Grand Return System-Chapter 63: Frost Beneath the Flame

Frost Beneath the Flame

In less than a moment—

The flames stabilized.

Still, the weight of their presence hung heavy.

A hush came over the gusts, like they feared getting close to the red glow twisting round Rias. Under her feet, the sand shifted tone - grains bubbling up into smooth black glass, then settling with a soft pop. Fire now curled tight, not snapping loose in jagged fits.

It moved with her.

It breathed with her.

Each slow inhale drew the flames inward, tightening them into a controlled vortex. Each exhale sent faint ripples of crimson heat across the desert floor.

Rias stood at the center of it all, crimson hair fluttering gently in the hot current. Her eyes were closed, expression focused, almost serene—as if she could hear something inside the flames that no one else could.

Selena felt it clearly.

If she were to fight Rias now—

It would not be easy.

The heat brushed against her skin, but that wasn’t what unsettled her. Temperature could be endured. What made her instincts tense was the weight hidden inside those flames.

Authority.

Something ancient pulsed faintly within them.

Those were no longer ordinary flames.

They carried intent... judgment... a subtle karmic resonance that stirred even the marrow of her Divine Ice Bones. The cold energy within her body reacted instinctively, rising like frost meeting wildfire.

Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the hilt of her Amethyst Mist Sword.

The blade hummed softly, sensing the shift in the surrounding aura.

Not jealousy.

Just... awareness.

Rias had grown stronger.

Stronger in a way that felt sudden. Dangerous.

Selena exhaled quietly, her gaze steady as she watched the crimson flames coil around the other girl.

"...Impressive," she murmured under her breath.

The word wasn’t bitter. It was honest.

Across the sand, Rias slowly opened her eyes. The flames shuddered once—then gradually settled, shrinking until only faint crimson embers danced along her arms before fading away.

She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers slightly.

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Wow..." she muttered softly. "That’s... terrifying."

Then she looked toward Leon.

"Master," she said with a playful grin, "if I accidentally burn the palace down later, that’s technically your fault, right?"

Leon snorted faintly.

"Control the technique first before thinking about property damage."

"Hey, I’m just being realistic," Rias shot back with a shrug, though the excitement in her eyes was obvious.

Leon seemed amused... but only briefly.

His gaze shifted.

He noticed Selena.

She stood a short distance away, her silver figure quiet against the vast desert horizon. White robes swayed gently in the evening wind. The fading twilight painted soft shadows across her calm face.

Her blue eyes watched silently.

Not cold.

Not warm.

Just... distant.

Leon studied her for a moment longer than usual.

Did she feel that he had neglected his eldest student after having his second student? Hmm...

The thought lingered longer than he expected.

This was not good.

Selena had been the one who stood beside him when he had nothing.

The one who trained without complaint.

The one who endured brutal cultivation sessions without ever asking for praise.

He still remembered the early days clearly—when she had silently practiced sword forms from dawn until nightfall, frost forming on her sleeves while she refused to rest.

She had never demanded anything.

Never asked for better techniques.

Never questioned his decisions.

She simply worked harder.

And now...

He had just handed Rias a Heaven-tier secret art.

Leon rubbed the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling a dull pressure building behind his eyes.

"...Troublesome," he muttered quietly.

Rias glanced at him.

"Master?"

"Nothing."

But his thoughts continued racing.

The problem was simple.

He did not have any ice-attribute secret techniques that could truly complement the Divine Ice Bones.

Selena’s physique was extraordinary. A rare foundation that could grow into something terrifying in the future.

Yet his current collection of cultivation arts simply didn’t match her potential.

Leon clicked his tongue softly.

"Tch."

Rias tilted her head.

"You look like someone just handed you a mountain of paperwork."

Leon glanced at her.

"In a sense, they did."

"...Should I be worried?"

"No."

He paused.

"Probably."

Rias blinked.

"That’s not comforting."

Meanwhile, Selena had quietly relaxed her grip on her sword. The Amethyst Mist Sword slid smoothly back into its sheath.

She stepped forward across the sand.

The wind tugged lightly at her silver hair.

"Master," she said calmly.

Leon looked at her.

Her expression was steady.

"I am glad Rias has grown stronger," she continued. "It will make future battles easier."

Rias blinked again, surprised by the sincerity in Selena’s tone.

Then she scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

"Uh... thanks, I guess?"

Selena nodded slightly.

But Leon could still see it.

That faint restraint behind her calm demeanor.

The quiet distance.

The desert wind grew colder. Night crept closer. The sky deepened into indigo.

At this moment.

[Ding...]

[You have imparted a Heaven-tier secret technique to your disciple, Inferno Lotus Art. A random lucky draw mechanism has been activated.]

[As this secret technique is a secret technique of the system, it cannot activate Critical Hit Return. It can only be used at the same level.]

[Do you wish to activate?]

Leon blinked slowly.

"Hmm? System, what do you mean?" He didn’t understand. What did it mean by randomly triggering a lucky draw? Wasn’t it said that the item given by the system would no longer trigger the Critical Hit Return?

[Host, I didn’t explain clearly. I’ll explain again.]

[The item given by the system will no longer trigger the Critical Hit Return by imparting to your students. However, if the cultivation technique or secret arts are imparted to the student, there is a certain probability of triggering a random lucky draw.]

[Sidenote: Random lucky draw. It can only be drawn within the rank of the cultivation technique imparted to your student.]

"Oh, I see..."

Leon came to a sudden realization.

So it wasn’t infinite exploitation. Just chance.

He almost felt disappointed—almost.

Still... no loss.

Even if it was random, it was still something.

And if the heavens had even a shred of conscience—

"Begin the lottery draw."

[Ding...]

[Congratulations, you have successfully drawn the Heaven-rank secret technique, Hell Blizzard Technique.]

Leon froze.

For a heartbeat, the desert seemed silent.

Then his gaze slowly shifted toward Selena.

Was the system doing this on purpose? It would give him whatever he needed. The so-called random activation of the lottery draw was to get him to pick up girls?

He almost laughed.

Ridiculous.

But convenient.

"Selena, come here."

His voice was calm—but softer than usual.

His eldest student was the one who had allowed him to use her endlessly at the lowest point in his life. That was how he ended up today, so how could he mistreat her?

She had been his foundation.

Without her early breakthroughs, without the rewards triggered from her growth, he would not have reached the sage Realm so quickly.

Gratitude.

Responsibility.

Something heavier than both.

Just now, Leon wanted to teach her the Font Sword Art, but this God-tier sword art wasn’t something that could be cultivated by anyone. If it wasn’t for the help of the Purple Lotus of Great Principal’s innate comprehension ability, Leon might not have been able to successfully cultivate it, let alone her.

He knew her limits—not because she lacked talent.

But because some paths demanded madness.

As a result, Heaven tier was her limit. It just so happened that Leon also had a Heaven-tier technique that suited her. How could he not teach her?

Selena approached quietly. The sand barely made a sound beneath her steps.

Her silver hair shimmered faintly under the dying sunlight. Her snow-white robe hugged her slender waist, the pale blue sash swaying gently with the wind. Her expression was composed—too composed.

"Teacher, why did you call me..."

Her voice was steady.

But her eyes searched his face.

Leon looked at her for a long moment.

Then he smiled faintly.

"You’ve improved quickly," he said. "But your Divine Ice Bones are still underutilized."

Selena’s lashes trembled slightly.

Underutilized?

"I have a technique," Leon continued, stepping closer. "Heaven rank. It suits you."

Her pupils widened just a fraction.

"For me?"

"For you."