Chapter Twenty-One: The Unseen Hand
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The air around Rin grew thick with tension as the group of upper-class students continued to chant, their voices blending together in a low hum. The orb in the center of the circle pulsed brighter with each passing second, its eerie glow casting long shadows across the secluded clearing. Rin could feel the pressure building, the magic in the air making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
Keon was standing behind him, shaking with fear, but his resolve was clear in his eyes. "Lila, we have to go now!" he called out again, his voice breaking through the chant.
Lila, her face pale and tear-streaked, hesitated. "I—I can't. If I leave, they'll—"
"They'll what?" Rin interrupted, cutting her off. "They'll hurt you? You're already stuck in a situation worse than anything they can do."
She flinched at his words, but Rin's voice was cold, unwavering. There was no time for sympathy. They were already in too deep.
The tall student at the head of the circle, the leader of the group, sneered at Rin. "You think you can just waltz in and disrupt our work? How laughable. You F-rank heroes are always so deluded."
Rin stared at the leader, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "You really don't get it, do you? You think you're the only one who can play dirty."
With a sudden, fluid motion, Rin reached into his jacket and pulled out a small vial of liquid. He threw it into the air, and as it shattered, a thick, dark smoke billowed out, surrounding the clearing in an instant.
The students staggered backward, coughing and shielding their faces. The orb flickered and dimmed under the haze. The chant faltered, and the air crackled with the uneasy sound of disrupted magic.
"What is this?" the leader demanded, his voice strained as he tried to peer through the smoke.
"It's called misdirection," Rin answered, stepping forward into the fog. His voice was calm, controlled—almost detached. "I don't need to be flashy. I just need you all to lose track of me for a few seconds."
A flash of steel caught the dim light as Rin tossed a small, sharp dagger into the air. It spun once before disappearing into the haze. The leader's eyes widened.
"Watch out!" he shouted, his voice rising in panic.
Rin smirked. He had a limited number of tricks in his bag, but this one always did the job. The dagger, coated in a harmless poison, would immobilize the caster for long enough to turn the tide in their favor. Rin had studied his opponents well, and he knew that these students—powerful though they may be—were too reliant on their collective strength. Alone, they were far less dangerous.
The first student fell to the ground, his legs giving out as the poison took hold. Another staggered, but Rin was already on the move, cutting through the smoke, his footsteps barely audible.
Lila gasped, her hands covering her mouth. "W-what did you do to them?"
Rin barely spared her a glance. "Saved you," he said simply. "Don't waste it."
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The Tide Turns
The leader was the last one left standing, but his confidence had faltered. His hand was raised in a defensive gesture, his eyes darting to the fallen members of his group. "You think you've won? You've just made a bigger mistake than you realize."
Rin could feel the magic rising around him again, the leader drawing on his own reserves. The air crackled, the oppressive energy of the forbidden magic pushing against the smoke.
"You're going to regret this," the leader sneered, his lips curling into a wicked smile.
Rin didn't flinch. He had been through too much to be intimidated by a few threats. Instead, he narrowed his eyes, watching the leader's every movement, calculating his next step.
"That's the thing about people like you," Rin said, his voice low and calm. "You never learn."
With that, Rin moved. His footfalls were silent as he lunged at the leader, a flash of movement faster than the human eye could follow. The leader barely had time to react as Rin's fist collided with his jaw, knocking him back.
But the leader wasn't done. He staggered back to his feet, his body glowing with a surge of forbidden power. The orb in the center of the circle flared again, its pulse turning into a blinding light.
"You're out of your league, hero!" the leader shouted, his voice shaking with fury.
Rin's eyes hardened. He was sick of the theatrics. "I'm not your hero, and you're not my villain. Let's end this."
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The Final Blow
In a blur of motion, Rin launched himself at the leader once more, his hand grabbing the boy by the collar. He slammed him against the ground, the force of the impact shaking the earth beneath them.
The leader gasped, his breath hitching as Rin's grip tightened. "You really don't know who you're messing with, do you?" Rin muttered.
With a sharp movement, Rin snapped his wrist, sending a surge of energy through the leader's body. The forbidden magic shattered, dissipating into nothingness as the boy convulsed, unable to maintain the spell.
The leader lay motionless, the glow fading from his eyes as Rin stood over him.
"Next time, don't start what you can't finish," Rin said, his voice cool.
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Aftermath
Keon rushed forward, his eyes wide with shock. "You… you did it!"
Rin gave him a tired glance. "Yeah, well, I don't have time for a victory speech."
He turned to Lila, who was still standing near the edge of the clearing, her face pale and drawn. "You okay?"
Lila nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. "I—I don't know what to say. You saved me. But I never thought… I never thought it would go this far."
"You're welcome," Rin replied, his tone still cold. "But don't think this is over. These people don't give up that easily."
Lila nodded slowly, her eyes still clouded with fear. "I'll be careful. I won't make any more mistakes."
Rin didn't respond. Instead, he turned back to Keon. "We need to get out of here. Fast."
Keon nodded, his face pale but determined. "Right. Let's go."
As they turned to leave, Rin couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He had handled the situation, but it had only been a temporary solution. The upper-class students would be back, and next time, they wouldn't be so easy to deal with.
"You're not safe yet," Rin muttered to himself, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him as they disappeared into the trees.
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End of Chapter 21.