Chapter 144: [142] Barnishment!
Then, just as suddenly as he'd moved to defend Levi, the seventh elder returned to his seat. His walking stick tapped against the floor three times as he settled back into his throne, each tap echoing through the hall like a gong being struck.
Levi stood frozen for several seconds, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. The favor? What favor? When had the seventh elder ever owed him anything? They'd never even spoken before this trial!
Levi sighed in relief as he wiped the sweat and blood from his face with trembling hands. The blood wasn't from any external injury, he'd actually bitten through his own tongue during that confrontation, the stress and fear causing him to clench his jaw with such force that he'd drawn blood. The metallic taste filled his mouth, but he was too shaken to care.
He'd been one hundredth of a second away from death. If the seventh elder hadn't reacted with such incredible speed, if the old man had hesitated even for a moment, Levi's head would have exploded like a watermelon being struck by a sledgehammer. He would have died no doubt.
The first elder, who had remained silent throughout the confrontation, now spoke. His voice carried absolute authority, brooking no argument or dissent. "We shall now deliberate on the appropriate punishment for Levi Borne's actions. The facts are clear, he killed two fellow students during the dimensional zone operation. Regardless of the circumstances or justifications, such actions cannot go unpunished. The academy's rules must be upheld, or we descend into chaos."
The elders began to discuss among themselves, their voices creating a low murmur that filled the hall. Some argued for leniency, pointing out the self-defense aspect and Chris's clear malicious intent. Others demanded harsh punishment, citing the need to maintain discipline and order. The third elder, unsurprisingly, called for execution, though his suggestion was quickly shot down by the majority.
After what felt like an eternity but was probably only ten minutes, the first elder raised his hand. The discussions immediately ceased, all eyes turning toward the head of the council.
"We have reached a decision," the first elder declared, his voice echoing through the suddenly silent hall. "Levi Borne, you are hereby judged for the killing of two academy students, Chris Valor and Tomkin Greaves. While we acknowledge that elements of self-defense existed in these incidents, the academy cannot simply overlook such actions without consequence. To do so would set a dangerous precedent and undermine the very foundations of our institution."
Levi's heart sank as he heard his fate being pronounced. He'd known punishment was inevitable, but hearing it spoken aloud made it feel suddenly, terrifyingly real.
"Your rewards for achieving first place in the trial examination will not be given to you," the first elder continued, each word falling like a hammer blow. "Instead, these resources will be used to compensate the academy for the disruption you've caused and to provide reparations to the families of the deceased students. This includes the Chaos Points, the techniques, the relics, and all other prizes that were promised to the first-place finisher."