Derek's brows furrowed. "Wait, no, it's not what—"

Victor didn't let him finish. He pointed at him with an accusatory finger. "Every time something scummy happens, your pack of roaches is right in the middle of it. You think I don't recognize your garbage brand of bullying by now?"

Rylan grimaced beside him while looking at the bloodied kids. "Damn. They didn't even hold back..."

"I'll heal them," Rylan proceeded to move towards the injured while chanting.

Derek took a step forward. "Victor, listen—"

Victor bristled with a look of anguish. "I'm glad you're still scum. I'll feel no remorse after dealing with you. Especially after what you did at the Legacy Competition."

He cracked a cold smile and strode in.

Rylan attempted to intervene as his hands glowed with white healing magic. "Victor—don't. It's not worth it."

Victor shook his head. "I'm done watching them humiliate others."

Wind seemed to stir around him as Victor charged forward.

At the same moment, the mage in Derek's group fired off a warding bolt.

Victor stepped to the side effortlessly causing the beam to slam into the marble wall and shattered it.

A berserker yelled and charged forward while activating a buff but Victor twisted his body, evading the attack by an inch.

He proceeded to grab the collar of the berserker and spin around.

The berserker choked as the uniform tightened around his neck the moment he found his body ascending.

Before he could say 'Jack' he got face slammed into the wall on the other end.

A warrior lunged at Victor with a blade the moment he let go of the Berserker, attacking from his blind spot but Victor deflected it without even turning his head.

Rylan watched with widened eyes as Victor slapped the armed wrist of the warrior and launch a palm towards his chest.

"Wind Gale..." Victor muttered as he unleashed flowing vortex from his thrust out palm.

Bam!

The strike rammed into the Warrior's chest, amplified by a surging wind that sent him flying like a rag doll with his sword flinging out of his grasp.

Rylan rolled and pulled at Victor's sleeve. "Victor—don't escalate!"

Victor ignored him and pivoted as his eyes locked on all would-be attackers.

Another one of Derek's goons named Kor swung his sword, hoping to catch him off guard. Victor parried with a single palm strike, sending his foe reeling back thirty feet.

The blade didn't even manage to get to him.

The mage tried a spell of immobilizing ice. Without hesitation, Victor darted right, leaving the ice to freeze the ground behind him.

Victor closed in on the mage in one breadth while collecting his qi into his palm.

His aura radiated maniac intensity mixed with cold fury as swung his palm towards the mage face.

Pah!

A crisp flesh striking sound echoed across the surroundings as the mage's face rippled from the slap, causing him to crumble to his knees.

Blood trickled from his ear and all he could hear at this moment was static.

Victor single strike caused every single bone in his body to rattle hard even though Victor had reduced the output at the last second.

Victor didn't waste a single more second on him before dashing around to deal with the others.

From start to finish, not a single attack from this group managed to hit him.

A small crowd had gathered at the side with varying looks of admiration, horror and disbelief.

'This is the strength of someone who defeated an S ranked...'

They all had similar thoughts at this moment.

At the end of the fight, all of the bullies were sprawled out across the groundin pain.

Rylan was still helpinf the injured D-rank students since he was unable to convince Victor to stop.

After dealing with the others, Victor turned and his gaze landed on Derek.

Derek stood stiff, two paces away. He didn't step forward, but he hadn't turned to leave either. Victor's aura wreathed him.

Derek knew within seconds that there was no way of getting out of this either with a fight or making Victor cool off with a chat.

He knew both would end with his loss.

Victor's lip curled. "Hey, Derek." He drew a breath. "If you tried to have someone killed… that's only okay if they tried to kill you too, right?"

He took slow steps forward...

deliberately.

Without warning, Victor unsheathed the legacy sword which was strapped to his back this whole time...

The air around him twinned with violence and fervor as the five feet long blade's energy combined with his intent crackled like an impending storm.

Across from him, Derek's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the razor-honed weapon; he could feel his soul compressing under its raw malevolence.

Victor's voice rang out coldly...

