Chapter 909: Questions from the Academy Director! Ahead Lies the Abyss
"I'm going to die…"
Ren stepped back into their original world, flanked by Ayase and Shizuku. Stella, however, was currently draped across his arms in a secure bridal carry, looking utterly drained of all energy.
"You bastard," Stella grumbled, her crimson eyes glaring up at him with a mix of exhaustion and deep resentment. "Didn't you say that was the last time? Why did we go for so many extra rounds?"
It had been completely endless. She had endured far too much of his relentless stamina. And just when she thought he was finally done, he had maliciously deployed his tongue and fingers to push her right back over the edge.
Kurogane Shizuku let out a soft, mocking sneer from his side. "Weren't you the one clinging to Ren like a koala? You brought that entirely upon yourself."
Stella's face flushed a brilliant shade of red. She opened her mouth to snap back, but a sudden blur of motion interrupted her.
A figure dashed across the academy grounds, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. The newcomer skidded to a halt—a striking woman with sharp features, dressed impeccably in a formal suit and sheer black stockings.
The woman's piercing gaze swept over Stella, Shizuku, and Ayase, cataloging their condition before finally locking onto Ren.
"Sir," she demanded, her voice carrying the strict, unyielding authority of a commander. "Would you care to explain the sudden disappearance of three of my academy's students?"
Ayatsuji Ayase leaned in, tugging gently at Ren's sleeve. "That's the director of our academy," she whispered.
"I know," Ren replied casually, not bothering to lower his voice. "Shinguoji Kurono. The former third-ranked Blazer in the League of Mage-Knights, and the current director of Hagun Academy."
He tilted his head, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "Though, I have to admit I'm a little curious. The public story says you retired from the League to get married and have children. Yet, looking at you right now... you're still completely untouched. A pure maiden. Seems like there's a rather glaring hole in your official biography."
Kurono's pupils shrank to pinpricks.
"How do you know that?" she demanded, her posture instantly shifting into a combat-ready stance. "Who exactly are you?"
Her internal alarms were screaming. This stranger knew her deepest secrets with a single glance, yet when she tried to read his aura, she found absolutely nothing. It was like staring into a bottomless ocean. This was a very dangerous situation.
"Relax. It was just a bit of idle curiosity. You don't have to answer," Ren said, effortlessly brushing off her intense hostility. He shifted his gaze past her shoulder. "Hey, Shizuku. That's your brother over there, isn't it?"
Everyone turned to look. A young man was sprinting desperately across the courtyard, kicking up dust in his wake.
"Shizuku!!!"
It was Kurogane Ikki.
Stella raised a delicate eyebrow, her previous exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Oh? So this is the famous 'Worst One'. This loser is your brother, Shizuku?"
Shizuku shot her a deadpan look. Was this really the appropriate time to emphasize the word 'loser'?
Ikki finally reached them, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. The moment his eyes landed on Shizuku, his face lit up with overwhelming relief.
"Shizuku! You're finally back!"
His little sister had been missing without a trace for a hundred days. The sheer emotional weight of seeing her safe and sound was almost enough to bring him to his knees.
"Brother, please wipe your face," Shizuku said, her tone dripping with icy disdain. "You're embarrassing me in front of my boyfriend."
Ikki blinked, the emotional reunion screeching to a halt. "Boyfriend?"
He finally processed the scene in front of him. His sister had her arm wrapped tightly around a strange man. That same man had his other arm around Ayase, while simultaneously carrying the Crimson Princess of Vermillion in a bridal carry.
Then, a memory clicked into place. He recognized Stella. The terrifying woman who had instantly defeated him.
"Wait, what is going on here?" Ikki muttered, thoroughly bewildered. His sister had vanished for over three months, only to return clinging to some playboy, looking like she was ready to announce a pregnancy.
"Allow me to clear this up," Ren offered smoothly. "Simply put, Stella's disappearance is entirely my doing. My original intention was just to take the girls out on a little vacation, but we ran into a slight accident along the way, so we ended up coming back a bit late."
