Meanwhile, inside the instructors’ lounge, a loud scoff echoed out.
’’How utterly despicable,’’ Lucienne said, disgust clear in her voice.
Several instructors glanced at her, their expressions turning uncomfortable.
The goal behind the dean’s move was very simple and clear as day.
Either Theo handed his rightful share of the resources back, or he’d become a villain inside the university and attract hate from everyone.
’’To think this is the ’great’ Westridge University,’’ she continued, shaking her head. ’’I’ll really have to ask my father for a heartfelt prayer to save this place.’’
The nearby instructors felt their faces go pale.
’’Miss,’’ one of them said, taking a step closer.
But before he could get close, an elderly woman wearing Imperial Church robes stepped in front of him.
’’Keep your distance,’’ she said coldly.
The instructor swallowed hard and quickly nodded.
Even so, he still chose to speak up again.
’’Miss, there’s truly no need to call anyone,’’ he urged. ’’Dean Wirin has led Westridge for over twenty years. He has never been an unreasonable man.’’
Lucienne raised an eyebrow.
The instructor hesitated before continuing.
’’I... I don’t know what he’s planning. But I refuse to believe he’d simply throw a student under the bus for no reason.’’
Lucienne’s expression grew colder as her gaze returned to the arena.
’’We’ll see,’’ she said. ’’But I hope you’re prepared to take responsibility for those words later.’’
The instructor’s face paled slightly.
He bowed slightly and quickly took a step back.
Back inside the arena, Theo’s gaze swept through the stands.
’Isn’t this some bullshit?’ he thought.
Just like many others, he clearly knew what choice the dean was giving him.
If he refused to hand the resources back, he’d probably be another twenty to thirty million dollars richer.
But becoming an enemy of so many people, who, despite not looking like it, were going to become elites later on...
Theo clicked his tongue.
’What an annoying situation.’
He slowly looked up at the dean’s image on the giant screen.
’Is this another one of the Whitmores’ plots?’
After a moment, he shook his head.
He needed to think about his answer now, not all of that.
’All this money... I do kind of need it,’ he thought.
After the tournament, he’d gain a personal summon, which wouldn’t grow on its own.
Hell, it was safe to say that it’d probably cost him millions.
Alongside that, he’d need more spells for his other elements, future breakthrough resources, and even some equipment wouldn’t do him any harm.
Theo let out a slow breath.
’No,’ he thought, shaking his head. ’Fuck everyone else.’
’I am not giving this hard-earned money back.’
He looked up at the announcer’s booth, locking eyes with the dean.
Without hesitation, he brought a microphone to his mouth.
’’I’m keeping every last cent.’’
The arena instantly exploded.
’’WHAT?!’’
’’SELFISH BASTARD!’’
’’HOW CAN YOU BE SO GREEDY?!’’
’’YOU DON’T NEED THAT MUCH!’’
The shouting grew louder and louder until it became impossible to distinguish individual voices.
Meanwhile, a faint smile appeared on Dean Wirin’s face.
He waited for a few seconds, then raised his hand.
’’Silence!’’
His voice echoed through the entire arena as a strange pressure began weighing down on everyone.
Dean Wirin slowly swept his gaze across the students.
’’Shameful.’’
His single word echoed through the silent arena.
’’Every single one of you should be ashamed of yourselves.’’
Confusion immediately spread throughout the stands.
Students looked left and right at each other, clearly wondering why they were in the wrong.
’’Why?’’ a single student’s voice echoed out. ’’Why should that rich bastard get our resources too?’’
Dean Wirin raised an eyebrow, his gaze landing on the student.
’’Many of us don’t have any money and completely depend on this budget,’’ the student continued somberly. ’’It’s not fair that he gets to take such a large portion of it!’’
Students all throughout the arena nodded, agreement murmuring amongst them.
Yet, Dean Wirin remained completely calm.
’’Rich?’’ he repeated, nodding.
His gaze slowly swept through the stands.
’’What made you think Theo Lane was any richer than any of you are?’’
He paused on the student who had spoken.
’’Theo Lane grew up in poverty,’’ he continued. ’’He spent the first week after his awakening hunting on the beach, simply to earn some money for his homeless family.’’
The student’s expression froze completely.
Dean Wirin narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned forward.
’’He fought in his first beast tide a week later and killed a Bronze Core Chaos Calamity member another two weeks after that.’’
Silence fell throughout the arena.
’’Do any of you know why he entered this competition so late?’’
No one answered.
’’I’ll tell you,’’ Dean Wirin continued. ’’Because Theo Lane was inside Santa Barbara, facing a beast tide from the Fifth Calamity herself.’’
The dean’s voice remained calm.
His gaze slowly swept over the stunned students.
’’While most of you were safely cultivating on campus or in your homes, Theo was risking his life day in and day out.’’
’’Everything he has earned came from his own strength and the risks he’s taken.’’
His gaze landed back on the student.
’’Yet after watching him defeat this many people in a miraculous manner... your first instinct wasn’t admiration, but greed.’’
The student lowered his head, his face burning up.
’’You did not respect him. You did not wonder how he got this strong. Instead, you demanded he surrender the rewards he won fairly.’’
Dean Wirin’s eyes hardened.
’’Tell me.’’
’’If Theo Lane had lost even a single match today... how many of you would have offered him your own cultivation resources?’’
Several seconds passed.
Yet, the entire arena remained silent.
’’Exactly.’’
Dean Wirin folded his hands behind his back.
’’I did not say this to scold you.’’
’’I said it because you should make Theo Lane your goal, not your excuse. That is the only path to growth, after all.’’
He turned around, but paused briefly.
’’As for your cultivation resources... worry not.’’
’’A sponsor has already agreed to replace everything that was lost.’’
The entire arena remained frozen.
Dean Wirin completely turned around.
’’That concludes today’s tournament.’’
Only Theo remained standing in the middle of the battlefield, his mouth hanging open.
’What the hell...’
’I never agreed to have my entire life aired out like that!’