Over the past hour, the demon vine, its life unnaturally prolonged, had finally reached its end.Its seemingly robust and powerful tendrils were nothing more than a facade, ready to crumble at the slightest touch.While the crimson magic had not directly struck the demon vine, the residual ripples emanating from it were enough to instantly obliterate the outwardly strong yet inwardly brittle plant.In a blink, the full-bodied tendrils disintegrated into vibrant green magic, brimming with life, gradually vanishing into the air inch by inch.Its colossal form, which had dominated the entire training ground, dissipated completely in that very moment.Under the magical tether that shot straight into the sky, a vast quantity of green magic coiled around its surface like a verdant serpent, its twisting body rapidly ascending towards the unknown heavens.
“Wushuang!”
As the demon vine dissolved into magic, Huo Wushuang, who had been fused with it, naturally separated and plummeted from its main trunk.Witnessing her roommate seemingly lose consciousness and fall uncontrollably towards the ground, Lin Ling desperately wished to catch her.However, the black ribbons binding them tightly rendered her utterly immobile.
‘Save her?’
‘When I can’t even move myself, how can I even think of saving anyone?’
Just as Huo Wushuang was helplessly plummeting towards the ground, her pale, pretty face moments away from kissing Mother Earth, a black ribbon manifested from thin air.Defying the laws of physics with magic, it pulled Huo Wushuang back from her rapid descent.
Lin Ling’s eyes suddenly reddened.
‘It’s the teacher!’
Yet, as she looked towards Aya Tone in front of her, her reddened eyes abruptly noticed something.Aya Tone’s hands were clamped tightly around his magic staff, and the magical torrent showed no signs of slowing.In fact, it was even more potent than before!
Those who had witnessed the magic from its inception to the present moment stood with slightly agape mouths, their eyes wide with shock.Their exhausted spirits were utterly shattered.
‘Compared to others, some people are meant to die; compared to goods, some are meant to be discarded.’
And they, all of them, belonged to the latter category.
‘This Teacher Aya before them, he’s practically inhuman!’
‘He’s!’
‘A Superman!’
By their calculations, the spell had been sustained for nearly three minutes without any sign of weakening.How could any normal human body possess such an immense amount of magic?Even a mere wisp of magic from that spell could rival a third of their own total magical reserves.Terrifying!
Everyone subconsciously swallowed.They had actually, foolishly, fantasized about breaking through this person’s shield…
‘Heh… What a pipe dream.’
Even if he didn’t use any spells, merely constructing the most basic shield with his magic and standing there to let them attack, the energy they expended might not even be replenished as quickly as he recovered it.A colossal blow, delivered in that instant, cast a pall of gloom over all the proud prodigies.
They finally understood why other students would end up heavily injured in the infirmary after class, receiving treatment.Meanwhile, the magic students, despite having not a single scratch on them, would all flock to the psychological counseling office for comfort.
‘It seems they were all so utterly crushed that they began to doubt the meaning of their own lives…’
****
Alas, even someone as powerful as Aya Tone had his troubles.Beyond their sight, Aya Tone, whom they regarded as a monster, now had veins bulging on his small hand gripping the magic staff.His small face was etched with worry, his regret utterly unconcealable.
‘Damn it!’
‘Why on earth did I have to deliberately charge up the spell?’
‘My brain?’
‘Anger truly makes one lose one’s head; I must remember that next time…’
‘Remember what?!’
Aya Tone inwardly berated his past self from five minutes ago: ‘What a stupid thing to do!’
‘My full power in normal form can already wreck an S-rank training ground, and now I’m in a B-rank training ground, having activated my Heart Force, and I still dared to charge it up.’
‘What was I thinking?!’
‘Now look what happened.’
‘Who knows how long this “firework” will last? My hand is so tired…’
Aya Tone gazed blankly at the perforated ceiling.If the magic surging within him due to his Heart Force wasn’t expended, it would swell painfully.If left too long, it might even go “boom,” resulting in a human firework display, scattering flesh and blood everywhere.Last time, he was so excited that he poured all his magic into Big White’s body, but now…
“Ah—baba.”
‘Who knows how much I’ll be fined for causing such a huge commotion this time…’
At the mere thought of the potential penalty, two streaks of tears involuntarily traced down his cheeks.His first month’s salary hadn’t even been settled yet, and now he was directly facing a wage deduction crisis.
‘I’m tired. Just destroy it all.’
Ten minutes later.
The crimson light receded, and starlight descended.
“What are those expressions on your faces! Ah! Answer me! Look look… damn it!”
A certain magical girl with poor English, stepping through the void, slowly descended back to the ground.As the magic within her body returned to its average level, her long dress also reverted to its original appearance.The students, who had regained their freedom behind her, now looked utterly drained, their faces devoid of color, both male and female displaying expressions of complete exhaustion.Huo Wushuang, in particular, had fallen into a coma due to magical exhaustion and the prolonged fusion with the demon vine.
‘What a troublesome bunch of students…’
Aya Tone, seeing their dispirited state, couldn’t help but feel a surge of irritation.Calming himself, however, he noticed a crucial detail.This was a training ground at Dragon Court Academy, equipped with AI surveillance.If the vine had been a monster that escaped from a dungeon, the academy’s alarms would have sounded long ago.Yet, considering the students’ exhausted appearance, the demon vine had clearly been present for quite some time.There could only be one truth!These disheveled university students were the ones who had conjured that demon vine!
“Huo Wushuang, wake up.”
The starlit gown on Aya Tone faded, replaced once more by his perpetually unchanging black hoodie.With a hand glowing with a gentle aura, he unceremoniously slapped the unconscious Huo Wushuang.
‘Let my little sister feel the sting of a loving slap.’
‘Hm, it’s definitely not taking advantage of someone in their vulnerable state!’
‘And it’s absolutely not premeditated revenge due to the impending wage deduction crisis.’
‘Absolutely, positively not!’
“Hm…?”
Under the healing magic infused into Aya Tone’s slap, Huo Wushuang’s depleted body was revitalized.The pain on her face made her tightly closed eyes tremble, and her brows, somewhat similar to Fire Finch’s, furrowed slightly.
‘One slap isn’t enough?’ Aya Tone murmured softly.
‘That’s fantastic!’
Aya Tone’s eyes lit up.He raised his hand and, with another “smack,” delivered a blow to Huo Wushuang’s other cheek.
‘Heh heh! Symmetrical!’
Seeing the previously crooked pretty face straightened out, Aya Tone felt an immense satisfaction.Having received two healing slaps, the healing magic finally took effect.Just as Aya Tone was about to deliver another, Huo Wushuang, lying on the ground, slowly stirred awake, her trembling eyelashes suddenly fluttering open the next moment.
“Oh… you’re awake? Time to explain yourself to your teacher.”
Aya Tone’s voice carried a distinct note of disappointment.It wasn’t that he was cruel, deliberately seeking out a severely injured and newly awakened Huo Wushuang to interrogate.Rather, among this group, he only knew Huo Wushuang’s name.As for Lin Ling and the other three…
‘He honestly couldn’t recall their names, so to avoid awkwardness, it was better to rouse my ‘little sister’ and ask her.’
‘Mm-hmm, yes, it’s purely to find someone to properly ask what happened.’
‘Revenge? That’s just a bonus.’
‘Pah! What revenge? That was therapy.’
‘Therapy!’