MTLNOVEL Chapter 173: Revisiting The Academy
Adrian knew he couldn't simply declare himself the new leader. While the major power players were all gone, other influential forces remained, and they wouldn't accept an unknown figure usurping power so easily.
The Academy, in particular, was a formidable entity. It had remained largely untouched by the war, as its staff and students shielded from being drafted.
The instructors, many of them powerful mages and knights, were all present and at full strength. Their allegiance was still with the old regime, and Adrian understood he needed their cooperation, not their opposition.
He knew his first move had to be a delicate one. An outright display of force would only lead to a hostile standoff.
He needed to build trust, and he needed an ally on the inside. Someone who the Academy respected, and more importantly, someone who respected him.
There was only one person who fit the bill perfectly: Master Von, his former combat and homeroom instructor.
Adrian descended just outside the Academy's main gate. He walked through the guard post, his Power Suit attracting a few strange glances from the sentries.
Adrian showed them a pass, and to his relief, the guards simply nodded and let him through without a fuss. He didn't want to create a scene before he'd even reached his destination.
Once inside the grounds, Adrian took flight once more, soaring over the sprawling campus.
Students on the grounds threw him curious glances as he passed, some pointing and whispering to their friends.
Adrian, however, ignored their stares. His focus was only fixed on a single building in the distance — the Dojo.
[9:15 AM]
Adrian confirmed the time when he finally dropped down. It was still early, so there was a high chance for him to find Master Von.
As usual, the Dojo was a place of quiet discipline As Adrian entered, the sounds of his footsteps echoed in the silent hall, immediately drawing the attention of everyone inside.
The students were all seated on their mats with their eyes closed in cultivation. Master Von sat on his own mat before them as well, his own eyes shut as he explained something.
The instructor was so deeply immersed in his lecture that he didn't even acknowledge the intrusion, continuing to speak as if nothing had happened.
It was a random boy that broke the silence. He was the first to open his eyes and see Adrian standing there, fully clad in his Power Suit.
His eyes widened in disbelief, and a small gasp escaped his lips. "Everyone! That's Adrian!" he exclaimed, the words a hushed shout that still managed to carry through the room.
His cry was like an alarm bell, and multiple eyes snapped open simultaneously.
Their gazes, full of shock and confusion, all landed on Adrian. It was as if they were seeing a ghost, one they thought they'd never see again.
The most telling reaction came from Master Von himself. His eyes, which had been so serene just a moment ago, flew open, and Adrian noticed a subtle, almost imperceptible dilation of his pupils.
It was a flicker of genuine surprise, a reaction that betrayed the instructor's usual unshakeable composure.
Despite the collective shock, Adrian maintained his own composure. He simply clasped his hands together and offered a respectful bow to his former peers.
Then, he began to walk further into the Dojo, his heavy boots making a rhythmic clank-clank on the hardwood floor with each step.
"Take off your shoes!" a voice suddenly yelled out.
It was a common, unwritten rule of the Dojo that all footwear had to be removed at the entrance. It was a rule Master Von had enforced since the first day, and seeing someone stride in with heavy, metal boots on was an affront to tradition.
The exclamation came from one of the more outspoken knights in the class and an awkward silence filled the room.
Adrian didn't react, his gaze remaining steady on Master Von. The instructor, for his part, shot a hardened look at the knight, and the boy immediately fell silent, his face paling slightly under Master Von's stern glare.
Adrian reached the instructor and offered him a light bow.
"I'd like to speak with you in private, Master Von," he said calmly.
Master Von, surprisingly, did not protest. He simply inclined his head, a gesture of quiet acceptance.
He then turned to face the rest of the class, who were now buzzing with whispers. Their deductions and theories about Adrian's return flew around the room.
"I heard he gave up fighting," one knight muttered to a friend.
"No, I heard he lost his parents and was too heartbroken to continue," another responded.
"Parents? I thought it was his uncle," a third interjected in confusion. "And why would he quit the Academy because he lost an uncle? He was obviously kidnapped. Didn't you hear that Karl went to rescue him?"
A girl nearby slapped a hand to her forehead in exasperation. "Dummy. If Karl rescued him, then where's Karl now?"
The boy was about to retort when—
"Quiet!"
The air in the Dojo suddenly became heavy. A low, menacing pressure fell upon the room, a force that silenced all chatter instantly.
It was Master Von's aura, a subtle but powerful display that commanded their attention completely.
No one dared to utter another word under the immense pressure of his presence.
"Everyone, leave now! Go practice on your own. Make sure you attend all your classes today, and do not cause any trouble on your way out."
The students scrambled to their feet with hurried movements. They all filed out of the Dojo, some stealing furtive glances at Adrian as they went.
Adrian, for his part, found their wild speculations on his absence amusing, but what truly intrigued him was the brief glimpse he'd gotten of Master Von's power.
He had been trying to gauge his instructor's strength from the moment he entered, but the System's [Analysis] had provided no information.
The data was simply blocked. It was only now, when Master Von had released a fraction of his aura, that the System had managed to penetrate the veil. The information it provided, however, was startling.
'He's an 9-Star Knight!'