Haruto left the administrative wing, his mind completely fried by the absurd situation. Needing a moment to clear his head and shake off the lingering adrenaline, he walked into the main boys' washroom to splash some cold water on his face.
He bent over the sink, scooping up the cool water and pressing it against his skin. As the water dripped down his face, the quiet rustle of footsteps echoed behind him.
Haruto's hyper-observant mind instantly flagged it. The academy bell rang ages ago, he thought, straightening up and grabbing a towel. The campus should be completely empty by now. Who else is still here?
He turned around.
Standing near the entrance was Kenjin. And he wasn't alone. Clustered right behind him were three other elite students, all carrying themselves with that same arrogant, suffocating aura typical of high-ranking royal families.
Haruto didn't feel like dealing with petty academy drama. His throat was locked, his energy was drained, and he just wanted to go home. He tossed the towel aside and made a direct path for the exit, intending to brush right past them.
Slam!
Before he could take three steps, Kenjin moved with sudden, aggressive speed, blocking the doorway. The three royal lackeys immediately fanned out, cornering Haruto against the sinks and cutting off any easy escape route.
A malicious, arrogant smirk stretched across Kenjin's face as he leaned in closer. "Going somewhere, 'Future King'?" he mocked, his voice dripping with venom. "Oh, wait, I'm sorry. Should I say Mute King instead?"
Haruto's single crimson eye narrowed, his face remaining entirely frozen like stone.
"Don't look so surprised," Kenjin sneered, crossing his arms. "I happen to have very good ears, and I overheard every single thing that just went down in Commander Fredrick's office. So, you took some pathetic vow of silence until you accomplish a goal, huh? Writing your little terms on a piece of paper like a coward."
The three boys behind him let out low, mocking chuckles.
"And you actually think you're worthy of Seraphine?" Kenjin stepped even deeper into Haruto's personal space, his eyes flashing with jealousy. "Every royal family in this kingdom already knows she is Fredrick's daughter. It's an open secret among the true elite. But for a nobody like you to worm your way into a marriage proposal with her? Disgusting. Look at you. What did that disgusting, cheap transformation even give you? A bunch of fake-looking white hair and a freaky red eye?"
Kenjin gritted his teeth, his expression twisting into pure rage as he remembered the Wizard Quest. "Ugh... what a complete waste. Kallen should have just finished the job and slaughtered you on the track yesterday!"
Haruto didn't even blink at Kenjin's insults. He calmly stepped forward and tried to push right past his shoulder, completely dismissing the threat.
Slam!
Kenjin shoved him back hard, his hand gripping Haruto's jacket to lock him in place against the cold wall. The other three royal boys closed the gap instantly, their smiles turning into twisted, predatory grins as they tightened the circle.
Haruto's hyper-analytical brain instantly went to work, cold-bloodedly mapping out his current vitals and tactical coordinates.
Damn it, he calculated, his eyes scanning their aggressive stances. I am at a severe disadvantage here. My foundation is totally broken, and for some reason, I can't feel or channel a single drop of magic. Even though my raw level status is officially registered at Level 6, my current physical output is completely empty.
He tried to force a breath into his lungs, but the absolute silence in his throat reminded him of his physical limits. I can't speak, which means I can't even chant or call out for help to alert the guards outside. I am completely outnumbered, out-positioned, and these creeps are clearly getting ready to get physical.
The irony of the situation hit him like a splash of ice water. Just minutes ago, the most powerful man on the continent was begging at his feet. Now, he was just a regular, powerless human being cornered in a deserted academy bathroom by a bunch of jealous, arrogant nobles.
I am a completely defenceless target right now, Haruto thought, his face remaining entirely frozen like stone despite the danger. A future king being targeted by insecure, petty trash. If I try to fight back physically with my current drained stats, I'll just expose how completely empty my power reserve is. I have no choice. For now... I just have to endure this.
Kenjin's twisted grin widened as he reached into his uniform pocket. "You know what? Since you love acting like a silent, mysterious hero with your new look, why don't I just strip that right away from you?"
