All-around teacher at the magic academy

Looking at the area cleared by magic, Earl Hills's face turned incredibly gloomy, like the sky before a storm, filled with repression and anger.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, as if he wanted to vent his anger through his fists.

His gaze was fixed on Hughes ahead. Earl Hills silently chanted a spell in his mind, his voice deep and powerful, as if awakening a sleeping demon.

Magic surged through his body like a raging storm, and the dark elements around him gathered once more, swirling around his body like iron filings attracted by a magnet.

Centered on Earl Hills' feet, a strange magic circle suddenly appeared, its pattern complex and ancient, exuding an unsettling aura.

Then, the dark elements around him spread rapidly, like a tide, reaching outwards.

In an instant, a dark mist enveloped the entire area, like night falling, instantly swallowing up all the light.

Hughes, who had just unleashed a powerful fire spell, hadn't even had a moment to catch his breath. Before his eyes could adjust to the sudden darkness, he was engulfed in a fog.

The shadows and mist distorted the light, making it impossible for Hughes to see his surroundings clearly, and even dulling his senses.

In the pitch-black darkness, Hughes felt an aura of danger emanating from him, as if countless eyes were watching him from the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

He looked around, trying to sense the enemy's location with his hearing and intuition, but the shadowy mist not only obscured his vision but also confused his senses of sound and smell, making it impossible for him to detect any presence at all.

This feeling of helplessness stirred up a sense of unease within him, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists, ready to deal with any potential danger at any moment.

The quieter it was, the more dangerous he felt.

Hughes was never afraid of the enemies in front of him; what he feared were the hidden arrows in the shadows. Those unseen enemies were often the most deadly.

His heart raced, and sweat began to trickle down his forehead. He knew he had to find a way out as soon as possible, or find the Earl of Hills' location.

However, as if his suspicions had been confirmed, Hughes was caught off guard when he was attacked from behind.

Those hard claws, like cold swords, struck his back hard, tearing his skin, and blood instantly stained his clothes.

The intense stinging pain made Hughes gasp. He quickly turned around, ignoring the pain in his back, and gathered flames in his palms, then launched them at his back.

Flames leaped in his palms, illuminating the darkness around him, but his attacks missed in the shadowy mist. Then the flames seemed to be swallowed by the darkness, without a single response.

Unable to treat the wound on his back, Hughes could only run while constantly thinking of a solution.

His breathing was rapid, each gasp accompanied by a sharp pain in his back, but he dared not stop, for he did not know if stopping would result in another attack.

His heart was filled with doubt and vigilance; everything before him was fraught with unknowns and dangers.

He hadn't expected Earl Hills to be so difficult to deal with; such ruthless tactics were hardly the behavior one would expect from an earl.

Hughes thought to himself, gritting his teeth as he sprinted relentlessly in one direction.

He didn't believe this area made up of shadowy mist could be very large; he thought that as long as he kept running in one direction, he would eventually find an exit.

However, what he didn't know was that he had already lost his way in the fog.

In Lord Hills's view, Hughes was just going in circles, like a wild beast trapped in a snare, futilely searching for a way out.

Earl Hills sneered, his voice echoing through the mist, full of mockery and disdain.

"I thought the Cardinals were so powerful, but it seems they're nothing special."

His voice came from all directions, making it impossible for Hughes to pinpoint his exact location.

……

Tommy, who had just arrived at the scene, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the situation.

A barely perceptible smile appeared on his face; clearly, the situation on the field had developed in a way that surprised him.

Judging from the current situation, it seems that he doesn't need to take any action at all, as Earl Hills' Shadow Mist has completely taken control of the situation.

It seems that all I need to do is stay in the shadows and observe the situation.

Perhaps this time I can earn this huge sum of money without lifting a finger.

Tommy's mind was already racing with ideas on how to spend the money. He felt relieved, even a little smug.

.....

In the fog, Hughes, who had been running around for half a day, also realized that something was wrong.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his breathing became more rapid.

It seems I was careless and got lost in this shadowy fog.

He stopped in his tracks, took a deep breath, and then closed his eyes.

Since you can't see or feel anything, you might as well not open your eyes at all, to avoid increasing your inner fear.

He had originally intended to hold back, but now he had no choice but to unleash his full power.

Although he wasn't a real cardinal, he was still a cardinal's disciple. If he were just that, he wouldn't have been sent here on a mission.

With his eyes closed, Hughes could imagine attacks coming at him from all directions.

His heart was racing, his blood was surging in his ears, but he forced himself to stay calm.

These swarms of lurking insects in the darkness are indeed very annoying. They lurk in the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike, like a group of cunning hunters, waiting for their prey to collapse.

In an instant, the shadows in the darkness came to Hughes' side, and he could feel death approaching.

The icy aura felt like a sharp blade cutting through his skin; his neck might be slashed open in an instant, his head might fall off, and his heart might be ripped out.

But all of this is predicated on the premise that those dark shadows can reach them.

Sensing the approaching danger, Hughes suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils bursting with a blinding light, like two brilliant stars shining in the night.

The light was so intense that the shadows coming from all directions that were about to strike him stopped in their tracks for a moment.

They seemed stunned by the sudden light, unable to move forward even an inch.

Immediately afterwards, Hughes tilted his head back and suddenly spat out a ball of light from his mouth, which flew into the air.

The sphere of light rose slowly like a new star, its radiance growing increasingly intense, bursting forth with dazzling light and heat. The surrounding darkness and mist vanished instantly under the intense light.

The shadows that were so close to him began to slowly dissipate in the light, like ice and snow melting under the scorching sun.

Lord Hills, who was standing nearby and was being blinded by the bright light, instinctively shielded his eyes.

A sense of unease welled up within him; he knew that his advantage was rapidly slipping away.

However, in just a moment, Hughes seized the opportunity and arrived in front of Earl Hills in an instant.

His movements were as fast as lightning; his fist, enveloped in raging flames, hurtled towards Earl Hills' head with a whooshing sound.

The flames drew a bright trail in the air, as if they were about to ignite the surrounding air.

Earl Hills felt the intense heat so close to him, and his heart was filled with resentment; he could not die here.