How to Survive at th Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Glasts Expedition (11)

His field of vision was narrow. It had always been Professor Glasts old concern due to his myopia.

Given his profession required extensive reading, struggling with nearsightedness and a limited field of vision was inevitable.

The life of a teacher is ultimately a sedentary one.

Like the majority of professions, repeat the sa thing for decades, and it all becos routine and patterned.

Even the tumultuous and chaotic one-year academic schedule becos predictable after a decade or so of repetition.

The unexpected anomalies and problems that pop up now and then fade into just another past experience with ti.

What remains in mory are the seemingly identical everyday landscapes churned out in the sa mold.

Seated at his large desk in the personal research room, engrossed in reading the annotated tos of the sages, analyzing the holy mana, managing the academic curriculum, reviewing teaching materials for the students.

And then, the scenery outside the window changes.

Snow falls.

Rain pours.

Wind blows.

The sun rises in the east, and before you know it, its fleeing to the western sky.

The youngest professor who screwed up cos begging for forgiveness, flustered.

First-year Elental Studies students who wish to preview interdiate magic co seeking him out in his research room.

The head chancellor on his way to so affair stops by to share a cup of tea.

So imrsed in work at the sa spot, painful mories soon fade away.

If its a wound that wont heal, then gradually forgetting is the only option.

If theres no way to cure it, then the only thing left is to find a way to forgive the pain.

At so point, dark circles deepen, eyes beco hollow, and hair turns coarse. Even rumors calling him a walking skull dont bother his emotions much anymore.

Sotis while sitting at the research desk waving the quill pen, the surroundings blur.

Is it that cursed nearsightedness again, or is it a sign to rest because of depleted stamina? He pondered, although the workload wasnt exceedingly harsh compared to normal tis.

Fragnts of old mories occasionally flood back into his mind.

He straightens his back, leaning against the chair, and runs a hand over his face. As always, he closes his eyes tightly.

Rembering Muris face any longer is pointless. Its nothing more than self-harm.

Then what should he paint over the darkness beneath his eyelids?

Theres nothing to draw. Its like a blank canvas before a novice painter.

Just as he was about to give up on filling in the gaping blankness, as vast as the sea, he opens his eyes to find Taelys party, with swords drawn, facing him.

Ed descends from the balcony. Having just reviewed the overall situation all the way back to Tricks Hall, he is considering returning to the underground waterways. He didnt want to leave the scene of the incident until the very end.

As Ed steps down from the balcony, Lucy hops down after him, clasps his sleeve tightly, waddling along.

When Ed asks if theres sothing wrong, Lucy shakes her head a couple of tis and insists on going together.

Together, they descend the stairs from the rooftop of Tricks Hall.

Taelys sword cuts through the air on the rooftop of the mana tower.

Before it reaches Glast, a protective magic manifests, blocking the swords advance. With a clanging sound, Taelys sword is deflected.

But then Zix, with knuckledusters equipped, throws a punch along Glasts path, accompanied by strengthened wind magic. However, even this was anticipated by Professor Glast, who manages to manifest a high-tier Holy Mana spell Ti Prison.

Ensnared, Zix is rendered immobile. Following the successive Ti Prison, both Elvira and Adelle are also subdued.

Taely counters the incoming assault with a Blade Saint technique, while Clevius remained safe outside the lee range. Nonetheless, more than half of their combined power had been neutralized.

Despite this, Taelys eyes are still ablaze with fighting spirit. Even the cowardly Clevius gets inspired by those eyes, and, with trembling hands, he enters the fray.

Professor Glast dodges the slashes from the two warriors, constantly creating distance between them. And then he begins to draw out one magical artifact after another.

Ed, having reached the first floor of Tricks Hall, confirms that the situation is mostly under control.

The chaos is subsiding, and the expressions of the stumbling students seem to have relaxed.

Lucy, clutching his sleeve, crosses the first-floor corridor with Ed.

Fragnts of mana golems are scattered everywhere

the aftermath of Taelys combat.

The lead researcher lveric, who fought against him, is unreachable, unconscious.

The student body president Veros, who attempted to confront the rampaging Taely in the corner, takes a break as well. Taely, angry over the kidnapping of Aila, must have been filled with rage. Even Veros couldnt stop him.

