Yasuke's eyes narrowed, his expression skeptical. "Prove it? And how do you intend to do that?"
Cruzer took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "I can show you the item I found in Whispering Woods. It's the only proof I have."
Yasuke's expression softened slightly, but his skepticism remained. "Very well. I have decided to give you one more chance. Think properly about your situation before you lie to me again."
First, he asked, "How did you lose your talent?"
Cruzer hesitated, struggling to come up with an explanation. Finally, he decided to tell the truth. "I lost my talent because my awakened talent absorbed it. It doesn't matter if you think I'm lying; I'm telling the truth."
Yasuke sighed, still not believing him. "Let's pretend what you said is true. Explain how you fooled the Mystic Ball."
Cruzer felt a wave of desperation. The system suddenly spoke to him, instructing him to proceed with the plan as the item was ready. He put his hand into his pocket, pretending to take something out, and handed a pendant to the vice chancellor. "This is the item," he said.
Yasuke looked at Yui, who cast her True Sight on the pendant. She nodded, affirming that the item was genuine. "But to be safe," she added, "Cruzer should be checked at the training room once again."
Yasuke nodded, and they all returned to the training center. Cruzer repeated the process of placing his hand over the Mystic Ball to have his talent level measured. The outcome was zero-star talent.
Yasuke's face relaxed slightly as some of his anger dissipated. At least Cruzer hadn't lied about the item. Still, he couldn't believe the story about the talent awakening.
Cruzer then asked the vice chancellor if he believed he wasn't lying and pleaded for another chance, promising his talent would recover and advance to at least four stars.
Yui sneered from the side. "He probably harmed his core trying to advance because he couldn't stand Big Sister Rin and Big Sister Alisha cutting ties with him. He likely used forceful methods to advance his mystic level, harming himself in the process."
Yasuke nodded at his granddaughter's analysis and made up his mind. "You shall be expelled from the academy, Cruzer. Students below three stars are not admitted here, and since you've damaged your talent, you no longer have the qualifications to be here. Similar cases in the past have had similar outcomes."
Cruzer felt like he was falling into hell. The realization of losing everything hit him hard. He pleaded desperately, "Please, give me a chance. Don't expel me. I can recover and advance my level. I made a mistake by using the item to fake my level."
But Yasuke didn't give a damn about his words. Cruzer knew that if he got expelled from here, no school would ever admit him, and his chances of getting stronger in the orthodox way of this world would be diminished.
He cried desperately, pleading and begging for one more chance. Neither Yasuke, Yui, Rin, nor Alisha had any sympathy for him. They only looked at him with disappointment and contempt, as his begging and desperation made him seem even guiltier in their eyes.
"You have an hour before you are forcefully expelled from the academy," Yasuke said. "Also, since you know about Yui's power, you will have to sign a soul contract to never reveal her abilities. This power of hers will only bring her endless trouble."
Yasuke then told Rin to have Cruzer sign the contract before leaving the academy premises.
Cruzer stood rooted in the training room as if his soul had left his body. Despair washed over him.
Cruzer turned to Rin and Alisha, the only ones he had complete memories of since he woke up a few days ago.
He felt a desperate need from within his soul to have at least these two people believe him.
"Please, believe me. I'm telling the truth. Even if I'm expelled, even if you don't care about me anymore, I desperately want, no need, you guys to believe me." Cruzer pleaded with clenched fists and gritted teeth, as if searching for some straws to latch onto in his desperation.
Rin replied coldly, "I don't have a habit of trusting liars."
She took out the contract, her expression unwavering. "Sign this soul contract. It will ensure you never reveal Yui's power."
Cruzer lifelessly followed her instructions, his hands trembling as he completed the procedure. The weight of his situation pressed down on him, making each movement feel heavy and deliberate. As he signed the contract, he felt a sharp pang of regret and despair.
Rin, Yui, and Alisha watched silently, their expressions a mix of disappointment and cold indifference. Once the contract was signed, they turned and left the room, their footsteps echoing in the empty space.
Cruzer stood there for a moment, staring at the contract, as it burned away signaling the completion of the contract, feeling as if his soul had been burned away along with it. The enormity of his expulsion settled over him like a dark cloud.
Cruzer lifelessly headed towards his class to gather his materials, his head hanging low, each step feeling like a march toward an uncertain and bleak future. The life he had known was slipping away, and with it, all his hopes and dreams.
Suddenly, an announcement echoed through the school's communication system. The voice of the student council president rang out clearly in each classroom. "Attention, all students. It has come to our attention that a serious incident of cheating has occurred. As a result, Cruzer will be expelled from the academy effective immediately."
As he entered the classroom, whispers began to ripple through the students. Heads turned, eyes filled with curiosity, pity, and disdain. The air was thick with judgment and schadenfreude.
The murmurs around him grew louder, more animated. Some mocked him openly, while others showed pity, and still others reveled in his downfall. The cacophony of reactions surrounded him, each one another dagger to his already wounded spirit.
His friend Hiroshi approached him hesitantly. "Cruzer," he said, "before you leave, you need to make it clear to the teachers and instructors that I had no part in your cheating scheme. We were friends, but I didn't know anything about what you were doing."
This statement pierced Cruzer deeply, another betrayal from someone he had trusted. His heart ached with the pain of yet another friend turning his back on him. With a mocking laugh, full of self-pity, he nodded. "Sure, Hiroshi. I'll make sure they know you had nothing to do with it."
Cruzer collected his belongings, the weight of each item feeling like another piece of his shattered dreams. He walked through the academy halls one last time, each step heavy with despair. Memories of better times flashed before his eyes: moments of laughter, of learning, of dreams shared with friends who were now strangers.
As he exited the academy gates, the sky seemed to darken, mirroring the turmoil within him. The once familiar path now felt foreign and hostile. Tears blurred his vision, but he refused to let them fall. He had lost everything: his place at the academy, his dreams, his friends. The weight of it all pressed down on him, making each step feel like an insurmountable effort.
The tragic scene of his departure was one of silent sorrow. The world moved on around him, indifferent to his pain. His fate decided just like that with a single word from someone with higher power. The sting of betrayal, the mocking laughter of his peers, and the cold indifference of those he once admired all left his heart with nothing but resentment and hatred.
As he walked away from the academy, his silhouette a small figure against the vast, uncaring world, a quiet determination settled within him. This was not the end. It was only the beginning of his journey to redemption.