Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 76: Against the storm

Chapter 76: Against the storm

The clearing was dead silent.

Class C stood beside me, weapons drawn, eyes hardened with resolve.

"We’ve got your back, Professor."

I wanted to believe them. I really did.

But they had no idea what they were about to face.

Kellan wasn’t some second-rate opponent.

He was an instructor.

And in this world, the gap between a student and an instructor...

It was like comparing a flame to a wildfire.

"Julien," I murmured, my voice low but firm. "Fall back."

"We can handle—"

"Fall. Back."

They hesitated.

That was their mistake.

Kellan didn’t wait.

Wind Surge.

The air exploded.

Before anyone could react, Kellan was already moving—too fast.

"Down!" I barked, but they weren’t quick enough.

"Too slow."

Kellan’s voice was ice-cold as he swept forward, the wind twisting violently around him.

Wind Blades.

Dozens of razor-sharp blades screamed toward my students.

"No!"

I moved.

Mana surged through me, faster than I thought possible.

Flame Barrier.

Fire erupted around them, intercepting most of the blades—

But not all of them.

Julien grunted as a blade grazed his shoulder, drawing blood.

Mira stumbled back, barely avoiding another that sliced through her sleeve.

Felix and Leo hit the ground, avoiding the brunt of the attack, but I could see the panic in their eyes.

Damn it.

"Fall back!" I roared, my cane striking the ground as another wave of flames surged outward.

They hesitated again.

Kellan didn’t.

"Wind Vortex."

The air twisted violently, forming a cyclone around him.

And then—

He vanished.

"Where—" Julien’s eyes darted around.

"Above you!" I shouted, but it was too late.

Kellan descended like a hawk.

Wind Crash.

The shockwave sent them sprawling.

Julien’s sword went flying.

Mira hit the ground hard, her dagger skidding across the dirt.

Wallace barely kept his barrier up, but I could see the cracks forming.

Felix and Leo were down, coughing as dust and debris filled the air.

Garrick was still standing, but just barely.

"Damn it." My jaw clenched.

Kellan didn’t slow down.

"Is that all?" he sneered, his eyes narrowing as he raised his hand.

Wind Spears.

Blades of compressed air formed around him, sharp enough to slice through steel.

"No!"

I surged forward, my mana flaring.

Flame Surge.

The flames shot toward Kellan, but—

Wind Disperse.

He shattered my flames with a wave of his hand.

"Lucian." His voice was calm. Too calm.

"You’re too late."

The spears shot toward my students.

They weren’t fast enough to dodge.

I didn’t think.

I moved.

"Flame Collapse!"

Mana exploded out of me, igniting the ground in a wave of heat that clashed with the wind.

But it wasn’t enough.

Shit.

I wasn’t going to make it.

"NO!"

I threw myself in front of them.

The wind struck.

Pain exploded through me.

The spears tore through my barrier, slicing through flesh.

One grazed my shoulder.

Another ripped across my thigh.

A third—

Shit.

Blood.

So much blood.

"Professor!" Julien’s voice was distant, panicked.

"Lucian!" Mira’s scream echoed in my ears.

I hit the ground hard, my vision blurring.

Pain.

White-hot and searing.

But I was still breathing.

Barely.

"You idiot!" Julien’s voice was hoarse as he dropped beside me, his hands pressing against the wound in my side.

"Why..."

"Why did you—"

"Shut up..." I rasped, my vision swimming.

The pain was bad.

But the alternative?

Unthinkable.

"Stay... alive."

That was all that mattered.

"Lucian..."

I forced my eyes open.

Kellan was still standing.

Untouched.

"Fool," he muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Do you really think you can protect them?"

My jaw clenched.

I could barely move.

My body screamed at me to stop.

But I wasn’t done yet.

"Watch me."

Mana surged through me again, despite the pain.

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stand.

"Professor..." Julien’s voice was barely above a whisper.

"Stay... behind me."

"Lucian..." Kellan’s expression twisted into something almost... pitying.

"You’re going to die."

"Maybe." I wiped the blood from my mouth, my grip on the cane tightening.

"But I’m not dying today."

Kellan’s eyes narrowed.

"Wind Collapse."

The air twisted violently around him.

A storm was coming.

"Class C." My voice was calm, steady—despite the pain lacing through every word.

"Protect each other."

Julien’s jaw clenched. "But—"

"That’s an order."

Silence.

And then—

"Yes, Professor."

Good.

Because this wasn’t over.

