The wall of the academy building exploded inward with a thunderous roar. Chunks of stone and metal flew like shrapnel as Arnold's body tore through the classroom wall, slamming into the chalkboard with a deafening impact.
Desks flipped. Paper blew away. Students screamed on the other end of their classroom.
Dust billowed across the room, coating everything in a thick, ashy veil.
For a moment, there was only silence—punctuated by the crackling of broken lights and the quiet whimper of a student near the corner.
From within the cratered chalkboard that stood, Arnold stood up casually.
A crack resounded when he put his jaw back in place.
The power behind his father's speed, coupled with his full power—he definitely felt it.
He adjusted his collar, brushing off powdered stone like it was lint. His nose was bleeding a bit but he wiped that off.
Aside from that, he was completely unbothered by the fact that he had just been blasted through several meters of stone and into a room full of wide-eyed first-years.
He glanced around.
A dozen young students stared at him in silent horror—some trembling, some clutching their chairs like life rafts.
The professor was trying to shield the children as if he thought Arnold will hurt them.
A shockwave burst through the windows, shattering every pane at once.
In an instant, Marcus appeared, standing on the edge of the now-windowless frame, coat flaring in the air like wings, his eyes locked onto Arnold.
The sheer speed of his arrival sucked the air out of the room, creating a vacuum that slammed every door in the hall open.
Desks screeched backward, paper spiraled into the air, and a gust of pressurized wind whipped the curtains into shreds.
The first-years screamed again and held onto each other.
"You're finally fighting with the intention to kill me, Father."
Marcus' expression didn't change as he replied coldly, "You shall return, as the demon lord within you has come back before. We must just make sure to keep you dead for long enough until we can seal you."
'So, that's what this is all about. They think I'm Oriel.'
Did Arthur find out and tell them?
"And if I refuse to surrender?"
"While we speak, the Inquisition is heading straight here along with members of the Ten Testaments."
'Geh, Lancelot is also coming!?'
"You know, I just wanted this to be a normal school day for me. I wanted to rest a bit, go adventuring after school's over then go home to greet my little brother since I have a present to give him. I might've even made love to my new beloved. But now it seems like the entire empire is against me to allow me those simple things."
"…" Marcus approached Arnold slowly, his form itself vibrating as if he were a hologram.
"Should I assume Jurnick won't hold the event where Arthur and I can let loose? It's good entertainment, you know?"
Marcus stopped, "Threatening the hero, disrespecting the emperor… How low you have fallen, my son."
"I'm supposed to respect the guy who sent his most powerful subordinates after me?" Arnold replied coldly, the carefree energy from before vanishing.
"Enough of this. You will only add to your offenses. Are there other accomplices who are aiming for Arthur's life?"
"I don't need anyone else to kill Arthur. But he needs all the help he can get to beat me."
"Arnold—"
"Enough talking."
He pulled back his arm. The moment he did that, several pikes created from his blood shot towards Marcus at incredible speed. The first one lodged itself into the floor, sending a powerful rumble through the entire building. Marcus obviously dodged that nonchalantly. When looking up, there were several similar pikes floating in mid-air.
He doesn't know much about this martial art but apparently, he can use a small drop of blood and turn it into actual weapons made from his energy. Right after he swung his arm after cutting it open, he had been sending his energy into those drops of blood and turning them into weapons he can use.
In an instant, he conjured a red sword made from his raw Aether. Unlike regular conjuration using Sword Intent or Aether, that's only a blade of energy, this martial art made it possible to turn his blood weapons as solid as dragonsteel.
Just by throwing his blood around, he could conjure weapons made to kill. While their durability is a major issue despite their quality, they can serve as possible replacements for Luxtivin for a short while.
Marcus conjured his own weapon—a spear made from pure lightning that descended from the sky with a thunder clap.
'What would Mom think if she saw us now.'
The two disappeared at the same time, appearing in the sky.
Before Arnold could even swing his sword, Marcus was already in front of him and kicked him in the stomach. But at the same time, ten pikes aimed for Marcus, which he dodged with ease.
Arnold crashed into the commoner district, rolling across the concrete ground. His father appeared above him, kicking him deep into the ground and making the buildings around them tumble over. He slammed his spear into the ground, making a powerful lightning bolt rip apart the ground and crumble like dry clay.
