I'm Trapped Inside a Prince as the Most Powerful Entity-Chapter 137: Walking the Gauntlet

As Eric’s eyes adjusted to the vastness of the auditorium his attention was drawn not just to the many professors on the stage.

He also noticed the students who were already seated in the tiered rows of chairs.

There were hundreds of them all appearing older than Eric and his fellow first-years.

And all of them without exception were turned in their seats.

Their collective gaze was fixed on the new arrivals who were standing nervously at the main entrance.

Eric immediately noticed something significant about their attire about their clothes.

They weren’t wearing the simple gray uniforms with the colored bands that he had seen in the dormitory courtyard the day before.

Instead over their standard gray uniforms each student wore a jacket.

And it was the color of these jackets that was telling. It was very important.

Eric understood at once.

The colors of the jackets corresponded to the four factions he had just encountered.

There were jackets of gold red blue and black.

It was a visual representation of their allegiance their loyalty to a group.

And from this he deduced a crucial aspect of the Academy’s social structure. The divisions here the different groups were not based on year level like first-year or second-year.

They were based on these powerful established student groups.

Looking across the huge auditorium he saw that the students from the Golden Group were all seated together in the far-left section.

He could see students among them who were clearly in their fourth and final year of study. And Eric could feel even from this distance the immense polished power they radiated.

They were in a league of their own. They were the elite.

Next to the Golden Group with a narrow aisle separating them sat the members of the Red Group. They also looked strong and confident.

And next to the Red Group was a large empty block of seats.

This section was clearly reserved for the incoming first-year students like him.

Beyond this empty section sat the members of the Blue Group.

Their gazes seemed to be particularly focused not just on the first-years in general but specifically on Eric and the forty or so students who had aligned themselves with him.

They were looking at them with a cold interest.

Finally in the far-right section of the auditorium sat the members of the Black Group.

Eric noticed new faces among all the factions.

These were students he hadn’t seen in the dormitory courtyard yesterday.

And these new faces these senior members looked far more dangerous. Their expressions were colder and more intimidating than the ones he had encountered before.

These were the true powerhouses Killua had spoken of.

The entire first-year class remained clustered together at the entrance of the auditorium.

No one dared to be the first to step further into what felt like a lion’s den.

The staff members who had led them here repeatedly gestured for them to move forward to take their seats. But a palpable sense of fear and intimidation had paralyzed the new students.

They were all waiting for someone else to take the first difficult step.

Void who was standing beside Eric let out a low amused chuckle.

He leaned in and whispered in Eric’s ear so only he could hear.

"You were right Eric. Look at all of them. All these upperclassmen students... they are your enemies now. And look closely they aren’t just looking at the new students in general. They are all looking at you. It seems your message from yesterday was received loud and clear. You really are a unique individual, a troublemaker."

Void’s words were intended as a jest a playful comment.

They were even a compliment in a way. But they did not motivate Eric in the slightest.

Instead they only served to confirm his worst fears. He now understood that the intense hostile stares were not just from the upperclassmen.

Even the many professors sitting on the stage seemed to be directing their attention towards him. Their expressions were a mixture of deep curiosity and stern appraisal. They were judging him.

Do the teachers also know what happened in the dormitory courtyard? Eric thought a fresh wave of anxiety washing over him. He felt trapped exposed like an animal in a cage. He had no choice but to face this situation.

He couldn’t run.

Kado standing just behind Eric was also feeling the weight of all those hostile gazes.

He shifted uncomfortably on his feet. I already said I’m not in his group, Kado thought to himself a scowl on his face. So why are they all looking at me too? He didn’t like the unwanted attention.

Void in contrast to both of them was simply smiling. He was clearly enjoying the charged hostile atmosphere. He found it very entertaining.

Eric took a deep shuddering breath.

He closed his eyes for a moment.

He tried to calm his pounding heart.

The image of his father’s hopeful face appeared in his mind. My father sent me here with a dream, he thought his resolve his determination hardening. My entire kingdom is looking to me with hopeful eyes. They are counting on me. I cannot disappoint them. I will not disappoint them.

With that powerful thought Eric opened his eyes. He became the first student to break the stalemate.

He took a single deliberate step forward. And then he took another walking into the vast auditorium alone.

He headed for the aisle that separated the seated Red Group members from the empty first-year section. His path would take him directly past them past all their angry staring faces.

As Eric began to walk Void with a mocking grin directed at the scowling members of the Red Group also started to move. He was following a few paces behind Eric. He was supporting him in his own strange way.

The reaction from the Red Group was immediate and visceral.

A wave of palpable anger rolled off them. Eric could hear the sound of papers being torn. He could hear the sound of fists clenching so tightly that knuckles turned white.

He could feel their rage.

It was like a physical pressure in the air. But he ignored it. He kept his gaze fixed forward. He kept his back straight. He continued to walk down the aisle.

His footsteps echoed in the suddenly silent auditorium. Every eye was on him.

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