Chapter 379 Calling him out!
It wasn’t long before the entire school had found out about the incident. Duke’s team had tried to keep it under wraps but it was impossible to keep something as shocking as this a secret. The people most to blame were the three students who had witnessed everything at that time.
It was an unbelievable site to them that they felt the need to just share it with everybody.
"Did the Night demon really defeat a sergeant?"
"Yeah, and apparently there were no abilities used either, again. No one still has any clue who it is."
"Does that mean the rumour about him having demon tier equipment is true?"
"Or maybe he just has an overall enhancing ability. You know, nothing special but just being a superhuman all together."
"Anyway, that’s not the big issue. The problem is now a teacher was involved, and it was one of Duke’s men. This might just get serious."
The students’ hunches were right. Instead of the standard normal lessons that the kids would have all day, they were called out to one of the training fields instead. This included first year as well as the second-year students. The field was mainly used for the second years for combat practice and all other sorts of training. While the first years mostly used an indoor centre.
The field was extensive and was large enough to hold every single student in school there. All of them were lined up in their homeroom classes on one side. While the sergeants and two generals stood opposite them. Now there were only three sergeants on either side.
Dillan from the second years was taking a break and still recovering. Although the truth was Duke didn’t want someone who had embraced and failed him standing by his side. And from the first years, they still hadn’t filled in Leo’s replacement yet.
Duke stood forward and was the first one to speak.
"You are all here today because of me. At first, I wasn’t going to make a big deal about this but as I’m sure you all already know something horrible happened to Dillan yesterday." At first, Duke had never planned on doing something like this, but as soon as he heard that all of the students already knew about yesterday’s events, he decided to change his plan.
"Yesterday, Dillan was investigating a bullying case between some second-year students, while trying to stop it, an unknown person had chosen to interfere. I hear people refer to him as the Night Demon. For some reason, this person chose to attack and gravely injure one of our sergeants."
Hearing this, the students started to whisper amongst themselves, especially those in the first year.
"But I thought the Night Demon only went after bullies?"
"Yeah, I was saved by him and he didn’t even touch me, he didn’t even let me say thank you."
"The teachers have never tried stopping these bullying acts before. Who is the general trying to fool?"
"I hear some of you think of this person as a hero." The Duke continued. "But I assure you he is not. He doesn’t care about any of you. He has his own agenda in all of this. Why did he only appear now, where was he before? And now his true colours are being shown as he started to attack innocent people as well."
"I’m here now to ask the Night Demon to come forward. If you do, then your punishment will be lightened, however, if you do not. You can’t blame me for my actions." Duke said.
One of the students hearing all this was getting angrier as he heard Duke carry on. This student was Bill. The first student who was saved by the Night demon. Although the others didn’t know this, he was also the one who spread the name and rumours after noticing that the Night demon continued to do these vigilante acts.
He thought if he continued to spread out the good word, maybe he could help others. Not only that, but the Night Demon had kept his word. One day, the bullies after a while had tried to target him again. However, just like before, the Night Demon saved him again. Ever since that day he felt like he had a whole new life. He could start talking to other low levels like him.
Without the worry of who was backing them, or was behind them. The Night Demon changed his life, and he couldn’t stand what lies the Duke was saying about him. He clenched his fist and then did something he never thought he would do.
"That’s a lie!" Bill shouted out from the silenced crowd. "The Night demon has only ever attacked those that have done bad. If Dillan got hurt, then I will believe that he deserved it."
The other students around started to look at the person who was speaking up, and when they did, they noticed it was a frail little boy who only had a power level of two. Some of the others who had been saved wanted to speak up but were afraid. Where was this person getting all his courage from they thought?
"I understand you saying where was the Night Demon at the start, when all of this happened, but then let me ask. Where were you!" Bill shouted. "Where were you when all of the bullying continued to happen? Where were you, our teachers, when our credits were stolen from us!"
Hearing this, Nathan’s eyes opened up a little. He then went over to one of his sergeants standing by his side and whispered in their ear.
"I understand you want us to toughen up and experience what it’s like in the real world. Perhaps making us realize we need the power to survive. Hoping to make us stronger, and that may work for some but not for all of us!!" Bill shouted as he broke down into tears and fell to his knees. It was clear he was pouring his heart and soul into every word he had said, and there were many in the crowd that could relate.
