Back in Academy,
Helena blankly stared at the massive rectangular-shaped building trapped under her barrier.
Something felt off about the higher floors… those very floors where Aqualina and Celestia had struggled before.
When trapped and they kept ascending, an unusual heaviness settled over their bodies, dragging them down as if unseen forces were pressing against them.
Now, standing here, Helena sensed the same disturbance once again.
/I feel… it’s Mother’s energy?.. Aether/ she replied to Aether’s question, her brows furrowing in concern.
She wasn’t entirely sure, but the sensation was unmistakable. It felt too familiar… Someone in that building was using Mother’s energy—on the upper floors, no less.
That explained why Aqualina and Celestia had experienced that unnatural heaviness before. The energy wasn’t just lingering—it was actively affecting the surroundings.
And then…
Helena’s expression twisted into horror as a terrifying realization struck her. If that energy leaked from the building and reacted with the Arcane energy outside… the consequences would be catastrophic.
A single miscalculation could trigger an explosion powerful enough to obliterate several cities around the Academy.
/Aether… w-we need to act fast… if this is real… the explosion could wipe out everything in its radius!/
Her breath hitched, panic creeping into her voice.
She wasn’t sure if her barrier could withstand such a force. At least they had already set it up before things escalated—whether by luck or instinct, it was their only safeguard for now.
But even with that advantage, she could feel the strain building. She wouldn’t be able to hold it much longer.
Just then,
/I will get those people out… open the path and… for the explosion… I have an idea… just hold them for now/
Helena hesitated, her fingers twitching slightly, /Are you sure?/ she asked, her voice carrying a trace of worry.
Aether’s silence was firm.
Taking a deep breath, she clenched her fists. /Fine… I’m opening a few gaps,/ she muttered, focusing her energy.
A small section of the barrier behind the academy began to shift. And then—
Shhhhh!
Shhhhh!
Shhhhh!
Shhhhh!
…..
Ten hooded figures slipped into the academy like shadows. At the same time, Aqualina, Aria, and Liora suddenly flinched as if receiving an unseen command. Without hesitation, they turned and rushed toward the back of the academy.
Finnian raised a brow at their abrupt movements. ‘Where are they going? Running away?’ he scoffed, a smirk tugging at his lips, ‘Pathetic’ as he killed a monster before looking at one person who was actually enjoying this fight!
Thalia!
Thalia perched comfortably on the broad shoulder of the towering hooded figure known as One. With her sword still lodged in its eye, she gripped the hilt like a control stick, directing its movements with ease.
Using its massive hands, the creature rampaged forward, smashing everything in its path. Monsters poured out from the single opening Helena had left exposed, but they barely had a chance to react before Thalia’s new toy reduced them to a pulp.
“KRYY–“
BOOM!
Splash!
“RRKK–“
BOOM!
Splash!
“NGGG–“
BOOM!
Splash!
Thalia’s grin widened as she watched the monsters get crushed one after another. ‘Hah… this thing is way more useful than I expected,’ she mused. ‘Maybe I should keep it as a pet?’ The thought amused her as she continued steering the beast with expert precision.
Meanwhile, the hooded figures wasted no time, of course, Aether’s puppets stationed outside were on the move…. Moving swiftly, they worked to evacuate the trapped people. Aqualina, Liora, and Aria coordinated seamlessly, guiding the professors and children to safety as fast as possible.
Time was running out… And if they didn’t move quickly enough… the worst was yet to come.
Back to the Master,
‘It is going to take some time,’ Aether muttered through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with frustration as his gaze remained fixed on Master.
The ice that had once imprisoned Master’s body had now shattered completely, Yet, despite the overwhelming situation, Master simply smiled at everyone, his fingers barely resting on the button, as if he had already seized complete control.
Master was merely bluffing, attempting to put on an act to intimidate others.
On the other hand, Aether was equally convinced that Master was the one orchestrating everything from behind the scenes, pulling unseen strings like a puppeteer.
But in reality, both of them had completely misunderstood each other’s intentions, neither realizing the truth.
Yet, by sheer luck or perhaps twisted fate, the situation was still unfolding in a way that ultimately favoured Master.
