Zap. Swoosh.
"Finally, I'm..." Kyrie shouted before having to shut up as realized the atmosphere seemed off, 'Did I miss something?' He wondered after clearing the 25th floor and completing Niko's task in under 22 minutes since after he was teleported out of the tower.
He was greeted by a crowd of people from various departments who all were attracted to something beside him.
'Oh, it is Rin, did he just clear the 25th floor as well? Does that mean we cleared Niko's task at the same time? If so, is that why they are glancing at us with such attentiveness and a hint of greed?' Kyrie wondered with excitement and a bit of disappointment as this meant first place could go to either him or Rin.
"Hey, Rin did something happen during your speedrun or something?" He asked after awhile for while it was impressive for two first-year students to reach the 25th floor in their first run. It still would not explain why there was suddenly a crowd once they left the Tower of Shadows.
"To be honest, maybe but to my knowledge… I do not think so," Rin replied honestly with a shrug before sighing as it felt no matter what he did from now on, it would somehow attract the world's attention.
Swoosh.
"Rin would you mind coming to my office for a second?" The principal asked as she appeared beside Rin and motioned for him to be quiet.
Following Serena's report that Rin broke the record the first benchmark which led to the current situation at hand as the moment she received the news so did others.
So, she had to immediately rush from her office to intercept him before Niko got a chance to confront him.
"Don't you think that a bit absurd, Olivia and were you not the one, who just said that they were safe in my hands?" Niko questioned with a frown as he approached the duo.
"Sure... but am I in trouble or something?" Rin asked as he did not think clearing the first twenty-five floors of the Tower of Shadows in a total of fifteen minutes could cause such a big commotion.
"I assure you, Mr. Kurama, you are not in trouble, but if you want some peace I would advise you to come with me," The principal said as Rin just sighed and nodded his head, "Oh, and Niko, please don't misquote me as while the rest of the class might be safe in your hands. I believe Mr. Kurama would be safer in mine, plus he'll be returning soon so no need to create a scene."
She said before teleporting back to her office after releasing a bit of killing intent to warn those in the shadows. Informing them that this student will be under her surveillance and care from now on.
***
A few minutes later…
"Fuck! Just who does she think... sigh, Serena did you inform the principal of Rin beating the old principal's record and acquiring a portion of David's legacy?" Niko asked as he realized that the only way for the principal to know of Rin's accomplishment would have to be through Serena.
"Yes, Prof. Niko, do you have a problem with that?" Serena asked as her soulless eyes began to shine with a dim reddish glow.
"… no, but don't you think that was a bit rushed?" Niko asked as he wanted no smoke with something left behind from the first principal's time.
"Not really, but who knows as I did was follow orders and adhere to protocol," Serena said and resumed paying close attention to the rest of the students still in the tower to see if she could spot any other worthy candidates.
As the reddish glow in her eyes disappeared and returned to their usually white color. While the once-hype crowd dispersed and returned to their respective departments.
***
Meanwhile…
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Come in." Someone with a hoarse voice said with a cough.
"Sir, it seems a freshman might have acquired David's legacy as soon after the student named Rin Kurama left the Tower of Shadows. Olivia swiftly left her office and zoomed towards the student in question and took him before our spies." A person wearing all white reported as they kneeled on the ground.
"Hmph! What a silly girl still believing she is still the one in power here… when she can barely fix her problems, truly a disappointment to her ancestors. But luckily, her time is coming to an end, so I guess the heavens aren't so blind after all." An old man smiled as he could not wait to see the day, that arrogant brat was squirming beneath his feet begging for mercy.
"Sir, shall we proceed as planned, or wait until the young master returns from his training?"
"Hmm, there's no rush but do continue to monitor her movements as while she may not be the one in power that bastard behind her still carries some weight. So, until he dies try to stay out of the limelight, Scott." The old man said slowly as he squinted his eyes.
"As you wish, sir!" He replied as he bowed and left the room resuming the task at hand.
***
Within the headmistress's office...
"Now that we're in a safe space, would you mind answering a couple of questions, Mr. Kurama? Like why you are suppressing your cultivation?" The principal asked as she gazed at Rin awaiting an answer after they both sat down.
'Sigh, so what shall we Rin? Do we lie, or forever hold our peace and take the truth with us to the grave?' Rin wondered as he used this time to scan the principal's office which contained two bookshelves that were conjoined together and placed behind the principal's desk.
Along with a few paintings and pictures plastered on the wall also, why does every principal's office only have one window that is either placed behind them or to their left?
"Mr. Kurama while I know the ambiance of my office is stunning, I would appreciate it if you would answer my question?" The principal said after sitting in silence for two minutes and just watching a student scrutinize her office.
"Sorry about that, but how would speed running the first 25 floors of the Tower of Shadows be considered suppressing my cultivation?" Rin asked with a feign of confusion as he concealed his shock behind a poker face and reflected the question onto her.
'Hmm, I could see how clearing twenty-five floors in fifteen can be suspicious, but what does that have to do with suppressing my cultivation?' Rin thought.
"Well, you tell me as most mid-stage Lower Gods usually take thirty seconds to a minute roughly to clear the first 5 floors of the tower. However, you only took at max 30-45 seconds or even less than that to clear a floor until the 25th floor. During which you took two minutes to defeat the boss, so unless you are suppressing your cultivation, what else would explain why you could reach such a result, Mr. Kurama?"
"Hmm, who would have I took so long…" Rin muttered as he thought he completed the 25th faster than that, but who knows, "Um, to be honest, while I would love to say I am, Principal Olivia, can't this just be attributed to the fact that I can fight above my realm? So even though the boss of the 25th floor might be 25% stronger than your typical Mid-tier Lower God, it was not a challenge more like a warmup to get my body moving."
"Mr. Kurama while I appreciate your combat prowess and talent, can you please just hear yourself for a moment as what you are insinuating is that you can defeat a Mid-tier God, correct?" The principal asked with a raised eyebrow as she did not believe for a second Rin had such power that he could bridge the difference of seven ranks.
"Yes," Rin replied.
Blink. Blink.
'Surely, this must be a lie, O Lord, for there is no way, a kid who barely even seen the world can believe he has the power to overturn the heavens?!' Olivia thought as she just shook her head and directed the conversation back to what it was supposed to be.
Before giving up on that idea and just allowing Rin to return to class, considering the conversation was going to go nowhere just like in previous years. Whenever a descendant of the Nine Supreme Families attended Forbidden Blood.
"Forget it, Mr. Kurama, you can return to you can return to your class and I hope you have a lovely day," The principal said as she shooed Rin away.
"I hope you do too, Ms. Olivia," Rin said as he got up and left and proceeded to walk back to the classroom.