The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Chapter 176: A Close Fight

"Ifrit, I need your strength," Amberine whispered, her voice steady as she focused on the fire spirit within her. "We'regoing to bring her down."

"I'm with you," Ifrit's voice rumbled in her mind, his power surging through her veins as the flames in her hands grew hotter and more intense.

Amberine wasted no time. She gathered all the fire she could muster, condensing it into a single, concentrated orb of searing heat. She could feel the intensity of the flames, the raw power thrumming through her body as she prepared to unleash it. With a shout, she hurled the orb directly at Liadra, aiming to break through her defenses and disrupt whatever spell she was preparing next.

Liadra's eyes flicked toward the incoming fireball, and for a split second, there was a glimmer of recognition—a fleeting hint of the person she had once been. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the cold, unfeeling gaze of someone lost to the darkness.

Liadra raised her hand, summoning a wall of blackened ice to intercept the fireball. The two elements clashed with a thunderous roar, steam hissing and filling the air as fire met ice in a violent explosion of energy. The force of the blast sent shockwaves through the chamber, knocking everyone off balance and momentarily obscuring Liadra from view.

Elara used the opportunity to close the distance between them. She knew she needed to get close, to disrupt Liadra's concentration before she could unleash another spell. As the steam began to clear, Elara summoned a barrage of ice shards, each one aimed with deadly precision at Liadra's vital points. But Liadra was quick, her movements almost preternaturally fluid as she dodged the shards with ease.

"Maris, now!" Elara shouted, signaling her friend to create another distraction.

Maris didn't hesitate. She conjured a series of illusions, each one an exact replica of herself, and sent them charging toward Liadra from different angles. The illusions weaved in and out of each other, creating a dizzying display of motion that even Elara found difficult to follow. Your next chapter awaits on M V L

Liadra's eyes flickered as she tried to keep track of the illusions, her focus momentarily wavering. Elara saw her chance. With a burst of speed, she lunged forward, her hand crackling with icy magic as she aimed to freeze Liadra's arm and prevent her from casting any more spells.

But just as Elara's hand was about to make contact, a dark shadow loomed behind her, moving with a speed that took her completely by surprise. Elara barely had time to react before she felt a powerful grip on her shoulder, yanking her back with enough force to send her sprawling to the ground.

Elara looked up, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the source of the attack. It was Jorn, the knight, his once-bright armor now tarnished and covered in dark, swirling runes. His eyes, too, glowed with the same sickly green light as Liadra's, and there was a twisted, almost feral expression on his face.

"You won't get in our way," Jorn growled, his voice deep and distorted as he raised his sword, which pulsed with dark energy. "The tower belongs to us now."

Elara scrambled to her feet, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a plan. Jorn was far stronger than she had anticipated, and the dark magic that had consumed him only made him more dangerous. She needed to think quickly, or she wouldn't stand a chance against him in close combat.

Amberine saw what was happening and knew she had to act fast. "Elara, get back!" she shouted, her flames already roaring to life as she prepared to unleash another attack.

But before Amberine could act, a bolt of chaotic energy shot across the chamber, slamming into the ground between her and Elara with enough force to send both of them staggering back. The source of the attack was clear—Senik, the other corrupted mage, had joined the fray, his wild, uncontrolled magic crackling around him like a storm.

Senik's magic was unpredictable, the air around him crackling with arcs of electricity and bursts of energy that seemed to lash out at random. He moved with an erratic, almost manic energy, his eyes darting between Amberine, Elara, and Maris as if he couldn't decide which of them to attack first.

"This is bad," Maris muttered under her breath, her illusions flickering as she struggled to maintain focus in the face of Senik's chaotic magic.

Amberine could feel the situation spiraling out of control. Liadra, Jorn, and Senik were all formidable opponents on their own, but together, they were overwhelming. The dark magic that had corrupted them had twisted their abilities into something far more dangerous, and Amberine knew that if they didn't act quickly, they wouldn't stand a chance.

"We need to separate them!" Amberine shouted, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a plan. "If we can split them up, we might be able to take them down one at a time!"

Elara nodded, already moving to put some distance between herself and Jorn. "Maris, can you create a barrier? We need to keep them from regrouping!"

"I'll try!" Maris replied, her hands moving in a blur as she began weaving the necessary spells.

Amberine focused on Liadra, who was already preparing another spell, her hands glowing with that ominous blackened ice. Amberine knew she couldn't let Liadra cast whatever she was planning—if she did, it could be the end for all of them.

With a determined shout, Amberine unleashed a torrent of fire, aiming it directly at Liadra's hands in an attempt to disrupt her concentration. The flames roared toward Liadra, but the corrupted mage was ready. She raised her hands, and a massive wall of black ice erupted from the ground, blocking the flames and sending a wave of cold air washing over Amberine.

Amberine gritted her teeth, pushing against the cold as she tried to maintain her focus. She could feel Ifrit's power surging within her, fighting against the chill that threatened to sap her strength. She wasn't going to let Liadra win—not now, not ever.

"Elara, I need backup!" Amberine called out, her voice strained as she poured more fire into her attack, trying to melt through the wall of ice that Liadra had conjured.

Elara, still keeping her distance from Jorn, nodded sharply and sent a volley of ice shards flying toward Liadra's barrier. The combined force of fire and ice began to crack the wall, the dark ice hissing and steaming as it struggled to hold together.

Liadra's expression remained impassive, but there was a flicker of frustration in her eyes as she realized her barrier wouldn't hold much longer. With a snarl, she raised her hand, and the wall of ice shattered into a thousand shards, sending a deadly storm of jagged ice flying in all directions.

Amberine and Elara reacted instinctively, both of them throwing up shields of their respective elements—fire and ice—to protect themselves from the onslaught. The ice shards clattered against their shields, the sound like glass breaking in a storm, but they held firm.

"Maris, now!" Amberine shouted, knowing they needed to press their advantage.

Maris, who had been focusing on creating a barrier, nodded and released the spell she had been weaving. A shimmering dome of light appeared around them, separating Liadra from Jorn and Senik. The barrier wasn't impenetrable, but it would buy them some time—time they desperately needed to take down Liadra.

Amberine's mind raced as she tried to formulate a strategy. Liadra, once a trusted senior, was now a formidable foe, her cold magic twisted by the dark forces that had corrupted the tower. But with the barrier in place, they had a moment to breathe, to plan their next move.

"We need to hit her hard and fast," Amberine said, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. "Liadra's ice magic is powerful, but it's also slow. If we can keep her off balance, we might be able to break through her defenses."

Elara nodded, her expression cold and calculating. "We'll need to coordinate our attacks. I'll freeze her in place, and you hit her with everything you've got. Maris, keep the barrier up as long as you can."

Maris nodded, her face set in determination. "I'll do my best. But be careful—if that barrier falls, Jorn and Senik will be on us in seconds."

Just as they were about to move, a sudden surge of powerful magic filled the air, making the very ground beneath them tremble. The temperature in the room seemed to drop even further, and the light from Maris's barrier flickered as if it was being drained of energy.

"Hi there,"

Before any of them could react, three figures appeared at the far end of the chamber, their presence announced by a blinding flash of light that momentarily forced everyone to shield their eyes. When the light faded, Amberine's heart sank as she recognized the newcomers. They were professors—powerful, highly respected members of the university's faculty.

But the aura of malevolence that clung to them now was unmistakable.

"Dear students,"