21: Three Against One

Just as Wilson's thunderbolt attack shattered the earth wall conjured by the guy hovering in the air, it was absorbed by the small shadow dome that encased the two siblings. And standing before the shadowy dome was another boy with short, dark, curly hair and sharp, hazel eyes.

Then, the other guy who was in the air, with brown hair and narrow brown eyes, slowly descended to the ground. This guy wasn't an Overlord, so he couldn't levitate in the air. However, due to his near-perfect control over the wind element, he was able to temporarily maneuver himself in the air.

As he landed on the ground, he turned his head towards Evelyn. He frowned upon seeing her in a bloody mess.

'I'm sure she is the one. I won't let this bully bastard harm her," Troy thought.

He was the one who had created the earth wall that sprouted up to defend the two siblings. As a wielder of the four elements, he had truly demonstrated his ability to control fire, water, wind, and earth.

He shot a glare at the shadow boy, who happened to be Steve. Steve, feeling the glare directed at him by the other fellow, just shrugged it off. His body still had a dark shadow lingering around him, while his face glistened with beads of sweat.

It was evident that using his shadow to disperse Wilson's attack had taken a huge toll on him. After all, he was only a 4-star mage. If it weren't for the earth wall created by Troy, a 6-star mage, the lightning attack would not have been weakened. He wouldn't dare to use his shadow powers against the attack of an 8-star mage such as Wilson. Unless he will have all of his spiritual energy is used up to block that attack.

Wilson, who was momentarily surprised by the emergence of these two who had stopped his attack, smirked upon seeing the star-ranks displayed on their watches.

"You two shouldn't have gotten in my way," he said, lifting his right hand crackling with lightning. "But as a merciful person, I will give you both the grace to leave and not meddle in matters that do not concern you." He said, looking intently at the two boys.

"Bring it on, then. But I won't let you harm even a single strand of her hair," Troy retorted as the air around him swirled.

Upon hearing what Troy said, most of the other students were astonished. Even though he held a high rank and could manipulate all four elements, he was ultimately a peak intermediate mage facing off against a mid expert mage. In this world, the lower a mage's level, the more limitations they have in harnessing their elemental or variant abilities. They are even restricted in the amount of mana they can use.

Not only that, but the guy he was going up against was popularly known as the genius of the Zeccammons, probably an heir of the Zeccammon's main family line.

"That is certainly heroic of you. It seems like her beauty has gotten into your head. It's a pity you're throwing yourself to your doom," Wilson said, grinning from ear to ear.

"What about you, Shadow Guy?" Wilson asked, looking at Steve.

Steve scoffed when he heard what Wilson asked. He knew his place well; he could not challenge someone so strong. But he was willing to protect Evelyn. He turned his head and looked at Evelyn, sighing as he remembered what he had almost done to her in the library.

The three of them were preparing for the impending clash when two more people arrived. An icy girl and a muscular boy. It was Zoya and Cedric.

When Zoya saw Evelyn's condition, she rushed to where she was lying and lifted her head, calling out to her. However, there was no response from Evelyn.

"It seems like the other two have arrived. The canteen team is complete. Now I can beat all of you up," said Wilson.

"Cedric, they are losing so much blood. You need to take them to the infirmary. I can handle him," Zoya said to Cedric, who was standing next to her, completely ignoring Wilson. She certainly had some guts to confidently say that she could deal with an expert mage.

She lifted her head and saw Steve and another unfamiliar guy standing in front of Evelyn and Elvis. Upon seeing Steve, she became even more furious. However, she noticed that his shadow dome was protecting her roommate. Zoya's anger towards Steve was pacified.

Steve dispelled the shadow dome, allowing Cedric to evacuate the two siblings to the academy's healer for treatment.

"Do you think you can take them away?" Wilson released an energy ball crackling with bolts of lightning at Cedric.

One of Troy's hands erupted in flames while the other swirled with wind currents. He hurled his own fireball at the incoming lightning ball, accelerating its speed with the wind from his other hand.

'Bang!'

When the two energy balls collided, they cancelled each other out. Cedric took the opportunity to carry Evelyn on his shoulders while supporting Elvis, who had regained some consciousness but was too weak to walk on his own.

As Wilson saw Cedric departing with the two siblings, he zoomed off after them at high speed, enhanced by his lightning powers.

But suddenly, as he was catching up to the three figures leaving the department, he stepped onto a frosty floor. He slipped and fell to the ground. 'Thud!'

