Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey
Chapter 162: Struggle [2]

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.

"Don't you dare to look down on ME!" Tony shouted and let out dark mana from his body. Seeing the unexpected changes Aric rushed forward with his broadsword in his hand, however before he could reach near he disappeared and appeared in front of Aric and grabbed his broad sword.

-Cracked!

-Shattered!, -Kick!

Tony broke Aric's sword and kicked him in the chest, The kick sent him to the other side of the hall and Aric hit the hall with a thud.

Seeing that Aric was down I shouted to others, "Keep attacking him, do not let him have any control over the battle." Saying that I raised my bow.

With me Evelyn and Emma unleashed a barrage of arrows, raining down a relentless assault on the spot where Tony was standing.

Boom—!!!

Thwush, Thwoom, Thwoosh—!!

As my arrow exploded and others' arrows hit the wall around him, debris and dust clouded the area, obscuring our view of Tony.

Although we couldn't see him, we could still hear him hissing and growling in anger.

"Keep him down for a little longer!" Adrian yelled as he charged toward Tony, his sword pulled back and glowing in an azure hue.

Swish—!!

"...Huh?!"

But in a split second, something darted past Adrian in a blur, leaving him momentarily confused before he realized what it was.

"He's moving!" Adrian spun around and shouted, alerting everyone to face the incoming threat.

Tony was now heading straight for Evelyn and Emma, his sharp claws at the ready.

"I see," I thought to myself out loud while stroking my chin, analyzing Tony's tactics. "He's trying to eliminate the long-range fighters first. It's an optimal strategy when fighting solo against multiple enemies."

He planned to take out the archers first.

After he's done with that, he would isolate the close-range fighters for one-on-one battles.

Meanwhile, he was also avoiding the strongest fighter in the group, Adrian.

Despite being angry and filled with contempt, he was thinking with his head. I can applaud him for that.

"If he takes out Evelyn and Emma, he'll come after me next," I realized, quickly strategizing our next moves.

I quickly and loudly barking orders." Elera protect the archers, Elera! Shion and Kael, engage the Tony!"

Meanwhile, Shion and Kael were closer to Evelyn and Emma – the spot where Tony was headed.

They could move quickly to engage Tony first, keeping him occupied while Adrian made his way over.

Since Adrian was already on his way to face Tony I didn't need to give him any additional orders.

As Shion and Kael swiftly moved to intercept Tony, Elera took a defensive stance, positioning herself between Tony and the vulnerable archers, Evelyn and Emma.

"Stay back," Elera commanded, summoning a protective barrier around herself. The magical shield shimmered with a translucent glow, ready to repel any incoming threat.

Shion and Kael, their expressions determined, faced Tony Stark head-on. Shion unleashed a flurry of Spear strikes, aiming for Tony's vital points, while Kael swung his massive war hammer with overwhelming force.

Tony, now engaged on multiple fronts, struggled to fend off the relentless attacks. He evaded Shion's precise strikes with acrobatic agility, his metallic claws deflecting Kael's powerful blows.

Adrian, having closed the distance, joined the fray with his mana-infused sword. The combination of magic and brute strength created a formidable assault that forced Tony to shift his focus rapidly.

Meanwhile, Evelyn and Emma, now shielded by Elera, continued firing arrows from a safe distance. The coordinated efforts of the group aimed to disrupt Tony's movements and prevent him from executing his strategic plan.

Tony, realizing the resilience of his opponents, unleashed dark mana once more, enhancing his speed and strength. He moved with increased ferocity, attempting to overwhelm the students with a relentless barrage of attacks.

The battle reached a fevered pitch, the clash of weapons and magical energies creating a chaotic symphony in the hall. Each member of the group contributed to the ongoing assault, exploiting weaknesses and coordinating their efforts to keep Tony off balance.

Amidst the chaos, Aric, recovering from the earlier blow, staggered to his feet. Though his broadsword lay shattered, determination burned in his eyes as he scanned the battlefield for an opportunity to rejoin the fight.

Fwoosh—!!

"....Haa?!"

But suddenly, something happened that made me widen my eyes in surprise and shock.

"Fuck," I cursed under my breath.

"Lucas… is he heading toward us?" Hugh asked.

"...Yes," I nodded.

Yeah, so, in the middle of his fight, seeing that he was not going any closer to Evelyn and Emma because of Elera, Shion, Kael and Adrian, Tony suddenly changed directions and made a sharp turn toward me.

I had underestimated him.

Tony had counted on us to focus all our defence on protecting Evelyn and Emma, leaving me vulnerable.

I was my own since the beginning of the fight.

The rest of my team was also too far away since I had redirected most of our manpower to guard Evelyn and Emma.

"Hahaha!" I let out a bitter laugh. He had outsmarted me.

As Tony rapidly approached me, a surge of adrenaline shot through my veins. I quickly assessed my options, realizing that I needed to buy time until the others could reposition and provide support.

Elera, noticing the sudden transition in Tony's trajectory, dispelled her protective barrier and hurriedly rushed toward me. "Lucas, get ready! I'll try to create an opening for you!"

I nodded, unsheathing my sword and focusing my energy. The pressure was on, and I could feel Tony's ominous presence drawing nearer.

Tony, fueled by dark mana, closed the distance with remarkable speed. His metallic claws glinted with a sinister aura as he prepared to strike.

Elera reached my side, her ripper emanating a gentle glow. "Stay close to me, Lucas. We can't let him break our formation."

As Tony lunged forward with a swift claw attack, Elera channelled her magic, creating a barrier of light to intercept the blow. The clash of dark and radiant energies illuminated the hall, creating a momentary deadlock.

"Lucas, now!" Elera urged, her eyes focused on maintaining the barrier.

Seizing the opportunity, I darted to the side, avoiding the confrontation with Tony. I needed to use my agility and strategy to offset his raw power.

While Tony was momentarily occupied with Elera, I circled, looking for a chance to strike.