Chapter 268: 258: The Brother Who Returned III
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A teacher at the edge of the courtyard shouted for them to stop, but more students had already gathered and blocked the path. No one wanted to move because no one wanted to miss the fight between a White family son and the unknown student using void-like magic.
Ned rushed forward again. This time, his sword moved toward Fizz.
John saw the direction of the attack, and the last part of his calm disappeared.
He lifted his right hand. "Gravity Pull."
The force caught Ned’s entire body and dragged him forward faster than he expected. His feet left the ground, and his sword arm moved away from his target. John stepped into the pull and punched him directly in the face.
The sound was sharp.
Ned’s head snapped backward as blood flew from his mouth. He struck the ground and rolled twice across the courtyard stones.
Fizz lowered his fireballs and nodded. "That was a good punch."
Ned pushed himself up. Blood ran from his lip, and his eyes were filled with rage and humiliation.
"You hit me."
John walked toward him. "Yes."
Ned released all his light mana at once. A bright magic circle appeared beneath his feet, and light covered his body like armor. The shapes of two wings formed behind his shoulders.
Several students stepped back.
One of Ned’s followers shouted, "Young Master, do not use that spell here."
Ned ignored him.
"Light Judgment!"
A huge blade of light formed above John. Its pressure cracked the stones beneath his feet.
John looked up without fear. The attack was strong for a student. Ned had received good training, expensive resources, and powerful family spells. However, John had survived the Black Jungle. He had faced beasts that did not care about noble names, and he had held his ground during a stampede.
Ned was strong for an academy student.
John no longer thought like an ordinary student.
He raised both hands. Darkness gathered around his right palm while gravity formed around his left.
Fizz understood his plan and flew upward. He released a burst of fire against the side of the light blade, changing its direction slightly.
That small change was enough.
John used Gravity Pull. The huge blade shifted sideways, and at the same time, the darkness in John’s right palm opened like a small black hole. The edge of Ned’s spell entered the darkness.
The huge blade twisted as the power inside it was pulled apart. Mana screamed through the air before the entire spell broke and disappeared into John’s palm.
The watching students became silent.
Even Ned stopped moving.
John closed his hand, and the black hole vanished.
"That was your strongest attack?" he asked.
Ned’s face became pale.
John used Gravity Pull again.
Ned’s body flew toward him. Before Ned could raise his sword, John caught his wrist, twisted it, and forced the weapon from his hand. The sword fell to the ground. John kicked the back of Ned’s knee and forced him down.
He placed one hand against the back of Ned’s neck and pushed his face toward the stone.
The fight was over.
It had lasted less than two minutes.
John leaned closer, and his voice became low enough that only Ned and the nearest students could hear him.
"You were brave when five brothers stood around one weak child. You laughed when I had no magic. You laughed when I had no food. You laughed when I disappeared."
Ned tried to push himself up, but John increased the gravity around him and forced him back down.
"Do not mistake me for the boy you used to beat."
Fizz floated above them with his paws crossed. "The boy became stronger. You only became louder."
Several students laughed nervously.
Ned’s face became red with shame and anger.
The teacher finally pushed through the crowd. "Enough!"
John released Ned and stepped back at once.
The teacher looked at the broken stones, the fallen sword, and the crowd surrounding them.
"Both of you will report to the discipline office."
Ned stood with the help of his followers. He wiped the blood from his mouth and glared at John.
"This is not over."
John picked up Ned’s sword and offered it back by the handle. "No. It is only the first time you lost."
Ned snatched the sword from him.
John turned away and began walking.
Fizz followed him while flying backward so he could keep watching Ned. He pointed two paws at his own eyes and then toward Ned.
"I am watching you, shiny cabbage."
John grabbed Fizz by the tail and pulled him along.
Fizz protested. "I was creating fear."
"You were creating more trouble."
"Fear and trouble are close relatives."
John did not answer.
He walked away from the courtyard without looking back. Behind him, the students began talking all at once. Some spoke about Ned’s defeat. Others spoke about the light spell John swallowed, while many repeated the name John White after hearing enough of the conversation to understand part of the truth.
The rumors became larger before John even reached the next corridor.
Ned remained in the courtyard with his followers. His face hurt, his knee hurt, and his pride hurt more than everything else. Talven stepped closer and asked if he wanted to visit a healer.
Ned looked at him with enough anger that Talven immediately stepped back.
John was alive.
The weak child they treated like dirt had awakened void magic. He had returned, touched Rhea, and defeated Ned in front of a large crowd.
Ned’s hands shook.
He turned toward his closest follower. "Send a message to my brothers."
The follower hesitated. "All of them?"
"Yes. Tell them John survived. Tell them he is inside Heart Magic Academy and has awakened void magic. Tell them he defeated me and is gathering people around him."
Ned touched the blood at the corner of his mouth.
"Tell them I want him dead."
The message left the academy before midday. It traveled through private family communication stones until it reached a large estate in the northern part of the capital.
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