Amid the stunned silence of the crowd, Alice stepped forward and planted her foot firmly on Hivrael's chest.
"Alan is someone I recommended," she said coldly, her voice cutting like a blade. "And you dare to give him trouble?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, a sharp flash of light, like a blade's edge, appeared and vanished.
Hivrael screamed in pain as deep gashes spread across his chest, the wounds so deep that bone was visible. Blood gushed out, staining the ground.
The crowd fell into an eerie silence, their gazes fixed on Alice in astonishment.
What was Duke Alice trying to convey with this?
Before they could process the scene, Alice's icy voice echoed across the land,
"Krom! Show yourself!"
As she spoke, an intense and frigid blade aura surged from her body, its chilling brilliance piercing the sky.
In an instant, the blade aura tore through the air, hurtling straight toward Krom.
Krom's eyes widened as he saw the incoming strike, a flash of terror crossing his face. He couldn't help but exclaim,
"Such a terrifying blade aura! You've already reached this level?"
The crowd was equally shocked.
Blade aura!
This was an advanced skill, one that only the most gifted geniuses could comprehend.
But they had never seen a blade aura as formidable and dazzling as Alice's.
It was almost like a massive white wave, spanning hundreds of meters across the sky.
The intensity of her blade aura rivaled that of legendary elders, perhaps even surpassing them.
And yet, Alice was so young. The thought of how much stronger she could become was terrifying.
In their minds, only one figure from the past could compare to her—Robert, the legendary genius who had once saved Lioncrest Academy from ruin.
As Krom barely deflected the blade aura, his heart was filled with dread. Yet he forced himself to speak respectfully,
"Duke Alice, what have I done to deserve such hostility?"
"I didn't like your behavior just now," Alice replied flatly.
Without further explanation, golden light began to coalesce in her hand, forming a shining golden blade. With a swift motion, she swung the blade downward at Krom.
The force of the strike was immense. As the blade descended, the air itself seemed to split apart, producing a deafening sonic boom.
Krom, already on high alert, summoned all his strength. Blue water currents swirled around him, forming a shimmering water shield that he positioned in front of himself.
Clang!
The golden blade collided with the water shield, producing a thunderous sound that reverberated through the area.
But to Krom's horror, the shield only slowed the golden blade for a brief moment before it was sliced cleanly in two, like a knife through tofu.
The blade continued its unstoppable descent, slashing across Krom's neck.
A sharp, tearing sound echoed as blood sprayed from the deep wound, staining his robes red.
The crowd looked on in shock, their faces pale.
One strike.
Alice had injured Krom, the chief of the Battle Department, with a single strike.
Such overwhelming combat strength was unheard of.
Krom wasn't just any mage—he was a gold-tier mage, far above ordinary students or even instructors. Few could even stand against him, let alone defeat him so effortlessly.
Yet Alice had done so with ease.
Clutching the wound on his neck, Krom's expression was one of utter disbelief as he stared at Alice.
Unlike the others, Krom understood who Alice truly was.
Not only were her strength and talent unparalleled, but her background was also extraordinarily powerful.
Even when she had turned down Lioncrest Academy's invitation to join, the academy hadn't dared to show her the slightest disrespect.
Now, under the gaze of countless onlookers, Alice sheathed her blade and stood tall, her voice calm but resolute.
"From this moment onward, I am no longer an honorary mentor of Lioncrest Academy. I have nothing to do with your academy anymore."
Her declaration left the crowd stunned. Without hesitation, she turned and walked away.
"Duke Alice, if the academy has offended you in any way, please reconsider!" Krom called after her.
But before he could finish, Alice vanished into the distance without a backward glance.
Krom's face darkened instantly.
Securing Alice as an honorary mentor had been no small feat for the academy, costing them significant effort and resources.
And now, it had all been for nothing.
As Krom stood there, fuming, a four-colored light array suddenly lit up again. Moments later, a spectral figure holding a staff appeared.
The crowd gasped in unison, their eyes widening in disbelief.
The spectral figure was none other than Robert, the legendary figure of Lioncrest Academy!
As the image of Robert materialized, the academy's vice headmasters, chiefs, and core leaders all gathered at the scene, their faces filled with reverence.
Robert had been the academy's greatest prodigy, a genius who had left the Plantagenet Kingdom long ago, unable to find a worthy rival.
For centuries, he had been absent, and his sudden appearance in the form of a projection was a monumental event.
Robert's gaze fell upon the remnants of the magic array, and he murmured in admiration,
"Impressive. Not only a swordsman but also someone who has comprehended Blade Spirit. Even more remarkable, he is an Insightful Heart Magus."
"Rare," he said again, shaking his head. "Truly rare."
His words sent ripples of shock through the crowd.
Krom and Hivrael's pupils shrank, and even the other mages present were left stunned.
Robert, noticing the tense atmosphere, furrowed his brows and asked,
"What happened here?"
Krom immediately recounted everything that had occurred, leaving nothing out.
When he finished, the crowd remained silent.
Several of the academy's chiefs and elder advisors turned cold, accusing eyes toward Krom.
Had it not been for Robert's presence, they might have already lashed out at him.
After all, receiving such praise from Robert was an honor almost unheard of. Whoever this Alan was, he had to be exceptional.
Robert sighed, his expression tinged with regret.
"This magic array was left behind by the first headmaster," he explained. "Before I left the academy, I modified it, believing it had untapped potential. For someone to break through this array at around twenty years old—they must at least be a magus."
"While I don't know what methods he used, the array was undoubtedly broken by him."
"You said he has no mana core, which may affect his power, but he has yet to display any magus-level techniques, hasn't he?"
"That alone proves the broken mana core hasn't hindered him much. He can still continue to grow. This is a genius unlike any other."
Krom paled as Robert's words sank in.
The legendary Robert held Alan in such high regard.
And then there was Duke Alice, who had clearly valued Alan enough to recommend him.
Sweat formed on Krom's brow as his throat went dry.
In hindsight, it was unthinkable that someone as perceptive as Alice would have recommended an ordinary person.
She had likely noticed Alan's broken mana core yet still vouched for him, which meant Alan's potential was extraordinary.
And Krom… he had turned such a genius away.
"This was my oversight," he admitted, his voice filled with regret.
Robert sighed deeply. "I left the Plantagenet Kingdom long ago, leaving behind this projection to see if anyone could overcome the first headmaster's array. But if this is the result, Lioncrest Academy will now have to fend for itself."
With those parting words, Robert's projection faded into nothingness.
"Robert, wait!" the academy leaders called out, their voices filled with desperation.
But Robert's image had vanished, leaving no trace behind.
The vice headmasters and chiefs turned their icy gazes toward Krom.
Krom, sensing their anger, looked dazed and filled with remorse. Finally, he said,
"I was at fault today. I will go to the Confessional Chapel and await the headmaster's return for further judgment."
Handing his token of authority to one of the vice headmasters, Krom added,
"Colin, I entrust the Battle Department's affairs to you for now."
Colin, a close friend of Krom, looked conflicted. "Alan's talent is undeniable, and it's a shame we let him go. But as Robert said, what's done is done…"
Another vice headmaster, his expression defiant, interjected,
"Alan may be a prodigy, but we are Lioncrest Academy. There's no need to punish a chief just because we missed out on someone who didn't even join us!"