The Return Of The Exiled Villain

”So what’s in our agenda anyway?” I already forgot,” Gray asked as they continued down the beach path.

Hearing his words, Lyra pulled out her little notebook from her small bag.

The pages were filled with neat handwriting, cute doodles, and a few colorful sticky notes.

”Alright,” she said, tapping her pen against the page, ”uhh, there’s a forest exploration challenge. Each group needs to find three special crystals hidden somewhere inside the forest and bring them back before sunset.”

”Ah... that thing... but crystals, huh? Sounds like a cheap treasure hunt,” Gray raised an eyebrow.

Lyra glanced at him with a grin.

”You say that now, but I heard they’re hidden deep inside the forest. Some people said the place is full of monsters, the teachers left there just to make it harder.”

That caught his attention.

”Monsters, you say? Now that sounds more fun. Thankfully, I brought out my rapier with me.”

She rolled her eyes. ”You’re unbelievable. We’re supposed to find crystals, not start a massacre.”

”Who said I can’t do both?” he replied casually, reaching behind his head with a stretch.

”You’re lucky I’m smart enough to balance your stupidity.” Lyra sighed dramatically, closing her notebook.

”Oh? So you admit we make a good pair?” Gray smirked.

”Ha! Keep dreaming,” she said, turning away with her hands behind her back. ”Just don’t wander off when we’re there. I don’t want to babysit you.”

”Sure, sure,” he said lazily, stuffing his hands into his pockets as they strolled toward the beachside stalls. ”But if something scary pops out, you can hold my hand. I won’t judge.”

”Gray!” Lyra whipped around, glaring at him.

He chuckled quietly, enjoying the way her face puffed up in mild anger.

It took them a while to reach the meeting place, but as they walked down the beach path, they found a crowd of students and followed them toward the edge of the forest, where a wide clearing had been set up.

Wooden signs marked the boundary, and a small raised platform stood in the center.

On that platform stood a tall man with messy brown hair and a pair of glasses that constantly slid down his nose, one of the academy’s professors.

His robe was half-unbuttoned like he couldn’t care less, yet his sharp eyes scanned the gathered students like a hawk.

The chatter slowly died down as he cleared his throat.

”Alright, everyone, listen up.” His voice carried easily over the crowd. ”This is the first official event of the academy’s island program — the Forest Exploration Challenge!”

A few students clapped excitedly while others just groaned.

Gray, in particular, yawned.

The professor smirked.

”Inside this forest, there are crystals. Blue, red, and gold. Each group needs to collect one of each before sunset and bring them back to this clearing. Simple enough, right?”

Just as he said that, someone from the crowd shouted.

”Professor! Are there monsters in there?”

”Oh, definitely,” the man replied without hesitation, grinning like he enjoyed saying it.

”The forest is full of low to mid-tier beasts. Don’t worry, they won’t kill you if you’re careful. But,” he raised a finger, ”if you’re too slow or too careless, they will chase you until you cry for your mommy. So I’d suggest teamwork.”

’Low to mid tier... huh? So that means, Intermediate to peak Advanced... and in the worst of the occasions... a Master-level beast.’

The crowd murmured nervously.

”Also,” the professor continued, ”each team has a tracking badge.” He lifted a small crystal device.

”This will show your group’s location and your current progress. If anything goes wrong, break it, and you’ll be automatically teleported back here — but you’ll lose your chance to finish the challenge. Got it?”

Everyone nodded, though a few clearly weren’t listening.

”Good. Now then,” he said, clapping his hands once, ”you’ve got five hours before sunset. Be smart, don’t die, and bring me something shiny.”

With that, he waved his hand, and the magical barrier blocking the forest shimmered before vanishing.

”Let’s go,” Lyra said, tugging at Gray’s sleeve.

Gray looked ahead at the dense green woods and smiled faintly.

”Ladies first?”

”Ha-ha. Very funny.” Lyra rolled her eyes and stepped forward, adjusting the strap of her small side bag.

As the two of them entered the forest, the sound of cicadas and rustling leaves filled the air. The deeper they went, the more humid it became, and the cheerful noise of other students faded away behind them.

”So...” Gray muttered, glancing at the trees.

”When are you stripping down?”

Lyra stopped dead in her tracks.

”...Excuse me?” she turned sharply, hands on her hips.

Gray met her glare without a hint of shame. ”My eye candy isn’t here. How am I supposed to help if I’ve got nothing to look at?”

For a moment, she just blinked at him, then her face turned bright red.

”Y-you pervert!”

He only shrugged, pretending to study the trees. ”What? Motivation is important. I fight better when I’m inspired.”

”Inspired my ass!” Lyra snapped, grabbing a small stick from the ground and throwing it at him.

It hit his shoulder with a soft thud.

”Ow,” Gray said, rubbing the spot but still grinning.

”That’s your idea of foreplay?”

”GRAY!”

Her shout sent a few birds flying out of the trees, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

Finally, she huffed, crossing her arms and turning away.

