Father Alfred P.O.V
"This wasn't supposed to happen; a seal this strong shouldn't weaken" I whispered in my head. As I began to fear that if, in any way, Dante exposed any more of his power, I wouldn't be sure if the seal would hold up. I looked at the unconscious dante, whom I placed on his white bed. It was evening, and the markings on his right hand had begun to fade a bit. I could still feel traces of his ominous mana pouring out, even in his docile state. This showed the extremities of his condition. 'If things get so bad...' I thought.
'I will have to use it; I have to go…' I made up my mind, as I headed toward the door, but then Immediately, I saw the door fly wide open, and Trinity entered with a worried face. She came to check on Dante.
"Father Alfred," she suddenly called out to me in a cry-laced voice. It was obvious she had been sobbing ever since. I couldn't help but feel pity for her. It was just too overwhelming. Dante wasn't just anyone to her; he was like an irreplaceable gem. At this point, I knew someone had to convince her and tell her that everything was going to be alright. I had to play that role.
"Do not fear; the Dante we know will come out of this. I'm sure you know him to be very strong." The environment unwinded a bit, and Trinity managed to crack a smile. I laughed heartily at her, but at the same time, I knew that Dante's making it out now was temporary. I had to act fast, I thought internally. 'I had to…'
... I suddenly sensed something so familiar and domineering that I couldn't mistake it for anything else. I couldn't pinpoint the exact location, but I knew it was near.
It was so near and was approaching. Nowhere else but the academy They weren't one, two, or three; they were in numbers. They were horribly fast, and only one of them had such evil mana. His speed was different, and just then I was sure he was the one, but I wondered why now of all times.
I suddenly stood up, trying to hang my robe hastily.
"Trinity, they're here..." I called out to trinity, she stood quickly, understanding what I just said. I then ordered, "Go inform Rin; tell her to mount the seniors to be on guard; tell all the remaining students to stay in their hostels."
'This is serious' Trinity thought, as she quickly ran out. My head was a hot mess at the time, but I had to stay calm. Immediately, I cast a barrier over the school hostels, leaving just the premises bare.
MAGIC TECHNIQUE:
HOLY ART: CELESTIAL SHIELDGUARD
Authors POV:
Suddenly a transparent-like force field appeared and coated the school hostels, leaving just the academy premises. It was the infamous. " celestial shield guard" One of the most impenetrable defenses ever created, but although it came with a price, it was rumored that the caster's mana was to be shortened by half until a month went by. But Father Alfred could take the risk.
He had sworn that he would in no way let them get to Dante and the remaining students under his care.
"Dante," Father Alfred suddenly remembered. He had to go get the solution to Dante's seal problem, and fast. Father Alfred had to act now. He had calculated the time the 11th executioner would get there if they continued at that speed. It was nighttime. He could make it if he went now.
The seniors were mounted around the hostel barrier, just by the academy premises. Amongst them were Rin, Trinity, and two others that Father Alfred trained himself. These four were the strongest in the whole academy. After the bao incident, there was a low chance that the academy had of surviving at this point. The other seniors stood firm by the buildings; they weren't as experienced as the top 4, but they could still offer help at least. At this point, all they could do was wait until nighttime.
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BOOM...
Suddenly, a group of 80 Hamjis invaded the academy. Everyone was startled as they asked the questions.
"Weren't they supposed to strike by midnight, damn it?" One of the seniors commented, but for Trinity, there was no time to think; all she felt was the pure desire to protect the hostels, as she then ordered
"NOW," as some of the seniors summoned their chronicles, and we were already casting their spells at the hamjis.
"Remember, only holy mana or pure mana can permanently get rid of these demons!" Rin shouted, running towards the Hamji crowd with a dead stare on her face. She pointed out her hands while summoning her chronicle beside her as she sprinted.
'Magic technique: total concentration'
"Inferno incineration!" Rin blasted a very large torrent of flame that burned all the hamjis to piles of burning flesh, as they didn't regenerate back from that move due to the very large concentration of mana present.
