I Became the Academy's Worst Villain Chapter 94: Plans

We passed the information we had to the authorities and at the sa ti we all went in high alert. There was so much to talk about and yet so little.

Later I had a lot to thought about.

We rescued one person, but was that worth it?

"Stop." Lucille appeared beside . "I can hear you thinking from inside."

"We lost so much..... "

"We saved Cipher, don’t we? We proved the League can bleed and they just can’t do what they want." She looked at . "Victoria made her choice. Seraphina made hers, even though she’s heavily wounded. You should respect their choices."

"By doing what? Fighting in a tournant while they....."

"By winning. By showing the League they failed."

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Two Hours Later We et again.

Everyone who could move gathered. Even Seraphina and the wounded conveyed again. We still have a pending problem to deal with after all.

"Semifinals are tomorrow," I said. "Our team is supposed to be, , Lucille, Seraphina, Ravenna, Marcus."

I gestured to Seraphina. "But she can’t fight now and Damian’s out as well, we’re down a fighter."

"Can we forfeit?" Marcus asked.

"No," Ravenna said imdiately. "The League attacked us specifically before this match. They WANT us out of the tournant."

"But why?" Lucille asked. "What’s so important about...."

"Because whoever wins this tournant gets international attention, we’ve talked about it. Certain people must be paying attention to what is happening here."

"The League doesn’t want cycle-aware people with a platform," Kaeel said from the doorway.

She entered, wounds bandaged.

"If you win, you can spread awareness and wake so people up and that might terrifies them. But what I don’t understand is why they’re not fighting the Council directly."

"I’ll join your tEveryoneeel said.

Everyone turned towards her.

"My team is out. But I’m cycle-aware. I know what’s at stake." She looked at . "Shadowgrove Academy might be eliminated, but I’m not."

"You’d fight for us?" Ravenna asked skeptically.

"I’d fight for the cause. Breaking the cycle matters more than academy pride."

"I don’t trust her," Lucille said flatly.

"Neither do I," I agreed. "But we might need her."

"Can we win 4v5?" Marcus asked.

"No," Seraphina said from her wheelchair. "Your semifinal opponent is either Ironheart or Stormwatch. Both are powerhouses. Four against five? You will lose."

"With Kaeel, what are our odds?" Ravenna asked .

I calculated. "Sixty percent. Maybe."

"Better than zero."

"Do it," Seraphina said. "I’ll stay on the bench as official mber, let Kaeel substitutes in my place. It’s within tournant rules too."

"You’re okay with this?"

"Hadeon," She wheeled closer. "Just do it okey."

I looked at Kaeel. Extended my hand.

"One tournant, let’s go for a temporary alliance. You fight with us through finals."

"Agreed." She shook.

"Deal."

1. Hadeon Ravana - Shadow Mage/Tactician

2. Lucille Nightshade - Assassin

3. Kaeel Nightwhisper - Shadow Specialist [SUBSTITUTE]

4. Ravenna Blackthorn - Void Mage

5. Marcus Voidstep - Support Enchanter

"We’ve got 24 hours to learn to fight together," I said. "Let’s not waste them."

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Adrian’s Hotel Room, At The Sa Ti.

Adrian sat alone, staring at his hands, they were trembling slightly. They were shaking.

Last night, during the rescue, he’d fought.

But a knock ca from the door before he could even think deeper, Elena entered briskly.

"We need to talk."

"Not now....."

"Yes, now." She sat across from him. "Adrian, what happened last night?"

"We rescued Cipher that’s all."

"You almost died from what I heard! And you..." She paused. "You fought like soone who’d never seen real combat before."

"That’s not....."

"The training grounds at academy aren’t real combat. That tournant wasn’t real combat. Last night was real." Her eyes were hard. "And you weren’t ready."

"I’m SSS-rank. I’m the strongest...."

"Rank doesn’t matter when you freeze up. When you’ve relied on your backers’ protection so long you don’t know how to fight without a safety net."

"I didn’t freeze....."

Heavy footsteps ca from the door and it opened without knocking. Baron Celestius entered, flanked by two guards, his eyes was cold like ice.

"Father." Adrian stood quickly.

"Sit. Down."

The baron’s voice allowed no argunt and Adrian sat.

"I’ve received reports about last night’s... incident." The baron’s face was stone. "Terrorist attack, so League and students kidnapped."

"We rescued...."

"You nearly died from what I heard. It’s said that there’s one terrible woman that ca at the end." The baron leaned forward. "You, the academy’s pride, the kingdom’s future, almost killed by terrorists. This is unacceptable."

"I can handle....."

"You clearly cannot. Therefore. You’re withdrawing from the tournant, effective imdiately."

"What? No!"

"This isn’t a discussion. I’ve already inford the tournant organizers..... "

"I’m not withdrawing!" Adrian stood, face red. "I’m fighting in the semifinals!"

The baron’s eyes narrowed. "Excuse ?"

"You heard . I’m fighting." Adrian’s hands clenched. "You’ve controlled my path since I awakened. Chosen my teachers and arranged my reputation. Everything is as you want!"

"For your own good...."

"For YOUR agenda!" The words exploded out. "I don’t even know if I’m actually strong, or just protected! Last night showed that I’m weak. Really weak. Because I’ve never had to fight for real."

"Adrian....."

"The tournant is real with little to no safety nets and no backers. Just and my team." He t his father’s eyes. "I need to know if I’m actually the hero everyone says I am. Or just... playing a role soone wrote for I want to do sothing that’s !"

The baron’s face twitched before it was unreadable.

Then...

"You fight without my support. Without the family’s resources and without my protection. I’ll withdraw all the enchantnts and artifacts..."

"Fine."

"If you lose, there will be consequences."

"I won’t lose."

"You almost lost your life last night."

"And I learned from it." Adrian’s voice was steady now. "I’m fighting. Whether you approve or not."

The baron stared at his son. Seeing, perhaps for the first ti, actual defiance.

"Very well. But rember this conversation when you’re lying broken on that arena floor."

He left, his departure like a brooding storm.