The people screamed in panic and ran as far as they could as the buildings collapsed under that strength, falling on top of the two. But Marcus swung his spear upwards, causing the debris to vanish into nothingness.
He was about to lift his spear even higher to summon a bolt of lightning but several pikes appeared from the ground but he slammed them with the spear, making them collapse. But at the same time, Arnold appeared from the debris from the buildings, swinging back his conjured sword.
As if Marcus anticipated that, he caught Arnold by the throat and kicked his stomach. Then a gigantic bolt of lightning descended, engulfing both of them.
Marcus was sent flying out of that bolt that ruptured the ground, after being punched by Arnold.
When he emerged from the pillar of energy, Marcus saw a white energy surrounding his body.
His father was way too fast for him to react so upping his defense is the only way to win this fight. His plan is to catch his father while being attacked.
"For someone who is concerned about the lives of others, you don't seem to care about the common folk." Arnold took a glance around at the destruction, "I didn't know you value nobles and their children more than commoners."
"This is a sacrifice I am willing to make and pay for if it means I eliminate you." After saying so, he charged at Arnold but just like before, it's impossible to follow him or react in time.
Arnold chose to do the most sensible thing—flying upward high in the sky.
But just as he expected, his father went after him. He swung his sword but Marcus managed to knock his wrist, making him drop the sword.
Before he could even blink, a fist aimed for his face but instead of attempting to dodge, he tanked it. A shockwave pushed the clouds back.
Another hit followed immediately after, and another and another. All in a span of a single second, hundreds of consecutive punches connected with his body. All of the hits were followed by a punch enhanced by pure lightning.
Again, he was sent flying to the ground. But he managed to catch his wits and stop right before he hit the ground.
Looking around, he was back at the academy. He didn't have time for another thought as a shadow appeared under him, his father sending a spear thrust his way.
But after Marcus' spear went right through, he gained distance from Arnold.
"That strange ability again. Where did this power of yours come from?"
"I guess death benefits every person differently." He shrugged, "You don't seem to care that your son was killed. What a shitty father you are, Marcus."
Marcus frowned when Arnold didn't call him "Father".
"I'm going to give you one last chance to come at me with all you got." The white energy around Arnold's body became denser, "If I catch you, I will break every bone in your body but not to the point that you don't die, only that you will remember what your son did that to you."
"—Throwing those threats around is so typical of demons—" glowing arms wrapped themselves around Arnold's neck after a woman's voice came from beside him.
"What the? A spirit?" Since it was in the form of a human, it was a High Water Spirit, a rank below a Monarch, "One of Undine's sisters…"
He felt Luxtivin return to him at that moment so Ariane managed to win against him.
'She activated one of her bow's ancient powers. At least I know the first ability now.'
But still, to take Luxtivin out, who has 50% of his power… What a troublesome bow. No wonder it's a valued treasure of the Elves and Fairies.
Just as he finished that thought, Ariane and Feldina arrived nearby. Vance was still stuck in the ground. If possible, Arnold wanted to use the same ability on the rest of them but couldn't do so.
He looked back at his father, "So, your goal is to capture me long enough that the Inquisition can properly seal me away."
"…."
"You're mistaken about one thing, Marcus."
"!?" The spirit suddenly fell through the ground; its legs locked in place. Arnold hit it with a backhand, knocking it unconscious. It suddenly turned into particles and reappeared by Feldina's side.
"What are we mistaken about?"
"I'm not a demon. Anything but," he spread his arms, "I am a human, one who obtained this power through my talent and the help of a cultivation pill long lost to humanity. The kind of pill I will not share to anyone. But don't be mistaken, the pill is just a glimpse into the kind of power I would've unlocked in only five years."
His feet sank into the ground as the Aether intensified.
"Come at me, Marcus. You will never be able to make me whimper as you have in the past."
"You have truly lost your mind, my son." His father appeared in front of him, a thick coat of lightning around his forearms. Then in a blur, he punched Arnold's chest ten thousand times in a single second, the shockwave only appearing another second later. The power of a hurricane almost erupted from that alone but Feldina reduced most of its power.
Still, a powerful gust of wind knocked everything back and made the clouds above twist and turn.
Arnold stood unfazed but Marcus continued punching with 100% of his power.
