Chapter 679: Something is Definitely Wrong: Part-9

"W-What? Who is s-she..." Alaric stammered, his voice filled with disbelief as something strange and terrifying emerged from the Principal’s body.

A pinkish-white-haired woman with fox ears slowly turned her pure, pink, heart-shaped eyes toward Alaric. His entire body tensed, and he instantly flinched—not just in fear but with an inexplicable... excitement?

His eyes flickered with confusion before he managed to stammer, "Y-You’re beautifu--" but before he could finish,

Snap!

The sharp sound of the Master snapping his fingers echoed, jolting Alaric back to his senses. He blinked rapidly, shaking his head as he refocused on the mysterious woman standing before him.

"W-What’s happening to me?" Alaric shouted, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and bewilderment, his expression etched with panic.

The Master observed him coolly, his tone steady as he explained, "You almost fell under her spell for the second time."

"S-Second time?" Alaric’s eyes widened as he staggered backward slightly, struggling to process the Master’s words.

The Master let out a deep, haughty laugh, "Hahaha... Oh, Alaric. Don’t tell me you still haven’t figured it out? The real reason you’ve been following her around all this time has nothing to do with love or loyalty. You weren’t acting on your own feelings...

You were bewitched by her charm."

"H-Huh? Bewitched? That’s... That’s impossible!" Alaric exclaimed, his voice rising with desperation. "Y-You’re lying, r-right? T-There’s no way--"

"Isadora Pinkheart is no ordinary being.

She belongs to the elusive and ancient Fox Kin—a secular tribe long thought to have disappeared," the Master said, his tone grave. "In fact, to be precise, she’s the last of her kind. One of the Mother’s unique creations." He then glanced sideways at Morgana, a succubus standing nearby, and added, "She is a superior and flawless version of a succubus."

Morgana’s lips twitched in mild annoyance, but as she gazed at Isadora’s ethereal presence, she finally understood the truth. Seeing the Fox bloodline before her, it all made sense now—why Isadora had always insisted on such claims, even though Morgana had initially dismissed her.

Alaric’s face drained of colour as dread crept into his features. He shook his head weakly, muttering, "S-So all this time... I was just... bewitched?" His eyes darted to the pinkish-white-haired woman, disbelief mingling with fear.

Isadora’s heart-shaped pink eyes fixed on the Master. Her expression was calm but unnervingly cold as she spoke, "You seem to know... far too much. I wonder who are you?"

"Hah... Let’s just say I know far more than you could ever imagine, child," the Master replied, his voice laced with arrogance.

Isadora chose to ignore his taunt, her attention shifting back to Alaric. She began to walk toward him slowly, her high heels clicking ominously against the ground. Each step radiated an unsettling mix of allure and menace, while her soft, fluffy tail swayed gracefully in the air as her hips swayed both sexily and dangerously.

Alaric found himself completely immobilized. His body refused to obey him, frozen in place as the woman stopped just inches away from him. Towering over him, her piercing pink, heart-shaped eyes bore into his very soul. Her voice, low and deliberate, sent chills down his spine as she said, "I... never bewitched you. It’s a mistake to think that." Then, without warning, she plunged her sharp nails into his neck.

"Arrh!"

Alaric gasped, his body jolting as pain shot through him. He tried desperately to pull away, but it was as if invisible chains held him firmly in place. Panic consumed him as he realized he couldn’t even muster the strength to resist.

"P-Please... Arrhh! M-Master... H-Help me!" Alaric cried out, his voice breaking with fear. The woman before him wasn’t the Isadora he thought he knew. This version of her was unrecognizable—dangerous and utterly merciless.

The Master sighed, shaking his head with a solemn expression. "I’m sorry, Alaric, but no one here can save you." His tone carried a faint trace of guilt.

"W-Wha--"

"Look at my eyes, Alaric..." Isadora whispered, her voice dripping with icy malice. The command sent a shiver racing through him, and against his will, his gaze snapped to her hypnotic, heart-shaped eyes. Her next words were like daggers piercing his heart: "You betrayed me. Not just me—you betrayed the students who trusted you. That is something I cannot and will not forgive."

Her nails drove deeper into his neck, and blood began to flow freely, spilling down like a melting candle.

"N-No... No... P-Please--AAARRRRR----"

Cchuucckkllllcckckk... kckckcccccckkkkk!!

"Oh! Fuck... Shit... Man! Ahh!" Aether cursed, squeezing his eyes shut as he watched in horror.... Isadora had just yanked Alaric’s head clean off his body, spinal cord and bones still attached.

The grotesque sight was terrifying and sickening!!

Everyone around instinctively averted their gaze for a moment, their hands flying to their necks as if to ensure their heads were still attached. When they finally dared to look again, they saw Isadora standing tall, holding Alaric’s severed head and spinal column in one hand.

Sssssppppppp!

The headless body stood eerily still, blood spurting out in violent arcs like a macabre fountain.

Isadora’s expression didn’t change. Her heart-shaped eyes were devoid of emotion as she turned to face the Master. Holding Alaric’s lifeless head aloft, she spoke, her tone venomous, "You... Who are you, really? Not only are you corrupting these children, but you also turned this fucking traitor into your pawn.

