strike shook his resolve, crackling pain across his mind like shards of glass.


    Raze clutched his head as celestial bodies twisted around him in chaotic motion¡ªstars spinning wildly, constellations collapsing.


    Vince''s metallic essence forged needle-like projectiles, piercing him repeatedly like a body caught in a hail of daggers.


    Jay gasped as phantom waters dragged him down, submerging him in a cold abyss, lungs screaming for breath.


    Vanica staggered in her core realm, blinded by radiant light so intense it burned her vision into nothingness.


    Gordon collapsed to his knees, convulsing as rivers of poison wrapped around his legs, seeping into his soul, its venom dulling his senses.


    Vorden wandered a mist-filled labyrinth, the fog thickening, twisting, closing in¡ªsuffocating him with every breath.


    Arthur fought to breathe, trapped inside a glowing bubble. The walls pressed in, sealing off oxygen. His muscles trembled as suffocation took hold.


    And Grey¡ªhe was enduring hell itself.


    Fire fell from the skies in relentless sheets, scorching his skin. Bolts of lightning rained upon him like cursed spears, each one a needle of pain that danced across his flesh.


    The earth beneath him rolled and split, making balance impossible, while invisible blades of wind sliced through his body in rapid strikes¡ªeach cut sharp, clean, and agonizing.


    ''Damn it!'' he screamed internally. ''This is one of those moments I hate having multiple affinities. I bet no one else is enduring this kind of madness!''


    Though the torment existed solely within their mental realm, the agony felt far too real.


    Pain screamed in their minds, searing their spirits, and slowly¡ªone by one¡ªthey began to collapse.


    "Ju¡­ just¡­ a few more¡­!" Greg grunted, forcing himself to his feet as lightning licked at his limbs.


    A crack appeared in his core vision¡ªbut then his body gave out, and he slumped to the floor, unconscious.


    Scarlet followed. Then Raze. Then all the others fell like dominoes, bodies littering the training floor¡ªexcept for one.


    Grey remained on his knees, trembling violently. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he kept his eyes shut tight, fists clenched, and jaw locked.


    But the pain didn''t ease¡ªit surged.


    A sudden, blinding headache slammed into him like a sledgehammer. His vision darkened.


    His strength crumbled. And finally, he too fell, twitching as unconsciousness claimed him.


    Magnus let out a long, low sigh and walked back toward the podium. He collapsed into his chair with a grunt.


    "Well¡­ I''ve still got a long way to go," he muttered.


    A thin shard of ice manifested in his fingers. He twirled it lazily, eyes sweeping over the students sprawled across the floor.


    With a flick of his wrist, the shard shot forward, embedding itself deep into the wall.


    From the point of impact, webs of ice spiraled out like veins, spreading in fractal beauty. Magnus didn''t watch the display¡ªhis thoughts were elsewhere.


    ''I don''t know why, but ever since Kael''s set, I''ve expected more from every group I''ve taught. And every time¡­ disappointment.''


    His gaze softened, staring blankly through the ice.


    ''Kael was different. The first to achieve a breakthrough on his first try. He shattered Amir''s record¡ªwhich stood at half a day¡ªby doing it in an hour. An hour!''


    He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    ''And then he skyrocketed. Missions that third-years wouldn''t dream of handling¡ªKael aced them all. Got recruited into the elite squad. Became a legend¡­''


    His eyes drifted to Grey, unconscious but twitching slightly.


    ''But this one¡­ Grey¡­ there''s something about him. Two affinities like Kael, but his resume? Even crazier. Amir said he killed a level 7 beast alone. And then there was that training trip¡­ another level 7 boss appeared¡ªalongside an assassin¡ªand Grey claimed to have slain both.''


    Magnus slowly rose to his feet, eyes widening with realization.


    ''He''s slain two level 7 beasts in different incidents. Took down a level 4 assassin mage. Obliterated half a thousand undead. And even had an incomplete breakthrough on his first try.''


    He exhaled slowly, a smirk curling his lips.


    ''This isn''t just a talented student. This¡­ is the rebirth of a demon. No¡ªsomething greater. Given time, he might just surpass Kael. No... he will surpass him.''


    As if on cue, the students began to stir, groaning faintly as their bodies slowly regained consciousness.


    And yet, even among them, Magnus''s eyes remained locked on one figure.


    Grey.


    ___


    {A/N}


    This is our fourth mass released chapter guys???? thanks to Shadowmornachx, I''m burning through my reservoir (not like I''m complaining ???? anything for my readers) S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So my mass released chapters are a thank you to that awesome reader who made this possible¡­ Just so you all know, you can also make this possible by clicking on that super gift button to support this small author ????????

 Chapter 239 - 239: Fourth exercise! (Super gift bonus chapter)

    "Ow! That was a crazy rollercoaster," Raze groaned, pushing himself up from the floor. His vision swam in dizzy waves, but it gradually began to clear.


    "I could''ve sworn I went blind for a second," Vanica muttered, blinking rapidly as she rubbed her eyes.


    "Yeah, well, I totally drowned and almost died," Jay added with a dramatic cough, shaking his sleeves dramatically as if squeezing water out and as if reliving the memory.


    "You almost died? I actually did¡­ in my core, at least," Gordon chimed in with a dry chuckle, massaging his chest.


    "You all need to stop whining about your petty suffering. Clearly, I had it worse," Scarlet snapped, patting down her body with trembling hands. "I was burnt alive, like I had been tossed into hell''s furnace."


    "Tsk! Burnt?" Greg scoffed. "I was struck by lightning! From a freaking thunderstorm! Over and over again!" His eyes widened in horror as he recalled the ordeal, his voice rising with disbelief.


    "If all of you with single elements are complaining this much," Vince said, a half-smile forming, "what would you say about Grey?"


    All eyes turned toward Grey¡ªwho stood apart, silent and composed. He wasn''t engaging in their banter. His brows were slightly furrowed, his gaze distant, lost in thought.


    "I guess¡­ he had it rough too," Vorden muttered.


    "Probably still shaken up," Arthur added, and the rest nodded in agreement.


    A sharp clap echoed through the room.


    "Attention, everyone," Magnus''s voice rang out, authoritative and clear. He clasped his hands again to silence the murmurs. "You''ve all successfully passed the third stage¡ªand I''m proud." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Passed?" Vanica''s brow lifted. "I thought we were supposed to resist the mental stress and pain. But we didn''t¡ªwe passed out."


    "Yes, you did," Magnus nodded, "but that very experience¡ªthe overwhelming pain and losing consciousness¡ªwas part of the process. It guided you toward the breakthrough. Without enduring it, you wouldn''t have passed."


    "I don''t get it," Grey finally spoke, his expression tight. "What exactly do you mean?"


    "I mean," Magnus said, stepping closer, "that you all passed out not once but twice¡ªyesterday and today. That means your minds were forced to adapt. You''ve endured the worst of the third stage and mastered it. Now¡­ we move to the fourth."


    "If you say we''re ready, who are we to argue?" Raze shrugged.


    "So, what''s the next step?" Scarlet asked, massaging her temples, still feeling the echoes of the earlier strain.


    "The last three stages were just the foundation," Magnus explained, folding his arms. "They steeled your willpower and sharpened your resolve. I''ve been timing your endurance¡ªand today, all of you held on longer than yesterday. That matters."


    "So, what do we do now?" Arthur asked, sitting up straighter.


    "Listen to my instructions¡ªand give it your all," Magnus said with a shrug, though his eyes were sharp with purpose.


    "Everyone, return to your core space. Redo the third exercise. Face the pain again. Endure it. When I give the signal¡ªfollow my lead."


    "Wait, again?!" Vorden gasped, eyes wide.


    "If you want a breakthrough, then yes. If not, get out," Magnus replied coolly.


    "Bu¡ª" Arthur started.


    "No ifs or buts," Magnus snapped. "Do as I say."


    "Ye¡ªyes, sir!" they all echoed, springing into action.


    In an instant, the room shifted to silence as they slipped into meditation. Their core realms emerged¡ªthe swirling orbs within their spiritual domains spinning faster, brighter, more fiercely than ever before.


    Then, the torment began again.


    The searing agony returned¡ªsharp, blinding, and relentless. Muscles tensed. Fists clenched. Jaws locked. Some pounded the ground in desperation.


    Others bit their lips or cried out silently. The pain was monstrous, a storm that threatened to tear them apart.


    But none of them backed down.


    They had tasted the edge once before¡ªand now, they stood at that precipice again, daring to go further.


    "Now," Magnus''s voice boomed, low but resonant, "I want you to do something different.


    Fuel your willpower with your mana. Right now, your bodies scream for mercy. Your minds beg for rest. Your hearts race with fear. Doubt is clawing at your confidence."


    He paused, eyes scanning their struggling forms.


    "This¡­ this is your breaking point. But it''s also your chance. Here, and now, you must bind your willpower to your mana. Push. Force it. Own it."


    Even Grey¡ªusually the strongest among them¡ªwas on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. His fingers dug so deeply into his palms that blood trickled freely.


    ''This¡­ this torture¡­ even the kingdom''s worst enemies aren''t put through something like this. So why¡­ Why us? Why me?!'' Grey screamed inwardly, the pain mounting like molten chains around his soul.


    "This is just the price of power," Noir''s voice rang out sharply in his mind, cutting through the chaos. He had been quiet for days¡ªbut not now. "You want to break through? Then suffer for it. Want to quit? Then do it¡ªand stop whining."


    Grey grit his teeth harder, pushing through the torment with newfound resolve.


    "I want you to chant this in your mind," Magnus declared. ''I am the force that transcends my limits. I break¡­ to become more.'' Mean it. Burn it into your soul. If done right, your mana will stabilize¡­ and then erupt¡ªnot outwardly, but within. That eruption is your breakthrough."


    "Qu¡­quick question," Grey muttered through gritted teeth. "Do we¡­ have to keep saying that¡­ every time we want to¡­ break through?"


    "Of course not," Magnus replied, his voice thunderous. "This is only for your first time. Once you master it, you''ll no longer need the chant. Now stop wasting breath. Focus!"


    Silence fell¡ªsave for the chorus of minds chanting:


    ''I am the force that transcends my limits. I break, to become more.''


    Over and over.


    Their cores spun violently now, releasing bright flashes in the void of their mindscapes.


    Slowly, the mental realm shifted. A thick, shimmering glass veil appeared high in the sky of their consciousness.


    The more they chanted, the more cracks formed on that veil¡ªfractures spreading like veins through the surface.


    Each student saw the same thing. No one was left out. And then¡­


    Crack!


    Shatter.


    The veil burst into pieces, vanishing into glittering fragments. In its place, a wave of energy exploded inwardly, sweeping through their minds and cores.


    And as if united in spirit, they all cried out together.


    "Breakthrough!"


    Mana surged around them in ripples, distorting the very air. Magnus''s lips curled into a grin as he witnessed it¡ªdozens of students pushing beyond their limits.


    But just as quickly as it began¡­ The surge subsided.


    The energy receded like a tide pulling back to sea. One by one, the students collapsed onto their knees, panting heavily, sweat pouring down their faces.


    "Di¡­did we¡­ manage to do it?" Raze wheezed.


    "Welp," Magnus said with a shrug, walking toward the exit. "It was worth a try. But no¡ªyou all failed. We try again tomorrow."


    He vanished through the door without another word.


    Silence lingered for a moment. And then¡ª


    "I swear, I''m going to drive a wind blade through that instructor one of these days!" Grey howled in frustration, his fists trembling with fury and exhaustion.


    __


    {A/N}


    Once again, this is a thank you to that beautiful reader who made this mass release possible. Without you Shadowmornachx, we wouldn''t have hit this mass release so thank you.


    For anyone interested in making a magic like this happen again, our mass release goals are still active guys! Check it out:


    150 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters¡­ these are the mass release goals to make a magic like this happen again¡­ Let''s crush these goals together guys and make more mass release magic happen ??????

 Chapter 240 - 240: Spar! (Golden tickets bonus chapter)

    Two weeks had passed since the team had begun their breakthrough classes¡ªa grueling stretch of time defined by unrelenting mental and physical torture. Under Magnus''s ironclad instruction, they were pushed to their absolute limits.


    On some days, Magnus would pit them against one another in intense sparring sessions.


    More often than not, the outcomes were brutal¡ªsome students left battered and bruised while others stood untouched. Amidst the chaos, three figures consistently stood above the rest.


    They were known as the Big Three¡ªGrey, Greg, and Scarlet¡ªpillars of the class who bore the brunt of the trials without faltering.


    Grey, as always, led the charge, his prowess in combat eclipsing even the other two. But Greg and Scarlet were not far behind.


    They were gaining ground, fueled by raw determination and a hunger to grow.


    Every single day brought new trials, with rest only permitted on weekends¡ªdesignated by the academy, not by Magnus.


    Yet Magnus always claimed it was an act of kindness on his part, a thinly veiled mockery the students had grown used to.


    Despite all this, not a single student had achieved a breakthrough. Frustration simmered just beneath the surface.


    No breakthroughs. No missions. Just the same soul-crushing routine over and over again.


    But that monotony was about to shatter.


    As usual, the students were gathered in Magnus''s class, drenched in sweat, chests heaving. The instructor paced before them, his gaze sharp and unyielding.


    "I think it''s safe to say," Magnus said, voice laced with disdain, "you all are the weakest batch I''ve ever had the displeasure of teaching."


    "Aren''t we trying enough?" Raze asked, wiping sweat from his forehead, his voice edged with desperation.


    "Oh, you''re trying alright," Magnus sneered. "Trying hard¡ªto fail."


    "At least we''re not cold-hearted instructors who refuse to show us what a breakthrough even looks like," Grey said suddenly, stepping forward. His eyes locked onto Magnus, voice calm but cutting.


    "You claim to be a prodigy. A master of the breakthrough path. But we haven''t seen you do it even once. Maybe you can''t. Maybe the problem isn''t us¡ªbut your flawed teaching."


    The air instantly grew colder. Frost crept along the walls as Magnus''s brow furrowed and an ice sword materialized in his hand.


    "You''ve got quite the sharp tongue for a weakling," Magnus said, his tone low and dangerous. "Ever heard of respect for your superiors?"


    "Don''t try to threaten me," Grey replied in a growl, his aura flaring with barely restrained power.


    Magnus smiled coldly, his ice sword vanishing into thin air. "Students. I''ve decided today''s class will be a little¡­ different. A special sparring session¡ªbetween me and Grey."


    Grey scoffed, shaking his head. "Forget it. I''m not in the mood."


    "If you win," Magnus said, stepping closer, his tone suddenly lighter, "the entire class gets a day off. And I promise you¡ªit won''t be a weekend."


    That made Grey pause.


    "Tempting," he muttered. "I could use time to train on my own. Fine. I''ll take the deal."


    "Wonderful," Magnus said with a smirk. "Everyone else, clear the floor. Things are about to get interesting."


    The students quickly retreated to the edges of the wide, round platform at the center of the room.


    ''If he really is the rebirth of Kael,'' Magnus mused, stepping into position, ''this should be entertaining. Not that I expect him to win.''


    "Shall we begin?" Grey asked, already across from him.


    "Anytime," Magnus replied coolly.


    In an instant, ten razor-sharp ice swords appeared around Magnus, floating in formation like deadly sentinels, their tips all aimed at Grey.


    ''Impressive casting speed. Not like I expected anything less from him though.'' Grey thought, eyes narrowing.


    Suddenly, the swords launched forward¡ªdeadly missiles shrieking through the air.


    BOOM!


    A violent crack echoed through the hall as the ice blades exploded mid-air. Grey stood untouched, a cracked wind blade in one hand and a metallic sword in the other.


    "You want to be a swordsman now?" Magnus asked with a chuckle.


    "I just prefer using swords," Grey replied, lightning crackling around his feet. In a flash, he vanished.


    He reappeared in Magnus''s blind spot, swinging his blade with ruthless speed. But it clashed against an ice shield. In response, Magnus countered with an ice spear shot at near point-blank range.


    Grey twisted mid-air, kicking off an invisible platform of wind, narrowly dodging the attack.


    As he floated, twelve wind blades hovered behind him like wings of destruction. With a snap of his fingers, they launched at breakneck speed.


    Magnus didn''t flinch. Ice spread beneath his feet as he skated effortlessly, gliding across the battlefield while deflecting wind blades with precise bursts of magic.


    In less than a minute, all twelve blades were neutralized. But before the last one fell, Grey was already upon him.


    "You still haven''t proven why you''re worthy to be my instructor!" Grey roared, unleashing a lightning bolt at close range.


    Magnus barely summoned an ice shield in time¡ªthe blast sent him skidding backwards, boots screeching against ice.


    ''This kid¡­ He''s nearly as fast as Kael. Not quite¡ªbut close enough to be dangerous,'' Magnus thought, scanning the field as Grey blurred across it like a phantom.


    "Uhm¡­ guys?" Raze whispered, watching from the sidelines. "Is it just me, or does it look like Grey might actually beat the instructor?"


    "Are you crazy?" Greg replied, eyes wide. "If Magnus gets serious, Grey won''t last a second. You forget¡ªhe might be hiding his Magus Dominion."


    "That''s if he even has one," Arthur said. "Only top-tier mages can access that power."


    "So¡­ you''re saying Magnus isn''t top-tier?" Scarlet asked, arms folded.


    "Who knows?" Raze shrugged. "All I know is¡ªlook at the fight. Grey''s not just holding his own¡ªhe''s pushing Magnus back."


    On the platform, Grey dived in again, his sword slicing through Magnus''s ice shield with explosive force.


    "If Grey used all his affinities at once, I doubt Magnus could keep up," Raze added. "Didn''t Grey beat someone mid-breakthrough? Twice?"


    "What''s the matter?!" Grey shouted mid-assault. "Can''t do anything? You are making me freaking bored over here!"


    He launched two more wind blades. Magnus deflected them with ease but remained still.


    "You''re strong," Magnus admitted, "but you''ve forgotten one thing."


    Suddenly, Grey froze¡ªliterally.


    He looked down to find his feet encased in thick ice, rooted to the spot. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m a battle-hardened veteran," Magnus said, walking forward with a thin ice spear forming in his grip. "Speed alone won''t save you. And you''re not as fast as him."


    Magnus raised the spear to strike.


    BANG!


    The doors to the hall slammed open, and Captain Amir strode in, a grim expression on his face.


    "Captain¡­" Magnus faltered, the spear and ice bindings vanishing at once.


    "I don''t care what sort of game you''re playing," Amir said sharply, scanning the hall. Worry etched on his face as his tone carried the seriousness of the situation that brought him there. "But I do care about why I''m here. We''ve got a situation¡ªa threat to the kingdom. I need your help."


    ___


    {A/N}


    I know I said we are doing a five chapter mass release but I just noticed that we hit another mass release goal and hence, I''m adding one more chapter to the list.


    What goal did we hit? The Golden tickets goal! That''s what we hit and so, I''m adding an extra one chapter so kindly enjoy this bonus chapter and don''t forget to drop a review or comment and tell me your fav scenes so far. ??????

 Chapter 241 - 241: Fight for the kingdom!

    "So much paperwork to do¡ªdarn it!"


    Captain Amir''s frustrated voice echoed through the confines of his office, nearly drowned out by the oppressive silence of responsibility.


    A veritable mountain of parchment and folders loomed on his desk, like a beast daring him to conquer it.


    His usually well-kept hair was now slightly disheveled, tufts sticking out as if rebelling against his long hours of work.


    Faint bags rested under his bloodshot eyes, yet his hands moved with relentless discipline, shuffling through each document with the mechanical rhythm of a war veteran trapped in bureaucracy.


    "It says here¡­" he muttered, lifting a report. "The elite squad repelled a border disturbance from Drakesville? That''s impressive." He raised a brow, a flicker of pride crossing his weary face.


    "I wonder how the other squads are even doing. Meanwhile, I''m rotting behind a desk. No missions. No battles. The other captains are hogging all the action!" He groaned, raking his fingers through his hair in exasperation as papers rustled around him.


    "Oh?" He paused, eyes scanning another parchment. "Kael and Viktor cleared that unstable portal... and in record time. Of course¡ªKael was there." Amir let out a sigh, scribbling a note before setting it aside.


    "At this rate, I''ll need an assistant just to claw my way back to the field." He chuckled dryly¡ªonly for a pulsating blink from the clear crystal on his desk to snatch his attention.


    He tapped it.


    Lucian Everhart''s face, principal of Lunaria Academy, shimmered into view within the crystal. His usual calm was nowhere to be seen; panic shadowed his expression.


    "Amir, I need you in my office. Now. It''s urgent."


    "I''m swamped here," Amir grunted. "If this isn''t as serious as you''re making it sound, I swear¡ª"


    "It''s serious. I promise. Just get here¡ªquickly!" Lucian barked before the projection vanished and the crystal dimmed.


    With a heavy sigh, Amir shoved back from his chair. "I don''t get paid enough for this. Darn it!"


    After several minutes weaving through the academy''s winding halls, he stopped before a grand golden-arched door. He gave a light knock¡ªand the door creaked open on its own.


    "How convenient," he muttered, stepping inside.


    The principal''s office radiated prestige and power. Towering arched windows bathed the obsidian floor in golden rays of light.


    Shelves of ancient, rune-etched tomes lined the walls, some scrolls softly glowing with residual enchantments.


    At the center stood a majestic desk carved from enchanted mahogany, its surface etched with pulsing magical runes.


    Above it hovered crystal lanterns, drifting in lazy circles and casting ethereal shadows. Behind the desk sat a regal chair of deep crimson velvet, commanding the space like a throne.


    Floating above the desk was the shimmering emblem of Lunaria Academy, its magic gently humming like a heartbeat.


    Lucian Everhart, cloaked in a sleek robe of midnight blue laced with golden embroidery, offered a small smile as Amir approached.


    "Ah! Amir, welcome."


    A chair materialized before the desk, and Amir plopped down with little ceremony.


    "Alright, let''s get to it. Like I said¡ªI''m busy."


    "You think I''m not?" Lucian said, chuckling lightly. "Being both an emperor''s subordinate and an academy principal isn''t exactly tea and biscuits. The political headaches alone¡­"


    "And it''s not easy being a Captain of three squads. I''m juggling three class years, elite squad assignments, and enough paperwork to choke a dragon," Amir shot back, slouching deeper into his seat.


    "I suppose we''re both buried alive," Lucian chuckled. "But jokes aside¡ªthe kingdom''s in danger."


    "Danger?" Amir''s demeanor shifted instantly. He leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "What kind of danger?"


    Lucian exhaled. "Our intel reports that Drakesville is mobilizing. Troops are marching toward the border. Our scouts spotted their banners already."


    "Then send out the elite squad. What''s this got to do with me?" Amir''s tone was sharp, his patience thinning.


    "That would be the obvious move as the elite squad could easily handle this¡­ except it''s not just troops. Two of Drakesville''s generals are leading the charge¡ªbacked by five hundred seasoned mages."


    Amir froze. "Two generals?! Why would they¡ª?" His voice faltered, cold sweat forming at the back of his neck.


    The Drakesville Kingdom¡ªanother magical powerhouse like Velzoria and Clover¡ªwas a militant nation governed by its emperor and five generals.


    Each general was akin to a demigod in battle, their power feared across the continent. The five generals all had power equal to the emperor''s subordinates of Velzoria kingdom.


    Which means, each general were as strong as each principals of the four great academies.


    For two to move together meant one thing¡ªwar.


    "You see our problem," Lucian said grimly, his fingers steepled before him.


    "What''s the plan?" Amir asked, his voice low.


    "They''re nearing Goltas Village. And the emperor has issued his command."


    "What did he say?"


    Lucian leaned forward, eyes hard. "He wants to crush them. To show Drakesville the true might of Velzoria. But¡­ he refuses to send his most powerful."


    "What?" Amir barked. "Why the hell not?!"


    "Because this is a test," Lucian replied, lips curling into a smirk. "He wants us to gather the strongest second and third-year students across our academies. Assemble a six-man squad. You''ll lead them."


    "What?! That''s madness." Amir sprang to his feet. "How can a squad of six with me in the lead be able to win this battle alone?"


    "And who says you are alone?" Lucian asked, calm as ever. "The Wysteria squad is en route already.


    And this is a royal decree. Complete the mission and we''re rewarded by the Emperor himself. Fail¡­" His voice grew cold. "And we''ll know firsthand how ruthless he can be."


    Amir''s throat dried.


    ''Crap! We can''t afford to get on the emperor''s bad side. Not when he could obliterate an academy with a flick of his hand¡­''


    Lucian''s voice interrupted his spiral. "So¡ªdo you have students in mind?"


    "I do," Amir replied after a pause. "But I have one question."


    "Ask."


    "What''s the emperor''s real aim here? Why not just use the elite squad if it''s victory he wants?"


    Lucian grinned, eyes gleaming. "Because word has reached him that some of our intermediate and advanced students are prodigies.


    What better way to test them than a battlefield? If they win, it sends a message¡ªthat even our non-elite squads are strong enough to defeat Drakesville''s best."


    "Which means¡­" Amir continued slowly, "...Drakesville will start wondering how terrifying our elite squad truly is."


    "Exactly." Lucian sat back with satisfaction. "So get to it. Time''s ticking."


    ¡ª


    "And that''s why I''m here." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amir stood before Grey and his team in Magnus Class, arms folded, voice heavy with purpose. "This mission comes from the Emperor himself. It''s a fight¡ªfor our kingdom."

 Chapter 242 - 242: F*ck them up!

    "And that''s why I''m here," Amir declared, his voice steady as he stood before Grey and the rest of Magnus Class.


    His sharp gaze swept across their faces, each one processing his words with a different shade of fear and disbelief.


    "This mission comes directly from the Emperor. It''s a fight for our kingdom¡ªand I hope none of you panic and mess it up."


    Raze blinked, trying to wrap his mind around the sheer weight of what he''d just heard.


    "So, in short¡­ a rival kingdom is planning to attack ours with five hundred men and two generals¡ªeach one as powerful as the principals of the academies which in turn are Emperor''s subordinates of our kingdom?" he asked, his voice edged with disbelief.


    "Yes," Amir replied, unflinching. "That''s correct."


    Raze''s expression darkened, his pupils dilating in dread as he envisioned the battlefield.


    "How the hell do you expect us not to panic?! A squad of twelve students and two captains going against an army of five hundred and two monsters stronger than you?! That''s suicide!"


    Amir''s lips tightened into a frown. "You know, I was given the right to choose who I wanted on this mission. Keep pushing me, and you won''t even get the chance to come."


    "Like hell I want to be part of a suicide squad," Raze spat. "Count me out. I don''t know if the Emperor''s gone senile over the years, but this mission? It''s a massacre waiting to happen!"


    ''An army of five hundred¡­ Two generals as strong as academy principals... Can I even stand a chance?'' Grey thought, his heart pounding against his ribs.


    ''I''m still hiding the truth about my affinities. Even if I used them all, would it be enough?


    Maybe I could wound one, especially if Noir helped¡ªbut that''s a long shot. That bastard''s unpredictable, and he''s hell-bent on staying hidden.


    Or will you help me, Noir?''


    "Tsk. Like hell I want to help you. You can die for all I care." Noir snapped from within his mind, his voice dripping with disdain.


    "Figured," Grey muttered under his breath.


    "So what''s it going to be, Grey?" Amir asked, turning to him with a penetrating gaze.


    "Me? Why are you asking me that?" Grey replied, confused.


    "Because I get to pick the students for this mission¡ªand I want you on it," Amir said plainly.


    Grey let out a sigh. "As much as I love a good fight¡­ this mission? I can''t take part in it. My mother still needs me alive. This is a suicide run, and I''m not about to throw my life away."


    "Thank you!" Raze chimed in quickly, nodding in agreement. Amir shot him a glare that could melt steel.


    "You do realize there''s no backing out, right?" Amir said, his voice laced with authority.


    "As your captain, I order you to join the team. Otherwise, you''re out of the academy. You should be honored¡ªyou''re being asked to fight for your kingdom."


    Grey chuckled¡ªa soft sound at first, but it built quickly into full-blown laughter. Then his expression darkened, and his aura shifted.


    Electricity hissed and crackled in the air around him, tendrils of lightning dancing along his skin. Those nearby instinctively took a step back.


    "Fight for my kingdom?" he growled. "Let me ask you this¡ªwhat the hell has this damned kingdom ever done for me?!"


    He raised his hand, lightning crackling furiously around his fingers like chained dragons ready to break loose.


    "You see this? If I didn''t have this, if I hadn''t awakened my affinities¡ªnone of you would even know my name. No one would give a damn about Grey. I was called a cripple. I didn''t always have magic. I was bullied every single day."


    His voice grew louder, angrier, more raw.


    "My family lived in slums. We went days without food. And even then, the bullying didn''t stop. My dad died¡ªand no one came to help my family. Not the academy. Not the kingdom. Not your precious Emperor!"


    He clenched his fist, lightning bursting from his palm with a thunderous snap.


    "I clawed my way up from nothing¡ªnothing¡ªto become what I am today. I did it to protect my mother. To give my sister a better life.


    So tell me, Captain, where the hell was your kingdom when I needed saving?! Where was your Emperor then?!"


    A fierce gust of wind erupted from his body, smashing windows and knocking over chairs.


    The others staggered back, shielding their eyes as the air turned electric and wild. Grey stood at the center of it all, eyes blazing, teeth clenched.


    ''Grey¡­he experienced so much at so young. Is¡­ is this why he was always cold?'' Scarlet thought, her heart clenching as she watched a single tear slide down Grey''s cheek.


    ''Damn¡­ Grey had it rough,'' Raze thought, his earlier anger replaced with quiet sorrow.


    Amir stepped forward, unfazed. His voice was calm¡ªgentle, even.


    "You''re right," he said. "The kingdom did nothing for you. Neither did I. No one knew you. Maybe no one would''ve ever known you¡ªif you hadn''t awakened your affinities." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He paused, then softened his tone even further.


    "But think about this¡­ If that enemy kingdom succeeds, what do you think they''ll do next? They won''t stop with the capital. They''ll spread like a plague¡ªuntil they reach your mother, your sister, and the people you call friends."


    Amir let that linger for a moment.


    "You might not say it aloud, but I know you care about these people, your friends¡ªabout them. Deep down, you want to protect them."


    He took a step closer.


    "What if something happens to them while you''re not there? Will you blame yourself again? Like you did with your dad? Regret it for the rest of your life, wishing you''d been strong enough to stop it?"


    The energy in the room slowly began to recede. The storm of lightning that had enveloped Grey started to settle, dimming to faint sparks along his fingertips.


    "This is your chance," Amir continued. "Your chance to be more than a survivor. Be a protector, Grey¡ªnot an observer. Don''t let your past chain you down. Let it fuel your present. Let it shape your future."


    Amir''s voice hardened, but it held compassion. "Goltas Village¡­ by now, it''s likely being razed. Innocent lives being slaughtered. What if that was your town? What if that was your family?"


    Grey''s chest rose and fell with every deep, labored breath. His fists were clenched so tightly, his knuckles turned white.


    ''He''s right¡­'' Grey admitted to himself. ''Damn it. I can''t just let my friends walk into danger while I stay behind like a coward. I can''t lose them. I¡­ I need to help.''


    Finally, the last arc of lightning fizzled into silence. The air cleared.


    Amir raised a brow. "So? What do you say?"


    Grey inhaled deeply, then looked up with a fire in his eyes.


    "Fine," he said. "I''ll help."


    He cracked his knuckles, wind beginning to gather around his arms like a loyal beast waiting to strike.


    "But not because I give a damn about these morons, the kingdom, or even that village. I''m doing this because someone invaded the kingdom my family is in."


    He grinned, eyes glinting like sharpened blades. "So let''s go and f*ck them up¡ªbadly."


    Amir''s lips curved into a proud smile.


    __


    {A/N}


    I need to quickly clarify something before we go further. I know having a kingdom invade Grey''s Kingdom with just five hundred men is too little.


    My reasoning is because I didn''t want the Emperor himself to come down yet. If the invading force had been more than a thousand, he would have needed to come down himself and that''s why to give the enemy Kingdom a little edge, I had them send out two generals.


    Powers equal to the principals of the four great academies in Grey''s Kingdom. Not little to make things easy for Grey, not too hard to make the Emperor want to come down (not like this battle won''t be difficult for our MC tho)


    I hope this reasoning and my planning is solid enough... Please let me know in the comments section. Thank you ???? ??

 Chapter 243 - 243: The Wysteria squad!

    At the border where the towering mountain ridges of Velzoria met the dense, mist-laced forests of Drakesville Kingdom, a thunderous gallop shattered the tranquil silence.


    A formidable cavalry of over five hundred men charged forward, their horses kicking up clouds of dust as they crossed into Velzorian soil.


    At the head of the battalion, two men rode sleek black stallions, their presence eclipsing even the army that followed behind.


    The first was a hulking figure, broad-shouldered with an intimidating aura. A jagged scar ran from the base of his chin to just beneath his right eye, like a permanent reminder of battles won and blood spilled. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A long, grey coat billowed behind him in the wind, clinging to his battle-worn frame like a second skin.


    Despite his ashen hair fluttering wildly in the breeze, his youthful features betrayed the truth¡ªit wasn''t age, but choice. He had dyed it grey, perhaps as a symbol or a warning.


    Beside him rode a man just as striking. His silver hair streamed behind him like a comet''s tail, and a twisted, gleeful smile curved his lips¡ªan expression both mocking and unnerving.


    His own grey coat mirrored the other''s, fluttering as though eager for the carnage ahead.


    "Halt!" a voice bellowed from up ahead.


    A dozen men emerged, clad in silver-tinged robes bearing the Velzorian emblem¡ªa radiant golden griffin emblazoned upon a crimson background.


    The emblem shimmered with brilliance under the morning sun, its eagle wings spread wide, lion''s body poised with pride. It was more than a crest; it was a symbol of unyielding valor and sovereign might.


    In contrast, the cloaks of the invading soldiers bore the emblem of a black dragon, muscles coiled and teeth bared as it spiraled around a burning core.


    The glinting black scales appeared almost alive in the flicker of sunlight, and its ember-like eyes seemed to peer into one''s soul. It was the emblem of Drakesville''s elite¡ªa symbol of wrath and domination, an omen of destruction.


    "You have no right to be here!" barked one of the Velzorian guards, stepping forward with resolve.


    These were no common soldiers. They were royal enforcers, men who reported directly to the Emperor himself.


    The scarred man turned slightly, a subtle scowl marking his face. "Want to do the honors?" he asked.


    "Gladly," the silver-haired man replied with an almost playful sneer, urging his horse forward. Its hooves pounded rhythmically, echoing like war drums as he approached the defenders.


    "We said halt!" one of the Velzorian soldiers shouted again, but the man did not flinch, his grin never wavering.


    "Fine then¡ªmages, prepare your spells! Fire at will!"


    In unison, the twelve raised their hands, conjuring an array of elemental spells¡ªslicing wind blades and jagged earth spikes¡ªaimed squarely at the silver-haired rider.


    "Let''s see you survive this!" the commander yelled.


    But just before impact, a shimmering ripple distorted the air. A wormhole materialized in front of the man, its edges crackling with dark energy, and swallowed the spells whole.


    "Is that all you''ve got?" the rider asked, amusement dripping from his voice.


    "Again! Hit him with everything you''ve got!"


    Another volley of destructive magic erupted toward him, only to be consumed by yet another yawning wormhole. The smile on his face widened, arrogant and composed.


    "Tsk. If this is all Velzoria has to offer, then this battle''s already over," he said with a chuckle.


    Suddenly, the Velzorian leader''s expression shifted. His eyes widened in sheer terror, his voice trembled. "I... I know who you are. You''re... Drakesville''s Silent Executioner."


    A sinister grin bloomed across the silver-haired man''s face. "Glad you recognize the man who''s about to take your life."


    And with that, an oppressive force crashed down like an avalanche. The sky dimmed, the air thickened.


    An invisible pressure crushed the dozen soldiers, shattering their bones and sending them collapsing like broken dolls.


    Blood burst from their mouths, and within moments, their heads exploded in a gruesome, simultaneous finale.


    The scarred man approached slowly on horseback, unshaken. "These were supposed to be the Emperor''s men? Velzoria must''ve grown weak."


    "We worried over nothing," the Silent Executioner replied with a scoff. "Let''s keep moving."


    And so, the invasion marched forward.


    In just thirty minutes, they crushed every obstacle in their path, cutting a bloody trail to the royal capital. Their first destination: Goltas Village.


    The townspeople, unaware, bustled in peace¡ªuntil the cavalry stormed in like an omen of death.


    Panic erupted. Screams pierced the air. Families fled, vendors abandoned their stalls, and children cried for their parents.


    "You know what to do," the scarred man said, his tone calm yet merciless.


    The command was received.


    The five hundred men dismounted in unison, releasing destruction with no restraint.


    Waves of elemental attacks¡ªrazor-sharp wind blades, erupting earth spikes, and raining metallic shards¡ªtore through the village.


    Within moments, chaos reigned.


    Flames devoured homes. Blood soaked the dirt roads. Lifeless bodies littered the streets, and those who ran were shredded by another barrage of spells. The massacre was swift and unforgiving.


    "Now this is fun to watch," the Silent Executioner said, eyes gleaming with perverse delight.


    "I thought the famed squads would''ve shown up by now," the scarred man said with mild disappointment, watching the bloodshed unfold like a dull performance.


    "If they won''t come to us," the silver-haired man replied, "we''ll bring the fight to them."


    Just then, a voice echoed from above.


    "You''ve certainly made a mess."


    All eyes turned skyward.


    A colossal wind bird soared above them, its wings spreading with majestic grace. Upon its back stood a man, youthful and sharp-eyed, with a squad of young warriors poised behind him.


    He appeared to be in his late twenties, with jet-black spiky hair swaying in the wind. His piercing green eyes shimmered like emerald blades, and a few freckles adorned his heart-shaped face.


    Though lean, his posture exuded authority. Draped in a flowing black robe pinned with a silver crest, he stood like a sentinel of judgment.


    The squad behind him, clad in shorter black robes, watched silently, awaiting orders.


    Without warning, the man leapt from the wind bird. As he descended, his robes fluttered and his hair danced in the air. He landed smoothly, unscathed, a stern frown etched across his face.


    "The famous Ryan Kim," the Silent Executioner said, his smile returning. "Glad you could join us. We were getting bored slaughtering the weak."


    "Silent Executioner, your crimes are unforgivable," Ryan said coldly. "And as Captain of Wysteria Squad¡­"


    The earth trembled.


    Cracks split the soil as jagged, luminous crystals erupted from beneath. These weren''t delicate ice-like formations¡ªthey were true crystals, dense and deadly, their sharp edges glinting in a glowing violet hue.


    "¡­I declare death as your punishment."


    With a powerful gust from the wind bird above, Ryan''s squad descended, the battlefield bracing for the storm about to be unleashed.

 Chapter 244 - 244: Rip your heads off!

    "I declare death as your punishment," Ryan said coldly, his voice carrying through the wind as his squad members descended from the majestic wind bird, its massive wings flapping and unleashing a powerful gust that swept dust and tension across the battlefield. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Kek Kek Kek!" The scarred man laughed, the sound harsh and guttural. His single eye glinted with amusement as he locked gazes with Ryan. "You know, for someone about to be buried under numbers, you sure talk big."


    "Look around you," the silent executioner said, gesturing casually toward the massive army behind him.


    Rows of armored men¡ªfive hundred strong¡ªstood poised to rain chaos upon the Wysteria squad at a moment''s notice. "You''re outnumbered. Five hundred versus seven. We''ll crush you and be at the royal capital before sundown."

 Chapter 245 - 245: Lunaria squad arrives!

    ''I wonder how much he''s grown by now. If I see him again, I''ll rip his head off. But first¡­'' Nozel thought, the gauntlet around his hand spinning violently. Its knuckles twisted and opened up, forming a cannon-like weapon.


    "I need to rip your heads off first!" he roared.


    With a thunderous sound, metal shards erupted from his gauntlet at breakneck speed, soaring toward the enemy like guided missiles.


    The shards traveled so fast it looked like the men couldn''t possibly dodge in time¡ªbut then, towering walls of earth surged upward, slamming into place just before impact.


    The collision echoed like a thunderclap, sending tremors across the battlefield. Some soldiers staggered from behind the walls, blood dribbling from their lips. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Want to help out here?" Nozel snapped, glancing at the wind student beside him.


    "I thought you had it covered," the student replied with an amused smirk.

 Chapter 246 - 246: Greys breakthrough!

    "I still can''t believe the so-called strongest academy was about to get flattened. Anyway, be grateful¡ªthe Lunaria squad has arrived."


    A loud, mocking voice echoed from above, and a moment later, a massive dome of shimmering metal, ten meters wide, slammed down around the squad like a protective fortress.


    Pure mana rained from the heavens, hammering against the dome like furious hail, only to be repelled with ringing clangs. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The magical constructs outside continued to batter the dome for a few seconds, but when they halted, the metal structure retracted smoothly into the ground like melting steel, revealing the Wysteria squad¡ªalive, battle-worn but safe.


    Their bodies bore bruises and shallow cuts, remnants of the brutal battle before.


    But more than their survival, what drew the eye was the presence behind them¡ªanother squad had arrived, cloaked in quiet menace. The Lunaria squad.

 Chapter 247 - 247: False hope!

    "No one invades the Supreme Mage''s world without his permission..." Grey declared, his voice calm yet laced with terrifying finality.


    A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes as he hovered high above the battlefield, staring down at the 280 enemy mages from the Drakesville Kingdom. They were preparing spells, desperation etched on their faces.


    "And punishment for trespassing..." he paused, his tone sinking into a cold abyss.


    "¡­is death."


    The moment the words left his lips, the sky exploded into motion. Dozens of wind birds¡ªsleek, ethereal beasts composed entirely of gales¡ªunleashed a devastating rain of wind blades that screamed through the air like banshees.


    Gasps of horror spread among the Drakesville forces as the sky darkened with countless blades. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 248 - 248: Block this!

    The brutal war between Velzoria and the Drakesville Kingdom had taken countless unpredictable turns¡ªbut none more shocking than the arrival of the Lunaria squad.


    At the heart of the chaos stood Grey, whose ruthless actions sent tremors through friend and foe alike.


    In a single, devastating move, Grey obliterated over two hundred and sixty soldiers¡ªleaving behind nothing but scorched earth and broken bodies.


    Yet, moments later, he spared a trembling man who pleaded desperately to return to his family.


    When Grey coldly told him he could leave, even his comrades froze in disbelief.


    ''I guess¡­ he does have a soft side buried in that hardened shell,'' Scarlet thought, a faint warmth curling her lips into a small smile.


    Tsk. ''He''s letting the enemy walk free?'' Nozel sneered inwardly, his fists tightening. ''What a softie. I would''ve sliced him down without hesitation.''


    But then¡­


    "Actually, on second thought¡­" Grey muttered, voice colder than steel.


    Without turning, he flicked his hand backward¡ªand a razor-sharp wind blade burst from his fingertips, slicing through the air with deadly precision.


    A sickening crunch followed as it pierced the pleading man''s abdomen. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crumpled to the ground.


    ''Wait, WHAT?!'' The younger squad members mentally screamed, their eyes wide, jaws slack. No one had expected such a swift and brutal reversal. Hope granted¡ªthen snatched away in a heartbeat.


    ''Ah¡­ I see now,'' Ryan mused, a twisted grin forming. ''He let the man dream¡ªof home, of family¡ªonly to rip it from him in the final moment. That''s a cruelty deeper than death.''


    ''Grey has become a complicated fellow.'' Charlotte thought, her brows furrowed in concern. ''When did he become like this? Was it after I left Kiten town? Did something break him? Damn¡­ I haven''t returned since I left for the academy.''


    "That was rather cruel, don''t you think?" the Silent Executioner said, his voice calm but tinged with amusement as he watched one of his men slump to the dirt.


    "Quite cruel," the scarred general added, stepping forward. "Now that the side characters are done with¡­ how about the main event?" he smirked.


    Suddenly, the skies above Grey darkened like a looming omen, and a torrential rain of pure mana descended¡ªeach droplet sharp enough to tear flesh and bone.


    ''Damn it! I can''t dodge this in time!'' Grey thought, alarm flaring in his chest.


    But then, the earth rumbled. A massive crystal pillar erupted beneath his feet, spinning skyward like a coiled dragon, shielding him just in time.


    The mana storm clashed violently against the pillar, sparks flying in all directions before being absorbed.


    "I don''t think we can keep standing around while our junior fights alone," Amir''s deep voice rang out as he stepped forward, clad in gleaming metal armor, sword gripped tightly.


    He and Ryan positioned themselves in front of Grey, magic swirling around them like storm clouds ready to burst. The Silent Executioner clicked his tongue, mildly annoyed.


    "You kinda missed," he said flatly.


    "Well," the scarred man shrugged, "when we''re done with these two brave pests, we''ll claim his head at our leisure."


    "And you think we''ll just let that happen?" Amir replied, narrowing his eyes. Above them, a hundred metallic swords materialized in the air, their gleaming tips angled at the two generals like judgment from the heavens.


    "Captain¡­" Grey murmured, trying to rise to his feet. But his strength gave way. He collapsed, his lightning armor vanishing in a flash of sparks. The glow in his eyes dimmed, and he returned to his normal state¡ªexhausted.


    "You''ve done enough. Rest now, kid," Ryan said, standing tall. Below him, crystal formations twisted and spiraled upward, forming a curved bridge that pointed toward the enemy like a drawn blade.


    "Greg! Get Grey out of here!" Amir barked.


    With a crackle of electricity, Greg appeared at Grey''s side, lightning dancing across his limbs.


    "Come on, peasant," Greg said dryly, grabbing Grey''s arm. "This isn''t our fight anymore."


    "If it boosts your morale," the Silent Executioner said, striding forward and eyeing the suspended metal swords above, "then come at us with everything."


    "A warning," Amir said, his voice steel. He bent slightly, sword at the ready, his armor pulsing with raw mana. "We''re not just any captains¡­ We''re the strongest captains Velzoria has to offer!"


    And in an instant, the hundred swords screamed through the air toward the generals like thunderbolts from the gods.


    "Care to do the honors?" the Silent Executioner asked his comrade.


    "Gladly," the scarred man replied, unfazed. As the swords neared, a glowing arcane circle sprang to life in front of them. Swirling lights of every hue danced across its surface, pulsing with mystic energy.


    All the swords vanished into the circle in a blink.


    Amir''s eyes narrowed.


    "What? Thought this would be easy?" the scarred man smirked.


    The circle suddenly reversed direction¡ªand the hundred swords came rocketing back, now twice as fast and twice as deadly.


    Ryan clapped his hands. A thick, crystalline dome erupted around him and Amir just before impact.


    Crack! sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Smash!


    The dome shattered into glittering shards, the force sending the captains skidding backward. The swords dissipated as they struck the ground, their purpose served.


    "Whew! That was fun," the Silent Executioner said, cracking his knuckles. "My turn."


    He lunged forward, moving with impossible speed. Ryan responded instantly, the crystal bridge under his feet launching him like a missile.


    In his hands, a massive crystal club formed, growing in size mid-swing as he met the Silent Executioner head-on. But just before impact¡ª


    BOOM!


    A tremendous pressure exploded between them. The club shattered like glass. The bridge beneath Ryan''s feet fractured. Cracks spread across the ground like spiderwebs.


    Still, Ryan gritted his teeth and smiled. "I''m not done yet!"


    The earth buckled beneath him, and from its depths, a colossal crystal pillar the size of a truck burst forth, smashing into the Silent Executioner''s face and sending him flying.


    "My turn too!" Amir roared, flashing in from the side. His sword grew longer and broader, the strike slamming into the same man, drawing blood from his lips as he skidded across the field.


    "Keep the pressure up!" Ryan shouted. Dozens of crystal spears materialized mid-air and hurled themselves at their target like a deadly meteor shower.


    But a black vortex opened¡ªdevouring the spears in one gulp.


    "Gravity magic¡­" Amir growled, recognizing the spell''s nature. He surged forward, his sword shifting into twin gauntlets.


    In a blur, he appeared in front of the scarred general, fist raised¡ªand brought it down with a thunderous bang.


    But before it could land, a glowing rune spun to life. Chains erupted from the symbol, slamming into Amir and flinging him backward. He coughed up blood as he skidded across the ground.


    "Two versus one? Bit unfair, don''t you think?" the Silent Executioner said mockingly, now standing beside the scarred general.


    "Now, this feels more even," the scarred man added, his smirk darkening as countless runes lit up around Amir and Ryan.


    "Let''s see you block this!" he roared.


    From every rune, barbed chains with jagged tips burst out, whipping through the air toward the two captains like vipers seeking flesh.


    ____


    {A/N}


    So what are you waiting for? Add me up on discord now so we can keep the conversation of Magus Supremacy alive!

 Chapter 249 - 249: Come closer!

    "2v1? Not really fair now, is it?" the silent executioner finally spoke, his tone calm yet laced with arrogance. The scarred general strode forward, taking his place beside him with a grin.


    "Now, it''s more even."


    In a blink, countless glowing runes spiraled into existence around Amir and Ryan, their light casting eerie shadows across the cracked battlefield.


    "Block this!" the scarred man bellowed.


    From the runes, vicious chains tipped with razor-sharp blades shot forth like striking vipers, whistling through the air toward the two captains.


    Ryan stepped forward, his face darkening as the ground beneath them began to tremble, pulsing with raw magical energy.


    "Crystalline Magic: Resonance Wave!" he roared.


    For a heartbeat, the tremors ceased. Then¡ªBOOM¡ªthe earth erupted with intensified quakes as a massive crystalline wall surged upward from beneath.


    The shield met the chains with a thunderous crash, releasing a blinding shockwave. The chains shattered on impact, their fragments scattering like glass shards under the force of the resonance.


    "Catch this!" Amir snapped, summoning four sleek, gleaming metal swords that hurtled toward the enemy duo.


    But with a lazy flick of his wrist, the silent executioner dismissed them. A crushing field of gravity surged forward, and the swords cracked and shattered mid-air like brittle ice under pressure.


    "You''re strong," the scarred general noted, his cold eyes locking onto Ryan.


    Ryan smirked, brushing dust off his shoulder. "Of course. They don''t call me the greatest captain for nothing."


    "Wait¡ª" Amir turned with a deadpan stare. "No one calls you the greatest captain."


    "C''mon! I was trying to sound cool! That line was badass, admit it." Ryan grinned.


    "Yeah, well, we''re kinda in the middle of a fight here," the executioner interrupted flatly¡ªbefore blinking.


    He vanished¡ªthen reappeared right in front of Amir, his hand pulsing with condensed mana. Without warning, he slammed it into Amir''s chest.


    WHAM!


    The force sent Amir skidding backward across the cracked ground, blood splashing from his lips.


    "Over here!" Ryan shouted, thrusting his palm forward.


    A sharp crystal pillar erupted from the ground, spearing toward the executioner with lethal speed.


    But the general turned with a sneer, releasing a pulse of gravity so intense it warped the air. Cracks split the pillar until it crumbled to dust.


    "You forgot¡­ I control gravity," the general said smugly.


    "Yeah? And I control metal!" Amir shouted, slamming his gauntlet into the earth.


    From the ground, a towering metal pillar surged toward the executioner, but a swarm of glowing runes intercepted it mid-flight.


    The spell twisted the trajectory¡ªhalf the pillar vanished and reappeared, slamming into its own tail and obliterating itself.


    "Damn your cursed magic!" Amir growled, dashing forward. His gauntlets morphed into a broad blade, the edges glinting like a mirror under moonlight.


    ''He can attack from far away, so can I. But he has the advantage with long range attacks. All I have to do is get close to him.''


    With that thought, Amir leapt through the air, his blade tearing through wind, a silver arc of destruction.


    A rune pulsed beside him.


    FOOOOM! A storm of raw mana exploded from the rune, forcing Amir to abandon his strike.


    A metallic shield surged before him, absorbing the blast¡ªbut the impact hurled him backward. He staggered, coughing blood.


    Before he could regain balance, WHACK! a massive chain whipped into him like a battering ram, launching him through a nearby building. Debris rained down as his body vanished into the rubble.


    Meanwhile, Ryan stood tall before the silent executioner.


    "Now that your friend''s busy... I can take care of you myself." Ryan muttered, his voice low.


    The ground beneath his feet warped and shifted, forming a crystal bridge that hurled him forward like a missile.


    As he closed the distance, he swung his arm¡ªand from thin air, a colossal crystal club materialized, swinging toward the enemy.


    But it never made contact. The club shattered just inches away from its target.


    Then¡ªsuddenly¡ªRyan''s body froze, limbs going limp as he was yanked upward. Gravity had turned against him.


    CRACK!


    He was slammed back down with brutal force, the ground exploding under him. A crystalline shell barely formed in time to protect his bones.


    ''Damn! They''re just like the grown-up versions of Viktor and Sol. Only... male. And I''m seriously getting pissed off now.'' Ryan groaned as the gravity relented, allowing him to stand.


    ''I can''t land a single hit. Can''t get close. Can''t attack from afar. Everything gets crushed or swallowed by that damned wormhole!''


    "Why are you so far away?" the executioner asked, his arm raised and aimed.


    "Come closer!"


    A black hole formed before Ryan, the pull of its gravity gripping him instantly.


    ''No, no, no! Retreat! Retreat!''


    "You call yourself a captain?" the executioner sneered. Ryan was mid-air now, being reeled in like a helpless fish.


    "That kid was tougher than both of you combined!"


    The executioner''s fist swung forward with devastating momentum, aimed straight for Ryan''s face.


    But in that moment¡ªCRACK!¡ªenergy erupted around Ryan as he caught the punch with his bare hand, crystal forming like a second skin. His teeth clenched, muscles straining. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You can say anything else¡­" he growled, fury bubbling in his voice, "¡­but NEVER compare me to kids!!"


    The ground exploded beneath him as a crystal pillar launched upward with terrifying power, smashing the executioner skyward. Blood and a tooth flew from his mouth as he spun through the air.


    "Woah. Feisty." Amir limped over, his armor cracked, blood trickling from the side of his mouth.