”You’re impossible...”

”And you’re cute when you’re mad,” he added lightly, walking past her.

Lyra groaned under her breath but followed. ”You’d better take this seriously, or we’ll be the ones crying before sunset.”

”Fine, fine,” he said lazily, hands in his pockets. ”But don’t blame me if I get distracted. Beautiful scenery, beautiful partner... hard to focus, you know?”

Lyra didn’t answer this time, but the corner of her lips twitched like she was fighting a smile.

”Growll....”

Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees.

From the shadows, a hulking beast stepped out, a Forest Tuskhound.

Its body was covered in rough, mossy fur, its yellow eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.

Thick tusks jutted from its jaw, and its claws dug into the ground, cracking roots beneath its feet.

It wasn’t anything special, and both of them could deal with it alone.

”A mid-rank beast already? Great...” Lyra’s eyes widened briefly.

The monster roared and charged forward, snapping branches under its weight.

Gray took a small step back.

”Oh no, it’s charging. How scary.”

Lyra threw him a glare.

”You-ugh, useless!”

She dashed forward, electricity sparking at her fingertips.

”Fine, I’ll do it myself!”

Crack!

Golden lightning surged from her hand, wrapping around her arm like a living serpent. With a sharp motion, she swung it out.

PAA-CHHH!

The whip-like bolt lashed across the monster’s flank, slicing through fur and muscle. The creature howled in pain, stumbling back, smoke rising from the wound.

”Phew~, not bad. You look hotter with lightning,” Gray let out a low whistle.

”Shut up and do something!” she yelled, summoning another spark.

Instead of answering, Gray leaned against a nearby tree, watching calmly as she spun the lightning around her wrist again.

Lyra gritted her teeth, rushing in close.

The Tuskhound swiped its massive paw, but she ducked low, sliding beneath its arm, then drove her fist into its stomach.

BZZZT!

A surge of golden light exploded from her punch, sending the beast flying backward, crashing into a thick trunk that cracked from the impact.

”Bravo. A solid eight out of ten for form, but I’d deduct points for yelling too much.” Gray clapped slowly.

”GRAY!” Lyra snapped, sparks flickering around her body.

”Fine, fine... you’ve got this handled, don’t you?”

As she rolled her eyes, the monster groaned, struggling to rise again, smoke pouring off its back.

Lyra raised her arm once more, the lightning whip coiling around her like a glowing ribbon.

”Stay down!” she shouted, swinging it forward, the golden strike hitting the beast’s head with a thunderous crack that echoed through the forest.

When the light faded, the Tuskhound lay motionless on the ground, its fur still sizzling.

Lyra exhaled, brushing her hair out of her face.

”There. Easy.”

”Hmm. You fight wild animals better than you talk to people. Should I be concerned?” Gray pushed off the tree, walking over.

She smacked his arm again, glaring.

”You could have helped, you know!”

”Why would I? I was busy admiring the view.” He only shrugged, a small smirk forming.

”Gray...” she warned, lightning still crackling faintly at her fingertips.

”Alright, alright,” he chuckled.

”Don’t fry me, Thunder Princess. You did great.”

”Let’s just find the crystals before I electrocute you for real.” Lyra sighed and muttered under her breath, but her cheeks were faintly pink as she turned away.

[...Aren’t you teasing her a bit too much?]

’Oh, Jasmine...’ he thought about her question before replying.

’Nahhh...’

[...Really?]

Gray looked at Lyra’s back.

She kept walking ahead, brushing away branches, mumbling under her breath about ”useless partners” and ”shameless idiots”.

[So?]

’Definitely not.’

”So... what happens if I say you look really good when you’re angry?” Gray hummed lazily, pushing his conversation with Jasmine aside.

”Then I’ll hit you with lightning.” She turned her head sharply.

”Then I’ll die happy.” He grinned.

”Ugh!” she stomped past a bush. ”You’re unbelievable, Gray!”

Her voice echoed through the trees, then suddenly, something clinked under her foot.

”...Huh?”

She looked down and blinked.

Half-buried under some moss was a faint blue glow.

”Wait, don’t tell me...” Gray curiously leaned in.

Lyra knelt and brushed off the dirt. There it was, a smooth, oval-shaped crystal pulsing with a soft light.

”No way,” she whispered. ”This is one of the target crystals!”

”See? My teasing leads to good things. It’s like a superpower,” Gray crouched beside her, smiling faintly.

Lyra gave him a blank stare.

”You mean your mouth accidentally helped for once.”

”Exactly. Fate rewards charm.”

”Fate should reward silence,” she muttered, standing up and holding the crystal in her palm.

”Hey, what if I tease you more? Maybe the next crystal will just fall from the sky,” Gray tilted his head.

”Try it,” she said with a faint smirk, ”and I’ll drop you from a tree instead.”

He laughed quietly, brushing a few leaves off his shoulder.

”Noted.”