Chapter 10 – Betrayal Within the Academy
The attack on Audrey's village changed everything.
News spread quickly through the academy that he was preparing retaliation.
Some students supported him.
Others feared the consequences.
But quietly…
Another threat was forming — not outside the academy…
But inside it.
---
Hidden Meetings
In a dim underground chamber beneath the academy library, several students gathered around a round table.
These were not ordinary students.
They were heirs of noble families.
And they were angry.
One of them slammed a document onto the table.
"His power keeps increasing!"
"First he defeats Markus."
"Then he survives assassination."
"Now powerful outsiders protect him."
Another student whispered:
"And the council's attempt failed."
"The assassins were captured."
Silence filled the room.
A third voice spoke coldly.
"Then we remove support from within."
---
The Internal Sabotage
Back at the academy grounds, supplies for the village counterattack were being prepared.
Teleportation gates.
Healing artifacts.
Weapon reserves.
Selene supervised the logistics.
Aria trained nearby, preparing combat units.
Audrey stood observing everything quietly.
His injuries had healed partially — but his body was still recovering.
Suddenly —
A guard rushed toward Selene.
"Miss! The teleportation circle has malfunctioned!"
Selene frowned.
"That's impossible. We inspected it this morning."
She ran toward the magical formation.
Audrey followed immediately.
When they arrived —
The runic circle was cracked.
Dark residue covered the core.
"This wasn't a technical failure," Selene said sharply.
"It was tampered with."
Audrey's expression hardened.
"Someone inside sabotaged it."
---
Discovery of the Traitor
System alert activated.
Internal Security Scan — Suspicious Mana Signatures Detected
Audrey closed his eyes briefly.
Golden particles spread invisibly across the surroundings — scanning energy traces.
He traced the corruption back through residual mana.
The signal led toward one direction.
The academy alchemy workshop.
They moved quickly.
Inside the workshop stood a junior mage adjusting potion containers.
He froze when Audrey and the others entered.
Selene narrowed her eyes.
"It's him."
The mage stepped back nervously.
"I… I don't know what you mean."
Audrey activated system detection.
The golden glow highlighted traces of dark mana on the mage's gloves.
Evidence was clear.
"You contaminated the teleportation core," Audrey said calmly.
The mage panicked.
"No! I was forced—"
Before he could finish —
Several students burst into the room attacking simultaneously.
They had been waiting.
It was an ambush.
---
The Ambush Inside
Explosive spells detonated inside the workshop.
Glass shattered.
Alchemy equipment collapsed.
Aria reacted instantly — shielding Audrey with a defensive barrier.
Selene counterattacked with precision spells.
The traitor tried to escape during the chaos.
Audrey saw him running.
He converted gold into short-range acceleration.
In an instant, he appeared in front of the fleeing mage.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The mage collapsed to his knees.
"They threatened my family!"
"If I didn't sabotage you… they would remove my parents from the noble registry!"
Audrey looked down at him.
"Who?"
The mage hesitated.
"House Virell…"
"Supported by members inside the council."
Selene's eyes widened.
"That faction again…"
---
Escalation
The attackers were defeated.
But the damage was done.
Trust inside the academy fractured further.
News of internal betrayal spread rapidly.
Students began choosing sides openly.
Some defended Audrey.
Others claimed he attracted chaos wherever he went.
Aria crossed her arms.
"Your enemies aren't just external."
"They are embedding themselves inside your institutions."
Selene nodded.
"They will continue infiltrating."
Audrey remained silent for a moment.
Then he spoke calmly.
"Good."
Both women looked at him.
He continued:
"If they reveal themselves…"
"I eliminate them."
His tone wasn't emotional.
It was strategic.
The betrayal had escalated from individual greed to organized sabotage.
The war was no longer about strength alone.
It was about control.
And whoever controlled loyalty…
Controlled power.
---
End of Chapter 10