Extra Of The Magus Academy-Chapter 91: Exposed

The grand arena was alight with anticipation.

It was finally time for the official declaration of the winner of the Academy Exchange, as well as the grand prize that would go to each student who won.

The stage, adorned with banners from all the competing academies, glittered under the brilliance of magical lanterns.

Students and spectators alike cheered as the winners of each stage took their place at the front of the stage. The air was charged with excitement, the energy of the Exchange Matches still drifting in the air.

Ash stood silently to one side of the stage, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd and the Nirvana Gate contingent.

Dredd Zerik, the Expert Stage winner from Nirvana Gate Academy, stood confidently in the center, basking in the glory of their newly achieved status as the top academy. His demeanor was smug, his shoulders squared, exuding an air of invincibility.

As the Beatrice Lampshade, very clearly trying to hide her dissatisfaction, began to step forward to announce the final results, a voice rang out, cutting through the cheers like a blade.

"Wait!"

All heads turned as Seth Zephyr strode onto the stage, his presence commanding and his voice steady.

The crowd murmured in confusion, but the Nirvana Gate students immediately tensed. D

redd’s smirk faltered for a split second before he recovered, crossing his arms with a cocky grin.

Seth stopped at the center of the stage, his eyes locking onto Dredd.

"Before we crown Nirvana Gate Academy as the new top academy, there’s something everyone here needs to know."

Beatrice Lampshade raised an eyebrow but gestured for him to continue.

Seth turned to the crowd, his voice ringing loud and clear.

"Dredd Zerik cheated. During the Expert Finals, he used a Tainted Spirit to overpower Nero Desgarron. Everyone knows that only normal Spirits are permitted in matches like these—Tainted Spirits are forbidden because of their volatile and uncontrollable nature."

The crowd erupted into murmurs, the words "cheating" and "Tainted Spirit" rippling through the audience.

Normally, Mages of the Empire were only allowed to contract with normal Spirits, hence it was practically unorthodox for a Mage to be in possession—not to mention utilize—a Tainted Spirit.

Since they were thought to be uncontrollable, the revelation that Tainted Spirits could be used to cheat in the Exchange was a stark one.

It caused many to frown at the absurdity and severity of the situation.

However, at the moment, there was one matter that held even higher priority than the Tainted Spirit accusation.

"Me…?" Dredd stepped forward, raising his hands in mock disbelief.

"Cheated? That’s a bold accusation, Zephyr. Do you have any proof, or is this just a case of sore losers trying to save face?"

Seth’s jaw tightened, but before he could respond, Ash stepped up beside him, his usual calm demeanor unshaken.

"If you doubt my brother, then check his Soul for his Familiar," Ash said, his voice carrying across the stage. "If he’s innocent, you’ll find nothing unusual."

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The Head Of Student Affairs frowned, turning in the direction of the seated Vice Head of the Academy.

She wanted to know what to do.

As one would expect, the Vice Head was also frowning, but he nodded at her. This allowed her to motion for a team of Soul Inspectors to step forward.

The inspection was swift, and moments later, one of the inspectors announced:

"We checked his Soul. The Familiar is normal and resides within his Soul as it should."

The tension shifted immediately. The Nirvana Gate students relaxed, and Dredd’s grin widened.

"See?" Dredd said, spreading his arms as if addressing the entire crowd. "Nothing but baseless accusations. I’d like to formally accuse the Zephyr brothers of slander. Clearly, their jealousy knows no bounds."

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, and several eyes turned to Ash and Seth with suspicion.

But Ash didn’t flinch.

Instead, he turned to Seth, who then smiled faintly, his eyes sharp as they locked onto Dredd.

"You’re good, I’ll give you that. But, let’s not pretend that there aren’t other ways to go about it. Hiding the Tainted Spirit within a Soul Crystal is a clever trick to use, and its efficient since the Spirit won’t be able to taint your soul, presenting little to no danger to yourself. If you use that method, the Tainted Spirit doesn’t reside in your Soul and can’t be detected by standard inspections."

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Beatrice sighed as she turned to Dredd.

"Do you have a Soul Crystal in your possession?"

"Of course not. They already checked me, didn’t they? There’s nothing on me because I’m innocent." Dredd shook his head confidently.

The crowd’s murmur grew louder, the momentum shifting further in Dredd’s favor.

Seth clenched his fists, but Ash placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"He’s right," Ash admitted, his smile not wavering. "He most likely doesn’t have it on him now. But that’s because he was smart enough to leave it behind before coming on stage."

Dredd’s confidence faltered ever so slightly, but he quickly masked it with a laugh.

"This is ridiculous. You’re grasping at straws, Zephyr. Admit your loss gracefully."

"If my brother is wrong, he and I will drop out of the academy and forfeit our positions here. I swear it on the honor of the Zephyr family." Ash stepped forward, addressing the Vice Head directly.

The audience gasped at the bold declaration, and even Seth looked at his brother in shock.

