The Return Of The Exiled Villain

Chapter 339: Nearing The Inter-Academy Competition!

Two Weeks Later, At The Clementine’s Sword & Magic Academy, Phoenix Class...

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The bell rang, signaling the start of the first class of the new semester.

Gray walked into the Phoenix Class classroom, the elite class reserved for female gender students.

As the only male student still enrolled in it, he drew immediate attention the moment he stepped through the door.

Whispers erupted across the room.

"Look... it’s Gray..."

"Has he always been this handsome? He looks even better than before..."

"Did he do something to his appearance? His face... It’s unreal. That mark on his forehead makes him look like some kind of divine being..."

"He got even more attractive over the summer break... how is that even fair?!"

The girls stared openly, some blushing, others whispering excitedly behind their hands.

Gray’s appearance was already extremely high, but after his recent breakthroughs and the activation of the Mark of Beauty, his charm had reached an entirely new level.

He looked almost ethereal and dangerously captivating.

But no one dared to approach him.

Because sitting in the seat right next to his usual spot was Seraph Mirevant Étoile-Noire, the First Princess of the Kingdom, and Gray’s childhood friend.

Her pure silver hair cascaded elegantly down her back, and her refined, noble aura radiated quiet authority.

The moment Gray sat down, Seraph turned to him with a soft smile.

"Welcome back, Gray," she said gently, her voice carrying a hint of warmth that made several nearby girls sigh in envy.

Gray gave her a small nod.

"Seraph."

The other girls in the class could only watch from afar, shooting occasional jealous glances.

With the princess sitting right beside him, no one had the courage to try to claim the empty seat next to the academy’s most desired male student.

At the front of the class, Professor Ellen, a beautiful woman in her early thirties with sharp features and a passionate teaching style, clapped her hands excitedly to get everyone’s attention.

"Alright, everyone! Settle down!" she called out, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"As you all know, this year is extremely special. The Inter-Academy Competition is about to begin once again, the most important event that happens every four years!"

The entire class buzzed with excitement except Gray... but well, he was only participating since he had promised Aurora.

She told him that she had met a bet with Gloria, and clearly didn’t want to lose.

Professor Ellen continued with bright energy, gesturing animatedly.

"This competition isn’t just a simple tournament. It’s a gathering of the brightest talents from all the major academies across the kingdom, and even some from neighboring nations. The top performers receive immense resources, personal guidance from Sovereign Realm experts, rare artifacts, and the chance to enter prestigious organizations! The ranking also determines the prestige and funding each academy receives for the next four years!"

’...Prestigious organization? What is this...?’

Gray raised an eyebrow.

In the novel, Dante didn’t write anything about entering a "prestigious organization" as a reward for performing well.

Just that single sentence made him a little more interested.

And catching his look of interest, Professor Ellen smiled widely, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as she continued her explanation.

"Phoenix Class students are naturally expected to dominate. But this year, the competition is going to be fiercer than ever. We’ve heard rumors that several monstrous geniuses have appeared in other academies, including Clementine’s rival, Gloria Academy."

She paused for dramatic effect, walking slowly across the front of the classroom while gesturing with her hands.

"Unfortunately," she continued, her tone turning slightly more serious, "we have almost no concrete information about the specific challenges the students will be facing this time. The Royal Family, who normally organize and oversee the entire Inter-Academy Competition, has decided to keep the format and challenges completely secret until the event begins."

A wave of surprised murmurs spread through the classroom.

Professor Ellen raised her hand to quiet everyone down.

"Yes, you heard correctly. This is a new policy. In previous years, we usually received at least some general guidelines or hints about the types of trials, whether they would focus on individual duels, team battles, survival challenges, knowledge tests, or artifact hunts. But this year... everything is being kept as a complete surprise."

She crossed her arms, looking around at the students with a mix of excitement and caution.

"This means every academy, every participant, will be going in blind. No one will have the chance to prepare specialized strategies or train for specific scenarios. The Royal Family wants to test true adaptability, raw talent, and the ability to think on your feet under pressure. It’s going to be much more unpredictable... and much more dangerous."

Seraph, sitting beside Gray, frowned slightly as she processed the information. Several other girls in the class began whispering anxiously among themselves.

"Going in blind... that’s going to be tough."

"Especially if there are survival or maze-type challenges..."

