The SSS Ranked Villain's Return-Chapter 100: The Astral Tower’s Second Floor

It’s different. Neraxis exclaimed, whistling as he looked at the grandfather clock in front of him.

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He had trained basically all night while texting with Celina and Aella from time to time, who were surprisingly not sleeping.

Nonetheless, he felt much stronger—and that’s why he was now in the Astral Tower.

However, the reason he thought it was a bit different was that the surroundings were much more defined than last time.

The stars were formed in constellation-like patterns, though, since he didn’t know their names, it was hard to tell what they were or meant.

Even then, the grandfather clock itself was a tad bit different too—a shade of purple was on the main hour hand, which was pointing to the number two.

And just like before, the moment he focused on the number two, it lit up, followed by the feeling of being pushed, and finally, the emergence of the trial location.

Yet as Neraxis looked around, he halted.

There’s nothing but mirrors in this place. Is the challenge to fight myself or something? A clone perhaps? he speculated, and soon the red system notifications dawned upon him.

[Astral Tower - 2nd Floor: The Reflection of Truth]

[Objective: Peer into your past.]

[Status: Initializing...]

Peer into my past? He furrowed his brow as the initializing notification disappeared, allowing him to move freely.

Yet as he now took a better look around, he could see some strange glowing lights inside the mirrors.

[Hmm... seems like we’ll be seeing something interesting,] Evangeline said.

And before he could even reply, one of the mirrors closest to him suddenly sucked him inside.

It felt like he was freefalling, but then it stopped, and the darkness completely surrounded him.

However, just like earlier, clarity soon returned to his vision.

I’m home? He looked around. It looked just like his room.

However, the dreary atmosphere, coupled with the ominous silence, quickly made him change his mind.

I’m back in the past. This shitty atmosphere was something I had completely forgotten, Neraxis thought with a frown.

But once he took one look out of the window, he froze.

It was raining, with thunder striking every few seconds.

And the one thing that stood out the most was the moon, as it was brighter than ever, shining down from the dark, cloudy sky.

Wait... he was starting to get a bad feeling about the situation.

Since this was the same night Elara had died, even with him being B-ranked, he was unable to do anything.

[It said peer into your past, so clearly, you need to get over your guilt or something,] Evangeline remarked.

Easier said than done... If this is anything like I think it is, then you’ll understand why, Neraxis said, walking out of his room before going out of his house.

The ground was muddy, and the street ahead was the same as in the new timeline, so he ignored it.

Nonetheless, an accident was about to happen—the collapse of the academy.

This was the one day he had skipped, simply because he had nearly died fighting a Lizard King the day before.

And that seemed to be one of his worst decisions.

In the past, Neraxis went to the academy to pick up Elara, protect her from wannabe suitors, or whatnot.

But now, he had an actual reason to go, and maybe he would be able to get there in time.

Therefore, Neraxis sped up his pace, dashing from rooftop to rooftop, until not even a whole minute later, he was at the academy, which read, "Arcanum Academy."

That was what it was called in the past, a perfect academy for perfect students by the ever-perfect government.

Fat fucking lie, Neraxis pushed open the gates and walked right in.

The rain was pouring even harder than before, yet frankly, there were still people roaming outside.

But it was fine, that meant he made it here early. Even if this was a memory he was merely reliving, saving his sister would be the least he could do.

He strolled across the academy’s halls, and every single person ignored him, almost like he didn’t exist.

Which of course, was the case. At this current moment in time, he was still stepping out of his house.

Soon, he arrived before the A class’ doors, and without further ado, flung them open.

Yet not a single person reacted.

This is all happening on my own side... shit, he realized.

For just a small moment, Neraxis thought he could tamper with the falling debris and maybe even save her.

But if this was just some sort of in-between reality he was in, then all he would be doing was watching her die.

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And there she was, in the front of the class, ironically in the same seat where he sat.

Elara was chatting away with a few of her friends, just like the social butterfly he remembered her to be.

Walking up to her table, Neraxis tried pushing aside her friends, but just as he thought, his hands went right through them.

She was holding a pencil, which he reached for and managed to remove from her hands. However, the only thing that did was make her do weird gestures in the air, spinning the non-existent pen.

Everything I touch or interact with becomes different only for me, he deduced, picking up a ruler and placing it between her fingers.

And to his surprise, nothing happened—the ruler was merely going through her just like he was.

Lastly, he attempted to place the pen he took back in her grasp, which immediately seemed to restore her pen-spinning process to what it was earlier.

What an annoying trial, he grumbled, ruffling his own hair.

Just then, it happened.

A thunder strike, much louder than any other, fell down to the courtyard just outside the academy’s window.

That was also the same noise that made Neraxis speed up in the past.

However, the current him now saw the whole situation unfold in full glory.

He glanced through the window, his eyes widening at the sight.

It was not the thunder strike that had managed to inflict the damage he had seen previously, but the blue-scaled, burly man with long black hair.

But that wasn’t what made his eyes widen—it was the mask covering the man’s facial features, one with the exact same pattern as the one he had seen in the second system log.

The only difference was that, instead of a clown, the mask detailed a blue dragon.

And soon, the man with the blue dragon mask turned his gaze toward the window, locking eyes with Neraxis.

However, just as he thought this would be some sort of boss battle, another figure appeared within Neraxis, phasing through him.

It was Elara, who was cautiously staring, and flinched upon meeting the man’s eyes.

But before she could back off or do anything for that matter, the man raised his arm, before bringing it down, sending shivers down Neraxis’s spine.

Yet the shivers were the perfect indicator of the sheer estimation of the man’s strength.

It’s overwhelming, but—Neraxis’s thoughts froze as, all of a sudden, the students all around him dropped down to the ground with holes where their hearts were supposed to be.

And Elara, who was shaking in fear as the entire window segment of the academy’s building collapsed, revealing the man’s figure as he began walking closer to her, stopping just in front.

Finally, the man spoke, his dread-inducing deep voice spreading all around the campus.

"Hello, little lamb."