Ash continued, his voice steady.

"But if I’m right, I ask only one thing: search Dredd Zerik’s room. A Tainted Spirit requires nourishment—specifically, energy from Spirit Stones to survive. If he truly used a Tainted Spirit, there will be Spirit Stones in his quarters. I stake everything on this claim."

Charles Zellium, the Vice Head, hesitated for a moment, but the weight of Ash’s words and the seriousness of his oath left him no choice.

"Search his quarters immediately." He nodded to a group of officials.

Dredd’s confident facade remained, but for the first time, he looked genuinely annoyed.

"This is absurd! You’re letting them drag my name through the mud without proof!" He yelled out.

But the officials were already moving.

The audience watched in hushed anticipation as the minutes dragged on like hours.

Ash and Seth exchanged a glance, a small smile passing between them. As the crowd roared around them, Seth leaned toward his brother.

"You’re insane, you know that?"

"Insanity’s just another word for genius, Seth." Ash chuckled

"You better be sure about this… Our lives here are at stake."

Ash gave no response to this, but his lips curled even wider as he thought very loudly to himself.

’I am!’

********

[Moments Later]

’Hehe… fools.’

Dredd Zerik stood on the stage, a confident smirk now growing on his face even as the officials left to search his room.

His composure was unshaken, a quiet satisfaction burning in his chest.

’They can search all they want,’ he thought to himself. ’I wouldn’t be foolish enough to keep the Spirit Stones in my room. Those were disposed of this morning. As for the Soul Crystal, it’s in safekeeping where no one will ever find it. Let them dig; they’ll come up empty-handed.’

The murmurs of the crowd rose and fell as the tension hung thick in the air. Ash and Seth waited calmly, but Ash’s piercing gaze remained locked on Dredd, who refused to meet his eyes.

Moments later, the officials returned, their expressions a mixture of triumph and stern disapproval.

One of them stepped forward, holding a small pouch in his gloved hand. The pouch radiated a faint, ominous glow, and the audience gasped as the official opened it, revealing several Spirit Stones.

The headmaster’s voice boomed across the arena.

"We have found Spirit Stones in Dredd Zerik’s quarters. These stones bear the crest of the Asura Spirit Academy, which matches well with the stolen report that they made a few days back."

The arena erupted into chaos.

Gasps of shock, accusations, and whispers of disbelief rippled through the crowd.

Dredd’s smirk finally faltered, his eyes widening ever so slightly.

"W-what?" he whispered under his breath.

’That’s impossible... I got rid of them. There’s no way—’

His thoughts were interrupted as he glanced at the two brothers who were grinning even more than before.

’Bastards! You planted those, didn’t you? I used Spirit Stones, sure… but I never stolen from the Asura Spirit Academy!’

But how could he admit his innocence and report the twins without implicating himself in the process?

"Order." The Vice Head raised a hand to quiet the crowd.

His expression was grim as he addressed Dredd.

"This is a serious offense, Dredd Zerik. These Spirit Stones were reported stolen by the Asura Spirit Academy, and now they’ve been found in your quarters. While further investigation will determine whether you cheated using a Tainted Spirit, the mere act of possessing stolen property is grounds for disqualification. The Nirvana Gate Academy is hereby disqualified from the Exchange Matches."

The announcement sent shockwaves through the crowd. The representatives from Nirvana Gate Academy stood in stunned silence, their victory snatched away in an instant.

Dredd’s composure finally cracked as he stepped forward, his voice desperate.

"T-this is a setup! I got rid of the Spirit Stones—I mean—"

He froze, realizing his slip.

"Enough. Your actions have disgraced your academy and undermined the integrity of this competition. Guards, detain him." Charles’ glare hardened.

The guards stepped forward, seizing Dredd by the arms as he struggled.

"I was framed! This is all a conspiracy!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the arena.

As he was dragged away, the Head of Student Affairs for the Nirvana Gate Academy, a lanky man with glasses and a soft demeanor, stepped forward.

He adjusted his spectacles, his face a picture of contrition.

"I deeply apologize for my student’s actions," he said, his tone mild and unassuming. "I had no idea he was involved in such reprehensible behavior. I must take full responsibility for being too lenient with him."

The Vice Head eyed the man suspiciously but nodded.

"Your academy will be contacted for further investigation."

With Dredd removed from the stage, the headmaster turned to address the crowd.

"Due to the disqualification of Nirvana Gate Academy, the Akashic Magus Academy retains its position as the Number 1 Academy. Congratulations to all the participants, and may this be a lesson in the importance of honor and integrity."

The crowd erupted into applause, though the atmosphere remained tense. While the Akashic students celebrated, the Nirvana Gate delegation wore expressions of shock, anger, and humiliation.

Seth let out a sigh of relief, turning to Ash.

"You pulled it off."

"Barely. But this is only the beginning, Seth." Ash smiled faintly.

’There’s more going on here than even you realize.’