Volume 7 Chapter 37-2 It's A Mysterious Creature, So Of Course I Would Do That Much
"Is Braubelg afraid of ghosts?"
Leia, flashing a grin at the cuteness of the moment, stepped forward, unlocking the door visible at the top of the stairs.
──Clang
The sharp sound echoed, causing Liz and several other students to jump back, letting out involuntary shrieks. A thick, cold presence seeped from the beyond, making the air feel heavy.
The double doors creaked open, louder than the turning of the key. Behind them, a pitch-black abyss stretched out—impossible to see even an inch ahead.
Randy clicked his tongue as he noticed familiar figures floating in the dark.
"Instructor..."
"Ah, looks like a wraith."
Leia's words hit the students like a slap. If it was just a simple ghost, maybe they could handle it. But a wraith? Now that's a whole different level. For the second and third-year students, they might have seen one before, but for the first-years, this was a nightmare waiting to happen.
"Ellie, light it up," Randy ordered.
Ellie hesitated. "There's no choice."
A small flame ignited at the tip of her finger. It was just bright enough to push back the suffocating darkness without sending the dark Element fleeing.
Ellie's flame illuminated the vast, underground space. It was an old warehouse—barely recognizable.
"It used to be a warehouse," Leia muttered.
Randy nodded, then froze as something shifted in the back. A small, black humanoid figure writhed next to the wraiths.
"A Dark Element," he murmured. The creature seemed to rise from the ground, a familiar, almost prickling presence. Dark Elements typically emerged from the earth like this—much more frequently than from shadows.
The creature wore a hood that faintly glowed, almost like a tiny sorcerer.
"See that? They're coexisting," Randy said, pointing. The others squinted, unsure if it was true, but indeed, the wraiths and Dark Elements were in the same space, seemingly indifferent to each other.
"Why isn't the Element purifying the wraith if it's a messenger of the goddess?" someone asked.
Another voice responded, "It's because wraiths aren't evil like regular ghosts. They're thoughts, not spirits. They don't need purification."
"But wait," someone else cut in. "Ghosts can possess things, right?"
"Can they possess Elements?"
"Why not?"
"Because of their attributes..."
A brainstorm session unfolded, and Randy smiled. "Alright, let's get more people involved. The more brains, the better."
The students nodded in agreement. After a brief silence, Leia turned to Randy and asked, "What now?"
Leia's dilemma hung in the air: if they attacked the wraith, the Element would get upset. But they couldn't just ignore it.
"Let's think this through..." Randy murmured, looking back at the students. He glanced over at Luke. "If we team up, we can finish this easily. But, I'm not sure we should make it too easy."
He remembered what Lucius had told him: "Capture it, but make sure they understand the danger." It was like one of those warning signs—don't try this at home, but in the most dramatic way possible.
Of course, Lucius hadn't exactly meant to make the students feel terrified. He just wanted them to get the point: don't mess with this unless you know the risks.
Randy understood what Lucius meant, but his interpretation was... slightly different.
"Alright, anyone wanna try attacking the Element?"
The class went dead silent. Everyone's eyes widened. Gael and Elcia, however, almost in unison, raised their hands.
"Well, well. The dynamic duo," Randy smirked, beckoning them over. "Let's see what you got."
"Magic?"
"Uh, basic attack magic should be fine."
"I can help too."
The two hesitated, but Randy just gave them a nod. "Good. Let's throw everything you have at the Element group."
Leia whispered urgently to Randy, "Victor, this is insane!"
Randy waved her off. "Relax, we've done worse. It's fine."
Luke spoke up, raising an eyebrow. "I think we might want to be careful. That thing's a lot more dangerous than it looks."
"I don't see why we shouldn't. It's exactly what Lucius said—we need to understand the risk," Randy shot back.
Luke shrugged. "Fine, let's go for it."
The other students, if they were honest, would've been terrified of trying this. But Gael and Elcia were different. They were here with a mission—if things went south, they had orders to wreck the event if needed.
(If I get hurt...)
(If I'm the one to pay...)
They both thought the same thing: better them than someone else. With that thought in mind, they launched a powerful wave of magic at the Element group.
At the moment of impact, a ball of darkness condensed from the Element and shot back. At the same time, the wraiths turned their attention toward the students.
Just as everyone braced for impact, Randy's fist collided with the dark magic, smashing it out of the air. Meanwhile, Ellie and Liz raised protective barriers around everyone else.
"Alright, everyone. You should know by now—when you attack an Element, it fights back. Just like this."
Randy's fist struck again, knocking the magic back. He then turned to the class. "Ever wondered what 'teaching danger' really means?"
Before anyone could respond, Randy pointed up. "And here's the next lesson—watch closely."
As he spoke, the Elements started to merge together into a single force.
"Wait, are they merging?" Leia asked, eyes wide.
Her smile twisted as she glanced at Randy. "This... this can't be..."
"Impossible... Is that the Spirit King?"
Notes:
• Leia - An elf instructor specializing in magic theory. She is knowledgeable about magical creatures and will accompany Randy's group as a fieldwork security officer for elemental.
• Elcia - A serious girl with long brown hair tied in a bun, from the Baron Laurent family. She is a spy for Edgar's faction, motivated by her family's declining status after political shifts.
• Gael - A quiet boy with green curly hair, from the Viscount Ernest family. He is a spy for Dario's faction, acting due to his family's precarious position after the fall of the royal family.
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