Suspects of the Incident

Chapter 24: Suspects of the Incident

The meeting finished earlier than Lucas had expected. Principal Lyns was also called by the other headteachers for another meeting regarding the Overall Skill Selection so she had to go. Lucas and the rest got out from the conference room and went to their separate ways.

The rest of them proceeded to their apartment while Lucas headed straight to the hallway to the gymnasium. Moon headed out elsewhere and he can sense that his cousin has still some grudges on him.

After some days, he walked towards the main hall as usual. The hall was, at some point, a shortcut towards the White Day High's outside. But, however, not all of the students were staring at him like they used to. Some were busy like having a hectic schedule. They carried boxes that were filled with materials for stage designing. He knew all of those boxes. Those were what they used when he was proving his Godly Potential.

Lucas wandered the hall. He wasn't told about anything since the meeting, but they had been told that the classes and training will begin from afternoon until night. It was strange to walk at this hall at twilight since this place was usually lit with numerous lights. Now, it was dark and almost looked like a dungeon.

Passerbys started to panic as they walked from elsewhere into this hall, and out of this hall towards elsewhere repetitively. If those staffs were like that, maybe something special will be held tonight since the schedule was different.

He continued walking and suddenly heard some boxes falling from a staff that tripped.

"What was that? Be careful!"

He was taken aback.

"Help him pick up some kinds of stuff. We shall be going already. In a few hours, White Day High's Founding Anniversary will commence!"

What? What did he say? White Day High's… Founding Anniversary?

He was left shocked, but rather than be excited, he started to not mind it. He can't feel any novelty to such festivities anymore. All he wanted to prove was his skills; that he has a meaning in this world of magic power.

Unaware that he had walked for so long, Lucas stopped after spotting Sting and Scottie at the renovated canteen. His heart started throbbing after reminiscing the scene he made at Aspho High's canteen before. He seemed to have a phobia towards the canteen ever since that day.

No. It was just an overthinking. He went here when it was newly rebuilt, and he didn't feel this way. What was the strange sensation he was feeling now? He mustn't ignore it or he will end up beaten again just like that Null Room incident.

The dinner time was slowly coming and the canteen gradually became occupied with the students. He walked towards the table Sting and Scottie was at and moved to wait for the others. The students had those same eyes towards him again. They were staring at him as if he might infect them with a contagious disease.

Lucas laid his back irritatingly. He glanced over Scottie and Sting that were doting on him. He heaved a sigh and started laying his head on the table for a rest. He was so exhausted after focusing his training back on his right arm.

He must use this power at the tournament since he has only one time for revealing its usefulness. He should give White Day High another win. The meeting that was held days ago was etched on his mind. They were in third place and winning can raise them into a tie with Lamia High.

Still, it wasn't enough to beat the lead for Aspho. Also, if he joined this year's tournament, he can't join the other years. It was a pain that he can't make Aspho learn what they have lost when they expelled him. Winning the tournament doesn't seem like an act of whole revenge for the Asphoes. What will he do?

If he could only know how White Day High won their previous years, he can have a grasp about— Wait, he can!

"By the way," he suddenly raised his head from the table and faced Sting and Scottie.

Sting paused from searching for something in his training briefcase that he carried earlier. He curiously faced Lucas. "What?" He shouted at him as if they were talking miles away. With some resemblances of his black leather jacket from before, he wore a dark red one.

"If White Day High won three titles at the tournament, who were the groups from their first, second, and third win, then? Is anyone among them still here?" he asked in curiosity.

If someone from the winning team was still here, he can talk to that person to give him some pointers in regards to the tournament. That was a great idea to step ahead and be ready for the upcoming Overall Skill Selection.

He saw Sting think about his question. If he remembered the writings written on the meeting board correctly, that three victories were acquired by White Day High for almost a decade. During that time, he didn't care about things like tournaments and who participated there.

"I think the first one was almost thirteen years ago?" Sting stopped as if counting. He has still his headphones on, and his eyeliners below his eyes. "It was the fourth Division Tournament; when everything was just starting to be revved up. It was the group of our Headmaster who brought home the first victory."

