Hiraoka's narrow, spiteful, triangular eyes shot a vicious glare at Jaden, his voice icy enough to cut to the bone:
"Jaden Yuki! Syrus Truesdale! Hayato Maeda! And the rest of you!"
Hiraoka's gaze swept over Yūki and Asuka before returning to the School Regulations in his hand:
"The academy has repeatedly stressed that the Abandoned Dormitory is an extremely dangerous restricted area that students are absolutely forbidden to enter! Three layers of warning signs seal off its entrance. Are you blind, or do you consider the school rules worthless scraps of paper?!"
The smile instantly froze on Jaden's face. "Wait... Director, we went to the Abandoned Dormitory because Hayato and Syrus accidentally... while playing a game..."
"Shut up! Your excuses cannot conceal the fact that you openly trampled on school rules!"
Hiraoka refused to listen to any explanation, his tone as stern as though he were reading out a court verdict:
"You gathered to trespass in a restricted area late at night without permission, and even triggered a violent energy clash within it, damaging the academy's ancient ruins! Under Article 7 of the Duel Academy Student Disciplinary Regulations."
Hiraoka raised his head, an undisguised chill in his eyes.
"Every student involved in this incident will be expelled without exception!"
"What?!"
Jaden cried out, his eyes widening into circles. "Expelled?! We caught a criminal who infiltrated the school and protected the academy, and instead of getting rewarded, we're getting expelled?! What kind of rule is that?! Where's the justice in that?!"
"Ex... expelled?!"
Beside him, Hayato's eyes rolled back, and his legs nearly gave out beneath him. He clutched his head with a woeful expression. "No! If my dad finds out I got expelled, he'll drag me back home and force me to raise koalas!"
The entire hall instantly descended into