Chapter 65 [Bonus chapter]

Dialogue "sample"

Thoughts 'Sample'

Techniques [sample]

Author notes -sample-

Chapter 65: The King of Varian Forest

The professors managed to the students in order with some diplomacy.

"Shut up already!" The voice of Professor Garret was amplified with mana and the sound was so powerful that the students had to cover their ears.

"The Headmistress will offer you some explanation about what happened. Now, be quiet!"

"Thank you, Mister Garret..." Arabella rubbed her ears, looking to be in pain.

"The reason for calling you all back is because there has been an attack on a group of students."

The students started to whisper to each other and make a ruckus.

"Silence!" The authority in the voice of the Headmistress was potent enough to stop all students from talking.

"As I was saying. A group of students was attacked by some bandits during the course of the exercise. There students in question are without serious injuries and the bandits have been dealt with. That's all you need to know about that matter."

She made it very clear that she would not be taking any questions about that.

"However, there is a chance for more dangerous individuals to be roaming the forest, so I have decided to end the trip one day earlier, for your own safety."

"What about the competition? Will no one earn the prices?" Rae Holand asked.

The Headmistress went pensive for a moment. The student was right, it did not feel fair to completely dismiss all of their efforts just because something unpredictable happened.

"Very well, we can do the-"

All of a sudden, the earth started to shake as they all heard the loudest beastly growl they had heard in their entire lives.

A wave of energy traveled from the center of the Varian Forest and assaulted everyone in the clearing. Many of the students passed out immediately while others were forced to stay on their knees.

The expressions of the Professors and Headmistress immediately changed to worry and they started back at the forest.

"WHO DARES TO WAKE ME UP AND DAMAGE MY FOREST!"

If they thought the growl was frightening, the voice they just heard was beyond terrifying. The words sounded human, but they all knew that no human could shout like that.

"Did that voice come from the forest?!" Asked Iris with shock.

"It didn't just come from the forest." Siegfried had a bead of sweat falling across his face. "I think it came out from deep within it." It's hard to trace, but that wave of energy that was sent just now came from many miles deep in the forest, maybe around the center."

"That voice came from the core area of the forest, right in the middle. I am sure of it!" Exclaimed Professor Garret. His usual smile and cheerful attitude were nowhere to be seen. He did not take his eyes off the forest for a second as he spoke.

"The center of the forest? But that's the area of the forbidden grounds! Are you telling me that someone was actually sleeping there?!" Said Edward in disbelief.

"Ed…that was no human voice. That was a demonic beast. I am sure of it." The voice of the Headmistress sounded very severe.

"A demonic beast speaking in human tongue?!" Siegfried was shocked and for a good reason. When he was a child, he read about a legendary demonic beast that was able to speak like humans and could also transform his body to look mostly like a human but with some beast features. This beast had started as a simple black bear but it cultivated for many centuries and had reached an unfathomable level of power. It terrorized the Great Yang continent and its people for generations until one day, it just disappeared.

Some believed that the legendary beast had died of old age while others thought that it ascended to the Heavens and became a God.

But in any case, after reading that story so many times, the idea of a demonic beast capable of speaking like humans had always filled Siegfried with discomfort.

"A beast that speaks like humans? how is that possible? Demonic beasts are just beasts who had absorbed some mana into their bodies…yes, they are stronger and sometimes even smarter. But to speak human language…" Edward found the concept very hard to believe. He could not imagine a beast like a tiger or a bear, just casually talking like a person.

"Rank 7…" Muttered Professor Garret. Most of the students who did not fall unconscious, were too far to hear his words, but Siegfried, Iris, and Edward were close enough to hear him.

"It is believed that, if a demonic beast can reach that level of power…it would gain an intelligence superior to most humans...then it would be able to speak like us and even transform its body to look almost completely human." Professor Olivia answered the question that no one asked.

"We are leaving!" Shouted the Headmistress. "Everyone who can still move, help take the unconscious students into the Mana Spinner!"

Siegfried had to be helped by Edward a little bit since he was so exhausted.

The Headmistress and the other two Professors rushed all students into the vehicle, not giving them time to ask questions.

The three of them were the ones who understood the gravity of the situation the most. A beast like that making an appearance, was a colossal event. If it left the Varian Forest and started to walk through the lands of the Algioso State, there would be no one who could stop it from decimating their lands.

They knew that after returning to the academy, they will have to inform the Emperor immediately. Only the ArchMagus, Alastor Griffin would stand a chance against something like that.

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The trip back to the academy was a solemn one. More than half of the students did not even wake up until they were already close to arriving while others were still shocked by what happened.

There were a few ones like Charles Artois or Lancel Ashwood who had, in their opinion, more pressing matters to worry about.

Charles was sure that his ploy to assassinate Siegfried must have been revealed and even the Headmistress and the other professors could learn about it if they did not know already. But he was quite sure that he had not left any evidence that could be traced back to him.

Lancel could not understand what happened to his brother. He was completely sure that even if those useless assassins failed the job, his brother would jump in and finish it.

'The only way for Lancaster and the others to be alive would be that Clayton didn't show up…where are you, brother?...' Wondered Lancel.

A.N - Remember to comment, vote and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it.