Chapter 74 — Changes in the Academy

"Aiko, tell me what happened while I was gone. Anything important I need to know about?"

Damian asked his Admin AI assistant as he approached the Academy’s main entrance, still covered in dried blood and dirt from his forest training.

"While you were absent from campus, Micheal Thorne officially sent you a ranking challenge request through the proper channels."

Aiko’s mature female voice resonated from his watch, calm and professional.

"However, since you failed to respond within the mandatory one-week period, he was automatically promoted to first rank by default. You have been demoted to second rank."

"..."

Damian’s expression went completely cold. His jaw tightened, but he said nothing for several long seconds.

Then he asked in a carefully controlled voice, "How long was I training in that forest?"

"Approximately two months total."

’Seriously? That long? Felt like maybe three weeks at most...’

Time must have passed differently in that isolated forest, or he’d simply lost track completely during the constant hunting and survival.

"Also, Luna Valcor sent multiple messages insisting that you must visit home for your upcoming birthday."

Aiko paused before continuing.

"I informed her previously that you were in the middle of intensive training and could not be contacted. She responded by insisting that as soon as you finish, you must immediately start making plans to ensure you have no excuse to avoid the family gathering."

"Sigh... Right. I nearly forgot my birthday was coming up in a few weeks."

Damian rubbed his temples, already feeling the headache of meeting his family again.

He had been avoiding them, just sending a few messages here and there.

He knew they needed time to come to terms with his current situation.

"Aiko, set a reminder for that later. But first, open the Academy forums. I want to see what’s been happening."

A holographic display immediately materialized in front of him, showing the trending topics.

[BREAKING NEWS! Damian Valcor fails to show for ranking challenge match—Micheal Thorne is the new crowned king of first-years!]

[Rumors spreading that Damian Valcor was too scared to face Micheal and deliberately avoided the challenge.]

[The Mafia Faction facing severe crisis – Nobles have begun aggressively recruiting lower-ranking members who feel abandoned.]

[The tides have completely shifted! Without Damian Valcor’s presence, commoner first-years struggling to maintain resistance against Noble pressure.]

[Edrin, Ronan, and Lysa continue holding positions in top ten rankings, but have repeatedly suffered defeats against SS-ranked Noble talents in recent matches.]

[Mass defection underway – many lower-ranking commoners now joining Noble Faction as subordinates, citing lack of leadership and resources in Mafia.]

[Victor Cross, vice-head of Clubs Committee, has officially declared Mafia to be an illegal student organization. Warning issued that strict disciplinary action will be taken against all members if organization does not immediately disband.]

Damian stopped walking completely.

His Slaughter Intent erupted outward involuntarily, thick dark red Aura swirling around his entire body like living smoke.

The air itself seemed to grow heavier, more oppressive.

Several passing students who’d been walking nearby suddenly stopped, their instincts screaming danger.

They backed away quickly without even understanding why.

’Let’s see how you plan to disband my Mafia, Victor.

I didn’t bother dealing with you previously because you weren’t worth my time. But you really have the guts to come after what’s mine while I was gone.’

His grip on the axe handle tightened until his knuckles went white.

He forced himself to breathe slowly and suppress his killing intent before he accidentally scared every student on campus.

Then he started walking again, heading deeper into Academy grounds.

****

The moment Damian entered the main campus area, students began noticing him.

At first, just a few casual glances. Then double-takes. Then shocked stares.

"Is that... is that Damian Valcor?"

"Holy shit, where has he been?"

"Why is he covered in blood? What the hell happened to him?"

"I thought he ran away or got expelled or something!"

Word spread like wildfire through the student population.

Within minutes, dozens of students had gathered at a safe distance, following his progress through campus while whispering frantically to each other.

Damian ignored them all completely, his crimson eyes focused straight ahead.

But he couldn’t ignore the pressure building around him.

That strange, oppressive feeling that made people’s survival instincts scream at them to run.

His Slaughter Intent was leaking out despite his attempts to contain it, affecting everyone nearby.

Students backed away instinctively as he passed, creating a wide bubble of empty space around him.

"What’s wrong with the air around him?"

"I feel like I’m going to throw up... why do I want to run so badly?"

"That presence... that’s not normal for a first-year student."

A few braver souls pulled out their phones and started recording.

This was going to be all over the forums within the hour.

