Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 69: The guardian

Chapter 69: The guardian

The water stirred.

No—the mana stirred.

It wasn’t just rippling anymore.

It was raging.

A shape rose from the pool, towering above us.

Humanoid.

But its body wasn’t flesh and blood.

Water.

Pure, condensed mana in liquid form, taking the shape of a hulking figure with glowing eyes that burned like blue fire.

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

"Yeah," I murmured, eyes narrowing.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

"Run?" Felix asked, his voice hopeful.

"Too late for that," I muttered.

The guardian was awake.

"Formation!" I barked.

"On it!" Julien growled, already shifting into position.

Mira followed, her dagger raised, eyes locked on the figure.

"Felix, get Wallace and Leo back!" I ordered.

"But—"

"Now!"

Felix grabbed Wallace, dragging him toward the treeline. Leo stumbled after them, his steps shaky but moving.

Good.

Now we just had to survive.

Easier said than done.

The guardian moved, its body shifting like a living wave.

Fast.

"Brace!" I barked.

Boom.

The first strike came down hard, a column of water crashing toward us.

"Move!"

Julien rolled to the side, barely avoiding the impact.

Mira darted left, her movements quick and precise.

I didn’t move.

I didn’t need to.

Clang.

My cane met the force head-on, mana surging through the runes.

"Not bad," I muttered, gritting my teeth.

But the weight behind that strike...

"Damn," I hissed.

Strong.

This thing wasn’t just defending the scale.

It was trying to kill us.

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

"On it!" I barked, forcing the mana outward.

Boom.

A shockwave erupted, pushing the guardian back a step.

But it barely noticed.

This was going to be a problem.

"New plan," I muttered.

"Please tell me it’s better than ’don’t die,’" Julien grunted, circling to the side.

"Not much," I murmured.

We had to take it down.

But how?

"Suggestions?" Julien asked, his blade glowing faintly with mana.

"Hit it harder," I muttered.

"Helpful," he growled.

The guardian moved again.

Fast.

"Down!" I barked.

Boom.

The ground shook as another pillar of water slammed down.

"Shit!" Julien hissed, rolling to his feet.

Mira was already moving, her dagger flashing as she darted toward the guardian.

"Don’t!" I barked, but it was too late.

Splash.

Her dagger sliced through...

Nothing.

"Damn it," Mira hissed, retreating fast.

"Physical attacks won’t work," I muttered. "It’s pure mana."

"Then what the hell do we do?" Julien growled, his eyes darting around.

Good question.

"Professor?" Mira murmured, her voice tight.

I didn’t answer.

Because I was focused.

The scale.

It was still glowing beneath the surface, pulsing with raw energy.

That’s the key.

"We don’t fight it," I murmured, my mind racing.

"Come again?" Julien asked, panting.

"We banish it," I said, my eyes narrowing.

Mira’s head snapped toward me. "You’re serious?"

"Deadly."

"The array’s gone," Wallace’s weak voice came from the treeline. "You can’t seal it."

"I’m not sealing it," I murmured.

I’m sending it back.

"Buy me a minute," I said, stepping forward.

"A minute?" Julien hissed. "We don’t have a minute!"

"Make one," I growled.

"Wonderful," Julien muttered, shifting back into position.

"Don’t die," I murmured.

"No promises."

Mira moved beside him, her eyes sharp. "We’ll handle it."

I nodded, my focus already shifting.

The scale.

I reached out with my mana, brushing against the glow.

Pulse.

The guardian’s head snapped toward me.

It felt it.

"Oh no, you don’t," Julien growled, moving to intercept.

The guardian surged forward.

Fast.

But Julien was ready.

Clang.

His blade met the force of the water head-on, sparks flying as mana collided.

"Push!" I barked.

Mira was already moving, her dagger flashing as she circled, aiming for the weak points.

Slice.

A burst of dark mana erupted as her strike hit home—this time targeting the mana core buried within the guardian’s chest.

The guardian reeled.

"Nice," Julien muttered, his grip tightening on his sword.

"Don’t let it recover!" Mira barked, her eyes narrowed.

They were buying me time.

Good.

I knelt beside the pool, my focus locked on the scale.

"Alright," I murmured, pouring mana into the connection.

Pulse.

The scale responded, its glow intensifying.

"Come on..."

This wasn’t a normal artifact.

It was a key.

I felt it now—

The lock.

"Professor!" Julien’s voice was tight, strained.

"Almost there," I muttered, sweat dripping down my face.

The guardian roared, its form destabilizing as Julien and Mira pressed harder.

But it wasn’t weakening.

It was angry.

"Fall back!" I barked.

Julien and Mira didn’t hesitate, breaking away just as the guardian unleashed a wave of mana.

Boom.

The shockwave ripped through the clearing, sending debris flying.

But I didn’t stop.

Focus.

Pulse.

The scale was responding, but I needed more.

"Professor!"

I ignored the chaos.

My mana poured into the scale—

Lock.

Found you.

"Open."

Pulse.

The scale flared.

The guardian froze.

Yes.

"Julien!" I barked.

"On it!"

Julien moved fast, his blade flashing as he sliced through the destabilized form of the guardian.

Mira followed, her dagger striking true.

The guardian shuddered.

"Now!" I barked.

I poured everything I had into the scale—

Boom.

The mana detonated.

The guardian let out a hollow roar as its form unraveled, the mana dispersing back into the aether.

The light from the scale faded...

And then—

Silence.

It was over.

"Holy shit..." Julien panted, dropping to one knee.

Mira was breathing hard, her dagger still raised. "Did we...?"

"Yeah," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "We did."

The guardian was gone.

I stood slowly, my limbs heavy with exhaustion.

The scale floated gently on the surface of the water.

"Got it?" Julien murmured.

"Yeah," I whispered, reaching out and pulling it from the water.

Phantom Fish Scale—secured.

"Professor," Mira murmured, her eyes scanning the treeline.

I followed her gaze.

Silence.

But that didn’t mean we were safe.

"Let’s not stick around," I muttered, slipping the scale into my pouch.

"Agreed," Julien groaned, pushing himself up.

"Felix," I called.

"We’re good," Felix murmured, helping Wallace to his feet.

Leo was standing, but his eyes...

Still distant.

"We’ll deal with it later," I murmured.

One step at a time.

"Let’s move."

We turned away from the ruined clearing, slipping back into the mist.

The scale was ours.

But something told me...

This wasn’t over.