To the Cooter Clansmen, the Clan rules were absolute for only one reason: They were dictated by the Empyrean Snappers.
Ignoring the Clan Rules was no different from disrespecting their Deities, which to the Cooter Clansmen was the pinnacle of offense.
Hearing Torq’s taunt, Principal Khakha could only groan as he pointed towards a nearby room, "Follow me."
"Sure," Torq grinned and hopped his way in. The counsel room was a plain room, square in shape, with the sides spanning three metres in length. The door was situated in the center of one of the walls, and covering either sides in the room were stone seats.
Principal Khakha took his seat and motioned for Torq to be seated opposite to him, "Tell me what you wish to know about."
"It’s like this," Torq began speaking the instant his butt touched the stone seat, "Too many students are trying to kill me."
"Your exemplary status warrants such a shower of love." Principal Khakha retorted.
"But it’s too much." Torq sighed, "So much so that I wish to give some back to them."
"You dare?" Principal Khakha intended to use sarcasm, the facade of which collapsed in a mere two lines.
"Well, I am scheduled to die soon." Torq shrugged, "All I intended to do was fairly live the rest of my time in the grace granted to me by the Clan. But I’m not getting the chance to do that anymore."
"What are you getting at?" Principal Khakha glared, controlling his seething anger. Torq’s mere existence triggered him unlike anything before. He so much wanted to kill the other party, even if it meant compromising on his status, power, life, and family.
He controlled himself only because instinctively, he prioritised the Clan Rules above personal sentiments. Hence, his only solution to maintain mental peace was to keep glaring at Torq.
"If I injure a fellow student and the other party has enough evidence to support their claim, I’ll be punished." Torq expressed his concerns, "But since a group is harming me, it becomes impossible for me to gather any evidence."
"That turns me into a perpetual victim."
"Being able to manage your situation is a measure of your capability." Principal Khakha snorted, "If you can’t even handle mere squabbles between students, you’re not fit to survive in the dangerous world out there."
"Exactly," Torq slapped his thigh, excitedly agreeing with Principal Khakha’s statements, "That’s exactly what I wanted to gain your counsel about."
"Now, I have clarity." He laughed, "Now, as long as I don’t leave behind any evidence, I can squabble as much as I want, right?"
"What are you..." Principal Khakha was stunned by the curve their conversation took.
"A good majority will be losing at least a dozen or more Spirit Containers in the next couple of days..."
"Are you insane?" Principal Khakha roared in anger.
"It’s merely squabbles between students." Torq argued, "What is strange about it, Principal? I’m merely quoting your words."
"You will die, Boiboi." Principal Khakha cursed, "Everyone will know it’s you. With evidence pointing towards your actions resulting in the training efforts of countless students going to waste, your punishment will inevitably be death."
"The Clan Rules state that!" Principal Khakha reinforced his statement, using the Clan Rules against Torq, since he knew the other party was taking advantage of them to aid his situation.
"If you waste months or even years of training efforts of these students, you’ll be the principal reason behind many of them failing to graduate." Principal Khakha snorted, "That means a drop in the Clan’s overall strength, which paints you as a threat to the Clan’s sovereignty."
"Well..." Torq purposefully trailed his words, wasting a few seconds before he countered, "I am a dead man."
"And whether I result in the inevitable failure in the graduation of one student or ten, or a couple thousand, the end punishment is the same." Torq chuckled, "My death."
"So, I intend to do everything in the remainder of my allotted life to disrupt the growth of as many students as possible." Torq patted his chest, "If I’m not allowed to live in peace, I vow on my Deity to screw everyone at the Academy."
"And I damn well have the capability to do so." A pause later, he spoke before Principal Khakha could interject, "The Troitails invaded because Runthral emitted his presence too much."
"I have the means to spontaneously trigger Runthral into taking action against me, whenever I intend for him to do so." Slowly, he brought his hands forward, "Shall I prove my claims?"
’This...scum!’ Principal Khakha got up from his seat and kicked open the door in anger, sending it flying out with force. He then stormed out of the room and arrived at the entrance to the Admin Block, eyeing the group of students that had gathered there.
A pause later, he inhaled a deep breath and shouted, "All of you!"
"WHAT nonsense is this?" He roared, "Have you students become blinded with rage to the extent you cannot see the bigger picture?"
"Boiboi will die on his day of graduation!" He announced, "He doesn’t have the capability to reach the peak of the Spirit Stage."
"There’s only a few days left for that. Therefore," He released his presence to intimidate the students, "This is my order, as the Principal!"
"Don’t try to push forward the inevitable and lose your progress. Strive to increase your strength and forget about someone who’s about to die soon!"
"But..." A student wanted to retort but was forced to shut up by a glare from Principal Khakha.
"Anyone who fails to heed my orders will be punished severely." He eyed the students, noticing many among them weren’t convinced by his words, ’They are those who don’t have the potential to graduate anyway.’
’They will end up targeting Boiboi no matter what I say.’ He didn’t mind that, since he only cared about the students that had the talents to graduate successfully and become a pillar of the Cooter Clan.
The ones who were bound to die soon could fight themselves to the death, as long as they operate within the bounds of the Clan Rules. ’You have talent, Boiboi! Even though I think your chances of graduation are zero, I am unwilling to take the chances.’
’These students will keep destroying your efforts.’ He controlled his emerging grin and dispersed the students. Passing by Torq in the Admin Block’s corridor, Principal Khakha snorted, "I’ve barred the students from targeting you."
"Live out the rest of your couple dozen days in peace."
"That I will." Torq smiled, ’Now, if someone were to target me despite everything, I am justified in my retaliation.’
A casual glance of the dispersing crowd of students and Torq could discern who still intended to kill him, ’These students have no hope of graduating. They are going to die anyway.’
’That is great!’ He chuckled, ’They are the perfect prey for my Spirit Elixir Skill!’