The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 325: Chapter 320 — Casual

The blast was unlike anything the cadets had witnessed within the academy. Even the combined might of five rune ballistae detonating paled in comparison.

The shockwave slammed into the northern army at the far end of the plains, hurling several cadets backward and knocking hundreds off their feet.

At the other end, the southern wall shuddered violently beneath the impact, cracks racing across its surface as several of the cadets manning it were sent tumbling back.

Only the cadet heads and most of the elites managed to withstand the shock, and even they had to unleash their metal aura and increase their weight to the extreme just to remain standing.

Somehow, even despite the distance, the dynasty heads watching from within the room almost felt the force of the clash themselves.

”What the hell was that...?”

Kaiden’s expression had gone grim, a hint of disbelief on his pale face, and he wasn’t alone. All around him, cadets stared at the dust-choked plains with similarly shaken expressions. The thick haze had swallowed nearly the entire kilometer between both armies.

They had barely managed to catch the movements of the two Primes. However, there was one thing none of them had any doubt about.

Neither had used a rune art.

Which meant all this, the shockwave spanning kilometers, the dust-choked plains, the force that had nearly knocked thousands of cadets off their feet... had been caused by nothing more than a clash of fists.

”...yeah, no. Those two aren’t human, right?” Tobias muttered, his face almost as pale as Kaiden’s.

”Nope.” Nedra slowly shook her head, her expression completely serious. ”Told you. Aliens.”

They had all found her theory absurd earlier, but after witnessing... this, none of them could even find it in themselves to argue anymore.

”It’s clearing!”

Kaelion’s sharp voice suddenly snapped them out of their daze. Almost at once, every cadet, southern and northern, along with the western and eastern cadets watching from the other end, turned their attention toward the center of the plains. Thousands of eyes narrowed.

Slowly, the haze began to thin.

And as the result of the clash finally came into view, several eyes widened in utter disbelief.

”This...”

”No fucking way...”

The eastern and western cadets could only stare.

Both Primes’ fists were still locked in a continuous clash, the air around them vibrating. However, two deep trenches had already been carved into the earth beneath Arcturus’ feet, stretching farther back as he struggled against Zephyrion’s fist. Worse still, crimson blood dripped from several fissures that had split across his arm.

The clash had been immense. However, the result was painfully clear.

Arcturus had lost.

Still, none of the southern cadets celebrated. Each stared on with wide, disbelieving eyes, their shock almost as great as those watching from the other Houses.

Since when had Zephyrion possessed this kind of raw power?

But even their disbelief couldn’t compare to what had gripped King Cassian. Within the large office, he had already leaned forward in his seat, his dark eyes narrowed to slits.

”Haa... he actually pushed Arcturus back?” Cassian murmured, the usual amusement completely absent from his voice.

There was no arguing with what they had just witnessed. No matter how strange it seemed, Arcturus had actually been pushed back.

Around him, Kastor had straightened slightly in his seat, looking thoroughly pleased. Garaxe wore a proud smile of his own, while Ingrid tried to suppress hers and failed splendidly, the corners of her lips stretching wider by the second. High General Rathen, however, looked almost as stunned as Cassian.

Severin’s eyes had narrowed as well, a calculating glint passing through his cold gaze. It wasn’t difficult to guess what was running through his mind.

Still, despite the heavy mood within the room, everyone, Cassian included, had expected a certain someone to burst into laughter by now, or at the very least throw out some irritating jab. Yet nothing came.

Several gazes shifted toward Garrick, only for their expressions to change slightly.

The drunkard was staring at the screen with a cold look, unusually silent.

Cassian hummed, studying him for a moment. ”Huh. I was expecting you to be laughing in my face by now. What’s this, Garrick? Finally learning how to be graceful?”

Garrick continued staring at the screen for another second before slowly turning toward him, his gaze sharp and probing.

”Oi. That shit I heard about Ferravry... it’s true, isn’t it?”

A faint darkness flickered through Cassian’s eyes, though he buried it almost immediately. ”...and what makes you think that?”

”That.”

Garrick jabbed a finger toward the screen.

”I trained Zephyrion myself. I know exactly how hard that little monster hits. Any normal cadet taking him head-on like that should be halfway to another fucking House by now, but your pretty-boy prince gets pushed back a few steps? Bullshit. Something’s off.”

He stared at Cassian for another moment before giving a small, certain nod.

”Those rumors are true, aren’t they? The kid’s Ferravry’s spawn.”

Every eye in the room settled on Cassian, curious to see if there was actually any truth to Garrick’s claim. Still, even if there was, none expected the king to simply admit it. Several were already considering how they might confirm it themselves when, to everyone’s surprise, Cassian suddenly smiled and gave a casual nod.

”Yeah. It’s true.”

Several eyes widened.

”What the...” The suspicion immediately vanished from Garrick’s face, replaced by genuine surprise. ”How the fuck does that even work? What, you let Ferravry bone your wife?”

Cassian’s eyes darkened instantly, but after a moment, he merely cleared his throat. ”Believe it or not, Garrick, there are ways to impregnate a woman that don’t involve fucking her.”

”Well, shit, excuse my ignorance. Enlighten me, Your Majesty. How’d you manage it?”

With everyone now staring at him expectantly, Cassian sighed, eventually relenting. ”Well, it’s not like we were planning to keep it a secret forever.” He leaned back comfortably in his seat. ”Our House helped Ferravry with something centuries ago. When it came time to return the favor, one of the things we asked for was his sperm. It sat frozen in our vault for centuries until we finally decided to put it to use.” He shrugged. ”And, well... Arcturus.”