CHAPTER 34: C CLASS ANOMALY

Ten punches of red aura flew out of Grey’s fist, bombarding the beast midair, breaking its lower jaw as it dangled with the tongue out, swaying in the air with a shower of blood raining down.

Gravity came into action, pulling both Grey and the beast down. The gattling destruction from Grey had muddled the beast’s senses for a moment. With its back facing the ground, body arched up, it started falling fast.

Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

Grey’s heart raced, blood flowed through the veins like a train rushing through the tracks with its breaks removed. His veins bulged out, The red circle in his eyes glowed bright. Red aura escaped out the pores of his body like smoke.

Grey’s fingers cracked as he clenched his fist tight. His aura core pulsed, pushing all the aura in the meridians. The red smoke like aura started circulating around his fist, gathering to form a red translucent fist made of aura over his skin. Covering his fist like a huge gauntlet, four times the size.

"Fuck off you bastard! ONE PUNCH KILL!!!"

With a twist of arm, his fist raced forward. The radiant aura fist glowed bright like a meteor, rushing to meet the beast’s skin. With a final push of aura released from his feet, Grey zoomed forward, the aura fist slammed on the beast’s chest, right where its heart was, the weakness.

BOOOMMM!!!

A huge cloud of dust emerged, rising upwards and spreading out in a circular wave. James and the evaluating professor covered their eyes. Their hair and clothes fluttered in the air, as they bent their knees to hold the ground.

When the cloud of dust settled, the scene became clear. James had his jaw almost touching the ground. The professor’s eyes were opened wide, his mouth agape with shock. They stood frozen on their spots, disbelief plastered all over.

The front part of the house on the right side was gone. Right from the roof to the underground basement, everything turned into debris scattered all around, revealing half of the stairs standing and the rooms bare.

The route Grey’s aura punch took, in a conical shape, a huge ditch had formed, uprooting the trees and earth.

On the ground, Grey stood tall, his fists clenched and his gaze on the bisected body of the beast on the ground. Half of it’s face along with the chest and belly were gone, obliterated into nothing, separating its body into two.

The beast was lying lifeless upon the debris, blood painting the broken wooden panels red. Slowly, its body started turning into dust, taken away by the wind, leaving the massive beast core and a hexagonal crimson stone with a rune engraved upon it.

[Shadowheart class eclipse beast killed: +54200]

[You’ve defeated a beast far higher in level than you]

[Additional exp rewarded: +89230]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

"Damn right motherfucker! I’m fucking strong!!" Grey roared in excitement.

Though he had won against a Shadowheart, it was not easy, many a times he felt on the brink of death. But giving his all, he emerged victorious, achieving the impossible, probably never have been done by anyone in his first year of academy.

"You alright child?" The professor appeared right beside Grey, he still hadn’t recovered from the shock, but worry was apparent on his face for Grey.

"Huh? Ah. Yes, I’m fi.." Before he could complete, Grey’s eyes rolled back, strength left him as his body leaned forward. He fainted.

The professor jumped forward as he caught Grey from falling down. His clothes were soaked with blood, his skin scrapped off, injuries all over his body, but he still persisted and ended the fight with his victory.

"What a tenacious brat." The professor whispered as the corner of his lips lifted into a smile.

*****

Zarnak and Thorgar stood in attention with their heads down, staring at the floor. Along with them there was another man with long, straight black hair, falling upto his waist, tied at the neck with a black string.

He was Flint Gelvon, the professor for Aura principles and techniques research, teaching both the first and the second years.

He had an angular face with his skin taut over his cheekbones. He had round glasses rested upon his nose bridge and dark circles under his eyes, screaming of his insomnia.

Opposite them, seated on his chair, with a long headrest almost seven feet in height, fitted with smooth, glistening clothed cushions, was the headmaster of the Veridian Academy, Hamdal Lightweaver.

His face, a roadmap of battles and bitter days, was contorted into a permanent scowl. A jagged, faded scar bisected his left eyebrow, continuing down past his eyelid.

His hair and beard a tangled mass of grizzled grey. His upper robe hung carelessly from his waist belt, revealing a torso that defied his age. It was a canvas of brown, taut muscle, etched with a tapestry of scars.

His shoulders, the size of a small boulder. His forearms, thick as tree trunks, rested on the armrests, veined and powerful.

The very air around him seemed to hum with a suppressed, latent power, a dangerous energy that demanded respect, and instilled a prickle of fear.

"Such bullshit mistake you people have pulled in such a serious matter! Young warriors would have lost their lives today because of your damn carelessness. What explanation do you people wish to spit on my face, huh!?" Hamdal’s raspy and hoarse voice escaped through his gritted teeth, and his eyes red, burning with fury.

"I-It was not supposed to go like this headmaster. It was just an investigation mission. All the arrangements were made. They would have found nothing inside, asked around for gathering information, have a simple spar with the professors disguised and finally collect the box with the mission completion note." Zarnak hurriedly explained.

"Did you not check the house before the tests?"

"W-We did headmaster. I did the first-round checks and the final round checks were done by professor Flint." Thorgar said, turning his head to his side, pointing at Flint.

"I-I checked it thoroughly headmaster. There was no sign of the beast nor the underground cave below." Flint said nervously.

Hamdal released a deep helpless sigh. Shaking his head in disappointment.

"What should I do with you lot. Useless!" He bellowed, as he chided the three of them. His intense pressure shook them, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.

"Fortunately, there was a prodigy in their team. Or else it would have been a disaster. What was his name?"

"Grey, headmaster. Grey Silverthorne."

"Grey...he has created history by defeating a Shadowheart in his very first year. Amazing!" A wide smile spread on Hamdal’s face. Exhilarated at such a warrior being discovered in his academy.

"That’s a S class for you. He should be rewarded for his achievement." He said with a knowing smile.

"H-He’s not a S class headmaster." Thorgar said a bit hesitantly.

"Hmm? Is he an A class then?" Hamdal asked, even more surprised.

"He’s...he’s an auxiliary C class."

"What!?"