She hesitated for a moment, but realizing the urgency of the situation, Evana nodded. She channeled her ice mana into my body, reinforcing my limbs and providing additional protection against Silva's fiery assault.
With the combined efforts of my flame-enforced hands and Evana's reinforcing ice mana, I managed to hold off Silva's attack for a brief moment. The clash of elements—fire against ice—created a sizzling sound as they struggled against each other.
"Haha, how long can you keep this up, little hero?" Silva taunted, pressing harder with his fiery sword.
"Long enough," I replied through gritted teeth.
I felt the strain on my mana reserves, but I couldn't afford to back down. Evana's support was crucial, and I needed to buy enough time for her to launch another counterattack.
"Ryan, be careful!"
"You got this, man!"
"Save us, President!"
"Bro!!!!"
My friends were certainly cheering for me, but at the same time, I saw Leon and Helen trying something crazy. They were trying to free themselves.
Realizing that, I said to myself with a smile, "Well, what do you know..."
"Enough of this!" Silva roared as he unleashed a burst of intensified flames, trying to overpower our defense.
At that critical moment, Evana unleashed her own mana in a sudden burst, creating a freezing aura that clashed against Silva's flames. The sudden change caught him off guard, and the clash of elements created a cloud of steam, obscuring our immediate surroundings.
In that brief moment, I swiftly maneuvered away from Silva, pulling Evana with me. The steam provided cover, allowing us to distance ourselves from the dangerous attacker.
"You little pests! Where do you think you're going?" Silva's frustrated voice echoed through the steam.
Taking advantage of the confusion, I focused on Evana, "Are you okay?"
She nodded, her cold exterior seemingly unaffected by the intense situation. "I can still fight."
"Good. Let's not give him a chance to recover," I said, and with a renewed sense of determination, we prepared for the next phase of the confrontation.
As the steam began to dissipate, revealing the grounds, Silva stood there, flames still flickering around him. But this time, he faced not one, but two opponents ready to stand against him. The odds had shifted, and the battle was far from over.
Silva, recovering from his surprise, glared at us through the dissipating steam. The flames on his sword danced erratically as he prepared for the next move.
"You think you can escape from me?" Silva snarled, his hostility evident.
"Don't get too confident, Silva. This time, you're dealing with both of us," I retorted, standing beside Evana.
Helen and Leon, freed from their bindings, joined us as well, ready to support. Silva's lackeys lingered at a distance, unsure of how to proceed.
"Enough chit-chat. Let's finish this!" Silva shouted, charging towards us with a renewed burst of flames surrounding him.
Evana and I coordinated our efforts. While she focused on creating barriers of ice to counter Silva's fire, I used my wind manipulation to create swift gusts, attempting to disperse the flames around him.
The combination of ice and wind proved effective, disrupting Silva's attacks and leaving him momentarily vulnerable. In that opening, Leon and Helen moved in to strike, using their own combat skills to wear him down.
Despite Silva's initial bravado, the tide of the battle was unmistakably turning against him. His flames struggled against the cold and wind, diminishing in intensity.
I took the opportunity to address Silva directly, "Silva, this doesn't have to continue. Just leave us alone, and we won't escalate this further."
He glared back at me, his pride wounded. "I won't forget this, Ryan. You and your little gang will regret crossing paths with me."
With those ominous words, Silva retreated, his lackeys following suit. The threat seemed to have subsided, at least for now.
"Good riddance," Leon muttered, still brimming with frustration.
"I know, right!" Helen continued as she slowly went to our dorm mates who were tied down and taken as hostages, freeing them all.
I too jumped in to help, and Leon was going on and on about the moves we made against the prick with "Fwoosh and Woosh" expressions.
"Talk with words, lil brother!" Helen mocked Leon as usual, and Leon started to talk back. Everything went back to normal until,
"Thank you, Ryan. I appreciate your help," Evana said, her icy demeanor softening for a moment.
Wow. I wasn't expecting an expression like this from her now.
"No problem, Evana. We need to stick together against bullies like him," I replied with a cheerful smile.
"Oh hooo!" Leon and Helen sounded mocking at me and Evana as I was speaking with her.
I turned and gazed at their faces as "Pfft" Leon quietly walked away to the dorm with a face that could no longer control his laughter. As for Helen, she openly smiled and patted Evana's shoulder, giving her a thumbs up and went behind Leon.
At first, I didn't realize it, but after giving it a thought while seeing them both head back, "Oh boy. Did I do something embarrassing?" I said to myself.
And from that day, little did I know my life in the magic guild would become more joyful.