Chapter 290 - 290: Make you care!

Words : 1155 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

Grey, still seated in the stands, leaned forward with a gleam of anticipation in his eyes. A slight smile danced on his lips as he watched the clash unfold on the battlefield below. 'They're actually working together?' he mused, eyes narrowing with interest as Vince and Raze charged forward in unison, facing off against the formidable third-year students. 'What magic did Raze copy?' he wondered, scanning the fight—then his brows lifted in surprise. 'Oh! Lightning magic? But why lightning? Fire would've been the obvious choice, especially if he got it from Scarlet. That would've ended things in seconds… unless that arrogant flame queen refused to let him touch her.' Grey slapped his forehead in mild frustration. 'Typical Scarlet.' A voice, deep and masculine, cut through his thoughts like a blade through silence. "Oh? Were you rooting for the third-years to actually land a hit?" The familiarity in the tone tugged at Grey's memory. Though he didn't want to be disturbed—especially when his aura practically radiated leave me alone—the voice was too familiar to ignore. With reluctant curiosity, he turned around. And froze. His eyes widened, his lips parted slightly. "No way…" The man standing before him looked to be in his early twenties, tall and confident. His vibrant blue hair danced gently in the breeze, and his sharp orange eyes gleamed with excitement as he watched the battle below. A knowing smirk played on his lips. "I figured the lightning user from second year would dodge that," the man said, eyes twinkling. "But I didn't expect the metal mage to intercept so fast." Grey squinted at the familiar figure, his posture relaxing slightly. Of all people… "Being a lightning mage myself, I'm honestly torn. Don't know who to root for," the man muttered, more to himself than anyone else. Grey's expression softened into a faint grin. "Still running that mouth, huh?" The man turned, visibly startled. "Sorry—do we know each other? I only approached because you look pretty young and obviously a student here… but your tone just now—" His brows lifted. "You do know me, don't you?" Grey smirked, arms crossed as he returned his gaze to the fight. "How could you forget me… rival?" That word hit like a thunderclap. "Rival?" He muttered when... The man's eyes widened as he stared at Grey, scanning him from head to toe. "Wait… It is you! Damn, how did I miss your face? The hair color threw me off." A boyish grin bloomed across the man's face as he reached out and gave Grey a light smack on the shoulder. "It's been way too long, rival!" "Good to see you too, Max," Grey replied, finally turning to meet his gaze. "Why are you even here?" Max—Charlotte's older brother. Grey's very first mission partner back in Kiten Town. That mission had spiraled out of control after a portal break—Grey had revealed his powers, and the town lord had hired him and Charlotte to rescue Max, who had been kidnapped. The mission had turned bloody, with Grey eliminating over twenty mages, while Charlotte and the remaining team finished off the rest. Even the enemy town lord hadn't been spared. "Why wouldn't I be here?" Max said, arms crossed as he watched the arena. "My little sister is participating. No way I'd miss this. What surprises me is you being here." "Charlotte didn't tell you?" Grey asked, one brow raised. Max shook his head. "Nah. I wasn't around the last time she visited. I just got back from a mission two days ago when Dad told me she was competing in the intra-tournament. Figured I'd drop by and cheer her on." "Figures," Grey muttered. Max nudged him. "So, those are your friends down there?" "Yeah," Grey replied with a sigh, his eyes twitching as he watched the struggle on the battlefield. "Which is why I'm this close to jumping in myself! They're fighting like amateurs!" Max chuckled. "Still impatient as ever. Tell me, made any new rivals yet?" Grey smirked. "Just one. A fellow from your batch—the infamous Lunaria Demonic Student." Max visibly flinched. "Oh, him." A nervous laugh escaped his lips. "Back when I told you I'd be the greatest lightning mage…" "Yeah," Grey nodded, grinning. "You said we'd surpass each other and made a whole rivalry speech." "Well… he's the reason I said all that. After seeing his lightning magic, I felt like a candle next to the sun." Grey's tone turned dry. "His magic is almost divine. I've seen it firsthand." Max exhaled. "Exactly. Freak of nature." Grey turned, curious. "So, which academy did you end up in?" "Wysteria Academy." Grey blinked. "Whoa. The best one out of the four. Lucky bastard." They both turned their attention back to the match, tension in the arena rising with each strike. --- The third-year lightning mage snarled, eyes flashing as he spotted Raze a short distance away. The younger student stood confidently, a glowing lightning blade in hand, a cocky grin tugging at his lips. Behind him, a swirling mist enveloped the crystal like a phantom shield, making it nearly impossible to target. The third-year narrowed his eyes. Though he could sense the movements of the others nearby, their positions shifted every few seconds—making tracking them a nightmare. "You can't destroy what you can't see, right?" Raze called out with a chuckle, then surged forward in a flash of light. The ground beneath his feet cracked and exploded from the pressure of his speed. "You damn lowerclassmen never learn until you're taught painfully!" the third-year growled, pointing toward the stands where the crowd had gathered. Murmurs rippled through the audience—some in awe, others in anticipation. "They're not here to watch you humiliate yourselves. They're here to witness us—the elites—display true power!" Lightning crackled fiercely around him, arcs dancing across his arms and shoulders like wild serpents. Raze stopped mid-charge, face calm and unwavering. "You think I care about the crowd?" His eyes flared. "There's only one person watching right now who matters to me." "Then I'll make sure you care when they see you broken!" the third-year roared, his lips curling into a wicked grin. His eyes began to glow a bright, eerie white as power surged around him. "Breakthrough!" ___ {A/N} Honestly, I had even forgotten about Max???? if you did also forget about him, lemme see your hands up???? Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was after I began the tournament arc that was when I decided to bring someone from Charlotte family and who would help in what's about to come and then I remembered Max???? anyway, off to the next chapter guys! Happy reading ✌️

Chapter 290 - 290: Make you care!

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