[Private Office]
Professor Admond Ashford sat in his expensive chair, staring at the holographic display with a carefully blank expression.
Professor Nathan Greaves stood near the window, his arms crossed, his face a mixture of vindication and concern.
"See, Admond? You could have valued that favor properly. You could have helped that kid when he came to you asking for knowledge. But you demanded submission instead of recognizing what he was."
Nathanâs voice was quiet but cutting.
"You canât do anything against him now. Not politically, or through family pressure... not even through any conventional means.
And looking at the talent heâs displaying, the determination, the sheer will to survive and win against impossible odds, itâs becoming clear that another being capable of standing against the Federationâs established order has emerged."
Ashfordâs jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
On the screen, Damian drove the broken axe through the final demonâs skull.
"You had a chance to guide that power, to shape it, to be on the right side of history when he inevitably rises to prominence. Instead, you treated him like a commoner pest to be dismissed and controlled."
Nathan walked toward the door.
"I gave him my research. Twenty years of theoretical work, freely offered. When he succeeds, when he changes everything, heâll remember who helped and who hindered. Make sure youâre prepared for the consequences of your choices, Admond."
He left, closing the door quietly.
Ashford continued staring at the screen long after the footage ended, his expression troubled.
****
[Headmasterâs Office]
Kaiser stood alone in his sparse office, watching the live stream on a display that took up half the wall.
His ancient face was cold, emotionless, but his hands were clenched so tight his knuckles had gone white.
He watched Damian save the girl.
Watched him face seven demons without hesitation.
Watched him take punishment that would kill most B- rank awakeners and keep fighting.
When the first strike of Abyssal Slaughter failed to sever the demonâs head completely, Kaiserâs clenched hands tightened even more.
âCome on, boy. Remember the lesson. One strike carrying conviction, then another, then another. Donât panic. Donât lose faith. Just keep applying the principle.â
Damian struck again. And again. And again...
The demonâs head came free on the fourth strike.
Kaiserâs hands finally relaxed slightly.
He watched the rest of the battle in silence, his expression never changing, but his eyes tracking every movement with the focus of someone whoâd trained that body personally.
When Damian drove the final blade home and the last demon fell, Kaiser turned away from the screen.
He didnât need to watch the aftermath.
His disciple had survived and that was what mattered.
He picked up his communication device and made a call.
The connection established immediately despite the late hour.
"Director."
Kaiserâs voice was cold, carrying an authority that made even the SFD Director nervous.
"I want all surveillance, investigation, and targeting of Damian Valcor to cease immediately. Previously I remained silent about your organizationâs interest in him because I believed he could handle the pressure.
But Iâm making my position explicit now: that boy is my disciple. Any action against him is an action against me personally."
A pause on the other end.
"Understood, Headmaster. Weâll update our files accordingly. The surveillance will stop."
"Good. Make sure everyone in your organization understands what âdisciple of Headmaster Kaiserâ actually means. I donât want to have this conversation again."
He disconnected without waiting for a response.
Then he sat down heavily in his chair and allowed himself a small, proud smile.
âYou did well, boy. Better than I expected. Youâre ready for what comes next, even if you donât know it yet.â
****
[Federation News Networks]
Every major news channel had interrupted regular programming for emergency coverage.
[BREAKING: DEMON ATTACK ON CIVILIAN TRAIN - MULTIPLE CASUALTIES]
[STUDENT HERO: Academy first-year fights seven demons alone]
[LIVE FOOTAGE: Graphic content warning - viewer discretion advised]
The footage was being broadcast across the entire Federation, unedited and uncensored, showing the full brutality of the encounter.
News anchors struggled to maintain professional composure while describing what everyone was watching.
"This is unprecedented. Demons typically donât breach portals this far into stable territory. The fact that they reached a civilian train route suggests either a massive security failure or a significant shift in dimensional barrier stability."
"Can we talk about the student? I have his data with me â Damian Valcor, fifteen years old, first-year at the Stormhold Academy.
He held off seven Demons alone for nearly ten minutes while civilians evacuated. Thatâs... I donât even have words for that level of courage."
"The SFD is already facing criticism for their delayed response. By the time reinforcements arrived, the battle was over. This student and three officers faced the threat alone."
"Weâre receiving reports that this footage is being shared millions of times per minute across all social networks. Damian Valcorâs name is trending across the entire Federation."
****
[Random Households Across the Federation]
In millions of homes, families gathered around displays watching the battle unfold.
A mother in the Southern Region clutched her daughter closer, tears streaming down her face as she watched Damian save the little girl.
"Thatâs what heroes look like. Remember this. Real heroes donât wear capes or give speeches. They just stand between danger and innocent people, even when theyâre terrified."
A retired soldier in the Eastern Region watched with grim recognition.
"That boy fights like someone whoâs seen real combat before. The way he conserves energy, prioritizes targets, doesnât waste movement even when injured. Thatâs not just Academy training. Thatâs something else entirely."
A group of teenagers in the Western Region were glued to their screens, arguing frantically.
"Did you see him behead that demon in four strikes? His technique is insane!"
"Forget technique, he took hits that should have killed him and kept fighting! His pain tolerance must be inhuman!"
"Iâm applying to the Stormhold Academy next year. If commoners can do that, if someone like him can fight Demons and win, then maybe we actually have a chance."
A Noble family in the Central Region watched in uncomfortable silence.
The father finally spoke, his voice troubled.
"Thatâs the commoner student whoâs been causing problems in the Stormhold Academy. The one various families wanted suppressed."
His teenage son responded quietly.
"He just saved dozens of lives, Father. Fought seven Demons alone. Whatever problems heâs caused seem pretty insignificant compared to that."
****
[Social Media - Federation Wide]
@User7483: I canât believe what I just watched. Thatâs a CHILD fighting DEMONS. A fifteen-year-old kid. And he fucking WON.
@NobleWatch: Damian Valcor - remember that name. Youâre going to be hearing it a lot more.
@SFDCritic: Where the hell was SFD? Why did a student have to hold the line for 10 minutes before reinforcements arrived? Unacceptable.
@CommonerPride: This is what happens when you give commoners real opportunities. We donât waste them. We become heroes.
@AcademyStudent: I study in the same class with Damian. Trust me when I say this footage doesnât even capture how terrifying he actually is in person.
@MilitaryVet: Analyzed the footage frame by frame. This kid has legitimate battlefield instincts. Someone trained him VERY well.
@NewsJunkie: Every major network is covering this. Every social platform is exploding with shares. Damian Valcor just became the most famous teenager in the Federation.