    "Hey, big guy!" he shouted at the scarred man, who now stood surrounded by a cyclone of runes.


    In a blur, a hundred metal spears shimmered into existence around Amir, while something massive began forming at his feet.


    SNAP.


    The spears surged forward, slicing through the air toward the scarred man.


    Chains erupted from the runes once again, wrapping around the spears. They pulsed as they drained the magic and momentum from each one, then tossed them aside like useless twigs.


    "You didn''t even let me finish my sentence," Amir muttered.


    The object beneath him fully formed, and he grinned as he gripped the hilt.


    It was a titanic war hammer¡ªsix meters long, with a head so thick it seemed more mountain than weapon. The metal pulsed with runic veins, humming with power.


    "I wanted to ask if you like the taste of... hammer!" Amir bellowed, hurling the massive weapon like a meteor.


    The scarred general smirked and stepped aside casually.


    "You missed."


    His runes whirled faster, summoning jagged spears of energy to finish Amir.


    But Amir didn''t flinch.


    "Did I, though?" he asked slyly, hand outstretched.


    WHOOSH!


    The hammer flew back like a boomerang, spinning with lethal force¡ªand this time, it hit its mark.


    CRASH!


    The hammer struck the scarred man square in the back, driving him into the ground with earth-shaking force before he could even react.

 Chapter 250 - 250: Your worst nightmare!

    Bang!


    Swoosh!


    Crack!


    Shatter!


    BOOM!


    A chaotic symphony of destruction echoed through the battlefield. Explosions thundered, winds howled, concrete cracked, glass shattered, and the earth trembled beneath an onslaught of power that refused to be contained.


    Violent shockwaves rippled across the field, crashing into the watching students even though they stood several meters away.


    Despite their distance, the searing heat from the clash licked at their skin, a tangible reminder of the titanic battle unfolding before them.


    Buildings groaned and crumbled, the ground ruptured under immense force, and massive craters pockmarked the landscape.


    Spells of immense power¡ªflashes of fire, bolts of lightning, roaring winds, and crystalline shards¡ªstreaked through the air in chaotic bursts.


    The once-pristine village was now a warzone, shaped by relentless high-level magic being unleashed without restraint.


    "Is¡­ is this the power of the Captains?" Scarlet asked, swallowing a hard lump in her throat, her wide eyes fixed on the battlefield.


    "I¡­ guess so," Greg muttered, beads of sweat collecting on his brow as he watched with growing disbelief.


    "Is it just me, or do the captains look¡­ weaker? I mean, their attacks aren''t even doing much." Nozel frowned, his eyes darting in all directions as the speed of the fight escalated beyond their comprehension.


    "You fool," said the wind-affinity student who always defended Nozel, his tone sharp. "They''re not weak. The enemy is just far too strong."


    "Exactly!" another third-year chimed in. "These guys¡ªthey''re on par with your dad, the principal of Wysteria Academy."


    "It''s honestly surprising they''ve lasted this long," Lyra said, eyes narrowing as she watched Captain Amir get knocked backward¡ªonly to spring back up, relentless.


    "Which means¡­" Charlotte whispered, "they could potentially hold their own against the Emperor''s subordinates."


    ''That day¡­'' Grey thought, remembering the time Amir saved Kiten Town. ''He didn''t even use half a percent of his power. But now¡ªit looks like he''s using more than half, and still can''t overpower the enemy¡­''


    "More than half? Are we watching the same fight?" Noir chimed in from within Grey''s mind. "It looks like they''re using everything they''ve got."


    ''You foolish familiar,'' Grey responded. ''If they were using all their power, they''d be dominating by now. Have you forgotten about breakthroughs? About Magus Dominion?''


    Grey''s mind flashed back to their encounter with the expelled necromancer¡ªand how Viktor''s use of Magus Dominion had turned the tide, only to be undone by the enemy''s cunning tactics.


    "You''ve got a point. Still¡­ why aren''t they using Magus Dominion now? They could end this." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not if the enemy can use it too," Grey murmured under his breath.


    ---


    Meanwhile, in the heart of the battle, Ryan rocketed toward his opponent, using his crystalline bridge to close the gap in a blink.


    He appeared before the executioner like a phantom¡ªswift, lethal¡ªand before the man could react, the ground beneath him exploded.


    A massive crystal pillar erupted, slamming into the executioner and hurling him into the sky. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his body spiraled upward.


    But Ryan didn''t relent.


    He surged up after him, riding another crystal bridge at neck-breaking speed. As he rose, his arm shimmered, encased in a massive crystalline gauntlet that radiated destructive force.


    With a primal roar, he hurled a hammer-fist downward, smashing into the executioner and sending him hurtling back toward the earth like a meteor.


    The enemy''s body crashed into the ground with a bone-crunching impact. A deep crater formed on contact, and a thick cloud of smoke, dust, and shattered debris burst into the air, obscuring Ryan''s line of sight.


    But Ryan wasn''t finished.


    He dashed forward again, summoning a large crystal club mid-run and swinging it with brutal intent¡ªuntil¡­


    Crack!


    Shatter!


    The club disintegrated instantly, splinters of crystal scattering as an invisible force surged forward.


    A moment later, Ryan''s head slammed into the ground with a sickening thud. The earth beneath him crumbled, a new crater forming beneath the crushing force.


    "I''ve had enough of your pathetic magic," the executioner growled. A wave of suffocating pressure blanketed the area, pinning Ryan''s body to the ground.


    His bones strained. Blood poured from his nose, mouth, and even his eyes as the pressure built with merciless precision.


    It was as if a mountain had been dropped on his back. His limbs trembled. His vision blurred. Bones began to crack under the strain.


    "I could kill you in an instant," the executioner spat, wiping the blood from his lips. "But I think I''ll enjoy watching you suffer."


    He raised his hand¡ªand the pressure doubled.


    The ground cratered beneath Ryan, plunging five meters deep. The stone cracked, and magic rippled like static through the air.


    ''Sh¡­shit!'' Ryan screamed internally. ''Is this how it ends? Me¡ªCaptain of Wysteria¡ªkilled by damn gravity magic?


    If only I could move¡­ I wouldn''t hold back again. Just give me time! I can''t die here¡­ not when my students need me!''


    His body trembled, straining against the crushing force.


    Then¡ªa blur.


    Something zipped through the air and slammed into the executioner, sending him flying backward.


    "And your students won''t let you die, Captain."


    Nozel stepped forward, his voice calm, backed by the wind-affinity student and the rest of the Wysteria squad.


    ---


    Elsewhere, Captain Amir faced off against the scarred rune-user, who had just been smashed into the ground by Amir''s massive war hammer¡ªnow floating back into his hand.


    Blood ran down the man''s face, but his eyes still burned with fury as he stood, clenching his fists.


    "You¡­ how dare you?!"


    Amir simply smirked, the corners of his lips curled in sarcasm. "I dare to do a lot of things these days."


    "I was holding back out of respect for that fool''s wishes," the man hissed. "But now? You''ve crossed the line."


    Suddenly, the battlefield changed.


    Runes began to manifest in the air¡ªdozens of them, swirling with ancient power. They encircled Amir, glowing with a malevolent, ethereal light.


    Fifty at least, maybe more, now hovered around him like a trap designed by the gods.


    "Just so you know, once I''m done with you, I won''t kill you. Instead I will make you watch how I cut each and every limbs from your students starting with that annoying pest that destroyed my army." The man sneered.


    The air shifted.


    He shouldn''t have said that.


    A stillness fell¡ªeerily calm, unnaturally silent. The very oxygen felt heavy. The ground beneath Amir cracked and rippled outward in a golden glow.


    Symbols etched themselves into the earth in a perfect ring around him.


    And then¡ª


    BOOM!


    A pulse of pure magical authority burst from Amir. The shockwave blasted outward, causing even the runes to flicker as though they were fragile candle flames.


    Space distorted. The air shimmered. A dome of invisible force enclosed the area. Within this dome, the laws of magic bent to Amir''s will. It was more than power¡ªit was dominance incarnate.


    His eyes snapped open¡ªnow glowing with brilliant golden light.


    Eyes that pierced the soul.


    "I can tolerate everything, injuries, death threats and even more beating but if you dare think of laying your filthy hands on my students, then¡­" Amir said, his voice low and thunderous.


    He vanished from sight.


    And then¡ª


    "I will become your worst nightmare."


    He reappeared in front of the man, mid-sentence¡ªhis war hammer already swinging.


    The blow connected.


    The rune-user was sent flying, his feet tearing trenches in the ground as he skidded backward¡ªhis face twisted in shock.


    Amir stood still, golden eyes gleaming, war hammer at his side.


    And the battlefield trembled in fear.

 Chapter 251 - 251: A Helpless Captain!

    ''Sh¡­ shit! Is this really how I die? A captain¡­ the great Captain of Wysteria Academy¡ªabout to be crushed by a damned gravity mage?


    If¡­ if only I could move. I wouldn''t hold back. I just need more time. Damn it! I can''t die here¡­ My students¡­ my squad¡ªthey''ll be slaughtered if I fall! I can''t¡ª!'' Ryan screamed internally, every fiber of his being straining against the suffocating gravitational force pinning him to the rubble-strewn ground.


    Suddenly, a piercing gust cut through the air¡ªthen something crashed into the Executioner, sending the monstrous man stumbling backward.


    "And your students won''t let you die, Captain." A familiar voice rang out like salvation itself.


    A group of students burst onto the battlefield, wind whipping around them. At their head stood Nozel¡ªand alongside him, Lex and the rest of the Wysteria squad.


    "No¡­ Nozel?" Ryan gasped, pain twisting his features as he tried to push himself up, only for the crushing weight to slam him back down.


    "Don''t worry, Captain. We''ve got your back now," said Lex¡ªthe calm, collected third-year wind mage. Standing over six feet tall with green hair that danced with the wind, Lex radiated a cool authority far beyond his years.


    "No¡­ no! You all must leave¡ªhe''s too powerful for you!" Ryan warned, blood still trickling from his eyes and mouth.


    "That''s right," the Executioner sneered, stepping forward with that unsettling smile of his. "Listen to your crippled captain, and run along, little princesses. Wait your turn to die."


    "Who the hell are you calling princesses?" Nozel barked back, liquid metal dripping from his fingertips and forming into a sleek, gleaming longsword.


    "Captain, we''re not just going to stand by and watch you die," Lex added, eyes locked onto the enemy.


    "If you can''t stand, then you can lay down¡ªpermanently," the Executioner growled. In the blink of an eye, he surged forward¡ªhis body vanishing and reappearing directly in front of Lex.


    But before he could strike, a bolt of lightning blazed into him from the side, detonating with a thunderous boom and sending the Executioner skidding backward.


    The six Wysteria students now stood united, lightning crackling around one of them, their eyes burning with unyielding resolve.


    "You''ve really done it now, prepare to meet your ancestors." the Executioner snarled, fury warping his face. He clenched his fists, and gravity surged around them, threatening to crush the very air from their lungs.


    But before the force could collapse them, wind exploded around the students, carrying them out of range in a blur of motion.


    "That''s cute, but you have to go ahead of us to send our regards." Lex muttered with a smirk. Wind blades coalesced in the sky above him.


    With a snap of his fingers, they howled toward the Executioner¡ªbut as they closed in, each blade shattered into harmless shards.


    "What''s the point of all this when you can''t even land a hit?!" the Executioner mocked. Then, he intensified gravity around the airborne students, yanking them downward like meteors.


    "Crap!" Nozel yelled. Mid-fall, his sword warped into a metallic whip that lashed out and coiled around the Executioner''s wrist. With a burst of alchemy, sharp metal barbs protruded, stabbing into the man''s flesh.


    The Executioner flinched, just enough for the students to land with hard thuds as the suffocating pressure temporarily eased.


    "Catch!" the lightning student shouted, firing four electric arrows at lightning speed.


    But a wormhole yawned open in front of the Executioner, devouring them all.


    Next came fifty razor-sharp metal spikes, soaring through the air¡ªbut again, the Executioner twisted gravity to his will, and the projectiles veered off-course, embedding harmlessly into the earth.


    Then, without warning, his body froze. He began to float¡ªsuspended in mid-air.


    A female student stepped forward, arms outstretched and glowing with power. With a sweeping motion, she slammed her hands downward¡ªand the Executioner was hurled into the ground with a brutal crunch, shockwaves rupturing the ground beneath him.


    "NOW!" she cried.


    Lex unleashed a volley of twenty wind swords. Nozel followed with four enchanted metal blades.


    The lightning user added fifty bolts of raw power. Their combined assault converged into a cataclysm of elemental devastation.


    But once again, a black hole tore open¡ªand their spells were consumed.


    The Executioner stood, unfazed, eyes now dark with murderous rage.


    "You''re all starting to piss me off," he said, voice low and venomous. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are we pissing you off¡ªor are you pissing your pants?" Nozel taunted, flinging another metal sword forward.


    But this time, the Executioner caught it¡ªhis grip tightening until the blade crumbled like glass. He opened his hand, letting the fragments fall like sand.


    "I was merely testing your strength," he said coolly. "Now I''ve seen enough."


    He swung his hand horizontally¡ªsilently.


    "¡­Was something supposed to¡ª"


    BOOM!


    Nozel''s words died as half a building was ripped from its foundation and hurled into him.


    He vanished beneath the rubble with a bone-shattering crash that annihilated the structure he landed in.


    "What the hell?!" Lex gasped, summoning wind spears that launched forward¡ªbut again, each was sucked into oblivion.


    "Screw this!" shouted the lightning student. He surged forward like a living thunderbolt, a blade of lightning in hand. He slashed at breakneck speed¡ªbut the Executioner blinked behind him.


    "Send my regards to your ancestors. Tell them I''ve reunited you," the Executioner whispered.


    Gravity erupted around the student¡ªblood gushed from his pores, bones crunching under invisible pressure.


    "ARGHHHH!" the boy screamed as his body was slowly crushed.


    "DAMN IT!" Lex roared, hurling a storm of wind blades and spells¡ªbut all were swallowed whole by that same devouring void.


    Then came the sickening sounds¡ª


    Crack!


    Thud!


    The lightning student''s body hit the ground¡ªtwisted, broken, mangled. Bones jutted out through his skin. His eyes were bulging, his tongue lolled out of his mouth. His head was twisted nearly full-circle.


    "NO!!!" Ryan screamed, tears mingling with blood as he thrashed against the gravity holding him down.


    ''Damn it! They call me the strongest captain for a reason! And I can''t even move¡ªI can''t even protect them. I''m nothing¡­ nothing but a corpse waiting to happen!''


    "FUCK YOU!" Lex roared. Wind exploded around him, doubling his speed as he charged forward, conjuring a colossal wind blade in his grip.


    "Sorry," the Executioner sneered, "but I don''t swing that way."


    He flicked his hand¡ªand a slab of concrete the size of a car slammed into Lex from the side, sending him careening into another building. The impact was so violent it shattered the entire structure.


    "Okay," the Executioner said with an eerie calm. "Playtime''s over."


    He snapped his fingers.


    All the nearby buildings trembled. Chunks of earth tore free from their foundations. Then¡ªunder the crushing influence of his magic¡ªthey twisted and shaped themselves into two hundred deadly spikes.


    The students stood frozen in horror.


    "Bye-bye, little pests," the Executioner said, snapping his fingers again.


    The spikes launched.


    "NOOOO!" Ryan bellowed, pushing his body beyond its limits. Muscles tore, bones creaked, blood vessels burst¡ªyet he couldn''t move. His face slammed back into the cracked earth.


    And then¡ª


    WHOOOOSH!


    A colossal gust of wind roared through the battlefield, howling like a hurricane. The spikes were torn from their path and flung sideways, crashing harmlessly into a distant building.


    "Seriously?" a dry voice said. "Can''t even watch a show in peace without being forced to step in?"


    ---


    {A/N}


    Now that was intense, right?!


    So¡­ who do you think just saved the Wysteria squad at the last second? Can this mysterious newcomer actually stand a chance against the Silent Executioner?


    Also¡ªwhat''s your take? Can the Velzoria Kingdom truly win against Drakesville? Drop your thoughts in the comments and tell me why you think so!


    Off to the next chapter¡­ let''s go!

 Chapter 252 - 252: 80 V 2

    "I can tolerate everything¡ªinjuries, death threats, even relentless beatings. But if you dare think of laying your filthy hands on my students..." Amir''s voice was low, but laced with fury. The air grew heavy, electric with tension. And then¡ªlike lightning cracking the sky¡ªhe vanished.


    A thunderous crash echoed as Amir reappeared before the scarred man, his hammer colliding with brutal force.


    The sheer impact sent the enemy skidding backward, tearing into the ground, dust and gravel exploding in his wake.


    "I''ll become your worst nightmare," Amir finished, his voice cold and final.


    "I''ve had enough of you!" the scarred man bellowed, his voice laced with rage. Runes around him flared like wildfire, spinning violently. In an instant, thick chains laced with arcane energy shot forth toward Amir at blinding speed.


    But just as they reached within a meter of him¡ªthey froze.


    A shimmering dome of translucent energy shimmered into existence around Amir and the scarred man.


    "My Domain," Amir said, a confident smile tugging at his lips. "It lets me do something... cool."


    The chains trembled, clinking with tension, but they couldn''t advance. The scarred man''s eyes narrowed, his veins bulging as he tried to force the chains forward¡ªbut they halted just short of their target.


    "I control every ounce of metal and iron around me," Amir continued, his voice calm but commanding. "Let''s just say..."


    His smirk widened¡ªand suddenly, the very chains that had threatened him reversed direction.


    They shot backward, crashing into the scarred man''s chest with devastating speed. The force hurled him across the domain, blood trailing from his mouth as he slammed into the metallic ground.


    "I have absolute control over metal and iron."


    With each step Amir took, metal surged and bloomed from the earth, spreading like wildfire. The once earthen floor was now a vast, gleaming sea of forged steel, humming with his mana.


    The scarred man groaned, staggering to his feet, the runes around him still shimmering defiantly.


    "If you control metal," he hissed, "then I''ll just send something that isn''t metallic!"


    With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a torrent of mana blasts¡ªeach condensed and deadly, streaking toward Amir with lethal speed.


    "If even one of those touches you," the scarred man sneered, "you''ll be having tea with your ancestors!"


    "Good thing they won''t," Amir replied coolly.


    The metal floor responded to his will, rising to form a thick dome around him. The mana blasts struck with relentless fury¡ªboom after boom echoed like cannon fire¡ªbut the dome held strong.


    Then, with a sound like a spring snapping, the dome exploded outward in a shockwave, deflecting the remaining blasts and launching razor-sharp shrapnel toward the scarred man.


    The man dodged swiftly¡ªbut not without effort¡ªhis eyes widening as Amir''s hammer suddenly came spinning toward him.


    With a swift circular motion of his hand, a glowing rune formed, swallowing the hammer.


    A moment later, a second rune appeared beside Amir, spitting the hammer out at double the speed.


    "You don''t learn, do you?" Amir muttered, eyes narrowing.


    His arm shot out¡ªnow encased in a sheen of iron¡ªand he caught the hammer''s head with one hand.


    The force drove him back, his boots dragging furrows in the metal ground, shockwaves rippling outward.


    The moment his feet halted, the runes shimmered again¡ªthis time summoning titanic slabs of earth that hurled toward him.


    Amir spun, swung his hammer, and with a deafening smash, the slabs shattered into dust mid-air.


    "Alright," the scarred man said, wiping blood from his lip. "I''m getting bored. Let''s spice things up."


    The runes around them pulsed, and low, guttural growls began to echo within the dome. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dozens of massive creatures burst forth from the runes¡ªeach standing on two legs like men, but wolfish in nature.


    Their muscles bulged beneath patchy fur, eyes glowing with savage intent. Each one gripped a massive bone-shaped weapon, as hard as stone and twice as deadly.


    Eighty of them¡ªfour from each of the twenty runes¡ªcharged forth, howling.


    "Seriously?" Amir asked, raising an unimpressed brow. "This is supposed to scare me?"


    "They''re Level 8 beasts," the scarred man said smugly. "You already know¡­ fighting them and me together? Even you can''t last forever."


    Amir chuckled, slow and deliberate. Then, to the scarred man''s confusion, he knelt¡ªeyes never leaving the approaching monsters.


    "I don''t know how you summoned them, or why they''re not turning on you. But if you can call for backup¡­"


    His smile vanished, his aura turning darker.


    "Then so can I."


    He slammed both fists into the ground.


    "Metal Creation Magic: Titanforge!"


    The domain quaked violently. The metallic floor groaned and twisted as mana surged through it, reshaping and reforging. A deep rumble like thunder roared from below. Even the beasts hesitated.


    With a tremendous explosion of light and metal, a towering golem erupted from the ground¡ªAegiron, Amir''s titan of war.


    The construct stood over twenty feet tall, forged of layered iron, steel, and glimmering mythril. Runes glowed along its plating, pulsating with soft blue light.


    One arm held a massive tower shield¡ªreflective, rune-inscribed, able to absorb magic and redirect force. The other gripped a colossal warhammer, jagged and laced with energy-conducting veins.


    Its eyes blazed with Amir''s essence. When it spoke, the voice was low, metallic, and resonant with power.


    "It''s been a while, Aegiron," Amir said, rising to his feet. A sinister grin stretched across his face. "Shall we battle like old times?"


    The golem slammed its hammer against its shield¡ªBOOM¡ªtwice, each strike ringing across the battlefield like a war drum. The beasts snarled louder in response.


    The scarred man''s expression wavered.


    ''Those beasts¡­ summoning and controlling them drained half my mana. And now this¡­ this monstrosity... If he drags this fight out, I''m finished.''


    Amir''s smile faded slightly as he glanced at his own mana reserves.


    ''Aegiron took more than half¡­ My domain''s draining another quarter. Not much left in the tank.''


    He clenched his fists, eyes locked on the beasts.


    "Go," the scarred man hissed.


    The monsters charged.


    "Smash," Amir commanded calmly.


    Aegiron burst forward, every step thundering like a landslide. The golem swung its hammer low¡ªand slammed it into the ground.


    BOOOOOOM!


    A devastating shockwave erupted, the earth splitting open, tearing a wide rift through the battlefield as the first wave of beasts was hurled into the air like broken dolls.


    ---


    {A/N}


    An explosive battle is brewing¡ªsteel and sorcery clashing in a battle for survival. Who will emerge victorious? Captain Amir and his titan Aegiron? Or the scarred man and his monstrous horde?


    Let''s dive into the next chapter and uncover the fate of this epic clash!

 Chapter 253 - 253: Face the Lunaria squad!

    Just moments ago, Grey and the remaining members of the Lunaria squad stood quietly at the edge of the battlefield, observing the chaos from a distance.


    The air was thick with tension, filled with the clashing of magic and the cries of battle. During that idle pause, Grey had fully recovered the mana he''d expended obliterating over two hundred and eighty enemy soldiers in a single, devastating attack.


    His sharp eyes swept over the battlefield. Ryan and Amir were still engaged in a ferocious duel, their movements rapid and relentless.


    Amir held his ground like a stalwart shield, but Ryan¡ªcaught off guard¡ªwas abruptly slammed to the ground by an unseen force.


    Gravity magic.


    The Silent Executioner loomed over him, prepared to deal a fatal blow¡ªuntil the Wysteria squad, who had been standing beside them, bolted into the fray with reckless courage.


    ''Even though they know how ridiculously overpowered that guy is, they still rushed in to save their captain...'' Grey mused, his arms folded.


    ''Alright, this might be fun to watch. I just wish I had something to chew on to enjoy the spectacle better.''


    And then, the clash erupted.


    An explosive storm of spells ignited the air. Fire, ice, and lightning streaked across the street.


    The Silent Executioner moved like death incarnate, weaving through the magical chaos with terrifying precision. His magic flickered out, nullifying the most dangerous attacks and striking back with brutal efficiency.


    Despite the odds, the Wysteria squad held firm. They bombarded the man with a relentless barrage of spells, shouting commands and encouragement. Their determination burned like a dying flame struggling against a tempest.


    Then Nozel made his move¡ªonly to be obliterated mid-charge, his body flung into a collapsing building as if struck by the hand of a god.


    ''Ouch. That''s definitely gonna leave a mark,'' Grey thought with a quiet chuckle.


    "Aren''t we going to help?" Dante asked, frowning as he watched the Wysteria squad get systematically dismantled by a single opponent¡ªor rather, a one-man army.


    "Yeah, I also want to join in. Grey, what do you think we should do?" Lyra chimed in, snapping Grey out of his thoughts.


    "Why are you asking me?" Grey replied lazily. "Am I your leader now? I don''t know about you all, but I''m quite enjoying the show."


    ''He''s right¡­ why the hell did I think of him as our leader?!'' Dante and Lyra screamed internally.


    "Wait¡­ show?" Scarlet''s eyes narrowed. "You think this is a show? This is a war! If we lose here, not only do we die, the entire kingdom falls."


    "I doubt it''ll come to that," Greg said, shrugging. "Before things get out of hand, I''m sure the Emperor will send reinforcements."


    "Will he, though?" Grey asked coldly, his gaze hardening.


    "He knew powerful enemies were coming¡ªand yet, he sent only two squads of six and two captains.


    If he truly wanted to help, he could''ve sent one of his subordinates¡­ even just one principal would have been enough. So don''t rely on that old relic."


    ''He''s¡­ right. What is the Emperor thinking?'' Dante thought, anxiety creeping into his chest.


    A collective gasp cut through their thoughts.


    The third-year lightning student lay twisted on the ground, his neck and limbs bent at impossible angles.


    Lex followed seconds later, flung into the distance by a massive stone slab, his body ragdolling through the air like Nozel''s before him.


    "Crap¡­ this is spiraling out of control!" Dante exclaimed, his fists clenching as the ground beneath him began to tremble and rise.


    But Grey remained still.


    A deep rumble echoed from a nearby corner. He turned to see debris¡ªmassive chunks of buildings¡ªlevitating ominously before suddenly collapsing inward.


    They compressed into razor-sharp spikes of earth¡ªtwo hundred of them¡ªeach one glinting wickedly, aimed straight at the Wysteria squad.


    "Okay, screen time''s over," Grey muttered, wind magic coiling around him in a whirling torrent.


    The Lunaria squad launched forward like bullets, magic swirling in vibrant auras around them.


    Grey propelled himself above them, his eyes narrowed and heart pounding like a war drum.


    ''Damn it¡ªI won''t make it in time!''


    He thrust his hands forward.


    "Wind Magic¡ªAerius Ultra!!"


    A monstrous tempest exploded from his palms, triple the size of any normal tornado. It tore through the air, howling like a thousand banshees as it collided with the deadly spikes, smashing them into dust and debris before they could touch the Wysteria squad.


    The dust cleared, revealing Grey stepping through it slowly. His glowing brown eyes locked on the executioner, radiating fury.


    "Seriously?" Grey growled, brushing dust off his shoulders. "Can''t even enjoy a show in peace without having to clean up someone else''s mess."


    "You?!" the Executioner hissed, eyes narrowing as memories of Grey''s earlier massacre flooded his mind. His hands clenched. "How brave of you¡­ to walk into your own death."


    "Me? Death?" Grey burst out laughing, lightning beginning to arc across his hands, crackling with menace.


    The others readied themselves, magic coalescing in raw forms around them.


    "Want a tip?" Grey smirked, raising his hand like a pistol¡ªtwo fingers pointed outward, the other three curled down. "It''d be wise to turn back now. Because¡­"


    His voice dropped, electric energy flaring wildly.


    "Even death is afraid to cross my path."


    BOOM!


    A searing bolt of lightning exploded from his fingertips, traveling faster than light. It slammed into the Executioner''s shoulder with a deafening crack, burning a gaping hole through it.


    "What?!" Charlotte gasped, stunned. "He¡­ he injured him?!"


    "H-How did you¡ª" the Executioner choked, clutching his wounded shoulder in disbelief. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Simple," Grey said with a smug grin. "I just did this."


    Another BANG echoed¡ªanother bolt launched¡ªonly to vanish into a black hole conjured just in time.


    The Executioner''s smirk returned. "I stopped your attack, and you''re smiling?"


    "Yes. Because you just proved my theory." Grey''s eyes sparkled with dangerous delight.


    Above them, wind began to howl again¡ªthis time forming fifty razor-sharp wind swords that hovered menacingly around him like summoned spirits.


    "Do you guys need a formal invitation to attack?" Grey called out. "Let''s show him who we are!"


    "Right!" Dante shouted.


    The ground beneath them convulsed and erupted, forming a massive earthen pillar sharpened like a spear.


    Flames engulfed Scarlet''s arms, roaring as a miniature dragon formed above her, its wings stretching wide with heat and fury. Charlotte was surrounded by a spiraling tide of water, her body moving like a wave in combat rhythm.


    Lyra soared into the air¡ªbeneath her, a wind dragon roared into being, its eyes glowing as its wings beat down gusts that scattered the dust around them.


    And Greg¡­ his hand sparked violently as a blade of lightning materialized, humming with raw power.


    "You took down Wysteria squad?" Grey said calmly, his tone darkening. "Now face Lunaria Squad."


    He snapped his fingers¡ªand the fifty wind swords howled forward.


    The others charged behind them, magic blazing, hearts burning, and vengeance riding on their backs like wings of fire.

 Chapter 254 - 254: Direct Confrontation!

    Just as the Wysteria squad were getting their asses handed to them, far away, deep within a conjured battlefield, Captain Amir faced off against the scarred general from the Drakesville Kingdom¡ªeach man trapped in the confines of Amir''s summoned domain.


    And Amir, for all his strength, was in quite the bind.


    From thin air¡ªno, from a glowing, ancient rune¡ªthe scarred man had conjured a small army: eighty massive, wolf-like beasts, their snarling maws filled with serrated bone-teeth, each creature wielding crude bone hammers gripped between their claws like brutal warriors.


    In retaliation, Amir summoned the pinnacle of his Creation Magic: Titanforge, his living war construct, known only by one name¡ªAegiron.


    Now, inside the shimmering, enclosed domain, the stage was set for a devastating clash. Steel would meet fang. Magic would battle might.


    "Go," the scarred general murmured darkly, his voice like a growl under thunder.


    The beasts roared and charged, their collective rumble shaking the ground as they surged toward Amir.


    "Smash," Amir commanded with an air of calm authority.


    Aegiron surged forward, its titanic frame thundering across the earth. With a mighty swing of its massive war hammer, it struck the ground.


    The resulting shockwave was catastrophic¡ªtearing open the land like parchment, sending several wolves flying backward, claws scraping futilely against broken rock.


    With one thunderous step, Aegiron crushed over a dozen beasts beneath its massive foot, their yelps silenced in a sickening crunch.


    Others lunged through the air, their bone hammers arcing downward. They struck the golem''s metallic frame with enough force to shatter stone, yet the blows bounced off harmlessly. Aegiron took a step back, unfazed, as the battle intensified.


    With the construct momentarily occupied, a group of wolves redirected their attention toward Amir. One leapt at him, its hammer already mid-swing.


    Amir spun his own hammer in fluid circles, the air whistling with each pass. As the wolf lunged, Amir twisted sharply on his heel, dodging with precise finesse.


    Then, propelling himself upward, he brought his hammer down like a meteor¡ªsmashing into the wolf''s skull with devastating force. The creature''s head exploded in a mist of bone and blood.


    Another wolf came from the front. A second appeared behind.


    Both struck simultaneously.


    But Amir was quicker.


    A shield materialized behind him just in time to absorb the first strike. Without hesitation, he kicked the shield with a burst of force, sending it flying into the wolf behind¡ªslamming the creature to the ground with a loud crack.


    Spinning on instinct, he brought his hammer around to block the front wolf''s strike. Their weapons collided, sending out a shockwave that rattled the bones of the dead and alive alike.


    "Eat this!" Amir roared. A long, sleek spear of metal shot forth from his palm, piercing through the wolf''s head and creating a gaping hole.


    ''A level 8 beast isn''t a problem¡­'' Amir thought, ducking under another strike and plunging a jagged sword into the belly of the next wolf, slicing it wide open. ''But a swarm of them? That''s trouble. And my mana''s fading fast¡­''


    He glanced at the edges of his domain¡ªit was fading. The once vibrant barrier had dulled, colors draining like a dying flame. Cracks spidered across its transparent shell.


    ''Can''t hold this domain much longer¡­''


    With renewed urgency, Amir swung his foot, now sheathed in solid steel, into a wolf''s throat.


    The blow shattered its neck and sent out a shockwave, knocking nearby beasts off balance.


    "Aegiron!" he bellowed.


    The construct obeyed instantly, slamming its hammer into the ground once more. The resulting blast sent wolves flying like rag dolls. Aegiron then raised its shield toward Amir.


    "Here we go!" Amir shouted, spinning and launching his metal hammer with terrifying speed.


    It broke the sound barrier¡ªtwice¡ªbefore crashing into Aegiron''s shield.


    BOOM!


    The collision sent a dome of concussive energy rippling across the domain. Wolves froze mid-leap, stunned as the force disrupted their senses.


    Amir raised his hand. His hammer obeyed.


    It zipped through the battlefield like lightning, smashing into wolves one after another, cracking skulls and tearing flesh. Finally, it returned to his grip.


    With a primal yell, Amir soared into the air and slammed the hammer into the ground, unleashing an eruption of razor-sharp metal shrapnel in every direction.


    The shards pierced through the remaining wolves, ending their lives in an explosion of steel and silence.


    Amir collapsed to his knees, chest heaving, sweat pouring from his brow. Blood streamed from multiple wounds, his arms trembling.


    Aegiron let out a low metallic groan before crumbling into a heap of shattered steel and fading runes. The magic flickered out like a dying star, and the domain shattered around them¡ªglass breaking against reality.


    "I guess our mana reserves gave out at the same time," the scarred general muttered. His arms were folded, his tone almost amused as he observed the broken but defiant Amir.


    "I always thought the only real threats would be your Emperor''s direct subordinates... but you held your ground. I''m impressed."


    "Quit your rambling," Amir growled, hoisting his hammer with what little strength he had left. "Let''s finish this."


    "Sure, sure¡­ We''ll finish this." The man grinned, then tapped the ground lightly with his boot.


    A bone hammer lying half-buried in rubble leapt into the air. He snatched it and twirled it experimentally.


    "I need a weapon, after all," he said, flexing his fingers and eyeing the battlefield. Carnage lay in every direction.


    ''Out of mana. Injured. So is he,'' the scarred general mused, touching the blood that streamed from a gash on his forehead. ''He''s bleeding all over too.''


    Amir''s robe hung in tatters¡ªhalf blown off his body, soaked in blood and sweat. His once-brown hair was now stained a deep crimson, sticky with dried gore.


    His face was a tapestry of injuries¡ªdeep cuts, bruises, and scars etched into his flesh. Even the remains of his robe and inner garments were streaked with red.


    "Tsk," Amir hissed, his eyes burning with resolve. "You just gonna stand there, or what?"


    "Was just considering the best way to kill you without humiliating you," the scarred man smirked, twirling his hammer one last time.


    "You wish!"


    Amir burst forward, sprinting at full speed, every muscle screaming with effort.


    The scarred general met him head-on. They collided in the center of the ruined battlefield.


    CLANG!


    Their hammers struck with a cataclysmic boom, energy rippling outward. Buildings on the fringes of the domain collapsed like brittle ruins. The ground beneath them cracked like dry earth in a drought.


    Both men leapt back, landing with practiced grace.


    A dark smirk played on the general''s lips. "Impressive strength... again!"


    Without another word, both warriors charged once more, aiming not just to defeat each other¡ª


    ¡ªbut to annihilate everything around them.


    ____


    {A/N}


    For anyone interested in extra chapters, our mass release goals are still active!


    150 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


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 Chapter 255 - 255: The Lunaria Demon!

    "You dealt with the Wysteria squad¡ªnow face the Lunaria squad," Grey said calmly, snapping his fingers as wind swords surged forward. The others charged in behind them.


    In an instant, chaos erupted. Grey''s wind swords shot forward at tremendous speed, heading straight for the Executioner. In response, he conjured a black hole, sucking them in effortlessly.


    Charlotte followed up, launching about twenty dense water balls toward the man. He simply increased the gravity around them, forcing the orbs to crash into the ground and splatter.


    "Go!" Scarlet shouted, launching fireballs alongside her dragon. The barrage overwhelmed the Executioner, forcing him on the defensive.


    Sensing the rising threat, he gravity-stepped away, appearing as if he blinked. The attacks missed and scorched the ground for meters.


    He reappeared in another spot and compressed gravity around Scarlet, slamming her to the ground. Her dragon dispelled.


    But before the Executioner could finish her off, the ground beneath shifted. Dante charged in, earth swirling around his arm.


    "Greg, move!" Grey shouted.


    Lightning crackled as Greg dashed in, appearing in front of the Executioner and swinging a pure bolt of lightning. The man dodged and slammed a foot into Greg''s abdomen, sending him skidding back.


    Dante came from the side, his earth-covered fist slamming into the Executioner''s face. His head snapped back, but he recovered quickly and tried to headbutt Dante¡ªonly for a soft breeze to yank him back.


    Ten wind swords flew at the Executioner from Lyra, but he summoned another black hole to absorb them.


    Before he could react, water whips lashed out¡ªbut slabs of earth rose up in time to block them. Dante smashed the ground, shattering the slabs.


    Greg reappeared from the side, leapt, twisted midair, and slammed his leg into the Executioner''s face, sending him tumbling. Whips of flame wrapped around the man''s legs, restricting his movements and searing his flesh.


    "Yo! Eat lightning!" Grey yelled, snapping his fingers as a dozen lightning arrows slammed into the Executioner. Electricity crackled, locking up his muscles and forcing a pained grimace from his lips.


    "Eat my fist!" a voice barked from behind him¡ªDante. His earth-enforced punch connected hard, sending the Executioner flying again, shockwaves rumbling through the ground and air.


    "What¡­ what is going on? The Lunaria squad is treating the Executioner like a rag doll? How?" Ryan mumbled. Though the pressure on him eased slightly, it was still too heavy to lift himself.


    "Don''t forget about me!" Grey shouted, kicking off the air. A bright light surrounded him as lightning boots and gauntlets formed, doubling his speed.


    He rocketed forward and slammed his lightning-clad fists into the Executioner, crashing him into the ground. Bones cracked. Blood sprayed.


    Grey flipped backward and landed beside his teammates as they watched the Executioner slowly rise, blood staining his robe and dripping from his mouth. But a smile still played on his lips.


    "Is that all? A combined attack, all for what? A trickle of blood?" he asked mockingly.


    "Just shut the fuck up!" Dante roared, hurling an earth spear. It zoomed at the Executioner''s throat, but he caught it mid-air and crushed it with gravity.


    "Is th¡ª" he began, but a howl of wind cut him off. A tornado slammed into him, hurling him into a nearby building which collapsed from the impact.


    "Wait¡­ I didn''t do that," Grey said, glancing at Lyra in the sky and then down to the ground. A student stood there¡ªbleeding badly.


    Green hair streaked with crimson, face smeared with blood and dirt, one hand mangled¡ªLex walked forward with an annoyed expression.


    "That was payback for you smashing me into a building," Lex growled.


    The Executioner tossed rubble aside and stood, blood trickling down his head.


    "Impressive! But you could''ve done more!" he snarled, gravity-stepping behind Lex and conjuring another black hole¡ª S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bang!


    A brown-haired figure appeared in front of the Executioner, gauntlet crackling with lightning.


    "Peek a boo!" Grey grinned and punched the Executioner, sending him skidding again, blood dripping from his nose.


    A massive fireball flew in from behind, but was immediately sucked into another black hole.


    "Okay, I think I''ve played with you long enough," the Executioner said, clenching his fists. For several meters, gravity intensified, crushing everything.


    The students felt it instantly¡ªas if mountains were pressing down on them. Craters formed under their bodies. Ryan twitched weakly.


    "I warned you to stay off," the Executioner muttered, raising the pressure on nearby buildings until they crumbled into massive boulders.


    Then, he lessened the gravity, causing the boulders to float above the students.


    Now, twelve giant boulders hovered above Grey, Ryan, the Lunaria squad, and even the unconscious. Grey twitched in anger, his head trembling under the immense force.


    "I''m sick of you all. You''ve stalled our attack, so if I''m to lose, I''ll wipe out powerful support from the kingdom," the Executioner said, smirking.


    ''Damn! His magic is the worst matchup for me¡­ I can''t even move! How am I a captain if I can''t protect my squad¡­ or that dingus''s squad?'' Ryan thought, gritting his teeth.


    ''Crap! I knew this was a bad idea! I''m going to die a ridiculous death!'' Grey thought, trying to summon wind¡ªbut the pressure dispersed it.


    ''I can''t believe we''re going to lose¡­ right here, right now,'' Scarlet thought, teeth clenched. ''Damn it all!''


    "Goodbye you all. I want you all to know that your efforts today managed to stop the war as I will be retreating back after you all get squashed." the executioner said and then with a snap of his fingers, the suspended boulders in the air accelerated forward towards the humans laying on the floor.


    ''Damn it! Someone help these kids!'' Ryan screamed in his mind.


    ''Can''t believe I''m dying for this kingdom¡­ against my wishes. Curses!'' Grey cried in his thoughts.


    "Sheesh. How useless can the new generation be?" a voice rang out. "Even a captain is helpless."


    Suddenly, the boulders stopped mid-air¡ªit felt like time was paused for the boulders but no, it wasn''t that¡­


    Underneath the boulders, shadows could be seen rippling around it as if it was a coating of some kind and then instantly, the boulders disappeared.


    Not broken, not shattered, not destroyed but gone as if deleted from existence


    A figure walked forward.


    He stood tall at 6''2", his lean frame sculpted by years of brutal combat and relentless training. His very presence bent the air¡ªthick with mana, as if it stepped aside for him.


    Midnight-black hair flowed wild yet intentional, strands flickering violet under light¡ªa side effect of overexposure to raw lightning mana. But it was his eyes that truly disturbed.


    One storm-gray¡ªcold, calculating. The other¡ªamethyst, glowing, with cracks of lightning dancing within.


    A jagged scar ran from his collarbone across his chest, faintly glowing with shadow runes¡ªseals from past battles that pulsed when sensing strong power.


    He wore a deep blue battlecoat, stitched from monster-hide and reforged mana-thread, trimmed with metallic violet. The back bore the Lunaria squad''s insignia¡ªcrackling with lightning bolts.


    He walked with calm indifference. But something felt off.


    "Wait! Who the hell are you? Why aren''t you affected by my gravity magic?" the Executioner asked, sweat forming as he instinctively stepped back.


    "Huh? Are you using magic?" the figure asked, scanning the area. "Ohhh¡ªthat explains why these ones are down. Too bad your weak magic doesn''t work on me." He shrugged and walked forward.


    Ryan, hearing the voice, forced his eyes open. The moment he laid eyes on the figure, a slight smirk spread across his battered face.


    "When did you get back, Kael?" Ryan asked, gasping for breath as if he had just run a marathon.


    "Just got back," the figure replied without even turning around, his voice calm yet laced with annoyance. "And the academy decided to send me out here to help clean up your messes."


    ''Who¡­ who the hell is that?'' Grey wondered, his eyes darting over the man again and again, trying to place him. ''He bears the Lunaria Academy''s symbol¡­ Could he be someone from the higher-ups?''


    "Now you," the individual said, his gaze finally settling on the silent Executioner, who suddenly regained his earlier composure. "You''ve just gone and pissed me off. Sorry, but I have to end this quickly."


    As he spoke, the sky darkened ominously.


    Rumblings echoed through the air. Looking up, streaks of lightning danced wildly across the darkened sky, crackling with fierce energy.


    Then, bolts of lightning began striking the ground rapidly¡ªone hit the young man squarely.


    Suddenly, a demonic mask materialized over his face.


    An armor sparked to life, crackling with raw lightning energy. Lightning boots snapped onto his feet, humming with power. Finally, a long, blazing lightning sword formed in his hand.


    "Let me show you the true power of the Lunaria demonic student," he declared.


    With a thunderous bang that shook the very air, the ground cracked beneath his feet. Then, faster than the eye could follow, he dashed forward¡ªnot like the speed of light¡­ he was the speed of light itself.


    ____


    {A/N}


    A lil warning guys ???? if you don''t have the heart or mind for OPNESS, don''t read the fight between Kael and the silent executioner ???? I won''t say more so as not to ruin the fun... Off to the next chapter ????

 Chapter 256 - 256: Last hope!

    A little distance away from where the squad members were being thoroughly overwhelmed by the silent executioner, Amir and the scarred man readied themselves for a fierce showdown.


    Amir''s domain had just shattered, his creation magic dissipated, and the scarred man''s runes vanished as his mana drained away¡ªboth warriors left with nothing but raw strength and resolve.


    Without their magic, they knew it was time to settle this in close quarters.


    "Tsk! You just going to stand there or what?" Amir''s sharp gaze locked onto the scarred man, his voice laced with steel.


    The scarred man smirked, swinging his massive hammer in slow arcs, feeling the weight and balance. "I was just thinking about the best way to kill you without embarrassing you."


    "Ha! You wish!" Amir retorted fiercely. Without hesitation, he surged forward at top speed. The scarred man matched his pace, and in a flash, they collided in the center of the battlefield.


    The clashing of their hammers sent a deafening bang echoing across the ruined landscape.


    Shockwaves radiated outward, shaking the ground beneath their feet and causing nearby weaker buildings to crumble with thunderous rumbles.


    Cracks spiderwebbed across the earth as their immense power reverberated through the air.


    With a shared push, they both leapt backward simultaneously, landing with precision. The scarred man''s smirk deepened.


    "Impressive strength, once again!" he shouted, eyes blazing with challenge.


    Without hesitation, they dashed at each other again, intent on crushing anything that stood between them.


    Meeting at the center once more, the scarred man swung his hammer hard, sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air.


    Amir deftly sent the hammer flying toward him. The scarred man leapt back just in time, letting the hammer embed itself into the ground behind him.


    Amir raised his hand and the hammer came hurtling back like a deadly boomerang. The scarred man spun around, his own bone hammer colliding with Amir''s incoming weapon with a titanic crash.


    A shockwave radiated from the clash, fracturing the ground beneath them. With a flick of his wrist, the scarred man sent the hammer flying back toward Amir, then charged forward, swinging his bone hammer upward from below.


    Amir met the blow with his own hammer, the impact unleashing a powerful gust that swept the battlefield.


    His hands trembled from the force of the collision, and a fine crack appeared on the scarred man''s hammer.


    Before Amir could capitalize on the opening, a brutal, earth-shattering kick slammed into his head.


    The captain''s body was sent tumbling backward, bouncing hard against the ground, blood spurting from a fresh wound.


    Amir caught himself with his hammer, which tore through the earth and finally halted his slide.


    In a blur, he sprang to his feet just as the scarred man came crashing down from above, creating a shockwave and a deep crater beneath his impact.


    "Eat this!" Amir roared, swinging his hammer with explosive force, the sound shaking the air itself.


    The scarred man barely raised his hammer in time, meeting Amir''s strike head-on. The collision sent him skidding back with a tremendous bang, his teeth clenched tightly.


    "Had enough of the hammer? Here''s my feet for dessert!" Amir taunted, suddenly appearing before the scarred man with lightning speed.


    His earth-shattering roundhouse kick connected solidly, sending the scarred man''s head snapping back, his body following in a violent tumble.


    Each thud of the scarred man''s body cracked the ground beneath until he slammed his hammer into the earth, stopping his slide.


    "Kuh kuh kuh!" the scarred man coughed, blood speckling his lips as he slowly rose. Amir was nowhere to be seen, obscured by a swirling cloud of dust.


    Through the haze, a metallic hammer suddenly shot through the dust, aimed straight at the scarred man''s face.


    He caught it in his palm, but his knees buckled, scraping against the ground. After a brief struggle, he regained his grip.


    Then, from the other side, a foot shot out toward him. The scarred man raised his hammer just in time to block, unleashing another shockwave that swept the dust away.


    Amir stood there, leg extended, his expression fierce as the two weapons clashed.


    "Have a taste of your own medicine!" the scarred man growled, swinging the metal hammer with all his strength into Amir''s gut.


    The impact was brutal, pain tearing through Amir''s body as blood sprayed from his mouth and spit.


    His body was flung backward with terrifying force, crashing into a nearby building and punching a gaping hole through it.


    "You all in this kingdom rely solely on your magic and neglect your physical training," the scarred man sneered. "But in Drakesville, we are masters of both¡ªmagic and body."


    Amir coughed, blood dripping steadily as he stirred from the rubble. His breath was ragged, and a small hole stained his abdomen.


    Clutching it, he thought, ''Luckily, I managed to control the hammer enough to lessen the blow¡ªotherwise, this wound would have been fatal.''


    His eyes flicked to the hammer lying a few feet away.


    "You fought well, Captain. Strong, skilled, and possibly a great mage. But you faced me, and I will make this quick¡ªfor your sake. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You''ve stopped this war, so after this, I retreat." The scarred man took slow, deliberate steps forward, bone hammer raised.


    Amir''s dizziness worsened as he dropped to his knees, blood pouring from wounds on his head, face, stomach, and mouth.


    His breathing grew shallow, hands pressing hard against his abdomen, his hammer just out of reach.


    The scarred man stood before him, hammer poised to strike.


    "I want you to die knowing you did the impossible. You''ve wounded me in a way no one has for a long time. But I''m sorry¡ªit''s over." He swung his hammer with bone-crushing force, the deafening bang echoing as the weapon hurtled toward Amir at breakneck speed.


    "Yes, it''s over. But not for me¡ªfor you." Amir''s voice was steady as he stretched out his hand. In a flash, his hammer shot forward at tremendous speed.


    The scarred man paused mid-swing and raised his hammer to meet the incoming strike. The two weapons collided with a shockwave that rippled outward.


    "Was that your last hope? I knew something felt off." The scarred man smiled coldly, reading the desperate gleam in Amir''s eyes¡ªthen his expression twisted into a wide grin.


    And then¡­


    Bang!


    A thunderous sound filled the air as the scarred man''s eyes widened grotesquely, veins bulging, mouth puffing before he erupted in a coughing fit, spewing blood.


    Looking down, he saw the tip of a metal spear piercing deep into his chest, crimson blood dripping onto the weapon.


    "You¡­" he gasped, swaying before collapsing to his knees, eyes fixed on Amir''s panting but victorious figure.


    Then¡­


    Thud!


    The scarred man''s body hit the ground with a sickening finality, followed by Amir''s collapse¡ªface flat, chest heaving violently as if seized by relentless spasms.


    ___


    {A/N}


    And that concludes the end of the fight between Amir and the scarred general. Hope you all enjoyed it?????


    By the way, our mass release goals for this week still stands guys!


    150 Power stones= 2 extra chapters.


    50 Golden tickets= 2 extra chapters.


    Magic Castle= 5 Chapters.


    Spacecraft= 10 Chapters.


    Golden Gachapon= 15 Chapters... Want extra chapters? Subscribe to any of the package above and the chapters are all yours!????

 Chapter 257 - 257: How do you know that I swing that way?

    "Who the hell is that?" Greg barked, his voice tinged with disbelief as his eyes locked on the mysterious figure that had just materialized out of thin air.


    The young man''s oppressive aura surged like a storm, colliding with that of the Silent Executioner as the two now exchanged terse, charged words.


    "He¡­ he actually came?" Dante muttered, awe heavy in his tone as he squinted at the figure before him.


    "You know him?" Scarlet forced the question out, every syllable a struggle beneath the crushing gravitational field pressing down on her.


    "The demonic student of Lunaria Academy," Ryan answered grimly, his gaze fixed on the figure''s back. "The strongest student the academy has ever produced."


    ''So¡­ this is the one they all talked about? The one who made instructors and upperclassmen tremble just by being mentioned?'' Grey thought, his heart pounding as he remembered Magnus''s reverent tone when speaking of this student. There had been fear in his voice¡ªrespect, even awe. That student, the legend of Lunaria, had arrived.


    The young man''s eyes now met those of the Silent Executioner, whose calm facade was beginning to crack.


    "You," the student said coldly, his voice like a thunderclap echoing through the battlefield. "You''ve officially pissed me off. So I''m ending this now."


    The sky darkened.


    Clouds swirled violently above them, and then the heavens roared. Forks of lightning danced across the sky in erratic, mesmerizing arcs before raining down to the ground. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One bolt struck the student directly¡ªand when the blinding light faded, his transformation was complete.


    A demonic mask now obscured his face. Lightning-infused armor crackled with arcane energy across his frame, and a jagged sword forged from pure lightning hissed in his grip.


    A pair of radiant boots pulsed with unstable energy, grounding his immense power.


    "Let me show you what it means to be Lunaria''s Demonic Student," he said.


    Then he vanished.


    No¡ªhe became lightning.


    A shockwave detonated in his wake, the air howling as the ground fractured and cracked beneath the sheer force of his speed.


    "Crap¡ª" was all the Executioner managed before a lightning-charged fist collided with his chest, hurling him backward like a meteor.


    He crashed through a building, reducing it to rubble as dust and debris surged into the air.


    Kael stood calmly in the aftermath, lightning sizzling around him like a living creature.


    His eyes tracked the Executioner, who now staggered back into view¡ªblood trickling from the corners of his mouth, rage etched into every inch of his face.


    "How dare you?!" the Executioner roared, his fury igniting as he redirected his gravitational field, focusing it entirely on Kael. Above him, a spiraling singularity began to form¡ªdense and terrifying.


    Buildings warped. Carriages crumpled. The earth groaned under the weight. And yet Kael stood unmoved, cracks spreading beneath his feet, the pressure around him collapsing entire structures.


    He tilted his head with mild curiosity. "Was¡­ this supposed to scare me?"


    Veins bulged across the Executioner''s forehead as his anger erupted.


    "You''re weak," Kael stated, lifting a hand. "And so is your power. Let me show you true strength."


    He snapped his fingers.


    From the sky, a hundred arrows of lightning screamed downward, converging with pinpoint precision.


    The Executioner''s eyes widened, horror frozen on his face as the barrage struck.