Rin kept ravaging. As a senior with blond hair, red eyes, and an average build, he ran straight towards a horned hamji and started to charge up a sword coated in green mana. The hamji swung its right arm towards the boy, but instead he jumped on the hand and used it as a way to propel himself towards the neck of the hamji.
'Weaponry technique: total concentration!
"Infusion: gale blade!" He appeared instantaneously behind the hamji, severing its head off, and continued to do this for about 10 hamjis present, with each of them not generating back from the attack.
"Nice one, Luca!" A big-built teenage boy, with rough dark black hair and black eyes, charged at a very muscular-built hamji, which had about four horns, two on each side. The boy's body started to glow a thick blue color as his speed increased. He appeared to move in just blurs.
'Aurora technique: total concentration!'
"DRIVE: BOLT!" He burst through the giga hamji and continued to do the same for all of the remaining hamjis after it, killing a total of 30 hamjis in just one tackle. "Hahaha, now that's how you get it done!"
Immediately, the rest of the seniors charged furiously at the hamjis, and RIn led them to the battlefield as they clashed with the remaining hamjis.
Trinity fastened her swords as she dashed into the cloud of hamjis and started spinning waves of holy magic.
'Total concentration!'
"Infusion: holy dice!"
Tens of dozens of the hamjis started to fall at her feet, and they all didn't stop the onslaught until all the hamjis were dead. The students fought gallantly and were ready to die for the sake of the school. Fortunately, the injuries sustained by the students weren't that severe or life-threatening. The medical squad could take care of the wounds, though the scene was gory and most of them had lost at least 50 percent of their mana. This was just too much for them; they tried resting and midway catching their breaths, until...
... A larger, hungrier, and even more massive hamjii appeared, but was accompanied by a bright reddish-purple beam of light from the heavens that lit up the sky at the scene. What was before their eyes was nothing like anything they had ever seen before.
ROARRRRRRRRR!!!
The monster roared furiously. This was so loud that the core of the academy shook, causing everyone on the terrain to stagger. Shockwaves flowed through everyone present, and that was enough to make them feel that this monster was far out of their league. The monster's aura filled the surrounding area, making it hard for them to breathe. They were gasping. Rin and Trinity were weak now, but they had no other option but to stand strong in front of the students. The two other students of Father Alfred came too and arranged themselves beside Rin and Trinity. At that point, they were the faces of the school. Rin, out of bravery, started saying something until she raised her voice loud enough for everyone present to hear it as she directed it towards her fellow seniors. "Listen up, everyone! In this world, we all face challenges that may seem impossible to overcome. But let me tell you all something: the moment you doubt your own strength is the moment you let failure win."
They all heard their ears open as they all listened to her daring speech, regardless of the fact that the big hamji was already coming their way.
"We're not defined by the obstacles in our path but by our determination to rise above them. Our journey is filled with pain, sacrifice, and setbacks, but that's what forges our character. So let's stand together, support each other, and never waver in our pursuit of victory. Believe in yourself and your potential, and you'll find the power to change not only your destiny but the destiny of this world."
"YEAAAAAHHHHHHH!" All the students shouted, and as they all stood their ground, Trinity glared at the beast. She then brought up her sword in an x-defense, and then her body started to get encased in a very bright cyan aura that kept on glowing brighter and brighter as the seconds passed.
"Are you sure you want to do it right now, senior Hashima?" Luca asked, keeping his eyes straight forward at the beast heading their way.
"Luca. Father Alfred has already entrusted me with the safety of you all. So I'm not planning on taking anything easy." Trinity glared at the beast, and everyone who was present was starting to feel her mana presence increasing rapidly. "Besides, it's been a long time since I've ever used this mode."
"Surge" she summoned her glowing chronicle beside her as she continued to glow even brighter.
Weaponry technique: full concentration'
"Bruno mamoru!" She cast, making the encased aura around her crack off, revealing her in a white pearl and outlined with a cyan glow at the edges of her armor.
