Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 68: Blood in the mist

Chapter 68: Blood in the mist

We didn’t get far.

"Stop!" I barked, skidding to a halt as the mist thickened.

Julien froze beside me, sword raised.

Mira was just behind, her dagger dripping with fresh blood.

Felix dragged Wallace along, his face pale as he struggled to keep the exhausted rune master upright.

Leo was barely conscious, but he was moving—barely.

"Professor," Julien murmured, his voice tight. "They’re not letting us go."

No, they weren’t.

The mist thickened unnaturally, swirling with malicious intent.

I turned, senses on high alert.

There.

"Ambush," I muttered.

"Where?" Mira’s voice was a low whisper.

"Everywhere."

The mist moved.

Shadows flickered—no, not shadows.

Class B.

Elias’s team wasn’t done.

"Fan out!" I barked.

Julien and Mira spread out, blades at the ready.

"Felix, get Wallace and Leo back!"

"On it!"

Felix didn’t argue. He hauled Wallace toward the treeline, Leo stumbling beside them.

"Professor..." Wallace rasped, barely holding on.

"Go," I murmured. "We’ll hold them."

The mist shifted.

And then—

They struck.

"Left!" I barked.

Julien pivoted just in time, his blade meeting a vicious strike from one of Elias’s lackeys.

Clang!

Sparks flew as the clash echoed through the clearing.

"Nice try," Julien muttered, pushing the attacker back.

Mira was already moving, her dagger slipping through the mist like a viper.

"Too slow," she murmured as her blade found flesh.

Another one down.

But they weren’t stopping.

"Stay sharp!" I growled, cane glowing with runes.

Pulse.

A ripple of mana swept through the area, pushing the mist back just enough to reveal—

"Damn it," I hissed.

Elias.

And he wasn’t alone.

"You’re making this difficult, Professor," Elias murmured, stepping forward.

His uniform was stained with blood—not his own.

Two more of his team fanned out beside him, weapons drawn.

"Elias," I murmured, voice cold. "You don’t want this fight."

"I do," he murmured, his smile sharp.

His blade gleamed in the dim light, mana swirling around him.

"Last chance," I warned.

Elias’s eyes narrowed.

"Take them," he murmured.

Shit.

"Julien!" I barked.

"On it!"

Julien surged forward, meeting Elias’s blade with a ferocious clash.

Steel on steel.

Elias was fast.

But Julien was faster.

"Try harder," Julien grunted, his blade pushing Elias back.

Elias’s mana flared.

"Gladly."

Boom.

A shockwave erupted between them, sending both sliding back.

But Julien didn’t let up.

"Julien, keep him busy!" I barked.

"Wasn’t planning on stopping," Julien growled, eyes locked on Elias.

"Professor..." Mira murmured, her voice tight.

"Right," I muttered.

Two more Class B students were closing in on her.

Fast.

"Not happening," I growled, cane glowing.

Pulse.

Runes flared along the ground, forming a quick barrier between Mira and her attackers.

"Go!" I barked.

Mira didn’t hesitate.

Her dagger flashed as she darted through the opening, her movements precise.

"Too slow," she hissed, her blade slicing clean through one’s guard.

Blood sprayed.

"Next?" she murmured, her eyes gleaming.

The second one didn’t wait.

He lunged.

Clang!

Mira barely deflected the strike, her movements just a hair slower than before.

"Damn it," she muttered.

"Switch!" I barked.

Mira spun back as I stepped forward, cane raised.

"Try me," I murmured.

The Class B student hesitated—

Big mistake.

I didn’t give him a chance.

Crack.

My cane connected with his ribs, sending him sprawling.

"Down," I muttered, not giving him another glance.

"Professor!"

Julien’s voice snapped me back—

Just in time.

Elias was done playing.

His mana spiked, a sharp, focused burst of energy.

"Damn it," I muttered.

Julien barely blocked the strike, but Elias was relentless.

Clang.

Clang.

Clang.

Julien’s movements were steady, but Elias was pressing harder.

"Not bad," Elias murmured, his strikes picking up speed. "But not enough."

Julien was slowing.