Professor Ellen clapped her hands again to regain attention.

"Exactly why all of you need to train comprehensively. Strengthen your foundations. Improve your adaptability. Work on both solo and team coordination. The competition will reward those who can handle the unexpected. And as Phoenix Class students, I expect nothing less than excellence from each and every one of you!"

Her gaze swept across the room once more, lingering for a brief second on Gray and Seraph before she continued with renewed energy.

"The competition begins next week! Until then, we will focus our classes on practical combat, soul techniques, and emergency response training. Any questions?"

A few hands went up, but Gray remained silent, leaning back in his chair with a calm, thoughtful expression.

His mind was already turning over the new information.

’...This can be interesting. Especially since Gloria has contact with the Emperor himself, meaning that she probably can... well, persuade him to put a barrier that lowers your realm, to try and get rid of me.’

Then, a girl with short brown hair in the front row suddenly spoke first.

"Professor, if the format is completely secret, how are we supposed to prepare? Should we focus more on individual strength or team coordination?"

Professor Ellen nodded, appreciating the question.

"Excellent question, Lila. The safest approach is to prepare for everything. Strengthen your personal cultivation, refine your techniques, and practice both solo and group battles. The competition has historically included a mix of duels, survival trials, treasure hunts, and even knowledge-based challenges. Since we don’t know the balance this year, versatility is key."

Another student, a tall girl with glasses near the back, raised her hand.

"Will there be any restrictions on artifacts or external help? Last time, there were even rumors of some academies smuggling high-grade pills."

Professor Ellen’s expression turned slightly stern.

"The Royal Family enforces strict rules. Only approved academy-issued equipment and personal weapons are allowed. Any detected use of forbidden substances or outside interference results in immediate disqualification and severe punishment. The judges this year are said to be extremely strict."

A third student, sitting a few rows behind Gray, asked hesitantly:

"Is it true that... participants can actually die in some of the challenges?"

The classroom fell quieter. Professor Ellen’s face grew serious.

"Yes. In past competitions, especially the more dangerous trials, deaths have occurred. This is why only elite students are allowed to participate. The Royal Family provides healers on standby, but they cannot save everyone. Treat this competition with the gravity it deserves."

Seraph glanced sideways at Gray, her expression calm but thoughtful. Gray remained silent throughout, listening attentively but not asking anything.

Professor Ellen clapped her hands once more, drawing everyone’s attention back to her.

"Any more questions? No? Then let’s begin today’s practical lesson. We’ll start with team formation exercises and adaptability drills. Everyone, stand up and pair off!"

The classroom buzzed with energy as students began moving. Seraph turned to Gray with a small, elegant smile.

"Shall we partner up?" she asked softly.

"Sure," Gray gave a small nod.

At the same time, his thoughts returned to Gloria.

After all, for him, it made perfect sense for her to do something like that.

Gloria Academy had always been his rival in name, and after he had quit and joined Clementine’s, the tension between the two academies had only grown.

Headmistress Gloria was known for her rigid principles, but she was also pragmatic when it came to protecting her academy’s prestige.

If she could influence the Royal Family to implement a realm-suppressing barrier during certain challenges, it would be the perfect way to neutralize him, forcing him to fight at a lower realm while her carefully nurtured monsters remained relatively unaffected.

’She must be furious that I bypassed her rules and joined Aurora’s academy directly,’ Gray mused internally.

’And now she has the perfect stage to try and humiliate or even eliminate me under the guise of a fair competition.’

He glanced sideways at Seraph, who was quietly adjusting her stance beside him, ready for the drill.

The princess had her own complicated position.

As a member of the royal family, she might even have insider information about the competition’s format.

But he wouldn’t ask her directly, at least, not yet.

’If they really do implement a realm limiter... it might actually work in my favor,’ he continued thinking

. ’My foundation is far deeper than anyone realizes. Even if they drop me to Master Realm or below, my techniques, soul power, and equipment will still give me an overwhelming edge. Not to mention...’

His gaze flickered for a brief moment toward the Mark of Beauty on his forehead.

’...the Authority of Destruction and my connection with Jasmine and Seria.’

Seraph noticed his momentary silence and tilted her head slightly.

"Something on your mind?" she asked gently.

Gray shook his head lightly.

"Nothing important. Let’s begin."