The dust from the rubble obscured my vision.
"That's all?"
I heard a familiar voice coming from the dust.
I made out Camila's figure emerging from the debris of the wall.
Meanwhile, the hooded man was covered in multiple wounds and cuts, his face clearly visible.
"Incredible, such great power at such a young age. Maybe you could reach that witch,"
he said with a confident, superior smile and a fierce expression.
"Surrender."
The villain's laugh echoed throughout the place.
"Hurry, break the barrier!"
I shouted anxiously while watching the scene.
A figure slowly approached.
"What's going on here?"
Camila, who didn't seem surprised by the presence, responded fiercely,
"They have infiltrated the academy."
"He is incredibly strong, now I understand why you lost,"
the professor's gaze was cold.
"Take care of the students."
Immediately, Camila turned with surprise and a look of betrayal.
"Surprised?"
The professor was unperturbed; his expression was cold as ice.
"You! How could you?"
I had a bad feeling.
The barrier we had managed to create with hundreds of upper and lower grade students who had joined together completely blocked any outside interference except visual.
Seeing Professor Raul there sent a chill down my spine.
"For magicians, betrayal and deceit are common. This will be my last piece of advice: trust no magician."
He pointed his wand, and immediately black metal covered the entire area—it was a different world's domain.
Camila flew high, avoiding the ground contaminated by the metal.
A cannon of black metal appeared next to Raul, black lightning flooded the sky, fired from multiple cannons.
Camila dodged them with speed while approaching Raul swiftly.
Small metal balls suddenly appeared near the ground and in the air, joining into a net that blocked Camila's path.
Black lightning passed through all the metal, making the slightest contact with the dangerous mesh.
When Camila was about to be caught by the metal nets, a large amount of fire covered her body, taking the shape of a phoenix and rising into the air with its wings spread.
A metallic liquid covered the entire ground, forming and rising to face the phoenix.
The smell of metal filled the area.
The fire was hot enough to evaporate water molecules on any surface.
Although I didn't know the power level of either attack, I could tell it was ridiculous to even try to compare.
The phoenix surged against the metallic liquid.
The metal flooded the phoenix from all directions in a desperate attempt to stop it, but the phoenix advanced relentlessly.
Just as the phoenix was about to reach Raul, a concentrated ball of reddish-black lightning awaited him.
The attack spread like a water dam released from its pressure.
Camila lay on the ground, barely able to get up as Raul slowly approached.
"That's all?"
Camila's pained expression was evident as she spoke through the pain,
"I don't understand what is worth carrying the death of so many innocent people."
Raul approached, putting his foot on Camila's abdomen and crushing it.
"Power. To obtain power, anything is valid."
He pointed his hand to his forehead.
I watched the scene stunned.
The wounds on Camila's body, who had always remained undefeated, seemed unreal.
"We have to help her."
Some students also watched the scene with pity and guilt but didn't lift a finger to help; instead, they turned their heads away resignedly.
I looked at them, shocked.
"What are you doing? Let's break the barrier; she's going to die."
They avoided my gaze as I slowly scanned all the faces I could.
"I'm sorry. We have to break the barrier first; we can't save her."
A burning heat ran through my body.
"What are you saying! If you don't go, I will! Let me out now!"
I said while striking the barrier with growing strength.
Helplessly, I could only watch a metal bullet slowly form in front of Raul's wand.
"We've achieved our goal; we must retreat."
A figure appeared behind Raul.
"Good."
The figure joined their hands in what seemed like a prayer.
Immediately, Raul stepped aside, turning his back to Camila.
"Why do you let me live?"
she asked puzzled as she tried to gather strength to get up but couldn't.
"I simply believe you may be useful in the future."
Camila laughed as loudly as she could in her pitiful state.
"That will never happen."
The corners of Raul's lips lifted.
After that, he disappeared.
A few minutes later, we managed to destroy the barrier by brute force.
High-level mages quickly appeared.
Only then did the barrier created by hundreds of students disappear.
I ran toward Camila, who was being healed by the mages.
"Will she be okay?"
I looked at her intently; she was unable to maintain consciousness.
"Yes, but she will need time to fully recover."
I sighed in relief.
Having witnessed the attack she received, I expected the worst, especially after seeing her lying still on the ground with her eyes closed.
A few seconds later, the professors left the academy.
As a student, I couldn't learn what had happened, but they would reopen the academy as soon as the director returned, which would be very soon.
My parents took me home, worried after some mages examined me and asked about what had happened.
The academy would open tomorrow.
My parents had explicitly expressed their desire to transfer me to another academy.
Many people had died; the casualties were all students who had been in the hallways at night inside the academy.
A chill ran through my body thinking that I could have been one of them.
Someone opened the door.
"Are you ready?!"
They spoke with great joy and spirit.
I sighed immediately.
"Aren't you ashamed to act so cheerfully after almost dying?"
Their expression filled with doubt.
"That's not it. Anyway, get ready quickly."
I shook my head.
"I absolutely refuse."
I said calmly, as if it was obvious.
—And that's how I'm here—
I said while looking at Camila's face with hatred.
"Man, you don't have to look at me like that."