Wilson stood up and looked at Zoya, whose body was covered in ice. Apparently, she was the one that made him fall.

Instead of becoming irritated, he smiled as he released an electric lightning discharge onto the frozen floor.

[Lightning Discharge]

Zoya had made a mistake, which she realized as the lightning coursed through the frosty ground towards her. She tried to disconnect the ice on the floor from her body, but it was already too late.

'Crackle!'

The electrical discharge quickly reached her and began to rigorously electrocute her entire body, causing her hair to stand on end. But she managed to buy Cedric some time to leave the department and head towards the infirmary.

"Even if they manage to escape from me now, I will still get them later… Now I wonder if you guys can contain me," Wilson said, discharging more lightning into the frosty ground. He didn't give Zoya a break to dispel the frost on the floor.

The other students were apathetic as they watched the fight unfold before them. They took a few steps back to avoid the frost on the floor, which could conduct the lightning currents and shock them. They were not doing anything, same as the lightning elemental teacher who had been standing there the entire time.

Zoya's body convulsed as a field of lightning began to form around her. She tried her best to shake off the ice from her body in order to avoid being electrocuted by the lightning discharge, but she was unable to even lift her hands. Not to mention utilizing her spiritual energy.

'I can't do anything to help her now. Firstly, she already suspects me for what happened to Evelyn at the library. I don't see any reason to help her. I'm only involved in this mess because of Evelyn, so if any of these guys are in danger, I shouldn't be concerned, right?' Steve's thoughts were running wild. 'Also, I am no match for Wilson… If Zoya is struggling against that monster, I will be easily squashed by him unless I unleash my other power… No I can't blow my cover yet.' He was still standing in the same spot, watching the fight unfold before him. But since he has not left the 'battle arena', he is probably waiting for an opportunity to strike.

The lightning field, which was about three meters wide, was spreading towards the other two with Zoya at the epicenter. Another earth wall rose up between Wilson and Zoya, interrupting the lightning discharge.

[Fireball]

A fireball was launched at Wilson, breaking his concentration as he extended the lightning field.

Wilson was caught off guard and, in a desperate attempt to prevent the fireball from hitting him in the stomach. He hit it away with his lightning-coated fist. The fireball was powerful. Wilson heard a snapping sound and instantly felt a pang of pain in his fist. But then, the lightning field disappeared.

"Don't be deceived by what you see on the watch. I can defeat you myself," said Troy.

The fireball was not destroyed by Wilson's hit; instead, it was redirected towards the entrance of the lightning elemental section. Where a bald-haired man was, apparently walking into the fighting area.

The fireball went straight for the man's head. He was wearing a sparkling amulet around his neck.

'Bang!'

The fireball collided in front of the man's face as if it had hit an invisible barrier, which was not visible to the other students. Or maybe that was the perception of the students, but in truth, the fireball had been dispersed by the mere aura emanating from the man upon detecting the incoming attack.

It was Werney. He had received a reaction on his amulet and was heading towards this department, following the direction of the amulet's vibrations. However, before he arrived at this department, the reaction had already stopped. Hearing the commotion inside the department, he decided to investigate. Perhaps his amulet would react again.

The four students, whose attention was fixed on their fight, did not see the impact of Troy's attack. So they continued their fight. Zoya has already recovered from the daze caused by the lightning's effect on her. There were bruises and cuts all over her body, and some red liquid was dripping from the wounds.

As she looked up, she saw an unfamiliar guy who had saved her from the lightning field. She didn't know him at all, but he saved her.

"I will buy you some time for your next attack," shouted Zoya.

[Ice Balls]

[Ice Trap]

Wilson, with his lightning-fast fists, was already running towards Troy when two ice balls were shot at him. Wilson stopped in his tracks and knocked away the two ice balls, breaking them into pieces. After finishing the ice balls, he attempted to move, only to realize that his legs were trapped in thick ice.

[Rock Bullet]

About six large rocky bullets were fired at Wilson; all of them came from Troy.

"This is the perfect time to act," Steve said as he sprang into action. Though he remained in the same spot, shadows darted towards the hurtling bullets of rock, engulfing them before vanishing into thin air.

This left the others confused, including Wilson, who had conjured a shield of lightning in front of him. Why did Steve intervene to stop the attack intended for Wilson? Whose side was he on?

Suddenly, another shadow appeared behind Wilson. All of the rock bullets were ejected from it and traveled towards Wilson's back at the same speed with which they were released.