The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Chapter 269 Finally, I Can Kill You



He reached out and made a quick alteration to the symbols. Each movement of his hand was precise, like the strokes of an artist painting a masterpiece. Amberine could feel Ifrit stirring beneath her robe, his fiery presence growing curious.

"He's good," Ifrit whispered, a crackling murmur only Amberine could hear. "The way he blends the flames into the binding... it's almost like art."

Amberine found herself nodding absently. Draven wasn't just good—he was brilliant. She'd never seen anyone work magic like this. His attention was unwavering as he wove the spell, adding complex flame-elemental strokes to the magic circle. It wasn't just an ordinary barrier; it was designed to prevent shadows from separating from a person and ensure no one vanished into darkness.

He was preparing the defense, minimizing the casualties before the true danger struck.

Amberine swallowed as she continued watching. There was something mesmerizing about his work—his unwavering focus, the way his eyes narrowed slightly when he adjusted a detail. It was as if the rest of the world faded away for him. She caught herself holding her breath, not wanting to disturb him.

When Draven finally stepped back, the magic circle glowed with a soothing, pulsating light. The combination of fire and shadow in the runes gave it an ethereal quality—almost calming, despite the foreboding purpose behind it.

Draven straightened, his gaze still locked on the magic circle, evaluating every line and every stroke, ensuring there were no flaws.

Amberine couldn't hold back any longer. "What are you going to do with it?" she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and awe.

Draven barely glanced at her as he replied, his tone clipped and efficient. "Nothing."

Amberine blinked, taken aback. "Nothing?"

He nodded, finally turning his head towards her, his expression unreadable. "Deciphering it was enough. It's for the rest to handle now."

Amberine frowned slightly, confused. She wanted to ask more, but the moment she caught his gaze, her words died in her throat. His eyes were cold, but there was something else there—something that made her stomach twist in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. She had to force herself not to step back when he looked at her directly.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Good job giving the hint of 'spirits,'" Draven said, his voice flat but the words themselves holding a strange weight. "It accelerated my understanding."

Amberine felt her face heat up at the unexpected praise. Coming from Draven, it was almost like receiving a medal of honor. She cleared her throat, trying to brush it off with nonchalance. "Well, someone had to point out the obvious," she said, crossing her arms over her chest, though her voice came out slightly softer than she'd intended.

Draven raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Instead, he turned and began erasing part of the whiteboard with a flick of his hand. Amberine was about to relax when he suddenly spoke again.

"Now," he said, still not looking at her, "let's hear your idea for your thesis."

Amberine froze, staring at him as if he'd just sprouted a second head. She had expected to be dismissed. Draven had never once shown any interest in her work, aside from giving curt feedback or assigning more tasks. She opened her mouth, then closed it, unsure of what to say. After a moment, she cleared her throat.

"Oh, uh, right," she stammered, quickly reaching for the notes she had scribbled in her journal. "I was thinking—um—it's about elemental convergence and how it affects—"

Stay tuned to empire

"Spare me the filler," Draven cut her off, his tone flat. "What is the essence of your argument?"

___

Dravis, the shadow-bound persona of Draven, walked steadily ahead, his hood pulled low over his face, the dark fabric concealing his sharp features. The whole group trudged through the rugged terrain, the cursed town slowly coming into view as they navigated the winding path.

Suddenly, Dravis stopped, his body stiffening ever so slightly.

Sylara, in her role as Sylvanna, turned her head, her lips curving into a knowing smirk. "You deciphered it, didn't you?" she said, her voice carrying just enough sarcasm to mask her genuine curiosity.

The knights accompanying them also stopped, confusion written across their faces. Sharon's eyes narrowed suspiciously, while Sophie, standing closer to Dravis, tilted her head inquiringly.

"What are you doing?" Sophie asked, her voice firm but filled with curiosity.

Dravis turned his head slightly, his eyes barely visible beneath his hood. "Prepare for battle," he said, his voice as cold and detached as ever.

A murmur swept through the knights as they exchanged uneasy glances. Sharon stepped closer to Sophie, her fiery gaze fixed on Dravis. "What do you mean, 'prepare for battle'? We haven't even—"

But before she could finish, the ground beneath them started to hum, a low vibration that resonated through the earth. A massive magic circle appeared, its lines glowing with a deep crimson mixed with black, spreading outward to encompass the entire town.

Sophie's eyes widened as she looked around, startled by the sudden burst of magic. The people of the town, who had been lurking in the shadows of their homes, watching the newcomers with fear and suspicion, suddenly seemed different. The fear was gone, replaced by a calmness that seemed almost unnatural.

And then, as if to reassure them, a flame barrier enveloped each of the townspeople, flickering gently around them, providing warmth and a sense of protection. Sophie blinked, staring at the scene, unsure of what to make of it.

She turned towards Dravis, her voice rising slightly. "Are you the one doing this?"

Dravis didn't look at her. He simply nodded towards a distant figure—a massive bear sitting in a meditative position, its body seemingly made of molten rock. "No," he said flatly. "It's it."

Sophie stared, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of the magma bear. It was an impressive creature, its fiery core visible beneath the layers of stone that made up its body. But something about Dravis's explanation felt... off.

Sylara snickered quietly from the side, clearly amused by the deception. She knew Draven was lying, but she also knew why. As far as the others knew, Dravis was an assassin specializing in darkness magic—showing too many of his cards would be suspicious, especially in a situation as volatile as this.

Before Sophie could say anything more, Dravis shifted, his gaze turning towards the town, his eyes narrowing beneath the hood. "We don't have much time for conversation," he said, his voice cold. He reached to his sides, unsheathing his twin curved blades with a fluid motion.

It was at that precise moment that several figures emerged, their forms flickering as they pulled themselves out of the shadows. They were twisted, inhuman—manifestations of the darkness that had plagued the town. Their bodies seemed to ripple like smoke, yet they had a physical presence, their eyes glowing with an eerie light.

It's like a combination of a demon, a beast, and a shadow. But Draven's eyes noticed it. The core of them originate form the life force they absorbed from the humans' victims.

Sophie took a step back, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of her sword. The other knights followed suit, their eyes wide as they watched the shadow figures approach.

Dravis's eyes glinted beneath his hood, a dangerous gleam that even the shadows seemed to sense. A smirk played at the corners of his lips—not that anyone could see it beneath his mask, but it was there, nonetheless—and his eyes gleamed with the excitement of the hunt. He looked at the grotesque figures forming from the shadows, now bound to their physical form by the spell he had cast.

He spoke, his voice a soft, chilling whisper that carried across the still air. "Now," he said, his gaze locked onto the shadow figures, "we can kill you."

The words were cold, laced with an eerie finality that sent a shiver through Sophie and her knights. The way Dravis spoke, the calmness in his voice, made it sound as if this was nothing more than a formality—an inconvenience that he intended to erase.

Sophie swallowed, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword. She knew they were walking into danger, but she hadn't imagined it would be like this. These were not ordinary enemies—they were manifestations of the darkness, creatures that shouldn't exist in this world. Yet here they were, emerging from the ground, pulling themselves out of the very fabric of the shadows around them.


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