Sword God in a World of Magic

"Move! Make space for the next ones!" one of the guards told Shang with annoyance.

Shang moved to the side, and a couple of seconds later, Soran appeared on top of the wall.

Soran had a nice conversation with the stationed guards once again before leading the team down the wall.

"And that's that," Soran said as he turned to everyone. "It was nice seeing some of you again."

Sarah immediately left without saying anything. Apparently, the Magic Contract annoyed her quite a bit.

Elver and Astor also said their goodbyes before following Sarah.

"Shang, follow me," Soran said after everyone left.

Shang only nodded and followed Soran.

After a couple of minutes, they returned to the academy.

Soran immediately led Shang to the main building and to the fifth floor, which was reserved for teachers.

The two of them entered Soran's office and sat down.

SHING!

Soran summoned a gigantic stack of papers, which heavily hit the desk in his office.

Then, he looked at Shang with a smile. "Want to find out who hired the Cleaner?" he asked.

Shang's eyes shone, and he nodded.

"Tell me what you know and who you suspect," Soran said.

Shang recounted his thoughts about who could have wanted him dead.

It essentially boiled down to that it had to be one of the students.

Soran nodded. "That's what I thought," he said as he took the huge stack of papers into his hands.

"Tell me of everyone you met that might have a motive for wanting you dead."

Shang thought for a bit and decided to go in chronological order.

"The guy in the entrance exam. The one I beat up," Shang said.

"Michael Brestow," Soran said as he searched through the papers until he found the student's file.

"He's in the Preparation Grade right now, and he is about average. Nothing has changed for him. I severely doubt that it's him," Soran said.

Shang nodded. He hadn't thought that he would have been the one to send the Cleaner, but Shang wanted to be thorough.

"Stars Gerbon," Shang said. "I was the reason for his strongest helper leaving, and I beat his two cronies up. I also tore his jaw off."

Soran grimaced a bit, but he looked for Stars' file.

trouble adjusting for the next couple of

students, and whenever someone brings up his old behavior, he gets angry out of shame. His family has the funds to hire such a powerful Cleaner, but I doubt that they would do so because of a mere spat between two students. His parents might even want to thank you

"I doubt it's him."

something. "How do you know so many

are required to report nearly everything about every student,"

through all the reports

'Understandable,' Shang thought.

about his three

three names of the cronies from Stars' file

due to laziness," Soran said

not him."

dead,"

asked. If Shang was involved in this guy's

the file away. "He died about 18 months later in the northeastern Wild

"Vanishing Snake?" Shang asked.

Soran nodded.

"It's not him."

that moment, Shang

the incident with Stars Gerbon, Shang only

was

student, and he hadn't even argued with anyone. He had simply stayed by himself

one

had one last fight with three students,"

with a frown. "That wasn't a

best to convince teacher to expel you. You can imagine how that went," Soran said with a bit of guilt visible

back then.

rid of him. He had voiced his concern to the Dean, and he had

Shang's life difficult with underhanded means, he simply dropped

understand why," Shang

regret my decision now," Soran said. "Thank you for

Shang only absentmindedly nodded.

through the files and retrieved three

guy you kicked,"

through

he raised an

an

the Warrior's Academy three days later,"

Now,

couple of months ago, some

was in the weekly match between the Anti-Mage Class and the Mage

Apprentice, and he wasn't weak," Soran said

with a

file again, and he had to chuckle. "Interesting. He was below

to death and gave up the warrior path. But instead of turning into a nobody, he began to shine

take a guess, I believe that he might

you, he would probably still be near the bottom in our

thought back

several of his bones, and the guy had been convulsing on the ground as

that such an event would result in the victim finding their own path and rising through the