Frederick stumbled through the deserted clearing, panting heavily, his heart pounding in his ears. But at least he had escaped the Raging Bulls' corridor.

Or so he believed.

He leaned against a tree, gasping for breath.

"That… that freak… How did he—"

Before he could finish the thought, a calm voice spoke from behind him.

"Why were you sneaking on us? Did you want to know something?"

Frederick's breath died in his throat, and his blood ran cold.

He turned back in horror.

There, only a few meters away, Derek was standing calmly.

Until he spoke, Frederick hadn't even sensed that anyone was behind him. It was as if Derek had materialized out of thin air.

Frederick staggered backward, tripping over his own feet and falling onto the ground. His trembling fingers dug into the dirt as he scrambled away, eyes wide like he was staring at a monster wearing the skin of a boy.

Frederick wasn't just any fourth-year student — he was one of the strongest mages among all the students in the academy. But after witnessing what Derek was capable of, harsh reality had hit him like a hammer.

"H-how?!" he croaked. "How did you find me?! How did you see through my concealment?!"

Derek didn't answer his question. Instead, he stepped forward with slow, precise footsteps, like a predator circling wounded prey.

"Why were you following me?" Derek asked, voice calm yet unnervingly empty. "You were about to try and kill me, weren't you? The killing intent pouring off your body was unmistakable."

Frederick froze.

A cold shiver rippled across his entire body, making every hair on his skin stand on end.

"Y-you can already sense killing intent…" For the first time in his life… He felt genuinely afraid. Someone saw straight through him. Someone far younger.

Derek didn't respond, but the answer was already clear. 'No… No way I can let him leave. He's far too dangerous.'

He scanned the surroundings in panic — searching for anyone nearby.

No one.

No witnesses.

'Good.'

His hand slipped into his robe quickly.

He pulled out a small jade stone. And crushed it without any hesitation.

CRACK!

A faint ripple of energy spread out instantly.

Derek's eyes narrowed. "So you are calling for backup." He already knew what Fredrick was up to.

Frederick didn't even try to deny it. He jumped to his feet and pulled out a wand etched with lightning runes.

Blue sparks erupted along its length.

"I wanted to do it silently, but you didn't leave me any choice!" Frederick hissed, voice shaking with hysteria and fear. "No matter how strong you are, you have to die."

Lightning roared from the tip.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Searing bolts raced toward Derek, splitting the air.

Frederick wasn't weak — not by normal academy standards. He was an E-class mage, same tier as Emma, and a genius nurtured by one of the top three legacy families. His lightning attribute made him even more dangerous in short bursts.

But the moment his spells shot out…

He realized something terrifying. He was failing to land even a single hit. Derek moved before Frederick cast the spell. He knew the attack trajectory before the lightning even formed.

He slipped between the bolts like flowing water, every movement smooth, every evasion effortless.

Frederick's heart dropped.

"What… what is this?!"

His spells continued to fire wildly, but none even grazed Derek.

In three seconds, the gap between them vanished.

Derek stood right in front of Frederick.

So close that Frederick could see his own reflection in Derek's calm, merciless eyes.

His heart skipped a beat. "D-don't come closer!" he shouted, stumbling backward. "If you do anything extreme, my family won't let you go! I'm from a legacy family! One of the top three! You'll... You'll regret..."

Derek's expression didn't change at all.

"So because you're from a legacy family," Derek said quietly, "you think you have the right to kill someone?"

Frederick flinched.

"And I don't even know why you were trying to kill me in the first place. Did anybody send you?"

Frederick's lips trembled, but he didn't say anything.

Seeing that Derek sighed and raised his hand. "If you have nothing to explain... Then you can only blame yourself."

His fist tightened. As Fredrick wanted to kill him, he couldn't let him go, no matter what.

At that moment... Frederick saw death.

"No... WAIT!"

But Derek didn't wait. He punched forward with enough force to shatter stone.

But suddenly..... before the blow could land...

A massive wave of heat exploded through the air.

BOOOOM!

A fireball slammed into Derek's ribs, engulfing him in roaring flames.

The impact blasted Derek off his feet. He flew several meters, rolling across the ground, coughing violently. The flames scorched through his shirt. Smoke curled around them.

