Seeing the two teachers standing barely three meters away from himself, Villin had no idea what to do. He could also feel the bloodlust in Granolf’s voice but unlike at the gathering a while back, it didn’t paralyze him this time.

All it did was slightly shake his outermost mental defense.

However, this didn’t hold true for Marvin.

Attacked by Granolf’s bloodlust, the boy shivered, dropping his wand. A putrid smell also began rising in the area as the boy wet himself.

“Well, boy? Shouldn’t you show some manners and properly greet your elders?” Granolf asked with an eerie smile as he looked Villin in the eyes.

Meanwhile, Villin’s brain was working overtime. He kept trying to think of a way out but he didn’t have any spells capable of hurting teachers. All he had that could potentially somewhat harm them was the self-destruct function of his puppet, but with the two teachers looking at him he wouldn’t be able to get the puppet to them, they would blow it up the moment it made a move.

Just as he was considering surrendering, he thought of something. He did have a spell that might just work on these people, a spell he had only used twice.

It was a derivatory version of ‘Mentallage’. Shortly before the competition amongst the youths, he had been practicing this seemingly harmless spell, trying to find more derivatory versions of it. 

The person he had been practicing it on was Amelia. When it came to mostly harmless offensive spells he would always ask one of his companions to help him test the effects. This time he didn’t even expect it to be an offensive spell, he was simply hoping for some improvement in communication.

Yet as soon as he cast the spell intending to just send over a simple sentence for testing purposes, Amelia screamed.

Within a few moments she had fallen to the ground and she was clutching her head.

It was only after three days she completely recovered. According to her the first section of the spell acted the same, it made its way into her head, seemingly intending to deliver a message. But then, instead of simply delivering a message it began moving around wildly, not caring about the contents of her head.

A few days after Amelia fully recovered, Villin used the spell for the second time, on himself this time around. He wanted to know the proper effects of the spell. If he were to use it on his enemies, it only felt right he knew the effects.

He didn’t do much better, only getting better after two full days. Shortly after that time he competed in the competition and met cannibals capable of easily performing mental attacks.

Back then the spell was useless since the cannibals were clearly focused on mental attacks. 

And he knew that if he were to use the spell on himself at this point in time, it would also be useless due to the defenses he had put into place.

Without a word, Villin dropped his wand, this was generally something that was considered a sign of surrender.

Seeing the two people in front of him, Villin knew who to target. Granolf was capable of emitting bloodlust meaning he had probably stood on battlefields and he was mentally very strong. And so he looked at the old lady.

“I must admit boy I am a little disappointed, I was hoping to teach you a proper lesson when you would try to fight back.” Granolf admitted as he looked at Villin “But I’m sure I’ll be able to find some time to do so once the fighting had ended, no need to worry.”

Villin took in a deep breath, Granolf assumed this was to try and keep himself calm but in reality, it was in preparation for the spell.

‘Mentallage’ was a wandless spell that generally was very easy to cast with a measly five nodes. But when two of the nodes were changed to nodes that could be said to be considerably far from the natural path, Villin had to focus in order to be able to cast it.

Just as he looked into the old lady’s eyes again, prepared to cast the spell, a massive explosion took place as the wall just a few meters to his right was blown into pieces.

Dust and rocks flew in all directions as everyone was forced to cast a spell or two to keep themselves from harm.

Villin cast ‘Obiectus Prohibere’ caused the rocks coming at him to slow down to a halt when they got too close. This also protected Marvin who was standing just to the left of him.

As for Granolf and old lady Cassio, they only had to flick their wands to blow up each of the pieces of rock coming towards them.

The hole in the wall was massive being three meters by three meters. And behind the dust, a hunched figure could be seen.

Under the gaze of everyone in the hallway, the man stepped forward showing his face.

“Theodore!” Granolf said as he recognized professor Crumb walking out of the hole in the wall as the dust settled.

With professor Crumb arriving the three groups now formed a triangle, each standing no further than four meters from the other.

Professor Crumb looked at Villin seriously before nodding, affirming the boy was alright. After this, he looked at the old lady standing next to Granolf.

The old man frowned when looking into the lady’s eyes. “Truly Isabelle, you are the traitor? Have you forgotten these people killed your son?”

Without missing a beat the old lady responded “I still have two left, don’t I?”

At first, professor Crumb was shocked the kind-hearted Isabelle Cassio could say something of the like but after a moment his gaze rested on the necklace around her neck and he understood what happened.

“Hmm, I see. I suppose that necklace restrains your feelings. And here I thought you would never use such useless items.”

Hearing his words Isabelle scoffed “I have learned how useless feelings are. What benefit do they provide? I am no runemaster and I have no need for intent, I have stopped acting irrationally.”

Interrupting their conversation, Granolf turned to the professor “Please old man, we both know you have no way of defeating us, or me for that matter. When it comes to runes you might be slightly more skilled than me but in battle, you do not stand even close to me. I have fought numerous battles while you just sit in your room and study!”

At the same time, Granolf released his magical powers causing Villin to instantly feel suffocated. The magical elements all around him seemed to be in control of the man to the point even casting the easiest spell would become a chore.

Yet just a few moments later this state was lifted as a second aura moved in. Professor Crumb first mimicked Granolf as the two auras seemed to stand opposite each other, similar in strength.

And then professor Crumb’s strength seemed to be growing more and more. His magical strength surged within seconds instantly eclipsing Granolf’s strength.

Villin felt a metallic taste in his mouth and an odd smell in the air. He didn’t immediately recognize it but Granolf did, it was the smell of blood.

Instantly, Granolf paled as he felt the intense force coming from a person standing just a few meters before him. “You aren’t Theodore, are you?”

The professor smiled slightly as he responded “Took you long enough to figure that out.”

“For how long?”

“Four years.”

Granolf squinted his eyes as he looked professor Crumb in the face “Who are you?”

At this point the professor had already taken a few steps to the side, standing in front of Villin and Marvin, in a position protecting them would be easiest.

“The first general of The Monarch. Commander of the greatest army this continent had ever seen. Julius Reptinan Vallia, keeper of secrets. Theodore Crumb voluntarily gave me his body four years ago, after he got heavily wounded in a fight.”

Granolf seemed to shiver for a moment as he heard the words “You died, you were killed in the final battle!” yet, just a few moments later he changed his tone “It doesn’t matter, you are in the middle of one of the most reinforced buildings in the entire magi world. We have dozens of teachers heading to assist us as we speak. Do not think I am a fool. Even though your experience is still there, you must have been heavily wounded that time, probably forced to change your body. After changing once more just four years ago, I do not believe you are at your strongest.” Granolf commented as he prepared to cast a spell.

“True, I am at my weakest now, but do not think the two of you are enough to defeat me!” the professor replied as he got into a battle stance as well.

Professor Crumb looked totally different now his back was no longer hunched and he stood tall. As for Villin, he didn’t care that the professor Crumb he knew wasn’t actually a person that went by that name. He knew that this was the person that helped and guided him, rewarded him for his efforts when he first came into class, and allowed him to become a runemaster at his age.

A/N: Heya, we almost at the end of the arc. How do you all think it's going to end?