SWNOVELXO CHAPTER 91 - Anger.
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The fifth peak was the busiest peak among the academic peaks, and every day, one could see the peak bustling with people and students along with vendors selling what they wanted.
But today, since the students were all gathered in the stadium, the vendors put up their stalls close as well, so although the fifth peak was still filled with buildings and shops, they were empty, a deathly silence covering the area.
At a clearing not far away from the stadium, the air hung heavy with the acrid stench of smoke and blood. At the center of the devastation lay three bodies, motionless and lifeless. The area surrounding those bodies was charred black as if something had exploded right there.
Of the three bodies lying dead, one stood out in its ghastly condition: its entire frame charred and twisted as though consumed by an inferno. Half of the body was burnt to the point that it wasn't even recognizable as golden blood seeped from the broken remains, pooling around the body.
The charred figure with a golden body and golden blood, along with golden bones visible through the burnt muscles, was unmistakable—it was a golden goblin, Zyrrak to be exact.
The student council members stood in a semicircle around the gruesome sight. Their expressions ranged from grim to enraged, their eyes locked on the golden body. Even Alex, usually composed and commanding, was rooted in place, his face hollow with disbelief. He stared at the remains of the golden goblin as though trying to bring it back to life.
"N-No..." The one with the weakest will among the council members, Aelora, stumbled back, almost falling to the ground, only to be supported by Zahara, who, with worry in her eyes, kept looking at Alex; the same could be said for Lilia.
The tense silence stretched as the time seemed to have been stopped. But not for long, as it was broken by the hurried footsteps of the arriving teachers. They were a step behind the student council, but they stopped short, their shock evident as their eyes fell on the scene.
"N-No way... that's Zyrrak, right?" One of the teachers whispered in shock.
"So... were his words really true?" Questioned another one.
They couldn't believe it. The fact that Alex had just told everyone about the greater schemes and this happened implied something very dangerous—it made it seem like Alex's words before were true. The ones among them who were the most shocked, however, were a particular group of third- and fourth-year teachers—the ones who were really trying to make the student council miserable.
'Who the fuck did it?!' This was all they could think of as they tried to contact their superiors for confirmation. There was a chance that their leader really did get intimidated by Alex's speech and tried to end things like this.
Whispers spread among the other teachers, disbelief mingling with horror, but none dared to question the council members directly. They could feel the atmosphere, and they knew the last thing they should do was disturb them.
"A-Alex..." It was Lilia, who, after seeing Alex's expression, tried to call out to him, but Alex moved first. Without a word, he walked toward Zyrrak's body. He kneeled and lifted the broken body, the golden blood staining his hands and robes, but he didn't care.
The council members, with grim expressions, watched in silence as Alex turned and began the long walk back to the stadium. Without delay, they all followed. Theron walked right beside Alex, his expression as cold as it could be—he was angry after a long time.
'How dare they...' He growled inwardly, regretting his decision to send Zyrrak to prison for a while instead of protecting him without backing down, but it was too late. All he could do now was grind his teeth like every other council member.
The teachers, looking at all this, exchanged an uneasy glance before they followed as well, returning to the stadium, where the students still stood frozen.
The moment Alex with Zyrrak in his arms stepped into the stadium, gasps echoed.
"What?!" "No way!!" "Is that him?!" Many such questions were heard, but one look from Theron and Alex's cold eyes made the stadium fall into an uneasy hush, as Alex ascended the stage, carefully laying Zyrrak's body on the cold, polished floor.
He stood upright, his back to the stunned audience, his shoulders trembling. When he finally turned to face them, his expression was a mixture of grief, rage, and something darker—something unyielding.
"They didn't let him live," Alex began, his voice quiet but carrying through the hushed stadium. "Even after we—after I—did exactly what they wanted and gave him the punishment. We were sending him to prison. We followed their demands—all of your demands. And yet…"
He gestured to the body, his voice rising, his words charged with emotion. "They killed him. They killed him before he could even reach the prison. Maybe they felt their plans were failing. Maybe they couldn't stand the idea of me proving his innocence. But make no mistake—this was no accident."
The students murmured among themselves, confusion and fear taking root. Was all that Alex said before the truth? Are there people in the academy who want to kill Zyrrak? Everyone was having a hard time believing this before, but now they felt like all of Alex's words were the truth.
The teachers exchanged uneasy glances as they felt the students' hostility growing, their authority momentarily undermined by the raw power emanating from Alex's words.
Alex took a step forward, his eyes scanning the crowd. "I knew they would try something like this. I warned you all. I told you there were those in this academy who wouldn't stop until Zyrrak was gone—not because of justice, but because they wanted his body. And now, when they realized they couldn't get his body after my speech, they decided to kill him—they've proven my words right themselves. They've shown us they believe this academy belongs to them, that they can act with impunity."
His voice cracked, and his body began to tremble visibly. Suddenly, with a deafening boom, Alex's mana surged outward, the sheer force of it pressing down on everyone in the stadium. Students clutched their chests, struggling to breathe, while some teachers wavered under the oppressive energy.
On Alex's chest, eight illusionary radiant stars materialized, each blazing with an intensity that left no doubt about his power. The stage trembled as the student council members, who had never seen Alex get this serious, so much that he would reveal his power, grew grimmer.
The stage trembled and so did the air, and the students in the stadium, still clutching their hearts, stared in awe and terror, their gazes fixed on the power display.
"They killed my friend," Alex continued, his gaze and voice colder, resonating with unshakable resolve. "Zyrrak was not a criminal—yet he was killed. And for that, I swear on all the power I possess that I will find the ones responsible. And when I do…"
He paused, his voice dropping into a deadly calm. "I will kill them."
Gasps echoed through the stadium, the crowd unable to process the magnitude of his declaration. Declaring to kill someone like this wasn't something that anyone could do; after all, killing was prohibited in Originveil City.
But no one could do anything to Alex right now. Not just because of his power and backing, but because, even though enraged, he chose his words perfectly. He never said that he was going to kill anyone in the academy or the city. He just said that he would kill them.
Alex, on the other hand, after scanning the crowd once more and noting the faces of the teachers trying to contact someone, said nothing more. He stepped forward, his movements deliberate, and once again lifted Zyrrak's broken body.
Then, without sparing another glance at the audience, he walked off the stage and out of the stadium, leaving a stunned silence in his wake.
Theron, who had been standing beside Alex moments before, stepped forward. His cold gaze swept over the crowd, his anger barely restrained. "This isn't just Alex's promise," he said, his voice sharp. "It's the will of the entire student council. We won't stand by and let this injustice go unanswered."
The other council members nodded in unison, their expressions hard with determination. Without another word, they turned and followed Alex.
The audience remained frozen in place long after their departure, their minds racing with fear and disbelief. The golden blood on the stage glinted ominously under the lights, a stark reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded.