Chapter 509: Tournament Announcement!
Chapter 509
Back at Aetherian Academy, lessons were going as usual. Kent decided to go harder on the students, making them go through rigorous training that sparked endless complaints. Despite their grumbling, he refused to back down.
Why? Because the tournament was drawing closer, though most of the students were oblivious to the urgency—at least until their bodies could no longer take the stress and strain from the sudden increase in training.
"For fuck’s sake! I’m tired!" a yellow band shouted in pain, glaring at Kent, who returned the look with cold sharpness.
"What? Why are you glaring at us? You suddenly doubled the intensity of our training. Before, we focused on one lesson at a time, but now you’re forcing us into two combat training sessions at once. Oh! Let’s not forget about our weapon class, where the instructors are also tough on us. What the fuck is going on?!" The same yellow band yelled in frustration, finally breaking under the pressure.
"You thought coming to this academy would be all fun and games? We are here to work, not laze around, so don’t fucking complain!" Kent snapped back, his voice thundering through the hall as he glared at the students.
"We at least deserve an explanation, right?" Thalos finally spoke up for the first time in the class, his deep voice cutting through the murmurs.
"Huh? Thought you were dumb," Kent muttered before shaking his head with a sigh. "Fine. If you all insist so much, I will tell you."
Grey, who hadn’t bothered complaining, leaned in closer to listen. Unlike the others, he was more than happy to continue the training, absorbing everything like a sponge.
"The tournament is happening in a few weeks," Kent announced.
"Huh? Tournament?" The students raised their eyebrows in unison, clearly confused.
’I knew something like this was coming, but in a few weeks? What happened to the original plan of two months?’ Rivock thought, rubbing his temples with a frown.
"And the assessment for who is fit to partake will happen in two weeks. That is why we’ve decided to take things up a notch and drill you all properly," Kent continued, silencing the room instantly.
’Tournament huh?’ Grey thought as blurry images flickered through his mind. This time, however, he couldn’t make out anything clearly. The only thing he heard was shouting, like a crowd roaring in a coliseum. But just as quickly as they appeared, the images vanished.
’Did I partake in a tournament before? Was I in an academy in my past life?’ he wondered, brows furrowed.
"Any problem?" Ray asked, noticing beads of sweat trickling down Grey’s face.
"No, I’m fine," Grey forced a smile.
"You sure?" Ray pressed, but before Grey could respond, Finral turned with an annoyed glare.
"Why are you acting like his girlfriend? If he said he’s fine, then he is. Stop making noise," Finral shot back.
"Hey, you!" Kent’s voice boomed as he pointed at Finral. "Why the hell are you making noise in my class?!"
"Me? Make noise? When did I?" Finral raised a brow.
"Oh, so you’re saying I’m blind now?" Kent asked with a deep frown.
"When did I say that?!" Finral exclaimed in disbelief.
"So you mean I’m lying, huh? Alright then. Go outside and give me ten laps." Kent ordered firmly, leaving Finral stunned, his mouth hanging open in protest.
"What are you waiting for? Go do the laps, noise maker," Grey chuckled, leaning closer to tease him.
With a scoff, Finral stormed out of the room to do the laps he was ordered to.
’The tournament huh?’ Grey thought with a small grin as he stared at the direct descendants. ’This is the perfect chance to put these guys in their place. But for that, I need to relearn my lightning magic, no matter what it takes.
Ah damn, but where do I even start? Maybe I should visit the Noxarian faction soon. That would be a good place to practice safely without accidentally injuring anyone. And if I’m lucky, I might even uncover something else—something that could help me push my limits faster than expected. This time, I cannot afford to fail.’
Hmm. The assessment is in two weeks, huh? I’ll need to hurry to the Noxarian faction as soon as possible before it starts. Maybe I should go tomorrow. Yeah, that settles it. I guess I’ll have to see Gunther for that.
Since I’m now part of the Midnight Sun Clan, I feel like he should know who or what they are, and that would make him more likely to allow me and Thalos to leave. Yes, tomorrow we head for the Noxarian faction. Aside from relearning my lightning magic, I’ll also need to craft more pills for myself, and perhaps even try to forge a few weapons that might come in handy during the tournament.
’I promise, and I swear, when I return, I’ll completely humiliate all of you in front of the entire academy. And if your clan leaders come to witness the event, then I’ll humiliate you in front of them too. That’s my oath! The vow of the Supreme Magus and the future Supreme Yun Warrior!’ Grey declared inwardly, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned pale. His eyes burned with a mixture of resolve and anticipation.
Meanwhile, Mada was also deep in thought after hearing Kent’s announcement.
’The tournament, huh? It’s the perfect event to prove to Brother that I’m strong and that I won’t drag him down. I don’t care about anything else—not victory, not glory. All I want is to show Gunther how powerful I’ve become. I will prove to him that I am worthy of the trust he has placed in me.’ His hands balled into fists, and his eyes gleamed with fierce determination.
’Finally,’ Rivock thought with his usual wide grin stretching across his face. ’The opportunity we’ve been waiting for has arrived. At last, the plan to put this peasant in his place will be set in motion. On that day, Grey will meet his end at our hands. I promise you, Grey, you’ll regret ever crossing us.’ His grin widened as a cruel light flickered in his eyes.
Kent clapped his hands sharply, dragging everyone back to the present. "So, I hope we all now understand why we’re being tough on you. This isn’t punishment—it’s preparation. With that said, let’s continue our training. Work hard, so you’ll be able to get to your weapon class on time."
The students groaned under their breaths, but Kent ignored them as the lesson continued with renewed intensity.