"Don't get in my way!" Yuleng shouted, pushing aside whoever was blocking the hallway where her friend Minona and the trio were.
News had spread of the four of them going missing after being sent by Vice Principal Oscord to safely escort Yaw-Yan back to his home.
After completing their mission, the group suddenly found themselves in a dire situation.
Apparently, Minona and the trio ended up caught in the chaos caused by a massive explosion that tore through the forest behind Silao Grande's estate. What followed was the awakening of a mountain-sized beast—one that clearly did not appreciate being disturbed.
Based on the trajectory of the rampaging creature, all signs point to the Lincad Ark being responsible for the explosion.
"MINONA! Are you guys okay!? I saw what happened out there—what happened to these two?" Yuleng's voice was filled with concern as she rushed to her friend. In response, Minona told her everything that had happened during their journey back to Lincad Ark.
She explained how they encountered Ruges on their way back, how he began to boil with rage and anger, eventually spouting incoherent words.
Yuleng's eyes flashed with killing intent when she heard how Minona had nearly been caught in the blast of the Alcamana bomb Ruges had hidden inside him.
The surrounding students, who also heard Minona's story about Ruges and how the encounter triggered the turmoil, were filled with anger. They silently vowed to destroy any Heretics they encountered in the future for endangering not only themselves but everyone around them.
Their thoughts were suddenly cut short as the entire Ark trembled violently, throwing everyone off their feet.
"This is no time to stand around! Someone help me bring these four to the medical lab!" Yuleng yelled, helping Minona up and supporting her as they hurried toward the medical wing.
Minona and the trio made a full recovery, thanks to the high-quality healing potion administered by the Lincad medical staff. Its effects were strong enough that they could walk again. Without wasting time, the group quickly ran to the bridge, where many of their classmates had already gathered.
Every student stood there, their eyes filled with a mix of emotions—worry, fear, anxiety, and awe—all brought on by the godlike battle unfolding before them.
Watching the fight between their Vice Principal and the colossal beast was both thrilling and terrifying for the students.
They all knew just how dangerous the situation was. The possible fall of the academy's second-strongest individual could easily spell their own doom. If Vice Principal Oscord were to fall to Silao Grande, nothing would stop the mountain-sized monster from annihilating the Lincad Ark—and everyone on it.
Still, they couldn't tear their eyes away from the battle between two beings operating on a completely different level of power. While some students trembled in their shoes as they watched the grueling fight, others took the opportunity to learn—studying the movements of someone who had reached an incredible height of strength, clashing with a beast of equal power.
Yet even with all their awe and curiosity, none of them could forget the chilling truth:
Their fate rested in the hands of whoever emerged victorious from this battle.
Everyone quickly grabbed onto something to avoid being thrown to the floor. Sounds of yelling, whimpering, and grunting echoed throughout the bridge as another massive shockwave strayed from the battlefield and struck the floating Ark, causing it to shake violently.
"Sir, we still need five to ten minutes to fully reignite the Beast Core Furnace, sir!"
Many students overheard the exchange between the captain and his panicking crew, and their faces paled in horror. That meant they were sitting ducks for at least five more minutes—if not longer—until the Ark was ready to depart. Judging by the destruction around them, they might not have that much time.
The captain clicked his tongue in frustration upon hearing the estimated time. The Lincad Ark was an older model that still used a traditional Beast Core Furnace as its engine. Unlike the newer models, which could start instantly, this one needed to build up a certain level of energy before it could sail through the Endless Flow.
He mentally slapped himself for not having the foresight to begin the reignition process earlier that morning. Now, all he could do was sit and pray that his shortsightedness wouldn't be the cause of death for all the children aboard his Ark.
Everyone shrieked in horror as Vice Principal Oscord was sent flying into the side of a mountain, leaving a permanent curve carved into its surface from the impact. Silao Grande had managed to land a solid blow on his opponent.
"W-We're dead…" one of the students muttered, collapsing to the ground in fear as Silao Grande turned its monstrous head toward the Lincad Ark.