Aether clenched his jaw tightly as his gaze flickered toward Dora, who was struggling desperately to maintain her grip on the invisible threads. Her fingers trembled violently, her breathing was ragged, and her body was on the verge of collapsing from the sheer strain of holding on.
When she noticed Aether looking at her with that pained, almost defeated expression, her heart clenched in response, and a wave of realization struck her.
She understood immediately that this was no longer something they could control on their own.
Letting out a slow, shaky breath, Dora gritted her teeth, her fingers twitching slightly before she hesitated for just a brief moment.
Then, finally, she made her decision and began to gradually loosen her grip on the threads, allowing them to slip through her grasp. The very instant she did so, Master smiled as his grin stretched even wider as if he had anticipated this outcome all along.
A vein popped on the Archpriestess’s forehead. “I… I cannot believe you have fallen this low…” Her voice carried disbelief, yet also something else—an underlying sense of fear.
Master let out a low, amused chuckle as he reached down, his fingers curling tightly around the hilts of the swords that had been brutally impaled through his legs. With slow, excruciating movements, he yanked them out one by one.
Chuk!
Even as the agony coursed through his body like fire, his grin never faltered, and his amusement never faded.
“Dear, you still don’t understand, do you?” His voice was smooth yet carried unmistakable exhaustion as if he had long accepted this painful reality.
“One day, no matter who you are, no matter how righteous you believe yourself to be, you will fall just as low as I have, if not lower. There are no exceptions to this rule, no one is safe, and that is simply the way this world works, cruel and merciless.” His words carried both bitter amusement and an undeniable sorrow, as though he had spent years coming to terms with this truth.
“If Luna were to know th—”
“The next time you so much as dare to utter her name…” Master’s expression darkened instantly, his grip on the button tightening with a visible twitch,
“I swear to god, I will fucking press this button right here and now!” His voice erupted with a fury so raw and uncontained that the entire room seemed to tremble under the weight of his rage.
Just the mere mention of Luna’s name was enough to send his blood boiling beyond control, as if it struck something deeply personal within him.
The Archpriestess visibly recoiled at the intensity of his anger, taking an instinctive step backwards as her breath hitched in her throat.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest as she stared at the button!
Master exhaled sharply, “That’s better.” But just as those words left his lips, an unexpected sensation overtook him, and without warning, his legs suddenly buckled beneath him.
Thud!
“H-Huh?” His expression twisted into a deep frown as confusion flickered across his features.
A strange, dizzying fog clouded his mind, making it difficult to focus. ‘Damn it… Maybe my wounds are finally taking their toll on me after all…’ he thought bitterly to himself, frustration gnawing at him.
But in truth… His time was simply running out,
[Remaining time: 00:00: 50↓]
Aether’s eyes remained fixated on the countdown timer… His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.
Damn it, damn it, damn it!!
Everything had become meaningless now, all of their efforts were reduced to nothing.
The only option left, the only choice remaining… was to reset everything from the previous checkpoint!
Aether’s entire body trembled with frustration.
“M-Master?”
A voice suddenly appeared.
Jack had finally reappeared, his breathing erratic as he stumbled forward. He had been flung away by Master earlier with immense force, but now, after all that struggle, he had finally managed to make his way back.
The sight that greeted him sent a cold shiver down his spine. His breath hitched violently when he saw Master kneeling before the others, his form weakened, vulnerable in a way he had never witnessed before.
Jack’s eyes widened in unrestrained rage, “HOW DARE YOU?! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO HE IS?!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU’VE DONE?!!”
His teeth grinding together as his hand instinctively reached for his gun, fingers twitching with the need to pull the trigger—
“You came at the right time…” Master’s voice, weak, “C-Come here… H-Help me… I need your strength.” His body felt unbearably heavy.
Jack hesitated for only a brief moment, his sharp gaze darting between Master and the enemies surrounding them. These people could slaughter him in an instant if they so wished.
Yet, despite his overwhelming wariness, he pushed those thoughts aside and quickly stepped forward, reaching Master’s side without a second thought.
With a deep breath, he carefully lifted him, supporting his weight.
