Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 91: Back to the camp

Chapter 91: Back to the camp

The moment the blue bird’s voice echoed across the forest, a sudden shift in the air followed.

<ALL TEAMS, RETURN TO CAMP IMMEDIATELY!>

A pulse of mana surged through the ground.

"Wait—"

Before I could react, an invisible force yanked at my core.

Teleportation.

"Brace—"

FLASH.

The world blurred.

Mana wrapped around us, distorting space. I felt a lurch in my stomach as the scenery shifted violently.

"Professor—!"

Felix’s panicked voice barely reached my ears before—

THUD.

We hit the ground hard.

I stumbled, my boots skidding across the dirt as I tried to regain my balance.

"Damn it..." I muttered, blinking to clear my vision.

The camp.

We were back.

The familiar open clearing, the makeshift tents, and the central bonfire where other students were already gathering.

"Ugh..." Felix groaned beside me, face-down in the dirt. "I hate teleporting..."

"Get up, Felix," I muttered, nudging him with my cane.

"Why is it always me..." he mumbled, dragging himself to his feet.

Garrick shook off the dizziness with a grunt, and Cassandra stood perfectly still—like she hadn’t moved at all.

"Everyone alright?" I asked, scanning my group.

"Alive," Garrick muttered, rolling his shoulders.

"Intact," Felix mumbled.

Cassandra... as usual, didn’t say anything. But she gave a slight nod.

"Good enough," I murmured, turning toward the crates.

All seven were there.

Green. Blue. Red. Bronze. Silver. Gold.

And that damned black lock.

Unopened.

A sense of unease settled in my gut, but I shoved it aside.

"Professor!"

I turned as Julien, Mira, Wallace, and Leo jogged toward us from the campfire.

"Finally!" Julien grinned, but his eyes flickered toward the crates. "Whoa... you actually found all of them?"

"Obviously," I muttered, gesturing at the crates.

"Damn," Wallace murmured, adjusting his glasses as he examined the locks. "That’s... all of them."

"Green, blue, and red locks?" Mira arched a brow. "Didn’t think we’d find those."

"Barely did," I murmured, my eyes narrowing at the crates.

Green Lock: Basic Supplies.

Blue Lock: Intermediate Rewards.

Red Lock: High-Risk Relics.

Bronze Lock: Survival Essentials.

Silver Lock: Advanced Rewards.

Gold Lock: Rare Enchanted Artifacts.

And finally—

<BLACK LOCK: UNIDENTIFIED.>

That one still made my skin crawl.

"Nice haul," Julien said, but his eyes lingered on the black lock. "What’s in that one?"

"No idea." I kept my voice calm, but I was already wary.

"Line up!" a voice barked from the distance.

Instructor Gale.

The polished bastard stood near the bonfire, his expression as smug as ever.

"Place your crates here for evaluation," Gale ordered, his sharp eyes sweeping across the gathered students.

"Let’s go," I muttered, motioning for my students to follow.

We approached the bonfire, dropping our crates beside the others.

Seven crates.

We were the only ones with that many.

"Not bad," Julien murmured, stepping back beside Mira and Wallace.

Leo, of course, was hanging toward the back, looking like he’d rather disappear.

"Line up!" Gale’s voice cut through the murmurs.

Students from all three classes gathered around.

I glanced at my group.

"Stand tall," I murmured. "Don’t let them see weakness."

They nodded, falling into formation.

I kept my eyes on Gale.

The bastard was too calm.

Something was coming.

<FINAL RESULTS!>

The blue bird’s voice echoed again, a pulse of mana resonating through the air.

<FIRST PLACE: CLASS C.>

A ripple of shock ran through the crowd.

Damn right.

"Wait... what?" Felix blinked, as if he couldn’t believe it.

"We won?" Garrick muttered, his brows furrowed.

Mira smirked. "Obviously."

Cassandra... gave a small nod.

"Class C..." Gale’s voice was tight, his jaw clenched. "Seven crates. Impressive."

"More than impressive," I murmured, barely hiding the smirk tugging at my lips.

<REWARD DISTRIBUTION COMMENCES.>

A shimmer of mana hovered over the crates.

Green Lock: Basic Supplies.

Blue Lock: Intermediate Rewards.

Red Lock: High-Risk Relics.

Bronze Lock: Survival Essentials.

Silver Lock: Advanced Rewards.

Gold Lock: Rare Enchanted Artifacts.

And then—

<BLACK LOCK: UNIDENTIFIED.>

The air grew tense.

Gale’s eyes narrowed as he glanced toward the crate.

I kept my expression neutral.

"Class C." Gale’s tone was clipped. "Step forward."

I motioned for my students to follow.

We approached the crates, standing tall.

"Your rewards will be evaluated now," Gale said, but his eyes lingered on the black lock for a moment too long.

Something was off.

I didn’t like it.

But I kept my mouth shut.

For now.

"Let’s see what we’ve won," I murmured, my eyes narrowing.

This wasn’t over yet.

The moment Gale’s gaze lingered on the black lock, I felt it.

A shift.

A pulse of mana vibrated through the air.

And then—

<REWARD EVALUATION COMPLETE.>

The blue bird’s voice echoed, cutting through the tension.

"Finally," I muttered under my breath.

But before I could react—

FWOOOSH.

The crates vanished.

All of them.

"Wait... what?" Julien blinked, his jaw dropping.

"Where did they go?" Felix’s voice cracked. "Please tell me that wasn’t a glitch."

"Relax," I murmured, though my eyes narrowed.

This was planned.

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was low. "I don’t like this."

"Neither do I," I muttered, my grip tightening on my cane.

And then—

<CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS C.>

<AS THE WINNING TEAM... YOU HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL ACADEMY FUNCTION.>

Silence.

"Special function?" Mira’s voice was sharp, her eyes narrowing.

"Define ’special,’" Julien muttered, crossing his arms.

"Yeah..." Garrick rumbled, cracking his knuckles. "That sounds suspicious."

"Very," I murmured, my mind already racing.

A special academy function?

Nothing like that existed in the game.

At least... not in the early stages.

"What the hell is this?" I muttered, my gut twisting.

<DETAILS OF THE SPECIAL FUNCTION WILL BE REVEALED... UPON YOUR RETURN TO THE ACADEMY.>

That...

"Seriously?" Julien muttered, his tone laced with irritation.

"More secrets," Mira grumbled, her expression darkening.

"Great," Felix mumbled. "Another mystery. Because we don’t have enough of those already."

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was quiet, but I caught the edge of concern in it. "This... doesn’t feel right."

"You’re not wrong," I murmured, my jaw tightening.

Something was off.

Way off.

Special function? Unannounced? After a scavenger hunt?

And now...

We wouldn’t even know what it was until we got back?

"Nothing good comes for free," I muttered under my breath.

"Professor..." Felix’s voice was hesitant. "What... what do we do now?"

"Simple." I turned, eyes narrowing.

"We prepare."

They all went quiet.

"You think this is another test?" Julien’s voice was low.

"Everything is a test," I murmured. "Especially in this damn academy."

Mira’s lips pressed into a thin line. "What’s the plan, then?"

"For now?" I glanced at them. "Rest. Gather your strength."

I didn’t miss the relief in their eyes.

They were drained.

"Tomorrow..." I murmured, eyes narrowing.

"We head back."

But deep down—

I had a bad feeling about this.

And I wasn’t the only one.

Cassandra stood a little too still, her expression blank as always...

But her fingers?

They twitched.

Like she already knew.

Something was coming.

And we weren’t ready for it.

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