<Inside the cafe, within the academy grounds>
“What do you think you’re doing, attacking a senior with mana?”
“I didn’t—”
Without warning, the senior punched Ethan swiftly in the face, causing him to stumble back onto the table. The impact was so forceful that his cheek turned red instantly.
“Cough….”
Ethan coughed blood from his nose, his vision blurring. The force behind the punch wasn’t simple at all, and he knew the strength of the senior couldn’t be underestimated.
“How dare you?”
Emma’s face contorted in feigned fear and indignation as she watched Ethan struggle to right himself on the table, his nose bleeding profusely.
The cafe was steeped in stunned silence, the only sound of Ethan’s labored breathing and the murmur of hushed whispers from the onlookers.
“Why did you attack me?” Emma’s voice crescendoed into a shrill accusation, her eyes darting around the room to gather the support of the shocked audience. “Is this how you treat your seniors? You’re a menace!”
Ethan, wincing in pain, tried to interject once again, this time his voice hoarse. “I didn’t—”
But Emma wasn’t about to let him speak. After all, if she were to let him do as he pleased, this whole ordeal would be meaningless.
Not every time physical power was the solution. The power of the crowd was a lot bigger than that, and she was well aware of that fact.
She interrupted swiftly, a crescendo of outrage building in her voice. “And to think you were even associating with a whore! Such a bully—”
Her next words were cut short, however, as a palpable shift in the room’s atmosphere stopped her cold. Her eyes widened slightly, sensing the approach of a potent energy. ‘Someone with a strong aura is coming,’ she thought, her heart rate spiking not from fear but from the awareness of a new, unexpected element in the unfolding drama.
SWOOSH!
At that precise moment, Julia burst into the scene. Her presence was like a shockwave, her aura palpable and intimidating even to those who weren’t sensitive to such energies.
Her eyes scanned the scene, immediately focusing on the chaos around Ethan. She hadn’t seen what led up to this moment but was drawn to the obvious distress of a fellow student and the aggressive stance of the senior.
“What’s happening here?” Julia demanded, her voice carrying a commanding tone that mirrored her strong aura. Her gaze briefly landed on the badge on Emma’s uniform, identifying her as a senior. Her expression hardened as she tried to piece together the situation from the scattered whispers and Emma’s outraged shouts.
Emma, momentarily taken aback by Julia’s sudden entrance, tried to regain her momentum. Though her white hair and blue eyes, as well as her aura, somehow made her exceptional, Emma didn’t think much of it.
‘This girl, did I know her from somewhere?’ She thought but knew it wasn’t the time to stop.
“This student attacked me unprovoked!” she exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at Ethan, who was still trying to steady himself.
Julia’s eyes narrowed skeptically. She looked around, seeking any corroborating testimony from the crowd. She didn’t believe that Ethan would do such a thing.
“There is no way he would do such a thing.” She replied, raising her head. “There is clearly something wrong with this.”
Even if Ethan were to do something like this, that meant there was reason for him to do so.
“Hmm?” Noticing that the newcomer had already taken her stance, Emma’s gaze was narrowed.
‘This girl….’
She instantly noticed that she was this guy’s friend, a possible accomplice.
‘Tch…This makes it a lot more complicated.’
After all, the more people get involved in this, the more dangerous it is. ‘What have I gotten myself into?’ Starting with blackmail, now turning to another.
Lilia and Irina had just entered the cafe behind her, both equally alert and prepared to support their friend.
Lilia stepped forward, her gaze analytical. “Is there anyone who saw the start of this altercation?” she asked the room. Her voice, although calm, carried an authoritative weight that prompted a few in the crowd to exchange nervous glances.
One timid voice spoke up from the back, “He didn’t start-“
‘No, you won’t!’
Emma sensed her control of the narrative slipping as a timid voice began to contradict her version of events. In a quick attempt to regain the upper hand, she raised her voice, cutting across the quiet murmur of the cafe.
Julia, Lilia, and Irina exchanged quick glances, their eyes narrowing in response to Emma’s tactics. Julia spoke up firmly, “We are not condemning anyone without hearing the full story. It’s important to listen to both sides before making any judgments.” Her statement was clear and unbiased, reinforcing the need for fairness and due process in resolving the conflict.
Behind Emma, a senior with a sharp, calculating look and a wide smirk intervened. “We acted out of self-defense,” he asserted confidently. “As seniors, we’re here to guide and take care of the juniors. Why would we harm them without a good reason?” His words flowed smoothly, a hint of charisma weaving through his speech. But then, his smirk briefly curled his lips before his expression turned cold and serious. He added, “Or are you implying something else? That’s a serious claim.”
The cafe’s atmosphere thickened with tension as his last sentence hung in the air. The senior’s words carried an unusual weight, his presence seeming to swell with a subtle but unmistakable power. Lilia’s eyebrows rose in realization.
‘This….This is not normal…’
She could sense something amiss with how the senior’s words resonated. Quickly turning into her mana sensitivity, she recognized the telltale signs of a manipulation skill at work—his mana subtly enhancing his speech to influence the emotions and perceptions of those listening, making him appear more credible and persuasive.