    An explosion engulfed the battlefield¡ªobliterating a quarter of the village. Buildings were vaporized. The earth tore apart as if melted by acid.


    The shockwave shattered the sky itself, sending a gust of energy crashing into everyone nearby. Even the Captains were forced back, barely standing.


    "No way that guy survived that," Charlotte whispered, shielding her eyes from the smoldering debris.


    Grey gulped loudly, dread rippling through him.


    ''I¡­ I couldn''t do this even with a breakthrough. That level of raw destruction¡­ he could erase a city. So this is the strength of the Demonic Student. He really lives up to the title,'' Grey thought, his palms slick with sweat.


    ''Damn you, Amir¡­'' Ryan cursed internally, throwing a side glance at Grey, who now trembled under the overwhelming pressure Kael exuded. ''You always get the good ones¡ªfirst Kael, and now him¡­''


    A voice pierced the smoke. "That was destructive," it said, calm and sharp.


    All eyes turned west.


    The Executioner emerged, silver hair fluttering in the breeze. His smirk was bloodstained but unwavering. "And fast. But I''m faster."


    With a snap of his fingers, he summoned a dozen boulders, hurtling them toward Kael at blinding speeds.


    Kael didn''t flinch.


    Shadows rippled beneath his feet¡ªhe sank in, vanishing like a wraith.


    "Dual affinity?!" Greg cried as the boulders smashed into the earth, creating a mini-quake that demolished more structures. Then Kael reemerged, a satisfied smirk hidden beneath his mask, black shadows now swirling around him like a second skin.


    "Your biggest advantage is gone," Kael said, motioning to the shadowy energy encasing him.


    It flowed like liquid silk, forming a protective cloak over his lightning-infused form. His robe flapped wildly as he took a step forward.


    Bang!


    The ground erupted as Kael blurred through space, appearing inches from the Executioner. One hand rose slowly¡ªominously¡ªtoward the man''s face.


    "You shouldn''t have crossed Velzoria," Kael growled. "Say hi to your ancestors for me."


    Then he slammed the Executioner''s face into the earth with monstrous force. The resulting shockwave cracked the ground, forming a massive crater and flinging students several meters away.


    Another boulder came flying toward him¡ªbut Kael pivoted mid-motion. A shadow surged upward and swallowed it whole. But it had served its purpose: a distraction.


    The Executioner was gone¡ªescaped Kael''s grip. His face was scorched, bleeding from where Kael''s lightning had branded him.


    "I¡­ I know you now," the Executioner whispered, horror dawning in his eyes. "You''re the Demonic Mage of Velzoria¡­ the one we were warned never to confront."


    "Should I be flattered?" Kael asked, dark clouds churning above as bolts of lightning gathered. "That even your kingdom fears my name?"


    He raised a hand, and lightning rained down like divine judgment.


    Black holes tore the sky open, swallowing the bolts¡ªbut Kael didn''t stop. The deluge intensified, thunder booming louder.


    "You''re a general of Drakesville," Kael said with venom. "You''re supposed to rival the Emperor''s elite. But all I see is disappointment!"


    He vanished again¡ªreappearing behind the Executioner and delivering a brutal spinning kick that hurled the man forward. He crashed, coughing blood.


    The storm above shifted, focusing directly on the downed general. His eyes widened.


    ''I¡­ I''m losing? A student is defeating me? How?!''


    With a roar, the Executioner unleashed his final trump card¡ªenergy surged around him, spiraling into the heavens.


    Black holes widened, pulling in everything¡ªdebris, corpses, the ruins of the village.


    Kael stood unmoved, eyes fixed on the destruction.


    "How''s it feel?" the Executioner asked, crimson streaking down his face. "Knowing that you will get sucked on?"


    Kael tilted his head.


    "Whoa. How do you know I swing that way?"


    The Executioner blinked. "Wait, what?!"


    Bang!


    Kael reappeared¡ªhis lightning sword gleaming like a god''s wrath.


    "You should''ve studied tactics better," he said coldly. "Tell my ancestors I sent you."


    The sword fell.


    Red flooded the Executioner''s vision¡ªthen nothing. His body hit the ground with a sickening thud.


    The black hole sucked his corpse away¡ªthen, as if satisfied, collapsed in on itself. The pull ceased. Those left standing fell to their knees or collapsed with relief.


    ''So this is¡­ this is¡­'' Grey thought, eyes wide as Kael walked forward.


    With each step, lightning struck from above, stripping away his gear¡ªfirst the boots, then the armor, the mask, and finally, the blade. Until he stood before them once more¡ªcalm, unblemished, untouchable.


    His robe danced in the wind. Not a single scratch marred his skin.


    ''This¡­ is the strength of the Demonic Student,'' Grey thought, his pulse hammering.


    ____


    {A/N}


    This is the power of the demonic student guys! Bow to the strongest student Lunaria has to offer ????


    Yo Arcane! How is he? Is Kael OP enough or should we tweak him a bit????????

 Chapter 258 - 258: Clash of Demons!

    ''So this¡­ this¡­'' Grey thought, his eyes bulged out as he stared at Kael who with every step, his armour left his body.


    With each step Kael took, a bolt of lightning tore through the sky, striking him and stripping away a piece of his armor ¡ª first his boots, then his chestplate, mask, and finally his sword.


    Yet, when he stood before them, robe fluttering in the wind, not a single scratch marred his body. His presence pulsed with raw power, calm yet overwhelming.


    ''This is the strength of the demonic student...'' Grey''s heart pounded like a war drum.


    "Kael¡­ Kuh!" Ryan groaned, blood coating half his face. He staggered to his feet, his once-pristine robe now tattered, barely clinging to his shirt and pants.


    "Captain Ryan," Kael said with a level tone, glancing around until his eyes landed on a crumpled figure lying near an unconscious Amir. "Where''s Captain Amir?"


    Before Kael could make a move, a powerful gust swept past him. A brown-haired youth crouched beside Amir, then lifted the captain gently with a swirl of wind magic, retreating back to safety.


    Kael narrowed his gaze. "I can''t believe Captain Amir defeated a general¡­ and yet you¡­" His voice held both surprise and disdain as his eyes settled back on Ryan.


    Ryan scowled. "Don''t look at me like that. I got the short end of the stick. If it had been anyone else, they wouldn''t have even landed a scratch on me."


    "Yet there you were, flat on the ground like the rest of these weaklings," Kael said with a scoff. The other students lowered their heads, shame etched into their faces.


    "Wh¡ª" Ryan started, but the air suddenly crackled with tension as heavy footsteps approached, each one pulsing with restrained fury.


    "Who the hell are you calling weaklings?" Grey growled, fists clenched, teeth grinding. Dante darted forward, catching Amir mid-air with precision.


    "You all, of course. Who else would I be referring to?" Kael replied smoothly, raising a brow.


    "Them, maybe," Grey said, gesturing at the battered group behind him. "But not me. That bastard I fought used magic far superior to mine."


    Kael smirked. "And doesn''t that still make you weak? I mean¡­ I stood unaffected."


    Grey''s eye twitched. "That does it! Eat lightning!"


    With a sharp snap of his fingers, two blazing arrows of lightning surged forward, searing the air.


    Kael remained unbothered ¡ª shadows surged from the ground, engulfing the bolts before they could touch him.


    "If it''s a fight you want¡­" Kael said, stepping forward. Lightning roared from above, forming radiant boots around his feet. "Then that''s what you''ll get!"


    Bang! Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bang!


    The two collided in a blinding flash. Kael moved a fraction faster, appearing behind Grey and launching a bolt of lightning.


    Grey, muttering "Mana¡­" beneath his breath, enveloped himself in wind magic, his speed tripling. He darted aside, the bolt striking the earth and exploding it in a flash of debris.


    "Suck on this!" Kael roared, reappearing in front of Grey and slamming a lightning-charged kick into his face. Grey hurtled backward, blood trailing from his lips.


    Just before crashing into a building, Grey twisted mid-air, stabilizing himself with wind magic. With a burst, he launched forward.


    Mid-flight, he snapped his fingers. A dozen wind-forged swords screamed through the sky toward Kael, who raised a wall of shadow to block them.


    But Grey was already behind him, wind condensing violently around his form.


    "Wind Magic: Sky Cutter!" he cried.


    A razor-sharp horizontal slash of wind burst forth, cutting through the air with a screech. But Kael blurred and reappeared elsewhere just as the attack tore the ground apart and split a carriage in two.


    "Yikes, that was close," Kael muttered, brushing imaginary dust from his shoulder.


    "Fusion Magic!" Grey shouted, hurtling through the air, wind trailing him like a comet. Kael unleashed lightning arrows, each one a crackling lance of energy.


    Grey twisted, flipped, and hurled a gust of wind to deflect one, but another slammed into his shoulder. A searing jolt ripped through his body, electricity dancing across his limbs.


    Gritting his teeth, Grey surged forward, eyes blazing.


    "Fusion Magic: Thunder Gale!"


    A compressed crescent of wind infused with lightning exploded toward Kael with a sonic boom. Kael''s smile thinned.


    "Fusion Magic: Shadow Protector!" he said, a shield of shadow-etched lightning erupting before him. "This shield can withstand an attack from even a level 11 beast!"


    But the Thunder Gale roared with relentless fury, tearing through the shield and gouging a trench through the ground.


    Kael launched into the air just in time as the blast obliterated the last standing building nearby.


    "Yeah? My attack can rip through the hardest metals," Grey said with a grin.


    A sudden spark flared behind him.


    "What¡ª?" A lightning bullet pierced his leg. Pain screamed through him as he crashed hard, blood pooling around the wound.


    "You don''t get it, do you?" Kael said, lightning swirling ominously around his palm. "I was testing the new ''demonic student'' the whole time. But I must say, you''re not impressive. You''re overhyped."


    Grey staggered up, leg trembling. The hole in his leg throbbed, but he didn''t stop. His eyes burned with fury.


    "You killed a level 7 boss beast. Twice. First year. Big deal. I took down a level 9 beast my first year," Kael gloated, electricity dancing around him.


    "Oh, and let me guess¡­ you are going to tell me how you mastered a breakthrough in an hour too?" Grey scoffed. "Who cares? I''m not a demonic student. I''m the Supreme Mage. Get that into your thick skull."


    The air quaked.


    "I''ve been holding back. But now? Now I''ll show you why I''ve earned that title."


    Energy erupted around Grey, crackling arcs of wind and lightning lacing the air, his narrowed eyes gleaming with focused rage.


    "Oh?" Kael smirked. "Holding back, were you? Guess what¡ªso was I!"


    Dozens of shadow portals tore open in a circle around Grey, lightning arrows emerging from each, honed to kill and screaming forward at breakneck speed¡ª


    "Enough of all this!" a voice thundered.


    A crystal dome enveloped Grey in a flash, the lightning arrows shattering harmlessly against its gleaming surface. A massive crystal pillar surged from the side and slammed into Kael, launching him backward and dragging a line through the dirt.


    ___


    {A/N}


    The clash of demons! The clash of OP characters ???? consider this as if Gojo and Sukuna in JJK were clashing ????

 Chapter 259 - 259: The battle has been won!

    As if the battle with the Drakesville Kingdom hadn''t already brought enough devastation¡ªreducing half of Goltas Village to rubble¡ªGrey and Kael had to take it a step further.


    Their explosive clash finished what was left, erasing the last remnants of the once-thriving village in a blaze of elemental fury and raw power.


    Their confrontation wasn''t just a fight¡ªit was a collision of storms. A duel where sheer will and untamed might met at the summit of destruction.


    "Oh? You were holding back?" Kael scoffed, lightning crackling around his frame. "Well, I''ve got news for you. I wasn''t even tired. Everything you just saw? That was me having fun."


    With a wave of his hand, shadow portals erupted around Grey, spinning like vortexes. From within, countless arrows of lightning surged forth, screaming through the air like the wrath of a thunder god.


    "Enough of all this madness!" a voice bellowed.


    In an instant, a shimmering dome of crystal engulfed Grey. The lightning arrows struck the barrier in rapid succession, detonating in a cacophony of crashes and sparks.


    A split second later, a massive crystal pillar burst forth and slammed into Kael, launching him backward and leaving a trail of fractured earth in his wake.


    Captain Ryan limped forward, one hand still pressed to his temple as if barely holding himself together.


    The last of Kael''s lightning attacks fizzled against the crystalline dome before it finally receded, revealing Grey¡ªalive, but visibly stunned.


    "What were you two thinking?!" Ryan shouted, fury and disbelief bleeding into his tone. "You were about to kill a fellow squad member, Kael!"


    "Relax," Kael said, brushing dust off his sleeve. "I had it under control. If he''d died, it would''ve just confirmed that he was weak."


    Grey stepped forward, blood crusted around the wound in his leg, eyes narrowed. "Glad you know I''m anything but weak," he shot back, his voice cold.


    Kael smirked. "If I wasn''t holding back, you''d be lying next to that general¡ªso don''t get cocky. Still, you did alright. Not bad for a supposed Supreme Mage."


    "I was holding back too, you know." Grey clenched his fist. "If I''d used my other two affinities¡­ it wouldn''t have been much of a contest." He mumbled the last sentence under his breath quietly.


    "Uhm... have we ever seen Grey act this competitive before?" Greg whispered, wide-eyed.


    "No," Scarlet replied. "He''s never met someone who could truly challenge him. But Kael... Kael lit a fire under him."


    "Honestly," Dante added, scanning the obliterated battlefield, "they were both holding back, and look what they''ve done."


    What remained of Goltas Village was a graveyard of stone and ruin. Buildings that had somehow survived the battle with the generals now lay flattened. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The earth was torn open in massive fissures. Corpses of enemies not sucked into the wormhole had been flung and shredded in the chaos.


    "This¡­ this is destruction on a terrifying scale," Dante said gravely. "And that was them restraining themselves."


    "If they ever went all out, they could possibly destroy towns... No!" Charlotte murmured, her face pale, "they could level cities."


    "I''m just glad you''re both still standing," Ryan sighed. "For a moment there, I thought you were really about to kill each other."


    "Kill each other?" Kael chuckled as he scratched his head. "Can''t lie, that was the most fun I''ve had in a while. Maybe I got a little carried away. But I made sure to pull back my strength though."


    "Wait!" Grey stepped closer, brows furrowed. "You used fusion magic. How do you know how to wield it?"


    Kael laughed, brushing a strand of hair behind his ear. "Anyone with more than one affinity can do fusion magic. It''s just a matter of talent. My father taught me."


    "Your father?" Grey asked, eyes narrowing. "Who is he?"


    Kael''s smirk faded slightly. "I''ve already said too much."


    His gaze flicked to Captain Amir, still unconscious. A shadow rippled at Kael''s feet and extended out, engulfing Amir''s body before slowly pulling them both into the dark.


    "I''ll be seeing you all around," Kael said, the shadow rising to his chest.


    He turned to Grey one last time. "Especially you."


    And with that, he vanished¡ªhis form consumed by the blur of shadows.


    "Wait!" Grey called out, eyes widening. "I never told him my name!"


    Before he could process it, a shout rang out.


    "Captain?!"


    Five students approached, their uniforms bloodied and torn. One had a mangled arm, another limped heavily¡ªbut they all moved forward with purpose.


    These were the surviving members of the Wysteria Squad. Of the six who had departed for this mission, only five returned.


    Nozel walked at the front, carrying a still body in his arms¡ªthe lightning wielder who had fallen in battle.


    "Guys¡­" Ryan said, a weary smile crossing his face. Then he saw the dead student and froze.


    His expression twisted with guilt and anguish. His fists clenched tightly. His lips trembled.


    "It''s not your fault, Captain," Lex said gently, stepping forward with his good hand on Ryan''s shoulder.


    "You gave your all for us. If any of us had fallen, it wasn''t because you failed. It was because we weren''t strong enough to keep up."


    Tears streamed freely down Ryan''s face now.


    "I''m so so..." He tried to speak, but his legs buckled beneath him. Before he could hit the ground, a gust of wind surrounded him, catching him gently.


    "He''s reached his limit," Nozel said softly. "He needs rest and healing."


    "And so have we," Grey added, stepping forward. He raised a hand and snapped his fingers. At the same time, Lyra did the same.


    Two elegant wind birds materialized¡ªone conjured by Grey, the other by Lyra. Their wings flapped with gentle power, casting a breeze across the broken landscape.


    The Lunaria Squad climbed aboard Grey''s wind bird. The Wysteria Squad, led by Lyra, boarded the second. She joined them as she was to pilot it back.


    "Let''s head home," Grey said. "The battle is over. Victory is ours."


    With that, both wind birds soared into the sky, wings glinting against the fading light as they departed from the war-torn village¡ªleaving behind destruction, loss, and the memory of a fight that foreshadowed an even greater storm ahead.


    __


    {A/N}


    A new week to release our mass release goals! But honestly, I don''t think it''s proper for me to keep on shouting our goals across chapters so if you want to support the book, go right ahead and I will drop chapters just like I promised from previous author''s note!

 Chapter 260 - 260: Two Months later!

    Two months later...


    The scars of the Goltas battle had slowly begun to fade¡ªboth on the ravaged land and within the hearts of the students who had survived the onslaught.


    Reconstruction efforts were underway, with new buildings rising from the ruins like phoenixes from ashes. But even as the village was rebuilt, the memory of that brutal clash had already transcended into legend.


    Whispers turned into tales. Tales turned into fire-forged myths.


    The news spread like wildfire¡ªhow two squads of six students, alongside their formidable captains, had faced down an army of over five hundred soldiers and two generals whose strength rivaled that of the Emperor''s personal subordinates.


    It wasn''t just Velzoria that buzzed with awe and disbelief; the neighboring kingdoms, including the infamously proud Drakesville, had caught wind of the miracle.


    What began as a village defense had become a defining historical event, spoken of in guild taverns, noble courts, and academy halls alike.


    Though no villagers had survived Goltas''s annihilation, the kingdom began the rebuilding process with determination.


    Structures rose anew on scorched ground, with hopes that, someday, families would once again call the place home.


    As a reward for their bravery, the Emperor himself summoned the squad captains to the royal court.


    In a rare display of personal gratitude, he bestowed upon them not just bags of gold, but stars to their rankings¡ªhonors rarely given.


    Even the students who had participated were honored with ranks, their reputations elevated throughout Velzoria.


    And so, in just two months, buildings, shops, and homes had begun to spring up once more, while displaced civilians slowly trickled into the newly revived village.


    What had once been a battleground was now a symbol of resilience. Those who had no home before now found refuge in a place born of loss and hope.


    Meanwhile, within Lunaria Academy''s buzzing corridors, a new rumor had taken root¡ªone that sparked more curiosity than any war tale.


    The infamous duel between Grey and the "Demonic Student" Kael had become the academy''s hottest gossip. Students recounted the clash with breathless awe, some convinced it was overblown.


    But those who had witnessed it firsthand spoke with reverence. Grey, once merely talented, was now seen in a different light¡ªa rival to Kael, a name that once stood unchallenged.


    Following the battle, Captain Amir had recovered in less than a week. Though his wounds were healed within a day thanks to top-tier healers, he opted to rest longer, claiming even paperwork could wait.


    The stacks on his desk may have grown, but he didn''t mind. Captain Ryan, on the other hand, vanished from the academy grounds for two full weeks, his vice captain taking over administrative duties as Ryan sought solace in solitude, far from the shadows of battle.


    But while captains recovered, one student chose a different path¡ªrelentless, unyielding progress.


    Grey became a ghost to his friends. If he was a training enthusiast before, he was now possessed by obsession.


    Any window of free time was consumed by magic, movement, and meditation. Sleep became optional. Rest, a luxury.


    Driven by the sting of being outclassed, Grey trained with a singular purpose: to surpass Kael.


    His efforts bore fruit. He mastered a new fusion spell from the ancient book he had discovered on a trip and he developed fresh techniques for both his Earth and Lightning affinities. His arsenal expanded¡ªbut not enough, not yet.


    He remembered how Kael had dispatched a general singlehandedly, a feat Grey couldn''t manage without help.


    That memory haunted him, pushing him deeper into his training, even as the academy''s auto-repair enchantments struggled to patch the destruction he left in his wake.


    Gaping holes in the training chamber''s walls became a common sight, only disappearing long after Grey exited, soaked in sweat.


    There were moments when the walls could barely keep up with his relentless barrage. Cracks spiderwebbed faster than the embedded repair runes could seal them.


    Only after Grey stumbled out, breathless and drenched, could the room finally begin its healing.


    But while Grey honed himself in solitude, the rest of the academy buzzed with anticipation over something monumental.


    The tournament.


    Not just any tournament¡ªbut the tournament.


    Two types existed. The Intra-Academy Tournament, where second and third years clashed to determine internal rankings. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the Inter-Academy Tournament, where elite students from all four academies faced off before the Emperor himself. A showcase of the best¡ªwhere reputations were forged or broken.


    Years ago, Lunaria academy took the title of the strongest academy mainly because of Kael who initially didn''t want to participate but he was compelled to after he got promised he would get to fight strong opponents.


    But boy were the academy wrong. Kael made quick work of his opponents, won the tournament therefore securing Lunaria the title of the strongest which Wysteria always held in the previous years.


    After Kael''s set, Lunaria lost the title to Wysteria again but Lunaria always came second in everything but this time, the academy meant business as the Emperor decided to do something fun.


    Now, with the Inter-Academy Tournament on the horizon, tension and excitement hung thick in the air. Every student, squad, and captain had one thing on their mind¡ªprove their worth¡­ or be left behind.


    And now, with two weeks until the Intra-Academy Tournament, the air was thick with tension and ambition. Every student sharpened their skills, driven by dreams of glory¡­ or fear of being forgotten.


    As for Grey?


    He didn''t care.


    Not about tournaments. Not about applause. Not even about fighting powerful foes. In his mind, no opponent could surpass Kael. No battle could match the fire he felt that day.


    Yet participation was mandatory. Regardless of desire, every student was expected to undergo the academy''s strength evaluations¡ªan unskippable rite of passage.


    But this time, the Emperor decided to twist things as he mixed the superiors who will be testing the students¡­ for example, taking Amir to Wysteria to test the students while sending Ryan to Lunaria or another academy to test the students.


    Since the intra-tournament was in two weeks, they needed to test their strengths and in this way, each academy would be able to gauge each other''s strength not like they know who would win the intra-tournament though.


    Today was the day.


    An instructor from Everwood Academy had arrived at Lunaria to oversee the second-year students'' assessments.


    The massive hall where breakthrough training normally occurred was filled with students buzzing with anticipation¡ªor dread.


    Grey stood among them, arms crossed, expression unreadable.


    He didn''t care for tournaments¡­ but fate had a different plan in store.


    ____


    {A/N}


    Yeah, just like every other academy arc, it won''t be complete without some good old tournament. So let the assessments for the tournament, begin!

 Chapter 261 - 261: Harassment!

    "Damn it!" Grey growled, his footsteps echoing down the corridor leading to the hall used for breakthrough classes.


    His hands were stuffed deep in his pockets, his posture radiating annoyance as he walked alone.


    Everyone else had already gone ahead, leaving him to stew in his thoughts, his mind spiraling with frustration.


    "I said I didn''t want to participate in the tournament," he muttered, his eyes locked on the path ahead. "But no¡ªI''m being forced into this ridiculous test. I honestly couldn''t care less about this tournament nonsense."


    His voice dropped lower, barely above a whisper. "In this academy, I can boldly say¡ªno one in the second year, not even the third years, can match me. If anyone might pose a challenge, it would have to be students from the other academies."


    His tone was sharp, but tinged with exhaustion. "Even then, I don''t want to waste time competing. I''d rather be training¡­ trying to surpass that Kael guy."


    Reaching the tall double doors of the hall, he flicked his wrist. With a soft whoosh, the doors groaned open, revealing a spacious training room teeming with students.


    Inside, the atmosphere buzzed with energy and anticipation.


    Grey''s gaze swept across the room, landing first on his squadmates and then drifting to the third-year elites¡ªDante, Charlotte, Selene, Lyra, Dave, and over ten others.


    They all stood scattered around the room like silent giants, awaiting the test with fierce pride.


    With a scoff, Grey moved toward the far corner, his back resting against the cold stone wall. He closed his eyes, allowing his thoughts to swirl freely.


    ''I''m so close to reaching the next star¡­ but cultivating my core isn''t cutting it anymore.'' He frowned. ''If I want to break through, I need a push¡ªsomething intense. Either I battle powerful opponents who''ll force me to my limits¡­ or I absorb high-tier magical cores.''


    He sighed inwardly.


    ''To do that, I need strong beasts. But how can I fight them when we''re barred from accessing portals? If I could just open one myself, I''d head straight to Bronze Land. Randin''s planet has an abundance of savage creatures¡­ perfect for what I need.''


    He groaned softly, rubbing his temple as a headache began to form.


    ''But how do I explain my absence during an academy mission? This is such a mess.''


    Before he could dive deeper into his mental storm, a familiar set of footsteps echoed near.


    His eyes snapped open to find Lyra approaching him with a radiant smile and sparkling eyes.


    "Hey, Grey," she greeted warmly.


    "What do you want, you over-bloated balloon?" he retorted, eyes rolling as he turned his gaze away.


    Lyra halted, visibly twitching with irritation. A vein pulsed on her forehead.


    "You know," she snapped, hands on her hips, "this over-bloated balloon you''re mocking is what most guys would kill to lie on. Don''t act like you''re blind to what others crave."


    "Too bad I''m not most guys," Grey said with a dry chuckle. "I don''t chase after balloons that''ll pop the moment I blast a bit of magic."


    His jab earned a death glare from Lyra, but she tried to maintain her composure.


    "I don''t understand why you''re always so difficult," she said, taking a breath before standing beside him again. "Ever since that joint dungeon raid, I''ve felt a connection. A spark. It''s not just in my head¡ªyou have wind magic, and so do I. That''s no coincidence."


    Grey raised an eyebrow. "You''re forgetting I''ve got other affinities besides wind."


    She ignored his words, her voice softening. "Doesn''t matter. We''re still a perfect match. I''ve been looking for a guy who can match my strength and style, and you showed up. I need a boyfriend¡­ and there you are."


    Grey gave her a blank stare. "You need a boyfriend¡ªor a sexual plaything?"


    Lyra blinked, caught off-guard. "Both!" she blurted, then immediately realized what she''d said. "I mean¡ªthey go hand in hand! So what do you say?" she whispered, inching closer, her fingers brushing against Grey''s cheek.


    She was too close¡ªdangerously close. He could feel her breath, smell her perfume. The room''s attention slowly shifted toward them.


    Three particular girls stared daggers at Lyra: Scarlet, Charlotte, and Vanica.


    ''How dare she get that close to Grey?!'' they all seethed in unison.


    "I say¡ªget your hands off me," Grey warned coldly, "or you won''t find them attached to your body in the next second."


    Lyra giggled. "Come on, Grey. Can''t you see I''m serious? I love you. I want you."


    Lightning crackled faintly around his fingertips. Her boldness was pushing him over the edge, though she hadn''t noticed yet.


    "Crap! This is about to go south," Raze muttered under his breath. He had spotted the sparks dancing around Grey''s fingers.


    "I don''t get it," Arthur mumbled, eyes shamelessly glued to Lyra''s chest. "How does he get all the good ones? Am I not handsome enough? I''d let her do anything. It should have been me!"


    "Just shut up, you perv," Vince snapped, elbowing him while still watching the scene unfold.


    "This has to count as harassment, right?" Scarlet asked, her palm flaring with gentle flames as her fury simmered beneath the surface.


    Lyra leaned in further, brushing her lips close to Grey''s ear. "So¡­ what do you say?"


    But Grey had had enough. The lightning now danced violently across his entire hand, bright arcs flashing like electric whips around his arm.


    "I''ll tell you one last time," he growled, voice low and dangerous. "Back. Off. Or¡ª"


    Bang!


    The doors to the hall burst open with a thunderous clap, cutting Grey short.


    Every head turned toward the entrance. A tall figure stepped in, his aura commanding immediate attention. His gaze swept across the students like a tidal wave, his brow furrowed in mild disapproval. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Silence fell like a curtain. Whatever was about to happen next¡­ the mood in the room had shifted.


    ____


    {A/N}


    Alright guys! A lil twist... Didn''t want to just jump straight into the tournament hence this assessment thingy that will determine who''s gonna participate.


    It''s another new week and another day for you all to throw in your support for this baby here ????

 Chapter 262 - 262: Instructor Eric!

    Grey, who had been reluctantly forced to participate in the assessment for the Lunaria Academy''s tournament, stood near the edge of the hall, his arms crossed and expression unreadable.


    It was then that Lyra approached, her steps hesitant but determined, her cheeks tinged with a rosy blush.


    Grey shifted uncomfortably. Her words, though sincere, prickled at his nerves. The atmosphere grew tense as Lyra pressed on, undeterred by his silence, until¡ªhe finally snapped.


    Sparks of lightning crackled around him, the volatile energy crawling along his arms and illuminating the space like a warning flare.


    His eyes burned with barely restrained power as he faced her down, his aura screaming danger.


    And then¡ª


    Bang!


    The heavy double doors slammed open with a thunderous crash that echoed through the hall like a battle gong. All heads turned. The training hall, once buzzing with chatter and murmurs, fell into complete silence.


    A gust of wind swept in, rustling cloaks and hair, as if heralding the arrival of something¡ªor someone¡ªextraordinary.


    A man stepped into the room, alone, yet carrying the weight of a battalion in his stride.


    He wore a moss-green cloak that trailed behind him like a forest shadow, embroidered with golden leaves that shimmered with an arcane glow under the ambient light.


    His boots¡ªworn and travel-stained¡ªclacked faintly against the marble floor, though each step carried the deliberate grace of a seasoned predator.


    He wasn''t especially tall, but the air around him seemed to bend in deference. His posture was upright and disciplined, every motion precise and unwavering.


    His hair, a blend of ash-gray and deep forest green, was tied neatly into a low ponytail that brushed his shoulders.


    A long, jagged scar curved from his left temple to his jawline. The skin around it was darker than the rest of his face and pulsed with a soft, rhythmic glow¡ªas if it contained dormant magic. The scar didn''t mar him¡ªit defined him.


    When he spoke, his voice held a commanding resonance. Not loud, but each syllable echoed within the chests of everyone present, as if his words were laced with spellcraft.


    "I am Instructor Eric Thorne, combat specialist of Everwood Academy. Today, I am your trial... and your lesson."


    "Instructor Eric?" Dave whispered, his eyes wide as he scrutinized the man. "That''s the most strict instructor at Everwood. I mean, they''re all strict over there¡ªincluding the captain¡ªbut this guy? He''s next level."


    "Who are you whispering to?" Dante whispered back, leaning slightly toward Dave.


    "Was I talking to you?" Dave raised a brow.


    "Continue," Dante said with a shrug, returning his attention to the formidable instructor.


    ''Hmm. This instructor does seem powerful... but nothing I should worry about,'' Grey thought as he folded his arms. ''Anyway, time to fail whatever assessments are about to begin.''


    Eric surveyed the students. "Today, you all will take part in three assessments to determine whether you''re fit to represent your academy in the tournament."


    He paused when he noticed a hand raised. With a slight nod, the student stepped forward¡ªGrey.


    "Umm... I have a question," Grey said as he walked calmly toward the front of the hall.


    "It was already obvious when you raised your hand. So shoot, and stop wasting my time," Eric snapped.


    ''He''s quite rude. I wonder if I can just¡­ No. It''s not wise to antagonize another academy,'' Grey mused inwardly.


    "If the tournament coming up is an intra-academy event¡ªsecond years versus third years¡ªwhy are you here? Shouldn''t Lunaria''s own instructors be handling this?" Grey asked, his brows furrowed. "It doesn''t concern the other academies, right?"


    Eric''s frown deepened. "That''s both a good and a silly question," he said, eyes narrowing on Grey.


    "How so?" Grey remained unfazed by the glare.


    "You see, the inter-tournament competition is how the four great academies evaluate each other''s strength. To determine which academy is producing the best combatants."


    He paused, letting his words hang for effect.


    "To prepare for that, the intra-tournament was created. Each academy pits its second and third-year students against each other. The strongest will emerge and represent their school in the inter-academy competition," Eric explained, his tone rigid.


    Everyone listened intently, hanging on every word.


    Grey folded his arms. "That was a nice little history lesson, but it doesn''t exactly answer my question."


    "And I was getting to that¡ªbefore you interrupted me," Eric barked. A sudden gust of wind burst through the hall, scattering loose scrolls before dying down just as quickly.


    ''Wind magic¡­ Interesting,'' Grey thought.


    "Due to past incidents involving noble students bribing their instructors to get selected, academies now rotate assessors. An unfamiliar instructor can''t be bribed easily. That''s why I''m here."


    Grey blinked. "Isn''t that still kind of dumb? A noble could still try bribing you."


    Eric tilted his head. "How can you bribe someone you''ve never met, and will likely never meet again?"


    "It''s still possible," Grey shrugged. "Guess the academies didn''t think it through properly."


    "I don''t need the weakest student here telling me how academies should function," Eric said coldly, clenching his fists.


    "Weakest?" Dante muttered, shooting a look toward Grey, who had stopped mid-step.


    "For the audacity to waste my time and challenge me before we''ve even started, I hereby declare¡ªby the authority given to me¡ªyou are to sit out the first assessment," Eric said.


    Grey, with his back turned to the instructor, grinned faintly.


    "Perfect," he murmured, walking off as if this was all going according to plan.


    "In¡­ Instructor Eric, isn''t that too harsh?" Vanica spoke up, her voice shaking as she glanced between Eric and Grey.


    "Do you want to sit the first assessment out too?" Eric snapped.


    Vanica immediately shook her head.


    "Then I advise all of you¡ªkeep your damn mouths shut and do as I say!"


    "Yes, sir!" the students chorused in unison, fear tightening their postures. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Grey leaned against the far wall, arms crossed and eyes shut, the picture of indifference.


    ''That weak peasant dared to question me? His aura and mana output were pathetic¡ªalmost nonexistent. I can sense everyone''s energy in this room, and while some are decent... his barely registers,'' Eric thought, casting a cold glance toward Grey''s corner.


    "Now, time for the first assessment," Eric declared, clapping his hands together as the air shimmered with anticipation.

 Chapter 263 - 263: Let The Spar Begin!

    "Now, time for the first assessment." Eric clapped his hands together, the sharp sound echoing through the training hall.


    "I want you all to understand something clearly. During these assessments, I''ll be taking notes of your performances and submitting them directly to your academy instructors."


    He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the group before narrowing on a single individual.


    "And right now, one arrogant student already has a poor score for the first round," he said, his voice laced with disdain as his eyes lingered on Grey¡ªwho stood motionless, arms folded, eyes shut as though lost in meditation, completely detached from the surrounding commotion.


    ''Tsk. Filthy peasant dares ignore me. He doesn''t realize the power I wield over his chances to compete in the tournament. I''ll make sure he never steps into that arena,'' Eric thought, his fists clenching at his sides before he turned away, masking his irritation behind a thin smile.


    "The first assessment will be a sparring round between all of you," Eric announced. "I''ll call out names, and those selected will come forward and engage in combat.


    Remember¡ªthough there will be a winner and a loser, what truly matters is whether you survive the trials and make it to the tournament."


    He paced slowly before the assembled students, then stopped abruptly as another thought crossed his mind. His eyes flicked toward Grey once again, then scanned the rest of the group.


    "I know some of you are wondering why second and third years are being assessed together," he said, his tone growing sharper. "A fair question¡­ but also a naive one."


    He turned fully to face them, his hands clasped behind his back.


    "This isn''t about class year¡ªit''s about worth. About proving you deserve a place in the intra-academy tournament at all."


    His voice dropped lower but grew heavier with each word. "Each academy has a limited number of spots available. That means it doesn''t matter if you''re a second year or third¡ªyou must fight for the right to even be considered.


    You could be a third-year and lose your spot to a more talented second-year. Or a second-year crushed by superior experience."


    He let the words hang in the air before continuing.


    "The tournament will eventually separate you by year. But for now? You''re just names on a list. And that list is about to be cut down."


    His eyes glinted dangerously. "The ones who survive move on. The rest? Better luck next year¡­ if you''re still around."


    "So prove yourselves. We''re not here to babysit future dropouts¡ªwe''re here to find the strongest.


    The ones who will represent us in the intra-tournament¡­ and eventually, the inter-tournament." Eric''s voice boomed across the room, filled with command and weight.


    "Now then, let the assessment begin!" he bellowed. "The first to step onto the stage¡ªDante and Drey. Please get up here!"


    Despite using the word "please," there was nothing polite about his tone¡ªit was an order.


    Dante strode forward with calm confidence, his steps measured and precise as he climbed onto the wide, circular platform in the center of the room¡ªthe same one where Grey had once battled Instructor Magnus before their duel was cut short by a war mission.


    Standing opposite him, Drey moved into place. The third-year student held his head high, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. His nails were slightly elongated, and his confident posture betrayed no sign of hesitation.


    ''Dante, one of the top three third-years¡­'' Drey thought, flexing his fingers. ''This should be fun. If I were to rank myself, I''d say I''m fifth overall. Facing off against someone like him? Impressive. Let''s see what he''s got.''


    As he prepared, his body began to change.


    His brown hair faded to pure white. His hands morphed, nails stretching into sharpened claws. His green eyes turned a luminous yellow as a feral smirk curled across his face.


    The air shifted.


    Grey''s senses stirred. He opened one eye slightly, registering the rise in mana, then opened the other, fully alert.


    ''Transformation Magic?'' he thought, interest flickering across his expression as he observed the shifting form on the stage.


    ''A rare and powerful ability¡­ It''s like Copy Magic, but instead of mimicking other mages, you can embody the forms of beasts you''ve encountered.


    Some can transform partially, others fully. But the duration is always limited¡ªand switching forms requires immense mana control. Judging by his aura, he''s locked into this form for now.''


    Grey''s thoughts raced, his mind calling upon years of study. Back before he''d awakened his affinities, he had immersed himself in researching magic types¡ªhoping to find one he could resonate with, if fate ever granted him a path.


    But beyond that, he''d studied them to prepare. To understand. To defend.


    ''Know your enemy,'' he''d told himself. ''The best counter to power is knowledge.''


    And now, that knowledge stirred within him like a whisper from the past.


    ''Still¡­ I never studied beast classifications. I don''t know what creature he''s mimicking. I''ll have to observe and deduce his strengths and weaknesses from his movements.''


    He stepped away from the crowd and leaned against a nearby wall, folding his arms as he prepared to watch the clash unfold. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Let''s see what he''s got.'' A smirk played on his lips.


    Across the hall, Eric''s eyes narrowed into a glare.


    ''Look at him. Smirking like a fool. Probably thinks he''s lucky not to be called for the first round. What a coward. Weaklings like him don''t deserve a place in the tournament.''


    With a sharp breath, Eric turned back to the two fighters.


    "The rules are simple," he declared, addressing Dante and Drey. "Catch your opponent''s hand, touch their back, strike their face, or make them fall¡ªany of those counts as a win."


    Both students nodded, locking eyes with one another. The tension was palpable.


    Dante stood still, composed and unreadable.


    Drey crouched slightly, his clawed fingers twitching with anticipation.


    Then¡ª


    "Let the spar begin!" Eric roared, swinging his arm down.


    BOOM!


    In a flash, both students launched themselves across the platform, their forms blurring with speed as the battle erupted.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Another new day to ask you all to kindly keep on supporting the book in any way you can, it will gladly be appreciated ????

 Chapter 264 - 264: Below the belt!

    "Let the spar begin!" Eric declared, his voice booming through the hall as his arms swung down like the crack of a judge''s gavel.


    Boom!


    In a blink, the students erupted into motion, their bodies blurring with speed as they surged forward, eager for the clash.


    Dante took the lead, his fingers digging into the air as four sharpened earth spears launched forward with a heavy rumble. As Drey''s soles touched the ground, a flash of brown energy enveloped his feet. Then¡ª


    Boom!


    He vanished in a burst of speed, weaving between the spears like a serpent through grass. A slab of solid earth hurtled toward him, aimed to crush, but Drey spun and slashed with his clawed hand.


    The strike cleaved the slab apart, sending chunks scattering into the wall with a thunderous crack that shattered stone.


    Drey stood his ground¡ªand then suddenly, Dante was upon him, an earth-forged gauntlet materializing around his fist.


    He swung, the air splitting with a loud bang, but Drey caught the gauntlet mid-swing, his own clawed hand gleaming with yellow energy.


    "You''ve held onto that Big Three spot for far too long," Drey growled, his lips curled in a sneer. "It''s time you stepped down."


    He swung with his other hand, but Dante reacted with lightning speed, encasing his left arm in another gauntlet to block the punch.


    "No can do, loser," Dante spat. "If you want my spot, take it!"


    At his shout, an earth spear erupted from the ground, spiraling upwards toward Drey. But Drey twisted mid-air, planted his foot in Dante''s gut with a brutal kick, and propelled himself backward just as the spear pierced empty space.


    "I''ll gladly take it!" Drey roared, surging forward like a yellow comet.


    "Claw Slash! Claw Slash! Claw Slash!" he chanted, each shout birthing a flash of yellow energy. Razor-sharp slashes howled through the air like crescent-shaped shockwaves, closing in on Dante.


    "Earth Wall!" Dante countered, slamming his palm into the ground. A towering wall of stone surged up just in time.


    Bang!


    The slashes collided, exploding against the wall. Shards of earth rained down as the structure cracked and split, pushing Dante back.


    Yet, he stood firm, a smug grin curling his lips as floating earth shards orbited around him like blades of judgment.


    "Is that all you''ve got?" Dante taunted.


    "Not even close!" Drey hissed. He dashed forward once more, the earth shards streaking toward him like missiles. With a mid-air twist, he unleashed a sweeping kick¡ª


    Boom!


    A vortex of wind burst from the impact, knocking the shards away and embedding them into the stone floor. He landed lightly, only to rocket forward again.


    In a blur, Drey reappeared in front of Dante, claws swinging toward his face. But just as he was about to connect, a slab of earth surged from the side¡ª


    Wham!


    It slammed into Drey''s ribs, sending him flying. He skidded across the floor, blood trickling down the corner of his lips.


    Dante stood tall, chest heaving.


    "Now I see why they put you in the Big Three," Drey coughed, his voice rasping. "Still... you got your ass handed to you by a puny general from Drakesville!"


    With renewed fury, Drey lunged again, his claws radiating a blinding yellow light. They streaked through the air, aimed directly at Dante.


    Dante stood motionless.


    His fists clenched, his mind spun¡ªhe saw again the silent executioner, felt the suffocating helplessness from that day.


    The claws were nearly upon him.


    He snapped out of it¡ªjust barely¡ªhis arms moving instinctively. "Earth Wall!" he cried, but the wall was rushed, unstable.


    Crash!


    The claws tore through, slicing through his defenses and landing square in his gut. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he tumbled back.


    Drey stood a meter away, breathing heavily, eyes blazing.


    "You know what else you failed at?" Drey shouted, voice venomous. "Protecting your dear friend! You let Kael die... because you were too weak!"


    Those words struck Dante like a hammer to the soul.


    Memories returned¡ªhis mind swiftly flash backed to how the so-called ant king killed Kael gruesomely, the pain, the agony, the bitterness came flooding down that he forgot what he was doing earlier and that''s when Drey struck again.


    Boom!


    His leg collided with Dante''s ribs, lifting him off the ground and slamming him back down like a ragdoll. The floor quaked from the impact.


    Dante lay conscious, but hollow.


    "Winner¡ªDrey!" Eric called out, his voice echoing as silence fell upon the hall.


    "That''s not fair!" Charlotte protested, stepping forward with clenched fists, her eyes blazing. "He didn''t win fairly¡ªhe attacked Dante with his words!"


    Eric''s cold eyes met hers. "And in war, will your enemies spare your feelings? Drey used tactics. If Dante was that emotionally vulnerable, he should fix that."


    ''He''s right,'' Grey admitted inwardly, his gaze following Dante''s slow retreat into the crowd. ''Dante''s still drowning in the trauma from that raid. It''s eating at him.'' sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grey''s eyes narrowed, drifting to Drey who now stood tall, having reverted to his normal human form. ''That transformation... it was flashy, but lacked impact. If someone like Captain Amir used it, the difference would be night and day.


    Still, Drey made up for it with his wicked tongue. That verbal assault was cruel¡ªbut smart. Without it, he''d have lost.''


    ''Tsk! These students are pitifully weak,'' Eric thought with disgust, his gaze sweeping across the crowd¡ªpausing slightly on Grey, who was still observing Drey with calculating eyes.


    "Next fixture," Eric announced, breaking the tension and returning focus.


    In one corner, Charlotte, Lyra, and Selene surrounded Dante, who leaned against a wall, staring into nothing. A solitary tear slipped down his cheek.


    "Damn it!" Charlotte muttered, her voice thick. "He worked so hard to move past Kael''s death. And now¡ªthis."


    "Dante, are you alright?" Lyra asked gently. "Do you need a shoulder¡ªor a chest¡ªto lean on?"


    "Lyra, not now!" Selene snapped, frowning.


    "I''m serious!" Lyra retorted, gesturing at her generous chest. "He could cry all he wants here. I got plenty of space."


    Before Selene could answer, Dante''s soft voice cut through the moment. "I''m fine, guys."


    He turned and walked away, positioning himself in the far corner of the class. His eyes closed. His heart bleeding silently.


    "He''s clearly not," Charlotte whispered, and both Lyra and Selene nodded.


    Eric''s voice rose once more. "Next match¡ªScarlet Trevor versus Dave Walter."


    The air went still. Whispers ceased.


    The hall held its breath.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Guys! You see this next fixture, I want you all to fasten your seat belts, hold your breaths till tomorrow ???? please don''t hold your breaths, just kidding. But this next fixture is going to be tough????

 Chapter 265 - 265: Didnt you hear? You lost!

    "The next fight for the day is between Scarlet Trevor and Dave Walter," Eric announced, his voice echoing through the vast, dimly lit hall. A sudden hush swept across the crowd as anticipation thickened the air.


    "Dave and Scarlet?!" Raze exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief as he turned to Eric.


    "What''s with the shock? Do you all think I''m weak or something?" Scarlet scoffed with a casual shrug, stepping forward toward the sparring platform. Dave followed, his expression unreadable.


    ''I might be considered one of the big three among the second years... but compared to him, I''m still lacking. I have to become stronger¡ªsomeone worthy of standing beside him,'' she thought, taking a stance. But suddenly, she froze.


    ''Wait¡­ what the hell?! Did I just think I wanted to stand side by side with him? I''m not in love with him or anything, so what''s with this nonsense?!''


    She clutched her crimson hair, visibly distressed as if trying to pull intrusive thoughts from her mind.


    ''Wait a damn minute¡­ who the hell am I explaining this to?!''


    "What''s wrong with Scarlet?" Vorden whispered, narrowing his eyes.


    "Looks like a new kind of battle stance," Vince replied, clearly confused.


    "Or maybe she''s thinking about something unpleasant," Greg offered, his gaze fixed on Scarlet''s contorted expression.


    "No way. The Scarlet I know lives for battle. She''s like Grey¡ªa complete battle maniac," Vince retorted.


    "Whatever it is, someone should tell her she looks downright embarrassing," Gordon chuckled, watching Scarlet''s cheeks flush a bright shade of red.


    ''Interesting¡­ I''m up against her,'' Dave mused, glancing at Grey, who now had his arms crossed and eyes shut in meditation.


    ''If I can''t crush that pest, then I''ll tear through his allies. I''ll break them in this assessment and again in the tournament.''


    Grey, eyes closed, hummed softly in his mind. ''Nothing new here¡­ unless a rare or intriguing magic shows up, I''ll pass on watching the rest.''


    "Let the spar begin!" Eric''s voice boomed as he sliced his hand through the air.


    In a blur, Dave hurled a metal sword toward Scarlet, who was still caught in her bizarre inner monologue.


    The shrill whistle of the blade snapped her back to reality. At the last second, she reacted¡ªflames erupted from her palms, launching a barrage of fireballs that collided with the incoming sword, detonating it in a fiery explosion that kicked up a cloud of dust and metal fragments.


    "Hey! What kind of coward attacks a woman while she''s distracted?!" Scarlet barked, flames now crackling furiously around her fists.


    "Woman?" Dave scoffed, a cruel grin forming. "You''re a girl, damn it. Who the hell dubbed you a woman?"


    Scarlet''s eye twitched. "You didn''t just say that."


    "I did. And I stand by it," Dave replied, then snapped his fingers. In an instant, a dozen gleaming metal spears materialized and shot toward her like silver arrows.


    "Fire Creation Magic!" Scarlet called. A mini dragon composed entirely of blazing fire roared to life above her.


    With a burst of flame from its wings, Scarlet soared forward, weaving gracefully between the incoming spears. Overhead, the dragon unleashed a fiery barrage.


    Dave swung his arm, and a massive metal shield erupted from the ground, absorbing the impact of the fireballs.


    The collision sent tremors through the hall, wind gusting wildly as flames splashed off the shield like molten rain.


    "Eat fire!" Scarlet cried. She darted toward the shield and slammed her flaming fists into it. The impact echoed with a metallic clang, and shockwaves rippled outward. The shield held firm¡ªthen retaliated.


    Spikes of metal suddenly jutted out, forcing Scarlet to backflip away. "Fire Magic: Inferno!" she roared, summoning a blazing wall that clashed with the metal spikes, embedding them deep into the stone walls of the arena.


    Dave stood coolly with a long metal sword in hand, his lips curled into a smug smirk.


    "Now!" Scarlet shouted. Her dragon''s maw opened wide and unleashed a jet of searing fire. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dave leapt high, conjuring another metal shield to block the stream. But to his horror, the fire was hotter than before.


    The shield melted, and the force of the blast sent Dave crashing to the ground. He buried his sword into the floor mid-fall, grinding to a halt.


    With a roar, he pulled the blade free and launched a barrage of metal spikes. Scarlet answered with a wall of fire, diverting the attack.


    "Catch!" Dave yelled, flinging a spear with blistering speed. Scarlet raised her hand, fire already coiling around her palm¡ªbut pain shot through her leg.


    A metal shard had struck her calf, tearing through muscle. She dropped with a gasp. The spear was still flying at her¡ªuntil her dragon intercepted it, taking the hit and melting away into a burst of embers.


    Scarlet gritted her teeth, trying to rise. Dave was already charging at her, sword in hand.


    She launched a large fireball in a desperate attempt to repel him, but he sidestepped with a smirk. "Last-ditch effort?" he sneered.


    Scarlet smiled. "Think again."


    Dave noticed too late¡ªher eyes weren''t on him.


    His instincts screamed, and he halted mid-step. Whipping around, his face collided with the fireball he had dodged earlier¡ªnow redirected with surgical precision.


    He raised his sword to block, but the fireball slammed into him, melting the blade and scorching his skin. He dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.


    "You¡­" he growled, only to realize she was gone.


    "Tactics," Scarlet whispered from behind. With a light tap on his back, she stepped away.


    "Scarlet Trevor wins this spar!" Eric declared.


    ''I¡­ I lost?'' Dave''s mind spiraled, flashing back to his defeats against Grey.


    ''Twice¡­ I''ve lost to that damn peasant. Me¡ªDave Walter, son of Captain Amir. And now, to his friend too? Am I no better than the weaklings I mock¡­ like Vince?'' His fists trembled, nails digging into his palms.


    "Dave Walter, please leave the podium," Eric announced once more.


    Dave slowly raised his head, glaring at Scarlet as she walked away.


    ''I''m supposed to be the top! A big three¡­ not some failure losing to juniors! No¡ªthis is unacceptable.''


    "Dave Walter, you lost. Now leave the podium!" Eric''s voice was firmer this time.


    "No¡­ NO! I don''t accept your results!" Dave shouted, his voice raw with fury. The hall fell deathly silent.


    "Breakthrough!" he roared. A shockwave of energy exploded from his body¡ªhis eyes turned pitch white, his body glowing with a soft yet unstable light.


    "I HATE YOU ALL!" he screamed, slamming his hands into the ground. Jagged spikes of metal burst forth, racing toward Scarlet, one of them grazing her and drawing blood.


    "I won''t accept this outcome!" Dave bellowed, appearing in a flash beside her. Scarlet''s eyes widened in alarm.


    ''That''s right¡­ a breakthrough boosts everything¡ªspeed, casting, core power¡­'' she realized, just as Dave''s foot swung toward her.


    From the edge of his foot, a sword-like metal spike extended, cutting through the ground like butter.


    Bang!


    A thunderous crack split the air. Dust exploded across the arena, and a shockwave rippled through the hall. The platform shattered at its core.


    As the dust cleared, a figure stood between them¡ªhis brown hair rustling in the wind, lightning dancing across his limbs. One hand blocked Dave''s strike; the other shielded Scarlet.


    "Didn''t you hear?" Grey said, his voice low and deadly. "The spar is over. You lost."


    ___


    {A/N}


    Hey, Arcane Warriors!


    I''ve been thinking¡­ it''s finally time we created an identity¡ªa name for this growing group of amazing readers who''ve been sticking with me through this epic journey in Magus Supremacy. Don''t you think so too?


    So, I''ve got four name ideas, and I want YOU to help me choose what we''ll be called as a community. Here they are:


    1. The Arcane Order ¨C For those who walk the line between magic and mystery.


    2. The Circle of Supremacy ¨C Because we are rising to the top, together.


    3. The Grand Affinates ¨C The chosen ones, bearers of the ultimate affinities.


    4. The Magus Legion ¨C A united force of powerful mages and warriors.


    Drop your favorite name in the comments! I''ll go with whichever one has the most votes by the the first of June!¡ªand yes, this name will live on in Discord, author notes, and even special shout-outs.


    Let''s build this world together, one chapter at a time.


    ¡ªYour Supreme Author; KBKayboy??

 Chapter 266 - 266: He got lucky!

    Grey leaned against the wall a short while ago, his arms crossed, eyes half-lidded as he watched the ongoing sparring matches.


