The manor's walls had clearly been reinforced. Thickened. Steel plates were embedded inside. Given the sheer size of the estate, this level of security represented an enormous investment.
But considering who was meeting here, it made perfect sense.
"Promise me you won't act too impulsively," Angat said. "Of course, 'swallowing your pride' isn't exactly popular in the hybrid world. Showing a bit of strength has its uses."
"Don't worry, Headmaster." Morin smiled, looking every bit like a model student. "I know when to stop."
"And I won't bother anyone unless they bother me."
"Good." Angat nodded. "That's perfect."
"Mr. Angat, this way, please," an attendant whispered. "The trustees have arrived. They're waiting for your report."
"See you later, Headmaster." Morin waved and followed another attendant toward the lounge.
The lounge was empty aside from the staff serving tea.
Morin felt a trace of disappointment.
No one had come to provoke him. No face-slapping. No public power plays. He had even prepared a few "educational demonstrations," but the other side didn't make a move at all.
Bored, he leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes.
Angat entered the secret chamber.
It was called a chamber for a reason. No windows. Thick walls. Aside from the door and ventilation, there were no exits. The alloy door was dozens of centimeters thick-missile-proof once sealed.
The door shut.
The lights went out.
Then candles flared to life.
A long table stretched across the room. Brass candelabras illuminated the faces of the trustees. Each person had a brass bell placed neatly before them.
For a moment, it felt like time had reversed.
The leaders of the Secret Party families sat there without modern equipment, like nobles from a thousand years ago. If they wanted to speak, they rang a bell.
Angat took his seat at the end of the table.
The seat of highest honor.
No one objected.
In the hybrid world, status wasn't decided by wealth.
It was decided by absolute strength.
Including Angat, six people sat at the table. Four men. Two women.
"It's odd," Angat said after a brief silence, ringing his bell. "You asked me to bring my student, yet left him waiting in the lounge."
"Even if he is S-rank, he has no right to attend a true Board meeting," said the middle-aged man to Angat's left. He rang his bell. A cane rested against his chair. His black suit was immaculate, silver streaks combed carefully through his hair.
"We'll summon him for questioning after the meeting."
"Frost," Angat replied, ringing his bell again, already reclining as if the formality annoyed him. He didn't even bother setting the bell down. "You look older than your brother Pompey now. Ever consider fixing that temper?"
"A bad temper makes you look old. And accident-prone."
"Watch your words," Frost said coldly. "Being our chosen representative doesn't give you free rein."
"You really are getting old." Angat smiled. "I'm not mocking you. I'm warning you."
"If you speak like that in front of my student later, I can't guarantee your safety."
"The dignity of the Secret Party will not be violated," Frost said.
"That depends on whether you show sufficient respect," Angat countered calmly. "Please remember this."
"That student rescued me from being restrained by two Dragon Kings."
"He has infinite potential. People like that naturally have tempers."
"Young people being arrogant is normal."
"So if you insist on posturing in front of him, don't expect me to stop what happens next."
Angat winked.
Silence followed.
Part of it was due to the freshman's achievement.
The other part was memory.
Two days ago, the man at the head of the table had fought the King of Bronze and Fire and a suspected King of Oceans and Water-and walked away.
No matter the circumstances, a Dragon King was still a Dragon King.
A god-like existence.
And the man who faced two of them unharmed was sitting right there.
As for the "suspected" King of Oceans and Water?
Once the report came in, the trustees had immediately accessed Noma's footage and cross-checked it with their families stationed at the academy. Norton's interaction with Morin's "King of Oceans and Water" persona left no room for doubt.
Norton's identity was confirmed.
So the question became simple.
What kind of existence could command a Dragon King?
The answer was obvious.
Which only made them more cautious.
"I believe Headmaster Angat is correct," Elizabeth said, ringing her bell. "The Secret Party should show proper respect to the strong."
"In the hybrid world, strength deserves respect."
"The Secret Party holds the final authority," Frost rang his bell sharply.
The tension thickened.
They hadn't even officially begun.
"Let's remain civil," said the monk-like old man, ringing his bell. "Morin is a Cassell student. That makes him one of us."
"There's no need to treat our own as enemies."
"The real issue is why two Dragon Kings appeared at Cassell-and how they came to act together."
"If they truly allied, it would be a catastrophe."
"Solar Flare. Abyss."
"No one wants to see that."
"Then let's begin," Angat said, ringing his bell.
Frost rang his immediately, clearly prepared.
"The Secret Party exists to kill all dragons. For thousands of years, countless lives were sacrificed so modern society could exist."
