Chapter 75 — Barbaric Damian

"Boss, where are you going?"

Edrin asked as Damian started walking toward the central courtyard where most students gathered between classes.

"To remind everyone why they should be afraid."

Damian’s voice was calm, almost casual.

But his Slaughter Intent pulsed around him like a living thing, making the air itself feel dangerous.

The crowd of students following at a distance had grown even larger. Word had spread across campus like wildfire that Damian Valcor had returned after two months of complete absence.

Everyone wanted to see what would happen next.

They didn’t have to wait long.

A familiar voice cut through the murmuring crowd, loud and mocking.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally crawled back to campus."

Quin Xander pushed through the gathered students, his brown hair perfectly styled, his expensive uniform immaculate.

Currently ranked eleventh in the first year, earlier when he tried to forcefully recruit commoner students, the Mafia’s influence had disrupted his plans.

He walked toward Damian with exaggerated confidence, several other Noble students flanking him.

"Two whole months hiding in the forest like a coward while Micheal took your rank.

How does it feel to be second place, Valcor? Must be a new experience for someone who thought he was so special."

The gathered students went quiet, sensing confrontation.

Quin smiled wider, emboldened by the audience.

"And now you come back covered in dirt and blood like some kind of wild animal. Pathetic. You should have just stayed–"

He never finished the sentence.

Damian moved.

Not Sonic Blink. Just pure speed enhanced by his absurd physical stats.

His fist, coated in dark crimson Aura mixed with his Slaughter Intent, slammed into Quin’s face with devastating force.

CRACK.

The sound of Quin’s nose shattering echoed across the courtyard.

Quin’s head snapped back violently, blood exploding from his face.

But Damian wasn’t done.

His other hand grabbed Quin’s extended arm and twisted.

SNAP.

The bone broke cleanly, elbow bending the wrong way.

Quin’s scream was cut short when Damian’s palm struck him across the face with Aura-enhanced force.

The slap sent Quin flying sideways like a ragdoll.

He crashed into a nearby wall with a sickening thud and crumpled to the ground, unconscious before he even hit the floor.

A deathly silence spread around as nobody moved or breathed.

The entire thing had taken less than three seconds.

"He just..."

"Did he break Academy rules? You can’t attack students outside sanctioned matches!

He is not in the Council now..."

"Someone should report this to the Student Council!"

Damian ignored all the whispers completely.

His cold crimson eyes scanned the crowd of students, looking for specific faces.

And he found them quickly.

Ralph Eddington. Simon Diserion. Several other Noble students who’d been actively suppressing the Mafia during his absence.

"You."

Damian pointed directly at Ralph.

"Come here."

Ralph’s face went pale, but pride and Noble arrogance kept him from backing down in front of so many witnesses.

"You think you can just assault students and get away with it, Valcor? The rules exist for a reason, and you’re going to–"

Damian closed the distance between them in an instant.

Ralph tried to raise his Aura defensively, golden energy flaring around his body.

It didn’t matter.

Damian’s fist punched straight through the defensive Aura like it was made of paper and buried itself in Ralph’s stomach.

WHAM.

All the air exploded from Ralph’s lungs. His eyes bulged.

Damian grabbed him by the collar before he could fall and drove his knee into Ralph’s ribs.

CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.

Three ribs broke in rapid succession.

Then Damian spun and threw Ralph like a sack of garbage.

He crashed into a group of watching students, who scattered in panic.

Ralph didn’t get back up.

Simon Diserion tried to run.

Damian’s hand shot out, his telekinesis skill activating.

Simon’s body froze mid-step, lifted slightly off the ground by invisible force.

"Where do you think you’re going?"

Damian pulled his hand back, and Simon flew toward him against his will, screaming.

Damian caught him by the throat.

"You spread a lot of rumors about me while I was gone. Called me a coward. Said I ran away.

Told commoner students they should abandon the Mafia because I was never coming back."

Simon’s hands clawed at Damian’s grip desperately, his face turning red.

"Is that what you believe?"

CRACK.

Damian headbutted him, shattering Simon’s nose and splitting his forehead open.

