As Ryo accepted his rewards, time, which had been suspended, suddenly resumed. The barrier, a titanic structure built by the combined strength of the academy heads—strengths so immense they could seal even the Vampire Lord and Dragon Emperor—cracked like glass, breaking into innumerable pieces. Nothing was in its way now, not even the mighty forces of the academy.
Ryo, in the middle, was surrounded by a tempest of fury. His dragon form, once suppressed, burst forth, and the fury of his rage shook the air. The very air vibrated with his anger. His eyes, aglow with an inner flame, passed a shiver of fear down each person within reach.
"Calm down, Ryo," the AI commanded gently, but it scarcely penetrated the rage battering him.
Seyra, standing next to him, laid a hand on his arm, her voice firm but laced with worry. "You have to keep your dragon presence in check. Your anger. it's likely intensifying it."
Ryo's chest rose and fell, and the temperature in the room was sweltering as he struggled to keep at bay the destructive energy building within him.
The Dragon Emperor and Vampire Lord exchanged a look and stepped forward. "Let us speak," the Dragon Emperor said, his voice commanding yet calm. "We must hear the full story before any decisions are made."
But the academy head, a demon headmaster with a harsh, pointed smile, interrupted him, his tone laced with venom. "Why should we heed the words of the killer of innocent citizens, children of my country, and teachers? You talk about justice, but I see nothing but a blemish on our academy."
The other academy heads were reluctant, but observing the two powerful leaders—the Dragon Emperor and the Vampire Lord—refusing to back down, they reluctantly agreed to have the issue discussed.
AI spoke up, her normally calm manner cracking under the pressure of the accusation. She went into depth about how the students had taunted her, how they had said she had to be "taught a lesson" because she did not know her place, all the while forgetting that she was the one being assaulted. She recounted how Ryo had stepped in, protecting her from harm.
But the demon headmaster wasn't swayed. "It's because of this low-life human girl that we are here. Why should it matter what those poor children did to her? The instructors were in their right minds to ignore her. She didn't belong here."
The demon headmaster's words became colder, darker. "Now, we punish you. We should burn you before all citizens of the Demon Kingdom, nude, or perhaps sell you off as a slave in our nation. Yes, that is apt."
His callous words resounded in the air, and the whole academy trembled. The air turned stifling, and an unbearable silence fell.
So then, Ryo, who was having a hard time keeping his cool, opened his mouth. The very air around him exploded with his anger.
"Then why don't I kill your whole demon nation before your eyes, before I kill you?"
The words hung in the air like a death sentence. The demon headmaster's eyes grew wide, but before he could do anything, Ryo's blood magic made an appearance—a blade of black fire, searing with the power of a thousand suns. With a snap of his wrist, the blade cut through the air, severing the demon headmaster's tongue clean off.
The headmaster lurched, failing to recover from the injury. His face was twisted in agony and shock, but no amount of healing magic could save him.
The Vampire Lord, whose voice did not waver, spoke up, his voice flat but commanding. "Ryo, you have to calm down. Sit down. Let us talk."
Even the Dragon Emperor, who towered with imperial power, was on his knees. The intensity of Ryo's presence was so intense that even he did not dare risk further infuriating him. Seyra, Selena, and AI were all equally subdued, kneeling before Ryo, immobile.
Certain students in the academy, too, had collapsed from the intensity of his aura.
The Dragon Emperor, unable to suppress his instincts, started to change, his body transforming into the huge, terrifying shape of a dragon. His dominance was something Ryo would have to submit to, but as he started to transform, a chill ran down his spine. He knew—this was no ordinary presence. Ryo's dragon aura was so strong that he felt he could be ripped apart at any moment.
But Ryo, catching the uncertainty of the Emperor, let out a heavy breath. The torrent of anger dwindled, receding into the slow burn that still seethed beneath it.
"All right…"
Ryo grunted, his voice colder than ice on the academy.