Chapter 282: Nibelheim Plus

Chapter 282: Nibelheim Plus

The sky was dark and murky, filled with thick clouds that suffocated the air.

Lu Ke took out a dagger and gently grazed his fingertip, causing a crystal-clear drop of blood to slowly ooze out. The blood was not the usual bright red but carried an ethereal glow, illuminating the entire room.

"An opening ceremony deserves a fitting performance."

The blood dripped precisely into a groove on the floor of Norton Hall. It then expanded and multiplied, its color slowly fading as it followed the intricate alchemical runes carved and buried by the Lilacs. The blood spread like a snake in all directions.

The alchemical runes resembled a lush vine, with the blood branching and intersecting repeatedly until it formed a perfect circular totem, like a serpent biting its own tail.

"Using blood instead of mercury to power alchemy seems to work even better than expected."

Lu Ke looked at his healed fingertip and sighed, feeling like he was turning into a walking treasure trove with every drop of blood and piece of flesh being precious.

The porcelain in the cupboard, the tableware in the kitchen, the portraits on the stairs—all around, crisp clinking sounds echoed through the house. The entire structure began to tremble slightly, and the tremors intensified until they reached a climax and then stopped. The house was engulfed in boundless darkness.

This was the miracle of alchemy, creating a domain with symbols and elements, forming a closed-loop world where time seemed frozen, and everything was isolated within the seemingly normal exterior.

"It's almost set."

The only source of light in the darkness nodded slightly as he observed the stabilized surroundings. This was a space he had created by combining alchemy and his domain, a space that didn't require additional maintenance and could be likened to the underworld of this world, "Nibelheim."

While the Dragon Kings could establish some rules within Nibelheim, they were far from being in complete control. This space, now more stable, could also be finely tuned.

"Next is the detailed setup."

...

In the attic of a church bell tower, an old man lay on a sofa like a giant potato. He wore a wide-brimmed hat and cowboy boots with shiny spurs. In his hand, he held a bottle of beer.

On the TV in front of him was a classic scene from "Scent of a Woman." Al Pacino, playing the role of Colonel Frank Slade, was mentoring Charlie on how to approach the beautiful lady sitting next to him. She had brown hair, deep-set features, and a pair of captivating eyes, her expression a mix of melancholy and sadness.

"Hey, go ahead and strike up a conversation. You're young and handsome, and she's charming and lonely. You two are a perfect match. Seize your youth and go crazy while you can, because when you get old, you'll end up like me, drooling over the sexy bodies of young girls in porn magazines!"

The old cowboy enthusiastically cheered Charlie on, even though he knew what would happen next in the movie. Lust knew no age, and the outcome didn't matter; the point was to take action! He was Hilbert Jean Anhe, the vice-principal of Cassel Academy and the administrator of the Watchmen Forum.

Anhe was of high Dragon blood, with an S-level ranking. His Incantation was Discipline, which could suppress Incantations of the same level or lower. He was also a master alchemist, and with the alchemical array he had set up within the academy, his domain could cover the entire Cassel Academy while minimizing consumption, allowing him to keep it active for extended periods.

Students at Cassel Academy were unable to use their Incantations within the school grounds because of him.

Suddenly, Anhe's excited expression froze, and his carefree gaze turned as sharp as an eagle's. He stood up and walked outside, looking in a certain direction.

A section of the school was slipping out of his control; his domain was being eroded, something that had never happened before! Anhe picked up his phone and made a call with a serious expression.

"Hilbert, your star student is causing trouble again. Can't you keep him in check?"

"Calm down, old friend. It won't help to rush."

The voice on the other end of the line was cheerful and belonged to Hilbert Jean Anhe, the principal of Cassel Academy, a charming 130-year-old man with excellent Dragon blood and the power of "Time Zero."

"You know that being a student is just a nominal title. I can't control him, and he's not just a student but also a Board Member. Technically, he's our boss."

Indeed, the Board Members were the bosses, and without their financial support, Cassel Academy would struggle to survive. Anhe recalled that not long ago, another Board Member, Elizabeth Laurent, had visited the academy for an inspection, and Lu Ke had been in charge of receiving her.

When a handsome man and a beautiful woman were left alone, and the man was a flirt, it was highly likely that they had already engaged in intimate contact and discussed contracts worth hundreds of millions... The weight of the two Board Members! Anhe sighed, and suddenly, he heard the sound of waves, people chatting, and young girls' laughter coming from the other end of the call.

"You're in Hawaii, aren't you? You should come and experience the delicious grilled fish, poke made with tuna and avocado, and the beautiful beaches."

"I just came back from surfing and performing a challenging maneuver. A group of pretty girls asked for my contact information, and I felt so young being around them!"

Damn it!

Anhe's teeth itched with frustration. He knew he couldn't leave the academy, or his "Discipline" domain would collapse, causing the Incantations of hundreds of Halfbreeds to awaken. If a conflict were to arise, the academy would be in chaos!

"I'm serious, Hilbert! A powerful domain has enveloped Norton Hall, and my domain can't penetrate it at all. And it's almost Free Day, when the students will be even more wild than usual!"

"Actually, he discussed this with me, and I approved it.

