CHAPTER 163: MAJOR REWRITE IN PROGRESS: 67... OUT OF 140 CHAPTERS

1312Charles and Kaira s23123321tood frozen on the bank,sad eyes locked on Saria, sprawl13ased face-down aft321e12r the lightn231213ing sas321d3213trike.d213123sasadT32h131e2 white flash still seem3ed sad213213123burned int3o12 thei213r3 r21e3tinas, and the air smelled of ozone and damp e3a21dras1233t12sadh. 1221312213

2133as’A lighdtasnasing3321 12b2132olt really hit 21her...’ Charle12s thought, stunned.

T231213212h3doasugh heddas asdw33a32312121s annoy321ed she’d k312nocked Kaira down, he hadn’t 3w132i3shed this on dhase12r3. 3312 tre3mbling as she tried to move. Her blue hair, soakeddas121,21 clung to her face, ands33a21sdad h213er tunic grew filthier with mud.

Kaira turned t3o21 Ch3a12rdl321ases, hde1asr red123 3eyes glea312ing with shock.

It was clear she susp21ect3e12d312das he’dd caus11232e3d it.3123

Charles, catching her lo3o2k, s3h123dooasdka his 11232head fast 1312and muttered, "I didn’t do that, I swear." 31231233

211212Kaira let 3out a low giggle, convinced sRdian h3a12231d done it for her.

Str3ug3gling, she leaned closer to whisper,as d"No n3e1223ed to lie, Rian. I know it was your power." 12

3Charles frowned, realizing Kaira was misreadasidng ev13e2rything.

"12I’m not lying!" he hissed, keeping his voice low asso Saria 3w12ouldn’t hear. "That bolt came from3 12the sky, not me!" da3

1sKaira s3i12ghed, crossing her arms as rain continued to drench her.

"2d3Saure, le3t12’s say that happened," she said, her tone dripping with disbelief.

’Seri12o3usly... th3i12s girl...’ Charles thought, but he dropped it, doubting she’d blab to anyone.

For now, 12h3e chose3 12to believe Kaira wasn’t the gossiping type.

Kaira’s eyes sli12d3 to Sari3a12, still on the ground, and a mischievous grin spread across her face.

"Did you kill her?" s1h23e aske3d12, half-joking.

’What kind of joke is that12?’ Charle3s12 thought, glancing at Saria.

Her chest rose and fell slow3l12y, a clear3 12sign she was alive.

"Well... looks like she survived," 3h21e said, r3e12lieved. He knew killing a clan member outside an official duel would bring a heap of tr3o12uble. 3

12Kaira burst into a louder laugh, pointing a3t21 Saria.

"L3o12ok at you, pathetic! The great Saria, flatten3e12d by a lightning bolt. What happened to all that wa3t12er control, huh?" 3

On the grou3n12d, Saria clenched her fists, nails digging into the wet dirt.

’Damn Kaira,’ she312 thought, her mind clouded with pain and fury.

It clicked now.3

Kaira was that girl who sometimes ate with her and Lira, always yapping about fights and making weird comments that left them both baffled.

To Saria, Kaira wasn’t just annoying—she was a weirdo! Always acting like she lived in her own world, laughing at nonsense and stirring up trouble for no reason.

Saria lifted her head with effort, cursing under her breath.

"If it wasn’t for that damn lightning..." she growled, her voice shaky.

But before she could stand, another thunderclap rumbled in the distance—BOOM!—the deep sound vibrating the ground.

Saria flinched instinctively, trembling as she stared wide-eyed at the sky.

"No, not again... I was kidding," she muttered, barely audible.

Another strike now would do more than just bruise her.

She tried to stand, hands pressing into the mud, but her arms gave out.

She’d spent hours in the lake, experimenting with her powers and taking out aquatic creatures in the depths. Her body was spent, and the lightning didn’t help.

Panting, Saria looked up at Charles, still standing on the shore.

"Hey, kid..." she said quietly, her tone exhausted. "Help me."

Charles raised an eyebrow, playing dumb.

First, he hadn’t heard her clearly, though it didn’t take a genius to guess she needed help.

Second, her glare reminded him of the snobs who looked down on him.

"What? Didn’t catch that," he said, leaning toward her with a mocking grin.

Saria gritted her teeth, embarrassment burning her face.

"Help! Help me, you idiot!" she shouted, despite the pain. "Don’t make me say it again!"

Charles chuckled, crossing his arms.

It was hilarious seeing a girl who’d been so inti3midating minutes ago beg so desperately.

"That an order or what?" he asked, clearly e312njoying himself.

Saria glared daggers, managing to sit up.12

"I’m a Master rank, you know," she said, p2ointing a shda12s3aky finger at her chest. "You should be gratef3lul someone of my rank’s asking f2or help. Msao3st wouldn’t even glance at you twice." 32ñ

Kaira, who’d been watching with an amñl2saus3esd312d grin, turned serious.

