CHAPTER 270: SECOND VILLAIN ACT [2]

The night air on the academy campus was crisp and cool.

Alice Draken wasn’t the type to enjoy going out for no reason, but tonight’s weather made her rethink that habit. The breeze was steady, refreshing, almost playful against her skin.

For a moment, she thought that once she finished her business, it might not be so bad to take a walk and let the night carry her thoughts away.

"It’s a nice night, don’t you think?" she said aloud, glancing at her silent companion.

"Professor Lena keeps nagging me to ’get some sun.’ But moonlight’s just reflected sunlight, broadly speaking. So, technically, this counts... right?"

Her "date" didn’t answer.

Alice sighed and tilted her head, her golden eyes narrowing.

"Figures. When you asked me to come out in the middle of the night, I knew you were either crazy, stupid, or both. But you could at least humor me with a reply. Then, maybe—just maybe—I’ll go a little easier on you when I beat you down."

The figure before her stood motionless. A jet-black tailcoat draped over his frame, and a pure white demon mask concealed his face. On anyone else, it would’ve looked laughably theatrical—like some kid playing at being mysterious. But the aura he gave off... dark, heavy, unsettling... it made the ridiculous outfit seem almost fitting.

For the first time in a long while, Alice felt a thrill run down her spine—not of fear, but of anticipation.

Alice let a slow smile curve her lips, tilting her head as if studying a piece of art she couldn’t quite decide was genius or garbage.

"You know," she said lightly, "I don’t usually entertain idiots who think dressing like a theater reject makes them intimidating. But I’ll give you credit—you almost pull it off."

Her heels clicked softly against the stone path as she took a step closer, folding her arms.

"Still, I have to wonder... what exactly was your plan? Lure me out here, stand around in silence, and hope I get scared enough to faint? Because if that’s the case, you’re in for a very long night."

She tapped her chin in mock thought, her golden eyes glinting.

"Or maybe... you’re one of those creeps who gets tongue-tied in front of pretty girls? Mm? Is that it?"

The masked figure didn’t move, didn’t flinch. Just stood there, that suffocating aura pressing against her like a storm cloud ready to burst.

Alice’s smile sharpened.

"Ah, I see. The strong, silent type. Cute. But here’s the thing—if you won’t talk, then I’ll just assume you’re my enemy. And when I fight enemies..."

Mana shimmered faintly at her fingertips, sparks flickering like restless fireflies. Her eyes narrowed, a sharp glint of challenge cutting through the night air.

"...I don’t hold back," she said, her voice steady.

The figure in the demon mask tilted his head slightly, his voice rumbling with unnatural calm.

[Hmm.]

[If I upset you with that... date invitation, then allow me to apologize.]

Her lips curled into a crooked smile. "Aha. Don’t bother. I wasn’t planning on going easy on you anyway. I’ll end this fast and take my evening stroll in peace."

The masked figure chuckled, low and smooth.

[What a shame. I was hoping to enjoy this moonlit date a little longer.]

She snorted, shifting her stance, mana coiling tighter around her hand. "You’re more of a romantic than you look. Unfortunately, you picked the wrong partner. I’m not exactly the candlelight-and-roses type."

The mask gleamed faintly as he leaned forward.

[Oh, I don’t believe that for a second.]

Her brow arched. "And why’s that?"

[Because even now, with all that fire at your fingertips, you’re still talking instead of striking. That hesitation... isn’t very different from anticipation, is it?]

For a moment, her smile faltered. Then she scoffed and flicked her fingers, scattering sparks into the air. "Careful. Keep talking like that and I might start thinking you actually want me to kill you slowly."

The masked figure spread his arms, almost inviting the attack.

[Then I suppose this date just got interesting.]

Alice’s sparks fizzled into brighter flames, licking the night air with wild heat. The stone beneath her heels cracked faintly as her mana pulsed, sharp and unrestrained.

Her golden eyes locked onto that blank mask, and for the first time in weeks, her blood felt alive.

"Interesting, huh?" she murmured, her lips twisting into a grin. "That’s not the word I’d use."

With a snap of her fingers, a bolt of fire screamed toward the masked man, cutting a searing line across the stone path. The explosion echoed through the academy grounds, showering sparks and shards of stone.

When the smoke cleared—

He was gone.

Alice tilted her head, her smile widening as she felt the weight of that oppressive aura shift—behind her.

A whisper brushed her ear.

[You’re quick to light a fire, but slower to see through smoke.]

Her heel lashed back instantly, a crimson flare of mana bursting out. But her kick met only empty air, the masked figure already several paces away, standing casually with his hands folded behind his back.

"...You’re fast," Alice admitted, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "I’ll give you that."

[Fast enough to dodge, at least.]

His voice was calm—infuriatingly calm. Not boastful, not mocking. Just... steady. As if he weren’t fighting her at all, but testing her.

And that made her grin all the sharper.

"Good. It’d be boring if you dropped dead in the first exchange."

This time, she didn’t snap her fingers. She clenched her fist, and the air itself ignited—flames spiraling outward in a furious cyclone that roared across the courtyard.

The heat was merciless. The ground blackened. The academy walls trembled with the force of her spell.

And through it all—

The masked figure walked forward.

Not sprinting, not dodging. Just walking. The white mask gleamed faintly, untouched by the storm of fire curling around him.

Alice’s grin faltered.

"...You’re not even—"

[Afraid?] he finished for her, his voice steady as ever. [No. That’s your role tonight, isn’t it? To test me. To measure me. To see if you can burn through what I’ve become.]

Her nails bit into her palm as she gritted her teeth. "Don’t talk like you know me."

[Don’t I?]

That quiet, absolute certainty sent a chill down her spine.

For the first time since this duel began, Alice Draken realized she wasn’t just being toyed with.

She was being studied.

Her lips curled into something between a snarl and a laugh. "Fine. Let’s see if you can study ashes."

Mana surged in her veins as she raised both hands, her fire gathering into a blazing sphere that cast the entire courtyard in hellish light.

Across from her, the masked figure tilted his head, his voice low and almost amused.

[Now that... looks like a proper first strike.]

The fireball in Alice’s hands swelled until it buzzed with unstable heat, the light painting her golden eyes a molten red.

But instead of hurling it right away, she held it there, steady and simmering.

Her smile returned, sharp and deliberate. "You don’t flinch, do you? Most people panic when they see me charge this much power. You just... stare."