Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 59: Unseen Ties

Chapter 59: Unseen Ties

Wallace’s hands moved quickly, tracing the familiar rune patterns into the dirt with a steady focus I hadn’t seen since we first entered this nightmare. His movements were slower, his mana nearly drained, but he didn’t waver.

"Wallace," I murmured, voice low. "Keep it tight. No gaps."

"I know, Professor," he muttered through clenched teeth, sweat dripping down his brow. "I’m not an amateur."

"Could’ve fooled me," Julien mumbled from his spot, sword angled and ready. His stance was loose but prepared—he wasn’t taking chances.

Mira stayed close to Wallace, dagger poised, her eyes scanning the treeline. Her mana was thin, but her instincts were sharp. She’d strike the moment something moved.

Leo...

He stood deathly still.

I could feel the tether pulsing now—stronger than before. It was subtle, a vibration in the air, but it was feeding off of him. Whatever had latched onto Leo wasn’t just a remnant.

It was waiting.

"Professor," Wallace muttered, his voice tight with strain. "The tether’s... deeper than I thought."

"How deep?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"Too deep." Wallace’s fingers trembled as he etched the last rune. "This isn’t just a simple attachment. It’s... anchored."

Anchored.

My jaw clenched. That wasn’t good.

"Can you sever it?" I asked, keeping my tone calm.

Wallace’s expression tightened. "I can try. But if I pull too hard—"

"It could snap back," I finished.

"And if that happens..." Wallace’s voice trailed off.

Leo wouldn’t survive it.

Damn it.

"Alright," I murmured. "We don’t sever it."

"Then what do we do?" Julien’s voice was tight. "Because I’m not a fan of leaving a time bomb in Leo."

"Neither am I," I muttered, my mind racing.

Severing the tether was risky. Too risky. But if we didn’t...

"Wallace," I said, my tone sharp. "Can you trace where it leads?"

Wallace blinked, his brow furrowing. "Trace it?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "If it’s anchored, we follow it back to the source."

Wallace hesitated. "That’s... not easy, Professor. Tracing a tether that deep—"

"Can you do it or not?" I cut him off.

He swallowed hard, then nodded. "I can try."

"Good." I stepped back, giving him space. "Do it."

Wallace’s fingers moved again, his mana flickering as he adjusted the array.

The lines shifted, rearranging themselves into a tracking formation.

"Felix," I called over my shoulder.

"Y-Yeah?" His voice was shaky, but at least he was paying attention.

"Stay close to Leo. If anything happens, pull him back."

Felix paled but gave a weak nod. "Got it."

"Julien, Mira." I glanced at them.

"Perimeter?" Julien asked, already shifting to cover more ground.

"Exactly."

Mira gave a curt nod, her eyes hard as she scanned the clearing.

The air was thick now—heavier.

And I could feel it.

The pulse.

Stronger.

Closer.

"Wallace," I murmured. "Talk to me."

"Tracing..." Wallace’s voice was strained. His eyes were locked on the array, mana pulsing through the lines.

I felt it, too.

The tether.

It stretched beyond the clearing—farther than I’d expected.

North.

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was barely above a whisper now.

"What?"

"It’s... not a remnant," he murmured, his expression pale.

My blood ran cold.

"Then what the hell is it?"

Wallace’s fingers trembled as the array pulsed again.

"It’s... a root."

I froze.

"A what?"

Wallace swallowed, his eyes wide. "A root, Professor." His voice was tight. "It’s not just latched onto Leo... it’s growing."

Shit.

"Growing?" Julien’s voice was sharp, his stance tightening. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means," I murmured, my jaw clenching, "we’re not just dealing with a tether."

"This thing..." Wallace’s voice was barely above a whisper. "It’s spreading."

The pulse...

It wasn’t just feeding.

It was seeding.

"Professor," Mira’s voice was tight, her dagger already raised.

I felt it too.

The air... shifted.

"Something’s coming," I murmured, my eyes narrowing.

The pulse grew stronger, no longer subtle.

It was pulling.

"Wallace," I said softly. "Can you contain it?"

"I can..." Wallace’s voice was strained, his mana flickering dangerously. "But not for long."

"Then do it."

Wallace’s hands moved again, reinforcing the array. But the tether—

It was fighting back.

"Hold it!" I barked, stepping closer to Leo.

"Professor..." Leo’s voice was barely a whisper now, his body trembling.

"I’m here," I murmured, pressing my hand against his shoulder.

The pulse.

It surged.

And then—

The ground beneath us... shifted.

"Move!" I barked, dragging Leo back.

The array cracked, mana surging outward in a violent wave.

"Professor!" Wallace’s voice was strained. "It’s... breaking!"

"Hold it!" I snapped, pouring my own mana into the array.

The lines stabilized, but barely.

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was tight. "I... can’t..."

His mana was gone.

"Damn it," I muttered, taking over.

The pulse...

It was too strong.

This isn’t going to hold.

"Julien!" I barked.

"On it!" Julien surged forward, his sword glowing as he slashed at the air.

A ripple echoed outward, but—

Nothing.

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was barely audible.

"The root..."

My eyes locked onto the array.

And I saw it.

A thin, black thread pulsing beneath the lines.

The anchor.

"Got you," I murmured, eyes narrowing.

I didn’t hesitate.

Pouring the last of my mana into the array, I traced the lines to the source.

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was weak.

"I’ve got it," I murmured, my voice steady.

The array flared—

And I pulled.

The tether fought back, resisting, but I wasn’t about to let it win.

"Come on," I growled through clenched teeth.

Mana surged through my veins, burning as I forced the anchor to the surface.

The air trembled.

And then—

A dark, jagged root burst from the ground, pulsing with malevolent energy.

"There," I muttered, my eyes narrowing.

The source.

"Professor..." Mira’s voice was sharp, her dagger already raised.

"Not yet," I murmured.

I wasn’t done.

The root pulsed again, fighting to retreat.

"Oh no, you don’t."

I slammed my cane down, reinforcing the array with the last of my mana.

"Wallace."

"Y-Yeah?" His voice was barely a whisper.

"Seal it."

Wallace’s hands moved, his mana flickering as he carved the final rune.

The array pulsed.

The root shuddered—

And then...

It stopped.

The pulse... vanished.

"Did..." Julien’s voice was hesitant. "Did we get it?"

I didn’t answer.

I felt it.

The root was contained.

But it wasn’t gone.

"Professor?" Wallace’s voice was weak.

"Not yet," I murmured, eyes narrowing.

The root was dormant... for now.

But something told me—

This wasn’t over.

Not even close.

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