"I told you, I was going to deal with you..."

It was as though Victor had left Derek for last so he could savor this moment properly.

He unleashed his nascent-soul cultivation in waves, causing the force to press down on Derek like a mountain.

Derek didn't know where this pressure came from but he instantly felt like the air itself had become a mighty weight resting on his shoulders.

He braced himself, tapping into every scrap of mana he could muster… only to find that his limbs obeyed no more. His feet were rooted, his throat clenched, his breath stuttering.

His body was unresponsive...

It turned out that Victor didn't just unleash his cultivation strength, he also unleashed soul chains that locked Derek down spiritually.

Victor clenched the sword causing the aura to amplify tenfold. Every inch of the surroundings seemed to shake as shadows shuttered as if afraid to approach.

Victor gripped the sword tighter as the lightning on the hilt swam in midnight rhythm.

He raised the blade upon arriving before Derek and at this moment, Derek could feel the sword lock onto him like a target.

The terrifying pressure in the air was utterly suffocating to the point that red marks had appeared all over his skin even though the blade hadn't reached him yet.

Derek was sure that if this blade came down upon him, he would undoubtedly be cleaved in two halves.

But just as Victor was about to swing, two figures materialized beside the marble columns.

Instructor Meryn and Instructor Thana had emerged in flowing academy robes.

Meryn's voice slashed through the charged silence. "That's enough, Revenant! Sheathe the weapon!"

Thana stepped forward and placed a shield hand on Victor's sword arm.

"Victor, unsheathe and step back. This is no longer conducive."

The shards of impending violence fractured. Victor's aura wavered as he lowered the massive blade and sheathe it.

A metallic sound reverberated in silence that followed as Instructors from nearby blocks poured into the surroundings with alarmed looks.

Victor rolled his eyes and turned to face the instructors.

"Now you show up... you lots didn't seem to care when they were bullying others."

"Victor Revenant, your incompetence is alarming. The academy guidelines explain that there will be no interference so long as lethal force isn't used. You were just about to use lethal force," Instructor Meryn stated with a look of disappointment.

Meanwhile, Derek collapsed to his knees, gasping.

"I—can't move..."

Victor decided to subdue his own rage and dispersed his aura.

The pressure on the surroundings instantly vanished causing Derek to let out a breath of relief.

Rylan appeared from the side and touched Victor's hand.

"You okay?"

Victor exhaled slowly, then nodded once.

...

...

Minutes later, they found themselves in the disciplinary office which had stark white walls and a single window providing cold evening light.

The space smelled of aged parchment and disciplinary resolve. Derek sat beside his bruised cronies who had varying expressions from anger to shame.

Victor stood as stood the Vice Chancellor, Lysandra, glided in with a stern look.

"Revenant. You have been reported for bullying and unsheathing your legacy weapon in a bid to use lethal force. You cannot deny this as many eye witnesses claimed to have seen you try to use it in a threatening manner. Derek charges you with attempted murder."

Victor met her gaze calmly.

"I did not murder... yet. I did what needed to be done. The academy allows people to sabotage others' lives; I simply returned the compliment. I'm not denying intent."

Lysandra pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation as her robes flapped.

'This kid! He didn't even try to deny it...'

"If your intent was to eliminate him—that is attempted murder. Even the appearance of such is punishable, possibly with expulsion."

Victor leaned back and chuckled dryly.

"The academy allows sabotage at the highest levels. Gas in the ventilation—almost got me killed. Yet I hardly see the culprit expelled."

Lysandra stiffened.

"You mean Derek. He was cleared. Any wrongdoing was side-stepped, investigated, and resolved appropriately. This... is entirely different."

Victor met her eyes.

"If the institution so easily overlooks blood on its hands, on the condition that excuses are made and confessions shifted—then expel me. I don't care."

A tense silence followed. In the corridor outside, another instructor knocked and entered with caution.

He then whispered something in the Vice Chancellor's ear.

"Let's see how you get out of this one now hehe prepare to be expelled," one of Derek's goons whispered from the side.