"To keep pace with the times, the academy invested heavily in the AI supercomputer 'Noma' and continues to pour massive funds into its maintenance."
"The college assured us Noma was absolutely secure."
"Yet the enemy bypassed it and entered the Ice Cellar."
"First agenda item."
"Does Noma have a fatal security flaw?"
"Yes," Angat replied at once, ringing his bell.
Frost pressed forward, scenting blood. "Then why does such a flaw exist?"
"I suspect you diverted funds meant for Noma's upkeep."
"To what? The so-called Day of Liberty?"
"Students using alchemical weapons for meaningless combat, damaging property."
"And your massive annual travel expenses."
"I demand full disclosure of all expenditures and a reduction in funding!"
"First," Angat said calmly, ringing his bell. "The Day of Liberty is merely a time slot."
"Students organize their own activities."
"In theory, if they held group study sessions in the library, we wouldn't interfere."
"But our students are dragon slayers. Not bookworms."
"High-fidelity combat exercises benefit their education."
"Second," he continued, "the organizers were Caesar Gattuso and Chu Zijian."
"If there's fault, they're responsible."
"I suppose I'll punish them publicly when I return."
"Heh," Elizabeth laughed softly.
Frost's face went pale.
Caesar Gattuso was the sole heir of the Gattuso family.
Frost was Pompey's brother.
He had aimed for a weak point.
Instead, he'd stabbed himself.
Pushing further would only provoke his nephew-who already despised him.
"Then your travel expenses!" Frost said quickly, pulling out documents. "Chartered yachts. Private jets."
"Europe one day. China for breakfast the next!"
"I'm an old man," Angat replied lazily. "Even if my will to slay dragons remains ironclad."
"Old men like sea breezes."
"And stomach-friendly breakfasts."
"That's normal, isn't it?"
The words nearly made Frost choke.
Old man?
Yes.
But poor health?
What kind of frail elder fights two Dragon Kings and walks away?
Was Angat secretly a Super Saiyan?
This wasn't even an excuse.
It was open contempt.
"If a man over two hundred years old is forced to work when he should be retired," Angat smiled, "and isn't even given spending money..."
"Perhaps I should truly retire."
"If you dare fire me."
The room fell silent.
No one wanted someone like Angat sitting on their heads.
But for years, no one had found a replacement.
Now?
With Dragon Kings reviving and a new war looming?
Replacing him was impossible.
"Let's return to the agenda," the monk-like elder said. "The Secret Party isn't petty over money."
"But Noma being bypassed is serious."
"What was the flaw?"
"And why wasn't it fixed?"
"The Black Card," Angat said, looking around the table.
"When Noma was designed, it was given a core directive."
"Unconditional obedience to the holder of a Black Card."
"The holder is recognized as having the highest level of authorization."
"There are six Black Cards."
"One held by the Cassell Headmaster."
"Five held by the great families of the Secret Party."
"They use technology impossible to duplicate."
In the lounge, Morin smiled faintly.
As expected.
Angat had omitted one detail.
The unregistered Black Card.
Angat knew about Lu Mingze.
He knew Noma's true directive.
But he wouldn't tell the Secret Party.
Once information is shared, it leaks.
And Angat was gambling big.
"Are you saying one of us did this?" Frost slammed the table and stood.
"To be precise," Angat said calmly, "a Black Card belonging to someone in this room was used."
"Whether intentionally or accidentally."
"A malicious party exploited it to bypass Noma and enter the Ice Cellar."
"We assumed our own people wouldn't do this."
"That assumption was wrong."
He spread his hands.
"They failed."
"The plan was perfect."
"The mercenary takes the jar."
"They didn't expect Norton to awaken."
"Then the King of Oceans and Water intervened."
"We lost Constantine."
"And the dragon-bone cross."
"That's the past."
"Life goes on."
"We can move past this."
"Or we can investigate thoroughly."
"But during a Dragon King's revival, airing internal filth seems... unwise."
"Here is my proof."
Angat placed a tablet on the table.
A video played.
Angat: "Noma, how did they get in?"
Noma: "The party used a Black Card."
Angat: "Whose?"
Noma: "Your clearance is insufficient to obtain that information."
The video ended.
Angat shook his head.
"I hold a Black Card. Same as everyone here."
"Noma never accounted for conflicts between top-level Black Cards."
"That's the flaw."
"Why not change its command bank?" Frost demanded.
"It can't be changed," Angat replied. "Or rather, not easily."
"Noma maintains countless secret sites."
"Changing its core commands requires shutting it down for thirty minutes."
"That's enough time for everything to leak."
"A thousand years of Secret Party effort."
"Gone."