He was too proud, even for an elf, to bow to anyone weaker than himself. What exactly are you holding over him?" Her sultry yet icy voice echoed through the desolate space.

The Master’s gaze lingered on Alaric’s head, his last moments of agony frozen in time. With a heavy sigh, he thought, ’Rest in peace, my child,’ before responding aloud, "He acted of his own free will. No one forced him or anyone else. Our organization operates on will, not coercion."

"I see..." Isadora murmured, her voice cold. Without another word, she crushed Alaric’s head in her hand. With blood dripping from her fingers, she turned to the others and gestured dismissively. "If you value your lives, leave now," she commanded, her deadly gaze falling on Jack.

"M-Master?" Jack stammered, his voice trembling as an invisible force pressed down on him. It was Isadora’s overwhelming presence.

"Are you planning to kill this child too?" the Master asked, though the answer was evident in her eyes.

"Jack... Your death will be far worse than Alaric’s," Isadora declared ominously. In an instant, she disappeared, only to reappear before Jack. Without hesitation, she slammed him into the ground, intending to turn him into a bloody paste.

BOOOMMMMMMM!!!!

Or so she thought.

As the dust settled, Jack was nowhere to be found. Isadora’s gaze shifted sharply to the side, where she saw the Master holding a trembling Jack.... His face was pale, etched with terror and a trace of excitement.

"F-Fuck... T-That would have turned me into paste!" Jack stuttered, his words barely coherent through his fear.

The Master said, "It’s time for the second phase, Jack."

"Second phase?" Jack echoed, tilting his head in thought. A moment later, realization dawned, and a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Ohhh... Right~" he drawled, before letting out a sharp whistle, "Whoooosssseeee!"

Isadora’s fox ears twitched, her sharp senses immediately picking up on the change in the air. The eerie quiet that followed made her eyes narrow in suspicion... Something was coming.

"No one can face the current Sovereign head-on... So, I brought a little gift for you, child," the Master said with a smug tone, his haughty demeanour never faltering.

From the sidelines, Aether, who had been uncharacteristically silent by Isadora’s new presence, suddenly shouted in alarm, "Dora! It’s the Guardian! They’ve awakened the Guardian! It’s the only thing that can go toe-to-toe with you!"

The Master, startled for the first time, turned to Aether with a piercing glare, "For a mere servant, you seem to know far too much... And, come to think of it, you called her Dora just now?" His eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Hmm... Something about you feels... off."

Aether froze.... His cover was slipping, and the stakes were now too high.

There was no point in hiding any longer. He could see through their plan—they were after the head of the strongest, Isadora.

From the very beginning, their plan was to bring Isadora without her getting alert... She was the target, and they intended for her to die here.

He couldn’t allow that to happen. He had already secured Aqualina and Celestia, though they were still trapped. If he could just hold off the Guardian and buy time, there might still be hope.

From the distance, a guttural growl echoed,

"Grrrrlllll!!"

The sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps followed.

Step... Step....

Clang... Clang... Clang...

The clashing of chains filled the air, and all eyes turned toward the source of the ominous noise...

A massive fox appeared, emerging from the shadows.

But this was no ordinary fox. Its entire body was mechanical, a grotesque fusion of cold, lifeless steel. Chains and leashes bound its hulking form, held by hundreds of Jack Sparrow’s puppets. Steam hissed from its metallic joints, and its eyes, glowing with an eerie robotic light, moved methodically as it scanned the area. Two enormous, rainbow-colored fangs protruded menacingly from its mouth.

The fox paused, its mechanical eyes locking onto Isadora. A lifeless, robotic voice reverberated through the air:

"Target Found!"

The Master’s grin widened as Jack barked an order.... The puppets released the chains in unison, and the massive fox let out a deafening howl:

"WWWWoooooOoooo!"

In an instant, it lunged at Isadora, its gaping maw snapping shut with terrifying speed, aiming to sever her head in one bite.

TANG!

Or so it thought.

Isadora was no longer in its jaws.

She stood atop the mechanical fox’s head, her high heels delicately perched on the tip of its metallic nose. Her expression was blank, her heart-shaped pink eyes devoid of fear or emotion as she stared down at the creature.

"I’ve faced worse..." she said in a low, icy voice.

Before anyone could react, the colossal fox let out a mechanical screech as its legs gave way beneath it. With a thunderous crash, its body slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.

The Master’s confident grin faltered for a moment as he watched the scene unfold, ’Faced worse? Could that mean she’s encountered monsters like this before? But there isn’t any report...’ he thought, his mind racing.

Chucckk!

"ARRRGH!!" A scream pierced the air, drawing all attention to Jack. He stumbled forward, clutching at his back, where a red sword had been plunged deep into his flesh. Whipping around, his eyes widened in shock as he saw Lia standing behind him, a wicked smile curving her lips.

"Did you forget about me... or what?" she purred, her voice dripping with malice.

"BITCH!!" Jack snarled, his face contorting with rage and pain.

The real showdown was about to begin and... Aether was not going to take part in it because,

/A-Aeth...../

BOOOMMMM!!