The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Chapter 156: Dungeon Magic Tower (3) Blazing Spear

"The student—she's waking up!"

Amberine shot a quick glance over her shoulder and felt the panic rising in her chest. The unconscious student, the one who had been caught in the disastrous ritual, was stirring. Her eyes fluttered open, wide with confusion and fear. If she woke up fully and panicked, her unstable magic could unleash something even more dangerous than the minotaur in front of them.

Read new adventures at m_v-l'e|-NovelBin.net

"Keep her down!" Amberine shouted, but her words were drowned out by the roar of the minotaur.

The massive beast, covered in singed fur from Amberine's flames, shook off the lingering heat and turned its glowing yellow eyes toward the student. Its heavy breathing filled the air, each exhale a gust of steam that made the air shimmer with heat. For a second, Amberine allowed herself to hope that the minotaur wouldn't notice the girl—that it would keep charging toward her and Elara.

But then, as if some cruel jinx had been laid upon them, the minotaur's gaze shifted. Its head jerked toward the student. The beast let out a low growl, and before anyone could react, it lunged forward with terrifying speed.

"No!" Amberine screamed, her pulse skyrocketing as she watched the minotaur charge directly toward the still-waking student.

Time seemed to slow. In that instant, Amberine's eyes met Elara's. For a brief moment, there was no rivalry, no tension between them—just an unspoken understanding that if they didn't act, the student was going to die.

Without a word, both of them moved. It was as if they had entered a synchronized mode, their minds linked in the same desperate effort to stop the minotaur before it reached its target.

"Elara!" Amberine shouted as she began gathering fire mana into her palms.

"I'm on it!" Elara's voice was sharp with focus, already muttering the incantations for her own magic.

Elara's hands moved swiftly, and water shot from her fingertips, pooling beneath the charging minotaur's feet. With another flick of her wrist, she froze the water, creating a slick sheet of ice that spread across the floor in front of the beast. The minotaur's hooves slipped on the newly frozen surface, causing it to stumble.

But its momentum was still carrying it forward, dangerously close to the student.

"Maris, keep her hidden!" Amberine barked, not taking her eyes off the minotaur.

Maris was already moving, casting an illusion over the student, hiding her presence from the charging beast. The air around the student shimmered as the illusion took hold, distorting the space and making it appear as if she had vanished.

But the minotaur was still barreling toward the spot where the student had been. It didn't need to see her—it had already locked onto her with some primal instinct, and no illusion was going to stop it now.

"Elara, the barrier!" Amberine yelled, her voice frantic as she gathered her fire into a concentrated spear, the heat pulsating in her hands. The magic crackled with intensity, her mana reserves draining fast as she shaped the flames into a massive, lethal weapon.

Elara nodded, her eyes narrowing with concentration. She raised her hands high, and golden light flared from her fingertips, forming a shimmering, translucent barrier in front of the minotaur. The golden light reflected off the ice-covered floor, creating a dazzling yet terrifying sight as the beast's massive body collided with the barrier.

The minotaur roared in fury as it slammed into Elara's magic, the force of its impact causing cracks to spiderweb across the surface of the barrier. The beast strained against the barrier, its muscles bulging as it tried to break through. Elara grit her teeth, her entire body shaking with the effort of holding it in place.

"I can't hold it for long!" Elara shouted, her voice strained. "Do it now, Amberine!"

Amberine's heart pounded in her chest as she focused on the spear of fire hovering in front of her. She could feel Ifrit's power coursing through her, amplifying her magic. The flames grew larger, hotter, fueled by both her own mana and the infernal energy of her familiar. The air around her shimmered with heat, and sweat dripped down her forehead, but she couldn't stop now.

"Elara, boost it!" Amberine called out, her voice tight with concentration.

Elara's hand shot out, and a pulse of golden magic shot toward Amberine's spear. The fire reacted instantly, growing even larger, its form solidifying into a massive, glowing weapon. Amberine's hands trembled from the sheer power of it, but she held on, guiding the flames with everything she had.

Ifrit growled from within her, his voice rough but determined. "Let's end this, girl. Give it everything."

Amberine nodded, her jaw clenched as she poured the last of her mana into the fire spear. The flames roared in response, their heat almost unbearable. Her arms shook from the strain, but she held her ground, aiming the spear directly at the minotaur's head.

"Maris, guide it!" Amberine yelled.

Maris, still standing behind the illusion, waved her hand in a subtle, graceful motion. The air around the minotaur's head shifted, bending the light and distorting its vision. For just a moment, the beast hesitated, unsure of where its prey had gone.

That was all the time Amberine needed.

"Now!" she shouted, thrusting her hands forward.

The fire spear shot through the air with a deafening roar, leaving a blazing trail of heat in its wake. It streaked toward the minotaur, its flames crackling and twisting as it moved with deadly precision. Maris's illusion magic bent the air around it, ensuring that the spear would strike its target.

The minotaur, still struggling against Elara's barrier, had no chance to react. The spear of fire struck the creature square in the head, piercing through its thick skull with a sickening crack. The flames exploded outward, engulfing the beast in a brilliant blaze of fire and light.

The minotaur let out one final, agonized roar as its body convulsed, flames licking up its fur. The beast staggered back, its massive form swaying as it fought to stay upright. But the fire had done its work. The light in the minotaur's eyes dimmed, and with a heavy, earth-shaking crash, the creature collapsed to the ground, its body still smoldering.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Amberine stood frozen, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she stared at the minotaur's still form. Her hands were shaking from the exertion, and she could feel her mana reserves completely drained. Elara was leaning against the wall, her face pale, but she managed a small, triumphant smile as the golden barrier faded.

"We… we did it," Maris said, her voice barely above a whisper as she lowered her hands, the illusion fading away.

Amberine staggered back, her legs trembling as the adrenaline began to wear off. She glanced at Elara, and for the first time, there was no hint of rivalry in their exchange—only a shared sense of relief. They had worked together, and they had survived.

"You saved her," Elara said quietly, nodding toward the student, who was now fully awake but still disoriented.

Amberine let out a shaky breath, nodding in response. "We saved her."

Ifrit stirred again within her, his voice grumbling but softer than before. "You did alright, girl. But next time, try not to drag me into something this messy."

Amberine let out a weak laugh, too exhausted to argue with him. "Noted."

The air around them still crackled with residual magic, the effects of the tower's corruption lingering like a shadow. They weren't out of danger yet. But for now, they had won a small victory.

"We need to move," Elara said, pushing herself away from the wall and wiping the sweat from her brow. "The tower isn't going to wait for us to rest."

Amberine nodded, though her entire body ached with exhaustion. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever came next.

Maris bent down to help the student stand, her movements gentle but firm. "Can you walk?" she asked softly.

The student, her eyes still wide with fear, nodded weakly. "I think so… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to—"

"Don't apologize," Amberine said, her voice firmer than she felt. "We'll figure it out. Just stick with us, and we'll get out of this."

The student nodded again, though her hands were still shaking. Amberine glanced at Elara, who gave her a slight nod of agreement. They didn't have time for explanations right now. They had to keep moving.

The group gathered themselves, their victory over the minotaur a fleeting respite in the nightmare that still surrounded them. The tower was far from safe, and the magic that twisted its halls was growing stronger with every passing moment.

But for now, they had survived. And together, they would find a way to stop the corruption before it consumed them all.

"Let's go," Amberine said, her voice resolute as she led the way down the darkened corridor.