Chapter 35 - End of the trial

Chapter 35 - End of the trial

The resounding explosion reverberated throughout the entire forest, sending shockwaves of fear and panic among both beasts and humans alike.

Those in close proximity to the Black Serpent Forest hurriedly fled, driven by the instinctual urge to preserve their lives.

Meanwhile, Arthur and the other students also caught wind of the explosive blast.

"What is that explosion?"

Fortunately, the protective formation surrounding them managed to dampen the sound, preventing their eardrums from suffering the full impact.

Curiosity piqued him, Arthur cautiously peered outside the cave, only to find himself dumbfounded by the sight that greeted him—a colossal formation, previously enshrouding the entire forest, had crumbled to the ground.

Overwhelmed with joy, Arthur assumed that reinforcements must have arrived, hastening his return to inform the others.

The news spread like wildfire, prompting the students to erupt in excitement.

Amidst the celebration, Lilia and Danica couldn't help but remain anxious about Cris.

Had it not been for his intervention, they might have been targeted by the Black Serpent.

Suddenly, the distinct sound of human footsteps resonated through the air, causing Lilia, Danica, and their companions to freeze in surprise.

They turned their heads to witness Professor Ellen's arrival, her expression radiating relief.

"You're all here," she uttered, her voice laden with a mix of exhaustion and gratitude.

The students hurriedly gathered around her, their faces etched with curiosity and concern.

Aware that concealing the truth from them would prove futile, Professor Ellen took a deep breath, preparing herself to share the events that had unfolded and the reason for her delayed arrival.

The students listened intently, their eyes widening in disbelief as the truth gradually unfolded before them.

They never could have anticipated that someone had managed to infiltrate the dean's office, hindering Professor Ellen's progress.

At that moment, they felt a profound sense of gratitude towards the Sword Devil for stepping in to aid their professor in her time of need.

As the revelations settled within them, the students exchanged glances filled with newfound respect and awe for the Sword Devil's prowess.

The forest, once cloaked in mystery, seemed to grow even more mysterious.

Professor Ellen surveyed the students, assessing their conditions and noting with relief that everyone, except for Harley, was present.

Some had suffered severe injuries, while others had only sustained minor ones.

Nevertheless, the potential trauma inflicted upon them weighed heavily on her mind, causing her head to spin as she contemplated how the academy would handle this crisis.

"So, Harley betrayed you?" she inquired, incredulous that such a student had been admitted.

'How dare he?'

Resolute in her decision, she resolved that once they found him, he would face punishment, regardless of his prominent family background.

Individuals of that nature were the worst, capable of betrayal at any moment, without warning.

The Assassin House's growing arrogance and disrespect for the academy's prestige signaled an impending eruption of chaos.

Professor Ellen foresaw the turbulent times ahead. Suddenly, the student's attention was drawn to the token as they noticed a change in the rankings.

Top 1 - Dwight (99999)

Top 2 - Cris (3000)

Top 3 - Arthur (1900)

Top 4 - Lilia (700)

Top 5 - Danica (600)

Top 6 - Draymond (500)

Top 7 - Peter (477)

...

The rankings had undergone a shocking transformation, momentarily diverting everyone's attention from their immediate predicament.

All they desired was to escape this perilous place alive, but the unexpected turn of events left them stunned.

"Professor, is he cheating? How could he amass such points?" inquired the bewildered students, seeking answers.

However, their queries were swiftly interrupted by the girls.

"Hmph, you're just envious of Young Master Dwight."

"Yeah, you worms are not worthy to judge Young Master Dwight."

"That's right! How dare you slander my idol!"

Lost in the fervor of their idolization, the girls seemed to forget the life-threatening situation they had recently faced.

The boys' expressions darkened, instinctively sensing the girls' intense killing intent directed at them

"Silence!"

Professor Ellen's voice boomed, commanding the attention of all. The room fell silent.

"This token was personally crafted by the head of the department, ensuring that no one can cheat during the trial,"

Professor Ellen explained, dispelling doubts of foul play.

"The only explanation I can conceive is that Dwight must have killed the Black Serpent to achieve such a high score."

She was smart and she sensed that the Ruler of this forest must be also alerted by what was happening in the forest because of the assassins.

Her speculation sent shivers down her spine as she contemplated the possibility.

The students, Danica and Lilia included, were left astounded by the revelation

"Sword Devil must have defeated the Serpent and allowed Dwight to land the final blow,"

Lilia voiced her thoughts, finding it difficult to believe that Dwight himself could accomplish such a feat.

