Azeus: Revenge?.

The entire thing was completely stupifying for the crowd, the mana only discipated few seconds after it was exposed.

"Well that was really fun, I wonder what you did here Instructor." Rile smiled.

Everyone looked at her like she was some kind of monster that was not a normal reaction to that kind of explosion.

The silence that followed was thick, charged with tension.

Eryndor quickly adjusted his glasses, his composed expression slipping for just a fraction of a second. Then, just as fast, he schooled his features back into a polite smile.

"My, my... what an interesting reaction," he said, dusting off his robe as if nothing had happened. "It seems you have quite the unique mana flow, young lady."

Rile tilted her head, her usual grin returning. "Hehe, thanks! I eat a lot of meat, you know?"

The students murmured among themselves. Even Helgar, standing to the side with his arms crossed, narrowed his eyes.

Alex, however, wasn't fooled. That was not normal. Whatever had just happened, it had shaken Eryndor—however briefly—and that alone made it worth remembering.

But there was no time to dwell on it.

"Let us continue," Eryndor said, his voice smooth again. He moved on to the next student as if nothing had happened.

Yet, as Alex glanced to the side, he caught something that made his stomach tighten—

Azeus.

Standing at the edge of the crowd, arms crossed. Smirking.

And next to him, for just a moment— Eryndor met Azeus's gaze and gave the faintest, almost imperceptible nod.

Alex clenched his fist.

Something was wrong.

Something was very, very wrong.

--

After the training session, the students were dismissed back to their rooms.

Alex, Rile, and Leon sat on their bunks, the weight of the day pressing down on them.

"So..." Leon muttered, rubbing his temples. "What the hell was that?"

Rile, stretching her arms, chuckled. "Dunno. That guy's mana felt weird though. Kinda sticky. Like, uh, when you touch something slimy in the water, y'know?"

Alex was silent. He was still thinking about that moment—how Eryndor had reacted, how Azeus had looked so amused.

Rile waved a hand in front of his face. "Broski, you good?"

"Yeah," Alex finally said, shaking his head. "I just... I don't trust that guy."

Leon scoffed. "Well, duh. The way he looked at you when he gave you mana? It was like he was measuring you or something. or i don't know, putting something in you? like when he did to other guys, mana came out with him, like a temperature device used to measure temperature in your body, but yours stayed."

That made Alex even more uneasy.

Was he?

A knock at the door interrupted their thoughts.

Knock.

Knock.

Slow. Rhythmic. Too careful.

The three exchanged glances before Alex hesitantly stood up and opened the door.

A slip of paper fell to the ground.

Frowning, he picked it up and unfolded it.

One sentence was written on it in sharp, elegant handwriting:

"Be careful who you trust."

Alex's blood ran cold.

He stepped into the hallway—

But there was no one there.

"What's tha?" Rile, still chewing on a piece of meat, hung upside down from the top bunk like a monkey.

Alex held up the small note, his fingers tightening around the edges. "Be careful who you trust."

Leon shook his head. "Tch. This has to be some kind of prank…"

Alex wasn't so sure. He looked around the dimly lit room, his gut telling him otherwise. The only people he trusted in this academy were Rile and Leon—though he wouldn't call them friends just yet. But even they wouldn't leave a note like this.

The academy bell rang again, echoing through the stone walls.

"Anyway, Alex, get some sleep," Leon said, stretching. "Tomorrow's training is gonna be brutal. My brother told me the third day is where things start getting serious. You'll need all the rest you can get."

With that, he waved lazily and left for his room.

Rile yawned, rubbing her eyes. "You worry too much, broski. Nothing's gonna happen. Just relax…"

Before Alex could respond, she flopped onto her bed and immediately started snoring.

Alex stared. How does she fall asleep so fast? in the past even with grueling times she needed a lot of time to fall asleep.

Shaking his head with a small chuckle, he sat down by the window. The cool night air brushed against his face as he gazed outside.

Five more days until we leave for the actual university.

For some reason, the thought made his heart race. He had no idea what was waiting for him there.

Sudden pain shot through his skull.

His vision blurred, then—

Flames.

