Chapter 38: The Arrival of Zane Creed

The battlefield had gone quiet. Smoke drifted through the shattered forest, the remains of trees scorched and split by the intense battle. Ron and Lia, barely holding on, sat weakly on the ground. Their clothes were torn, blood smeared across their faces, and bruises painted their skin, but there was a victorious glint in their eyes.

Ron winced, placing a hand over his side. “Let’s leave, Lia… We don’t know who else might come. Better we move.”

Lia gave a slow nod. “Yeah… We can take a healing potion once we reach Academy City.”

They looked at each other and shared a faint smile. Even though their wounds throbbed, they could feel it — their bodies were still riding on the afterglow of that awakened state.

“Our life-threatening injuries… healed a bit in those heightened states,” Ron muttered in disbelief.

“That power was… really awesome,” he added with a grin.

Lia let out a tired laugh. “Yeah. Definitely.”

But then—

A chilling voice echoed from beside them. “Oh, I liked that power too.”

Their hearts dropped.

“You two are really talented,” the voice said again — smooth, calm, and sinister.

Eyes wide, they turned their heads. Just a few feet away, a figure sat cross-legged, relaxed… watching them. The same man who gave the command “Catch them alive.”

The masked leader.

They immediately jumped up — or tried to — stumbling backwards as they ignited their auras: Ron’s blue flame aura burst to life, flickering wildly; Lia’s soft pink Butterfly Wind flared up around her like petals in a storm.

Ron’s thoughts raced: Since when…?! How long was he sitting there?! We didn’t sense him at all!

The masked man stood up slowly. He wore a pristine, white flame-patterned mask — smooth, symmetrical, and faceless — yet somehow menacing. As he rose, he casually let out a bit of his aura.

BOOM.

A small shockwave rippled outward, cracking the ground beneath his feet. Both Ron and Lia flinched, staggering slightly just from the pressure.

“T-That guy…” Lia whispered, her throat dry. “He was their boss…”

Ron narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”

The masked man tilted his head slightly. “Hmm. You two did well killing him… But enough playing now.”

He took a step forward, voice still calm. “We have to go meet your siblings. So you can die by their hands.”

Suddenly—

Far away, in a peaceful room lit by soft crystal lights, Zane sat on his bed, one leg crossed over the other. A holographic screen hovered in front of him, showing everything.

The popcorn bowl in his lap was empty. His drink, gone.

He dusted his hands off and stood.

“…Guess it’s time.”

His eyes glowed faintly.

“Let’s go.”

But just before he vanished, his gaze narrowed.

“Computer,” he said casually. “Before that… tell me his name. I want to know exactly who I’m going to humiliate later.”

Beep.

Target Identified: Ignis Kael

Battle Power: 1521

Full Battle Power: 1654

Zane tilted his head, repeating the name with a grin.

“Ignis Kael… okkk.”

And in the blink of an eye—he vanished.

—

Back in the forest…

The man in the white flame-patterned mask—Ignis Kael—stood calmly, arms crossed, watching as Ron and Lia prepared themselves with tense expressions and tightened grips.

He tilted his head slightly, voice like steel wrapped in fire.

“Well… I did think you’d resist,” he said with a slow smile. “And the thing is…”

His tone darkened.

“…I want you to resist. So I can break that pathetic hope and will of yours myself.”

He raised one hand, lazily gesturing.

“Come. Attack me.”

Ron gritted his teeth, his bluish flames igniting higher than ever.

“You bastard!”

Lia’s pink wind-butterfly aura surged to life, fluttering like storm petals.

“Take this!”

They both dashed forward at once, attacks fierce, weapons flashing.

But Ignis Kael didn’t move a step.

Instead—he danced between their strikes. Effortlessly dodging every slash, stab, and blow like they were moving in slow motion.

He didn’t even draw a weapon.

After a rapid flurry, Lia and Ron landed beside each other, breathing hard.

They nodded.

“One chance,” Ron said.

Then he stepped forward, fire coiling around him like a serpent about to strike.

“Inferno Spear—Third Technique: Cinder Oblivion!”

A devastating thrust, wrapped in piercing blue-white fire, shot out—burning so hot the very air shimmered.

At the same moment, Lia’s wind wrapped around her like a cyclone.

“Wind Butterfly—Third Technique: Hurricane Dash!”

She turned into a gale—a pink storm crashing toward Ignis Kael in perfect unison with Ron’s strike.

A flash of light.

A roar of force.

An earth-ripping explosion engulfed the battlefield.

—

Back in Zane’s room, the screen flickered violently as it tracked their combined power in real-time.

Ron & Lia (Combined Battle Power): 1163

—

Back in the forest

As the dust cleared from the explosion, debris scattered across the forest floor. Trees trembled from the impact, and smoke curled into the air like ghostly tendrils.

Ron and Lia panted heavily, knees buckling beneath them after pouring everything they had into that final strike.

“Did… did we get him?” Lia whispered, her voice ragged.

Ron’s eyes narrowed.

“No… look.”

The thick smoke swirled—

And from within, a shadow stepped forward.

Ignis Kael.

Untouched.

Not even a scratch marred his cloak.

He calmly dusted off his shoulders, his tone icy as ever.

“…Cute. That was better than I expected.”

Then—he raised one hand.

A pulse of pure pressure exploded out.

BOOM!

Ron and Lia were sent flying, crashing into trees like rag dolls. Blood trickled down the side of Ron’s face. Lia’s breath hitched, her legs shaking as she tried to get up.