With a malicious laugh, Kenjin pulled out a heavy roll of thick rope and threw it to his three lackeys. Working together with aggressive speed, they shoved Haruto against a structural pillar in the washroom, wrapping the rope tightly around his torso and binding his arms firmly behind his back. Once Haruto was securely pinned, Kenjin snatched a sharp pair of heavy-duty scissors from one of his followers, snapping the metal blades together with a menacing snip-snip.
Haruto watched the blades gleam under the harsh fluorescent lights, his internal thoughts remaining completely deadpan. Wait... seriously? he thought, his single crimson eye tracking the scissors with utter disbelief. He bound me to a pillar just to give me a forced haircut? What kind of incredibly lame, cliché academy bullying is this? Honestly, I don't even like this white hair anyway. If this idiot wants to give me a free trim, he's actually doing me a favor.
Kenjin stepped forward, raising the scissors toward Haruto's white locks. But as he drew closer, he noticed Haruto's face wasn't twisting in fear. There was no panic, no begging, and no trembling. Haruto was just staring at him with absolute, icy calmness.
The complete lack of a reaction infuriated Kenjin. His face contorted with rage, and dropping the scissors for a split second, he violently lunged forward, wrapping his hand tightly around Haruto's throat, slamming his head back against the pillar. "Stop looking at me like I'm nothing!" Kenjin roared.
Despite his magic reserves being completely empty, Haruto's raw physical conditioning from his brutal training kicked in. With a calm, calculated shift of his weight, he used a precise leverage technique to effortlessly twist his neck, breaking Kenjin's grip and forcing the bully's hand off his throat without breaking a sweat.
"Get him! Hold him down!" Kenjin screamed, stumbling back in embarrassment.
The three royal lackeys immediately lunged forward as a group, throwing their entire physical weight against Haruto to completely immobilize him. Feeling the sudden, heavy pressure of three bodies forcing him against the pillar, Haruto made a quick tactical decision. I can't channel magic to break these ropes, and resisting this much physical pressure head-on with my drained stats is just going to waste unnecessary energy, he analyzed.
Instantly, Haruto shifted his strategy and began acting. He twisted his body, feigning absolute desperation, making it look like he was desperately struggling and terrified of getting his hair cut. He amplified his movements, breathing heavily and putting on a flawless show of a defenseless victim to satisfy their fragile egos so they wouldn't resort to worse violence.
Kenjin snatched the scissors back up, enjoying the sight of Haruto finally "struggling." He brought the blades right next to Haruto's ear, letting out a cruel, mocking laugh. "What's the matter, Future King? Still won't open your pathetic mouth and beg? Fine! Go ahead and keep your little vow of silence. Once we're done ruining your face, you can run right back home and hide behind your little harem of girls like the powerless coward you are!"
Clang!
A sharp, metallic snap echoed through the bathroom. Kenjin stared at his hand in absolute shock. The heavy-duty steel blades of the scissors hadn't even cut a single strand of white hair—they had shattered completely, leaving him holding nothing but the broken plastic handles.
The entire room went dead silent. The three royal lackeys froze, their grips loosening slightly as they stared at the broken metal pieces on the floor.
"What the hell...?" Kenjin muttered, his face twisting in disbelief. He immediately glared at Haruto, looking for any trace of an elemental shield or a defensive barrier. Is he using reinforcement magic? No, there's zero mana flow around him. I don't see any aura at all! Infuriated and confused, Kenjin spun around and violently grabbed the collar of the boy who had brought the tool. "What kind of cheap, garbage scissors did you bring me?! They literally snapped against his hair!"
"I-I don't know, Kenjin! They were brand new!" the boy stammered, pulling another pair from his bag and handing them over with trembling hands.
Kenjin snatched them, gritted his teeth, and shoved the blades forcefully against Haruto's hair again, snapping them shut with all his might.
Clang!
The second pair shattered instantly into twisted metal fragments.
