Professor Eukla took notice of me and her feet slowly approaches me while shooting arrows. I'm still grunting over my wound. Once we're at arm's length, Professor Eukla jerks my entire arm. "Get close. Did you hurt yourself?"
"Just a stab on my stomach. Not a big deal."
"Just? Not a big deal? When did a stab in your stomach not a big deal? Are you out of your mind? You barely can even walk now. Being confident and knowing your limitation are too different things."
"I know, I know, I've heard those many times already." As soon I said that I spun around, kicking the monster that just suddenly appeared next to us.
-Boom!
"Arrgggh... It finally kicked in. Professor Eukla, can you shoot your arrow normally? Don't mind me, I'll dodge it. Do you still have that imprison spell of yours? Is it possible to cast it now?"
"Yeah. I have spare mana for [Ethernum Prison]. Slow down its movement. Can you do that... in that state?"
"No problem."
I shift my gaze back to the monster. The wound on my stomach gradually heal itself along the wound in my thigh. Without wasting any time, I return back to the fight. I need to find a way to apprehend it considering the time is ticking for me. For now, I shall make my main priority on weakening it. Unlike earlier, there's a noticeable change in its speed. I never took my attention away from the monster because I got this eerie feeling that it suddenly became conscious about me.
We exchange blows of attacks, but not a single attack was landed, which is to be expected, as I'm putting up some fair amount of distance. However, I forgot to take into account how it can stretch its limbs. So in the end, I took numerous steps back. Simultaneously, switching my bow into a sword and vice versa, depending on the situation. I'm having difficulty breathing.
I jump back to the crumbling trees and the branch that I step on reduces into ashes. As a result, I put myself in danger. While mid-air, I gather my quintessence to teleport myself out. However, I'm too late because a glimpse of red eyes appears in front of my face before a yellow flash of light devoured it. From the side, Professor Eukla was holding her bow. "Thank you!" I screamed in relief.
"Graaaah!"
I land on the mushy, soft soil. I didn't get any solid contact with the ground and lost my footing. At that moment, I thought my life would be endangered once again, but a red trail of light flashed past my view. The monster is accelerating that's impossible for any normal eye to see, toward Professor Eukla.
"It definitely losing its speed. I think this is good."
In a hurry, I have left no choice but to teleport myself in front of Professor Eukla. Once I saw her shut eyes, I grab her entire soft, delicate body into my arms and escape the wrath of the monster. Behind us, it's still chasing us like a wild animal. It's frightening, but touching Professor Eukla's squish thigh and breast negate all those feelings. It only occurred to me, once the palm of my hand was squeezing something soft.
"Professor, once I count to three, I'll let go. Go the other way and distance yourself. I'll buy some time. And, prepare the magic. I'll just force it. Do it. 1... 2..."
"Eh? Hold on—"
"3."
I let go of Professor Eukla before turning back my head and amplifying the strength of my legs, dashing past the monster. A small glimpse of its eyes caught my attention, but as we pass each other. I slip two chains around its neck. Once we're past each other, I glance back to see Professor Eukla preparing a magic circle on the ground with her hands clamped together. I pull the chains in my direction and kick its abdomen hard enough to Professor Eukla's direction.
"Ethernum Prison!"
A translucent golden wall manifests on the ground, entrapping the monster. I teleport next to her. The chains in my hand are still intact. I threw the chains that I'm holding in the mushy soil. A magic circle pulls the chain deep into the ground, restricting its movement.
"Kraaaah!"
"Diana," I muttered.
The darkened sky shone brightly, revealing the countless stars beyond our reach. Gigantic magic circles emerge from the air above with countless runic letters and sigils written around them. "Remnants of arbitrament shall condemn you for eternity. May the all-knowing forgive you."
As soon I said those words, the sky tremble from fear, and the layers of magic circles rotated in different rotations. I can feel every joint of my body, shattering into pieces. The repercussions of my inability to fully use Diana's power are already showing signs in my body. From the sky, the descending broad blade of the spear glint. The imprisoned being below it could only stand in fear along with its eyes quivering in fear. I raise my knuckle forward with my thumbs facing downward. "Fall."
