Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Glasts Expedition (11)

His field of vision was narrow. It had always been Professor Glasts old concern due to his myopia.

Given his profession required extensive reading, struggling with nearsightedness and a limited field of vision was inevitable.

The life of a teacher is ultimately a sedentary one.

Like the majority of professions, repeat the same thing for decades, and it all becomes routine and patterned.

Even the tumultuous and chaotic one-year academic schedule becomes predictable after a decade or so of repetition.

The unexpected anomalies and problems that pop up now and then fade into just another past experience with time.

What remains in memory are the seemingly identical everyday landscapes churned out in the same mold.

Seated at his large desk in the personal research room, engrossed in reading the annotated tomes of the sages, analyzing the holy mana, managing the academic curriculum, reviewing teaching materials for the students.

And then, the scenery outside the window changes.

Snow falls.

Rain pours.

Wind blows.

The sun rises in the east, and before you know it, its fleeing to the western sky.

The youngest professor who screwed up comes begging for forgiveness, flustered.

First-year Elemental Studies students who wish to preview intermediate magic come seeking him out in his research room.

The head chancellor on his way to some affair stops by to share a cup of tea.

So immersed in work at the same spot, painful memories soon fade away.

If its a wound that wont heal, then gradually forgetting is the only option.

If theres no way to cure it, then the only thing left is to find a way to forgive the pain.

At some point, dark circles deepen, eyes become hollow, and hair turns coarse. Even rumors calling him a walking skull dont bother his emotions much anymore.

Sometimes while sitting at the research desk waving the quill pen, the surroundings blur.

Is it that cursed nearsightedness again, or is it a sign to rest because of depleted stamina? He pondered, although the workload wasnt exceedingly harsh compared to normal times.

Fragments of old memories occasionally flood back into his mind.

He straightens his back, leaning against the chair, and runs a hand over his face. As always, he closes his eyes tightly.

Remembering Muris face any longer is pointless. Its nothing more than self-harm.

Then what should he paint over the darkness beneath his eyelids?

Theres nothing to draw. Its like a blank canvas before a novice painter.

Just as he was about to give up on filling in the gaping blankness, as vast as the sea, he opens his eyes to find Taelys party, with swords drawn, facing him.

Ed descends from the balcony. Having just reviewed the overall situation all the way back to Tricks Hall, he is considering returning to the underground waterways. He didnt want to leave the scene of the incident until the very end.

As Ed steps down from the balcony, Lucy hops down after him, clasps his sleeve tightly, waddling along.

When Ed asks if theres something wrong, Lucy shakes her head a couple of times and insists on going together.

Together, they descend the stairs from the rooftop of Tricks Hall.

Taelys sword cuts through the air on the rooftop of the mana tower.

Before it reaches Glast, a protective magic manifests, blocking the swords advance. With a clanging sound, Taelys sword is deflected.

But then Zix, with knuckledusters equipped, throws a punch along Glasts path, accompanied by strengthened wind magic. However, even this was anticipated by Professor Glast, who manages to manifest a high-tier Holy Mana spell Time Prison.

Ensnared, Zix is rendered immobile. Following the successive Time Prison, both Elvira and Adelle are also subdued.

Taely counters the incoming assault with a Blade Saint technique, while Clevius remained safe outside the melee range. Nonetheless, more than half of their combined power had been neutralized.

Despite this, Taelys eyes are still ablaze with fighting spirit. Even the cowardly Clevius gets inspired by those eyes, and, with trembling hands, he enters the fray.

Professor Glast dodges the slashes from the two warriors, constantly creating distance between them. And then he begins to draw out one magical artifact after another.

Ed, having reached the first floor of Tricks Hall, confirms that the situation is mostly under control.

The chaos is subsiding, and the expressions of the stumbling students seem to have relaxed.

Lucy, clutching his sleeve, crosses the first-floor corridor with Ed.

Fragments of mana golems are scattered everywhere the aftermath of Taelys combat.

The lead researcher Melveric, who fought against him, is unreachable, unconscious.

The student body president Veros, who attempted to confront the rampaging Taely in the corner, takes a break as well. Taely, angry over the kidnapping of Aila, must have been filled with rage. Even Veros couldnt stop him.

Ed consoles Veros, whose term is almost over, for the hard work. Veros shakes his head, revealing that as the student body president, his attempt to stop Taely was merely a part of his duty. He fully understands Taelys unilateral actions.

With the second semester nearly over, theyll get busier with the holidays, and after the next student council presidential election, it will be time to start preparing for graduation. Smiling bitterly, Veros reminisces about his term, considering whether he achieved anything significant other than being caught up and led by situations he encountered. Then he looks up at the night sky through the broken ceiling.

Clevius lands a solid hit on Professor Glasts shouldera significant but not deep wound. Glast furrows his brow and activates Shock Enhanced Pulse Sphere.

Pushed back by the shock, Clevius nearly falls out of the mana tower but is caught by Taely. Clevius, terrified, couldnt help but overreact.

Glast, having put some distance between them, tends to his shoulder wound. Clumsily tying up the bloody robes, he starts chanting basic elemental spells to thwart the advancing melee fighters.

The spells that required focused effort for inexperienced students were effortlessly cast in rapid succession by the seasoned Professor Glast.

Facing only two melee warriors proved a challenge. However, Taely bravely charges through the barrage of elemental spells.

Striding through the underground teachers quarters towards the entrance of the waterways, Ed and Lucy encounter Lortelle from the residential complex.

Asking Lortelle how he dealt with King Elte, he explains that for the time being, hes locked him up in the mercantile unions guest room.

