The mana testing facility? GONE!
"Eh, sorry about that, you all. It was a mistake…"
Gray's sheepish apology was akin to thoughts and prayers in a drought… so freaking useless! But more importantly, the entire Academy was suddenly roused awake.
Figure after figure appeared! Teleporting? Flying in? Rushing to the scene? There were so many movement techniques and even more people!
Panicked students? YES! Teachers ready to evacuate the former? Plenty! Stern higher-ups coming to see what the fuck was happening? All over the damn place!
In fact, it seemed like every Academy branch had sent someone to report on the situation! Just looking at the different Badges was enough to tell Gray that much!
Sword, Wand, Cauldron, Star, Hammer, Book, Bow… there were so many that it felt like he was watching a badge auction! But no matter who they were, they all had one thing in common: him!
As Gray stood alone in the remains of the Mana-Testing Facility, he could feel all their gazes on him. For now, they were only watching, but he knew they wouldn't let him leave either.
"Don't tell me he's the one that caused it all?!"
"I know he looks young, but apparently it's true. He's the—"
"I just told you not to tell me, you bastard! Don't you have ears?!"
At this moment, Gray would have LOVED just to let them all bicker as he left, but he knew it was impossible! Heck, he could already sense the gentle touch of the gallows.
But just as he was feeling lonely, it happened…
First came footsteps, a rhythmic Tip-Tap sound. Then, a silhouette shakily made its way through the encirclement, the Teachers watching the newcomer perplexed.
"Is that kid dumb?"
"He's going in there?"
"Even if that's his friend…"
That's when Fatty Zhang, no brother Zhang, broke through the encirclement and made his way to Gray. Without a word, he stood behind him as if the most natural thing in the world.
"You know, you could have just run, right?"
"As if! I'm your #1 Personal Disciple, after all!"
Would his presence actually help? Probably not. But at this moment, Gray couldn't help but feel pride… and warmth? Yet now wasn't the time to feel sentimental, for HE had arrived.
In the middle of all the chaos, Santa Claus descended…
The Headmaster came riding a flying deer—or the Astral projection of one—made of blue energy and glistening like stars. But just as he did, so did someone else!
— Whoosh! —
Gray never saw it coming, and neither did the crowd.
One second, there was nothing, and then the next, there was a scary-looking mage. Blue Academy robes? Nope! His were completely blood-red! As they saw him, the crowd freaked out:
"E-Enforcer?! Oh god, they really ARE covered in blood!"
"They say their robes start blue, but all end up red from the blood splatter!"
"This guy's fucked! Once you fall into their hands, you're utterly doomed! DEAD!"
Headmaster and bloodstained mage approached him…
"Sigh. Gray Gale, what have you done this time?" But before he could reply...
"Stand down, Headmaster, I've got this covered."
"Surely this one can still assist, right?"
The bloody mage wanted the Headmaster to leave? Gray instantly saw visions of his doom. No, he had to bring Santa Claus into this by force if he had to! He turned to the latter… and bowed?!
"Gray Gale, reporting to the Headmaster! I've followed your orders and taken the Test, but there have been complications as you can see! Please give me new orders, Headmaster!"
At this moment, Gray looked the epitome of subservient. He wasn't an arrogant newcomer, he was merely a worker paying his due to his superior. The crowd instantly gasped.
"Wait… what?! The Headmaster's the one behind it all?!"
"This doesn't make sense! Why the hell would he do that?"
"Then again, why would he lie now? It'd be too easy to disprove!"
The Headmaster suddenly found himself in VERY hot water. Not only were the students and teachers staring at him, but so was the Enforcer nearby!
Gray gave a shadow of a smile. With this, he wouldn't be the only one to face inquisition! Now, he just had to turn the crowd sympathetic to his cause! He just needed to…
"Scheming little rascal aren't you?"
That's all he heard before the world disappeared.
The bloody mage waved his hand, and then everything changed.
Ruins of the Mana-Testing Facility? Gone. Zhang by his side? Also gone. The Headmaster and the crowd? They, too, were fucking gone! And as for his surroundings…
Blood, blood everywhere, a world of fucking blood! Then there was the grinning Enforcer and him, ripe for the slaughter. The latter didn't even hide his glee at what would follow.
