CHAPTER 481: A MEETING BETWEEN ADMINISTRATORS!

Chapter 481

A few days ago, after Grey and Thalos left the Aetherian Academy, the higher-ups and instructors decided to hold a meeting for the first time in a long while.

In the administration block, high above in the upper levels, all the senior figures gathered around a large round table.

Gunther sat leaning back in his chair nonchalantly, his twin swords strapped at his waist as usual, looking as if he had no care in the world. His posture suggested ease, but the sharpness in his eyes betrayed his constant vigilance.

The next chair was occupied by a high-ranking woman who had been with Gunther during the assessments. Her name was Seraphine Sage, one of the few women who had risen to such heights within the academy’s structure.

She sat at the table with a small, composed smile on her face, her hands folded gracefully before her. Despite the tension in the room, she seemed unbothered, radiating a quiet confidence that contrasted with the others.

A few chairs away sat Instructor Kent. His expression was the polar opposite of hers. His brows were knit tightly, and a deep scowl marred his face, as if the very act of being present irritated him. The man practically exuded frustration, as though everything in his path was a personal nuisance.

"I wonder why this meeting is being called. What happened?" Kent asked, glancing around the table. His tone carried suspicion, but the other two only shrugged.

"No idea," Seraphine replied calmly. "But if a meeting of this level is called, it can only mean the matter is serious."

"And where the hell is Vice Principal Leo?!" Gunther growled, unable to contain his irritation.

"Right here."

The voice echoed through the chamber as the double doors swung wide open. The rhythmic tap of something clicking against the polished floor followed, steady and deliberate.

Vice Principal Leonardo Vane strolled in, an unsettling smile tugging at his lips. In his hand was a slender wooden cane—not something to support his body, but more a symbol of style, authority... or perhaps something with a hidden purpose.

He walked casually, yet every step seemed intentional, before finally lowering himself into the chair at the head of the round table. The other instructors and officials shifted in their seats, frowns deepening as their eyes followed him.

"Isn’t he joining us as well?" Seraphine asked, one brow arched with curiosity.

Leo chuckled lightly. "Aside from being the principal of this prestigious academy, he is also the head of one of the major clans and the figurehead of the Aetherian faction. Naturally, his time is consumed by countless duties. Right, Gunther?" He turned his sharp gaze toward the younger man.

"Why are you asking me that?" Gunther muttered, his brows furrowed even deeper.

"I mean, isn’t he your father?" Leo asked with a sly smile.

Gunther only scoffed in reply, refusing to dignify it with words.

"Shall we get to the point?" Kent demanded, his tone clipped and sharp.

"Of course." Leo gave a small chuckle, almost facepalming himself before catching the gesture midway. His expression shifted as he scanned the room, the unsettling smile vanishing. What replaced it was far more grim.

"Reports have arrived," Leo began, his voice lowering. "The portals are opening more frequently. It’s only a matter of time before we’re forced to confront them."

"Huh?" Gunther raised a brow, clearly unimpressed. "What do you mean by them?"

Leo sighed and shook his head slowly.

"The same forces that took the founder of this faction and academy. I’m talking about those beings."

A hush fell over the room instantly. It was as though the air itself froze. Everyone present felt their heartbeats quicken, thudding like war drums in their chests.

"B... but how is that possible?" Seraphine’s composure faltered, her eyes widening. "The portals shouldn’t open unless..." She trailed off as realization struck.

Leo gave a single nod, confirming her thoughts. "Yes. Unless a mage has appeared in our world again."

"Oh no... we’re finished." Kent muttered. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, before slumping back into his chair with defeat written all over him.

"Then the answer is simple." Gunther leaned forward, his tone calm but laced with steel. "We find the mage... and send him back to his makers. Isn’t that right?"

"I don’t know what to do. Your father hasn’t spoken yet. He is still deliberating and trying to reach an understanding with the other factions. Perhaps an agreement can be reached, or at the very least, a temporary measure."

Leo exhaled slowly, his voice carrying a weary edge. "Fortunately, it seems this mage isn’t strong enough. If he were, they would have already shattered the chains separating our world from theirs, and then we would be staring straight into the jaws of war."

"So what do we do now?" Seraphine asked, her tone sharper than before. "I doubt that’s the only reason you called us here."

"Actually, it isn’t." Leo straightened, and the room adjusted with him, everyone sitting upright. "While we wait for the other factions to give their input, the principal has decided we must step up our preparations."

"Meaning?" Kent asked, raising a skeptical brow.

"Meaning... who do we send out on missions?" Leo’s eyes swept across the room.

"The instructors, of course. And perhaps some of the second-year students. Why even ask?" Kent replied.

Gunther, having worked closely with the faction leader for years, already suspected where this was going. His jaw tightened as he shook his head lightly.

"The faction leader has ordered that from now on, we begin assigning missions to the first-year students."

Gunther’s suspicions were confirmed, and he let out a frustrated sigh.

"Wait... what?!" Seraphine and Kent exclaimed in unison, disbelief flashing across their faces.

"Hold on, why would we even consider that?" Seraphine retorted, anger lacing her tone. "The portal breaks are dangerous enough for experienced fighters. Those children are nowhere near ready!"

Leo raised his hands slightly, as if calming a storm. "This is not my decision. It is an order, and how can I reject it? Besides, these kids are becoming complacent. They need to toughen up. If we fail to mature them now, they might become nothing more than cannon fodder when the real war arrives."

"But... but that doesn’t mean we throw them headfirst into danger!" Kent argued hotly, his voice almost cracking with frustration. "At the very least, they need prior training—something more structured than this madness!"

Gunther finally broke his silence, leaning forward as his sharp gaze pinned them both. "Tell me something. If a portal break occurred right now, in the middle of the first-year quarters, who among them do you think would actually survive?"

"The red band students..." Seraphine admitted reluctantly.

"Exactly. Now answer me this—if we are away on missions, and another break happens, will you always be able to shield the rest? Or will you watch from a distance as the weak ones fall?" His voice carried a harsh finality, and his furrowed brows left no room for denial.

The room fell quiet. Kent and Seraphine exchanged troubled glances, but no one could give a confident answer.

"So it’s settled," Leo concluded, rising from his seat. His cane clicked sharply against the floor as he moved.

"From here on, whenever a mission arises, you’ll assign it to them, Kent. The clan leaders and the faction expect results from their training, not excuses and bodies. Send them to tasks they can handle and ensure progress is shown. This meeting is over."

With that, he turned and exited, leaving the instructors behind in a heavy silence, forced to wrestle with the weight of his words and the grim future they implied.