No More Pain For This Villain.

Adam looked at Falco, who for some reason had appeared out of nowhere, well before he was supposed to make his first appearance in the storyline.

"Why do you want to meet me?" Adam asked, suspicion heavy in his voice. "If you have--"

"Oh, you're Adam, huh? Nice." Falco interrupted, stepping forward with a disarming smile. Within two quick strides, he was right in Adam's face. "I need you to come with me."

Startled, Adam instinctively jumped back, assuming a fighting stance. His eyes narrowed, every muscle in his body tensed, ready for a confrontation. Falco's sudden appearance and demanding tone set off alarm bells in Adam's mind.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Adam demanded, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him.

Falco raised his hands in a placating gesture, though his eyes held a glint of amusement. "Easy there, I'm not here to fight. My name's Falco. I have information that's vital to your mission."

Adam didn't relax his stance. "Information? What kind of information? And what mission?"

"The kind that can save lives and change the course of your journey," Falco replied cryptically. "But I can't explain everything here. There are too many ears, too many eyes. We need to move somewhere safe."

Adam hesitated, studying Falco's face for any signs of deceit. There was something unsettlingly confident about him, as if he held all the cards and knew it.

"Why should I trust you?" Adam asked, still on guard.

"Because you don't have a choice," Falco said bluntly. "Time is running out. The enemy is closer than you think."

There was a pause. He's gonna expect... This dude has way more confidence in himself than he should have.

"Alright," Adam said finally, lowering his fists but keeping his guard up mentally. "Lead the way. But if this is a trap, you'll regret it."

Yeah, yeah... guardian of mythical weapons is going to regret messing around with a teenager.

Falco grinned. "Fair enough. Follow me." But before they could take any steps, Professor Night intervened.

"Stop! You are not taking my student anywhere without telling me why!" she demanded.

Falco turned slowly to face Professor Night, a serene yet commanding presence radiating from him. His expression was calm, almost regal, as if he were addressing a subordinate rather than an equal.

"Mentor," Falco began, his voice carrying an almost ethereal resonance. "Your concern for your student is commendable, but you must understand that matters of great import are at hand. I am Falco, the Harbinger of the Divine Light, and my purpose transcends the confines of this academy."

Professor Night's eyes narrowed, skepticism etched on her features. "You expect me to simply hand over one of my students based on your word alone?"

Falco's gaze did not waver. "I speak not just with words, but with the authority bestowed upon me by celestial decree. Adam's destiny is intertwined with forces beyond your comprehension. To hinder him now would be to jeopardize not just his future, but the fate of many."

Adam, still wary but now also curious, glanced at Professor Night. "What do you think, Professor?"

Professor Night sighed, clearly torn. "Adam is under my protection, and I cannot allow harm to befall him."

This has to be the most leader-like Professor Night has been since coming to Mage's Gambit.

By the way, I think there won't be a Mage's Gambit anymore, I guess... ugh.

"Okay, then I will need to proceed using force--"

"No, I am coming," Adam replied. The professor tried to argue, but Adam spoke, "Let it be, Professor. I don't sense much mana from this guy, so he won't be any harm. And even if he does, Headmaster Amrose and Sir Eldric are there too."

Dude's way too relaxed. I don't know how strong Falco is, but according to his character description, he's the one that guards all mythical-grade weapons. He has to be strong.

'What will he do, though? Like, is he taking Adam with him to get him on some kind of journey?' asked Blaze. I am wondering that too.

One dagger that Mary Kleine could've given to Adam was crushed by me, and I got a murky ball of smoke—

'Ey! Be respectful,' Smokeball added.

Haa, okay, I got a little old shitty half-spirit out of the dagger that in itself could've been the best weapon—

'And if I wasn't there, you wouldn't have gotten the information about Crooked Island, then seen where the mermaid kingdom could potentially be. But you didn't see their guardian beast—never would've known there were more than one God—' he began.

Okay, I admit it wasn't bad having him.

'IT IS GREAT HAVING ME!!! YOU DUMBFUCK!'

Anyways, the second pair must hold the physical body of Blaze.

Here are a few possibilities: Falco would give him Klashier's physical form or he'd get him to the Ruins where he'd get his hero sword.

For me, there are more questions only. I just sighed deeply and saw Falco leave while I felt his gaze—is he looking around me or at me?

Adam left with Falco, and everyone in the room glanced at each other, the weight of the situation pressing heavily upon them. Silence lingered until I broke it, turning to Professor Night.

"What about Gambit?" I asked, the concern evident in my voice.

She looked around the room, her eyes scanning each of us before responding, "I don't know. We'd get a notice if it's going to be continued, but we can't do much about it until then."

The room remained tense. Gambit was crucial, but its continuation seemed uncertain amid the chaos that had just unfolded. Despite the slim chance, the possibility of Gambit being canceled was on everyone's mind.

"Haa, I'll—" I began, intending to leave the room and gather my thoughts, but Professor Night cut me off.

"Stop there. You are not going anywhere. In fact, no one is leaving. You all are going to be here for the next two hours," she ordered, her tone brooking no argument.

The weight of her words settled over me like a heavy blanket. The attack had left us all on edge, and her insistence on keeping us in one place was a stark reminder of the lingering danger, despite the current absence of demons.

I glanced around the room, taking in the expressions of my... team, per se. Some looked worried, others frustrated, but all were undeniably affected by the recent events. The chaos and destruction outside seemed distant now, but the memory of it was still fresh in everyone's minds.

I walked over to a window and peered outside. Nothing but darkness...why do they have academy grounds in here? Underground?

Scorched earth and debris littered the grounds. It was clear that the academy had been caught off guard by the breach. Defensive wards that had once seemed impenetrable now lay in ruins, their failure a stark testament to the enemy's power.

The professors and staff were undoubtedly working to assess the damage and restore order, but the uncertainty hung heavy in the air.

I turned back to face the room, noticing the varied reactions of my peers. Some had taken seats, attempting to find solace in conversation or quiet reflection. Others paced nervously, unable to shake the anxiety that clung to them like a second skin.

Professor Night remained vigilant, her eyes never leaving us. She was a figure of authority and reassurance, her presence a stabilizing force amid the chaos. Yet, even she couldn't hide the underlying tension in her posture, the worry etched into the lines of her face.

As the minutes ticked by, the weight of the situation settled deeper into our bones. The uncertainty of what lay ahead was a constant companion, and though the immediate threat had passed, the fear of the unknown lingered.

My thoughts drifted to the events that had transpired. The breach, the demons, Adam's sudden departure with Falco—it all seemed like a bad dream.

I tried to piece together the fragments of information I had. The mention of an artifact, the enemy's infiltration, Adam's supposed role in preventing catastrophe—it was a lot to process.

The room was quiet, save for the occasional murmur of conversation. I could see Blaze out of the corner of my eye, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by a serious, contemplative look. It was a rare sight, and it only served to underscore the gravity of the situation.

After what felt like an eternity, Blaze finally broke the silence. 'Hey, wanna play dumb charades?' he asked, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Why do I even think that he's serious at all?

'Why not... it's already boring in here,' I agreed, surprising myself. Maybe a bit of distraction was what I needed.