No More Pain For This Villain.

[Third Person View.]

Aron stormed out of Ren's room, the echo of the slamming door reverberating down the corridor. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, a maelstrom of anger, jealousy, and confusion.

"Fucker," he cursed under his breath, his fists clenched at his sides. The memory of Ren's smug expression as he discussed Cecelia churned his stomach. The thought of Ren even daring to entertain the idea of being with Cecelia made Aron's blood boil. But amidst the seething rage, a sliver of relief pierced through the turmoil—Ren's indifference towards Cecelia was evident, a small consolation in the storm of emotions.

Lost in his thoughts, Aron barely registered the collision until he felt someone bump into him. "Hey, what the FUCK!" he snapped, his anger flaring as he turned to confront the culprit.

"I-I am sorry," stammered the staff member, scrambling to retrieve a fallen suitcase from the floor. Aron's eyes narrowed as he noticed the struggle the man had in lifting the heavy luggage.

Glancing towards Vexa's room, Aron realized she was watching the scene unfold from her doorway, her expression unreadable. A flicker of suspicion crossed his mind as he watched her effortlessly lift the suitcase, her strength belying her petite frame.

'I'll have to look into her too,' Aron thought to himself, a nagging feeling tugging at the corners of his mind. The notion of Vexa's mysterious background intrigued him, and he made a mental note to delve deeper into her past.

As the staff member scurried away, and Vexa retreated into her room, Aron was left alone in the corridor, the silence enveloping him like a heavy cloak. "Life's fucked up," he muttered bitterly, his footsteps echoing as he trudged back to his room, the weight of his thoughts weighing heavily on his shoulders.

***

The staff guy hastily walked out of the place where Imperial Academy students were staying. He didn't want to get in trouble, even if it's just a minor mistake, as he knows that Headmaster Amrose Nexus does not forgive.

*Bump*

"Ouch," he fell back on his butt as he again bumped into someone, this time larger than his stature.

"Look where you're going, fella," said someone in a very husky voice.

"Oh, I apologize, I was just—" he faltered in between his words as he saw a very buff man standing in front of him with his face covered up with a piece of cloth, only his eyes revealed.

He was wearing a tattered shirt with no sleeves, which emphasized how big his arms were while also showing evident marks of blades and burns on his arms.

"Go away," the man said as the staff member left the spot. It wasn't his best day at work today.

"Haa, weaklings," sighed the buff man as he heard footsteps of someone walking behind him.

He turned to see a woman behind him, her face concealed by the same type of cloth that only revealed her eloquent eyes, while the black uniform she wore defined her curves.

"What's happening, John?" she asked.

"Nothing, Professor," the buff guy named John replied politely.

"Okay, then let's meet Headmaster Amrose. Your team is also waiting for you there," the professor said as she turned around.

"Hmm," John sighed as he began walking behind her. For better or worse, he's not feeling good in this place.

This whole academy underground makes him feel nauseous, as he's used to being in a castle on top of a mountain named Luminary College of Magic.

Yes, Luminary College of Magic was the last team on the board to arrive for the Mage's Gambit, as they have the hardest route while reaching the Nexus Institute of Magic, but they still somehow managed to arrive the same night as the Imperial Academy team, albeit a bit late.

"Professor Lockner, I have a question for you, can I ask?" he whispered softly.

"Hm? What is it?" the professor did not look back, just asked.

"Why did the headmaster send you with us when we had better options? You've not been a professor for more than half a year, yet you managed to get this opportunity over Professor Quinter," John asked right away. John's been in Luminary College of Magic since he was born, as he is the son of one of the dead teachers on the board and was practically raised in the college itself.

So, he knew what goes on behind the scenes too and is considered an important figure in the academy despite his young age, but even he couldn't understand how Lockner was able to get this opportunity.

"Not happy about it, are we? Well, things change and it looks like the headmaster had a vision in his mind. I did not oppose; let's stop at that," she replied curtly as they were at the same spot where Ren and his team met Amrose Nexus.

Nari and Alder were standing with Luminary College of Magic's team while chit-chatting but immediately stopped after they saw two of the new members join in.

John and Professor Lockner approached. There was a subtle tension in the air, as if they were expecting something unexpected.

"Welcome," Nari greeted, her tone polite but guarded.

"Thank you, Leader Nari," Professor Lockner responded with a nod. "It's a pleasure to be here."

Alder, ever the observant one, studied the newcomers with a keen eye. He seemed to be sizing them up, assessing their strengths and weaknesses with just a glance.

"Nice to meet you," John offered a curt nod in return.

The tension in the air seemed to dissipate slightly as the two groups exchanged greetings. It was clear that they were all here for the same purpose, despite their differences.

"Now, if you'll follow me, I'll show you your accommodations," Nari said, leading the way towards the dormitory area meant for them.

As they walked, John couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about this place felt off.

Nevertheless, he pushed aside his doubts and focused on the task at hand. They had come here to compete in the Mage's Gambit, and nothing was going to stop them from achieving their goal.