The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Aurelia's voice cut through the chaos of our battle, but it was little more than background noise in the maelstrom of my focus. My entire world had narrowed to Lyan—his dark eyes, burning with the same intensity I felt, locked onto mine. Every muscle in my body was coiled, ready for his next move.

He was strong, unnervingly so, and with each strike, it became clearer that this wasn't a fight I could win with half measures. I couldn't afford to hold back any longer.

We clashed again, our swords meeting with a resounding clang, the force of it reverberating through my bones. The vibration ran up my arms, almost numbing, but I didn't let it slow me down. I pivoted quickly, using the momentum of the blow to sidestep and angle for a new attack. My blade cut through the air with deadly precision, aimed at the vulnerable gap near his side.

But Lyan was already there, his sword intercepting mine with a sharp crack of steel against steel.

I gritted my teeth, my body moving on instinct. I shifted my weight, spinning around to strike at his legs, a low sweeping slash that would have taken most opponents off their feet. But Lyan wasn't most opponents. He leapt back with a grace that shouldn't have been possible for someone his size, his tail whipping through the air as if to mock my effort.

His sword came down again in an arc aimed for my head, and I barely had time to deflect the blow with a harsh upward block.

Thud.

The force of his strike was like a sledgehammer against my blade, sending a shockwave through the ground beneath us. My knees buckled slightly, and I had to dig in, my boots scraping against the stone floor as I struggled to hold my ground.

For a brief moment, we were locked there, blades pressing against each other with a screech of metal. The friction sent sparks flying between us, tiny bursts of light in the dimly lit hall. I could see the determination in his eyes, a cold, calculating intelligence that mirrored my own. We were both analyzing, both waiting for the right moment to push the other off balance.

Then, with a sudden burst of strength, I twisted my wrist, angling my blade to slide off his and push the momentum to my advantage. I swung my sword in a wide arc, but Lyan ducked under the blow, his movements impossibly fast. He countered with a diagonal slash aimed at my chest, but I was ready for it.

I stepped back just in time, feeling the whoosh of his blade as it sliced through the air in front of me.

We clashed again, the sound of our swords meeting ringing out like a bell tolling, sharp and clear in the thick silence.

Clang!

I could feel the strain in my arms now, the raw power behind his attacks still thrumming through my body. His strikes were heavy, but there was something unnervingly fluid about the way he fought, almost as if he wasn't bound by the same physical limitations as I was. He moved like a predator, deliberate and unyielding, with a grace that spoke of someone who had spent centuries honing his skills.

I slashed low, aiming for his legs again, but this time I was faster, anticipating his move. He blocked the strike with his sword, the clash ringing out, but as he lifted his leg to counterbalance, I caught his foot with my own, kicking it out from under him.

For a split second, Lyan staggered, his balance disrupted, and I pressed forward, driving my blade toward his torso. But before I could land the blow, he twisted his body with inhuman agility, spinning around and using the momentum to swing his tail toward me like a whip.

I barely had time to react.

Crack!

His tail collided with my side, sending a sharp jolt of pain through my ribs. I stumbled back, my breath knocked out of me for a moment, but I kept my focus. I wouldn't let him see the weakness. I couldn't.

Lyan

I didn't hesitate.

I surged forward, slashing at him with a flurry of strikes. Each movement was calculated, precise, my blade moving faster with each swing. But Lyan met every strike, his sword moving in perfect harmony with mine. The sound of metal crashing against metal filled the room, growing louder and louder with each blow.

Clang! Thud! Crack!

The impact of our attacks reverberated through the walls, the sheer force of it sending shockwaves through the floor. We were both pushing harder now, testing the limits of our strength, our speed. Sweat dripped down my face, but I didn't dare slow down. I couldn't afford to. Lyan was strong, too strong for me to hold back any longer.

With one final clash, our blades collided again, but this time the force was too much.

Boom!

The ground trembled beneath our feet as the impact sent both of us flying backward. I slid across the stone floor, digging my heels in to stop myself from crashing into the wall. My chest heaved with effort, my arms burning from the strain of holding my blade steady. Lyan, too, had been pushed back, though he landed more gracefully, his eyes still locked onto mine with that same cold intensity.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

We both stood there, panting, sizing each other up once more.

"This has gone on long enough," I muttered, wiping the sweat from my brow. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating. I had held back for too long, trying to gauge his strength, but it was clear now—Lyan wasn't an opponent I could afford to underestimate.

