Chapter 10

A vast expanse of dark clouds hung over the sky.

"Oh? Looks like the weather's about to change. At most, it'll be a storm. Is that worth getting so worked up over?" Luo Lun's office was very quiet, and with his age, the old man's hearing had weakened somewhat. He had not heard the deafening low-frequency sound waves filling the sky at all.

"Those aren't clouds, Second Brother. Quickly activate the protective magic array. Several of the academy's summoners and teachers from the magical beast department say it's a huge swarm of winged insect beasts—possibly even Locusts." Duoduo repeatedly tapped his wand against the ground as he spoke anxiously.

Luo Lun widened his eyes. "Locusts blotting out the sky? How is that possible? Locusts have never appeared on the Saint Rune Continent!"

"Second Brother, hurry up. It'll be too late if you delay. I'll evacuate all the students first." Duoduo ran out of the office as he spoke, while Luo Lun hurriedly flew toward the center of the academy.

"Quick! All teachers and students, move toward the center of the academy!" Six-Leaf Battle Mage Duoduo Hobbs was currently riding the two-headed giant bird Crow, darting back and forth between the academy's various classrooms and training grounds, afraid of missing even a single person.

Several other teachers were also notifying everyone in the academy to take shelter. Sitting atop Crow, Duoduo watched the dark mass covering the sky draw ever closer, silently repeating to himself, Don't let it be Locusts. Please, don't let it be Locusts.

Like Sand Tigers, these insect-type magical beasts were not difficult to deal with when there were only one or two of them. Locusts were even more fragile than Sand Tigers; an ordinary person could easily kill one. A Locust's only threatening weapon was its serrated mouthparts, which destroyed everything its eyes could see. Generally speaking, when Locusts migrated in great numbers, they left nothing behind in their wake. If their numbers were truly enormous, even houses and other buildings could be completely destroyed.

Watching the teachers and students rushing about the academy in utter chaos, Duoduo anxiously tugged Crow's leather reins, and the giant bird turned toward the central tower.

"Second Brother, is there a problem with the defensive magic array?" Crow flapped its wings in midair as Duoduo called to Luo Lun, who was already standing inside the tower.

"It's fine. It can be activated at any time." Luo Lun raised his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his forehead and answered somewhat breathlessly.

"I wonder whether the town residents have all been evacuated?" Duoduo looked toward Axon Town, then continued, "Two upperclassmen from the Yi Family went to notify them earlier. I hope they make it in time."

"There's nothing we can do. Our responsibility is to protect Saguli Academy." Luo Lun stared at the Locusts in the distance. "The Yi Family will naturally handle the matters in town."

"Vice Principal." A slightly plump mage flew unsteadily to the tower window and said to Luo Lun, "All teachers and students have gathered."

"Good. Qikeda, select teachers skilled in lightning magic and summoning magic from the academy. Hmm... two lightning mages and one summoner. I want the strongest ones." Luo Lun said.

"Vice Principal, what are you planning?" The plump mage Qikeda and Duoduo were both startled. Could the Vice Principal be planning a counterattack?

Luo Lun's answer confirmed their suspicions. "Based on past experience, Locusts migrate in large numbers because they lack food. If our counterattack works, we can frighten them into turning around and leaving. Blind defense is not always the best approach."

"Yes, I'll deliver the orders immediately." Qikeda flew down again in his crooked, lurching manner.

"Duoduo, I'll leave the operation of the defensive array to you. I'll take the young men and slaughter them for a while." Luo Lun seemed to have suddenly become ten years younger. His eyes gleamed as he spoke with soaring vigor.

"All right, Second Brother. Be careful." Duoduo knew Luo Lun was right, but it still did not sit well with him that his older brother had to face the sky full of Locusts while he could only remain in the tower.

"Hahaha, Duoduo, don't be so unconvinced. When you become principal someday, we brothers can switch places. Then I'll stay cooped up in the tower while you go stretch your limbs. What do you think?"

"I hope that day never comes." Duoduo answered with a bitter smile. Though Luo Lun's tone was partly joking, both of them knew that a disaster of Locusts blotting out the sky would not be easy to deal with. All they could do now was hope Luo Lun's strategy would succeed.

Luo Lun walked to the window and called out, "Crystal!"

Beside the Vice Principal's office was a bottomless pool. At Luo Lun's call, bubbles of varying sizes began rising from its depths with popping sounds. The water was churned by the bubbles and surged violently.

Luo Lun leaped from the window onto Crow's back, patted his younger brother Duoduo on the shoulder, then jumped down from the giant bird.

"Second Brother is still the same. He can't go without showing off even a little." Duoduo muttered with a bitter smile, then jumped through the window into the top of the tower.

The area below the tower was now packed with teachers and students from the entire academy. Some sharp-eyed students noticed someone jumping from the top and cried out in alarm, "Teacher, someone jumped off the tower!"

Lin Hanxuan and Hal were also among the crowd, though they had not run into each other yet because they were in different classes. Hearing someone shout that a person had jumped, everyone looked up in unison.

As Luo Lun plummeted rapidly, powerful winds continuously poured into his nostrils and mouth, making his face look somewhat savage. Though the top of the tower was very high, as the ground drew closer and closer, he could not help but feel uneasy.