The next morning, news of the incident had spread throughout the entire academy like wildfire. Students gathered in clusters throughout the hallways and common areas, whispering and speculating about what had happened in the abandoned storage building and what would happen to the students involved.
Lukas made his way to breakfast and immediately noticed the stares and whispers that followed him as he walked through the dining hall. He ignored them completely and found Marcus and Kieran already sitting at their usual table.
"You're famous now," Kieran said with a slight grin as Lukas sat down. "Everyone's talking about how you took down two Beta Class guys in seconds and made those girls confess everything to the administration."
"I just did what needed to be done," Lukas replied while starting on his breakfast.
"Still, it's impressive," Marcus added. "Those two guys are both ranked in the top twenty of Beta Class, and you handled them like they were complete beginners."
Before Lukas could respond, Theo approached their table with his usual quiet demeanor and sat down without saying much at first. After a moment, he spoke in his characteristic soft voice. "I heard what happened yesterday with Elena. Thank you for helping her when she needed it."
"How is she doing?" Marcus asked with concern evident in his voice.
"I visited the infirmary this morning before breakfast," Theo said. "The healers said her physical injuries are mostly healed now thanks to their magic, but she's still pretty shaken up emotionally. They're keeping her there for observation for at least another day."
"That's understandable given what she went through," Kieran said while shaking his head. "I still can't believe those students thought they could get away with something like that on academy grounds."
The conversation was interrupted when Professor Kaine entered the dining hall and made her way directly to their table. Students immediately quieted down and watched as she approached.
"Grant, Fellor, Voss," she addressed them formally. "The headmaster has requested your presence in his office immediately after breakfast to provide official statements about yesterday's incident. Marks, you should come as well since you're part of their team."
"Yes, Professor," they all replied in unison.
Professor Kaine's expression softened slightly. "What you three did yesterday was the right thing, and I want you to know that the administration takes this matter very seriously. Those students will face appropriate consequences."
She left without further explanation, and the team finished their breakfast quickly before making their way to the headmaster's office on the top floor of the main administrative building.
The office was large and impressive, with tall windows overlooking the academy grounds and walls lined with bookshelves containing ancient texts and magical artifacts. Headmaster Aldric sat behind a massive wooden desk, his long beard perfectly groomed and his expression serious but not unkind.
"Thank you for coming," the headmaster said as they entered. "Please, sit."
They took seats in the comfortable chairs arranged in front of his desk, and the headmaster began speaking in a measured tone.
"I've already received Professor Kaine's report and spoken with the five students involved in yesterday's incident, as well as with Miss Cross in the infirmary. However, I need to hear your accounts directly to ensure we have the complete picture before final decisions are made."
He gestured to Lukas first. "Mr. Grant, please describe what you witnessed and your actions in detail."
Lukas recounted everything from the moment Kieran had burst into the training grounds to finding Elena in the storage building and confronting the five students. He kept his explanation factual and straightforward without embellishment.
Marcus and Kieran provided their own accounts when asked, corroborating Lukas's version of events and adding details about Elena's declining state over the previous week.
The headmaster listened carefully, occasionally asking clarifying questions or requesting specific details. When they finished, he leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"This is a serious matter," Headmaster Aldric said. "Physical assault, harassment, and torture of a fellow student cannot be tolerated under any circumstances at this academy. The five students involved have already confessed to their actions, which makes this case straightforward from a disciplinary perspective."
He paused and looked directly at them. "However, there is a complication. One of the female students involved, Miss Carla Venn, has an older brother named Derrick Venn who serves on the Student Disciplinary Committee. He attempted to intervene on her behalf and suggested the matter should be handled internally by the committee rather than by faculty administration."
"That's ridiculous," Marcus said with anger creeping into his voice. "He's obviously trying to protect his sister from real consequences."
"I agree completely," the headmaster said. "Which is why I informed Mr. Venn that this matter is far beyond the scope of student-led discipline and will be handled directly by the faculty. Additionally, his attempt to interfere with an active investigation will be noted in his own record."
Lukas felt a small sense of satisfaction at that. The girl who'd tried to use her brother's position as a shield would find out it meant nothing when the actual administration got involved.
"As for the punishments," the headmaster continued, "all five students will be suspended from the academy for one month and will lose all accumulated merit points. When they return, they will be placed on strict probation for the remainder of the academic year. Any further incidents will result in immediate and permanent expulsion. Additionally, they are required to provide a formal written apology to Miss Cross and perform one hundred hours of community service."
"Is that enough?" Kieran asked carefully. "They literally tortured another student."
