The Return Of The Exiled Villain

[You mean Agni Deva, the Deity of Fire?]

Jasmine exclaimed in surprise, as she hadn’t even made a conclusion, and yet Gray had already reached his own.

’I mean... that flame can only be from him, no?’

[I’m not sure...]

The match began.

The opponent moved first, charging with a wide slash aimed at the neck.

The crimson-haired student did not step back, and instead, turned his wrist, angled his blade, and caught the strike cleanly.

Clang.

The impact rang sharp and clear.

The flame on his sword flared once.

He pushed.

The opponent stumbled back as heat rolled across the ground, forcing space.

Gray watched closely.

The opponent tried to circle, leaving his blade low, then rushed again, faster this time, swinging twice in quick succession.

The crimson-haired student shifted his shoulder, let the first pass, and cut downward.

Slash.

The golden flame brushed the opponent’s arm.

”GRAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHH!”

The barrier reacted instantly, sealing the wound, but the pain remained. The opponent staggered, breath breaking.

The red-haired student did not chase him, and instead, when the opponent tried to retreat, he moved.

The moment he saw his opponent twist his feet slighly because of how nervous he was, he instantly shot forward, swinging his sword as the golden flames enveloping it, grew brighter.

Clang.

The opponent’s blade flew from his hands.

The crimson-haired student turned his wrist and struck once more, the flat of the blade slamming into the chest.

BOOOOM!

The body hit the ground and slid across the stone.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNG!

Then the bell rang, causing the crowd to explode.

”That was brutal!”

”He ended it in three moves!”

”That fire control is insane!”

Gray leaned back slightly, his eyes still fixed on the arena.

”Mhm...”

[He is far stronger than the others.]

”Indeed, and he is also holding back most of his power.”

The crimson-haired student extinguished the flame with a simple breath, bowed once to the judges, and walked away as if nothing had happened.

Gray watched him leave the arena in quiet interest, and then continued watching as more students stepped onto the arena and fought against.

He spent more than an hour watching the fights.

”Ughhh.... this is sooo boring!” Ronan finally couldn’t hold back anymore and directly complained, getting up almost instantly.

Gray also stood up, as he had already analyzed a lot of the students, and it would be a simple waste of time staying here any longer.

”...Mhm, it’s already... quite late, so I’ll go back to the dorms,” Gray muttered, looking at the sun, which was now descending.

Ronan followed his gaze and blinked in surprise.

”Huh. Didn’t notice how long we stayed.”

They moved down the steps and flowed with the crowd as students poured out of the colosseum.

”Think we got decent dorms?” Ronan walked beside Gray, putting his hands behind his head, before he suddenly asked.

”If they give benefits based on one’s talent, yes,” Gray replied.

”And if not?”

”Then I’ll sleep anyway.”

”Figures.” Ronan snorted.

They passed through the academy paths, lanterns already lit along the walkways. The air cooled, carrying the faint scent of grass and stone dust. The dormitory complex rose ahead, tall buildings separated by banners and engraved markers.

At the entrance, a crystal board hovered, names glowing softly.

”Okay... Ronan Hale... ah! First-year combat wing, East Dorm, Floor Four!” Ronan leaned in first, squinting.

”Not bad!” He grinned.

Gray scanned the list once.

”Gray Vireux. Independent wing. North Dorm.”

Ronan froze, then slowly turned his head.

”North Dorm?”

”Yes.”

”...Isn’t that the high-privilege building?”

”Seems so.” Gray gave a small shrug.

”Of course. Of course you’d end up there.” Ronan stared at him for a second, then burst out laughing.

They stopped at the fork where the paths split toward their respective dorms.

Ronan scratched the back of his head.

”Guess this is it. Try not to scare your neighbors.”

”No promises.”

”See you tomorrow,” Ronan waved.

Gray nodded lightly before following the path that headed towards the northern building. It didn’t take long for him to get there.

And when he did, he simply looked for a door with his nameplate on it, and after searching for a while, he finally found it.

He pressed the given academy ID on the small sensor, then entered the dormitory...

Creack...

A large window stretched across one wall, curtains drawn halfway to let moonlight or the light of the sunset spill across the floor.

A desk stood neatly to the side, already stocked with blank paper and a basic writing kit.

Shelves lined the opposite wall, albeit empty, and the air strangely smelled of fresh linen and stone.

”Quite spacious,” Gray muttered.

He closed the door behind him and rolled his shoulders lightly before his eyes moved toward the bed.

”Huh...?”

He suddenly stopped as he saw a big lump on his supposed bed.