****

Damian was halfway across the main courtyard when he saw them.

Edrin, Lysa, and Ronan running toward him from the direction of the training facilities.

All three looked like they’d been through hell these past two months.

Edrin’s face was thinner, more haggard. Dark circles under his eyes suggested countless sleepless nights.

Lysa looked exhausted, her bow slung across her back, her hands bandaged.

Ronan had fresh bruises on his face and arms, clearly from recent fights.

But their eyes lit up the moment they spotted him.

"BOSS!"

Ronan’s booming voice carried across the entire courtyard.

All three of them reached him at the same time, nearly colliding in their rush.

"Boss, you’re back! We thought – we didn’t know if–"

Edrin couldn’t even finish his sentence, his usual composure completely shattered.

"Where the hell have you been for two months!?"

Lysa’s voice cracked with emotion, tears forming in her eyes.

"We tried everything to find you! Nobody knew anything! Even the professors said you were on special training but wouldn’t tell us more!"

Damian looked at the three of them carefully.

They’d grown stronger, that was obvious. Their Auras were more refined, their stances more confident. All three of them were at the peak of E+ Rank now.

But they also looked beaten down. Exhausted. Like they’d been fighting a losing battle for weeks.

"I was training in the forest behind campus. Lost track of time."

His voice was calm, matter-of-fact.

"I heard things have been difficult while I was gone."

"Difficult?"

Ronan laughed bitterly.

"Boss, it’s been a complete disaster. Without you here, the Nobles have been pushing harder every single day. Challenging our members constantly, offering better resources to anyone who switches sides, spreading rumors that you abandoned us."

Edrin adjusted his glasses with shaking hands.

"We’ve lost more than half our members, Boss. Everyone aside from those who followed us to the first mission...

They all left, saying the Mafia couldn’t protect them anymore, couldn’t provide resources, couldn’t compete with Noble backing."

"Victor Cross has been the worst."

Lysa’s voice turned bitter with anger.

"He’s been using his position on the Clubs Committee to pressure us constantly.

Threatening to revoke our training facility access, blocking our resource requests, spreading official declarations that we’re an illegal organization."

"And Micheal..."

Edrin’s face darkened.

"Micheal challenged you officially two weeks after you disappeared. When you didn’t show up, the system automatically gave him first rank. He’s been holding that over everyone’s heads, claiming he’s proven himself superior."

Damian listened to everything silently.

His expression didn’t change at all, remaining cold and unreadable.

But his Slaughter Intent pulsed stronger, making the air around them feel thick and dangerous.

"How many stayed loyal?"

"Thirty-two."

Edrin answered immediately.

"Out of the original hundred-plus members we had. Thirty-two refused to leave no matter what. They’re waiting at the old shooting range right now. We’ve been meeting there since Victor tried to ban us from official facilities."

Ronan’s massive fists clenched.

"They stayed because they believe in you, Boss. Even when everyone said you ran away, even when things got really bad, they stayed. Zavier, Ariana, all the core members. They’re still with us."

Damian nodded slowly.

"Good. Actually, it’s better that the trash left us. When we face hardships in the future, these traitors would have been the first ones to bite us."

His crimson eyes swept across the three of them.

"You all look like you’ve been through hell. But you held the line. You kept fighting even when I wasn’t here. That’s exactly what I needed to see.

Why would I even need the Mafia if you guys can’t even stand without me?"

Then he placed a hand on Edrin’s shoulder.

"You did well. All of you did well. Now step back and watch."

"Watch what, Boss?"

"Watch what happens when you push me too far."

Damian’s smile was cold, predatory, absolutely terrifying.

"I’m going to show this entire Academy exactly who I am.

And then I’m going to have a very educational conversation with Victor Cross about what happens when you threaten what belongs to me."

The three of them exchanged glances, seeing something in Damian’s eyes that hadn’t been there two months ago.

Something very dark and threatening, as if hungry for blood.

Whatever training he’d undergone in that forest, it had changed him fundamentally.

"Boss..."

Lysa’s voice was quiet, almost fearful.

"What happened to you out there? There is something off about you..."

Damian’s smile widened but didn’t say anything.

Around them, the gathered crowd of watching students had grown to over a hundred.

All of them were staring as they whispered and recorded.

Word was spreading rapidly across campus.

Damian Valcor had returned.