Azalith
An academy where the educational system is shaped by relentless competition. Here, rit dictates the value of each student, and performance is not just a asure of learning—it is a weight that defines status, influence, and even respect.
In this environnt, academic pressure is imnse, and fierce competitiveness quickly transforms into sothing darker: intimidation.
Yes, bullying.
There's no need for elaborate explanations or idealistic speeches about human nature. The truth is simple and raw: it has always existed and always will. Regardless of ti, place, or circumstances, the oppression of the weak by the strong is a constant throughout the history of society.
It would be easy to rationalize—to say it's a reflection of insecurity, the need for validation, or the very system that encourages rivalry. But in the end, everything boils down to an undeniable fact: people are inherently cruel.
They find justifications for their actions, but the essence remains the sa—a chaotic world where strength dictates the rules, and weakness is a burden too heavy to carry alone.
And in a magic academy, where power and talent are everything, savagery is not just social… it is real, tangible, and often deadly.
SLAP!
The sharp sound echoed against the cold bathroom walls, followed by a muffled whimper.
On the floor, a boy trembled. Thin, fragile, his slender body betrayed his lack of resilience. His feline ears were pressed low against his ssy hair as if trying to disappear. His half-closed eyes conveyed only one thing.
Weakness.
SLAP!
"Co on, get up, you piece of trash." The cutting voice ca from a tall young man with predatory features. Wolf ears stuck out from his ssy hair, and a cruel grin adorned his lips as he raised his hand for another strike.
SLAP!
The impact made the boy shudder, his body curling up even more on the cold tiled floor. The tallic taste of blood spread in his mouth, but he did not dare spit it out.
"What's wrong? Tired already?" Davy laughed, his tone dripping with scorn. Around him, three other young n watched the scene. Not as neutral spectators, but as satisfied accomplices.
"Enough, Davy. He can't take it anymore." One of the boys finally spoke, but his malicious grin made it clear that this was not compassion—it was just a ga to them, and their toy was already broken.
Such was Azalith.
The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating. The tallic scent of blood mixed with the dampness of the bathroom, where the echoes of aggression reverberated against the pale tiled walls.
Davy smirked, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusent. He watched the fallen boy, his fragile body trembling on the cold floor.
"Are you showing rcy now, Jhonatan?" His voice dripped with disdain as he arched an eyebrow at his companion.
Jhonatan raised his arms slightly in a gesture of indifference. "rcy? Never. But… seriously, is it still fun playing with trash like this?" A sly smile curled his lips.
Davy narrowed his eyes, intrigued. "Oh? So you have a better idea?"
"Oh, don't get wrong." Jhonatan knelt beside the fallen boy, grabbing him by the collar and inspecting his bruised face. "I just think we could use him in a more… interesting way. Maybe as bait to lure in other idiots."
Davy laughed. "I like the way you think."
Behind them, one of the other two boys rolled his eyes. "You guys sound like children."
Jhonatan crossed his arms, staring at Davy and Jhonatan with contempt.
Davy's smile vanished instantly. His jaw tightened, and a vein began to throb in his forehead. "What did you say, Jhonatan? You wanna get beaten too?" His voice carried an underlying threat, his body already leaning forward, ready to explode into violence.
Jhonatan sighed. "You're so dramatic, Davy."
"He's right," Dominic, the last of the group, interjected, a cunning glint in his eyes. "We should stop playing with these weaklings and start sothing real… like a gang."
Jhonatan frowned, pulling a small box from his pocket. "Now you want us to beco criminals inside Azalith? Have you lost your mind, Dominic?"
Jhonatan quickly extended his hand, snatching the box from him. "Hey, don't use that here. Soone might see."
"For God's sake, it's just a cigarette."
While the four argued, the boy on the floor saw an opportunity. With trembling limbs, he began crawling slowly, trying to escape that hell. His breathing was ragged, his entire body ached with every movent, but he forced himself to continue.
But he didn't get far.
SLAP!
A muffled scream escaped his lips as his leg was brutally crushed under Davy's foot. The dry crack of the impact didn't indicate broken bones, but the pain that shot through his body was as if his leg had been ripped off.
"AHHHH! AHHHHH!" The boy writhed, struggling to break free, but Davy's weight increased the pressure.