Headmaster? He can't help but scoff. He wondered: there was something off about that Headmaster that he felt strange about. He didn't know him personally, and he never had the chance to know his name.

Headmaster… Who he was? There was something in the mere mention of the word Headmaster that he didn't like. It was worse than he thought it would be at his first hearing. He tried to keep a straight face when Sting continued talking.

"And the second one was just almost after that. I think it was ten years ago. It was the seventh year of the Tournament. I never had the chance to know their names since they were accepted at the Division Office for the whole county for their strange victory."

Lucas kept himself focused. So the second win has no remains in this school? They won strangely and were accepted at the Division Office. "What was that strange victory, then?"

"They were the only ones who have defeated all of the participants at the tournament. It was a complete victory, and none of the remaining schools from the country had garnered a mere point. That year was the time White Day was named as a threat of the Magic World."

Lucas stared over at Scottie. He was also listening like he was somehow new to this school just like him. He was the racer then on his first day, ain't he? He seemed sad and worried.

Hmph. "By the way, who won the third title?" Lucas asked as he started to be more curious.

Sting laughed at his curiosity. "It was the Coach Clive and his team who have won the tournament and gave our scho—"

"Coach Clive won the tournament?" Lucas couldn't help himself from blurting out that response.

Sting looked at him as if wondering why he didn't know it. He ground his teeth again at a fast pace and it made a clicking sound as if trying his hard not to laugh.

"Yes, Coach Clive won the tournament eight years ago. His group was our third victory after the last glory of White Day that made our school more of a threat. If I was not mistaken, Coach Clive was the one who helped our second group to win, and he has a plan that always worked that made our school excel in the tournament."

Crazy. No wonder the Coach was giving that kind of pressure to him. His winning plan should work and he has to make it work by teaching heavy training for the participants. Was this why he was such a control freak and so adamant in regards to his training?

Lucas can't imagine the pressure Coach Clive was feeling right now, that he was given a formidable role. He had been stated that all of his plans worked out for the win, helped the second group to achieve a complete victory, and he also won the third victory for White Day. Even if he wanted to be him right now because of his strength and wit, he didn't want to feel the pressure that all of his plans will work out. What if it doesn't?

He suddenly heard Sting laugh cockily. He glanced over at him and it was like he was staring at him for so long that he began making fun of his face. He stared at Sting with narrowed eyes.

"Lucas. I suddenly think about it." As always, Sting was shouting. "Don't be offended by this, huh? You're a real cynosure now, aren't you?"

He tried to think how he meant with that cynosure. If being a cynosure was something that was always being talked about negatively, it wasn't a real cynosure for him. "No, not really…"

Sting patted Lucas' left shoulder as if treating him as a child. "Don't be so humble. You aren't the strongest! I just said cynosure."

"Yes," Scottie said in a monotonous voice. With his tone of speaking, it was like he was worried about something still. What was his problem?

"Didn't you know that there will be an elimination for the selected participants when the Founding Anniversary commences?" Sting asked Lucas, but it seemed he was informing him. "Principal Lyns said it."

But Sting didn't have to tell him that news. He was the first to hear that at the Infirmary Room. Principal Lyns said she will handpick some students so that the Overall Skill Selection, won't be populated, with lots of students from every class.

"Principal Lyns got the list of her handpicked participants to partake in the last Overall Skill Selection. If I heard her right, she will pick only twenty-five from all of us" Sting continued.

Scottie bowed his head. "And I am sure that I'm not on that list…" he whispered, but the three of them heard him.

"Don't feel down…" Lucas spoke, as he laid his arms on the table and scorched down, staring at Scottie. "At first, I also thought that I wasn't strong enough to be selected. But here I am, winning against the Two Bastions on that Godly Potential."

If that would help Scottie, he will be willing to raise his morale as long as he can. All throughout his life, he can't receive such fulfilling words from anyone. He did his best to raise his own being without anyone helping him. But that just made him very willing to help others; he didn't want anyone to feel the same as he did.

"I've watched that Godly Potential show! You were powerful!" Sting was full of energy as he shouted again. "You beat the crap out of the Two Bastions! They should be defeated since I didn't like them for real. They will betray you as they did to you on that show!"

