Chapter 236: Selene’s Growth

Seris and Tedus clashed in the open courtyard near the academy boundary.

Lightning crackled across Seris’ gauntlets as she drove a sharp punch forward. Tedus twisted his torso just enough for the strike to skim past his ribs, his body already moving into a counterattack.

His fist, coated in dark corrupted mana, shot toward her jaw.

Seris leaned back, the blow grazing her cheek as sparks of electricity snapped across her armor.

They separated for a fraction of a second.

Then collided again.

Both were pure hand-to-hand fighters, their movements sharp and precise. Every step cracked stone beneath their boots as lightning and corrupted mana collided again and again.

Behind them—

Selene stood before the barrier, her wand moving steadily.

Runes formed one after another in the air, glowing orange as they pressed against the invisible wall. The barrier shimmered with each new rune, reacting to her magic.

She didn’t look away.

She couldn’t.

Tedus noticed.

While parrying Seris’ strike, he suddenly shouted:

“Soldiers!!!”

His voice echoed across the battlefield.

Moments later—

Dozens of hooded Vassel fighters rushed toward the barrier.

Jax groaned as he saw them.

“Man… just how many of these guys are there?!”

Ron stepped forward immediately.

“Lia, stay near the barrier and Selene.”

He pointed toward the approaching enemies.

“You’re the one going out of the barrier. If someone slips through us and reaches Selene, stop them.”

Lia nodded.

“I understand.”

Ron turned toward the incoming attackers.

“Let’s go.”

He and Maera launched themselves forward first.

Ron’s spear ignited with blue flames as he crashed into the front line of hooded fighters. Maera followed beside him like a feral storm, her clawed gauntlets ripping into the nearest enemy with brutal force.

Jax pulled his twin guns from their holsters.

“Drevin, you take the rear. I’m going in.”

Drevin nodded once.

He drew his bow and began firing.

Shadow arrows streaked through the battlefield, striking enemies who tried to flank Ron and Maera.

Jax dashed forward next, firing rapid bursts from both pistols. Mana bullets exploded against the attackers, knocking several back and clearing space for Ron to advance deeper into the group.

The courtyard turned chaotic again.

Steel clashed.

Mana exploded.

Flames and wind tore through the air.

One of the hooded attackers managed to slip through the fight.

He sprinted toward Selene, blade raised high.

Selene remained completely focused on the barrier, runes still forming under her wand.

The attacker lunged—

Swish.

A streak of green wind flashed past.

The hooded man froze.

For a moment his body didn’t move.

Then it split cleanly in half.

Lia lowered her sword slowly, sharp green wind swirling around the blade.

“Not happening.”

She stepped back beside Selene again, eyes scanning the battlefield for any other enemies breaking through.

Meanwhile—

Seris and Tedus continued fighting fiercely.

Tedus spun into a sweeping kick, forcing Seris to block with crossed gauntlets. The impact pushed her backward two steps before she drove forward again.

Lightning burst from her fists.

Tedus dodged the strike and slid sideways, corrupted mana rippling across his body like smoke.

He smirked slightly.

“Whatever you’re planning… I won’t let it happen.”

Seris didn’t respond.

She simply disappeared from his sight.

In the next instant—

She flashed forward and drove a lightning-charged punch toward his chest.

Tedus twisted aside, barely avoiding it.

.

.

.

Selene’s wand moved quickly through the air.

Rune after rune formed before her, glowing orange as they pressed against the invisible barrier. The symbols spread outward like cracks of light across glass.

Her breathing was steady, but sweat had begun to gather on her forehead.

“Almost there…” she muttered.

Behind her, the battlefield raged.

Jax fired another burst of mana bullets into a charging Vassel soldier before shouting toward her.

“Selene! Any chance we can speed this up?! I’d really appreciate joining the fight!”

Selene didn’t even look back.

“I’m trying!!”

Not far away, Tedus heard that exchange.

His eyes flickered toward the barrier.

That girl is opening it…

But they’re not escaping.

Only that other girl is standing near it.

They have a plan.

His gaze sharpened.

