Chapter 292 - 290 : Crimes and Answer

Chapter 292: Chapter 290 : Crimes and Answer

For several seconds, the Golden Colosseum seemed frozen in time.

Arthur was alive.

The boy everyone had mourned only moments earlier now stood beneath the shattered pillars, breathing, speaking, and smiling as though death had merely interrupted his afternoon. Yet before anyone could fully comprehend that impossible miracle, another sight demanded their attention.

Karina lay motionless on the arena floor.

The Saintess of Lumina Academy.

The sacred symbol of the Holy Empire.

Dead.

A faint trace of crimson mana still lingered around Jasmine’s hands, leaving no doubt about who had attacked her.

Jonathan stared at the fallen Saintess, his expression slowly twisting with rage. An overwhelming wave of killing intent suddenly burst from his body and swept across the arena, striking Jasmine with enough force to make several nearby students stumble backward. Jasmine tightened her grip around her sword, but she didn’t retreat. She simply stood her ground and met Jonathan’s furious gaze.

"Girl!"

Jonathan’s voice thundered across the ruined arena.

"Do you understand what you have done?"

Eliana instinctively stepped toward her daughter, but Jonathan immediately turned his fury toward her.

"Queen Eliana, you will answer for this."

His gray hair stirred violently beneath the pressure of his mana.

"The murder of the Saintess is among the most heinous crimes imaginable."

His eyes burned with fury.

"You and your empire will pay for this in blood."

Eliana’s face went pale.

She understood the consequences.

The Holy Empire would never treat Karina’s death as the isolated action of a single student. They would demand explanations, compensation, punishment—and perhaps even war.

’Who am I kidding?’

Her expression hardened.

’War is inevitable now.’

Attacking the Saintess was among the most heinous crimes imaginable within the Holy Empire, and Jasmine had crossed that line by killing her.

But one question still tormented Eliana.

Why?

Why had Jasmine done it?

Why had her daughter attacked the Saintess in front of every academy head, noble family, and influential figure present?

"Jasmine..."

Her voice was barely audible.

Jasmine didn’t answer.

Instead, she looked toward Arthur.

That single glance told Eliana more than an explanation ever could.

Jonathan noticed it as well.

His eyes narrowed.

Then he began walking toward Arthur.

"And you, boy."

Arthur remained completely still.

"You will also be held responsible. Do you think I failed to notice that you suppressed her—"

Before Jonathan could finish, darkness gathered behind him.

A towering shadow suddenly materialized from the blackness, its enormous hand closing around the back of Jonathan’s head.

BAM!

Jonathan was violently driven into the fractured arena floor.

Stone shattered beneath the impact as his body slammed into the ground. His mana faltered, and a sharp cry escaped him before he could regain control.

The surrounding adults recoiled.

Arthur calmly glanced toward the shadow standing over the fallen headmaster.

"Thank you, Barbatos."

The shadow gave a slight bow, its hollow eyes remaining fixed on Jonathan.

Sarah immediately stepped forward.

"Boy, what are you doing?"

Her killing intent swept across Arthur, sharp enough to make several students behind him stiffen.

Arthur didn’t move.

He didn’t even blink.

The boy who had just returned from death stood completely indifferent beneath her pressure.

His gaze shifted toward her.

"You will also have to take responsibility, Madam Sarah."

Sarah’s expression changed.

"What?"

"Your student, Amaya, helped cause this incident."

The atmosphere around them grew heavier.

Arthur pointed toward the surviving representatives.

"Bryan from Martial Star Academy. Ranga from Iron Fortress Academy. Christopher from Black Star Academy."

His gaze then shifted toward Karina’s lifeless body.

"And the Saintess."

Sarah stared at him in disbelief.

"Have you lost your mind?"

Arthur’s expression remained calm.

"They were involved in the abduction of the students."

His gaze swept across the gathered academy heads.

"They will answer for it. And their academies will have to answer for what happened under their supervision."

Amaya suddenly stepped forward. Some of the color had drained from her face, but she forced anger into her voice.

"He is talking nonsense."

She pointed directly at Arthur.

"Look at him. He came back from the dead, attacked a headmaster, and helped murder the Saintess."

