Irene and Elsie stood side by side in the dimly lit chamber, their eyes fixed on the array of documents and ancient tomes spread across the large wooden desk. The room was a chaotic mix of archaic technology and mystic alchemy, an unsettling testament to the dark experiments conducted within the academy's depths.

"There's got to be something here," Irene muttered, her fingers deftly flipping through the yellowed pages of an old journal. The words, written in a spidery hand, detailed experiments and trials that made her stomach churn. Elsie, her expression grim, was rifling through a stack of brittle parchments, each one more horrifying than the last.

As they pored over the documents, a sickening pattern began to emerge. Each entry chronicled a series of horrific failures. Subjects who had undergone the transfusion of the mysterious liquids suffered unimaginable fates. One report detailed a young woman whose organs had slowly ceased to function, one by one, until she died in excruciating pain. Another spoke of a man whose eyes had burst from their sockets, the pressure from the unnatural substances proving too much for his body to bear.

"This is monstrous," Elsie whispered, her voice thick with horror. "How could anyone justify this?"

Irene's face was a mask of concentration, but her eyes betrayed her disgust. "They believed they were on the brink of a breakthrough," she said, her tone laced with disdain. "But all they found was more death and suffering."

One particularly harrowing account described a subject who had suddenly awakened mid-transfusion. His screams echoed through the corridors as he thrashed against his restraints, driven mad by the pain and the invasive magic. He had died moments later, his body unable to withstand the trauma.

Elsie felt a wave of nausea and clutched the edge of the desk to steady herself. She braced for it and felt it coming strongly, hurling up her breakfast she held onto the table for support. Stopping her unfortunate relief she glanced towards the rows of students lying in cage-like beds, hooked up to the same cruel machines described in the documents. Their faces were pale, their bodies unnaturally still, save for the occasional twitch or shudder.

"Is there really nothing we can do for them?" Elsie asked, her voice barely a whisper. "We can't just leave them like this."

Irene shook her head slowly, her heart heavy with sorrow. "The processes described here are irreversible," she said. "These notes detail countless attempts to reverse the effects, but all ended in failure. Organ failure, insanity, death... every possible outcome is worse than the last."

Tears welled up in Elsie's eyes as she looked at the students. "So, what do we do? Just stand here and watch them suffer?"

Irene placed a comforting hand on Elsie's shoulder. "Sometimes, there are no good options. We can try to ease their pain, but we can't undo what's been done."

They continued to sift through the papers, hoping against hope to find some glimmer of a solution. But the more they read, the more apparent it became that the experiments were nothing short of a death sentence. Every formula, every procedure, every desperate attempt to stabilize the subjects had only resulted in further agony.

Elsie picked up a particularly thick tome and began to read aloud. "Experiment #137. Subject exhibited increased magical abilities initially, but within 24 hours, began to show signs of severe mental distress. Subject's cognitive functions deteriorated rapidly, leading to self-harm and eventual death." She closed the book with a heavy thud, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "It's all the same. Every single one of them ends in disaster."

Irene nodded, her expression grim. "These experiments were doomed from the start. The substances they're using... they were never meant to be introduced into the human body. The combination of herbs, magical infusions, and mutagenic compounds is simply too volatile."

Their eyes met, and an unspoken understanding passed between them. They had done everything they could, but sometimes, even their combined knowledge and power weren't enough. The students were beyond saving, their fates sealed the moment they were subjected to the twisted experiments.

"We need to report this," Irene said finally. "The academy, the council, they need to know what's been happening here. We can't let this continue."

Elsie nodded, her resolve hardening. "And we need to make sure these poor souls are remembered. They were victims, not just subjects."

As they turned to leave, a soft moan echoed through the room. One of the students stirred, their eyes fluttering open for a brief moment before closing again. The sight was a stark reminder of the lives that had been destroyed by the ruthless pursuit of power.

Heine and Juliet's panicked voices cut through the oppressive silence of the chamber, echoing off the cold, stone walls.

"One of them woke up!" Heine shouted, her voice tinged with urgency.

"And the vials are empty!" Juliet added, her eyes wide with alarm.

The group exchanged a quick, startled glance before rushing towards the row of cage-like beds. Irene's heart pounded in her chest as she pushed through the others to reach the stirring figure. Elsie followed closely behind, her face a mask of concern.

