Chapter 124: Chapter No.124 Professor Lincoln
An angry shout resonated throughout the arena as a heavy gravitational pressure pressed down on my shoulder almost forcing me onto my knees.
My muscles tensed under the weight of the gravitational force that suddenly pressed down on the arena. The oppressive pressure was immense, making it difficult to breathe, let alone stand. My knees buckled slightly as I fought to remain upright, the atmosphere charged with a newfound intensity.
The voice that had boomed moments earlier was unmistakable—authoritative, commanding, and filled with barely restrained fury. It wasn't the head instructor this time, but someone even more powerful.
I turned my head slowly, my eyes narrowing as I looked toward the source of the voice.
Descending from above, like a dark storm cloud, was a figure cloaked in regal robes, his eyes glowing with a cold, calculated intensity. His presence was overwhelming—an aura that radiated absolute dominance over the arena. The entire crowd went silent, their whispers dying in their throats as they cowered under the sheer weight of his magical power.
"Professor Lincoln! You came at the right time, please help me kill this brat. He broke the rule of the academy even before formally joining it, he brutally injured my son and his friends."
The head instructor as if he had met his saviour started grovelling immediately, his voice shaking with desperation as he pointed accusingly toward me. His once commanding presence now seemed pitiful in comparison to the man who had just appeared.
Professor Lincoln didn't even spare the head instructor a glance. His cold, calculating eyes were fixed solely on me. His aura pulsed, the gravitational pressure increasing for a moment as if testing my limits.
I grit my teeth, refusing to be crushed under his power. The oppressive weight bore down on my body, but I willed myself to stand, meeting his gaze head-on. I couldn't show weakness now, not in front of the entire academy.
"You," Professor Lincoln finally spoke, his voice deep and resonating with authority. "Are you Samael Ashwood?"
I nodded slowly, feeling the eyes of everyone in the arena on me. The air was thick with tension, and even the faintest whisper could have been heard in the deathly silence that followed.
"I see," he said, his eyes scanning me from head to toe as if he were assessing not just my physical state but something deeper. "You wielded significant magic in an unauthorized duel, breaking the academy's rules."
I was about to speak, but he held up a hand, silencing me before I could utter a word.
"However," he continued, his eyes flicking briefly to the unconscious bodies of the head instructor's son and his friends, "it seems there is more to this situation than meets the eye."
His gaze shifted to the head instructor, who was now visibly sweating under the pressure. "You say this boy attacked without provocation?"
The instructor hesitated, faltering under the professor's steely gaze. "Y-Yes, Professor. My son and his friends were defending themselves."
A flicker of amusement danced in Professor Lincoln's eyes, but his expression remained unreadable. "Interesting," he mused, his tone laced with subtle sarcasm. "Then why is it that your son and his group are incapacitated while this 'unprovoked attacker' remains standing?"
The head instructor stammered, his words fumbling incoherently. "I... they were caught off guard! He—he's dangerous!"
Professor Lincoln's aura flared briefly, silencing the instructor's feeble excuses. "Dangerous?" he repeated softly, his voice carrying a cold edge. "Or simply more competent?"
The tension in the air spiked as the professor's eyes locked onto mine once more as if he were waiting for me to confirm or deny the accusations.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself against the gravitational force and the judgmental stares from the crowd. "They tried to force themselves on my lover, Lily come here." I silently dissolved the protective barrier of space magic around the girls not wanting to further reveal my space affinity, if asked I would just say it was a last resort rune embedded with space magic.
Lily, with tears glistening in her eyes, ran to my side to check for any injuries. The other girls simply stood beside me, but worry could be seen in their eyes. They restrained themselves from looking at the current situation.
Professor Lincoln's gaze shifted momentarily to Lily as she approached my side. Her trembling frame and tear-streaked face told a story more damning than any words I could have spoken. The air grew heavier with tension, the crowd's whispers now drowned by the gravity of the accusation I had just levelled.
The head instructor's face paled instantly, his eyes widening in disbelief and panic. He had been confident moments ago, but now that confidence crumbled, replaced by desperation.
"L-Lies!" he sputtered, his voice trembling. "My son would never—"
"Silence," Professor Lincoln's voice cut through like a blade, cold and unforgiving. His gaze bore into the head instructor, the sheer authority in his tone leaving no room for further argument. The pressure in the arena lightened as Professor Lincoln withdrew his oppressive aura slightly, but it was still suffocating for anyone standing nearby.
