Hal saw that Zachariel was still alive.
“Amelia, it’s Zach. He’s still alive, let’s go!”
Amelia nodded to him and followed behind.
Zachariel was panting heavily.
He did not expect that the platform would light up and explode violently.
His parents’ talents were not that excellent so he anticipated that he had at least a grade 4 mana core. Lighting up the platform should have been enough.
`It’s probably because of that.`
He thought of something but was cut off in the middle of the process when he heard someone calling out for him.
“Zach! Are you okay?!”
Zachariel looked over and saw that it was the twins.
Hal wanted to come over but was blocked by an imperium guard.
“What are you doing?! That’s my Brother Zach. I need to help him up!”
“Step back kid. We still don’t know whether he’s innocent or not. If you’re going to force your way through, we’re going to treat you as his accomplice if he is convicted of crimes against the Imperium.”
“What?! That’s- “
Hal could not believe what they were saying right now. Zachariel was a criminal?
`There’s absolutely no way my brother is that kind of person!`
“Imperium guards, stand down.”
Emperor Marcus gave the order to the imperium guards. The guards immediately followed and let their weapons and shields down.
Hal also behaved himself.
Emperor Marcus then gave William the signal.
William acknowledged his Imperial Majesty’s order and inquired about Zachariel.
“Student, what’s your name?”
Zachariel stood up while staggering. He was feeling dizzy and his breathing was still unstable. He looked over to where William was.
He first stabilized his breathing, before straightening himself up and introduced himself.
“Sir. I am Zachariel Strom, heir of the Strom Household.”
Everyone was surprised when he introduced his identity.
“Strom? Isn’t that Madman Strom’s family?”
“So, he’s that person’s grandson?”
“Why would he destroy the platform? Did something happen?”
The students and the officials started to gossip.
“Zachariel?”
Sabrina looked over and saw that it was Zachariel. `Did he really blew the entire platform?`
Victoria Spencer also saw him. She felt that her heart was broken when she saw him in that state.
`Wait, why am I feeling worried about him all of a sudden? We don’t know each other and we haven’t even met before.`
She was confused about her sudden feelings for him.
The Ferreira twins on the other hand had a different discussion.
“Look Lina, he blew up the entire 50 meters around his platform. He’s strong. I want to fight him, I want to fight him!”
She had already equipped herself with chains and readied herself to jump and fight Zachariel.
“Sister, stop it!”
She held Luna with all her strength in case she would end up killing him instead of fighting him.
`I can’t believe she would act this way when the situation is serious!`
On the Strom Household, Grandfather Albert was looking at the magic screen and witnessed the explosion.
`So it’s come, huh.`
It looks like he should have told Zachariel about that.
`It’s too late now. Zachariel, I’m sorry. Your grandpa has grown weak. I’m really sorry.`
He closed his eyes and tears fell. He closed the magic screen and went out.
Back on the square, William inquired more about the explosion incident from Zachariel.
“Zachariel Strom, briefly explain to us what did you do for the platform to have exploded.”
“When I tried inserting my hand into the device, the platform lit up then exploded.”
William narrowed his eyes.
`Interesting. If that was what really happened, then it only implies one thing.`
He looked at where Prince Kane Cromwell was.
`Zachariel’s talent surpasses that of Prince Kane Cromwell. I wonder what his Imperial Majesty may think of this.`
He looked at Emperor Marcus’s expression. Although Emperor Marcus had shown a poker face, William knew what his Imperial Majesty was thinking.
`Brat, I don’t know if whether you are lucky or unlucky. I hope his Imperial Majesty would be lenient to you.`
Now that the culprit said it themselves, many began to believe that the explosion occurred not because of an attack, but because of Zachariel’s talent.
Some were still doubtful, however.
“Hahaha! Trash like you is giving out lame excuses!”
Many looked over to where the voice came from. The man who shouted just now was Sam Hearst.
He had an evil grin plastered on his face.
`You bastard! I’m going to set you up.`
“Sir William, I believe that he intentionally destroyed the platform because his talent was trash! He was unable to accept the reality that’s why he started a commotion! I believe that this type of student should be expelled, be fed to the demon beasts, and have his mana core extracted out!”
Sam exaggerated his accusations. His hatred against Zachariel was deep and he wanted to push him down to the ground in front of everybody.
Sam, however, did not get the reactions he had expected. Instead, everybody looked at him with extreme hostility and mocking because of what he just had said.
`Ha! You dare call yourself a Prospect candidate and you’re this dumb?!`
`Intentionally destroy the platform? Even peak gold-level warriors can’t leave any scratch, much less an unranked student like him!`
`You even dare to mock him and call him trash and have him fed to the demon beasts and his mana core extracted!`
`This Prospect candidate is no doubt a dead person.`
Even William could not believe that the son of Lucas Hearst would behave in such a way and blurt out a taboo.