"An accident?" Kurono narrowed her eyes, her sharp gaze cutting toward him. "What kind of 'accident' causes three top-tier students to vanish off the face of the earth for a hundred days without a single distress signal?"
She turned her attention to the redhead in Ren's arms. "Stella, where exactly did you go? If I don't get a proper explanation, I won't be able to face your parents."
Kurono didn't trust this man for a second. The disappearance of these three had placed Hagun Academy under crushing international scrutiny. The pressure from the Vermillion Empire had been suffocating. As the beloved princess of her nation, Stella's prolonged absence was a diplomatic crisis waiting to explode.
"Father… Mother…" Stella murmured, her eyes widening slightly.
A wave of guilt washed over her features. She had been so caught up in her time with Ren that she hadn't fully considered the panic she was causing back home. Unsure of how to handle the political mess, she instinctively looked up at Ren for guidance.
Ren met her gaze with a reassuring smile, silently telling her he had it handled.
He looked directly at the academy director. "I took Stella and the others to another world."
Three seconds of absolute silence descended upon the courtyard.
Ikki's jaw practically hit the floor. "Another world?" he echoed, certain he had misheard.
Even the usually unflappable Kurono was momentarily stunned into silence. She stared at Ren, fully expecting a punchline to follow such an absurd joke.
Instead of laughing, Ren gently set Stella down on her feet. He turned back to Kurono, his expression perfectly calm. "Director, since you clearly have your doubts, would you care to come and see for yourself?"
He raised a hand and casually swiped at the empty air.
Space tore open. A swirling, dimensional gate materialized right in the middle of the academy grounds, radiating an otherworldly energy that defied all known logic.
Kurono sucked in a sharp breath, her professional composure finally cracking. 'Is this a spatial manipulation ability?!'
The sheer casualness with which he shattered the fabric of reality was terrifying. This single action was more than enough to prove that Ren was an existence far beyond her comprehension.
She stared deeply at the swirling vortex, then at the man who had summoned it. Finally, she gave a stiff nod. "Alright. I will go with you and see this for myself."
Satisfied, Ren turned his attention to Ayase. "You have the power I gave you now. Go take your revenge. If you end up killing them, so be it."
Ayase gripped the hilt of her blade, her eyes burning with newfound resolve. She gave a heavy, determined nod.
"We're coming with you," Stella declared, stepping up beside her.
Shizuku moved to Ayase's other side, firmly grasping her hand. When sisters of the heart stood united, no blade could break their bond.
Watching the girls rally together, Ikki suddenly felt incredibly out of place. He took a hesitant step forward. "Uh, should I—"
"You go back," Shizuku interrupted, her voice leaving absolutely no room for argument. "This is our business."
"Uh… right… okay," Ikki stammered. Faced with his sister's overwhelming dominance, he had no choice but to awkwardly retreat. As long as he knew she was safe, he supposed that was enough.
"Revenge?" Kurono watched the exchange, her brow furrowing. She looked at Ren, her tone laced with suspicion. "You're openly instructing your students to commit murder. Aren't you afraid of the consequences?"
"Heh." Ren let out a dry, dismissive scoff. "I could erase this entire planet with a flick of my wrist. What 'consequences' could possibly frighten me?"
He didn't wait for her response. "Follow me."
With a relaxed stride, he stepped through the spatial gate.
Kurono stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing. She had encountered arrogant men before, but this was entirely different. His arrogance wasn't a facade; it was a simple, absolute fact of his existence. He spoke of destroying the world the way one might speak of swatting a fly.
After a brief second of hesitation, she gritted her teeth and followed him into the portal.
The spatial gate silently collapsed behind her, vanishing without a trace.
Perhaps Shinguoji Kurono could never have predicted that taking this single step would not only open the door to a brand-new universe, but also plunge her straight into an inescapable abyss.
The pure, untouched body she had guarded so fiercely for years was destined to lose its innocence within that abyss—thoroughly claimed, corrupted, and fully awakened to pleasures she had never imagined.
Whether she would actually regret questioning Ren after all of that… remained to be seen.
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