After all, as time passes, Elte will lose all his power and privileges. As long as hes contained, there shouldnt be any further issues. The upper hand has already switched sides; theres no more trickery possible.

Was the engraved magic circle intended for some other purpose? Yenika was too intrigued to ignore it.

She asked if Ed would join her, and he, equally curious, nodded in agreement.

As they prepared to depart, a rustling in the bushes and a startled squeak revealed Assistant Professor Claire Elfin huddled alone, clinging to her knees.

Injuries might heal, but pain is not so easily forgotten.

The pain of being stabbed lingered in Glasts mind, his spirits shaken.

He pushed the forbidden magic to its limits, his eyes bloodshot, his pale complexion ashen.

Enhanced claw hands, Shockwave Orbs, Abyssal Call, Ignition, Wind Blades, Enfright, Demon Contagion, Time Acceleration, Basic Elemental Magic, Short-Range Spatial Movement, Anti-Gravity, Cleansing Winds, Demon Golem Summoning, Explosion, Demonic Tribe Release, Spatial Freeze, Disaster Elixir, Night Butterfly Elixir, Smoke Cloud Elixir, Steel Rock Elixir.

Using every form of magic engineering equipment, elemental, summoning, spatial, interference, and curse magics, as well as alchemical elixirs, he dominated the battlefield. Even with ample space at the top of the Magic Tower, nowhere was safe.

Taelys party began to turn the tide of battle. Despite impending defeat, Taely remained undeterred.

His fierce willpower shone brightly, driven by his unwavering desire to rescue Aila. No one could help but admire such determination.

With Taely leading, the punitive force broke through Glasts obstructions.

Dodging, neutralizing, and enduring, the close-combat warriors slowly inflicted wounds on the professor.

Avoiding, distancing, defending, but Glast was naturally weaker up close.

Blood sprayed from his shoulder again, a dagger grazed his collarbone, and magic pierced his thigh.

Despite this, he overcharged the forbidden magic once more, rewinding time on his body. Even though the lethal wounds kept coming, he refused to fall.

Despite feeling like hitting a robust wall with bare fists, Taely and his party didnt despair or give up.

Defeat was not an option. They would not succumb to pain. They would not cave to adversity.

This was the path of heroes.

Finally, Adelle, known as Romanticist Adelle, shattered the remaining Time Prison and joined the battlefield.

Seeing Yenikas face, an alarmed Claire began apologizing profusely for something she seemed to have deeply feared.

Not wanting to be outdone, Yenika awkwardly bowed her head, apologizing in return, though her relief did not diminish her discomfort.

When Ed asked Claire why she was there, she explained she fled the waterways due to the peril. Observing the bruised skin, ruffled hair, and bloodshot eyes, Ed nearly asked if Yenikas terror prompted her tears, only to find streaks already drying.

After a flustered response, Claire admitted her tears and recounted her arduous years under Glasts tutelage at Sylvania.

Professor Glast hes just an utterly detestable person. A stubborn old bigot, spiteful, with a skull-like face, offloading his work, arrogant, dogmatic, prone to lecturing, brash, and critical Someone you simply could not like.

Despite her intuitions and keen discernment, she still regarded him as the epitome of a scholar amid the people she met at Sylvania.

With Adelles support, excelling in purification and bolstering allies, the battle shifted further. Despite repeated lethal injuries, Glast kept rising, unblinkingly, his blood-soaked robe tied tightly.

Though Taelys injuries were severe, he lacked the ability to rewind time.

His blood-soaked condition didnt prevent him from hoisting his sword anew. Despite the mental strain, his will could not be broken. It was as if he had surpassed human limits, becoming nearly zombie-like from sheer determination.

Glast deflected Clevius sword strike and repelled him with a wave magic. Elviras basic magic struck his abdomen, but he resisted with a ki shout, summoning celestial power.

However, Zix wind magic struck from behind. While some attacks were parried, injuries were inevitable; his shoulder was pierced again.

Taely unleashed a gust with her sword to clear the obscured vision after a smoke elixir was broken. Attempts to blast Taely away failed when Adelles interference magic temporarily disabled the magical circuits of Glasts equipment.

Despite trying to counter with basic magic, Glasts abdomen was already pierced by Taelys sword.

Gargh.

Glast spat blood once more, staggering. Yet, he invoked celestial magic again.

His bodys time would not reverse further.

The overburden of magic refused any further miracles.

Ah, kerh.

Taely withdrew his sword and struck again.

Glast failed to block.

Perhaps he anticipated his wounds would heal, and battle would continue, but the last fatal blow was irreversible.

Losing blood, Glast stumbled backward.

Uh, huh.

Taelys party remained on guard, in case it was an act. They readied for additional strikes if needed.

But all spells Glast had cast were undone, and the summoned spirits watching their rear were soon unsummoned and disappeared.

Kr, hoo

A hissing breath left Glasts mouth amongst the blood. He stumbled to the towers edge, the night wind tickling his bloodstained cheeks.

The Magic Tower, now devoid of magical flux, began vibrating subtlysigns of impending collapse.

At last, Glast uttered a self-mocking laugh.

So, youve won.

He closed his eyes then opened them to the sky, arms wide, embracing the star-filled night. Although only the cold air filled his grasp, a smile remained.

This feeling certainly stemmed from self-mockery.

Ultimately, his final thought was singular and as anticipated.

I miss you Muri

Was it a last will or lingering attachment?

As he exhausted his residual magic, his bodys strength waned.

Behind him lay an abyss.

Amongst the chilly air, Glasts body floated momentarily.