Chương 113: CHAPTER 111: VANGUARD AT THE GATES

Commander Leon's ultimatum echoed over the manicured lawns and stone walkways of the central courtyard, cutting through the murmurs of the terrified crowd. Behind the breached iron gates, two dozen Vanguard legionnaires stood in a rigid line, their heavy black shields planted into the gravel and their kinetic halberds glowing with pale blue suppression mana. From the grand administrative building, Academy Chancellor Thorne hurried down the wide marble staircase.

His white ceremonial robes fluttered in the sharp wind, his face pale and his silver beard trembling with indignation. Behind him, several senior elders hovered near the pillars, terrified of stepping into the path of the imperial soldiers.

"Commander Leon!" Chancellor Thorne called out, raising both hands to halt any further movement.

"This is sovereign academic soil, chartered by the First Emperor himself. You cannot bring armored war-carriages and nullification arrays onto these grounds without Academic Council approval!" Commander Leon sneered, not stopping his forward pace. He reached into the leather pouch at his belt and pulled out a heavy parchment roll bound with braided crimson cord. Snap. Leon broke the cord and thrust the open parchment directly into the Chancellor's chest.

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"Academic charters mean nothing during an active treason investigation," Leon said, his voice deep, gravelly, and harsh.

"Signed by the Crown Regency and verified by the Grand Inquisitor. We are here to detain the unregistered foreign practitioner calling himself Shin." Chancellor Thorne quickly scanned the golden wax stamp at the bottom of the scroll, his fingers trembling.

"Assault charges? On what grounds?"

"Violent assault and critical incapacitation of a royal patrol detachment at the woodland border checkpoint three days ago," Leon stated coldly, pointing a gauntleted finger directly at Shin.

"He crushed their mana cores, dismantled their armor, and fled into the capital under a forged guest instructor visa. Stand aside, Chancellor, or you will be charged as an accomplice to high treason." High above the courtyard, on the open second-story terrace of the central library, a dozen commoner students huddled against the stone balustrade. To cope with the unbearable tension, one of the young alchemist apprentices pulled out a small paper cone filled with roasted snacks and offered it to his classmates. Snap.

Crack. They cracked crisp, salted sunflower seeds nervously between their teeth, the light, rhythmic snapping sound lost under the heavy hum of the war-carriages. The savory, roasted nutty flavor and sharp hit of coarse salt grounded their panic as they leaned over the edge, watching the standoff unfold below. Rudra watched the Chancellor read the decree with dry calm. Inke border guards ne extortion chalu kiya tha, aur ab victim card play kar rahe hain.

(Their border guards started the extortion, and now they are playing the victim card.) Shin remained at the center of the walkway, his expression completely impassive, his hands tucked loosely into the pockets of his dark coat. Behind him, the twenty disciples did not retreat a single step. Valerius stepped forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Shin, his crimson eyes burning.

"The woodland checkpoint was an illegal shakedown by corrupt border captains, Commander. You have no legal standing to drag an academy instructor away on falsified reports." Commander Leon's face darkened with fury.

"You speak out of turn, boy. Even the House of Ignis cannot shield a criminal from the Crown's direct decree." Leon lifted his left fist into the air, signaling the armored detachment behind him. CLANK. The twenty-four Vanguard legionnaires moved in total unison. They raised their heavy kinetic halberds, the bladed tips crackling with raw, shockwave mana as they began their march up the central stone stairs.