FANSiA Originals and KakaoPage
I Became the Genius Bastard of a Noble Dark Clan
[Author/Original: Yuin]
[TL: Dekor]
[PR: Spades]
Episode 48
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Christian scoffed.
The condition seemed fair, but it wasn't.
'Ashd's at 4-star, right? High 4-star?'
Early twenties, 4-star high.
A staggering achievement.
No wonder he was the clan's greatest genius.
A 4-star's mana control was leagues beyond. Even with equal mana, the power differed vastly.
But.
"Fine, let's do it."
Christian agreed readily.
Did Ashd know?
This was exactly what Christian wanted.
'What a catch.'
He'd hidden his achievement for this prank, expecting a main-line lord to挑 a fight, setting up a counterblow.
But Ashd?
A jackpot among catches.
Christian fought to suppress laughter.
Ashd, sensing something off, twitched an eyebrow.
"Christian, just so you know, poor control in a mana clash can severely damage your core."
A blatant warning: I'll ruin your core.
Christian returned it.
"Please be careful too, my lord. We wouldn't want your precious core harmed."
"…What?"
Ashd blinked, stunned.
Then he burst into hearty laughter.
"I'll take care. Your words make me more curious about your mana's quality."
His jovial laugh belied eyes glinting with cruel fury.
They faced each other.
Posed like a handshake.
They'd clash mana through their gripped hands.
"You start. I'll match your mana's amount."
Christian didn't hesitate.
He gripped Ashd's hand tightly.
And unleashed mana.
First, 1-star.
As Ashd smirked at the weak mana, his face hardened.
He sensed something wrong.
Instinctive dread surged.
He mustn't face this mana.
The warning screamed, but too late.
Christian tightened his grip.
A masterful hold, infused with grappling techniques, trapped Ashd's hand.
Unable to pull free, Ashd had to respond with mana.
Pride, perhaps?
As promised, he matched with 1-star mana.
But.
The moment their mana clashed, the unbelievable happened.
Ashd's mana shattered.
No, worse—torn apart like prey by a beast.
'What…?'
Ashd's eyes widened.
He hurriedly summoned more.
2-star.
Useless.
Christian's mere 1-star mana crushed his 2-star like a sandcastle.
Ashd paled.
'Impossible. How?'
Mana clashes were like tug-of-war, a tense struggle.
But this wasn't a fight.
Like an unstoppable calamity.
"Acting high and mighty… yet so weak?"
A taunting voice.
Christian sneered smugly.
"All that, and you're called a genius?"
Ashd gritted his teeth.
'How dare he!'
A memory surfaced.
Long ago, when 'Christian' was hailed a prodigy.
Ashd was the clan's top young genius.
Then Christian, a branch upstart, stole the title.
- A prodigy who might surpass Ashd.
Christian's childhood moniker.
Ashd couldn't bear the insult.
He secretly orchestrated Christian's downfall.
A dirty trick, but branch scum deserved to kneel beneath him.
No qualms.
Yet this scum dared rise again, insolent.
'Arrogant brat. I'll ruin you.'
Ashd's eyes blazed with fury.
Breaking his promise, he summoned all his 4-star mana.
Flash!
A torrent of mana surged from his core.
Before, a stream; now, an ocean's raging waves crashing toward Christian.
Far beyond Christian's 2-star mana.
"He's…!"
Vassals murmured.
Unaware of the exact situation, they saw Ashd's 4-star mana and assumed Christian's doom.
As all predicted his ruin, Christian thought.
'Bingo.'
His smile deepened.
An unexpected golden opportunity.
'Begging to be crushed.'
Christian planned to damage Ashd's core significantly.
But if Ashd stuck to 2-star mana, the damage would be limited.
With less mana, Ashd could escape before fatal harm.
Now, Ashd's full power created a perfect chance.
In a mana clash, full commitment prevented withdrawal.
Ashd was trapped.
So was Christian, but the outcome was clear.
Boom!
Their mana collided.
Ashd's 4-star.
Christian's 1-star, not even full effort.
Yet Christian's 1-star held firm.
No, it overwhelmed Ashd's 4-star, which faltered, scattering.
As Ashd gaped in disbelief, Christian sneered.
"Arrogant idiot."
Ashd couldn't respond.
Christian unleashed his full mana.
2-star high.
No, his realm was 2-star high, but perfect Ebony absorption made his mana exceed 3-star.
As the mana surged, Ashd finally felt Christian's Dark Mana Essence's purity.
'Over 70%? No, 80%… more? Impossible!'
Pure beyond measure.
So pure, it was terrifying.
And cunning.
Unlike before, it didn't just tear Ashd's mana.
It coiled like a snake, trapping it.
Then devoured it, swallowing Ashd's mana whole.
Ashd's mana vanished, leaving his core's channels empty.
'No, no!'
Predicting disaster, Ashd paled like a corpse.
He scrambled to muster mana to shield his core.
Futile.
Christian's mana surged into Ashd's core.
"Urgh!!"
"Lord Ashd?!"
One strike, and Ashd spewed dead blood.
His core took a massive hit.
Christian didn't stop.
'A rare chance.'
Obvious.
Left alone, Ashd would come for him viciously.
His wings had to be clipped.
But interference came.
"Enough!!"
Marquis Langham.
Not just a shout.
His 7-star aura shot through the air.
If Christian didn't retreat, he'd be gravely injured.
'Cheap move.'
He'd anticipated interference.
Instead of striking the core again, he used another trick.
Withdrawing his mana, he—
Boom!
Caused a vibration.
A feat aligning his mana's wavelength with Ashd's core's.
The resonance shook Ashd's core.
Another severe injury made Ashd spew blood and collapse, unconscious.
"Lord Ashd!!"
"Get healers, now!!"
Vassals panicked.
Ashd was carried off by rushing healers.
"What… happened?"
Vassals stared at Christian, incredulous.
Langham approached, eyes blazing.
"…Christian, you."
Unlike before, clear anger.
But Christian stood firm.
No reason to bow.
'They won't go easy if I do.'
"My apologies. I didn't expect Lord Ashd to be so weak."
"!!"
"Besides."
He scanned the room.
Vassals' shocked gazes met his.
He'd turn them to awe.
A step toward seizing the clan.
"This mana's rough."
All gasped.
Mana flowed from his hand.
Endlessly dark.
Pure, untainted darkness.
The perfect purity of Dark Mana Essence, never achieved before, was revealed.
"This should prove I surpass the other lords."
Dead silence.
None could speak.
The shock was that great.
The disgrace called trash shook the clan.
---
Perfect purity Dark Mana Essence!
The clan was in chaos.
"90% purity?"
"No, higher!!"
"That trash?!"
Disbelief at first.
Too unbelievable.
But too many witnessed it.
And Christian's shock wasn't singular.
"He defeated Roin and others in the ritual with pure skill?"
"Yes, Lord Alos of House Tyramine testified. No tricks."
The ritual was reexamined.
"Lord Ashd lost a mana clash?"
Mages spoke in disbelief.