Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Priceless Treasures

The Dark Magicians, the secret club led by Jake, consisted of six troublemakers. Besides the ringleader, the other members were students who lacked motivation and ambition, just barely avoiding academic failure.

They had once been promising talents in the spotlight as well. Their current dormancy didn’t need to be permanent. With the courage to persevere, they had the potential to eventually savor acclaim. However, they foolishly chose to stop competing, effectively making themselves the only dropouts in the school’s relentless magical rivalry.

“No. This isn’t right,” Jake muttered, refusing to accept their defeat.

Being bested by Amy was one thing, but the idea that the entire gang could lose to a freshman who hadn’t fully grasped magic was inconceivable.

Yeah, it must be bad luck. He’s just unusually resistant to anti-magic. That’s all. Jake rationalized the situation, not realizing the significance of such an attribute.

As Sirone observed Jake’s Spirit Zone morph into an attack star form, he tensed, feeling as if countless archers had him in their sights. What now? I don’t know any magic yet. He knew how to navigate a Spirit Zone duel, but he felt vulnerable in an actual magical combat.

“Do you see your predicament now?” Jake taunted, his hands converging to form a disc-shaped rotation of air. He was conjuring a Wind Cutter capable of slicing through solid wood. “Do you understand the consequences of challenging me—”

However, his words were cut short as Amy lunged from the side with her fist aimed at his jaw. Her speed was such that Jake, despite sensing her with his Spirit Zone, couldn’t dodge in time.

Amy’s eyes blazed with a crimson hue. “You...”

With the force of her strike, Jake’s body flipped over, and a strangled gasp escaped him. A physical strike powered by Schema was devastating for any mage.

Amy, fueled by adrenaline, climbed on top of Jake and hammered his face. The force of a single blow felt like a boulder crashing down on him.

The sounds of the misfit’s pained grunts grew weaker, prompting Sirone to step in with growing concern.

“Miss Amy! Stop, please! He might die!”

“Let go! I’ll show him I’m not weak!”

“He’s going to die!”

Sirone summoned all his strength to pull Amy back, yet the balance provided by her Schema was formidable. He groaned as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pushed, finally pulling her away from Jake.

They both tumbled backward, Sirone cushioning her fall. For a brief moment, there was silence but for the heavy beating of their hearts.

What is she doing here? Sirone pondered Amy’s character.

Although much remained a mystery, it was evident that she wasn’t here solely for her benefit.

“Miss Amy, this is all because of me—”

“That felt good!” Amy interrupted, springing up energetically, and then gave him a sharp jab.

Sirone, wincing from the impact on his abdomen, doubled over. “Ouch!”

“You men are so delicate. How can you fight if you’re that sensitive? Get up quickly.”

He looked back at her with an expression of injustice after being hit in a sensitive spot.

Amy extended her hand. “You’re strong.”

If Seryel had witnessed this, she would have been astonished. It was extremely rare for Amy to acknowledge someone.

Grinning, Sirone accepted her hand and stood, taking in the chaotic scene around them as he rose. It was fortunate that the altercation ended without serious harm, yet the aftermath was disarray. The Dark Magicians lay unconscious, with a shaken Jake among them.

“Now what?” Sirone asked.

Amy looked at the defeated group and said, “Let’s leave it at this. Since we’ve settled things ourselves, they probably won’t dare to bother us again.”

Given their violations, the Dark Magicians were staring down the barrel of serious disciplinary measures, perhaps even suspension.

“But Miss Seryel should have informed the professors by now. I asked her to,” Sirone added.

“What? Why on earth would you do that? That could expose our secrets, idiot!”

“I had no choice. You likely had the same thought, which was why you asked her to do it too.”

That was the crux of the matter.

“Fine. They won’t arrive immediately since the location changed. We can go ahead and gloss over everything.”

Amy’s decision displayed a side of her that Sirone hadn’t expected. Despite her reputation as a model student and academic ace, she had a fiery side.

“Are we really going to leave it at this? Our secrets aside, this incident is a big deal.”

Violence on campus was one thing, but the use of forbidden anti-magic warranted severe punishment.

“What’s the use in causing a big fuss? Trust me, it’ll only become a bigger headache if the school gets involved.” Amy’s gaze lingered on the unconscious group. “I’ve been through rough patches too. Think of this as troublemakers settling scores among themselves.”

It was a truthful statement. Others might have been shocked by such an ordeal, but for Amy, it was another day. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly. “Of course, I was never as amateurish as they are. Anyway, let’s get out of here.”

Just then, laughter broke the silence. Jake, struggling to stand and leaning against a tree, said, “You think it’s over? Don’t be stupid. This is just the beginning. Come at me. Try to kill me.”

Amy sighed, hands on her hips. “How pathetic. You can’t even stand properly. Do you like being hit by me, you masochist?”

Jake burst into laughter. Even if he had lost this fight, his family’s wealth served as his safety net. Money ruled the world, and even diligently studying at school ultimately aimed to secure financial stability.

