Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 89: Madness

Chapter 89: Madness

"Move!" I barked, pushing Felix forward as the alpha prowled just beyond the flames.

Cassandra’s runes were flickering. She was running out of mana.

"Professor..." Garrick’s voice was tight, his eyes locked on the alpha. "We can’t outrun it forever."

"I know," I growled, wiping the blood dripping from my mouth. My body felt like it was on fire, every movement sending a fresh jolt of pain through me.

But we didn’t have a choice.

"Cassandra," I murmured, keeping my eyes on the alpha. "How much mana do you have left?"

"Enough for one more illusion," she whispered, her voice strained.

"Good."

We didn’t need to beat the alpha.

We just needed to get away.

"Garrick, cover us."

"On it."

"Felix..." I glanced at him. "If you trip now, I swear I’ll throw you into the alpha myself."

Felix gave a weak, terrified nod.

"Move."

We pushed deeper into the forest, sticking to the shadows.

We needed a plan.

We weren’t going to make it if we kept running.

"Cassandra," I murmured as we ran. "Remember that ravine?"

"Yes."

"Give me an illusion."

"Same one?"

"No," I murmured, a grim smile tugging at my lips. "Make it look like there’s a path across."

Her eyes flickered, understanding dawning.

"Got it."

"Garrick," I said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Get ready to cut that bastard down the moment it jumps."

"Gladly."

We reached the ravine again.

"Now!" I hissed.

Cassandra’s runes flared, weaving a perfect illusion.

To anyone watching, it looked like a narrow stretch of land bridging the ravine.

"Slow down," I murmured, forcing my breathing to steady. "Let it catch up."

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

"Just trust me," I murmured.

The alpha’s growl echoed behind us, growing louder.

It was close.

"Garrick..." I whispered.

"Ready."

We slowed.

The alpha surged forward, eyes locked on us—

And it leapt.

Right into Cassandra’s illusion.

"Now!" I barked.

Garrick’s sword flashed, slicing through the air—

And the illusion shattered.

The alpha plummeted.

A deafening snarl echoed as the beast tumbled into the ravine, crashing against the jagged rocks below.

"Did... did that work?" Felix panted, his chest heaving.

I didn’t answer.

Not yet.

Silence.

The only sound was our ragged breathing.

"Professor..." Garrick’s voice was cautious.

I stepped closer to the edge—

Nothing.

The alpha was gone.

For now.

"Good," I murmured, feeling the tension finally ease from my shoulders.

"Is it dead?" Felix asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"No," I said quietly. "But it won’t be chasing us anytime soon."

"We should move," Cassandra murmured.

"Agreed."

We weren’t out of this yet.

"Let’s go," I said, turning away from the ravine.

But as we moved...

I felt it.

A pulse.

Faint. But familiar.

"Wait."

I raised a hand, stopping the group.

"Professor?" Garrick frowned.

"Do you feel that?"

They all went still.

"Mana," Cassandra murmured, her eyes narrowing. "From the ground."

Shit.

"Crates," I muttered, my jaw tightening.

"What?" Felix blinked, confused.

"The crates," I murmured. "The ones the blue bird mentioned. They’re close."

Felix’s eyes widened. "Oh... OH!"

I ignored him, closing my eyes and focusing.

There.

A faint pulse, buried just beneath the earth.

"We’re standing on top of one," I muttered, glancing around.

Garrick’s eyes narrowed. "How do we get it?"

"Dig," I said simply, kneeling down.

Felix groaned. "Why is it always digging?"

"Because life hates you," I muttered, already tracing a rune to loosen the earth.

The ground shifted, dirt falling away as the top of a crate emerged.

"Blue lock," Garrick murmured, eyeing the crate.

"Mid-tier," Cassandra murmured, her tone neutral.

"Not bad," I muttered, brushing away more dirt.

The crate was sturdy, reinforced with mana. The blue lock pulsed faintly, indicating it wasn’t an ordinary lock.

"Can we open it?" Felix asked, peering over my shoulder.

"Cassandra?" I glanced at her.

"Give me a moment."

She knelt beside me, tracing delicate runes along the lock.

"Disruption rune?" Garrick asked.

"Not strong enough," she murmured. "But I can destabilize it."

I watched as her mana seeped into the lock, disrupting the enchantment layer by layer.

"Almost..."

Click.

The lock snapped open.

"Got it."

"Good."

I pried the lid open—

And frowned.

