Why is Background Character the Strongest Now?-Chapter 30

Chapter 30

In a vast, dimly lit chamber where golden runes shimmered faintly along obsidian walls, a man sat at the center—cultivating in complete stillness.

His golden hair was neatly combed, his face sculpted with regal elegance.

A beauty sharpened by power.

Dimitrius Ardent.

The Magic Emperor of Humanity.

The man hailed as the strongest living human—a being whose power was said to rival even the dragons of legend.

Suddenly, a burning glyph flared in midair.

A sealed letter appeared, floating toward him with a trail of fire-like magic.

He opened his crystal-blue eyes—calm, sharp, ancient.

The letter drifted gently into his hand. He read.

"Master, Young Lord Marcus has been defeated in battle.

The one who beat him is a boy named Ezra."

"Full name: Ezra Celestrian.

Our investigation confirms he is the son of the former Sword Emperor, Valerius Celestrian.

His current power is estimated to rival Rank 5.

He previously captured a Rank 5 vampire.

Further intel is sealed under direct authority of Sword Emperor Ren Kurogane."

Dimitrius’s expression did not change.

No flicker of emotion. No movement.

Only silence.

Then, after a pause, he muttered softly:

"So... the dead boy has returned."

His voice was low, almost indifferent—but the mana in the room stirred like a storm about to awaken.

He raised his head slightly.

"Is anyone there?"

A figure clad in black robes appeared instantly, kneeling before him.

"Yes, Master."

"Find out everything about this Ezra Celestrian," Dimitrius said coldly.

"Especially his connection to Ren Kurogane. I’m heading to the Dwarven Kingdom next month—I want answers before then."

"Understood, Master."

The figure bowed once more and vanished like mist in the wind.

Dimitrius closed his eyes again.

And the chamber returned to silence, but the atmosphere had shifted.

For when a man like Dimitrius Ardent took interest in someone...

It meant the world was about to change.

—————————

Far from royal chambers and power-hungry emperors, under the golden morning sun of Etherlight Academy, a Rank 4 cultivator slowly opened his eyes.

Ezra Celesterian yawned, stretched, and sat up like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Unlike the edgy cultivators who trained till they passed out, Ezra believed in one sacred truth:

A good night’s sleep is part of good cultivation.

He slipped out of bed with his usual calm and headed into his morning routine—meditative breathing, a quick sword stance revision, and a cold shower that could probably wake the dead.

Fresh, focused, and dressed in his academy uniform, he stepped into the dorm elevator.

As the lift descended, his mana phone buzzed softly in his hand. A message had arrived.

[Vice Principal Varian Raiklan]

"Come to my office at 10:00 AM. Don’t be late."

Ezra let out a small sigh.

"Well... there it is."

Of course, the moment he claimed he could cure miasma infection, the higher-ups wanted answers. Not that he blamed them.

He knew exactly what they were thinking:

"How could an 18-year-old with no divine inheritance cure something even the High Council considers incurable?"

He looked out the window as the elevator glided down.

"They’ll need proof. I’ll have to reveal her... the girl with Holy Power."

"If I do, the Academy will protect her. That’s good."

"But my real problem is—how do I convince her?"

So far, he only had a name and a face—nothing else.

He scratched the back of his neck as he stepped out of the lift.

"No profile, no background, no location, no clue what she even thinks of the world."

"And yet... she might be our only hope."

He glanced at the time.

Still enough minutes for a quiet breakfast. After all, even if the world was ending, empty stomachs didn’t help anyone.

⸻

The dining hall of Blue House was alive with soft morning conversation.

Students filled the long tables—some discussing combat theory, others scribbling half-finished runes onto napkins while chewing on mana bread. A few were hunched over glowing tablets, muttering about unfinished spellcraft projects.

Ezra sat quietly near the edge, enjoying his breakfast in peace. He didn’t speak much—just listened, letting the ordinary rhythm of student life settle his thoughts.

Across from him, one student mentioned a recent elemental control assessment. Another was confidently explaining that gravity magic was just fancy spatial compression with a dramatic name.

Ezra let their voices blend into background noise as he finished his tea.

Just as he was setting down his cup, someone stepped beside his table.

"Um... excuse me?"

He looked up.

A girl stood there—shoulder-length black hair, tied back neatly. She had a composed expression, though her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her uniform. A single golden star pinned to her chest marked her as a second-year.

Ezra blinked once.

Wait... who is this background character entering with main heroine confidence?