‘As expected, this guy has a special skill.’
Reacting swiftly, Lilia stepped slightly forward, her voice calm yet carrying a hint of urgency. “Everyone, please remain calm and focused. It’s crucial that we assess this situation objectively.”
Turning her attention briefly to Julia and Irina, Lilia communicated through a quick, meaningful look that they needed to counteract the senior’s influence. Irina nodded subtly, understanding the need to stabilize the situation and keep the crowd from being swayed by mana-enhanced rhetoric.
Yet, that wasn’t the case for Julia. She wasn’t a girl who was good at such politics, after all, and she was someone who was hot-headed. Different from Irina, Julia’s was more innate, and in such situations where things would get more complex, she wouldn’t be the one to step back.
“Sigh….” She released a hearty sigh deep from her lungs.
‘!’ ‘!’ Both Irina and Lilia instantly had their body hairs rose.
“St-“
As they realized what was about to happen. They knew their friend, what kind of person she was, and how she would act.
Julia, unable to contain her frustration and anger any longer, As they realized what was about to happen. They knew their friend, what kind of person she was, and how she would act.
acted on impulse. Her mana surged as she drew back her fist, the energy swirling around it with a visible intensity.
–THUD! Without a moment’s hesitation, she swung, her punch cutting through the air directly towards Emma.
The blow landed squarely on Emma’s face, the force amplified by Julia’s mana. Emma was sent reeling back, her form staggering as the guy behind her caught her mid-flight, steadying her before she could hit the ground.
“Urgh!”
A groan of pain escaped Emma as she clutched her face, shock, and anger mingling on her features.
The senior who had just spoken, now holding Emma, looked up sharply at Julia, his expression a mixture of disbelief and anger. “What was the meaning of this?” he demanded, his voice thick with accusation.
Julia, standing firm with her feet planted and fists still clenched, met his gaze unflinchingly. “Speaking isn’t my forte, nor is playing these games,” she retorted, her voice hard as steel. “I wanted to end things peacefully without resorting to this, but you clearly had no intention of letting that happen. If you think you can bully our friend, it doesn’t matter whether you are a senior or not.”
Her eyes glinted fiercely, a crazed smirk playing at the corners of her mouth as she continued, her tone mocking and challenging. “I’ve been annoyed by your words for a while now. How about I sweep that smirk from your face?”
The cafe erupted into a cacophony of murmurs and exclamations. The other students watched, some with shock and others with a growing sense of excitement, as tensions escalated. Irina and Lilia, though initially taken aback by Julia’s actions, quickly positioned themselves beside her, ready to support their friend.
They knew well that Julia’s actions, though rash, stemmed from a deep sense of loyalty and protection towards their group.
The senior, holding Emma, tightened his grip, his eyes scanning Julia and her friends. He recognized the threat they posed, not just physically but in challenging the unspoken hierarchy within the academy.
His next move was already evident to maintain his and Emma’s position of power.
“Is that so?” He replied, raising his face. “It seems this year’s freshmen don’t know any manners.” He looked around. “Then, as seniors, we should teach them how to behave.”
–SWOOSH! Following that, the girl who had tripped her drink on Jane’s head rushed forward. Her name was Yvonne, and she was one of those who were in the part of the bullying scene.
–THUD! Her mana-augmented kick targeted right at Julia’s face, aiming to injure her. However, before Julia could even move, Yvonne’s kick was blocked by a hand, being grabbed in the air.
“Huh?”
It was a young man whose mouth was slightly bloody. His blue hair was now messed up, and his clothes were stained with blood. His hazel eyes were coldly locked on the girl.
“I remember you,” Ethan said as the memories of that time flashed in front of his eyes.
SWOOSH! SMASH! Following that, he grabbed her by her leg, pulled her to himself, and then smashed her on the table, crashing plates and everything.
After all, he wouldn’t even be able to cool himself down in such a situation.
As the cafe devolved into chaos, each participant chose their stance in the rapidly escalating conflict. The senior who had been holding Emma surveyed the scene with a cold, calculating look. His smirk grew as he dashed toward Lilia, believing he could intimidate or perhaps sway one of Julia’s closest allies.
Lilia, however, was no stranger to conflict. As the senior approached, her posture remained calm and collected, prepared for whatever maneuver he might attempt.
Meanwhile, Emma, still reeling from Julia’s powerful punch, wiped the blood from her nose. Her eyes, filled with a mix of rage and determination, locked onto Julia. “You don’t know who you’re messing with,” she spat out, her voice thick with anger and pain.
Julia, unfazed and still smirking, replied coolly, “Oh? And who might that be?” Her tone was mocking, almost goading Emma further.
With a fierce glare, Emma retorted, “You’re about to find out.” Without further warning, she surged forward, her mana flaring up as she aimed a swift and powerful attack at Julia.
“Stop.”
Suddenly a voice echoed in the café.