Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 202: Expelled

As Asher and Thalric’s gazes met, the world around them seemed to fall still. Their eyes locked for several long, tense seconds, neither blinking nor breaking eye contact.

There was no open hostility flashing in their eyes, no visible hatred or malice, but anyone possessing even the faintest shred of intellect could sense an unspoken tension thrumming like a taut string between the two Suns of the Wargrave Household.

They exchanged no words. Yet, their silence carried more weight than any phrase or declaration that could have been uttered within the grand hall. It was a silence that roared louder than thunder and cut deeper than steel, echoing through the space like the toll of a distant bell.

As the striking black and purple eyes remained locked, it was Thalric who broke the standoff first. His gaze shifted, sharp and purposeful, toward the cluster of first-year students who were hastily dropping their unwelcome belongings into the basket provided.

Asher, unbothered, slowly lowered his own gaze to the golden ring glimmering faintly in his palm. He regarded it with a calm that seemed almost unnatural amidst the heavy atmosphere. Then, with deliberate care, he slid the ring onto his left pinky finger. The moment the golden band touched his skin, it shrank and adjusted seamlessly, molding itself as though it had always belonged there.

Beside him, William, who had been quietly observing, noticed the silent, crackling tension between Asher and his elder brother, the Ninth Sun. His brows furrowed slightly as curiosity warred with hesitation. He wanted to ask what had transpired between them, yet something instinctual held him back.

He squinted his eyes, leaning forward ever so slightly, but ultimately chose restraint. Although the Tenth Sun had told him they were friends now, Willaim knew friendships were not forged in a single day; they were fragile seeds that required careful tending.

One careless remark could uproot what they had only just begun to build. He could not risk their budding camaraderie for the sake of idle gossip.

Although every nerve in his body screamed for answers, he swallowed his questions and locked them away. He sighed quietly, rose from his seat, and walked forward to deposit his own contraband into the basket. Within a few minutes, everyone had followed suit, and the task was completed.

”Follow us. And make sure to listen attentively, as we will not be repeating anything twice,” Thalric declared, his tone flat but commanding. His expression remained neutral, eerily devoid of emotion, like every other Wargrave.

With that, they turned and strode out of the grand hall, their long coats whispering softly with each step. The students followed, filing into the same grand hallway they had first appeared in roughly an hour earlier through teleportation.

Without speaking, the crowd fell in line behind Thalric and Stephanie, their eyes alight with curiosity and faint apprehension. Step by step, they crossed the threshold of the building and emerged outside, where an entirely new world stretched before them.

”Welcome to the Star Academy,” Stephanie announced, her voice carrying across the wind. ”This is where your journey begins, whether you ascend to greatness or plummet into obscurity will be decided by your own hands.”

Her words hung heavy in the air. Ahead of them loomed a massive gate, towering and austere, the true entrance to the Academy itself. Flanking it stood a man and a woman clad in gleaming armor, their postures rigid, their eyes sharp as blades. They stood as though they had been awaiting this very moment.

As the group approached the gate, Thalric spoke again, his voice brisk and devoid of warmth. ”You will be searched here. Pass your space rings to the Knights.”

At his words, a ripple of unease passed through the crowd.

Some students frowned, their faces tightening in disapproval or disbelief. Others remained stoic, unfazed, many had already discarded their prohibited items into the basket Stephanie had carried earlier. But, a few had not. They had seen how neither Thalric nor Stephanie had bothered to check their space rings, and believing they could get away with it, they had quietly kept certain things hidden.

The two armored figures at the gate wasted no time with pleasantries. Like hawks descending on prey, they moved swiftly, their motions blurring with practiced efficiency. Within mere minutes, they uncovered thirty-four students concealing forbidden items.

Stephanie’s eyes focused unapologetically. ”From this moment on, the thirty-four of you are expelled from Star Academy,” she said, her tone as casual as if she were commenting on the weather.

”Congratulations on being the fastest students ever to be expelled. You should be proud, after all, it’s a record. Although...” her lips curved in something almost like a smirk, ”I doubt it comes with any reward.”

Her words slammed into the gathered students like a hammer. Silence fell, broken only by the stunned gasps of those still standing.

They hadn’t even stepped through the gates of the Academy, yet over fifteen percent of their total number had just been cast out like refuse.

”You can’t do this!” one of the expelled shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. ”We just got here! How can you expel us after everything, after all the tests and trials we endured to reach this point?”

”Does the Principal know about this? Does the Ninth Vice Principal approve of this?” another screamed, panic bleeding into rage.

But before anyone else could utter a word, the very air grew heavy. An oppressive pressure crushed down upon the thirty-four rebels, forcing them to their knees as though the skies themselves had turned against them. The female Knight had not so much as lifted a finger, yet the ground quaked beneath their bodies.

”This was your first test,” Thalric’s voice boomed, cutting through the air like a blade. ”And you have failed, because you could not follow the simplest of instructions.”

His gaze lingered on them a moment longer, eyes cold as winter steel. Then he turned, giving a single curt nod to the two Knights.

At his gesture, the colossal gate groaned and began to swing open, revealing the world beyond. The remaining one hundred and sixty-six students exchanged nervous, wide-eyed glances before stepping forward as one, following in Thalric and Stephanie’s wake.

As they crossed the threshold, a sudden surge of energy crashed over them like an invisible wave. The air thickened with vibrant power, shimmering faintly as if woven from starlight. It was as though they had stepped out of the mortal world and into a divine realm.

Gasps echoed from the first-years as they drank in the sight.

Towering structures rose in every direction, piercing the skies like spears of glass and stone. Their polished surfaces caught the sunlight and fractured it into dazzling cascades of color. Vast trees stretched outward, their canopies lush and emerald green, lining wide paved roads that crisscrossed the sprawling expanse.

Delicate arches of silver and white stone curved overhead in elegant patterns. Floating orbs of light drifted lazily above the walkways, bathing the landscape in a soft glow. Faint motes of Astra energy glimmered in the air, twirling like playful fireflies before dissolving into nothingness.

Students whispered in awe, their voices hushed as if they feared disturbing the sanctity of this place.

Even the most stoic among them could not fully hide their wonder. For the first time, they understood why the Star Academy was spoken of as something bordering on the divine. It was not merely an institution. It was a world unto itself, an empire of knowledge, power, and unyielding ambition.

Asher’s gaze flickered from one magnificent building to the next. His purple eyes reflected the sprawling cityscape before them, but behind their calm surface, thoughts churned like a quiet storm.

Thalric strode ahead without looking back, his posture straight, his aura sharp as a drawn blade. Stephanie walked beside him with equal poise, her expression unreadable, her every movement smooth and deliberate.

The first-year students trailed after them in silence, their footsteps echoing softly across the pristine road. None dared to speak. Not yet. Not here.

’How large is the Star Academy itself? It seems ridiculously immense,’ Asher thought to himself as he walked.

’Isn’t this far too big just to teach a few students, who I’m certain don’t even number five hundred in total, counting the first-, second-, and third-year classes combined?’ he mused as he continued forward.

’And this Astra energy... it feels almost half as dense and potent as the one in my personal training chamber. And they’re using it merely for environmental purposes here? Such extravagance,’ Asher thought, a hint of disbelief coloring his mind.