"Is that..." Garrick’s voice trailed off.

"Potions," I muttered.

Mana potions. Healing elixirs. Even a few stamina restoratives.

"Not bad," I murmured, grabbing a few and tossing them to the others.

"Any crates nearby?" Garrick asked, already scanning the area.

I closed my eyes, focusing again.

"Two," I murmured. "One west. One north."

"We don’t have much time," Cassandra murmured, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Then we move," I said firmly.

Felix groaned but followed.

We had work to do.

And I wasn’t about to let all this effort go to waste.

"Move!" I barked, motioning them forward as I shoved the last of the potions into my pouch.

Felix stumbled but kept up. For once, he didn’t complain. Maybe almost dying a few times had finally knocked some sense into him.

"West first," I muttered, eyes narrowing.

"Why west?" Garrick asked, keeping his eyes on the surroundings.

"Because I said so," I snapped. "Now shut up and move."

They didn’t argue.

Smart.

The forest was eerily quiet as we moved, the usual rustling of leaves and distant growls absent.

"Feels... off," the brick mumbled, his massive frame moving silently for once.

"Of course it does," I muttered. "Because something’s watching."

I felt it.

A lingering presence.

It wasn’t the alpha.

Something... else.

"Eyes sharp," I murmured, barely above a whisper.

They tensed, weapons ready.

Good.

"Professor..." The ghost’s voice was soft, barely audible. "It’s close."

I nodded, eyes narrowing.

"Stay together," I murmured.

We reached the clearing.

And there it was.

Another crate.

Green lock.

"Lower tier," I muttered. "But it’s something."

"Same process?" Garrick asked, keeping his eyes on the surroundings.

"No." I crouched, running my hand over the crate.

Trap.

"Disarm it," I murmured, glancing at the ghost.

She knelt beside me, her eyes flickering as she traced her runes.

"Simple," she murmured. "Misdirection rune. Won’t take long."

"Good."

I kept my eyes on the tree line, scanning.

Something was still watching.

Waiting.

"Almost..."

Click.

"Done."

"Open it," I murmured, not taking my eyes off the surroundings.

The lid creaked open—

And this time, I didn’t frown.

"Mana crystals," the ghost murmured, her voice calm.

"Not bad," I muttered, grabbing a handful and shoving them into my pouch.

"North now?" The brick’s voice was low, cautious.

"Yeah."

We moved.

The feeling of being watched... didn’t go away.

If anything—

It got worse.

"Professor..." the ghost murmured, her voice almost hesitant.

"I know," I said quietly.

The crate was there.

Red lock.

"High tier," Garrick murmured, his grip tightening on his sword.

"Watch the perimeter," I murmured, crouching beside the crate.

"Trap?"

"Definitely," I muttered.

And a nasty one.

"Disarm?" The ghost knelt beside me, her mana already flowing.

"Careful," I murmured. "This one’s layered."

She didn’t answer.

Her focus was absolute.

Minutes passed.

"Almost..."

Crack.

"Wait—"

Boom.

The crate exploded, sending a wave of force crashing through the clearing.

"Down!" I barked, throwing myself back.

They hit the ground just in time—

As the trees shattered.

Something moved.

"Professor..." Garrick’s voice was tight, his eyes locked on the tree line.

I followed his gaze—

And cursed.

"Of course," I muttered.

Class B.

And at the front—

Kellan.

"Looks like he’s still pissed," I murmured, my jaw tightening.

"Professor..." Felix’s voice was tight. "He doesn’t look happy."

"Why would he be?" I muttered. "I did burn off his precious hair."

Kellan stepped forward.

The wind around him pulsed, his mana radiating fury.

"Drelmont," he growled, his voice barely restrained. "You think I’d let that go?"

"Honestly?" I tilted my head, smirking. "I was hoping you’d move on. But you don’t seem the forgiving type."

His eyes narrowed, mana crackling in the air.

"You’re dead," Kellan hissed, wind whipping around him. "And this time—"

"You’ll what?" I cut him off, stepping forward.

My students tensed.

"Professor..." Garrick murmured, his grip tightening on his sword.

"Stay back," I ordered, my voice low but firm.

"Professor—"

"I said stay back."

They didn’t like it.

But they listened.

"Good," I muttered, eyes locked on Kellan.

His mana surged.

This wasn’t going to be easy.

"Let’s finish what we started," I murmured.

Kellan’s smile was cold.

"With pleasure."

And then—

The forest erupted into chaos.