CHAPTER 38: GUESS THERE’S NO DOUBT LEFT NOW

Silence. Absolute silence descended inside the hall. Some of them cleared their ears, as if they heard it wrong again.

Shadowheart class eclipse beast, the class known as the bane of academy students. Many of those below the S class students in the third year have been either injured or lost their lives fighting this class of eclipse beast.

"H-How can there be eclipse beast inside the city sir? A-And how come only their mission included fighting the beast?"

The question knocking on everyone’s mind was being asked by Carson. All of the students abruptly shifted their gazes towards Zarnak, their eyes expectant of getting an answer.

Zarnak released a deep sigh. This was the greatest blunder of the academy ever. A student was about to almost lose his life, no matter what, they cannot hide this fact and keep the students in dark, and also, they cannot do injustice to Grey who fought the beast with his life, even saving his teammate in the process.

"All the professors and the academy have to apologize to you all, especially team 54 who had to face this danger." Zarnak and the other professors on stage bent their waists, bowing to the students in apology.

"Though we had checked previously, when team 54 went inside the investigation site for their mission, they came across an eclipse beast hidden deep in a cave just below the house."

"Student Cash was pierced in the stomach by the beast and was on the verge of death. But student Grey took charge, he fought the beast alone, letting his teammates escape. Or else we would have lost a precious student of our academy today, if not treated in time."

"Grey finally killed the beast with his all. Even their evaluator saw it with his own eyes. Student Grey is now in the infirmary with student Cash. They are recovering in the meantime."

"B-But what is the proof sir. All of them could be lying." Carson yelled out in protest.

"Do you mean to say even I am a liar!?" Zarnak roared furiously. The students below covered their ears and their faces grimaced in pain, as Zarnak’s voice shook their eardrums.

"I-I didn’t m-mean to say that sir. They could be fooling you all, since no one else was present there, other than they themselves."

Zarnak shook his head in disappointment. He couldn’t believe that a child of the proud dragon race was creating just a fuss in jealousy. He was about to explain when a loud voice rocked the silent air.

"This here is the proof for you." Grey was standing at the entrance, his arm raised up, a huge, dark-red beast core in his hands. Shimmering from the light reflecting from its surface.

Gasps of shock followed like a wave. They had seen their fair share of beast cores to know this really was the Shadowheart class beast core in Grey’s hands.

"Why are you here Grey? You should be resting. You haven’t recovered still." Thorgar rushed towards Grey’s side. His brows creased in worry, seeing Grey out of the infirmary.

"Thank you for worrying sir. But I’m fine now. I came here since I knew this kind of thing would definitely happen." Grey said politely.

"H-H-Hahaha! That’s a fake beast core. You’ve definitely brought it from the black market and colluded with the third-year senior to plan all this. I knew it! How the hell can you kill a shadowheart class. You couldn’t even defeat me. You tasted the floor with just one of my punches." Carson sneered, laughing out and throwing false allegations.

"This shameless brat.." Thorgar was now furious. Carson had crossed the line now. He gritted his teeth in anger and was about to charge when Grey held his arm, stopping him there.

"I’ll deal with him sir. Since he’s still in doubt, I’ll clear it up for him." Grey said with a smile. He then started moving his legs, stepping forward towards Carson.

The students parted, opening up a path for Grey towards Carson. Grey slowly walked through, his face calm, plastered with a smile.

"Will you believe it if I deal with you in three moves? You can use aura and every skill in your arsenal. There’s no need to hold back. What do you say?" Grey said as his lips lifted up into a smirk.

The eyes of the other students opened wide in shock. They couldn’t believe Grey himself was challenging Carson, an S class, and most importantly a dragon, blessed with a strong physique and aura.

"Grey! What the hell are you doing? You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Stop this." Elena rushed forward, she stood in front of Grey, trying to make him stop him from playing in the hands of Carson. This was the very thing Carson wanted and Grey himself was jumping in, serving himself in a silver platter.

"Hahahaha!! Nice. I like your courage. Stop interfering and saving his ass every time Elena. Let him be a man. If he really defeated a Shadowheart, then a duel with me should be nothing for him."

"But he’s injured. He won’t be able to fight with his all, he needs to re..."

"Stop Elena. There’s no need for this. I’ve fully recovered. This needs to happen one day anyway. Why not let it be today?" Grey stopped Elena from speaking further. He nodded at her with a smile, assuring her not to worry.

"I ask your permission to allow this duel and be the judge sir." Grey turned towards Zarnak. He slightly bowed, asking for his permission.

Zarnak face was stoic, but inside he was burning with fury. He wanted to slap Carson’s brains out. But seeing Grey stand up for himself, he calmed down a bit. Nodding at Grey’s request.

"Alright. I’ll allow it."

A wide grin spread on Carson’s face. "Hahaha! You came to get humiliated yourself Grey. I’ll make sure I cut one of your limbs off today."

The stage was cleared, Carson and Grey now stood opposite each other, ready in their stance. Carson clenched his sword tight. His aura was rushing to flow out. While Grey stood calmly, his knees bent, arms raised forward with his fists clenched.

"Begin!" Just as Zarnak announced. A red sword aura rushed out of Carson’s sword, moving fast towards Grey.

Aura covered Grey’s fist. He raised his fist high and punched right down at his feet.

CRACK! BOOM!

The stage cracked as a piece of it broke, rising up from the cracks. Grey immediately stomped his leg down, the piece of stage lifted off, forming a vertical wall in front of him.

BOOM!

Carson’s sword slash hit the broken piece of floor, breaking it into two as the two pieces fell forward, but also taking the full burnt of the attack and taking up all its energy.

When the pieces of the floor fell off, Grey couldn’t be seen behind it. He was gone. Carson was surprised, he scanned all around, but Grey was nowhere to be seen.

"Air Dash." Carson’s eyes opened wide, he heard Grey’s voice right above. He lifted his head up when Grey fell right in front of him.

CRACK!

Grey’s knees bent from the impact of his fall, spiderweb like cracks spread from his feet. Carson was taken aback, Grey had appeared suddenly, before he could react, Grey’s barrage of kicks came at him without a break.

"Spinning Madness."

A roundhouse kick followed by spinning back kick and a spinning hook kick. Each of his kick fell right on Carson’s face. Booming thunderous and crisp sounds followed every time Grey’s kick landed.

Carson was lifted off the floor, two of the kicks fell while he was midair, shifting his direction of fall.

CRASH! CLANG!

Carson fell hard. His face bloodied. The sword fell of his hands, his head plastered inside the floor and he lost consciousness, not moving a single muscle.

Silence descended. The spectator’s jaw almost touching the floor. They couldn’t believe what they had just seen.

"Guess one move was enough." Grey stood tall, his eyes looking down on Carson’s unconscious body as he said with a sneer.