Expelled.

A heavy silence filled the office.

Varek's words hung in the air. "What happens if I refuse to leave?"

Principal Ron Credo leaned forward, his gaze sharp, unwavering.

"Then we will kill you."

Keiran and Vikas froze.

Keiran's eyes widened in disbelief. "What—?"

Vikas took a step forward, his hands clenched into fists. "You can't be serious."

But Principal Credo's expression did not change. "Silver School was built to train future leaders, not to harbor dangerous anomalies."

He met Varek's gaze. "The moment you revealed your Shadow Mana, you became a threat."

Varek stared back, his expression unreadable. "So that's it? The school I trained in—fought for—wants to erase me?"

One of the instructors spoke. "You should have never been here to begin with."

Keiran slammed his fist onto the desk. "You cowards!"

Vikas grabbed Keiran's arm before he could go further. "Losing control won't change anything."

Keiran gritted his teeth but stepped back.

Varek exhaled slowly, then looked back at Principal Credo.

"You're making a mistake."

Credo's expression didn't change. "No. We're making a choice."

The guards standing by the door took a step forward.

They were prepared to strike.

Varek glanced at Keiran and Vikas. "Get ready."

Keiran blinked. "Wait… are you seriously gonna fight them?!"

Varek's bronze mana began to flicker. "They've already decided my fate. So I'll decide my own."

Vikas smirked, cracking his knuckles. "About time."

Keiran sighed, stepping forward. "Well, if we're doing this…"

He let his Light Mana surge around him.

"Then we're doing it together."

The guards drew their weapons.

Principal Credo stood up. "Then consider this your last lesson."

"You can't escape fate."

The tension snapped.

Varek, Keiran, and Vikas charged forward.

Guards rushed in, drawing their weapons. The room erupted into chaos.

Varek led the attack, his Bronze Mana flaring. He enhanced his strength, smashing through a guard's shield with a single punch.

Keiran weaved through the battle, his Light Mana surging. He blasted away an incoming strike, illuminating the office with golden energy.

Vikas grinned, his fists coated in mana. He delivered a brutal kick, sending a guard crashing into the wall.

Principal Credo remained still, watching.

Then, with a wave of his hand—

BOOM!

A massive force erupted from him, knocking all three back.

Varek skidded across the floor, his arms trembling from the impact.

Keiran coughed, struggling to stand. "What… was that?"

Vikas wiped blood from his lip. "He's on a different level."

Principal Credo stepped forward, his presence overwhelming.

"You three are talented, but you don't understand true power."

He raised his hand, and Silver Mana—pure and refined—swirled around him.

"Let me teach you what happens… when you defy the system."

Varek clenched his fists. "I don't care about your system."

He surged forward.

Keiran and Vikas followed.

The school hallways were a battleground.

Varek, Keiran, and Vikas fought their way through guards, pushing forward despite the overwhelming odds.

Keiran, realizing they couldn't do this alone, ran ahead.

"Everyone, listen!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the corridors. "The school wants to kill Varek! They see him as a threat just because of his Shadow Mana!"

Students exchanged glances, unsure—until Keiran's next words struck them.

"If they can turn on him, they can turn on any of us!"

That was enough.

A group of students rushed forward, forming a blockade.

"Go! We'll hold them off!" one of them shouted.

Keiran nodded. "Thank you!"

The three of them sprinted toward the exit.

BOOM!

The school doors burst open as they escaped into the open courtyard.

They barely had time to breathe—

Because someone was waiting.

Croxus.

The Oldest First Silver Ranker of Silver School.

A legend.

And a monster.

He stood calmly, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

The air around him felt unnatural.

Then—

The ground beneath them trembled.

Varek gritted his teeth. "Gravity…"

Croxus spoke. "Leaving so soon?"

Then, with a mere flick of his fingers—

The weight of the world crushed down upon them.

The pressure was unbearable.

Varek, Keiran, and Vikas could barely breathe under Croxus's gravity.

Keiran, gritting his teeth, forced himself to stand despite the crushing force.

"If It Dangerous,Even If It Was A Thing—It Needs to be killed. Croxus Murmured.

"Varek isn't dangerous! And mostly, he isn't a thing!" he shouted.

Croxus's eyes flickered with irritation. "Naïve."

Suddenly—

CRACK!

The ground beneath Croxus froze over—Vikas, pushing through the pain, unleashed his ice mana in desperation.

But it was useless.

Croxus shattered the ice with a single step.

His face darkened.

"This is not how I trained my students."

Then—

He grabbed Vikas's arm.

SNAP!

A sickening crack echoed through the courtyard.

"AAAAAGH!" Vikas screamed in agony.

Croxus wasn't stopping.

Another snap.

Another scream.

Keiran and Varek struggled harder—but the gravity kept them pinned.

Varek's mind raced. No. No. Not like this.

Croxus raised his foot, ready to end it.

But then—

A golden light engulfed them.

And in the blink of an eye—

They vanished.

Unknown Location

Varek gasped, falling to his knees.

Keiran stumbled, catching himself.

Vikas was still gripping his shattered arm, breathing heavily.

They were somewhere else. A dimly lit room, torches flickering against ancient stone walls.

A figure stood before them.

Tall. Confident.

And familiar.

The man Varek fought when he was 10.

He smirked.

"Been a while, hasn't it?"

Varek's eyes widened. "You…?"

The man placed a hand on his hip.

"Name's Knox Cthul. Gold Rank."

He crossed his arms.

"Looks like you kids needed saving."