"Professor," Mira murmured, her tone urgent.

"I see it," I murmured.

But there was no time to react—

Elias’s blade glowed, mana surging as he struck again.

Julien blocked—barely—

But it was a feint.

"Julien, MOVE!" I barked.

Too late.

Elias’s blade twisted, catching Julien off guard.

Slash.

Blood sprayed.

Julien staggered back, clutching his side.

"Shit!" Mira hissed, her eyes narrowing.

"Stay with him!" I barked, stepping forward.

Elias’s eyes met mine.

"Finally," he murmured, his smile sharp.

Pulse.

I didn’t hesitate.

My cane struck the ground—

Boom.

Runes flared outward, forcing Elias back a step.

"Impressive," Elias murmured, his tone mocking.

"I’m just getting started," I muttered.

Mana surged around me, crackling with raw energy.

"Professor," Julien rasped, his grip tightening on his sword.

"Stay down, Julien," I murmured.

"Not happening," he growled, pushing himself up.

"Stubborn idiot," I muttered, but I didn’t argue.

Elias’s smile didn’t waver.

"Let’s finish this," he murmured.

"Agreed," I said softly.

Pulse.

The air shifted.

Elias moved.

So did I.

Clash.

Cane met sword.

Mana surged.

But this time—

I wasn’t holding back.

"Not this time," I murmured, pushing harder.

Runes flared, mana surging through the ground.

Elias’s eyes widened.

"What—?"

Boom.

The shockwave sent him staggering back, his stance faltering.

"Now!" I barked.

Julien moved.

Mira was already there.

Their blades struck—

Together.

"Gah!" Elias staggered, his blade knocked aside.

"Not so smug now, are you?" Julien growled, blood dripping down his side.

Elias’s eyes narrowed, but he wasn’t smiling anymore.

"Finish it," I murmured.

Julien didn’t need to be told twice.

Clang.

One clean strike.

Elias’s blade shattered—

And he hit the ground, hard.

Silence.

The mist finally... stilled.

"Is it... over?" Felix’s voice was hesitant from the treeline.

"For now," I murmured.

Julien stood over Elias, breathing heavily, his sword still raised.

"Julien," I murmured softly.

He didn’t move.

"Julien," I said again.

Finally, his grip loosened.

Elias wasn’t getting back up.

"Felix," I murmured.

"Here," he said softly, dragging Wallace and Leo forward.

"Wallace?" I murmured.

"Alive," he rasped, barely conscious.

"Leo?"

"I..." Leo’s voice was weak, but he was there.

"Good," I murmured.

"Now," I murmured, my eyes narrowing.

"Let’s get the hell out of here."

We didn’t stick around.

"Move," I ordered, keeping my voice low.

Julien wiped his blade on his sleeve, eyes narrowing as he glanced back at Elias’s unconscious form. "We should finish him," he muttered.

"No," I said sharply. "We’re not killers."

"Speak for yourself," Mira murmured, but she followed without complaint.

Felix was already helping Wallace along, with Leo limping beside them.

Julien kept pace, but his movements were stiff, and I could see the pain in his eyes. The cut on his side was slowing him down.

"Wallace?" I asked without turning around.

"Still breathing," he rasped. "But don’t ask me to carve anything anytime soon."

"Noted," I murmured, eyes scanning the mist as we moved.

We were deep in the eastern marshlands now—farther than I would’ve liked. The ground was damp, the air thick with moisture that clung to my skin. Every step squelched in the mud, making it impossible to move silently.

"The Phantom Fish Scale..." Mira murmured, her eyes narrowing. "It’s close."

I felt it too.

A faint ripple of mana.

"Where?" Julien asked, his voice strained.

Mira’s eyes flicked to the left, toward the water. "There."

I followed her gaze.

The marsh opened into a shallow pool, mist hovering just above the surface. The water was unnaturally still—too still.

"Felix," I murmured. "Stay with Wallace and Leo."

Felix swallowed hard but nodded. "Got it."

"Julien, Mira... with me."

We moved toward the water, careful with each step.

"Professor," Mira murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I see it."

A faint glow shimmered beneath the surface.

Phantom Fish Scale.

