My Tribrid System: More than a Monster

Chapter 473

"Aspirant Flinn, is it?" Jack asked as he stared at the Aspirant who was now on his feet.

Flinn nodded.

Kai’s hands tightened into fists, veins snaking across the back of his palms as he glared daggers at the boy.

’Now I know why he looked familiar. This bastard too?!’

"Step forward and give your testimony."

With the order given, Flinn walked forward until he was standing side by side with Berg.

"Before you begin, I have to warn you that this entire hall is fitted with crystals and cores from beasts that possess the ability to detect the truth or lies."

Jack’s gaze narrowed.

"And if you tell a lie, I can detect it right here. If I detect even an ounce of a lie, you will be in trouble. Is that understood?"

Flinn tightened his hands behind his back.

He swallowed hard but maintained his composure on the outside as much as he could.

"Yes, I understand."

Jack nodded.

"Good. Now begin."

The man slumped back into his chair, preparing to listen.

Flinn’s gaze flickered toward Ray.

Brown eyes met grey ones for a brief second.

Then the Aspirant turned his gaze back toward the room.

"I can’t remember the exact date, but it was just a few days after we had been accepted into the Corps."

He paused.

"I was outside with my friends when a pauper Aspirant knocked into me and didn’t apologize at all."

Flinn’s expression hardened.

"I requested that he apologize, but he refused. So I was disciplining him in front of everybody so he would learn his lesson."

Flinn paused before turning his head toward Ray.

"...Then Aspirant Dawson came out of nowhere and attacked me. He pushed me away and threatened me right in front of every single person there."

He took a breath.

"And when I warned him to step away, he refused, saying something about me attacking his best friend or something like that."

Flinn shook his head.

"I tried explaining what happened, but he refused to listen. Then he challenged me to a fight."

His hands tightened behind his back.

"I warned him that my Meta Grade was higher than his. I’m a Meta-Human while he was just a normal human, but he refused and challenged me anyway."

Flinn’s fist tightened as he recalled what had happened that day.

"...Not wanting to lose face in front of everybody, I decided to accept."

His eyes narrowed.

"And we battled."

He paused.

"Initially, I was winning. Then, all of a sudden, I felt a pressure and killing intent like never before."

A shiver ran through his body.

"It disoriented me for a while. Then Aspirant Dawson vanished from where he stood, which was five metres away."

Flinn’s gaze darkened.

"He appeared before me and began overwhelming and pummelling me with hit after hit without stopping."

Berg suddenly turned toward Flinn, causing him to stop.

Then, with a smile, he tilted his head.

"I believe you remember what Aspirant Dawson said to you while hitting you?"

Flinn nodded.

"I’m sure he must have said something."

Flinn turned his gaze toward the jury.

"He kept repeating one word over and over again until I lost consciousness."

Jack’s brow rose.

"Which was?"

Flinn’s face scrunched up.

His body began shivering as though the memory itself frightened him.

Then, with a weak voice, he uttered:

"Die. Die. Die, bastard. Die."

"Enough."

Berg calmly interrupted.

He turned toward Jack.

"Now you see, that day, he beat Flinn to the point of unconsciousness and even continued hitting him with the sole aim of killing him."

His voice remained calm.

"Nobody could step forward to help that day because he was raging like the monster he truly is."

Berg rubbed his face and sniffed, pretending to be overcome with sadness.

"Only one of his friends was able to knock him out in time. Otherwise, today..."

He paused.

"...Today, Aspirant Flinn wouldn’t be standing here with us."

"...."

The room fell almost completely silent, save for the whispers spreading among the audience and even some of the jury members.

Jack appeared deep in thought as he stared between Berg and Flinn below.

"And which of his friends was that?" he questioned.

Berg wiped his face before pointing toward the stands.

"Aspirant Kai Larson."

Jack’s eyes widened in horror for a moment.

His heart pounded loudly against his ribcage.

’La-La-Larson? What’s a fucking Larson doing here? An-and he is friends with the accused? Sh-shit.’

Berg noticed that the man wasn’t saying anything and lifted a brow.

"Sir? Is everything okay?"

’No. I-I need to conduct this fairly. I’m sure the Larsons would understand, right?’

Straightening himself in his seat, Jack nodded.

"Step forward, Kai Larson."

Without hesitation, Kai rose from his seat and walked forward.

Jack examined him for several seconds before asking:

"Were you there on the day Aspirant Flinn was attacked?"

Kai folded his hands behind his back and straightened his posture.

"No, sir. I came afterwards."

"And what did you see?"

Kai gnashed his teeth tightly.

"I saw Aspirant Ray sitting over Flinn’s body while repeatedly smashing his knuckles into his face."

Berg smirked.

"But—"

Kai was about to continue when Berg cut him off almost immediately.

"—So you see, even his friend testifies to the accused’s brutality."

Berg turned toward the jury.

"And this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the accused’s impulsive tendencies."

Van couldn’t take it anymore.

He couldn’t just sit there while listening to his best friend’s name being slandered like that.

Anger coursed through his veins, and before he even realized what he was doing, he shot to his feet furiously.

"Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! You are one bastard of a liar! How dare you conspire and make up such a damn lie while twisting the truth?!"

Van screamed as he glared daggers at Berg and Flinn.

"Aspirant Van..."

Jack called out in a warning tone.

"Sir, they are all lying!"

"Are we?" Berg asked with a raised brow.

"Are you saying that Ray didn’t attack Flinn?"

"He did."

Van’s fists tightened.

"But he did it to save me from Flinn’s hands. That bastard over there was bullying me in front of every single soul!"

His voice echoed through the chamber.

"I bumped into him accidentally, and he decided to bully me just to make himself feel better."

Van pointed toward Flinn.

"Nobody. Not a single soul stepped forward to help me when Flinn was bashing me repeatedly and I was bleeding."

His chest rose and fell heavily.

"Ray stepped forward to confront him despite being weaker than Flinn. He did it to protect me, and that was because Flinn and his gang were jealous of my friend’s rapid growth during training."

Van’s gaze hardened.

"They couldn’t take it anymore—"

"—So is that why your best friend decided he wanted to kill Flinn?"

Berg cut the boy off with a frown.

"Does that justify wanting to kill another Aspirant?"

Van was left tongue-tied for a moment.

Ray’s nails dug into his palms as he listened to everything being said.

Berg turned around to face Jack.

"This di—"

He stopped.

Then his eyes shifted toward Ray.

"Aspirant Dawson, do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Ray didn’t reply.

He simply lifted his head slowly and stared directly at Berg.

Seconds passed.

Then those seconds stretched into nearly a minute.

Ray tilted his head slightly.

He sighed.

Then he slowly began rising to his full height.

It took some struggle because of the chains, but after a minute, he was finally standing, his body still tightly pressed against the metallic pole.

"Yes."

His voice was calm.

"I have some questions for Aspirant Flinn."

Jack leaned back into his chair.

"Very well, then."