While Kenjin stood there paralyzed by confusion, Haruto's hyper-analytical brain instantly processed the anomaly. I get it now, he realized, staring down at the broken steel. This white hair isn't just a cosmetic glitch or a cool new design from yesterday's transformation. It's physical proof that a completely different, unyielding divine power has permanently fused with my body. Even with my magic files locked and my stats looking empty, my physical vessel has mutated. I can never go back to being a normal human.
"Screw the hair!" Kenjin roared, his patience completely snapping as his royal pride was dragged through the dirt. "If your hair won't cut, let's see how tough that freaky red eye of yours is!"
With a crazed look in his eyes, Kenjin reached behind his lower back and pulled out a concealed, gleaming steel dagger.
Haruto didn't panic, but his mind let out a dry, sarcastic sigh. Seriously? How many random, tiny weapons is this guy carrying in his school uniform? Is his backpack just an armory for minor felonies? But as the sharp tip of the dagger aligned directly with his face, a cold tactical alertness replaced his amusement. Losing a few strands of hair was one thing, but letting a weapon breach his line of sight was an unacceptable risk.
Kenjin lunged forward with a wild, aggressive thrust, driving the blade straight toward Haruto's left eye.
With his arms still pinned behind his back, Haruto didn't even flinch. Relying purely on the flawless execution of muscle memory and high-speed reflexes forged through hundreds of high-stakes battles, he precisely tilted his head a mere fraction of an inch to the right.
The blade sliced through the empty air, brushing past his cheek without leaving a single scratch.
Too slow, Haruto thought, his single crimson eye tracking the failed trajectory with absolute detachment. From all the intense action games and death matches I've cleared, my physical reaction speed and dodging mechanics are practically hardwired into my spine. A sloppy, emotional strike like that is just a basic, low-level attack pattern. It's absolutely nothing to me.
Kenjin's face twisted into an expression of pure, unhinged malice. "Hold him! Don't let him move a single inch!" he screamed at his lackeys. The three royal boys threw their entire weight onto Haruto, pinning his shoulders and locking his body firmly against the stone pillar.
With Haruto completely immobilized, Kenjin stepped forward, raising the gleaming dagger until the sharp tip was hovering just millimeters away from Haruto's left eye.
"Let's see you dodge now, you mute piece of trash," Kenjin hissed, his voice trembling with jealous rage. "Once I drive this blade straight into your eye and turn you into a blind cripple, the royal council will never let you ascend the throne! You won't become the king, you won't marry Princess Lilith, and you certainly won't get your hands on Seraphine! In fact, once you're ruined, I'll take your entire little harem under my control. I'll make you watch, and then I'll force you to serve as my personal, pathetic slave for the rest of your miserable life!"
Haruto stared directly at the approaching blade, his single crimson eye cold and utterly unblinking.
Wow, Haruto thought, his internal processor evaluating Kenjin with absolute detachment. It's always guys who think exactly like this that end up completely destroying their own futures. But the sheer nerve of this idiot... it's proof of just how deeply his hatred runs. Even after the professor's strict warnings today about causing trouble, he's still willing to go this far just to ruin me.
The tip of the knife drew closer, the cold steel reflecting the harsh bathroom lights. Haruto ran a quick calculation of his current tactical options.
My magic is still locked, and I can't break these ropes with raw physical strength right now, he analyzed calmly. If he actually manages to pierce my eye, it's going to hurt like hell. But realistically... I have Lustra with me. She's a literal goddess. The moment I get back to the house, her divine healing will patch my eye up perfectly and make it completely fine within seconds. If it means keeping my locked powers a total secret from these spies for just a little longer, I can endure a bit of temporary pain.
Steeling his mind, Haruto braced himself for the physical impact, his face remaining as unreadable as stone while Kenjin prepared to thrust the blade down.
Kenjin let out a crazed roar and forcefully drove the sharp tip of the dagger straight down into Haruto's crimson eye.
Clang!
A sharp, violent crack rang out. The steel blade didn't pierce his flesh; instead, it shattered into tiny, useless fragments upon making direct contact with his eye.