They came to a halt in front of one of the beds, where a young man lay tangled in a web of tubes and wires. His eyes fluttered open, and he let out a weak groan, his body twitching as he tried to move. The vials attached to the machinery around him were indeed empty, their contents fully administered.

"He's an academy student," Elsie whispered, recognizing the crest on his uniform. She knelt beside the bed, her hand gently resting on his arm. "Hey, can you hear me? Can you tell us what happened?"

The student's eyes flickered open again, this time focusing on Elsie. He took a shuddering breath and tried to speak, his voice barely a whisper. "Most... most of us... students... misbehaved... orphans..."

Y/n stepped forward, his face set in determination. He placed a hand on the student's forehead, his own magic beginning to flow into the weakened body. "I'm going to help you, just stay with us," he said, his voice calm and steady.

The student nodded weakly, his eyes closing as he succumbed to the exhaustion that wracked his body. Irene and Elsie exchanged a worried glance, then focused on aiding Y/n. He channeled his magic into the student, trying to heal the damage and restore some of his energy. As the healing magic took effect, the student's breathing steadied, and the tension in his body began to ease.

"You're safe now," Y/n said softly, his magic still working to mend the student's injuries. "Just take it easy."

With a final surge of energy, Y/n finished the healing spell and stepped back, wiping sweat from his brow. The student opened his eyes again, looking slightly stronger but still exhausted. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice hoarse.

Elsie squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Can you tell us more about what happened here? Why were you all subjected to this?"

The student swallowed hard, his eyes darting nervously around the room before settling on Elsie. "They said... we were chosen because... we had no one who would miss us. Students who caused trouble, orphans with no family... They experimented on us, trying to... make us stronger."

Heine and Juliet listened intently, their expressions a mix of horror and anger. Irene's mind raced as she tried to process the information. The twisted logic behind the experiments was clear: the academy had exploited the most vulnerable, those who had no one to protect them or question their disappearance.

"We need to get him out of here," Y/n said firmly. "He's been through enough."

With careful hands, they disconnected the student from the machinery, Y/n supporting him as he struggled to stand. "Lean on me," Y/n instructed, his voice gentle. "We'll get you out of here and somewhere safe."

As they helped the student to his feet, Irene glanced around the room, her eyes landing on the other beds. "There might be more like him," she said, her voice tinged with urgency. "We need to check the others."

Juliet nodded, already moving towards the next bed. "We'll look for anyone else who might be waking up."

Heine joined her, and together they inspected each bed, searching for signs of life. The room was filled with a tense silence, broken only by the occasional drop falling from the viles into the colector and the rustle of their movements.

Y/n and Elsie carefully guided the student towards the door, Y/n's healing magic still working to strengthen him. "Can you walk?" Y/n asked, his tone encouraging.

The student nodded weakly, his legs trembling but holding steady. "I think so," he replied, his voice stronger now.

As they reached the door, Irene turned back to look at the room once more. The sight of the students lying motionless in their beds, the empty vials, and the ominous machinery filled her with a deep sense of dread. They had uncovered a dark secret within the academy, one that had caused untold suffering.

"We're going to put an end to this," Irene vowed, her voice firm. "No one else will be subjected to these horrors."

Elsie glanced at her, a determined look in her eyes. "We'll make sure of it," she agreed.

Together, they left the room, the student supported between Y/n and Elsie. As they moved through the dark corridors of the academy, the weight of their discovery hung heavy over them. They had a mission now, one that went beyond their original goal. They had to expose the truth and ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.

The student leaned heavily on Y/n, his strength slowly returning but still fragile. "Thank you," he said again, his gratitude evident in his voice.

Y/n nodded, his expression resolute. "We're not going to let this happen to anyone else. You're safe now, and we'll make sure it stays that way."

The group made their way through the endless corridors of the academy, the grim determination on their faces reflected in the flickering torchlight. Their footsteps echoed in the empty halls as they approached the grand office of the principal. Y/n's jaw was set in a tight line, his anger barely contained.

Rudeus stepped out of the principal's office, his eyes widening as he took in the scene before him. His gaze fell on Y/n, who was holding a visibly shaken student by the arm. The air was thick with tension, and the faint scent of burnt ozone lingered, a telltale sign of recent magic use.

"Y/n," Rudeus called out, his voice laced with curiosity and concern. "What's going on here? And do you know anything about the earthquake that just happened?"