"Now... let's get serious." Trinity spoke about charging towards the beast, triggering everyone else to follow her lead. This act gave them the strength they never knew they had, and just there, they all made a roar of new strength, and they charged this single monster with every ounce of strength they could summon. They couldn't care less if the battle was lost. All they cared about was giving their best and making the academy proud.
Dreamworld
Dante's pov:
'My body feels heavy; is something weighing me down?' I thought, trying to find out what was wrong. I tried lifting my head up, but all my efforts failed. My eyes are the only things that respond, and the environment I see, although familiar, weakens me.
'Not this place again, I moaned. This place was a nightmare for me. It was full of only bad memories. The last time was not pleasant, and I didn't, in any circumstance, want to go through this again. I was sobbing, still immobilized on the mirror-like floor. I still can't seem to get why I wind up here sometimes.
"It's All Your Fault"
A voice out of nowhere echoed through the void. All of a sudden, I felt free and stood up. I tried looking for where the voice came from, but I couldn't until it spoke again.
"It's All Your Fault"
Quickly, I tried asking the voice "what it meant", but it ignored me and went on to say
"You Killed Me," it pauses and goes on saying.
"You Killed Me," "Why?"
The voice gets deeper.
"I was just like you, you know? In Everything, Even Purpose"
Suddenly, I see Bao. My heart leaps. I am so terrified. He is still in his corrupted form, and this pains me more. He cries and cries, asking me why I killed him. I was speechless as my heart tightened and my lungs clamped together. I can't breathe normally anymore. I gasp deeper, but my lungs can't grasp air. A tear dropped from my eye. I fall to my knees, realizing that I just took away all his hopes of ever achieving his dreams. I keep my head down and shut my eyes.
'I truly am a failure. I say it within me: 'I feel so useless. Why can't I do anything right in my fuckin' life?'
Bao's flames fume stronger, and he transforms into something that breaks my heart totally. My father. I see my father in the corrupted form he was in when he killed Mom. My emotions start pouring out, and I yell.
"Why are you doing this to me?" I roared out as tears started pouring out of my eyes, and I clenched my chest. I whispered it this time. "Why are you doing this to me?"
As all my energy had left me. I feel myself getting dizzy; my head gets light, and I start blacking out.
Instantly, a large mirror appears, and strings of chains roll out from it. It wraps so suddenly around my father, and he yells abruptly and starts resisting so violently, but the chain doesn't give in. In a flash, I notice something: I see shades of death in between my father's own. At this point, it becomes clear that something else was the pioneer of all these images that made me feel this way.
The chains wrap tighter, and this time death fully emerges. He shouts harshly, his voice beast-like.
"NO, NO, NOOOOOO" By this time, he is in front of the mirror and tries to hold on to the mirror's sides, but it is futile. He ends up getting sucked into the mirror. The strange being tries to say something, but I fail to hear it. It was almost like it didn't want me to hear it.
In the blink of an eye, he was gone, and strange white symbols appeared on the mirror. It was like something I had seen before, but I couldn't remember where. Instantly, my body jerked, and I blacked out. I felt like I was falling into an abyss, but this time I felt safe. I feel relief, and I leave my body to go wherever it wants to.
Father Alfred Pov:
I see that the bracelet fully absorbs the markings on Dante's right hand. I feel relief as I can no longer sense the ominous mana coming from Dante.
"Seems like it worked," I sighed. "At least all my hard work hadn't gone to waste."
I give Dante a hard look before leaving the room to go help the others. "Now that's done, it's time to deal with this mess."
Authors Pov:
The students were fighting the hamji with the last iota of strength they had left. Trinity, Rin, and the three other students had their energy levels almost depleted; they were bruised to an extent, but they still wouldn't stop. Trinity moved into a slicing position as her eyes started to blaze out in glowing cyan mana.