“You guys are done for. Admit it. You can’t really kill me, can you? If you’re confident, go ahead. If you want to graduate someday, now’s your chance. Because as long as I’m alive, you two will never graduate. I’ll make sure of it by any means necessary!”

Sirone was irked by Jake’s defiance, but Amy responded calmly. “Kill you? Why would I dirty my hands with that? My life is too valuable to be tainted by someone like you. However, I can assure you that I’m more than capable of beating you to a pulp.”

As Amy stepped forward, Jake involuntarily recoiled, his body remembering the fear he had just experienced. “You think I’m afraid...?”

“Who said anything about being afraid? You’re still standing, so you better brace yourself. I don’t want to kill you. I just want to give you the thrashing you deserve.”

Jake’s face twisted in apprehension just as a piercing sound sliced through the air.

Sirone gazed upward, but Amy knew the sound’s origin without looking.

It was the unmistakable noise of a teleportation spell. Reminded of the twinkle of a distant star, Sirone watched as a flash of light arced down from the sky toward them.

“Amy!” Seryel’s cry pierced the air, and following close behind her were two professors hurrying to the scene.

Amy glanced at the approaching professors, her heart sinking. It was Sienna of the Frost and Thad of the Flame. Out of all the professors, why did it have to be them?

With the power of the school’s youngest professors, alongside Etala, they had nowhere to hide.

Seryel approached quickly, her voice trembling. “Amy, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine. It takes more than that to knock me down,” she replied.

However, her friend’s gentle nature noticed that her bangs were slightly shorter. “What happened to your hair? Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine, really. But why did you get here so quickly? Is it seven o’clock already?”

“What are you talking about? We’ve been searching everywhere for you. Without the professors, we might not have made it here on time,” Seryel explained.

As the evening set in, Thad conjured a spell, and a large orb of fire ascended like a miniature sun, casting light around them.

Sirone recognized that it was the fire sun spell in an instant. Sustaining flames within a fixed area was far more complex than it appeared. Amid Sirone’s silent appreciation, Thad approached Amy with concern etching his features.

“Amy, what happened? Why would a student as outstanding as you get involved in such recklessness...?”

Thad had a soft spot for women, and with Amy’s academic and aesthetic excellence, his protective instincts were even more pronounced.

Sienna, sensing Thad’s partiality and feeling a twinge of disgust, turned to Sirone for an explanation. “Can you please explain what happened?”

“Uh, well...” Sirone faltered.

Jake, still regaining his footing, interjected. “Let me explain.”

The professors turned to him, their expressions a mix of surprise and expectation as he willingly offered to confess. Jake had his own agenda. Those two are definitely hiding something.

Disciplinary action was the least of his worries, especially considering the implications of the annual financial support from House Ardius to the school. He had overheard a snippet of the conversation between Sirone and Amy, hinting at a secret they desperately wanted to keep hidden.

The situation was too fraught with tension to simply claim they were attempting to prevent an overreaction. Whatever it was, it was significant enough to try and conceal even a violent altercation.

Jake began his tale with firm resolve, “I’ll be straightforward. I was the one who summoned Amy here. Given her remarkable skills, we resorted to anti-magic, but it was in the spirit of fair competition. It all stemmed from longstanding grudges and escalated into a duel of pride. I mean, things like this happen often, don’t they? And if you take a look, you’ll see that we’re the ones who were seriously injured.”

Sienna cut in sharply, “Do you really expect us to believe that story? And anti-magic? You’ve broken one of this school’s most cardinal rules.”

“I’m aware, and I’m not claiming it was right. But I want to clarify that this wasn’t a mere case of violence, threats, or abduction. If Amy was the target, why didn’t she report it immediately? They must have their reasons for trying to cover up this incident.”

Amy shouted, “What a load of nonsense! Are you implying we’re hiding something? You were the ones threatening and attempting to abduct Sirone!”

“But did we follow through with any kidnapping? And consider this: Sirone, the supposed kidnap target, didn’t go to the professors but came here instead. I wonder why.”

“Y-you little...!” Amy was at a loss for words.

It was illogical for Sirone, ostensibly the victim, not to report the incident. It was a fact that would puzzle anyone not privy to their circumstances.

Jake concealed a smug grin. This is only the beginning. Once I unravel your secrets, I’ll keep digging. It doesn’t matter how much it will cost. Before long, you won’t dare step foot in this school again. While the Dark Magician’s behavior was nothing new, he was intent on taking things to a new level this time. Once I leak the story to the local papers and it reaches the kingdom and even the church, you and your family will be disgraced.

The very idea filled him with a perverse satisfaction. This is how adults fight. In the end, the world belongs to those who play dirty, who don’t flinch at being ruthless. Farewell, Amy. Even if I face ruin, I’ll make sure you end up in hell.

“Don’t be too smug, Jake.” Sienna stepped forward, radiating an icy aura that matched her reputation.