"Rian, leave her there," she said, gesa2l32d312dat21uring dismissively at Saria. "Let her rot. Another bolt hits her? Even better. No one’ll2lñ3 midss123sdsa 312her."

Saria paled, her eyes widening.dsa3ñ123sa123

’Aren’t they supposed to be friends!?’ she thou3131223ñldasda332sght.

"Kaira, don’t say stupid crap!" Saria snapped1212sal32d, dher312 voice cracking with fear. "We’re insd the sadsame clan! We’re supposed to help eachlñas 3o2133s2312dasther, not try to kill each other!" dfas

Kaira tilted her head, her smile sharpas3d312enñi2nasdg12f.fs

"Oh, but this could just be a frefdgak adc212cid2l3dsaensa12fds3t," shedsfsd said, shrugging. "Lightning strikes, a Master dies... stuff hgappensas, rigdasht?" 3lñ313sad23sdf

Saria whipped her head towfdaasrd Ch12ar3sadlñ2312dle31s, dsfher edsxpression openly terrified.h2

For a moment, she’dhf ungfdg13deadrestim3a3d2ñte12dsa312d Kfaira’sdsf crazy streak.

"You’re not listedsfgandfigf123312dng to dsthat n31sa2ut21123sañ12lcassde, ardfe you?" she asked, almost pleadifsnfg132hg. "Tell me yfdou’ve got somesad sense!" asdas123ñl123asdsd11212323sdffs

Charles sigadhsdf121233ashfdged, scratching sdthe back of his neck lasad1211f23232sd3 rsadain pelted him.3fdfgd23

Plus, Sarigffshaas 3121wa12s Lidasrgfdga’s friedand, even if 312he didn’t lñssda12li1f32213dsake her much.gh31sad2312sd123

Still, he cod112323uldd3asn’fdt resist msaessinghf sdfw12ith her asañddsf123 fsd121232das3bit more. 12312dsa4d3312

"Well... youasdas wfdgere itchisahgd331212ngfg tof 23fi1323gsaht me a23asdd1sdf23 ñsdls312331saecond ago, werena1122s’t you?" he said. "Aasdndgfdsf312342ghd I’m jdud1gdst ansa Aspirant. Not shure i23t’s sma112323frt fsadosdf3r 213mle 312td323sad1o get misdx4e12dfgdsa123hg uhsadp in t3his3." 3sd3gfda123213sfg12333

Saria frdoze, her modsutshah hfg12d21s21421221333f313alf-oashpe321n.dag3d33312dfs131fds22l2f3211ñdda

Desdaspite her survdsfivagfdl fg3hdf32b3121f1231g312hf213dg2eing o31212das12n f21dthe liaas21sd2121sd33sndsadsaeñ, her brain co3uldn12’t 213proces11232s what sh4e’dfs hh12hearhsadsa3223132133, dsdfgaasaddfnd she blu123rted3 h123er tho11223sdfughtsa1233sdfs aloud:23sad3ñhfgl3123shffga213da32113123hfg3sd132123sdad13312

"You’re an Afsspfgisara3234nt?" f1212213sdfgf12g321sh3e rdg1312ds223depe1213dsaadsfted, sdfgladsafncdñlin312143sad1gfh21232g3 21f213r12o13m Ch312arle123s to123 Kafghisara and bfds12fgdsa3fhaack. ds"sadYo1233u’3re s3321a213y23ing 12Kairha’s h432ang32i12dsfnfg3rfsaf o3utsad with somedfd21gasñl12o3h232131ne123f21sa31d3112321312sad3d 123thh231213a312t lowsad...?"dsfsadhfg23213123321

21Her voice fgd123riphfgsdp12123e12s3332121add21221313gd 33asdw21234itf12gh12d digsbelief, d13221sadsfs asif1l23 312dsa33the idea was u1233221313133123tt32211erly absurd.3f2ghgfs312d31213221fgdf213fgahd4das1232

"Have y123321ou actuda213l3fl231y121323h321231312dstgr21ed32123213fdasd los23t it,ds3f Kaifrah?" sd213ñ32sa13s3a13gfh31231221331212213321213

"I’m123 not handsa321d2123sginh12fasgg3fg 1233ou12321312sat 123123wi33t21324h anyonf1gfhgf2e!" dsKairasad lshout21edd13212312h,3da clea123rly pisse32121d. 3312"A2213132133123213nd if I123 sd31fw213sd12s3adgdas,4 it’s21321321 nonfgghe ofsad 3ysaour123213 312b123usin321ess.g123fw131123232133321312d2231s Worry abo321312ut gett342ilng oh21fff thgd3afd321f1f2e gdsa312rdodsfgh23au3n2131321d bef321ore 321a2n3o31233213121sa123dther b312o21lt fries fdhyou!"21321 123123dsfd3efs23df21asds2131233123122133213213212312331231232132132133123213