As soon as the silver-haired man launched the black sphere of darkness, Arthur activated Orem. Black and purple energy engulfed his body, doubling his speed in an instant. He dodged the attack with inches to spare. The black sphere sailed past him, then froze mid-air near Soul's outstretched hand. Time had stopped—not for everyone, just for the attack. Everyone else could still move freely, but the sphere hung suspended, its energy particles locked in place like insects trapped in amber.
Everyone stood in the courtyard, stunned into silence. They approached Soul cautiously, her twin blades gleaming menacingly in the afternoon light. The air crackled with tension as she held her position, unwavering.
"What did you do?" she demanded, her voice sharp with accusation and a hint of fear.
Soul met her gaze with unsettling calm, as if manipulating time were the most natural thing in the world. "I simply stopped time for the attack." She gestured dismissively toward the frozen sphere. "He fired at me, then moved aside." She snapped her fingers with deliberate precision. "Now I'll resume it."
The black sphere exploded forward, striking the ground with devastating force. The impact tore through the earth, sending tremors through everyone's legs. A permanent crater scarred the courtyard floor, smoke rising from its depths.
The white-haired man stared at the destruction, his composure cracking like thin ice. His face flushed with rage and disbelief. "How in the world did you stop my attack?" He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, veins bulging in his forearms. "You Magic Academy students are insufferable! Always showing off, always thinking you're superior!"
Most of the Blackthorn Academy students held their positions, though several broke formation, stepping forward with defiant expressions etched on their faces. One of them—a tall boy with determined eyes—locked gazes with the silver-haired student.
"Listen," he said, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade through silk. "All we want is to return to our academy. These students aren't responsible for us being teleported to the wrong place after the dungeon mission." His jaw tightened, muscles working beneath his skin. "Stop taking your anger out on them. If you need someone to blame, go after the professors. They're the ones who botched the teleportation. If you're so desperate to hurt someone, hunt down those professors. But we won't let you touch these students. This isn't their fault, and you know it."
Ken stepped back, a cruel smile spreading across his face like poison seeping through water. "Oh, I suppose you're right," he said, his tone dripping with mockery that made several students flinch. "But why bother with the professors when these students are right here—fresh for the taking?" His smile twisted into something sadistic, revealing teeth that seemed too white, too perfect. He didn't care about the teleportation error; it was merely an excuse to brutalize their rival academy's students. The thought of their pain excited him in ways he couldn't fully articulate.
Before Ken could act, someone materialized in front of him with blinding speed, appearing as if from nowhere. "Touch these students, and I'll paint the ground with your blood," the newcomer said, grinning like a maniac who'd found his purpose. The young man had black hair that fell across his forehead, crimson-tinged eyes that gleamed with barely suppressed violence, and a white smile that promised unspeakable brutality. "Please leave them alone." Despite his polite words, his expression suggested he desperately wanted Ken to refuse—to give him the excuse he craved.
"You really think you can touch a noble like myself, you freak?" Ken sneered, his lip curling with disgust. "Back off. Whatever bloodshed you're fantasizing about won't happen. You're beneath me."
Ken raised his hand with theatrical slowness. Dark energy crackled at his fingertips, casting shadows across his face. "Now move aside before I make you regret this moment for the rest of your pathetic life." He fired a concentrated beam of darkness that screamed through the air.
The man dodged with practiced ease. Claws erupted from his fingertips, gleaming and sharp. "I warned you!" He leaped forward, slashing viciously toward Ken's throat with killing intent.
Ken caught his fellow student's arm mid-strike and twisted brutally, snapping bone with a sickening crack that echoed across the courtyard. The student's scream pierced the air. Ken hurled the screaming student to the ground, then stood over him with a menacing expression that promised more pain to come.
"You see the problem?" Ken asked conversationally, as if discussing the weather. "There's a vast power difference between us." He ground his heel into the student's chest, eliciting another cry of agony. "You're dangerous because you're vicious—a rabid animal. I'm dangerous because I possess actual power. No matter how savage you are, freak, you can't touch someone of my caliber." He applied more pressure, watching the student's face contort. "Stay down, and don't even think about getting back up. Consider this your only warning."
