Stone stopped in his tracks and looked at the new arrivals.

"What? You want to take care of this yourselves? You would like that, wouldn't you? 𝙛𝓻𝓮𝓮𝔀𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝒎

Typical of Olympians. Thinking that you can do whatever you want and get away with it. Newsflash assholes, it doesn't work that way every time. Sometimes, payback comes and bites you in your velvet asses.

This time I am that payback and you can't do jack shit about it."

Christos gritted his teeth as he came close to Stone.

He looked him in the eyes and spoke.

"I dug up some information about you. You are a nobody. You shouldn't be making such claims. You were a fucking slave. You are only suitable for wearing a collar and carrying stone around in the dark tunnels of the mines.

Eat when you were given something, shit when you were told you can do it. That is the only suitable life.

You can hide behind the rules of the Academy realm. But the moment, you are out of this realm, what do you think you can do? I will get my hands on you. Even in this Academy realm there are few things that I couldn't do, if I manage to get my hands on you.

What do you think I am capable of outside of this realm?

I will make your wish that your torturous slave life of the past is a heavenly blessing."

Stone smiled at the threat. He didn't speak for a moment and let Christos take in that smile.

"Is that all you can think of? Poke me with my past life? Very original Christos. Do you know how many times I was insulted? Do you know how many ways I was insulted? I was stomped on by the guards of your Academy right outside of your gates.

I managed to bounce back from that. Do you think you can peg me down with just words?

Think again.

Not everyone has a massive stick up their ass when it comes to their pride and ego like your Olympians."

The City guards dragged Stone and the flaming skulls away. They didn't want the argument to escalate anymore.

However, whatever Sam wanted already happened. The whole exchange was recorded by several bird puppets and it spread faster than a wildfire.

Not just how Stone tortured the target, but also how the flaming skulls were involved, how they destroyed a Grade 2 senior and the exchange between Christos and Stone.

Everyone wondered if all four of them will opt for the Trial by Combat.

The Academy realm has never seen the usage of Trial by Combat so much. This is the first time in a long while. Usually, people wouldn't opt for this, because there is always a chance of losing. Particularly when they can choose the champions.

The opposition could always bring someone big and strong. They could always throw in a once in a life time genius and make them eat dirt.

But Stone didn't give a hoot about this.

He always chose the Trial by combat. Some times, it is apparent that he didn't have much combat experience, but his body is compensating for the lack of it. He performed like he was built to combat and since most of the time the champions on the opposition are just as low level as the targets, no one managed to score a win on him.

The most they did was land some hits. But nothing more than that.

However, now that the news about Flaming Skulls spread to the Zeus Academy, the student council took some measures. Pearl wanted to make a move on her own, but Christos who had his ego bruised, wanted to take over.

"Don't worry, Pearl. I have one of the best on the job."

He said as he pointed at Bronte.

She cursed under her breath. As soon as Christos and Bronte left along with his crew to the court to confront Stone and the other three.

Apart from Bronte, he had three other first graders who were training in hub under the special training program for the past few days.

"We all demand a trial by combat."

That is the first and only thing Stone said as soon as he was presented in front of a judge.

The Judge sighed. He kind of expected this and it felt a bit exhausted to be right this time.

"Mr. Stone, I have seen that you are a frequent visitor for this enforcement trial and I already know that the trial by combat is your favorite method

But did you, by any chance think of opting for another method?

A settlement perhaps? Or confessing for the crime and just taking the punishment of the realm which would most likely be lot less that what you would suffer from if you actually lost the trial by combat?"

"Not really, I haven't thought about it."

"Then, you should. I am telling you, you are going suffer greatly if you keep this up. I have an even better suggestion for you. Focus on what you came to the Academy realm instead of getting it on with the Zeus Academy.

You seem like a talented lad, I hate to see you fall."

"I am sorry, your honor. But I am focusing on the reason that I came to the Academy realm for. That Academy is currently imprisoning someone that belong to me. They are barring me from seeing that person and before they hand over that person to me, before they release that person, I will not be stopping.

I will destroy the Zeus Academy student by student, brick by brick, even if I have to spend the rest of my life here.

Until then, I will keep on attacking their student and I will keep on choosing the trial by combat."

His words stunned the rest of the room. Including the Judge. He looked at Christos in askance.

It is apparent that his original words were not merely a suggestion and advice for Stone. He was trying to fish for information. If Stone had been a hardass and didn't give out this information, he would have continued down this line of question, until he got an answer.

After all, even if a person chose trial by combat, the judge has to be the one to approve it. Of course, the Judge cannot put wrong in the right even if he wanted to. But bending the rules this much is still fine and within his limits.

Christos went into a deep thought.

His brain ran at its fastest speed to understand the implications of Stone's statement.

He then remembered what Pearl has said… a few speculations are formed. He nodded at the judge gesturing him to continue. Stone noticed this and smirked at the Judge. His eyes held a disdain that was very apparent to see by anyone.

The Judge cleared his throat. He got a bit angry. That disdain irked him, but he cannot do anything, instead he continued with the line of questioning.

"Did you collude with the flaming skull organization? The organization that was deemed as a terrorist organization by many Academies in the Academy realm?"

Stone didn't speak immediately, he looked at Christos who is also waiting in anticipation and asked.

"Why drag this? Let's get the trial over with. You will know the answers to everything eventually. To go so far as to compel a judge? Can you show some respect to the rules of the Academy realm?"

Christos raised an eyebrow and said.

"I don't know what you are talking about. From what I see, you are the only one showing disrespect to the rules of the realm, by ignoring the Judge."

"Yes, Mr. Stone. Please answer my question."

The Judge asked once again. However, Stone showed no regard and completely turned his body to face Christos.

"Grow a fucking pair. Didn't they teach what guts are in Zeus Academy? Admit it if you have the gall to do something. Fucking idiot."

"MR. STONE."

Judge yelled finally attracting Stone's attention.

"What is it?"

"Do you know what is the punishment for disrespecting the judge and the court?"

"I don't give a fuck. Even for that, you need to run a trial and I am going to choose a trial by combat."

His words stumped everyone. Stone then took a deep breath and continued.

"To answer your question, I don't give a shit if Flaming Skulls are terrorist organization or not. They are mercenaries for hire and I hired them for protection.

When a Grade 2 student of Zeus academy attacked me from behind, they came and beat him half to death."

"So, are they going to stand for trial or are they going to choose the same option as you?"

"Of course, they are going to choose trial by combat."

Christos looked at Stone and the trio from flaming skulls. If given a choice, he would just jump in and kill them all himself.

However, he doesn't have that privilege.