Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 216: The Fall of Genova



The arena was frozen, all eyes fixed on the battlefield. Kenny lay convulsing on the ground, his body crackling faintly with residual energy.

Beside him, the karinite 4.

Its faint glow pulsed unnaturally, casting a cold light across the dirt. For a moment, the crowd didn't react, unsure of what they were seeing. But for those familiar with beast mastering, agency scouts, veteran fighters, and students with advanced knowledge, the sight of the karinite 4 sent shockwaves through their minds.

"That's... no way..." one scout murmured. "Is that what I think it is?" another whispered, his tone trembling.

Then someone shouted.

"It's a karinite!"

The words rippled through the arena, igniting a storm of reactions. The whispers spread, quickly growing louder as more people began to understand what they were witnessing.

"Wait... Did he use it?"

"That's illegal!"

"How did he get one of those?"

The professors sat frozen, their faces pale. Some exchanged horrified glances, but none dared to speak. Even the students were struck silent.

Lisa flinched, her hands flying to her mouth. Her breathing quickened, and she could feel her heart pounding painfully in her chest. Her wide eyes stayed locked on the tool that had changed her life forever.

The youngest among the students leaned forward, their brows furrowed in confusion, while the older ones began to piece together the truth. The karinite 4 was an experimental tool, a generator for creating artificial elemental spirits, used sparingly and only under strict supervision in academies.

But now, it lay in the ground, an object that should never emerge from the shadow of a beast master. Its presence here could mean only one thing: it had been absorbed like a beast.

"Cheater!" someone in the crowd shouted, breaking the stunned silence.

"He cheated!" another voice added, louder this time.

The accusations grew, quickly cascading into a roar of anger.

"He's a cheater!"

"That's how he got so strong!"

"Disqualify him! Ban him!"

The outrage spread like wildfire, sweeping through the arena and beyond. Livestream chats across the world exploded as viewers caught on. The suspicion, however, didn't stop at Kenny.

"This was a setup! The academy must've helped him!"

"They knew about the karinite, there's no way they didn't!"

"They rigged this whole thing to make their students look good!"

The crowd's anger now turned toward the academy. People stood in their seats, pointing and yelling accusations at the director and her staff.

At the director's podium, she stood motionless, her eyes wide as she stared at the chaos unraveling below. Her gaze flicked from the karinite 4 to Kenny, then to the screaming crowd. For the first time, her composure cracked.

"This... this can't be happening," she muttered under her breath.

The youngest teachers, unable to bear the accusations or the scene unfolding, quietly left their seats, their faces a mix of shame and frustration. Some cast wary glances at the director as they walked away, silently blaming her for the catastrophe.

The cameras panned to the director, her pale face filling the massive screens that overlooked the arena. For a moment, she seemed frozen, her lips slightly parted as though searching for words.

Then, to the shock of everyone watching, she began to giggle.

It was faint at first, but it grew steadily louder, her shoulders trembling as the sound turned into a full-blown laugh. Her eyes widened, gleaming with something that looked far too close to madness. The camera lingered on her, broadcasting her reaction to the entire arena and the world beyond.

On her seat, Eliza leaned back, a sly smile playing on her lips. She crossed her legs elegantly. "Enjoy your last ovation," she murmured. "It's been a pleasure to send you to retirement." The chaos in the arena showed no signs of stopping. The people, the internet, the world, it was all turning against Kenny and the academy.

The aftermath of the tournament was catastrophic. Genova became the center of a worldwide scandal. The match between Kenny and Julian, both students of the academy, combined with the illegal karinite 4, left no room for defense.

The tournament was annulled immediately, its results invalidated, but the damage had already been done. News outlets ran scathing reports day and night. Social media was relentless, mocking the academy.

Memes flooded the internet, comparing Genova to a crumbling ruin, a broken system that symbolized failure.

The students found themselves shunned. Scouts and agencies turned away, dismissing anyone associated with the academy as untouchable. Teachers resigned in disgrace, unable to face the public humiliation.

For the second time in its history, Genova was ridiculed, but this time it was stronger than anything.

Three days after the disastrous event, the director publicly announced her resignation. Her speech was brief and devoid of the confidence she had once carried. Her resignation was the

final blow.