Y/n turned to face Rudeus, his expression a mix of exhaustion and realization. The pieces clicked into place in his mind, and he understood that the tremors Rudeus referred to were not natural but the aftermath of the intense battle Irene and he had fought against the mage, Valtor.

"We... we had a confrontation," Y/n began, his voice steady but tinged with the weight of the recent events. He glanced at the student he was supporting, who was still trembling from the ordeal. "This student was caught up in a series of dark experiments being conducted beneath the academy. We uncovered it and tried to put a stop to it."

Rudeus's eyes narrowed with concern, his brow furrowing as he took in Y/n's words. "Experiments? What kind of experiments?"

"Experiments meant to enhance magical abilities and physical power," Y/n explained, his tone growing more serious. "But at a terrible cost. The earthquake you felt was likely the result of our battle against a powerful mage guarding those secrets."

Rudeus's gaze shifted to the student, who nodded weakly, confirming Y/n's account. "I see," Rudeus said slowly, processing the information. "The principal mentioned nothing about this. It's disturbing to think something so sinister was happening right under our noses."

Y/n sighed, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on him. "We need to bring this to light and make sure it never happens again. The academy should be a place of learning and safety, not a site for dangerous experiments. Don't tell anyone but get Linia and Pursena."

Rudeus nodded in agreement, his expression resolute. "I'll help however I can. We need to ensure the safety of all the students and hold those responsible accountable."

As they entered the office, the principal, an elderly man with a scholarly appearance, looked up from his desk. His eyes widened in surprise as he took in the sight of the group, their expressions clearly conveying that this was not a casual visit.

"Principal," Irene began, her voice calm but edged with steel, "we need to speak with you about the experiments happening in the depths of this academy."

The principal's face paled, his hands trembling slightly as he removed his glasses and set them on the desk. He hesitated, clearly taken aback by the sudden confrontation. "Experiments?" he repeated, his voice wavering.

"Yes," Elsie said, stepping forward. "We found students being subjected to horrific experiments, their bodies pumped full of dangerous substances. Did you know about this?"

The principal hesitated again, his eyes darting between the members of the group. Finally, he nodded slowly. "Yes, I knew... but it started long before my time here. I inherited this position, and those experiments were already being conducted."

Elsie's eyes narrowed, her anger barely contained. "Why didn't you try to stop it?"

The principal's shoulders slumped, and he looked down at his desk, unable to meet their eyes. "I never went down there," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know the full extent of what was happening. I was afraid, and I turned a blind eye."

Y/n's patience snapped. He crossed the room in a few swift strides, grabbing the principal by the collar. "You turned a blind eye while students suffered and died?" he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls.

Without warning, Y/n slapped the principal across the face. The sound of the impact was sharp and echoed through the office. The principal's head snapped to the side, a look of shock and pain on his face. But Y/n wasn't done. He slapped him again and again, his fury unleashed with each strike. The principal's cheek reddened and swelled, but Y/n's rage wasn't sated.

"Do you even understand what you've allowed to happen?" Y/n growled, his voice filled with righteous anger.

The principal tried to stammer out a response, but Y/n didn't give him the chance. He placed a hand on the principal's face, channeling healing magic to repair the damage done, only to continue his assault. Slap after slap, Y/n vented his fury, each strike a cathartic release of the horror and anger he felt.

Irene watched with crossed arms, her face showed no sign of any emotions as she counted how many times the principal got slapped. "Y/n, stop!" Elsie finally cried, stepping forward and grabbing his arm. "That's enough. He's a coward, but more violence won't change what happened."

Y/n stopped, breathing heavily, his hand still poised for another strike. He looked at Elsie, then back at the principal, who was now slumped in his chair, tears streaming down his face. Y/n let go of him, stepping back with a look of disgust.

Irene moved closer to the principal, her eyes cold. "You may not have started this, but your inaction allowed it to continue. Do you understand the gravity of your negligence?"

The principal nodded weakly, his voice choked with emotion. "I understand... I'm sorry... I should have done more."

"We're shutting it down," Irene declared. "And you will help us. You will provide every piece of information you have, and you will make sure every student involved gets the help they need."

The principal nodded again, a look of resigned acceptance on his face. "Yes, of course. I'll do whatever I can to make this right."

Elsie looked at him with a mixture of anger and pity. "It's too late for many of those students, but at least we can stop more from suffering. This academy will no longer be a place of secret horrors."

Y/n took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions within him. "We need to move quickly. There may still be more students in danger."