Suddenly, the ground underneath Bill’s feet lifted about a foot in the air, creating a round platform, and he was quickly shifted to the front and was put directly in front of Duke.
"This person has openly supported the Night Demon, an attacker of our staff and possibly a terrorist. They shall be taken to the dungeon for punishment." Duke ordered.
Not only Bill, but the others had expected an outcome like this. It was currently a world ruled through power and fear and this was why they had chosen not to speak up and this was just another reminder for them of that.
"Don’t do it." Vorden said as he could see Quinn who was standing in front of him fidgeting and looking around. "Not when everyone’s watching."
"But... this isn’t right," Quinn replied.
"I never said it was, unless you’re confident you can do something about this and not get caught, then don’t."
While Quinn was deciding on what to do, it turned out he might not have to get involved, anyway.
"Wait, Duke." Nathan said. "What that boy said is quite true. My team has been doing some research as well. We have always encouraged fighting and disputes to be handled with their fists, but that and bullying are two different things. Ever since the introduction of this ’Night Demon’, bullying cases have been going down significantly."
"Not just that, but forcefully taking credits? It’s fine for students to wager credits as they fight each other, but looking at this student, I truly believe that wasn’t the case. I believe more research needs to go into this before we make such a rash decision. Perhaps it is because of our negligence that someone like the Night Demon felt like they had to act out."
Duke’s fingers started to twitch as he heard Nathan speak. The one thing he didn’t want to happen was for Nathan to run an investigation. Luckily, all his misdoings were run through the second years, who were under his authority. Nathan wouldn’t touch them. If there was a first-year problem that was related to a second year, it would then be handed to the second year and Duke could silence the matter claiming he could do it and that it would be dealt with.
The problem was, if he came up with enough evidence such as to allow Paul or Mike to run their own separate investigation.
"That and this are two different things," Duke replied. "The Night Demon has attacked a member of my staff. A teacher, we hold up to a higher authority, if we allow them to do this and act out. Then what’s stopping another one from acting out? As you can see people are already starting to." Duke said, while looking at Bill on the floor.
"If his credits really were stolen, then we can look into it as a single case matter. The main issue here is the Night Demon. I think you’re making a bigger deal out of this bullying problem than it really is. Kids need to toughen up, and now more than ever, since the war is just around the corner."
Nathan had to stop himself from smiling. The truth was, he had been looking into Duke for a while now. He knew the day he met him there was something he just didn’t like about him. However, somehow he was able to get on Truedream’s good side, which also allowed him to be closer with Paul than himself.
If he was to bring up rumours or small trivial matters, they would just dismiss it. He needed something bigger and more proof.
"Okay then, let me ask. Who here has ever experienced bullying to the point where credits were forcefully taken from them." Nathan said.
The students remained silent, and not a single one put their hand up. Duke was inwardly celebrating.
’You have nothing on me, Nathan. For a second you thought you had me, didn’t you?’ He thought.
But then, a single student from one of the first years raised their hand. It was another student who had been saved by the Night Demon. Not only that, but they had been touched by what Bill had said.
After this, a few more hands were raised, and finally more and more started to come out.
"Enough!" Duke shouted as he stomped his foot on the ground, causing the whole floor to rumble slightly. The students were tilted slightly off-balance for a little bit, before regaining their footing.
"All of you are suspected of working with the Night Demon. You shall each be taken to the dungeon for further questioning."
"You can’t do that!" Nathan shouted. "Most of those students are first-year students and they’re under my control."
"Go ahead, Nathan." Duke replied. "What are you going to do, force me to stop? No, because you know you can’t. Your little Blind man is no longer by you to help you in situations like these."
Nathan was beginning to curse at himself for not being strong enough. Paul currently wasn’t at the base, and Mike was too busy leading the rest of the actual city and Army. He didn’t have time to care about a few students going to the dungeon. With no one to report to and not being strong enough to stop him, there was nothing he could do.
As he looked down at the grass, a breeze of wind could be felt going past his hair and suddenly, he could see a shadow that wasn’t there before on the ground. As he looked up, he could see the one they called the Night Demon.
"Duke, you wanted right? Here I am."
******
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