Chapter 290: The Unexpected Owner

Velkar, Feris, Vorn, and Mirra stood over the glowing pure mana stones, their eyes gleaming with triumph. The battle had cost them much, but they could finally taste victory. Discover more stories at m,v l'e-NovelFire.net

The bodies of the fallen Celestial Academy elders lay far behind them, forgotten in the shadow of their prize. They were moments away from seizing the treasure they had fought so hard for.

Velkar reached out, his fingers hovering just above one of the stones, its radiance reflecting in his greedy eyes.

But before he could grasp it, a voice sliced through the silence like a blade.

"Do you think you've asked permission to take what is mine?"

The voice was calm, yet filled with a command that made the group freeze mid-motion. Slowly, almost unwillingly, they turned around to face the source of the voice.

Standing just a few paces behind them was a boy—no older than thirteen. His face was youthful, innocent even, but his eyes carried an unsettling calm. His presence was out of place on this blood-soaked battlefield, yet he seemed unfazed by the carnage around him.

The elders exchanged suspicious glances, each of them sensing that this was no ordinary child. There was something off about him, something that gnawed at their instincts.

Feris was the first to speak, his voice laced with disdain and condescension. "Who are you, boy?" His gaze swept over the boy's small form, eyes narrowing in contempt. "And how did you get here?"

The boy didn't respond immediately. He tilted his head slightly, his expression unchanged, as if considering whether their question even deserved an answer. Then, with a nonchalant shrug, he said, "I'm just Lucas."

The elders' eyes narrowed, but Lucas continued, his tone casual yet firm. "The owner of those pure mana stones you're so interested in." His gaze flickered toward the stones, then back to them. "So, I'll ask again—did you get permission to take what is mine?"

For a moment, the group was silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Then, like a dam breaking, mocking laughter filled the space.

Velkar's laughter was the loudest, his voice dripping with scorn. "You?" He looked the boy up and down, his eyes narrowing further as his lips curled into a sneer. "The owner of these stones? Don't make me laugh."

Beside him, Mirra crossed her arms, an amused smirk dancing on her lips. "A child claiming ownership over something so valuable… how cute." Her voice was syrupy with sarcasm. "You should leave now, kid, before you get yourself hurt."

But despite their mocking tone, Lucas didn't flinch. His eyes remained steady, almost bored, as if their taunts were nothing more than the idle buzzing of insects. He folded his arms casually across his chest, the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Are you done?" Lucas asked quietly, his voice barely rising, yet it cut through their laughter like a sharp blade.

Vorn's amusement quickly drained from his face, replaced by growing irritation. His eyes narrowed, and his voice cut through the air, sharp and filled with impatience. "Enough of this nonsense!" He waved his hand toward one of his Nether Puppets, its towering form looming behind him. His eyes flashed with cold malice as he gave the order. "Kill him."

The Nether Puppet responded instantly, its massive form moving with terrifying speed toward Lucas.

Dark energy surged around it as it activated Puppet Rend, its claws glowing with malevolent nether energy, sharp enough to slice through the strongest armor and tear flesh apart with ease. The puppet's arm came down in a vicious arc, aiming to end Lucas's life in a single, brutal strike.

But then something unthinkable happened.

The claws struck Lucas—but nothing. No blood. No scream. Not even a scratch. Lucas remained standing, completely unfazed, as if the attack had never touched him.

[Hah! Is that it?] the system chimed in, its tone dripping with arrogant amusement. [Come on, Vorn, is that really your best? How embarrassing. Look at him—he's practically sweating from the effort!]

A stunned silence fell over the battlefield. Vorn's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth hanging slightly open. The puppet, a construct of immense power, had failed to even scratch this… child. The other elders exchanged shocked glances, struggling to comprehend what they were witnessing.

"Impossible…" Vorn muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "How could he—"

Lucas tilted his head slightly, his lips curling into a small, amused smirk. His eyes gleamed with a mixture of mockery and satisfaction.

Without a word, he raised his hand—small, delicate, but with an undeniable aura of control. He reached out toward the Nether Puppet, and before Vorn or anyone else could react, Lucas's fingers wrapped around the puppet's head.

For a brief moment, there was silence. Then, with a casual, almost effortless squeeze, Lucas's fingers dug into the puppet's skull. The once-mighty construct crumbled in his grasp, its head shattering like fragile clay under his small hand.

The cracking sound echoed through the battlefield, followed by the thud of the now-headless puppet's body collapsing to the ground. Dust and debris scattered around Lucas, but he stood there, completely unperturbed.

[That was pathetic. I almost feel bad for the poor puppet… Almost.] The system chuckled, clearly enjoying itself. [Come on, Lucas, maybe we should give them some lessons on how to control these toys properly.]

Lucas smirked, his amusement growing as he turned his gaze toward the elders. They stood frozen, their expressions a mix of shock, confusion, and fear. The tension in the air thickened as they began to realize just how dangerous this "boy" really was.

"So," Lucas began, his voice calm but now carrying a cold, dangerous edge. His eyes, once playful, now gleamed with something darker. "You've chosen the hard way, huh?"

Vorn's expression twisted into one of fury, but beneath the anger, there was a flicker of fear. He glanced at the crumbled remains of his puppet, then back at Lucas.

"Who… what are you?" Vorn spat, trying to mask his uncertainty with bravado.

Lucas chuckled softly, his smirk never fading. "I'm just the one you should've never messed with."

[Oh, this is going to be fun,] the system added, its voice practically gleeful. [Let's see how long they last before they start begging.] Searᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.