Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 87 - 86- Ambush(3)

"We’re losing soldiers!"

An Acolyte burst through the treeline, panting hard as he reached the clearing where Commander Dante stood.

Dante’s gaze snapped upward, just in time to see the great winged beast crash down, its body torn apart mid-air by a serpent of flame that coiled and exploded like a vengeful spirit.

The sky itself seemed to shudder.

Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

They were supposed to catch the academy off guard. Yet every step, every move they made, was being countered, like someone had written the battle before it even began.

His jaw tightened. There’s a mole. There had to be. No other way they could be this ready.

"Forget it!" he snarled. "Send out Kerberus. Now."

The men behind him moved instantly, stepping into formation. Three figures with heavy cloaks raised their staffs—each one different, topped with strange ornaments that pulsed with dark light.

Dante turned. "What about the Wardens?"

"Two are gravely injured. The other two are still holding the eastern wall," the Acolyte replied quickly, blood staining the hem of his robes.

"Tch. Useless bastards." Dante’s hand curled into a fist. He had warned them: sending Adepts into a fight against high-class Wardens was madness. But the council wanted results. And if he didn’t act, someone else would have taken this mission—and the Staff.

He couldn’t let that happen. The Staff belonged to them. To him. It was the key to restoring his Lord’s power.

He took a breath, steadying his rage.

"Kill every last one before I get there."

The Acolyte gave a sharp nod and vanished into the forest.

The sky rumbled. The ground felt tense, as if waiting for something worse.

Dante stared toward the distant academy, eyes narrowed like a blade drawn half from its sheath.

"Let’s see how long you last," he muttered. "This is far from over."

....

Meanwhile, the three magicians who had stepped forward struck their staffs into the ground with a dull thud.

The soil trembled.

From the cracks, a thick, red, gooey substance began to ooze out, writhing and bubbling like living magma. The very air around it grew hotter by the second. Even the trees seemed to lean away from it, as if sensing something unnatural.

Ariana’s eyes narrowed. Her grip on the axe tightened.

Then, the molten mass hissed—and from it, something emerged.

The lava receded like a curtain, revealing a towering monster of nightmares.

Twenty feet tall.

Three snarling heads.

Black, matted fur, soaked in soot.

Flaming red chains clinked around its neck, some half-buried in its flesh.

It stood like a living curse, its eyes glowing like forge fire, and its very presence made the earth feel heavier. The aura it released pushed down on everything—it made breathing a conscious effort.

But Ariana didn’t step back.

Her silver hair flowed in the heat, her stance low, her axe raised. She didn’t flinch. Not for this.

"GROOOF!!"

The hellhound lunged.

Its three heads opened wide, teeth like jagged rocks, dripping with molten saliva. The ground cracked under its massive paws as it closed the distance in a heartbeat.

Ariana moved, sliding past the snapping jaws.

The heat scorched her cheek. She didn’t care.

With a sharp twist of her body, she brought the axe low and swung, aiming cleanly for the creature’s front leg. A single, brutal stroke meant to cripple.

Steel met fury.

But—

GHUNG

Ariana’s axe sank deep into the beast’s leg, tearing through fur and flesh—but it stopped with a jolt. She felt the resistance, the jarring feedback in her arms. It hadn’t cut through bone.

The hellhound’s muscles flexed.

GRRRR

One of its heads twisted to look down at her, its glowing crimson eyes filled with unfiltered hatred. It bared its teeth, breathing hot, sulfur-laced air onto her.

Ariana gritted her teeth, backing away with a sharp step. Her grip tightened, sweat tracing her jawline.

This wouldn’t end quickly.

She was in for a war.

Across the field—

Adrian’s eyes flicked toward the trio of summoners behind the beast. He raised his revolver, sliding a glowing bullet into the chamber with a swift motion.

His focus was locked on the one to the right.

Click.

He aimed.

Pulled the trigger.

DHWAK!

The bullet zipped through the air, but the Acolyte was quick, striking his staff against the ground.

A shimmering barrier formed, swallowing the golden round.

He smirked. "Pathetic."

But Adrian? He grinned wider.

"Predictable."

FSSSHH—

The golden bullet vanished into a miniature portal midair, right before impact.

"Wha—?" the Acolyte blinked, confused.

THWOP!

The golden round reappeared behind him.

Striking the base of his skull with a heavy crack.

DHAK!

He collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Denis!" the second Acolyte yelled, eyes wide.

But the third didn’t hesitate—rage took hold. He pointed his staff at Adrian, and the gem atop it flared.

From thin air, dozens of winged imps tore into existence—two-winged creatures with jagged teeth and eyes glowing like cinders. They screeched and hurtled toward Adrian in a spiral of chaotic flight.

Too fast.

Too many.

Too erratic.

Adrian spun, trying to aim, but the creatures weaved and darted like hornets.

His finger hesitated on the trigger.

No clear shot.

He narrowed his eyes. "Tch... clever bastard."

The swarmed towards him, fangs bared.

"Stay steady!" Adrian barked, swinging wildly at the darting devils. But his fists met nothing—just air. They were too fast. Too erratic. free𝑤ebnovel.com

"Professor!" Allen shouted.

Adrian turned—and too late.

One of the winged devils slammed into his shoulder, fangs sinking deep into flesh.

"Guh—!" Adrian staggered, his face twisting in pain.

He didn’t hesitate. He shoved the barrel of his revolver against the creature’s temple and pulled the trigger.

BOOOOOOM

The devil exploded into a mess of black blood and shredded wings, splattering the stones.

Adrian dropped to one knee, clutching his shoulder, blood soaking through his shirt. He pulled out the only potion he had and popped the seal with his teeth.

Around him, the other devils hissed, hovering low, circling like vultures.

Allen wanted to help, but he was preoccupied with the creatures who had entered the ground earlier, with instructor Roman beside him

Adrian poured the potion directly onto the wound, hissing as the liquid burned against torn flesh. His grip on the revolver tightened.

Twelve of them... maybe more. He couldn’t waste that many bullets.

SHAAAA!

Another one launched itself at him—too fast to dodge, too close to aim. Left with no choice, Adrian yanked his axe from the sling on his back, magic already rising up his arm.

But the spell never left his lips.

The creature... froze.

Midair, its wings shuddered violently, and then slowed—frost crawling from its chest to its jaw, locking joints in place. A heartbeat later—

CRACK.

Its body turned brittle, and gravity finished the job.

THUD.

A frozen corpse hit the ground beside Adrian’s boots, its once-writhing body now a broken sculpture of ice.

Not only that, the other imps also started to freeze as a cold blizzard swept towards them at a pace which was impossible to dodge.

*CRACKLE* *CRACKLE*

Slowly, each one of them started to fall and crumble.

Adrian looked up, blinking.

The only student other than Allen who couldn’t care less about her position in the academy has entered the battlefield.

While Allen’s motive to join the battle was for the sake of thrill, this one has a more concrete reason.

"Are you okay?" Elana asked, her voice colder than usual.

Adrian nodded before he turned towards Ariana, "She is struggling. Go help her."

Elana nodded before joining the battlefield.

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. This would end in the next Chapter.