Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 75: All out war(2)

Chapter 75: All out war(2)

"Stay back."

My voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Julien’s grip on his sword tightened, but he didn’t move. Mira’s dagger twitched in her hand, her eyes flickering with hesitation.

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was barely above a whisper, but I caught it.

"This is my fight."

Kellan’s eyes were locked onto me, his rage boiling just beneath the surface. The wind around him had settled, but I could feel it—his mana was building again.

"Lucian," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You don’t get to walk away from this."

I stepped forward, my cane tapping lightly against the ground.

"I wasn’t planning on it."

The air thickened as mana flooded the clearing, the pressure almost suffocating.

"Julien, Mira, Felix, Wallace, Garrick, Leo, Cassandra," I murmured, my tone calm but sharp. "Handle the other students. Keep them off me."

They didn’t move.

"Professor..." Julien’s voice was hesitant, his eyes narrowing. "Are you sure?"

"Move."

Silence.

"That’s an order."

I felt the hesitation, the unease.

And then—

"No."

I blinked.

"Excuse me?" I turned, my eyes narrowing.

Julien straightened, his jaw clenched. "We’re not leaving you to fight him alone."

"Yeah," Mira added, stepping beside him, her eyes sharp. "We’re not stupid. You can’t take him and the others at the same time."

"Not happening," Felix muttered, though he looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.

Even Leo, still visibly shaken, took a shaky step forward. "We’re staying."

"You’re disobeying an order," I said softly, my tone cold.

Julien didn’t flinch.

"Maybe." He raised his sword, eyes locked on the other students. "But we’re not idiots."

"We know what happens if we leave you alone." Mira’s voice was steady, but her grip on her dagger was tight enough to make her knuckles turn white.

"Dying doesn’t suit you, Professor," Garrick grunted, cracking his knuckles.

"Not a fan of digging graves," Wallace muttered, though I caught the faint tremor in his voice.

Felix just sighed. "Might as well get this over with before I puke."

My jaw clenched.

Idiots.

Brave, reckless, stubborn idiots.

"Fine," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

They tensed.

"But don’t say I didn’t warn you."

"Class C," Julien murmured, his voice steady. "Formation."

I didn’t stop them this time.

Mira moved to the right, her dagger gleaming faintly with dark mana.

Felix and Leo shifted back, taking defensive positions near Wallace, who was already prepping a barrier rune.

Garrick cracked his neck, planting himself front and center like a damn wall.

Julien took point.

Cassandra... just stood there. Quiet. Watching.

But I knew better.

"Here they come," Julien muttered, his eyes narrowing.

Class A and B surged forward, a coordinated wave of mana and steel.

"Go."

Class C met them head-on.

And it was chaos.

Julien’s blade clashed with an opponent’s sword, sparks flying as the impact echoed through the clearing.

Mira darted around her opponents, her dagger flashing as she weaved between strikes, her dark magic leaving faint traces of curses in her wake.

Felix and Leo stayed close to Wallace, protecting him as he carved runes mid-battle, reinforcing their defense.

Garrick?

He was breaking people.

"Too slow," he grunted, his fist slamming into a Class B student’s stomach, sending them flying.

Cassandra...

I barely caught her movement.

Silent. Deadly.

One by one, her opponents dropped, their bodies collapsing without a sound.

Good.

They weren’t holding back.

But I couldn’t focus on them for long.

Because Kellan was still in front of me.

And he wasn’t waiting anymore.

"Touching," he sneered, his mana swirling violently. "But it won’t matter."

Wind surged around him, sharper this time. Stronger.

"Last chance, Lucian," he murmured, his voice cold. "Stand down."

"Funny," I murmured, my mana flaring to life.

I raised my cane, the air around us heating instantly.

"I was about to say the same thing."

Flame Surge.

Fire erupted at my feet, mana flooding through the ground as the flames surged toward him.

But Kellan was faster this time.

Wind Burst.

He shot upward, the wind propelling him like a damn arrow.

But I wasn’t done.

"Flame Lance."

The lance of fire shot forward, aimed straight at him.

But he was ready.

Wind Shield.

The flames collided with compressed air, scattering harmlessly.

"Tch," I muttered, already moving.

Kellan didn’t give me time to breathe.

Wind Blades.

Dozens of thin, razor-sharp blades shot toward me.

I spun, my cane sweeping outward.

Flame Pulse.

The burst of fire intercepted most of them, but a few grazed my shoulder, drawing thin lines of blood.

"Getting sloppy, Lucian," Kellan taunted, his grin sharp.

"Just warming up," I muttered, ignoring the pain.

"Let’s change that."

Kellan’s mana surged again, and I felt it—

He’s going all out.

"Wind Vortex."

A cyclone of compressed air exploded outward, swallowing the clearing in a chaotic swirl of wind.

Shit.

I planted my cane, mana flooding through it as I braced myself.

But the wind was tearing at my mana, stripping away my defenses.

Not good.

"Professor!"

Julien’s voice cut through the chaos.

But I couldn’t look.

Because Kellan was already moving.

Fast.

His figure blurred, the wind carrying him straight toward me.

Damn it.

I barely had time to react.

Flame Barrier.

The flames surged up, blocking his strike—

But only barely.

His blade pierced through the flames, grazing my side as I twisted away.

"Not bad," Kellan murmured, his eyes narrowed. "But not enough."

Damn it.

I could feel it.

My mana was draining fast.

And Kellan?

He wasn’t slowing down.

I need to end this.

"Lucian."

His voice was cold, his eyes gleaming with dangerous confidence.

"You can’t win."

Maybe.

But I didn’t need to win.

I just needed to buy time.

"We’ll see," I muttered, my mana flaring one last time.

"Flame Collapse."

The ground beneath us ignited, a wave of compressed heat surging outward.

Kellan’s eyes widened—

But he wasn’t fast enough.

The explosion rocked the clearing, sending both of us flying.

I hit the ground hard, pain lancing through my body.

But I forced myself up.

Because this wasn’t over.

Not yet.

Kellan was already rising, his eyes blazing with fury.

But this time—

I wasn’t alone.

"Professor."

I turned.

Class C was still standing.

Beaten. Bloodied. But standing.

Julien’s sword was raised, his eyes locked on Kellan.

Mira’s dagger gleamed faintly, curses swirling around her.

Garrick was breathing heavily, but his fists were clenched and ready.

Wallace’s runes still glowed, faint but steady.

Felix and Leo stood side by side, their expressions grim but determined.

Cassandra...

She was there.

Silent. Watching.

"Professor..." Julien’s voice was steady, but I could hear the steel in it.

"We’ve got your back."

My jaw clenched.

Idiots.

Brave, reckless, loyal idiots.

I exhaled slowly.

"Alright," I murmured, mana flaring around me again.

"Let’s finish this."

And this time—

We weren’t holding back.