"Who are you?" Asher's cold voice traveled through the silent forest. He was tense, ready to attack at any time.

Beside him, the others were standing in their fighting stance.

"I am Alaric. Nice to meet you, Professors of the prestigious Arcadia Academy. Though I feel sad to say this… this will be your last day."

Alaric released heavy pressure. Purple lightning cracked around his body. He summoned a long sword in his hand.

In an instant, Alaric vanished.

A streak of purple lightning ripped through the field like a judgment. Blinding, immediate, and absolute.

WHIIISSSHHHH—!!

Too fast for the eye to follow, time itself seemed to halt for a brief heartbeat.

His speed was so fast that Seraphina and Arnold really looked like child in front of him.

The wind held its breath.

The falling leaves stopped in midair.

The only movement was Alaric's hand wrapping around the hilt of his blade.

With a single step, he closed the distance between them. His sword drawn in a flash too quick for even shadows to catch.

WHOOSH—!!

The world cracked.

His blade cut through the air like a celestial slash, exploding forward with enough power to bifurcate everything.

Everything in his path. Trees, stone, and ship was meant to be reduced to nothing.

But—

BZZZT…!!!

CRACKK—!!

The blinding light of his blade clashed not with flesh, not with earth, but with something dense.

Sparks erupted in every direction as violet and cerulean lightning howled in violent discord.

The feedback shot up Alaric's arm.

His strike had hit something solid. Not just blocked, but completely neutralized.

There stood Asher, with his twin swords crossed. They held the blade of Alaric. Asher's expression was pale.

"Damn! Why are you attacking us? What are you after? Who sent you?" Asher asked him through clenched teeth.

Alaric didn't answer. Sensing the change in air, he jumped back immediately.

A huge water lance struck down where Alaric was standing.

BOOM!

It was more devastating than normal spells. Its impact was huge enough to make a large crack and dent in the ground. If someone like Amon were standing there, he would have died.

Aria was the one who had conjured it.

Alaric landed lightly on a fractured boulder, a faint grin curling on his lips.

"Oh? Impressive. You blocked my judgment slash, Asher. "His voice crackled with the leftover electricity dancing across his shoulders.

Asher exhaled sharply, knuckles white around the hilts of his twin blades. His breathing was slightly strained, but his gaze was fierce.

"Aria. Cristina. Adelia," he said without looking back, "prepare yourselves. He's not an ordinary attacker."

"I can tell," Cristina muttered, frost forming under her boots.

Aria twirled her wand once. "Let's show him why we're Professors of Arcadia."

Adelia cracked her fists—the golden light element coating her gauntlets like molten aura. Her smile was thin. "If he thinks we're prey, he'll regret waking up this morning."

Purple lightning danced again.

Alaric moved.

CRACK—!!

He vanished again, reappearing directly behind Cristina.

"First—Ice woman."

But Cristina didn't even turn.

"Frozen Domain."

SHHKKKK—!!!

The temperature plunged instantly.

Mist exploded outward as frost-laden air surged in every direction.

The ground turned white. Trees crystallized. The forest itself froze.

A thick wall of ice erupted upward behind her—defending her like a living shield.

Alaric's blade slammed into it.

CRRRSHHH!!

The impact shattered the wall,

BUT the explosion of shards forced Alaric to retreat a step.

Tinkling ice fell like glass rain.

Cristina's cold eyes narrowed.

"Did you really think you could sneak behind me?"

"Don't think you can run!" Aria yelled from the other side.

Aria raised her wand—the tip igniting with spiraling magic circles.

"Hydra's Triple Torrent!"

BOOOM!!

Three enormous serpentine water lances burst forth, roaring and twisting like living beasts.

They slammed toward Alaric with violent force.

But Alaric only smirked.

ZAP—!!

He lightning-stepped sideways, barely avoiding the exploding torrents—Rivers of water tore through a dozen trees behind him, uprooting them like twigs.

"You ladies bite harder than I thought," he laughed.

"Stop testing us." Asher moved.

He appeared in front of him with a burst of compressed wind. His twin swords hummed—coated in razor-thin wind magic.

[Gale Sever.]

SLASH—!!

A crescent wind blade shot toward Alaric with devastating speed.

Alaric crossed his sword to block, but,

CLANG—SKRRR!!

The pressure pushed him back several meters, skidding lines across the shattered ground.

Asher didn't stop.

He blitzed toward him, both swords rotating.

[Tempest Dance]

A storm of slashes cascaded toward Alaric like a typhoon of blades.

Alaric laughed in excitement, lightning coating his feet.

The forest floor exploded beneath their steps as they clashed—

Shockwaves traveled through the forest.

CLANG—CLANG—BZZZT—CLANG—BOOM!!

Wind and lightning tore through the battlefield in a chaotic blur.

Alaric stepped back, raising a brow.

"Well, well—four against one? Still, I am going easy on you guys."

"SHUT UP."

A fist coated in piercing light smashed toward his jaw.

BAAAAM—!!

Alaric barely tilted his head away, but even then, the light force skimmed his cheek, slicing skin with hot pressure.

Adelia's golden aura burst around her like a miniature sun.

Her gauntlets shone brilliantly.

She spun, heel lifting.

"Radiant Smash!"

BOOOOM!!

The punch struck the ground when Alaric dodged—but the shockwave blasted upward like a localized explosion of holy lightning.

Alaric's eyes widened slightly.

"Light element… physically enhanced… interesting."

Adelia leapt at him again, fists blurring.

Her punches carried explosive force.

BAM—BAM—BAM—BAAM!!

Alaric blocked the combos with the flat of his blade, sparks flying every time metal met light.

"You're troublesome," he muttered.

"I take that as a compliment," Adelia shot back, eyes sharp. Her eyes were cold. There was no kindness or warmth in her eyes. She looked totally different from her usual self.

Cristina raised her scythe. Her blue hair waved in the air. Her body radiated a cold blue glow.

Frost swirled around the crescent blade, forming a storm.

"Absolute Zero Arc."

SWOOOOO—!!

A sweeping crescent of frozen air roared toward Alaric. A cold blue line slashed toward him.

He tried to dodge—

But Aria struck too.

"Phoenix Flare!"

A swirling fireball descended from above, pushing him downward.

Wind blades from Asher cornered him from the sides.

Light fists from Adelia sealed his forward escape.

SURROUNDED. NOWHERE LEFT.

Alaric's smile vanished.

For the first time, he looked serious.

"…So this is the strength of Arcadia Academy."

His purple lightning exploded violently.

BZZZZZTTTTTT—!!!

The ground cratered beneath him.

The entire battlefield flashed purple.

Even the airship trembled from the shockwave.

He raised his sword.

"Don't die from this."

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