Chapter 38: Stroll
In the surveillance room, a heavy silence filled the air.
Russel, Lancelot, and the rest of the staff stood frozen, their eyes glued to the screens showing the chaos one student had caused.
Earlier, when Kevin and his team were fighting, it was a sight to be proud of — the kind of battle the academy would love to showcase.
Their teamwork was sharp. Each focused on their own enemy, yet they were always ready to back each other up. That kind of coordination was exactly what the academy hoped to build — the kind that could save lives in a world where fighting alone often meant death.
While those four fought, Russel’s chest swelled with pride. Every now and then, she even glanced at the red-haired council man beside her with a satisfied smile.
But the moment another flock of crocties swooped in — and a certain blond student lost his patience — everything changed.
"Such... utter dominance," one of the staff whispered, watching in disbelief as William tore through the monsters like they were nothing more than piles of trash to be cleared away.
He didn’t even raise a hand. With just his mental command, the beasts were crushed, tossed aside, and finished before they could even screech.
It was raw, brutal, and yet... strangely efficient.
He took only a fraction of the time the others did — and still managed to defeat double the number of enemies.
"His control... it’s impressive," Lancelot murmured, nodding slightly before glancing at Russel. "And you said he was a failure?"
Russel exhaled, her eyes still fixed on the screen. "Until recently, yes. But something happened during one of the raids he joined. Ever since then... it’s not just his strength that changed — his whole personality did."
Lancelot grinned, somehow, he now has a better subject to observer.
.....
Joseph had a pretty solid reason to hate this guy named William.
It wasn’t just because William was a narcissistic fool who loved showing everyone how beneath him they were — though that was reason enough. No, Joseph’s hatred ran deeper than that.
It started on the very first day of school.
The girl William had chosen to torment that day wasn’t just anyone. She was Joseph’s childhood friend — someone who’d stood by him long before they’d ever entered these academy walls.
He still remembered that moment with painful clarity. The laughter of other students echoing down the hall, the smirk on William’s face as he mocked her, and Joseph... standing there, frozen.
He hadn’t said a word. Not even a whisper of protest.
He wanted to — his heart screamed at him to do something — but fear held him back. Fear of going against a noble. Fear of facing the punishment that would follow.
That was the first time Joseph truly understood what it meant to be a commoner in this world.
No teacher stepped in. No authority figure even glanced their way. Because to them, she was no one — a nameless girl with no title, no power, and no voice.
And while everyone else watched in silence — some out of pity, others out of amusement — one boy decided he’d had enough.
Kevin.
A first-year like them. Yet, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He stepped forward, scolded William openly, and when words failed, he fought him.
That day, Joseph felt two powerful emotions awaken within him.
Utter hatred for William.
And deep, unwavering respect for Kevin.
From that day on, the timid boy who couldn’t even raise his voice swore he’d change. He would never stand by helplessly again. He would become someone who could protect those he cared about — someone strong enough to defy power, titles, and fear itself.
Joseph trained harder than anyone. He pushed himself past exhaustion, through every ache and doubt, because he wanted to be like Kevin. Not just strong, but fearless.
And slowly, his efforts bore fruit. His rank climbed, his skills sharpened, and his courage grew.
Meanwhile, William began to crumble.
The once-proud prodigy started to slip. His arrogance ate away at his potential. He skipped training, picked fights, and relied solely on his noble birth and talent.
Joseph watched, almost with satisfaction, as William fell lower and lower in the ranks.
There came a time when Joseph didn’t even bother thinking about him anymore. William had become a joke — a spoiled brat who threw tantrums and broke things when he lost.
A clown in a noble’s clothes.
But now... watching him fight, Joseph’s heart tightened.
The same William — the arrogant bully, the self-absorbed loudmouth — was now tearing through monsters like they were made of paper. His movements were sharp, his control frightening, his power unmatched.
Joseph couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
’Is this the same person?’ he wondered, his palms clenching. ’Was I dreaming all those years? Or were those days when he looked weak and pitiful just a lie?’
A shiver ran down his spine — not out of fear, but disbelief.
For the first time in years, Joseph didn’t know how to feel.
The boy he once despised... had become the kind of monster he used to dream of becoming.
"*Aghuuu!*" The beast’s howl was pitiful as William crushed its body effortlessly under his telekinetic force.
His face stayed calm, completely emotionless, as he slaughtered everything that came near him.
While the rest of the team took time to form their battle positions, William finished his share in seconds.
It was unbelievable — this was the same guy who was once on the verge of losing his place in the academy.
Now, he looked like someone who didn’t even belong here anymore — someone far too strong to be taught anything.
"Let’s take a break," Kevin said, his voice barely hiding his announce, as they reached a small clearing, spacious enough for them to rest.
"Emma, put up a barrier around us. We won’t stay long, so you shouldn’t get too tired," he added.
Even though the place looked peaceful, they couldn’t let their guard down.
Beasts were appearing out of nowhere and always in groups. Strangely, they never attacked each other — only the students.
’Some kind of sorcery?’ Kevin wondered as he watched Emma raise the barrier.
"This place feels weird," Natalie muttered, crossing her arms. "It’s like something’s watching us, but I can’t tell where from."
William felt the same, but he already knew what it was.
Up in the sky, a floating eye hovered — the one keeping watch over them.
He didn’t know how the ability worked exactly, but he guessed it was broadcasting their actions through some sort of artifact.
Other than his teammates, he couldn’t sense any other human presence nearby.
That meant the chance of any evil beings being here was close to none. True Evils always had a clear purpose — a repetitive intent — but he couldn’t detect anything like that in this place.
Then, without a word, he decided to move.
[Hey, I’m going to take a walk.]
Emma flinched as the voice echoed in her head.
She looked over at William and saw him watching her.
She replied silently,
[Take me with you, then. I’m bored too.]
She had barely broken a sweat — only healing others while everyone else fought — and it was starting to irritate her.
But William quickly responded,
[No, you can’t come. If you move, Kevin will notice and stop me. I don’t want to make a scene.]
Emma groaned,
[So you’re leaving me behind because of Kevin?]
William frowned.
[Don’t make it sound like I’m abandoning you. It’s your team, your people. I’m the outsider here, so just let me walk around a bit.]
Emma lowered her gaze and whispered softly, ’So am I nothing to you?’
William froze, speechless for a moment.
Emma heaved a sigh, turning away she said, ’Go ahead, I will handle things here.’
°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading.