"Jess… died…?"
The triplets nodded slightly, their faces pale, their eyes swollen from holding back tears.
SSHHHHHH…
A sudden dark crimson aura leaked from Gray's eyes like smoke.
"…Who?"
Keira bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled. She swallowed, then forced herself to speak.
"We don't know… we just found her body."
"Yeah…" Elira added quickly, her voice trembling. "We preserved her with mana… she's with the rest of the team."
Gray's head tilted slowly, his black eyes glowing brighter.
"…Can I see her body?"
The triplets exchanged nervous glances before Mira gave a shaky nod.
"Sure…"
They led Gray into one of the corners of the big boss's room, away from the fight.
Every step he took, the aura grew darker, thicker, like the air itself was being poisoned by his rage.
And then he saw her.
Jess.
Her body lay stretched on a stone slab, her skin pale, her chest unmoving. Her armor was broken in several places, stained with dried blood.
Her whole body was carved with deep sword marks, as if someone had slashed her again and again, not just to kill her, but to torture her.
Her once playful lips were stiff, frozen in silence. Her eyes were closed, strands of her blonde hair stuck to her cheeks with blood.
[...Space magic?]
Jasmine suddenly muttered in surprise.
'...LEON.'
Gray's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked.
He crouched down, reaching toward Jess.
Slowly, carefully, he brushed the strands of hair away from her face, tucking them behind her ear. His hand lingered, caressing her cold cheek, almost tenderly.
For a moment, his head dipped lower, his dark hair shadowing his eyes.
The triplets sniffed softly, tears dripping as they watched the rare sight of Gray's sad expression.
[Gray…?]
Jasmine called out to him in a worried voice.
But when Gray lifted his head, his face twisted into something else. His lips stretched into a grin, his eyes wide, shining with crimson madness.
'…Kekeke~'
The laugh echoed only in his mind, but it was enough to send shivers through Jasmine. His own hand shot up and grabbed his face, his grin tearing away into an emotionless mask.
'He… ACTUALLY DARED TO KILL ONE OF MY PRECIOUS TOOLS?'
No words could express how mad Gray was.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The ground cracked beneath him as his mana erupted, bursting like a storm. His aura surged wildly, shooting straight into the middle of the Intermediate Realm.
But it didn't just stop there.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two more explosions followed, the shockwaves rattling the stones and pushing the triplets back.
In an instant, Gray's aura reached the peak of the Intermediate Realm, the crimson energy now covering his whole body like a new layer of skin.
Ding!
[ The Authority of Destruction has been partly awakened. ]
Gray didn't even blink at the glowing words that flashed before his eyes.
His vision was locked only on the boss... the Lightning Fairy. His killing intent leaked like a storm, twisting the air around him.
He needed something to break.... something to tear apart.
And the fairy was perfect.
But before reaching it, his crimson aura burst out violently.
BOOOOM!!!
The shockwave instantly blew everyone fighting the boss back. Dozens of students hit the walls, coughing blood, groaning in pain.
Even Selene stumbled back, her eyes narrowing in anger before widening once she saw that it was actually Gray.
"What the hell is he doing?!" one boy screamed.
But Gray didn't care... right now, he only wanted the fairy.
The Lightning Fairy hissed, her wings buzzing like a swarm of knives. Her skin glowed faint blue, bolts sparking from her fingers as she looked at Gray.
"Come here," Gray muttered, his rapier already in hand.
He wasn't even going to use his puppet skill... because actually, he wanted to suffer a little, to numb the undying rage he was currently feeling.
His black eyes glowed, his lips twisted into a grin.
ZAP!
The fairy shot a bolt of lightning at him.
BOOM!
The ground cracked apart as Gray swapped places with a loose stone, appearing at her side before swinging his rapier at her sides.
SHHKKK!
Blue sparks burst out, and the fairy shrieked in pain, blood dripping from her pale skin.
And Gray's grin widened in satisfaction, but just after that...
CRACK-BOOOOM!
Her knee slammed into his gut before he could dodge, sending him flying back like a rag doll.
"Guhhh!!" Gray coughed blood, rolling across the stone floor.
His ribs felt like they snapped, sharp pain stabbing his chest. But even as blood dripped from his lips, he pushed himself up... with a maddened grin.
"Kek~… that hurts."
The fairy rushed him, faster than the eye could follow, bolts dancing across her legs as she threw a kick directed at Gray's face.
BAM!
It connected, causing blood to spray from his nose as his head snapped sideways. His vision blurred, but his rapier lashed out anyway.
STAB!
The tip stabbed into her thigh, digging in deep.
"SKREEEEEEE!!!"
The fairy screamed, electricity bursting out around her.
Gray's body shook violently, sparks ripping through him. His muscles spasmed, his jaw clenched hard.
The smell of burning flesh filled the air.
"Ghhhhhh—hahahaha!!"
Blood poured from his mouth, but his grin stayed.
"This… this is good... just what I fucking wanted."
"GRAY, STOP!"
"JESS WON'T COME BACK EVEN IF YOU KILL EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF YOU!"
The triplets screamed from the sidelines.
And at the same time, the other three girls from his group also shouted.
"GRAY, STOP, YOU'LL DIE!" Mira cried, clutching Selina's arm.
Selina and Claire both stared wide-eyed, their faces pale as they watched him bleed over and over, but never fall.
Even Lyra's hands trembled. She had never seen Gray like this before, his body breaking, but his eyes glowing brighter than ever.
And Cassandra, who had been leaning on her scythe lazily, finally lifted her head, her cold eyes widening faintly.
"…What the hell are you doing, Gray?" she whispered.
BAM!
The fairy's fist slammed into Gray's jaw, causing him to bite his tongue in the process, blood splurting out from his teeth.