Arthur deactivated Orem, the black and purple energy dissipating from his body like smoke. *What in the world did I just witness?* His heart hammered against his ribs. He activated his Inspect skill with trembling hands. A black screen materialized before him, the text glowing ominously.
**Name:** Ken Harper
**Age:** 17
**Hobbies:** Domination
**Weapons:** None
**MESSAGE:**
*Whatever you do, do not engage Ken Harper. He operates far above your level. If you wish to survive to see another day, do not offend him. This is a system warning. Your current power is insufficient to even comprehend his true capabilities.*
Arthur's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. Usually, the system provided complete stats after displaying basic information. Instead, it delivered only a stark warning: don't even dare to offend this person. Yet from what Arthur observed, Ken hadn't demonstrated anything extraordinary—just breaking someone's arm with casual efficiency. Still, Arthur recognized his own limitations with painful clarity. He'd witnessed only a few moves; he couldn't accurately judge Ken's true capabilities. The system had never issued such a direct warning before, and that terrified him more than anything.
A professor descended from the podium, their protective formation around the crystal having shattered moments ago when the chaos erupted. His robes billowed behind him as he strode forward with purpose.
"Do not hurt the students," he commanded, his voice resonating with authority that made even Ken pause. "Unlike some professors here, I actually care about them. You might be a noble. You might possess the power to demolish this entire Magic Academy, Mister Ken Harper." His eyes blazed with conviction. "But as a professor, I do not fear you. My sole purpose is to teach and protect these students. Politics be damned. I've spent my entire career building these young minds, and I won't let you destroy them for sport."
"That's hilarious," Ken said, laughing with genuine amusement that sent chills down spines. "You actually threaten me?" He stepped forward, black energy swirling around his body like a living storm, crackling with barely contained power. "You might not care about politics, but you will after this. I'll ensure my entire family hunts you down—everyone you love will suffer. Your wife, your children, your aging parents." He smiled wider. "And to think, all because you wanted to protect a bunch of children. What a pathetic joke, Professor. What a joke." He gestured dismissively, as if swatting away an insect. "Now step aside. I have business to conclude, and your interference is becoming tiresome."
The professor didn't move an inch, his black hair shimmering defiantly in the sunlight. His stance remained firm, feet planted like ancient trees. "I will not move for anyone. Political power means nothing to me. I've faced worse than entitled nobles throwing tantrums. I will protect my family and these students with my life, and that's not a threat—it's a promise."
"So much bravery," Ken said, his smile widening with predatory delight. His eyes gleamed with newfound interest. He'd never encountered someone who wouldn't immediately crumble when threatened with his family's wrath—someone who genuinely didn't care what he or his family could do. This made everything so much more entertaining. Perhaps he'd found a worthy opponent after all, someone who could provide actual resistance before breaking.
"All right," another professor announced, turning away from the crystal he'd been studying intently, sweat beading on his forehead from concentration. "I've found a way to teleport you all back to your academy. Everyone from Blackthorn Academy, stand in the large circle immediately."
All the Blackthorn Academy students gathered in formation, relief visible on many faces, while the Magic Academy students retreated to the side, creating a clear boundary. A massive portal materialized beneath the circle, swirling with ethereal light. One by one, the Blackthorn students fell through, disappearing into the vortex.
"Don't worry, Professor," Ken called out as the portal reached him, his voice echoing with dark promise that lingered in the air. "I'll make your life, your family's lives, and these students' lives hell. Believe me. This isn't over—it's just beginning." He smiled as the portal swallowed him whole, his final expression burned into everyone's memory like a brand.
The courtyard fell silent, the absence of conflict somehow more oppressive than the violence had been. The professors exchanged uncertain glances, struggling to process everything that had just transpired. Their faces showed exhaustion, fear, and determination in equal measure. They'd accidentally teleported the wrong academy's students, then watched helplessly as violence erupted. Now they faced a difficult decision: should classes continue, or had the trauma been too severe for their students to bear?
