NOVEL NEXT Chapter 121: Vic's strength
The two blades clashed with a deafening *clang*, the sound reverberating through the battlefield as Vic staggered backward, his body tilting before he managed to regain his footing.
But there was no time for recovery. A massive green energy beam crackled through the air, hurtling toward him with devastating force, while an earth spike erupted from the ground, racing toward his side with equal precision.
'He's distracted… now's my chance.'
Billy, observing from several meters away, decided to strike. His eyes narrowed as he twitched his fingers, manipulating the air around him. One of the goblin daggers, discarded during the earlier skirmish, began to rise. Floating silently, it adjusted its trajectory, aiming directly for the back of Vic's exposed neck.
With a flick of Billy's hand, the dagger zipped forward, slicing through the air with lethal speed. Its target was clear: Vic's unprotected back.
"VIC, WATCH OUT!"
Sebastian's voice shattered the tension, his urgent scream cutting through the chaos as his eyes tracked the dagger's deadly flight. Startled, Vic turned sharply, attempting to locate the threat, but his reaction came too late.
**STAB!**
Before Vic could fully process the danger, Zoey stepped between him and the oncoming blade. The dagger pierced her chest with sickening precision, the blade sinking deep. Zoey froze, her body stiffening as her mind processed the pain. Her gaze dropped, locking onto the hilt of the weapon embedded in her chest, blood pouring freely.
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For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Zoey swayed, her legs trembling before giving out entirely. She collapsed to the ground with a dull thud, her breath shallow and uneven.
"Zoey!" Vic's voice cracked with shock and anguish, his wide eyes fixated on her crumpled form. But the time to mourn was stolen from him.
The energy beam and earth spike were now mere moments away, hurtling toward him with unrelenting speed. Snapping back into focus, Vic stomped his foot into the ground with force. The earth obeyed his command, a solid wall erupting between him and the incoming attacks.
The beam slammed into the barrier, exploding in a flash of green light, while the spike splintered on impact, scattering shards of stone in every direction.
Vic didn't wait for the dust to settle. Lowering the wall with a swift motion, he lunged forward, his body a blur of motion. His right hand clenched into a fist, encased in an earthen gauntlet that crackled with raw power.
He closed the distance to the ice ability user in an instant. The boy, desperate, launched a shard of ice aimed directly at Vic's chest. But Vic was faster. Twisting his body with precision, he dodged the attack and retaliated with a devastating punch.
**BAM!**
The gauntlet connected with the boy's face, the impact producing a sickening crunch. The sheer force lifted the ice user off his feet, his body sailing through the air before crashing to the ground several meters away.
Vic's head snapped to the energy user, his fiery gaze locking onto the boy, who hesitated for a split second before raising his hand. A brilliant orb of light formed in his palm, surging forward as an energy beam aimed straight at Vic.
The beam tore through the air with such speed that even Billy, watching from the sidelines, struggled to track its movement.
Vic sidestepped the attack effortlessly, his movements fluid as he closed the gap between them. The energy user fired again, sending another barrage of beams in quick succession. Vic weaved through them, each motion calculated, his focus unyielding.
Finally, he reached the boy. Without giving him a chance to launch another attack, Vic swung his gauntlet with full force.
**BAM!**
The punch landed squarely, the boy's head snapping back as his body was hurled across the battlefield. He smashed into the side of a building, crumpling to the ground in a motionless heap.
Vic exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders as he surveyed the damage. His gaze settled on Billy, who stood rooted in place a few meters away, paralyzed by fear.
Gone was Billy's confident smirk. His once arrogant demeanor had melted into an expression of sheer terror. Watching Vic dismantle his allies with such ease left no room for doubt—Billy was completely outmatched.
Billy wasn't known as one of the academy's strongest students. While his Grade 4 telekinetic ability gave him some standing, it was often dismissed as underwhelming compared to other powers. His strength lay not in his ability, but in the alliances he had forged.
Surrounding himself with stronger students who worshipped him like a deity had inflated his ego. They carried him through every challenge, allowing him to strut through the academy with his head held high.
But now, his so-called disciples were incapacitated, defeated in less than ten minutes. With no one to protect him, Billy's confidence evaporated.
Vic began to advance, his footsteps deliberate and heavy, his fists clenched tightly as his rage simmered beneath the surface.
"You think you're untouchable, huh?" Vic's voice was low, almost a growl, as he closed the distance.
Billy instinctively backed away, his face pale. Desperation seeped into his voice as he spat, "Don't get cocky now! Who do you think you are?!"
He thrust his hand forward, summoning a wave of debris from the shattered building. The rocks shot toward Vic, spinning and twisting through the air.
Vic didn't even flinch. The rocks stopped inches from his body, dropping harmlessly to the ground as if weighed down by some invisible force.
"Throwing rocks at a Grade 4 earth user?" Vic scoffed coldly. "How pathetic can you be?"
Billy's eyes widened in panic, darting frantically around the battlefield in search of anything he could use as a weapon. But before he could act, Vic was already upon him.
**BAM!**
Vic's fist collided with Billy's face, the impact sending him flying backward. But Vic wasn't done. A wall materialized behind Billy, halting his retreat.
Vic crouched slightly, muscles coiled like a spring, before delivering a brutal uppercut. The force shattered Billy's jaw, lifting him into the air.
Billy's body arced downward, heading straight for the ground. Vic stomped his foot, conjuring a jagged podium beneath him. Billy hit the rough surface with a sickening crunch, his body crumpling as bones snapped under the impact.
Vic prepared to strike again, but his movement halted as a shadow fell over the battlefield.
A tall figure approached, his presence commanding. Golden, spiky hair gleamed under the sunlight, partially obscuring sharp, piercing eyes. The man moved with an unhurried confidence, his right hand tucked casually into his pocket.
He stopped a few feet away, surveying the scene with an expression that was both calm and cold.
"What the hell is going on here?" Klaus demanded, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. His gaze swept across the battlefield, lingering briefly on the fallen combatants before settling on Vic.