    His gaze had been fixed on the arena during the earlier duel between Dante and Drey, mostly out of interest in Drey''s magic¡ªtransformation magic, a rare and versatile type that piqued his curiosity.


    After their bout ended, Grey shut his eyes again the moment Scarlet and Dave were called to the stage.


    Though he didn''t watch them directly, his senses were alert, tuned to the vibrations of the battlefield.


    He could feel the clash of elemental forces in the air¡ªthe heated ripples from Scarlet''s fire and the grinding pressure of Dave''s metal magic.


    ''Hmm¡­ Scarlet''s holding her ground well,'' Grey thought, sensing the collision of spells. ''Though, I''m not sure how long she''ll last if Dave breaks through.''


    He gave a small nod to himself.


    ''I''m glad¡­ at least my teammates aren''t weaklings. They can handle themselves.''


    The sound of combusting flames and metallic screeches echoed through the arena.


    Heat waves licked the air as Scarlet''s and Dave''s attacks flared and collided, casting shadows that danced across the walls.


    Minutes later, a verdict finally rang out like a bell of triumph.


    "Scarlet Trevor wins this spar," Eric announced.


    ''That''s unexpected,'' Grey mused, lips curling into a faint smile. ''To think Scarlet defeated Dave¡­ a member of the third-year Big Three. That''s huge.''


    His thoughts drifted away from the match as his mind began to spiral inward.


    ''They don''t know it yet, but the fight against the otherworlders will come soon. Their strength will be invaluable¡­ I just hope the higher-ups¡ªespecially the Emperor¡ªare preparing for it.''


    He clenched his fist.


    ''I have to prepare too. If war comes, I won''t get involved¡­ unless my family''s at risk. Only then will I fight. But to protect them, I need power. I need to awaken my fifth affinity!''


    His brows furrowed in frustration.


    ''What even is my fifth affinity? That old geezer said it was special. Could it be Chaos? Space? Time, maybe? I don''t care which¡ªit just needs to awaken already¡­ I just ne¡ª''


    His train of thought was abruptly shattered.


    "I hate you all!" Dave''s furious voice erupted across the arena.


    Grey''s eyes flew open just in time to see Dave slam both palms into the ground. Spikes of gleaming metal exploded forth with terrifying speed, homing in on Scarlet.


    She twisted her body at the last second, but one spike grazed her shoulder, drawing a thin line of blood.


    "I won''t accept this result!" Dave roared, appearing beside Scarlet in a blur, rage gleaming in his eyes.


    ''What?! He''s broken through?! But Instructor Eric declared the match over!'' Grey''s thoughts raced as he shot to his feet.


    Scarlet barely dodged the metal barrage that followed, her movements becoming frantic.


    "Damn it," Grey growled under his breath. Lightning surged across his arms and legs like furious serpents.


    Dave charged again, a jagged metal blade jutting from his shin as he swung toward Scarlet.


    Then¡ª


    BOOM!


    The wall behind Grey cracked under the force of his departure, a blast of wind rippling out and shaking the room.


    In a flash, Grey appeared in front of Scarlet, one hand raised to block the deadly kick while the other shielded her.


    The clash sent another shockwave across the platform, cracking the ground beneath them.


    "Didn''t you hear?" Grey said, voice low and tight with rage. "The spar is over. You lost."


    His eyes bore into Dave with a glare sharp enough to slice steel.


    ''How¡­ how did he get there that fast?!'' Eric thought, stunned, frozen mid-step. ''How did he even catch that strike?''


    Vince exhaled. ''Thank goodness¡­ I was wondering how I''d make it in time.''


    Dante chuckled to himself, arms folded.


    ''Dave''s ultra cooked. I haven''t seen Grey this angry since that skirmish with the Drakesville army.''


    Dave''s eyes blazed with madness.


    "How dare you?! Who gave you the right to touch me?!"


    A metal sword materialized in his hand, glowing with brutal intent.


    Grey pushed Scarlet gently behind him and stepped forward, his body humming with crackling energy. The lightning around him intensified, casting flickers of blue light on the walls.


    "I''ll kill you!" Dave bellowed and charged, blade swinging.


    But then¡ªa blur. A ripple in space.


    Dave''s eyes widened as he felt the temperature behind him spike. He spun, slashing backward.


    CLANG!


    A hand wreathed in thunder caught the blade mid-swing, sending out a gust of wind and a sonic crack.


    "You shouldn''t have," Grey said, his voice like the calm before a storm¡ªfrighteningly composed but brimming with fury.


    Then came the storm.


    In one swift motion, Grey twisted Dave''s wrist until the metal sword clattered to the ground. He gripped Dave''s face and slammed him into the platform with bone-shattering force.


    BANG!


    THUD!


    BOOM!


    The arena quaked. The already-cracked platform collapsed under the impact. Blood burst from Dave''s mouth; two teeth flew out and skittered across the floor. His face, now bloodied and bruised, was barely recognizable.


    Dave''s glow faded. His breakthrough receded. His body went limp¡ªknocked out cold.


    Grey rose slowly, the lightning dispersing from his limbs like a retreating tide. With a final glance at the unconscious third-year, he stepped off the platform without a word.


    Silence.


    Jaws dropped across the hall. Most of the third-years stared in stunned disbelief. Eric''s mouth hung slightly open.


    Not all were shocked though¡ªDante, Vince, and Grey''s close friends merely exchanged glances, unfazed. They already knew. Grey wasn''t just powerful¡ªhe was on a completely different level.


    Eric''s thoughts spiraled.


    ''D-Don''t tell me¡­ Did I¡­ misjudge him? How did a second-year¡ªone with just a single element¡ªsubdue a third-year who had broken through?! Even Scarlet Trevor couldn''t react in time but he¡­ he¡­ Who the hell is this kid?!''


    He clenched his fists, sweat forming on his brow.


    But then, a thought surfaced¡ªan excuse. A lifeline to preserve his pride.


    ''Wait¡­ what if I''m overreacting? Maybe Dave was too consumed by rage¡­ Maybe that''s why he was vulnerable. Grey used lightning, after all. Of course, he was fast. It must''ve been a fluke. Yes. That''s it. Just a weakling who got lucky.''


    A smirk slowly returned to his lips as he composed himself.


    "We''ll resume sparring after a short break," Eric announced, voice steadying. "Let the platform get repaired first."


    A teleportation mage appeared, grabbing Dave''s unconscious body and vanishing in a flash of light¡ªno doubt headed straight to the academy''s healers.


    But even as the next match loomed, one thought echoed in the minds of everyone present:


    Grey wasn''t someone to be underestimated.


    ____


    {A/N}


    Hey, Arcane Warriors! I''m sorry I''m saying this again but just in case you all didn''t see it in the last chapter, I''m saying it again!


    I''ve been thinking¡­ it''s finally time we created an identity¡ªa name for this growing group of amazing readers who''ve been sticking with me through this epic journey in Magus Supremacy. Don''t you all think?


    So, I''ve got four name ideas, and I want YOU to help me choose what we''ll be called as a community. Here they are:


    1. The Arcane Order ¨C For those who walk the line between magic and mystery.


    2. The Circle of Supremacy ¨C Because we are rising to the top, together.


    3. The Grand Affinates ¨C The chosen ones, bearers of the ultimate affinities.


    4. The Magus Legion ¨C A united force of powerful mages and warriors.


    Drop your favorite name in the comments! I''ll go with whichever one has the most votes by on first of next month which is June!¡ªand yes, this name will live on in Discord, author notes, and even special shout-outs.


    Let''s build this world together, one chapter at a time.


    ¡ªYour Supreme Author; KBKayboy ?? ???? Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 267 - 267: A Brewing love storm!

    Thirty minutes later¡­


    The shattered platform had been restored to pristine condition, every trace of damage erased as if it had never occurred.


    Even Dave, who had been brutally injured, now stood among the others¡ªfully healed and brooding a few meters away from the crowd.


    He leaned against the cold marble wall, his fists clenched tight, breath sharp and uneven. Anger swirled within him like a volcano on the verge of eruption.


    ''Damn it¡­ this is the third time that filthy peasant has overpowered me¡ªcrushed me like I was nothing!'' Dave raged internally, his teeth grinding. ''If breaking through wasn''t enough¡­ then I need more. I must push harder, train longer, and learn the ultimate weapon of a true mage¡ªMagus Dominion. The trump card of every top-tier spellcaster.''


    His eyes narrowed, a sinister glint flashing within them.


    ''Once I master it, I''ll show him¡ªthe world¡ªwhat Dave Walter is capable of. I''ll humiliate that peasant and grind his friends into the dirt. The next time we meet¡­ I''ll be the one saving others from him!''


    ---


    Elsewhere in the hall, Scarlet stood among the second years. Her eyes were focused forward, but her thoughts were far, far away.


    ''Why¡­ why does he keep saving me?'' she wondered, her brow furrowing. ''We argue, we fight¡ªwe can''t even be in the same room without clashing. But when I''m in danger¡­ he''s always there.''


    Her mind replayed the memory of the Joint Dungeon Raid¡ªthat terrible moment when the monstrous Ant King had revealed itself. It had come for her first, and in that instant, it was Grey who had thrown himself in front of her.


    He took the full brunt of the beast''s devastating attack.


    He died that day. And somehow¡­ he came back.


    Now, only minutes ago, it had happened again. Death had come for her in the form of Dave Walter¡­ and once again, Grey had stood between her and destruction.


    ''No¡­ it can''t be what I think it is,'' Scarlet panicked, her heart hammering in her chest. ''He''s just a peasant¡ªfilthy blood, beneath me! There''s no way someone like him would fall for me¡­ and I''d never stoop so low as to fall for him!''


    Despite her vehement internal denial, her cheeks turned a deep, burning red. She crossed her arms and scowled¡ªbut her emotions betrayed her.


    "Hey Scar! You thinking about Grey?" Raze teased, sarcasm dripping from his voice like venom.


    Scarlet''s magic flared as the temperature around them subtly climbed.


    "Thinking about that peasant?! Never!" she snapped, her tone sharp, her face betraying her with an even deeper blush.


    "Well¡­ your face and your mana say otherwise," Greg muttered, glancing away with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.


    Not far away, Charlotte watched them with narrowed eyes. ''Why did Grey jump in to save her¡ªagain?'' she wondered. ''Does he¡­ like her? Is there something between them?''


    Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. ''Am I not good enough? Has he ever even noticed me the way he notices her? Maybe¡­ maybe I should put myself in danger, just to see if he''d come for me too.''


    Her cheeks flushed pink as that thought lingered longer than it should have.


    On the opposite end, Lyra stared at Scarlet with burning rage in her eyes.


    ''That red-haired witch! How dare she make Grey risk his life again¡ªfor the second time! Does he love her?!'' her thoughts spiraled into chaos. ''No. No! I won''t allow this. I Only I have the right to him, my body, my sould and everything I have is all his! No one, can take him away from me!''


    A gust of wind stirred around her, subtle yet unnatural. Selene, standing nearby, arched an eyebrow.


    "Are you planning how you want to murder someone?" she asked with a casual chuckle.


    "¡­Something like that," Lyra mumbled.


    ''Wait, what?!'' Selene blinked. Did I just hear that right?!


    --


    Grey, meanwhile, leaned against a pillar in his signature stance¡ªarms crossed, eyes closed, brows slightly furrowed.


    ''Well, that''s it,'' he thought. ''My act as a weakling is probably done. Instructor Eric must''ve seen through everything.''


    He sighed softly.


    ''Still¡­ I had to save her. She would''ve died otherwise, and I need every capable fighter alive for what''s to come. If I''d let Dave kill her, we''d have lost one of our strongest mages.''


    He clicked his tongue.


    ''And Eric was too slow. Damn wind mage¡­'' He exhaled sharply. ''I need to deal with Dave soon. His recklessness is a threat¡ªnot just to me, but to everyone around him.''


    ---


    Clap!


    Eric''s palms struck together, pulling everyone from their thoughts.


    "Alright, enough lazing around!" he called out. "Let the assessment continue as planned!"


    He began calling out names, sending pairs onto the platform. The battles resumed¡ªclashes of elemental magic, surging mana, and gritted teeth echoing across the arena.


    Third year versus third year. Second year versus second year. And occasionally, third year against second year. No draws¡ªeach fight had a winner, and a loser.


    Grey watched intently as his classmates stepped forward, one after the other.


    Raze narrowly scraped victory against a third-year¡ªhis breath labored, body drenched in sweat.


    Vince was utterly overwhelmed, defeated within minutes.


    Greg, ever the powerhouse, crushed his opponent with ease.


    Vanica, being a healing mage, didn''t participate in combat.


    Gordon and Vorden both lost their battles.


    Jay won¡ªbut sustained multiple injuries, needing immediate healing.


    Arthur, despite his best efforts, couldn''t hold out. His barrier magic only went so far, and he was left bruised and battered¡ªcarted off to the healers.


    Charlotte won her duel with precision and poise.


    Lyra¡­ fought like a tempest. Fueled by anger and jealousy, she decimated her opponent with a ruthlessness none had seen before.


    Selene lost¡ªbut she pushed her opponent to the brink, earning nods of respect.


    All the while, Eric stood by the edge, meticulously jotting down scores and murmuring occasional praises or critiques.


    ---


    Thirty minutes later, the battles concluded. The platform was littered with faint scorch marks, healed bruises, and tension that hadn''t quite dissipated.


    Eric raised his hand, silencing the low hum of voices.


    "That concludes the end of the first assessment," his voice rang with authority. "Now¡­"


    A subtle pause.


    "¡­It''s time for the second."


    ____


    {A/N}


    This chapter won''t be complete if I don''t say this. Arcane Sama, Nathan Sama and Fenrir Sama ???? I thank you for your continuous support, I love you all so much ????


    Nathan Sama, saw what you sent yesterday, I really appreciate, thank you all so much ???? with all your supports from you all, I hope to grow Magus Supremacy into a powerhouse soon. Thank you ?????? Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 268 - 268: A weird dream!

    After another thirty minutes, every student had completed their sparring matches, and their scores were carefully recorded by the instructors.


    "That concludes the first assessment!" Eric''s commanding voice echoed across the hall, silencing the ongoing chatter like a sudden gust snuffing out a flame. "And now, it''s time for the second assessment."


    "What''s the second assessment about?" Greg asked, brows furrowed with curiosity.


    "You''ll see," Eric replied cryptically, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He then clapped his hands thrice.


    Right on cue, four men appeared out of thin air, their sudden presence drawing startled gasps. The students instinctively braced themselves, muscles tensed, eyes narrowing in suspicion.


    "Everyone, move to the center of the room. Let the men surround you," Eric instructed.


    They obeyed cautiously, clustering in the center as the four mysterious figures spread out to encircle them. Then, all at once, the men placed their palms against the ground.


    A brilliant light erupted beneath their feet, bathing the room in an otherworldly glow.


    ''A transportation circle¡­ but where are we being sent?'' Grey wondered, squinting as the radiance engulfed him. The light was blinding, forcing everyone to shut their eyes tight.


    Moments later, the brilliance faded. As they slowly reopened their eyes, a new world welcomed them.


    They stood in a vast forest that stretched endlessly into the horizon. Towering trees with thick, twisted trunks loomed above, their canopies forming a living ceiling of emerald green.


    The air was thick with the rich, loamy scent of damp soil and moss, laced with the floral sweetness of wild blooms and the pungent musk of decaying foliage.


    Soft, spongy moss cushioned their steps, and the texture shifted beneath their feet as they moved¡ªfirst yielding, then firm, like nature itself was adjusting to their presence.


    The breeze rustled through the leaves, producing a gentle, melodic rustling that felt like whispers from the forest itself.


    Shafts of golden sunlight pierced the treetops, dousing the scene in a warm, flickering glow that contrasted with the cool, shaded undergrowth.


    "Your second assessment," came Eric''s voice from a few meters away.


    The students turned and saw him standing before a massive black gate, ancient and ominous, as if guarding secrets lost to time.


    "Each of you is to hunt ten hop bunnies and collect their magical cores. You have fifteen minutes. Failure means disqualification," Eric announced, raising a hand to signal their readiness.


    The students said nothing. Instead, they turned to face the dense forest ahead, the tension in the air sharpening their focus like whetted blades.


    ''I couldn''t care less about this assessment or the tournament,'' Grey thought, smirking as he shifted into a sprinter''s stance, ''but hop bunnies are Level 3 beasts in this forest. I might as well test my current limits. Once I''m done, I''ll figure out a way to fail the next assessment.''


    Wind magic surged around him, swirling like a controlled storm, his eyes narrowing as he focused on a distant point deep within the woods.


    "And your time starts now!" Eric shouted, his hand slicing through the air.


    In a flash, the students launched forward like arrows released from taut bows, scattering into the forest in a flurry of movement and magic.


    Grey took to the skies, riding a gust of wind that propelled him high above the treetops. In a matter of seconds, he descended, landing with a forceful blast of wind that bent nearby trees backward, their roots straining against the ground but holding firm.


    "Alright¡­ where the hell are you little beasts?" he muttered, scanning the surroundings. But the forest was eerily still.


    After a moment of silence, he shrugged. "Actually, I think I''ll wait a little before hunting." His eyes drifted upward to a particularly thick, comfortable-looking branch.


    He soared up again and landed on the limb, reclining with casual ease. With one arm folded behind his head, he gazed out over the forest canopy.


    "It''s been a long time since I had a peaceful nap," he said with a yawn. "Might as well enjoy it."


    Within moments, he drifted into a deep slumber, the wind humming gently through the trees like a lullaby.


    His face relaxed into a contented smile, unaware that all around him, the forest was beginning to stir¡ªsmall rustles, faint thumps, and glowing eyes peeking through the underbrush. The hop bunnies were emerging.


    While he slept, dreams¡ªor something darker¡ªbegan to take hold. But these weren''t mere figments of a tired mind.


    They came like shattered visions, broken glass pieces of a mirror reflecting fractured realities.


    He first saw a colossal clock tower, ancient and foreboding, its hands ticking steadily. Then, with a subtle click of his tongue, the hands froze¡ªand began turning in reverse.


    Time unraveled.


    The scene shifted violently.


    He now stood amid ruins. Crumbled buildings, scorched earth, and lifeless bodies strewn everywhere.


    His hands sparked with pure lightning, intense and volatile. The killing intent radiating from him was suffocating¡ªso thick it almost seemed to weigh the very air down.


    Then the vision fractured again. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sky split apart with shadowy ripples. Countless black portals tore open like wounds, and from them descended utter chaos. Cities collapsed. Fire consumed everything. Screams echoed in the void. Blood soaked the ground.


    Another shift. This time more obscure, blurred like fogged glass.


    He saw a figure a few meters away, unmasking. The mask fell, and Grey''s eyes widened in stunned recognition¡ªjust before a gleaming blade pierced through his chest.


    "Three minutes remaining!" Eric''s voice boomed across the forest, yanking Grey out of the dream like a lifeline snapping taut.


    His eyes flew open, heart hammering in his chest, cold sweat dripping from his temples. Gasping, he touched his chest and arms, still shaken by the vividness of the dream¡ªor vision.


    "Wh¡­ what the hell was that dream?" he panted. "Could that even be called a dream?"


    His mind reeled from the imagery. "I¡­ I saw destruction¡ªpure, unfiltered destruction. What does it mean? What''s going on?"


    "Relax. It''s probably nothing," came Noir''s familiar voice in his mind, calm and soothing. "You were likely thinking about something before you fell asleep. What was it?"


    "The otherworlders," Grey muttered. "I was thinking about the war that might break out."


    "Bingo," Noir replied with a faint chuckle. "You''ve been obsessing about the war. That''s all it was¡ªa stress-induced dream. Just breathe. You''re fine."


    "One minute remaining!" Eric''s voice thundered again.


    "Shit!" Grey cursed, jolting upright. "I haven''t hunted a single beast yet."


    Electricity surged around his body in response to his rising urgency. Lightning crackled, coalescing into a pair of sleek gauntlets and boots that hummed with barely contained power.


    With a deafening bang, he launched himself into the forest like a thunderbolt unleashed¡ªfast, focused, and ready to hunt.


    ____


    {A/N}


    I''m sorry I''m doing this but I''m so glad for the great readers l have ???? Nathan Sama ???? thanks for the Golden tickets, Fenrir Sama, thanks for the Golden tickets too... And Arcane Sama ???? thanks for your continuous support and comments... All these fuel my passion to keep on writing. Thank you all ??????

 Chapter 269 - 269: Just as planned!

    "Fifty seconds remaining!" Eric''s voice boomed across the dense forest, amplified by a floating green crystal hovering in front of him.


    The device projected his command to every corner of the forest, its echo lingering in the air like a ticking clock.


    He stood tall before a thick obsidian gate, arms crossed, the shadows of towering trees dancing behind him.


    Before him gathered several students, each clutching glowing magical cores¡ªproof of their conquest. They had finished the hunt and now awaited the stragglers.


    The first to emerge had been Drey, his eyes glinting with pride. Then came Dave, Dante, Charlotte, Selene, Greg, Scarlet, Lyra¡­ one by one, they arrived, some breathless, others beaming. Eric kept a strict watch, jotting down arrival times with the precision of a ticking metronome.


    Some returned within five minutes of entering the forest, their bodies sweaty but confident.


    Others stumbled in late, mud-caked boots dragging across the forest floor. Eric''s gaze remained sharp, his mind recording every detail like an unforgiving ledger.


    Vince emerged next, chest heaving with exhaustion, each breath rasping through parted lips.


    He dragged himself toward the others, his hands cradling ten glowing magical cores as if they were priceless gems.


    "Where is Grey?" Scarlet asked, her voice hushed as her eyes scanned the thinning treeline.


    "I don''t know," Greg replied, giving a half-shrug.


    "I mean, he should have been done by now. What''s keeping him?" Raze asked, spinning in a slow circle, scanning the shadows. There was no sign of the one person who should''ve been first.


    "Who knows? Maybe he got lost." Jay chuckled, the sound awkward in the tense atmosphere.


    "Time''s up! Wherever you are, head back now! You''ve got half a minute!" Eric''s voice rang out again, the urgency in his tone rising.


    Just then, a thunderous crash split the air.


    The earth trembled.


    Dust exploded outward.


    Trees shattered like splinters.


    And from the haze, Grey landed with a boom, crouched like a predator just released from its cage. The ground cracked beneath him as he stood upright, his presence commanding instant silence.


    In his hands shimmered thirty magical cores, glowing with pulsing energy. He extended them toward a stunned Eric, whose mouth twitched in disbelief.


    "W¨CWait... thirty magical cores?!" Eric sputtered, eyes wide. "I said hunt ten beasts! TEN!"


    Grey''s lips curved into a devil-may-care smirk. "Yeah, I know. I hunted thirty on purpose. You can sell the extras for a few coins. Consider it my charity to you."


    The audacity made Eric''s fist clench. His jaw tightened. The wind around him stirred more violently.


    "How dare you?! How dare you talk to me like that after stealing those cores?" he snarled, a thick vein bulging at his temple.


    "Steal?" Grey repeated, raising an eyebrow as though genuinely confused. "Who said I stole them? I hunted them. Fair and square."


    "You expect me to believe you took down thirty hop bunnies, harvested their cores, in fifteen minutes?!" Eric''s voice cracked with disbelief. "That''s absurd!"


    Grey leaned in, flashing his pearly whites. "Actually¡­ I did it in one minute."


    Gasps swept through the crowd.


    "Is Grey exaggerating?" Arthur whispered, glancing down at his own haul¡ªseven magical cores. His confidence wavered.


    "I mean... I don''t even know anymore," Raze added, stunned.


    "Should we really be surprised?" Vanica asked, panting from the run back. Ten magical cores glowed in her palms.


    Her gaze shifted to Jay, who quickly turned away, his cheeks flushed red.


    ''Why did Jay help me? I thought he hated peasants¡­'' Vanica''s mind drifted to the moment Jay had appeared beside her, handed her ten cores without a word, then vanished into the forest like a phantom.


    "I guess we shouldn''t be surprised. It''s Grey we''re talking about," Scarlet said, her voice tinged with admiration and exasperation.


    "You hunted thirty in one minute?!" Eric bellowed. "You take me for a fool?!"


    Grey took a slow step back, shaking his head. "No¡­ I don''t take you for a fool."


    His eyes locked with Eric''s. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I think you are one."


    A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.


    "What?!" Eric roared, the wind whipping violently around him. Blades of air materialized in a ring, their edges glinting menacingly as they pointed at Grey.


    "Damn it," Raze muttered, swallowing hard. "What has Grey gone and done now?"


    ''Perfect,'' Dave thought, grinning to himself. ''If I can''t take revenge, then Instructor Eric will do it for me.''


    "Do you think we should help Grey? What if this escalates?" Gordon asked, his five magical cores rattling against each other from the swirling wind.


    "If he needs help, I won''t hesitate to jump in," Vince said, stepping forward.


    "Says the weakest among us," Greg scoffed.


    "I will¡ª" Vince began, but his words were cut short.


    A surge of electric power split the air.


    Grey''s hands crackled with lightning, brilliant arcs dancing along his skin. His eyes glowed an electric blue, like twin stars born from thunderclouds.


    "You sure you want to threaten me?" he asked, a sly grin spreading across his face.


    "You clearly need to be taught a lesson!" Eric snapped.


    He flicked his fingers¡ªtwenty wind blades screamed through the air like deadly banshees.


    ''Perfect,'' Grey thought again, swirling his hands.


    A vortex of spinning air materialized in front of him, spiraling with energy. It surged forward, colliding with the wind blades and scattering them like leaves in a storm. One, however, slipped through¡ªstriking his shoulder.


    Blood splattered. Grey skidded back, boots dragging a groove in the earth, but his grin didn''t fade.


    "Instructor Eric!" Charlotte shouted, stepping forward, her tone stern. "Attacking a student like that¡ªit''s reckless!"


    "She''s right!" Lyra added. "If he dies, how will you explain it to the academies?"


    Eric paused, breathing heavily. The wind settled, but his glare didn''t.


    "For lying to an instructor, stealing magical cores, threatening a superior, insulting one, and attempting an attack¡­ I declare your second assessment failed.


    "You''re barred from the third as punishment," Eric finished, turning away with a scowl.


    Grey stood still, blood trickling down his arm, that same smirk never leaving his lips.


    "Perfect," he whispered. "Just as planned."


    ____


    {A/N}


    I know most of you must be thinking of Grey as rash and stupid, but trust me, he knows better than attacking an instructor. This is all in a way for him not to participate in the tournament.


    Also, don''t think that because he isn''t participating in the tournament, it won''t be fun... Trust this author. If you skip the tournament arc, you are gonna miss a lot????

 Chapter 270 - 270: I regret my actions!

    After the chaotic confrontation in the forest, the students were finally teleported back to the academy, appearing one after the other in the grand main hall.


    The atmosphere was thick with tension and curiosity, whispers echoing from every corner.


    Grey leaned against a cold marble pillar near the edge of the hall, arms crossed, eyes shut, and a soft, knowing smirk resting on his lips.


    His wounds had been fully healed by Vanica, leaving no visible trace of the brutal fight he''d endured just minutes ago.


    ''Keh keh keh... Perfect. Everything''s going exactly how I planned,'' he thought with satisfaction. ''I needed a reason to skip these ridiculous assessments, and now, I''ve failed all three. With this, I''m officially banned from the intra-tournament.''


    He chuckled inwardly, shaking his head slightly.


    ''I told Amir countless times I wasn''t interested. I already know I can beat anyone in this academy.


    But no... he just had to force me into it. Now look at me¡ªrelieved of duty and free to focus on what really matters. I''ll use this time to train, to grow stronger, and to eventually surpass that Kael bastard.''


    Nearby, Raze''s brows furrowed as he observed Grey''s composed demeanor.


    "How is Grey so damn chill right now?" Raze asked, folding his arms. "He literally got disqualified from all assessments. Doesn''t he care about the tournament at all?"


    Vince, standing just beside him, let out a sigh. His gaze remained fixed on Instructor Eric, who was scribbling something on his clipboard with an annoying amount of enthusiasm.


    "As far as I know Grey, he never cared about any of this," Vince replied. "Not the assessments. Not the tournament."


    Across the room, Eric smirked smugly as he finished his writing. His fingers hovered with dramatic flair over the parchment.


    ''That arrogant peasant¡­ Let this teach him a lesson,'' Eric mused.


    On the parchment, a bold note read:


    >Student failed all the assessments and hence is not qualified to participate in the intra-tournament.<


    Tucking the paper away, Eric looked up at the crowd of buzzing students, all eagerly awaiting the next phase of the assessment.


    "Listen up, all of you," Eric''s voice cut through the chatter like a blade. Silence quickly descended, and every student''s eyes turned toward the platform. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s time for the last and final assessment of the day¡ªone that will determine who gets to participate in the intra-tournament."


    A tense wave of anticipation rolled through the hall. Heartbeats pounded faster. Breath hitched. Everyone leaned in.


    "The final test is a sparring match," Eric declared.


    A collective groan and a wave of murmurs rippled through the students.


    "Huh? Another one?" a third-year blurted out.


    "Do we fight the same opponents again?" another asked with a grin.


    "I hope I do¡ªI had fun wrecking mine," a cocky boy boasted.


    ''If I get the redhead again, I''ll crush her like an ant,'' Dave thought darkly, his hands clenching into tight fists.


    Eric raised his voice again, calm and assertive. "Yes, it''s a sparring match. No, you don''t fight your previous opponents."


    "Then who do we fight?" Drey asked nervously, his chest rising and falling faster.


    Eric''s response was swift¡ªand stunning.


    "Me."


    For a second, the entire room was still. Then, an eruption of disbelief.


    "WHAT?!"


    Even Grey''s eyes flew open. He uncrossed his arms and blinked in disbelief at Eric''s smug expression.


    ''Oh damn! This¡­ this is the first time I regret my decision. I''ve been dying to wipe that arrogant smirk off his face, and now the chance is here¡ªand I can''t take it.


    Freaking hell, I shot myself in the foot!'' Grey mentally cursed. He shook his head, then shifted to a better viewing spot with a front-row seat. ''Well, I''ll enjoy the show. Hopefully someone knocks him on his butt.''


    "How are we supposed to spar with an instructor?" Vanica asked, visibly pale.


    Eric shot her a side glance. "Not you. I know you won''t last two seconds. I''ve already separated the support mages. Only combat mages will fight me¡ªone by one."


    Scarlet''s fingers curled into tight fists, her crimson nails digging into her skin.


    ''He dared hurt Grey. Who gave him the right? Wait¡­ what am I thinking? Why should I care?! It''s not like I¡­ I¡ªUgh! Why am I even justifying my thoughts?!'' she fumed internally.


    Across the room, Lyra smirked, fire dancing behind her gaze.


    ''Thank you, Instructor Eric,'' she thought. ''You''ve just handed me the perfect excuse to break your face for laying a finger on my precious Grey. Back in the forest, I held back to avoid punishment. But now¡­ now I can unleash everything.''


    Vince stood still, hands trembling as he looked down at his palms. ''Can I survive this? Am I strong enough to face an instructor?''


    Suddenly, a low whisper drifted to his ear.


    "Listen, lil'' bro. Just sit this one out. You''re not ready," Dave muttered, then walked off without a backward glance.


    Vince clenched his jaw. ''Screw that. I''m taking part¡ªno matter what!''


    Meanwhile, Raze could barely contain his excitement. "Oh hell yeah," he grinned. "Now things are getting spicy."


    Eric raised his hand to silence the murmuring.


    "The rules are simple," he began. "I will call each of you to the platform. You have two minutes to land a single blow¡ªone that draws blood from my face."


    He grinned as stunned silence spread across the room.


    "If you fail to do so within two minutes, you lose. And your previous scores better be good enough to carry you into the tournament, because this will be your final shot."


    With a casual flick of his wrist, he summoned a breeze to lift the paper in his hand and float it to safety.


    "First up¡ªDave Walter."


    Dave stepped out of the crowd, his aura flaring.


    The final assessment had begun.


    _____


    {A/N}


    Some readers actually skipped this when I posted it so I''m doing again. Please, if you have voted, there''s no need to again. You can skip this!


    Hey, Arcane Warriors!


    I''ve been thinking¡­ it''s finally time we created an identity¡ªa name for this growing group of amazing readers who''ve been sticking with me through this epic journey in Magus Supremacy. Don''t you think?


    So, I''ve got four name ideas, and I want YOU to help me choose what we''ll be called as a community. Here they are:


    1. The Arcane Order ¨C For those who walk the line between magic and mystery.


    2. The Circle of Supremacy ¨C Because we are rising to the top, together.


    3. The Grand Affinates ¨C The chosen ones, bearers of the ultimate affinities.


    4. The Magus Legion ¨C A united force of powerful mages and warriors.


    Drop your favorite name in the comments! I''ll go with whichever one has the most votes by on first of next month ¡ªand yes, this name will live on in Discord, author notes, and even special shout-outs.


    Let''s build this world together, one chapter at a time.


    ¡ªYour Supreme Author: KBKayboy.

 Chapter 271 - 271: Top that!

    "So, let''s see who''s first on the list," Eric muttered aloud, glancing briefly at the parchment in his hand.


    With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it aside, guiding the paper with a gentle swirl of wind magic until it drifted safely to a corner of the hall.


    "Dave Walter!" he called out crisply.


    Dave stepped forward, his expression calm but focused as he took his place on one side of the wide, circular dueling platform.


    Eric stood opposite him, hands still tucked casually in his pockets, eyes narrowed with mild interest.


    "Remember," Eric said coolly, his gaze locking on Dave, "you have two minutes to land a single hit on my face that draws blood. Only then do you pass."


    His eyes briefly flicked toward the grand clock on the far wall before snapping back to Dave. "Go!"


    At the very second the clock ticked, Dave exploded forward, a sleek metal spear launching ahead at blistering speed.


    The air whistled from the force of the throw, but Eric, hands still buried in his pockets, sidestepped with lazy precision, his movements almost too fluid to follow.


    Another metallic weapon surged forward¡ªa sword this time¡ªbut a burst of wind erupted from Eric, blasting the blade aside just as Dave reappeared from the side, swinging a second sword in a surprise follow-up.


    With wind magic coursing through his limbs, Eric propelled himself backward mid-air, avoiding the slash by a hair''s breadth.


    He retaliated with a razor-sharp wind blade, but Dave, unfazed, conjured a metal shield in a flash.


    It clanged violently against the wind construct, hot air washing over the spectators in the front row as they instinctively shielded their faces.


    ''He isn''t even trying hard,'' Grey thought, arms crossed as he watched intently. Eric''s movements were effortless, his attacks precise but clearly holding back.


    "I''m not done yet!" Dave roared, his shield liquefying into a chain of gleaming metal that he hurled forward with stunning force.


    The chain cracked like a whip, but Eric sidestepped once more, letting the strike slam harmlessly into the platform, kicking up another wild gust.


    "Metal Creation Magic!" Dave shouted.


    Dozens of deadly spikes erupted from the ground and zoomed toward Eric at breakneck speed. The instructor nonchalantly pulled one hand from his pocket and made a sweeping gesture.


    A roaring gust followed, hurling the spikes aside like feathers in a storm. Then, with a casual snap of his fingers, he launched wind arrows back at Dave, who quickly conjured another shield. The impact sent him skidding backward, boots grinding against the stone.


    Dave''s hands were already morphing again, metal swirling around them, thickening into cannon-like encasements with hollow tips.


    From them, he unleashed a barrage of metal shards and jagged spikes that screamed through the air.


    Eric''s smile widened faintly.


    Raising his arm, the wind howled even louder¡ªthen came crashing down.


    A colossal gale slammed into the barrage mid-flight, scattering the metal constructs like brittle leaves. The shockwave shook the viewing stands, sending a wave of dust and displaced air over the front-row audience.


    ''Such immense wind power. And he''s still not going all out.'' Grey''s eyes narrowed as he analyzed every motion. ''I could take him¡­ but I''d have to use at least three of my magics.''


    "Wait¡­ where''s Dave?" Dante asked aloud. The dust was settling, but Dave was nowhere in sight.


    "Tactics," Dave''s voice whispered.


    He appeared right beside Eric, eyes gleaming with determination, metal sword already mid-swing.


    Reacting swiftly, Eric launched himself backward using wind propulsion¡ªbut not fast enough.


    The blade grazed his cheek, carving a thin, crimson line across his face. Blood welled from the cut as Dave landed gracefully on the opposite side of the platform.


    A triumphant smile tugged at the corners of Dave''s lips as he watched Eric raise a finger to his face, examining the blood smeared across it.


    "Well done. You pass," Eric said with a nod.


    Dave lowered his weapon, casually brushing past Vince on his way back to the stands.


    "Top that," he whispered cockily.


    Eric turned toward the clock once again. "Dave completed the task in one minute, fifty seconds. He passes."


    Dave smirked as he rejoined his peers, visibly proud.


    ''Crap! Can I even beat that time?'' Vince''s fists clenched, uncertainty flashing across his face as he stared at the instructor.


    "Any healer here?" Eric asked, scanning the crowd.


    Vanica raised her hand. "Here!"


    "Come." He beckoned, and she hurried to the platform. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She placed her glowing hands gently over the cut on his cheek, and within a heartbeat, the wound vanished without a trace.


    As she began to walk away, Eric''s voice stopped her.


    "Stay close. You''re going to be my personal healer for the rest of the day. And who knows¡­ if you do well enough, I might let you pass this third round too."


    He smiled at her, and she beamed with pride, nodding vigorously before taking her place at the edge of the platform.


    ''I have to get on that list,'' Vanica thought with fierce resolve. ''If Grey can''t enter the tournament, then I will. I''ll help him win from the sidelines if I have to.''


    She glanced at Grey, who stood with an unreadable expression, almost as if none of this mattered to him.


    "Alright," Eric called, wind guiding the floating paper back into his hand. "Next up¡­ Greg Truedeam!"


    Greg cracked his knuckles, his expression lighting up with anticipation. "Oh yeah, it''s finally my turn."


    Then, a whisper floated to his ear¡ªcarried by wind magic.


    "Weakling," came Grey''s voice, quiet but cutting. "Don''t disgrace me. Beat that upperclassman''s time. Knock that smug look off Eric''s face."


    "Tsk! I already planned to. And quit calling me weak, I could beat you anytime," Greg muttered, jaw tight as he stalked toward the platform.


    "Ha! You wish," Grey chuckled from the sidelines.


    "You ready?" Eric asked as Greg took his stance, feet planted, fists clenched.


    Greg nodded once.


    "Good," Eric said. "Let our spar begin!"


    ___


    {A/N}


    Sigh... Another month from 2025 has ended. And with it, we are going to be entering another month tomorrow ???? I just want to say thank you to all my active fans out there for supporting me throughout the month of May.


    You have made me extremely happy seeing your comments, power stones, Golden tickets and even unlocks. It warms my heart guys! Also, tomorrow is the deadline for voting on our new identity so guys! Vote and tell me what you think.


    I already have two votes from Arcane and Nathan Sama... They chose different names so I would need more vote please ????

 Chapter 272 - 272: Become an even bigger monster!

    After Dave''s explosive bout with Instructor Eric of Everwood Academy¡ªwhere he impressively landed a strike within one minute and fifty seconds¡ªit was finally Greg''s turn to face the formidable instructor.


    "You ready?" Eric asked calmly, standing poised as Greg stepped into the ring. The air between them seemed to hum with anticipation.


    Greg nodded without a word, eyes focused.


    "Good! Let our spar begin!" Eric declared, his voice echoing across the training hall. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But unlike Dave, Greg didn''t charge in headfirst. He stood completely still, calm yet electrified. Lightning began to crackle around his frame, arcs of bright blue snaking across his arms and legs.


    A pair of boots made of raw lightning formed on his feet, and in his hand, a sword of condensed electrical energy materialized¡ªgleaming, wild, and untamed.


    Eric raised a brow. "You do realize your little theatrics are burning up your time limit, right?"


    Greg remained silent, his expression intense.


    "Lightning Creation Magic!" he suddenly called out, his voice slicing through the charged air.


    "Lightning Serpent!"


    Before their eyes, lightning gathered with greater ferocity, coalescing into a long, thin shape.


    Sparks danced like fireflies as a massive serpent began to take form¡ªscales of pure lightning overlapping along its back, its fangs crackling with lethal energy.


    It floated above the ground, vibrating with barely contained power.


    "Wait¡ªwhen did Greg switch his creation magic''s shape? Wasn''t it always a wolf?" Raze asked, eyebrows raised.


    "I don''t know," Jay replied, just as stunned. "This is the first time I''m seeing it too."


    "Aren''t you supposed to be his best friend?" Gordon questioned, glancing sideways at Jay.


    "Being his best friend doesn''t mean I know everything about him," Vorden snapped, tone sharp and defensive.


    "Sometimes, I really wonder who''s angrier¡ªGrey or you guys," Arthur muttered, shaking his head.


    Eric smirked, casting a quick glance at the clock. "Is this still part of the show? Time is ticking."


    But that fleeting glance was a mistake.


    With a deafening crack, Greg vanished from his spot.


    He reappeared right in front of Eric, lightning sword humming violently as he swung. A roaring gust of wind slammed down from Eric, redirecting the blade into the floor with enough force to fracture the tiles.


    From the air, the lightning serpent moved like a phantom, its tail whipping forward. A small but seething orb of lightning shot toward Eric with blinding speed.


    Eric flicked his hand in a sweeping motion, sending a turbulent gust to intercept the orb. But the concentrated lightning tore through the wind like paper, accelerating toward him.


    With no choice, Eric launched himself into the air, narrowly dodging the impact. The orb struck the ground with a boom, leaving behind a scorched crater.


    "You can''t dodge as well in the air!" Greg shouted, snapping his fingers. Four lightning arrows materialized and blasted upward toward Eric.


    Eric grinned. "You''d be surprised."


    Wind howled violently around him as he danced through the arrows, twisting and pivoting mid-air like a leaf in a storm. Each arrow missed him by mere inches¡ªbut the serpent was waiting.


    In an instant, it slammed into Eric mid-air with brutal force. Blood spurted from his mouth as he spiraled down, barely managing to catch himself with a gust of wind before crashing into the floor.


    "Whoa! That serpent''s insane!" Raze gasped.


    Eric skidded across the floor, coughing blood, only to hear another loud bang. Greg was already there¡ªhis lightning sword slicing through the air in a blazing arc.


    A jagged wave of lightning surged forward.


    Eric clenched his teeth and clapped his hands together. With a boom, he unleashed a violent blast of wind that collided with the lightning slash, tearing it apart. The remaining gale surged toward Greg.


    But Greg sidestepped at the last second, and the blast slammed into the wall, another thunderous crack splitting the hall.


    ''He''s holding his own,'' Grey thought, eyes narrowed. ''Greg''s really being growing stronger¡­ but why?''


    ''Every day, I watched Grey eclipse us all¡ªaccomplishing feats I could only dream of. His strength felt unreachable¡­ It pushed me. Drove me. Broke me. But I kept training, cultivating, pushing myself to become even stronger¡ª


    To become a monster greater than him! Only one thing stands in my way. Him!''


    Greg''s thoughts burned like fire as he lunged forward again.


    He closed the distance with electrifying speed, unleashing a flurry of sword strikes¡ªslashes from the right, above, below, and diagonally¡ªall within two seconds.


    Eric dodged every one, fluid and effortless, yet he never retaliated, even when openings appeared.


    ''He''s being driven by something,'' Eric thought, tilting back to avoid a wide swing. ''I can feel it¡­ the will, the obsession. I want to know what fuels him.''


    Then, with a precise palm strike, Eric sent a concentrated burst of wind into Greg''s gut.


    The impact was brutal. Greg''s body flew backward, a spray of spit and blood trailing him before he crashed to the ground.


    Eric exhaled, turning slightly¡ªjust in time for something to smash into his face.


    A blinding shock of pain¡ªfollowed by a streak of lightning¡ªand then¡­


    Slash!


    Blood sprayed across his cheek as the serpent appeared beside him, fangs bared before it slowly dissipated.


    "Kek." Greg chuckled darkly, rising shakily to his feet, blood trailing down his chin. His eyes shifted to the clock¡­ then locked onto Grey''s stunned expression.


    ''I hope you finally see me now,'' he thought.


    Eric straightened, voice grim but impressed.


    "Greg Truedeam has passed this assessment. He landed a blow in one minute, twenty seconds."


    The room fell silent. Even Dave''s jaw dropped.


    ''He¡­ beat my record?! But how? That flurry of movements should''ve taken him over the limit!'' Dave''s thoughts were a mess.


    ''That''s the advantage of lightning magic,'' Grey reflected. ''A dozen actions that would normally take half a second can be compressed into just four. But Eric''s wind magic¡­ it''s amazing.


    To dodge all those movements, will surely not be possible with wind magic, for me. I have to use lightning magic too.''


    Grey''s lips curled into a proud smile.


    ''Now I want to beat Eric even more!'' he shouted internally.

 Chapter 273 - 273: A Crazy lover!

    "Greg Truedeam has passed this assessment as he has landed a blow in one minute, twenty seconds," Eric announced, his voice firm and resolute.


    With a confident smirk, Greg leapt from the elevated platform and landed gracefully back in his spot among the students, pride glowing in his eyes.


    "I''m glad you didn''t disappoint me," Grey''s calm voice whispered into Greg''s ear like a phantom breeze.


    Greg''s smirk widened.


    ''I''m not done yet. The tournament¡ªwhatever the academy has planned¡ªI''ll win it all.'' Determination surged through him as the next name was about to be called.


    Eric raised a hand, motioning for Vanica to approach. She swiftly healed his injuries with practiced ease, then silently returned to her previous position.


    "The next participant is Lyra!" Eric declared.


    A hush fell over the room.


    The voluptuous young woman walked forward with feline grace, each step a display of power and poise.


    Her chest bounced subtly with each motion, drawing the lingering gazes of many male students¡ªeveryone except Grey.


    ''Finally, my turn¡­ Watch me, my love. Watch how I''ll repay the pain you endured.'' Lyra''s heart pounded with purpose as she took her place opposite Eric.


    "You ready?" Eric asked, adjusting his stance slightly.


    "Always," Lyra replied coolly. A sudden swirl of wind encircled her, tugging at her clothes and hair. Eric''s brow arched slightly in intrigue.


    ''Wind magic¡­ interesting.''


    Without warning, a sharp gust of wind burst out from Lyra, sweeping across the room like a wild tempest. Gasps rang out as spectators were buffeted by the force.


    From the whirlwind, a massive dragon of pure wind materialized behind her¡ªits translucent form breathing ethereal breezes with each motion.


    Surrounding Lyra, fifty shimmering wind swords formed in an elegant halo, each blade angled at Eric like the judgment of a goddess.


    "Wait¡­ isn''t Lyra going too far?" Charlotte asked, her brows creased with worry.


    "She really is. Fifty swords? That''s her current limit unless she breaks through¡­" Selene''s eyes widened, the realization dawning. "Which means¡ª"


    "She''s going all out," Dante finished grimly.


    "But why? This is just supposed to be a sparring match," Charlotte protested.


    Selene''s mind flashed back to her earlier exchange with Lyra.


    {"Are you planning on how you want to murder someone?" Selene had teased, half-joking.


    "Something like that," Lyra had muttered under her breath. Unaware Selene had caught it.}


    "Oh no¡­" Selene murmured, her stomach twisting. ''She wasn''t kidding¡­''


    Eric smiled thinly, the air around him beginning to pulse. "I see you''re serious. Good. Let''s begin."


    With a snap of his fingers, a hundred wind spears shot out from behind him, shrieking toward Lyra.


    "Draco!" she cried.


    The wind dragon roared and unleashed a colossal gust with a mighty flap of its wings. The blast tore through the air, shattering the incoming spears like fragile glass.


    Lyra followed with a sharp snap¡ªher fifty wind swords launched forward in unison, slicing toward Eric with blinding speed.


    "Pathetic. Just fifty?" Eric scoffed, lifting his hand.


    A fierce vortex exploded into existence around him, spinning with such violence that it tore grooves into the ground beneath him. The vortex devoured the swords effortlessly, reducing them to nothing.


    Then, with a final, devastating spin, the vortex surged forward, tearing through the arena, ripping apart tiles and shaking the chamber''s foundation.


    Lyra leapt skyward, landing on her dragon''s back as it soared upward just in time. The vortex collided with the wall behind her, blasting a gaping hole through stone. Dust and rubble rained down.


    "Take this!" Lyra shouted.


    With another forceful flap of Draco''s wings, over a hundred wind swords erupted from the sky, descending like a storm of gleaming fangs.


    Eric stood his ground, utterly unshaken. A smirk tugged at his lips.


    With a casual wave, the swords disintegrated mid-air before reaching him.


    "You in the air is annoying," he muttered, pointing a single finger at the airborne dragon. "So get down here."


    A concentrated burst of wind shot forth like a cannonball. It smashed into the dragon''s head with brutal force, tearing it asunder. The ethereal beast dissipated, and Lyra plummeted toward the ground.


    "Wind blades," Eric said, releasing a dozen razor-sharp projectiles.


    Lyra twisted mid-air, her form flipping elegantly as she narrowly dodged the barrage. The blades slammed into the wall behind her in explosive succession. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She landed on one knee, the impact jarring. Her head snapped up, hair flowing dramatically behind her.


    "Watching her move like that¡­ that jiggle¡­ it makes something beneath me harden," Arthur said with a gulp, eyes gleaming.


    "You''re a goddamn pervert," Raze growled, slapping the back of his head.


    "She''s your senior, man," Gordon added in disgust.


    "What does rank have to do with anything?" Arthur sneered. "What matters is whether she''ll moan my name tonight."


    "You''re vile," Scarlet hissed, turning away in revulsion.


    Back in the arena, Lyra shot forward like a missile, her form propelled by fierce gusts. Eric remained unmoved.


    From her palms, blades of wind surged toward him, but Eric nimbly dodged. Lyra followed through¡ªher entire body slammed into him like a crashing wave, sending him tumbling.


    Above them, a massive wind sword formed in the air and plummeted toward Eric like divine punishment.


    He thrust both hands upward, pushing a massive gust to counter it. The ground beneath his feet cracked violently from the strain. His teeth grit as he resisted the pressure¡ªjust as Lyra appeared before him again.


    ''I could kill you¡­ but I won''t. Not yet. This will do for now.''


    With a sudden swipe, Lyra''s conjured wind spear tore into Eric''s cheek, opening a deep, bloody gash.


    ''That''s for touching my love.''


    "What the hell?!" Eric roared, staggering back as blood ran freely down his face. The wind sword evaporated behind him.


    "I said just a trickle of blood¡ªwhat the hell is this?!"


    "I''m sorry, sir¡­ I got a little carried away," Lyra said sweetly, head bowed. But her lips curled into a cruel smile.


    Watching from the sidelines, Selene shivered.


    ''She''s losing it¡­ Lyra''s going crazy.''


    "Whatever! Just get off the platform. You pass," Eric snapped, signaling for Vanica with a sharp motion.


    As the healer rushed over to mend him, Lyra descended from the platform like a queen leaving the battlefield.


    ''That was just a warning. Touch him again¡­ and the next hole will be in your skull.''


    A smirk danced on her lips as she walked away¡ªcasual, but triumphant.


    __


    {A/N}


    Happy new month to all my lovely readers out there... This is another day to remind you all I love you all ???? thanks for continuous support ???? I have something special planned for you all which I will reveal to you in the next chapter ????

 Chapter 274 - 274: A Terrifying Instructor!

    After Lyra stepped off the platform, Vanica immediately rushed over to treat Instructor Eric''s injuries.


    Meanwhile, the dueling hall, as if breathing life of its own, began repairing itself.


    Within five minutes, it was pristine¡ªits marble floor smooth once more, the shattered edges rebuilt, and the lingering battle scorch marks erased like they never existed.


    Grey, observing quietly from the sidelines, couldn''t hide his amazement.


    ''This academy has the same restoration mechanics as Lord Cedric''s estate¡­ the ability to regenerate any structural damage.


    Now I''m seriously thinking of installing something like this in our home,'' he mused, a wistful smile curling his lips.


    ''Mum would love that¡ªless cleaning up after my magic experiments. But... when am I even going back home? I miss her cooking. I miss Jesse''s annoying, childish antics.''


    A genuine warmth spread across his face at the memory of his little family.


    Lyra caught the smile from across the room, and her heart fluttered. ''Is he smiling because I dealt with Eric for him?


    He always wanted to knock that smug instructor down a peg himself. Maybe now he sees me¡ªnot just as a friend, but someone willing to fight for him. Please¡­ just notice me, Grey.''


    Meanwhile, Selene, noticing Lyra''s dreamy, borderline obsessive smile, shook her head in mild horror.


    ''Yup. She''s completely lost it. Madness confirmed.''


    Eric, on the other hand, massaged his temples, groaning inwardly.


    ''Argh, still so many damn students left. Can this end already? My bones are screaming.'' He squinted down the long list in his hand and called the next name.


    Another third-year student took to the platform, putting up a commendable fight, but ultimately fell short of the mark.


    The next, a determined female combatant, barely crossed the two-minute threshold. Despite her grit, she didn''t manage to land a single blow.


    Then came Raze.


    With a cocky grin and confidence radiating from him, he strode onto the platform.


    Before the fight began, he had discreetly tapped Scarlet''s arm¡ªand now, he wielded Fire Magic with flair.


    Flames danced at his fingertips, blazing across the hall in a spectacular display. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mid-fight, Raze darted toward Eric, brushing against him just enough to switch his affinity to Wind Magic. From that moment, the hall transformed into a vortex of chaos. Razor-sharp wind blades sliced through the air, tornadoes spun wildly, and gusts strong enough to rattle the stands sent robes and hair fluttering in every direction.


    To the stunned spectators, it felt like they were watching a miniature version of Grey himself unleash hell.


    Eric twisted, ducked, and deflected, but even his superior agility couldn''t shield him forever.


    Within the blink of an eye, Raze landed three solid hits in two seconds¡ªforcing Eric to acknowledge defeat.


    "One minute, forty seconds," the instructor muttered, eyes glinting with respect. This kid is no joke.