Not yet.

"Come on then, Kellan," I murmured, mana flaring around me once more.

"Let’s finish this."

Pain.

It was everywhere.

My body screamed with every movement, every breath. Blood dripped down my side, soaking into my coat. My mana reserves were running low. Too low.

But I couldn’t stop.

Not yet.

Kellan stood across from me, calm... composed. His mana surged, wild and untamed, swirling around him like a storm ready to consume everything in its path.

"You’re barely standing, Lucian." Kellan’s voice was cold, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

"Surrender."

I gritted my teeth.

"Not happening."

Kellan’s expression darkened.

"Then die."

Wind Surge.

The air around us twisted violently.

I barely had time to react before a blast of wind slammed into me, sending me skidding backward. My feet dug into the dirt, but the force was overwhelming.

Damn it.

Kellan wasn’t holding back anymore.

Wind Spears.

Blades of compressed air formed around him again—

But this time, there were more.

Too many.

"Down!" I shouted, throwing myself forward as I conjured a barrier of flame.

Flame Collapse.

The barrier flared, intercepting the first wave of spears.

But it wasn’t enough.

The remaining spears tore through the flames like paper, slicing toward me.

I dodged.

Barely.

A spear grazed my shoulder, cutting deep. Another sliced past my thigh.

More blood.

I stumbled, my vision blurring.

Damn it... I can’t keep this up.

"Professor!" Mira’s voice echoed, filled with panic.

"Stay back!" I barked, forcing myself to stand.

I couldn’t let them get involved.

Kellan’s mana surged again.

"You’re done." His voice was cold, almost bored.

Wind Collapse.

A cyclone of wind erupted from his palm, tearing through the ground as it shot toward me.

I raised my cane, pouring the last of my mana into a desperate defense.

Flame Surge.

Fire met wind.

But...

It wasn’t enough.

The cyclone tore through my flames, slamming into me like a freight train.

I was airborne before I even realized it.

Pain exploded through my body as I crashed into the ground, the impact knocking the air from my lungs.

"Lucian!"

I heard their voices—distant, filled with fear.

But I couldn’t respond.

My body refused to move.

Damn it...

Kellan’s footsteps echoed, slow and deliberate, as he approached.

"It’s over."

I forced my eyes open.

Kellan stood over me, his expression unreadable.

"You put up a fight." He raised his hand, mana swirling around it.

"But you’re out of mana."

He was right.

I had nothing left.

Shit.

"You should’ve surrendered when you had the chance."

Wind Surge.

The air screamed as a blade of wind formed above me—

"No!"

Mira’s voice cut through the chaos.

I barely registered the blur of movement before she was between me and Kellan.

Her dagger was raised, her mana flickering weakly around her.

"Mira—" I rasped, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Get back!"

"I won’t let you die!"

Kellan’s eyes narrowed, his expression darkening.

"Stupid girl."

Wind Vortex.

The air twisted violently around Mira, sending her flying backward.

"No!" Julien was next, rushing forward with his sword raised.

"Stop!" I forced the words out, but my voice was too weak.

Julien swung—

Kellan didn’t even move.

Wind Crash.

The air slammed into Julien like a battering ram, sending him sprawling.

"Damn it..." I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to move.

Move...

My body refused to listen.

Get up...

"You’re all pathetic." Kellan’s voice was filled with disdain as he turned toward them.

No...

My vision blurred as I saw them struggling to stand.

Julien, Mira, Felix, Leo...

All of them.

They’re going to die.

"Not..." My fingers dug into the dirt as I forced my body to respond.

Not... yet.

Mana stirred.

What’s left...

I could feel it—barely a flicker.

But it was enough.

"Kellan..." I growled, my voice low.

His head turned, eyes narrowing.

"Still breathing?"

"Unfortunately." I pushed myself up, my body screaming in protest.

My vision was swimming.

Blood dripped down my face.

But I was standing.

"You don’t know when to quit, Lucian."

"Neither do they."

I glanced at my students.

Bruised. Bleeding.

But standing.

"You taught them that."

Kellan’s eyes narrowed.

"Fine." His mana surged again, the wind howling around him.

"Then I’ll end this properly."

Wind Surge.

The storm was coming.

And I had nothing left to stop it.

"Class C..." I murmured, my grip on the cane tightening.

"Stay... behind me."

Even if it killed me—

I wasn’t letting them die.

Not today.

"Come on, Kellan..." I muttered, my eyes narrowing.

"Let’s finish this."