Chapter 177. Anomaly Versus Authority III

Succubi Chapter 177. Anomaly Versus Authority III

Outside, I vaguely heard someone scream something about structural integrity.

I pushed more mana into the formation.

The pulses intensified. The golden field wavered.

Instructor Elise stepped into the center of her own spell and slammed her palm downward.

A shockwave erupted from her body, blasting through the remaining orbs in a blinding cascade of light.

They exploded simultaneously.

The impact lifted both of us off our feet.

The barrier dome rippled like water hit by a meteor.

I hit the ground hard, rolled, came up on one knee.

Smoke everywhere.

Dust choking the air.

The sound of mana crackling like thunder trapped in glass.

My heart pounded.

This was insane.

I grinned.

A shape moved through the smoke.

She came straight through it.

Fast.

Multiple condensed spirals of mana launched toward me like rotating drills.

I didn’t dodge this time.

I planted.

“Telekinesis.”

[Telekinesis Activated]

The spirals froze mid air.

The strain hit instantly.

They were heavy.

Dense.

My teeth clenched.

Sweat prickled down my spine.

But I twisted my wrists…

And flung them sideways.

They crashed into the barrier in a cascade of detonations.

The dome groaned.

Outside, someone shouted, “This is not a spar anymore!”

I stepped forward through the smoke. “Death Wave!”

I slammed both palms forward.

A massive crescent of necrotic energy tore across the field, wide enough to swallow half the arena.

She responded instantly.

A sphere of radiant energy erupted from her body, expanding outward in a blinding dome.

AOE versus AOE.

The two waves collided mid air.

Black necrotic energy grinding against radiant force.

The impact sent a shockwave in every direction.

The barrier dome trembled so violently I thought it might shatter.

Light cracked through shadow.

Shadow devoured light.

For three full seconds, neither side gave.

My vision blurred from mana strain.

My muscles screamed.

[Pride Escalated - Output Efficiency Increased]

I pushed harder.

The wave thickened.

The necrotic edge sliced deeper into her field before finally exploding in a violent discharge that knocked both of us backward.

I hit the ground on my back.

Air left my lungs in a rough exhale.

For a second, all I saw was the sky through the shimmering dome.

Then I rolled to my side and stood.

My uniform jacket hung in tatters. The front torn open from the blast. Fabric shredded along my torso.

Abs exposed.

Arms streaked with soot.

My sleeves were gone entirely.

My tights…

Yeah.

Those were ruined.

Fabric clung to my thighs in ripped strips. The V shape of my hip bones visible above the waistband.

I straightened anyway.

Chin up.

Eyes sharp.

Breathing steady.

I didn’t cover anything.

Didn’t adjust.

I stood tall.

Because Pride doesn’t shrink.

Across from me, Instructor Elise’s uniform wasn’t intact either. Her sleeve torn. A long split down one side revealing skin dusted in ash. Hair slightly loosened from its tie.

She looked at me.

Really looked.

Not amused.

Not clinical.

Respect.

“We’ll stop here,” she said quietly.

I held her gaze.

Slow exhale.

The dome dissolved.

Fresh air rushed in.

And then…

“The fan service writes itself! Go Evan! Reveal more! I will give you money!”

Felix's voice.

I closed my eyes for half a second and let the chaos wash over me like background noise in a badly directed romance drama.

When I turned toward them fully...

Oh.

Oh no.

Adrian’s jaw was literally dropped. Not metaphorically. Physically hanging open like he had just witnessed a divine revelation instead of my shredded academy uniform. Kyra had one hand under her nose and was grinning like she’d just won the lottery. I was ninety percent sure she was exaggerating the nosebleed for aesthetic effect, but knowing her? Maybe not.

Around them, several Arcana girls had stopped mid spell.

Completely stopped.

No more casting.

No more focus.

Just staring.

And not subtle staring either.

That kind of gaze.

The “body like Valor, fights like Arcana, I want him as my boyfriend” gaze.

I could feel it.

It wasn’t even quiet about it.

It was loud.

Visible.

Heavy.

Normally? I should’ve felt embarrassed. Should’ve covered up. Should’ve blushed and made some self deprecating joke.

But instead…

Something rose up naturally.

A smirk curved onto my face before I consciously chose it.

I adjusted my posture slightly. Shoulders back. Chin lifted.

Abs still visible. Arms streaked with soot. Fabric hanging in strategically dramatic ruin.

“Ha…” I exhaled lightly. “Can’t be helped.”

I let my gaze sweep across them slowly.

“I hope this doesn’t break your concentration.”

There was half a second of stunned silence.

Then…

“Kyaaahhh!”

The cheer hit like a physical wave.

Someone clapped.

Felix actually tried to throw money at me. If he did, I would catch it.

Kyra fanned herself harder.

[External Admiration Detected]

Oh.

Oh that was dangerous.

My smile sharpened instinctively.

I felt taller.

Heavier.

Warmer.

The glow wasn’t hunger anymore.

It was spotlight.

I turned my head slightly toward Instructor Elise.

She was standing a few steps away, pen in hand.

Writing.

Deadpanned.

Not clapping.

Not cheering.

Writing.

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

She muttered just loud enough for me to catch it.

“The subject seems to have narcissistic tendencies.”

I froze. “…Hey. I heard that.”

She didn’t look up.

“Observation only.”

I walked toward her.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Trying not to look like I was walking toward a teacher half shirtless and covered in battle damage.

She lifted her slate slightly out of reach as I got closer.

“No peeking,” she said flatly.

“Fine,” I said, folding my arms… well, what remained of my sleeves. “Then take responsibility.”

She finally looked at me fully.

“For what? …Are you pregnant?”

I stared at her.

“Excuse me?”

“You said take responsibility,” she replied calmly.

Somewhere behind me, Felix choked.

I gestured down at myself dramatically. “No. I mean this.” I tugged at the torn fabric. “I’m broke. I cannot afford to look like this for the rest of the day. I’m going to catch a cold.”

She looked me up and down slowly.

Not in a scandalous way.

In an assessing way.

And somehow that was worse.

“You seem fine,” she said.

“I am emotionally fine,” I corrected. “Financially? Ruined.”

She paused.

Then, very casually…

“I’ll file a combat damage exemption.”

I blinked.

“…Really?”

She nodded once.

“Exceptional performance. Justifiable damage.”

There it was again.

Recognition.

Not praise.

Not affection.

But acknowledgment.

My chest warmed despite myself.

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