Buildings burned. Screams echoed in the distance. The sky, darkened with thick smoke, was painted a deep crimson as something rained from above.

And then—

One of the screaming figures stopped.

A shadowed blur among the chaos, standing unnaturally still. Slowly, its head snapped upward, empty eyes locking onto Alex.

Then, in a hollow, monotone voice—

"Alex… you are not supposed to be here. Danger is near....."

Alex jolted awake, heart hammering in his chest. His hands trembled as he wiped cold sweat from his forehead.

Damn it… again.

He hadn't had the dream yesterday, but now—

Shakily, he reached for his notebook and sketched the scene. He'd been drawing them after every dream, noticing something disturbing—each time, he could see a little more. More buildings, more people, more details.

What does it mean?

Alex sighed, rubbing his temples. His clothes were damp with sweat.

"No way I'm sleeping like this…"

Standing up, he grabbed his jacket, sparing a glance at Rile, who was now sucking her thumb in her sleep.

He smirked. She really is something else.

Throwing on his jacket, he quietly slipped out of the room.

--

The academy grounds were eerily silent.

The torches lining the stone pathways flickered, barely cutting through the thick darkness. It was colder than he expected, the chill biting into his skin.

Sky was clear and full moon lightened the mansion.

He made his way toward the bathhouse, his footsteps echoing against the empty walls.

Something felt… off.

Alex couldn't put his finger on it, but the air felt heavier. As if the shadows themselves were watching.

A soft shuffle.

He stopped.

Slowly, he turned his head—

Nothing. Just the empty courtyard stretching before him.

It's just your imagination.

He took a deep breath and shook his head, continuing forward. he left the courtyard and went at the right side where there was an opening just before forests started, it was fully back of the academy.

Then—

A sharp crack of stone breaking behind him.

Alex spun around—

A fist buried itself into his gut.

"AGHHHHH!!!" Alex jumped back with force.

His breath vanished. His body crumpled as pain exploded through his stomach.

Before he could react, hands grabbed his shoulders—dragging him backward into the shadows.

"Took you long enough."

That voice—

Azeus.

Alex's eyes widened as he was slammed against the cold stone wall.

Azeus stood before him, a cruel grin stretching across his face. His golden-haired lackeys surrounded them, their black eyes gleaming in the dim torchlight.

"You're alone now," Azeus sneered. "No Leon. no that crazy bitch. Just you."

Alex gritted his teeth. "Tch. You think I'm just gonna—"

He swung his fist.

But—

A strange, buzzing sensation shot through his nerves, making his muscles go slack.

What…?

He stumbled.

Azeus chuckled. "Oh? Something wrong?"

Alex's legs buckled. He tried to move, but his body refused to listen. His limbs felt like they were moving through thick, invisible mud.

Azeus smirked.

Then—

A fist slammed into his ribs.

Alex gasped, doubling over—

A boot collided with his face, sending him crashing onto the cold ground.

Laughter.

"You talk a lot for someone so weak." Azeus said this.

"Tell me now, commoner..." Azeus pulled Alex's head close to his lips, his breath hot and venomous against his ear. "Do you know who I AM?"

Then—

A brutal stomp.

Alex's spine arched unnaturally as Azeus's foot pressed him into the cold, filthy ground.

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

The pain was unbearable. White-hot agony surged through his body. His ribs screamed, his arms trembled, but he couldn't move. The spell paralyzed him, leaving him nothing but a ragdoll beneath their feet.

"Shut him up," Azeus ordered.

His goons smirked, forcing their hands over Alex's mouth, muffling his ragged screams.

"Now listen, you little worm," Azeus continued, his voice dripping with cruelty. "I am Azeus, heir to the Silverstar family. You… you're nothing. Less than dirt. No, actually…"

He knelt down, scooping up a handful of the mud and sweat-soaked grime that clung to Alex's skin.

"You're filth."

BANG!

Azeus yanked Alex's head up by his hair—before slamming it back down into the dirt. Blood splattered across the cobblestones.

"You think someone like YOU can go against ME?" Azeus sneered. "A disgusting, pathetic commoner like you needs to learn his PLACE!"

BANG!!!

