"Oh, I think I just got lucky," Derek said casually. "Since I'm only a cultivator, they didn't take me seriously. And I had to use my sword as well. They never thought I could wield a sword on top of everything else."

In truth, the situation was far more complicated than Derek realized.

After consuming the demon core, his physical strength had long since surpassed the limits of his cultivation realm. And after his most recent breakthrough, he had already stepped into the D-class realm. When everything was combined — D-class cultivation realm and strength beyond his cultivation realm — his actual combat strength was somewhere around B-class.

So, even with everything, an A-class mage should have been far out of his league.

So Derek assumed they simply underestimated him. That they made the mistake of not taking him seriously.

But that wasn't the case.

Yes, he gained an advantage because the hooded man hadn't expected Derek to draw a sword.

But there was something else.

Without him even realizing it, Derek had been using another power — a mysterious force that surged inside him the moment he learned Frederick and the hooded man were from the Nelson family.

A power he had unknowingly used once before, during his battle with the serpent in the forest.

Its presence was so subtle, so quiet, that even Derek failed to sense it.

Yet even in its subtlety, it was enough to help him bridge an enormous gap in strength — enough to turn hopeless fights into victories.

"You got lucky, huh?" Yami scoffed. "And I'm supposed to believe that?" He narrowed his eyes, staring straight at Derek as if trying to peel back every secret hidden beneath his skin.

"I'm sure you're hiding something," Yami said sharply. "What exactly did you do this time?"

He knew exactly what Derek was capable of. And he knew one more thing — when it came to Derek, the word luck held no meaning.

Derek gave a wary smile. "I really didn't do anything, Master. Is it even possible for me to hide my true strength from you?"

Yami snorted. "Derek… when it comes to you, I don't believe the word impossible exists."

Meridith pressed her palm over her mouth to stifle a laugh. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she couldn't deny Yami was absolutely right.

"Whatever," Yami said with a sigh. "We'll deal with the details later. Right now, we need to take care of these two bodies. But didn't I tell you to stay away from the Nelson family? Not even a week passed, and you've already ended up killing two members from that very family. What if neither of them were connected to demons?"

"Frederick didn't know about demons — at least, that's what I think," Derek replied calmly. "But he deserved to die for harboring killing intent toward me. Whether today or tomorrow, he would've tried to carry out his plan. As for his protector, he knew about demons. And more importantly… he wouldn't have let me walk away alive."

Derek's tone sharpened. "So I didn't really have another choice."

"Alright." Saying that, Yami brought out a cube from his storage. He lifted it to his lips and murmured a chant, then tossed it to the ground.

The moment the cube touched the earth, it expanded rapidly, unfolding and stretching until it transformed into three coffin-like containers.

"Quick," Yami ordered.

He didn't need to explain anything further — both Meredith and Derek immediately sprang into action.

Yami opened the lids one by one, and Derek and Meredith placed the bodies inside with practiced efficiency.

Once the corpses were secured, Yami closed each lid and whispered the chant again. The coffins shrank instantly, collapsing back into the size of a small cube.

"Let's leave this place first," Yami said. Then he glanced at Meredith. "And Meredith… make sure not a single trace is left behind."

With that, Yami left with Derek, moving swiftly through the trees.

Meredith stayed behind, her expression turning cold. She raised her hand, releasing a wave of magic that swept over the battlefield, erasing every footprint, scorch mark, and lingering aura — wiping away all evidence that a life-and-death battle had taken place there.

Meanwhile, Yami and Derek soon reached the house master's chamber.

Yami sat down in his chair and gestured for Derek to take a seat as well.

Derek complied.

Yami lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly before speaking. "The situation in the academy is about to turn chaotic."

"I know," Derek replied.

"You think you know," Yami said sharply. "But it's worse than you realize. The Nelson family was already making moves. And now, with Frederick dead, they won't even bother hiding their dirty work anymore."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

"Frederick wasn't just an heir of the Nelson family," Yami continued. "He was a prodigy, one of the top three elite fourth-year mages in the academy."

A heavy silence filled the room.

"What do you think I should do then? I mean… for the moment," Derek asked.

"You have two days left before the Half-Yearly Ranker's Test," Yami replied. "For these next two days, you'll stay under my protection."

"And after that?"

"You will participate in the test."

Derek frowned. "Don't you think it's dangerous for me to join the test right now?"

"No," Yami said firmly. "It's actually the safest option. Before, I told you not to reveal too much of your strength. But now… I take that back."

Derek blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Give it your all," Yami said. "Even if you know you're going to win, don't hold back. Don't conserve energy. Don't hide anything."

"What? Why?"

"Because there's a possibility people will try to approach you, recruit you… or hurt you. But there's something else." Yami leaned forward. "If your performance is too astonishing, you might convince the Head Mistress herself to take you as her disciple."

Derek's eyes widened slightly.

"And if that happens," Yami finished, "no one in this academy or outside of it will dare to touch you."

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