Chapter 9: Professor Vladimir
Professor Vladimir continued his over-the-top antics, scanning the students with exaggerated movements. Then, with a dramatic point, he singled out Ray.
"LOOK AT THIS KID! HE'S GOT THE SPIRIT OF A FIGHTER! LOOK AT THOSE BANDAGED ARMS—NOT BECAUSE HE'S INJURED, BUT BECAUSE HE CAN BLOCK BOOM BOOM ATTACKS LIKE A PRO!"
Ray blinked, slightly taken aback. Technically, the professor wasn't wrong, but the sudden attention caught him off guard. With a mighty flex of his ridiculous muscles, Professor Vladimir roared
"100 PUSHUPS! 100 SIT-UPS! 100 SQUATS! AND A 10-KILOMETER RUN—EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! PLUS EXTRA TRAINING!"
A collective gasp spread through the students. Jaws dropped. Eyes widened in disbelief. Then, stepping forward with a grin that stretched ear to ear, the towering professor added:
"AND IF ANYONE COMPLAINS, I SHALL HAVE A KABOOM BOOM MATCH WITH THEM! MUHAHAHAHAHA!"
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The class ended with most students utterly exhausted, bodies sore and limbs shaking. A few, however, remained almost unfazed. Professor Vladimir clapped his hands together, his booming voice echoing through the field.
"LOOK AT THESE MACHOS! NOT EVEN TIRED! I BET THEY COULD DO TEN TIMES MORE! MUHAHAHAHA!"
The exhausted students shot daggers at the ones still standing. Meanwhile, their aching muscles screamed for mercy. Then, with an ominous grin, Vladimir bellowed,
"NOW, WE SHALL FACE A REAL VAW VAW!"
Confusion spread among the students.
"What the hell is a 'Vaw Vaw'?"
Someone muttered. Vladimir flexed his muscles, and suddenly—BOOM! The ground behind him exploded, sending up a thick cloud of dust. As it cleared, a monstrous figure emerged, chained from head to toe.
A Rhinodrep.
The beast stood nearly six feet tall, its humanoid rhino form exuding raw power. Its obsidian horn glistened under the sun, and its muscular arms strained against the heavy chains. A steel jaw-locker kept its movements restricted—for now.
Then, with a deep growl, Vladimir declared,
"EACH OF YOU SHALL FIGHT THIS MONSTER! IF YOU DON'T DEFEAT IT… IT WILL KILL YOU!"
Gasps filled the air. The students backed away.
Then—CRACK!
The Rhinodrep snapped its chains. With a deafening roar, it charged straight at the students. Panic erupted. Some screamed. Others froze.
BANG!
BANG!
Two powerful kicks struck the monster, forcing it to stumble back. Ray and Shin landed in front of it, standing firm. Shin's grin stretched wide, eyes burning with excitement.
"Oooow, I've been craving a monster fight! Hahaha!"
He laughed, cracking his knuckles.
"Didn't expect you to join in, Woeven."
Ray shrugged, his expression unreadable.
"They were terrified. Had to step in."
Vladimir practically exploded with enthusiasm.
"HAHAAHAAA! TEAMWORK! EXCELLENT STRATEGY FOR THE BATTLEFIELD!"
The Rhinodrep, now fully enraged, lunged at them. Ray and Shin reacted instantly. Jumping high, Shin landed behind its neck while Ray grabbed onto its face.
With a grunt, Shin yanked both of the monster's arms back, locking its movement. At the same time, Ray landed a brutal uppercut, shattering its jaw.
The beast snarled and retaliated—grabbing Shin and hurling him straight at Ray. Ray caught Shin mid-air, then flipped him back at the monster like a human missile.
Shin latched onto its head and twisted violently, forcing its neck into an unnatural position. Ray saw the opening. Another uppercut—this time to the side of its throat.
Shin let go, landing a rapid four-kick combo to its chest. Ray grabbed the creature's neck one last time, pulling it forward—right into his knee.
A sickening CRACK echoed through the field. The Rhinodrep collapsed. Too much damage. Too much pain. It twitched once—then disintegrated into dust.
Professor Vladimir, now holding a bucket of popcorn and a large soda, cheered.
"WELL DONE, KIDS!!!"
The field was split into two reactions.
Some students were hugging each other, crying and trembling from sheer terror.
Others… were casually eating popcorn with Vladimir, enjoying the show.
Shin smirked, patting Ray on the back.
"Damn, you're really good at this, Woeven."
"..."
Ray simply adjusted his bandages.
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The class ended with most students too shaken to even walk properly. Fear lingered in their eyes, their bodies still trembling from the brutal training and the terrifying battle with the Rhinodrep.
Meanwhile, in the principal's office, the scent of jasmine green tea filled the air. Principal Kenshinton and Professor Waikatsu sat across from each other, sipping from delicate porcelain cups.
Waikatsu let out a sigh.
"That new teacher—Professor Vladimir. He's… rough, to say the least."
Kenshinton nodded, swirling his tea.
"Indeed. But he's not wrong about the world beyond our civilization. Out there, strength is survival."
Waikatsu leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping the armrest.
"Still… I wonder—where is the new Judge of Life and Death? Without him, maintaining harmony is near impossible."
Just then, the door creaked open.
Celest entered, his movements graceful yet deliberate. Without a word, he grabbed a book from the shelf, sat down, and poured himself a cup of tea. He took a slow sip before speaking.
"There's a barrier on Litric."
Waikatsu raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean, a barrier on the Kingdom of Litric?"
Celest set his cup down, his gaze sharp.
"Exactly what I said. Someone placed a barrier over the entire kingdom. And you—"
he turned his eyes to Waikatsu,
"—are the only one who can lift it."
The principal exhaled, setting his tea aside.
"You should be able to handle it. You're the greatest barrier-type mage alive, after all."
Celest folded his arms.
"From our investigation, we suspect that a rogue mage or a high-ranking mage type monster has taken control of Litric. We also found traces of Cryo and Umbra mana within the barrier."
He stood up, adjusting his coat.
"We need to act fast."
Without another word, he turned and walked out, leaving the room in silence.
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The Clock tower hits 12:00 AM.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
Atop the highest tower, a lone figure stood, silhouetted against the moonlight.
Their long white hair swayed in the cold night breeze, golden strands catching the faint glow of the stars. A white half-face fox mask concealed their identity.
Their attire was a perfect blend of elegance and mystery—a Victorian-inspired ensemble:
A high-necked white blouse with a ruffled collar and puffy sleeves, cinched at the waist with a black corset belt. High-waisted black trousers, lace-up boots, and a black cane completed the look. A black magician's hat sat atop their head, adding to the air of enigma.
They lifted their chin slightly, inhaling the crisp midnight air.
"Mmm… the wind tonight. So fresh. So beautiful."
Then—as the clock struck 12:01 AM—
They vanished.