Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey
Chapter 161: Struggle [1]

As the last projectile sailed toward Adrian, he countered with a swift swing of his sword, redirecting the dark force with precision.

The hall became a battleground once more, the clash between Adrian and Tony evolving into a dance of opposing forces.

Cling, Cling, Cling—!!!

The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed throughout the hall as Adrian and Tony engaged in a fierce sword fight.

"Cover Adrian!" I shouted to the others, pulling another arrow from my quiver and nocking it onto my bow.

Evelyn and Emma followed suit, firing their arrows to keep Tony at bay.

But Tony was too fast for them. He dodged and weaved between the arrows while attacking Adrian with deadly precision.

I needed to act fast.

With a steady hand, I aimed my arrow not at Tony but at the ground beneath his feet and released the bowstring.

Swoosh—!!

Boom—!!!

As soon as the arrow hit the ground, a massive explosion rocked the hall, sending debris flying in every direction.

Tony was caught off guard, stumbling back from the force of the blast. It was our chance to strike.

"HHa" Right at that moment, Kael's battle cry echoed through the hall as he leapt forward, brandishing his massive battle hammer above his head.

Fwooosh—!!

Thwoom—!!!

The sound of impact filled the air as the hammer swung down on Tony, but the Fallen Human was too quick.

Tony Stark swiftly activated his repulsors, propelling himself out of harm's way just in time to evade Kael's powerful blow. The hall trembled as the impact left a crater on the floor.

Undeterred, Kael adjusted his grip on the hammer, ready for another strike. Tony hovered in the air, his eyes narrowing at the group of students who dared to challenge him.

Adrian, recovering from the explosion, rose to his feet, his sword at the ready. "We won't let you harm anyone here, Tony."

Tony smirked, his metallic suit gleaming. "You're all just ants in my grand design. I'll crush each one of you."

Before anyone could react, Tony unleashed a barrage of repulsor blasts, creating a dazzling display of destructive energy. The students scattered, dodging the onslaught as Tony continued his relentless assault.

In the chaos, I noticed a glint of the massive hammer. Kael once again ready to attack, with a makeshift war hammer in his hand, charged toward Tony from the side. His determination was evident, and Tony, momentarily distracted by the scattered attacks, didn't anticipate the direct assault.

Kael swung his hammer with surprising strength, aiming for Tony's head. The metal clang echoed through the hall as Tony grunted, his focus momentarily disrupted.

Seizing the opportunity created by Kael's strike, Adrian swiftly closed the gap between him and Tony. With a series of calculated sword swings, he aimed to exploit the momentary vulnerability. Tony, however, recovered quickly, parrying Adrian's strikes with uncanny precision.

Meanwhile, Kael, undeterred by his previous attempt, continued his relentless assault. With another mighty swing of his hammer, he aimed for Tony's midsection. The force behind the blow was formidable, and Tony struggled to counteract the brute strength of Kael's attack.

Evelyn and Emma, regaining their composure, resumed their ranged assault. Arrows whizzed through the air, forcing Tony to navigate a barrage of projectiles. The coordinated efforts of the students began to take a toll on Tony, the relentless onslaught disrupting his combat rhythm.

Tony, displaying a remarkable adaptability, altered his tactics. He activated advanced defensive systems in his suit, creating a protective energy shield that deflected incoming attacks. The once-disoriented Tony now regained control of the situation.

"Now what are you going to do, Pests?" Tony said and smirked inside of the barrier. Adrian grits his teeth and attacks the energy barrier with his mana-influence sword.

-Boom!

A powerful shockwave went through the hall but the energy barrier didn't have any scratch on it.

Now what to do? If we don't do something about that barriers Tony then we will all die.

"Hey, You bastard do you forget about me?"

As I was thinking about what to do next I heard a familiar voice shouting behind me. I turned my head backwards and saw Aric standing with his broadsword in his hand.

My eyes widened when I turned my gaze at the broad sword of Aric is holding. A very dense and high amount of mana is gathered around the Aric sword, the mana was so dense in amount that some cracks appeared on the word.

Aric bent his knees and I put his sword at Tony's energy barrier and said, "[Breaker Sword art] First movement ONE HUNDRED SLASH!" Shouting the last part he launched himself at Tony.

Swoosh—!!

In a sudden burst of movement, Aric launched himself forward with incredible speed.

As Aric unleashed the "[Breaker Sword Art] First Movement ONE HUNDRED SLASH," the hall reverberated with a cascade of sword strikes. Each slash carried an immense concentration of mana, creating a whirlwind of energy around Aric's broadsword.

Swoosh—! Cling, Cling, Cling—!

The energy barrier that once protected Tony Stark began to fracture under the relentless assault. Aric's strikes, fueled by an overwhelming mana pressure, showed no mercy, breaking through the defensive shield with each powerful swing.

Cracks appeared on the barrier as Tony, realizing the impending danger, attempted to reinforce it. However, Aric's assault proved too formidable, overwhelming the structural integrity of the protective shield.

As Aric continued the onslaught, the density of mana surrounding his broadsword intensified, creating an aura of power that cracked the air itself. Tony, inside the weakening barrier, braced himself for the inevitable breach.

With a final, resounding strike, Aric's broadsword shattered the remaining fragments of the energy barrier. The hall echoed with the triumphant clash of metal meeting metal.

Cling—!

The barrier disintegrated, leaving Tony Stark exposed to the combined force of Aric's mana-infused broadsword and the relentless attacks from the rest of the group.

Adrian, seizing the moment, joined Aric in the assault. The two warriors coordinated their strikes, creating a seamless dance of swordplay that left Tony struggling to defend himself.

Meanwhile, Evelyn and Emma resumed their ranged attacks, firing arrows with precision to exploit any opening. Kael, undeterred by his previous attempts, swung his war hammer with determination, adding the force of his blows to the coordinated assault.

Tony, now without the protective barrier, found himself overwhelmed by the collective might of the students. The once-confident smirk on his face wavered as he struggled to counter their combined strength.