The central courtyard of Arcane Academy was drowning in despair.
The purple-black smog of Seraph's poison magic lingered in the air like a curse, draining life from every student and teacher. Bodies trembled, breaths grew weaker, and even Raelyn's radiant light could barely hold back the corrosion.
Amid the suffocating darkness, one man stepped forward.
His robes were torn, his body trembling, but his eyes burned with something unshakable—
Professor Jespry.
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The Fight Begins
Seraph tilted his head, his lips twisting into a cruel smile.
> Seraph: "Oh? The coward steps forward. The weakest link of this academy dares face me? How pathetic."
Dark poison mist gathered into spears, and in an instant, they stabbed into Jespry's body. Blood splattered onto the broken stone floor. He coughed, staggered… yet still stood.
The students cried out—
> Lina: "PROFESSOR!! STOP, PLEASE!!!"
Show: "Get back!! You'll die!!"
But Jespry raised one shaking hand, silencing them. His lips curved into a small smile.
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The Truth Behind His Fight
Every strike from Seraph, every lash of poison, every black flame that tore into his skin—
Jespry wasn't dodging.
He was absorbing it.
The dark poison coursed through his veins, twisting, burning him from within. But in doing so… he was pulling the poison out of the students. One by one, their breathing steadied. Their bodies began to heal. The children were safe because he was taking their suffering upon himself.
> Seraph (mocking): "I see… you're trying to play the hero. You'll die for nothing! HAHAHAHA!"
He slammed Jespry again and again. Bones cracked. Blood poured from his mouth. But every time Jespry fell, he forced himself back up—face swollen, body broken, but with tears of determination in his eyes.
> Jespry (smiling through blood): "If it means saving them… then I'll stand again. And again… and again."
---
Flashback: A Broken Promise
As Seraph prepared another strike, Jespry's vision blurred—
—and he saw his past.
A tiny boy crying in the ruins of his home. His parents lay before him, bodies broken by the hands of a cruel wizard… Seraph himself, younger but just as merciless.
Jespry's mother, in her final breath, reached up and wiped his tears.
> Mother: "Don't cry, Jespry… promise me… be strong. Live bravely."
And she was gone.
The young Jespry, shaking, clenched his fists.
> Young Jespry: "I… I promise! I'll be strong! I'll protect the people I love!!"
But in the years that followed, Jespry had always felt weak. A man who hid in the shadows of stronger mages. A teacher who thought he was never enough. That promise… had been broken long ago.
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The Present: Standing Tall
Jespry spat blood and rose again, trembling but unyielding. His body was moments from collapse. The students stared, tears streaming down their faces, as he whispered:
> Jespry: "I know… I was weak. I know I ran away from that promise. I wasn't strong enough to protect anyone. But not this time… not anymore."
His voice grew louder, echoing across the ruined courtyard.
> Jespry: "These children… are my family now. I will not let them die. Even if it costs me everything— I will be their shield!"
He roared, the poison swirling wildly around him. His body convulsed as he absorbed more than any human could bear. Veins blackened, eyes burning with both agony and determination.
The students sobbed, begging him to stop.
But Jespry smiled through the tears streaming down his face.
---
The Final Moments
Seraph, furious, unleashed a massive strike—an avalanche of black poison claws that shredded the courtyard. Jespry stepped forward one last time, raising his trembling fists.
> Jespry: "Thank you… children… for giving me the strength to stand. Thank you… for letting me be your teacher."
With one last surge of willpower, he punched forward, slamming his fist into Seraph's face. The dark commander staggered back, shocked.
But Jespry's body had reached its limit.
He turned once to the students, giving them the gentlest, most fatherly smile.
> Jespry: "Don't worry, children… it's alright. Be brave. Live strong."
Seraph's counterblow struck him square in the chest. His body collapsed to the ground. Motionless.
---
Silence
The battlefield froze. No one moved. No one spoke. The air was heavy with grief.
Lina collapsed to her knees, clutching her hands to her chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably. Raelyn bit his lips until they bled. Criss slammed his fists into the stone in rage.
And Show… Show's entire body shook. His eyes widened, flames flickering wildly around him.
He screamed—
A scream of grief, of fury, of loss—shaking the entire courtyard.
> Show (roaring): "JESPRYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!"
The sound echoed into the night, shaking the very skies.
The chapter ended there.
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To Be Continued.
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