Ed consoles Veros, whose term is almost over, for the hard work. Veros shakes his head, revealing that as the student body president, his attempt to stop Taely was rely a part of his duty. He fully understands Taelys unilateral actions.

With the second sester nearly over, theyll get busier with the holidays, and after the next student council presidential election, it will be ti to start preparing for graduation. Smiling bitterly, Veros reminisces about his term, considering whether he achieved anything significant other than being caught up and led by situations he encountered. Then he looks up at the night sky through the broken ceiling.

Clevius lands a solid hit on Professor Glasts shouldera significant but not deep wound. Glast furrows his brow and activates Shock Enhanced Pulse Sphere.

Pushed back by the shock, Clevius nearly falls out of the mana tower but is caught by Taely. Clevius, terrified, couldnt help but overreact.

Glast, having put so distance between them, tends to his shoulder wound. Clumsily tying up the bloody robes, he starts chanting basic elental spells to thwart the advancing lee fighters.

The spells that required focused effort for inexperienced students were effortlessly cast in rapid succession by the seasoned Professor Glast.

Facing only two lee warriors proved a challenge. However, Taely bravely charges through the barrage of elental spells.

Striding through the underground teachers quarters towards the entrance of the waterways, Ed and Lucy encounter Lortelle from the residential complex.

Asking Lortelle how he dealt with King Elte, he explains that for the ti being, hes locked him up in the rcantile unions guest room.

After all, as ti passes, Elte will lose all his power and privileges. As long as hes contained, there shouldnt be any further issues. The upper hand has already switched sides; theres no more trickery possible.

Ed questions if Lortelle doesnt feel conflicted about imprisoning his father once, to which Lortelle shakes his head.

And then Lortelle reveals that the very notion of loss is nothing but a deception for her.

To have lost implies that one has once held sothing precious.

Lortelle admits to never having had a family or even a friendly relation that could appreciate genuine interaction.

Even loss is a privilege of those who have owned sothing. With that thought, Lortelle and Ed look up at the mana tower together.

The light emanating from the mana tower solemnly wraps around the academy.

Professor Glast unleashes a new Holy Mana, filling the rooftop of the mana tower.

High-tier Holy Mana spell Ti Acceleration.

In an instant, the mana coursing through Professor Glasts veins surges, and his movents beco unbelievably fast.

His actions were slow and ungainly, yet his speed was inexplicably quick, as if Glasts ti was being fast-forwarded.

Even the basic spells were cast too quickly to overco, let alone withstand.

Taelys hair bleaches white as his determination surges, his eyes glowing with a fiery crimson.

Awakened Taely pierces through the basic spells, shrinking the distance.

Startled by Taelys accelerated pace, Glast quickly retrieves and activates the Shock Enhanced Pulse Sphere again, but Blade Saint Taely cuts right through it.

Glast, forced to give ground, suffers a slash to his flank. Blood flows, and agony peaks.

Professor Glasts pupils shake violently, with noticeable instability in his mana reaction.

But Glasts wind blade cuts effectively, hitting Taely.

Injured in the abdon, Taely falls, but again rises, bleeding, driven by the noble resolve to save Aila.

Weakness eventually creeps into the faltering Holy Mana. Elvira breaks through the montarily weakened Ti Prison.

Elvira quickly grasps the situation and begins throwing explosive concoctions. Hope returns to Taelys party with the newly gained ranged support.

Professor Glast hastily begins chanting a new Holy Mana spell Miniature Ti Reversal.

Ed, Lucy, and Lortelle walk side by side, reaching the entrance to the underground waterways.

Theyre debating whether to check inside when Dorothy, the lead alchemist and third-year student, ascends from the entrance, now recovered.

Ed politely asks if shes feeling alright. Dorothy complains about her severe headache and dizziness, sharing the terrifying confrontation with Yenika vividly.

Ed listens quietly, not sure what to say. Dorothy looks up, observing the mana towers filling the sky, and cautiously ntions that shes unsure about Professor Glasts plan. Nevertheless, to her, hes a treasured ntor who acknowledged her potential.

Feeling sowhat distant as if he was always looking faraway, she still would choose Glast as the top teacher shes t at Sylvania.

Hearing Dorothys words, Ed understands why she took part in these plans. Despite everyone bad-mouthing the seemingly ill-tempered Glast, he had played his role diligently as a ntor to soone.

