Under the suffocating coalescence of clouds, several figures were rapidly descending to the Academy grounds. Their descent was accompanied by loud noises of air splitting apart. The man in the front had a tired look but his eyes were sharp enough to kill a person. His gaze spread around, washing over everyone in the Academy. His threatening gaze was scrutinising every single person present. He looked at the students who were standing in their balconies and windows to look at him with deep respect in their eyes.

His scrutinising gaze passed through several buildings when his attention suddenly stopped on one of the children. He looked at a particular balcony, where two young tall children were looking at him. One with a heavy frown on his face while the other one looked with slightly wide eyes.

“That’s Erwin and Maria’s child.” Nathan Goodstay, the Royal Advisor, spoke up behind the King.

King Acacia’s gaze hovered over Sirius for a moment. Nostalgic memories rushed to his mind forcing his eyes closed. He sighed ruefully as he pushed those memories aside and shifted his attention elsewhere.

He looked at Cecilia and Sorsha carrying a child inside in a hurry. His gaze flickered for a moment as he looked at the battered body of Marcus being carried into the Academy. The shine in his eyes increased as he said in a low gravelly voice, “The Academy can’t even protect its students inside the academy grounds. How miserable!”

He raised his hand to signal the people behind him. Several figures moved out from behind the King and started to spread out.

“Find the heinous culprit who dared to do such a thing to a noble child of my kingdom.” King Acacia’s voice fell like a mountain on the students. The weight of his presence and the weight of his dignity was enough to make anyone bow in submission.

While his main reason for coming to the Academy was to capture the Star, he had to find a genuine reason to search the academy. The state of Marcus was a pleasant surprise. He couldn’t help but think that Heavens was truly on his side. There was excitement in his eyes as he thought of the endless possibilities of his majestic future. He wasn’t afraid of the Star at this point. He knew that the Star was nothing but a child right now. It would only be in a few more years that the Star would show his frightening abilities. If he could reel the Star in before he truly developed, no one would be able to stop him from unifying the mainland.

While thoughts of happiness and greed swirled in Acacia’s mind, his people had started to fly towards the dormitory. They were the people from the Royal Court of Ruvonne. Every single one of them was well known throughout the mainland. Some for their prowess while some for their contributions.

“That’s Louis Ainsworth, one of The Royal Knights!”

“Isn’t that Duke Lawrence Sleford?”

“That’s Minister Nicolas Estney!”

Students gasped as they saw many respectable individuals. Every face that emerged from behind King Acacia was well known in Ruvonne and beyond.

It was then that the air around them rippled suddenly, space distorting as if caging them inside. The figures stopped and turned to look at an extremely old man that was standing calmly in the air. King Acacia Stone also looked at him without a change in his expression.

“Sionn Innis. Are you trying to halt us from performing His Majesty’s orders?” Someone said.

Sionn was standing calmly while facing many imposing figures. His face was as serene as his heart while he looked straight at the King. He bowed slightly, greeting the King that stood in front of him.

“Greetings, Your Majesty. I apologise if my actions gave you the expression of disrespect. However….” Sionn straightened his back as he looked straight in the eyes of Acacia and said straightforwardly, “This is the Academy of Baelor. I hope His Majesty is not trying to intervene in the Academy’s matter.”

King Acacia narrowed his eyes, looking straight at the old man. He could see that Sionn was not going to let them do whatever they wanted. Acacia’s eyes darted around as he tried to search for a particular person. He had noticed two other professors before and now Sionn was blocking his way. He didn’t see Headmaster Judas Serapio anywhere. It was a relief to him that the troublesome limp bastard wasn’t here at the moment. But for some reason, there was this nagging feeling deep in his heart that he was forgetting something. He couldn’t understand why he felt that way, so he stopped paying attention to it.

“Call Judas out. I will talk directly to him.” King Acacia tried to probe. He wanted to know if Judas was present in the Academy. He would, after all, have to change his approach if he was present.

“Headmaster is not in the Academy. You can leave a message. I would be sure to pass it on to him.” Sionn said.

“Hmph. The Academy has really deteriorated. Only three professors and now, even the students are being harmed. Is there any need for this academy to exist anymore?” Acacia said in a righteous tone. However, his eyes flickered and narrowed down instantly. Those weren’t the words he wanted to say and yet, they came out of his mouth as if it was only natural.

“The Academy was established by The Sword God himself. Since when has the throne of Ruvonne become greater than the words of a God?” Sionn said with a mocking smile, completely unsuited to his character.

