Chapter 145 - Are You Even A Man?
Just as Damien appeared outside, he saw Fynn rushing towards him with an elated and awed expression, "Brother Damien, you are so awesome!! I didn't know you were so powerful despite having the same cultivation as mine. How is this possible??"
Damien chuckled, "Didn't I tell you that I would at least get one flag."
Fynn now had a bit of reverence towards Damien and already saw him as an extraordinary genius because of his Lightning seed and his ability to fight practitioners way stronger than him.
He also felt immense gratitude that Damien didn't hesitate to hit Cedric, something he wouldn't even dare to try, even if a knife was held against his neck.
How could someone without any backing dare to face the consequences of even causing a scratch on an influential person like Cedric?
But Damien didn't care about all that. All he wanted was to teach Cedric a lesson, and that he did.
He quickly popped in a Star Soothing Pill to heal his back.
"Instructor Neal, please obtain justice for this poor candidate who was sneak attacked despicably by that Damien." Neal cried out aloud before the instructor, who proctored Damien's match. Half of his face was so swollen that no one would recognize him as the young master of the Clive Family.
Damien turned around and saw that his team and every team from all groups were here, including their proctors. He also realized that Cedric seemed to know the proctor of his group, Instructor Neal.
He saw Instructor Neal looking towards him with a firm expression as he opened his mouth, "Damien Godwin, what is your explanation for the heavy-handed deed you displayed during the match?"
"Explanation?" Damien maintained a straight gaze as he continued, "I simply stopped him from attacking our teammate, and shouldn't you be asking him for what he did to Fynn?"
"Wrong. I accidentally applied too much ethereal strength without taking into account his Nascent Ethereal Realm cultivation. Instructor Neal, you can understand how hard it is to control my strength considering our cultivation difference. I merely wanted to admonish Fynn for not listening to my instructions and being reckless to act on his own. If he can't even listen to someone with more experience than him, how is he fit to become a disciple of this prestigious establishment? I, however, apologize for my unintentional actions." Cedric said in an apologetic tone as if he was truly sorry for what he did.
Instructor Neal nodded with an approving smile and again turned towards Damien, "Cedric has already apologized for his mistake. But the behavior you displayed is not something a potential disciple of the Xeton Ethereal Foundation should show. You don't even seem to reflect on what you did, and that is enough to disqualify you on the spot. Regardless, because of your extraordinary performance towards the end, I will officially admit you to the 'Bronze Batch'. Cedric will be admitted to the 'Gold Batch,' and Fynn Clayton will be disqualified for not working as a team." He said in a stringent tone, but Damien noticed a speck of disdain within his eyes.
Instructor Neal didn't want to punish Cedric as his elder brother was someone from the Elite Batch and was a genius, unlike Cedric. Even though he was a Bronze Batch instructor, he was on good terms with Cedric's elder brother, Roy Clive.
Roy Clive's father was one of the fifty Supreme Generals! He commanded thousands of soldiers under his wing. He also had a good influence over some important matters of the empire.
He would receive expensive gifts and was especially told to take care of his younger brother and make sure he at least gets into the Gold Batch. He also knew how influential Cedric's family was, but at the same time, he couldn't disqualify Damien as it was not everyday someone with an abnormal talent came.
Besides, he was sure that the Xeton Ethereal Foundation wouldn't let go of someone like Damien.
Fynn's expression became crestfallen, and his lips quivered, feeling all his hopes and dreams dashed.
"This is not right." Damien was more pissed off seeing the unscrupulous favoritism. He pulled the dejected Fynn near him and said in a loud voice, "Look at the bruises on his face and the injuries on his body. Is this something that happened by 'accident'? I thought the Xeton Ethereal Foundation showed no bias or prejudice against anyone. Is this the example you want to set by disqualifying someone unfairly? If anyone has to be disqualified, we all know who it is." Damien pointed towards Cedric as he finished talking.
He even held his own against an Earth Ethereal Realm practitioner, and the proctor wanted to put him in the Bronze Batch?
'How ridiculous!' Damien roared inwardly and wasn't surprised that the proctor was probably bribed.
But that doesn't mean he would let people walk over him without a fight.
"Insolent! Who do you think you are to lecture me on how to disqualify candidates? Which place do you think you are standing at now? This is the Xeton Ethereal Foundation's esteemed grounds, and whatever I say is the rule here. I decide who qualifies and who doesn't. If you continue your impudent behavior, I would be forced to disqualify you as well." Instructor Neal said with a glare.