And yet... his eyes remained focused.
"[✧Swap✧]"
He vanished, reappearing behind her, and swinging his rapier upward.
SHRRRKKK!
The blade tore through her back, blue blood spraying out. The fairy shrieked in rage, her wings flapping wildly.
ZZZZZZZZZT!!
Lightning poured out, exploding across the chamber.
BOOOOOM!!!
Gray's whole body shook as his skin burned, his shirt tearing apart. His arms blistered, his chest split open from the current. Blood gushed down his sides, dripping onto the floor.
And still, his grin never faded. His eyes, wild and glowing crimson, locked onto the fairy's pained expression.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" he rasped, blood spilling from his lips.
At his words, the Lightning Fairy spread her wings wide, her body glowing brighter with every second.
Sparks danced like snakes around her arms, gathering into a spear of pure lightning, before she hurled it towards Gray.
BOOOOM!!!
Before he could actually react, the lightning spear exploded against Gray's side, throwing him into the wall.
CRUNCH!
His bones screamed, and blood splattered against the cracked stone.
"Ghhaaaaahhh—!" Gray groaned, coughing red, his vision shaking. He fell forward to one knee, but even in that pain… his lips curled.
"…Hah… hahahaha… you'll have to do better than that."
The fairy hissed, her voice sharp like metal scraping glass. She flew at him again, fists glowing, electricity buzzing around her body.
ZAP—BAM!
Her punch landed on his ribs.
The sound echoed as his body folded.
"KUHHHH!!" Gray spat blood in her face but grinned through the red.
But taking advantage of the fact that she was close to him, he instantly thrust his rapier forward, piercing her shoulder, going straight through.
Splat!
Blue blood poured, causing the fairy to scream in pain, her wings flapping wildly as she smashed her forehead into his face.
THUD!
His nose cracked, blood bursting down his lips, but he didn't step back. Instead, his free hand grabbed her lightning hair, pulling her head down.
SLASH!
His rapier cut across her stomach, deep enough to spill glowing blood.
"SKREEEEEEEEE!!!"
The fairy screamed, her wings thrashing.
BOOOOM!
Lightning burst out of her whole body.
Gray's skin burned instantly, his muscles twisting from the shock. His knees buckled, smoke rising from his arms.
"GRAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" He continued laughing, almost inhumanly, blood and spit flying from his mouth as he forced himself up again.
And seeing this scene, the girls on the sideline couldn't help but get even more worried than they already were.
"He's going to kill himself if he continues like this!" Selina gritted her teeth, conjuring a spear made out of water, before taking a step forward.
Both Mira and Claire also nodded before following her.
But then, three women stepped right in front of them.
The triplets.
"...You guys can't get close to him," Mira warned them.
"Huh?! And who the fuck are you to tell me what to do?!" Selina snapped, pointing her water spear at Mira's neck.
She didn't flinch, but Keira continued her words.
"...Gray... is mourning for someone right now," she muttered softly enough for them to hear, "...we can't let you stop him."
"Mourning?" Claire's eyes widened slighly.
"Our friend died," Elira said at last, causing the three girls to freeze slighly, their faces dropping as they glanced at Gray.
"Gray..." the three surprisingly muttered at the same time.
Gray didn't hear any of them as his black eyes locked only on the fairy.
"Bleed more for me…" he whispered, stepping forward, his rapier dripping red and blue alike.
The fairy lunged again, her hand turning into a sword of lightning.
SHHHK—!
It cut deep into his arm, causing blood to splurt out, as a rush of adrenaline filled his body because of the lightning.
"Ghhhh—ahhhhg!" His teeth clenched so hard that blood poured from his gums. His face twisted in agony, yet his grin stayed.
And then...
FWIP!
He swapped, appearing behind her, stabbing her back with his rapier.
"SKREEEEEEE!!!"
Her scream rattled the cavern, sparks bursting everywhere. Her body shook violently, blood pouring, and then, just before she could turn...
BAM!
Gray's boot slammed into her spine, forcing her down to the ground. He stood above her, shaking, blood covering his body.
His crimson aura roared around him.
And suddenly... the doors at the far end creaked open.
And from the corner of his eyes, Gray noticed a familiar figure.
Leon walked in calmly, with golden hair shining under the blue light. His golden eyes swept across the room, landing on Gray.
In that moment...
THRUUUM!
Gray's crimson aura darkened.
It turned pitch black, leaking out of his eyes, out of his skin. The air twisted, crushing down as the black aura snaked forward, wrapping around the Lightning Fairy.
Her eyes widened in panic.
"SKREEEEEE!!!"
CRUNCH!
Her bones snapped one by one.
CRACK!
Her wings folded.
CRACK!
Bent.
CRACK!
And finally... shattered.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
Her whole body pulverized into dust and blood, spraying across the stone floor.
The cavern shook, and then, a blue portal swirled open in the air.
[<Dungeon Cleared>]
"Ahh! Finally!"
"This exam took much longer than normal. I'm so damn tired, ugh...!"
The students cheered, some collapsing in relief, others dragging themselves toward the portal. Many rushed to leave, desperate to escape the madness of what they had just seen.
But Gray didn't move with them.
His black eyes locked onto one person.
Leon.
His lips slowly curled, and his eyes glowed sinisterly as he looked at him.
"[✧Swap✧]."
FWIP!
Gray vanished and then appeared right beside Leon. He didn't even notice his presence as he raised his hand and then...
"Die."
His hand thrust forward like a spear.
SPLURT!
"GUHHHHHHH!!!"
Blood burst from Leon's mouth as his golden eyes widened.
He looked down in shock and saw that Gray's hand was buried deep in his chest, blood dripping down from his palm.