Ashton frowned as he read the letter again, checking for any signs of a prank. But there was nothing—no hidden clues, no odd handwriting, nothing that suggested someone was messing with him.
He even checked Roderick and others handwriting but he couldn’t find the match.
’It surely ain’t among my circle.’
It was suspicious, but it didn’t seem like a big deal. Still, he knew better than to ignore things like this. It was always better to check and have peace of mind than to brush it off and regret it later.
After training that evening, he took a quick shower and got ready. He wasn’t expecting much, but curiosity had a way of nagging at him. With a sigh, he followed the path to the library.
The place mentioned in the letter turned out to be an old, abandoned building—a small two-story structure that once served as a storage room for the library’s books. Now, it stood in silence, worn by time.
Before coming, he had asked around and heard all sorts of eerie rumors. Some claimed it was haunted. Others swore strange things happened there at night. Ashton didn’t believe in ghosts, but the uneasy feeling creeping up his spine was hard to ignore.
Standing before the building, he took a deep breath, his jaw tightening.
"I really hope this isn’t a prank," he muttered, his voice low. "Or someone’s idea of fun… because if it is…"
His eyes narrowed, flashing dangerously. He had been dealing with nightmares, exhaustion, and enough stress to last a lifetime. If someone thought it was funny to drag him into more nonsense, he wasn’t going to be polite about it.
Patience wasn’t exactly his strong suit these days.
...….
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.
He appeared sharply at 3:15 but was shocked to see students lined in and bowing their heads before the fatty guy and his pricks who rummaged around collecting merit points forcefully.
He didn’t lunge ahead in haste. Not wanting to commit a mistake, he decided to observe first and then act.
The scene before him was hard to watch, but he couldn’t look away.
For evidence, he decided to record the things first. Though the Academy was quite lax, rules can be enforced if you have full proof evidence.
Inside, a boy with purple hair stood surrounded by Henson and his lackeys, Rick and Monty. Ashton didn’t know much about the boy, just that his name was Lukas, the last-ranking student in combatant at Archeon Academy. But something about Lukas felt different from the rumors.
Henson sneered down at him, barking orders. "Clean my shoes," he demanded. Lukas, still crouched on the ground, met his gaze coldly and replied, "I’m not your slave."
Ashton’s brow raised slightly. ’That’s bold,’ he thought.
The place went quiet as Henson froze in disbelief. His expression quickly twisted into anger, and he laughed cruelly. "Did I hear that right? A nobody like you talking back to me."
The tension in the place grew heavier. Lukas didn’t flinch, didn’t look away. Ashton frowned.
’He’s not scared,’ he realized.
Henson’s anger boiled over, and with a growl, he swung at Lukas. Lukas dodged, but the lackeys were quick. Rick and Monty grabbed him, pinning him in place as Henson stepped forward.
What came next made Ashton’s jaw tighten. Punch after punch landed on Lukas’s stomach and sides. Lukas coughed but refused to cry out.
’Why isn’t he fighting back?’ Ashton thought.
’Doesn’t he know they’ll keep going?’
’Wait, how did I forget that he was last ranked.He is clearly a weakling but…’
But what struck Ashton was the defiance in Lukas’s eyes. Despite being beaten, despite the overwhelming odds against him, Lukas didn’t cower.
His gaze was cold and unyielding, almost daring his tormentors to do their worst. This isn’t the look of an ordinary kid, Ashton thought, feeling an uncharacteristic pang of admiration.
He’s just enduring the pain with sheer will.Despite the heavy punch, there was not a single sign of pain and scream. He’s staring it down, as if refusing to let it break him.
The scene unfolded brutally. Henson’s booming voice echoed through the room as he mocked Lukas, jeering at his fall and commanding him to submit.
Ashton felt his grip tighten on his phone as Henson’s punches rained down. Lukas’s frame shuddered under the assault, yet no sound of pain escaped his lips.
’He is definitely not weak…Such eyes can’t be wielded by the weak.’
Ashton’s thoughts raced. A lesser person would have begged by now, but he’s just... enduring. Why?
He isn’t scared which means he either has suffered so much that this isn’t too much or he didn’t fight because it might be troublesome.
After thinking for a moment, he felt it might be both. As for why he isn’t retaliating it is because the other was noble while he wasn’t.
Things would worsen if he fought back.
Despite the beating, Lukas’s expression stayed calm, his gaze locked on Henson. And then he spoke, his voice steady: "Everyone out here is better than you, a piece of shit who can’t help but bully weaklings to satisfy your ego. Go and fuck yourself."
The room froze. Ashton felt his chest tighten. ’He’s really not scared. He’s... mocking him.’
Henson’s face turned red with rage, and his voice thundered. "I... I... Am gonna kill you!" Mana coated his fist, and he raised it, ready to strike.
Ashton’s instincts kicked in. Before Henson could land the blow, Ashton stepped forward, slamming the door open with a bang. The sound echoed through the room, and every head snapped toward him.
Ashton stood tall, his gaze sharp and unyielding. His voice, calm yet commanding, cut through the tension. "Say," he began, his tone cold and deliberate, "whom you are gonna kill."
Henson froze mid-motion with his mana-coated fist still raised. The room fell silent, the weight of Ashton’s presence shifting the balance of power.
’Why am I doing this?’ Ashton thought, his own actions catching him by surprise. But something about Lukas’s defiance struck a chord in him.
Henson’s lips twisted into a scowl, and he turned to Ashton. "This isn’t your business," he growled, though the hesitation in his voice was unmistakable.
Ashton ignored him, stepping closer, his icy gaze fixed on Henson. "I think it is," he said firmly. His eyes flicked to Lukas, bruised but standing tall, then back to Henson and his lackeys. "If you’re so eager to prove your strength, why not pick someone who can fight back?"
Rick and Monty exchanged uneasy glances. The room was thick with tension, but Ashton didn’t waver.
