Chapter 96 - Seraphina’s anger
From the side of the arena, the Empress watched everything with interest.
She had seen how Gray protected Luna’s dignity.
He hadn’t treated their engagement as a political arrangement or something he could use for his own benefit.
He genuinely cared about Luna.
That alone was enough to make a satisfied smile appear on the Empress’s face.
Her future son-in-law was certainly turning out to be more interesting than she had expected.
But after the duel began, she noticed something else.
Gray wasn’t trying to outsmart Vincent.
He wasn’t setting elaborate traps.
He wasn’t looking for some complicated way to defeat him.
Instead...
He was facing him directly.
Every exchange ended with Gray gaining the advantage.
Every attack Vincent launched was answered.
Every movement was controlled.
The more the Empress watched, the more satisfied she became.
Then Gray began mocking Vincent.
And eventually...
He even insulted the Crownhart Family.
The Empress couldn’t help chuckling softly.
"Your son can be quite ruthless when it comes to revenge."
Seraphina nodded calmly.
"He usually doesn’t care much."
"Even during his previous duel, he simply disliked that girl."
"But this time..."
Her smile slowly faded.
Her eyes narrowed as she looked toward Vincent.
"I’ve never seen Gray this angry before."
"He’s usually carefree."
"He’s always smiling."
"But the Crownhart boy went too far."
"He insulted our family."
"And more importantly..."
"He insulted Gray’s engagement."
Seraphina’s expression became colder.
"I know my son better than anyone."
"Gray doesn’t usually go around helping people or spreading kindness simply because he can."
"But when something important to him is insulted..."
"He doesn’t take it lightly."
She paused.
"He’s not angry because Vincent insulted him."
"He’s angry because Vincent treated Luna like an object that could simply be transferred from one person to another."
The Empress listened quietly.
After a moment, she nodded.
She understood exactly what Seraphina meant.
Gray’s anger wasn’t about his pride.
It was about Luna.
Just then, Amy returned from her own duel.
She walked over to Seraphina and looked toward the arena.
"Mom."
"What’s going on?"
"Why does Gray look so angry?"
Seraphina sighed softly.
Before she could answer, Elena, who was standing nearby, explained what had happened.
Amy’s expression changed immediately.
Her eyes narrowed.
She looked toward Vincent.
For a moment, the playful warmth she showed around her family disappeared completely.
"That idiot..."
She clenched her fist.
Then she silently watched the duel.
The Empress continued observing Gray.
Vincent was gathering everything he had for his next attack.
"Hmm..."
"It looks like the duel is about to end."
She smiled faintly.
Now she wanted to see what Gray would do.
Would his anger cause him to make a mistake?
Or would he maintain control as he had throughout the entire duel?
Luna also watched from the side.
She wasn’t particularly worried.
She had already witnessed Gray’s strength.
She knew he wasn’t going to lose to Vincent.
So she simply watched the battle quietly.
Then—
The final exchange began.
Vincent gathered almost everything he had into his attack.
Gray didn’t avoid it.
Instead, he faced it head-on.
Then—
BOOM!
His fist slammed into Vincent’s face.
The force behind the attack sent him flying.
The Empress’s eyes widened slightly.
"Oh..."
"That must have hurt."
She looked at Vincent’s face.
"I wonder if he still has one."
Gray had clearly not held back.
Even Elena, who had been calmly watching the entire battle, couldn’t help feeling that the final attack must have been painful.
Amy, however, looked strangely proud.
"I’m the one who taught him that attack."
She grinned.
"Isn’t it cool?"
"He used it really well."
"I’m so proud of him."
Elena looked at Amy.
Then sighed.
"Of course you are."
Isabella watched quietly.
She was satisfied with how Gray had handled the situation.
Vincent had insulted Luna.
And Gray had made his position perfectly clear.
He hadn’t allowed Vincent to treat Luna as an object.
That was enough for Isabella.
Seraphina and Astrid simply smiled.
They knew Gray better than anyone.
The duel was over.
Or so everyone thought.
Gray turned away from Vincent and began walking toward Luna and his family.
He could still hear Vincent shouting behind him.
But he didn’t care.
Vincent had already exhausted his mana.
He wasn’t a threat anymore.
Gray continued walking.
His perception, however, remained active.
Then—
Something changed.
A dangerous sensation suddenly spread through his body.
Gray stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
Behind him...
He sensed something.
He turned.
Vincent was holding something in his hand.
It resembled a small gem.
Then—
Crack.
Vincent crushed it.
The moment it broke...
Gray’s instincts screamed.
Danger.
Extreme danger.
His perception immediately picked up the terrifying energy gathering around the object.
For the first time since the duel began...
Gray felt genuine fear.
If that attack hit him...
He would die.
There was no time to think.
No time to hesitate.
Space twisted around his body.
And Gray vanished.
The next instant—
BOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion erupted where he had been standing.