Gray’s hand drifted toward his side out of habit, his fingers twitching as he prepared to draw his sword at any given moment.

His gaze sharpened, scanning the room again.

Strangely, there was no hostile aura or even killing intent... not even any kind of formation, so what could that lump be?

Rustle...

The lump shifted, causing the blanket to move slightly, followed by a quiet sound.

”...Mmm...”

Gray stared.

”This...”

The blanket suddenly slid down, revealing a head of familiar hair. A long, cyan-colored hair that was almost unique in the world.

A pair of half-lidded eyes opened slowly, unfocused for a second, then locked onto him.

”Ahh,” Selene murmured sleepily, hugging the pillow tighter.

”You took forever, so I ended up falling asleep...”

The pressure in the room vanished at once.

”What are you doing here? How did you even get in?” Gray asked in surprise as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Selene rubbed her eyes before her lips curled up into a faint, wicked smirk.

”Simple! I told them that I was your girlfriend and they gave me a spare key!” she grinned widely, before licking her lips slighly.

As she sat up, the blanket fell away, and Gray’s eyes caught on her pajama top.

The thin fabric clung to her skin, and it was clear she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. Her nipples pressed against the material, their shape visible through the soft cloth.

The top of her pajamas was low-cut, revealing the soft curve of her breasts.

They were already full, and the tight pajamas made them look even bigger, creating a powerful pull on his attention.

But Gray’s face didn’t change as he just kept looking at her with the same calm expression.

Seeing where his eyes were, Selene puffed out her chest.

”Do you like them? Want to touch them?” She reached up and cupped her breasts from underneath, lifting them so they pushed even more firmly against the fabric.

Jiggle~

”They’re all yours, you know. All you have to do is reach out.” She wiggled her shoulders a little, making her breasts move under the thin fabric.

”I bet you’re just pretending. You want me, don’t you?”

She waited, but Gray just kept looking at her with the same calm, empty face. He didn’t move or say anything.

Selene’s smile faded.

Her shoulders slumped, and her lower lip pushed out into a big pout.

”Hey! Are you even listening? What’s wrong with you? Don’t you think I’m pretty?” She crossed her arms, which only pushed her chest up higher.

”You’re supposed to be a guy! Act like one!”

Just as her pout was at its worst, and her eyes were wide with frustration...

”Kyaa!~”

Everything was a blur.

One second, she was sitting there pouting, and the next, she was on her back, the air pushed out of her.

Gray was on top of her, his hands holding her shoulders down against the bed, his body hovering just over hers.

”Y-you... Wh-what are you doing?!” she stammered, her heart beating fast against her chest as she felt his dark eyes staring deeply at her.

Gray didn’t answer her question.

Instead, he lowered his head, and his lips crashed against hers. It wasn’t a soft kiss; it was hungry and demanding.

His tongue pushed into her mouth, exploring, tasting.

”Mmph! Slurp...♡”

The sound of their mouths meeting was wet and messy in the quiet room.

Rustle...

Slowly, his hands moved from her shoulders.

One slid down her back, pressing her body against his. The other moved up to her breast, his fingers sinking into the soft flesh.

Squeeze...

”Aghn~”

He gripped her hard, and a gasp escaped her throat. The thin fabric of her pajama top did nothing to hide the heat of his touch.

Selene’s mind went blank.

All her teasing, all her confidence, vanished under the force of his actions.

Her hands, which had been pushing against his chest, now clutched at his shirt, pulling him closer.

Their bodies brushed against each other, the friction sending sparks through her skin.

”Mhmgh...”

She almost couldn’t breathe because of how intensely he was kissing her.

She could only feel... his tongue tangled with hers, his hand molding her breast into his liking, and his body pinning her down.

”Mhm!~ Ahh...♡”

It escaped into his mouth, swallowed by his kiss.

Her heart was beating so fast she could hear it in her ears, a frantic thump-thump-thump that mixed with the sounds of their kissing.

After what felt like forever, Gray slowly pulled back.

”Pwah...”

A thin, shiny bridge of saliva stretched between them before breaking and falling onto her chin.

”Fuuu... agh...”

”Haaah... haa...”

They were both breathing hard, their chests rising and falling.

Selene stared up at him, her eyes wide and her lips swollen and wet. She was completely breathless, her body tingling from their intense kisses.

Gray raised his hand and gently touched her bottom lip with his thumb.

He caressed it softly, wiping away the wetness. His touch was so gentle compared to how he had just kissed her.

”Did you miss me that much?”