The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Chapter 158: Dungeon Magic Tower (5) Securing a Plan

"And if the wards aren't holding?" Amberine asked, her voice tense as she considered the possibilities.

Elara's cold eyes flicked toward her, the barest hint of annoyance in her gaze. "Then we'll find another option," she replied, her tone flat. "But it's the best chance we have. Unless you have a better idea?"

Amberine clenched her fists, biting back the sharp retort that hovered on the tip of her tongue. She hated the way Elara dismissed her like that, as if her emotions made her weak or irrational. But now wasn't the time for another argument. Elara might have been cold and calculating, but she was right about one thing—they had to move.

Staying here, where more creatures could appear at any moment, was a death sentence.

"I don't like it, but we don't have many options," Maris said, stepping between them. Her voice was calm, but there was a quiet urgency in her eyes. "We head for the storage room. If the wards are holding, we can fortify the place and figure out our next move. If not… we adapt."

Amberine let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her fiery hair. "Fine. But we're not splitting up. We stick together, no matter what happens. Agreed?"

Elara simply nodded, though her expression remained impassive. Maris offered a small smile of reassurance, but Amberine could see the exhaustion creeping into her eyes. They were all running on fumes now, but they didn't have the luxury of rest—not yet.

Amberine glanced over at Ramia, who was still trembling, her back pressed against the wall as if trying to make herself as small as possible. She felt a flicker of sympathy for the girl, but it was buried beneath layers of frustration and anger. Ramia had made a terrible mistake, and they were all paying the price for it.

"Can you walk?" Amberine asked, her voice softer than before, though she couldn't hide the edge in her tone.

Ramia nodded weakly, though her legs wobbled as she stood. "I… I think so."

"If you collapse or do anything reckless, we're leaving you behind," Elara said without an ounce of hesitation, her eyes locking onto Ramia with a chilling intensity.

Amberine felt a flash of anger rise up again, but Ifrit's warmth flared gently against her chest, a silent reminder to keep her emotions in check. She couldn't afford to lose control, not when the stakes were this high.

"Let's go," Amberine said, turning toward the hallway. "We've wasted enough time already."

The group moved cautiously through the darkened corridors of the tower, the oppressive weight of the corrupted magic pressing down on them with every step. The once-familiar halls of the magic tower had become a labyrinth of shadows and danger, with strange sounds echoing from every corner. The air was thick with tension, and every flicker of movement in the darkness made Amberine's heart race.

Ifrit, sensing her unease, muttered quietly from within her robe. "Keep your wits about you, girl. This place is crawling with more than just goblins."

"I know," Amberine whispered back, her fingers flexing as she kept her magic ready to cast at a moment's notice.

As they descended the spiral staircase toward the lower levels, the air grew colder, and the darkness seemed to deepen. The crackle of demonic magic buzzed faintly around them, like a distant hum, a reminder that the tower's corruption was still spreading. Amberine glanced at Elara, who was walking just ahead of her, her face as cold and unreadable as ever.

The way Elara carried herself, as if nothing could faze her, irritated Amberine to no end. But at the same time, she couldn't deny that Elara's calm presence was helping to keep them all steady.

"We're getting close," Maris whispered from the back, her eyes darting around the shadowy corridor. "I can feel the wards. They're still active, but… weak."

Amberine's pulse quickened. If the wards were weakening, then they didn't have much time. Whatever was affecting the tower's magic was spreading fast, and it was only a matter of time before it reached the storage room.

They reached a set of large, ornate double doors, etched with glowing runes that flickered weakly in the dim light. The air around the doors was thick with magical energy, but it was unstable, like a flickering flame on the verge of being snuffed out.

"This is it," Elara said, stepping forward to inspect the runes. Her eyes narrowed as she traced the faint glow of the magic. "The wards are holding, but barely. We'll need to reinforce them if we want to stay here for any length of time."

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Amberine stepped closer, examining the runes herself. She had studied warding magic in the past, but this was beyond her level of expertise. Still, she could feel the strain on the magic—like a rope pulled too tight, ready to snap at any moment.

"Can you fix it?" Amberine asked, glancing at Elara.

Elara's expression didn't change, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. "It's not a matter of fixing it. The wards were designed to hold against magical interference, but whatever is corrupting the tower is warping the magic itself. I can reinforce them for now, but it's only a temporary solution."

Amberine felt a knot tighten in her stomach. "So, what do we do?"

"We reinforce the wards, secure the room, and figure out our next move," Elara replied, already moving to place her hands against the glowing runes. "If we don't, the next wave of monsters will find us in minutes."

As Elara worked on strengthening the wards, Amberine felt the weight of their situation pressing down on her. They were trapped in a tower that was slowly turning into a dungeon, with no clear way out and no way to stop the corruption from spreading. And all of it because of one girl's reckless desire for power.

Her eyes drifted to Ramia, who was standing in the corner, arms wrapped tightly around herself. The girl looked terrified, and for a moment, Amberine felt a pang of sympathy. She remembered what it was like to feel powerless, to want something more than what life had given her. But still, that didn't excuse what Ramia had done.

Once the wards were reinforced, the air around them seemed to settle, the oppressive weight of the magic lifting slightly. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give them a moment's respite.

Maris walked over to Amberine, her voice soft as she spoke. "We need to rest. Even just for a little while."

Amberine nodded, her body aching with exhaustion. "Yeah… we do."

As the group settled in the dimly lit room, Amberine's thoughts drifted to Professor Draven again. His lectures had always been cold, methodical—focused on survival, not heroism. He had always drilled into them that survival came first, no matter the cost. And now, here they were, following those same cold, calculated principles, just trying to stay alive.

"We'll need to figure out a way to contact someone," Amberine said quietly, her eyes staring at the flickering runes on the door. "Draven, the chancellor… anyone who can help us. We can't do this alone."

Elara glanced at her, her expression as unreadable as ever. "That may not be possible," she said bluntly. "The magic in this tower is unstable. Even if we manage to get a message out, there's no guarantee it will reach anyone."

Amberine's jaw tightened. "We have to try. We can't just sit here waiting to die."

Elara didn't respond, her eyes flicking toward the door as if expecting another attack at any moment.

Maris, sitting nearby, added softly, "We'll think of something. Let's do this,"

But Amberine couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out. The tower was changing, the magic warping more and more with every passing moment. If they didn't find a way out soon, they might not survive the next wave of monsters. Or worse, the dungeonification of the tower might be completed, trapping them in this nightmare forever.

Amberine let out a slow breath, her eyes drifting toward the weakly glowing wards. "We need a plan. A real one. And fast."

"Then let's make one," Elara said coldly, her gaze hard as she looked at Amberine. "Because sitting here hoping for a miracle isn't going to save us."

Amberine locked eyes with her, the tension between them thick in the air. But for once, she didn't rise to the challenge. Instead, she nodded, her voice steady.

Then suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. If possibly, there is a certain room that would be the safest spot, it would be the place with the most useful magic items within it.

Then there is only one room that she trusts so much, and she remembers looking at a magic crystal that connects immediately to him for his assistant to contact him in terms of emergency.

It's Draven's office.