"206 bones, 600 muscles, billions of capillaries, and a trillion ways to make you talk. It's time we have a chat, youngster…"
Oh fuck! Nononononono! But just as the man approached…
— BZZZZZZZZ! —
In the world of blood, a blue portal suddenly appeared?! Then, out of it, Santa— The Headmaster came crashing out! The latter looked somewhat disheveled, but he had made it!
"Wait a goddamn moment before you turn him inside out!" Out of breath, he rushed to Gray, grabbing him by the shoulders. "You, tell me EVERYTHING!"
Gray spilled it out: how he had taken the test. How everything had gone to shit from that single act and how the building had seemingly imploded under the curse!
Then the two mages reacted:
"I see, so it really was that curse of yours…"
"Headmaster, curse or not, it doesn't change his crime…"
"But torturing him won't bring back the Mana-Testing Facilities either…"
They deliberated, fucking deciding whether he'd live or die on their own without even consulting him! At this moment, Gray felt less than human. Was this how the powerless were treated here?
That's when the Enforcer came even closer…
"Gray Gale. Ransacked the Royal Catacombs. Sought refuge in the Academy and somehow became a Teacher. Then, toured the Academy, brainwashed students, and stopped for some terrorism. His entire existence's trouble!"
"T-That, I can explain! Royal Catacombs? That was someone else! Becoming a Teacher? An honest mistake! As for brainwashing? I was just recruiting Disciples! And I swear I wasn't—"
That's when the Enforcer snorted, blood creeping up to Gray, engulfing him into a sticky, nauseating prison of blood. All he could see was blood, and it even filled his goddamn mouth!
Meanwhile, the two bastards kept going…
"Innocent? So what! Headmaster, you can feel it, too, right? Too many coincidences! Someone must be pulling the strings, even if he himself is ignorant. It's time we find out who…"
"T-That'll kill him?! Didn't you just say he's innocent? We're the Golden Crow Academy, not the Demonic Crow Academy! His only crime is— "
"The worst of them all: being weak…"
That's when the Enforcer pulled out a glowing blood crystal, tapping it twice. A projection appeared next to him, one that Gray recognized instantly. It was his test results!
Soul Potential: NULL
Body Potential: NULL
Mana Potential: NULL
Special Affinity: NONE
This changed everything! The Headmaster had to look out for the Academy itself. Was saving Gray worth it risk/reward-wise? Not after the trouble he had caused!
"Headmaster, do you still have an objection?"
"Sigh. No, none at all. It's a shame, but even then…"
"Good! Now, kid, any last words before I open you up?"
Even while announcing his upcoming death, the Enforcer looked so peaceful. To him, this was merely his job. As for butchering a youngster, that much was simply part of it!
Gray's fate was fucking sealed! Help? There would be none at all! As for the Headmaster changing his mind? It was impossible simply because he was too weak!
But at this point, Gray had nothing to lose anymore. Last words, he had some! He had tons of them! He summoned a certain doorbell from his Soul, and went WILD!
"Open me up? Buy me dinner first! Also, what's with the goddamn mood swings? He's innocent, so let's torture him?! Are you on your period or what?! Wait, that explains the red robes!"
Hearing this, the Enforcer actually chuckled. Was the kid trying to anger him to have a quick death instead? Oh no, he'd bloody take his time! He gave him a vicious smile as he went:
"...….."
W-What?! Air left his lungs, his lips moved, and words were born… but their sound was instantly annihilated! What kind of magic was this?! Was it the youngster's doing? HOW?!
Seeing as the man paused flabbergasted, Gray stopped pressing his "Broken Doorbell" and kept the insults coming!
"As for you, Santa, you're fucking useless! Talk big about gift-wrapping people, appear on a cool reindeer... but you can't even save one student? I'd walk into traffic if I were you!"
This time, not only did the Headmaster protest, but so did the Enforcer! They each went:
"...….."
"...….."
No, seriously, what the fuck was happening?! No mana fluctuation, no obvious sign either. They had no clue how he was even doing it! They found themselves freezing in shock.
"You fucks, you're so dumb! Someone pulling strings in the shadows? You think I don't know that? Even dead, I bet I'd figure it out before you retards! On that note, go fuck yourselves!"
That's when Gray ran away… Well, half ran away. He seemingly went into a coma, his spirit taking refuge in the Library Realm! Sorrowfully, he glanced at the little Soul Pond.
"How long do I even have to live? At least, it's peaceful here…"
But then, the peace was suddenly disrupted.
[Disturbance Detected Outside! Watch?]