"Under normal circumstances, I would expel them immediately," the headmaster admitted. "However, their families have significant influence and have already begun applying pressure through various channels. This punishment represents the maximum I can impose while maintaining institutional stability."
It was a political answer, and everyone in the room understood what it meant. The families of those students had money and connections that made outright expulsion complicated, even when their children clearly deserved it.
"That said," the headmaster added with a slight edge to his voice, "I have made it abundantly clear to both the students and their families that any attempt at retaliation against Miss Cross or anyone involved in reporting this incident will result in immediate expulsion with no possibility of appeal. I will be personally monitoring this situation."
"Thank you, Headmaster," Lukas said simply.
"You three acted appropriately and helped a fellow student in genuine danger," Headmaster Aldric said. "That deserves recognition. I'm awarding each of you fifty merit points and a commendation for your actions."
Merit points were part of the academy's reward system that could be exchanged for various privileges like access to restricted training facilities, advanced resources, or priority selection for special programs. Fifty points was a significant amount for first-year students.
"Now, there's one more matter I need to discuss," the headmaster said while his expression became more serious. "Mr. Grant, your combat performance yesterday was noteworthy. Two Beta Class students with respectable rankings were incapacitated in seconds with minimal effort on your part. That level of capability is unusual for a first-year student."
Lukas kept his expression neutral and waited for the headmaster to continue.
"I'm not accusing you of anything improper," the headmaster clarified. "However, I am curious about your training background. The records show you were considered unremarkable by your family's standards before enrolling, yet your current abilities suggest otherwise."
"I trained privately and avoided drawing attention," Lukas said, which was technically true even if it didn't explain the system. "My family had certain expectations I didn't want to deal with, so I kept my progress quiet."
The headmaster studied him for a long moment before nodding slowly. "I see. Well, regardless of your methods, you've proven yourself to be a capable student and a reliable teammate. Continue that trend."
They were dismissed shortly after, and the group made their way back toward the main campus.
"Fifty merit points," Kieran said with a pleased expression. "That's actually really valuable, especially this early in the year."
"I'm more concerned about whether those students will actually leave Elena alone after they come back," Marcus said. "One month suspension isn't that long."
"The headmaster said he'll be monitoring the situation personally," Theo pointed out quietly. "That should discourage them from trying anything stupid."
They decided to visit Elena in the infirmary to let her know what had happened. The infirmary was a clean, well-lit building with several private rooms for students recovering from injuries or illnesses.
Elena was sitting up in bed when they arrived, looking much better than yesterday though still somewhat pale and tired. Her face showed only faint traces of bruising thanks to healing magic, and she managed a small smile when she saw them enter.
"Hey," she said softly. "I heard you guys had to give statements to the headmaster this morning."
"Yeah, we just came from there," Marcus said while pulling up a chair. "Those five students are getting suspended for a month and will be on probation when they come back."
Elena's expression became conflicted. "I feel like this is all my fault. If I'd just reported them earlier or asked for help sooner, maybe it wouldn't have escalated this far."
"This isn't your fault at all," Lukas said firmly. "They're the ones who chose to harass you and then assault you. You didn't make them do anything."
"He's right," Kieran added. "You were trying to handle a difficult situation on your own, which is understandable. Those people are just terrible and deserve what they got."
"I wanted to thank you, Lukas," Elena said while looking directly at him. "I know I said I could handle things myself and I was probably really stubborn about it, but you still came to help me when I really needed it. I won't forget that."
"You're our teammate," Lukas replied simply. "That's what teammates do."
They spent another thirty minutes visiting with Elena and catching her up on what she'd missed in classes before the healers suggested she get more rest. As they left the infirmary, Marcus seemed thoughtful.
"You know, I've been thinking about what the headmaster said about those student organizations," Marcus said. "The Disciplinary Committee is one of them, but there are supposed to be others too, right?"
"Yeah," Kieran confirmed. "There are actually several major student organizations that handle different aspects of academy life. The Disciplinary Committee deals with rule enforcement and minor disputes between students. Then there's the Student Council that handles general student affairs and acts as a liaison between students and faculty."
"What else is there?" Theo asked with curiosity.
"Let me think," Kieran said while counting on his fingers. "There's the Academic Society that organizes study groups and research initiatives. The Combat Division that helps coordinate training exercises and competitions. And I think there's something called the Resource Management Office that handles allocation of training facilities and equipment."
"Why haven't we seen much of these organizations?" Marcus wondered. "I've barely noticed them around campus."
