Chapter 636: The Audacity [Part 1]
Oland, the moment Northern started speaking, dropped his shoulders. The color on his face, even though paled by fear before, totally dried out now. His eyes were almost glassy.
His entire demeanor fell and shattered as Northern continued to press his words. It did not break him; the man was already broken.
Northern's words just reminded him of his sin, thus causing his sufferings to resurface. The guilt and pain he had carried so much that they had drawn out the life in him became apparent.
However, none of that concerned Northern. He spared not even a glance of sympathy to Oland, despite the sorrow on his face being apparent.
"You think looking like that would make me pity you even a bit?"
Oland slowly moved, he bent his head to the ground, kowtowing before Northern.
"I don't know you in particular..." his voice was haggard and rough, "but judging by what you are saying, you are part of the students from almost two years ago. If you will let me, I can tell you the same thing that I said to the others that approached me when they entered the academy."
Northern narrowed his eyes.
'Others came?'
Of course, they would have. His face was, after all, the last face they saw before they all found themselves in the land of death.
Many of them down the line would have heard that this was the master plan of the former academy principal Rughsbourgh, but many more would have ingrained the last face they saw as the object of their wrath and vengeance.
So, yes, they probably would have done anything to get to him. Only the academy wasn't an easy place to enter.
And so far, only Annette did Northern know was coming to the academy. He also guessed that Vida might follow, or better still go home.
Annette was not a student; she wouldn't have approached the officer, not when she knew what was truly at play or at the very least had a guess.
Northern guessed Vida, although he felt like approaching the man with burning rage didn't quite fit what he knew of her so far.
More so, the man had said 'the others,' which meant they were more than just one.
Undoubtedly, survivors of the dark continent had come to nestle here either as instructors or students.
The trace of a ghostly smile left Northern's lips.
'Did they have the same thought as me?'
They wanted to wait where Rughsbourgh was close, so that when he came around they'd be the first to kill him. Their rage was burning that fiercely?
Northern was impressed. But they were being reckless.
If Rughsbourgh came out of his solitary training, he'd probably be coming out as a Luminary.
That was not the only thing. He wasn't sure what image the others had when they said Rughsbourgh was training to become a Luminary.
But Northern was aware that Rughsbourgh manifested rifts somehow to use them as training grounds, endlessly killing strong monsters to temper his soul and grow.
The soul core requirements to graduate to a Luminary must have been enormous if he had to resort to such a dangerous deed.
He probably was not just sitting around absorbing thousands of cores somewhere but was constantly engaged in slaying monsters of higher ranks, perhaps Belial? Or even stronger?
Northern couldn't guess. However, he was sure that aside from being a Luminary, Rughsbourgh would be blessed with so many items that he could utilize to his own gain and also an insurmountable experience of battle.
And who knows what new powers being a Luminary held.
This was the time to be very careful. Northern felt he could handle it, but these guys? He wasn't so sure about.
Anyways, it was none of his business. They had barely walked out of death alive. If they felt the next thing to do was walking into another one, they were free to.
Northern took a slow, deliberate step forward, his eyes narrowing further as he towered over Oland's trembling form. His voice cut through the tense air like a blade, devoid of mercy.
"Speak..."
"I was asked to do this by Instructor Bradley. We are only bottom-feeders in the academy. People like us have no choice but to do as we are told. You can kill me if it will appease your anger. I will gladly die at your hands, but it will spell bad news for you. An officer dying in the academy would not go unnoticed. This will spell trouble before even the former headmaster comes around and things get into the clear."
He was right. Within the walls of the academy, one could not just kill anyone. If that were to happen, the entire academy would go up in flames.
It was only a matter of time before the culprit was found, and what would happen then? What were his chances against an entire academy?
He shouldn't be reckless and just take things with measured calculations.
However, an unsettling sinister grin charred Northern's face.
It made Oland suddenly very uneasy. He couldn't tell what Northern was thinking.
"Get up..." Northern's voice curtly rang in the hall.
"Don't let me repeat myself a second time."
"Ah, thank you, sir. Thank you." Oland quickly and staggeredly rose to his feet.
His legs trembled slightly, but he endured. The pressure was still faintly hanging in the atmosphere like a violent storm caged against the high ceiling by an unseen force.
Northern's eyes glowed as he took a peek into the man's soul, observing the information of
his talent.
He spat with disdain.
"Useless."
He fixed his eyes on the man, his tone deadpanned as he said.
"I'll give you a chance to fight for your life."
"Huh?" Oland wasn't sure what he had just heard.
He just told Northern what killing him could cause. Not that he hated dying, but it would create a lot of trouble for Northern, and it was a trouble that was not worth it.
At least until Rughsbourgh came, killing him could turn the entire academy against them.
And it was a reasonable thing that all of them had no choice against. What was wrong with this dude? Why was he asking him to fight for his life?
As if on cue, Northern's cold voice penetrated the dreadful atmosphere, intangibly slicing his
entirety in half.
"You said you will gladly die by my hands. Wield your blade and let me see a wide smile on your lips. Only one of us will leave here today."