    ''So he can not only mimic someone''s magic... but also match their mana output,'' Eric thought. ''If he ever touches someone strong enough to flatten a city, he can become a walking calamity. Dangerous¡­ and impressive.''


    Jay was called next. His Water Magic was a spectacle of elegance and control. He moved like a fluid dancer, casting waves and spears of water with impeccable rhythm.


    His mastery of creation magic allowed him to form serpentine constructs and water beasts that snapped at Eric.


    With just twenty seconds remaining, Jay finally landed a glancing blow¡ªthen strutted off the stage with a smug stomp, victorious.


    A string of students followed. Some floundered. Some soared.


    Dante took the stage next. Eric had barely prepared himself before Dante began his assault. At first, his attacks were easily dismantled.


    But then, Dante summoned a titanic golem-like armor around himself, encasing his body in solid earth. The floor trembled with his every step.


    Slamming his fists into the ground, he generated a localized quake that sent Eric stumbling backward. And then¡ªboom!¡ªwith explosive speed, he launched into the air like a cannonball, shattering the sound barrier with a deafening crack.


    His stone-armored fist smashed squarely into Eric''s face, blood spurting from the instructor''s broken nose as he skidded back several feet.


    "Dante wins," Eric wheezed, holding his nose as he trudged toward Vanica once more for healing.


    From the stands, Grey''s eyes narrowed in contemplation.


    ''I know what they''re thinking. They believe Eric''s weak now¡ªbecause he''s been injured by so many of us. But they''re wrong.''


    ''The fact that he can fight non-stop, back-to-back, against dozens of students¡ªwithout going all out¡ªis insane. Each match drains him further, but he keeps going. That''s a scary level of endurance, skill, and discipline.''


    Eric returned to the stage, newly healed. "Next!" he barked.


    He called out Scarlet.


    The air thickened with heat the moment she stepped forward. Flames curled around her like a second skin. She raised her hand, and fireballs rained down with relentless fury.


    Her creation magic conjured a miniature dragon, which soared around Eric, spewing streams of fire that scorched the platform.


    Eric met her head-on, his wind magic forming protective barriers and slicing through the flames with sharp precision.


    At one point, he exploited a gap in her defense and appeared behind her in a swirl of wind¡ªsmacking her squarely in the back and sending her flying.


    But Scarlet wasn''t done.


    With a cry, she poured every ounce of mana into her dragon, commanding it to unleash a torrent of fire. Eric countered with a sweeping gale, and the two forces collided violently.


    BOOM!


    An explosion rocked the hall. Smoke billowed, swallowing the stage.


    Seizing the moment, Scarlet dashed through the haze, flames wreathing her fists. She emerged behind Eric and struck his face with a fiery punch, sending him tumbling.


    A thin trickle of blood ran down his cheek.


    "One minute, fifty seconds. Pass," Eric groaned.


    The assessment continued.


    Selene entered the fray and barely scraped a win, staggering off the platform with trembling limbs.


    Vince followed, his Metal Magic clashing violently with Eric''s. He was nearly defeated¡ªbut with a desperate burst of energy in the final second, he landed a clean strike.


    He collapsed after, bloodied and bruised. Sweat poured down his face. Cuts and scrapes layered him like a warrior''s armor.


    At last, the assessment drew to a close.


    Of the twenty-five students who participated, five failed, including Grey.


    The remaining twenty would advance to the intra-academy tournament, scheduled to take place in two weeks.


    The duel hall fell into an exhausted hush. The battle-scarred students dragged their feet back to the dorms¡ªbodies aching, minds buzzing with both triumph and frustration.


    The storm of combat had ended¡­ but the real war was just around the corner.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Now! I had said I wanted to say something here... Well, guess what guys! Today is my dad''s birthday ???? and because it''s a joyous occasion here, I''m dropping a seven chapters mass release today that will also mark the start of a new month!


    My dad already knows that I''m an author and all that so with his blessings, I''m doing this???? so be expecting 5 more chapters along with these two I uploaded earlier... Enjoy guys!??

 Chapter 275 - 275: An Escort Mission!

    Several days had slipped by since the brutal and grueling assessments for the intra-tournament competition.


    Despite Grey being barred from participating¡ªthanks to Instructor Eric declaring him unqualified after supposedly failing every assessment¡ªhe remained undeterred.


    Not once did he let the unfair judgment shatter his focus. Instead, he trained harder than ever, as if nothing had happened.


    While his comrades moved forward, having passed their trials in various ways, Grey stayed behind, exiled from the tournament by Eric''s petty vendetta.


    Vanica had been granted entry into the tournament, her key role during the students-versus-instructors duel earning her that privilege.


    But Grey''s contributions had been overlooked, buried beneath Eric''s personal grudge.


    Exactly what Grey had hoped for.


    When Eric submitted the final list of qualified participants, Captain Amir was visibly stunned to see Grey''s name missing.


    But then he recalled a past conversation¡ªGrey had told him plainly that he had no interest in joining the tournament.


    Realization hit Amir like a wave, and he shook his head with a wry smile. Grey had outplayed them all, quietly stepping aside.


    With the assessments concluded, the students returned to their usual regimen under Magnus. But this time, something had shifted¡ªMagnus had become a different beast.


    His training style turned ferocious, relentless. Every session was a gauntlet, and he didn''t just supervise¡ªhe pushed, prodded, and tore down limits.


    According to him, the third-year students had already mastered Magus Dominion, and that meant they would undoubtedly wield it during the upcoming tournament.


    If his squad had any chance at standing toe-to-toe with the veterans, they needed to learn how to break through¡ªand fast.


    For Grey, though, the breakthrough process was old territory. He had already mastered it. His focus now was on optimization¡ªstudying the finer details of the process to improve his efficiency.


    If it once took him a minute to break through, he now aimed to halve that time. Every second shaved was a weapon honed.


    Meanwhile, Raze had adopted his own unique training method¡ªone that seemed chaotic on the surface but was actually highly strategic.


    Rather than focus on breakthroughs, he fixated on deepening his mastery over the elements.


    He would begin by tapping Vince, copying his Metal Magic, and sparring fiercely against Greg.


    Mid-combat, he''d smoothly touch Greg, swapping to Lightning Magic, and suddenly, the entire tempo of the fight would shift into an electrifying explosion of raw force.


    That was Raze''s training: a whirlwind of element absorption and instinctual adaptation. He wasn''t just learning the magic¡ªhe was becoming it.


    The tournament loomed closer, now only a week away. The pressure in the air was palpable.


    Progress varied. Scarlet and Greg had achieved incomplete breakthroughs, unstable yet promising.


    Jay managed a full breakthrough, but it fizzled after less than thirty seconds. The rest remained at the cusp, straining for something just out of reach.


    And still, the training continued.


    "You must learn to feel your affinities!" Magnus barked, pacing like a caged beast. "Talk to them. Sync your willpower with your core. Don''t just channel the magic¡ªbecome it!"


    His voice was thunder in the courtyard.


    "For those of you who experienced an incomplete breakthrough¡ªdig deeper. Flash back. Feel the moment. Relive the spark. Now, look at Grey."


    All heads turned to where Grey was leaning against a wall, arms folded, eyes closed like a meditating warrior. The moment his name was called, his brown eyes snapped open.


    "Huh? What did I do this time?" he muttered, blinking at Magnus in mild confusion.


    "You''re the example. Inspiration." Magnus gestured to him with intensity. "Tell them¡ªwhat were you feeling during your breakthrough?"


    Grey''s eyes gleamed. "Anger."


    Magnus nodded sharply and turned back to the class.


    "There it is! Emotion fuels magic! Some of you¡ªfear might be your catalyst. Others¡ªjoy, sorrow, desperation. Tap into it. Remember that feeling. That''s your key!"


    "I won''t lose face to that smug third-year instructor," Magnus growled. "Now get to work!"


    ''Damn,'' Grey chuckled to himself. ''He''s gotten way more intense over the days. Didn''t know he had such a competitive streak. Definitely not like Instructor Von. He''s got bite¡ªbut with a sense of fun, too.''


    A roar broke Magnus'' next lecture. "No! Damn it! Not like that. Feel the mana! Feel it swirling around you and within you. This is why I told you to master meditation first!"


    He spun and stormed toward Arthur.


    "Hey! What in the blazing pits are you doing?! Quit chatting and break through! Now!"


    ''Yup. Aggressive,'' Grey chuckled again, just as he was about to close his eyes.


    The door to the training hall burst open.


    A gust of wind carried in a commanding presence that pulled every eye toward the entrance.


    Captain Amir strode in like a lion surveying his pride, a broad grin stretching across his face.


    "Look at this. My favorite squad in all the kingdom."


    "Favorite? I thought Kael was your favorite?" Grey asked as he peeled himself off the wall and sauntered over, hands buried casually in his pockets.


    "Oh Grey," Amir said, grinning. "My real favorite."


    Magnus gave a respectful salute, palm across his chest, eyes straight ahead.


    "Captain," he greeted.


    "Yo, Cap! What brings you?" Raze said, walking over with a smirk.


    "No trouble. I''ve actually got a mission for you all," Amir replied, and instantly, every student''s posture sharpened. Their ears perked up like wolves scenting prey.


    "Finally!" Grey cracked his neck and stretched. "I was starting to get bored."


    "What''s the mission, Cap?" Scarlet asked, a smoldering glint in her eyes like fire ready to ignite.


    "A portal break? Bandits, maybe?" Arthur suggested, heart pounding.


    "Or even better¡ªa dungeon raid," Greg added, lightning sparking excitedly around his fingers.


    Amir chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.


    "Actually... you might not like this one."


    "What is it? Another invasion from some upstart kingdom?" Grey smirked, stepping forward. "Drakesville again? I''ve got unfinished business with them." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No," Amir said, his smile turning sheepish. "It''s an escort mission."


    Grey''s face froze.


    "Forget it," he muttered, turning around. "I''m no bodyguard."


    "You didn''t let me finish," Amir said, tone lowering. "It''s an escort mission to... Kiten Town."


    Grey stopped cold.


    Time froze with him. His heartbeat pounded in his ears like war drums. His breath caught as a storm of emotions rushed in.


    ''Kiten Town? My hometown? Will I... finally see Mum? Jesse?''


    His heart surged with hope, trembling with an overwhelming mix of anticipation and joy.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Once again, A happy birthday to my dad and he''s the reason this mass release is possible today. Please guys, send your wishes and prayers to him on this his joyous day!


    I would love to show him how my readers are praying for him ???? thank you in advance guys!??

 Chapter 276 - 276: A Rude Merchant!

    ''A mission? To Kiten Town? My town?


    Will I finally get the chance to see Mum and Jesse again?''


    The thought struck Grey like a lightning bolt to the heart, and for the first time in a while, warmth surged through his chest.


    "Yes, Grey. It''s an escort mission to Kiten Town, and I want you on it."


    Captain Amir''s voice pulled him back to reality, his tone firm yet laced with a knowing smile as he eyed Grey''s stiffened back. "So? You in?"


    Grey turned with controlled urgency, his footsteps light but quick. A soft smile spread across his lips¡ªa rare, unguarded one. "Say no more," he replied. "Thank you."


    "I thought you didn''t want to participate in any missions?" Greg asked, puzzled.


    "Kiten Town is where Grey''s from," Vince whispered, leaning toward the others, his voice barely audible. "I think the captain figured Grey misses his family¡­ and decided to cut him some slack."


    "Wait, so he''s really going back to his hometown?" Scarlet asked, her eyes drifting to Grey''s beaming face. "And he''s going to see his mum?"


    Her heart warmed as she observed him.


    ''That smile¡­ It''s so pure. I''ve never seen him look so full of life. His mum must be something special to make him light up like that.''


    "Anyway," Amir continued, "Grey won''t be going alone. Greg, Raze, Scarlet, and Vince¡ªyou''re all part of the escort squad. One more person will be joining you."


    "Wait, why do we all have to go?" Greg frowned, crossing his arms. "Isn''t Grey enough to handle it?"


    "Maybe... But the issue isn''t the mission itself. It''s who you''ll be escorting," Amir replied, his face suddenly unreadable, eyes narrowing slightly.


    "Who exactly are we escorting?" Grey asked, snapping out of his thoughts.


    "A very wealthy and influential merchant. You know how it is¡ªno magic, but a mountain of gold.


    And people like him are walking targets for bandits, rebels, and other low-lives. He specifically requested our academy for protection, and since his destination happens to be Kiten, you were the obvious choice."


    "Wait, you said someone else is joining us. Who?" Vince asked, curious.


    "She¡ª" Amir''s reply was interrupted by the door swinging open.


    "I''m ready, Captain," Charlotte said confidently as she stepped inside, a playful smile tugging at her lips.


    "You homesick too?" Grey asked with a chuckle.


    "Don''t judge me. I miss home just as much as you do," Charlotte replied, joining the group.


    "Wrong. I don''t miss home," Grey corrected. "I miss my mum and sister." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Still the same thing, you dumbass!" Charlotte snapped.


    "Look at this emotional dumbass calling me a dumbass," Grey replied smugly.


    "How am I sentimental?" Charlotte huffed.


    "You forgot already? If I hadn''t stopped you back then, your brother''s rescue mission would''ve failed," Grey said, crossing his arms.


    Charlotte pouted. "Fair enough."


    Then she turned to Amir. "Where do we meet this ''important'' guy?"


    "He''s outside, waiting. Listen up," Amir said, his tone turning sharp. "Your job is simple¡ªescort him to the Kiten border and ensure he enters the town safely.


    Once that''s done, you''ll have two days to handle personal matters before heading back to the academy. No delays."


    "Fine by me." Greg shrugged. "I can''t spend too much time in a crumbling little town anyway."


    "Our town isn''t crumbling!" Charlotte retorted, fists clenched. "Right, Grey?"


    "I don''t know... feels pretty crumbled to me," Grey muttered casually.


    Charlotte''s eyes widened. "Seriously? At least defend your own town!"


    Grey shrugged. "I don''t care if the town burns down¡ªas long as my family''s safe, the rest doesn''t matter."


    "Ugh! You''re so annoying!" Charlotte yelled, turning to the others. "How do you even deal with him?"


    "We''re surviving," Raze replied with a dry smirk as he followed Grey out.


    The group exited the academy building minutes later, only to find a luxurious carriage parked outside.


    A powerful steed was strapped to it, its sleek black mane shimmering under the morning sun. On top of the carriage sat a stern-faced man, presumably the driver. Behind him, lounging like royalty, sat their charge.


    He was rotund and overdressed, wrapped in an opulent gold-and-white robe that gleamed in the sunlight.


    Every finger wore a gaudy gold ring, and his pot belly bulged like a stuffed purse. His silver hair fluttered lightly in the breeze as he looked ahead, clearly disinterested in the students.


    "Wow. This guy looks like the Lord of the Rings," Vince muttered under his breath.


    "This carriage is tiny," Raze commented, eyeing the cramped structure.


    "Probably only fits four people¡ªfive if you squeeze," Charlotte added.


    Just then, the merchant turned to them, his voice silky yet arrogant. "This carriage is for me only. Find your own transport, weaklings."


    "He''s so rude," Greg growled, his fists tightening.


    "I''ve got you all covered," Amir said, stepping forward and placing a hand on the ground. Glimmering mana surged around his arm.


    "Metal Creation Magic!" he declared.


    From the ground, a metallic construct began to rise¡ªsleek and reinforced, yet the same size as the merchant''s. It gleamed with silvery sheen and intricate runes, clearly a superior model.


    "Wait, there''s no horse or control¡ªhow do we drive this thing?" Raze asked, baffled.


    "That''s Vince''s job," Amir replied. "You have Metal Magic like me. You''ll steer it."


    "Me? I-I can''t¡ª" Vince stammered, anxiety blooming on his face. "I barely have control over my magic!"


    "You can do it, son," Amir said, his voice calm but firm. "I believe in you. You''ve got the potential to surpass me¡ªtrust yourself."


    Vince took a deep breath, Amir''s words echoing in his mind. ''I can''t let him down.''


    "I''ll do it," he said, voice steadier now as he climbed aboard. One by one, the others followed¡ªexcept for Grey.


    "Wait, what about Grey?" Scarlet asked, realizing there was no space left.


    Grey remained still, his hands in his pockets. "Don''t worry. Just stay close behind the merchant''s carriage. I''ve got my own ride."


    And with that, he bent his knees and launched high into the air.


    "Wind Creation Magic: Kaiser!"


    A colossal bird made of swirling wind erupted beneath him, wings spread wide and majestic. With a burst of air, Grey soared into the sky, leading the way like a mythical guardian.


    Below him, the merchant''s carriage rolled forward on the dirt road, and the student-crafted carriage followed closely behind, rumbling toward the horizon.


    The journey to Kiten had begun.


    ___


    {A/N}


    I have been thinking guys! I mean about that identity and name thingy I asked for y''all input and I have come to a final decision about the name which I want guys! That will be communicated in the next chapter ????

 Chapter 277 - 277: What is going on?!

    "So," Charlotte began, her eyes sweeping across the group of students before her.


    Vince sat out front, expertly guiding the carriage along the winding path, while Grey soared high above on his majestic wind bird, acting as their vigilant scout¡ªcircling but never straying too far.


    "How has your time been at the academy?" she asked, her voice calm yet inviting.


    "Tiring," Scarlet replied shortly, her voice tinged with fatigue.


    "Annoying," Greg muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.


    "Dangerous and competitive," Raze said matter-of-factly, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon.


    "A little bit fun," Vince added from his position at the reins, a faint grin breaking his otherwise serious demeanor.


    "That''s good to hear. So, have any of you managed to learn breakthrough techniques yet?" Charlotte asked, turning her gaze to each one of them in turn.


    "Nope," Vince answered quickly.


    "Didn''t feel like I needed it," Raze shrugged, unconcerned.


    "I had an incomplete breakthrough," Scarlet admitted, a flicker of pride in her voice.


    "Same here," Greg added, folding his arms.


    "That''s quite the improvement," Charlotte said with a small smile as her gaze lingered on Raze. "Why do you feel like you didn''t need it?"


    "Simple. Because I didn''t," Raze replied confidently, crossing his arms over his chest. "My magic depends entirely on how powerful my opponent or ally is. If you''re tremendously powerful, I can copy your magic and be just as strong.


    Though, there are limits. I can''t copy someone overwhelmingly powerful¡ªlike the Emperor or his closest subordinates. But the Captains? If I get the chance to touch them, I can match their power... for twenty-four hours, anyway."


    "Copy magic, huh? That''s fascinating. I haven''t met anyone with such a rare affinity before," Charlotte muttered thoughtfully.


    "Well, now you have," Raze said with a slight smirk.


    "Quick question," Scarlet interrupted, turning to Charlotte with curiosity. "You''re from the same town as Grey, right?"


    "Yes," Charlotte replied, nodding.


    "Was Grey always this cold? I mean, he''s quite dismissive, emotionless at times. Has he always been like that?" Scarlet raised an eyebrow.


    "To be honest, I don''t really know. We came from the same town, but we didn''t even know each other until he became¡­ powerful," Charlotte said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.


    "What do you mean?" Raze asked, his curiosity piqued.


    "You see, everyone in town knew Grey before he rose to power. He was a cripple¡ªa weakling, considered useless, a waste of space. Why? Because he couldn''t use magic," Charlotte explained, her voice growing softer.


    "Even after he crossed the legal age to use magic, which is twelve, he still couldn''t awaken any. So, he was bullied, ridiculed, beaten¡ªby people who should have been weaker than him."


    The carriage grew silent as everyone absorbed her words.


    "Here''s a question for you all: what do cripples do when they realize they can''t use magic?" Charlotte asked, locking eyes with her listeners.


    "They kill themselves," Greg answered bluntly.


    "Correct. But Grey didn''t. He endured. He kept pushing forward despite the endless taunts and abuse. Although I knew that Kiten Town had a cripple, I had no idea who he was or what he looked like.


    Then, one day, a portal break happened in the town, and that''s when Grey revealed his magic. He fought level 4 beasts alone while the rest of the creatures ravaged the town.


    He was almost at death''s door when the captain arrived and cleared the remaining beasts.


    Since that day, everyone realized the famous cripple had become a mage¡ªone with multiple affinities," Charlotte said, her voice steady but tinged with awe.


    "I remember," Vince said cautiously, "he mentioned something about a mission you both took¡ªto rescue your brother."


    "Yes, we did. And honestly, I don''t want to talk about that day. Our family fell apart afterward," Charlotte admitted, her eyes clouding with painful memories of betrayal.


    "Right! I think I understand why he''s so cold," Charlotte continued, a sadness creeping into her voice.


    "Besides being bullied, he lost his father to a beast portal break at work. But nobody cared about him after that. The entire town abandoned him and his mother."


    Raze''s eyes narrowed as he thought, ''So that''s why he keeps his distance. So cold and emotionless toward his enemies that he can kill without hesitation.''


    Greg slumped back in his seat, his expression darkening. ''Now, I''m starting to understand that peasant. If it were me, I would have burned the whole town down with my powers. It''s surprising he''s still out there saving people.''


    "Hold on a second," Scarlet said suddenly, eyes wide as she faced Charlotte. "You said Grey didn''t have a trace of magic, that he was a cripple, and that he crossed the age limit without awakening anything?"


    "Yes," Charlotte confirmed. "Honestly, everyone had given up on him¡ªexcept his parents. That''s why the bullying never stopped."


    "Then how on earth did he awaken not one, but four affinities?" Scarlet''s voice rose in disbelief.


    "I don''t know. We all thought it was some kind of miracle," Charlotte shrugged.


    "And none of you thought to investigate? Maybe he made a deal with the devil or something," Greg said, raising an eyebrow.


    "We all know the devil doesn''t exist," Raze chuckled dryly. "But I admit, it''s puzzling."


    "Yeah, whatever it was, I guess we''ll never know," Charlotte said, gazing out the window, lost in thought.


    ''But it''s deeply concerning. Where¡ªand how¡ªdid Grey awaken his affinities? Four of them, no less. It''s strange, to say the least.''


    Suddenly¡ª


    Screech! S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The carriage jolted violently, tires skidding against the dirt road as it came to an abrupt halt.


    "Vince, what happened? Why did you stop?" Raze asked sharply.


    "I¡­ I don''t know. The merchant''s carriage ahead stopped suddenly, so I had to," Vince replied, his hands tightening on the reins.


    "Then check what the hell is going on and stop delaying us!" Greg shouted, arms crossed, irritation flaring.


    "Wait¡ªoh shit! Grey is going all out!" Vince''s voice cracked with alarm, jolting everyone to alertness.


    "What?!" Raze shouted as he sprang to his feet, then in a swift motion, tapped Vince sharply and they all leapt out of the carriage.


    Above them, Grey hovered atop his wind bird, a striking silhouette against the sky.


    Around him, a hundred razor-sharp wind blades hovered in a deadly formation, their gleaming tips pointed forward like a deadly storm ready to strike.


    "What the hell is going on?" Charlotte muttered under her breath, eyes wide with unease.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Now! Let''s start this introduction properly... Good morning ''The Magus Legion,'' I hope we all had a sound sleep. From now on, we will be known as The Magus Legion and together, we would rise to the top.


    Above every other mages on this platform. I have tried already, I wanted to appoint moderators here but I don''t know how to do it.


    Actually! I have gone and inquire about it and the criteria of getting the moderator tag will be communicated in the next chapter ????????????????

 Chapter 278 - 278: A Crazy Kid!

    Grey hovered out front, riding his majestic wind bird high above the winding forest path. His hands were casually tucked deep into the pockets of his dark pants, but his sharp brown eyes were anything but relaxed.


    They scanned the dense canopy and shadowed underbrush below with unyielding vigilance, alert for even the faintest sign of danger.


    A cool breeze whipped through his tousled brown hair, brushing across his face like a gentle reminder of the world around him. Yet his thoughts were elsewhere, swirling like the wind itself.


    ''I always thought Amir was just an arrogant fool, a real pain in the ass,'' Grey mused quietly, ''but now I see he''s more sensible than I gave him credit for. He actually thought about me in this situation... But why? Why show me kindness?''


    The wind slapped his face again, sharper this time, snapping him back to the moment.


    ''It''s been a year. A whole year since I left home. And now, finally, I''m heading back to see them¡ªmy family¡­ my mum¡­ Jesse. His chest tightened at the thought. This should be a good surprise for all of us. I can''t wait to see their faces...''


    Suddenly, his wind bird froze midair, wings held rigid against the sky. Grey''s quiet anticipation shattered. His gaze snapped downward to the carriage rolling steadily below.


    With a swift, practiced motion, he pulled one hand from his pocket, pointed sharply, and unleashed a long, slender blade of wind.


    It shot like a silver arrow through the air, embedding itself with a sharp thunk into the earth just before the merchant''s carriage, forcing it to an abrupt stop.


    Grey descended gracefully on his wind bird''s back, landing with the silent confidence of a predator. His hands slid back into his pockets as he fixed his gaze directly ahead, eyes cold and piercing.


    The wind bird settled quietly beside him, feathers ruffling in the gentle breeze.


    "Hey! What the hell was that?!" The merchant stormed out of the carriage, his face flushed with fury, eyes blazing with indignation. His voice cracked like thunder as he confronted Grey.


    Then¡ª


    Swoosh!


    A deadly projectile zipped through the air, aimed straight for the merchant''s head.


    Flash!


    Bang!


    In a heartbeat, Grey materialized before the merchant, his expression darkening. With a sharp snap, he crushed the arrow in half, his fingers cracking the wood with ease.


    "That was pretty fast for a youngling like you," came a mocking voice.


    From the shadows of the dense forest emerged twenty rough-looking men, their black garb blending seamlessly with the night-streaked trees.


    Faces hidden behind dark cloth masks, they radiated menace, eyes burning with cold intent.


    The very same forest where Grey had once been ambushed on his way to the academy now became the stage for a second encounter.


    Two of the men brandished bows¡ªa rare sight in a land ruled by mages, where weapons were seldom seen.


    "I''m not one for long talks," one of the masked men sneered.


    Grey twisted his head sharply toward him, eyes glinting with razor sharpness.


    "That''s my line," Grey said coolly, hands slipping back into his pockets. "I don''t waste words. So tell me¡ªwhat do you want?"


    "The man behind you," the leader growled.


    Grey sighed, shaking his head with weary resignation.


    "I already knew that," he muttered before turning his steely gaze back to the merchant.


    "Get back in your carriage. Don''t step out again," he ordered without hesitation.


    "Why should I listen to you?" the merchant spat defiantly.


    In response, a gust of wind whipped around the man, lifting him bodily off the ground as if caught by invisible hands. His limbs flailed helplessly as he was drawn slowly toward the bandits.


    "Wait! What are you doing?! Bring me back!" the merchant screamed, panic drowning his voice.


    Grey''s eyes narrowed. "I don''t care about this mission. Amir knows that. All I care about is seeing my family. So, will you do as I say?"


    "Y-yes! Just please bring me back!" the merchant cried out desperately.


    With a snap of Grey''s fingers, the merchant shot forward like lightning, landing hard in his carriage. His heart pounded wildly against his ribs, nearly bursting free.


    ''That kid''s insane,'' he thought, trembling.


    Grey turned his gaze back to the bandits, voice sharp and clear.


    "Now, for all of you¡ª" His lips curled into a grim smile. "I''m feeling unusually generous today, excited about seeing my family. So I''ll give you a choice: run back now, or else¡ª"


    "Or else what?" The bandit leader''s voice rose in anger, fists clenching tight. "You''re just a kid. You wanna threaten me? Take him out!"


    The two archers swiftly nocked arrows to their bows, pulling the strings taut.


    Grey exhaled a tired sigh, shaking his head as if disappointed by their predictability.


    "Why do I even bother talking when it always ends the same way?" he muttered.


    With a casual tap of his foot against the earth, a towering wall of jagged stone erupted in front of him, rising swiftly to shield him from the volley.


    The arrows thudded into the wall, unable to pierce it.


    When the wall crumbled moments later, Grey was gone.


    A thunderous bang echoed behind the bandits.


    They spun around, horror etched on their faces. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two archers lay sprawled on the ground, their heads grotesquely blown apart, blood spraying like crimson fountains from gaping holes where their skulls should have been.


    "What the hell?!" the leader shouted, eyes wide with terror.


    Grey stood above them, perched on his wind bird, calm and unshaken.


    "I gave you all a chance. You should''ve known better," Grey declared coldly.


    In an instant, a hundred razor-sharp wind blades materialized, hovering midair, their deadly tips aimed unerringly at the bandits below.


    "No one who crosses the supreme mage''s path lives to tell the tale!"


    "Kill him!" the bandit leader roared, snapping out of his shock.


    Dozens of wind blades sliced through the air toward Grey, accompanied by heavy boulders hurled from the earth itself. Flames erupted as the leader launched a barrage of fireballs, streaking forward like burning comets.


    A roaring tornado spiraled down from the sky, tearing through the forest. Trees were uprooted, soil split wide open.


    With a savage howl, the tornado swallowed the incoming attacks, tossing them aside like mere debris.


    "You''re nothing but simple bandits," Grey said, voice cold as ice.


    The hundred wind blades surged forward, slicing through armor and flesh alike. One by one, the bandits'' heads were severed cleanly, their bodies collapsing with sickening thuds.


    "And I won''t let anything stand in the way of me seeing my family."


    ____


    {A/N}


    I made a mistake guys!???? There''s a way an author can make reader(s) a moderator ???? I had to go and inquire about it from top authors... I''m so sorry for the confusion.


    So the criteria still stands guys! Whosoever is interested, let me know????

 Chapter 279 - 279: Kiten Town!

    "Alright, no need," Raze said, shaking his head as he jumped back into the carriage. The lingering echoes of the destruction they''d just witnessed still hung heavy in the air.


    "Why did you have to make it sound like it was something overly important?" Scarlet scolded Vince, flicking her fiery gaze his way as she settled herself back into the carriage.


    "I¡­ I just thought that since he summoned a hundred wind swords, it had to be something strong. But I guess I was wrong," Vince muttered, cheeks reddening in embarrassment.


    "Then stop thinking up senseless assumptions," Greg snapped, following suit and dropping back into his seat alongside Charlotte.


    "It''s always surprising when Grey uses his magic," Charlotte murmured as the carriage creaked forward again.


    "For real! We use the same magic, but where does his come from?" Greg asked, scratching his head awkwardly once he realized how odd his question sounded.


    Scarlet nodded in agreement. "He rarely shows his fire magic, but when he does, it''s like watching a force of nature. How does he do it and I can''t?" she wondered silently.


    "Grey is definitely a special breed," Charlotte chuckled softly.


    "One might even say he was chosen by the gods for a purpose," Raze added with a smirk.


    "Dude, gods and demons don''t exist," Greg replied, his brow furrowing as he shot Raze a skeptical glare.


    "Don''t be surprised when you see a god descend," Raze said with a short laugh just as the carriage began to slow.


    "What''s happening? Why is the carriage slowing down? Trouble again?" Charlotte asked, eyes glued to Vince''s tense back.


    "Or maybe a god has decided to show up right in front of us," Raze teased, chuckling once more.


    "Enough with the gods stuff! Shut up or I''m going to help you keep shut!" Scarlet warned, flames licking playfully around her fingertips as Raze gulped audibly.


    "Actually, I think Raze might be onto something," Vince said nervously, his gulp echoing through the carriage.


    "Wait, what?! I was joking! How can gods be real?" Raze shouted, leaping up from his seat, only to be met with Vince''s mischievous chuckle.


    "Gotcha," Vince said, grinning as the carriage picked up speed again.


    "You annoying weakling!" Raze muttered, crossing his arms and settling back in.


    For a few minutes, the group rode in silence. Charlotte gazed thoughtfully out the window, Scarlet toyed with swirling flames in her hands, and Greg sat rigidly, stealing occasional glances at Charlotte.


    Raze, meanwhile, had long since succumbed to sleep, his mouth slightly agape and soft snores breaking the quiet hum of the carriage.


    Suddenly, the carriage jolted as it crossed a rough patch of road, throwing Raze upward.


    "Gods on earth! An attack! Grey!" Raze shouted, lightning crackling along his skin as it struck his face, jolting him awake.


    "Shut the literal f*ck up!" Greg yelled, his voice thick with irritation as Raze''s eyes fluttered open.


    "I''m wondering how you''re going to get yourself a girl with this silly attitude," Scarlet scoffed, flames flickering in her hands.


    "Have you seen my face?" Raze asked, ruffling his blonde hair and flashing a cocky grin.


    "Tsk!" Scarlet dismissed him with a toss of her head.


    "Guys, we''re here!" Vince called out as the carriage screeched to a halt, and one by one they climbed down.


    Before those who hadn''t been to Kiten, the town stretched out like a quiet, slumbering beast¡ªcaught somewhere between humble beginnings and a restless ambition.


    Ahead, the cobblestone road led straight into the heart of the town, where rows of neat, bungalow-style houses stood proud with freshly painted walls, manicured gardens, and delicate magical lanterns glowing softly by their doors.


    This was the richer part of town ¡ª where Grey''s family now lived ¡ª a peaceful oasis that barely hinted at the harsher realities Grey once knew.


    But just beyond a narrow alleyway, half-hidden by a crumbling stone arch, the town''s poorer side revealed itself.


    Slanted rooftops leaned precariously, wooden shacks patched with rusted metal formed a tangled maze, and the air was thick with the scent of roasted spices mixed with damp earth.


    Children darted barefoot through muddy paths, their laughter weaving with the clangs and shouts of bargaining stallkeepers. This was where Grey had grown up.


    Every crooked fence and shouted bargain stirred vivid memories, old wounds and faded dreams alike.


    Lining the bustling central street were vibrant market stalls bursting with fresh produce, cheap spell scrolls, hand-stitched robes, and homemade mana potions stored in delicate glass jars.


    The noise, the clutter, the chaotic energy ¡ª it was a world apart from the polished halls of the academy Grey had grown accustomed to.


    Towards the east stood the old library, small but well-kept, its arched windows glowing faintly under rune-etched doors that whispered of ancient knowledge.


    Grey had spent countless hours there, devouring every book he could find ¡ª from basic spell theory to epic tales of mage wars long past. If anywhere held the echoes of his childhood dreams, it was there.


    Beyond the town, like a looming shadow, stretched the beast forest. Dense and alive with low-level magical creatures, it was Grey''s first battlefield ¡ª the place where he had learned to fight, to bleed, and to grow stronger. The canopy rustled softly, as if remembering him.


    As Grey led the group forward, each step into Kiten was a step back into his past ¡ª and a silent challenge to show his friends the place that had shaped him.


    "So this is Kiten, huh?" Raze asked, eyes scanning the quiet town.


    "Yeah. The place where I grew up. The town that tormented me," Grey chuckled, descending from the sky as his wind bird vanished.


    The merchant stepped down from his carriage, his gaze lingering on the town, watching as residents stole curious glances at the newcomers.


    "Thank you for escorting me safely," the merchant said, nodding respectfully at Grey.


    "Oh? So you can be polite," Raze chuckled, unaware that fear was the real reason behind the merchant''s civility.


    "Whatever. We''ve done our part. I''m off," Grey said, eager to head home.


    "Wait, I''m coming with you," Raze said, springing up to follow.


    "Well, I don''t know anyone here, so let''s go," Greg added, followed by Scarlet as they fell into step behind Grey.


    "I''m going back home now. I want to see my dad too," Charlotte muttered, turning away from the group.


    ___


    {A/N}


    We have come to the end of today''s mass release guys!???? I hope y''all are enjoying it so far? Happy new month once again... We go again tomorrow ????????


    Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 280 - 280: Back Home!

    "Mum! I''m home!" Grey''s voice rang out with rare excitement as he stood before a pristine white door. Behind him stood Greg, Scarlet, Raze, and Vince, all taking in the warm neighborhood that stretched around them.


    ---


    After stepping down from their carriage, their escort mission finally concluded, the group had followed Grey through the bustling town.


    The streets bustled with life¡ªvendors calling out their wares, children playing near fountains, and the scent of baked bread lingering in the air.


    But what stood out the most was the reaction of the townspeople.


    The moment they laid eyes on Grey, dressed in the flowing robes of a prestigious academy, accompanied by similarly garbed companions, smiles instantly lit up their faces.


    "Hey, Grey! Welcome back!" a middle-aged man called out cheerfully.


    Grey returned the greeting with a small, reserved smile and a polite nod.


    "Welcome back, Grey!" Another passerby called out, followed by yet another.


    "Hey, congratulations on making it into the academy!" shouted a younger man, eyes sparkling with pride.


    "Thank you," Grey replied, his voice calm, but a faint warmth in his tone betrayed his appreciation.


    "Yo, you''re quite the local celebrity," Raze commented, eyes darting to the townspeople who waved and smiled at them.


    "Yeah, I guess," Grey replied with a dry chuckle, his hands tucked into his pockets as they passed by a line of colorful stalls. "After the portal break, they all started treating me like a hero. Saw my powers and suddenly became nice. Bunch of hypocrites."


    "Woah. You''ve really been through a lot," Vince said, his voice laced with sincerity.


    "You don''t even know the half of it," Grey muttered, his voice dipping slightly as a shadow crossed his expression.


    "Couldn''t you have used your wind magic to make this walk easier?" Greg asked, stepping over a shallow crater in the path.


    "You have lightning, don''t you? Use that." Grey waved a hand nonchalantly as a passing carriage sent a splash of water their way¡ªonly for it to be flung aside mid-air with a casual flick of his wrist.


    "Why didn''t you let us use the carriage Captain Amir gave us?" Scarlet asked, irritation coloring her tone.


    "Because the driver needs time to recharge his mana," Vince interjected. "Did you think remote-control mana systems were easy?"


    "Which is why you''ll always be a weakling," Greg muttered with a smug grin.


    Finally, they reached the quieter side of town¡ªan area where rows of bungalow-style homes stood with individuality.


    Each house was a different hue¡ªpale blue, rustic gold, soft lavender¡ªbut all radiated warmth and comfort.


    Grey stopped before one painted in elegant white with silver accents trimming the windows and doorframe.


    A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of a nearby tree as he reached out and turned the handle. The door creaked open.


    He stepped inside eagerly, his companions following close behind.


    "Mum! I''m home!" he called again, voice louder now, almost trembling with anticipation.


    "Who''s there?" came a soft, angelic voice from the kitchen area.


    Two figures appeared at the corridor''s end.


    One was a woman, radiantly beautiful, with gentle brown eyes now glistening with tears. Her brown hair fluttered as if caught in a breeze, her apron dusted with flour. Her face lit up at the sight of the boy in the doorway.


    Beside her stood a girl around nine years old, her raven-black hair cascading to her shoulders. Her eyes, wide and gleaming, filled with tears as her lips quivered in disbelief.


    Neither of them moved. Their eyes were fixed on the boy they thought they might not see again.


    "Mum, Jesse¡­ I''m back," Grey whispered, a small, heartfelt smile tugging at his lips.


    "Brother Grey!" Jesse''s voice rang like a bell, and then she launched forward like a bolt of lightning. Grey caught her mid-air, his arms wrapping around her as she cried into his shoulder.


    "Brother!" she sobbed, clutching him tightly.


    Clara¡ªGrey''s mother¡ªfinally moved, walking toward them, each step hesitant, as if afraid the vision in front of her might disappear.


    Her voice trembled. "Gr¡­ Grey?"


    "Yes, Mum. It''s me." Grey replied, and a single tear slid down his cheek.


    She broke into a run and wrapped her arms around him and Jesse. All three stood together in a tight embrace, tears falling freely, years of longing and silence breaking all at once.


    "Wh-Where have you been all this time?!" Jesse''s small fists pounded gently against his shoulder as she wept. "You said you wouldn''t be gone long! I missed you! I missed you so much, brother!"


    "I missed you too, cutie," Grey said, his voice full of affection as he hugged her tighter.


    "My little sunshine," Clara whispered, stepping back for a moment to examine his face. "I missed you, honey¡­ so much."


    Grey''s throat tightened, and another tear escaped. "I missed you too, Mum."


    Again, the three of them embraced tightly, as though trying to make up for every second lost.


    ''H-He¡­'' Scarlet stammered in her thoughts. ''He''s so warm¡­''


    ''Who would''ve thought that the arrogant, cold peasant had this kind of side?'' Greg mused, quickly wiping away a stray tear.


    ''Good thing Arthur didn''t come along. That fool would''ve started hitting on Grey''s mum. Like, seriously?! She''s so beautiful¡­'' Raze thought, his eyes still glued to the scene.


    ''What a picture-perfect family¡­'' Vince''s gaze softened. ''I never had this. Mum died giving birth to me¡­ Dave was cruel, and Dad was always busy. But this? This is what family is supposed to feel like.'' A single tear rolled down his cheek before he quickly wiped it away.


    Sniffle¡­


    Clara cleared her nose with a soft sound and gently pulled back from the hug. Jesse refused to let go, still clinging to Grey as he stood tall, cradling her with one arm.


    Clara''s gaze turned to the others near the door. "And who are they?" Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grey looked from his mother to his team, then smiled softly. "They''re¡­ my friends."


    Clara''s eyes widened. "Yo-Your friends?"


    "Yes, Mum. They can be annoying sometimes," Grey chuckled, "but they''re still my friends."


    The team behind him smiled at the comment.


    ''I can''t believe it¡­ my baby boy actually made friends,'' Clara thought, her heart swelling. ''Fifteen years of being bullied, eating alone, locking himself in his room¡ªand now¡­ real friends. From a prestigious academy, no less.''


    A radiant smile broke across her face, warming the room like sunlight.


    "If you''re Grey''s friends, then you''re family too. Please, come in," she said, her voice tender and welcoming.


    One by one, the group stepped into the home, their eyes taking in the cozy interior.


    Grey lingered at the doorway, glancing back at them with a fond smile.


    ''It feels good to be back home¡­ I almost forgot how warm and kind Mum could be.''


    "Come on, brother!" Jesse''s voice pulled him back. "We were making food before you came! Let''s go eat!"


    Grey ruffled her hair affectionately. "Lead the way, my little eating monster."


    "I''m telling Mum you called me a monster, you eating wormhole!" Jesse pouted adorably.


    "Yeah, sure." Grey laughed as they all walked deeper into the heart of the home.


    ____


    {A/N}


    A Quick Clarification (Because I Goofed ????)


    Hey Magus Legion,


    First off¡ªhuge shoutout to everyone who unlocked and read the birthday mass release. You''re legends. ????


    Now¡­ I kinda messed up in my excitement ????


    In those chapters, I mentioned that I was thinking of choosing two readers as moderators with a 5K fan value or above. That wasn''t meant to pressure anyone into gifting.


    It came from the idea of picking readers who were consistently active and passionate¡ªbut after talking with some of my fellow authors, I realized that could easily be misunderstood.


    So here''s the real deal:


    ???? Moderator roles will be based on engagement, not gifting. That means commenting, liking, reading consistently, and just being part of the journey.


    I''m grateful for every single member of The Magus Legion¡ªwhether you gift, vote, comment, or silently read.


    Thanks for riding with me, and sorry if that note confused or discouraged anyone. We''re building this world together, and I want everyone to feel welcome.


    ¡ªYour (slightly panicked but always grateful) Supreme Author KBKayboy

 Chapter 281 - 281: Will you marry me?

    "Lunch is ready!" Clara''s cheerful voice rang out like a warm bell, carrying through the air as Grey and Jesse followed behind her, each holding silver trays that gleamed under the afternoon light.


    A rich medley of aromas¡ªspiced vegetables, grilled meats, and something sweet and unfamiliar¡ªdrifted from the covered dishes, instantly claiming the attention of every nose in the room.


    The long wooden dining table was soon adorned with shining plates and crystal-clear cups brimming with juice and water.


    The room, bathed in golden sunlight streaming through the windows, took on the cozy warmth of home.


    Grey helped set the table while his friends gathered around, drawn by the tantalizing scent. All except Greg, who stared at the meal in front of him with a look of barely concealed horror.


    ''How am I supposed to eat this?'' he thought, eyeing the watery stew paired with scooped rice. The dish looked foreign, unfamiliar¡ªa far cry from the polished academy cuisine he was used to. ''This¡­ this isn''t food. This is an experiment.''


    "What''s wrong, Greg?" Raze leaned in, whispering while picking up his spoon.


    "I can''t eat this," Greg muttered back, still glaring at the food as if it had personally offended him.


    "You can''t just refuse," Raze whispered back, his voice low and warning. "Do you want to hurt Grey''s mum''s feelings?"


    Clara stood watching them, expectant and hopeful, her eyes scanning each of their faces for a reaction. The pressure in the room thickened.


    Scarlet, who had initially wrinkled her nose at the dish, sighed internally. ''Well, it doesn''t hurt to try something new¡­'' With that thought, she scooped up a spoonful of the rice and stew combination, brought it to her lips, and took a bite.


    Her hand froze mid-air.


    Eyes wide, mouth slowly working the food, she sat in stunned silence. Her pupils dilated slightly as the flavor burst across her tongue¡ªsavory, rich, delicately spiced.


    Clara''s hopeful gaze intensified. "Well¡­ how is it?" she asked, just as Vince took his first bite¡ªand froze in exactly the same way.


    Raze didn''t bother watching. He just needed something to fill the pit in his stomach. But when he dug in, even he paused, spoon halfway to the bowl again.


    "What''s going on? Why are you three frozen like statues?" Greg asked, squinting suspiciously.


    "This¡­ this is amazing!" Scarlet finally exclaimed, practically diving in for another scoop.


    "Uhm¡­ Miss Grey''s mum," Raze said, lowering his spoon with reverence. He rose from his chair and walked over to Clara, every step filled with exaggerated drama.


    Grey''s eyes narrowed, tracking Raze''s every move.


    Once in front of Clara, Raze dropped to one knee and looked up, eyes suspiciously shiny with emotion. Clara tilted her head, eyebrows raised.


    "Will you marry me?!" he blurted.


    The dining room exploded in coughing and choking sounds. Someone nearly dropped a cup.


    "Damn," Vince chuckled, shaking his head. "And I thought Arthur was the only pervert in our squad."


    "What?!" Grey growled, a low rumble forming in his throat. Sparks of lightning crackled around his fingers as he began to rise from his seat¡ª


    "Keh! Hahaha!" Clara broke into uncontrollable laughter, holding her stomach. Her laughter shook her shoulders so much it looked like she might fall off her chair.


    Finally catching her breath, she looked down at Raze, amusement shining in her eyes. "Grey, you sure have some interesting friends." She reached out and pinched Raze''s cheek, tugging it lightly. "You cutie pie, what possessed you to propose?"


    Raze blushed, rubbing his head. "Uhm¡­ it was just¡­ the food, it''s insanely good. Even better than anything we''ve had at the academy. I guess I acted on impulse."


    "Well, that impulse nearly got you zapped," Grey muttered, settling back into his seat with a scowl.


    "Yeah, sorry about that," Raze chuckled, returning to his spot.


    "To be honest, Mrs. Dawn, this food is incredible," Vince said, raising his glass. Greg, now feeling left out, cautiously scooped a spoonful into his mouth¡ªand froze.


    ''What¡­ what is this magic?'' he thought, eyes wide. He said nothing, simply continuing to eat quietly.


    Then Jesse''s innocent voice broke the silence.


    "Brother Grey, is that beautiful aunty your girlfriend?"


    A synchronized coughing fit erupted¡ªGrey and Scarlet both choked, Vince and Raze froze mid-bite, their jaws hanging slack.


    "What makes you say that, sweetie?" Clara asked, turning to Jesse with a curious smile.


    Jesse nonchalantly stuffed her mouth with rice, swallowed, then looked at Grey. "Because she keeps looking at brother every few seconds. Then she blushes. Her cheeks turn red like her hair. That''s why."


    Scarlet''s face instantly turned crimson. She sank deeper into her seat, panicking internally. ''She noticed?! This brat is too sharp! What if Grey or his mum thinks I like him? Wait, why do I care what they think? No¡ªI mean, yes¡ªI mean, ugh!''


    "No, she''s not my girlfriend," Grey said casually, chewing his food. "Just an annoying, weak friend of mine."


    "What?!" Scarlet snapped, flames flickering around her clenched fists. "Annoying and weak? I can beat you easily!"


    "You wish," Grey scoffed. "None of you could scratch me, even if you teamed up." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey!" Greg scowled.


    "Woah! Is brother really that strong?" Jesse asked, eyes sparkling.


    "Yes, cutie! Your brother here fought dangerous monsters, evil villains, and all sorts of things while these cowards ran away!" Grey smirked, gesturing to the others.


    "Oh please, exaggerate more," Scarlet said dryly, small flames dancing in her palms.


    "Grey, that''s no way to speak to your friends," Clara scolded gently.


    "Yeah, sorry, Mum," Grey replied, just loud enough for everyone to hear. Scarlet''s flames faded at his softened tone.


    "So¡­ what''s it like being in the academy with Grey? How''s he like?" Clara asked with a warm smile.


    "Annoying," Greg said.


    "Cold and emotionless," Raze added.


    "Egoistic," Scarlet muttered.


    "Fun and brave," Vince said, a slight grin on his face.


    Grey blinked. "Wait. Is that really what you all think of me?"


    "There''s more, but we''re holding back," Greg said with a deadpan tone. "Or do you think we''re lying?"


    Grey shrugged. "Honestly, I don''t care what you think¡ªas long as none of you can beat me."


    "Oh yeah? Want to go a round?" Scarlet challenged.


    "Scarlet! Language," Vince said with mock chastisement. "There''s a kid here."


    "I didn''t mean it that way!" Scarlet snapped, cheeks turning a deeper shade of red.


    "Well, to me, it does sound that way," Raze teased, sipping his juice.


    "You little¡ª!" Scarlet growled, lunging at him with flames crackling from her hands.


    "Hey! No fighting here!" Grey barked, just as Scarlet hurled a small fireball at Raze.


    Thunk! A thick earth wall rose between them, absorbing the blow harmlessly.


    Clara simply chuckled inwardly, watching them all with a glimmer in her eyes.


    ''Keh keh keh¡­ even though they bicker, they still care about one another. Grey, I''m so glad you found friends like this. Now I know you''ll never feel alone again.''


    ___


    {A/N}


    Hey Magus Legion! Your Supreme Author here again with another author note to further apologize for my blunder yesterday.


    The only criteria to actually being a moderator for this wonderful book is to be very much active that''s all.


    Thank y''all for reading my book, thank you for not stopping during the early chapters that might have been filled with annoying things! Thank you all for coming this far and I hope we won''t stop for whatever reasons again.


    Because the vision, the plan I have for Magus Supremacy, will span for hundreds and even cross to a thousand chapters with y''all support! Thank you so much, I Love y''all ??????????

 Chapter 282 - 282: A Friendly Spar!

    After lunch, Scarlet offered to help with the dishes, surprising Clara with her initiative. The two moved into the kitchen, chatting softly while the boys and Jesse made their way outside.


    "Ahh, damn! This place is too quiet," Raze said with a lazy yawn, stretching his arms overhead.


    "Yeah, and I''m starting to feel a bit bored," Greg added as he wandered toward the porch and dropped onto a wooden bench with a grunt.


    Around Grey''s home, a tall wooden fence enclosed the property. The backyard stretched into a flat, grassy field¡ªa garden in name only, since Clara hadn''t planted anything.


    Ten meters away stood another house, followed by another at the same distance, creating a spaced, peaceful neighborhood.


    "I kinda miss the academy," Vince muttered, idly kicking a pebble, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.


    "Right? At least back there, we had premium entertainment. Either we were out on missions or duking it out with one another." Raze clicked his tongue.


    "That''s it!" Jesse suddenly shouted, springing up from the porch beside Grey.


    "What''s it?" Grey asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "You guys are bored, right? And you sparred back at the academy, so why not spar here?" Jesse suggested, eyes sparkling. "This place is big enough, and I want to see what academy elites can really do!"


    "I mean, it''s not a bad idea," Raze said, already grinning as arcs of lightning crackled around his fingers in anticipation.


    "How are you so smart at such a young age?" Greg asked, lightning snaking around his hands as well.


    "I get my smartness from Brother Grey," Jesse said proudly, turning to flash a dazzling smile at Grey.


    "Yeah, I doubt that," Raze chuckled¡ªonly to freeze as he felt a wave of killing intent radiating from behind.


    "I¡ªI was just joking! You''re really smart!" he corrected quickly, spinning around to meet Grey''s unamused stare.


    "So, c''mon! Start sparring! I wanna see what powerful academy mages can do!" Jesse urged as she plopped back down on the porch, her gaze locked on the trio.


    "The girl wants a show." Raze shrugged and took a fighting stance, lightning dancing around his forearms with growing intensity.


    "Then let''s give her one!" Greg shouted as he blasted forward, lightning flaring wildly around him like a cloak of raw energy.


    "Just don''t destroy anything!" Grey called out, already bracing himself for chaos.


    "C''mon, Brother! Don''t be a party pooper. Go, uncles!" Jesse cheered, pumping her fists in the air.


    Greg launched a lightning blast toward Raze, but the latter had already infused his legs with lightning and leapt backward.


    The blast struck the ground, kicking up dust and sending shockwaves rippling through the field.


    With a flick of his wrist, Raze retaliated with a lightning arrow.


    Greg twisted his body mid-sprint, clapping his hands together and unleashing a concentrated surge of lightning that collided with the arrow, both attacks canceling each other out in a flash of blinding sparks.


    "Impressive! You''re getting better with your control," Greg called, darting forward again.


    "Enough yapping¡ªmore zapping!" Jesse laughed, eyes wide with excitement.


    The two collided, fists coated in crackling lightning, clashing knuckle to knuckle.


    The impact released a booming wave of pressure that fractured the ground beneath them, spreading jagged fissures across the field.


    "What did I say about not destroying anything?!" Grey roared, a prominent vein bulging on his forehead.


    "Yayyy! More!" Jesse squealed, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.


    The boys jumped back in sync, launching bolts of lightning at each other once more. The strikes met midair, exploding with force.


    Sparks scorched the grass and singed the edges of the porch, nearly hitting Vince¡ªwho had already anticipated the chaos.


    A layer of shimmering metal coated his arms, deflecting the stray bolts with ease.


