Incubus Living In A World Of Superpower Users
Chapter 209: BREAKING: Forbidden Zone Disturbance—First Beast Riot in Over Three Centuries

Chapter 209: BREAKING: Forbidden Zone Disturbance—First Beast Riot in Over Three Centuries

Seraphina didn’t sit back down. She just stood by the doorway, arms folded behind her back.

Her posture was relaxed, yet still precise, as if every inch of her body was attuned to control. She wasn’t tense, but there was nothing casual about her either.

"You should’ve told us sooner," she said softly.

Ethan looked up at her, eyes calm, his voice even.

"I didn’t know what to say."

Seraphina didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t sigh or scoff. She just stared at him a little longer.

"That’s not an excuse."

"I know."

He didn’t try to explain. He didn’t try to argue. He just accepted it.

But Seraphina’s voice didn’t harden. If anything, it grew steadier—almost warm.

"You handled it better than most would’ve."

Ethan gave a small nod. Nothing dramatic. Just acknowledgment. He wasn’t looking for praise, and she wasn’t giving it for show.

She held his gaze for a few more seconds, then turned her eyes to the floating projection still flickering faintly near the far wall. With one small gesture, she tapped her pad and shut it off. The room dimmed just a little more, the glow disappearing.

Liliana, who had been standing by the wall with her arms crossed for most of the conversation, finally shifted. She let her arms drop to her sides, her voice quieter now.

"You were there when it started. And you stayed until the end. No one’s blaming you."

She didn’t say it like a compliment. Just a fact. A truth they had already accepted among themselves.

Isabella leaned forward in the window seat. She had been quiet too, watching the city below through the glass, one leg tucked up under her.

Her chin rested lightly in her palm, her violet hair half-shadowed by the fading light outside.

"But they will," she said, her voice low.

There was no bite in her words. No judgment. Just honesty.

Ethan turned his head and looked at her. "Let them."

Lilith, who hadn’t spoken for a while, finally moved. She reached slowly for the teacup in front of her.

Her fingers were graceful, slow, like everything was still under control. She took a small sip, eyes unreadable, then set it back down with care.

"We’ll handle that part," she said simply.

Then she stood up, smooth and silent, her heels barely making a sound against the floor.

"Rest. Eat something later. If anything changes, we’ll call you."

Ethan stood up, too, but he didn’t leave right away. He looked out the same window Isabella had been gazing through.

The mist had started to thin outside. From this height, the estate overlooked much of the city.

The lights below were beginning to flicker on, one block at a time, as dusk slowly settled over the skyline.

In the hallway beyond the study, soft footsteps echoed—likely one of the estate staff moving trays or quietly closing a door.

The air was quiet again. Not the tense kind of silence from earlier, but something gentler. Like the entire house was pausing. Breathing. Waiting for whatever came next.

Ethan finally stepped out of the room. He didn’t say goodbye. He didn’t need to. They all understood.

As soon as he entered the upper hall, a soft chime rang out from one of the wall panels. Then another. Then a third.

Within seconds, the estate’s holo network activated with a low hum. The lights dimmed slightly as various display screens turned on automatically across the walls—nothing loud or flashy, just quiet updates beginning to filter in.

Back in the study, Lilith didn’t move at first. Her eyes were already scanning the nearest screen as one of the feeds rerouted to match public news sync.

Isabella shifted in her seat, the casual posture gone, her eyes now focused.

Seraphina tapped her pad again, then looked toward the screen. Her tone was calm but focused.

"It’s starting."

The first news banner rolled across the top of the display:

BREAKING: Forbidden Zone Disturbance—First Beast Riot in Over Three Centuries

There was no sound at first. Just raw footage. It came from handheld student recorders, shaky and rushed.

Aerial drone feeds followed. Distant views of panicked students sprinting through dense forest.

Flares are lighting the sky. Beasts charging through the undergrowth. Explosions. Screams.

Then a closer shot filled the screen.

It showed a bronze-ranked beast—massive, injured, but still fast—slamming its body through a small group of fleeing students.

The angle shook again. The camera dipped. Then steadied.

A single figure stepped into frame.

Not named. Not clear.

Just standing there alone, facing the beast. Calm. Not moving.

The camera froze for a split second.

Then the beast charged.

The figure—Ethan—stepped forward, one arm raised. There was a brief flicker of energy. The next second, the beast collapsed mid-air.

Crumpled like something had ripped its strength away in one blow.

No shouting. No pose. Just action. Done in a single, precise movement.

The feed jumped again.

Multiple windows opened across the screens. Cut footage. Glimpses of other student groups. Snippets of officials refusing to answer questions. Chaotic interviews, full of speculation and guesswork.

Then a young female reporter appeared. She had bright eyes, tight curls, and a practiced voice full of concern.

"We’re receiving word now that an unauthorized cult-related disturbance may have caused the incident in Zone Twelve.

While officials have not confirmed this directly, one source from within the Academy’s oversight team claims this was not a natural beast riot."

Another cut.

A still image came on next, captured by a drone hovering high above the forest. It had been zoomed in.

The angle showed a wide clearing. Dozens of students. Some help others. A few are carrying the injured.

In the center, one figure again stood out.

Ethan. Blurry, but recognizable.

Not just because of what he did.

But because of how still he stood.

That image—faint, imperfect—spread faster than the rest.

Online posts started flooding in.

"Who is that student?"

"Did he kill that beast alone?"

"Why is no one talking about this?"

"Is the Academy covering this up?"

The feed shifted again. This time it was an official response. Not live. Just a voice reading over a dark screen with a plain government seal.

"This morning’s disturbance in the Zone has been classified as an environmental anomaly. Further information will be released pending investigation."

Lilith watched without blinking. "Of course."