He turned his gaze back to me, and for a moment, his calculating eyes softened ever so slightly as they passed over Lily, who was clutching my arm as if for dear life.
"Is what he says true?" the professor asked, his voice quieter now but still filled with an underlying intensity. He was speaking directly to Lily.
Lily hesitated, her lip quivering as she looked up at Professor Lincoln. She swallowed hard, then nodded. "Y-Yes," she whispered, her voice shaky but resolute. "They—they tried to hurt me... Samael saved me."
Her words hung in the air like a final verdict, and for the first time since his arrival, I saw a flicker of genuine anger cross Professor Lincoln's face. His eyes darkened, and his aura became colder, more dangerous. The crowd murmured again, but this time their tones were different—more sympathetic, outraged even.
The head instructor tried to backpedal, his voice frantic. "P-Professor, surely there's been some mistake! My son—"
"Enough," Professor Lincoln said once more, this time his voice dripping with icy menace. "I have heard enough."
He turned to the unconscious forms of the head instructor's son and his cronies, lying motionless in the dirt. With a wave of his hand, a soft, golden light surrounded them briefly before vanishing. Their bodies jerked, and one by one, they began to stir, groaning as they regained consciousness.
The moment Victor's eyes fluttered open, his gaze darted around in confusion, his face twisted in pain and shock. When he saw me standing there with Lily by my side, his expression darkened with rage, but before he could speak, Professor Lincoln loomed over him.
"Victor Alderman," the professor's voice was a low growl, full of disdain. "Do you deny the accusations against you?"
Victor's face drained of colour, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. He shot a panicked look toward his father, but the head instructor was too paralyzed by fear to offer any help.
"I-I—" Victor stammered, but Professor Lincoln didn't wait for an answer.
"Enough," he snapped, cutting off any further protests. "Your silence speaks volumes."
He turned back to the head instructor, whose face had turned ashen. "You will report to the academy council immediately. There will be a full investigation into this matter, and until then, you are relieved of your duties."
The head instructor's mouth hung open in disbelief. "B-but, Professor—"
"Do not make me repeat myself," Professor Lincoln warned, his voice laced with deadly intent. The head instructor, utterly defeated, could only nod, his shoulders slumping as he slowly backed away from the arena.
As he left, Professor Lincoln's gaze fell on Victor once more. "And as for you," he said, his voice filled with cold contempt, "You and your friends will be placed under strict disciplinary action until the council reaches its decision."
Victor paled even further, his bravado completely shattered. He slunk back into the dirt, defeated.
Satisfied, Professor Lincoln turned back to me. The weight of his gaze was still heavy, but it no longer felt oppressive. "Samael Ashwood," he said, his tone neutral now. "Though you were in the right to defend yourself and your companions, you still violated academy rules. However, given the circumstances, I will recommend leniency to the council.
But be warned—this academy does not tolerate rule-breaking, regardless of intent. Next time, think before you act."
"If my family is in danger, rules be damned I will cut down anyone who dares to harm them," I replied firmly, my voice unwavering. I knew the weight of my words, but I didn't care. I had crossed a line today, but it was one I was willing to cross again if it meant protecting those I loved.
Professor Lincoln's expression remained unreadable, though I noticed a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth as if my response amused him on some level. He said nothing in response to my declaration, simply nodding slightly as if acknowledging my resolve.
"You have spirit, Samael Ashwood," he finally said, his voice calm once more. "But spirit without discipline can lead to chaos. Remember that."
With those parting words, Professor Lincoln turned away, his presence leaving the arena like a passing storm, heavy and oppressive, yet leaving a sense of relief in its wake. The crowd began to murmur once more, but the atmosphere had shifted. Where before there had been whispers of doubt and scorn, now there were whispers of intrigue and respect.
Lily gripped my arm tighter, her body still trembling from the adrenaline of the situation, but she managed to smile up at me through her tears. "You really didn't have to go that far, Samael," she whispered, though her tone was one of gratitude.
"I always will," I replied quietly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll always protect you."
"Ah! Attention students, The names of the qualified candidates to attend the academy are on the board at the entrance of the castle, please go through it and those who have passed gather at the gates. While those who failed I will only say better luck next year."
"Let's go,"
.
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... chapter source m vl _emp-y,r
[To Be Continued]
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Stone Me!, I can take it.
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