The Return Of The Exiled Villain

Ardenia glanced at the survivors, her sharp gaze softening just a little bit.

”You may rest. Half an hour. That’s all.”

Clang!

”Agh!

”FINALLY!”

”...THAT WAS SO FUCKING TIRING!!!”

A few dropped their weapons immediately and collapsed to the ground, groaning or crying in relief.

One boy just lay flat, wheezing into the dirt. Another girl was hugging her knees, her face soaked in sweat and tears.

Gray nearly slumped too.

His body was screaming, his arms were shaking without stop, and his back felt like someone had taken a hammer to it.

But instead of resting... he turned and walked.

Step by step, dragging his sore legs forward, he moved toward the fountain in the center of the courtyard.

The cool water glistened in the sunlight.

Gray leaned down and drank, once, twice, three times, until he was almost gasping between gulps.

The cold rush helped a little.

It cleared the pain from his head, cooled the fire in his veins, as his whole body felt like it was melting from exhaustion.

But then...

Step, step...!

He heard the sound of footsteps, followed by a loud and already annoying high-pitched voice.

”Yo!!”

Gray paused slighly.

A bright sound cut through the air like an arrow.

He turned slightly and saw someone approaching.

A golden-haired guy, tall and a bit too cheerful, walked up with a big grin on his face and waved as if they were old friends.

”I saw you during the trial! Dude, that was freaking insane!”

He came right up beside Gray, hands on his hips, smiling so wide his teeth sparkled.

”You didn’t even flinch when that girl fainted! And the way you bit your cheek like, RAAAHHH, so cool! I was like, ’Whoa! That guy’s hardcore!’”

Gray didn’t respond.

He just went back to drinking water, ignoring the golden-haired idiot beside him, but the boy wasn’t deterred by his actions.

Instead, he sounded even more excited.

”Ohhh, you’re the silent type, huh? Cool, cool, mysterious. I get it. I like that vibe! We’d make a great team, me talking, you glaring.”

He laughed at his own words, completely missing the cold air Gray was giving off.

”Fucking hell...” Gray sighed in annoyance.

He still didn’t reply to him, but the guy continued like a wind-up toy.

”By the way, I’m Ronan! Ronan Brightvale! Cool name, right? My mom picked it! She says it sounds heroic—”

”Shut your fucking mouth.”

”Huh?” Ronan blinked.

Gray finally turned his head slowly, his eyes were dark, tired, and contained a huge amount of annoyance.

”You’re loud. You’re stupid. And you’re making my headache worse.”

Ronan blinked again... then gave a sheepish grin.

”Okay, okay, fair! But hey, c’mon, don’t be like that! We survived the same trial! That makes us, like, blood brothers or something, right? Or water brothers! Since we’re drinking—”

Pop.

A vein twitched on Gray’s forehead.

And Ronan kept talking.

”—or maybe iron brothers? Since we carried those poles—”

CRACK!

Gray’s fist shot out right toward Ronan’s face.

But then...

THUD!

It didn’t land as something hard caught his wrist firm and fast.

Ronan flinched, then looked beside him in shock.

A girl stood between them, her long black hair tied back, her red eyes sharp and focused. She wore light armor and a calm expression.

”Easy there,” she said.

”You’ll break his nose.”

Gray pulled his hand back without a word.

’...A peak intermediate user... or whatever...’

[...Oh~, she’s stronger than you. Shouldn’t you feel ashamed of being weaker than a girl your age?]

’Shut the fuck up, you sadistic white-haired bitch.’ Gray cursed inwardly, completely missing her absence.

[Hmph!]

Jasmine humphed.

Back to reality, Ronan rubbed the back of his head nervously, sweat running down the side of his face.

”Eheh... okay, maybe I pushed it a little too far...”

The girl sighed and looked at Gray.

”You should rest. You pushed yourself too far already. Don’t waste energy punching idiots.”

”Hey, I’m standing right here...” Ronan raised a hand weakly.

Gray looked at both of them... then turned back to the fountain.

He drank another mouthful of water and muttered under his breath.

”...Annoying.”

Ronan laughed.

But this time, he didn’t speak again.

He just stood nearby, grinning like a fool, like they’d already become friends whether Gray liked it or not.

”Gulp... gulp!”

Gray finished gulping down the last mouthful of water, letting it drip a little down his chin.

He wiped it away with the back of his wrist, then leaned against the edge of the fountain, breathing deeply.

Every muscle in his body was still tight and sore, but he’d survived... barely.

He stayed there, resting with his eyes half-closed, until the break was nearly over.

But rest didn’t mean peace.

Because Ronan, of course, was still there.

...Still talking.