Professor Glasts wounds heal in an instant, and the ominous red mana enveloping the sky intensifies.

Miniature Ti Reversal magically rewinds the injuries on his own body, making them as though they never existed.

Witnessing the full-out magic exertion, Taely, Elvira, and Clevius can only widen their eyes. The power of Holy Mana magic, defying causality, montarily undermines Taelys resolve.

But defeat is not an option. As long as Ailas life is in peril, Taely will never give up. From a life filled only with harsh trials, only Taely knows the magnitude of Ailas significance.

The unfolded Blade Saint techniques advance to a second phase, each move engrained in Taelys mind.

But Professor Glast is no easy opponent.

The extensively researched Holy Mana magic of Professor Glast envelops Taely and his compatriots. High-tier Holy Mana spell Nightmare Imprint, impervious even to Taelys Blade Saint technique.

Taely montarily loses consciousness, and sinks into the mire of nightmares.

The party led by Taely plunged into an illusion, facing death hundreds of tis over.

Stabbed, sliced, wounded, they repeated these hallucinations until their minds nearly shattered.

Though it seed but a mont in ti, it was a trial so intense ones heart could break hundreds of tis.

Nevertheless, Taely, Clevius, and Elvira shattered the illusion in an instant.

While Clevius retched and Elvira stread with tears and snot, Taely gritted her teeth and charged once more at Professor Glast.

However, her weakened body was unable to penetrate Glasts defenses. The lesser spirits summoned by Professor Glast rose in unison, bombarding Taely with elental magic.

Despite nurous attempts at sword strikes to break through, Taely was eventually brought down in a battered state without reaching the professor.

As Professor Glast prepared to deliver the final strike, a spear of ice burst through his abdon.

Zix had shattered the ti prison during Taelys battle, using the disruption in Glasts celestial magic to his advantage.

Without hesitation, he cast a mid-tier Frost magic spell Ice Spear.

Though it was sowhat crude in execution compared to the ice magic specialist Lortelle, it was sufficient to subdue the professor in an ergency.

Blood splattered from Glasts mouth, a critical injury.

Yet, ti magic, invoked at the expense of his lifespan, started to reverse his wounds.

After Dorothy left, Ed and Lortelle decided against entering the underground waterways, suspecting instability due to continuous earthquakes.

Ed lanted over leaving his magic engineering supplies and formulas at the Soul Library, but valued his life too much to risk entering.

Content to observe the situation from afar, Yenika erged from the forest.

Confirming that the Elte rcenaries had retreated without incident, she returned later than expected, possibly having made a detour.

Asked by Ed where she had been, she ntioned wanting to verify sothing important.

Yenika recounted what Tarkan had told her after the Ophelius Tower seizure incident:

Co to think of it, Ive detected strange magical energy on the outskirts of the northern forest. I should check it out when I have ti.

Since it becos more active at night, it seems to be related to celestial magic. rilda will determine the exact location.

Convinced that it was associated with celestial magic, she felt compelled to investigate personally. No Magic Towers had manifested deep within the northern forest.

Was the engraved magic circle intended for so other purpose? Yenika was too intrigued to ignore it.

She asked if Ed would join her, and he, equally curious, nodded in agreent.

As they prepared to depart, a rustling in the bushes and a startled squeak revealed Assistant Professor Claire Elfin huddled alone, clinging to her knees.

Injuries might heal, but pain is not so easily forgotten.

The pain of being stabbed lingered in Glasts mind, his spirits shaken.

He pushed the forbidden magic to its limits, his eyes bloodshot, his pale complexion ashen.

Enhanced claw hands, Shockwave Orbs, Abyssal Call, Ignition, Wind Blades, Enfright, Demon Contagion, Ti Acceleration, Basic Elental Magic, Short-Range Spatial Movent, Anti-Gravity, Cleansing Winds, Demon Golem Summoning, Explosion, Demonic Tribe Release, Spatial Freeze, Disaster Elixir, Night Butterfly Elixir, Smoke Cloud Elixir, Steel Rock Elixir.

Using every form of magic engineering equipnt, elental, summoning, spatial, interference, and curse magics, as well as alchemical elixirs, he dominated the battlefield. Even with ample space at the top of the Magic Tower, nowhere was safe.

