“What are you trying to do?!”
Just as I was about to jump off the skyscraper rooftop straight into the battlefield, the Xuanwu Instructor grabbed my arm.
I gritted my teeth and struggled. “Instructor, the Bai Ze Communicator is malfunctioning. We have to immediately notify the Suzaku Students to retreat.”
“The Bai Ze Communicator isn’t malfunctioning. There’s an unknown cause for the delay, but we’ve already sent the updated intel to the front-line students.”
“This isn’t an opponent we first-year students can defeat, right?”
“Whether or not it is, we have to send out students now to attract Wuzhiqi’s attention, stop it from continuing to harm civilians and city infrastructure! And right now, only we can act here!”
“You’re going to act? You said before you wouldn’t intervene…”
“Of course,” the Xuanwu Instructor rolled her eyes again. “I’m not an idiot. I can tell the difference between routine classroom training and a guaranteed death mission.”
Phew, that’s a relief.
After saying that, the Xuanwu Instructor took a single step and leapt directly from the rooftop toward Wuzhiqi.
At this moment, Wuzhiqi was about to slap one of the students with a palm the size of a small mountain. Anyone struck by that wouldn’t die gracefully.
“Enough already. Don’t think just because your ancestor is a legendary spirit, the Academy won’t dare to touch you.”
Thud—
Though short in stature, the Instructor’s fist slammed into Wuzhiqi’s forehead like a heavy weight dropping, producing a deep, muffled boom. The surrounding air distorted violently from the shockwave.
“Seal!”
Countless incantations crawled over Wuzhiqi’s body from the point of impact, like chains attached to the skin, binding him tightly.
This slowed its movements considerably, and its body stopped growing larger.
“Hmph, you’re so arrogant…”
Slap!
Before the Instructor finished speaking, Wuzhiqi’s massive palm struck the spot where she had just been standing.
It rubbed its hand as if swatting a mosquito off its face; blood and tissue splattered through its fingers.
Damn, all of us were dumbstruck, our heads buzzing.
The Xuanwu Instructor…?
Gone?
At that instant, the gruesome scene froze all the students in place, their minds completely blank.
None of them had ever witnessed anything so intense.
Wuzhiqi removed its hand, and even where the Instructor had stood, there was no body—only a pile of torn clothes and bloodied tissue.
“Ugh—”
At least half the new students vomited on the spot.
Wuzhiqi paid no attention to what it had just done.
Its murderous gaze shifted to the Suzaku freshmen by the riverbank.
“Cluru!”
A shiver ran down my spine.
No, one Flash Step won’t be enough; I’d need three—but after three, I wouldn’t have enough time to create distance to escape.
My mind raced.
I need to move forward at least 300 meters first, then Flash Step, only then can I take Cluru and retreat safely from the battlefield.
I formed the hand seals: “Yujian Flight… Path! I still haven’t forged the sword!”
Even without a sword, I can fly, but it’s painfully slow!
Should I call out Qinglong directly?! But Qinglong’s might is basically ineffective against something like Wuzhiqi…
[Don’t panic, it’s been weakened.]
At that moment of hesitation, Cluru’s voice unexpectedly came through the communicator!
She rarely spoke, and almost never to anyone but me.
Yet now she was talking through the communicator.
I could tell she was trying to stay calm, though her voice trembled slightly—whether from social anxiety or the monstrous thing before her, I couldn’t say.
[I can keep up with its speed. This fight is still winnable.]
The Xuanwu Instructor’s final Seal was crucial! With one punch, she brought this water monkey down to a level the students could handle!
Whether in strength or speed, it had been drastically weakened and stopped its infinite growth.
I gritted my teeth and leapt from the rooftop, slowly gliding with Wind Command, speaking into the communicator:
“This is Yun Luo Xian. Attention all front-line Suzaku Students: the Xuanwu Instructor is temporarily unable to command. Until the Qinglong Analyst completes their analysis, follow my orders.”
“Everyone, spread out and maintain at least ten meters distance from each other!”
“Joanna, fly circles around Wuzhiqi’s head… you know those useless planes in Ultraman fighting little monsters? Think of yourself as that plane. Harass Wuzhiqi from range, but don’t get shot down.”
“Xinyue, withdraw from the combat zone. See if your bird can manage to spit out a Sticky Incendiary Bomb.”
“Cluru, fall back. You’re not suited to dealing with giant monsters.”
I knew this brief order was unfair.
Because I wasn’t sure what abilities Cluru had, or if she really wasn’t good at fighting large monsters.
I just wanted her to retreat; the words were just an excuse.
[The other Suzaku Students have lost morale and fighting ability. To test Wuzhiqi’s weaknesses, Cluru cannot leave.] Joanna said, flying in the sky.
That bastard…
Tonight I’m going to poke a hole in your Dragon Saddle Pad! And hide a Pin inside!
[I’m going underwater,] Cluru’s voice came through again. [Wuzhiqi’s state is strange, but everything seems normal above water. I suspect the Disaster Source is hidden below.]
“No! We have no idea what’s underwater!”
[Don’t worry,] Cluru smiled softly. [I’m invincible underwater, dummy.]
“…”
Invincible literally, or just exaggeration? I couldn’t tell.
But that “dummy” made my cheeks burn.
Damn, it’s like this girl saw right through me…
Cluru dove into the river with a perfect entry, graceful as ever.
Fortunately, by this time we were close enough that through the abdominal pattern on my body, a split-screen appeared in front of my eyes—Cluru’s perspective.
The problem was indeed underwater!
Through her view, I clearly saw the little parasites lodged on Wuzhiqi’s thigh.
Cicadas!
There were five large cicadas, their bodies nearly shriveled.
Their heads were buried in Wuzhiqi’s skin, able to suck blood at any time… yet they hadn’t drunk any.
Instead, they were vomiting their stomach contents back into Wuzhiqi’s body.
The Xuanwu Instructor’s incantations had sealed their mouths, preventing them from transferring blood into Wuzhiqi.
Now, their mouthparts bulged as if about to burst.
Glug—
Cluru flicked her tentacles, releasing several Water Blades that easily shattered the cicadas.
Of course, Cluru had prepared in advance, surrounding herself with Bubbles to prevent any filthy debris from touching her.
“Done.” She gave a scissors hand sign toward herself—I knew that was meant for me.
Done?
Maybe by eliminating the source of Wuzhiqi’s madness…
“Roar————!”
The moment all the cicadas were destroyed, Wuzhiqi raised its massive palm and slammed down fiercely toward Cluru’s watery domain!
The problem wasn’t solved—it only became more enraged!
That slap hitting the water, even if it missed, would produce such an abrupt pressure surge that everything underwater would be crushed to pieces!
“Flash Step!”
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