[Stauros]
-Booom!
The magic prison of Professor Eukla shattered into shards like broken glass, before decimating the sinner into ashes. I held Professor Eukla's body from the aftermath of explosions. Professor Eukla next to me spoke out of terror. "This magic... This shouldn't exist... The hundred or thousand souls inside, all went into oblivion... T-This... Unheard of..."
The plan of buying time for the others all went into the trash bin, as I'm certain if we prolong it any longer. We stand no chance. We've been fighting for about ten minutes or so, yet no staff from the academy are showing up. When [Stauros] eradicated the existence of the monster, the traces of the monsters lingers in the air in a form of cinders breezing through the air. It left a rotten piece of flesh on the ground.
I approach it closer to see it up close. Upon seeing it, I frown. "It's the same heart... Alicia."
Then, at the back of my head, I thought to myself. 'What if I plunge that disgusting heart? Would something happen to me?'
(Master, don't touch it. Let them be.)
(Tsuki?)
Tsuki went out of my chest on her unusual humanoid form because her entire head was in a form of a black cat with golden accessories at the top of her head. She kneels on the ground and touches the heart. "You shall be at peace."
Tsuki's gaze is at me and gave me a smile before fading away. A sound of thousand bells rang in my ears.
The heart melts then colorful dust blooms to the surrounding. It was a mesmerizing view to watch. The voices of children, men, women, and elderly people, thousand gentle and joyful voices whispered into my ears. And they said two words through my ears. "Thank you."
Soon after hearing those voices, my knees gave up and every single fiber of my being has been aching in pain. I force myself to stand up, yet to no avail, I don't have the energy to comply along with it. Then I felt an arm slipping through my armpit and supporting me. I peek to see the person—It's Professor Eukla. Despite the numbness in my body, I can still see the shaking of Professor Eukla.
"Thank you for supporting me, professor. I apologize..."
"What are you apologizing for?"
"The plan for waiting for others."
"I see... What you did was probably the right thing to do. Furthermore, seeing its deranged soul and along with its countless soul... Disappear... I still can't believe it. And... Don't worry... I understand your worries about others not coming."
"I-It's just that our life was on the line, so I did a last-ditch effort from fearing for my own life."
"Any person on the edge would also do the same. I even got scared for every second that passes. Getting anxious over our own death is all normal, so don't apologize. I'm also on the same page. I'll walk you back to my house. Perhaps, we could see the principal along the way. And, thank you."
The dark forest slowly brightens as the stars above us was shining brightly. The decaying trees around us, gradually return to their original color.
"Professor, I have a question for you."
"Yes?"
"How come you can see, despite your eyes... like that... Sorry if the topic is sensitive, but feel free to ignore me."
"I don't mind. I'm pretty sure, you've noticed how I can see souls, right?"
"Nope, not at all."
"Eh...? Okay... Let's start with this. It was gifted to me ever since I was born, to see things beyond what a normal person can see. Every soul has its own shape or form. That's how I can see my surrounding, in spite only seeing light and darkness."
"Then why did you stitch your eyes?"
"I will choose not to answer it."
From her tone, it looks like a sensitive topic. "I see... Wait, if you can only see souls... How come you knew that I'm ogling at you?"
"Instinct. Just like what you are doing right now. I've encountered too many perverts in my life."
Professor Eukla was completely right. As I'm facing down, my eyes are glued to her juicy thighs. The way they hit together when walking was a sight to behold. "Ah, I see. So, these decaying trees... How can you see them? Aren't they dead?"
"They're not dead. I can see their soul completely alive and well. Gaia protected them. There's no way, Gaia would abandon its creation. Appearance-wise they might not what it seems to be, but their soul was well protected."
"I see... I don't understand a thing."
Traversing the forest, we found ourselves talking to each other a lot more. At the distance, we saw a light, and five people emerges from the light.
'Why did they take too long?' I complained inside my head.