There it was.

"Julien," I murmured.

"On it," he muttered, stepping forward.

But—

The water rippled.

"Wait," I hissed.

Too late.

They were waiting.

Class B.

The second search team.

"Son of a..." I muttered, spinning just as the first attack came.

Clang!

Julien barely blocked the strike, his blade meeting the steel of a Class B swordsman.

"Ambush!" Mira hissed, her dagger already flashing.

"Back to formation!" I barked, mana surging through my cane.

The mist exploded as I sent a pulse outward, pushing the attackers back.

But there were too many of them.

"Shit," Julien muttered, his stance shifting. "They’re not playing around."

No, they weren’t.

"Professor," Mira murmured, her back pressed against mine. "This isn’t good."

"Yeah," I muttered, eyes narrowing as the shadows moved.

Ten.

Maybe more.

All Class B.

They weren’t here by chance.

"Elias’s backup," I muttered.

"Wonderful," Julien grunted, his grip tightening on his sword.

We were outnumbered.

But I wasn’t about to back down.

"Hold the line," I murmured, mana crackling around me.

"Hold?" Julien hissed. "They’ve got twice our numbers!"

"Then we even the odds."

I stepped forward.

"Julien, left."

"On it."

"Mira, right."

"Always."

Pulse.

The first attacker lunged.

I met him head-on, cane flashing as I parried his blade aside.

Clang.

He staggered—

Julien was already there.

Slash.

One down.

"Next?" Julien growled.

Two more surged forward.

"Mine," Mira murmured, her dagger flashing.

Clang. Clang.

Her movements were precise—quick, efficient.

One enemy fell, clutching his side.

The other—

"Too slow," Mira hissed, her dagger slicing through his guard.

Two down.

But more were coming.

"Julien, with me!" I barked.

"Got it!"

Clang.

We moved as one, cutting through the line.

But they weren’t slowing.

"Damn it," Julien grunted, blocking another strike. "There’s too many!"

"We don’t need to beat them all," I murmured.

My eyes flicked to the water.

The scale.

"Cover me," I muttered.

"Wait, what?" Julien’s eyes widened.

"Just do it!"

Julien and Mira surged forward, blocking the advancing Class B students.

"Felix, protect Leo and Wallace!" I barked.

"On it!" Felix’s voice was tight, but he moved, dragging the others toward the treeline.

Good.

I turned back to the water.

The scale.

I could see it now, barely beneath the surface.

"Come on," I murmured.

Mana surged through my veins as I reached out—

Pulse.

The water rippled.

The scale responded, a faint glow intensifying as my mana touched it.

Almost...

"Professor!" Julien’s voice snapped me back.

I turned just in time—

Clang.

A blade nearly took my head off.

"Damn it," I growled, blocking the strike with my cane.

The attacker pushed harder—

But I pushed back.

"Not today," I murmured, pouring mana into the runes.

Boom.

A shockwave erupted, sending him flying.

"Got it?" Julien barked, his sword barely holding back two attackers.

"Almost!" I muttered.

The scale was right there—

I reached out again—

Pulse.

The glow intensified.

"Come to me," I murmured.

The water moved.

The scale rose, drawn to the mana I was pouring into the connection.

Closer...

"Professor, hurry!" Mira’s voice was sharp, her movements slowing.

"Almost there," I murmured.

But something was wrong.

The glow...

It was too bright.

No.

"Move!" I barked.

"Professor—"

"MOVE!"

The water exploded.

A shockwave erupted from the pool, sending me flying backward.

"Shit!" Julien hissed, barely catching himself.

Mira stumbled, her dagger slipping from her grasp.

Pulse.

The scale was still glowing—

But now...

Something was coming with it.

Something big.

"Professor..." Felix’s voice was barely a whisper.

I turned.

The water was rising.

No.

Not water.

Mana.

Manifested.

And it was angry.

"Back," I murmured, my voice cold.

"Professor?" Mira’s eyes were wide.

"Get back," I repeated.

"Why?" Julien asked, his blade still raised.

"Because," I murmured, my eyes locked on the glowing figure rising from the water.

"We woke something up."