21) What was the reason

(A/N: Im testing out new cover images, if you have any specific opinion on them feel free to drop a comment!)

They weren't forbidden in the conventional sense. It's just that the spell Dio had somehow used was lost in time. As far as the mages of the current generation were concerned, the spell didn't even exist. It was more than just that, though. At that moment, it was highly unlikely they cared much.

It was nowhere as strong as it was originally meant to be. But Dio's current body wasn't capable of anything more. Besides, his efforts were not in vain. It worked. His final endeavor seemed to have worked.

The others who rushed to the stage were confused. They couldn't see anything, but Jin's astralis suddenly disappeared and Dio was on the ground, sweating buckets. The clouds of dust made it hard to understand if something even happened. Moreover, there was something amiss on the stage, it felt weird and novel.

"What have you done?" Jin asked as he cocked his head. This was the first time someone had so openly dismissed and denied him. He was confused, and rightfully so. From everyone's point of view, the spell just broke, other than a wave of mana that shot out in all directions, there was nothing else. But Jin could feel it, he could tell there was something different about what just happened.

"Fucked with you…that's what.." Dio's body slowly grew warm, he was boiling with rage. He viewed himself as a king, and yet there he was. On his knees, weak, and failing in front of another human. Someone brought him to his knees and it wasn't a girl. Sacrilegious to himself.

'Not again….' His eyes grew blurry as he saw the world slowly tilt. It was becoming way too often. Is this what his mother meant when she asked him to be cautious? Did she know that Dio's perceptive world was far too tiny and that reality existed outside his own perception?

"Fuck you, Godfrey," he uttered before passing out in the middle of the stage.

He did it. He broke the spell and managed to save someone and himself. But for what? What did he risk his precious life for? For some weakling? So that someone could live to see another day? The image of John cowering with his eyes of pure determination and defiance to the fate dished out to him. It was faint but at that given moment, Dio understood what John felt. A spirit strong enough to hold on and a body so weak that effort felt futile and hopeless. Is that why he jumped out? Because John reminded Dio of himself?

Had he always been so weak? To care for others and stop meaningless death? Futile. That was the mindset pushed into him. The mindset that he was the absolute and bowed down to absolutely no one. The mindset that he had to ability to conquer and demolish everything and everyone that stood in his path.

Then why? Why did he risk everything and run in without a single thought? Without caring about the consequences, without worrying about whether the other person was worth. Dio ran.

He ran almost as if a part of him belonged in John. What if that was it? What if it was because he saw John and felt at home? There was no way. After all, they were polar opposites. If he were conscious, Dio would swear that even after his death, he would never become someone weak. Someone like John.

"Why….?" Alex's eyes were puffy and water slowly formed in them. Her hands shivered as they covered her mouth. She knew. Alex knew that it was unlike Dio to do such a thing. She didn't hate him for it, how could she? But she couldn't make sense of it.

There was nothing wrong with someone protecting their life. There was nothing wrong with someone valuing their own life far more than another. It was normal and realistic.

Naturally, she wasn't tearing up or in shock because of his actions, it was because her friend had nearly perished. Especially while doing something he normally wouldn't do. Alex forcefully pushed the lump down her throat and walked forward.

It was futile, they wouldn't let anyone onto the stage, even if it was Alex. The second she stood her first step, her path was blocked by senior students of the disciplinary committee.

"You don't understand! He's my f-friend!! Dio!!" Alex screamed out as she was pushed back by the student. "Dio!! Let me see him! I need to see him!!"

"Please understand the situation. I'm aware of how worried you may be, but your friend over there is stable for the moment and will be alright, so please calm down and wait for any updates," the student pushing Alex back said with a calm face. For some reason, the student seemed to resort to reassurance, almost as if they could tell what Alex was going through.

"Fucking…..hell…" Dio groaned in his half-conscious state. It was painful, his body was never used to such mana. In that regard, the majority of the mages could only dream of using such a spell.

It wasn't just as simple as forcing an abnormally large amount of mana through a relatively tinier hole. His mana channels were heavily damaged, and his core had been completely squeezed out. Once the core was empty, it took longer to fill it up with mana, however, this was merely an inconvenience. The real danger lied in breaking the core. Which only happened when mana was forced out even when the core was empty.

Mana was essential to life and there was no doubt about that. However, for someone to actually use mana, they require a mana core. This isn't something physical but rather a combination of a mage's imagination and will. A mana core is something that is formed. Only after the core formation do the rest of the parts begin to form.

It functioned like oxygen which was a necessity for survival. However, there was a distinction, mana was a requirement only for those with a mana core. If a being didn't have one, then mana wasn't a necessity, it was that simple.

"You're with me. I trust you won't resist?" one of the disciplinary committee members stood in front of Jin with her hands folded. She had a serious look on her face and was absolutely prepared to pummel Jin the second he showed any sort of resistance.

"....Where am I going," Jin raised his head slightly, but his fists were relaxed. Regardless, there was no way he could try anything at the moment. He was completely surrounded by mages far more experienced than him. Moreover, this time, they were right there on the stage with him.

"We're just going to ask you a few questions. Until then you don't have to take part in the selection process. As for the result of the match…John Fade shall be declared the winner of the duel due to a technical," the student turned around and looked at John who knelt next to Dio with tears and snot covering his face. "I'm sure you understand the reason behind that," the student smiled and spoke.

"Twankuuu…snifff….D-ddd-eoo….Yu sabed me…..snifff…" John tried his best to wipe the tears from his eyes. Dio lay there with no energy in his body, barely clinging to his consciousness.

'Man...what the fuck…'