The Demon Mouth Opens

"Forbidden technique?" Leon was stunned.

For the first time since the match began, a flicker of genuine surprise crossed those calm purple eyes.

His fingers lightly tapped the armrest once.

Then memory surfaced.

There was indeed such a forbidden technique within Celestis Academy.

Blood Rage.

The very art Shan was using.

A method that forcefully elevated one’s cultivation by burning blood and Mana together.

Violent.

Extreme.

Dangerous.

The Seven Division masters had long reached a quiet consensus not to let their students cultivate this secret technique. Not because it was formally banned in the academy laws—ironically, it wasn’t written anywhere—but because everyone understood its cost.

Damage to the foundation.

Broken meridians.

A crippled future.

A cultivator might win one battle... and lose the path of a lifetime.

That was too cruel a price.

Especially for gifted heirs.

And yet Shan had used it.

Leon’s gaze deepened.

So Shera really let him go this far...

Above the arena, Mike’s expression remained unreadable.

Judging from his face, he seemed almost to tacitly approve.

After all...

this was Shera’s own son.

If the boy ruined himself willingly, what did it have to do with others?

Leon suddenly laughed.

Softly.

Almost amused.

"Haha, interesting... Forbidden technique?"

He leaned back.

"Hmm, it seems like it’s nothing much."

That casual response made Maya nearly choke.

She turned sharply.

"Nothing much?"

Her blue eyes widened in disbelief.

At a time like this... he was still calm?

But Leon’s expression did not change.

Because he had already seen the flaw.

If this had been any other realm, perhaps Blood Rage would have been troublesome.

But unfortunately...

Shan stood in the awkward threshold between Astral Realm and GrandMaster Realm.

That realm was peculiar.

No laws.

No domains.

No true transformation.

Only raw increase in strength.

And Blood Rage could amplify strength—

but not grant comprehension.

It could not help one touch laws.

Could not forge domain.

Could not create a true breakthrough.

It only made the sword heavier.

Not wiser.

Maya frowned harder.

"What do you mean by that?" she demanded.

Then almost muttered in complaint,

"I really don’t know if you’re truly confident... or just pretending."

Leon only smiled.

Said nothing.

And kept watching.

That smile made Maya even more frustrated.

Yet strangely...

a small part of her relaxed.

Because this man only smiled like that when he already saw something others did not.

Below—

inside the frozen arena—

Selena had already noticed Shan’s change.

The blood-red Mana writhing around him.

The violent instability.

The dangerous rise in pressure.

She had originally prepared to unleash Moonlight Flicker Strike.

Her fingers had already shifted on the hilt.

But suddenly—

she stopped.

The sword technique in her hand dissolved.

Her blue eyes narrowed.

Then a faint smile touched her lips.

"Does this mean..."

she whispered to herself,

"...that you plan to determine the outcome with a single move?"

The realization struck her like lightning.

And unexpectedly...

she thought of Leon.

Of the night before the Martial Meeting.

Of his strange insistence.

His teaching.

His preparation.

His almost prophetic calm.

A thought stirred in her heart.

Could Teacher have already guessed this from the start...?

Was that why he taught me Moonlight Flicker Strike?

She glanced below the stage.

There—

amid elders and banners—

stood that white figure she admired.

Leon.

Midnight robes touched by amethyst thread.

Watching.

Calm as ever.

And in that instant...

something warm flickered in Selena’s chest.

Secret joy.

Pride.

Trust.

Her Teacher had prepared a path for her.

Then she no longer hesitated.

A cold snort escaped her.

"Hmph, I don’t care what forbidden technique you use..."

Her voice sharpened.

"Take this."

The Amethyst Mist Sword turned in her hand—

then returned to her back.

An odd movement.

Simple.

Yet it made every elder’s pupils contract.

Because the moment that sword was sheathed—

everything changed.

Boom.

An even colder blood energy erupted.

Not ordinary cold.

Soul-piercing cold.

Ancient.

Murderous.

It fused with the Hell Blizzard Technique.

White frost...

and scarlet killing intent.

Heaven and underworld interwoven.

The air screamed.

Clouds above twisted.

Then—

something monstrous seemed to form in the sky.

A bloody mouth.

Gigantic.

Fanged.

As if a Demon from the netherworld had opened its jaws.

Its roar did not sound.

It was felt.

Inside the bones.

Inside the soul.

The entire place fell silent.

No one breathed.

No one moved.

Even the wind seemed dead.

Rex Vine rose halfway from his seat.

His fists clenched so hard his knuckles whitened.

He stared at the white figure in midair as if struck numb.

"What sword technique is this?"

His voice almost cracked.

Because what he sensed...

was slaughter itself.

Mike stood.

Tobias stood.

Shera stood.

Even the other division masters rose almost in unison.

No one could remain seated.

Because they all sensed it.

The Demon from Nine Nether was roaring.

And even the protective barrier around the arena—

that ancient shield—

showed faint signs of shattering.

Ripples spread across it.

Cracks threatened.

An elder gasped,

"This pressure..."

Another whispered,

"...it can threaten the formation itself."

Shera’s face finally lost color.

He had expected victory.

Not this.

Not this nightmare.

And then—

Selena moved.

Her silver hair swept like moonlight.

Blue eyes glacial.

Voice cold as judgment.

"Asura Slash!"

No—

Hell Maw Strike.

With a sharp cry she drew.

And slashed.

The world split.

The Demon mouth in the heavens opened wide toward Shan.

Devouring.

Descending.

Sword intent became apocalypse.

The strike carried not just power—

but annihilation.

Shan looked up.

And all blood left his face.

Fear.

Pure fear.

His mind went blank.

He had been arrogant.

Confident in Blood Rage.

Confident in brute strength.

But before this...

he was at a loss.

His body froze.

His thoughts collapsed.

When had he ever seen a sword technique with such terrifying murderous aura?

Compared to this—

his Blood Rage was nothing.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Grand Return System* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scoturn777

Creator of Grand Return System

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