—What, are you sending me, a weakling, to an academy where terrorists attacked? Do you want to kill me?—
"But my parents—"
Before I could finish, Camila interrupted.
"I already have their permission."
She raised a hand, preventing me from continuing.
"But that's impossible! How did you do that?"
Camila smiled widely, triumphantly.
"I simply told them I would protect you for the rest of my days, and they gave me their permission."
I put my hand on my face.
"That's not the kind of permission you think it is."
Camila slowly lowered me.
"I'm going home."
Camila tried to stop me, extending her hand.
"Wait!"
She said with some desperation, which made me open my eyes.
"Camila, you...?"
I stopped dead, turning around.
"I know how much you want to become strong."
Her tone was serious, very different from usual.
Although my desire to practice magic had completely disappeared after that day, I still wanted to become strong to protect what was important to me.
"From today, things will change.
The academy will become much stricter regarding teaching, especially combat magic.
If you want to become stronger, this is your opportunity."
I stood there completely shocked.
Certainly, I hadn't considered that scenario, but what truly struck me was Camila's lack of fear.
She didn't care much about having almost died at the hands of a professor.
I couldn't understand how people could take such a situation so normally—as if it were an opportunity.
I slowly approached her with glassy eyes.
"Camila, I'm really sorry."
I hid my head on her shoulder while holding both her shoulders with my hands.
"Why?"
She asked puzzled by my sad tone.
"I left you alone; I didn't have the courage to get close to you.
I never could see what magic was turning you into despite always being by your side.
That's why—sorry."
Camila seemed disconnected.
"Leave me alone?…"
She hugged me, wrapping her hands around my abdomen.
Her voice seemed bright.
"You don't have to worry about me; I'm pretty strong.
Besides, I'll protect you.
Get ready for a girl to take care of you."
Hmph.
I laughed at the absurdity of her words.
"You two look quite close," Lucia said.
"Of course!" Her voice was cheerful.
She looked at me intently, and I shrugged.
"Well, yeah."
She squinted at me before lowering her gaze.
"I see something good came out of all this."
She looked at the crowd surrounding us inside the academy.
We couldn't leave the academy unless it was vacation time; there would be no breaks between weeks or holidays.
Classes would last three hours longer than normal.
The classes had become incredibly demanding, but those who stayed were willing to endure that and more.
"By the way, do you know what the student council was doing while the invasion happened?"
It seemed strange that they hadn't acted or spoken regarding this event yet.
Lucia's expression became complicated.
She approached me, looking left and right.
"The student council was contained by a beast, or so the rumors say," she murmured.
I glanced to the side, noticing Camila's face; she had also approached, wanting to listen.
"What?" she asked, seeing us both looking at her.
"You shouldn't join the student council, even if they beg you," Lucia said with a worried look.
"Why? They are good people."
I wondered where the person who had faced Professor Raul was.
"It doesn't matter. Just promise you won't join," she said seriously.
I looked behind me; a girl in a different uniform stood there [Solaris was written on her insignia].
"Good morning," her voice was courteous and stoic.
"President."
I saw Lucia surprised by the woman's presence.
"It's you, Camila."
She looked at Camila, who was puzzled.
"Yes, it's me."
She extended her hand toward her.
"Please follow me."
Camila hesitated.
I shook my head, looking her in the eyes—
"Don't go, try to—" I tried to say with my expressions, but she grabbed her hand, using it to push herself up from the chair.
"Well, take care," she said, waving with a happy expression.
"Shadow, is there any way to increase someone's intelligence?"
The cat turned its head, confused.
"Naturally, people skilled in magic are very intelligent."
I sighed.
"You still haven't created your style yet, right?"
I shook my head.
"I have a proposal for you."
His mysterious eyes shone with an intimidating color.
I had flatly refused Shadow's proposal; it was without a doubt a proposal worthy of the devil.
I was walking through the academy when I found someone lying on the ground.
Before I could ignore it, I heard an unintelligible whisper.
I stopped abruptly.
It looked like a lifeless doll lying on the ground.
Approaching, I said, "Are you okay?"
Although I couldn't understand why I stopped, since I still had classes to attend, especially considering that the academy was no longer as safe as before.
The barrier that prevented students from harming each other had disappeared.
Most people here were capable of killing someone without blinking and had the power to do so.
I gently moved her from side to side, holding her by the shoulders.
"Hey!"
Just as I was about to lift her using magic to take her somewhere safe with a doctor, she suddenly stood up.
I felt something sharp on my neck.
I swallowed hard, slowly raised my hands.
"Who are you?"
I heard a female but hostile voice come from the girl.
"I was just trying to help you; you were unconscious."
I couldn't look at her due to the nervousness I felt and didn't even consider defending myself.
"Using magic?"
I began to tremble slightly.
"I wanted to carry you somewhere safe."
The pressure on my neck disappeared.
I uttered words of relief while touching my heart.
The girl had stood up, preparing to go somewhere.
Some bandages hung from her arms.
"Wait, are you okay?"
The girl turned to me with a scowl.
"I don't need your help."
I looked at her indignantly.
—This is what happens to someone who's too nice.—