"Why?"

"Because of the 'Gatekeeper Plan.'"

Hilbert's voice turned solemn, and the playful smile from earlier now carried a hint of coldness.

Cassel Academy had always been dedicated to hunting dragons, with the Executive Department tirelessly searching for dragon tombs around the world day and night. Recently, they had dispatched four additional teams to Tibet, Xinjiang, Greenland, and Mexico.

Not long ago, Professor Mans' team successfully located a suspected tomb of the 'Bronze and Flame King' Norton near the Yangtze River, giving birth to the 'Gatekeeper Plan.' The plan was intricate, but could be summarized in one sentence.

"Dive, find it, and kill it!"

"Lu Ke is helping me select the best candidates for the mission. Taking advantage of the Free Day, he's conducting a 'trial' to determine who will have the honor of facing the great First Generation, one of the Four Great Kings, the Bronze and Flame King Norton!"

Hilbert's voice trailed off, "This is the highest honor among the hybrids."

Flamel scratched his head, "I thought we had already decided on the candidates?"

"Yes, Ye Sheng and Jiude Aki, they are the most outstanding students in the Executive Department, and even I consider them an ace combination. But there's been a slight issue."

"What issue? Their excellence is evident to all."

Hilbert's tone turned peculiar, "Lu Ke reported to me that the two of them were having an affair, disgracing Cassel Academy. Their crime is unforgivable."

"He's the one who's truly disgracing the academy!"

"But he's just an ordinary student, and a school board member. Unless he causes a fatality, we have no grounds to stop him."

Hilbert sighed helplessly, "However, Ye Sheng and the others are members of the Executive Department. After an investigation, their relationship was confirmed. They did have an inappropriate relationship, and now they've publicly announced it and have been removed from the Executive Department."

Romantic relationships between partners in the Executive Department were strictly prohibited, as they posed a significant threat during missions. Death was considered a relatively better outcome if orders were ignored in favor of emotions; no one could predict the consequences of such actions.

Flamel: "..."

Oh, these young people!

"We can only pray that he doesn't cause too much trouble."

He gazed at the gloomy sky above Cassel Academy and let out a helpless sigh.

...

In the Student Council classroom, Caesar was holding a motivational assembly.

He wore a custom-tailored suit, with two modified Desert Eagles and Dick Treadwell holstered at his waist, and he looked sternly at the crowd below.

His gaze carried a tangible pressure, causing everyone who met his eyes to lower their heads involuntarily.

"I remember when I first joined the Student Council; you were all scattered and defeated, lacking spirit and drive. You were like leftover defective goods in a store display, timid and insecure. The Lionheart Society had you under their thumb."

The older Student Council members felt ashamed, lowering their heads even further, as if recalling the dark times before Caesar's arrival.

"There's no shame in that. They are an established society, and even the principal was once a member of the Lionheart Society. It's only natural that you would lose to them."

Caesar was a miracle; his leadership was undisputed. Within a year, he had transformed the Student Council to rival the Lionheart Society. It was hard to believe, but he had achieved it.

"The Lionheart Society follows an elite model. They don't want those with insufficient heritage, lacking in ability, or weak-willed. You were the ones rejected, looked down upon, and mocked by them."

"But things are different now. Through our united efforts, the arrogant lions have been forced to lower their heads and meet us eye-to-eye."

Caesar's voice was resolute, and his confidence shone through. He spoke with unwavering belief, his words imbuing every listener with strength, stirring their hearts, and igniting their passion.

"I believe this is just the beginning, not the end. The Lionheart Society is not our final destination. One day, we will surpass the lions and climb towards that unattainable peak!"

The audience below erupted in thunderous applause, their eyes filled with fiery admiration for Caesar.

"Free Day is our chance to prove that we've surpassed the Lionheart Society. They aim to invade Lu Ke's Norton Hall and compete for those three spots. What should we do?"

"Fight for the top spot!"

A particularly enthusiastic member raised his arm and shouted.

"Wrong!"

Caesar shook his head and laughed coldly, revealing an audacious smile, "The top spot is just the basic requirement. It's unlikely that anyone from the Lionheart Society will make it. If we're going to surpass them, we must do it comprehensively, showing them our ambition and letting them know how far the once-defeated have risen!"

Caesar snapped his fingers with vigor, and the doors opened. A group of muscular men in janitorial uniforms carried black boxes, unloading them inside one by one.

"President, what's this?"

"Just a little support."

Caesar casually opened one of the black boxes, revealing a blinding cold light. Inside were neatly arranged weapons, guns, and alchemical equipment, all exuding the scent of money.

The audience below was captivated by the fiery display, having never seen such a well-equipped arsenal.

"Live ammunition cannot be used against alumni, but that doesn't mean we have to stick to traditional weapons. We must use our strengths to exploit their weaknesses."

Caesar took out a delicate box from the black case and opened it gently. Inside lay a polished red stone, shaped like a bullet, sparkling and translucent. He held it, examining it for a moment before putting it back.

"We probably won't need this, but it's not a bad idea to have it as a backup."

His gaze turned towards the distance, as if awaiting and anticipating the performance of his arch-rival.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end