Ready to flick.
Flick!
Whoosh!
Eldern barely managed to dodge the attack at the very last second, but the impact from that flick was so powerful that his hair was blown back violently. The air around him trembled intensely.
A burning heat spread across his chest. His green eyes began to glow faintly.
He quickly leapt backward, distancing himself from Battaghor.
"I… I can see that attack now…" Eldern muttered, his voice low and filled with disbelief.
Elina's sigil—Danger Sense—had finally awakened within him.
However, using it for the first time was overwhelming. His breathing became uneven, his body felt heavy, and his knees trembled before he collapsed to the ground.
"Eldern!" Elyra shouted in panic.
"Battaghor isn't the type to attack without reason… he prioritizes the mission… so for now, it should be fine…" Elyra thought, trying to calm herself despite her racing heart.
"Oh? Already tired, kid?" Battaghor said mockingly, turning his body as if preparing to leave.
Suddenly—
Whoosh!
A spear shot straight toward Battaghor's head.
Calmly, he caught it with one hand.
The spear vanished the moment it was touched.
Thud… thud… thud…
Footsteps echoed through the dust.
A boy, around six years old, with red hair, emerged—blood trickling from his head, his face expressionless. His empty gaze was locked onto Battaghor.
"What kind of look is that…?" Battaghor muttered coldly.
The boy charged forward. A spear suddenly formed in his hand, and he threw it without hesitation.
But—
In an instant, Battaghor was already in front of him.
His hand raised… right at the boy's forehead.
Ready to flick.
But—
The boy quickly grabbed onto Battaghor's arm, spinning his body midair. Another spear appeared in his hand as he struck toward Battaghor's head at close range—
Only for the attack to be effortlessly blocked by Battaghor's metal palm.
"He… dodged and counterattacked…? Even the teachers couldn't do anything…" Eldern whispered, his eyes wide. "Who is that kid…?"
Battaghor lifted the arm the boy was clinging to and slammed him hard into the wall.
The boy lost his grip.
Without hesitation, Battaghor grabbed his face and threw him into the wall again, cracking it and filling the air with thick dust.
But—
Whoosh!
A spear emerged from within the dust.
Dodged.
Whoosh!
Another one.
Dodged again.
Cling!
Battaghor caught the third spear and threw it back toward its source.
The spear struck hard—its impact scattering the dust, revealing…
No one.
Suddenly—
TRING!
A glass window beside Battaghor shattered.
The boy appeared from outside, lunging in with a spear aimed straight at Battaghor's neck.
The earlier attacks had only been a distraction.
He had jumped out the window… and re-entered from another angle for a surprise strike.
But—
Battaghor let out a slow breath.
"I've wasted too much time…"
The aura around him shifted.
"Hah!"
Eldern's Danger Sense screamed—a terrifying level of danger.
Before the spear could reach its target—
BOOM!
Battaghor threw a serious punch.
The spear shattered instantly.
The impact destroyed the wall completely and sent the boy flying out of the academy building.
His right arm was badly broken—dangling limply as if it had no bones.
"Th-that kid… he's definitely dead…" Eldern thought, his mind going blank.
He couldn't think logically anymore.
Battaghor only glanced at him coldly… before disappearing from sight.
Elyra stood frozen.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings—the destroyed academy, injured students trapped under debris.
Her chest tightened painfully.
"I… didn't do anything…"
"ARGHHHHH!!"
Elyra's scream echoed, filled with despair.
Eldern rushed toward her.
"C-calm down, Elyra—"
But—
Two wings suddenly emerged from her back.
Her body lifted into the air.
Golden light engulfed the entire academy in an instant.
Outside—
The citizens of Willowess saw a massive golden circle forming above the academy.
Damnern, who was on his way, stopped in his tracks.
"Fu… Full Angel…?" he whispered, before flying at full speed toward it.
Elsewhere—
Battaghor, holding the boy—Gark Venti—had just broken the information stone. Three teachers lay on the floor.
A portal opened behind him.
But—
"What is this…?" he frowned at the spreading golden light.
Without wasting time, he threw Gark into the portal and immediately followed.
Within the golden circle—
Small orbs of light floated everywhere.
In an instant—
Everyone within the circle was healed.
Wounds disappeared.
Bones were restored.
The fallen teachers… stood up again.
The boy with the broken arm… was completely healed.
But then—
CRACK!
The golden circle fractured like glass.
And shattered.
Elyra fell from the air—unconscious.
Her wings disappeared.
"Elyra!"
Eldern ran forward and caught her before she hit the ground.
"Elyra! Elyra!"
He shook her gently, panic in his voice.
At that moment—
Damnern arrived.
"What happened, Eldern?!"
Seeing Elyra unconscious—
His expression changed.
A powerful aura burst out of him unconsciously, pressing down heavily on the surroundings.
Without another word, he lifted Elyra into his arms—
And dashed toward the Willowess Medical Center at full speed.
Some time later…
Finally—
Elyra opened her eyes.
"Mm…"
Eldern, who had fallen asleep beside her bed, jolted awake.
His eyes widened the moment he saw her awake.
"Thank goodness…!"
He tightly held her hand.
"I'm sorry, Elyra…"
His voice trembled.
"You were unconscious for more than a day… I was really scared…"
His eyes welled with tears.
For the first time—
Eldern looked truly fragile.
End of Chapter 16