    "What happened to using your creation magic?" Raze asked as he charged forward again, the lightning around his arm coalescing into a blade.


    "Because I don''t want to level this whole place!" Greg snapped, meeting him in the center. Their lightning blades clashed with a thunderous bang, sparks raining down like fireworks.


    "Take this!" Greg shouted, summoning a lightning spear and hurling it from the side.


    Raze reacted instantly, delivering a sharp kick to Greg''s chest, sending him sliding backward. He spun and swung his lightning blade, colliding with the incoming spear.


    The resulting shockwave forced both of them to skid, grit teeth and all, before their conjured weapons fizzled out¡ªdispersing in crackles and fading arcs.


    "Yayy! Fantastic spar!" Jesse jumped to her feet, clapping with unfiltered glee as Raze and Greg doubled over, panting and drenched in sweat.


    "That was fun," Greg muttered, wiping his brow as he straightened up.


    "Brother, now it''s your turn!" Jesse exclaimed, spinning to face Grey.


    "Wait¡ªwhat?! Why me?" Grey asked, hands raised in protest.


    "Duh! Those two ''uncles'' already showed off. It''s your turn to flex some muscles."


    "I''m not old enough to be called an uncle¡­" Greg grumbled, his expression darkening.


    "Same here," Raze mumbled.


    "Please, Brother," Jesse said sweetly, her eyes wide and shimmering with hopeful mischief.


    Grey sighed. "Fine. But only on one condition¡ªI''m not going one-on-one. I want all three of you to come at me together."


    "Oh, you''re on!" Greg grinned, and lightning flared to life once more.


    ---


    Meanwhile, inside the kitchen, Scarlet was still helping with the dishes¡ªa completely foreign task for her as a noble.


    But she mimicked Clara''s movements diligently, scrubbing, rinsing, and drying with surprising precision.


    "You''re good at this," Clara said with a warm smile. "For a noble, and a first-timer, the dishes are sparkling."


    "You flatter me," Scarlet replied, blushing faintly.


    ''If I can''t win the son over, then I''ll win over his mother¡­ Wait¡ªwhat am I thinking?! Who wants to win over a peasant?! Definitely not me!'' she screamed inwardly.


    "You''ll make a fine young wife when you''re older," Clara added, catching Scarlet off guard.


    Scarlet coughed awkwardly. "Do you have your eyes set on anyone yet?"


    "Certainly not," she answered quickly, trying to focus on rinsing a plate.


    Clara chuckled. "To be honest, what Jesse said¡­ I''ve noticed too. But I''ve kept quiet. I won''t play matchmaker¡ªbut I do hope you and that dumb-dumb figure it out soon."


    Scarlet nearly dropped a cup. "What are you saying, ma''am? It''s nothing like that!" she stammered, her cheeks flushed red.


    "If you say so." Clara shrugged, her smile soft. "I just hope you both don''t realize it too late."


    "We''re just¡­ good friends. That''s all," Scarlet murmured, voice a bit lower.


    "I''ll take your word for it," Clara said, just as a thunderous bang echoed from the backyard.


    Scarlet''s eyes narrowed. "Those fools! Are they trying to blow up the place?!"


    Clara chuckled. "I know you''re a noble and all," she said, suddenly more serious, "but I want you to promise me something. If anything happens, and Grey can''t see me again¡­ promise you''ll look after him."


    Scarlet''s expression shifted. "What are you saying, ma''am?"


    "He''s already spent half his life carrying sadness. He''s been through more than any child should. Promise me you''ll protect him¡ªand make sure he''s never alone at the academy."


    Scarlet hesitated, then smiled gently. "Don''t worry, I''ll always protect him¡­ and all my friends, including him. He''s in safe hands."


    Clara''s eyes glistened for a moment, then another loud crash erupted outside.


    "Okay, let''s go see what those dumbass kids are doing before they level the house."


    "Yeah, let''s," Scarlet agreed with a laugh as they stepped out of the kitchen, ready to confront whatever chaos awaited them outside.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Good morning Magus Legion! I hope we all slept well? Your Supreme Author has come before you today to inform you all that we have our moderator with us already.


    A passionate and active reader that is not only invested in the story, but the book''s growth too. Say hi to your High Arcane (moderator) S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Arcane Sama ????

 Chapter 283 - 283: Scare them a bit!

    "Fine," Grey said, smirking with a glint of challenge in his eyes. "But on one condition¡ªI won''t spar against just one of you. I want all three of you to come at me together." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, you''re on," Greg replied, lightning cracking around his fists as his eyes lit up with excitement.


    Grey stood confidently, hands tucked in his pockets, surrounded on three sides by Greg, Raze, and Vince.


    Each of them radiated their magical affinities, their auras brimming with anticipation. On the porch, Jesse lounged casually, her grin wide with amusement.


    "And let the spar begin!" Jesse called out from her seat, clapping her hands.


    Greg was the first to move, dashing forward with a burst of speed. A bolt of lightning arced from his palm, whistling toward Grey.


    Raze followed suit, summoning a blazing lightning arrow from above and hurling it down with deadly precision.


    "Tsk." Grey scoffed.


    With a simple stomp, a dome of earth erupted from the ground, encasing him in a protective sphere. Sparks danced harmlessly off the hardened surface, deflected with ease.


    "Awesome!" Jesse squealed, her hands clapping excitedly. Just then, the door creaked open behind her¡ªScarlet and Clara stepped out onto the porch.


    "What the hell is going on?" Clara asked, her brows raised at the sight of a magic-charged battlefield.


    "Mum!" Jesse said without looking away. "They were bored and decided to spar. You know, to shake off the cobwebs."


    "You''re all sparring without me?" Scarlet huffed, glaring at the scene. "I wanted to wipe that smug grin off that arrogant pea¡ª" She caught herself and cleared her throat when she noticed Clara beside her.


    Inside the earthen dome, Grey''s magic surged. The structure suddenly exploded outward, sending slabs of rock flying like shrapnel.


    "Arthur!" Raze shouted, realizing their teammate was missing from the scene.


    "I got you!" Vince yelled, clapping his hands. A thick wall of metal rose instantly in front of them.


    The debris smashed against the barrier with a deafening clang. Vince gritted his teeth, stumbling back several feet as he coughed from the impact.


    "Peek-a-boo!" Raze grinned, having used his lightning to flash behind Grey with incredible speed.


    His lightning-forged sword sliced toward Grey''s back¡ªbut just as it was about to connect, a powerful gust of wind burst out, sending Raze flying backward through the air.


    Grey rose calmly, levitating higher as the wind swirled beneath his feet. His eyes swept across the battlefield with amusement.


    "You guys aren''t even trying. I expected more of a challenge. But I guess I shouldn''t have from weaklings." He slapped his forehead dramatically and sighed.


    "Says the guy floating in the sky like a scared bird!" Vince shouted, conjuring spears of metal and launching them toward Grey in rapid succession.


    Grey spun through the air, kicking off invisible platforms of wind, effortlessly weaving between the deadly barrage. One spear zipped past his cheek, close enough to singe a strand of hair.


    Suddenly, he heard a sharp sizzle. His eyes darted up.


    A lightning bolt screamed toward him.


    Grey instinctively summoned an earth barrier, but before the bolt hit, another crackle behind him made his heart jolt. He turned too late.


    Boom!


    The second bolt slammed into him, launching him downward like a comet. Dust and wind burst out as he fell.


    At the last second, he conjured a cushion of wind to break his fall. He landed smoothly, a wide grin on his face.


    "You''ve learned to control your attacks mid-air, huh?" he chuckled, brushing dust off his shoulder.


    "That''s ''cause I was tired of you calling me weak," Greg said, electricity crackling violently around him.


    A dozen lightning arrows swirled above him. Two dozen more formed around Raze, buzzing with energy.


    Beside them, Vince summoned a gleaming longsword made of pure metal, gripping it with determination.


    "Wait, isn''t this getting too intense?" Clara said, stepping forward with concern. "That''s a lot of firepower!"


    "Should I be honest with you?" Scarlet asked, her gaze still locked on the battlefield. "Your son will be fine. That''s why they call him the Monster of Lunaria Academy."


    "Even with your words, I still I''m not rest assured." Clara muttered, uneasy. The air buzzed with so much energy it made her skin prickle.


    Grey scoffed once more, arms still folded. "Seriously? That''s the best you''ve got? A couple dozen arrows?"


    "Quit yapping!" Greg snapped, fingers flicking forward.


    All the arrows launched at once. Dozens of lightning bolts intertwined mid-air, converging into a colossal spear of electric fury. The air sizzled as it rocketed toward Grey.


    He calmly tapped the ground with his foot.


    A massive wall of earth surged up¡ª


    BOOM!


    A thunderous blast shook the area, sending a hot shockwave outward. Dust engulfed the field, washing over the spectators. Clara gasped, shielding her eyes.


    "GREY!" she cried, heart racing.


    The dust began to settle.


    Through the haze, Grey emerged, standing unscathed. The stone wall behind him was cracked like a spiderweb, barely holding together. The ground at his feet was torn and split¡ªbut Grey wore a smile like nothing had happened.


    "I told you," Scarlet said proudly. "He''s a monster."


    "Don''t forget about me!" Vince roared, dashing forward like a bullet.


    His sword gleamed in the sunlight, tip pointed back as he ran. With a roar, he leapt and struck the fractured wall, shattering it completely.


    Chunks of rock and debris shot forward toward Grey.


    He sidestepped and weaved between them effortlessly¡ªgraceful, fluid, untouchable.


    "Over here!" Vince reappeared behind him, sword swinging.


    "Wind Magic: Aerius," Grey intoned, calm as still water.


    A massive burst of concentrated wind exploded outward. Vince was thrown like a ragdoll, skidding violently across the ground, tearing through dirt until he came to a crashing halt.


    His sword dug a trench behind him as he stopped, groaning.


    Grey turned toward Raze and Greg, who looked visibly shaken.


    "Now," Grey said, voice colder, "Let me show you what your power can really become."


    The wind howled. Debris around Grey levitated and scattered. His hair lifted in the current, the brown color fading away¡ªreverting.


    Crimson slowly bled from the roots, glowing in the sunlight, streaking down his hair like liquid fire until his vibrant red locks fluttered fully in the wind.


    Then¡ªwhoosh!¡ªfifty swords made of pure wind appeared in the air, hovering menacingly. Their tips all pointed at Raze and Greg.


    "Whoa! So many swords!" Jesse gasped, eyes wide with awe.


    "Okay, this is too far," Clara said, stepping forward in alarm. "I hereby call off this spar. Grey, stop!"


    With a snap of his fingers, the wind swords shimmered and vanished. Raze and Greg both audibly gulped, frozen in place.


    Clara strode up to him, her voice sharp. "What were you about to do?"


    "Relax, Mum," Grey said, chuckling as he walked away. "I just wanted to scare them a little. Judging from their faces... it worked."


    __


    {A/N}


    I know that there are some of you interested in this moderator role too. But trust me, there''s still vacancy open. But that will have to be when the book is already big!


    And I''m not talking about small big with us having around hundreds of readers, but when it gets to a thousand plus active readers, then the need for another mod will arise.


    In the meantime, I will be listing the roles and ranks of our Magus Legion to you all.


    We have the Supreme Magus/ Author, which is me!


    High Arcane: Mods.


    Elder Legionnaires: Top contributors, Early fans and active readers.


    The Elemental Affinates: These are the regular members, silent readers and no commenters.


    Lastly, we have the new recruits which are the newly joined readers who would have this title for about two months straight!


    I know y''all are wondering when that will be. Sigh... Till when we get a hundred plus active readers that actively unlock and read our chapters. Till then, this Supreme Author is out??

 Chapter 284 - 284: It is what it is!

    After the light spar, everyone returned inside. Jesse trailed behind, her eyes wide and her mouth agape, still reeling from the display of elemental might she had just witnessed.


    "Wow! That was so intense and awesome!" Jesse exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement as she flopped onto one of the plush sofas.


    Clara chuckled as she tucked a lock of golden hair behind her ear. "To be honest, I was worried for nothing. That was exhilarating."


    As the others found their seats, Jesse turned toward Grey with sparkling eyes, her voice soft but hopeful. "Brother Grey¡­ when will I be able to use magic too?"


    Grey turned his head, his vibrant crimson hair swaying gently with the motion. His eyes held a softness that only she brought out in him.


    "Soon, cutie. Just wait a few more years¡­" he replied, a warm smile playing on his lips. Then he muttered to himself, "I hope."


    "Great!" Jesse beamed and sprang up, stepping boldly into the center of the room. "I want fire magic so I can shoot blasts like Brother Grey!" She mimicked him with dramatic flair, punching the air. "Pow! Fuuu! Boom boom!" she shouted, her tiny fists jabbing forward as she imagined waves of fire erupting from her hands.


    The room burst into laughter at her antics, the kind that filled the space with warmth.


    Scratching her head sheepishly, she laughed along. "Or maybe wind magic would be okay," she added, climbing onto the center table with arms stretched wide like wings. "So I can fly in the sky like brother Grey, or maybe just float¡ª" She said as she jumped off the table when...


    Suddenly, a gentle breeze swirled around her, lifting her slightly off the ground and guiding her to a soft landing. She blinked, stunned.


    "Be careful there, cutie," Grey said, lounging back in his chair. "Let''s wait till you''re of age."


    "You really idolize your brother, huh?" Scarlet teased, raising an amused brow.


    Jesse spun around with a cheeky grin. "Why not? Brother is my superhero! He''s the strongest mage I know. Nobody can defeat him!"


    "Yeah, he''s pretty strong," Greg agreed, though his brow furrowed slightly. "But¡­ there are still people out there who could."


    "Like who?" Jesse asked, squinting her eyes in challenge.


    "The Emperor. Or his generals," Greg replied, crossing his arms and leaning back.


    "Maybe," Jesse admitted, nodding slowly. Then she pumped her fist with fierce determination. "But just give my brother time! He''ll beat them all. He''s unbeatable in my book!"


    ''Given time¡­'' Vince thought, his eyes sliding to Grey''s silent figure.


    The room soon swelled with lively chatter. Clara leaned in more, eager to know the trio better, and laughter echoed through the halls.


    They shared tales of academy life, victories and defeats, and even embarrassing moments that had everyone¡ªincluding the normally serious Greg¡ªlaughing heartily.


    Clara even joined in with a few childhood stories from Grey''s early days¡ªtales of muddy puddles, and diapered tantrums. Each memory painted Grey in a slightly more human light.


    Vince, never missing a chance to brag, recounted several of their missions¡ªsome humorous, others heart-thudding¡ªand always found a way to highlight Grey''s prowess, sometimes exaggerating just enough to draw Jesse''s wide-eyed awe.


    "So a tournament is happening in a few weeks?!" Jesse asked, her eyes practically sparkling.


    "Yes," Scarlet replied, her voice tinged with a sigh. "But your brother isn''t allowed to participate."


    "Why?" Jesse turned to Grey, suspicious. "Wh¡­ what did you do?"


    "Me?!" Grey lifted both hands defensively. "Nothing! The instructor''s just¡­ annoyed at me. I don''t even know why."


    "Tsk! That instructor is a meanie!" Jesse pouted, folding her arms. "Wait till I awaken my magic. I''m going to give him a good lecture¡­ or maybe a little fire blast."


    Greg chuckled. ''What a cute and loving sibling,'' he thought, watching her tiny pout. ''Too bad my own siblings would rather see me dead¡­ The contrast stung, but he smiled through it.''


    The hours stretched on. Stories flowed freely. They spoke of the two attacks on the academy¡ªhow Grey had been at the center of both, standing firm with a little help from his squad.


    Clara, listening closely, couldn''t help but shoot Grey the occasional death glare each time another reckless act was revealed. But deep down, she understood¡ªit was always for someone else''s sake.


    Then Raze perked up with a sly grin.


    "Oh, I have a tale to tell!" he said, glancing mischievously between Scarlet and Grey. "Jesse, you''re absolutely right. Your brother is a hero."


    "I know that already! He''s the most handsome and powerful hero I''ve ever seen," Jesse affirmed, chin held high.


    "Let me paint a picture," Raze began, theatrical. "During the tournament assessments, this beautiful aunty over here was sparring with a very mean uncle. He was about to hurt her¡ªbadly.


    But then¡ªbam!¡ªyour brother descends like a god¡­ riding a wind horse! He blocked the attack and shielded her with his body, and then, with righteous fury, he punched the villain and said¡ª"


    Raze stood tall, mimicking Grey''s voice dramatically:


    "Don''t you ever dare touch my beautiful love again!"


    "Wha¡ªThat never happened!" Scarlet shrieked, leaping to her feet, her cheeks ablaze. "Grey definitely didn''t say that!"


    "Argue with the truth," Raze said with mock-seriousness. "Did I lie, boys?" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not a single word," Greg chimed in.


    "Flawlessly accurate," Vince added with a straight face.


    "You''re all dead!" Scarlet cried, crimson flames flickering to life on her hands as she bolted after the trio, who scattered like startled birds.


    "Yayyy! More magical fighting!" Jesse squealed, hopping up and down in glee.


    Grey simply sighed and leaned back. "Just don''t break anything¡­ or you''ll all answer to me!"


    From her spot on the couch, Clara chuckled softly. ''They''re good kids,'' she mused, watching the playful chaos unfold. Her gaze returned to Grey, now lost in his thoughts, distant from the noise. ''I hope you''ll protect these bonds, Grey. And I hope¡­ what''s coming won''t break you.''


    In the background, something clattered to the ground, followed by muffled laughter.


    "I said, don''t break anything!" Grey''s voice rang out.


    Clara smiled and whispered to herself, "Yeah. No use thinking about it now¡­ it is what it is."


    ____


    {A/N}


    Hey Magus Legion! After speaking with our mod yesterday, I realized I made a teeny tiny mistake ???? so sorry but our mods won''t be called High Arcane, they will be called Archmages from now on.


    I hope it later catches on ????????

 Chapter 285 - 285: Tournament Beckons!

    *One Week Later*


    It had been seven days since the students returned from their brief visit to Kiten Town. Their stay had lasted only two days, but the memories lingered.


    After their time there, they''d swung by Cedric''s residence to pick up Charlotte. From there, they made their way back to the academy.


    Thankfully, parting this time hadn''t been as heart-wrenching as it had been during the academy assessments. Although Jesse and Clara both teared up when it was time for Grey to leave, the atmosphere was much lighter.


    With a few heartfelt goodbyes¡ªand Clara throwing a sly wink at Scarlet that made the redhead''s ears tinge pink¡ªthe group set off on their journey back to the academy.


    The days that followed were a blur of intensity. Training reached an all-time high. Grey, however, didn''t join them. Instead, he secluded himself in the hall, immersed in the Fusion Magic book, its ancient runes glowing faintly as he studied. As for the others¡ªthose planning to compete in the tournament¡ªthey trained like their lives depended on it.


    And with Magnus cracking the proverbial whip, they barely caught their breath between drills. After one particularly brutal session, they gathered in the canteen, completely spent.


    Where they once sat scattered across various tables, they now grouped together¡ªone solidified team, bonded by sweat and determination.


    "Ahhh! I''m so tired," Jay groaned, dropping his head lightly onto the table.


    "I hear you," Vorden replied with a grunt. "I''m sore in places I didn''t know existed."


    "I want to go hooome," Vanica whined, dramatically clutching her hair in frustration.


    "The good news," Scarlet said between sips of water, "is that the tournament starts in just two days."


    "Right," Greg added while munching slowly. "Once the academy tournament is done, this hellish training ends."


    "My arms ache from casting so many spells back-to-back," Raze muttered, rubbing his shoulders.


    "But some of us might actually hit a breakthrough thanks to all this," Scarlet added with a yawn.


    "Yeah, silver linings and all that," Greg said with a small grin.


    "You guys haven''t even talked about your trip to Grey''s hometown," Arthur chimed in, leaning closer with interest. "How was it?"


    "Fun," Greg said simply.


    "Interesting¡ªespecially because of Grey''s little sister," Raze added with a knowing smirk. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It was¡­ educational," Scarlet murmured, cheeks warming at the memory of something Clara had whispered to her.


    "Yeah, Jesse''s great. Way more fun than her stiff brother," Vince quipped, prompting every pair of eyes to shift toward Grey, who continued munching silently, expression unreadable.


    "You know, you missed out, Arthur," Raze continued with a small chuckle. "Grey''s mom? She''s gorgeous¡ª"


    He trailed off mid-sentence as the air around them suddenly grew dense and electric.


    Raze stiffened. The crackle of mana in the air wasn''t subtle. He slowly turned his head. Grey still looked calm, chewing his food without care, but the invisible pressure around him was heavy¡ªdangerous.


    "Hm¡­ this food''s decent," Grey said casually, though the oppressive energy hadn''t faded. "So what were you saying, Raze?"


    "M-Me? Say something? Nope! You''re probably hearing things, bro!" Raze stammered, sweating bullets.


    With that, the pressure vanished. Raze let out a sigh of relief and reached for his water like it was life-saving elixir.


    "The food here''s okay," Scarlet said thoughtfully. "But honestly? I''ve tasted better."


    Her thoughts drifted to Clara''s cooking. Their stay at Grey''s house had been brief, but none of them had wanted to leave. Clara''s warmth and genuine care had wrapped around them like a protective cloak.


    She hadn''t treated them like outsiders¡ªnot once. Instead, she''d welcomed them like they were her own, especially Scarlet, who''d received more affection than she could comprehend.


    It wasn''t just the food¡ªit was the feeling. A home most of them had never truly known.


    Vince''s mother had died during childbirth.


    Scarlet''s mother was distant, always occupied.


    Greg had grown up solely under his father''s roof.


    Raze''s mother had passed when he was still young.


    For just two days, they felt something real¡ªsomething they''d missed their whole lives.


    "Yeah¡­ Grey''s mom is kind of amazing," Greg murmured, staring down at the sizable chunks of meat and turkey on his plate with faint disdain.


    Even with all the coin Grey had amassed¡ªfrom missions, from Cedric''s reward after saving Max¡ªthe academy''s food couldn''t compete.


    Despite her modest meals, Clara''s dishes had been unforgettable, made with love and seasoned with the warmth of a mother''s touch.


    She only cooked extravagantly on special occasions¡ªthe night they arrived, the next morning before they left. But those meals had been unforgettable.


    "She''s a great cook and also the lo¡ª" Raze began but stopped, swallowing his words along with his fear.


    ''Raze, your mouth is going to be the death of you.'' he thought in worry as he gulped loudly.


    "So¡­ about the tournament," Gordon said, pushing aside his empty tray. "Got a game plan?"


    "We''ll have one once we know what the format is," Scarlet sighed.


    "Yeah," Jay muttered. "All we know is that it''s us versus the third-years."


    "Then all we can do is wait," Arthur shrugged. "Prepare for anything."


    "Grey," Vanica asked, her voice softer, cheeks flushed. "Since you''re not participating¡­ will you come watch?"


    "Maybe. Maybe not," Grey replied with a shrug, his tone unreadable. "Who knows?"


    "Why even bother asking?" Scarlet sighed, shaking her head just as the canteen doors burst open.


    "So this is where you all are!" came Magnus'' booming voice. "Now that your bellies are full, it''s time to get back to training!"


    "For real?!" Greg groaned, burying his face in his palms. "We just sat down!"


    "If you lose this tournament, my reputation''s on the line," Magnus snapped. "So unless you want to be known as my biggest failure, MOVE!"


    "I hate my life," Raze mumbled, thudding his head against the table.


    ''The tournament, huh?'' Grey thought, rising with his now-empty tray in hand. ''I wonder what kind of trials await¡­ and I really hope nothing goes wrong.''


    ___


    {A/N}


    And there we have it folks! The long awaited tournament is starting soon and I want you to strap your belts, sit tight and delve deeper into the story because I guarantee a full on rollercoaster, shocking surprises that you all won''t be able to predict.


    Reunions, thrilling battles, so on and so forth. So let''s go Magus Legion!

 Chapter 286 - 286: Tournament Day arrives!

    Two days later...


    The long-awaited day had finally arrived¡ªthe Lunaria Academy Intra-Tournament was here.


    Participants had already been whisked away at dawn to a private coliseum, an arena constructed by the academy in a discreet location shared with all students.


    Whether you were a fighter or simply a spectator, the coordinates had been released, ensuring no one missed out on the spectacle.


    The morning sun was still climbing the sky when Grey stirred from sleep.


    A wide yawn escaped his lips as he stretched lazily, eyes still heavy with sleep. He blinked around the quiet room, and then it struck him.


    "Oh right... Raze is also participating," he muttered groggily, rubbing his eyes. "No wonder it''s been unusually quiet around here."


    Still half-asleep, he swung his legs off the bed and stood, joints cracking audibly as he stretched again.


    "Damn, I''m exhausted," Grey sighed, his voice barely above a whisper. "I trained late into the night again..."


    Crack!


    His spine popped with another stretch before he shuffled into the bathroom. After several minutes, he stepped back out, brown hair damp and messy. Grabbing a towel, he rubbed it dry while staring at his reflection in the mirror.


    "No uniform today, right?" he asked himself rhetorically, tilting his head. "Better to go casual."


    He crossed over to his wardrobe, sliding past rows of neatly folded uniforms and formal robes.


    His fingers brushed against different textures¡ªcotton, silk, enchanted linen¡ªuntil they stopped on one particular outfit. A small grin tugged at the corners of his lips as he pulled it free. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Perfect," he murmured.


    He slipped into a pair of black pants lined with subtle blue streaks that shimmered faintly under light¡ªloose enough for mobility but sleek in design.


    His milky-white shirt, buttoned to the collar, clung to his frame just enough to outline his lean musculature. The casual outfit radiated quiet confidence.


    From a nearby rack, he picked a pair of polished black shoes, slid them on, and admired the ensemble one last time in the mirror.


    "Subtle. Sharp. Won''t draw too much attention," he nodded. But then, a doubt crept in. "Still... not wearing the academy''s uniform on a day like this... is that really the right call?"


    He scratched his chin, lost in thought.


    "Ah, no point overthinking it. I''ll blend in just fine."


    A glance at the clock on the bedside table made his eyes widen. "Crap! Only fifty minutes left until the tournament starts!"


    A familiar voice echoed in his head.


    "I thought you didn''t want to spectate," Noir said, dry amusement lacing his tone.


    "I didn''t," Grey replied casually, grabbing his coat. "But my friends asked me to come¡­ I couldn''t say no."


    "Oh? He calls them friends now?" Noir chuckled.


    "I always did," Grey answered simply.


    With a gentle push off the ground, he leapt into the air. Wind magic coiled around his figure, smoothing his ascent like invisible wings.


    His hands slipped into his pockets, his brown hair flowing with the breeze as he soared toward the horizon.


    ''I wonder how far the town with the coliseum is,'' he thought, weaving past flocks of birds with practiced ease.


    These events usually saw third-year students dominating. They were not only fan favorites but often wielded domains¡ªa massive advantage over younger students.


    ''They''re veterans,'' Grey mused, eyes narrowing. ''Even second-years struggle against that kind of pressure.''


    After twenty minutes of steady flight, he began his descent.


    A soft gust of wind carried him downward, kicking up dust as his boots met the earth with practiced grace. His gaze immediately swept across the landscape.


    ''Hmm... so this is Velnor.''


    The town sprawled across a gentle basin framed by sloping hills. Though not the largest settlement he''d seen, Velnor carried an unmistakable charm¡ªa quiet allure nestled beneath its modest exterior.


    Cobblestone streets crisscrossed the town like veins, leading between two-storey buildings crafted from aged stone.


    Wooden balconies jutted from the upper levels, adorned with flower pots and fluttering drapes. Vines coiled lazily along the walls, like nature reclaiming the town in slow, gentle steps.


    Despite the tranquil atmosphere, an undercurrent of energy pulsed through the air¡ªsubtle but present.


    The town wasn''t asleep.


    It was anticipating.


    As Grey walked deeper into Velnor''s heart, the chirping of birds gave way to the murmur of voices. A distant roar of excitement drifted toward him¡ªthe sound of a gathering crowd.


    Then he saw it.


    The coliseum.


    Even though it had been described as small, that was an understatement. The structure rose from the earth like a stone titan, oval-shaped and commanding, its white-grey walls etched by age, weather, and magic.


    Tall iron gates stood watch at the entrances. Towering stone columns ringed the outer wall like silent guardians. Blue and silver banners bearing Lunaria''s crest flapped high above, catching the wind with pride.


    Inside, the scent of dust, sweat, and ancient mana hung thick in the air.


    The seating wrapped around the arena in steep tiers, designed so not a single moment of combat would be missed. The battleground itself was a hardened field of stone tiles¡ªcracked, burnt, and scarred from years of brutal duels.


    Arcane glyphs faintly glowed along the arena''s edges¡ªdefensive enchantments, reinforcement runes, and even faded stains of blood that time hadn''t fully erased.


    A transparent magical dome shimmered above the field, likely meant to activate mid-battle to protect the crowd from stray spells and chaos.


    The stands were filling rapidly.


    And not just with students.


    Instructors, townspeople, traveling nobles, merchants, and even parents of participants were present¡ªscattered throughout the stands, many of them chatting excitedly.


    This wasn''t just a school tournament.


    It was a regional spectacle¡ªa confluence of Lunaria Academy, neighboring towns, and those with stakes in the next generation of mages.


    Grey arched a brow as a student walked past him wearing casual attire¡ªnot the academy uniform.


    "I guess I wasn''t wrong to ditch the uniform," he smirked, hands still in his pockets.


    ''I wonder where the participants are and what is going to happen in this tournament.'' he thought as his eyes swept toward two large stone archways positioned on opposite ends of the arena, divided by a massive central pillar that reached into the sky like a sword driven into the earth.


    ''Probably that''s where the participants will enter from,'' he thought, nodding to himself.


    He climbed the stairs toward the spectator stands, eyes scanning the arena with a subtle smile.


    ''Don''t disappoint me, guys.''

 Chapter 287 - 287: Tournament Rules!

    While Grey was settling into the spectating stands above, deep beneath the coliseum, a chamber thrummed with barely restrained anticipation.


    Beneath the grandeur of the arena, a vast underground sanctum stretched wide¡ªcarved into the bedrock itself.


    The air was thick with tension, tinged with the metallic scent of blood, sweat, and raw mana. Each breath carried the weight of the coming battle.


    Massive walls of dark obsidian stone rose around the space, their surfaces veined with glowing, ancient runes that pulsed in rhythmic intervals¡ªan intricate network of mana circuits designed not only to suppress volatile magic but to absorb its echoes.


    The chamber was circular, an architectural marvel that exuded both elegance and ancient brutality.


    Torches flickered along the perimeter, their flames an unnatural blue-white, casting ghostly shadows across arched ceilings and highlighting every tense muscle, every uneasy glance.


    Along the walls, long stone benches and weapon racks stood like sentinels, offering the participants a place to meditate, prepare, or steel themselves for what lay ahead.


    At the chamber''s core was a wide open circle, the floor etched with sigils that glowed faintly¡ªarchaic symbols meant to scan for contraband, amplify battle intent, and keep track of vital signs in real-time.


    Off to one side, a row of thick iron bars sealed private preparation alcoves. Each cubicle was dimly lit, divided by seamless slabs of enchanted stone, offering isolation to those who preferred solitude over the murmur of camaraderie.


    But the centerpiece of this subterranean sanctum loomed at the far end: a massive gate, ten feet tall and just as wide, wrought from iron darkened with age.


    Warding glyphs shimmered faintly upon its surface, and intricate Lunarian script spiraled across it¡ªan ancient language of authority and suppression.


    Chains as thick as a man''s arm hung beside it, connected to great gears embedded high above in the ceiling.


    When the time came, that gate would rise with a slow, thunderous groan, the sound echoing like the roar of a slumbering giant.


    As light spilled in from above, it would signal more than just the start of battle¡ªit would be the breath this chamber held, finally released to unleash its warriors upon the world.


    Within this charged silence, Grey''s friends¡ªthose who would soon fight for honor and recognition¡ªstood scattered throughout the chamber.


    Some leaned against the walls, others sat cross-legged in meditation. A few paced, their thoughts consumed by the fight ahead.


    "I wonder¡­" Raze''s voice broke the stillness as he pushed off from the wall and approached the center. "Do you think Grey came to watch us?"


    "Highly unlikely," Arthur muttered, his gaze fixed on the floor, the tip of his boot drawing idle circles in the dust. His tone was laced with quiet frustration.


    "I don''t know why you all care so much if he came or not," Scarlet snapped, her tone sharp enough to cut steel. "What you should be worried about is how you''re going to perform in this tournament."


    "Exactly," Greg said as he rose from his meditation, brushing dust off his knees. "If he''s in the stands and we fail to impress him, what reason would he have to keep watching?"


    "None." Jay replied nonchalantly, manipulating a hovering orb of water between his fingers¡ªrising, falling, reshaping in a fluid dance of concentration. "Grey doesn''t waste his time on the unworthy."


    "Then let''s prove we are worth his time," Vince said, stepping forward, his voice rising with passion. "He can''t compete because of obvious reasons. So let''s make this count¡ªfor him."


    "Who''s in?" Gordon asked suddenly, his voice a low rumble that startled several of the others. Raze flinched hard, letting out a surprised yelp.


    "Damn it, Gordon! Stop sneaking up on people like some cursed spirit!" Raze clutched his chest, his heart hammering in his ribcage.


    "Let''s promise we''ll win this whole damn thing for Grey," Gordon continued, ignoring Raze''s dramatics. He extended his hand forward, palm open in solemn offering.


    "For Grey," Vanica echoed, slamming her palm onto Gordon''s with conviction.


    "I''m in," Raze grinned, stepping up without hesitation.


    "Count me in," Arthur said, his voice more resolute this time.


    "Anything for my best friend," Vince added, smiling as he joined the circle.


    "What betrayal!" Scarlet scoffed theatrically. "Now he''s your best friend? Where do I rank in this hierarchy?" Still, she placed her hand atop the others with a smirk.


    One by one, Vorden and Jay joined in. Only Greg remained, arms crossed, face turned away.


    "C''mon, Greg. Don''t be a party pooper," Raze teased. "Join the circle."


    "This is childish," Greg said, huffing. "I''m not joining in."


    Suddenly, the air thickened.


    The temperature surged, heat radiating like the sun itself had been summoned into the chamber. The degrees spiked, the floor almost shimmering from the intensity.


    "Will you join now?" Scarlet asked, her voice low, threatening, and terrifyingly calm. A growl followed her words, reverberating in Greg''s bones.


    "¡­Fine!" Greg snapped, sweat beading on his forehead. "But only because I want to prove to that peasant that I''m better than him." He placed his palm on top, begrudgingly. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good boy," Scarlet purred, her flames receding with her satisfaction.


    "For Grey!" Vince roared, and in unison, the group raised their hands high, bound not just by friendship¡ªbut by purpose.


    Just then, a side door creaked open.


    "Great second-year students of Lunaria Academy," came a familiar voice.


    Magnus stepped into view, his robes pristine, his expression unreadable. A rare smile danced across his lips.


    "Instructor Magnus," Vince acknowledged, eyes widening.


    "What brings you down here?" Scarlet asked, her brow raised in suspicion.


    "I''m here to deliver the rules," Magnus replied, the warmth fading from his face. His voice dropped into a firm, commanding tone. "So listen closely."


    Silence fell. Every ear turned toward him.


    "Today''s event is a Shatter War," Magnus declared, his voice booming through the chamber.


    "Shatter War? What''s that supposed to be?" Jay asked, furrowing his brow.


    "You will form two teams¡ªTeam A and Team B. Same goes for the third years. Once the draw is made, Team A might face their Team B, or vice versa.


    Each team will be entrusted with a giant crystal. The objective? Destroy the enemy''s crystal. The first team to shatter the opponent''s crystal¡­ wins."


    Magnus allowed a beat of silence before adding, "Simple, right?"


    "Simple, yeah," Raze muttered with a dry laugh. "Except it sounds like a damn warzone waiting to happen. Strategies, elemental chaos, traps¡ªit''s going to be madness."


    "Exactly," Magnus smirked. "That''s why it''s called a Shatter War."


    "But Instructor Magnus," Vanica interjected, frowning. "There are only nine of us. The third years have eleven. How''s that fair?"


    Magnus turned, placing two fingers to his temple, mumbling incantations beneath his breath. A few moments later, he turned back to them.


    "The third years agreed to sit three students out for this round. It''ll be even." He paused, letting the information sink in. "So each side will select four members for the first round. Get picking. Time is running out."


    "Sheesh¡­ this just got tricky," Greg muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Grey sitting out of the tournament doesn''t mean that it will be boring... Trust this Supreme Author, I have things planned for y''all.

 Chapter 288 - 288: Gut Feeling!

    Clang!


    Creak!


    A thunderous groan echoed through the coliseum, followed by a metallic grinding that rippled across the ground like an ominous tremor.


    It wasn''t just the sound¡ªthe very earth trembled, shaking so violently that for a moment, it felt as though an earthquake had struck.


    Panic surged through the stands. Spectators screamed and clutched at one another, their wide eyes scanning the arena as the quake intensified, growing louder with every heartbeat.


    Even Grey tensed, lightning crackling and dancing around his palm, ready to strike at a moment''s notice. But then¡ªjust as suddenly as it began¡ªthe tremors ceased.


    A heavy silence followed as all eyes turned toward the far end of the coliseum.


    The ground split apart with a deep, grinding shunk, unveiling a mechanical platform hidden beneath.


    From the depths of the earth, a massive black booth began to rise, its surface sleek and hardened like obsidian armor, exuding a sense of mystery and intimidation.


    Grey narrowed his eyes, lightning fading from his hand as a frown settled on his face.


    "What was the point of all that drama?" he muttered under his breath, watching as the platform locked into place with a final thud.


    The once-split earth sealed itself seamlessly, leaving no trace of its sudden rupture.


    The booth now stood firm, its imposing exterior glinting under the sunlight. At its front was a seamless one-way glass¡ªpitch black, impenetrable to outside eyes. Those within could see the coliseum clearly, but no one could peer in.


    Inside the booth, two figures sat like rulers overseeing an arena of gladiators.


    One was a man with wavy chestnut hair, his sharp brown eyes gleaming with mischief and shrewd observation. His lips curled into a playful smirk as he surveyed the crowd below.


    This was Captain Amir, vice principal of Lunaria Academy and the captain of its elite squad.


    Beside him, exuding an aura that made the very air feel charged, was a man with flowing crimson hair that reached past his shoulders.


    His piercing yellow eyes stared directly at the arena with the calm intensity of a predator, and a barely-there smile ghosted across his lips.


    In front of Amir floated a glowing green crystal, softly humming with mana. It hovered in place, attuned to his voice.


    This man was Lucian Everhart¡ªthe principal of Lunaria Academy, and one of the Emperor''s trusted enforcers, a man whose reputation commanded both reverence and unease.


    Suddenly, Amir''s voice rang out, magnified by the crystal until it echoed from every corner of the coliseum.


    "Good day to you all!"


    The booming greeting silenced the murmurs, turning heads and drawing cheers.


    "I want to welcome everyone to another year of Lunaria''s Intra-Tournament Competition¡ªa tradition of might, magic, and merit!


    Today, second- and third-year students will clash to determine who among them will carry our banner into the Inter-Tournament Games, where the mightiest of the Four Great Academies will battle for glory!"


    "YAAAAHH!"


    Roars of approval erupted. The stands shook¡ªnot from magic, but from the unrestrained excitement of thousands of students and spectators.


    "I know how thrilled you all are to witness this," Amir continued, his voice threading through the crowd like a conductor leading a symphony. "Frankly, I am too. I can''t wait to see what surprises the younger generation has in store."


    The crowd answered with thunderous clapping, enthusiasm swirling like a storm.


    "Traditionally, it''s always the third-years who claim victory in this grand tournament. But as captain of Lunaria''s squad, I assure you¡ªthe second-years this year will not make it easy. They''re coming with fire in their veins and lightning in their steps."


    A sly grin crept onto Amir''s face as he looked at Lucian beside him.


    Lucian raised a brow, amusement tugging at the corner of his lips. "You sound too confident," he said, his voice calm and fluid. "Bold words often lead to bold disappointments."


    Amir waved a hand, the crystal floating to the side as he turned to face Lucian. "Oh, an uproar is coming," he said. "But not from my words. From what the second-years are about to do."


    Lucian leaned back, stretching languidly. "They better be worth the hype," he said, his tone indifferent. "Honestly, I couldn''t care less about the intra-tournament. My interest lies in the Inter-Academy games." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amir raised an eyebrow. "Then why show up? You''ve skipped nearly every intra-tournament since you became principal.


    The last time you attended was when Kael was a student¡ªand that was because you couldn''t resist analyzing his second magic."


    If it was another person and not Lucian, they would have gotten offended by Amir''s words and question but the principal of Lunaria academy was built different.


    A very cheerful and playful person. The only thing he cares about are the academy, the kingdom, and studying the different types of magic there are.


    His obsession with magic was so immense and that''s why he had attended an intra-tournament competition when Kael was a student mainly because of his intrigue in the student''s second magic.


    Lucian smiled, almost sheepishly. "I don''t know," he said. "Something tugged at me this time. A feeling. You know how my gut works. It''s never wrong. That same instinct brought me to Kael''s match."


    "Hmph. You and your instincts," Amir grumbled, calling the crystal back with a flick of his wrist.


    "Enough talking. Start the tournament already," Lucian yawned, stretching his arms. "The crowd''s growing restless. And so am I."


    Amir chuckled. Then, with a dramatic sweep of his arm, he turned to face the crystal once more.


    "I have kept you all waiting long enough!" he declared, his voice crackling with energy. "Let the Intra-Tournament Competition¡­ BEGIN!!"


    The arena erupted into chaos¡ªnot from spells, but from pure human excitement.


    The stadium trembled under the force of cheers, chants, and stomping feet. Even Grey''s heart beat faster in rhythm with the thunderous applause.


    Rumble...


    From two ends of the coliseum, the previously sealed entrances began to open. Massive iron gates groaned as they slowly lifted upward, revealing the silhouettes of students stepping into the light.


    From both sides, four students emerged, each radiating intensity. Their backs were straight, their jaws set, their fists clenched in silent resolve.


    They faced the crowd, then each other, standing like warriors about to write their names in legend.


    Grey watched from the stands, a proud smirk spreading across his lips.


    ''Guys¡­ I''m rooting for you all. Crush this competition.''


    His eyes gleamed as the two teams stood face to face, the first act of battle ready to unfold in the vast coliseum under a roaring sky.

 Chapter 289 - 289: Im not a weakling!

    Stepping out of the underground chambers reserved for the second-year students, four figures emerged¡ªRaze, Vince, Vanica, and Vorden. These were the warriors comprising Team B of the second-year division.


    Previously, Team A had been composed of Scarlet, Greg, Jay, and Raze, but with Gordon sitting this round out to even the teams, the lineup had shifted accordingly.


    Now, Team B of the second-year students stood across from their upperclassmen counterparts¡ªTeam B of the third-years¡ªeach group stationed on opposite sides of the battlefield, their gazes sharp, their nerves simmering beneath the surface.


    "Every year, the rules of the tournament are different," Captain Amir''s voice sliced cleanly through the buzz of the eager crowd.


    "And this year¡­ it''s no different," he finished cryptically.


    Suddenly, the sky above shimmered. Two giant crystals, each the size of a dragon''s egg, began descending slowly, one crystal coming to rest behind each team. Gasps rippled through the crowd, confusion dancing across their faces.


    "What are they planning now?" someone whispered among the audience.


    Before more could be said, Raze turned to his teammates, his tone hushed but resolute.


    "We''re doing this to prove to the world¡ªand to Grey¡ªthat we''re not weaklings. We are not pushovers. So we fight with everything we''ve got."


    "Your motivation only works if Grey''s watching," Vorden muttered, arms crossed, unimpressed.


    "He is watching," Vanica replied, her eyes flicking toward the sea of spectators. "I can feel it."


    "Tsk." Vorden scoffed but said nothing more.


    Amir''s voice boomed again, grabbing everyone''s attention. "The rules are simple: Destroy your opponent''s crystal within the thirty-minute time limit, and you win. If time runs out, it''s a draw."


    Just then, the ground beneath them began to tremble.


    Cracks snaked across the arena floor, and the battlefield began to widen¡ªits size expanding, shifting, transforming until it resembled a full-scale coliseum, as vast as a football field.


    Grey, seated among the spectators, leaned forward in awe.


    ''The coliseum¡­ it''s changing shape!''


    He watched in disbelief as the compact arena stretched into a sprawling battlefield.


    ''This... This is powerful Earth Magic! But who¡ªAmir doesn''t use Earth Magic¡­ Wait. The Principal?'' His eyes darted toward the black booth widening even further.


    ''Lucian¡­ the Principal is here?!''


    Amir turned sharply toward Lucian, who sat in regal comfort, fingers resting lazily on the armrest of his chair and a playful grin tugging at his lips.


    "Why did you do that?" Amir asked, raising a brow.


    Lucian chuckled. "I just thought the game needed a little more¡­ excitement. A bigger field makes for better entertainment."


    "The field was already large enough," Amir argued, exasperated. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lucian shrugged. "If they''re going to entertain me, they better give it their all. Bigger stage, better drama."


    Amir sighed, then turned back to address the crowd. "Apologies, everyone. Our dear Principal decided on some last-minute changes. But the rules remain: destroy the crystal in thirty minutes."


    He took his seat once more, a smirk playing on his lips.


    "Let the tournament¡­ commence!"


    The moment the signal was given, tension crackled in the air. The expanded battlefield gave each team ample distance to strategize. What was once a moderate arena had now doubled in size.


    To safeguard the crowd from stray attacks, a transparent, reactive barrier shimmered to life around the spectating stands¡ªits mana-sensitive core flaring at the first sign of magical disturbance.


    "Strategy''s in place," Raze murmured. "Let''s begin."


    Crackles of lightning coiled around his limbs like serpents as he narrowed his gaze toward the distant enemy crystal.


    It now loomed under a darkened shadow, guarded fiercely by a lone figure¡ªSelene¡ªwhile her three teammates charged forward like arrows loosed from a bow.


    "Let''s go!" Raze roared, his body bursting with lightning as he shot forward like a thunderbolt.


    A third-year student leapt high into the air, water swirling at his fingertips. With a sweeping motion, he hurled several water bullets, bursting spheres that raced toward Raze.


    But Raze flipped, ducked, and weaved between them with practiced agility.


    Suddenly, sharp spikes of earth jutted toward him¡ªdeadly and fast¡ªbut a metal shield appeared just in time, blocking the attack with a resounding clang.


    From the opposing side, another third-year coated his feet in lightning and blitzed forward, his goal clear¡ªthe second-years'' crystal.


    Noticing this, Raze spun, blasting a surge of lightning at the water mage, slamming into him and sending him skidding backward, hair frizzled from the shock.


    Lightning surged around Raze''s boots, shaping into electrified greaves. With a thunderous bang, he bolted after the attacker threatening the crystal.


    "Vince, hold the front!" Raze barked, forming a lightning arrow in his palm. He hurled it forward, but the enemy barely evaded it, the projectile exploding into the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.


    The lightning third-year retaliated, flinging a bolt over his shoulder. Raze ducked under it with inches to spare.


    "You should''ve kept your focus on your fight, I got things covered here." Vorden''s voice echoed coolly as mist began to envelop the crystal, cloaking him and Vanica in a dense shroud.


    "No!" the lightning attacker shouted in frustration, accelerating¡ªdust exploding beneath his feet in his desperation.


    From above, Raze kicked the air, propelling himself with a thunderclap, and slammed into the ground directly in front of the enemy.


    Lightning exploded outward, creeping like fanged vines up the attacker''s legs¡ªstinging and paralyzing.


    As the mist swallowed the crystal in its depths, Vorden''s confident thought rang out in the haze:


    ''You can''t break what you can''t even see.''


    Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the battlefield, Vince faced off against a looming third-year who was radiating Earth Magic.


    The water mage lay groaning behind him, still recovering from Raze''s earlier strike.


    "Oh? The weak little brother of Dave," the Earth user sneered, his lips curling into a twisted smile.


    Vince didn''t flinch. A metal sword shimmered into his grip, and a gauntlet coiled around his left hand like armor forged from resolve.


    "I am Vince," he replied, steel in his tone, "and I''m no weakling."


    "To me, you''re nothing but a substitute," the older student growled. "I''ve always wanted to knock that smug grin off Dave''s face. He''s too strong¡ªbut you? You''re perfect for revenge."


    With that, earth began to encase the upperclassman''s body. Rocky layers formed over his feet, up his legs, his chest, and arms¡ªuntil he looked more like a walking boulder than a man.


    Vince''s metal armor gleamed beneath the sunlight. His eyes didn''t leave the third-year for a second.


    "I will crush you, weakling!" the Earth mage roared as he charged with surprising speed for someone so heavily armored.


    "I''m not Dave! And I''m not weak!" Vince bellowed in return, dashing forward to meet the challenge head-on¡ªsword raised, heart burning with fury.

 Chapter 290 - 290: Make you care!

    Grey, still seated in the stands, leaned forward with a gleam of anticipation in his eyes. A slight smile danced on his lips as he watched the clash unfold on the battlefield below.


    ''They''re actually working together?'' he mused, eyes narrowing with interest as Vince and Raze charged forward in unison, facing off against the formidable third-year students.


    ''What magic did Raze copy?'' he wondered, scanning the fight¡ªthen his brows lifted in surprise. ''Oh! Lightning magic? But why lightning? Fire would''ve been the obvious choice, especially if he got it from Scarlet.


    That would''ve ended things in seconds¡­ unless that arrogant flame queen refused to let him touch her.'' Grey slapped his forehead in mild frustration. ''Typical Scarlet.''


    A voice, deep and masculine, cut through his thoughts like a blade through silence. "Oh? Were you rooting for the third-years to actually land a hit?"


    The familiarity in the tone tugged at Grey''s memory. Though he didn''t want to be disturbed¡ªespecially when his aura practically radiated leave me alone¡ªthe voice was too familiar to ignore. With reluctant curiosity, he turned around.


    And froze.


    His eyes widened, his lips parted slightly. "No way¡­"


    The man standing before him looked to be in his early twenties, tall and confident. His vibrant blue hair danced gently in the breeze, and his sharp orange eyes gleamed with excitement as he watched the battle below. A knowing smirk played on his lips.


    "I figured the lightning user from second year would dodge that," the man said, eyes twinkling. "But I didn''t expect the metal mage to intercept so fast."


    Grey squinted at the familiar figure, his posture relaxing slightly. Of all people¡­


    "Being a lightning mage myself, I''m honestly torn. Don''t know who to root for," the man muttered, more to himself than anyone else.


    Grey''s expression softened into a faint grin. "Still running that mouth, huh?"


    The man turned, visibly startled. "Sorry¡ªdo we know each other? I only approached because you look pretty young and obviously a student here¡­ but your tone just now¡ª" His brows lifted. "You do know me, don''t you?"


    Grey smirked, arms crossed as he returned his gaze to the fight. "How could you forget me¡­ rival?"


    That word hit like a thunderclap. "Rival?" He muttered when...


    The man''s eyes widened as he stared at Grey, scanning him from head to toe. "Wait¡­ It is you! Damn, how did I miss your face? The hair color threw me off."


    A boyish grin bloomed across the man''s face as he reached out and gave Grey a light smack on the shoulder. "It''s been way too long, rival!"


    "Good to see you too, Max," Grey replied, finally turning to meet his gaze. "Why are you even here?"


    Max¡ªCharlotte''s older brother. Grey''s very first mission partner back in Kiten Town.


    That mission had spiraled out of control after a portal break¡ªGrey had revealed his powers, and the town lord had hired him and Charlotte to rescue Max, who had been kidnapped.


    The mission had turned bloody, with Grey eliminating over twenty mages, while Charlotte and the remaining team finished off the rest. Even the enemy town lord hadn''t been spared.


    "Why wouldn''t I be here?" Max said, arms crossed as he watched the arena. "My little sister is participating. No way I''d miss this. What surprises me is you being here."


    "Charlotte didn''t tell you?" Grey asked, one brow raised.


    Max shook his head. "Nah. I wasn''t around the last time she visited. I just got back from a mission two days ago when Dad told me she was competing in the intra-tournament. Figured I''d drop by and cheer her on."


    "Figures," Grey muttered.


    Max nudged him. "So, those are your friends down there?"


    "Yeah," Grey replied with a sigh, his eyes twitching as he watched the struggle on the battlefield. "Which is why I''m this close to jumping in myself! They''re fighting like amateurs!"


    Max chuckled. "Still impatient as ever. Tell me, made any new rivals yet?"


    Grey smirked. "Just one. A fellow from your batch¡ªthe infamous Lunaria Demonic Student."


    Max visibly flinched. "Oh, him." A nervous laugh escaped his lips. "Back when I told you I''d be the greatest lightning mage¡­"


    "Yeah," Grey nodded, grinning. "You said we''d surpass each other and made a whole rivalry speech."


    "Well¡­ he''s the reason I said all that. After seeing his lightning magic, I felt like a candle next to the sun."


    Grey''s tone turned dry. "His magic is almost divine. I''ve seen it firsthand."


    Max exhaled. "Exactly. Freak of nature."


    Grey turned, curious. "So, which academy did you end up in?"


    "Wysteria Academy."


    Grey blinked. "Whoa. The best one out of the four. Lucky bastard."


    They both turned their attention back to the match, tension in the arena rising with each strike.


    ---


    The third-year lightning mage snarled, eyes flashing as he spotted Raze a short distance away. The younger student stood confidently, a glowing lightning blade in hand, a cocky grin tugging at his lips.


    Behind him, a swirling mist enveloped the crystal like a phantom shield, making it nearly impossible to target. The third-year narrowed his eyes.


    Though he could sense the movements of the others nearby, their positions shifted every few seconds¡ªmaking tracking them a nightmare.


    "You can''t destroy what you can''t see, right?" Raze called out with a chuckle, then surged forward in a flash of light. The ground beneath his feet cracked and exploded from the pressure of his speed.