"Scream all you want. No one's coming." Davy laughed, pressing down harder.
The seconds dragged on like an eternity, and the desperate cries echoed through the bathroom.
Then… the door opened.
The sound was subtle, almost inaudible. But the presence that followed was unmistakable.
The four bullies imdiately fell silent, turning to face the newcor.
He had dark red hair, nearly black, that fell over piercing golden eyes. His expression was cold, indifferent, as if he had just walked into a place far beneath his interest.
Davy didn't like it.
"Get out of here." His voice was rough, laced with forced authority. "We're busy, unless you wanna be next."
The boy didn't respond. He didn't even look at them.
He simply walked past, ignoring the scene entirely, crossing the bathroom until he entered one of the stalls.
The silence that followed was deafening.
"That guy fought a professor," Jhonatan muttered, and Davy slowly widened his eyes as he recalled the fight he had witnessed. Was he intimidated? Of course not. In fact, now he really wanted to beat that weakling up.
The sound of the toilet flushing echoed through the bathroom, montarily drowning out the tension in the air. The stall door swung open, and Kael stepped out with the sa cold, indifferent expression, as if nothing there was worth his attention.
Davy clenched his fists at the way the redhead simply ignored them, as if they were insignificant. His wounded pride flared up, and he stepped forward, eyes blazing with irritation.
"Hey! Did you just ignore ?" Davy growled, his voice dripping with fury.
Kael stopped, but he didn't turn imdiately. His mind was still clouded from the previous lesson, his patience wearing thin. Right now, all he needed was a reason to release his frustration.
He tilted his head slightly to the side, his voice devoid of emotion as he replied:
"Do you want to die?"
The threat fell upon the room like a sharp blade, and for a brief mont, silence reigned.
Davy's eyes widened, but he quickly recovered, a smug grin forming on his lips. "Die? Hah! I'm gonna beat the crap out of you, you damn—"
Kael had already passed him before he could finish his sentence.
The way the redhead simply ignored him, as if he wasn't even worth the effort of a fight, made Davy's rage boil over. But before he could react, Kael was already kneeling beside the fallen boy.
His golden eyes shimred for a mont as he observed him. The ragged breathing, the tear-filled eyes, the body trembling with pain—yes, he was weak, but that wasn't his fault.
"You should help him. You're a mber of the Sword."
Umbra's voice echoed softly, floating beside him.
Kael frowned, replying ntally, "If I step in now, I'll end up killing that bastard. It's better to call soone to take care of him."
"Use the World Tree's blessing." Umbra insisted.
Kael shot her a sideways glance, surprised. "That actually works?"
She shrugged in the air as if it were obvious. "You can feel the blessing, right? That ans you can control nature. Just channel your natural energy into him, and that's it. He'll be healed."
Kael's eyes glowed with a more intense gold. Slowly, he extended his hand over the injured boy, feeling the pulse of his own mana flowing. He closed his eyes for a mont, focusing on channeling that energy.
A soft green light began to emanate from his fingertips, wrapping around the boy's wounded body like a cocoon of life.
The glow danced in the air like leaves in the wind, surrounding the injuries, sealing the lacerations, and easing the pain. The boy let out a shaky sigh, his muscles relaxing as the magic took effect.
Then, a sound echoed in Kael's mind.
[You have learned the skill "Basic Healing (Lv.1)."]
The boy's body was completely healed. Fortunately, Kael could apply the spell across his entire body at once due to his affinity with nature.
"Stand up and head to the infirmary. Ask soone from the Sword to co here and check on these guys," Kael ordered. The boy quickly nodded and managed to escape.
"Hey, you little shit, what do you think you're doing?" Davy barked, but in a split second, his entire body froze as Kael's faint killing intent exploded.
Why hadn't he acted as a Sword mber before? Because he wasn't wearing the uniform. He had been "off duty" after the presentation the previous day. His first official day of service was scheduled for the following week…
However… "Looks like you guys missed yesterday's announcent," Kael said as his uniform turned completely black and gold.
Shadow Manipulation was activated, sealing the bathroom door completely. "Now, with the authority granted to … I think I'll exercise my right to punish scum like you."
Kael's golden eyes glead, and his murderous aura filled the entire room.
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