Chapter 256: Stalker or... Secret Admirer

Words : 1119 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

Cassandra crossed her arms, her eyes fixed on Strax, who stood shirtless in front of her, sweat still dripping from his body after an intense training session. Her tone was firm, almost critical, as she examined every detail of his posture. "Your control over mana has improved," she began, her evaluative tone giving the impression that a scolding was imminent, "but your mastery over your own body is pathetic. You move as if you don't know what you're doing." Strax raised an eyebrow, visibly annoyed by the comment. "I don't have much experience in battle. I've only been cultivating for less than a year," he replied. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "Well, it's been a year now," recalling the time he spent fighting Lithara in the Abyssal Castle. Cassandra's arms tightened against her chest as her expression shifted to one of incredulity. Her typically stern demeanor faltered momentarily as she processed what he had just said. "You're joking, right?" Her voice rose slightly, laden with disbelief. "You've only been cultivating for less than a year?!" Strax tilted his head, as if her surprise was entirely unwarranted. "I mean, technically, yeah. I started working with mana less than a year ago. But, if you count the time I spent in a coma, we could round it up to a full year." He shrugged casually, as if discussing something trivial. Cassandra's eyes widened, and for a moment, she appeared to lose all composure. "You're telling me you reached the Grandmaster Complete Stage in... a single year?!" Strax looked at her with a mix of confusion and mild irritation. "Well... yeah. I thought that was normal." "Normal?! That's nowhere near normal! Even people blessed by ancient bloodlines or legendary heritages would need at least 20 years! Not even the genius of geniuses, your father, managed that!" Cassandra exclaimed, pointing at him to emphasize the absurdity of his statement. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds? Most people take decades to reach the stage you're at now!" He scratched his head, clearly uncomfortable with all the attention. "Maybe it's because... well... I don't really have an excuse. It just happened naturally." "Naturally?" Cassandra asked, narrowing her eyes. "What kind of cultivation technique are you using?" 'If only she knew I can cultivate by... no, never mind.' Strax hesitated, searching for a way to explain without sounding even more ridiculous. "Well, I was kind of forced to learn in order to survive. And I had... let's call them fortuitous encounters. Like... spirits." Cassandra shook her head, still trying to process everything. She began pacing back and forth, as if she needed to release the energy building up from her shock. "Survived an assassin league, killed your brothers, fought Kryssia, defeated the Demon Spider... and all within a year." She stopped abruptly and pointed at him again, her eyes narrowing. "Strax, you're ridiculous." "Ridiculous? Or are you just a stalker? How do you even know all of that?" he shot back, a small smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. Cassandra froze instantly, her entire body stiffening as his words registered. Her eyes widened in panic, and a wave of crimson spread across her face. "I—I'm not a stalker!" she yelled, her voice higher and shriller than usual. Strax crossed his arms, his smirk growing into a full grin. "Oh, of course not. So, what was it then? A casual investigation into my life? Maybe a little light spying? Because seriously, how do you know all of this?" Strax took a step back, raising his hands in exaggerated surrender, his expression as smug as ever. "Okay, okay, no rush. I get it—marriage can be a touchy subject." Cassandra was utterly consumed by her embarrassment, and her mana reacted to her heightened emotions. The wind around her began to swirl, starting as a breeze but quickly intensifying into a furious vortex. Her eyes glowed with a mix of determination and humiliation as she charged toward Strax with everything she had. "YOU'VE CROSSED THE LINE, STRAX!" she shouted, her voice carried by the roaring winds. Strax didn't have time to react properly. Cassandra was already upon him, her hand wrapped in a concentrated aura of wind. He instinctively raised his arms to block the attack, and while he managed to deflect it somewhat, the impact was devastating. A deafening crash echoed as her blow connected, sending Strax flying through the air like a ragdoll. He smashed through several trees in the surrounding forest, their trunks snapping like twigs under the force of the collision. Each impact against the ground or a tree sent up clouds of dust and debris, punctuated by the dry cracking of wood. Finally, Strax landed in a small clearing, sprawled on his back amidst a mess of leaves and broken branches. He blinked a few times, trying to regain his focus, while a bird, startled by the chaos, fluttered overhead, chirping calmly as if nothing had happened. "Okay... maybe I pushed her too far," he muttered, his whole body aching. He coughed, spitting out a bit of dirt, and looked up at the sky visible through the shattered canopy. Back at the training field, Cassandra stood frozen, panting as the whirlwind around her gradually subsided. Realizing what she'd done, her eyes widened in horror, and she clutched her head in panic. "Oh no... I overdid it... He's going to die, and it'll be my fault!" she said to herself, clearly terrified. But then, moments later, Strax's voice rang out through the forest, loud enough for her to hear. "IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?!" Cassandra froze, her eyes wide as she saw a pillar of flames erupt in the distance, consuming everything around the area where Strax had landed. The heat was so intense it could be felt even from afar, the trees nearby withering as ash filled the air. Then his voice came again, clear and full of challenge: "To be your husband, I have to handle the pressure. So come on, my future wife!" He raised a hand, gesturing casually for her to approach, that infuriating smirk plastered across his face as he took a combat stance. His fists crackled with a vibrant aura of fire intertwined with faint streaks of ice, his energy wild and unyielding. Cassandra trembled. Not with fear, but with a mixture of frustration and... something else she refused to acknowledge. "THAT... THAT BASTARD!" she screamed, clenching her fists as her mana began to surge once more, the winds around her growing wild and untamed. [Defeat Cassandra Vermillion]

Chapter 256: Stalker or... Secret Admirer

Comments (0)