[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-bear-school-astartes":3,"chapter-bear-school-astartes-bear-school-astartes-chapter-116":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Bear School Astartes",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1619846,2087,"Chapter 116. Fireball","bear-school-astartes-chapter-116",116,"\u003Cp>Something was thrown in his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Count Steza had never encountered such a situation in his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His family was wealthy and noble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They invited the most cultured teachers to educate the children, and even these teachers dared not lay a hand on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And after the easiest period for education, he became even more the face of the Steza family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would dare to slap the face of such a noble?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never even seen such a gesture, because no one dared to lose their temper in front of the Count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if the behavior was seen as lacking composure? Would anyone gamble their future on it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when Steza was slapped in the face, he was completely stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he instinctively knew this was not about physical harm, but rather an attack on dignity and character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he felt first wasn’t anger... but absurdity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone like him was supposed to live his entire life in a bubble of luxury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normal air from the outside world would taste bitter to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear spread inside him, preceding anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear is normal when one encounters a form of harm they’ve never seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, Steza confirmed another thing: Lann never left him a choice to live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear felt like a massive stone weighing on his heart, growing heavier by the second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon realizing he had no choices left, the stone collapsed instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steza’s once steady gaze, his pupils, began to wander uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips trembled, void of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The neat appearance and beard were becoming disheveled under this continuous tremor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann just watched quietly as this strong, noble man became a timid, panicked joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you should understand, my lord,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I received a good education, one that endowed me with a precious, comprehensive perspective. You tried to overwhelm me with a deluge of information, to confine my vision to just one Temeria. But I only feel like laughing when I hear such things.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a creak, Lann stood up, supporting himself on the chair arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steza was startled by the sound and shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann smiled kindly, walking behind the Count, lightly patting his shoulder with his blood-stained gloves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each pat, the handsome middle-aged man shivered involuntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t be afraid, my lord. I’m not going to kill you now, actually...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking down, the necklace around his neck began to vibrate slightly, and Lann’s smile grew even kinder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can leave now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Count looked back in surprise, seeing only Lann’s eyes, narrowed into slits with laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t be so surprised, my lord. I visited your basement. The children there are well fed and dressed; they should be thanking you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something odd in Lann’s tone when he mentioned the basement, but the Count’s fear-addled brain could not process it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I, I can leave?! You’re not going to kill me?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steza stammered in a mix of delight and astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with average intelligence, he should have sensed something was amiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when faced with life and death, fear is the greatest trigger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A natural reaction to fear is to flee, no matter how absurd the escape route may seem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steza first tested the waters by getting up from the chair. He moved slowly at first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But seeing that Lann made no move to stop him, he gained more confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He headed towards the study’s door, his pace quickening with every step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing back, he saw Lann still standing there, hands resting on the chair back, smiling as he watched him leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, the Count turned his head and continued walking, his face turning sinister and grim as he faced away from Lann.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The closer he got to the door, the more his fear transformed into anger and rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Demon Hunter. A mutant bastard!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How dare he step into his manor, his study, touch him with those filthy hands, threaten him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...He must die! Once he’s out of the room, his guards will swarm around him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By then, that mongrel will have to die!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No... that’s not enough! His friends in Auridon... the entire Auridon must be reformed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They must learn the wrath of a noble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a click, the door opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steza felt warmth on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, he saw his butler blocking the study door, palms closed with a swirling fireball floating inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the butler was a large group of people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Warriors clad in uniform armor, armed with sword and shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knights in full plate armor, armed to the teeth with maces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About a dozen people, each with a concerned yet determined look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if they were ready to shed blood and fight at any moment for their count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting these gazes, Steza’s last bit of fear dissipated instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered, the basement guards had a rotation system. Even without an alarm, it was time for a shift change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So even though the manor was quiet, his butler had brought a group to the study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And upon hearing a strange voice inside, they prepared for a fireball assault!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steza began to smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew how excellent his guards were, and knew their loyalty to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because it was all the ’power’ he had cultivated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this power, not just a mere Demon Hunter, but even...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the noble Count, with a gratified and assured expression, was about to retreat into the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar voice came from behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice of the Demon Hunter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, please squat down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smile froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, instinctively, he complied immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the moment he squatted, he felt something sweep rapidly over his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gust even pressed his hair tightly against his scalp!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a bang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That object crashed directly into the butler at the front with a look of astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a solid, elegantly crafted chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If smashed into with such force from behind, it could probably break an unarmored spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steza had just heaved a sigh of relief for his timely dodge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in that instant, he saw the unstable fireball in the butler’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the basic tenets of magic: Disrupting the state of a casting wizard is extremely dangerous, both for the wizard and the onlookers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a pained and horrified expression, the butler was directly slammed into the warrior behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chair, the butler’s body, and the Plate Armor Warrior supporting him were instantly blown to bits by the long-prepared fireball!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood, wood chips, and shattered iron pieces exploded with intense force!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fireball that exploded in the crowd’s center encompassed the entire group in its lethal radius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Count Steza, curled up and crouched at the doorframe corner, with his head covered, was spared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ones burnt alive, the ones trapped in heated armor wailing, the ones mutilated by flying splinters...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corridor outside the study, once serene and tasteful, turned into a noisy, suffocating hell in an instant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann stepped onto the hallway, treading over flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He unsheathed his hunting knife and pressed against a dazed but largely unscathed Plate Armor Knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The opponent struggled in confusion, but Lann simply pressed against the helmet, as if holding down a chicken or duck ready for slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shh, shh. Quiet, quiet... just a moment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murmuring, the hunting knife plunged into the helmet’s visor gap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A jet of blood spurted half a meter high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The limbs within the armor twitched as if spasming, then grew still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having dealt with the only remaining combat-ready enemy, Lann wiped his knife and sheathed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He approached the trembling Count who clung to the door, crouching down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Demon Hunter smiled, saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You need to pull yourself together, my lord... If you want to live, you must escape.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1288,"2026-06-06T10:40:07.941Z",1,"novelbin.me","a7626a1d138effabb88eda244566c4ff239347d0595c5386780bbf0b9d741c06","bear-school-astartes-chapter-117","bear-school-astartes-chapter-115",1043,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbear-school-astartes-cover.jpg"]