“H-He’s on a completely different level…” she murmured.

Ignis stepped forward, each footfall making the ground groan.

“You really thought combining powers and screaming would make a difference?”

He rolled his neck slowly, the sound of bones cracking echoing through the trees.

“Let me show you the difference between trying to be strong—

And being a real strong man.”

Then—

A voice rang out.

Light. Playful.

“Oh, I’d like to see that.”

Ignis froze.

His eyes snapped to the right—

A man stood there. Unmoving.

Purple eyes. Calm smile.

Zane.

He hadn’t made a sound. No aura. No presence. He was just… there.

Ignis took a step back instinctively.

“W-What… since when were you—?”

Zane smirked, tilting his head.

“Oh? You don’t like it when you’re on other end of the surprise, huh?”

Ignis immediately jumped back, putting distance between them.

Zane casually glanced over at Ron and Lia, who were barely holding on.

“Man… this situation again?”

He sighed and walked forward, stretching his neck.

“Let me help you again.”

Just then—

A faint humming echoed around them. The air itself seemed to shiver as a subtle energy began to ripple from Zane’s body.

Ignis stepped back cautiously, narrowing his eyes behind the mask.

“Who are you…? Why are you here? Are you… here to help them?”

Zane gave a relaxed shrug, his tone as casual as if answering a stranger at a café.

“Well, to answer your first question — I’m Zane Creed, a traveller.

Second — yes, I’m here to help them.

And third — well, yeah. I am here to help them.”

Ignis let out a dry laugh behind his mask. “Then you came here to die. I get it now—you’re a stealth-type fighter, aren’t you? You basically just blew your own cover. Now I can easily crush you.”

Zane’s smirk deepened. “Do you really think so?”

Ignis scoffed. “I suggest you stay out of this. Those two are already dead… or will be soon.”

Zane sighed. “You know, Ignis… you talk too much.”

The masked man flinched. “Wha—How do you know that name? How?!”

Zane tilted his head mockingly, smile widening.

“Just a guess,” he said in a taunting voice.

Ignis froze.

That name… even the higher-ups don’t know it… how does he—?

Panic flickered beneath the mask before Ignis screamed in fury.

“You’ve really given me a reason to kill you now… Zane!!”

Zane chuckled. “Ohhoho… is that so?”

Without warning, Ignis’s aura flared violently. His flame, once steady and smooth, twisted into a furious blaze—deep red, almost black at its core. The ground cracked beneath him.

He turned to Ron, who was struggling to rise.

“Watch this, brat,” Ignis sneered. “This… is what real flame looks like. Not that pathetic excuse you wield.”

Drawing a standard-length blade glowing with burning red energy, Ignis charged.

Zane tilted his head. “Let’s play.”

In a blur, Zane danced around every strike. His movements were effortless, his smirk never fading. He wasn’t even trying—and it showed.

Ignis’s anger boiled over.

“STOP SMIRKING!!!”

His voice cracked the mask.

With a sharp shatter, pieces of the white mask scattered across the battlefield, revealing a scarred, furious face — blonde hair tousled, and cold blue eyes burning with rage.

Zane raised an eyebrow. “Wow. You’re real ugly.”

“RAAAAAHHHH!!!”

The sheer roar unleashed a shockwave that snapped trees in half.

“I’LL BURN YOU TO ASH!!

Demonic Flame Sword: Corrupted Immolation!”

The blade swung.

A crimson arc ripped through the air, howling with power. As it struck, a thunderous explosion erupted. Flames spiraled out, twisting unnaturally. The very air caught fire, and the land ignited. It wasn’t just fire—it was hunger, a flame that devoured from the inside out.

When the smoke finally cleared… the forest was no more.

It had become a wasteland. Charred earth. Uprooted trees. Scorched skies.

Ignis stood tall, panting, his chest rising and falling. His eyes searched desperately.

“How do you like that…?”

A voice echoed through the settling dust.

“…Quite bad, actually.”

Ignis froze.

From behind a swirl of smoke, Zane stepped out—untouched, not even a speck of ash on him.

A lazy laugh escaped his lips. “Man… it’s really miserable being on other side of the situation, huh?”

Ignis backed away, stunned. “That was my strongest technique… How?!”

Zane raised a single finger. “Let me tell you how .”

Ignis hissed. “What are you—?”

Zane lazily flicked his finger through the air.

Nothing happened.

Ignis barked a laugh. “You think this is your cool moment? You think you can rep—”

Suddenly—

WHOOM.

An eruption of pure, searing purple flame exploded forth. It wasn’t just stronger—it was ten hundred times stronger. The sky split with light. The land caved inward. A crater—a valley—formed in an instant, devouring everything in front of Zane.

“Oops,” Zane muttered, watching the flames spiral. “Overdid it again.”

His smile didn’t fade. “Well… he was weak.”

At the edge of the battlefield, Lia and Ron lay wide-eyed, trembling.

But they weren’t harmed.

A shimmering blue barrier bubble had protected them—Zane’s doing.

Without it, they would’ve been vaporized.

As the storm of purple flame faded and wind howled through the valley that remained, Zane scratched his head.

“Good thing I stopped it midway. Who knows what would’ve happened otherwise?”

He turned toward Ron and Lia, the shield flickering and then vanishing.

And just as it disappeared, Ron forced himself to his knees—shaking, bloodied, overwhelmed.

He bowed his head.

“Please… become our teacher, Mr. Zane!!!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep