Chapter 11 - The second lock opens

Graceful's roar shattered the silence of the night. It wasn't a roar like a lion, but more like the roar of a storm. The wind swirled around her, forming a vortex that sucked up leaves and dust. A bolt of lightning shot out of her hand, striking the black-robed attacker who tried to approach. There was a scream of pain and a burning smell.

I focused my gaze on the remaining attackers. The faint green aura indicated that they were senior-level swordsmen. They were formidable, but Anggun with her wind and lightning magic was definitely not an easy opponent. However, something was bothering me. These attackers... they were too eager to die. It was as if they were just a distraction.

"Fanny, Veronica! You can use magic to protect yourselves, right?" I shouted, my voice sharp through the din.

"Of course!" Veronica replied, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "We won't just sit back and do nothing!"

Fanny nodded, her expression turning serious. She raised both hands, and fire blazed around her. "We will help you, Badril!"

I smiled faintly. "Good! You focus on protecting yourselves and attack the enemies that approach the carriage. Anggun will help guard you. I will deal with the others."

I raised my hand towards one of the attackers. "Water Whip!" I shouted.

A water whip emerged from my hand, wrapping around the attacker's legs, and pulling him down. Before he could get up, I created a wave of water that hit him, sending him flying and crashing into a tree.

Another attacker charged at me with his sword drawn. I dodged his attack with agility, then created a wall of water in front of me. His sword hit the wall of water, and he was surprised that he couldn't penetrate it. I took the opportunity to attack him with Water Spear, creating a sharp spear of water that stuck into his shoulder. He screamed in pain and retreated.

Anggun, meanwhile, continued to attack the attackers with her wind and lightning magic. She created mini tornadoes that sucked up the attackers, then slammed them to the ground with lightning. Fanny and Veronica also managed to fend off the attackers who tried to approach. Fanny attacked with fireballs, while Veronica created sharp shards of ice that shot out quickly.

We fought desperately, but I knew we wouldn't last long. There were too many attackers. And I sensed a more menacing presence in the darkness.

Suddenly, a man appeared from behind the trees. He was wearing an academy robe and glasses, but his aura... a strong blue aura enveloped his body. A master wizard!

"You will not escape," his voice was cold and sharp. "Especially you, Badril!"

He raised his hand, and a large blue fireball appeared above his palm. It was twice the size of the fireball that Fanny had created, and the heat radiating from it was much more intense.

"Take this! Inferno Burst!" he shouted, his eyes narrowed with vengeance.

The fireball shot towards me at high speed, leaving a blue trail of light in the air. I felt the scorching heat and the immense danger. I wanted to dodge, but my body was too tired.

The fireball was getting closer, and I surrendered. I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact that would end my life.

Suddenly, I felt a tremendous surge of energy within me. A voice echoed in my head, as if coming from the depths of my soul.

[The second seal is opened. The power of the Ancient Kraken is awakened.]

I opened my eyes, and the world around me changed. Colors were sharper, sounds clearer, and I could feel every gust of wind on my skin. Immense power coursed through every vein in my body. The tentacles emerging from my back were now four in number, larger and stronger. My eyes flashed blood red, and a dark aura enveloped my body.

The bespectacled figure was shocked to see my change. He felt a great sense of danger from me.

"What... what happened?" he muttered in a trembling voice.

I grinned, "Now... it's my turn."

With incredible speed, I shot towards the bespectacled figure. My tentacles slammed into the ground, creating a crack that spread across it. The figure barely had time to react as my fist slammed into his stomach. There was the sound of ribs breaking, and he was sent flying, crashing into several trees before finally falling motionless.

I landed lightly in front of him, looking at him coldly. "You attacked me with fire magic, right? Now, taste this!"

I raised my hand, and the surrounding water gathered, forming a large water ball above me. The water ball spun rapidly, and within it, lightning bolts danced. I had combined the power of water with the lightning energy of the Ancient Kraken.

"Thunderstorm Sphere!" I shouted, throwing the water ball at the bespectacled figure.

