Chapter 363: Inter-Academy Tournament (XV)
The soft light of dawn filtered through the thin fabric of the tent, casting a golden glow over everything inside.
The jungle outside was slowly waking up, with distant bird calls and the rustling of leaves filling the air.
Inside the main tent, Gray stirred first.
He had slept lightly, as always, his body used to staying alert even during rest.
Seraph was still curled up against him, her head resting on his chest, with one arm wrapped around his waist, and her legs tangled with his.
Gray tried to gently shift out from under her, intending to get up and prepare for the final day. But the moment he moved, Seraph’s grip tightened.
"Ummnghh..." She let out a soft, sleepy whine and pulled him back down, burying her face deeper into his chest.
"Don’t go yet..." she mumbled, her voice still heavy with sleep.
Her pure silver hair was messy, spread across his shirt like a silver curtain. She pouted in a spoiling manner, her eyes still closed as she nuzzled closer.
"Just a little longer... please?"
Gray paused, looking down at her with a faint smile.
He could feel the warmth of her body pressed against his, the soft rise and fall of her breathing, and the way her fingers clutched his shirt like she didn’t want to let go.
"Seraph," he said quietly, his voice low and gentle.
"It’s the final day. We need to get ready."
She shook her head stubbornly, still pouting as she hugged him tighter.
"Five more minutes..." she whispered, her voice sweet and a little whiny.
"You promised you’d hold me to sleep... so you have to stay until I wake up properly."
"Pfftt..." Gray chuckled at those words.
He gave up trying to get up and wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her closer.
"Haaa~" Seraph let out a contented sigh, snuggling into his embrace like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Her bikini and jacket from the night before were still on, though slightly disheveled from sleep, and Gray could feel the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric.
For a while, they simply lay there together.
Rustle...
Gray’s hand moved slowly up and down her back in soothing strokes, while Seraph’s fingers traced lazy patterns on his chest.
Until... Seraph shifted slightly in his arms, her thigh brushing against something hard and warm.
She paused, her eyes slowly opening as she realized what it was. Her cheeks flushed a deep pink as she felt Gray’s morning hood pressing against her leg.
"Gray..." she whispered, her voice a mix of shyness and curiosity.
"You’re... hard."
Gray didn’t look embarrassed. He simply smiled faintly and stroked her hair.
"Sleeping with a beautiful woman like you would definitely make me hard," he said honestly, his voice low and calm.
Seraph’s face turned even redder, but she didn’t pull away.
Instead, she hid her face in his chest, a small, happy smile forming on her lips as she felt his warmth and hardness against her.
"You’re so direct..." she mumbled, her voice muffled against his shirt.
Gray chuckled again and held her closer, one hand gently rubbing her back.
"You’re the one who came to me like this," he teased softly.
"What did you expect?"
Seraph didn’t answer right away. She simply stayed in his arms, enjoying the closeness. After a few moments, she lifted her head and looked at him with soft, loving eyes.
"I don’t mind..." she whispered.
"I like being close to you like this."
Gray stroked her cheek with his thumb, his black eyes warm as he looked at her.
"You’re really spoiled today," Gray murmured before planting a small kiss on her forehead.
Seraph smiled against his chest, her voice muffled but happy.
"Only with you... I don’t get to be like this with anyone else."
She lifted her head slightly, her silver hair falling around her face as she looked at him with soft, loving eyes.
Then, without warning, she leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, to which Gray returned the kiss, one hand cupping the back of her head as he held her close.
When they pulled apart, Seraph’s cheeks were flushed again, but she didn’t look away. Instead, she rested her forehead against his, their noses almost touching.
"I wish we could stay like this longer," she whispered.
"...Maybe one day," Gray replied softly.
Seraph smiled brightly at his words, her eyes sparkling with hope.
She kissed him again, softer this time, before finally sitting up a little, though she still stayed on his lap, refusing to fully let go.
"I’ll hold you to that promise," she said softly.
She lingered for a few more seconds, her fingers tracing lightly over his chest as if she didn’t want to leave.
Then, with a small, reluctant sigh, she finally climbed off him.
She picked up her jacket from the side of the mat and slipped it back on, buttoning it up to cover the bikini underneath.
Her cheeks were still faintly pink as she adjusted the collar, giving Gray one last warm look.
"I’ll see you outside," she whispered, leaning down to plant one final, quick kiss on his forehead.
With that, she slipped out of the tent, leaving Gray alone on the mat.
Gray lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling of the tent.
He was speechless.
He hadn’t promised anything to her.
But she had simply assumed.
A faint, amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he shook his head slowly.
Seraph’s boldness and the way she had taken his words and turned them into a promise was both surprising and... oddly endearing.
He ran a hand through his slightly messy black hair, still feeling the warmth of her body lingering on his skin.
"Women..." he muttered under his breath, though there was no real annoyance in his voice.
He sat up, adjusting his clothes before standing up, stretching his arms above his head as he stepped out of the tent.
The morning sun was already rising higher, casting golden light over their makeshift base. Seraph was already back in her normal clothes, talking with a few of the other girls.
When she noticed him, she gave him a bright, secret smile, her cheeks still carrying a hint of the earlier flush.
Gray nodded at her lightly.
"Gather around," he raised his voice enough for everyone to hear.
"We need to go over the plan for today."
The girls quickly formed a loose circle, their eyes shining with excitement and loyalty.
They had already marked the locations of every remaining academy on their makeshift map, spreading it out on a flat rock for everyone to see.
"We have the locations of all five remaining academies. Gloria Academy is here, near the central waterfall. Dragon Slaying Academy is in the eastern cliffs. The other three are scattered, one in the northern forest, one near the southern beach, and one in the western mountains."
He looked up at the girls, his voice steady and clear.
"Our plan is simple. Today, we attack all of them at the same time. Seraph and I will personally handle Gloria Academy. The rest of you will split into teams and focus on eliminating as many students as possible from the other academies. Do not get eliminated yourselves. Prioritize speed and coordination. Take their flags if you can, but the main goal is to reduce their numbers."
The girls listened intently, nodding as he spoke.
One of the girls, a tall beauty with long dark hair, raised her hand slightly.
"Leader, what if they try to counterattack our base while we’re gone?"
Gray nodded, acknowledging the concern.
"That’s why we leave a small defensive team here. Five of you will stay to protect the base and the flags we’ve already collected. The rest will attack in teams of six to eight. Use the information we gathered yesterday, the weak points in their camps, the hidden paths, and the best times to strike."
Seraph stepped closer to him.
"Since I’ll go with you to Gloria Academy, we can also use my Spirit Eyes to scout their movements before we attack."
Gray gave her a small nod.
"Good. The rest of you, choose your teams and prepare. We move out in ten minutes."
The girls quickly organized themselves, their voices filled with excitement as they discussed strategies and who would go with whom.
Some of them were already checking their artifacts and weapons, clearly eager to prove themselves to Gray.
One of the girls, a shorter one with bright eyes, looked at Gray with a big smile.
"We won’t disappoint you, Leader! We’ll eliminate as many as we can!"
Another girl nodded enthusiastically.
"With the artifacts we found yesterday, we’re much stronger now. Those other academies won’t know what hit them."
Gray stood up, his expression calm as he watched them prepare.
It seems that this academy had hope after all.
These girls were not only strong but also loyal and smart enough to follow his plan without unnecessary risks.
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