    "You damn lowerclassmen never learn until you''re taught painfully!" the third-year growled, pointing toward the stands where the crowd had gathered. Murmurs rippled through the audience¡ªsome in awe, others in anticipation.


    "They''re not here to watch you humiliate yourselves. They''re here to witness us¡ªthe elites¡ªdisplay true power!"


    Lightning crackled fiercely around him, arcs dancing across his arms and shoulders like wild serpents.


    Raze stopped mid-charge, face calm and unwavering. "You think I care about the crowd?" His eyes flared. "There''s only one person watching right now who matters to me."


    "Then I''ll make sure you care when they see you broken!" the third-year roared, his lips curling into a wicked grin. His eyes began to glow a bright, eerie white as power surged around him.


    "Breakthrough!"


    ___


    {A/N}


    Honestly, I had even forgotten about Max???? if you did also forget about him, lemme see your hands up???? S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was after I began the tournament arc that was when I decided to bring someone from Charlotte family and who would help in what''s about to come and then I remembered Max???? anyway, off to the next chapter guys! Happy reading ??

 Chapter 291 - 291: Never give up!

    "I will take revenge on you, weakling!" The student shouted as he darted forward at a decent speed despite his now bulky build.


    "I''m not Dave! And I''m not a weakling!" Vince cried out as he also dashed forward with the aim of a clash.


    And just like that, they met in the center of the battleground with a bang. The student swung his golem hand forward which broke countless sound barriers but Vince managed to side step just in time.


    His sword crashing down towards the earth hand but unknown to him, the student had already swung out his second hand which smashed into Vince so hard that it sent him flying with blood spraying from his mouth.


    His body crashed into the ground with a loud thud as he touched his nose with his thumb and could see his thumb stained crimson while the third year student still dashed forward.


    Earth spikes were shot forward towards Vince at terrifying speed but he quickly stood up, his metal sword moving on its own.


    Cleaving through the spikes like a master swordsman. With an arc swing, Vince''s metal sword tore through a spike, a sharp pivot, he avoided another spike that grazed his cheek drawing a slight trickle of blood and flying away.


    "Over here!" Vince heard a shout from the third year student as he appeared beside Vince, his earth covered hand swung forward with a loud bang.


    Reacting quickly, Vince brought out his hand that was covered in a metal gauntlet in front of him taking the brunt of the attack which sent him skidding, the ground cracking beneath his feet, his teeth grit.


    "Curses!" Vince cried out as he tried to swing his metal sword forward when a small slab of earth erupted from the ground and whacked him in the face finally sending him flying and bouncing on the ground.


    "Look at you." The student said as he causally strode over to where Vince lay, his body twitching, blood dripping down his head and nose.


    "If someone saw you, the way you are so weak and pathetic, they wouldn''t believe that you are the son of the great captain Amir." The third year student said as his tall figure hovered above Vince, his shadow casting over the injured lower classman.


    ''Damn it! Damn it! Am I still this weak? I¡­I¡­'' Vince stuttered in his thoughts as the third year student lifted his earth covered foot and smashed the tip in Vince''s stomach sending his body skidding with a cough.


    "How on Earth did the captain give birth to a waste like you?" The student asked as he appeared beside Vince, his earth covered feet rose up again and smashed into Vince''s side sending his body skidding away, blood spraying from his mouth.


    "You should have died the day you were born since you brought nothing but shame to your family." The student said as his foot smashed into Vince''s side again this time, a cracking sound was heard as Vince coughed out a mouthful of blood.


    Grey who was at the spectating stands and watching all these, had his hands tightly clenched, his teeth grit in anger and then, lightning began crackling around his hands.


    Max on seeing this, quickly spun around. "I know what you are thinking, but trust me. It won''t do you any good to go out there."


    "It won''t do me good to go out there?" Grey asked through grinding teeth. "Vince is getting battered out there and you want me to keep on sitting here?"


    "You want him to grow? Do you want him to keep depending on you? He can''t grow if you keep on saving him whenever he is in trouble. What if you aren''t here whenever he is in trouble and he has grown so dependent on you? How would you save him then?" Max asked.


    "He is right." Noir''s voice echoed in Grey''s mind. "You can''t keep acting like a savior every single time. I have already told you this but I don''t know why you are so hotheaded!"


    "Fine." Grey said, his hands finally unclenching as he grit his teeth and continued watching what was going to happen.


    Even in the viewing booth, Amir and Lucian were currently watching what was happening on the battlefield. Lucian''s eyes were dancing around the field looking for anybody of interest when his gaze briefly landed on the battered Vince.


    "You gonna keep sitting here and watch your son getting battered?" Lucian asked, a playful smirk on his face.


    "This is the only way for him to grow. He is already seventeen, I can''t keep babysitting him." Amir replied frankly as his gaze left Vince and moved towards the others.


    "Isn''t your fatherly instinct kicking in? That urge, that drive to save your son." Lucian asked, a smirk on his face.


    "It is kicking in. But I need to overlook it and let him grow on his own. He is going to be an adult soon, he need to learn to take care of himself." Amir replied as his gaze locked onto Vince again.


    "If you say so." Lucian shrugged as a small frown appeared on his face. ''Now, why the hell can''t I find someone of interest? No one here interests me at all. Although, this is just team B versus team B, before I finally decide, I need to wait for the team A match up.


    I just hope my gut feeling didn''t fail me this time.''


    Back at the fight, the third year student smirked as he looked at the sprawled Vince who was clutching his side, pain coursing through his every vein.


    ''I¡­I thought it was going to be easy. Since they got chosen as the team B, I thought they were useless.'' Vince thought, tears streaming down his face. ''But who am I kidding? A third year is still a third year damn it! I¡­I¡­I give up! I¡­ I can''t fight an¡­'' his thoughts trailed off when he saw Grey''s face appear in his mind.


    "It''s now, I realize why Dave hate you so badly." The third year student spoke as he stood directly in front of Vince, his heavy earth body still towering over him.


    ''If¡­if it was Grey in this position, what would he do?'' Vince thought as Grey''s image kept flashing through his mind while drowning out what the student in front of him was saying.


    "Do you want to know what I would do?" Grey''s voice suddenly flashed in Vince''s mind. "I would fight, fight back regardless of whether my opponent is stronger than I am. That is what made me who I am today. Defy all odds and prove your supremacy."


    ''Gr¡­Grey?! That''s what he would say. Despite being a cripple before, he still fought back and came out on top. I can''t give up now, not when Grey, dad and my friends are watching. I¡­I¡­'' Vince thought his teeth grinding back and forth.


    "Do you know what I would do in your position?" The third year student asked as he raised his foot again aiming for another kick.


    "I would give up and stop trying to prove myself because, you are useless!" He shouted as he swung his foot forward at tremendous speed breaking the sound barrier again.


    Hearing the loud bang, Raze swiftly turned around, blood dripping down his face.


    "Damn it! Vince!" He shouted but then, another bang was heard again as the students foot connected, dust got kicked up blurring where Vince lay.


    "I¡­I¡­I would never give up!" Vince roared as the dust cleared up, metal encasing his arm, from his shoulder down to his fingers which he used to grab the student''s earth foot. Eyes blazing with immense fury as his teeth grind back and forth.


    __


    {A/N}


    This Supreme Author wants to make an apology to you all. This chapter might seem jumbled, the writing style might be different from before and I think there are still some grammatical errors in it.


    That''s because the app I always use to edit my chapter is now misbehaving badly. It keeps removing my content (chapter) and flagging it as ''Going against their damned policies.'' I''m so sorry for this guys! I hope the app will get back to normal before the next chapter drops.


    Thanks in advance for understanding guys!??????????


    S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 292 - 292: Round two!

    While Vince was getting his arse handed to him by a third-year Earth mage, Raze found himself locked in a tense standoff with a lightning-affinity student from the same year. His heart skipped several beats as the student''s next move shattered the stillness.


    "Fine! By the time I''m done with you, you''ll be humiliated¡ªand begging for mercy!" the student roared, his eyes glowing a piercing white, lips curling into a sinister grin.


    "Breakthrough."


    A shockwave of raw energy burst out from the student, slamming into Raze and forcing him back a few inches, his arms raised defensively as sparks danced across the air.


    "Hey! Isn''t this going too far? Maybe we can¡­ talk things out?" Raze said nervously, swallowing a lump in his throat as the energy began to settle.


    The student now radiated a soft white glow. His eyes burned with white-hot power, his hair fluttered wildly in the air, and a confident smile curled his lips.


    All around him, one hundred lightning arrows materialized, crackling ominously as they pointed directly at Raze, who gulped again¡ªthird time in three seconds.


    "Bro, are you sure you don''t wanna talk this out?" Raze asked, his voice strained, lightning dancing across his body, eyes locked on the formidable opponent before him.


    "Die!" the student barked, snapping his fingers.


    The arrows launched forward at breakneck speed.


    "Curses!" Raze cursed, kicking off the ground. A thunderous bang echoed as he took off, weaving frantically across the battlefield with the arrows hot on his tail.


    BOOM!


    One arrow almost clipped him, but he dove to the side, letting it slam into the earth with a deafening explosion.


    Another zipped toward his ribs, but Raze skidded to a halt and bent backwards, narrowly dodging it. The sparks singed his skin, but he gritted his teeth and powered on.


    He sprinted around the arena like a madman, drawing jeers from the impatient crowd.


    "Boooo!"


    "Is this a joke?"


    "Thought it was a shatter war, not tag!"


    "Run, chicken, run!"


    "Come down here and dodge a hundred arrows yourself!" Raze shouted back, lightning enveloping his hand as another arrow neared.


    He whirled around, caught the arrow mid-air, and with a powerful spin, hurled it into the oncoming barrage.


    The explosion that followed crackled through the air as several arrows detonated mid-flight.


    "Not bad... but you forgot¡ªthere''s still more," the student taunted as another dozen arrows materialized around Raze.


    Before he could react, they hammered into him with brutal force. Agonizing jolts tore through his body. He screamed, hands clutching his blonde hair as sparks danced across his scalp.


    "ARGHHHH!" he cried out. Even in pain, he straightened his hair with trembling hands.


    "What... you care about your hair more than your life?" the student asked, blinking in disbelief. He paused, lowering his hand instead of launching the remaining fifty arrows.


    "Y-You fool..." Raze panted, smirking through bloodied lips. "Appearance¡­ matters more than anything."


    Crackling with electricity again, Raze staggered upright and wiped the blood from his chin, his glare sharp and unwavering.


    "Now I know you''re the fool," the student muttered. With a snap, the rest of the arrows soared toward Raze.


    ''I really wish I had Earth magic right now,'' Raze thought grimly, eyes flicking to the ground as the projectiles neared.


    "Damn it!" he cursed. Lightning surged through his arms as he slammed both fists into the earth.


    RUMBLE!


    The ground trembled violently, and a large stone slab erupted into the air. Twisting his hips, Raze kicked the slab forward with force, hurling it toward the incoming barrage.


    BOOM!


    The arrows collided with the slab, carving a hole through it as they lost momentum, their speed halved.


    But Raze was already gone, dashing to the side. The arrows struck the spot where he once stood, kicking up a cloud of dust.


    When the dust cleared, he was crouched a few meters away, blood trailing from his lips. But the lightning student¡ªhe had vanished.


    CRACKLE!


    The ominous sound came from behind.


    Raze spun around, but too late¡ªan electrified fist slammed into his face, hurling him across the battlefield. He tumbled violently, pain radiating through his limbs.


    "ARGH!" he shouted. Something in his arm snapped, and he hit the ground hard, body twitching from the electric shock. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as he tried to rise, a deafening BOOM erupted behind him. His eyes widened in horror as a massive golem raised its stone foot, preparing to stomp Vince.


    "Damn it! VINCE!" Raze yelled¡ªbut another explosion interrupted him. The Earth student''s foot connected again, launching dust into the air.


    As it settled, Raze sighed in relief¡ªVince was okay.


    ''I guess he''s alright¡­ now, let me¡ª''


    His thought froze as a powerful gust erupted near him. The lightning student had reappeared, a blur of motion, and was now in front of him again.


    "Focus on your fight!" the student barked, driving an uppercut into Raze''s chin and lifting him off his feet. A follow-up lightning burst sent him crashing near Vince''s battlefield.


    Raze groaned, spewing blood. His hand twitched¡ªthen touched something.


    Suddenly, his body began to change. Eyes widening, he realized what he''d touched: the golem''s foot. Only it wasn''t made of earth anymore¡ªit was flesh.


    The real student had dropped the golem''s foot disguise.


    A smile tugged at Raze''s lips as his body surged with new energy. A luminous butterfly floated gently down and rested on his head. His wounds began to close.


    ''Thank you, Vanica,'' he thought, glancing toward the mist where Vorden and Vanica were encased.


    He turned to face the lightning user, who was charging up another attack.


    "One quick question," Raze said, stepping forward with a renewed gleam in his eye. With each step, his smile grew.


    "What is lightning weak to?"


    "What is this, an interview?" the student retorted, annoyed.


    "Just answer," Raze replied, twirling his finger nonchalantly.


    "Earth magic¡­ why?"


    "I''m glad you know what will be bringing you down." Raze grinned. Earth began swirling around his hand.


    The crowd gasped.


    "A dual-elementalist?!" Lucian blurted out, sitting upright in shock.


    From the stands, Grey smirked, arms folded as he leaned back casually.


    ''I never doubted you, Raze. I knew you''d find a way to win. My only concern¡­ is Vince.''


    "How about we go for round two?" Raze said, earth gathering beneath his feet.


    And then, with a low rumble, he launched forward¡ªfaster, stronger, and with the element that could tip the scales.


    ---


    {A/N:}


    So many explosive fights are still to come in this tournament! Stick around and support your favorite warrior!


    Even I, the author, have no idea who will win ????¡ªso cast your vote below:


    Team B (Second Years) or Team B (Third Years)? Who would win? Lemme hear your thoughts and opinions guys!


    Let the war begin! ??????

 Chapter 293 - 293: Tremble!

    "I¡­I¡­I would never give up!" Vince roared, his voice raw with fierce determination as the swirling dust began to settle around him.


    Metal crept up his arm like a living armor, gleaming cold and unyielding, encasing it from shoulder to fingertips. His armored hand shot out, locking tightly around the student''s earth-covered foot with a grip like iron.


    "You!" the third-year student snarled, trying desperately to press down with his foot, but Vince''s grasp only squeezed harder.


    Veins bulging in his neck, teeth clenched so tightly they threatened to snap, Vince yanked the leg sharply. The student''s balance faltered, and with a heavy thud, he crashed hard onto the dusty ground.


    Suddenly, a massive fist formed entirely of gleaming metal materialized midair above Vince''s head.


    In a flash, it came crashing down like a hammer, smashing into the earth golem with a deafening bang that sent tremors through the arena. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I will kill you!" the student bellowed, his earth armor fracturing violently, shards splintering from the impact. Yet, the fight was far from over.


    From the cracked ground, dozens of razor-sharp earth spears erupted like lethal arrows, launching themselves toward Vince with terrifying speed.


    Leaping backward with agile precision, a sleek metal sword materialized in Vince''s hand. He surged forward, charging headlong into the barrage.


    "Whatever it takes," Vince muttered fiercely, propelling off the ground with explosive force. His sword sliced clean through one spear, while his metal-clad hand stretched out to absorb the brutal impact of another.


    Without hesitation, a gleaming spear of metal shot forth from his arm, piercing and shattering a second earth projectile.


    "I will prove I''m no weakling! I will never give up!" Vince cried, swinging his sword in a wide arc that cleaved another spear in two before he landed heavily, chest heaving.


    "F*ck you!" The student''s enraged shout cut through the air as he swung his earth-armored fist forward at blinding speed.


    Clang!


    The sharp ring of steel meeting earth echoed as Vince raised his armored hand, taking the full force of the blow.


    Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but he barely faltered, pushed back only slightly.


    "Weak," Vince sneered, a cruel smirk twisting his lips.


    "How dare you!" the student shouted, swinging his other earth-covered hand in a furious counterattack.


    Bang!


    The arena trembled with the thunderous impact of knuckles colliding¡ªmetal crashing against earth. A shockwave rippled outward, hurling Vince backward with brutal force.


    Vince''s boot slammed into the ground, and in response, a massive earth boulder surged upward, hurtling straight at him. Reacting with lightning speed, Vince crossed his metal-clad arms into an X, bracing for the impact.


    Smash!


    The boulder struck with bone-jarring force, lifting Vince off his feet and sending him tumbling onto the hard earth. Silence fell over the crowd, breaths collectively held.


    Far behind the fray, Selene stood guard over their team''s crystal, shadows curling protectively around it as her gaze never left the fight. Nearby, their water mage teammate lay sprawled, unconscious on the dusty floor.


    ''Can''t believe that fool got knocked out with one hit,'' Selene thought bitterly, watching Vince''s brutal exchange.


    ''I would join the fight, but I''m useless without Lyra. Our shadow and wind magic always complement each other perfectly. But damn, how are these second years even holding their own against third years?!''


    Hidden within the swirling mist, Vorden and Vanica tracked the battle closely, carefully maneuvering their crystal to avoid the shockwaves from the violent clashes.


    "Vince is badly injured, and so is Raze," Vanica murmured, concern tightening her voice as she observed the boulder slam into Vince and the hailstorm of lightning arrows piercing Raze''s defenses.


    "Well, thought you had something that could help?" Vorden snapped, frustration lacing his tone.


    ''Damn it, these idiots need to hurry up. I can''t maintain this mist forever,'' he thought, tension coiling in his chest.


    "Right, I almost forgot," Vanica muttered, her hands beginning to glow with a soft, ethereal white light.


    "Healing creation magic; healing butterflies!" she called out, summoning four luminous butterflies that darted out of the mist like radiant sparks, heading swiftly toward the two injured boys.


    Vince was struggling to rise, coughing up a mouthful of blood. His hands clutched his side where pain radiated sharply, blood dripping from a wound on his head.


    ''Damn! My rib is broken. My mana is draining fast. And I still can''t find a way to defeat this guy. I wish Vanica was here to heal me fully¡­'' Vince''s thoughts faltered as two glowing butterflies landed gently¡ªone on his forehead, the other on his cheek.


    ''Vanica?'' Vince''s lips curled into a grateful smile as his visible injuries began to mend. His broken rib was patched up just enough to ease movement before the butterflies dissipated like flickering embers.


    ''There''s so much these creations can do. I need to¡ª'' His thought was cut short.


    "You have a healer? Big deal. I''ll just have to injure you again!" The third-year student shouted, appearing suddenly before Vince. Without hesitation, he lashed out, shooting his foot forward like a piston.


    But Vince was faster. In a flash, he grabbed the attacking foot, metal encasing his hands morphing into razor-sharp blades that sliced through the earth armor covering the student''s foot.


    Seizing the moment, Vince rose, driving an uppercut into the student''s earth-armored jaw. The impact sent the student skidding backward, one foot now exposed while the other remained ensnared in hardened earth.


    At that moment, Raze was slammed forward, landing beside the exposed foot. His hand accidentally brushed the earth-encased limb, copying the student''s earth magic even as Vanica''s butterflies swiftly healed his wounds.


    "I warned you," Vince said, slowly rising to his full height. The student in front of him quickly repaired his shattered foot, standing upright with a glare sharp as flint.


    "I''m not Dave, not a weakling, not useless, and certainly not a disgrace!" Vince growled.


    "Huh?" The student raised a brow, summoning fifty crude earth swords around him, their jagged tips pointed like a deadly bouquet at Vince. "But you are."


    "That does it!" Vince cried, slamming his two hands together, knuckles pointed forward. The metal encasing swirled and merged, joining both arms into a single colossal cannon-like limb.


    At the knuckles, a wide opening yawned like the barrel of a weapon, gleaming ominously as Vince fixed his glare on his opponent.


    "Am I supposed to be scared of that?" the student taunted, the earth swords trembling with volatile power, poised to launch.


    "No. You''re supposed to tremble... just like those swords of yours!" Vince snapped, then¡ª


    Bang!


    ___


    {A/N}


    Hey Magus Legion! This Supreme Author just wants to appreciate all my wonderful readers for reading and supporting the book so far.


    Charles Sama, Arcane Sama ???? I see your constant supports and I really appreciate it ???? The stones, the tickets, whenever I see them, it not only fuels my drive to keep on writing and uploading.


    But it also puts a smile on my face to know that I actually have readers who are interested and immersed in my world. My first book, didn''t have this kind of support and readers but I''m glad Magus Supremacy got them.


    Thank you all and I wish you all a blessed new week. This Supreme Author is out. ??????

 Chapter 294 - 294: Made Grey proud!

    "Interesting!" Lucian suddenly exclaimed, the once-bored expression wiped clean from his face. He leaned forward on his seat, eyes gleaming with intensity as though stars had begun to shimmer within them.


    "What''s interesting? The third-year students or the second-years?" Amir asked, his gaze still locked on Vince''s battle.


    "Both," Lucian replied, grinning wider. "Especially that dual-elementalist from the second year. I haven''t seen one from the newer generations since Kael."


    "That''s where you''re mistaken," Amir said, finally turning his attention away from the arena to face the Lunaria principal. "He isn''t a dual-elementalist."


    Lucian arched a brow. "Then what is he? I clearly saw him using lightning magic earlier, and now it''s earth."


    Amir exhaled slowly. "That boy''s magic is... unique. He has the ability to copy any magic¡ªbut only if he makes physical contact. He must''ve touched a friend who wields lightning magic earlier. During this fight, he likely brushed against that earth mage from the third year, allowing him to switch elements mid-battle."


    Lucian''s heart pounded louder, a thrill coursing through his veins. "Even better!" he shrieked, eyes now locked on Raze, who crouched in preparation to charge again.


    "An ability to copy someone''s magic with just a touch? That''s incredible. Imagine if he touched me¡ªhe could potentially match me in power! That''s insane!"


    His grin faltered slightly. "The only drawback is that he can only use one element at a time. Still¡­"


    ''Hmph. As impressive as that youngling is, something tells me I haven''t found what I''m really looking for.'' Lucian''s gaze drifted, his expression unreadable. ''Why am I even here? Let''s just wait until th¡ªhold on!''


    "Amir!" he snapped, voice sharp.


    "Yes?" Amir responded without shifting his gaze.


    "That student you mentioned¡ªthe one who supposedly killed a level 7 beast in his first year¡ªwill he be participating in this tournament?"


    "Unfortunately, no," Amir replied with a note of regret. "He didn''t pass the assessment and had to sit this one out."


    Lucian blinked. "Wait, what?! You claimed he killed a level 7 boss beast, yet he couldn''t pass a simple tournament assessment?"


    "He didn''t want to participate," Amir admitted with a shrug. "I had to force him into taking the assessment in the first place. I guess he tanked the test on purpose just to avoid the tournament."


    ''What a strange student,'' Lucian mused. His gaze returned to the battlefield, where Raze squared off against his opponent once more, while Amir''s attention returned to Vince''s ongoing struggle.


    ---


    "How about we go for round two?!" Raze shouted, a wild grin stretching across his bruised face.


    With a twist of his hand, the earth beneath his feet surged upward, launching him forward at a decent speed.


    "Tsk. Too slow!" the lightning user sneered, unleashing a barrage of crackling lightning bolts.


    With a powerful upward motion of his arm, Raze summoned a towering earth wall, which absorbed the incoming attack in a cloud of dust and sparks.


    "Let''s see how you dodge this." With a snap of his fingers, a dozen jagged earth spears exploded from the ground, shooting toward his opponent like missiles.


    The third-year student''s feet surged with lightning as he zipped around the battlefield, leaving afterimages behind.


    The earth spears slammed into the ground one after another, missing their mark each time.


    Suddenly, he rocketed toward Raze, his movement like a streak of living lightning.


    Raze paused, scanning the battlefield, but the blur moved faster than his eyes could follow.


    Left, above, right, back to the front¡ªthe upperclassman danced around him in a dazzling display of speed. The air rang with the crack of thunderclaps each time his feet struck the ground.


    Raze staggered slightly, his head whipping side to side, trying¡ªand failing¡ªto keep track of him.


    Then suddenly¡ª


    Bang!


    A fist cloaked in lightning smashed into Raze''s back, sending him crashing face-first into the ground. Dust erupted around him as his body bounced and slid.


    "Even with the earth element, you''re useless if you can''t even see me," the student scoffed.


    Raze groaned, slowly lifting himself. Blood trickled down from his nose and mouth. He spat something out and muttered, "You idiot¡­ just because I''m using earth magic doesn''t mean I want to eat dirt!"


    Slamming his foot down, spikes of stone burst from the ground, racing toward the lightning student¡ªwho sidestepped with ease, vanishing in a flash of electric light.


    A dozen crescent arcs of lightning shot toward Raze like blades, but once more, an earth wall rose up to protect him, sizzling on contact.


    "Too slow," the student''s voice echoed behind him.


    Raze spun¡ªtoo late.


    A bolt of lightning slammed into his face, his hair fizzing and a fresh stream of blood dripping down his chin. His body tumbled backward. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "C''mon, for goodness'' sake," Raze groaned, struggling to his feet and brushing his messy blonde hair back into place. "What did my gorgeous face ever do to you? Hit my abdomen, not my face or hair! How else am I going to get married?!"


    "What a clown," the student growled, lightning swirling around his arms like a vortex as he charged again.


    He thrust forward¡ªan eruption of searing lightning racing at Raze.


    Raze countered with another earth wall, absorbing the force, when¡ª


    "Still too slow," the voice came from his side.


    The lightning student slashed down with a blade of pure electricity.


    "You''re becoming quite predictable," Raze muttered as he tapped the ground beneath him.


    An earth wall surged up sideways, blocking the blade¡ªbut the lightning sword cut through, slicing forward.


    Raze grinned.


    Earth magic flared around his hands. One arm shot out, catching the lightning blade mid-air, sizzling rock and magic clashing against raw power. His second hand followed instantly.


    BOOM!


    A thunderous shockwave erupted.


    "Stop being so predictable, you silly upperclassman of mine!" Raze roared as his earth-enforced fist slammed into the student''s abdomen.


    The ground shattered beneath them. Cracks spread like spiderwebs. Chunks of dirt flew into the air. The student''s eyes rolled back. A soft, glowing light around him fizzled out as blood, air, and spit burst from his mouth.


    His body collapsed with a hard thud.


    Raze stood for a moment, swaying on his feet. Then his knees gave out and he fell forward, breathing heavily. The earth gauntlets around his hands crumbled, returning to dust.


    But a smile lingered on his bloodied lips as he looked toward the crowd.


    His gaze searched¡­ but he couldn''t find the one he was looking for.


    Still, he whispered, "I hope I made you proud, Grey."


    "You sure did," Grey murmured from his seat in the stands, almost as if the words had traveled to him on the wind.


    Then¡ª


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Three sharp explosions shattered the air.


    Something shot across the battlefield, streaking past Raze like a bullet, vanishing into the mist Vorden had conjured earlier.


    Then¡ª


    Crack!


    Shatter!


    Both Vorden and Vanica felt their hearts lurch.


    They turned toward the sound, blood draining from their faces as they locked eyes with what could only be described as their worst nightmare.

 Chapter 295 - 295: Im proud!

    Lucian watched Raze''s fight with a spark of excitement in his eyes and a sly grin tugging at the corner of his lips.


    "Even though he used lightning magic earlier, he''s quite adept with earth magic too," he mused, voice tinged with mischief. "Now I''m tempted to let him touch me, just to see how much magic he can actually steal."


    "Unless you want to risk bringing Lunaria Academy to its knees," Amir warned calmly, "I''d advise against that. Even if the magic disappears after twenty-four hours, imagine what he could do with the sheer volume of mana you carry."


    "Yeah, yeah, you''re right," Lucian sighed, slumping back in his seat like a disappointed child. "Still, even though most of the earlier matches were a snoozefest, I have to admit I was mildly entertained. Now imagine when the two Team A squads take the stage."


    "Those ones are monsters in their own right," Amir nodded. "It''s just a shame the biggest monster of them all refused to participate."


    Lucian raised a brow. "I still don''t get your obsession with that student. So what if he killed a level 7 boss beast? He probably had help from a dozen students."


    "You won''t understand unless you see him fight," Amir said, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.


    Lucian yawned, just as Raze landed a brutal punch into his opponent''s gut, knocking the third-year unconscious.


    "Ugh. Fine," Lucian muttered. "So, the next match¡ªisn''t happening today, right?"


    "Depends," Amir replied, his gaze returning to the field. "If the Team A fights go fast, it might still happen."


    "Whatever," Lucian shrugged. "I just hope they don''t disappoint. Otherwise, this''ll be the worst generation ever."


    "They won''t," Amir said, a confident smile curling on his face.


    ---


    Meanwhile, in the viewing stands, Grey sat with arms crossed, eyes locked on the two battles unfolding below. His gaze darted between Raze''s and Vince''s fights like a hawk scanning for the slightest opening.


    "Are you worried about them?" Max asked, noticing Grey''s subtle restlessness.


    "Just a bit," Grey admitted, leaning forward, tension radiating from his frame.


    "I''m a little anxious about Charlotte myself," Max added. "I wonder how strong she''s become."


    "Oh, she''s strong alright," Grey said, a smirk tugging at his lips.


    "Stronger than you?" Max teased, raising a brow.


    Grey chuckled. "I''ll wipe the floor with her. But I won''t lie¡ªshe''s formidable."


    "Still, brotherly instincts don''t just vanish," Max sighed, his concern evident.


    "She''ll be fine. She''s eighteen now. Stop treating her like she''s fragile," Grey replied.


    Bang!


    A sudden, thunderous impact yanked their attention back to the arena. Raze had just buried his fist into his opponent''s abdomen, sending the third-year flying.


    "Woah! Who knew your friend was this strong?!" Max exclaimed, eyes wide with awe.


    "I knew," Grey said, calm but proud. "Given enough time, Raze will become a monster. One who might rival even you and Kael."


    "Huh?! You didn''t say he''d rival you," Max grinned.


    "That''s because, aside from the Emperor, no one can," Grey said, confidence pouring from every word. "Right now, Kael is stronger than me. But give me time¡ªI''ll leave him in the dust. That''s the kind of person I am."


    Max chuckled. "Indeed. Time will tell."


    ---


    Arena ¨C Vince''s Fight


    After enduring a relentless barrage from the third-year earth mage, Vince finally decided it was time to push his limits.


    Fifty jagged earth swords hovered ominously around his opponent, trembling with dense magical pressure. Vince slammed his metal-coated hands together, forming a cannon-like shape aimed squarely at the third-year student.


    "You think that''s supposed to scare me?" the third-year taunted.


    "No," Vince said, eyes glowing with resolve. "You''re supposed to tremble just like those swords."


    Bang!


    A massive sphere of compressed metal blasted forward like a meteor. The third-year raised a wall of earth with a flick of his hand, but it shattered on impact, debris flying in all directions.


    "Crap!" he growled, crossing his arms in an ''X'' to brace himself. The ball of metal smashed into his guard, skidding him backward as cracks formed along his earthen armor. A trickle of blood slid down the corner of his lips.


    ''Damn it! That shouldn''t have hurt, but the sheer speed turned it lethal,'' he thought.


    "My turn."


    With a wave, the fifty earthen swords surged forward at blinding speed. Vince raised his fused arms, bracing.


    As they closed in, he unleashed a whirlwind of strikes, smashing the swords mid-air. The arena echoed with metal clashing against stone, each impact deafening.


    One sword got through.


    "Argh!" Vince winced as it pierced his arm, crimson spraying out.


    Gritting his teeth, he unleashed another cannon blast¡ªBang!¡ªobliterating the incoming swords before they reached him.


    "That was impressive," the third-year acknowledged, standing several meters away, partially concealed beneath a towering earth golem.


    ''Damn it¡­ only enough mana left for one last attack,'' Vince thought, staggering upright.


    "I thought you were weak," the student said. "And while you are¡­ you''ve proven yourself to be quite formidable."


    He took a single step¡ªand in the blink of an eye, appeared directly in front of Vince.


    "No way!" Lucian shouted from the booth, springing to his feet. "Did you see that?! He used the earth itself to shift space around him!"


    "Huh?" Amir simply said as his eyes didn''t leave the fight one bit.


    "I mean, just as I changed the battlefield earlier by commanding it with my magic, he just did the same thing and in the process, he shifted the earth around him and your son to cross that distance in a flash." Lucian commented.


    "Oh!" Amir simply said as they turned back towards the fight.


    "But the mistake here is that you were up against someone way above your level." The earth student finished his words as his earth clad had shot forward sending a terrible bang ringing out.


    The earth golem''s fist rocketed forward.


    "If I''m going down," Vince roared, "I''m taking you with me!"


    He thrust his fused arms into the golem''s midsection, unleashing his final attack. The cannonball of metal surged forward.


    Bang!


    It collided with the third-year''s core, shattering the earthen shell. The real body was launched like a ragdoll, blood trailing mid-air.


    At the same moment, the golem''s punch slammed into Vince''s face, sending him soaring across the battlefield. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He flew past Raze, who had just finished his own battle, and barreled toward the second-year crystal guarded by Vorden and Vanica.


    Crack!


    Vince''s body smashed into the massive crystal, sending fractures crawling along its surface. His body slid down with a lifeless thud.


    Vorden and Vanica turned, eyes wide.


    Shatter!


    The crystal crumbled.


    Before the third-year student''s body could do the same to their crystal, a shadow rose, swallowing him before he was teleported away safely through a shadow gate.


    "Team B from the second years has had their crystal destroyed," Amir''s voice boomed, breaking the breathless silence. "They lose!"


    A heartbeat later, the coliseum exploded in cheers.


    "Yayyyy!!"


    They weren''t cheering because the third-years won¡ªbut because the second-year students had given it their all.


    "That was incredible!"


    "No second-years have ever pushed third-years this far!"


    "Exactly! Usually, the fights end in seconds."


    "I guess Captain Amir was right after all!"


    ---


    Grey sat frozen, mouth slightly open, fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.


    Max, watching him closely, spoke cautiously. "Grey¡­ are you mad? I mean¡­ your friends lost."


    "Mad?" Grey slowly unclenched his fists. A soft smile curled his lips. "More like¡­ proud. They gave it everything. Especially Vince. That''s what matters."


    Max let out a breath of relief. "I thought you''d be furious."


    "I''m a little pained, sure. But I already knew the third-years would win. I''m just happy my friends are growing stronger," Grey said with a shrug.


    Below, several mages descended, teleporting the injured students away in a glow of light.


    And then¡­


    "Now!" Amir''s voice thundered again, reigniting the crowd''s energy.


    "It''s time for the Team A from the second years versus the Team A from the third years. Let''s go!"


    ___


    {A/N}


    Hey Magus Legion! That was quite the long fight between the two team B''s right? Anyway, who thought and guessed if the second year students would win?????


    Coz I thought they would win but the author had other plans ???? so sad ???? anyway, off to the next chapter guys????

 Chapter 296 - 296: I dont take orders from you!

    The members of Team B were swiftly escorted off the battlefield, limping and bruised, their bodies bearing the marks of a grueling encounter.


    Healers rushed to their side, tending to their wounds as murmurs of excitement buzzed through the crowd like electricity in the air. Now, all eyes turned to the next spectacle¡ªthe showdown that everyone had been waiting for.


    The Team A face-off.


    "I heard Team A consists of the strongest mages from each year," someone whispered with a tone laced with awe.


    "Which means Team B were the weaker ones..." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And if those ''weaker ones'' gave us such a spectacle, imagine what the elites are about to do!"


    "But the third years still have the advantage," another voice cut in. "Especially if it''s their top five stepping in today."


    "I wouldn''t count the second years out just yet," someone else retorted. "Their Team B held their ground. Imagine what their top dogs can do."


    "Oh well, only time will tell."


    Suddenly, the whispers died down as Captain Amir''s voice boomed through the coliseum, cutting through the noise like a blade through mist.


    "Now¡­ it''s time for the battle everyone''s been waiting for," Amir''s deep, commanding voice echoed. "Team A of the Second Years¡­ versus Team A of the Third Years! LET''S GO!"


    The colossal iron gates groaned as they began lifting on both sides of the coliseum, the crowd erupting in cheers.


    Dust swirled as the stone floors trembled under the collective footsteps of the elite mages making their entrance.


    "Wait¡­ that''s Captain Amir''s first son!"


    "The same one who fought in the tournament last year as a second year?"


    "Yeah. He held his own against Viktor¡­ That alone makes him a monster."


    "Exactly! If Viktor was a beast, then anyone who could stand toe-to-toe with him is just as dangerous."


    "I''m starting to feel bad for the second years. They''re walking into a slaughter."


    "Agreed¡­"


    On the second-year side, their squad strode out with unwavering focus. The weight of the crowd''s doubt pressed on them like gravity, but they walked taller for it. Scarlet, with her fiery red hair fluttering in the breeze, turned to her teammates¡ªGreg, Jay, and Arthur.


    "Listen up," she said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "The crowd already wrote us off."


    Her voice cut through the tension, bold and unwavering.


    "So, I have only one thing to say to you all¡ªGo rogue."


    "I was afraid you were going to tell us to be careful," Greg scoffed with a grin, striding ahead of the team and taking his position in the arena.


    Across from them, the third-year Team A made their appearance¡ªDante, Dave, Lyra, and Charlotte.


    Each radiated confidence, their eyes gleaming with experience as they moved like predators entering their domain.


    Just then, two massive crystals descended from the sky, one above each team''s starting zone.


    As they landed, the coliseum rumbled with deep groans, cracks and scorches from the previous battle vanishing in a seamless sweep of magic. The floor healed itself, leaving behind a pristine battlefield, reborn and ready.


    "You know the rules," Amir said, the floating crystal spinning slowly beside him, his gaze fierce. "Fight."


    Instantly, a transparent barrier shimmered into existence around the second-years'' crystal, with Arthur stepping forward like a sentinel.


    "I''ll protect this crystal with my life," he declared, planting his feet firmly.


    "Good," Scarlet snapped. "The rest of us¡ªmove!"


    She, Greg, and Jay surged forward in unison, a streak of coordinated chaos.


    "They''ll never break through our defenses," Dante said calmly. The ground responded to his will, rising in a wave as a thick layer of earth encased their crystal in a stone cocoon.


    "Not like they''d even get close!" Dave barked, thrusting his arm forward.


    A dozen gleaming metal swords manifested in the air around him and shot forward like missiles, humming with lethal intent.


    "Fire Magic¡ªInferno!" Scarlet shouted, her hands ablaze.


    A wave of fire surged from her, a scorching inferno crashing into the airborne swords. Metal hissed and melted mid-air, falling harmlessly to the ground in puddles of glowing slag.


    "Lightning Magic¡ªThunder God!" Greg roared.


    He launched into the sky, his body cloaked in crackling electricity. Thunder echoed as he descended like a wrathful god, bolts striking down from above.


    But just before impact, an earth wall burst up, shielding the third-years and absorbing the brunt of the attack with a deafening crack.


    "Water Magic¡ªWater Slash!" Charlotte retaliated, her voice sharp.


    Dozens of blade-like streams of water slashed through the air toward the second years.


    "Water Slash!" Jay called back.


    His magic collided with hers mid-air, the opposing forces canceling each other out in a spectacular splash.


    "Lightning Creation Magic¡ªLightning Boots!" Greg yelled again.


    A pair of glowing boots formed at his feet, arcs of electricity flickering around them. He vanished in a blink, reappearing in front of Dave in a burst of lightning.


    His hand, surrounded by buzzing energy, punched forward with enough force to ripple the very air.


    A thunderous bang echoed as his fist smashed into an earth wall that rose just in time. The impact dispelled his magic, smoke and sparks billowing outward.


    "Dave, handle the rest. I''ve got him," Dante said, stepping forward.


    With each step he took, the ground trembled. From beneath the arena, a massive earth spear erupted, which he seized in one hand like a war god.


    "I don''t take orders from you," Dave muttered, turning away as a metallic blade formed in his grip. Without hesitation, he dashed toward Scarlet, eyes blazing.


    "But I''ve still got a score to settle."


    "How dare you interrupt me?!" Greg snarled at Dante, electricity sparking violently from his skin. His eyes glowed a faint blue, his magic intensity rising to dangerous levels.


    "Oh? An angry one. But you are forgetting that our elements are natural enemies." Dante said coolly, tapping the ground with his foot.


    Dozens of razor-sharp earth spikes surged from the ground toward Greg, but with a swift sidestep, he evaded them with impossible speed.


    "But I''m faster!" Greg bellowed.


    With a sharp crack, he kicked off the ground, leaving a crater and afterimage in his wake as he blurred forward¡ªa bolt of vengeance barreling toward the stunned Dante.


    ____


    {A/N}


    Hey Magus Legion! Just want to check in if you all are still reading. Because this team A battle won''t be like the team B battle. You all are in for a treat.


    Lest I forget! Shout-out to all readers of the book and special shout-out to you all that support the book with your resources.


    Nathan Sama, Arcane Sama, Charles Sama and Fenrir Sama ???? thank you all for your continuous support! I really appreciate them.

 Chapter 297 - 297: 2V1

    "Wait! What the actual hell?! Why am I the only one surrounded by two opponents?!" Jay screamed, panic flashing across his face as Charlotte and Lyra gracefully circled him like predators stalking prey.


    Their distinct elemental auras shimmered around them¡ªLyra''s wind spiraling with a sharp hiss, and Charlotte''s water flowing with an eerie calm.


    In contrast, Jay stood with nothing but two water swords clutched tightly in his hands, droplets glistening off their curved edges as he spun to keep both girls in sight.


    "Uh¡­ gu¡ªgirls! Let''s¡­ let''s talk about this," Jay stammered, forcing an awkward smile. "There''s gotta be a compromise, right? Greg is way stronger than I am. Maybe one of y¡ª" Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His words were cut short as a razor-thin wind blade zipped toward him.


    "Damn it! I haven''t even finished talking!" he yelled, ducking low and slicing the air with one sword.


    The impact shattered the wind blade, but before he could catch a breath, a concentrated jet of water blasted from Charlotte''s palm, slamming into his chest.


    He staggered backward, blood spilling from the corner of his lips.


    "Wind Magic¡ªTornado Storm!" Lyra''s voice rang out, her wind magic surging.


    Jay''s eyes widened in alarm. "Tornado?!"


    A massive cyclone roared to life, howling like a beast as it tore through the ground on its path toward him. The very air seemed to split apart under the storm''s rage.


    ''Crap! If that hits me, I''m toast,'' Jay thought, frantically sketching complex symbols into the air with his fingers.


    Water spiraled around him in a rush, encasing him in a glowing aquatic bubble. Ancient symbols shimmered along its surface like runes etched by the sea gods themselves.


    The tornado smashed into the bubble, lifting it like a toy and flinging it across the coliseum. Inside, Jay was hurled about like a rag doll, the force rattling his bones.


    "Water Creation Magic¡ªLeviathan!" Charlotte called.


    A colossal sea serpent, formed entirely of dense water, surged forward from her hands. Its eyes glowed with an eerie azure hue as it slammed into Jay''s water shield.


    With a deafening boom, the shield shattered. Jay''s body was launched across the arena, crashing into the wall with brutal force.


    The coliseum''s defensive barrier flared and rebounded his limp body, sending him tumbling forward to land face-first in a puddle of water.


    "Kuh¡­ kuh¡­" Jay coughed violently, blood and water spraying from his lips. He groaned, lifting his head, his drenched hair sticking to his face as he glared at the two girls with a mixture of fury and disbelief.


    "We are way out of your league," Charlotte declared coldly, orbs of water spinning around her fingertips like miniature moons.


    "The only one here who''s worth our time isn''t even fighting. Shame," Lyra added, wind spiraling around her with growing malice.


    Jay rose slowly, his hands clenched, muscles trembling. His soaked hair began to lift, strands rising as if reacting to an unseen force.


    "Do you know what I hate the most?" he growled, his voice low and trembling with rage.


    The two girls tensed instinctively.


    "Being compared to that annoying peasant! I''m a noble, for fuck''s sake!" Jay roared.


    A violent pulse of energy burst from his body, a shockwave surging outward and forcing the girls back.


    His body floated inches off the ground, white light wrapping around him. His eyes blazed pure white, hair whipping wildly, as his clenched fists vibrated with raw power.


    "Breakthrough," he whispered, lips curling into a defiant grin. "Now¡­ let''s pick up where we left off."


    In a blur of motion, Jay dashed forward¡ªfaster, sharper, deadlier.


    ---


    Meanwhile, elsewhere in the coliseum¡ª


    "Metal Magic: Killer Bots!" Dave bellowed.


    Above him, four mechanical constructs whirred to life, dark and menacing.


    Their jagged metallic bodies gleamed under the coliseum lights, each joint creaking with mechanical precision. Their crimson eyes glowed as if sentient, cold and calculating.


    Without hesitation, they launched a barrage of metal shards¡ªgleaming projectiles that sliced through the air toward Scarlet.


    "Crap!" Scarlet cursed, vaulting into motion. She sprinted with blazing speed, weaving between the sharp volleys like a flame dancing in the wind, her hands trailing behind her in a blur.


    "During the last assessment, you won because of luck," Dave sneered, arms crossed confidently. "Now, I don''t even need to lift a finger."


    The killer bots floated with eerie stability, unleashing endless waves of jagged metal. The audience erupted in murmurs.


    "Whoa! Dave''s on a whole different level now."


    "Well, it makes sense. Look at who his father is."


    "But what''s with all these second-years? They just keep running around like maniacs."


    "Seriously. Just stand and fight already!"


    In the stands, Grey clenched his fists so tightly, his knuckles turned white. Sparks of lightning flickered around his fingertips.


    "Calm down," Max said, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder.


    "How can I stay calm when these arrogant rich kids talk like they''ve ever been in a fight? If it were that easy, they should jump in there themselves. I''d love to see how long they last!" Grey snarled.


    "I get it," Max replied gently. "But let them prove themselves. They don''t need us right now¡ªthey need this moment."


    Grey let out a frustrated sigh.


    Max smirked. "But damn¡­ my kid sister''s really something else."


    "I told you," Grey chuckled.


    "Go, Charlotte!" Max shouted, hands cupped around his mouth.


    ---


    Elsewhere¡ª


    "Stop blocking and fight me!" Greg yelled, hurling a lightning bolt toward Dante.


    With a lazy flick, Dante summoned an earth wall, which absorbed the blast with a muffled thud.


    "I''m not just defending," Dante said coolly. "I''m showing you just how weak and helpless you are."


    He twirled his wrist, and fifty jagged earth shards erupted from the ground like missiles, all shooting straight toward Greg.


    ''Smaller spells mean more casts,'' Dante mused. ''I could launch boulders, sure. But his speed would render them useless. Let''s drain that mana instead.''


    The ground exploded with bangs and shockwaves as Greg zigzagged at breakneck speed, his figure a blur.


    The shards whistled past him but never touched. Debris scattered in every direction.


    Then¡ªbam¡ªGreg launched himself forward, circling Dante in a rapid cyclone of movement, afterimages trailing behind like lightning echoes.


    With one final push off the ground, Greg appeared behind Dante, a crackling lightning sword in hand.


    "Gotcha," he whispered, grinning.


    But as he slashed forward, Dante turned¡ªhis eyes calm, a smirk tugging at his lips.


    "Did you?"


    __


    {A/N}


    Ohhh! Different fights, different perspectives and different people in different kinds of danger. Who will come out on top? Let''s find out in the next chapter ????


    Also, this was the last chapter were I''m going to be showing different characters in one chapter. From the next chapter, we will be having one character per chapter so let''s go.??

 Chapter 298 - 298: One shot!

    Jay hovered inches above the ground, suspended in a tranquil yet powerful aura. His hair floated around him like weightless silk, his eyes glowing pure white as a soft radiance enveloped him.


    His fists clenched tightly, veins glowing faintly beneath his skin.


    "Breakthrough," he said with a calm yet cocky grin. His lips curled higher. "Let''s pick up from where we left off."


    With a burst of motion, Jay vanished in a blur, reappearing just inches from Lyra with a palm thrust forward.


    A blast of water surged forth like a cannon, crashing into her midsection and sending her spiraling through the air.


    "Water ma¡ª" Charlotte began, but her voice was abruptly cut off.


    "Keep shut," Jay snapped.


    Water coiled around his arms like serpentine ribbons, and with a flick, he snagged Charlotte by the wrist, flinging her effortlessly across the field.


    Lyra skidded to a halt, a smear of dirt following her. She wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of her lips, grinning with a spark in her eye. "Nice. I was getting bored with our earlier warm-up."


    A sudden pulse erupted from her core. Wind howled around her as her own breakthrough surged to life. Her hair lifted, lips parted with excitement, and her ample chest jiggled slightly from the pressure wave.


    "Let''s kick it up a notch."


    "Gladly," Jay answered, two water swords materializing in his hands with a resonant splash.


    "Wind Magic¡ªWind Swords!" Lyra yelled.


    A hundred translucent wind blades formed above her, slicing through the air as they rained down like divine punishment.


    "Pathetic," Jay sneered. Water swirled beneath his feet as he kicked off, soaring upward.


    He slashed through the first wave with ease. Each impact between water and wind created mini shockwaves that scattered debris and cracked nearby stone platforms.


    Jay spun in mid-air, water blades cleaving through the last wave of wind swords with brutal precision.


    "Fool! I can fly better than you," Lyra mocked, now hovering directly above him.


    A vortex of wind spiraled around her fists as she launched it downward.


    Jay raised both swords in defense, but the pressure was too great¡ªthe blades shattered into harmless liquid, and he plummeted.


    His body slammed into the ground with a sickening crunch. The earth fractured beneath him. Blood spurted from his lips.


    "Woah!" Lucian leaned forward from the viewing stand, eyes wide. "That was intense. Who''s that second-year?"


    "Jay. He''s a noble from House Houston," Captain Amir answered without removing his eyes from the battle.


    Lucian chuckled. "Figures. Skill like that doesn''t come from commoners. He might be worth watching after all."


    Back on the field, Jay pushed himself up from the crater, blood trailing down his chin. He wiped it away, a crooked smile curling his lips as he raised his hand again. Water spiraled around his palm like a coiled dragon.


    Lyra hovered mid-air, twenty wind blades hovering around her, their razor-sharp tips aimed at Jay like a firing squad.


    "I admire your resolve," she said, licking her lips with amusement. "I might have even invited you to my room after this tournament¡ªbut sadly, my heart belongs to someone else."


    Jay snorted, smirking despite the pain. "Oh yeah? Like I''m desperate to walk into your room, you over-bloated balloon!"


    The air turned cold.


    The smirk dropped from Lyra''s face. Her eyes narrowed. The wind blades trembled ominously.


    "Only one person has the right to call me that¡ªand that''s Grey!"


    She roared as the wind swords launched.


    "Water Creation Magic: Sea Cradle!" Jay shouted.


    A massive sphere of water enveloped him, swirling with ancient power. The bubble shimmered like a living shield as the wind swords slammed into it, shaking the ground.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The impact forced the bubble backward, gouging a trail in the earth. Jay grimaced inside, veins popping in his neck.


    ''Damn it¡­ my mana is draining fast¡­''


    Crack¡­


    Tiny fractures spiderwebbed across the bubble''s surface.


    "Kuh!" Jay coughed blood again, his vision blurring.


    "I''ll give you something you can''t block," Lyra growled.


    She condensed a wind crescent between her hands. It shimmered with compressed energy before she launched it.


    The crescent blade tore through the Sea Cradle like paper, striking Jay cleanly and sending him crashing across the battlefield¡ªstraight toward the crystal platform.


    His body collided with the ground in a cascade of stone and dust, blood splashing across his chest. The impact stopped just in front of Arthur, who flinched.


    "Crap¡ªJay!" Arthur knelt beside him, reaching forward.


    Smack!


    A sharp pain stung his cheek. "Ow! What the hell?! You slapped me?!"


    "Did I give you permission to touch me, peasant?" Jay hissed, struggling to sit up. His face twisted in pain as he clutched his bleeding side.


    "I was checking if you were alive, dumbass!" Arthur snapped.


    Jay scoffed. "Your concern is touching. But next time, stay in your lane."


    His breathing was ragged now. ''My mana¡­ almost gone. If this keeps up, we''ll lose.''


    Then, a flicker of movement caught his eye¡ªCharlotte was getting up again, a scratch across her cheek.


    Jay groaned. "You''ve got to be kidding me¡­"


    And above¡ªLyra descended like an executioner.


    "Wind Magic! Continuous Sword Barrage!" she bellowed.


    A torrent of wind blades materialized, cascading toward Jay as she surged forward, her eyes gleaming with merciless resolve.


    ''If I stay near the crystal, they''ll destroy it... I need to draw them away.''


    Jay launched forward again, water blades forming in each hand. He hacked and slashed at the wind swords, his body a blur of motion.


    But they overwhelmed him.


    One blade sliced into his shoulder. Another to his thigh. One grazed across his cheek, drawing blood.


    Still, he didn''t stop.


    "Arthur!" he called out through gritted teeth. "Can you cast a spell on me?"


    "Just one!" Arthur shouted.


    "Perfect. We would have to make it count¡ªnow!"


    A transparent barrier wrapped around Jay, shimmering like glass¡ªArthur''s Protection Bubble.


    Jay took a breath.


    ''Only got one shot. Better make it count.'' S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He raised both arms.


    "Water Creation Magic: Serpent of the Sea!"


    ___


    {A/N}


    Hey Magus Legion! Just want to thank some people in the house! Nathan Sama, Fenrir Sama, Arcane Sama, Charles Sama ???? thank you for the gifts, power stones and Golden tickets. I really appreciate them!

 Chapter 299 - 299: Not a damsel in distress!

    While Jay battled it out with Lyra, the entire coliseum was thrown into a frenzy. Spectators couldn''t decide where to look as chaos erupted across the battlefield, a stark contrast to the more organized showdown seen during Team B''s match.


    High-level spells exploded like fireworks, bodies flickered across the arena with supernatural speed, sharp banter echoed through the air, and unexpected twists unfolded in every corner.


    The intensity made it almost impossible for the audience to focus on any single duel.