Her eyes darted toward the adults surrounding them.

"He may be possessed by a demon. You cannot believe anything he says."

Arthur disappeared.

Amaya’s eyes widened.

Before she could react, he appeared directly in front of her.

SLAP!

The strike snapped her face violently to the side and sent her stumbling backward. She raised a trembling hand to her mouth, staring at Arthur in shock.

Arthur looked at her without the slightest trace of sympathy.

"Choose your next words carefully."

The surrounding atmosphere immediately became tense.

Weapons shifted.

Mana flared.

Several academy heads moved simultaneously, stepping into positions around Arthur before the confrontation could escalate further.

Then Sylvia spoke.

"Stop."

Her voice cut cleanly through the rising chaos.

She stepped forward, her golden eyes cold and merciless.

"If any one of you leaves so much as a scratch on my child..."

She paused.

The grief that had shaken her only moments earlier had completely disappeared.

In its place stood the matriarch of the Imperius Family.

"...I swear none of you will leave this arena alive."

The sound of boots striking stone immediately followed.

Dozens of Imperius guards moved into formation around the gathering, their weapons drawn as powerful mana erupted from their bodies. They didn’t point their weapons toward the students. Every blade and every gaze was directed toward the adults who had begun closing in around Arthur.

For a moment, the ruined Golden Colosseum stood on the edge of another battle.

Sarah slowly raised her hand.

"Enough."

Her gaze moved between Sylvia and Arthur.

"No one attacks anyone else."

Her expression hardened.

"First, we examine the evidence."

Arthur reached into his storage ring and retrieved a small bracelet. Without saying anything else, he tossed it toward Sarah.

She caught it and examined the object.

"What is this?"

"A recording."

Arthur’s eyes briefly settled on Jonathan, who was still struggling to rise beneath Barbatos’s watch.

"The Holy Empire’s people helped arrange this attack. They wanted the students taken, the tournament ruined, and Athena blamed for everything."

Athena stood several meters away.

Her gaze sharpened.

Arthur continued.

"And some of them intended to use that blame to force her under their control."

Jonathan’s expression tightened.

Sarah looked down at the bracelet.

A mana crystal had been embedded into its inner surface.

She infused it with a small amount of mana.

Immediately, light unfolded above her palm.

A holographic image appeared.

The demonic stadium.

A shadowed corner.

Karina stood surrounded by Amaya, Christopher, Ranga, and Bryan.

Their voices emerged clearly from the recording.

"Saintess, we did exactly what you told us to do."

Amaya’s recorded voice echoed through the ruined colosseum.

"We set up the teleportation devices exactly as you instructed."

Christopher’s recorded voice followed.

"You promised all of us prominent positions in the Holy Empire. Money. Power. Influence. That is why we supported you."

The recording continued.

Bryan demanded reassurance. Karina ordered them to remain silent about her involvement. They discussed erased evidence, the teleportation devices, the mysterious beings that had occupied their bodies, and the rewards they had been promised.

No one interrupted.

Even the remaining guards watched in silence.

When the recording finally ended, the holographic image disappeared.

Sarah’s fingers slowly closed around the bracelet.

For several seconds, she didn’t even look at Amaya.

Christopher was the first to break the silence.

"A recording proves nothing."

His voice came out far too quickly.

"It could be fabricated."

Arthur nodded.

"Precisely."

Christopher blinked.

Arthur looked at him calmly.

"You are right. A recording alone can be challenged."

He spread his hands slightly.

"So let us search your memories."

The color immediately drained from Christopher’s face.

Arthur continued.

"Search mine as well. Compare them. Have neutral witnesses oversee the process."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Then we will know who is lying."

Christopher opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

His silence said more than any denial could have.

Then Layla stepped forward.

"I also gathered witnesses."

Arthur glanced toward her.

She briefly met his eyes before turning toward the academy heads.

"Four members of the colosseum’s security staff saw these representatives moving through restricted areas last night."

She gestured behind her.

Four guards were brought forward in restraints.

Their uniforms were torn and covered in dust. None of them dared to meet the eyes of the students they had helped endanger.

Layla continued.

"They accepted bribes to remain silent."

Sarah’s expression grew colder.

