Vianney watched everything on the ground from the sky, but he didn't realize that there was someone else watching him from even higher up.
“Little Anni from the Moyani family has grown so much...” the elderly man muttered as he lay on a cloud. His gaze then pierced through layers of clouds and landed on Zhang Ye.
“Tsk tsk, this kid is just too upright!” Sparkles shone in his eyes.
Suddenly, the space beside him fluctuated, and a powerful existence teleported to his side, bowing in salutation.
“Lord Auster, you've come again.”
“What, are you tired of this old man?” Auster glanced at him.
The newcomer was none other than the Grand Dean of All Souls Magic Academy—Betula!
Betula shook his head and smiled. “How could that be? Your presence is our academy's honor, Lord Auster.”
Auster laughed heartily. “You brat, you weren't this well-behaved in the past. I still remember when I used to hold you, and you loved to tug at my beard.”
Betula gave a bitter smile. “That was six hundred years ago, and you still remember...”
Grand Dean Betula was already over six hundred years old.
Yet even he was nothing more than a child in front of Auster.
Auster was a legendary figure from over a thousand years ago, an existence who could go toe-to-toe with the previous Pope.
Auster smiled, then looked down and said, “Gajeel of the Black Dragon Empire... Tsk, next, he will severely injure Lina. What do you think about this?”
Betula was taken aback. “You foresaw it?”
He knew that the elderly man before him possessed an ability similar to a prophet's, allowing him to briefly foresee the future.
“More or less,” Auster nodded.
“You aren't angry?” Betula asked cautiously.
He knew just how insanely doted upon Lina was by Auster... no, by the entire Lionheart Royal Family.
If anything really happened to Lina, the two Demigods of the Lionheart Empire would absolutely riot!
Yet, Auster remained perfectly calm, which left Betula somewhat puzzled.
“Angry? Heh... If your great-granddaughter were severely injured, wouldn't you be angry?” Auster glared at Betula, causing the latter to shrink his neck back.
“But you can't expect this old man to take his anger out on a junior of the Black Dragon Empire,” Auster said calmly. “Since Lina chose to go out and gain experience, she needs to face some setbacks. Even if our hearts ache for her, it will help her grow.”
“Besides, someone will take revenge on my behalf.”
With that, he stretched and said, “Let's leave it at that. When it happens, let things play out naturally. However, I want your guarantee that Lina will remain completely unharmed afterward. Otherwise, this old man will tear down your All Souls Magic Academy!”
Betula hurriedly nodded. “Understood.”
As soon as he spoke, Auster's figure vanished.
Only then did Betula let out a bitter smile.
As a Demigod, who would dare speak to him like that?
Auster dared, and yet Betula couldn't even get angry.
It wasn't just because of their friendship, but also because of Auster's strength.
Why was it that even though the Lionheart Empire's national strength was vastly inferior to the other eleven empires, it could still stand proud and tall?
Why was the Lionheart Empire able to soar and rise abruptly despite being suppressed by so many other empires?
A large reason for this was Auster.
If a Demigod was a nuclear weapon, then Auster was the nuclear weapon among nuclear weapons!
After that battle, Auster's strength was far from what it used to be. Even the current Betula could easily defeat him, but no one dared to make a move. This was because the current Auster relied not on raw power, but on his trump cards!
His trump cards, even without counting self-destruction, could easily destroy a Demigod!
And if he self-destructed, he was guaranteed to take down at least two Demigods. That was why, to this day, no empire dared to make a move against the Lionheart Empire.
Whoever targeted the Lionheart Empire had to be prepared for mutual destruction.
They simply couldn't afford such consequences!
...
Next, with Zhang Ye and Lina cheering her on, Xi Ya successfully overcame all obstacles and won today's championship!
At this rate, first place was practically guaranteed!
As long as her final ranking reached the top three, she could advance to a higher-class level. Meanwhile, the bottom three of the higher class would be demoted to the lower class. This was how the academy motivated its students to strive for progress.
Having won first place, Xi Ya's small face was flushed red with excitement, and her gaze trembled with emotion as she looked at Zhang Ye.
And Zhang Ye was also genuinely happy for Xi Ya.
“Let's go, little Xi Ya! To celebrate your grand victory today, this big brother of yours will cook you a feast!” Zhang Ye declared with a wave of his hand.
Hearing this, Xi Ya hurriedly waved her small hands. “N-No need to trouble yourself, Brother Ye. There's really no need...”
Seeing Xi Ya's overwhelmed expression, Zhang Ye smiled gently and reached out to ruffle her fluffy hair. “How is it a trouble? This is something worth celebrating, isn't it?”
“Alright, let's go. Tell me, what do you want to eat?”
Feeling the warmth of Zhang Ye's palm, Xi Ya's face flushed red again. Fidgeting with her fingers, she whispered, “Dumplings... I want to eat dumplings...”
“No problem!” Zhang Ye nodded. “But we can't just eat dumplings. Look at how thin you are, you need to eat more nutritious food.”
“What should I make? Thunderbolt Chicken Soup is definitely a must, and we should also prepare Fire-roasted Fish, Dragon-spine Shrimp, Luo-horn Fish...”
Listening to Zhang Ye rattle off the dishes, Xi Ya felt a warm current flow through her heart.
As they walked, Zhang Ye suddenly felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned around and saw Xi Ya holding onto the corner of his sleeve, her small face flushed red as she followed closely behind him.
Zhang Ye smiled softly and waited quietly.
After a moment, Xi Ya's tiny voice sounded, “Brother Ye...”
“Hmm?”
“I... I don't... don't know how to repay you...”
Hearing this, Zhang Ye reached out with his large hand and ruffled her head. Her fluffy, soft long hair felt wonderful to the touch, making it hard for him to pull his hand away.
“If you can become stronger, that will be the best way to repay me.”
“Strive to become stronger, girl. I hope that one day, you will stand at the peak of the strong and smile at me.” As he spoke, Zhang Ye looked into the distance. The setting sun gradually spilled over, illuminating his face and making him look so warm and ethereal.
At this moment, even Lina was dazed by the sight.
“I can already imagine how proud I will be at that moment,” Zhang Ye turned back and laughed, then nodded to Lina. “The same goes for you!”
“Once your constitution issue is resolved, you must become strong, understand?”
Lina felt a warmth welling up in her eyes. She grinned, revealing her sharp little canines, her smile as bright as sunshine.
“Mhm!”
Even Xi Ya couldn't help but smile, though her heart soon sank again.
Brother Ye is so warm and outstanding. With someone as amazing as him... do I even have the right to be close to him?
Her inferiority complex was deeply buried in her heart.
Zhang Ye's radiance made Xi Ya almost dare not look directly at him.
She began to feel a bit afraid.
Afraid that she wouldn't be able to keep up with his footsteps, afraid that as their strengths grew, they would drift further and further apart.
She craved the soft light emanating from him; she had already enshrined him as her faith.
Therefore, at this moment, her heart was in a state of turmoil.
She swore to herself in her heart, over and over again.
She had to become stronger!
She absolutely had to become stronger!
She wanted to keep up with Zhang Ye's footsteps; she wanted to stay by his side!
Her faith grew more solid, and her obsession grew deeper.
Zhang Ye's figure also occupied more and more space in her heart.
Perhaps... until it was everything...
...
...
Rate on N.U.