Although she still harbored some resentment towards him, it had diminished compared to before.

Professor Ellen found Lilia's hypothesis plausible, but no one dared to suggest revoking Dwight's points, gripped by fear of the Sword Devil and gratitude for his assistance.

'Just treat it as a repayment.'

Just then, her communication device lit up, signaling the arrival of reinforcements.

Professor Ellen briefed the leaders from each department, all of whom were on par with her in skill and experience.

Commander Sophia approached Professor Ellen, inquiring about the situation, while the others sought information as well.

However, Ellen insisted on prioritizing the students' treatment and the search for Harley.

Lilia also emphasized the need to find Cris, and upon hearing of his heroic deeds, the students praised him for his actions.

The department leaders collectively decided to attend to the students' injuries while gathering further details about the unfolding events.

They were astonished by the emergence of unexpected heroes amidst the chaos: Danica, Arthur, Lilia, and Cris had defeated the assassins.

Moreover, they were equally stunned by the reappearance of the enigmatic Sword Devil.

"The Sword Devil has finally made a public appearance. I believe that if news of this spreads, many will be shocked, and those who seek to create chaos will restrain their activities to avoid attracting his attention,"

Commander Sophia stated.

The Sword Devil was renowned as one of the most skilled sword practitioners in the world and surpassing him was one of Sophia's personal goals.

She felt that it might be possible, especially after obtaining a stone inscribed with the words "Sweet Dreams."

She carried it with her during sleep and practice, noticing a significant improvement in her cultivation and sword comprehension.

Professor Rin gathered everyone and decided to return to the academy.

After two hours of searching, they finally located Cris, but the sight that greeted them left their eyes wide with astonishment.

Cris was sitting beside the lifeless body of a 10-meter black serpent, absurdly grilling some of its meat.

Approaching him, the professors inquired about what had transpired.

Cris, too, noticed the changes in the rankings and expressed disbelief.

Since the ranking shows that Dwight had huge points, he connected that Dwight had killed the serpent.

'As expected of my friend. He cares for me.'

These things left him emotional, and he wanted to find him and hug him to thank him for their friendship.

He explained his perspective to the professors, though they remained skeptical.

They attributed the serpent's demise to the intervention of the Sword Devil.

The professors carefully stored the serpent's body in a spatial ring.

While tempted to claim it for themselves, they knew it rightfully belonged to Dwight, given his association with the Sword Devil and being the one who ultimately slayed the creature.

No one wished to risk their lives and incur the wrath of the Sword Devil, who had previously vanquished numerous formidable opponents of nine-star caliber before his disappearance.

It was clear that he had become even stronger since then, evident in his ability to kill the Black Serpent, which had ruled over the forest for half a century.

Afterward, they conducted a thorough scan of the entire forest and spotted Dwight peacefully sleeping on a large tree branch as if nothing had happened.

The professor sighed wryly and decided to wake him and bring him back to the academy.

...

In the dean's office, the dean of the World's Academy sat across from a striking man with long red hair and yellow eyes.

His eyes held a terrifying gaze, and his aura exuded an eerie vibe.

"Hehe, Eric, my subordinates must have already captured the students," the man said, his gaze fixed on Eric, the dean of the academy.

Eric looked at him expressionlessly and replied, "Do you truly intend to start a war, Morris?"

"My academy is not afraid of your Assassin House, and you have already incurred the wrath of numerous powerful factions,"

Morris smiled, responding confidently. "You know that I wouldn't appear before you if I weren't certain."

"Furthermore, I have already allied with someone," Morris added.

Eric's face changed, and he retorted, "You're a lunatic. Do you believe that that devil will support you?"

Morris smiled, about to respond when his communication crystal suddenly vibrated.

His confident expression turned into one of alarm, and his face grew pale. "Shit."

In an instant, Morris disappeared, leaving Eric stunned by the sudden transformation.

Eric wished to aid his granddaughter and the students, but being confronted by the leader of the Assassin House presented a significant problem.

Though he was confident in his ability to prevail, the safety of the students within the academy was a concern.

He sensed that the demonic sect the devil belonged to would continue to assault his academy.

He is full of anger and desire to gather an army to strike back and eliminate the Assassin House.

However, he lamented the fact that they were unaware of the organization's hidden bases, which had proven impervious to detection.

Many had attempted to destroy the organization in the past but had only met failures in return.