"No! If you disqualify him, then I also don't want to join such an institution where people are unfairly disqualified." Valentina stepped out with a dark expression.
Instructor Neal's expression became taut when he saw Valentina defending Damien. He knew Valentina was the personal disciple of the potentially most talented alchemist in the world and the only one who could Supreme Tier Pills.
And if it turned out that he was the reason that Valentina didn't join their establishment, he was sure that losing only his job was not the worst that could happen. It would also be an insult to the Xeton Ethereal Foundation that a super genius like her didn't believe in their institute's values.
Or worse, Alchemist Azrael got offended and thought that the Xeton Ethereal Foundation does not live up to its reputation. He was sure if that was the case, then the higher ups would definitely get involved, and he would have to face their temper all alone.
Alchemist Azrael's status obviously was more important than a Supreme General as someone like Azrael cannot be replaced.
Even if he forgot about her backing, Valentina was a girl wonder whose potential was unimaginable. How could he let the Xeton Ethereal Foundation lose two of the most promising candidates?
But at the same time, he didn't want to offend Cedric either, as he had received a lot from his family. He would have to face their fury as well if he couldn't even take care of an important member of their family.
He was stuck in a dilemma as he tried to think of a solution quickly. But just like many others gathered there, he couldn't understand why Valentina wanted to defend Damien.
They were both unrelated, and the difference in their statuses was like heaven and earth. One was the personal disciple of the exalted Alchemist Azrael, while the other was a nobody from the weak Rong Empire.
Did she fall for his strength and charisma? That was the question that popped up in their minds thinking that Valentina was taken in by how Damien forced her to a draw despite the difference in strength.
Most men clenched their lips when they saw Valentina favoring Damien and going so far for him. They scratched their skin with their nails in jealousy, remembering how Damien made skin contact with her and hugged her even though it happened in the middle of their fight.
They all thought that a beautiful maiden like her was smitten by Damien's flirting.
Some were so desperate that they would gladly get whipped fifty times just to touch her feet.
Damien wanted to send a mental transmission to her to not defend him as he can handle it. Still, he didn't want to risk sending one as there can be experts who can listen in on his transmissions.
Cedric turned towards Valentina and said in a pitiful tone,"Fairy Valentina, Instructor Neal is only doing his duty. Look at what that rowdy Damien did to me. How can we let someone so crude like—"
Valentina coldly glared at him and said in a cutting tone, "Don't open your filthy mouth, you imbecile."
Damien had taught her some words she could use to cuss on people she doesn't like and the choice of words she should use depending on the kind of people she was dealing with.
Valentina felt good cursing at someone who bothered Damien.
"Wh-What...Fairy Valentina...you don't have to be this rude." Cedric said in a disgruntled tone, and he could feel dozens of gazes filled with mockery and sneer landing on him.
"HAHAHAHA…" Damien let out a loud roar of a laugh with his hand on his belly and said in a mocking tone, "Cedric, how can you be so thick faced to still stand here even when Fairy Valentina holds the same opinion as us. You are not even man enough to own up to your wrongs. Are you even a man? You are not only as useless as your cultivation base but also the junk between your legs."
Cedric heard even more sounds of snickers among the crowd, especially the giggles of some girls.
He clenched his fists as he felt that he lost all his face, being insulted and shamed in front of the whole audience, not only by Valentina but someone of a lower status like Damien.
But he didn't dare to retort as he was not a complete idiot not to realize that Valentina's status was higher than him. He knew she would interject and ridicule him more if he says something to Damien.
Instructor Neal pressed his lips together and said in a scathing tone, "Damien, that's enough! How can you bitterly shame your fellow candidate in front of everyone? How are you fit to be a disciple of my Xeton Ethereal Foundation with this attitude?"
Damien's expression didn't change, and he said casually, "Oh, I apologize for my bitter but truthful words. You qualified Cedric for the Gold Batch and stated that I was not fit to be a disciple of this institution. I then wonder if someone who unfairly and viciously bullied their teammate and literally didn't even contribute or try to gain victory for us is fit to be a disciple? If the Xeton Ethereal Foundation only needs people like Cedric, then I would rather not join."
Far away, the sapphire haired girl's expression changed as she heard the unjust verdict from Instructor Neal. She took out a messaging talisman and said in a serene voice, "Senior Leon, you must be witnessing the charade going on. I request your help."
An aged and calm voice sounded from the other side, "But Your Highness, are you sure he is the one?"
"Yes, I am sure no one else can match the description 'He' had said."