CHAPTER 108: DISCIPLINE.

(A/N Big thanks to everyone for the Power stones and Golden tickets, they mean a lot. As usual, please don’t hesitate to comment or drop a review. ENJOY)

(Don’t forget to join my discord. https://discord.gg/gwRQnjbQDK)

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"My name’s Daenys, and rank or not, I know I’m the strongest in this trial, so unless you want to be mowed down, I suggest you move."

"If her sigil stone is what I want, her sigil stone is what I’ll get." She said with utmost confidence.

Orion stood there astonished.

"You really believe that?" Orion asked with a chuckle.

"Yes." She replied,

"Without a doubt?" He asked again.

"None," she replied.

The others looked at her with varying degrees of emotion.

Selene with anger, Irelle with annoyance and Margaret with pity.

"Very well, Daenys, I understand that Irelle is yours to handle, and I’m not to interfere, like you said; she went after you initially. I can tell you and Selene had a partnership going on, and because of me, it’s on the verge of breaking down."

"I don’t want that, that’s why I’m prepared to get the points for you. I implore you to rethink." Orion said, a smile no longer on his face.

Daenys tilted her head. "Are you deaf, Mr Rank 1. I want her sigil stone." She said with an unflinching gaze.

Orion just stared at her.

It’d been a while since he’d gotten genuinely irritated, deep down, he’d known to be prepared for it; people were rather provocative after all.

Last time it’d happened, he wasn’t strong enough to exert his ideal punishment despite how much his pride drove him to.

But now, he’d grown stronger, overwhelmingly stronger, especially for those of equal age. His growth curve wasn’t multiplicative; it was exponential.

Throughout this trial, he hadn’t used up to 30% of his strength, and without even looking at Daenys’ status, he could tell that wouldn’t change.

But her words really tempted him to go above that. It was petty, of course; she was at most eleven, overwhelmed by pride and yet to face defeat, but his pride and growing irritation were starting to erode reasoning.

Still, he took control of it.

He wouldn’t deal unnecessary damage, especially not to a child. But disciplining her, that he would do with utmost glee.

"Are you okay? You’ve gone all dumb, do y-" Daenys taunted with a smirk.

"That’s enough," Orion said with a sigh.

"By your reasoning, the strong should take what they want," Orion said.

"Yes, yo-"

"I want your sigil stone, and I’ll get your sigil stone. Here I come." Orion said simply, closing his eyes before vanishing.

Daenys barely saw him move. One moment, Orion was standing still; the next, the ground in front of her caved lightly as his form blurred. She reacted on instinct, mana surging through her limbs, a fiery shimmer igniting across her skin.

Her reflex was good — not good enough.

Orion’s hand appeared beside her neck before she could finish gathering mana. She ducked, rolling backwards and launching a sharp kick at his chest, but it met nothing. He’d already shifted half a step sideways, expression calm, eyes still closed.

"Fast," he murmured. "But not enough."

Her teeth clenched. "Don’t mock me!"

She exploded forward, mana flaring bright red around her arms. Each strike carried compressed heat; the air rippled with small bursts of flame as her punches cut through it. Orion deflected each one with single, minimal motions — a tilt, a wrist turn, a slight lean.

It wasn’t a fight; it was a lesson.

Daenys growled in frustration, twisting midair and launching a wave of flame. It roared across the clearing, scorching bark and dirt, but Orion simply stepped through it. The fire parted, split down the centre as though refusing to touch him.

She blinked. "What—?"

Before she could finish, a light tap struck her ribs. Pain bloomed, sharp and controlled. She flew backwards several meters before crashing onto one knee, gasping.

Margaret whistled softly from behind. "She’s getting schooled."

Orion didn’t respond. He advanced quietly, his steps leaving no sound, eyes still shut. Daenys roared again, her pride catching fire.

Silver light shimmered faintly across her left eye, red across the right. Her mana pressure surged, scales flickering briefly over her arm, heat radiating like an aura. The air shimmered.

"Oh?" Orion muttered, "That’s new."

Flames burst beneath her feet, propelling her forward with renewed speed. She struck again, fists blazing, every motion a blur. The ground cracked under each impact.

For a moment, it looked like she was closing the gap — until Orion moved.

No spatial ripples, no visible technique. One second, she was in front of him; the next, her arm was locked, twisted slightly to the side, her balance shattered. A soft thud echoed as he tapped her shoulder with just enough force to spin her backwards.

She caught herself, panting, eyes wild. "Fight seriously!"

"No," Orion said quietly. "You’d just die."

Her mana flared again. This time, the fire changed colour — deeper, tinged gold. The heat was intense enough to distort vision. She formed a small sphere in her hand, its centre pure white, unstable.

Orion opened one eye. "You’ll burn yourself."

"Shut up!" she yelled, launching it.

He sighed.

Time bent — not visibly, but functionally. To everyone else, it looked as if the sphere froze midair for a fraction of a second before flickering out, its energy diffused cleanly. Orion stood where he was, hand raised.

When the flames vanished, Daenys found herself kneeling again, her mana exhausted, body trembling. Her hair was dishevelled, half red, half silver, her mismatched eyes dimming.

"You..." she panted, glaring up at him. "Did you—"

"Yes," Orion said simply. "You’re strong, but you’re reckless. And arrogance without awareness only gets you humiliated."

He turned slightly, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve. "You’ll learn that eventually."

Margaret crossed her arms, grinning. "Eventually? That looked permanent."

Orion ignored her and looked down at Daenys again. "You can keep your stone. I don’t need it. But next time you pick a fight, make sure you can back your words."

Daenys bit her lip, frustration shaking her breath. She wanted to argue, to stand, but her body refused. Her pride burned more painfully than her bruises.

Orion turned away, his calm voice trailing behind him.

"Be grateful I’m patient today."