"Apparently they've been really busy this year," Kieran explained. "I heard from some second-years that all the student organizations have been working overtime on some kind of major project or preparation. They're still operating but keeping a lower profile than usual."
"That's kind of ominous," Marcus muttered.
They returned to their regular schedule for the rest of the day, attending afternoon classes and training sessions. Professor Kaine didn't mention the incident during combat practice, but several other students approached Lukas throughout the day to either congratulate him or ask questions about what had happened.
By evening, Lukas was tired of the attention and retreated to his dorm room for some peace and quiet.
[You have been idle for 8 hours]
[+8 to all stats]
[Current Stats: Strength 288, Agility 288, Mana 288, Endurance 288]
[Daily Skill Lottery Available]
[Would you like to draw?]
He selected yes while lying on his bed.
[Drawing...]
[Skill Acquired: Threat Detection (B-Rank)]
[Threat Detection: Automatically sense hostile intent directed toward you or nearby allies. Range increases with skill mastery.]
A useful skill that would help avoid situations like yesterday from happening in the first place. If he'd had this skill earlier, he might have noticed Elena was in danger sooner.
The next few days passed relatively normally. Elena was released from the infirmary and returned to classes, though she was quieter than usual and seemed to be processing everything that had happened. The five students who'd been suspended were officially gone from campus, and their absence was noted by pretty much everyone.
The upcoming tournament was only two weeks away now, and Professor Kaine began intensifying training to prepare Alpha Class for the competition.
"The Inter-Class Tournament will test you in ways your regular classes don't," Professor Kaine announced during one training session. "You'll be competing not just against other first-years, but against second and third-year students as well. Some events will be individual, others will be team-based. You need to be ready for anything."
She began running them through increasingly difficult scenarios and drills that pushed their limits. Lukas participated fully while being careful not to reveal his true capabilities, which were now approaching three hundred in all stats.
During one particularly challenging team exercise, Lukas found himself paired with Ace for a two-on-six combat scenario. They had to work together to defeat six opponents using only basic equipment and limited mana.
The exercise went well despite the overwhelming numbers. Ace fought with his characteristic determination and solid technique, while Lukas supported by reading the opponents' patterns and creating openings. They managed to win the scenario with time to spare.
"Good work," Ace said afterward, breathing hard from the effort. "Your combat sense is really sharp. You always seem to know where attacks are coming from before they happen."
"Just paying attention," Lukas replied.
Ace looked like he wanted to say something else but hesitated. Finally, he spoke. "I heard about what you did for Elena. That was... really impressive. Not just the fighting part, but standing up for a teammate like that."
"Anyone would have done the same," Lukas said.
"I'm not so sure about that," Ace replied thoughtfully. "A lot of people would have looked the other way or reported it to faculty without getting directly involved. You put yourself at risk to help someone, and that matters."
He walked away before Lukas could respond, leaving him with an odd feeling. The protagonist was clearly reevaluating his opinion of Lukas, which could be either good or problematic depending on how things developed.
That evening, an announcement was posted in all the dormitories and common areas.
INTER-CLASS TOURNAMENT - FINAL DETAILS
The tournament will begin in two weeks and will consist of five main events:
1. Individual Combat Bracket - Single elimination duels
2. Team Strategy Challenge - Small group tactical scenarios
3. Magical Aptitude Test - Demonstration of magical skills and creativity
4. Obstacle Course - Physical and mental challenges
5. Grand Melee - Large-scale battle royale with all participants
Sign-ups are now open. Participation is voluntary but highly encouraged. Students who perform exceptionally well will receive recognition, merit points, and potential recruitment opportunities from student organizations and external parties.
—Academy Administration
Students crowded around the notice boards, reading the details and discussing strategies. The tournament was clearly going to be a major event that would draw attention from across the academy and beyond.
"Are you going to participate?" Marcus asked Lukas as they read the announcement together.
"Probably," Lukas said after a moment of consideration. "It could be interesting."
"All five events or just some of them?" Kieran asked while appearing at their side.
"Haven't decided yet," Lukas replied. "Depends on how much attention I want to attract."
"Fair point," Kieran acknowledged. "Though after what happened with Elena, you're already pretty well-known. Might as well compete properly."
Lukas supposed that was true. His attempt to stay in the background had been thoroughly disrupted by recent events, so there wasn't much point in holding back during the tournament.
He'd participate in the events that interested him and see what happened.
With two weeks until the tournament and his stats steadily approaching three hundred, Lukas was curious to see how he'd measure up against the academy's strongest students.
It would be an interesting test of his capabilities.