He was stronger than I had thought.

"It can't be helped," I muttered under my breath, barely loud enough for him to hear. This fight had gone on far too long, and it was clear now that Lyan was no ordinary opponent. If I kept pulling my punches, it would only be a matter of time before he gained the upper hand. I needed to gather my strength, unleash everything I had.

Lyan seemed to sense the shift in my resolve. His eyes narrowed, a dark smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. We stood there for a brief moment, both of us still, the air around us thick with anticipation. Then, without a word, we both moved.

I felt the familiar pull of magic surge through me, but this time I reached deeper, calling on the tools I had always kept hidden. The psychokinesis flared to life first, the invisible tendrils of power reaching out, ready to manipulate the world around me. Then came the water pen, its fluid energy coiling around me like a protective shield.

The fire pen followed, igniting with a quiet hiss, its heat merging with the cold precision of my mind. Finally, the devil pen—a dark, sinister energy that pulsed in time with my heartbeat, amplifying everything it touched.

A terrifying aura rippled outward from me, the power unmistakable. I could feel Aurelia's eyes on me, sharp and knowing. "He's gathering strength," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but there was something more in her tone—an excitement she didn't bother to hide.

Lyan, on the other hand, didn't seem fazed. If anything, his smirk widened, his stance shifting as he began to gather his own energy. A soft pink glow surrounded him, swirling around his body like a coiling mist. I frowned, watching him carefully. That pink mana… it was unmistakably incubus energy. But something was off.

Where were the illusions? Where was the usual manipulation that came with incubus magic? He was fighting clean, relying on raw strength and power instead of seduction or trickery.

And that made him even more dangerous.

He gripped his sword tighter, the pink energy intensifying as he focused. Then, just as I was about to move, I heard him mutter two words that sent a chill down my spine.

"Limit break."

I had no time to hesitate. My magic flared, my body reinforcing itself with the combined power of the pens. I could feel the ground beneath me tremble as the sheer force of our power began to shake the very foundation of the room. The air crackled with energy, thick and suffocating, as we both prepared to unleash everything we had.

But then, just as we were about to collide again, a voice rang out—sharp, commanding.

"Okay, stop!"

It was Aurelia.

I halted mid-step, the power I had gathered freezing in place as I turned toward her. She stood there, arms crossed, her fiery red eyes flashing with irritation. Beside her, the platinum-blonde princess wore a similar expression, though hers was tinged with amusement.

"That's enough," the princess said, stepping forward. Her voice was calm, but there was an undeniable authority in it. She glanced between Lyan and me, a small smirk playing on her lips. "I think we've seen enough."

Lyan hesitated, his pink mana still swirling around him, but he relaxed his stance, the glow fading as he lowered his sword. I did the same, sheathing my blades with a soft click, though my muscles remained tense, ready for anything.

Aurelia was the first to speak again, her voice dripping with annoyance. "Calm down, you bastard. He's this princess's knight." She jabbed a thumb in the blonde princess's direction, her tone making it clear she wasn't impressed by the situation.

The princess let out a small laugh, clearly enjoying herself. "Lyan, stop showing off." She glanced at me then, her blue eyes gleaming with mischief. "It seems Dravis here is just the knight of this fiery queen over here." She tilted her head toward Aurelia, her tone teasing.

I let out a slow breath, my magic finally settling as I sheathed my swords. The tension in the room had shifted, the deadly energy that had been hanging over us now replaced with something else—something lighter, but still laced with unease. I cast a quick glance at Lyan, who was watching me with the same cold intensity as before, though there was no immediate threat in his stance.

Aurelia, on the other hand, looked pleased. She had a wide grin on her face, her arms still crossed as she tilted her head toward me. "Good job, Dravis," she said, her tone uncharacteristically warm. "You fought hard for me, huh?"

I didn't respond, simply nodding in acknowledgment as I took a step back. I wasn't one for praise, and Aurelia knew that. But still, there was something in the way she looked at me—something satisfied, as if she had gotten exactly what she wanted.

Before I could think too much about it, Lyan's voice broke the silence.

"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he turned to the blonde princess. His voice was low, but there was an edge to it, a sharpness that hinted at the distrust simmering beneath the surface. "Why do you know me?"

Your adventure continues at empire

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