Blood poured down Simon’s face as Damian released him.

He collapsed to his hands and knees, coughing and gasping.

Damian’s boot caught him in the ribs, flipping him over onto his back.

Then again... And again.

By the time Damian stepped back, Simon was curled in a ball, whimpering.

The crowd had grown massive now. Hundreds of students watching in horrified fascination.

Standing at the edge of the crowd, Adrian Murdock watched with a knowing expression.

Victoria White stood beside him, her white eyes wide with shock.

"Adrian... should we stop this?"

"No."

His voice was calm, almost amused.

"I warned them this would happen. I told them not to push too hard while Damian was gone. They didn’t listen."

Victoria turned to stare at him.

"You knew he would come back like this?"

"I knew he would come back stronger. I didn’t know exactly how much stronger, but I knew enough to tell those idiots to back off."

Adrian’s purple eyes followed Damian’s movements with analytical precision.

"Watch and learn, Victoria. This is what happens when you underestimate commoners."

Nearby, Fiona Sigurd stood with her arms crossed, her analytical mind working rapidly.

She’d been smart enough not to actively participate in suppressing the Mafia, focusing instead on her studies and advancement.

Now she was very glad she’d made that choice.

’His Aura... it’s not just stronger. It’s different. That dark red energy around him, the pressure everyone’s feeling... that’s not normal Aura at all. Is it some kind of Intent?’

****

Ruby Fray arrived on the scene fashionably late, pushing through the crowd with her usual careless confidence.

Her dark pink hair was styled elaborately, her makeup perfect.

She took one look at the beaten students on the ground and laughed.

"Oh my god, Damian! You’re back from wherever you were hiding and immediately start beating people up? How barbaric!"

She walked closer, clearly not taking the situation seriously at all.

"You know, for someone who claims to be so strong, you sure run away a lot. Two months in the forest?

Sounds like you were too scared to face Micheal’s challenge and needed an excuse."

Her mocking voice carried across the silent courtyard.

"Now you’re back and attacking people who can’t even defend themselves properly.

Is this supposed to impress everyone? Because honestly, it just makes you look desperate and–"

Damian’s hand moved.

His fingers tangled in Ruby’s elaborately styled hair and yanked her head down violently.

"What the – let go of me right now you disgusting–"

WHAM.

His knee crashed into her face.

Blood exploded from her nose, her lip splitting open.

Ruby screamed, trying to pull away, her hands clawing at his grip.

"Do you know who I am!? My family will destroy you for this! Let go!"

Damian’s other fist slammed into her stomach.

Ruby doubled over, gagging.

"You talk too much."

His voice was ice cold.

He released her hair only to grab her arm, twisting it behind her back.

Ruby’s Aura flared desperately, pink energy trying to protect her.

Damian’s Slaughter Intent crushed it effortlessly.

CRACK.

He broke her arm at the elbow.

Ruby’s scream was piercing, agonized.

"STOP! PLEASE! I’LL STOP TALKING! PLEASE!"

"No, I don’t think you will."

Damian grabbed her other arm.

Ruby tried to activate her weapon art, pink energy gathering around her free hand.

Too slow.

Damian twisted.

RIP.

The sound was wet, terrible.

Ruby’s arm tore partially from her shoulder, held on by threads of muscle and skin.

Not completely severed, but devastatingly damaged.

Her scream cut off as shock set in, her body going limp.

Damian released her, and she collapsed like a broken doll, unconscious from pain and trauma.

Complete and utter silence fell across the entire courtyard.

Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. Nobody even seemed to breathe.

What they’d just witnessed crossed a line far beyond normal student conflict.

"He... he actually..."

"That’s a Noble daughter from a powerful family..."

"It’s Damian you are talking about. He went after Senior Mara as well. Who is Ruby compared to her?..."

"That bitch deserved it. Doesn’t she have some brains to understand the situation!?"

"Well... she has always been arrogant. Acting like an entitled bitch."

Damian stood over Ruby’s unconscious form, his expression completely calm.

Not a hint of remorse or concern.

"Anyone else want to comment on where I’ve been?"

No response came from anyone.

Just terrified silence.