The three royal lackeys who were pinning Haruto back froze instantly, their eyes widening in pure terror. They stumbled backward, their grips loosening as an overwhelming wave of fear washed over them. They looked at Haruto like he was an absolute monster.
Haruto's locked face didn't move, but a dark, amused smile echoed inside his mind. Wrong choice, idiots, he thought triumphantly. My transformation didn't just alter my hair—it permanently changed my eye too. This divine vessel cannot be breached by common steel.
Kenjin stared at his empty, broken hilt, trembling with a mix of rage and panic. "No... this is impossible! You're using some kind of invisible defensive magic, aren't you?!" he screamed, refusing to believe his own eyes.
Desperate to prove he still had control, Kenjin reached into his uniform and pulled out yet another concealed tactical knife. Sweating profusely, he abandoned the eye and forcefully drove the blade straight into Haruto's chest. Because his chest hadn't been physically altered by the transformation, the steel blade slid right in with a sickening squelch, embedding itself deep into Haruto's torso.
Haruto gritted his teeth as a sharp flare of pain shot through his body, but he didn't utter a sound.
Seeing the blood, Kenjin pulled the bloody knife out and, in a manic frenzy, tried to thrust it back into Haruto's crimson eye a second time.
Clang!
Once again, the steel shattered completely upon touching the eye, raining metal shards onto the floor. Haruto simply stared at him through the broken pieces, his internal processor completely unbothered by the blade stuck in his chest. Seriously, how many backup knives and scissors does this guy keep on him? he thought dryly. But the fear is entirely gone now. I've completely mapped out his limits.
Kenjin stumbled back, his breathing ragged as the terrifying realization finally clicked in his brain. The parts of him that transformed are completely invulnerable. I can't hurt his hair, and I can't blind his eye.
His eyes twisted into a malicious, desperate grin as he looked at the blood dripping from Haruto's chest. "Ah... I get it now. Your transformed parts are invincible, but the rest of your human body is still weak!"
Kenjin snapped his fingers, gesturing sharply to one of his lackeys. "Go! Run to the training hall and fetch it right now!"
The boy nodded frantically and bolted out of the washroom. Haruto watched the door swing shut, unable to ask what they were planning. Two minutes passed in tense, heavy silence before the boy came rushing back into the room, panting heavily.
When Haruto looked down at what the lackey was carrying, his single crimson eye narrowed. In the boy's hands were three heavy, blunt training practice swords.
Haruto's tactical mind instantly calculated the shifting scenario. I see, he thought, his face remaining like absolute stone as they surrounded him once again. They know they can't cut me or blind me, so they brought heavy blunt weapons to bypass my defense. This isn't just a petty fight anymore—they're starting a full-blown round of physical torture.
The three royal lackeys gripped the heavy training swords, their knuckles turning white as they prepared to unleash a brutal beating. But just as they stepped forward to strike, heavy, echoing footsteps resounded from the corridor outside, accompanied by the muffled, urgent voices of the academy security patrol.
"Hey! I swear I just saw a student sprinting out of the training hall carrying real practice swords!" one guard shouted, his voice drawing closer to the washroom entrance. "He was moving fast. What if someone is trying to steal academy property?"
"No way, it must be trouble," a second guard replied firmly. "I saw him head down this exact hallway. Check every single room until we find them! Don't let anyone leave!"
Kenjin's face twisted in absolute frustration. Slamming his tongue against the roof of his mouth in sheer annoyance, he realized their time was completely up. If the high-ranking guards caught them pinning the future king to a pillar with weapons and blood on the floor, not even their royal families could save them from execution.
Acting on pure survival instinct, Kenjin stepped forward and used the sharp edge of one of the practice swords to violently slice through the thick ropes binding Haruto to the structural pillar. The heavy cords thudded to the wet floor, completely freeing Haruto.
Haruto stood up straight, balancing his weight perfectly. Despite being free, his uniform was completely soaked, and a steady stream of dark crimson blood was still actively dripping from the deep stab wound in his chest. His face, however, remained a chilling, unreadable mask of pure stone.
