The Return Of The Exiled Villain

They stepped into the cafeteria, and just as expected, it was already crowded with students.

What stood out immediately, though, was that every single one of them carried a weapon, swords strapped to backs or waists, staves resting against shoulders, blades and cores never more than an arm’s reach away.

”Whoa... they really are training addicts,” Maelis muttered, her eyes roaming across the room in deep curiosity.

”Seems like it,” Gray replied, nodding lightly.

He observed them more carefully.

’All of them have power levels close to the Master realm, and many are even above it! But those who power above it are probably in their 2nd or 3rd year.’

He hummed thoughtfully.

[There are three beings with a hint of divinity on them, but their divinity is extremely hidden, so they probably have a powerful god backing them.]

’Stronger than your current state?’

[A lot stronger than me.]

’Got it. Warn me when any of them come close.’

[Hmn...]

”Let’s just go and grab our food. I’m feeling way too many eyes on us,” Maelis spoke disdainfully.

Upon hearing her words, Gray took a more precise look around, and just like Maelis had said, there were indeed many stares in them, probably because they were from a rival academy, but their stares even contained a hint of killing intent.

”Grayyy!”

A familiar voice rang out.

He barely had time to turn before someone collided into him, her arms wrapping around his torso as a soft weight pressed against his chest.

”Chuu!”

A quick kiss landed on his cheek.

Of course, it was none other than Lyra.

”Let’s eat together,” she uttered brightly, tilting her head with a playful smile.

Gray lifted a hand and brushed her cheek without thinking. She leaned into his palm instantly, her eyes melting instantly.

”Yooo!”

Ronan’s voice came from behind.

Gray looked over his shoulder and noticed something weird. Everyone from Gloria Academy was gathered one by one, all of them clearly having finished class at the same time.

And, unsurprisingly, all were heading straight for the cafeteria.

”Why are you all together?” Gray decided to ask curiously.

”Oh,” Ronan replied quickly, scratching the back of his head. ”We had classes together. Which is weird, actually... your class didn’t show up on the schedule.”

Gray frowned slightly.

’...Do they separate men and women here?’ he wondered.

”Anyways, let’s just eat! I’m starving!” Ronan suddenly exclaimed, rubbing his stomach before walking straight toward the line.

The others, including Gray, also followed behind him and patiently waited for their turn to choose their food.

”So, what did you guys do in your first class?” Maelis asked curiously, glancing back at them.

”We had a... brief and friendly exchange, and then they tested our strength,” Leon replied dryly.

”Ronan got beaten up without landing a single hit,” Adrian added, lips curling in faint amusement.

”HEY!” Ronan protested instantly.

”I wasn’t prepared for the first hit!”

”And the second one?” Selina asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ronan instantly looked away, scratching his cheek.

”...I also wasn’t prepared,” he muttered quietly

”Pfft...” Claire laughed softly at his murmur.

Ronan froze, then flushed, sneaking a glance at her before looking away again far too quickly.

’...Ronan likes Claire?’ Gray instantly noticed.

Thinking about something, he shrugged his shoulders and remained silent.

He knew that Claire probably had a little interest in him, and if needed... Gray wouldn’t mind recriprocating it, maybe even give her a slight hope.

After all... even with the emotions, he knew what to value and what not to.

Thud!

”Ouch... hey! Watch where you’re going!” Ronan snapped, rubbing his shoulder.

Gray turned upon hearing Ronan’s words.

A student had just shoved past Ronan without even looking back, cutting into the line like it was natural.

Another followed right after him, and seeing this, Gray’s eyes turned colder.

The moment the second one stepped forward...

Trip..

”Ugh?”

Thud!

The guy crashed face-first onto the floor, plates clattering, the sound loud enough to echo through the cafeteria.

”Pfft...”

Surprisingly, Katia was the one who laughed. But the next moment, the other guys next to the one who fell directly next to them turned towards them.

”WHO TRIPPED HIM?!” one of them shouted.

At the same time, a few murmurs reached their ears.

”Did they really mess with Drake’s group?”

”Drake is one of the strongest first years... those students from Gloria Academy really don’t know who they provoked! He’s already at the intermediate stage of the Master realm!”

BOOOM!

”Who was it?!”

Suddenly, the guy who had bumped into Ronan released his aura and coldly stared at the group, his eyes showing killing intent.

’...That must be Drake. Jasmine, anything?’

[...No, but he came in contact with someone with divinity.]

’Alright.’

His eyes curled up coldly.

”It was me.”

Gray took a step forward, meeting Drake’s stare calmly. Hearing this, Drake intensified his aura, but Gray calmly took it all.

As if to mock him, he even yawned.

”You little fucker!”

The guy who had been tripped lunged first, his fist wrapped in dense aura, swinging his fist straight for Gray’s face.

Gray didn’t look at him and casually waved his right hand to the side.

Swish!

The punch was redirected effortlessly, the aura around it collapsing as if cut apart. In the same motion, Gray grabbed the man by the head and slammed him into the ground.

Thud!

The impact caused heads to turn.

Before the man could even scream properly, Gray lifted his foot and planted it hard against the side of his face, pressing him down.

”ARGHHHHHH!”

