Trees were splintered, roots torn from the earth, and the air shimmered with residual mana. Smoke rose from scorched earth while rivers of elemental energy crackled faintly across the clearing. Koha’s body hovered above the forest floor, utterly exhausted. His hair, damp with sweat and rain, floated slightly as the forbidden power inside him still radiated faintly, a pulse of light and darkness entwined.
Sky lay a few meters away, breathing shallowly, one arm draped over a fractured branch. Rio, Huo, and Yin moved around cautiously, eyes scanning for any hint of danger, aware that Doojin’s presence lingered like a shadow at the edges of the forest. The atmosphere was thick, oppressive, heavy with unspent magical energy. Even the wind felt like it carried a warning.
Doojin appeared suddenly on a high cliff, emerging from a cascade of black mana that shimmered like ink against the twilight. He was perfectly composed, standing tall despite the chaotic battlefield around him. His aura exuded cold power, a calm menace that made every leaf tremble and every bird flee. Even the lingering elemental storms hesitated as if recognizing the authority of his dark energy.
He tilted his head slightly, observing the group with a faint, unnerving smile. “So… this is the famed Koha. I see the little mage has allies.” His voice was smooth, almost melodic, yet every syllable carried the weight of inevitable doom. “And yet, even together, you are nothing more than sparks against the inferno that I am.”
Koha, despite his exhaustion, opened one eye slightly, the magic circles barely flickering in his iris. The forbidden spell’s energy ebbed within him, dangerous but restrained due to his weakened state. He groaned softly but did not rise. Sky tried to sit up, his fingers brushing against the fractured blade strapped to his back, but his body betrayed him, shaking uncontrollably from the previous attack. Huo rushed to steady him, gripping his shoulders firmly. “Stay down, Sky. Koha’s power is still active; you can’t—”
“Enough!” Doojin’s voice cut through the air, sharper this time. A sudden surge of shadow energy exploded from the cliff, forming a barrier between the heroes and him. The ground shook, and jagged black spikes erupted from the soil, shaking the already shattered forest. “Do not waste your strength defending the weak. Focus on what is truly important. The academy… will burn, and there is nothing you can do.”
Rio clenched his fists, fire flickering faintly around his palms, but he did not step forward. “He’s not just strong… he’s terrifying. But we can’t do nothing,” he muttered to Huo and Yin.
Yin’s eyes narrowed. His hands glowed as he formed a protective dome of flowing water and shimmering light around Sky and Koha. “He wants us to fight him in desperation,” he said softly, voice trembling with barely restrained fear. “He is testing us… testing Koha.”
Huo’s gaze hardened. “Then we endure. We survive, we protect him, and we learn. That’s all we can do now.” His shield radiated faintly, absorbing residual energy from the forest. The three focused entirely on maintaining their wards around Koha and Sky, channeling every ounce of defensive magic they had left.
Doojin’s smile widened, almost amused by their caution. “So noble… and yet so predictable. Humans cling to their allies like moths to a flame, unaware of the abyss that awaits.” He raised a hand, and the air split with the sound of tearing reality. A jagged column of shadow rose from the forest floor, and the ground cracked in concentric rings, each ripple sending energy outward. “Do you feel it? The world bends to me, and you” He glanced at Koha with cold calculation, “are too weak to stop it.”
Koha’s eyelids fluttered, his left eye opening fully now. A soft, almost imperceptible hum echoed around him, the lingering forbidden energy beginning to pulse stronger. He could feel the dangerous currents of Doojin’s power pressing against his body, attempting to drain him, and yet, he did not rise fully. He whispered, barely audible, 「虚無の抱擁、我が心に従え… Kyomu no Hōyō, wagakokoro ni shitagae… Embrace of Oblivion, obey my will…」 His voice was low, cold, resonating through the forest.
Immediately, the energy around Koha pulsed, a subtle aura that drew in the remaining mana from the scorched trees, the shattered earth, and the elemental residue. Even at half strength, the forbidden spell allowed him to begin stabilizing himself. Sky groaned faintly, sensing the shift, feeling a warmth of hope amid the exhaustion.
Doojin’s eyes narrowed, but his smirk remained. “Interesting… the little mage refuses to yield. Very well. Let us see how long he can cling to life against reality itself.” He spread both arms, and a torrent of black, violet, and crimson energy poured forth, forming a massive sphere above him. The sphere pulsed with lethal intent, a swirling storm of fire, ice, lightning, shadow, and earth combined, ready to collapse upon the forest.