"Valdigo!" Trinity swung her two blades out, releasing energy at the hamji, but as the blast slammed at the beast, its gigantic horns were severed. But this made the hamji roar out in anger.
"Trinity, let's do it!" Rin said, while coating herself in her flaming aura. Trinity joined her, and both their chronicles started to share the same color and glow, which was a mixture of cyan and golden red.
"Everyone retreat back!" Luca called out, ordering everyone to retreat, as Trinity and Rin joined both their manas together as they both pointed their hands towards the hamji.
"Together now!" They both chanted, and the ground beneath them cracked under the combined pressure of both men's presence.
Magic technique: full concentration'
"What is going on with them?" The big-built teenager with the blue aura questioned this scene as Luca came up towards him with a very serious expression on his face.
"They're combining their mana together to create a more formidable attack. With Rin's order over the element of fire and the senior trinity's holy magic, a new flame is born into existence—one that contains the true essence of pure mana. And that is the white flame." Luca stared at the unfolding scene.
"Holy INFERNO!" They both cast simultaneously, blasting a torrent of white fire that guttered the giga hamji, almost driving it back and burning it beyond cinder. But then....
The monster's eyes just got redder, and he roared. as it absorbed the whole flame around its very being into the tip of his mouth and released it back at them, until it had fully overcome Trinity and Rin.
"Trinity! Rin!" Mark and Luca called out, trying to reach them, but couldn't due to the hot flames.
As the blast got near them, they waited for impact. But it didn't come. Trinity and Rin opened their eyes, ready to see what in hell had saved them from the attack. But lo and behold.
Father Alfred was in front of them. No one knows how he blocked the attack thrown at them, but they were sure about the golden chronicle that glowed miraculously in front of them.
The hamji quickly felt frustrated and blasted another flame in their path, but this time Father Alfred used his chronicle to absorb it. In a split second, everyone at the scene saw a blinding light leave the chronicle in the path of the monster. Before they could know what had happened. They saw the monster split in half.
The students especially couldn't believe their eyes; they rubbed their eyes to make sure it wasn't a dream. And surprising for them, it wasn't. They all watched in awe as Father Alfred showed his insane superiority in seconds. What they did for hours and weren't successful at... Father Alfred did it in seconds and still aced it. Now they were sure of how he got the name. It wasn't a mystery anymore; he lived up to the title.
Alfred looked up to the skies, but only he could see him. The pressure they felt at the time was unimaginable; it started to make some of the students around them go unconscious. There was no doubt it was him; it couldn't be anyone else but the 11th executioner.
"So it is true. I was right. He resides here. And if that is so, then that means the boy is present." The 11th executioner said this with a sinister smile as he kept staring down into the eyes of Father Alfred. But then he turned his head towards a particular room in the hostel—Dante's room. "I see..."
He then pointed his right hand towards the room and extended his index finger, as suddenly a small orb of black launched out, shattering the barrier over it, as this had alerted Father Alfred to roar out.
"NOOOOOO!" Father Alfred turned his now glowing eyes towards the orb, and in an instant, the orb vanished before it could reach Dante's room window. Father Alfred had teleported the orb into the forest near by, as a wide-scale explosion took out a whole section of the trees. That bastard, Father Alfred thought, as he was now driven into rage.
"You dare try to harm my students and The very boy I consider as my son." Father Alfred's very being and appearance started to glitch into an ominous armored knight... But then flickered back, as a light blasted towards the 11th executioner at lightspeed—so fast that the 11th executioner couldn't dodge it all on time but managed to clear away from it.
Though the executioner still suffered a cut around his shoulder, he stared at Father Alfred in anger and awe.
'incredible.... So he truly deserves the title given to him. Fighting him right here won't be wise. But trust me, I will kill you and that Azul vessel one day— Alfred Sarutobi, the living saint. The 11th then vanished out of sight, but Father just kept his gaze on the heavens. With his mana presence vanishing back to normal.
"I don't care if you come after my life. But harm any of my students or the boy. Then I assure you that even your mornach... will know true fear."