"AGHHHHH!!!" Alex felt a punch in his guts and pulled his feet back while clenching his stomach.

"Someone so above you... but you... you... you put your hands on me... do you know what that means filth... IT MEANS YOU FUCKED UP!!!" Azeus punched him again.

"Agghhh..." Alex threw up blood in the hands of the goons.

"Gah..." They were disgusted but didn't pull their hands back.

"Not only you didn't fall over my feet kissing it, like a commoner trash like you do... you actually dared... DARED TO TOUCH ME" Azeus angrily yelled.

He yanked Alex's head up again. This time, his face was smeared with dirt, blood, and humiliation.

"

Azeus grinned. "Oh? Are those tears?"

Alex's vision blurred, but he refused to let them see him break.

"Awww… how tragic," Azeus mocked. "Look at him! The little rat is actually crying!"

His goons burst into laughter.

"Want me to stop?" Azeus whispered mockingly. "Just say it. Beg me. Apologize. Kiss my feet—"

But then—

He froze.

Alex had opened his eyes.

And in them—

Was rage.

Not fear. Not despair.

Pure, unfiltered fury.

Azeus' smile disappeared. He felt… uneasy.

Alex closed his eyes again, his body shaking from exhaustion.

The pain was unbearable.

His vision swam in and out of focus.

This… this is humiliating.

His fists clenched. He wanted to fight back—he HAD to fight back.

But every time he moved—

That cursed spell tightened around his body, keeping him helpless.

Azeus grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking his head up once more.

"You're a nobody, Alex," he hissed. "No name. No family. No power. So tell me—WHY?"

His face contorted with rage.

"WHY DO YOU LOOK AT ME WITH SUCH A DISGUSTING GAZE?!"

Something inside Azeus snapped.

He grabbed a wooden bat from one of his goons, gripping it tight enough to make the wood creak.

"You like using your hands so much, don't you?" Azeus sneered.

His lackeys grabbed Alex's arms, stretching them out like a broken puppet.

"Then let's take them away."

Azeus lifted the bat.

Alex coughed, spitting blood. His lips curled into something between a smirk and a snarl.

"Cow…ard…"

Azeus' eye twitched. "What did you say?"

"Take your hands off him," he ordered.

His goons obeyed, stepping back.

Alex, barely able to lift his head, glared at Azeus. Blood dripped from his mouth. His face was swollen, his body wrecked—yet his eyes burned.

"You… piece of shit," Alex growled. "You couldn't beat me alone… so you used a trick? I SPIT ON YOUR NAME AND SURNAME!!! YOU STUPID FUCKING WHORE, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! YOU CALL IS THIS YOUR SO-CALLED NOBLE BLOODLINE? IF ITS THIS TRASH, IF YOU ARE THIS TRASH, THEN I FUCKING SPIT ON YOUR ANCESTORS TOO"

Then—

SPIT!

A glob of blood and saliva hit Azeus right in the face.

The alley went dead silent.

The goons' faces twisted in shock.

Is this guy insane?!

Azeus stared down at the spit dripping from his cheek. His breathing turned ragged, his hands clenched so tight his knuckles went white.

"You…" He wiped the spit slowly, his lips curling into a twisted grin.

Then—

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

He laughed.

A deep, deranged laugh.

"I see now… I understand." His voice dropped to a whisper, his grin stretching unnaturally wide. "You're the type that needs to be… broken personally." he cracked his knuckles.

He tossed the bat aside.

And then—

He stepped forward.

A fist reared back—

Alex braced himself.

Then—

BOOM!

A shockwave exploded through the alley.

Azeus and his gang were sent flying, crashing against the stone walls like ragdolls.

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

A roaring wave of heat followed. Flames erupted, swallowing the alley in an inferno. The air cracked with raw energy.

Alex collapsed onto the ground, gasping, his vision spinning.

A shadow loomed over him.

"You alright, broski?"

That voice—

Alex barely managed to lift his head, blood dripping from his split lips.

Rile stood before him.

Her usual playful smirk was gone.

Instead—

There was only cold, seething rage.

End of Chapter.

--

A/N: guys lets play a trivia, experience this kind of pain or 5 minutes with diddy.