Rio, Huo, and Yin immediately acted. Rio’s flames surged, intersecting with Huo’s seismic ward and Yin’s torrent shield. “Protect them!” Rio shouted, swinging his blade through a spiral of fire, creating a counterflow against the incoming storm. “Volcano Whirl – 火山旋風 Kazan Senpū – Volcano Whirlwind!” The flames lashed against the sphere, sparking small fractures in the energy storm.
Yin’s hands weaved through the air, forming torrents and protective waters that glimmered with runes. “Bouclier de Vie – Shield of Life!” The dome of water and light expanded, partially mitigating the destructive force of Doojin’s attack.
Huo stomped his foot on the ground, sending tremors through the soil. “Titanic Guard – Muralla del Titán!” Stones rose like walls around them, deflecting chunks of energy and preventing the forest from collapsing entirely.
Despite their combined effort, Doojin’s storm pressed forward. The energy collided with the allied defenses, sending shockwaves that shattered nearby trees and sent creatures of the forest fleeing. Doojin’s laugh echoed, low and chilling. “Pathetic… You think these toys can stop me? Witness true devastation.” He flung his arms outward, and arcs of lightning, rivers of molten shadow, and blades of ice shot toward the heroes like a relentless barrage.
Koha stirred fully now, floating above the ground with the remnants of his energy forming a pale, glowing aura. Even weak, he could sense the full destructive pattern of Doojin’s attack. He whispered another forbidden incantation, his voice sharp, cold, commanding: 「永劫の裁き、虚空を裂け… Eikō no Sabaki, Kokū o Sake… Judgement of Eternity, rend the void…」
Immediately, the dark energy crashing upon them collided with Koha’s aura, a blinding clash of force and counterforce. The forbidden spell acted as a stabilizer, reducing the lethal impact and protecting Sky from the full brunt of the attack. The forest trembled, but a bubble of near-absolute safety formed around the group, the first sign that Koha’s true forbidden power, even weakened, could rival Doojin’s assault.
Doojin’s eyes glinted with interest. “Ah… so the rumors were true. You possess power enough to oppose me, yet still, your limits are… amusingly fragile.” He stepped forward, each footfall cracking the ground. The storm he had conjured now pulsed, feeding on the forest itself, drawing every ounce of elemental energy it could consume.
Sky, struggling to rise, felt the pull of Koha’s aura. The young Italian mage’s body was trembling, near collapse, but he reached out instinctively, as if drawn by the resonance of Koha’s power. Huo caught him gently, supporting his weight. “Not yet, Sky. Hold on… Koha’s keeping you safe.”
Koha’s gaze turned toward Doojin, sharp despite fatigue. Even weakened, his eyes blazed with determination, the magic circles glowing faintly. “I… I won’t allow you to destroy this place,” he whispered, the energy from his aura beginning to stir the air around them. 「虚無天秤、全てを計れ… Kyomu Tenbin, subete o Hakare… Scales of Oblivion, measure all…」
A massive, faintly visible scale formed above Koha, spinning slowly. It drew in the residual energy of the battlefield, neutralizing parts of Doojin’s storm, balancing destructive forces around the group. Even partially depleted, Koha’s forbidden power acted as a counterweight against one of the most powerful dark mages in the world.
Doojin’s smile did not waver, though a flicker of acknowledgment passed through his eyes. “Hmm… impressive. But this is not the end. The world will soon feel my true wrath.” His form began to dissolve into shadows, retreating upwards, fading from view. “Remember this day, children. This is only a warning.”
As his form vanished, the storm collapsed in on itself, leaving the forest in eerie silence. Koha floated, barely able to maintain posture, his aura dimming. Sky slumped further, unconscious, and Huo caught him, lifting him with care. Rio and Yin quickly surrounded Koha, supporting his descent back to the forest floor.
The three students exchanged tense glances, exhausted but alive. Koha’s breathing was shallow, his aura flickering faintly as the forbidden spell’s energy ebbed. The forest around them was scarred, but the immediate threat had passed.
Huo whispered, carrying Koha toward the portal prepared by the professors. “We need to get him back… before he collapses completely.”
Rio nodded, looking at the retreating horizon where Doojin had disappeared. “This is far from over. That smile… he isn’t just powerful. He’s planning something catastrophic.”
Yin, exhausted but vigilant, murmured: “We survived… barely. But if Doojin attacks again… Koha won’t be able to defend us if he’s at full strength. We need a plan, and fast.”
The group stepped into the shimmering portal, the forest behind them a scarred reminder of the battle. Koha and Sky, weakened, were supported by their allies. Professors awaited at the academy, their faces grim, ready to stabilize the
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