As the residual smoke cleared after burning the bed, all eyes were now fixated on the cursed object as the black-silver stone block sat alone, untouched in the middle of the red rug.
Hana crossed her arms, “Nothing happened.”
“Turn it over.” The headmaster said firmly.
Without a second of wait, Minato flicked his wrist and a wind current turned over the stone block towards its back side and when they looked at it, the previous confidence Hana had was completely vanished from her face.
But not just her, every other professor in the room froze solid.
They saw another magic circle which was intricately engraved on the back side of the stone block, far more complex then the first cursed seal’s magic circle.
Minato’s face turned pale as sheet, “No way…” He just realized that the cursed seal in the front was just a cover which was subduing the presence of this vastly more dangerous magic circle.
The Headmaster’s expression hardened and his amber eyes began to shine with red halos.
“A Sixth-Grade Summoning Circle and by the looks of it would probably summon a Dark Magic Beast.”
Hana staggered back three steps, her breath abnormal.
After the Headmaster’s announced what that magic circle actually was, the room was frozen to death silence.
“Etch this in your minds,” Headmaster’s tone cold, “To never underestimate those sly dark mages even in death.” his eyes narrowed.
No one answered him but a few visibly swallowed hard after the terrifying realization.
If I had simply removed that 3rd-grade cursed seal in front that summoning circle would have instantly activated, and …
…If a Sixth-Grade Dark Type Magical Beast had suddenly manifested inside the academy packed with hundreds of children, the result would have been an absolute massacre, and somehow if that dark beast turned out to be a vicious or one who could use curses.
I am not sure even we could held our ground without the headmaster that so in the middle of the night when those types are the strongest.
Minato completed Hana’s thought.
The headmaster then turned toward Shinazu whom Minato had still grabbed by mouth cause Minato was so in thoughts he forgot to release the boy.
Shinazu looked him in the eye.
At least someone sensible listened to me.
Hana was hard staring at the cursed summoning circle.
Then her head turned toward Shinazu and many other professors looked at him as well.
Minato released him from his grip, and turned him around facing himself, “Shinazu-kun, How did you know about it?”
Shinazu just stood quietly trying to act confused and anxious like an innocent child, “I..
don’t..
know.
I just had this really bad feeling about it…” He only has that answer that would fit the situation and everybody somehow believed his hesitating mutter cause he had been the one to stop them from making a catastrophic mistake just by his intuition.
“Hana, Step back.” The headmaster stepped closer to the cursed stone block himself, his powerful mana now loose, flooding the room like an endless ocean and several professors instinctively took a step back while Shinazu found himself hard to breath.
“Raise the barriers.” He ordered in calm tone and Hana didn’t wasted a second more to listen to his orders with several other professors already to ready to move in action.
Hana materialized some magical stones, objects, runes etched with magic circles from her storage ring and began to make some complex hand signs.
After five seconds a golden defensive barrier materialized, completely surrounding the stone block and headmaster within a secure three-meter radius.
Some other professors joined in as well and layers upon layers of reinforced magical barriers locked down the space.
Only after ensuring the absolute safety of everyone, the Headmaster crouched down before the stone, his eyes scanning every dark rune, every line, and every drop of dried blood.
The longer he inspected it, the darker his expression became.
His amber eyes were already shining with a crimson halo in each of his eyes which burned with an intense, furious light.
Then several pure white glowing crystals appeared in his palm.
One after another, he precisely placed them at specific anchoring points along the outer edges of the summoning circle.
The room was completely silent, nobody dared to interrupt his work.
A series of rapid hand signs followed and complex.
Whoosh!
A violent surge of dark mana exploded outward from the cursed block, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, getting instantly crushed by the immense pressure of the golden barriers.
Though the entire room shook slightly from the feedback and slowly, the glowing blood-red lines of the summoning circle began to dim, fracturing until they completely turned to dust.
But the Headmaster didn’t stop there, he continued his head spinning process and the black stone itself began to tremble violently as the remaining blood-red runes broke apart eventually breaking both the summoning circle and the cursed seal.
The stone shattered completely.
Splash.
A thick, foul liquid poured out onto the rug and the unmistakable stench of rot, death, and old blood filled the room immediately..
Several professors turned their head squeezing their eyes, covering their noses.
Minato instantly moved his hand to cover Shinazu’s eyes.
“Don’t look” Minato whispered.
Unfortunately, he was already too late.
Shinazu had already seen everything clearly.