King Acacia looked at Sionn’s mocking smile and that nagging feeling came right back. He still couldn’t put his finger at the core of that feeling but words kept flowing out of his mouth, “The dead are long gone, old man. You should begin to see the sky that’s above you currently.”

Acacia’s eyes opened wide as soon as these words left his mouth. He never wanted to say such things but he couldn’t control his own mouth for some reason. He looked at Sionn, who was still smiling creepily when suddenly, the corners of lips tore apart ear to ear. The smile became hideous, decorated with blood and hanging pieces of flesh.

A chill ran down his spine as he hurriedly turned his neck to look at his ministers and knights when his breath stopped in his throat. His eyes bulged at the scene that greeted his eyes.

All of his followers were levitating in mid-air, with their necks twisted unnaturally. Their bodies were hanging from an invisible rope that swung the bodies gently. The eyes of his followers were wide open as they stared directly at their King. Their mouths opened at once and a shrill scream resounded in the sky.

Acacia turned pale at the sight. His head had stopped working and he couldn’t think straight. A chilling feeling was slowly creeping up inside him when he suddenly took his sword out. He grabbed the sword tightly in his right hand and swung it towards his left. His left hand was sliced apart cleanly. He closed his eyes, wincing from the sharp pain. He stayed in the same position with his eyes closed for a while, trying to calm his mind.

Clap clap.

He slowly opened his eyes when the sound of clapping was heard. He looked at the middle-aged, chubby man who was looking at him while clapping slowly. Acacia looked around to check on his followers and found them completely fine. They were still standing behind him and looking at him bewildered, trying to understand why their king had been standing silently ever since arriving in the academy. Acacia turned his eyes towards the plump man, rage burning his eyes ready to strike the man down at any moment.

“Willem!” King Acacia roared.

“Splendid, Your Majesty. You have become quite competent since the last time I met you. No wonder Ruvonne has become the most powerful nation on the Mainland.” Willem said, looking at Acacia with a mischievous look in his eyes.

Acacia was looking at Willem with hatred filled eyes. ‘If I could, I would have burned Willem alive and enjoyed as his smirk turned to agony.’

Acacia’s expression turned ugly. He shook his head and looked at Willem with fear. He had fallen for it again. Willem had once again played with his mind. It was a disgusting feeling. His emotions were out of control and he had to do everything in his power to keep his mind calm. Even the tiniest fluctuations in his mood would turn detrimental in front of Willem. Acacia understood where that nagging feeling came from earlier. Willem had started playing with his mind since who knows when. He had even forgotten about Willem’s existence.

He understood the terror of the unimposing and unamusing plump man in front of him.

“You!” Acacia’s eyes turned fierce. He was the King of the most powerful nation on the Mainland. He had never been humiliated to this degree before.

“Willem, are you trying to go against your King?” Acacia said in a threatening tone.

Willem chuckled, “Looks like the throne of Ruvonne breeds hubris nowadays. Your Majesty seems to be mistaken. Your Majesty is not my King and neither your words hold any sway in the matters of the Academy. Even if the castle of the Academy is situated in Your Majesty’s Kingdom, one shouldn’t forget that the Academy is an independent establishment. I wish you a safe return, Your Majesty. Your time is quite precious to be wasted on these small matters.”

Willem turned and started to walk back but stopped suddenly when he felt the mana in the vicinity tremble. The elements had also started converging towards Acacia slowly as he looked down upon everyone from high up in the sky. His manner had become far more threatening as he slowly activated his Heavens’ Gift.

“If it exists on the land of Ruvonne, then it naturally belongs to me.” Acacia’s voice reverberated. He wasn’t going back without the Star today. Judas not being here was a Heavens sent opportunity and he wasn’t going to miss it. Willem would be a terrifying opponent due to his bizarre powers, but he was confident of making him retreat.

Willem turned back and looked at the King with his eyes devoid of any expression. The mischievous glint had disappeared from his eyes and only severe boredom was remaining.

“Heavens Call,” Willem said softly.

Clouds in the sky massively undulated. Countless people throughout the Kingdom of Ruvonne woke up abruptly. Millions of people looked up at the sky as their eyes turned red at the divine scene they were greeted with. Acacia and his people also looked at the sky and their eyes widened in shock. Their hearts became restless and their breaths turned violent. It was a struggle to even breathe at the moment when they looked at the sky.

Acacia slowly turned his head, terrified at what he had seen and looked at Willem. Willem was just standing there with an impassive look in his eyes while staring at Acacia.

“Were you saying something, Your Majesty?”