What did he mean? Betray? So he knew that there were offs about them as well? At first, he thought that what he was feeling was just a misunderstanding. But right now, he was certain that there were problems with their attitude.

"I've become superior to them now, Scottie. I was selected and they were not. Funny though, but they need to suck that truth." Lucas continued. "By that, I wasn't feeling down with myself. Just persevere with the training.

Scottie now happened to make a smile on his face. His white hair was impressive as always. But, he felt strange. What was it, then? What was this feeling?

Then, something reminded on his mind. The Null Room incident! The moment a man squeezed his face at the Null Room!

"We made a mistake of respecting you as White. You act as if you're a strong student. You had just selected and you think you're superior to us?"

Huh? What was the meaning of that? It was a random reminiscing. No, was it a warning? Were they the— it couldn't be! No!

"But here I am, winning against the Two Bastions."

"I've become superior to them now."

Lucas covered his ears as he kept hearing noises from that Null Room Incident. He tried covering his ears as hard as he can, but the voices weren't ceasing. They can't be the ones who've beaten him! He wasn't sure about it, but was this feeling telling him the truth? Were those two the culprit that has beaten him?

"Huh, well, well. Where's your courage now, Lucas."

"He's daring as hell. If only this Maru didn't get scared; I could have crippled him."

Was it Zanc and Maru? First, they went excited after finding out that he was a Fire Starter when he transferred in. But after that, he felt their jealousy after learning that they weren't the only fire starter in the school. Then, they battled him when he was proving his Godly Potential. And— Why?

"Hey, Lucas! Don't space out! What's with you?"

Sting's repetitive shouts made Lucas snap back to reality. He saw Sting and Scottie staring at him as if worried. The rest of the students that were dining at the canteen were also looking at him. Rather than to feel intimidated by their stares, he was thinking about the fact he just found out. Was it true?

"I am fine." he managed to reply to Sting. He later found out that he still has his hands covering his ears. He put his hands down. "I just come up with a realization."

He suddenly stood and ran away from the canteen and started crossing the streets before entering the gate of the White Day High. He escaped the two because if he don't, the Two Bastions will surely lose face when he tell them.

Why? Lucas asked on his mind while running. Why would the Two Bastions have such a fit of immense anger with him? Was it a result of jealousy? Why?

"Lucas!"

He later bumped into a man and was shocked that he was now in the hallway he was previously in. As usual, he didn't have to look at the man to know who he was. He has the sense to know that at least.

"Moon!" he shouted. "You're here?"

"No, why are you here?" Moon retorted with an expressionless face. It was his angry face if Lucas remembered. So he was still angry? "It was the hall to my classroom, that's why I am here. And you?"

"I just realized who the guys at the Null Room who have beaten me that time!" Lucas replied. He instantly saw the change of his cousin's expression with what he had said.

"Those men?" Moon's teeth ground a bit. "Tell me who they are!"

"I'm not really sure, but my guts were saying that they were Zanc and Maru." he softly replied.

"WHAT?"

Moon froze from his position and that was the only word that he uttered. Lucas stared at his eyes and he thought that Moon had been into a realization as well. It was as if he was putting every detail he has in mind to know if the Two Bastions can really do that.

"Lucas! Moon!"

It was Doll's voice. They both looked at where her voice rang out. Lucas saw her face; it was painted with worry.

"There was a spy from Aspho that was rumored to be listing our handpicked participants!" she abruptly shouted. She was so anxious to the point that she was mildly shaking.

"A spy?"

"No, assassins, rather! Lots of them surrounding us according to Principal Lyns!" she continued.

"We should hurry!" Moon replied and started running towards Doll.

"Yeah!" Lucas eagerly shouted. He prepared himself by sighing out air from inside and ran as well. "Let's go before the Founding Anniversary started!"

They rushed towards the gymnasium and suddenly heard a loud sound of a bell. The bell that was in the middle of the school was ringing? What does it mean?

"Mic check!"

They heard a voice coming from the speakers that were in the hallway, that seemed to be coming from the stage of the school. Oh, it was the emcee's voice that hosted his Godly Potential show!

Was this the start of—

"Students, quiet! Now, let's just witness the start of the celebration of our dearest school: the White Day High's Founding Anniversary!"