Still, he gave her a calm nod. "Yes?"

She straightened a bit, clearly working up her courage. "I was wondering if... maybe you’d want to grab lunch with me sometime?"

He blinked again. A moment of silence.

Then a short, amused chuckle escaped his lips—not teasing, just surprised. "I’ll think about it."

He slid a napkin across the table. "But give me your number first. Just in case."

Her face brightened like she’d just cleared a stage boss. She quickly scribbled her mana contact and handed it over.

"Okay! Thank you!"

She walked off in a rush—still smiling, still nervous.

Ezra pocketed the napkin, took one last sip of his tea, and stood.

"Time to see what the Vice Principal wants."

And with that, he headed out—calm, unreadable, and as always, one step ahead of whatever was waiting.

——————————-

The Vice Principal’s office was disciplined and dignified, filled with symbols of honor—old weapons, military banners, and portraits of famous warriors. Every corner of the room reflected pride, power, and structure. It wasn’t just an office—it felt like a command center.

As Ezra stepped in, he was immediately greeted by the sight of two people.

Vice Principal Varian Raiklan stood near the desk, his arms crossed, the corners of his mouth twitching in a thoughtful frown.

But it was the other presence that commanded the room.

Standing beside him was a woman with snow-white hair and pitch-black eyes—Lyssara Vlastovich, the Sword Saintess and Principal of Etherlight Academy. Her mere presence felt like a sharpened blade hidden beneath silk.

Ezra paused at the entrance and bowed slightly, his tone steady.

"Good morning, Vice Principal. Principal Lyssara."

Varian gave a small grunt of acknowledgment, but Lyssara was already observing him with a slight smile.

"You’re quite the center of attention these days, Ezra Celesterian."

Ezra didn’t react much, just waited respectfully.

She continued, stepping forward slowly, her voice composed and elegant.

"It’s not a small matter—to recognize miasma corruption in a fellow student. Most professors wouldn’t notice until it’s too late."

She studied him closely.

"And you not only identified Xavier Quinn’s corruption... you confronted him, fought him, and defeated him. Cleanly."

Varian muttered under his breath, "And somehow didn’t level the entire building in the process."

Lyssara gave a soft chuckle and added,

"You even contacted Kael before things escalated. That level of judgment, presence of mind, and sheer combat control... That’s rare in any student. But in a first-year? It’s unheard of."

Ezra bowed his head slightly. "I did what I thought was necessary. The signs were obvious—his aura was shifting, unstable. If I had waited too long, he might’ve hurt someone."

Lyssara nodded thoughtfully. "And what made you call Kael specifically?"

Ezra answered, "He’s one of the few with enough authority and raw strength to stabilize the situation without drawing too much attention. I couldn’t risk a full academy lockdown."

Varian raised an eyebrow, finally speaking. "So you’re saying you factored in potential political fallout mid-combat?"

Ezra shrugged lightly. "I prefer avoiding paperwork."

That actually got a short laugh from Varian. Even Lyssara’s smile widened just a bit.

She folded her arms behind her back and studied Ezra again.

"Sharp mind. Calm under pressure. And strength that exceeds your realm."

"You’re not just a Celesterian by name, are you?"

Ezra didn’t answer that.

Lyssara, noting his silence, didn’t press further. Instead, she nodded.

"Good. You’ll need that strength soon. Because this situation is far from over."

She turned toward Varian.

"Let’s move to the next matter."

Ezra stood still, calm as ever—waiting to see what came next.

Lyssara folded her arms and glanced down at the document in front of her—Xavier’s brief report.

Then she looked up.

"Now, about the second matter..."

Her voice carried weight—calm, commanding, absolute.

"You claimed... you can cure Xavier."

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I want to hear how. Are you saying you possess divine power?"

Ezra didn’t answer immediately. He looked between the two high-ranking officials, then spoke slowly.

"Before I answer... I need a promise."

Varian raised an eyebrow. "A promise?"

"Yes," Ezra said. "What I’m about to tell you... cannot leave this room. Not to the Council, not to the professors, not to anyone. Not until I bring her in myself."

Lyssara’s eyes sharpened. "Her?"

"Everything that happens in this room," Ezra continued calmly, "must stay here."

A long silence followed.

Varian looked to Lyssara, unsure.

The Sword Saintess stared at Ezra for several seconds, then slowly nodded.

"Fine. If Xavier is cured, we’ll simply tell the Council that he was infected with a low-grade trace—one we detected early and treated using mana-cleansing devices."