KRAKOOOOM!
GRAAAAAIKNR!
The students clutched their ears as a deafening crack of lightning struck Silao Grande square in the face. The mountain-sized beast let out a shriek of pain, the force of the blast sending a powerful gust of wind across the mountainside, shattering its upper half and kicking up a massive dust storm that reduced visibility all around.
Through the swirling dust, the silhouette of Vice Principal Oscord slowly emerged, floating in midair. The upper half of his attire had been completely obliterated by the earlier attack, exposing his well-defined torso to the open air.
Oscord muttered curses under his breath and spat blood from his mouth. His body was reaching its limit—this fight was becoming unbearable. He couldn't afford to keep this up much longer. But he had to. He needed to buy time until the Lincad Ark's engines roared to life and carried the students to safety through the Endless Flow.
Tightening his grip on his core weapon, Vice Principal Oscord surged forward, his entire body enveloped in crackling lightning. As he closed the distance, Silao Grande let out a thunderous roar of its own, bracing for the next clash between titans.
While the battle between the two monstrous beings raged on, Minona stared in the direction of Yaw-Yan's tribal settlement. Her eyes shimmered with worry and fear for him. This entire calamity would undoubtedly bring hardship to him and his people—and that was assuming Silao Grande wouldn't go after every human in Manaland once this was over. She bit her lip. She wanted to jump down and find him, but she knew that doing so would only worsen their already dire situation.
Suddenly, she felt a gentle squeeze on her hand. She looked to her side and saw Amika, who was also staring in the same direction.
"He's gonna be okay. That's Yaw-Yan we're talking about. That guy can survive anything thrown at him," Amika muttered softly. Whether the words were meant to comfort Minona or herself was unclear.
Minona nodded at the smaller girl and gently squeezed Amika's hand back in reassurance.
"WE'RE GOOD TO GO! EVERYONE STEP BACK TO THE BRIDGE—WE'RE KICKSTARTING THE LINCAD ARK!"
Upon hearing this, many students let out a sigh of relief. They were more than willing to leave this land—and the furious, mountain-sized beast—behind.
When the familiar hum of the engine vibrated through the Lincad Ark, cheers erupted among the students. The Ark let out a roaring blast from every one of its exhausts, signaling its long-awaited departure.
As the Lincad Ark began to rise steadily, its engines roaring louder with each passing second, the students clung to the railings, eyes still locked on the battlefield below. The swirling dust storm made it nearly impossible to see clearly, but occasional flashes of lightning from Oscord's strikes illuminated glimpses of the ongoing clash between the Vice Principal and the Silao Grande.
"Yaw-yan please be safe, let's don't break your promised to me." Minona whispered under her breath, gripping the railing tightly. Her knuckles turned white, her body trembling with a mix of hope and helplessness.
Then, the clouds parted just enough to reveal it—Oscord, now moving like a bolt of divine fury, clashed midair with the titanic beast. Lightning surged from his form, coating the sky in electric veins that arced toward the ground and exploded on contact.
Silao Grande howled in pain once more, swiping at Oscord with horn large enough to tear mountains in half. But the Vice Principal danced through the air, his speed barely visible to the untrained eye, countering each attack with calculated precision.
The Ark rumbled again, this time rising higher as the furnace pushed its power to the limit.
"We're gaining altitude!" the captain yelled from the command center. "Maintain stability—do NOT let the Ark tilt. We're almost in the clear!"
Back on the bridge, students watched with bated breath. A few had tears in their eyes, overwhelmed by the sight of their guardian fighting like a god to protect them.
"Vice Principal Oscord…" one of them muttered, voice shaky with awe. "He's… he's actually pushing that monster back."
"No," said another, voice filled with realization. "He's not trying to win. He's stalling. Giving us time to escape."
And they were right. Oscord knew he couldn't defeat Silao Grande alone—not with how much his body had already endured. His mission now was simple:
Buy time.
Even if it cost him everything.
End of chapter 21