One professor rose to his feet, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife through butter. "I suggest we cancel classes for at least a few days. After what these students have witnessed, forcing them back into lectures would be cruel and counterproductive. They need time to process this." Several professors nodded in agreement, including the one who'd stood against Ken, his expression still grim with the weight of his decision.
Another professor turned toward the assembled students, his expression grave and lined with concern. "Classes are canceled for the next few days. Return to your dormitories. Rest. Process what you've seen. If anyone needs to speak with a counselor, my door is always open."
Some students immediately sought their roommates, desperate for familiar comfort. Others remained frozen, still processing the violent confrontation, their eyes glazed and distant. Arthur searched for his companions and found Faye standing near Soul, her face pale but composed. He gestured sharply.
"Come on," he said, his voice rougher than intended. Both followed as he scanned the crowd for Kai, his eyes darting between faces.
Kai emerged from the mass of students, still wearing his crimson armor and gauntlets, which gleamed dully in the fading light. He spotted his three roommates and strode over with purposeful steps. "Ready to head back?" he asked, his voice steady despite the chaos they'd witnessed. They all nodded silently, too drained for words.
Soul paused, noticing the young girl still unconscious on the ground, forgotten in the aftermath. He scooped her up with surprising gentleness, opened a dark portal with a flick of his wrist, and tossed her through before sealing it shut with a gesture. *I'll retrieve her when we reach the dorm. Or maybe I'll wait until later,* he thought, then rejoined the others without explanation.
They departed the courtyard and entered the academy halls, their footsteps echoing in the sudden emptiness.
After an exhausting trek through winding corridors that seemed longer than usual, they finally reached their dormitory. Arthur unlocked the door with fumbling fingers, and everyone filed inside, grateful for the sanctuary. He and Kai collapsed onto their beds, bodies drained of energy, muscles aching from sustained tension. Soul and Faye remained standing briefly before settling onto her bed. She laid her twin swords beside her with reverent care and closed her eyes to meditate, seeking the calm that had eluded her during the confrontation.
Soul remained standing for a moment longer, then sat between his two exhausted roommates, staring at the ceiling in contemplative silence. His mind replayed the events, analyzing every detail, every threat, every possibility.
Meanwhile, in another dormitory across the academy—
"Are you okay? Kato, can you hear me?" The concern in the voice was palpable. Kato sat up slowly, his legs trembling beneath him like newborn foal's. He tried to focus on his three roommates, but his vision remained foggy, shapes blurring at the edges.
"Just sit down," a young woman said gently, her hands steadying him. Ashley eased Kato onto the bed with careful hands, treating him like fragile glass. "You've been sick recently, and we're trying to ensure you recover properly. Your fever hasn't broken yet. Please rest."
His other two roommates, Amy and Mina, stood nearby, their faces etched with worry. Mina glanced at Amy thoughtfully, a realization dawning in her eyes. "Isn't it fortunate we couldn't participate in the dungeon trials? If we had, who would've cared for Kato?"
Amy studied her longtime friend and nodded slowly, understanding the weight of that truth. "You're right. We'd have been fighting monsters while he suffered alone here. Who knows what might've happened to him? He could have gotten worse, or..." She didn't finish the sentence.
Mina agreed with a solemn nod, then Maddie approached them, her own exhaustion evident in the dark circles beneath her eyes. "Are you both all right?"
"We're fine," they answered in unison, though their voices carried the strain of the day.
"Good. Just checking." Maddie yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. "I'm exhausted. Can one of you watch Kato while I rest? Only one needs to stay awake. We can take shifts."
"We'll do it," they both replied without hesitation.
"I'm fine staying up—I usually do anyway," Mina offered, though her own fatigue showed in the slight slump of her shoulders.
"I'm not accustomed to late nights," Amy admitted, rubbing her eyes, "but for Kato, I'll manage. He'd do the same for us."
"All right then." Maddie crossed to her bed, climbed in with visible relief, and settled beneath the covers, pulling them up to her chin.
It was going to be a long, eventful night—one that would test their endurance and their bonds of friendship.