The cursed stone block’s insides were filled with rot and blood.
But it wasn’t animal blood.
It was human blood, mixed with rotting flesh and small, broken bones.
The grim realization made his stomach violently twist and vomit so he leaned back closer to Minato.
The Headmaster slowly clenched his fists, standing up straight.
For several seconds, he said absolutely nothing.
Then, an immense wave of mana erupted from his frame.
His eyes turned bloodshot, and the entire room building trembled.
Several professors immediately lowered their heads in fear, and even Minato’s expression turned deathly serious.
Everyone knew the Headmaster was completely furious.
“Those Dark Magic bastards…” His voice echoed, every single word felt incredibly heavy.
“They don’t even spare small children.”
“Even after all these years, they still resort to this.”
Nobody dared speak a word.
Headmaster rarely showed open anger, which made moments like this especially frightening to the faculty.
He stared down at the grim remains.
“Disgusting,” his voice laced with genuine fury.
He waved his hand, and with wind covered the filth with the rug.
“The blood was being used as a catalyst to fuel and strengthen the summoning ritual.
If this had successfully activated…” He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear: it would have been a bloodbath.
He turned around, his sharp gaze landing directly on Minato.
“You are the head of the academy’s intake inspection committee.”
Minato lowered his head, his voice stiff.
“I know, Headmaster.”
“Explain.”
“I was away from Himetsu on a research tour when the shipment arrived.
But the structural responsibility is entirely mine.” Minato didn’t attempt to make any excuses for the failure, he knew Headmaster was unyielding to any security lapse that may put any single person under his care at risk.
The Headmaster studied Minato’s dread look for several long moments, then let out a heavy sigh.
“Finding whoever smuggled this piece inside won’t be enough.
If they managed to plant one…” His eyes narrowed at the wet red rug.
“There may be others hidden as well across the academy.”
He took a pause then,
“Sasaki.”
“Yes, Headmaster.”
“Investigate every single shipment that entered the academy during the last month.
“At once!” Sasaki bowed and rushed out.
“Hana, Minato, Satoshi.”
“Yes, Headmaster,” the three professors replied in unison.
“Search every single room,” His voice filled with power and authority.
“Every building, every bed, every artifact, every paper or cloth.
Inspect every single inch of this academy with no exceptions.
Burn down anything even slightly suspicious.”
His radiant gaze swept across the remaining faculty members.
“Others.
I want every single soul in this academy thoroughly checked, be it trusted guards, staff or children.
I will not allow a single child to be harmed inside my academy,” his unyielding voice left absolutely no room for debate.
The professors bowed deeply.
“Understood.”
Another staff member stepped forward cautiously.
“Headmaster, what about the Welcome Ceremony?”
Answer came without a moment of hesitation.
“Postpone it.”
The room froze.
“Postpone it until next week.
No exceptions!”
No one argued the decision, not after the horrors they had just witnessed.
One by one, the professors exited the room to execute their orders even in night.
Soon, only the headmaster, Hana and Mianto remained in the stench filled room, including Shinazu, who desperately wished he could just become completely invisible.
Unfortunately, fate thoroughly disagreed with his wishes.
The Headmaster slowly approached him.
Shinazu could instinctively feel his locked gaze on him and immediately became incredibly nervous.
What does he want from me?
Shinazu was only looking down, but Mianto leaned down to his ears and said, “Shinazu-kun, don’t be afraid.
Headmaster is a very kind to children.” Then he patted his back with a light push.
“Then, greet him properly!”
Shinazu fidgeting his fingers slowly looked up at the tall man.
His eyes were still glowing with those intense red halos which felt to Shinazu like something was creeping in his skin.
Due to sudden instincts, Shinazu’s Celestial Moon Eyes flared to life defensively beneath his gaze, and a translucent text window manifested before his eyes, scanning the older man.
[ Divine Sage Eyes]
Class: Divine Ocular Art Status: Active Abilities: Divine appraisal.
Can see through hidden truths and illusions beyond common sight.
Doubles the user’s base mana and recovery rate.
….
Shinazu nearly choked on his own saliva.
A Divine Ocular Art?!
He can see through hidden truths?!
His panic immediately increased by ten folds.
Not only his aura was so oppressive but the man also possessed his own legendary ocular art.
Shinazu immediately bobbed his head down again, his heart pounded frantically against his ribs as he was terrified himself with the thought of being caught with Dark Magic.