The water ball hit him with a bang, creating a thunderous explosion. Water flew everywhere, accompanied by a dazzling flash of lightning. The bespectacled figure screamed in pain, his body flying and buried under the rubble of the tree.

I approached the figure and kicked him until he fell. He coughed up blood, his consciousness began to fade.

"Who... who are you really?" he asked in a weak voice.

"You don't need to know," I replied coldly. "All you need to know is that you made a big mistake by attacking me."

I raised my leg, ready to crush his head.

"Wait!" shouted a voice.

I stopped my movements and turned towards the voice. An old man in a white robe appeared from behind the trees. The man had a very strong aura, much stronger than anyone I had ever met before. Even stronger than Anggun. That blood-red aura... a Grand Master!

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice cold.

The old man smiled faintly. "I am the teacher of the person you want to kill."

I frowned. "Teacher?"

The old man sighed. "Yes. He is my disciple. Unfortunately, he has chosen the wrong path." He looked at the bespectacled figure lying on the ground with a sad look. "I will not let you kill him. He still has a chance to repent."

I laughed sarcastically. "Repent? After all he's done?"

"Everyone deserves a second chance," the old man said calmly.

"I disagree," I said coldly. "He tried to kill me and my friends. He must be held accountable for his actions."

The old man nodded. "I understand your anger. But please, hand him over to me. I will make sure he never bothers you again."

I paused for a moment, contemplating. The old man was very strong. If I fought him, I wasn't sure I could win. Besides, the bespectacled figure was already helpless. Maybe I should leave him to the old man.

"Okay," I said finally. "I trust you. But if he shows up again and tries to harm us, I won't hesitate to kill him."

The old man smiled. "Thank you. I promise, he won't bother you again."

The old man then approached the bespectacled figure and took him away. I watched them leave, my mind still full of questions. Who was the old man? Why was he defending the bespectacled figure? And who exactly sent them to kill me? Was it related to my newly awakened power?

I took a deep breath. I felt tired and lost a lot of energy. The changes I felt had drained my energy. I walked back to Anggun, Fanny, and Veronica who were still waiting for me with full of worry.

"Badril, are you okay?" Veronica asked , her voice full of concern.

I smiled weakly. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."

Fanny hugged me tightly. "I'm afraid of losing you..." she whispered.

Fanny's hug , then pulled away gently. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Anggun smiled proudly. "Young master's strength is extraordinary."

I smiled faintly. "Thank you, Anggun."

We then decided to return to Fanny's family home. That night, I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about what had just happened. I knew that my life would never be the same again after that incident. I had to learn to control the new power that had emerged within me, and I had to find out who the real enemy was that wanted to kill me.

The next day, I met with Anggun to discuss the investigation into the attackers. Anggun said that she had not found any clear leads, but she would continue to investigate. I nodded, then I decided to go to the academy library to look for information. Maybe there were history books or legends that could provide clues about the strange events I had experienced. I had to find out more about myself.

In the library, I searched for books on the history of magic, ancient artifacts, and legends of mystical creatures. I read about different types of magic, about the great battle between the wizards of light and darkness, and about the magical creatures that once lived in this world. However, none of the information I found could explain the power I had just awakened.

I was brought back from my search when I felt someone approaching. I lifted my head and saw Professor Ivana standing in front of me, smiling kindly.

"Badril, what are you doing here?" Ivana asked, "You look very serious."

I closed the book I was reading and smiled. "Ah, Professor Ivana. Just looking for some references. What a coincidence to meet you here."

Ivana raised her eyebrows and looked at the title of the book. "Hmm, quite a heavy book for a freshman. Is there anything you want to ask about its contents?"

"Actually there is, Professor," I replied, "But I would be more interested in discussing it with you at another time, perhaps over a cup of tea at a cafe near the academy?"

Ivana chuckled. "You're really good at flirting, Badril. But unfortunately, I have other things to do right now. How about you just write down your questions and give them to me later in class?"

"Okay, Professor," I answered, a little disappointed but not giving up. "Then, see you in class."

Ivana smiled and left me alone in the library. I took a deep breath. It seemed like I had to find another way to approach Ivana.