The scream cut through the cafeteria.

”Who the fuck do you guys think that you are?” Gray’s eyes started glowing in a black, ominous aura, causing it to spread through the whole cafeteria.

At this, everyone frowned at how arrogant he was.

”Gray... stop. Please?” Lyra said softly, frowning as she felt his aura.

Gray turned his head slightly toward her.

”No.”

”There’s only one person in this world with both dark eyes and dark hair,” Drake suddenly spoke.

His aura receded, not vanishing, but pulling back enough that the pressure in the cafeteria eased.

And strangely, his expression changed completely, no longer containing an hoslile look.

”You must be... Gray Vireux,” he continued slowly.

”Son of Madam Vireux. The so-called... Monstrous Genius. The one whose talent surpassed his entire generation.”

Murmurs rippled outward immediately.

”...Vireux?”

”That Vireux?”

”No way...”

Drake adjusted his sleeves and stepped forward in a respectful manner that made Gray raise an eyebrow in surprise.

”I heard that your talent had been stolen away... but it seems that you’ve regained it,” He cracked his fingers once, his lips curling up slighly.

”Honestly... It’s an honor to meet you again, as I had challenged you in the past and lost within a single move,” Drake spoke solemnly.

The people around had their eyes widened in shock as they knew that Drake was something that was arrogant until his bones.

And seeing him being so respectful, their gazes towards Gray turned much more... curious, and even contained a little bit of awe.

Hearing his words, Gray nodded slighly, as if remembering something.

”You were the kid that used both a sword and a dagger, right?”

Drake’s eyes brightened lightly.

”Indeed, and I was also the first to one to search for you when your talent was stolen, but you sadly dismissed me right away as I simply wanted to help you.”

Gray’s eyes narrowed slighly.

”Help me?”

’...This is strange. Everyone back in the capital fucking hated my guts..., but in this city, that is the second biggest city in the whole continent... everyone so far respects me.’

”Yes, unlike the people in the capital, we, from this city in particular, respect people even if they lose their talent. You could say that a single grand achievement, for us, speaks more than a dozen small ones.”

He took a single step forward, and suddenly got on one knee, and stretched his hand in a way a knight would kneel before his lord.

”And that is why,” Drake said loudly, clearly, ”I formally invite you to Clantine’s Sword & Magic Academy. A place like Gloria Academy cannot fully train your talent.”

The cafeteria exploded instantly.

”WHAT?!”

”He’s kneeling?!”

”Is Drake serious?!”

”They never invite outsiders!”

Gray stared down at Drake without saying a word.

Rustle...

He felt a tug on his sleeve.

”Gray...” Lyra whispered, her eyes showing a bit of... unease in them.

He ignored it as his gaze stayed locked on Drake.

”What benefits could your academy give me?” Gray asked calmly.

The noise around them dropped a notch.

Drake lifted his head slightly at his words.

’The only thing I need is resources, and divinity for Jasmine...’ Gray thought.

Drake didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he slowly rose to his feet, brushing the dust from his knee before speaking.

”First of all, unrestricted access to high-grade cultivation resources. No quotas or any kind of ranking limits. If you need elixirs, rare metals, ancient beast cores, or spatial materials, you’ll get them.”

A ripple went through the crowd.

”Secondly, Clantine Academy possesses three sealed training grounds designed for people who break common limits. Places where time, gravity, and mana density are distorted. You wouldn’t be restricted by safety protocols meant for ordinary geniuses.”

Gray’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’This is interesting... as Gloria only has normal training grounds.’

”Third,” Drake said, his tone lowering, ”we have direct contracts with multiple divine remnants. Not gods that interfere, but ones that grant knowledge. Techniques. Lost systems. If you want information about anything...”

He paused.

”...you’ll get it.”

That one landed hard as Gray’s attention sharpened fully now.

[Divine Remnants... with that, I can easily recover more than ten percent of my power in one go.]

”And finally,” Drake finished, ”Clantine answers to no royal family or the church itself. Your past, your reputation, your enemies in the capital, none of that matters there.”

Drake looked Gray straight in the eyes.

”We’ll protect you from any kind of danger, and just to mention that I have full permission of the Headmistress to say this,” he added a final sentence.

This caused Lyra’s grip on Gray’s sleeve to tighten.

Cassandra didn’t speak, but her expression darkened slightly. Even Maelis started showing a worried look as those conditions were far too good for any of them.

”Bro... you wouldn’t betray us, would you?” Ronan muttered quietly.

The rest of the girls also looked at Gray worriedly.

Gray was quiet for several seconds, and then he spoke again.

”...And the cost?”

Drake smiled faintly.

”Nothing much...”

He straightened fully.

”Just... when the academy goes under some kind of trouble, you’ll help us. And also help us win the tournament between academies.”

The cafeteria held its breath at his words.

Most of them didn’t know why Drake was going too far to recruit Gray, but if he was, that means that Gray was truly a monstrous genius.

As for those who knew Gray... they were desperately hoping that he would accept.

After a while, Gray’s lips parted slighly.

”...I’ll consider it.”

The uproar returned instantly, but Drake simply nodded, satisfied with his answer.

”That’s all I ask.”