I Became the Savior of the Academy’s Villains

Chapter 107

"You... You made this...?"

Bern looked at Moula in disbelief.

Moula, after a long time, had shouldered her masterpiece, the magic power beam cannon.

Chiiiiiik.

The barrel was making an unusual sound.

Hav spoke as he cooled the barrel with coolant.

"Did you modify this again? Why is the barrel overheating like this?"

"I wanted to get even stronger firepower than last time..."

"Haaa, but then you can't fire multiple times like this."

"Yeah... I think so..."

"Next time, try to either enhance the heat resistance of the barrel or increase its power some other way, not just the output."

"Okay..."

Hearing the two talk, Bern put a hand to his forehead.

"I sent you to the academy, and you end up making some weapon..."

"More importantly, master, please calm down the villagers. We're going to go to Luca."

"What?"

Bern was surprised to hear they were going to Luca, who must be facing an executive of the Albino.

Hav attached his capsule shooter and spoke.

"We've been in fights like this before. So don't worry too much."

"Hav, you..."

He didn't know exactly what they'd gone through at the academy, but Bern felt a stirring in his heart at how much more mature they'd become.

Just before departing, Hav looked around.

"Huh? Come to think of it, where are Ottbo and Bella?"

"They... said they had another plan... so they left first..."

"Yeah?"

Hav nodded and turned toward the village entrance.

"Let's go! To protect the village!"

* * *

'... What is that?'

Bzzzt!

Blue lightning crackled along Luca's sword.

Seeing that, Montana instinctively felt fear.

'I shouldn't touch that.'

Having such a cruel nature, Montana had faced many crises.

Of course, he had even fought opponents who used lightning.

But he'd never felt this kind of instinctual fear before.

"What's wrong, Montana Way? You're not rampaging like the rumors say."

"!"

Luca slowly approached, muttering bluntly.

Watching him, Montana felt cold sweat run down—not because he wanted to fight, but as if he was desperate to suppress the urge.

'What is it? This feeling that I absolutely must not fight him? I've never felt this before...!'

There was no information about Luca among the data possessed by the White Noise inside him.

But the instincts of White Noise were stopping Montana from fighting Luca.

'But... but I don't want to back down here. Why should I avoid fighting just some brat?'

Montana was an executive of the Albino.

Not just any executive, but one of the top five.

Would such a man really refuse to fight a teenage boy whose only advantage was being able to use magic power coating?

'Impossible!'

Montana suppressed his instincts and clenched his fists.

White tendrils immediately covered his entire body.

"Ohh."

Luca widened his eyes a little at the sight.

- Countless tendrils covered his body.

- They twisted around him like a coiling snake.

- Shards of White Noise had materialized to protect their host.

A scene came to mind—this was the combat form using White Noise.

'Good, at least he's not running away.'

Luca wanted Montana to fight.

If Montana ran, he might return later with other Albino executives, so he had to end it here.

"You insolent child. Are you ready to take responsibility for all those insolent things you said?"

Montana, his face sticking out from underneath the tendrils, let himself float slowly into the air with a twisted smile.

Srrrk! Srrrk!

"!"

Shards of White Noise that had covered the bodies of the citizens of Max's territory, shattered by the magic power beam cannon, gathered and were absorbed into him.

The coil of tendrils grew ever larger.

"I don't know what power you hold, but you can't possibly defeat me."

Srrrk.

Even Montana's face disappeared inside the tendrils.

The tendrils then transformed into a monstrous giant in the shape of a person.

"You're smaller than I thought."

But Luca was unimpressed.

Compared to the complete over-organism Donovan, this monster of Montana was nothing but an infant.

At Luca's comment, Montana paused for a moment, trembling minutely.

"You... I'll make you regret that...!"

There was a surge of inexplicable anger from him.

Of course, Luca had provoked him on purpose.

'To kill Montana, I need to make him exert as much power as possible.'

Luca's aim was to make sure Montana used up so much power that the White Noise fragments carrying his memories couldn't return to their main body.

"Arrrgh!"

Montana, clearly baited, gave off power in a frenzy.

Ku-goong!

"!"

Just then, the ground split open.

White tendrils that had crept under the earth suddenly tore out, snaking toward Luca.

Bzzzt!

"Gah!"

But the tendrils vaporized into dust the instant they touched Luca's lightning-charged blade.

The shock must have reached the main body, as Montana let out a scream of pain.

"Ohh."

Greater damage than Luca had expected.

He marveled and leapt toward Montana, swinging his sword.

"Die."

"Grk!"

Montana quickly grabbed a nearby tree and hurled it at Luca.

Snap!

The tree struck by Luca's blade instantly turned to charcoal and shattered.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Montana put more distance between them.

Luca tried to leap again in pursuit, but the ground beneath him suddenly collapsed.

Rustle!

"!"

Tendrils burrowing through the earth were erasing the ground from under his feet.

"As long as I don't touch that lightning, I'll be fine!"

So saying, Montana snatched up rocks with his tendrils and hurled them at Luca.

Landing with a roll on the crumbling earth, Luca quickly prepared to dodge to another spot.

Crack!

"!"

That moment, a tendril burst out from the ground and seized his ankle.

If he cut the tendril, he'd be hit by a rock, if he cut the rock, the tendril would get him—a true dilemma.

