The sound of breaking bones echoed clearly in the silence of the corridor. A 'crack' so sickening it would turn anyone's stomach.
"Hmmpp...!!! Hmmpp...!!!" The student's eyes bulged, nearly popping out as he endured the excruciating pain while his body remained frozen, bound by magic.
"Oops, sorry. I broke your ribs. Does it feel good?" Arvin asked in a flat tone, as if he were simply performing a tedious, routine task.
Allen was stunned to see a student kick a noble so hard that his ribs shattered right before his eyes. Isn't he Arvin Vedegra, my seatmate? What is actually happening here? Why would a high-ranking and most influential noble like him protect someone like me, who is just a poor orphan?
Thwack!
A heavy blow from Arvin landed squarely on the second student's face. The punch was so powerful it caused a deep laceration on the student's lips and shattered several teeth, which went flying onto the corridor floor.
"Oops, looks like I hit your face a bit too hard." Arvin muttered coldly.
"What in the world—" the third student tried to protest, but his voice died in his throat the moment he caught Arvin's gaze.
Arvin didn't give him a single chance. He gagged that student as well with his magic. Then, with a chillingly calm movement, Arvin grabbed the student's wrist.
Crack!
The bone was snapped by Arvin in a single, brutal wrench. The student couldn't scream; he could only let out a muffled, agonizing whimper behind Arvin's magic.
"Hmmppp...!!!!!!!!!!!!" the student wailed behind his gag. He was in such agony that tears streamed down, soaking his face which was now as pale as a corpse.
Thump!
Another heavy blow from Arvin landed in the student's stomach. An excruciating pain surged through his gut. He couldn't move, especially since his left arm was now completely broken. Arvin did all of this without a single change in facial expression, revealing just how cold his soul was.
Other students, who had begun to gather from a distance, watched the brutal torture Arvin inflicted on the three nobles. They could only remain silent, frozen in pure horror. No one dared to step forward to stop the blue-haired student.
"Hahaha. How does it feel to be tortured? Isn't it nice? Why are you silent? You three should feel proud for receiving the same torment you gave to him!" Arvin shouted. His voice thundered through the corridor, filled with a lethal tone of intimidation.
Arvin released the magic gagging their mouths. Marcus, who led the bullying, fell to his knees while coughing up blood. "Why are you defending him? Aren't you afraid if we report this to our parents?"
"Go ahead and report it! If that happens, the Vedegra family will raise our banner over your territories! Do you already know what happens when the Vedegra banner flies over your lands?" Arvin challenged. His voice was low, but it carried the weight of an absolute threat of total annihilation.
Marcus was silenced after hearing the words "Vedegra banner flies." He knew full well what would happen to his father's territory if the Vedegra family raised their banner.
Thump...!!! Crack!!!!
Arvin's heavy kick slammed into Marcus's body again, shattering his left ribs.
"AAAAHHHHH.....!!!!! IT HURTS.....!!!!! HELP ME!!!!" Marcus screamed hysterically, his voice shrill enough to shake the silence of the corridor.
"Hahaha. Good! Scream! Scream more! It feels good, doesn't it?" Arvin threw another heavy punch into Marcus's face until his lips were torn and several teeth were lost. "You look like trash!"
"Why are you doing this to us?" Marcus whimpered through his broken sobs. He begged for mercy with a vacant stare and a helpless body.
Arvin stared intently while grabbing Marcus's collar, pulling him until their faces were inches apart. Arvin didn't speak of his rank or noble title, yet his aura said everything. "Do I need a reason for you to experience what that pink-haired student felt? You should be the one to know your place!"
Arvin's gaze seemed to shatter what little remained of Marcus's sanity.
"Starting tomorrow, don't you ever set foot in this academy again! If you are still here, I'll make sure the three of you become monster food!" Arvin threatened with a voice that was eerily calm yet deadly.
With his magic, Arvin slammed their bodies violently onto the marble floor until they lost consciousness in a pool of their own blood.
Then, Arvin turned his head toward the crowd of students who had been watching in silence.
"This academy is my domain! Anyone who dares to oppress someone... I'll make sure you receive a punishment more painful than theirs!" Arvin declared firmly.
Zap!
In the blink of an eye, Arvin had shifted positions, standing right in front of the frozen crowd of spectators.
"Are you all mute, or do I need to tear out your throats before you'll dare to speak?" Arvin asked while glaring sharply at all of them.
And a senior student, who had just been silently watching Allen's torture, approached him.
"Well, well, well, it turns out—" The senior tried to speak to de-escalate the tension, but his voice trembled violently and he sounded as if he were looking down on Arvin.
Thump! Bam! Crack!
A kick landed squarely on the face of the senior who had just spoken. His body was flung far away, slamming into the sturdy corridor wall until it cracked, before finally slumping to the floor like a lifeless object. Arvin approached him and grabbed his uniform roughly.
"I know you're my senior and the son of a Duke just like me! But know your position, trash! You're nothing but a pest! Starting tomorrow, don't you ever show your face in this academy, or you'll die a miserable death here! Do you understand?"
The senior student nodded in terror, tears and blood streaming down his face.
BANG!
Arvin slammed the student's body onto the corridor floor. The youth lost consciousness instantly from the violent impact. Arvin turned back toward the remaining crowd, his eyes flashing with a lethal light.
"Is there anyone else here who wants to try bullying someone? If anyone dares to break the rules in my domain, be prepared to die by my hand! Do you understand?"
"WE UNDERSTAND!" they all shouted in unison, their voices thick with a gripping terror.
"Scatter, you useless trash!"
All the academy students in the hallway immediately scattered. Some went to the library, some headed to the cafeteria, and others went straight to their classrooms.
Once the corridor fell silent, Arvin approached Allen, who was still huddled in pain. He cast a warm healing magic, a stark contrast to the dark magic he had unleashed moments before.
Allen's wounds, whether they were gashes or bruises, vanished instantly, though the memory of the agony remained etched in his mind.
As soon as the healing was complete, Arvin stood up and turned to leave without waiting for a single word of thanks from Allen.
"W-Why did you help me?" Allen asked softly, staring at Arvin's back as it slowly drifted away.
Arvin paused for a moment, glancing slightly back at Allen. "You'd better stay quiet. I wouldn't want to mar that cute face of yours either. See you in class, Allen."
Arvin strode away, leaving Allen standing there dazed and agape, his heart thumping erratically. Why did he call my face cute? What on the world is he actually thinking?