The shockwave tore through the arena.
Gray reappeared several meters away.
He stared at the destruction.
His heart pounded violently.
If he hadn’t possessed Space Affinity...
If he hadn’t been able to teleport...
He would have been dead.
And the moment that realization reached him...
His rage exploded.
His family.
Mom.
Amy.
Astrid.
Luna.
He imagined what would have happened if he had died.
His anger intensified.
At the same time, Seraphina’s expression changed completely.
Her killing intent erupted.
Amy immediately started moving toward Gray.
Astrid did the same.
But then they saw him standing safely nearby.
Gray was alive.
Unharmed.
That should have relieved them.
But it did nothing to reduce Seraphina’s killing intent.
She had seen what had just happened.
Someone had attempted to kill her son.
And they had done it right in front of her.
Gray slowly turned toward Vincent.
Vincent had fallen to his knees.
A smile appeared on his face.
He thought Gray was dead.
That smile only made Gray’s anger burn hotter.
Gray drew Eclipse.
He didn’t hesitate.
He stepped forward and—
Slash!
His blade severed Vincent’s arm from the shoulder.
Blood sprayed across the arena.
Vincent screamed.
Gray kicked him hard, sending him crashing to the ground.
Then he stepped forward again.
He kicked Vincent in the stomach with all his strength.
"UGH!"
Blood spilled from Vincent’s mouth.
Gray’s rage still hadn’t disappeared.
He stepped forward and stomped on Vincent’s head.
Then kicked his lower jaw.
Vincent’s scream abruptly stopped.
Gray stared down at him.
His voice was colder than ever.
"If this were anywhere else..."
"I would have already killed you."
He tightened his grip around Eclipse.
"You’re alive only because the Empress made a rule against killing."
"If that rule didn’t exist..."
"I would kill you right now."
Gray closed his eyes.
He took a slow breath.
Then another.
He couldn’t let his anger consume him.
He couldn’t become someone who lost himself in rage.
He slowly stepped back.
"I won’t stoop to your level."
But before he could calm himself completely—
A terrifying sensation suddenly swept through the arena.
Gray’s eyes opened.
A lightning bolt was heading directly toward him.
It was far more powerful than anything Vincent had used.
And it was incredibly fast.
Too fast.
Gray couldn’t react.
The lightning tore through the surrounding space itself as it approached.
Then—
The space around Gray froze.
Everything stopped.
Seraphina appeared in front of her son.
Her killing intent was so overwhelming that the air itself seemed to freeze.
The lightning struck the frozen space around them.
Crack!
The attack was completely neutralized.
A wave of cold spread through the arena.
Everyone present felt as though they had suddenly been trapped inside a block of ice.
Seraphina immediately turned around.
She grabbed Gray and pulled him into a hug.
"Are you hurt?"
Her voice was calm...
But the fear hidden beneath it was unmistakable.
She carefully checked his body.
His arms.
His shoulders.
His face.
Everywhere.
Only after confirming that he was completely unharmed did her expression finally relax slightly.
Then—
She vanished.
The next instant, she appeared directly in front of the person who had launched the attack.
A sword rested against his neck.
The man didn’t even have time to react.
Seraphina’s voice was terrifyingly cold.
"You’ve become quite bold."
"Attacking my son right in front of me?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"Do you take me for a scarecrow?"
Her killing intent intensified.
"It seems I’ve been too lenient recently."
"Do you need me to remind you who I am?"
Flash!
Her sword moved.
The man’s leg was severed.
But there was no blood.
The wound was instantly frozen.
The man staggered.
Seraphina’s expression remained cold.
"If you want a war..."
"Just say so."
"I tolerated your son’s disrespect because he’s still a child."
"He doesn’t understand the consequences of his words."
"But you..."
Her eyes became terrifying.
"You dared to attack my son."
The atmosphere became suffocating.
The Empress finally stepped down from the platform and walked toward them.
"Seraphina."
"Let him go."
She looked toward the injured man with clear anger.
"I’m angry with them too."
"His son’s actions were unacceptable."
"But this is enough."
Seraphina remained silent for several moments.
She could have killed him.
She wasn’t afraid of him.
But the person asking her to stop was her closest friend.
Finally...
She lowered her sword.
"Fine."
The man collapsed to the ground.
Seraphina turned away from him and immediately returned to Gray.
By the time she reached him, Amy and Astrid were already beside him.
They were checking him carefully to make sure he was completely unharmed.
Seraphina’s anger finally began to fade.
She walked toward her son.
And the moment she saw that Gray was truly safe...
She quietly pulled him into her arms.
Only then...
Did the terrifying killing intent surrounding her finally disappear.
——
A/N:-
Hello readers I really appreciate the support you guys give me by reading and sending power stone
And i add the image of the amy gray and luna into the novel i hope you guys like it
And once again thank for reading my novel i really appreciate it
B.S