Pop!

Bang!

A capsule suddenly flew from somewhere, hitting a rock and exploding.

Luca slashed the tendril with his lightning-edged sword and dodged the falling dust.

"Luca! Are you alright?!"

"Next time, make sure not to shoot a capsule that scatters dust everywhere."

Luca brushed dust off his head, speaking brusquely.

"Grr! These brats...!"

Montana was flustered by this unanticipated backup.

He'd thought Luca was the only one he needed to worry about; now others had arrived.

Ziiing! Ziiing!

"?"

Just then, something strange caught his eye.

Not quite a gun—something even more advanced—a girl aiming it at him.

Moula, shouldering the magic power beam cannon, muttered,

"This time, I'll hit you."

Pheww!

Kwagwagwang!

A beam shot out, scoring a direct hit on Montana.

A devastating explosion followed.

Even Montana's groan was swallowed by the blast.

"Wow. That's incredible."

Even Luca couldn't help but be amazed by the power of the magic power beam cannon.

But the output was so strong that Moula collapsed.

Hav hurriedly checked her face.

"M-Moula!"

"That was... my best shot ever..."

She looked quite satisfied.

Luca gave a small smile as he jumped out of the pit.

He looked at the Montana engulfed in smoke and flames.

"By these brats... This is... can't... be..."

A huge hole pierced Montana's belly.

He muttered in disbelief at what had happened to him.

"This ends here."

Ku-rung! Ku-ru-rung!

As Luca stretched out his hand, the sky suddenly darkened.

Thunderclouds gathered and rumbled.

Sensing something was seriously wrong, Montana panicked.

"D-damn it!"

He burst out of the tendril mass and ran backward.

He planned to escape and return with other Albino executives.

Luca gave a small, knowing smile.

"I thought you'd do that."

Vvvroooom!

A distant engine roared.

The moment Montana heard the sound, an auto-carriage suddenly burst from the bushes.

Thunk!

"Gah!"

Colliding with the auto-carriage, Montana was hurled backward, rolling along the ground.

The impact was so great that the front of the carriage was slightly dented.

"My precious Carivik! Nooo!"

Luca laughed as Ottbo, evidently having named the carriage, rushed over.

Reaching down to the writhing Montana, Luca spoke.

"That's far enough."

"Uh... uh...!"

The tendril mass tried to protect Montana, but it was already too late.

Kzzzzt!

A massive lightning bolt crashed from the sky.

A full strike, using the power of both the clouds and the thunder.

The same giant bolt that had ended Martin incinerated Montana.

Crackle!

Montana and his White Noise were obliterated, leaving not even dust.

All that remained was the melted ground where he'd once stood.

"I-is it over?"

Startled by the sudden lightning as he was tending to Moula, Hav approached.

Luca answered calmly.

"Yes."

"... Wow! We did it! Moula! We protected the village!"

Hav excitedly ran to Moula.

Ottbo, checking on the carriage with a sorrowful look, also walked over to Luca.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm pretty tired."

This was the first time Luca had used the power of both cloud and lightning together.

A deep fatigue, greater than expected, washed over him.

He looked worn out.

"Good job!"

"You too. Where's Bella?"

No sooner had Luca asked than Bella arrived.

"Sir, there are no remaining enemies hiding or running nearby!"

"That's a relief."

Thump.

Luca collapsed where he stood.

"Luca!"

"Sir!"

Ottbo and Bella rushed to check his condition.

Luca answered in a deadpan manner,

"I'm just exhausted. No need to worry."

"But..."

"I can barely walk. Sorry, but would you carry me all the way back to Bern?"

Immediately, Ottbo and Bella reached out for his arms.

"?"

Ottbo and Bella looked at one another.

"... Oh my, does the young master of the Gress family not have the strength to carry our young master?"

"W-what are you talking about? I've run up mountain paths carrying Luca before!"

Luca let out a sigh as the two competed over such a strange thing.

"Anyone, just get me there quickly."

"Yes, sir!"

With that, Bella quickly picked him up.

Ottbo seemed quite displeased, but didn't protest.

"I thought you said to get a piggyback ride."

"No matter, sir."

Though he wasn't thrilled to be carried like a princess, Bella's method certainly got him to Bern the fastest.

"Are you all... really students...?"

Seeing them come back victorious from such an impossible fight, Bern had a look of disbelief.

The level of combat they'd displayed was far beyond what might be expected of students.

"I told you, we'd done this kind of thing before!"

Hav declared, full of pride.

Certainly, having practiced together during their training helped them work as a team just now.

"But now that the threats to the village are gone, could you all focus on restoring my life force?"

"... Of course! I will surely restore your life force to its original state!"

At Luca's request, Bern happily headed for his lab.

Now that everything was settled, Luca sat back comfortably on the sofa and took out his phone.

'So, what do I need to do next?'

He wondered what he should do to further help save Bern after defending the village.

He opened his phone.

[Eccentric Alchemist, Bern Doyner]

- Meet with Bern Doyner's disciples. (○)

- Meet directly with Bern Doyner together with his disciples. (○)

- Guard Potro village with Bern Doyner (X)

- ???

- ???

"...?"

The hints still hadn't changed.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

I thought everything's going too easy...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】