FANTASY LIBRARY

When this sentence came out of Erend's mouth and reached Kane's ears, Kane froze.

"I came to you, not just to talk, but also to tell you this."

Erend said this without changing his expression.

"If I can defeat you, then maybe that heavy expression you had just now will disappear, right?"

This statement shook Kane out of his daze, and she turned around suddenly.

"Senior, you..."

Unfortunately, by the time Kane turned, Erend had already taken a step forward.

"You should prepare well. Don't say I'm bullying the weak."

Leaving these words behind, Erend walked away.

Kane stood there, watching his figure gradually recede. She wanted to call out to him, but she didn't know how.

After a while, Kane left with a heavy heart.

Comprehensive Arena, Back Door

Natasha exited through the back door of the arena.

As soon as she stepped outside, she made her way toward a secluded forest path, where a man was waiting.

He appeared to have come from the arena as well, standing near the entrance, looking impatient.

"Uncle..."

Natasha called out in a timid voice.

Compared to their physiques, Natasha was much smaller. She had a reason to fear this man.

He was in his prime, with a strong, imposing build. Despite wearing a suit, his fierce expression gave off the aura of a gangster rather than a respectable social figure.

However, he didn't seem to be part of the Baby Boomers Generation. There was no sign of star power in him. No matter how strong he was, if it came to actual combat, Natasha could defeat him in an instant.

Even so, she remained fearful, as if an invisible force kept her restrained.

The man showed no concern for her unease. Instead, he glared at Natasha and spoke coldly.

"Why did you take so long? Didn't I tell you to come to me immediately after the duel?"

His tone was more than arrogant—it was oppressive.

"I'm sorry," Natasha lowered her head, her voice trembling. "I... I was talking with a senior."

"Senior?" The man frowned. "Which senior?"

"The one who just defeated the thirteenth rank."

"Oh?" The man narrowed his eyes. "The one who used the Black Furnace Magic Sword?"

Natasha carefully observed her uncle's expression and gave a barely perceptible nod.

"What did he say to you?"

The man asked in a probing tone.

"He..."

Natasha hesitated, unsure if she should reveal the conversation.

"Speak!" The man snapped impatiently. "Are you trying to defy me again? Think about your father!"

Natasha's body tensed at his words, as if struck by an invisible blade. She shrank into herself.

"...He said that he would challenge me by name in the official ranking battle next month."

Natasha forced the words out.

"What?"

The man's expression changed slightly.

This was not good news.

He had been in the VIP seats earlier, watching the battle himself.

Thinking about the power Erend had displayed at the end, he couldn't help but smack his lips.

"Just got promoted to thirteenth place and already aiming for the top? That's why these Baby Boomers Generation kids are so annoying."

He spoke as if completely unaware that Natasha was part of that same generation.

Natasha, however, was used to it. She simply lowered her head further.

The man didn't seem to care. After a moment, he adjusted his emotions and spoke again.

"Well, at least we know who your next opponent is."

"That guy has some skills, and his Black Furnace Magic Sword is a threat, but we have a whole month to prepare."

"After all, he's only ranked thirteenth. No matter what tricks he has, he won't be your match."

His voice carried an unmistakable arrogance.

"That kind of small fry—when the time comes, just finish him off quickly. Understood?"

Natasha couldn't help but speak up.

"Senior isn't a small fry," she protested. "His swordsmanship is different. He doesn't have fixed moves, but he always makes the perfect response to any situation. It's so precise that it feels flawless. It's hard..."

She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"No matter how strong he is, you must win!" The man interrupted her sharply. "Losing to a thirteenth rank would be humiliating. That's absolutely unacceptable."

His voice left no room for argument.

"I'll gather all the information on him. You'll spend the next month studying it."

"In the ranking battle, you must take him down quickly. No hesitation."

"Do you understand?"

His orders were absolute.

Natasha lowered her eyes.

"...Yes."

After a long silence, she whispered her reply.

The man relaxed his brow, but his words remained sharp.

"Listen, Natasha. You must always be number one."

"Not just the top student in Durmstrang, but an unmatched number one—someone who will go down in history and never be surpassed."

"Only by doing this can I fulfill my ambition—and you can achieve your goal."

A cruel smirk crossed his face as he continued.

"If you want to save your father, you have no choice but to listen to me. Do you understand?"

Natasha trembled slightly again.

"...Yes, Uncle."

Her response was quiet, forced.

"Let's go."

Without looking at her, the man turned and walked away.

Natasha followed with slow, heavy steps, keeping her head down.

As she passed a fountain, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the water.

A delicate, pretty face—streaked with silent tears.

For some reason, Erend's words echoed in her mind.

"If I can defeat you, then maybe that heavy expression you had just now will disappear, right?"

The words wouldn't leave her thoughts.

Nightfall

Night soon descended.

The students of Durmstrang weren't particularly active at night, likely because of classes the next day. Once the sun set, the campus became eerily quiet.

Part of this was due to the curfew.

When night fell, many parts of Durmstrang automatically locked, preventing students from wandering freely.

Of course, some ignored the rules entirely.

For example, tonight...

"Here we go..."

A lone figure stood in front of an old, elegant building.

The boy was Erend.

He had come here under the cover of night. He stood for a long time, staring at the building, before letting out a sigh.

"I hope everything goes smoothly."

Lowering his footsteps, he moved forward.

Toward the girls' dormitory.