A new presence appeared between him and Fredrick. A tall figure cloaked in a dark hood. The air stirred around him with heaviness. He kept his hood down, his face completely hidden. Flames flickered around his fingertips, his presence radiating overwhelming, destructive force.

"Young master, are you alright?" the man looked at Fredrick and asked obediently.

"Thank God, Gideon. You arrived just in time. Take care of that bastard." Fredrick said, breathing a sigh of relief.

The cloaked man then turned toward Derek. That fireball hadn't been a warning shot. It was meant to kill.

Even Frederick could tell the spell had been cast without restraint.

The cloaked figure turned around.

"I think he is already taken care of, young master. Let's leave this place immediately before anyone sees us here."

Frederick nodded and hurried behind him, not daring to look back.

His legs felt weak. His pulse refused to calm.

They took only three steps before....

A voice echoed from behind them.

Calm.

Cold.

And horrifyingly familiar.

"Where do you think you two are going?"

Frederick froze mid-step. His entire body went numb.

The cloaked man stopped as well, shock evident in his face.

A cold sweat ran down Frederick's spine as he slowly turned around.

There.... stepping out of the fading smoke, brushing ash off his shoulder as if wiping dust…

Was Derek.

Alive. Standing straight.

"You… you...." Frederick stuttered. "You took a direct hit…"

Derek tilted his head slightly. The fireball had scorched his outer clothes, but beneath them, his skin was unburnt. His aura was steady. His breathing calm.

"I'll admit," Derek said lazily, "If I hadn't reacted at the last moment, I would be toast by now." He paused, then looked at the man in the cloak. "A-class mage, huh! So that jade stone was for you."

Frederick trembled violently. The A-class mage narrowed his eyes from beneath the hood.

"That spell should have reduced you to ash," he said slowly.

"Yeah, it should have," Derek replied. "I guess I am just too lucky, ain't I?" Derek chuckled. Even before an A-class mage, he showed no fear.

"You're not normal," the cloaked man growled.

"I get that a lot."

There was a tense silence.

Frederick felt as though the world had stopped breathing.

Both sides stared at each other — the cloaked A-class mage, radiating oppressive fire magic… and Derek, with no aura fluctuation, but his calm presence still felt like the eye of a storm.

Then Derek stepped forward.

One step.

Frederick's heart almost stopped.

The cloaked mage extended a hand threateningly.

"Stop."

Derek didn't.

Two steps.

The hooded mage's aura flared, scorching the air.

"I said STOP."

Derek smiled.

"Make me."

An explosion of heat erupted as the A-class mage unleashed his full power.

Frederick shielded his face instinctively, expecting Derek to be incinerated...

But the flames hit empty air.

Because Derek…

Wasn't there.

A whisper of movement. A shift in the wind.

A faint pressure behind them.

The cloaked mage whirled around...

And froze.

Derek stood behind him... Close... Too close.

Frederick's breath caught in his chest. The cloaked mage's hand trembled.

'Impossible.

Impossible.

IMPOSSIBLE.'

No E-class student could move faster than an A-class mage's perception. No one.

But Derek had.

And he wasn't even breathing hard.

"You two," Derek said quietly. "Shouldn't make the mistake of thinking you can walk all over anyone just because you want to."

The hooded mage stepped back instinctively, terror flickering behind the hood.

Derek lowered his center of gravity. His fist tightened. The air around his arm warped.

Frederick felt his soul shrink.

'No way. He's actually... Fredrick's mind was in chaos. 'He's actually going to fight an A-class mage? Has he no fear?'

"Stop. You must be out of your mind if you think you can fight me." Gideon said.

But Derek didn't stop. His fist drew back...

And then.... He threw a punch. Simple. No fancy moves.

The mage tried to react, but he was a bit slow. Derek's fist sank into his chest, sending him flying backward. Frederick tried to intervene, but Derek struck him with a backhanded slap — a single, effortless motion that sent him crashing away as well.

The mage groaned in pain, clutching his chest. But the fear was far worse than the injury.

"What… what kind of monster is he?" he whispered, trembling.

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