"Your name won’t be mentioned."

Ezra nodded. "That’s acceptable."

Varian leaned forward slightly.

"So, how are you going to treat him?" he asked, curiosity now stronger than doubt. "You don’t have divine power, do you?"

"No," Ezra replied. "But I know someone who does."

Both Lyssara and Varian straightened at once.

"What did you just say?" Lyssara said, her voice sharper than before. "You know someone with divine power?"

Ezra nodded again, expression steady.

"I don’t know much about her. But from what I’ve found, her name is... Elira. She’s a survivor."

Varian’s brows furrowed. "A survivor? As in... from the purges?"

Lyssara stood from her chair now, slowly circling around her desk.

"Ezra... do you realize what you’re saying?"

"Every person born with divine power in the last 1500 years has either been corrupted... or killed."

"Their existence was erased by the Demon Alliance."

Varian added, quieter now. "The Church said it was divine punishment... after what those early blessed humans did—corruption, madness, power abuse... war crimes."

"The gods turned their faces away. Humanity hasn’t seen a single pure Holy Power user since."

Ezra looked at them both.

"And yet, she’s alive."

"She’s not a fighter. She’s just a healer. She’s been hiding... praying, surviving quietly."

They didn’t respond for a moment.

Then Ezra added, voice serious:

"I need permission to leave the Academy grounds for a few days. I know roughly where to find her—but I can’t reach her from here."

"If you allow it... I’ll bring her back before the Council deadline. Xavier will be cured. That’s my promise."

Lyssara and Varian exchanged a long glance.

This wasn’t a simple request. If what Ezra said was true, then everything the world believed about divine power was about to change. But... what if he was wrong?

What if this girl didn’t exist?

What if it was a trap?

What if the Council found out?

Too many questions. Too much risk.

But...

Lyssara closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again.

"Alright. You may go."

"You have four days. Not a second more."

"If you fail, we’ll report Xavier’s case to the Council as per regulation. And you’ll be pulled into the investigation."

Ezra bowed lightly. "Understood."

Varian muttered, still half in disbelief, "A girl with divine power... after all this time..."

Ezra turned to leave.

"I’ll return. With her."

And just like that, he stepped out—leaving behind a silence thick with history, danger... and the faintest whisper of hope.

As soon as Ezra exited the office, Lyssara tapped her mana phone.

A soft chime rang out.

On the other end, a calm, slightly amused voice answered.

"So... the boy’s hiding more than even I can see."

Lyssara sighed. "You were listening the entire time, weren’t you, Senior Ren?"

"Of course. I was curious what kind of madness my disciple would bring this time."

There was a short pause... then soft laughter.

"But to think he’s moving around someone with divine power. Either he’s bluffing brilliantly—or he’s playing a game none of us are prepared for."

Lyssara shook her head. "He doesn’t seem like the bluffing type."

"True," Ren said. "He’s reckless but deliberate. Let him go."

"In fact—if you’re worried, assign someone to tag along. After all, I’m sure you’d sleep better knowing your own subordinate was there."

Lyssara raised an eyebrow. "You mean... Kael?"

"Mhm. That lazy brat might actually be useful this time."

She considered for a moment. "He won’t listen unless he feels like it. But fine—I’ll tell Kael to accompany them. He can monitor from the shadows and intervene if needed."

Ren added casually, "And if Ezra really finds the girl... tell Kael not to scare her away with his smug attitude."

Lyssara smirked. "I’ll try."

The call ended.

She turned toward the door, lost in thought.

"Divine power... and Ezra’s moving too fast."

"We need people to balance his pace."

A few seconds later, Vice Principal Varian re-entered. "You still thinking about his request?"

She nodded. "We’ll allow the leave. But we’ll make it a mission."

Varian tilted his head. "Escort mission?"

"Not exactly," Lyssara replied. "Ezra must not go alone—but he shouldn’t be slowed down either."

She picked up her mana pen and began writing on a scroll.

"Inform Ezra he can go... but only with a team."

"These members are allowed: Marcus Ardent, Dalen Voncrest, Lyria, Evelyne, and Dravis."

Varian blinked. "All five? That’s basically the top of their generation."

Lyssara didn’t stop writing.

"Exactly. They’ll either support him—or keep him in check."

"And if things get out of control..."

Her eyes gleamed faintly.

"Kael will handle the rest."

Foll𝑜w current novels on fre(e)w𝒆bnovel