Grand Return System

Chapter 138: The Weight of Pride

The Weight of Pride

Shan finally let out a long breath the moment he saw Shera sitting upright.

For a split second, the tension in his chest loosened.

"Father... are you alright?"

His voice carried both urgency and restraint. He stepped closer, eyes scanning Shera’s face, searching for any hidden weakness.

Shera’s old face seemed to age even more in that moment.

The wrinkles on his forehead deepened, his eyes dimmed—not from injury, but from something far worse.

Humiliation.

"Shan..." he spoke slowly, his voice hoarse, bitter. "I’ve been embarrassed today."

His fingers tightened against his robe.

"You didn’t see Leon’s smug expression."

His eyes darkened, as if that image was carved into his mind.

"I’ve never suffered such humiliation in my life."

Each word came heavier than the last.

"In the future... my Secret Sword Summit will probably never be able to raise our heads in the academy again."

The room fell quiet.

Even the air felt heavier.

Shan’s expression sharpened immediately. He stepped forward without hesitation, his voice firm.

"Father, don’t worry!"

His tone carried a force that cut through the gloom.

"We haven’t lost yet."

He clenched his fist tightly.

"We only lost two rounds today."

A pause.

Then—

"Just you wait. I will repay the humiliation our Secret Sword Summit suffered today... a hundredfold."

His eyes burned with cold determination.

There was no hesitation.

No doubt.

Only intent.

Shera looked at him.

For the first time since waking up—

A trace of relief appeared.

It was faint.

But real.

Indeed...

At the critical moment—

Only blood could be trusted.

These so-called students...

Useless.

But his son—

Different.

"I can rest assured after hearing your words..."

Shera exhaled slowly, the tightness in his chest easing slightly.

"Now, my Secret Sword Summit has suffered consecutive defeats and lost our reputation."

His gaze hardened again.

"Whether we can regain our dignity... will depend on you."

Shan nodded without hesitation.

"Don’t worry, Father. I know what to do."

But behind that calm answer—

Something darker moved.

Humiliation...

His jaw tightened.

His father’s humiliation—

Was his humiliation.

The laughter in the arena.

The whispers.

The looks from others.

He hadn’t been there—

But he could imagine it clearly.

Amethyst Summit Division...

Leon...

A cold sneer formed at the corner of his lips.

Hmph... just you wait.

This isn’t over.

Not even close.

Shera watched him, satisfaction flickering in his eyes.

This—

This was the student he was proud of.

No—

Not just a student.

His successor.

His blood.

His future.

Then, slowly, his gaze shifted.

Back to the others.

The atmosphere instantly turned cold again.

"All of you—"

His voice dropped.

"Face the wall."

A pause.

"And think."

His eyes swept across them like a blade.

"Think carefully about what you’re inferior in."

Another pause.

"Think carefully before coming out."

No one spoke.

No one resisted.

They turned quietly, one by one, facing the cold stone wall.

Shoulders stiff.

Heads lowered.

The punishment wasn’t physical—

But it cut deeper.

Silence.

Reflection.

Shame.

After the room emptied—

Only Shera and Shan remained.

The tension shifted again.

More focused now.

More serious.

Shera’s expression slowly tightened.

"Shan..."

His tone became low, measured.

"Although you’ve already reached eight stars of the Astral Realm..."

He paused slightly, choosing his words carefully.

"You cannot let your guard down."

Shan frowned slightly.

Shera continued—

"Today... I felt something."

His eyes narrowed faintly.

"Leon’s eldest student..."

A brief pause.

"...her cultivation is not low."

He leaned slightly forward.

"She didn’t even use her full strength when facing the second Secret Sword Summit student, who is at three stars of the Astral Realm."

A flicker of unease passed through his eyes.

"I have a vague feeling..."

His voice lowered.

"...her cultivation has already reached six stars of the Astral Realm... or higher."

The words lingered in the air.

Heavy.

Shan’s expression changed.

His mind flashed back—

To that moment.

When he had been provoked earlier.

When his temper had flared.

There had been a presence.

Subtle.

But sharp.

At the time, he ignored it.

Now—

He understood.

"Father... are you saying..."

His voice dropped.

"...that her cultivation is higher than mine?"

His brows furrowed.

"She only entered the academy three months ago."

The disbelief in his tone was clear.

Shera shook his head slightly.

"It’s hard to say."

His gaze turned distant.

"Although Amethyst Summit Division has few people..."

"They have many treasures."

A faint bitterness slipped into his voice.

"Before Guardian Elder Zeon passed away, he accumulated a lot of resources."

His eyes darkened.

"He might have passed them all to Leon."

A pause.

Then—

A quiet, almost unwilling admission.

"That kid... doesn’t hide anything from his students."

He exhaled slowly.

"He gave his second student a precious bone of a King Realm beast."

His fingers tightened slightly.

"This eldest student..."

"...might also have one."

The more he spoke—

The heavier his heart became.

What if—

What if even Shan failed?

The thought made his chest tighten.

At that moment—

For the first time—

Regret surfaced.

Why did I provoke him...?

Why did I make that bet...?

Leon—

That man...

He was like a bottomless abyss.

You couldn’t see through him.

You couldn’t predict him.

And now—

It was too late to step back.

Shera’s eyes dimmed slightly.

All this time...

He thought Leon was nothing more than a useless man who happened to inherit Amethyst Summit Division.

But now—

He realized something.

The real clown...

Was himself.

Shan stood in silence.

The pressure—

Was real now.

Heavy.

Visible.

But then—

A thought surfaced.

The technique.

That secret method his father had taught him.

A slow smile crept onto his lips.

Confidence returned.

Cold.

Sharp.

"Father... you worry too much."

His voice steadied again.

"So what if she has reached nine stars of the Astral Realm?"

His eyes gleamed.

"As long as she hasn’t stepped into the GrandMaster Realm..."

A pause.

"I can still take her down."

The confidence was absolute.

Unshaken.

But—

Shera didn’t respond immediately.

Not this time.

The previous humiliation...

Was still fresh.

Too fresh.

He had learned something today.

Painfully.

Confidence—

Was dangerous.

When spoken too early.

It could become a slap to his own face.

And that slap...

Still burned.

No...

I can’t repeat that mistake.

Not again.

Even if he trusted his son—

He held it back.

Silence stretched briefly.

Then—

"Yes..."

Shera nodded slowly.

"It’s good to be confident."

His tone was calm.

Measured.

Careful.

No more arrogance.

No more bold claims.

Not until victory was certain.

Because deep down—

A thought lingered.

What if... he loses too?

That possibility—

Even if small—

Was enough to make him cautious.

Better safe than sorry.

Shera slowly stood up from the bed.

His movements were steady now.

He adjusted his robe, straightening the folds, restoring some of his usual composure.

The anger was still there.

But buried deeper.

Controlled.

As he prepared to leave—

His voice softened slightly.

"Alright."

He glanced at Shan.

"You’ve just finished your first match."

"Go back and rest."

A pause.

"We fight the second match tomorrow."

Then—

A faint smile appeared.

But it wasn’t warm.

It was... sharp.

"Don’t worry."

His eyes flickered with something calculating.

"Before the finals..."

"I will make sure you remain in perfect condition."

A slight pause.

"...and suffer no damage."

The meaning behind those words—

Was not simple.

At all.

Shera turned and walked toward the door.

The lantern light flickered behind him.

And the shadow he cast—

Seemed darker than before.