Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start

The interior of the fourth-year teachers' building on the Fourth Peak was a stark contrast to the tension outside. Within the staff room, the air was heavy with a mix of greed and quiet apprehension.

The spacious chamber was lined with tall windows overlooking the distant peaks, but the teachers gathered around a central table seemed uninterested in the scenery. Among the teachers gathered here, all of them were part of the teachers' union that was targeting the student council, but they weren't actually an organization.

They were just a group of teachers flocked together with no loyalty but profit in mind.

Their murmurs filled the room like an undercurrent of unease.

"How much longer are we going to sit on our hands?" growled Malen, a stout, balding man with impatience. Like many other teachers who were part of the teachers' union, he was purely in it because of his greed.

He leaned forward, his hands planted firmly on the table. "We've been quiet for too long. The student council's practically running this place unchecked. If we want to profit, we need to act—hit their finances, something bold."

Some teachers who were part of the union were already leaving because they weren't making profits, so his point wasn't really wrong.

Across the table, Lena, a thin, sharp-eyed woman, scowled. "Bold? Or reckless? You've seen how tense things are. The last thing we need is the student council sniffing around. Let them think we're just another set of useless old teachers."

"That's rich, coming from someone who's done just fine pocketing her share," Malen shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Lena was one of the teachers who looked over the students who managed the resources of the student council, so although secretly, she was able to make profits even now.

That, however, was something Lena wasn't very proud of, so her lips tightened, but before she could reply, another voice broke in. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire

"Enough." Elenara, a tall woman with icy blue eyes and a commanding presence, stepped into the conversation. Her voice was low but sharp enough to slice through the room. "This isn't the time for squabbling. We've made our profits when we could. Right now, I can sense something... unnatural from the student council. Something feels wrong."

"Wrong?" Scoffed Malen. "Nothing's wrong. We've kept our heads down and avoided suspicion. That was the plan, wasn't it? So, shouldn't we poke our heads out now?"

Elenara didn't respond immediately. Alone, she could only do so much. Instead, her gaze flicked toward the far end of the table, where a pale, nervous-looking man cleared his throat.

"It's Lilia," the man stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Her disappearance... it could draw attention. The student council is bound to investigate. And if they start looking..."

He trailed off, not wanting to continue, making the hall go quiet for a while.

Everyone in the hall was aware of the news that became viral this morning. Lilia Morningstar went missing. She was abducted right from her chamber.

However, they knew that it wasn't them. Many even thought that it was the student council's scheme.

Lena was one of them. She snorted. "You think we had anything to do with that? Don't be ridiculous. It's probably a ploy of the student council." Leaning back on her seat, she huffed, "You all didn't forget the Zyrrak incident, did you?"

Those words brought stillness back into the room. The Zyrrak incident, an incident where they hadn't done anything, was blamed on them because of Alex. They could never forget that.

But not all thought the same because this wasn't a group of loyal people. They could doubt each other. And not just each other, but the one controlling them as well.

Elenara frowned, her fingers drumming against the table. "What if it's not? What if our leader—"

She knew that their leader was moody and did things the way he wanted, so there was a chance that he could've done it, especially with his relationship with Lilia...

But before she could complete her words, a cold, clipped voice cut her off. "That's enough, Elenara."

The room fell silent as everyone turned to the speaker: Kaelyn, a stern woman with dark hair tied into a tight bun. Her presence was commanding, her eyes sharp as steel. She sat with perfect posture, her tone brooking no argument.

"Our leader would never act without warning us," Kaelyn said, her words deliberate. "This disappearance has nothing to do with us. Speculating otherwise only sows discord. Focus on what we know."

Elenara hesitated but ultimately nodded, sitting back in her chair.

But before anyone could respond further, a frantic pounding on the door broke the tense atmosphere. A young teacher stumbled inside, his face pale and his voice trembling.

"They're here," he blurted out, gasping for breath. "The student council—they've surrounded the building!"

The air in the room shifted instantly, panic rippling through the group. Teachers leeped to their feet, rushing to the windows. The sight outside confirmed the messenger's words: the student council members stood in formation, their presence a wall of authority that left no room for doubt.

At the forefront stood Theron, calm and unyielding, flanked by the other council pillars, including Alex. The setting sun cast long shadows over the courtyard, their figures outlined against the dying light.

Kaelyn's jaw tightened as she stepped forward, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Calm down. Running around like headless chickens won't help. Let me handle this."

The teachers fell silent, their gazes snapping to Kaelyn as she moved toward the door. Her confidence was like a shield, steadying the nerves of those around her.

When Kaelyn stepped into the corridor, Alex and the other council members were already at the threshold. Alex and Fenna stood on either side of Theron, their gazes sharp, while Zahara and Gurrak lingered just behind, exuding quiet menace.

"What's the meaning of this?" Kaelyn demanded, her voice echoing in the hall. "Surrounding our building like criminals—what's your objective, President?"

Theron remained calm, his eyes scanning the crowd of teachers before he turned to Alex, taking a step back, and letting Alex do the talking—something Alex accepted with a nod.

He then turned toward the teachers; his expression was unreadable, but his voice carried the weight of authority. "We're here for answers, Kaelyn. The abduction of our council members isn't something we can ignore."

Alex wasn't showing them any respect, as he didn't have to. In terms of authority, the fourth-year teachers and the student council were both on equal terms.

Alex, observing the change in their expressions, then added, "And given the recent movements here, this building seemed the most logical place to start."

Kaelyn stiffened. "Are you accusing us? We had nothing to do with Lilia's disappearance. If you're so confident, show us proof."

The room behind her fell into an uneasy silence as Alex slowly raised his hand. His expression was calm, but the others were confused, wondering what he was trying to do before voices echoed through the air—familiar voices.

"We've been quiet for too long."

"We need to act—hit their finances..."

"What if it's Lilia? What if she draws attention to us?"

"Our leader wouldn't do anything without warning us..."

The recordings played in stark detail, capturing the teachers' earlier conversation. Gasps and murmurs filled the room as all eyes turned toward the source of the voices, only to find Malen and Lena standing with recording devices in their hands.

Kaelyn's composure faltered, her gaze snapping between the guilty parties and the crystal.

Alex's voice broke the silence, calm but razor-sharp. "Still think you've got nothing to answer for?"