The Return Of The Exiled Villain

[...What exactly is your plan, Gray?]

Jasmine suddenly asked.

”Why do you ask?” Gray replied as he headed over to the Phoenix Classroom. It had been over two weeks since he had met Aurora.

He had already learned the Soul Chasing Qi by now, and also recovered all of the soul points he had wasted before.

Gray also started practicing a few more miscellanous move that he had copied, like the [Spirit Eyes] and the [Nine Thunders Thunder Claw].

Currently, the [Spirit Eyes] mastery has reached the Grandmaster realm, while the [Nine Thunders Thunder Claw] was in the mid-fifties of the Master realm.

This meant that the mastery of the [Nine Thunders Thunder Claw] was almost at the peak of its realm, since it was merely a Grandmaster-grade Technique.

And since it was already flawless, it couldn’t improve further.

As for the [Spirit Eyes]... Gray didn’t know its actual grade, but he presumed that it should be the Saint Realm, although he doubted that it was higher than that.

[Well... you’re reciprocating Aurora’s wishes now.]

”Ah, that... did you remember me telling you that I need resources?” Gray asked.

[Well, yeah, you even asked me what the best solution to get resources when you were a handsome man was, and I replied that it was seducing women.]

[But you do not require many resources right now. You have enough magic crystals... and if anything, you can sell them to get other types of resources.]

[...That makes me remember, why are you still holding back your breakthrough? You are still in the Early Master Realm when you can easily break through!]

Gray smiled at her words.

”In my childhood, I was a kid who really loved to read books, and among them, I read a lot about Mana Cultivation itself,” he began speaking.

”The mana cultivation realms are divided into ten big realms: Trainee Knight/Mage, Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, Master, Grandmaster, Great Grandmaster, King, Saint, Emperor, and finally... Sovereign.”

”Each of those large realms has four smaller stages: Early, Intermediate, Late, and Peak. In those books, the Trainee stage was simply called the Past Mortal Stage because it’s in that realm that you begin becoming a more perfect being. The next three realms are called the Foundation stage, where one starts cultivation by trying to feel the mana around them.”

”They try to understand that energy, and manipulate it before finally being able to control it perfectly, and transforming it into a small dantian that gathers mana.”

[Mhm...]

Jasmine hummed thoughtfully.

”The next three realms are called the Nascent Stage. In this realm, a user has already perfected their use of mana, and that’s when they create an unconscious forcefield of mana around their body to protect themselves.”

”It’s also in this stage where one is finally able to come into contact with the laws of the world, albeit almost impossible. Only a genius of the highest degree could potentially do that..., but most users still retain a little bit of information that will help them in the last stage, and the last four realms of this world.”

He paused lightly.

”The Transformation Stage.”

As soon as he said those words, he reached the Phoenix Class door and stopped. Then, he reached out to the doorknob and opened it before entering the classroom.

Everyone was already there except the professor.

[Why did you stop? Now I’m a little curious about the Transformation Stage!]

Jasmine puffed her cheeks in complete annoyance.

Gray’s lips curled up at her words, but he remained silent inwardly and headed towards his seat, which was next to Cassandra.

The moment he sat down, Cassandra directly grabbed his hand beneath the table and held it firmly, her fingers gently brushing the back of his hand.

’...You already got your answer, no?’ Gray suddenly added, causing Jasmine to furrow in thought, as she recalled his words.

[...But you’re still at Master Realm... you still have plenty of realms until the Transformation Stage, no?]

Jasmine instantly understood that Gray was trying to comprehend some kind of law. But she was still a little bit... curious, after all, he had until the Great Grandmaster realm.

’When you comprehend a law, your body and soul will be strengthened with it each time you break through, especially when you break through a big realm where the benefits are more than five times better than a small realm!’ he explained.

’I can only get the highest benefits if I stay in my current realm, and if I only comprehend at the peak of the Great Grandmaster realm, I would lose a lot of power in the process.’

[I see... but are you sure that you can do it? You said yourself that only a genius of the highest degree could do that.]

[...Besides, what does it have to do with Aurora?]

’What law do you think that fits me the most, Jasmine?’ Gray suddenly asked instead.

Hearing his words, Jasmine felt thoughtful for a moment.

[Destruction... or maybe Emptiness?]

’...Wrong. The law that benefits me the most is Seduction. It’s essentially a law that gives me power, the more people I seduce based on their power level. I think that’s the only law that actually strengthens someone, besides the breakthrough or comprehending the law to a higher level.’