“M-Master, are you alright?” Jack’s voice was laced with worry, his grip tightening as he struggled to hold him up properly.
Master let out a weak, almost breathless chuckle at Jack’s distressed expression. “I… I am truly fine, Jack,” he reassured, though his voice lacked its usual strength. His legs wobbled slightly, but with Jack’s support, he forced himself to stand upright, however unsteady.
Jack gave a hesitant nod, a small yet hopeful smile appearing on his face before he shifted to help Master move forward.
Master swept his gaze over everyone one last time before exhaling heavily, a slow smirk creeping onto his lips,
“Believe me… this is far from over. This is not the end, not even close…” His breathing grew heavier, more laboured, his face strangely flushed, yet his eyes remained sharp and unwavering.
“Once I have fully recovered, I swear upon everything that I will personally kill each and every one of you with my own hands.” His voice was laced with an undeniable certainty that sent a cold chill through the air.
“Especially you…” Master’s gaze locked onto Aether, “I never—never in my wildest thoughts—believed a mere Joker could pull off something I have never even heard of… Holding my holy flames… Something that should have been impossible for someone like you.”
Master’s fingers twitched as if barely holding back the urge to strike, “A bug like you… daring to stand in my way… I finally understand now why Alaric was always wary of you, why he never underestimated your presence.” He let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head in sheer annoyance,
“Tsk! I should have crushed you before you ever had the chance to crawl this far.” His voice dropped lower, turning eerily calm. “Mark my words, Jok—No… Aether.” His lips twisted into a vicious smirk. “You will beg me to kill you by the time I’m done with you… That’s how much I’m going to make you suffer.”
Jack, standing beside Master, grinned in pure satisfaction at those words, his excitement barely contained. He could already imagine the screams, the agony, the slow and inevitable destruction Aether would face in the future.
Aether, however, did not respond. Instead, his shoulders trembled, his face lowering as his fingers slowly curled over his features, covering his expression from view.
Dora narrowed her eyes, “If you want to get to Aether… then you’ll have to go through all of us first.”
“Me too?” Mary blinked.
Master simply chuckled, a raspy, “Haha… Well, it has been entertaining fighting against all of you. But now…
I believe it’s time for me to take my leave—”
Chucckkk!
Chucckkkk!
Everyone’s eyes widened in sheer horror.
Master’s eyes widened as an indescribable chill spread through his chest.
His vision blurred for a brief moment before slowly—almost hesitantly—he lowered his gaze.
His lips parted, but no words came out.
A gaping hole?
His blood, thick and warm, dripped down in slow.
His fingers twitched weakly, his grip on the stick button faltering—only for his gaze to shift slightly and…
His hand… was missing?
The button he had held moments ago… gone?
His breath hitched sharply as he turned his head to the side…
Jack.
Jack standing beside him, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement, his grin twisted in pure, unfiltered delight.
In one hand, he held a bloodied sword, the blade dripping with the evidence of his betrayal.
In the other…
Master’s severed hand.
Just then—
“Hehe… Hehehehe~”
A low, bone-chilling laugh echoed through the tense, suffocating atmosphere, creeping into the bones of everyone present like an invisible force.
It was a laugh so unnerving, so unsettling, that it sent an immediate shiver down the spines of even the strongest individuals.
Everyone instinctively flinched,
Slowly, ever so slowly, their gazes turned toward the source of that haunting sound.
Aether.
His head remained low, his hand still covering his face, his body trembling—not from fear, but from something else.
Something darker… Something twisted?
And then—
He lifted his head.
Then, with agonizing slowness, he lowered his hand revealing a… smile?
No… Not just smile, rather…
A wicked, eerie smile stretched across his lips, growing wider!!
“Hehe~ Checkmate~”
It was a smile not of a man victorious.
It was a smile of something far worse.
Something… far more wicked than even Master himself.
Everyone gulped with…. Fear!!
Except—
‘I… like it?’
The thought barely surfaced in Mary’s mind before she immediately pushed it away, horrified at herself for even considering such a thing.
______
[Author’s Note: Surprised? Let me tell you, this is not plot armour or something I pulled out of nowhere… the hint was already given in the pervious volume itself and even in this volume there were many hints!]