“Audacious!”
Bruce charged out to Sam Hearst.
He struck his palm onto Sam’s body and destroyed his entire mana and dantian cultivation.
Sam vomited blood and dropped to the ground. He did not expect that he was the one targeted instead.
`I’m the son of the Hearst family and a Prospect candidate! Why am I being punished instead?`
He tried standing back up.
“You! How dare you assault me, a Prospect candidate? I’m going to tell my father to kill you!”
Blood was flowed out from his mouth, and an intense killing intent could be seen in his eyes.
`Oh sh*t! He even threatened a dean of a Great School.`
`No doubt he’s a Prospect. A genius in the league of being shameless, idiotic, and retardation! Nobody could ever surpass him in that!`
Even Emperor Marcus became hostile against Sam Hearst.
`Such a display of behavior and personality is unforgivable, even from someone of nobility.`
“Sam Hearst. You are guilty of desecrating a fellow human by having his mana core extracted, and baseless accusations which you do not have evidence, thereof.”
Bruce started declaring the crimes that Sam Hearst had committed. He narrowed his eyes and looked at him coldly.
“In addition, you are also guilty of threatening the life of a dean of one of the six Great Schools!”
“Your Imperial Majesty, what is your verdict?”
Bruce looked over to Emperor Marcus.
“The punishment is death.”
Emperor Marcus did not hesitate to declare Sam’s punishment. To have the mana core of a fellow human extracted was an unforgivable crime. The Imperium and the rest of the Alliance were impartial in this matter.
Sam Hearst could not believe that he was going to die. He looked over to where his father was and pleaded for help by reaching out his hand.
“Father! Help me, I’m innocent! These people are abusing their power against me, a great Prospect candidate of the Great Human Imperium!”
“They are saying that I’ve violated the laws when I have not! I-!”
“Enough! I don’t have a son like you and I will never consider you one.”
Lucas Hearst immediately shut down his son.
“I, Lucas Hearst, the current Lord of the Hearst household, declare that Sam Hearst is now exiled from the family. He will no longer be associated from the Hearst household.”
`You son of a b*tch. You even tried to implicate me about your situation. You deserve to die.`
Lucas cursed in his mind.
`As for that b*tch, I’m going to teach her a lesson later. How incompetent and irresponsible of her to have grown a son like this!`
“Guards, drag him away from here then execute him!”
Bruce ordered the guards to drag Sam Hearst away. He fought back but the guards knocked him out and dragged him out of the square. Nobody paid attention to him.
“Your Imperial Majesty, what about Zachariel Strom?”
Bruce inquired about this young lad’s fate.
“Your Imperial Majesty, I believe that Zachariel Strom is innocent, and the explosion is merely the aftereffect of his immensely pure and large volume of mana within his body.”
William gave his own opinion on the matter.
“William, are you implying that his talent is better than Prince Kane Cromwell? This is a blatant display of mocking the Royal Family, punishable by death!”
Josef gritted his teeth with indignation. As a dean of the Great Weaponry School and a loyal supporter of the Royal Family, he would not back down when the Royal Family was being challenged.
“Josef Rezek, Sir William didn’t say anything about that. You’re the one who is exaggerating here.”
One of the officials retorted his opinion. He was a loyal supporter of the revolutionary faction with William. They wanted to accept as many talents as possible for the development of the Great Human Imperium.
The dignitaries from the other races watched amusingly.
`Hoho, Emperor Marcus. You call your son the Child of Destiny and this happens. Are you going to kill that brat?`
`Keh, if you’re going to deal with him, at least give him to us instead. We’ll gladly take care of him in your stead.`
Tarron Venvaris sneered in his mind. He was leading the dignitaries from the Elden Conglomerate and he didn’t expect that such an issue would happen.
`It would be a waste if someone like him with a great talent would die just because an Emperor could not hold onto his jealousy for his beloved Child of Destiny.`
If things come to worst, he would kidnap that brat and get out of here. The Great Elden Conglomerate has always opened their arms to anyone with exceptional talent, even if their talent was superior to those of the children of the higher-ups.
Emperor Marcus was conflicted.
`The explosion obviously occurred because of Zachariel’s immense talent in mana cultivation.`
`There’s also absolutely no way that he works with those people of the Dark Underground Factions. Albert would never allow that.`
`However…`
He could not accept that someone more talented than his son would appear. It would have been better if Zachariel’s talent was inferior.
Before he could decide, a voice suddenly came from above.
“That won’t be necessary, Emperor Marcus”.
Everyone looked to the source of the voice.
Above where Zachariel stood, the space cracked and a ghost-like figure emerged from it.
