Chapter 23
Methilia's suppressed the dread spreading through her body.
And slowly she replied in a small voice,
"Yes."
"You will be the first to undergo the examination."
Theodore declared it lightly, his tone devoid of emotion.
She had once been his prized student and the source of his pride. But now lives were at stake. He suppressed the sorrow building in his heart and regained the calm expected of someone with his level of authority.
Fear gripped at her heart.
She let out a breath and closed her eyes, then opened them. There was no trace of hesitation.
"I am ready."
She straightened her posture. She didn't ask for any details.
All eyes landed on Theodore. There were many questions, but they simply watched—such was the trust they placed in his words.
Curiosity mixed with anxiety over what other method the principal was about to apply. For now, they could only observe.
Theodore asked Magnus to cast a small holy barrier.
Methilia stood at the center of the barrier.
"Calm yourself and let the spell enter you. It will be over soon," Theodore instructed.
She nodded.
He stepped out.
"Azek."
His voice resounded across the hall.
Azek stood up, with confusion lingering in professors eyes, he stepped into the holy mana barrier. He stood before Methilia and looked directly into her eyes.
Methilia gave him a small, gentle smile.
"Principal, what is happening?" a voice cried out.
Before anyone else could speak, Theodore raised his hand.
Silence enveloped the room.
Diaz looked devastated but restrained himself. He searched the other professors' faces for support.
Albert and Sevile sat tensely, yet neither voiced any objection throughout the entire scene.
Ashvile calmly watched Methilia. He swallowed his questions.
Something is going on.
The principal has planned something.
Realization dawned on him.
He grew slightly calmer and began concentrating mana, ready to act at a moment's notice.
Azek slowly began conjuring mana.
It sparked, and a small needle formed before him. He concentrated, and the needle began emitting a bright green light. The mana grew restless.
The onlookers' eyes widened.
This was the first time they had seen mana behave like this.
It's nature was calm, but right now for the first time they saw it in a different state.
It was excited.
"Please excuse me. You will feel pain, but please bear with it."
Azek gently took Methilia's hand. Mana flickered, and the needle dove into her palm.
He closed his eyes.
Another spell formed.
Mana began resonating.
He located her mana veins and began exploring the path toward her mana core near her heart.
Methilia bit her lip.
The sensation felt like something biting into her flesh, the pain started searing through her mind, she tried to bear through it but it increased in intensity with every second, threatening to make her lose consciousness at any moment.
But she silently endured.
Azek found a pathway near her shoulder and moved through it.
He observed Methilia closely.
The pain began subsiding slightly, and her expression improved with breathing becoming a bit easier.
Finally, he set aside caution and began navigating the mana maze.
Soon, when he reached the heart—He found her mana core.
Mana was coursing through it.
He found nothing.
He had expected a black mana mass like the one he had discovered within himself. But her mana core showed nothing of the sort.
It was normal without any signs of disturbance.
Was I wrong?
The needle still hovered near her heart.
He shook his head.
I only need to do what I was told and report it.
Nothing more.
He pushed aside the complicated thoughts and advanced into the mana core beside her heart.
The moment he entered—
Mana began dissipating.
He focused harder, but the deeper he went, the faster the mana burned.
What…?
Mana was burning?
Then he saw it.
There was no separate contamination source.
The entire mana core was contaminated.
Black threads, similar to mana, flowed through the core's veins as though they truly belonged there.
It had fused with the core.
Cold sweat dripped down his face.
If he hadn't discovered his own condition earlier, perhaps the seed within him would have resulted in something similar.
Fear gripped his heart.
What should I do?
The mana was burning rapidly. The needle would soon be destroyed completely.
I have to act before it vanishes.
but what should I do?
check it? try to destroy it?
multiple possibilities ran through his mind and he finally decided on a simple approach.
He pushed harder and made contact with one of the threads.
But the moment he did,
Methilia let out a piercing scream.
Black veins burst across her body.
And before anyone could react—
BOOOOOOOOM!
A huge tremor shook the whole academy like earthquake.
The base of the East Tower exploded.