”—so then I told her, ’You call that a sword swing?’ and she was like, BAM! elbowed me in the ribs! Ha! I think she likes me, though, y’know? That kind of violent-but-cute thing? You ever had a girl elbow you before? It’s practically flirting!”

Gray didn’t even twitch.

He just stood up slowly, stretching his back, then started walking as the other survivors were also returning to the gathering spot.

Ronan immediately followed beside him... still yapping.

”So, where are you from, huh? You don’t talk much, but that’s cool. I can talk enough for both of us! Actually, I probably already did, haha! Anyway, I heard the second trial’s something crazy. Like maybe we have to run through fire. Or maybe it’s a monster... do you think it’s a monster? Oh man, if it’s a monster, I hope it’s a big one. Something with fangs like one of those direwolves! Oh! Or maybe poison, like those mutated anacondas!”

Gray’s brow twitched.

His hands clenched and unclenched.

But strangely, on his other side... there was still another presence.

He glanced.

The black-haired girl was walking just as calmly as before, a little ahead of him, her steps light, her short armor-clad figure graceful but firm. Her red eyes looked ahead, then, sensing his stare, turned to meet his.

She tilted her head slightly in confusion, as if wondering why he was looking at her, not knowing that her presence was already a bother for him.

Gray stopped walking for half a step.

His jaw locked slighly.

’Why are those two close to me?!’

His instincts screamed. Everything inside him wanted to snap, throw something, shout, fight, anything, but...

Unfortunately, he couldn’t beat her, and of course, he knew it.

She gave off no pressure at all, but somehow... he knew.

He took a deep breath and calmed his heart.

And then...

”My name’s Lira,” she suddenly said in a soft tone, still looking at him.

”Nice to meet you.”

Gray didn’t reply or blink at her...

Honestly, he didn’t even breathe for a second.

And just when Ronan opened his mouth to ruin the tension...

”Oh, wow! That’s a super cute name, actually! Lira, huh? I knew a girl once named—”

”ALL TRAINEES GATHER!!”

The examiner’s voice exploded through the training grounds.

A roar like thunder.

Everyone froze.

Even Ronan shut up.

The examiner, Arderia, was standing at the edge of the field once more, her eyes cold and hard.

”Form a line,” she ordered, her long coat fluttering behind her as she strode toward the center of the field.

”Listen carefully. This is your second trial, and don’t expect it to be easier just because you survived the first one.”

The trainees slowly gathered, forming into a rough arc around her.

Some were still limping, others panting softly, their faces pale with nerves.

Gray stood among them, with his arms crossed, as both Ronan and Lira were behind him.

Arderia swept her gaze over the group, then spoke again, voice calm but cold.

”This trial will test one thing... your resolve. Your will to stand firm even when the ground beneath your feet gives way.”

She raised her hand and pointed toward a large wooden structure that had been hidden behind a thick wall of trees at the far end of the field.

It looked like a fortress made out of logs and stone walls, crumbling in places, narrow hallways, and tall doors reinforced with iron bolts.

Something like... a labyrinth.

”You will be entering The Fort of the Dead.”

”Wait what?” Ronan leaned closer to Gray, causing Gray’s brow to twitch slightly.

Arderia continued, ignoring the mutters and shifting feet.

”Inside are traps, collapsing floors, rushing waves of water, crushing ceilings, and even poisonous gas. Some of them will confuse you. Some of them will kill you. All of them are designed to make you fail... and even die.”

Her eyes narrowed.

”But you will keep moving forward. You will not cry for help. And most importantly, you will not turn back. If you do... you fail.”

The trainees’ jaws instantly clenched at her words.

Arderia slowly walked forward, each word biting through the crowd like frost.

”You’ll be separated into groups of three. Work together or die alone. I don’t care. Your success or failure is your responsibility. No one else’s.”

She raised one hand and gestured toward the dark entrance of the fort.

”The gate opens in thirty seconds.”

And then... she glanced directly at Gray.

”Group 17. Gray, Ronan and Lira.”

Gray’s eyes twitched.

”Oh—hey, we’re a team! Isn’t that cool? Wow, fate’s really putting us together, huh?” Ronan battled his eyelashes at Gray.

Gray didn’t answer his annoying voice and simply walked forward.

Ronan jogged beside him with a big grin.

And Lira silently followed behind.

Step by step, they moved toward the towering wooden gate.

Its iron chains began to clatter as gears turned above. The sound of stone shifting and wooden beams groaning filled the air.

Gray stood at the front of his group, staring into the shadowed entry.

He didn’t say a word or move.

Not until...

CLANK—!!

The gate opened.

”Begin.”

Arderia’s voice rang out, and then, the three of them stepped onto the gate.