Then realization struck him.

Contact.

They’re trying to contact reinforcements.

They are trying to reach the chairman… vice-chairman.

His eyes widened.

“I see.”

Without another word, Tedus suddenly broke away from Seris.

He shot through the air toward Selene.

Seris reacted instantly.

“Not happening.”

Her leg flashed upward and smashed into Tedus’ side.

THUD.

He groaned. “Ugh—!”

But even while staggering from the impact, he thrust his hand forward.

A sphere of dark corrupted mana condensed instantly.

Then launched.

Straight toward Selene.

Ron, Jax, Maera, and Drevin all saw it at the same time.

Their eyes widened.

Jax reacted first.

He planted his feet and raised both pistols.

“Spellshooter’s Arsenal: Incinerate!”

Two blazing red mana pellets shot from his guns. They collided midair and erupted into a massive fireball that rushed toward the corrupted sphere.

The fireball struck it—

And was crushed instantly.

The corrupted mana devoured it like a candle flame.

Though its power dropped slightly, the attack continued forward.

“Damn it!”

Lia stepped in next.

“Wind Butterfly—Butterfly Slash!”

A compressed arc of pink wind shot forward, trailing glowing butterfly shapes.

The slash struck the sphere—

And shattered.

The corrupted energy pushed through it effortlessly.

Maera immediately stepped forward, placing herself directly in front of Selene.

Her red aura exploded outward as she raised both gauntlets.

“I’ll hold it!”

She shouted without looking back.

“Drevin! Take care of the minions for now!”

Drevin nodded and turned back toward the incoming Vassel soldiers.

Ron moved beside Maera.

Blue flames surged around his spear.

“Inferno Spear—Scorching Coil!”

He spun the weapon, creating a spiraling vortex of blazing fire to intercept the incoming attack.

Meanwhile—

Selene saw everything happening in front of her.

“…Shit.”

Her eyes widened slightly.

I won’t finish breaking the barrier before it hits.

Even if they block it… they’ll be thrown into me.

If that happens… the runes will collapse.

She clenched her jaw.

And then—

A memory surfaced.

Zane’s classroom.

The strange exercise.

Drawing two completely different shapes at the same time.

He was teaching Parallel thinking.

But he had never finished teaching it.

Because he had left for Valdoria.

Then after returning he disappeared after saving the world .

Selene exhaled slowly.

“I have to pull that off.”

She remembered Zane’s voice clearly.

“Imagine your mind as two rivers flowing side by side.”

“Both moving forward without disturbing the other.”

Two rivers…

Separate.

But flowing together.

Something click

Her mind split.

Her thoughts ran side by side.

One focused on the barrier.

The other began forming new runes.

Tranquil Veil activated on its own.

In her mind, two thoughts overlapped perfectly.

Is this parallel thinking…?

Thank you, Professor.

At that exact moment—

The corrupted sphere smashed into Ron and Maera’s defenses.

They gritted their teeth as the impact pushed them backward violently.

“Ghh—!”

The force launched them straight toward Selene.

They both realized the same thing.

Oh no—

They were going to crash into her.

But instead—

THUD.

They slammed into something solid.

An orange runic shield.

Ron blinked in disbelief.

Maera looked back in shock.

Selene stood behind them, smiling slightly while her wand continued drawing runes in the air.

“Parallel casting,” she said calmly.

“Rune Magic — 2nd Circle: Runic Shield.”

At that moment—

The final rune struck the barrier.

The invisible wall cracked.

A circular hole opened within it, glowing faint translucent blue.

Selene opened her eyes fully.

“Now, Lia!”

Lia didn’t hesitate.

She dashed forward immediately.

Her body slipped through the opening—

But just before she cleared it—

A small slash of corrupted mana struck her leg.

“Ah—!”

She stumbled slightly but forced herself forward.

Tedus stood in the distance, breathing heavily from the earlier clash with Seris.

He pointed toward the opening.

“After her!”

Three hooded Vassel soldiers immediately rushed through the hole after Lia.

And the barrier began closing behind them.

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