    One of the most unpredictable and ferocious clashes was between Scarlet and Dante.


    The fire princess was currently being hounded by Dante''s creation magic¡ªmenacing killer bots that swarmed her, unleashing a relentless barrage of razor-sharp metal shards.


    "Enough with these junkyard toys! Let''s fight man to man!" Scarlet shouted, ducking just in time as a shard sliced through the air, narrowly missing her skull.


    "You mean man to woman?!" Dante shot back with a laugh, clutching his stomach. "You know why you beat me during that assessment? It wasn''t skill¡ªit was that cheap little trick of yours. And don''t forget, I was restricted in the amount of power I could use."


    "Shut your damn mouth!" Scarlet roared, spinning around with fire coiling up her arms. She hurled twin streams of blazing heat that melted a cluster of incoming shards mid-air. "You lost because you were too dense to see a trick that was right in your face."


    "How dare you call me dense?!" Dante snapped. In response, his killer bots surged forward, their firing rate doubling. A shard grazed Scarlet''s cheek, carving a thin line that bled crimson.


    More shards followed, but Scarlet twisted, ducked, and leapt with fierce determination, her breathing ragged as she continued evading the deadly storm.


    "I called you dense because that''s exactly what you are," she snarled between pants.


    Another torrent of flame surged from her palms, melting a second barrage into molten puddles mid-air. Then, with explosive momentum, she lunged forward at one of the bots.


    ''Destroying the ammo is useless. I need to take out the source,'' she thought.


    Her fire-wreathed fist smashed through the bot''s metallic shell with a thunderous bang. Without missing a beat, she spun mid-air, her leg blazing as it kicked into another bot, vaporizing its head in an instant.


    She landed with a grunt, two remaining bots still locked onto her with unrelenting aggression. Though reduced in number, their coordinated assault was no less lethal.


    "You know what?" Dante grinned as he snapped his fingers.


    A brief pulse of magic surged through the air¡ªand the remaining metal bots self-destructed with small concussive bursts, shrapnel scattering across the field.


    Dave now stood alone, hands casually tucked into his pockets like he hadn''t just been orchestrating a storm of death.


    Scarlet stood her ground, panting. Flames still danced along her arms from elbow to fingertips, casting an ethereal glow around her.


    "It''ll be so much more satisfying tearing you apart myself!" Dante roared, launching forward.


    A sleek, glimmering metal sword materialized in his hand, catching the light as he swung it with deadly precision.


    Scarlet met him head-on, her flaming fist crashing against the blade. The impact rang through the coliseum with a metallic clang, and the ground beneath them cracked, loose pebbles flying from the sheer force.


    Their eyes locked in fierce defiance.


    "Burn in hell!" Scarlet yelled, conjuring two massive fireballs that streaked toward Dante like twin suns.


    Dante leapt backward, raising a towering metal barrier that erupted from the ground just in time. The fireballs slammed into it, exploding with intense heat that scorched the earth around the wall.


    Without hesitation, he spun mid-air and kicked the metal slab, propelling it forward like a missile.


    Scarlet''s eyes widened. She tried to evade, but the wall struck her with bone-crushing force, hurling her across the battlefield like a ragdoll.


    Her body slammed into the coliseum''s protective barrier with brutal impact. Though the shield remained unbroken, Scarlet dropped to the ground, face-first. Blood sprayed from her mouth as she hit the ground with a painful thud.


    In the viewing booth, Lucian''s brows furrowed.


    "Amir, didn''t you teach your son how to treat a woman?"


    "You think I didn''t?" Amir snapped, fists clenched. "Dave stopped listening to me a long time ago. He''s beyond reasoning."


    "Because what I just saw¡­ that was damn near brutal. Not how you treat a beauty like that," Lucian chuckled.


    "Pervert." Amir scowled. "I just hope he doesn''t go too far. The Trevor family won''t take it lightly if something bad happens to their only daughter."


    "Yeah¡­ dealing with their tantrums would be a nightmare," Lucian muttered, shaking his head.


    "Kuh!" Scarlet coughed harshly as she stirred, pain screaming through her limbs. Just as she tried to rise, a cruel hand yanked her back by the hair.


    She was lifted off the ground, her vision blurring as her eyes met Dante''s twisted smile. His grip tightened, pulling her head back mercilessly.


    "Look at you. Pathetic. Weak," he sneered. "What have you even done in this tournament? You didn''t scratch me. You got thrashed. And what''s worse? Even my useless brother managed to dominate his match."


    He leaned in, his voice turning venomous. "You know what I hate more than peasants and weaklings? Useless nobles. Ones like you¡ªovershadowed by the very people you think you''re better than."


    His voice boomed, and the coliseum fell silent, the crowd watching with bated breath. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Before this even started, I knew all of you would lose. None of you are worth my time. The only person here who is... isn''t even fighting. But I hope he''s watching."


    With a flick of his wrist, a gleaming metal sword appeared in his free hand, its tip now resting at Scarlet''s throat.


    ''Let''s see what he does now...'' Dante thought darkly. ''The last time, he jumped in to save you. Will he show up again?''


    In the booth, Amir''s heart pounded.


    "What are you doing, Dave?" he whispered, eyes filled with dread as he gripped the armrest tightly.


    But then¡­


    "Do you think I need saving?" Scarlet asked, her lips curling into a bloodied but defiant smile. "I''m not some damsel in distress. I''m a mage. A powerful one. From the House of Trevor."


    She leaned forward, eyes burning with pride.


    "And¡­ I''m sorry to say this¡ªbut you''ve fallen for my trick. Again."


    Dante''s expression twisted as he turned¡ª


    ¡ªand was greeted by the sight of a blazing fire dragon soaring toward him.


    Before he could react, a stream of searing flame erupted from the beast''s mouth, racing toward him like divine retribution.


    __


    {A/N}


    I hope you all are enjoying the book so far? Please let me hear your thoughts so I will know what is working and what isn''t even though I have basically written the tournament arc already ????

 Chapter 300 - 300: Repeat what you said!

    Amidst the chaos of the coliseum battles, one duel stood out¡ªa clash of raw elemental might that had the spectators on the edge of their seats.


    It was the fierce confrontation between Greg and Dante, both natural elementalists. Sparks of lightning danced across the arena as Greg unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks.


    Yet, Dante, cool and composed, effortlessly raised compact earth walls to block each strike with surgical precision.


    But Greg had had enough of the back-and-forth.


    His figure blurred as he burst into motion, dashing with electrifying speed. With a powerful kick to the ground, he launched himself behind Dante, his hands crackling with electricity as he conjured a lightning-forged blade. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a grin tugging at the corner of his lips, Greg swung the blade with lethal intent.


    "Gotcha," he whispered, lightning humming in his voice.


    But Dante spun around smoothly, a confident smirk playing on his face.


    "Did you?" he said calmly.


    Without warning, the ground beneath Greg roared to life. The earth buckled violently, exploding upward and hurling him several meters away as though the ground itself had rejected him.


    Greg''s eyes widened in disbelief as he skid to a stop. "How¡­ How did you do that?"


    "Before, I needed to physically break through to manipulate the terrain under someone," Dante explained, stepping forward. "But that was before the joint dungeon raid. You''re not the only one who leveled up."


    As if to prove his words, the arena rumbled. The very foundation trembled like a beast awakening from slumber.


    "Earth Creation Magic¡ªGolems of Nature!" Dante roared, thrusting his arms into the air.


    With a thunderous groan, two colossal golems erupted from the ground.


    Each towered as high as two full-grown trees stacked atop one another, with torsos broader than any wagon and arms thick enough to crush a carriage with a single blow.


    Their fists looked capable of triggering earthquakes with just a clap.


    Greg narrowed his eyes, then let out a small scoff. "Keh. Am I supposed to be scared of those slow-moving dirt statues?"


    "You should be," Dante smirked darkly. "Get him."


    The golems lunged forward, their every step pounding the earth like war drums. Their movements were clunky, hindered by sheer mass, but they were persistent.


    To Greg, though, they were crawling. With a flicker of movement, he dashed to the side, narrowly dodging one of their strikes and reappearing several meters away.


    "You messed up by choosing brute strength over speed," Greg said with a dismissive tone. "Now let me show you why I''m different."


    He raised a single arm, his fingers pointed like a barrel, and closed one eye to aim.


    "Lightning Bullet!"


    A deafening crack ripped through the air as a concentrated bolt of lightning blasted forth from his fingertips, surging like a spear through one golem''s chest. The creature crumbled in an instant, reduced to rubble.


    Before the second golem could reach him, Greg darted aside again. Another bolt of lightning burst from his hand, colliding with its arm and tearing it off in a shower of scorched dirt and stone.


    ''These constructs are way too slow. Even if they''re dangerous up close, what''s the point if they can''t touch me?'' Greg thought, watching the golem halt suddenly. Then it clapped.


    The sound was monstrous.


    A sonic shockwave burst forth, splitting the air and shaking the coliseum. Greg fell to his knees, hands clamped over his ears, a pained expression on his face.


    "Agh! My eardrums!" he yelled, as if his very brain was being rattled from the inside.


    Dazed and reeling, he barely registered Dante''s sudden appearance. The earth mage was already mid-swing, wielding a massive stone club.


    The weapon crashed into Greg''s side with brutal force, sending him flying like a ragdoll into the coliseum barrier.


    Blood exploded from his nose and mouth, a grim mist that stained the air.


    Yet somehow, Greg stood. Shaky but determined¡ªuntil he glanced down. His legs were rooted in place, tightly bound by thick mounds of earth that wrapped around his ankles like shackles.


    "What?!" he gasped.


    Dante chuckled as he slowly approached. "Surprised? You should be. Unlike my hotheaded friends, I keep a calm mind. Strategy always beats brute force."


    Greg''s brows knit together. "Calm mind? Weren''t you the same guy who nearly killed Grey out of jealousy?"


    Dante''s eyes darkened with grief, his voice dropping. "Yeah¡­ I was. But after Kael''s death¡ªmy best friend¡ªI learned something. I watched how he fought, how he thought. He always stayed calm, no matter how bad things got. That''s why he survived for so long."


    His eyes narrowed. "And for the record, I only tried to kill Grey because he got close to Charlotte. If he ever looks her way again¡ªI''ll finish what I started."


    In the audience, Max raised a brow. "Romantic rival, huh?"


    "I''m not even interested in Charlotte!" Grey groaned, but his voice was swallowed by the crowd''s roar.


    Max snorted. "You''d better convince that madman before he convinces your organs to rearrange themselves."


    "Shouldn''t you be mad? That guy''s practically declaring his love for your sister," Grey retorted.


    "Charlotte''s a grown woman," Max replied coolly. "She can make her own choices¡ªas long as they don''t disgrace the Valtos name. You, on the other hand, should be more worried about the stab wound coming your way."


    Grey grinned. "As if he could even touch me."


    ---


    "You''re just crazy," Greg growled, still struggling to free himself from the trap of earth.


    His mind spun. ''I can''t break out... Jay¡ªcould he help me? No... he''s losing too¡­''


    "No one''s coming to save you," Dante said coldly. The club in his hands morphed, reshaping into a menacing war hammer. With a swift motion, he brought it down onto Greg''s stomach.


    Greg''s body folded in on itself as he coughed out blood and spit, his face pale from the pain.


    "I don''t enjoy bullying the weak," Dante said casually, turning his back. "I''m not Dave. I prefer a real fight. But for now¡ªhave fun with my creation, weakling."


    He took a step away.


    Then, a crackling boom split the sky.


    "What¡­ what did you just call me?" Greg''s voice rang out, low and venomous.


    Without turning around, Dante answered, "A weakling. Even the peasants at your level are stronger than you."


    "That does it."


    Greg''s entire body surged with electric fury. Thunder roared from above as a blinding bolt of lightning crashed down, engulfing him in an explosion of raw power. Sparks flared outward, blinding and searing the air.


    When the light cleared, Greg stood at the center, transformed.


    His eyes glowed a brilliant white, lightning sparking from them like miniature storms. His hair floated, crackling with static, and a radiant glow outlined his figure.


    Arcs of electricity coiled around him like living serpents, their presence so intense that even the barrier shuddered.


    He glanced down¡ªhis bindings were obliterated. The earth mounds had shattered like fragile clay.


    Dante stepped back, a flicker of fear crossing his expression.


    ''No... that shouldn''t be possible! Lightning is weak against earth. He shouldn''t be able to¡­''


    But Greg was already moving.


    The remaining golem lunged, the ground quaking with every step.


    Greg didn''t even blink.


    A wave of his hand summoned divine retribution from the heavens. A thunderous bolt lanced downward, cleaving through the golem and reducing it to dust in an instant.


    He turned slowly, eyes crackling with vengeance.


    "Now," Greg said, his voice low and laced with thunder. "I dare you to say that again."


    ___


    {A/N}


    Big 300 guys! Congratulations ???? to us for coming this far guys! It''s being a rollercoaster of events and hundred percent, many more rollercoasters will be approaching.


    Thank you all for your continuous support over the previous chapters. I really appreciate it so, so much.


    Nathan Sama, Arcane Sama, Charles Sama, Fenrir Sama, Albert Sama, thank you all for the continuous support.


    The next target? 400 chapters ???????? let''s go Magus Legion!

 Chapter 301 - 301: A Draw?!

    While the entire coliseum buzzed with intense battles, Jay faced his own challenge¡ªnone other than Lyra. Wind blades sliced through the air, dozens of them, relentless and razor-sharp.


    Jay weaved and ducked, narrowly avoiding some while others grazed his skin, drawing thin lines of blood across his arms and cheeks.


    His eyes darted behind him¡ªthere it was: their team''s crystal, vulnerable and unguarded. He clenched his jaw.


    "I need backup," he muttered, before calling out, "Arthur! Can you cast a spell on me?"


    "Only one," Arthur replied, already raising his hand.


    "Perfect. Let''s make it count." Jay stood his ground, the storm of wind blades still shrieking toward him. Just then, a shimmering transparent bubble formed around him¡ªArthur''s protection magic activating just in time.


    ''I''ve got one shot. Make it count.''


    "Water Creation Magic: Serpent of the Sea!" Jay roared, voice thundering with resolve.


    A massive serpent made entirely of roiling seawater erupted from the bubble, shattering the shield in a magnificent splash.


    The aquatic beast surged forward like a tidal missile, barreling through the air with overwhelming speed.


    BOOM!


    Before Lyra could even react, the water serpent slammed into her, launching her backwards like a ragdoll. She crashed against the coliseum''s magical barrier with bone-shaking force.


    Blood sprayed from her mouth, and the serpent coiled around her like a constricting python, squeezing tightly until her eyes rolled back and she slumped, unconscious.


    "Pheeew... That was intense," Jay exhaled, wiping blood from his cheek.


    But then¡ªfootsteps.


    He raised his head and saw Charlotte approaching, water swirling ominously around her form. Her expression was calm, cold, and focused entirely on him.


    "Oh, come on¡­" Jay groaned, glancing down. The faint glow that had once surrounded his body was fading fast.


    His hair, once floating from the sheer surge of mana, now drooped against his shoulders. The reservoir of power he''d drawn upon was drying up.


    ''Crap. Mana''s almost gone. And now I have to fight her?''


    He tried to step back, but a surge of water blasted into him like a battering ram, sending him tumbling.


    "Can''t you tell I''m drained?! Where''s the mercy?" Jay shouted, coughing as blood trickled from the corner of his lips.


    "This is a battlefield," Charlotte responded coldly, her voice sharp as ice. "There is no mercy for the weak."


    The water around her spun rapidly, forming a long, fluid whip that cracked through the air and lashed toward him. Jay attempted to sidestep, but the whip coiled around his arm like a snake.


    "What the¡ª!?" he gasped, just before Charlotte yanked the whip, dragging him helplessly toward her.


    "Water Magic: Crushing Torrent!"


    A dozen water orbs burst from her fingertips and pelted Jay midair¡ªeach one slamming into his chest and gut with the force of a hammer. He hit the ground, skidding and gasping, blood bubbling from his lips.


    ''Damn it¡­ If I hadn''t broken through earlier, I wouldn''t have even beaten Lyra. But now, I''m empty¡ªcompletely drained. Basic spells are all I''ve got left... and they won''t be enough.''


    His muscles trembled as he tried to rise, only to stop cold¡ªshadow overhead.


    A massive sphere of water hovered above him, easily the size of a boulder. Charlotte stood a few feet away, arms raised, her breath steady.


    ''If that hits me, I''m done for. I won''t be able to protect the crystal¡­ Arthur can''t hold them both off.''


    He turned slightly¡ªArthur still stood in front of the team crystal, maintaining a glowing shield around it, eyes darting between Jay and Charlotte.


    "Descend!" Charlotte commanded.


    The colossal water sphere plummeted toward Jay, crashing into the ground with a mighty BOOOOM. Water exploded in every direction, steam rising from the shock.


    "You missed," came Jay''s voice¡ªraspy but alive.


    A few meters away, he stood drenched, panting heavily, a puddle beneath his feet.


    ''Last bit of mana¡­ I used it to summon a wave and slide away. One second slower and I''d be out cold.''


    Charlotte narrowed her eyes. "Now I understand what Lyra meant. You''re relentless. Tough. Stubborn. But how long can you keep that up?"


    Jay''s bloodstained lips curled into a grin. "As long as I''ve got blood in my veins and water around me¡­ I''ll keep standing. Knock me down a hundred times, I''ll rise a hundred and one."


    Around him, four balls of water formed, followed by four scythe-like slashes.


    ''That''s it. My final reserves. They won''t finish her, but maybe¡­ they''ll stall her.''


    Charlotte''s smile disappeared. "Then let me end this properly. Breakthrough!"


    BOOM!


    An immense surge of mana burst from her as her body glowed, hair lifting in the torrent of power. The water around her surged, forming waves of deadly intent.


    "I won''t let you!" Jay shouted, snapping his fingers. His attacks shot forward, blades and orbs converging toward her.


    With a flick of her hand, Charlotte unleashed a wall of water that neutralized them effortlessly. Then she was gone¡ªa blur of movement¡ªbefore reappearing in front of Jay.


    "Too bad... Your efforts were brave, but futile."


    BANG!


    A compressed blast of water exploded into Jay''s chest. He went flying, his body a ragdoll trailing blood, smashing into the ground just meters from the team''s crystal.


    "Jay! Are you okay?!" Arthur called out, hesitating¡ªtorn between helping and guarding the crystal.


    "D-Do I look okay to you?!" Jay barked, blood dripping from his chin as he rose slowly. His once-white teeth were now crimson-stained, his hair disheveled, his uniform in tatters. But that fire¡­ that fire in his eyes still burned.


    "I told you, right? As long as I s¡ª"


    BOOM! BOOM!


    Two explosive sounds shattered the tension. Every head turned toward Jay''s direction. A massive reptilian beast, constructed entirely from pressurized water, erupted from Charlotte''s spell and slammed into Jay.


    His body convulsed midair from the force, eyes rolling back as blood erupted from his mouth. He was thrown with such velocity that he crashed into Arthur¡ªsending both of them hurtling into the team crystal.


    CRAAASH!


    The crystal shattered into hundreds of pieces.


    Gasps filled the arena. Silence reigned for several heartbeats as everyone absorbed the moment.


    "Incredible¡­ Unbelievable!" Captain Amir''s voice finally cut through the quiet. "It''s a draw! Both teams'' crystals have been destroyed!"


    "A draw?" Charlotte whispered, spinning around.


    There it was¡ªtheir crystal, shattered and glittering in the debris.


    "Ho¡­ how is this possible?" she muttered, stunned.


    ___ sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    {A/N}


    Pheww! We are nearing the end of this team A''s battle guys! Let''s go! Lest I forget! Congratulations to us for hitting 300 chapters ???? we did it guys!

 Chapter 302 - 302: A Strong Trevor Daughter!

    Dave and Scarlet''s clash captivated the coliseum, drawing the crowd''s undivided attention¡ªnot just because of the stakes, but because Dave was the famed son of Captain Amir and the pride of the Lunaria Squad.


    Everyone had high expectations, remembering his spectacular feats during his second year. They eagerly watched, wondering if he could surpass his previous glory.


    But things took a darker turn.


    Without warning, Dave tapped into his more ruthless side, pressing a gleaming metal blade against Scarlet''s throat. A thin line of crimson trickled down her neck when¡ª


    "Do you think I need saving?" Scarlet''s voice rang out, calm yet filled with fire. A defiant smile curled on her lips. "I''m no damsel in distress. I''m a mage¡ªa powerful one from the House of Trevor. And¡­ sorry to say, but you fell for it again."


    Before Dave could respond, the air behind him ignited.


    He spun just in time to see a dragon cloaked in flames unleashing a searing torrent of fire straight toward him.


    Reacting in a blink, Dave summoned a metallic wall to shield himself. But the dragon''s flames were too intense¡ªhis wall sizzled and melted like wax, and the force of the impact sent him crashing to the ground with a thunderous thud.


    The fire scorched the arena floor, leaving a smoldering crater as the dragon flapped its wings in a show of dominance.


    Scarlet rose to her feet, wiping the blood off her neck with the back of her hand. Her eyes locked onto Dave, who was pushing himself up, his face contorted in fury, his teeth clenched tight.


    "And you say you''re Amir''s son?" she scoffed, sarcasm dripping from her tone. "Even Vince is smarter than you. Wait¡ªwhat the hell am I saying?"


    Dave''s fists trembled at his sides. The air around him buzzed, the energy so dense it cracked the earth beneath him.


    "Yeah, that''s right," Scarlet taunted, smirking. "A ten-year-old''s got more sense than you."


    "That does it! Metal¡ª" Dave growled, but before he could finish his spell, a barrage of fireballs screamed through the air toward him.


    A gleaming metal sword materialized in his hand. He dashed forward, slicing through the fireballs with surgical precision.


    Flames exploded in his wake, but he emerged from the chaos unscathed, not even a scorch mark on his body.


    "Whoa! That was insane!" someone in the crowd gasped.


    "Didn''t expect less from him."


    "Those fireballs could''ve melted his magic! And he just sliced through them like paper."


    "The heir of the Walter family, ladies and gentlemen!"


    ---


    "That''s it? All that sass¡­ and this is the best you''ve got?!" Dave shouted, his voice rising above the roaring crowd.


    He launched forward like a missile, his speed rivaling that of wind mages. His sword gleamed with deadly light as he closed in on Scarlet. The blade arced toward her when¡ª


    Boom!


    A blazing fist of flame descended from the sky, colliding with Dave''s sword and smashing it into the arena floor.


    Scarlet spun gracefully, her feet igniting as she delivered a flaming roundhouse kick. Dave countered with a flick of his wrist, conjuring a second metal sword just in time to block the blow.


    The resulting clash cracked the earth beneath them and shook the very air, the two locked in place, frozen like statues¡ª


    Until¡ª


    Bang!


    Scarlet kicked off his blade, flipping midair. A simple snap of her fingers and five fireballs erupted from her dragon, each hurtling toward Dave.


    Dave responded in kind. With his own snap, a towering wall of metal surged up from the ground, absorbing the flames without a scratch.


    Planting his palms on the wall, Dave sent it hurtling toward Scarlet like a giant battering ram.


    But she was gone.


    "I''m not foolish enough to fall for the same trick twice!" Scarlet''s voice roared from behind him.


    Twin arrows of fire blasted into Dave''s back, sending him tumbling forward, scraping against the ground. His clothes were scorched, but a shell of reinforced metal underneath had absorbed the worst of it.


    He turned back, eyes blazing.


    "And the same trick won''t work on me... thrice." Dave snapped his fingers, and twelve scythes of razor-sharp metal materialized around him, swirling menacingly in the air like harbingers of doom.


    "Are those meant to scare me?" Scarlet cracked her knuckles, unfazed. "Because if they are, you''re doing a terrible job."


    She punched the air rapidly. Flaming fists launched toward Dave, but he dodged with effortless grace¡ªducking, weaving, sidestepping¡ªeach movement precise and fluid, the attacks exploding harmlessly around him.


    "Insane! That redhead''s holding her own!" someone from the stands shouted.


    "Isn''t that Scarlet Trevor? From the fire-wielding Trevor family?"


    "Yeah! One of the kingdom''s most elite mage bloodlines."


    "No wonder she''s able to contend with Dave!"


    ---


    "You should have been afraid." Dave''s voice was quiet but laced with venom. He crossed his arms¡ªand unleashed the storm.


    The twelve scythes spiraled forward like a metallic vortex. Scarlet''s dragon surged forward, spewing waves of fire to intercept them.


    Two scythes were melted mid-air, but the rest tore through the flames¡ªand the dragon¡ªshattering it in an explosion of fiery shards.


    "Crap!" Scarlet cursed as she sprinted across the coliseum, narrowly evading the deadly barrage.


    A scythe embedded itself into the ground beside her, carving through the stone like it was soft clay.


    ''If one of those touches me, it''s over.'' she thought, ducking just in time as a scythe grazed her head, slicing off a lock of her crimson hair.


    "Too close¡­" she muttered, gathering flames in both palms. Fire coiled around her fists as she slammed one into an incoming scythe, halting it¡ªbut barely.


    Her boots scraped against the arena floor as she was pushed back, the ground cracking under the strain. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Swoosh!


    Another scythe came hurtling toward her.


    "Damn it!" she snarled, leaping into the air. She twisted midair, kicking the scythe she held with explosive force. It collided with the oncoming one, the two blades erupting in a shower of sparks.


    Scarlet landed heavily, falling to her knees, clutching her chest, her breath ragged.


    Smash!


    A knee, encased in solid metal, slammed into her face. The impact flung her like a ragdoll across the coliseum. Her body bounced against the ground, blood spraying from her lips and nose.


    "Ugh¡­ damn you¡­" Scarlet groaned, her head pounding as she twitched on the floor, struggling to rise.


    "I told you," Dave said coldly, approaching her with calculated steps, "this match was over before it began."


    Swoosh!


    A massive metal spear materialized above Scarlet, casting a deadly shadow. She trembled as the ground beneath her swayed and spun, her vision blurring from blood loss.


    "Time to end this¡­ permanently." Dave grinned wickedly, raising a hand to hurl the spear down.


    ''If this doesn''t draw that peasant out, then nothing will,'' he sneered inwardly.


    But just before the spear could drop¡ª


    "Impossible! This is¡­ this is unbelievable!" Captain Amir''s voice roared across the coliseum after a stunned silence.


    Everyone turned to look.


    "It''s a draw! Both teams'' crystals have been destroyed!"


    "A draw?!" Dave shouted, whirling around. Sure enough, his team''s crystal had shattered¡ªjust like the second-years''.


    "How?! When?!"


    __


    {A/N}


    Alright, this place has been silent, too silent. Where are am I readers????? Your Supreme Author would like to hear your voices guys.


    Don''t force me to make a roll call????

 Chapter 303 - 303: Greg VS Dante: Duel of the elements!

    A terrifying spectacle was unfolding in the heart of the coliseum ¡ª a clash between two elemental titans, Greg and Dante.


    Both were natural elementalists and bitter rivals: one wielding the volatile might of lightning, the other commanding the unyielding strength of earth.


    Spectators sat at the edge of their seats, unable to tear their eyes away. Just when one fighter seemed to gain the upper hand, the tides would shift in a breathtaking reversal.


    At that moment, Greg found himself ensnared ¡ª trapped within an earth mound, his legs bound tightly by hardened soil. He appeared immobilized¡­ until he wasn''t.


    With a furious surge of power, Greg shattered the mound in a blinding flash of lightning, dust erupting around him.


    ''Impossible!'' Dante''s thoughts raced as his construct lunged forward. ''No lightning mage should be able to break free of that! Earth counters lightning! So how... how did he¡ª?''


    The ground trembled with each heavy step of Dante''s massive earth golem charging at Greg.


    But Greg stood unfazed. With a mere glance and a wave of his hand, a bolt of lightning thundered from the sky, obliterating the construct in a flash of brilliant white light. The golem collapsed into a heap of dirt and rubble.


    "Now," Greg said, his voice cold and laced with menace, white eyes crackling with lightning, "I dare you to repeat what you said earlier."


    "You''ve just broken through¡­" Dante growled, his voice low but resolute. "Then it''s only fair I do the same."


    Greg scoffed. "Tsk. Like that''ll scare me."


    In a blink, he vanished, lightning surging beneath his feet, propelling him forward like a bolt from the heavens.


    "Oh, you should be scared," Dante muttered, slamming his foot down. The ground responded with a violent upheaval ¡ª a massive pillar erupted beneath Greg''s path.


    Greg zigzagged through the arena, but the earth pillar pursued, twisting midair like a serpent. Before he could react, it curled and slammed into his face with brutal force, sending him crashing down.


    The moment he hit the ground, another spike of earth launched upward, smashing into his back and hurling him across the arena in a spray of blood.


    Above him, a massive boulder materialized ¡ª its shadow falling over him like a death sentence. Greg''s eyes widened.


    "Damn!" he growled. In a split-second motion, he spun, his foot crashing into the boulder and shattering it into pebbles. Then¡ª


    Bang!


    He streaked forward like a lightning-struck ghost and, in less than a second, delivered a raw bolt of lightning directly into Dante''s chest.


    Dante flew backward, tumbling across the earth as the impact sent tremors through the arena.


    "Shit¡­ kuk!" Dante coughed violently, blood and dirt spilling from his lips. Pain radiated through his limbs, paralyzing him temporarily.


    ''That damned stun effect¡­ it''s the worst thing about lightning mages!'' Dante winced as Greg stalked toward him, electricity wrapping around his fists like coiled serpents.


    Greg''s body blurred again with a sonic crack, but just before impact, an earth wall surged up, absorbing his lightning strike.


    A pillar followed, erupting beneath him, but Greg twisted and leapt backward, blood trailing from his lips.


    "Impressive," Dante said, standing tall. A scratch marred his cheek as he wiped it clean. "Lightning naturally alters the body¡ªmakes you faster. Add control over lightning movement, and your speed becomes insane."


    Greg didn''t reply, but the sparks around him intensified.


    "But now that you''ve broken through, your speed is legendary. Tracking your movement is nearly impossible." As Dante spoke, the ground quaked beneath him.


    Stone enveloped his limbs, torso, arms ¡ª an earthen armor that molded perfectly to his form. It wasn''t bulky like traditional golems; it was sleek, a second skin of stone.


    He smirked. "Let''s see whose strength reigns supreme!"


    With a burst of power, Dante charged forward, propelled by earth magic, matching Greg''s earlier speed.


    "You''re on!" Greg answered, vanishing into a blur of light.


    They met at the center of the arena. Dante''s earth-clad fist collided with Greg''s crackling knuckles.


    Boom!


    The collision unleashed a delayed shockwave that rippled across the coliseum. The ground fractured in every direction, debris lifting into the air from the sheer force.


    "Woah! How the hell is the earth mage that fast?!"


    "Exactly! He wasn''t like that before!"


    ''Tsk. They don''t know he''s manipulating earth beneath his feet to propel himself faster,'' Grey observed silently from the stands, arms folded, eyes sharp.


    "Too slow!" Greg barked as he blurred in every direction ¡ª front, back, sides ¡ª cracking the arena floor and leaving blurs and afterimages behind.


    Bang!


    He reappeared behind Dante, conjuring a lightning spear and hurling it at breakneck speed.


    But Dante didn''t flinch. "More like you''re the slowpoke." An earth wall shot up just in time. The spear crashed into it, shaking the ground violently.


    "Screw you!" Greg snarled. Leaping back, fifty lightning arrows spiraled around him, forming a glowing constellation.


    With a snap of his fingers, they launched.


    Dante raised another wall, which shattered under impact, but it gave him just enough time to dodge. The ground cracked and smoked behind him.


    "Earth Magic: Scythes of Death!" Dante roared.


    Fifty jagged scythes of rock exploded toward Greg.


    "Lightning Creation Magic: Lightning Serpent!" Greg responded. A radiant serpent of electricity appeared, its eyes glowing bright, fangs bared. It opened its maw, unleashing a tidal wave of lightning at the scythes.


    The two attacks collided with cataclysmic force. The arena trembled. Lightning danced across the sky while scorched chunks of earth rained down.


    "How are you this strong?!" Dante demanded, panting, eyes narrowed.


    Greg''s serpent launched a barrage of bolts, which Dante barely dodged.


    "You want to know why?" Greg growled, lightning flaring violently. "Because I push past my limits every single day! And today is no different!"


    He slammed his foot down. The ground beneath him cracked violently, forming a crater.


    Then, with speed akin to light itself, Greg pounced. He struck Dante with a bolt so pure and powerful that the older student flew like a ragdoll, skidding and crashing.


    Before Greg could celebrate, another pillar slammed into his jaw, flipping him backward and sending him skidding across the dirt.


    Both fighters lay still momentarily. Blood streamed down Greg''s face, painting half of it crimson. Yet he gritted his teeth and stood, swaying but defiant.


    Dante, protected slightly by his armor, also stood, bloodied but breathing.


    "Do you realize I''m number two among the third years?!" Dante yelled, the earth shaking beneath him. "How dare you try to injure me?!"


    "Oh yeah?!" Greg snapped. His lightning serpent coiled around Dante''s arm and dragged him through the air.


    ''This will drain everything... but I don''t care!'' Greg roared in his mind. His arm trembled as he summoned an overwhelming surge of lightning, pain wracking his body.


    Dante struggled as the serpent shocked and dragged him rapidly toward Greg.


    "I''m also¡­" Greg grunted, eyes glowing, "I''m also number two of the second year students!"


    He thrust his electrified fist forward just as Dante reached him. Their collision unleashed a shockwave so powerful, it formed a crater like a miniature well beneath their feet.


    Dante''s armor shattered as his body launched backward, blood spraying from his mouth.


    Bang!


    Crack!


    Shatter!


    His body smashed into the protective earth surrounding his team''s crystal ¡ª and shattered it on impact. The fragments rained down as his body hit the floor, unmoving.


    Greg, his lightning aura dissipating, collapsed next. The serpent vanished in a final flicker. He hit the ground with a hard thud, unconscious. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For a long moment, silence reigned.


    "Impossible¡­ This is so unbelievable¡­" Captain Amir finally said, his voice echoing in the stunned silence.


    "It''s a draw between the two teams!" he declared. "Charlotte destroyed the second-years'' crystal at the same time Dante''s body crushed the third-years''!"


    A stunned murmur swept across the crowd. The clash had ended ¡ª not with victory, but with equal devastation.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Alright, there we have it guys! The battle between the team A''s has just ended????


    On to the next thing. Please drop your thoughts on this tournament so far.

 Chapter 304 - 304: Bracket of Fate!

    "Impossible! This is so unbelievable!" Captain Amir''s voice thundered through the coliseum, cutting through the stunned silence that had fallen over the crowd. "It''s a draw between the two teams!"


    His words lingered in the air, hanging heavy with disbelief as the crowd tried to make sense of what they had just witnessed. All eyes flicked between the two shattered crystals¡ªsymbols of a battle that had ended in mutual destruction.


    "Wait... did the third-year students just lose?"


    "No, you moron! Didn''t you hear Amir? It''s a tie!"


    "Same thing, you dingus! A tie with second-years is a loss!"


    "How in the hell did the lowerclassmen manage a draw?"


    "Are we seriously looking at the birth of a powerful new generation?"


    "Guess we can''t deny it now. They just went head-to-head with the third-years and didn''t get flattened. That''s history right there."


    "Don''t forget something crucial. There was that one time second-years dominated the intra-academy tournament and won it all."


    "Oh yeah, when Kael competed, right? That monster soloed the third-years."


    "Exactly. Ever since then, no second-year has gotten close¡­ until now."


    "But again, this isn''t a win. It''s just a tie. Let''s hear what Amir says next."


    ---


    In the viewing booth, Lucian let out a surprised laugh, unable to hide the shock laced with admiration in his expression.


    "Even though my gut still says it''s not over yet¡­ what I just saw was epic. Did the second-years just pull off a draw?" Lucian asked aloud, chuckling in disbelief.


    "I warned you, didn''t I?" Amir smirked, arms crossed. "Told you not to underestimate them. Everyone¡ªincluding the crowd¡ªalready dismissed them. And now? They''ve shaken up the academy."


    "Yeah, I''ll admit it. I was wrong," Lucian said, leaning back and placing his hands behind his head. "I thought each new generation got worse. But clearly¡­ I was wrong."


    Amir''s eyes gleamed with a spark of mischief. "That brings us to the real question. What do we do now?"


    Lucian narrowed his eyes. "You have something in mind?"


    "I do. But I need your approval," Amir said, a sly grin forming.


    "Go ahead. Let''s hear it."


    ---


    Meanwhile, down in the stands, Grey stood frozen, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, completely floored by what had just transpired.


    "Did you¡­ did you know they were this strong?" Max asked, his own gaze locked on the two destroyed crystals, disbelief etched across his face.


    "I mean¡­" Grey began, his voice barely above a whisper. "I knew they were powerful¡ªbut this strong? I expected them to give the third-years a hard time, but a draw? This just blew my mind." A proud smile spread across his face as he watched the unconscious students being carried away for healing.


    "Who would''ve thought they could manage something this insane without you?" Noir said from within Grey''s consciousness, watching through his host''s eyes.


    ''I''m still in shock,'' Grey admitted inwardly.


    ---


    "Alright!" Amir''s voice boomed once more, commanding everyone''s attention. The atmosphere instantly shifted as silence descended on the coliseum once again.


    Even those being treated in the medical bay sat up¡ªor tried to¡ªas a communication mage projected the scene using a large green crystal.


    A holographic image shimmered into view, broadcasting Amir''s words in real time to all corners of the arena and the healer''s chambers alike.


    "We''ve reached a conclusion about how to proceed," Amir said. "Honestly, I''m proud of both years for putting on an unforgettable match. I warned everyone not to underestimate the second-years, and today, they proved me right.


    That said, the final spots for the inter-academy tournament must still be decided. And because of that, we''re doing something special tomorrow!"


    As he spoke, a massive holographic board flared to life in the center of the coliseum¡ªso large that even those in the farthest rows could read it clearly.


    ---


    [TOMORROW''S SPECIAL ONE-ON-ONE MATCHUPS]


    Greg VS Lyra


    Scarlet VS Drey


    Raze VS Dante


    Vince VS Dave


    Jay VS Charlotte


    ---


    "No interruptions. No teammates to save you. No second chances," Amir declared. "Just you, your opponent, and the battlefield. This is your final chance to earn a spot in the inter-academy tournament. Only five students per academy are allowed to participate. Win tomorrow, and that spot is yours."


    The moment he finished, murmurs erupted from the stands before quickly escalating into cheers as the crowd began to file out of the coliseum, still buzzing with excitement and speculation.


    ---


    Grey remained rooted in place, his body tense. He clenched his fists as his eyes scanned the names on the board.


    ''Has Amir lost his mind?! Vince against DAVE?! That''s suicide!'' Grey thought in disbelief. ''Of all the matchups¡­ why pit them against each other?! He knows there''s bad blood between them! What is he thinking?! One of his sons could die!''


    ---


    The scene wasn''t much better at the second-years'' infirmary.


    "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Scarlet''s voice rang out, echoing off the clinic walls. The hologram had just flickered off, but her anger had only just begun.


    "Dave and Vince?! Is Captain Amir trying to get someone killed?!"


    "M-M-Me and Dave?" Vince whispered, voice trembling, lips pale. His mind flashed back to the last time they''d fought¡ªhow Dave had pummeled him into near-death before Grey stepped in to save his life.


    "This is crazy¡­" he muttered, hands clenched.


    "I swear, old age must rot your brain," Raze growled. "Because that lineup is pure garbage! Dave will rip Vince to shreds! No offense, man, but you''re toast."


    Vince''s head snapped toward him. "You talking about me? Have you seen your own matchup? Dante''s literally gonna bury you six feet under!"


    "Not my fault your butt head old man thought it''d be cute to pair me against the number two among the third-years!" Raze snapped back.


    "Yeah?! Well I''m up against the number one! And he''s not just any upperclassman¡ªhe''s my brother!" Vince yelled, eyes wild with frustration. "


    "Well, at least he''s your biological brother!" Raze retorted. "I don''t even stand a chance, and I''m expected to show up smiling tomorrow like this isn''t a damn execution!"


    "A brother who''s been waiting for an opportunity like this! Now he''s got one¡ªhanded to him on a silver platter!" Vince retorted angrily.


    Just then, the clinic door slid open with a sharp hiss.


    "What''s with all the noise?" came a familiar voice.


    "Grey?!" Raze and Scarlet called out in unison, eyes widening at the sight of their friend stepping into the room.


    ___


    {A/N} S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hey Magus Legion! Uhm... How do I say this???? but see, there''s this category that''s in the WSA competition. It''s the ''Book of the year'' category and all Magus Supremacy needs is just your supports.


    I know that our little group isn''t as big as the top authors yet but it doesn''t have to be. I just need your supports y''all so my book can at least occupy the top 10 or top 5 spots.


    I will be communicating how to go about it in the next chapter.

 Chapter 305 - 305: Good Job Guys!

    Grey had just left the coliseum, walking with his usual iconic swagger¡ªhands tucked casually in his pockets, head slightly bowed as a storm of thoughts raged through his mind.


    He had parted ways with Max a few moments earlier. Max had decided to explore the town a bit longer, giving Grey an address to pass on to Charlotte whenever he came across her.


    ''Shit! What the hell is Amir thinking? Why pair Vince against Dave?'' Grey''s thoughts churned with unease. ''He knows there''s bad blood between them. This isn''t just careless¡ªit''s dangerous.''


    "Is it only Vince you''re worried about? What about Raze? Scarlet? Greg?" Noir''s voice suddenly echoed in his head, cutting through the tension.


    "They can handle themselves," Grey muttered aloud, not breaking stride. "Raze can copy magic. If his opponent''s affinity is too weak, that fool can just switch and duel on equal ground.


    Scarlet? We just saw how fierce she is. And Greg... he''s shaping into a monster. But Vince? That kid is walking into a slaughterhouse." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The clinic now loomed just a few feet ahead, its quiet atmosphere a stark contrast to the chaos in Grey''s mind.


    "You''re not wrong," Noir replied, his tone more measured than usual. "Especially considering what Dave tried to pull today. Scarlet would''ve been killed if both crystals hadn''t been destroyed in time."


    Grey suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Wait a minute. Why the hell are you being nice to me? You barely talk unless it''s to mock me."


    "Tch! I''m just bored of being cooped up in here!" Noir snapped. "I can''t even show myself. Amir''s orders¡ª''stay hidden.'' Like I''m some kind of criminal."


    Grey chuckled. "I almost feel bad for you. Almost."


    He twisted the doorknob and stepped into the clinic, only to be greeted by a burst of heated voices.


    "Damn it! What''s the noise about?" he said, raising a brow as the door slid open.


    "Grey?!" Raze''s voice rang out in surprise.


    At the sound of Grey''s name, Greg¡ªwho had been unconscious¡ªsnapped his eyes open. Jay stirred as well, both of them groaning softly as they slowly sat upright.


    "What''s with the shouting? Can''t someone get a little peace and quiet around here?" Greg grumbled, rubbing his forehead.


    "I can put you back to sleep¡ªpermanently. Interested?" Grey quipped, smirking as he sauntered over to a nearby chair.


    "What, you here to mock us? Tell us how you would have done better today? ''Cause if that''s the plan, I swear I will drown you," Jay warned, wincing with every word.


    "On the contrary," Grey said coolly. "I''m here to praise you."


    The room went still.


    "Y-you... want to praise us?" Raze stammered.


    "What? Haven''t I done that before?" Grey asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "No! Absolutely not! Which is why we''re shocked!" Scarlet responded, blinking in disbelief.


    "Whatever," Grey scoffed. "You all did a damn good job out there. Especially you, Vince and Greg. You both exceeded expectations. You broke your limits... I''m proud of you."


    Then he chuckled, a wicked glint in his eye. "Too bad Vince is going to die tomorrow."


    Vince growled and hurled a pillow at him, flames bursting from his palm and incinerating it midair.


    "Not funny," Vince muttered.


    "To me, it''s hilarious," Grey replied, still grinning. "I just wanted to see your face when you saw that feature."


    "He went pale," Raze snickered.


    "Did I ask you? Don''t forget, you''re also getting buried tomorrow," Grey shot back.


    "I can manage," Raze shrugged.


    "I doubt that," Jay said. "Before you even blitz around with lightning, your world will already be six feet under."


    "Says the guy that nearly got battered by wind blades. Oh! Actually, you did get battered and then smashed by someone using the same element as you." Raze retorted.


    "I took on two opponents. You couldn''t even handle one. I''m the real man here."


    "Real man? You got thrashed by women," Scarlet scoffed.


    "Weren''t you nearly killed by Dave? If it wasn''t for the dual crystal break, you''d be toast," Jay snapped.


    Grey shook his head, amused. "Look at you all. Pots calling kettles black. If it weren''t for your breakthroughs, none of you would be here."


    "At least we participated," Greg said, crossing his arms. "Where were you?"


    "You do know that if I joined, it won''t be fair to the upperclassmen. The competition would be over in mere minutes."Grey replied with mock pride.


    "Big words from someone who couldn''t really beat Dave," Scarlet sneered.


    "You''re forgetting something. I did beat him. Not once, but twice." Grey glared at her.


    "Right, I actually forgot," Scarlet muttered, scratching her head.


    "No surprise there. Memory loss¡ªa sign of old age," Grey said, tapping his temple.


    "Hey! What do you mean?" Scarlet snapped loudly.


    "That you are getting old? Is that so hard to comprehend?" Grey asked when he tapped his forehead. "Right, old age."


    "I''m going to burn you to a crisp." Scarlet roared as she tried to stand up when she fell back on the bed which earned her a chuckle from Grey.


    "Good luck with that, grandma." He smirked.


    "You...!" she growled while the others burst out laughing, their earlier worries momentarily forgotten.


    Grey sobered. "On a serious note¡ªyou all did great. You blew my mind today. I''m proud to say I don''t have weak friends. Though you are still weak, so don''t let that get to your heads."


    He turned towards the door, hand on the knob. Then he paused and glanced over his shoulder.


    "Tomorrow, crush your opponents. Show them you''re not pushovers. Don''t disappoint me."


    His smile was genuine, and it was mirrored across the room.


    But just before he twisted the knob to leave, he looked straight at Vince.


    "Oh, lest I forget. What colour of coffin do you prefer? Vince."


    "Damn you, Grey!" Vince shouted, launching a metal shard toward the door¡ªbut Grey was already gone, the shard embedding itself into the wood.


    Laughter erupted again, echoing like a battle cry for what tomorrow would bring.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Alright, Vince will be toast soon and so will Magus Supremacy without your supports guys!


    Now about our earlier discussion in the previous chapter. To support the book in the competition, kindly go to your events tab, you would see the ''Book of the year'' event there.


    Click on it, and look for Magus Supremacy... Currently, it''s on ranking 59, might go down to 60 tho???? tap on the book and you will be given tasks to do. Please guys, this is a sincere plea to you all ????


    If you have been enjoying this book, if this Supreme Author has been giving you guys crazily good contents, please support him in this competition. I want to show JKS, Awespec, Raj and the others that


    Even if I don''t have a large reader base like them, I still have the support of my readers and together, we will take Magus Supremacy to the top. This dream is quite feeble considering the competition but I know with the help of my lovely Magus Legion, we will rise to the top.????


    So who''s with this Supreme Author??????????????????????

 Chapter 306 - 306: Many More Surprises to come!

    The sun rose with brilliance, painting streaks of gold across the skies¡ªit was finally the much-anticipated day for the second round of the intra-academy tournament, and the entire campus buzzed with excitement.


    Energy crackled in the air like a brewing storm, and the coliseum stood proudly like a titan awaiting blood and glory.


    Inside his dorm, Grey stirred from sleep.


    His body was calm, but his mind was racing¡ªconstantly flickering through everything that had happened and what could unfold today.


    He sat cross-legged on the floor, entering a state of focused meditation. A soft aura shimmered faintly around him as he cultivated.


    ''I wonder when I''ll break through to the next star,'' he mused, exhaling slowly as his cultivation cycle reached completion.


    After a few quiet moments, he stood up, stretched briefly, and moved towards the bathroom.


    The cold water splashed over his body, washing away the tension. Within minutes, he was dressed and out the door, headed straight for the coliseum.


    ''I just hope Dave doesn''t let his anger get the better of him today¡­ otherwise Vince might actually lose his life,'' Grey thought darkly as the grand arena loomed into view.


    The crowd had already begun to gather. The massive coliseum, its towers stretching high into the sky, looked like a temple built to honor strength and rivalry.


    Grey navigated through the crowd and made his way toward the spectating stands¡ªwhere he spotted a familiar figure waiting eagerly.


    Max.


    "Good morning," Max greeted, flashing a grin that stretched ear to ear. The seat beside him was unmistakably reserved for Grey.


    "Morning," Grey responded, easing into the chair. "Excited for today''s match?"


    "Obviously! I get to watch my sister dominate her opponent," Max said proudly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.


    "Let''s hope things go according to plan," Grey said with a small smile.


    "Hey, Grey!" another voice called.


    Turning around, Grey saw his other friends who weren''t participating in today''s match approaching¡ªVanica, Arthur, Gordon, and Vorden. They took their seats around him, some beside him, others behind.


    "You guys made it?" Grey asked, mildly surprised.


    "Of course," Gordon replied enthusiastically. "Wouldn''t miss a chance to cheer for our team."


    "Let''s just hope they''re worth cheering for," Grey muttered under his breath.


    Suddenly, a booming voice echoed throughout the arena.


    "Ladies and gentlemen!"


    The ground trembled violently beneath their feet as the same mechanical rumble from the day before filled the air.


    At the far end of the coliseum, the ground split, and a magnificent booth rose upward¡ªa gleaming platform where Amir and Lucian now stood.


    "Tch." Grey scoffed as he rested his elbow on the railing.


    "I hope we''re all ready for today''s match?" Amir''s voice thundered.


    "YES!!!" The crowd erupted like a volcanic explosion, the sheer force of their cheer making the ground quake again.


    "I''m glad the enthusiasm is strong today," Amir continued with a grin. "Now, without any further ado, let''s begin! Please, direct your attention to the center of the coliseum!"


    A massive white holographic display appeared mid-air, rotating slowly as names began to flicker on it. Rows upon rows of student names flashed rapidly, the tension in the crowd rising with each passing second.


    And then¡ªit stopped.


    "The first match of the day is between the fearless and fiery¡ªScarlet Trevor!¡ªversus the third-year beast of battle, Drey!" Amir roared.


    The coliseum exploded in cheers. The crowd stomped, whistled, and waved their arms as the iron gates on either end creaked open.


    From one side, Scarlet strode out.


    Her red hair danced in the wind, flames already beginning to lick around her fingers. Her fiery eyes scanned the arena, undeterred by the deafening roar from the crowd.


    From the opposite gate, Drey emerged.


    His gait was casual, one hand buried in his pocket, the other casually twirling a finger. A frown tugged at one side of his lips while a cocky smirk pulled at the other.


    Despite the show of nonchalance, a dangerous air coiled around him like a sleeping beast ready to wake.


    The two students stood face to face in the center of the coliseum, tension so thick it could be sliced with a blade.


    "For safety reasons, two certified three-star mages are currently on standby. We''re not planning to lose any students today," Amir announced.


    Grey allowed himself a smile and leaned back into his seat.


    ''Good. With that kind of backup, Dave won''t be able to pull anything reckless¡ªnot without getting shut down instantly.''


    "The rules remain the same," Amir declared. "Knock your opponent out, pin them, or force a surrender. Let''s not waste any more time. Are you ready?!"


    In response, flames surged wildly around Scarlet''s fists, the air around her rippling from the heat.


    Across from her, Drey''s body began to shift grotesquely.


    His arms stretched longer, muscles bulging. Sharp, curved claws burst from his fingers. His eyes glowed a haunting yellow, slitted like a predator''s.


    Fangs erupted from his jaws, and with a tear of fabric, a long sinewy tail emerged from his lower back. He rose to his full transformed height¡ªover seven feet tall.


    "Glad you''re both ready. Let the first match¡­ begin!" Amir''s voice was the spark that ignited the chaos.


    Scarlet moved first.


    "Fire Magic!" she shouted, flames spiraling from her hands in a blazing wave. The searing heat distorted the air as the torrent shot toward Drey.


    "Beast Transformation Magic: Claw Strike!" Drey called out, slashing his claws in rapid succession.


    Crescent-shaped energy claws tore through the air, colliding with Scarlet''s flames and cutting through them like a hot knife through butter.


    Scarlet barely pivoted out of the way, the claw slashes grazing past her with terrifying speed before smashing into the stone walls of the coliseum, exploding on impact.


    "You''re lucky," Drey growled, appearing before her in a blur.


    His claws lashed out, aiming straight for her face. But Scarlet ducked instinctively, spinning low.


    A wave of fire exploded from her palm, catching Drey in the torso and launching him backwards.


    In the same breath, she snapped her fingers.


    A dozen fire arrows materialized mid-air and fired forward like homing missiles, their trails cutting through the sky with blistering speed.


    Drey crossed his clawed arms in front of him in an X-shape. The fire arrows slammed into his forearms, driving him backward as the ground cracked beneath his heels. Each impact sent flames cascading outward, smoke curling in the air.


    When the flames cleared, Drey was still standing.


    His arms bore only a single drop of blood.


    Then¡­ the wound healed instantly, muscle and flesh sealing like nothing had happened. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Scarlet''s eyes widened in disbelief. ''That attack could take down a level four beast. And all it did was draw a single drop of blood? His body¡­ it''s like armor!''


    "You look shocked," Drey said with a grin, his voice guttural and low. "Well, don''t be. I''ve still got a few more tricks up my sleeve!"


    Then he vanished¡ªpropelling forward at blinding speed toward Scarlet, who was still frozen in place.


    ___


    {A/N}


    Alright, not to spring this upon you all suddenly, but instead of the usual two chapters today, we are doing four.


    Why? Because Albert Sama has just made a mass release possible by letting us hit the Golden tickets goal! Let''s go! Also, I have something to tell you all in the next chapter.


    ????????????