"Damn it, if we stay here any longer, we're completely finished!" Kenjin hissed to his group, looking nervously at the bathroom door as the guards' voices grew louder.
One of his panicked lackeys grabbed Kenjin's shoulder, pointing a trembling finger at Haruto. "Wait, Kenjin! Are we seriously just going to leave him like this?! Look at his chest! The moment he walks out of this bathroom, he's going to report us to Commander Fredrick and the headmaster! We'll be ruined!"
Kenjin paused, glancing back at Haruto's single, piercing crimson eye. A cold smirk returned to his face as he scoffed.
"He won't say a single damn word," Kenjin muttered confidently, turning his back on Haruto and moving toward the rear window of the washroom. "Look at him. We literally just drove a steel blade straight into his torso and tried to gouge his eye out, and he didn't even let out a whimper. He took all of that torture in absolute, dead silence. —he's bound by some crazy restriction. He'll keep his mouth shut to protect his little vow."
With those final words, Kenjin signaled his crew, and the four royal students quickly scrambled out through the bathroom window, disappearing into the dark courtyard just seconds before the main doors could burst open.
Haruto didn't want to get dragged into any pointless discussions or complications with the security guards. He stood alone in the empty washroom, listening to the fading sounds of Kenjin and his lackeys escaping through the window.
Strangely, a faint, twisted sense of satisfaction washed over him. For a brief moment, when that steel dagger was rushing directly toward his left eye, his internal processor had actually registered a genuine spark of fear. It was a fleeting, high-stakes thrill—a momentary glitch in his otherwise hollow, frozen emotions. He was perfectly fine letting the bullies slip away for now; tracking down Kenjin right now would just be a monumental waste of his valuable time.
Moving with calm precision, Haruto unbuttoned his blood-soaked school shirt and pulled it off. He carefully cleaned the deep stab wound on his chest, watching as his physical vessel naturally stanched the flow of blood. Using the cleaner parts of his discarded shirt to wipe away the remaining crimson stains from his skin, he threw the messy uniform back on. The fabric was ruined, stained, and completely disheveled, but it would have to do.
He slid open the washroom door and stepped into the corridor, running right into one of the patrolling security guards.
"Ah! Sir Haruto!" the guard exclaimed, instantly recognizing the legendary student but looking completely confused by his messy appearance. "Are you alright, sir? Also... did you happen to see a student running past here carrying practice swords from the training hall?"
Haruto didn't say a word. He simply gave a brief, dismissive shake of his head and walked right past the guard, exiting the academy grounds into the cool evening air.
He chose a quiet, less-frequented path to head back. He had already given Ivory a strict order to take the rest of the group and head straight home, so he knew they were taken care of. As he walked, Haruto pulled up his collar and adjusted his hair to hide his face as much as possible. He desperately wanted the world to just look away and forget who he was. But reality was shifting fast; he was the officially recognized future king now. He wanted to maintain a completely low profile because he understood the cold, logical math of his new reality: with massive new opportunities, his list of dangerous enemies was going to multiply exponentially.
Wanting to avoid the public gaze entirely, Haruto flagged down a passing transport cart. He climbed into the back, cutting off all outside eyes. When they finally arrived near his destination, Haruto pulled out his device and transferred 5 credits over the digital network to the driver. It was a significantly large tip for such a short journey, given the standard value of credits, but it came with a silent condition. Haruto gave the driver a sharp, commanding look and placed a single finger over his lips.
The driver, who instantly recognized Haruto's distinct white hair and crimson eye from the widely broadcasted Wizard Quest, understood the silent command immediately. He nodded respectfully, locked the transaction, and drove away in absolute silence without uttering a single word to anyone.
Haruto turned around and stood completely still, staring up at the front gate of his house. The physical exhaustion of the day was finally catching up to him, but his mind was already bracing for the impending storm inside. Tonight, his quiet sanctuary was about to be breached, with both Princess Lilith and Seraphine scheduled to arrive at his doorstep to move into his home at any moment.