Kill your father.
If you do not demonstrate how important your revenge is, that you would kill anyone who stands in your way, you will face many more obstacles.
Completely sever the bond with your father.
No one important will blame you.
Like a demon whispering over his shoulder, Luxtivin's voice flowed into his ear. Of course, it was just his own voice.
A shadowy silhouette appeared in his subconscious, manifesting into a version of himself with ashen skin and sharp teeth, wearing a peculiar ring with a skull pendant.
Kill your father, it repeated the same phrase.
His Draconic Halo activated and he ignored the burning sensation in his eyes and how blood was coming out. His head felt like it was about to tear apart but the voices told him to observe and wait for the right moment… the moment he kills Marcus.
As time passed, Marcus' punches became… slower? It slowed down more and more until Arnold could make out his father's fists when they were about to connect with his body.
His father probably threw a hundred thousand punches but none were effective. Were it not for Feldina's spirit magic holding the terrain in place, this entire district and the academy itself would've been blown away by the forces of those punches.
As more blood flowed down Arnold's eyes, a smirk appeared on his face.
'I can see… everything.'
…
"H-Hey, do you think every punch Arnold's father is throwing at him is meant to kill?" one of the students asked his friend.
"I-I don't know… But I heard that if the duke activates his martial art, he does it with the intent to go full power…"
"No fucking way… Our senior is withstanding that much power unfazed?"
Arnold was just standing there as he was assaulted by the force of a million lightning bolts, an exaggeration for sure but the students actually believed that. They couldn't even make out his form, only see a bolt of energy striking Arnold with incredible speeds.
Arnold just stood like an immoveable wall, his arms raised slightly.
In that same classroom stood Luke, his eyes sparkling.
He knew Arnold was strong. But not to the point of holding his own against the emperor's strongest force. He had been watching this fight since the start and noticed that Arnold didn't struggle in this fight once.
It was more like he was calculating the four opponents, thinking it's best to watch them carefully in the event he faces them again in the future.
Many of Luke's classmates doubted Arnold would win.
But when thinking of his earlier exchange with the ancient dragon, shouldn't this outcome be within his grasp?
But why not just fight them at full power?
Ah, that's right.
His Big Brother is kind.
He doesn't just kill people just to flaunt around his strength.
So far, he hasn't threatened to hurt anyone, only get his revenge on Arthur.
But he's so kind even to the ones getting in his way.
Luke gritted his teeth.
He couldn't do anything to help in this fight. But even if he could, he wanted to believe Arnold knew what to do.
Still, it frustrated him.
He wanted to help.
"He caught the duke's fist!"
"!?" Luke's eyes turned back to the battlefield, noticing that Arnold did indeed catch Marcus' fist.
The fight was over in that moment—
The entire academy witnessed how a son crushed both of his father's legs and dislocated both arms, throwing him aside like a ragdoll.
He turned, the students looking into the red eyes of a demon god, its face filled with blood.
Everyone watched in stunned silence as he towards Vance who was still trapped in the ground. Vance, perhaps feeling shame, lowered his head while gritting his teeth.
Instead of what they expected, he grabbed Vance's collar and pulled him out of the ground.
"I won't hesitate to kill next time."
Vance crashed onto the ground after Arnold pushed him away. No one could hear what he said but Vance was trembling so they assumed it was a threat. Seeing the Sword Master on his butt while his opponent came out unscratched, even down to his clothes… this feeling was indescribable.
Arnold then turned back, heading towards the school building in calm strides.
Feldina and Ariane collapsed on their knees from the killing intent being directed straight at them.
No one knew what they were feeling at that moment. However, the fact that a stare alone could make them submit so easily means it was something normal humans like these students could never withstand.
Miraculously, Arnold walked past the trembling duo while his father was screaming in pain and the Sword Master was looking up at the sky blankly.
If his intention was to kill, all four of them would've been dead a long time ago.
To Luke and the rest, this was a message to anyone who stood in his way of achieving his revenge.
But one has to wonder—what kind of death did he experience for him to be filled with such hatred?
Is death itself torture and not instant like the Church says it is? Would any person who gets revived after being murdered have the same kind of hatred as Arnold has for Arthur?
Luke also wondered just why… why is his "beloved" brother so kind even after fate tortured him so and is now standing in his way?