Genova Academy, now leaderless and disgraced, stood as a hollow shell of its former self. The afternoon of her departure was quiet. The gates of the academy were eerily still. A black car idled nearby, its engine humming softly. The director walked slowly toward it. Rowan stood by the gates, the only one to see her off. His arms were crossed, his gaze fixed on her. He said nothing as she approached, watching her load her last belongings into the car. The silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable. But as she reached the car door, Rowan's voice cut through the stillness.

"So, that's it?" he said, his tone sharp. "You're just running away? After creating this mess?"

She paused, her hand resting on the door handle. For a moment, she didn't turn. Then she straightened slightly, exhaling slowly as she turned to face him. Her gaze was hollow, devoid of the fiery determination she once carried.

"No, Rowan. It's not running away. It's the opposite."

Rowan frowned, his arms lowering slightly.

"I've spent so many years chasing something that was already gone," she continued, her voice calm. "I thought I could bring glory back to Genova. I thought I could bring it back to myself. But I was blind. My time had already passed, and I was too stubborn to see it."

Her lips curved into a faint, bitter smile.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"It's like Eliza said, like staying on a train that's speeding toward a crash. You think you can fix it, slow it down, change the course. But you can't. And when it finally crashes, if you're still

on board, this is what you get."

She gestured vaguely toward the academy behind her.

"I stayed on too long, and now I'm paying the price. If I stay any longer, it could be worse."

Rowan's jaw tightened.

"So what? You think leaving will fix anything? You caused this!"

"I know," she said simply. "And that's why I have to go."

Before Rowan could reply, a familiar voice broke the tension.

"Beautifully said."

Both turned to see Eliza approaching, her stride elegant and confident. She stopped a few paces away, her hands clasped behind her back and her ever-present smile curving her lips.

"You..." Rowan groaned.

Eliza ignored him, her eyes locked on the director.

"I'm glad to see you've finally come to your senses, Direct..." She paused, her tone playful. "Oh, my apologies... I should say... Lady Ashworth? It has a nice old-fashioned ring to it."

The director let out a dry chuckle.

"If you're here to mock me, go ahead. I don't mind."

"Oh, I'm not mocking you," Eliza said, her smile widening. "If anything, I'm impressed. It

takes a certain clarity of mind to know when to step off the train."

Rowan scoffed, his frustration boiling over.

"Clarity? You pushed this whole thing too far, and you know it!"

Eliza turned to him with a serene expression.

"Correction, I did nothing. You brought that to yourself. Life's not fair, Rowan. You fight, you

win, you lose. Sometimes you get back up, sometimes you don't. And sometimes... even if you

can stand, you choose to stay down."

Her words carried weight, and as she spoke, in several places in Grushia.

Julian, waking up in his room, his face covered in bandages, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Kenny, lying unconscious in a hospital bed, his body hooked up to machines. Victoria, sitting alone in her room, staring at an old photograph of herself during her prime alongside Tamara

and Kallistra.

"Everyone has their time to shine," Eliza continued, her voice soft but firm. "And when the twilight comes, you have to know when to step off. That's the way it works at the top."

The director gave a faint smile.

"I hope to live long enough to see that day come for you, Eliza."

Eliza's smirk deepened.

"Maybe, if you eat enough vegetables before you become one." She tapped her chin

thoughtfully. "But thanks for the advice. I'll make sure not to follow your path. You've shown

me exactly what not to do."

She turned, her steps measured as she began to walk away.

"Enjoy your life, Lady Ashworth. Oh, and Rowan," she said, glancing back, her smile sharp.

"It's been a pleasure. I won't be seeing you again. It's time for me to pay the Pandoras a

visit."

Rowan's fists clenched as she disappeared into the distance, her confidence leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

The director sighed deeply, leaning against the car for a moment.

"She's not wrong," she said, her voice quiet. "Life has a way of teaching us lessons in the

hardest ways."

Rowan's voice softened.

"I'm sorry. I should have done more. Maybe I could have stopped this."

She shook her head gently.

"You don't need to force yourself, Rowan. I'm not so old that I can't see anger behind your

words. But... thank you."

She placed a hand on his shoulder, her voice softening even further.

"Don't end up like me. That's all I can hope for."

She laughed lightly, a sound tinged with sadness and acceptance, before entering the car.

The door closed, and as it pulled away, Rowan stood alone at the gates. He watched the car disappear into the distance, the weight of her departure heavy on his shoulders. Behind him, the empty, tarnished academy loomed, a reminder of the fall they would all have

to endure.