Rohan was still waiting, observing the entrance. he kept his focus on the entrance even after hours had passed as the dimly lit sky slowly turned dark.
Even though the building did not make any sound or seem to have any activity, Rohan did not dare to enter just yet.
The last time he tried to leave the building, he had to fight a cultist who could cut through his armor. So naturally, Rohan was aware of the possibility of having to fight an even stronger opponent this time around.
By the time he realized midnight had passed, Rohan decided to make his move.
'I've waited long enough. I don't have the luxury to wait for days.'
With that thought, he slowly approached the entrance. Not long after, he found himself standing before it. There was no door or gate, just a dark tunnel that gave him a sense of unease just by looking at it.
After some hesitation, he cast "Lightbulb" and eventually entered the building.
After a while, he arrived at a vast hall, one he was quite familiar with.
He moved carefully, checking each chamber along the hall, but this time they were all empty.
Just as he was about to leave, a sudden sound of footsteps echoed from the tunnel leading to the cliff.
His eyes widened as he quickly steadied himself, readying for a fight.
Then he heard a familiar voice. "Rohan?"
He froze as the figure slowly emerged not far from him. It was someone he recognized instantly. His teacher.
"Teacher Ron?" Rohan asked with a hint of disbelief in his voice.
The blond man with glasses smiled warmly. "I'm glad you're alive."
As Ron drew closer, Rohan suddenly asked, "What are you doing in this place?"
Ron stopped a few steps away from Rohan and replied with a faint smile, "Rivia Academy sent me to investigate the missing students."
But the moment he finished speaking, five slashes tore across his back, cutting through cloth and flesh. The wounds, however, were not too deep.
Before asking the question, Rohan had already recited a Dragon Law:
Anyone who tells a lie shall be punished!
But as if the cuts meant nothing at all, Ron lunged forward and seized Rohan by the neck.
He tilted his head slightly, his expression calm, almost amused.
"Now… this is rather curious."
His grip tightened just a little.
"A Violet… should not be capable of cutting me."
He studied Rohan for a brief moment, as though examining something rare.
"So tell me… how does one advance to Blue with such… remarkable speed?"
His voice remained smooth, almost pleasant. "And more importantly… how did you manage to survive the sacrifice in the first place?"
But instead of getting an answer, Ron noticed a blue glove appear on Rohan's right hand.
It began to glow before a massive bolt of lightning descended from above.
BOOM!
As the grip loosened, Rohan managed to free himself and stepped back a few paces while coughing.
At that moment, he recited another law.
'Dragon Law.'
'Anyone who tries to harm me shall be punished!'
Immediately after Rohan completed his law, Ron suddenly appeared in front of him and drove a punch into his stomach, sending him down to his knees with a heavy thud as he clutched his abdomen.
At the same time, another set of cuts appeared on Ron's back. But once again, Ron ignored the punishment.
"You've grown… stronger, Rohan. I must admit, I did not expect a talentless student to progress quite so quickly."
"Now that does make a man curious. So tell me… what is your secret?"
His smile widened just a fraction.
"Be honest with me… and I may yet be persuaded to spare your life."
After a moment, Rohan pushed himself back to his feet and looked at Ron.
Letting out a slow breath, he said, "There's something I've been meaning to ask… that day, why did you give me an F on my math test? I should have gotten at least a C."
At Rohan's question, Ron let out a soft laugh, the sound calm and faintly amused.
"Well now… I must confess, I did not realize you possessed such nerve, Rohan."
He regarded him with a pleasant expression, almost indulgent.
"But very well… seeing as you are my dear student, I suppose I can indulge you with the truth."
"The reason is quite simple. I gave you an F… because you failed to greet me."
For a brief moment, silence filled the hall before Rohan let out a scoff. "Yeah, figures. I just needed to hear it from you."
Suddenly, armor appeared over his body, completely covering him from head to toe in a split second.
"I've been wanting to smash your head into the ground ever since you gave me an F just because I forgot to greet you!"
He then snapped his fingers twice, and two bolts of lightning crashed down above Ron, far more powerful than before.
BOOM! BOOM!
But even after the two consecutive lightning strikes, Rohan had already prepared for the worst.
And just as he expected, his prediction proved true as he saw a pitch black armor enveloping Ron's entire body.
Rohan frowned, 'Is that a protective spell? But when did he casted it?'
Still smiling, Ron let out a soft chuckle.
"Well now… I do believe I understand. You must be the one who killed Bruce."
He tilted his head slightly, as if considering the thought.
"That little display just now… yes, it was more than sufficient to dispose of an Indigo such as him."
"How very… impressive."
By the time Ron finished speaking, Rohan had already recited a new law.
'Dragon Law.'
'Anyone who tries to attack me shall be punished!'
This time, he fueled it with the armor's Azure soul essence. But he had no choice but to alter the wording, as the ring would not allow the same law to be used twice in quick succession, And each law could only deliver one punishment for each target. So he replaced "harm" with "attack."
Without further delay, Rohan snapped his finger three times in a row.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
'I only have eight strikes left…' Rohan thought as unease creeping in. He knew he had to find a way to damage Ron before he ran out of lightning.
Before the thick dust from the strikes could settle, he heard a spell being cast from Ron's direction.
"Azure Shadow Spell: Shadow Spear!"
At the same moment, another set of cuts appeared on Ron's back. But this time, the wounds were much deeper than before.
And a split second later, Rohan snapped his fingers.
BOOM!
Before the pitch black spear could pierce his body, a bolt of lightning struck it down.
'Seven left… Think. How can I win this fight? Should I use the Divine Steel?'
"Azure Shadow Spell: Chain of the Shadowrealm!"
Pitch black chains shot forward and wrapped around his body, but in the next instant, Rohan snapped his finger again.
BOOM!
After he destroyed the chains, he quickly came up with a plan.
He dashed forward at full speed, rushing past Ron toward the tunnel that led to the cliff.
At that moment, a pitch black spear shot toward his legs at incredible speed, but his momentum threw off its aim, causing it to miss.
A sharp crash echoed behind him, and in that instant, Rohan realized something.
It has been confirmed, Ron could use silent incantation!
The realization unsettled him. Because not every mage was capable of that. Most could only perform silent incantation after reaching the Cyan level.
'No.... he's not quite there yet. But he's close. That's why he could not always use silent incantation and mixed it with loud incantation.'
Moments later, the tunnel opened up, revealing a starry sky above and pale moonlight spilling over the vast sea ahead.
Without a second thought, Rohan gathered his strength and leaped off the cliff, plunging toward the water below.
But moments after he jumped, while still in midair, three pitch black spears shot toward him. One pierced his left thigh, another struck his right shoulder from behind, while the third missed him completely.
Beneath his helmet, Rohan grimaced as he fell to the dark sea below.