Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start - Chapter 87

Chapter 87: CHAPTER 86 – Verdict 1.
Two Days Later.

The sun was barely rising, casting a soft, golden hue over the peaks of Originveil Academy. Today, however, most of those peaks were empty, as almost all of the students and teachers were gathered in clusters, chattering among themselves as they made their way to the Fifth Peak, their destination being the academy’s grand announcement stadium.

The air was thick with anticipation. Students from first-years, second-years, third-years, and even their respective teachers walked in groups, their conversations a mix of eager curiosity and harsh judgments. The tension was palpable, especially for those who had heard the whispers of what was to come.

“The council has to make the right choice,” one student muttered, his brow furrowed with frustration. He was a second-year, tall, with short-cropped hair that seemed to bristle as he walked. “If they don’t, this place will be nothing but a breeding ground for criminals.”

“I heard he’s done the same with more than 10 girls,” another voice chimed in, this one belonging to a third-year girl, her eyes wide with disgust. “Zyrrak deserves whatever comes to him.”

“I can’t believe he was one of us,” a quiet third-year girl, who was in the same class as Zyrrak, whispered to her friend, her hands clasped tightly in front of her chest. “The things they say—how he forced the girls—are just too much to bear.”

The murmurs echoed through the group as they continued their walk. The words “justice” and “punishment” floated through the air like a heavy fog, as everyone had guesses of what was coming but still wanted to see for themselves.

The council themselves had called for the announcement, not sparing any effort, as this was something related to the image of the council.

Zyrrak Gildspire—the name alone sent a wave of aversion through many of the students.

The treasurer of the student council, once respected, now disgraced, his crimes laid bare for all to see. The acts of manipulation, the abuse of trust, the tens of lives destroyed—all of it had come to light, and now it was time for him to face the consequences.

‘I hope the council gives him a punishment worse than any before.’ This was what all of them hoped for.

Soon, the students and teachers reached the towering stadium, its dark stone walls standing like an imposing monument to the academy’s legacy. The stadium, covered in shadows, seemed to amplify the gravity of the moment.

Without waiting, students filed into any seat they could find; some even kept standing due to the lack of seats, but all of them had a mix of anticipation and quiet dread on their faces.

All of them looked at the elevated platform at the center of the stadium, muttering to themselves as they pointed at the group of figures sitting on the platform; their presence alone commanded silence—the student council.

They sat with solemn expressions, their eyes fixed forward, awaiting the beginning of the proceedings.

Every one of them was a known figure, famous for one thing or another, but before long, a girl with soft pink hair stood from her seat. Her delicate frame moved gracefully toward the stage; her steps measured but hesitant.

Her eyes, pale pink like the softest petals of a blooming rose, glanced nervously at the crowd before she reached the microphone (voice amplification device) at the center of the stadium.

She is Aelora Cirrine. The Public Relations Officer of the student council—now known as the voice of the council—a role she had held for years. Her presence had always been one of calm and diplomacy, a voice for the council when it needed to speak to the students. But today, her usual quiet demeanor seemed more fragile than ever.

Her elongated ears twitched as she tried not to fidget in front of so many students. She was a Half-Sylph, known for being gentle as wind, but today she was going to do something she didn’t want to.

‘W-Why do I have to be the one?’ She glanced back at Alex, her eyes holding plea, but seeing the calm yet cold look on his face, she just sighed as she knew that everyone was going through the same thing.

As she approached the microphone, a hush fell over the entire stadium. There was something captivating about her—something that drew the eyes of everyone in the room. Aelora was breathtakingly beautiful, but it was her voice, soft and melodic, that held them all captive.

“Please,” Aelora began, her voice barely above a whisper at first, but it carried an almost ethereal quality that seemed to still the very air. “Everyone, please… if you would just…” She paused for a moment, gathering herself before speaking again. “Please, quiet down.”

And like magic, the entire stadium fell into an eerie silence. No shuffling feet, no whispered conversations—just the steady pulse of the crowd, all waiting for her next words.

“Today…” Aelora’s voice trembled slightly as she began, “We gather here to deliver justice. The council has made its decision, and it is one that we do not take lightly.” Her eyes swept across the students, their gazes intense and expectant, before she looked back down at the podium. “Zyrrak Gildspire… has been deemed guilty of unspeakable crimes. Crimes that have shattered the trust of many and have left scars on the very foundation of this academy.”

Aelora’s hands, usually steady, shook just a little as she gripped the sides of the microphone stand. She could feel the weight of every eye in the room on her. But she knew what had to be done. She was the voice of the council, so she had to do it.

“As the council’s voice, it is my duty to announce that Zyrrak Gildspire is to be sent to the deepest, darkest cell of the underground prison beneath the academy,” Aelora continued, her words becoming more resolute as she spoke. “A place reserved only for those who have committed the worst of crimes. The prison under the patrol building, where the very air is thick with despair. There, he will remain until he has atoned for his sins.”

As soon as those words were heard, the students shifted in their seats, some nodding in grim approval, others trembling with the weight of it all.

‘He deserves it,’ some thought, while some who knew Zyrrak on a personal level just sighed in resignation.

Aelora took a deep breath, her heart pounding as she looked at the audience. “Zyrrak will now come forward to speak his last words,” she said, her voice carrying the finality of a judgment passed. “If he has anything to say… anything to offer, we will listen.”

She stepped back from the microphone, her eyes flicking nervously to the corner of the stage where Zyrrak stood with his head lowered.

A sad light passed through her eyes as the words of Zyrrak—him admitting his mistake, crying as he told them about his other nature, something he couldn’t control—kept repeating in her head.

She, just like other council members, knew that Zyrrak was not really responsible for all of this, yet responsible at the same time, elevating their emotional turmoil.

The stadium was covered in an eerie silence the moment Zyrrak’s name was called out again. The students and teachers shifted on their seats, their eyes darting at the dark corner of the platform where Zyrrak stood motionless.

Aelora, taking a deep breath, turned toward Zyrrak.

“Zyrrak,” she whispered, yet her voice traveled to the end of the stadium. “Please… step up.”