[But isn’t Aurora already in love with you?]

’Not really... she simply sees me as her possession. Now that I know that she’s actually a sword... the thing that I need to do... is become her Master. In other words, reverse the roles, and make her become my possession.’

’Other than that... I really do need more resources, but not the normal kind... but treasures that are classified as Heaven and Earth Grade.’

[I remember you mentioning that once... You said that it’s treasures that are born after being alive for more than one hundred years, right? Or... they are born solely because of natural causes, like a blessing from the heavens itself.]

’Correct... and the most fitting person to help me get them it’s still Aurora. If I were in Gloria Academy, I’d try to use Gloria... but I’m not, so Aurora’s still the best option for now.’

[What about Seraph?]

’.....’

Gray fell silent at those words.

He really didn’t mind using her to get whatever he wanted; however, he was a little afraid of getting close to Seraph.

If Aurora was crazy to possess him... Seraph was literally obsessed with him in unhealthy degrees, probably more than five times more than Lyra.

This was the snowball effect of his actions back then, and now, he had to deal with it.

Creack...!

Before Jasmine could press him further, the classroom door suddenly opened, causing every conversation inside immediately fall silent.

A woman stepped in.

Professor Ellen.

She wore a fitted dark-blue coat that hugged her waist and flared slightly at the hips, long black hair cascading down her back in glossy waves.

Her glasses caught the light as she adjusted them, and her calm smile held a hint of something else beneath it.

Her gaze swept the room before briefly pausing on Gray for half a second longer than necessary.

Her lips curved slightly.

”Good. Everyone is here,” she said smoothly as she walked toward the podium, her heels clicking against the floor.

The girls in the class straightened instantly. A few of them stole glances toward Gray, then toward Ellen.

Professor Ellen folded her hands together.

”Today, we will not be having a lecture.”

A ripple of whispers moved through the room.

”Instead, you will be participating in a Dungeon Crawl test,” she continued, her eyes glinting faintly.

The room exploded.

”A dungeon?!”

”Wait, already?”

Clack!

Ellen tapped the podium lightly.

”The Dungeon Grade is Great Grandmaster Realm,” she said slowly, savoring the moment.

The entire class froze.

Even Cassandra’s fingers tightened around Gray’s hand beneath the table.

”A-Are you serious?!”

”That means the boss...”

”It could reach the King Realm!”

Ellen nodded.

”Correct. The Boss has the potential to temporarily step into the King Realm under certain conditions.”

Several students swallowed.

One girl near the window leaned toward her friend and whispered, ”If Gray leads... we might survive.”

”Please let me be on his team...” Another nodded quickly.

At those murmurs, Cassandra’s grip on Gray’s hand grew possessive.

Under the table, she intertwined her fingers with his more firmly, her thumb brushing slowly over his skin.

Ellen’s gaze flicked down for the briefest moment.

Her smile thinned.

”You will not be forming small parties,” she continued calmly.

A collective groan escaped.

”Due to the dungeon grade exceeding the highest realm present in this classroom, you will enter as a full class.”

Surprise flickered across their faces.

”As a class? All of us?”

”Yes.”

The atmosphere instantly changed.

Relief.

Excitement.

Nervous energy.

Several girls immediately looked at Gray with open expectation now.

”If it’s all of us, then...”

”He has to lead, right?”

”There’s no other choice.”

Ellen adjusted her glasses again.

”The leader will be decided based on strength, combat capability, and proven performance.”

Her eyes settled directly on Gray.

”Gray.”

The room went silent.

”You have demonstrated superiority not only within this academy, but also in comparison to your own academy.”

Ellen’s gaze softened as she looked at him.

”Because of that, you will lead this operation.”

Cassandra lifted her chin proudly.

”Yes! We’re with him!” A girl two rows back clenched her fists in excitement.

”Does that mean he’ll give us orders the whole time?” Another giggled nervously.

Ellen’s lips curved again, though there was something tight in her expression.

”Follow his commands without hesitation,” she instructed. ”In a dungeon of this level, disobedience results in death.”

Her eyes lingered on Gray once more.

”You will depart in one hour. Prepare yourselves.”

She turned, beginning to walk toward the door, then paused briefly without looking back.

”Gray.”

Her voice lowered slightly.

”I expect... great results from you.”