"They were also instructed to delete sections of the security footage."

One guard lowered his head.

"It is true."

Another swallowed nervously before speaking.

"They installed devices near the service passages and beneath the arena platforms."

Jenos immediately asked, "What kind of devices?"

The guard shook his head.

"We weren’t told. But they were connected to mana conduits."

Layla answered.

"Spatial power sources. The same kind used to support large-scale teleportation formations."

Bryan’s jaw tightened.

Ranga stared at the ground.

Christopher’s hand trembled slightly at his side.

Amaya looked from one adult to another, desperately searching for an opening that no longer existed.

Sarah finally turned toward her.

"Amaya."

The girl flinched.

"Is this true?"

"I... I..."

Sarah stepped closer.

"Do not lie to me."

Her voice became frighteningly quiet.

"If you lie now, after putting my students in danger, I will deal with you myself."

Amaya’s remaining composure shattered.

"I didn’t want to do it."

The words came rushing out.

"It was Karina."

She pointed toward the Saintess’s body.

"She made us do it. She arranged everything."

Her breathing became uneven.

"It was all her fault."

The other academy heads stared at her.

There it was.

Not an accusation.

Not a suspicious recording.

A confession.

Arthur slowly turned away from Amaya.

At the same time, Barbatos released Jonathan.

The elderly headmaster immediately tried to straighten his robes and recover what remained of his dignity.

Arthur walked toward him.

Jonathan barely had time to react before Arthur grabbed him by the collar and pulled him upright.

"And this old bastard was involved too."

Jonathan’s eyes widened.

"This is an outrageous accusation."

Arthur stared directly into his eyes.

"Then volunteer your memories."

Jonathan’s mouth immediately closed.

The silence surrounding them became absolute.

Arthur leaned closer.

"That’s what I thought."

Jonathan’s fear quickly transformed into anger.

"Prepare yourself, boy."

His voice shook, but he forced authority into it.

"The Holy Empire will come for you."

He looked down at Arthur’s hand gripping his collar.

"If you touch even a hair on my head, you will be hunted—"

SLAP!

Sylvia’s hand struck him across the face before Arthur could respond.

Jonathan stumbled backward, lost his footing, and crashed several meters away onto the broken stone.

Sylvia stood beside her son.

"If you want a war..."

Her golden eyes became cold.

"...then prepare for one."

No one laughed.

No one mistook her words for an empty threat.

BOOM!

A sudden impact shook the arena.

Something had landed nearby.

Dust rolled across the cracked floor as every weapon immediately turned toward the source.

A tall figure slowly emerged from the settling cloud.

Dark hair.

Amber eyes.

A torn sleeve.

Traces of battle still marked his clothes.

Adrian Evan Imperius.

The pressure surrounding him was so intense that several people instinctively stepped backward before realizing what they had done.

Adrian’s gaze moved across the ruined arena.

First, Karina’s body.

Then Jonathan.

Then Arthur.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"What is happening here?"

Sylvia answered without taking her eyes off Jonathan.

"It seems the Holy Empire wants to go to war with Arthur."

Adrian raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

His gaze shifted toward Jonathan.

The elderly headmaster opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

Adrian stared at him for another moment before turning toward Arthur.

"Say, Arthur."

Arthur’s expression became slightly guarded.

"Do you want my help?"

Adrian glanced toward the gathered nobles and academy heads.

"You can’t win a war alone."

Sylvia stepped closer to Arthur.

"This time, please."

Her voice softened.

"Put your pride aside and let us help you."

Arthur looked at her.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then his gaze slowly shifted toward Adrian.

The entire gathering seemed to hold its breath.

Arthur straightened.

"Father."

Sylvia’s eyes widened.

Adrian’s faint smile faded into a more attentive expression.

"I’m listening."

Arthur raised his hand.

Then he calmly showed Adrian his middle finger.

Silence.

An entire arena full of people seemed to stop breathing.

A vein twitched on Adrian’s forehead.

Around them, several mouths fell open.

Even Jonathan momentarily forgot about his fear.

Sylvia closed her eyes.

Layla pressed a hand against her forehead.

And Arthur stood there perfectly composed, as though he had just given the most reasonable answer in the world.