Taelys party began to turn the tide of battle. Despite impending defeat, Taely remained undeterred.

His fierce willpower shone brightly, driven by his unwavering desire to rescue Aila. No one could help but admire such determination.

With Taely leading, the punitive force broke through Glasts obstructions.

Dodging, neutralizing, and enduring, the close-combat warriors slowly inflicted wounds on the professor.

Avoiding, distancing, defending, but Glast was naturally weaker up close.

Blood sprayed from his shoulder again, a dagger grazed his collarbone, and magic pierced his thigh.

Despite this, he overcharged the forbidden magic once more, rewinding ti on his body. Even though the lethal wounds kept coming, he refused to fall.

Despite feeling like hitting a robust wall with bare fists, Taely and his party didnt despair or give up.

Defeat was not an option. They would not succumb to pain. They would not cave to adversity.

This was the path of heroes.

Finally, Adelle, known as Romanticist Adelle, shattered the remaining Ti Prison and joined the battlefield.

Seeing Yenikas face, an alard Claire began apologizing profusely for sothing she seed to have deeply feared.

Not wanting to be outdone, Yenika awkwardly bowed her head, apologizing in return, though her relief did not diminish her discomfort.

When Ed asked Claire why she was there, she explained she fled the waterways due to the peril. Observing the bruised skin, ruffled hair, and bloodshot eyes, Ed nearly asked if Yenikas terror prompted her tears, only to find streaks already drying.

After a flustered response, Claire admitted her tears and recounted her arduous years under Glasts tutelage at Sylvania.

Professor Glast hes just an utterly detestable person. A stubborn old bigot, spiteful, with a skull-like face, offloading his work, arrogant, dogmatic, prone to lecturing, brash, and critical Soone you simply could not like.

Despite her intuitions and keen discernnt, she still regarded him as the epito of a scholar amid the people she t at Sylvania.

With Adelles support, excelling in purification and bolstering allies, the battle shifted further. Despite repeated lethal injuries, Glast kept rising, unblinkingly, his blood-soaked robe tied tightly.

Though Taelys injuries were severe, he lacked the ability to rewind ti.

His blood-soaked condition didnt prevent him from hoisting his sword anew. Despite the ntal strain, his will could not be broken. It was as if he had surpassed human limits, becoming nearly zombie-like from sheer determination.

Glast deflected Clevius sword strike and repelled him with a wave magic. Elviras basic magic struck his abdon, but he resisted with a ki shout, summoning celestial power.

However, Zix wind magic struck from behind. While so attacks were parried, injuries were inevitable; his shoulder was pierced again.

Taely unleashed a gust with her sword to clear the obscured vision after a smoke elixir was broken. Attempts to blast Taely away failed when Adelles interference magic temporarily disabled the magical circuits of Glasts equipnt.

Despite trying to counter with basic magic, Glasts abdon was already pierced by Taelys sword.

Gargh.

Glast spat blood once more, staggering. Yet, he invoked celestial magic again.

His bodys ti would not reverse further.

The overburden of magic refused any further miracles.

Ah, kerh.

Taely withdrew his sword and struck again.

Glast failed to block.

Perhaps he anticipated his wounds would heal, and battle would continue, but the last fatal blow was irreversible.

Losing blood, Glast stumbled backward.

Uh, huh.

Taelys party remained on guard, in case it was an act. They readied for additional strikes if needed.

But all spells Glast had cast were undone, and the summoned spirits watching their rear were soon unsummoned and disappeared.

Kr, hoo

A hissing breath left Glasts mouth amongst the blood. He stumbled to the towers edge, the night wind tickling his bloodstained cheeks.

The Magic Tower, now devoid of magical flux, began vibrating subtlysigns of impending collapse.

At last, Glast uttered a self-mocking laugh.

So, youve won.

He closed his eyes then opened them to the sky, arms wide, embracing the star-filled night. Although only the cold air filled his grasp, a smile remained.

This feeling certainly stemd from self-mockery.

Ultimately, his final thought was singular and as anticipated.

I miss you Muri

Was it a last will or lingering attachnt?

As he exhausted his residual magic, his bodys strength waned.

Behind him lay an abyss.

Amongst the chilly air, Glasts body floated montarily.